International Football
NEYMAR & CO INTERACT WITH FANS DESPITE JET LAG
The Brazilian national team stars have won many hearts in Singapore as they assemble in the island city-state on Monday ahead of their matches with Nigeria and Senegal.
As a far departure from attitudes of most lesser-rated players from Africa, especially Nigeria, the Brazilian superstars found time to interact with their admirers and fans despite the obvious jetlag that accompanies long trips from Europe to the far east.
According to The Straits Times in Singapore, Samba fever has gripped the island as fans thronged out to see the first batch of the team players that arrived on Monday morning.
Nine fans camped outside the JW Marriott Singapore South Beach hotel from as early as 6am when the first batch of Selecao players – Paris Saint-Germain trio Neymar, Thiago Silva and Marquinhos – reached the hotel in a minivan at 7.30am.
Their number might have been small but there was no doubting their enthusiasm as they extended a noisy welcome to Neymar backed up by the beat of samba drums.
The world’s most expensive footballer looked bleary-eyed as he scanned his surroundings but still produced two cheeky winks.
He also stopped to sign a caricature of himself and four jerseys before striding into the hotel.
Undergraduate Amanpreet Singh, 23, told The Straits Times: “It is understandable after a long flight, but at least Neymar stopped.
“The poor turnout could be attributed to the fact that it is early Monday morning, when people have to work or go to school. And there are just a few players coming in batches this time round.
“I was also here for Inter Milan when they arrived at the same hotel for the International Champions Cup in July, and there were also just about 25 fans for the entire team on a Wednesday morning. But it is also good for us early birds because we stand a higher chance of getting an autograph or wefie.”
The number of fans grew to 15 by the time the second batch of Brazilians – Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino and Fabinho, and Everton’s Richarlison – arrived at 7.50am.
While Richarlison went straight into the hotel, the chirpier-looking Reds duo spent more time with the fans. Flashing his megawatt smile, Firmino entertained autograph and wefie requests while his clubmate Fabinho also followed suit.
Sales manager Dominic Teng, 31, said: “I had hoped Firmino would stay longer but he did look tired and it is OK because both he and Fabinho were very accommodating.
“It is really fantastic and breathtaking to be able to see and interact with our football heroes in person.
“While I will be at the Brazil-Senegal game to watch and support them, I hope the Liverpool players don’t get too many minutes because they have a big league match against Manchester United on Oct 20.”
Philippe Coutinho, Dani Alves, Lucas Paqueta, Casemiro and Eder Militao arrived later in the day and by the time the team left the hotel to train at Kallang Football Hub at 4.45pm, the crowd had swelled to about 40, and the fans were rewarded for their patience when Brazil manager Tite greeted them and Richarlison made amends with some wefies.
The 90-minute workout with 11 players resembled more of a light recovery session to shake off the jet lag, as they broke into little rondo-playing cliques such as the Liverpool gang of Firmino, Fabinho and former playmaker Coutinho, and the PSG group of Neymar, Silva, Marquinhos and former right-back Alves.
Neymar was seen engaging Richarlison in a crossbar challenge which the latter won, before he joined the bulk of the players chilling by the sidelines.
Meanwhile, Marquinhos and Militao were more heavily employed in passing drills while Paqueta also brushed up on his movement and finishing.
At their opening press conference last night, Marquinhos told reporters that the team “are honoured to be here”. He also defended the friendlies, saying: “Club coaches and supporters won’t like that their players go away with the national teams. But you also have to think for our national coach Tite too. How else can he test players and organise the national team? He needs such friendlies.”
Ahead of their test against Senegal, Neymar has good cause to be confident. After all, on Brazil’s last visit to the Republic in 2014 for an exhibition against Japan, he scored all the goals in the 4-0 win in front of more than 50,000 fans at the National Stadium.
Former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has been named the new head coach of the England national team, the country’s Football Association said in a statement on Wednesday.
The German, who is England’s third foreign manager, after Sweden’s Sven-Goran Eriksson and Italian Fabio Capello, will be assisted by Englishman Anthony Barry, the statement added.
“We are thrilled to have hired Thomas Tuchel, one of the best coaches in the world and Anthony Barry who is one of the best English coaches to support him,” FA CEO Mark Bullingham said.
Tuchel replaces Lee Carsley, England’s under-21 manager, who has been in temporary charge since the resignation of Gareth Southgate after England’s defeat by Spain in the Euro 2024 final in July.
-Reuters
German Thomas Tuchel has been appointed head coach of the England national team on Wednesday.
Born: Aug. 29, 1973 in Krumbach, Germany.
PLAYING CAREER
* Tuchel played for his local club TSV Krumbach, before moving to FC Augsburg’s academy at the age of 15.
* He never played for Augsburg’s senior side and joined German second division team Stuttgarter Kickers in 1992.
* After eight league appearances for Kickers, Tuchel moved to fourth-tier SSV Ulm.
* Tuchel made 69 league appearances for Ulm as a central defender before he was forced to retire in 1998 at the age of 25 due to a knee injury.
COACHING CAREER
* Tuchel began his coaching career with a youth team role at VfB Stuttgart in 2000, working with future Germany internationals Mario Gomez and Holger Badstuber.
* He returned to Augsburg and took charge of their reserve team for the 2007-08 season.
* Tuchel was appointed Mainz 05 manager in 2009, replacing compatriot Juergen Klopp.
* He guided Mainz to Bundesliga stability during his five-year stint at the club, gaining plaudits for his team’s high energy, attacking style of play.
* Tuchel took over from Klopp as Borussia Dortmund coach in 2015.
* He led Dortmund to a 2-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in the 2017 German Cup final. He was sacked by Dortmund three days later.
* Tuchel joined Paris St Germain in 2018 on a two-year contract, replacing Unai Emery.
* He won two Ligue 1 titles, including a domestic quadruple in his second season, and guided the club to their first Champions League final, where they lost 1-0 to Bayern Munich.
* Tuchel was sacked by PSG on Christmas Eve in 2020, despite the club finishing top of their Champions League group and sitting third in the Ligue 1 table.
* He was named Chelsea manager in January 2021 on an initial 18-month contract following the dismissal of Frank Lampard.
* Tuchel revived the team’s Premier League season and guided the London club to the Champions League final, where they beat Manchester City. Chelsea also won the Super Cup and Club World Cup.
* Chelsea sacked Tuchel in September 2022 following a shock 1-0 defeat at Dinamo Zagreb in their opening Champions League group game.
* Bayern Munich appointed Tuchel to succeed Julian Nagelsmann in March last year.
* Bayern decided to let Tuchel go at the end of the 2023-24 season despite a contract until 2025. Tuchel steered Bayern to the Bundesliga title in 2022-23, but they finished the last campaign without any silverware for the first time in more than a decade.
* Tuchel will become England’s third foreign manager after Sweden’s Sven-Goran Eriksson and Italian Fabio Capello.
* Tuchel will take over the team in January ahead of the qualification campaign for the 2026 World Cup.
-Reuters
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.
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
NFF Communication director unfolds 20 Points of a 20-hour ordeal on Libyan soil
African football legends, Adebayor and Aubameyang condemn Libya’s treatment of Super Eagles
BREAKING! CAF wades into the Libya-Nigeria Airport episode
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
AIU releases its report on Tobi Amusan
-
Uncategorized1 week ago
Players boycott Libyan national team
-
AFCON6 days ago
Billiat’s penalty seals Zimbabwe’s 1-0 win over Namibia
-
AFCON1 week ago
Facts & Figures as AFCON 2025 qualifiers enter Matchday 3
-
AFCON1 week ago
AFCON 2025 in Morocco: Everything you need to know
-
AFCON6 days ago
Libya’s captain, Faisal Al-Badri alleges poor treatment in Nigeria
-
Uncategorized1 week ago
CAF compels Kwasi Appiah to step down from Ghana FA
-
AFCON2 days ago
BREAKING! CAF wades into the Libya-Nigeria Airport episode
-
Uncategorized1 week ago
Fastest World Cup final scorer is dead!