The FIFA Weekly Issue #6

ISSUE 6/2015, 13 FEBRUARY 2015

ENGLISH EDITION

Fédération Internationale de Football Association – Since 1904

SOUTH OF FRANCE CRAZY FOR OLYMPIQUE DE MARSEILLE SEPP BLATTER U-20 WORLD CUP WILL MAKE HISTORY LIONEL MESSI VIDEO CLIP SPARKS EMOTIONAL MEMORIES

Interview with Arrigo Sacchi

SACCHI’S LEGACY W W W.FIFA.COM/ THEWEEKLY

THIS WEEK IN THE WORLD OF FOOTBALL

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Peru Journeyman Carlos Grossmuller has made the perfect start at Universitario. Now, the young team from the capital Lima have their sights set on a 27th championship title.

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Messi’s memories In the first in our series of five key World Cup moments, four-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi was visibly moved when confronted with scenes from Brazil in the FIFA studio.

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North and Central America 35 members www.concacaf.com

Arrigo Sacchi Arrigo Sacchi was a man of action and a revolutionary in his field who managed to combine pragmatic defensive football with a more attractive, Dutch style of play at the end of the 1980s. Franchi met the 68-year-old Italian in his birthplace of Fusignano for an exclusive interview.

Sepp Blatter The U-20 World Cup once provided a springboard for Maradona, Messi and Figo. “One of FIFA’s objectives is to make football accessible to people from all walks of life,” the FIFA President says in his weekly column. Fiji and Myanmar will be among the nations contesting the title from 30 May.

South America 10 members www.conmebol.com

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Olympique de Marseille A legendary club with a turbulent past

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Angel Di Maria Manchester United’s Argentinian star talks to The FIFA Weekly.

Sacchi’s legacy Our cover image shows Arrigo Sacchi on the AC Milan bench in March 1990.

Two months later, he and his team won the European Cup for the second time.

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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FIFA Women’s World Cup 6 June – 5 July 2015, Canada

Getty Images (2), imago, SHOT Magazine

imago / Buzzi

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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The Philippines Why Simone Rota returned to his roots.

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Côte d’Ivoire Boubacar Barry put on a one-man show in the Africa Cup of Nations final.

Blue Stars/FIFA Youth Cup

FIFA U-20 World Cup

FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup

FIFA U-17 World Cup

13/14 May 2015, Zurich, Switzerland

30 May – 20 June 2015, New Zealand

9 – 19 July 2015, Portugal

17 October – 8 November 2015, Chile

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4-2-4 formation Arrigo Sacchi’s opinion is highly regarded.

11 versus 0 with Arrigo

Guido Clerici / LUZ / fotogloria

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here is an anecdote dating from 1989 that neatly encapsulates the complex and revolutionary work of Arrigo Sacchi. Ahead of that year’s European Cup semi-final, Real Madrid sent an observer to AC Milan’s training camp with the intent of spying on the Italians and learning more about Sacchi’s successful tactics. The baffled delegate sparked great consternation on his return to Madrid, admitting that he had learned nothing from the coaching session and reporting that the former defender had set his players up to train “11 versus 0”.

Born in 1946, Arrigo Sacchi was an amateur footballer of average ability who plied his trade for home team Fusignano for many years before moving to Bellaria on the Adriatic. But after hanging up his boots, he discovered that he had a special flair for coaching. He learned quickly, and when Silvio Berlusconi brought him to giants AC Milan in 1987, it seemed as though he had come from nowhere. “I was an unknown who knew hardly anyone in the football business,” he later said. “The fact that I didn’t have a past helped me to make my way in that world.”

Even today, Sacchi occasionally appears at AC Milan’s training ground. This is usually a bad sign, as it means the outlook is sufficiently poor for the club to seek the 68-year-old’s advice. One thing is certain: no coach has played a greater role in shaping the destiny of I Rossoneri than Sacchi, so our reporter Massimo Franchi travelled to the Italian province of Ravenna to meet him. Our exclusive interview begins on page six. Å Alan Schweingruber

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The creator

Arrigo Sacchi shaped an era in football and his coaching style is still revered to this day. Here he talks about Italy’s outdated football, geniuses and coaches who think too much of themselves.

Massimo Franchi, Fusignano 6

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Guido Clerici / LUZ / fotogloria

Arrigo Sacchi, 68 “At my age you have to do regular exercise.”

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rrigo Sacchi on 1 April you turn 69. What is an average day for you like?

Arrigo Sacchi: At my age you have to do regular exercise in order to stay fit. I get up, have breakfast, read the paper and watch the television.

Then I do a bit of exercise, preferably riding my mountain bike. After lunch I take care of some personal matters, read a bit and then watch football on TV. Sometimes, although not very often, I go to the stadium too. Occasionally, Mediaset [an Italian media company] invite me to be a pundit, especially for Champions League games. If there’s no football on TV then I go out with my wife for dinner or to the theatre. In Fusignano there’s an auditorium dedicated to one of our town’s famous sons, Arcangelo Corelli, who was one of the greatest composers and violinists in the Baroque period towards the end of the 17th century and the start of the 18th.

You have always been an admirer of art and culture...

Yes, because football is also a kind of art, a spectacle, just like music, comedic poetry, dramaturgy and cinematics. But as the great Bertolt Brecht once said, if there is no script there is only improvisation and therefore only superficiality. Imagine a choir made up of 11 people, just like a football team and ten of them sing an aria from Aida perfectly while the 11th acts as he sees fit and sings something completely different. You can imagine how that would sound.

Has football changed since you were a coach?

It changes every day, just like life itself. You have to stay up-todate and keep developing so that you don’t get left behind. Standing still is the same as going backwards. Football follows the development of society. Today we live in a global world and if you don’t play a global kind of football then you’re quickly left on the outside looking in. Modern football is fast – a lot faster than it used to be not long ago. And if you’re not quick in today’s game then there’s no room for you.

That’s indicative of the state of our football. When one of our big stars goes overseas they quickly recognise how good they really are and how they are valued. There’s a huge difference. Even as little as ten years ago Italy was the best in Europe and always had teams fighting for the Champions League title. Today we’re in fourth place behind Spain, England and Germany and we need to be careful not to fall even further behind. We can already feel the closest pursuer hot on our heels.

What kind of a sport is football?

Football is an attacking sport, although you have to attack as a unit. Nowadays there is a lot more emphasis on team unity. After all, it is a team sport and not a game you play individually.

What do you mean by that?

A team with togetherness has synergy, but one without it does not have much. In order for that to be possible, all 11 players have to move as one, they have to keep the right distances between each other and lose their markers at the right time. At the back they also have to be well-positioned and mark their opponents. In short, all 11 players have to be active at all times, both in possession of the ball and without it. That’s the objective. That’s very difficult to do today, and was even harder a quarter of a century ago.

“The thing I personally dislike about Italian football is its backwardness, its lack of innovation and its common conservatism.”

Italian football also appears to have been left behind...

That sounds like a lot of physical and mental effort is required...

That has a lot to do with our history. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, which had spread culture to every corner of the earth, and also after the Renaissance, Italians led lives that were shaped by ruses and denunciation for centuries – the infamous art of coming to arrangements. In a way, that spread to our football, as can be seen from certain peculiarities in our downright outdated game. We needed to reorganise to get back on track but when we once again failed to adapt to the circumstances, we fell further behind. The thing I personally dislike about our football is its backwardness, its lack of innovation and the common conservatism that characterises certain teams. Instead of progressing they take huge steps backwards and get left behind.

The opposite is true in fact: at AC Milan we never invested more energy than our opponents did. We always had greater stamina because when you’re in possession you never really need to sprint further than about 15 metres, but when you’re chasing the ball then you could be sprinting 40 metres. It’s common knowledge that my boys could play for a long time. Paolo Maldini only retired when he was 41, as did Filippo Galli. [Alessandro] Costacurta was 39 when he hung up his boots, while [Franco] Baresi and [Mauro] Tassotti were both 37. The only one who had to stop earlier was Marco van Basten, but that was because he had osteophytes.

There are not many Italian players abroad: Mario Balotelli is usually a substitute at Liverpool, Alessio Cerci has returned to Italy with Milan after an unsuccessful spell in Madrid, and Ciro Immobile is struggling at Borussia Dortmund.

So you are saying the whole team shared the burden equally?

That’s exactly right. I always put a lot of emphasis on a universal kind of football. I always wanted to have a strong collective rather just having good individual players. So I trained the team with a view to making every single player better, instead of integrating individuals into the side.

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Bob Thomas / Getty Images

Vienna 1990 Sacchi wins the European Cup with AC Milan for the second year in a row.

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ARRIGO SACCHI

Yet great individual players such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are often decisive...

Even superstars are only able to win when they’re given the right support from the whole team. Ask any of today’s world-class players and you’ll see what their answer is. Ronaldo and Messi may play the first fiddle but they’re still only part of a larger orchestra.

Even the best and most talented players have to follow the beat of the collective. The word ’orchestra’ is a nice term and originates from Greek theatre: it means a group of people comprised of the

What was Diego Maradona?

He was exceptionally talented. I must admit, I would have much preferred to have coached him than to play against him, as was often the case in matches between AC Milan and Napoli. Diego is a kind of sword of Damocles: you never know when it’ll fall.

It is said that in a way you sacrificed great individual players in favour of tactical discipline...

Some great players enjoyed their best spells under me, such as

Team talk 1988 Arrigo Sacchi and his star-studded AC Milan side at a training camp.

chorus, instrumentalists and dancers. All of them move simultaneously in perfect harmony. That is precisely how the ideal football team should act too. You can’t confuse a player with a footballer.

[Ruud] Gullit and Van Basten at AC Milan, and [Roberto] Baggio in the Italian national team..

imago / Buzzi

What do you make of modern coaches?

What do you mean by that exactly?

Take Mario Balotelli for example. He’s a footballer but not a player. A player is someone who moves in harmony with the team, not as a voice separated from the chorus.

Generally, I put coaches into one of three categories. There are the geniuses, the innovators, but there aren’t many of those; then there are the upstarts, the also-rans who have no idea but think they’re very clever; and then there are the traditionalists, the T H E F I FA W E E K LY

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The Immortals a brand of attractive, innovative, spectacular yet efficient football that is rarely seen on Italian shores, Sacchi’s team holds a special place in the memories of the “Tifosi Rossoneri” and football fans around the globe.

Dutch influence Like any great artist, Sacchi’s troops succeeded in blending tradition with innovative ideas of their own. His Milan team combined a defensive approach typical of Italian clubs with the creativity of the individual players at his disposal, not to mention a possession-based system which was first adopted by a Netherlands side built around the

Naples 1988 Diego Maradona takes on Marco van Basten.

great Johan Cruyff. The result left nothing to be desired: a complete team with a rock-solid defence, a patient approach to bringing the ball out from the back and midfielders who didn’t give their opponents a moment’s peace on the ball.

Sacchi’s Milan performed with a balance and rhythm that captures fans’ imaginations to this day. The goalkeeper, Galli, was unflappable and reliable, Tassotti and Costacurta formed a formidable centre-back pairing and Baresi excelled at bringing the ball out of defence in a calm and composed manner. Maldini not only provided extra cover for the defence, but also possessed a good eye for a ball into the feet of the attackers. Ancelotti was responsible for pulling the strings in midfield, while Donadoni and Colombo were just as good at pressurising opponents as they were at keeping possession.

Napoli showdown However, Sacchi’s side is perhaps best known for the Dutch trio in the final third of the pitch – Rijkaard, Gullit and Van Basten. Rijkaard set the rhythm in attack, Gullit wreaked havoc with a mixture of penetration, awareness and shooting ability, and Van Basten was simply the icing on the cake. Affectionately known as the ’Nijinsky of the penalty box’ due to his sublime first touch and unusually long strides, his goals were almost always of the spectacular variety. They were the end product of a visionary and earned him successive Ballon d’Or awards in 1988 and 1989. Incidentally, his colleagues Baresi, Gullit and Rijkaard joined van Basten on the podium during that time.

Over the years, Sacchi’s Immortals made the rest of the world forget that Italy was the birth place of the catenaccio system. All legends are based on certain historic events and in the case of Sacchi’s Milan, three games in particular secured them that legendary status. The first, a home match against Diego Maradona’s Napoli side, took place in January 1988, just after Gullit had been awarded the Ballon d’Or for the first and only time. Milan romped to a 4-1 victory at the San Siro, a result that won Sacchi plenty of plaudits at the time. The second game was the 5-0 humbling of a Real Madrid side featuring Butragueno, Hugo Sanchez and Michel in the semi-finals of the European Cup in 1989, while the third of those memorable matches was the final that year, which ended in a comfortable 4-0 win for the Italians over Steaua Bucharest, earning them their first European title. The football world was waxing lyrical about the Immortals that night – and they still are to this day.

Jordi Punti

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imago / Buzzi

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everal years ago, in 2007 to be precise, Italian mass media company Mediaset ran a survey asking AC Milan supporters to name the best side in the club’s history.

The result was unanimous: Arrigo Sacchi’s ’Squadra’, widely known as ’The Immortals’, won the vote by an overwhelming majority, leaving the team Carlo Ancelotti set about building in 2001 and Fabio Capello’s side from the early nineties in its wake.

Under Sacchi’s tutelage, Milan dominated European football at the back end of the 1980s and remain the most recent club to have won successive European Cups in 1989 and 1990. Playing

ARRIGO SACCHI

Pointing the way Tactics were always one of Arrigo Sacchi’s strong points as coach and for this photo shoot the 68-year-old got back into character.

downright old-fashioned coaches who follow classical but now obsolete schools of thought.

Which coaches do you hold in high regard?

Guido Clerici / LUZ / fotogloria

My pupil [Carlo] Ancelotti is doing very well, especially last year when he won both the Champions League and the Club World Cup. He could ring in the start of a new era at Real Madrid. But I also rate Jose Mourinho very highly. He’s a genius, albeit in a very different way to Pep Guardiola. I like Jürgen Klopp too, even if he’s had a lot of difficulties in the Bundesliga this season. In Italy Antonio Conte and Zdenek Zeman are without doubt among the very best. Both of them are conductors who know how to convey the full score to their orchestras.

“Improvising can work well once, but meticulous planning is the only way.”

Speaking of Real Madrid: Florentino Perez appointed you sporting director at the club ten years ago, but success remained elusive.

That team had so many champions in it: Zidane, Ronaldo, Figo, Raul, Roberto Carlos, Beckham, Owen, Casillas, Guti, Morientes, Solari and Samuel. But things didn’t work out well on the pitch.

What is your opinion of people for whom the end justifies the means as long as they win?

Results are more important today than ever before but it would be a mistake to believe that three points are the only things that matter. Success only comes with a playing style, with a unified side and the work of the whole team, and that starts in everyday training. Otherwise, you may win but it’s a lifeless win. You don’t get far with that philosophy.

Which teams do you think have had the greatest influence on the development of football in different eras?

I think there have been three: the Netherlands and Ajax under Rinus Michels, AC Milan under me and Barcelona under Pep Guardiola.

How do you put a team together that is able to write footballing history?

There are numerous factors that have to be considered and brought together. First and foremost the club must be ambitious and have revolutionary ideas. The coach is also important, as he has to have the ability to put his ideas into practice and to motivate his players. New signings have to fit in exactly with the tactical concept. You don’t buy a player just because of his name if he can’t play in the position you need him in. There’s no point in creating unnecessary rivalries. Young players who are brought into a new team must be reliable, unselfish, passionate and intelligent. That’s another fundamental aspect that is essential when you’re planning in meticulous detail. If you don’t work in depth then you’ve lost from T H E F I FA W E E K LY

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the outset. That’s as true in football as it is in life. Improvising can work well once, but that will have been the proverbial exception that proves the rule. Meticulous planning is the only way.

Did Ronaldo deserve to win the FIFA Ballon d’Or? Absolutely! He had an outstanding season and set one new record after the other. He may not have won the World Cup but that tournament only lasts a month, whereas a year lasts 12 months. In Brazil Messi was voted as the best player and [Manuel] Neuer as the

“I rate Jose Mourinho very highly.

He’s a genius.”

What is the greatest compliment anyone has ever paid you?

There are a few examples. For instance, one was when the French sports newspaper L’Equipe wrote that AC Milan would

best goalkeeper. It’s no coincidence that both of those players were nominated alongside Ronaldo for the Ballon d’Or. I’d like to single out Neuer, the number one at Bayern Munich and in the German national team, for special praise because he’s not only good with his hands but he’s also a fantastic footballer. I watched the Round of 16 match between Germany and surprise package Algeria in Porto Alegre very closely. Neuer came out of his box at least three times and cleared the ball as if he was a top-class defender. He truly deserves the nickname “Sweeper keeper”.

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never be the same again after our European Cup triumph. Another was the celebrations at the end of the 1986/87 Serie B season with Parma. We didn’t even earn promotion but finished three points off the pace in seventh place, while Cesena, Lecce and Cremonese entered the promotion play-offs. But our fans cheered us as if we’d won the Serie A title. Unbelievable! A few days later I left Parma alongside [Roberto] Mussi, [Walter] Bianchi and [Mario] Bortolazzi to join AC Milan. And the next year we won the Rossoneri’s 11th league title. Å

Reuters

World Cup runners-up Sacchi honed Italy’s game and took them to the final of the 1994 World Cup.

ARRIGO SACCHI

Name Arrigo Sacchi Date and place of birth 1 April 1946, Fusignano (Italy) First team coaching debut Aged 36, at Rimini (Serie C1) Clubs coached Cesena (youth team), Rimini, Fiorentina (youth team), Parma, AC Milan, Italy, Atletico Madrid Major honours

Guido Clerici / LUZ / fotogloria

Serie A champion 1987-88 European Cup winner 1988-89, 1989-90 World Cup runner-up 1994

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TALK ING POIN T S

T H E

Peru

E a rl y s e a s on pr om i s e for a we l lt r ave l l e d ve te r a n Sven Goldmann is a leading football correspondent at Tagesspiegel newspaper in Berlin.

It would be fair to say that the people of Lima had their reservations. Was Carlos Grossmuller still any good? At the age of 31, was he at his peak or were his best years behind him? The Uruguayan had played in the Champions League with Schalke 04, but that was seven years ago, and his brief spell at US Lecce ended with the club’s relegation from Serie A. Following that ill-fated stint in Italy, Grossmuller had returned home to play for Atletico Cerro and Penarol in Uruguay’s capital Montevideo, before taking another crack at playing abroad. This time the ­destination was Peru and his new home Club Universitario de Deportes, the most successful team in the country.

I N S I D E

In the view of his coach Oscar Ibanez, Grossmuller is a player that “can play in three positions” but also, more importantly, one that “can make the difference”. Typical of a no.10, his preferred role is as an advanced central midfielder and up until now, the plan of using him in this position has worked very well. In the semi-finals of the recent Copa Bandes tournament, he was named man of the match in a 1-0 win against famous Argentinian outfit River Plate, before opening his account for his new club in the final in a 2-1 loss to fellow Uruguayan side Nacional.

Shortly afterwards, in the opening match of the Torneo del Inca – the cup competition for Uruguay’s top-flight teams and, more signi­ ficantly, Grossmuller’s competitive debut – he grabbed the winning goal as Universitario secured a narrow but deserved 1-0 victory against Leon de Huanuco.

Ostensibly his goal seemed nothing special: midway through the first half, Huanuco’s goalkeeper Jesus Cisneros parried, but could not clear, a shot from Juan Diego Gutierrez.

The ball landed at the feet of Grossmuller, who was practically standing on the goalline and only needed to make contact for a simple tap-in. At second glance, however, the silky midfielder had done far more than merely

help the ball over the line. In fact, it was he that had started the attack with a clever switch of play to Gutierrez. That he then continued his run and was on hand to convert once his team-mate’s initial effort had been saved surprised more than a few. “A goal in your first game obviously gives you confidence,” Grossmuller said subsequently. “We executed a few things really well but we can definitely improve, and we have to.”

Alongside Argentine journeyman striker German Alemanno, four-time Uruguay international Grossmuller is the player with the most experience in a young and developing team and is understandably well aware of the hopes placed on him at the Estadio Monumental. The Torneo Inca, meanwhile, is only the first step to bigger and more prestigious ­a mbitions. May sees the beginning of the Torneo Apertura, the first stage of the league championship (the Torneo Descentralizado), and record title-winners Universitario will be hoping it brings their 27th league triumph. Nevertheless, an improvement of the sort that Grossmuller described is imperative. In 2014 the Lima-based club could only finish the season in seventh place, with local rivals Sporting Cristal taking the honour of c­ hampions. Å

A successful debut Carlos Grossmuller is delivering on his promise having scored the deciding goal against Leon de Huanuco.

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Depor

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Oman: Omantel Professional League

A l O r u b a o u t f r o nt in Oman Andreas Jaros is a Vienna-based freelance writer.

A few weeks ago, the travel section of the New York Times hailed Oman as “one of the must-see places of 2015.” The sultanate offers staggering mountain ranges, a diverse coastline and the serenity of the Wadis, where the majority of the rivers run dry but transform into blooming oases during the wet season. In a word, this natural jewel – one that is in stark contrast to the artificial worlds of neighbours United Arab Emirates and Dubai – is well worth a look.

Any visitors to Oman also interested in football will not be disappointed. The Gulf state and it’s three and a half million inhabitants boast a domestic league with 14 teams who compete home and away for the title and to avoid finishing the season in one of the two relegation spots. They are delighted to welcome any and every visiting fan.

Dramatic turns might be common in the landscape, but the same cannot be said for the top half of the table. Al Oruba are league leaders and midway through February after 13 games boasted a six-point lead after continuing their winning run of form with a 1-0 win against Al Shabab. The chasing pack are a tight-knit bunch. Second-placed Dhofar, who only managed a 1-1 draw against Al Seeb, and eighth-placed Fanja SC are separated by just three points. Last year’s runners up Fanja would be be nearer the top, but were left reeling from a 4-2 home defeat against Al Nasr.

Leaving rivals in their wake Nasser Shimley clears confidently for league leaders Al Oruba.

Times of Oman

Standings: 1. Al Oruba, 29 points – 2. Dhofar, 23 – 3. Al Nasr – 4. Al Shabab, both 22 points – 5. Al-Khaboora, 21 points – 6. Sur – 7. Saham (one game in hand) – 8. Fanja SC, all 20 points.

Defending champions Al Nahda’s fall from grace is almost beyond imagination. After being docked six points, the 2013/14 champions are propping up the table after only picking up four points in a dozen games.

space for just 2,000 fans at Ibri, but the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in the capital Muscat, a stadium which acts as home for a number of top-flight clubs, offers a 39,000 capacity.

Similarly extreme are the attendance figures in the sparsely populated monarchy. There is

Even without the recommendation of the New York Times, Oman’s football chiefs

recently made an occupational visit to Australia for the Asian Cup. Sadly, their country had the misfortune of being drawn in the same group as the two finalists: A 4-0 defeat to hosts and eventual winners Australia was accompanied by a 1-0 loss to South Korea.

Oman did finish strongly though, beating local rivals Kuwait 1-0. Å T H E F I FA W E E K LY

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THE INTERVIEW

“I try not to watch the World Cup matches” Angel Di Maria missed out on the chance to take to the pitch at last summer’s World Cup Final, but “although I couldn’t play, it was still the most beautiful moment of my career,” says the Argentinian.

In 2014 you helped Real Madrid become European champions for the tenth time but then had to leave the club. With Argentina you reached the Final of the World Cup in Brazil but missed their last two games because of injury. On balance, would you say it was a bittersweet 12 months? Ángel Di María: No, no … I’m very happy about what happened. Aside from injuries, which can afflict anyone, I achieved big things, like winning la décima with Madrid and helping Argentina reach the World Cup Final after many years. Then there was how we got there – showing immense desire and bravery with a spectacular group of players.

It was well deserved and I was more than satisfied with what we accomplished.

If you had to single out one moment from 2014, what would it be and why?

It might sound strange but it’d be reaching the World Cup Final. It’s something I never thought I’d be part of, even as a boy.

And although I couldn’t play, it was still the most beautiful moment of my career.

When you picked up that injury against Belgium, did you realise immediately how serious it was?

Yes, I knew it might be a bad one from the pain. It was just as I accelerated past the defender and was about to break clear. That’s when I felt the pain. However, I have great faith and believed I’d be able to play again, and I did everything in my power to be fit for the Final. But football’s like that. It can put you out of the World Cup, but it can also give you a chance to make amends. Hopefully I’ll get that opportunity.

Have you watched those World Cup games since?

No, I try not to watch them. (laughs)

part of a World Cup, you don’t see any of what’s going on outside, where many wonderful things happen. I heard bits from my family about the sheer numbers who were travelling and how committed they were. You don’t see all that, which is why it’s nice to watch it now and remember it in a different way. We’d have loved to have given all our compatriots the ultimate celebration and taken the final step, and hopefully one day we will.

2014 was also the year you said goodbye to Real Madrid. What’s your assessment of that chapter now?

“My English is very bad, but I’m trying to learn it bit by bit.”

Have you ever wondered what might have happened if you’d played in that Final?

No, because I firmly believe things happen for a reason. If it was God’s will that I didn’t play in that final, then it’s because I wasn’t meant to be there. The players that started gave absolutely everything. We had every chance of winning that game and many scoring opportunities, but the ball just wouldn’t go in. They had two chances: one hit the post and the other went in. That’s football for you.

Not even your goal against Switzerland?

That one, yes. From time to time I watch some clips on Youtube, though it’s mostly ones featuring the fans. When you’re actually 16

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Yes, you could think that way after seeing how the game panned out. Both El Pocho [Ezequiel Lavezzi] and Leo [Messi] went at them at pace and got the better of them. I think it would have been a different game with someone in my role. I had a good understanding with Leo throughout the World Cup, but that’s football and God didn’t intend it to be.

But tactically, against a side with such a high defensive line as Germany, a player with your skills might have found the gaps?

Well, I did everything asked of me: I won the Super Cup, the Copa del Rey, the Champions League and the Spanish league. I won every title except the Club World Cup, as I’d already left the club by then. I’d been there four years and the time had come for a change. I really wanted to play in the Premier League, which I’d been watching since I was a youngster every Saturday or Sunday before I’d go and play for Rosario Central. It was always a dream and goal of mine to experience English football.

Football aside, how are you getting on in England?

Very well. The weather is the only thing … it doesn’t help a lot. (laughs). But I’m very content here. The people have a lot of affection for me, which is the most important thing. It’s what I value most, and I have that here.

How are you progressing with the language?

More like regressing! (laughs). It’s very bad. [I’ve learned] very little and only understand a small bit. That said, I’m trying to learn it bit by bit and I’m taking classes.

Hopefully I’ll pick it up quickly.

You’re one of the few to have been long-time team-mates of both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Do you tire of people asking you to compare them?

No, because I always say the same thing: that they’re two completely different players.

Name Angel Fabian Di Maria Hernandez Date and place of birth 14 February 1988 Rosario, Argentina Position Midfielder, winger

Ben Duffy / Adidas

Clubs played for 2005–2007 Rosario Central 2007–2010 Benfica 2010–2014 Real Madrid since 2014 Manchester United Argentina national team 57 caps, 11 goals

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Football is a brotherhood. It’s peace.

© 2014 Visa. All rights reserved.

Oscar Arias Nobel Peace Laureate

THE INTERVIEW

Leo features in every game, making short bursts and nonchalantly dribbling past one, two or three players with great ball control in tight spaces. Cristiano is more about power, long range shots… they’re different.

If I were FIFA, I’d have two Ballon d’Or prizes, one for that pair to fight over, and another for everyone else.

There’s been a lot of talk about Messi of late, even rumours that he’d consider a move to Chelsea. As someone who spent time working with Jose Mourinho, could you see them together?

Emotional memories for Messi

In principle, I don’t think Leo wants to leave Barcelona. It’s hard to walk away from a club that’s given you everything, where you effectively grew up. But to answer your question, no I don’t think he’d have any problem working with Mourinho. (laughs)

What do you miss most about Argentina?

My friends – and now more than ever, as English football doesn’t stop over Christmas and I couldn’t travel home. Then there’s your family, who are always far from you, including my parents and those of my wife. They’re all in Argentina, which can be also be a bit hard to take.

Finally, is winning the 2015 Copa America your top goal this year?

Hopefully we can manage it as I’d love to win something with the full national team.

I’ve won an Olympic title and an U-20 World Cup, but it’d be really special to round things off with a Copa title with the seniors. It’s hard, though, as there are many strong teams at present, including Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay, who fight every step of the way.

It’s a tall order but hopefully things go well for us and we can finally give Argentina reason to celebrate. Å

Bao Tailiang / Chengdu Economic Daily

Angel Di Maria was speaking to Alejandro Varsky

A difficult moment Lionel Messi, pictured in Rio de Janeiro on 13 July (World Press Sports Photo of the Year 2014)

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rgentina won their second and most recent World Cup title in Mexico back in 1986, when La Albiceleste defeated Germany 3-2 in a thrilling Final. The tournament is remembered for the performances of one Diego Maradona, who led his team to victory several times along the way.

The great Maradona continues to cast a long shadow. Although Lionel Messi is now repeatedly compared with his exceptional predecessor, with some believing that the man from Rosario possesses even greater skill, the argument always ends the same way: Maradona must be better because Messi has never made Argentina world champions. The four-time Ballon d’Or winner contested what was already his third World Cup in Brazil last summer at just 27 years old.

Five key moments Every fan can bring to mind the scenes after the final whistle on 13 July 2014, with German players celebrating exuberantly as the Argentinians consoled one another. At the centre of it all, the losing side’s captain, Messi, tried to hold back the tears, while the Golden Ball award he collected as the

player of the tournament after the match at the Maracana served as little more than a consolation prize.

Although time cannot heal all wounds, it seems to make past events seem more bearable. With that in mind, FIFA.com recently had the idea of sitting down with the 2014 World Cup’s most important protagonists to review some key moments from the tournament. The first player to make himself available for this special meeting in front of the cameras was Lionel Messi.

The FIFA clip that resulted from this encounter, entitled “Lionel Messi watches Brazil 2014”, caused a sensation when it was launched online last week. “I don’t know what to say,” said the Argentinian, visibly moved as he watched his team’s missed chances in the Final once again. “We’ll regret it for the rest of our lives.” (tfw)

Messi watches Brazil 2014 (video): http://tinyurl.com/q45cl4e

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laif 20

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

First Love Place: Bel Ombre, Mauritius Date: 9 July 2014 Time: 4.38 p.m.

Photog rapher: John Fr umm

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THIS IS THE ONE Introducing

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

@FIFAcom #Wooliam

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U - 20 W O R L D C U P 2015

PRESIDENTIAL NOTE

Draw sets stage for New Zealand 2015

Finals debut for Fiji and Myanmar

F Unveiled at last The six groups for the U-20 World Cup have now been drawn.

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he draw for the U-20 World Cup New Zealand 2015 has taken place in Auckland, mapping out the group-stage challenge for each of the 24 teams involved. ­A rguably the pick of the sections drawn at the impressive SKYCITY Convention Centre was Group D, which pits Mexico against 2013 runners-up Uruguay, ­Serbia and an as-yet undecided African opponent. Hosts New Zealand, meanwhile, will take on Ukraine in the opening match on 30 May in a section that also includes USA and debutants Myanmar. As for the tournament’s other first­timers, Fiji, they face a demanding debut in the U-20 showpiece, with their first match a baptism of fire against European champions Germany.

The stars of tomorrow Proceedings were conducted by FIFA’s Events Director, Colin Smith and Senior Competitions Manager, Rhiannon Martin, with help from draw assistants Danny Hay, Wynton Rufer, Steve Sumner and Ivan Vicelich.

There were also speeches from New Zealand’s Minister for Sport and Recreation, Jonathan Coleman, and from FIFA Vice-President Jeffrey Webb, who spoke of the tournament’s legendary potential for unearthing stars. “Several of the players who have starred in previous U-20 World Cups played at last year’s World Cup in Brazil, such as James Rodriguez and Paul Pogba,” said Webb, who is also Chairman of the tournament’s Organising Committee. “No doubt we will see more World Cup stars discovered here in a New Zealand in a few months’ time. This is a wonderful competition that inspires many youngsters, both boys and girls alike, to play the game and to follow football clubs.”

New Zealand 2015 will be the 20th edition of the U-20 World Cup, a tournament already famous for helping launch the careers of Diego Maradona, Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi and many more of the game’s all-time greats. It will be held between 30 May and 20 June in seven cities across the country’s north and south islands. Å

ootball’s foundations are becoming broader than ever, with major tournaments hardly ever featuring outsiders given no chance of progressing. When the U-20 World Cup gets underway in New Zealand on 30 May, it will be contested by two nations who have never previously qualified for a FIFA finals tournament – Fiji and Myanmar. The fact that this is happening in the highest youth category makes it even more significant. After all, since it was first held in Tunisia in 1977, this competition has provided a springboard for the world-class careers of such great players as Maradona, Messi, Figo and Ronaldinho.

One of FIFA’s key objectives is to make football accessible to people from all walks of life, under optimal conditions and supported by the best possible expertise. Since 1999, we have invested more than US$ 2 billion in football development, implemented 700 Goal projects worldwide and laid important social foundations with our Football for Hope and Football for Health programmes.

But the next challenges already await us.

As a leading international sports federation, we must continue to assume responsibility for social issues in future. The examples of Fiji and Myanmar prove that this work can also lead to results on the pitch, because wherever football’s full integrating power is harnessed, new sporting opportunities can also emerge. I am already looking forward to the U-20 World Cup in New Zealand, as it will give us a first-hand opportunity to see a new chapter of footballing history being written.

Brendon O’Hagan

Stephen Sullivan

Best wishes, Sepp Blatter T H E F I FA W E E K LY

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O LY M P I Q U E D E M A R S E I L L E

At the heart of the city The golden Madonna looks down from the Notre-Dame de la Garde church towards the 65,000m2 roof of the Stade Vélodrome.

Olympique de Marseille is France’s most popular club, despite – or perhaps even because of – the many scandals that litter its history.

Sarah Steiner

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Boris Horvat / AFP (2)

Where OM W means love

ith its narrow alleys and vast squares where vocal traders and bustling housewives mingle amid stalls selling everything from olives and salami to mobile phones and kitchen utensils, Marseille offers a potpourri of influences. Each new corner brings another aroma, each street a fresh experience. Amid all this, the colours blue and white seem to be everywhere, always accompanied by the same two letters – OM. They represent Olympique de Marseille, an organisation that is more than just a football club in these parts. It is a myth, a legend, a second religion, and the love of every single Marseillais.

Most importantly of all, Les Olympiens are the glue that holds the city together. It is difficult to imagine a corner of France more multicultural than this one. Founded by the Ancient Greeks, captured by the Visigoths, Ostrogoths and Franks and destroyed by the Saracens, by the 19th century it was the most important trading post in the French empire. Goods ­a rrived into this Mediterranean port – still one of the city’s busiest districts – on board ships

O LY M P I Q U E D E M A R S E I L L E

In with the fans The renovated stands offer space for 67,000 spectators in 13 kilometres of seating and have turned the Velodrome into a true cauldron of excitement.

that also contained migrants. Many of the city’s more than 850,000 residents can boast foreign roots. Whether Algeria, Morocco, Italy, Senegal, China or many others, countless cultural influences have shaped modern Marseille and its inhabitants.

A melting pot of cultures Nevertheless, people do not always coexist peacefully in this southern French metropolis, with crime proving to be a particular problem.

The Marseillais have always been known as ­independent citizens willing to rail against ­authority whenever necessary. When the Sun King of Paris, Louis XIV, decided to secure the harbour walls, he did not point its newly installed cannons out to sea but instead towards the city, which had long been a pocket of resistance. The attitude of the locals towards the French capital has changed little ever since.

“I don’t care one little bit what they think of us in Paris or anywhere else,” celebrated Marseille­-born author Jean-Claude Izzo once wrote. “As far as Europe is concerned, we are still the first city of the Third World.”

OM would not be OM were ecstatic highs not followed by devastating lows.

Pride brings the locals together, and nowhere is this sense of solidarity more palpable than at OM’s stadium, the Stade Velodrome.

Together, they are no longer Frenchmen, Algerians or Senegalese – they are blue-and-white Marseillais.

Success pursued by failure This city and its club are inseparable, and no football team in France has created nor con­ tinues to create waves as big as those of ­Marseille. Great players such as Josip Skoblar, Didier Deschamps, Eric Cantona, Alain Giresse,

Jean-Pierre Papin, Fabrizio Ravanelli and ­Didier Drogba have all played here. As a child, Zinedine Zidane’s greatest wish was to play for Les Phocéens, but it was a dream he never fulfilled. This son of Algerian migrants learned football on the streets of Marseille while following the exploits of his idol, OM’s Uruguayan striker Enzo Francescoli – even naming his first-born son after his childhood hero many years later. But this eventual superstar’s career took an altogether different path. Discovered at Cannes, he moved to Bordeaux and then to Juventus before finally signing for Real M ­ adrid.

Established in 1899, Olympique de Marseille were among the founding members of Ligue 1.

Success and failure are two common threads that have run through the club’s history. The golden era of the 1920s and 1930s and championship glory in 1948 was followed by relegation and then promotion. Between 1969 and 1972, OM won the league twice and lifted a further two French Cups. The legendary Josip Skoblar’s 44 goals played a fundamental part in their 1971 championship success, but before long the club sank back into insignificance.

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O LY M P I Q U E D E M A R S E I L L E

1942-1958 Roger Scotti Scotti was born and died in Marseille, and the only club he ever played for was Olympique de Marseille. He remains the club’s record appearance holder with 406 matches.

1966-1967, 1970-1973 Josip Skoblar When Skoblar returned to the port city in 1970, it didn’t take him long to recapture fans’ hearts. The Croatian scored 44 times in a single season – a club record.

1986-1992 Jean-Pierre Papin The centre-forward, who won four championships and one European Cup with OM, finished top scorer in the French top flight on five successive occasions.

1989-2012 (intermittently) Didier Deschamps After winning the championship and European Cup as a player with the club, Deschamps guided OM to their first league title in 18 years in 2010.

1992-1994 Rudi Voller According to his former team-mates, Voller is the only OM player who was not involved in the alleged drug scandal before the 1993 Champions League final.

1997-2008 Samir Nasri Nasri joined OM’s youth academy at the age of 10 and made his first-team debut as a 17-year-old.

He now plies his trade at Manchester City.

2006-2014 Mathieu Valbuena Nicknamed ‘Le Petit Velo’ (the small bike) by his team-mates, Marseille retired the 28 shirt following the crowd favourite’s move to Dynamo Moscow.

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T H E F I FA W E E K LY

The harbour turns blue and white OM’s fans gathered at the Vieux Port on 16 May 2010 to honour their ­championship-winning heroes.

In 1985 Bernard Tapie took the reins at Marseille and invested money – plenty of it. Karlheinz Forster, Klaus Allofs, Rudi Voller, Jean Tigana and Jean-Pierre Papin are just some of the illustrious names to have graced the Stade Vélodrome pitch during this era. Olympique de Marseille not only won Ligue 1 four times in succession but also made waves on the international stage. In 1990, the reigning French champions only exited the European Cup at the hands of Benfica in the semi-final, before going one better to lose out to Red Star Belgrade in the final a year later. In 1993 came the greatest success in the club’s history – victory in the Champions League final against AC Milan.

But OM would not be OM if ecstatic highs were not almost immediately followed by devastating lows. A match-fixing scandal meant Marseille were stripped of their 1993 French title, while enforced relegation to the second division and a mountain of debt almost drove the club out of business. Even their 1993 European triumph acquired an unpleasant aftertaste.

Despite this turmoil, the club recovered once again, and its fans continue to support it uncon-

ditionally. Even the furore concerning illegal transfer dealings during the last decade that ultimately led to criminal convictions and the more recent arrest of Vincent Labrune in late 2014 did little to deter the Olympique de Marseille faithful, with the club remaining France’s most popular domestic football team. Five years ago, a league title and successes in both domestic cup competitions provided balm for the souls of OM’s dedicated fan base and brought an end to a 17-year silverware drought. Tens of thousands of local supporters celebrated at the Vieux Port as the city erupted in blue-and-white elation.

North versus south High above the city on the tower of the Notre-­ Dame de la Garde church sits the patron saint of Marseille. Standing 11 metres high, the golden figure of the Bonne Mère shimmers in the sunlight as she looks down upon a modern metropolis. Near the tourist attractions in the central Quartier du Panier lies the upmarket southern part of the city, whose beachfront villas contrast sharply with the grey concrete tower blocks of northern Marseille.

HO(3), Getty Images (2), imago (2), Presse Sports, Patrick Valasseris / AFP

1988-1991 Eric Cantona Cantona wasn’t always able to keep a lid on his temper at his boyhood club, having spats with referees, coaches and the club’s board as a young player.

O LY M P I Q U E D E M A R S E I L L E

Olympique de Marseille Facts and figures Founded:

31 August 1899

Stadium:

Stade Velodrome, capacity 67,000

Coach:

Marcelo Bielsa

Chairman:

Vincent Labrune

Club honours: French champions: 1937, 1948, 1971, 1972, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 (later stripped of title), 2010 French Cup winners: 1924, 1926, 1927, 1935, 1938, 1943, 1969, 1972, 1976, 1989 International honours: Champions League winners 1993, Intertoto Cup winners 2005

Just four kilometres from the old port, a futuristic roof makes for a particularly eye­catching sight. This is the heart of the footballing city of Marseille – the Stade Vélodrome.

Reopened in October 2014, the arena offers seating for 67,000 spectators – vital when you consider that Les Olympiens sell more than 30,000 season tickets each year. Even here, the north-south divide is a familiar concept in more ways than one. For starters, there is the club’s rivalry with Paris Saint-Germain, their adver-

OM sell more than 30,000 season tickets each year.

saries from the French capital and the only ­other team in the country that can boast a higher number of season ticket holders. But there is also an internal duel within the stadium. OM fans do not stand united behind their club in one block but instead divide themselves between the north and south stands. The prospect of playing here is not made any easier for visiting sides when the Marseille battle cry “Aux Armes” (To Arms) rings out across the pitch.

Magical moments at the Vélodrome Built in 1937 in preparation for the World Cup the following year, the Vélodrome has provided the setting for many legendary matches – and not just in club football. One example is Giuseppe Meazza’s memorable appearance ­ ­during the 1938 World Cup. The Italians were awarded a penalty during their semi-final against Brazil, and as Meazza set the ball down on the spot in front of a 30,000-strong crowd, the drawstring of his shorts broke, causing them to slip down. Unfazed, he held his shorts in place with his left hand, set the ball down with his right, took a couple of steps of run-up

and buried his shot in the back of the net. ­Dennis Bergkamp is another player with good memories of the Vélodrome. With the stadium renovated for the 1998 World Cup and its capacity expanded to 60,000 seats, the Dutchman brought the ball down from the sky, cut inside and planted a half-volley into the far corner of the goal in the last minute of his side’s quarter-final against Argentina to send his nation into raptures.

Since then the Vélodrome has undergone another phase of beautification, with tonnes of concrete and steel being processed as OM continued to play their home matches there. This newly renovated footballing temple is France’s second largest after the Stade de France in Paris and is now ready to host games at EURO 2016. But after going into the winter break at the top of the table and currently lying in second place, Olympique de Marseille may have something to celebrate well before Europe’s premier international tournament gets underway next year. Marseille will be more than ready to write a new chapter in its history – this time a successful one. Å T H E F I FA W E E K LY

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IN BRIEF

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t the Africa Cup of Nations final in Equatorial Guinea, a hotly contested yet ultimately goalless 120 minutes were followed by a dramatic penalty shootout from which Côte d’Ivoire emerged victorious after beating Ghana 9-8. But only one name was on everyone’s lips after the final whistle – Boubacar Barry. Long after the nerves of players, staff, spectators and half the continent had been shredded, the Ivorian goalkeeper delivered a spectacular solo performance. After the eighth spot-kick, Barry lay stricken on the floor with leg cramp and required treatment, but just a few minutes later he parried clear a shot from Ghana custodian Razak Brimah before stepping up to convert the decisive penalty himself. Herve Renard and his team were assured of a hearty welcome home after securing their first triumph in 23 years, with one million fans gathering to greet the newly crowned African champions in Abidjan. Å Alan Schweingruber

“Côte d’Ivoire – images from the victor y parade”  http://tinyurl.com/k7stkug

Carl de Souza / AFP

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ootballers are role models, and so it comes as no surprise that more and more kids want to imitate their idols. Yet it is not just by wearing their names on their shirts that today’s youngsters are celebrating their heroes. These days their affections increasingly extend to copying the players’ haircuts. To see a fellow professional do the same thing is altogether rather more uncommon, though, and the supporters of Peruvian club Universitario de Deportes could be forgiven for doing a double-take when they first saw the new hairstyle sported by midfielder Antonio Gonzales. The 28-year-old has adopted an identical Mohawk haircut to that worn so famously by Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal, and he is now often mistaken as the Chilean international’s doppelganger. “I admire Vidal,” he is quoted as saying, “but this hair-do is for my son.

He wanted me to have the same haircut as Vidal and I’m going to keep it until my son tells me something different. I’m taking it all as a bit of fun.” After the Mohawk choice caused such a stir, Universitario fans can quite rightly look forward with anticipation to the next idea that pops into the young boy’s head. Å Tim Pfeifer

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he accident happened on 3 April 1961. Two days after playing a cup match in Osorno, several members of the Club de Deportes Green Cross squad took a flight home to Santiago. Suddenly, their aircraft disappeared from radar screens somewhere over the Andes. It was never recovered. Now, almost 54 years later, the almost impossible has happened: mountain climbers have stumbled upon what is highly likely to be the wreckage of the plane. “Quite a lot of the fuselage is still there,” expedition member Leonard Albornoz reported. Eight players, two members of the coaching staff and three match officials lost their lives in the crash, including Argentinian international Eliseo Mourino, while the rest of the squad decided to take a second flight. The mountaineers do not want to reveal the exact location of the Douglas DC3. “We don’t want the site to be desecrated,” Albornoz explained. “It’s important to realise that people died here and the families of the victims deserve our respect.” Å Sarah Steiner

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As the snow gently falls

Madagascar Official name: Republic of Madagascar Repoblikan’i Madagasikara Continent: Africa Capital: Antananarivo

Sarah Steiner

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inter has bared its teeth in Europe recently, with freezing temperatures and snow sweeping across the continent. In Scandinavia, the professional leagues have settled down for their annual weather-enforced winter slumber ahead of their next block of domestic matches, which lasts from spring all the way through to autumn. In many European countries, though, professional football only grinds to a halt for a short period of time, while in England there is no break whatsoever.

It is hardly surprising, therefore, that matches during the winter months are often affected by the adverse weather. Last Saturday, the Serie A contest between Parma and Chievo had to be postponed due to heavy snow, while the Scottish second-division game between Rangers and Heart of Midlothian was abandoned after 25 minutes for the exact same reason.

The big freeze has also caused more than a few problems in the German Bundesliga.

Snow and ice have made training conditions difficult and left ground staff with their work cut out. At SC Paderborn, a club that is perched just two points above the bottom of the league and could probably do with a gruelling training session or two, fans took matters into their own hands ahead of the crucial game with Hamburger SV. Armed with gloves and snow shovels, they descended on the training ground and managed to clear the playing area of snow. Unfortunately they weren’t rewarded for their efforts as Paderborn slumped to a 3-0 home defeat to HSV. Switzerland has not gone unscathed either. While the alpine nation’s tourist and ski

resorts rejoice at the arrival of the white blanket, football fans are far less enthused by heavy snowfall. Last weekend, FC Sion supporters made the trip to Liechtenstein to watch their side’s match with Vaduz, but the game they had come to see never kicked off because of the snow on the pitch. In Zurich, meanwhile, it was almost impossible to kick a ball at all. For financial reasons, the city of Zurich had scrapped its snow-clearing budget – worth around 50,000 Swiss francs. Thankfully FIFA lent them a helping hand, allowing ten pitches to be cleared of snow. Å

GEOGR APHIC INFORMATION Surface area: 587,040 km² Highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m Neighbouring seas and oceans: Indian Ocean

MEN’S FOOTBALL FIFA Ranking: 148th World Cup: –

WOMEN’S FOOTBALL FIFA Ranking: –

FOOTBALL S TATS All players: 826,420 Registered players: 30,420 Unregistered players: 796,000 Clubs: 220 The weekly column by our staff writers

Officials: 4,788 T H E F I FA W E E K LY

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MIRROR IMAGE

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Munich, Germany

1968

imago

Struggling to stay on track: Franz Beckenbauer

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Madrid, Spain

2011

imago

Eyes on the road: Cristiano Ronaldo

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©2014 FIFA TM

6 June - 5 July

THE ART OF FOOTBALL

Gentle smiles Ronald Duker

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

"I am disappointed by the boos.

We played well, we won. We don’t understand what these guys want.

Whether we win or we lose, they boo us.

Maybe they are in the habit of eating caviar before they come to see us.”

Zlatan Ibrahimovic commenting on the Paris Saint-Germain fans following their win over Rennes

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or many years now, we have accepted that World Cups throw the participating teams into the harsh glare of international attention for several months at a time. As soon as a nation – no matter how small or remote – qualifies for the tournament, we suddenly become fascinated by its people, how they live and what their culture is like. Everybody wants to know the names of their team’s biggest stars or whether there are any unknown quantities who could spring a surprise out on the pitch. At the 1966 World Cup in England, all eyes were fixed on one completely enigmatic side – Korea DPR. The team hailed from the other side of the Iron Curtain and were as obviously far-removed from the other nations as the world in Lewis Carroll’s book Through the Looking-Glass is from reality. To add to this sense of mystery, nobody knew anything about any of the North Korean players, and once this collection of anonymous footballers travelled home from England, nobody heard anything more about any of them for the next 36 years. In 2002, British documentary filmmaker Daniel Gordon managed something none of his contemporaries had done before, securing permission to film in the notoriously secretive state after years of negotiations. With his authorisation in hand, he set off to track down the country’s heroes of 1966.

Although it may seem strange to dub them heroes, the series of interviews given by members of that team for Gordon’s film The Game of Their Lives recalls their incredible passage to the 1966 quarter-finals, as defeat against the Soviet Union and a

draw with Chile were followed by a sensational victory over Italy that enabled Korea DPR to qualify for the knockout stages at their European opponents’ expense. Their quarter-final against Portugal – who had eliminated Brazil in the previous round – was no less compelling. Despite taking a 3-0 lead in the opening twenty minutes, the Koreans could do little but look on in amazement as the legendary Eusebio scored four goals in succession to hand the Portuguese players a 5-3 win.

When players such as Pak Do Ik, Pak Sun Jin, Rim Jung Son, Ri Chan Myong arrived in England, it seemed to the rest of the world as if they had travelled from the dark side of the moon. Later, rumours swirled that the entire team had been thrown into prison for years upon their return to North Korea as the Great Leader was unhappy with their exit from the competition. Daniel Gordon’s film dispels such myths by introducing us to a succession of cheery elderly gentlemen who, although they never made money from their sport, can still draw on their memories of those wonderful moments. Å

“I’m speechless. I don’t remember the last time I lost three games in a row.

I must have been only ten. Losing like this hurts. We were fools.”

Roberto Mancini, Coach Inter Milan

“Since Luis Suarez joined us at Barcelona, Liverpool have not had that one player they can look to for that special moment. Couto can be that player for them, I’m sure. When he has the ball at his feet, he can make things happen for himself and he can make things happen for other players.

He is a very special player.”

Neymar on Philippe Coutinho

“It’s the same story every time.

Umpteen times this season we’ve been our own worst enemy and it’s not good enough. Last year we were better away because we faced teams who didn’t have the quality of the Premier League.

You make a mistake at this level and it’s in the back of your net.

It’s the Premier League.”

Joey Barton, QPR T H E F I FA W E E K LY

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THERE WILL BE ATERS

TURNING POINT

“A fire flared up inside me” After growing up in Italy, one day Simone Rota sensed the desire to return to his roots.

SHOT Magazine

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ne day I found my adoption papers in a drawer. That was the day a fire flared up inside of me. My entire history was summarised in those documents and I saw my birthday, 6 November 1984, printed in faded type writer ink. My place of birth was listed as Paranaque in the region of Manila in the Philippines – a long way from the small town near Milan where I lived with my parents. They had once travelled to the Philippines to collect me from the ‘Per l’altro Onlus’ mission, where I had been cared for by Sisters May and Marilena. I’ve never met my biological mother.

There wasn’t anything particularly special about my adoption papers, certainly nothing that would have interested anyone apart from me or my family. But they turned my life upside down. I felt it course through my body like a flash. I now knew where I was from and that awakened the desire to go back.

I’d started out playing for Pro Sesto in the Serie C2 [the Italian fourth division] and we even managed to gain promotion. After that I joined Manfredonia and played for several other clubs in the Piedmont region, as well as in Switzerland. However, that day I decided to give it all up and emigrate to the Philippines.

I signed for FC Stallion in the Philippine first division in 2014 and earned a call-up into the national team. I made my international debut aged 29 against Laos in the AFC Challenge Cup 2014, the biggest continental tournament for emerging Asian football nations, and we went all the way to the final.

I returned to my roots and now I live once again in the same mission as before, together with 21 orphaned children and Sisters May

and Marilena. I’ve decided to live here because I see myself in the children, although they haven’t been as lucky as I was. I spend my days with them, accompany them to school and join them three times a week in giving rice and bread to the poor in the rundown areas of Manila.

I have the feeling that my parents in Italy always knew that one day I would return to live in the Philippines. I know that the Philippine children view me as some sort of hero.

The fact that I play for the national team shows them that it is possible to make your dreams come true and to leave difficult living conditions behind you. Å Simone Rota was speaking to Emanuele Giulianelli

Name Simone Mondiali Rota Date and place of birth 6 November 1984, Paranaque City, Philippines Position Defender, Midfielder Clubs 2002-2010 Pro Sesto 2006 Manfredonia (loan) 2008-2009 Lugano (loan) 2010-2012 Borgomanero 2012-2014 Asti since 2014 Stallion FC Philippines national team 8 caps, 2 goals

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

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

37

MEN’S WORLD R ANKING

Germany (unchanged) none none 76 Côte d’Ivoire, Congo DR (7 matches each) Equatorial Guinea (up 370 points) Equatorial Guinea (up 69 ranks) Libya (down 156 points) Libya (down 35 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

Last updated: 12 February 2015 +/- Points

Rank Team

+/- Points

1 Germany

0 1729

55 Japan

-1

605

109 Qatar

-17

305

162 Puerto Rico

-1

2 Argentina

0 1534

56 South Africa

-4

592

110 St Vincent and the Grenadines

11

300

164 Suriname

-1

115

3 Colombia

0 1456

57 Egypt

3

590

111 Namibia

0

293

165 Swaziland

-1

103

4 Belgium

0 1430

58 Gabon

4

585

112 Sudan

-4

288

166 Guyana

1

101

5 Netherlands

0 1385

59 Peru

-6

566

113 Libya

-35

281

167 Belize

8

100

6 Brazil

0 1333

60 Zambia

-10

556

114 Cuba

-1

271

167 Tahiti

-1

100

7 Portugal

0 1189

61 Panama

-6

555

115 Liberia

0

268

169 Gambia

-1

95

8 France

-1 1168

62 Trinidad and Tobago

-7

551

116 Kenya

1

266

170 Montserrat

-1

86

9 Uruguay

119

1 1146

63 Australia

37

548

117 Canada

-5

264

171 India

0

85

10 Spain

-1 1144

63 Albania

-5

548

118 Niger

1

263

171 Pakistan

17

85

11 Switzerland

1 1117

65 Montenegro

-6

537

119 St Kitts and Nevis

1

258

173 Sri Lanka

-1

78

12 Italy

-1 1112

66 United Arab Emirates

14

529

119 Zimbabwe

-12

258

174 Comoros

-1

75

13 Costa Rica

3 1074

67 Republic of Ireland

-2

521

121 Lebanon

1

254

174 São Tomé e Príncipe

-4

75

14 Chile

0 1037

68 Burkina Faso

-4

513

121 Moldova

2

254

176 Turks and Caicos Islands

1

66 61

15 England

-2 1028

69 Norway

-2

512

123 Mauritania

15

251

177 Seychelles

1

16 Romania

-1 1022

70 Bulgaria

-4

506

124 Burundi

4

249

177 Nicaragua

-4

61

17 Czech Republic

0

71 Uzbekistan

0

493

125 Lesotho

-1

243

179 Yemen

-3

60

990

18 Algeria

0

981

72 Rwanda

-4

492

126 Georgia

0

234

180 Bermuda

-1

55

19 Croatia

0

945

73 Finland

-3

475

126 Palestine

-11

234

180 San Marino

-1

55

20 Côte d’Ivoire

8

932

74 Armenia

5

470

128 Kuwait

-3

231

180 Dominica

4

55

21 Mexico

-1

912

75 Togo

-13

465

129 Luxembourg

-2

225

180 Nepal

6

55

22 Slovakia

-1

903

76 Uganda

1

464

130 Liechtenstein

2

223

184 Solomon Islands

-1

53

23 Austria

0

881

77 Honduras

-5

459

131 Azerbaijan

5

222

184 Cambodia

-5

53

24 Greece

0

871

78 Haiti

-5

454

132 Aruba

-3

221

184 Chinese Taipei

-2

53

25 Ghana

12

864

79 Venezuela

8

440

132 Vietnam

1

221

187 Timor-Leste

-2

51

26 Tunisia

-4

860

79 Jamaica

-4

440

132 Philippines

-3

221

188 Macau

-2

50 43

27 Ukraine

-2

859

79 Paraguay

-3

440

135 Maldives

-4

220

189 South Sudan

0

28 Denmark

2

846

82 China PR

14

429

136 New Zealand

-1

216

190 Mauritius

0

36

29 Ecuador

-3

840

82 Guatemala

-9

429

137 Tajikistan

-1

215

191 Vanuatu

0

34

30 Bosnia and Herzegovina

-1

832

84 Angola

-3

391

138 Guinea-Bissau

-5

212

192 Fiji

0

30

31 USA

-4

824

85 Estonia

-2

385

139 Kazakhstan

0

203

192 Samoa

0

30

32 Israel

0

805

86 Sierra Leone

-1

382

140 St Lucia

0

202

194 Mongolia

0

29

33 Russia

-2

792

87 El Salvador

3

381

141 Myanmar

0

198

195 Bahamas

0

26

34 Wales

0

764

88 Morocco

-6

378

142 Barbados

1

191

196 Tonga

0

17

35 Cape Verde Islands

5

756

89 Cyprus

-3

376

143 Thailand

1

184

197 US Virgin Islands

0

16

36 Senegal

-1

744

90 Mozambique

8

371

144 Afghanistan

-2

181

198 Brunei Darussalam

0

15

37 Iceland

-4

743

91 Oman

2

368

145 Central African Republic

0

178

199 Papua New Guinea

0

13

38 Scotland

-2

738

92 Bolivia

-8

362

146 Chad

0

177

200 American Samoa

0

12

39 Serbia

-1

723

93 Malawi

-5

361

147 Turkmenistan

0

170

201 Andorra

0

9

40 Poland

1

709

94 Iraq

20

360

148 Madagascar

-1

166

202 British Virgin Islands

0

8

10

701

95 Benin

-6

359

149 Malta

-2

164

202 Eritrea

0

8

42 Nigeria

1

664

96 Lithuania

-5

355

150 Syria

1

147

204 Somalia

0

6

43 Guinea

-4

662

97 Jordan

-4

353

151 Kyrgyzstan

1

146

205 Cayman Islands

0

5

41 Iran

44 Sweden

0

654

98 Saudi Arabia

4

351

152 Korea DPR

-2

144

206 Djibouti

0

4

45 Cameroon

-3

646

99 Antigua and Barbuda

-4

344

153 New Caledonia

0

143

206 Cook Islands

0

4

46 Congo DR

11

641

100 Latvia

-4

342

154 Malaysia

0

142

208 Anguilla

0

2

47 Slovenia

-1

640

101 Belarus

-2

331

155 Grenada

0

137

209 Bhutan

0

0

48 Hungary

-3

634

102 Ethiopia

7

323

156 Singapore

1

136

49 Congo

12

630

103 Bahrain

7

322

157 Bangladesh

8

129

49 Equatorial Guinea

69

630

104 FYR Macedonia

-3

320

158 Indonesia

1

128

51 Northern Ireland

-4

626

105 Faroe Islands

-2

317

159 Hong Kong

-3

127

52 Turkey

-4

619

105 Botswana

1

317

160 Curaçao

-2

125

53 Mali

-4

613

107 Tanzania

-3

315

161 Laos

-1

123

54 Korea Republic

15

608

108 Dominican Republic

-3

310

162 Guam

-1

119

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39

L A S T W E E K’S P O L L R E S U LT S Who was the subject of the best winter transfer in Europe?

36+28+151164 6%

4%

11%

T HIS WEEK’S POLL

Which of these former finalists will go furthest in this year’s FIFA U-20 World Cup?

36%

15%

≠ Fernando Torres (AC Milan - Atletico Madrid) ≠ Juan Cuadrado (Fiorentina - Chelsea) ≠ Andre Schuerrle (Chelsea - Wolfsburg) ≠ Wilfried Bony (Swansea - Manchester City) ≠ Other ≠ Lukas Podolski (Arsenal - Inter Milan)

· Argentina · Brazil · Qatar · Portugal · Mexico · Germany · Uruguay Cast your votes at: Fifa.com/newscentre

WEEK IN NUMBERS

14 20 9 goals in as many games at the South games was how long Western

years into his coaching

American U-20

Sydney Wanderers, the AFC

career, Carlo Ancelotti

Championship was

Champions League winners, had to

lost a league game by a

the tally recorded by

wait for their first victory of the

four-goal margin for

Giovanni Simeone, son

season in the domestic A-League championship. In

the first time ever. Real Madrid’s 4-0 reverse to

of Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone, to go

their first 13 assignments the Wanderers chalked

Atletico Madrid surpassed the 5-2 defeat the

second in the tournament’s all-time scorers chart.

up nine defeats and four draws, but managed to

former Italian international midfielder suffered

He equalled the total scored by Luciano Galletti in

end their barren spell against a Wellington

with Parma against Sampdoria in the 1997/98 Serie

1999 and Brazil’s Neymar in 2011 to help Argentina

Phoenix side that had been in fine form prior to

A season. Up until May 2013 Real Madrid went 25

win the title for the first time since 2003. The

their meeting. A powerful Nikita Rukavytsya

matches unbeaten against their city rivals, but

competition’s top scorer is Hugo Rodallega, who

effort and a late strike from Brendon Santalab

have failed to win any of the six games against

found the target 11 times for Colombia at the 2005

were enough to earn them a 2-0 win.

them this season.

edition.

Getty Images (3), imago (1)

Source: Fifa.com

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