UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has been slammed by African football chiefs – for something he did NOT say.
In a blistering statement, the 10 African World Cup nations, including Ghana, Morocco and Egypt, were joined by fellow competitors Curaçao, Uzbekistan and Haiti in condemning the Slovenian head of European football.
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UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has come under fire from over a dozen nations Credit: Getty
The 13 nations expressed their “profound disappointment” at the “recent comments” by Ceferin.
They accused him of “characterising” the extra matches following the expansion of the tournament to 48 sides as “uninteresting”.
The national FAs added: “We respectfully but firmly reject these comments.
“For our countries, there is no such thing as an unimportant World Cup match.
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“In Cape Verde, Curaçao and Uzbekistan, qualification for the FIFA World Cup represents a historic achievement and the realization of a dream shared by generations.
“For nations such as Congo and Haiti, returning to football’s biggest stage after a long absence carries a special meaning for millions of supporters who have waited years, and in some cases decades, for this moment.
“To suggest that these matches are somehow less important is deeply disappointing and fails to recognize the efforts, sacrifices and aspirations of players, coaches, clubs, football leaders and supporters across the world.”
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They ended: “Football does not belong to a select group of nations. Its strength comes from its universality.
“The World Cup is the world’s greatest football competition precisely because it brings together different cultures, different histories and different football journeys.
“For many countries, participation in the FIFA World Cup is not only a sporting achievement.
It is a moment that inspires a generation, accelerates football development and creates memories that last a lifetime.
“Every nation that qualifies deserves respect. Every team has earned its place on merit. Every supporter has the right to dream. Every match carries meaning for millions of people around the world. Every match matters.”
But the attack left Uefa bosses in Nyon perplexed.
Sources close to the Slovenian insisted they had no knowledge of Ceferin having made the comments and that he had not given any recent interviews.
One insider told Jattvibe Sport: “We really do not know where this has come from, at all. But we do not believe the President has ever said this.”
