International Football
I NEVER THOUGHT OF PLAYING FOR NIGERIA OR CANADA, SAYS FIKAYO TOMORI
Chelsea defender, Fikayo Tomori who is believed to be of Nigerian origin and at the same time eligible for both Canada and England has put to paid the insinuation that Nigeria was part of his plans.
According to 90min publication, the Chelsea defender said that there was never any doubt about pledging his allegiance to England, despite also being eligible to play for Nigeria and Canada.
The 21-year-old made his Three Lions debut in the 4-0 win over Kosovo on Sunday, ending any distant Nigerian and Canadian hopes of him changing his stance over his international future.
Speaking about a potential switch to Nigeria, Tomori said, as quoted by The Mirror: “Once I got the call from England last month it was pretty much finalised, it was just about making my cap.
“People still talked about the fact I hadn’t played and could still switch but it never really crossed my mind. As a little kid, you want to make your debut for England. To get into the squad was one thing but then your debut is another thing so obviously, it was a very proud moment for me.”
Tomori’s appearance means that nine out of the last 21 England debutants have been with the Chelsea academy at some stage, with teammates Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount also making their debuts in October.
After playing under Frank Lampard while on loan at Derby last season, Tomori has shone under the Chelsea legend at Stamford Bridge so far this season.
Since scoring on his full debut against Wolves, Tomori has been a key player the Blues, making 13 appearances in the Premier League andChampions League and forming a formidable pairing with Kurt Zouma at the heart of their backline.
“It’s pretty mad,” Tomori added. “If you told me 12 months ago that I’d make my England debut, I’d probably have looked at you funny because it just seemed so far away.
“I think if you asked Mason [Mount] the same question, I think he’d have been a bit, not weirded out, but a bit confused. Obviously he got called up last year but the fact he’s played now and scored a goal, whereas 12 months ago he was in the Championship – it’s a crazy journey.”
With the third international break of the season out of the way, Tomori’s focus returns to Chelsea and their crucial clash at Manchester City on Saturday, as the Blues look to cement their spot over the Pep Guardiola’s side in third.
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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