This document lays out a plan to further modernise the football world, make it increasingly inclusive and pave the way to a landscape in which, one day, we will have around 50 national teams and 50 clubs from all continents at a top competitive level. This is a vision to make football truly global.
Spain
"We footballers believe that, because we’re monitored more, we won’t suffer from heart problems.
"However, cases like mine, and others even more serious, show that unfortunately that’s not the case," says Iker Casillas on what concerns him most today, his 40th birthday.
On 1 May 2019, his life was turned upside down. The 2010 world champion, Spain icon and goalkeeping legend suffered a heart attack while training with his club Porto.
That day everything changed for him and he had to leave behind what he loved most, playing football, bringing his motivation and enthusiasm to new projects instead.
To coincide with his 40th birthday, FIFA.com chatted to Casillas about these projects and reminisced about some of the key moments in his glittering and trophy-laden career.
"I treasure everything," he told us, "because the good times were exceptionally good, while the not-so-good ones can make you even better."
"We footballers believe that, because we’re monitored more, we won’t suffer from heart problems. However, cases like mine, and others even more serious, show that unfortunately that’s not the case," says Iker Casillas on what concerns him most today, his 40th birthday.
On 1 May 2019, his life was turned upside down. The 2010 world champion suffered a heart attack while training with his club Porto.
That day everything changed for him and he had to leave behind what he loved most, playing football, bringing his motivation and enthusiasm to new projects instead.
To coincide with his 40th birthday, FIFA.com chatted to Casillas about these projects and reminisce about some of the key moments in his glittering career.
Spain in 2010 were a very balanced side. We knew we'd always score and that we were hard to score against.
Qatar 2022
Just a few days shy of his 60th birthday, the Uruguayan Martin Lasarte accepted the biggest challenge of his coaching career by taking charge of the Chilean national team, who are determined to make it back to the FIFA World Cup™ after missing out on Russia 2018.
And while this is his first stint in charge of a national team, Lasarte has ample coaching experience in South American, including in Chile, where he has managed two of the country’s top three sides.
Lasarte was the coach who gave Luis Suarez and Antoine Griezmann their professional debuts at Uruguay’s Nacional and Spain’s Real Sociedad respectively. On top of that, he has coached in countries as varied as Colombia, UAE and Egypt – his last stop before taking up the Roja reins.
His first official matches will be against Argentina and Bolivia as part of the qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, where Chile currently languish outside the qualifying berths in sixth place. That campaign, as well as this year’s Copa America and the team’s objectives, were all up for discussion during an interview with FIFA.com.
Just a few days shy of his 60th birthday, the Uruguayan Martin Lasarte accepted the biggest challenge of his coaching career by taking charge of the Chilean national team, who are determined to make it back to the FIFA World Cup™ after missing out on Russia 2018.
And while this is his first stint in charge of a national team, Lasarte has ample coaching experience in South American, including in Chile. On top of that, he has coached in countries as varied as Colombia, UAE and Egypt – his last stop before taking up the Roja reins.
His first official matches will be against Argentina and Bolivia as part of the qualifiers for the Qatar 2022, where Chile currently languish outside the qualifying berths in sixth place. That campaign, as well as this year’s Copa America and the team’s objectives, were all up for discussion during an interview with FIFA.com.
Chile's veterans still stand out today for their sporting qualities, but also for their ability to motivate. It's vital to have players with the ability to pass knowledge on, and Chile has them.
North Macedonia
When he swapped Lugano for Leeds United in 2017, there was little to hint at the adventures that have since ensued for Ezgjan Alioski.
The club he had joined were preparing for an eighth successive season in England’s second tier, and ended that campaign mired in mid-table mediocrity. His national team was faring worse still, having sunk to an all-time low 162nd in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men's World Ranking after a run of 14 losses in 18 matches.
His subsequent rise reflects that of his teams. As Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds became an impressive, much-lauded addition to England’s Premier League, and North Macedonia made history by qualifying for the UEFA EURO and inflicting Germany’s first FIFA World Cup™ qualifying defeat in two decades, Alioski emerged as a key man.
Maintaining that skywards trajectory is now his target. But before tackling future challenges, it was time to reflect on events and people that, over the past few years, have utterly transformed his life and career.
When he swapped Lugano for Leeds United in 2017, there was little to hint at the adventures that have since ensued for Ezgjan Alioski.
The club he had joined were preparing for an eighth successive season in England’s second tier, and ended that campaign mired in mid-table mediocrity. His national team was faring worse still, having sunk to an all-time low 162nd in the World Ranking after a run of 14 losses in 18 matches.
His subsequent rise reflects that of his teams. As Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds became an impressive addition to England’s Premier League, and North Macedonia made history by qualifying for the UEFA EURO and inflicting Germany’s first FIFA World Cup™ qualifying defeat in two decades, Alioski emerged as a key man.
Maintaining that skywards trajectory is now his target. But before tackling future challenges, it was time to reflect on events and people that, over the past few years, have transformed his life and career.
Having beaten Germany, we have to believe we can get to the World Cup. In my opinion, we're better than Romania, Iceland and the others in our group
Podium unchanged ahead of busy schedule
Discover
Belgium
Pts. 1783.38
France
Pts. 1757.3
Brazil
Pts. 1742.65
England
Pts. 1686.78
Portugal
Pts. 1666.12
Spain
Pts. 1648.13
Dutch on the podium, USA retain top spot
Discover
USA
Pts. 2200.39
Germany
Pts. 2089.23
Netherlands
Pts. 2038.61
France
Pts. 2029.93
Sweden
Pts. 2016.63
England
Pts. 1973.98
As the world’s number one sport, football is uniquely placed to strengthen initiatives that can improve the lives of young people around the world.
