brazil corinthians and the `hexacampeão`

Transcription

ISSUE 47/2015, 27 NOVEMBER 2015
ENGLISH EDITION
Fédération Internationale de Football Association – Since 1904
Football development in Africa
Malawi’s chance
BRAZIL
CORINTHIANS AND
THE ‘HEXACAMPEÃO’
ENGLAND
FORMER STARS UNITE
AT SALFORD CITY FC
W W W.FIFA.COM/ THEWEEKLY
CHINA PR
GUANGZHOU EVERGRANDE
REACH THE TOP IN ASIA
THIS WEEK IN THE WORLD OF FOOTBALL
6
North and
Central America
35 members
www.concacaf.com
Malawi’s wind of change
With Ernest Mtawali appointed national team
coach in the summer, our reporter Peter Kanjere
paid the Malawian legend a visit. Regional U-15
leagues also got underway across the country at
the end of October in a FIFA pilot project aiming
to forge a link between grassroots football and
the national team and promote talent in the
long term.
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Brazil
Having secured their sixth championship title
last week, Corinthians delivered an outstanding
performance to record a 6-1 win over local rivals
Sao Paulo.
18
Adama Traore
In an interview, the Mali and Monaco midfielder
discusses the FIFA U-20 World Cup in New
Zealand, being named player of the tournament
and his passion for music.
35
A rt of Football
Alex de la Iglesia reflects on Lionel Messi’s
remarkable career in the documentary “Messi”.
Malawi’s chance
Our cover shows U-15 youth
league players celebrating in
Blantyre.
Simon Bruty
South America
10 members
www.conmebol.com
22
Aiming high
Salford City are causing
one sensation after another
with the support of their
famous owners. (Pictured:
Ryan Giggs)
15
Applying the
emergency brake
Stuttgart have dismissed their
coach in a bid to halt their
inexorable slide towards the
foot of the Bundesliga table.
(Pictured: Christian Gentner)
The FIFA Weekly app
FIFA’s magazine The FIFA Weekly is published
in four languages every Friday and is also
available free of charge on smartphone and
tablet. http://www.fifa.com/mobile
2
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
FIFA Club World Cup
FIFA Futsal World Cup
10 – 20 December 2015, Japan
10 September – 1 October 2016, Colombia
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
17
Ticket booked
Luiz Felipe Scolari and
Guangzhou Evergrande are
on their way to the FIFA Club
World Cup in Japan after
winning the AFC Champions
League.
28
imago (4)
Out of luck
Heinrich Kwiatkowski’s FIFA
World Cup appearances
for Germany proved to be
unsuccessful.
3
Everywhere You Want To Be
Where do you want to be?
With 3 world titles, 3 goals in the final of the FIFA Women’s
World CupTM and a ticket to Brazil, she’s just getting started.
Visa is proud to support Carli Lloyd and her dreams.
To be at the top of the world.
©2015 Visa. All rights reserved.
UNCOVERED
Playing culture
A
fter the humiliation of conceding 14 goals in two matches, Heinrich
Kwiatkowski had had enough. “Please don’t pick me again,” the unnerved
goalkeeper told his coach.
The inglorious tale of Germany’s reserve shotstopper in the 1954 and 1958
FIFA World Cups includes real-life moments stranger than fiction. First
Kwiatkowski could have drowned while taking a cigarette break before even
winning his first international cap. This was closely followed by an 8-3 defeat
to Hungary and then, four years later in his second and final FIFA World Cup
appearance, a 6-3 thrashing at the hands of France. Annette Braun recalls his
story on pages 28 and 29.
Starting on page six, we present the similarly entertaining story of Ernest
Mtawali, who has played football on every continent except one and is now
seeking to push Malawi’s national team forward. “Over the years, we lost our
real style of play,” says Walter Nyamilandu, head of the country’s national
football association. “We want Ernest to restore that.” Malawi's sights are
firmly set on the 2017 CAF Africa Cup of Nations. Å
Mario Wagner / 2Agenten
Alan Schweingruber
5
M AL AW I
THE TIME IS RIGHT FOR
MALAWI’S MTAWALI
Recently-appointed Malawi coach Ernest Mtawali’s story is
stranger than fiction, writes Peter Kanjere from Blantyre.
New foundations Young footballers
train on artificial turf in Blantyre.
6
Simon Bruty (1)
M AL AW I
7
M AL AW I
8
The legendary Ernest Mtawali Wearing the shirt of French Ligue 1
club Toulouse in 1998 (right) and as the national team’s newly-appointed
coach.
AFP, HO (3)
E
rnest Mtawali, the new coach of the
land-locked nation Malawi in southeast Africa, boasts a life story that
should fascinate football fans everywhere. Mtawali played on all but one
continent – Africa, Asia, Europe and
South America – and shared the field
with Diego Maradona. He was also
coached by Kevin Keegan in a distinguished career that can only be qualified as extraordinary.
Speaking from the small two-storey
mansion he built from his earnings in the game in
Blantyre, Malawi’s commercial capital, Mtawali ran
through a list of some other great coaches of the
game he came across over the course of his career.
“I played and trained under highly-qualified coaches, namely Screamer Tshabalala from Mamelodi
Sundowns in South Africa, the late Brian Clough at
Nottingham Forest, Kevin Keegan at Newcastle
United, Osvaldo Ardiles at Tottenham Hotspur and
Alain Giresse at Toulouse in France, to name a few,”
said the former midfielder, whose strength was
M AL AW I
Simon Bruty (1)
Red versus blue
U-15 players from
Blantyre’s youth
development project.
passing and creating goals for team-mates all over
the world.
Mtawali earned 62 caps for Malawi and played
at the highest level for clubs in his homeland,
South Africa, Argentina, Italy, France and United
Arab Emirates in a career which spanned 23 years
and saw him score 218 goals in 866 club games.
A South African mother
The youngest of five children, Mtawali was born in
Malawi in 1966, five years after his father, the late
Bishop Mtawali had returned from South Africa
where he had married a local woman. As a youngster, his world was turned upside-down by his
mother’s return to her homeland, due to ill-health.
Mtawali had just broken into Malawi top club
side Hardware Stars and earned his debut for
Malawi’s senior team, helping them to a maiden
Africa Cup of Nations qualification in 1984, when
he decided to follow his mother to South Africa. He
was smuggled by a scout through neighbouring
Zambia to Botswana where they found a car waiting to take them to the land of apartheid.
“I did not play in the actual Africa Cup of
ations in Côte d’Ivoire because I had left for South
N
Africa, not only to play soccer but to meet my
mother whom I had not seen for 10 years. It was a
great opportunity for me to get an offer to play for
a club in apartheid South Africa,” he recalls.
“Due to the situation in South Africa, it took
me a long time to trace the whereabouts of my
mother and it was difficult for people coming from
other African countries to live and work there. I
was forced to acquire an ID in a different name –
Ernest Chirwali – just to survive.”
Over the course of the next 18 months, Mtawali
turned out for Welkom Real Hearts, Bloemfontein
Celtic and Sundowns before becoming the first foreigner to win South Africa’s Footballer of the Year
award in 1985.
Unsurprisingly, scouts soon came knocking on
his door and before long he was sent to Italy for
trials at fourth tier side Bassano Virtus.
“I did well and was offered a contract for a
year,” said Mtawali. “I did so well with Bassano
that the following year, a club playing in Serie A,
9
M AL AW I
BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE
Regional U15 competition made its debut in Malawi at the end of October.
The new league is a pilot project for a global FIFA initiative supporting the long-term
development of youth football.
I
t is a dream for many young Malawian football fans to emulate Essau
Boxer Kanyenda by turning their hobby into their job and playing for the
national team. It is a dream that the striker has personified in his life.
Kanyenda’s career began in 1998 at FC Welfare in Dwangwa, Malawi.
Following brief spells at clubs including FC Rostov and Lokomotiv Moscow
in Russia, he has been playing for South African side Polokwane City since
2012. The 33 year-old has also played 53 times for his country and scored
12 goals, making him a role model for the young generation of Malawian
footballers. The same can be said for his international teammate Fisher
Kondowe, who plays his club football for Malawian Super League champions and current leaders Big Bullets.
Tapping potential
Along with talent and a lot of hard work, players need a good support
network in order to make the jump from grassroots and youth football to
professional, first-team football. From 2015 to 2018, the establishment of
domestic youth tournaments will be a priority for FIFA member states. The
world governing body is supporting the ambitions of national associations
with a project to set up regional U15 leagues in various countries, and at
the end of October it was Malawi’s turn.
There was great enthusiasm among the players in the opening matches involving Zomba Urban, Chiradzulu, Lilongwe Urban and Dedza. These
are the potential future stars of Malawian football, the next Kanyenda or
Kondowe. The games signalled the start of an initial two-year test phase,
for which Malawi was deliberately chosen. “Malawi already has successful
grassroots programmes in place and has drawn up a clear development
strategy for the coming years,” said Jurg Nepfer, head of FIFA’s education
and technical development department. Similar initiatives are set to be
launched in the future in other countries with grassroots structures in
place.
No talent should be lost on the journey to adulthood. National teams
benefit from good youth development, too. FIFA is spending $15 million
over the next three years to implement the programme globally, which will
p rimarily involve creating new leagues as well as training young coaches
and referees.
Who knows, perhaps some of those players who played in the opening
games of the Malawi U15 league at the end of October will soon be part
of the senior national team, following in the footsteps of their heroes
E ssau Boxer Kanyenda and Fisher Kondowe.
Annette Braun
Beaming smiles U15 coach Tioney Mhone with his protégés Kumbukani (l.) and Humprey Minandi.
10
M AL AW I
Just like the pros The youngsters make
their entrance, look on anxiously from the
bench and prepare for kick-off. The team
in blue ultimately emerge victorious.
Empoli wanted to sign me, but I was stopped
by FIFA because I had left Malawi without a
clearance.”
Efforts to sign for Empoli under the name
Ernest Molemela (the surname of his former Celtic
boss) came to nothing, as did attempts to join
Besiktas in Turkey and Nottingham Forest in

England, due to the FIFA ban of South Africa.
“I returned to South Africa and went back to
Bloemfontein Celtic. I could not play for any FIFA-
affiliated country until the ban was lifted,” he said.
When that finally came about in 1992, the Football
Association of Malawi welcomed Mtawali back
to the national team for the next chapter of his
career, which lasted until he retired in 2005.
Mtawali became the first
f oreigner to win South Africa’s
Footballer of the Year in 1985.
Simon Bruty (5)
After rejoining the Malawi national team, Mtawali moved to Newell’s Old Boys in Argentina
where he was lucky enough to play indoor football
with Maradona. Then came a transfer to Toulouse
in France’s Ligue 1, followed by stint at Al Wahd in
United Arab Emirates.
“I regret nothing”
Despite missing out on playing at the 1984 Africa
Cup of Nations and losing out on the chance to
represent top clubs in Europe earlier in his career,
in Mtawali’s world there is no room for regrets. He
went on to become a coach for Malawi U-20 national team, where he led the Junior Flames to success,
just missing out on qualification for the 2014 Africa Youth Championship.
That impressive record paved the way for his
promotion to the senior team to replace Young Chimodzi, who was dismissed on June 13 2015 after
Malawi lost 2-1 at home to Zimbabwe in the first
match of 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying.
“Look, I was influenced by the late Roy Bailey
who is father to Gary Bailey, the ex-Manchester
United goalkeeper,” said the 49-year-old Mtawali.
“He used to take me for coaching clinics as far back
in 1989 just after I joined Sundowns from Bloemfontein Celtic. I was the captain of Sundowns from
1989 to 1994 during which time the management
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M AL AW I
Not just players Malawi’s children
and young people practice serving as
assistant referees.
used to ask me to train youngsters who were earmarked to play for them.”
Breathing new life
into the national team
Fluent in French and English, born to a Malawian
father and South African mother, Mtawali has
embarked on what seems a one-man football revolution in Malawi. Within two months, he has handed debuts to seven players and dropped a number
of veterans, prompting criticism from, among others, South Africa-based midfielder Robert Ng’ambi,
who accused the coach of showing disrespect by
discarding senior players for inexperienced ones.
“I would say it has been a big challenge,” said
Mtawali. “I have been the number one supporter of
the Malawian national team and an ex-player of the
team and I know how passionate Malawians are
about their team. I would like to see Malawi moving
up the FIFA Ranking (ed: Malawi are in 97th position
as of November 2015). I know change is not easy but
I believe we have the potential to do better.”
“I know change is not easy.”
Malawi coach Ernest Mtawali
Mtawali has overseen three international matches so far, registering a win, a draw and a loss. The
Flames lost 2-0 to Tanzania in the first leg of the
preliminary round of 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying and bowed out of the race despite winning 1-0
in the return leg played in Malawi. Tanzania went on
to lose 9-2 on aggregate to Africa’s number one
ranked team, Algeria, in the second round of qualifying.
“Everybody will see the fruits of the current
progress in the next five years, even if we can’t deny
that it was a big disappointment not to reach the
next round of qualifying for the World Cup,” said
Mtawali.
Walter Nyamilandu the president of the Football
Association of Malawi said that Mtawali, who holds
a UEFA B Licence, has been tasked with reviving
his country’s 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying
campaign. Malawi are currently third in group L on
one point, the same number as fourth-placed Guinea
and three behind Zimbabwe and Swaziland on four
points.
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M AL AW I
Rehearsing every ritual Just like
anywhere else in the world, the two
sides gather before kick-off, contest an
exciting match and then reflect on the
experience ready for the next game.
“We have trust and confidence in the pair (Mtawali and his deputy Nsanzurwimo Ramadhan),” said
Nyamilandu. “What we have seen is that they have
not been tried and tested. They offer something
d ifferent. Over the years, we lost our real style of
Malawi play and we want them to restore that,” said
Nyamilandu, who played alongside Mtawali for
Malawi in the late 1990s.
“We saw tremendous potential in Ernest. We
have also tracked his progress from the time he was
coaching Malawi’s Under-20s. We have been grooming Ernest over four years. He is ready for the challenge. Everybody has their time, and this is Ernest’s
time.” Å
Simon Bruty (5)
FIFA IN MALAWI
Within the scope of its Goal Programmes,
FIFA has supported the Malawi Football
Association with USD 1.7 million since 2001. The
financial aid has been used in part to build a regi
onal technical centre in Mzuzu. This centre helps
strengthen the country’s infrastructure, which in
turn benefits the long-term development of young
players. Between 2011 and 2015 the FAP contribu
tion amounted to a total of USD 2.6 million.
13
© 2015 adidas AG. adidas, the 3-Bars logo and the 3-Stripes mark are registered trademarks of the adidas Group.
# B E T H E D I F F E R E N C E
TALK ING POIN T S
O N
T H E
Germany: Bundesliga
St u t t g a r t
on the sl ide
Alan Schweingruber is a staff
writer on The FIFA Weekly.
It is the feeling of impotence, in the broadest sense
of the term, that fans struggle with when their team goes through a
bad patch. After a match they might meet
up for a beer to help digest a defeat suffered
by their beloved club. That is something
supporters of VfB Stuttgart have been doing
for a while now. The club's relegation fight
last spring left nerves frayed among the
Stuttgart faithful. How is it, asked the fans,
given our relatively strong squad, we find
ourselves fighting against relegation rather
than for a European place? There was no
plausible explanation, but at least they
managed to avoid the drop.
Getty Images
Fast-forward a few months and after
13 rounds of matches in the new season in
I N S I D E
Germany those fans are still searching for
an answer to that question. Despite auspicious predictions at the start of the season,
partly made based on the strength of the
opposition, the reality now is rather sobering: Stuttgart are third from bottom in the
table, having reached their lowest ebb with
a 4-0 defeat at home to FC Augsburg.
Nevertheless, the club’s supporters have not
lost their sense of humour. After Stuttgart
conceded the fourth goal, the fans refrained
from any form of involvement in the match.
No chanting and no whistling could be
heard. Once the players had grown accustomed to the peculiar silence towards the
end of the game, the fans suddenly sang
out: “Oh, how great this is!”
Stuttgart lacked the basics against Augsburg: the ability to win tackles and cover
the ground. The team’s performance sealed
the fate of head coach Alexander Zorniger,
who was subsequently dismissed. “We were
no longer convinced we could successfully
continue working together,” said sporting
director Robin Dutt. The U-23 coach Jurgen
Kramny has taken over first team duties on
an interim basis. When Stuttgart face
Dortmund on 29 November it will be intriguing to observe how the team react and,
given the criticism Zorniger faced for the
system he employed, how Kramny will set
the team up.
Elsewhere, reigning champions Bayern
Munich are dealing with tactics in their
own way. In the build-up to their second
goal in a 3-1 victory over Schalke, the Bayern attackers hung back, allowing central
defender Javi Martinez to sneak unnoticed
into the penalty area and wait for a cross
from Arjen Robben. It worked out very well:
the unmarked Spaniard even calmly signalled where to put the ball before heading
home. It was like watching football being
played on a console.
Bayern could ensure they remain top of the
table over the winter break with victory
over Hertha Berlin. However, they would
also need a spirited Stuttgart side to take
points off Dortmund, and right now that is
not a likely proposition. Å
Stuttgart at a loss
The VfB players after
their dispiriting 4-0 defeat
against Augsburg.
15
Brazil: Serie A
C o r i nt h i a n s
f ly ing h igh
Sven Goldmann is a leading
football correspondent at Tages
spiegel newspaper in Berlin.
Winning a league title in
Rio de Janeiro is quite something for a team from Sao Paulo; after all,
the rivalry between Brazil’s two biggest
cities is legendary. In truth, Corinthians’
triumph had long been on the cards. By the
time they sealed their sixth league title
with a 1-1 draw away at Vasco da Gama, the
dream they had been chasing for a full four
years was a mere formality.
However, the real party for the club’s Hexa
campeao did not get started until two days
later. And as tradition demands, it was held
at the Itaquerao, Corinthians’ stadium in
the eastern suburbs of Sao Paulo. The day
could not have been choreographed any
better: the visiting team for the newly
crowned champions’ first home fixture
came from their own city. Not Palmeiras,
Corinthians’ arch-rivals for the past 100
years or so, but the great Sao Paulo Futebol
Clube, home to Brazil legends Kaka and
Cafu.
The champions were flying high, despite
head coach Tite having rested regulars
such as Gil, Elia, Jadson, Renato Augusto,
Malcolm and Vagner Love. Not that you
would have noticed: Lucca’s second-half
goal to make it 4-0 and the combination
play that preceded it were a testament to
the sheer quality of the champions’ football.
Not until Hudson had put the ball in his
own net to make it 5-0 did Sao Paulo enjoy
some success of their own. Carlinhos netted
16
A masterly performance Corinthians celebrate their fifth goal in the derby against Sao Paulo.
a consolation, but by then he was in no
mood for to celebrate. By the time substitute Cristian slotted home his penalty to
make it 6-1, the terraces were bouncing.
The fans sang and danced to cries of “ole!”
and “campeao!”. The Itaquerao had not
enjoyed itself so much since June last year,
when Brazil beat Croatia 3-1 at the 2014
FIFA World Cup Brazil™ opener. Brazil still
harboured dreams of winning the competition for a sixth time at that time, of course,
but in the end Corinthians succeeded where
the Seleção failed. After the wayward
showing of the national side, Tite was seen
as the natural successor to departing coach
Luiz Felipe Scolari, the former having
already won both the FIFA Club World Cup
and the Copa Libertadores with Corinthians. Surprisingly, however, the Brazilian
Football Federation plumped for Carlos
Dunga. “I don’t know what criteria formed
the basis for that decision. I was ready for
the Seleção,” said Tite at the time, before
taking a six-month sabbatical and returning
to Corinthians at the start of the year. Å
Getty Images
Sao Paulo were not just there to make up
the numbers. They needed every point they
could get to qualify for the Copa Libertadores, but Corinthians proved far too strong
for them, running out 6-1 winners. Indeed,
on matchday 36 of the Campeonato Brasileiro, the game was so one-sided that some of
the visiting fans were seen heading for the
exits at half time. By then, goals from
Bruno Henrique, Angel Romero and Edu
Dracena had propelled Corinthians into a
3-0 lead.
AFC Champions League
Scola r i bu sy
rebu i ld ing a
r e p u t at io n
off, particularly in the case of Brazilian
striker Elkeson. The 26-year-old joined the
club just under three years ago and showed in
the second leg just what a signing he has been
by deciding the game on his own. In the 54th
minute, he received the ball with his back to
goal, nutmegged defender Salmeen Khamis
and confidently fired in the winning goal.
Sarah Steiner is a staff writer on
The FIFA Weekly.
After a gruelling campaign,
Chinese side Guangzhou
Evergrande are the new
winners of the 2015 AFC Champions League.
In front of a partisan crowd of 50,000 at the
club’s Tianhe Stadium, Luiz Felipe Scolari’s
charges overcame UAE outfit Al Ahli to edge a
narrow 1-0 aggregate victory following a
goalless first leg. The Southern China Tigers
have now won Asia’s most prestigious club
competition for a second time following their
triumph in 2013, and will thus represent the
continent at the 2015 FIFA Club World Cup.
The tournament takes place in Japan between
10 and 20 December, with Guangzhou’s first
game against Mexican side Club America.
imago
The investment made in Guangzhou’s playing
staff over the past few years is now paying
“Winners are those
that never give up.”
Luiz Felipe Scolari
“I’d like to congratulate all our fans and all
Chinese people that we’re now back on top,”
said a beaming Elkeson after a tie in which
Guangzhou were deserving winners having
played the better football over the two games.
“Despite all the setbacks, we’ve stayed focused,” added Elkeson. "The players have a
really good understanding with each other
and our coach Luiz Felipe Scolari is massively
ambitious. It was like we were meant to win.”
Elkeson’s compatriot Scolari bagged his
second piece of silverware with Guangzhou,
having led the club to the Chinese league title
earlier this year. Scolari's reputation had
been damaged by a disastrous 2014 FIFA
World Cup™ campaign in charge of Brazil, in
which the host nation were embarrassed 7-1
in the semi-final against Germany. Scolari
will be haunted by that defeat for years to
come, but the former Chelsea and Portugal
coach is tasting success once again, and a
tone of defiance could be detected in his
post-match comments: “Winners are those
that don’t give up!”
The 67-year-old lives by the mantra that
failure is not an option and that is an idea
his players have evidently bought into: since
he took charge at the club back in June,
Guangzhou have not lost a single game.
Scolari will now hope his side's winning
streak continues beyond the meeting with
Club America in Osaka on 13 December. “Our
next target is [to win] the Club World Cup,
and why not? I have a great team, a great
club and great players. I can make this
dream a reality.” Å
Celebration time
AFC Champions League
winners Guangzhou
Evergrande and their
coach Luiz Felipe Scolari.
17
Name
Adama “Noss” Traore
Date and place of birth
28 June 1995, Bamako, Mali
Midfielder
Clubs played for
2013–2014 AS Bakaridjan
2014–2015 Lille
since 2015 Monaco
Mali national team
2 caps
18
Getty Images / Hannah Peters
Position
THE INTERVIEW
“Mali have a good chance of qualifying”
The winner of the adidas Golden Ball at the FIFA U-20 World Cup New Zealand 2015,
a feat he followed up by signing a five-year contract with AS Monaco,
Mali midfielder Adama Traore is now aiming to help Mali reach Russia 2018.
Adama Traore, tell us where your nickname,
Noss, comes from.
Adama Traore: It’s from Mali. If your first
name’s ‘Adama’, you get called ‘Noss’ or
‘Nostra’, after Nostradamus.
What stands out for you from the FIFA U-20
World Cup?
I remember the “African derby” against
Senegal in the match for third place. I scored
a very nice goal from distance with my right
foot.
Did you honestly expect to be named the
player of the tournament or did you think that
accolade would go to a player from Serbia or
Brazil, the two finalists?
I never imagined winning the award. I did
honestly think it would be a Serbia or Brazil
player, and it came as a big surprise to me.
Which player impressed you the most in New
Zealand and why?
There were quite a few players who
impressed me. There was one in particular
but I can’t remember his name. He was a
Swiss defensive midfielder. A great player.
In winning the Golden Ball at an U-20 World
Cup you’ve joined a select band of great
players featuring Diego Maradona, Lionel
Messi and the likes of Adriano, your compa
triot Seydou Keita, Javier Saviola, Sergio
Aguero and Paul Pogba. How does it feel to be
compared to players of that calibre?
It’s like a dream come true for me to have
won the Golden Ball. Hearing all those great
players who’ve won it before me just makes
me think about everything I still need to do
to win more trophies in the future, about all
the work in front of me and the path I still
have to take.
Did you ever picture yourself playing for
France? Did the French Football Association
(FFF) ever approach you, your father or your
agent about it?
No, that never happened.
The great France midfielder Jean-Amadou
Tigana was born 40 years before you, in the
Malian capital of Bamako, on 23 June 1955.
He had a similar style to you but chose to take
out French nationality and ended up winning
the 1984 European Championships with a
Bleus side that also contained Michel Platini
and the current Mali coach Alain Giresse.
What do you think of Tigana?
The most important thing is to do as well
as I can for the club. It goes without saying
that I want to work, improve my game here
and win trophies. I want to develop as a
player here.
What have you learned from your new
Portuguese coach Leonardo Jardim?
Yes, I’ve heard of him. I’ve never met him,
but I know he was a great player and that he
was also a very successful coach here with
Monaco.
He’s already given me a lot. When I first
came here I struggled to find my place on the
pitch, but I’ve learned quite a lot since then.
He calls me, gives me advice and shows me
how to do things. I feel I’ve come on quite a
lot already.
Let’s turn to Mali’s World Cup qualification
hopes. Would you agree that they face a tall
order in trying to reach the world finals for the
first time in their history?
Is it true that when you took up football back
home in Bamako you used to play barefoot?
No, I think they have a chance. This is a
good generation of players and I hope it
happens.
What’s the nicest compliment you’ve ever been
paid?
I receive a lot of compliments and it’s hard
to pick out just the one. People are starting to
talk about me, in fact, and now is the time
that I need to be mentally strong. Some
players start to get a little carried away when
people talk about them, but that’s no good at
all. I just tell myself: ‘Stay the way you are.
Keep slogging away. Keep working.’ Compliments are nice but you can’t get big-headed.
You’re just recovering from an operation on
your right ankle. Have you had a visit, a call or
a message or anything that’s made you feel
especially happy?
Yes, I’ve had a lot of messages – and I’m
still getting them – from people I don’t know.
In fact, I don’t even know how they got my
number. They call me every day to wish me a
speedy recovery and I thank them. It’s very
heart-warming and it lifts my spirits.
Yes, I played barefoot at the Jean-Marc
Guillou Football Academy, but that’s what
they ask for there. We all started playing
barefoot, from an early age, and we had
objectives that we had to reach. Once you
achieve them, then you start to play in boots.
Where do you live in Monaco?
In the Jardin Exotique district. It’s got
some great views of the principality and the
sea.
What’s an average day for you?
I get up pretty early and my days are fairly
normal. When I’m not training or getting
treatment, I stay at home. I go out for a run
now and then, of course, but I lead a pretty
calm life.
What do you do in your spare time? Is there
anything you’re passionate about?
Yes, I do have a passion outside football,
and that’s music. My stereo is always on. I
listen to a lot of African music. Å
Interview by Massimo Franchi
You’ve signed a five-year contract with AS
Monaco. What are your goals with Les Rouges
et Blancs and what is your personal objective?
19
First Love
Place: Porto Alegre, Brazil
Date: 8 October 2012
Time: 2.10 p.m.
Photog rapher: Caio Vilela
fotogloria
21
SALFORD CIT Y
Big Five Phil Neville, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville
and Paul Scholes (from left) are the owners of Salford City FC.
22
SALFORD CIT Y
England’s
most famous
local club
In summer 2014, five former stars took over
a small football club on the outskirts of
Manchester. Now Salford City are causing
quite a stir, writes Hanspeter Kuenzler
in London.
T
Rachel Joseph / BBC
he BBC cameras will again be present at Moor Lane stadium on the
evening of 4 December 2015. After all, success breeds success.
When the part-time and hobby footballers from Salford City, who
are also known as The Ammies, played against Notts County three
weeks ago, 3.5 million people watched the game on television. That
is a record so far this season: even the heavyweight clash between
Manchester United and Liverpool only attracted 2.6 million viewers in
Britain.
Those 3.5 million spectators witnessed more than a David-versus-Goliath clash; the cameras frequently focused on the former Manchester
United stars Gary Neville, Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes. Wrapped up in
windproof jackets and hoodies, they stood in the middle of the crowd
and held their heads in their hands, or hugged each other, at the same
time as everyone else. Alongside David Beckham, Phil Neville and Ryan
Giggs, who is currently assistant coach at Man United, Gary Neville, Butt
and Scholes are part of the ‘Class of 1992’, the crop of players that rose
through the ranks at United and repaid the club by winning an unparalleled haul of trophies.
Last summer five of them bought Salford City FC together; only
Beckham was not involved as he opted to invest his money in Miami.
“We experienced some fantastic times as footballers, “ said Gary Neville.
“But when that was over there was a void. A void we want to fill with new,
fantastic experiences.”
New toilets or a new striker?
Shortly before the match against Notts County, the BBC broadcasted an
excellent documentary tracing Salford City’s first year under the stewardship of the glamorous former players. It showed Gary Neville on his
first visit to inspect the stadium, where the lettering ‘Salford City’ on one
23
SALFORD CIT Y
Spirit of the FA Cup
Salford City fans during
their team’s 2-0 win over
Notts County.
of the stands was missing the letter ‘C’. Upon seeing the horrendous state
of the toilets, Neville said: “The question is, a new centre forward or new
toilets?”
The film also highlights how sceptical fans were initially, especially
when the quintet introduced Singaporean businessman Peter Lim as a
super-rich backer. One fan aggressively exclaimed: “Premier League arrogance! They think they can buy everything!” It was not until months
later that tempers began to cool off. Babs Gaskill, who has volunteered
in the snack kiosk for 26 years, will now work out of a brand new booth,
while the terraces have been freshly painted. For the first time ever, the
players are also given a nutritious meal before each game.
3.5 million viewers watched
the game against Notts County,
a record figure this season.
The five former players are not the first celebrities to pour their passion and money into a football club. Pop stars have done so in the past:
Elton John did exemplary work with fans thanks to his enthusiasm at
Watford; Fatboy Slim has a 12 per cent stake in Brighton & Hove Albion
and regularly hosts charity events, while One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson has not given up on taking over Doncaster Rovers, despite failing
once already.
24
However, none of those stars were ever as closely involved in the
day-to-day running of the club as Scholes, Butt, Giggs and the Nevilles
are. They have all had a strong bond with Salford City since childhood,
aim to build a 25,000 capacity all-seater stadium and earn promotion
into the professional league.
Dirty Old Town
Salford lies four kilometres from Manchester city centre and is an industrial town typical of many in northern England, although certainly livelier than it used to be thanks to Salford University. The Barton Swing
Aqueduct, the only navigable aqueduct of its kind in the world, is a popular tourist attraction here. The pre-match atmosphere is created by a
cover version of the legendary Pogues song ‘Dirty Old Town’, and the
lyrics resonate not only with the older fans but also with the new owners.
“It’s an unbelievable experience being owner of a football club,” said Gary
Neville. “It’s a privilege we cannot misuse.”
In the first round of the FA Cup, when those 3.5 million viewers tuned
in on their television sets, Salford City played Notts County, the oldest
football club in English football. County are currently floundering in
mid-table in the fourth tier, a long way below where they expect to be.
Naturally, Moor Lane was sold out with 1,400 fans who had never seen
their heroes play in such exalted company and they created a rousing
atmosphere. Babs Gaskill has never grilled so many burgers or made so
many cups of tea in her life.
The first half ended goalless but just 20 seconds into the second
period the fairytale began when striker Danny Webber, who has previously played for Watford, Sheffield United and Leeds, steered a perfectly
delivered cross into the net to put Salford 1-0 up. Then, in the 73rd minute, substitute Richie Allen skipped past three defenders to score his
SALFORD CIT Y
Tea lady Babs has worked at
Salford City FC for 26 years.
Legendary evening
Substitute Richie Allen scored
the second goal in the 2-0 win
over Notts County.
team’s second to make the final score 2-0. “Goal of the season!” screamed
the BBC commentator. Overjoyed fans and club owners hugged each other with tears in their eyes.
Hartlepool test on 4 December
A total of 736 clubs registered to take part in the FA Cup and Salford
knocked out City Whitby, Curzon Ashton, Bradford Park Avenue and
Southport in the qualifying rounds. Those triumphs alone were a minor
sensation. Salford play in the Northern Premier League in the seventh
tier of English football, and of those four sides they defeated, three play
in higher divisions.
On 4 December, The Ammies face another opponent from the fourth
division, Hartlepool United, in the next round of the FA Cup. On that
Friday evening Salford City will undoubtedly be the most popular football club in Manchester. Å
S A L F O R D C I T Y F O O T B A L L C L UB
imgao (3)
Salford is an industrial town
typical of many in northern England,
located close to Manchester.
Nickname The Ammies
Founded 1940 as Salford Central
Home ground Moor Lane
Capacity 1,400
Owners Peter Lim (50%), Phil Neville (10%), Gary Neville
(10%), Nicky Butt (10%), Paul Scholes (10%) and
Ryan Giggs (10%)
Chairman Karen Baird
Managers Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley
League Northern Premier League
25
FOOTBALL
FOR HOPE
Football for Hope is our global commitment to building a better future through football. To date, we have supported
over 550 socially-responsible community projects that use football as a tool for social development, improving the lives
and prospects of young people and their surrounding communities
To ﬁnd out more, visit the Sustainability section on FIFA.com.
F IFA F IF PRO WORLD X I 2015
PRESIDENTIAL NOTE
55 players announced
The future
of football
F
IFPro, the worldwide players’ union, and FIFA announced the final
55-player shortlist for the FIFA FIFPro World XI 2015. The FIFA
FIFPro World XI is decided by the players, for the players. It involves votes from nearly 25,000 professional footballers from about
70 different countries. They select one goalkeeper, four defenders,
three midfielders and three forwards. FIFPro and its national affiliates are responsible for gathering votes from professional footballers
worldwide. It is the only global award that truly represents the views
of those who play the beautiful game.
The 55-player shortlist: (home country/club)
Goalkeepers (5)
Gianluigi Buffon (Italy/Juventus), Iker Casillas (Spain/FC Porto),
David De Gea (Spain/Manchester United), Keylor Navas (Costa Rica/
Real Madrid) and Manuel Neuer (Germany/FC Bayern Munich).
Defenders (20)
David Alaba (Austria/FC Bayern Munich), Jordi Alba (Spain/FC Barcelona), Jérôme Boateng (Germany/FC Bayern Munich), Daniel
Carvajal (Spain/Real Madrid), Giorgio Chiellini (Italy/Juventus), Dani
Alves (Brazil/FC Barcelona), David Luiz (Brazil/Paris Saint-Germain),
Diego Godín (Uruguay/Atletico Madrid), Mats Hummels (Germany/
Borussia Dortmund), Branislav Ivanović (Serbia/Chelsea), Vincent
Kompany (Belgium/Manchester City), Philipp Lahm (Germany/FC
Bayern Munich), Marcelo (Brazil/Real Madrid), Javier Mascherano
(Argentina/FC Barcelona), Pepe (Portugal/Real Madrid), Gerard
Piqué (Spain/FC Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Spain/Real Madrid), John
Terry (England/Chelsea), Thiago Silva (Brazil/Paris Saint-Germain)
and Raphaël Varane (France/Real Madrid).
Midfielders (15)
Thiago Alcântara (Spain/FC Bayern Munich), Xabi Alonso (Spain/FC
Bayern Munich), Sergio Busquets (Spain/FC Barcelona), Eden Hazard
(Belgium/Chelsea), Andrés Iniesta (Spain/FC Barcelona), Toni Kroos
(Germany/Real Madrid), Luka Modrić (Croatia/Real Madrid), Andrea
Pirlo (Italy/New York City FC), Paul Pogba (France/Juventus), Ivan
Rakitić (Croatia/FC Barcelona), James Rodríguez (Colombia/Real
Madrid), David Silva (Spain/Manchester City), Yaya Touré (Ivory
Coast/Manchester City), Marco Verratti (Italy/Paris Saint-Germain)
and Arturo Vidal (Chile/FC Bayern Munich).
Strikers (15)
Sergio Agüero (Argentina/Manchester City), Gareth Bale (Wales/Real
Madrid), Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid), Douglas Costa
(Brazil/FC Bayern Munich), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Real

Madrid), Zlatan Ibrahimović (Sweden/Paris Saint-Germain), Robert
Lewandowski (Poland/FC Bayern Munich), Lionel Messi (Argentina/
FC Barcelona), Thomas Müller (Germany/FC Bayern Munich), Neymar
(Brazil/FC Barcelona), Arjen Robben (Netherlands/FC Bayern
Munich), Wayne Rooney (England/Manchester United), Alexis

Sánchez (Chile/Arsenal), Luis Suárez (Uruguay/FC Barcelona) and
Carlos Tevez (Argentina/Boca Juniors).
O
ne of our biggest responsibilities is to involve and support more
young footballers around the world so that they have a better
chance of reaching their potential.
The FIFA U-17 and U-20 World Cups offer the best young women and
men the opportunity to compete at international level. At national
level, however, many young players lack the challenge that well-
organised domestic competitions can provide. Investing in sustainable youth football development is a vital part of the process: proper
competitions give girls and boys the conditions they need to grow.
In countries that do not have this structure, there is often no
clear “pathway” between grassroots football and the senior game,
which means that it is harder for senior players to fulfil their early
promise, the standard of club football lags behind that of other
national leagues, and national teams will struggle to qualify for
tournaments.
This lack of progress can impact on the investment potential of
football, creating a cycle of slow development and low funding that
can be tough to break.
This year, FIFA has launched an exciting pilot project in Malawi
to develop and promote youth football in a sustainable way. Working
with the Football Association of Malawi, we are establishing regional youth leagues, where talented young players from all over the
country can play together in teams of similar quality, guided by
trained coaches over full, demanding seasons.
With equipment, technical support and funding, these leagues
can also improve sponsorship and promotional opportunities, and
inspire more young Malawians of all abilities to play.
We aim to roll this model out to other member associations in
the future, so that more young players, referees and coaches can
work together to raise national football standards and provide the
foundations for greater participation in football.
Young people are the future of football. FIFA and its member
associations have a duty to help them live out their dreams.
Best wishes, Issa Hayatou
The final FIFA FIFPro World XI will be announced at the FIFA
Ballon d’Or award ceremony at the Kongresshaus in Zurich on
11 January 2016.
Find more information on http://www.fifa.com/ballondor/world11
27
HISTORY
Germany’s luckless
goalkeeper
Germany reserve goalkeeper Heinrich Kwiatkowski was on
the receiving end during his FIFA World Cup appearances
in Switzerland in 1954 and in Sweden in 1958, conceding
14 goals in just two matches.
At home in goal
Heinrich Kwiatkowski during his time
with Borussia Dortmund.
28
A
fter the final whistle sounded in Gothenburg to mark the end of Germany’s
match for third place against France at
the 1958 FIFA World Cup, reserve goalkeeper Heinrich Kwiatkowski turned to
head coach Sepp Herberger and pleaded:
“Please don’t pick me anymore.” Unsurprisingly, the request marked the end of Kwiatkowski’s
international career. So what had happened to
make the talented keeper throw the towel in?
Born on 16 July 1926, Kwiatkowski delivered a string of exceptional league performances throughout his career, featuring for Schalke
04, Rot-Weiss Essen and Borussia Dortmund in
the Oberliga West, then one of Germany’s top
divisions, from his debut on 14 September 1947
until hanging up his gloves on 11 May 1963. He
also won two German championship titles with
BVB and made a total of 300 appearances for
Die Schwarzgelben.
“Kwiat” and his famous fists
To many, Kwiatkowski was simply known as
“Kwiat” or “Heini Fausten” (“Heini Fists”) in
reference to his legendary punched clearances.
Receiving a call-up to the national team is a
special moment for any footballer, and representing one’s country at a FIFA World Cup an
even greater privilege. Heinrich Kwiatkowski
was thus full of pride when Herberger first selected him for the 1954 FIFA World Cup in Switzerland. Although Toni Turek was Germany’s
first-choice goalkeeper, the man from Gelsenkirchen joined the squad as reserve keeper,
ready to shoulder responsibility and replace
Turek if called upon. Kwiatkowski travelled to
Lake Thun for Germany’s preparatory camp,
where the most memorable part of the visit was
not the gruelling training sessions but an impromptu dip in the lake.
Kwiatkowski boarded a boat with the
squad’s third-choice goalkeeper Heinz Kubsch
and when the pair went on deck for a cigarette,
non-swimmer “Kwiat” fell overboard, but fortunately managed to reach the shore none the
worse for his unexpected adventure. The news
came as a relief to coach Sepp Herberger, who
picked his second-choice keeper for Germany’s
second group match against Hungary after
their comfortable 4-1 opening victory over Turkey. With the Germans able to qualify for the
knockout stages even if they lost to the Hungarians, provided they emerged victorious
from a play-off match against a Turkish team
they had already soundly defeated, Herberger
fielded his B team in an attempt to obscure
G ermany’s true strengths from the Mighty

Magyars.
Two days before the game, Herberger
approached “Kwiat” and asked him: “Are you
confident enough to play against Hungary?”
After answering in the affirmative, Kwiatkowski took to the field for the second group
match full of anticipation, but his excitement
HISTORY
quickly gave way to disillusionment. Germany
had planned for Hungary shooting from range,
but instead they persistently weaved their way
deep inside the area before materialising
u nmarked in front of Kwiatkowski. Powerless
to stop them, helpless Heini found himself on
the receiving end of the Hungarians’ striking
prowess.
Eight goals on World Cup debut
Four goals from Sandor Kocsis, a brace from
Nandor Hidegkuti and a strike apiece for
Ferenc Puskas and Jozsef Toth meant “Kwiat”
spent much of his FIFA World Cup debut picking the ball out of the back of the net. The
match ended 8-3 and Kwiatkowski later recalled: “I prayed they wouldn’t reach double
digits.” Almost any team in the world would
have struggled to contain the Mighty Magyars
that day, but the defeat gnawed at the German
goalkeeper nonetheless. Realising that his
second-choice shotstopper had suffered a

knock to his confidence, Herberger told him:
“Your nerves are a little frayed now; I can leave
you out for the next few games.”
the squad’s least-utilised players. Heinrich
Kwiatkowski led out the side after replacing
first-choice keeper Fritz Herkenrath.
Appearing in another FIFA World Cup
match as part of a second-string eleven unaccustomed to playing alongside each other led
to another heavy defeat as Germany went down
6-3 to France. Conceding eight goals on his
World Cup debut and another six in his next
appearance four years later proved too much
for poor Kwiatkowski. The shattered custodian
told Herberger he had had enough and with
that, his international career was over.
The shotstopper’s experiences of pulling on
a Germany shirt were not all bad though. They
certainly frayed his nerves almost to breaking
point, but they also made him a world champion. World Cup record aside, he is still celebrated as a hero in Dortmund long after his death
on 23 May 2008. BVB’s current generation of
heroes cross Heinrich Kwiatkowski Strasse to
reach the Brackel training complex – a tribute
to a man who, despite conceding an unusually
high number of goals at international level,
helped shape an entire era for Die Schwarz
gelben in the 1950s and 1960s. Å
Annette Braun
“I prayed they wouldn’t
reach double digits.”
Keystone (3)
Heinrich Kwiatkowski
So it was that “Heini Fausten” returned to
his place on the bench as Germany beat Turkey
7-2 in their play-off match. Toni Turek then
stood firm to deny Yugoslavia in a 2-0 win before helping Die Mannschaft to a 6-1 triumph
against Austria in the semi-final. Kwiatkowski
was watching from the sidelines once more as
the Germans faced Hungary again in the ’Miracle of Bern’, then they miraculously around
their fortunes from the group stages to win the
game 3-2. Germany were world champions and
so was Heinrich Kwiatkowski. The reserve
goalkeeper even managed to take something
positive from his solitary appearance, observing: “Perhaps those eight goals were good for
the Final, as they meant Hungary underestimated us. They probably thought they could
pick up where they left off in the second game.”
Kwiatkowski could not have known then
that history would repeat itself four years later
at the 1958 FIFA World Cup. Germany lost 3-1
to hosts Sweden in the semi-final that year, so
coach Sepp Herberger decided to use the match
for third place as a chance to give a run-out to
An unhappy World Cup debut
Kwiatkowski could only watch as the ball flew past
in Germany’s 1954 group match against Hungary.
Battling it out for the championship
Kwiatkowski came away empty-handed from the
1961 final against Nuremberg as BVB lost 3-0.
29
FREE KICK
SPOTLIGHT ON
GENER AL
INFORMATION
Country:
Jordan
FIFA Trigramme:
JOR
Confederation:
AFC
Continent:
Asia
Capital:
Amman
Christmas capers
Sarah Steiner
GEOGR APHIC
INFORMATION
Surface area:
89,342 km²
Highest point:
Jabal Ramm 1,754 m
Mario Wagner / 2Agenten
W
inter has arrived in Europe, with bitterly
cold temperatures and the first snowfalls
heralding the start of advent. Christmas is
only four weeks away and preparations are
a lready in full swing. Chocolate Santas are on
sale in supermarkets, Yuletide tree decorations
gleam in assorted colours on shelves and toy
departments are bulging with teddy bears,
building blocks and video games. Christmas
has arrived in the world of football too.
In Dortmund, the biggest Christmas tree in
the world has been erected in the middle of the
festive market at Hansaplatz every year since
1966. Made up of 1,700 Norwegian spruces, it
stands at a huge 45 metres, uses 48,000 lights,
20 candles that reach up to 2.5 metres, as well
as other illuminations. At the very top there is
a four-metre angel weighing 200 kilograms.
The whole process of setting it up takes four
weeks.
One bright morning, however, the city’s
inhabitants were stunned and could only look
at their tree in disbelief. What was that flag
sitting at the top? A blue and white one with
one letter and two digits: S04. Right in the
m iddle of enemy territory. There is surely no
fixture in Germany as explosive as the Revierderby between Borussia Dortmund and
Schalke. It is a long-standing rivalry that has
become part of each city’s self-image. So how
did the Schalke flag arrive at the top of
Dortmund’s tree?
The scaffolding company responsible for
putting up the Christmas tree has done so for
many years, yet among its employees are both
Dortmund and Schalke fans. It was the latter
who placed their club’s flag at the top. Although
the prank was short-lived – the firm’s Dortmund supporters quickly replaced it with a
black and yellow flag – the perpetrators will
have to dig deep in their pockets. Company
manager Hans-Peter Arens was merciless in
imposing a 500 Euro fine, which will be do
nated to charity.
The Dortmund fans, however, escaped
reprimand. “I can’t fine anyone for putting a
Borussia Dortmund flag on the tree,” said
Arens. Indeed, the only punishable offence in
Dortmund is being a Schalke fan. Å
Neighbouring seas and oceans:
Red Sea, Dead Sea and
Gulf of Aqaba
MEN’S FOOTBALL
FIFA Ranking:
82nd
World Cup:
No appearances
WOMEN’S FOOTBALL
FIFA Ranking:
58th
World Cup:
No appearances
L ATES T RESULTS
Men’s:
Jordan - Kyrgyzstan 0:1
17 November 2015
Women’s:
Vietnam - Jordan 2:1
20 September 2015
FIFA INVES TMENTS
Since 2004:
The weekly column by our staff writers
$ 6,480,000
31
MIRROR IMAGE
T
H
E
N
Liverpool, England
1983
Bob Thomas / Getty Images
Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar shows off his best wild dive.
32
MIRROR IMAGE
N
O
W
Berlin, Germany
2015
imago
Barça fans depict Lionel Messi as a “SuperMessi” at the UEFA Champions League final.
33
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THE ART OF FOOTBALL
The problem solver
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
“Emotionally, it was a very, very strong
moment. We were all united in this
moment of communion, which obviously
lifts the spirits because you feel it in your
heart. It’s beautiful, it’s moving, it’s
grandiose. It’s very strong. This will be
shown round the world and will show
unity. Football is a global game. It is not
about religion or race. We need to stand
tall together in these tough times.”
France coach Didier Deschamps paid tribute to
England’s supporters for the respect they showed
during the friendly match at Wembley
“They said they were going to send
me to retirement. I sent their whole
nation into retirement.”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic after defeating Denmark in
the play-offs to send Sweden to UEFA EURO 2016
Ronald Düker
Mediapro
T
here is something touching, but sometimes also unsettling about watching a
young child, fresh out of kindergarten,
play football. Especially when it is a prodigy, a little maestro, a player so talented it is
clear at first glance that they could have a
great career ahead of them. The proportions are not yet quite right: the ball seems
huge next to their tiny body and frail-looking legs, which run and kick with all their
might and barely appear capable of withstanding the physical obstacles they meet
on the pitch.
Looking at footage today of Lionel
Messi playing as a child, this discrepancy
is especially noticeable; after all, Messi differed from his contemporaries not only in
that he was a small child, but that he was
very small. It is precisely these archive images that make the new documentary by
Alex de la Iglesia so compelling. Simply titled ’Messi’, the film depicts the career of
the superstar, starting at the very beginning when his grandmother took him to a
football pitch for the very first time back
in Argentina, and goes right through to his
triumphs with FC Barcelona. De la Iglesia
not only portrays the protagonist’s life
with archive footage of Messi talking and
playing, he manages to bring former classmates, siblings, coaches and team-mates
together to talk about him.
Johan Cruyff, Cesar Luis Menotti,
Andres Iniesta, Gerard Pique, Javier
Mascherano and Jorge Valdano, among
others, are involved in a lively discussion.
How should Messi be described? “The best
player in the world”? “The best player of all
time”? Or, and this is meant respectfully,
as “a monster”? Even his colleagues are
unsure. Indeed, perhaps the words used
to express the inexpressible do not even
matter; it is much more revealing to see the
way the eyes of those who know him so
well light up, and how great and honest is
their admiration for such an exceptional
player.
Just as it is possible to talk about the
beautiful game in simple terms, there is no
need to complicate matters when describing Messi. A boy who played alongside him
as a 13-year-old summed him up thus:
“Whenever there’s a problem you just have
to give him the ball. He’ll solve it.” Å
“Paddy only had a seven week contract,
we weren’t expecting it, but Paddy came
to see us and said that he loves the club,
he loves the fact we gave him an opportunity, but he doesn’t feel like he is going to
earn his money now he is injured. Quite
incredibly he has decided he wants to
cancel the contract. Incredibly he had
guaranteed money there, but he has said
he can’t take money off the football club,
which is quite a unique circumstance.”
Bury manager David Flitcroft on former Republic
of Ireland goalkeeper Paddy Kenny voluntarily
cancelling his short-term contract 13 days into his
new role after he tore his calf in training because
he wanted to save the club money
“I believe having Iran here, in a World Cup
qualification game, is the single most
important milestone in Guam football
history. To have a world-class team, a
world-class coach, here on our shores is
going to do so much for football and our
development … We want the local fans
to see world-class football here, live,
because we just don’t watch it enough.”
Guam head coach Gary White
35
FIFA PARTNER
TURNING POINT
An evening
that changed
my life
A tragic end to his stag party
proved the beginning of a
successful coaching career for
Black Forest native Alexander
Fischinger.
imago
I
t was 1 July 1995 and my life hung by a thin
rope. It should have been a day of celebration but it ended in near tragedy and sent
my life spiralling in a different direction.
It was my stag party, and in our high spirits my friends had attached me to a pulley
by a thin rope and pulled me up some scaffolding. Laughter broke out because everyone
knew I didn’t like heights. I laughed too. Then,
about eight metres up, the rope snapped.
When I woke up in hospital, two priests,
one Catholic and one Protestant, were sitting
at my bedside. Nobody knew whether I was
going to survive the fall. My pelvis was broken in three places; my knee and wrist were
in pieces. Nowadays, it’s less obvious than it
used to be just how much metal is holding my
body together.
I immediately asked the doctor if I would
ever be able to play football again. “Forget it,”
he said, shaking his head. That was perhaps
my lowest moment because football was all I
had ever known.
There followed a year and a half of hospital visits and operations. It required unwavering discipline and plenty of physiotherapy but
eventually I was able to walk again. I could
also ski and cycle, but playing football was
impossible. Instead, two friends and I set up
a youth academy while I channelled all my
efforts into becoming a coach. I passed the
relevant courses to obtain my licence and
then took charge of several different teams.
I consider it a gift that I have now been a
coach for over 15 years and enjoyed relative
success. Without the accident, I would probably still be a postman and never have met
so many interesting people. One of the high
points of my coaching career was undoubtedly winning the Sudbadischer Pokal [the
South Baden Cup] with amateur side SV
Waldkirch and so reaching the first round of
the DFB-Pokal, Germany’s major domestic
cup competition.
Since the summer I have been in charge
of SC Sand, my second coaching job in the
Women’s Bundesliga after SC Freiburg in
2008. Despite our good start to the season,
we’re not dreaming of giddy heights just yet.
I know how that can end up, after all. Having
said that, they’re a hungry young group who
want success. Just like me. Å
Alexander Fischinger was speaking to
Rainer Hennies
Name
Alexander Fischinger
Date and place of birth
10 April 1964, Triberg, Germany
Clubs played for
1970–1995 FC Schonach
Clubs coached
1998–1999 FC Teningen
1999–2000 FC Schonach
2000–2001 Freiburger FC youth team
2001–2003 FC Denzlingen youth team
2003–2007 SF Elzach
2008 SC Freiburg Women
2009–2010 SV Endingen
2011–2015 SV Waldkirch
Since 2015 SC Sand Women
In Turning Point, personalities reflect on a decisive
moment in their lives.
37
MEN’S WORLD R ANKING
Belgium (up 2)
Austria (10th, up 1)
Wales (15th, down 7)
172
Ethiopia (5 matches)
Turkey (up 224 points)
Chad (up 39 ranks)
Wales (down 163 points)
Sudan (down 44 ranks)
Leader
Moves into top ten
Moves out of top ten
Matches played in total
Most matches played
Biggest move by points
Biggest move by ranks
Biggest drop by points
Biggest drop by ranks
Rank Team
+/- Points
Rank Team
Last updated:
5 November 2015
+/- Points
Rank Team
1 Belgium
2 1440
55 Congo DR
5
587
109 Zimbabwe
2 Germany
0 1388
56 Finland
8
586
3 Argentina
-2 1383
57 Egypt
-6
4 Portugal
0 1364
57 Peru
5 Chile
4 1288
59 Nigeria
6 Spain
0 1287
60 Australia
7 Colombia
-2 1233
61 Jamaica
8 Brazil
-1 1208
61 Israel
-14
559
115 Azerbaijan
9 England
1 1179
63 Mali
-1
552
117 Belize
10 Austria
1 1130
64 Slovenia
-18
547
11 Switzerland
1 1073
65 Panama
0
12 Uruguay
8 1051
66 Bulgaria
12
+/- Points
Rank Team
+/- Points
0
305
163 Liechtenstein
-7
110 Central African Republic
16
302
164 Samoa
-2
152
583
111 Georgia
-1
301
165 American Samoa
-1
145
-7
583
112 Aruba
3
299
166 Maldives
10
141
-7
582
113 Libya
-8
297
167 Grenada
-8
137
-2
573
114 Ethiopia
-6
294
168 Gambia
-7
135
-4
559
115 Bahrain
8
293
169 Cook Islands
-3
132
-10
293
170 Puerto Rico
-5
129
1
292
171 Malaysia
0
127
118 Madagascar
9
290
172 India
-5
122
515
118 Namibia
7
290
173 Mauritius
-5
117
497
120 Korea DPR
9
288
174 Indonesia
-3
108
154
13 Italy
4 1040
67 United Arab Emirates
3
495
121 Sierra Leone
0
281
175 Dominica
-1
104
14 Romania
-1 1039
68 Uganda
7
491
121 Turkmenistan
34
281
176 Laos
3
90
15 Wales
-7 1032
69 Equatorial Guinea
-2
487
123 Lithuania
-7
279
177 Comoros
16 Netherlands
-2
70 Belarus
28
479
124 Kyrgyzstan
22
277
6
-18
976
17 Czech Republic
-2
974
71 Uzbekistan
3
477
125 Kenya
18 Turkey
19
941
71 Zambia
0
477
125 Mozambique
16
89
178 US Virgin Islands
0
88
274
179 Yemen
1
81
274
180 Bangladesh
2
80
19 Croatia
-3
924
73 Haiti
4
470
127 Armenia
-36
271
180 New Caledonia
-11
80
20 Bosnia and Herzegovina
10
923
73 Gabon
-8
470
128 Sudan
-44
267
180 Bhutan
-7
80
21 Ecuador
10
921
75 South Africa
-2
461
129 St Vincent and the Grenadines
-7
262
183 Cambodia
3
78
22 Côte d’Ivoire
-1
890
76 Cyprus
38
444
130 Swaziland
5
258
184 Suriname
-3
77
76
23 Russia
3
885
77 Bolivia
-10
442
131 Kazakhstan
11
256
185 Pakistan
-8
24 Mexico
3
881
78 Montenegro
-6
426
132 Syria
-9
254
186 Brunei Darussalam
1
74
24 France
-2
881
79 Morocco
1
422
133 Kuwait
-5
252
187 Chinese Taipei
-4
71
26 Algeria
-7
872
80 Saudi Arabia
8
417
134 South Sudan
10
246
188 Montserrat
-4
67
27 Slovakia
-9
857
80 Antigua and Barbuda
3
417
135 Tanzania
1
245
189 Seychelles
-5
60
28 Ukraine
-4
806
82 Jordan
17
411
136 Chad
39
240
190 Fiji
-1
59
29 Northern Ireland
6
797
83 Venezuela
-14
408
137 Philippines
-3
236
191 Tahiti
-3
56
30 Ghana
-5
793
84 China PR
-3
403
138 Palestine
-8
233
192 Nepal
-2
51
31 Iceland
-8
792
85 Qatar
7
397
139 FYR Macedonia
-7
230
193 Cayman Islands
-2
49
32 Cape Verde Islands
9
762
86 Liberia
9
394
140 Lebanon
0
228
194 Sri Lanka
-3
45
33 Hungary
0
759
87 Iraq
-2
392
141 Guinea-Bissau
6
216
195 Macau
-2
44
33 USA
-4
759
88 Togo
-9
386
142 Barbados
12
206
196 San Marino
0
35
35 Denmark
-7
743
89 Faroe Islands
-4
385
143 St Lucia
-4
204
197 Turks and Caicos Islands
0
33
36 Albania
-4
723
90 Estonia
-3
370
144 Thailand
1
202
198 British Virgin Islands
1
27
37 Greece
7
718
91 Guatemala
-9
367
145 Hong Kong
8
199
199 Solomon Islands
-2
26
38 Poland
5
712
92 Oman
10
365
146 Luxembourg
-4
197
200 Tonga
0
17
39 Senegal
-1
678
93 Burkina Faso
-17
363
147 Vietnam
2
193
201 Vanuatu
0
13
40 Costa Rica
2
671
94 El Salvador
0
361
147 Lesotho
41 Tunisia
-5
668
95 Honduras
-6
359
149 Dominican Republic
42 Republic of Ireland
12
659
96 Rwanda
-3
356
43 Iran
-4
651
97 Malawi
4
44 Scotland
-4
649
98 Angola
45 Sweden
0
647
99 Latvia
46 Norway
-12
637
47 Paraguay
14
5
48 Korea Republic
-7
193
202 Eritrea
0
8
-30
187
203 Mongolia
0
6
150 Curaçao
2
182
203 Somalia
0
6
351
151 Bermuda
-13
181
205 Andorra
0
5
-1
344
152 Guyana
-15
179
206 Papua New Guinea
0
4
4
342
152 Singapore
5
179
207 Anguilla
1
0
100 Nicaragua
-5
341
154 Moldova
-22
177
207 Bahamas
1
0
610
101 St Kitts and Nevis
11
340
155 Guam
-5
170
207 Djibouti
-1
0
606
102 Canada
2
335
156 Afghanistan
-6
168
49 Serbia
14
605
103 Benin
-3
333
157 São Tomé e Príncipe
36
165
50 Japan
5
603
104 Mauritania
-15
328
158 Malta
-1
164
51 Cameroon
-3
597
105 Niger
15
327
159 New Zealand
-11
163
52 Congo
-3
593
105 Botswana
6
327
160 Tajikistan
0
159
53 Guinea
2
589
107 Burundi
6
321
161 Myanmar
2
157
54 Trinidad and Tobago
5
588
108 Cuba
9
312
162 Timor-Leste
8
155
38
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