Goalkeeper declines beer-sponsored award
Mexico defender Rafael
Marquez is feeling “in great shape” after becoming only the third man in history to play in a fifth career
World Cup.
The 39-year-old (pictured) came on in the 74th minute of Mexico’s 1-0 win over Germany on Sunday, following in the footsteps of Germany’s Lothar Matthaeus and fellow Mexican Antonio Carbajal.
“I feel in great shape for the rest of the tournament,” said Marquez, who played for Barcelona from 2003-10 and last played club soccer for Atlas in his homeland but is retiring after this tournament. “Back home no one thought that we could pull this off. We have a pessimist culture in Mexico, but we have a tough mentality,” he added of Mexico’s victory.
Playing as captain in a defensive midfield role, Marquez was highly effective against the Germans, making some tough tackles as Mexico successfully defended its lead.
“I didn’t think about the fifth World Cup,” he said. “The game was close and I just wanted to do my job. It was a moment with a lot of pressure.” 2006 tournament, it is perhaps not too surprising the couple wanted to give their daughter an early taste of World Cup fever.
And so it was on Saturday that toddler Emmy was dressed up in a tiny green and gold replica shirt and joined some 10,000 fans from Down Under cheering on the Socceroos in their Group C opener against France.
At 15 months old, Emmy made little contribution to the wall of noise created by the passionate Australians as their team went down 2-1 to the French at Kazan Arena, but that suited mom just fine.
“She slept during half of it so that was good for me. I got to relax and watch the game,” Sandra Kuhn told Reuters.
“And then the second half she was just flirting with everyone around her. She was so good with all the noise and everything.”
An Egypt team official has confirmed goalkeeper Mohamed ElShenawy declined to receive a man-ofthe-match trophy at the World Cup for religious reasons.
The trophy, an artistic red goblet, is sponsored by Budweiser. Islam prohibits the consumption of alcohol.
Egypt team director Ihab Leheta told Associated Press on Sunday that Elshenawy (pictured) said a “few words” and posed for photos in a brief ceremony but did not take the goblet.
The 29-year-old Elshenawy won the award following his impressive performance in a 1-0 loss to Uruguay on Friday. He made a string of stunning saves before Uruguay clinched the win with a goal in the 89th minute.