International Football
FIFA DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL QUITS
BY DANIEL ETCHELLS
FIFA deputy secretary general Zvonimir Boban has decided to join AC Milan as the club’s chief football officer and is leaving the world governing body, it has been announced.
The 50-year-old Croatian has been working as FIFA’s deputy secretary general and as an adviser to FIFA President Gianni Infantino on strategic football matters since 2016.
He is set to team up again with AC Milan icon Paolo Maldini, the club’s newly-appointed technical director with whom he won four Serie A titles and the UEFA Champions League in 1994.
“I will always be grateful to FIFA President Gianni Infantino for the opportunity he gave me after his election in 2016,” Boban said.
“True
to his manifesto pledge to bring football back to FIFA and FIFA back to
football, he had the courage to entrust a former footballer with such a far‑reaching
role within the organisation.”
During his spell at FIFA, Boban has been involved in many reforms that FIFA claim are set to leave a mark on football history and that have helped to restore the organisation’s image.
“I feel really honoured and privileged to have worked on such important projects to take FIFA back to its rightful place, far away from past scandals and a tarnished image,” he said.
“Looking back, I feel a real sense of accomplishment about my contribution to these big changes over the last three years.
“I have been entrusted with leading important projects such as the revamp of the FIFA Club World Cup and the successful bidding process for the FIFA World Cup 2026, as well as the revolutionary VAR (Video Assistant Referee) project, which has managed to make the beautiful game fairer and protect its integrity.
“None of this could have been achieved without the support of the President and amazing colleagues who are dedicated to serving the game of football across the globe.
“There may have been some debates along the way, but we have always upheld our motto of ‘Living Football’ and I will be eternally thankful to everyone.”
Following three years in Zurich, Boban is returning to Milan and the club where he spent 10 years from 1991 to 2001 after playing for Dinamo Zagreb.
“It is extremely difficult to leave FIFA, but I followed my heart and my passion when making this decision, as was the case when I accepted the challenge of joining FIFA,” he said.
“The people at AC Milan are my family and the city of Milan and Italy are my home.
“I have a burning desire to help this glorious club, which means so much to me, to return where it belongs.
“Zurich now also has a special place in my heart after three wonderful years in Switzerland.”
Infantino paid tribute to Boban as a person and professional, noting that his departure represents a great loss.
“I cannot thank Zvonimir enough for everything he has done for FIFA and football over the last three years by our side,” he said.
“His dedication to football and enthusiasm are incredible and he has been an invaluable asset for FIFA – nobody embodies football better than he does and he has always worked for the good of the game.
“Many of the positive changes that we have made over the last three years could not have been achieved without Zvone.
“He has shown the same commitment, heart and passion at FIFA that characterised his attitude on the pitch.
“We will miss him a lot at FIFA, but I wish him the same success in his new challenge at his beloved club.”
Boban and Infantino attended the FIFA Under-20 World Cup final in Poland on Saturday (June 15), when Ukraine beat South Korea 3-1.
As an 18-year-old, Boban won the FIFA World Youth Championship – the predecessor to the current tournament – with the former Yugoslavian national team in 1987.
He had a decisive role in the victory over Germany in the final, scoring with an unstoppable shot from the edge of the box in the 85th minute and then converting the winning penalty in the subsequent shoot-out.
Boban leaves FIFA less than two weeks after Infantino was re-elected as President.
Infantino stood unopposed and will serve his first full four-year term through until 2023.
He took over in 2016 after disgraced predecessor Sepp Blatter resigned amid the corruption scandal which plunged FIFA into crisis.
The former UEFA general secretary secured a further four years at the helm by applause after members of the Congress approved a statute change to elect a President by acclamation if there is only one candidate.
Infantino claimed during his opening speech to the Congress that he had turned the organisation from being “toxic, almost criminal” to “what it should be – an organisation that develops football, an organisation that cares about football”.
He insisted FIFA had moved on from its scandal-tainted past, despite a spate of officials being banned, including Council members, since he replaced Blatter.
Boban and Maldini rejoin Milan at a low point for the seven-time European champions, who finished sixth in Serie A last season and extended their failure to qualify for the Champions League to six years.
UEFA is investigating Milan’s finances and has threatened the club with a one-season ban from European competitions if it fails to meet targets by June 2021.
-insidethegames
International Football
BREAKING – Video: Osimhen accepts to join Galatasaray
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/osimhen-jubilates.jpg)
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
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/GettyImages-2161934515-scaled-e1725270615569-1024x683-1.jpg)
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
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/34P2HEWYWJOKBFGYISOZT244ZE.jpg)
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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