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ISSUE 17/2015, 1 MAY 2015
ENGLISH EDITION
Fédération Internationale de Football Association – Since 1904
CANADA 2015
FRANCE AND
TEAM SPIRIT
MYANMAR
YANGON UNITED
PULL AWAY
BLATTER
LET’S SHAKE HANDS –
FOR PEACE
USA - Mexico football rivalry
Strong emotions
W W W.FIFA.COM/ THEWEEKLY
THIS WEEK IN THE WORLD OF FOOTBALL
6
North and
Central America
35 members
www.concacaf.com
USA - Mexico
No matter whether you are a coach, player or
fan, the rivalry between the USA and Mexico is
always palpable. With the beautiful game on the
rise in America, the excitement of USA’s encounters with their southern neighbours is virtually
unmatched. Our reporter Michael Lewis paints a
picture of love, pride and history.
16
Best of the best
Bayern Munich have been crowned German
champions for the 25th time after another
season in which no other team could hold a
candle to Pep Guardiola’s men in the Bundesliga.
23
S epp Blatter
“The power of our sport stretches far beyond the
touchline and the duration of the match,” the
FIFA President says in his weekly column as he
reflects on the Handshake for Peace campaign.
24
“ It’s a no-go in a women’s team”
In an interview with The FIFA Weekly, France’s
women’s national team coach Philippe Bergeroo
explains why problems are dealt with differently
in women’s football.
South America
10 members
www.conmebol.com
17
Egypt
Zamalek can dream of the title
again after a long dry spell.
(Pictured: Omar Gaber (l),
Zamalek; Walid Soliman, Al-Ahly)
18
Michael Laudrup
The Dane on his coaching
philosophy and the decisive
phase in the European leagues.
Strong emotions
Our cover shows a portrait of Mexican
star Chicharito (Javier Hernandez)
drawn on a fan’s head.
Ashley Landis / Reuters (image)
The FIFA Weekly Magazine App
The FIFA Weekly Magazine is available
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tablet every Friday.
http://www.fifa.com/mobile
2
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
FIFA Women’s World Cup
6 June – 5 July 2015, Canada
AFP (2), imago,
Due to the May Day holiday, this edition of The FIFA Weekly
appears on 30 April 2015, a day earlier than normal.
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
15
Myanmar
With nine wins from
nine matches, Yangon
United are flying high.
(Pictured: Khin Maung
Lwin (17); Cezar (13))
37
Aaran Lines
The Western New York Flash
coach has his wife to thank for
his coaching career.
Blue Stars / FIFA Youth Cup
FIFA U-20 World Cup
FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup
FIFA U-17 World Cup
13 – 14 May 2015, Zurich, Switzerland
30 May – 20 June 2015, New Zealand
9 – 19 July 2015, Portugal
17 October – 8 November 2015, Chile
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
3
UNCOVERED
Shared joy
T
he idea that neighbours are like strange beings seems to have become increasingly irrelevant over the past few decades. A globalised world and a
society permeated by new media has long become a reality, meaning that our
neighbours are no longer nearly so unfamiliar to us.
The same is true in football. Whereas teams from different nations or continents may have taken very different approaches to a match had they faced each
other a hundred or even fifty years ago, today’s footballing styles, systems and
tactics have shifted and harmonised the world over.
As with so many close geographic rivalries, encounters between neighbours
the USA and Mexico do not focus on their fundamental differences or what
separates them but instead on what they have in common. The result is cutting-edge football and the joy of an exciting duel in which both countries strive
to prove their sporting superiority. Our reporter Michael Lewis paints a picture
of the immense and colourful rivalry between the two teams. Å
Mario Wagner/2Agenten
Perikles Monioudis
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
5
U S A/M E X I C O
15 April 2015
USA versus Mexico,
Alamodome Stadium,
San Antonio, Texas.
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T H E F I FA W E E K LY
U S A/M E X I C O
Eternal
rivals
Scott Ball / The Rivard Report, Scott Kane / Icon Sportswire / Corbis, imago (2)
Emotions run high whenever
the USA and Mexico meet.
Michael Lewis reports on
a rivalry filled with love,
pride and history.
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
7
U S A/M E X I C O
Simple but effective
Though the game was not played on an official FIFA date and did not
feature many of both sides’ best-known players, there still was great
enthusiasm for a fixture that has become one of the world’s great
footballing rivalries. “It’s like a game in New York City under the
bright lights,” U.S. midfielder Kyle Beckerman said. “It brings the
media out. Everything’s highlighted a bit more. It’s just a special
game. It brings out the best in both countries, [which] seems to make
it an exciting game no matter what.” USA captain Michael Bradley
added: "There’s a buzz, a sense of excitement. It’s just different, there’s no other way to put it. When you’re on the bus driving to the
stadium before the game, you see green, red, white and blue, and you
know it’s going to be a special evening."
Former Mexican international midfielder Alberto Garcia Aspe told
Sports Illustrated that it is “a classic rivalry, and you want to win no
matter what. Before, Mexico dominated and it wasn’t a huge rivalry, but
with the growth of support for soccer here and the MLS becoming better, it has made these games better and more intense.”
With so much at stake - be it the CONCACAF Gold Cup title, World
Cup qualifying points or just regional bragging rights - the matches stir
up fierce intensity from players and supporters.
Yet despite such rivalry, former USA international striker Eric
Wynalda, an analyst for Fox Sports, clarified an important issue. "Too
many people who don’t know any better start throwing the word ’hatred’
around," he said. “There is no hatred, none whatsoever. There is nothing
but respect. That’s what we always fought for, to be respected by the
Mexican players and the Mexican people. If anything, we can say
’strongly dislike’ at times. Hatred is not what this game is about."
International rivalries can certainly make for some intriguing bedfellows and decisions. A Mexican by birth and an American by naturalisation, Martin Vasquez broke new ground by moving from one national
imago
T
he Alamodome was rocking. An hour before kick-off, a
capacity crowd of 64,369 had gathered ahead of another
classic clash between the United States and Mexico on 15
April, while some seminal rock music helped set the scene.
Quite appropriately, Guns N Roses’ legendary song, "Welcome to the Jungle" was playing, indicating that one team
would be in for a difficult game that night. The only question was, whose jungle was it?
If you closed your eyes and listened to the crowd during the pre-match introductions, festivities and announcements, you might have thought the game was being held somewhere in Mexico, but definitely not in San
Antonio, Texas. According to unofficial estimates, Mexican fans outnumbered American supporters by approximately two to one. Regardless, the decibels inside the dome sometimes reached deafening levels,
the green-clad Mexican supporters chanting “Me-HE-co!, Me-HE-co!”
while their American counterparts, many of whom were decked out in
red, retorted with “USA! USA! USA!”
Slick surface Stewards spray the pitch at the Alamodome in San Antonio prior to the match.
8
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
8
U S A/M E X I C O
team to the other, switching from Mexico to the USA a generation ago.
He played three times for Mexico in 1992 and 1993 before settling north
of border and making seven appearances for the USA. "When I had the
opportunity to play for Mexico, I did it with a lot of pride and took advantage of the opportunity," Vasquez said. "When the U.S. national team
gave me the opportunity, I played with a lot of pride and honour. There
are mixed emotions, mixed feelings. I feel like a Mexican and like an
American. That’s the truth, mainly because my kids, my family have been
born here. I owe a lot to this great country."
Vasquez added that it was not a difficult decision to switch national
sides: "I didn’t come to America by choice. My family moved here. After
a few years, we were able to take advantage of the opportunities given
here. I look back and this has become my second home."
Emotional involvement
Today’s players face difficult decisions when it comes to choosing
where to play for club and country. Take, for example, USA internationals Ventura Alvarado and William Yarbrough. Born in Phoenix,
Arizona to Mexican parents, Alvarado has been on the books at Club
America in Mexico for his entire career. “For me, there are a lot of
emotions tied up in the game,” the 22-year-old centre-back said of the
international derby. "I feel like it’s Club America against Chivas. It’s
a Clasico. We’ve got to beat them."
Meanwhile, Yarbrough, a 26-year-old native of Aguascalientes,
Mexico, was born to American parents who were missionaries. He
now plays for Leon. "I grew up watching both teams and when the
U.S. or Mexico played, I wanted both to win," the goalkeeper told
ESPN Mexico. "When they played each other, I never leaned towards
one or the other. I was born and grew up in Mexico, but I know where
my family is from. All I can say is that I’ll defend the U.S. colours with
everything I have. I will do everything possible to defeat Mexico."
Brad Evans Earned his 18th cap for the USA in April.
Ventura Alvarado The son of a Mexican immigrant.
“When you’re on the bus
before the game, you see the fans
and you know it’s going to be
a special evening.”
John Dorton/ISI/Corbis (4)
USA captain Michael Bradley
Both ended up playing against Mexico. At one time, however, the
idea of Mexican players representing the USA, or vice versa, was simply unheard of. In those days, Mexico dominated the rivalry on both
sides of the Rio Grande, although the first confrontation between
these two teams was not in North America but in Rome in 1934, only
three days prior to the kick-off of the World Cup there. USA recorded
a 4-2 triumph thanks to Aldo "Buff" Donelli’s four goals and qualified
for the tournament proper.
Three years later the two sides met again in three matches over
15 days at Parque Necaxa in Mexico City. The hosts emerged with
three wins (7-2, 7-3 and 5-1), setting the tone for Mexican dominance
for decades to come, in fixtures both home and away. The rivalry’s
turning point came in 1991 when the USA stunned Mexico with a 2-0
win in the semi-finals of the very first CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament. Mexico coach Manuel Lapuente was fired two days later and
the Americans suddenly found their confidence.
"What people forget is that 1991 game was the original ’dos a
cero’," Wynalda said. "It was the first time that we beat them soundly. There was not a period in that game that we didn’t feel like we
weren’t going to win. It was a huge turning point in U.S. Soccer as far
Mix Diskerud A defender with Norwegian roots.
William Paul Yarbrough The US goalkeeper was born in Mexico.
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
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U S A/M E X IKO
World-class
goalgetter
Mexico international
Chicharito plays for
Real Madrid.
Unfulfilled promise
Last-gasp exit at Brazil 2014
The Mexican national team has experienced disappointments similar to
Chicharito’s recent travails when it comes to football’s greatest interna-
10
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
tional gatherings. They are always involved somewhere along the way, but
never seem to stay around when competitions enter their most crucial
phase. At last year’s World Cup in Brazil, Mexico made it to the Round of
16 for the sixth tournament in a row before being eliminated at that stage
for the sixth successive time. Coach Miguel Herrera’s side were incredibly
unlucky last summer. First they pushed hosts Brazil to the brink of defeat
Mexico are always involved, but never
at the most crucial phase.
in the group stage and then led the Netherlands 1-0 until the closing minutes of their last-16 encounter, only for Wesley Sneijder to equalise before
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored the winner from the penalty spot in the fourth
minute of stoppage time. Many Mexicans have yet to forgive Arjen Robben
for tripping theatrically over Marquez.
Mexico are the eternally unfulfilled promise of football in Latin America, a team perpetually striving to find a place between the leading powers
Getty Images (2), AFP
M
exico have finally made another impressive appearance on the
world stage. Although the action took place far from home, half
of the country shared in Chicharito’s delight as he fired Real Madrid into the Champions League semi-finals with the winning goal
shortly before the end of his side’s 1-0 triumph over local rivals Atletico.
These days the 26-year-old’s real name of Javier Hernandez is known to
few outside his family at home in Guadalajara, and even there they call
him Chicharito – ’the little pea’. While his goal was by no means spectacular – he had to do little more than steer the ball into an empty net after
Cristiano Ronaldo had laid the groundwork – it came as an immense relief
both for him and the proud footballing nation of Mexico. With the great
Rafael Marquez’s career slowly edging towards its conclusion, Chicharito
is now the country’s most popular player. Hernandez has not played nearly so often since arriving in Madrid from Manchester United last summer,
but that is understandable given that his competition up front consists of
Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale.
U S A/M E X I C O
120 caps
Cuauhtemoc Blanco
loved to outwit his
opponents.
as the team’s mentality was concerned because we really believed in
ourselves after that win, and went on to win the Gold Cup."
Mind games
The series went from a one-sided affair to a full-blown rivalry. There have
been two constants as each team has been dominant at home. In the
rarefied air of Mexico City, situated 2,240 metres above sea level, ’El Tri’
have been able to ward off the Americans, except for two World Cup
qualifying draws and a 1-0 friendly defeat in 2013.
Except for winning the 2009 and 2011 Gold Cup finals over their
foes, the Mexicans have struggled in the States. In fact, the Americans’ favourite winning scoreline is 2-0 - ’dos a cero’ - which has been
accomplished eight times. They have beaten their rivals by the same
score in World Cup qualifying at Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio in 2001, 2005, 2009 and 2013.
Which brings us to 15 April 2015 at the Alamodome. Aside from
Columbus, San Antonio might just be the most appropriate place for
this confrontation. It is the home to the Alamo, a historic and iconic
landmark in which the Mexican army laid siege to and killed approx-
The rivalry’s turning point came in
1991. Suddenly, the Americans
found their confidence.
European
experience
Rafael Marquez’s
career included
four years with
Monaco and seven
with Barça.
of South America and Europe. The country has repeatedly produced superb
players like Chicharito, Marquez and Hugo Sanchez – who celebrated his
goals with a somersault long before Miroslav Klose. Nor should we forget
the extrovert goalkeeper Jorge Campos and Cuauhtemoc Blanco, the playmaker who would periodically wedge the ball between his feet before hopping over onrushing opponents. All of them have shaped the sport across
the globe, but none managed to garner Mexico a major international honour. In 15 World Cup appearances, the Mexicans have reached the quarter-finals twice – in 1970 and 1986, both times on home soil.
First FIFA title
The greatest success ever enjoyed by El Tricolor, as their fans call the team
clad in the three colours of green, white and red, came with victory in the
1999 Confederations Cup. That year a crowd of 110,000 celebrated a 4-3
triumph over Ronaldinho’s Brazil in the final at the Estadio Azteca. Jorge
Campos kept goal and Rafael Marquez marshalled the defence while Cuauhtemoc Blanco fired six goals during the tournament, including the winner in the final. For Mexicans everywhere, those are glorious memories
indeed.
Sven Goldmann
imately 200 Texan defenders in 1836, an encounter that eventually
led to Mexican General Santa Anna’s defeat in the battle of San Jacinto a few weeks later.
Some 179 years later, though, history would not repeat itself with
a Mexican rout. A day prior to the match, there was another game
afoot - gamesmanship. ’Medio Tiempo’, a Mexican media outlet, reported that Hector Gonzalez Inarritu, general manager at the Mexican Football Federation, floated the idea of refusing to play should
the condition of the pitch at the Alamodome not improve. The Alamodome has artificial turf, so the U.S. Soccer federation installed a
temporary grass pitch, a patchy field that was not up to World Cup
standards. After receiving assurances that the pitch would hold up,
Mexico agreed to play.
Both teams fielded young line-ups with many players from their
respective domestic leagues, the LIGA MX and Major League Soccer.
’El Tri’ were without their Europe-based core of performers, including
midfielder Andres Guardado (PSV Eindhoven) and forwards Javier
“Chicharito” Hernandez (Real Madrid) and Giovani dos Santos (Villarreal). The USA were unable to select captain and forward Clint Dempsey
due to a hamstring injury, while striker Jozy Altidore had received a
red card in a previous friendly. "Both teams still want to win and the
players want to show what they can do," said USA coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who opted to put a 20-year-old college sophomore from Stanford University in his starting line-up: Jordan Morris.
The striker, who had all of 17 minutes of international experience up
to that point, did not let the occasion get to him, however, and in the
49th minute he put the USA in front after taking advantage of a mistake
in the Mexican defence. "When Jordan was doing his shooting before
the game, he was pretty much missing everything. I told him, ’Just relax.
It’s OK,’" Klinsmann said. "To see a boy like Morris score his first international goal, you jump for joy."
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
11
U S A/M E X I C O
Emotional Mexico coach Miguel Herrera.
Intimidated Mexicans
Jump is exactly what Morris did after slotting the ball past goalkeeper
Cirilo Saucedo, throwing a celebratory punch into the air as the outnumbered American fans cheered so loudly that you thought they
would blow the dome’s roof off. "I was nervous but excited too," Morris said. "It’s something I’ve dreamed of since I was a little kid, scoring
a goal, especially in such a big game in front of so many fans. I’d never
played in an atmosphere like that. It was tough to adjust to it at first,
but I’m happy I got the chance and that I was able to put it away.”
Juan Agudelo then scored his first international goal in three
years to give the Americans yet another ’dos a cero’ result, as USA
fans chanted to remind their Mexican counterparts. “It was pretty
amazing,” Klinsmann said. “It was so full of energy. It was really fun.”
Well, maybe not so much fun in the Mexican changing room.
Including Lapuente, an incredible six Mexican coaches have been
dismissed following defeats to the USA: Miguel Mejia Baron (1995),
Bora Milutinovic (1997), Enrique Meza (2001), Hugo Sanchez (2008)
and Sven-Goran Eriksson (2009). Yet given this match was a friendly
and that Mexico have important matters in the Gold Cup and Copa
America this summer, coach Miguel Herrera’s position appears safe.
"This is not the team you’ll see in competition," he reminded the
media in the post-match press conference. Herrera refused to blame
Bora Milutinovic
1983–1986, 1995–1997
12
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
Miguel Mejia Baron
1993–1995
Manuel Lapuente
1990–1991, 1997–2000
Enrique Meza
2000–2001
Hugo Sanchez
2000, 2006–2008
Sven-Göran Eriksson
2008–2009
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
12
imago, Getty Images (6)
Six Mexico coaches dismissed following defeats to the USA
U S A/M E X I C O
the playing conditions for his team’s performance, despite
having every right to do so. "There are good pitches and there
are bad pitches, and the players have to adjust," he said. "It
was the same for both teams."
Herrera added: "We don’t have an excuse. They were more
convincing. They finished their chances. We didn’t do that."
Some of the teams’ most ardent supporters feel Mexico no
longer have much of a chance against the USA - unless there
is a change in attitude. Valerie Trevino, a Mexican who lives
in San Antonio, was concerned about El Tri’s mental state
against the USA. "When you watch the United States play
Mexico it feels like Mexico are intimidated," she said. "Mexico can beat any team, but when it comes to the United States
they freeze. This time we choked."
Yet ’El Tricolor’ have plans to avenge the defeat and Herrera promised that Mexico would prevail in the Gold Cup in
July. "We can beat them without problems," he said. Defender
Carlos Salcedo agreed: "We want to get our revenge in an official competition." He just might get that if both teams reach
the final, setting up yet another Clasico confrontation. Å
imago (2)
L e aps and bounds
There can be no doubt whatsoever that Mexico is a huge footballing
nation. In 1930 the national team participated at the inaugural
World Cup in Uruguay, and the country has also hosted the tournament twice itself, in 1970 and 1986. On both occasions Mexico City’s
Estadio Azteca, one of the most iconic stadiums in world football,
provided the stage for the final.
To date Mexico are the only team from the CONCACAF region to have
won a FIFA tournament, having lifted the Confederations Cup in 1991.
After receiving an invitation from CONMEBOL,
Mexico have participated at the Copa America
since 1993 and finished as runners-up both that
year and in 2001. On 4 July 1993 a certain Hugo
Sanchez was a member of the team that lost the
title-decider 2-1 to Argentina in the Ecuadorian
city of Guayaquil. At that time Sanchez, one of the
biggest poster boys for Mexican football, was yet
to embark on the final of his three spells with a
Madrid-based club. He was at Atletico from 1981
to 1985; at Real from 1985 to 1992 and at Rayo
Vallecano in the 1993/94 season. The striker’s
goal celebration lives long in the memory. Having
done gymnastics as a child, Sanchez celebrated
each of his strikes with a forward somersault in
honour of his sister, a gymnast who took part at
the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. mpe
Master and apprentice Goalscorer Jordan Morris (left) with his coach Jurgen
Klinsmann.
Goalscoring
gymnast
Hugo Sanchez
celebrates
scoring
for Real Madrid
in 1988.
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
13
Every dream needs a kick-off.
Inspire her passion. Use your Visa Card to purchase tickets
to the FIFA Women’s World Cup™.
TALK ING POIN T S
O N
T H E
Myanmar: National League
Ya n go n s e t t i n g
the pace
Emanuele Giulianelli is a
freelance football correspondent
based in Milan.
Yangon United FC
Currently sitting pretty at
the top of the Myanmar
National League, the highest division in the
southeast Asian country formerly known as
Burma, Yangon United Football Club are on
an impressive run of form. They have won
every single one of their nine league matches to date and followed up a 6-0 victory over
Rakhine United on the opening day of the
season with 5-2 wins against Manaw Myay
and Zeyar Shwe Myay. Founded in 2009,
Yangon have been crowned champions in
three of their seven seasons in existence
and boast a goal difference of +22 (30 scored,
eight conceded) so far this term.
I N S I D E
The architect behind the team’s dream start
this season is Serbian head coach Miodrag
Jesic, the much-travelled former poster boy
of Partizan Belgrade who has won titles in
Bulgaria (with CSKA Sofia) and Libya (with
Al Ittihad) during his career. “The philosophy I try to instil in the players involves
focusing on one game at a time and making
our fans happy in particular,” he says.
“There isn’t a place in the world where
football would be possible without the fans.”
The twelve teams that compete for the
championship in Myanmar are each allowed
a maximum of four foreign players in their
squad – Yangon have three Brazilians and
one Japanese player. The domestic league is
on hiatus until the end of June due to the
national team’s 2018 World Cup second
qualifying round clash with Laos, the U-23s’
commitments at the Southeast Asian Games,
and the U-20 World Cup.
especially football. The sporting infrastructure in Myanmar, and especially in Yangon,
is very good: the country’s largest city is
home to two large national stadiums and
players are able to train in near perfect
conditions. The owner of Yangon United is
businessman Pye Phyo Tay Za.
Their closest challengers, meanwhile, are
Ayeyawady United, who finished sixth the
previous season. They have won seven of
their eight league games so far this term,
drawing the other, and they appear to be the
only side capable of overhauling Yangon at
the division’s summit. With just two games
left to play in the first half of the season,
however, Yangon are in pole position to
secure a fourth league title in the club’s
history. Å
The military regime in Myanmar pumps a
lot of money into sport as a whole, but
Plenty to celebrate
Nine matches, nine wins.
Yangon United are yet to
drop a point this season.
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
15
Germany: Bundesliga
C h a m p io n s , b u t n o
b e e r s h owe r s
Andreas Jaros is a Vienna-based
freelance writer.
Just ahead of what will be a
decisive week in the Champions League for Bayern Munich, with a semi-final clash against Barcelona
coming up, the Bavarians managed to secure
their first piece of silverware of the season. On
Matchday 30, second-placed VfL Wolfsburg
failed to produce the victory necessary to
postpone Bayern’s 25th German championship
triumph by a week after losing 1-0 away to
Borussia Monchengladbach. The previous day,
Bayern had recorded a workmanlike 1-0 win
over Hertha Berlin. The winning goal arrived
late in the game courtesy of Bastian Schweinsteiger, who has now won the Bundesliga title
eight times, a record he shares with Oliver
Kahn and Mehmet Scholl. Bayern’s hopes of
winning the treble are now over in the wake of
their elimination from the DFB Cup. Borussia
Dortmund won the semi-final clash 2-0 on
penalties after the match had ended 1-1.
It is now 15 years since Bayern last won the
league with a victory in their own stadium,
before going on to organise an impromptu
celebratory party. When they were confirmed
champions last Sunday after Max Kruse’s
last-minute winner for Gladbach against
Wolfsburg, there was no communal get-together. One group of players was at a basketball
game, while others sat at home with their feet
up on their afternoon off.
This year Bayern’s march to the title finished a
few weeks later than it did in 2014, when they
were crowned champions as early as 25 March
in Pep Guardiola’s debut season in Munich.
16
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
Victory cry Mario Gotze shares a picture of himself with the Championship trophy and a bottle of
champagne with his Twitter followers.
The squad was severely depleted earlier this
year, with a number of key players – including
Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery and David Alaba
– sidelined through injury. The first trophy of
the campaign did at least help to mitigate the
fuss surrounding the departure of the club’s
illustrious doctor, Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt, who left under acrimonious terms.
This season Wolfsburg were almost a replacement Borussia Dortmund after establishing
themselves as the leaders’ closest challengers.
Wolfsburg thrashed Bayern 4-1 at the start of
the second half of the campaign, handing the
Bavarians a first league defeat in 2014/15 in a
game in which Bayern conceded as many
goals in 70 minutes as they had in their
previous 17 games. However, Wolfsburg were
subsequently unable to perform consistently
enough to challenge the established hierarchy. Nevertheless, in an interview with ‘Sport
Bild’, Stefan Effenberg insisted Bayern “should
be warned and should respect Wolfsburg,
because if they strengthen their squad they
could soon become champions.” He also
added that: “I would turn on the television to
watch a player like Kevin de Bruyne.”
Effenberg counts both Bayern and Wolfsburg
among his former employers, while another of
his erstwhile clubs has emerged as one of the
biggest winners this season: under wily coach
Lucien Favre, Gladbach have their sights set
on reaching the Champions League. Å
Twitter
However, players and fans alike will have to
wait a while longer before letting their hair
down in celebration of the Bundesliga title, as
Bayern’s demanding schedule in the Champions League requires their full attention. The
newspaper ‘Suddeutsche Zeitung’ sympathised
with their plight: “Players like Thomas Muller
would certainly have loved to have poured a
wheat beer over somebody’s head [the traditional way titles are celebrated at Bayern]. Yet
he acknowledged the club’s anniversary title
triumph almost as if it were a minor matter.”
Egypt: Premier League
Za ma lek
r o l l b a c k t h e ye a r s
Mark Gleeson is a Cape Townbased journalist and football
whose headquarters sits ironically not on
the island in the middle of the River Nile
after which they are named but across the
water on its northern bank, last won the
Egyptian title in 2004 and have watched
with increasing frustration as their bitter
rivals Al Ahly have dominated every championship since.
commentator.
Zamalek were the winners
of the first ever organised
league in Egypt just over 90 years ago but
success of late has been hard to come by for
the legendary Cairo club, known by their
fans as the White Knights. The team,
But with a seven point lead in the title race
this season, there is every reason to believe
Zamalek could finally emerge top again,
putting behind them the disaster of February 22 when 22 spectators were crushed in
a stampede outside Cairo Stadium trying to
gain entry into Zamalek’s match against
ENPPI. That tragedy brought the league to
a halt but it resumed again in late March
with matches now played behind closed
doors.
Zamalek have kept up a strong run, particularly with the veteran Portuguese coach
Jesualdo Ferreira at the helm, and now have
57 points from 24 matches. They have lost
only once this season and are undefeated in
their last 10 games since Ferreira joined in
January. Zamalek’s form contrasts with
that of Al Ahly, whose loss on Monday to
Arab Contractors has added to the pressure
on Spanish coach Juan Garrido. Last year
Garrido took the Red Devils to the CAF
Confederation Cup title but is now the
subject of much media criticism as Ahly
sit in third place in the league standings,
11 points behind Zamalek with 13 matches
to go.
Ahly, who have won more titles than any
other African club, have found it tough to
deal with the departure of over the last
year of key players like Wael Gomaa, Mohamed Aboutrika and Mohamed Barakat,
now all retired and who have proved
near-impossible to replace. ENPPI have not
lost in their last nine games and sit second
in the premier league standings. Their
coach Tarek El Ashry has been in the job
for the last three years, which is unusual in
Egyptian football, and given time been able
to build a more than just competitive side.
Mohamed El-Shahed / AFP
All clubs face an exacting programme in
the coming months to complete the league,
with teams often playing every three days.
“This does affect the players’ performances
so we are not playing terribly attractive
football but all that matters is to win,” says
Ferreira. Å
Title in their sights
Zamalek’s Omar Gaber (l) takes
on Al Ahly’s Walid Soliman.
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
17
THE INTERVIEW
“This part of the season is great”
Former midfielder Michael Laudrup, whose pace and sharp mind guided
­Denmark to the quarter-final at the 1998 World Cup, discusses his philosophy as
a coach and reaching the critical stage of the season in the European leagues.
Michael, congratulations on winning the
Qatar Stars League title in your first season
in charge of Lekhwiya. What did you feel
after wrapping up the title?
club you need to always want to improve and
to know what it takes to improve. You also
need the means to have that possibility.
Michael Laudrup: I am very pleased. It was
nice to win the trophy. There have been a lot
of challenges, like the amount of players we
had away on international tournaments such
as the Gulf Cup which Qatar won, the Asian
Cup and also the Cup of Nations. So I think
the fact that we have won the league, and
with the number of points difference that we
have, is amazing. If you compare it to last
season, Lekhwiya won with 53 points, and
the second and third placed teams had 48
and 47 respectively. This year we have 62
points and Al Sadd have 57. So we had to get
more points this year to win the league. We
are also in the Asian Champions League and
we want to move on from the group stages.
The club has never won two trophies in one
season, so we can make history this season if
we win one more title, either the Qatar Cup
or the Emir Cup.
Do you think you left a legacy behind at
Swansea which is still visible today?
Is your coaching philosophy directly linked
to your style as a player, and how have you
adapted it in the different leagues in which
you have coached?
I think so; you see it in the way we are
training. The big leagues in Europe are
another level but a lot of the things I train
here are the same as I did in Swansea or
Getafe. As a coach you have to adapt to the
people, the culture, the level of club and
players, but there are things wherever it is,
there are basic things you can learn. Here we
have a lot of national team players, players
with good individual skills. So we are training the position of the ball, keeping it.
Looking back, how would you assess your
previous managerial post at Swansea?
It was a historic moment, the first time
the club went to the top ten in the league
and the first trophy in a hundred years for
the club. That is history. In ten years’ time
they will still look at the League Cup trophy
and look at our team from that year. I hope I
can do the same here. As a coach, player and
18
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
They have changed a little, a lot of the
players I brought are not there anymore and
their style has changed a little. They have
had a very good season in the Premier
League this season, I have to say. I am happy
for that. When we won the Cup I told the
players to enjoy the moment, because you
never know when it will be back. It could be
in one year, in five or in 20. But that trophy
is there and it is there forever.
Before that you had a successful spell at
La Liga side Getafe. How do you compare
the technical level of the Premier League
and La Liga?
I think it is complicated to compare.
They are two fantastic leagues with so many
great players. What is the typical English
team? There are so many different styles
of play, from the old style of kick and rush
to the passing games of teams like Arsenal
and Manchester City. Maybe there are more
differences in style in the Premier League
than in La Liga, where everyone wants to
play with the ball. The intensity in the
Premier League is higher than La Liga, but
it is a difficult moment in Europe for the
English teams; two years in a row without a
team in the last eight. I think that is a tough
one to accept for people there, for the
­P remier League, the most branded league
in the world, where the most money is. In the
years before they had also been dominating
in Europe, but everyone now is discussing
what is happening. OK, there are Barcelona
and Real Madrid, but also Juventus, PSG,
Monaco, Porto, so teams from lower leagues
are competing better than us, so what is
happening?
Talking about tough competition – your two
former teams Barcelona and Real Madrid are
locked in an extremely tight race in La Liga.
Who is your favourite to win it?
It is very difficult. They both have some
tough games remaining. Four points was a
good margin, now it’s down to two so it is
tough. Also what happens in the Champions
League will have an impact, because if one
goes out and the other goes through that
means two more games to play. They both
want to win everything, they are prepared
and capable so it will be nice to watch. As
a spectator this part of the season is great
to watch. I still consider Barcelona to be
favourites because they are in front, but
one bad game and you are behind. Of course
it is always better to be in front, as with us
here when Al Sadd were behind us. They had
to win and hope that the top team loses.
When it comes to choosing between your two
former teams, are you sometimes torn in
terms of loyalty as you watch matches?
No, I am not. I am proud of playing for
both. The five years in Barcelona were the
best in my life as a player. And I was so well
received as a person in Madrid. But I wasn’t
born there, I am a foreign player, and just
happy that I have played in these fantastic
big clubs.
Do you see any players in the teams who
remind you of your playing style?
There’s a lot with my style. But I am
always proud when someone does something
special they say ‘he’s like Laudrup’. It is 18 or
19 years since I left Spain, so it is great that
they remember me like that. Å
Michael Laudrup was speaking to
Matthias Krug
Name
Michael Laudrup
Date and place of birth
15 June 1964, Frederiksberg, Denmark
Position
Midfielder
Clubs played for (selected)
1981 Kjobenhavns Boldklub
1982–1983 Brondby
1983–1989 Juventus
1983–1985 Lazio (loan)
1989–1994 Barcelona
1994–1996 Real Madrid
1997–1998 Ajax
Clubs coached (selected)
2002–2006 Brondby
2007–2008 Getafe
2008–2009 Spartak Moscow
2010–2011 Mallorca
2012–2014 Swansea City
since 2014 Lekhwiya
Denmark national team
104 caps, 37 goals
Major honours as player (selected)
Italian Championship 1986
Spanish Championship 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995
Copa del Rey 1990
European Cup 1992
Dutch Championship 1998
Best Foreign Player in Spanish Football 1992, 1993
Major honours as coach (selected)
Bax Lindhardt
English League Cup 2013
Danish Manager of the Year 2003, 2005
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
19
First Love
Place: Rio Negro, Manaus
Date: 5 April 2015
Time: 12.34 p.m.
Photog rapher: Br uno Kelly
REUTERS
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
21
Developing football
everywhere and for all
Organising inspiring
tournaments
Caring about society
and the environment
For the Game. For the World.
FIFA is committed to developing football for the benefit of all. Our mission is to:
Develop the game
FIFA’s primary objective is to develop the game of football
in our 209 member associations. The FIFA World Cup™ gives
us the resources we need to invest USD 550,000 per day in
football development across the globe.
Touch the world
FIFA’s aim is to touch the world through its international
football competitions and events, uniting and inspiring
people everywhere.
FIFA.com
Build a better future
Football is much more than just a game. Its universal appeal
gives it a unique power and reach which must be managed
carefully. FIFA believes it has a duty to society that goes
beyond football.
FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP
PRESIDENTIAL NOTE
Champions to meet in Japan
Preparations are well underway as the annual
Club World Cup gets set to return to Japan.
A sign of peace
“S
Object of desire Seven teams will battle it out for the Club World Cup trophy
this December (Pictured: Carles Puyol, 2011).
Toshifumi Kitamura / AFP Photo
A
fter last staging the prestigious tournament in 2012, Japan will
play host again in 2015 and 2016, with this year’s Club World Cup
confirmed for 10-20 December. FIFA Secretary General Jérôme
Valcke says the experience of the Japan Football Association (JFA)
in organising a number of major football tournaments will go a long
way to ensuring further success for the event.
“This is a country with a proven track record when it comes to
staging FIFA events, including six editions of the Club World Cup,
which were all successful,” says Valcke. “We know it will be a superb
setting once again for this annual competition with good-sized
crowds and a wonderful atmosphere. The popularity and profile
of the competition continues to build each year and this is sure to
­continue with the huge support shown within Japan.”
JFA President Kuniya Daini says the competition is important
for Japan both in terms of development and the entertainment
factor. “It is a valuable opportunity for both players and fans to
witness the world trends in club football. Not only does this
­competition bring exciting and entertaining football, it also gives
us an insight into each participating country’s club culture and the
respective domestic leagues. Together with FIFA, we will do our
utmost to ensure the success of this competition. It will be an
­important experience for us as we look forward to hosting other
major sporting events including the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and
Paralympic Games.” The JFA has started working on the tour­
nament and an announcement on the selected Host Cities will
­follow shortly. The event will feature the club champions of all
six confederations (the AFC, CAF, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, the
OFC and UEFA) as well as Japan’s domestic champions. Å
tfw
port unites people, creates hope and has more power to overcome political and religious barriers than any government,”
said the unforgettable Nelson Mandela. His words are more
pertinent than ever. I sense this every day. Naturally, developing and
improving football is FIFA’s central task, but at the same time social
and community issues are coming ever more strongly to the fore.
Like almost no other sport, football can build bridges and bring
people together. In areas affected by conflict such as Syria, Iraq,
­A fghanistan, Somalia or Palestine, the kick-off in a football match
is not only a trigger for positive emotions and hope, it can also often
help initiate diplomatic negotiations. We interact directly with the
grass roots through development and youth projects and help in
areas out of sight to the general public, be it via infrastructure
­projects, technical development or organising competitions. FIFA
invests US$616,016 in development programmes – every day. The
total of our direct assistance has now passed the US$2bn mark.
We joined forces with the Norwegian FA and the Nobel Peace
Center in Oslo to launch the “Handshake for Peace” campaign at our
May 2012 Congress in Budapest. The profound symbolic effect and
global resonance of this message of peace can be seen weekend after
weekend, especially in youth football. The shaking of hands and
high-fiving has become a permanent ritual, before and after the
match, and even includes the substitutes and coaches. The junior
players at the grass roots do not want to miss out on what Neymar
and Messi are celebrating in the spotlight.
It is a very personal matter to me that we should maintain the
intensity and tempo of our efforts and carry the message of the
­campaign out into the wider world. At the end of the day the power
of our sport stretches far beyond the touchline and the duration of
the match. Thanks to its charisma and popularity we have a significant chance of bringing people together and promoting respect and
understanding. As Mandela said: “Let’s celebrate humanity.” And I
would add: “Let’s shake hands – for peace!”
Best wishes, Sepp Blatter
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
23
FRANCE
Philippe Bergeroo won the European Championships with France in 1984 and was goalkeeping
coach for their 1998 World Cup triumph. Now
he is about to lead his country at this summer’s
Women’s World Cup. Sarah Steiner spoke with
the 61-year-old head coach.
24
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
Franck Fife / AFP
“Problems are dealt
with differently in
women’s football”
FRANCE
Mr Bergeroo, the Women’s World Cup 2015
begins in Canada in just over six weeks’
time. Where do your team stand right now?
Philippe Bergeroo: We’ve worked hard
and begun working with a completely new
support team, so plenty has changed.
Major investments have been made to
ensure that these players are optimally
prepared for the World Cup. Although my
predecessor had already done a fantastic
job, we’re making progress. But we’re
taking it one step at a time…
To win the Women’s World Cup title in June?
We’re certainly not going to Canada as
favourites from the outset. Our aim is to
progress as far as possible, that much is
clear – but the title? Other sides come to
mind before us.
Who?
There’s USA, Germany, Japan, Brazil,
but also China PR and Korea Republic – and
don’t forget the Nordic countries, Sweden
and Norway. There are only three spots on
the podium, and we’re not the only team
who want to get up there.
But if you look at France’s qualifying
­campaign and preparations, it’s easier to
imagine you among the favourites than as
one of the outsiders.
Yes, we’ve delivered good performances.
It was important to me that we were able to
take part in the Algarve Cup and test ourselves against the big nations. And it went
well for us even though we ultimately lost to
USA in the final. Our other friendlies against
Brazil and Canada also showed that we’re on
the right track. What’s more, those kinds
of fixtures always enable me to introduce
young players and try out new formations.
You’ve given plenty of youngsters a chance
to prove themselves in the national side over
the past few months. How do you integrate
the new additions?
We’ve tried to introduce our young players
to the team one step at a time, as we did
during qualification. In matches against sides
like Kazakhstan or Bulgaria I sent more 18 or
19-year-old footballers out onto the pitch, and
then they had to take a back seat again for the
crucial games. But of course training is also
important for integration.
Playing a World Cup means taking a journey
together in more than one sense. How
important is it that a team functions and
blends together 100 per cent?
Philippe Bergeroo prefers to handle discussions on a one-to-one basis.
It’s essential and something we’re working hard on. The older, more experienced
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
25
FRANCE
What do you mean by that?
Criticising or even raising my voice with
a player in front of everyone else is out of
the question – it’s a no-go in a women’s
team. If I’ve got a problem with someone,
I take them to one side and clear things up
with them in private. There aren’t many
differences between men’s and women’s
football, at least not when it comes to
coaching. After all, I’m not a men’s coach
or a women’s coach, I’m a football coach,
but in certain situations I’m simply more
cautious.
You were a goalkeeper and then a goal­
keeping coach. Was taking charge of a
team the next logical step?
I had the chance to make a professional
career out of it. When I decided to hang
up my playing boots, I completed all my
coaching qualifications, and received the
offer from Paris after working with the
national sports institute and then with the
men’s national side as goalkeeping coach.
I’d seen everything there was to see as a
goalkeeping coach and wanted to experience something new, so I first became an
assistant coach and then took control of
the PSG first team as head coach.
I’m not a men’s
coach or a women’s
coach – I’m a football coach.
How exactly did you come to work in
­women’s football?
I wasn’t an official candidate for the
national team coach position. Noel Le
Graet, president of the French Football
Federation and one of women’s football’s
greatest supporters, called me and offered
me the job.
Did you accept it straight away?
I had to think about it a little first, and
I asked my wife if she thought it was okay
[laughs]. Although I accepted the post 48 hours
after our phone call, I said: “If we don’t think
it’s working after six months, I’ll resign” – and
I’m still here.
Are you still a goalkeeper at heart and does
that mean you pay particular attention to
the custodians within your squad?
A little, perhaps – but I’ve got the best
goalkeeping coach I could wish for in
Albert Rust. I’ve known him for a long
time; back in 1984 he was the French No. 2
keeper. I trust him completely and let him
get on with his job.
World champion Bergeroo carries Fabien Barthez on his shoulders after the 1998 World Cup Final.
26
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
Is it difficult to find good goalkeepers in
women’s football?
We’re lucky to have several extremely
talented keepers, but it’s tough to find
promising youngsters. We’ve got to work
on that, including when it comes to scouting. Most importantly, we mustn’t let girls
specialise in goalkeeping from the very
start, as you’ve got to give them overall
coordination first, which they can pick up
by learning moves in another sport, for
example. You shouldn’t focus too closely
on the specifics. I might advise budding
goalkeepers to try out other positions or
disciplines first. We’ll only try them out
between the posts once their coordination’s
ready as that’s the area that’s lacking most
at the moment.
At the Women’s World Cup you’ve been
drawn in a group with England, Colombia
and Mexico. Which team is the strongest?
I’ve got respect for all three sides, but I
know there’s one team that have improved
enormously in the past few years: England.
That’ll be an extremely tough game.
How are your team preparing for these
encounters?
We’re studying their play, analysing
their tactics and then showing the squad
video recordings. By doing that we’ve also
seen what set Colombia apart in what was a
very strong display against Brazil [editor’s
note: a 0-0 draw in September 2014 that
secured Colombia’s Women’s World Cup
spot]. We’ve got to be extremely alert.
Presse Sports / freshfocus, Fanck Fife / AFP (2)
members of the squad are taking a leading
role in that respect, and the team functions
thanks to their help. Of course, if there’s a
problem I notice it immediately and try to
talk about it with the players – but after that
they take care of it. Problems are dealt with
differently in women’s football.
Diplomatic Bergeroo is more cautious in some situations
FRANCE
France have considerable potential in attack.
In Gaetane Thiney you have the most prolific
goalscorer from qualifying in your ranks, with
13 goals to her name during that campaign,
and the best passer in Louisa Necib.
History could repeat itself...
The collective unit is the most important thing for me. If that doesn’t work, then
even having the best striker won’t achieve
anything. Gaetane had an incredibly good
season and Louisa is back again after an
injury, having made her comeback with
Lyon as they defeated Montpellier 2-1 to
secure the double. We’re counting on her
and her unbelievable skills.
And the ideal next instalment of your plan?
Does this mean that these two players are
your best asset?
Our greatest strength doesn’t lie with
individuals but with the balance within the
team. We’re formidable in both attack and
defence, and everything hinges on how
those two areas complement each other. Of
course, I’m also trying to find at least two
players for every position so that we can
respond in the event of an injury. But at the
end of the day I only have 23 places to fill.
Every single one of them is valuable.
In 2019, in fact – the year France have
been chosen to host the Women’s World
Cup. That would be fantastic!
We’ve got various targets, all of them
aligned. The first one was to qualify for the
Women’s World Cup 2015, and we’ve done
that. The next aim was to improve our
ranking, and we managed that too [editor’s
note: from 6th place in June 2013 to a
­current position of 3rd]. In addition to
that we’ve been able to integrate talented
youngsters into the team. The current
squad includes 11 players who will still be
around in 2019, giving them a chance to
play at a home World Cup. That’s terrific! Å
FRANCE
WOMEN’S NATIONAL
FOOTBALL TEAM
World Cup:2003, 2011, 2015
EURO:1984, 1997, 2001,
2005, 2009, 2013
Olympic Games:2012
FIFA Ranking:3rd position
Head coach:Philippe Bergeroo
Most caps:Sandrine Soubeyrand
(198 selections)
Top scorer:Marinette Pichon
(81 goals)
Squad 2015 World Cup
Goalkeepers: Sarah Bouhaddi (Lyon), Céline
Deville (Juvisy), Méline Gérard (Lyon)
Defenders: Laure Boulleau (Paris), Anaïg
Butel (Juvisy), Sabrina Delannoy (Paris), Laura
Georges (Paris), Jessica Houara d’Hommeaux
(Paris), Amel Majri (Lyon), Griedge Mbock
Bathy (Guingamp), Wendie Renard (Lyon)
Midfielders: Camille Abily (Lyon), Élise
Bussaglia (Lyon), Kenza Dali (Paris), Kheira
Hamraoui (Paris), Amandine Henry (Lyon),
Claire Lavogez (Montpellier), Louisa Nécib
(Lyon), Élodie Thomis (Lyon)
Forwards: Marie-Laure Delie (Paris),
Kadidiatou Diani (Juvisy), Eugénie Le Sommer
(Lyon), Gaëtane Thiney (Juvisy)
Substitutes: Viviane Asseyi (Montpellier),
Charlotte Bilbault (Soyaux), Amandine Guerin
(Soyaux), Aurélie Kaci (Paris), Clarisse Le Bihan
(Guingamp), Julie Soyer (Juvisy), Sandie Toletti
(Montpellier)
You managed to grab one of those in the
past.
Yes, but only as third-choice goalkeeper
at the 1984 European Championship in
France – and we won the trophy. I was
part of the team again at the 1998 World
Cup, this time as a goalkeeping coach.
Again it was in France and again we were
champions. Those are wonderful memories.
Name
Philippe Bergeroo
Date and place of birth
13 January 1954,
Ciboure, France
Playing position
Goalkeeper
Clubs played for
1969–1971 Saint-Jean-de-Luz
1971–1987 Girondins Bordeaux
1987–1983 Lille OSC
1983–1989 Toulouse
Clubs coached
1988–1990 INSEP
1990–1998 France (goalkeeping coach)
1998–2001 Paris Saint-Germain
2002 Stade Rennes
2003, 2007–2008 France U-16
2003–2007 France U-17
2010–2013 France U-18, U-19
since 2013 France (women)
than would be the case with a men’s team.
Looking ahead The Women’s World Cup 2019 on home soil is a long-term target.
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
27
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SPOTLIGHT ON
GENER AL
INFORMATION
Country:
Namibia
FIFA Trigramme:
NAM
Continent:
Africa
Capital:
Windhoek
The numbers game
Sarah Steiner
Mario Wagner / 2Agenten
T
he world used to be a simple, structured
place – or at least football was. Players had
shirt numbers that corresponded to their
positions, with goalkeepers wearing the number one jersey and left-wingers the number 11.
It was as simple as that.
Certain numbers may still have a special
significance today, such as the sacred number
10, but the amount of options available to players has dramatically increased. As a rule, any
two-digit number is permitted internationally;
it is only at major tournaments like World Cups
or European Championships that a squad’s shirt
numbers must run in consecutive order.
Yet in the day-to-day business of domestic
championships footballers are spoilt for
choice. Moroccan player Hicham Zerouali, who
laced his boots for Aberdeen between 1999 and
2002, was given special dispensation from the
Scottish league to wear the number zero on his
shirt, given that ‘Zero’ was his nickname. The
number one, meanwhile, has not been used
exclusively by goalkeepers. Argentinian midfielder Osvaldo Ardiles wore it at the 1982
World Cup after shirt numbers were allocated
in alphabetical order, while Scottish defender
Stuart Balmer did likewise for Charlton Athletic in the 1990s.
Similarly, there are countless anecdotes
regarding two-digit shirt numbers. For instance, Bixente Lizarazu chose the number 69
because he was born in 1969, was 1.69 metres
tall and weighed 69 kilograms. Brazil’s Ronaldo
also opted for a large number (99) following his
move from Real Madrid to AC Milan in 2007,
as ‘his’ number nine shirt was already taken.
“Il Fenomeno” had won the battle for that particular jersey ten years earlier when he first
moved to Inter Milan from Barcelona. Inter
took the number from Ivan Zamorano, so the
Chilean came up with an alternative solution.
He subsequently donned the number 18 shirt,
albeit with a small plus symbol inserted between the digits. It was a simple matter of
arithmetic: 1 + 8 = 9. Å
GEOGR APHIC
INFORMATION
Surface area:
824,116 km²
Highest point:
Brandberg Mountain 2,606 m
Neighbouring seas and oceans:
Atlantic Ocean
MEN’S FOOTBALL
FIFA Ranking:
113th
World Cup:
no appearances
WOMEN’S FOOTBALL
FIFA Ranking:
115rd
World Cup:
no appearances
L ATES T RESULTS
Men’s:
Namibia - Swaziland 1:1
10 September 2014
Women’s:
Namibia - Swaziland 6:2
21 March 2015
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Since 2001:
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$ 2,082,500
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
29
©2014 FIFA TM
6 June - 5 July
C O U N T D OW N T O C A N A DA 2015: 36 DAY S T O G O
Let the party begin
The Opening Match of the Women’s World Cup takes place at
Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium on 6 June. As well as the
sporting highlights, fans can also look forward to a spectacular
celebration.
Immense
anticipation
Canadian fans are
ready for a vibrant
World Cup party.
36 DAYS TO GO
Tegan and Sara, originally from Alberta, are similarly thrilled to be part of the competition that will
bring the best female soccer players from around the
world to Canada from 6 June to 5 July. “Tegan and I will
be there, and are thrilled to take part in the Opening
Ceremony!” said Sara Quin. “We’ll be performing a
song during the Opening Ceremony alongside other
amazing artists and role models. We are looking forward to being there in Edmonton, in our home province of Alberta, to take part in such an exciting event.”
Fans as 12th player on the pitch
“We are very proud to have such accomplished Canadian home grown talent participate in the Opening
Ceremony that will be seen from coast to coast and
around the world. Canada is excited to be playing our
first two matches, including the Opening Match, in
Edmonton,” said Peter Montopoli, CEO of the National Organising Committee for Canada 2015. “We know
that Edmonton will continue its tradition as a great
host for international soccer and support Canada as
our 12th player on the pitch.” Å
tfw
G
Mike Hewitt / Getty Images
rammy Award winning artist Sarah McLachlan and Juno Award winning duo
Tegan and Sara have been announced as featured artists for the Opening
Ceremony of the Women’s World Cup taking place directly before the Opening
Match featuring Canada against China PR on 6 June in Edmonton.
The Opening Ceremony will officially kick off the competition and will feature
over 200 performers celebrating the empowerment and unification of women.
The competition’s official slogan – To a Greater Goal – will come to life through performances demonstrating the positive impact of the sport both on and off the field.
Celebrating the ideas of ambition, inspiration, honour, victory, celebration and
pride, values shared by the announced artists, the Opening Ceremony will celebrate
the greatest attributes of the game and highlight the lasting legacy and global impact
of a competition featuring successful and empowering women from around the world.
“Important to have strong female role models”
“I’m honoured to be a part of the event. This will be a great opportunity for me to
perform “In Your Shoes”, a song that was inspired by Malala Yousafzai’s incredible
story and her strength of character to stand up to what she believed in,” said McLachlan. “As the mother of two daughters, it’s important to have strong female role
models for young girls and we are so fortunate right here in Canada to have such an
accomplished group of athletes on our Canadian team who inspire us all.”
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
31
MIRROR IMAGE
T
H
E
N
Highbury Stadium, London
1951
Arsenal Football Club
Arsenal take on Glasgow Rangers in a floodlit match.
32
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
MIRROR IMAGE
N
O
W
Allianz Arena, Munich
2012
Daniel Kopatsch / Bongarts / Getty Images
A laser show heralds the start of Bayern Munich’s game against Borussia Monchengladbach.
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
33
NET ZER KNOWS!
How many Alpha
personalities can
a team cope with?
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
“We have to change the catering
because many, many times they
don’t see the games. Really, I think
they stay eating and drinking.
Sushi, lobster, champagne of high
quality, Cristal – everything! We
should give them bread and water.”
Jose Mourinho lashes out at those responsible
for monitoring match officials
“When I lifted the World Cup Trophy
in Berlin, I could touch the sky.
Zidane’s headbutt contributed
to our victory – that’s a fact.”
Marco Materazzi, world champion
“Since the beginning of the season,
I’ve received over 2,000 phone calls
about Pogba. I received many
engagement proposals, but none of
Taking it easy Gunter Netzer aged 34.
Sven Simon / imago
A
great deal of tact is needed to deal with
Alpha personalities, especially from the
coach. It’s his job to intervene at the right
time when things get out of hand between
people on a personal level. He has to be able
to recognise the role each player has and the
key is to find a balance.
There is no longer the same significance
attached to having leaders in modern football
as there was in the past, and that’s a good
thing in my view. In the 1970s and 80s it was
common practice for a team to be built around
one individual player and if they were ever
absent then the whole system fell apart.
Nowadays it’s noticeable how many characters the top teams have out on the pitch, but it’s
not an issue as long as there’s mutual respect
and nobody puts themselves first. However, it
must be said that quiet, understated dominant
personalities exist too. They’re extremely important, especially at times when things aren’t
going well for the team.
It comes with the territory that Alpha
personalities need a lot of freedom, but in
exchange they have to perform. I got up to a
few shenanigans at Borussia Monchengladbach and Real Madrid, but the people there
didn’t mind because they said to themselves:
‘At least he plays well’. Å
them were worthy of marriage!
We signed with Juventus for five more
years, but we’re all gentlemen:
if the right offer arrives, we’ll take it.”
Mina Raiola, agent of Paul Pogba
“I disagree that Dybala is the new Aguero. He’s the new Messi.
He operates all over the pitch like Messi.”
What have you always wanted to know about football?
Ask Gunter Netzer: [email protected]
Maurizio Zamparini, Palermo president
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
35
FIFA PARTNER
TURNING POINT
“I owe my
coaching career
to my wife”
Former New Zealand international Aaran Lines has made
quite a name for himself as a
coach in the USA – thanks in
no small part to his wife.
Keystone / AP
I
never thought I would one day be reaching
for the stars as head coach of a women’s
soccer team in the USA. I never really
considered a career in women’s football
during my playing career.
The legendary Wynton Rufer scouted me
when I was a teenager and brought me from
New Zealand to Germany. After coming
through the youth academy at Werder Bremen and following spells at several other
clubs – first in northern Germany, and later
in Poland – I finished my career in the USA
and became more familiar with the women’s
game through my wife Alexandra, who played
football herself. Alex has played an integral
role in everything that has happened since
my playing days came to an end.
First things first, though: towards the end
of my playing career in the USA, I decided to
get my coaching licence. In Europe, you play
football for eleven months of the year, whereas in the USA it’s only eight. I therefore had
enough time to do my UEFA B Licence at the
Sports University in Leipzig. I’ve always been
interested in becoming a coach. After returning to the USA I founded a team with my wife
– the Western New York Flash, who are based
in Rochester.
My wife’s family owns the franchise and
they all agreed that I should assume the role
of head coach. I had no experience in women’s
football but through Alex, who played at a
reasonably high level at Niagara University,
I was always aware of how passionate women
are about the sport.
The first year was a trial run, but it won
me over completely. The huge challenges I
faced back then and those modest beginnings continue to spur me on at a club that
has long since established itself as a major
side, because we always want to raise the bar
and continue to develop. We did that in 2011,
when we were champions of the Women’s
Professional Soccer League (WPSL), which
later folded, and again in 2013, when we finished as runners-up in the National Women’s
Soccer League (NWSL). The year before that
I was voted coach of the year in the USA. Alex
has played a key part in my career and in my
success. Å
Aaran Lines was speaking to Rainer Hennies
Name
Aaran Lines
Date and place of birth
21 December 1976,
Lower Hutt, New Zealand
Clubs (selected)
Halswell United, New Zealand
1995–1996 Werder Bremen reserves
1996–1998 Kickers Emden
1998–1999 VfL Osnabrück
2002 Dresdner SC
2002–2003 Ruch Chorzow
2005 Portland Timbers
2006–2007 Rochester Rhinos
bis 2009 Richmond SC
Nationalteam: New Zealand
31 caps, four goals
Clubs coached
2009–2010 Buffalo Flash
since 2011 Western New York Flash
In Turning Point, personalities reflect on a
decisive moment in their lives.
T H E F I FA W E E K LY
37
MEN’S WORLD R ANKING
Germany (unchanged)
Switzerland (9th, up 3 ranks), Spain (10th, up 1 rank)
France (11th, down 3 ranks), Italy (13th, down 3 ranks)
135
British Virgin Islands, Dominica (3 matches each)
Wales (up 153 points)
Bhutan (up 46 ranks)
Israel (down 231 points)
New Caledonia (down 23 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
+/- Points
Rank Team
Last updated:
9 April 2015
+/- Points
Rank Team
+/- Points
1 Germany
0 1687
55 Gabon
-1
583
109 Cuba
1
298
163 Bhutan
46
128
2 Argentina
0 1490
56 Mali
-5
578
110 Sudan
0
288
164 Malaysia
-11
123
3 Belgium
1 1457
57 Albania
4
575
111 Libya
120
4 Colombia
-1 1412
57 Korea Republic
-1
575
111 St Kitts and Nevis
5 Brazil
1 1354
59 Zambia
1
556
113 Namibia
6 Netherlands
-1 1301
60 South Africa
-5
553
114 Canada
7 Portugal
0 1221
61 Equatorial Guinea
-11
549
115 Azerbaijan
8 Uruguay
1 1176
62 Republic of Ireland
4
546
9 Switzerland
3 1135
63 Australia
2
10 Spain
1 1132
64 Peru
11 France
-3 1127
65 Trinidad and Tobago
12 Romania
2 1086
66 Burkina Faso
13 Italy
-3 1085
67 Bulgaria
14 England
3 1030
15 Costa Rica
-2 1014
16 Chile
-1
991
17 Croatia
2
977
1
281
165 Grenada
-7
10
281
166 Puerto Rico
-6
119
0
279
167 Hong Kong
-10
116
2
277
167 Bangladesh
-5
116
24
264
169 Suriname
-8
115
116 St Vincent and the Grenadines
3
262
170 Yemen
5
111
531
117 Kenya
1
258
171 Montserrat
1
107
-5
526
118 Dominican Republic
-11
257
172 Pakistan
-2
106
-2
519
119 Niger
-5
252
173 US Virgin Islands
24
104
2
517
120 Mauritania
-5
246
174 New Caledonia
-23
101
4
505
121 Moldova
1
245
175 Guam
-8
97
68 United Arab Emirates
1
501
122 Lesotho
-2
242
175 Swaziland
-12
97
69 Venezuela
3
495
123 Burundi
3
237
177 Dominica
4
96
70 Norway
0
491
123 Zimbabwe
1
237
178 Laos
-8
88
70 Montenegro
-3
491
125 Vietnam
5
229
179 Cambodia
2
86
18 Mexico
3
937
72 Uganda
2
485
126 Syria
26
225
179 Chinese Taipei
9
86
19 Czech Republic
-3
923
73 Uzbekistan
-1
476
127 Kuwait
-2
224
181 Nepal
-1
71
20 Slovakia
2
920
74 Rwanda
-10
474
128 Liechtenstein
-5
219
181 Mauritius
9
71
21 Algeria
-3
917
75 Jamaica
1
466
129 Bermuda
40
217
183 Brunei Darussalam
15
69
22 Wales
15
916
76 Honduras
5
451
130 Barbados
1
215
184 Turks and Caicos Islands
-8
66
23 Côte d'Ivoire
-3
907
77 Armenia
2
449
131 Guinea-Bissau
3
212
184 Macau
3
66
24 Greece
3
900
78 Finland
0
446
131 Liberia
-14
212
186 Tahiti
-22
65
25 Austria
-2
891
79 Haiti
-2
442
133 Kazakhstan
5
210
186 Comoros
-9
65
26 Ghana
-2
833
80 Togo
-5
435
134 Aruba
-6
204
186 Sri Lanka
-12
65
27 USA
5
815
81 Paraguay
-1
418
135 Afghanistan
2
203
189 Seychelles
-11
60
28 Denmark
0
808
82 China PR
29 Scotland
10
796
83 Belarus
30 Tunisia
-5
793
84 El Salvador
31 Bosnia and Herzegovina
-1
783
85 Latvia
1
408
136 St Lucia
-4
202
190 São Tomé e Príncipe
-11
58
15
397
137 Luxembourg
-1
200
191 Cayman Islands
14
48
5
388
138 Georgia
-12
197
192 Solomon Islands
-8
46
10
387
139 Philippines
-11
193
193 South Sudan
-5
43
32 Russia
1
781
86 Mozambique
0
385
140 Palestine
0
192
194 San Marino
-13
40
33 Ukraine
-2
772
86 Iraq
11
385
141 Maldives
-8
191
195 Vanuatu
-4
34
34 Ecuador
-5
759
88 Sierra Leone
-1
382
142 Thailand
0
183
196 Fiji
-4
30
35 Poland
-1
753
89 Angola
-5
381
143 Tajikistan
-2
175
196 Samoa
-4
30
36 Senegal
0
752
90 Guatemala
-8
372
144 Central African Republic
-1
163
198 Bahamas
-4
26
37 Cape Verde Islands
1
737
91 Morocco
-2
371
144 Lebanon
2
163
198 British Virgin Islands
3
26
38 Iceland
-3
728
92 Bolivia
0
360
144 New Zealand
-10
163
200 Mongolia
-5
19
39 Sweden
6
704
93 Estonia
-6
358
147 India
26
161
201 Tonga
-5
17
40 Iran
2
689
94 Benin
-2
357
148 Curaçao
11
159
202 Papua New Guinea
-3
13
41 Guinea
3
678
95 Saudi Arabia
4
349
149 Malta
-4
158
203 American Samoa
-3
12
42 Northern Ireland
1
672
96 Cyprus
-11
342
150 Madagascar
-3
156
204 Andorra
-3
8
43 Hungary
3
665
97 Oman
-1
341
151 Chad
-3
155
204 Eritrea
-3
8
44 Serbia
-4
664
97 Malawi
-6
341
152 Timor-Leste
33
151
206 Somalia
-2
6
45 Nigeria
-4
652
99 Qatar
10
337
153 Kyrgyzstan
-3
146
207 Djibouti
-1
4
-20
649
100 Lithuania
-6
333
154 Nicaragua
31
142
207 Cook Islands
-1
4
47 Slovenia
1
648
101 Ethiopia
1
321
155 Guyana
11
139
209 Anguilla
-1
2
48 Cameroon
1
627
102 Faroe Islands
3
318
156 Gambia
12
138
46 Israel
49 Congo
3
624
103 Jordan
-2
316
157 Korea DPR
-8
137
50 Japan
3
614
104 Botswana
2
314
158 Myanmar
-5
133
51 Egypt
7
612
105 FYR Macedonia
3
312
159 Turkmenistan
-15
131
52 Turkey
4
603
106 Antigua and Barbuda
-4
311
159 Indonesia
-3
131
53 Panama
8
587
107 Tanzania
-7
302
159 Belize
5
131
54 Congo DR
-7
584
108 Bahrain
-4
299
162 Singapore
-9
130
38
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39
R E S U LT S O F PR E V I O U S P O L L
T HIS WEEK’S POLL
Who are your favourites to win
the 2014/15 Europa League?
Which of these continental champions
will go furthest at this year’s 2015
FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup?
42+38+137
7%
13%
42%
·Brazil
·Madagascar
·Mexico
·Oman
·Russia
Cast your votes at:
FIFA.com/newscentre
≠ Sevilla
≠ Napoli
≠ Fiorentina
≠ Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk
29
is the age at which Ezequiel Lavezzi scored
his first-ever league hat-trick. Paris Saint­Germain’s Argentinian forward, who had
netted just once in his previous 16 appear­
ances for club and country, struck three
times within the space of 49 minutes to
inspire a 6-1 thrashing of Lille.
WEEK IN NUMBERS
12
South African league championships have
now been won by Kaizer Chiefs. The Soweto
giants, who have lost only two of their 27
league matches this season and conceded just
12 goals, crossed the finishing line with three
games to spare thanks to a 4-1 win over
Polokwane City.
20
years without an Italian Serie A win over
Juventus was the run that finally came to end
for Torino. A 2-1 win in the latest Derby della
Mole ended a winless run of 17 matches for
I Granata – their longest such streak against
any domestic opponent.
Fotopress / Getty Images, Getty Images (2), BackpagePix
Source: Fifa.com
38%