The FIFA Weekly Issue #3

ISSUE 3/2015, 23 JANUARY 2015

ENGLISH EDITION

Fédération Internationale de Football Association – Since 1904

THE NAINGGOLANS AT AS ROMA

A TALE OF TWINS BRAZIL WORLD CUP LEGACY FOR SCHOOLS

SEPP BLATTER EBOLA IS EVERYONE’S BUSINESS

AFRICA CUP FIVE TEAMS AMONG THE FAVOURITES

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THIS WEEK IN THE WORLD OF FOOTBALL

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Leaving a legacy Although the World Cup lasts for more than 30 days, the positive effects of the tournament can reverberate for years.

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Sepp Blatter The “11 against Ebola” campaign has already proved effective, “but I can promise that FIFA will under no circumstances scale back its efforts,” says Sepp Blatter in his weekly column.

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North and Central America 35 members www.concacaf.com

The promise While the bond between siblings can be a big motivator, particularly in sport, it can also enable them to overcome life’s most challenging situations. Franco Nicolussi went to AS Roma to meet the Nainggolan twins from Belgium and discover their story of solidarity and chance in football.

South America 10 members www.conmebol.com

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Spain Martin Odegaard’s move to Real Madrid is the talk of the sports pages.

Gunter Netzer “Many stars miss the perfect moment to retire,” says our columnist. “That’s why getting the honest opinion of someone you know and trust is vital.”

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Honduras Olimpia Deportivo have ambitious aims this season.

A tale of twins Our cover picture was taken on 16 December 2014 and shows Radja and Riana Nainggolan at Trigoria training centre in Rome.

The FIFA Weekly Magazine App The FIFA Weekly Magazine is available in four languages and also on your tablet every Friday. http://www.fifa.com/mobile

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Getty Images (2), imago (2)

Luciano Rossi / AS Roma

THIS WEEK IN THE WORLD OF FOOTBALL

Europe 54 members www.uefa.com

Africa 54 members www.cafonline.com

Asia 46 members www.the-afc.com

Oceania 11 members www.oceaniafootball.com

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“Willing to risk everything” Why German Daniel Engelbrecht plays with a defibrillator.

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Africa Cup of Nations Can Ghana play their way back into their fans’ hearts?

AFC Asian Cup · 9 - 31 January 2015 Standings after the group stage

Knockout stage

Group 1.

2.

3.

4.

A Korea Republic Australia Oman Kuwait

9 6 3 0

pts. pts. pts. pts.

Group 1.

2.

3.

4.

C Iran UAE Bahrain Qatar

9 6 3 0

pts. pts. pts. pts.

Group 1.

2.

3.

4.

B China PR Uzbekistan Saudi Arabia DPR Korea

9 6 3 0

pts. pts. pts. pts.

Group 1.

2.

3.

4.

D Japan Iraq Jordan Palestine

9 6 3 0

pts. pts. pts. pts.

The two highest-placed teams from each group qualify for the ­k nockout stages.

Quarter-finals Match 25 Match 26 Match 27 Match 28

· 22-23 January Korea Republic China PR Iran Japan

Uzbekistan Australia Iraq UAE

2-0 aet 0 -2

Semi-finals · 26-27 January Korea Republic Match 29 Match 30 Australia

Winner of Match 27 Winner of Match 28

3rd/4th Place Play-off · 30 January Match 31 Loser of Match 29

Loser of Match 30

Final · 31 January Match 32 Winner of Match 29

Winner of Match 30

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UNCOVERED

The De Boer twins Members of a golden Dutch generation.

Better together

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iverpool, Manchester City and Juventus have all been linked with Radja Nainggolan, but as it stands the 26-year-old Belgian is staying with AS Roma.

One special and unusual factor may well have played a role in his deliberations: his twin sister Riana has turned out for the same club for the last six months. Our writer Franco Nicolussi visited the siblings in Rome and reports Radja’s moving words: “Before our mother died, she charged me with looking after my sister.” Our feature from page 6 examines the power of the closest-possible family ties in football.

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he Africa Cup of Nations kicked off just under a week ago in Equatorial Guinea. It is the 30th edition of the tournament but it remains as significant as when it first came into being. The favourites this time round include Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Ghana, Cameroon and Algeria, one of the true surprise packages of the 2014 World Cup. “The big teams will have to work hard for their victories. African football is unpredictable,” said Equatorial Guinea captain Juvenal Edjogo-Owono. Our report begins on page 24.

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he diminutive nation stepped in as hosts after original choice Morocco declined to stage the tournament at this time due to fears regarding the Ebola epidemic. FIFA President Blatter addresses this topic in his column on page 19.

“I can promise we will under no circumstances scale back our efforts in the fight against Ebola,” he declares. Å Alan Schweingruber

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THE NAINGGOLAN TWINS

THE PROMISE Their lives were once bleak and devoid of prospects but the Nainggolan twins Radja and Riana drew strength from mutual love and solidarity.

Alfredo Falcone

Franco Nicolussi, Rome

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Luciano Rossi / AS Roma

THE NAINGGOLAN TWINS

Riana and Radja Born in Antwerp in 1988, the twins both now play for AS Roma.

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e have only just said farewell to 2014, the year in which Radja and Riana Nainggolan achieved a globally unique feat: they are the only male and female twins who play in their respective top flights. What’s more, they do so in the same city in a foreign country. Naturally, there can only be one truly appropriate setting for a story like this, and the background is indeed provided by Rome, the Eternal City founded in 753 BC by twins Romulus and Remus, whose wolverine mother features on the emblem of both Nainggolan twins’ clubs. After a long period apart, Radja and Riana are together again in the Italian capital, where the former has featured in the AS Roma midfield for the last year and where his twin sister signed for Res Roma in the Women’s Serie A last summer.

They are still relatively young, but the twins can already look back on emotionally-charged and highly complex lives. After a marriage to an Ecuadorian that produced three children, the twins’ mother Lizy Bogaerts, a Catholic from Antwerp in Belgium, took up with Marianus Nainggolan, an Indonesian of Batak descent and a member of the Protestant Church. Riana and Radja were born in the Flemish city in May 1988. Their early childhood was nothing out of the ordinary. “I can still remember how papa got me interested in football in our local park,”

Radja recalled. But one day, without warning and for no obvious or logical reason, Marianus suddenly decided to return to Indonesia, abandoning Lizy and the twins to their fate. Listening to Radja describing an episode from June 2013, it is obvious that the wounds have not completely healed.

“I travelled to Indonesia for the first time in my life two years ago.

Due to my name they wanted to lay on a special reception for me in Jakarta, because Radja means King or Monarch in Indonesian. Suddenly, and after years of fruitless attempts to make contact, my father was right there in front of me. The excuses he came up with for leaving us 20 years earlier made no sense to me at all. He talked and talked, but all I could think of was my mother, who was all on her own but put so much effort into looking after her family with two small children. I’m not ashamed to say that since that time I know what being poor really means.”

The boy who was a man In the sudden absence of their father, the Nainggolan twins were forced to grow up fast. Their mother held down two jobs, working evenings as a senior citizens’ carer. Radja was the only male in the household and soon became a father figure to his lively and energetic sister, who was always trying to imitate her brother. Meanwhile, Radja’s footballing skill developed at a rapid pace. He was in his second year with Tubantia Bergerhout, where his uncle Bogaerts was on the club committee, when

It’s a long, long road Chance played a part in taking Radja and Riana from Belgium to Italy.

Together again A fatherless childhood cemented the bond between the Nainggolan twins.

They now live together in the south of Rome.

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Alfredo Falcone, Twitter (2), radio 3i, Partenopress

THE NAINGGOLAN TWINS

THE NAINGGOLAN TWINS

Riana arrived at the club: there was no women’s team in Antwerp at the so far away from his mother and Riana. But he was utterly determined to make his way in football and knew Piacenza could be the springboard time. “She was a left-back with a volatile temperament,” laughs the for his ascent into Serie A. That would compensate for all the sacrifices AS Roma number four. Radja joined his first club of note when he moved he had made in his difficult life up to that point. However, fate was to at the age of 12 to Germinal Beerschot, founded by a merger in 1999 but deal the aspiring player another heavy blow. Just as his long-held dream no longer in existence today. The turning point came in 2003 when moved to the cusp of coming true with a confirmed move to top flight Radja struck up an acquaintance that was to change his life and allow Cagliari, his mother Lizy died in October 2010 after a long battle with him to realise his biggest childhood dream. The person he met was Alessandro Beltrami, a Swiss FIFA players’ agent from Lugano blessed cancer, a condition she concealed from Riana until the very end. The distressed and shaken twins were now well and truwith the ultimate gift in scouting: the ability to ly on their own. The midfielder is still visibly moved recognise at once whether a young player has what when he recalls the loss of his mother. it takes to make the grade. Beltrami surpassed even himself in the case of the Belgian-Indonesian Determination and courage 15-year-old. He took one look at the lad in the warm“I can remember every word she said. After all the up prior to a match and instantly spotted his potenproblems we had to overcome in the past, I especialtial. He introduced himself after the final whistle, ly regret her not living to witness me actually playand has followed and supported Radja’s career ever ing in the Champions League and for Belgium. Besince. fore she died she charged me with looking after my Alessandro became something like an elder sister and the family, and I don’t want to disappoint brother to Radja. In 2005 he arranged a move to the her. Whenever I play I do it with determination and youth section at Italian second division outfit Piacenza. It was tough for the youngster, who strugcourage, the things she taught us when we were gled to remain upbeat through the long and dank small and were trapped in deeply troubled circumstances. She gave me the determination to fight for winter evenings, but suffered even more from being Radja Nainggolan

“Before my mother died, she charged me with looking after my sister.”

Snapshot Radja and his family take a selfie in the car.

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The Nainggolans “I kept my promise,” Radja says.

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THE NAINGGOLAN TWINS

my goals, which is why my game is aggressive and fearless. I have no idea head Francesco Totti beat off competition from Inter, Juventus and how many tattoos I have, but the most important ones are the wings on AC Milan to secure the player’s signature. The man nicknamed 'Ninja' by my back bearing my mother’s year of birth and death.” the Cagliari faithful due to his oriental features and fighting spirit soon In the meantime Riana had also taken up football in earnest with settled in the Eternal City and became a key member of the Roma team.

But the story does not end there: in February 2014 Riana impressed in a Beerschot and eventually made a switch to Antwerp. However, she became a more and more frequent visitor to her trial for Res Roma, AS Roma’s Women’s Serie A brother in Cagliari, deepening the already close team, and she has turned out in attacking midfield relationship between the twins which had helped for I Giallorosse since the summer of 2014. It all means Radja has faithfully kept the promise he them cope with the vicissitudes of life. In the wake of their mother’s death, Sardinia became Radja’s made to his mother on her deathbed. His sister now home. He got to know Claudia in Serramanna near lives with his family in the southern suburbs of Cagliari and the couple went on to marry. One of Rome, midway between the pair’s training grounds.

Despite struggling a little with her beginner’s Italthe player’s most cherished dreams came true in January 2012 with the birth of Aysha as he finally ian, Riana more than adequately managed to convey had a real family of his own. Personal happiness had her delight at the latest developments. a positive effect on his career as he became increas“I can’t put into words how happy I am to be ingly influential in midfield for the Sardinian Serie back together with Radja and his beautiful family, and in this wonderful city of Rome too. And everyA outfit, and Belgium coach Marc Wilmots duly called the talented youngster into his squad. When one at Res Roma has been totally welcoming. My the winter transfer window opened last year Cagliari team-mates, the coaching staff and the fans are offered Nainggolan to a number of Italian and top making it feel like home already. Radja occasionally European clubs, with the player ultimately deciding picks me up from training, which is great fun for my to stay in Italy. AS Roma and their legendary figureRiana Nainggolan team-mates and for all the kids who are desperate

“Sometimes Radja picks me up from training, which is great fun for my team-mates and for all the kids.”

Family matters

F Luciano Rossi / AS Roma, Bob Thomas / Getty Images

ootball is a family business, with passion and talent often passed down from one generation to the next. While most brothers and sisters kick a ball about together on the playground during childhood, some even go on to make a living from it as adults.

Without a doubt the best English example of this phenomenon is the Charlton brothers, Bobby and Jack, who helped their country to win its only major international trophy at the 1966 World Cup. Meanwhile, the Netherlands can cite the example of Frank and Ronald de Boer, while Denmark benefited from the skills of Michael and Brian Laudrup.

Team-mates and opponents alike Matters can become particularly emotional when two siblings square up as opponents. Yaya and Kolo Toure are currently battling for points in the Premier League for Manchester City and Liverpool respectively, while the Boateng brothers famously faced each other at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, with Jerome pulling on the shirt of eventual world champions Germany while Kevin-Prince laced his boots for Ghana.

Sometimes even twins can cause a sensation out on the pitch. Hamit and Halil Altintop began

their career together at DJK Schwarz-Weiss Gelsenkirchen-Sud before moving to TuS Rotthausen, eventually breaking into the first team at SG Wattenscheid at the age of 18. Halil then headed for Eintracht Frankfurt via Kaiserslautern and Schalke,

and currently plays for FC Augsburg, while his brother spent time with Schalke and Bayern Munich before arriving at present club Galatasaray.

Both also represent Turkey at international level.

Twins Erwin and Helmut Kremers only ever came as a pair, playing together throughout their careers at Offenbach, Borussia Monchengladbach and Schalke. They made a similarly effective double act in the hit parade, storming the German charts with a song entitled ‘Das Mädchen meiner Träume’ (‘The Girl of My Dreams’).

The burden of expectation Nevertheless, a brother or sister’s talent does not automatically guarantee a player’s success; in fact, provenance often creates an immense burden of expectation. Many siblings of major stars have tried their own luck only to end up disappointed. For example, Malte Metzelder has surely dreamed of enjoying a career similar to that of brother Christoph, but while the latter has celebrated title glory with Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid and Schalke, his little brother never made the same breakthrough. Å

Just like old times Jack and Bobby Charlton at a charity match in 1985.

Sarah Steiner

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Name Radja Nainggolan Date and place of birth 4 May 1988, Antwerp (Belgium) Position Midfield Clubs Ninja Radja’s nickname is due to his oriental features and fighting spirit.

Res Roma Riana has played in Serie A since the summer of 2014.

2006-2010 Piacenza 2010-2014 Cagliari Calcio 2014- AS Roma National team Belgium 8 appearances (2 goals) Name Riana Nainggolan Date and place of birth 4 May 1988, Antwerp (Belgium) Position Midfield Clubs 2012-2013 Beerschot AC 2013-2014 Royal Antwerp 2014- Res Romana

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THE NAINGGOLAN TWINS

for a photo of him. I think he finds it even funnier than the kids do.

As a player, I look to my brother for inspiration, and I always follow his advice to play for the team.”

Back in the Belgium team The Nainggolan household now comprises Claudia, Aysha, Riana and Radja, who has become the only man at a hen party, as it were. His home life certainly cannot be boring, but the new arrangement seems to have provided another boost to his career, as the 'Ninja' has reclaimed his place in the Belgium squad. He missed out on the World Cup in Brazil, but returned to Wilmots’ radar thanks to excellent early-season form with Roma and a string of impressive displays in the Champions League and Serie A, where he is on three goals for the season so far. He duly scored the equaliser in a 1-1 Euro 2016 qualifying draw away to Bosnia and Herzegovina three months ago.

Our chat with the Nainggolan twins ended with an analysis of their current footballing situation and a look at their dreams and desires for 2015. Radja, who is fluent in Dutch, French, English and Italian, has clearly formulated his goals and objectives.

“AS Roma are second in the table and our target is to win the league at last. And if Juventus prove too strong and we don’t manage it this season, we’ll give it another go next season. We’re already out of the Champions League so we’ve turned our focus to the Europa League, because we’re a good team capable of doing well in Europe. We’re still only at the start of Belgium getting back on track for success and I hope it goes on as long as possible. I missed out on playing at the World Cup because I’m a very direct kind of person who gives it to you straight, and the coach wasn’t prepared to forgive me. But that’s all behind me now and I’m just looking forward to the European Championship in France and the next World Cup in Russia.”

Tedeschi, Luciano Rossi/ASRoma,

Year of the Nainggolans Riana’s footballing ambitions are considerably more modest, but they too will demand effort and application. “At the moment Res Roma are fifth in the table and that would mean we hit our target for the season, a place in the play-offs. Compared to Belgium the Italian league is much more demanding both in terms of skill and fighting spirit, but that’s also what makes it so intriguing. I’m hoping the year 2015 will be even better for us Nainggolans than the fantastic year that’s just ended.” And after hearing the story of the twins’ difficult childhood and upbringing, who would not wish them exactly that? Å

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TALK ING POIN T S

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T H E

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Spain: Primera División

T h e Ja nu a r y s a l e s Jordi Punti is a novelist and a prolific football features writer in the Spanish media.

April might be the cruellest month as far as TS Eliot is concerned – and for the teams knocked out in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League – but January can be too. With winter in full swing and New Year’s resolutions still fresh in the memory, it is a time when clubs are forced to reassess their dreams and expectations for the season, dipping into the transfer-market in a bid to turn things around or keep their campaigns on course.

This January, however, Spanish clubs have been largely reluctant to bring in new personnel, with the exceptions of Valencia and Atletico Madrid. Los Chés have bolstered their new-look line-up with the purchase of Argentinian midfielder Enzo Perez from Benfica, while Atleti swapped Alessio Cerci for club idol Fernando Torres in an exchange deal with AC Milan, hopeful that they can revive the returning striker’s flagging career.

Real Madrid’s cup exit dampened the euphoria of Cristiano Ronaldo’s latest Ballon d’Or win three days earlier. Sticking to a settled starting line-up and content to make very few changes, Ancelotti responded to the criticism that followed his side’s elimination by saying: “I don’t need to rotate players. Now that we’re out of the Copa del Rey, we’ll have more time to rest.” While the exciting Jese has just made his return from injury and Luka Modric will soon be restored to full fitness, the fact is that Ancelotti’s men have been showing signs of fatigue lately, though the Italian continues to have complete faith in them. Nevertheless, with Florentino Perez at the helm, rumours of 14

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Off to a great start Fernando Torres's two goals against Real Madrid fire Atletico into the next round of the Copa del Rey.

star signings are always in the air at the Bernabeu, with big-money moves for Paul Pogba of Juventus and Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund) said to be in the offing.

Though transfer rumours invariably have little substance to them, they do help to fill the pages of sports dailies all year round.

With Barcelona now sitting out a one-year FIFA transfer ban, the latest example of just how overblown the transfer market can be is the case of Norwegian starlet Martin Odegaard. After spending several weeks visiting clubs across Europe – Bayern Munich and

Arsenal among them – the 16-year-old Odegaard has decided that his future lies with Real Madrid. Time will tell if that proves to be a wise decision or if he would have been better served by moving to a smaller club to learn his trade. Å

Denis Doyle / Getty Images

The switch has worked out so far, with Torres showing what he can bring to Diego Simeone’s side by scoring twice on the counter as they drew 2-2 with Real Madrid in the second leg of their Copa de Rey round-of-16 tie last week, a result that gave Atletico a 4-2 aggregate win.

Despite seeing three key players in Thibaut Courtois, Filipe Luis and Diego Costa leave for Chelsea last summer, Simeone’s men are as combative as ever, with the additions of Torres and Cani from Villarreal bolstering a front line that already features Antoine Griezmann and Mario Mandzukic.

Honduras: Liga Nacional

A b l e n d o f ve r ve a nd noncha la nce Sven Goldmann is a leading football correspondent at Tages­ spiegel newspaper in Berlin.

Last year did not end well for Club Olimpia Deportivo, the traditional powerhouse in Honduran football, after they lost in the Apertura 2014 play-off semi-finals to local rivals Club Deportivo Motagua. The clubs may share the Estadio Nacional in the nation’s capital, Tegucigalpa, but similarities between the two end there. The fact that Motagua went on to beat Real Sociedad de Tocoa in the final only rubbed more salt into Olimpia’s wounds.

Orlando Sierra / AFP

It was Motagua’s 13th league title, whereas Olimpia have won the championship 28 times and the CONCACAF Champions League twice.

Both the blue shirts of Motagua and the white jerseys of Olimpia regularly dominate the Liga Nacional de Futbol Profesional de Honduras, and out of the last ten champion-

ships the domestic crown has only been won by a team outside of Tegucigalpa on two occasions.

Olimpia’s last title triumph was the Clausura championship early last year, and 2015 has begun brightly for them too. On Matchday 1 Motagua raced to an early 2-0 lead away to Platense Futbol Club in Puerto Cortes, but let it slip and had to settle for a 2-2 draw.

Meanwhile, victory was never in doubt for record titleholders Olimpia, who eased to a 3-1 win over Club Deportivo Parrillas One to go top of the ten-team league.

Estupinan, a Colombian forward recruited from Malaysian side Terengganu FA, had a couple more good chances after the break in what was a promising debut, with Colombia national team coach Jorge Luis Pinto watching from the stands. Olimpia have ambitious aims this season, both domestically and on the international scene. In the Champions League group stages they surprisingly finished ahead of the more fancied Portland Timbers from the USA to reach the compe­ tition’s knockout rounds, where they will face Costa Rican side CS Herediano in the quarter-finals. Å

Strikers Anthony Lozano and Javier Estupinan enjoyed a fruitful afternoon, virtually firing Olimpia to all three points by themselves in a one-sided first half. To begin with, Estupinan took advantage of a calamitous defensive error to dribble through an overwhelmed backline and tee up Lozano to tap the ball into an empty net. The Honduras international also grabbed his side’s second with what was the goal of the week, hammering an effort into the top left corner from 30 metres. Estupinan made it 3-0 in first-half stoppage time by nonchalantly converting a penalty after Victor Zuniga had handled inside the box.

Worth shouting about Olimpia Deportivo’s two-goal hero Anthony Lozano celebrates scoring a long-range screamer against Parrillas One. T H E F I FA W E E K LY

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SUS TAIN ABILI T Y

Building a better future A comprehensive sustainability strategy was implemented in the lead up to and during the 2014 World Cup.

More than 32 days

Lefteris Coroyannakis

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he World Cup is the biggest single-sport competition in the world. Staging the tournament is a collective effort that entails transporting millions of people to the matches and fan fests, catering to their health and safety, dealing with waste in the stadiums, recruiting and training thousands of volunteers, providing an event that is accessible for everyone and broadcasting the matches in over 200 countries. This scale inevitably has an impact on society and the environment in the host country. As the

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organisers of this mega-event, FIFA has a responsibility to limit the associated negative impacts of the World Cup, while at the same time maximising the huge positive impact it can have.

Growing responsibility At the 2006 World Cup in Germany, FIFA, the local organising committee (LOC) and authorities were dedicated to delivering a more sustainable event, marking a turning point in the approach taken to the sustainability of FIFA competitions. South Africa took up this lead and considerable resources were dedicat-

ed to ensuring that the long-term benefits of the 2010 World Cup were as strong as possible in the country and resonated throughout the continent.

This close collaboration with LOCs and the ensuing lessons learnt were very important for FIFA in improving its approach to sustainable event management in 2014, and, for the first time in the history of its flagship event, in presenting a comprehensive sustainability strategy. This strategy, developed in 2011 and early 2012, was built on the ISO 26000 standard for social responsibility as well as the GRI 3.1 Event Organisers Sector Supplement reporting

Alex Livesey / FIFA via Getty Images

The World Cup is a mega-event of great impact on society and the environment. As such, running it in an increasingly sustainable way is a key priority for FIFA. The tournament itself lasts a little more than a month, but its positive effects must last longer.

SUS TAIN ABILI T Y

Football as a main driver Football for Hope supported programmes provide children and young people with valuable tools that make a difference to their lives.

Buda Mendes / FIFA via Getty Images

­ uidelines. In the estimation of the carbon g footprint of the competition, FIFA applied the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. These internationally agreed standards are central to FIFA’s longterm strategy for sustainability as they ensure that the latest developments in sustainable event management, and sustainable development in general, are taken into account.

Focus on Brazil From 2011 to 2014, FIFA’s existing social and environmental programmes continued to be implemented with a special focus on Brazil.

This was done in close collaboration with the LOC as well as commercial affiliates and local authorities, without which it would have not been possible to implement the strategy.

While the name of its environmental programme was changed from Green Goal to Football for the Planet, the key priorities of waste management, transport, carbon offsetting and procurement remained unchanged. FIFA offset all of the emissions under its operational control, including transport and accommodation for all staff, officials, teams, volunteers and guests, and the emissions resulting from its TV productions. This was achieved through a carbon offsetting programme which supported various projects in Brazil. Furthermore, FIFA

invited over 400,000 World Cup ticket holders to consider the environmental impact of their trips, informing them on how to mitigate it through a dedicated campaign raising awareness on carbon emissions in the months leading up to the competition.

Through its social programme Football for Hope, FIFA identified further organisations that use football to deliver high-quality social development programmes in underprivileged communities in Brazil, expanding the number that are supported from five to 37. In addition, FIFA staged the Football for Hope Forum and Football for Hope Festival for the second time after initiating these events during the 2010 World Cup. Step in the right direction Reflecting on FIFA’s sustainability efforts, Secretary General Jérôme Valcke expressed satisfaction while stressing that more work still lies ahead: “We are convinced that the initiatives we executed in Brazil were a big step in the right direction and deem them to be a remarkable success. At the same time, we are aware that organising a mega-event in a sustainable manner is a big challenge and there are also several areas for improvement. For future editions of the World Cup, we should embrace

sustainability to an even greater extent. Each functional area needs to be aware of their role in delivering a sustainable event. Equally important is the need to have a sophisticated knowledge transfer process in place in order to ensure that real progress is made from one tournament to the next. In line with this, we decided to produce a sustainability report and have it assured according to internationally recognised standards, and in early 2012 launched a process to thoroughly restructure the entire way we manage the World Cup, including the creation of handbooks on sustainable event management”.

FIFA is also in the process of reviewing its requirements for host countries as of 2026, in order to attribute more weight to running the event sustainably, among other factors. This will help it to reduce associated risks and make a more significant contribution to the positive legacy of its flagship competition. Å

If you want to find out more about FIFA’s sustainability effor ts at the 2014 World Cup, take a look at its first sustainability repor t: http://tinyurl.com/llpwjhv T H E F I FA W E E K LY

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Delighted recipients The first consignment of computers arrives at a school in Manaus.

The World Cup’s IT legacy When they sat, enthralled, watching the World Cup on TV, Brazilian students never imagined the biggest footballing show on Earth would continue to bring them enjoyment after it was over.

Bruno Sassi

Generous donation “I don’t know what to say. It means so much for a public-sector school to receive 12 TV sets,” commented Renata Becker, the head of the Escola Municipal de Ensino Fundamental Presidente Vargas, a grammar school located in Porto Alegre. “This donation is so generous that I even think we’ll be able to split it and offer some of the equipment to other schools in the network,” she added.

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The aim of the project, which was also carried out in South Africa in 2010, is to create a legacy for the host nation, contributing to the resources of schools and other entities that use football as a tool for social development.

These include the eight Brazilian organisations that took part in the Football for Hope Festival, held during the World Cup in Caju, Rio de Janeiro.

Helping those in need One of these organisations is the Brazilian Institute for Advanced Specialised Studies (IBEEA), based in Caju, in which more than 3 700 young people are enrolled. “We lack the resources to do as much as we’d like for the members of our 147 classes,” explained IBEEA representative Marcelo Teixeira. “These donations will really improve the quality of our work, and allow us to make more of a difference to people’s lives.”

The same goes for Instituição Casa Acolhedora, an organisation from the suburbs of Londrina, in the southern state of Parana,

who received TV sets, video games, DVD players and their first-ever video projector. “Using this equipment as a pedagogical resource is extremely important, since the act of viewing is such a strong ally in the process of memorising knowledge,” explains project coordinator Maria Andrea dos Anjos. “This enhances the potential of our proposal, which is to make sure the students are screenwriters of their own lives.”

Leaving a positive impression FIFA’s Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Frederico Addiechi, said he was pleased with how the Electronic Equipment Donation Project had become another way in which the World Cup could leave a positive impression on Brazil: “Our mission is to make sure the World Cup has the maximum positive impact on Brazil. The equipment we’re donating won’t solve every problem, but it will make the work of all these schools and organisations easier.” Å

Podium Logistic

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hanks to the Electronic Equipment Donation Project created by FIFA and the Local Organising Committee, a large amount of the electronic equipment needed to organise the tournament has resulted in a considerable technological legacy for disadvantaged communities in Brazil.

Sixty-six public schools and another 27 NGOs spread throughout the 12 host cities have now received state-of-the-art equipment used during the tournament. In total, over 2,000 items will be donated, including TVs, laptops, mobile phones, projectors, and DVD players.

T HE DEBAT E

PRESIDENTIAL NOTE

FIFA.com users share their thoughts on the Africa Cup of Nations:

I’m glad that Congo have won their first match at the Africa Cup of Nations since 1974, the year ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest. cnwachuku, USA

What a disappointing display from Zambia against Congo DR. I expected them to play better than they did. Although a draw isn’t a bad result, their performance left much to be desired.

Mulengalenga, Zambia

Senegal dominated the second half of their match against Ghana and were rewarded with a goal in the closing seconds. Ghana should reconsider the appointment of Avram Grant. I’m not convinced that his technical contribution has been entirely positive. addoesq, USA

Make us proud Dean Furman! We believe in you, in the lads and in your technical staff. bongbonja, South Africa

Dean Furman will take this team to a higher level! wendylau, Russia

Although I support Ghana, I think losing to Senegal was a good lesson for them. They should be ashamed of themselves for the way they played. It was simply ridiculous.

GioGyan, Laos

I can’t believe Equatorial Guinea haven’t lost even though they didn’t give 100 per cent in their first two matches, just like last time when they were co-hosts. I’ll be shocked if they can beat Gabon. cnwachuku, USA

My favourites are Algeria – ‘the wind of North Africa’. wendylau, Russia

“I’ll be shocked if Equatorial Guinea can beat Gabon.”

Helping Isha beat Ebola

E

bola. In recent months, almost 22,000 people around the world have contracted the virus, and some 9,000 have succumbed to the disease. Sierra Leone, the nation of 5.6 million in West ­A frica, has been especially hard hit. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) the country has suffered more than 10,000 cases of Ebola, with 3,000 deaths.

The emergency situation has had a massive impact on public life, with bans on foreign travel, schools closed, and the prohibition of gatherings of more than ten people. Football is of course affected too: the domestic championship had been suspended since the state of emergency was declared seven months ago.

Despite this, the power of football has contributed to a slight easing of the crisis. The “11 against Ebola” campaign launched by FIFA chief medical officer Jiri Dvorak – and backed by the World Bank, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and international health experts – is helping to inform and educate people about how to deal with the insidious illness. The crucial elements are seemingly banal things like correctly washing and disinfecting one’s hands, avoiding bodily contact with affected persons, not handling the bodies of the deceased, safer sex, recognising the symptoms and seeing a doctor at once in the event of fever with Ebola symptoms.

The messages are delivered by football stars including Ronaldo, Neymar, Philipp Lahm, Xavi, Didier Drogba, John Obi Mikel and ­Gareth Bale via radio and TV spots and billboards in public places.

However, in the first instance it required the initiative of a ­courageous woman to draw attention of any sort to the devastating situation: Isha Johansen, president of the Sierra Leone FA and one of only two women in the world at the head of a national association, turned to FIFA last year with a cry for help, conscious that football reaches people from all social classes and ethnic groups: “Football is like a religion to us. People would rather not eat than do without their football,” she said.

“11 against Ebola” has already has a positive impact. But in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia the battle against the epidemic is not yet won. For this reason I can promise we will under no circumstances scale back our efforts. Africa’s fate is our fate too!

Best wishes, Sepp Blatter

11 players, 11 messages, 1 goal – Together, we can beat Ebola (video): http://tinyurl.com/qxb6y9h T H E F I FA W E E K LY

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Reuters 20

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First Love Place: Kolkata, India Date: 5 December 2014 Time: 08.05 a.m.

Photog rapher: Rupak De Chowdhuri

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Football is a brotherhood. It’s peace.

© 2014 Visa. All rights reserved.

Oscar Arias Nobel Peace Laureate

IN BRIEF

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van Lendl was an exceptional tennis player who dominated the men’s game for over half a decade. However, despite winning eight Grand Slams between 1984 and 1990, the Wimbledon title always eluded him. “Grass is for cows,” the Ostrava native once said. Lendl obviously doesn’t read German newspapers. If he did, he’d know that some athletes do actually eat grass nowadays. Bundesliga 2 side TSV 1860 Munich swear by wheatgrass, which they store in plastic containers inside the changing rooms. A quick whizz through the juice extractor and the players can enjoy the grass as a refreshing beverage. Intriguingly, findings have shown that wheatgrass contains 60 times more vitamin C than oranges, 50 times more vitamin E than spinach, five times more iron than spinach, 30 times more vitamin B1 than milk, 11 times more calcium than milk and five times more magnesium than bananas! This super drink hasn’t helped 1860’s cause on the pitch, though, with the club currently languishing fourth from bottom in the table. Perhaps it takes a while for the full benefits to take effect. After all, it took Lendl a while to warm to grass. Since retiring from tennis, he has developed a passion for golf. Å Alan Schweingruber

Getty Images

A

fter being left out of Senegal’s 2015 Africa Cup of Nations squad by national team coach Alain Giresse, Demba Ba could not contain his disappointment and frustration. “I can’t wait to hear his excuses and destroy them one by one,” the Besiktas striker wrote on Twitter upon hearing of his exclusion for the tournament in Equatorial Guinea. Yet after the Lions of Teranga beat title favourites Ghana 2-1 in their opening Group C game, the 29-year-old’s anger appeared to have given way to patriotism. “And Senegal wins! I love you man,” the former Chelsea forward wrote after the final whistle in a Tweet directed at goalscorer Moussa Sow, who hit a stoppage­-time winner for the 2002 World Cup quarter-finalists.

Ba used a different social media platform to highlight just how much he is supporting the team by posting a video on Instagram in which he and a group of friends loudly celebrate the victory and dance with joy in front of a television set. Å Tim Pfeifer

S

pectators at the Premier League match between Everton and West Bromwich Albion this week were briefly transformed from football fans to film stars as a cast member of the upcoming Rocky movie, professional boxer and dedicated Toffees supporter Tony Bellew ensured that the Goodison Park faithful had their own moment in the spotlight. Before the game began he informed the crowd: “I would like you to stay in your seats at half-time to welcome a very special guest. Be sure to make as much noise as possible – go absolutely nuts!” Forty-five minutes later, the moment arrived and Sylvester Stallone appeared on the big screen. The actor renowned for playing Rocky Balboa introduced his latest project and offered spectators a chance to be part of it by capturing footage that will later be used in celebratory scenes. In the latest instalment of this famous film franchise, Rocky trains promising young fighter Adonis Creed, grandson of his former rival and friend Apollo Creed, and prepares him for a bout with Pretty Ricky Porter, played by Bellew. All in all, it was an entertaining evening for the Evertonians – despite the 0-0 draw. Å Sarah Steiner T H E F I FA W E E K LY

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AFRIC A CUP OF N AT IONS

Preparing to party Ghana supporters are hoping for a celebration with their heroes.

Black Stars out to shine again Elio Stamm, Accra

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Murad Sezer / Reuters

Ghana’s 2014 World Cup campaign was more notable for the headlines made off the pitch rather than what the side actually did with the ball. New coach Avram Grant has been charged with making the Black Stars successful again, and the Israeli’s first opportunity to do just that is already upon him, at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

AFRIC A CUP OF N AT IONS

G

hanaians are football-crazy. If a European Champions League or an English Premier League game is being shown, scores of people will often congregate on the streets to watch, even holding up the traffic. The most important matches in this West African country involve the national team, but in the past 12 months the Black Stars, so-called in reference to the country’s flag, have severely tested the affection they normally receive from their countrymen.

Despite an encouraging 2-2 draw with eventual champions Germany, Ghana departed the World Cup in Brazil at the group stage after finishing bottom of their pool with two points.

It was the team’s actions off the field that prompted such dissatisfaction among the supporters, however. Sulley Muntari and KevinPrince Boateng, two of the side’s star names, were suspended from the squad and sent home after two games for quarrelling with the staff, and the remaining players were reluctant to even play the final match without immediate payment of their bonuses.

The new boss Avram Grant (standing) took the Black Stars helm at the end of last year.

“I’m only happy if we win matches.”

Carl de Souza / AFP (2), imago

Avram Grant

A team for 2017 After the tournament, the Ghanaian Football Association meted out the consequences.

Coach Kwesi Appiah had to resign and under his temporary replacement Maxwell Konadu, a young squad, without Muntari and Boateng, embarked on qualification for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. Despite one or two poor results, Ghana managed to qualify as group winners for the tournament in Equatorial Guinea.

It was then that the federation began searching for suitable candidates to stabilise the team over a sustained period of time, and the decision was taken to hire Grant, formerly coach of Chelsea and West Ham United. What had partly worked in the Israeli’s favour was that he had “shown in England he could handle players’ egos,” explained association president Kwesi Nyantakyi. The 59-year-old was presented in his new role before a hundred Ghanaian journalists, where both he and his colleagues sought to dampen expectations of immediate

Pre-match training Grant’s rejuvenated team at Mongomo Stadium last Sunday.

No longer on board Essien, Boateng and Muntari.

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AFRIC A CUP OF N AT IONS

success. According to Nyantakyi, the goal was not to become champions of Africa in 2015 but rather to give Grant time to build a team capable of competing at the event in 2017 and finally winning a fifth continental title, their first since 1982. Grant’s contract in charge of the senior side runs until the completion of the 2017 tournament, and during that time he will also, as technical director, be improving youth football by training the coaches of the junior national teams.

Bonus issue cleared up After taking over, Grant had six weeks to prepare his players for what awaits them in Equatorial Guinea. They have been drawn in what is on paper the toughest group of the tournament alongside Algeria, South Africa and Senegal, but Grant is nevertheless keen to taste some success in his first tournament at the Black Stars’ helm. “Like the Ghanaian fans, I’m only happy when we win matches,” said the man who took Chelsea to the 2008 Champions League final.

Grant has placed his faith in young talent and opted against picking players in their thirties – as many as 12 internationals who competed at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa are not among the current crop. Neither Muntari nor Boateng have been recalled, while Michael Essien of AC Milan has been overlooked and Kwadwo Asamoah of Juventus misses out with injury. In their absence, experienced captain Asamoah Gyan and brothers André and Jordan Ayew will provide the inspiration.

The issue of bonuses was also dealt with in a precautionary manner before the tournament began, with skipper Gyan declaring that the players’ only focus was on football to banish the memories of Brazil as quickly as possible. The best way to do that is by winning games, although a 2-1 defeat to Senegal in their opening match was not the ideal start. The path to being accepted once again in the hearts and minds of the Ghanaian people remains a long one. Å

Libreville, Gabon, 1972 Captains Boujemaa Benkhrif (Morocco) and Jacques Ndolou (People’s Republic of the Congo) prepare for kick-off.

“A festival of football”

AFP

The 30th Africa Cup of Nations began a week ago, and Equatorial Guinea captain Juvenal Edjogo-Owono is reluctant to pick his favourites for the title. “It’s difficult to say; African football is unpredictable.”

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What does it mean to Equatorial Guinea to host the Africa Cup of Nations?

Juvenal Edjogo-Owono:

Organising this competition has been a very important challenge for my country, particularly given the circumstances leading up to our being awarded the tournament.

Everyone involved has been working very hard to ensure that everything runs as smoothly as when we hosted the tournament together with Gabon in 2012. We’re well prepared. The interiors of our stadiums have been modernised so that spectators can follow matches in the best possible conditions and enjoy this festival of football.

Getting underway The 30th Africa Cup of Nations began in Bata on 17 January.

“There are some big-name teams here, but these favourites will have to work hard.”

Committed Fans at the opening match, a 1-1 draw between Equatorial Guinea and Congo.

And how are things going for your team?

Carl de Souza / AFP, Khaled Desouki / AFP

We haven’t had an opportunity to see our best players playing together for quite some time: the last time that happened was against Spain in November 2013. Our team has a healthy mix of young talented footballers and more experienced figures like me who have already taken part in several international competitions. If we take it one match at a time, I think we’ll find the right balance to help us go far at this tournament. Of course, the fact that we’re playing in front of home crowds will also stand us in good stead.

What kind of football do you play?

We play in a style typical of African teams: very direct and physical football played by quick, robust players. One special feature of our team is the fact that the majority of us play in Spain, so we’re also very experienced when it comes to technique and ball control. These skills could definitely prove to be our secret weapon.

Hosts Equatorial Guinea draw on experience Equatorial Guinea were only appointed hosts of the 30th Africa Cup of Nations in mid­November after Morocco insisted on a year’s delay to the tournament due to the Ebola ­epidemic. Equatorial Guinea in West Africa jointly hosted the Cup of Nations in 2012 but were only required to provide two stadiums.

At this year’s event from 17 January to 8 February matches will be played in Bata, Malabo, Mongomo and Ebebiyin.

Maiden tournament in 1957 The finals have taken place every two years since 1968. In 2010 the CAF resolved to hold the tournament in odd-numbered years to avoid years including a World Cup or Euro­ pean Championship. The inaugural Africa

Cup of Nations was a three-nation affair back in 1957: Egypt won it from Ethiopia and hosts Sudan. Egypt are the tournament record holders with 22 appearances.

How good are Algeria?

Alongside Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Cameroon and Ghana, Algeria are among the favourites this year. Despite a change of coach with Christian Gourcuff replacing Vahid Halilhodzic, the north Africans are looking to build on their excellent showing at the World Cup. The Cup of Nations has been won by teams coached by Europeans or South Americans on 14 occasions. Å tfw

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instinct takes over

#predatorinstinct

adidas.com/predator

AFRIC A CUP OF N AT IONS

What targets have you set for yourselves?

My team-mates and I are aiming to improve on our result in 2012, when we reached the quarter-finals and were eliminated by eventual finalists Cote d’Ivoire.

What does captaining Equatorial Guinea mean to you?

It’s an honour for me, as is being my nation’s most-capped player. It’s the second time I’ve played at an Africa Cup of Nations.

I feel incredibly proud and privileged to be able to pull on my country’s shirt.

Which teams do you see as favourites for the title?

It isn’t easy to pick a favourite because African football is highly unpredictable.

Naturally there are some big-name teams such as Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Algeria or Burkina Faso, but football isn’t always about the big names. It’s also a matter of quality and class and the strengths of individual players – not to mention a degree of unpredictability.

Although the four teams I’ve named could be considered favourites, they’ll have to work hard if they want to win the competition.

it. I’m proud that Equatorial Guinea was chosen to host the Cup in this situation; it shows the whole world that we can work together to combat this disease. We can look forward to the tournament without worrying; there won’t be any problems. Our president and government have done a good job. Å Juvenal Edjogo-Owono was speaking to Emanuele Giulianelli

The Ebola epidemic has already affected this edition of the tournament and led to a change in the host nation. What do you make of all this?

First of all, Ebola is affecting just one part of Africa, not all of it. It’s a dreadful disease that has already killed a huge number of people, and we’ve all got to join forces to fight

MATCH SCHEDULE CAF Africa Cup of Nations Equatorial Guinea 2015

22 January 2015 · Group B Zambia 17:00 Tunisia Cape Verde 20:00 DR Congo

28 January 2015 · Group D Cameroon 19:00 Cote d’Ivoire Guinea 19:00 Mali

17 January 2015 · Group A Equatorial Guinea 1-1 Congo Burkina Faso 0-2 Gabon

23 January 2015 · Group C Ghana 17:00 Algeria South Africa 20:00 Senegal

31 January 2015 · Quarter-finals 1+2 Group A winner 17:00 Group B runner-up Group B winner 20:00 Group A runner-up

18 January 2015 · Group B Zambia 1-1 Tunisia 1-1

24 January 2015 · Group D Cote d’Ivoire 17:00 Mali Cameroon 20:00 Guinea

1 February 2015 · Quarter-finals 3+4 Group C winner 17:00 Group D runner-up Group D winner 20:00 Group C runner-up

19 January 2015 · Group C Ghana 1-2 Senegal Algeria 3-1 South Africa

25 January 2015 · Group A Congo 19:00 Gabon 19:00

4 February 2015 · Semi-final 1 QF1 winner 20:00 QF4 winner

20 January 2015 · Group D Cote d’Ivoire 1-1 Guinea Mali 1-1 Cameroon

26 January 2015 · Group B DR Congo 19:00 Tunisia Cape Verde 19:00 Zambia

21 January 2015 · Group A Equatorial Guinea 0-0 Burkina Faso Gabon 0-1 Congo

27 January 2015 · Group C South Africa 19:00 Ghana Senegal 19:00 Algeria

DR Congo Cape Verde

Burkina Faso Equatorial Guinea

5 February 2015 · Semi-final 2 QF3 winner 20:00 QF2 winner 7 February 2015 · Play-off for Third Place SF1 loser 17:00 SF2 loser 8 February 2015 · Final SF1 winner 20:00

SF2 winner

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THIS IS THE ONE Introducing

Official Mascot for the FIFA U-20 World Cup New Zealand 2015

@FIFAcom #Wooliam

/ďŹ fau20worldcup

FREE KICK

F I F A ’ S 11

AFC Asian Cup games played

Animal magic

1

Iran Games: 61 Wins: 37 Goals scored/conceded: 114:40

2

Korea Republic Games: 60 Wins: 31 Goals scored/conceded: 96:59

3

China PR Games: 51 Wins: 20 Goals scored/conceded: 81:56

4

Saudi Arabia Games: 44 Wins: 19 Goals scored/conceded: 62:44

5

K uwait Games: 42 Wins: 15 Goals scored/conceded: 46:50

6

J apan Games: 40 Wins: 24 Goals scored/conceded: 79:37

7

United Arab Emirates Games: 35 Wins: 11 Goals scored/conceded: 29:46

8

Iraq Games: 32 Wins: 13 Goals scored/conceded: 33:34

Q atar Games: 32 Wins: 6 Goals scored/conceded: 33:46

10

U zbekistan Games: 24 Wins: 11 Goals scored/conceded: 35:44

11

Thailand Games: 20 Wins: 1 Goals scored/conceded: 12:42

Sarah Steiner

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hether Willie, Goleo or Fuleco, every World Cup now has its own mascot. Love them or hate them, one thing is clear: it would be difficult to imagine football without them. In fact, major tournaments are not the only place to find these lucky charms; plenty of clubs have a talisman of their own, often some kind of animal.

Cologne, for example, have been looking after billy goats for more than 60 years. The tradition began on 13 February 1950, when the club was presented with a young goat at a Carnival party and named it Hennes in honour of then-coach Hennes Weisweiler. The animal became something of an icon, giving the club its nickname and eventually being incorporated into its crest. After the first Hennes died, Hennes the Second arrived; the current incumbent is the eighth goat to take on the role of mascot.

Colombian top-flight side Atletico Junior have also drawn support from the animal kingdom. An owl became the club’s lucky charm after nesting under the roof of the stadium. It was frequently spotted flying around during matches until one fateful excursion in February 2011. Hit by the ball near the corner flag in the 36th minute, La Lechuza lay dazed on the pitch until an opposing player unceremoniously kicked it towards the sideline. The owl passed away a few days later, with the death ultimately attributed to a build-up of lactic acid in the bird’s body rather than the rough treatment it had recently received.

As well as being the target of aggressive behaviour, mascots can also cause trouble among themselves. This was the case in Bristol in 1998, when Wolverhampton Wanderers

­ ascot Wolfie the wolf – or rather, the person m inside the wolf costume – got into a scuffle with the Three Little Pigs, who were representing a local window glazing company. Bristol City’s own mascot City Cat even waded into the melee, and eventually all five were ejected from the stadium.

Southampton’s dog mascot Sammy Saint was at the centre of a far more romantic tale at the start of this year. A fan contacted the club in a desperate bid to discover the identity of the beautiful stranger who sits a few seats away from him at St Mary’s every other week. Although they could not reveal her name due to data protection laws, Sammy Saint was duly dispatched to leave a bunch of roses, a drinks voucher and a good luck note on his seat just before the next home game. Duly encouraged, a short time later the fan tweeted a photo of himself with the mystery girl along with the comment: “She loved the flowers!” Å

The weekly column by our staff writers

Source: FIFA and worldfootball.net, 22/01/2015 T H E F I FA W E E K LY

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MIRROR IMAGE

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Ipswich, England

1939

Getty Images

Ipswich Town players recover after losing 1-2 to Aston Villa in the third round of the FA Cup.

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MIRROR IMAGE

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Teresopolis, Brazil

2014

Rafael Ribeiro / CFB

Brazilian players during a training session at Granja Comary.

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Developing football everywhere and for all

Organising inspiring tournaments

Caring about society and the environment

For the Game. For the World.

FIFA is committed to developing football for the benefit of all. Our mission is to: Develop the game FIFA’s primary objective is to develop the game of football in our 209 member associations. The FIFA World Cup™ gives us the resources we need to invest USD 550,000 per day in football development across the globe.

Touch the world FIFA’s aim is to touch the world through its international football competitions and events, uniting and inspiring people everywhere.

FIFA.com

Build a better future Football is much more than just a game. Its universal appeal gives it a unique power and reach which must be managed carefully. FIFA believes it has a duty to society that goes beyond football.

NET ZER KNOWS!

Do you think ageing football stars should retire sooner?

Question from Toni Perez, Puebla, Mexico

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

“At this time, he is the best player in English football.”

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini on Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez

“James has the quality and the skill to push towards being the very best in the world. He’s been showing that in abundance, both for the national team and now for Real Madrid.”

Racing driver Juan Pablo Montoya on fellow Colombian James Rodriguez

“It is often more difficult to win against our [opposing team in] training than against a team in the Bundesliga.”

Bayern Munich’s Thomas Muller

Breakfast meeting Gunter Netzer and Franz Beckenbauer in 1972.

imago

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s a spectator, this issue often seems to be more straightforward than it really is. As soon as veteran footballers stop delivering their usual performances, it is assumed it is time for them to move on. What is often forgotten is that these athletes are still young when they bring their playing careers to an end. Many players are afraid of beginning the next phase of their lives, either because they have had no time to properly prepare for it or because they simply cannot imagine the alternatives.

Although most of the sport’s stars have enough money in the bank when they retire, their fame and recognition can quickly fade away. The thought of no longer being in the spotlight acts as a deterrent for some footballers and increases the temptation to keep playing for as long as the body allows, particularly if the professional in question still enjoys the game itself.

For me personally it was always important that what I was doing was good enough.

As a player, I was 32 when I realised that this was no longer the case. My decision to hang up my boots was also swayed by the fact that I did not want to become a burden to a club.

I stepped away from my later role as a television commentator once it became clear that I had said everything there was to say about football. I didn’t feel that my job as an expert was to spend years repeating myself.

Proverbially speaking, there are some football stars that have to be dragged off the stage, a situation that is often no different for musicians or actors. Unfortunately many individuals miss the perfect moment to make this decision for themselves. That's why being able to get the honest opinion of someone they know and trust is so vital in moments like these. Å

What have you always wanted to know about football? Ask Gunter Netzer: feedback-theweekly@fifa.org

“Can Ronaldo win more Ballons d’Or than Messi? It’s a very interesting battle. Messi is a bigger genius than Ronaldo, but he is having some problems at his club and that could cause some problems.

Cristiano is solid and mentally strong. He wants to become the best ever.”

Fabio Capello

“I thought about it during the week.

There is this fashion for selfies now and I like to keep my private life to myself. But this was a unique opportunity that would never be repeated.”

Francesco Totti on his celebratory selfie in the Rome derby T H E F I FA W E E K LY

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TURNING POINT

“I was willing to risk everything.”

Name Daniel Engelbrecht Date and place of birth 5 November 1990, Cologne Position Striker Clubs 2009-2012 Alemannia Aachen 2012-2013 VfL Bochum Since 2013 Stuttgarter Kickers

After twice collapsing while playing football, Daniel Engelbrecht underwent four heart operations.

Now he is back on the pitch with a defibrillator.

Thomas Schweigert / 13 Photo

I

t all began on 20 July 2013 in a third division game for Stuttgarter Kickers, whom I had joined two days earlier from Bochum.

We were playing Erfurt at home and it was a hot day, almost 40 degrees. In the second half I suddenly became dizzy. My legs started to shake, I couldn’t breathe and I couldn’t see or hear anything anymore. We assumed it was heat stroke. I was examined after the match but the doctors didn’t find anything wrong. As I’d hurt my ankle I wasn’t able to train for a while after the Erfurt game, and that’s probably what saved my life.

Three weeks later we faced Kiel and after 20 minutes something similar to what had happened against Erfurt happened again. My pulse dropped to 20 beats per minute and I was in a life-threatening condition. I was taken to the intensive care unit in hospital, where I had an MRI scan to check my heart. I was diagnosed with myocarditis - it was the worst news I’d ever been given in my life. I would only find out in a follow-up examination three months later whether or not I’d be able to play football again. The uncertainty of it all was a huge strain. Nevertheless, all I could think about was returning to professional football at all costs. I was willing to risk everything to do so.

The outcome of the follow-up examination in November 2013 brought the next blow. The myocarditis hadn’t completely disappeared and it had formed scars that can cause fatal cardiac arrhythmias. The doctors told me I should look for another job. Tearfully, I begged them to find a solution that would allow me to continue to be a professional footballer. They eventually suggested inserting a defibrillator, which could give me a shock and save my life if severe cardiac arrhythmias occurred. On 18 December 2013 I had a defibrillator implanted inside me.

I had to have another operation on 29 January 2014, and in order for the surgery to be successful I needed to have cardiac arrhythmias, but I didn’t have any. So at the hospital I ran from the first floor up to the tenth floor and back down again. After that I collapsed and thought I was dying. My life flashed before my eyes in a matter of seconds before the defibrillator kicked in with a jolt of 830 volts to save my life. Despite suffering ventricular fibrillation and my heart racing at 300 beats per minute I was still conscious. I thought my insides were burning. The pain was unbearable.

After the surgery I started hallucinating because of my medication, and I also had panic attacks. On 20 May 2014 eight of Europe’s best heart specialists operated on me for almost nine hours. After that the cardiac arrhythmias were gone and my fear subsided. It was a second birth. In June 2014 I started light training and slowly began trusting my body more and more.

On 1 November 2014 I returned to full team training. That was another emotional moment because I had been given the all-clear to do so. Two weeks later I made my first appearance in Ravensburg and during the game I didn’t even notice the defibrillator or the chest protector I wore to shield it. On 6 December 2014 we played Wehen Wiesbaden at home and in the 91st minute, eight minutes after I’d been brought on as a substitute, I scored the winner to make it 2-1. It was the best moment and the best feeling I’ve ever had in my life. Everyone in the stadium was happy for me and a lot of people cried. Å Daniel Engelbrecht was speaking to Peter Eggenberger

In Turning Point, personalities reflect on a decisive moment in their lives.

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MEN’S WORLD R ANKING

Germany (unchanged) none none 16 (11 of which were in 2014) Iraq (4 matches) Bahrain (up 43 points) Bahrain (up 12 ranks) Iraq (down 51 points) Jordan (down 12 ranks)

Leader Moves into top ten Moves out of top ten Matches played in total Most matches played Biggest move by points Biggest move by ranks Biggest drop by points Biggest drop by ranks Rank Team

+/- Points

Rank Team

+/- Points

Rank Team

+/- Points

Rank Team

+/- Points

1 Germany

0 1725

55 Panama

2

551

109 Ethiopia

2

294

163 Suriname

0

115

2 Argentina

0 1538

55 Trinidad and Tobago

0

551

110 Bahrain

12

292

164 Swaziland

0

113

3 Colombia

0 1450

57 Congo DR

-1

548

111 Namibia

-2

291

165 Bangladesh

0

103

4 Belgium

0 1417

58 Albania

0

543

112 Canada

0

287

166 Tahiti

0

100

5 Netherlands

0 1374

59 Montenegro

0

537

113 Cuba

0

271

167 Guyana

0

92

6 Brazil

0 1316

60 Egypt

0

531

114 Iraq

-11

269

168 Gambia

0

90

7 Portugal

0 1160

61 Congo

0

529

115 Palestine

-2

268

169 Montserrat

0

86

7 France

0 1160

62 Gabon

3

527

115 Liberia

0

268

170 São Tomé e Príncipe

0

84

0 1142

62 Togo

0

527

117 Kenya

-1

262

171 India

0

79

10 Uruguay

9 Spain

0 1135

64 Burkina Faso

-1

523

118 Equatorial Guinea

2

260

172 Sri Lanka

0

78

11 Italy

0 1103

65 Republic of Ireland

-1

519

119 Niger

-3

259

173 Comoros

0

75

12 Switzerland

0 1091

66 Bulgaria

0

506

120 St Kitts and Nevis

-2

258

173 Nicaragua

0

75

13 England

0 1032

67 Norway

0

500

121 St Vincent and the Grenadines

-2

256

175 Belize

0

74

14 Chile

0 1016

68 Rwanda

0

494

122 Lebanon

4

251

176 Yemen

0

67 66

15 Romania

0 1014

69 Korea Republic

0

487

123 Moldova

-2

250

177 Turks and Caicos Islands

0

16 Costa Rica

0

995

70 Finland

0

468

124 Lesotho

-1

245

178 Seychelles

0

61

17 Czech Republic

0

987

71 Uzbekistan

3

464

125 Kuwait

-1

241

179 Bermuda

0

55

18 Algeria

0

948

72 Honduras

-1

460

126 Georgia

-1

239

179 San Marino

0

55

19 Croatia

0

946

73 Guatemala

-1

458

127 Luxembourg

1

230

179 Cambodia

0

55

20 Mexico

0

913

73 Haiti

-1

458

128 Burundi

-1

227

182 Chinese Taipei

0

54

21 Slovakia

0

891

75 Jamaica

0

449

129 Aruba

0

221

183 Solomon Islands

0

53

22 Tunisia

0

873

76 Paraguay

0

442

129 Philippines

1

221

184 Dominica

0

52

23 Austria

0

863

77 Uganda

-1

441

131 Maldives

-1

220

185 Timor-Leste

0

51

24 Greece

0

856

78 Libya

0

437

132 Liechtenstein

0

219

186 Nepal

0

49

25 Ukraine

0

854

79 Armenia

0

436

133 Vietnam

4

218

186 Macau

0

49

26 Ecuador

0

852

80 United Arab Emirates

1

408

133 Guinea-Bissau

0

218

188 Pakistan

0

45 43

27 USA

0

836

81 Angola

-1

404

135 New Zealand

-1

216

189 South Sudan

0

28 Côte d’Ivoire

0

833

82 Morocco

-1

393

136 Azerbaijan

-1

215

190 Mauritius

0

36

29 Bosnia and Herzegovina

0

817

83 Estonia

1

382

136 Tajikistan

-1

215

191 Vanuatu

0

33

30 Denmark

0

804

84 Bolivia

1

375

138 Mauritania

-1

213

192 Fiji

0

30

31 Russia

0

789

85 Sierra Leone

1

374

139 Kazakhstan

0

205

192 Samoa

0

30

32 Israel

0

788

86 Cyprus

1

372

140 St Lucia

0

202

194 Mongolia

0

29

33 Iceland

0

761

87 Venezuela

1

371

141 Myanmar

0

200

195 Bahamas

0

26

34 Wales

0

748

88 Malawi

2

361

142 Afghanistan

1

190

196 Tonga

0

17

35 Senegal

0

734

89 Benin

0

359

143 Barbados

1

183

197 US Virgin Islands

0

16

36 Scotland

0

729

90 El Salvador

0

358

144 Thailand

-2

182

198 Brunei Darussalam

0

15

37 Ghana

0

714

91 Lithuania

1

355

145 Central African Republic

0

178

199 Papua New Guinea

0

13

38 Serbia

0

713

92 Qatar

3

347

146 Chad

0

172

200 American Samoa

0

12

39 Guinea

0

706

93 Oman

0

346

147 Malta

0

166

201 Andorra

0

9

40 Cape Verde Islands

0

693

93 Jordan

-12

346

147 Turkmenistan

0

166

202 British Virgin Islands

0

8

41 Poland

0

680

95 Antigua and Barbuda

-1

344

147 Madagascar

0

166

202 Eritrea

0

8

42 Cameroon

0

665

96 Latvia

0

339

150 Korea DPR

0

157

204 Somalia

0

6

43 Nigeria

0

654

96 China PR

1

339

151 Syria

0

156

205 Cayman Islands

0

5

44 Sweden

0

646

98 Mozambique

0

332

152 Kyrgyzstan

0

146

206 Djibouti

0

4

45 Hungary

0

632

99 Belarus

0

331

153 New Caledonia

0

142

206 Cook Islands

0

4

46 Slovenia

1

622

100 Australia

0

329

154 Malaysia

0

139

208 Anguilla

0

2

47 Northern Ireland

1

615

101 FYR Macedonia

-1

327

155 Grenada

0

137

209 Bhutan

0

0

48 Turkey

1

604

102 Saudi Arabia

0

318

156 Hong Kong

0

134 133

49 Mali

1

603

103 Faroe Islands

1

317

157 Singapore

0

50 Zambia

-4

594

104 Tanzania

1

315

158 Curaçao

0

125

51 Iran

0

588

105 Dominican Republic

1

310

159 Indonesia

0

122

52 South Africa

0

587

106 Botswana

1

308

160 Laos

0

121

53 Peru

0

565

107 Zimbabwe

1

301

161 Guam

0

119

54 Japan

0

563

108 Sudan

2

296

161 Puerto Rico

0

119

http://www.fifa.com/worldranking/index.html

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39

L A S T W E E K’S P O L L R E S U LT S

31+21+19139421 Which of these strikers will end up top scorer at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations?

2%

1%

9%

T HIS WEEK’S POLL

Which of these players will end up top scorer at the 2015 AFC Asian Cup?

4%

31%

13%

Source: Fifa.com

19%

21%

· Ali Mabkhout (UAE) · Hamza Al Dardour (JOR) · Sun Ke (CHN) · Sardor Rashidov (UZB) · Keisuke Honda (JPN)

≠ Islam Slimani (ALG) ≠ Papiss Cissé (SEN) ≠ Asamoah Gyan (GHA) ≠ Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (GAB) ≠ Gervinho (CIV) ≠ Amine Chermiti (TUN) ≠ Ibrahima Traore (GUI) ≠ Jonathan Pitroipa (BFA)

Cast your votes at: Fifa.com/newscentre

“The scream? The players know I always do that when I score a goal or when we win.”

Cristiano Ronaldo explains his unusual celebration at the FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala

team in Spain’s top flight

35

per cent possession and three corners – compared to their

remained unbeaten as the

opponents’ 16 – was all Arsenal

season reached its

needed to defeat Manchester

years after Napoli last defeated Lazio

halfway point – and it

City 2-0 away from home.

twice in a row, the southern Italian side

was neither Barcelona

The result means Manuel

finally repeated the feat and have now

nor Real Madrid. Sevilla’s 2-0

Pellegrini’s side have failed

overcome their league rivals on four

defeat of Malaga took their home

to win any of the four

successive occasions. In their latest

record for this campaign to seven

matches they have played

victory, Gonzalo Higuain struck to seal a

wins and two draws, and means

this season without Ivorian

1-0 win and lift 'I Ciucciarelli' above the

‘Los Rojiblancos’ are now unbeaten

Yaya Toure, who is currently

two-time Italian champions to third

on home soil in 24 games across

on international duty at the

place in Serie A.

all competitions.

Africa Cup of Nations.

Getty Images (2), AFP, NurPhoto

81

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WEEK IN NUMBERS