Only a few days left before the start of the Women’s Football World Cup. From July 20, the 32 best football nations will compete in Australia and New Zealand for the supreme title. They will try to dislodge the United States from their throne, the quadruple winners of the world competition still led by the iconic Megan Rapinoe (who announced that she would retire from sport in October).
Play it like Beckham
More than 20 years after its cinema release, Play it like Beckham remains to this day the highest-grossing film about football (as a whole) with $76 million at the worldwide box office. This comedy follows Jess Bhamra, a young girl of Indian origin, who lives in England with her family. While she only dreams of football and her idol David Beckham, her parents have another plan for her: to marry according to their traditions. Invited to join a women’s football team, she finds herself at the heart of a dilemma.
What explains the enormous success of Gurinder Chadha’s feature film? Beyond its very pleasant casting (Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley and Jonathan Rhys Meyers) and its soundtrack full of excellent artists (Blondie, Texas and even Curtis Mayfield), the story itself mixes themes around identity, self-affirmation and the shock of cultures. Acclaimed upon its release, Play it like Beckham continues to be one of the most influential films in the promulgation of women’s football. In 2002, the film’s lead actress Parminder Nagra, who had lied about her football skills to get the role, became the first woman to win the FIFA Personality of the Year trophy. Watch on DVD.
Like boys
In 2018, it’s the turn of French cinema to dive headfirst into the world of women’s football. Directed by Julien Hallard, Like boys recounts the organization in 1969 in Reims of a women’s football match by a seductive sports journalist named Paul Coutard (played by Max Boublil). The editorial secretary and biggest enemy, Emmanuelle Bruno (Vanessa Guide), will support her in her project, launching the first women’s football team in the process. Against a backdrop of feminist emancipation, the film relates with great humor and empathy the slow emergence of women’s football in a France marked by ___ist stereotypes. Despite a failure during its theatrical release (barely 88,000 admissions), Like boys comes at the right time today with the upcoming start of the 9th Women’s World Cup. Watch on Netflix.
the essential While the French XV challenges South Africa this Sunday, October 15 for a place in the semi-final of the World Cup, the former Stade Toulousain winger (76 years old), nicknamed “La Flèche Noire” (9 caps in France from 1969 to 1973) made history during a tour with the Springboks in 1971 in the middle of apartheid. For La Dépêche du Midihe remembers his memories.
This France – South Africa makes us think back to this tour of the French team to South Africa in 1971 in which you participated.
A memory that is both painful and joyful. I arrived there in South Africa without having the ulterior motive of going there to try to do something good. It’s a good memory, especially since the tour was really successful, apart from one defeat. Eight wins and a draw wasn’t bad. I played almost every game except one.
When we talk about bad memories, we imagine that these are the seven stitches in the head that we received. We can say that you have been taken care of…
Yes there was an error (smile). On a ball that was lying on the ground, a South African player whose name I don’t remember made a mistake and took my head towards the ball (smile).
It’s okay to call it a mistake…
Yes, they said it was unintentional (smile). But that didn’t stop me from finishing the match. I only went for treatment at the end. But it was very painful because the doctor who was on duty that day was a bit Afrikaner and a bit racist. So he did this to me in a very painful way. A butcher. I didn’t miss him. But hey, I don’t blame him…
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Have you also had to endure racist comments?
Not the lyrics because given the atmosphere there and the screams, it was difficult to hear… And then for the lyrics, we had to translate. I wasn’t comfortable enough to be able to translate everything that was said. So the words weren’t important.
And in the stands, what were the reactions when you touched the ball?
I was lucky in Johannesburg where there was a platform reserved for people of color. A small space well surrounded by police. As soon as I touched the ball, it was immense joy. And they were louder than all the other spectators.
And did it give you a little boost?
Already the fact of going there with all the problems that it represented before to be able to go there, I was pumped up. And then, above all, I wanted to prove that it was not a question of color but of level of rugby. I could have had walls in front and it wouldn’t have bothered me.
Read also: Rugby World Cup 2023: France-South Africa in the quarter-final, what are the strengths and weaknesses of the Springboks?
Some later said you were selected because you were a man of color. But you demonstrated on the pitch that you deserved your place.
And at the start, I wasn’t supposed to go, it was my friend Charly Amade who was selected. And after a discussion between Mr. Couderc, Mr. Ferrasse (Editor’s note: president of the FFR) and Mr. Craven (Editor’s note: president of the South African federation), they felt that it would perhaps be a good thing to move forward the situation that I’m going there in South Africa. I was selected in the second round.
And why Roger Couderc who was then a television man?
He had opinions. He didn’t understand why a colored player couldn’t go to South Africa. This shocked him a little. And he did whatever it took to make it happen.
Read also: Rugby World Cup 2023: “We’re working on it!” » Will Antoine Dupont play with a helmet against South Africa?
At the time, your presence required permission from the South African government.
It should be remembered that the South African government had already, in 1970, signed an agreement with the All Blacks so that non-whites could go to South Africa. There was no tour. Let’s say that the fact of going there subsequently accelerated things, but this was already planned by the South African government.
And this tour went down in the history of world sport.
Yes, unintentionally, I didn’t think we would still be talking about going to play there today. To me this seems so absurd. Why only talk about color? In a country like South Africa at the time, it was like that. I think today it’s even better but I haven’t been able to verify it. I think maybe one day I will go.
Read also: Rugby World Cup 2023: Antoine Dupont begins a decisive period of “three days of tests” which will determine his participation in France-South Africa
When you went to South Africa, did you imagine such an impact?
Certainly not. Let’s say that initially, when I arrived in South Africa, there was not much promotion regarding my coming. That’s why when we arrived at the airport, the first black airport workers were surprised to see a black man getting off the plane. Because obviously, they had taken the precaution of making me get off first. It was a little game. Everyone was surprised. When we got to the hotel, the people who worked at the hotel didn’t understand why I was going to a room normally reserved for whites.
Read also: Rugby World Cup: Julien Marchand is officially out of the quarter-finals against South Africa
Were you tempted to act during this tour?
No, I was there to play sports. My first idea was sport. The action could be done afterwards. Telling what was happening was an action for me.
You realized when you were there that you were a man of color…
That is to say, I really realized that I was black when I was there. I was born in Toulouse. There have always been little things. But I’ve never been called black. Of negro. I had to go there to realize that I was really black.
Are we talking about apartheid during those years?
No, we haven’t talked about it. The news was not like today. You had to read between the lines to know that this was happening. And that was underlined by the fact that I went there.
Looking back, do you think your selection was better than a boycott?
Ah yes of course. It’s true that we had to wait quite a while but when we see today that the captain of the South Africans is a black player. There is progress. But that’s the part we see. I ask to see him there.
Read also: Antoine Dupont: will the captain of the French XV be able to play against South Africa in the quarter-final of the World Cup?
Would you have liked to meet Nelson Mandela?
Oh yes of course, especially since when we went there, there was no question of Nelson Mandela. It was one. Even black South Africans didn’t talk about it much. We went with the people to the townships to see what it was like. We saw the misery of these people. How could they live? We went to the mines, it was the penal colony. They worked 18 hours a day. It was catastrophic. So, I would like to believe that there has been an improvement but I don’t know to what extent.
We understand that the French team went to a nightclub one evening and that personally, you almost didn’t come back…
It’s always the same thing. To annoy everyone, they put me in front. And the doorman when he saw a black man, he said: “It’s forbidden.” » And finally, they quickly came back to get us because someone came to tell them that they had to leave. Either way, we all went together or no one.
You are talking about a form of solidarity on the part of the France team.
Between us, we never talked about color. For them, I was Boubou, a player like the others. I was a player among others. And still today, where we find ourselves among former internationals.
Is it true that on the pitch, your counterpart gave you his jersey at the end?
Yes, it was during the test match, my counterpart, whose name was Muller, came to shake my hand and gave me his jersey. That meant something. I don’t know if he had any problems afterwards but on his part it was courageous in the context. Respect.
It is also a sporting recognition.
Yes because I went there and I didn’t get out.
Read also: Rugby World Cup 2023: “I’m ready, I’m waiting to be called up,” says Paul Willemse before the France-South Africa quarter-final
There was also a good general fight. Was it linked to racism?
They had tried a little to touch me up close. Here we go. I think it’s the longest in history. Candlelight, reception, fight. And a candle, again. For ten minutes. And we thought the match wasn’t going to end.
It cements a group…
Ah yes, yes, the group was solid and nothing else.
Do you have any ties to these former players?
Yes, during meetings with former internationals. But above all, we have relationships with the veterans of the Stadium.
The opportunity to remember that you played at Stade Toulousain. But you were not champion of France by losing the final in 1969 (Editor’s note: 11-9 against Bègles). Tell us about it.
It’s my worst memory. I score a try. And the referee whistles a forward fifty or sixty meters higher. This is my biggest disappointment. I would have liked to be French champion. But with the alumni of 1969, we have always remained united. We still see each other at least once a year. It’s a family, it’s more than friends. We are all truly united.
He is today mayor of Prunet in Haute-Garonne.
Roger Bourgarel is 76 years old and is today mayor of Prunet, a small town in Lauragais: “It’s almost a full-time job with all the meetings, everything that gets done. I am very busy. » He maintains his link with rugby with his generation from Stade Toulousain, finalist in 1969, and says he is seduced by this current generation: “Because they play. only kicks, where everyone crashes. Today I wonder how the three-quarter wing can exist. Classic attacks no longer exist. The people of Toulouse still do it. And in the same way when they are in the France team, they try to achieve it. And we see an enjoyable game. This isn’t a wrestling match. »
What Grand Theft Auto VI is achieving, without even having been released, is something practically impossible to achieve, only Rockstar He is capable of reaching places that not even they themselves would believe. The community is so excited about the next open world of the franchise that even fans of the GTA saga from all over want to celebrate events outside the world of video games with references to GTA 6. For this reason you will see below an image that will surprise many of you, especially if you like the gaming and football.
Photo published on the official X account of Real Madrid
As can be seen in this photo published by Real Madrid’s X/Twitter account, the white club, at a given moment during the celebration, was able to take this particular and surprising snapshot. In this image you can see the merengue attack trident holding a banner with a clear reference to GTA 6 after winning his recent title, the Spanish Super Cupin front of FC. Barcelona 4-1. If we look closely, we can see the pink color so characteristic of the next Grand Theft Auto, the typical palm trees of Vice City and the usual text style that Rockstar Games usually uses in its game titles.
Vinícius, Rodrygo and Bellingham have posed with a personalized poster from GTA 6 that included a portrait of the football playersof Real Madrid as if they were part of the next open world that Rockstar Games will launch. It is important to emphasize that this is not an official image made by the club chaired by Florentino Pérez, but rather it is Bellingham that asks a fan in the stands, as seen in a publication by X. Immediately afterwards They pose and take a photo that will be remembered, especially for Vinícius, who has achieved a new goal against his eternal rival.
GTA 6 goes beyond football
Leaving aside this curious reference to Real Madrid, in recent weeks we have made interesting publications about what people are capable of doing for this game. The last of them was the GTA 6 trailer in LEGO form, which is another marvel worthy of an artist since the author put effort into the 3,086 photos that he needed to take. On the other hand, we cannot forget that a nightclub in Miami responds to Rockstar with its particular GTA 6 trailer, since the E11even nightclub appeared in the trailer with another name and they answered elegantly.
It’s been years since Riot let a third party host a League of Legends esports event. But it seems that with the demand for more international events still there, they are considering partnering with Saudi Arabia to make this happen.
For years now, League of Legends fans have been calling for more international League of Legends esports competitions. Although Riot has tried to add more events with Rift Rivals, none have been as close to MSI and Worlds, but that could all change.
In a bid to add more international competitions, Riot could partner with the Saudi state-backed Esports World Cup in 2024 to add one more international competition to the events calendar.
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LoL: Riot could partner with a third-party esports organizer
After organizing a $45 million e-sports tournament in 2023, the Saudi government has won over the largest publisher in the sector: Riot Games.
The Esports World Cup is expected to feature a League of Legends tournament this summer, according to an internal email.
More: https://t.co/f0RBhQ3ujp
– Jacob Wolf (@JacobWolf) January 2, 2024
The last time Riot partnered with a third-party organizer for an esports event was in 2017, when League of Legends was still part of the Intel Extreme Masters League event in Poland. That was seven years ago, and Riot has held exclusive tournament rights to its intellectual property ever since.
It seems that after Gamers8 hosted a huge esports event with a $45 million prize pool that included games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Rocket League, Fortnite, Street Fighter, Rainbow Six: Siege, they won Riot’s trust.
In July, the Esports World Cup is expected to take place and League of Legends will be part of it, according to journalist Jacob Wolf, who obtained an internal email from Riot Games.
There isn’t much information on the tournament yet, but it appears that two teams from each country region will be able to participate in the event and Riot is not going to dictate which teams will represent their region. For the duration of the Esports World Cup, domestic leagues will cease operations.
The Esports World Cup will take place over eight weeks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and is expected to feature the largest prize pool in esports history. The League of Legends portion of the event is scheduled to take place in early July, at the start of the tournament, so that the national breaks coincide with the July vacation that Riot employees usually enjoy on the Fourth of July.
It will be a huge esports event, but fans are skeptical and have expressed criticism. This isn’t the first time Riot has partnered with Saudi Arabia, with the LEC partnering on the NEOM city development in 2020, which was quickly canceled after fan outrage. Will the Esports World Cup encounter the same resistance, or will Riot continue this partnership?
Although the Kings Cup has not even finished its first phase and the most important matches are still to be played, Gerard Piqué officially presented the tournament that will close the year of the Kings League in style: the Kingdom Cup. This competition, as he said during the Ibai live a few months ago, will be mixed and will crown the best club of the year.
In addition to the addition that it will be the first football tournament where men and women play “together” (one part for women and another for men), it will also be the first Kings League competition that will offer a cash prize. Well, after several minutes full of tension deciding the money they will offer to the players, the presidents obtained the much-desired figure: 100,000 euros for the winning club of the Kingdom Cup.
If we do quick calculations between all the members of the team, including the coaching staff and even presidents, each of the participating people would take around 3,000 euros clean, Therefore, it is more profitable to only win this tournament than to play the rest of the year. Of course, the distribution of income is decided by the president and it is unknown if these 100,000 euros will be net or gross.
will be next November 25 at the Palau Sant Jordi where, through a morning and afternoon session, we closely follow the finals of this very special tournament. It will also be the first Kings League final in a closed arena, something that many have been expecting for quite some time and that will probably greatly improve the quality of the tournament compared to finals in stadiums.
