International Football
Young Congolese woman aiming for the top after making FIFA referees’ list
Rachel Zihindula knew from the moment she started refereeing that she wanted to take charge at the very highest level.
The 24-year-old hails from the Democratic Republic of Congo’s eastern city of Goma in a region that has been at war for almost 30 years.
In January, she was elevated to the rank of international referee by world soccer’s governing body FIFA, which qualifies her to officiate at international level.
Against the backdrop of her father dying and her mother leaving home, Zihindula has beaten the odds.
Congolese men play football with Mount Nyiragongo puffing away in the background, in Goma, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, February 18, 2021. REUTERS/Hereward Holland
“It’s true that we have a lot of hassles here but I remained brave,” said Zihindula.
“It’s not every day that one is appointed an international referee, but I’m ready,” she added.
Congo’s eastern region saw the resurgence of the M23 rebellion in March last year. The rebels seized several towns and villages, and advanced to the outskirts of Zihindula’s hometown of Goma, forcing over a million people to flee.
Congo’s national soccer league is also facing issues.
The Congolese Association Football Federation prematurely ended the top flight championship in April after placing it on hold since December due to clubs facing financial difficulties.
Yet that has not dimmed Zihindula’s passion for the game.
She started training as a referee in 2015 and quickly began handling provincial competitions, before moving up to the national soccer league.
Inspired by France’s Stephanie Frappart, the first female referee to officiate a men’s Champions League game, Zihindula hopes to one day oversee Confederation of African Football (CAF) tournaments or FIFA matches.
It is unclear when she will get her first taste of international action but she can’t wait for next season to start.
-Reuters
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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