International Football
MICHAEL ESSIEN NAMED IN FIFA’S TEAM OF LEGENDS FOR WOMEN’S WORLD CUP
BY LIAM MORGAN
A 23-strong FIFA legends squad has been unveiled by world football’s governing body as part of a campaign to promote this year’s Women’s World Cup in France.
The players on the team, comprised of 13 women and 10 men, are tasked with helping drive attendances at the tournament, generating engagement and inspiring a new generation to play women’s football through the initiative.
The squad includes the likes of World Cup winners Marcel Desailly of France and Brazil’s Gilberto Silva, two-time UEFA Champions League winner Michel Salgado of Spain and Argentina’s Esteban Cambiasso.
Australian Tim Cahill, former Ghana international Michael Essien and former South Korean star Park Ji-sung are among the other men on the legends team.
The 13 women named on the squad include two-time Olympic gold medallist and World Cup winner Kristine Lilly of the United States, France’s Laura Georges and former England international turned television pundit Alex Scott.
They are joined by the likes of Scott’s ex-England team-mate Kelly Smith, Nadine Kessler of Germany and Canada’s Karina LeBlanc.
Each have been given a superhero name and superpower by FIFA.
“The eighth edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup will be very special and it takes place at a time when women around the globe are uniting to make their voices heard,” said FIFA secretary general Fatma Samoura.
“he tournament’s official slogan ‘Dare to Shine’ echoes the current world movement towards female empowerment and I am looking forward to seeing teams of strong and passionate women, from 24 different countries, illuminate football stadiums in France with their skill.
“Our superheroes will help us to reach a global audience of one billion and make the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019 our biggest and best yet – for players, for fans, for local communities and for the empowerment of girls and women.”
The announcement coincided with the announcement from FIFA that individual match tickets for the tournament are set to go on sale to the general public on March 7.
A total of around 330,000 tickets have been sold so far following the launch of ticket packages and an exclusive pre-sale for Visa customers.
Individual ticket prices will start at €9 (£8/$10) for category four across all group matches except the opening match between France and South Korea in Paris on June 7.
The cheapest ticket for the final in Lyon on July 7 costs €23 (£20/$26) and range through to €84 (£73/$95) for the top category.
Norway, South Korea, and the 2018 Africa Cup of Nations winners Nigeria will compete in Group A alongside hosts France.
Germany, China, Spain and South Africa were drawn into Group B, and Australia, Italy, Brazil and tournament debutants Jamaica will compete in Group C.
Group D includes England, Japan, Scotland and Argentina.
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
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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
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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.
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