AUSTRALIAN July 2018 fourfourtwo.com.au THE U EXCLUSIVE InTERVIEWS STARS OF THE WORLD CUP The big names tell you why they will win football’s ultimate prize FIRMInO • LInGARD • POGBA • SALAH • MESSi © 2018 adidas AG Personal viewing in Aus. Subscription, compatible device & Aus. app store account required. Visit optus.com.au/FIFA for info. Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC. Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. THE BAD The entire 2018 FIFA World Cup™ Only on Optus Sport YES1120 (05/18) every game every player every Goal The only definitive guide to every man who’s ever pulled on the green-and-gold. OUT NOW Available from all good bookstores or direct from the publisher WWW.FAIRPLAYPUBLISHING.COM.AU FAIRPLAY #GoSocceroos PUBLISHING AUSTRALIAN LEVEL 6, BUILDING A, 207 PACIFIC HIGHWAY, ST LEONARDS, SYDNEY, NSW 2065 EDITORIAL Tel (02) 9901 6100 Fax (02) 9901 6116 Websites fourfourtwo.com.au thewomensgame.com FTBL.com.au Email [email protected] Straight from the stands [email protected] [email protected] Facebook www.facebook.com/FourFourTwoOz Twitter @FourFourTwoOz You can follow me Instagram @FourFourTwoOz or send me a tweet on @KevinAirs442 Australian Editorial Team Angela Bacic @AngeBacic, John Davidson @JohnnyDDavidson, Cheryl Downes @ChicasFootball, Look, to be honest, I’ve been having mixed emotions about going to Russia for the Leo James @RealLeoJames, Lucas Radbourne-Pugh @LucasRadbourne, Ben Somerford @BenSomerford, World Cup. Obviously IT’S THE WORLD CUP, and I’m actually going to be PAID TO BE Con Stamocostas @ConStama10, Kathy Stone THERE and how good is THAT? But also, it’s, well, you know... Russia. Not, say, Brazil. @SheWritesMe, Clement Tito @ClementGTito It’s not the home of football, by any definition, and if anything it is the home of a Art Director Danny McGonigle nation that continually underperforms in the sport. It’s a primary sport for them, there’s plenty of money in the country (look what Russian money has done for football Group Editor Kevin Airs @KevinAirs442 Head of Sport - Digital @ Next Media elsewhere...) Yet they have never even made a significant impact at club or continental Email [email protected] level, never mind on the world stage. ADVERTISING And then there are the fans. They also love their football, but they don’t mess about. Head of Sport - Sales Poke that bear and they will bite you. Bloody hard. Apologists insist their hooligans only Adam Jackson fight other hooligans – but there are a crowd of England fans from Marseille in 2016 Tel (02) 9901 6109 Email [email protected] (some of whom had admittedly been baiting the Russian fans earlier) who will disagree. But only from a safe distance now, because they frankly don’t want to risk any repeat PUBLISHING of that experience. In fact, by April, World Cup ticket sales didn’t even put England – just Prepress Manager Jonathan Bishop a five hour flight from Moscow – in the top ten of nations snapping up tickets, lagging Production Manager Alison Begg Circulation Director Carole Jones behind USA, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, Peru, China, Germany, Australia... and even India. That is amazing, given past English World Cup crusades by their fans. Associate Publisher - Sport Hamish Bayliss But now, a few days before I fly out, I cannot wait to get there. The word from Russia FOURFOURTWO GLOBAL is simply this: Putin will not let ANYTHING spoil this World Cup. It will be a showcase for UK Editor Hitesh Ratna Russia and the Russian ultras have been told to pull their heads in. And what Putin says, International Director Matt Ellis Global Brand Director Andy Jackson Putin gets. It will happen (so they say...). I sincerely hope so. My media passes for all the Kazan and Australia games are in my sweaty paw. I’m going to see not only the Socceroos, but also France, Spain, Germany, Colombia, South Korea, Iran and Poland (plus of course Denmark and Peru...) I’m probably Subscriptions hotline 1300 361 146 going to get confused and lost, eat badly, sleep badly, drink too much, and feel elation Email [email protected] and devastation in equal measure – and it will be one of the best months of my life. Level 6, Building A, 207 Pacific Highway, St Leonards NSW 2065 I cannot wait. Bring it on. GIVE ME FOOTBALL (and at least one Australia win please!) Locked Bag 5555 St Leonards NSW 1590 Chief Executive Officer David Gardiner Commercial Director Bruce Duncan This magazine is published by nextmedia Pty Ltd ACN: 128 805 970, Level 6, Building A, 207 Pacific Highway, St Leonards NSW 2065 © 2017 under licence from Future plc. ISSN 1355027X. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, in whole or in part, without the prior permission of the publisher.Printed by Bluestar WEB, Sydney, distributed in Australia by Gordon & Gotch. The publisher will not accept responsibility or any liability for the Kevin Airs correctness of information or opinions expressed in the publication. All material submitted is at the owner’s risk and, while every care will Editor be taken nextmedia does not accept liability for loss or damage. Privacy Policy We value the integrity of your personal information. 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You are welcome to access the information that we hold about you Get the latest breaking news Never miss a story, follow us on by getting in touch with our privacy officer,who can be contacted at nextmedia, Locked Bag 5555, St Leonards, NSW 1590 with updates @FourFourTwoOz Facebook.com/FourFourTwoOz Printed on paper sustainably sourced from PEFC certified forests fourfourtwo.com.au July 2018 7 UPFRONT 28 10 One on One Nigel De Jong 16 12 Global Stories 18 My Greatest Goal Alex Brosque 20 Where to Watch the World Cup 22 Battle of the One Cup Wonders 24 At The End Of The Day Michael Valkanis 26 My Best Mate’s A Football Star Caitlin Foord and Steph Dhin FEATURES 28 And If You Know Your History... The heroes of Australia’s past World Cup campaigns relive the thrills and change room secrets 46 Legends At Last We hail the Socceroos making their likely World Cup swansong at Russia 2018 68 56 Stars of The World Cup No Pogba, no party 60 Belgium’s Very English Problem Their Lampard and Gerrard issues 62 Bobby Dazzler Robert Firmino is trophy-focused 66 ‘I Want To Break Records’ Son Heung-min wants history 68 Go Mo! Could an Egyptian win the World Cup – or at least the Golden Boot? Mo Salah hopes so 70 Beating Brazil 7-1 Felt Strange! Will Mats Hummels do it again? 72 Relax, Jesse’s Got This 80 94 Watch out for the goal celebration 80 Pele, Pogba...PICKFORD?? Who will be the best young star? 84 Heads Up! Is the threat of Russian hooligans as bad as feared? We find out... PERFORMANCE 94 Masterclass Gabriel Jesus 96 Like A Pro 97 Tried And Tested 98 My Perfect XI Matt Smith STADIUM SOUND FROM YOUR COUCH Love NRL, AFL, Football, Motorsports, All Sports or high energy Movies? Want to feel like part of the action? JBLs new range of Soundbars deliver thumping bass performance and superior HD sound. jbl.com.au. Available at Harvey Norman and JB HI FI. UPFROnT UPFROnT SPINELESS Argentine second-tier outfit Santamarina’s difficult >< season got worse when their training ground was dug up in the middle of the night... by men looking for worms to sell to anglers There aren’t many footballers called other friends who tried to make money Nigel, let alone Dutch ones – where in different ways, but luckily I steered OnE-On-OnE did the name come from? away from that – my mum was strict! Nigel Robinson, via Facebook It was actually my mum’s choice. There Which players did you love watching was a well-known violinist called Nigel when you were growing up? Kennedy back in the day, and the racing Sebastian Price, Surrey driver Nigel Mansell was pretty famous I loved Fernando Redondo. He’s one of when I was born, so she decided to call my favourite players of all time. Romario nIGEL DE JOnG me that. It’s an English name, so maybe is another favourite because he played that was prophetic. with my dad at PSV. I got to watch him at training and also inside the dressing Interview Alec Fenn Photography Stefan Grey Your father, Jerry, won three caps for room. I saw him as a player but also as the Netherlands – can you remember a personality and that rubbed off on me.