International Football
African teams announce friendly matches for June FIFA window
African countries are gearing up for the resumption of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers in September, plus focusing an eye further down the road on the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations finals at the end of the year, by organising a raft of friendly internationals in June.
There are no qualifying matches for African teams in the next international window, but Member Associations are using the opportunity to set up fixtures and make use of the opportunity of having their players at their disposal.
Zimbabwe are the latest to announce fixtures for next month, with the Zimbabwe Football Association saying on Tuesday they would be going to Morocco to play matches against Burkina Faso and Niger. They play the Burkinabe on 6 June and Niger on 10 June, both in Casablanca.
“These matches present an important opportunity for Michael Nees and his technical team to assess player readiness, test combinations, and build cohesion as the team continues its journey of growth and development on the international stage,” said a ZIFA statement.
“Both Burkina Faso and Niger offer strong opposition, and these encounters will provide valuable competitive experience for our squad.”
Niger had already announced that they would be playing in Morocco, where they will precede the clash against Zimbabwe with a 6 June meeting against Guinea.
Tunisia have set up three games – against Burkina Faso on 2 June, then host Morocco on 7 June and Guinea on 10 June.
Equatorial Guinea, who on Monday confirmed coach Juan Micha in his post and increased the size of his staff, will also be going to Morocco where they will play friendlies against Cameroon and Gambia three days later, the Federación Ecuatoguineana de Fútbol said. Both matches are set for Marrakech.
The Democratic Republic of Congo will be campaigning in Orleans, France, next month and have already named their squad for matches against Mali on 5 June and Madagascar on 8 June.
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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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