International Football
FROM FOES TO FRIENDS; SUAREZ CALLS JUVE CAPTAIN HE BIT AT BRAZIL 2014
It’s been six years since the infamous biting of Italian player, Giorgio Chiellini by Uruguayan striker, Luis Suarez. Now the duo will be teammates at Juventus where Chiellini is the captain.
According to Daily Mail in UK, Suarez phoned Chiellini to clear the air as the outcast Barcelona striker inches nearer to joining Juventus.
It will be recalled that in the Uruguay’s 0-1 loss to Italy at the Brazil 2014 World Cup, Suarez infamously bit the shoulder of Chiellini. Even though Suarez escaped the red card as the referee did not see the incident that was captured on camera, he was later banned for four months for the savage attack.
Now, according to Italian publication, La Gazzetta dello Sport, Suarez has spoken to Chiellini, who is Juve’s captain, as he aims to put the incident behind them and move on as potential team-mates.
Suarez is set to sign a contract worth £9m per year after tax – the same wage he earns at Barcelona. Despite the disgraceful nature of Suarez’s bite, Chiellini has since shrugged off the incident.
He said: ‘Suddenly I noticed he had bit my shoulder.
‘It just happened, but this is his contact strategy in hand-to-hand combat and, if I may say so, it is mine too.
‘He and I are similar.’
Despite laughably trying to claim that Chiellini had injured his teeth with his shoulder Suarez later took responsibility for his actions.
Suarez said: ‘I admit I was wrong, but I am a human being.
‘Each player has his own style of play, his own character and this got me where I am now.’
Juventus are set to land Suarez in a deal worth just £4.4million as Barcelona continue their summer clearout under new boss Ronald Koeman.
At 33 years old, Barca are keen to move on the striker in a bid to ease their wage bill and Juventus are hopeful a cut-price deal for the former Liverpool hitman can be done within the next three weeks, in time for the start of the new Serie A campaign.
According to Sky Sports Italia, Juventus are hoping that with Suarez in their team alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala they could field one of the best front threes in Europe.
Juventus have excellent relations with Barcelona and are confident an agreement for Suarez’s move to the Allianz Stadium can be arranged swiftly.
Suarez has already agreed a three-year-deal with Juve worth around £9million per year with bonus clauses to be added.
However, the deal could be held up by Suarez’s financial demands from the Nou Camp outfit.
It is understood the Uruguay hitman is demanding £22m in severance pay and is not willing to negotiate lowering his request.
Suarez’s contract at the Nou Camp expires next summer having joined them six years ago from Liverpool.
International Football
Again, it is #DestinationMorocco as FIFA takes Women’s Series 2025 to the Kingdom
By Kunle Solaja
FIFA has officially confirmed that the FIFA Unites: Women’s Series 2025 will be hosted by Morocco, with the opening matches scheduled to kick off on Sunday, October 26.
The event marks yet another milestone for Moroccan football, further cementing the kingdom’s growing stature as a global hub for the sport.
The upcoming tournament promises historic firsts for women’s football. The Afghan Women United team—formed from Afghan players living in exile—will play their first-ever international match, while Chad and Libya will make their FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking debuts at the conclusion of the round-robin competition.
In a statement, FIFA expressed gratitude to the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FMRF) for its collaboration and reiterated its commitment to advancing women’s football globally. The world football governing body also reaffirmed its support for Afghan women footballers, no
ting that the FIFA Strategy for Action for Afghan Women’s Football, approved by the FIFA Council in May 2025, continues to guide the federation’s inclusive efforts.
“FIFA looks forward to working closely with the FMRF to host a successful and symbolic tournament that showcases the unifying power of football,” the organization said.
As part of that effort, FIFA confirmed that Afghan Women United was selected as the team’s new official name following consultations with players—a symbolic gesture reflecting unity, resilience, and identity amid global challenges.
Morocco: A Flourishing Football Destination
Morocco’s selection as host comes at a time when the North African nation’s football profile is soaring. The country is currently hosting the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and, just this week, celebrated another historic milestone as its U-20 men’s team clinched the FIFA U-20 World Cup title—a triumph widely viewed as the fruit of a long-term national sports vision.
A Victory Rooted in Royal Vision
The Lion Cubs’ success is no accident. It stems from a deliberate and structured sports policy championed by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, who has consistently positioned sport as a catalyst for human, social, and territorial development. Since the National Sports Conference of 2008, the King’s leadership has inspired a generation of athletes and administrators to see football as both a unifying national force and a tool for youth empowerment.
The Mohammed VI Football Academy: Cradle of Excellence
Central to Morocco’s football renaissance is the Mohammed VI Football Academy (AMF), inaugurated in 2010. The academy epitomizes the royal vision of using sport as a means of education, personal growth, and international competitiveness. Five players from the victorious U-20 squad—Yassir Zabir, Othmane Kountoune, Fouad Zahouani, Houssam Essadak, and Yassine Khalifi—are proud graduates of the academy.
Investing in Infrastructure and Inclusion
Morocco’s nationwide expansion of local playing fields, regional training centres, and modern football facilities has created a fertile ground for nurturing young talent. This democratization of access to sport has shaped a new generation of Moroccan youth—disciplined, skilled, and confident on the global stage.
The success of both the Atlas Lions at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the Atlas Lionesses, who reached the knockout stages of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, reflects the depth of this comprehensive strategy.
A Beacon of African and Arab Football
With the hosting of the FIFA Unites: Women’s Series 2025 and the country’s string of international achievements, Morocco continues to position itself as a pioneer in African and Arab football. Its success is more than athletic—it is symbolic of a nation where sport drives progress, unity, and pride.
As the Afghan Women United, Chad, and Libya prepare to make history in Morocco this October, the Kingdom once again proves that its football journey is not only national but inspirational—anchored in vision, excellence, and the unifying power of the beautiful game.
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Brazil will round off their 2025 calendar with two friendly matches in Europe next month, taking on Senegal and Tunisia as part of their preparations for the 2026 World Cup, the Brazilian FA (CBF) announced on Thursday.
The five-time world champions, managed by Carlo Ancelotti, will face Senegal on November 15 at Emirates Stadium in London and, three days later, they will meet Tunisia in Lille, France.
The CBF announced that these fixtures were designed to “provide the team with valuable experience against African opposition” ahead of next year’s tournament in North America.
After the conclusion of the South American qualifiers, the choice of opponents follows October’s encounters against Asian teams, which saw Brazil beat South Korea 5-0 but suffer a stunning first defeat to Japan.
With coach Ancelotti facing limited preparation time after arriving in May from Real Madrid, the matches form part of a broader plan to expose Brazil to a variety of playing styles in preparation for next year’s the World Cup.
Looking ahead to March 2026, the CBF has indicated that Brazil’s next set of friendlies will likely be against top-level European nations, with the U.S. as the expected venue.
Ancelotti has been steadily implementing his vision for the squad and has emphasised the importance of adapting to diverse tactical challenges, particularly against teams from other continents.
CBF sources indicated that the plan for the three remaining international breaks would be to make final observations regarding players and tactical adjustments in November, lock in the starting line-up in March and strengthen ties with Brazilian fans with a final friendly at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana before departing for the tournament.
The upcoming friendlies against Senegal and Tunisia will provide an opportunity to test Brazil’s readiness against two of Africa’s strongest sides.
Senegal boast a formidable squad featuring Sadio Mane, Nicolas Jackson and Kalidou Koulibaly. They shocked Brazil 4-2 in their last encounter, a friendly played in Lisbon two years ago.
Tunisia, meanwhile, are known for their defensive organisation and have consistently performed well in African competitions.
Back in September they were the second African team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup with two games to spare.
-Reuters
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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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