International Football
HOW CUP-BEARER AT FINAL DRAW, KLOSE, BECAME WORLD CUP ALL-TIME TOP SCORER
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
FIFA has announced that the man to bring the World Cup trophy to the stage at the State Kremlin Palace in Moscow during next month’s final draw is Germany’s Miroslav Klose. His choice was very obvious. He is the all-time record holder in goal scoring at the World Cup.
Sports Village Square recalls that three years ago, the now retired footballer took over the limelight from home boy, Brazil’s Neymar Jr at the Brazil 2014 World Cup. His goal against Brazil in the 7-1 defeat of the hosts at the semi-finals brought his total in the World Cup to 16.
Four years earlier at the South Africa 2010, he scored four goals. At Germany 2006, he scored five goals; just had he did in the previous World Cup of 2002.
The goal against Brazil was his second at Brazil 2014 having earlier scored against Ghana at the group stage to equal the then existing record of 15 held by the retired Brazilian, Ronaldo.
The breakdown of his goals runs thus:
- World Cup 2002: June 1: three goals in the 8-0 defeat of Saudi Arabia
- World Cup 2002: June 5; one goal in the 1-1 draw with Ireland
- World Cup 2002: June 11; one goal in the 2-0 defeat of Cameroon
- World Cup 2006: June 9; two goals in the 4-2 defeat of Costa Rica
- World Cup 2006: June 20; two goals in the 3-0 defeat of Ecuador
- World Cup 2006: June 30; one goal in the 1-1 draw with Argentina and 4-2 win in the ensuing penalty shootout.
World Cup 2010: June 13: one goal in 2-0 win over Austria
- World Cup 2010: June 27; one goal in 4-1 defeat of England
- World Cup 2010: July 3; two goals in 4-0 defeat of Argentina
- World Cup 2014: June 21; one goal in 2-2 draw with Ghana
- World Cup 2014: July 8; one goal in 7-1 defeat of Brazil
TOP SCORERS BEFORE KLOSE
- 15 goals: Ronaldo (Brazil)
- 14 goals: Gerd Muller (Germany)
- 13 goals: Just Fontaine (France)
- 12 goals: Pele (Brazil)
- 11 goals; Jurgen Klinsmann (Germany), Sandor Kocsis (Hungary)
- 10 goals: Gabriel Batistuta (Argentina), Teofilo Cubilas (Peru), Grzegorz Lato (Poland), Gary Lineker (England) Thomas Mueller (Germany), Rahn Helmut (Germany FR)
Klose’s exploit is not limited to goal scoring alone. He is one of the players with the highest playing time in the World Cup. When he faced Argentina at the final match of 2014 World Cup, it was his 24th World Cup match.
That put him just a match behind the existing record held by his compatriot, Lothar Matthaeus who played 25 matches in a career that ran from Spain ’82 to France ’98.
THE TABLE OF MOST APPEARANCES IN THE WORLD CUP RUNS THUS:
- 25 matches: Lothar Matthaeus – Germany- (1982-1998): 2,047 minutes.
- 23 matches: Paulo Maldini – Italy – (1990-2002): 2,217 minutes
- 23 matches: Miroslav Klose– Germany – (2002-2014): 1,704 minutes
- 21 matches: Uwe Seeler – Germany – (1958 -1970): 1,980 minutes
- 21 matches: Diego Maradona – Argentina – (1982-1994): 1,938 minutes
- 21 matches: Wladyslaw Zmuda – Poland – (1974-1986): 1,807 minutes
- 20 matches: Grzegorz Lato – Poland – (1974-1982): 1,800 minutes
- 20 matches: Cafu – Brazil – (1994 -2006): 1,638 minutes
Well-travelled Portuguese coach Paulo Duarte has been named as Guinea’s new coach, less than a month before their next round of World Cup qualifiers.
Duarte, 56, has twice previously coached Burkina Faso and taken charge of Gabon and Togo, while also coaching at clubs in Portugal, France, Tunisia, Angola and Saudi Arabia.
Guinea’s football federation gave no contract details when they made the announcement on Monday, but said they would be looking for Duarte to “restructure their national team”.
Guinea trail leaders Algeria by eight points in their World Cup qualifying group with four games remaining, leaving them with only a slim chance of qualification.
They play Somalia away on September 5 and then Algeria at home on September 8 in their next two qualifiers although a stadium ban means Guinea have moved their home game to Casablanca, Morocco.
-Reuters
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Veteran coach Louis van Gaal says he has been cured of cancer and is keen for a return to the higher levels of the game.
The 73-year-old announced three years ago that he was suffering from prostate cancer, but told a Dutch television talk show, “I’m no longer bothered by cancer.”
When he announced his illness, Van Gaal was the coach of the Dutch national team, but he has not worked since the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
“Two years ago, I had a few operations. It was all bad then. But it all worked out in the end. I have check-ups every few months, and that’s going well. I’m getting fitter and fitter,” he said.
Van Gaal, whose career has included stints at Ajax Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United, reiterated a lack of interest in returning to club management but said becoming the national coach of a top-tier country could tempt him back.
He now serves as a special advisor to Ajax.
-Reuters
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In a compelling twist of football destiny, Davide Ancelotti is stepping into his own spotlight as he begins his first head coaching role at Brazilian club Botafogo—just months after parting ways with his legendary father, Carlo Ancelotti, at Real Madrid.
The 35-year-old has been appointed as Botafogo’s new manager, the club announced on Tuesday, following the sacking of Renato Paiva. Davide, who has spent the last decade working alongside his father at some of Europe’s top clubs—including Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton, and Real Madrid—has signed a one-year deal with the Rio-based team.
This marks a significant milestone for the younger Ancelotti, whose career has long been shaped by his father’s influence, but who now faces the challenge of carving his own identity on the touchline.
The move comes shortly after both father and son departed Real Madrid at the end of last season, with Carlo taking over the Brazilian national team. Now, in a poetic alignment, father and son find themselves on different paths within Brazilian football—one leading the Seleção, the other steering the fortunes of a storied domestic club.
Botafogo’s decision to appoint Davide follows a controversial parting with Paiva, who was dismissed just days after their exit from the Club World Cup. Though he oversaw a stunning win over Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain, a 1-0 extra-time loss to Palmeiras in the round of 16 proved to be his final act after just four months in charge.
As Davide Ancelotti begins this new chapter, all eyes will be on whether the son of one of football’s most decorated managers can step out from his father’s shadow—and perhaps, in time, build a legacy of his own.
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