Infantino to hand Maradona Fifa ambassador role
>> ZURICH: Diego Maradona is getting an ambassador’s role with Fifa.
The governing body wants to ensure the Argentina great “has a major role in Fifa’s activities to promote the game across the globe,’’ including with its Legends team.
Fifa said the 56-year-old Maradona will be involved in “relevant development projects.’’
Maradona announced his new role Thursday, hailing Fifa as “clean and transparent’’ under its president Gianni Infantino.
Maradona feuded with former Fifa president Sepp Blatter and long-time Argentina soccer leader Julio Grondona, a Fifa senior vice president who died in 2014.
Last month, Maradona played football at Fifa headquarters on his first visit since a November 2009 disciplinary hearing over a profane postmatch rant.
Maradona, the Argentina coach at the time, was banned from the 2010 World Cup draw in South Africa.
HERNANES JOINS HEBEI
Brazilian midfielder Hernanes has joined Chinese Super League club Hebei Fortune after just 18 months with Juventus, the Serie A giants announced yesterday.
“Juventus Football Club announces the completion of an agreement with Hebei China Fortune Football Club for the permanent transfer of Anderson Hernanes for €8m (US$8.5m),” a statement by Juventus said.
Juventus, bidding for a record sixth consecutive Serie A crown, said the fee could “increase by two million euros” if certain conditions are met during Hernanes’ stay with the Chinese club.
The statement did not reveal further details.
Hernanes, who joined Juventus from Inter Milan in August 2015 for €11 million having been a fans’ favourite at former club Lazio, made just 35 appearances for the Turin giants, winning one league title and the Italian Cup.
‘SUPERCLASICO’ AT MCG
Lionel Messi’s Argentina will take on Neymar’s Brazil in a ‘Superclasico’ friendly in Melbourne in June, Australian officials said yesterday.
The top two teams in the Fifa rankings will clash in the 100,000-capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground, the world’s biggest cricket stadium, on June 9.
“There’s no bigger occasion in football than when Brazil takes on Argentina, and it’s coming to Melbourne,” said Victoria’s state tourism minister, John Eren.
The great South American rivalry has been dominated in recent years by Brazil, who have not lost to Argentina since 2012.
Messi, 29, last played at the MCG a decade ago when Argentina beat Australia 1-0.