World Soccer - UK (2019-11)

EUROPE

A World Cup winner with Germany in

2014 and a Bundesliga champion eight

times with Bayern Munich, BASTIAN

SCHWEINSTEIGER retired, aged 35,

after playing in MLS with Chicago Fire.

CLAUDIO MARCHISIO, who won

seven Serie A titles with Juventus and

was capped 55 times by Italy, retired

at the age of 33.

Former West Bromwich Albion and

Rangers defender GARETH MCAULEY,

who won 80 caps for Northern Ireland,

announced his retirement aged 39.

JOHN DELANEY resigned as executive

vice-president of the Football Association

of Ireland.

SOUTH AMERICA

Brazil’s Internacional parted company

with coach ODAIR HELLMANN.

CONCACAF

Orlando City fired coach JAMES

O’CONNOR after missing out on an

MLS play-off place.

Colorado Rapids keeper TIM

HOWARD, who won 121 USA caps,

retired at the end of the MLS season.

AFRICA

Morocco captain MEDHI BENATIA,

who won 62 caps and played in four

Africa Cup of Nations and the 2018 World

Cup, retired from international football.

Equatorial Guinea coach ANGEL

LOPEZ stepped down, saying he needed

“a new challenge”.

ASIA

Syria’s all-time record scorer with 36

goals for his country, FIRAS AL KHATIB

retired at the age of 36.

“I used to pray for Saturday fixtures so I

could go to the Formula 1 on Sunday. It was

private jets all over the place. It was crazy”

Roberto Carlos on life at Real Madrid

Coach Pellegrino

leaves Leganes

Former Alaves and Southampton boss

MAURICIO PELLEGRINO left his role

in charge of Leganes after the club

managed just two points in their

opening nine La Liga matches.

Argentinian coach Pellegrino joined

Leganes in summer 2018 and the club

finished in 13th place in his first season

in charge.

Promise ISAAC (1987-2019)

Skippered Nigeria under-20s when they

won the African Youth Championship

in 2005, scoring both goals in the Final

against Egypt, and also wore the captain’s

armband as his country won an Olympic

silver medal in 2008. A striker with

Austin Bold of the USL, he collapsed and

died at his home gym in Texas, aged 31.

OBITUARIES

GLOBAL FOOTBALL INTELLIGENCE

Left...

Mauricio

Pellegrino

Collapsed...

Promise Isaac

Over...Tim Howard

Gone...Odair

Hellman

Appointments, sackings and loans