HEROES & VILLAINS
PROGRES NIEDERKORN
Without a win in 13 previous matches in European competition, and with a record of just one goal scored and 42 conceded, the Luxembourg side knocked Scotland’s Rangers out of the Europa League qualifiers.
ATHLETIC BILBAO
In a show of solidaity with team-mate Yeray, who is suffering from cancer, players at the Spanish club shaved their heads. The 22-year-old defender was diagnosed with testicular cancer in December and had an operation to remove the tumour before returning to first-team football in February. However, medical checks in June revealed the disease had returned and the under21 international had to begin chemotherapy.
ALPHONSO DAVIES
At just 16 years 247 days, the Ghanaian-born winger – who became a Canadian citizen little more than a month eralier – scored twice against French Guiana at the Gold Cup to become the first player born in the 2000s to score at a major international tournament.
CHRISTIAN HEIDEL
With players being extremely well-rewarded financially, fines are easily payable. So Schalke’s sporting executive came up with the novel way of punishing those who break club rules: making them work in the club shop. “You can’t really hurt the lads with fines,” says Christian Heidel. “We have the leisure-time punishment – and it might happen that players work in the club shop on their free day instead of getting fined.”
SOLOMON NYANTAKYI
The Italian-born former Parma player of Ghanaian descent pleaded guilty to the murder of his 45-year-old mother and 11-year-old sister, having stabbed them both several times.
HENRY ROMERO
The El Salvador player bit USA’s Jozy Altidore and attempted to “twist” his nipples in their Gold Cup encounter.
ANTONIO CASSANO
The 35-year-old striker ended a year out of the game by joining newly promoted Italian side Verona. However, eight days later he changed his mind and said he was retiring – only to reverse that decision a few hours afterwards. Then, after promising fans that he was fully committed to the club for the 2017-18 season, he walked away, saying: “After thinking and reflecting, in the end I decided Antonio Cassano will not play football anymore.”
JUAN CARLOS OSORIO
Mexico’s coach missed the whole of the Gold Cup after being banned for six matches on the day the tournament started for using insulting words and displaying an aggressive attitude to match officials during the third-place play-off against Portugal in the Confederations Cup.