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ISSUE 6/2015, 13 FEBRUARY 2015 ENGLISH EDITION

Fédération Internationale de Football Association – Since 1904

SACCHI’S LEGACYInterview with Arrigo Sacchi

SOUTH OF FRANCE CRA Z Y FOR OLYMPIQUE DE MARSEILLE

SEPP BLATTER U-20 WORLD CUP WILL MAKE HISTORY

LIONEL MESSI VIDEO CLIP SPARKS EMOTIONAL MEMORIES

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6 Arrigo Sacchi

Arrigo Sacchi was a man of action and a revolutionary in his field who managed to combine pragmatic defensive football with a more attractive, Dutch style of play at the end of the 1980s. Franchi met the 68-year-old Italian in his birthplace of Fusignano for an exclusive interview.

14 Peru Journeyman Carlos Grossmuller has made the perfect start at Universitario. Now, the young team from the capital Lima have their sights set on a 27th championship title.

19 Messi’s memories In the first in our series of five key World Cup moments, four-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi was visibly moved when confronted with scenes from Brazil in the FIFA studio.

23 Sepp Blatter The U-20 World Cup once provided a spring-board for Maradona, Messi and Figo. “One of FIFA’s objectives is to make football accessible to people from all walks of life,” the FIFA President says in his weekly column. Fiji and Myanmar will be among the nations contesting the title from 30 May. 16 Angel Di Maria

Manchester United’s Argentinian star talks to The FIFA Weekly.

24 Olympique de Marseille

A legendary club with a turbulent past

Sacchi’s legacyOur cover image shows Arrigo Sacchi on the AC Milan bench in March 1990. Two months later, he and his team won the European Cup for the second time.

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37 The Philippines Why Simone Rota returned to his roots.

29 Côte d’Ivoire Boubacar Barry put on a one-man show in the Africa Cup of Nations final.

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U N C O V E R E D

There is an anecdote dating from 1989 that neatly encapsulates the com-plex and revolutionary work of Arrigo Sacchi. Ahead of that year’s Eu-ropean Cup semi-final, Real Madrid sent an observer to AC Milan’s train-ing camp with the intent of spying on the Italians and learning more about Sacchi’s successful tactics. The baffled delegate sparked great con-sternation on his return to Madrid, admitting that he had learned noth-

ing from the coaching session and reporting that the former defender had set his players up to train “11 versus 0”.

Born in 1946, Arrigo Sacchi was an amateur footballer of average ability who plied his trade for home team Fusignano for many years before moving to Bellaria on the Adriatic. But after hanging up his boots, he discovered that he had a special flair for coaching. He learned quickly, and when Silvio Berlusco-ni brought him to giants AC Milan in 1987, it seemed as though he had come from nowhere. “I was an unknown who knew hardly anyone in the football business,” he later said. “The fact that I didn’t have a past helped me to make my way in that world.”

Even today, Sacchi occasionally appears at AC Milan’s training ground. This is usually a bad sign, as it means the outlook is sufficiently poor for the club to seek the 68-year-old’s advice. One thing is certain: no coach has played a greater role in shaping the destiny of I Rossoneri than Sacchi, so our reporter Massimo Franchi travelled to the Italian province of Ravenna to meet him. Our exclusive interview begins on page six. Å

Alan Schweingruber

11 versus 0 with Arrigo

4-2-4 formation Arrigo Sacchi’s opinion is highly regarded.

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Arrigo Sacchi, 68 “At my age you have to do regular exercise.”

A R R I G O S A C C H I

The creatorArrigo Sacchi shaped an era in football and his coaching style is still

revered to this day. Here he talks about Italy’s outdated football, geniuses and coaches who think too much of themselves.

Massimo Franchi, Fusignano

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That’s indicative of the state of our football. When one of our big stars goes overseas they quickly recognise how good they really are and how they are valued. There’s a huge difference. Even as little as ten years ago Italy was the best in Europe and always had teams fighting for the Champions League title. Today we’re in fourth place behind Spain, England and Germany and we need to be careful not to fall even further behind. We can already feel the closest pursuer hot on our heels.

What kind of a sport is football?Football is an attacking sport, although you have to attack as a

unit. Nowadays there is a lot more emphasis on team unity. After all, it is a team sport and not a game you play individually.

What do you mean by that?A team with togetherness has synergy, but one without it does

not have much. In order for that to be possible, all 11 players have to move as one, they have to keep the right distances between each other and lose their markers at the right time. At the back they also have to be well-positioned and mark their opponents. In short, all 11 players have to be active at all times, both in possession of the ball and without it. That’s the objective. That’s very difficult to do today, and was even harder a quarter of a century ago.

That sounds like a lot of physical and mental effort is required...The opposite is true in fact: at AC Milan we never invested more

energy than our opponents did. We always had greater stamina because when you’re in possession you never really need to sprint further than about 15 metres, but when you’re chasing the ball then you could be sprinting 40 metres. It’s common knowledge that my boys could play for a long time. Paolo Maldini only retired when he was 41, as did Filippo Galli. [Alessandro] Costacurta was 39 when he hung up his boots, while [Franco] Baresi and [Mauro] Tassotti were both 37. The only one who had to stop earlier was Marco van Bas-ten, but that was because he had osteophytes.

So you are saying the whole team shared the burden equally?That’s exactly right. I always put a lot of emphasis on a univer-

sal kind of football. I always wanted to have a strong collective rather just having good individual players. So I trained the team with a view to making every single player better, instead of inte-grating individuals into the side.

A rrigo Sacchi on 1 April you turn 69. What is an aver-age day for you like?Arrigo Sacchi: At my age you have to do regular exercise in order to stay fit. I get up, have break-fast, read the paper and watch the television. Then I do a bit of exercise, preferably riding my mountain bike. After lunch I take care of some

personal matters, read a bit and then watch football on TV. Some-times, although not very often, I go to the stadium too. Occasional-ly, Mediaset [an Italian media company] invite me to be a pundit, especially for Champions League games. If there’s no football on TV then I go out with my wife for dinner or to the theatre. In Fusignano there’s an auditorium dedicated to one of our town’s famous sons, Arcangelo Corelli, who was one of the greatest com-posers and violinists in the Baroque period towards the end of the 17th century and the start of the 18th.

You have always been an admirer of art and culture...Yes, because football is also a kind of art, a spectacle, just like

music, comedic poetry, dramaturgy and cinematics. But as the great Bertolt Brecht once said, if there is no script there is only improvisation and therefore only superficiality. Imagine a choir made up of 11 people, just like a football team and ten of them sing an aria from Aida perfectly while the 11th acts as he sees fit and sings something completely different. You can imagine how that would sound.

Has football changed since you were a coach?It changes every day, just like life itself. You have to stay up-to-

date and keep developing so that you don’t get left behind. Stand-ing still is the same as going backwards. Football follows the devel-opment of society. Today we live in a global world and if you don’t play a global kind of football then you’re quickly left on the outside looking in. Modern football is fast – a lot faster than it used to be not long ago. And if you’re not quick in today’s game then there’s no room for you.

Italian football also appears to have been left behind...That has a lot to do with our history. After the collapse of the

Roman Empire, which had spread culture to every corner of the earth, and also after the Renaissance, Italians led lives that were shaped by ruses and denunciation for centuries – the infamous art of coming to arrangements. In a way, that spread to our football, as can be seen from certain peculiarities in our downright outdated game. We needed to reorganise to get back on track but when we once again failed to adapt to the circumstances, we fell further behind. The thing I personally dislike about our football is its backwardness, its lack of innovation and the common conserva-tism that characterises certain teams. Instead of progressing they take huge steps backwards and get left behind.

There are not many Italian players abroad: Mario Balotelli is usually a substitute at Liverpool, Alessio Cerci has returned to Italy with Milan after an unsuccessful spell in Madrid, and Ciro Immobile is struggling at Borussia Dortmund.

“ The thing I personally dislike about Italian football

is its backwardness, its lack of innovation and

its common conservatism.”

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Vienna 1990Sacchi wins the European Cup with AC Milan for the

second year in a row.


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Team talk 1988 Arrigo Sacchi and his star-studded AC Milan side at a training camp.

chorus, instrumentalists and dancers. All of them move simultane-ously in perfect harmony. That is precisely how the ideal football team should act too. You can’t confuse a player with a footballer.

What do you mean by that exactly?Take Mario Balotelli for example. He’s a footballer but not a

player. A player is someone who moves in harmony with the team, not as a voice separated from the chorus.


Yet great individual players such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are often decisive...

Even superstars are only able to win when they’re given the right support from the whole team. Ask any of today’s world-class players and you’ll see what their answer is. Ronaldo and Messi may play the first fiddle but they’re still only part of a larger orchestra. Even the best and most talented players have to follow the beat of the collective. The word ’orchestra’ is a nice term and originates from Greek theatre: it means a group of people comprised of the

What was Diego Maradona?He was exceptionally talented. I must admit, I would have much

preferred to have coached him than to play against him, as was often the case in matches between AC Milan and Napoli. Diego is a kind of sword of Damocles: you never know when it’ll fall.

It is said that in a way you sacrificed great individual players in favour of tactical discipline...

Some great players enjoyed their best spells under me, such as

[Ruud] Gullit and Van Basten at AC Milan, and [Roberto] Baggio in the Italian national team..

What do you make of modern coaches?Generally, I put coaches into one of three categories. There are

the geniuses, the innovators, but there aren’t many of those; then there are the upstarts, the also-rans who have no idea but think they’re very clever; and then there are the traditionalists, the B

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The Immortals

Several years ago, in 2007 to be precise, Italian mass media company Mediaset ran a survey asking AC Milan supporters to name the best side in the club’s history. The result was unanimous: Arrigo Sacchi’s ’Squadra’, widely known as ’The

Immortals’, won the vote by an overwhelming majority, leaving the team Carlo Ancelotti set about building in 2001 and Fabio Capello’s side from the early nineties in its wake.

Under Sacchi’s tutelage, Milan dominated European football at the back end of the 1980s and remain the most recent club to have won suc-cessive European Cups in 1989 and 1990. Playing

Naples 1988 Diego Maradona takes

on Marco van Basten.


a brand of attractive, innovative, spectacular yet

efficient football that is rarely seen on Italian shores, Sacchi’s team holds a special place in the memories of the “Tifosi Rossoneri” and football fans around the globe.

Dutch influenceLike any great artist, Sacchi’s troops succeeded in blending tradition with innovative ideas of their own. His Milan team combined a defensive ap-proach typical of Italian clubs with the creativity of the individual players at his disposal, not to men-tion a possession-based system which was first adopted by a Netherlands side built around the

great Johan Cruyff. The result left nothing to be desired: a complete team with a rock-solid de-fence, a patient approach to bringing the ball out from the back and midfielders who didn’t give their opponents a moment’s peace on the ball.

Sacchi’s Milan performed with a balance and

rhythm that captures fans’ imaginations to this day. The goalkeeper, Galli, was unflappable and reliable, Tassotti and Costacurta formed a formi-dable centre-back pairing and Baresi excelled at bringing the ball out of defence in a calm and com-posed manner. Maldini not only provided extra cover for the defence, but also possessed a good eye for a ball into the feet of the attackers. Ance-lotti was responsible for pulling the strings in mid-

field, while Donadoni and Colombo were just as good at pressurising opponents as they were at keeping possession.

Napoli showdownHowever, Sacchi’s side is perhaps best known for the Dutch trio in the final third of the pitch – Rij-

kaard, Gullit and Van Basten. Rijkaard set the rhythm in attack, Gullit wreaked havoc with a mix-ture of penetration, awareness and shooting abil-

ity, and Van Basten was simply the icing on the cake. Affectionately known as the ’Nijinsky of the penalty box’ due to his sublime first touch and un-usually long strides, his goals were almost always

of the spectacular variety. They were the end prod-uct of a visionary and earned him successive Bal-lon d’Or awards in 1988 and 1989. Incidentally, his colleagues Baresi, Gullit and Rijkaard joined van Basten on the podium during that time.

Over the years, Sacchi’s Immortals made the

rest of the world forget that Italy was the birth place of the catenaccio system. All legends are

based on certain historic events and in the case of Sacchi’s Milan, three games in particular secured

them that legendary status. The first, a home match against Diego Maradona’s Napoli side,

took place in January 1988, just after Gullit had been awarded the Ballon d’Or for the first and only time. Milan romped to a 4-1 victory at the San Siro, a result that won Sacchi plenty of plaudits at the time. The second game was the 5-0 humbling of a Real Madrid side featuring Butragueno, Hugo Sanchez and Michel in the semi-finals of the European Cup in 1989, while the third of those memorable matches was the final that year, which ended in a comfortable 4-0 win for the Italians over Steaua Bucharest, earning them their first European title. The football world was waxing lyrical about the Immortals that night – and they still are to this day.

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Pointing the way Tactics were always one of Arrigo Sacchi’s strong points as coach and for this photo shoot the 68-year-old got back into character.


downright old-fashioned coaches who follow classical but now obsolete schools of thought.

Which coaches do you hold in high regard?My pupil [Carlo] Ancelotti is doing very well, especially last year

when he won both the Champions League and the Club World Cup. He could ring in the start of a new era at Real Madrid. But I also rate Jose Mourinho very highly. He’s a genius, albeit in a very different way to Pep Guardiola. I like Jürgen Klopp too, even if he’s had a lot of difficulties in the Bundesliga this season. In Italy Antonio Conte and Zdenek Zeman are without doubt among the very best. Both of them are conductors who know how to convey the full score to their orchestras.

Speaking of Real Madrid: Florentino Perez appointed you sporting director at the club ten years ago, but success remained elusive.

That team had so many champions in it: Zidane, Ronaldo, Figo, Raul, Roberto Carlos, Beckham, Owen, Casillas, Guti, Morientes, Solari and Samuel. But things didn’t work out well on the pitch.

What is your opinion of people for whom the end justifies the means as long as they win?

Results are more important today than ever before but it would be a mistake to believe that three points are the only things that matter. Success only comes with a playing style, with a unified side and the work of the whole team, and that starts in everyday train-ing. Otherwise, you may win but it’s a lifeless win. You don’t get far with that philosophy.

Which teams do you think have had the greatest influence on the development of football in different eras?

I think there have been three: the Netherlands and Ajax under Rinus Michels, AC Milan under me and Barcelona under Pep Guardiola.

How do you put a team together that is able to write footballing history?There are numerous factors that have to be considered and

brought together. First and foremost the club must be ambitious and have revolutionary ideas. The coach is also important, as he has to have the ability to put his ideas into practice and to motivate his players. New signings have to fit in exactly with the tactical con-cept. You don’t buy a player just because of his name if he can’t play in the position you need him in. There’s no point in creating unnec-essary rivalries. Young players who are brought into a new team must be reliable, unselfish, passionate and intelligent. That’s anoth-er fundamental aspect that is essential when you’re planning in meticulous detail. If you don’t work in depth then you’ve lost from

“Improvising can work well once, but meticulous planning

is the only way.”

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World Cup runners-up Sacchi honed Italy’s game and took them to the final of the 1994 World Cup.

the outset. That’s as true in football as it is in life. Improvising can work well once, but that will have been the proverbial exception that proves the rule. Meticulous planning is the only way.

Did Ronaldo deserve to win the FIFA Ballon d’Or?Absolutely! He had an outstanding season and set one new

record after the other. He may not have won the World Cup but that tournament only lasts a month, whereas a year lasts 12 months. In Brazil Messi was voted as the best player and [Manuel] Neuer as the

best goalkeeper. It’s no coincidence that both of those players were nominated alongside Ronaldo for the Ballon d’Or. I’d like to single out Neuer, the number one at Bayern Munich and in the German national team, for special praise because he’s not only good with his hands but he’s also a fantastic footballer. I watched the Round of 16 match between Germany and surprise package Algeria in Porto Alegre very closely. Neuer came out of his box at least three times and cleared the ball as if he was a top-class defender. He truly deserves the nickname “Sweeper keeper”.

“I rate Jose Mourinho very highly. He’s a genius.”


What is the greatest compliment anyone has ever paid you?There are a few examples. For instance, one was when the

French sports newspaper L’Equipe wrote that AC Milan would

never be the same again after our European Cup triumph. Another was the celebrations at the end of the 1986/87 Serie B season with Parma. We didn’t even earn promotion but finished three points off the pace in seventh place, while Cesena, Lecce and Cremonese entered the promotion play-offs. But our fans cheered us as if we’d won the Serie A title. Unbelievable! A few days later I left Parma alongside [Roberto] Mussi, [Walter] Bianchi and [Mario] Bortolazzi to join AC Milan. And the next year we won the Rossoneri’s 11th league title. Å G

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NameArrigo SacchiDate and place of birth1 April 1946, Fusignano (Italy)First team coaching debutAged 36, at Rimini (Serie C1) Clubs coachedCesena (youth team), Rimini, Fiorentina (youth team), Parma, AC Milan, Italy, Atletico MadridMajor honoursSerie A champion 1987-88 European Cup winner 1988-89, 1989-90 World Cup runner-up 1994

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O N T H E I N S I D ET A L K I N G P O I N T S

In the view of his coach Oscar Ibanez, Gross-muller is a player that “can play in three positions” but also, more importantly, one that “can make the difference”. Typical of a no.10, his preferred role is as an advanced central midfielder and up until now, the plan of using him in this position has worked very well. In the semi-finals of the recent Copa Bandes tournament, he was named man of the match in a 1-0 win against famous Argentinian outfit River Plate, before opening his account for his new club in the final in a 2-1 loss to fellow Uruguayan side Nacional. Shortly afterwards, in the opening match of the Torneo del Inca – the cup competition for Uruguay’s top-flight teams and, more signi-ficantly, Grossmuller’s competitive debut – he grabbed the winning goal as Universitario secured a narrow but deserved 1-0 victory against Leon de Huanuco.

Ostensibly his goal seemed nothing special: midway through the first half, Huanuco’s goalkeeper Jesus Cisneros parried, but could not clear, a shot from Juan Diego Gutierrez. The ball landed at the feet of Grossmuller, who was practically standing on the goalline and only needed to make contact for a simple tap-in. At second glance, however, the silky midfielder had done far more than merely

P e r u

Ea rly season promise for a wel l-t ravel led vetera n

Sven Goldmann is a leading football correspondent at Tagess-piegel newspaper in Berlin.

It would be fair to say that the people of Lima had their

reservations. Was Carlos Grossmuller still any good? At the age of 31, was he at his peak or were his best years behind him? The Uruguayan had played in the Champions League with Schalke 04, but that was seven years ago, and his brief spell at US Lecce ended with the club’s relegation from Serie A. Following that ill-fated stint in Italy, Grossmuller had returned home to play for Atletico Cerro and Penarol in Uruguay’s capital Montevideo, before taking another crack at playing abroad. This time the destination was Peru and his new home Club Universitario de Deportes, the most successful team in the country.

help the ball over the line. In fact, it was he that had started the attack with a clever switch of play to Gutierrez. That he then continued his run and was on hand to convert once his team-mate’s initial effort had been saved surprised more than a few. “A goal in your first game obviously gives you confi-dence,” Grossmuller said subsequently. “We executed a few things really well but we can definitely improve, and we have to.”

Alongside Argentine journeyman striker German Alemanno, four-time Uruguay international Grossmuller is the player with the most experience in a young and develop-ing team and is understandably well aware of the hopes placed on him at the Estadio Monumental. The Torneo Inca, meanwhile, is only the first step to bigger and more pres-tigious ambitions. May sees the beginning of the Torneo Apertura, the first stage of the league championship (the Torneo Descentral-izado), and record title-winners Universitar-io will be hoping it brings their 27th league triumph. Nevertheless, an improvement of the sort that Grossmuller described is imperative. In 2014 the Lima-based club could only finish the season in seventh place, with local rivals Sporting Cristal taking the honour of champions. Å

A successful debut Carlos Grossmuller is delivering on his promise having scored the deciding goal against Leon de Huanuco. D

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Oman: Omantel Pro fes sional L eague

A l Or uba out f ront in Oma n

Andreas Jaros is a Vienna-based freelance writer.

A few weeks ago, the travel section of the New York Times hailed Oman as “one of

the must-see places of 2015.” The sultanate offers staggering mountain ranges, a diverse coastline and the serenity of the Wadis, where the majority of the rivers run dry but transform into blooming oases during the wet season. In a word, this natural jewel – one that is in stark contrast to the artificial worlds of neighbours United Arab Emirates and Dubai – is well worth a look.

Any visitors to Oman also interested in football will not be disappointed. The Gulf state and it’s three and a half million inhabit-ants boast a domestic league with 14 teams who compete home and away for the title and to avoid finishing the season in one of the two relegation spots. They are delighted to welcome any and every visiting fan.

Dramatic turns might be common in the landscape, but the same cannot be said for the top half of the table. Al Oruba are league leaders and midway through February after 13 games boasted a six-point lead after continu-ing their winning run of form with a 1-0 win against Al Shabab. The chasing pack are a tight-knit bunch. Second-placed Dhofar, who only managed a 1-1 draw against Al Seeb, and eighth-placed Fanja SC are separated by just three points. Last year’s runners up Fanja would be be nearer the top, but were left reeling from a 4-2 home defeat against Al Nasr.

Standings: 1. Al Oruba, 29 points – 2. Dhofar, 23 – 3. Al Nasr – 4. Al Shabab, both 22 points – 5. Al-Khaboora, 21 points – 6. Sur – 7. Saham (one game in hand) – 8. Fanja SC, all 20 points.

Defending champions Al Nahda’s fall from grace is almost beyond imagination. After being docked six points, the 2013/14 champi-ons are propping up the table after only picking up four points in a dozen games.

Similarly extreme are the attendance figures in the sparsely populated monarchy. There is

space for just 2,000 fans at Ibri, but the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in the capital Muscat, a stadium which acts as home for a number of top-flight clubs, offers a 39,000 capacity.

Even without the recommendation of the New York Times, Oman’s football chiefs

recently made an occupational visit to Aus-tralia for the Asian Cup. Sadly, their country had the misfortune of being drawn in the same group as the two finalists: A 4-0 defeat to hosts and eventual winners Australia was accompanied by a 1-0 loss to South Korea. Oman did finish strongly though, beating local rivals Kuwait 1-0. Å

Leaving rivals in their wake Nasser Shimley clears confidently for league leaders Al Oruba.

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T H E I N T E R V I E W

In 2014 you helped Real Madrid become European champions for the tenth time but then had to leave the club. With Argentina you reached the Final of the World Cup in Brazil but missed their last two games because of injury. On balance, would you say it was a bittersweet 12 months?

Ángel Di María: No, no … I’m very happy about what happened. Aside from injuries, which can afflict anyone, I achieved big things, like winning la décima with Madrid and helping Argentina reach the World Cup Final after many years. Then there was how we got there – showing immense desire and bravery with a spectacular group of players. It was well deserved and I was more than satisfied with what we accomplished.

If you had to single out one moment from 2014, what would it be and why?

It might sound strange but it’d be reach-ing the World Cup Final. It’s something I never thought I’d be part of, even as a boy. And although I couldn’t play, it was still the most beautiful moment of my career.

When you picked up that injury against Bel-gium, did you realise immediately how serious it was?

Yes, I knew it might be a bad one from the pain. It was just as I accelerated past the defender and was about to break clear. That’s when I felt the pain. However, I have great faith and believed I’d be able to play again, and I did everything in my power to be fit for the Final. But football’s like that. It can put you out of the World Cup, but it can also give you a chance to make amends. Hopefully I’ll get that opportunity.

Have you watched those World Cup games since?

No, I try not to watch them. (laughs)

Not even your goal against Switzerland?That one, yes. From time to time I watch

some clips on Youtube, though it’s mostly ones featuring the fans. When you’re actually

part of a World Cup, you don’t see any of what’s going on outside, where many wonder-ful things happen. I heard bits from my family about the sheer numbers who were travelling and how committed they were. You don’t see all that, which is why it’s nice to watch it now and remember it in a different way. We’d have loved to have given all our compatriots the ultimate celebration and taken the final step, and hopefully one day we will.

Have you ever wondered what might have happened if you’d played in that Final?

No, because I firmly believe things happen for a reason. If it was God’s will that I didn’t play in that final, then it’s because I wasn’t meant to be there. The players that started gave absolutely everything. We had every chance of winning that game and many scoring opportunities, but the ball just wouldn’t go in. They had two chances: one hit the post and the other went in. That’s football for you.

But tactically, against a side with such a high defensive line as Germany, a player with your skills might have found the gaps?

Yes, you could think that way after seeing how the game panned out. Both El Pocho [Ezequiel Lavezzi] and Leo [Messi] went at them at pace and got the better of them. I think it would have been a different game with someone in my role. I had a good understanding with Leo throughout the World Cup, but that’s football and God didn’t intend it to be.

2014 was also the year you said goodbye to Real Madrid. What’s your assessment of that chapter now?

Well, I did everything asked of me: I won the Super Cup, the Copa del Rey, the Champi-ons League and the Spanish league. I won every title except the Club World Cup, as I’d already left the club by then. I’d been there four years and the time had come for a change. I really wanted to play in the Premier League, which I’d been watching since I was a youngster every Saturday or Sunday before I’d go and play for Rosario Central. It was always a dream and goal of mine to experience English football.

Football aside, how are you getting on in England?

Very well. The weather is the only thing … it doesn’t help a lot. (laughs). But I’m very content here. The people have a lot of affec-tion for me, which is the most important thing. It’s what I value most, and I have that here.

How are you progressing with the language?More like regressing! (laughs). It’s very

bad. [I’ve learned] very little and only under-stand a small bit. That said, I’m trying to learn it bit by bit and I’m taking classes. Hopefully I’ll pick it up quickly.

You’re one of the few to have been long-time team-mates of both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Do you tire of people asking you to compare them?

No, because I always say the same thing: that they’re two completely different players.

Angel Di Maria missed out on the chance to take to the pitch at last summer’s World Cup Final, but “although I couldn’t play, it was still

the most beautiful moment of my career,” says the Argentinian.

“I try not to watch the World Cup matches”

“My English is very bad,

but I’m trying to learn it bit by bit .”

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NameAngel Fabian Di Maria HernandezDate and place of birth14 February 1988 Rosario, ArgentinaPositionMidfielder, wingerClubs played for2005–2007 Rosario Central 2007–2010 Benfica 2010–2014 Real Madrid since 2014 Manchester UnitedArgentina national team57 caps, 11 goals

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T H E I N T E R V I E W

Emotional memories for Messi

Argentina won their second and most re-cent World Cup title in Mexico back in 1986, when La Albiceleste defeated Ger-

many 3-2 in a thrilling Final. The tourna-ment is remembered for the performances of one Diego Maradona, who led his team to victory several times along the way.

The great Maradona continues to cast a long shadow. Although Lionel Messi is now repeatedly compared with his exceptional predecessor, with some believing that the man from Rosario possesses even greater skill, the argument always ends the same way: Maradona must be better because Mes-si has never made Argentina world champi-ons. The four-time Ballon d’Or winner con-tested what was already his third World Cup in Brazil last summer at just 27 years old.

Five key momentsEvery fan can bring to mind the scenes af-ter the final whistle on 13 July 2014, with German players celebrating exuberantly as the Argentinians consoled one another. At the centre of it all, the losing side’s captain, Messi, tried to hold back the tears, while the Golden Ball award he collected as the

player of the tournament after the match at the Maracana served as little more than a consolation prize.

Although time cannot heal all wounds, it seems to make past events seem more bearable. With that in mind, FIFA.com re-cently had the idea of sitting down with the 2014 World Cup’s most important protago-nists to review some key moments from the tournament. The first player to make him-self available for this special meeting in front of the cameras was Lionel Messi.

The FIFA clip that resulted from this en-counter, entitled “Lionel Messi watches Bra-zil 2014”, caused a sensation when it was launched online last week. “I don’t know what to say,” said the Argentinian, visibly moved as he watched his team’s missed chances in the Final once again. “We’ll regret it for the rest of our lives.”

(tfw)

Leo features in every game, making short bursts and nonchalantly dribbling past one, two or three players with great ball control in tight spaces. Cristiano is more about power, long range shots… they’re different. If I were FIFA, I’d have two Ballon d’Or prizes, one for that pair to fight over, and another for everyone else.

There’s been a lot of talk about Messi of late, even rumours that he’d consider a move to Chelsea. As someone who spent time working with Jose Mourinho, could you see them together?

In principle, I don’t think Leo wants to leave Barcelona. It’s hard to walk away from a club that’s given you everything, where you effectively grew up. But to answer your question, no I don’t think he’d have any problem working with Mourinho. (laughs)

What do you miss most about Argentina?My friends – and now more than ever, as

English football doesn’t stop over Christmas and I couldn’t travel home. Then there’s your family, who are always far from you, includ-ing my parents and those of my wife. They’re all in Argentina, which can be also be a bit hard to take.

Finally, is winning the 2015 Copa America your top goal this year?

Hopefully we can manage it as I’d love to win something with the full national team. I’ve won an Olympic title and an U-20 World Cup, but it’d be really special to round things off with a Copa title with the seniors. It’s hard, though, as there are many strong teams at present, including Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay, who fight every step of the way. It’s a tall order but hopefully things go well for us and we can finally give Argentina reason to celebrate. Å

Angel Di Maria was speaking to Alejandro Varsky

Messi watches Brazil 2014 (video): http://tinyurl.com/q45cl4e

A difficult moment Lionel Messi, pictured in Rio de Janeiro on 13 July (World Press Sports Photo of the Year 2014)

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P l a c e : B e l O m b r e , M a u r i t i u s

Da t e : 9 J u l y 2 0 1 4

T im e : 4 . 3 8 p . m .

Ph o t o g r a ph e r : J o h n F r u m m

First Love


Official Mascot for the FIFA U-20 World Cup New Zealand 2015

Introducing

@FIFAcom #Wooliam /fifau20worldcup

THIS IS THE ONE

http://www.fifa.com/u20worldcup/index.html

P R E S I D E N T I A L N O T E

Best wishes, Sepp Blatter

The draw for the U-20 World Cup New Zealand 2015 has taken place in Auckland, mapping out the group-stage challenge for each of the 24 teams involved. Arguably the pick of the sections drawn at the impressive SKYCITY Convention Centre was Group D, which pits Mexico against 2013 runners-up Uruguay, Serbia and an as-yet undecided African opponent. Hosts New Zealand, mean-while, will take on Ukraine in the opening match on 30 May in a section that

also includes USA and debutants Myanmar. As for the tournament’s other first -timers, Fiji, they face a demanding debut in the U-20 showpiece, with their first match a baptism of fire against European champions Germany.

The stars of tomorrowProceedings were conducted by FIFA’s Events Director, Colin Smith and Senior Com-petitions Manager, Rhiannon Martin, with help from draw assistants Danny Hay, Wynton Rufer, Steve Sumner and Ivan Vicelich.

There were also speeches from New Zealand’s Minister for Sport and Recreation, Jonathan Coleman, and from FIFA Vice-President Jeffrey Webb, who spoke of the tournament’s legendary potential for unearthing stars. “Several of the players who have starred in previous U-20 World Cups played at last year’s World Cup in Brazil, such as James Rodriguez and Paul Pogba,” said Webb, who is also Chairman of the tournament’s Organising Committee. “No doubt we will see more World Cup stars discovered here in a New Zealand in a few months’ time. This is a wonderful compe-tition that inspires many youngsters, both boys and girls alike, to play the game and to follow football clubs.”

New Zealand 2015 will be the 20th edition of the U-20 World Cup, a tournament already famous for helping launch the careers of Diego Maradona, Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi and many more of the game’s all-time greats. It will be held between 30 May and 20 June in seven cities across the country’s north and south islands. Å

Stephen Sullivan

U - 2 0 W O R L D C U P 2 015

Draw sets stage for New Zealand 2015

Unveiled at last The six groups for the U-20 World Cup have now been drawn.

Football’s foundations are becoming broad-er than ever, with major tournaments hardly ever featuring outsiders given no

chance of progressing. When the U-20 World Cup gets underway in New Zealand on 30 May, it will be contested by two nations who have never previously qualified for a FIFA finals tournament – Fiji and Myanmar. The fact that this is happening in the highest youth catego-ry makes it even more significant. After all, since it was first held in Tunisia in 1977, this competition has provided a springboard for the world-class careers of such great players as Maradona, Messi, Figo and Ronaldinho.

One of FIFA’s key objectives is to make football accessible to people from all walks of life, under optimal conditions and supported by the best possible expertise. Since 1999, we have invested more than US$ 2 billion in foot-ball development, implemented 700 Goal pro-jects worldwide and laid important social foun-dations with our Football for Hope and Football for Health programmes.

But the next challenges already await us. As a leading international sports federation, we must continue to assume responsibility for so-cial issues in future. The examples of Fiji and Myanmar prove that this work can also lead to results on the pitch, because wherever foot-ball’s full integrating power is harnessed, new sporting opportunities can also emerge. I am already looking forward to the U-20 World Cup in New Zealand, as it will give us a first-hand opportunity to see a new chapter of footballing history being written.

Finals debut for Fiji and Myanmar

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At the heart of the city The golden Madonna looks down from the Notre-Dame de la Garde church towards the 65,000m2 roof of the Stade Vélodrome.

O LY M P I Q U E D E M A R S E I L L E

With its narrow alleys and vast squares where vocal traders and bustling housewives mingle amid stalls selling everything from olives and salami to mobile phones and kitchen utensils, Marseille offers a potpourri of influ-

ences. Each new corner brings another aroma, each street a fresh experience. Amid all this, the colours blue and white seem to be every-where, always accompanied by the same two letters – OM. They represent Olympique de Marseille, an organisation that is more than just a football club in these parts. It is a myth, a legend, a second religion, and the love of every single Marseillais.

Most importantly of all, Les Olympiens are the glue that holds the city together. It is diffi-cult to imagine a corner of France more multi-cultural than this one. Founded by the Ancient Greeks, captured by the Visigoths, Ostrogoths and Franks and destroyed by the Saracens, by the 19th century it was the most important trading post in the French empire. Goods arrived into this Mediterranean port – still one of the city’s busiest districts – on board ships

Where OM means loveOlympique de Marseille is France’s most popular club, despite – or perhaps even because of – the many scandals that litter its history.

Sarah Steiner

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In with the fans The renovated stands offer space for 67,000 spectators in 13 kilometres of seating and have turned the Velodrome into a true cauldron of excitement.

that also contained migrants. Many of the city’s more than 850,000 residents can boast foreign roots. Whether Algeria, Morocco, Italy, Senegal, China or many others, countless cul-tural influences have shaped modern Marseille and its inhabitants.

A melting pot of culturesNevertheless, people do not always coexist peacefully in this southern French metropolis, with crime proving to be a particular problem. The Marseillais have always been known as independent citizens willing to rail against authority whenever necessary. When the Sun King of Paris, Louis XIV, decided to secure the harbour walls, he did not point its newly in-stalled cannons out to sea but instead towards the city, which had long been a pocket of resist-ance. The attitude of the locals towards the French capital has changed little ever since. “I don’t care one little bit what they think of us in Paris or anywhere else,” celebrated Marseille --born author Jean-Claude Izzo once wrote. “As far as Europe is concerned, we are still the first city of the Third World.”


Pride brings the locals together, and no-where is this sense of solidarity more palpable than at OM’s stadium, the Stade Velodrome. Together, they are no longer Frenchmen, Alge-rians or Senegalese – they are blue-and-white Marseillais.

Success pursued by failureThis city and its club are inseparable, and no football team in France has created nor con-tinues to create waves as big as those of Marseille. Great players such as Josip Skoblar, Didier Deschamps, Eric Cantona, Alain Giresse,

Jean-Pierre Papin, Fabrizio Ravanelli and Didier Drogba have all played here. As a child, Zinedine Zidane’s greatest wish was to play for Les Phocéens, but it was a dream he never ful-filled. This son of Algerian migrants learned football on the streets of Marseille while fol-lowing the exploits of his idol, OM’s Uruguayan striker Enzo Francescoli – even naming his first-born son after his childhood hero many years later. But this eventual superstar’s career took an altogether different path. Discovered at Cannes, he moved to Bordeaux and then to Juventus before finally signing for Real Madrid.

Established in 1899, Olympique de Marseille were among the founding members of Ligue 1. Success and failure are two common threads that have run through the club’s history. The golden era of the 1920s and 1930s and champi-onship glory in 1948 was followed by relegation and then promotion. Between 1969 and 1972, OM won the league twice and lifted a further two French Cups. The legendary Josip Skoblar’s 44 goals played a fundamental part in their 1971 championship success, but before long the club sank back into insignificance.

OM would not be OM were ecstatic

highs not followed by devastating lows.

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The harbour turns blue and white OM’s fans gathered at the Vieux Port on 16 May 2010 to honour their championship-winning heroes.

1942-1958 Roger ScottiScotti was born and died in Marseille, and the only club he ever played for was Olympique de Marseille. He remains the club’s record appearance holder with 406 matches.

1966-1967, 1970-1973 Josip SkoblarWhen Skoblar returned to the port city in 1970, it didn’t take him long to recapture fans’ hearts. The Croatian scored 44 times in a single season – a club record.

1986-1992 Jean-Pierre PapinThe centre-forward, who won four championships and one European Cup with OM, finished top scorer in the French top flight on five successive occasions.

1989-2012 (intermittently)Didier DeschampsAfter winning the championship and European Cup as a player with the club, Deschamps guided OM to their first league title in 18 years in 2010.

1988-1991 Eric CantonaCantona wasn’t always able to keep a lid on his temper at his boyhood club, having spats with referees, coaches and the club’s board as a young player.

1992-1994 Rudi VollerAccording to his former team-mates, Voller is the only OM player who was not involved in the alleged drug scandal before the 1993 Champions League final.

1997-2008 Samir NasriNasri joined OM’s youth academy at the age of 10 and made his first-team debut as a 17-year-old. He now plies his trade at Manchester City.

2006-2014 Mathieu ValbuenaNicknamed ‘Le Petit Velo’ (the small bike) by his team-mates, Marseille retired the 28 shirt following the crowd favourite’s move to Dynamo Moscow.


In 1985 Bernard Tapie took the reins at Mar-seille and invested money – plenty of it. Karl-heinz Forster, Klaus Allofs, Rudi Voller, Jean Tigana and Jean-Pierre Papin are just some of the illustrious names to have graced the Stade Vélodrome pitch during this era. Olympique de Marseille not only won Ligue 1 four times in succession but also made waves on the interna-tional stage. In 1990, the reigning French cham-pions only exited the European Cup at the hands of Benfica in the semi-final, before going one better to lose out to Red Star Belgrade in the final a year later. In 1993 came the greatest success in the club’s history – victory in the Champions League final against AC Milan.

But OM would not be OM if ecstatic highs were not almost immediately followed by devas-tating lows. A match-fixing scandal meant Mar-seille were stripped of their 1993 French title, while enforced relegation to the second division and a mountain of debt almost drove the club out of business. Even their 1993 European tri-umph acquired an unpleasant aftertaste.

Despite this turmoil, the club recovered once again, and its fans continue to support it uncon-

ditionally. Even the furore concerning illegal transfer dealings during the last decade that ultimately led to criminal convictions and the more recent arrest of Vincent Labrune in late 2014 did little to deter the Olympique de Mar-seille faithful, with the club remaining France’s most popular domestic football team. Five years ago, a league title and successes in both domestic cup competitions provided balm for the souls of OM’s dedicated fan base and brought an end to a 17-year silverware drought. Tens of thousands of local supporters celebrated at the Vieux Port as the city erupted in blue-and-white elation.

North versus southHigh above the city on the tower of the Notre- Dame de la Garde church sits the patron saint of Marseille. Standing 11 metres high, the gold-en figure of the Bonne Mère shimmers in the sunlight as she looks down upon a modern me-tropolis. Near the tourist attractions in the central Quartier du Panier lies the upmarket southern part of the city, whose beachfront villas contrast sharply with the grey concrete tower blocks of northern Marseille. H

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Olympique de MarseilleFacts and figures

Founded: 31 August 1899

Stadium: Stade Velodrome, capacity 67,000

Coach: Marcelo Bielsa

Chairman: Vincent Labrune

Club honours: French champions: 1937, 1948, 1971, 1972, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 (later stripped of title), 2010

French Cup winners: 1924, 1926, 1927, 1935, 1938, 1943, 1969, 1972, 1976, 1989

International honours: Champions League winners 1993, Intertoto Cup winners 2005


Just four kilometres from the old port, a futuristic roof makes for a particularly eye -catching sight. This is the heart of the football-ing city of Marseille – the Stade Vélodrome. Reopened in October 2014, the arena offers seating for 67,000 spectators – vital when you consider that Les Olympiens sell more than 30,000 season tickets each year. Even here, the north-south divide is a familiar concept in more ways than one. For starters, there is the club’s rivalry with Paris Saint-Germain, their adver-

saries from the French capital and the only other team in the country that can boast a high-er number of season ticket holders. But there is also an internal duel within the stadium. OM fans do not stand united behind their club in one block but instead divide themselves be-tween the north and south stands. The prospect of playing here is not made any easier for visit-ing sides when the Marseille battle cry “Aux Armes” (To Arms) rings out across the pitch.

Magical moments at the VélodromeBuilt in 1937 in preparation for the World Cup the following year, the Vélodrome has provided the setting for many legendary matches – and not just in club football. One example is Giuseppe Meazza’s memorable appearance during the 1938 World Cup. The Italians were awarded a penalty during their semi-final against Brazil, and as Meazza set the ball down on the spot in front of a 30,000-strong crowd, the drawstring of his shorts broke, causing them to slip down. Unfazed, he held his shorts in place with his left hand, set the ball down with his right, took a couple of steps of run-up

and buried his shot in the back of the net. Dennis Bergkamp is another player with good memories of the Vélodrome. With the stadium renovated for the 1998 World Cup and its capac-ity expanded to 60,000 seats, the Dutchman brought the ball down from the sky, cut inside and planted a half-volley into the far corner of the goal in the last minute of his side’s quar-ter-final against Argentina to send his nation into raptures.

Since then the Vélodrome has undergone another phase of beautification, with tonnes of concrete and steel being processed as OM con-tinued to play their home matches there. This newly renovated footballing temple is France’s second largest after the Stade de France in Par-is and is now ready to host games at EURO 2016. But after going into the winter break at the top of the table and currently lying in sec-ond place, Olympique de Marseille may have something to celebrate well before Europe’s premier international tournament gets under-way next year. Marseille will be more than ready to write a new chapter in its history – this time a successful one. Å

OM sell more than 30,000 season tickets each year.

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I N B R I E F

The accident happened on 3 April 1961. Two days after playing a cup match in Osorno, several members of the Club de De-portes Green Cross squad took a flight home to Santiago. Sud-

denly, their aircraft disappeared from radar screens somewhere over the Andes. It was never recovered. Now, almost 54 years later, the almost impossible has happened: mountain climbers have stumbled upon what is highly likely to be the wreckage of the plane. “Quite a lot of the fuselage is still there,” expedition member Leonard Albornoz reported. Eight players, two members of the coaching staff and three match officials lost their lives in the crash, including Argentinian international Eliseo Mourino, while the rest of the squad decided to take a second flight. The mountaineers do not want to reveal the exact location of the Douglas DC3. “We don’t want the site to be desecrated,” Albornoz explained. “It’s important to realise that people died here and the families of the victims deserve our respect.” Å

Sarah Steiner

At the Africa Cup of Nations final in Equatorial Guinea, a hotly contested yet ultimately goalless 120 minutes were followed by a dramatic penalty shootout from which Côte d’Ivoire emerged victorious after beating Ghana 9-8. But only one name was on everyone’s lips after the final whistle – Boubacar Barry. Long after the nerves of players, staff, spectators and half the continent had been shredded, the Ivorian

goalkeeper delivered a spectacular solo performance. After the eighth spot-kick, Barry lay stricken on the floor with leg cramp and required treatment, but just a few minutes later he parried clear a shot from Ghana custodian Razak Brimah before stepping up to convert the decisive penalty himself. Herve Renard and his team were assured of a hearty welcome home after securing their first triumph in 23 years, with one million fans gathering to greet the newly crowned African champions in Abidjan. Å

Alan Schweingruber

Footballers are role models, and so it comes as no surprise that more and more kids want to imitate their idols. Yet it is not just by wearing their names on their shirts that today’s youngsters

are celebrating their heroes. These days their affections increas-ingly extend to copying the players’ haircuts. To see a fellow pro-fessional do the same thing is altogether rather more uncommon, though, and the supporters of Peruvian club Universitario de De-portes could be forgiven for doing a double-take when they first saw the new hairstyle sported by midfielder Antonio Gonzales. The 28-year-old has adopted an identical Mohawk haircut to that worn so famously by Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal, and he is now often mistaken as the Chilean international’s doppelganger. “I ad-mire Vidal,” he is quoted as saying, “but this hair-do is for my son. He wanted me to have the same haircut as Vidal and I’m going to keep it until my son tells me something different. I’m taking it all as a bit of fun.” After the Mohawk choice caused such a stir, Uni-versitario fans can quite rightly look forward with anticipation to the next idea that pops into the young boy’s head. Å

Tim Pfeifer

“Côte d’Ivoire – images from the victory parade” http://tinyurl.com/k7stkug

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FP


Developing football everywhere and for all

Organising inspiring tournaments

Caring about society and the environment

FIFA is committed to developing football for the benefi t 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 worldFIFA’s aim is to touch the world through its international football competitions and events, uniting and inspiring people everywhere.

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.

For the Game. For the World.

FIFA.com

http://FIFA.com/aboutfifa

The weekly column by our staff writers

F R E E K I C K S P O T L I G H T O N

GENERAL INFORMATION

FIFA Trigramme:

MAD

Country:

Madagascar

Official name:

Republic of Madagascar

Repoblikan’i Madagasikara

Continent:

Africa

Capital:

Antananarivo

GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION

Surface area:

587,040 km²

Highest point:

Maromokotro 2,876 m

Neighbouring seas and oceans:

Indian Ocean

MEN’S FOOTBALLFIFA Ranking:

148th

World Cup:

–

WOMEN’S FOOTBALLFIFA Ranking:

–

FOOTBALL STATSAll players:

826,420

Registered players:

30,420

Unregistered players:

796,000

Clubs:

220

Officials:

4,788

Winter has bared its teeth in Europe recent-ly, with freezing temperatures and snow sweeping across the continent. In Scandi-

navia, the professional leagues have settled down for their annual weather-enforced winter slumber ahead of their next block of domestic matches, which lasts from spring all the way through to autumn. In many European coun-tries, though, professional football only grinds to a halt for a short period of time, while in England there is no break whatsoever.

It is hardly surprising, therefore, that matches during the winter months are often affected by the adverse weather. Last Satur-day, the Serie A contest between Parma and Chievo had to be postponed due to heavy snow, while the Scottish second-division game between Rangers and Heart of Midlo-thian was abandoned after 25 minutes for the exact same reason.

The big freeze has also caused more than a few problems in the German Bundesliga. Snow and ice have made training conditions difficult and left ground staff with their work cut out. At SC Paderborn, a club that is perched just two points above the bottom of the league and could probably do with a gruelling train-ing session or two, fans took matters into their own hands ahead of the crucial game with Hamburger SV. Armed with gloves and snow shovels, they descended on the training ground and managed to clear the playing area of snow. Unfortunately they weren’t rewarded for their efforts as Paderborn slumped to a 3-0 home defeat to HSV.

Switzerland has not gone unscathed ei-ther. While the alpine nation’s tourist and ski

resorts rejoice at the arrival of the white blan-ket, football fans are far less enthused by heavy snowfall. Last weekend, FC Sion sup-porters made the trip to Liechtenstein to watch their side’s match with Vaduz, but the game they had come to see never kicked off because of the snow on the pitch. In Zurich, meanwhile, it was almost impossible to kick a ball at all. For financial reasons, the city of Zurich had scrapped its snow-clearing budget – worth around 50,000 Swiss francs. Thank-fully FIFA lent them a helping hand, allowing ten pitches to be cleared of snow. Å

As the snow gently falls

Sarah Steiner


M I R R O R I M A G E

T H E NMunich, Germany

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Struggling to stay on track: Franz Beckenbauer

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Eyes on the road: Cristiano Ronaldo

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Q U O T E S O F T H E W E E KT H E A R T O F F O O T B A L L

"I am disappointed by the boos.

We played well, we won. We don’t

understand what these guys want.

Whether we win or we lose, they boo us.

Maybe they are in the habit of eating

caviar before they come to see us.”Zlatan Ibrahimovic commenting on

the Paris Saint-Germain fans following their win over Rennes

“I’m speechless. I don’t remember the

last time I lost three games in a row.

I must have been only ten. Losing like

this hur ts. We were fools.”Roberto Mancini, Coach Inter Milan

“Since Luis Suarez joined us at

Barcelona, Liverpool have not had that

one player they can look to for that

special moment. Couto can be that

player for them, I’m sure. When he has

the ball at his feet, he can make things

happen for himself and he can make

things happen for other players.

He is a very special player.”Neymar on Philippe Coutinho

“It ’s the same story every time.

Umpteen times this season we’ve been

our own worst enemy and it ’s not good

enough. Last year we were better away

because we faced teams who didn’t

have the quality of the Premier League.

You make a mistake at this level

and it ’s in the back of your net.

It ’s the Premier League.”Joey Barton, QPR

For many years now, we have accepted that World Cups

throw the participat-ing teams into the harsh glare of interna-tional attention for several months at a time. As soon as a na-tion – no matter how small or remote – qualifies for the tour-nament, we suddenly become fascinated by its people, how they live and what their culture is like. Everybody wants to know the names of their team’s biggest stars or whether there are any unknown quantities who could spring a surprise out on the pitch. At the 1966 World Cup in England, all eyes were fixed on one completely enig-matic side – Korea DPR.

The team hailed from the other side of the Iron Curtain and were as obviously far-removed from the other nations as the world in Lewis Carroll’s book Through the Looking-Glass is from reality. To add to this sense of mystery, nobody knew any-thing about any of the North Korean play-ers, and once this collection of anonymous footballers travelled home from England, nobody heard anything more about any of them for the next 36 years. In 2002, British documentary filmmaker Daniel Gordon managed something none of his contem-poraries had done before, securing permis-sion to film in the notoriously secretive state after years of negotiations. With his authorisation in hand, he set off to track down the country’s heroes of 1966.

Although it may seem strange to dub them heroes, the series of interviews given by members of that team for Gordon’s film The Game of Their Lives recalls their in-credible passage to the 1966 quarter-finals, as defeat against the Soviet Union and a

draw with Chile were followed by a sensa-tional victory over Ita-ly that enabled Korea DPR to qualify for the knockout stages at their European oppo-nents’ expense. Their quarter-final against Portugal – who had eliminated Brazil in the previous round –

was no less compelling. Despite taking a 3-0 lead in the opening twenty minutes, the Koreans could do little but look on in amazement as the legendary Eusebio scored four goals in succession to hand the Portuguese players a 5-3 win.

When players such as Pak Do Ik, Pak Sun Jin, Rim Jung Son, Ri Chan Myong arrived in England, it seemed to the rest of the world as if they had travelled from the dark side of the moon. Later, rumours swirled that the entire team had been thrown into prison for years upon their return to North Korea as the Great Leader was unhappy with their exit from the com-petition. Daniel Gordon’s film dispels such myths by introducing us to a succession of cheery elderly gentlemen who, although they never made money from their sport, can still draw on their memories of those wonderful moments. Å

Gentle smilesRonald Duker


THEREWILL BEATERS

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http://www.adidas.com/football

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

Name

Simone Mondiali Rota

Date and place of birth

6 November 1984, Paranaque City, Philippines

Position

Defender, Midfielder

Clubs

2002-2010 Pro Sesto 2006 Manfredonia (loan) 2008-2009 Lugano (loan) 2010-2012 Borgomanero 2012-2014 Asti since 2014 Stallion FC

Philippines national team

8 caps, 2 goals

One day I found my adoption papers in a drawer. That was the day a fire flared up inside of me. My entire history was summarised in those documents and I saw my birthday, 6 November 1984, printed in faded type writer ink. My

place of birth was listed as Paranaque in the region of Manila in the Philippines – a long way from the small town near Milan where I lived with my parents. They had once trav-elled to the Philippines to collect me from the ‘Per l’altro Onlus’ mission, where I had been cared for by Sisters May and Marilena. I’ve never met my biological mother.

There wasn’t anything particularly special about my adoption papers, certainly nothing that would have interested anyone apart from me or my family. But they turned my life upside down. I felt it course through my body like a flash. I now knew where I was from and that awakened the desire to go back.

I’d started out playing for Pro Sesto in the Serie C2 [the Italian fourth division] and we even managed to gain promotion. After that I joined Manfredonia and played for several other clubs in the Piedmont region, as well as in Switzerland. However, that day I decided to give it all up and emigrate to the Philippines. I signed for FC Stallion in the Philippine first division in 2014 and earned a call-up into the national team. I made my international debut aged 29 against Laos in the AFC Challenge Cup 2014, the biggest continental tournament for emerging Asian football nations, and we went all the way to the final.

I returned to my roots and now I live once again in the same mission as before, together with 21 orphaned children and Sisters May

and Marilena. I’ve decided to live here be-cause I see myself in the children, although they haven’t been as lucky as I was. I spend my days with them, accompany them to school and join them three times a week in giving rice and bread to the poor in the run-down areas of Manila.

I have the feeling that my parents in Italy always knew that one day I would return to live in the Philippines. I know that the Philip-pine children view me as some sort of hero. The fact that I play for the national team shows them that it is possible to make your dreams come true and to leave difficult living conditions behind you. Å

Simone Rota was speaking to Emanuele Giulianelli

After growing up in Italy, one day Simone Rota sensed the desire to return to his roots.

“A fire flared up inside me”

T U R N I N G P O I N TSH

OT

Mag

azin

e


1 Germany 0 1729

2 Argentina 0 1534

3 Colombia 0 1456

4 Belgium 0 1430

5 Netherlands 0 1385

6 Brazil 0 1333

7 Portugal 0 1189

8 France -1 1168

9 Uruguay 1 1146

10 Spain -1 1144

11 Switzerland 1 1117

12 Italy -1 1112

13 Costa Rica 3 1074

14 Chile 0 1037

15 England -2 1028

16 Romania -1 1022

17 Czech Republic 0 990

18 Algeria 0 981

19 Croatia 0 945

20 Côte d’Ivoire 8 932

21 Mexico -1 912

22 Slovakia -1 903

23 Austria 0 881

24 Greece 0 871

25 Ghana 12 864

26 Tunisia -4 860

27 Ukraine -2 859

28 Denmark 2 846

29 Ecuador -3 840

30 Bosnia and Herzegovina -1 832

31 USA -4 824

32 Israel 0 805

33 Russia -2 792

34 Wales 0 764

35 Cape Verde Islands 5 756

36 Senegal -1 744

37 Iceland -4 743

38 Scotland -2 738

39 Serbia -1 723

40 Poland 1 709

41 Iran 10 701

42 Nigeria 1 664

43 Guinea -4 662

44 Sweden 0 654

45 Cameroon -3 646

46 Congo DR 11 641

47 Slovenia -1 640

48 Hungary -3 634

49 Congo 12 630

49 Equatorial Guinea 69 630

51 Northern Ireland -4 626

52 Turkey -4 619

53 Mali -4 613

54 Korea Republic 15 608

55 Japan -1 605

56 South Africa -4 592

57 Egypt 3 590

58 Gabon 4 585

59 Peru -6 566

60 Zambia -10 556

61 Panama -6 555

62 Trinidad and Tobago -7 551

63 Australia 37 548

63 Albania -5 548

65 Montenegro -6 537

66 United Arab Emirates 14 529

67 Republic of Ireland -2 521

68 Burkina Faso -4 513

69 Norway -2 512

70 Bulgaria -4 506

71 Uzbekistan 0 493

72 Rwanda -4 492

73 Finland -3 475

74 Armenia 5 470

75 Togo -13 465

76 Uganda 1 464

77 Honduras -5 459

78 Haiti -5 454

79 Venezuela 8 440

79 Jamaica -4 440

79 Paraguay -3 440

82 China PR 14 429

82 Guatemala -9 429

84 Angola -3 391

85 Estonia -2 385

86 Sierra Leone -1 382

87 El Salvador 3 381

88 Morocco -6 378

89 Cyprus -3 376

90 Mozambique 8 371

91 Oman 2 368

92 Bolivia -8 362

93 Malawi -5 361

94 Iraq 20 360

95 Benin -6 359

96 Lithuania -5 355

97 Jordan -4 353

98 Saudi Arabia 4 351

99 Antigua and Barbuda -4 344

100 Latvia -4 342

101 Belarus -2 331

102 Ethiopia 7 323

103 Bahrain 7 322

104 FYR Macedonia -3 320

105 Faroe Islands -2 317

105 Botswana 1 317

107 Tanzania -3 315

108 Dominican Republic -3 310

109 Qatar -17 305

110 St Vincent and the Grenadines 11 300

111 Namibia 0 293

112 Sudan -4 288

113 Libya -35 281

114 Cuba -1 271

115 Liberia 0 268

116 Kenya 1 266

117 Canada -5 264

118 Niger 1 263

119 St Kitts and Nevis 1 258

119 Zimbabwe -12 258

121 Lebanon 1 254

121 Moldova 2 254

123 Mauritania 15 251

124 Burundi 4 249

125 Lesotho -1 243

126 Georgia 0 234

126 Palestine -11 234

128 Kuwait -3 231

129 Luxembourg -2 225

130 Liechtenstein 2 223

131 Azerbaijan 5 222

132 Aruba -3 221

132 Vietnam 1 221

132 Philippines -3 221

135 Maldives -4 220

136 New Zealand -1 216

137 Tajikistan -1 215

138 Guinea-Bissau -5 212

139 Kazakhstan 0 203

140 St Lucia 0 202

141 Myanmar 0 198

142 Barbados 1 191

143 Thailand 1 184

144 Afghanistan -2 181

145 Central African Republic 0 178

146 Chad 0 177

147 Turkmenistan 0 170

148 Madagascar -1 166

149 Malta -2 164

150 Syria 1 147

151 Kyrgyzstan 1 146

152 Korea DPR -2 144

153 New Caledonia 0 143

154 Malaysia 0 142

155 Grenada 0 137

156 Singapore 1 136

157 Bangladesh 8 129

158 Indonesia 1 128

159 Hong Kong -3 127

160 Curaçao -2 125

161 Laos -1 123

162 Guam -1 119

M E N ’ S W O R L D R A N K I N G

Rank Team +/- Points

162 Puerto Rico -1 119

164 Suriname -1 115

165 Swaziland -1 103

166 Guyana 1 101

167 Belize 8 100

167 Tahiti -1 100

169 Gambia -1 95

170 Montserrat -1 86

171 India 0 85

171 Pakistan 17 85

173 Sri Lanka -1 78

174 Comoros -1 75

174 São Tomé e Príncipe -4 75

176 Turks and Caicos Islands 1 66

177 Seychelles 1 61

177 Nicaragua -4 61

179 Yemen -3 60

180 Bermuda -1 55

180 San Marino -1 55

180 Dominica 4 55

180 Nepal 6 55

184 Solomon Islands -1 53

184 Cambodia -5 53

184 Chinese Taipei -2 53

187 Timor-Leste -2 51

188 Macau -2 50

189 South Sudan 0 43

190 Mauritius 0 36

191 Vanuatu 0 34

192 Fiji 0 30

192 Samoa 0 30

194 Mongolia 0 29

195 Bahamas 0 26

196 Tonga 0 17

197 US Virgin Islands 0 16

198 Brunei Darussalam 0 15

199 Papua New Guinea 0 13

200 American Samoa 0 12

201 Andorra 0 9

202 British Virgin Islands 0 8

202 Eritrea 0 8

204 Somalia 0 6

205 Cayman Islands 0 5

206 Djibouti 0 4

206 Cook Islands 0 4

208 Anguilla 0 2

209 Bhutan 0 0

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

Rank Team +/- Points Rank Team +/- Points Rank Team +/- Points

LeaderMoves into top tenMoves out of top tenMatches played in totalMost matches playedBiggest move by pointsBiggest move by ranksBiggest drop by pointsBiggest drop by ranks

Germany (unchanged)nonenone76Côte d’Ivoire, Congo DR (7 matches each)Equatorial Guinea (up 370 points)Equatorial Guinea (up 69 ranks)Libya (down 156 points)Libya (down 35 ranks)

Last updated:12 February 2015

P U Z Z L E

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8 1 4

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5 1 6 2

1 5

2 9 4

6 7 2

8 4 7 9 2

3 9

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9 8 1

7 9

1 4 3 2 9 8

7 2

6 7 2

2 9 4 5 1

4 9

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9 2 4 6

6 1 7

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1 5

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4 1 3 8

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The objective of Sudoku is to fill a 9x9 grid with digits so that each of the numbers from 1 to 9 appears exactly once in each column, row and 3x3 sub-grid.

Published weekly by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)

PublisherFIFA, FIFA-Strasse 20, PO box, CH-8044 Zurich

Phone +41-(0)43-222 7777, Fax +41-(0)43-222 7878

PresidentJoseph S. Blatter

Secretary GeneralJérôme Valcke

Director of Communications and Public AffairsWalter De Gregorio

Chief EditorPerikles Monioudis

Staff WritersAlan Schweingruber (Deputy Editor), Sarah Steiner

Art DirectionCatharina Clajus

Picture EditorPeggy Knotz, Andres Wilhelm (Deputy)

LayoutRichie Kroenert (Lead), Tobias Benz, Susanne Egli

Proof ReaderNena Morf (Lead), Martin Beran, Kristina Rotach,

Alissa Rosskopf (Press-proof Assistant)

ContributorsRonald Dueker, Luigi Garlando, Sven Goldmann, Jordi Punti,

Thomas Renggli, David Winner, Roland Zorn

Contributors to this IssueMassimo Franchi, Emanuele Giulianelli, Andreas Jaros,

Tim Pfeifer, Stephen Sullivan, Alejandro Varsky

Editorial AssistantHoney Thaljieh

ProductionHans-Peter Frei

Project ManagementBernd Fisa, Christian Schaub

Translationwww.sportstranslations.com

PrinterZofinger Tagblatt AG

[email protected]

Internetwww.fifa.com/theweekly

Reproduction of photos or articles in whole or in part is only permitted with prior editorial approval and if attributed

“The FIFA Weekly, © FIFA 2015”. The editor and staff are not obliged to publish unsolicited manuscripts and photos.

FIFA and the FIFA logo are registered trademarks of FIFA. Made and printed in Switzerland.

Any views expressed in The FIFA Weekly do not necessarily reflect those of FIFA. Pu

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

W E E K I N N U M B E R S

Which of these former finalists will go furthest in this year’s FIFA U-20 World Cup?

· Argentina· Brazil· Qatar· Portugal· Mexico· Germany· Uruguay

Cast your votes at:Fifa.com/newscentre

36+28+15+11+6+415%36%

4%

28%

years into his coaching career, Carlo Ancelotti lost a league game by a four-goal margin for the first time ever. Real Madrid’s 4-0 reverse to Atletico Madrid surpassed the 5-2 defeat the former Italian international midfielder suffered with Parma against Sampdoria in the 1997/98 Serie A season. Up until May 2013 Real Madrid went 25 matches unbeaten against their city rivals, but have failed to win any of the six games against them this season.

games was how long Western Sydney Wanderers, the AFC Champions League winners, had to wait for their first victory of the season in the domestic A-League championship. In their first 13 assignments the Wanderers chalked up nine defeats and four draws, but managed to end their barren spell against a Wellington Phoenix side that had been in fine form prior to their meeting. A powerful Nikita Rukavytsya effort and a late strike from Brendon Santalab were enough to earn them a 2-0 win.

14 20 9goals in as many games at the South American U-20 Championship was the tally recorded by Giovanni Simeone, son of Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone, to go second in the tournament’s all-time scorers chart. He equalled the total scored by Luciano Galletti in 1999 and Brazil’s Neymar in 2011 to help Argentina win the title for the first time since 2003. The competition’s top scorer is Hugo Rodallega, who found the target 11 times for Colombia at the 2005 edition.

11%

6%

Who was the subject of the best winter transfer in Europe?

≠ Fernando Torres (AC Milan - Atletico Madrid)

≠ Juan Cuadrado (Fiorentina - Chelsea)

≠ Andre Schuerrle (Chelsea - Wolfsburg)

≠ Wilfried Bony (Swansea - Manchester City)

≠ Other

≠ Lukas Podolski (Arsenal - Inter Milan)

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