The FIFA Weekly Issue #42

ISSUE 42, 8 AUGUST 2014

ENGLISH EDITION

Fédération Internationale de Football Association – Since 1904

ARGENTINA

SEPP BLATTER NO AGE LIMITS FOR REFEREES THAILAND FOOTBALLING MONK AIDING CHILDREN GUNTER NETZER WE NEED A FOURTH SUBSTITUTE

THE BOCA JUNIORS STORY W W W.FIFA.COM/ THEWEEKLY

CONTENTS

6

North and Central America 35 members www.concacaf.com

The Boca Juniors story A club in Buenos Aires founded by working-class Italian immigrants now boasts a worldwide fan base. Randy Williams explores the rich history and traditions at Boca Juniors and reports from the venerable Bombonera stadium, where visiting teams have confessed to being awed by the ground shaking beneath their feet.

16

South Africa After a lengthy trophy drought, success has returned to Mamelodi Sundowns. The new season begins this weekend and the club have beefed up their squad in search of CAF Champions League glory.

25

Sepp Blatter In his weekly column, the FIFA President calls for an end to age limits for referees: “Performance must take precedence over age,” he declares.

35

Gunter Netzer Our columnist throws his support behind a proposed change in the Laws to allow a fourth substitute in extra-time.

South America 10 members www.conmebol.com

18

Christine Sinclair Interview: The Canadian star on the vital importance of the U-20 World Cup for young women footballers.

15

Paris Saint-Germain How will a Brazilian partnership of David Luiz and Thiago Silva fare at the heart of central defence?

The Boca Juniors story Our cover picture dates from 24 January 1982 and shows Diego Maradona during a friendly match.

AFLOSPORT / imago

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

2

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

Youth Olympic Football Tournaments 14 – 27 August 2014, Nanjing

Reuters (2), imago (1)

The FIFA Weekly Magazine App The FIFA Weekly, FIFA’s magazine, is available in four languages as an e-Magazine and on your tablet every Friday.

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

37

Henrik Larsson How a decision taken on the way to Amsterdam airport helped launch an illustrious playing career.

28

Steven Layne (1)

Thailand We tell the tale of Jao Pok, a monk who has organised football for kids over the course of many decades.

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

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

3

© 2014 Visa. All rights reserved. Shrek © 2014 DreamWorks Animation L.L.C. All Rights Reserved.

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

UNCOVERED

The home of tango

Shrine Images adorn a wall in a Boca Juniors fan’s home.

A

T

T

S

David Maupile / laif

t the start of June, the FIFA Congress voted against age limits, and as FIFA President Blatter says in his weekly column, “referees can also benefit from these significant freedoms.” Currently, match officials are only permitted to oversee football matches until they turn 45. According to Sepp Blatter, “this regulation is in stark contradiction of competitive principles, because performance must take precedence over age.” he club portrayed in this week’s cover story is extremely old. Boca Juniors was founded in Buenos Aires at the start of the 20th century and went on to cultivate the careers of several great footballers including Diego Maradona. Randy O. Williams visited Argentina to find out what brings football fans from all over the world to this vibrant neighbourhood in the shadow of the old Bombonera stadium, where the tango is danced each day.

housands of miles away in Thailand, a monk has dedicated decades of his life to the wellbeing of disadvantaged children. His name is Jao Pok and he is passionate about coaching football, but the ‘footballing monk’, as he is known, has one overriding priority: to equip children as well as possible for their journey through life. The FIFA Weekly brings you a four-page report on his work. ince the World Cup in Brazil, there has been much discussion about the possibility of allowing a fourth substitute in extra time. One reader asked our expert Gunter Netzer for his opinion. According to the German, “this new rule would breathe new life into games during a long tournament.” Å Alan Schweingruber

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

5

BOCA JUNIORS

LIFELONG

6

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

BOCA JUNIORS

LOVE

Passionate and reckless Boca Juniors fans in Buenos Aires.

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

7

Wall of noise Emerging into the B 足 ombonera is to enter a cauldron of colour and song.

8

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

BOCA JUNIORS

Argentinian club Boca Juniors was founded by working-class ­Italian immigrants but now has a worldwide fan base. Our profile traces the club’s remarkable growth.

Randy O. Williams, Buenos Aires

Reinaldo Coddou H. / fotogloria, Juan Manuel Castro Prieto / VU / laif; Seite 6–7: Natacha Pisarenko / AP / Keystone

T

he age of the Club Atlético Boca Juniors of Buenos Aires reaches back over 100 years, and though it may be old school in its roots (founded by a few blue-collar Italian immigrants working in the shipyards in the early 1900s), its forward-thinking moves have turned a small neighborhood squad into an international icon.

Of course winning 18 International titles including six Libertadores and the only club to win at least one title in each decade of professional football as well as having never been relegated (part of a very select group that includes Real Madrid, Barcelona and Inter), has certainly aided in growing the club’s stature.

Boca Juniors has also been blessed by a veritable who’s who of world class players: Antonio Rattín, Hugo Gatti, Gabriel Batistuta, Juan Roman Riquelme, Angel Clemente Rojas, Martin Palermo, Roberto Mouzo, Carlos Tevez and Diego Maradona among many others. The squad has also been guided by brilliant managers over the years – Carlos Bianchi, Miguel Angel Russo, Oscar Tabarez and Cesar Luis Menotti to name a few. They have won it all with stingy defenses and at other times as a scoring machine.

Comprehensive package Add to the consistent winning and wealth of talent is having the foresight to take their game overseas since the mid 1920’s. It has been through conducting exhibitions and clinics all over the world at an increased level through the ensuing years, including such places as Italy, Mexico, Germany and England, combined with broadcasting television documentaries abroad and developing Boca Juniors Youth Academies in Kuwait, New York, India, Brazil and Japan, that the brand has built a true ­worldwide following.

But you ask any player or coach who has been part of the Blue and Yellow and they will be the first to tell you that a significant part of their success has been where they play and who they play for. Despite enjoying tremendous fanfare from Tokyo to Rome, it is the home

­ nvironment where it all is centered. And while e the management has smartly built a major social media program through massive Twitter and Facebook adherents, a fair amount of that accomplishment and eminence can be attributed to something more concrete associated with the club. One nearly 75 years old and the other essentially brand new that, together, create a compelling package.

Located south of the Buenos Aires’ city center, less than 4 kilometers from the Plaza de Mayo in the colorful neighborhood of La Boca, La Bombonera (capacity 49,000) is arguably one of the most iconic stadiums of the world.

The chocolate box “La Bombonera was built between 1938 and 1940, and, as the legend goes, received its name because the architect, given a box of chocolates on his birthday, suddenly realized the similarities between the stadium and the candy box,” explains Jessica Amarilla, a local historian and tour guide. “Boca Juniors had already played at the site since 1924, which was until then a rather simple wooden stadium. After Boca bought the land in 1931, it began making plans to build a new concrete stadium. La Bombonera officially opened May 25th 1940 as the Boca Juniors won a friendly against San Lorenzo

Showing the colours The walls of the world-famous Bombonera.

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

9

BOCA JUNIORS

Bitter rivals find common ground turned the tables and won the first competitive encounter by the same score. Two years ago, when River were relegated to the second tier for the first time in their history, the Boca Fans gleefully took up a new chant: “River, decime qué se siente, haber jugado el nacional…” (River, tell me how it feels to have played in Division 2...) The song became world famous this summer in a version adapted to taunt Brazil, when even River fans enthusiastically joined in.

In the spring of this year and just by way of a change, the “Superclásico” was played neither in Boca’s Bombonera nor River’s Estadio Monumental, moving instead to Mexico as part of a promotional tour. The players paraded out onto the pitch hand in hand to the backdrop of a huge national flag bearing the legend “Vamos Argentina”! “Yes, yes, let’s go, let’s go!” people of all stripes chanted in the cafés and bars of Buenos Aires.

And there you have it: “La Albiceleste” is the only known reason for the “Hinchas” to forget red-and-white or blue-and-yellow and unite in the name of sky blue and white.

Sven Goldmann

Two tribes Boca fans delight in taunting their River counterparts.

10

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

La Bombonera The stadium boasts a capacity of 49,000.

(­2-0). A second tier was completed in 1941 and a third tier was finally constructed between 1951 and 1953”.

But what brings that beloved edifice to life is the feeling, that experience of being part of the frenetic passion of its fans which has earned a glowing global reputation (the UK’s Observer newspaper recently stated that ­experiencing a Superclasico match between Boca Juniors and River Plate in La Bombonera is one of the Top 50 “Must-Do” experiences in sports).

Non-stop singing More than a few opponents have stated they have been awed by the ground shaking beneath their feet from the intensity of the p ­ acked stadium with the zealous crowd s­ tomping, waving, dancing and singing. Oh yes, they sing. In between bites of chorizos and hamburgers, setting off flares, waving t-shirts and banners, they belt out tunes accompanied by drumbeats and blaring trumpets with lyrics like “come on, come on Boca, come on Xeneize we are going to win, we are the half plus one, we are the people and the carnival, Boca I keep you in my soul, and every day I love you more!”. And on it goes from whistle to whistle. The energy produced is simply astounding. One can only imagine the

Victor R. Caivano / AP / Keystone

T

he footballing community in Argentina is strictly divided by colour. You’re either red-and-white or blue-and-yellow, River Plate or Boca Juniors, with nothing in between. Boca and River are more than mere football clubs; their world views are at opposite ends of the spectrum. Fire and ice have a better chance of peaceful coexistence than the Buenos Aires giants.

A month on from the World Cup, Argentina’s Primera Division is about to resume with the 2014 Torneo Transicion, although the prospect of economic hardship due to the looming spectre of another sovereign debt default is a much bigger topic than football right now. The relationship between Boca and River is also a story of haves and havenots. Both trace their roots to La Boca, a port district with a strong Italian flavour.

However, in the 1930s River moved to the genteel Nunez neighbourhood and earned an instant reputation as a club for the rich, “Los Millionarios”. By contrast Boca have remained true to their working-class origins.

Their best-known former player is one Diego Maradona, who spurned an offer from River and joined Boca instead, before finding fame with Barcelona and Napoli.

The bitter rivalry dates back to 1908, when Boca beat River 2-1 in the inaugural friendly between the sides. Five years later River

BOCA JUNIORS

Javier Garcia Martino / Photogamma / imago

Many opponents say they were awed by the ground shaking beneath their feet. zenith it reaches when they host their longtime rival River Plate whom they have faced in 342 derbies since 1908.

That love and support of Boca Juniors is on display everyday at the aptly titled “Museo de la Pasion” which is located on the street level of the stadium.

Since launching in April 2001, the two-story, 1500 square meter temple to Boca Junior futbol, has received over 3 million visitors.

“The overwhelming demand to know more about our club’s history led to the creation of the museum,” Maximilliano Nobili, the Boca Juniors Club Director of Communications says. “It was also a way to not only draw in new fans, but also have loyal fans come back to learn more about their favorite team’s wealthy history through all the various ­a spects our museum offers”.

Passion trumps art That history includes a miniature recreation of the Boca neighborhood in which the club was born.

Adds Amarilla: “(It) celebrates the careers of great players, teams and coaches through photos, statues, mementos and film. The museum has the club broken down by each year on film. There is a highlight reel of each season situated next to what happened in Argentina that year and another about what happened in the world that year. We also have a wall of photos of every single player who ever stepped on the field for our club as well as every single ­u niform fashion since the beginning”.

Nicolas Lopez Fagundez, Museos Deportivos’ Director of Marketing representing the company that designed the structure, explains the secret to its success: “It is important

to ­consider the objects to be displayed. These are not artworks of course; however, they are full of passion and emotion. It is the key to know how to instill these feelings. It is not just telling facts, it is retelling memorable stories that will move the visitors and make them feel like part of them. Fortunately, football allows for ­reliving those unforgettable moments”.

Though there has been talk of building a new stadium through the years, local fans have expressed their desire to keep the place they call home just the same as it was almost 75 years ago.

“La Bombonera is a magical place,” Nobili says. “It has been a palace of passion since it was built in 1940 and the fans, team ownership and local government outside of some modern technical improvements and better access, have no plans to alter that house of worship for the foreseeable future”.

Welcome to Hotel Boca Speaking of a “palace of passion”, another edifice, this one ultra-modern, has served the club’s brand awareness with distinction in its brief existence serving fans near and far.

Born from an idea by a staff member of the Design Suites Group and championed by then T H E F I FA W E E K LY

11

BOCA JUNIORS

Champion in 1981 Diego Maradona is the world’s best-known Boca Juniors old boy.

12

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

BOCA JUNIORS

Boca Juniors Club President Mauricio Macri (now the Mayor of Buenos Aires), the notion of building the world’s first futbol-themed hotel became a reality in a hurry and once again offered the club brand a distinct business ­ component that has both raised awareness ­ globally as well as income.

Opened in April of 2012, the five-star Hotel Boca was designed by Uruguayan architect C arlos Ott. The 17-story, 85-room building ­ ­includes a restaurant, bar as well as a lounge area, spa, indoor pool and gym and naturally a Boca Juniors gift shop.

One of the keys to the hotel’s success is that is incorporates shared elements of the fan experience at the La Bombonera Stadium ­ ­primarily by use of extensive memorabilia. The hotel essentially has a mini-museum itself.

Horacio Villalobos / Corbis, Reinaldo Coddou H / fotogloria

Every bedroom door is ­d ecorated with a life-size image of a famed Boca player.

“Memorabilia from the Boca Museum is incorporated into small displays throughout the hotel and every room door is decorated with a life-size painting of a famed Boca ­player,” explains Pablo Marchese, the hotel operations manager.

Now what has happened as a result of the growth of global awareness of the Boca Juniors brand due to foreign clinics, academies and television documentaries is that people from Europe, Asia, the United States and Mexico make holidays centered around ­ their favorite soccer club which essentially plays a year-round schedule and now they have a ­related hotel to stay at.

Amarilla says, ’People see us from around the world of having a great time in our stadium no matter the outcome. And they come from all four corners of the globe to experience it for themselves”. Å

River Plate, the aristocrats

Inimitable A red stripe runs diagonally across the club shirt and is an essential component of every supporter’s flag.

A

rgentina is a country where football and public debate generate equal amounts of passion. It is also a land of undeniable truths. One of them is that Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi are the finest footballers of their respective eras. Another is that the national league now offers more in the way of entertainment in the stands than on the pitch. Nor will you find anyone who argues with the view that River Plate – an institution that is nearly 113 years old and is r egarded as the White House of South ­ American football – has, more than any other club, remained faithful to the spirit of Argentinian football.

“My father was a Boca Juniors fan, but I’ve always been drawn to River because they have everything I’ve been looking for since I was a child: an elegant style and skilful football.” Spoken by David Trezeguet, those words sum up the essence of the football that “Los Millonarios” have traditionally played. Jose Manuel Moreno, Adolfo Pedernera, Alfredo Di Stefano, Norberto Alonso and Enzo Francescoli – cited by Zinedine Zidane as his role model supreme – are just some of the great names to have helped forge an attractive style of play that has taken the club to the pinnacle of Argentinian football. The winners of two Copa Libertadores and a world title, River have also won

35 league titles in the professional era, 11 more than their biggest rivals.

Though they first saw the light of day in the Buenos Aires suburb of La Boca, Club Atletico River Plate later moved to the district of Nunez, where the Estadio Monumental – the venue for Argentina’s maiden FIFA World Cup™ triumph – proudly stands. The “Albiceleste” side that conquered the world in 1978 featured some famous River names such as Ubaldo Fillol, Daniel Passarella and Mario Kempes, all of them links in a chain that stretches back many years, with no side providing as many players for the national team as “Los Millonarios”.

River’s unprecedented and wholly unexpected relegation to the second division in 2011 was a blemish on a record worthy of one of the world’s great teams. They have since returned to their rightful place by landing yet another league championship, just the renaissance demanded by their large and expectant army of fans – the most loyal home support in all of South America, ­according to a survey by the Brazilian media consultancy Pluri.

Alejandro Varsky

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

13

Connecting every fan of the game Make new friends and discover shared passions in the Emirates A380 Onboard Lounge.

#AllTimeGreats youtube.com/emirates

Hello Tomorrow

TALK ING POIN T S

O N

T H E

French League

More of the same in store

I N S I D E

Brazilian defender still be suffering the effects of his country’s 7-1 World Cup semifinal humiliation by Germany? A month has gone by since that devastation in Belo Hrozonte but few footballing wounds have ever been as deep or taken as long to heal.

lowest but one average crowd out of 20 last season) and lack of atmosphere, they have already failed to hold on to James Rodriguez, Colombia’s World Cup star having left for mighty Real Madrid after just one season on the French Riviera.

PSG coach Laurent Blanc must hope that Luiz – whose temperament and defensive qualities were questioned even before the World Cup – hits the ground running at his new club where he joins up with Brazilian captain Thiago Silva. And that’s the intriguing question: whether or not the pair can strike up the perfect defensive partnership at club level, having struggled alongside one another for their country. Whatever the answer, PSG, who kick off their campaign at Rheims on Friday, have so much talent, spearheaded by the scintillating Zlatan Ibrahimovic, that only a fool would back against them. In fact it is an open secret that Blanc is targeting the Champions League as his number one priority. Last season, PSG were unfortunate to be eliminated

by Chelsea in the last eight. Blanc will expect to go at least one step further this time.

Nevertheless, with new coach Leonardo Jardim having arrived from Lisbon and with Radamel Falcao almost fit again after missing the World Cup with a serious knee injury, Les Monegasques will again start favourites to finish runner-up though Marseille, traditionally PSG’s fiercest rivals, are expected to show vast improvement, following a hugely disappointing 2013-14 season, under the leadership of their own new coach Marcelo Bielsa, who took charge of his native Argentina for six years between 1998 and 2004 and has a reputation as an excellent tactician.

Andrew Warshaw writes for Inside World Football.

Most European leagues are perennially dominated domestically by a cluster of the same clubs. But not too many are monopolised by just one name. No prizes, then, for guessing who will be favourites to lift the title when France’s League One season gets under way this week. The tougher question is who will finish second behind Paris St. Germain, the Qatar-backed club who look set to clinch their third straight crown before a ball has even been kicked.

imago

PSG’s resources, as has been well chronicled, are among the most substantial in European football. Whilst the advent of financial fair play has certainly reined in their spending, they are still able to splash the cash when necessary. Witness the 50 million Euros they have paid Chelsea for David Luiz who joins a veritable galaxy of other household names wearing the famous PSG strip. But will Luiz’s signature prove an instant success, or will the

So what of the other contenders? Monaco, second last time, are backed by their wealthy Russian president but money isn’t everything when it comes to attracting the best players.

With their small fan base (they had the

The challenge for the three promoted clubs, Lens, Metz and Caen, will be to stay there, especially Lens who won an eleventh-hour reprieve to take their place in the top flight after initially being banned under France’s strict budgetary regulations until they provided the necessary financial guarantees. To make their task even harder, home games will have to be played at other stadiums since their own ground is being revamped in preparation for Euro 2016. Å

Title favourites Paris St-Germain and their star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic..

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

15

South Africa

Money talking down south Mark Gleeson is a South African journalist and football commentator based in Kapstadt.

The new league season starts in South Africa this weekend with champions Mamelodi Sundowns hoping it heralds a dominant era that takes in not only repeated domestic success but also a breakthrough on the continent. The club from the capital Pretoria ended a seven-year drought by taking the 2013-14 championship, and subsequent furious spending in the off-season has made a strong-looking squad potentially even more formidable. They start as runaway favourites but their eye is as much on the South African prize as it is on next year’s African Champions League. Such has been their dominance in the transfer market, they have significantly strengthened their squad with top talent, leaving their envious rivals to pick up the leftovers.

Last season Sundowns came from some nine points behind to taker the title from defending champions Kaizer Chiefs on the back of an 11-match unbeaten run in the crucial last third of the season. This season Sundowns have brought in nine new players and now have a collection of internationals from Ghana, Liberia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Zambia 16

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

The drought ends Sundowns won the league last season and are now rated title favourites.

and Zimbabwe, plus an abundance of players who have played for South Africa’s national team. They are captained by veteran Dutch defender Alje Schut. Next February, they begin campaigning in the African Champions League and Motsepe and Mosimane want to have as strong a squad as possible to deal with both the exhausting schedule of pan-African club competition plus the task of holding onto their home championship. It is difficult to balance the two if there is not enough depth as fatigue takes a heavy toll.

Sundowns, who play in Brazil colours and called themselves the ’Brazilians’, face opposition from the traditional power houses – Chiefs and Orlando Pirates – plus Bidvest Wits, whose owner is also a

billionaire businessman and has also invested significantly in his club. South Africa has the richest league on the continent, fuelled by a R5-billion television deal (some 500-million US$) that is among the top 10 for any leagued worldwide. But its clubs perform poorly in African competition, unable to balance the rigours of the cross continental travel with the demands of the league at home. Clubs who advance far in the Champions League find their home form dips as their players battle with the demands of both competitions.

But by having an expansive squad packed with quality, Mosimane hopes to successfully juggle both and start a dynasty that only deep pockets can deliver. Å

Getty Images

Sundowns owner Patrice Motsepe is among the wealthiest man in South Africa. He even makes the Fortune magazine list of the richest people worldwide. He is a veritable Roman Abramovich of South Africa, except with one significant difference. While Abramovich’s investment brought swift success for Chelsea, Motsepe’s profligate spending over the past years delivered little until May. For seven barren seasons, he opened up the cheque book to snap up the top talent – both on the field and for the bench. Coaches have come and gone including Argentine Miguel Angel Cappa, France manager Henri Michel, Hristo Stoichkov and Dutch legend Johan Neeskens. But none were able to deliver the championship. Pitso Mosimane, fired after a disastrous tenure in charge of South Africa’s national team was appointed in December 2012, and after a slow start suddenly began both his and the team’s rehabilitation.

Iran Pro League

Entertainment guaranteed Jordi Punti is a novelist and the author of many football features in the Spanish media.

When Brazilian goalkeeper Nilson Correa arrived in Iran to play for Tehran club Persepolis FC, he had problems just getting into the country. Today, two seasons on, the 38-year-old is an idol at his club, a stranger in a strange land no more. Now settled with his family in an affluent suburb, where they attend an Evangelical church, he has signed a one-year extension with his club.

Nilson is far from the only Brazilian player plying his trade in Iran either. Many of the 16 sides that make up the national league, which swung back into action last week, have one of his compatriots in their ranks, among them Luciano Pereira of Sepahan, Rafael of Esteghlal FC, Magno Batista of Gostaresh Foolad FC and Tractor Sazi’s Edinho.

Reuters

The times are changing in the Iranian league.

Following the social upheaval and global

economic sanctions of two years ago, which led to many players moving abroad, Iranian football has regained some stability. The influence that Carlos Queiroz has brought to bear in his successful three-year association with the national side, culminating in Iran’s qualification for Brazil 2014, has ushered in a more enterprising era, with more foreign players arriving, a posse of talented Iranians signing deals with European clubs, and stadiums being filled every Sunday.

paign is that teams look evenly matched, with four games ending in draws and the sides who did win only doing so by narrow margins.

Title candidates Sepahan, based in the city of Esfahan, currently head the table thanks to their 2-0 defeat of Paykan. Coached for several years now by another experienced Croatian in Zlatko Kranjcar, Sepahan have won the title four times since the Iranian league became a professional concern in 2001, more than any other side.

The process of renewal began with the renaming of the national championship, which, as of this season, is called the Persian Gulf Pro League. This year has also seen an increase in the number of domestic transfers, spurred by improved contract offers, with teams signing an average of 14 new players. Defending champions Foolad FC have been as active as any in the transfer market, offloading a number of players – including three Brazilians – and bringing in ten new faces, including Leonard Mesaric and Mathias Chago from Lokomotiv Zagreb, while also luring Croatian coach Dragan Skocic from Malavan.

Meanwhile, the fabled Persepolis, their longstanding rivals, could only register a 1-1 draw in their meeting with Naft Tehran, just one of the opening matchday’s capital derbies.

Attended by a crowd of 20,000 – the biggest of the day – the game was, according to reports, a low-key affair played out by two sides still recovering from the disappointment of just missing out on the title last season. If, as expected, this year’s championship produces more in the way of quality, there is every reason to believe the fans will respond in numbers. Å

Though it is still far too early to say how the season will pan out, the conclusion that can be drawn from the opening day of the cam-

Leaders Sepahan fans have every reason to celebrate.

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

17

THE INTERVIEW

“We’re peaking at the right time” Christine Sinclair became a star at the U-19 World Cup twelve years ago before e­ mbarking on a glittering senior career. In an interview with The FIFA Weekly, the Canadian explains why youth competitions are so important and where she will be watching the current U-20 tournament, which runs from 5-24 August.

Christine, what are your memories of that tournament in 2002?

Christine Sinclair: I just remember it as this incredible experience, and it’s something that will always stay with me. All of our games were in Edmonton and, as the tournament went on, the country just fell in love with our team. I still talk about it with the other girls who played that year; it’s something we all look back on very fondly.

The U-20 Women’s World Cup is currently being played in Canada. What overall impact did the 2002 tournament have?

It set the game, and women’s football in particular, in the right direction and I think we’ve continued making strides ever since. I think it showed too that there was an appetite for these kind of tournaments in Canada.

I’m sure you’ll see that again over the next few weeks.

Do you still think of that final against USA and wonder what might have been?

As time’s passed, I have been able to look back on the competition as a whole and think what a great success it was overall. But I’m a professional footballer – a competitor – and of course I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about that final and how it could have been different. I always remember that I had a good chance to score and if that had gone in we might have been champions on home soil.

All the same, you had an incredible tournament, winning the Golden Ball and Golden Shoe and scoring ten goals, which is still a tournament record. Did that success give you confidence to begin forging the kind of career you’ve since enjoyed at senior level?

Absolutely. I was fortunate to have already won quite a few caps for the senior team by that stage but, all the same, it was my first major tournament. You always 18

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

wonder how it will go. So for it to go the way it did – both in terms of my individual performance and the team’s success – gave me a massive amount of confidence. It was just a case of realising, ‘Yeah, I can do this’. And that’s why these tournaments can be so important to the players involved.

There are still several survivors of that 2002 side starring for Canada’s senior team today.

It’s fantastic how many of us are still involved all these years later, and it shows what can happen if you’re developed in the right way. It helped us that Even [Pellerud, then Canada coach] took the decision to bring in a bunch of young players to the senior squad at the same time, and the likes of myself, Erin McLeod, Rhian Wilkinson, Diana Matheson and Brittany Timko have essentially grown up together in the team since then. It’s become such an important part of coming up through the ranks and maturing in international football.

Do you see similarities between that 2002 Canada team and the current U-20s?

When I see these players, it makes me sure that the future of Canadian women’s soccer is very bright. With Kadeisha Buchanan, Jessie Fleming and the others, you’re talking about players who’re so young and so talented. Their potential is limitless. Right now, they’re already incredible soccer players and, with someone like John Herdman guiding them at senior level, I’m sure they’ll be big players for us next year.

Will you be attending the tournament this year?

I had been hoping to get up to cheer them on in the tournament, but with my club [Portland Thorns] going for the play-offs in the NWSL, I don’t think it’s going to be possible. I’ll be following it very closely on TV

and online though, and I’ll definitely be rooting for them from afar.

How are you feeling about the prospect of a home World Cup in 2015?

It’s incredibly exciting. Talking about 2002, it does have the feeling of coming full circle and I feel incredibly fortunate because not many people get to play two World Cups in their home country. I’m sure it’s going to be a fantastic tournament and I must say that I feel good about how the Canada team is shaping up. I think we’re peaking at the right time.

Is the same true for you personally?

I feel great. I’m in good shape and I just love playing professional soccer. Playing and training with and against the best players in the world brings out the best in me. Hopefully I can bring that experience next year and help us have a really great World Cup. Å Christine Sinclair was talking to Stephen Sullivan

John Woods / Keystone / AP / The Canadian Press

Name Christine Sinclair Date and place of birth 12 June 1983, Burnaby, Canada Clubs Vancouver Whitecaps, FC Gold Pride, ­Western New York Flash, Portland Thorns Major honours 11-time Canadian Player of the Year; four championship titles; leading scorer in NCAA Division I (twice), 2002 U-19 World Cup and 2012 Olympic Games.

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

19

First Love Place: Giza, Egypt Date: 6 November 2009 Time: 2.11 p.m.

20

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

Mohamed Abdou / Panos

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

21

WELCOME TO

©2014 THE COCA-COLA COMPANY. COCA-COLA® AND THE CONTOUR BOTTLE ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF THE COCA-COLA COMPANY.

OFFICIAL SPONSOR

FREE KICK

F I F A ’ S 11

Highest attendances at the U-20 Women’s World Cup

The San Siro’s inflatable orange Alan Schweingruber

S

upporters queueing to enter the San Siro as West Germany and Yugoslavia prepared to face each other at the 1990 FIFA World Cup were treated to the unusual spectacle of a fan clutching an inflatable orange beach ball.

The cheap giveaway may only have been a metre in diameter, but nonetheless attracted the attention of several onlookers, not least an Italian security official, who asked the fan what he was doing with the object in question.

Thankfully, he was in a good mood – Italy had beaten Austria in their opening group match the previous day – and wasn’t tempted to confiscate it, but he still had a close look at the valve, sniffed the plastic and showed the ball to his colleagues, who all had a good laugh before the official gestured for the fan and his mates to enter.

In hindsight, the fan could just as easily have inflated the ball once inside the ground.

It would have made getting through security a lot easier – after all, who’s interested in a piece of folded-up plastic? He could even have hidden it in his underpants.

However, the main selling point of inflatable beach balls, which were a relatively new phenomenon at the time, is their sheer size.

This group of fans had travelled many hours by bus to reach the stadium and had been ­eager to get the party started early. Whether they were stopping off at service stations or eating spaghetti in Milan city centre, the ­giant ball was never far away.

The match itself was fantastic, as was the atmosphere inside the San Siro. The Germans, who would go on to lift the World Cup that year, comfortably beat their Yugoslavian

counterparts 4-1. On their way out of the ground after the game, the Eastern European fans sang “Monica Seles, Monica Seles!” in support of the tennis star who was competing with a certain Steffi Graf for the world number one spot at the time. For their part, the Germany fans celebrated their victory, and in particular the goals of Lothar Matthaus and Jurgen Klinsmann, long into the night.

Even the owners of the orange beach ball, who weren’t supporting anyone in particular, enjoyed themselves, despite their lofty ­position high in the corner of the San Siro.

Twenty-four years later, members of the group still watch highlights of the match on television and even now, the images send a tingle down the spine. Not just because of Matthaus and Klinsmann’s goals, but also because of the inflatable orange ball, which is visible at the top of the screen when the camera pans over the corner flag. Å

1

47,784 spectators Canada 2002** Final: Canada 0-1 USA

2

40,000 spectators* Thailand 2004** Group match: Thailand 0-6 Germany

40,000 spectators* Thailand 2004** Group match: Australia 1-2 Canada

4

37,194 spectators Canada 2002** Semi-final: Brazil 1-1 Canada

5

35,000 spectators Canada 2002** 3rd place play-off: Brazil 1-1 Germany

6

31,114 spectators* Japan 2012 Final: USA 1-0 Germany

31,114 spectators* Japan 2012 3rd place play-off: Nigeria 1-2 Japan

8

28,306 spectators* Japan 2012 Semi-final: Japan 0-3 Germany

28,306 spectators* Japan 2012 Semi-final: Nigeria 0-2 USA

10

26,273 spectators* Germany 2010 Group match: Korea DPR 2-3 Sweden

26,273 spectators* Germany 2010 Group match: France 1-4 Germany

* One of two consecutive matches in the same stadium on the same day. ** In 2002 and 2004 the tournament was known as the U-19 Women’s World Cup.

The weekly column by our staff writers

Source: FIFA (FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, Statistical Kit, 17/07/2014) T H E F I FA W E E K LY

23

T HE DEBAT E

1966 World Cup Final Referee Gottfried Dienst was 46 years old at the time.

Limiting the age of referees FIFA referees have been subject to an age limit of 45 since 1994, but change is on the horizon.

the age of 53. The best-known Final referee of all time, Gottfried Dienst, was already 47 when he awarded the famous ’Wembley goal’ to England in the 1966 decider.

Alan Schweingruber and Dominik Petermann

24

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

they are required to pass a FIFA fitness test before tournaments.

Further to run The ground referees had to cover when football first experienced a resurgence after the Second World War is not recorded, as the technology required to record these statistics was in its infancy at that point. Nevertheless, it is likely to have been a couple of kilometres less than today, not least because players were running shorter distances too. The USA’s Michael Bradley set the World Cup record of 16.69 kilometres in 2014.

Englishman George Reader oversaw the crucial final match of the 1950 World Cup between hosts Brazil and Uruguay in Rio de Janeiro at

The weekly debate.

Any thing you want to get off your chest? Which topics do you want to discuss? Send your suggestions to: feedback-theweekly@fifa.org

Getty Images

T

he age of satellite navigation and smartphones is placing ever-greater demands on football referees. Spectators armed with small, sophisticated computers inside the stadium often know more about the match than the official does out on the pitch. They can review situations, recognise the runs players make and have the opportunity to rewatch hidden fouls as often as they like.

Equipped with a whistle, a couple of cards and a radio, referees have significantly fewer tools at their disposal, but their core attributes – a fresh mind and a well-trained body – are crucial. The fact that match officials can cover between 12 and 13 kilometres in the course of an elite match is just one reason why

Limit dropped from 50 to 45 There were no age limits for referees back then, and it was only later that FIFA introduced a limit of 50. When several decisions came under scrutiny after Italy 1990, football’s world governing body opted to lower the upper limit for match officials from 50 to 45. Å

T HE DEBAT E

PRESIDENTIAL NOTE

FIFA.com users give their opinions on age limits for referees: Experience should be more important than age! If you can run, you should be allowed to referee! watsoon55, Switzerland

Youth development is often underrated for referees. In time, the new generation can enrich games with their knowledge of modern football. We need to see young faces and talent in this area too. Let youth lead the way!

I’d be happy to see age limits abolished. It doesn’t make sense to use age as the limiting factor for everyone, as physical fitness differs so much from one person to the next. In addition, the benefit of experience should not be underestimated. Get rid of the age limit and introduced eyesight and fitness tests!

No age limits for referees!

Domi778, France

honeymoon36, USA

Footballers and referees are not comparable! Today’s footballers are subject to all manner of unwritten rules that dictate the length of their careers. They live in their own player universe, so to speak. How do you decide the point at which a ref’s performance can no longer be guaranteed – during an important game or something? ball_head965, Argentina

If the same referees continue to officiate games, there will be no room for talented youngsters who might be better than their older counterparts. It’s also debatable whether a 70-year-old referee would be sufficiently accepted when a 40-year-old might have more authority. Eyesight deteriorates with age too.

C “Let youth lead the way!”

Philipp588, Germany

Enforcing an age limit seems dubious. There should be some kind of health and reaction test for all referees. In my opinion, someone such as Markus Merk would still be capable of adjudicating professional matches while other younger officials would struggle to keep up with him.

Without a referee there can be no game.

Without the game there is no joy. We’ve got to appreciate our referees. What incentive is there to carry out this role if you’re ruthlessly dropped when still in your prime?!!

Ballinferno, Germany

PedroAlvez000, Spain

“If you can run, you should be allowed to referee!”

olombia keeper Faryd Mondragon set a new record in Brazil as the oldest player to appear at the World Cup finals, aged 43 and three days. Indeed, the Colombian evergreen shotstopper could theoretically represent his country at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, because football helps you stay young.

The legendary English winger Sir Stanley Matthews was still playing in the top flight for Stoke City after his 50th birthday.

There is no compulsory retirement age in football, for players, coaches or all other club staff. The FIFA Congress in Sao Paulo in June voted down age restrictions and limits on terms of office by a large majority.

Referees can also benefit from these ­significant freedoms. For the time being they are obliged to lay down their whistles in international football at the age of 45.

This regulation is in stark contradiction of competitive principles, because performance must take precedence over age in all cases.

The modern referee is a sportsman – a mentally and physically trained athlete. His fitness to practice his trade at the highest level is earned and legitimised by his performance in applying the Laws, and in physical and psychological areas. For especially demanding tasks such as these, practised skill and experience are indispensable qualities.

Removing age restrictions would open new horizons in the direction of professionalism. Highly pragmatic considerations have obstructed this path so far. Why would ­a nyone choose a profession which requires him to step down at the age of 45? I think it is high time to extend the resolution made by Congress to r­ eferees. This has to be discussed by the Referee Committee.

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

25

IN BRIEF

T

here is always something going on in this tiny clubhouse. A blanket of smoke hangs low over the heads of Jordi and Fernando, who have just spent the afternoon standing in the rain watching the home team’s miserable 4-0 loss to their arch-rivals – a sorry affair. Jordi lights up a cigarette and orders two glasses of Fernet Branca to soften the blow. Suddenly a hush descends as the bulky figure of the head coach appears in the doorway. He casts a grim glance around the room, wipes the mud from his boots and strides over to the bar. “Last time this happened, he didn’t say a word for half an hour,” one patron whispers. Sure enough, with his third beer in hand the boss finally stands to deliver his irate monologue. “You can expect to see a completely new team after this!” he rants, “It’s not right! I’ve been in this business for 20 years, and not one of those players has earned their place in the starting line-up!” He concludes his rousing address by declaring: “There’ll be extra training! I’ll soon sort this mess out!” before abruptly sitting down again. The bar erupts with applause, as if the coach had just guided the team to championship glory. The beer flows freely, and soon enough the Fernet Branca is doing the rounds too. There is singing and dancing, and by midnight even the coach is on the karaoke machine. There is always something going on here. Two weeks later, Jordi and Fernando return for the next home match. The coach is in his usual position on the touchline, flailing his arms to spur on his team – a side completely unchanged from the last home match. Å Alan Schweingruber

Ed Kashi / VII

W

hen Franz Beckenbauer hauled himself around the pitch with his arm in a sling during Germany’s 1970 World Cup semi-final against Italy, he reminded Britain’s Evening Standard newspaper of a “wounded, defeated but proud Prussian officer”. Forty-four years later, Beckenbauer found his successor in Rio de Janeiro. Bastian Schweinsteiger should have been substituted during extra-time of the Final against Argentina but instead broke free from the team doctors and stormed back onto the field of play. The steely Bayern midfielder then helped guide Die Mannschaft to victory despite sporting a nasty cut under his eye. Although many observers had written the 30-year-old off as too slow before this summer’s tournament began, it is now difficult to imagine how Germany would manage without him. With the search for a new captain well underway after Philipp Lahm’s retirement, the Kaiser took it upon himself to suggest Officer Schweinsteiger as a suitable replacement – wounded, proud and undefeated. Å Sven Goldmann

I

t bore all the hallmarks of a normal Sunday afternoon trip to the stadium. The stands were packed with boisterous fans, and the air was filled with the heady aroma of grilled meat, beer and freshly-mown grass. Twenty minutes until kickoff, the players were completing their warm-up drills. The catering stands were doing a brisk trade in hot dogs, hamburgers and burritos. Staff with vendor’s trays passed through the rows in the lower tier selling typical snack foods.

A quick glance around the arena confirmed the venue as an American Football stadium, but today’s event was a football match, Manchester United versus Real Madrid no less, presumably a big Champions League clash. But in August? It was in fact the International Champions Cup, a pre-season tournament for top European clubs held in the USA. A crowd of 109,318 flocked to Michigan Stadium, a new record attendance for a game in the country. Football, or soccer as we should call it in the circumstances, seems to have well and truly ­a rrived in the United States at last. Å Dominik Petermann T H E F I FA W E E K LY

27

THAILAND

Keepy-uppy queen Seven-year-old Tang Mo shows off her new skills to monk Jao Pok.

The tale of the football monk Jao Pok is known as the “football monk” in Thailand.

For decades, he has been bringing children together to play football – generating both sporting and educational success.

Steven Layne (text and images), Wat Pa Tha Nun, Thailand

28

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

THAILAND

I

n Thailand, Buddhist monks are often enlisted to bless a new home, car or office building; these saffron-robed icons are also called upon to conduct exorcisms, to ward off evil spirits or bad luck in general. But few in this country of some 65 million souls would think of these spiritual leaders when it comes to teaching their children football skills, let alone about proper mannerisms or how to do their own laundry.

An interesting exception is at Wat Pa Tha Nun, a small rural temple in Phang Nga province, just north of the Sarasin bridge which connects the Thai peninsular mainland with the island of Phuket in Southern Thailand. The head monk of this temple, named Jao Pok, is sort of a celebrity among football, sports and social welfare circles in the Kingdom. Casually, he is called Luang Por Luke Nung, which ­roughly translates as the “football monk”.

Training The ’football monk’ puts the boys through their paces.

“I teach them life skills, wash their clothes.”

“Nok Eang’s” fate In front of his temple, there’s a large billboard, with a picture of the famed monk, denoting his most recent national accolades; last year he was the recipient of the “Good Person of the Land”, and “50 persons that changed the world” awards.

But perhaps even more famous than the monk himself is some of the national talent that he fostered, most notably Nongkran “Nok Eang” Phetpunsup, a popular goalkeeper for Thailand women’s national team from 2001 to 2004.

“I took her in when she was real young and saw her potential from the start. Sadly, she died in the tsunami,” the monk recalls as we admire a poster of the fallen national hero on the temple’s main shelter wall.

“I decided on football, as I saw it could be an effective vehicle for change in the community”, explained the humble ascetic. “Kids and nearly everybody throughout Thailand enjoy it – not only the players, but spectators too. It’s engaging, healthy and everyone can participate.”

The monk went on to share the story behind his small yet significant soccer sanctuary.

“Around 1996, I moved from my previous temple in Phuket to this one in Phang Nga, where I saw many teenagers getting caught up in violence ... a lot of fighting, mostly involving rivalries ­between some of the local technical schools.”

Drug abuse especially plagued the youth.

Side by side Fifty-four-year-old Somkuan Udomphon assists the monk with matches from his wheelchair.

Finishing touches The children prepare for a regional youth tournament.

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

29

THAILAND

Sibling rivalry Sisters Tang Mo (left) and Bo compete to see who can juggle the ball for longer. The record is 6,000 touches in one hour.

“In those days, before Yaba (methamphatamines) was big, kids were shooting up heroine, and I saw many lives destroyed. I had to do something, so I started taking in local at-risk kids.” With parents either out of the picture completely, or too busy trying to earn a living – the problem and solution were clear in the monk’s eyes. Initially, Jao Pok only had a few kids under his wing, but when word got out about what he was doing, parents started voluntarily bringing their kids to him.

At the moment it’s the Thai summer school break – lasting from March through May – and there are about 170 kids at the temple on any given day. The monk explained that there are usually only about four to five kids who live at the temple full time, and most of the kids come on an after-school and weekend basis.

“About 60 per cent of the kids here are Muslim,” he said. “The parents know that there kids will be safe here and are doing something positive – not doing drugs or sitting in a computer game shop all day. The ­d ifference in r­ eligion is not an issue.”

As we toured the temple’s trophy room, Jao Pok recalls how the devastating 2004 tsunami proved to be a major catalyst in growing his 30

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

initiative. “Nok Eang was working in Khao Lak as a fitness trainer at the time. Before the tsunami struck, the tide had retreated more than usual. She knew something was wrong and she went down [onto the beach] to warn hotel guests and get them up to safety. Most of her guests survived, but she didn’t ...”

New football pitch Using donations from the local community and his award money, the monk annexed more land to the temple and had a new football pitch built in Nok Eang’s memory, just adjacent to a Muslim graveyard at the back of the temple. The new pitch is leagues better than the small, un-level muddy pitch previously utilized at the front of the temple. It is the best one in the locale, and many local schools regularly ­request to use it for their own competitions.

“Nok Eang’s legacy lives on. After her, we’ve had one more girl make the women’s U-19 national team, in 2012, Monlerdee ”May“ Juanyai,” he notes with a proud smile.

Other than learning football rudiments – for fun and for the occasional competition – Jao Pok stresses that his lessons extend beyond the beautiful game.

“Most importantly, I teach them life skills – how to work together, wash their clothes, clean up after themselves, be polite and respectful with elders, and to look after each other.”

Many of his kids end up getting scholarships, enabling them to continue their secondary-level schooling at top schools in Bangkok, as well as play for clubs and even earn some income to send back to their families.

With the horizons of Thai football looking brighter every year, the monk continues to establish good relations with a number of professional clubs in the Kingdom. In addition to treating his kids to live matches of both Phang Nga FC (Division 2) and Phuket FC (Division 1), Jao Pok has also established close contacts with TPL powerhouses like Chonburi FC, which show promise to open more doors in the near future.

“Not all of the kids here will go on to study at top schools or play football professionally.

Some of them will lead ordinary lives – get married, have kids, the usual. ”But I’m sure of one thing, all of them will become good people in society,” he says. Å

THAILAND

Pure pace Tang Mo keeps her team-mates on their toes.

Taking a break A boy watches from afar as Jao Pok addresses the group.

F I FA LE N D S A H A N D IN THAIL AND Thailand has received around US$1.8 million from FIFA as part of the Goal Programme between 2003 and 2010. At the national technical centre in Bangkok, these funds have been used to build a new association headquarters, purchase IT equipment and construct an artificial pitch.

FIFA also contributed US$1,029,432 to establish the Tsunami Memorial Football Centre in Phuket, which includes a technical centre, clubhouse and training facilities. FIFA President Blatter formally opened the Centre on 15 September 2009.

Rules for life Jao Pok ensures the children learn about more than just football.

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

31

MIRROR IMAGE

T

H

E

N

Essex, England

1926

H. F. Davis / Topical Press Agency / Getty Images

A cyclist navigates his way across playing fields flooded by the River Roding.

32

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

MIRROR IMAGE

N

O

W

Near Manaus, Brazil

2014

Bruno Kelly / Reuters

The Amazon breaks its banks a few months before the start of the World Cup.

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

33

FIFA WORLD R ANKING Rank Team

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 38 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 53 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 67 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77

34

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

NET ZER KNOWS!

THE OBJEC T

Should a fourth substitute be introduced?

Perikles Monioudis

Question from Flavio Kreis, Reinach, Switzerland

H

Seventies style Gunter Netzer relaxes at home.

Horst Galuschka / GB

I

certainly support the idea of being able to use a fourth substitute during extra time, as this new rule would breathe new life into games during a long tournament. Players already tired after a busy season with their clubs were tested to the limit in Brazil this summer.

Five matches in the Round of 16 went to extra time, of which two were only decided by a penalty shootout. In this scenario, an additional substitute could relieve the strain on teams and give them a real boost.

Nevertheless, this is where the use of extra substitutes should end, and the rule should not be applied during the first 90 minutes of play.

If both teams were constantly bringing players on and off, games would start to feel like friendly matches.

Some also believe that goalkeepers should not be included in the number of substitutes, probably as a result of Dutch coach Louis van Gaal’s decision to bring on his backup goalkeeper moments before his team’s penalty shootout at this summer’s World Cup. Van Gaal

was lucky that this tactical switch paid off against Costa Rica and took the Netherlands to the semi-finals; if the result had been reversed he would have been criticised for his decision instead. Returning to the issue of goalkeeper replacements, I think the likelihood of a keeper picking up an injury after his team has already used the maximum number of substitutes is very low, so in my opinion such a specific rule would be unnecessary. Å

ow much does a steamship cost? It varies, and depends on when you start saving up to buy it. Of course, it doesn’t have to be a steamship. A football club, a little one, will do in an emergency. A fourth division club, complete with a couple of pros or semi-pros maybe; a club prepared to do its thing, attract new ­players and thrill its supporters. Why not?

Of course, you’re going to need enough money to expand your little club, and you’ll need funds in the bank to pay transfer fees.

You’ll have to build up your cash reserves in the course of each season.

The FIFA archive includes a piggy bank ­designed to look like a book. It comes from England and the date of manufacture is unknown.

The slot on the top is long enough to accept coins of all sizes.

This savings tin, made from the aforementioned metal, cannot in and of itself create wealth of course, but you can at least collect money in it. The front of the jacket cover shows three players, including a goalkeeper who ­cannot possibly save the meaty close-range ­volley being unleashed by the opposing striker.

The ball will give him the slip, but maybe he owns a piggy bank to tide him over for the things that may befall him in life. Unless of course he elects to buy a very, very expensive football club and soon sells it again – at a loss. Å

What have you always wanted to know about football? Ask Gunter Netzer: feedback-theweekly@fifa.org T H E F I FA W E E K LY

35

EVERY GASP EVERY SCREAM EVERY ROAR EVERY DIVE EVERY BALL E V E RY PAS S EVERY CHANCE EVERY STRIKE E V E R Y B E AU T I F U L D E TA I L SHALL BE SEEN SHALL BE HEARD S H A L L B E FE LT

Feel the Beauty

BE MOVED

THE NEW 4K LED TV

“SONY” and “make.believe” are trademarks of Sony Corporation.

TURNING POINT

Name Henrik Larsson Date and place of birth 20 September 1971, Helsingborg Position Striker Clubs Hogaborgs BK, Helsingborgs IF, Feyenoord, Celtic, Barcelona, Manchester United Sweden national team 106 appearances, 37 goals Major honours Champions League winner, Domestic championships (8) and cups (6)

“I made up my mind in the car” If Henrik Larsson had returned to Sweden in 1997 he might have disappeared without trace.

But he opted to continue his overseas adventure and an illustrious career shifted into gear a couple of weeks later.

Petter Arvidson / Bildbyran

I

t was late May 1997 and I was in the car with my wife Magdalena on the way to Amsterdam. She was heavily pregnant, as I well remember. The sun was out and the 50-minute drive from Rotterdam to the Dutch capital gave us plenty of time to talk. And we needed it. I had an important appointment in Amsterdam, at Schiphol airport to be precise. The chairman and secretary from my former club Helsingborgs IF had ­invited us for a chat. They wanted to talk about bringing me back to Helsingborg. We were originally supposed to meet in Sweden but my wife was nine months pregnant and no longer allowed to fly, and I insisted on having her there with me.

I was in a tricky situation. I was no longer entirely happy in Rotterdam with Feyenoord, I was interested in finding a new club, and Helsingborgs had put a lot of good things in

place. But I was also thinking of my career. I was only 26, so should I really be going back home after only four years abroad? Before I left Sweden the sceptics had predicted I didn’t stand a chance, and I knew what they’d say now: he didn’t make it and look, he’s back home already.

We arrived at Amsterdam airport. The ­officials had reserved a very nice conference room in the nearby Hilton and greeted us warmly. The meeting lasted an hour and we talked through the entire situation, going deep into the details. But I’d made my decision: it was too soon and I didn’t want to rejoin Helsingborgs yet, so I declined the offer.

I can well believe people imagined I was sitting on an offer from somewhere else, but it wasn’t the case. Celtic only tabled their offer a couple of weeks later, and I ended up moving to Glasgow in the summer of 1997.

It was probably the most important transfer of my career.

I had seven fantastic years in Scotland. I’ll never forget the loyal fans and the long European nights. I’m still in touch with my former Celtic team-mates but I rarely get the chance to visit Scotland because I’m busy as Falkenbergs coach in Sweden.

I’m happy I didn’t give up on the adventure at the age of 26. It would really get to me ­nowadays if I woke up day after day thinking: “What if...” Å As told to Alan Schweingruber

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

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

37

Š 2014 adidas AG. adidas, the 3-Bars logo and the 3-Stripes mark are registered trademarks of the adidas Group.

instinct takes over

#predatorinstinct

adidas.com/predator

The FIFA Weekly Published weekly by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Internet: www.fifa.com/theweekly Publisher: FIFA, FIFA-Strasse 20, PO box, CH-8044 Zurich Tel. +41-(0)43-222 7777 Fax +41-(0)43-222 7878

FIFA QUIZ CUP

A song for South America, an enormous trophy and the future of refereeing - test your knowledge!

1

Who would you usually expect to hear at the Copa Libertadores final?

President: Joseph S. Blatter Secretary General: Jérôme Valcke Director of Communications and Public Affairs: Walter De Gregorio B

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

2

K

S

W

With past champions including Real, Barca, Bayern and Fluminense, this renowned tournament is contested by men but named after a woman of whom no photos exist. What is her name?

Art Direction: Catharina Clajus

A Gracia I Elizabeth O Teresa U Monique

Picture Editor: Peggy Knotz Production: Hans-Peter Frei Layout: Richie Krönert (Lead), Tobias Benz, Marianne Bolliger-Crittin, Susanne Egli

3

Pictured here is a stadium hosting a past World Cup Final, but what happened here in 2014?

Proof Reader: Nena Morf, Kristina Rotach

L N O R

Contributors: Sérgio Xavier Filho, Luigi Garlando, Sven Goldmann, Hanspeter Kuenzler, Jordi Punti, David Winner, Roland Zorn Contributors to this Issue: Lucie Clement, Mark Gleeson, Steven Layne, Dominik Petermann, Alissa Rosskopf, Stephen Sullivan, Alejandro Varsky, Andrew Warshaw, Randy O. Williams

4

Real Madrid played against Manchester United Voting for the Turkish presidential elections took place Awards ceremony for the Tour de France Formula 1 show race between Alonso and Vettel

Which of these referees will be allowed to officiate at the 2018 World Cup?

Editorial Assistant: Honey Thaljieh Project Management: Bernd Fisa, Christian Schaub Translation: Sportstranslations Limited www.sportstranslations.com Printer: Zofinger Tagblatt AG www.ztonline.ch

G Marco

O Nicola

S Howard

Y Yuichi

Getty Images

Contact: feedback-theweekly@fifa.org Reproduction of photos or articles in whole or in part is only permitted with prior editorial approval and if attributed “The FIFA Weekly, © FIFA 2014”.

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.

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

Send your answer by 13 August 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

39

A S K T H E W E E K LY

T HIS WEEK’S POLL

Who will win the French championship?

When was the away goals rule first used in European competitions?

Fabio Durr, St. Gallen (Switzerland) The away goals rule was first applied in the 1965 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup and is now used worldwide. In FIFA competitions, the rule also applies after extra time, but national football associations can choose how to apply the regulation to domestic cup matches. This means that in some competitions it is standard to abandon the away goals rule once a match reaches extra time, while in others it only applies in extra time. (thr)

Paris St Germain have won the title twice in a row, and the club from the capital have been busy in the transfer market prior to the start of the new season on 8 August.

Cast your vote 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 U-20 Women’s World Cup?

42 % � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Germany 28 % � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � USA 21 % � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Other 5 % � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � France 4 % � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Korea DPR

WEEK IN NUMBERS

tournaments – both records for a

0

Spanish outfield player. Goalkeeper

years, and 11 matches, on Sunday. The Gunners

Iker Casillas has made 151 appearances

have only been defeated once before in the compe-

qualifying stage after a 3-1 aggregate

for La Roja and has played at one

tition without scoring a goal, against Juventus in

win over Grasshoppers Zurich in

more international competition than the

the second edition of the tournament back in

which Florent Balmont scored his

Barcelona midfielder.

August 2008.

first goal in 541 days.

from international football on Tuesday having won 133 caps for Spain and featured at nine major

Four minutes into injury-time, Sergei Krivets scored a header that sent his team BATE Borisov into the

Arsenal failed to score a goal in

UEFA Champions League play-off

an Emirates Cup game for the first time in six

round at the expense of Debrecen. Lille also reached the next

imago (4), Franck Fife / Afp

Xavi announced his retirement

4