The FIFA Weekly Issue #39 by Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)

ISSUE 39, 18 JULY 2014

ENGLISH EDITION

Fédération Internationale de Football Association – Since 1904

BRAZIL WONDERFUL HOSTS SEPP BLATTER GERMANY SETTING NEW STANDARDS GERARD HOULLIER TRACKING FOOTBALL’S LATEST TRENDS

2014 World Cup

Simply fantastic W W W.FIFA.COM/ THEWEEKLY

CONTENTS

North and Central America 35 members www.concacaf.com

Epic entertainment Germany supplied the 2014 World Cup with a fittingly brilliant climax thanks to a dream winning goal in the 113th minute of the Final. We review and analyse the tournament, examining why the individual teams succeeded or failed. Our five writers also cast an eye into the future.

USA: We’re a footballing nation now No previous World Cup has attracted so much interest in the USA. Major League Soccer is now hoping for a boom, but the situation demands a patient approach.

Sepp Blatter “Germany are deserving world champions,” the FIFA President declares in his weekly column. “But at the same time there were 15,000 other World Cup participants who also deserved a gold medal: the volunteers.”

’ Thankfully, I was expelled’ African footballing legend Abdel Moneim Hussein was expelled from school in 1972, but it served to launch him on a glittering career.

South America 10 members www.conmebol.com

Argentina They played well but you’ve got to take your chances: why Lionel Messi and Co came up short of a third world crown.

Simply fantastic Mario Gotze - who else?- graces this week's cover. The image was taken about half an hour after he scored the winning goal in Germany's 1-0 World Cup Final triumph.

Brazil Despite misgivings in the build-up, Brazil proved warm and committed hosts as the tournament became a World Cup bursting with joie de vivre.

Laurence Griffiths / Getty Images

FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 5 – 24 August 2014, Canada

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Youth Olympic Football Tournaments 14 – 27 August 2014, Nanjing

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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

Quality in abundance Former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier analyses the World Cup from an expert point of view: “The intensity was phenomenal in most matches.”

imago (1)

Simply fantastic The seeds of Germany’s triumph were sown over the course of the last decade.

FIFA Club World Cup 10 – 20 December 2014, Morocco

FIFA U-20 World Cup 30 May – 20 June 2015, New Zealand

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

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UNCOVERED

Champions for life

ight now they are probably lying by a swimming pool somewhere, perhaps remaining anonymous in sunglasses and caps. In the evenings they might enjoy a drink at sunset as autograph hunters occasionally stop by their table. There are certainly worse things in life than being a German international right now – after all, their signatures are now those of world champions, and will be for the rest of their lives. Very few players have this honour, not even Cruyff or Beckham. This week, Sven Goldmann evaluates Germany’s title win and explains why Joachim Low is taking some time before announcing his future plans. Four writers also assess the performances of some of the competing nations and give their verdicts on the teams to watch out for over the next few years.

n his column this week, Sepp Blatter rates Germany’s triumph as a logical consequence of their continuing development under Joachim Low and reserves special thanks for the tournament’s 15,000 volunteers, “who also deserved a gold medal for their exceptional work”.

o complete our last World Cup issue, we spoke with Frenchman Gerard Houllier after the Final. The former Liverpool coach analyses football matches from a technical perspective and said: “It was remarkable that there were no obviously inferior sides in the competition. I’d like to see the quality of play and technical skills remain at the heart of football.” Å Alan Schweingruber

his summer Brazil proved to be wonderful hosts of a tournament that has given the world beautiful football. Perikles Monioudis stayed in Brazil until the end of the tournament to soak up the atmosphere. His three-page report concludes that the 20th World Cup was an event brimming with passion and explains how the fifth-largest country in the world managed to organise such a fantastic competition in the face of widespread scepticism.

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Wish you were here Mesut Ozil (above), Bastian Schweinsteiger (right) and Mario Gotze (with singer Rihanna).

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W O R L D C U P A N A LY S I S

Epic 足entertainment

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GERMANY Top of the world Bastian Schweinsteiger leads the way as the new world champions acknowledge the crowd.

Sven Goldmann, Rio de Janeiro

“The Winner Takes it All.” How did Germany win the World Cup? Why did Argentina fall at the final hurdle? What next for Brazil and Italy? Five W orld Cup writers go in search of answers.

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

veryone gets a hug from the Chancellor. The embrace is obligatory, and has been since the 2006 World Cup when Angela Merkel first showed her face at the team hotel, in the stands and the dressing room. There has always been a pinch of politics in German football and the Federal Chancellor is at her least busy in the summer – so why not fly out to Rio de Janeiro and back the lads? Following the 1-0 victory over Argentina in the World Cup Final, the Maracana rose to acclaim the new champions. Some 10,000 fans made the trek from Germany and were the noisier contingent too, despite the Argentina faithful being there in much greater numbers. But even the vanquished paid tribute to the new World Cup winners, the worthy champions. The Brazilian fans made the biggest, most colourful and striking visual impression. To their surprise, the beautiful football they genuinely love was served up not by their own team but by the Germans. The victory at the Maracana was the final brushstroke in a masterpiece. Four days earlier this football-obsessed country was forced – or arguably privileged – to witness a work of art near its completion. Warm reception from Brazilians Brazil cried collective tears after A Seleção’s epochal 7-1 defeat in the semi-final. But the tears soon dried. After the match the German fans trod gingerly through the Belo Horizonte night. How would the humiliated Brazilians react? Why were so many heavily-armed soldiers patrolling the streets? Yet when they finally entered the bars and cafes with an air of muted pride, the men, women, youths and seniors in their yellow shirts jumped up to embrace their guests and thank them for a demonstration of footballing perfection. They bought the first round of beers and caipirinhas and it turned into a long night for one and all. In the course of this World Cup, the country that stands for football like no other has fallen in love with the game again. In the Final, these fans were always destined to toot T H E F I FA W E E K LY

GERMANY

Worth watching again Mario Gotze strikes in the 113th minute of the Final.

Joachim Low will stay on because he enjoys it so much.

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Enjoying their football This reversal of a previous state of affairs contributed to the magic of the Final. Argentina had the better goalscoring opportunities but Germany played the better football. Die Mannschaft had no obvious weaknesses but also lacked superstars, featuring instead an outstanding performer every time. A different player stepped up to the plate on each occasion: Thomas Muller against Portugal and Toni Kroos against Brazil, and in the Final Bastian Schweinsteiger, a player who had already cast off a reputation as a perennial choker by winning the Champions League with Bayern a year earlier. Schweinsteiger was the outstanding player at the Maracana with near 100 percent pass completion. But the lasting memory will be the manner of Germany’s victory, not with a lucky shot or penalty but rather a fluid three-touch combination. A cross, superb control with the chest, and a perfectly-executed cross-shot on the volley. Mario Gotze, the late sub and author of the masterpiece, is one of the new generation who revel in rather than toil away at football. And unlike the European Championship in Poland and Ukraine two years ago, the Germans did not neglect the intellectual and strategic aspects of the game on this occasion. There was a time when many German fans

sided with the opposition, for political reasons lingering from the Second World War, but not only that. The new combination of beauty and efficiency now fascinates fans across the globe, and in Germany too. The players ply their trade on the pitch with well-drilled effortlessness. This is how Germans would like to live their lives and how they would like to be perceived by others. The unfashionably unpredictable Low One man alone is responsible for forcing through this paradigm shift, despite stiff resistance and public attacks on his position. Germany coach Joachim Low is genuinely interested in a variety of opinions and allows himself the liberty of checking them out, making sure they are compatible with his convictions. Low did not hesitate in switching from a 4-3-3 to a 4-2-3-1 formation during the tournament, not because other people talked him round, but because he thought it was the right thing to do. Low is unpredictable in an old-fashioned way. A lot of people thought he might step down after winning the World Cup because he had hit all his targets. But that is not the way the Germany coach thinks. He will stay in the job, not for careerist reasons but because he enjoys his work so much, and because every apparent end is actually a new start. Notice also that none of the new world champions has grandly declared his retirement from international football. In short the new Germany come across as so authentic on the pitch because, for all the preparation and planning, they so obviously enjoy their football. Å

imago, Jamie McDonald/Getty Images

their horns and root for Germany, the new proponents of passion and beauty. The Europeans were naturally less dominant in the Final than the semi. Argentina were too good for that as they paraded once-decried “typically German” virtues of fighting spirit and discipline, albeit at a much higher technical level.

ARGENTINA

Andrew Warshaw, Belo Horizonte

he blue-and-white hordes streamed into Rio de Janeiro by any means they could find. Some undertook a two-day motorhome journey after discovering that all flights had long since sold out. The Copacabana was almost full to capacity with Albiceleste fans using Rio’s legendary beach as a home from home. They sang songs, many of them cruelly directed at the host nation, and paid homage to their hero Lionel Messi in the hope that this man would be able to bring football’s greatest trophy back over the border to Argentina for the first time in 28 years. Unfortunately it was not to be. At the end of the Final, Messi, his team-mates and their soft-spoken coach Alejandro Sabella were left with nothing but the bitter taste of defeat and the agonising prospect of what might have been had the team taken just one of the handful of excellent chances they had created. Perhaps the greatest irony in Argentina’s World Cup Final loss to Germany was the fact that it had been their best performance of the tournament. In that moment of heartbreaking pain in the minutes after the final whistle, Sabella praised his team’s fighting spirit and highlighted the finely balanced nature of the match he had just witnessed. Nevertheless, any devoted Argentinian fan would probably agree that the team still appeared inhibited and lacked the belief, movement and creativity required to force the issue. The same problems were evident in their match against Iran. Had the Asian side taken their chances in Belo Horizonte, we would surely have witnessed one of the greatest shocks in World Cup history. It was not the only time in the

tournament that Argentina were let off the hook thanks to the efforts of one man – Messi. All the same, credit must be given to Sabella for getting almost everything right, with the resouces he had at his disposal. Javier Mascherano proved that he is still physically strong enough to rank as one of the very best midfielders in world football. Martin Demichelis, often cited as a weak link for Manchester City last season, radiated total calmness in the centre of Argentina’s defence. There is certainly more than one route to success in football, and there is no doubt that building a team that is tough to break down is one of them. Nevertheless, without the necessary inspiration and creativity in other areas, Argentina were too reliant on Messi to repeatedly bail them out. Whatever the case, La Seleccion managed to remain in the tournament until the bitter end, even if this was thanks to the team’s pragmatic approach rather than their brilliance. It is also worth remembering that Messi is still only 27 and should have at least one more World Cup ahead of him, unlike the underrated Sabella, who was appointed as Albiceleste coach in 2011 and is now stepping down. During his tenure, the former midfielder endowed the team with a commendable work ethic and instilled the tactical discipline they desperately needed. Many will remember him as the man who took Argentina to their first World Cup Final in 24 years, while for others he will be the man who came so near yet so far from international glory. Unfortunately for Sabella, history tends to remember only the winners. Å

Credit must be given to Sabella for getting almost everything right.

Their chance will come again Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella (behind) and his star player Lionel Messi.

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BRAZIL

What now, Seleção? The debate sparked by the 3-0 defeat to the Netherlands will prompt a complete overhaul of the Brazilian football system.

The Brazilian football a ssociation will be forced to conduct a thorough investigation.

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iven Pele’s standing as one of the principle moral arbiters of world football, nobody dared to publicly contradict his comments on Twitter after Brazil’s 7-1 humbling against Germany: “Football is a box of surprises - nobody in the world expected this result. We’ll get the sixth title at Russia 2018.” However, privately many people will have been wondering if Brazil still possess the ability to compete at the very top and whether they rely too much on individual players and past successes, rather than building solid foundations for the future at grassroots level. Brazil bowed out of the World Cup with barely a whimper at the Estadio Nacional in Brasilia last Saturday following their 3-0 defeat to the Netherlands in the Play-off for Third Place. The end of the match brought piercing whistles, loud jeers and head shaking from spectators in the stands, while there was a sense of emptiness among the players out on the pitch. It was not supposed to end that way. Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, who led Brazil to their fifth World Cup title in 2002, had been given the task of winning it a sixth time and in the process exorcising the demons that have haunted the Seleção since defeat to Uruguay in the World Cup title-decider on home soil in 1950. Following Brazil’s triumph at the 2013 Confederations Cup, most of the country’s supporters felt it was their God-given right to witness another successful campaign this summer. Their optimism conveniently glossed over two of the team’s major flaws: in attack a 22-yearold youngster, Neymar, bore the weight of responsibility almost single-handedly, while the defence was worryingly vulnerable, as was

vident in the team’s opening match of the e tournament against Croatia. In terms of organisation and tactical discipline, nations such as Germany, Argentina, the Netherlands and Chile were far superior. When Neymar was stretchered off the pitch with a broken vertebra against Colombia, Brazil’s hopes of conjuring up any moments of attacking magic went with him. Yet even that was overshadowed by the collective hand-wringing the 7-1 loss to Germany provoked. England’s Gary Lineker, who finished as top scorer at the 1986 World Cup and now works as a pundit for the BBC, described it as “the night Brazil’s beautiful game died. Everything has changed.” Former Argentina international Gabriel Calderon, now a coach, said: “The defeat calls so many things about Brazilian football into question - the coach, the players and the tactics. Everyone used to dream of being able to play like Brazil. Then Spain came along and raised the bar and now it’s Germany who are setting the benchmark. They play like Brazil used to.” Brazilian youth teams are not currently among the world’s best either. The U-17s were knocked out in the quarter-finals of the 2013 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates by Mexico, and the U-20 side failed to even reach the World Cup in Turkey last year. The country’s football association will be forced to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the demise and, after conclusions have been drawn, they should demand nothing less than a return to the global elite with a new concept in place, a new training programme and a new national coach. Continuing to live off past glories will be of little use to them in the future. Å

The Asahi Shimbun/Getty Images, imago

Thomas Renggli, Rio de Janeiro

L AT IN AMERIC A

Jordi Punti

ermany were worthy winners of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. There is no question of that, though there is also a case for saying, in regional terms at least, that the undisputed champions were the Americas. It was a tournament that revealed a number of trends, the first of them being the prominent roles played by goalkeepers, who were mostly in superb form. In stark contrast was the almost total absence of the centre forward, the out-and-out striker whose job it is to lead the line and put the ball in the back of the net. Another factor that weighed heavy on the tournament was the demanding nature of Europe’s major leagues and the sheer number of games their stars have to play, with the likes of Radamel Falcao, Franck Ribery and Kevin Strootman all noticeable absentees through injury, Angel Di Maria picking up an injury during the tournament itself, and key players such as Cristiano Ronaldo struggling to find their best form. Amid it all came the resurgence of Latin American football, with Chile, Costa Rica and Colombia playing a full part in some of the best games at the World Cup, both in terms of quality and entertainment. Half of the teams that reached the Round of 16 hail from the Americas, and it is no hard task to put together a high-class XI made up solely of players from the six CONCACAF and CONMEBOL sides that starred in the knockout phase but failed to make the last four. One such fantasy side might look like this: Goalkeeper: Keylor Navas (Costa

Rica). Defenders: Eugenio Mena (Chile), Diego Godin (Uruguay), Rafael Marquez (Mexico). Midfielders: Juan Cuadrado (Colombia), Michael Bradley (USA), James Rodriguez (Colombia), Jermaine Jones (USA). Forwards: Alexis Sanchez (Chile), Edinson Cavani (Uruguay), Joel Campbell (Costa Rica). Also worthy of a healthy round of applause are the coaches, among them Miguel Herrera of Mexico and Oscar Tabarez of Uruguay, who managed to turn two teams who struggled to qualify into fiercely competitive units. For his part, Jorge Luis Pinto took an unfancied Costa Rica side that had been tipped by many to be makeweights in the hardest section of all, and gave them the belief to go far. Equally impressive were Chile boss Jorge Sampaoli and Colombia coach Jose Pekerman, who have shaped teams for the future and laid the foundations for yet more successful campaigns. With the possible exception of Pekerman, who has yet to confirm whether he will stay in the Cafetero job, most of these coaches and teams will face each other again at the 2015 Copa America, to be held in Chile. That competition that will give the likes of Chile’s Alexis and Vidal and Colombia’s James and Cuadrado a chance to confirm their status among the new superstars of Latin American football, and will also test the progress of eternal favourites Brazil and Argentina, both of whom went further than the rest at the World Cup but who may now see fit to overhaul their styles of play. Å

The likes of Chile, Costa Rica and C olombia played a full part in some of the best games at the World Cup.

Show of force Latin American nations Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Argentina and Mexico all made the knockout stages in Brazil.

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ENGLAND

“The Premier League is threatening to leave our national team in the shade” Former England international and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand is one of the most decorated players of recent times. He worked as a TV pundit in Brazil during the World Cup, where his enthusiasm for the tournament was countered by his disappointment about England’s performance.

It was fantastic. There were so many goals, great spectacles, epic dramas, and several teams who punched well above their weight. I’m thinking of Costa Rica, Mexico, Colombia, but also the Netherlands. Hardly anybody expected that team to be as strong as they were. The organization and atmosphere were perfect too, and none of the negative predictions came true. Who could ask for more than spending a World Cup between the Maracana and the Copacabana? This tournament was fantastic and I’ve enjoyed every moment of it.

Before the competition began, there was much talk of the home advantage South American nations would enjoy. Was that really the case? I don’t think so; after all, two European teams – Holland and Germany – qualified for the semi-finals. And the climate from one host venue to the next was very different. Some of them were pretty chilly; for example, England lost their crucial match to Uruguay in almost British weather. I don’t think conditions affected the results at all.

So you don’t hold the Brazilian climate responsible for England’s failure to progress from the group stages? No – that didn’t surprise me. Before the World Cup, I wrote in a column that it would be a great achievement if England could qualify for the knockout stages.

But you didn’t foresee their campaign being such a disaster either. Disaster is too harsh a word – it was a huge disappointment. England simply played too badly and their performances were not good enough to get them out of the group. Costa Rica demonstrated what could have been possible. Everyone thought that the outsiders would finish in last place, but they won the group. Everyone gets out of a World Cup what they deserve.

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Name Rio Ferdinand Date and place of birth 7 November 1978, London Clubs played for West Ham, Bournemouth, Leeds, Manchester United Honours Six-time Premier League champion, Champions League winner (all with Manchester United) England national team 81 caps, 3 goals

But it appears England’s future is not so bad; after all, there are some promising young players in the squad. We’ve now got to draw the right conclusions from this tournament and give the manager the opportunity to create an environment where success is possible. The Premier League also needs to review the situation, as the future of the national side is in its hands. The league dominates everything and is threatening to leave the England team in the shade.

Does that mean there should be rules to ensure more English players play a more prominent role with their clubs? The FA needs to consider limiting the number of overseas players or setting a minimum number of homegrown players in each squad, but that’s difficult to do in a free market. Money determines the movement of players, and the Premier League enjoys much higher priority than the national side. That disappoints me – and the fans too. English fans are some of the best in the world.

Was it hard for you to watch the matches as a bystander? (laughs) Very difficult – I suffered through matches even more than when I’m

out on the pitch. It was the first World Cup I had experienced as a spectator since I was a kid, and it was as if I was still out there playing with them, trying to stop balls or taking shots on goal.

You have reached the end of your contract with Manchester United. Will you continue your playing career? I’d like to play for at least one more year, and I’m in discussions with several clubs at the moment. Nothing has been decided yet.

You also visited the favelas and spoke with people there during your time in Rio de Janeiro. Is the World Cup also important there? Of course everyone watches when Brazil are playing, but at the same time people feel unfairly treated by their own government. People in the favelas said to me that they don’t want any money; instead they want sustainable improvements in infrastructure such as education, healthcare and public transport. We often complain about the same issues in England, but we enjoy free healthcare and our system works, and we should keep that in mind. Å Interview: Thomas Renggli

Christopher Thomond/Guardian, imago

Rio Ferdinand, how would you rate this World Cup?

EUROPE

Luigi Garlando

o a certain extent the Christopher Columbus effect has now also taken root in world football: for the first time in history a European team has conquered South America. Germany’s World Cup triumph made up for the fact that the two teams from the Old Continent that had won the previous two finals, Spain and Italy, had a miserable tournament in Brazil. The reasons behind Spain’s shortcomings were obvious: the imminent end of a golden generation and a unique playing style in urgent need of an upgrade. Yet there are already several youngsters waiting to step out of the shadows of Xavi and Co. Of the Spain side that contested the final of the U-21 European Championship in June 2013, four players featured in this year’s Champions League final: Koke, Isco, Alvaro Morata and Dani Carvajal. Thiago Alcantara, who hit a hat-trick in the U-21 continental title-decider last year, has since become a mainstay at Bayern Munich, while others like David De Gea, Christian Tello and Martin Montoya have also gone on to become first-team regulars at some of the world’s biggest clubs. No longer just promising young talents; they are now increasingly seasoned professionals boasting a wealth of international experience. Spain have high-quality training centres throughout the country, a clearly defined playing style and a production line of gifted players ready to break through. In short, the Iberians already have all the necessary structures in place to be able to rise from the ashes and feature among the contenders at the next major tournament. The outlook is rather gloomier in Italy, however, especially as the country is currently going through a deep-seated structural crisis that culminated in mass resignations after the World Cup, including the coach and federation president. Of the Azzurri side that were defeated in that U-21 final against Spain last year, so far only Paris St. Germain’s Marco Verratti and Napoli’s Lorenzo Insigne have sampled Champions League football. The Serie A is among Europe’s worst leagues at giving youth a chance, and consequently Italy’s teams have a higher average age than

most on the continent. The phenomenon is akin to black hole that swallows up countless players as they attempt to make the transition from youth prospect to senior professional. This is partly due to a lack of reserve sides, something other countries with better infrastructures have, as those teams allow the players to get a feel for playing under competition conditions and get used to professional training methods. Presently Italy are still clinging to veterans Andrea Pirlo and Gianluigi Buffon while glancing anxiously towards the future, crossing their fingers that Mario Balotelli continues to develop. That all stands in marked contrast to three other European sides that gave youngsters a chance at Brazil 2014 and still played entertaining football. The Netherlands fielded Georginio Wijnaldum and Memphis Depay, Belgium played Thibaut Courtois and Divock Origi and France gave outings to Raphael Varane and Paul Pogba, who was voted the tournament’s best young player. All three nations will be eyeing silverware at the next European Championship in France in 2016. That trio of teams have another thing in common, namely the ability to adapt their traditional playing styles. Dutch coach Louis van Gaal did not betray the Netherlands’ attacking instincts, but shored up their defence by playing with three centre-backs. France boss Didier Deschamps added muscle to compliment his side’s flair, while Belgium succeeded in leaving behind their bland tactics of the past to play an attractive attacking game. England coach Roy Hodgson also made an effort, albeit less effectively, to steer his charges away from their customary long-ball game and towards a more possession-based approach. Joachim Low proved his flexibility by having German play a more Brazilian style than Brazil themselves, without neglecting the country’s characteristic overall stability. The emergence, then, of numerous gifted youngsters and new concepts at the World Cup demonstrated that European teams - with the exception of Italy – can look forward to a bright future. Å

European teams – with the exception of Italy – can look forward to a bright future.

Heads held high Youngster Paul Pogba reached the end of the line with France against eventual champions Germany.

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Primera Division Peruana

A breath of fresh air Sven Goldmann is a leading football correspondent with the “Tagesspiegel” newspaper in Berlin.

As the World Cup Final entered extra time at the Maracana, things were also getting serious hundreds of miles to the north-west of Rio de Janeiro. Despite making a positive start to their World Cup qualifying campaign, Peru ultimately missed out on the finals by some distance and so have not taken a break from their league during the tournament. As a result, while the eyes of the rest of the world were firmly fixed on Rio, newly-promoted side Los Caimanes were facing the Apertura’s recent surprise package Real Garcilaso in the sixth match of the season on the artificial turf at Chiclayo’s Estadio Elias Aguirre.

Based in Cusco in the Andean highlands, Real Garcilaso is a footballing start-up named after a chronicler in the age of the Spanish

I N S I D E

conquistadors and founded just five years ago by graduates of Inca Garcilaso de la Vega University. At first Real were not taken particularly seriously in their home city of Cusco – home to historic club Sportivo Cienciano, the first and so far only Peruvian club to have lifted the Copa Sudamericana by beating Boca Juniors in the final 11 years ago – nor in the capital Lima, the heart of Peruvian football. Since time immemorial, Universitario de Deportes and Alianza have contested El Clasico Peruano and have generally dominated. The former home of national heroes Teofilo Cubillas and Claudio Pizarro, Alianza have won 22 titles, four fewer than Universitario. Suddenly, last season along came Real Garcilaso, nicknamed La Maquina Celeste or ’the Sky Blue Machine’. The club stormed through the leagues and almost became Peruvian champions in only their second year of top-flight football. Universitario only managed to halt the rise of these new upstarts with a 2-1 win in the third match of the championship play-off and eventually won the deciding game on penalties. Lima’s top teams now have to face fresh competition

when they travel inland from the Rimac river on the Pacific coast to the Andean highlands. At 3,400 metres above sea level, Cusco’s sporting prowess is now as rarefied as its air. Although Real have not made an exceptional start to the new season, they remain in sight of the upper reaches of the table. The club climbed to sixth place for the first time this campaign after their ’Visita a Lacoste’ – as the away trip to Los Caimanes is affectionately known – with Cesar Ortiz’s second-half goal handing his side a 1-0 win. Meanwhile, Lima’s two teams struggled: Alianza could only manage a goalless draw at home to Cesar Vallejo while Universitario suffered a 2-1 defeat at Universidad Tecnica de Cajamarca. At present, neither the capital’s well-established clubs nor the Andean up-and-comers lead the way. Instead, the side currently at the top of the league hails from Peru’s provinces. With four wins from six matches, the club of the hour is Ayacucho’s Inti Gas Deportes, a team once again located in the mountains but not quite so high as Cusco, nor so far from Lima. Å

Peru’s surprise package Real Garcilaso, who hail from the Andean highlands. T H E F I FA W E E K LY

In fine form Salzburg’s Alan scored four against Sollenau in the cup.

New sponsor, old favourites Andreas Jaros is a freelance journalist based in Vienna.

The restaurant Wake Up proved to be the ideal location when it hosted the season-opening press conference for the Austrian Bundesliga for the first time. Outside, wake boarders executed their manoeuvres on the New Danube river in spectacular fashion, while inside coaches and captains from every club expressed their desire to get their campaigns off the ground as quickly as possible. “Building on the momentum of the World Cup,” was league president Hans Rinner’s motto ahead of the championship kick-off this weekend, and with German betting firm tipico having been brought on board as a sponsor, what odds on more goals being scored in 2014/15 than the previous season? The average of 3.3 per game will certainly be tough to beat. However, despite the promise of free-scoring fixtures, fewer fans went through the turnstiles last term, with attendances averaging just 6,165 per match. “That’s the key issue,” said league 16

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chairman Christian Ebenbauer, who is aiming to stop the downward trend by guaranteeing better value for money and creating a more enjoyable atmosphere in the stadiums. Kick-off times on Saturdays have already been made more spectator-friendly, with matches to get underway at either 16:00 or 18:30 from September onwards. Not that Red Bull Salzburg will mind the new changes. Last season they were ruthless whenever they played, and their intense pressing high up the pitch also made waves in the Europa League. An Ajax side including Dutch internationals Daley Blind and goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen, both of whom would later form part of the Netherlands team that finished third at the World Cup – the former even scored against Brazil in the third-place play-off – were twice brushed aside (3-0 and 3-1) in the Round of 32. Nevertheless, in spite of dominating for long periods against Basel in the next round, Salzburg were eliminated. On the domestic front they did not encounter the same levels of resistance, and won the championship by the end of March with just 28 of 34 Matchdays played. Salzburg racked up an astonishing 18-point lead over runners-up Rapid Vienna, who have lifted the league title more often than any other side. Defending champions

Austria Vienna’s exploits in the Champions League, in which they earned five points at the group stage, contributed to their finishing fourth in the standings, one place behind the season’s surprise package: promoted outfit Grodig. Rapid are eager to close the gap at the top this time around, despite the departures of influential players including Marcel Sabitzer, Guido Burgstaller and Terence Boyd, who netted 33 goals between them in 2013/14. They will have to do so in the unpopular Happel-Stadion, however, as the more atmospheric St. Hanappi stadium is being demolished to be replaced by a new arena in 2016. The fact that double winners Salzburg managed to hold on to key members of their squad will not exactly have been cheered by their rivals. Coach Roger Schmid may have been headhunted by Bayer Leverkusen but his successor, Adi Hutter, is equally ambitious and declared that the team’s objective is to reach the Champions League group stage for the first time. “We’ll need to be at our best to do that,” Hutter said of the upcoming qualifying encounters. “We need four perfect matches.” He could not have asked for a better warm-up game: Salzburg’s opening fixture of the season on Saturday 19 July is at home to Rapid. Å

Mario Kneisel / Gepa / EQ Images

Austrian Bundesliga

Major League Soccer

An exercise in patience

American qualities: they never gave up, they fought their way through a difficult group and held their own against stronger teams thanks to their unyielding will to win.

It may take a while before the USA is able to send a ’Dream Team’ made up primarily of players from Major League Soccer (MLS) to a World Cup. In fact, while it may never happen at all, there are still signs that give cause for optimism. As in 2002, when the USA surprisingly reached the World Cup quarterfinals, where they were unfortunate to be knocked out by eventual runners-up Germany, the MLS could experience a boom, or at least a mini-boom, in the wake of the finals in Brazil.

“We’ve shown the world that we’re a footballing nation,” said Don Garber, MLS Commissioner since 1999, who is now focusing on directing the public’s increased interest in the game towards the domestic championship. The 19-team league, split into Eastern and Western Conferences, started its new season on the same weekend the World Cup final was played. The league’s average gate attendance of 18,000 will not, however, be supplemented by a television audience of up to 25 million – as was the case for the USA’s group game against Portugal in Brazil – but by a mere 220,000 viewers. That figure is significantly lower than the 400,000 fans who tune in to watch live Premier League games. There is no substitute for quality.

Any upswing would stem from the way the tournament, and the USA team itself, generated unprecedented levels of enthusiasm across the country. Led by coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who won the World Cup with Germany in 1990, the USA’s passionate displays helped them reach the Round of 16. Although that marked the end of their journey in Brazil, the team left a lasting impression having played with typically

Yet Garber believes that thanks to the popularity of Klinsmann’s team, “our fan base will grow and the television audience will also increase”. The MLS will have to be patient though, as it faces fierce competition from the country’s other professional sports leagues: baseball, basketball and American football. However, now is the perfect time to strike due to the public’s increased awareness of the MLS. Klinsmann, ever the

Roland Zorn is a football correspondent based in Frankfurt am Main.

optimist, said: “The league is growing very quickly, both in terms of its finances, its popularity among fans and the quality of the teams. Nevertheless we still have a long way to go.” It is not yet certain who will help the league progress along that path, although several big names from the world of football have already signed on. Brazilian star Kaka will bolster the ranks at newly-founded Orlando City in 2015, while Spain international David Villa will join New York City FC next year too, with the club having been accepted into the MLS. David Beckham has designs on establishing an MLS side in Miami, while a team is also planned for Atlanta. “By 2022 we want to be one of the best leagues in the world,” Garber said.

“We’ve shown the world that we’re a footballing nation.” Don Garber

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The foundations are in place for that to happen: the country’s interest in football has been awakened and investors have been lined up to take the MLS to the next level. Among younger generations the game is already as popular as baseball and 20 MLS players – more than ever before – participated at the World Cup in Brazil. Furthermore, the overall standard of football is steadily improving and grassroots work is becoming increasingly professional. “Our league will become ever more important and valuable thanks to the huge popularity of the World Cup,” predicted Garber. Å

Home win Federico Higuain (l.) and Co of Columbus Crew lost 4-1 away to Lloyd Sam’s (r.) New Jersey at the Red Bull Arena last Saturday. T H E F I FA W E E K LY

T HE DEBAT E

Taking the blinkers off Master of all he surveys Joachim Low has charted a World Cup-winning course with great patience and tactical astuteness.

Perikles Monioudis

erman broadsheets hailed the country’s World Cup conquest in Brazil as the nation’s greatest footballing success since the Miracle of Berne in 1954. The comparison is all the more appropriate because back then, as was the case ten years ago, German football had hit rock bottom. In the light of the achievements of Joachim Low’s charges, it is clear that the seeds that were sown over the last decade are coming to fruition. Low took charge of the national side in 2006 as Jurgen Klinsmann’s successor, having been his assistant for the previous two years. In his pre-match press conference deep inside Rio’s Maracana Stadium ahead of the World Cup Final, Low made no secret of the fact that during the process of rebuilding the side, he and his staff borrowed ideas “wherever we 18

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bserved something new”. That included, o for instance, unexpected variations on a style of play or incorporating new methods witnessed in the Netherlands, or anywhere else across the globe. Role models for Brazil? With Brazilian football about to embark upon a similarly protracted process of reconstruction, it could do worse than follow Germany’s example. As a starting point the Europeans insisted on taking the blinkers off in order to appraise their situation more thoroughly. For Germany that meant discovering the joy of playing attractive football and they did so without neglecting the traits that had set them apart until then: their will to win and hunger for success. Over the last ten years Germany

have become increasingly able to dominate games with a flexible, aesthetically-pleasing style that makes use of innovative passing moves and free-kick variations. A Seleção focused more on imposing themselves physically at their home World Cup. ‘Jogo bonito’, once a cornerstone of the Brazilian game, was shunted down the list of priorities in favour of an aggressive style, while their characteristically unpredictable attacking play seemed to be replaced by more simple, direct approach. Back to the future When will Brazil rediscover their beautiful game and manage to blend physical prowess into it? For the time being, the most sensible idea would appear to be to contemplate a new system. That also goes for the Spanish national team, who were ousted as world champions by a worthy new incumbent. Å

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Over the last ten years the German national team have successfully added new qualities to their traditional strengths. Now Brazil must embark on a similar process.

T HE DEBAT E

PRESIDENTIAL NOTE

FIFA.com users give their reactions to the World Cup : Thanks to the magic of television, I was able to watch 60 of the 64 matches live. It must have been an incredible experience to witness a game in person. Now I’m sad it’s all over and I even missed the closing ceremony – I hope one of the TV channels will replay it soon. Without a doubt, the FIFA World Cup was entertaining and spectacular. Congratulations to hosts Brazil, and many thanks for a hugely enjoyable and unforgettable tournament! pinkpearl417, Canada

In my opinion, James Rodriguez scored the best goal of this extraordinary World Cup! Alvin94270, France

Despite Brazil’s disappointing result in this World Cup, it must be said that Scolari is an amazing coach. He guided his team to the title in 2002 and took Portugal to the final of the European Championships, but the challenge of battling to another title with this team on home soil was simply too great. I believe Brazil can consider themselves lucky to have reached the semi-finals at all, and without two of their best players it was impossible to beat Germany! Sauer-Kraut, Canada

Congratulations to the Germany team! Play that way again in Russia and the Trophy will be yours forever!

Many congratulations to Germany! They played exceptionally well during the tournament and thoroughly deserve that fourth star! Sir-Galaxy, France

“The best World Cup of all time.” This was the best World Cup of all time! I enjoyed the whole thing: the organisation, the people, the weather… tanta_17, Egypt

The 2014 World Cup gave us so many wonderful moments and only a few sad ones! Neymar’s injury was a huge shock (and I’m convinced that A Seleção knew immediately that catastrophe was around the corner)!

hubec80, Serbia

“Congratulations to the Germany team!”

ForcaBraNey, France

15,000 gold medallists

he World Cup in Brazil thrilled and captivated us with its goals, spectacular action and drama. It was a magnificent festival of football, so it was fitting that one of the best goals was kept till last. Mario Gotze’s winning strike for Germany in the Final against Argentina embodied the art of football in its purest form. It made sporting history too as a European team lifted the title on American soil for the first time. It is no accident that this honour fell to Germany. Of all the top teams, the Germans have undergone the most remarkable transformation. They have been setting tactical and creative benchmarks since 2006, and now possess the skill and quality we previously associated exclusively with teams from further south. They combine this with outstanding mental resilience and the consistency of world champions - they have finished in the top three at every World Cup since 2002. In these terms the triumph in Rio de Janeiro is the logical conclusion to an ongoing process of development. Germany are deserving world champions, yet at the same time there were 15,000 other World Cup participants who also deserved a gold medal: the volunteers, who essentially provided the friendly face of the tournament. At the stadiums, hotels, airports, media centres, conference facilities and bus stops, they always offered a helping hand and good advice when problems arose. At the end of the day, spectacular images of the matches remain in people’s memories. Gotze, Messi and Neuer are the names on the world’s lips, but the volunteers were the unheralded stars of this World Cup. They provided the organisational base for nothing but a t-shirt, a tracksuit and a pair of sneakers. Without the 15,000 volunteers Mario Gotze would never have become the hero of the World Cup. An event on this scale would be unimaginable without them. I wish to say a sincere and hearty thank you for their help!

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

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MY WORLD CUP

ootball can be a lonely sport at times, even in the biggest match of all – the World Cup Final. On that memorable Sunday afternoon, Germany captain Philipp Lahm was the first player to emerge onto the pitch in readiness for the second half. He jogged into the centre circle of Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana accompanied by a brief smattering of applause from Die Mannschaft’s fans. After stretching for a while, he did several of the quick-accelerating bursts and backpedalling moves that even attack-minded defenders like the Bayern captain so often use. He paused for a moment and occasionally cast a glance towards the tunnel, but there was still no sign of his team-mates. Supporters in the stands began to busy themselves with their cameras and smartphones. Lahm, lost in contemplation, stood in the middle of the pitch seemingly unnoticed by the crowd. It was the calm before the storm, a moment in which the 30-year-old could be alone with his thoughts. Ninety minutes later he was triumphantly hoisting the World Cup Trophy aloft. Å Perikles Monioudis

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unctuality is a matter of interpretation for Brazilians, or so they say. And ’Relaxa e aproveita’ (relax and enjoy) is an admirable approach to life. Nobody in Brazil gets annoyed if a meeting starts 15 minutes later than planned. The level of tolerance is almost always greater than the degree of impatience. In the cities this is a question of pure pragmatism. Depending on the traffic, any given journey by car can take five minutes or an hour. But the chronicler has come to know the other side of Brazil over the past five weeks. Attending 19 matches at the World Cup finals from Manaus to Porto Alegre involved a total of 21 internal flights. Overall stats: 20 ontime or early arrivals; one 30-minute delay. Conclusion: If the Brazilian footballers had been as reliable as the national airlines they would hardly have crashed out at the semi-final stage. Å Thomas Renggli

he new relationship between Germans and the art of football has been discussed and praised at length over the past few days. Two German fans decided their team’s artistic merit was a just reason to take home an appropriate souvenir. During a stopover in Sao Paulo on the return flight the duo, clad in Germany kit, visited a temporary exhibition with the lovely title of ’Shoot the Ball’. They had time to spare. They used a supposedly unobserved moment to remove a weighty bronze sculpture from under a plexiglass cylinder and pack it in their hand luggage. Unfortunately for the pair, there are no unobserved public moments in Brazil as everything happens on-camera. The police arrested the art thieves shortly before take-off and helped them become famous for fifteen minutes or more. The images from the CCTV cameras ran 24 hours a day on all television channels. Å Sven Goldmann

t is a well-located little bar, nestled between a tram station and a delicatessen, with a business centre a short distance down the street. As the end of another World Cup has fans once again contemplating everyday things like earning a living, grocery shopping and the politics of the day, this watering hole is keeping the festival of football alive. Each evening, the bar’s owner Giovanni throws open the windows and shows games from Spain 1982 and Brazil 2014 on a big screen. He says they are his favourite tournaments, but that is not the only reason he is showing them. In truth, this restaurateur is riding the final waves of World Cup fever and using his commercial acumen to cash in on his customers’ quest for nostalgia. Whether it be Altobelli and Rossi’s goals from the 1982 Final or Schurrle and Gotze’s strikes in 2014, the same images play over and over, accompanied by the same live commentary. The memories stop passing pedestrians in their tracks and tempt them through the door, at which point Giovanni pipes up with: “Fancy a Campari, a beer or a bruschetta perhaps?” Å Alan Schweingruber T H E F I FA W E E K LY

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The perfect setting for a magnificent Final Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana.

A World Cup full of passion Before Brazil 2014 began, the media was awash with fears of mass demonstrations, unfinished stadiums and defensive football played in sweltering conditions. The reality was very different.

Heartfelt support Images of joyous fans in Brazil – in this case the Chileans – will live long in the memory. 24

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Gustavo Pellizon, AFP

Perikles Monioudis, Rio de Janeiro

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Public viewing on the Copacabana The popular FIFA Fan Fest in Rio could accommodate 20,000 visitors.

Carlos Becerra / Anadolu Agency / Getty Images

he Argentinians have gone. They drove to Rio de Janeiro in their thousands to support their team in the World Cup Final. They parked up along the Copacabana, cooked rice and vegetables in the pans they brought with them and sang continuously for two days. But by the time the sun rose over Rio on Monday after the spectacular match at the Maracana, there was hardly an Argentinian number plate to be seen. The Albiceleste’s fans left the city overnight without the World Cup victory they came for. Instead, they accepted their fate graciously without any altercations with German fans or with the local population, who unashamedly cheered for Die Mannschaft against their arch-rivals. In this respect Rio remained calm on the night the World Cup finally drew to a close. German fans were numerous but not as omnipresent as the Argentinians, not least because they face significantly greater challenges in reaching Rio by car. Instead, they paid for expensive flights over the Atlantic, with many fans choosing to combine their journey to support the team in their quest for a fourth World Cup title with a full schedule of sightseeing, visiting Rio’s world-renowned library and imposing Opera House or climbing to the top of the Corcovado. As a result, Germany team shirts could be seen all over Brazil’s second-largest city the day after their team’s triumph, together with the ever-present yellow jerseys of the host nation.

Unbridled enthusiasm Despite the prophecies of doom, the Brazilian people made the 2014 World Cup an unforgettable celebration, both in terms of the largely attacking football played by the participating teams as well as the atmosphere and professionalism with which the tournament unfolded at every level. Stadiums were full, fans from all over the world came out in force and the competition equalled France 1998’s record of 171 goals scored. The reality of the event contrasted starkly with the raft of negative predictions made before the Opening Match. The media repeatedly warned that the climate in Brazil would make it impossible to play attacking football, and while it was certainly hot in the more northerly venues, it was cool in the South and often rained for long periods on the coast. Teams went on the attack no matter what the weather,

It is not yet clear what the future holds for Brazil.

knowing what was at stake and ready to give everything in pursuit of their dreams. The German team that emerged victorious was the side best prepared to play in Brazil, both physically and mentally. They assessed the weather conditions astutely, in contrast to other top European teams who exited the competition early. Meanwhile, Latin American sides flourished. Costa Rica progressed to the quarter-finals from an extremely challenging group, while Argentina pushed Germany to the limit in the Final. By qualifying for the knockout stages, Algeria and Ghana also ensured the African confederation had two representatives in the Round of 16 for the very first time. “The world is smiling back” Germany coach Joachim Low included just one true striker in his squad: 36-year-old Miroslav Klose, who surpassed Brazilian legend Ronaldo with his 16th World Cup goal to claim the alltime scoring record. Despite being handed a tough test by Algeria in their 2-1 Round of 16 win, Die Mannschaft emphatically staked their claim for the title with a 7-1 semi-final rout of Brazil, re-establishing the dominance they had displayed when beating Portugal 4-0 in their opening group match. This dominance never threatened to overwhelm Germany, as it was based on positive rather than negative tactics. Philipp Lahm and his team-mates played attractive, invigorating and efficient football with smiles on their faces. “The world is smiling back,” German daily T H E F I FA W E E K LY

The FIFA World Cup™ is where all of us want to be.

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David Gray / Reuters

Victory over Chile A bar in Brasilia erupts after the penalty shoot-out on 28 June.

newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine declared in its editorial the following day. Spain were the team considered most likely to dominate before the tournament began, but their tiki-taka short passing game was rendered obsolete and their extremely long periods of possession turned out to be excessive this time around. Instead, quick transitions from defence to attack experienced a revival; Germany only had 48 per cent possession during their 7-1 win over the hosts, while the Netherlands generally prevailed over their opponents despite seeing less of the ball and were only defeated on penalties.

In Rio there was satisfaction that Brazil had shown the world its best side.

Brazilian football seeks a fresh start The Seleção enjoyed limited success at their home World Cup, losing to Germany in the semi-final while labouring under immense pressure. Scolari’s side were a force to be reckoned with at the 2013 Confederations Cup, but this summer the bubble finally burst with a draw against Mexico and a penalty shoot-out victory over Chile, before their humiliation at the hands of Germany. Brazil conceded 17 goals at this year’s tournament, more than any previous hosts. The team have now reached rock bottom and must be rebuilt from the ground up, while their failure to triumph has forced an entire nation to question its identity. Television broadcasts called for Brazil to hire a head coach with the philosophy of Pep Guardiola, if not the Bayern boss himself. With elections scheduled

to take place in October, it is not yet clear what the future holds for Brazil. On the bright side, the country was clearly not overwhelmed when it came to hosting the World Cup. Quite the opposite in fact: the 12 stadiums were finished in time to host matches as planned, something many media outlets believed was improbable even days before the start of the tournament. The competition’s thousands of visitors also arrived without incident, proving that fears of bottlenecks at airports were similarly unfounded. The wall of sound created by fans in the arenas played a major role in inspiring teams to produce the extraordinary spectacle witnessed across the globe and created an extremely positive atmosphere.

An impressive achievement It goes without saying that the predicted mass demonstrations failed to materialise and football remained the focus of this World Cup. The Brazilians proved to be politically astute citizens, perfectly capable of differentiating between home-grown social and economic problems and the efforts of FIFA, which ceased to be the people’s scapegoat long before the tournament began. Even before the 64th FIFA Congress in Sao Paulo at the start of June, it was clear that locals were looking forward to their ‘Copa do Mundo’ and had stopped misdirecting their criticism. In Rio in the days following the World Cup Final, there was satisfaction that Brazil had shown the world its best side over the past fourand-a-half weeks. Although the Seleção face the prospect of an upheaval, Brazilians proved that they can put on an event of this magnitude. The country can take heart from its achievement, and the rest of the world gives thanks for it. Å

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F I F A ’ S 11

Teams with the most World Cup wins

Brazil 70 wins in 104 World Cup matches

Germany 66 wins in 106 World Cup matches

Italy 45 wins in 83 World Cup matches

When celebrations 4 go awry Alan Schweingruber

ubert called in sick the morning after the World Cup Final saying he felt terrible, perhaps with some kind of nasty gastrointestinal flu. “Ill?” his boss shouted down the telephone. “Do you expect me to believe that, Westermann? I heard you were dancing in the streets last night.” Hubert had long since stopped rising to his boss’s provocations; after all, it was not the first time. There was no doubt the entire team would have heard their telephone conversation; the boss made sure to leave his office door open whenever he saw an opportunity to reinforce his authority over the department. He once railed at Hubert’s colleague Dolores when she had to take her budgerigar to the vet. Apparently, Dolores sobbed for hours afterwards – or at least that’s what Hubert had been told. Hubert decided not to let such nuisances bother him any longer, and resolved instead to find his centre. He took a hot bath, made himself a cup of tea and settled down in front of the television, which was playing the highlights from the 2014 World Cup, beginning with Van Persie’s flying header, then James Rodriguez’s long-range strike against Uruguay. Finally, Gotze’s World Cup winning goal was shown from three different angles. Wonderful. Hubert smiled weakly and changed channels to be greeted by the sight of three cyclists battling it out for the lead on a rainsoaked mountain road in France. One of the riders’ legs appeared to be bleeding, presumably as the result of a fall. Hubert thought it might be fitting if something similar happened to his boss on the way to work one day, and gave a short laugh. Moments later, he drifted off to sleep.

Hubert dreamed he was about to take a penalty at the Maracana. He was standing in front of a goalkeeper making comments to put him off his stride – “trash talk”, as they call it in boxing. Well, that won’t work with Westermann! He sweated as the sound of 70,000 fans washed over him, deliberating as to whether to place his shot in the top left or bottom right corner. Finally he thrashed his shot over the crossbar, drawing jeers from the assembled crowd. His boss was standing by the barriers behind the goal. “Westermann, you loser!” he cried. Then Hubert woke up. Another wave of stomach pain hit him, even worse than in the morning. He staggered to the bathroom and later made his way to the kitchen. Halfway there, he peered into the living room to see the local television station showing amateur footage from the previous night’s celebrations. One shot showed Hubert in his white football shirt and a tattered straw hat, dancing to a German pop song with a glass of Weissbier in his hand. As the cameraman zoomed in, the happy reveller leaned in and kissed the lens. The next morning, Westermann called in sick until the end of the week – this time via email. Å

The weekly column by our staff writers

Argentina 42 wins in 77 World Cup matches

Spain 29 wins in 59 World Cup matches

France 28 wins in 59 World Cup matches

The Netherlands 27 wins in 50 World Cup matches

England 26 wins in 62 World Cup matches

Uruguay 20 wins in 51 World Cup matches

Russia 17 wins in 40 World Cup matches

Sweden 16 wins in 46 World Cup matches

Source: FIFA (FIFA World Cup, Milestones & Superlatives, Statistical Kit, 12/05/2014) T H E F I FA W E E K LY

Name: Gerard Houllier Date and place of birth 3 September 1947, Therouanne Clubs played for Liverpool Alsop Hucqueliers AC Le Touquet Clubs coached AC Le Touquet US Noeux-les-Mines RC Lens Paris Saint-Germain France Liverpool, Olympique Lyon Aston Villa Red Bull (sporting director) Three-time French champion, UEFA Cup, FA Cup

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Major honours

THE INTERVIEW

“We identify trends in football” Having won the French Championship three times and guided Liverpool to several major titles, Gerard Houllier analysed matches at the World Cup in Brazil with scientific rigour. The Frenchman was unsurprised by the attacking spectacle on show this summer. Monsieur Houllier, you analysed the World Cup meticulously in your role as head of FIFA’s Technical Study Group. What were your lasting impressions of the tournament? Top quality football, lots of goals and great entertainment. The intensity was phenomenal in most matches, with almost unbeatable drama. It began back at the group stage with teams you would hardly have expected to shine. It was also remarkable that there were no obviously inferior sides in the competition; every team had a chance to qualify for the second round. Who would have thought that Costa Rica would go home unbeaten having only been defeated in a penalty shootout?

What exactly was your role at the World Cup? The role of the FIFA Technical Study Group is to identify trends and tendencies in football. We analyse every situation in every match, evaluate the information and data and then pass on our report and a DVD to every national football association. This information forms the basis for global development work and programmes. You can feel football’s pulse at the World Cup – and discover the direction in which its development is headed.

How do you explain the high level of competition at this World Cup? Every team has players who ply their trade in Europe and take that experience home with them. Coaches also have much more knowledge and information available to them than before, and our analysis forms part of that. In addition, youth development work is continuing to improve in many football associations.

Does that also mean that there are fewer differences in style between individual teams? I think we’ve seen at this World Cup that many South American teams are now organised in an almost European way, while at the same time retaining their passion and pride. I’m thinking of Colombia, Argentina and Chile. Chile are a particularly good example, as practically all of their players are based overseas and bring a blend of the most important qualities together – good organisation, individual quality, discipline and tactical zeal. It was no coincidence that Chile only lost narrowly to Brazil.

How great is the influence of European club football? Football is global – the greatest talents come from every continent – but of course the top leagues have an influence on national sides. Most players from the top four teams earn their living in Europe. Playing for a top European club means having a particularly high level of tactical awareness.

Returning to the subject of Brazil, their 7-1 defeat by Germany was one of this tournament’s defining moments… Yes, but you have to go back much further to analyse Brazil’s performance in that game. The team had a very difficult route through this tournament, starting with the very technical Croatians and a tricky Mexican side. In the knock-out stages, Chile and Colombia were extremely hard to overcome. What happened against Germany was unfortunate. I don’t wish to belittle Germany’s performance at all – Jogi Low’s team played perfectly – but after the second goal, the Brazilians became shell-shocked. That can happen in football.

We’ll still be talking about that match in 50 years’ time. And I suspect that was exactly the problem for the home team. Before this World Cup, everyone was talking about Brazil’s humiliation against Uruguay in 1950. That put enormous pressure on the team, and it seems as though Brazil buckled underneath it. But let’s remain objective: the team reached the semi-final. It’s not all bad news when your team manages to finish among the top four teams in the world. But in light of the huge weight of public expectation, their defeat feels like total failure instead.

In what ways did Germany and Argentina outperform their competitors? The Germans gradually improved as the tournament went on and found a solution to every problem. They didn’t make any mistakes and warmed to their task with every game. For the past eight years, their team has been extremely consistent, and any team that gets so consistently close to winning titles develops a huge desire to triumph. These experiences helped get the team where they are now.

And Argentina? Everyone was talking about Messi, but behind him was an exceptionally well organised side with exemplary discipline. Argentina’s excellent defensive qualities were particularly impressive. It’s no coincidence that prior to the Final the Albiceleste were yet to concede a goal during the knockout stages.

How do you explain the attacking play witnessed over the four-and-a-half week tournament? For me, it was no surprise. I’d been expecting a spectacular, attack-minded tournament ever since the Confederations Cup last year. We knew before the competition began that around 50 per cent of the coaches would be stepping down after the World Cup, and that probably motivated many of them to take on more risks than usual. However, this development has also been caused by a couple of astute rule adjustments, such as a consistent crackdown on cynical fouls or dangerous tackles from behind. Comprehensive media coverage also has a part to play, as it means serious fouls automatically become a major topic of conversation and the “culprit” is roundly criticised for his actions.

And yet we witnessed the situation with Neymar, who was completely taken out by Colombia’s Juan Zuniga. That was the kind of accident that can happen in any match. I don’t believe any player would ever try to deliberately injure an opponent that way.

How would you like to see football develop in the future? I’d like to see the quality of play and technical skills remain at the heart of football, encouraging exponents to play to their strengths while offering creativity and ideas. This World Cup was a tournament full of exceptional individuals such as Messi, Robben, Muller and Neymar, but all these players also work hard in their own half of the pitch and puts the needs of their team first. That’s what makes a complete modernday player. Å Gerard Houllier was talking to Thomas Renggli T H E F I FA W E E K LY

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London, England

1953

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Adding the finishing touches: A groundsman shows off the latest in lawnmower technology at a Fulham private members’ club.

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MIRROR IMAGE

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

2014

Buda Mendes / Getty Images

Mowing at the Maracana: A solitary figure trims the most famous turf in all of Brazil.

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FIFA WORLD R ANKING Rank Team

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Germany Argentina Netherlands Colombia Belgium Uruguay Brazil Spain Switzerland France Portugal Chile Greece Italy USA Costa Rica Croatia Mexico Bosnia and Herzegovina England Ecuador Ukraine Russia Algeria Côte d'Ivoire Denmark Scotland Romania Sweden Venezuela Serbia Turkey Panama Nigeria Czech Republic Egypt Slovenia Hungary Ghana Honduras Armenia Tunisia Austria Wales Japan Slovakia Iceland Paraguay Iran Montenegro Guinea Uzbekistan Norway Cameroon Finland Korea Republic Jordan Burkina Faso Peru Mali Poland Senegal Libya Sierra Leone United Arab Emirates South Africa Albania Israel Oman Republic of Ireland Bolivia Bulgaria Azerbaijan FYR Macedonia Cape Verde Islands Australia Zambia

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

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

Change in ranking Points

1 3 12 4 6 1 -4 -7 -3 7

1724 1606 1496 1492 1401 1330 1241 1229 1216 1202

-7 2 -1 -5 -2 12 1 2 2 -10 5 -6 -4 -2 -2 -3 0 1 3 10 -1 3 -2 10 -1 0 -12 9 -1 -7 -3 6 -1 -3 1 3 5 2 -6 1 1 7 2 3 6 1 6 2 -14 -3 8 12 1 -10 7 -1 -1 8 10 0 -4 6 10 6 -36 -14 -1

1148 1098 1091 1056 989 986 955 930 917 911 901 898 897 872 850 807 734 733 724 720 717 714 684 664 646 645 644 642 642 637 635 621 614 606 604 588 570 566 563 559 555 523 520 520 508 501 500 495 487 483 478 476 471 469 466 450 444 444 443 440 429 425 410 406 401 397 396

Ranking 02 / 2014

03 / 2014

04 / 2014

05 / 2014

06 / 2014

07 / 2014

1 -41 -83 -125 -167 -209

78 79 79 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 89 91 92 93 94 95 96 96 98 99 99 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 115 117 118 119 120 121 121 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 129 131 131 133 134 135 136 136 138 139 140 140 142 143 144

Top spot

Biggest climber

Saudi Arabia Morocco Angola Belarus Congo Jamaica Trinidad and Tobago Palestine Qatar Uganda Togo Northern Ireland Iraq Benin Estonia Gabon China PR Kenya Congo DR Georgia Zimbabwe Botswana Niger New Zealand Moldova Latvia Lithuania Bahrain Tanzania Kuwait Luxembourg Rwanda Ethiopia Equatorial Guinea Namibia Haiti Mozambique Sudan Liberia Central African Republic Canada Lebanon Cuba Malawi El Salvador Aruba Tajikistan Dominican Republic Burundi Kazakhstan Philippines Afghanistan Vietnam Lesotho Suriname Mauritania Guatemala St Vincent and the Grenadines New Caledonia Guinea-Bissau St Lucia Cyprus Turkmenistan Chad Grenada Madagascar Kyrgyzstan

12 -2 14 1 3 -2 -13 9 14 -1 0 1 15 -4 6 -4 9 13 -12 0 1 -7 13 -4 -1 6 2 5 7 8 11 7 -3 -9 2 -40 4 5 1 -12 -8 6 -25 1 -53 -3 2 6 2 -3 1 1 -6 8 5 4 -7 -2 4 -2 -1 3 3 -6 2 1 5

Biggest faller

384 377 377 376 375 373 369 362 361 358 357 356 356 354 345 344 342 339 338 338 334 332 332 330 325 314 312 288 287 281 278 276 273 270 264 262 257 256 256 253 250 249 245 234 234 233 232 230 222 220 218 217 217 213 213 208 204 203 199 199 195 193 183 183 182 179 176

145 146 147 148 149 150 151 151 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 167 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 175 177 178 178 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 190 192 192 192 192 196 197 198 199 200 200 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 208

Maldives Syria Korea DPR Gambia Antigua and Barbuda Malta Malaysia India Indonesia Singapore Guyana Puerto Rico Thailand St Kitts and Nevis Swaziland Myanmar Belize Hong Kong Bangladesh Nepal Pakistan Montserrat Liechtenstein Dominica Barbados Laos Tahiti Comoros Bermuda Guam Nicaragua Solomon Islands São Tomé e Príncipe Sri Lanka Chinese Taipei Yemen Turks and Caicos Islands Seychelles Curaçao Faroe Islands Mauritius South Sudan Vanuatu Fiji Mongolia US Virgin Islands Samoa Bahamas Brunei Darussalam Timor-Leste Tonga Cayman Islands American Samoa Andorra Papua New Guinea Cambodia British Virgin Islands Eritrea Somalia Macau Djibouti Cook Islands Anguilla Bhutan San Marino

2 -6 -1 0 2 -18 2 3 4 1 1 2 -8 2 14 -1 -9 1 4 0 -1 0 -5 2 1 -2 -10 2 2 4 1 5 -5 1 -2 3 26 -1 -1 -13 -1 -1 3 0 -2 5 -1 -6 0 0 0 0 1 2 -3 -10 -2 -1 -1 -2 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1

171 169 163 161 152 146 144 144 141 140 136 134 128 124 123 122 117 114 103 102 100 99 93 93 92 87 85 84 83 79 78 78 72 71 71 70 66 64 63 61 56 43 38 31 29 28 28 26 26 26 26 21 18 16 14 13 13 11 8 7 6 5 1 0 0

THE SOUND OF FOOTBALL

THE OBJEC T

Perikles Monioudis

Anti-commercial attitudes Hanspeter Kuenzler

With four years to go until the next official World Cup hit is released, fans have little choice but to turn to unofficial football songs for now.

Sion Ap Tomos

espite its fast and frenetic melody, “The Official Colourbox World Cup Theme” only ever found fame on the British alternative music scene. And yet the clever joke in the title – it was obviously not an official FIFA song, but rather an “official” Colourbox single - was as clear a sign as any that it was much more than just a quick money-maker for the artists. Colourbox, a band consisting of brothers Martyn and Steven Young as well as singer Lorita Grahame, were experimenting with electronic instruments and the hip-hop technique of sampling in a dingy basement flat in Maida Vale, London, years before techno music began to dominate the dance scene. But rather than producing “Krautrock” in the Kraftwerk style or disco à la Giorgio Moroder, the three musicians focused on combining reggae beats with soul music, English humour and a spaghetti western feel. They only ever released one album, which climbed up to number 67 in the charts. “The Official Colourbox World Cup Theme” came out

a matter of months before the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, but in keeping with the anti-commercial attitudes prevalent in alternative music circles at the time, the band released a second single on the very same day in a move that damaged both songs’ chances. The cover was very well-designed, displaying pictures of English footballers Jimmy Hill (front) and Bobby Robson (back) in classic 1960s-style kits. The “song” itself is an incredibly powerful instrumental piece constructed in particularly elegant fashion and containing no vocals bar the occasional grunting sound. A short while later Colourbox merged with the group A.R.Kane to form M/A/R/R/S in an attempt to take their sampling experiments to the next level, promptly releasing the pioneering and popular hit “Pump up the volume”. The band hated the hype though, and have never recorded a song together since. Æ

very football fan acknowledges the existence of ‘hallowed turf’. The term is not used to denote any ordinary patch of ground; instead, it refers only to grass on which the beautiful game is played and where the sport’s idols write the chapters of its history, whether by scoring the goal of the season or by winning trophies. Only pitches that seem to serve a higher purpose can be termed ‘hallowed’. For many football fans, the first examples that spring to mind are the green grass of London’s Wembley Stadium and, many thousands of miles away, the pitch in Rio de Janeiro’s Estádio do Maracana in the land of the five-time world champions. In 1950, Brazil and Uruguay played the decisive final match of the World Cup in the newly-constructed Maracana, with La Celeste coming out on top. Sixty-four years later, the greatest stadium of them all witnessed another World Cup Final, and once again A Seleção were unable to emerge victorious, having exited the competition in the previous round. In 2014, it was Germany’s turn to triumph on Rio’s sacred ground, writing another chapter in the veritable legend of this remarkable stadium. A piece of this revered pitch will soon go on display in Zurich’s FIFA Museum. The only question is: how do you transport a square of turf across the Atlantic to Lake Zurich in the heart of Europe without it being damaged? The answer is to use the custom-made wooden box pictured above. Although there is nothing special about the container itself, the fact that it will have been used to carry this hallowed turf should be reason enough for its inclusion in the FIFA Museum’s archives. Å

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Only eight countries have ever lifted the FIFA World Cup Trophy.

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TURNING POINT

Name Abdel Moneim Hussein Date and place of birth 7 July 1956, Khartoum (Sudan) Position Defensive midfield Honours as a player Eight-time Egyptian champion, Two-time Egyptian Cup winner Selected honours as coach Two-time Egyptian champion, African Champions League winner

“I’m thankful I was expelled.” Sudan’s Abdel Moneim Hussein is a legend in African football, a status he was only able to achieve after being thrown out of university as a youngster.

Getty Images

n the world of football I’m known as “Shatta”, which is Arabic for ’spicy pepper’. I was called that even as a child because I could never sit still and was always so full of energy. That’s also the reason I’ve had the career I’ve had because it always pushed me to do more than most of my contemporaries. I grew up in Sudan with six sisters and six brothers, so fighting my corner came naturally. When I was a child, football was only a hobby for me. I played it out on the streets with my friends but I invested more time and energy on my education in school. I was determined to become an engineer and was awarded a place at the University of Khartoum, a privilege that was extremely difficult to obtain because they only accept 20 students per year. While I was a student I continued playing football in the university team and for local club Al Tharir. In 1972 we pulled off a huge sur-

prise by winning the prestigious African Universities Cup in Tanzania. I finished the tournament as top scorer and was also voted as best player. That proved to be the big turning point in my life, although not in the way I had imagined. When we returned to Khartoum I was thrown out of university on the grounds that I’d missed three weeks without permission. At first it was a shock but with hindsight I’m grateful to the university for expelling me because it opened the door to the big world of football for me. My performances had attracted the attention of a lot of big African clubs and in the end I decided to join the record Egyptian champions Al Ahly. Anyone who is unfamiliar with Egyptian football will not be able to understand just how big the club is. The derbies against Zamalek are among the fiercest in the world, with crowds of 120,000 filling the stadium in Cairo.

After hanging up my boots as a player I became coach of Al Ahly. However, the second big turning point for me was being appointed technical director of African football’s governing body. In that role I followed the performances of the African players at the World Cup in Brazil very closely. The fact that two of our teams reached the Round of 16 for the first time is an achievement, but we could have done even better. African football has enough talent and desire to be very successful but it needs a more stable administrative and organisational foundation. The only way to improve that is to participate in more competitions, both on a continental level and on the international stage. That’s why I hope that one day Africa will have more than five allocated places at the World Cup because we have exactly the same number of members as UEFA after all. Å As told to Thomas Renggli

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

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FIFA QUIZ CUP

A World Cup shirt, Alfredo’s doppelganger and... Test your knowledge!

President: Joseph S. Blatter Secretary General: Jérôme Valcke

This world-class striker played for three national teams, the third being Spain. He missed the 1962 World Cup with injury. He spent many years with a leading Spanish club – while the country’s other top side were after his services too. He died in Spanish city where his former club are based.

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Chief Editor: Perikles Monioudis Staff Writers: Thomas Renggli (Author), Alan Schweingruber, Sarah Steiner Art Direction: Catharina Clajus

How many World Cup matches featured this shirt?

Picture Editor: Peggy Knotz

A O E I

Production: Hans-Peter Frei Layout: Richie Krönert (Lead), Marianne Bolliger-Crittin, Susanne Egli, Mirijam Ziegler Proof Reader: Nena Morf, Kristina Rotach

Contributors: Sérgio Xavier Filho, Luigi Garlando, Sven Goldmann, Hanspeter Kuenzler, Jordi Punti, David Winner, Roland Zorn

Editorial Assistant: Honey Thaljieh Project Management: Bernd Fisa, Christian Schaub

What does it say on the trophy?

C L N R

Contributors to this Issue: Andreas Jaros, Alissa Rosskopf, Andrew Warshaw, Andreas Wilhelm 4

3 or less exactly 5 exactly 6 7 or more

Man of the Match Golden Boot Fair Play Third Place WC 2014

Excluding goals in shoot-outs, who scored the most World Cup goals: the players from the English club, from the Spanish team, the trio or the father of two sons?

Translation: Sportstranslations Limited www.sportstranslations.com Printer: Zofinger Tagblatt AG www.ztonline.ch

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The answer to last week’s Quiz Cup was SEPP Detailed answers on www.fifa.com/theweekly Inspiration and implementation: cus

Send your answer by 23 July 2014 to feedback-theweekly@fifa.org. Correct solutions to all quizzes published from 13 June 2014 onwards will go into a draw in January 2015 for a trip for two to the FIFA Ballon d’Or on 12 January 2015. Before sending in answers, all participants must read and accept the competition terms and conditions and the rules, which can be found at: http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/af-magazine/fifaweekly/02/20/51/99/en_rules_20140613_english_neutral.pdf T H E F I FA W E E K LY

A S K T H E W E E K LY

T HIS WEEK’S POLL

Which style of football did you most enjoy at the 2014 World Cup?

Seven Bayern Munich players represented Germany in the World Cup Final. Is this a record? Ines Mares, Turin No. Spain’s line-up for the Final four years ago included six Barcelona players: Pique, Puyol, Busquets, Iniesta, Xavi and Pedro. However, the Spanish squad included seven Barça stars, the same as the Bayern contingent in the new World Cup winners’ squad. The full complement of Munich men appeared in the Final against Argentina when Germany coach Joachim Low brought on Mario Gotze as a sub. However, 64 years ago the Uruguay squad for the last match (and effectively the Final) in 1950 featured nine players from Montevideo club Penarol: Maspoli, Varela, Ghiggia, Miguez, Schiaf fino, Britos, Gonzalez, Ortuno and Vidal. Penarol’s total of nine world champions is a record. (thr)

Newly-crowned world champions Germany captivated the world with their modern brand of football, but Costa Rica, Nigeria and the Netherlands also delivered attractive performances. Which playing style did you enjoy the most? Give us your views at www.fifa.com/newscentre

L A S T W E E K’S P O L L R E S U LT S Which team will win the FIFA Fair Play Award? (Colombia won) 48% 31%

Colombia Switzerland

12%

Another team

Nigeria

Argentina

WEEK IN NUMBERS

USA midfielder Michael Bradley covered 16.69 km in his side’s 2–1 Round of 16 defeat to Belgium. The 26-year-old covered the most distance in a single match of any player at the tournament. The battle-hardened Bradley, a tireless worker in the most literal sense of the phrase, was appearing at his second World Cup.

The Italy and England players completed 88 percent of their passes when the sides met in Brazil. This top score at the 2014 World Cup was even more remarkable as the former world champions clashed in the tropical heat of Manaus. Italy emerged 2–1 winners. (Pictured Daniele De Rossi.)

Junior Diaz clocked an extraordinary 33.8 km/h in a sprint at the 2014 World Cup. The Costa Rica full-back posted the fastest top speed of any player at the tournament. The 30-year-old has featured in the German Bundesliga for Mainz since 2012.

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16.69

33.8