International Football
30 YEARS AFTER OKWARAJI, 37-YEAR-OLD WORLD CUP PLAYER DIES IN SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCE
On the 30th anniversary of the death of former Nigerian football midfielder, Samuel Okwaraji, a former World Cup footballer, Walter Martinez died of heart attack. Aged 37, Martinez played for Honduras at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
According to reports from his former club Beijing Guoan, Martinez died of a heart attack in New York on Monday which was also the 30th anniversary of the death of Samuel Okwaraji of Nigeria who died of apparent heart attack while prosecuting a World Cup qualifying match for Nigeria.
Martinez helped Honduras reach the World Cup in 2010 for just the second time in their history he scored 12 goals in 49 games for his country.
In an 18-year career, Martinez also played for MLS side San Jose Earthquakes and Spanish club Alaves, before retiring in 2016.
The Honduran FA confirmed his passing on courtesy of a tweet on its official Twitter account.
“With sadness that overwhelms the family of Honduran football, we regret the death of Walter Julian Martinez.
“Solidarity and a balm of divine peace for your family and friends. RIP.”
Martinez netted six times in 20 appearances before bowing out of the game in 2015.
Martinez, who reportedly joined Chinese Super League side Beijing Gouan last year, saw supporters lay flowers in his honour in front of the club’s stadium after hearing of his demise.
Martinez is reported to have suffered the heart attack while at the home of a teammate Jose Chepo Fernandez in New York.
Fernandez was quoted as saying to a Honduran newspaper that they took time out at an El Copaneco club in the Bronx area of the city where they stayed until the wee hours.
But surprisingly after a few hours he found Martinez on the floor of his bedroom.
“I was inside my room and when I left I found him on the floor. I tried to revive him but I couldn’t.
“Immediately I called the ambulance and minutes later they were there but nothing could be done,” Fernandez said.
Martinez scored 12 goals in 49 caps for Honduras.
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
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
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
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
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.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
- World Cup1 week ago
BREAKING: At last FIFA’s Axe falls on South Africa!
- World Cup1 week ago
South Africa to Appeal FIFA Ruling Over Mokoena Eligibility Case
- Nigerian Football1 week ago
Super Eagles Set for Double Friendly Showdown with Venezuela and Colombia in USA
- World Cup1 week ago
Sport Minister Orders Probe into SAFA over Bafana’s Costly Points Deduction
- World Cup6 days ago
FIFA Sanction on South Africa Offers Super Eagles a Lifeline — But a Lesson from History Looms
- CAF Confederation Cup1 week ago
Asante Kotoko End Kwara United’s Confederation Cup Campaign in Abeokuta
- U-20 FOOTBALL1 week ago
Two penalty appeal lost as Flying Eagles stumble at first hurdle
- World Cup4 days ago
Super Eagles Walk Tightrope as Nine Key Players Risk Suspension in World Cup Qualifiers