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Qatar is bidding to host the FIFA World Cupâ&#x201E;˘ in 2022. A World Cup in Qatar would be the first global sporting event ever to be hosted in the Middle East. Qatar is truly in the Middle, not in the East or West, and within reach for fans all around the globe. Indeed, only Qatar can guarantee everybody fine broadcasting times on TV and the Internet.By taking place in Qatar, the World Cupâ&#x201E;˘ will for the first time come to a region brimming with sporting potential and passion. More than 435 million Middle Easterners will be waiting for the Game in 2022. The Qatar 2022 World Cupâ&#x201E;˘ will be compact - to the benefit of the fans, FIFA and the environment.

Qatarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s compact games plan would save fans travel time and money as well as reducing the impact on the environment. Renewable technologies and architecturally advanced venues and facilities built to the highest environmental standards would also ensure players and fans alike enjoy each match in a cool environment. The FIFA World Cupâ&#x201E;˘ in the region would bring greater unity and understanding between peoples from every continent, perfectly reflecting the FIFA slogan â&#x20AC;&#x153;For the Game; for the Worldâ&#x20AC;?.

FOR THE GAME, FOR THE WORLD

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In Front Page

MesSI es By Carlos Manuel Sรกnchez

It's hardly surprising to hear former football players waxing lyrical about the world's greatest player, but that shouldn't stop us from listening. As part of TIME International's cover story on the 24-year-old phenom Lionel Messi, we heard from a host of soccer legends who were equa-

lly ebullient in their praise for the precocious Argentine superstar.

The best fifth

In Front Page

Q10

essi, who plies his trade for the Spanish club Barcelona (he has already won pretty much every trophy on offer for the team) and represents his country (admittedly to far less acclaim), has just become the first player to win FIFA’s Ballon d’Or, the award given to the planet’s best player, three times in a row. But just how good is he? “In terms of ability and his overall impact on the game and what’s he achieved so far, he would be the best I’ve ever seen,” says former Barcelona striker Gary Lineker, who was one of England’s finest ever goal scorers. The coach who signed him for Barça, fellow Englishman Terry Venables, tells TIME, “It’s just wonderful to see. You’ve got to pinch yourself sometimes, it’s really amazing what he does.” Soccer pros and fans alike love nothing more than to rank players, past and present. It’s generally perceived that the top two players in history hail from South America: the brilliant Brazilian Pelé and the more tragic figure of Messi’s fellow Argentine Diego Maradona, who single-handedly (at times literally if you recall his “hand of God” goal) won the World Cup in 1986. Maradona’s international teammate, Os-

It happened again on Jan. 21 as Messi scored a brilliant hat trick in FC Barcelona’s 4-1 win at Malaga.

sie Ardiles, believes that Messi has already eclipsed these two legends of the game. “I think he’s certainly the best player of his generation. And I definitely believe not only that but he’s the best player in the history of football.” Ardiles adds, “To be perfectly honest, I thought I would never encounter anybody in the same league because Diego was a genius.” But his justification for Messi being the more accomplished player is practical. “One of the reasons I think Messi is better than Maradona and Pelé is evolution. People before say Pelé was running 5,000, 6,000 meters. Now they are running 9,000 meters. Now players eat better, train better, the pitches are better. So this is why I believe Messi is the very best ever.”

The Maradona comparisons are arguably going

to hound Messi through his career, which, as long as he remains uninjured, has many years to run. “They’re both diminutive with unbelievably brilliant left feet that can manipulate the ball as if it were a hand, that can beat people, that can score goals, that can change games,” notes Lineker. “But I think looking at the two of them, I think Messi, at the same stage of his career as Maradona, has probably achieved more. →

In Front Page

Q12

→ He’s won everything, he’s unbelievably consistent, which he has an edge over Maradona. He’s frighteningly disciplined.” For Venables: “Messi is like an Oliver Twist character, picking a pocket or two, the Artful Dodger, where he’s just sort of slipping around, looking like a little lad in the playground. He’s not really taking it seriously, and he makes you smile every time he gets the ball. And when he does some of these things, I have to laugh because it’s not possible what he does. It’s wonderful to watch.” But to get the only remaining monkey off his back, Messi will be expected to win a World Cup for Argentina. “I think it’s a reflection of the nature of football these days that club football dominates everything, and Messi has dominated the Champions League,” says Gavin Hamilton, editor of World Soccer magazine, but “internationally, the World Cup is still important, and I think we accept it as the only place there’s a level playing field where the players compete against each other on a global scale.” Ardiles, who won a World Cup on home soil in 1978, thinks Messi “would give up all the medals he has right now for a World Cup medal,” whereas Venables concedes that “at the moment Argentina can’t do everything, and the gift that he has isn’t enough to win it on his own.” Hamilton is of the opinion that “the record books have to record him as a World Cup winner for him to be accepted as the greatest player of all time,” before pointing out that “the next World Cup in Brazil could be a perfect stage for him.” We’ll all be watching. It is the lot of great players to be treated shabbily on the field and royally off it. A few days before the Madrid game, football’s grandees had gathered in Zurich to crown Messi, known as Leo to his subjects, as their king. The annual announcement of the FIFA Ballon d’Or is meant to anoint the best player of the previous season. This year it was practically a foregone conclusion that Messi, 24, would receiEvery generation ve his third Golden Ball in a produces players row. who change the Messi hardly looks a monarch: he possesses no haugame with their teur, not even the I’m-thetalent or approMAN! swagger expected of ach — Puskas, Di a modern sporting superstar. For someone who has lived Stefano, Pelé, half his life in the spotlight, Cruyff, Marahe is surprisingly shy, even dona, Zidane. painfully so. “Year after year, I’ve grown, improved,” he told me after the award ceremony. “I was lucky to start very young and always have very good colleagues around me as I was coming up, and this has helped me and how I play.”

Every generation produces players who chan-

ge the game with their talent or approach — Puskas, Di Stefano, Pelé, Cruyff, Maradona, Zidane. Messi’s third Ballon d’Or not only cemented his place in the galaxy of greats, it also made him the centerpiece of a singular argument. “Messi is amongst the best ever,” quoth Manchester United’s Alex Ferguson, perhaps the most successful manager of all time. Pep Guardiola, Messi’s coach at Barcelona, declared that his team’s superstar “could be the best player of all time.” The →

In Front Page

3 Has scored three hat-tricks in the Champions League, equalling a record held by Filippo Inzaghi. Only three Barcelona players (Rivaldo, Ronaldinho and Samuel Eto’o) had previously hit hat-tricks in the continental competition. He is also the only player to score two trebles in one season in the Champions League.

Has scored 12 goals in Europe this term, equalling his own total from 2010-11 and drawing level with Ruud van Nistelrooy’s 2002-03 record for the most number of goals in a single edition of the Champions League.

Won his third Ballon d’Or trophy earlier this year to draw level with previous three-time winners Platini, Cruyff and Marco van Basten.

Since making his debut at the Catalan club in 2005, Messi has won 18 trophies with the Camp Nou outfit. The Argentine has also bagged 18 hat-tricks for the club, scoring four on two occasions and five against Leverkusen recently.

Has finished as top scorer in the Champions League on three occasions (the last three years) and is on course to lead the competition’s scoring charts for a fourth consecutive year to level with Bayern Munich legend Gerd Muller as the only man to achieve that feat in European Cup/ Champions League history.

Is the first player in Champions League history to score five goals in a single match, the first in European Cup football since Ajax’s Soren Lerby in 1979 and the first Barcelona player to net five since Zaldua in 1965.

Has netted in six different competitions for Barca this season; La Liga, the Copa del Rey, the Spanish Supercopa, the Uefa Super Cup, the Club World Cup and the Champions League, equalling the feat set by team-mate Pedro in 2009.

Following his treble against Switzerland recently, Messi now has 22 goals for Argentina in 67 games. Maradona, incidentally, netted 34 in 91 internationals.

In the 3-1 last-16 CL win at Leverkusen, Messi’s goal saw him become the record scorer in Champions League knockout games with 19. His five strikes in the second match saw that mark rise to 24.

Now has 66 goals in his last 50 home games for Barcelona.

Raised his Champions League tally to 49 as he stuck five in the 7-1 win over Leverkusen, surpassing Del Piero (44), Inzaghi (46), Eusebio (47) and Shevchenko (48) in the all-time list of scorers for the CL and European Cup.

Messi’s season-best total for Barcelona was the 53 he netted last term to tie with Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo in all competitions, but the Argentine surpassed that tally as he reached 54 for the season.

M3551 in numbers

Has 94 assists for the Catalan club, including 74 in the last four seasons and 21 already this term.

192

Since Pep Guardiola took over as coach at Barca, Messi has netted an incredible 192 goals in 204 official matches.

234

Now has 234 goals for the Catalan club, as he surpassed the record of 232 held for over 60 years by Cesar Rodriguez.

369

Messi’s next target. That’s the total scored at Barca by Paulino Alcantara, although well over 200 of those goals were netted in unofficial matches. But for Messi to be considered the undisputed greatest goalscorer in Camp Nou history, he will need to surpass this total. And at just 24, he has every chance of doing so.

Q13

In Front Page → influential British football writer Sid Lowe wrote in the Guardian: “It is no longer about whether or not Messi is currently the best player in the world”.

Barcelona maestro Xavi Hernandez has given

team-mate Lionel Messi the biggest accolade any footballer can get. Speaking in an interview with German newspaper Bild, the Spanish World Cup, European Cup and La Liga winner placed both the Argentine and this current Barcelona side at the top of football history. “There have been some great teams in history, Pele’s Brazil, [Johan] Cruyff’s Ajax, [Arrigo] Sacchi’s Milan, but in the past 20 years this Barcelona team is the best,” insisted Xavi. Speaking about Messi, the midfielder said: “He is the best player of all time - better than Pele, [Diego] Maradona or Cruyff,” he said. “We have to protect him as he is crucial. Without him we would not be what we are.” The 31-year-old also took a sly dig

at arch-rivals Real Madrid, "We have to comparing them unfavorably protect him to Champions League final as he is crucial. opponents Manchester United. “Madrid were the hardest Without him opponents but not because we would not be they played football but bewhat we are" cause they wanted to destroy the game,” he said. “I like said Xavi Manchester United’s approHernandez ach a thousand times better. It would be interesting to see what would happen if Real did play.” Is the notion that Messi is on his way to being an all-time great really so preposterous? No. The potential is there. And that’s all that can conclusively be said for now. Let’s reexamine this in a decade. Or at least wait until July 12. ¿

Q14

Boots with a brain

C Barcelona forward Lionel Messi (24) has new boots. Not just any old leather and laces combo, but smart boots. Adidas just this week launched its new adizero f50 miCoach boots that take the beautiful game digital. The world’s best player, Messi, will be one of the first players to wear these boots on the pitch and evaluate his perfor-

mance, not only with his trainers and coaches, but also with a microchip. The so called “boot with a brain” allows its wearers to track and upload such skills as 360 degree movement, average speed (re corded every second), maximum speed (recorded every five seconds), number of sprints, distance, distance at high intensity

levels, steps, and stride rates. There is a small nook in the sole of the shoe that shelters the miCoach SPEED_CELL™ which stores all data for up to seven hours and can wirelessly download it to whatever device one chooses. All this technology, coupled with the regular boot features, makes this one fancy boot that only weighs 165g.

Alfredo

Edson Arantes do Nascimento

Apps 701 Goals 555

Apps 1.366 Goals 1.284

Apps 710 Goals 401

Apps 583 Goals 292

Apps 282 Goals 191

Honours

DI STEFANO

PELE

Johann

CRUYFF

Diego Armando

MARADONA

Lionel

MESSI

River Plate

Club Santos

Ajax

Argentinos Juniors

Barcelona

1944 - 1945 / 1947 - 1949

1956 - 1974

1964 - 1973 / 1981 - 1983

1976 - 1981

2004 - ...

Apps 95 Goals 64

Apps 1.120 Goals 1.033

Apps 276 Goals 204 Eredivise 8 (66, 67, 68, 70, 72, 73, 82, 83) KNVB Cup 5 (67, 70, 71, 72, 83) European Cup 3 (71, 72, 73) Intercontinental Cup 1 (72) UEFA Super Cup 2 (72, 73) UEFA Intertoto Cup 1 (68) Netherlands League Top Scorer 2 (67, 72) Golden Boot of the Europe 1 (67) European Cup Top Scorer 1 (72)

Apps 167 Goals 115

Apps 214 Goals 169

Primera Division 2 (45, 47) South American Club Championship 1 (48) Argentine League Top Scorer 1 (47)

Huracán 1946

Apps 24 Goals 11

Millonarios 1949 - 1952

Apps 102 Goals 100 Colombian Championship 3 (49, 51, 52) Cup 1 (53) Copa del Mundo de Clubes 1 (53) Colombian League Top Scorer 2 (51, 52)

Real Madrid 1953 - 1964

Apps 396 Goals 307 Liga 8 (54, 55, 57,58, 61, 62, 63, 64) Cup 1 (62) European Cup 5 (55, 56, 57, 58, 59) Intercontinental Cup 1 (60) Copa del Mundo de Clubes 1 (56) Latin Cup 2 (55, 57) Pichichi Trophy 5 (54, 56, 57, 58, 59) Ballon d’Or 2 (57, 59) European Cup Top Scorer 2 (58, 62)

Espanyol 1964 - 1965

Apps 55 Goals 13

Country Argentina Apps 6 Goals 6

Country Colombia Apps 4 Goals 0

Country Spain Apps 31 Goals 23

Copa Libertadores 2 (62, 63) Campeonato Paulista 10 (58, 60, 61, 62, 64, 65, 67, 68, 69, 73) Taca Brasil 5 (61, 62, 63, 64, 65) Torneio Roberto Gomes Pedrosa 1 (68) Torneio Rio-Sao Paulo 2 (59, 63, 64, 66) Intercontinental Cup 2 (62, 63) Intercontinental Supercup 1 (68) Copa Libertadores top scorer 1 (65) Campeonato Paulista top scorer 11 (57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 69, 73)

New York Cosmos 1975 - 1977

Barcelona

Argentine league Top Scorer 3 (79, 80, 81)

Boca Juniors 1981

Apps 40 Goals 28 Metropolitano Championship 1 (81)

Barcelona

Country Argentina

1982 - 1984

Apps 92 Goals 77

Apps 36 Goals 22

1973 - 1978

Cup 1 (83) Liga Cup 1 (83) Supercup 1 (83)

Apps 143 Goals 48

Apps 107 Goals 64 North American Soccer League 1 (77) North American Soccer League, Atlantic Conference Championship 1 (77)

Country Brazil

La Liga 1 (74) Cup 1 (78)

L.A. Aztecs 1979 - 1980

Napoli 1984 - 1991

Apps 259 Goals 115

Apps 27 Goals 114

Serie A 2 (87, 90) Coppa Italia 1 (87) UEFA Cup 1 (89) Supercup 1 (90)

Apps 92 Goals 77 Roca Cup 2 (57, 63) FIFA World Cup 3 (58, 62, 70) Copa America top scorer 1 (59) FIFA World Cup (Best Young Player) 1 (58) FIFA World Cup Silver Boot 1 (58) FIFA World Cup Silver Ball 1 (58) FIFA World Cup Golden Ball 1 (70)

the greatest

Diplomats 1980

Apps 32 Goals 12

Sevilla 1992

Levante

Apps 26 Goals 5

1981

Apps 10 Goals 2

Feyenoord

Newell’s Old Boys 1993

Apps 5 Goals 0

1983 - 1984

Apps 33 Goals 11 Eredivise 1 (84) KNVB Cup 1 (84)

Country Netherlands Apps 48 Goals 33

La Liga 5 (04, 05, 08, 09, 10) Cup 1 (08) Supercup 5 (05, 06, 09, 10, 11) UEFA Champions League 3 (05, 08, 10) UEFA Super Cup 2 (09, 11) FIFA Club World Cup 2 (09, 11) La Liga top goalscorer: 2 (10, 12)

Country Argentina Apps 91 Goals 34 FIFA World Cup 1 (86) Artemio Franchi Trophy 1 (93) 75th anniversary FIFA Cup 1 (79) Golden Ball for Best Player of the FIFA World Cup 1 (86)

Olimpic Gold Medal 1 (08) FIFA Ballon d’Or 2 (10, 11) FIFA World Player of the Year 1 (09)

the countdown - 120 months

On second Thoughts

Clockworth orange

Q20 Host country West Germany Dates 13 June – 7 July Teams 16 (from 5 confederations) Venue(s) 9 (in 9 host cities) Final positions Champions West Germany (2nd title) Runners-up Netherlands Third place Poland Fourth place Brazil Tournament statistics Matches played 38 Goals scored 97 (2.55 per match) Attendance 1,774,022 (46,685 per match) Top scorer(s) Grzegorz Lato (7 goals) Best player Johan Cruyff

THE 1974 FIFA WORLD CUP, THE TENTH STAGING OF THE WORLD CUP, WAS HELD IN WEST GERMANY FROM 13 JUNE TO 7 JULY.

ard to overstate the progress that Dutch football had made in this time. Domestic football went properly professional in the 1950s, but much of the credit for what happened next goes to the great coach Rinus Michels, who pioneered Total Football at Ajax Amsterdam in the late 1960s and early 1970s, along with his on-field leader, the legendary Johan Cruyff. Cruyff was the star, but he wasn’t the only player. Johan Neeskens was nearly as good, while players like Johnny Rep, Arie Haan and Ruud Krol are still held in the highest regard. The team sailed through Group B by beating Uruguay 2-0, drawing 0-0 with Sweden and then hammering Bulgaria 4-1. The Sweden game is most famous for the moment John Cruyff utterly confused Swedish right back Jan Olsson when he unveiled his Cruyff turn on the global stage. In the second group stage the Dutch destroyed Argentina 4-0, beat East Germany 2-0 and then beat world cham-

pions Brazil by the same scorline. This was a team that looked ready to win the World Cup. Two minutes into the final it looked even more likely, when – straight from kick off – a beautiful passing move resulted in Cruyff winning and Neeskens converting a penalty before the Germans had even touched the ball: Unfortunately, the Netherlands couldn’t hold on to that lead and allowed West Germany to both equalize and take the lead before half-time and then hold on to win 2-1. Cruyff was quoted about the 1974 team in World Soccer magazine recently, and had this to say: “The World Cup in 1974 made Dutch football famous – and we lost! So losing the final, is it so bad? We were more famous than ever for losing, because everyone said we should have won … Winning isn’t everything, it’s how you play. If you win ten games and lose the eleventh, so what? It doesn’t bother me that I never became world champion. We made a great achievement.” ¿

The match was contested by the Netherlands and West Germany, with the West Germans winning 2–1. The Netherlands opened the scoring via a Johan Neeskens penalty in the second minute, only for Paul Breitner to equalise with another penalty in the 25th minute before Gerd Müller scored the winning goal in the 43rd minute, claiming West Germany’s second FIFA World Cup.

Q21

qatar 2022

q Excellence. At Carnegie Mellon. + Business Administration + Computer Science + Information Systems Dr Saud Abdul Ghani, head of the Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at Qatar University, unveiled a design and construction of an artificial cloud to shade and cool the open playgrounds to be used in the 2022 World Cup in Doha. He told a local Arabic daily that the project will be executed in collaboration with Qatar Science and Technology Park

High-Tech way to beat the heat QATAR WON THE BID TO HOST THE 2022 WORLD CUP BY PROMISING THAT ITS NINE NEW OPEN-AIR SOCCER STADIUMS WOULD BE AIR-CONDITIONED.

ow the Qataris have announced another cool twist to their hospitality -- an artificial cloud to hover above the stadium and provide shade. The head of mechanical and industrial engineering at Qatar University said the cloud would be positioned by remote control and run on solar power. Based on the design shown in local Qatari news outlets, the cloud isn’t white and fluffy. It is flat and rectangular, resembling a giant cell phone, and will be built using light carbonic materials. Perhaps something was lost in translation from Arabic because the invention is more spaceship than cloud, but ultimately players and fans will benefit from the shade. The cost of the cloud is $500,000, but money is no obstacle for Qatar, which is one of the world’s richest coun-

tries thanks to vast natural gas and oil reserves. There have been concerns about the heat ever since Qatar began its campaign in 2009 to pursue a World Cup. The average high for July in Qatar is 106 degrees, and temperatures have reached 120 degrees in the summer. That is one reason why Prince Ali of Jordan suggested shifting the 2022 World Cup from its traditional time in July to January, which is Qatar’s coolest month with an average high of 71 degrees. Temperatures were in the 60s for the 2010 World Cup championship match in Johannesburg, South Africa, held on July 11, between Spain and the Netherlands. Qatar, which is roughly the size of Connecticut, will be the smallest nation to host a World Cup. The other finalists to host in 2022 were the U.S., Australia, Japan and South Korea. ¿

With more than a century of academic excellence and innovative research, Carnegie Mellon University is a global leader in education with real-world applications. Consistently top ranked, Carnegie Mellon’s core values of innovation, creativity, problem solving and collaboration provide the foundation for everything we do. Guided by these values, Carnegie Mellon students experience a distinctive education that gives them tools to pioneer solutions through an approach that values both teamwork and leadership. The effect is both far-reaching and close to home. Its real-world impact is visible within our local communities, across the country and around the world. At the invitation of Qatar Foundation, Carnegie Mellon joined Education City in 2004. Here, Qatar Foundation has created a world-class center for scholarship and research that is the ideal complement to Carnegie Mellon’s tradition of innovation through collaboration.

To learn more, visit www.qatar.cmu.edu.

Review

By David Ruiz

he Emir, H. H. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani on Thursday formed a Supreme Committee for Qatar 2022 and announced its board of directors to oversee the organisation of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The Heir Apparent, H. H. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member and head of Qatar’’s Olympic Committee, is chairman of the board. H. H. Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, who is the Emir’’s Personal Representative, is the deputy chairman.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani, who was chairman of the Qatar Bid Committee, has been named a board member along with the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister H. E. Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani and Minister of Economy and Finance H. E. Yousuf Hussein Kamal. Minister of Municipality and Urban Planning H E Sheikh Abdurrahman bin Khalifa bin Abdul Aziz Al Thani and Director-General of the General Secretariat for Development and Planning H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jabor bin Jassim Al Thani were also included. The first FIFA World Cup to be held in the Middle →

Hassan Al-Thawadi Chairman of Qatar 2022 Bid Committee

CEO Qatar 2022 Bid Committee

Q25

QFA President

Q24

Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani

The world (cup) in their hands

Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani

Review

Yasir Abdullah Al-Jamal Technical Bid Director

Nasser Fahad Al Khater Comunication Director

Hamoud Al Subaey

Q26

Holly Joint directora oficina gestiOn de proyectosr

Comunication Director

Holly Joint

Financial Director

Khalid Ghanim Al-Kubaisi

Report

Zinedine Zidane (C) poses with officials of the Qatar 2022 Bid Committee after a press conference in Doha, capital of Qatar, Sept. 16, 2010. Zinedine Zidane on Thursday accepted Qatar’s invitation to become the official ambassador of the country’s bidding for the 2022 FIFA World Cup finals.

→ East is one step closer to reality as the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee today appointed CH2M HILL — a global full-service consulting, programme management, design, construction, and operations firm to ensure the successful delivery of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar™. Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee has direct responsibility for building competition venues which includes the proposed stadiums and training sites while maintaining a coordination role for non-competition venues required by FIFA, in addition to major infrastructure works such as the New Doha International Airport and the proposed nationwide metro network. The multi-phased, rigorous procurement process took over six months to complete. After a pre-qualification process, six multi-national firms were invited to submit bids. Multiple global and local consultants and legal firms assisted the Qatar 2022

Supreme Committee to ensure a fully transparent and well managed procurement process. Commenting on the appointment, Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee Secretary General, Hassan Al Thawadi said, “The appointment process for this contract began immediately after winning the bid in December 2010. We were cognizant of the importance of ensuring that the correct foundations were put in place at the start of our journey toward 2022. We studied all the proposals with the utmost care in order to ensure that we selected the right partner. While the proposals we received from those companies that made the shortlist were impressive, it was important to us that the appointed company met the set criteria we had in mind, in addition to complimenting and understanding the vision of our committee. We believe that CH2M HILL is the ideal partner.” ¿

Interview

Interview Joseph S. Blatter (born 10 March 1936), commonly known as Sepp (“Giuseppe”) Blatter, is a Swiss football administrator, who serves as the 8th and current President of FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association). He was elected on 8 June 1998, succeeding João Havelange. He was re-elected as President in 2002, 2007 and 2011.

By José F. Díaz

Q30

Joseph

"Football has

become a huge

economic machine”

Q31

Interview

T Q32

“My most important goal es to establish that social-cultural element in our society”

here are signs of a rift within the elite of world football over the timing of the 2022 World Cup after Sepp Blatter, the head of world football’s governing body FIFA, said that it would be unfair for the finals in Qatar to be played in the heat of the region’s summer season.

per cent agreed with the reforms I proposed. That’s a sign of deep confidence. The FIFA members trust in me. They are sure that, together with the FIFA executive committee, I will manage to lead our ship back into calm sea and keep on course. In these turbulent times many people forget the positive things that FIFA has achieved.

:A You appeared to be quite relaxed at the recent ceremony in which Lionel Messi was awarded FIFA’s Ballon d’Or… :A When the best footballers in the world come together, joined by “King” Pele and “Kaiser” Franz Beckenbauer, and when there is a world-famous music star like Shakira, the atmosphere at a ceremony like that in Zurich is overwhelming. Football is an event, it is emotion, an attraction in the entertainment schedule of modern people. Even the newspapers in the German-speaking part of Switzerland have reported positively about that evening – which means we did a good job.

:Q And what do you consider to be FIFA’s greatest achievement? :A Football is important and popular all over the world. Three hundred million people play football. More than a billion watch football. Football can build bridges and make people come together, especially in countries where there is war or a similar situation. When Iraq was occupied, people still played football. Just like in Afghanistan and Pakistan. In Palestine a women’s league has been established. And the Libya national team qualified for the African Cup of Nations. Football has become something great, a social and cultural good. My most important goal is to establish that social-cultural element in our society. Football is a school of life based on discipline, respect and fair play. We want to establish these elements of football in families, in society, in politics, in everyday life.

:Q Shakira also performed the 2010 World Cup song. What is her relationship with FIFA? :A At the ceremony Shakira announced that she would like to support FIFA in its social projects. It would be great to have a woman with such charisma at our side. :Q How united is the FIFA “family”? :A At the FIFA Congress on June 1, 2011, there were only a few who didn’t agree with their leader. I received more than 91 per cent of the votes, which shows that the football family stands united. And when the Congress ended, 98

:Q The game also generates large amounts of money… :A Football has become a huge economic machine. And where there is much money at stake, the gamblers aren’t far away. It is not easy to keep these gamblers under control. We need players who act as role models. In 1988, the German Frank Ordenewitz became one of our first fair play awardees. When he was asked by the referee, he admitted →

The Emir State of Qatar HH Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani and Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned are presented with the World Cup Trophy by FIFA President Joseph S Blatter (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

Interview

“In Brazil 2014 we will have the goal-line technology”

by the executive committee, which was accepted by an overwhelming majority. And that’s why we implemented reforms and created the four task forces: for transparency and surveillance; for revision of statutes, with chairman Theo Zwanziger; the ethics committee; and Football 2014, with chairman Franz Beckenbauer. And we also persuaded the renowned expert for governance and anti-corruption, professor Mark Pieth, to become chairman of the independent committee of governance. :Q Just how independent are these four task forces? :A All the task forces are willing to increase transparency and to implement far-reaching reforms. :Q And what time-frame has been set? :A The major part of these reforms can be passed by the Congress which will take place in May in Budapest. I want the reformation to be finished by 2013, when the Congress comes together in Mauritius. :Q The supreme court of the Swiss canton of Zug has asked FIFA for access to the ISL files. It is said that the documents of the former :A FIFA marketing agency, which went bankrupt in 2001, contain the names of corrupt officials. Why haven’t these files been made public yet? I have been trying to open these vexed ISL files for a long time. I am ready to do so now – if the court agrees and there are no more appeals.

Q34

:Q Do you know their contents? :A I know about it rather vaguely, with no judicial details. As a matter of fact, I never received any payment – which the court confirmed long ago, in June 2010.

→ to having handled the ball. That was pure sport. In

Zurich we honoured the Italian player Simone Farina for his courage in refusing to take part in match fixing, helping to identify the masterminds and rejecting their ¤200,000. That is the football of today. If we had more men like him, FIFA wouldn’t have to co-operate with Interpol. :Q Some might suggest that there are “gamblers” to be found among FIFA’s executive committee members… :A We realised that in 2010, when the 2018 and 2022 World Cup venues were chosen. Half of the executive’s members were involved in candidatures. Cunning English journalists set traps in which some fell. It became evident that not everything that glitters is gold with some people. After that, the FIFA ethics committee became involved. That’s why I suggested that in future the venues of the World Cups should be chosen by all of the members, not only

:Q Do you know who is named? :A Some of them no longer hold their positions, others have been suspended by the ethics committee. In Switzerland, until 2007, no law existed which declared payments to committees illegal. That means we are not talking about criminal offences. The law was changed in 2007 and the court expressed its view that recipients of payments must pay back part of the money. The position of FIFA remains the same: we didn’t lose any money. We received all the money which had to be paid according to our TV and merchandising contracts. :Q And what about goal-line cameras? Will they be implemented before the 2014 World Cup? :A In Brazil 2014 we will have the goal-line technology. We cannot afford the shame of 2010 again, when England was denied an equaliser against Germany. I was paralysed when I saw that. :Q Will another referee be needed when goal-line cameras are introduced? :A No, no. Goal-line technology is not that complicate. ¿

Report

ASPIRE the future

of football

Q36

Q37 By David Ruiz

Aspire Academy is funded by Qatarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s royal family in order to train athletes with the best technology and best coaches that money can buy. Shortly after forming, a huge project to recruit talent from all around the world began. Head scout Josep Colomer, the man responsible for bringing Lionel Messi to Barcelona, travels all around the world searching for the best hidden talent in the farthest-flung villages in the world. Their mission is to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Develop exceptional sport champions who are highly educated leaders and help individuals realize healthy active sporting lifestyles

Report

Each year hundreds of thousands aspriring athletes gain trials at Aspire Pelé, Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho in Aspire.

Q38

spire Academy was formed in Qatar in 2004, looking to bring and develop sporting excellence to the country, regardless of their social or economic class..’They pride themselves with world class facilities, which have attracted the attention of such clubs as Bayern Munich in recent months, and a scouting network that tirelessly works all across the globe and sees almost 500,000 1315 year olds trialled every year, 23 of which make the cut. Aspire found themselves 3-0 up within 25 minutes in the Milk Cup Final. Ibrahima Drame scored a hat-trick to all but put Aspire’s name on this year’s trophy. The towering striker opened the scoring with a powerful header. Two more clinical finishes left United shocked as they didn’t even register a shot until 44 minutes had been played. Babacar and Kaina finished the rout for Aspire and weren’t really fazed by Jack Barmby’s consolation goal for the Red Devils. It’s been no secret that the small Middle-Eastern nation has been heavily criticized since winning their bid to host the 2022 World Cup. They have completely insufficient infrastructure as well as scorching temperatures that could make the prestigious tournament an utter failure. Qatar are ranked 90th in the world, therefore putting up any real fight to beat some of the world’s best nations seems just a fantasy. Despite this, Aspire Academy have caught the attention of the world following this appearance and could offer some kind of hope for the future of football in Qatar that could turn the struggling nation into

a formidable force on the international scene. Each year hundreds of thousands aspriring athletes gain trials at Aspire. They are put through a series of exclusive trials with the view to earning a scholarship along with a select squad of other international players. Aspire has a huge contacts book which spans all across the world. This allows them to reach untapped sources of youth football outside the traditional structures of club football. Sepp Blatter was very impressed on his visit to the academy in 2008, saying that the academy is “Making a very good contribution (to world football)”

The scheme is working very hard in Africa

to search for local talent. With the number of European clubs finding superstars from African nations always on the rise, Aspire are looking to hijack targets for top European clubs. Aspire Academy discovered and produced some of Ghana’s worldbeating 2009 Under 20 World Cup side, Nigeria’s 2009 Under 17 World Cup runners up squad and South Africa’s current Under 17 side. Aspire Academy tends to focus on scouting in lesser-known nations such as Thailand and Guatemala rather than Brazil and Argentina, where they can uncover talent rather than competing to steal talent from major clubs. Although the chance of getting into one of Aspire Academy’s very select sides is incredibly rare, giving the opportunity to youth players will provide them with the confidence to further their footballing ability and hopefully grace the world with their skills in the future. Providing trials for kids with unfortunate backgrounds puts a smile on their face, even if they do not earn a scholarship at the end of it. Aspire Academy has came under huge criticism over its cost-effectiveness. Despite becoming a growing success, Aspire has not yet produced anyone that’s taken the world by storm. Although exact budgets are secret, it is thought that Aspire have spent billions on facilities, hospitality and staff while they have created very little results that make any sort of turnover. ¿

Aspire Team

q Mission: turn Qatar's team TUCKED BEHIND A GLITZY SHOPPING MALL AND A 40,000-SEATER STADIUM, SITS AN INSTITUTION THAT HAS BEEN BRIEFED WITH AN AMBITIOUS — SOME MIGHT SAY IMPOSSIBLE — MISSION: TURN QATAR’S NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM

D Q40

Aspire Player of the year Born: 2002 Theo Hardy Nominees> Ryan Verney, Hamish Grey, Theo Hardy Born: 2001 William Stephen Nominees > Kingsley Sinclair, William Stephen, Matthew Hodgson, Thomas Drillien, Tao Christoffels Born: 2000 Leon van den Hoven Nominees> Paolo Korkman, Dane Oram, Leon van den Hoven, Charles Spragg, Hugo Kidd, Max Mata WINNER – Born: 1999 Robert Tipelu Nominees > Joshua Brame, Robert Tipelu, Daniel Clark.

ozens of boys can be seen playing on the eight indoor and outdoor football pitches learning the basics of the game. But Qatar’s Aspire Academy for Sports Excellence is not your ordinary camp. It is the heart and soul of a master plan that aims to find the best players in the country of 1.6 million and beyond. Thousands of Qatari boys from as young as six are scouted from the country’s 10 talent centres each year and several dozen are admitted into the academy for 12 years of intense training. They have access to the best coaches from more than a dozen countries and compete alongside African, Asian and Latin American youths who are plucked from developing countries to boost the talent pool and possibly contribute to the national team. Each year they play against 30 or more youth teams of the world’s elite clubs, including Barcelona, Real Madrid and Manchester United, who are flown into Doha. The programme has gained added inspiration since Qatar won the right to host the 2022 World Cup. “It’s a great motivation,” said Wayde Clews, the academy’s Australian director of sport. “There are now little boys waking up every morning and that is all they are thinking about. They can see a pathway. “They know that Aspire is here ... It’s become real. It’s become tangible. That is just great to galvanise the community and efforts to fielding this team that without question will ultimately perform very well in 2022.” But will Qatar, which as of now would be the lowest ranked team to host a World Cup, put in a good showing?

Q41

It has the money — with the world’s second highest per capita income — to hire a big-name coach and already has some of the best training facilities. It also has much more time than past fledging World Cup hosts like South Africa to find and develop a talented team. However, it also the smallest country to host a World Cup, a situation worsened by the

fact that 80 per cent of the population is made up expatriates. That limits the talent pool as well as the quality of competition since all of the best Qatari players can be found at the academy. “What can you expect from a country with 320,000 people in football?” said Alfred Riedl, the Indonesian coach who has also coached Vietnam and Austria. ¿

Directed by Josep Colomer Qatari school won the title in the 2012 MIC in youth, cadets and children's

SCHOOLS OF FOOTBALL

Q42

La Masia, factory of stars IN THE NEXT ISSUE, LA MASIA, LOCATED NEXT TO THE STADIUM, IS THE HEART OF THE BARÇA YOUTH SYSTEM. THIS EMBLEMATIC BUILDING FORMS PART OF ITS HISTORY AND HERITAGE AND IS AN ANCIENT COUNTRY RESIDENCE BUILT IN 1702.

t first, La Masia was used as the workshop in which the architects and builders of the Camp Nou modelled their project, and was the starting point for VIP visitors and collaborators in the construction work. Once FC Barcelonas stadium was inaugurated, on September 24, 1957, the doors of La Masia were closed until a new use could be found for it. Under the presidency of Enric Llaudet, the building was remodelled and extended for use as the clubs social headquarters, which had formerly been located on a different site in Via Laietana. The new social headquarters were opened on September 26, 1966. ¿

ROAD TO BRAzIL 2014

3 June 2012 Iran at Uzbekistan Qatar at Lebanon Iraq at Jordan Oman at Japan 8 June 2012 South Korea at Qatar Uzbekistan at Lebanon Australia at Oman Jordan at Japan 12 June 2012 Lebanon at South Korea Qatar at Iran Japan at Australia Oman at Iraq

11 September 2012 South Korea at Uzbekistan Iran at Lebanon Australia at Jordan Iraq at Japan 16 October 2012 South Korea at Iran Uzbekistan at Qatar Australia at Iraq Jordan at Oman

Q46

14 November 2012 Uzbekistan at Iran Lebanon at Qatar Jordan at Iraq Japan at Oman

Another step to Brazil THE FOURTH ROUND WILL SEE THE GROUP WINNERS AND RUNNERS-UP FROM THE THIRD ROUND PLAY IN TWO GROUPS OF FIVE.

heir best performance was in reaching the fourth and final round of the Asian qualifiers for the 1990 FIFA World Cup, when they finished third in their group behind Korea Republic and United Arab Emirates. The introduction of professional football to the Qatar leagues has improved both the standard of play wi-

thin the country and the performances of the national side, who won the 2004 edition of the Gulf Cup with a squad led by former AFC Player of the Year Khalfan Ibrahim. Lack of consistency remains a key issue with Qatar going down to Vietnam 2-1 in the return leg in Asia’s second qualifying round for Brazil 2014, although they progressed courtesy of their 3-0 home win. Brazilian coach Sebastiao Lazaroni was dismissed after the team’s group stage exit from the Arab Games in December 2011. Ibrahim is not the only young Qatari to have enjoyed success in recent years. Uruguay-born striker Sebastian Soria has been a lynchpin of the team’s

attack, while playmaker Hussein Yasser, currently with Egyptian powerhouse Zamalek, has experience at the highest levels of European and African football. Up-and-coming youngsters include strikers Hassan Al Haydous, Khaled Muftah and Yousef Ahmad, and defender Ibrahim Majed. The AFC Fourth Round will take place over a 13-month period and will feature ten matchdays. Each team will receive two matchdays off corresponding to their seeding. Top-seeded South Korea and Australia are off on Matchdays One and Six. Japan were dropped down to the fifth seed for scheduling purposes, so the teams seeded behind them in Group Two were bumped up in the off-

day order. Iran and Iraq are off on Matchdays Two and Seven. Uzbekistan and Jordan take off Matchdays Three and Eight and thereby are the only teams to avoid facing the dreaded triple-matchday scenario of three games in a twoweek period. Qatar and Lebanon are off on Matchdays Four and Nine. Oman and Japan have byes on Matchdays Five and Ten, although Japan will be playing in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup on concurrently with Matchday Ten. The first three matchdays will take place over a ten-day period in June 2012. The middle four matchdays are more isolated affairs, with one matchday each falling in September, October, and November 2012, as well as March

2013. The final three matchdays will occur in a fifteen-day span in June 2013. The top two teams from each group will advance to the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil, while the two third-placed teams advance to the fifth round. The draw for Round Four was held on 9 March 2012 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with the teams seeded according to their March 2012 FIFA Ranking. The FIFA rankings used were released on 7 March 2012 and included all matches from the third round of Asian Qualifiers for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The ten teams are split into five pots, with each group containing a team from each pot. ¿

Q47

rivals: south korea

q LEE DONG GOOK The lazy genious LEE DONG-GOOK IS A SOUTH KOREAN FOOTBALL STRIKER WHO CURRENTLY PLAYS FOR JEONBUK HYUNDAI MOTORS.

L Q48

ee was a member of the South Korea national football team at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. He also took part in the 2000 AFC Asian Cup and finished top scorer with six goals. In 2002, Lee was not chosen by Guus Hiddink to represent South Korea in 2002 World Cup. Fans called him “Lazy Genius,” because they felt that he did not fully use his potential. This is also because Hiddink emphasized strong stamina, great power, and agile speed, which are the categories that Lee struggles in, except power. He later admitted to spending his days drinking and not watching a single game that took place in Korea. Lee was coach Dick Advocaat’s firstchoice selection at forward for Korea ahead of the 2006 FIFA World Cup, but a knee injury suffered in a K-League match forced him to miss the tournament. On 1 November 2007 Lee was banned from the national team for twelve months after it was revealed that he, along with team captain Lee WoonJae, teammates Kim Sang-Sik and Woo Sung-Yong, went on a late night drinking spree with several female employees during the Asian Cup, in which Korea received third place.[10] Unlike the other members who were involved in this incident, because Lee played for Middlesbrough in England, the KFA could not ban him from his club team matches. because Lee played for Middlesbrough in England, the KFA could not ban him from his club team matches. Lee was listed onto the South Korea national football team line up for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He came on as a substitute in a game against Uruguay and missed his last big chance to redemption. Lee had a clear chance from 16 yards on the Uruguayan keeper. ¿

the guide

How to buy the tickets THE ONLY OFFICIAL CHANNEL TO BUY TICKETS ONLINE FOR THE WORLD CUP 2010 IS THROUGH THE FIFA WEBSITE; SEE PRICES OF TICKETS ON WWW.V-BRAZIL.COM/WORLD-CUP/2010/PRICES-OF-TICKETS-WORLD-CUP-201/

Q50

n 2014, Brazil will be worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s football capital. World Cup 2014 tickets are not available yet. It is envisaged that a similar system will be put in place as with the 2010 world cup ticket sales. Sepp Blatter, the FIFA president, has said that hosts Brazil will be allowed to stage the tournament in 12 cities. When World Cup tickets will be available by FIFA we will make tickets available via our ticketing partners. We will offer football World Cup 2014 tickets, hotel bookings,

car rentals, packages and tours. Whether you are looking for team tickets for world cup 2014 or you are looking for world cup 2014 schedule en news you have reached the right website. You can get all the information about the FIFA World Cup 2014 here. Hope to see you soon back on the ultimate resource for tickets and news about the World Cup in Brazil! FIFA is making over three million paid tickets available for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. One million tickets have

been allocated to FIFA commercial affiliates, hospitality providers, National Confederations and broadcast outlets, and the rest will be available to the general public. Besides these tickets for sale online, FIFA will distribute a number of tickets to all Federations which will play the finals of the World Cup, and yet more tickets to the official sponsors; Federations and sponsors will inform later how they will distribute those tickets. Âż

1938

asia at the world cup

8 3 9

193 8 Q52

19 38

The first participation

INDONESIA, WAS THE FIRST ASIAN TEAM TO PARTICIPATE IN THE WORLD CUP WHEN THEY QUALIFIED TO THE 1938 TOURNAMENT AFTER THEIR OPPONENT JAPAN WITHDREW FROM QUALIFICATION.

he tournament consists of two parts, the qualification phase and the final phase (officially called the World Cup Finals). The qualification phase, which currently take place over the three years preceding the Finals, is used to determine which teams qualify for the Finals. The current format of the Finals involves 32 teams competing for the title, at venues within the host nation (or nations) over a period of about a month. The World Cup Finals is the most widely-viewed sporting event in the world, with an estimated 715.1 million people watching the 2006 tournament final. The Indonesian national football

team has only participated once in the FIFA World Cup, which is the 1938 World Cup in France, under the name Dutch East Indies. Although they are now independent from the Netherlands and has changed their name to Indonesia, FIFA considers them as the successor team of Dutch East Indies. The Indies played Hungary in their first game ever, losing 6-0. The straight knockout format used at the time made it the only game ever played by the Indonesians. Thus, Indonesia holds the FIFA World Cup record as the only team with the fewest matches played and one of the teams with the fewest goals scored. Âż

Report

Qatari club Al Sadd have confirmed the signing of former Spain striker

Raul

from the start of

next season. Raul, 34, announced last month that he would be leaving Schalke at the end of the camQ56

paign, despite having proved a hit in Gelsenkirchen

Q57

since arriving from Real Madrid in 2010.

Welcome to Qatar

By J.F. DĂaz

Report

He arrived in Doha on Saturday to attend the final of Emir

Cup between his new club and Al Gharrafa. The match ended in a penalty

^R O

s destination was unknown, but Al Sadd said on their website that he will be their player for the 2012/13 campaign. He will be unveiled at a press conference on Sunday. “Al Sadd will hold a press conference on Sunday, May 13 to present Spanish star Raul Gonzalez, who is contracted to the team for the 2012/13 season,” the club statement read. Before joining Schalke 04, Raúl had a highly successful career with Real Madrid and during his 16 seasons with the Spanish giants he was always considered one of the top players in the world, leading the club to 15 titles that included three UEFA Champions League trophies and six La Liga titles. And winning titles with Al Sadd is the main aim of the Spanish legend here in Qatar, as he mentioned that during the press conference and later in an interview with Al Jazeera Sport News Channel. “I know Al Sadd is one of the biggest clubs in Qatar, and I hope my experience will help the team win titles again, and also hope that we will play good football to entertain the fans” the Spanish star said.

Q58

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Raul signs with Qatar’s Al Sadd

shootout defeat for Al Sadd, a result which meant the current Asian champions will not participate in the 2013 AFC Champions League. “Yesterday it was a disappointing result, I hope we can win a title next season, and celebrate it with the fans, that’s my main aim” he added. Although Al Sadd announced that they invited the player to the final and he was in Doha only to sign for them, there were strong rumors that Al Rayyan were also interested in signing him, so strong that local newspapers like Al Arab printed it on its front pages on Sunday. Raúl didn’t deny he had more than one option in Qatar, but he finally decided to join Al Sadd, “something common with the past” the Spanish star said while smiling, referring to the white colors of Al Sadd kits. He said that his agent received many offers including ones from UAE, but he was only considering two options, either moving to Qatar or staying with Schalke 04 in Germany. Advice from former Spanish colleagues, who played in Qatar, was also →

Report

Raul with his three teams: Al Sadd, Schalke 04 and Real Madrid

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Q60 →crucial in making his decision. “Guardiola and Hierro told me not to hesitate in accepting Al Sadd’s offer, they told me that it will be a great experience and I would enjoy it” he said. Former Barcelona coach, Joesp Guardiola played before for Al Ahli, while former Real Madrid captain Fernando Hierro represented Al Rayyan. “I am happy to be here and my family is happy to be in Qatar, the future looks good for them here, I talked with my wife and children before taking the decision, and we finally decided to be here and share the new experience together” he added. Raúl visited Doha for the first time in 1995 while playing for the Spanish team that took part in FIFA U-20 World Cup Finals in Qatar. “It was totally different at that times, Qatar has developed very much since 1995 and became a very advanced country in all areas” he said.

“I know the World Cup will be played here after 10 years, I want to use my experience in developing football in Qatar, they are ambitious and they have a top class infrastructure, I have seen the stadiums and Aspire Zone, they have a good football team now, but they can still have a

stronger one during the 2022 World Cup” he added. Speaking about retirement after his two years in Qatar, or even returning to Europe, Raúl said that he is not sure yet about his future, but he hoped that he will play here for many years and retire after that, and also mentioned that becoming a coach is not on his mind yet.

Denied that he want to be part

of the Spanish team in EURO 2012, “my time is over, I am ready of course if they needed me, but I do not think they will, I did not play with the team for years now, and they have very good players in all positions, I will support them with all my heart”. He also said that the absence of the team captain Carles Puyol due to injury will be felt, describing the FC Barcelona defender as a great leader, but he insisted that Spain’s strength is not in the individual players but instead it’s in the players’ ability to play as a team. "I love real Madrid and the fans love me I know it, I will always be grateful to the club". ¿

QATAR STARS LEAGUE

q Lekhwiya clinch title for second THE 2011-12 QATARI LEAGUE, ALSO KNOWN AS QATARI STARS LEAGUE WAS THE 39TH EDITION OF TOP LEVEL FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP IN QATAR. LEKHWIYA WON THE LEAGUE TITLE.

Q62

eeding just one point from the round 20 clash at Grand Hamad Stadium, Lekhwiya were held 1-1 by hosts Al Arabi in pouring rain. However, the 1-1 draw took Lekhwiya to 42 points from 20 matches, seven clear of second-placed Al Jaish who have 35 points from 20 matches. Al Rayyan and Al Sadd - both with 33 points each - are placed third and fourth res-

pectively. Two rounds still remain in the QSL season. Lekhwiya opened the scoring through Ali Afif in just the third minute. However, Al Arabi fought until the last few minutes of the match for the equaliser. Al Arabi’s Abdul Aziz Hadi fired a bullet from the edge of the Lekhwiya box for his side’s only goal in the 82nd minute. Lekhwiya easily played out time in pouring rain to draw the match and clinch their second successive QSL title. Coach Djamel Belmadi said: “The credit goes to the team for their brave performance. It has been a great season. It has been a long journey for the players. We will come back to defend our title next season.” Later, Belmadi was given a celebratory f lip in the air by Lekhwiya players. Action in week 21 will commence on April 4 when jostling for remaining positions will take place. Earlier in the day, QSL newcomers Al Jaish crushed former champions Al Gharafa 4-1 to jump to the second spot on the QSL points table Relying on a subtle double from Abdul Qader Elyass (23 and 62), Al Jaish powered home after two more goals from Wagney Reynar (68) and Naif Al Khater (83) to thrash the former champions. For the losers, the only goal was scored by Aruna Dindane in the 33rd minute. Watched from the stands by former coach Bruno Metsu and current Qatar national coach Paulo Autuori, Al Gharafa failed to fire in the clash played at Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium. In another clash yesterday, Al Kharaitiyat were seen home by high-scoring striker Jaycee John against Umm Salal. John scored twice (23 and 58 penalty) while Mamadou Traore scored for Umm Salal in the 55th minute. Algerian Bougherra who made 113 appearances for Rangers. ¿

League Table 1 Lekhwiya (C) 2 El Jaish SC 3 Al Rayyan 4 Al Sadd 22 5 Al-Khor S.C. 6 Al Gharafa 7 Al Wakra 8 Al Kharitiyath 9 Al Arabi 10 Qatar SC 11 Umm Salal 12 Al Ahli (R)

Q63

Al-Khor reach GCC Champions League semis

atar‘s Al-Khor football Sports Club booked their place in the last four stage of the GCC Champions League 2012 on Tuesday.AlKhor’s glorious victory came after a convincing 1-0 win over Al-Jahraa of Kuwait

at Al-Khor stadium on Tuesday. Brazilian forward, Julio Sazer guided Al-Khor to a deserving win when scored in the 41th minute. Al-Khor had previously reached the quarterfinals stage after they led group C with six points

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RODRIGO TABATA Al Rayyan

odrigo Barbosa Tabata or simply Rodrigo Tabata (born November 19, 1980 in Araçatuba, Brazil), is an attacking midfielder. He currently plays for Qatari club Al Rayyan. He has a Japanese-Brazilian background. In his debut match with the Gaziantepspor Jersey against Fenerbahçe on August 23, 2008 he scored the winning goal at the 80th minute. After a successful season with Gaziantepspor, Tabata moved to Beşiktaş for €8 million transfer fee.

In late 2011, the Al Rayyan administration asked Tabata to obtain a Japanese passport for reasons relating to the foreign player quota of the AFC Champions League. However, Tabata failed the perquisites as he cannot write or read the Japanese language. He received a $100,000 cash award 8 April 2012 for scoring a super hat-trick (4 goals) against Qatar SC in a league game to give his team an 8-2 win, which was the highest scoring game recorded in the league for the 2011/12 season. ¿

AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

q Guanzhou Evergrade land Lucas Barrios GUANGZHOU: ACL GROUP H SIDE GUANGZHOU EVERGRANDE HAS MADE A MARQUEE SIGNING OF LUCAS BARRIOS FOR A FOUR-YEAR.

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arrios will arrive in Guangzhou in June, Xinhua quoted a club official.Guangzhou is yet book a place in the last sixteen of the ACL and if managed Barrios will be eligible to play in the knockout stages of the ACL. Barrios, who fell behind Polish Robert Lewandoski in pecking order after bouts of injury this season, has scored 39 goals in 82 Budesliga matches for the German giants. The Paraguay international was supposed to leave the club to get regular football after chances were hard to come by at the Signal Iduna Park. Earlier, BVB sporting director Michael Zorc had conceded the possibility of Barrios’ move away from the Ruhr country. “He can´t be too happy with the current situation. We will sit down with him and look to find a sensible way forward for everyone,” Zorc said off Barrios who was the top scorer for BVB previous two seasons. The German club have not confirmed the deal yet. Xinhua also quoted the spokesman of Evergrande Group on the arrival of Barrios to China. “For the first time, a world-class player joined the Chinese league at his peak period. We believe that Barrios will bring a lot to the Chinese league, and it will boost the interest for Chinese firms to invest in football,” said the Evergrande spokesman. After having a dream debut in continental football with a thumping 5-1 away win over last year’s loosing finalists . ¿

Q67

THE BLOG ROBIN ADAMS

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Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so easy to get caught up in the romance of football. Or maybe itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just me? Every so often a team comes along, and their story just pulls on your heart strings. Libya is a prime example. The national football team qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) proper, despite a war going on in the country. They played most of their qualifying matches outside their own borders. Sadly they didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t progress pass the group stages, but that wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter. The mere fact they made it here - while teams like Egypt, the defending champions who failed to qualify, and South Africa, who failed to familiarise themselves with the qualification rule book - was enough for people to praise Libyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s efforts. Sudan won their first Africa Cup of Nations game in over 40 years last week. Remarkably, it was a victory that helped them book a quarter-final spot. I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help but silently cheer for them in their last eight match against Zambia. Sadly Sudan lost, and it was the end of the AFCON road for them. Then there was Gabon. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d only ever reached the quarter-finals of the Cup of Nations once. And they were hoping to make it to the semis for the very first time. History would have been made. I arrived in Libreville just a day before their quarter-final match against Mali. Already there was an air of excitement. Anticipation. Tension. Thousands and thousands of Gabon fans packed the Stade de lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Amitie (French for friendship stadium - though I reckon they were in no mood to be friendly) to cheer on their team. The Mali supporters were completely outnumbered. Still they soldiered on. Their cheers drowned by the might of the Gabon faithful.

Football, the love affair

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Robin Adams is a sports presenter and producer at Al Jazeera English Sport

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MA LA GA

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The Champions miracle

This weekend, Málaga could seal their best finish in the Liga BBVA in club history. In almost 100 years of existence, the southern outfit has never managed to mathematically qualify for the Europa League. By Enrique Marin

he meteotic rise of the most successful Málaga side in history has largely been down to the acquisitions the club made in last summer’s transfer window, when they brought in players such as Cazorla, Joaquín, Isco,Toulalan and Van Nistelrooy, together with seasoned coach, Manuel Pellegrini. Málaga’s ini-

tial objective was to finish in, or close to, the Europa League berths – not even in their wildest dreams did they envisage qualifying for continental football’s premier club competition, the Champions League. Victory over Sporting at La Rosaleda on Sunday would see Málaga post their best league figures in history – an im-

pressive feat for a club who only a few years ago were struggling just to keep afloat. Málaga previous best in the Liga BBVA was a seventh-place finish in 1970/71 and 1973/74. The last and only time they have played in European competition was in the 2002/03 season, when they starred in the UEFA Cup →

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Q&A Fernando

→ but not by direct qualification but via the preliminary stage, winning the now defunct Intertoto Cup. Pellegrini is also on course to break the club’s points record in one season. If they are victorious against Sporting, their points total will stand at 58, two more than Joaquín Peiró’s side gained in the 2000-2001 campaign. Pellegrini has already equalled the 55 points which Antonio Tapia‘s Málaga ended on in 2008/09. But the Chilean will feel content that his team is mathematically ensured a place in next season’s Europa League but cannot deny that to go one better and make the Champions League would be a fairytale ending to an historic season for him, the team and malaguista fans. As the sun beamed down, thousands scrambled to find out if they had won it. One had, and they were now €620,000 better off. Spain’s Lotería Primitiva had brought rare joy to a citizen of Malaga – a city engulfed in financial struggles. Whilst the fortunate winner was travelling to the capital, Madrid, to collect their winnings, back home, the depression simply grew. A government study revealed a further rise in unemployment, 275,000 were now out of work – the highest Malaga has ever recorded. 34.6% of Spain’s fifth largest city were jobless – a percentage that has almost doubled in the space of four years. So, it’s pretty ironic that in the centre of the discouraged Provence lies one of the world’s richest football clubs. One that could be even richer this weekend.

HIERRO

“It’s a sensible project” :Q Despite being from Malaga, this is the first time you have had any formal involvement with the club. What is your role? :A For me, this is my home. I am from here, I still have a home here, my brother was a player here – he has been sporting director too – and the club were looking for someone like me. :Q It’s my job to help integrate the club and its owners into Spanish football, to help them understand it and to help them make themselves understood. :A The owners have great ideas and I have to help ease their passage at the LFP [the league], the RFEF [Spanish football federation], with other clubs. Why? Because they want to do things the right way. :Q Is that a counter-balance to the classic accusations levelled at foreign owners and their money? :A We want this to be a simpatico club. And if people come into Spanish football willing to invest money, they’re very welcome. The Sheikh has a project and has been very straight right from the start. It’s important that people don’t think it is just about the money. :Q How would you describe the project ? :A Sensible. We have a magnificent coach and a magnificent sporting director. The coach has a four-year contract and his position is consolidated. He was not sacked when things were going badly last year because there is total faith in him. His position was reinforced by survival and the way that the team played in the final few weeks.

When Sheikh Abdullah AlThani arrived on the Costa Del Sol to

buy Malaga in 2010 for €36m, he promised integrity. “Our goal is to help the club take the necessary steps to consolidate its presence in La Liga,” the Qatari billionaire explained, “and to reinforce the excitement and hopes of the supporters.” Unlike many owners in the modern game – Racing Santander’s Ahsan Ali Syed springs to mind – he has stuck to his word. Whilst Syed promised to make Los Racinguistas a Spanish superforce, before this season watching them finish bottom and drop into the Segunda, Al-Thani moved step-by-step. It didn’t start well, though. Not at all well. After three league titles and two cups with Porto, Jesualdo Ferreira departed Portugal’s western coast for Andalusia. It looked like a coup. It wasn’t. 6 defeats in Ferreira’s first 9 league games, and

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21 goals conceded, left Los Boquerones 18th. Al-Thani pulled the plug, and Manuel Pellegrini arrived, six months after he was sacked by Real Madrid. “The project appeals to me,” the Chilean told the press on his arrival, but, like his predecessor, it didn’t begin well. 5 defeats in the first 7 La Liga fixtures, 4 wins in the first 16, the pressure grew. Slowly, the club’s form turned around, largely thanks to ‘The Beast’. Julio Baptista’s arrival from Roma in January 2011, for £2.2m, remains the most imperative piece of business under the new ownership. The Brazilian netted 9 goals in 11

games, Malaga won 8 of their last 14 and survival ensued. Al-Thani not only has the ‘Project’ at Malaga in mind, but also construction possibilities along the Spain’s south coast. In December, plans to expand the main port of Marbella for upwards of £300,000 were revealed. Money is not an issue for the Qatari royal family member, who aims to add a ‘Sports City’ to the province – labelled ‘The Academy’. Before the season began, Al-Thani, Pellegrini and Malaga’s chief executive Jose Carlos Perez met to discuss the most effective and viable options to

take the club forward – talks that were fundamental for the future of Malaga. Bringing in someone who knew and loved the club to work with Pellegrini was deemed key, and so, in July, Fernando Hierro arrived. The Real Madrid legend, who spent 14 years at the Santiago Bernabéu, was appointed Malaga’s general manager. “This is my home,” the 44-year old said shortly after his arrival, “The owners want to do things the right way, it’s my job to help integrate them into Spanish football.” Hierro played for Malaga’s youth team in his teenage years. ¿

:Q There is a good mixture in the squad: players from the youth system who were born here. :A They are players who have to be committed and are an example to the rest. It’s vital to have players who are committed and believe in the project, people who are happy. The aim is to grow bit by bit, to get as high as we can. :Q And how high is that? :A We don’t know. .

Fernando Hierro

SPANISH LA LIGA

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And Guardiola said goodbye THERE WERE MANY TRIBUTES, SMALL AND LARGE, TO COACH PEP GUARDIOLA AT HIS LAST CAMP NOU MATCH.

ounced all, only the head remained adamant stand: When started, the players of FC Barcelona to win the Cup awaited the great Fiesta, remained almost motionless Josep Guardiola on the podium and looked out into the night sky. Only a smile on his face bore a whiff of what was the outgoing coach after his last game through my head. "It was a wonderful time that I will never forget," said Guardiola, a little later

when he was looking for the right words. Beautiful, but largely successful: The 3-0 (3-0) was in the final against Athletic Bilbao, the 14th Title of the Catalans in four years under Guardiola. . "I'm head held high There's been an honor to work with the best players I've ever seen," said the successful coach: "And it was probably the best I'll ever see."Even during the medal ceremony, he was looking for the distance: When his team â&#x2020;&#x2019;

SPANISH LA LIGA

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â&#x2020;&#x2019; in the stands who accepted the trophy, Guardiola clap politely applauded at the center circle. The last game of the final victory, the last track: At the end agreed to the Spanish press praises. "This trophy is for you, Pep," headlined the Marca, AS the coach even got into the status of a "legend": "His first title he won against Bilbao, and now his last For Guardiola has to this day. The circle is closed. "By 2009 Barcelona had defeated the Basques in the cup final 4-1. An unusual addition to role playing that night so Lionel Messi. It had just the world star from Argentina's total of 73 Goal of the season for the "Blaugrana" made a little too topp end balance sheet. Guardiola knew then, with whom he had to thank him for the past few years. "Messi told me, and helped us to be even better. We would have won titles without him, but not 14 of 19 possible," said the 41year-old. His successor, Tito Vilanova, he leaves behind an ordered field, of which Guardiola is

convinced: "I give the club so that everything can continue as before." In the former assistant coach is waiting, thanks to the Cup victory with a debut explosiveness. In the first competitive match under his leadership, it is calculated in August against rivals and new Real Madrid to the Spanish Supercup. Strange but true: Both Vilanova and his counterparts are locked in the first leg Jose Mourinho because of conflicts after the last duel. Had started the final in Madrid strange: The expected catcalls from fans of both Catalonia and the Basque Country was only an abbreviated national anthem played. Without success, the noise was tremendous. But these discordant notes were quickly forgotten. Pedro (3./24.) And World Footballer Messi (19th) scored early for the dethroned champions and Champions League winner, the 26th Time may be called the King's Cup his own. Also a record. The Hamburg-based football fans the world stars of FC Barcelona on the 24th by the way July marvel, when the Catalans compete in a friendly match at Hamburg. Âż

PREMIER league

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Aguero, imposible to forget WITH TWO STOPPAGE TIME GOALS MANCHESTER CITY PLAYED OUT ONE OF THE MOST DRAMATIC MOMENTS THE ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE HAS EVER SEEN.

ometimes when you watch soccer you get a punch in the gut. You’ve tried to stay away from the emotion, but you find yourself gripped. With two stoppage time goals Manchester City played out one of the most dramatic moments the English Premier League has ever seen. They declared themselves champions and few can begrudge them it. Their last game against QPR had everything, ranging from a kitchen sink approach to attacking, sweeping counter drives, a ridiculous red card and the maddest five minutes I have ever witnessed as a spectator. The game started as it ended, with Man City bombarding their opponents. It took over 25 minutes but Pablo Zabaleta plonked a goal through goalkeeper Paddy Kenny’s expectant hands, with the ball looping into the net as the right back tore

away in shock. However, although leading, City relaxed in the second half. The usually steady Joleon Lescott misjudged a header allowing Djibril Cisse to streak onto the ball and swipe a shot past Joe Hart. Yet, despite being down to 10 men, QPR burst towards the opposition goal and from a swinging cross striker Jamie Mackie bounced a header into City’s net to make it 1-2. The title seemed to be slipping away. This City team did not quit though, and in stoppage time they converted a corner into an Edin Dzeko goal and then, in the 95th minute, Aguero popped up to power a shot past Kenny and make it 3-2 before peeling off his top and sprinting up the touchline. It was bizarre. It was unpredictable. It was mesmerizing. For fans of soccer this could be impossible to forget. ¿

ligue 1 france

q Pastore, Paris hopes reigneted PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN KEPT THEIR TITLE HOPES ALIVE WITH A 2-0 WIN OVER SAINT-ETIENNE AT THE PARC DES PRINCES ON WEDNESDAY THANKS TO GOALS FROM NENE AND PASTORE

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fter the frustration of the weekend's loss away to Lille, a fifth reverse of the season, PSG had the chance to bounce back immediately on Wednesday. The message from the PSG camp was clear: win all four remaining matches to maintain hope of a third Ligue 1 crown. For their penultimate home match of the campaign, Les Rouge et Bleu played host to Saint-Etienne - themselves coming off three consecutive league wins that rekindled Les Verts' hopes of qualifying for the Europa League next season. The Parc des Princes was also full of anticipation as the home fans hoped their side could take advantage of Montpelier's slip up on Wednesday at home to Evian (2-2) as well as move two points clear of Lille who defeated nice, 1-0, earlier in the evening. The home side started brightly and set up camp in Saint-Etienne's half of the field. The in-form Ménez was already

causing the visitors' defence problems and could have opened the scoring on the quarter hour after beating Mignot, before shotting wide (15'). Four minutes later the PSG No.7 was at it again, going passed Marchal in the area and shotting before going to ground. After consulting with his lines-

man, the referee, M. Ennjimi pointed to the penalty spot and Nene, Monsieur 100% from the spot this season, beat Ruffier from 12 yards to net his 17th of the campaign (1-0, 21')! Ménez, him again, went close to doubling the advantage on the half hour as his quickly taken shot flew across Ruffier.¿

will be the stars in 2022

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n 18 July 2011 Tottenham Hotspur confirmed they had signed Coulibaly following his golden boot-winning performance at the FIFA Under17 World Cup.[6] 'Soli' scored for the Tottenham Hotspur XI on his debut against Brighton and Hove Albion in Algarve. Coulibaly then scored twice in a 7-1 win for Spurs youth over Inter Milan in their second group game of the NextGen Tournament on 31 August 2011. He also opened the scoring in their third group game away at PSV, where they won 2-1. On 22 December 2011, Coulibaly scored an injury time winner against Stevenage in the FA Youth Cup, followed by a goal in a 2-1 victory over Cardiff City in the fourth round of the FAYC on 11 January 2012. Souleymane Coulibaly began his international career with Côte d'Ivoire national under-17 football team at the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup where he scored nine goals in four matches: one goal against Australia, 4 goals against Denmark, and a hattrick in a draw against Brazil. [7][8][9] Coulibaly also scored a goal in a 2-3 loss to France in the Round of 16. He is the tournament's topscorer. When it comes to "most goals scored at one tournament" only one other player scored the same amount of goals, Florent Sinama Pongolle from Franceid that in six matches, not in Coulibaly's four. ¿

SOULEYMANE COULIBALY

Full nam >>> Souleymane Coulibaly Date of birth >>> 26 December 1994 (age 17) Place of birth >>> Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire Playing position >>> Forward Current club >>> Tottenham Hotspur

A 'New Drogba' HE HAS RECEIVED THE LABEL OF THE "NEW DROGBA" IN REFERENCE TO FELLOW IVORIAN FOOTBALLER DIDIER DROGBA.

around the world

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Burkina Faso Defender Bakary Kone (R) jumps to head the ball above Ivory Coast Forward Didier Drogba during the Group B match of The Africa Cup of Nations football between Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso in Malabo on January 26, 2012, at the Malabo stadium. Ivory Coast won the game 2-0. AFP PHOTO / ALEXANDER JOE r/[xi S 3r _c+ SK [ /x [rix Í¸Î&#x203A;Í¹ xi W_ _t / x3 c / _[/ SrW Ðª3 #_ _K W+c +x+xxm +/rO Ðª '_ _ Ðª _c crK Ðª Ðª[ 3 Ê&#x153;cc S/xWx Ðª [/ _W+c xi 3 #_ _K r r/[xi S 3r Sx c _ r xrc Ð»Ð¿ xi x/ Ð»Ð¹ÐºÐ»Í&#x2026; Sx 3 + c _ rÍ¨ S 1 3 #_ _K _c / Ð»Î&#x20AC;Ð¹Í¨ ;r/ r[ _ S/ i3 /3Í¿ _[3i+/ r

around the world Los Angeles Galaxy goalie Bill Gaudette bobbles a ball kicked by Carolina RailHawks' Brian Shriver for the winning goal during the second half of their third-round U.S. Open Cup soccer match, Tuesday, May 29, 2012, in Cary, N.C. The RailHawks won 2-1. (AP Photo/ The News & Observer, Travis Long) MANDATORY CREDIT _r3 i _x3 O _ [3x # /3 _c/ct r+x x_ r _x3 [/ _/[_ K_t x+x /x i 7/ xS/ Ðª/ x_m r[3 [ /r_xi Ðª _m+S _Sr1 _ ix i;S [/ _W+c Ðª[ 3 _r_ x _c #+ S #Ðª _ r_ _ _ K_t C WÍ&#x2026; _ _ Ð»Ñ&#x201A; c xr Ð»Ð¹ÐºÐ»Í&#x2026; Sx [ /xÍ&#x2026; i;/ rS 1 / x_m r[3 Ð»Î&#x20AC;ÐºÍ¨ Í¸ _;r/ Î&#x160;Î&#x2122;Í¿ _ ' /

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around the world Republic of Ireland's James Mcclean(L) vies for the ball with Italian Tuscany XI's player Alessandro Di Stefano during the friendly soccer match between Ireland and and Italian team Tuscany XI at the Marcello Melani Stadium in Pistoia, on May, 29, 2012. AFP PHOTO / FABIO MUZZIFABIO MOTTA/ AFP/GettyImages xc3 Î&#x2013;Ï&#x2030;Ï&#x2030;Ï&#x2019;Ï&#x2039;Ï&#x2021;Ï&#x201D;Í¸Î&#x2022;Í¹ cmr/x x/_i+ _ i[/x __[/ cK _ K Ðª xC _x r3[ i _# +x K7/Ðª _x3 i+/r +x 3 xS ir '_ _ c / [/ _W+c _r+x xi x/_i+ r _ xC _x S/xW Ðª r3[ i _# +x K7/Ðª Sx 3 + cx_ ix c /3x_r Sx 3 rx Í&#x2026; xrc Ð»Ñ&#x201A; c xr Ð»Ð¹ÐºÐ»Í¨ ;r/ r[ _ S/ i3 /3Í¿ S xr cr1xS xr cr Í¿S/ i3 /3Í¿ x xxc x3

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Italian Tuscany XI goalkeeper Gaffino Francesco (Top) catches the ball over Republic of Ireland's James Mcclean during the friendly soccer match between Ireland and and Italian team Tuscany XI at the Marcello Melani Stadium in Pistoia, on May, 29, 2012. AFP PHOTO / FABIO MUZZIFABIO MOTTA/ AFP/GettyImages _c;x+ # /3 c/ct Ðª _# +x K7/ r3[ i _ xC _xÐª S/ i7x3[r Sxir Í¸ K_tÍ¹ _[/ K_t xc3 c [_xi cmr/x x/_i+ '_ _ c / [/ _W+c _r+x xi x/_i+ r _ xC _x S/xW Ðª r3[ i _# +x K7/Ðª Sx 3 + cx_ ix c /3x_r Sx 3 rx Í&#x2026; xrc Ð»Ñ&#x201A; c xr Ð»Ð¹ÐºÐ»Í¨ ;r/ r[ _ S/ i3 /3Í¿S xr cr1xS xr cr Í¿S/ i3 /3Í¿ x xxc

around the world

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Los Angeles Galaxy goalie Bill Gaudette bobbles a ball kicked by Carolina RailHawks' Brian Shriver for the winning goal during the second half of their third-round U.S. Open Cup soccer match, Tuesday, May 29, 2012, in Cary, N.C. The RailHawks won 2-1. (AP Photo/ The News & Observer, Travis Long) MANDATORY CREDIT _r3 i _x3 O _ [3x # /3 _c/ct r+x x_ r _x3 [/ _/[_ K_t x+x /x i 7/ xS/ Ðª/ x_m r[3 [ /r_xi Ðª _m+S _Sr1 _ ix i;S [/ _W+c Ðª[ 3 _r_ x _c #+ S #Ðª _ r_ _ _ K_t C WÍ&#x2026; _ _ Ð»Ñ&#x201A; c xr Ð»Ð¹ÐºÐ»Í&#x2026; Sx [ /xÍ&#x2026; i;/ rS 1 / x_m r[3 Ð»Î&#x20AC;ÐºÍ¨ Í¸ _;r/ Î&#x160;Î&#x2122;Í¿ _ ' /

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football dreams Football Dreams is a fascinating and unique scouting project aimed at identifying the future talents of world football. It provides to thousands of 13-year old kids the opportunity to demonstrate their skills in order to become one day a professional football player with a brillant future.

By David Ruiz

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Report

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spire Football Dream is a unique and fascinating humanitarian football project currently existent in 14 developing countries on three continents, and aimed at identifying the future talents of world football. Per year the program utilizes over 800 playing fields, involves more than 6,000 volunteers, provides thousands of balls and football items and also includes coaching instruction. At the international level, the Football Dreams program screens over 700,000 footballers in 14 underdeveloped countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The Academy coaches also identify international talents through observation visits to other countries or at international youth competitions. These international programs result in the award of the Aspire scholarships to international athletes who attend the Academy. Right from the beginning in 2004, Aspire Academy for Sports Excellence thought about providing the best local Qata-

"Aspire Africa. Football Dreams" was unveiled at a ceremony in the Qatari capital attended by legendary Brazilian star Pele. ri football talents with the best possible environment to reach a world class football level. This requires special methods, e.g. optimal training quantity and quality, quality games/competitions but also daily challenge for the best local talents. As the quantity of highly talented local football players is limited by the population size, Aspire decided to integrate international scholarships as role models into the daily life and training regime of our very best talents. Realizing such need to reach a world class level for the best local football talents combined with the humanitarian aim of the State of Qatar to support developing countries especially in the area of education, lead the stakeholders of Aspire to the idea of creating the Aspire Football Dreams Project for developing countries.

Was conceived to give the opportunity to young football players from developing countries to reach the heights of international football through careful trai-

ning and development, while focusing on school education and personality development at the same time â&#x20AC;&#x201C; plus supporting the local talent pool in their own development. Prepared and planned in 2005/2006 and launched on the ground in 2007, the Aspire Football Dreams project has already tested over two million young footballers from Asia, Latin America and Africa, as part of the largest-ever talent search within the sport. The selected talents inspire the local Aspire football players by training, competing, studying and living with them as role models. They will be prepared on how to manage their lives successfully, as well as to play for professional football clubs and, hopefully, their respective national teams in the future. Aspire cooperates closely with the national football associations of the youngsters involved. The project relies on a team of professional coaches and scouts, as well as thousands of volunteers. The top players

from each country travel to Qatar and are hosted at Aspire Academy, where they receive top-level training from Academy coaches and play games each week against other teams. World famous football stars visit and share their advice and experiences, and many of the young aspirants receive scholarships to Aspire Academy or the only Aspire branch in Senegal, as the involved National Football Associations were asking for more support for the screened and identified talents. Both Aspire Academy and Aspire Senegal are international elite sports training institutes with a multi-national student population and a commitment to awarding student scholarships to talents from underdeveloped nations. The philosophy of Aspire is for every student-athlete to maximize his athletic talent and go on to play for his countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s national team, which already more than 30 young talents achieved. Âż

Report

The ﬁve cups of BORA

MILUTINOVIC

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Bora Milutinovic, the renowned international soccer coach, is notoriously hard to pin down. Back when he coached the United States in the early 1990s, his constant evasions about rosters and tactics led one reporter to quip, “Milutinovic speaks five languages fluidly, but doesn’t answer tough questions completely in any of them.” By David Ruiz

One afternoon last month, Bora (he operates on a strictly first-name basis) was leading a whirlwind tour of one of Qatar’s countless monuments to its staggering wealth — this an obscenely lavish indoor sports facility in the capital, Doha, containing a full-size soccer field, multiple state-of-the-art weight rooms and an Olympic-length swimming pool. “This is the best example of how people have dreams to give best opportunity to people of Qatar,” he said. The pint-size Persian Gulf peninsula boasts the highest GDP per capita in the world. But Bora maintains that mo-

ney has little to do with it. “No, no, no. Not just that,” he said when the question comes up. But before elaborating, he snakes around the approaching corner and into the men’s room. Some 20 minutes later, he finally circles back. “Sure, money is important,” he concedes, “but it’s also important to have the goal of giving a chance to people.” He adds that Qatar doesn’t have political problems because “political problems are social problems and the people here are being taken care of.” Bora, 68, who since 1983 has managed eight different →

Report

→ national teams — from Mexico in 1983 to Iraq in 2009 — insists he is done coaching. Not that he’s stuck to that same vow in the past. But the socalled miracle worker of global soccer is enjoying his new job as, well, it’s not entirely clear. When asked what he does in Qatar, Bora flashes an impish grin and replies: “I don’t have a role. Only I share my experience.” That’s not exactly true. Officially, Bora’s an adviser at Aspire Academy, whose facilities he has just been flaunting, a sporting institute for Qatar’s elite young athletes. Unofficially, he’s a jack of all trades for Qatari sport — consultant, goodwill ambassador, and indefatigable salesman.

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It’s in this last role that Bora

thrives. He settled in Qatar in 2009 to serve as “bid ambassador” for its successful campaign to host the 2022 World Cup and counts helping the sleepy emirate of 1.7 million people upset a field of the United States, Australia, Japan and South Korea among his finest accomplishments. “I’m very happy,” he said, beaming about the experience. “I joke with the people. They ask me: ‘Bora how you explain this?’ This is easy: my team always wins.” Indeed, Bora has won a lot over his career. Of the eight different national teams he’s coached, Bora has taken a record five to the World Cup. At the 1994 World Cup in the United States, he led a crew of journeymen to a narrow second-round defeat to eventual champion Brazil. Characteristically, the Serb with the messy hair and mad scientist persona also succeeded in confounding everyone around him. “You really have to put all your faith and believe in what he’s doing,” defender Alexi Lalas told The New York Times weeks before the tournament. “A lot of times, it’s hard, because I have no idea what he’s doing.” Bora returned to the States in 1998 to coach the then New York/New Jersey MetroStars of M.L.S. His hapless squad registered one of the worst records in league history in 1999. Thirteen years on, he’s keen to defend his honor. “You have to look the conditions I have to work,” he launches in. “You know who is Tom Howard?”

As in Tim Howard? “You know who put him in first team ever?” he continues, not missing a beat. “You know what they tell me. I’m nuts. But you know what happened. Two years after, he go in Manchester, and now how you going to judge me?”

But Bora’s track record since the late ‘90s has fallen well short of the heights of his early years. His last gig, coaching Iraq in 2009, lasted just three weeks. In Qatar, Bora has regained his swagger. Everyone in Doha seems to know Mr. Bora. At one hotel he pays a visit to, about 20 employees huddle around the front desk, swooning, as he exits. ¿

lessons with rafa benitez

q Falcao lights the fireworks FALCAO CONFIRMED HIS TITLE AS TOP SCORER AND ATLETICO CONTINUED THEIR RUN OF 11 STRAIGHT WINS IN THE COMPETITION.

The match began, as expected given the teams and the background, with a high intensity by both teams. With lost possession and immediate regains without giving each other time to breathe. A frenetic start. Some direct play by Athletic looking for Fernando Llorente and regains and counter attack by Atletico. Pressing after lost possession and if they didn’t regain, drop off quickly giving nothing away to the opposition. The match changed quickly. Straightaway, after 6 minutes, we saw a fantastic goal by Radamel Falcao Garcia Zarate, who with his left foot curled the ball inside the far post of Iraizoz’s goal as he tried to keep out the shot. It was pretty much unstoppable no matter what Athletic felt. If Atletico Madrid and Diego Simeone wanted to play on the counter attack at the beginning of the game, it was clear they could do it after this early goal. And so it went on: drop off, intensity in pressing and counter quickly on regain.

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ust as I was about to start watching last night’s final in Bucharest, I had a load of stats on my desk which OPTA always send me and which I always look through carefully when preparing to write about the matches for this forum. There are those who say that stats are just that, stats, and they can’t tell you much. But they can at least throw up some curious coincidences or some interesting things. It was the sixth all Spanish final of a European tournament, the second if we just include the UEFA Cup / Europa League, and the sixth European final for the eventual winner, Atletico Madrid, not including the Intertoto Cup, which the Madrid side had won as they had against Fulham (2-1 after extra time) in 2010. We also know that Atletico were to be the third of the eight clubs

who had been in two UEFA Cup / Europa League Finals in a 3 year period to win both of them, as had Real Madrid and Sevilla. Or on the other side of the coin, Athletic would lose their second big European final as they had against Juventus in 1976-7. Falcao confirmed his title as top scorer and Atletico continued their run of 11 straight wins in the competition. They were a few of the aspects to ponder before the game hidden behind the eventual 3-0 scoreline. We could have expected a lot after the unforgettable nights that the Bilbao side had given us, not least the encounter at Old Trafford against the mighty Manchester United. And that wasn’t the only one…but let’s get on with our own particular analysis of last night’s match. ¿

As for Marcelo Bielsa’s team, they regained their pride after the goal and for a while pressed with intensity, creating a few dangerous moves (in particular a missed shot by Fernando Llorente with the outside of his foot). This was all in the first quarter of the match.

The Basque team moved the ball quickly but patiently for sure. But equally their opponent defended well, with the lines close together as they do and counter attacking as soon as they could. On 21 minutes, Ander Herrera was shown a yellow card for a dangerous foul on Diego in one of the counter attacks initiated by Falcao. But the final had begun with high tempo and continued in the same way. All the players had no space and this produced tackles and fouls. After one of these, on 25 minutes, Falcao got a yellow card. He was surprised to get one at that point in the proceedings. For Athletic, Muniain was dropping deep to receive and from there tried to get in to the opposition box by dribbling or by using quick wall passes to some effect, but their play was a bit too quick they saw most of their attempts unfortunately come to nothing on the edge of the box because of the covering between the centre backs and midfield which Simeone had fielded. On top of this, as Athletic were finding it difficult, in the 33rd minute the second Atletico goal came through the same player as the first. In one of their collective pressing moves, they regained the ball and, inside the box up against a few opponents.

Falcao managed to score the second before Gorka could get there. With just half an hour gone, things were had become very difficult for Bilbao’s Lions. Their only hope was to score quickly to close the gap and change the momentum. But they couldn’t do it. So the first half ended, with Marcelo Bielsa’s side trying to get in the game, but nearly always through the middle where the red and white stripes had players and good cover, with their opponents pressing and trying to win the ball to counter attack and look for their goalscorer on the night, Falcao, to finish it off.

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training day

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The method of Mourinho KNOWLES ADKISSON TOOK NOTES AS JOSE MOURINHO CONDUCTED A PRACTICE PRIOR TO THE TEAM'S WORLD FOOTBALL CHALLENGE OPENER IN L.A.

ose Mourinho stopped in mid-stride, a look of annoyance crossing his face. As his players cycled through shooting drills, he marched to the edge of the field and picked up a white practice cone, took three paces, and carefully replaced it. A row of cameras the size of toy cannons clicked from steps away as he realigned three other cones, captu-

ring the singular neurosis of “The Special One” for posterity. Real Madrid’s cadre of global superstars touched down in Los Angeles this week for preseason training, and while the arrival of household names like Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka has justifiably grabbed headlines, club officials know names alone will not win

them trophies this year. Madridistas are counting on the organizational genius of Mourinho to make a dent in the dominance of hated rivals Barcelona, and that journey begins here, on the campus of UCLA in Westwood. Mourinho’s practices are legendary for their precision, and Goal. com was able to observe the entirety of one of his 90-minute training sessions earlier this week. What follows is a breakdown of the session with commentary. 10 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. The players jog around, then circle up at midfield. There is not much talking, other than from Brazilian defender Marcelo, who chatters away happily while his teammates go about their stretching. ¿

sport medicine

q Because we're athletas THERE’S A BACK PROBLEM THAT IS MOST FREQUENTLY SEEN IN PEOPLE WHO ARE ATHLETICALLY ACTIVE IN THEIR TEENAGE YEARS.

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ystematic cardiology screening (that is an evaluation of the heart) is of major importance for athletes and forms part of our pre evaluation. Systematic cardiological evaluation has been shown to reduce the incidence of sudden death in elite sportspeople. This is because the major cause of sudden death among athletes in training and competition is due to underlying cardiac abnormalities. However, these abnormalities are difficult to diagnose because training induces the so-called “Athlete’s Heart Syndrome” with electrocardiogram (ECG) and echocardiogram abnormalities that are difficult to distinguish from factors that may cause

sudden death. Cardiology screening includes the medical history, physical examination and ECG. ECG is a key in the screening process, enhancing the likelihood of detecting heart disease when combined with medical history and physical examination. It is recommended that cardiac screening is initiated at the beginning of the competitive activity (12–14 years) and repeated at least every two years depending on the nature of the sport practiced. Aspetar works with internationally recognised sports cardiology specialists and is involved in international collaborative research to ensure that the highest level of cover is attained.

QATAR MAP THE VISITOR

SWEET DREAMS

DINNER HOUR

SPORT MEDICINE

SHOPPING

PEOPLE

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KATARA CULTURAL VILLAGE The Cultural Village Foundation is an exceptional project of hope for human interaction through art and cultural exchange â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a project made possible thanks to the inspired vision, solid faith and wise leadership of HH Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir

of the State of Qatar. Keeping pace with the emerging global culture that emphasises the importance of diversity in human development, Katara Cultural Village is the largest and the most multidimensional cultural project of Qatar. It is a place where people come

THE VISITOR

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together to experience the cultures of the world. With beautiful theatres, concert halls, exhibition galleries and cutting-edge facilities, Katara aims to become a world leader for multicultural activities. In line with the goals set forward by the Qatar National Vision 2030, Katara serves as a guardian to the heritage and traditions of Qatar and endeavours to spread awareness about the importance of every culture and civilization and as such, Katara

hosts international, regional and local festivals, workshops, performances and exhibitions. The Idea of Katara Katara was born out of a long held vision to position the State of Qatar as a cultural beacon a lighthouse of art, radiating in the Middle East through theatre, literature, music, visual art, conventions and exhibitions. This village shall be a glimpse of the future of a world where people of different cultural backgrounds

overcome their national boundaries and embrace common causes to promote a united humanity. Katara is where the grace of the past meets the splendour of the future. The meaning of the name Katara Since the year 150 AD, “Catara” was the first and most ancient name designated for Qatar Peninsula in geographic and historical maps. On the map drawn by the geographer Claudius Ptolemaeus in 150 AD, published in 882

AD -1477 AD and later in the Historical Atlas of Islam, the peoples of the Arabian Peninsula in the middle of the second century AD were identified. It also stipulated the geographical location of Qatar Peninsula under the name of Catara, North West of Gerra or near it, and to the west of the town of Cadara. The name “Katara” appeared in the geographical and historical maps in early eighteenth century AD. In a French map of the Arabian Peninsula coast line, sea

and gulf, the name was written “Katara” instead of “Catara,” which was the designation used by geographers from the map of Ptolemaeus in 150 AD until 1738 AD. Tracking the etymology of Qatar throughout history is both useful and interesting given Qatar’s cultural and educational wealth. This cultural richness plays a very important role in promoting and building the Qatari society. The attachment to our ancient roots together with premeditated modernisation.

SWEET DREAMS

LA CIGALA EXPERIENCE FOR THE SENSES

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Experience five-star accommodation and a superb level of personal service in the heart of Doha, Qatar at La Cigale Hotel. Behind its polished 20-story façade, this striking high-design hotel offers a stylish yet relaxing haven where business travellers can escape the city’s hectic pace. Named the 2010 Qatar Leading Hotel by the World Travel Awards and a member of the Leading Hotels of the World, La Cigale is one of the city’s most esteemed hotels, an engaging blend of contemporary style and cosmopolitan ambiance. Five-star hotel in the Doha city centre Located in the heart of the Business District, just 10 minutes from the beach Convenient to the Museum of Islamic

Art, Education City, Al Souq restaurants, and fashionable shopping malls Only 15 minutes from Doha International Airport Consistently Discover an address of true distinction in Qatar’s cosmopolitan capital. A five-star, La Cigale Hotel is an exceptional experience for the senses. Book your reservations directly.

DINNER TIME

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GRAND HYATT DISTINCT IN STYLE

Located minutes from the business areas of Doha and the new district of West Bay Lagoon, our hotel offers the very best in innovative and authentic dining in Doha. Distinct in style and offering exceptional experience, Grand Hyatt Dohaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s restaurants and lounges exhibit the culinary excellence for which Hyatt hotels are renowned worldwide. Four vibrant Doha restaurants present specialty cuisines prepared by experienced, international chefs in open theatre kitchens. The two stylish lounges are perfect venues to entertain and relaX. Our restaurants in Doha offer the most authentic cuisines using premium ingredients. Our signature restaurant Isaan is home to Thai cuisine prepared by Thai chefs in open kitchens. The Grill specialises in premium steaks, international fare and local specialty dishes. For great Mediterranean cuisine, poolside restaurant Rocca in Doha has the best to offer. Biscotti Italian-style cafĂŠ serves a variety of coffee, homemade bakeries and pastries and freshly made sandwiches in a comfortable setting..

GO SHOPPING

The model one Freestyle, that because of his 25 anniversary was revival to the market, it was considered icon of the fashion in 1980, with versions of high cut that incluian two straps of velcro in the upper part, in blue yellow red, black, and white colors. Currently Reebok continues producing the model one Freestyle therefore has done itself very popular among cheerleader, aerobic dance, gymnasium and public in general.

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Q119 The model one Freestyle, that because of his 25 anniversary was revival to the market, it was considered icon of the fashion in 1980, with versions of high cut that incluian two straps of velcro in the upper part, in blue yellow red, black, and white colors. Currently Reebok continues producing the model one Freestyle therefore has done itself very popular among cheerleader, aerobic dance, gymnasium and public in general.

The model one Freestyle, that because of his 25 anniversary was revival to the market, it was considered icon of the fashion in 1980, with versions of high cut that incluian two straps of velcro.

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THE PEOPLE

AKBAR AL BAKER CHIEF EXECUTIVE, QATAR AIRWAYS

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"QATAR OFFERS MANY HISTORICAL SITES" Akbar Al Baker loves to prove his critics wrong. Defying aviation pundits who, he admits, dismissed him as a fool for his bold ambitions and projections when he took over as Qatar Airways CEO in 1996, he has driven the airlineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s extraordinary emergence as a state-of-the-art five-star carrier with an order book that will transform its scale and route network. Through Qatar Airwaysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ownership Al Baker is also in charge of Doha International Airport where his determination and vision will culminate in a new airport, whose first phase will open in 2009.

It is expected that tourism growth to be more than double in the next six years, from the 400,000 visitors that pre sently visit Qatar, to more than one million tourists in 2010. To accommodate this expansive growth, Qatar has revealed big plans for tourism

development with an investment of US$15 billion. This plan includes the following: Enriching cultural experiences The new plan includes a significant investment in cultural facilities. A new landmark Public Library, a Museum of Islamic Arts, the promotion of Qatar's

many historic forts and the redevelopment of Qatar's National Museum. Lifestyle cities The creation of luxury lifestyle cities is also a major new initiative. The first such project will be Pearl of the Gulf, which will include a number of new features such as

a dedicated family entertainment district. This entertainment district will provide both daytime and night time attractions for residents and tourists alike. New sporting facilities Qatar is also proud to host the 2006 Asian Games. In preparation for these Games, Qatar is redeveloping and upgrading all of its existing sporting facilities and also developing a number of new world class venues. One such venue is the Khalifa Sports City, which will feature a redeveloped Khalifa Stadium, new aquatic centre, a large sports hall and an additional indoor sports hall. History For people with historical interest, Qatar offers many historical sites including a historical fort dating back to the Abassade period, as well as the famous Al Wajbah Fort where in 1893 AD, the people of Qatar, under the leadership of Sheikh Jassim Bin Mohammed Al Thani, defeated the Ottoman forces. With the above plans in mind, Qatar will still retain its Arabian charm and can offer a variety of things to see and do to all who wish to travel to this beautiful and culturally rich country.

!"#$%&##'&%&()*

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