Matthuas tips for the ultimate progress of Indian football
FIFA World Cup-winning German legend Lothar Matthaus delivered clear advice, looking forward to the future of Indian football, during his visit to the city on Sunday. Matthaus, who has been chosen as the brand ambassador of the forthcoming Bengal Super League (BSL) to be held in Bengal, emphasized the initiatives to develop the quality of coaching at the grassroots level for the nation’s ultimate football progress. Matthaus gave a reference to Cape Verde’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and commented. “When you see Cape Verde for example, they qualified for FIFA World Cup 2026, it’s a country with 5 Lakh people and then I ask you, you will not tell me they have better and more talents than the players from India, but you have to work very well together, Federation, with the government, with the football clubs, with the academies and you have to find the right teachers, teachers mean coaches.” Drawing an analogy between education and football development, he added, “This is the same in the school, when you have a good teacher and a good professor, you get good students, when you have good coaches in the youth age and later in the age of over 18, then you will get better players and then you get better players, you will make better results and this can be the way for the Indian football in the future.” Matthaus was in Kolkata as the chief guest for the final of the inaugural Kolkata Police Women’s Friendship Cup Football Tournament, held at the Body Guard Lines. He was also the chief guest of the Indian Football Association’s (IFA) annual prize distribution at the city’s historic Town Hall on the day. He presented the Champion’s Trophy to the CFL Premier Division winner, East Bengal. During the prize distribution function, Matthaus had a brief fun with East Bengal coach Bino George, who was awarded the ‘Best Coach of the Year.’ However, during his interaction with reporters, the German great also revisited an age-old debate — Diego Maradona or Lionel Messi? He admitted that the comparison was nearly impossible. “It’s a very difficult question and I cannot give you an answer because the time has changed as football has been faster like all other activities around the world. I can say Maradona was the best of my generation.” Pressed to choose between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, Matthaus admitted his personal preference leans toward the Argentine. “For me, Messi, but I like only his style more than Ronaldo, but I think when you speak about who is better, I think it’s the same, the feeling, how you like to see the football. Messi is more technical, Ronaldo is more powerful, and I am more for the technical football. This doesn’t mean Ronaldo has no technique, but Messi’s technique is better,” he said.
Harbhajan Singh slams Eden pitch, says pathetic after India’s loss to South Africa
Harbhajan Singh, a former Indian spinner who famously acquired 13 wickets at the Eden Gardens in India’s iconic Test triumph against Australia in 2001, slammed the pitch after India conceded a 30-run victory at the Eden Gardens against South Africa on Sunday, with two more days left. South Africa were bundled out for 153 on the third morning, setting a target of only 123 for India. But as the pitch had already broken on several spots, India’s poor chase failed to reach the target, collapsing to 93 in their second innings. This was India’s loss after 13 years at the Eden Gardens and they also booked their place in the lowest five defeats at this venue. Harbhajan said on his YouTube channel, “This pitch is not at all fit for cricket’s longest format. The pitch has developed such a large number of spots on the surface that the spinners of both teams who bowled and scalped wickets did not even know what would happen after a ball was delivered.” “This pitch is like, you pitch here, and the ball will turn and go elsewhere. I am sure that even the top-class batsmen like Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma would have struggled to survive on this surface. You can see the reflection where Temba Bavuma’s unbeaten 55 is the highest run scored on this pitch.” Harbhajan added, saying, “It has been going on for years in our country. The game is being played on completely under-prepared pitches. Test cricket does not seem to have any value nowadays, and this pitch at the Eden Gardens is not acceptable. It is pathetic.”
Brazil beat Senegal for the first time in history; Secure World Cup finals berth with a Fifth position in the Qualifiers!
Brazil reached next year’s World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States after a lackluster campaign in which it finished fifth in South American qualifying. On Saturday, the Five-time world champion edged past fellow World Cup qualifier Senegal by 2-0 at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium thanks to goals from teenager Estevao and veteran Casimero. Carlo Ancelotti’s team, featuring a mouthwatering attacking combination of Estevao, Matheus Cunha, Rodrygo, and Vinicius Jr, dominated the first half of the friendly in London. Manchester United’s Cunha headed against the bar as Brazil took a firm grip on the game, but Chelsea’s Estevao gave the South Americans the lead they deserved in the 28th minute. The 18-year-old was fortunate that the ball fell to his feet on the right side of Brazil’s attack, but he produced an unerring finish across Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy into the far corner. Captain Casemiro, 33, doubled Brazil’s lead in the 35th minute, beautifully controlling a free-kick from Rodrygo and curling the ball into the top corner after finding space at the back post. Iliman Ndiaye should have pulled one back for the West African team shortly after the break, after sloppy play from Brazil goalkeeper Ederson, but he hit the outside of the post. Two-time African player of the year Sadio Mane was unable to provide the spark his team needed and was withdrawn in the 75th minute, as both teams made a number of changes. Senegal, the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations champions, beat Mauritania last month to seal its spot at the World Cup.
