Neuza Back is about to make FIFA World Cup history…
The Brazilian referee, Mexico’s Karen Diaz and Stephanie Frappart will become the first all-women refereeing team for a men’s World Cup match as they have been named to take charge of the Costa Rica-Germany Group E match on Thursday, FIFA has announced.
Frappart, the fourth official for the Poland-Mexico Group C clash last week, will be the main referee as she reaches another milestone after being the first female to officiate at a men’s World Cup qualifier in March and Champions League match in 2020.
Neuza and Diaz will serve as assistants.
Salima Mukansanga of Rwanda and Yamashita Yoshimi of Japan are also taking part at the tournament in Qatar.
Gavi has kicked his way in to the World Cup history books…
The 18-year-old Spanish midfielder has become the third-youngest goal scorer in FIFA World Cup history and youngest since Brazil legend Pele in 1958 with his 74th-minute strike in a 7-0 win against Costa Rica on Wednesday.
When he stepped on the field to start the game, the Barcelona prodigy also became the youngest player (18 years, 110 days) to appear for Spain in a major international tournament (World Cup or European Championship).
“I never dreamed to be here at this age,” Gavi said through an interpreter. “I’m so happy to be here. This is only one step. I need to keep going.”
Pele was aged 17 years, 249 days when he scored in Brazil’s 1958 World Cup final win over Sweden. He holds the record for the youngest to score in a World Cup when scoring 10 days earlier in the quarterfinals.
Mexico‘s Manuel Rosas is the second-youngest scorer, aged 18 years and 93 days when finding the net in the inaugural 1930 tournament.
Spain led 4-0 when a driving run from Alejandro Balde pierced the Costa Rica defense and after goalkeeper Keylor Navas’ partial clearance, Alvaro Morata found Gavi on a late-arriving run.
The teenager struck it with the outside of his right boot and it deflected in off the right post in what was one of the most impressive displays of skill in the tournament so far.
His overall contribution earned him FIFA‘s player of the match award.
“It was a great game. We started from the first minute to win this game and I’m really happy,” Gavi said. “Now I’m waiting for the next one. I’m really happy to win MVP but today we all did a really great game and I’m really happy for all of them.
“I know I’m the youngest in the team and I respect everyone, but on the field it’s different and I bring out my best. I’m proud to be in that podium.”
It was a historically dominant win for Spain, who didn’t allow a single shot and recorded the most passes (1,043) and highest possession percentage (81.3) in a World Cup match since at least 1966.
Spain’s victory was the most lopsided win at a World Cup since Portugal beat North Korea 7-0 in 2010.
The 28-year-old Colombian singer, songwriter and actor is joining voices with Nicki Minaj and Lebanese artist Myriam Fares to release a new official World Cup anthem this Friday, November 18, according to FIFA.
The single will be released via Universal Arabic Music/Universal Music Group/ Republic Records.
Titled “Tukoh Taka,” the track will make history as the first FIFA World Cup song featuring English, Spanish and Arabic lyrics.
The cross-continental collaboration features a high-energy synergy between Minaj, Maluma and Fares as they rap and sing about uniting fans worldwide and celebrating together.
Fans can also expect a “cinematic” music video premiere to accompany the track that same day.
This year, FIFA has released a handful of official songs for the 2022 World Cup. The first song released was the uplifting track “Hayya Hayya (Better Together),” featuring Trinidad Cardona, Davido and Aisha, which fuses R&B and reggae influences. For the first time ever, the tournament’s soundtrack will feature a multi-song collection, with international artists “showcasing diverse musical genres that span the world, setting the tone for a truly global celebration,” according to FIFA.
In 1990, almost sixty years after the first-ever edition of the World Cup, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) began to adopt songs that would become the official soundtrack of the global soccer event, which happens every four years.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup kicks off on November 20 with host nation Qatar’s tournament opener against Ecuador. A total of 32 teams representing different countries will participate. In the end, one is crowned the World Cup champion on December 18.
Trinidad Cardona is readying to take the global stage…
The 23-year-old Mexican and African American R&B singer, social media personality and songwriter is along a prestigious list of global artists set to take part in the 2022 FIFA Fan Festival.
The announcement comes as the World Cup gets set to launch in Qatar later this month.
In addition to Cardona, other artists playing on the festival’s main stage include Calvin Harris and Diplo, along with Canadian/Morroccan singer Nora Fatehi and Nigerian singer/songwriter Kizz Daniel.
“I’ve been really fortunate to travel all over the world and experience different cultures through music,” says Diplo. “Wherever I am, Jamaica, Spain, England, China, South Africa, etc., football is a social constant. Seeing so many fans from all over the world in one place – the FIFA Fan Festival is just awesome. Really looking forward to it!”
“I’m so excited to be playing for football fans from all over the world at this year’s FIFA Fan Festival,” adds Harris.
The five shows start in Qatar on November 22 with Diplo’s performance and extend through December 10 when Harris closes out the event. The Fan Festival promises music, entertainment, local culture, food and games along with loads of soccer.
These live performances are just one part of the musical offerings associated with the World Cup, the global soccer event in which 32 teams — representing different countries — participate with one, in the end, being crowned World Cup champion.
As has been tradition for many years, a select number of songs officially soundtrack the tournament, and so far this year several songs associated to the World Cup have been released, with a few including “Hayya Hayya (Better Together)” being part of the official FIFA soundtrack.
The 18-year-old Spanish professional footballer has won the Kopa Trophy, the award presented to the best player under age 21, prior to the 2022 Ballon d’Or presentation.
The Barca midfielder, who turned 18 in August, claimed the prize ahead of Borussia Dortmund‘s Jude Bellinghamand Bayern Munich‘s Jamal Musiala.
He succeeds Barcelona teammate Pedri, last year’s winner.
After breaking into the first-team setup at age 16 last year, Gavi went on to make 47 appearances for Barca in all competitions in 2021-22, scoring two goals.
His performances for the Catalan club earned him a call-up to the Spain national team and he became the youngest player to ever represent La Roja, at the age of 17 years and 62 days.
Gavi has since won 12 caps for Spain and is a regular for club and country heading into next month’s FIFA World Cup.
Armando Bo’s look into how a Brazilian man wrestled control from Europe of the biggest sport on earth is headed to Prime Video.
Amazon will release the 43-year-old Argentine Oscar-winning screenwriter and film director’s Amazon OriginalEl Presidente: The Corruption Game on November 4.
Bo’s Latin American series focuses on João Havelange.
In a neat historical echo, backed by Bo’s About Entertainment,Narcos producer Gaumont TV, Pablo and Juan de DiosLarraín’s Fabula and Argentine powerhouse Kapow, the second season in the El Presidente series saga of soccer business high jinks and low morals now looks set to become one of the biggest soccer titles released in the countdown to the greatest show on earth, the FIFA World Cup.
Whether FIFA will be entirely comfortable with it is another matter, if a trailer, shared in exclusivity with Variety, is anything to go by.
One of Iberseries’ biggest market premieres, El Presidente: The Corruption Game had its world premiere of its first two episodes on October 14 at this year’s reinvigorated Festival do Rio.
Season 1 turned on the feckless, sly, amoral but simpático Sergio Jadue, a Chilean small town soccer club supremo who’s elected president of Chile’s soccer association. The wrong man in the right place, a fish out of water, he rises in FIFA’s hierarchy, sparking FIFA Gate, a $150 million corruption scandal. Bo tells the story as ironic farce.
Now narrated by Jadue, The President: The Corruption Game teases out the human tragedy in a still arch comedy, which unspools on a far grander scale.
It takes on another extraordinary – but far more towering – figure, Brazil’s Havelange, FIFA president over 1974-98. A hulking giant with dashing blond looks, Havelange dedicated his life to serving Brazil – swimming in the 1936 Berlin Games, working as the vice-president of the Brazilian Sports Confederation from 1958 to 1973, when Brazil won three World Cups – and to serving himself from FIFA’s gravy train.
Glimpsed in the trailer, colorful scenes kick off El Presidente: The Corruption Game with Havelange fuming as Pele is literally kicked out of the first round of England’s 1966 Word Cup, Havelange, the son of a Belgian arms dealer, is outraged by a FIFA meeting where “third world” members are forced to sit in a different room from their European colleagues.
In 1974, as Johan Cruyff forged the modern game on-field, Havelange began to revolutionize its economics and reach – central events in the second season.
Seizing control of FIFA from Sir Stanley Rous, a neo-colonial buffer, over the next 24 years, he created soccer’s modern global business, powered by sponsorship and TV deals, while enlarging the World Cup to 32 teams and introducing a FIFA Women’s World Cup.
But Havelange did so at a tremendous cost, opening FIFA up to multi-million bribery and money laundering and losing his friends, family and honor when he fell into final total disgrace over the 2015-16 FIFA Gate at the age of 98.
El Presidente: The Corruption Game, a mixture of near doc recreation and self-declared fiction, begins with a doddery Havelange, now celebrating his 100th birthday. Only one guest accepts his invitation.
Much of this is caught in the fast-paced, extensive trailer. Havelange used Brazil’s stunning 1970 World Cup triumph to bid to become FIFA president. He is rebuffed by Europe’s still colonial FIFA members. “Even if Brazil wins 100 World Cups, decisions will never be made in the colonies,” FIFA general secretary Helmut Kässer tells him.
Havelange launches an extraordinary play for the votes of poor countries, winning them by his promises, backhanders and a tour of Africa with Pele.
“FIFA is entering the future,” Havelange announces in the trailer. Nobody transformed soccer more off the field more than he did. It wasn’t all for the better.
In a countdown to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, the 30-year-old Puerto Rican/Dominican singer and rapper has joined voices with French-Congolese rapper Gims to release the new track “Arhbo,” part of the official soundtrack.
The feel-good track is named after the local slang word for “welcome” in Qatar and “perfectly embodies the welcoming spirit of the Arabian country.
“I think ‘Bienvenidos’, ‘welcome home’ says it all,” Ozuna said in a press statement. “Whatever journey everyone was on, it brought them here, to this moment, and for that moment they are home. They say that ‘home is where the heart is, right? El hogar está donde está el corazón. For all the people who are coming, and all the people who, with all their hearts, want to come, we are saying, ‘bienvenidos’, welcome home!”
The Columbus Crewhave signed the 29-year-old Argentine attacking midfielder to a new three-year contract that will keep him with the team through at least 2024.
The Designated Player deal also contains a club option for 2025.
Zelarayan spent the last two seasons with the Crew, leading Columbus to the 2020 MLS Cup title — a match in which he was named MVP — and winning that season’s Newcomer of the Year award.
In 53 appearances across all competitions, he scored 21 goals and added 19 assists.
“Over the past two seasons Lucas has proven himself to be one of the top game-changers in MLS and we are excited to sign him to a new contract,” Crew general manager Tim Bezbatchenko said in a statement. “Lucas has proven that he can perform under pressure, and he shines time and time again when the spotlight is brightest. We look forward to seeing what else Lucas and the team can achieve together in 2022 and beyond.”
A native of Cordoba, Argentina, Zelarayan rose through the ranks of Belgrano‘s academy all the way to the first team, making his debut as a 19-year-old in 2012. He went on to make 81 league and cup appearances, scoring 10 goals.
In 2016, Zelarayan moved to Liga MX side Tigres UANL. He went on to make 140 league and cup appearances, scoring 23 goals, and leading Tigres to three Liga MX crowns and three Campeon de Campeones titles.
At the international level, Zelarayan qualified for Armenian citizenship through his father, and has earned four caps for the Armenianational team, making his debut in October of 2021 against Iceland in a UEFA group-stage match for FIFA World Cup qualification.
The 34-year-old Argentine professional footballer and Argentina captain is fit again, and he’s set to start during Argentina’s World Cup qualifier against Brazil on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Neymar will miss out for the visitors after feeling pain in his thigh, according to to team.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni made similar comments ahead of their last game, a 1-0 win over Uruguayon Friday, although Messi only appeared for the final 14 minutes of the match.
Argentina are second in South America’s 10-team qualifying group, six points behind Brazil, who are the only team from the region to have secured their place at Qatar2022 so far.
Scaloni repeated that Messi, 34, had recovered fully from the knee and hamstring issues that kept him out of Paris Saint-Germain‘s last two games and was ready for one of the biggest matches in the South American calendar.
“He was physically fit the other day and in the end we decided that the best thing was for him to play a few minutes so that he could get a feel for it and he is confirmed to play tomorrow,” Scaloni said of Tuesday’s match in San Juan.
“It’s going to be a very difficult game. They are the team that leads the qualifiers and they are already through to the finals.”
Brazil will be without Neymar after their top scorer reported feeling pains in the adductor region of his left thigh.
“Neymar Jr. said he felt insecure about the situation and as there is not enough time to carry out complementary exams the technical commission decided to rest the player who will not travel with the team to San Juan, location of Tuesday’s game against Argentina,” the Brazil team said in a statement.
The top four teams in South American qualifying progress automatically to next year’s FIFA World Cup finals and the fifth-placed side goes into an inter-regional playoff.
Shakira has another two billion reasons to celebrate…
The 41-year-old Colombian superstar’s “Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)” music video has surpassed two billion views on YouTube.
Shakira, who is currently crossing the U.S. on her El Dorado Tour, shared the news with her fans on Instagram. “Incredible,” she wrote.
The “Waka Waka” clip is Shak’s second video to reach the milestone, following “Chantaje” with Maluma, which hit the two-billion mark earlier this year.
On the Billboardcharts, Shakira’s “Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)” featuring Freshlyground peaked at No. 38 on the July 3, 2010-dated BillboardHot 100chart. It spent a total of 18 weeks on the chart.
“Waka Waka” was the official 2010 FIFA World Cup song.
Frappart, the fourth official for the Poland-Mexico Group C clash last week, will be the main referee as she reaches another milestone after being the first female to officiate at a men’s World Cup qualifier in March and Champions League match in 2020.
