HEROES & VILLAINS
LUIS SUAREZ
To celebrate the Uruguayan striker’s 500th career goal, his sponsors Puma donated 500 footballs to youth teams in the cities he has played in at club level, including Amsterdam, Liverpool and Barcelona. The news came just weeks after the Barca forward established Deportivo LS, a new team that will play in Uruguay’s University League, with the goal of eventually turning professional.
LIVERPOOL
No, not them, the other ones: Liverpool FC of Montevideo. For the first time in their 106-year history, the “Black and Blues” have been crowned champions of Uruguay, sealing the Clausura title after losing just one game. Striker Ignacio Ramirez was the star, topping the league’s scoring charts with 13 goals.
BONO
After earning cult-hero status in Andalusia last season, thanks to his goalkeeping heroics in helping Sevilla win a record sixth Europa League crown, Moroccan goalkeeper Bono is more well-known for keeping goals out. But in March he was a hero at the other end after scoring a stoppage-time equaliser against Real Valladolid. In doing so, he became the first goalkeeper to score for the club in La Liga.
ALPHONSO DAVIES
The Bayern Munich and Canada star recently became the first footballer to be named an ambassador for the United Nations’ refugee charity UNHCR. “I’m honoured to become a Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR,” said Davies, a former refugee himself. “I have come a long way from the refugee camp where I was born and worked hard to get where I am today. But I’ll never forget where I started.”
RIO FERDINAND
Ferdinand’s suggestion that Newcastle fans who criticise Mike Ashley should “round your money up and take over the club” was not only tone-deaf, it was also completely illogical. Can fans only criticise owners if they have the wealth to buy the team? Magpies supporters pointed out that Ferdinand’s opinion may be skewed by the fact that his clothing line is sold on Ashley’s Sports Direct website.
NATIONAL LEAGUE BOARD
The organisers of England’s fifth and sixth tiers handed out several fines to clubs for failing to fulfil fixtures, in spite of the fact that both the National League North and South were declared null and void in February. When government grants dried up earlier in the year, several teams stopped playing while awaiting the league’s verdict. Many clubs are now considering a vote of no confidence against the board.
YANN SONGO’O
The Morecambe defensive midfielder was handed a six-game ban from the Football League for allegedly using a homophobic slur in a League Two clash with Tranmere. “I’m totally against any form of discrimination and I know what I said was totally unacceptable, I can only apologise and ask for forgiveness to anyone I offended,” he said later.
SEPP BLATTER
The former FIFA president’s ban from football has been extended by six years and eight months after an investigation found evidence of an “undue economic benefit” accepted by Blatter during his reign. The 85-year-old is already banned until October, at which point the additional punishment will begin.