La Masia de Can Planes, more commonly known simply as La Masia (‘The Farmhouse’), is FC Barcelona’s world-class youth academy. Known as the academy which gifted world football the likes of Pep Guardiola and Lionel Messi, it houses and trains over 700 boys and girls (79 of which live in-house full time) aged 11-18 at any one time.
Its primary aim is to produce professional footballers, and its track record is enviable. In addition to Guardiola and Messi, the likes of Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets have all passed through its doors, making it a key factor in the club’s unprecedented success both at LaLiga Santander and in Europe in recent years.
In the last couple of years, the latest generation of La Masia youth players has ‘exploded’ onto the scene, providing great hope for FC Barcelona fans. The great standard-bearer is Ansu Fati, second in the 2020 Golden Boy award and a forward who has already broken a multitude of precocious records. And he’s not alone, coming through the ranks together with the likes of Álex Balde, Nico González, Gavi, etc.
Players are schooled in the iconic possession-based style of football which has become synonymous with the club over the years, promoting a sense of collective creativity made possible only by a true understanding of the structure and requirements of the system.
But there is more to La Masia, which relocated to a purpose-built 6,000 m² site in 2011, than just producing quality footballers. A very conscious effort is made to instil in youngsters the values the club believes essential to all those coming through the ranks, among them respect, humility and teamwork. These are values that permeate throughout the club and form the heart of the club’s identity from the first team down to the youngest academy teams; the idea of being more than just a club – Mes que un club.
The club also places great importance on ensuring that football doesn’t interfere with the players’ educational development, as is so often the case in this industry, and residents maintain full school commitments while at the academy. The club employs its own medical staff at La Masia, ensuring that residents are provided with tailored nutritional programmes and medical care, and specialist kitchen staff.
It even organises a variety of cultural events with parents, including conferences and theatre visits, emphasising the importance of extra-curricular development and teaches youngsters how to act and deal with social media. In short, the philosophy is to nurture not only sporting but also personal and educational growth.
The 33rd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) kicked off in Cameroon’s capital, Yaounde on Sunday, as tens of thousands of fans watched a dazzling opening ceremony.
With fireworks, traditional costumes and joyful songs by Congolese singer Fally Ipupa, the ceremony comprised hundreds of dancers exhibiting Cameroon’s cultural diversity and hospitality.
Over 40,000 people flocked to the newly inaugurated Olembe Stadium, 13km north of Yaounde.
Cameroon’s President Paul Biya arrived earlier at the stadium, giving the green light for the championship.
Earlier, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe in his inaugurating speech welcomed all African teams participating in the football jamboree, wishing them good luck.
“We can host a successful tournament. It’s gonna be the best that’s ever taken place. We must believe. Today shows that we believe in the people of Cameroon and the people of Africa,” Motsepe said.
Cameroon faces Burkina Faso in the tournament’s opener.
On Saturday people of all ages, clad in the country’s green, red, yellow colors and blowing their loud vuvuzelas joined a public parade in a neighborhood in Yaounde to cheer on the team.
Among them was 25-year-old Andrew Geli who was already making arrangements to drape himself in Cameroon’s colors and paint the flag on his face.
“I can’t believe that the Africa Cup of Nations is taking place in my country in my lifetime. It’s like I am still dreaming if this is a dream, I don’t want to wake up,” Geli told Xinhua as he continued blowing the vuvuzela.
“Everything is near, preparations are going very quickly, we hope that all of Africa will join us for this very, very beautiful celebration,” said football fan, Joseph Messi Awana.
The official song of the tournament plays in popular spots of Yaounde and football gadgets and flags are in high demand ahead of the game.
Cameroonians hope AFCON marks a new chapter for a country divided by sociopolitical and ethnic crises.
Even President Paul Biya said last week the football bonanza should help enhance unity and solidarity.
“As a nation, we have the duty and opportunity to remind the world that we are a united and indomitable people, capable of displaying this fighting spirit that has enabled us in the past to win great battles,” Biya said in a televised address to the nation.
“We want it (AFCON) to be a great moment of brotherhood. Let us offer our guests the rich cultural diversity that has earned our country the nickname “Africa in miniature”,” he added.
To boost fraternity among the people and visiting fans, the government has established viewing sites for fans in all the 10 regions of the country. In Yaounde alone, about eight fan parks and viewing sites have been set up, able to cater to some 20,000 supporters.
The nation has been preparing to host the tournament since 2019, but it was replaced by Egypt due to preparation delays and security concerns. It was then awarded the 2021 edition, which was again postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“We’ve been waiting for this moment for almost four years, not just me, not just my children but … all of Cameroon. It is an exciting time to be a Cameroonian. Fans are anxious to support the team and welcome other Africans here,” said sports analyst, Julius Tabe.
For most Cameroonian football legends, the tournament has been a long time coming. The last time Jean Paul Akono played for the national team, Indomitable Lions of Cameroon was half a century ago.
“I remember and no one has ever forgotten the sad memory of how Cameroon hosted the 8th edition of AFCON in 1972 and we lost at the semifinal stage. I assure you that those who are still alive and who participated in this AFCON do not have enough strong words to tell you what happened in the country at that time, the famous February 5, 1972. It was terrible, all of Cameroon was touched and it was as if the sky was falling,” the former player and coach of the Indomitable Lions told Xinhua in Yaounde.
“But my most ardent wish is that our players, our indomitable Lions today can do the revenge for us and that we can win this AFCON. I think it will be the sweetest of all the AFCON we have won away from home,” he added.
“So much has changed since last hosting the Africa Cup of Nations in 1972. Fifty years later, it’s time to reintroduce ourselves to the world,” said Samuel Eto’o Fils, president of Cameroon Football Federation and four-time winner of African player of the year.
Eto’o has been sharing his experiences with the Indomitable Lions during training sessions in the build-up to the tournament.
“Listen to your coach and be focused. Give the best of yourself. We need to win,” Eto’o told the players on Saturday during their last training session to the opening of the tournament.
Cameroon will be seeking a sixth title and must work hard to achieve that goal, said Roger Mila, former Cameroonian striker and Confederation of African Football Best African Player of the last 50 years.
“It’s true we are the hosts but to reach the utmost level, that is, the final and perhaps win the trophy, we need to be very powerful on the pitch and off the pitch,” Milla told Xinhua before the kick-off of the tournament.
Fans at the tournament have to follow strict anti-COVID-19 measures to be able to watch the game.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) and Cameroonian authorities have stressed that proof of vaccination and presentation of a negative COVID-19 test result will be mandatory to access the stadium during the competition. Wearing face masks is also obligated and social distancing will be strictly applied. Stadiums will operate between 60 to 80 percent of capacity.
“The 80% maximum capacity will only apply for matches of the host country Cameroon while the rest of the matches will be capped at 60% of the stadium capacity,” CAF said in a statement prior to the kick-off of the championship.
With stadiums that feature cutting-edge equipment and first-class infrastructure, Cameroon looks forward to staging “the best AFCON ever,” said Narcisse Mouelle Kombi, the country’s Minister of Sports and Physical Education.
AFCON matches will be played in the capital, Yaounde, coastal town of Douala, West regional chief town of Bafoussam, Garoua in the North region and the Anglophone southwestern seaside resort town of Limbe where armed separatists have threatened to disrupt the game. The separatist fighters have already set off two improvised explosive devices in the town.
The army has deployed additional ammunition and troops to the region to secure fans and players. Locals told Xinhua, hundreds of troops now conduct systematic checks of vehicles and passengers entering the town and undertake day and night patrols.
Cameroon will play in Group A with, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia and Cape Verde while Group B includes Senegal, Zimbabwe, Guinea and Malawi. Group C comprises Morocco, Ghana, Comoros and Gabon while Group D has Nigeria, Egypt, Sudan, and Guinea-Bissau. Group E is made up of Algeria, Sierra-Leone, Equatorial Guinea and Cote d’Ivoire and Group F has Tunisia, Mali, Mauritania and Gambia.
The 24-nation tournament will run from Sunday to February 6.
Here is Xinhua News Agency’s selection of the 10 most significant pieces of international sports news in 2021, in chronological order:
Russia doping ban reduced to two years
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said on February 2 it would not appeal against Russia’s two-year ban, which was cut from four years by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in late 2020. Due to several doping scandals, Russian athletes are forced to compete under a neutral flag instead of the Russian flag at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, and the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup among other global sporting events.
Thomas Bach re-elected IOC president
Thomas Bach, incumbent president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has been re-elected for an additional four-year term until 2025 during the 137th IOC Session which was held online on March 10.
12 clubs, unsuccessfully, form European Super League
Twelve top-flight European football clubs from the Spanish La Liga, English Premier League and Italian Serie A announced on April 19 that they would join a new European Super League, despite condemnation from the UEFA and other football governing bodies. However, the plan collapsed only two days later after most of the clubs withdrew from the league.
Italy wins Euro 2020
Italy’s men’s football team won the European Championship after beating England in the final after a penalty shootout on July 11. With seven straight wins, the Azzurri brought home the Euro title for the first time since 1968.
Novak Djokovic wins Wimbledon Championships
Novak Djokovic won the Wimbledon Championships – his 20th Grand Slam singles title on July 11, joining Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal as a 20-time Grand Slam winner. On November 7, Djokovic beat Daniil Medvedev in the Paris Masters final to claim a record 37th Masters 1000 title, passing Nadal’s previous record of 36. Meanwhile, the Serbian was awarded the year-end ATP Tour No. 1 for a record-breaking seventh time.
32nd Summer Olympics Games take place
The 32nd Summer Olympic Games took place in Tokyo, Japan from July 23 to August 8 after it was postponed for one year due to COVID-19, with the United States, China and Japan ranking in the top three of the gold medal tally. The 138th IOC session approved the inclusion of “Together” to the Olympic motto, which now reads “Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together.”
Lionel Messi leaves Barcelona, Ronaldo returns to Manchester United
Lionel Messi parted ways with FC Barcelona after 21 years at the Spanish club and joined French outfit Paris Saint-Germain. The 34-year-old striker won the Ballon d’Or award for a record-extending seventh time. Cristiano Ronaldo returned to Manchester United 12 years later after spells at Real Madrid and Juventus.
Former IOC president Jacques Rogge passes away
Former IOC president Jacques Rogge passed away at the age of 79, the IOC announced on August 29. Rogge, the eighth president of the IOC from 2001 to 2013 and later Honorary President, lauded the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games as “truly exceptional.”
Lewis Hamilton claims 100 Grand Prix victories
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton became the first ever Formula One driver to claim 100 Grand Prix victories after winning the Russian Grand Prix on September 26.
10th Olympic Summit held
The 10th Olympic Summit was held online on December 11, during which the Summit declared to stand firmly against any politicization of the Olympic Games and sport. The Summit also welcomed the Beijing Winter Olympic Truce Resolution, which was adopted by consensus and co-sponsored by 173 Member States at the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
As the sporting year draws to a close, here is Xinhua News Agency’s selection of the world’s top 10 athletes in 2021:
1. Lionel Messi (Argentina, football)
Messi was crowned with the Ballon d’Or award for a record-extending seventh time in 2021. The 34-year-old striker helped Argentina win the Copa America this summer which ended his long-standing title drought with the senior national team, and he was also named the best player of the tournament and claimed the Golden Boot. He also won the Copa del Rey with FC Barcelona and La Liga’s top goalscorer award.
2. Novak Djokovic (Serbia, tennis)
Djokovic, 34, won his 20th Grand Slam men’s singles title at Wimbledon, equalling Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer’s joint record. He also claimed the men’s singles championship at the Australian Open and French Open in 2021.
3. Max Verstappen (Netherlands, Formula One)
Red Bull’s Verstappen, 24, won the 2021 Formula 1 world championship after overtaking Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton on the last lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He is the first Dutch driver to win the Formula One World Championship.
4. Robert Lewandowski (Poland, football)
Lewandowski, 33, scored 41 goals in the 2020-21 season to beat Gerd Muller’s goalscoring record for a single season and help Bayern Munich win their ninth consecutive Bundesliga title. He also won the European Golden Boot as the continent’s top goalscorer for the 2020-21 season and Striker of the Year at the 2021 Ballon d’Or.
5. Elaine Thompson-Herah (Jamaica, athletics)
Thompson-Herah, 29, collected gold medals in the women’s 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. On August 22, Thompson-Herah won the 100m with a new personal best of 10.54 seconds at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Eugene, just 0.05 seconds shy of the world record. She was named the World Athletes of the Year at the World Athletics Awards 2021.
6. Ma Long (China, table tennis)
At the Tokyo Olympics, 33-year-old Ma beat compatriot Fan Zhendong 4-2 in the final, becoming the first table tennis player in history to win consecutive Olympic titles in the men’s singles event. He is also the most decorated table tennis player ever with 26 world and Olympic titles.
7. Caeleb Dressel (United States, swimming)
Dressel, 25, won five gold medals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the men’s 50 meter freestyle, 100 meter freestyle, 100 meter butterfly, 4x100m freestyle and 4x100m medley relays. He holds nine world records as of August 2021.
8. Karsten Warholm (Norway, athletics)
In July 2021, 25-year-old Warholm broke the 29-year-old world record in 400 meters hurdles. A month later at the Tokyo Olympics, he won the gold medal with a time of 45.94 seconds, breaking his own world record. He was named the World Athletes of the Year at the World Athletics Awards 2021.
9. Viktor Axelsen (Denmark, badminton)
Axelsen, 27, beat China’s Chen Long in the men’s singles final to win Olympic gold at the Tokyo Olympic Games. He then won the season-ending BWF World Tour Finals and was named the 2020/2021 BWF Male Player of the Year.
10. Lamont Marcell Jacobs (Italy, athletics)
Jacobs, 27, was crowned as the world’s fastest man at the Tokyo Olympics in 9.80 seconds, becoming the first European sprinter to win the men’s 100m race since Barcelona 1992.
MADRID, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) — Antoine Griezmann had a night to forget Atletico Madrid lost 3-2 at home to Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
The Frenchman scored two goals at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium to bring his side back from 2-0 down, but then saw a red card that played a big part in their loss.
Griezmann probably didn’t have malice in mind when he challenged for the ball with Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino early in the second half, but his high foot in the Brazilian’s face left the referee with little option other than to send him off, in what was the decisive moment in an exciting game.
The game was only eight minutes old when Mohamed Salah put Liverpool ahead after cutting in from the right, dipping his shoulder and firing in a left-foot shot that took a touch off Geoffrey Kondogbia before finding the net.
It was 2-0 just five minutes later when Naby Keita latched onto Felipe’s poor clearance to volley past Jan Oblak in the Atletico goal to seemingly put Liverpool on track to a comfortable win.
That changed in the 20th minute when Griezmann put the finishing touch to a move that started with Thomas Lemar, before Koke sent a low ball into the Liverpool area for the Frenchman to prod home from close range.
Alisson did well to save from Griezmann shortly afterwards when he was clean through on goal, but the Liverpool keeper’s save merely delayed the equalizer and Griezmann made it 2-2 with a crisp shot in the 34th minute after excellent work from Joao Tomas gave him space to finish.
Alisson saved magnificently from Yannick Carrasco immediately after the break, before Griezmann left his side with 10 men after his rush of blood.
Atletico tried to break up the play as much as possible after the ending off with a series of niggling fouls and constant appeals for free kicks, but Liverpool got a breakthrough with 12 minutes left. Mario Hermoso committed a needless shove on Diogo Jota and Salah beat Oblak from the penalty spot.
Atletico made a quadruple substitution with 10 minutes left to play and thought they had a penalty of their own after Jose Gimenez went down under a challenge from Jota, but the referee overturned his original decision after a VAR check and Liverpool claimed an important win.
TOKYO, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) — Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon wins women’s 1,500m gold with new Olympic record of three minutes and 53.11 seconds at Tokyo 2020 on Friday.
Kipyegon surpassed Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands in the last lap, Laura Muir of Britain claimed a silver with 3:54.50, Hassan took bronze with 3:55.86.
Hassan won women’s 5,000m gold on Monday, she will compete in women’s 10,000m on Saturday.
The Kenya women’s volleyball team, Malkia Strikers, stepped out for the Tokyo Olympics Games in style as the first batch of Team Kenya departs to Japan.
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday presented the Kenyan contingent with the official kit at State House, Nairobi, during the official send-off ceremony.
The first batch of the volleyball squad left Nairobi on Thursday evening with the second batch expected to follow the day after for a mandatory two-week acclimatization camp in Kurumu city.
The Summer Games will officially kick off on July 23rd in Tokyo.
The Kenyan uniform is inspired by Kenya’s national colours.
“Kenyan sports has always attracted the best talents in the country and our values of hard work and service are deeply entrenched in our athletes. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics is another opportunity for us to promote disqualifies that position us for success in the sporting world,” President Kenyatta said.
Team Kenya will travel in batches as a precautionary measure to wade through the Covid-19 pandemic.
The arrangement, though, will see Paul Bitok miss at least three days of training together with the full squad.
Kenya has been drawn in a tough Group A alongside hosts Japan, Brazil Korea and the Dominican Republic.
Pool B has China, USA, Russia, Italy, Argentina and Turkey.
Another African representative, Tunisia (men) have been poled with Brazil, USA-, Russia, Argentina and France in group B, while group A has Japan, Poland, Italy, Canada, Iran and Venezuela
ROME, May 19 (Xinhua) — Juventus restored some dignity to the current season by clinching a 14th Coppa Italia title after a 2-1 victory over Atalanta on Wednesday, as Dejan Kulusevski scored one and set up another.
The Bianconeri has had an unsuccessful campaign this season, having lost the Scudetto to Inter Milan and risks missing out the Champions League for next season. Coach Andrea Pirlo, who celebrated his 42nd birthday on the matchday, opted for Gianluigi Buffon in goal, while Cristiano Ronaldo spearheaded a three-forward line flanked by Kulusevski and Federico Chiesa.
About 4,300 fans were allowed into the Mapei Stadium in Reggio Emilia, the most since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic started in March 2020.
La Dea had a more aggressive start, but it was Juventus who took the lead against the run of play in the 31st minute when Ronaldo created chaos in the box, Weston McKennie poked for Kulusevski to finish with a spectacular curler.
Atalanta got back on level terms 10 minutes later through a counterattack in the midfield, Hans Hateboer pulled back for Ruslan Malinovskyi to drill home.
Juve sealed the win in the 72nd minute after a great team move as Chiesa broke into the box after a give-and-go with Kulusevski, before turning in from close range.
“It was a wonderful match between two great teams who fought until the final minute. It was a final worthy of the name, finally in front of the public, and it was important after everything that happened to have a good match,” said Pirlo.
Kenyan driver Carl ‘Flash’ Tundo won the Equator Rally, one of the legs of the Africa Rally Championship, held in the picturesque Kenyan sub-county of Naivasha on April 24-25.
The event was a precursor to the WRC Safari Rally set to return to Kenya after 19 years on June 24 -27.
In case you missed the action, here are a few of the thrills and the spills… and nature at its best.