The FIFA Weekly Issue #56

ISSUE 56, 14 NOVEMBER 2014

ENGLISH EDITION

Fédération Internationale de Football Association – Since 1904

JAMAICA WATERHOUSE RISING CRISTIANO RONALDO SOCIAL MEDIA CHAMPION SANDRA STARKE FROM NAMIBIA TO THE BUNDESLIGA

Footballing nomads

WANDERLUST W W W.FIFA.COM/ THEWEEKLY

THIS WEEK IN THE WORLD OF FOOTBALL

6

North and Central America 35 members www.concacaf.com

Footballing nomads Every season hundreds of footballers switch clubs, leagues or even continents to discover the world with a ball at their feet. Talented youngsters and experienced professionals alike are not only striking out in search of new challenges and further success but also seeking to learn about new cultures and travel the globe. Jordi Punti compiles a fictional team of football’s greatest globetrotters.

15

Sepp Blatter A day after the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Germany’s national team were awarded the highest honour a German athlete can receive: the Silver Laurel Leaf. In his weekly column, the FIFA President explains how the occasion reminded him of “our sport’s huge integrative power, especially in Germany.”

30

B allon d’Or The Puskas Award will also be presented at FIFA’s gala in Zurich on 11 January 2015 to recognise the best goal of the past year. Some strikes become the stuff of legend, changing careers at a stroke. We take a look at the World Cup’s most spectacular goals.

South America 10 members www.conmebol.com

37

Sandra Starke As a girl she travelled halfway around the world to forge her footballing future.

16

Jamaica Waterhouse are facing up to a spell without their Reggae Boyz (pictured: Kemar Lawrence).

Wanderlust Our cover image shows German goalkeeper Lutz Pfannenstiel in the Namib desert, southern Namibia, and was taken in late March 2014.

The number of teams taking part in the final competition has been fixed at 24, to be apportioned among the confederations as follows: AFC: 5 Teams, CAF: 3 Teams, CONCACAF: 3,5 Teams*, CONMEBOL: 2,5 Teams*, OFC: 1 Team, UEFA: 8 Teams, Host: Canada *The fourth-ranked team from the CONCACAF preliminary competition will compete in a play-off (home and away) against the third-ranked team from the CONMEBOL preliminary competition for a slot in the final competition.

2

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

Qualified Costa Rica Mexico USA

Qualified Brazil Colombia

Play-off (Second Leg) 2 December 2014 Trinidad and Tobago – Ecuador

Play-off (First Leg) 8 November 2014 Ecuador – Trinidad and Tobago 0:0

Canada (Host)

Keystone, imago, HMIMA Haikel, Getty Images

Jan van der Velden (image)

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

25

Cristiano Ronaldo When it comes to social networks, CR7 is the Internet’s most popular athlete.

17

Tunisia The highly competitive nature of Ligue 1 is strengthening its teams. (pictured: Franck Kom, Etoile du Sahel (left), Ghilane Chalali, Esperance Tunis)

Qualified Germany England France Norway Sweden Switzerland Spain + Playoff Winner

The FIFA Weekly Magazine App The FIFA Weekly Magazine is available in four languages as an e-Magazine and on your tablet every Friday. http://www.fifa.com/mobile

Qualified Côte d’Ivoire Cameroon Nigeria

Qualified Australia China PR Japan Korea Republic Thailand

Qualified New Zealand

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

3

sharecocacola.com #shareacocacola

Coca-Cola and the contour bottle are registered trademarks of the Coca-Cola Company.

Share a with

UNCOVERED

On the move Migrating birds in a football-like formation.

Itchy Feet A

career in football is measured by the medals in a player’s personal collection. That at least is the widespread belief and conventional wisdom. However, another way of evaluating success as a pro would be the simple fact of earning a living from the game while accumulating experience and amassing memories. In his article starting on page 6, Jordi Punti assembles an imaginary team of footballing nomads, who called many places around the world their home – before moving on again.

P I

ortuguese FIFA Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo is the world number one, and not only on the field of play; no other sports personality has anywhere near as many fans and followers on social networks. We examine why that is on page 24.

n his weekly column on page 23 FIFA President Blatter ponders the art of making the right decisions. “Football is like life: every scene poses a problem requiring a solution,” he states. “Last summer, Germany had a world champions’ answer to every situation, and I tip my hat to that.” Å

Abir Sultan / Keystone

Perikles Monioudis

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

5

FOOTBALLING NOMADS

What is the definition of success in football? Understandably, some say that it is titles, titles and more titles. But for others the main motivator is simple: to discover the world!

I

t is far harder to keep track of migratory trends in the footballing world than in the bird world. Each season hundreds of footballers across the globe switch clubs, leagues and even continents, and this sense of adventure is no longer confined to talented youngsters from Brazil, Argentina and Colombia who strike out for Europe. Globalisation has stirred up the market in recent years, prompting a large number of athletes to seek fresh challenges in lesser-known but still lucrative leagues.

Compared with the model of a player who remains with the same club for his entire career, the concept of the footballing nomad exploring strange cultures overseas is becoming increasingly popular. Personal experience is sometimes now prized more highly than sporting success. Players’ agents rub their hands together gleefully whenever fixture lists in different competitions enable short-term transfers from one hemisphere to another. Take Spain’s David Villa, for example. After playing for five different clubs 6

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

in his homeland, the 32-year-old departed Atletico Madrid for Australia to play several matches for Melbourne City, and in January he will take to the pitch for new MLS team New York City.

While most of us turn our attention to Lionel Messi’s latest record or Manuel Neuer’s most recent spectacular save, Albanian Besart Berisha is leading Melbourne Victory’s title challenge Down Under while Slovenia’s Luka Zinko puts his experience to good use in the Chinese city of Hangzhou. Thirty years ago, the adventures of an Englishman in Thailand or a Ghanaian in Israel would have been deserving of a lengthy report in National Geographic. Nowadays we are more likely to wonder, “What should we make of a Serbian striker who plays in Sweden having already featured for clubs in India, Romania, Israel and Montenegro?”

The answer lies in a selection of globetrotters whose shirts should really be adorned with the United Nations logo. In this report, we bring you portraits of 11 players with an average age of 32 who have played

Anja Denker

Jordi Punti

FOOTBALLING NOMADS

LUTZ PFANNENSTIEL

Football’s most travelled player Lutz Pfannenstiel has played in all six FIFA confederations.

Date and place of birth 12 May 1973, Zwiesel (Germany) Position Goalkeeper Clubs 1. FC Kotzting, Penang FA, FC Wimbledon, Nottingham Forest, Orlando Pirates, Sembawang Rangers, TPV Tampere, Haka Valkeakoski, PK Isalmi, Wacker Burghausen, Geylang United, Dunedin Technical, Bradford Park Avenue, ASV Cham, Bærum SK, Calgary Mustangs, Otago United, Vllaznia Shkodra, Vancouver Whitecaps, CA Hermann Aichinger, Flekkeroy IL, Manglerud Star, Ramblers Continents / countries Europe (Albania, Germany, England, Finland, Norway), Asia (Malaysia, Singapore), Africa (Namibia, South Africa), North America (Canada), South America (Brazil), Oceania (New Zealand) National team Germany U-17s

On a great voyage Marc Crosas shares his news on social media.

Twitter

for a combined total of more than 100 teams in almost 40 different countries. Although they may not all be world famous, they would reflect the realities of modern football were they to take to the pitch together. Of course, responsibility for such a cosmopolitan side can only rest on the wise shoulders of Bora Milutinovic, who has amassed coaching experience on five different continents.

Goalkeeper Although Lutz Pfannenstiel hung up his boots in 2011, he deserves to take his place as goalkeeper of this Globetrotting XI. He broke several international and club records during his career, spending time not only in the Bundesliga but also in countries as diverse as Malta, Namibia, Singapore, Malaysia and Finland. His autobiography The Unstoppable Keeper is a feast of footballing geography and sociology that reads like an adventure novel. In one of his many projects, he even used football to help fight global warming.

MARC CROSAS LUQUE Date and place of birth 9 January 1988, San Feliu de Guixols (Spain) Position Midfielder Clubs Barcelona, Olympique Lyon, Celtic, Wolga Nischni Nowgorod, Santos Laguna, Leones Negros de la Universidad de Guadalajara Continents / countries Europe (England, Russia, Scotland, Spain), North America (Mexico) National team Spain U-21s

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

7

FOOTBALLING NOMADS

Defenders Madjid Bougherra was born in a suburb of Dijon, France, predominantly inhabited by people of Arabic descent and ultimately opted to represent Algeria at international level, a decision that had a crucial influence on his career. The 32-year-old himself explains that playing for the North African nation allowed him to escape a strict upbringing in France and instead pick up a wider “culture, education, mindset and values”. Bougherra, who captained his adopted country at this summer’s World Cup in Brazil, began his career at French Ligue 2 side Guegnon, but soon moved to England and then on to Scotland, where he won the championship title with Rangers on three occasions. He gleefully celebrated each trophy by waving the Algerian flag, something not always

KARL FREDRIK LJUNGBERG Date and place of birth 16 April 1977, Vittsjo (Sweden) Position Midfielder Clubs Halmstads BK, Arsenal, West Ham United, Seattle Sounders, Chicago Fire, Celtic, Shimizu S-Pulse, Mumbai City Continents / countries Europe (England, Scotland, Sweden), North America (USA), Asia (India, Japan) National team Sweden

New York City by cab Fredrik Ljungberg on the move

8

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

appreciated by Gers fans given its resemblance to the colours of their bitter rivals Celtic. His Arab roots enabled him to spend the past few years at Qatari side Lekhwiya before moving to Al Fujairah in the U ­ nited Arab Emirates, where he currently plays.

Michael Beauchamp: Australia is one of the most far-flung regions to which cosmopolitan players head, but its homegrown stars are equally prepared to seek success in other leagues. One example is that of Michael Beauchamp, who this week announced his intention to retire at the end of his current contract with PTT Rayong in Thailand, an experience that has not been entirely satisfactory for the defender. Just a few months earlier, Beauchamp helped Western Sydney Wanderers to finish second in the A-League, crowning an illustrious career in Australian football in the process. Moving to a foreign club was nothing new for the Socceroos player, who first embarked on a European adventure in 2007 to play for two seasons at Nuremberg before spending a further season with Aalborg in Denmark. Nevertheless, he has left his mark on the seven Australian clubs for whom he has played over the years and who helped him to break into the national side.

Pa Modou Kah: During his last season for Dutch side Roda JC in 2011, Pa Modou Kah became famous for one exceptional goal that has since been beamed around the world thanks to the wonder of YouTube.

Apart from his moment of stardom, this strong, ball-playing central defender has also pulled on his boots for teams in Norway, Sweden, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and now plays in the USA. Gambia-born Kah learned his trade in Norway before improving dramatically during a

FOOTBALLING NOMADS

seven-season stint in the Dutch league. When he arrived in North America to play for MLS side Portland Timbers, he said: “My wife and I love to travel and discover new cultures and people. We’ve already visited many places both good and bad, with both good and bad people, but now all that matters is that we’re in Portland and love this city.”

Alvaro Mejia: “What’s it like to play with Zidane and Beckham?” is a question Alvaro Mejia has probably been asked numerous times by his Al Shahaniya team-mates in Qatar. Mejia progressed through Real Madrid’s youth system and spent several years in their world-famous team of Galacticos before a lack of first-team opportunities prompted a move to Real Murcia, a club of more modest means where he became captain.

The team’s financial issues eventually led the defender to spend time in France, then with Konyaspor in Turkey and then in Greece. Although he certainly received offers to return to Spain, he explains that he o ­ pted to live abroad because it was “more personally rewarding”. The experiences of his Madrid idol Raul in Qatar influenced his decision to transfer to his current club.

ROHAN RICKETTS Date and place of birth 22 December 1982, London (England) Position Midfielder Clubs Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Coventry City, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Queens Park Rangers, Barnsley, Toronto FC, Diosgyori VTK, FC Dacia Chisinau, SV Wilhelmshaven, Shamrock Rovers, Exeter City, Dempo SC, Deportivo Quevedo Continents / countries Europe (England, Hungary, Moldova, Germany, Republic of Ireland), North America (Canada), Asia (India), South America (Ecuador) National team England U-21s

Midfielders Rohan Ricketts has played for 11 clubs in nine different countries, making him the very definition of a globetrotter. He even used breaks to play in two different leagues in the same season. He also expresses his passion for football in other ways by serving as a commentator on Twitter and other media outlets as well as writing his own blog, Column 10. Ricketts, who has just finished the Thai season with PTT Rayong, was originally a product of Arsenal’s youth ranks before agreeing to a switch to their arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur in 2002. He featured regularly for Spurs before undertaking something of a world tour that took in teams in Germany, Hungary, Moldova, Ireland, Canada, India, Ecuador and England. Ricketts recalls that he was the victim of racial abuse in some places, while in others he had trouble accessing his money. Despite these setbacks, he explains that his inquisitive nature and the support of local fans have become increasingly important to him over the years.

Bulls Press, David Ashdown / Independent

Marc Crosas is the youngest player in our Globetrotting XI, thanks in no small part to his immense passion for football. Crosas learned his trade at Barcelona’s world-famous academy, where he grew into an exceptional central midfielder. With his particularly impressive ball distribution skills, Crosas made his first-team debut under Frank Rijkaard but was loaned out to Lyon by Pep Guardiola the following season. Although he always intended to return to Barça, he next travelled northwards to Celtic, where he became a fan favourite. Three years later, facing up to the prospect of warming the bench in Glasgow having “turned from a player into a fan”, he decided to seek a new challenge.

After a short spell in Russian football, Crosas made his way to Mexico, where he has spent the last four seasons and is now under contract with Leones Negros in Guadalajara. These ties to Mexican football even prompted the 26-year-old to declare that he would prefer to play international football for Mexico rather than Spain, but would most like to represent an independent Catalonian state.

Fredrik Ljungberg: Many will be surprised to see the Swede’s name here, believing that he has already ended his career – and indeed he did.

Despite having called time on his playing days more than two years earlier, Ljungberg accepted an offer to join Mumbai City in the newly formed Hero Indian Super League this summer, having previously described himself on Twitter as “keen to share my knowledge and experience of the Premier League.” Although Ljungberg has yet to make his debut due to injury, the move already marks a return to Asia for a ­player who previously turned out for Japanese side Shimizu S-Pulse. Prior to that, he spent brief spells in the USA and Scotland after many successful years with Arsenal.

Getting around Rohan Ricketts enjoys the fresh air

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

9

FOOTBALLING NOMADS

“Never say never” Mr Pfannenstiel, would you recommend that other players embark on a career like yours?

Lutz Pfannenstiel: Football has changed dramatically in the last five to ten years; it has become increasingly globalised. It’s no longer unusual for foreign players to feature in every league around the world. In my day we played an AFC Champions League match in the Maldives, and although our opponents were fairly weak, they had a Brazilian in their team. It shows that you can find players from South America or Europe in every corner of the globe, and that’s the way the sport will continue to develop.

What’s so attractive about playing overseas?

As a footballer, going abroad means you want to continue developing your skills, but you definitely also develop as a person. That’s always interesting for young players heading to a foreign league, and I personally think it’s the right decision too.

Where was the most exciting place you played during your career?

To answer that I need to differentiate between everyday life and my footballing life. In my view, Brazil is the most beautiful country; I think it’s the motherland of football. The fans are brilliant and so enthusiastic. The time I spent in the MLS in Vancouver was also very nice because that’s another extremely special city. I generally liked everywhere I went, even countries not usually associated with many positive things, but Brazil and Canada particularly stand out for me.

Can you remember any particularly memorable experiences? (laughs) There have been a few; for example, when a gun suddenly appeared on one club president’s desk. But the most perfect moment came in a cup match against Botafogo at the Maracana. It was my first competitive match in Brazil. The whole experience, even all the commotion, was incredibly special. It was one of those magical moments. I was a little older by that point too.

It’s difficult to say. It’s hard to believe that I’ve been in Hoffenheim for four years now, but there’s still more I want to achieve here. I’m also a goalkeeping coach for FIFA. I don’t know whether another move abroad will be on the cards at some point. I feel very at home in Hoffenheim – but never say never.

10

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

Read more about Lutz Pfannenstiel’s adventures in “The Unstoppable Keeper” (272 pages, Vision Sports Publishing Ltd)

Pixathlon

What’s left for you to do?

FOOTBALLING NOMADS

Forwards Edu: No country “exports” more players than Brazil. O Jogo Bonito is in constant demand in leagues across the globe, particularly when it comes to finding a prolific striker. Eduardo Goncalves de Oliveira, better known as Edu, has been scoring goals abroad since leaving Brazil’s second tier more than a decade ago. He spent much of his career in Germany with teams such as Schalke 04 and Mainz 05 but has also taken to the pitch for Besiktas in Turkey and further sides in China, South Korea and Japan, where has already found the net 11 times for current club FC Tokyo.

You would think that the cold Russian winter, Iranian desert or Bolivian highlands would make a boy from Sao Paulo exceptionally homesick, but statistics show that any Brazilian arriving at a new club abroad will almost always find at least one compatriot there to keep him company.

Nicolas Anelka: Like Ljungberg, Anelka has taken up the challenge of playing for Mumbai City to prolong his lengthy and diverse career even further. The Frenchman is something of a VIP globetrotter, a term that refers to any player who only signs for major Champions League clubs, even if only for a short time, and may just as easily be applied to Zlatan Ibrahimovic or Mario Balotelli in the years to come. Anelka started out at Paris Saint-Germain before making stops at Arsenal, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Fenerbahce, Manchester City, Chelsea and Juventus among others. Despite only making two appearances for the Old Lady of Turin, he still managed to win Italy’s championship, the Scudetto. Before arriving in India, his most unusual stopover was with Shanghai Shenhua.

When asked about his sporting experiences during his time in China, he said: “When I retire from playing, I can take pleasure in knowing I was able to get to know lots of different peoples and cultures from different parts of the world. For me, this is very important.”

Besart Berisha needed several years to find his way in the world, and by the time he did, he was on the other side of it. After beginning his professional career in Hamburg, he made an unsuccessful foray into the Norwegian and Danish leagues. After returning to Germany’s second tier, his prospects steadily nosedived until he received an offer to move to Australian side Brisbane Roar through a friend. He remembers initially thinking the distance was simply too great before one of the club’s coaches convinced him to seize the opportunity by saying: “We only play with one striker, like Barcelona. You’ll be the only forward and you’ll get plenty of passes.” Four seasons have passed since Berisha made his fateful decision. He now plays for Melbourne Victory, where his aggression, precision and pace have helped him to celebrate many goals, collect trophies and become a poster boy for the A-League. Although he previously made several appearances for Albania, international football is no longer on his agenda – after all, the distance is simply too great.

PA MODOU KAH Date and place of birth 30 July 1980, Banjul (Gambia) Position Defender Clubs Valerenga IF, Allmanna Idrottsklubben, Roda JC Kerkrade, Al-Khor SC, Qatar SC Continents / countries Europe (Norway, Sweden, Netherlands), Asia (Qatar) National team Norway

@PMKAH

“Off to my new adventure … where will it be?”

Pa Modou Kah tweeted from Qatar.

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

11

FOOTBALLING NOMADS

VELIBOR OBRAD “BORA” MILUTINOVIC Date and place of birth 7 September 1940, Bajina Basta (Yugoslavia) Position Midfielder Clubs played for OFK Beograd, Partizan, Winterthur, Monaco, Nice, Rouen, Club Universidad Nacional Teams coached Club Universidad Nacional, Mexico, San Lorenzo, Udinese, Veracruz, Tecos UAG, Costa Rica, USA, Nigeria, MetroStars (now called NY Red Bulls), China, Honduras, Al Sadd, Jamaica, Iraq Continents / countries Europe (France, Italy, Yugoslavia, Switzerland), North America (Costa Rica, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, USA), South America (Argentina), Asia (China, Iraq, Qatar), Africa (Nigeria) Record holder Bora Milutinovic has coached five national teams at World Cups: Mexico (1986), Costa Rica (1990), USA (1994), Nigeria (1998), China (2002) 12

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

Coach Bora Milutinovic: It is easy to wonder what goes through Bora Milutinovic’s head and how he chooses to view football after such a lengthy coaching career that has taken him to so many different places. He was the first person to coach at five different World Cups, and with five different sides: Mexico in 1986, Costa Rica in 1990, USA in 1994, Nigeria in 1998 and China in 2002. In addition to this illustrious international record, he has led more than 15 clubs and national teams in locations as diverse as Iraq, Honduras and Jamaica. In an interview with The FIFA Weekly a couple of months ago, he said “I am more Mexican than Serbian,” and recalled his first international success – reaching the quarter-finals of the 1986 World Cup with El Tricolor. As he explained, this experience changed his life, and since then Milutinovic has become one of the best interpreters of the world language of football and player psychology. He knows how to get the best out of every individual player for the good of the team. While training Iraq amid immense

CARON PHILIPPE/PRESSE SPORTS

In great shape Bora Milutinovic in Qatar.

FOOTBALLING NOMADS

MADJID BOUGHERRA Date and place of birth 7 October 1982, Longvic (France) Position Defender Clubs FC Gueugnon, Crewe Alexandra, Sheffield Wednesday, Charlton Athletic, Glasgow Rangers, Lekhwiya, Fujariah SC Continents / countries Europe (France, England, Scotland), Asia (Qatar, United Arab Emirates) National team Algeria

imago

A champion in Scotland Madjid Bougherra celebrates with the Algerian flag.

political and social instability in 2009, he said: “With each of my teams, I always try to make people happy, and that’s twice as important here.”

The now 74-year-old never holds back, always has a new plan of action and calls time “his greatest enemy”. He now lives in Qatar, where he is involved with several football development projects ahead of the 2022 World Cup. Like most other teams, this Globetrotting XI also has a substitutes’ bench packed with stars with plenty to offer. The list of nomadic footballers gets longer with each passing season and is littered with fascinating tales. These are players who have decided it is preferable to be “a big fish in a small pond” rather than the other way around, and have no problem travelling to the other end of the Earth for this very reason.

This band of intrepid footballing explorers also includes Kenya’s Harrison Muranda, a striker who crafted a career across Africa by playing in his home country, Oman and Ethiopia before moving on to India and Vietnam. Or Armenian international defender Hrayr Mkoyan, who

currently plays for Iranian side Esteghlal having already spent time in Russia and the Czech Republic. Then there is Aleksandar Duric, who recently brought his playing career to a close after representing ­Singapore internationally and serving clubs in countries such as Hungary and Australia.

There are also several examples of players who set out on adventures after winning everything, simply because they cannot face the prospect of hanging up their boots. This applies to Brazilian legend Rivaldo, who finally brought his career to an end last year aged 41. After establishing himself in his homeland and enjoying major success in Spain and Italy, he continued to play for the love of the game in Greece, Uzbekistan and Angola before returning to the country of his birth – a closing chapter common to so many of the beautiful game’s most ­restless representatives. Å

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

13

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

TALK ING POIN T S

O N

T H E

Por tuguese Primeira Liga

Gu ima raes a nd Ta l i s c a o n f i r e Andreas Jaros is a Vienna-based

I N S I D E

Henriques, Guimaraes are moving ever closer to surpassing their previous record attendance from the 2007/08 season, when an average of 19,578 fans turned out at home to watch Os Branquinhos (the Little Whites) qualify for the Champions League for the first and so far only time in their history.

freelance writer.

Vitoria Guimaraes remain the team of the moment in the Primeira Liga. A 2-1 win away at stragglers Arouca cemented their position among the league leaders after a tenth place finish last season. With ten matches now played, the team whose 2012/13 Portuguese Cup win marked the only major triumph in their 92-year history now have 23 points and are sandwiched between usual suspects Benfica, on 25 points, and Porto, with 22.

imago

Few predicted that the autumn would bring such success for a side whose new summer arrivals were all either free transfers or loan signings, with not a single household name among them. Perhaps the club’s shrewdest move was to stick by coach Rui Vitoria, who has once again demonstrated his Midas touch.

With an average crowd of 18,296 in their first five home matches at the Estadio Dom Afonso

Nevertheless, even this early surge has failed to shift league leaders and defending champions Benfica from their position as championship favourites. Despite substantial squad rebuilding and cost-saving measures, the Eagles are flying high enough to suggest that yet another title might be on the cards. Last season they amassed every major domestic trophy before being defeated by Sevilla on penalties in the Europa League final.

The record Portuguese champions can call on top-quality players in every area of the pitch.

Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar can be found between the posts, while Argentinian Enzo Perez acts as the team’s mastermind and leader having deputised for the injured Angel Di Maria in this summer’s World Cup semi-final and Final. Operating either as a centre forward or attacking midfielder is the discovery of the season – Talisca. “If he carries on like this, he’ll be worth millions in no time,” Benfica coach

Jorge Jesus enthused. The Primeira Liga’s newest star hails from Brazil’s Bahia state and has been setting the league alight with his excellent left foot, precise passing, strong dribbling, shooting and tactical nous. In short, Talisca is the whole package. Jose Mourinho has been interested in signing the bargain €4 million forward for several years now, but the 20-year-old did not want to risk moving to Chelsea only to become a spare part or be quickly shipped out on loan elsewhere.

Talisca’s eight goals so far in this campaign mean he is locked in a battle with Jackson Martinez, on seven goals, to be crowned the league’s top scorer. The Colombian, who currently features prominently on Liverpool’s wishlist, is keen to fire unbeaten Porto back to top spot from their current position of third. His team are certainly well-equipped to mount a title challenge from their base camp at the Estadio do Dragao thanks to a squad that includes Dutch international defender Bruno Martins Indi and Algerian World Cup striker Yacine Brahimi, who netted a hat-trick on his Champions League group stage debut against BATE Borisov. This impressive collection of players should also help their Spanish coach, Julen Lopetegui, to settle firmly into his first top-flight managerial appointment. Å

Winning the hard way Vitoria Guimaraes (with Alex, right) grind out a 2-1 victory away to Arouca (with Pintassilgo).

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

15

Wate r h o u s e a n d t h e Re g g a e B oy z Sven Goldmann is a leading

not been dropped due to poor form. They were in fact on international duty with the Reggae Boyz, as the Jamaican national team are commonly known. Jamaica are currently taking part in the Caribbean Cup in Montego Bay, meaning Waterhouse will be without their prized assets until 18 November.

football correspondent at Tages­ spiegel newspaper in Berlin.

Waterhouse Football Club’s start to the 2014/15 campaign has been nothing short of a roller-coaster ride. After winning just two of their opening five league matches, the reigning Jamaican champions finally managed to return to the upper echelons of the National Premier League with three successive victories. The club appeared to have turned a corner going into their clash with city rivals Boys’ Town Football Club on matchday 9, but were held to a goalless draw by their relegation-threatened neighbours at their own Drewland Mini Stadium in Kingston.

Against their local rivals, Waterhouse’s cause was not helped by the absence of three of their most influential stars. However, Nicholy Finlayson, Romario Campbell and Hughan Gray were not injured or suspended. They had

The National Premier League’s Reggae Boyz: Hughan Gray, Kemar Lawrence und Nicholy Finlayson (from l. to r.).

16

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

The Reggae Boyz’ hopes of success at the tournament rest largely on the shoulders of head coach Winfried Schafer, who has been in bullish mood in the build-up to the competition, saying: “We want to win the tournament and prove that Jamaica is a sleeping giant.”

Schafer’s squad is made up largely of players from the American MLS. Indeed, only four Jamaica-based players were included in his selection: Kemar Lawrence of Harbour View and Messrs Finlayson, Campbell and Gray of Waterhouse. All things considered, perhaps the champions’ stalemate against struggling local rivals Boys’ Town wasn’t such a poor result after all. Å

Only four Jamaica-based players have been included in the Reggae Boyz’ squad for the Caribbean Cup.

Winfried Schäfer

Jamaican National Premier League

Tu n i s i a ’s L i g u e 1

C l u b A f r ic a i n ’s w inning r un

Of the last 22 CAF Champions League finals, half of them have featured a Tunisian club.

Mark Gleeson is a Cape Townbased journalist and football commentator.

The competitive nature and genuine quality and sophistication of Tunisia’s Ligue 1 has been emphasised by the success achieved by clubs from the north African country in continental competition.

Of the last 22 CAF Champions League finals, half of them have featured a Tunisian club. In the continent’s other leading club competition, the CAF Confederation Cup, there was an all Tunisian final in 2008 and three of the last four deciding ties have involved a Tunisian club. Indeed, CS Sfaxien won the competition last year.

Esperance Sportive de Tunis

Much of the strength of the Tunisian clubs have come from the intense rivalry between Esperance Sportive de Tunis and Etoile Sportive du Sahel over the last two decades;

the two teams separated by a short trip south down the highway from Tunis to the coastal town of Sousse but with little to choose in terms of their ability. But their hegemony has been significantly threatened, notably since the Arab Spring of late 2010, which started in Tunisia and has changed not only the political power structure but also levelled the playing field for the top clubs too. Now there is a more of competitive edge to the league and more clubs who can be considered genuine contenders for league success.

Last Sunday, the traditional ’classico’ saw Esperance beat Etoile with a 70th minute goal from Ghailane Chaalali, but top place in Ligue 1 belongs to Club Africain, who won 1-0 at JS Kairouan with a controversial penalty deep into stoppage time at the end of the match.

Club Africain have opened up a three point advantage over Etoile with Sfaxien and Esperance dropping off the pace and now will have genuine hopes of a first title since 2008.

Coached by the 60-year-old Morocco-born Frenchman Daniel Sanchez, Club Africain have put together a five match winning run to firmly plant themselves at the top of the league. A good pre-season of preparation in Portugal looks to have paid off with former Olympique Marseille striker Saber Khalifa returning from injury to make an impact and score four goals. Sfaxien have a game in hand, though, as they catch up the domestic fixtures they had postponed while they were advancing to the semi-final of the Champions League. Their surprise defeat in September in the last four against AS Vita Club of the Democratic Republic of Congo cost coach Philippe Troussier his job but replacement Ghazi Ghrairi has them back to winning ways.

With only a third of the league complete and another 20 rounds to play, there is a guarantee of much change to come. But one certainty is it will be a titanic tussle before the new champion is crowned. Å

Vanquishing arch-rivals Ghailane Chaalali (for Esperance, right) wheels away in celebration after scoring the winner against Etoile.

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

17

Developing football everywhere and for all

Organising inspiring tournaments

Caring about society and the environment

For the Game. For the World.

FIFA is committed to developing football for the benefit of all. Our mission is to: Develop the game FIFA’s primary objective is to develop the game of football in our 209 member associations. The FIFA World Cup™ gives us the resources we need to invest USD 550,000 per day in football development across the globe.

Touch the world FIFA’s aim is to touch the world through its international football competitions and events, uniting and inspiring people everywhere.

FIFA.com

Build a better future Football is much more than just a game. Its universal appeal gives it a unique power and reach which must be managed carefully. FIFA believes it has a duty to society that goes beyond football.

IN BRIEF

D

uring the 2014 FIFA World Cup final at the Maracana Stadium, Germany’s Christoph Kramer suffered concussion after colliding heavily with ­A rgentina defender Ezequiel Garay. Shortly after the incident, the following discussion took place between the dazed midfielder and referee Nicola Rizzoli: “Ref, is this really the final?” – “Yes!” “Thanks, that’s good to know.” Rizzoli immediately signalled to Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger and Kramer’s involvement in the Final was over. Four months later, during Borussia Monchengladbach’s encounter with Borussia Dortmund on matchday 11 of the German Bundesliga, the 23-year-old Foals’ ace was at the centre of attention once more. Until then, there had been no side-effects from his momentary memory lapse in Brazil. Then came the 59th minute of Sunday’s match in Dortmund. Unchallenged, Kramer lifted the ball over the head of Gladbach keeper Yann Sommer and into the back of the away net from 45 yards. Not only was it the own goal of the year, it also gifted Dortmund a 1-0 win. “I don’t know if anyone has ever scored an own goal like that before,” said the unfortunate match-winner afterwards. Å Sven Goldmann

imago

I

n a career spanning nearly twenty years, former Uruguay international Alvaro Recoba has enjoyed many memorable successes on a football pitch, but the drama that unfolded during Sunday’s Montevideo derby between league leaders Nacional and Penarol is likely to stick with the 38-year-old for a very long time. Record titleholders Penarol had taken the lead at the home of their fierce rivals courtesy of an Antonio Pacheco penalty, and for a while it looked as if the visitors would leave the Estadio Centenario with all three points. In the 68th minute, however, Nacional coach Alvaro Gutierrez pulled off a tactical masterstroke by bringing on Recoba, Sebastian Fernandez and Sebastian Taborda in a triple substitution. In a frantic end to the game during which both teams were reduced to ten men, Fernandez restored parity in stoppage time before Recoba sent the home faithful into raptures with the final kick of the match.

The attacker, formerly of Italian giants Inter Milan, curled a beauty of a free-kick over the wall and into the top corner to make it 2-1 and add another astonishing chapter to a glittering career. Å Tim Pfeifer

S

ometimes life is not fair. Just ask three-year-old Manchester United fan Lilly, who lives in the Wythenshawe district of the city. Upon trying on her new school uniform for the first time, what should have been an exciting occasion turned into a nightmare: barely had she pulled her sweater over her head when she burst into tears. Asked by her mother what the problem was, Lilly sobbed: “I don’t like blue!” Inconsolable, the fact that all the other children would be wearing the uniform at school could not placate her, nor could Lilly’s mother’s efforts to persuade her to try on a skirt and a jumper, nor the argument that the colour does not necessarily symbolise Manchester City, as United also have blue shirts. “It’s so blue,” she cried in distress. “I don‘t like blue. I want to take it off.” The video swiftly went viral online and once word reached Manchester United club officials, Lilly’s fortunes soon changed. A few days later the club invited her to the Old Trafford, where she proudly posed wearing a blue away shirt. Starting school was no longer a problem. Å Sarah Steiner T H E F I FA W E E K LY

19

20

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

First Love Place: S達o Paulo, Brazil Date: 20 Febr ua r y 20 0 4 Time: 1.43 p.m.

fotogloria

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

21

Years of phenomenal growth FIFA decided to stage the first FIFA Women’s World Cup™ in 1991 (China PR) to give the best female players in world football the opportunity to play on a world stage, thus marking a milestone for the growth of women’s football all around the globe. Around half a million spectators attended the matches. Since then, the women’s game has taken huge strides forward in every aspect, whether in terms of the players’ technique, physical fitness and tactics, or the media coverage, TV viewers and sponsorship interest.

One of the pillars of FIFA’s mission is to touch the world through our tournaments. We take great pride in staging these entertaining and unique festivals of football across the globe.

The FIFA Women’s World Cup™ is a shining example of our commitment to ensuring that women’s football goes from strength to strength in the future.

T HE DEBAT E

PRESIDENTIAL NOTE

A positive message for sport The United Nations General Assembly marked recently a significant milestone, sending a strong message in support of sport’s valuable contribution to global societies by recognising the importance of the principle of autonomy of the Olympic and Sports movement.

S

uch an acknowledgement on behalf of the United Nations Member States is not only a positive signal in safeguarding sport’s autonomy but also an important contribution and support to the positive impact that sport can play in promoting universal values of fair play, tolerance, respect, peace, social integration and solidarity, education, health and development – all essential components and principles for promoting inclusive societies.

At the same time, such a message from the world’s leading international organisation in promoting social progress and human rights can only entail more responsibility on the v ­ arious sports and their respective governing bodies in terms of the continuous efforts and initiatives needed so as to release their full potential for the benefit of societies, complementing and supporting states’ priorities in the area of sports policy.

FIFA, as world football’s governing body and organiser of one of the world’s most watched sports events, the FIFA World Cup, welcomes and takes note of the recent UN resolution. Looking ahead, FIFA will continue to seek to optimise football’s tremendous power for making a difference to societies within the context of its initiatives in the areas of development, capacity building and empowerment of its members at national level as well as broader corporate social responsibility and solidarity programmes. FIFA will also continue its work on all such areas in the context of its long-standing cooperation with the United Nations and its specialised agencies in various sport-related fields.

As Joseph S. Blatter, the FIFA President said: “Such a message from the United ­Nations on acknowledging and supporting the autonomy of sports is a message of ­encouragement, but most importantly it is a

message of responsibility for the entire sports and football community. For football, being one of the world’s most popular – if not the most popular – sport, it is a clear message towards stepping up our efforts so that sport is placed to the service of societies and the world with the right synergies and cooperation and that our competitions and also our development programmes serve also as a platform for positive social change.” Å

FIFA prepares for Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 FIFA welcomes the fact that a degree of closure has been reached with the chairman of the adjudicatory chamber stating on 13 November 2014, that “the evaluation of the 2018/2022 FIFA World Cups™ bidding process is closed for the FIFA Ethics Committee”. This comes after the chairman stated that “as regards the procedural framework for conducting bidding procedures related to awarding the hosts of the final competitions of FIFA World Cups™, the Investigatory Chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee did not find any violations or breaches of the relevant rules and regulations”.

“Die Mannschaft”

O

n Monday, 121 days after the World Cup ­Final, Berlin played host to what felt like a revival of that festive event. In a ceremony attended by Chancellor Angela Merkel, President of the Federal Republic of Germany Joachim Gauck presented the world champions with the Silver Laurel Leaf, Germany’s highest award for sporting achievement. Furthermore, Germany will wear the official FIFA World Champions Badge for the next three years, a privilege reserved exclusively for the current World Cup holders.

It was a very emotional day in Berlin, and not only due to the premiere of “Die Mannschaft”, the (FIFA-supported) World Cup film with its powerful images recalling Germany’s steadily increasing momentum through to their triumph in the Final. Our footballing festival took place just a day after the celebrations to mark 25 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall. There is of course no causal relationship between the two events, but it does remind us of our sport’s huge integrative power, especially in Germany. The World Cup triumph of 1954 heralded a new beginning for Germany after the Second World War, and that of 1990 marked a time of renewal following reunification.

Twenty-four years later Joachim Low and his players set a new benchmark in purely sporting terms, demonstrating that perfect ­organisation and individual class need not be contradictions in terms. Germany shone in Brazil with their proverbial German virtues while ­simultaneously playing football that was more Brazilian than Brazil.

Football is like life: every scene poses a problem requiring a solution. Last summer, Germany had a world champions’ answer to every situation. I tip my hat to that, and once again offer my heartfelt congratulations!

As such, FIFA looks forward to continuing the preparations for Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022, which are already well underway.

The statement by the chairman of the adjudicatory chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee, Hans-Joachim Eckert, can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/lowq5a4

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

23

24

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

SUKI BAMBOO (Bianca Litscher), Illustration

RONALDO / SOCIAL MEDIA

“We want to make Cristiano tangible” Luis Correia oversees Cristiano Ronaldo’s social network presence.

Why are people so fascinated by CR7?

Were you always convinced Cristiano ­Ronaldo would triumph on the social networks?

Luis Correia: No. We actually had reservations, or at least great respect. It was all fairly new back then in 2009-10 and we didn’t have enough previous experience to draw upon. All we knew was that whatever Cristiano says can have a huge impact. But what if he made mistakes or his words were interpreted the wrong way? It could all have backfired very quickly.

What was ultimately the decisive factor?

We wanted to show Cristiano unfiltered and just as he is. The Ronaldo brand polarised opinion. There was only black or white.

Fans either worship him or loathe him. There was no middle ground.

We wanted to make Cristiano tangible, especially for kids and teens, and you can only reach them via social networks. So it became clear we had to be part of that.

Did you have any inkling of the dimensions his presence would take on?

We were expecting it to be big, but we have to admit we were surprised by the magnitude. I recall a jokey conversation with social media experts who insisted Cristiano might one day pass the 10 million milestone – approximately the population of Portugal.

Unbelievable, we thought. It seemed gigantic!

Why are people so fascinated by Cristiano?

We think people are interested in Cristiano the person. The level of interest always peaks when he posts about his private life: photos of himself and his son, at dinner with his partner, or eating a bowl of spaghetti while watching football on TV. Obviously, we seek the right mix and balance between personal information, commercial messages and sports-related posts. That is our task.

Is his appeal to women especially strong on the net?

Ronaldo first posted on Facebook from the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Was he enthusiastic about the new medium at the start?

The split is 78 percent male and 22 percent female actually, but we don’t pursue any strategic target group considerations. When he’s on the net Cristiano tries to be as natural and personal as he possibly can.

The breakthrough came on 4 July 2010 with the announcement of his son’s birth on Facebook and Twitter. Rumours were circulating

What was the most popular post?

155 million fans

Paolo Hummel

that Cristiano had become a father.

Cristiano was with the national team in South Africa, and we all needed to take a fast decision, so we weighed up our next move very carefully. Should we confirm the news via a standard press release?

Should we give a newspaper an exclusive statement on the subject? Or should we have Cristiano appear for the cameras? At the end of the day we decided to use Facebook and Twitter and reach the largest possible number of people with a clear message: “It is with great joy and emotion that I inform you that I have recently become the father to a baby boy.” The response was very good, and that’s when Cristiano realised how important and helpful the tool could be for him in the future.

On 14 October, Cristiano Ronaldo became the second individual to pass the 100 million ‘likes’ milestone on Facebook, only beaten by Shakira who has four million more. It means Ronaldo has more Facebook fans than CNN and the New York Times combined. When you add in Twitter (30 million followers), Tencent (11.6 million), Instagram (8.7 million) and Google + (4.7 million) the Portuguese superstar has a total of 155 million fans and is thus the best loved sports personality on the net. His highest number of fans live in Indonesia, followed by Brazil, India and Mexico.

It was on October 23rd, when he posted a selfie showing him with his new boot. That photo attracted more than 3.8 million likes, unbelievable dimensions. His personal photos always generate an insane buzz in the social media.

According to the Repucom agency, 84 percent of the global population is aware of Cristiano. Does his popularity translate directly into turnover?

Direct monetisation in social networks remains difficult. In common with many others we’re trying to profit directly from internet activities and we’re involved in a couple of interesting and innovative projects to that end, but it’s definitely not our primary objective.

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

25

RONALDO / SOCIAL MEDIA

So what is the main goal?

Cristiano is primarily interested in direct communication and interaction with his fan base. Naturally we’re also trying to maintain and protect the Ronaldo brand. There’s a strong emotional component and the opportunity to experience and get to know him personally on the net, and share some moments of his life. This is why we set up the “Viva Ronaldo” digital platform with exclusive content covering all Cristiano’s activities. Everything else – by which I mean commercial considerations – is secondary. Å Luis Correia was talking to Bernd Fisa

Proud father Cristiano Ronaldo with his son.

FACEBOOK Status as of 13 November 2014

SPORTS PERSONALITIES 1. CRISTIANO RONALDO 2. LIONEL MESSI 3. DAVID BECKHAM 4. NEYMAR 5. DWAYNE JOHNSON

102,064,717 Likes 75,319,252 Likes 50,453,348 Likes 49,269,001 Likes 42,990,091 Likes

CELEBRITIES 1. SHAKIRA 2. CRISTIANO RONALDO 3. EMINEM 4. RIHANNA 5. VIN DIESEL

105,797,029 Likes 102,064,717 Likes 96,780,690 Likes 89,999,740 Likes 87,186,897 Likes

TWITTER Status as of 13 November 2014

SPORTS PERSONALITIES 1. CRISTIANO RONALDO 2. KAKÁ 3. LEBRON JAMES 4. NEYMAR 5. RONALDINHO

Social responsibility Cristiano Ronaldo helps a needy child.

31,208,867 Followers 21,326,921 Followers 16,150,470 Followers 15,231,559 Followers 11,038,381 Followers Pupil at United CR7 with Sir Alex Ferguson.

FIFA: Global stadium In the course of the 2014 World Cup, FIFA’s digital platforms passed the one billion mark, meaning FIFA’s ‘global stadium’ is 13,380 times bigger than the Maracana. FIFA’s World Cup Facebook page alone reached more than 451 million people in 28 days. At the current time FIFA’s social networking base includes more than 60 million Facebook fans, 20 million followers on Twitter, and 838,000 Instagram followers. FIFA Digital’s success on the social web was recognised at the Football Business Awards with the “Best/Most Innovative Use of Technology” accolade.

Dinner for two Glimpses of the player’s private life guarantee “likes”.

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

27

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.

FREE KICK

F I F A ’ S 11

World Cup scoring record of the last 11 Ballon d’Or winners

1

Ronaldo, Brazil 15 goals at 4 World Cups Three-time Ballon d’Or winner

2

The butterfly effect 3

Roberto Baggio, Italy 9 goals at 3 World Cups One-time Ballon d’Or winner R ivaldo, Brazil 8 goals at 2 World Cups One-time Ballon d’Or winner

Andrés de Kartzow

I

t is a feeling that cannot be expressed in words. A nightmarish thought that seems far removed from reality. An incident that even now, some five years later, is difficult to fully comprehend and has left nothing but emptiness in its wake.

The news that Robert Enke had stepped in front of a train on the evening of 10 November 2009 stunned the football world. Many will remember their initial reaction as they heard the news on radio, on television or from a phone call; remember feeling as if the floor had opened up beneath their feet.

The German international goalkeeper battled depression for many years, but kept his disease hidden from the public eye. Indeed, he came across as a balanced, likeable, quiet and humble character. His decision to take his own life was like the first wing beat of a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, in the process turning our world and everything we take for granted on its head. The resulting shock waves that reached far beyond the world of football were followed by a mass outpouring of grief.

Enke’s death released something inside us.

Something that unsettles us. Something that raises more questions than answers. Questions that affect each and everyone of us, but which we refuse to confront head-on due to the fast-moving nature of everyday life. As tragic as his passing was though, some good did come out of what happened that fateful night.

His death not only brought football fans closer together, it also raised people’s awareness of depression, gradually bringing the illness into the public eye.

The world of sport, which nowadays plays such a major role in society, reacted by introducing a number of initiatives. Earlier this year, FIFA launched a new research area ­entitled “Mental Health and Sport”, led by

three-time FIFA World Player of the Year and qualified psychologist Birgit Prinz, to help lift the taboo on issues surrounding mental health in elite athletes and build a foundation for the development of treatment and information ­materials for team physicians, coaches and players.

In Greek the word for butterfly, ‘psyche’, also means soul. The butterfly embodies the immortal soul that leaves the body at the point of death. With a little sensitivity we can sense the impact Enke continues to have and, most importantly, recognise that depression also needs to be tackled in football. Å

4

Lionel Messi, Argentina 5 goals at 3 World Cups Four-time Ballon d’Or winner

5

Zinedine Zidane, France 5 goals at 3 World Cups Three-time Ballon d’Or winner

Romario, Brazil 5 goals at 2 World Cups One-time Ballon d’Or winner

7

Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal 3 goals at 3 World Cups Two-time Ballon d’Or winner

8

Ronaldinho, Brazil 2 goals at 2 World Cups Two-time Ballon d’Or winner

9

K aka, Brazil 1 goal at 3 World Cups One-time Ballon d’Or winner

10

Fabio Cannavaro, Italy 0 goals at 4 World Cups One-time Ballon d’Or winner

Luis Figo, Portugal 0 goals at 2 World Cups One-time Ballon d’Or winner

The weekly column by our staff writers

Source: FIFA (Fact Sheet Gala FIFA Ballon d’Or, 12.11.2014) T H E F I FA W E E K LY

29

HISTORY

Left-footed wonder Hungary captain and goalscorer Ferenc Puskas.

Life-changing strikes Alan Schweingruber and DominikPetermann

T

here is no way of knowing exactly what went through David Platt’s mind when he woke up on the morning of on 26 June 1990. All we can say with any certainty is that he did so in an Italian hotel room and that the day would go on to change the course of his career. The then 24-year-old probably had a shower before joining his England teammates at breakfast shortly afterwards. Presumably Bobby Robson, the England coach at the time, briefly addressed his squad and announced the 30

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

line-up for the side’s World Cup game against Belgium at nine o’clock that evening.

That Platt was not included in the starting eleven that day came as little surprise because he was new in the national set-up and behind players such as Paul Gascoigne, Bryan Robson and John Barnes in the midfield pecking order.

With stars of that calibre available for selection, what hope did an inexperienced Aston Villa player such as Platt have?

Robson’s gut feeling Yet the match in Bologna did not pan out as Robson had envisaged. It finished 0-0 after 90

minutes and was still goalless as the end of extra time approached, leaving England fans on the verge of despair: after all, their team’s reputation in penalty shootouts was far from intimidating. As the clock reached the 119th minute nobody could have guessed that a substitution Robson made on the basis of his gut instinct in the 71st minute was about to pay dividends. The coach had replaced the reliable but exhausted Steve McMahon with the hard-running Platt, and it was the midfielder who broke the deadlock from Gascoigne’s lofted free-kick, letting the ball drop over his shoulder before spinning to volley home (see the

imago (2)

The Ballon d’Or Gala also honours the best goal in the world – and there are some strikes that can alter a player’s career forever.

HISTORY

Spectacular World Cup goals Helmut Rahn – 1954 World Cup Hungary were overwhelming favourites for the title at the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland and went 2-0 up in the Final against Germany. However, a sudden downpour helped the underdogs to equalise and in the 84th minute Helmut Rahn scored the winner to hand his country to a maiden World Cup crown, completing the ’Miracle of Berne’.

Pele – 1958 World Cup One of the best Brazilian teams in history took to the field at the tournament in Sweden, with Garrincha, Vava, Zagallo and Pele all in the side. Pele was just 17, and the World Cup’s youngest-ever goalscorer put his team 3-1 up against the hosts up by flicking the ball over an opponent’s head and volleying it home.

Diego Maradona – 1986 World Cup After Diego Maradona scored with his hand during the quarter-final between Argentina and England, he hit the target again moments later following a solo run that spanned half the pitch. The Argentinian dribbled past five opponents, including goalkeeper Peter Shilton, before putting his side 2-0 ahead. Argentina went on to win the World Cup in Mexico.

David Platt – 1990 World Cup The Round-of-16 tie between England and Belgium in Bologna went to extra time and in the 119th minute England won a free-kick after Paul Gascoigne had been fouled while on a burst forward. The Tottenham man took the ensuing set-piece himself and floated the ball into the box where David Platt, a 71st-minute substitute, volleyed the winner into the net on the turn and booked his side’s quarter-final ticket.

Ronaldinho – 2002 World Cup In the quarter-finals against England Ronaldinho scored the decisive goal with a spectacular free-kick, lobbing goalkeeper David Seaman from almost 30 metres out with an effort that looped high into the box before dipping into the net behind the custodian. Brazil won 2-1 and progressed to the last four at Korea/Japan.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst – 2010 World Cup Dutch defender Giovanni van Bronckhorst struck a spectacular long-range goal from close to the touchline to put the Netherlands 1-0 up in their semi-final against Uruguay in South Africa. The Europeans won the match 3-2 and reached a World Cup Final for the third time.

Getty Images (5)

The nominees smaller text box above). How did Platt feel as he hit the net on just his fifth appearance for the national team? Only he knows, but at any rate his strike fired England into the last eight.

While Platt blossomed and scored another two important goals, one in England’s quarter-final win over Cameroon and another in the third place play-off defeat to Italy, that goal against Belgium spelled the end of McMahon’s international career. Platt went on to play for clubs such as Juventus, Sampdoria and Arsenal, amassing a total of 62 caps for his country and almost erasing the memory of having been released by Manchester United as a youngster.

The Puskas Award If the Puskas Award for the best goal in the world had existed in 1991 then Platt would have had an excellent chance of winning it. The trophy, named in honour of the famous Hungarian goalscorer Ferenc Puskas, has only existed in its present form for five years.

Puskas, the Hungarian captain, was renowned for his extraordinary scoring record, netting 84 times in 85 outings for his country.

Platt took his tally to 27 before retiring from international duty, but it is his very first strike that makes the list of the most memorable World Cup goals. Å

Tim Cahill, 18 June 2014, Australia, 2014 World Cup – Diego Costa, 23 November 2013, Atletico Madrid, Spain – Marco Fabian, 15 February 2014, Cruz Azul, Mexico – Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 19 October 2013, Paris Saint-Germain, France – Pajtim Kasami, 21 October 2013, Fulham, England – Stephanie Roche, 20 October 2013, Peamount United, Republic of Ireland – James Rodriguez, 28 June 2014, Colombia, 2014 World Cup – Camilo Sanvezzo, 6 October 2013, Vancouver Whitecaps, USA/Canada – Hisato Sato, 8 March 2014, Sanfrecce Hiroshima, Japan – Robin van Persie, 13 June 2014, Netherlands, 2014 World Cup. www.fifa.com/ballon-dor www.fifa.com/ballon-dor/ puskas-award

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

31

MIRROR IMAGE

T

H

E

N

Kensington Palace, London, England

1984

Anwar Hussein / Getty Images

The young Prince William on his second birthday.

The Duke of Cambridge is currently President of the Football Association (FA).

32

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

MIRROR IMAGE

N

O

W

Cirencester Park Polo Club, Cirencester, England

2014

Max Mumby / Getty Images

Prince George of Cambridge follows in the footsteps of his father, the Duke of Cambridge, helped by his mother Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.

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 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 46 48 49 50 51 52 52 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77

34

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

Change in ranking Points

Germany Argentina Colombia Belgium Netherlands Brazil France Uruguay Portugal Spain

0 0 0 1 -1 0 2 -1 2 -2

1669 1565 1420 1388 1375 1307 1191 1184 1175 1119

Italy Switzerland Chile Croatia Algeria Costa Rica Mexico Greece Ukraine England Romania Czech Republic USA Slovakia Côte d’Ivoire Bosnia and Herzegovina Ecuador Iceland Austria Russia Tunisia Denmark Cape Verde Islands Wales Ghana Slovenia Scotland Egypt Sweden Cameroon Senegal Nigeria Northern Ireland Poland Israel Turkey Serbia Albania Trinidad and Tobago Hungary Iran Japan Togo Peru Guinea Panama South Africa Mali Bulgaria Congo DR Republic of Ireland Congo Finland Montenegro Uzbekistan Korea Republic Gabon Norway Honduras Antigua and Barbuda Burkina Faso Guatemala Libya Jordan Armenia Paraguay Sierra Leone

2 -2 -1 5 5 -1 -1 -4 5 -2 5 6 -6 16 -3 -1 -6 6 10 -7 0 -5 8 -5 -2 17 -8 23 -7 2 -5 -5 28 26 19 -8 -12 -3 37 4 -7 -4 73 -7 -7 -1 10 1 -13 13 1 -14 2 -21 -7 -3 16 8 -13 10 -23 -15 -5 -5 -23 -16 -2

1064 1063 1060 1002 989 974 954 946 920 919 876 870 862 861 842 837 826 816 810 792 780 763 716 715 685 683 674 658 646 637 635 632 625 621 615 614 614 604 598 561 560 559 559 558 552 546 542 533 532 521 519 512 510 504 498 496 487 481 480 478 469 466 440 434 432 423 421

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

Ranking 05 / 2014

06 / 2014

07 / 2014

08 / 2014

09 / 2014

10 / 2014

1 -40 -80 -120 -160 -200

78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 88 88 88 92 93 94 95 96 97 97 99 99 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 113 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 126 128 129 130 131 132 132 134 134 136 137 138 138 140 141 142 143 144

Top spot

Biggest climber

Zambia United Arab Emirates Dominican Republic Iraq El Salvador Oman Uganda Venezuela Benin Angola Estonia China PR Morocco Qatar Lithuania Haiti Australia Rwanda Cyprus Mozambique Saudi Arabia FYR Macedonia Latvia Zimbabwe Botswana Bolivia Bahrain St Vincent and the Grenadines Belarus Sudan Palestine Malawi Tanzania Ethiopia Cuba Namibia Jamaica St Kitts and Nevis Kenya Georgia Lesotho Moldova Kuwait Niger Canada Liberia Lebanon Equatorial Guinea Azerbaijan Luxembourg Burundi Philippines Guinea-Bissau New Zealand Kazakhstan Aruba Tajikistan Afghanistan Vietnam Myanmar Turkmenistan St Lucia Mauritania Chad Maldives Madagascar Central African Republic

10 -6 27 9 -10 -7 -5 -19 -8 14 -7 9 -1 8 11 26 -10 -2 -11 12 -15 13 0 -9 -11 -9 0 1 -17 26 -6 -11 5 21 10 0 -13 2 -5 -7 -3 -14 4 -14 -2 3 -3 -11 -31 1 2 5 0 -13 -5 -3 2 1 6 6 3 -15 0 3 3 3 -7

Biggest faller

418 413 405 393 392 391 389 388 375 373 369 369 369 369 364 360 359 356 348 341 341 340 340 330 323 310 308 302 301 298 297 292 291 289 286 284 284 279 273 271 266 262 261 258 251 249 246 238 233 233 232 229 226 225 218 218 214 214 208 207 197 197 195 194 183 180 178

145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 157 159 159 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 168 170 171 172 172 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 180 182 182 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 194 194 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 203 205 205 207 208 208

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

-8 15 1 2 -2 1 1 1 -16 15 17 -2 -1 -2 -2 -1 -12 2 1 -4 -7 -4 -4 -2 2 -2 1 -2 2 2 2 5 3 6 4 2 -13 -7 11 2 14 -1 -8 -10 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 -1 -1 -1 -5 -5 0 2 -3 1 1 -4 0 0 0 0 0

176 172 171 168 167 158 154 148 142 141 136 134 129 129 119 119 115 111 109 103 102 100 99 90 90 86 81 80 80 76 72 68 66 62 61 53 53 51 51 49 46 43 42 39 37 33 32 30 29 26 26 26 20 15 13 11 10 9 8 8 6 6 2 0 0

NET ZER KNOWS!

Is football now inconceivable without social media?

Question by Felipe Ruiz, Punta Arenas (Chile)

No computer, no smartphone Gunter Netzer in 1971.

Sven Simon

W

ell, I was born in 1944 and when I was a professional footballer in the 1970s there was no such thing as a personal computer. Looking back I can’t imagine that I would have shared my life on the internet in any way, even if I did make my private life public on occasion back then.

But my lack of understanding is probably irrelevant in this matter because having a digital social network makes a lot of sense for today’s stars. It gives fans the feeling that they can take part in the player’s life a little bit and also allows the footballer to reveal only as much as he wants to.

On top of that, he can put an end to any false rumours and speculation that might be circulating about him. Through Twitter and Facebook (although I must confess I have no practical knowledge of how to use these platforms), information not only reaches a player’s fans but can also be seen by journalists. That in turn brings the advantage of allowing the player to nip any potential stories in the bud before they develop.

Despite the many positive aspects of social media, I can assure you that it is possible to live without any kind of digital platform. I still don’t have a personal email address because I enjoy being unreachable from time to time. Instead, I meet up with people or speak to them on the phone.

I don’t have the time to be constantly replying to messages, and not to do so would be rude. 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

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

TURNING POINT

Name Sandra Starke Date and place of birth July 31, 1993, Windhoek (Namibia) Position Striker Clubs 2006–2010 Turbine Potsdam (Youth), 2009–2013 Turbine Potsdam II, 2012–2013 Turbine Potsdam, Bundesliga 2013- SC Freiburg

“At the age of 12, I felt like a globetrotter” Sandra Starke has always been crazy about football. As a young girl she left her home in Namibia and moved to a sports academy in Germany. Today, she’s playing in the Bundesliga.

Getty Images

F

ootball is not just a hobby for me, it’s everything. I started kicking a ball when I was a young girl. I always wanted to be better than my brother. My dad coached a first division side in Windhoek, which meant football was in the family. In fact, everything we did was centered around it. We often watched games from Germany on the television, and as a kid I was always a big fan of Lukas Podolski. To attack and score goals like him was something I wanted to do as well.

At that time though, women’s football in Namibia was still in its infancy. My first team was the school team at the German private school I attended in Windhoek. I was motivated by the fact I was a girl in a team of mostly boys. There was a league set-up, as well as cup games and tournaments. I always played a lot in my free time, often with friends, mostly boys, in the garden. I was also involved in athletics and gymnastics, but football was always my number one. But at 13, I was faced with a problem. I couldn’t play with the boys anymore.

The solution lay with my family. My older brother Manfred was already in Germany and playing for Hansa Rostock’s youth team – where he later became a part of the first team.

As my parents had friends in Potsdam, we got in touch with Bernd Schröder at Turbine Potsdam. I went to have a look and I really liked what I saw.

My parents supported my football dreams.

I was allowed to join the sports academy in Potsdam, even though they were of course sad to see me leave the house at such a young age.

Who knows what would have happened had my parents not allowed me to move to Germany. I probably would have become a gymnast. Even though women’s football in Namibia has improved recently, it was still in its early stages when I was young.

At 12 years old, I felt like I was travelling around the world, but the adventure was worth it. I won the title three times with the women’s reserve team and in 2009 I even won the school’s world cup in Turkey with my academy.

I made it to Germany’s international set-up,

and played four games for the U16s and five for the U19s. My goal now is to make the leap into Silvia Neid’s first team.

I was recently offered the chance to play in the African Cup of Nations for Namibia, who are also looking to qualify for the 2015 World Cup in Canada this year. I was hugely honoured by the invitation. Namibia is my old home, the place where I grew up but I declined so as not to spoil my chances of playing for Germany. It wasn’t an easy decision.

Sandra Starke was talking to Rainer Hennies

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

T H E F I FA W E E K LY

37

Football is a brotherhood. It’s peace.

© 2014 Visa. All rights reserved.

Oscar Arias Nobel Peace Laureate

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

The smallest World Cup host city, a legendary contest and lightning-quick winners – test your knowledge!

1

Which club provided six or more players at two World Cups who not only featured in the Final but also won it?

President: Joseph S. Blatter Secretary General: Jérôme Valcke Director of Communications and Public Affairs: Walter De Gregorio Chief Editor: Perikles Monioudis Staff Writers: Alan Schweingruber, Sarah Steiner, Tim Pfeifer

B

2

D

A O U I

Picture Editor: Peggy Knotz Production: Hans-Peter Frei

3

P

What was the smallest host city by population to stage at least one World Cup match?

Art Direction: Catharina Clajus

Layout: Richie Krönert (Lead), Tobias Benz, Marianne Bolliger-Crittin, Susanne Egli, Alissa Rosskopf

J

1954: Lugano 1958: Sandviken 1994: East Rutherford 2010: Polokwane

The stadium where the first team from sub-Saharan Africa to qualify for the World Cup achieved their goal hosted which of these events a few months later?

Proof Reader: Nena Morf, Kristina Rotach Contributors: Sérgio Xavier Filho, Luigi Garlando, Sven Goldmann, Hanspeter Kuenzler, Jordi Punti, Thomas Renggli, David Winner, Roland Zorn Contributors to this Issue: Mark Gleeson, Rainer Hennies, Andreas Jaros, Andrés de Kartzow, Dominik Petermann, Andreas Wilhelm Editorial Assistant: Honey Thaljieh

I

4

L

M

P

A club from which city won the Champions League just two years after their foundation?

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

E

M

O

P

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 CLUB Detailed answers on www.fifa.com/theweekly Inspiration and implementation: cus

Send your answer by 19 November 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

L A S T W E E K’S P O L L R E S U LT S

T HIS WEEK’S POLL

Which of the following quarter-finalists are your favourites to win the 2014 – 2015 CONCACAF Champions League?

Who will win the 2014 Brasileiro Serie A?

48+22+108731 1% 1%

7%

3%

8%

10%

48%

22%

≠ ≠ ≠ ≠

America (MEX)

D.C. United (USA) Pachuca (MEX)

Alajuelense (CRC)

≠ ≠ ≠ ≠

Choose from the following: · Atletico Mineiro · Corinthians · Cruzeiro · Fluminense · Gremio · Internacional

Saprissa (CRC)

Montreal Impact (CAN) Olimpia (HON)

Cast your votes at: Fifa.com/newscentre

Herediano (CRC)

“My vote goes to Pep Guardiola, although we all have to admit Diego Simeone’s was the biggest achievement – Real, Barcelona and Bayern have Ferraris, but he only has a BMW and still won the league.”

Robert Prosinecki on who should win the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Men’s Football award

50

successive Bundesliga games without defeat is the remarkable run that has seen Jerome Boateng set a new

unanswered Juventus goals as

record. The Bayern Munich

Premier League milestone

the Old Lady handed Parma

defender, whose last top-flight

reached and it was a

their heaviest-ever Italian Serie

loss came against Bayer

Swede, Seb Larsson, who

A defeat. I Gialloblu had never

Leverkusen over two years

been beaten by a margin

ago, eclipsed the previous

greater than five goals, but

benchmark – set by team-

history was rewritten as

mate Franck Ribery – by

Juventus racked up their first

reaching the half-century in

7-0 home win since trouncing

the champions’ 4-0 win at

Ascoli in September 1983.

Eintracht Frankfurt.

goals was the English

claimed the landmark strike.

The Sunderland midfielder did so with a free-kick, which in itself was something of a collector’s item, Larsson’s last set-piece goal having come back in December 2011.

Friedemann Vogel / Getty Images, imago (3)

23,000 7

WEEK IN NUMBERS