Sports

5, September 2024

Ballon d’Or: Messi and Ronaldo left out, Spain dominates as nominee list revealed ⁰

For the first time since 2003, neither Argentina’s Lionel Messi nor Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo feature as nominees for the Ballon d’Or, while Olympic champions Spain and Champions League winners Real Madrid headline the list of players vying for football’s most prestigious individual award.

Lionel Messi will not win another Ballon d’Or this year after being left out of the nominees revealed by organisers on Wednesday, as stars of Spain’s Euro 2024-winning team and Real Madrid’s Champions League victors feature heavily.

Messi claimed the eighth Ballon d’Or of his glittering career last year. Now aged 37, he is not among the 30 contenders this time despite winning another title with Argentina at the Copa America in July.

The former Barcelona superstar, now playing club football in MLS for Inter Miami, was also missing from the nominees in 2022 when Karim Benzema took the honours.

However, he returned to win last year after leading Argentina to glory at the World Cup in Qatar.

The most prestigious individual award in football is voted for by a jury of journalists from each of the top 100 countries in FIFA’s world ranking.

Brazil forward Vinicius Junior is among the favourites and is one of six members of the Madrid team that won La Liga and the Champions League last season to be nominated.

Jude Bellingham, Dani Carvajal, Toni Kroos, Antonio Ruediger and Fede Valverde are the others, while Kylian Mbappe — who left Paris Saint-Germain for Real over the close season — features too.

Carvajal is among the contenders from the victorious Spain team alongside Alejandro Grimaldo, Dani Olmo, Rodri, Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal.

Manchester City’s Norwegian star Erling Haaland and England and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane are on the list as well, but there is no place for five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo, now 39.

Xabi Alonso, who won the Bundesliga in an unbeaten season with Bayer Leverkusen, is among the favourites for best coach.

His rivals include Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti and Spain’s Luis de la Fuente.

Meanwhile, Aitana Bonmati of Barcelona and Spain will hope to retain the women’s Ballon d’Or.

Former winners Ada Hegerberg and Alexia Putellas are also nominated, along with five members of the United States’ Olympic gold medal-winning team in Sophia Smith, Mallory Swanson, Trinity Rodman, Lindsey Horan and goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher.

The Ballon d’Or ceremony is due to take place in Paris on October 28.

Source: AFP

5, September 2024

Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei dies days after being set alight by ex-boyfriend ⁰

Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei has died days after being doused in petrol and set on fire by a former boyfriend.

The 33-year-old Ugandan marathon runner, who competed in the recent Paris Olympics, had suffered extensive burns after Sunday’s attack.

The authorities in north-west Kenya, where Cheptegei lived and trained, said she was targeted after returning home from church with her two daughters.

Her father, Joseph Cheptegei, said that he had lost a “very supportive” daughter. Fellow Ugandan athlete James Kirwa told the BBC about her generosity and how she had helped out other runners financially.

A report filed by a local administrator alleged the athlete and her ex-partner had been wrangling over a piece of land. Police say an investigation is under way.

Cheptegei, from a region just across the border in Uganda, is said to have bought a plot in Trans Nzoia county and built a house to be near Kenya’s elite athletics training centres.

Attacks on women have become a major concern in Kenya. In 2022 at least 34% of women said they had experienced physical violence, according to a national survey.

“This tragedy is a stark reminder of the urgent need to combat gender-based violence, which has increasingly affected even elite sports,” Kenya’s Sports Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said.

Source: BBC

3, September 2024

FECAFOOT rallies support for Indomitable Lions ahead of AFCON Qualifier ⁰

The Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) is intensifying efforts to mobilize public support for the Indomitable Lions ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Namibia on September 7. The match, which will take place at the Roumde Adjia Stadium in Garoua, marks the beginning of the 2025 AFCON qualifying campaign. FECAFOOT has launched a social media campaign, urging Cameroonians to unite behind the national team.

On August 30, the federation posted a visual on its Facebook page highlighting the significance of the event with the slogan: “One date, one place, one stake.” This post is part of a broader strategy aimed at mobilizing the Cameroonian public and creating an electrifying atmosphere for the Indomitable Lions during the match.

The federation also released a 53-second video calling for a “sacred union” among the Cameroonian people to support the national team in Garoua. The video aims to spark enthusiasm and encourage widespread mobilization to back the players in their encounter with Namibia. Additionally, Fecafoot shared a visual in Fufulde, a language widely spoken in the northern part of the country, to directly engage local communities and strengthen the sense of unity and support around the team.

This media blitz comes amid confusion and disagreement over the choice of venue for the match. Fecafoot, under the leadership of Samuel Eto’o, chose the Roumde Adjia Stadium in Garoua, citing more favorable weather conditions and support from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Namibian Football Association. However, the Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Narcisse Mouelle Kombi, suggested the match should be held in Yaoundé, the capital. “It has been decided that, in accordance with the high directives of the Presidency of the Republic regarding the proper organization of the match, the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaoundé-Mfandena, which is in good functional condition, is, in the current context, the best suited to host this important event,” the minister stated in a communiqué issued on August 23, following a preparatory meeting for the match held at his ministry.

On August 30, Fecafoot revealed the list of 24 players called up by head coach Marc Brys for the matches against Namibia and Zimbabwe (on September 10). The press conference scheduled for this announcement was canceled due to the “unavailability” of the Belgian coach, according to the federation. The Indomitable Lions’ training camp was set to begin yesterday, September 2, 2024. Cameroon is in Group J, alongside Namibia, Kenya, and Zimbabwe.

Source: Sbbc

1, September 2024

Eto shines as Cameroon fights back in U-20 Women’s World Cup opener ⁰

Cameroon marked their FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup debut with a spirited 2-2 draw against Mexico in their Group A opener in Colombia on Saturday thanks to a brace by Naomi Eto.

The Indomitable Lionesses, representing the hopes of a continent, found themselves on the back foot early when Paola Garcia headed Mexico into the lead after just three minutes at the Estadio Nemesio Camacho in Bogota.

Despite hitting the woodwork twice through Atcha Toko Njoya and Naomi Eto, Cameroon’s first-half woes deepened as Montserrat Saldivar doubled Mexico’s advantage before the break.

However, the second half saw a transformed Cameroonian side emerge. The catalyst for their comeback was the irrepressible Eto, who took the game by the scruff of the neck.

Her first goal, a display of composure and skill as she rounded the Mexican goalkeeper, ignited Cameroon’s resurgence.

With the clock ticking down and Cameroon hopes hanging in the balance, Eto rose highest in the 85th minute to power home a header.

The goal not only secured a precious point for the Indomitable Lionesses but also announced Eto as a new star of African football as she was named the Player of the Match.

This result marks a historic moment for Cameroon but also sends a strong message about the quality of the side in the competition.

The draw breaks Mexico’s streak of wins in opening matches, underlining the competitive nature of this Cameroonian side.

Looking ahead, Indomitable Lionesses will face hosts Colombia in their next group match.

Source: CAF.online

1, September 2024

Ivorian defender, Sol Bamba, dies aged 39 ⁰

Tributes have been pouring in for former Ivory Coast defender, Sol Bamba, who has died at the age of 39.

Turkish club Adanaspor, where he was technical director, made the announcement on Saturday saying he had fallen ill before a match the day before.

Bamba made 46 appearances for his country, representing it at the 2008 Olympics and in the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.

He also played for the likes of Cardiff City, Leeds United, and Leicester City and had spells at Italian side Palermo, Scottish clubs Dunfermline Athletic and Hibernian, and Turkish side Trabzonspor.

In a post on X, Cardiff City which Bamba helped to clinch promotion to the Premier League in his first full season, described him as “a true gentleman” and called his impact on it “immeasurable”.

Bamba was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2021 while at Cardiff, but was declared cancer-free after a course of chemotherapy.

He returned to play for two English clubs before retiring in January 2023.

Bamba then went on to coach, first as assistant manager at Cardiff before taking up the post of technical director at Adanaspor.

His wife, Chloe, also paid tribute to him on Instagram saying while he fought the cancer head on with stoicism, it was never a fair fight.

“These years have been indescribably difficult but we still managed to find joy and laughter in it,” she said, adding that it had been an “honour to have loved and been loved by Sol”.

Source: Africa News

26, August 2024

“Take care of yourself and your life and live it. Bye.” Manager Eriksson dies aged 76 ⁰

Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has died at the age of 76.

Eriksson, the first non-British manager of the England team, led the Three Lions to the quarter-finals at three major tournaments during his five-year spell in charge between 2001 and 2006.

In January, Eriksson said he had “at best” a year to live after being diagnosed with cancer.

His children, Lina and Johan, said on Monday: “Our father Sven-Goran Eriksson fell asleep peacefully in his home at Bjorkefors outside Sunne this morning. He has for a long time fought bravely with his illness, but now it came to an end.

“Dad told us at the beginning of this year about his serious illness and received an amazing response from friends and football fans around Europe.

“He was invited to several football teams in England, Italy, Portugal and Sweden. They shared their love for football and for dad.

“It was unforgettable for both him and us. He expressed his appreciation and joy and stated that such beautiful words are usually only uttered when someone has died.

“We hope that you will remember Svennis as the good and positive person he always was both in public and at home with us.”

Eriksson managed 12 clubs, including Manchester City, Leicester, Roma and Lazio, winning 18 trophies.

The Swede also had spells in charge of Mexico, Ivory Coast and the Philippines.

After retiring as a player at the age of 27, he began his managerial career with Degerfors in 1977 before joining fellow Swedish side Gothenburg, where he won the league title, two domestic cups and the 1982 Uefa Cup.

He then went on to enjoy two spells with Portuguese giants Benfica as well as managing Italian sides Roma, Fiorentina, Sampdoria and Lazio – where he won seven trophies including the Serie A title, two Italian Cups and the European Cup Winners’ Cup.

‘Don’t be sorry, smile’

Following his diagnosis, Eriksson spent the year visiting some of his former clubs, including Lazio and Sampdoria.

In March the Swede, a lifelong Liverpool fan, helped lead a Liverpool Legends team which beat an Ajax Legends side 4-2 at Anfield.

He shared a poignant message at the end of his new documentary ‘Sven’, which was released earlier this month.

In the closing scene of the Amazon film, Eriksson says: “I had a good life. I think we are all scared of the day when it is finished – when we die.

“But life is about death as well. You have to learn to accept it for what it is.

“Hopefully at the end, people will say: ‘Yeah, he was a good man.’ But everyone will not say that. I hope you will remember me as a positive guy trying to do everything he could do.

“Don’t be sorry, smile. Thank you for everything – coaches, players, the crowds. It has been fantastic. Take care of yourself and your life and live it. Bye.”

‘A true gentleman of the game’

Former England striker Michael Owen described Eriksson as “one of the very best” and “a man who will be sadly missed by everyone in the world of football”.

The Prince of Wales, who is president of the Football Association, said: “Sad to hear about the passing of Sven-Goran Eriksson.

“I met him several times as England manager and was always struck by his charisma and passion for the game. My thoughts are with his family and friends. A true gentleman of the game.”

FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said: “This is a very sad day. He gave all England fans such special memories.

“Sven will be rightly recognised and forever remembered for his significant work with the England team, and for his wider contribution to the game.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: “Deeply saddened to hear that Sven-Goran Eriksson has passed away.

“He will be remembered for his tremendous contribution to English football which brought joy to so many over the years. Our thoughts are with his family.”

Fifa lowered Sweden’s flag to half mast at its headquarters, and president Gianni Infantino said: “As a coach, Sven-Goran was both a great innovator and a true ambassador of our beautiful game.

“As a football person, he always led with enthusiasm and with a smile. On behalf of Fifa and our global community, I send my condolences to Sven-Goran’s family and friends at this difficult time.”

One of Eriksson’s most famous results as England boss was a 5-1 win over Germany in Munich to help the Three Lions qualify for the 2002 World Cup

Eriksson resigned as Lazio manager in January 2001 to succeed Kevin Keegan as England boss.

He revived a flagging 2002 World Cup qualifying campaign to secure their place at the tournament in Japan and South Korea, including a stunning 5-1 victory over Germany in Munich.

The Three Lions defeated Argentina 1-0 in the group stage at that tournament but were beaten 2-1 by eventual winners Brazil in the quarter-finals. They would also reach the last eight two years later at Euro 2004, before losing to hosts Portugal on penalties.

In January 2006, after securing England’s place at that summer’s World Cup, it was announced Eriksson was to leave following the tournament in Germany despite having two years left on his contract.

No official reason was given for his departure at the time, although the Swede had come under pressure after being caught in a newspaper sting by a tabloid journalist.

England went on to reach the quarter-finals again but were beaten once more by Portugal on penalties.

Eriksson’s years as England manager were marked by stories about private life, including newspapers revealing relationships with television presenter Ulrika Jonsson in 2002 and former Football Association secretary Faria Alam in 2004.

A nomadic later career

Eriksson went on to have a nomadic career following his England departure, including leading Manchester City to ninth in the Premier League during the 2007-08 season.

He also had a short spell as director of football at League Two side Notts County in 2009-10 and 18 months in charge of Leicester, then in the Championship, between 2010 and 2011.

His final club jobs were with Chinese Super League sides Guangzhou R&F, Shanghai SIPG and Shenzhen between 2013 and 2017.

On the international front, Eriksson failed to lead Mexico to the 2010 World Cup, although he would go to the tournament in South Africa as coach of the Ivory Coast, though they failed make it out of their group.

His final managerial position was a 10-game spell as Philippines boss between October 2018 and January 2019.

Source: BBC

24, August 2024

Marc Brys alleges FECAFOOT has physically threatened him, intimidated players ⁰

The Cameroon men’s national team head coach Marc Brys has alleged he has been subjected to “physical threats”, deprived of basic equipment and his players were sent threatening letters “designed to demoralise them” by the Cameroon Football Association (Fecafoot) during his first international window as head coach in June.

Brys, who was appointed head coach in May by the Cameroonian government, was part of a standoff with Fecafoot in May after they initially resisted his appointment. Fecafoot appeared to appoint an interim replacement after a clash between the head coach and president Samuel Eto’o.

A conciliatory press conference alongside Eto’o, where the Fecafoot president apologised, suggested the rift was healed however it now appears that significant tensions remain.

A letter, seen by The Athletic, was sent by Fecafoot to Brys on August 18, 2024, asking for the coach to explain himself within 72 hours following an interview Belgian news outlet Derniere Heure (DH).

In the interview, Brys made a series of allegations, including that his goalkeeper, Manchester United’s Andre Onana, had to warm up alone for the match against Angola on June 11 as his assistants were not accredited and, of Eto’o, that he “is very influential, but his only success is as a footballer. In other areas — coaching, business, and evidently, as a leader — he has failed.”

Eto’o, a former striker for FC Barcelona and Inter Milan, has been president of Fecafoot since December 2021 but has been the subject of multiple allegations. He was fined by the Confederation Africaine de Football (CAF) in July following an investigation into alleged violation of the principles of ethics and integrity. Eto’o was cleared of manipulating football matches.

In a letter dated August 21 2024, which The Athletic has also seen, Brys has responded to Fecafoot by detailing that he will not be a “yes yes” coach and went on to demand answers regarding a series of failings during his first weeks as the head coach, calling the period the “greatest frustrations of my coaching career”.

Brys expanded on his allegations in the interview with DH. Addressing the secretary general of Fecafoot, he wrote, with reference to Cameroon’s World Cup qualifiers against Angola and Cape Verde in June: “How can a coach be deprived of teaching materials (confiscation of jerseys, balls, bus) as part of the training sessions for an essential match to qualify relating to qualifying for the Canada-United States World Cup?

“How do you understand that people I don’t know, with whom I have never worked, find themselves in my dressing room on match day?

“On the eve of the match against Angola, how do you understand that threatening letters are sent to players with copies to their clubs, despite a crushing victory against Cape Verde? This was intended to demoralise them.

“How do you understand when we disembarked in Luanda (the capital city of Angola), I was the victim of verbal attacks from Mr Benoit Angbwa, physical aggression from Mr Thierry Ndoh and that subsequently, Dr Fotso tried to expel me from the national selection bus during our transfer to the hotel? How do you believe that Fecafoot refused to accredit my assistants, forcing the first-choice goalkeeper of the Indomitable Lions to warm up on his own? When we know that for specialists, this is a specific activity with a view to conditioning the national team’s last line of defence. This is unheard of in world football for a national team.”

Brys also claimed that he had seen no condemnation from Fecafoot regarding the personal “attacks” and that he had been the victim the insults of all kinds against me and family”. He then stated his wish to continue working with Fecafoot “only give us polite, courteous professional interlocutors and we will all work together to advance the national team”.

Tensions first emerged in May following Brys’s appointment as Cameroon head coach, which was made by the Cameroon ministry of sport to the “great astonishment” of Fecafoot.

Video footage emerged in May of Eto’o and Brys appearing to have a heated exchange, with Fecafoot then writing in a statement that the decision to replace Brys had been taken following an emergency meeting, convened by Eto’o due to the “inappropriate behaviour” of Brys and his assistants.

The federation announced that Martin Ndtoungou had taken over the Cameroon team on an interim basis and was to hold a press conference to reveal his squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Cape Verde and Angola.

But, following what it described as a “fruitful and convivial meeting”, Fecafoot clarified the status of the team in a further statement that week, outlining Brys was to remain as head coach, with Joachim Mununga as his assistant.

Eto’o then apologised to Brys in a press conference the pair held, stating that there were a “lot of emotions” in their previous “unfortunate” encounter.

Cameroon are due to face Namibia and Zimbabwe next month as part of qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations, to be held in Morocco.

The Athletic has contacted Brys and Fecafoot for comment.

Source: The Athletic

23, August 2024

Football: Mbappe set for ‘beautiful’ Bernabeu debut ⁰

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said striker Kylian Mbappe will enjoy a “beautiful day” when he makes his home debut for the Spanish giants on Sunday in La Liga.

Los Blancos face Real Valladolid in their first match at the Santiago Bernabeu this season with supporters clamouring to see the French superstar in action.

Mbappe scored on his debut for Madrid in Warsaw against Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup win but could not find the net in a 1-1 league draw at Mallorca.

“I think it will be a beautiful day for Mbappe, to play at the Bernabeu for the first time in a Real Madrid shirt,” Ancelotti told reporters Friday.

“The fans are very excited about him, and he will have a great game, because of the quality he has — the fans will enjoy themselves.”

Mbappe was linked with Real Madrid for several years while at Paris Saint-Germain and was finally able to make his dream move this summer at the end of his contract in France.

With Mbappe joining Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo Goes and Jude Bellingham in attack, Ancelotti has complained his team have lacked balance in their first two matches.

The coach said Bellingham suffered a knock in training and was being looked at by medical staff ahead of the Valladolid clash.

“We have prepared well for the game on Sunday… we know very well what happened against Mallorca and we have tried to fix it for this weekend,” said Ancelotti.

“I think facing Valladolid will be a good test… we lacked balance at times and we have to work on that.

“It’s not so hard to look for a solution when the problem is clear, there is also a clear solution.”

Vinicius, Mbappe, Rodrygo and to some extent Bellingham prefer to play coming in from the left.

“I won’t tell them we have to play on the other wing when in the last years we’ve won two Champions Leagues playing (from the left),” said Ancelotti.

Madrid lifted a Champions League and La Liga double last season and in 2022 under Ancelotti and after adding Mbappe to their ranks are firm favourites to triumph again in Spain this season.

Source: AFP

19, August 2024

Football: Thierry Henry resigns as coach of France’s under-21 squad ⁰

Former football star Thierry Henry has stepped down as head coach of France’s under-21 football team after his squad lost the final of the 2024 Paris Olympics to Spain. Henry cited ‘personal reasons’, according to the French Football Federation.

Thierry Henry has decided to step down from his role as coach of the France under-21 football team after guiding the side to a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the French Football Federation (FFF) announced Monday.

The all-time leading goalscorer for Premier League giants Arsenal took over as coach of the French youth side last summer and was under contract until June 2025 but decided to step away for “personal reasons”, according to the FFF.

Earlier in July, former France international Henry oversaw Les Bleuets’ first run to the final of an Olympics men’s tournament since winning gold in the 1984 Games in Los Angeles.

His young side eventually went down 5-3 after extra time against Spain to end a promising run that had started inauspiciously after Henry was obliged to make several changes to his squad pre-tournament due to the refusal of certain clubs to release their players for the Games.

“I would like to thank the FFF and President Philippe Diallo for giving me this incredible opportunity,” said Henry, 47, in an FFF statement.

“Winning an Olympic silver medal for my country will remain one of the proudest moments of my life. I’m incredibly grateful to the federation, the players, the staff and the fans for giving me this magical experience.”

Federation boss Diallo thanked the 1998 World Cup winner for “all the work he accomplished as coach of the Espoirs (under-21s) and Olympic sides”.

“We obviously regret this decision, as Thierry Henry was able to achieve the objectives set for him by winning a silver medal at the Olympic Games in Paris,” he added.

“Having followed him throughout this campaign, I witnessed first-hand his great professionalism, his rigour and his love for the blue jersey.”

Source: AFP

17, August 2024

Football: 19-year-old eligible to represent Cameroon, Nigeria and Belgium wanted by Serie A clubs ⁰

Italian clubs Torino and Empoli are currently showing interest in talented striker Hemsley Akpa-Chukwu according to Tuttomercatoweb.

Born in Douala, Cameroon Akpa-Chukwu is eligible to represent the national teams of Nigeria, Cameroon and Belgium.

Torino and Empoli have been impressed by his strong performances in lower tiers of Italian football.

The 19-year-old striker initially caught the attention of the Serie A with his display in the Primavera 2-B, finding the net 10 times in 23 matches.

His impressive form carried over to Serie B with Bari, where he scored a goal in his first 29 minutes on the field in the second division of Italian football.

Torino and Empoli are reportedly in a bidding war to acquire the services of the promising youngster

Both clubs are vying to sign him and intend to integrate him as a key player in their squads for the 2024/2025 Serie A season.

The tr-national forward has played in two games for the Belgian U19 national team.

Although he has played twice for Belgium at youth level, the talented striker remains eligible to represent Nigeria at the U20, U23, and senior levels.

Source: All Nigeria Soccer