International Football
Cameroon quest for record-extension among African teams
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Africa’s most frequent FIFA World Cup participants Cameroon begin their eighth tournament with a first-ever fixture against Switzerland, who helped to eliminate four-time winners Italy on the road to Qatar.
This is Switzerland’s 12th FIFA World Cup appearance. Ever-present since 2006, they have made it to a fifth successive tournament for the first time, having previously completed four straight appearances in 1954, when, as hosts, they reached the quarter-finals – their best performance. Switzerland have lost just two of their last 12 FIFA World Cup group-stage encounters, with no defeats in the last four.
Absent in 2018, having being upstaged by Nigeria, Cameroon are back for an eighth World Cup appearance in the last 11 tournaments and will be eager to end a run of seven successive defeats at the finals.
In 1990, they became the first African quarter-finalists, famously beating holders Argentina 1-0 in the opening match.
Key facts
• Three-time quarter-finalists, Switzerland are competing in their 12th FIFA World Cup and this is their fifth in a row, which represents their best-ever sequence of qualifications.
• Switzerland have not lost their opening match in their last five World Cup appearances (Win 2; Draw 3).
• Switzerland have successfully qualified from their group in four of their last five appearances at the FIFA World Cup.
• Cameroon have made more appearances at the FIFA World Cup than any other African nation; their qualification for Qatar 2022 extends their record to eight participations.
• Vincent Aboubakar, Nicolas Nkoulou and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting are the only members of the Cameroon squad with previous World Cup experience; all three are appearing at their third final competition.
Switzerland team facts
FIFA WORLD CUP TEAM RECORDS
Overall record: Play 37; Win 12; Draw 8; Lost 17; Goals For 50; Goals Against: 64 Goals Difference: -14
Biggest win: 4-1 Switzerland v. Italy (23/06/1954)/4-1 Switzerland v. Romania (22/06/1994)/3-0; Switzerland v. Honduras (25/06/2014)
Biggest defeat: 0-5 Switzerland v. West Germany (12/07/1966)
Highest scoring draw: 2-2 twice, the last of which was v. Costa Rica (27/06/2018)
Highest scoring match: 12 goals – Austria 7-5 Switzerland (26/06/1954)
Most goals scored in a match: 5 goals – Austria 7-5 Switzerland (26/06/1954)
Most goals conceded in a match: 7 goals – Austria 7-5 Switzerland (26/06/1954)
Most goals scored at a FIFA World Cup: 11 – 1954 (4 matches)
Fewest goals scored at a FIFA World Cup: 1 (1966, 2010)
Most goals conceded at a FIFA World Cup: 11 – 1954 (4 matches)
Fewest goals conceded at a FIFA World Cup: 0 – 2006 (4 matches)
FIFA WORLD CUP STREAKS
Successive wins: 2 (1950-1954)/2 (2006)
Successive defeats: 7 (1954-1966)
Successive draws: 1 (eight times)
Successive matches without a defeat: 5 (2006-2010)
Successive matches without a win: 8 (1954-1994)
Successive matches with a goal scored: 4 (1934-1938)/4 (1954-1962)
Successive matches without scoring: 3 (1994-2006)
Successive clean sheets: 5 (2006-2010)
Cameroon team facts
FIFA WORLD CUP TEAM RECORDS
Overall record: Play 23; Win 4 ; Draw 7; Lost 12; Goals For 18; Goals Against: 43 Goal Differnec: -25
Biggest win: 2-1 Cameroon v. Romania (14/06/1990)/2-1 Cameroon v. Colombia (23/06/1990)/1-0 Cameroon v. Argentina (08/06/1990)/1-0 Cameroon v. Saudi Arabia (06/06/2002)
Biggest defeat: 1-6 Cameroon v. Russia (28/06/1994)
Highest scoring draw: 2-2 Cameroon v. Sweden (19/06/1994)
Highest scoring match: 7 goals – Cameroon 1-6 Russia (28/06/1994)
Most goals scored in a match: 2 – four times
Most goals conceded in a match: 6 – Cameroon 1-6 Russia (28/06/1994)
Most goals scored at a FIFA World Cup: 7 – 1990 (5 matches)
Fewest goals scored at a FIFA World Cup: 1 – 1982, 2014 (3 matches)
Most goals conceded at a FIFA World Cup: 11 – 1994 (3 matches)
Fewest goals conceded at a FIFA World Cup: 1 – 1982 (3 matches)
FIFA WORLD CUP STREAKS
Successive wins: 2 (1990)
Successive defeats: 7 (2002-present)
Successive draws: 3 (1982)
Successive matches without a defeat: 5 (1982-1990)
Successive matches without a win: 8 (1990-2002)
Successive matches with a goal scored: 3 (three times)
Successive matches without scoring: 2 (three times)
Successive clean sheets: 2 (1982)
International Football
BREAKING – Video: Osimhen accepts to join Galatasaray
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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
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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
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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
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