WWW.FIFA.

COM/ THEWEEKLY
ISSUE 51, 10 OCTOBER 2014 ENGLISH EDITION
Fdration Internationale de Football Association Since 1904
Evergreen
Seaman, Milla, Totti
LEBANON
COACH GIANNINI
AIMING HIGH
SEPP BL AT TER
THE AWAY GOALS
RULE IS OUTDATED
ROBERTO DI MAT TEO
HOW ONE EARLY GOAL
CHANGED HIS LIFE
T HI S WEEK I N T HE WORLD OF FOOT BALL
North and
Central America
35 members
www.concacaf.com
South America
10 members
www.conmebol.com
The FIFA Weekly Magazine App
The FIFA Weekly, FIFAs magazine, is available
in four languages as an e-Magazine and on
your tablet every Friday.
6
Rolling back the years
The emergence of talented young footballers
always generates excitement, but there is no
doubt they would be lost without their more
experienced team-mates. Perikles Monioudis
takes a look at some lengthy careers frequently
marked by chance and good fortune.
16
Bolivia
One strange night with four goals and a
distinctly Argentinian avour means
Club Blooming now top the league in the
South American nation.
23
Sepp Blatter
In his weekly column, the FIFA President argues
that the away goals rule has fallen behind the
times, saying: In reality it favours the club that
play away from home in the second leg. It is
time to rethink the system.
30
Brian Roy
The former Dutch international expresses his
concern for football in his home country: It will
be at least twelve years until the Netherlands
can win a World Cup.
15

Belgium
At just 17 years
old, everybody is
already talking
about rising star
Youri Tielemans.
35

Eric Cantona
The inimitable
Frenchman inspired
several English
musicians during his
time in Manchester.
Evergreen
Our cover image shows David Seaman
at the age of 40. The veteran England
goalkeeper announced his retirement a
few months after this photo was taken.
Kevin Cummins / Getty Images
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T HI S WEEK I N T HE WORLD OF FOOT BALL
Europe
54 members
www.uefa.com
Africa
54 members
www.cafonline.com
Asia
46 members
www.the-afc.com
Oceania
11 members
www.oceaniafootball.com
24

Lebanon
Coach Giuseppe Giannini outlines
his ambition to build a strong
Lebanese national side.
37
Roberto
Di Matteo
Schalke 04s new coach
discusses the 1997
FA Cup nal goal that
transformed his career.
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FIFA Club World Cup
10 20 December 2014, Morocco
FIFA U-20 World Cup
30 May 20 June 2015, New Zealand
FIFA Womens World Cup
6 June 5 July 2015, Canada
3 THE FI FA WEEKLY
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Football is a
brotherhood. Its peace.
Oscar Arias
Nobel Peace Laureate

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35 years young Juventus legend Andrea Pirlo.
UNCOVERED
P
rofessional footballers are said to reach
their peak at around 26 or 27 years old, at
which point their skills tend to deteriorate.
Nevertheless, there are players who continue to
enrich matches as they get older and are peren-
nially beloved by fans watching both at home
on television and in the stands. Italian veteran
Andrea Pirlo is one example of such a stalwart,
while our cover star David Seaman was anoth-
er. Starting overleaf, Perikles Monioudis exam-
ines some of these lengthy careers and the ex-
tent to which club loyalty and good fortune can
contribute towards longevity.
L
ast year, Giuseppe Giannini decided to be-
come Lebanons national team coach not
an easy task when you consider that war is
raging in neighbouring Syria. In an interview
with The FIFA Weekly starting on page 24, the
Italian coach discusses these dicult condi-
tions and speaks highly of the football-mad
country where he is seeking to nurture a new
generation of players.
T
he existing away goals rule appears to have
become outdated in European football. In
his weekly column on page 23, FIFA Presi-
dent Blater says: As well-established as the
rule is, it can be viewed critically today. In
reality it favours the club that play away from
home in the second leg. It is time to rethink
the system.

Alan Schweingruber
UNCOVERED
Beter
with age
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Forever Roma
Francesco Totti is now
the oldest goalscorer in
the Champions League.
Rolling back
the years
LONG- L AST I NG CAREERS
38
FRANCESCO
TOT TI
Date of birth
27 September 1976
Place of birth
Rome, Italy
Position
Midelder, striker
Clubs played for
Roma 1993present
National team
Italy 19982006
58 caps, 9 goals
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Near to retirement Larbi Ben Barek playing for Atletico Madrid in 1953.
A footballers career
is not only judged by the
number of titles he wins,
but also by how long
it lasts. We turn the
spotlight on a select
few who managed to fght
back the years.
Perikles Monioudis
I
t was the end of September and Manchester City were leading
AS Roma 1-0 at the City of Manchester stadium on Matchday 2
of the current Champions League campaign. Suddenly, visiting
captain Francesco Toti latched on to a through-ball and without
breaking stride equalised by dinking the ball into the far corner
of the goal. That nish made the Rome native the oldest ever
scorer in Europes elite club competition. The 38-year-old Toti
had struck again. This was Toti the everlasting, Toti the world
champion at his very best.
The King of Rome, as he is known, has an impressive goalscoring
record in Serie A. From his position as a Trequartista, the play-
maker tucked in behind the main striker and thus the teams
heartbeat, he has found the net 253 times in 564 league games. Toti
made his Serie A debut aged just 16 and now, 22 years later, he still laces
his boots for his boyhood club.
How has Toti managed it? How has a recipient of the Order of Mer-
it of the Italian Republic continued not only to turn out at the highest
level, but to play a decisive role?
Larbi Ben Mbarek, born in the French Protctorate in Morocco in 1914,
hung up his boots at the age of 41. Like Toti he was a midelder with a
keen eye for goal, and was awarded the FIFA Order of Merit. Ben Mbarek
LONG- L AST I NG CAREERS
41
LARBI BEN
MBAREK
Year of retirement
1955, aged 41
Date of birth
16 June 1914 (died 16 September 1992)
Place of birth
Casablanca, Morocco
Position
Midelder
Clubs played for
Ideal Club Casablanca 1936
US Marocaine 19361938
Marseille 19381939
US Marocaine 19391945
Stade Francais 19451948
Atletico Madrid 19481953
Marseille 19531955
National team
France 19381954
19 caps, 3 goals
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David Seaman
A formidable presence in
Englands goal for many years.
moved to Olympique Marseille afer scoring 56 times in 113 games for
Atletico Madrid between 1948 and 1953, winning the league title in 1950
and 1951. Ben Mbarek earned 19 caps for the French national team be-
tween 1938 and 1954 but an injury sustained in a match against Germany
in their Miracle of Berne year in 1954 forced him to retire from the game.
He died in September 1992 in Casablanca.
LONG- L AST I NG CAREERS
Pele once said, If I am the king of football then Larbi Ben Mbarek
is the God of football, while Michel Platini commented that, Toti is a
footballing artist, a true number ten.
So how does a player become an artist, or a God for that mater?
Only few are able to achieve such an accolade in a single day. More ofen,
a legends career is judged on the amount of time he spent on the pitch,
on the titles he won, and on the perseverance with which he managed to
play for possibly two decades or more.
Avoid injuries
Let us start with luck, which in this context means not having an irate
opponent slide into the back of you in the 93rd minute. It also means
landing well afer a header and therefore avoiding an ankle injury, and
taking care of your knee following an unfortunate collision in training,
and doing so time afer time, game afer game, season afer season and
decade afer decade.
How does a pl ayer
become an ar tist, or a God
for that mat ter?
41
DAVID
SEAMAN
Year of retirement
2004, aged 41
Date of birth
19 September 1963
Place of birth
Rotherham, England
Position
Goalkeeper
Clubs played for
Peterborough United 19821984
Birmingham City 19841986
Queens Park Rangers 19861990
Arsenal 19902003
Manchester City 20032004
National team
England 19882002
75 caps
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Kissing Milan goodbye Paolo Maldini at his last home game on 24 May 2009.
Luck also means that a striker keeps on scoring, that the ball ies
into the net more ofen than it goes narrowly wide. It means a defender
frequently makes a tackle just at the right moment, that he takes the
ball rather than the opponents legs. In both cases he is likely to retain
his place in the side and in both cases luck is not an insignicant factor.
A great number of players have been unlucky, forced to quit the game
due to an injury and then to come to terms with their sporting invalid-
ity. One such example is former Coventry defender David Busst, whose
collision with Manchester United defender Denis Irwin in April 1996 was
so terrible that he sufered an open leg fracture. His career quite literal-
ly ended on the spot.
But let us return to Francesco Toti. On 19 February 2006 he broke
his bula in a league game against Empoli, yet he was able to recover. A
player not only requires luck in order to have a lengthy career, but he
also needs to have good fortune in bad circumstances. So what else is
needed for longevity?
All down to chance?
Donato Gama da Silva was born in Rio de Janeiro in 1962 and ended an
impressive career 41 years later at Deportivo La Coruna, having played
for the northern Spanish side in the ten years prior to his retirement.
Before then he was at Atletico Madrid from 1988-1993 afer joining them
from Vasco da Gama, where he was under contract from 1984-1988. In
1990 he became a naturalised Spanish citizen and went on to make 12
appearances for La Roja. To sum up then, he was born in Brazil, played
for two of Spains top sides for a long time and changed his nationality.
A pl ayer not onl y requires
luck in order to have a lengthy
career, but he needs
to have good for tune in bad
circumst ances too.
LONG- L AST I NG CAREERS
41
PAOLO
MALDINI
Year of retirement
2009, aged 41
Date of birth
26 June 1968
Place of birth
Milan, Italy
Position
Defender
Clubs played for
AC Milan 19842009
National team
Italy 19882002
126 caps, 7 goals
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Between two worlds
Donato Gama da Silva was born
in Rio and later played
for the Spanish national team.
LONG- L AST I NG CAREERS
Da Silva lef Vasco da Gama, the club named afer the Portuguese explor-
er, crossed the Atlantic and succeeded in becoming an international
player in the Old World.
Chance was undoubtedly a factor here, even if Da Silva evidently
chose his clubs well. It can only have been a question of timing, and
therefore chance, as to whether or not a team needed a player exactly
like Da Silva, or whether there was a place available in defensive mideld
at that time, or whether Da Silva of all players was the right person to
strengthen rst Atletico and then La Coruna. It can only have been
chance when you factor in all the calculations the people in charge at
both the selling and the buying clubs must have undertaken, alongside
the other parties involved such as player agents, nanciers and sponsors.
It must have been coincidence, even if we are of course lacking a way of
cross-checking to see how long Da Silva would have played had his career
taken a completely diferent path, with entirely diferent clubs in a dif-
ferent country.
Coincidences can also increase exponentially, for example when a
player stays a professional for such a long time that he eventually plays
against the son of one of his former team-mates. In the 1990s Colombian
goalkeeper Carlos Fernando Navarro Montoya was a symbol of Boca Jun-
iors, and he only hung up his gloves for good in 2009 at the age of 43. In
Ever y career is perceived
individuall y and is al so car ved
out individuall y.
40
DONATO GAMA
DA SILVA
Year of retirement
2003, aged 40
Date of birth
30 December 1962
Place of birth
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Position
Midelder
Clubs played for
America FC (RJ) 19821984
Vasco da Gama 19841988
Atletico Madrid 19881993
Deportivo La Coruna 19932003
National team
Spain 19941996
12 caps, 3 goals
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Calling it a day Roger Milla bids farewell to the national team in 1994.
1990, El Mono, as he was known, conceded a goal to River Plates Jorge
Nicolas Higuain and was beaten 16 years later by his son, Gonzalo
Higuain, who likewise played for River.
It is also chance that pits a team from a weaker league against a side
from a stronger one in international competition, providing the oppor-
tunity for a player from the underdogs to shine and then be bought by
the bigger club in the next transfer window. Such situations, or similar
ones, happen over and over every season, throughout the world. Wheth-
er or not a player will come to the atention of a particular club always
starts from the moment of the competition draw.
Yet there are also high-prole cases of players with great longevity
that have not required transfer coincidences; indeed, some players nev-
er move clubs.
Paolo Maldini played for AC Milan from 1985 to 2009, making 647
appearances for the side and winning the Champions League ve times.
On the fourth occasion, in 2003, Maldini hoisted the trophy alof as
captain exactly 40 years afer his father Cesare had done so with the
European Cup, likewise for Milan. Paolo, an outstanding defender and a
key member of the unforgetable Milan defence of the late 1980s under
Arrigo Sacchi, formed a great understanding with World Cup winner
Franco Baresi, who also only ever played for Milan and retired aged 37,
and Alessandro Costacurta, who stepped down at the age of 41 afer 21
years as a Milan player. The fourth member of the backline, Mauro Tas-
soti, gave 17 years of service to Milan and only retired when he was 37.
Plenty of endurance loyalty almost in a defensive line-up that was,
and perhaps still is, without equal.
Consistent performances
Chance and luck play their part but it also comes down to a question of
sheer physical and technical ability as to whether a player can stay in the
game so long. In other words, did that legendary Milan defence, mould-
ed by Sacchi, stay together so long because they were successful, or were
they successful because the players were loyal and could not conceive of
a beter club or city than the one they already had?
A few days ago Toti, an equally loyal Roma legend, spoke about his
children discovering the wall murals of him in Romes Monti district.
Toti revealed to the Italian media that they had asked: Dad, why is your
picture on the walls? He went on to tell the press that, My children are
my life. I would much prefer to see their pictures on the walls.
But let us return to a players performance: it is not only judged by
the number of titles he wins over the course of a long, or even very long,
career, but is also valued by the context in which his career was played.
At the 1994 World Cup in the USA, Cameroons Roger Milla became the
tournaments oldest ever participant, aged 42. Four years earlier at Italia
LONG- L AST I NG CAREERS
44
ROGER
MILLA
Year of retirement
1996, aged 44
Date and place of birth
20 May 1952 / Yaounde, Cameroon
Position
Striker
Clubs played for
Leopard de Douala 19711974
Tonnerre Yaounde 19741977
Valenciennes 19771979
Monaco 19791980
Bastia 19801984
Saint-Etienne 19841986
Montpellier 19861989
Saint-Pierroise 19891990
Sporting Toulon 1990
Tonnerre Yaounde 19901994
Pelita Jaya 19941996
National team
Cameroon 19781994, 102 caps, 28 goals
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T HE I NT ERVI EW
Dwight Yorke, when did you rst realise your
physical performance was on the decline?
Dwight Yorke: When I was at Birming-
ham City, aged around 34.
Was it frustrating?
I would be lying if I said it was a comfort-
able feeling (laughs). It was tough. I could
sense that certain exercises in training just
werent working anymore, and I noticed how
easy everything seemed for the younger
players in the squad. Its the passing of time.
You just have to accept it.
Your team-mate Ryan Giggs took up yoga to
increase his exibility in the latter stages of his
career. What steps did you take?
He won the Champions League with Manchester United and was renowned for his fantastic turn
of pace. Only at the age of 38 did Dwight Yorke fnally hang up his boots. The former striker told
the FIFA Weekly what he had to do to keep playing at the later stage of his career.
Its dicult when your
performances start to drop
Yoga wasnt really a thing during my
time. Right at the end of my career, it be-
came more prominent. I just tried to rest and
recover well in between training sessions
and games.
How exactly did you pass the time?
As a young player you might do a bit of
shopping or meet with some friends in town
for cofee or a meal. In the later stages of my
career, I have fond memories of just looking
forward to going home and puting my feet
up. Plenty of rest was really important to me
as an ageing professional footballer.
Is that why you rst retired from the national
team aged 30?
Yes. The multiple journeys from England
to the Caribbean were stressful. On top of
that, I had some issues with the management
team at the time. But I returned to the team
for the 2006 World Cup.
How does a player know when its time to
retire?
He shouldnt ignore the signs. He should
listen to his body and admit when he realises
theres not enough lef. Another possible sign
is when the manager starts to prefer other
players. Being old in football does have its
advantages though. Young players can learn
a lot from your experience. If a player is
clever, he can make up for his shortcomings
by reading the game beter.
Two years after your retirement from football
you ran the London Marathon. What was the
experience like?
Not a good one! I thought that ve weeks
training would be enough to run a marathon.
That wasnt a smart idea. I cheated myself
really and in the end I had to walk some of
the course just to recover. I wanted a time
under three hours, but it was three and a
half when I crossed the nish line.
Dwight Yorke was speaking to
Alan Schweingruber
Name
Dwight Yorke
Date of birth, Place of birth
3 November 1971, Canaan, Tobago
Position
Forward
Clubs
Aston Villa, Manchester United,
Blackburn Rovers, Birmingham City,
Sydney, Sunderland
Achievements
Champions League winner,
3 Premier League titles, FA Cup,
Top scorer in the Premier League
and the Champions League M
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The last few yards AC Milans Franco Baresi in October 1997.
LONG- L AST I NG CAREERS
1990 he had scored four goals to become a household name across the
globe. The fact that he was twice named as African Player of the Year is
also remarkable, especially given he rst received the honour in 1976 and
then again 14 years later in 1990. At Brazil 2014 his record as the World
Cups most senior citizen was broken by 43-year-old Colombian goalkeep-
er Faryd Mondragon.
It may come as no surprise that goalkeepers appear to be in a more
privileged position when it comes to career longevity. For one thing, they
cover far fewer kilometres per game than their team-mates. Italys World
Cup-winning custodian Dino Zof played for the national team from 1968
to 1983 and featured in the Serie A until he was 41. Former England in-
ternational keepers David Seaman and Peter Shilton only retired from
the game aged 41 and 48 respectively.
Luck, chance, performance whatever the factors may be that con-
tribute to, or are favourable towards a prolonged career, every players
career is perceived individually and is also carved out individually. That
players are taken care of medically, mentally and in terms of nutrition
are also decisive inuences.
Yet it is down to every player to forge the path of their own career
and the length of it too.
37
FRANCO
BARESI
Year of retirement
1997, aged 37
Date of birth
8 May 1960
Place of birth
Travagliato, Italy
Position
Defender
Clubs played for
AC Milan 19781997
National team
Italy 19821994
82 caps, 1 goal
Never too old
Hes the oldest, but youd never notice. He gets better from
one year to the next. Instead of ageing, he seems to be getting
younger.
(Former Inter president Massimo Moratti on Javier Zanetti)
Lothar Matthaus will not be defeated by his body, Lothar
Matthaus will decide his fate himself.
(Lothar Matthaus)
Ive always thought of football as just one part of my life.
My career in football will last 15, 20 or perhaps even 25 years if
Im really lucky, and then I might still have another 60 years to
live. Thinking about it that way gives you the right perspective in
a world that comes to an end for all of us sooner or later.
(Clarence Seedorf)
There are no young and old players, just good and bad ones.
(Otto Rehhagel)
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O N T H E I N S I D E
TALKI NG POI NT S
made his Champions League debut last
season at the age of 16 years and 148 days,
making him the third-youngest player in the
history of Europes elite club competition. He
was promoted straight from Anderlechts
youth squad to their first team in the sum-
mer of 2013 and it seems he has been indis-
pensable ever since. Tielemans is a midfield
strategist whose awareness and precise
passing have enabled him to shine. His
understanding of the game and ability to
anticipate play have astounded not only
Belgian football fans but also several major
European clubs who have already taken note
of this incredible young talent with Congo-
lese roots.
Spanish daily sports newspaper Mundo
Deportivo have dubbed him the new Yaya
Toure while Englands Metro newspaper
compared him to Steven Gerrard. The promis-
ing youngster has also made a name for
himself in Germany, where the coach of
Anderlechts Champions League opponents
Borussia Dortmund, Jurgen Klopp, recently
said: Of course I know Youri. Youd have to
be blind not to sit up and take notice of him.
Bel gi an Jupi l er Pr o League
Ti el emans shi nes
Tim Pfeifer is a reporter for
FIFA.com and The FIFA Weekly.
It looks increasingly likely
that the Belgian champion-
ship title will once again go
to RSC Anderlecht this season. Ten matches
into the new campaign, the record-breaking
champions and league winners for the last
three seasons are the only unbeaten team in
the Jupiler Pro League and currently sit four
points clear of their nearest rivals. Amid this
recent success, one particular player in
Albanian coach Besnik Hasis squad has been
garnering national and international head-
lines: Youri Tielemans.
At just 17 years old, this exceptional young
footballer is causing quite a stir. Whether
playing in his domestic championship or the
UEFA Champions League, the midfielders
name is on everyones lips at the start of
what looks likely to be a glittering career. He
Tielemans is not the only reason that RSCA
have earned international respect, as the
Belgian sides quick attacking play has also
received plenty of praise of late. Anderlecht
have been the most entertaining team in
recent years; I often enjoy watching them,
Klopp revealed. Although Les Mauves et
Blancs have won their national championship
33 times during their history, it has been
many years since they last tasted glory at a
continental level. Anderlecht lifted the UEFA
Cup Winners Cup twice, in 1976 and 1978,
before triumphing in the UEFA Cup in 1983.
More recently though, Anderlecht have
managed to progress out of the group stages
in just one of their last six Champions League
appearances.
The Belgian league leaders current ambi-
tions are to maintain their domestic domi-
nance and rediscover their former glories on
the international stage. These hopes rest
predominantly on the shoulders of Tiele-
mans as he continues to tread in the illustri-
ous footsteps of previous homegrown RSCA
players such as Paul Van Himst, Enzo Scifo
and Vincent Kompany.
Youri Tielemans
An exciting young talent
for Anderlecht
at just 17 years of age. i
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15 THE FI FA WEEKLY
Bol i vi an Li ga de Fut bol Prof esi onal
Ar gent i ni an ni ght
i n Sant a Cr uz
Sven Goldmann is a leading
football correspondent at
Tagesspiegel newspaper in Berlin.
In Bolivia they speak simply
of the Academy when it
comes to Club Blooming. The countrys
renowned footballing school, Academia de
Futbol Tahuichi, has shaped the club and
with it the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra.
This high plateau some 500 kilometres
south-east of the capital La Paz was the
place where a generation of footballers were
trained before going on to serve their home-
land admirably. The core of the team that
represented Bolivia at the 1994 World Cup in
the USA learned their craf at Tahuichi, led
by Marco Antonio Etcheverry, who they call
El Diablo the devil.
The fact that he was sent of just minutes
afer being brought on in the Opening Match
against Germany that year has long since
been forgiven and forgoten. Etcheverry
remains one of the greatest players Bolivia
has ever produced, and since he ended his
career at Club Blooming some ten years ago,
his successors have struggled in the Liga de
Futbol Profesional Boliviano. The team have
no silverware to show for the past ten sea-
sons, although there are signs that they may
be able to end this drought in the current
Apertura. On the tenth matchday of the
current season, Santa Cruzs top club
climbed to the top of the table, unseating
their opponents and previous league leaders
Club San Jose in the process. It was an
unpleasant trip for the 2014 Clausura run-
ners-up, who ultimately lost the match 3-1
along with their grip on the league and even
striker Cristian Diaz.
There was a distinct Argentinian theme to
proceedings at the Estadio Tahuichi. First
Sergio Almiron converted a penalty to give
Blooming a 1-0 lead afer half an hour al-
ready the fh goal of the campaign for the
29-year-old before compatriot Cristian Diaz
found the net with an elegant header to level
the scores just before the break. San Jose had
the edge in an open start to the second half,
only for Didi Torrico to put the hosts ahead
once more and ensure some Bolivian impact
on the match. The Argentinians continued to
contribute thereafer, albeit in extremely
contrasting ways. First, Diaz protested for a
penalty so angrily and loudly that referee
Luis Mancilla took ofence and gave the San
Jose striker his marching orders. The one-
man advantage made maters much simpler
for Blooming, who wrapped up the three
points shortly before the nal whistle when
yet another Argentinian, Matias Manzano,
struck to make it 3-1 just afer being intro-
duced as a substitute.
For Blooming, leading the Apertura makes
a pleasant change after several difficult
years. The club has not managed to finish
in the top three since winning the last of
their five championship trophies, the 2005
Torneo Apertura, making victory against
San Jose the perfect note on which to
finish before the international break.
Appropriately enough, Bolivias national
side met up at Bloomings ground to pre-
pare for friendlies against Brazils Olympic
team and Chile. The league will take a
two-week break before Marco Antonio
Etcheverrys Academy descendants begin
the defence of their lead in the Apertura
with a visit to the capital to face 18-time
champions Club Bolivar.
Did Torrico Bloomings only Bolivian goalscorer against San Jose.
The league will t ake a
t wo- week break before Club
Blooming begin the defence
of their lead in the Aper tura.
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New Cal edoni a Super League
French Cup date
on t he hor i zon
Nicola Berger writes about
football and lives in Zurich.
It had not been a good week
for New Caledonia side AS
Lossi. The club from the
capital Noumea not only registered their first
defeat of the season, going down 3-2 at
Mont-Dore on matchday 19, they also had to
watch on as Magenta rose to the top of the
standings without even kicking a ball. Lossis
rivals were awarded two forfeited victories by
the New Caledonia Football Association due
to opponents Gaitcha and Agjp both being
punished for excesses of violence. Given each
win is worth four points, and a draw only two,
this ruling was sufficient for Magenta to edge
ahead of Lossi in the standings, opening up a
three-point advantage with three matches of
the season to go.
Lossis fortunes changed last Saturday,
however. In the Numa Daly national stadium
Les Oranges defeated AS Grand-Nord 3-1 to
reach the final of the New Caledonia Cup,
which will be staged at the same venue on 1
November against Magenta. The record
champions won their semi-final with an
identical scoreline against the faltering
defending champions Gaitcha.
It will be a final with more at stake than
just domestic glory: the cup winners also
qualify for the seventh round of the Coupe
de France.
New Caledonia, one of natures gems, may lie
in the South Pacific, more than a 20-hour
flight away from France, but the influence of
the former colonial power can still to this day
be felt in the nations football.
Anybody keen on taking the step from New
Caledonia into the wider world of football
almost always goes via France. That was the
case for 1998 World Cup-winner Christian
Karembeu and Antoine Kombouare, for
example. Both hail from the Kanak communi-
ty and the latter, formerly coach of Paris
Saint-Germain and now in charge at RC Lens,
had this to say about the quality of New
Caledonian football: There are some players
who have what it takes for a professional
football career, but the problem is often
acclimatisation. Its not so easy to find your
feet in a foreign country when 22,000 kilo-
metres separate you from your family.
The stars of either Lossi or Magenta will get the
opportunity at the start of November to put
themselves in the shop window against French
opposition. Should they pull off a surprise, their
reward in the eighth round would be a trip to
France. There has been a precedent: in 2010/11,
Magenta got the better of USL Dunkerque in a
penalty shootout.
Furthermore, the New Caledonian champions
also earn the opportunity of measuring them-
selves on an international stage: the champi-
ons take part in the OFC Champions League,
a competition traditionally dominated by
New Zealand clubs.
Cup semi-nal Olivier Dokunengo of AS Magenta (in yellow) during his side's 3-1 win over Gaitcha. L
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17 THE FI FA WEEKLY
adidas.com/predator
#predatorinstinct
+135302_SP_AD_FIFA_weekly_H10284_FO_Predator_instinct_FW14_ATL_Boot_Eye_Visual_Red_215x289.indd 1 15.07.14 13:00
I N BRI EF
W
hen it comes to batling against relegation, clubs across the globe exhaust every means available to them to scramble together the points
necessary for survival. In that sense, Brazilian outt Portuguesa are no diferent to any other side. Yet the long-standing club based in the
metropolis of Sao Paulo have recently resorted to a rather unconventional strategy in light of being second botom of the Serie B standings.
In an efort to avoid a second successive relegation, coach Vagner Benazzi has recruited the services of a hypnotist. Olimar Tesser, who has previ-
ously worked successfully with other clubs, has been given the task of recovering the Portuguesa players former prowess. I never like to miss out
on a good opportunity, Benazzi said of the clubs new beacon of hope. I know what hes done elsewhere and I want him to work with my players
before our games. I made the decision given the situation were currently in. Following the sides recent 1-0 home defeat to Vasco da Gama, Tesser
appears to have plenty of work ahead of him.
Tim Pfeifer
I
n todays high-speed brand of football, the art of nutmegging has
been somewhat overlooked as too fussy and with too litle prac-
tical use. The last great master of this discipline is considered to
be Boca Juniors midelder Juan Roman Riquelme, who icked the
ball backwards through the legs of River Plates Mario Yepes in the
Superclasico thirteen years ago. It appears the Argentinian now has
a worthy successor in Hungarys top ight. Austrian Emir Dilaver
plays for Budapest side Ferencvaros, and the masterpiece he un-
veiled against Szombathelyi Haladas has since become a YouTube
sensation. Dilaver defly slides the ball from the sole of his right
foot onto his lef while simultaneously turning on the spot, leaving
his opponent Szabolcs Schimmer desperately and vainly atempt-
ing to close his legs. This moment alone was worth the price of
admission for fans, especially as there were few other highlights
on ofer in what was ultimately a drab 0-0 draw.
Sven Goldmann
A
C Siena no longer exists under its original name afer mounting
debts caused the club to lose its licence and le for bankruptcy. As
a result, the newly-named Robur Siena are now making a fresh
start in Serie D. On Sunday, a handful of the defunct teams most
loyal fans strode through the city wearing their clubs traditional
black-and-white shirts, waving ags, drinking beer and singing famil-
iar songs. They wove their way through the crowds, in good spirits
despite this dicult new beginning. The tourists were unfazed by
their hustling and bustling as they strolled in the narrow backstreets,
unwinding with a good meal and stopping to appreciate their sur-
roundings in the piazza outside the citys almost entirely marble ca-
thedral. In a small bar nearby, some locals were gathered around a
television set. They were transxed, not by their hometown side but
by Inter Milan versus Cagliari in the current Serie A. The Sardinian
team eventually emerged impressive 4-1 victors, forcing the Italian
treble-winners to continue their slow slide down the table. Some tour-
ists cast a brief glance at the TV before continuing to admire the
medieval architecture. It was just another normal Sunday afernoon
in this small Italian city where art and fan culture collide. Who knows?
Perhaps Robur will even play in Serie A again one day.
Dominik Petermann
Unconventional preparation Hypnotist Olimar Tesser (standing) has been drafted in to help the players at Brazilian club Portuguesa.
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19 THE FI FA WEEKLY
Samuel Aranda / Panos Pictures 20 THE FI FA WEEKLY
Pl a c e : Bu k h a r a , Uz b e k i s t a n
Da t e : 2 2 Ap r i l 2 0 1 2
T i me : 3 . 5 4 p. m.
First Love
21 THE FI FA WEEKLY
Years of phenomenal growth
FIFA decided to stage the rst FIFA
Womens World Cup in 1991 (China PR)
to give the best female players in world
football the opportunity to play on a
world stage, thus marking a milestone for
the growth of womens football all
around the globe. Around half a million
spectators attended the matches. Since
then, the womens game has taken huge
strides forward in every aspect, whether
in terms of the players technique,
physical tness and tactics, or the media
coverage, TV viewers and sponsorship
interest.
One of the pillars of FIFAs mission is to
touch the world through our tourna-
ments. We take great pride in staging
these entertaining and unique
festivals of football across the globe.
The FIFA Womens World Cup is a
shining example of our commitment to
ensuring that womens football goes
from strength to strength in the future.
PRESI DENT I AL NOT E FULECO
Best wishes, Sepp Blater
T
he away goals rule has been used in the
knockout stages of European competition
since 1965. If both teams have scored the
same number of goals at the end of a two-leg-
ged tie, the side that scored more away from
home will progress to the next round. The
idea dates back to a time when away games
were ofen an adventure, involving journeys
that could be long and arduous - and the play-
ing conditions would vary considerably.
As well-established as the rule is, it can be
viewed critically today. In reality it favours
the club that play away from home in the sec-
ond leg. Where the scores are tied, that team
has 30 minutes more than their opponent to
score a valuable away goal. Afer all, in the
rst leg there is no extra time.
Such an imbalance has already been dis-
posed of in various competitions. The away
goals rule is no longer used in the semi-nals
of the promotion play-ofs in English football.
The system employed in the Major League
Soccer play-ofs in the USA and in the
CONCACAF Champions League also contrib-
utes to the debate. There, away goals only
count double until the end of normal time in
the second leg. If the sides are level at that
stage, and have each scored the same number
of away goals, the away goals rule does not
apply in extra time. Either way, it is time to
rethink the system. Football has progressed
since the 1960s, so the away goals rule may
now be questioned.
Does the away
goals rule still
make sense?
A new game
for Fuleco
E
ncore for Fuleco! The mascot of the 2014
FIFA World Cup Brazil may have complet-
ed the vast majority of his work this sum-
mer, but it is not quite time for the armadillo
to retire just yet. On Wednesday 1 October,
Fuleco was moved from the Home of FIFA to
Zurich Childrens Hospital, whose 100,000 pa-
tients per year make it the largest medical in-
stitution for children in Switzerland. FIFA
President Joseph Blater was on hand to per-
sonally oversee the safe delivery of the South
American armadillo to its new home.
The FIFA Presidents visit to the hospital
was a source of genuine surprise for many of
the young patients, whose smiling faces clearly
moved their visitor: Our visit can help to
spread happiness and generate hope. Its here
that the most important matches of all are de-
cided, he said.
Director Markus Malagoli led the presi-
dent of world footballs governing body on a
tour of the hospital, which included the emer-
gency ward and the intensive care unit. This
visit is not only a major event for the patients
and the hospital staf, but also a sign of recog-
nition for the work that is being done here,
said Malagoli.
Fuleco has now taken up his new position
in the emergency ward, thus continuing a rela-
tively recent tradition which has seen the mas-
cots of South Africa 2010 (Zakumi the leopard)
and the FIFA Womens World Cup Germany
2011 (Karla Kick the cat) relocate to the chil-
drens hospital afer the respective tourna-
ments. Afer all, it is an arena that plays host
to a game of far greater importance than foot-
ball: the game of life.
Zurich Childrens Hospital The girls and boys pose for a photo with surprise guest Sepp Blatter.
23 THE FI FA WEEKLY
LEBANON
Im here to
train a new
generation
of pl ayers.
Ambitious
Giuseppe Giannini,
head coach of the
Lebanese national
team.
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24 THE FI FA WEEKLY
The Lebanese
people stand united
behind their team
LEBANON
Mr Giannini, despite missing out on qualication for the 2014 World
Cup and the Asian Cup, the recent 2-2 draw with Brazils Olympic team
means there is a spirit of enthusiasm in Lebanese football. How do
you personally rate the rst 15 months of your tenure as coach of the
countrys national side?
Giuseppe Giannini: Good, very good. Youve got to look at the teams
development as a whole. In 2011, the country was 178th in FIFAs world
rankings. That was a low point. When I took over on 1 July 2013,
Lebanon was in 132nd place. Now were 121st in the world. From that
perspective you can certainly say were on an upward trend.
Giuseppe Gianninis job is not a simple one. The 50-year-old
Italian has been tasked with building a strong national
football team in Lebanon, a country ofen preoccupied with
very diferent maters.
Is this trend reected on the pitch as well as in the statistics?
Its most apparent in the atitude of our players, who now view
themselves in an entirely new light. For me, our match preparations
have already been crucial. For example, weve done a huge amount of
work in the areas of tactics, sports medicine and nutrition. We have
scrutinised and analysed our movement, carried out lactate tests
during matches and have banned certain sof drinks. The players
werent used to that kind of approach at that intensity.
Despite these efforts, Lebanon wont be going to the Asian Cup in 2015.
We just fell short by a goal here or a few minutes there, depending
on how you look at it. In our nal match we led 5-1 against Thailand
afer former Bundesliga player Roda Antar scored what we thought
was the decisive goal. But then we conceded shortly before the nal
whistle to end the match 5-2, and China sealed their place in Australia
thanks to their superior goal diference. Nevertheless, I thanked all my
players. Theyve achieved great things and deserve my respect.
In what sense?
Youve got to consider the situation in which were working. Foot-
ball in Lebanon does not take the same high-tech approach I was used
to in Serie A and Europe. The reality here is somewhat diferent.
Sometimes we have to train in the searing heat at 1pm, and were also
keen to respect the fasting month of Ramadan. Youve got to allow for
things like that when training and preparing for matches, but at the
same time youve got to stay focused and act professionally. That
requires some talent for improvisation.
Giuseppe Giannini
Born in Rome on 20 August 1964, Giannini played for Roma from 1981
until 1996. During this time, his elegant playing style and 75 goals in 436
appearances earned him the nickname Il Principe The Prince. The former
mideld maestro helped the Azzurri to nish third at their home World Cup
in 1990 and scored six times in 47 games for his country, including the
decisive strike in a 1-0 win over the USA. Giannini moved to Austrias Sturm
Graz in 1997 and ended his career in Lecce after a brief spell at Napoli.
Since then, the Rome-born coach has managed Foggia, Sambenedettese,
Romanian side Arges, Massese, Gallipoli, Verona and Grosseto. He has
been the Lebanon head coach since 1 July 2013.
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25 THE FI FA WEEKLY
LEBANON
War is currently raging in neighbouring Syria. In light of this situation,
how do you manage to concentrate on football at all?
I dont want to comment on the political situation as thats not
my job, but I certainly cant always keep such issues away from my
players and me.
Could you explain that a little further?
Just over a month ago, a bomb went of less than 500 metres from
my hotel in Beirut. I could see the smoke from my window, and you
could hear the boom from miles away. That was terrible. In that situa-
tion, you cant just carry on with business as usual and go to training
saying: Come on lads, lets practise pressing high up the pitch again
today. It stays with you and with the players too, of course.
How do you react to that situation as a coach?
I try to keep a cool head and focus on my job, but it doesnt
always work.
Presumably football quickly loses its importance in that environment.
Mentally, its not easy to cope with something like that. Weve also
played three of our four home games in Beirut behind closed doors for
security reasons, so we ofen switch to playing in Doha instead.
Naturally we miss the fans their vocal support can certainly make a
diference.
By the sea in Saida
The spectacularly located
Saida International
Stadium plays host to the
national teams games.
Highs and lows
The Lebanese team,
pictured here
against Thailand,
are continually
improving.
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LEBANON
To what extent does football provide a welcome distraction?
For many outsiders, the reality of life here is dicult to under-
stand, with its unrest, instability and countless religious groups. And
to blithely play football in the midst of all that how is that supposed
to work? And yet it does most of the time, at least. When it comes
to football the Lebanese people stand united behind us. Football ofers
them a rare opportunity to feel like one nation, and that really is
something.
What has been your experience of football in everyday life there?
The Lebanese are very interested in football. Matches are con-
stantly being shown in bars and cafs, mostly from La Liga in Spain
but from the English and Italian leagues too. I feel a huge amount of
enthusiasm for football even when watching league matches on Friday,
Saturday or Sunday. Above all, there is such a buzz around the national
team. Our draw against Brazil was celebrated by thousands of fans
who had travelled with us to Doha and by even more upon our return.
We havent yet lost a match in 2014.
There is now talk of a golden generation springing up in Lebanon. You
have signed a two-year contract. What are your main targets?
Im here to train a new generation of players and build a founda-
tion for a beter future. As well as the senior side, I was recently made
responsible for the U-23 national team too. I also go into schools and
watch womens football matches. Although the revival is taking shape,
it also takes time and patience to form a team and to establish youth
development structures. These things dont happen overnight, but
qualication for the 2016 Olympic football tournament should be a
realistic target.
What is needed to ensure further growth?
Lebanon are a technically adept and quick team. Weve got
potential and one or two players such as Hassan Maatouk who can
break through overseas. Our biggest weakness is a lack of tactical
experience. Im here to help the players develop their tactical aware-
ness, so that means spending a lot of time speaking with each and
every player. Its important to work on formations and set pieces as
well as training ground moves. Thats what Ive been coaching again
and again from the very beginning until it paid of when we took a
2-1 lead against Brazil.
Giuseppe Giannini was speaking to Bernd Fisa
Fans
Football enjoys
a huge following
in Lebanon.
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27 THE FI FA WEEKLY
Trim: 268mm
Safety: 17mm
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T HE NE W 4 K L E D T V
The weekly column by our staff
writers
FREE KI CK FI FA S 11
T
hings have not been going entirely to plan
at Manchester United recently, but Eng-
lands most successful club can still be as-
sured of their fans unshakeable love, even if it
does occasionally take on bizarre proportions.
A diehard Red Devils supporter in Bulgaria not
only had the club emblem tatooed on his fore-
head, he also changed his name in tribute. Afer
years of legal wrangling with the relevant au-
thorities, 51-year-old Zdravkov Levidzhov is
now ocially called Manchester Zdravkov Lev-
idzhov-United. If anyone asks me my name, I
point to my forehead and grin. It makes me
stand out and it proves my devotion to United,
commented Zdravkov, who shares an apart-
ment in Svishtov with his mother and David
Beckham, his cat.
Meanwhile, in Kenya a bridal couple dedi-
cated their wedding to Manchester United. The
groom strode to the altar stylishly clad in a red
home shirt bearing the legend Just Married,
and the wedding cake was entirely in the clubs
red and white, decorated with the shirt spon-
sors logo. Afer the ceremony the newly-mar-
ried couple set of on their honeymoon in a car
draped in a United ag.
The wedding of a Pakistani fan a few years
ago was also rather spoiled by his erce pas-
sion for football. The young man travelled to
London to celebrate his stag night with
friends. However, on the day of the wedding
itself he was not back in Lahore as planned
but actually in Seville, watching the UEFA Cup
Final between Porto and his beloved Celtic. He
conveyed a message to the 1,500 expectant
wedding guests and furious family members
that he simply could not miss such a historic
occasion.
In the light of these declarations of love for
a favourite club it can surely only be a mater
of time before the rst female fan has the name
Real Madrid inscribed in her ID documents and
takes a dog by the name of Sergio Ramos out
for walks. The lady in question would have at
least one major advantage: she could marry in
traditional white provided the men from the
Spanish capital are not contesting the Champi-
ons League nal that day.
All for love
Tim Pfeifer
Most goals scored by
a team in a single
World Cup
1
27 goals
Hungary
Switzerland 1954
2
25 goals
West Germany
Switzerland 1954
3
23 goals
France
Sweden 1958
4
22 goals
Brazil
Brazil 1950
5
19 goals
Brazil
Mexico 1970
6
18 goals
Argentina
Uruguay 1930

18 goals
Brazil
Korea / Japan 2002

18 goals
Germany
Brazil 2014
9
17 goals
Austria
Switzerland 1954

17 goals
Portugal
England 1966

17 goals
West Germany
Mexico 1970
Source: FIFA
(FIFA World Cup, Milestones & Superlatives,
Statistical Kit, 09/10/14)
29 THE FI FA WEEKLY
Name
Brian Roy
Date and place of birth
12 February 1970, Amsterdam
Position
Striker
Clubs as a player
Ajax, Foggia, Notingham Forest,
Hertha Berlin, NAC Breda
Clubs as a coach
Ajax youth team
Dutch national team
32 appearances, 9 goals
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T HE I NT ERVI EW
Bryan Roy, youre currently working as a youth
team coach at Ajax. How is Dutch football
progressing at the moment?
Bryan Roy: Not so well, unfortunately.
Were lagging behind in Europe. There are
dozens of clubs in England, Germany or Spain
with far greater pulling power than Ajax
when it comes to signing good players. And
the World Cup prompted another bunch of
talented players to leave for foreign clubs too.
But isnt nishing third at the World Cup an
encouraging sign?
Not for me. I was actually quite disappoint-
ed with what I saw from the Dutch national
team in Brazil. Weve always stood for atack-
ing and entertaining play, but Louis Van Gaal
had them playing some rather unatractive
football. Weve still got a long way to go.
When will the Netherlands win a rst World
Cup?
Perhaps in twelve years time. Itll be a
while yet before we can compete at the very
top. We need to return to our roots and try to
entertain people by playing spectacular
football. Spain and Germany have set a
precedent, with both countries boasting great
domestic leagues. Their success is no coinci-
dence; its the result of good structures and
positive development.
Can German football maintain this high level?
Yes, I have no doubt about that. I spent
three years of my career playing for Hertha
Berlin in Germany and my two children still
live in the city now, so I know the German
mentality very well. Theyll do everything in
their power to take full advantage of all this
success and euphoria. The Germans are
ambitious, they think and learn quickly. I
think the Bundesliga and the Primera Divi-
sion will dominate for years to come.
What do you make of Pep Guardiolas work at
Bayern Munich?
He has some outstanding qualities. Its
actually quite strange if you think about it:
Bryan Roy was a product of the famous Ajax academy. In an interview, the former
Netherlands international criticised the development of football in his homeland.
A World Cup win is at least
twelve years away
basically, were all students of Johann Cruyf.
Ronald Koeman, Louis Van Gaal, Pep Guardi-
ola. Ive ofen wondered what Pep Guardiola
does diferently, but then during the night of
31 August 2014 I had a truly eye-opening
experience. I stayed up until 3am watching
YouTube videos of Guardiolas training
sessions, and it nally dawned on me how a
team can win a mideld batle against any
other team in the world. I dont want to give
anything more away, but itll certainly be
worth puting this into practice at Ajax.
Will you become the head coach at Ajax one
day?
No. I dont want to manage the rst team.
My role as a coach will always be that of an
Basicall y, were all student s of
Cruyf f. I ve of ten wondered what
Pep Guardiol a does di f ferentl y.
instructor, supervising and nurturing the
young players in the background. Thats what
I like doing most and thats what I do the
best.
You never refrained from making critical
comments in your playing days. How do you
react nowadays when one of your players
launches a verbal tirade?
I had a big mouth, thats true. But what I
was saying was ofen wrong. I have a few
players in my team that I have to rein in from
time to time, but its not necessarily a bad
thing. Were all learning.
Bryan Roy was talking to
Alan Schweingruber
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31 THE FI FA WEEKLY
MI RROR I MAGE
T H E N
Luneburg, Germany
1930
Balancing act: A German football enthusiast performs
a trick for a small group of onlookers.
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MI RROR I MAGE
N O W
Paris, France
2014
Power and poise: Freestyler Iya Traore from Guinea
captivates passers-by in Montmartre.
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33 THE FI FA WEEKLY
-209
-167
-125
-83
-41
1


FI FA WORLD RANKI NG
Ranking Rank Team Change in ranking Points
1 Germany 0 1765
2 Argentina 0 1631
3 Colombia 1 1488
4 Netherlands -1 1456
5 Belgium 0 1444
6 Brazil 1 1291
7 Uruguay -1 1243
8 Spain -1 1228
9 France 1 1202
10 Switzerland -1 1175
11 Portugal 0 1150
12 Chile 0 1100
13 Italy 1 1068
14 Greece -1 1052
15 Costa Rica 0 988
16 Mexico 1 963
17 USA 1 936
18 England 2 935
19 Croatia -3 928
20 Algeria 4 926
21 Ecuador 0 889
22 Cte dIvoire 3 879
23 Russia 0 875
24 Ukraine -2 855
25 Bosnia and Herzegovina -6 851
26 Romania 1 837
27 Denmark -1 833
28 Czech Republic 7 812
29 Scotland -1 714
29 Wales 12 714
31 Tunisia 11 701
32 Sweden -3 662
33 Ghana 3 661
34 Serbia -3 646
34 Iceland 12 646
36 Senegal 23 645
37 Nigeria -4 642
38 Turkey -6 637
39 Austria 1 622
40 Slovakia 5 616
41 Cape Verde Islands 33 604
42 Cameroon 12 601
43 Montenegro 6 591
44 Iran 4 572
45 Albania 25 571
46 Bulgaria 26 570
47 Peru 5 563
48 Guinea 16 557
48 Japan -4 557
48 Burkina Faso 10 557
48 Congo 30 557
52 Armenia -16 556
53 Slovenia -14 555
54 Hungary -20 548
55 Panama 8 540
56 Honduras -13 535
57 Guatemala 77 534
58 Uzbekistan -7 530
59 Mali 1 526
60 Paraguay -13 514
61 Egypt -23 513
62 Republic of Ireland 4 506
63 Korea Republic -6 501
64 Israel 4 498
65 Finland -10 491
66 Venezuela -37 476
67 South Africa 2 458
68 Libya -6 455
69 Jordan -13 450
70 Poland -9 436
71 Northern Ireland 24 435
72 El Salvador 55 431
73 Congo DR 20 430
73 United Arab Emirates -8 430
75 Sierra Leone -25 424
76 Oman -9 421
76 Norway -23 421
78 Benin -1 420
79 Uganda 2 418
80 Antigua and Barbuda 69 411
81 Estonia 12 403
82 Saudi Arabia 1 402
83 Gabon 19 392
84 Australia -5 390
85 Cyprus 55 388
86 Trinidad and Tobago -6 374
87 Morocco -6 371
88 Zambia -4 365
89 Belarus -1 364
90 Iraq 1 357
91 Botswana -5 356
92 Zimbabwe -2 353
93 Rwanda 8 349
94 Bolivia -23 346
95 Azerbaijan -22 344
96 Qatar -4 342
97 China PR 0 341
98 Malawi 8 340
99 Latvia 1 333
100 Jamaica -15 321
101 Angola -26 312
102 Palestine -14 311
103 Lithuania 0 309
104 Bahrain 3 305
105 Moldova -6 302
106 St Vincent and the Grenadines 28 301
107 Dominican Republic 19 295
107 Niger 11 295
109 Mozambique -2 294
110 Georgia -15 290
111 Kenya -7 288
112 FYR Macedonia -36 286
113 Namibia 1 284
114 Equatorial Guinea -1 280
115 Tanzania -5 277
115 Lesotho -10 277
117 St Kitts and Nevis 42 276
118 New Zealand -20 274
119 Haiti -2 266
120 Canada 2 265
121 Lebanon -6 264
122 Cuba 2 257
123 St Lucia 15 256
124 Kuwait -13 250
125 Togo -38 245
126 Liberia -7 241
127 Luxembourg -18 239
127 Kazakhstan 4 239
129 Aruba -5 233
130 Guinea- Bissau -7 226
130 Burundi -1 226
132 Ethiopia -20 222
133 Sudan -18 221
134 Philippines -6 218
135 Afghanistan -6 214
136 Tajikistan -16 213
137 Grenada 5 209
137 New Caledonia -1 209
137 Central African Republic -17 209
140 Mauritania -7 198
141 Turkmenistan -4 197
142 Vietnam -3 194
143 Myanmar 17 193
144 Chad -4 185
145 Maldives 0 183
146 Madagascar -3 180
147 Suriname -16 175
148 Curaao 34 164
149 Singapore 3 163
150 Korea DPR -4 160
151 Kyrgyzstan -7 158
152 Syria -5 154
153 Guyana 0 148
154 Malaysia 1 134
155 Malta -5 133
156 Indonesia -3 130
157 Puerto Rico -2 126
158 India -8 116
158 Thailand -1 116
160 Swaziland -2 114
161 Barbados 8 112
162 Tahiti 9 106
163 Belize -1 103
164 Guam -1 102
164 Hong Kong -3 102
166 Gambia -18 101
167 Dominica 1 89
168 Montserrat -3 86
169 Laos 3 84
170 Bermuda 3 83
170 Nicaragua 5 83
172 Liechtenstein -5 81
172 Seychelles 8 81
174 Comoros 1 80
175 Pakistan -11 77
176 Sri Lanka 2 76
177 So Tom e Prncipe 0 72
178 Chinese Taipei 1 70
179 Faroe Islands 4 67
180 Turks and Caicos Islands 1 66
181 Bangladesh -11 65
182 Solomon Islands -9 64
183 Nepal -17 62
184 Yemen 0 58
185 South Sudan 0 43
186 Macau 0 41
187 Samoa 4 37
188 Vanuatu -2 33
189 Mauritius -1 32
190 Fiji -1 30
191 Mongolia -1 29
192 US Virgin Islands -1 28
193 Bahamas 0 26
193 Brunei Darussalam 0 26
193 Timor- Leste 0 26
193 American Samoa 5 26
193 Tonga 0 26
198 Cayman Islands -1 23
199 Cambodia 2 13
199 British Virgin Islands 2 13
199 Papua New Guinea 1 13
202 Eritrea 1 11
203 Andorra -4 9
204 Somalia 0 8
205 Djibouti 0 6
205 Cook Islands 1 6
207 Anguilla 0 1
208 Bhutan 0 0
208 San Marino 0 0
Top spot Biggest climber Biggest faller
04 / 2014 05 / 2014 06 / 2014 07 / 2014 08 / 2014 09 / 2014
http://www.fifa.com/worldranking/index.html
34 THE FI FA WEEKLY
T HE SOUND OF FOOT BALL T HE OBJECT
Eric Cantona woke Manchester United from
a lengthy slumber, and became a muse for
songwriters in the process.
T
he delicacy of singer Mireille Mathieu, the
gravity of M. Miterrand, the charm of Mau-
rice Chevalier, the poetry of Charles Baude-
laire, the vaulted breast of Grard Depardieu
and quicker than Alain Prost. That at least is the
view espoused by Raymond Bizarre: Thank you
France for Eric Cantona! the comedian sings in
a tone as if he entirely means it, for once.
The jaunty dity complete with chirruping
clarinet and Gallic accordion was composed by
Ian Gomm, the erstwhile guitar player of Eng-
lish pub rock pioneers Brinsley Schwarz. It can
be found on Cantona The Album, released in
1995 by cult label Exotica Records. The man
behind the label, which still exists today, is
graphic artist Jim Phelan, designer of countless
sleeves for indie records since the 80s. At a time
when football-related discs were used at best as
beer mats he began to collect and compile them.
Flair 89 was his rst selection, followed
by the legendary Bend It series and The Red
Album, dedicated to Phelans lifelong favourite
club Manchester United.
The idea behind Cantona the Album can
be traced back to Pete Boyle. Boyle, a very English
eccentric, has spent three decades furnishing
pop hits with texts relating to the Red Devils,
teaching them to his choir of fans before match-
es in a pub near Old Traford and then perform-
ing them from the terraces.
In 1993 and 1994, largely due to Eric Canto-
nas skills and tricks, the Red Devils won their
rst championship titles since 1967. It goes with-
out saying that this caused Pete Boyles creative
juices to ow abundantly. With help from
friends and to the accompaniment of samples,
synths and other rinky-dink plips and plops, he
seized the chance by the scruf of the Canto-
na-collared neck to bawl his tunes into a proper
microphone.
Other members of the cast of characters
include Captain Sensible, guitarist with punk
rockers the Damned, and a certain Louis
Philippe, a chansonnier renowned for his ele-
gant singer/songwriter albums, who contributes
the cheeky (Be Like Eric) Do the Frog. M.
Philippes real name is Philippe Auclair, author
of the excellent Cantona biography Cantona
the Rebel Who Would Be King.
Inspired by Cantona
Hanspeter Kuenzler
H
ow did football arrive in Italy? Vibrantly
and colourfully. Of course you can always
ask where something comes from, who in-
vented what and who was responsible for bring-
ing a thing of beauty into the world. Yet the
greater the achievement, the less the general
need to determine a clearly dened providence.
Once something becomes commonplace,
questioning its origins becomes a futile exer-
cise. Just imagine if Italians constantly want-
ed to prove to themselves and to the world
that they had, in fact, invented the pizza. Did
they really do so? If not the Italians, then who
else did?
That is not the case in football. Credit here
goes to the British for changing the game from
a sport where using your hands was allowed to
one where playing with your feet was compul-
sory, and their set of rules quickly spread
around Europe. Football began to take root on
the continent around the end of the 19th cen-
tury, becoming a vibrant and colourful pres-
ence in Italy, ofen due to the heraldry of the
local area - the citys colours, so to speak.
In 1908, British artist Chris Jennings paint-
ed a scene from a match between Milan and
Turin, played on the Campo di Via Goldoni 61
near Milan, where an international-standard
football pitch was later developed.
The painting, from the FIFA Collection, is
acrylic on canvas and measures 122 x 183 cm.
Today it hangs in the National Football Muse-
um in Manchester and in its own way it depicts
the new game, showing the huge power and
captivating qualities that have always been a
part of football.
Perikles Monioudis
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35 THE FI FA WEEKLY
Connecting every fan
of the game
Make new friends and discover shared passions
in the Emirates A380 Onboard Lounge.
#AllTimeGreats
youtube.com/emirates
Hello Tomorrow
FIFA Weekly-PCR7-English-215x289.indd 1 7/2/14 12:04 PM
Back in business Roberto Di Matteo during his unveiling as Schalke 04s new head coach
In Turning Point, personalities reflect
on a decisive moment in their lives.
T URNI NG POI NT
Name
Roberto Di Mateo
Date and place of birth
29 May 1970, Schafausen (SUI)
Position
Mideld
Clubs
Schafausen, Zurich, Aarau,
Lazio, Chelsea
Clubs coached
MK Dons, West Bromwich Albion,
Chelsea, Schalke
Italian national team
34 appearances, 2 goals
I
was an Italy international when I moved to
Chelsea from Lazio for 4.9m in summer
1996. Chelsea had never paid such a large fee
for a player before. Their coach Ruud Gullit
was determined to sign me and that was
enough for me to leave Italy, even if it was
viewed as a kind of treason by fans when a
member of the national team no longer played
in the Serie A.
In my rst season at the club I reached the
FA Cup nal against Middlesbrough. During
the whole week leading up to the game the ten-
sion and sense of anticipation grew in a way I
had never experienced in my career. We were
given special suits. Ill never forget the match
in the old Wembley stadium. I got goosebumps
when the crowd of almost 80,000 spectators
sang the national anthem before the game
started. The atmosphere was magical.
Jut 42 seconds afer kick-of I experienced
another highly-emotional situation. I received
the ball in our own half and ran about 40 me-
tres forwards. About 25 metres out I saw a gap
to shoot and I scored the opening goal with a
strike that went in of the underside of the
crossbar. It was completely unexpected be-
cause I was a midelder and wasnt known as
a goalscorer, but it paved the way to a 2-0 vic-
tory. Until 2009 it was the fastest goal ever
scored in an FA Cup nal, and I was voted as
Man of the Match.
That goal changed my career in many ways.
It helped Chelsea to their rst title in 26 years
and heralded in the era in which the club would
win another 15 domestic and international tro-
phies. It was also Gullits rst piece of silver-
ware as a coach. I was able to repay both his
faith in me and the investment the club had
made in me, while it also improved my self-con-
dence and my standing. At the same time it
also relieved the pressure that had come with
such a large transfer fee.
My achievements as a Chelsea player and
doubtless that goal helped me during my time
as Chelsea coach because I was respected by
the players. In summer 2011 Andre Villas-Boas
was very keen to have me as his assistant and
although Id already been working as a head
coach in England for several years, I agreed
and was willing to take a step down for my
home club. In March 2012 I was surprisingly
named as Villas-Boas successor. Winning the
Champions League in Munich against Bayern
in May 2012 has been my biggest achievement
to date. Yet the feeling of receiving the trophy
wasnt the same as it was afer that FA Cup
nal in 1997. If youve contributed to the vic-
tory as a player then it has a completely difer-
ent feeling to it.
As told to Peter Eggenberger
In 1997 Roberto Di Mateo
scored what at that stage was
the fastest goal in FA Cup
history while playing for
Chelsea. The experience would
provide the newly installed
Schalke coach with far more
than merely a place in the
record books.
That goal changed
my career
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37 THE FI FA WEEKLY
FI FA QUI Z CUP The FIFA Weekly
Published weekly by the
Fdration Internationale de Football
Association (FIFA)
Internet:
www.fa.com/theweekly
Publisher:
FIFA, FIFA-Strasse 20,
PO box, CH-8044 Zurich
Tel. +41-(0)43-222 7777
Fax +41-(0)43-222 7878
President:
Joseph S. Blater
Secretary General:
Jrme Valcke
Director of Communications
and Public Afairs:
Walter De Gregorio
Chief Editor:
Perikles Monioudis
Staf Writers:
Alan Schweingruber,
Sarah Steiner, Tim Pfeifer
Art Direction:
Catharina Clajus
Picture Editor:
Peggy Knotz
Production:
Hans-Peter Frei
Layout:
Richie Krnert (Lead),
Tobias Benz, Marianne Bolliger-Critin,
Susanne Egli
Proof Reader:
Nena Morf, Kristina Rotach
Contributors:
Srgio Xavier Filho, Luigi Garlando,
Sven Goldmann, Hanspeter Kuenzler,
Jordi Punti, Thomas Renggli,
David Winner, Roland Zorn
Contributors to this Issue:
Nicola Berger, Peter Eggenberger,
Alissa Rosskopf, Andreas Wilhelm
Editorial Assistant:
Honey Thaljieh
Project Management:
Bernd Fisa, Christian Schaub
Translation:
Sportstranslations Limited
www.sportstranslations.com
Printer:
Zonger Tagblat AG
www.ztonline.ch
Contact:
feedback-theweekly@fa.org
Reproduction of photos or
articles in whole or in part is only
permited with prior editorial
approval and if atributed
TheFIFAWeekly, FIFA 2014.
The editor and staf are not obliged
to publish unsolicited manuscripts
and photos. FIFA and the FIFA logo
are registered trademarks of FIFA.
Made and printed in Switzerland.
Any views expressed in
TheFIFAWeekly do not
necessarily reect those of FIFA.
Send your answer by 15 October 2014 to feedback-theweekly@fa.org.
Correct solutions to all quizzes published from 13 June 2014 onwards will go into a draw in January 2015 for a trip
for two to the FIFA Ballon dOr on 12 January 2015.
Before sending in answers, all participants must read and accept the competition terms and conditions and the rules,
which can be found at:
http://www.fa.com/mm/document/af-magazine/faweekly/02/20/51/99/en_rules_20140613_english_neutral.pdf
The answer to last weeks Quiz Cup was LIGA
Detailed answers on www.fa.com/theweekly
Inspiration and implementation: cus
1
2
3
4
The television rights for the 1954 World Cup are said to have cost 15,000 Swiss francs,
but how many minutes of the Final broadcast survive today?
One World Cup Final did not take place at the weekend but on a
One club brought in three centre-backs in quick succession for practically nothing before selling
them for around 82 million euros. Which player was not part of this world-class trio?
A disappearing Final and a postponed one? Test your knowledge!
A 20 sec
P White & Gone
E Referemedy
S 9.15
A 44 mins
E 22 mins
O 11 mins
U 0 mins
What is printed on this botle?
L Tuesday
P Wednesday
R Thursday
S Friday
C P T S
39 THE FI FA WEEKLY
T HI S WEEK S POLL L AST WEEK S POLL RESULT S
WEEK I N NUMBERS
22211
28%
21%
17%
24%
10%

Barcel ona (Esp)

Chel sea (Eng)

Marsei l l e (Fra)

Bayern Muni ch (Ger)

Juventus (I ta)
Which of the following paceseters
in the top ve European leagues have
impressed you the most so far?
Which of these South American
goalkeepers in Europe have impressed
you the most so far?
Choose from the following:
Claudio Bravo (Chi/Barcelona)
Diego Alves (Bra/Valencia)
Fernando Muslera (Uru/Galatasaray)
Rafael (Bra/Napoli)
goal, scored in the 93rd minute of their nal game
of the season, was enough to secure Stjarnan their
rst-ever Icelandic league title. In a fairytale nale
to the season, ten-man Stjarnan a team previously
best known for their choreographed goal celebra-
tions snatched the most dramatic of winners as
Olafur Karl Finsen stroked home a last-gasp penalty
away to title rivals FH.
12
1
7
games played, 0 goals
conceded: that is the
remarkable start to the
season that has secured a
new La Liga record for
Barcelona. The Catalan
giants and No1 Claudio
Bravo made history in
Saturdays 2-0 win over
Rayo Vallecano, surpassing
the previous record of 560
minutes set in 1977/78 by
former Bara keeper Pedro
Artola. Bravos tally now
stands at 630 minutes and
counting.
matches unbeaten against
Arsene Wenger is the run now
being protected by
Jose Mourinho afer the
Chelsea manager main-
tained his supremacy.
Mourinhos sides have now won
seven and drawn ve of their
meetings with Wengers
Arsenal afer Chelsea main-
tained their unbeaten start to
the Premier League season
with a 2-0 victory.
Cast your votes at:
Fifa.com/newscentre
I have won 23 team ti tl es but the one that is missing is
the Champions League. At PSG we are tr ying to win i t .
But even i f we don t, the 23 I have already won, coming f rom where
I did, are incredibl e. I ve had an amazing adventure.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
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