International Football
NICARAGUA ADMITS ERROR IN THE MESSY MESSI VOTE IN FIFA THE BEST AWARDS
The Nicaraguan Football Association have released an official statement regarding Juan Barrera’s (one of the team captains) recent comment on him voting for Lionel Messi for FIFA “The Best” award.
According to Spanish publication, Tribuna, the federation
has explained that FIFA have used the out-of-date document signed by Barrera
last year. Besides, the recently appointed captain Manuel Rosas is the one
whose votes were to count.
“Like every year, following FIFA’s request, the Nicaraguan Football Federation has sent the votes for “The Best” awards to the head coach Henry Duarte, who is in turn of naming which of our captains would be in charge of voting.
Manuel Rosas, who had already cast his votes in the previous years, was elected.
“Due to an administrative error, which is an act of transparency we assumed within our association, at the time of receiving the votes FIFA included the name and the signature of Juan Barrera, the one which was used last year, with FIFA confirming the validity of the document and the official stamps of our federation.
“Indeed, as it looks on FIFA’s official list, both the coach, Henry Duarte, and the player, Manuel Rosas, cast the votes in the same way: 1 – Lionel Messi (5 points), 2 – Sadio Mane (3 points), 3 – Cristiano Ronaldo (1 point).
“Fenifut wishes to make it clear that the whole situation was a misunderstanding. Even if we take responsibility for the administrative error, we understand the inconveniences caused by one of our captains.
“Fenifut wishes to apologize for the misunderstandings this whole affair generated in relation to “The Best” award organized by FIFA.”
As a reminder, Nicaragua captain Juan Barrera insisted that he hadn’t voted for Messi – or anyone else – as it was said in FIFA ballot.
“I did not vote for #TheBest2019 awards. Any information about my vote is false, thanks,” Barrera wrote on Twitter on Wednesday.
On Monday, FIFA officially named Leo Messi as the best player in the world. Previously, he had won the award five times: in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015. Cristiano, Lionel’s arch-rival, has won the award on five occasions.
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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