South Korea striker Son is Messi and Ronaldo rolled into one

South Korea striker Son is Messi and Ronaldo rolled into one
Tottenham’ s Son Heung-min receives treatment after taking a knock during their Champions League match against Marseille and Tottenham Hotspur at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille, on Nov. 1, 2022. (AP)
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Updated 09 November 2022
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South Korea striker Son is Messi and Ronaldo rolled into one

South Korea striker Son is Messi and Ronaldo rolled into one
  • Son is his country’s Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo wrapped up into one
  • If he is to play any part in the World Cup, which starts on Nov. 20, it seems certain he will require a protective mask

MANCHESTER, England: When Son Heung-min went down clutching his face in a recent Champions League match, the pain was not confined to the Tottenham striker’s fractured eye socket.
The shockwaves were felt all the way back in his homeland of South Korea, where the nation collectively feared the worst ahead of the World Cup.
Son is his country’s Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo wrapped up into one. He is an immense source of national pride — having established himself as one of the leading soccer players in the world — and the greatest hope of success going into Qatar.
His injury in the match against Marseille was big news back home, with one publication describing it as “Korea’s big emergency.”
Tottenham later confirmed Son would require surgery, but no timeframe has been placed on his recovery. If he is to play any part in the World Cup, which starts on Nov. 20, it seems certain he will require a protective mask.
It’s a cruel blow for a player who, at the age of 30, is at his peak going into the tournament.
Last season, Son shared the Premier League’s Golden Boot with Liverpool forward Mo Salah as the leading scorers. He has not been as prolific this season, but there have still been highlights, including a hat trick against Leicester in September and two goals against Eintracht Frankfurt.
Qatar was an opportunity for him to reach new heights.
Son is a player who is constantly setting new benchmarks — dating back to when he first headed to Europe to join Hamburg’s academy in Germany in 2008. Marcell Jansen is now the club’s president, but back then he was a teammate and watched the forward’s early steps.
“I was immediately impressed by his mentality and attitude,” Jansen told The Associated Press. “He would always work extra shifts with his father and therefore trained twice as much as everyone else did.”
There is a common theme when people talk about Son’s qualities. His strength of character and determination are often mentioned, but his game-changing talent is what has seen him establish himself as one of the best forward in the sport.
His supreme balance, two-footedness, pace and finishing make him a complete attacking force that has complimented Harry Kane so effectively at Tottenham.
“I’ve rarely seen a player who shoots as well with his left foot as with his right, unbelievable,” Jansen said.
Jonas Boldt has made a career out of unearthing talent as a scout and sporting director for Bayer Leverkusen and now head of sport at Hamburg. He was at Leverkusen when the club signed Son from Hamburg for $8.7 million in 2013. At that point, the secret was out about the players’ talent in Germany, if not further afield.
“In terms of play, his strengths definitely lie in his short, quick movements and his finishing strength. These skills set him apart,” Boldt told the AP. “He was a talented footballer, without question. But his excellent mentality and his iron will are the attributes that made him even better at every level and made him this top player.
“Heung-min is a player who has proven himself time and again at a higher level and adapted. On top of that, with Tottenham he moved to a club that had a clear idea with him and a coach (Mauricio Pochettino) who didn’t pack him in cotton wool, but challenged him a lot. And here again Heung-min’s great character came into play.”
Son’s father, Woong-jung, is a former professional soccer player and has been a guiding force in his career. He would watch his son at training sessions when he moved to Germany.
While the elder Son has been instrumental, so, it seems, was his grounding in the German league, which has established itself as a rich developer of talent — most recently in the form of Erling Haaland at Borussia Dortmund before the Norwegian’s transfer to Manchester City.
Back in South Korea, Son’s celebrity is such that his endorsements range from banking to razors to instant noodles and cars. Every Tottenham game is screened live and an image of his face appears in the top corner to enable viewers to quickly determine if he is playing or not.
But that level of fame has not been replicated in England, despite Son being one of the Premier League’s top players.
“For me, it’s perfectly clear: Heung-min is not a player who constantly seeks the limelight and attention,” Brandt said. “If you look at the award ceremonies nowadays, such as the Golden Boot, the players’ self-marketing comes into play and plays a role. Maybe Heung-min doesn’t attach that much importance to it, seems a bit more shy.”
South Korean fans will be desperate to see that image of Son’s face in the corner of their television screens during the World Cup. But even if injury means he is unable to produce his best in Qatar, Jansen is convinced there is much more to come from him.
“The World Cup is a great stage for Sonny to represent himself and his country,” Jansen said. “But regardless of the World Cup, I’m sure that Sonny will have a career as long as Messi or Ronaldo because he’s such an incredibly fit player who lives for the sport.
“I expect him to go down in history as one of the greatest footballers from his country.”


Pakistan agrees contract deals that will allow players to get share of ICC revenue

Pakistan agrees contract deals that will allow players to get share of ICC revenue
Updated 6 sec ago
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Pakistan agrees contract deals that will allow players to get share of ICC revenue

Pakistan agrees contract deals that will allow players to get share of ICC revenue
  • There had been deadlock between the cricketers and Pakistan’s cricket board since contracts expired on June 30
  • Three Pakistani cricketers in the top category will get a monthly retainer of $15,600, says Pakistan Cricket Board

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board has agreed a “momentous” three-year central contract deal with its international squads that will include players getting a proportion of International Cricket Council revenue.
There had been deadlock between the squads and the PCB for several months since the contracts expired on June 30, with the players asking for their share in the revenue the board gets from the ICC, the game’s governing body.
The new three-year contract is backdated to July 1, 2023, but the cricket board said the performance of the players would be reviewed every 12 months.
“As many as 25 cricketers will be offered a momentous deal that will include a proportion of ICC revenue,” the PCB said in a statement on Wednesday.
It is the first time the PCB has merged the red-ball and white-ball contracts of the players, saying it is “aimed at promoting fairness and a transparent selection process.”
Each player in the four categories received a raise of more than 100 percent. Three in the top category, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi, will get a monthly retainer of $15,600.
“It is a historic deal,” skipper Babar said. “It has been a lengthy and, at times, challenging negotiation process, but I believe we have reached a fair and beneficial agreement for both parties.”
The players will receive a share of three percent of ICC revenue, which will be around $1 million. The PCB will be earning around $34 million per year from the ICC.
Besides getting a monthly retainer, there is a raise of 50 percent in match fees for players who feature in test matches, an increase of 25 percent for ODIs and 12.5 percent for T20s.
The PCB also agreed that the centrally contracted players can play in two other T20 leagues aside from the Pakistan Super League.
“I am pleased to announce that after lengthy negotiations the PCB has come to a financial agreement with the players,” said Zaka Ashraf, chairman of the PCB managing committee.
Category A: Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi
Category B: Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah and Shadab Khan
Category C: Imad Wasim and Abdullah Shafique
Category D: Fahim Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Ihsanullah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmad, Saud Shakeel, Shahnawaz Dahani, Shan Masood, Usama Mir and Zaman Khan.
 


Dubai hosts inaugural camp for some of the world’s best squash players

Dubai hosts inaugural camp for some of the world’s best squash players
Updated 17 min 42 sec ago
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Dubai hosts inaugural camp for some of the world’s best squash players

Dubai hosts inaugural camp for some of the world’s best squash players
  • Event at Jumeirah Beach Hotel looks to establish location as sport’s global base
  • The Flipper Devices Camp in Dubai is the first step toward making the city the world’s ultimate squash hub

DUBAI: Some of the world’s best squash players descended on Dubai this month for the inaugural Flipper Devices Camp of Champions, a high-performance event designed to attract top professionals from across the globe.
The camp, which was organized by The Flying DAF Squash Academy with the support of Dubai Sports Council and the UAE Squash Association, was divided into two phases at the J-Club, at Jumeirah Beach Hotel, with the objective of positioning Dubai as a global base for the sport.
The first phase was led by former men’s world No. 2 Rodney Martin and included an impressive lineup, including current women’s world No. 1 Nouran Gohar, No. 5 Amanda Sobhy, and men’s No. 6 Marwan El Shorbagy.
Phase two played host to reigning world champion and No. 4-ranked Mostafa Asal, No. 11 Karim Gawad, and world No. 12 Youssef Soliman.
Kanzy El-Dafrawy, CEO and founder of The Flying DAF, and former world No. 21, said: “Since we launched the academy year, the response has been phenomenal.
“Our vision is not just to make an impact and grow locally, but also globally. The Flipper Devices Camp in Dubai is the first step toward making the city the world’s ultimate squash hub, a home for top-level professional squash players from around the globe.
“Dubai is the perfect place for athletes to be based, considering they have access to the best equipment, sources, and training programs — complemented by the emirate’s geographical location, which makes it very easy to travel to tournaments worldwide.
“Jumeirah Beach Hotel and the J-Club have been extremely supportive to us throughout this camp, giving us a space where we can run local and global events, and ultimately leverage this camp by offering a high-end and luxurious stay to our professional athletes.”
Mohammed Mubarak Al Mutaiwei, president of the UAE Squash Association, said: “I express my appreciation for the distinguished presence of champions of the game within the UAE, particularly in the emirate of Dubai.
“My sincere gratitude to DAF Academy for their exceptional initiative in hosting one of the most formidable international camps in the sport of squash. This gathering, showcasing the pinnacle of talent within the sport, underscores their firm commitment to improve the sport.
“We recognize the endorsement of all clubs and academies throughout the UAE that are dedicated to furthering the federation’s mission and elevating the country’s standing at both regional and global levels.”
Squash is one of the world’s fastest-growing sports and is played in more than 185 countries. There are more than 1,500 courts accessible in the UAE.


Morocco picked 2025 Africa Cup of Nations host

Morocco picked 2025 Africa Cup of Nations host
Updated 27 September 2023
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Morocco picked 2025 Africa Cup of Nations host

Morocco picked 2025 Africa Cup of Nations host
  • The 2027 tournament was awarded to East African neighbors Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania
  • Morocco’s bid opponents were a Benin-Nigeria co-host plan and Zambia after Algeria this week withdrew

CAIRO: Morocco being picked Wednesday to host soccer’s Africa Cup of Nations in 2025 was expected.
It was a surprise, however, that the 2027 tournament was awarded to East African neighbors Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania when its bid rivals included soccer powers Senegal and Egypt.
The Confederation of African Football’s president Patrice Motsepe announced the winners after votes by its executive committee.
Morocco was heavily favored to get the 2025 AFCON, when the 2022 World Cup semifinalist is also currently part of an innovative Europe-led joint bid for the 2030 tournament with Spain and Portugal, and possibly Ukraine.
Morocco’s bid opponents were a Benin-Nigeria co-host plan and Zambia after Algeria this week withdrew its candidacy from both the 2025 and ‘27 contests. Guinea previously was picked for 2025 but was stripped of hosting by CAF.
East Africa has not staged the biennial tournament since Ethiopia was the 1976 host.
The delayed 2023 edition of the 24-team tournament kicks off in January in Ivory Coast.


As UEFA works on return for Russian youth teams, Ukraine promises boycott and urges others to join

As UEFA works on return for Russian youth teams, Ukraine promises boycott and urges others to join
Updated 27 September 2023
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As UEFA works on return for Russian youth teams, Ukraine promises boycott and urges others to join

As UEFA works on return for Russian youth teams, Ukraine promises boycott and urges others to join
  • Ukraine soccer officials also urged other UEFA member countries late Tuesday to refuse to play Russia
  • “UAF confirms that we will not take part in any competitions with the participation of Russian teams,” the Ukraine federation said

GENEVA: The Ukraine soccer federation said it will boycott any European youth competition that includes Russia as UEFA works on easing a blanket ban imposed since the war started.
Ukraine soccer officials also urged other UEFA member countries late Tuesday to refuse to play Russia, a stance that England reiterated within hours of the European soccer body announcing a new policy of trying to reintegrate Russian Under-17 teams.
Qualifying groups are played in October and November for the Under-17 European Championship for boys and girls, which have finals tournaments next year.
“UAF confirms that we will not take part in any competitions with the participation of Russian teams,” the Ukraine federation said, “and appeal to other UEFA member associations to boycott possible matches with the participation of teams from the Russian Federation.”
“We strongly urge UEFA to review this decision and leave in force the previous decision on the complete exclusion of any teams from the Russian Federation from participation in international competitions.”
Latvia also pledged Wednesday to refuse to play Russia, with other British, Baltic and Scandinavian countries likely to follow.
The Kyiv-based Ukraine federation said letting teams return during the conflict “tolerates Russia’s aggressive policy.”
Ukraine soccer leader Andriy Pavelko is a member of the policy-setting UEFA executive committee and so is Alexander Dyukov, his Russian counterpart. Dyukov did attend the committee meeting Tuesday in Cyprus that shaped the new policy and Pavelko did not, UEFA said.
UEFA and FIFA moved within days of the military invasion of Ukraine starting in February 2022 to remove and ban all Russian national and club teams.
Even before those decisions were made, Poland and their men’s team captain Robert Lewandowski said they would not play Russia in a 2022 World Cup qualifying playoff scheduled in Moscow a month later.
Switzerland’s soccer federation also said its women’s team would not play Russia at the Euro 2022 tournament hosted by England.
Now 19 months into a war that shows no sign of ending, UEFA signaled Tuesday that it wants to restore Russian teams into its youth competitions, though without their flag, anthem, national colors and playing in only away games.
UEFA said “children should not be punished for actions whose responsibility lies exclusively with adults,” and its staff will look at finding groups that Russian Under-17 teams can play in.
Ukraine’s Under-17 girls’ teams are scheduled to play three games in Germany from Oct. 14-20 in a group that also includes Austria and Romania.
The Under-17 boys are due in Liechtenstein to play games from Oct. 15-21 against the host, Germany and Finland.
Russian youth players plus their coaches and officials would face issues getting visas and flights to travel for UEFA games. Serbia is a traditional ally of Russia that will host qualifying groups for Under-17 boys and girls in the weeks ahead.
The English Football Association defied UEFA’s new policy despite having vice presidents of UEFA and FIFA, David Gill and Debbie Hewitt, respectively, and likely being confirmed in two weeks’ time by UEFA as the men’s Euro 2028 co-host with its British and Irish neighbors.
“We do not support the position of readmitting Russia to UEFA age grade competitions,” the English FA said, “and our position remains that England teams won’t play against Russia.”


‘Fantastic chance’ as India hope to end World Cup drought

‘Fantastic chance’ as India hope to end World Cup drought
Updated 27 September 2023
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‘Fantastic chance’ as India hope to end World Cup drought

‘Fantastic chance’ as India hope to end World Cup drought
  • India’s last major title was 2013 Champions Trophy after 2011’s World Cup glory
  • India begin World Cup campaign with match against Australia on October 8

New Delhi: Rohit Sharma’s India face “humongous” expectations from fans in their cricket-crazy nation to end a world title drought by winning the World Cup at home.

India’s last major title was the 2013 Champions Trophy, which came after Mahendra Singh Dhoni lifted the 2011 World Cup in Mumbai.

The 50-over marquee tournament opens on October 5 and, with the last two editions won by the then hosts — Australia in 2015 and England in 2019 — the nation of 1.4 billion dreams again.

Veteran sports journalist Ayaz Memon said it is tough to predict a winner for the 10-team tournament predicting a “very interesting and close contest,” but that the hosts, fresh from winning the Asia Cup, remain one of the favorites.

“Fan expectations are humongous,” said Memon, who witnessed India’s first-ever World Cup triumph under Kapil Dev 40 years ago.

“We have had disappointments and heartbreaks because we lost the semifinals both times — 2015 and 2019. A strong sense of expectations from this team because the team looks very good on paper.”

India will begin their campaign against Australia on October 8 followed by a hotly-anticipated clash against arch-rivals Pakistan at the world’s biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.

A match involving India, which has superstars including Virat Kohli and Rohit, draws millions of fans and is a winner for the broadcasters and sponsors.

“With this particular World Cup we think we have a fantastic chance because India playing at home are a tough side to beat,” Rakesh Patel, founder of the popular fan group “Bharat Army,” told AFP.

“And we think it’s our time to win a World Cup again.”

Supporters, who travel vast distances across India to watch their stars live, expect nothing short of a title win for the number-one ranked team.

“We are very excited,” said Patel, who is traveling from London to see his team.

“Going into this World Cup, if you look at our performances against Australia and recently the Asia Cup, we have a batting line-up which is very well settled.”

India’s obsession with cricket began in 1983 when Dev’s underdogs stunned the West Indies in the final at Lord’s and suddenly the sport had many takers, including sponsors.

Twenty-eight years later, Dhoni’s winning six against Sri Lanka to win the crown at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium triggered a nationwide celebration in what turned out to be cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar’s last World Cup.

Spinner HarbHajjan Singh said the night of that win remains the most special moment of his life, and hopes for another Indian victory in this year’s final on November 19 in Ahmedabad.

“The night of the win was the best ever night of my life so far. It was a dream realized with the World Cup trophy in your hand,” HarbHajjan told Star Sports.

“For the first time we saw Sachin Tendulkar dancing. I hope it gets repeated this time in Ahmedabad.”

But former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar said India will have to overcome the pressure from millions of fans to come up trumps, and said a dream final would be against Pakistan.

“India will be playing in front of their crowd at home and the match will be broadcast around the world,” Akhtar told Star Sports.

“All this pressure will be on India not on us (Pakistan). If India comes out of this pressure to win the World Cup in India against Pakistan, then the galaxy is the limit for the Indian team.”