Africa-Press – Ghana. Three footballers have decided to boycott a match because of Avram Grant, the former Chelsea manager. Andrea Pirlo, Yaya Toure, and Cafu were among a slew of well-known names who took part in a friendly in Qatar on Friday, but Avram Grant’s inclusion sparked outrage among the players.
Due to the presence of former Chelsea manager Avram Grant, three Algerian football legends are said to have refused to attend a match between FIFA Arab Legends and FIFA World Legends.The match took place in Doha, Qatar, on Friday, and featured a number of well-known players.
Among the many legends who represented the world were Yaya Toure, Andrea Pirlo, Lothar Matthaeus, and Marcel Desailly. Although the presence of former Wigan goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi in goal caught the eye on the team sheet, some of those who lined up for the Arab Legends may not have been as familiar.
However, had the World Legends team not been coached by former Israel national team manager Grant, the eventual winners of the match, Arab Legends, could have won the match in normal time rather than on penalties.Due to the relationship between their country and Grant’s, Algerian trio Rabah Madjer, Rafik Saifi, and Rafik Halliche all decided not to participate in the match, according to The Times of Israel.
“Tonight, we unite the Arab world with the entire world,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said after the event.
“We’re all in this together!”
On the official website that covered the match, there was no mention of the players who pulled out, nor was there any mention of the boycott.Between 2002 and 2006, Grant was in charge of Israel for four years before joining Portsmouth as Technical Director.
After just over a year as Director of Football at Chelsea, the 66-year-old was quickly promoted to manager. Grant stayed with the Blues for eight months before moving on to Portsmouth, where he was relegated, and then West Ham the following season.
This isn’t the first time Algerian athletes have withdrawn from competitions because of the Israeli boss’s presence. The national team pulled out of a friendly match against Ghana in 2016 because they were managed by Grant, who had been their manager for three years.
The boycott is unlikely to have any consequences as a friendly act, but it remains to be seen how the fractured relationship between Algeria and Israel will affect the future. The news is summarized by Brinkwire.
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