The International Football Thread

[NikkiCFC 7,601]

Mancini resign 10 months before EURO. Weird. Conte in? 

[Fernando 6,378]

This whole Spain thing is very bizarre. 

Spanish federation backing the president, and now they want to get expelled. 

Very weird days in Spanish FA. 

[Vesper 27,378]

 

Amara Diouf became the youngest ever to play for Senegal — born in 2008, 15 years and 94 days.  A LW from Generation Foot academy that produced Sadio Mané. He’s joining Metz, deal already agreed for the future. 

[Fulham Broadway 16,423]

Quite a few Chels and ex Chels involved in the oldest International fixture of all time

Scotland v England 'friendly'

[DDA 9,570]

Jude Bellingham 👏

[Fulham Broadway 16,423]

Walker Bellingham and Kane immense

Braveheart, William Wallace was a paedophile apparently

 

[OneMoSalah 8,616]

Bellingham a joke of a footballer for 19 or 20 - however old he is. An absolute joke. Learning from Modric and Kroos just going to further propel him.

Every time I see him play makes me go thank fuck City never got him. Imagine him and Haaland in that team, they’d dominate everything for the next 4, 5 years at least.

Edited September 12, 2023 by OneMoSalah

[Reddish-Blue 2,230]

1 hour ago, OneMoSalah said:

Bellingham a joke of a footballer for 19 or 20 - however old he is. An absolute joke. Learning from Modric and Kroos just going to further propel him.

Every time I see him play makes me go thank fuck City never got him. Imagine him and Haaland in that team, they’d dominate everything for the next 4, 5 years at least.

Makes you wonder just how much Brighton fleeced us for their players. 

The top teams are taking the best of the best and we're playing Football Manager in real life 😆

[DDA 9,570]

1 hour ago, Reddish-Blue said:

Makes you wonder just how much Brighton fleeced us for their players. 

The top teams are taking the best of the best and we're playing Football Manager in real life 😆

No wonder needed. We have been absolutely robbed of our money and dignity. 

[NikkiCFC 7,601]

EURO 2028 - UK and IRELAND

WORLD CUP 2030 - SPAIN, PORTUGAL AND MOROCCO 

So England will have another chance to win EURO in London just 7 years after last attempt.

 

[MoroccanBlue 5,209]

33 minutes ago, NikkiCFC said:

WORLD CUP 2030 - SPAIN, PORTUGAL AND MOROCCO 

This has the potential to be a very good world cup for traveling fans. 

Holiday vibes and experiencing different cultures whilst enjoying football.  

Edited October 4, 2023 by MoroccanBlue

[Vesper 27,378]

1 hour ago, NikkiCFC said:

EURO 2028 - UK and IRELAND

WORLD CUP 2030 - SPAIN, PORTUGAL AND MOROCCO 

So England will have another chance to win EURO in London just 7 years after last attempt.

 

2030 World Cup: Tournament to be held across six countries in three continents

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/67010609

The 2030 World Cup will be held across six countries in three continents, Fifa has confirmed.

Spain, Portugal and Morocco have been named as the co-hosts, with the opening three matches taking place in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay.

The opening matches in South America are to mark the World Cup's centenary as it will be 100 years since the inaugural tournament in Montevideo.

The decision is set to be ratified at a Fifa congress next year.

Fifa also confirmed only bids from countries from the Asian Football Confederation and the Oceania Football Confederation will be considered for the 2034 finals.

Following that decision, Saudi Arabia announced it would be bidding to host the tournament in 2034 for the first time.

Fifa's decision to host the tournament across multiple continents has drawn criticism, with one supporter's body accusing football's world governing body of engaging in a "cycle of destruction against the greatest tournament on Earth".

"[It's] horrendous for supporters, disregards the environment and rolls the red carpet out to a host for 2034 with an appalling human rights record. It's the end of the World Cup as we know it," said Football Supporters Europe.

Fifa president Gianni Infantino said: "In a divided world, Fifa and football are uniting

"The Fifa Council, representing the entire world of football, unanimously agreed to celebrate the centenary of the Fifa World Cup, whose first edition was played in Uruguay in 1930, in the most appropriate way.

"In 2030, we will have a unique global footprint, three continents - Africa, Europe and South America - six countries - Argentina, Morocco, Paraguay, Portugal, Spain and Uruguay - welcoming and uniting the world while celebrating together the beautiful game, the centenary and the Fifa World Cup."

Montevideo in Uruguay, the city which hosted the first World Cup match in 1930, is poised to stage the opening game in 2030 with matches in Argentina and Paraguay to follow.

The rest of the 48-team tournament will then move to north Africa and Europe.

If the 2030 proposal is approved, Morocco would become only the second African nation to host a World Cup, after South Africa in 2010.

Spain has been named as joint-host weeks after former football federation chief Luis Rubiales resigned following criticism for kissing Jenni Hermoso at the Women's World Cup.

Appearing in court, Rubiales was given a restraining order by a Spanish judge, but denied sexually assaulting Hermoso.

Spain last hosted the World Cup in 1982, with Italy winning the tournament for the third time.

Portugal has never hosted the tournament, but Euro 2004 was held there.

As in previous World Cups, Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, Spain, Portugal and Morocco will all qualify automatically as co-hosts.

• World Cup 2026: Could climate crisis impact the men's tournament?
• Qatar World Cup: Fifa's carbon neutrality claim 'misleading and incredibly dangerous'

Saudi bid 'natural step for country passionate about football'

Saudi Arabia's decision to bid for the 2034 World Cup is in line with its initiative to become a global leader in sport after hosting a number of events in the country since 2018, involving football, Formula 1, golf and boxing.

But the Gulf kingdom has been accused of investing in sport and using high-profile events to improve its international reputation - a process known as sportswashing.

In a recent interview with Fox News, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said he does not care about the accusations.

"If sportswashing is going to increase my GDP by 1%, then we'll continue doing sportswashing," Bin Salman said.

Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal, Saudi Arabia's Olympic and Paralympic chief, says the World Cup bid "constitutes an important and natural step in our journey as a country passionate about football".

Fifa follows Uefa in readmitting Russia to under-17 competitions

Fifa also announced Russia will be readmitted to its under-17 competitions for the first time since the country's invasion of Ukraine 19 months ago.

The move follows Uefa's decision last week to allow Russian sides to compete at U17 level in European competitions after they were suspended when the invasion began in February 2022.

Fifa said the decision will be conditional on teams playing as the "Football Union of Russia" rather than Russia, without the country's flag or anthem, and wearing a neutral kit.

Uefa's move drew criticism from the English Football Association which said it "did not support" the decision, adding "our position remains that England teams won't play against Russia".

But Uefa said boys and girls should not be punished for the actions of adults, adding in a statement: "Football should never give up sending messages of peace and hope."

Edited October 4, 2023 by Vesper

[Fernando 6,378]

Kendry Paez scored for Ecuador qualifier. 

Very good player and only 16, insane. 

[nyikolajevics 2,436]

3 hours ago, Fernando said:

Kendry Paez scored for Ecuador qualifier. 

Very good player and only 16, insane. 

From Caicedo assist 🙂

[Vesper 27,378]

26 minutes ago, nyikolajevics said:

From Caicedo assist 🙂

 

[NikkiCFC 7,601]

17 hours ago, Fernando said:

Kendry Paez scored for Ecuador qualifier. 

Very good player and only 16, insane. 

And Madueke scored twice. 

For the future on RW we have Palmer, Madueke, Angelo, Paez, Hutchinson. 

[Fulham Broadway 16,423]

17 hours ago, Fernando said:

Kendry Paez scored for Ecuador qualifier. 

Very good player and only 16, insane. 

Have you heard about the Chelsea wonderkid who is already breaking records, but won't make his Blues debut for more than another 18 months?

At 16 years and 161 days old, Kendry Paez became the youngest ever South American to score in a World Cup qualifier when he bagged Ecuador's opener in a 2-1 win away to Bolivia on Thursday.

He was sent through by Chelsea midfielder Moises Caciedo, driving goalwards before curling the ball low into the far corner.

It was a measured finish, on his second ever start for his country, which adds yet another age-related record to Paez's ever-growing list.

The teenager is already the youngest appearance maker and scorer in the Ecuadorian top flight, netting on his debut aged just 15.

He also holds the record for being the youngest ever scorer at the Fifa under-20 World Cup, aged 16, and captained Ecuador to the final of the South American U17 Championship this year.

With Paez clearly oozing potential, why is he unable to make his Chelsea debut?

Well, back in June, the teenage midfielder agreed to sign for the club from Ecuadorian side Independiente del Valle in a deal worth a reported £17.2m.

But he will only be able to move to the Premier League club on his 18th birthday, meaning the earliest Paez could make his first Blues appearance is 7 May 2025.

While he waits, the midfielder and occasional winger is currently still playing - and impressing - for both Independiente and Ecuador. 👍

[Clockwork 1,768]

Paez is insane talent, absolutely amazing the maturity he plays with at that age. Maybe one of the most exciting players we have signed at that age.