IFFHS STATISTICS AND NEWS OF THE WEEK 14
IFFHS STATISTICS AND NEWS OF THE WEEK
THE PICTURE HISTORY
USA goalkeeper Hope Solo makes a save during the first half against Japan in the Olympics women's soccer gold medal match at Wembley Stadium in London, England, Thursday, August 9, 2012. The USA defeated Japan, 2-1. Hope Solo, who won 4 IFFHS WORLD Awards, was the US Matchwinner !
FRANCE : 200 000 WOMEN PLAYERS !
The 29 March 1970, the women football was officially recognized in France. Since that date, they were 40 000 women players until 2013 , but in the last seven years, the number grows to 200 000 ( 500%more) ! The continental results of Olympique Lyonnais, six time UEFA Champions League winner and IFFHS World’s Best Club, and the FIFA World Cup 2019 in France have convinced more and more young girls to play football in France.
BELARUS ONLY COUNTRY IN EUROPE WITH FOOTBALL (picture up FC Minsk)
The Belarusian Premier League is drawing attention Tuesday for allowing football matches to be played although almost all major sports organizations across the globe has postponed competition because of the coronavirus.No restrictions have been imposed on matches and thousands of fans continue to gather at stadiums to watch matches.
The league is the only football division in Europe allowing matches to be played. With just two weeks played in the current season, FC Minsk sits atop the league with six points.
More than 150 cases have been confirmed and no deaths were reported in Belarus that has a population of 9.5 million. Belarus is not the only nation that has continued football matches. Nicaragua decided to allow playing to go on with Managua leading the Nicaraguan Primera Division.
CLUB BRUGGE, FIRST LEAGUE CHAMPION IN EUROPE !
With the Belgian First Division A suspended for the past three weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Pro League board have brought the 2019/20 season to the end, giving the title, the first in European football this year to Club Brugge.Brugge was 15 points clear at the top of the table.
It's been suggested the Cup final, which would see Brugge take on Royal Antwerp is still planned on being played out if the federal health service permits the fixture from taking place. Last Wednesday, the European Football Association UEFA had given its national federations the opportunity to stretch the competitions until August 3 which Belgian clubs have now opted against.
It's been noted with the Belgian top-flight using a play-off structure to confirm league winners, relegation and European qualification spots - the decision has been made easier than with some of the major European leagues.
AFRICAN LEGENDS BATTLE-READY TO SLIDE-TACKLE COVID-19.
Fourteen African football legends, two of who feature in the IFFHS Legend Players parade, have united their efforts in the global fight against the deadly pandemic, Covid-19 which is currently ravaging the planet earth. In a 98-second video, the legends who span several generations of the African game have recorded on-spot messages under the theme #Safehands and #Nohandshake to reiterate the frequent washing of hands as well as avoiding handshake, both ways of limiting the spread of the heinous disease.
The steps to take to make the fight effective and as outlined in the video include: Apply soap; Lather the ands well with soap; Scrubbing the hands for at least 20 seconds; Rinsing the hands under clean, running water; Drying the hands using a clean towel.
The legends whose initiative had earlier on been lauded by the President of the Confederation for African Football, Ahmad Ahmad, and who are led by the CAF deputy General Secretary, Anthony Baffoe of Ghana, include: Albert Roger Milla and Joseph Antoine Bell of Cameroon; Herita Ilunga and Trésor Lualua of the Democratic Republic of Congo; Wael Gomaa of Egypt; Fatau Dauda of Ghana; Mustapha Haddaoui of Morocco; Vincent Enyeama of Nigeria; the lone female, Ssenide of Uganda; and, El Hadj Diouf, Alassane N’dour, Khalilou Fadiga, and Diomany Kamara all of Senegal. Diouf and Lualua, respectively, spoke in their local Wolof, and Lingala.
It would be recalled that President Ahmad Ahmad had said before that CAF was monitoring the evolution of Covid-19 with WHO, FIFA, other Confederations, and Governments.
FORMER OLYMPIC MARSEILLE PRESIDENT, PAPE DIOUF KILLED BY COVID-19.
Former President of Olympic Marseille Football Club of France, Pape Diouf, 68, has become the first official Senegal death from the deadly Coronavirus, Covid-19. The former sports journalist and certified players agent died in Dakar, Senegal yesterday, Tuesday, March 31st, 2020 as he awaited being flown to Nice in France to be treated of the disease.
The Franco-Senegalese was known for the new lease of life given to OM following the difficult decade of the club’s stewardship under Bernard Tapie, using his charisma to re-build from the ashes, and within less than half a decade, 2005-2009, gave them the bedrock that saw the club, after his departure, storm the UEFA Champions League podium three times, consecutively.
From his debut as players agent with Joseph Antoine Bell, Pape Diouf later methodically propelled to stardom, the likes of Gregory Coupet, Didier Drogba, Frank Ribery, Marcel Desailly, Mamadou Niang, and several scores of others.
Pape Diouf’s death is a shock to the entire nation of Senegal where from toddler to Head of State, everyone has expressed consternation while expressing regrets, and solidarity as well in the face of the devastating doings of Covid-19. Football legends and fans from the four corners of the globe have been pouring grief in various ways on the social media at the demise of the huge managerial figure of world football.
GOYO BENITO RIP
Goyo Benito, a Real Madrid footballer between 1969 and 1982, died Thursday at the age of 73 after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. The defender, remembered for his fierceness against the opponents, conquered six League titles and five Cup titles in the ranks of the white club. With the selection he played two World Cups (1974 and 1978) and two Eurocopas (1972 and 1976).
In his 13 seasons with Madrid, where he spent two years of blank at Rayo Vallecano, Benito played 420 games, becoming a defensive pillar for his coaches, from Miguel Muñoz to Miljan Miljanic or Bujadin Boskov.