Sports
Best FIFA Awards 2018: Luka Modric wins best player as Salah wins Puskas goal award
The Best FIFA Awards 2018 has arrived in London with a glittering ceremony and numerous awards to celebrate the very best in the game.
After Real Madrid’s Champions League glory over Liverpool in the final, there was the World Cup, with France edging out Croatia in the final in Russia.
Luka Modric beat Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah to the top prize.
“It is a great honour and a beautiful feeling to stand here with this amazing trophy. First of all, I would like to congratulate Mohamed and Cristiano.
“I am sure in the future you will have another opportunity to fight for this trophy.
“This award is not just mine. It is my teammates from Real Madrid and Croatia. Without my coaches, I would not have won this. Without my family, I would not be the player I am today.
“Thanks to my fans for all the great support and love they are showing me. It means a lot. Thanks to those who voted for me.
“I would just like to mention my footballing idol and former 1998 Croatia captain. He was my big inspiration and that team gave us believe we could create something in Russia.
“This award shows that we can all become the best with hard work and dedication. All your dreams can come true.”
There was some consolation for Salah, who had earlier picked up the Puskas Award for the season’s best goal, his stunning strike in the Merseyside derby at Anfield when Gareth Bale’s superb Champions League final volley had been widely tipped to win it.
France’s World Cup-winning boss Didier Deschamps claimed the coach of the year title ahead of Croatia’s Zlatko Dalic and Zinedine Zidane, formerly of Real.
Deschamps said: “We all know that being a coach, alone we can’t do anything, We are nothing without our players and I want to thank my whole team who worked to get me here and get me this trophy tonight.”
Brazil’s Marta collected her sixth women’s player of the year award, but her first since 2010 after finishing as runner-up on three occasions during the intervening years, while former Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois was named goalkeeper of the year.
Here are the winners of all the awards from London:
Results
FIFA Puskas Goal of the Year
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) vs Everton
Nominees: Gareth Bale (Real Madrid), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Lionel Messi (Argentina)
Coach of the Year
Didier Deschamps (France)
Nominees: Didier Deschamps (France), Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid) and Zlatko Dalic (Croatia)
Goalkeeper of the Year
Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea/Real Madrid/Belgium)
Nominees: Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea/Real Madrid/Belgium), Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City/Denmark) and Hugo Lloris (Tottenham/France)
Best Women’s Coach
Reynald Pedros (Lyon)
Nominees: Sarina Wiegman (Netherlands), Asako Takakura (Japan), Reynald Pedros (Lyon)
FIFA Fan Award
Peru fans
Nominees: Sebastian Carrera, Japan and Senegal fans, Peru fans
Fair Play Award
Lennart Thy
FIFA Fifpro World XI
David de Gea (Manchester United)
Dani Alves (Paris Saint-Germain)
Raphael Varane (Real Madrid)
Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid)
Marcelo (Real Madrid)
Luka Modric (Real Madrid)
N’Golo Kante (Chelsea)
Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)
Best Women’s Award
Marta (Orlando Pride/Brazil)
Nominees: Ada Hegerberg, Dzsenifer Marozsan and Marta
Best Men’s Award
Luka Modric (Real Madrid/Croatia)
Nominees: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid/Juventus/Portugal), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool/Egypt) and Luka Modric (Real Madrid/Croatia)
Sports
German Coach, Labbadia Named New Head Coach of Super Eagles
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed the appointment of German tactician Bruno Labbadia as the new Head Coach of Nigeria’s Senior Men’s National Team, the Super Eagles.
This development was announced by the NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, in the early hours of Tuesday, following the approval of the NFF Executive Committee based on a recommendation from its Technical and Development Sub-Committee. Labbadia’s appointment takes immediate effect.
Born on 8th February 1966 in Darmstadt, Germany, Labbadia enjoyed a distinguished playing career, earning two caps for the German national team. His club career included stints at prominent clubs such as Darmstadt 98, Hamburger SV, FC Kaiserslautern, Bayern Munich, FC Cologne, Werder Bremen, Arminia Bielefeld, and Karlsruher SC. Notably, he won the Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich in 1994.
Labbadia’s coaching career has seen him manage top-tier clubs such as Hertha Berlin, VfB Stuttgart, VfL Wolfsburg, Hamburger SV, and Bayer Leverkusen, among others. He holds a UEFA Pro License and is well-regarded for his tactical acumen.
With his appointment, Labbadia becomes the sixth German to lead the Super Eagles, following in the footsteps of Karl-Heinz Marotzke, Gottlieb Göller, Manfred Höner, Berti Vogts, and Gernot Rohr. Höner notably guided the Super Eagles to a runner-up finish at the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations, while Rohr qualified Nigeria for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Labbadia’s immediate task is to prepare the Super Eagles for their upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches.
Nigeria will face Benin Republic on Saturday, 7th September in Uyo, and Rwanda on Tuesday, 10th September in Kigali. The team will also play four additional qualifying matches in October and November as they aim to secure a spot in the 2025 AFCON, scheduled to be held from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
The Super Eagles, placed in Group D, will face familiar foes Benin Republic, who recently defeated Nigeria in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The draw for the AFCON qualifiers, held in Johannesburg, South Africa, last month, also sees Nigeria taking on Libya and Rwanda, both of whom are also part of the Super Eagles’ group for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers set to be hosted in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Labbadia’s appointment comes at a crucial time as the Super Eagles look to regain their dominance on the African continent and secure qualification for both the AFCON and the World Cup.
Sports
Finidi George Appointed as Technical Manager for Rivers United
Finidi George has stepped into a new role as the technical manager for NPFL side, Rivers United, following his resignation as coach of the Super Eagles.
During his brief tenure with the Eagles, George’s 1-1 draw against South Africa in Uyo and a 2-1 loss to Benin Republic in Abidjan cast doubts on Nigeria’s World Cup qualification, prompting calls from fans for his dismissal.
South Africa vs Nigeria: Why we failed to defeat Super Eagles – Percy Tau
Nevertheless, Rivers United, the 2021-22 champions, expressed optimism in a statement on Wednesday via their official handle about having the former Eagles international manage their team.
“Finidi brings a wealth of experience and expertise to our team, having had a distinguished playing career spanning over fifteen years,” the statement read.
Kanu advocates for establishment of standard soccer academies
Dr. Okey Kpalukwu, General Manager of Rivers United FC, welcomed George, stating, “We are delighted to have Finidi George join our team. His appointment marks a new chapter in our club’s history, and we are committed to working together to achieve success.”
Expressing his gratitude to the club, an elated George remarked, “I am honored to have this opportunity, and I thank the Sports Commissioner, the General Manager, and the supporters for their confidence in me. I am committed to working hard and making the team win.”
Sports
US Fund Oaktree ‘Takes Over Ownership’ Of Inter Milan
Inter Milan were taken over by US fund Oaktree on Wednesday after the Serie A champions’ outgoing owners Suning missed a deadline to repay a debt worth hundred of millions of euros.
In a statement, Oaktree announced they had “assumed control” of Inter after the non-repayment of a “three-year loan to Inter Milan’s holding companies that matured on 21 May 2024 with a total balance due of approximately 395 million euros ($428 million)”.
Chinese conglomerate Suning have relinquished control of Inter to Oaktree three days after the team were officially crowned Italian champions for the 20th time.
Suning borrowed 275 million euros at over 12 percent interest three years ago to pay staff and players as the Covid-19 pandemic ravaged the finances of clubs across Europe, putting up their controlling stake in the club as collateral.
“Oaktree is dedicated to achieving the best outcome for the long-term prosperity of Inter Milan, with an initial focus on operational and financial stability for the Club and its stakeholders,” Oaktree continued.
Inter became a powerful force at home and abroad after Suning acquired the club in 2016, with seven trophies including two Serie A titles and two European finals.
Simone Inzaghi’s team cruised to this year’s championship, winning the Scudetto with five matches remaining by beating AC Milan in a thrilling local derby.
Oaktree, which manages $192 billion in assets, said they are “committed to working closely with Inter Milan’s current management team, partners, the league and governing bodies to ensure the Club is positioned for success on and off the pitch”.
Inter ended up in the hands of Oaktree in a manner similar to the way another US fund, Elliott Management, took control of their local rivals Milan in 2018.
Elliott became Milan’s owners when Chinese businessman Li Yonghong was unable to repay a loan he had taken out when he bought the club from the late Silvio Berlusconi’s Fininvest the previous year.
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