Connect with us

International Football

FIFA DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL QUITS

Published

on

BY DANIEL ETCHELLS

FIFA deputy secretary general Zvonimir Boban has decided to join AC Milan as the club’s chief football officer and is leaving the world governing body, it has been announced.

The 50-year-old Croatian has been working as FIFA’s deputy secretary general and as an adviser to FIFA President Gianni Infantino on strategic football matters since 2016.

He is set to team up again with AC Milan icon Paolo Maldini, the club’s newly-appointed technical director with whom he won four Serie A titles and the UEFA Champions League in 1994.

“I will always be grateful to FIFA President Gianni Infantino for the opportunity he gave me after his election in 2016,” Boban said.

Advertisement

“True to his manifesto pledge to bring football back to FIFA and FIFA back to football, he had the courage to entrust a former footballer with such a far‑reaching role within the organisation.”

Zvonimir Boban spent most of his playing career at AC Milan

During his spell at FIFA, Boban has been involved in many reforms that FIFA claim are set to leave a mark on football history and that have helped to restore the organisation’s image.

“I feel really honoured and privileged to have worked on such important projects to take FIFA back to its rightful place, far away from past scandals and a tarnished image,” he said.

“Looking back, I feel a real sense of accomplishment about my contribution to these big changes over the last three years.

“I have been entrusted with leading important projects such as the revamp of the FIFA Club World Cup and the successful bidding process for the FIFA World Cup 2026, as well as the revolutionary VAR (Video Assistant Referee) project, which has managed to make the beautiful game fairer and protect its integrity.

“None of this could have been achieved without the support of the President and amazing colleagues who are dedicated to serving the game of football across the globe.

Advertisement

“There may have been some debates along the way, but we have always upheld our motto of ‘Living Football’ and I will be eternally thankful to everyone.”

Following three years in Zurich, Boban is returning to Milan and the club where he spent 10 years from 1991 to 2001 after playing for Dinamo Zagreb.

“It is extremely difficult to leave FIFA, but I followed my heart and my passion when making this decision, as was the case when I accepted the challenge of joining FIFA,” he said.

“The people at AC Milan are my family and the city of Milan and Italy are my home.

“I have a burning desire to help this glorious club, which means so much to me, to return where it belongs.

Advertisement

“Zurich now also has a special place in my heart after three wonderful years in Switzerland.”

Infantino paid tribute to Boban as a person and professional, noting that his departure represents a great loss.

“I cannot thank Zvonimir enough for everything he has done for FIFA and football over the last three years by our side,” he said.

“His dedication to football and enthusiasm are incredible and he has been an invaluable asset for FIFA – nobody embodies football better than he does and he has always worked for the good of the game.

“Many of the positive changes that we have made over the last three years could not have been achieved without Zvone.

Advertisement

“He has shown the same commitment, heart and passion at FIFA that characterised his attitude on the pitch.

“We will miss him a lot at FIFA, but I wish him the same success in his new challenge at his beloved club.”

Boban and Infantino attended the FIFA Under-20 World Cup final in Poland on Saturday (June 15), when Ukraine beat South Korea 3-1.

As an 18-year-old, Boban won the FIFA World Youth Championship – the predecessor to the current tournament – with the former Yugoslavian national team in 1987.

He had a decisive role in the victory over Germany in the final, scoring with an unstoppable shot from the edge of the box in the 85th minute and then converting the winning penalty in the subsequent shoot-out.

Advertisement

Boban leaves FIFA less than two weeks after Infantino was re-elected as President.

Infantino stood unopposed and will serve his first full four-year term through until 2023.

He took over in 2016 after disgraced predecessor Sepp Blatter resigned amid the corruption scandal which plunged FIFA into crisis.

The former UEFA general secretary secured a further four years at the helm by applause after members of the Congress approved a statute change to elect a President by acclamation if there is only one candidate.

Infantino claimed during his opening speech to the Congress that he had turned the organisation from being “toxic, almost criminal” to “what it should be – an organisation that develops football, an organisation that cares about football”.

Advertisement

He insisted FIFA had moved on from its scandal-tainted past, despite a spate of officials being banned, including Council members, since he replaced Blatter.

Boban and Maldini rejoin Milan at a low point for the seven-time European champions, who finished sixth in Serie A last season and extended their failure to qualify for the Champions League to six years.

UEFA is investigating Milan’s finances and has threatened the club with a one-season ban from European competitions if it fails to meet targets by June 2021.

-insidethegames

Advertisement

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

International Football

Portugal call up same player named in England Under-18 squad

Published

on

Mateus Mane in England's colour

Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Mateus Mane has become hot property after Portugal named the 17-year-old in their Under-18 squad on Friday, one day after England included him in their squad.

Mane was called up for a second successive England youth camp by coach Liam Bramley before the team travel to Marbella for a four-team tournament this month.

Mane is eligible for both teams having played for the Portugal Under-17 side last season. As the Under-18 team is a non-UEFA age group, both nations are entitled to call the player up.

He made his England international debut last month against the Portugal Under-18 side who have named Mane in their squad for a four-nation tournament this month.

With both tournaments running concurrently, Mane can only play for one team and Wolves and England confirmed he would feature in Bramley’s side.

Advertisement

Reuters has contacted Portugal’s football association for clarification.

While players with multiple nationalities have played for more than one country if they are eligible, they are not allowed to switch allegiances at senior level – unless they have played only in friendly matches for the first country.

-Reuters

Continue Reading

International Football

Soon Cisse ceases to be Senegal’s Coach

Published

on

After 107 matches spanning nine years, Aliou Cisse will not have his contract renewed as Senegal coach, officials confirmed on Wednesday. Of the 107 matches, Cisse’s team won 70, drew 24 and lost 13.

But the impressive scorecard is not enough to impress his employers.

Thus, the end beckons for Cisse’s successful nine-year spell in charge of the side that included a first Africa Cup of Nations title and two World Cup qualifications.

He had been under increasing pressure after Senegal’s surprise last 16 exit at the 2023 Cup of Nations when they lost on penalties to hosts Cote d’Ivoire.

Senegal are unbeaten in six matches since then, but home draws with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burkina Faso, and criticism from certain quarters over their style of play, made up the mind of the country’s sports ministry, who fund the salary of the national team coach, that a change was needed.

Advertisement

“The FSF would like to thank Aliou Cisse for his good collaboration and his brilliant results at the head of the various national selections that he has managed since his arrival in 2011 and wish him every success for the future,” the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) said in a statement.

FSF added Cisse’s exit stemmed from a failure to fulfil the targets in his last contract, which expired at the end of August, which included victory at the 2023 Cup of Nations and reaching the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup.

They also said the “regression of our national team in the FIFA rankings and the risk of disaffection between our national team and the Senegalese (public)” had played a role.

The FSF will appoint an interim technical team to lead the side in Cup of Nations qualifiers against Malawi at home on Oct. 11 and away four days later.

Cisse, 48, was captain of Senegal when they reached the quarter-finals of the 2002 World Cup with what is heralded as a golden generation of players.

Advertisement

He briefly had a spell as caretaker coach of the national team in 2012, but took over full time three years later.

He led Senegal to 2018 and 2022 World Cup qualification, making the last 16 in the latter before losing to England. They were beaten in the final of the 2019 Cup of Nations by Algeria.

The side made up for that disappointment when they beat Egypt in the final two years later to be crowned African champions for the first time.

Continue Reading

International Football

Why  FIFA banned Samuel Eto’o

Published

on

Always in the news for bad reasons, Samuel Eto’o has again made global headlines. The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has banned the former striker and the current president of the Cameroon Football Federation.

He is banned from attending Cameroon’s matches for the next six months for violating conduct rules during the recent U-20 Women’s World Cup, where his national team faced Brazil in the round of 16.

According to FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee, Eto’o was found to have breached articles 13 (“Offensive behaviour and violations of fair play principles”) and 14 (“Misconduct of players and officials”) of FIFA’s Disciplinary Code.

The sanction stems specifically from the match between Brazil and Cameroon, held on September 11 in Bogotá, Colombia. As a result, Eto’o will be prohibited from attending any matches involving Cameroon’s national teams, both male and femaleacross all age groups.

“Mr Eto’o has been notified today, the date on which the sanction comes into force,” stated the FIFA press release.

This is not the first time Eto’o has faced controversy. He previously drew attention for his behavior towards players and national team coach Marc Brys, whom he allegedly threatened in front of cameras if his directives were not followed.

Advertisement

During the Qatar World Cup, the former Real Madrid, Mallorca, and Barcelona player made headlines again after assaulting a fan who filmed him outside a stadium after a match.

Continue Reading

Most Viewed