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ISSUE 41/2015, 16 OCTOBER 2015 ENGLISH EDITION
Fédération Internationale de Football Association – Since 1904
FIFA U-17 WORLD CUP CHILE 2015
DANCE OF THE
DEBUTANTS
BRAZIL
ARTHUR FRIEDENREICH’S
GREAT LEGACY
PANAMA
DAU CLOSING IN
ON OWN RECORD
MADAGASCAR
A NATIONAL TEAM
ON THE UP
W W W.FIFA.COM/ THEWEEKLY
THIS WEEK IN THE WORLD OF FOOTBALL
6
U-17 World Cup in Chile North and South America
Mario Gotze and Neymar both graced the Central America 10 members
FIFA U-17 World Cup as youngsters, but neither 35 members www.conmebol.com
managed to lift the trophy. Now the world’s www.concacaf.com
most talented youth footballers are gathering
in Chile to take their first steps on the
international stage. Sven Goldmann reports
on the strength of the African teams and the
hosts’ lofty ambitions.
15 Panama
Club Deportivo Arabe Unido hold a comfortable
lead over their league rivals and are closing in
on a recordbreaking season.
23 N ew Zealand
The Oceanian country’s U-20 women’s team
have qualified easily for next year’s World Cup
in Papua New Guinea.
37 Marco Amelia
“A text took me to Chelsea” says the 2006 world
18 Xherdan Shaqiri
The midfielder discusses
champion, who endured difficult times before his ambitions with Stoke City
being handed a fresh challenge in England. and Switzerland.
17 Costa Rica
Serial title challengers Alajuelense and
Dance of the debutants Herediano are currently heading up the
Our cover image shows Luca Zidane, league table.
second-eldest son of the legendary
(Pictured: Edder Nelson, Herediano).
Zinedine, in his France U-17 kit.
Dimitar Dilkoff (AFP)
The FIFA Weekly app
FIFA’s magazine The FIFA Weekly is published
in four languages every Friday and is also
available free of charge on smartphone and FIFA U-17 World Cup FIFA Club World Cup
tablet. http://www.fifa.com/mobile 17 October – 8 November 2015, Chile 10 – 20 December 2015, Japan
2 T H E F I FA W E E K LY
THIS WEEK IN THE WORLD OF FOOTBALL
Europe Africa Asia Oceania
54 members 54 members 46 members 11 members
www.uefa.com www.cafonline.com www.the-afc.com www.oceaniafootball.com
24 Madagascar
Lalaina Nomenjanahary’s journey
to becoming a professional footballer
in France.
28 Arthur Friedenreich
Preserving the memory of a
goalscoring legend.
imago (2), Ezequiel Becerra / Afp, fotogloria
T H E F I FA W E E K LY 3
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UNCOVERED
Dreams of football
W
ith your national team shirt on your back, your country’s crest on your chest
and the national anthem ringing in your ears, the World Cup is a special
moment for every player. The cameras are now ready to introduce a new
generation of superstars to football fans around the globe as the FIFA U-17 World
Cup begins in Santiago, Chile on 17 October.
Efrain Juarez, who became U-17 world champion in Peru in 2005, says:
“I remember it as if it were yesterday. We were dreamers. It sounds strange,
but every day we imagined ourselves lifting the trophy, and that shared vision
helped us to become a family.”
Every player from each of the 24 teams competing in Chile shares that
same ambition. It is the dream of a title, the dream of a great career – the
dream of football. Å
Sarah Steiner
Mario Wagner / 2Agenten
T H E F I FA W E E K LY 5
C HILE 2015
DEBUT ON THE
WORLD STAGE
Richard Heathcote / FIFA via Getty Images
Will anyone be able to beat the African teams?
With the U-17 World Cup about to kick-off in Chile
Sven Goldmann explores the state of play.
6 T H E F I FA W E E K LY
C HILE 2015
Aiming high
Right: The U-17s are looking to excel at the World Cup in Chile
(pictured: Santiago de Chile). Left: In the build-up to the 2013 final,
in which Nigeria beat Mexico 3-0.
P.Sanhueza / Archivolatino / laif
T H E F I FA W E E K LY 7
C HILE 2015
obody forgets their first FIFA World Cup™. Just Over the coming days the best youngsters in the world
ask Mario Gotze, the creative fulcrum of Ger- will gather in Chile, where the 16th edition of the U-17 World
many’s national team. In the final game at his Cup will kick off in the capital Santiago on 17 October and
maiden tournament, he scored a spectacular conclude three weeks later in the coastal resort of Vina del
goal against strong opposition - yet come the Mar. It is the second largest event to be staged in Chile this
final whistle there were no celebrations, only year, after the country also hosted the Copa America in
disappointment. June and July. Of the 24 participating teams, South Amer-
Gotze’s debut on the global stage was not at ican champions Brazil are among the favourites, along with
Brazil 2014, where he scored a memorable win- their European counterparts France, who boast the biggest
Richard Heathcote / FIFA via Getty Images
ner in the 1-0 victory over Argentina in the name of the tournament in their ranks: Luca Zidane, son of
final, but almost five years earlier at the FIFA superstar Zinedine. The youngster is not an ingenious play-
U-17 World Cup Nigeria 2009. Gotze was the maker like his father once was, but a goalkeeper who was
star of the Germany team that year and found the target in one of the key members of the France side that triumphed
his side’s first and last game in the knockout phase against at the U-17 European Championship in Bulgaria in May. He
Switzerland. However, he was unable to prevent a 4-3 saved three penalties in a shoot-out against Belgium in the
reverse, meaning Germany – European champions at the semi-finals, paving the way for France to reach the final,
time – were eliminated in the Round of 16 while Switzerland where they beat Germany 4-1. The Germans are also title
went on to lift the title. contenders in Chile and are eager to lift a trophy they have
8 T H E F I FA W E E K LY
C HILE 2015
never won before. “We’re not going there as tourists,” said
coach Christian Wuck. “We want to show we can thrive at
this level and go as far as possible. In concrete terms, that
means getting to the final and maybe even winning it.“
History on Africa’s side
And what of Switzerland? Last year, the surprise 2009 U-17
world champions failed to reach the European Champion-
South American
ship from a group containing Belgium, Azerbaijan and Bos-
nia and Herzegovina in a qualifying campaign in which the
champions Brazil
six UEFA berths for the global showpiece were awarded. are among the
That victory six years ago over Nigeria, hosts and defending
U-17 world champions at the time, remains the biggest tri- favourites, along
umph in the history of Swiss football.
Looking back on the tournament’s past reveals much
with their European
about its character. The U-17 World Cup is held biennially
and pits the youngest national teams on the planet togeth-
counterparts
er. The game is constantly developing, and there are no France.
FIFA U -17
Wor ld Cup
One for the scrapbook
Joern Pollex / FIFA via Getty Images, Jamie McDonald / FIFA via Getty Images
In 2013 Kelechi Iheanacho
Host country: Chile
won the U-17 World Cup
with Nigeria and was also Dates: 17/10 – 8/11 2015
awarded the Golden Ball (l.). Participants: 24 teams
Germany’s Mario Gotze (l.)
faced Ogenyi Onazi (4 AFC, 4 CAF, 4 CONCACAF,
for the first time ever on the 4 CONMEBOL + Chile, 1 OFC,
world stage in 2009 (top right).
Switzerland went on to win the 6 UEFA)
title in Nigeria in 2009
(bottom right).
Previous winners: Nigeria
(1985, 1993, 2007, 2013),
Brazil (1997, 1999, 2003),
Ghana (1991, 1995), Mexico
(2005, 2011), France (2001),
Saudi Arabia (1989), Switzerland
(2009), Soviet Union (1987)
T H E F I FA W E E K LY 9
C HILE 2015
guarantees, even for the big sides. Both Uruguay and Argen- ry over Japan. Brazil were eliminated after losing their oth-
tina are famous for their excellent youth work, yet neither er group fixtures against Mexico and eventual champions
have ever won the title, while some of the players currently Switzerland.
considered the best in the world – Lionel Messi for example The U-17 World Cup evidently does not serve as a show-
– have also never lifted the trophy. Nobody in Argentina case for major stars then, or those who strive to become such
paid any attention to Messi when the country’s U-17s trav- one day. Instead, the team comes first. Underdogs can still
elled to Finland for the tournament in 2003. Several mem- triumph here, something that is virtually impossible at sen-
bers of that squad, which finished in third place, are now ior level. Alongside Switzerland, a number of other nations
Messi’s team-mates in the senior team, including Ezequiel have won the U-17 World Cup but never done so at full inter-
Garay, Lucas Biglia and Fernando Gago. In 2001, the Portu- national level: the former Soviet Union, Saudi Arabia, Ghana,
gal U-17s that counted Cristiano Ronaldo among their num- Mexico and Nigeria, who regained the U-17 crown in the Unit-
ber were not among the trio of European participants at the ed Arab Emirates four years after losing the 2009 final. In-
World Cup in Trinidad & Tobago. Meanwhile, Neymar da deed, Nigeria have won the tournament more often than any
Silva Santos Junior made his debut on the global stage at other nation, having triumphed in four of the 15 editions
the same time as Gotze in 2009, but only played second staged to date. Ghana have also won it twice. At U-17 World
fiddle to Philippe Coutinho and Wellington in the side. Ney- Cups African teams seemingly effortlessly fulfil their eternal
mar sported a Mohican haircut at the finals and only scored promise of playing a leading role on the world stage. No oth-
once in three games: a tap in on the rebound in a 3-2 victo- er continent has been anywhere near as successful.
10 T H E F I FA W E E K LYC HILE 2015
Emphasis on the collective
Nigeria celebrated their fourth
U-17 World Cup triumph in Abu
Dhabi in 2013 (bottom left).
South Africa will make their
tournament debut this year
(top right).
In 2009 Neymar (l.) was unable
to get the better of Takuya
Okamoto and was not a key
figure in the Brazilian team.
Great expectations
Underdogs can still
triumph here,
something that is
virtually impossible
at senior level.
The rise of Kelechi Iheanacho
There will be four African representatives in Chile, but
Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets are not considered the pick of
Richard Heathcote / FIFA via Getty Images, Ryan Wilkisky / Backpagepix,
the bunch. At the most recent African Championship in
Niger in February and March they could only finish
fourth behind Guinea, South Africa and Mali, who took
the title for the first time. The same rule applies to a
nation accustomed to success as it does to every other
country: there is no guarantee that a new generation of
players will automatically live up to their predecessors.
Jamie McDonald / FIFA via Getty Images
Nigeria coach Emmanuel Amunike will be hoping one of
his players bursts onto the scene, just like Kelechi
Iheanacho did during their run to glory in the UAE two
years ago. Not only did the striker score six goals in sev-
en games, he also won the Golden Ball as the tourna-
ment’s best player. Iheanacho took advantage of the at-
tention his performances drew to take the next step in
his career. Last summer he left home to move to the
youth academy at Manchester City, and after joining up
T H E F I FA W E E K LY 11C HILE 2015
LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON
France are one of the favourites for the trophy at the FIFA U-17 World Cup Chile 2015™.
Among their ranks is Luca Zidane, the second son of the legendary French footballer Zinedine Zidane.
Like his father, Luca dreams of being a world champion, but not as a playmaker - as a goalkeeper.
You’re about to enjoy your first taste of a on you? And indeed, to what extent You’re a goalkeeper that’s very active in
World Cup. How are you feeling? might the name ’Zidane’ have been a play. How has this part of your game
Luca Zidane: I’m feeling good. I’m over barrier for you? developed?
the moon to be here, and obviously I’m When I hear the name ’Zidane’, my I love playing football and I always
really proud to be able to represent my first thought is of my grandfather, who’s a have. I want to be a part of the game and I
country at this tournament. For any really important person in our family. But like being involved. I want to be our
footballer, the World Cup is the most obviously I’m also the son of Zinedine team’s 11th player out on the pitch. Future
important tournament there is. We’re a Zidane. I’m very proud of what my father goalkeepers will be more and more in-
tight-knit group that’s come a long way, has achieved and I’m very happy to carry volved in the action, I feel sure about that.
and now we’re all looking forward to the his name, but I also don’t like being And they’ll need to be very good on the
challenge in front of us. compared to him. ball. I think that in a few years, the
goalkeeper will play an even more decisive
France have been drawn in a group with Is that the reason you became a goal- role in matches than he does now.
New Zealand, Paraguay and Syria. What keeper?
do you make of your opponents? As a goalkeeper, I’m judged on my Big tournaments like these are often
We haven’t watched those teams yet performances - there’s no way of compar- decided by penalty shootouts. How do you
so we don’t really know them that well, ing me with my father. So in that sense, prepare yourself for something like that?
but they’re all big names. Every team can yes, it’s definitely one of the reasons I I take the situation as it comes. I train
be dangerous for us and give us problems. became a keeper. hard in every aspect of my game, but I
We need to take all of them very seriously, don’t do special training for penalties.
and we will. Penalties are a thing of intuition and I
think I’ve had that since I was a little kid.
You start the tournament in Chile as It’s a special situation: this one-on-one
current European champions. Are you battle with your opponent. Instinct takes
feeling the pressure of expectation? over and it’s all-important.
No. We know that everything starts
from zero here – that’s what the coaching At the European Championships you saved
staff have constantly been telling us. We three penalties in the semi-final to help
arrive as European champions, and we’re your team reach the final. You also took a
very happy about that, but at this tour- penalty yourself and missed. Will you be
nament, we go right from the beginning stepping forward to take one in Chile?
again. That will depend on the situation. At
the end of the day, the coach and the
How far can this team go? players decide the takers together, but you
We’re a very ambitious group with a have to remember how the game has gone
lot of quality, and we’ll go as far as we and whether the situation requires some-
can, but thinking about the final now one else stepping up to take responsibili-
would be a bad idea. We’ll take it game ty. And If I’m asked to take a penalty, then
by game and we won’t be arrogant in the I’ll take one. I’m ready. Å
way we go about our job. We’ll give it our
all until we’ve left everything out on the Luca Zidane was speaking
pitch. Obviously, though, our dream is to to Sarah Steiner
imago / Aleksandar Djorovic
lift the trophy.
Football is in your genes. How big an Number 1 Zidane celebrated winning the European
impression has your father Zinedine left title in May
12 T H E F I FA W E E K LYC HILE 2015
“We’ll work hard and patiently
this time too. That’s all
we have the power to do.”
Nigeria coach Emmanuel Amunike
with the senior squad this season has even scored his
first Premier League goal.
Amunike is too modest to speak about mounting a
successful title defence. “God helped us win the tourna-
ment in 2013,” said the former Barcelona player. “We’ll
work hard and patiently this time too. That’s all we have
the power to do.” In any case, his main objective is to look
to the long term and develop players for the senior side,
which is coached by his former team-mate Sunday Oliseh.
Nigeria face Croatia, USA and tournament hosts
Chile in Group A at the U-17 World Cup. The Chileans are
known as ’La Rojita’ (’The little reds’), an affectionate nod
to ’La Roja’, the red-shirted seniors who celebrated their
biggest achievement in July by winning the Copa Amer-
ica. Yet at the Campeonato Sudamericano in Paraguay
six months ago, it became clear that the Chilean young-
sters are struggling to reach the heights of Claudio Bra-
vo, Arturo Vidal and Alexis Sanchez. They lost each of
their group games against Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia
and Ecuador, and are only participating at the U-17 World
Cup by virtue of being hosts. The team’s elimination in
Paraguay was labelled a disaster by the Chilean press and
coach Alfredo Grelak paid the price with his job.
Buoyed by Copa America success
The last time Chile’s U-17s participated at a World Cup was
in 1997. Their only other tournament outing was also their
most successful: a third-placed finish at Japan 1993. That Great expectations
does not bode particularly well for the forthcoming com- After Gonzalo Jara, Gary Medel and Eduardo Vargas (top, from l.) helped the senior Chile side win
the Copa America, the U-17s are expected to shine on home soil too – preferably in the final in
petition, which will be staged between the city of Coquim- Vina del Mar (bottom).
bo in the north of the country and Puerto Montt in the Los
Lagos region. Nevertheless, Chile upset the odds a couple
of months ago when the senior side led by Bravo, Vidal and
FIFA U-17 WORLD CUP CHILE Group matches from 17 to 25 October 2015
LatinContent / Getty Images, Jonathan Mancilla / MEXSPORT / AFP
Sanchez defeated Lionel Messi and Co. in the Copa Amer-
ica final to seal their first ever triumph in 99 years. They Group A Group B Group C
are hoping to channel that energy into the U-17 World Cup, 17.10. Nigeria - USA 17.10. England - Guinea 18.10. Australia - Germany
which will be played out under the slogan “Una fiesta en 17.10. Chile - Croatia 17.10. Brazil - Korea Republic 18.10. Mexico - Argentina
20.10. USA - Croatia 20.10. England - Brazil 21.10. Australia - Mexico
nuestra cancha” – “A festival on our pitch”. 20.10. Chile - Nigeria 20.10. Korea Republic - Guinea 21.10. Argentina - Germany
Under new coach Miguel Ponce, the U-17s recorded 23.10. USA - Chile 23.10. Guinea - Brazil 24.10. Argentina - Australia
four victories and a draw on a warm-up tour of Europe 23.10. Croatia - Nigeria 23.10. Korea Republic - England 24.10. Germany - Mexico
and Africa. Ahead of their first group assignment against
Group D Group E Group F
Croatia, Ponce confidently announced that “the team
will be one of the main protagonists” Å 18.10. Belgium - Mali 19.10. South Africa - Costa Rica 19.10. New Zealand - France
18.10. Honduras - Ecuador 19.10. Korea DPR - Russia 19.10. Syria - Paraguay
21.10. Belgium - Honduras 22.10. South Africa - Korea DPR 22.10. New Zealand - Syria
21.10. Ecuador - Mali 22.10. Russia - Costa Rica 22.10. Paraguay - France
24.10. Mali - Honduras 25.10. Russia - South Africa 25.10. France - Syria
24.10. Ecuador - Belgium 25.10. Costa Rica - Korea DPR 25.10. Paraguay - New Zealand
For details of the full match schedule, visit http://www.fifa.com/u17worldcup
T H E F I FA W E E K LY 13© 2015 adidas AG. adidas, the 3-Bars logo and the 3-Stripes mark are registered trademarks of the adidas Group.
# B E T H E D I F F E R E N C ETALK ING POIN T S
O N T H E I N S I D E
Panama: Liga Panamena de Futbol Unsurprisingly, the top side were the first overcoming Independiente F.C. 2-1 in a
club to mathematically confirm a place in tense, hard-fought final.
DAU c l o s i n g i n o n the league’s final four courtesy of a 1-0
victory over Sporting San Miguelito at Guzman’s charges had in fact finished the
t h e i r ow n r e c o r d home on matchday 14. Panama U-23 inter- Clausura in second behind Sporting;
national Edgar Yoel Barcenas scored the an aberration rectified this Apertura by
Sven Goldmann is a leading only goal of the game midway through the going unbeaten in all but one game so far.
football correspondent at Tages first half, dribbling past two men before So comfortably are DAU the league’s best
spiegel newspaper in Berlin. sending a left-footed drive unerringly into team that many are predicting a record-
the right-hand corner of the net. breaking season. The current LPF record of
After 14 of 18 matchdays 38 points, established by DAU six years ago
in the Liga Panamena de It was a wonderful goal and, such was DAU’s and equalled by record champions Tauro in
Futbol (LPF), Arabe Unido occupy top dominance, more could easily have followed. 2013, is well within reach.
spot with 33 points. So far ahead of their There were no fans in attendance at the
rivals are the Colon-based club, known Estadio Armando Dely Valdes to witness By a quirk of fate, the fixture list has
countrywide as DAU, that it might even their side’s impressive display, however. decreed that DAU could set a new points
have become a little lonely at the top, The victory over Sporting had to be played record outright in the clash with age-old
not that anyone minds too much in the behind closed doors due to repeated recent rivals Tauro on 26 October, when the two
country’s second city, a port located near instances of DAU supporters setting off heavyweights of Panamanian football meet
the Caribbean entrance to the Panama flares amid exuberant celebrations. in Colon. The club from the capital have
Canal. won 12 titles to DAU’s eleven – although
The side who sport unmistakeable blue the current leaders twice triumphed in a
DAU’s closest “pursuers” are Chorrillo, a shirts and are coached by the Colombian previous incarnation of the league,
club from the capital, Panama City, who sit Sergio Guzman, ploughed on even without Nacional de Futbol No Aficionado. Å
ten points behind the leaders. With a the usual fervent support to extend a run
month until the play-offs kick off and the of near-unbroken success that stretches
country’s four best sides face off, there is back six months. At the end of May, DAU
no serious challenger in sight. triumphed in the Torneo Clausura 2015,
On the ball
DAU defender Daniel Ortiz
LPF
T H E F I FA W E E K LY 15Royal visit
Pele celebrates Atletico
de Kolkata’s win with
league founder Nita
Ambani, former cricketer
Sourav Ganguly and
minister Bobby Hakim.
India: Super League transfer market this summer, luring several Chennaiyin, they nevertheless emerged
big names to this vast metropolis. French- as 1-0 winners. The Dynamos then recorded
Where Bra zi l man Florent Malouda, who won the FA Cup a second successive victory without their
and UEFA Champions League with Chelsea talisman as they beat league leaders
meets Ind ia just three years ago, has been tasked with FC Pune 2-1.
delivering goals for the Dynamos while
Sarah Steiner is a staff writer on Norway’s most-capped player John Arne Meanwhile, in Kolkata another Brazilian has
The FIFA Weekly. Riise has also arrived to contribute some of been causing a stir. Thirty-eight years after
the immense experience he amassed at captivating the city by playing for New York
The Indian Super League is Monaco, Liverpool, Roma, Fulham and Cosmos in a friendly against Mohun Bagan,
now entering its second APOEL. Without a doubt, though, the big- Pele returned to India in early October
season. Founded in 2013 in gest name of all is Brazilian world champion to watch Atletico de Kolkata beat Kerala
an attempt to make domestic football more Roberto Carlos, who has been brought on Blasters 2-1. Kolkata are the defending
attractive, competitive action began a year board as player-coach. champions and are co-owned by Spanish
later. It is the country’s highest-ranked club Atletico Madrid.
championship apart from the I-League, Although Carlos wasted no time in bringing
which allows teams to qualify for the AFC himself on as a substitute in the Dynamos’ Pele wasted no time in enthusing about his
Champions League, and follows the same season opener, he was unable to prevent visit. “It’s an honour for me to be able to
franchise model. Its eight teams are intended their 2-0 defeat at the hands of FC Goa. “We make this trip,” said the superstar. “India is
to represent not only their respective cities lost because we made too many mistakes,” a very special country and I have fond
but also their entire region. The league has he said after the match. “It’s a very short memories of the time I spent here many
laid down rules for the composition of each championship so we can’t allow individual years ago. The fans were fantastic,” he
side, specifying that every squad must errors.” Indeed, the final round of league continued. “This nation is passionate about
contain a so-called ‘marquee player’ – a games will be played on 6 December, before football and I’m delighted to have been able
superstar with past international experience the four highest-placed teams battle it out in to meet a whole new generation of people
– together with seven additional overseas the play-offs to determine who will challenge who love this sport.” Å
professionals. for the title in the final on 20 December.
Saikat Das / ISL
With all this in mind, the Delhi Dynamos While a broken finger prevented Carlos from
came up trumps when they turned to the featuring in his side’s second game against
16 T H E F I FA W E E K LYCosta Rica: Primera Division look that bad for the club from Tibas, Hernan Torres Oliveros’ side actually lost
though, who now have Douglas Sequeira 2-0 against Uruguay on matchday 12 but
A lajuelense a nd at the helm. They have two games in hand their closest rivals Herediano failed to take
on most other teams and could easily climb advantage, losing 1-0 to Carmelita.
He r e d i a n o l e a d up the table.
With Alajuelense’s matchday 13 fixture
the pack Alajuelense also had a change of coach in being postponed, Herediano were then able
the summer. Costa Rican football legend to draw level on points at the top of the
Annette Braun is a staff writer on Oscar Ramirez, who played for both Alajue- table with a 3-1 victory over Uruguay. All
The FIFA Weekly. lense and Saprissa as well as representing the goals came inside the opening half hour
his country at the 1990 FIFA World Cup™, with Luis Cordero (16) and Keyner Brown
When it comes to picking a left the club to become the new head coach (19) giving Herediano the lead. Alejandro
winner in the Costa Rican of the national team. That switch came after Alpizar (23) pulled one back for Uruguay
title race, it is difficult to Paulo Wanchope resigned following an before Jonathan Hansen’s decisive goal in
look beyond Alajuelense, Herediano and altercation with a fan during an Olympic the 29th minute. The result keeps Heredi-
Saprissa. In recent years the trio have qualifier in Panama. ano hot on the heels of the league leaders,
dominated both the Invierno and Verano albeit having played one more game.
tournaments that make up the season. “I am aware of the responsibility that comes
Since 2010 Alajuelense have won five titles, with this position,” said 50 year-old In December the top four teams will go
while Herediano and Saprissa have enjoyed Ramirez. After five years at Alajuelense, through to the semi-finals to battle it out
three successes each. he is now focused on getting Costa Rica for the Invierno title. Considering the
back to the form they showed at the 2014 current standings and the history of the
In the current Invierno of the 95th Primera FIFA World Cup, when they were knocked league, it would be no surprise if the names
Division season, the top of the table again out on penalties in the quarter-finals by the of Alajuelense, Herediano and Saprissa were
has a familiar look to it. Alajuelense and Netherlands. among them. Å
Herediano are out in front, although
Saprissa find themselves in mid-table and The team from Alajuela have lost a popular
parted company with coach Jeaustin coach but are nevertheless top of the table
Campos last month. The situation does not with 27 points from 13 games. New coach
imagenesencostarica.com
Taking the lead
Jose Luis Cordero scores
the opener for Herediano
in the 16th minute.
T H E F I FA W E E K LY 17Name
Xherdan Shaqiri
Date and place of birth
10 October 1991,
Gnjilane, SFR Yugoslavia
Position
Attacking midfielder
Clubs played for
2009-2012 Basel
Maurice Haas / 13 Photo
2012-2015 Bayern Munich
2015 Inter Milan
since 2015 Stoke City
Switzerland national team
49 caps, 17 goals
18 T H E F I FA W E E K LYTHE INTERVIEW
“I’ve arrived at the best league in the world”
As the man they call the Kraftwürfel (’Power Cube’), Zauberzwerg (’Magic Dwarf’)
or Shaq Attack, Xherdan Shaqiri boasts not only a remarkable array of nicknames
but phenomenal skills on the pitch.
You can now call the Premier League home clubs. As a result, many of them have made focus on the challenge ahead. Only by doing
after spells in the Bundesliga and Serie A. the leap to the Bundesliga or are playing for that were we able to deliver such a strong
What is it that makes each of these top other foreign sides. performance against Argentina.
leagues so strong?
Xherdan Shaqiri: The key element in At the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, you and Vladimir Petkovic took over from Ottmar
Germany is discipline. Football in Italy was the Nati progressed past the group stage and Hitzfeld as national team coach after the 2014
very tactically oriented, and now here in were only narrowly beaten 1-0 after extra time FIFA World Cup, while first-choice goalkeeper
England I can sense a real emphasis on by eventual runners-up Argentina. What do Diego Benaglio also announced his retirement
attacking play. The football here is tough and Switzerland still need in order to overcome the from international football. What changed as
spectacular, and I’m enjoying it. Although I’ve world’s biggest sides such as Germany, Argen- a result and how did you deal with it as a
only played a few matches in the Premier tina or Brazil? team?
League so far, I feel I’ve arrived in the best We made it to the Round of 16 and were We’re fortunate in Switzerland that many
league in the world. then edged out by big opponents in Argenti- promising youngsters are already playing in
na, who were aiming to lift the trophy. The the Super League or have made their break-
You have played for Bayern Munich, Inter match itself was an extremely emotional through at foreign clubs. These players have
Milan and now Stoke City – but there is no experience, and we very nearly managed to integrated perfectly; they not only play great
doubt that Stoke have yet to achieve the same win it. I would say that it wasn’t luck but football but also have personalities that fit
level of international recognition as your efficiency that made the difference. If you with the team. That, combined with a new
previous two clubs. What appeals to you most want to succeed against teams like Argentina, coach who has been trying out a few things,
about this new challenge? you have to be able to take advantage of every has sustained our national team’s success.
Although Stoke don’t yet have the same opportunity you get, no matter how small.
kind of international reputation, the club is Unfortunately we didn’t manage to do that Looking ahead to the 2018 FIFA World Cup in
pursuing ambitious targets. They want to and that’s what made the difference. The Russia, what do you think the team can
establish themselves in Europe and that’s Argentinians were simply more ruthless and achieve? Will they qualify again and could they
what tempted me here. Stoke are offering me made the most of the chances they got. even top their 2014 result?
the opportunity to continue developing both Every team wants to qualify for the World
as a player and as a person. Above all I want Scoring three goals in one match is always Cup in Russia, including Switzerland, but
to play, perfect my game and move forward special, but how did it feel to bag a hat-trick at there’s still a long way to go. EURO 2016 in
with the team. the World Cup, the biggest stage of all? France is currently our main focus. In any
The game against Honduras was our case, our aim is to qualify for every tourna-
Having featured at the last two FIFA World third group match in Brazil, and after a 2-1 ment and I’m very confident about our chanc-
Cups in 2010 and 2014, you are now a con- win over Ecuador and a 5-2 defeat by France es. We’ve shown in the past that we can do it.
stant presence in Switzerland’s starting line-up it was clear that only a win would be enough We’ve got a great mix of experience and
and are undoubtedly among the national to take us to the Round of 16. As players, we youth in our team – a team that can still bring
team’s top performers. What characterises were extremely focused at this stage and plenty of joy to the Swiss fans.
your play and does La Nati’s footballing ethos were always convinced that we could pro-
suit you particularly well? gress to the next phase of the tournament in If you believe the ratings in the EA Sports
We played great football under Ottmar Manaus. We already knew that the media game FIFA 15, then your strengths are acceler-
Hitzfeld. He made the breakthrough by and others had asked many questions after ation (92), dribbling (86) and shot power (84),
utilising plenty of young players and our resounding loss to the French, but we while defending (57) and heading (37) are
throwing them in at the deep end; I was were determined not to let it drive us crazy among your weaknesses. Would you agree
one of them. This confidence in youth and remain focused on our job. Although my with that?
helped to push Swiss football forward. hat-trick was probably the most obvious (laughs) I’d already noticed that! It’s
We’re playing high-quality, attractive and statistic from that match, we showed what definitely true that my strengths are drib-
attacking football, and that fits my style we could do as a team. I managed to score bling, shooting power and acceleration, and
perfectly. We’ve succeeded in setting new three goals because of the excellent support yes, heading is one of my weaknesses – but I’d
benchmarks in recent years, with many I received. Although the match ball still give myself a higher score for defending. Å
young players making a name for them- serves as a reminder of that success, we did
selves with exceptional performances not the same thing afterwards as we had after Xherdan Shaqiri was speaking to
only for the national team but also for their losing to the French: forget about it and Beatrix Hammer and Andreas Alf
T H E F I FA W E E K LY 19First Love
Place: Acholiland, Uganda
Date: 10 April 2013
Time: 2.57 p.m.
Photog rapher: Frédéric Noy
20 T H E F I FA W E E K LYCosmos
T H E F I FA W E E K LY 21Football breaks down barriers Football builds bridges. It has a unique power to inspire friendship, respect and equality. FIFA’s Say No To Racism campaign is part of our commitment to tackle all forms of discrimination in football. Everyone should have the right to play and enjoy football without fear of discrimination. Say no to racism. For more information visit FIFA.com
WOMEN’S FOO TBALL
New Zealand dominate to reach
Papua New Guinea in style
New Zealand will represent Oceania at next year’s FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup
in Papua New Guinea after cruising through the qualifying tournament in Tonga.
The Junior Football Ferns will be a part of a small piece of history, with the
tournament to be the first FIFA women’s event to feature two Oceania nations.
P
apua New Guinea have long been New
Zealand’s main challengers in the Ocean-
ia region, and the Kiwis profited hugely
from their absence in the qualifying tour-
nament. New Zealand proved dominant
in the most emphatic fashion imaginable,
winning all four matches and racking up a re-
markable tally of 69 goals without conceding.
The tournament was held over ten days at
the Loto-Tonga Soka Centre, which most re-
cently was the site for the opening round of
OFC’s 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ qualifiers.
Also competing were Samoa, Vanuatu, New
Caledonia and the host nation.
Kiwis dominant
New Zealand saw off home side Tonga 15-0 on
the opening day of competition, setting the
standard early for what was to be a recurring
theme. They followed that up with a remark-
able 26-0 victory over New Caledonia, then
an 18-0 rout of Vanuatu, before rounding out
their tournament with a 10-0 winning mar-
gin against second-placed Samoa.
New Zealand forward Emma Rolston prof-
ited most from the goal-fest, notching several
milestones along the way. Her 11-goal haul
against New Caledonia was the highest ever
individual tally by a female player in an OFC
match. Record breaker Emma Rolston (left) hit 25 goals to win the Golden Boot.
Rolston eventually finished on 25 goals,
winning the tournament golden boot for the
second time running, and surpassing well-
known New Zealand goalscorer Rosie White and Vanuatu on the penultimate matchday Birnie said upon confirmation of his team’s
for the most goals ever by an Oceania U-20 meant neither of their nearest challengers qualification for PNG 2016.
women’s player. could catch them heading into Saturday’s tour- “We’ve come here wanting to win and
Among other notable names featuring for nament finale. The equaliser for Samoa deep make sure we got qualification, but also put
the Kiwis at the tournament were captain Jas- into injury time in that six-goal thriller ulti- on a good performance in the games and I
mine Pereira, who collected the Golden Ball mately saw the Polynesians wrap up the silver think we’ve achieved both.”
as the competition’s best player, and midfield- medal ahead of Vanuatu. New Caledonia fin- Now the challenge for New Zealand is to
er Daisy Cleverley, both of whom were part of ished fourth, and while Tonga ended bottom improve upon their all-time high of a spot in
New Zealand’s squad at this year’s FIFA Wom- they did collect two draws suggesting competi- the quarter-finals achieved last year in Can-
en’s World Cup™ in Canada. tion amongst the Pacific nations remains tight. ada. They had come close on several previous
New Zealand qualified last Thursday with- Meanwhile, Samoa earned an honour with occasions, notably falling agonisingly short
out kicking a ball, with the Kiwis learning of Katarina Ah Sui named the best goalkeeper. of that goal at Chile 2008 and Japan 2012. Å
their qualification via Twitter as they followed “It’s a great achievement and the girls are
OFC
the action from afar. A 3-3 draw between Samoa really excited,” New Zealand coach Leon tfw
T H E F I FA W E E K LY 23MADAGASCAR
Tiny cars,
major success and the
greatest love of all
Although Madagascar midfielder Lalaina Nomenjanahary
took the bold step of moving to France to pursue a
professional career with top-flight side Lens,
he always remembers starting out on the island of his birth,
writes Julien Sebbah.
L
ong before he ever dreamed of local club.” His first team was Ajesaia,
making a living with his feet, for whom he played in 2007 and then
Lalaina Nomenjanahary used to rejoined two years later, after a season
put his hands to good use, fash- with JS Saint-Pierroise on Reunion
ioning little toys out of recycled Island.
tin cans, a common sight on the
market stands of his native Madagas- Play, study, work
car and across Africa as a whole. While playing for a club on his home
The little boy from Antananarivo, island had its advantages, Nomenjan-
the capital of Madagascar – one of the ahary, who was in his early 20s at the
poorest countries in the world – later time, still had the problem of making
defied the odds by building a career ends meet. “It was an opportunity but
in France with RC Lens. It was a deci- it wasn’t easy to play football, keep up
sion borne of economic necessity be- with my studies and make some mon-
cause, as he explained, earning a liv- ey at the same time,” he explained.
ing from the game in Madagascar is “I wasn’t thinking about turning
no easy task. professional. I was just thinking about
“It’s really difficult to get by when day to day: playing, going to college
you play sport in general and foot- and getting enough money together so
ball in particular,” said Nomenjana- I could eat. I was tired and I kept fall-
hary. “It’s an amateur game here. Focused Lalaina Nomenjanahary in action for Lens. ing asleep in class, but I needed to
There’s no exposure and no one hang in there. I finished my classes at
comes to see the players. It’s a tough situation and you have midday and I started training half an hour later. Then, in the
to fight to make a living from your sport and embark on a evening, I had to work to make some money.”
professional career. For a Malagasy it’s impossible to do that The job in question involved delivering goods for wholesalers,
if you stay in Madagascar.” while he devoted the rest of his time to his other passion: mak-
A midfielder by trade, Nomenjanahary made his way first ing little toy cars from recycled metal. The budding footballer
of all to Reunion Island – the promised land for Madagascan enjoyed making them so much, he earned a nickname from it:
players – and then on to France. In the meantime, however, he “I loved making cars from tins and cans, which I’d sell around
has never forgotten the difficulties faced by his compatriots. the neighbourhood to get a little money. One day, my aunt said
As a boy, playing the game in the streets, he never har- I liked cars too much and she started to call me Bôlida (bolide
PRESSE SPORTS
boured dreams of becoming a professional. His obvious talent being a French word meaning “racing car”).
gave him a chance to reach for the top, however: “I played in my In the meantime, he strove to achieve his personal goals
local neighbourhood and I was spotted and asked to sign for a and make all his hard work pay off, departing for Reunion again
24 T H E F I FA W E E K LYMADAGASCAR
A matter of the heart
Whether at the stadium,
in school or in their free
time, the beautiful game
is part and parcel of
everyday life for children
and young people in
Madagascar.
laif (4)
T H E F I FA W E E K LY 25MADAGASCAR
Madagascar making
waves across Africa
I
t was one of the most memorable results in Madagascan football history: in
the quarter-finals of this year’s Cosafa Cup in South Africa, the Barea beat
guest nation and former World Cup quarter-finalists Ghana 2-1 at Rusten-
burg’s Royal Bafokeng Stadium. The shock victory - albeit against a domes-
tic-based Ghana side without their star players - was nothing short of a minor
miracle and serves as proof that Madagascan football is on the rise. The Indian
Ocean islanders went on to lose 3-2 to eventual winners Namibia in the last four
of the competition, but bounced back with an impressive 2-1 win over Botswana
in the third-place play-off. Their success at the regional tournament has given the
players a taste of the big time and left them hungry for more.
“During the Cosafa Cup, the local players learned to play together step by step
and we improved in each match,” said Franck Rajaonarisamba, who coached
the side in South Africa. “They grew in confidence and we played better and
better until the last game.” The wave of euphoria that swept through Madagas-
car following their third-place finish in the Rainbow Nation has yet to subside.
Indeed, a 2-1 defeat to Congo DR in their opening 2017 CAF Africa Cup of
Nations qualifier was soon forgotten as they overcame the Central African
Republic in the first qualifying round for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™,
winning 3-0 away before drawing 2-2 at home in the return leg.
Beach soccer leading the way
The Madagascan football team could do a lot worse than follow the example set
by the country’s beach soccer outfit, who have recently demonstrated how much
can be achieved in a relatively short space of time. The team made their first ap- Battling it out Nomenjanahary (right) takes on superstar Zlatan
pearance at a World Cup finals earlier this year, just six years after instructors Ibrahimovic.
arrived on the African island to train coaches and referees as part of a FIFA de-
velopment programme. When the squad arrived in Portugal for the tournament,
they were fascinated by the size of the cities, the pitches, the supporters and even
the food. For players whose diet is based on rice and a little bit of fish and meat,
the pasta they were served in Europe represented a whole new culinary experi-
ence. Needless to say, the tournament itself also left a lasting impression on the
squad, making them more determined than ever to relive the experience at the
2017 finals in the Bahamas. The success of Madagascan beach soccer continues
to spur the football team to greater heights, and FIFA has also been doing its bit
for the cause. As well as investing just under USD 1.8 million in Madagascan youth “I wasn't thinking about
football through the Goal project, the governing body has embarked on a new
development programme alongside the Malagasy Football Association with the turning professional.
aim of giving the country a better understanding of grassroots training, as well as
encouraging more children to take up the sport. Last summer, training courses took
I was just thinking about
place in the towns of Tulear and Fianarantsoa, situated respectively in the south-
west and the centre of the island. In total, some 1,800 children took part in the
the day to day.”
workshops. Lalaina Nomenjanahary
Team spirit essential
Everyone connected with Madagascan football, including their head coach, hopes to join Saint-Pauloise FC before suddenly making the jour-
the team can build on their Cosafa Cup achievements in the coming years. “To ney to France to sign for northern amateur side CS Avion.
continue to improve, we need to play more games, like friendly matches, so [the “You don’t really expect to find a club in Europe when
players] will improve the way they play together,” says Rajaonarisamba. “We need you play in Madagascar. So when I arrived in France, I said
to play other games before official matches so that expatriates and domestic to myself that I’d need to stick in there because it was a
players can play together and realise their potential.” Senegal, Madagascar’s fantastic opportunity to change my life,” said Nomenjana-
opponents in next month’s second qualifying round for the 2018 World Cup, would hary, who recalled what he did with the first pay packet he
Getty Images
be well advised not to underestimate Rajaonarisamba’s side. received in France: “I sent the money back to my mother,
bra and after that I always tried to save as much as I could for
her and my brother.”
26 T H E F I FA W E E K LYMADAGASCAR
Name
Lalaina Nomenjanahary
Date and place of birth
1 June 1986, Antananarivo,
Madagascar
Position
Midfielder
Clubs played for
2006-2009 Ajesaia
2009-2010 SS Capricorne
2010-2011 CS Avion
since 2011 RC Lens
Madagascar national team
26 caps, 7 goals
Pure delight Nomenjanahary has made his mark in French professional football.
Those first wages would have been even higher had he Nomenjanahary spent a season with Avion in the
remained with Saint-Pauloise. That Nomenjanahary turned French third division before being snapped up by neigh-
the extra money down was due in no small part to former bouring Lens, which shares facilities with the lower-league
Lens player Herve Arsene, a fellow Madagascan who was club. After helping Les Sang et Or gain promotion back to
working as an assistant coach with the national team at the Ligue 1 in 2014, he scored his first top-flight goal in their
time and who offered him the opportunity to sign for Avion. opening win of last season, a 1-0 defeat of Lyon.
“To begin with he didn’t want to come,” said Arsene, a In the meantime, he married his girlfriend, Julia, who
member of the Sang et Or side that won the French title in discovered that though her beloved Bôlida was still the
1998. “You have to look at things from his viewpoint though: same, their lives had most definitely changed: “The players’
there he was with the chance to get a good salary on a neigh- wives congregate in the VIP boxes at the Stade Bollaert
bouring island, and there I was telling him to come to Avion.” (Lens’ home ground) and enjoy a very swish buffet with
cocktails, champagne, wine, appetisers and the like,” she
The high life recalled in August 2014. “I was offered champagne the first
A few weeks after signing for Saint-Pauloise, Nomenjanaha- time I went in, but I turned it down because I thought they
ry called Arsene to say he had changed his mind and was were going to make me pay for it later.”
heading to France after all. Explaining his decision, the That is just one of the perks of having a hard-working
29-year-old defender said: “When I went to Reunion, my footballer for a husband, a man who is now hoping to see
girlfriend passed her high school exams and went to France more of his fellow countrymen break into the profession-
Presse Sports
to study. So I rang Arsene and told him: ‘Coach, if you still al game. “For the sake of our football, I hope we’ll be seeing
want to give me a trial, then I’m ready to come’.” Arsene duly a lot more Madagascan players coming to Europe.” Å
paid for his flight and did not regret the investment.
T H E F I FA W E E K LY 27HISTORY
Nose for goal Arthur Friedenreich only ever took the ball in one direction - forwards.
A star like no other
Arthur Friedenreich broke records and scored even more goals during
his career than Pele. In doing so, the prolific striker not only shaped a
generation of footballers in Brazil but also impacted society as a whole.
I
t almost seems like fate – a precursor to the Pele, who scored 1,281 goals in 1,363 games, players, and even played a vital part in the
place Arthur Friedenreich would eventually prompting many of the latter’s most die-hard event that is widely considered to mark the
hold in football’s history books. As demen- fans to argue that Friedenreich’s goal and game birth of Brazilian football - the 1919 Copa
tia took hold in the years leading up to the totals should be reversed, while devotees of Fer- America. A Seleção began with a 6-0 win over
striker’s death at the age of 77 on 6 Septem- enc Puskas have been known to suggest that Chile, with Friedenreich contributing a hat-
ber 1969, he could no longer recall his victo- their idol found the target as many as 1,395 trick, and progressed all the way to a final
ries and defeats, just as it seems his name and times in just 355 matches. No matter which way showdown with Uruguay. That epic encounter
feats are so often forgotten by fans of the beau- you look at it, Friedenreich’s tally is impressive went to four 15-minute periods of extra time
tiful game today. Born in Sao Paulo on 18 July – a view shared by Pele himself: “Arthur was a as the two teams struggled to break the dead-
1892, this son of a German businessman and a tremendous player in Brazil. My father often lock. Had that final period had also ended
Brazilian washerwoman was capable of deliv- raved about his goals.” goalless, the winner of the tournament would
Global Photo / fotogloria (3), AFP (1)
ering goals as if from a production line. have been decided by the toss of a coin. As it
Arthur Friedenreich found the target over A pioneer of the beautiful game was, Arthur Friedenreich’s winning goal mo-
and over again for Germania, Sao Paulo, Flamen- Arthur Friedenreich could dribble, had an in- ments before the final whistle was celebrated
go, Ypiranga, Atletico Mineiro and Paulistano stinctive feel for any given situation or space across the country, to the point that even his
over a 26-year career and was named Brazil’s top and never gave up – a trait that earned him the boots were paraded through the streets. Just
goalscorer in 1912, 1914, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1921, 1927 nickname ’The Tiger’. He pioneered jogo boni- like that, a hero was born.
and 1929, netting a record 1,329 times in 1,239 to, Brazil’s “beautiful game”, invented the curl- Scoring goals time and time again was all
matches. This mark is even higher than that of ing shot still favoured by the sport’s greatest Friedenreich ever wanted to do and to have
28 T H E F I FA W E E K LYHISTORY
done so with such astounding regularity was
testament to his immense talent. The truth is
he could have found the target even more fre-
quently had he not been temporarily prevent-
ed from playing. At the Copa America in Ar-
gentina in 1921, Friedenreich was not included
in Brazil’s squad after the country’s president
Epitacio Pessoa demanded that only white
players should be called up.
“Arthur was
a tremendous
player in Brazil.”
Pele
Friedenreich was not white as his mother
Representing his country
The German-Brazilian striker won was descended from freed slaves, forcing him
23 caps for A Seleção, scoring to fight for acceptance and respect from the
10 goals along the way. start of his career. He would smooth down his
curly locks before every match and lighten his
somewhat dark skin tone with rice flour. De-
spite his goals, undisputed qualities on the
pitch and social status, he was not always per-
mitted to celebrate with his team-mates and
experienced racism in various forms, including
from referees who refrained from blowing their
whistles when he was fouled. He never let that
get him down though, and by demonstrating a
fighting spirit, the Tiger took a stand against
racial segregation and paved the way for the
many black players who came after him. All
that mattered to Friedenreich was his love of
football and passion for the beautiful game. By
pursuing these fundamental truths he brought
about a change in attitudes in Brazilian society,
with the exclusion of black players at the 1921
Copa America triggering protests up and down
the country.
Fading memories
Arthur Friedenreich’s fleet-footed playing
style led to the relaxation of long-entrenched
structures both on the pitch and among the
wider Brazilian population. Although he left
an indelible mark on a divided society, his im-
pact has slipped from the footballing world’s
collective memory as easily as it did from the
mind of the man himself in the twilight of his
life. The fact that he never featured in a World
Cup may be the reason for this oversight. He
was left out of the squad again in 1930, not
because of the colour of his skin this time, but
due to the location of his club. At that time
the Brazilian Football C onfederation only se-
lected players from Rio de Janeiro and unfor-
tunately for both Arthur Friedenreich and
Brazil as a whole, he hailed from Sao Paulo. Å
Striving for acceptance Friedenreich continually battled racial segregation. Annette Braun
T H E F I FA W E E K LY 29FOOTBALL FOR HOPE Football for Hope is our global commitment to building a better future through football. To date, we have supported over 550 socially-responsible community projects that use football as a tool for social development, improving the lives and prospects of young people and their surrounding communities To find out more, visit the Sustainability section on FIFA.com.
FREE KICK SPOTLIGHT ON
GENER AL
INFORMATION
Country:
Peru
FIFA Trigramme:
PER
Confederation:
CONMEBOL
Continent:
South America
Capital:
Lima
Innovative Oranje GEOGR APHIC
INFORMATION
Surface area:
1,285,220 km²
Perikles Monioudis Highest point:
Nevado Huascarán 6,768 m
Neighbouring seas and oceans:
D
utch football has traditionally been one of The Netherlands have had their fair share Pacific Ocean
the most innovative contributors to the of ups and downs, and this time they fell at
beautiful game. Indeed, innovation and tra- the qualifying stage. Our contributor David
dition are two essential facets in the history of Winner outlined the reasons for their failure MEN’S FOOTBALL
the west European country, which has always a couple of weeks ago: “The national team is FIFA Ranking:
managed to make the best of any situation. stuck between generations. In Dutch football 50th
Not only has the nation’s economy there is a gap between the 18 and 21-year- World Cup:
thrived for centuries; the capitalist econom- olds, and the traditional tactics of playing 4 appearances
ic system was, in a manner of speaking, in- with two wingers ahead of the ball has been 1930, 1970, 1978, 1982
vented in the Netherlands. “De Gouden left behind“ Best performance:
Eeuw” was the golden age in the 17th century Centuries ago the Dutch created their own quarter finals, 1970
in which the region emerged as a global pow- prosperity and art from wide expanses of
er in trade and seafaring whilst at the same open space, which they overcame thanks to a
time advancing its artistic sophistication, clearly defined distribution of roles in all are- WOMEN’S FOOTBALL
especially in painting. The Dutch showed us as of society. They transferred that principle FIFA Ranking:
that efficiency and beauty – two key compo- of order over to football via Totaalvoetbal. 60th
nents in football – can be compatible. On the A new order is precisely what is needed World Cup:
pitch, Johan Cruyff was the perfect embodi- in the Dutch game. The Oranje will need No appearances
ment of this combination. courage to find their way, just as the Span-
There is little point in shying away from iards did when they blazed a trail with a re-
the fact that the Netherlands failed to qual- fined possession-based style that brought L ATES T RESULTS
ify for the 2016 European Championship in them such success. Going back further, Men’s:
France. The team surprised the football com- G ermany reinvented the game with Franz Colombia - Peru 2:0
munity, only this time in a negative way. Beckenbauer as sweeper. 8 October 2015
The outlook was rather different for the It will be intriguing to see what the Neth- Women’s:
Oranje at the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World erlands’ next contribution to world football will Colombia - Peru 1:0
Mario Wagner / 2Agenten
Cups™, where they reached the final and be over the coming years – after all, it seems 19 September 2014
semi-finals respectively. Holland were one of highly probable that there will be one. Å
the world’s top sides, even if they performed
poorly between those tournaments and were FIFA INVES TMENTS
knocked out of EURO 2012 at the group stage Since 2001:
after losing all three matches. The weekly column by our staff writers $ 4,600,000
T H E F I FA W E E K LY 31You can also read
