International Football
Geopolitical foes Iran and U.S. to clash again at World Cup
After more than 40 years of sour relations and months of struggle to restore a nuclear deal, the United States and Iran are now set to meet on the soccer field at this year’s World Cup, having landed together in Group B in Friday’s draw.
The Iran and U.S. coaches sidestepped the political fracas, saying they were focused on the tournament and its ability to bring people together.
England and the winners of a European playoff – Ukraine, Scotland or Wales – complete the group.
The icy U.S.-Iran relationship, characterised by diplomatic and even military confrontation in past years, has the potential to thaw somewhat by the time they play in Qatar on Nov. 21. It could also get worse.
President Joe Biden’s administration is trying to restore a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, which would curb Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions that have hammered Iran’s economy.
Washington has accused Iran and the forces it backs of carrying out attacks across the Middle East, including against U.S. forces based in Iraq and Syria.
In 2020, the two countries were on the brink of war after the U.S. killed a top Iranian general and Tehran responded with retaliatory missile strikes at U.S. forces based in Iraq.
Despite the serious nature of the U.S.-Iran rivalry, Washington’s diplomatic Twitter sphere erupted with jokes after the World Cup draw held at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center in Qatar on Friday.
Ali Vaez, Crisis Group’s Iran Project Director, joked that the U.S. government had set up a group to see what would happen in case of a drawn match.
“A U.S. interagency working group has been set up in advance of the Iran game to determine if their offence can be deterred, the scope of follow-on negotiations in the event of a draw, and whether exchanging jerseys violates sanctions,” Vaez wrote.
WOMEN FANS
Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) think tank in Washington, said the Biden administration should use the chance to stand up for Iranian women.
According to Human Rights Watch, Iranian authorities prevented Iranian women from entering a football stadium in the city of Mashhad last month. World soccer governing body FIFA, in the past, has told Iran it is time to allow women into football stadiums.
The coaches meanwhile were intent on focusing on the match.
“I think it is about soccer at the end of the day and the best sign of friendship that you can make is competing hard on the field, in a fair way and that is what the World Cup is all about,” U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter said.
There are few expectations for the U.S. team in the tournament, which they did not qualify for in 2018 but now have a having a crop of promising young players.
Iran qualified for the World Cup in Russia four years ago, but they have never made it past the group stage.
“I am thinking only about football and not exterior things,” Iran’s coach Dragan Skocic said.
“I hope that football makes a good contact and good relationship between people and that is what people expect of sport,” added Skocic, who is Croatian.
Team USA last faced Iran at the World Cup when they lost 2-1 to the Gulf nation in 1998 in France.
“I remember that well,” said Berhalter on a call with reporters. “I was doing commentary for a Dutch TV station.
“That was the first time we competed against them. It was coming off of political tension between the two countries and it was a way to say that on the soccer field we’re still friends.”
-Reuters
International Football
Former Brazil coach Tite taking break to take care of mental, physical health
Former Brazil coach Tite said he is taking an indefinite career break in order to take care of his mental and physical health.
The 63-year-old, who led Brazil to the 2019 Copa America title, was hospitalised due to a heart issue last August. He was sacked by Flamengo the following month and had most recently been linked with the Corinthians job.
“I realised that there are times when you have to understand that, as a human being, I can be vulnerable and admitting that will certainly make me stronger,” Tite said in a statement posted on his son Matheus Bachi’s Instagram on Tuesday.
“I’m passionate about what I do and I’ll continue to be so, but after talking to my family and observing the signals my body was giving off, I decided that the best thing to do now is to take a break from my career to look after myself for as long as it takes.
“As has become public, there was a conversation in progress with Corinthians, but it will have to be paralysed by a difficult but necessary decision.”
Tite, who stepped down as Brazil coach after their quarter-final exit from the 2022 World Cup, has previously coached a string of Brazilian sides including Gremio, Atletico Mineiro and Palmeiras.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Brazil have sacked head coach Dorival Jr, the country’s football confederation (CBF) said on Friday after the five-time world champions were thrashed 4-1 away to fierce rivals Argentina in a humiliating qualifying loss in Buenos Aires.
The 62-year-old was appointed in January 2024 after the team spent a year under two caretaker coaches as the Brazilian FA were unable to lure Italian Carlo Ancelotti from Real Madrid.
“The Brazilian Football Confederation informs that coach Dorival Jr is no longer in charge of the Brazilian national team,” the confederation said in a statement.
“The management thanks (Dorival) and wishes him success in continuing his career … the CBF will work to find his replacement,” it added.
Dorival was handed the job after his success with Flamengo in 2022 where he won the Copa Libertadores and Brazilian Cup, a trophy he lifted again the next year with Sao Paulo.
However, he never seemed to get to grips with the national team job and failed to earn the trust of Brazil’s demanding fans after winning only seven of his 16 games in charge.
Sources told Reuters the CBF was not confident in Dorival’s work, considering there had been little to no progress since a lacklustre Copa America campaign when Brazil were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Uruguay last year.
Still, the CBF was willing to wait and see until the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay in June to reassess the situation following the end of the European season and the Club World Cup in the U.S. in June and July.
But after Brazil slumped to their heaviest-ever loss in a qualifier when they were thrashed by Argentina this week, CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues decided to pull the trigger.
IDEAL CANDIDATE
Sources told Reuters Ancelotti was still the ideal candidate but he is under contract with Real until July 2026 and there is no indication he would leave the European and Spanish champions.
Brazilian media have reported that Al Hilal’s Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus is the favourite to replace Dorival.
Brazil have been in unfamiliar territory for over two years since crashing out of the 2022 World Cup against Croatia on penalties in the quarter-finals, a heartbreaking elimination that led to the exit of long-time manager Tite.
Their humbling defeat in Buenos Aires was the latest of a series of negative records Brazil have set under caretakers Ramon Menezes and Fernando Diniz and with Dorival in charge. They had never conceded four goals in a World Cup qualifier.
Brazil are in the midst of their worst-ever World Cup qualifying campaign. They are fourth in the South American standings with 21 points, a point above sixth-placed Colombia who currently occupy the final direct qualifying berth.
Never have Brazil lost so many games, conceded so many goals or set so many negative records in the qualifying competition. They have lost five of their 14 games and conceded 16 goals.
Brazil’s 1-0 defeat by Argentina in the Maracana late in 2023 was their first-ever qualifying loss on home soil.
They also lost to Colombia for the first time, saw the end of their unbeaten run against Uruguay stretching back over two decades and were defeated by Morocco and Senegal, having never previously lost to an African nation.
-Reuters
Follow the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
International Football
England’s German manager Tuchel will not sing the English anthem in his first game
England manager Thomas Tuchel said he would have to “earn the right” to sing the national anthem, God Save the King, after announcing his 26-man squad on Friday ahead of the team’s World Cup qualifiers.
Tuchel, who was appointed as Gareth Southgate’s successor in October and named his first squad to face Albania and Latvia this month, said he would not sing the anthem in his first games in charge.
“It means a lot to me, I can assure you, but I can feel that because it is so meaningful and it is so emotional and it is so powerful, the national anthem, that I have to earn my right to sing it,” the 51-year-old German told a news conference.
Former caretaker manager Lee Carsley was criticised last year for not singing the anthem during his tenure.
However, Tuchel added that while he is proud to be in charge of the team and knows the words to the anthem, he plans to earn the right with results.
“Maybe I have to dive more into the culture and earn my right from you, from the players, from the supporters, so everyone feels like ‘he should sing it now, he’s one of our own, he’s the English manager, he should sing it’,” he said.
-Reuters
Follow the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
How time flies! It’s 32 years since Okocha’s debut for Super Eagles
Spain’s drumbeat falls silent as superfan Manolo ‘el del Bombo’ dies at 76
Fourteen-year-old Senegalese footballer dies after cardiac arrest during match in France
- Nigerian Football1 week ago
Financial rainfall awaits Nigeria’s Flamingos for every goal scored in Algeria
- NATIONAL SPORTS FESTIVAL2 days ago
It will be the best of the best as Ogun State fine-tunes operations for the 22nd National Sports Festival
- Nigerian Football1 week ago
Former WAFU President, Ogufere mourns Christian Chukwu
- U-20 FOOTBALL4 days ago
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles set to begin 8th African title chase
- DIPLOMACY4 days ago
Morocco’s King Mohammed VI meets with members of the Sahel States Alliance
- CAF Champions League1 week ago
Al Ahly, Sundowns brace for Cairo showdown with final spot on the line
- U-20 FOOTBALL6 days ago
African youth stars chase glory as U-20 AFCON kicks off in Egypt today
- Badminton1 week ago
It’s Nigeria again as Eniola Bolaji wins the 2024 Africa Women in Badminton Award