Sports
Man City wants to be crowned as England’s greatest-ever team
Manchester City strengthened their case to be ranked as English football’s greatest-ever team by winning the Premier League title for an unprecedented fourth consecutive year on Sunday.
No side has ever enjoyed the stranglehold over the English top flight that City have held during Pep Guardiola’s glorious reign as manager.
On top of six Premier League titles, in the past seven years City have been crowned world and European champions for the first time in the club’s history, won two FA Cups and lifted four League Cups.
Another FA Cup triumph could come next weekend when they are favourites to beat Manchester United in the Wembley showpiece for the second straight season.
Dominance over United is especially sweet for generations of City fans who had to live in the shadow of their neighbours.
Last season, Guardiola’s men became only the second club to win the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup in the same season — matching United’s vintage group of 1998/99.
That was part of a run of seven Premier League titles in nine years for United under Alex Ferguson.
Liverpool’s domination in the 1970s and 1980s included 10 league titles in 15 seasons and four European Cups.
Arsenal went through the entire 2003/04 league season without defeat as Arsene Wenger’s title-winning “Invincibles” staked their claim to be regarded as the best ever.
Yet the scale of City’s command over their rivals, despite the depth of resources in the world’s richest league, has surpassed even the feats achieved by United, Liverpool and Arsenal in their glory years.
City are on a 35-match unbeaten run in all competitions from open play, setting a record in the Premier League era.
Their 3-1 victory over West Ham to seal the title on Sunday took the champions past 90 points for the fourth time in seven seasons — a mark United only managed twice in Ferguson’s entire Old Trafford reign in a 38-game season.
“I think to win the Premier League four times, no team has ever done it before, so to do it means we are up there,” said City midfielder Phil Foden on the debate over which side is England’s greatest.
In past seasons, City have been pushed hard by Liverpool, who interrupted their dynastic spell by winning the 2019/20 title, while Arsenal finished just two points behind the champions this season.
Liverpool racked up 97 points in 2018/19 and 92 points two years ago but still missed out on the title due to City’s relentlessness.
This time a club-record 28 wins in a season and 89 points was not enough for Arsenal’s first title in 20 years.
“In the beginning of the season, we didn’t think about it,” said Guardiola, speaking last week about the possibility of winning four in a row.
“But then we were in February, March and April, we were still there (in the title race). After that, it ignites something in all our heads.
“No team has done it. That shows how hard it is. Liverpool in the 1980s, Alex Ferguson’s United in the 1990s. Chelsea with (Roman) Abramovich and Jose (Mourinho), Arsenal with (Arsene) Wenger didn’t do it.”
City have been showered with praise for their performances on the pitch, but the plaudits come with caveats.
In a Premier League season in which Everton and Nottingham Forest were docked points for breaches of financial rules, a case against City over 115 charges has rumbled on for 15 months without resolution.
City strongly deny any wrongdoing, but face accusations of failing to provide accurate financial information between 2009 and 2018 and not cooperating with the Premier League’s investigation.
The source of the club’s wealth since a takeover by Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Mansour, which transformed City’s fortunes on and off the pitch, has also dampened the enthusiasm of many for their astonishing success.
“I don’t know,” said Guardiola on whether his side get the credit they deserve for their historic feats. “We know how good we have been.”
Sports
I Failed In Front of the World Four Years Ago — Lookman’s Touching Speech After Winning CAF Award
Super Eagles star, Ademola Lookman had delivered a touching speech after winning the 2024 CAF Men’s Player of the Year award.
According to him, he learned from his failure four years ago which made him a better player.
He said: “Just over four years ago I failed in front of the world. Fast forward four years, I’m the best player in Africa,” Lookman said after receiving the award.
“I want to say to the young children and people watching this: don’t let your failures weigh you down that they break your wings. Matter of fact, turn your pain into your power and continue to fight.
“Firstly. I want to thank the Almighty God for everything he has been doing in my life, and everything he has been blessing me with.
“I want to thank the president, I want to thank all my teammates- club and country. I want to thank them for all their support and love that they gave me.”
“This award today is a blessing to me, to my family, to my nation, and to be recognized as the best player in Africa. It’s something incredible and I’m extremely proud of.”
Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman, South Africa’s Ronwen Williams, and Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie emerged as some of the standout winners at the 2024 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards.
Lookman, who plays for Atalanta, clinched the prestigious CAF Men’s Player of the Year title, beating contenders such as Simon Adingra, Achraf Hakimi, Ronwen Williams, and Serhou Guirassy.
South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams dominated the night, bagging both the Men’s Interclub Player of the Year and the Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year awards.
Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie, known for her stellar performances, was named Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year.
Full List of CAF Awards 2024 Winners
CAF Men’s Player of the Year: Ademola Lookman (Nigeria)
Women’s Interclub Player of the Year: Sanaa Mssoudy
Men’s Interclub Player of the Year: Ronwen Williams (South Africa)
Women’s Club of the Year: TP Mazembe
Men’s Club of the Year: Al Ahly FC
Men’s National Team of the Year: Ivory Coast
Women’s National Team of the Year: Nigeria
Men’s Young Player of the Year: Lamine Camara
Women’s Young Player of the Year: Doha El Madani
Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria)
Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Ronwen Williams (South Africa)
Women’s Coach of the Year: Lamia Boumehdi
Men’s Coach of the Year: Emerse Faé
Goal of the Year: Mabululu (Angola)
Brazil legend Ronaldo has confirmed he wants to become president of the country’s football governing body to address a “deep crisis” the sport is facing nationally.
“I have hundreds of motivations, but I think the biggest of them is really to restore international respect to Brazilian football,” he said in an interview on Monday with the Globoesporte website.
Ronaldo said he wanted to be an “alternative for significant change” as candidate for the job of running the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF).
“O Fenomeno” (“The Phenomenon”), as the 48-year-old became known over the course of his 1993-2011 career, said he wants to use the CBF presidency to help Brazil’s national team to regain its glory as five-time world champions.
“The Selecao has to recover its prestige. I’ll do everything so that the players understand the historic importance of playing for the national team,” he said.
Ronaldo scored both goals when Brazil beat Germany in the 2002 World Cup final in Japan, and was twice winner of the Ballon d’Or.
To lodge his CBF candidacy, he needs the support of Brazilian regional clubs and federations.
To get those, he promised to travel “all around Brazil” and share the “incredible plans” he has for the sport.
The date of the next CBF election has not yet been set, but should happen between March 2025 and March 2026, according to Brazilian media.
‘Much deeper problem’
Current CBF chief Ednaldo Rodrigues has been criticized for slotting in temporary coaches for the national team after Tite’s 2022 exit while waiting for Carlo Ancelotti to arrive — something that did not happen when the Italian decided late last year to extend his contract as manager of Real Madrid.
Currently coached by Dorival Junior, the Selecao are fifth in South America qualifying for the 2026 World Cup tournament, seven points behind leaders Argentina.
“My problem is not Ednaldo. The problem is much deeper. My goal is to bring the people closer to the Selecao. Today, the people are indifferent when the Selecao plays,” Ronaldo told Globoesporte.
“I am an alternative of significant change for Brazilian football, which is going through a deep crisis,” he said.
Ronaldo, a former star for Barcelona, Inter Milan and Real Madrid, already has leadership experience.
In 2018, he took majority control of Spain’s Real Valladolid, and in 2021 did the same for Cruzeiro, the Brazilian club where he started his career.
He sold his Cruzeiro stake in April this year.
In his interview, Ronaldo said he was in talks to “very soon” sell his Valladolid stake to avoid “any obstacle” to his CBF candidacy.
AFP
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