Kazan Beach Brides play the beautiful game

Women in Kazan, Russia are playing football on the beaches. Normally considered a man’s game, the popularity the FIFA World Cup TM Russia has brought the girls out in their beach gear but instead dressed in elaborate bridal outfits and running shoes.

The women were playing in teams of five for 15-minute halves on the sand, and good on them, I say. Perhaps we may see them in France at the FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019 TM

World Cup 18 : Prize Money

In 2017, FIFA confirmed a total of $400 million prize monies would be shared between the participants at the 2018 World Cup. The prize money available to participants at the last World Cup in 2014 was $358m. The central FIFA prize fund is awarded to national associations and the associations will often add extra reward to their teams depending on their performance.

As per 2014, each national team to reach the finals receives a minimum of $9.5m ($8m for taking part in the group stage and $1.5m for tournament costs). All prizes are paid out after the completion of the competition.

When a team progresses from the group stage but gets knocked out at the round of 16, they each receive an extra $4m (a total of $12m).

Teams eliminated in the quarter-final stage receive a further $4m ($16m).

The winners of the FIFA World Cup TM receive $US38 million and the runner-up gets $US28 million. Third place receives $US24 million with Fourth getting $US22 million.

Performance-based bonus payments are shared between squads who take part in the tournament and, vary depending on how well a team does. These bonus payments are at the discretion of each association and are often negotiated with representatives for the players. England have guaranteed themselves a share of £1 million (£43,478 each) for reaching the last 16. They would have received nothing had they failed to get out of Group G. The Football Association refuse to release details of the bonus scheme, but it is believed they would share a £5 million pot for lifting the trophy (around £215k per player). England manager, Gareth Southgate would receive a bonus of £1.5 million, and each player would pocket around £217,000 each.

Belgium’s players were guaranteed a share of £850,000 for playing in the tournament, and this sum hasincreased to £1.61 million (£70,000 each) for qualifying for the last 16. Should Belgium win the World Cup, the squad would earn a £9.2 million bonus or £400,000 each.

The Brazil squad stand to earn £750,000 a man for winning the World Cup.

Clean sweep fans Japan and Senegal

Japanese fans have a reputation for tidiness having previously stayed behind at the Mordovia Arena, to clean up after themselves after a 2-1 defeat to Ivory Coast at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. After seeing off Colombia, they were at it again draped in Japanese flags and scarves, the Japanese fans again had the good manners to clean up rubbish discarded on the floor of the stadium. If there was a medal for best behaved fans then Japan would be winners for their impeccable behaviour at the tournament.

Tidyness is important to the Japanese and children are taught to leave their school classrooms and hallways, tidy. In many public schools, children do much of the cleaning at the end of each day, a 20-minute routine known as o-soji.

Seems the habit is catching because Senegal fans were also applauded for following the example set by Japan’s fans by cleaning up after their side’s 2-1 victory over Poland.


(Video Courtesy: FIFATV Youtube Channel)


(Video Courtesy: FIFATV Youtube Channel)

Cristiano Ronaldo in new boots for round 16

Cristiano Ronaldo will be wearing a new pair his signature boots when Portugal play Uruguay. Ace goal scorer will hope his new boots help him against an unbeaten Uruguay and secure the golden boot award.


(Video Courtesy: FernandoF7 Youtube Channel)

The new Telstar Mechta 18

adidas have announced a new World Cup match ball will be used for the knockout stage of the competition. All matches from the last-16 phase onward will be contested using the new Telstar Mechta 18. The new ball has a brand new panel design of red as well as all the other bells and whistles of the Telstra 18. It is still unclear whether adidaswill introduce a further official match ball for the final in Moscow on July 15, but it is likely.

Guerrilla marketing and political gestures

Sometimes players cheekily slip in a promotion for their personal sponsor. This is called ‘guerrilla marketing,’ and whilst not against the FIFA rules, it has become a concern to the regulators of the game. Tim Cahill (Australia) likes to use his box-the-corner-flag celebration to engaging the camera with gestures which could be construed as reference to his commercial interests. After scoring the winning goal in extra time against Syria in the Socceroos’ World Cup qualifying win at ANZ Stadium, Cahill outstretched like an aeroplane, then made a ‘T’ sign with his hands. On social media, a Byron Bay-based travel company asked followers soon after full-time if they had seen Cahill, their new brand ambassador, “doing the ... ‘T’. Cahill quickly responded to the post with eight emojis, including a football and an aeroplane. Previously, in 2015 the same player pretended to turn over the pages of a book before delivering his trademark boxing routine by the corner flag. He had just released a children’s book and an autobiography.

FIFA Law 4 on players’ equipment states a player will be sanctioned if they remove their jersey to reveal slogans or advertising. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal), flaunted the rules when he played for Borussia Dortmund by dying his hair with a red Nike swoosh. Dortmund are sponsored by Puma, a shareholder in the club who also provide the team's kits. He was also back at ‘guerrilla marketing,’ when celebrating his opener for Borussia Dortmund against Schalke, as he wheeled away to celebrate he grabbed a superhero mask and pulled it over his head. Transpired the rouse was part of a promotional campaign for the Nike Hypervenom. Aubameyang earns a reported 2 million euros a year from Nike for promoting the company as well as receiving extra payments when he mentions the company on social media.


(Video Fox Sport Youtube Channel)

In 2012, Denmark internationalist, Nicklas Bendtner (Rosenborg) fell foul of the Law 4 when he lowered his shorts to show the name of his sponsor on his underpants. He was fined €100,000 for promoting a betting company on his underpants.


(Video SilverbirdNews Youtube Channel)

Jérôme Boateng : Sneaker Freaker

Bad boy, defender, Jérôme Boateng (Bayern Munich, and Germany) may have been given an early bath for a second yellow card in the game against Sweden but it seems he can console himself with his 650 pairs of shoes in his personal collection.


(Video ESPN Youtube Channel)

Lionel Messi : Bitter sweet ... happy birthday

Lionel Messi (Argentina) may not have had the best World Cup of his career but he will still get the chance to celebrate his birthday in style. A team of five workers at Moscow's Altufyevo Confectionery worked for nearly a week to carve the sculpture in 60kg of chocolate to mark his 31st birthday. The sculpture has been on display in Bronnitsy, where the team have been based during the month-long tournament.

Xherdan Shaqiri flies the flag

Xherdan Shaqiri (Switzerland) is proud to fly the flag for two countries on his bespoke Nike cleats. The right boot has the Kosovo flag on the heel and the Swiss flag on his left. Shaqiri and his family fled their home in the city of Gjilan during the Kosovo War and moved to the village of Augst, near Basel. In a politically charged game. Shaqiri scored the winning goal in the 90th-minute with his left foot, against Serbia.

Neymar penalty is reversed :VAR you go !

(Video Sport News TV Youtube Channel)

Telstar 18: The Baw's burst

Inspite of all the scientitic testing and ‘bla ‘ from adidas about their new Telstar 18, being tough and durable, it burst during the game between France and Australia. A strong tackle on Lucas Hernandez (France) by Trent Sainsbury (Australia)sandwiched the ball and it burst. Then in the 34th minute, Ousmane Dembele (FRance) prepared to take a corner but was delayed when he checked the ball and found it had burst.

On the same day in a different stadium, during the Argentina vs Iceland match, Lionel Messi was forced to change balls after being unhappy with its state early in the first half. It remains unclear why competition balls are bursting during matches.

Nike gives adidas the boot

Nike was established in 1964 and began its forage into the football (soocer) market in 1971 with the release of ""The Nike" football boot, the first shoe to bear the Swoosh logo. The boots proved unpopular so it was back to the drawing board.

Nike, started to get seriously involved in soccer when the World Cup was played in the United States in 1994, within two decades the American company has the majority market share. Despite this soccer represents less than 10% of Nike’s overall sales.

Nike primary objective, unlike their main rival adidas, is to sell football boots, and have for years ambushed the World Cup and other Football tournaments by sponsoring the top players with boot deals, many of which play for team sponsored by adidas. This “nuisance” strategy has proven success and now sixty per cent (60% ) of all players at the 2018 FIFA World Cup TM Russia will be wearing Nike boots, with almost half the German and Spanish team and three-quarters of the Russians singed to a boot deal. Nike sponsor more of the world’s best-known soccer stars than Adidas in its battle to maintain supremacy over its German rivals.

According to CIES Football Observatory, 132 of the 200 most expensive players at the World Cup, wear Nike boots. Adidas have 59. By far Nike’s ace signing has been Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, for not only is he one of the greatest players on the planet, he also has an enormous presence on social media. It is this above all which helps the company sell shoes. Boot sales escalate after the tournament when school children and young adults buy them.

Nike outfit 10 teams at the 2018 FIFA World Cup TM Russia. These are: Australia, Brazil ($36M), Croatia, England ($40M), France ($50M), Nigeria, Poland, Portugal , Saudi Arabia, and South Korea .

Another form of promotion, called ‘guerrilla marketing,’ involves players slipping in a promotion for their personal sponsor. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (then Borussia Dortmund, now Arsenal ), dyed a red Nike swoosh into his hair while his team played in Puma sponsored kits. Puma is a Dortmund shareholder and provides the team's kits.

The player was back at it again when he celebrated his opener for Borussia Dortmund against Schalke, as he wheeled away to celebrate he grabbed a superhero mask and pulled it over his head. This issomething he has done quite frequently but on this occasion the Aubameyang’s celebration was part of a promotional campaign for the Nike Hypervenom. The player earns a reported 2 million euros a year from Nike and receives extra payments if he mentions the company on social media.


(Video Courtesy: Fox Soccer Youtube Channel)

adidas outstrip their rivals

Rudolf Dassler started the company when he and brother, Adi Dassler fell out in 1948. Puma has continued to rival adidas in soccer boot manufacture and supply. German Company, adidas, have enjoyed supremacy for decades in the soccer market but now face constant challenge from Nike. Together these companies control 89 percent of the soccer retail market.

Team deals are important for sales of football jerseys and adidas is the official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup TM 2018 tournament and will outfit 12 teams. The 32 nations competing in Russia are sponsored by eight different clothing brands. Fans will see kits from Adidas (Argentina, Belgium, Colombia, Germany, Iran, Japan, Morocco, Mexico, Russia, Spain, Sweden,); Nike (Australia, Brazil, Croatia, Egypt, England, France, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, South Korea); Puma (Senegal, Serbia, Switzerland and Uruguay); New Balance (Panama and Costa Rica); Erreà (Iceland); Hummel (Denmark); Uhlsport (Tunisia) and Umbro (Peru). However, the German brand are not expecting large returns from a financially depressed host country. Sales of jerseys bring returns earlier because the World Cup outfits have already been sold to retailers and fans want to wear the jerseys of their favourite team. The sale of boots usually happens after the event when fans want to play shod, like their heroes.

adidas celebrate 20 years as an official partner of FIFA World Cup TM and have invested hundreds of millions of dollars for exclusive rights that include having its logo on match balls and referees’ uniforms. It is estimated adidas will spend between $96 million (£71.9m) and $176 million for 2018 FIFA World Cup TM. On average it cost the German Company annually, approximately $80M to be an official World Cup sponsor. That allows them to advertise within every stadium for every game. adidas have designed the official World Cup ball since 1970, and outfit all FIFA personnel, referees, ball boys, and volunteers. As an official event sponsor adidas has access to platforms and markets that their rivals do not. adidas also sees more engagement on social media. The content it produces for you tube draws a more committed following than Nike’s. This is important to distinguish because a loyal following will spend money on the brand, while a superficial one won’t.

Over the past five tournaments three World Cup winners have lifted the trophy donning the Adidas logo. The focus is no longer on broad-based sponsoring, but on the top teams and players. However, the cost of sponsorship is considerable i.e., Spain ($47M), Argentina ($11M), Russia ($15M) and Germany ($58M). Manufacturers regard sponsorships as key to boosting sales of shoes, jerseys and other equipment to consumers, with a market valued at almost $19 billion last year, more than double the level a decade ago. During the 2014 FIFA World Cup TM, adidas exceeded its own revenue projections and spent an estimated $67m on advertising, and the actual figure has never been disclosed.

World Cup Technology: Put to the test

The very measure that was supposed to bring clarity and fairness to the game has left rather a cloud at the beginning of the 2018 FIFA World Cup TM Russia. Var was used for the first time in the French match against Australia. Socceroo, Joshua Risdon tackled Antoine Griezmann (France) in the penalty box as the Man of the Match, was bearing down on goal. Referee Andres Cunha initially waved play on, but was alerted by the VAR observers there was an infringement.

He stopped the game to look at the video replay, he was presented with edited footage from two angles which appeared to show the defender did not make contact with the ball. However there was other footage from behind the goal which suggested Risdon's tackle appeared to make contact with the ball before following through on Griezmann. On his return to the pitch pointed to the spot. A clear penalty but Risdon was not red carded. Replays of the event appear inconclusive as to whether or not the Australia right-back got a touch on the ball before bringing down the Frenchman. If he did it was not a penalty, but if he did not touch the ball and impeded the player preventing a clear scoring opportunity , the defender should have been sent off.

Moments later, a clear handball from Samuel Umtiti (France) on a cross into France's penaly box gave Australia a penalty. Mile Jedinak converted in the 62nd minute. Despite this professional foul taking place within the penalty box , no action was taken against the Frenchman. who should have recieved a red card.

Later in the 81st minute, Paul Pogba (France) scored the winning goal in the 2-1 game with a lob over the keeper’s head which bounced off the bar behind the goal line before bouncing back into the keeper’s arms. Goal-line technology was used to confirm the ball had crossed the line after bouncing down off the crossbar.


(Video Courtesy: ESPN FC Youtube Channel)

Cristiano Ronaldo: Greatest of all time. (GOAT)

The ball seems to work

(Video Courtesy: Sports 17 Youtube Channel)

Nike refuse to supply boots to Iran due to White House Sanctions

According to VOA Persian TV, Nike said its refusal to provide Iranian players with boots at Russia 2018 was down to the White House’s decision to re-impose US sanctions on Iran as part of its exit from the 2015 nuclear deal.

Nike had previously said in a statement: "The sanctions [from the White House] mean that, as a US company, we cannot provide shoes to players in the Iran national team at this time.”

Many of the players have boot contracts with Nike but now face playing without their Nike soccer cleats. Iran head coach, Carlos Queiroz understandably, has revealed his anger at Nike after they refused to supply football boots to his players. He believes his players have been brought closer together by Nike’s decision to cut their supply of World Cup kit. It has been reported the late decision disrupted Iran’s preparations, with some players having to buy their own footwear from Russian shops or even ask club team-mates for help.


(Video Courtesy: Sky Sports News Youtube Channel)

Iranian born Socceroo, Daniel Arzani will continue to honour his contract with Nike despite the sports manufacturer refusing to supply Iranian players with football boots for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Nike’s Australian branch is responsible for providing equipment to the overwhelming majority of the Socceroos' squad and the supply falls outwith the US ban.

Iran won their group opener after Morocco's Aziz Bouhaddouz scored an own goal in stoppage time to give Carlos Queiroz's team the three points and top spot in Group B thanks to a draw later on Friday between Spain and Portugal. Nike-less Iran recorded only their second-ever win in a World Cup, 20 years after beating the U.S. at the 1998 World Cup. Now there is an irony.

The truth about football boots

Source : Bartold Biomechanics.com

Héctor Castro (1904 - 1960)

Hector Castro was born in 1904, Montevideo. As a young boy (aged 13), he accidentally amputated his right forearm while using an electric saw to cut wood. This did not stop him from playing football and in 1923/24 sesssion, aged 19, he signed for Club Nacional. His team went onto win three Uruguayan Championships (1924, 1933, 1934), before he retired in 1936.

He made his debut for the Uruguay national football team in November 1923. He played his final match for la Celeste in August 1935 having played 25 times, scoring 18 goals. Castro neither asked for nor received special consideration for his handicap and often put his stump to good use by pushing other players out of the way as he lept to head the ball. He was loved by his fans and respected by his peers. Off the field he enjoyed the fast life and had a reputation as a ‘bad boy,’ with his drinking and gambling antics. Several times he had his life threatened but dismissed any attempt to imtimidate him as a player.

'El Divino Manco' (meaning 'the one-handed god') was picked for his National Team and scored Uruguay’s first-ever World Cup goal, against Per. He also scored the winning goal at the FIFA World Cup final in 1930. Héctor Castro played twenty five times for his country scoring twenty goals. After he retired from the playing, he went on to coach Nacional, and won the Uruguayan championship in 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, and again in 1952.


(Video Courtesy: FIFATV Youtube Channel)

Ball girls at the World Cup Opening

For the first time there will be ball girls at the FIFA World Cup TM opening showpiece. A group of 14 Russian girls will act as ballgirls in the opening match of the World Cup. The girls come from the girls’ cadet school football team from the city of Agryz in Russia’s Republic of Tatarstan, and have been specially trained to quickly and properly throw footballs. The girls were chosen from teams aged 13-16 by players of the Russian national squad. Sevenhundred and seventy six (776) children would work as ball boys and ballgirls at the 64 match tournament.

(Video Courtesy: Ruptly Youtube Channel)