International Football
Football legend, Rummenigge urges Germany to learn from Morocco
Morocco’s Atlas Lions’ exceptional journey at the Qatar World Cup has been widely hailed as an inspiration for many.
German football legend Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has joined the list of public figures who say they were utterly impressed and inspired by Morocco’s Atlas Lions’ performances at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Rummenigge, who also served as CEO at Bayern Munich, gave a recent interview in which he called on the German national team to “learn and benefit” from Morocco’s “inspiring” displays at the 2022 World Cup.
The former forward emphasized the need for the German national team to show “more passion” to perform at the 2024 European Championships and reclaim Germany’s place among the world’s best and most revered teams.
Disappointed with Germany’s early exit from the 2022 World Cup, Rummenigge said that putting more balance to the German team will be the “main” task for the new advisory board that the country’s football federation established following the national team’s early elimination in Qatar.
Rummenigge is part of the new advisory board alongside several legends of German football, including Olivier Kan, Rudi Voller, and Matthias Sammer.
“We have to set an agenda and then work on what is expected of the team,” he said.
Morocco’s Atlas Lions’ exceptional journey at the Qatar World Cup has been widely hailed as an inspiration for many.
As they joined in celebrating Morocco’s Atlas Lions, many have suggested that Morocco’s uplifting performances at the 2022 World Cup will inspire and galvanize other underdogs in coming tournaments.
Morocco’s national team made history in Qatar by becoming the first African and Arab country to qualify for the semi-finals.
While Morocco lost its semi-final showdown with France on Wednesday, fans and observers have expressed satisfaction with the Atlas Lions. On social media, Moroccan fans across the world have said they are satisfied with and proud of their national team’s outstanding performances during the World Cup.
In a heartwarming message to the fans, Moroccan football star Achraf Hakimi said that the Moroccan national team “gave it all.”
“The dream of a team, of a whole country is over, but we have to be proud of what we have done,” he added. “We leave with our heads held high. We will continue to try and give our all for this nation. Thanks to all Moroccans for our support. We love you. Dima Maghrib, always.”
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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