The FIFA Weekly Issue #7 by Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)

ISSUE 7/2015, 20 FEBRUARY 2015

ENGLISH EDITION

Fédération Internationale de Football Association – Since 1904

FC Basel: UEFA Champions League

THE TEAM BEHIND THE TEAM

ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC PROMOTING A GOOD CAUSE SEPP BLATTER NO HALF-MEASURES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST RACISM COLOMBIA ATLETICO NACIONAL ARE BACK

W W W.FIFA.COM/ THEWEEKLY

THIS WEEK IN THE WORLD OF FOOTBALL

6 18

23 35

North and Central America 35 members www.concacaf.com

The team behind the team First-team players and coaches occupy the limelight at every major football club, but what goes on behind the scenes? Sarah Steiner spent a day exploring the catacombs of Champions League last-16 side FC Basel.

South America 10 members www.conmebol.com

Boubacar Barry The Côte d’Ivoire goalkeeper emerged from the Africa Cup of Nations final a national hero. “There are just too many emotions for me,” he said in an interview with The FIFA Weekly.

S epp Blatter With several racist comments and incidents reported in the press this week, FIFA President Blatter says: “We must always and in every case take a firm stance when battling discrimination.”

Women’s football Six players, six exceptional careers.

Gunter Netzer According to our columnist, Austria will make it to EURO 2016. In his analysis of the team’s prospects, Netzer places particular emphasis on the work of coach Marcel Koller.

Colombia With the help of Pablo Zeballos, Atletico Nacional are on course to defend their title.

The team behind the team Our cover picture shows Basel players celebrating during a Europa League meeting with Valencia. The game on 3 April 2014 was played behind closed doors.

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, Keystone

Keystone / Georgios Kefalas

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

Zlatan Ibrahimovic The PSG striker’s latest tattoos seek to highlight the plight of people suffering from hunger.

South Africa Who can stop Kaizer Chiefs in the Premier Soccer League?

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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THERE WILL BE ATERS

UNCOVERED

Teamwork in 1936 Arsenal coach Tom Whittaker massages player Wilf Copping while team-mate NW Sidey (left) awaits his turn.

All that matters

H. Allen/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images

n a moment familiar to anyone who watches televised football, a player looks at the reporter wide-eyed, breathing hard as sweat drips from his brow. Then he begins to deliver his verbal assessment of his match-winning strike. It should be an enlightening explanation, a vivid description of how the goal came into being from 25 metres out. Instead we hear a dull soundbite as dry as a line plucked from a reference book on common garden birds. “The team worked hard and played well,” he says, and suddenly you find yourself thinking: “Enough about the team ...” Fans want to see good football followed by edgy commentary, anecdotes and bold analysis. But although the players’ altruism seems dreary, it is a direct reflection of what really matters in football. Cristiano Ronaldo is reliant on a team-mate capable of passing with pinpoint accuracy, who in turn relies on a talented physiotherapist to keep him in top condition. That physiotherapist can only deliver their best work if the club chef serves up filling and nutritious meals each day. This net can be cast wider and wider until it encompasses each and every contributor, right down to the last cog in the machine. FC Basel employ 250 staff in addition to their first team, but only the professional players, head coach, team manager and club chairman share the limelight. Starting on page six, Sarah Steiner’s report explores the day-to-day efforts of the team behind the team at Switzerland’s largest club. Å Alan Schweingruber

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FC BASEL

VITAL COMPONENTS

NAME: Gustav Nussbaumer II DATE OF BIRTH: 21.12.1952 II ROLE: TEAM MANAGER II WITH FCB SINCE: 1968 (as a youth player) II QUALIFIED AS: Cultural Engineer, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology II COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Switzerland II FAVOURITE FCB MOMENT: Winning first league title and domestic cup in 22 years and subsequent celebratory parade in the Steinenvorstadt district of Basel II NUMBER: Organises 70 events per month outside of training and matches II 6

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FC BASEL

While a club’s star players are in the spotlight, they rely constantly on another team working hard in the background. The FIFA Weekly reports from the catacombs of Champions League side FC Basel.

Sarah Steiner (text) and Kostas Maros (images) Basel

B Always time for fun Team manager Gustav Nussbaumer (centre) with young charges Breel Embolo (left) and Robin Huser.

Kostas Maros / 13Photo

lue-and-red shirts spin rhythmically, adrift in a mass of bubbles. The air is heavy with the smell of sweat, grass and detergent. The neon lights cast their harsh glare on the chrome steel driers. Amid the piles of laundry, Christine Castioni is sorting football shorts and socks into one pile of heavily soiled items and another comprised of less dirty kit. “I’ve definitely got a few tricks for sorting out serious stains,” the 49-year-old laughs. She has been washing for FC Basel for 24 years now, and there is always more work to be done no matter what day of the week it is. A rumbling sound suddenly approaches, accompanied by shouts and laughter. Rather than heralding the arrival of the latest load of washing, team manager Gustav Nussbaumer is wheeled into the laundry room instead by homegrown FCB players Breel Embolo and Marc Huser, who have both made their first-team breakthroughs this season. The container tips over, leaving Huser sprawled flat on the floor and Nussbaumer sitting still half inside the bin as Embolo doubles over with laughter. This clowning around is no act; in fact, it is practically an everyday occurrence at Basel. “I take on a kind of fatherly role with these lads,” says Nussbaumer. His approach seems only logical considering how closely he follows the development of each player. FCB’s team manager has been associated with the club for 46 years. Having started out as a youth player himself and seen a great many players come and go in his time, Nussbaumer has stayed and made the day-to-day needs of the club his life’s work. Everything but the boots Marcel Ammann is another figure whose connection to the 17-time Swiss league winners stretches back over many years. “I first visited the stadium aged seven and FCB have been my club ever since,” he explains. The huge logo on the rear window of his bus leaves onlookers in T H E F I FA W E E K LY

FC BASEL

“What are my goals? To stay at FCB!” Laundress Christine Castioni

no doubt as to the identity of its most frequent passengers. As team chauffeur, Ammann bears an immense responsibility. “The pressure is huge, but to be honest it doesn’t matter whether it’s Messi or a gaggle of school kids that board the bus,” he says. “My job is the same regardless – to get my passengers to their destination safely.” He has already driven many thousands of miles, whether ferrying the team to away matches around Switzerland or taking equipment to the training camp in Spain. A team needs vast quantities of balls, shirts, boots and other equipment in order to train, and one of the people responsible for ensuring nothing is forgotten is Mauro Vivarelli. “Equipment is vitally important for the players,” the 53-year-old Italian explains. “They’ve got to work with it but also look after it properly.” Vivarelli sorts shirts, pumps up footballs and counts cones with painstaking precision. He knows exactly which player needs which items so that upon entering the dressing room, everyone always finds their gleaming kit lined up meticulously in front of their locker. Only the boots are the players’ own. “They take responsibility for looking after those as they’re their most important tool,” he notes. Minimising the risk of injury Laughter can be heard echoing down the hallways again, this time from the physiotherapy room. Inside, three players are lying on tables receiving thigh and back treatment that involves loosening, massaging and then strengthening each set of muscles. Alignment is the latest approach in physiotherapy. “By using manipulation and mobility techniques, we try to keep the players’ bodies in balance,” explains Nico Unternahrer. As minimising the risk of injury is of paramount importance, preventative exercises are part of the daily pre-training programme. Nevertheless, if a player should sustain an injury, the club’s physiotherapists play a key role in the recovery process. “We form a close relationship 8

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NAME: Christine Castioni II DATE OF BIRTH: 28.06.1965 II ROLE: Laundress II WITH FCB SINCE: 1991 II QUALIFIED AS: Shoe saleswoman II COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Switzerland II FAVOURITE FCB MOMENT: Winning promotion back into the Nationalliga A in 1994 II NUMBER: Washes 90kg of laundry per training session II

FC BASEL

“It’s a balancing act for us. We move between Aarau and Real Madrid.” Club president Bernhard Heusler

with the injured player as we spend every day with them over several weeks or months, treating and building up the affected area,” says Unternahrer. “We make small steps forwards and try to prevent any setbacks. Players sometimes direct their frustration at us too, and that’s completely normal.” As physical and mental health go hand in hand, physiotherapists can often end up doubling as psychotherapists. This combination of science and sport is one that Nacho Torreno views as crucial to success on the pitch. The Spaniard has a master’s degree in Athletic Science Research and has introduced several innovations in his capacity as FC Basel’s assistant coach – advances that have also triggered a change in the players’ mentality. Torreno measures performance potential with the help of GPS devices and heart rate monitors, even analysing sleep patterns. “Despite some initial scepticism, the players are enthusiastic,” the 39-year-old explains. “They come to me wanting to know how far they ran or how well they recovered.” He and the rest of the coaching staff have been at FCB since last year and are now a dedicated team, having previously worked together in Hungary and Israel. “We work together for 12 hours a day, seven days a week – they’re my second family.” Torreno adds.

NAME: Bernhard Heusler II DATE OF BIRTH: 27.12.1963 II ROLE: Chairman II WITH FCB SINCE: 2003, Director of Operations since 2009, Chairman since 2012 II QUALIFIED AS: Lawyer (doctorate) II COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Switzerland II FAVOURITE FCB MOMENT: Grand final in Bern 2010 II NUMBER: 3 home victories against Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool in the club’s last 3 successive Champions League participations II

Brugglifeld one day, Bernabeu the next This goes some way to explaining the sense of community, solidarity and identity within St. Jakob-Park. It comes as no surprise when club captain Marco Streller, who has spent the past 15 years on and off at Basel, says: “Together we have become what we are today; we have gone from being a small team in the Nationalliga B [then the second tier of Swiss football] to a Champions League club among the best 16 sides in Europe.” He knows that this kind of progress does not come from the players alone. “It wouldn’t have been possible without the team behind the team. They’re vital.” T H E F I FA W E E K LY

FC BASEL

“It doesn’t matter whether it’s Messi or a gaggle of school kids that board the bus. My job is the same regardless.” Bus driver Marcel Ammann

As the man who pulls the strings at FC Basel, club chairman Bernhard Heusler knows this only too well. It is his responsibility to create the perfect conditions for good football. “We have to ensure that we strengthen collaboration within our team. All our employees must be aware that the club’s best interests are paramount, as the team’s image is inextricably linked to its financial health,” he explains. The fact that Basel hail from the relatively diminutive footballing nation of Switzerland makes their international success all the more astonishing. In 1988 they were still playing in the Nationalliga B before finally being promoted in 1994, and since 2002 FCB have amassed nine championship titles, six cup wins and five Champions League campaigns, plus a 2013 Europa League semi-final appearance. “It’s a balancing act for us,” says Heusler. “We move between Aarau and Real Madrid – from small stadiums such as Stadion Brugglifeld all the way to the Bernabeu.” Nevertheless, it is a balancing act they seem to be maintaining, not least because they can call on players such as Streller, who says things such as: “We’ve got to be humble and equip our young players with the same humility.” A personal plan for each player Intelligence plays a crucial role in the modern-day business of football. The level of competition is extremely high, but as well as doing everything in their power to make sense of today’s game, it is also vital for stars to understand their own bodies. “They want to remain professional footballers for as long as possible, and to do this they need to know how their bodies work,” says Torreno. “They have to understand how they train but also how best to recover. They’ve got to learn why it’s so important to go to bed early and not just sit in front of the TV.” Integrating players is a key part of this comprehension. Basel’s assistant coach does not speak from a purely theoretical standpoint. He was once a player himself, and although by his own admission 10

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NAME: Marcel Ammann II DATE OF BIRTH: 2.7.1970 II ROLE: First team driver II WITH FCB SINCE: 2005 II QUALIFIED AS: Truck driver II COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Switzerland II FAVOURITE FCB MOMENT: Receiving an invitation from the club to the away game at Anfield against Liverpool II NUMBER: Drives 15,000 km per season II

FC BASEL

“I’m just a small cog in a big machine, but it’s the little parts that make it work.” Equipment manager Mauro Vivarelli

he was not particularly gifted, this experience means he can also appreciate the sport from a practical perspective. A schedule packed with league matches, cup games and international commitments can quickly drain a squad’s energy, making excellent organisation crucial. “Every player has a personal plan tailored to his own individual needs,” says Unternahrer. The physiotherapist, who has been working in football for over ten years, long dreamed of a job connected with sport, but says “I knew it was extremely unlikely that I’d find that kind of position.” Nevertheless, his dream came true, and soon he was benefiting from the vast experience of Dutchman Ad van den Bergh at Zurich. “Good training and experience are everything, not just from a medical and therapeutic point of view but also in terms of human experience. At the end of the day, we’re all under great pressure,” he concludes.

NAME: Mauro Vivarelli II DATE OF BIRTH: 21.1.1962 II ROLE: Kit manager, Technical Filming II WITH FCB SINCE: 2011 II QUALIFIED AS: Car mechanic II COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Italy II FAVOURITE FCB MOMENT: Every single day II NUMBER: Pumps up 40 balls per training session II

Fifteen-hour days By this point the players have left and Mauro Vivarelli is setting off on one last walk around the dressing room. Time is of the essence, however, as he needs to edit the video footage captured during training. That’s because, in addition to looking after the team’s kit, the Italian is also responsible for technical filming. “In order for our video analyst to be able to evaluate players, watch the way they move and assess situations, they have to see the entire pitch,” he explains. For this reason, Vivarelli sets up his camera at most training sessions to capture the players at work – a role he took on almost by accident. His previous club had a camera lying about, so the coach asked him whether he could film a match. “My job grew out of that experiment and before long I was at FCB. I’m just a small cog in a big machine, of course,” he laughs, “but it’s the little parts that make it work.” Each employee works long days at Basel, particularly on match days, with every home game requiring plenty of preparation hours T H E F I FA W E E K LY

FC BASEL

“Experience is everything, not just from a medical and therapeutic point of view but also in terms of human experience.” Physiotherapist Nico Unternahrer

before kick-off. The bus driver is one of the first people to rise on days like these. “Fifteen-hour days are not uncommon,” Ammann says. This jack of all trades does everything from carrying and serving to driving and cleaning, but insists it does not bother him. “I’m proud to drive for FCB,” he says. Although road conditions have changed over the years, with many motorists driving more aggressively, trying to play policeman or making calls or texts, interaction with the players and the cordial atmosphere within the team is reward enough for their chauffeur. “And nothing bad has ever happened, that’s the main thing.” The atmosphere at Basel gives the impression that almost every staff member views their job as more of a vocation. “It’s a great privilege to work with young people who are motivated and give their all to achieve their dreams,” says team manager Nussbaumer, whose eyes sparkle when he talks about his role. He has a considerable workload, alleviating the coach’s burden by organising matchday travel, hotels, team meals and friendlies, responding to enquiries, organising language lessons for players and taking care of staff ticket requests – all masterminded from an office deep inside the stadium. It is a small, windowless room lit by harsh neon lights. “There wasn’t space for anything else,” he laughs before pointing out that if he had chosen a pleasant, light-filled room in the club’s main administrative offices, he would not have the same contact with the team – and that is vital. “It’s not just about titles and success. For me, the everyday experience and encounters are what I need; they’re more than enough to motivate me in the work I do,” Nussbaumer concludes. A scarcely believable rapport The last wash slowly revolves in the drier, signifying that Christine Castioni’s working day is also nearing its end. The shirts have been cleaned, neatly folded and put away, and everything is ready for the next day. When asked what her goals are, the 49-year-old replies: “To bring more players into the first team 12

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NAME: Nico Unternahrer II DATE OF BIRTH: 17.10.1973 II ROLE: Physiotherapist II WITH FCB SINCE: 2009 II QUALIFIED AS: Physiotherapist and Osteopath II COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Switzerland II FAVOURITE FCB MOMENT: Winning the penalty shoot-out against Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League quarter-final second leg II NUMBER: Massages 5 pairs of thighs per day II

FC BASEL

“The players want to know how far they ran or how well they recovered.” Assistant coach Nacho Torreno

and be able to celebrate more international success.” She does not initially realise that the question was aimed at her own personal ambitions, but then with a hearty laugh, she adds: “Did you mean my goals? To stay at FCB!” The motto of Basel’s most faithful fans stationed in the Muttenzerkurve – “Red for our love, blue for our eternal loyalty” – seems to resonate throughout the club. At first it seems a little corny and so unbelievable that you cannot help but search for flaws. But there are none. This team behind the team works hard and works well together. The cogs keep turning and meshing seamlessly with each other, day after day. Å

FC BASEL 1893 Facts and figures

Founded: 15 November 1893 Stadium: St. Jakob-Park, capacity 38,512 Coach: Paulo Sousa Swiss champions: 1953, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1977, 1980, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 Swiss Cup winners: 1933, 1947, 1963, 1967, 1975, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012

NAME: Nacho Torreno II DATE OF BIRTH: 21.1.1976 II ROLE: Assistant coach II WITH FCB SINCE: 2014 II QUALIFIED AS: Master in Athletic Sciences Research II COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Spain II FAVOURITE FCB MOMENT: Maybe still to come II NUMBER: Analyses 25 players per day II

International highlights (selected): Champions League: 2002: Second group stage 2008, 2010, 2014: Group stage 2011: Last 16 Europa League: 2013: Semi-final

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TALK ING POIN T S

O N

T H E

Colombia: Categoria Primera A

P a r a g u ay a n go a l p o a c h e r Sven Goldmann is a leading football correspondent at Tagesspiegel newspaper in Berlin.

Leon Monsalve / LatinContent / Getty Images

It was a game in which more than a hint of luck contributed to the outcome. The crucial sequence began when Juan Carls Osorio decided on a change of tactic midway through the second half and introduced Jonathan Copete. It turned out to be an inspired substitution for the Atletico Nacional coach, since front-man Copete did precisely what he was instructed: run at the Envigado defence and get crosses into the box. With the minutes ticking down, Copete curled a beautiful centre from the left into the opposition penalty area – a delivery so good that his team-mate Pablo Zeballos could comfortably side-foot it home from 12 yards, despite the attention of three defenders. Four minutes later, the top-of-the-table

I N S I D E

clash in the Categoria Primera A was over. Thanks to Osorio’s intuitive change and Zeballos’ reliability in front of goal, Atletico had managed to secure a 2-1 win. Zeballos, a 28-year-old Paraguayan striker signed in December from Brazil's Botafogo, had already made his mark on the game by scoring the opening goal for the team from Medellin. Now, after four matches, Colombia’s most successful club are precisely where they feel they belong, namely top of the 20-team division. This particular encounter did not see Atletico at their best, however. Envigado, the surprise package at this early stage of the Torneo Apertura, dominated the encounter played in front of 8,000 fans, and their first defeat of the campaign, following two wins and a draw, was hugely undeserved. After Zeballos had netted with the game’s first opportunity early on, Yony Gonzalez levelled things up shortly afterwards. Indeed Envigado might even have taken the lead in the second period when Cristian Arango spurned a great opportunity. From an inside-right position, he advanced unchallenged on the Nacional goalkeeper but could only place his

shot just inches wide of the far post. Then came the sucker-punch four minutes from the end, when perfect link-up play between Copete and Zeballos secured the winning goal for the visitors, catapulting them to top spot in the standings. In a sense, the wave that Atletico are riding at present was borne of the disappointments suffered in recent weeks and months. Their poor run of form began in December, when they lost the final of the Copa Sudamericana to Argentinian champions River Plate. Then came two defeats within a week in decisive matches in the final stretch of the Torneo Clausura, against Atletico Huila and Bogota-based Independiente Santa Fe. It was not long before the next setback, either. In January, Santa Fe also got the better of Nacional in two hardfought encounters in the final of the Colombian Superliga. It has only been more recently with the commencement of the Categoria Primera A in February that the tide has begun to turn, thanks to those two predatory finishes from Zeballos, the newly-arrived goal-poacher from Paraguay. Å

What he was signed to do: Pablo Zeballos scores for Atletico Nacional T H E F I FA W E E K LY

Austria: Bundesliga

Two g a m e s , f i ve p e n a l t i e s Andreas Jaros is a Vienna-based freelance writer.

The winter break lasted nine weeks in Austria and to help pass the time towards the end of the hiatus, record titleholders Rapid Vienna staged the ground-breaking ceremony for their new Allianz Stadium, due to open in time for the 2016/17 season, as something of a state occasion. President Heinz Fischer, the green-and-whites’ highest-ranking supporter, was present to do the honours with the spade, which was probably not a bad warm-up for his visit to the opera ball later that evening. The league itself is also working towards a better future, with CEO Reinhard Herovits outlining his vision from a glass event-box high above Vienna: “An automatic starting place in the Champions League, an average attendance of over 10,000 and a change of image – away from that of being a little league and towards being a role model in Austrian sport.” League president Hans Rinner added that “infrastructure is the key to success”.

The opening matches of the year at two of the stadiums used at the 2008 European Championship were equally turbulent. At the Happel-Stadion in Vienna, Rapid beat their 'favourite' opponents Ried 3-0 at home after taking full advantage of being awarded an incredible three penalties within the space of 28 minutes, as well as seeing their visitors reduced to nine men. Deni Alar converted two of the spot-kicks, with Robert Beric scoring the other in a match where the inaugural use of vanishing free-kick spray went largely 16

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Hard at work Referee Dominik Ouschan sends off Reid’s Gernot Trauner.

unnoticed. The result left the seething guests from Upper Austria still winless against Rapid in Vienna in 36 league attempts. Meanwhile, the capital's other big club, Austria Vienna, were awarded two penalties against Wolfsberger in Klagenfurt but missed them both. Alexander Grunwald and Raphael Holzhauser, who recently returned to his homeland from Germany, had efforts saved by the excellent home goalkeeper Alexander Kofler. As such, Michael Berger’s maiden Bundesliga goal in his 33rd outing earned Wolfsberger their first win in eight matches. Furthermore, following on from 4-0 and 2-0 triumphs earlier in the season, it was Wolfsberger’s third victory without conceding against the 2013 champions in 2014/15.

Along with Vorarlberg-based side Altach, who beat Admira 2-0, Carinthian outfit Wolfsberger are the closest challengers to league leaders Red Bull Salzburg, who boast an eight-point advantage. During the winter break Salzburg lost two of the pillars of their team – Kevin Kampl joined Borussia Dortmund and Alan moved to Guangzhou Evergrande in China – but they were still able beat Wiener Neustadt 2-0 in a game that marked their tenth consecutive victory over the Lower Austrian side. Jonathan Soriano scored both goals and even the league’s better teams will struggle to stop the 29-year-old Spanish striker, who looks on course to lift the championship trophy and top scorer’s award come May. Å

imago

Of course, revolutions do not happen overnight and just days after those comments, the first fixture cancellation of the year took place. Grodig, an ambitious village team without undersoil heating, were unable to clear the ice and snow off their pitch ahead of their game against Sturm Graz. Frustrated by this turn of events, the league withdrew Grodig’s permission to host top-flight competitive games with immediate effect on 18 February.

South Africa: Premier Soccer League

Ho p e s o f c atc h i n g t h e C h i e fs Mark Gleeson is a Cape Townbased journalist and football commentator.

Ordinarily, it would be difficult to imagine a club that has a 15-point lead at the top of the standings with more than half the season gone losing out on championship honours. Foundations like that are usually rock-solid. But runaway leaders Kaizer Chiefs will be mindful that they blew a similar lead last season and ended up finishing the campaign empty-handed, as Mamelodi Sundowns hauled them in to win South Africa’s Premier Soccer League title.

Sydney Mahlangu / BackpagePix

Last season Chiefs were 11 points ahead of Sundowns at one stage of the campaign but somehow let slip their hopes of retaining the title. Instead Sundowns were crowned cham-

pions, cantering away to success by almost setting a new record of successive wins in the league and making sure of the championship with one round left to play. Chiefs imploded through a combination of injury to key personnel and having their focus distracted by participation in the 2014 CAF Champions League – the extensive continental travel leaving them bruised and tired. Scarred by that experience, the Chiefs were somewhat tentative when the current season resumed after an eight-week break. Indeed, since then, the club have already dropped points and had their lead cut to 10, although they remain unbeaten with 11 games to go. They again participate in the Champions League and had a narrow 2-1 home win over Township Rollers from neighbouring Botswana last Saturday in the opening leg of their first round tie. But this year Sundowns are also playing in the same competition, unlike 12 months ago when they had no other commitments and could concentrate solely on chasing down Chiefs in the league race and winning their first title in seven years.

Sundowns also made a tepid start in the 2015 Champions League last weekend, being held to a 1-1 draw away in the Seychelles in the opening leg of their first round tie against part timers St Michel United. But Sundowns are beginning to show some momentum again domestically, winning their last three league games. They also have a much greater depth to their squad, which should enable them to keep focus on both the league race and the three early rounds of knockout ties in the Champions League. On the fringes of the title race are Bidvest Wits in third and Orlando Pirates one place further back, both of whom still harbour hopes of catching Chiefs but would need to win virtually all of their remaining fixtures. And, as Pirates coach Eric Tinkler said last week, “Usually the club that wins the league loses around four to five games in the season. Chiefs haven’t lost at all so far and for anyone to have any chance of catching them, they have to start losing some games soon”. Å

CAF Champions League Kaizer Chiefs attacking midfielder Bernard Parker takes on Koko Sekhana of Botswana side Township Raiders. T H E F I FA W E E K LY

THE INTERVIEW

“When will an African team win the World Cup? That day will come” Côte d’Ivoire goalkeeper Boubacar Barry stole the show in the Africa Cup of Nations final against Ghana, saving the 21st spot-kick in the penalty shoot-out before scoring the 22nd himself.

How does it feel to be a national hero? Boubacar Barry: The country has been waiting for this title for three years, ever since we lost to Zambia in the final. In fact, we’ve been waiting 23 years if you include how long it’s been since our last triumph. Of course we’re all ecstatic because we’ve worked really hard as a team to achieve this historic success.

Can you describe what happened with the decisive penalty? At times like that you don’t think about what’s going to happen afterwards. You can’t afford to think too much about anything: when your time comes you simply have to act. I just tried to stay focused and to get it over with quickly by putting the ball in the back of the net. I thank God that it worked out well.

Do you view the title triumph as revenge of sorts for losing the 2012 final? No, it’s not revenge – it’s more of a sequel. If you want to win in life you always have to look forwards. That’s why I always keep going and keep training, training, training.

that people in my homeland are happy. People poured out on to the streets and squares to celebrate.

When do you think the first African team will win the World Cup? It’s important to be patient. As Côte d’Ivoire players we waited for three years to win the Africa Cup of Nations since we were last defeated in the final. You shouldn’t ever lose your faith. Winning the World Cup is no joke and I think one day God will decide when the time has come. That day will come... but nobody knows when it’ll be.

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To everyone who believed in us, but especially to my mother. Å Boubacar Barry was speaking to Emanuele Giulianelli

Name

When did you realise you could win the tournament? That’s not something you think about. People believe in us, they’ve always supported us and we believed in our chance in every single game. That’s how we achieved our aim.

How did you celebrate the victory? We still can’t really believe that we’ve actually won it. What happened still hasn’t properly sunk in with me yet. There are just too many emotions. It’s important to me

Who would you like to dedicate the victory and the title to?

“There are just too many emotions for me. It’s important to me that people in my homeland are happy.”

Where does your nickname ’Copa’ come from? It was the name of the side my brother played for in the 1980s. I always wore his team’s jersey whenever I went out to play in my neighbourhood. My friends started calling me Copa and it’s stuck with me to this day.

Even though he was absent, we owe a lot to him and his fantastic performances in the past. It was God’s will that he wasn’t to be there. But the people who weren’t there did a lot of work in the background and played their part too. That is fate.

Was it fate that Côte d’Ivoire won the Africa Cup of Nations without Didier Drogba? No. Drogba is a fantastic player and he contributed a great deal to our success.

Boubacar “Copa” Barry Date and place of birth 30 December 1979 Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire Position Goalkeeper Clubs 1999–2001 ASEC Mimosas 2001–2003 Rennes 2003–2007 KSK Beveren Since 2007 Sporting Lokeren Côte d’Ivoire national team 86 caps, 1 goal

Jonas Hamers / Afp

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T HE DEBAT E

PRESIDENTIAL NOTE

FIFA.com users share their thoughts on racism:

I can’t understand why there’s still racism in this world, and I’m not only talking about in sports. Why do people still have to live in the past? This world is so much more beautiful when we all unite. In the end we will need each other to survive... dSteppa, St. Lucia

FIFA’s Fair Play and Anti-discriminatory campaigns have been brilliant for diversity in football and beyond. Long may it continue. 22792RS, Great Britain

For years we’ve been in a battle against racism. Then came Dani Alves eating a banana thrown at him. It was the first time I saw such a reaction from a victim of racism. Rather than exploding in anger, the Brazilian defender showed his contempt with a sense of humour. What an extraordinary approach, and one which I think can help eradicate racism. tioborowski, Indonesia

Just think of a world in which all fruits were the same shape, size, colour and taste. That would be boring indeed. But we have endless varieties of fruit, all tasting and looking different, which makes it interesting. And it’s the same with the human race. It’s just foolish to frown upon something that should be of interest – such as different races. Djenko Esse, Nigeria

Racism distracts people from concentrating on the most important things in life. In other words, the more you think about things like racism, the less time you have to focus on your daily life. It can prevent you questioning why the offender is saying such things to you. Racists think they might get away with their derogatory remarks but that only happens when the victims don’t stand up and challenge them. tonon10, South Sudan

Racism is like a disease that infects a lots of people and spreads like wildfire. Unfortunately like many diseases it will never go away. tumo2010, Republic of Ireland

“This world is so much more beautiful when we all unite.”

A firm stance on racism

e can tolerate no half-measures in the fight against racism, and that includes verbal statements. You are either on one side or the other. Claiming to be misunderstood is no excuse if you utter the kind of statement formulated by a former national coach and successful club coach this week. The intention here is not to name and shame an individual. However, if you are well-known and by definition a role model, you cannot offer any scope for misinterpretation, especially if you complain of “too many black players” in the youth teams of one’s west European homeland, and then add that “dignity and honour” are lost as a result. Let it be a lesson to us all: we must always be alert. Personally, I do not believe the unfortunate individual meant what he said, nor do I wish to impute this in his case. But it is what he said. It is a different matter altogether concerning the incident in Paris in which Chelsea supporters explicitly branded themselves racists after pushing a black man off the metro. Incomprehensible. FIFA has fought all forms of discrimination for years, not always with the success we hoped for, but we still do it – now more than ever. Respect for fellow human beings, valuing our differences, promoting diversity: this is the match we have to win, over and over again every day. Some scientists claim there is a germ of racist thinking within all of us. Their conclusions are based on research into human evolution. A fear of strangers and a suspicion of the unknown is a basic or ‘caveman’ instinct and part of a strategy for survival in an age when mammoths were served up for breakfast. Tens of thousands of years have passed but the basic instinct has remained, the researchers say. If so, it is disquieting, because it would mean racism is in our DNA. However, the evolutionary biologists say, there is an antidote: the intellect. It can suppress gut feelings, differentiate us from animals, and make us humans with clear principles and values. This does not mean that more intelligent people are less susceptible, or vice-versa (although the incident in Paris might appear to suggest this). What it in fact shows is that we must always and in every case take a firm stance when battling discrimination in all its forms. It begins with us eliminating any shadow of a doubt when we speak, in the way we speak, and in what we say. And above all, in the way we act.

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

FOOTBALLING LEGENDS

“Good, like a fine wine” A rebel, an icon, a pioneer and more: we review six exceptional women’s national team careers. Rainer Hennies

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FOOTBALLING LEGENDS

FORMIGA – THE ANT

Buda Mendes / Getty Images, Bob Thomas / Getty Images, Bongarts / Getty Images, imago

Miraildes Maciel Mota usually wears the No8 shirt for the Brazil women’s national team. At the International Women’s Football Tournament last December, though, she was handed the No20 jersey by the country’s football association to mark her 20th year as a full international – an exceptional achievement for the diminutive midfielder more commonly known as Formiga. The 36-year-old, whose name is Portuguese for ant, played a key role as the hosts won the tournament in Brasilia ahead of USA, China PR and Argentina. In the opening game against the Argentinians, Formiga rattled the crossbar and score twice in a comfortable 4-0 victory. The home supporters packed into the Estadio Mane Garrincha sang her name, while her team-mates were no less complimentary. “Twenty years in the national team and Formiga keeps getting better – just like a fine wine,” said five-time World Footballer of the Year Marta. Since making her Selecao debut in 1995, Formiga has appeared in more Women’s World Cups (five) than any other player, but this year’s tournament in Canada is set to be her last. Rio 2016 will also be her sixth Olympic Games and a fitting end to an outstanding international career. “It would be great to bow out with another title,” the player said. Despite their success on home soil last December, Brazil have never won the World Cup, nor have they won Olympic gold. They claimed silver at successive Games in Athens (2004) and Beijing (2008), while finishing runners-up at the 2007 World Cup in China. Formiga’s fondest memories, though, are of the 1999 World Cup in the USA. After a goalless draw with Norway at the Pasadena Rose Bowl, she scored the decisive penalty to seal a 5-4 shootout win and clinch third place. Å

MORACE – THE PIONEER

It was at the age of just 14 years and eight months that Carolina Morace played her first game for the Italian national team. She went on to make 153 appearances and score 105 times between 1978 and 1997, becoming one of just ten women to have scored over 100 international goals. After hanging up her boots, Morace took up coaching and continued to break new ground by becoming the first woman to coach a men’s team, third-tier outfit AS Viterbese Calcio. Due to the intense media pressure that followed her arrival, however, she resigned after two games and became coach of the Italian women’s national team, which she led to two European Championships. Her time as coach of Canada was rather less successful - the Canucks were eliminated at the group stages of the 2011 Women’s World Cup after three straight defeats and the worst goal difference of any side at the tournament – but her other achievements speak volumes for what she has achieved in the game. Morace was a 12-time Italian league champion and top scorer 11 years running from 1987 to 1998, becoming the first woman to be inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame. After completing a law degree, the 50-year-old now runs the Juventus Roma football academy in Salaria, northern Rome. Å T H E F I FA W E E K LY

FOOTBALLING LEGENDS

DEVI – THE REBEL

Oinam Bembem Devi could not have picked a better moment to retire had she tried. At the end of November 2014, the 34-year-old captained India to a 6-0 victory over Nepal in the final of the South Asian Championship, her third tournament triumph. “I’m over the moon to be stepping down at just the right time,” said Devi, who sees a bright future for Indian women’s football given the number of talented young players coming through, and now plans to become a coach. “If we work hard then I’m absolutely convinced we can make it into the top ten in the world ranking.” Devi played for India for 20 years, having made her national team debut at the age of 15. As a child she faced opposition from her parents, but with time her talent even helped win over her once sceptical father as a supporter. “My love of the game and my persistence persuaded them in the end, even if my father always reminded me not to neglect my studies,” she said. Her success is evidence that she made the right decision: Devi won the Indian championship 17 times with Manipur and also lifted the Maldivian league title in 2014. Å

Although technically superb, a magician on the ball, dominant in midfield and extremely dangerous in front of goal, none of these descriptions come close to doing justice to the phenomenon that is Mia Hamm. Now 42, her name has become synonymous with the rapid development and major success of women’s football in the USA. She became her country’s youngest representative when making her international debut back in 1987, before going on to win another 274 caps, scoring 158 goals along the way. As an Olympic champion, World Cup winner, US Soccer Player of the Year, FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year, the first woman named in the FIFA 100 and a Soccer Hall of Fame inductee, there is scarcely an honour in the sport that Mia Hamm has not won. Since hanging up her boots, she has joined Roma’s board of directors and – together with her husband, retired baseball star Nomar Garciaparra, and basketball legend Magic Johnson – is among the owners of the new Los Angeles-based MLS franchise set to join the league in 2017. Å

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Anadolu Agency, AIFF, Will Mcintyre / Getty Images, Bongarts / Getty Images, imago, NC State Media Relations

HAMM – THE ICON

FOOTBALLING LEGENDS

SAWA – THE LIVING LEGEND

Any discussion of women’s football in Japan sooner or later includes the name of Homare Sawa. The 36-year-old rates as her country’s best player and has achieved the status of living legend in a 20-year national team career. At the tender age of just 12 she scored five goals in 13 appearances for Yomiuri Beleza as her club went on to claim the domestic league title. She earned her first senior cap just three years later and has since appeared in five Women’s World Cups and four Olympic Games. The crowning glory of her career came in 2011 when she lifted the World Cup and claimed three individual honours: the Golden Boot as tournament top scorer and the Golden Ball as best player, and then the Women’s World Player of the Year award. She was inducted into the Japanese Football Hall of Fame many years ago, but the national team captain has always remained a model of humility. As she herself said: “Even now I’m still thrilled when people pay tribute to what I’ve achieved in my

HOOPER – THE VETERAN

Born in Guyana, 47-year-old Charmaine Hooper began playing football in Zambia, where her father was stationed as a diplomat. She went on to enjoy a long international career with adopted homeland Canada, establishing herself as one of the country’s most prolific strikers of all time. In 1986, Hooper was one of 23 players to take part in the very first Canadian women’s training camp, ultimately winning 129 caps and scoring 71 goals for the national team. She played at three World Cups, in 1995, 1999 and 2003, scoring at the last of these tournaments to become the competition’s oldest-ever goalscorer at the age of 35 years and 261 days. Charmaine Hooper retired from international football in 2006, two years before hanging up her boots once and for all. Today she lives in the US city of Waco and coaches the small, local team her ten-year-old daughter plays for. Å

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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.

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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.

IN BRIEF

t is worth pointing out to everyone under the age of 30 that there was once a time when tattoos were truly noteworthy. Whereas sailors, truck drivers, bouncers and rock stars once had frightening images inscribed onto their skin to give them a menacing look, it now seems almost expected of a footballer to have a dozen or more tattoos covering every possible theme. Despite body art’s peculiar new-found acceptance in polite society, Paris Saint-Germain’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic has still found a way to ensure that the whole world notices his colourfully painted torso – by doing it for a good cause. The Swede has had the names of 50 hunger sufferers emblazoned on his chest, stomach and back as part of an ingenious campaign by the UN’s World Food Programme. “Whenever you see me, you will see them,” he explains in a promotional video for the initiative. Although these tattoos are temporary, they are intended to serve as a reminder of the 805 million people worldwide who go hungry every day. Å Alan Schweingruber “The UN campaign video featuring Ibrahimovic”  http://tinyurl.com/lnmw3vz

Keystone / MAXPPP

odern football is becoming increasingly fast-paced, and it is not only the players out on the pitch who are getting quicker. On Matchday 21 in the Bundesliga an unusual goal was scored in Hertha Berlin’s Olympic stadium. With the match poised at 0-0, visiting side SC Freiburg launched a counter-attack down the left wing, but it appeared to have petered out when the ball went out for a throw-in. However, before the Hertha defence had time to re-organise, a ballboy returned the ball to a Freiburg attacker, allowing play to continue almost without interruption. A few seconds later the very same ball was in the back of Hertha’s net, and the television broadcaster subsequently dedicated a remarkable amount of time to discussing the role of the unwitting helper. The goal spelled the beginning of the end for the hosts, who went on to lose the game 2-0 and slip down to second bottom in the table. Afterwards one disappointed fan posted his thoughts online: “The person with the quickest reactions in the Hertha camp was the ballboy!” Å Sven Goldmann

ude Branson is six years old and a passionate Aston Villa supporter, despite the fact that the Birmingham-based club have seen better days. Villa are currently in the Premier League relegation zone on goal difference, having severed ties with former head coach Paul Lambert last week. Desperate to help his beleaguered heroes, Jude hatched a perfect plan. He would persuade none other than Jose Mourinho to steer Villa back to winning ways. In a letter to the Portuguese tactician, he wrote: “Dear Mr Mourinho, my name is Jude. I am 6 years old and I support Aston Villa. You are my favourite manager. Please could you manage Villa and bring Costa with you? We need help. Thank you, Jude Branson.” It wasn’t long before Mourinho saw the video of Jude reading his letter out loud and although he was unable to grant the youngster’s wish, he still found the time to respond. When Jude came home from school, a signed picture with a personal message from the Special One himself was waiting for him. Villa have since appointed former Tottenham Hotspur boss Tim Sherwood as their new head coach on a contract until 2018. Å Sarah Steiner T H E F I FA W E E K LY

6 June - 5 July

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SPOTLIGHT ON

GENER AL INFORMATION

Muddy fields David Winner

generation ago the mildly muddy field on which third tier Bradford City beat Premier League Sunderland 2-0 would have attracted zero attention. But English football has moved a long way from its roots, so this act of FA Cup giant-killing felt more like a momentary triumph of the past over the present. Before the game, Sunderland’s manager Gus Poyet described Bradford’s Valley Parade pitch as “one of the worst” in Britain. He even promised to create a special “mashed” muddy training field in Sunderland to help his players prepare. It didn’t help. His Black Cats seemed as spooked by the clammy conditions and sparse grass as by Bradford’s skill and energy and the raucous intensity of the home fans. From a historical perspective, this seems weird because most English winter matches used to be played on soggy surfaces. Indeed, mud, mud, glorious mud (in the words of Flanders and Swann’s much-loved comedy song) was an intrinsic part of football’s beauty and charm. The game had, after all, evolved in squelching, loamy fields and professional footballers accepted whatever the turning seasons and primitive pitch care threw at them. The muscular English style developed accordingly. Big forwards and defenders wore thick, ankle-high boots and learned to thump the ball rather than control it. Sturdy wing halves moved the ball simply. Ball-playing wingers were a breed apart, playing on the least-used, least-damaged part of the field, the flank.

Roy Hartle, a Bolton player of the 1950s, remembered: ‘There was no point trying to play artistic football when the ground was muddy and the ball was heavy. We didn’t pull the ball down because if you stopped it, it was difficult to get it moving again.” CB Fry, polymath and sporting hero of the Victorian era, enthused about “great and grueling” contests on surfaces that would now be thought unplayable. ”The ground was sodden and there were pools of water in places,” he said of a match against Aston Villa. “It was a heroic game.” Mud was a weapon against skillful foreigners too. In 1954, Wolves beat Honved by watering the pitch until it resembled ‘a cattle ground at the end of a four-day show in the rain’. And then came modernity. From the 1980s onwards, scientific pitch-care and better drainage slowly killed off the old English mud-patches. And playing skills and tactics improved too. Most fans have welcomed Bradford promise to improve their pitch over the summer. But when it happens a link with the past will vanish with the mire. Å

The weekly column by our staff writers

FIFA Trigramme: MWI Country: Malawi Official name: Republic of Malawi Dziko la Malawi Continent: Africa Capital: Lilongwe

GEOGR APHIC INFORMATION Surface area: 118,480 km² Highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m Neighbouring seas and oceans: None

MEN’S FOOTBALL FIFA Ranking: 93rd World Cup: –

WOMEN’S FOOTBALL FIFA Ranking: 133rd World Cup: –

FOOTBALL S TATS All players: 515,800 Registered players: 20,100 Unregistered players: 495,700 Clubs: 70 Officials: 2,400 Association Information: http://tinyurl.com/d6vxtrg T H E F I FA W E E K LY

MIRROR IMAGE

Schwoerstadt, Germany

1955

Slg. Raiss / fotogloria

An amateur match in Germany near the Swiss border.

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MIRROR IMAGE

Bassersdorf, Switzerland

2013

Valeriano Di Domenico / freshfocus

Bassersdorf face Zurich in the Swiss Cup, 23 kilometres from the German border.

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NET ZER KNOWS!

Will Austria finally manage to qualify for a major tournament? Question from Lukas Eder, Graz

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

“In those kind of situations, it is very difficult to find the right words. But I told him that Yaya Toure, the best player in Africa, had also lost two African Cup finals and so never to give up. I said I knew he must be sad but that his day would come.” Herve Renard, coach of African champions Côte d’Ivoire, consoles Ghana’s Andre Ayew after his country’s defeat in the final

“That could be the worst 30 minutes Real Madrid have ever played.” Dani Carvajal gives a frank assessment of their 4-0 derby defeat to Atletico Madrid

“It was just his big toe and he managed to get the block in. It’s these kind of centimetres that can decide whether you win or lose a game.” Arjen Robben on the defensive move by Argentina’s Javier Mascherano that prevented the Netherlands from reaching the World Cup Final

“Bayern versus Real would be the logical final, but logic has no place in football.” Zinedine Zidane, coach of Real Madrid’s B team, Castilla

No stranger to celebrating Midfield strategist Netzer during European Championship qualifying in 1975.

ullstein

ational team coach Marcel Koller is doing really good work. He’s had the courage to finally involve young players in a process that the country so desperately needs. Austria has repeatedly produced good players and maybe they haven’t been able to make it into the global elite in the last few decades because they hung on to outdated structures and the wrong players. I’ve known of Koller since he was a coach in Switzerland, but it was when he established himself in the German Bundesliga with his innovative style that he made the biggest impression on me. He’s open to different opinions and isn’t afraid to ditch ideas that don’t work. Koller’s a good fit for Austria and it speaks volumes for him that despite receiving an offer from the Swiss FA, he chose to

continue working for the neighbouring country. That was a clear profession of his desire to see a project through to the end once started. Despite Austria’s tough qualifying group with Russia and Sweden, I’m certain they’ll make it to the 2016 European Championship. You can feel the new spirit in the team and the players at foreign clubs have a lot of class to complement Bayern Munich’s David Alaba. If Austria can stay on the path they’re on, then they’ll also reach the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Å

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

“Sometimes it’s better to keep your mouth shut, but that’s something I can’t do. Otherwise I would vent my frustration later, but not at the right person. I therefore prefer to say everything I think, even if it means I’m not liked, even if it means I sound arrogant. At least the folk I do like don’t have to suffer.” Samir Nasri, Manchester City

“The next step? I don’t know... Maybe replacing the Eiffel Tower with an Ibrahimovic statue...” Zlatan Ibrahimovic on his next target after getting a statue of himself in a Paris museum T H E F I FA W E E K LY

Football is a brotherhood. It’s peace.

Oscar Arias Nobel Peace Laureate

TURNING POINT

“On the pitch, you forget all your troubles.” Silvio Velo one day said to himself: I’m not a victim, and began to focus on his career. Today he is considered by many to be the best blind football player in the world.

Name Silvio Velo Date and place of birth 29 May 1971, San Pedro (Argentina) Position Striker Club River Plate National team Argentina since 1991 WC champions 2002, 2006 WC runners-up 1998, 2000, 2014

Javier Pierini/fotogloria

was born blind and poor. Despite that, I had a happy childhood. I remember playing football with my three brothers and my friends. As a poor family, the ball was our only toy and we used to make goalposts out of rocks in the park. We had a regular ball, it was not equipped with any noise-making device. But I played with them anyway, though I did not know where the ball actually was. I loved to play football with them, and being a blind kid was not an issue for me. I wanted to have fun. But I knew that I couldn’t play like them. I remember listening to how they were doing all kind of skills with the ball. I couldn’t do that at all. So, I started to train those skills by putting the ball inside a plastic bag. That allowed me to hear the ball and do some stuff with it. Back then, all I wanted was to play like my brothers and friends. I also used to play hide and seek with them, though I never found anybody! When I grew up and was a teenager, I realised that being blind was an issue. I was already studying in a blind school in San Isidro, next to Buenos Aires and 175 km away from my hometown, San Pedro. I had to leave my hometown because there were no schools for blind kids there. That’s when I started to question my whole life. Why did this happen to me? I asked myself. Why am I blind? I used to ask that too until one day I changed the question to: Why not me? I realised that all people have problems in life; all of us, without exceptions. I’m not a victim, I told myself. I know that it would have been easier to sit down and feel sorry for myself. But then I came up with another question: Why should I feel pity for myself for something that I have never had? At that moment, I started to play football at school. But now, the ball had this noise-

making device and I could listen to it. I loved football so much. It was my passion. So I started to work on my other senses and my career as a footballer began. Nowadays, when I think about my career, I realise that the moment when I decided to be a footballer, I was also choosing a lifestyle. I still play football for fun. I want to win, of course, but I do it for fun. It has been like therapy for me. When you are on the pitch, you forget all your troubles. And that’s what it is all about. I have never allowed anyone to steal the joy from me. I’m a happy person, and that’s not easy to achieve in life. I’m 43 years old now and I realise that the end of my career is approaching. I’m sure that I will play the Paralympic Games in Rio in 2016 and then I will say goodbye to football. I’m starting to feel the differences between the younger players and me. That’s why I tend to train more than them and respect my diet even when I’m on holidays.

I will do motivational conferences for companies, schools, and so on. I have been doing motivational talks recently. That’s my future. I feel that I have a message to deliver. I want to share my experience. I want people to know that anything is possible in life if you have the desire. You can get over adversity. You have no limits but yourself. You can be free, no matter what your problems are. Å Adapted by Ben Lyttleton

In Turning Point, personalities reflect on a decisive moment in their lives. T H E F I FA W E E K LY

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

300

164 Suriname

-1

115

3 Colombia

0 1456

57 Egypt

590

111 Namibia

293

165 Swaziland

-1

103

4 Belgium

0 1430

58 Gabon

585

112 Sudan

-4

288

166 Guyana

101

5 Netherlands

0 1385

59 Peru

-6

566

113 Libya

-35

281

167 Belize

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

268

169 Gambia

-1

8 France

-1 1168

62 Trinidad and Tobago

-7

551

116 Kenya

266

170 Montserrat

-1

9 Uruguay

119

1 1146

63 Australia

548

117 Canada

-5

264

171 India

10 Spain

-1 1144

63 Albania

-5

548

118 Niger

263

171 Pakistan

11 Switzerland

1 1117

65 Montenegro

-6

537

119 St Kitts and Nevis

258

173 Sri Lanka

-1

12 Italy

-1 1112

66 United Arab Emirates

529

119 Zimbabwe

-12

258

174 Comoros

-1

13 Costa Rica

3 1074

67 Republic of Ireland

-2

521

121 Lebanon

254

174 São Tomé e Príncipe

-4

14 Chile

0 1037

68 Burkina Faso

-4

513

121 Moldova

254

176 Turks and Caicos Islands

66 61

15 England

-2 1028

69 Norway

-2

512

123 Mauritania

251

177 Seychelles

16 Romania

-1 1022

70 Bulgaria

-4

506

124 Burundi

249

177 Nicaragua

-4

17 Czech Republic

71 Uzbekistan

493

125 Lesotho

-1

243

179 Yemen

-3

990

18 Algeria

981

72 Rwanda

-4

492

126 Georgia

234

180 Bermuda

-1

19 Croatia

945

73 Finland

-3

475

126 Palestine

-11

234

180 San Marino

-1

20 Côte d’Ivoire

932

74 Armenia

470

128 Kuwait

-3

231

180 Dominica

21 Mexico

-1

912

75 Togo

-13

465

129 Luxembourg

-2

225

180 Nepal

22 Slovakia

-1

903

76 Uganda

464

130 Liechtenstein

223

184 Solomon Islands

-1

23 Austria

881

77 Honduras

-5

459

131 Azerbaijan

222

184 Cambodia

-5

24 Greece

871

78 Haiti

-5

454

132 Aruba

-3

221

184 Chinese Taipei

-2

25 Ghana

864

79 Venezuela

440

132 Vietnam

221

187 Timor-Leste

-2

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

28 Denmark

846

82 China PR

429

136 New Zealand

-1

216

190 Mauritius

29 Ecuador

-3

840

82 Guatemala

-9

429

137 Tajikistan

-1

215

191 Vanuatu

30 Bosnia and Herzegovina

-1

832

84 Angola

-3

391

138 Guinea-Bissau

-5

212

192 Fiji

31 USA

-4

824

85 Estonia

-2

385

139 Kazakhstan

203

192 Samoa

32 Israel

805

86 Sierra Leone

-1

382

140 St Lucia

202

194 Mongolia

33 Russia

-2

792

87 El Salvador

381

141 Myanmar

198

195 Bahamas

34 Wales

764

88 Morocco

-6

378

142 Barbados

191

196 Tonga

35 Cape Verde Islands

756

89 Cyprus

-3

376

143 Thailand

184

197 US Virgin Islands

36 Senegal

-1

744

90 Mozambique

371

144 Afghanistan

-2

181

198 Brunei Darussalam

37 Iceland

-4

743

91 Oman

368

145 Central African Republic

178

199 Papua New Guinea

38 Scotland

-2

738

92 Bolivia

-8

362

146 Chad

177

200 American Samoa

39 Serbia

-1

723

93 Malawi

-5

361

147 Turkmenistan

170

201 Andorra

40 Poland

709

94 Iraq

360

148 Madagascar

-1

166

202 British Virgin Islands

701

95 Benin

-6

359

149 Malta

-2

164

202 Eritrea

42 Nigeria

664

96 Lithuania

-5

355

150 Syria

147

204 Somalia

43 Guinea

-4

662

97 Jordan

-4

353

151 Kyrgyzstan

146

205 Cayman Islands

41 Iran

44 Sweden

654

98 Saudi Arabia

351

152 Korea DPR

-2

144

206 Djibouti

45 Cameroon

-3

646

99 Antigua and Barbuda

-4

344

153 New Caledonia

143

206 Cook Islands

46 Congo DR

641

100 Latvia

-4

342

154 Malaysia

142

208 Anguilla

47 Slovenia

-1

640

101 Belarus

-2

331

155 Grenada

137

209 Bhutan

48 Hungary

-3

634

102 Ethiopia

323

156 Singapore

136

49 Congo

630

103 Bahrain

322

157 Bangladesh

129

49 Equatorial Guinea

630

104 FYR Macedonia

-3

320

158 Indonesia

128

51 Northern Ireland

-4

626

105 Faroe Islands

-2

317

159 Hong Kong

-3

127

52 Turkey

-4

619

105 Botswana

317

160 Curaçao

-2

125

53 Mali

-4

613

107 Tanzania

-3

315

161 Laos

-1

123

54 Korea Republic

608

108 Dominican Republic

-3

310

162 Guam

-1

119

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

PUZZLE

Published weekly by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)

President Joseph S. Blatter

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Secretary General Jérôme Valcke

Staff Writers Alan Schweingruber (Deputy Editor), Sarah Steiner Art Direction Catharina Clajus

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MEDIUM

Proof Reader Nena Morf (Lead), Martin Beran, Kristina Rotach, Alissa Rosskopf (Press-proof Assistant)

Contributors Ronald Dueker, Luigi Garlando, Sven Goldmann, Jordi Punti, Thomas Renggli, David Winner, Roland Zorn

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Contributors to this Issue Emanuele Giulianelli, Mark Gleeson, Rainer Hennies, Andreas Jaros, Ben Lyttleton

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HARD

Printer Zofinger Tagblatt AG Contact feedback-theweekly@fifa.org

Picture Editor Peggy Knotz, Andres Wilhelm (Deputy)

Translation www.sportstranslations.com

Chief Editor Perikles Monioudis

Project Management Bernd Fisa, Christian Schaub

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Director of Communications and Public Affairs Walter De Gregorio

Layout Richie Kroenert (Lead), Tobias Benz, Susanne Egli

EASY

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Internet www.fifa.com/theweekly Reproduction of photos or articles in whole or in part is only permitted with prior editorial approval and if attributed “The FIFA Weekly, © FIFA 2015”. The editor and staff are not obliged to publish unsolicited manuscripts and photos. FIFA and the FIFA logo are registered trademarks of FIFA. Made and printed in Switzerland. Any views expressed in The FIFA Weekly do not necessarily reflect those of FIFA.

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T H E F I FA W E E K LY

Puzzles courtesy: opensky.ca/sudoku

Publisher FIFA, FIFA-Strasse 20, PO box, CH-8044 Zurich Phone +41-(0)43-222 7777, Fax +41-(0)43-222 7878

The objective of Sudoku is to fill a 9x9 grid with digits so that each of the numbers from 1 to 9 appears exactly once in each column, row and 3x3 sub-grid.

L A S T W E E K’S P O L L R E S U LT S Which of these former finalists will go furthest in this year’s FIFA U-20 World Cup?

37+21+171562 2%

T HIS WEEK’S POLL

Which country’s jump in the latest FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking was the most surprising?

15%

37%

17%

· Australia (+37) · China PR (+14) · Iraq (+20) · Ghana (+12) · Equatorial Guinea (+69) · Congo (+12) · United Arab Emirates (+14) Cast your votes at: Fifa.com/newscentre

Source: Fifa.com

21%

≠ Argentina ≠ Germany ≠ Mexico ≠ Brazil ≠ Uruguay ≠ Qatar ≠ Portugal

WEEK IN NUMBERS

league goals was the latest milestone

reached by Ajax in their recent 4-2 defeat of

70 4

days after Sergio Diaz’s 16th birthday, the talented striker made a formidable start to the new season

Twente. Although the Amster-

goals were scored by Bas Dost in

in Paraguay’s top

dam outfit became the first Dutch

Wolfsburg’s thrilling 5-4 victory

flight by scoring

club to reach this impressive

against Bayer Leverkusen, making

the second goal for

landmark, another player domi-

him the first Dutchman to find the

Cerro Porteno in their 3-0

nated the headlines. During

net four times in a Bundesliga

win against Sportivo

Utrecht’s 6-1 win against

game. The former Heerenveen

Luqueno. With his latest

Dordrecht, Sebastien Haller

striker, who hit the target with

strike, Diaz was once again

scored four times, the first

each of his attempts on goal, is also

the youngest goalscorer in

time this tally has been

only the second player in Wolfsburg’s

the world’s top

achieved by a Frenchman in

history to achieve such a return over

domestic leagues

the Netherlands’ top tier.

90 minutes.

in recent weeks.

imago (4)

5000