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Two Indian Kids Did What Our Football Team Couldn't & Made It To The FIFA WC 2018
ADMIN posted a blog entry in FDF Online News
The FIFA World Cup 2018 is in full fervour and we're all glued to our screens just like how we had imagined. It's the World Cup after all and even if India is not among the qualifiers, we're still as enthusiastic as every other ardent football fan out there. But India is not totally disconnected from the World Cup so to speak. We have some adorable representatives making their way into the World Cup, and we couldn't be more proud! Meet 10-year-old Rishi Tej and 11-year-old Nathania John Kandathil, who are the designated Official Match Ball Carriers (OMBC) for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and they're both from India! Rishi already became the first Indian ball-boy in a World Cup match, when Belgium played Panama in Sochi. The 10-year-old carried the football onto the pitch during the pre-match ceremony between Belgium and the World Cup first-timers Panama, where the Red Devils beat Panama 3-0. © Twitter 64 kids were selected across the world to be a part of the OMBC programme, a campaign organised by KIA Motors (FIFA's official partners), which is actually a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for enthusiastic football-loving kids across the world, to watch some great matches and walk alongside the biggest names in the football world. "I am so excited, you cannot measure it even. It is like I am still dreaming. In Russia, I want to live every moment. During the match, I just don't want to enjoy but analyse how they play," - Rishi Tej (as told to a popular publication). © Twitter The Bangalore boy admitted having not slept well at all after his selection was finalised. And that's absolutely understandable! Imagine sitting with your favourite sportsmen while representing your country, all at the same time! Tamil Nadu's Nathania is the only girl to make it, after a tough competition against 50 boys, impressing the selection committee with her on-point football skills. Her big day is yet to come though. She'll walk along the big players, with the official match ball in her hand, on June 22, when Brazil will play against Costa Rica. Exciting times are ahead of her and I am sure she's kicked about it. You can definitely watch her during the starting ceremony. © Twitter Sunil Chhetri, the Indian football team captain conducted trials for the selection last month for the OMBC programme & he had a lot to say. “I am overwhelmed to see the kind of talent these little kids have. They are not only just passionate about the game but are also well-versed about its nuances. I shall envy the kids who eventually go over to Russia to watch the game's greatest players in action. It will be a life-changing experience. I must thank Kia Motors for giving me the opportunity to interact with these kids and be part of such a wonderful initiative,” - Sunil Chhetri (quoted by a popular news network). © Twitter Great to see India's 1st ever Official Match Ball Carrier at the @FIFAWorldCup thanks to @KiaMotorsIN. Super initiative. Well done Rishi Tej from #bengaluru. @chetrisunil11 @squareConsult #football #lifetimeopportunity #worldcupâ â #FifaWorldCup18 pic.twitter.com/mXUkw0Oium — Vishal Jhunjhunwala (@vj2w) 18 June 2018 Well, all we want to say is three cheers to KIA Motors for organising such a heart warming initiative which will witness kids who love football, across the globe, participate in the World Cup and witness one of their biggest dreams come true! As for now, we're super proud of both Rishi and Nathania for making it to the World Cup and connecting India to the biggest Football tournament in the world. -
Attention Football Fans! Dineout Is Giving Us A Chance To Win A Trip To Spain
ADMIN posted a blog entry in FDF Online News
The football mania is here! And we know you've been putting in a lot of hard work staying up late nights to catch the live action and then showing up to work the next day tired, but FIFA is worth every bit the effort, isn't it? We already have to wait for 4 years for the next World Cup, so make the most of it right NOW. Get up, get out and enjoy your favourite matches over drinks and good food at your favourite restaurants. And forget about those bills. We've got you covered! We have the perfect solution to make the most of the football season and even bag a chance to win a free trip to Spain through Dineout, the best app to discover the top restaurants in your city. But do you care to make it more interesting? Nah, we aren't talking about anything that would require too much effort on your part. You can continue being a couch potato and all you have to do is grab your phone, download the Dineout app and predict and win every day! You can also predict the number of goals in a match. It's that simple! And what do you get if you win? The thrill of being right? Of course not, but way more instead. Starting 14th June, each one of you can make daily score predictions on Dineout and win Dineout Earnings. For those of you who think this is just another coupon or discount offer that comes with a fine print, let me clear the air – a user can win Dineout earnings up to Rs 2000 every day during the World Cup. You can win up to 50,000 Dineout earnings that can be used to pay the bill at 2000+ top restaurants like Social Offline, Smoke House Deli, TGI Fridays, Farzi Cafe, The Beer Cafe, BSE and lot of others. How To Play Predict & Win? Dineout What's more, Dineout is even funding a football-themed gaming night at a number of restaurants across India. So all you need to do this month is Predict, Win and Party! And for those of you looking for a tad more excitement, here comes the bumper bonanza. If you play Predict and Win every day, you can also win 2 free tickets to a trip to Spain that is powered by Paytm Flights. If this doesn't make your FIFA mania come alive, we are really not sure what would! So, head straight to the Play Store on your phone and download the Dineout app now! -
WATCH: Young Pakistani boy wins the internet with football tricks
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
Young boy from the remote province of Balochistan goes viral with stunning football tricks As the football fever sweeps the world, a young Pakistani boy has wowed the internet with his stunning football tricks. A video has gone viral showing the... -
An Indian Football Lover Couldn't Fly To Russia So He Decided To Cycle There For The World Cup
ADMIN posted a blog entry in FDF Online News
There are different types of football fans that we have during a World Cup – while most will stay up till late to catch all the matches, some will even travel to where all the action is happening, if they can afford it. And then there are some people, whose passion to watch the match is so strong, that they will do anything to make it happen, even if they don't have the money for it at that point. This one person took the trip of a lifetime to go to Russia, where the FIFA World Cup 2018 is underway. We're talking about 28-year-old Indian Cliffin Francis, hailing from Cherthala, Kerala, who completed his goal of watching the World Cup action in person by cycling all the way to Russia. Yes, he travelled by a cycle till Russia. He started this exciting journey back in February 23 after saving up for a few months. Okay, so he didn't cycle all the way through; he took a flight to Dubai and started cycling from there, covering over 4,000km across UAE, Iran, Azerbaijan and finally reached Russia. Talking to The Times Of India, he said, “I loved football since childhood and Argentina is my favourite team. Watching a World Cup match was my dream, but it is very expensive. I will watch a group match between France and Denmark, spend some days in Russia and return home on my cycle.” Cliffin finally made it to Russia on June 5th after traversing through Iran and Azerbaijan. He said, “I hope to reach Moscow in a week to see the group match.” Further talking about his incredible journey, he said, “I stayed in a tent to save money and the officials and residents gave me a good treat when they realized I am an Indian. I also met Malayalis in Azerbaijan, who treated me like a brother.” His extraordinary experience has also inspired him to write a book – “This journey has turned into a wonderful experience and I will pen a book soon.” He's almost there and he's so close to his one 'goal' – to get his cycle signed by none other than Lionel Messi. Well, we sure hope he meets him and fulfils his dream. I think we can all agree he's worked hard enough for it. -
S Korea's Football Coach Swaps Players' Jerseys Because Westerners Can't Tell Asians Apart
ADMIN posted a blog entry in FDF Online News
We have come across multiple people cracking up or laughing on the racist jokes and comments, but trust me this is the first time, even for me, to come across someone who actually used a strategy dipped in the shades of racism. And guess what—made it work too! We are talking about the Taeguk Warriors aka the South Korean football team and their coach Shin Tae-yong, whose trickery has left us in splits and amazement. South Korea will take Sweden head-strong today, in the ongoing FIFA 2018 World Cup and playing warm-up games for the same is only natural. © Reuters It's also common for both teams to spy on each other (we're assuming), and Sweden was caught doing the same. A member of the Swedish coaching staff was caught at the South Korean camp in Austria, enjoying the match or should we say spying on the players and their moves. And South Korean coach put up a great show for the spy to enjoy the game. Shin tae-yong heard about there being a spy from the opponent team, so he swapped the jerseys of his team members because according to him, “It's difficult for westerners to distinguish between Asians.” © Reuters Reportedly, he said at a press conference in Nizhny Novgorod, “I heard that Western people don't recognize Asian people's faces at once, so that was my little trick to confuse the opponents.” Probably that's what you call taking advantage of playing with people, about whom the world barely knows anything. We would bar the Tottenham Hotspur star, Son Heung-min from this list though! We're sure the Swedish spy knew about him, which is why only Son Heung-min and Ki Sung-yueng (captain) wore their usual jerseys. © Reuters Tae-yong revealed this after Sweden coach Janne Andersson apologized for one of his scouts spying on the team's training session. He said, “It is very important we show respect for an opponent and if what we did has been perceived in another way, then we apologise.” The person identified as Lars Jacobsson was earlier asked to leave a closed training trill and reportedly persuaded a local couple to let him watch the match from their house using a high performance telescope and video camera. “It took a long car journey up the mountains to reach the house, but it was a perfect spot to observe the Korean team's training.” He told Reuters. Too bad, Tae-yong outsmarted him. Source: The Telegraph -
While Everyone Is Cheering For Ronaldo, Anand Mahindra Found A Guy With Better Football Skills
ADMIN posted a blog entry in FDF Online News
Don't ask us to keep calm because the 2018 FIFA World Cup has finally begun. Football teams across the world are ready to bring the coveted trophy home and so are the ardent fans, who are gearing up for late nights and coming up with brilliant excuses to not go to work the next day. While we are busy cheering for our respective football teams, as if our very lives depended on the game, a certain French man is winning the internet and making people go crazy with his killer, jaw-dropping, off the field football skills. (c) Twitter Honestly, if this man gets selected by any football club, he can win the match simply by showing off his amazing skills. His opponents will be so consumed and impressed by his talent, that they will forget they were supposed to play a match against him. And if there ever was a contest on the same, this man can easily leave Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Mo Salah behind. From turning upside down to climbing up a pole while balancing the ball, this guy's juggling skills are unbelievable and flawless, to say the least. And if you get noticed and appreciated by a billionaire who inspires millions of people, it means you are different from the others. #whatsappwonderbox Just jaw-dropping.Not even the full video. Is this guy for real or a droid? He should be performing for packed audiences in major auditoriums. Sometimes I wonder if people who develop such skills are the ones who should be the richest-not on the pavement.. pic.twitter.com/Obg0j2uscn — anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) 15 June 2018 This video was shared by Anand Mahindra, who was so amazed by his skills that he wrote, "is this guy for real or a droid?" Mahindra further mentioned, "He should be performing for packed audiences in major auditoriums. Sometimes I wonder if people who develop such skills are the ones who should be the richest - not on the pavement." We completely agree with your words here. 2nd half of the video. Even more incredible...Dizzy just watching this. pic.twitter.com/rUJMee24s2 — anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) 15 June 2018 Since then, Twitter too has been cheering for this man with unbound talents and we're sure that you too will join the league once you watch his videos. According to Tweeple, this man is from Paris who often stuns passersby with his insane skills. Instead of a bland and insipid song and dance @FiIFworldcup2018 opening ceremony yesterday, these are the kind of talent and incredible acrobatic stuff they should be showing. https://t.co/a4UbdDtXJd — Ganesh Krishnamurthy (@GaneshVMK) 15 June 2018 He performs everyday at the church located on montmartre in Paris. Amazing skill. Interesting thing to note is many enjoy his performance and click videos but few leave any gratuity — Ravi G Bhatia (@ravigbhatia) 15 June 2018 Wow- awesome skill. Laudable — alok gupta (@alokg2k) 15 June 2018 Spellbound watching his skills sir!! Yes they should be the richest and highly respected and protected too. Thank you sir for sharing this video.. — Pradeep Rathor (@Pradeeptweeet) 15 June 2018 I can't believe my eyes. This is mother of perfection. And the place where he's performing makes it a lot more challenging. pic.twitter.com/rji9xPToVw — Abhishek Yadav (@abhisheky948) 15 June 2018 This is knowing your craft thoroughly...very professional displaying a high level of expertise and intricate dexterity honed from years of practice and performance. Great show. — Olusesan Ayeni (@sesanayeni) 15 June 2018 Why can't ppl not select this guys to FIFA word cup. — Swamy Raavi (@InfoSwamy) 15 June 2018 -
12 Football WAGs Who May Just End Up Stealing The Show At The 2018 FIFA World Cup
ADMIN posted a blog entry in FDF Online News
With the highly-anticipated FIFA World Cup just around the corner, the excitement of the football fans is understandably at an all-time high. While the players will undeniably be the talk of the town in Russia, it is their respective 'wives and girlfriends' (WAGs) who are sure to make their presence felt, when they support their partners from the stands. But who are the top WAGS at the World Cup this summer, you'd ask? Here's a low-down for you: 1. Bruna Marquezine © Instagram/@brumarquezine The Brazilian actress/model and girlfriend of superstar Neymar is guaranteed to draw plenty of attention. Neymar and Bruna met at the Rio Carnival around six years ago and since have had a mixed bag relationship. They are said to be Brazil's response to England's star couple of David and Victoria Beckham, with the added spice of the Brazilian Samba. 2. Shakira © Instagram/@shakira From singing the now infamous 'Waka-Waka' song at the 2010 World Cup to being Barcelona and Spain superstar, Gerard Pique's wife, Shakira has come on her own into the world of football. She will be raising pulses with her presence in the stands cheering for her partner, Pique as well as for her home nation of Colombia 3. Anastasia Kudryashova © Instagram/@nastya.kudryashova While the Russian's might not be the favourites to win the World Cup, but if there was a contest to win the WAGS' Title, Anastasia might be the top contender. Married to Russian defender Fyodor Kudryashova, Anastasia will be ready to cheer on her husband and Russia during their matches at the World Cup, supported by her millions of followers. 4. Anna Lewandowska © Instagram/@annalewandowskahpba Partner to Poland's star striker Robert Lewandowski, Anna, will be one of the top attractions at the World Cup when Poland take the field. This beauty, has also represented Poland in Traditional Karate events, winning nearly 30-medals during her career. Now, she is a practising nutritionist and boasts her ideas to her 1.7 million Instagram followers. 5. Ruby Mae © Instagram/@rubymae3223 While England might have many players who'll be competing among themselves to be the best, Three Lions' star, Dele Alli's stunning girlfriend, Ruby Mae has sure won the battle among the WAGS' of England. The supermodel will be at her best in Russia to cheer on Alli, and his troops on the field, as England try to win the World Cup. 6. Edurne Garcia © Instagram/@edurnity While Gerrard Pique has a pop-star partner, the Spanish Goalkeeper will have his say at the World Cup as he will be cheered on by his partner and Madrid-Born Pop Star, Edurne Garcia. Despite being five-years elder to De Gea, they sure make the perfect couple with their respective personalities. 7. Georgina Rodriguez © Instagram/@georginagio Cristiano Ronaldo's affairs and relationships have been in plenty and well documented for the world to see. When the Portuguese star takes the field in Russia, this time around, he will be cheered on by someone he has genuinely fallen for. Georgina Rodriguez, the stunning beauty is also the mother of the Real Madrid stars' children, meaning this time in Russia, it is going to be family time for Ronaldo from the stands. 8. Lisa Muller © Instagram/@lisa.mueller.official As Thomas Muller attempts to break the all-time goal scorers record in Russia by trying to score for Germany, his wife, Lisa Muller has already scored plenty of fans all around. Lisa is a professional horse rider and will do her best to rally her husband, Thomas on the field, as Germany try to retain their World title. 9. Amine Gulse © Instagram/@gulseamine The former Miss Turkey World, Amine Gulse is dating Arsenal and Germany superstar Mesut Ozil. While her home nation might have missed out on playing at the World Cup, she sure will be in high spirits supporting Ozil and other stars which are of Turkish descent. Will she assist Ozil with her support at the World Cup? 10. Antonella Roccuzzo © Instagram/@antoroccuzzo88 Antonella Roccuzzo, is the stunning wife of Barcelona and Argentina's global superstar Lionel Messi. Messi and Antonela married in 2017 in a lavish ceremony, and she will be a strong contender to boost Messi's hopes of winning the World Cup in Russia. 11. Sofia Balbi © Instagram/@sofibalbi Luis Suarez will be leading Uruguay from the front at the World Cup, but to watch his back he has Sofia Balbi. The Barcelona star striker's wife will be present along with their kids in Russia to cheer on Suarez & Co, as they try to beat the favourites to advance at the World Cup. 12. Sara Salamo © Instagram/@sarasalamo The stunning beauty and 25-year-old Spanish actress, Sara Salamo is dating Spain and Real Madrid star midfielder, Isco. The pair have been in a relationship since 2017, and this would be her first World Cup and she sure will be supporting her nation and boyfriend to bring glory back to Spain. -
FIFA World Cup: Top 5 Football Stars Who'll Be Dearly Missed In Russia
ADMIN posted a blog entry in FDF Online News
The 2018 FIFA World Cup is less than a week away, and there are many notable absentees who have seen their name excluded from the final 23-man squad lists released by respective federations of the participating countries. Some of them haven't recovered from injury in time, while the others have been overlooked by their national team managers for different reasons. Here's a look at the top five players who will not be seen plying their trade in Russia. 1. Radja Nainggolan (Belgium) © Reuters It was a surprise for many when Nainggolan was not included in Belgium's 23-man squad for the World Cup, the strained relationship with manager Roberto Martinez offering a clue to the decision. After not being selected for qualifiers in September last year, the Roma midfielder announced his retirement from international football, only to be called-up by Martinez for friendlies in November. An injury forced him to pull out and he has not represented Belgium ever since. He earned 30 caps for his nation before announcing his retirement after the World Cup snub. 2. Dani Alves (Brazil) © Reuters Brazil were handed a huge blow after Dani Alves' knee injury in the Coupe de France final ruled him out of the World Cup. The Brazilian Football Confederation said in a statement, that the Paris Saint-Germain full back will need surgery. "It is impossible to call Dani Alves for the period of preparation, friendlies and, consequently, the World Cup," the CBF said. CBF coordinator Edu Gaspar said Alves was teary-eyed but insisted that the team must enter the competition with "positive energy." "We will not miss only Dani as a player. We lost a leader, a champion," Gaspar said. "But he told us to take some positive energy, he doesn't want people to be upset for him." 3. Leroy Sane (Germany) © Reuters The PFA Young Player of the Year hit 14 goals and provided 19 assists in all competitions for Manchester City, as they cruised to the Premier League title, breaking records for number of wins, points won and goals scored. Sane's omission was the most surprising of the lot when Germany announced their travelling squad on 4th of June. When asked about Sane's omission, coach Joachim Low said it was an incredibly difficult decision choosing between Julian Brandt and Sane which, in the end, went in favour of the Bayer Leverkusen winger. 4. Dimitri Payet (France) © Reuters After lighting up France with emphatic displays at the Euros two years ago, Dimitri Payet has long established himself as one of the key players for Les Blues. Payet was having a fine campaign with French side Marseille until injury ruled him out for the rest of the remainder of the domestic season. The 31-year old midfielder was withdrawn in the first half of Marseille's Europe League final against Atlético Madrid. Later, the medical reports confirmed that the injury effectively ended his World Cup dream as well. In the 2017-18 season, Payet had a hand in 40 goals (10 goals and 20 assists) across all competitions. His absence from the France attack will be a huge let down for coach Didier Deschamps. 5. Mauro Icardi (Argentina) © Reuters Despite scoring 29 Serie A goals in 34 matches in the past domestic campaign, Icardi was overlooked from Argentina's 23-man squad for the World Cup. The Inter Milan forward is a high-profile casualty, but it shows the incredible attacking depth the La Albiceleste possess. Lionel Messi, Paulo Dybala and Gonzalo Higuain are the chosen men to lead the Argentina attack, and while it is difficult to argue about the quality of the selected forwards, Icardi's wife surely didn't hold back. Speaking to Perros de la Calle, an Argentinian radio station, she said "Maybe now isn't the time, but he's calmly waiting for his chance to play. These are things with no explanation, what's happening to Mauro is an injustice - he deserves to be there. He has everything to be in the national team, in terms of age and performance." -
Sunil Chhetri Joins Lionel Messi As Second-Highest Goal-Scorer In International Football
ADMIN posted a blog entry in FDF Online News
On June 2, Indian football team's captain Sunil Chhetri shared a video of his emotional appeal on Twitter, urging people to come and watch them play. He made this appeal after his team played and won against Chinese Taipei by 5-0 in a game which was attended by barely 2000 people. Result? Tickets for all the upcoming football matches in the International Cup were sold out. Since then, not only has his tweet gone viral, but the Indian football team too has found their push that has catapulted them towards success. And Sunil Chhetri has now become the newest star of the Indian sports scene. © Twitter Chettri did not start playing football recently, yet it is funny how it took one video for fans to take notice his talent, so much so that now people can't stop talking about him. But like they say, “It's better to be late than never.”And we're glad that finally the cricket-crazy nation is appreciating the potential of the Indian football team, which has since not disappointed us one bit. After putting up a commendable game and defeating Kenya by 2-0, India proudly lifted the International Cup in Mumbai on Sunday. Captain Sunil Chhetri scored twice, first in the 8th minute and second in the 29th minute. With this Chhetri's tally has now reached to 64 from 102 matches, which made him the second highest international goal-scorer among all the active players. © BCCL Until now it was Argentina's Lionel Messi enjoying the second spot (64 in 124 internationals), but now he will be sharing his position with 33-year-old Chhetri. Cristiano Ronaldo still leads the tally with 81 goals from 150 matches. We guess the world that was until now divided between Ronaldo and Messi fans, will now be divided into three parts, given how Chhetri is gearing up to give them tough competition. Chhetri thanked the crowd for turning up in great numbers to support the team and took that opportunity to urge fans to compare him with Messi. © BCCL He reportedly said, “I am not taking that too seriously. There is no comparison (with Messi). I am a big fan (of him) and happy scoring goals for the country.” Chhetri is truly a star who needs all the love and support in the world. -
The weird to the wonderful? football pitches of the world
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
Playing football, nothing could be simpler, right? All you need is a ball, a few players and -- a pitch.Around the world and whatever the landscape, football grounds abound -- and are as varied and diverse as the people who play on them. In this... -
Amazon will show 20 Premier League matches a season for three years, starting from the 2019/20 seasonLONDON: Amazon has secured the rights to show English Premier League football matches for the first time in further evidence of their financial...
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Sunil Chhetri Makes Cricket-Crazy India Fall In Love With Football Again
ADMIN posted a blog entry in FDF Online News
Cricket is not a sport in India, it's a religion and cricket lovers are not called fans they are called followers. And there are no points for guessing that cricket gets to enjoy some insane levels of popularity and fame. In fact, watching the stadiums cramped with people during a cricket match is nothing unusual or unimaginable. Twitter But, tables were turned when Indian football team captain Sunil Chhetri made an emotional appeal urging people to come and watch the team play. Twitter In case you were too busy catching up on the highlights of the previous cricket matches, here's the video we're talking about. Sunil Chhetri made an appeal after barely 2000 people showed up for the match between Indian and Chinese Taipei, which India won by 5-0. He said, "Abuse us, criticise us but please come to watch the Indian national team play." This is nothing but a small plea from me to you. Take out a little time and give me a listen. pic.twitter.com/fcOA3qPH8i — Sunil Chhetri (@chetrisunil11) 2 June 2018 People were so moved by his appeal that the match between India and Kenya was sold out. And Chhetri's fans weren't disappointed a single bit, all thanks to his exceptional 2-goal performance in the ongoing Hero Intercontinental Cup. And now Chhetri's message has sold out the tickets of the match against New Zealand too, which will be held in Mumbai on June 7. Book My Show Well, Chhetri's performance, along with his appeal which led to tickets getting sold out quickly is proof that love for football hasn't died yet, something that the football federation couldn't do. -
FIFA Is Coming! Ready To Pass This Basic Football Trivia Quiz?
ADMIN posted a blog entry in FDF Online News
FIFA Is Coming! Ready To Pass This Basic Football Trivia Quiz?