⚽️ ⚽️ Football Thread ⚽️ World of Football ⚽️

[BangaloreaN]

Cosafa Cup: Angola put Namibia to the sword to end 20-year wait for a title



Angola have won their first COSAFA Cup crown in 20 years following a 5-0 thrashing of Namibia on Sunday.
The Palancas Negras were in a class of their own as they easily dispatched their opponents in a one-sided final at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
Angola did not take long to make their presence felt as Pedro Bondo broke the deadlock after 12 minutes with the second one arriving via the penalty spot through Depu, one minute before the break.

Vidinho then made it 3-0 in the 58^th minute, slotting home from a Berna pass, before Angola’s work was made easier after Ivan Kamberipa was shown a straight red card nine minutes later.
Pedro Goncalves’ men took full advantage instantly with Vidinho hammering home his second and Angola’s third through a freekick and Manuel Keliano completed the rout in the 70^th minute after scoring from Antonio Hossi’s pass.

It was a dominant show for Angola, who have been the best team in the tournament, having scored 13 goals in five matches, with Debu finishing as the top scorer with five.
Namibia, who last won the tournament in 2015, had no response to the aggressive and dominant Angola who benefited from their quick start.
Mozambique, meanwhile, clinched the bronze medal after ending Comoros 3-1 on post-match penalties in the third-place playoff played earlier on Sunday.

[BangaloreaN]

German Legend Toni Kroos Bids Emotional Farewell To Football

German Midfielder Toni Kroos bid farewell to football with an emotional social media post after Germany's dramatic loss to Spain.



One of Germany's greatest midfielders ever, Toni Kroos bid farewell to football. This came two days after his nation was eliminated from the UEFA Euros Championship following a dramatic loss to Spain in the dying minutes of the match. A last minute goal by Spanish substitute Mikel Merino handed Germany a 2-1 loss and elimination from the tournament. Following the loss, Toni Kroos announced his retirement from football in an emotional Instagram post.

Over And Out

In an emotional farewell message Toni Kroos wrote- "So thats it. But before i take a break and at least try to realize what happened over the last 17 years i don’t want to miss the opportunity to say thank you to everyone accepting me how and who i am. Thanks to all my fans around the world for your unconditional support. Thanks to all my clubs and coaches for believing in me. Thanks to all my teammates for making me feel welcome anytime. Thanks to my friends for always being honest with me no matter how successfull i became. Thanks to my agents who became friends. Thanks to my parents for the best possible preparation to realise my dream. Thanks to my brother @felixkroos23 for always being my number one fan. Thanks to my kids for being my biggest motivation to bring the best out of me - nothing better to see your Kids being proud of daddy. Thanks to my beautiful wife @jessica_kroos for being you. Never change. This success wouldn‘t have been possible without you. It’s ours! And last but not least: Thank you Football! You beautiful game. And… you‘re welcome! Over and out."

A Celebrated And Glorious Career

Toni Kroos in his career won a series of trophies for both club and country. In his trophy cabinet he has the 2014 World Cup Winners Medal. Apart from this he also won a host of trophies in club football with Bayern Munich and Real Madrid which includes six Champions Leagues, four Spanish leagues, three Bundesligas, three German Cups and one Copa del Rey. The retirement meant the closing of a wonderful chapter in football.

[BangaloreaN]

മെസി കുളിപ്പിച്ചവനും ഫ്രാന്*സിനെ കണ്ണീര് കുടിപ്പിച്ചു; 16-ാം വയസ്സില്* യമാല്* മറികടന്നത് പെലെയെ


കുട്ടിയായിരിക്കേ ലമിൻ യമാലിനെ കുളിപ്പിക്കുകയും താലോലിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്ന ലയണൽ മെസ്സി |

യൂറോ കപ്പ് സെമി ഫൈനലില്* ഫ്രാന്*സിനെതിരെയുള്ള ഗോള്*നേട്ടത്തോടെ കാലങ്ങളോളം അനുസ്മരിക്കപ്പെടുന്ന ഒരു ചരിത്രനട്ടത്തിലെത്തിയിരിക്കുകയാണ് സ്*പെയിന്റെ കുട്ടിതാരം ലാമിന്* യമാല്*. കളിയുടെ 21-ാം മിനിറ്റില്* ലാമിന്* യമാല്* വണ്ടര്* ഗോളിലൂടെ സ്*പെയിനിനെ സമനിലയിലെത്തിച്ചിരുന്നു. അല്*വാരോ മൊറാട്ട നല്*കിയ പന്തുമായി മുന്നോട്ടുകയറി ബോക്*സിന് തൊട്ടുമുന്നില്*നിന്ന് യമാല്* തൊടുത്ത ഷോട്ട് ഫ്രഞ്ച് വലയിലേക്ക് തിരിഞ്ഞിറങ്ങി. ഫ്രഞ്ച് ഡിഫന്*ഡര്*മാരെ ഡ്രിബിള്* ചെയ്തായിരുന്നു ഈ കുതിപ്പ്.

ഇതോടെ യൂറോ കപ്പ് ചരിത്രത്തിലെ ഏറ്റവും പ്രായംകുറഞ്ഞ ഗോള്* സ്*കോററായി യമാല്*. 16 വര്*ഷവും 362 ദിവസവും പ്രായമുള്ളപ്പോഴാണ് താരത്തിന്റെ ഗോള്*. സ്വിറ്റ്*സര്*ലന്*ഡ് താരം യൊഹാന്* വോന്*ലാതന്റെ പേരിലുള്ള (18 വര്*ഷം 141 ദിവസം) റെക്കോഡാണ് തകര്*ന്നത്. 2004 യൂറോ കപ്പിലായിരുന്നു ഈ നേട്ടം. അതേവര്*ഷംതന്നെ സ്വിറ്റ്*സര്*ലന്*ഡിനെതിരേ ഗോള്* നേടിയ ഇംഗ്ലണ്ടിന്റെ വെയ്ന്* റൂണി (18 വര്*ഷവും 237 ദിവസവും) ആണ് മൂന്നാമത്.

സെമി ഫൈനലിന് കളത്തിലേക്ക് ഇറങ്ങിയപ്പോള്* തന്നെ യമാല്* മറ്റൊരു ചരിത്രം കുറിച്ചിരുന്നു. ഒരു പ്രധാന ടൂര്*ണമെന്റിന്റെ സെമി ഫൈനലില്* കളിക്കുന്ന ഏറ്റവും പ്രായം കുറഞ്ഞ താരമെന്നതായിരുന്നു അത്. 1958-ല്* സ്വീഡനില്* നടന്ന ലോകകപ്പില്* ഇതിഹാസതാരം പെലെ സ്ഥാപിച്ച റെക്കോഡാണ് യമാല്* മറികടന്നത്. 17 വയസ്സും 239 ദിവസവും പ്രായമുള്ളപ്പോള്* പെലെ ബ്രസീലിനെതിരേ ഗോള്* നേടിയിരുന്നു. ലോകകപ്പിലായിരുന്നു അത്.

യൂറോയില്* ഏറ്റവും കൂടുതല്* പേര്* ചര്*ച്ചചെയ്ത പേരാവുകയാണ് യമാല്*. ജൂലായ് 13-ന് 17 വയസ്സ് തികയും. മൂന്ന് അസിസ്റ്റുകളുമായി ടൂര്*ണമെന്റിലുടനീളം മികച്ച പ്രകടനമാണ് താരം പുറത്തെടുത്തത്.

മെസ്സിയും യമാലും




യൂറോ കപ്പില്* ഫൈനലിലെത്തിയ സ്*പെയിനിനെ പ്രതിനിധാനം ചെയ്യുന്ന താരമാണ് യമാല്*. മെസ്സി കോപ്പ അമേരിക്കയില്* ഫൈനലിലെത്തിയ അര്*ജന്റീനയെ പ്രതിനിധാനം ചെയ്യുന്നു. യൂറോ സെമി ഫൈനലില്* ഫ്രാന്*സിനെതിരേ യമാല്* നേടിയ ഗോള്* സ്*പെയിനെ ഫൈനലിലേക്ക് അടുപ്പിച്ചു. കോപ്പ സെമി ഫൈനലില്* കാനഡയ്*ക്കെതിരേ മെസ്സി നേടിയ ഗോളിന്റെ ആനുകൂല്യത്തില്* അര്*ജന്റീനയും സെമിയില്* പ്രവേശിച്ചു.

ഇരുവരും തമ്മിലുള്ള സമാനത ഇപ്പോള്* തുടങ്ങിയതല്ല. രണ്ടുപേര്*ക്കും ഒരു പൂര്*വകാല ബന്ധമുണ്ട്. അന്ന് പക്ഷേ, യമാലിന് മെസ്സിയാരാണെന്ന് അറിയുകപോലുമുണ്ടായിരുന്നില്ല. ഇരുവരും ഒരുമിച്ചുള്ള അക്കാലത്തെ ചിത്രങ്ങള്* ഇന്റര്*നെറ്റില്* വൈറലാണ്. 16 വര്*ഷങ്ങള്*ക്ക് മുന്*പ് ഇരുവരും തമ്മില്* കണ്ടുമുട്ടിയിരുന്നു.

അന്ന് യമാലിന് അഞ്ച് മാസമാണ് പ്രായം. 20 വയസ്സുള്ള മെസ്സി, യമാലിനെ കുളിപ്പിക്കുന്ന ചിത്രമാണ് തരംഗമാകുന്നത്. യമാലിനെ കൈയിലെടുത്ത് താലോലിക്കുന്ന ചിത്രവുമുണ്ട്. യമാലിന്റെ പിതാവ് മുനിര്* നസ്രോയിയാണ് ഇപ്പോള്* ഈ ചിത്രങ്ങള്* സോഷ്യല്* മീഡിയയില്* പങ്കുവെച്ചിരിക്കുന്നത്. 2007 ഡിസംബറില്* ജീവകാരുണ്യ പ്രവര്*ത്തനങ്ങള്*ക്കായി പണം സമാഹരിക്കുന്നതിന്റെ ഭാഗമായി യുനിസെഫുമായി സഹകരിച്ച് ഒരു സ്പാനിഷ് മാധ്യമം പുറത്തിറക്കിയ കലണ്ടറിനു വേണ്ടി നടത്തിയ ഫോട്ടോഷൂട്ടിലെ ചിത്രങ്ങളാണിത്. സ്പാനിഷ് ക്ലബ്ബ് ബാഴ്സലോണയുടെ ആസ്ഥാനത്തുവെച്ചായിരുന്നു ഈ ചിത്രങ്ങള്* പകര്*ത്തിയത്.

പില്*ക്കാലത്ത് മെസ്സിയെ പോലെ തന്നെ ബാഴ്സയുടെ യൂത്ത് അക്കാദമിയായ ലാ മാസിയയിലൂടെയായിരുന്നു യമാലിന്റെയും വളര്*ച്ച. ഇപ്പോള്* യൂറോയില്* സ്പെയിനിനായി തകര്*ത്തുകളിക്കുന്ന യമാല്* ബാഴ്സലോണ താരം കൂടിയാണ്. ഫിഫ ലോകകപ്പില്* മെസ്സിയുടെ നായകത്വത്തിന് കീഴില്* അര്*ജന്റീന ഫ്രാന്*സിനെ പരാജയപ്പെടുത്തി വിശ്വകിരീടം നേടിയിരുന്നു. തൊട്ടുപിന്നാലെയുള്ള യൂറോ കപ്പിലിതാ മെസ്സി കുളിപ്പിച്ചവനും ഫ്രാന്*സിനെ വെള്ളം കുടിപ്പിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു.

[BangaloreaN]

Copa America 2024 Final: World Champions Argentina defeat Colombia 1-0 to lift second straight title

Copa America 2024 Final Highlights: The defending champs overcome Lionel Messi’s second-half leg injury as Lautaro Martínez scores match-winning goal


Copa America 2024 Final: Argentina celebrates after beating Colombia in the Copa America Final at Hard Rock Stadium.

Argentina vs Colombia Copa America Final 2024: Defending champions Argentina beat Colombia to lift the Copa America 2024 title on Monday. Despite Lionel Messi’s leg injury, which forced him to stay out of the game, substitute Lautaro Martinez made sure that the legendary player’s absence is not felt on the ground.
It was the late goal by Martinez in the extra time that changed the game and helped Argentina in clinching the title for second time in a row. This is the 16th Copa America victory for world champions Argentina.
Both teams were not able to score any goal in the 90 minutes of the game. After the match went into extra-time, it was Martinez’s goal in the 112th minute that opened the scoring for Argentina. At one time, the defenders were looking out of the game after their star player Lionel Messi suffered a no-contact ankle injury.

[BangaloreaN]

Manolo Marquez appointed head coach of Senior Men’s National Team




NEW DELHI: The All India Football Federation’s Executive Committee meeting, chaired by AIFF President Shri Kalyan Chaubey, was held at the Football House in New Delhi, on Saturday, July 20, 2024.

The Committee, in the first order of the day, deliberated on the appointment of the new head coach for the Senior Men’s National Team, and selected Manolo Marquez for the job, effective immediately.
During the 2024-25 season, Mr. Marquez will continue his role as the head coach of first team at FC Goa, handling both responsibilities concurrently before assuming the national coaching role on a full-time basis.

Commenting on the development, AIFF President Shri Kalyan Chaubey stated, “We are delighted to welcome Mr. Marquez to this important role and are also thankful to FC Goa for their generosity of releasing him for national duty. We look forward to working with Mr. Marquez in the years ahead. The AIFF, FC Goa, and Mr. Marquez will collaborate closely to ensure there is minimal impact between the two jobs and strive to achieve the best possible results for all involved.”

Responding to the appointment Mr. Marquez said, “It's an honour for me to be the National Football Team coach of India, a country I consider my second home. India and its people are something I feel attached to and I feel a part of since I first came to this beautiful country. I want to do my best to bring success to the millions of fans we have. I am very grateful to FC Goa for allowing us the flexibility to help the national team during the coming season while I am still the club’s head coach. I'm grateful to the AIFF for this opportunity and we hope to do great things for football.”
Aged 55, Manolo Marquez has extensive knowledge and experience of Indian football and coaching national team players, especially youngsters. Many national team players in the last few years were called up from his Hyderabad FC team.

Marquez has been coaching in India since 2020. He has coached two ISL clubs – his first stint was with Hyderabad FC (2020-23), before he switched over to FC Goa (2023-present). He is an ISL Cup winner with Hyderabad FC in 2021-22. Overall, Marquez had an extensive coaching career in Spain – Las Palmas (top division) and Las Palmas B, Espanyol B, Badalona, Prat, Europa (third division).

On other developments, based on the recommendation of the AIFF President Shri Kalyan Chaubey, the Executive Committee of the AIFF has resolved today to appoint Mr. Anilkumar Prabhakaran as the Secretary General of the AIFF. The Executive Committee has also accepted the resignation of Mr. Anilkumar from the AIFF Executive Committee and all other sub-committees he was a part of. Mr. Anilkumar's appointment shall be subject to the internal protocols and induction procedures as required by the AIFF Constitution and he shall take charge upon the completion of the same.

[jeeva]

Spanish footbaline puchathode kandirunna French karude annakkill mannuvariyittu veendum Spain ����

[jeeva]

Fermin lopaz is far better than lamin yamal he proved that..

[BangaloreaN]

Saudi Super Cup 2024 final: Al Hilal crush Al Nassr





Al Hilal clinched the Saudi Super Cup trophy by coming from a goal down to crush Al Nassr 4-1 on Saturday, with all four of their goals coming in a dominant second half.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored Al Nassr’s only goal a minute before the end of the first half, in which there were few chances, when he capitalized on a wonderful pass from Abd El Rahaman Ghareeb.

Al Hilal dominated after the interval with Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Malcom taking it in turns to score to make the victory secure.

Milinkovic-Savic scored the equalizer in the 55th minute after exchanging passes with Mitrovic, firing a powerful shot into Al Nassr's net.

Al Hilal took the lead eight minutes later when Mitrovic rose to meet a perfect cross from Ruben Neves and headed the ball in from close range.

The Serbian striker then extended Al Hilal’s lead when he received a pass from Brazilian Malcom in the 69th minute and fired the ball straight into the net.

The Brazilian striker scored Al Hilal’s fourth goal three minutes later when he took advantage of Al Nassr goalkeeper Pinto’s error in controlling the ball after a pass from Aymeric Laporte to fire it home with ease.

Al Hilal won the title for the second time in a row and the fifth time in their history and remain the most successful team in the championship, three titles ahead of Al Nassr.

[BangaloreaN]

BC Jindal Group completes Hyderabad FC takeover in landmark deal




Former ISL champions grapple with financial woes amid transfer bans.

ISL 2021-22 champions Hyderabad FC have struggled with significant financial challenges for the past few seasons. The Nizams are currently under 10 FIFA transfer bans and face multiple domestic sanctions from the All India Football Federation (AIFF) due to unpaid players’ salaries. They recently withdrew from the Durand Cup 2024 at the last moment as they were unable to put together a squad. Just when it seemed the club might be on the brink of collapse, a lifeline has emerged.

BC Jindal Group, one of India’s leading business conglomerates, has fully acquired Hyderabad FC on 26 August 2024. After signing a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) in the second week of August 2024 with the previous owners, Spartek Ceramics, the deal has now been finalized following all due diligence.

“The BC Jindal Group are now the official owners of Hyderabad FC. A business transfer agreement has been signed between both parties on eve of 26 August 2024, allowing the new owners to begin preparations for the upcoming season. They are also committed to making significant contributions to Indian football in the long run.”,

The Road Ahead: Challenges for new owners

Despite the promising new ownership, the BC Jindal Group faces an uphill task. Their top priority will be to secure the necessary licenses to participate in the upcoming ISL 2024-25 season. This involves addressing the existing transfer bans imposed by FIFA and the AIFF and settling all outstanding financial obligations, including unpaid staff salaries.
With the summer transfer window for the 2024-25 season set to close on August 31, 2024, the new owners may need to quickly assemble a team from the remaining free agents on the market as transfer deals look very difficult at this stage. They are racing against time to lift the bans but are working diligently with all parties to secure the club’s future. The new owners are also hopeful former players and coaches will prioritize the club’s future and collaborate to resolve the 12 FIFA bans within the remaining four days of the transfer window.

Background of BC Jindal Group

Founded in 1952 by Shri BC Jindal, the BC Jindal Group has grown into one of India’s most prominent business conglomerates. Initially starting as a manufacturer of steel pipes and pipe fittings, the group has diversified into various sectors, including packaging films, power generation, cold-rolled steel strips and galvanized sheets.
This acquisition marks the BC Jindal Group’s first venture into the Indian sports ecosystem. Although the group had previously withdrawn from direct bidding in the I-League, it is now set to impact Indian football significantly. Their vision includes long-term planning and infrastructure development to strengthen the Indian sports landscape.
This acquisition could save Hyderabad FC from their financial woes and mark the beginning of a new era in Indian football, with the BC Jindal Group’s involvement promises a more stable and prosperous future for the club.

[BangaloreaN]

NorthEast United FC Stun Mohun Bagan On Penalties In Durand Cup Final, Win First-Ever Club Trophy

After trailing 2-0 at half-time, NorthEast United completed a miraculous comeback.


NorthEast United FC completed a brilliant comeback victory after being two goals down to overcome defending champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant on penalties and clinch the 133rd Durand Cup in a thrilling final which was played here at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan. This is the Highlanders maiden Durand Cup title and their first ever silverware in Indian football. The defending champions had taken a 2-0 lead in the first half through Jason Cummings and Sahal Abdul Samad. Alaaeddine Ajaraie and Guillermo Fernandez equalised in the second half and NorthEast goalkeeper Gurmeet Singh turned the hero, denying two spot kicks to ensure that his side complete a thrilling victory.

Juan Pedro Benali made a tactical decision leaving both Spanish attacking players Guillermo Fernandez and Nestor Albiach on the bench and starting Alaaeddine Ajaraie, Jithin M.S and Thoi Singh in attack with the Moroccan midfield duo of Mohammed Ali Bemammer and Hamza Regragui along with Mayakkannan Muthu shielding the defence led by Michel Zabaco. On the other end, Jose Molina started Jason Cummings and Greg Stewart along with Sahal Abdul Samad in attack with Liston Colaco and Manvir Singh providing the width in the pitch. Subhasish Bose returned to the starting eleven and slotted in a back three in defence along with Thomas Aldred and Alberto Rodriguez.

The nerves of a final were seen in the initial minutes as both teams looked cagey from the first whistle but it was the Kolkata side which settled into the game quicker. Sahal Abdul Samad was pulled down by Asheer Akhtar inside the box and the referee had an easy decision to point to the spot. Jason Cummings calmly slotted the resultant penalty in the goal past Gurmeet Singh by Jason Cummings to give the Mariners the crucial lead in the finals.

The first half definitely belonged to the home side and they cemented it by doubling their advantage, deep into injury time. Liston Colaco found space in the left wing and surged inside the box past Dinesh Singh. The winger poked the ball into the path of Sahal who was free inside the box and the midfielder expertly scored past the diving Gurmeet Singh as the Mariners went into the break with a 2-0 lead.

NorthEast United levelled the scores in the blink of an eye with Ajaraie and Guillermo scoring in the space of three minutes to stun the Kolkata crowd. Jithin M.S setup Ajaraie on the edge of the box and the Moroccan slotted the ball into the right corner of the goal for the first goal. Minutes later, Ajaraie found Guillermo on the far post and the Spanish forward connected first time to leave Vishal Kaith rooted on the spot as the ball flew past him and stung the net for his fifth goal of the tournament and to level the score for the Highlanders.
The Highlanders continued to dominate the match from there on and pushed for the lead, leaving the Mohun Bagan defence and midfield clueless. Macarton Louis and Jithin M.S stung the palms of Vishal Kaith with their thunderous efforts as NorthEast kept the Mariners on the back foot during this dominant phase of play.
NorthEast continued to dominate proceedings as Mohun Bagan were looking the shadow of their first half performance. The Highlanders pushed for the decisive winning goal and created a couple of clear chances but could not take advantage of them. Dimi Petratos's left footed effort which went inches wide of the goal was the only meaningful attempt that Mohun Bagan created in the second half as the finals went into penalties.

Gurmeet Singh saved the spot kicks of Liston Colaco and Subhasish Bose while Vishal Kaith could not produce his heroics from the last rounds as all four penalty takers, Guillermo Fernandez, Michel Zabaco, Parthib Gogoi and Alaaeddine Ajaraie converted their respective penalties. Only Jason Cummings, Manvir Singh and Dimitri Petratos could convert their penalties for Mohun Bagan.