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ISSUE 51, 10 OCTOBER 2014
ENGLISH EDITION
Fédération Internationale de Football Association – Since 1904
LEBANON
COACH GIANNINI
AIMING HIGH
SEPP BLATTER
THE AWAY GOALS
RULE IS OUTDATED
ROBERTO DI MATTEO
HOW ONE EARLY GOAL
CHANGED HIS LIFE
Seaman, Milla, Totti
Evergreen
W W W.FIFA.COM/ THEWEEKLY
THIS WEEK IN THE WORLD OF FOOTBALL
6
16
23
30
North and
Central America
35 members
www.concacaf.com
Rolling back the years
The emergence of talented young footballers
always generates excitement, but there is no
doubt they would be lost without their more
experienced team-mates. Perikles Monioudis
takes a look at some lengthy careers frequently
marked by chance and good fortune.
South America
10 members
www.conmebol.com
B olivia
One strange night with four goals and a
distinctly Argentinian flavour means
Club Blooming now top the league in the
South American nation.
S epp Blatter
In his weekly column, the FIFA President argues
that the away goals rule has fallen behind the
times, saying: “In reality it favours the club that
play away from home in the second leg. It is
time to rethink the system.”
15
Belgium
At just 17 years
old, everybody is
already talking
about rising star
Youri Tielemans.
B rian Roy
The former Dutch international expresses his
concern for football in his home country: “It will
be at least twelve years until the Netherlands
can win a World Cup.”
35
Eric Cantona
The inimitable
Frenchman inspired
several English
musicians during his
time in Manchester.
Evergreen
Our cover image shows David Seaman
at the age of 40. The veteran England
goalkeeper announced his retirement a
few months after this photo was taken.
The FIFA Weekly Magazine App
The FIFA Weekly, FIFA’s magazine, is available
in four languages as an e-Magazine and on
your tablet every Friday.
2
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
Getty Images (2), imago, AFP
Kevin Cummins / Getty Images
THIS WEEK IN THE WORLD OF FOOTBALL
Europe
54 members
www.uefa.com
Africa
54 members
www.cafonline.com
Asia
46 members
www.the-afc.com
Oceania
11 members
www.oceaniafootball.com
24
Lebanon
Coach Giuseppe Giannini outlines
his ambition to build a strong
Lebanese national side.
37
Roberto
Di Matteo
Schalke 04’s new coach
discusses the 1997
FA Cup final goal that
transformed his career.
FIFA Club World Cup
10 – 20 December 2014, Morocco
FIFA U-20 World Cup
30 May – 20 June 2015, New Zealand
FIFA Women’s World Cup
6 June – 5 July 2015, Canada
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
3
Football is a
brotherhood. It’s peace.
© 2014 Visa. All rights reserved.
Oscar Arias
Nobel Peace Laureate
UNCOVERED
Better
with age
P
rofessional footballers are said to reach
their peak at around 26 or 27 years old, at
which point their skills tend to deteriorate.
Nevertheless, there are players who continue to
enrich matches as they get older and are perennially beloved by fans watching both at home
on television and in the stands. Italian veteran
Andrea Pirlo is one example of such a stalwart,
while our cover star David Seaman was another. Starting overleaf, Perikles Monioudis examines some of these lengthy careers and the extent to which club loyalty and good fortune can
contribute towards longevity.
L
ast year, Giuseppe Giannini decided to become Lebanon’s national team coach – not
an easy task when you consider that war is
raging in neighbouring Syria. In an interview
with The FIFA Weekly starting on page 24, the
Italian coach discusses these difficult conditions and speaks highly of the football-mad
country where he is seeking to nurture a new
generation of players.
T
he existing away goals rule appears to have
become outdated in European football. In
his weekly column on page 23, FIFA President Blatter says: “As well-established as the
rule is, it can be viewed critically today. In
reality it favours the club that play away from
home in the second leg. It is time to rethink
the system.” Å
Alan Schweingruber
imago
35 years young Juventus legend Andrea Pirlo.
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
5
LONG-LASTING CAREERS
Rolling back
the years
38
F R AN C E SC O
TOT TI
Forever Roma
Francesco Totti is now
the oldest goalscorer in
the Champions League.
6
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
imago
Date of birth
27 September 1976
Place of birth
Rome, Italy
Position
Midfielder, striker
Clubs played for
Roma 1993–present
National team
Italy 1998–2006
58 caps, 9 goals
LONG-LASTING CAREERS
41
L ARB I BE N
MBARE K
Year of retirement
1955, aged 41
Date of birth
16 June 1914 (died 16 September 1992)
Place of birth
Casablanca, Morocco
Position
Midfielder
Clubs played for
Ideal Club Casablanca 1936
US Marocaine 1936–1938
Marseille 1938–1939
US Marocaine 1939–1945
Stade Francais 1945–1948
Atletico Madrid 1948–1953
Marseille 1953–1955
National team
France 1938–1954
19 caps, 3 goals
Near to retirement Larbi Ben Barek playing for Atletico Madrid in 1953.
A footballer’s career
is not only judged by the
number of titles he wins,
but also by how long
it lasts. We turn the
spotlight on a select
few who managed to fight
back the years.
ZVG
Perikles Monioudis
I
t was the end of September and Manchester City were leading
AS Roma 1-0 at the City of Manchester stadium on Matchday 2
of the current Champions League campaign. Suddenly, visiting
captain Francesco Totti latched on to a through-ball and without
breaking stride equalised by dinking the ball into the far corner
of the goal. That finish made the Rome native the oldest ever
scorer in Europe’s elite club competition. The 38-year-old Totti
had struck again. This was Totti the everlasting, Totti the world
champion at his very best.
The King of Rome, as he is known, has an impressive goalscoring
record in Serie A. From his position as a Trequartista, the playmaker tucked in behind the main striker and thus the team’s
heartbeat, he has found the net 253 times in 564 league games. Totti
made his Serie A debut aged just 16 and now, 22 years later, he still laces
his boots for his boyhood club.
How has Totti managed it? How has a recipient of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic continued not only to turn out at the highest
level, but to play a decisive role?
Larbi Ben Mbarek, born in the French Protctorate in Morocco in 1914,
hung up his boots at the age of 41. Like Totti he was a midfielder with a
keen eye for goal, and was awarded the FIFA Order of Merit. Ben Mbarek
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
7
LONG-LASTING CAREERS
How does a player
become an artist, or a ‘God’
for that matter?
Pele once said, “If I am the king of football then Larbi Ben Mbarek
is the God of football,” while Michel Platini commented that, “Totti is a
footballing artist, a true number ten.”
So how does a player become an artist, or a ‘God’ for that matter?
Only few are able to achieve such an accolade in a single day. More often,
a legend’s career is judged on the amount of time he spent on the pitch,
on the titles he won, and on the perseverance with which he managed to
play for possibly two decades or more.
moved to Olympique Marseille after scoring 56 times in 113 games for
Atletico Madrid between 1948 and 1953, winning the league title in 1950
and 1951. Ben Mbarek earned 19 caps for the French national team between 1938 and 1954 but an injury sustained in a match against Germany
in their ‘Miracle of Berne’ year in 1954 forced him to retire from the game.
He died in September 1992 in Casablanca.
Avoid injuries
Let us start with luck, which in this context means not having an irate
opponent slide into the back of you in the 93rd minute. It also means
landing well after a header and therefore avoiding an ankle injury, and
taking care of your knee following an unfortunate collision in training,
and doing so time after time, game after game, season after season – and
decade after decade.
41
DAV ID
SE AM AN
David Seaman
A formidable presence in
England’s goal for many years.
8
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
Geoff Martin / imago
Year of retirement
2004, aged 41
Date of birth
19 September 1963
Place of birth
Rotherham, England
Position
Goalkeeper
Clubs played for
Peterborough United 1982–1984
Birmingham City 1984–1986
Queens Park Rangers 1986–1990
Arsenal 1990–2003
Manchester City 2003–2004
National team
England 1988–2002
75 caps
LONG-LASTING CAREERS
41
PAOL O
M ALDINI
Year of retirement
2009, aged 41
Date of birth
26 June 1968
Place of birth
Milan, Italy
Position
Defender
Clubs played for
AC Milan 1984–2009
National team
Italy 1988–2002
126 caps, 7 goals
Daniel Dal Zennaro / EPA / Keyston
Kissing Milan goodbye Paolo Maldini at his last home game on 24 May 2009.
Luck also means that a striker keeps on scoring, that the ball flies
into the net more often than it goes narrowly wide. It means a defender
frequently makes a tackle just at the right moment, that he takes the
ball rather than the opponent’s legs. In both cases he is likely to retain
his place in the side and in both cases luck is not an insignificant factor.
A great number of players have been unlucky, forced to quit the game
due to an injury and then to come to terms with their sporting invalidity. One such example is former Coventry defender David Busst, whose
collision with Manchester United defender Denis Irwin in April 1996 was
so terrible that he suffered an open leg fracture. His career quite literally ended on the spot.
But let us return to Francesco Totti. On 19 February 2006 he broke
his fibula in a league game against Empoli, yet he was able to recover. A
player not only requires luck in order to have a lengthy career, but he
also needs to have good fortune in bad circumstances. So what else is
needed for longevity?
All down to chance?
Donato Gama da Silva was born in Rio de Janeiro in 1962 and ended an
impressive career 41 years later at Deportivo La Coruna, having played
for the northern Spanish side in the ten years prior to his retirement.
Before then he was at Atletico Madrid from 1988-1993 after joining them
A player not only requires
luck in order to have a lengthy
career, but he needs
to have good fortune in bad
circumstances too.
from Vasco da Gama, where he was under contract from 1984-1988. In
1990 he became a naturalised Spanish citizen and went on to make 12
appearances for La Roja. To sum up then, he was born in Brazil, played
for two of Spain’s top sides for a long time and changed his nationality.
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
9
LONG-LASTING CAREERS
Da Silva left Vasco da Gama, the club named after the Portuguese explorer, crossed the Atlantic and succeeded in becoming an international
player in the Old World.
Chance was undoubtedly a factor here, even if Da Silva evidently
chose his clubs well. It can only have been a question of timing, and
therefore chance, as to whether or not a team needed a player exactly
like Da Silva, or whether there was a place available in defensive midfield
at that time, or whether Da Silva of all players was the right person to
strengthen first Atletico and then La Coruna. It can only have been
chance when you factor in all the calculations the people in charge at
both the selling and the buying clubs must have undertaken, alongside
the other parties involved such as player agents, financiers and sponsors.
It must have been coincidence, even if we are of course lacking a way of
cross-checking to see how long Da Silva would have played had his career
taken a completely different path, with entirely different clubs in a different country.
Every career is perceived
individually and is also carved
out individually.
Coincidences can also increase exponentially, for example when a
player stays a professional for such a long time that he eventually plays
against the son of one of his former team-mates. In the 1990s Colombian
goalkeeper Carlos Fernando Navarro Montoya was a symbol of Boca Juniors, and he only hung up his gloves for good in 2009 at the age of 43. In
40
DON AT O G AM A
DA SILVA
Between two worlds
Donato Gama da Silva was born
in Rio and later played
for the Spanish national team.
10
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
Panoramic / imago
Year of retirement
2003, aged 40
Date of birth
30 December 1962
Place of birth
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Position
Midfielder
Clubs played for
America FC (RJ) 1982–1984
Vasco da Gama 1984–1988
Atletico Madrid 1988–1993
Deportivo La Coruna 1993–2003
National team
Spain 1994–1996
12 caps, 3 goals
LONG-LASTING CAREERS
44
RO G E R
MILL A
Ullstein Bild
Year of retirement
1996, aged 44
Date and place of birth
20 May 1952 / Yaounde, Cameroon
Position
Striker
Clubs played for
Leopard de Douala 1971–1974
Tonnerre Yaounde 1974–1977
Valenciennes 1977–1979
Monaco 1979–1980
Bastia 1980–1984
Saint-Etienne 1984–1986
Montpellier 1986–1989
Saint-Pierroise 1989–1990
Sporting Toulon 1990
Tonnerre Yaounde 1990–1994
Pelita Jaya 1994–1996
National team
Cameroon 1978–1994, 102 caps, 28 goals
1990, El Mono, as he was known, conceded a goal to River Plate’s Jorge
Nicolas Higuain and was beaten 16 years later by his son, Gonzalo
Higuain, who likewise played for River.
It is also chance that pits a team from a weaker league against a side
from a stronger one in international competition, providing the opportunity for a player from the underdogs to shine and then be bought by
the bigger club in the next transfer window. Such situations, or similar
ones, happen over and over every season, throughout the world. Whether or not a player will come to the attention of a particular club always
starts from the moment of the competition draw.
Yet there are also high-profile cases of players with great longevity
that have not required ‘transfer coincidences’; indeed, some players never move clubs.
Paolo Maldini played for AC Milan from 1985 to 2009, making 647
appearances for the side and winning the Champions League five times.
On the fourth occasion, in 2003, Maldini hoisted the trophy aloft as
captain exactly 40 years after his father Cesare had done so with the
European Cup, likewise for Milan. Paolo, an outstanding defender and a
key member of the unforgettable Milan defence of the late 1980s under
Arrigo Sacchi, formed a great understanding with World Cup winner
Franco Baresi, who also only ever played for Milan and retired aged 37,
and Alessandro Costacurta, who stepped down at the age of 41 after 21
Calling it a day Roger Milla bids farewell to the national team in 1994.
years as a Milan player. The fourth member of the backline, Mauro Tassotti, gave 17 years of service to Milan and only retired when he was 37.
Plenty of endurance – loyalty almost – in a defensive line-up that was,
and perhaps still is, without equal.
Consistent performances
Chance and luck play their part but it also comes down to a question of
sheer physical and technical ability as to whether a player can stay in the
game so long. In other words, did that legendary Milan defence, moulded by Sacchi, stay together so long because they were successful, or were
they successful because the players were loyal and could not conceive of
a better club or city than the one they already had?
A few days ago Totti, an equally loyal Roma legend, spoke about his
children discovering the wall murals of him in Rome’s Monti district.
Totti revealed to the Italian media that they had asked: “Dad, why is your
picture on the walls?” He went on to tell the press that, “My children are
my life. I would much prefer to see their pictures on the walls.”
But let us return to a player’s performance: it is not only judged by
the number of titles he wins over the course of a long, or even very long,
career, but is also valued by the context in which his career was played.
At the 1994 World Cup in the USA, Cameroon’s Roger Milla became the
tournament’s oldest ever participant, aged 42. Four years earlier at Italia
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
11
THE INTERVIEW
“It’s difficult when your
performances start to drop”
He won the Champions League with Manchester United and was renowned for his fantastic turn
of pace. Only at the age of 38 did Dwight Yorke finally hang up his boots. The former striker told
the FIFA Weekly what he had to do to keep playing at the latter stage of his career.
Dwight Yorke, when did you first realise your
physical performance was on the decline?
Dwight Yorke: When I was at Birmingham City, aged around 34.
Yoga wasn’t really a thing during my
time. Right at the end of my career, it became more prominent. I just tried to rest and
recover well in between training sessions
and games.
Yes. The multiple journeys from England
to the Caribbean were stressful. On top of
that, I had some issues with the management
team at the time. But I returned to the team
for the 2006 World Cup.
How exactly did you pass the time?
How does a player know when it’s time to
retire?
Was it frustrating?
I would be lying if I said it was a comfortable feeling (laughs). It was tough. I could
sense that certain exercises in training just
weren’t working anymore, and I noticed how
easy everything seemed for the younger
players in the squad. It’s the passing of time.
You just have to accept it.
Your team-mate Ryan Giggs took up yoga to
increase his flexibility in the latter stages of his
career. What steps did you take?
As a young player you might do a bit of
shopping or meet with some friends in town
for coffee or a meal. In the latter stages of my
career, I have fond memories of just looking
forward to going home and putting my feet
up. Plenty of rest was really important to me
as an ageing professional footballer.
Is that why you first retired from the national
team aged 30?
He shouldn’t ignore the signs. He should
listen to his body and admit when he realises
there’s not enough left. Another possible sign
is when the manager starts to prefer other
players. Being old in football does have its
advantages though. Young players can learn
a lot from your experience. If a player is
clever, he can make up for his shortcomings
by reading the game better.
Two years after your retirement from football
you ran the London Marathon. What was the
experience like?
Not a good one! I thought that five weeks
training would be enough to run a marathon.
That wasn’t a smart idea. I cheated myself
really and in the end I had to walk some of
the course just to recover. I wanted a time
under three hours, but it was three and a
half when I crossed the finish line.
Dwight Yorke was speaking to
Alan Schweingruber
Name
Dwight Yorke
Date of birth, Place of birth
3 November 1971, Canaan, Tobago
Position
Clubs
Aston Villa, Manchester United,
Blackburn Rovers, Birmingham City,
Sydney, Sunderland
Achievements
Champions League winner,
3 Premier League titles, FA Cup,
Top scorer in the Premier League
and the Champions League
12
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
Mark Metcalfe / Getty Images
Forward
LONG-LASTING CAREERS
37
F R AN C O
BARE SI
Year of retirement
1997, aged 37
Date of birth
8 May 1960
Place of birth
Travagliato, Italy
Position
Defender
Clubs played for
AC Milan 1978–1997
National team
Italy 1982–1994
82 caps, 1 goal
Buzzi / imago
The last few yards AC Milan’s Franco Baresi in October 1997.
1990 he had scored four goals to become a household name across the
globe. The fact that he was twice named as African Player of the Year is
also remarkable, especially given he first received the honour in 1976 and
then again 14 years later in 1990. At Brazil 2014 his record as the World
Cup’s most senior citizen was broken by 43-year-old Colombian goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon.
It may come as no surprise that goalkeepers appear to be in a more
privileged position when it comes to career longevity. For one thing, they
cover far fewer kilometres per game than their team-mates. Italy’s World
Cup-winning custodian Dino Zoff played for the national team from 1968
to 1983 and featured in the Serie A until he was 41. Former England international keepers David Seaman and Peter Shilton only retired from
the game aged 41 and 48 respectively.
Luck, chance, performance – whatever the factors may be that contribute to, or are favourable towards a prolonged career, every player’s
career is perceived individually and is also carved out individually. That
players are taken care of medically, mentally and in terms of nutrition
are also decisive influences.
Yet it is down to every player to forge the path of their own career
– and the length of it too. Å
Never too old
“He’s the oldest, but you’d never notice. He gets better from
one year to the next. Instead of ageing, he seems to be getting
younger.”
(Former Inter president Massimo Moratti on Javier Zanetti)
“Lothar Matthaus will not be defeated by his body, Lothar
Matthaus will decide his fate himself.”
(Lothar Matthaus)
“I’ve always thought of football as just one part of my life.
My career in football will last 15, 20 or perhaps even 25 years if
I’m really lucky, and then I might still have another 60 years to
live. Thinking about it that way gives you the right perspective in
a world that comes to an end for all of us sooner or later.”
(Clarence Seedorf)
“There are no young and old players, just good and bad ones.”
(Otto Rehhagel)
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
13
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TALK ING POIN T S
O N
T H E
Belgian Jupiler Pro League
Tielema ns sh i nes
Tim Pfeifer is a reporter for
FIFA.com and The FIFA Weekly.
It looks increasingly likely
that the Belgian championship title will once again go
to RSC Anderlecht this season. Ten matches
into the new campaign, the record-breaking
champions and league winners for the last
three seasons are the only unbeaten team in
the Jupiler Pro League and currently sit four
points clear of their nearest rivals. Amid this
recent success, one particular player in
Albanian coach Besnik Hasi’s squad has been
garnering national and international headlines: Youri Tielemans.
imago
At just 17 years old, this exceptional young
footballer is causing quite a stir. Whether
playing in his domestic championship or the
UEFA Champions League, the midfielder’s
name is on everyone’s lips at the start of
what looks likely to be a glittering career. He
I N S I D E
made his Champions League debut last
season at the age of 16 years and 148 days,
making him the third-youngest player in the
history of Europe’s elite club competition. He
was promoted straight from Anderlecht’s
youth squad to their first team in the summer of 2013 and it seems he has been indispensable ever since. Tielemans is a midfield
strategist whose awareness and precise
passing have enabled him to shine. His
understanding of the game and ability to
anticipate play have astounded not only
Belgian football fans but also several major
European clubs who have already taken note
of this incredible young talent with Congolese roots.
Spanish daily sports newspaper Mundo
Deportivo have dubbed him the “new Yaya
Toure” while England’s Metro newspaper
compared him to Steven Gerrard. The promising youngster has also made a name for
himself in Germany, where the coach of
Anderlecht’s Champions League opponents
Borussia Dortmund, Jurgen Klopp, recently
said: “Of course I know Youri. You’d have to
be blind not to sit up and take notice of him.”
Tielemans is not the only reason that RSCA
have earned international respect, as the
Belgian side’s quick attacking play has also
received plenty of praise of late. “Anderlecht
have been the most entertaining team in
recent years; I often enjoy watching them,”
Klopp revealed. Although Les Mauves et
Blancs have won their national championship
33 times during their history, it has been
many years since they last tasted glory at a
continental level. Anderlecht lifted the UEFA
Cup Winners’ Cup twice, in 1976 and 1978,
before triumphing in the UEFA Cup in 1983.
More recently though, Anderlecht have
managed to progress out of the group stages
in just one of their last six Champions League
appearances.
The Belgian league leaders’ current ambitions are to maintain their domestic dominance and rediscover their former glories on
the international stage. These hopes rest
predominantly on the shoulders of Tielemans as he continues to tread in the illustrious footsteps of previous homegrown RSCA
players such as Paul Van Himst, Enzo Scifo
and Vincent Kompany. Å
Youri Tielemans
An exciting young talent
for Anderlecht
at just 17 years of age.
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
15
Bolivian Liga de Futbol Profesional
A r ge nt i n i a n n i g ht
i n S a nt a C r u z
Sven Goldmann is a leading
football correspondent at
Tagesspiegel newspaper in Berlin.
The fact that he was sent off just minutes
after being brought on in the Opening Match
against Germany that year has long since
been forgiven and forgotten. Etcheverry
remains one of the greatest players Bolivia
has ever produced, and since he ended his
career at Club Blooming some ten years ago,
his successors have struggled in the Liga de
Futbol Profesional Boliviano. The team have
no silverware to show for the past ten seasons, although there are signs that they may
be able to end this drought in the current
Apertura. On the tenth matchday of the
current season, Santa Cruz’s top club
climbed to the top of the table, unseating
their opponents and previous league leaders
Club San Jose in the process. It was an
unpleasant trip for the 2014 Clausura runners-up, who ultimately lost the match 3-1
along with their grip on the league and even
striker Cristian Diaz.
There was a distinct Argentinian theme to
proceedings at the Estadio Tahuichi. First
Sergio Almiron converted a penalty to give
Blooming a 1-0 lead after half an hour – already the fifth goal of the campaign for the
29-year-old – before compatriot Cristian Diaz
found the net with an elegant header to level
the scores just before the break. San Jose had
the edge in an open start to the second half,
only for Didi Torrico to put the hosts ahead
once more and ensure some Bolivian impact
16
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
Didí Torrico Blooming’s only Bolivian goalscorer against San Jose.
The league will take a
two-week break before Club
Blooming begin the defence
of their lead in the Apertura.
on the match. The Argentinians continued to
contribute thereafter, albeit in extremely
contrasting ways. First, Diaz protested for a
penalty so angrily and loudly that referee
Luis Mancilla took offence and gave the San
Jose striker his marching orders. The oneman advantage made matters much simpler
for Blooming, who wrapped up the three
points shortly before the final whistle when
yet another Argentinian, Matias Manzano,
struck to make it 3-1 just after being introduced as a substitute.
For Blooming, leading the Apertura makes
a pleasant change after several difficult
years. The club has not managed to finish
in the top three since winning the last of
their five championship trophies, the 2005
Torneo Apertura, making victory against
San Jose the perfect note on which to
finish before the international break.
Appropriately enough, Bolivia’s national
side met up at Blooming’s ground to prepare for friendlies against Brazil’s Olympic
team and Chile. The league will take a
two-week break before Marco Antonio
Etcheverry’s Academy descendants begin
the defence of their lead in the Apertura
with a visit to the capital to face 18-time
champions Club Bolivar. Å
Late!
In Bolivia they speak simply
of “the Academy” when it
comes to Club Blooming. The country’s
renowned footballing school, Academia de
Futbol Tahuichi, has shaped the club and
with it the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra.
This high plateau some 500 kilometres
south-east of the capital La Paz was the
place where a generation of footballers were
trained before going on to serve their homeland admirably. The core of the team that
represented Bolivia at the 1994 World Cup in
the USA learned their craft at Tahuichi, led
by Marco Antonio Etcheverry, who they call
El Diablo – ‘the devil’.
New Caledonia Super League
F r e n c h C u p d ate
on the hor izon
Nicola Berger writes about
football and lives in Zurich.
Alain Vartane
It had not been a good week
for New Caledonia side AS
Lossi. The club from the
capital Noumea not only registered their first
defeat of the season, going down 3-2 at
Mont-Dore on matchday 19, they also had to
watch on as Magenta rose to the top of the
standings without even kicking a ball. Lossi’s
rivals were awarded two forfeited victories by
the New Caledonia Football Association due
to opponents Gaitcha and Agjp both being
punished for excesses of violence. Given each
win is worth four points, and a draw only two,
this ruling was sufficient for Magenta to edge
ahead of Lossi in the standings, opening up a
three-point advantage with three matches of
the season to go.
Lossi’s fortunes changed last Saturday,
however. In the Numa Daly national stadium
Les Oranges defeated AS Grand-Nord 3-1 to
reach the final of the New Caledonia Cup,
which will be staged at the same venue on 1
November against Magenta. The record
champions won their semi-final with an
identical scoreline against the faltering
defending champions Gaitcha.
It will be a final with more at stake than
just domestic glory: the cup winners also
qualify for the seventh round of the Coupe
de France.
New Caledonia, one of nature’s gems, may lie
in the South Pacific, more than a 20-hour
flight away from France, but the influence of
the former colonial power can still to this day
be felt in the nation’s football.
Anybody keen on taking the step from New
Caledonia into the wider world of football
almost always goes via France. That was the
case for 1998 World Cup-winner Christian
Karembeu and Antoine Kombouare, for
example. Both hail from the Kanak community and the latter, formerly coach of Paris
Saint-Germain and now in charge at RC Lens,
had this to say about the quality of New
Caledonian football: “There are some players
who have what it takes for a professional
football career, but the problem is often
acclimatisation. It’s not so easy to find your
feet in a foreign country when 22,000 kilometres separate you from your family.”
The stars of either Lossi or Magenta will get the
opportunity at the start of November to put
themselves in the shop window against French
opposition. Should they pull off a surprise, their
reward in the eighth round would be a trip to
France. There has been a precedent: in 2010/11,
Magenta got the better of USL Dunkerque in a
penalty shootout.
Furthermore, the New Caledonian champions
also earn the opportunity of measuring themselves on an international stage: the champions take part in the OFC Champions League,
a competition traditionally dominated by
New Zealand clubs. Å
Cup semi-final Olivier Dokunengo of AS Magenta (in yellow) during his side's 3-1 win over Gaitcha.
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
17
© 2014 adidas AG. adidas, the 3-Bars logo and the 3-Stripes mark are registered trademarks of the adidas Group.
instinct
takes over
#predatorinstinct
adidas.com/predator
IN BRIEF
Unconventional preparation Hypnotist Olimar Tesser (standing) has been drafted in to help the players at Brazilian club Portuguesa.
W
hen it comes to battling against relegation, clubs across the globe exhaust every means available to them to scramble together the points
necessary for survival. In that sense, Brazilian outfit Portuguesa are no different to any other side. Yet the long-standing club based in the
metropolis of Sao Paulo have recently resorted to a rather unconventional strategy in light of being second bottom of the Serie B standings.
In an effort to avoid a second successive relegation, coach Vagner Benazzi has recruited the services of a hypnotist. Olimar Tesser, who has previously worked successfully with other clubs, has been given the task of recovering the Portuguesa players’ former prowess. “I never like to miss out
on a good opportunity,” Benazzi said of the club’s new beacon of hope. “I know what he’s done elsewhere and I want him to work with my players
before our games. I made the decision given the situation we’re currently in.” Following the side’s recent 1-0 home defeat to Vasco da Gama, Tesser
appears to have plenty of work ahead of him. Å
Tim Pfeifer
Facebook
A
C Siena no longer exists under its original name after mounting
debts caused the club to lose its licence and file for bankruptcy. As
a result, the newly-named Robur Siena are now making a fresh
start in Serie D. On Sunday, a handful of the defunct team’s most
loyal fans strode through the city wearing their club’s traditional
black-and-white shirts, waving flags, drinking beer and singing familiar songs. They wove their way through the crowds, in good spirits
despite this difficult new beginning. The tourists were unfazed by
their hustling and bustling as they strolled in the narrow backstreets,
unwinding with a good meal and stopping to appreciate their surroundings in the piazza outside the city’s almost entirely marble cathedral. In a small bar nearby, some locals were gathered around a
television set. They were transfixed, not by their hometown side but
by Inter Milan versus Cagliari in the current Serie A. The Sardinian
team eventually emerged impressive 4-1 victors, forcing the Italian
treble-winners to continue their slow slide down the table. Some tourists cast a brief glance at the TV before continuing to admire the
medieval architecture. It was just another normal Sunday afternoon
in this small Italian city where art and fan culture collide. Who knows?
Perhaps Robur will even play in Serie A again one day. Å
Dominik Petermann
I
n today’s high-speed brand of football, the art of nutmegging has
been somewhat overlooked as too fussy and with too little practical use. The last great master of this discipline is considered to
be Boca Juniors midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme, who flicked the
ball backwards through the legs of River Plate’s Mario Yepes in the
Superclasico thirteen years ago. It appears the Argentinian now has
a worthy successor in Hungary’s top flight. Austrian Emir Dilaver
plays for Budapest side Ferencvaros, and the masterpiece he unveiled against Szombathelyi Haladas has since become a YouTube
sensation. Dilaver deftly slides the ball from the sole of his right
foot onto his left while simultaneously turning on the spot, leaving
his opponent Szabolcs Schimmer desperately and vainly attempting to close his legs. This moment alone was worth the price of
admission for fans, especially as there were few other highlights
on offer in what was ultimately a drab 0-0 draw. Å
Sven Goldmann
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
19
20
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
Samuel Aranda / Panos Pictures
First Love
Place: Bukhara, Uzbekistan
Date: 22 April 2012
Time: 3.54 p.m.
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
21
Years of phenomenal growth
FIFA decided to stage the first FIFA
Women’s World Cup™ in 1991 (China PR)
to give the best female players in world
football the opportunity to play on a
world stage, thus marking a milestone for
the growth of women’s football all
around the globe. Around half a million
spectators attended the matches. Since
then, the women’s game has taken huge
strides forward in every aspect, whether
in terms of the players’ technique,
physical fitness and tactics, or the media
coverage, TV viewers and sponsorship
interest.
One of the pillars of FIFA’s mission is to
touch the world through our tournaments. We take great pride in staging
these entertaining and unique
festivals of football across the globe.
The FIFA Women’s World Cup™ is a
shining example of our commitment to
ensuring that women’s football goes
from strength to strength in the future.
FULECO
PRESIDENTIAL NOTE
A new game
for Fuleco
Does the away
goals rule still
make sense?
T
Zurich Children’s Hospital The girls and boys pose for a photo with surprise guest Sepp Blatter.
E
ncore for Fuleco! The mascot of the 2014
FIFA World Cup Brazil™ may have completed the vast majority of his work this summer, but it is not quite time for the armadillo
to retire just yet. On Wednesday 1 October,
Fuleco was moved from the Home of FIFA to
Zurich Children’s Hospital, whose 100,000 patients per year make it the largest medical institution for children in Switzerland. FIFA
President Joseph Blatter was on hand to personally oversee the safe delivery of the South
American armadillo to its new home.
The FIFA President’s visit to the hospital
was a source of genuine surprise for many of
the young patients, whose smiling faces clearly
moved their visitor: “Our visit can help to
spread happiness and generate hope. It’s here
that the most important matches of all are decided,” he said.
Director Markus Malagoli led the president of world football’s governing body on a
tour of the hospital, which included the emergency ward and the intensive care unit. “This
visit is not only a major event for the patients
and the hospital staff, but also a sign of recognition for the work that is being done here,”
said Malagoli.
Fuleco has now taken up his new position
in the emergency ward, thus continuing a relatively recent tradition which has seen the mas-
cots of South Africa 2010 (Zakumi the leopard)
and the FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany
2011™ (Karla Kick the cat) relocate to the children’s hospital after the respective tournaments. After all, it is an arena that plays host
to a game of far greater importance than football: the game of life. Å
he away goals rule has been used in the
knockout stages of European competition
since 1965. If both teams have scored the
same number of goals at the end of a two-legged tie, the side that scored more away from
home will progress to the next round. The
idea dates back to a time when away games
were often an adventure, involving journeys
that could be long and arduous - and the playing conditions would vary considerably.
As well-established as the rule is, it can be
viewed critically today. In reality it favours
the club that play away from home in the second leg. Where the scores are tied, that team
has 30 minutes more than their opponent to
score a valuable away goal. After all, in the
first leg there is no extra time.
Such an imbalance has already been disposed of in various competitions. The away
goals rule is no longer used in the semi-finals
of the promotion play-offs in English football.
The system employed in the Major League
Soccer play-offs in the USA and in the
CONCACAF Champions League also contributes to the debate. There, away goals only
count ‘double’ until the end of normal time in
the second leg. If the sides are level at that
stage, and have each scored the same number
of away goals, the away goals rule does not
apply in extra time. Either way, it is time to
rethink the system. Football has progressed
since the 1960s, so the away goals rule may
now be questioned.
Best wishes, Sepp Blatter
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
23
LEBANON
“I’m here to
train a new
generation
of players.”
Ambitious
Giuseppe Giannini,
head coach of the
Lebanese national
team.
24
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
LEBANON
“The Lebanese
people stand united
behind their team”
Giuseppe Giannini’s job is not a simple one. The 50-year-old
Italian has been tasked with building a strong national
football team in Lebanon, a country often preoccupied with
very different matters.
Mr Giannini, despite missing out on qualification for the 2014 World
Cup and the Asian Cup, the recent 2-2 draw with Brazil’s Olympic team
means there is a spirit of enthusiasm in Lebanese football. How do
you personally rate the first 15 months of your tenure as coach of the
country’s national side?
Giuseppe Giannini: Good, very good. You’ve got to look at the team’s
development as a whole. In 2011, the country was 178th in FIFA’s world
rankings. That was a low point. When I took over on 1 July 2013,
Lebanon was in 132nd place. Now we’re 121st in the world. From that
perspective you can certainly say we’re on an upward trend.
Karim Jaafar / Al-Watan-Doha / AFP
Giuseppe Giannini
Born in Rome on 20 August 1964, Giannini played for Roma from 1981
until 1996. During this time, his elegant playing style and 75 goals in 436
appearances earned him the nickname Il Principe – ‘The Prince’. The former
midfield maestro helped the Azzurri to finish third at their home World Cup
in 1990 and scored six times in 47 games for his country, including the
­decisive strike in a 1-0 win over the USA. Giannini moved to Austria’s Sturm
Graz in 1997 and ended his career in Lecce after a brief spell at Napoli.
Since then, the Rome-born coach has managed Foggia, Sambenedettese,
Romanian side Arges, Massese, Gallipoli, Verona and Grosseto. He has
been the Lebanon head coach since 1 July 2013.
Is this trend reflected on the pitch as well as in the statistics?
It’s most apparent in the attitude of our players, who now view
themselves in an entirely new light. For me, our match preparations
have already been crucial. For example, we’ve done a huge amount of
work in the areas of tactics, sports medicine and nutrition. We have
scrutinised and analysed our movement, carried out lactate tests
during matches and have banned certain soft drinks. The players
weren’t used to that kind of approach at that intensity.
Despite these efforts, Lebanon won’t be going to the Asian Cup in 2015.
We just fell short by a goal here or a few minutes there, depending
on how you look at it. In our final match we led 5-1 against Thailand
after former Bundesliga player Roda Antar scored what we thought
was the decisive goal. But then we conceded shortly before the final
whistle to end the match 5-2, and China sealed their place in Australia
thanks to their superior goal difference. Nevertheless, I thanked all my
players. They’ve achieved great things and deserve my respect.
In what sense?
You’ve got to consider the situation in which we’re working. Football in Lebanon does not take the same high-tech approach I was used
to in Serie A and Europe. The reality here is somewhat different.
Sometimes we have to train in the searing heat at 1pm, and we’re also
keen to respect the fasting month of Ramadan. You’ve got to allow for
things like that when training and preparing for matches, but at the
same time you’ve got to stay focused and act professionally. That
requires some talent for improvisation.
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
25
LEBANON
By the sea in Saida
The spectacularly located
Saida International
Stadium plays host to the
national team’s games.
War is currently raging in neighbouring Syria. In light of this situation,
how do you manage to concentrate on football at all?
I don’t want to comment on the political situation as that’s not
my job, but I certainly can’t always keep such issues away from my
players and me.
Could you explain that a little further?
Just over a month ago, a bomb went off less than 500 metres from
my hotel in Beirut. I could see the smoke from my window, and you
could hear the boom from miles away. That was terrible. In that situation, you can’t just carry on with business as usual and go to training
saying: “Come on lads, let’s practise pressing high up the pitch again
today.” It stays with you and with the players too, of course.
How do you react to that situation as a coach?
I try to keep a cool head and focus on my job, but it doesn’t
always work.
Presumably football quickly loses its importance in that environment.
Mentally, it’s not easy to cope with something like that. We’ve also
played three of our four home games in Beirut behind closed doors for
security reasons, so we often switch to playing in Doha instead.
Naturally we miss the fans – their vocal support can certainly make a
difference.
26
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
Manjunath Kiran / AFP, Thananuwat Srirasant / Getty Images, Ullstein
Highs and lows
The Lebanese team,
pictured here
against Thailand,
are continually
improving.
LEBANON
To what extent does football provide a welcome distraction?
For many outsiders, the reality of life here is difficult to understand, with its unrest, instability and countless religious groups. And
to blithely play football in the midst of all that – how is that supposed
to work? And yet it does – most of the time, at least. When it comes
to football the Lebanese people stand united behind us. Football offers
them a rare opportunity to feel like one nation, and that really is
something.
What has been your experience of football in everyday life there?
The Lebanese are very interested in football. Matches are constantly being shown in bars and cafés, mostly from La Liga in Spain
but from the English and Italian leagues too. I feel a huge amount of
enthusiasm for football even when watching league matches on Friday,
Saturday or Sunday. Above all, there is such a buzz around the national
team. Our draw against Brazil was celebrated by thousands of fans
who had travelled with us to Doha and by even more upon our return.
We haven’t yet lost a match in 2014.
qualification for the 2016 Olympic football tournament should be a
realistic target.
What is needed to ensure further growth?
Lebanon are a technically adept and quick team. We’ve got
potential and one or two players such as Hassan Maatouk who can
break through overseas. Our biggest weakness is a lack of tactical
experience. I’m here to help the players develop their tactical awareness, so that means spending a lot of time speaking with each and
every player. It’s important to work on formations and set pieces as
well as training ground moves. That’s what I’ve been coaching again
and again from the very beginning until it paid off when we took a
2-1 lead against Brazil. Å
Giuseppe Giannini was speaking to Bernd Fisa
There is now talk of a golden generation springing up in Lebanon. You
have signed a two-year contract. What are your main targets?
I’m here to train a new generation of players and build a foundation for a better future. As well as the senior side, I was recently made
responsible for the U-23 national team too. I also go into schools and
watch women’s football matches. Although the revival is taking shape,
it also takes time and patience to form a team and to establish youth
development structures. These things don’t happen overnight, but
Fans
Football enjoys
a huge following
in Lebanon.
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
27
EVERY GASP
EVERY SCREAM
EVERY ROAR
EVERY DIVE
EVERY BALL
E V E RY PAS S
EVERY CHANCE
EVERY STRIKE
E V E R Y B E AU T I F U L D E TA I L
SHALL BE SEEN
SHALL BE HEARD
S H A L L B E FE LT
Feel the Beauty
BE MOVED
THE NEW 4K LED TV
“SONY” and “make.believe” are trademarks of Sony Corporation.
FREE KICK
F I F A ’ S 11
Most goals scored by
a team in a single
World Cup
All for love
Tim Pfeifer
T
hings have not been going entirely to plan
at Manchester United recently, but England’s most successful club can still be assured of their fans’ unshakeable love, even if it
does occasionally take on bizarre proportions.
A diehard Red Devils supporter in Bulgaria not
only had the club emblem tattooed on his forehead, he also changed his name in tribute. After
years of legal wrangling with the relevant authorities, 51-year-old Zdravkov Levidzhov is
now officially called Manchester Zdravkov Levidzhov-United. “If anyone asks me my name, I
point to my forehead and grin. It makes me
stand out and it proves my devotion to United,”
commented Zdravkov, who shares an apartment in Svishtov with his mother and David
Beckham, his cat.
Meanwhile, in Kenya a bridal couple dedicated their wedding to Manchester United. The
groom strode to the altar stylishly clad in a red
home shirt bearing the legend “Just Married”,
and the wedding cake was entirely in the club’s
red and white, decorated with the shirt sponsor’s logo. After the ceremony the newly-married couple set off on their honeymoon in a car
draped in a United flag.
The wedding of a Pakistani fan a few years
ago was also rather spoiled by his fierce passion for football. The young man travelled to
London to celebrate his stag night with
friends. However, on the day of the wedding
itself he was not back in Lahore as planned
but actually in Seville, watching the UEFA Cup
Final between Porto and his beloved Celtic. He
conveyed a message to the 1,500 expectant
wedding guests and furious family members
that he simply could not miss such a historic
occasion.
In the light of these declarations of love for
a favourite club it can surely only be a matter
of time before the first female fan has the name
Real Madrid inscribed in her ID documents and
takes a dog by the name of Sergio Ramos out
for walks. The lady in question would have at
least one major advantage: she could marry in
traditional white – provided the men from the
Spanish capital are not contesting the Champions League final that day. Å
The weekly column by our staff
writers
1
27 goals
Hungary
Switzerland 1954
2
25 goals
West Germany
Switzerland 1954
3
23 goals
France
Sweden 1958
4
22 goals
Brazil
Brazil 1950
5
19 goals
Brazil
Mexico 1970
6
18 goals
Argentina
Uruguay 1930
18 goals
Brazil
Korea / Japan 2002
18 goals
Germany
Brazil 2014
9
17 goals
Austria
Switzerland 1954
17 goals
Portugal
England 1966
17 goals
West Germany
Mexico 1970
Source: FIFA
(FIFA World Cup, Milestones & Superlatives,
Statistical Kit, 09/10/14)
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
29
Name
Brian Roy
Date and place of birth
12 February 1970, Amsterdam
Position
Striker
Clubs as a player
Ajax, Foggia, Nottingham Forest,
Hertha Berlin, NAC Breda
Clubs as a coach
Ajax youth team
Dutch national team
imago
32 appearances, 9 goals
30
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
THE INTERVIEW
“A World Cup win is at least
twelve years away”
Bryan Roy was a product of the famous Ajax academy. In an interview, the former
Netherlands international criticised the development of football in his homeland.
Bryan Roy, you’re currently working as a youth
team coach at Ajax. How is Dutch football
progressing at the moment?
Bryan Roy: Not so well, unfortunately.
We’re lagging behind in Europe. There are
dozens of clubs in England, Germany or Spain
with far greater pulling power than Ajax
when it comes to signing good players. And
the World Cup prompted another bunch of
talented players to leave for foreign clubs too.
But isn’t finishing third at the World Cup an
encouraging sign?
Not for me. I was actually quite disappointed with what I saw from the Dutch national
team in Brazil. We’ve always stood for attacking and entertaining play, but Louis Van Gaal
had them playing some rather unattractive
football. We’ve still got a long way to go.
basically, we’re all students of Johann Cruyff.
Ronald Koeman, Louis Van Gaal, Pep Guardiola. I’ve often wondered what Pep Guardiola
does differently, but then during the night of
31 August 2014 I had a truly eye-opening
experience. I stayed up until 3am watching
YouTube videos of Guardiola’s training
sessions, and it finally dawned on me how a
team can win a midfield battle against any
other team in the world. I don’t want to give
anything more away, but it’ll certainly be
worth putting this into practice at Ajax.
Will you become the head coach at Ajax one
day?
No. I don’t want to manage the first team.
My role as a coach will always be that of an
instructor, supervising and nurturing the
young players in the background. That’s what
I like doing most and that’s what I do the
best.
You never refrained from making critical
comments in your playing days. How do you
react nowadays when one of your players
launches a verbal tirade?
I had a big mouth, that’s true. But what I
was saying was often wrong. I have a few
players in my team that I have to rein in from
time to time, but it’s not necessarily a bad
thing. We’re all learning. Å
Bryan Roy was talking to
Alan Schweingruber
When will the Netherlands win a first World
Cup?
Perhaps in twelve years’ time. It’ll be a
while yet before we can compete at the very
top. We need to return to our roots and try to
entertain people by playing spectacular
football. Spain and Germany have set a
precedent, with both countries boasting great
domestic leagues. Their success is no coincidence; it’s the result of good structures and
positive development.
Can German football maintain this high level?
Yes, I have no doubt about that. I spent
three years of my career playing for Hertha
Berlin in Germany and my two children still
live in the city now, so I know the German
mentality very well. They’ll do everything in
their power to take full advantage of all this
success and euphoria. The Germans are
ambitious, they think and learn quickly. I
think the Bundesliga and the Primera Division will dominate for years to come.
“Basically, we’re all students of
Cruyff. I’ve often wondered what
Pep Guardiola does differently.”
What do you make of Pep Guardiola’s work at
Bayern Munich?
He has some outstanding qualities. It’s
actually quite strange if you think about it:
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
31
MIRROR IMAGE
T
H
E
N
Luneburg, Germany
1930
fotogloria
Balancing act: A German football enthusiast performs
a trick for a small group of onlookers.
32
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
MIRROR IMAGE
N
O
W
Paris, France
2014
Ludovic Marin / AFP
Power and poise: Freestyler Iya Traore from Guinea
captivates passers-by in Montmartre.
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
33
FIFA WORLD R ANKING
Rank Team
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
29
31
32
33
34
34
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
48
48
48
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
73
75
76
76
34
→ http://www.fifa.com/worldranking/index.html
Change in ranking Points
Germany
Argentina
Colombia
Netherlands
Belgium
Brazil
Uruguay
Spain
France
Switzerland
0
0
1
-1
0
1
-1
-1
1
-1
1765
1631
1488
1456
1444
1291
1243
1228
1202
1175
Portugal
Chile
Italy
Greece
Costa Rica
Mexico
USA
England
Croatia
Algeria
Ecuador
Côte d’Ivoire
Russia
Ukraine
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Romania
Denmark
Czech Republic
Scotland
Wales
Tunisia
Sweden
Ghana
Serbia
Iceland
Senegal
Nigeria
Turkey
Austria
Slovakia
Cape Verde Islands
Cameroon
Montenegro
Iran
Albania
Bulgaria
Peru
Guinea
Japan
Burkina Faso
Congo
Armenia
Slovenia
Hungary
Panama
Honduras
Guatemala
Uzbekistan
Mali
Paraguay
Egypt
Republic of Ireland
Korea Republic
Israel
Finland
Venezuela
South Africa
Libya
Jordan
Poland
Northern Ireland
El Salvador
Congo DR
United Arab Emirates
Sierra Leone
Oman
Norway
0
0
1
-1
0
1
1
2
-3
4
0
3
0
-2
-6
1
-1
7
-1
12
11
-3
3
-3
12
23
-4
-6
1
5
33
12
6
4
25
26
5
16
-4
10
30
-16
-14
-20
8
-13
77
-7
1
-13
-23
4
-6
4
-10
-37
2
-6
-13
-9
24
55
20
-8
-25
-9
-23
1150
1100
1068
1052
988
963
936
935
928
926
889
879
875
855
851
837
833
812
714
714
701
662
661
646
646
645
642
637
622
616
604
601
591
572
571
570
563
557
557
557
557
556
555
548
540
535
534
530
526
514
513
506
501
498
491
476
458
455
450
436
435
431
430
430
424
421
421
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
Ranking 04 / 2014
05 / 2014
06 / 2014
07 / 2014
08 / 2014
09 / 2014
1
-41
-83
-125
-167
-209
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
107
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
115
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
127
129
130
130
132
133
134
135
136
137
137
137
140
141
142
143
144
Top spot Biggest climber Benin
Uganda
Antigua and Barbuda
Estonia
Saudi Arabia
Gabon
Australia
Cyprus
Trinidad and Tobago
Morocco
Zambia
Belarus
Iraq
Botswana
Zimbabwe
Rwanda
Bolivia
Azerbaijan
Qatar
China PR
Malawi
Latvia
Jamaica
Angola
Palestine
Lithuania
Bahrain
Moldova
St Vincent and the Grenadines
Dominican Republic
Niger
Mozambique
Georgia
Kenya
FYR Macedonia
Namibia
Equatorial Guinea
Tanzania
Lesotho
St Kitts and Nevis
New Zealand
Haiti
Canada
Lebanon
Cuba
St Lucia
Kuwait
Togo
Liberia
Luxembourg
Kazakhstan
Aruba
Guinea-Bissau
Burundi
Ethiopia
Sudan
Philippines
Afghanistan
Tajikistan
Grenada
New Caledonia
Central African Republic
Mauritania
Turkmenistan
Vietnam
Myanmar
Chad
-1
2
69
12
1
19
-5
55
-6
-6
-4
-1
1
-5
-2
8
-23
-22
-4
0
8
1
-15
-26
-14
0
3
-6
28
19
11
-2
-15
-7
-36
1
-1
-5
-10
42
-20
-2
2
-6
2
15
-13
-38
-7
-18
4
-5
-7
-1
-20
-18
-6
-6
-16
5
-1
-17
-7
-4
-3
17
-4
Biggest faller
420
418
411
403
402
392
390
388
374
371
365
364
357
356
353
349
346
344
342
341
340
333
321
312
311
309
305
302
301
295
295
294
290
288
286
284
280
277
277
276
274
266
265
264
257
256
250
245
241
239
239
233
226
226
222
221
218
214
213
209
209
209
198
197
194
193
185
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
158
160
161
162
163
164
164
166
167
168
169
170
170
172
172
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
193
193
193
193
198
199
199
199
202
203
204
205
205
207
208
208
Maldives
Madagascar
Suriname
Curaçao
Singapore
Korea DPR
Kyrgyzstan
Syria
Guyana
Malaysia
Malta
Indonesia
Puerto Rico
India
Thailand
Swaziland
Barbados
Tahiti
Belize
Guam
Hong Kong
Gambia
Dominica
Montserrat
Laos
Bermuda
Nicaragua
Liechtenstein
Seychelles
Comoros
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
São Tomé e Príncipe
Chinese Taipei
Faroe Islands
Turks and Caicos Islands
Bangladesh
Solomon Islands
Nepal
Yemen
South Sudan
Macau
Samoa
Vanuatu
Mauritius
Fiji
Mongolia
US Virgin Islands
Bahamas
Brunei Darussalam
Timor-Leste
American Samoa
Tonga
Cayman Islands
Cambodia
British Virgin Islands
Papua New Guinea
Eritrea
Andorra
Somalia
Djibouti
Cook Islands
Anguilla
Bhutan
San Marino
0
-3
-16
34
3
-4
-7
-5
0
1
-5
-3
-2
-8
-1
-2
8
9
-1
-1
-3
-18
1
-3
3
3
5
-5
8
1
-11
2
0
1
4
1
-11
-9
-17
0
0
0
4
-2
-1
-1
-1
-1
0
0
0
5
0
-1
2
2
1
1
-4
0
0
1
0
0
0
183
180
175
164
163
160
158
154
148
134
133
130
126
116
116
114
112
106
103
102
102
101
89
86
84
83
83
81
81
80
77
76
72
70
67
66
65
64
62
58
43
41
37
33
32
30
29
28
26
26
26
26
26
23
13
13
13
11
9
8
6
6
1
0
0
THE SOUND OF FOOTBALL
THE OBJEC T
Perikles Monioudis
H
Inspired by Cantona
Hanspeter Kuenzler
Eric Cantona woke Manchester United from
a lengthy slumber, and became a muse for
songwriters in the process.
Sion Ap Tomos, FIFA Sammlung
T
he delicacy of singer Mireille Mathieu, the
gravity of M. Mitterrand, the charm of Maurice Chevalier, the poetry of Charles Baudelaire, the vaulted breast of Gérard Depardieu –
and quicker than Alain Prost. That at least is the
view espoused by Raymond Bizarre: “Thank you
France for Eric Cantona!” the comedian sings in
a tone as if he entirely means it, for once.
The jaunty ditty complete with chirruping
clarinet and Gallic accordion was composed by
Ian Gomm, the erstwhile guitar player of English pub rock pioneers Brinsley Schwarz. It can
be found on “Cantona – The Album”, released in
1995 by cult label Exotica Records. The man
behind the label, which still exists today, is
graphic artist Jim Phelan, designer of countless
sleeves for indie records since the 80s. At a time
when football-related discs were used at best as
beer mats he began to collect and compile them.
“Flair ‘89” was his first selection, followed
by the legendary “Bend It” series and “The Red
Album”, dedicated to Phelan’s lifelong favourite
club Manchester United.
The idea behind “Cantona – the Album” can
be traced back to Pete Boyle. Boyle, a very English
eccentric, has spent three decades furnishing
pop hits with texts relating to the Red Devils,
teaching them to his choir of fans before matches in a pub near Old Trafford and then ‘performing’ them from the terraces.
In 1993 and 1994, largely due to Eric Cantona’s skills and tricks, the Red Devils won their
first championship titles since 1967. It goes without saying that this caused Pete Boyle’s creative
juices to flow abundantly. With help from
friends and to the accompaniment of samples,
synths and other rinky-dink plips and plops, he
seized the chance by the scruff of the Cantona-collared neck to bawl his tunes into a proper
microphone.
Other members of the cast of characters
include Captain Sensible, guitarist with punk
rockers the Damned, and a certain Louis
Philippe, a chansonnier renowned for his elegant singer/songwriter albums, who contributes
the cheeky “(Be Like Eric) Do the Frog”. M.
Philippe’s real name is Philippe Auclair, author
of the excellent Cantona biography “Cantona –
the Rebel Who Would Be King”. Æ
ow did football arrive in Italy? Vibrantly
and colourfully. Of course you can always
ask where something comes from, who invented what and who was responsible for bringing a thing of beauty into the world. Yet the
greater the achievement, the less the general
need to determine a clearly defined providence.
Once something becomes commonplace,
questioning its origins becomes a futile exercise. Just imagine if Italians constantly wanted to prove to themselves and to the world
that they had, in fact, invented the pizza. Did
they really do so? If not the Italians, then who
else did…?
That is not the case in football. Credit here
goes to the British for changing the game from
a sport where using your hands was allowed to
one where playing with your feet was compulsory, and their set of rules quickly spread
around Europe. Football began to take root on
the continent around the end of the 19th century, becoming a vibrant and colourful presence in Italy, often due to the heraldry of the
local area - the city’s colours, so to speak.
In 1908, British artist Chris Jennings painted a scene from a match between Milan and
Turin, played on the Campo di Via Goldoni 61
near Milan, where an international-standard
football pitch was later developed.
The painting, from the FIFA Collection, is
acrylic on canvas and measures 122 x 183 cm.
Today it hangs in the National Football Museum in Manchester and in its own way it depicts
the new game, showing the huge power and
captivating qualities that have always been a
part of football. Å
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
35
Connecting every fan
of the game
Make new friends and discover shared passions
in the Emirates A380 Onboard Lounge.
#AllTimeGreats
youtube.com/emirates
Hello Tomorrow
TURNING POINT
Name
Roberto Di Matteo
Date and place of birth
29 May 1970, Schaffhausen (SUI)
Position
Midfield
Clubs
Schaffhausen, Zurich, Aarau,
Lazio, Chelsea
Clubs coached
MK Dons, West Bromwich Albion,
Chelsea, Schalke
Italian national team
34 appearances, 2 goals
“That goal changed
my career”
Back in business Roberto Di Matteo during his unveiling as Schalke 04’s new head coach
Juergen Schwarz / Bongarts / Getty Images
In 1997 Roberto Di Matteo
scored what at that stage was
the f­ astest goal in FA Cup
­history while p
­ laying for
­Chelsea. The experience would
provide the newly installed
Schalke coach with far more
than merely a place in the
­record books.
I
was an Italy international when I moved to
Chelsea from Lazio for £4.9m in summer
1996. Chelsea had never paid such a large fee
for a player before. Their coach Ruud Gullit
was determined to sign me and that was
enough for me to leave Italy, even if it was
viewed as a kind of treason by fans when a
member of the national team no longer played
in the Serie A.
In my first season at the club I reached the
FA Cup final against Middlesbrough. During
the whole week leading up to the game the tension and sense of anticipation grew in a way I
had never experienced in my career. We were
given special suits. I’ll never forget the match
in the old Wembley stadium. I got goosebumps
when the crowd of almost 80,000 spectators
sang the national anthem before the game
started. The atmosphere was magical.
Jut 42 seconds after kick-off I experienced
another highly-emotional situation. I received
the ball in our own half and ran about 40 metres forwards. About 25 metres out I saw a gap
to shoot and I scored the opening goal with a
strike that went in off the underside of the
crossbar. It was completely unexpected because I was a midfielder and wasn’t known as
a goalscorer, but it paved the way to a 2-0 victory. Until 2009 it was the fastest goal ever
scored in an FA Cup final, and I was voted as
Man of the Match.
That goal changed my career in many ways.
It helped Chelsea to their first title in 26 years
and heralded in the era in which the club would
win another 15 domestic and international trophies. It was also Gullit’s first piece of silverware as a coach. I was able to repay both his
faith in me and the investment the club had
made in me, while it also improved my self-confidence and my standing. At the same time it
also relieved the pressure that had come with
such a large transfer fee.
My achievements as a Chelsea player and
doubtless that goal helped me during my time
as Chelsea coach because I was respected by
the players. In summer 2011 Andre Villas-Boas
was very keen to have me as his assistant and
although I’d already been working as a head
coach in England for several years, I agreed
and was willing to take a step down for my
’home’ club. In March 2012 I was surprisingly
named as Villas-Boas’ successor. Winning the
Champions League in Munich against Bayern
in May 2012 has been my biggest achievement
to date. Yet the feeling of receiving the trophy
wasn’t the same as it was after that FA Cup
final in 1997. If you’ve contributed to the victory as a player then it has a completely different feeling to it. Å
As told to Peter Eggenberger
In Turning Point, personalities reflect
on a decisive moment in their lives.
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
37
The FIFA Weekly
Published weekly by the
Fédération Internationale de Football
Association (FIFA)
Internet:
www.fifa.com/theweekly
Publisher:
FIFA, FIFA-Strasse 20,
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FIFA QUIZ CUP
A disappearing Final and a postponed one? Test your knowledge!
1
One club brought in three centre-backs in quick succession for practically nothing before selling
them for around 82 million euros. Which player was not part of this world-class trio?
President:
Joseph S. Blatter
Secretary General:
Jérôme Valcke
Director of Communications
and Public Affairs:
Walter De Gregorio
C
P
T
S
Chief Editor:
Perikles Monioudis
Staff Writers:
Alan Schweingruber,
Sarah Steiner, Tim Pfeifer
2
The television rights for the 1954 World Cup are said to have cost 15,000 Swiss francs,
but how many minutes of the Final broadcast survive today?
Art Direction:
Catharina Clajus
A
E
O
U
Picture Editor:
Peggy Knotz
Production:
Hans-Peter Frei
Layout:
Richie Krönert (Lead),
Tobias Benz, Marianne Bolliger-Crittin,
Susanne Egli
3
44 mins
22 mins
11 mins
0 mins
One World Cup Final did not take place at the weekend but on a …
Proof Reader:
Nena Morf, Kristina Rotach
Contributors:
Sérgio Xavier Filho, Luigi Garlando,
Sven Goldmann, Hanspeter Kuenzler,
Jordi Punti, Thomas Renggli,
David Winner, Roland Zorn
LTuesday
PWednesday
RThursday
SFriday
Contributors to this Issue:
Nicola Berger, Peter Eggenberger,
Alissa Rosskopf, Andreas Wilhelm
Editorial Assistant:
Honey Thaljieh
Project Management:
Bernd Fisa, Christian Schaub
Translation:
Sportstranslations Limited
www.sportstranslations.com
4
What is printed on this bottle?
A 20 sec
P White & Gone
EReferemedy
S9.15
Printer:
Zofinger Tagblatt AG
www.ztonline.ch
Contact:
feedback-theweekly@fifa.org
Reproduction of photos or
articles in whole or in part is only
permitted with prior editorial
approval and if attributed
“The FIFA Weekly, © FIFA 2014”.
The editor and staff are not obliged
to publish unsolicited manuscripts
and photos. FIFA and the FIFA logo
are registered trademarks of FIFA.
Made and printed in Switzerland.
Any views expressed in
The FIFA Weekly do not
necessarily reflect those of FIFA.
The answer to last week’s Quiz Cup was LIGA
Detailed answers on www.fifa.com/theweekly
Inspiration and implementation: cus
Send your answer by 15 October 2014 to feedback-theweekly@fifa.org.
Correct solutions to all quizzes published from 13 June 2014 onwards will go into a draw in January 2015 for a trip
for two to the FIFA Ballon d’Or on 12 January 2015.
Before sending in answers, all participants must read and accept the competition terms and conditions and the rules,
which can be found at:
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T H E F I FA W E E K LY
39
L A S T W E E K’S P O L L R E S U LT S
Which of the following pacesetters
in the top five European leagues have
impressed you the most so far?
28+24+211710
10%
T HIS WEEK’S POLL
Which of these South American
goalkeepers in Europe have impressed
you the most so far?
28%
17%
21%
≠ ≠ ≠ ≠ ≠ 24%
Barcelona (Esp)
Chelsea (Eng)
Marseille (Fra)
Bayern Munich (Ger)
Choose from the following:
· Claudio Bravo (Chi/Barcelona)
· Diego Alves (Bra/Valencia)
· Fernando Muslera (Uru/Galatasaray)
· Rafael (Bra/Napoli)
Cast your votes at:
Fifa.com/newscentre
Juventus (Ita)
“I have won 23 team titles but the one that is missing is
the Champions League. At PSG we are trying to win it.
But even if we don’t, the 23 I have already won, coming from where
I did, are incredible. I’ve had an amazing adventure.”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
matches unbeaten against
Arsene Wenger is the run now
being protected by
Jose ­Mourinho after the
Chelsea manager maintained his supremacy.
7
1
games played, 0 goals
conceded: that is the
remarkable start to the
season that has secured a
new La Liga record for
Barcelona. The Catalan
giants and No1 Claudio
Bravo made history in
goal, scored in the 93rd minute of their final game
Saturday’s 2-0 win over
of the season, was enough to secure Stjarnan their
Rayo Vallecano, surpassing
seven and drawn five of their
first-ever Icelandic league title. In a fairytale finale
the previous record of 560
meetings with Wenger’s
to the season, ten-man Stjarnan – a team previously
minutes set in 1977/78 by
Arsenal after Chelsea main-
best known for their choreographed goal celebra-
former Barça keeper Pedro
tained their unbeaten start to
tions – snatched the most dramatic of winners as
Artola. Bravo’s tally now
the Premier League season
Olafur Karl Finsen stroked home a last-gasp penalty
stands at 630 minutes and
with a 2-0 victory.
away to title rivals FH.
counting.
Mourinho’s sides have now won
Manuel Queimadelos Alonso / Getty Images, imago (2), Getty Images
12
WEEK IN NUMBERS