IFFHS STATISTICS AND NEWS OF THE WEEK 13
IFFHS STATISTICS AND NEWS OF THE WEEK 13
MELANIE LEUPOLZ AT CHELSEA ! (picture)
German Midfielder Melanie Leupolz, will join English WSL Club Chelsea women this summer. Chelsea announced their signing details on 23 march though this deal was done a few weeks earlier. She has been playing for FC Bayern Munich since 2014 and scored 19 goals in 122 matches. She won 2 Bundesliga titles in her first 2 years with Bavarians. She was appointed as captain of Bayern in this season.
Born and brought up in Ratzenried, a small village of southernmost German city Wangen im Allgäu in 1994, Melly began her career with TSV Ratzenried. She was named as the first national player from her village when she was selected to the U15 german team in 2009. In 2010 she played her first World cup with the U17 german team. Same year she joined Bundesliga side SC Freiburg, Where she played 4 seasons before moving to FC Bayern. She also captained the U17 German team to European championship in 2011. In the U20 world cup 2012 her team lost in the Finals. A regular face of German team since 2013, Melly plays as midfielder and was part of the Germany team who won the 2013 European championship, 2014 Algarve Cup and 2016 Olympic Gold. Leupolz also appeared in the 2019 world cup for Germany and 2020 Algarve Cup.
As a versatile player, she creates a depth in the midfield area. She has inborn quality to lead her team in any difficult situation. She played many vital roles including her crucial appearance against England in a friendly match at Wembley last year. Chelsea are looking for this quality to aim for next season's champions league. Blues, who won the continental cup last month, already recruited Norway forward Guro Reiten and Australian captain and striker Sam Kerr
COVID-19 KILLS CAMEROON COMPOSER OF 1972 AFCON THEME SONG.
The entire Cameroon nation, fans worldwide, are mourning the death of the composer of the theme song of the 1972 African Cup of Nations hosted by that country. 86-year-old Manu Dibango died in France yesterday, Tuesday, March 24th, after having been detected positive for the killer disease, Covid-19 on March 18th.
Named Emmanuel Njocke Dibango at birth in 1933, Manu Dibango had more than 70 albums to his credit, spanning six decades. His premier album was entitled SOUL MAKOSSA whose face-B featured the 1972 AFCON theme song when Cameroon hosted the event. SOUL MAKOSSA inspired many music greats with Michael Jackson falling prey to the temptation of pirating the lyrics, before eventually settling the matter with the Cameroonian music icon out of court in 2009.
Manu Dibango’s achievements in music which are being celebrated on local audiovisual media outlets received innumerable prizes for his savoir faire including his being named UNESCO Ambassador for Peace in 2004; and it is significant that he was detected positive for Covid-19 in France on March 18th, the thirty sixth anniversary of Cameroon’s first win of the African Cup of Nations.
DEATH OF LORENZO SANZ
Lorenzo Sanz (picture), who, as its president, helped return the Spanish soccer club Real Madrid to victory in Europe’s top competition after more than three decades, died last week in Madrid. He was 76. His family said he died after contracting the coronavirus.
Mr. Sanz, who was president of Real Madrid from 1995 to 2000, is credited with ending the club’s 32-year wait for another victory in what is now the European Champions League, which Real Madrid won in 1998 by beating Juventus in the final in Amsterdam. Two years later, Real Madrid won the competition again, beating Valencia in Paris.
The team also won one league title, a Spanish Super Cup and an Intercontinental Cup under Mr. Sanz.
MICHEL HIDALGO RIP
Michel Hidalgo (picture), who led France to their first major title at Euro 1984, has died at the age of 87.
Hidalgo managed France between 1976 and 1984 and also served as technical director of the national team from 1982 to 1986.France lost a 1982 World Cup semi-final to Germany on penalties under Hidalgo before winning Euro 1984 on home soil two years later.“Today we learn with immense sadness and deep emotion of the death of Michel Hidalgo,” FFF president Noel Le Graet said on the official Federation website.Hidalgo was born in Normandy in March 1933 and played for Le Havre, Reims and Monaco in a distinguished 14-year playing career between 1952 and 1966.The midfielder scored in Reims’ European Cup final defeat to Real Madrid in 1956 and won three Ligue 1 titles, at Reims in 1955 and with Monaco in 1961 and 1963.Hidalgo also won the Coupe de France twice at Monaco, in 1960 and 1963, but his international playing career was limited to just one appearance in 1962.
Having moved into the managerial career, Hidalgo led France at two World Cups – in Argentina in 1978 and in Spain in 1982.In one of the tournament’s greatest-ever games, France drew 3-3 in the 1982 semi-final with West Germany before losing 5-4 on penalties.It was a cruel irony that goalkeeper Harald Schumacher proved the German shoot-out hero when he should have been sent off for rushing out of his goal and leaving Patrick Battiston unconscious with a reckless challenge.But, two years later, Hidalgo became a national hero as his exciting side featuring the famous midfield of Michel Platini, Alain Giresse and Jean Tigana became European champions.
After Euro 1984 and being named European manager of the year, he passed the reins over to Henri Michel but stayed on as technical director of the national team until 1986.Hidalgo spent five years as Marseille director of football before ending his career in 1991.
GERMAN CLUBS HELP
FC Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig are merging: The four German Champions League participants give a total of 20 million euros. This is intended to help clubs that are in financial need as a result of the corona crisis. The sum is made up of two parts.
It is already clear that the donation could be used in the next few weeks. Several clubs have already registered short-time work in the second division, including relegated relegation Hannover 96. The game will be at least until April 30th – and it is currently unlikely that it could actually be played again.