The FIFA Weekly Issue #44

ISSUE 44/2015, 6 NOVEMBER 2015

ENGLISH EDITION

Fédération Internationale de Football Association – Since 1904

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THE MASTER PLAN

GRASSROOTS NURTURING YOUNG TALENT AT THE U-17 WORLD CUP

PARAGUAY CERRO PORTENO AND OLIMPIA BATTLE IT OUT

SWEDEN NORRKOPING’S FOOTBALL FAIRYTALE W W W.FIFA.COM/ THEWEEKLY

THIS WEEK IN THE WORLD OF FOOTBALL

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North and Central America 35 members www.concacaf.com

The master plan Youth development is now a top priority in China thanks to a 50-point plan that even incorporates football into the school curriculum.

The aim is to return to the FIFA World Cup after just one previous appearance by the men’s national team in 2002. Our reporter Sarah Steiner speaks to Shanghai SIPG coach SvenGoran Eriksson about the progress being made in Chinese football.

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Sweden From the brink of relegation to the top of the table in just one season, Norrkoping’s story is a sporting fairytale.

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G rassroots Festival in Chile Held alongside the FIFA U-17 World Cup, FIFA’s grassroots programme is bringing smiles to the faces of children and youth coaches alike.

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Nottingham Forest The film ‘I Believe in Miracles’ tells the story of the English club’s footballing marvel in the late 1970s.

South America 10 members www.conmebol.com

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England Chelsea’s miserable run continues. (Pictured: Manager Jose Mourinho)

Kevin Frayer / Getty Images

The FIFA Weekly app FIFA’s magazine The FIFA Weekly is published in four languages every Friday and is also available free of charge on smartphone and tablet. http://www.fifa.com/mobile 2

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Paraguay Who will win the championship: Olimpia or Cerro Porteno?

(Pictured: Alejandro Silva)

Norberto Duarte / AFP, imago

The master plan Our cover image shows two of the 2,400 players who train at Guangzhou Evergrande’s youth academy.

THIS WEEK IN THE WORLD OF FOOTBALL

Europe 54 members www.uefa.com

Africa 54 members www.cafonline.com

Asia 46 members www.the-afc.com

Oceania 11 members www.oceaniafootball.com

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Bela Guttmann The former Hungarian coach proved to be both a blessing and a curse for Benfica, leaving a legacy that continues to this day.

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Tullio M. Puglia / Getty Images, Keystone / Hulton Archive / Getty Images

Gennaro Gattuso “I’m a tough nut,” says the 2006 world champion and current Pisa coach in an interview.

FIFA U-17 World Cup 17 October – 8 November 2015, Chile

Matches of the knockout stage Round of 16 · 28 / 29 October Match 37 Brazil Match 38 Mexico Match 39 Nigeria Match 40 Korea Republic Match 41 Croatia Match 42 Mali Match 43 Russia Match 44 France

New Zealand Chile Australia Belgium Germany Korea DPR Ecuador Costa Rica

1:0 4:1 6:0 0:2 2:0 3:0 1:4 0:0 (3:5 pen.)

Quarter-finals · 1 / 2 November Match 45 Brazil Match 46 Croatia Match 47 Ecuador Match 48 Belgium

Nigeria Mali Mexico Costa Rica

Semi-finals · 5 November Mali Match 49 Match 50 Mexico

Belgium Nigeria

Match for third place · 8 November Match 51 Loser of Match 49

Loser of Match 50

Final · 8 November Match 52 Winner of Match 49

Winner of Match 50

0:3 0:1 0:2 1:0

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GRASSROOTS

FIFA inspiring girls and boys to play football FIFA’s Grassroots programme is the core foundation of our development mission, aimed at encouraging girls and boys around the world to play and enjoy football without restrictions. Grassroots focuses on the enjoyment of the game through small-sided team games, and teaching basic football technique, exercise and fair play.

For more information visit FIFA.com

UNCOVERED

A footballing dream I

n China the women’s national team have shown the way, featuring at the FIFA Women’s World Cup six times since its introduction in 1991 and finishing as runners-up in 1999 to spark unprecedented euphoria across the country. ­A lthough their campaign at this year’s tournament in Canada came to an end at the quarter-final stage, China’s women can still count themselves among the best in the world.

The men’s national side dream of reaching similar heights and experiencing more FIFA World Cup adventures of their own, having only featured at the tournament once before, in 2002. By pursuing an extensive youth development programme, China are aiming to qualify consistently for future FIFA World Cups and host the competition in the foreseeable future.

Sven-Goran Eriksson, coach of championship runners-up Shanghai SIPG, is confident that the Chinese will achieve their objectives. Starting on page six, he discusses the country’s football and its immense potential in an interview with our reporter Sarah Steiner. Å

Mario Wagner / 2Agenten

Annette Braun

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“CHINA WILL BE SUCCESSFUL”

Sven-Goran Eriksson has been coaching in China since 2013.

In an interview with Sarah Steiner, the Swedish tactician speaks about the changes taking effect in Chinese football.

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Joel Marklunf/Bildbyr책n/freshfoscus

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Sven-Goran Eriksson, how do football and China fit together?

Sven-Goran Eriksson: In footballing terms, China is developing at lightning speed, especially at club level and in terms of youth development. Contrary to what people claim, it’s not at all difficult or complicated to work here. The players are motivated to succeed, they enjoy playing the game, they’re extremely hard-working and very disciplined. They constantly want to improve. I really like China, and you sense it very clearly that football here is getting better. In ten to 15 years, Chinese football will have taken a major step forward and will be very competitive.

Are there targets that this development is working towards?

The development that the sport is currently undergoing is huge, but football is also important to the government. The state president Xi Jinping has set the target of making China a footballing nation to be reckoned with and a massive development programme is in the works to help us reach those targets.

Looking to the future: in China, the biggest emphasis is placed on talent promotion.

And what exactly would these targets be?

To qualify for a FIFA World Cup™, to host the tournament and to eventually win the trophy. Obviously these are very ambitious goals and it will take a few years to achieve even one of them, but I’m convinced that China will be successful. Not overnight, but at some point. China dominates lots of other sports – why can’t they also be good at football?

What has been the biggest obstacle to this up until now?

The biggest issue was the complete absence of grass roots football, which means kids between the ages of six and 12 hadn’t been pushed to play football. There were no youth schemes in place, no opportunities to play the game. From a young age, boys and girls play basketball, table tennis and volleyball, traditional sports in China and ones in which the country has always been successful. But the kids here had never played any football at all.

Investment in youth: Evergrande’s youth sides practice on over 50 training pitches.

That’s the most important consideration of all. The integration of football in public schools is finally coming to fruition. Academic achievement is very important to kids in China and they’re pushed very hard. So if football also becomes a part of their education, then there’s a great chance that the game can become something big in this country.

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In the name of football: star players getting involved at lunchtime as caricatures on the wall.

Kevin Frayer / Getty Images (3)

Does football play an important role in school and education?

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China’s current economic situation is somewhat precarious. Could this have an effect on football?

That will probably be the case, yes, but the investment in football will nevertheless continue, I’m sure of that. Football is the most important and most watched sport in the world, and nothing else comes close to it. So people are prepared to invest good money in it.

Partnerships with clubs like Real Madrid and Chelsea are helping football in China take a major step forward.

What is Chinese football like at club level?

How do Chinese clubs compare with their European counterparts in terms of youth development, for example?

Clubs are investing more and more in youth talent promotion. Many have their own academies, but they’ve also looked abroad and sought to establish partnerships with big European clubs like Real Madrid or Chelsea, and to learn from those clubs’ experiences.

There are lots of these projects going on and domestic football in China is profiting enormously from them. They’re helping Chinese football take a major step forward.

You’ve been coaching SIPG Shanghai since 2014, having previously been at Guangzhou R&F. What is life like for a Swede in China?

Kevin Frayer / Getty Images

I feel at home here and the people trust me. The only stumbling block is the language.

I’ve tried to learn it – and I’ll continue to tackle that challenge – but it’s extremely difficult.

There really are no similarities or comparisons with other languages that I know and speak, or understand. So when I’m working with the players and communicating with them, I use translators. It’s imperative that the squad understands my instructions.

Many star names entering the twilight of their careers have come to China recently, players like Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka and even Robinho. Have these players really brought something to the league and is that still continuing?

The objective of club owners here is to improve the league, and that’s the reason these foreign players have been signed. Fresh blood and new ideas always give you something extra, and sometimes they can also make the difference.

Lessons in tactics: Chinese school children listening attentively to their coach.

Many of these players do not stay in China for long, however…

That’s not quite true. Take Dario Conca, for example. He won the league title in Chile with Universidad Catolica and in Brazil with Fluminense, and he was even Brazil’s Player of the Year in 2010. Then he came to China and won the Asian Champions League with Guangzhou Evergrande in 2013. After that, he went back to Fluminense, but playing in South America no longer appealed to him, and today he’s back in China playing for me.

Another player in your squad is Asamoah Gyan, who arrived in the summer for over 15 million Euros. How has he settled in so far and how satisfied are you with his performances?

READ MORE ON PAGE 12 »

Chinese Super League 2015: Final Standings 1.

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Team Guangzhou Evergrande FC Shanghai SIPG Shandong Luneng Beijing Guo’an Henan Jianye Shanghai Shenhua Shijiazhuang Ever Bright Chongqing Lifan Jiangsu Sainty Changchun Yatai Hangzhou Greentown Liaoning Whowin Tianjin Teda Guangzhou R&F Guizhou Renhe Shanghai Shenxin

MP 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30

W 19 19 18 16 12 12 8 9 9 8 8 7 7 8 7 4

D 10 8 5 8 10 6 15 8 8 11 9 10 10 7 8 5

L 1 3 7 6 8 12 7 13 13 11 13 13 13 15 15 21

GF 71 63 66 46 35 42 34 37 39 39 27 30 39 35 39 30

GA 28 35 41 26 30 44 31 52 48 47 35 46 46 41 52 70

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P 67 65 59 56 46 42 39 35 35 35 33 31 31 31 29 17 9

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ROCKY ROAD TO THE WORLD CUP China are aiming to qualify for their second FIFA World Cup after making their tournament debut in 2002. The hopes of a nation rest on strike pair Yang Xu and Yu Dabao.

Lucky charm Yu Dabao is the man tasked with scoring China's important goals.

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make the mos t of it . I began to ref lec t on my pas t and f ocus on the f uture, whic h means I’m now all the more appreciative whenever I get the c hanc e to play.” T he s tr iker showed great deter mination to f ight his wa y b ac k int o c ont e nt ion and b e c ome one t he mo s t pr o lif ic goalsc orer s in the A FC C hampions L eague, net ting si x time s bef ore Shandong’s e ar l y ex it . He also f ound the tar ge t seven time s in the rec ently c onc luded C hine se Super L eague c ampaign to take his team to third in the f inal s tandings.

A versatile attacking player With the 2015 Super League now done and dusted, Xu is fully focused on representing China they seek to qualif y for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. A s things stand, the national team’s third place in Group C is not enough in a competition where only the eight group winners and four best- placed runners - up move on to the continent ’s third and f inal round of qualif ying matches. Never theless, China are the only team in their group to have only played four games and, with just a three - point def icit to second place, still have ever y thing to play for.

Team Dragon began their qualif y ing c ampaign agains t Bhutan bac k in June in a matc h Yang Xu remember s well. His impre s sive display

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hina ar e cur r entl y in the mids t of their 2018 FIFA Wor ld C up Rus sia™ qualif y ing c ampaign. C oach A lain Per r in’s side are battling it out with Qatar, Hong Kong, the Maldive s and Bhutan in Group C of A FC qualif y ing f or a c oveted tic ket to the wor ld ’s greate s t f ootball tour nament . Str iker s Yang Xu and Yu Dabao play a ma jor par t in this C hine se dream, hav ing sc ored si x of their c ountr y ’s nine goals in the c ampaign so f ar. “A good blade mus t be ground down in order to be shar pened ” is a C hine se prover b that c ar r ie s par ticular signif ic anc e f or C hina inter national Yang Xu. A s rec ently as a year ago, the light at the end of the Shandong L uneng s tr iker ’s tunnel was f ading f as t as a c ombination of injur ie s and poor f or m led to jus t a handf ul of appearanc e s and, bef ore long, a per manent plac e on the bench. A lthough the 28 - year - old then spent las t season on loan to C hangc hun Yatai bef ore retur ning to Jinan f or the cur rent c ampaign, he ref use s to c omplain – quite the opposite in f ac t .

“In retrospec t I should even be gratef ul f or that per iod bec ause I lear ned some valuable le s sons,” he says with admirable serenit y.

“I’m now muc h more aware that there are no shor tcut s to suc c e s s and that you c an only ac hieve your goals with hard wor k ,” he c on tinue s. “I k new the oppor tunit y would pas s me by if I didn’t tr y to

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proved that his keen goalsc or ing ins tinc t s are beyond doubt as C hina r e c or de d a r e sounding 6 - 0 w in agains t a side plac e d 173r d in the FIFA /C oc a - C ola Wor ld Rank ing. Xu net ted a hat- tr ic k and set up an other s tr ike f or his team that day, while his 17 inter national goals and c ommanding p er f or manc e s ha ve even pr ompte d c omp ar isons w ith C hina’s all - time leading goalsc or er Hao Haidong. “I’ve b een asked about that a lot rec ently,” the s tr iker says, “and my answer is always the same: time s have c hanged. We no longer live in an age when one exc eptional player is sy nony mous with an entire era,” he adds. “Before it was the age of Hao, but now the team c ome s f ir s t . We need a whole ar ray of talented player s to make the leap to the nex t level.”

An apprenticeship in Lisbon One of the se talented f ootballer s is Yu Dabao, who also c ontr ibuted t wo go als in the w in over Bhutan. T he 27- ye ar - old s tr iker is held in high r egar d among the c ountr y ’s f ans, ha v ing help e d his te am to v ic tor y w ith imp or tant go als on mor e than one o c c asion. De spite s tr ik ing t w ic e agains t the Maldi ve s in a Wor ld C up qualif ier in S ep tember to ear n his team more v ital point s, Dabao dismis se s the idea of being a luc k y c har m. “A s a player you’ve got to wor k hard to make sur e you’r e r e ad y to do w hat ’s ex p e c te d of you w henever you ge t the c hanc e,” he ex plaine d, b ef or e ac k now le dging that he has C hi n a’s n ew c o a c h t o t hank f o r his inc lu sio n in t h e s qu a d . “ W hil e ther e’s no doubt that I e ar ne d my c all - up, I’m gr atef ul to Per r in f or gi v ing me this opp or tunit y.”

Football has been par t of Dabao’s lif e f or as long as he c an remem ber ; indeed, he took to the game so quic k ly that he was inc luded in Qingdao’s youth team at the tender age of 11. It was not long bef ore the national team also pic ked up on his talent, and in 20 0 4 he was c alled up to a C hina youth side that won the A FC U -16 C hampionship and qualif ied f or the FIFA U -17 Wor ld C up in Per u. “Play ing at that tour nament was a f antas tic ex per ienc e,” he rec alls. “It was a total eye - opener f or me. For the f ir s t time I had the oppor tunit y to play with the wor ld ’s mos t talented young f ootballer s. We lear ned that it ’s not enough f or a player to wor k hard; you’ve got to use your head too.”

In 20 07 Dabao bec ame the f ir s t C hine se player ever to sign f or a Por tugue se club. “I moved to Benf ic a at the age of 18,” he says. “Dur ing my f our ye ar s ther e my mindse t , pr of e s sionalism and sk ills all improved. I lear ned to read the play, and that exper ienc e helped me a great deal on my retur n to the C hine se league.”

Unafraid of Qatar Xu also lear ned his trade in pre s tigious sur roundings, tak ing his f ir s t tenta t i ve s tep s towar ds a c ar e er in t he b e au t if ul game a t the r e now ne d Dongb eilu S c ho ol in the f o otb alling s tr onghold of Dalian, where s tar s such as cur rent national team goalkeeper Wang Dalei and f or mer A FC Women’s Player of the Year Ma X iaoxu were among his clas smate s. T he promising young f or ward joined Yu in mak ing his f ir s t inter na t ional wa ve s a t the 20 0 4 A F C U -16 C hampionship, s c or ing three goals as C hina s tor med to the title. He s till remember s his f ir s t FIFA tour nament c le ar l y : “A lt hough we went to t he Wor ld C up as reigning A sian c hampions, the s trength of our opponent s f rom else where in the wor ld was apparent as soon as we ar r ived,” he rec alls. “ T hat meant expanding our hor izons f rom c ontinental level to a glob al per spec tive. We lear ned that we s till had plent y of wor k to do if we were to hold our own with the wor ld ’s be s t teams.”

A de c ade on, Xu onc e again has the c hanc e to take p ar t in a FIFA tour nament . W ith Qatar, Hong Kong, Bhutan and the Maldi ve s as their gr oup opp onent s, ther e w ill never b e a b e t ter opp or tunit y f or

C hina to reac h the f inal round of A sian qualif y ing f or the f ir s t time sinc e 20 02, and it is a gr oup Xu b elieve s his side mus t tr y to w in. “ To b e hone s t, the b at tle in our p ool is b e t ween C hina and Qatar,” he says. “A lthough we’ve c onsidered Qatar to be our bigge s t r ivals f rom the beginning, we c er tainly c an’t af f ord to undere s timate our o t her opp onent s and ne e d to t r y to take ma x imum p oint s f r om e ac h of them.”

A matter of duty T her e ha ve alr e ad y b e en o c c asions w hen the s t r iker c ould ha ve he e de d his ow n ad v ic e b e t ter. His team wer e unable to br e ak the de adloc k in a go alle s s dr aw w ith Hong Kong as the C hine se Sp e c ial Adminis tr ati ve Region pr ove d themsel ve s to b e wor thy opp o nent s. W hile this r e sult made v ic tor y agains t Qatar all the mor e v ital, C hina PR suf f er e d a nar r ow 1- 0 lo s s in Doha even though D ab a o wa s c o nv in c e d b e f o r e t h e m a t c h t h a t hi s t e am woul d emer ge v ic tor ious f r om t he enc ounter. “ T hey ar en’t b e t ter t han us,” he said. “A lthough we’ve lo s t some mental b at tle s to them in the p as t, we ar en’t af r aid of Qatar.”

In the wake of the se e ar l y game s, one thing is c le ar : C hina c an not af f ord to slip up again. W hen Team Dragon s tep onto the pitc h to f ac e Bhutan on 12 Novemb er, ge t ting b ac k to w inning wa y s w ill b e nothing le s s than a mat ter of national dut y. tfw

AFC QUALIFYING Round 1: March 2015 T he 12 lowes t- r anked t eams (based on t he F IFA /C oc a - C ola Wor ld Rank ing) were paired of f and played f or a place in t he second phase.

Round 2: June 2015 t o March 2016 T he winner s of Round 1 (India, Yemen, E as t T imor, C ambodia, Chinese Taipei and Bhut an) join t he remaining 34 nations in one of eight groups. T he eight group winner s and f our bes t r unner s - up go t hrough t o Round 3.

Round 3: Augus t 2016 t o S ept ember 2017 T he 12 nations will be dr awn int o t wo groups. T he t op t wo sides f rom each pool qualif y direc t ly f or t he F IFA Wor ld C up™, while t he t hird - placed t eams go int o Round 4.

Round 4: Oc t ober 2017 T he winner ear ns a place in t he int ercontinent al play - of f s.

Int ercontinent al play - of f s: November 2017 T he winner of Round 4 will f ace t he f our t h - placed side f rom t he C ONC AC A F qualif ying zone. T he winner qualif ies f or Rus sia 2018.

There are 4.5 places available at the 2018 World Cup in AFC qualif ying .

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» CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

I’m very, very happy to have him in my team. We’d been in touch with a lot of players’ agents and names like Mario Balotelli and Carlos Tevez were thrown around.

Then suddenly, Asamoah Gyan cropped up and soon after that, he’d signed for us. He’s a great player who’ll make us better. He had some bad luck with a long-term injury, but he’s back fit now and played in the last few matches. He’s found a house and settled in well in Shanghai, and I think he’s happy to be here.

You also have a lot of promising Chinese players in your squad. Which players do you rate among the best?

I’d definitely say Wu Lei. He’s the youngest player to ever play in a professional game in China, which he did when he wasn’t even 15. He’s now 23 and he’s an outstanding talent. He’s quick and scores a lot of goals and even in the national team he’s taken on a lot of responsibility. We also have a few others who’ve made it into the China squad as well: Yu Hai, Cai Huikang and our goalkeeper Yan Junling.

Do you think these players would have a chance of succeeding in Europe?

Obviously I hope they all stay here and play for me, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see one or two of them in Europe one day.

Comparing your team with one from a top cub in Europe, you notice that there aren’t many players in your side under the age of 20. Why is that?

In Europe it’s become the norm that 17- or 18-year-olds are already part of the first-team fold. That’s not the case here. Young players in China usually play in the reserve side and build up their experience from there, and we then bring them into the first team gradually.

This is another example of where the situation in Chinese football, which I mentioned, comes into play. But as I’ve also said, that will definitely change too.

You narrowly missed out on the league title this year, finishing two points behind champions Guangzhou Evergrande. How disappointed are you by that?

Are you referring to the game against Evergrande there?

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Goal guarantee: Ghanaian striker Asamoah Gyan (c.) of league runners-up Shanghai SIPG.

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We were obviously a little disappointed, especially as we had it in our hands to win the league. But if you lose important games, you can’t complain about finishing second.

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Yes. We played against them with five games left of the season. We went into the match top of the league by a point, but we ended up losing 3-0.

That’s a pretty clear defeat…

Absolutely. They were by far and away the better team, but we should remember that finishing second means we qualified for the Asian Champions League. That was always our stated goal for the season and the dream of everyone connected with the club, and we managed to realise that. We can be proud of what we did in the campaign and now look forward to playing continental football next season.

What are your ambitions for SIPG going forward, and what personal goals do you have?

We achieved our biggest aim by qualifying for the Champions League. Now we want to mix it with the top clubs from Japan, Australia and South Korea and represent Chinese football in a positive way. We have the foundation we need to do that, since the club’s owner has said that he wants to make SIPG one of the biggest clubs in Asia. And me personally? Well I’m very happy here, and I have another year to run on my contract. So I guess we’ll wait and see what happens after that. Å

China PR’s women’s national team delights in reaching the World Cup quarter-finals.

Name Sven-Goran Eriksson Date and place of birth 5 February 1948, Torsby, Sweden Clubs coached 1977–1978 Degerfors IF 1979–1982 IFK Goteborg 1982–1984 SL Benfica 1984–1987 AS Roma 1987–1989 AC Fiorentina 1989–1992 SL Benfica 1992–1997 UC Sampdoria 1997–2001 SS Lazio 2001–2006 England 2007–2008 Manchester City 2008–2009 Mexico 2010 Cote d’Ivoire 2010–2011 Leicester City 2012 BEC-Tero Sasana 2013–2014 Guangzhou R&F since 2014 Shanghai SIPG

More on Sven-Goran Eriksson: http://tinyurl.com/odf6nf9

Todd Korol / Getty Images, Johannes Eisele / AFP

THE 50-POINT PLAN FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF FOOTBALL In March 2015, China’s State Council presented a 50-point plan for the development of football in the countr y. The aim of the new programme is for football to become more at tractive, thereby increasing the numbers of young people taking up the spor t. Personally suppor ted by President Xi Jinping, the 50-point plan encompasses football at ever y level: from the national team and the countr y’s professional league to local clubs.

Two new national training centres are already in the pipeline, while by 2025 the number of pitches will increase countr ywide. Up to 50,000 schools will also begin to of fer specialist football training, with the national association to become independent of political involvement.

QR Codes and 3D images The plan for reform contains a number of impor tant practical changes, chief among them that children and young people should be those to advance football in society. To that end, the spor t has finally made its way onto the school curriculum. Textbooks have been designed to suppor t both players and coaches, with seven volumes, each including basic instructions for ball control and examples of at tacking moves, made available.

QR codes for smar tphones and 3D images of the exercises will also be downloadable.

The number of football schools, currently standing at 5,000, is set to rise to 20,000 by 2020 and to 50,000 by 2025. At present, professional clubs are the major financial backers of these schools, although with local authorities required to find external investors to suppor t youth football, this is expected to change.

Women first, then men China’s approach is three-pronged. Shor t-term aims include the standardisation of football management systems and improving the environment around football development. In the medium term, the world’s most populous nation is aiming for a clear increase in the numbers par ticipating in youth football. Alongside this, the women’s national team is expected to reclaim its place among the world’s elite. The Holy Grail, and main long-term aim, is for the countr y to bid for and host a FIFA World Cup™ and to develop the men’s national team into one of the world’s best. President Jinping is dreaming of China lif ting the trophy on home tur f, even despite the plan coming with a warning of “reasonable expectations”.

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# B E T H E D I F F E R E N C E

TALK ING POIN T S

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England: Premier League

D e s p e r ate t i m e s fo r Jo s e Mo u r i n h o Annette Braun is a staff writer on The FIFA Weekly.

Chelsea could not be faulted for their effort and commitment against Liverpool last week: the players were determined, fought hard and even took the lead through Ramires’ fourth-minute strike. However, once again they slumped to a defeat – their sixth of the season already. Starved of confidence and self-belief, the reigning champions simply cannot find their rhythm. Jose Mourinho argues with referees, the players argue among themselves and the league table tells its own story: Chelsea are 15th after 11 games with only 11 points on the board.

Ian Walton / Getty Images

That stands in contrast to Liverpool, where Jurgen Klopp appears to be on the right

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track after starting his tenure as coach with a series of draws. Against Chelsea, Philippe Coutinho turned the game on its head, scoring in the 45th and 74th minutes before Christian Benteke killed the game off to hand Klopp his first league victory.

The weight of expectation on the new man was clear to see not only at his unveiling, which galvanised the entire club and its fans, but also in the reaction to the victory over Chelsea. Asked in the post-match press conference whether the result would kickstart a title charge, Klopp replied in his inimitable, unpolished manner: “Are you crazy?” His response shows a rational grasp on the situation at hand, but also highlights the change in Chelsea’s status.

Whereas previously a win at Stamford Bridge would mean a team was a title candidate, nowadays other clubs such as Manchester City and Arsenal, serve as a better yardstick.

That duo currently lead the table on 25 points. On Matchday 11 City beat Norwich 2-1 while Arsenal defeated Swansea 3-0 in a match in which Joel Campbell played a

leading role. The 23-year-old Costa Rican has been a peripheral figure at Arsenal since Arsene Wenger signed him four years ago before sending him out on loan to France, Spain and Greece. Yet against Swansea Campbell made his starting debut in the Premier League and crowned a fine display with a goal.

This season’s surprise package is Leicester City, who stayed third in the standings with a 3-2 triumph over West Bromwich Albion.

They now have 13 points more than they did at the same stage last term, but coach Claudio Ranieri is still refusing to get ahead of himself, insisting the 40-point mark and avoiding relegation remain the primary objectives.

Ranieri’s success at Leicester will not have gone unnoticed at Chelsea, whose owner Roman Abramovich dismissed the Italian in 2004 before replacing him with Mourinho. Å

Matchwinner Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho (c.) celebrates the first of his two goals against Chelsea.

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Paraguay: Primera Division

O l i m pi a t r iu m p h i n 41 3 t h Su p e r c l a s ic o Sven Goldmann is a leading football correspondent at Tages­ spiegel newspaper in Berlin.

A bad run of results at the worst time is currently a cause for concern for Cerro Porteno.

Matchday 17 of the Paraguayan Clausura saw Cerro concede a second defeat in a week, and the fact that it came at the hands of old enemy Olimpia only made things worse.

The 3-1 scoreline in the ‘Superclasico’ meant a change at the top of the Primera Division table and in the long-running power struggle between the two clubs from the capital city Asuncion. Olimpia now lead the way on 37 points, two points ahead of Cerro Porteno.

Five matches remain, and on current form Cerro will not be adding another league title to their total which currently stands at 31. The most recent of those was the last Apertura championship back in May of this year, when Cerro proudly finished 17 points ahead of their city rivals.

Cerro Porteno likes to call itself the people’s club. A victory in the derby would have brought them one step closer to the title, so the pressure was on the challengers Olimpia 16

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Euphoria Olimpia players and supporters celebrate taking the lead against arch-enemies Cerro Porteno.

who dealt with it surprisingly well. Francisco Arce’s side took control from the start and went ahead after only ten minutes through Claudio Vargas. Cerro’s 34 year-old journeyman Jonathan Santana equalised shortly after but Olimpia did not let the goal affect them for long. The game was not even half an hour old when Pablo Daniel Zeballos Ocampos finished off a perfect counter-attack to restore the visitors’ lead. Uruguayan defender Alejandro Silva then put the result beyond doubt with a third goal midway through the second half.

“That was a near perfect performance from my team,“ commented Olimpia coach Francisco Arce. It was a particularly special day for the former Paraguay international who began his career at Cerro Porteno, before moving to Brazil where he played for Gremio and Sao Paulo club Palmeiras. The free-kick specialist won eleven trophies in total, two of them the Copa Libertadores. In 2013 Arce lifted his first league title as a coach with his first love Cerro Porteno, a feat that he will be hoping to repeat in a few weeks at the head of their fiercest rivals. Å

Norberto Duarte / AFP

With 39 titles to their name Olimpia are the most successful club in Paraguayan football, although they have been somewhat living on past glories in recent years. In this millennium they have only won two championships, the last of which was four years ago. So it is about time that they claimed another, and rarely will they find themselves in a better position than after the 413th ‘Superclasico’ derby. The first-ever encounter between the two sides dates back to a 2-2 draw in 1913 and since then they have continued to be evenly matched – both have won 145 times, with the other 123 games ending in draws. In Paraguay, red and blue (Cerro Porteno) and black and white (Olimpia) are more than just colour combinations; they represent identities and divide communities just like Boca Juniors and River Plate in Buenos Aires, Fluminense and Flamengo in Rio de Janeiro, or Nacional and Penarol in Montevideo.

Sweden: Allsvenskan

Nor rkopi ng w i n f a i r y t a l e t it l e Alan Schweingruber is a staff writer on The FIFA Weekly.

When IFK Gothenburg climbed to the top of the Allsvenskan table with victory at Kalmar FF on 8 May, their title rivals might have been forgiven for fearing the worst. The 2-0 win, played out in glorious spring sunshine, delivered an ominous message to the 18-time champions’ closest challengers: “We’re top of the league and we’re here to stay.”

imago

At first, it seemed as though Gothenburg would be true to their word. The 1982 and 1987 UEFA Cup winners set the pace at the top of the standings for the following five months, delighting their fans with several impressive victories along the way. At the

beginning of October, however, Gothenburg’s title ambitions took a turn for the worse. A 1-1 draw at home to Halmstads BK allowed second-place IFK Norrkoping to leapfrog the Anglarna (Angels) at the summit and, try as they might, Jorgen Lennartsson’s side were unable to regain top spot before the season’s end.

same cannot be said for Norrkoping’s Nya Parken. The south-east club were nearly relegated from the top division at the end of the 2014 campaign, but after opting against a major overhaul of their playing squad last winter, Jan Andersson’s side enjoyed a miraculous turnaround that culminated in their stunning title victory.

Gothenburg and Norrkoping were not the only teams harbouring realistic ambitions of winning the league going into the 30th and final matchday of the campaign. Thirdplaced AIK needed to win their match and hope other results went their way to stand any chance of overhauling the two frontrunners, but could only manage a 1-1 draw away at Orebro SK. Gothenburg were also forced to settle for a share of the spoils at home to Kalmar, allowing Norrkoping to put the seal on their first league title since 1989 with a 2-0 success at Malmo FF.

Before taking the reins at Norrkoping five years ago, Andersson had led Halmstads to the Alsvenskan title back in 2000. Had it not been for the faith of Norrkoping’s president Peter Hunt, however, his most recent success may never have come to pass.

Hunt, a 63-year-old textile manufacturer, does not do things by halves. He saved the club from bankruptcy in 2009 and, despite heavy criticism from the club’s supporters, opted to stick by his head coach at the end of last term.

Scouts from some of Europe’s biggest clubs have been in regular attendance at Malmo’s Swedbank Stadium this season, but the

Andersson’s former club Halmstads, meanwhile, will compete in the Swedish second tier next season after being relegated from the Allsvenskan for the first time since 2011. Å

Patience is a virtue Norrkoping head coach Jan Andersson celebrates winning the league title T H E F I FA W E E K LY

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THE INTERVIEW

“I’m no longer a student” Gennaro Gattuso, a midfield legend at AC Milan, is now coach at Pisa.

We hear how the Italian World Cup winner rates himself on the touchline.

Gennaro, how are you enjoying life at Pisa?

Gennaro Gattuso: I’m getting on very well.

I work for an illustrious club that had some fantastic times for so many years. The city is beautiful, and it lives and breathes football.

How have you found the experience of overseeing a match from the dugout as coach, rather than being at the heart of it all as a midfield general?

They’re two completely different jobs.

Having been a good player can help you, but a coach’s job is much more complex. I’m no longer a student now; it’s my turn to teach football.

You were a famously passionate, hard-working and determined player. Do those same characteristics mark you out as a coach? How would you describe your style of dealing with players?

I demand a lot from myself, I’m picky and, above all, I’m someone who goes about things with a lot of professionalism and wants to do them properly. I’m a tough nut too and this flaw, if you want to call it that, has stayed with me as a coach. But in recent years I’ve changed my attitude with the players. I used to be tough on them too, whereas now my priority is to prepare the team in the best way possible. Once all the work is done I let the players have their own space; I’m not breathing down their necks all day.

You played under some truly great coaches.

Are there any in particular you feel you learned most from? Any closest to you in terms of style?

With my personality it’s difficult to copy someone or adopt certain approaches. I have my own way of doing things and I have to convey that to my players. As a footballer I was lucky enough to play for big clubs and when I got there I knew exactly how to behave and what to do. As a coach I’m now working with a lot of young people, some of whom are coming straight out of the youth 18

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ranks. With them I can’t behave in the same way that my coaches behaved with me. I have to make them understand the importance of the work and professionalism it takes to get to the top.

Many Italian players and coaches stay in Italy their whole careers, but you have moved abroad on several occasions – starting when you were just 19, signing for Rangers. Do you feel you’ve benefited from your experiences in Scotland, Switzerland and Greece?

Those experiences had a big and very positive influence on me. Whoever watches me working on the pitch immediately notices that my methods are slightly different from the Italian way - they’re closer to the English style. For example, I like to work at a very high tempo and on the day after a match I prefer to get straight back into training.

Going abroad enriched me as a player, but also as a coach.

Please tell us about the 2006 World Cup. What do you remember most, and what was the key to Italy’s success?

I have so many memories of that experience. I mean, for me, wearing the national shirt was always something special. When I was there in the middle of the pitch and I heard the national anthem, I got goose-bumps and thought back to my beautiful childhood.

But perhaps my biggest impression of that World Cup was on our arrival at the training camp in Duisburg. In my 12 years in the national side, that was the only time that our training camp hotel didn’t have five stars and maybe that was one of the most important factors. But the key to our success was definitely Marcello Lippi: he was our leader, we relied on him, he had charisma and made us feel valued and protected. The chief architect of that World Cup victory was him.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic said of you: “He gives everyone the motivation they need. On the

field he is an animal - without him we cannot do it.” Do you feel Milan and Italy could do with such an animal these days?

I think that Daniele De Rossi can play this type of role in the national team. He’s a player who’s been in the frame for years, a champion who always puts his heart and soul into things and demands respect. At Milan, I like [Nigel] De Jong: he’s a silent leader, unlike me, but has all the qualities to become a key man.

You were seen as one of the greatest defensive midfielders of your era. Who do you admire playing your position these days?

I really like Radja Nainggolan. Although we aren’t that similar, because he’s definitely better than me technically, I consider him to be one of the strongest players in that role. He knows how to link up the defensive and attacking phases of the game in a ­balanced way. Å Gennaro Gattuso was talking to Stephen Sullivan

Name Gennaro Ivan Gattuso Date and place of birth 9 January 1978, Corigliano Calabro, Italy Position Defensive midfield Clubs played for 1995-1997 AC Perugia 1997-1998 Glasgow Rangers 1998-1999 Salernitana Calcio 1999-2012 AC Milan 2012-2013 FC Sion Clubs coached 2013 US Palermo 2014 OFI Crete Since 2015 AC Pisa imago

Italy national team 73 caps, 1 goal

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First Love P l a c e : P o r t- au - P r i n c e , H a i t i Date: 15 Januar y 2011 Time: 10.41 a.m.

Photog rapher : Jon at h a n Tor gov n i k

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BELA GUT TMANN

Limbering up Benfica coach Bela Guttmann leads by example during a warm-up.

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A MOMENTOUS E XIT

Getty Images

BELA GUT TMANN

Unconventional, 足systematic and 足successful, Bela Guttmann left his mark on the clubs he coached in 足Europe and South America, occasionally doing so with unforeseen consequences, writes Annette Braun.

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BELA GUT TMANN

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t is safe to say that Bela Guttmann was a nomad. Over the six decades he spent in the game as a player and coach, he worked in 13 countries across Europe and North and South America. The Hungarian seemed driven to keep moving and was an uncompromising character, never staying in one place for more than two years as a coach. He was a vehement believer that “the third season is fatal” and refused to budge from that standpoint, preferring to walk away from clubs instead.

That Guttmann was one of a kind is highlighted by the anecdote that at one club he asked to be paid in vegetables, rather than money, due to a food shortage. Another tale, from his time at the helm of Honved, has become the stuff of legend. So incensed was he with the performance of one of his players that he ordered him to remain in the changing room for the second half, even though it meant the side would be a man down. Angered by the decision, the player’s teammates confronted Guttmann during the interval and the coach subsequently opted to sit in the stands for the second half. After the final whistle he took the tram home and never returned to the club.

Born in Budapest in 1899, Guttmann was a talented player in the 1920s and caused a stir worldwide with Hungary’s Olympic side and in the Hakoah team made up exclusively of Jewish players. In 1926 he even moved to New York, where he not only played football but also made a small fortune as joint owner of a bar.

His prosperity was short-lived, however, as after ‘Black Friday’ in 1929 he lost the majority of his assets. Little is known about Guttmann’s plight during the Nazi era, but one thing is certain: he had to fight for survival and cope with family tragedies. Was it that experience that spurred him on to steadfastly go his own way?

Hungarian import Guttman employed unconventional coaching methods but nevertheless achieved great success and established effective systems, such as the 4-2-4 formation he honed alongside compatriots Marton Bukovi, the MTK Hungaria Budapest coach, and Gusztav Sebes, Hungary’s national team manager. It was a new, more attacking formation than the 2-3-5 system widely used at the time, offering greater scope for flexibility and laying the foundation for the ‘Total Football’ played by Ajax many years later. The England national team felt the full force of it in 1953 when they were thrashed 6-3 by Hungary at Wembley. A year later the margin of victory was even greater, with the Hungarians posting a 7-1 triumph over England in Budapest.

Guttmann did not invent this new style of play and he was not involved in either of those dazzling victories, but it was nonetheless thanks to him that the 4-2-4 formation left European shores and took root in Brazil. At the start of the 1950s he utilised it while working as coach in Sao Paulo. It was a tactic that evidently resonated with Brazilians, as they employed the creative, attack-oriented style to great success, winning a maiden FIFA World Cup™ title in 1958 and later lifting the trophy for a second and third time in 1962 and 1970.

Return to Europe Having learned Portuguese, Guttmann eventually moved to Portugal, where he took charge of FC Porto. After winning the domestic championship he then joined Benfica, with whom he won two league titles and two European Cups, beating Barcelona 3-2 in the 1961 final and defeating Real Madrid 5-3 a year later.

The latter game was a gripping encounter that signalled the end of Madrid’s dominance that had started in the 1950s, when they won the

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Hard at work Ahead of the return leg of the European Cup semi-final away to Tottenham Hotspur in 1962, Bela Guttmann answers journalists’ questions and pushes his players on during a warm-up. Benfica lost the game 2-1, but having won the first leg 3-1 they went through to the final, where they beat Real Madrid 5-3.

BELA GUT TMANN

continental crown five times. During the match Benfica went both 2-0 and 3-2 down, but even then Guttmann was not concerned. He once said: “I’m not bothered if the opposition score because I always believe that we can score one more than them.” In that final in 1962, Benfica even managed to score two more than the opposition, with Eusebio netting a decisive brace to turn the game on its head.

Guttmann’s stints as coach generally only lasted two years – with one exception. He stayed for what turned out to be a successful third year at Benfica, disproving his own theory that “the third season is fatal”. Indeed, it was his departure that proved to be fatal for the club.

They parted ways acrimoniously, unable to agree on a bonus payment Guttmann had requested, and when the coach left he stated that Benfica would not be European champions again in the next 100 years. The comment, made over 50 years ago and born out of disappointment from the dispute, would probably have been long forgotten if it were not still valid today.

“Benfica won’t be ­E uropean champions in the next 100 years.”

Bela Guttmann, 1962

Getty Images (2), imago

The Benfica curse Benfica have played in eight European finals since then and lost every time, most recently in the 2014 Europa League title-decider against Sevilla. After the score was tied at 0-0 at full time, the Spaniards won 4-2 in a penalty shootout. Guttmann’s parting shot became a sinister premonition that has turned into a curse. Are Benfica really destined to lose continental finals? It is such a strongly-held superstition in Lisbon that Eusebio, star of the triumphant 1962 side, visited Guttmann’s grave prior to the 1990 Champions League final against AC Milan in Vienna and asked for the curse to be lifted. It was of little use, however, as Benfica lost that game too.

There is no doubting that Guttmann, who passed away in 1981, was an unusual character. Much to the dismay of Benfica fans everywhere, his legacy appears to be too. Å

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FOOTBALL FOR HOPE

Football for Hope is our global commitment to building a better future through football. To date, we have supported over 550 socially-responsible community projects that use football as a tool for social development, improving the lives and prospects of young people and their surrounding communities

To ďŹ nd out more, visit the Sustainability section on FIFA.com.

AN T I - DOPING INI T I AT IV E

PRESIDENTIAL NOTE

FIFA launches ‘11 rules to prevent doping’ ­ education initiative

Syria and ­football doing us proud

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ne of the main pillars of FIFA’s anti-doping strategy is prevention through education. To support our efforts to keep football free from doping, FIFA is launching an initiative to explain to all players why they should stay clean and how they can avoid doping.

The ‘11 rules to prevent doping in football’ posters aim to raise awareness among young athletes, coaches, doctors, trainers and parents about the dangers and consequences of doping. They contain 11 simple messages selected by experts in anti-doping management in collaboration with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). These messages introduce basic but important advice, such as checking the list of prohibited substances, avoiding recreational drugs, taking care with food supplements, and applying for therapeutic use exemptions (TUE).

FIFA appeals to all its member associations to distribute the posters to their clubs and national teams at all levels. The posters should be printed and displayed in football facilities all across the respective countries, particularly for youth-level players to see.

In addition, FIFA is reaching out directly to fans and players across the world via its digital and social media platforms. The posters can be easily downloaded and shared with the aim of creating awareness about doping. For every player that learns about the dangers of doping we lower the risk of footballers taking doping substances due to a lack of knowledge.

The primary targets of the initiative are young athletes. To kickstart the initiative and help send a clear message to the global football community, the quarter-finalists at the FIFA U-17 World Cup Chile 2015, which boast some of the most talented and promising youth players from all over the globe, have joined the campaign.

The first message of the poster is simple yet very effective: “Doping is cheating. Respect your team-mates and your sport, but most of all respect yourself. You don’t want to win knowing you have cheated.” Å tfw

he most amazing things happen at FIFA competitions, things that inspire us and remind us of the power of football. Take Syria’s achievement in reaching the FIFA U-17 World Cup Chile 2015 in spite of all the problems the country is currently facing.

On behalf of FIFA and the entire international football community, I would like to pay tribute to the Syria team, who showed focus and determination throughout the qualifying competition and in their preparations for the world finals in the hope of doing their compatriots proud in these very dark times.

Though Syria’s youngsters ultimately failed to progress beyond the group phase, they nevertheless earned the respect and admiration of the players, supporters and officials they met. We wish them every success on the pitch in the future and hope they continue to fly the flag for their fellow countrymen and women.

The story of this young Syrian team has also inspired us here at FIFA. It has shown just what can be achieved in football when we focus on the task in hand.

In FIFA’s case that means honouring the commitment and passion of these young men, and many others like them, through governance that is ethical, responsible and beyond reproach and which seeks to achieve our goal of developing and promoting football, all while organising outstanding competitions around the world.

Thanks to the game of football and our competitions in particular, we are creating opportunities for others and for ourselves.

As is true of all our competitions, at Chile 2015 we have taken great pleasure in leaving a positive footballing legacy and in encouraging many youngsters to take up the game.

In creating this legacy for Chile, we have provided training for grassroots football coaches and organised festivals designed to get more children to play football. We are training youth coaches across South America with the aim of helping youngsters to improve and of giving them the chance to fulfil their potential.

At a time when we are in the process of building a new and stronger FIFA for the years to come, it is vital that we continue to make legacy an integral part of our competitions.

Best wishes, Issa Hayatou

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FIFA DEVELOPMENT PROGR AMMES

I’M A FOOTBALLER NOW Thanks to a carefree day of football, the FIFA Grassroots Festival in Santiago de Chile put smiles on hundreds of children’s faces.

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he FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile is drawing to a close but enthusiasm for football is still tangible across the entire country. Running parallel to the 16th edition of the tournament, FIFA put great emphasis on bringing young children between the ages of six and 12 in closer contact with the game.

In order to achieve that, world football’s governing body held several fascinating courses for youth coaches and organised a total of eight Grassroots Festivals in the cities of La Serena, Coquimbo, Vina del Mar, Talca, Chillan, Concepcion and Puerto Montt.

The first festival took place on 30 October in the capital Santiago de Chile and proved to be a resounding success.

The sense of anticipation was clear to see on the faces of the young girls and boys even early in the morning. Some sat on the ground, excited about the day ahead while their parents tied their laces. No school, no homework for these kids – just the Grassroots Festival, an event they had been looking forward to for weeks.

The sun shone agreeably in Santiago and once the training exercises on the pitch were finally underway, the participants’ nerves

disappeared. All of a sudden the children were beaming. “There was a wonderful atmosphere,” FIFA Grassroots instructor Mauricio Marques said afterwards. “Everywhere I looked I only saw happy children and parents. Nobody wanted to go home at the end of the festival. That’s really pleasing.”

Sense of unity The objective of the eight Grassroots Festivals, staged between 30 October and 7 November, is for the participants to have carefree fun while learning about the game,

Once the training exercises on the pitch were finally underway, the children’s nerves disappeared. All of a sudden they were beaming.

Martin Rose / FIFA via Getty Images (3), FIFA

FIFA DEVELOPMENT PROGR AMMES

The big day Chilean children at the Grassroots Festival in Santiago.

FIFA AND GRASSROOTS Grassroots is our commitment to encourage girls and boys to play football. This initiative is the core foundation of our development programmes, aimed at encouraging girls and boys around the world to play and enjoy football with all the benefits it can bring, from a healthier lifestyle to learning about fair play. Through Grassroots, FIFA seeks to offer as many girls and boys as possible the chance to play football without restrictions. We plan for and secure the future health of the global game by encouraging young people to embrace football, as part of our core mission to develop the game of football everywhere and for all.

• T he Grassroots programme is delivered in partnership with our member associations through coach-educator-led school, club and community initiatives aimed at 6-12-year-olds.

• F IFA invested USD 14.9 million in youth and grassroots activities in the 2011-2014 period, with making friends, forging a sense of togetherness and mastering some technical exercises.

Over 240 children took part at the festival in Santiago.

An additional aim of the one-day events in Chile is to motivate coaches to commit to continued youth development in the longterm. FIFA Grassroots coordinator Jorge Diaz-Cidoncha Garcia said: “In conjunction with the Chilean Football Association, participating coaches can now organise courses independently in the future.” That in turn would benefit many more children from different areas of the country who were unable to take part in the Grassroots Festivals.

83% going to Grassroots courses. We also earmarked USD 88 million for technical development projects, including Grassroots, for the 2015-2018 period.

• G rassroots programmes teach 12 basic football techniques, from controlling the ball to volleying.

• G rassroots focuses on small-sided games on small pitches, which are more fun for children, giving players more possession of the ball and allowing them to experience a wider range of football situations, from attack to defence. tfw

Grassroots around the world By 2018, it is expected that 140,000 children will have taken part in FIFA programmes.

New affinity for football At 7 p.m. on Sunday 8 November the U-17 World Cup final will kick off in Vina del Mar. It is not a school day, so the majority of young footballers in Chile will no doubt watch the game on television, using their new-found affinity for the game to observe the players’ technical skills and ability.

Perhaps one day they will play in a club themselves, or maybe even in the national team. Å tfw

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Everywhere You Want To Be

Where do you want to be?

With 3 world titles, 3 goals in the final of the FIFA Women’s World CupTM and a ticket to Brazil, she’s just getting started.

Visa is proud to support Carli Lloyd and her dreams.

To be at the top of the world.

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SPOTLIGHT ON

GENER AL INFORMATION Country: Faroe Islands FIFA Trigramme: FRO Confederation: UEFA Continent: Europe Capital: Tórshavn

The image of a rebel

GEOGR APHIC INFORMATION Surface area: 1,396 km² Highest point: Slættaratindur 882 m

Alan Schweingruber

Mario Wagner / 2Agenten

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ome things in life are better done alone.

Riding a big loud motorbike would be one such example. It might be wonderfully romantic to have a lady laughing on the back and waving at jealous onlookers, but it is a whole lot more nonchalant to take the bends alone, deep in thought. Aside from the unrivalled Steve McQueen, who simply let his inner insurgent run wild, all rebels have an image to cultivate.

One of McQueen’s silver-screen colleagues, the Swede Anita Ekberg, behaved far less rebelliously in private than it may have seemed, given the way she bathed alone in Rome’s Trevi Fountain all those years ago in “La Dolce Vita”. That scene from Federico Fellini’s masterpiece still evokes nostalgia today, and the Trevi’s recent restoration has provided the perfect excuse for the world’s media to dig out every possible photo of the outwardly rebellious Ekberg in the Fountain from 1960.

Just as Ekberg did, a rebel’s main aim is to cultivate their image of cool and therefore resist any temptation to work or co-operate with others. James Bond, another lone wolf, is an expert at this. Who was the best Bond girl of all time? Ursula Andress? Carey Lowell? Or was it Monica Belluci? There is only one person who knows and that is Bond himself, but nobody ever cares to ask him. Perhaps that has something to do with the fact that secret agents do not enjoy attachment.

Reticent by nature, they are happiest when working alone.

There are plenty of similar rebels in football, usually at least one per squad. They behave normally at the start of their career, but begin to develop these contrary traits behind closed doors. Eventually you spot them because they do not have a Facebook page, or because they sport a lone tattoo somewhere on their body. They are clean-shaven, and when they score their celebrations remain cool and controlled. Their analyses are often razor-sharp and sometimes, controversially, they respond to questions by eschewing clichés. Pleasingly, in fact, they even refuse to correspond to that conventional footballer’s trait of “thoughtfully” scratching an ear while answering. Å

Neighbouring seas and oceans: Atlantic, Norwegian Sea

MEN’S FOOTBALL FIFA Ranking: 89th World Cup: No appearances

WOMEN’S FOOTBALL FIFA Ranking: 88th World Cup: No appearances

L ATES T RESULTS Men’s: Faroe Islands - Romania 0:3 11 October 2015 Women’s: Malta - Faroe Islands 2:4 9 April 2015

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1934

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Brazil set off for their FIFA World Cup match against Spain. The encounter marked the end of A Seleção’s campaign as they lost 3-1.

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Barcelona coach Luis Enrique occasionally climbs atop this bus to observe his players during training.

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FIFA PARTNER

THE ART OF FOOTBALL

The miracle of Nottingham

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

“As a personal achievement goes, this ranks up there with my achievements on the pitch and what I won with Chelsea, and playing for my country.

But to receive an award like this among some very special people here, military, people who are doing a lot of good work in charity, it’s very humbling to be here.”

Frank Lampard received the OBE award from the Duke of Cambridge at Buckingham Palace

Hanspeter Kuenzler

Nick Kidd / Sporting Pictures (UK) Ltd

L

egend has it that John Robertson used to shun the traditional orange segments at half-time in favour of a quick cigarette in the toilets. Questioned on the matter, the man himself protested: “It is not true”, he said, before confessing “OK maybe once or twice, but no more than that.” Now 62, Robertson was not the type of footballer you find in the top leagues today. He was not particularly big, but you certainly would not have wanted to ask him what his exact weight was. Hard work was not his strength and he was playing for Drumchapel Amateurs in 1970 when Nottingham Forest signed him.

Robertson drifted around the fringes of the squad before being placed on the transfer list at the start of 1975. Nottingham Forest were languishing in mid-table of the second division at the time, with their 1898 and 1959 FA Cup wins their only honours. Then, on 6th January 1975, Brian Clough arrived in Nottingham and the rest is history. “Cloughie” had led Derby County to their first ever title but then failed to replicate that success at Brighton and Leeds.

While the public and media loved Clough’s barefaced humour, his anti-authority stance did not go down well with the football establishment. His methods were also unusual. “Play in a way that you enjoy”, he once said, “and the rest will follow.”

Training was often limited to a jog along the River Trent, where stinging nettles were impossible to avoid. And it was in the marginal figure of John Robertson that Clough uncovered the diamond in his squad. Kenny Burns, a defender in the team, recalls the following instruction from the manager: “When you get the ball, pass it quickly to the short fat lad on the left wing – he can play, you cannot.” And lo and

behold: Robertson made 243 consecutive starts for Forest between December 1976 and December 1980. During this time the team got promoted to the top flight (1977), was crowned league champions (1978), won the League Cup twice (1978 and 1979) and the European Cup twice. In 1979 it was Robertson who provided the pass for the winning goal against Malmo, and then in 1980 against Hamburg he scored it himself.

The 90-minute film ’I Believe in Miracles’ tells the story of a real footballing miracle.

Contemporary footage of matches and interviews give the impression of a bygone era: the pitches are marshy, the kits are blood-red rather than a trendy red, and as for the haircuts...

In between the flashbacks, former players like Burns, Frank Clark and Archie Gemmill prove that they are still fantastic storytellers three decades on. Moreover the film is a footballing feast. This Nottingham Forest team’s success was built on its ability to couple British strength in defence with pace and precise passing in attack. The result was a glorious spectacle, one whose euphoric effects are infectious even on the big screen. Å

“After much deliberation and talking with my friends, family, team-mates and our coaching staff, I’ve decided to finally bring my soccer career to an end. While we still have more work to do for women’s soccer, after bringing the World Cup back to the United States this summer, I’m feeling ­e xtremely optimistic about the future of our sport.”

Abby Wambach

“My passion then after maybe went a little bit high … people who know me, they know that I’m not a good loser.

In that moment I was really upset.”

Jermaine Jones explains his reaction to referee Mark Geiger’s decision not to award a late penalty as New England Revolution lost in the MLS play-offs

“Don’t give up on your dreams. It might be so difficult to attain them, but there’s a lesson to be learned!

Keep going, guys!”

Claudio Bravo, Chile’s senior team goalkeeper after the U-17 side’s exit from the U-17 World Cup

“What happiness! My dad was able to use FaceTime single-handedly!

Hahahaha! How nice to see you!”

“I Believe in Miracles”, directed by Jonny Owens, Universal, is available on DVD/Blu-Ray from 16th November.

Dalma Maradona, Diego’s daughter, expresses her delight that her father could use his phone’s technology properly so that she could wish him a happy 55th birthday T H E F I FA W E E K LY

35

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MEN’S WORLD R ANKING

Belgium (up 2) Austria (10th, up 1) Wales (15th, down 7) 172 Ethiopia (5 matches) Turkey (up 224 points) Chad (up 39 ranks) Wales (down 163 points) Sudan (down 44 ranks)

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

+/- Points

Rank Team

Last updated: 5 November 2015 +/- Points

Rank Team

1 Belgium

2 1440

55 Congo DR

5

587

109 Zimbabwe

2 Germany

0 1388

56 Finland

8

586

3 Argentina

-2 1383

57 Egypt

-6

4 Portugal

0 1364

57 Peru

5 Chile

4 1288

59 Nigeria

6 Spain

0 1287

60 Australia

7 Colombia

-2 1233

61 Jamaica

8 Brazil

-1 1208

61 Israel

-14

559

115 Azerbaijan

9 England

1 1179

63 Mali

-1

552

117 Belize

10 Austria

1 1130

64 Slovenia

-18

547

11 Switzerland

1 1073

65 Panama

0

12 Uruguay

8 1051

66 Bulgaria

12

+/- Points

Rank Team

+/- Points

0

305

163 Liechtenstein

-7

110 Central African Republic

16

302

164 Samoa

-2

152

583

111 Georgia

-1

301

165 American Samoa

-1

145

-7

583

112 Aruba

3

299

166 Maldives

10

141

-7

582

113 Libya

-8

297

167 Grenada

-8

137

-2

573

114 Ethiopia

-6

294

168 Gambia

-7

135

-4

559

115 Bahrain

8

293

169 Cook Islands

-3

132

-10

293

170 Puerto Rico

-5

129

1

292

171 Malaysia

0

127

118 Madagascar

9

290

172 India

-5

122

515

118 Namibia

7

290

173 Mauritius

-5

117

497

120 Korea DPR

9

288

174 Indonesia

-3

108

154

13 Italy

4 1040

67 United Arab Emirates

3

495

121 Sierra Leone

0

281

175 Dominica

-1

104

14 Romania

-1 1039

68 Uganda

7

491

121 Turkmenistan

34

281

176 Laos

3

90

15 Wales

-7 1032

69 Equatorial Guinea

-2

487

123 Lithuania

-7

279

177 Comoros

16 Netherlands

-2

70 Belarus

28

479

124 Kyrgyzstan

22

277

6 -18

976

17 Czech Republic

-2

974

71 Uzbekistan

3

477

125 Kenya

18 Turkey

19

941

71 Zambia

0

477

125 Mozambique

16

89

178 US Virgin Islands

0

88

274

179 Yemen

1

81

274

180 Bangladesh

2

80

19 Croatia

-3

924

73 Haiti

4

470

127 Armenia

-36

271

180 New Caledonia

-11

80

20 Bosnia and Herzegovina

10

923

73 Gabon

-8

470

128 Sudan

-44

267

180 Bhutan

-7

80

21 Ecuador

10

921

75 South Africa

-2

461

129 St Vincent and the Grenadines

-7

262

183 Cambodia

3

78

22 Côte d’Ivoire

-1

890

76 Cyprus

38

444

130 Swaziland

5

258

184 Suriname

-3

77 76

23 Russia

3

885

77 Bolivia

-10

442

131 Kazakhstan

11

256

185 Pakistan

-8

24 Mexico

3

881

78 Montenegro

-6

426

132 Syria

-9

254

186 Brunei Darussalam

1

74

24 France

-2

881

79 Morocco

1

422

133 Kuwait

-5

252

187 Chinese Taipei

-4

71

26 Algeria

-7

872

80 Saudi Arabia

8

417

134 South Sudan

10

246

188 Montserrat

-4

67

27 Slovakia

-9

857

80 Antigua and Barbuda

3

417

135 Tanzania

1

245

189 Seychelles

-5

60

28 Ukraine

-4

806

82 Jordan

17

411

136 Chad

39

240

190 Fiji

-1

59

29 Northern Ireland

6

797

83 Venezuela

-14

408

137 Philippines

-3

236

191 Tahiti

-3

56

30 Ghana

-5

793

84 China PR

-3

403

138 Palestine

-8

233

192 Nepal

-2

51

31 Iceland

-8

792

85 Qatar

7

397

139 FYR Macedonia

-7

230

193 Cayman Islands

-2

49

32 Cape Verde Islands

9

762

86 Liberia

9

394

140 Lebanon

0

228

194 Sri Lanka

-3

45

33 Hungary

0

759

87 Iraq

-2

392

141 Guinea-Bissau

6

216

195 Macau

-2

44

33 USA

-4

759

88 Togo

-9

386

142 Barbados

12

206

196 San Marino

0

35

35 Denmark

-7

743

89 Faroe Islands

-4

385

143 St Lucia

-4

204

197 Turks and Caicos Islands

0

33

36 Albania

-4

723

90 Estonia

-3

370

144 Thailand

1

202

198 British Virgin Islands

1

27

37 Greece

7

718

91 Guatemala

-9

367

145 Hong Kong

8

199

199 Solomon Islands

-2

26

38 Poland

5

712

92 Oman

10

365

146 Luxembourg

-4

197

200 Tonga

0

17

39 Senegal

-1

678

93 Burkina Faso

-17

363

147 Vietnam

2

193

201 Vanuatu

0

13

40 Costa Rica

2

671

94 El Salvador

0

361

147 Lesotho

41 Tunisia

-5

668

95 Honduras

-6

359

149 Dominican Republic

42 Republic of Ireland

12

659

96 Rwanda

-3

356

43 Iran

-4

651

97 Malawi

4

44 Scotland

-4

649

98 Angola

45 Sweden

0

647

99 Latvia

46 Norway

-12

637

47 Paraguay

14 5

48 Korea Republic

-7

193

202 Eritrea

0

8

-30

187

203 Mongolia

0

6

150 Curaçao

2

182

203 Somalia

0

6

351

151 Bermuda

-13

181

205 Andorra

0

5

-1

344

152 Guyana

-15

179

206 Papua New Guinea

0

4

4

342

152 Singapore

5

179

207 Anguilla

1

0

100 Nicaragua

-5

341

154 Moldova

-22

177

207 Bahamas

1

0

610

101 St Kitts and Nevis

11

340

155 Guam

-5

170

207 Djibouti

-1

0

606

102 Canada

2

335

156 Afghanistan

-6

168

49 Serbia

14

605

103 Benin

-3

333

157 São Tomé e Príncipe

36

165

50 Japan

5

603

104 Mauritania

-15

328

158 Malta

-1

164

51 Cameroon

-3

597

105 Niger

15

327

159 New Zealand

-11

163

52 Congo

-3

593

105 Botswana

6

327

160 Tajikistan

0

159

53 Guinea

2

589

107 Burundi

6

321

161 Myanmar

2

157

54 Trinidad and Tobago

5

588

108 Cuba

9

312

162 Timor-Leste

8

155

http://www.fifa.com/worldranking/index.html T H E F I FA W E E K LY

37

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