Brazilian club Botafogo hires son of Carlo Ancelotti as its manager
The 35-year-old Davide Ancelotti was handed a contract through 2026 to take up his first full-time coaching job after Botafogo owner John Textor fired Renato Paiva following the team's round-of-16 elimination at the Club World Cup.
The Italian has worked for more than a decade alongside his father in different roles at Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton, and Real Madrid. He is also part of Ancelotti's staff at Brazil.
Botafogo is the defending Brazilian and Copa Libertadores champion. Textor recently said he wanted his team to adopt a more attacking style of play.
Brazil's soccer confederation said in a statement that Davide Ancelotti's deal with Botafogo allows him to continue working with the national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
The younger Ancelotti is expected to make his debut on Saturday against Vasco da Gama in a Brazilian league match.
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New York Times
33 minutes ago
- New York Times
Donald Trump, the Club World Cup final, and how security protect VIPs at major sporting events
MetLife Stadium will host not only some of the world's best football players in the Club World Cup final this weekend, but also arguably the planet's most famous and polarising person. Fresh off the announcement that FIFA, world football's governing body and the organiser of this tournament, has opened an office a few miles from the New Jersey venue inside New York City's Trump Tower, Donald Trump, the 45th and 47th president of the United States, has taken another step in strengthening his association with FIFA counterpart Gianni Infantino by confirming his attendance at Sunday's final between Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea. Advertisement A year out from the best men's national teams coming to the U.S., Canada and Mexico for the World Cup, Trump and his office are eager to be front and centre in a country long seen as the world's favourite sport's final frontier. The president to set to be involved with the trophy presentation on Sunday, according to people familiar with the planning who were not authorised to speak publicly. U.S. vice-president JD Vance was at Cincinnati's TQL Stadium to watch Borussia Dortmund of Germany beat South Korean side Ulsan 1-0 in the Club World Cup last month. In Vance's home state of Ohio, U.S. Secret Service members bolstered a tiny crowd of 8,239, surveying the 26,000-seat venue and surrounding areas for any threat to a man who ranks first in the country's presidential line of succession. 'We were checked by strict security,' said Dortmund head coach Niko Kovac in the post-match press conference. 'When we left the hotel, we were given a sniff test by a dog. When we got into the stadium, someone came onto the bus with another dog. That's completely normal. It's a World Cup. They are high-level people, so I think it's normal, but it was relatively tight.' On Sunday, security measures will be further enhanced, as security teams, stadium staff, event organisers, and the Secret Service are tasked with keeping Trump protected at the 82,500-capacity stadium in the state of New Jersey, situated approximately five miles west of Manhattan. At an open-air rally in Pennsylvania on the very same date last year, Trump was shot at and wounded in his right ear, while security personnel also have to be mindful of anything that would 'embarrass the principal'. 'I'm not going to say it's going to be the worst thing that the protection detail has worked on, but they don't like it,' says Michael Evanoff, global chief security officer of the U.S. security technology company Verkada and former assistant secretary of state for diplomatic security. 'You're going into a venue, but who knows? People can throw something… The pie in the face, right? That or throwing fake blood or anything that would embarrass the principal.' Advertisement 'With a sitting president of the United States, everything is different,' adds an industry source with experience hosting political figures, royalty and major celebrities for a world-leading stadium owner and event company, kept anonymous to protect relationships. 'No one else will come with such a huge Secret Service and national military presence.' When providing personal security to a prominent public figure at a major event such as a Club World Cup final, preparation begins well in advance of matchday. 'We appoint a security advance party, which will proceed before the event and conduct a detailed reconnaissance of the venue, liaising with venue staff and security to assess the existing security measures,' says Jordan McGrath, co-founder of VIS Protection, a private security firm with experience of working with top-end Forbes World Billionaires List members. 'You'll speak to venue staff about your plan and how they can help you and your team with entry and exits. With big crowds around, you must have contingency plans for vehicles ready outside and emergency vehicle access. It's a big operation, particularly for big sporting events.' Ideally, private security firms, or the Secret Service in Trump's case, would be notified months in advance of the proposed public appearance, so their preparations for the event can be as thorough as possible. 'Mass gatherings present a complex and dynamic threat environment,' says Steven Rice, who worked for 27 years at the U.S. Department of State. He was deputy assistant director for intelligence and threat analysis, and also had extensive postings in China and the Middle East. 'Planning and site familiarity are key to controlling the environment — designating primary and alternate arrival/departure locations, potential attack sites, safe rooms, and evacuation plans. Advertisement 'Robust communications, counter-surveillance, and perimeter and access control are a must — large crowds mean reduced manoeuvrability, limited escape routes and elevated risk of concealment for potential attackers. Coordinated emergency response plans need to be integrated across agencies and validated before gameday.' However, given the often impulsive nature of such ultra-high-net-worth individuals, these decisions can be made on a whim, prompting a rapid response from security agencies. 'You have to be prepared for every eventuality. I'm currently working with a client who is one of the world's wealthiest individuals,' says McGrath. 'They can be on the runway in one of their planes, and suddenly everything changes. In an instant, you're told you're going somewhere else and not getting on that plane. You have to be ready to adapt.' In Trump's case, the Secret Service would then be in communication with emergency services, stadium personnel and private security agencies at the event to conduct the most comprehensive checks possible given the time constraints. As MetLife Stadium is one of the nation's flagship sporting arenas (it hosted an NFL Super Bowl in 2014 and will stage the World Cup final next July), it will already have detailed practices in place that consider transportation, the stadium's layout, and Trump's position when he watches the match. 'Having had experience of working with the Secret Service, they like to have control themselves,' says Nigel Thomas, a former British Special Air Service (SAS) soldier and founder of Blue Mountain Group, a security training and advisory firm. 'They like to keep information very tight. They carry out their own risk assessment. 'They have a huge team in cyber-security and physical security. They will search the stadium with sniffer dogs for anything from drugs to explosives. They would want searches done on the security teams and a background check, so they don't leave any stone unturned.' Advertisement Once the Secret Service has established the route and motorcade for Trump's journey to the stadium, the next requirement is to find a suitable place for him to sit, which is not always straightforward. Some private-security agencies would endeavour to secure the suites on either side of the one that their VIP will be using to act as buffers, but this is a FIFA event, so the governing body has more control. It is anticipated that Trump will sit with Infantino, senior officials from PSG and Chelsea, and Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the emir of Qatar, whom the president met in Doha in May. FIFA typically reserves a significant portion of premium suites and VIP lounges for its partners and sponsors, which means that some areas of the stadium may be set aside and not offered to regular-season suite holders. This is typical practice for major sporting events, such as the World Cup, the Olympics or leagues' all-star games, where the competition falls outside a stadium or arena's typical event offerings. Once Trump and his immediate entourage arrive on Sunday, staff at MetLife may halt traffic around the entrance being used to ensure his motorcade can enter safely. They will then go into the stadium itself with their armed private security. Most stadiums and arenas in the United States use metal detectors, but given the heightened security risk on this occasion with a president in attendance, the Secret Service may arrive before the event and replace the existing apparatus with their own around the stadium, according to our industry source. 'For the president, there will probably be a bullet-resistant-glass setup,' says Evanoff. 'Even though there's not supposed to be any weapons there, they're not taking any chances by not doing that. You've seen him in front of bullet-resistant glass before. It's just tough because, at the same time, protecting an individual is a science. 'The Secret Service and my old organisation at diplomatic security have refined this to a real science. And with the loss of the Hortmans, with the attack on Governor Shapiro, this concept of executive protection is at the top of everybody's mind right now. Bringing a protectee into a venue, hopefully a screened venue, to sit them in an environment where you really don't know who's in the crowd — other than everybody's been screened — is serious.' The operation will be made even more difficult as Trump has given advance notice he will be there. Advertisement 'Public knowledge increases risk,' says Rice. 'Announced appearances give adversaries time to plan, conduct surveillance, and exploit vulnerabilities. Public figures attract crowds, complicating protective movement and increasing the chance of disruptions. Announced visits narrow planning options and heighten the threat environment. Layered defences, robust intelligence monitoring, and visible deterrence are critical.' Then, once the VIP is in their seat, the task switches to providing the most seamless experience possible, even if the security staff are on high alert. 'While they're in, you're still thinking, 'If this vehicle breaks down, what's my backup? If that road is closed, what's my alternative?',' says Thomas. 'You're ensuring the drivers are prepared, fed, and watered. That's going on without the VIP knowing.' Most of the time, the VIP experiences the event without any major hiccups and, as far as they are aware, everything goes smoothly. But what happens if something does go wrong? 'These security teams provide people from backgrounds where they have experienced so many challenges, whether from working as police or military officers,' Thomas says. 'When you do the threat and risk assessment, you cover anything that could go wrong: if they were at a mass gathering, what if the stage collapsed? We will have a standard operating procedure for that, for example. You need to be prepared for it, and that takes communication with stadium security and emergency services. 'If there were to be a catastrophic event involving the whole stadium, everyone would need to know our procedures for keeping the VIP safe while a mass of people are trying to escape. It's a huge operation, and things do go wrong, so it takes experience.' (Top photos: Getty Images; design: Eamonn Dalton)
Digital Trends
34 minutes ago
- Digital Trends
Go Beyond the Screen with Hisense — Feel Every Moment Like You're There
There's nothing like being at a live soccer match — the thrum of the crowd, the rhythmic chants, the moment of pure euphoria when a goal goes in. However, it's not always possible to get to the stadium so the challenge lies in replicating this all-encompassing experience from the comfort of one's home. This pursuit of an authentic home viewing experience is where advancements in display technology are making significant strides. Companies are increasingly focused on bridging the gap between watching a game and truly feeling like you're part of the action. The goal is to bring the intensity of a stadium, from the ripple of the net after a scoring shot to the roar of ecstatic fans, directly into the living room, transforming passive viewing into an active, engaging event. Hisense, the Official Partner of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™, is making that possible. With a lineup of cutting-edge TVs and projectors, Hisense invites fans to go beyond the screen and truly feel every moment like you're there. The Sensation of the Stadium: More Than Just Watching Watching soccer isn't a passive activity. It's a full-body experience: the thunder of the crowd, the anxious silence before a penalty, the eye contact between teammates just before a breakaway. Hisense understands that. That's why they've built display and audio systems designed not just to show the game, but to immerse you in it. As part of their 'Own the Moment' campaign for the Club World Cup 2025™, Hisense is turning living rooms into fan zones with full sensory realism. The Visual Immersion: Hisense's Giant Screens Lead the Way Hisense is leading the pack when it comes to large-format displays, with 100-inch and 150-inch models that completely reframe how you watch soccer. These TVs don't just broadcast the game, they dominate your field of view, simulating the scale and immediacy of stadium seating. The psychological effect of a wall-sized screen? Pure presence. You're not just watching. You're part of the crowd. Hisense U7 Series: Where Sights and Sounds Unite The Hisense U7 Series Mini-LED ULED TVs enhance realism with pinpoint contrast and vibrant brightness. Quantum Dot Color delivers stunning, lifelike hues. You can almost feel the freshly cut grass and the heat of a sun-drenched pitch. Pair that with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos-powered 2.1.2 surround sound, and you're not just hearing the game. You're in the middle of it: whistles echo around you, the ball smacks with force, and the chants wash over you from every corner. The PX3-PRO TriChroma Laser Cinema: Your Personal Pitch For an even more cinematic experience, the Hisense PX3-PRO TriChroma Laser Cinema projects up to 150 inches of hyper-realistic visuals. TriChroma laser tech hits 107% of the BT.2020 color space, surpassing even cinema standards. Add IMAX Enhanced certification and a Harman Kardon speaker system with Dolby Atmos, and you've got an audio visual powerhouse that doesn't just show the match — it puts you in the match. Create Your Own Experience: The Hisense Laser Mini Projector C2 Ultra Want to turn any room (or backyard) into a stadium? The Hisense C2 Ultra Laser Mini Projector is your answer. With a jaw-dropping 300-inch projection size, 4K resolution, and ultra-precise color accuracy, it delivers next-level realism wherever you are. It's portable, versatile, and ideal for bringing fans together, no matter the space. The AI That Feels: Hisense's Hi-View AI Engine X Hisense's flagship Hi-View AI Engine X powers real-time adjustments to both picture and sound. It reacts and anticipates, analyzing every frame and audio cue to ensure optimal clarity and depth. Whether it's the glint of a gold medal or the roar after a last-minute goal, AI Picture and AI Sound tech makes sure you don't miss the nuance. Seamless Connection to the Moment The experience doesn't stop at hardware. Hisense's smart platform integrates free access to DAZN and other apps, making it easier than ever to jump right into live matches. Say goodbye to login limbo and hello to kickoff. Own the Moment: The Hisense Promise of Presence From their 100-inch ULED TVs to portable laser projectors, Hisense is creating a new kind of football fandom, one where immersion, realism, and emotion reign supreme. As the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ wraps up this Sunday, the question isn't whether you'll be watching. It's whether you'll feel it. With Hisense, you will. Discover how to own your moment at
New York Times
42 minutes ago
- New York Times
Ranking the Ballon d'Or 2025 favourites: Has the Club World Cup changed things?
While the fixture schedules differ across the six FIFA confederations, Sunday's Club World Cup final provides a perfect punctuation point to 2025. Either Chelsea or Paris-Saint Germain will get their hands on the trophy, but there is still a lingering question remaining. Has this summer's tournament strengthened any player's grip on the Ballon d'Or? Advertisement On the one hand, our opinions on a player should change little after a four-week tournament played on pitches of questionable quality in scorching conditions. On the other, PSG have used the tournament to rubber-stamp themselves as the world's best team, showcasing a glut of players who stand head and shoulders above anyone else to kick a football in the past 12 months. Here, The Athletic has updated its piece from late May with the top 10 contenders to win the award, breathing new life into a debate that will rumble on until the winner is announced in Paris in September. Let's be kind to each other in the comments, eh… 'As far as the Ballon d'Or is concerned, several players could win it, and some conditions are inevitable,' Luis Enrique told reporters after his PSG side's semi-final victory against Real Madrid on Wednesday. 'They have to score and assist, but they also have to bring silverware to their teams, and if there is one player who has done that this season, it is Ousmane Dembele, and he is far above any player. This is my opinion, and I will repeat it.' Who are we to argue? Sure, Dembele (top image) has only started one game in the United States this summer after recovering from a quadriceps injury, but the 28-year-old was integral as PSG swatted Real Madrid aside in their semi-final. Goal contributions? Dizzying levels in 2024-25 with 38 goals and 14 assists in all competitions, the leading combined tally for his side. Silverware? Just the quadruple and a potential fifth trophy. A simply outstanding campaign for a player who some observers had previously labelled as an unfulfilled talent. What an incredible year it has been for Vitinha. Beyond the trophies at club level, the 25-year-old won the Nations League with Portugal in June, starring in the centre of midfield against Spain in the final. Winning is now a habit for Vitinha, and it is precisely because he is in the team that his sides have so much success. He is a metronome, a tempo-setter, a dictator of play — no player in this season's Champions League or Club World Cup has made more passes than the midfielder. Dropping into space to receive the ball, pulling wide into full-back areas, catalysing his side's attack when it needs an injection of energy — Vitinha does it all, and it is little surprise that he has clocked up the third-most minutes under Luis Enrique in all competitions this season. He might not be the player who gets the adulation at the top end of the field, but watching Vitinha will give you a newfound appreciation for what a midfield technician really is. After allowing the dust to settle from Liverpool's title-winning campaign, Salah's attacking output somehow looks even more impressive. With 29 league goals and 18 assists, Salah picked up the Premier League's Golden Boot and Playmaker awards, with a combined 47 goal contributions equalling Alan Shearer's (1994-95) and Andrew Cole's (1993-94) Premier League record, both of whom achieved the same numbers in a 42-game season. That tally of 47 was comfortably higher than any other player across Europe's big five leagues last season. If it is raw individual numbers you are searching for, then look no further than Liverpool's talisman. A new contract will keep Salah at Liverpool for at least two more seasons, and it is clear that the team is set up to get the best out of him, with a small compromise in his defensive work allowing him to deliver such eye-watering attacking output. While Liverpool's last-16 exit in the Champions League might influence the perspective on Salah's season in the wider view, do not underestimate just how impressive his campaign was from an individual standpoint. Similar to Dembele, it was always known that Raphinha had undeniable talent, but few people expected him to post such impressive attacking numbers, seemingly out of nowhere. In all competitions, the Brazil international registered 34 goals and 22 assists for Barcelona as they won La Liga, Copa del Rey and the Supercopa de Espana. With some of his electric performances in the Champions League, many thought that Raphinha was destined to lead Hansi Flick's side to the complete set — but a stubborn Inter dumped Barcelona out in dramatic circumstances in the semi-finals. For much of the campaign, Barcelona were operating in parallel with PSG as a side who were on track to win every trophy available to them in 2024-25. As unfortunate as it might sound, players who win the Champions League often edge ahead of others in the race for the Ballon d'Or. Take nothing away from Raphinha's season individually, but not lifting the biggest prize in European club football might work against him. The fact that a 17-year-old (he turns 18 on Sunday) is in the conversation to be named the world's best player tells you how talented this youngster is. The sensational quality that Yamal has in his left foot is prodigious. Only Bayern Munich's Michael Olise and Liverpool's Salah posted more assists than Yamal's 13 across Europe's big five leagues. Advertisement Given Spain's European Championship victory last summer, there were already no doubts that Yamal could cut it on the biggest stage. However, his performances in the Champions League took things to a new level, becoming the youngest scorer in the semi-finals of the competition after tormenting Inter in both legs. He might have ended up on the losing side, but his beautiful curled effort in the first leg will live long in the memory — and was named the Goal of the Tournament by UEFA. Lamine Yamal's solo effort against Inter is the Fans' Goal of 2024/25 😮💨@Heineken | #UCLGOTT — UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) June 6, 2025 If not this year, Yamal will win the Ballon d'Or. It is only a matter of time. To some, this pick might fall in the 'Rodri category', but people should not sleep on just how good Fabian Ruiz has been in the past 12 months. After Spain's Euro 2024 victory, a further four trophies have followed in a PSG shirt, and the 29-year-old has been at the heart of all of it. Such is his importance to Luis Enrique's side that only Bradley Barcola has made more than Fabian's 60 appearances across all competitions this season. His movement is so intelligent, moving into pockets of space that no opposition player wants to venture into, before crashing into the box to get on the end of a cross, as he did so well against Real Madrid this week. It feels harsh to omit Joao Neves from the top 10 when his two midfield team-mates make the list here, but at 20, his influence will grow. His time will surely come. For now, there is a feeling that Fabian is not getting the credit he deserves for the role he has played in a winning machine. We are here to give that to him. If you were to go by the mantra that the best ability is availability, Pedri is the best player in Barcelona's squad, according to head coach Hansi Flick. The 22-year-old played 59 times in all competitions last season — more than any of his team-mates in 2024-25. Pedri can dictate the pace of Barcelona's possession single-handedly, with the ability to play a zipped through ball to a team-mate that most players would not even see. Using data from analytics company SkillCorner, no players made more line-breaking passes in La Liga than their midfield magician. Much like Raphinha, it is not that Pedri has gotten worse since The Athletic's previous rankings, but a subtle shuffle was inevitable once the biggest European trophy was handed out. Pedri continues to be one of the best midfielders in world football, and if there is a gap in your defensive lines, he will exploit it. Luis Enrique was pouring more praise on his players this week when saying that Hakimi was one of the best right-backs he has seen in his career. With such incredible form in the last 12 months, it is difficult to disagree. The 26-year-old's ability to get up and down the pitch verges on teleportation at times, supporting his side's attack as the furthest man forward but somehow the first one to make a tackle in the defensive third when PSG are on the back foot. It is that versatility that is so impressive — tucking inside into half-space areas, hugging the touchline, and making underlapping runs beyond the forward line to create a chance or score himself. 'Hakimi has freedom, he is not a full-back,' Luis Enrique said after PSG's Club World Cup victory over Real Madrid. 'When we have the ball, he can be a forward, a winger, a player between the lines, or a pivot. When we don't have the ball, he is a full-back who presses high, but he also has defensive work.' Full-backs should get more visibility in the Ballon d'Or shortlists, and none of them deserve it more than Hakimi this season. Mbappe's end to the season was not ideal. Acute gastroenteritis kept him out of much of Real Madrid's Club World Cup campaign, before an anonymous performance against PSG as his side were eliminated. Nevertheless, the individual numbers were strong for the 26-year-old during his first year in Spain. In May, Mbappe surpassed Ivan Zamorano's record of 37 goals (1992-93) scored in all competitions in a debut season for Madrid. Similarly, Mbappe broke Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stefano's record of 27 goals in a debut La Liga season (1953-54), finishing the campaign with 31 league goals. Sadly, individual numbers only get you so far in the Ballon d'Or reckonings, and overall, Madrid disappointed in Carlo Ancelotti's final season in charge. It would be a huge surprise if Mbappe managed to top the list in September. Two excellent finishes against Flamengo in Bayern Munich's last-16 victory encapsulated everything Kane is about. Barely looking up to see where the goal was, Kane was dead-eyed as he struck both efforts into the corner in acts of pure muscle memory. In truth, Bayern's exploits in the Club World Cup did little to move the dial in Kane's favour to lift the Ballon d'Or, but across the year, Kane's 26 goals were the most in the Bundesliga as the 31-year-old clinched the first trophy of his career. More broadly, only Dembele and Omar Marmoush had a higher rate of goals plus assists than Kane's 1.3 per 90 minutes across Europe's big five leagues. With back-to-back Kicker-Torjagerkanone's (the Bundesliga top goalscorer trophy) on his mantelpiece, people have perhaps taken Kane's productivity for granted in recent years. In a world where reliable out-and-out No 9s are a little trickier to come by, Kane is as much of a guarantee for goals as any player in world football.
