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Syrian Jihadists Employ Soccer As Propaganda And Recruitment Tool
Jihadists, often eager to exploit soccer for their ideological goals, have found a new way of employing the game for propaganda and recruitment purposes. A recent jihadist video suggested that an apparent Portuguese fighter in Syria was a former French international who had played for British premier league club Arsenal.
The video exploited the physical likeness of a masked jihadist fighter believed to be Celso Rodrigues Da Costa, to that of French international Lassana Diarra. Voice analysis suggested however that the man brandishing an AK-47 weapon in the clip was Mr. Da Costa, a Portuguese national who had lived in East London for some time and may have attended youth coaching sessions at Arsenal. Mr. Diarra played for Arsenal before moving to Lokomotiv Moscow.
Mr. Da Costa would be the third London-based Portuguese national to have joined the Syrian jihad. Last October, Burak Karan, an up and coming German-Turkish soccer star, was killed during a Syrian military raid on anti-Bashar al Assad rebels near the Turkish border. Messrs. D Costa and Karan joined a list of soccer players-turned-militants who have gone to the Middle East and North Africa or had roots in the region or in Islam. They are among thousands of Europeans believed to have joined the war in Syria.
In the eight-minute video posted on FiSyria.com, a website associated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), one of the most militant jihadist groups in Syria, Mr. Da Costa, using the nomme de guerre Abu Isa Andaluzi and speaking with a heavy accent, urged others to join the jihadists.
A caption under the video posting read; “A former soccer player – Arsenal of London – who left everything for jihad.” Another text said: “He… played for Arsenal in London and left soccer, money and the European way of life to follow the path of Allah.”
On camera, Mr. Da Costa said: “My advice to you first of all is that we are in need of all types of help from those who can help in fighting the enemy. Welcome, come and find us and from those who think that they cannot fight they should also come and join us for example because it maybe that they can help us in something else, for example help with medicine, help financially, help with advice, help with any other qualities and any other skills they might have, and give and pass on this knowledge, and we will take whatever is beneficial and that way they will participate in jihad.”
Mr. Da Costa’s projection of himself as a soccer star signalled an apparent perception among jihadists that three years after the capture and killing of Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden the movement is in need of celebrities. Bin Laden’s successor, Ayman Zawahiri, a dour 62-year old medical doctor in hiding, doesn’t quite cut it as a charismatic figure.
Jihadists “have finally embraced the idea that nothing can truly be put into perspective today unless it is filtered through the prism of our own fametastic Premier League,” The Guardian quipped n a satirical editorial.
Soccer has long served jihadists as a recruitment and bonding tool. It brings recruits into the fold, encourages camaraderie and reinforces militancy among those who have already joined.
Palestinian suicide bombers in Israel traced their roots a decade ago to a West Bank soccer team. The 2004 Madrid train bombers played the beautiful game together and several Saudi players joined the anti-American jihad in Iraq following a fatwa or religious ruling by conservative Muslim preachers denouncing football as a game of the infidels.
In Russia, authorities three years ago arrested three men on charges of wanting to blow up the high speed Sapsan railway linking Moscow and St Petersburg. The three were childhood friends who traced their roots to the northern Caucasus, a hotbed of Islamist militancy, where they played soccer together.
Mr. Da Costa’s video adds propaganda or what The Guardian called “an exciting development in jihadist PR” to the jihadist toolkit even if it was not immediately clear whether he and Mr. Karan were driven to give up potential or promising soccer careers by a radical interpretation of Islam or a deep-seated humanitarian concern for the victims of brutal wars like that in Syria.
What Messrs. Da Costa and Karan however shared with players-turned-jihadists as well as various jihadist leaders including Mr. Bin Laden, Hamas Gaza foreman Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah is a deep-seated passion for the sport and that their road towards militancy often involved an action-oriented activity, soccer.
Messrs, Da Costa and Karan’s cases appear nevertheless more similar to those of players Yann Nsaku or Nizar ben Abdelaziz Trabelsi, individuals who radicalized, rather than the Hamas or Madrid bombers or the Saudi players who turned militant in the context of a group.
Mr. Nsaku, a Congolese born convert to Islam and former Portsmouth FC youth centre back, was one of 11 converts arrested in France in 2012 on suspicion of being violent jihadists who were plotting anti-Semitic attacks.
Mr. Trabelsi, , a Tunisian who played for Germany’s Fortuna Düsseldorf and FC Wuppertal, was arrested and convicted in Belgium a decade ago on charges of illegal arms possession and being a member of a private militia. Mr. Trabelsi was sentenced to ten years in prison.
Published in permission with James M. Dorsey, a Senior Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University. He is also co-director of the University of Würzburg’s Institute for Fan Culture, and the author of The Turbulent World of Middle East Soccer blog and a forthcoming book with the same title.
Memphis Depay is one of the most popular footballers in Europe right now, and here we find out about his net worth, salary, contract, tattoos, girlfriend, and more.
Memphis Depay Net Worth and Salary
Memphis Depay has a net worth of approximately £45 million which is largely down to his football career. However, some of it could be attributed to his hobby of producing hip-hop music as well. At 32, he would only expect that amount to increase in the future.
Depay signed for FC Barcelona in the summer of 2021. While he was initially offered a contract worth €7million plus add-ons per year, Depay agreed to a 30% salary cut to help the Catalan club register him for the season. He is believed to be earning a yearly salary of £4,680,000 now at Corinthians in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A.
Memphis Depay Club Career
Depay started out his club career at Moordrecht as a 6-year-old. After moves to the youth teams of Sparta and PSV Eindhoven, he was promoted to the latter’s first team in the 2011-12 season. After scoring 50 goals in 124 appearances for them, he caught the eye of Manchester United in 2015.
The Red Devils signed the then 21-year-old forward, but things did not work out well for him there. Even though he won the FA Cup, the League Cup and the UEFA Europa League during his time at Old Trafford, Depay largely struggled under Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho, managing just 7 goals in 53 games for the club. His career received a lifeline when Olympique Lyon finally gave him an escape route in 2017.
He then became the main man in Lyon’s attack and his best season came in 2020/21, where he made the Ligue 1 Team of the Year. In his three and a half years at the club, Memphis managed 63 goals in 139 appearances. His dream move then came in the summer of 2021, when he was signed by Barcelona – who had just lost Lionel Messi to PSG – as a free agent.
Memphis Depay’s football journey continued with his move to Atletico Madrid in a significant transfer announcement on January 20, 2023. He inked a two-and-a-half-year contract with the club, marking a new chapter in his career. The initial transfer fee for this move was reported to exceed €4 million, underlining Atlético’s investment in the talented Dutchman.
Depay made an immediate impact in his new team, showcasing his goal-scoring abilities. On February 12, 2023, he netted his first goal for Atlético Madrid in a crucial 1-0 victory against Celta de Vigo.
Memphis Depay International Career
Depay has been a regular for the Netherlands and has represented them at the U15, U16, U17, U19, and U21 levels before making his bow for the senior team in his debut against Turkey in October 2013. He starred for the U17 Netherlands side that won the UEFA European Championship in 2011 and scored in the final.
He has also represented the U17 team in the U17 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. Depay has a decent record for the national team so far and is one of their star players. He was particularly impressive for the senior team during the 2014 FIFA World Cup and has been a permanent fixture in the squad since then.
Depay also featured for Oranje in the 2020 UEFA Euros. He scored three times during the tournament but could not help his team progress further than the last-16 stage.
Memphis Depay Music Career and Rap Albums
Depay has another talent up his sleeves. The Dutch superstar has used the fame and wealth acquired from football towards furthering a career in Music on the sides. He started out by releasing non-Album freestyles, with his debut track ‘LA Vibes’ also featuring Netherlands teammate, Quincy Promes.
He has also combined on hit tracks with Dutch hip-hop stars Winnie as well as Broederliefde. Depay released several singles including ‘No Love’, which came after he broke off his engagement with his then-fiancee, Lori Harvey. The former Lyon superstar’s debut album dropped in 2020, which was titled ‘Heavy Stepper EP’, and did fairly well on the Dutch charts.
Memphis Depay Family, Girlfriend, and Personal Life
Memphis Depay was born in 1994 to his Ghanaian father, Dennis Depay, and Dutch mother, Cora Schensema. His father supposedly walked out on his family when he was 4, which is why Memphis prefers if people address him just by his first name.
Depay famously dated model Lori Harvey, the daughter of American TV star Steve Harvey, and the couple were even engaged up until 2018, when they announced their break-up. He is believed to have also dated actress Karrueche Tran in 2015, and most recently dated American singer Chloe Bailey (2020-21).
Memphis Depay Tattoos and Cars
The star forward has numerous tattoos on his body. One of them is a tattoo on his left arm that is a tribute to his grandfather, who passed away just before Memphis’ 15th birthday. He has a tattoo that states ‘succesvol’ on the inside of his lips, which translates to ‘successful in English and a big lion inked on his back.
Memphis also has the words ‘Dream Chaser’ tattooed on his upper torso. The Dutch international also has a Christ the Redeemer tattoo on his left torso with the date ‘18.06.14’. That goal came against Australia in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Depay has a large collection of cars. Some of his prized assets include a Mercedes Maybach S650 – $350,000, Rolls Royce Wraith – $600,000+, Mercedes AMG G63 – $150,000, and an Audi RS6 – $100,000. He also owned a Mercedes G-Wagon as of 2016 and is also believed to have owned a Ferrari.
Memphis Depay Sponsorships and Endorsements
Memphis Depay was sponsored by Under Armour for a while up until a supposed split in early 2021. He has sported Adidas boots heavily and even featured in a 2014 advertisement for them. Apart from them, Memphis Depay’s endorsements and sponsorships aren’t known.
Memphis Depay Social Media
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It will be a game of fine margins when Spain take on France in the first Euro 2024 semifinal on Tuesday night
A mere victory away from this summer’s showpiece event in Berlin, continental heavyweights Spain and France are set to clash in the Euro 2024 semi-finals on Tuesday. Both teams have been pragmatic rather than spectacular this summer and the clash on Tuesday will be a proper tactical matchup between Didier Deschamps and Luis de La Fuente.
Spain, boasting a flawless record so far, reached Munich by eliminating the hosts, Germany in a dramatic quarter-final. La Roja struck in the dying minutes of extra time to claim a 2-1 win in Stuttgart. Dani Olmo, brought on for the injured Pedri, opened the scoring, but Germany equalized through Florian Wirtz. Just as the game seemed destined for penalties, Mikel Merino’s powerful header secured Spain’s place in the semis.
Under the guidance of Luis de la Fuente, Spain have been a formidable force. They are the only team to have won all five of their matches in the tournament. No nation in European Championship history has won six times in a single finals or posted six consecutive wins. De la Fuente, who took over from Luis Enrique, has implemented a tactical shift that has paid dividends. Spain have recorded lower possession than their opponents twice this summer, a significant departure from their ball-heavy traditional style of football.
This new approach, featuring quick passing and pace out wide, has been highly effective. Since the start of 2023, Spain has the best win percentage of any European nation, winning 15 of their 19 games under De la Fuente. Their victory in the most recent UEFA Nations League means they are now on their best winning run since the glory days of June 2010.
Spain have advanced from four of their five European Championship semi-finals, with their only defeat coming in a penalty shootout against eventual winners Italy three years ago. They now aim to reach their fifth continental final and their first since their dominant run culminated in victory at Euro 2012.
Meanwhile, France are aiming to reach their fourth European Championship final, but only their second outside of French soil. Didier Deschamps, who oversaw their 2016 final defeat to Portugal in Paris, is determined to go one better this time. Having fallen at the final hurdle in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Les Bleus will hope to make amends on the continental stage.
Since their loss in the 2022 World Cup final, France’s progress has been less smooth compared to Spain’s. They were uninspired in their last-16 win over Belgium and narrowly edged past Portugal in the quarter-finals. Goalkeeper Mike Maignan made crucial saves to take the tie into extra time, and Theo Hernandez scored the decisive penalty in Hamburg.
Concerns over the form and fitness of captain Kylian Mbappe have persisted, as Real Madrid’s newest ‘galactico’ was forced off before the shootout. Despite Mbappe’s struggles, France has managed to find a way to advance. They have scored only four goals in their five Euro 2024 matches, three of which came from penalties or own goals. The inability to find the back of the net remains a major concern in the business end of the competition.
France’s style may not be as aesthetically pleasing as Spain’s, but they have been effective. They beat Spain 2-1 in their most recent meeting, the 2021 Nations League final, and few would bet against them in this semi-final clash. SoccerSouls predicts a close clash with little to separate them on the night. We take a look at how both sides could line up on the night and what tactics they might employ.
Team News and Predicted XI
Spain
Spain’s close win over Germany in the last eight came with a cost. Daniel Carvajal and Robin Le Normand are both suspended for the game while midfield maestro Pedri will miss the rest of the tournament thanks to a medial collateral ligament sprain. De La Fuente will hope that his squad can make up for the three absences.
La Roja are expected to line up in their traditional 4-3-3 formation with the excellent Unai Simon in goal. Real Madrid skipper Nacho and Aymeric Laporte should hold firm at centre-back with Jesus Navas and Marc Cucurella pushing forward at wing-back.
Rodri should once again form the pivot in the midfield, with Dani Olmo and Fabian Ruiz pushing forward. Skipper Alvaro Morata should lead the line with the electric duo of Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams providing support.
Predicted Playing XI (4-3-3): Simon: Navas, Nacho, Laporte, Cucurella; Olmo, Rodri, Ruiz; Yamal, Morata, Williams
France
With the slate wiped clean regarding bookings, France have no disciplinary issues to worry about. However, Kylian Mbappe’s nose injury remains a source of concern for Didier Deschamps and his team.
The former Paris Saint-Germain striker has scored only one goal from 20 shots at Euro 2024 thus far and will need to discover his shooting boots to give France a good chance of making the final.
Deschamps is likely to continue with the 4-3-1-2 formation with the excellent Mike Maignan in goal. The AC Milan stopper should be protected by the back four of Jules Kounde, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano and Theo Hernandez.
N’Golo Kante and Aurelien Tchouameni should form the double pivot in the midfield, freeing up Adrien Rabiot to push forward and help Antoine Griezmann in the number 10 role. Kylian Mbappe and Randal Kolo Muani will lead the line and hope to end their nation’s poor goalscoring form in the tournament.
Predicted Playing XI (4-3-1-2): Maignan; Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Hernandez; Kante, Tchouameni, Rabiot; Griezmann; Kolo Muani, Mbappe
Key Stats
- Spain have advanced from four of their five European Championship semi-finals in history.
- A win on the night will see Spain become the first side to win six consecutive games in the same finals of the European Championships.
- Mike Maignan can boast a save ratio of 94%, the best ratio of any shot-stopper in the tournament.
- Both teams have faced off 36 times so far, with Spain coming out on top 16 times and France winning 13 games.
- Spain have won just one their six clashes against France at the European Championships.
Match Deciding Duel
Lamine Yamal (Spain) vs Theo Hernandez (France)
Lamal has certainly brought his A game to the tournament and will once again be Spain’s electric creator down their right flank. With Theo Hernandez and Adrien Rabiot likely to provide the thrust on the flanks for France, there will be space for Spain and Yamal to run into on the night.
This should work in the Iberian giants’ favour should Dani Olmo and Nico Williams stretch France, bringing Upamecano out of position. This should open up space for Morata to run into and cause havoc. Yamal’s eye for the audacious and his ability to get past players will certainly keep France on their toes.
Prediction
Spain 1-1 France (France to Progress on Penalties)
Given the stakes, the game is likely to be tightly contested. France have more match-winners in their squad and coupled with the absentees for Spain should give Les Bleus the advantage. The match is likely to go right down to the wire with Mike Maignan likely to come up trumps for his side in the penalty shootout.
Lionel Messi 2023 – Net Worth, Salary, Endorsements, Wife, Tattoos, Cars and More
Lionel Messi is arguably the greatest footballer to ever step foot on the green grass, and here we learn more about the 7-time Ballon d’Or winner’s net worth, salary, contract, and more.
Lionel Messi Facts
Lionel Messi Net Worth and Salary
Lionel Messi has a net worth of about $ 600 million. That figure does not come as a shock considering he is arguably the best player the world has ever seen during an age where players are paid handsomely by their clubs. This figure is largely down to his career at FC Barcelona.
The Argentine superstar left Barcelona in the summer of 2021 after 21 years at the club. He signed an astonishing deal at PSG that sees him early with a weekly salary of £500,000.
According to Jorge Mas, Messi will earn approximately $60 million per year, which includes his salary, ownership stake in Inter Miami, and signing bonus. The contract is effective from July 1, 2023, until late December 2025.
Lionel Messi Club Career
Anyone who has heard about football knows Lionel Messi. The Argentine sensation arrived in Spain in 2000 from Newell’s Old Boys. At 16 years, 4 months, and 23 days, Messi finally made his much-awaited senior team debut for Barcelona in a friendly against Jose Mourinho’s FC Porto in November 2003.
Since then, Messi has won almost everything in sight. The 9-time La Liga player of the year has also won the league title 10 times in his career and 15 other domestic cup trophies. Lionel Messi is also a record six-time Ballon d’Or winner, which is one more than that of Cristiano Ronaldo.
He has also been awarded the UEFA Player of the Year Award thrice along with a Best FIFA Men’s Player title in 2019. His record at Barcelona makes for astonishing reading. Messi scored 672 goals and provided 306 assists during his 778 games for the Catalan giants. He made his debut for PSG against Reims in a Ligue 1 match on 29th August 2021.
Messi’s contract with Paris Saint-Germain is set to expire on June 30, and he will leave the club this summer. He is set to join MLS Team Inter Miami as a free agent on July 1 2023.
Lionel Messi’s International Career
Lionel Messi is probably the only player to have been called Diego Maradona’s successor and actually go on to live up to that title. In fact, Messi actually bettered Maradona in every way when it came to stats and trophies at the club level. But what made Barrilete Cosmico a divine figure in Argentina was his role in Argentina’s 1986 FIFA World Cup win on home soil.
That was the argument used by many to state that Maradona’s legacy was greater than that of Messi because of international trophies. Once Cristiano Ronaldo won the UEFA Euro 2016 with Portugal, the pressure was on the mesmeric Argentine to win something with La Abiceleste.
Messi led Argentina to the 2014 FIFA World Cup final but failed at the last hurdle against Germany. He also lost in the Copa America finals in 2007, 2015, and 2016. But his golden moment finally came in 2021, when Messi captained Argentina to a 1-0 win against Brazil in the Copa America final. That was his second major accomplishment after a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics.
The post covid time has been working well for the Argentine, as he led Argentina to three major trophies including Copa America in 2021, CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions and World Cup in 2022.
Lionel Messi’s Family, Girlfriend, and Personal Life
Lionel Messi was born on 24th June 1987 in Rosaria, Argentina to Jorge Messi and Celia Cuccittini. His father was a steel factory manager while his mother worked in a magnet manufacturing company. Lionel was the third of their four children.
He has two brothers – Matias and Rodrigo Messi, and a sister named Maria Sol Messi. Lionel Messi met Antonella Roccuzzo as a five-year-old, who was the cousin of a childhood best friend. The two entered into a relationship in 2008 and made it public in 2009.
Messi and Roccuzzo married each other in 2017, and have three sons together. Their first child, Thiago Messi, was born in 2012. Mateo, their second son, entered the world in 2015, while Ciro Messi arrived in 2018.
Lionel Messi Sponsorships, Endorsements
Messi is Adidas’ biggest client, earning $ 25 million yearly from his deal. He also has sponsorships and endorsements from Gatorade, Pepsi, Budweiser, Lays, Konami, Dubai Auto Expo, Jacob and Co. He earns a significant amount of wealth from numerous sponsorship deals which is understandable considering his reach and popularity.
The Argentine according to a report from Reuters has entered the world of NFTs and Fan Tokens with his recent $20 million deal with Socios.com, an all-in-one fan influence & rewards app. Messi even received a large number of fan tokens when he moved from Barcelona to PSG. He will be the brand’s global ambassador and promote Socios.com.
“Fans deserve to be recognized for their support,” Messi said in a statement. “I’m proud to join Socios.com’s mission to create a more connected and rewarding future for fans around the world.”
Messi has his own brand, which is branded with his last name that has become synonymous with the sport over the years. It is unclear how much money he rakes in through this avenue but given his popularity, it won’t be a small amount.
Lionel Messi has signed a contract with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer (MLS). The deal includes profit sharing with MLS partners Apple and Adidas, in addition to his playing contract. Messi also has the option to purchase a minority stake in the club, similar to David Beckham’s arrangement when he joined MLS in 2007.
Lionel Messi Tattoos and Cars
Messi is heavily inked and all his tattoos hold some personal meaning. The Argentine striker has the birthdates of his wife and three children inked on his right shin and calf. The bottom portion of his left leg features a football and the number 10, and he also has a crown on his right arm- the same as Antonela.
His left leg also features Thiago’s handprints and his name, and he also has a tattoo of his wife’s lips on his hips. His right arm features a prominent rosary, as an ode to his hometown of Rosario. Messi also has a portrait of his mother on his back and a large tattoo of Jesus on his right arm.
The legendary forward also boasts of some really fast and expensive cars. He is believed to have a Pagani Zonda Tricolore, several Audi Cars (Q7, R8, A7), a Mercedes SLS AMG, Ferrari F430 Spyder, Maserati Gran Turismo MC Stradale, an Escalade and a Range Rover Vogue.
Lionel Messi’s Social Media
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