International Football

VATICAN CITY WOMEN PLAY FIRST COMPETITIVE FOOTBALL ON THE SIDELINES OF FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP

Published

5 years ago

June 14, 2019

BY MATTHEW SMITH

As the FIFA Women’s World Cup draws international attention to women’s football, the world’s smallest country have played their first ever match – against one of Italian football’s biggest names.

The Vatican City’s women’s team played their inaugural competitive match on May 26 against Serie A giants Roma.

Although the match, played over two 20-minute halves, resulted in “a double-figures defeat and a baptism of fire”, according to AFP, it represents a significant milestone for a trailblazing women’s team.

The Vatican City men’s team played their first match in 1985, and their first international in 1994 with a 0-0 draw against San Marino.

**Pope Francis recently spoke of football as “the most beautiful game”**

Eight teams compete in its men’s championship, which has run for nearly half a century – but there has never been an organised women’s team or competition.

Now women are finally wearing the Vatican’s colours of a yellow jersey and white shorts, bearing the keys of St. Peter and the papal tiara crest, on the football pitch.

“We thought the time was right to try to organise something, training and matches, also for women,” said Danilo Zennaro, a representative of the Vatican department of culture and sport, to AFP.

A group of about 20 women – including Vatican employees, and workers from the Bambino Gesu pediatric hospital administered by the Holy See – meet every week to train on the grounds of the Pius XI sports centre in the shadow of St. Peter’s Basilica.

The training kits are mismatched and the level of play variable, but serious effort is being made.

“We are a very heterogeneous group, there are young people aged about 25 and 50-year-olds,” said 35-year-old Vatican employee Maura Turoli, who plays as a defender.

“It’s wonderful to be on the pitch and see husbands and children waiting for us and supporting us on the other side of the fence.”

Team-mate Floriana Di Iorio, who was already part of the women’s team at the Bambino Gesu hospital, said the side “goes beyond sport” and wants to “spread a message of great openness”.

She said: “The main objective is to convey a message of union, to be consistent, to keep our enthusiasm and perhaps also to be examples in places where the role of woman is still seen as a little marginal.”

Team coach Gianfranco Guadagnoli also manages the men’s team and works in the Vatican post office, but took on the challenge of organising the women’s team.

Speaking before the match with Roma, he said: “We’ve just started this group, the first training session was one of pain, problems, but they are doing better than expected.

“We’ve never played a 11-a-side and on a big pitch, but Roma have come forward and, we will try, even if our means are not those of a Serie A team.

“It does not matter, we go with our qualities and whatever happens happens, without problems or dramas.”

Undaunted by the Roma loss, the Vatican women are back in action in a tournament in Vienna later this month.

– insidethegames

International Football

BREAKING – Video: Osimhen accepts to join Galatasaray

Published

5 days ago

September 3, 2024

Kunle Solaja

At last, Nigeria’s striker Victor Osimhen is out of the limbo. He has accepted to join Galatasaray on loan.

He is now asking for a release clause at Napoli to become €75m instead of €130m

He also wants a break clause for January in case top clubs approach him over move.

The final points are being discussed. He has been videoed celebrating with the Turkey club’s fans.

International Football

Uruguay striker Suarez to play last international match on Friday

Published

5 days ago

September 3, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Uruguay striker Luis Suarez announced his international retirement on Monday, ending a 17-year career with his national team as their top scorer with 69 goals.

The 37-year-old, who has 142 caps for his country, made his international debut in 2007 and was key in the squad that reached the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup and won the Copa America a year later.

“Friday will be my last match with my country’s national team,” an emotional Suarez told a press conference.

“The fact that is my decision to retire and that I’m not retired because of injuries or that they stop calling me for one thing or another, that gives me a lot of comfort, it helps me individually.

“It’s difficult but it gives me peace of mind that until the last game I have given my all, and that flame has not been extinguished little by little,” the striker added.

Uruguay take on Paraguay at the Centenario stadium in Montevideo on Friday in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup before facing Venezuela four days later.

Suarez scored the stoppage-time goal against Canada that secured third place at the Copa America in July and the striker added that one of his aims was to show he could continue to contribute to the national team.

“My dream was for my children to see me win something important with the national team … that last goal was very nice for them and even though it wasn’t a trophy to take home, it was very nice for them,” he said.

“I wanted to show people again that I can continue to contribute to the national team and, well, I had the Copa America and yes, I could have done it (retired) perfectly after that, but having analysed the situation, I want to do it with my people, in my stadium.

“I want my children to live this experience. Saying goodbye with the people here is something that I don’t know if many have done.”

Suarez has already said Inter Miami will be his last club after joining the Major League Soccer side last year to reunite with former Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.

-Reuters

International Football

Quitting Portugal never crossed my mind, says Ronaldo

Published

5 days ago

September 3, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo dismissed suggestions he had considered ending his international career in the near future, adding that post-Euro criticism did not worry him.

Portugal host Croatia in their Nations League opener on Thursday before welcoming Scotland in League A Group One on Sunday.

“That’s all from the press. It never crossed my mind that my cycle (with Portugal) had come to an end. Quite the opposite: it gave me even more motivation to continue to be honest,” Ronaldo told a press conference on Monday.

“The motivation is to come to the national team to win the Nations League … We’ve already won it once and we want to do it again. I might say the same thing over and over again, but I don’t think long term, it’s always short term.”

Ronaldo captained Portugal to success in the opening edition of the Nations League in 2018-19, three years after they became European Champions for the first time in France.

“Until the end of my career, I will always have the mindset that I will be a starter,” Ronaldo added.

“What I feel at the moment, and the coach’s (Roberto Martinez) words also demonstrate this, is that I continue to be an asset to the national team and I will be the first (to admit it) if that isn’t the case.

“When I’m (no longer) an asset I will be the first to leave. But I will go with a clear conscience, as always, because I know who I am, what I can do, what I do and what I will continue to do.”

The 39-year-old appeared untroubled by criticism he faced for failing to score at the 2024 European Championship.

“Criticism is great because if it doesn’t exist there’s no progress. It’s always been like this. Is it going to change now? It won’t,” Ronaldo said.

“So I try to follow my path, be as professional as possible, help in the best way possible with my professionalism and not just with goals, assists, discipline, and example, because football is much more than just playing well or scoring a goal.

“The people who give their opinions have never been in a locker room, and I often laugh because it’s the same thing as me talking about Formula 1.

“How can I give my opinion on Formula 1 if I don’t know anything about tires, rims or the weight of the car … It’s normal and that’s why for me criticism is good and part of it, it’s no problem at all.”

-Reuters