IFFHS STATISTICS AND NEWS OF THE WEEK 2
SADIO MANE (picture) and ASISAT OSHOALA CROWNED
The much awaited annual distinctions of the best in African Football for 2019 were made known Tuesday, January 7, 2020 with Liverpool forward of Senegalese origins, Sadio Mane, and Nigerian born FC Barcelona, Asisat Oshoala emerging the best in the male and female categories, respectively.
The choice of both players who were absent from the 2019 IFFHS best sparked off some controversy on the continent after the international federation had deductively named Algeria`s Riyad Mahrez and Cameroon`s Nchout Ajara, as best playmakers on the continent. It thus gives the opportunity to distinguish between the couples, Mane and Oshoala, and Mahrez and Ajara. The former are best players, while the latter are best playmakers, referring here to those who best regulate the heartbeat of their teams as it were. So, no contradiction in the awards as it were. However, IFFHS and CAF sang in unison at the level of the best goalkeeper, Cameroonian goalie Andre Onana of Ajax Amsterdam, and the best men`s national coach, Djamel Belmadi of Algeria.
Other distinctions included, inter-club footballer, Youcef Belalli of Algeria; youngest player, Achraf Hakimi of Morocco; women`s team of the year, Cameroon; men`s team of the year, Algeria; women`s team coach, Desiree Ellis of South Africa; goal of the year, Riyad Mahrez; best federation, Egypt; best club president, Moise Katumbi of TP Mazembe; and the following made the top-11: Andre Onana, Achraf Hakimi, Kalidou Koulibaly, Joel Matip, Serge Aurier, Riyad Mahrez, Idrissa Gana Gueye, Hakim Ziyech, Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Pierre Emmerick Aubameyang.
The multi-cultural event that took place at the Albatros Citadel Sahl Hasheesh Resort in Hurghada in Egypt had as MCs, IFFHS legend, Samuel Eto`o fils, and Egyptian journalist, Mariam Amin, and was attended by a plethora of past and present African football players as well as officials, including CAF President, Ahmad Ahmad, and FIFA President, Gianni Infantino.
Asisat Oshoala and Lionel Messi in the same club, FC Barcelona
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CONTRACT FOR TYHE CAMEROON FOOTBALL FEDERATION
The Cameroon Football Federation, FECAFOOT and French kit manufacturer Coq Sportif have officially signed the contract binding the two nine months after a memorandum of understanding to its effect was initiated. The 4-year contract signed this Friday, January 10th in Yaounde on behalf of FECAFOOT by its president, Seydou Mbombo Njoya, and for Coq Sportif by its Marketing Director, Patrick Ouyi makes effective the contract which has so far seen four Cameroon National selections don coq sportif kit for the past nine months.
By the terms of the contract whose financial package was not disclosed, and which simultaneously terminates the former one with the German kit manufacturer, Puma which had run for close to 20 years, the French kit manufacturer is expected to provide kits for all levels of the Cameroon national team, as well as teams of the national football championship in the male and female categories, and the youth championship of the country.
It would be recalled that the Cameroon National Football Team, Indomitable Lions, won their first-ever African Cup of Nations in 1984 when Coq Sportif was their kit manufacturer and provider.
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ZLATAN SCORED AGAIN
Last saturday, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has scored his first goal with AC Milan since his return in 2020 ! He scored his first professionnal goal on 30 October 1999 for Malmö FF in the Allsvenskan Liga. At 38 , he has played 790 matches with his different clubs ( Malmö FF, FC Ajax Amsterdam, FC Juventus, FC Inter Milan, FC Barcelona, AC Milan, Paris SG, FC Manchester United, Los Angeles Galaxy) and scored 475 goals, also 62 goals in 116 international matches with Sweden.
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ZAMALEK RECORDS
Mustapha Mohamed has scored last week the 400 th goal of Zamalek SC (Egypt) in the official African competitions. 286 goals in the CAF Champions League (191 in the new version since 1997), 68 goals in the CAF Confederation Cup, 42 goals in the African Cup Winners Cup (stopped in 2003) and 4 in the CAF Super Cup created in 1993.
Zamalek is the fifth club after Al Ahly (Egypt) 546 goals, Esperance Tunis (Tunisia) 512, TP Mazembe (DR Congo) 421 and Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia ) 417.
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NEW RECORD FOR RONALDO
Cristiano Ronaldo became last week the FIRST PLAYER EVER IN THE WORLD to score a hat trick in 10 competitions of the highest level (FIFA World Cup, UEFA Champions League, Serie A Italy, Premier League England, La Liga Spain, Copa del Rey Spain, UEFA Nations League, FIFA Club World Cup, FIFA World Cup Qualifying, UEFA Euro Qualifying) !
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UNBEATEN TEAM
FC Liverpool has broken the Record in the Premier League in England with 61 points in 21 matches ! Never a team has realized this performance.
AC Milan 1992 : the Record Club
The team of Jürgen Klopp has so 38 consecutive unbeaten matches in the English Premier League. The record for the 5 Top leagues in Europe is holden by AC Milan, 58 matches unbeaten between 1991 and 1993 in the Serie A before FC Bayern München, 53 matches unbeaten in the Bundesliga between 2013 and 2014 and ex-aequo FC Arsenal , 49 matches between 2003 and 2004, and FC Juventus, 49 matches between 2011 and 2012.
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SERGIO AGUERO’S NEW RECORD
Yesterday, Sergio Aguero has scored his 12th HAT TRICK in the English Premier League ! He broke the record of Alan Shearer (11) since the creation of the Premier League in 1992. He scored his three goals against Aston Villa and his 407th goal in 732 matches in his career , his 175th goal in Premier League !