International Football
FOOTBALL’S THE BIGGEST BRIDGE –BUILDER – EGYPTIAN AMBASSADOR
The Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to Nigeria, His Excellency Assem Hanafy Elseify on Wednesday described football as the biggest bridge –builder known to man, saying the power of football to unify peoples and nations across several mental and physical boundaries is astounding.
Ambassador Elseify made this known while receiving NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi and a team of NFF officials at the Embassy of Egypt in Abuja.
Dr. Sanusi and his team expressed appreciation to the Ambassador and his mission for the support accorded Nigeria football teams travelling to Egypt over the years, while also congratulating the envoy on the qualification of Egypt’s National Team, the Pharaohs, for next year’s FIFA World Cup finals in Russia.
Elseify also acknowledged the cordial relationship between Nigeria and Egypt in the area of sports, while praising the NFF for always making excellent arrangements for visiting Egyptian football teams.
Nigeria and Egypt are the only countries to have qualified for Russia 2018 from the African continent, with three more to emerge on the final day of the qualifying campaign this month.
Russia 2018 will be Egypt’s only third appearance in the FIFA World Cup (after Italy 1934 and Italy 1990), while Nigeria will be making a sixth trip to the finals.
Sanusi was accompanied by Ademola Olajire (NFF’s Director of Communications) and Dr. Christian Emeruwa (Integrity Officer) while Ambassador Elseify was joined by Deputy Head of Mission, Ehab Amr.
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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