#Belgium World Cup squad

[calciopics]

Belgium Portraits - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

[blog-aeschetic234]

Oie , sou a Angel bem-vindos ao meu blog 😍

🍃💫❤

[getting-messi]

Can’t believe we’re gonna be eliminated today

[arkking1]

Which is the best player in FIFA world cup 2022

Please visit my website and answer now

[kylewalker-peters]

anyway it's time for the best match of the day!!! let's go retirement home national team here we go retirement home national team

[female-buckets]

Mmmm what do u think of this? Becky saying this current squad got no edge to them this season 🙃🤔

https://x.com/palomafox5news/status/1802118093399093257?s=46&t=W4sfjN8ds9jt445V8O3Uyw

Interesting. Of course Becky doesn't understand what the Aces are going through. She has no experience with this. But Cheryl Reeve does.

Let's talk about the Lynx for a moment. Whalen, Seimone, Maya, and Syl. Four core USA players. Syl joined the Lynx halfway through the dynasty. But even before Syl, they had three core USA players.

Did they ever win a championship during a FIBA or Olympic year? No. No 2012, no 2014, no 2016, and they had nothing left in 2018.

The Aces got their first championship during a FIBA year. And their transition from Aces to USA was awkward as hell. It's extremely difficult to have the mental edge to compete for both championships at the same time. The vibe at the last world cup was stressful and depressing. USA beat China by 30 but it was joyless. It was a business trip. And that's not how USA basketball is supposed to feel on the women's side.

It can't be like that in Paris. It can't be a business trip. It needs to be a real team. The edge and passion needs to go to the USA team. And whatever's left over goes to WNBA competition. Some players have enough edge and passion for two simultaneous competitions. Most don't. It's mentally taxing. The Aces lack edge because they're not thinking about Aces games when they lie in bed at night. They're thinking about the fact that USA is in a group with Belgium.

The only solution to this is to put on the USA jersey. That's the only thing to do in this situation. A month with USA will be like group therapy for the Aces

[vertonghen]

i was really impressed by onana yesterday and saw today that a lot of spurs fans on twitter are talking about wanting him on our team, what are your thoughts? what’s his play style like? what do you think his price point would be?

anon i’ve been wanting to talk about him for so long and this ask came at such a perfect time thank you 😭 i will be yapping a lot under the cut but my main thoughts are 1) i think he would be incredible for us and i love him 2) he’s an absolute monster in defence. versatile, strong, tall, smart 3) i think he’d be quite expensive, i don’t see everton selling him for less than £60 million unless they have to for FFP reasons, im guessing somewhere between £50-80 million.

okay. i’ve also been seeing our fans on twitter talk about wanting him and ive been liking every single tweet because yes!!!! we would absolutely be better with him in our midfield!!!!

firstly, he’s a young and versatile player (he’s only 22!) he was asked to play cb in belgium’s game vs ireland which is an odd position for him but played very well and without complaint. as a person he’s incredibly mature and humble when speaking for belgium, absolutely future captain material and i think he would fit in very well personality wise at spurs as well. he normally plays as a central or defensivemidfielder i believe but can switch to attacking and now to cb whenever needed which is perfect for us.

he’s an absolute monster in defence. tall, strong, incredibly long legs that can sweep the ball out of any player as you saw yesterday, and pretty good vision as well! everton in general are just huuuge but he’s about 195 cm i believe so he’d be vital for us when we’re defending those pesky corners 😖 he’s also great at header goals because he’s so damn tall that no one can get to the ball before him. he’s also not very injury prone, he’s had small injuries here and there but nothing that keeps him out too long.

his debut for belgium was very impressive and he was even called up to the world cup which was a pleasant surprise. one of his best strengths is his ball carrying ability, he’s insane with transition. he reminds me a bit of mousa in the way that he’s quicker than you expect, insanely strong, and amazing at carrying the ball.

i know united, arsenal, barcelona, and chelsea(?) are all interested in him as well which gives you some insight into how good of a player he is. i think barca made an offer of £50 mil and was rejected by everton because they wanted more which is fair. i mean i believe we have the funds for him and i think he’s such an adaptable player that he could easily work in ange’s system so i really hope we show interest in him and act quickly in the summer.

sorry that this was all over the place i was just so excited to talk about him LOL i love him so much. idk if you know that belgium have had their drama recently with courtois and him whining about not getting the armband but amadou was quick to shut down any talks of that drama which is another reason i love him. he always says that as long as he gets to wear the country’s badge he’s happy and honoured and will always fight to keep his position in the belgium squad. he would die for the badge, he would be absolutely perfect for us.

some videos if you want to take a look:

this comp on twt of him in the england game

just a quick little look into his personality

and a video that the red devils made when he was a rookie introducing him

(he’s also insanely gorgeous i mean that’s just the cherry on top but man he’s handsome)

[alexbkrieger13]

Nathalie Björn is pitted against her girlfriend in the WC

Sweden meets Italy in the 2023 FIFA World Cup. For Nathalie Björn, 25, it means a match against girlfriend Aurora Galli, 25.

- It will be special, says Björn.

If it is to become a reality, Nathalie Björn and Aurora Galli must be selected in their country's respective WC squads.

- Of course it will be special if we both play. It might be nice in a way to meet in the group, says Björn.

This summer it could have been in an EC quarter-final. But Italy fell in the last group stage match and Sweden had to face Belgium instead.

Björn: Will come later

Early, Swedish time, on a Saturday morning , the WC groups were drawn in Australia. Björn and Galli did not follow the drama together.

- We saw it afterwards. It was quite early and I was sleeping then, says Björn.

Nor have they talked much about being pitted against each other in a World Cup match.

- No more than that we established that we play in the same group. There is quite a long time left, so it will probably come later, says Björn.

In Group G, where Sweden and Italy play, Argentina and South Africa were also drawn.

- Very fun group. Championships are always one thing on paper and one thing when you play the games. People from the outside might think this is going to be easy, but when it comes down to it, it's tough matches, says Björn.

The 2023 World Cup will be played in Australia and New Zealand.

Linda Sembrant can also be pitted against her girlfriend, Lisa Boattin (Italy).

The Swedish national team is in Australia for a training international match on Saturday.

Nathalie Björn and Aurora Galli represent Everton.

[calciopics]

Belgium World Cup squad 2022: Final list of 26 players for national team in Qatar

[ballplayersxo]

Imagine being a wife or gf of a footballer who wasn’t that big or was big but not worldwide and he delivered at the World Cup and the attention is on him now worldwide. A lot of players prices went up that’s the beautiful thing about the World Cup, most watched sporting event but the attention it brings 💀 Hakimi plays for PSG alongside Neymar, Messi and Mbappe so he’s part of a legendary squad and big team but he’s everywhere now on the internet. The fact he’s Madrid born and raised playing in the Madrid academy then choosing morocco his roots to play for is what people are loving too. I love the moments with his mother. Him saying Sergio Ramos is the best defender after Spain didn’t call him out then knocking Spain out and doing his and Ramos’s dance 🥰🥰 morocco have knocked out Spain, Belgium and Portugal like this World Cup is crazy and would be crazier if they won. Hakimi used to be busted (Europeans and relaxing their hair yuck) so these wags are in the trenches with them and they glo up and everybody wants to snatch their man 😂😂 I know they’re like he better not. Idk who cheats or not but those guys aren’t leaving their wives.

his story is definitely sweet and we love to see it. definitely agree that a lot of prices went up tho

[vxidalex]

What did you think about Jordan’s performance today and do you think she will get some minutes on Wednesday?

I liked her performance! in all of her England career Jordan has never been expected to score but I think Sarina expects Jordan to score for a change, she called Jordan up when she scored, both times (or at least that's how I see it) so I'm glad she got some chances, I really hope she does get minutes, I wasn't excepting her to start today but I did expect some minutes and that's what happened, I was surprised she was subbed on at 45' but that's even better lmao

in terms of Wednesday, I would like for her to get some minutes but I really don't know how Sarina's approach to Belgium is gonna be, I don't really follow them but I think they're a very physical team so I think that'll play a significant role in how she approaches her starting 11 and her subs. but again this is a friendly competition and she said she wants to experiment as much as she can so I do have some hope. but at this rate, in my opinion, it's gonna be hard getting minutes, and it's gonna be even harder to get into the world cup squad, and not to be a pessimist but I hardly see her getting into the world cup squad taking everything into consideration (or at least for NOW), but a part of me will always stay hopeful and oh god the hope is gonna kill me LMAO

[liamhaydn-blog]

Team of the Decade: Part 4- The 1980's

Goalkeeper- Jean-Marie Pfaff- Belgium

Pfaff began his career with Beveren where he spent 10 years before joining Bayern Munich. With Bayern he won 3 Bundesliga's in 6 years and also reached the 1987 European Cup final, losing to FC Porto. With the Belgian national team, Pfaff appeared at 2 World Cups and in the 1986 edition he was named in the team of the tournament as Belgium finished 4th, losing to a Maradona-inspired Argentina in the semis.

Pfaff was known for his excellent shot-stopping abilities aided by his rapid reflexes and acrobatic capabilities. He had a big personality on the field and was an authoritative presence commanding his penalty box, quick to fly off his line to meet attackers or else to claim crosses. Pfaff also developed a reputation for saving penalties.

Centre-Back- Franco Baresi- Italy

Franco Baresi spent his entire 20-year senior career with AC Milan, first joining the club's youth set-up as a 12-year old. He won 7 Serie A title's with the Rossoneri aswell as 3 European Cups. Baresi was made club captain aged 22 and was a part of Milan's all-Italian defence alongisde Maldini, Costacurta, Tassotti and later Panucci, which is often considered the strongest defence ever assembled. Some of Baresi's best achievements include being part of a Milan defence that conceded just 15 Serie A goals in the 93-94 campaign in which his team avoided losing all season as part of a record 58-game unbeaten run.

Baresi was a member of the Italy squad which won the 1982 World Cup but he did not feature in a World Cup match until the 1990 edition which Italy hosted, where they finished 3rd. 4 years later he captained his nation in the World Cup final against Brazil, though missed in the shootout which Italy would lose.

Baresi is considered one of the greatest defenders of all time, a world class player either at centre-half or as a sweeper due to the way he combined physicality with elegance, to be a defender who truly had it all. Defensively his reading of the game, timing of challenges, strength and intelligence made him extremely difficult to get past and then with the ball at his feet his distribution from the defence and the base of midfield allowed him to start attacks from deep. Baresi was the Balon D'or runner-up in 1989.

Centre-Back- Gaetano Scirea- Italy

After beginning his career with Atalanta, Scirea joined Juventus in 1974 and would spend the rest of his career there, winning 7 Serie A titles, the European Cup, the Cup Winners Cup and the UEFA Cup. Scirea was part of the 1982 World Cup winning team as Italy beat West Germany 3-1 in the final.

Scirea played the sweeper role for much of his career, which suited his excellent tactical and technical abilities. From that role, aswell as his defensive capabilities, his composed ability on the ball allowed him to also contribute offensively.

Centre-Back- Ronald Koeman- Netherlands

Koeman began his career with Groningen, before joining Ajax. After winning the league and the Dutch Cup there, he moved to PSV in 1986. With PSV he won the treble in 1988, helping the club to win the European Cup for the only time in their history. That summer Koeman also won the 1988 Euros with The Netherlands. Koeman then spent 6 years with Barcelona where he enjoyed even more success, as part of Cruyff's Dream Team which won 4 successive La Liga titles and its first European Cup in 1992, with Koeman scoring the games only goal in the final against Sampdoria.

Koeman is the highest scoring defender in football history, with a total of 252 goals, with a significant amount coming from penalties and free-kicks which he was adept at taking. He was best remembered for incredibly powerful long-range free-kicks, but he was just as capable at clipping or curling free-kicks in from closer range.

Defensive-Midfield- Frank Rijkaard- Netherlands

Riijkard is considered one of the best midfielders ever, mostly operating as a defensive midfielder. However due to being perhaps one of the most complete players ever he could play practically anywhere centrally, be it central defence, central midfield as a box-to-box or even as an attacking midfielder just behind the striker.

The Dutchman started his career with Ajax but would establish himself as one of the best players in the world at AC Milan where he would win 2 Serie A title's and 2 European Cups, with Rijkaard scoring the winning goal in the 1990 final against Benfica. Rijkaard then returned to Ajax where he would finish his career, winning another European Cup by beating his former club Milan in the final. At International level, Rijkaard also won the 1988 Euros with The Netherlands.

At 6 foot 3, Rijkaard was a powerful player, but for his size he also possessed excellent technical quality, which meant that when he won the ball back with his defensive brain and physicality, he could then be instantly dangerous offensively, due to his playmaking abilities from deep.

Centre-Midfield- Lothar Matthaus- Germany

Matthaus was often deployed as a box-to-box midfielder, which was the ideal position for such a complete player who was equally comfortable either bombing forward to score goals with his powerful shooting off either foot, or defending due to his positional sense and expertly timed tackling.

The German began in the Bundesliga with Monchengladbach before moving to Bayern Munich where he won multiple Bundesliga titles and reached the 1987 European Cup final which they lost to FC Porto. Matthaus then moved to Inter where he won a Serie A title and a UEFA Cup, before returning to Bayern where he won another UEFA Cup and lost another European Cup final, this time to Manchester United.

Matthaus is the most capped Germany player ever, winning 150 caps for his nation and winning the Euros in 1980 and the World Cup in 1990, 4 years after being a beaten finalist. Matthaus met Maradona and Argentina in both of those World Cup finals, and aswell battled against him in Serie A and Maradona would define him as "the best rival I ever had." Matthaus was the first outfield player to feature in 5 World Cups and won the Balon D'or award in 1990.

Centre-Midfield- Ruud Gullit- Netherlands

Gullit began his career with HFC Harlem, helping them to qualify for Europe for the first time in their history. From there he represented Feyenoord and later PSV before moving to AC Milan for a world record fee in 1987. There he would be part of a Dutch trio alongside Rijkaard and Van Basten which would help fire Milan to a glorious era with the first of 2 European Cups Gullit won with the club being secured in 1989, with Gullit scoring a brace in a 4-0 final win over Steaua Bucharest. A year earlier Gullit also scored in the 1988 Euros final, giving the Netherlands the lead against the Soviet Union, in a game the Dutch would go on to win 2-0.

At 6 foot 3, Gullit was an extremely powerful and athletic footballer, one of the best the game has seen at heading the ball, due to the height and power his leaps could generate. But Gullit was aswell so much more than just physicality, his game was also graceful and technical, with an elegant quality to his play.

Right Attacking Midfield- Zico- Brazil

Zico earned the nickname "the White Pele" with Pele himself observing that Zico was the one player who came closest to him. Zico was a creative 10, with the vision for a pass and the technical quality to execute it with him being considered one of the best passers ever. The Brazilian was also a prolific goalscorer, as clinical as a deadly striker and a free-kick specialist who remains high on the list for most free-kick goals ever.

The club mostly associated with Zico is Flamengo where he spent 16 years and won the Copa Libertadores in 1981. In between two spells with the club, Zico spent two years with Udinese in Serie A and later finished his career in Japan. With the national team Zico won 71 caps, scoring 48 goals and shone at 2 World Cups. In 1978 he and Brazil finished 3rd, but it is for the 1982 World Cup they are best remembered. Zico starred in a side which will likely forever be regarded as the best team to never lift the World Cup, as Brazil were knocked out by Italy 3-2, in one of the greatest games in the history of Football.

Number 10 position- Michel Platini- France

Despite playing as an offensive midfield player, a creative orchestrator behind a striker, Platini scored with the prolificacy of a number 9 due to being an extremely accurate finisher who did not often pass up good chances. He was also deadly from free-kicks and penalties and considered one of the best ever from those dead ball situations.

Beginning his career with Nancy, Platini scored 127 goals in 213 games for the club and won the French Cup before moving to St. Etienne where he scored 82 goals in 3 seasons and won a First Division title. Platini then spent the remaining 5 years of his career with Juventus where he won 2 Serie A titles, the Cup Winners Cup and the European Cup as the Frenchman scored the only goal in the 1985 final against Liverpool.

Platini also scored an impressive 41 goals in 72 caps for France, including 9 in 5 games at Euro 84, as Platini produced what remains to this day the best individual tournament ever at the Euros, as he scored in every game including 2 hattricks and the match winner in the semi-final against Portugal, before scoring again in a 2-0 final win over Spain. Despite lacking athleticism and physicality, Platini completely made up for such shortcomings with incredible technical ability, skill and the speed of his football brain. He won the Balon D'or 3 times consecutively between 1983 and 1985.

Left Attacking Midfield- Diego Maradona- Argentina

From the moment Diego Maradona made his debut for Argentinos Juniors 10 days before his 16th birthday, his nickname "El Pibe de Oro (the Golden Boy) was a fitting one. Growing to be only 5 foot 5 inches tall, Maradona used his diminutive height to his advantage with his low centre of gravity aiding him in being an astonishingly gifted dribbler, as quick as he was skilful. And what he lacked in height, he made up for in strength with his stocky frame helping him to ride challenges and brush defenders out of his way.

After a season with his dream club Boca Juniors, Maradona moved to FC Barcelona but after just 2 seasons he moved on again to Napoli, in doing so becoming the first player to set the world record transfer fee twice. Napoli were an unfashionable mid-table club, but with Maradona who quickly took on the role of a demigod to the people of Naples, Napoli won 2 Serie A titles and the UEFA Cup with absolutely everything running through their number 10. Maradona's demons were never far away though and his battle with drug addiction worsened, he left the club for short-lived stints with Sevilla and Newell's Old Boys before retiring at his beloved Boca Juniors.

Having narrowly missed out on making the 1978 World Cup squad, which Argentina won at home, Maradona featured at 4 World Cups. His most memorable performance came in 1986, where he carried Argentina to the trophy, scoring 5 and assisting 5 of Argentina's 14 goals. He scored what will forever be the most memorable brace in Football history in the Quarters against England. First Maradona scored the "Hand of God" goal, the most infamous goal ever as he jumped to punch the ball into the net, an action that was missed by nearby officials, and then just 4 minutes later he scored one of the greatest goals ever as he dribbled from the half-way line past any Englishman who tried to tackle him before rounding Shilton and slotting it home. Not satisfied, Maradona scored another world class brace in the Semis against Belgium, before assisting Burruchaga's winner in the final in a 3-2 win over West Germany.

Maradona will forever be considered one of the greatest footballers ever, and one of the best number 10's ever due to his dribbling, creative passing, finishing and free-kick taking ability. His dribbling in particular was at a level not seen before, and only seen since in the figure of another diminutive Argentinian number 10, Lionel Messi.

Striker- Marco Van Basten- Netherlands

Van Basten came through the ranks at Ajax, and quickly began scoring at a prolific rate in the first team, 154 goals in 174 games convinced Berlusconi to bring him to AC Milan. Van Basten helped Milan to dominate at home and on the continent, winning 2 European Cups with the Dutch striker netting a brace in the first final in 1989. A year before Van Basten lifted the Euros with the Netherlands, scoring one of the greatest goals in Football history, a stunning acrobatic volley from what appeared to be an impossible angle in the Final against the Soviet Union.

Serious injury unfortunately curtailed his career prematurely, with Van Basten playing his last match at just 28 years old. However, having netted over 300 goals the Dutchman still established himself as one of the greatest Number 9's ever. Nicknamed the "Swan of Utrecht" for his elegant style, Van Basten was one of the most complete strikers of all time. He could score all types of goals from all types of positions, having a knack for the acrobatic and a spectacular goal catalogue including a number of volleys and bicycle kicks. The power and accuracy on either foot meant that he could be deadly from outside the box and from inside his intelligent movement and heading ability meant he was always dangerous. Van Basten won the Balon D'or on 3 occasions, first winning in 1988 and then again in 1989 and 1992.

Subs:

Andreas Brehme- Germany

Brehme was an attacking full-back and one of the best left-backs of his era. He played alongside Matthaus at Bayern Munich and then Inter Milan, aswell as for the Germany national side, with Matthaus describing him as "the best player I ever played with". With West Germany, Brehme reached 2 World Cup Finals, both against Argentina losing the first and winning the second, with Brehme himself scoring the games only goal from the penalty spot in the 1990 final in Italy.

Brehme retired at Kaiserslautern, a club he'd represented earlier on his career and he finished his career in remarkable fashion helping them to lift the Bundesliga title. Brehme stood out for being truly ambidextrous, with his national team coach at the time, Franz Beckenbauer remarking "I have known him for 20 years and I still don't know if he is left or right footed." Brehme reportedly believed his right foot to be more accurate, but his left foot to be more powerful.

Kenny Dalglish- Scotland

"King Kenny" began his career with Glasgow Celtic where he scored prolifically and won a whole host of domestic honours before joining Liverpool for a British record fee. He would spend the rest of his career on Merseyside winning 6 league titles and 3 European Cups, with Dalglish scoring the only goal in the first of those finals against Club Brugge in 1978. In 1985 Dalglish became player-manager for Liverpool and gradually played less and less over the years, until his retirement in 1990.

Dalglish had the unenviable task of trying to fill the boots of Kevin Keegan at Liverpool, and most would agree he went on to surpass him forming a deadly partnership with Ian Rush, with Dalglish operating just behind him in the hole. Dalglish was the 1983 runner-up for the Balon D'or.

Karl-Heinze Rummenigge- Germany

Rumminegge won the European Cup in his first 2 seasons as a pro with Bayern Munich in the mid-70s. In the early 80's he established himself as one of the best strikers in the world, as his goals helped fire Bayern to Bundesliga titles. From there Rumminegge spent 3 years with Inter Milan before retiring in Switzerland. With the West Germany national team, Rumminegge won the Euros in 1980 and reached back-to-back finals in 1982 and 1986, though was on the losing side on both occasions.

Rumminegge won the Balon D'or in consecutive years in 1980 and 1981, and was the runner-up in 1979. A versatile forward he could play anywhere across the forward line, aswell as the main centre-forward he could also play as a winger due to his exceptional pace or as a second striker.

[xtruss]

It’s Time To Sideline “The Terrorist, War Criminal, Apartheid, Liar, Conspirator, Zionist 🐖 And The Illegal Regime of Israel” from International Sports

A Boycott of Isra-helli Soccer Could Accomplish What Other BDS Efforts Have Failed to Do: Dent the Country’s Own Sense of Legitimacy.

— Foreign Policy | Tuesday July 16, 2024 | By Daniel Levy & Tony Karon

Demonstrators call for FIFA to expel “The Terrorist, War Criminal, Apartheid , Liar, Conspirator, Zionist 🐖 and The Illegal Regime of Israel” on May 28, 2015 in Zurich, Switzerland. Fabrice Coffrini/AFP Via Getty Images

FIFA, Global Soccer’s Governing Body, is facing growing calls to ban Israel’s teams from international competitions. The Palestinian Football Association has formally demanded action in response to the dire humanitarian situation created by Israel’s nine-month assault on Gaza, the ongoing disruption of Palestinian soccer imposed by Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory, and the fact that teams from Israel’s illegal West Bank settlements play in its domestic leagues in violation of FIFA rules. The international body has long evaded efforts within its councils to sanction Israel, but the pressure of disruptive protest action in and around the world’s football stadiums could force a change.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino had artfully played for time by insisting his organization needed legal advice, despite the federation’s precedent of barring Russia within weeks of its invasion of Ukraine. FIFA has promised to convene its council to consider the issue by July 20, but it was put on notice on a breezy evening in Glasgow as Scotland’s women prepared to face Israel’s on May 31.

Scottish protesters harassed the Israeli squad from the moment it landed in Glasgow, posting social media videos of the players in IDF uniforms during their military service, demonstrating outside the team’s hotel, and preventing them training in the stadium. The Israeli players could hear the shouts of the protesters from outside the ground in the silent stadium.

“We had to scream the national anthem because the Scots didn’t play it on the stadium loudspeaker,” one Israeli player told Haaretz.

The Glasgow Euro 2025 qualifier match demonstrated that continuing to defer action on Israel could pose a growing risk of disruption for global soccer—and showed that fans possess a form of leverage that may be more effective than formal pleas to the FIFA council. Fear of disruption had prompted the authorities to stage the match behind closed doors, barring entry to fans. (Even then, hundreds of raucous protesters showed up outside the city’s iconic Hampden Park stadium, and one managed to delay the kickoff by sneaking inside and chaining himself to a goal post.)

Soccer in an empty stadium, as the COVID lockdown era reminded us, is a pale shadow of the spectacle that makes it the world’s premier (and most lucrative) TV viewing.

A sports boycott is no silver bullet to end Israel’s genocidal campaign in Gaza or its long-term denial of Palestinian rights. But a conditional ban on competing internationally in a sport with broad social popularity can destabilize the offending regime’s own sense of legitimacy by highlighting for ordinary citizens the abnormality of their reality in the eyes of the world.

The Risk Of Disruption Is Clear in Israel’s scheduled matches against Mali, Paraguay, and Japan during the Paris Olympics and European Nations League fixtures that see the Israelis play in Belgium, Italy, and France in the fall.

The Scottish players’ refusal to shake hands with Israel’s also signals that many players are beginning to break the silence imposed by federations, leagues, and owners on making statements deemed political.

Dissident player expressions of support for the Palestinians aren’t new. At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Moroccan players celebrated their Cinderella run to the semifinals by brandishing Palestinian flags in a powerful symbolic rebuke to normalization of ties with Israel by their own and other Arab governments.

The Gaza offensive saw many more players step forward to express solidarity, some at great cost such as Dutch-Moroccan forward Anwar El Ghazi, whose contract was terminated by the German club Mainz (a move even the German courts have now deemed illegal) after he resisted pressure to back down from tweets supporting Palestinian freedom.

But the tide seems to be turning. The recent “All Eyes on Rafah” viral phenomenon was reposted by a number of the game’s biggest names, including Arsenal’s William Saliba, Barcelona’s João Cancelo, Paris St. Germain’s Ousmane Dembélé, Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson, Atalanta’s Gianluca Scamacca, AC Milan’s Rafael Leão, Inter Milan’s Marcus Thuram, 2023 women’s Ballon D’Or winner Aitana Bonmatí, BBC broadcaster and England icon Gary Lineker, and many more.

With growing numbers of players uncomfortable or outraged at maintaining normal sporting relations with a country committing daily war crimes, sports federations are likely to face a growing headache.

Fans have power, also—they’re an essential part of the chemistry that makes soccer the premier global TV spectacle, and inside a stadium, they can’t easily be silenced or pacified. When the rapper Macklemore spoke out for Palestinian rights at a concert in Mönchengladbach, Germany, he was breaking the bizarre German taboo on plain speaking about Israel. “To atone for our past is by today standing up against apartheid, against occupation, against genocide—for free Palestine,” he declared, to rapturous applause from 19,000 people.

There’s a precedent of course: the global anti-apartheid sports boycott that had a significant psychological impact on the morale of the white social base of the South African regime.

In 1981, A Mass Protest Campaign Successfully Disrupted the 1981 Springbok rugby tour of New Zealand, which led to South Africa’s banning from all international competition. Rugby had been the apartheid regime’s game of choice, in which its international prowess was an immense source of pride.

The conservative International Rugby Board—dominated by the federations of Britain and its former settler colonies—had resisted mounting pressure to exclude South Africa. But in 1981, the Halt All Racist Tours movement rallied tens of thousands of citizens to protest and disrupt matches, even physically forcing the cancellation of one of the early games.

For South Africans fighting apartheid it was an inspiring symbol of international solidarity—Nelson Mandela once recalled feeling it as a moment of “the sun coming out” when news reached him in prison on Robben Island of a Springbok match canceled because of protests in New Zealand. And for young people in white homes, it was the first inkling that the social system most white South Africans treated as normal was, in fact, intolerable to those they might deem peers elsewhere.

Referencing an earlier boycott campaign against a rugby tour of the U.K., South African writer Donald McRae wrote: “I was an eight-year-old boy living near Johannesburg when that tour ended and it was the first time I realised the outside world hated South Africa … it needed the sports protests and eventual boycotts to force boys like me to wonder what was wrong with our country.”

The New Zealand disruptions finally forced the IRB to act, banning South Africa from international competition later that year—a ban that remained in place until the apartheid regime had capitulated and set South Africa on the road to democracy, with the restoration of its place in international rugby also being deployed as a powerful incentive to the old regime’s base to embrace the transition to majority rule.

Attempts at disruption are likely to increase the headache facing soccer administrators scheduling matches involving Israel. South Africa showed that an effective sports boycott can take years of grassroots activism to muster, and years more to focus the minds of the targeted population on the need to change course. International sports federations had to be forced by the disruptive pressure of grassroots civil society activism to take action; their default was to ignore what they see as an unwelcome intrusion of “politics” into their business.

Although soccer may not be the source of national pride that rugby was for South Africa (Israel’s national teams and clubs simply aren’t top-tier competitors), involvement in European competitions has become key part of the normalcy experienced by millions of Israelis even as their state keeps their Palestinian neighbors shackled in a brutal apartheid regime.

As their country continues to conduct daily mass civilian killings in Gaza and deploy starvation as a weapon of war, Israeli fans can look forward to their national and club teams joining international competitions in the fall. Ordinary Israelis may be able to convince themselves that the protests on the streets and campuses of Western capitals represent a Hamas-aligned radical fringe, but if such pillars of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “civilized world” as FIFA and UEFA were to kick it out, the blow would penetrate the iron-dome of imagined legitimacy that sanctifies Israel’s brutality.

Legitimacy in Western eyes has always been a singular Israeli obsession. It is that eternal quest for reassurance that its status and actions are deemed legitimate among the community of Western nations of which it imagines itself part that makes Israel especially vulnerable, as apartheid South Africa was because of similar settler-colonial origins, to the withholding of that legitimacy.

This vulnerability may be even more pronounced in the soccer sphere, because of Israel’s accession to the European federation, UEFA, in 1994. Before that, Israel had played under the auspices of the Asian confederation—though it hadn’t actually played very much, because of a decades-long boycott by Arab and Muslim countries. Acceptance as part of UEFA allowed it to qualify for the World Cup and regional tournaments against European opponents, it also meant Israeli club teams competing in the Champions League and other UEFA competitions. Israel had finally been welcomed into the sport’s “civilized world.”

The impact of the more successful current BDS efforts—boycotts of Israeli consumer products or divestment by college endowments—hardly penetrate the consciousness of most ordinary Israelis. The bans and sanctions announced by the U.S. and European governments targeting a handful of the more militant leaders of Israel’s vast state-sponsored system of illegal settlements in the West Bank barely even register as the equivalent of a parking ticket. While a growing number of musicians are refusing to perform in Israel, enough still show up to avoid Israelis feeling a more pervasive sense of missing out.

That’s what happened to apartheid South Africa’s ruling community, in their game of choice, world rugby. Like so many of today’s Jewish Israelis, most white South Africans had precious little idea of how abnormal their system was in the eyes of global civil society.

The withdrawal of legitimacy symbolized by a boycott is most powerful when it happens suddenly, kicking away a prop of a regime’s self-image. FIFA seemed aware of this in 2014 when, in response to Russia annexing Crimea, it warned Moscow that including teams from occupied territory in its domestic league program—a direct violation of FIFA statutes—would result in Russia losing hosting rights for the 2018 World Cup. A move which temporarily slowed Russian incorporation of Crimean-based teams. And the 2022 invasion of Ukraine earned Russia a swift red card despite the disruptions caused to that year’s World Cup program.

Israel, of course, violates the same statute as Russia would have if it had allowed Crimean teams into its domestic league. According to FIFA’s own regulations, this should be an open and shut case. FIFA recognizes and has Palestine compete in its competitions; the Israeli Football Association includes teams from illegal settlements in the area recognized by FIFA as under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian FA (including Beitar Ma’ale Adumim, Hapoel Bik’at HaYarden and Beitar Ironi Ariel), but no action has been taken.

Lobbying FIFA from the top, of course, requires persuading institutions that are not exactly transparent or accountable, making it easier for Israel and its allies to leverage political and economic power in their favor to avoid sanction.

As the South African example shows, institutions won’t act until the consequences of not acting become too costly to absorb. Fan pressure forcing the Glasgow match to be played behind closed doors demonstrated the power to make clear to authorities that inviting Israel invites disruption, and the potential “chaos” FIFA cited as its reason for banning Russia.

The South African sports boycott was based on the principle that there could be no normal sport in (or with) an abnormal society. The impact of cutting Israel off from international competition will be to show millions of ordinary Israelis that the world does not accept the behavior of their state as normal or acceptable.

— Daniel Levy is President of the U.S./Middle East Project and served as an Israeli peace negotiator at the Oslo-B talks under Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and the Taba negotiations under Prime Minister Ehud Barak.

— Tony Karon is the editorial lead of AJ+, the Al Jazeera social media brand. Born and raised in South Africa, where he was active in the anti-apartheid movement, he also teaches at the New School in New York City.

[vertonghen]

Hello! Can I ask you in your belgium nt capacity about youri tielemans? Is he good/do we rate him? He seems sweet and his stats from the last Belgium game were nuts

hii yes please always ask me about the belgians i’m always happy to talk about them! just a warning that this will be 1) biased bc he’s belgian and i love him and 2) very long and disorganized im going into this with no layout in mind

okay so youri is currently coming off his worst season in a while but don’t let that scare you, he’s actually very good in my opinion. also villa getting him for FREE is the best transfer of this entire window, that’s huge!

a little bit of history on him: he went through the anderlecht youth academy which has been called “the best talent factory in belgium” (romelu lukaku, dries mertens, vincent kompany, marouane fellaini are all big name products of the academy)

he made his first team belgian debut in 2016 at 19 years old. he was one of the youngest guys on the squad then and is now one of the last remaining links between the “golden generation” and the new generation. he was called up to the 2018 world cup squad and played a few matches, most notably in the 2-0 win against england in which he performed well. he helped belgium secure their best ever finish in the world cup and after that has been a regular starter for belgium.

okay now a bit about his playing. he initially started as a defensive midfielder because his long range passing is incredible but after a while switched to being an attacking midfielder because of his impressive shot power, scanning and ability to play with both feet. he can play as either an attacking, central or defensive midfielder but for belgium he usually plays as the first two, not sure what position he played primarily in leicester but i assume the same! he doesn’t have a huge number of g/a to his name but that’s not where he shines, when played in his optimal position he’s a very good support player and chance creator.

i think he’s been pretty overlooked both in the prem and in belgium as well. when opposing fans are worried about leicester for example, we talk more about maddison or barnes, but he was their second best player (according to fotmob) even in his worst season so i think that tells you something. ALSO i just remembered, i’m pretty sure leicester won the FA cup one year because of youri’s absolute screamer of a goal, i’d have to double check that though. he’s also only 26 so getting him for free is such a steal (i’m very jealous i want him at spurs we need to start filling our belgian quota again.)

personality wise i adore him. he’s got such a gorgeous smile like i’m obsessed, he’s always smiling in belgium bts videos :,) he’s a very chill guy, 2 kids and a wife, no big scandals to his name from my knowledge, he’ll blend in nicely with the av squad! a bit on the quieter side in bigger groups of people but that might just be because everyone on the belgium squad are loudmouths lmfao he’s a sweetheart though i love him very much.

i was watching this video the other day with him (he’s the one sitting in the middle) in it, it gives a tiny insight on his personality but more importantly it shows you how pretty his smile is 😌

i can’t think of what else to say but tl:dr, yes we rate him, i think under the right coaching he’ll soar! if you want to talk about anything else regarding him let me know, you can message me or send an ask again i’d love to talk about him some more!!!

[armchairfootballer]

How good is Canada?

This year's Copa América opened with the defending Copa (and world) champions, Argentina — led by one of the greatest players of all time — against a nation that had to win a playoff match against Trinidad & Tobago to even qualify. While the world #1 ranked team emerged victorious, much of the post-match commentary focused on the positive performance of their 48th-ranked opponents, Canada.

After a 2-0 lost to La Albiceleste, the Canucks posted a victory against Peru and held on for draw against two-time champions Chile. And despite being the lowest ranked team in their group and being on no one's list to progress far within the competition, Canada advanced to the quarterfinals having scored only 1 goal throughout the entire group stage.

A quarterfinal win against Venezuela on penalties catapulted Canada to the semifinals of the oldest and one of the most prestigious international soccer competitions in the world, not to mention a rematch with Messi and Argentina. And while the Reds would once again fall short, pundits described their performance as "gutsy."

So how good is this Canada team under new head coach Jesse Marsch? Do they actually have what it takes to make some waves as they co-host the 2026 World Cup? Or are there factors beyond his control that will always limit approbations to mentions of their "effort" and "spirit"?

A History of Not Meeting the Moment

This isn't the first time Canada has gone unexpectedly deep into a tournament. They won the 1985 CONCACAF Championship to earn the confederation's lone qualification spot for the 1986 World Cup. Although they were drawn in a tough group with the Soviet Union and France, Canada still disappointed fans, losing all three of their games and failing to score a single goal.

At the 2000 Gold Cup, Canada defeated Mexico in the quarterfinals, an ascendant T&T in the semis, and guests Colombia in the finals to win the tournament — the only time a country other than the U.S. or Mexico has ever won it.

Canada was tops of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying in 2022, equalling Mexico's record but maintaining a far superior goal difference. Under coach John Herdman, the Reds rose from 72nd to 33rd in the world rankings. But their showing in Qatar was only marginally better than at Mexico '86.

While experts agreed they were the better side in their opening contest against Belgium, the team still lost 1-0. Like in their recent loss to Argentina, Canada was lauded for excellent player and for "bringing it" to one of the world's top squads. But the team would then suffer further defeats to eventual semifinalists Croatia and Morocco. The only silver lining was a goal for Alphonso Davies in the 2nd minute of the Croatia match, Canada's first in a World Cup. (The goal against Morocco was an own goal.)

Canada's history of regional success has consistently been followed by failure on the international stage. But can they break the cycle before June 12, 2026, when the first World Cup match in Canada will be played at Toronto's BMO field?

What Team Canada needs

Canada Soccer sure hopes Jesse Marsch knows how to alter the Canucks' fortunes. He may be blessed with a generation of players stronger than any other in the nation's history.

Alphonso Davies isn't a soccer superstar, but he's certainly one of the most respected players in Europe. His speed and versatility are tremendous assets for Bayern Munich, for whom he's played a key role in winning five Bundesliga titles and a Champion's league trophy. But he's the only player Canada has at that level.

Other strengths include Jonathan David, Cyle Larin, Tajon Buchanan, and Ismaël Koné, all playing in Europe's top leagues, and Toronto FC captain Jonathan Osorio.

But watching Canada play, it's clear that their talent can't compete with the top soccer-playing nations. Their finishing is sub-par. Their pass accuracy usually sits in the 75%–85% range, but they often seem to make the *wrong* passes. These are "football IQ" issues that come with experience of playing at the highest levels, something that Canada needs more opportunities for. Back-to-back World Cup appearances may help somewhat, but going deep into competitions like Copa América may be what's needed.

There's also an over-dependence on Davies in the big games, which Canada will need to overcome. That's where Jesse Marsch can really help develop things until Canada has an experiential record befitting of a top team.

Building a soccer culture

But personnel is just one piece of a much more complex, multi-dimensional puzzle. Marsch (and any future head coach) will need the support of Canada Soccer, an organization which itself may be immature and inexperienced compared to their international peers.

And, obviously, Canada needs to invest in soccer programs from the base level up, in an effort to build a culture of excellence and develop future talent.

But we can't fall into the trap of saying that Canada doesn't have a culture that supports football. Let's remember — our women's team has a historical ranking of 9th in the world, a World Cup semifinal appearance, Olympic gold, and two Olympic bronzes.

While part of that record may be attributable to the underdevelopment of women's soccer in other nations that put a lot into their men's game, we must still acknowledge the exceptional job Canadian women have done on the world stage. The 2018 decision to hire Herdman, then the women's coach, as the men's coach was evident of Canada Soccer's commitment to develop the men's game as well.

In the short-run, it may take a run of strong performances in high-level games. But Soccer Canada will need a much more robust long-term plan if Canada ever hopes to match, or even surpass, the achievements of their strongest CONCACAF peers and rivals, and — more importantly — build a reputation as a soccer nation worth taking seriously.

[ghanashowbizonline]

Sports - 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers: Nathaniel Adjei and Denis Odoi left out of Ghana squad for Mali, Central African Republic games due to injury

Ghana Sports Live; bringing you all trending sports news as it happens. Ghana’s head coach, Otto Addo left out Nathaniel Adjei and Denis Odoi from the Black Stars’ squad for the upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The duo has been sidelined due to injury, as Ghana prepares to face Mali and the Central African Republic (CAR) in June 2024. Odoi, who played a pivotal role in Club Brugge’s Belgium…