International Football
A BITTERSWEET BROKEN RECORD FOR EVERGREEN SUPER FALCON, ONOME EBI
BY ANN ODONG
Nigeria may have lost in one of the opening Group A matches to Norway, Onome Ebi became the first African player to make appearances at five World Cups
When She strode out on to the Stade Auguste Delaune surface on Saturday night, she also walked into the record books.
In that moment the 36 year old became the first African player, man or woman, to appear at five World Cups. In the end it was a bittersweet achievement as three first-half goals from a well-oiled Norwegian side dashed Nigeria’s hopes of an opening win.
Nonetheless, there was still pride in accomplishing an incredible feat of consistency, resilience and longevity. “Playing in my fifth World Cup is really, really amazing, and I worked hard for it,” she told FIFA.com. “I thank God it come to pass. I would say I’m enjoying it – just not today’s game.”
Onome Ebi’s long association with the FIFA Women’s World Cup started at USA 2003. The then 20-year-old was part of a squad that boasted Super Falcons legends including Mercy Akide, Perpetua Nkwocha, Precious Dede and Florence Omagbemi.
While
she played less than fifteen minutes in tournament, Ebi demonstrated enough
talent to pave the way for her to become a mainstay of the Nigerian defence
through the 2007, 2011and 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cups.
However, the road to France was did not run smooth. In 2016 the veteran picked up a severe hand injury in the final of the African Women’s Championships. The subsequent surgery and rehabilitation tested her resolve.
“My journey wasn’t easy,” she stated. “The setbacks, the injury, negative words against me. But I didn’t give up. I kept working hard and I kept being positive in everything that I do. I pushed myself to come back and now I think I am even better than I was before.”
Experience and adversity provides plenty of perspective and Ebi is utilising those years of accumulated wisdom ahead of a vital against Korea Republic. “I didn’t expect what happened [against Norway] but it’s football – you lose some and you win some.”
“We didn’t get the goals, so we are going to learn from what happened and work on those lessons for the second game.”
The Super Falcons enter the encounter with Korea Republic knowing their World Cup hopes are on the line. A victory against their Group A rivals would leave knockout phase qualification in their hands. Ebi is acutely aware of the “do or die” nature of the clash and believes Nigeria can rise to the challenge.
“We don’t have anything to leave behind in the Korea game. We are going all out because the loss in our first game was a very big one. We will go all out – for nothing but victory.”
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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