Italy

By Musa Abdullahi Kaga

The name Maldini is synonymous with Milan, as it is impossible to talk about Milan’s history without mentioning the Maldinis. In fact, the name is almost synonymous with football itself. Just as the likes of Maradona, Pele and Cryuff, the Maldinis have crafted their names on the golden stones of football history, only that there’s was even more spectacular – Grandfather, father and now the son, all following the same path.

The dynasty began in 1954, when the Italian centre-back, Cesare Maldini, made his debut for the Rossoneri. Due to his impressive leadership qualities and team spirit, he was rewarded with the captain’s armband just a year after his move to Milan from Triestina. He had 12 illustrious seasons with Milan, lifting four league titles and a European cup (now Champions League) in the process. Cesare had the privilege of being the first Italian to lift the then European cup, and of course, Milan was the first Italian team to win the title.

Cesare, named after the Roman emperor, had excellent technique and passing range. He was known to be imposing in aerial duels and had an outstanding reading of the game with anticipation. As a defender, despite having hundreds of caps for both club and country, he was only booked five times and sent off once in his entire career, solidifying his place in the list of the greatest defenders to have graced the game – the likes of Sergio Ramos could only dream.

Cesare Maldini made his final Milan appearance in a 6-1 triumph over Catania on May 22 1966, only to return as a coach six years later. The dynasty continued as a certain 16-year-old boy made his Milan debut in 1984 – Paolo Maldini, making an incredible 902 appearances during an illustrious 25 years career, winning 23 major trophies in the process. One of the few ‘one club men’ was an elegant and cool defender known by his iconic no. 3 jersey, deservedly retired, just like the legendary Baresi’s no. 6. The ambipedal defender has, despite being a left-back, adequately occupied all the defensive positions, forming a formidable partnership with Milan and Italy legend Franco Baresi. The duo, while playing together, conceded only 29 goals in 196 games – astonishing? Legendary rather.

Paolo succeeded the retiring club captain, Franco Baresi, in 1997, after 20 years of service. Following his father’s footsteps, he captained Ac Milan till his retirement after the 2008/2009 season. The Maldini era was seemingly coming to an end until his unexpected return to Milan as sporting strategy & development director. He was, however, promoted to Technical director after a year. He was instrumental in the acquisition of the likes of Theo Hernandez, Rafael Leao and Mike Maignan. Among the new faces was a player with a very familiar and historic surname, coming through the youth ranks, Daniel MALDINI, your guess is right, the son of the legendary Paolo Maldini. Lo, a new chapter in the Maldini dynasty beckons.

Daniel, unlike his ancestors, plays as an attacking midfielder. Last season, in a very difficult match away to Spezia, Coach Pioli gave him his first Serie A start. The then 19-year-old did not disappoint, as he made history by scoring a header, becoming the third member of the Maldini family to score for Milan. Due to limited playing time, the 21-year-old was loaned out to Spezia this season. He started on Saturday evening against his parent club and, surprisingly, scored a curler to cancel out an early Theo Hernandez strike. A ‘Maldini‘ has scored in Sansiro again, precisely 5,333 days after Paolo’s goal against Atalanta in 2008 – Tradition.

Daniel would have rescued a point barring the intervention of Olivier Giroud. Milan thought they got the winner after Sandro Tonali’s screamer. However, VAR cancelled out the goal for a foul in the build-up. In the 89th minute of regular time, with incredible dexterity, from a tight angle, Oliver Giroud gave Milan a well-deserved victory again through a spectacular acrobatic volley – typical Giroud grand style.

The adrenaline was high, as you’d expect of any late winner. Hence, Giroud pulled out his shirt during the wild celebrations. Consequently, he was penalised for a second booking and eventually sent off. He was captured with a ‘mea culpa’ face in tears after the match. Cheer up, sins forgiven, Olivier!

Forza Milan!

Musa Abdullahi Kaga wrote via musaakaga@gmail.com.

By Musa Abdullahi Kaga

“I try to do my job. When I’m in the area, I always try to be in the right place at the right time,” – Giroud

When Olivier Giroud’s rumoured move to Milan – from Chelsea – surfaced on the Internet, many Milan faithful were unhappy. Already battling with 39-year-old Zlatan’s fitness, most fans thought a 35-year-old wasn’t an ideal transfer target.

A token was paid to Chelsea for the transfer of the world cup winner, which has been paying off since then. His elegance and goal-scoring finesse were never in doubt. Olivier seamlessly settled into the team, as you’d expect of any experienced player of such calibre.

Everyone expected a rivalry between the former Arsenal star and Zlatan for the starting spot. However, it eventually proved to be a complementary role. He stood ably while the Lion (Zlatan) was nursing his injuries. When asked about the possibility of playing as a deputy to Ibrahimovic, he responded, “I don’t want to think about who will play; my job is also to be a big brother for the young players”.

After a seven-year absence from the Champions League, Milan desperately looked towards Zlatan Ibrahimovic for a solution. He eventually helped them to a second-place finish in the Italian Serie A. However, with the acquisition of Giroud the following year, the target was to build upon the success. He did that by contributing 11 goals and winning his second career league title, the first with Montpellier in 2012.

Naturally, big game players tend to be fan favourites, and Giroud was able to cement that status immediately with his super performances against the big guns. Most notably against Inter earlier in February, his brace assured the 3 points despite the defending champions taking the lead first. He followed that up with a star performance against Napoli, scoring the game’s only goal. Then, in the recent Derby win against Inter, he scored one of the three goals to claim the maximum points.

On the final day of last year’s league campaign, Milan only needed a draw to be crowned champions of Italy. Giroud showed up with pride and contributed two goals in the 0-3 triumph in the Magpie stadium. Last night, in the last game of the UCL group stage, Milan needed a draw to grace the knockout stage after a nine-year break. Their hero, Olivier Giroud, is at it again, with four goals contribution (two assists and two goals) in a commanding 4-0 win in front of a packed San Siro. He never gets old. At 36, he graced the game with a spectacular performance.

Grande Olivier!

Musa Abdullahi Kaga wrote via musaakaga@gmail.com.

By Aminu Mohammed

This article was inspired by a post that I read on the Facebook page of Dr Muhsin Ibrahim, where he cautioned our youth against embarking on a perilous journey that may lead to their untimely death. However, while going through the comments, I was actually shocked by a statement made by someone who insisted on travelling to Europe through the Sahara Desert, despite warnings by the writer.

Of course, I know that life is tough in Nigeria, and many youths are jobless and hopeless. The high level of insecurity is worrisome in the North, as people are being hacked down to death daily without any concrete intervention from the security agencies. The deprivation is glaring on the streets all over the North, and people are looking for a way out. However, I will always advise people to travel legally anywhere or otherwise stay at home if they do not have the financial capacity to do so.

During my stint as a journalist in Sokoto a few years ago, I have written many articles about human trafficking and illegal migration. Unfortunately, this is a big business for many people in villages around the Illela local government area of Sokoto. Illela is a border town between Sokoto and Qoni in the Niger Republic. People are trafficked through these villages with the connivance of some youth in the villages. These nefarious people in the villages assist these illegal migrants by transporting them with motorcycles to the Niger Republic in order to evade immigration officers at the Illela border, who may likely prevent them from entering the Niger Republic en route to Libya and finally to Italy and other European countries.

Let me make it clear that life is not a bed of roses here, and the streets of Europe are not paved with gold. People don’t pick money on the streets. You have to work very hard to earn money. Although the government makes efforts to ensure a good life for the citizens, there are homeless people and beggars in Germany, the wealthiest European country. It is not a paradise as many of you may think or imagine in your dreams.

Life in Europe is akin to slavery for people without legal documents. First, life is tough here without legal documents. You cannot get accommodation, open a bank account, work, or visit the hospital without a resident permit. My first time at a clinic to see the doctor in my city, I was asked to present my residence permit and health insurance card; otherwise, I won’t be able to receive treatment. Thus, I presented my documents, which they quickly confirmed before treating me.

Many young men are being lured by the success stories of those who travelled illegally to Europe through the Sahara Desert in the past and believed they too could achieve success if they endure tribulation and go through pains. Although not all those who follow the pathway of illegal migration end up in agony, most live as enslaved people here.

Of course, I know and have met some of them who came to Europe through the Sahara Desert and Libya and are doing well here. For example, I know a Hausa guy from Kano State who lives in my city with his family and owns a clothing shop. He told me gory tales about his movement from Sokoto to Agadez in the Niger Republic and the perilous journey through the Sahara Desert to Libya, which lasted eight days. He spent about one year in Libya doing menial jobs before he summoned the courage to cross the Mediterranean with a boat carrying many people to the island of Lampedusa, Italy, 11 years ago.

According to this Kano guy, they took the boat early in the morning from Libya and were rescued at noon by coast guards who later ferried them in their boats to Lampedusa. He subsequently left Italy for Germany eight years ago and is now a legal resident here. He speaks fluent German and carries out his business diligently.

A few of them in my city came through that perilous route and are now established in Germany, doing meaningful jobs while contributing to the country’s economy. But their trajectory may not be the same as yours as everybody has his own destiny and luck. So many people have died in the Sahara Desert even before reaching Libya, while some have died trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea, yet our youth are still not deterred despite such deaths.

The fact of the matter is that many people who came through the illegal route are wallowing in misery and deprivation. Most of them are trapped in refugee camps scattered in most cities across Germany. I have been to the refugee camp in my city twice and witnessed how these people live. It is a kind of glorified prison, though they can still go out and even work illegally without the knowledge of the authorities. They do “black jobs”, which are very low-paid jobs that do not require documents and are usually paid directly after their labour but not through the banks.

I met a Ghanaian last year whose name is Idrissa. He left the refugee camp in Munich, the southern part of Germany and is now hiding in my city doing menial jobs. According to him, he feels terrified whenever he sees the police and usually gets scared of commuting by public bus or train for fear of being arrested. Unfortunately, this is the type of life those with illegal documents live here. In fact, at the peak of the Corona pandemic last year, this Ghanaian could not get vaccinated because no hospital would vaccinate him due to a lack of legal documents.

Some of these illegal immigrants, desperate to get legal documents for them to be able to work, get entangled with old German women that are old enough to be their grandparents under the guise of marriage and are treated as slaves. Of course, the German women are aware that they want them only because of their residence permit and make sure they go through excruciating pains.

I decided to write this article in order to alert our youths on the dangers of travelling to Europe through the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea. If your dream is to travel to Europe, then try to go through the legal way. You can go either through the study route, a scholarship or a job based on your skills. I know that many people get jobs with the skills they acquired in Nigeria, such as doctors, nurses, engineers, and those in data science and information technology, among others. Travelling legally is the only way to move freely without humiliation abroad due to a lack of legal documents. May Allah make things easy for all of us, amin.

Aminu Mohammed is at the School of Sustainability, Chrtistan Albrechts Universität zu Kiel, Schleswig Holstein, Germany. He can be reached via gravity23n@gmail.com or 219013@mail.uni-Kiel.de.

By Muhammad Muzdaleefa

The Euro 2020 Cup ended in Italian hands after the Azzurri defeated England at Wembley Stadium. What a journey it has been. The winning team has shown us that it is not what happens to you but rather how you react to it that matters. Some fall and stay down there; others fall and dust themselves off and rebuild. 

No doubt, it was a hotly contested final. Southgate’s team had got off to an impressive start with Luke Shaw’s goal after just two minutes. But the Italians equalised in the 67th minute through Leonardo Bonucci. After much anticipation, England’s dream was shattered as Italy won the match in penalty kicks. One thing is for sure; this loss will be seared into the national consciousness of English people for generations to come. It was simply nothing like it as a nation that treasures soccer fell in one of the most crucial matches in its football history.

The performance of both sides from the beginning of the tournament to the end was quite impressive. However, the defeat will remain a footnote. Few will remember that England played well, but many will recall that Italy won the final at the Wembley Stadium. The final was a great feat for Italian team manager Roberto Mancini. A man who attracted a lot of scepticism when he took over the reins of a team in a state of utter disrepair is the one who has masterminded its return to the top of European football and possibly world football. He did it silently and always with the smile and assured confidence of a stoic.

The coaching philosophy of both Mancini and Southgate must be saluted. The philosophy is that excellence can be achieved through hard work, which explains why they gave chances to their players as long as they are willing to put in the work and the stamina—everybody in their squad matters. As a result, many great players will surely emerge from both sides.

For now, Italy has conquered Europe and a big congratulations to the Azzurris for this important milestone.

Muhammad Muzdaleefa wrote from Kaduna. He can be reached via mohammedadamu736@gmail.com.