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VIDEO; NEYMAR AND CO LAND IN SINGAPORE FOR THE AFRICAN CHALLENGE!

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As reported by Sports Village Square on Sunday, the Seleção, Brazil national team players, have started arriving Singapore early this Monday morning.

Neymar reportedly arrived Singapore overnight. If he was still feeling snoozy after his overnight flight from Paris, he would have been awakened by the beat of the samba drumming that greeted him at the JW Marriott Singapore South Beach early Monday morning.

The Brazil superstar, who scored the last goal in his club Paris Saint-Germain’s 4-0 win over Angers on Saturday, and his Selecao teammates are in town for the Brazil Global Tour which sees the five-time world champions face Senegal and Nigeria on Thursday and Sunday respectively in two international friendlies at the National Stadium.

Stepping out of a minivan after his compatriots and PSG colleagues Marquinhos and Thiago Silva, the 27-year-old Neymar, who wore a black cap, white T-shirt, khaki pants, as well as diamond-studded necklace and earrings, looked bleary-eyed as he scanned his surroundings.

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Brazil player Fabinho posing with a fan at JW Marriott Singapore South Beach on Monday morning

It was 7.30am and while there were just nine fans, who had waited for an hour, outside the hotel, Neymar stopped to sign a caricature of himself and four jerseys – including some of his former club Barcelona which he has been heavily linked with a return to – before striding into the JW Marriott in under a minute.

On Brazil’s last visit to the Republic in 2014 for an exhibition against Japan, Neymar scored all four goals in the 4-0 win in front of more than 50,000 fans at the National Stadium.

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Undergraduate Amanpreet Singh, 23, told The Straits Times: “It is understandable after a long flight, but at least Neymar stopped.

“The poor turnout could be attributed to the fact that it is early Monday morning, when people have to work or go to school. And there are just a few players coming in batches this time round.

“I was also here for Inter Milan when they arrived at the same hotel for the International Champions Cup in July, and there were also just about 25 fans for the entire team on a Wednesday morning.

“But it is also good for us early birds because we stand a higher chance of getting an autograph or wefie.”

The number of fans grew to 15 by the time the second batch of Brazilians – Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino and Fabinho, and Everton’s Richarlison – arrived with contrasting moods at 7.50am.

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While Richarlison went straight into the hotel, the Reds duo stopped to spend some time with the fans. Flashing his megawatt smile, Liverpool forward Firmino, decked in a black Versace hoodie, entertained autograph and wefie requests while his clubmate Fabinho also followed suit.

Sales manager Dominic Teng, 31, said: “I had hoped Firmino would stay longer but he did look tired and it is okay because both he and Fabinho were very accommodating.

“It is really fantastic and breathtaking to be able to see and interact with our football heroes in person.

“While I will be at the Brazil-Senegal game to watch and support them, I hope the Liverpool players don’t get too many minutes because they have a big league match against Manchester United on Oct 20.”

Even though only 11 Brazil players (including Philippe Coutinho, Dani Alves, Lucas Paqueta, Casemiro and Eder Militao) are expected to arrive on Monday – the rest of their 23-man squad will fly in on Tuesday – the initial group are scheduled to train at the Kallang Football Hub on Monday evening.

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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International Football

German Thomas Tuchel becomes 3rd foreign manager for England

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 - Bayern Munich v VfL Wolfsburg - Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany - May 12, 2024 Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel looks on before the match REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth/File Photo

Former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has been named the new head coach of the England national team, the country’s Football Association said in a statement on Wednesday.

The German, who is England’s third foreign manager, after Sweden’s Sven-Goran Eriksson and Italian Fabio Capello, will be assisted by Englishman Anthony Barry, the statement added.

“We are thrilled to have hired Thomas Tuchel, one of the best coaches in the world and Anthony Barry who is one of the best English coaches to support him,” FA CEO Mark Bullingham said.

Tuchel replaces Lee Carsley, England’s under-21 manager, who has been in temporary charge since the resignation of Gareth Southgate after England’s defeat by Spain in the Euro 2024 final in July.

-Reuters

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Factbox on England head coach Thomas Tuchel

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Champions League - Bayern Munich Training - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - May 7, 2024 Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel on the pitch during a walk around REUTERS/Juan Medina/File Photo

German Thomas Tuchel has been appointed head coach of the England national team on Wednesday.

Born: Aug. 29, 1973 in Krumbach, Germany.

PLAYING CAREER

* Tuchel played for his local club TSV Krumbach, before moving to FC Augsburg’s academy at the age of 15.

* He never played for Augsburg’s senior side and joined German second division team Stuttgarter Kickers in 1992.

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* After eight league appearances for Kickers, Tuchel moved to fourth-tier SSV Ulm.

* Tuchel made 69 league appearances for Ulm as a central defender before he was forced to retire in 1998 at the age of 25 due to a knee injury.

COACHING CAREER

* Tuchel began his coaching career with a youth team role at VfB Stuttgart in 2000, working with future Germany internationals Mario Gomez and Holger Badstuber.

* He returned to Augsburg and took charge of their reserve team for the 2007-08 season.

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* Tuchel was appointed Mainz 05 manager in 2009, replacing compatriot Juergen Klopp.

* He guided Mainz to Bundesliga stability during his five-year stint at the club, gaining plaudits for his team’s high energy, attacking style of play.

* Tuchel took over from Klopp as Borussia Dortmund coach in 2015.

* He led Dortmund to a 2-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in the 2017 German Cup final. He was sacked by Dortmund three days later.

* Tuchel joined Paris St Germain in 2018 on a two-year contract, replacing Unai Emery.

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* He won two Ligue 1 titles, including a domestic quadruple in his second season, and guided the club to their first Champions League final, where they lost 1-0 to Bayern Munich.

* Tuchel was sacked by PSG on Christmas Eve in 2020, despite the club finishing top of their Champions League group and sitting third in the Ligue 1 table.

* He was named Chelsea manager in January 2021 on an initial 18-month contract following the dismissal of Frank Lampard.

* Tuchel revived the team’s Premier League season and guided the London club to the Champions League final, where they beat Manchester City. Chelsea also won the Super Cup and Club World Cup.

* Chelsea sacked Tuchel in September 2022 following a shock 1-0 defeat at Dinamo Zagreb in their opening Champions League group game.

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* Bayern Munich appointed Tuchel to succeed Julian Nagelsmann in March last year.

* Bayern decided to let Tuchel go at the end of the 2023-24 season despite a contract until 2025. Tuchel steered Bayern to the Bundesliga title in 2022-23, but they finished the last campaign without any silverware for the first time in more than a decade.

* Tuchel will become England’s third foreign manager after Sweden’s Sven-Goran Eriksson and Italian Fabio Capello.

* Tuchel will take over the team in January ahead of the qualification campaign for the 2026 World Cup.

-Reuters

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Portugal call up same player named in England Under-18 squad

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Mateus Mane in England's colour

Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Mateus Mane has become hot property after Portugal named the 17-year-old in their Under-18 squad on Friday, one day after England included him in their squad.

Mane was called up for a second successive England youth camp by coach Liam Bramley before the team travel to Marbella for a four-team tournament this month.

Mane is eligible for both teams having played for the Portugal Under-17 side last season. As the Under-18 team is a non-UEFA age group, both nations are entitled to call the player up.

He made his England international debut last month against the Portugal Under-18 side who have named Mane in their squad for a four-nation tournament this month.

With both tournaments running concurrently, Mane can only play for one team and Wolves and England confirmed he would feature in Bramley’s side.

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Reuters has contacted Portugal’s football association for clarification.

While players with multiple nationalities have played for more than one country if they are eligible, they are not allowed to switch allegiances at senior level – unless they have played only in friendly matches for the first country.

-Reuters

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