International Football
Pique, Shakira Excluded From Messi’s Wedding
There may have been a slight crack in bond among players of FC Barcelona following the reports that defender Gerard Pique and his wife, Shakira have not been invited to Lionel Messi’s wedding after a personal problem between Shakira and the Argentine’s wife-to-be, reports Spanish newspaper El Pais.
Sports Village Square gathered via Dailymailonline that the issue between the pair reportedly stems from a problem Messi’s fiancee, Antonella Roccuzzo, has with how Pique began his relationship with pop star Shakira.
Roccuzzo was close friends with the Spaniard’s former girlfriend Nuria Tomas and was not happy with the way Pique dumped the lady for the mega pop singer.
The two love birds met (Pique and Shakira) met the singer when he was still in a relationship with Tomas, when he appeared in her music video Waka Waka, the official song of the 2010 World Cup held in South Africa.
Pique had earlier revealed to TV3 in October: ‘I met Shakira in Madrid, when we were preparing for the 2010 World Cup, and after appearing in the Waka Waka video.
‘It all started when we were together in South Africa and I wrote to her. She was already there because she sang in the opening ceremony and I asked her what the weather was like.
‘It is the typical stupid question, and the normal answer is to tell me to bring a jacket.
“But she started telling me what the weather was like in every single moment and it got to the point where I told her we would have to get to the World Cup final to see her again-she was singing at the final.”
Meanwhile, Messi’s wife-to-be still kept a close relationship with Tomas which has caused friction between her and Shakira, which has resulted in Pique missing out on his team-mate’s wedding.
But it appears the issue has not affected the Barca stars on or off the pitch. The pair will line-up together as Luis Enrique’s side take on Valencia at the Nou Camp on Sunday night.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner does not have a date confirmed for his wedding with Roccuzzo, but it is rumoured it will be in the middle of June.
Messi will be hoping for a double celebration as his side have kept their hopes alive in the Champions League following their heroics to against Paris Saint-Germain.
Well-travelled Portuguese coach Paulo Duarte has been named as Guinea’s new coach, less than a month before their next round of World Cup qualifiers.
Duarte, 56, has twice previously coached Burkina Faso and taken charge of Gabon and Togo, while also coaching at clubs in Portugal, France, Tunisia, Angola and Saudi Arabia.
Guinea’s football federation gave no contract details when they made the announcement on Monday, but said they would be looking for Duarte to “restructure their national team”.
Guinea trail leaders Algeria by eight points in their World Cup qualifying group with four games remaining, leaving them with only a slim chance of qualification.
They play Somalia away on September 5 and then Algeria at home on September 8 in their next two qualifiers although a stadium ban means Guinea have moved their home game to Casablanca, Morocco.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Veteran coach Louis van Gaal says he has been cured of cancer and is keen for a return to the higher levels of the game.
The 73-year-old announced three years ago that he was suffering from prostate cancer, but told a Dutch television talk show, “I’m no longer bothered by cancer.”
When he announced his illness, Van Gaal was the coach of the Dutch national team, but he has not worked since the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
“Two years ago, I had a few operations. It was all bad then. But it all worked out in the end. I have check-ups every few months, and that’s going well. I’m getting fitter and fitter,” he said.
Van Gaal, whose career has included stints at Ajax Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United, reiterated a lack of interest in returning to club management but said becoming the national coach of a top-tier country could tempt him back.
He now serves as a special advisor to Ajax.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
In a compelling twist of football destiny, Davide Ancelotti is stepping into his own spotlight as he begins his first head coaching role at Brazilian club Botafogo—just months after parting ways with his legendary father, Carlo Ancelotti, at Real Madrid.
The 35-year-old has been appointed as Botafogo’s new manager, the club announced on Tuesday, following the sacking of Renato Paiva. Davide, who has spent the last decade working alongside his father at some of Europe’s top clubs—including Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton, and Real Madrid—has signed a one-year deal with the Rio-based team.
This marks a significant milestone for the younger Ancelotti, whose career has long been shaped by his father’s influence, but who now faces the challenge of carving his own identity on the touchline.
The move comes shortly after both father and son departed Real Madrid at the end of last season, with Carlo taking over the Brazilian national team. Now, in a poetic alignment, father and son find themselves on different paths within Brazilian football—one leading the Seleção, the other steering the fortunes of a storied domestic club.
Botafogo’s decision to appoint Davide follows a controversial parting with Paiva, who was dismissed just days after their exit from the Club World Cup. Though he oversaw a stunning win over Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain, a 1-0 extra-time loss to Palmeiras in the round of 16 proved to be his final act after just four months in charge.
As Davide Ancelotti begins this new chapter, all eyes will be on whether the son of one of football’s most decorated managers can step out from his father’s shadow—and perhaps, in time, build a legacy of his own.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
- World Cup1 week ago
BREAKING: At last FIFA’s Axe falls on South Africa!
- World Cup1 week ago
South Africa to Appeal FIFA Ruling Over Mokoena Eligibility Case
- Nigerian Football1 week ago
Super Eagles Set for Double Friendly Showdown with Venezuela and Colombia in USA
- World Cup1 week ago
Sport Minister Orders Probe into SAFA over Bafana’s Costly Points Deduction
- World Cup6 days ago
FIFA Sanction on South Africa Offers Super Eagles a Lifeline — But a Lesson from History Looms
- U-20 FOOTBALL1 week ago
Two penalty appeal lost as Flying Eagles stumble at first hurdle
- World Cup4 days ago
Super Eagles Walk Tightrope as Nine Key Players Risk Suspension in World Cup Qualifiers
- World Cup6 days ago
Osimhen Returns as Chelle Names 23-Man Squad for Crucial World Cup Qualifiers