MAN BEATS HIS SIX YEAR OLD SON TO DEATH! What a World!

Richard Olunwa of Amadi-Ama in Port Harcourt beats his 6 year old son to death.
According to multiple online sources, the man accused his child of stealing N3200 on Friday night and beat him till 1am on Saturday. The little boy was found lifeless this morning after the father tried to wake him up to run an errand for his pregnant wife.
It was gathered that the boy had been maltreated by his father and step-mom since his mother left, including being starved on a daily basis.
An Instagram user, @srigeorgeom who witnessed the incident, wrote; What a cruel world. This week Tuesday, between the hours of 8 to 9 am. I saw crowd of people around my vicinity gathered this little boy, so I stopped by and inquired what happened. They told me this little boy on his way to school, stole doughnut from a shop. The people whom he stole the doughnut even gave him more of it and mineral and asked him to go. They all claimed that his father and stepmum have the habit of starving and beating him to stupor on daily basis.
I saw so many scars on his body.I took the boy to my house, interviewed him, and he told me so many things. How he has been suffering since his mother left his father. I gave him some biscuits, asked him to come and eat at my place anytime and promised to see his father this week before he left for school just to wake up this morning with shouting that his father has beaten him to death. His father has finally killed him.

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World Cup Draw: Group-by-Group Analysis

The 2018 World Cup draw took place Friday at the Kremlin, which seemed as good a place as any to unveil valuable information of vital global interest. Here’s our live coverage and analysis from Moscow.

Photo

Credit Sergei Chirikov/European Pressphoto Agency

The draw is done and the field is set.

Group A: Russia, Uruguay, Egypt, Saudi Arabia

Group B: Portugal, Spain, Iran, Morocco

Group C: France, Peru, Denmark, Australia

Group D: Argentina, Croatia, Iceland, Nigeria

Group E: Brazil, Switzerland, Costa Rica, Serbia

Group F: Germany, Mexico, Sweden, South Korea

Group G: Belgium, England, Tunisia, Panama

Group H: Poland, Colombia, Senegal, Japan

■ Russia, England and France got favorable draws. Portugal will play its neighbor Spain in Group B, and Argentina drew one of the tougher first-round groups, as it was paired with Croatia, Iceland and Nigeria. Mexico, the Concacaf champion, will play Germany, Sweden and South Korea in Group F.

Group A analysis: balance, and two bad teams.

Teams: Russia, Uruguay, Egypt, Saudi Arabia

From Rory Smith in Moscow: The opening game of the World Cup will be Russia against Saudi Arabia: or, to put it another way, the two worst teams in the tournament, according to the FIFA rankings. The group is quite nicely balanced, though: Uruguay will expect to make the last 16, but both Russia and Egypt will have hopes of joining them.

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Russia President Vladimir Putin, right, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino opened the draw. Putin, whose country is facing a doping ban from the Olympics, spoke about the spirit of “fair play” in welcoming all the entrants to Russia next summer. Credit Grigory Dukor/Reuters

Group B analysis: two favorites, and no guarantees.

Teams: Portugal, Spain, Iran, Morocco

From Rory Smith: Not as bad as it might have been for Portugal and Spain. Both will expect to make it through — though Morocco is not to be underestimated — in a group that also includes Iran. Finishing on top here might prove crucial as the tournament’s knockout round takes shape.

Group C analysis: dream group for France.

Teams: France, Peru, Denmark, Australia

From Rory Smith: If France had imagined an ideal group, it would have been this. Peru was among the weakest of the second seeds, Australia does not have a coach, and Denmark should not trouble them too much. Second place could be intriguing, though.

Group D analysis: the most interesting group, for sure.

Teams: Argentina, Croatia, Iceland, Nigeria

From Rory Smith: Probably the most delicately balanced, most interesting, and most competitive of all the groups. Argentina only just qualified, Croatia has an abundance of individual talent, Iceland a tremendous collective strength and Nigeria was, possibly, the toughest fourth seed to draw. Argentina will not be happy at all.

Group E analysis: a battle for second?

Teams: Brazil, Switzerland, Costa Rica, Serbia

From Rory Smith: Brazil will not be nearly as happy as France, however. Serbia, Switzerland and Costa Rica is a relatively kind section for Tite’s team. The battle to join them in the last 16 will be absolutely fascinating, however: there is not much between those three teams. And there may not be many goals between them, either.

Group F analysis: the champions should be happy.

Teams: Germany, Mexico, Sweden, South Korea

From Rory Smith: Like France and Brazil, Germany has nothing to complain about: Sweden is hard-working but limited, and neither South Korea nor Mexico have the quality to derail the reigning champion.

Group G analysis: Two favorites and two sleepers.

Teams: Belgium, England, Tunisia, Panama

From Rory Smith: It should be a straight shootout between England and Belgium to see who claims the top spot and, with it, a theoretically easier second-round fate. The main advantage Panama and Tunisia have is that both will, to some extent, be unknown quantities.

Group H analysis: the most open group of all?

Teams: Poland, Colombia, Senegal, Japan

From Rory Smith: Along with Group A, Group H seems the most evenly spread. Poland was among the weakest top seeds, and Colombia will harbor ambitions of finishing first. Japan and Senegal, though, will both see the Round of 16 as a real possibility now.

Germany and Brazil installed as the early betting favorites.

No United States, so no World Cup for you? Not so fast there — you can make your viewing experience more vital with a bet on who’s going to win it all. The rest of the world can’t wait to hustle to the betting windows on the beautiful game’s premier showcase.

Germany and Brazil are the current 5-1 co-favorites, according to the British bookmaker Paddy Power, which also rates France (6-1), Spain (13-2) and Argentina (8-1) as serious contenders. The home team, Russia, is 33-1.

Iceland was given a 100-1 chance immediately after the draw, while Tunisia, Saudi Arabia and Panama were the longest shots on the board at 500-1.

Looking for a live longshot? How about our neighbor to the South: Mexico is 100-1.

The final pot as it was drawn.

Saudi Arabia (wow) goes in Russia’s group, which already looks to be the easiest.

Serbia completes Group E, with Brazil.

Morocco in with Portugal and Spain in Group B.

Australia goes in Group C with France, Peru and Denmark. France is thrilled, surely, and everyone else thinks they have a shot, too.

Nigeria in Group D with Argentina, Iceland and Croatia.

Panama (this could have been you, USMNT) goes into Group G, with Belgium, Tunisia and England. Not a terrible draw for their debut. Good draw for England, too.

Korea (in F) and Japan (in H) complete the field.

Let the second-guessing, predictions and analysis commence!

The field after three pots were emptied.

Group A: Russia, Uruguay, Egypt

Group B: Portugal, Spain, Iran

Group C: France, Peru, Denmark

Group D: Argentina, Croatia, Iceland

Group E: Brazil, Switzerland, Costa Rica

Group F: Germany, Mexico, Sweden

Group G: Belgium, England, Tunisia

Group H: Poland, Colombia, Senegal

Analysis from Rory Smith: Before the draw, Pot 3 looked slightly and counterintuitively less dangerous than Pot 4; that holds true. Argentina and Croatia will have been disappointed to have drawn Iceland, and Poland, Senegal and Colombia should be fascinating to watch. But most of the top seeds will have been pleased with what they will face: Spain and Portugal, who have Iran, in particular.

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The former Brazil defender Cafu with Senegal’s slip. Senegal went into the final group, with Poland, Colombia and Japan. Credit Mladen Antonov/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

On to Pot 3 now.

Egypt goes in with Russia and Uruguay in Group A.

Denmark is drawn next, but can’t go in Group B, so it’s place in C instead, with France. Ugh.

Iran fills the Group B spot.

Iceland is next out, in Group D with Argentina and Croatia. Harsh draw.

Costa Rica gets Brazil in Group E. That could have been you, America.

Sweden into Group F.

Tunisia with England, then Senegal.

A glance at the groups after two pots.

Group A: Russia, Uruguay

Group B: Portugal, Spain

Group C: France, Peru

Group D: Argentina, Croatia

Group E: Brazil, Switzerland

Group F: Germany, Mexico

Group G: Belgium, England

Group H: Poland, Colombia

Analysis from Rory Smith in Moscow: By far the biggest reaction inside the hall was seeing Portugal grouped with Spain, and with good reason. The Portuguese, it’s fair to say, have drawn the short straw among the top seeds.

Most of the others will be relatively happy: Brazil, Germany and France, the other major contenders, have avoided the worst of the traps. Belgium and England makes for a finely poised group. And Uruguay will be absolutely delighted to have drawn Russia.

Uruguay is the first team out, and they get dropped in with Russia in Group A. (From Rory: So Russia get Uruguay from Pot 2. Or, more accurately, Uruguay get Russia, by far the easiest of the top seeds.)

Spain is next, and will play its neighbor Portugal in the first game in Group B.

Peru goes in Group C with France. Didier Deschamps is probably fine with that.

Croatia in with Argentina in Group D. That’s an unlucky draw for Messi and Co., made worse by Lineker cracking about Maradona being good with his hands as he pulls the team out. Ouch.

Switzerland into Group E with Brazil. Gulp.

Mexico thrown in with the Germans in Group F.

England in Group G with Belgium, and Colombia in H with Poland.

Here’s the field so far.

Group A: Russia

Group B: Portugal

Group C: France

Group D: Argentina

Group E: Brazil

Group F: Germany

Group G: Belgium

Group H: Poland

Pot 1 goes first.

Russia, as planned, is the first team out. It goes in Group A.

Portugal is next. The European champion goes in Group B.

France in Group C.

Argentina in Group D.

Brazil in Group E.

Germany, the World Cup and Confederations Cup champion, in Group F.

Belgium is in Group G.

Poland in Group H.

The hosts are on stage. Here we go.

Gary Lineker reads out the teams and explains the rules, extending the interminable wait a little longer.

Remember, Russia will be placed first, as team A1, and play in the opening game.

First singing, now dancing ....

We promise there will be a draw today.

Infantino passing out compliments.

Infantino, steps away from Putin, praises his host country, saying Russia is ”a welcoming country, a warm country.”

Though not today; it’s in the 30s and snowing outside the hall.

At long last, the draw is under way.

Not the picking of teams, mind you. That will still be about 20 minutes — after Russia’s president, Vladimir V. Putin, and FIFA’s president, Gianni Infantino, come onstage for speeches.

“The teams, the coaches, are all our friends,” Putin says.

Before we begin, a quick look at all 32 teams.

Unlike many who consume soccer for fun or for a living, Rory Smith of The Times is a big fan of draws, as he wrote in our weekly newsletter Thursday. (Related: you should definitely sign up for our weekly sports newsletter.)

“I love a draw,” Rory said. “I love the word ‘permutations.’ I love the sense that anything is possible. I love seeing that blank slate fill up. I love trying to work out what the best games will be and whose path to the semifinals, to the final, to glory, might be easiest and which most strewn with complication.

“And I love the mystery of the World Cup draw. We are saturated with soccer now: We can watch all of the world’s best players every week. Only at the World Cup do players from nowhere suddenly burst to life, and teams — Tunisia, Iran, even Russia itself — from isolated soccer cultures join the party. The draw is the start of that adventure into the unknown.”

Even if you don’t share Rory’s delight in a good draw, he broke down all 32 teams, this week, looking at their pasts, their paths and at what would qualify as a successful trip to Russia.

Diego Maradona has arrived, and he looks amazing.

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Diego Maradona, a World Cup winner in 1986, and his girlfriend, Rocío Oliva, arrive at the draw. Credit Matthias Hangst/Getty Images

With an hour to go, a word about seeds.

The seeding this year is based on the FIFA world rankings. That’s controversial, because the rankings are far from universally accepted as the most accurate ordering of teams. The most contentious issue is that friendly games count in the rankings, although they are worth fewer points. Because team’s positions are based on average points per match, teams that play a lot of friendlies are penalized. Several sides, including Poland, seem to have gamed the system by playing fewer friendlies, which helped their ranking.

So before you ask: That’s why Poland, a fine team but hardly a tournament favorite, is in Pot 1.

Here’s what to expect today.

■ The draw will take much longer than it needs to take. It always does. FIFA budgets about an hour for a mix of performances, speeches and, amid much social media grumbling, the draw itself.

■ This will be the first draw in a generation that will not take place under the usually benign (but not always) awkwardness of Sepp Blatter, who served as FIFA’s president from 1998 until he was ousted amid a corruption scandal two years ago. Gianni Infantino, who replaced Blatter as president in 2016, is FIFA’s top man now.

■ The World Cup kicks off June 14, with Russia’s first game, in Moscow. It concludes there on July 15. Germany is the defending champion. No team has repeated as world champion since Brazil, in 1958 and 1962.

■ The 32 teams who qualified for the World Cup already have been seeded according to the FIFA rankings (cue more grumbling) and divided into four pots. The breakdowns:

Pot 1: Russia, Germany, Brazil, Portugal, Argentina, Belgium, Poland, France

Pot 2: Spain, Peru, Switzerland, England, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay, Croatia

Pot 3: Denmark, Iceland, Costa Rica, Sweden, Tunisia, Egypt, Senegal, Iran

Pot 4: Serbia, Nigeria, Australia, Japan, Morocco, Panama, South Korea and Saudi Arabia

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■ Don’t follow the World Cup unless the United States is playing? Well, have we got a surprise for you ….

A news conference about the draw focused on Russian doping.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino held a pre-World Cup draw news conference Friday, but the topic of the draw barely came up. Instead, Infantino, appearing with Russia’s deputy prime minister, Vitaly Mutko, who leads the country’s World Cup organizing committee, spent more than an hour uncomfortably, and at times angrily, fending off questions about Russia’s doping scandal.

Infantino tried to distance FIFA, and the World Cup, from the accusations, which could see Russia banned from the Olympics next week — only months before the country hosts the World Cup. Mutko, formerly Russia’s sports minister and still the head of Russia’s soccer federation, was more combative.

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FIFA President Gianni Infantino, right, appeared with Russia's deputy prime minister, Vitaly Mutko, at a news conference ahead of Friday's World Cup draw in Moscow. But almost no one asked about the draw; instead, most of the questions were about Russia's doping scandal. Credit Sergei Chirikov/European Pressphoto Agency

Mutko has been implicated in what has been described by whistleblowers and investigators as a massive state-sponsored doping plan, but on Friday he angrily rebutted the accusations and vowed that Russia “will take a firm position and will defend its athletes until the bitter end.”

“There is no proof,” Mutko said at one point.

Infantino also was asked about the ongoing trial in Brooklyn of three former soccer officials who were charged in FIFA’s own broad corruption scandal in 2015, but said he would not comment on “things that are not proven.” Witnesses at the trial have testified about payments from Qatar to FIFA officials to win the rights to host the 2022 World Cup.

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What is Neymar's net worth and how much does the PSG star earn?

The Brazilian surpassed Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo when it comes to weekly salary by joining Paris Saint-Germain this summer

Neymar might not have even touched the halfway point in his footballing career but is already among the best-paid and most marketable athletes on the planet.
The PSG star will turn 26 in 2018 and has already scored over 250 goals at club level and hit a half-century for his country, with his decision to leave Barcelona for Paris making him the highest earner in European football.
The former Santos starlet is well on his way to becoming one of the wealthiest sportsmen of his era, but how do his earnings stack up when compared to the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo today?

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How much does Neymar earn?

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According to information uncovered by Football Leaks, Neymar is the second-highest current earner in world football behind Carlos Tevez.
Neymar earns an astonishing €36.8 million a year at Parc des Princes, which works out at over €700,000 a week.
That dwarfs the €300,000-a-week deal he signed with Barca in 2016 and moves him comfortably ahead of Ronaldo and Messi, even if we take into account the pay rise the latter is said to be receiving in the new deal at Camp Nou he is yet to officially sign.
Tevez cashed in on the gold rush in the Chinese Super League and is the only player who tops Neymar's salary. He is said to earn €38.4m a year.

Timeframe	Earnings
Per second	€1.16
Per minute	€70
Per hour	€4,200
Per day	€100,821
Per week	€707,692
Per month	€3.07m
Per year	€36.8m

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What sponsorship deals does Neymar have?

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In 2016, Forbes estimated Neymar's earnings from endorsements at $21 million (€18m) annually, making him - based on his Barca salary at the time - the only active footballer earning more money off the pitch than on it.
Whereas Ronaldo and Messi's endorsements at that point accounted for 36% and 34% of their income respectively, Neymar's accounted for 61% of his pay.
That has changed now he has joined PSG but still speaks to his status as a marketing heavyweight - largely because of his huge presence in Brazil, where he appears on just about every product you can think of.
Whereas Messi has not always been as popular as you might expect in Argentina and Ronaldo comes from Portugal, a much smaller country, Neymar is an idol to 200 million.
Some of his many sponsorship deals include partnerships with Claro, Nike, Panasonic, Gillette and Red Bull.

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What businesses does Neymar have?

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Neymar has turned his hand to a few endeavours other than playing football, including appearing in the new 'xXx: Return of Xander Cage' movie and releasing his own emojis for download.
He is also a partner in a company called NN Consultoria along with his mother Nadine Goncalves.
That was initially set up to grow the profile and brand of Neymar himself but has since expanded to take on another clients such as Olympic gold medallist Thiago Braz and a new star out of the Santos academy in Arthur Gomes.

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What charity work does Neymar do?

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Neymar has opened the Instituto Projeto Neymar Jr in a neighbourhood he spent part of his childhood in, Jardim Gloria, in the city of Praia Grande.
It is a facility that aims to help transform the lives of poorer children in the region through educational, artistic and sporting initiatives that aid their development and give them a chance to reach their full potential. The complex currently serves 2,470 such kids and their families.
"I could not come to Brazil and not visit [the institute]," Neymar said last year during a trip home to attend his sister's birthday party in March. "It is my family's dream and I am always happy every time I visit. It makes me want to keep growing this and doing this the right way."

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What is Neymar's net worth?

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Most recent estimates put Neymar's net worth at around €90m, which is substantially less than Messi and Ronaldo.

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But that - and it should be noted that it is still an impressive figure for his age - was before his lucrative move to PSG and the enormous increase in his earnings - and earning power - that has come with it.
His status on the pitch and enduring popularity, particularly in Brazil, off it should ensure that the former Santos prodigy follows in the footsteps of Messi at Camp Nou and goes on to become one of the richest players of his generation.
The only thing that could threaten that status is his ongoing dispute with the tax authorities in Brazil, but that seems to have been settled for now by Neymar paying a modest - by his standards - fine of just over €2m.

  

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Naby Keita's story From dodging cars on the streets of Guinea to the fast lane of Europe's elite

The makeshift ball is magnetised to his bare feet as he turns away from two markers, darting towards stones that serve as the goal. The handed-down kit which drowns his tout petit frame gets tugged from behind, but he shrugs that off and speeds on.
Then comes the real challenge. The kid, who has yet to hit double figures in age, feels a heavy hit to his back and first ensures possession is still secure, before getting a shot off. A young Naby Keita has scored, and as he celebrates, he quickly scans the car that impeded him in the build-up.
“This was a normal kind of game,” the midfielder exclusively tells Goal as he retraces his football-centric childhood in Koleya, an area of Guinea capital’s Conakry.

“We would play anywhere there was open space, which was often on the street and we would have to dodge the cars!

“I was bumped so many times, but I kept going because I never wanted to lose possession. Nothing could separate me from the ball and I learnt so much from my experiences on the street.
“We played with whatever we could and I would have nothing on my feet, or sometimes, play with old, damaged shoes,” Keita continued after breaking into the 2017 Goal 50, which ranks the 50 best players in the world of the past year and will be revealed in full on Tuesday November 14.

“I didn’t have boots and treasured football shirts that were given to me. All that has helped me be better prepared for anything now as a professional and I’m also not scared of anything on the pitch.
“I was quite small and so I had to fight for everything: the chance to play, for the ball, to get respect and that’s why not even cars could stop me. It’s where the aggression in my game, which is so important for my position, comes from.”

Conakry’s own le roi de la rue (King of the Street) is now the most expensive African footballer in history. Liverpool activated a £48 million clause in the RB Leipzig lynchpin’s contract this summer as well as paying a premium to secure his services from July 1, 2018. The move has been mapped out since the idea of turning professional was crystallised in his mind as a teenager, but his ascension to the top of the game began as a toddler.
As soon as Keita could walk his mother, Miriam Camara, would have to confiscate items from his feet. “She has told me that anything that would fall from the table, whether it was a bottle of water or an orange, I would dribble with it,” he says, his words punctuated with laughter.
“Whatever was on the floor that I could kick, I would entertain myself with it. No matter where she would take me, I would do this.”

His father, Sekou Keita, believes Naby’s destiny was decided even before then. “My dad told me that as a baby, I loved the ball - to look at it, to touch it. I always wanted it around me.”

Despite both feeling it was inevitable their son would want to pursue a career in football, the 22-year-old’s parents tried to direct him towards a different path. “They wanted me to study,” Keita recalls. “They felt education was the most important and more stable, but there was nothing else for me but football.
“They tried and tried, but they could see where my head and my heart was. Everyone in the community would say to them that I’m the best player in Conakry and, eventually, my parents told me they know I’ve got a special gift so they will fully support my dream.”

At 12, the dynamo was already being advised by local scouts that he should head for Europe, but it was too much for someone so young to process. “I was not mentally ready yet for such a big step,” Keita explains. “About two years later, I would watch a lot of Ligue 1, Champions League and Premier League games on TV and I knew I wanted to be playing at that level.
"It was impossible to do that at home, so it was clear that I would have to test myself in Europe. I was determined to become a footballer, not only because I loved the game, but so I could provide for my family.”
And so at 16, flooded with enthusiasm but unsure of what to expect, he ventured to France for trials. “My parents were terrified. They didn’t want me to go so far away and they were worried about how I would adapt to these new surroundings,” Keita admits.
“It was more difficult than I could have imagined as everything except the language was different. I was used to playing football with my friends, but now I was with strangers that wanted to mostly keep to themselves.”
He moved back and forth between Conakry and Western Europe, where rejection from Lorient amongst others at these showcases slowly ate into his conviction.

“I did wonder if I would ever make it. It was such a tough time,” Keita says. “You have your dream within touching distance, then it falls through and you have to start from the beginning again.”

The most jarring thing about this period wasn’t being in an unfamiliar place, clashing with a contrasting culture, or the dissimilar people he was coming into contact with, but the completely alien way football was interpreted.
“I was never exposed to the professional side of the game,” Keita explains. “I didn’t grow up in an academy, everything I knew was from the street. I would get the ball, I would run with it, show some skill to beat a player and score.
“During these trials, coaches were asking me to do things I’d never heard of! They were using football terms that I couldn’t understand and giving instructions that I had no clue about. I didn’t know about tactics and when I was rejected that is what I was told.”

It was only six years ago when Keita received that crushing feedback, and yet now, you would struggle to find a midfielder as astute and effective as him both offensively and defensively. Schalke director Christian Heidel aptly exclaimed that Leipzig possess a “12th player” because "Naby is like two, this boy is incomprehensible”.
He can tackle, take on defenders, intercept, switch the play, transition quickly, dissect or nullify the opposition, dictate his side’s tempo; a unique, valuable combination.
Le Mans had been the first club to rank Keita’s potential higher than his rawness, but they were unable to recruit him at 18 as they were on the brink of bankruptcy. However, one of their employees recommended the “rough diamond” to FC Istres’ sporting director at the time, Frederic Arpinon, who did his due diligence and spoke to scouts that watched Keita’s performance at a tournament in Marseille, organised by former Celtic defender Bobo Balde. The reviews prompted the club in the south of France to sharply arrange a trial, in which Naby made an instant impression.
Istres offered him a three-year deal and in November 2013, Keita thanked them with a goal and assist in a luminary debut display in the 4-2 victory over Nimes.

“I had waited so long, had so many setbacks and when I got my first chance, I wanted to prove I belonged in Europe,” he says as he recalls the game.

“My parents were still very worried about me. I had to call them six times a day and tell them everything that was happening!” Keita chuckles.

Arpinon swiftly figured it would be tough to keep the aptitude of their new acquisition hidden, and while Ligue 1 teams were scared to gamble on the little player with a large ceiling, Gerard Houllier was convinced he’d take off at Red Bull Salzburg.
Then the Head of Global Football for the energy drink’s stable of clubs, and now still an advisor, the former Liverpool manager discussed Keita with Ralf Rangnick, who was the sporting director for the Austrian outfit before assuming the same role at Leipzig.
The pair watched the Guinea international represent his country in a friendly against Mali on May 25, 2014 in France and Houllier sold him on Salzburg’s commitment to development.
That summer, Keita signed a five-year contract at Die Roten Bullen, where Sadio Mane provided valuable guidance before moving to Southampton.

“At first, I wasn’t starting and it was very frustrating,” Keita reveals. “I didn’t like it and it made the settling-in period harder. But Sadio said: ‘My little brother, stay calm. Your chance will come and when it does, you will make the most of it.’

“He helped me with everything - the language, making friends, understanding the club and the city. And, of course, he was right. Once I was put into the team, I showed my qualities and everything went much smoother.

“Salzburg improved me as a player and I learnt so much there, I got a really tactical education. Sadio was important for me, he still is! To me, he’s my big brother. He really likes to learn new things, to improve and to push himself and we are the same in this way. He’s a good example for me.”

Mane, three years Keita’s senior and also represented by Arena11 sports group, still feels protective over the Guinean and watches his games at every opportunity - either live or via highlights.
“He is a really special player and is like family to me,” the Liverpool speedster says. “We were close at Salzburg and still keep in touch. I enjoy watching him and look forward to helping him again when he comes next year.
“He asked me about Liverpool and I told him this is an amazing club with talented players, a great manager and lots of ambition. The city and the people are really nice and he will feel at home here.”
Next summer will not mark the first time Keita pulls on a Liverpool kit.

“When I was around 11 or 12, my friends and I were choosing which shirts we would get for our team. Because my father nicknamed me Deco as he thought I played like him, I wanted us to get the Barcelona strip - they were my favourite.

“All my friends were Liverpool supporters, though, and I really liked the club too so we decided on them. I don’t think any of them or I could really imagine that I would grow up to actually wear a real Liverpool shirt and represent the real Liverpool!”

Beyond his kickabout group, there was one prominent person constantly referencing Keita’s next club.
“My father is a huge fan!,” he reveals. “As far back as I can remember, he has been talking about them. Before I even knew what Liverpool was as a kid, he was mad about them.
“Of course, when he found out about their interest and when the deal for next season was done, he was delighted. He wanted to speak about Istanbul, Steven Gerrard and every other big game or player of the club.”

Keita, however, is not thinking about lining up under Jurgen Klopp just yet. “I have a lot still to achieve in this campaign with Leipzig and my focus is all on them,” he says. “The club have been good for me and I’ve grown so much with them. The move from Salzburg to Leipzig was great for me and I have gone up another level. Last season was special for us, we played great football and finished second in the Bundesliga to give us our first taste of Champions League.
“I used to watch Xabi Alonso in the Champions League and Premier League when I was in Guinea and last season I got to play against him in midfield before he retired. When I think about things like this, it reminds me of how blessed I am, but also of how hard I’ve worked and far I’ve come. But this is only the start, I am never satisfied, I never get comfortable.”
When the CAF African Footballer of the Year nominee returns home, he is greeted with more reminders of his achievements as well as greater inspiration to push on.

“When I go back to Conakry, there are still children playing on the street without shoes, dodging the cars. I always buy boots when I’m back for as many kids as I can because I know how much it can mean to have something so simple. There's so much skill and talent in Guinea, it fills me with pride.”

Not everything is exactly the same during the homecoming. “I wanted to be Deco, Titi Camara or Pascal Feindouno when I was young, and now there are kids with my name on the back of their shirts! That is such a big motivation for me and I hope I continue to show them that with courage and determination, they can achieve anything.
“It doesn’t matter how poor you are, or where you’re from, if you are willing to make sacrifices, willing to work hard and to never stop fighting for your dreams, you can make them happen.”

So much has altered in Keita’s life so quickly, but there are always the constants. “My mother is here, she comes every three months to visit and stays with me for a while,” he says.
“Now she doesn’t have to shout at me for kicking everything around, but she is still my rock. I am nothing without my family, and no matter what happens, I will never forget where I am from.”
From being the one to watch in the Bundesliga last season, Keita is now seemingly the one to target. Leipzig coach Ralph Hasenhuttl has no concern over the three red cards the No.8 received within a 39-day period recently, stating his player is “often provoked.” That he is now targeted signifies Keita’s swelling status and how significant the opposition believe him to be.
His influence is unlikely to be tempered anytime soon. “I want to win. I plan to only get better and stronger. This is just the start for me,” Keita says with a knowing smile. “I’ve come this far, so what is the point of not targeting the very top?”

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Ronaldo the winner of world cup

 

With the Goal 50 set to be unveiled next week, we take a look back at all the major award winners since Cristiano Ronaldo lifted last year's prize

It has been 12 months since Cristiano Ronaldo lifted the Goal 50 prize for 2016, with the Portugal and Real Madrid superstar following that triumph with many more personal honours. However, the 32-year-old has not had it all his way in the past year, with many other major names picking up individual awards.
Ronaldo's long-term rival for greatest player in the world - and former Goal 50 winner Lionel Messi - topped the goalscoring charts in La Liga, which also saw him take the European Golden Shoe award. Although Ronaldo could not match Messi's 37 La Liga goals, he was the Champions League's top scorer with 12 goals as Madrid lifted the trophy.
Many of the award winners gained greater prominence thanks to their excellent campaigns, with the likes of Ederson and Nelson Semedo both earning transfers away from Benfica - to Manchester City and Barcelona respectively. Similarly, Ousmane Dembele became the world's second most expensive player after winning the Bundesliga Best Young Player award.

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