Page 103 - Soccer360 Issue 107

GO BIG, OR ...
The proposed plans for the world’s largest stadium have now been revealed to
the public, with the stadium potentially hosting games for the 2030 World Cup. Populous has revealed its vision for the world’s biggest football stadium, which
is set to be built in Casablanca, Morocco. The 115,000-capacity stadium is set to
be named Grand Stade Hassan II de Casablanca stadium. The design showcases a distinctive aluminium lattice roof shaped like a tent, inspired by the traditional Moroccan ‘Moussem’ festival.
DREAMING BIG
BY: ALF DE BLASIS
Actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenny have set the bar for celebrity soccer ownership as Wrexham AFC earned a double promotion over the past two years to rise from the fifth-tier National League to play in the third-tier English League One next season.
TV personalities Mark Consuelos and his wife, Kelly Ripa, have tasted success with their own Italian club, Campobasso, who also earned a double promotion over two seasons, moving from the fifth division
to Serie C, Italy’s third tier of professional football, where they will begin play next season. Now, Canadian entrepreneur Steve Nijjar, a former athlete and film actor himself, has steered his Spanish team, Racing Madrid FC, to a qualifying berth in the preliminary rounds of the prestigious Copa del Rey, Spain’s national cup competition, open to both professional and amateur clubs. Nijjar acquired the assets of the once-dormant Spanish club in August of 2022. Founded in 1914, the club has a rich history, having competed with traditional city rivals Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in its earliest years. But the club became insolvent and ceased operations in 1974. That is, until Nijjar revived the club almost two years ago.
Racing Madrid FC competes in Group 2 of the Preferente Madrid, the regional league of the city of Madrid, the sixth level overall,
five notches below La Liga, the top tier of Spanish football. The club finished the 2023-24 season in fourth place in the standings, earning a deserving spot in next season’s Copa del Rey. Racing Madrid completed the 34-game schedule on 63 points, just five short of automatic promotion to the Tercera Federación, the fifth tier of Spanish professional football. The club’s five losses tied
for the fewest in the league while boasting the league’s third best defensive record. Last year, in his first season in charge, Nijjar, CEO & Founder of Steve Nijjar Sports & Entertainment (SNSE), guided Racing Madrid to an eighth place finish in the 18-team regional league. This season, with the goal of promotion or, at the very least, Copa qualification as the target, Nijjar brought in several established domestic players and a new coaching staff. When the club faltered in the early stages of the season, Nijjar made a coaching change and, almost immediately, Racing Madrid FC found its legs and began a steady rise to the top half of the league, crafting a 14-match unbeaten streak along the way.
“That unbeaten run speaks volumes of the new coaching staff,” stated Nijjar. “The players bought into the system and the team is playing a style that’s been my vision all along. It’s a delight to watch the progress Racing Madrid has made in just our second season of operation.” As is commonplace with other celebrity club ownership structures, Nijjar recently added a notable partner, Canadian comedian Russell Peters. The two men have been acquaintances for several years and they found a common interest in Racing Madrid. “We’ve always had mutual respect for each other,” Nijjar told The Game Plan in a recent interview. “We understand the struggles we’ve had. We just know what we both went through to get to where
we’re at. We’re both proud of one another. He’s a Canadian icon as far as I’m concerned.” “My ambition is to rise up to the top echelon of Spanish football. So I hope Ryan Reynolds takes notice because we’re on track to achieve our own promotion”, Nijjar continued
with a friendly nod to the Canadian actor/entrepreneur who has transformed Wrexham AFC since his takeover of that club in 2021.
In addition to operating the Spanish club under the SNSE banner, Nijjar was recently also recognized here at home for his past achievements in Canadian soccer. He was part of the 2024 class
of inductees to the Brampton Sports Hall of Fame. Nijjar, who previously owned and coached the Brampton Hitmen to a Canadian Professional Soccer League (CPSL) championship, was inducted
May 7, in the builder’s category, alongside five other local sports achievers, including Toronto Maple Leafs Head Coach Sheldon Keefe.
BABY GOAT
Manchester City star Rodri had a shock pick when asked who he believed was
the ‘greatest of all time’ at the 2023/24 PFA awards as he snubbed both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. At the ceremony, Rodri was asked a series of questions including who he thought the GOAT was, and it’s fair to say he may have been the first person to ever pick this particular player. When asked Rodri responded ‘Kevin De Bruyne’ with no stutter, completely snubbing both Ronaldo and Messi despite playing against them both. De Bruyne and Rodri do have a pretty sensational record together, with four consecutive titles so it’s no surprise he rates the Belgian so highly.
SPECIAL TOURIST
Jose Mourinho has decided to coin a
new nickname instead of being called
the ‘Special One’ - 20 years on from his iconic opening Chelsea press conference. Mourinho announced the nickname to
the world following his appointment at Stamford Bridge, with the Blues fending off competition from Liverpool to appoint him after he won the 2004 Champions League with Porto. Now, over 20 years on, the now Fenerbahce boss has announced that he wants to be known by a new nickname. After his second Super Lig match in charge, he told reporters he wants to be called the ‘Foreign One’, because he needs time to adjust to Turkish football.
THIS IS THE PLAN, OK ?
Tunnel footage involving Real Madrid’s superstar quartet of Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo has got fans talking. Englishman Bellingham was heard telling Mbappe, Vinicius and Rodrygo: “You three, we need to finish the attack, because the running back... is f***ing hard.” Mbappe then replied: “That’s what I’m saying. We have to finish with something.” Bellingham added: “Yeah, even... create a yard and [shoot].
DID YOU KNOW?
• Since 2022-23, Manchester United
have lost more Premier League games thanks to goals scored in the 90th minute (+ stoppage time) than any other side (6); they’d only lost two such games in the first 30 campaigns in the competition combined.
• At 25 years old, Christian Pulisic (right) is the first USMNT player to score in 10 different seasons in the top 5 European leagues.
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