International Football
AGAIN, WORLD CUP TROPHY TOURS NIGERIA
BY CHINWE EDOGA.
As it was in the days leading to the World Cup editions of France ’98, Germany 2006 and South Africa 2010, the original FIFA World Cup will again be publicly displayed in Nigeria for few days next year.
Incidentally, the Italian designer of the trophy, Silvio Gazzaniga, died about this time last year on October 31.
The trophy which Nigeria’s Super Eagles and 31 other teams will be competing for at the 21st FIFA World Cup finals in Russia; will arrive in Nigeria on Saturday, 3rd March 2018.
NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, told thenff.com on Wednesday that confirmation has come from world football –governing body, FIFA that Nigeria is among the countries where the iconic trophy would be visiting before next year’s major showpiece.
“We have confirmation now. The World Cup trophy will be in Nigeria on 3rd March 2018,” Sanusi said. Sports Village Square recalls that in 1994, Nigeria became the first Anglophone African country to qualify for the World Cup.
This year, as it was in 1997, Nigeria became the first African country to qualify for the 32 –team finals after beating Zambia 1-0 in Uyo on October 7, plucking the lone slot from Africa’s so –called group of death with one match to spare, but will only know their group phase opponents after the Draw Ceremony at The Kremlin in Moscow on December 1.
The FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour is usually a chance to see the original FIFA World Cup Trophy, and this time, fans from all over the world will have the opportunity of seeing the trophy and having their photo taken with the famous diadem from September 9, 2017 to June 7, 2018.
The 21st FIFA World Cup finals will be staged across 12 venues in 11 cities in the world’s largest nation between Thursday, June 14 and Sunday July 15, 2018.
The venues are Ekaterinburg Arena (Ekaterinburg); Kaliningrad Stadium (Kaliningrad); Kazan Arena (Kazan); Luzhniki Stadium and Spartak Stadium (both in Moscow); Nizhny Novgorod Stadium (Nizhny Novgorod); Rostov Arena (Rostov-on-Don); Saint Petersburg Stadium (Saint Petersburg); Samara Arena (Samara); Mordovia Arena (Saransk); Fisht Stadium (Sochi) and; Volgograd Arena (Volgograd).
International Football
Two Moroccan football players lost at sea, says club official
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Abdellatif-Akhrif.png)
Two Moroccan players from top-flight soccer side Ittihad Tanger have been missing at sea since Saturday after strong currents drifted their small yacht, a club official said on Sunday.
They were in a group of five players from the club who went cruising off the northern city of Tangier when strong currents and heavy winds drifted their yacht away as they were swimming in deep waters, club deputy president Anass Mrabet told Reuters.
“Three players have already been rescued on Saturday, while research is still ongoing for the missing Salman Harraq and Abdellatif Akhrif,” he said.
The players did not have buoys on them when they jumped from the small yacht to swim, he said citing recounts by rescued players.
While Akhrif, 24, is already a full member of the squad, Harraq, 18, was about to move up to the senior team this year, Mrabet added.
Ittihad Tanger have been in the Moroccan top flight since 2015 and won the league title for the first and only time in their history in the 2017-18 season. However, they have struggled in the lower half of the standings in recent years.
-Reuters
International Football
FIFA launches ‘Football Manager’ World Cup with $100,000 in prize money
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/arsene-wenger.jpg)
FIFA will host its first ever FIFAe World Cup of Football Manager this year to crown the best virtual manager on the highly-popular video game, world soccer’s governing body said on Thursday.
FIFA is partnering with Sports Interactive, the developers of the game that has sold millions of copies and has also been used by several football clubs to scout players and opponents thanks to its extensive database.
Players will compete for $100,000 in prize money in the final event from Aug. 29 to Sept. 1.
“This competition requires participants to demonstrate a profound understanding of football strategy and tactics,” said former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who is the ambassador for the esports event.
“Success demands not only mastery of game mechanics but also in-depth football knowledge, making this format a fascinating blend.”
FIFA said in the inaugural year of the event, selected member associations will be invited to be represented at the final event.
Member associations from all six confederations are expected to be invited while players can sign up on FIFA’s website.
-Reuters
International Football
Former Italy international Roberto Baggio robbed at gunpoint
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/baggio.jpg)
Former Italy international Roberto Baggio was assaulted and robbed at gunpoint at his home in northern Italy while watching his country’s match against Spain in the Euro 2024 tournament on Thursday, local police said.
Burglars broke into Baggio’s house near Vicenza, hit him on the head with a gun butt and locked him and his family in a room while they stole jewellery, watches and cash, daily Il Corriere della Sera reported. It said he suffered a deep wound.
“Luckily, the violence I suffered only resulted in a few stitches, bruises and a lot of fear. Now it is to overcome the fear,” Baggio was quoted as saying by Italian news agency ANSA.
Baggio, 57, played for clubs including Juventus (JUVE.MI), opens new tab, AC Milan and Inter Milan. He also played 56 times for Italy, scoring 27 goals, and is widely seen as one of his country’s all-time greats.
After the robbery, Baggio, widely known as the “divine ponytail”, was treated at a local hospital where he received stitches for the head wound, Italian media reported.
Italy lost to Spain 1-0 on Thursday and now must avoid defeat by Croatia to guarantee progression in the tournament.
-Reuters
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