Botafogo players play 'Fifa Street' in US before Club World Cup📹
Botafogo players play 'Fifa Street' in US before Club World Cup📹
20 years ago, the gaming world was "shaken" by the release of "Fifa Street," which celebrated talent, style, and even the cunning that is characteristic of street football and freestyle around the world.
This Monday (9), Botafogo tugged at the nostalgic heartstrings of fans of the franchise by posting a video featuring defender Alexander Barboza and midfielder Marlon Freitas playing a casual match on a court in Los Angeles, USA.
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In the video, the black-and-white captain—honoring the "legacy" of the "Fifa Street" stars—pulls off a humiliating nutmeg on an unsuspecting defender at Venice Beach, California.
The cultural exchange even included a mix of "altinha" (keepie-uppie) with basketball.
The event is part of the "Mundo Botafogo - Cultural Exchange", which Glorioso has been putting into practice in the USA.
2024 Libertadores champion, Botafogo is in Group B of the 2025 Club World Cup, alongside Atlético de Madrid, PSG, and Seattle Sounders.
Glorioso debuts in the tournament against the American team next Sunday (15), at Seattle Field.
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After that, Botafogo faces PSG, the current Champions League champion, at the traditional Rose Bowl in Los Angeles, on Thursday (19).
And the Brazilian club wraps up its participation in the first phase against Atlético de Madrid, at the same stadium in California, on Monday (23).
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.
📸 JEFFERSON BERNARDES - 2006 AFP
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Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
After Copa América chaos, will Club World Cup and 2026 World Cup be safe? Inside the security challenge
The panicked wails cut through suffocating heat, and told of terror. They came from distressed soccer fans last July 14, and became the soundtrack to 'inhumane' chaos. Mothers and daughters, fathers and friends, hinchas of Colombia and Argentina went to Hard Rock Stadium in Miami for the 2024 Copa América final. Some left traumatized after ticketless fans and security failures turned their evening of celebration into a nightmare. They spent unending minutes crushed together, sweating and suffering, pushing helplessly toward previously breached and resealed gates. Some fainted. Some shrieked for help — for water that wasn't available, for calm that never really came. They 'posed an emergency situation due to the heightened risk of stampedes and potential injury,' a Miami-Dade County police chief later wrote. Authorities ultimately unsealed gates 'to alleviate' the crush, 'therefore avoiding fatal injuries,' but allowing thousands without tickets to enter. Advertisement The entire scene spooked American soccer. It led to finger-pointing and fears that the next major international tournaments on U.S. soil — the 2026 World Cup and 2025 Club World Cup, which kicks off Saturday in Miami — could be similarly unsafe. It stunned New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, who, the morning after the madness, called a meeting. 'Let's review all protocols,' Murphy told a team that included leaders from MetLife Stadium, which is set to host the Club World Cup and World Cup finals. 'And let's make sure it never happens [here].' That, for the past 11 months, has been a consistent theme of preparations for the two upcoming tournaments. 'I haven't been in a meeting since we've started this collaboration with FIFA and local, state, federal law enforcement,' says JP Hayslip, the VP of security at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, where 'that hasn't [been] brought up.' Advertisement Nearly a year later, authorities say they've learned from the Copa América final. In interviews with Yahoo Sports, stadium officials and others expressed confidence in their planning. A few noted that FIFA, the global soccer governing body in charge, has come to the U.S. more prepared than CONMEBOL, the South American governing body that ran last year's Copa. 'There's definitely a more organized feel' this time around, one person familiar with the prep for both tournaments said. But there are still concerns. Many stem from FIFA's unfamiliarity with the U.S.; and from U.S. authorities' unfamiliarity with international soccer, one of the widely cited factors in last summer's trouble. Hard Rock Stadium, site of both the 2024 Copa América final and 2025 Club World Cup opener, has expanded its perimeter to prevent future crowd crushes. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) Lessons learned from Copa América final In one sense, to security experts, the near-fatal flaw that derailed the Copa final was obvious. Fans and cars 'entered the interior parking lots without prior screening,' Carmen Castro, chief of the Miami-Dade Police Department's Strategic Response Division, wrote in an after-action report obtained by Yahoo Sports. The lack of an outer security perimeter allowed un-ticketed fans 'an opportunity to gain access to the stadium,' Castro explained. And in 'overwhelming numbers,' they ruined the experience for thousands with tickets. Advertisement Hard Rock Stadium officials, citing pending litigation, declined to discuss why there was no outer perimeter. In a forward-looking statement, though, a spokeswoman wrote: 'For FIFA Club World Cup 2025, fans should expect to pass through multiple security and ticket check points in order to enter Hard Rock Stadium. All fans will also have their tickets scanned as they enter the property.' A spokeswoman for the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office added that there would be 'three separate checkpoints that enclose the entire campus.' This layered approach, experts say, disperses crowds both spatially and sequentially. Most problems are detected at initial 'soft checks' long before a fan reaches stadium gates, far away from what FIFA's guidelines call the 'final formal ticket check.' Those who do sneak or bust through can be tracked down in the vast open space between outer perimeter and concourse, without wreaking widespread havoc. 'This approach will ensure the great majority of nefarious non-ticketed fans remain on the exterior,' Castro wrote. For the Club World Cup, most stadiums outside Miami actually won't extend their perimeters far beyond what they typically do for NFL or MLS games, according to multiple officials at those host venues. That is because they aren't expecting capacity crowds; interest in the Club World Cup, dampened by 'alarming' ticket prices, has been lukewarm in most markets. But for next summer's 2026 World Cup, there will be secondary and tertiary perimeters. Although exact plans are still in development, Super Bowl-style structures will surround the stadiums. They're extended in part to accommodate media centers, hospitality areas and sponsor activations, but also to fortify security. Streets and parking lots will be blocked off. 'We don't want somebody that doesn't have a ticket to even get close to our building,' Hayslip says. Advertisement Perimeters, though, are only part of the answer, a superficial solution. Deeper dynamics — the lack of stateside precedent, and the lack of institutional experience with mega soccer tournaments — is 'what is breeding the uncertainty,' one official involved in both preparations said. 'What happened at Copa, yeah, you can point to what the issue was: they needed an outer perimeter. … But it's more complicated than that.' Law enforcement personnel and security agents outside Hard Rock Stadium during preparations for Saturday's opening match in the Club World Cup soccer tournament, Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) FIFA's tournament model meets America's stadium machine Seven of the World Cup's 11 U.S. stadiums have hosted Super Bowls. The other four have held a combined 21 NFL conference championships. They've all hosted Taylor Swift and dozens of other attractive events — all of which have contributed to two corollary challenges. Advertisement On one hand, 'there is a risk' that experience can breed 'complacency,' says Mick O'Connell, a security consultant who's worked on megaevents; that 'muscle memory' could blind authorities to the unique characteristics of a World Cup and the 'changed environment they're gonna be operating in.' On the other hand, multiple people told Yahoo Sports that there's been mild friction between stadium officials and FIFA, which is more accustomed to operating men's World Cups on relatively blank slates, in venues without pre-existing security staffs and systems, venues that were purpose-built for the tournament. 'It's clearly been a challenge for them,' Hayslip says. 'It's blatantly obvious that they're not used to this. They always revert back to Qatar' and the 2022 World Cup, whereas the U.S. stadiums revert back to Super Bowls and so on. Meshing those two perspectives into one unified strategy has not been seamless. Experience, of course, is primarily an asset. 'You've got institutional knowledge of what works and what doesn't work,' says Joe Coomer, the VP of security at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. O'Connell clarifies: "It's good to have muscle memory with regard to systems, procedures and practices that you can rely upon." Hayslip says that he and colleagues have tried 'to reassure [FIFA] that not only do we 'know what we're doing,' we've experienced it.' Advertisement But they have also listened. They have traveled to England and Germany, to Euro and Champions League finals, to see how those with decades of experience in international soccer do it. Because they know that World Cups are different. 'We've done the NFC championship many times, but this is not that,' Hayslip assures. 'This is a different environment, a different culture, … a different, probably more passionate fan base than any of us have ever experienced.' For those who've never hosted high-level international soccer, Coomer has a two-word message: 'Buckle up!' In workshops and on scouting trips, they've learned how fans from various countries express that passion. 'We've all got our eyes on those Argentinian teams, those Brazilian teams,' Coomer says. They've studied videos and brought in foreign experts — less to crack down on the passion, more to ensure they don't misinterpret it as aggression or troublemaking. Coomer and a few Atlanta law enforcement leaders went to Los Angeles for last month's Club World Cup play-in game, where they encountered festive smoke and constant chanting. If they encounter it in Atlanta this month, or next summer, Coomer explains, 'we don't want it to be the first time [officers] react to it.' Advertisement What they also must understand, experts add, is how visitors might react to American policing. 'You're not policing your own citizens anymore,' says Cliff Stott, an expert in crowd psychology. 'You're policing foreign nationals [who] have different culture norms, different values, different relationships with the police.' They may or may not respond well to K-9s. They may or may not be comfortable chatting with an officer — who may or may not speak their language. Communicating with those foreign fans will be crucial, experts say, especially as they hop from one U.S. city to the next, where tactics and rules might be distinct. Miscommunications can lead to confrontations, which can lead to chaos, which is precisely what all these security measures are designed to prevent. Experts also warn against over-policing, which can backfire or take the fun out of the event. Officials hope improved protocols will deliver a safe, enjoyable environment for fans traveling from around the world. (Photo by Roger Wimmer/) (Roger Wimmer/ISI Photos via Getty Images) 'It's a classic all-threat, all-hazard situation' For the 2026 World Cup, within and beyond the 16 host cities, there will also be a vast but unseen network of federal, local and international agencies gathering intel and responding to it. Advertisement This was another takeaway from the Copa América final. Despite massive gatherings outside team hotels; brawls in Charlotte at a semifinal earlier that week; and reports of difficulties in Texas at previous matches, the possibility of gate-crashing 'was not gathered and shared by any intelligence source,' Castro wrote in the after-action report. 'Had this information been known, our plan would have been modified for this contingency.' In 2026, information must flow throughout a messy web of police departments, sheriff's offices, FIFA, security companies and other private entities. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security will also be heavily involved. The World Cup final and other spotlighted games have been designated SEAR 1 events, meaning they're of 'national and/or international importance' and 'require extensive federal interagency support.' The rest will be SEAR 2 events, the second-highest rating. Mexico and Canada, the World Cup's co-hosts, will each have their own nodes as well in what O'Connell calls 'a spider's web' of command centers. All involved will prepare extensively. 'It's a classic all-threat, all-hazard situation,' O'Connell says. They'll prepare for terrorism and gun violence, for cyber attacks and weather, for drunkenness and medical crises. Nowadays, with the Club World Cup near, they are in daily meetings, adapting and planning. When I interviewed Coomer, his team and FIFA's had just completed an hourslong tabletop exercise. When I interviewed Hayslip, he and Philadelphia were prepping for a 'full-scale exercise,' a test of emergency preparedness initiated by DHS with a view toward 2026. FIFA did not make its security chiefs available for interviews. But among organizers, generally, there is confidence that the Club World Cup will pass without major incident. In Miami, where it kicks off Saturday with Lionel Messi and Inter Miami against Al Ahly, security budgets have increased compared to last summer. And 'there will be a significant law enforcement and security footprint in and around the stadium,' the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office spokeswoman wrote, 'to ensure public safety.'
New York Post
an hour ago
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NJ Gov. Phil Murphy invited Donald Trump to Club World Cup final at MetLife Stadium
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy extended an invite to President Donald Trump to attend the Club World Cup final being held at MetLife Stadium next month. Murphy was attending an event for the one-year mark until the 2026 World Cup — being jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico — when he mentioned a conversation he had with the president. 'I spoke to the president on Saturday night, invited him to the Club World Cup final,' Murphy said as part of an answer about the dialogue between the Trump administration and the New York/New Jersey Host Committee, which is organizing the World Cup efforts in the region. Advertisement 3 New Jersey governor Phil Murphy at a ceremony to announce a renovation of the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan. Stephen Yang 3 Photo of workers at MetLife Stadium working on installing the soccer turf for the FIFA Club World Cup. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post While Murphy said he extended the invitation, the governor explained that, 'I'm not sure he could come.' The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Post. Advertisement The Club World Cup, a 32-team tournament of the top teams from domestic leagues across the globe, is set to begin on Saturday night with a match between Inter Miami and Al Ahly in Miami. MetLife Stadium will host nine games during the Club World Cup this summer, including a quarterfinals match, the semifinals and the final, which will be played on July 13. Murphy lauded the group stage matches, with MetLife's first game of the tournament being a contest between Brazilian club Palmeiras and Portuguese side FC Porto. Advertisement 3 President Donald Trump arrives on stage to speak at Fort Bragg. STAN GILLILAND/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock 'My guess is we'll have 40 to 50,000 folks there for the kickoff, which will be really cool,' Murphy said. The tournament, in a way, is a dry run for next year's main event, which will be played across 11 cities in the United States and five in Canada and Mexico. During Wednesday's event at Liberty State Park in Jersey City, Murphy expressed confidence that the World Cup matches next year in the New York/New Jersey region would be 'a blowout success and a safe World Cup.'
Miami Herald
4 hours ago
- Miami Herald
ICE and Border Patrol will be at the Club World Cup in Miami. Is that normal?
A series of social media posts by U.S. Customs and Border Protection have spooked fans ahead of Inter Miami's match against Egypt's Al Ahly at the Hard Rock Stadium as part of FIFA's Club World Cup this Saturday. Since at least April, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has been promoting its involvement in security measures for the tournament on social media and vowing to work with local, state, and federal partners to 'secure the games around the U.S.' One post read, 'Together, CBP Office of Field Operations, CBP Air and Marine Operations and U.S. Border Patrol have a strong presence so you can focus on the game.' Another—since deleted—claimed officers would be 'suited and booted, ready to provide security for the first round of games.' Given the intensity of the Trump administration's crackdown on immigrants, 's participation has caused consternation and fear that the event could be unsafe for immigrants. NBC News also reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) sent a statement saying it would also be part of the tournament's security team, and advised that 'all non-American citizens need to carry proof of their legal status.' Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz tried to quell fears, stating that her office would lead stadium security, emphasizing that immigration enforcement is not a priority during the event. 'We are in charge of security at the stadium for the Club World Cup,' Cordero-Stutz said to CBS. 'While we're working with our state and local partners, that is not our priority that day.' A sheriff's office spokesperson said that they are working in collaboration with Hard Rock Stadium security. However, it is unclear in what capacity CBP and ICE are collaborating. CBP at major events The involvement of CBP in major sporting events is not uncommon. In February, they were touting their participation in security for this year's super bowl between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chief in New Orleans. A press release said that 100 Border Patrol agents, CBP officers, Air and Marine Operations agents had been involved in security measures leading up to and during the big game. The scope of their work is described as patrolling the Mississippi River, X-ray examinations of food, drink and merchandise trucks that entered the venue area, air sorties as well as deploying several units to support local, state and federal law enforcement. They have a similar press release about their participation in security for Super Bowl LIV in 2020, which took place at the Hard Rock Stadium. Juan Perez, a former Miami-Dade police director, said concerts and games large enough to merit a special federal security designation — like a Super Bowl— will see federal law enforcement officers deployed around a stadium. 'It's not unusual for ICE to work major sporting events,' he said. 'It's not unusual to bring in agents to help.' The Miami Herald requested clarification from both CBP and ICE regarding the scope of their involvement in the tournament. A CBP spokesperson suggested that public concerns stemmed from a 'misunderstanding,' but declined to elaborate. A formal statement, originally promised, has not yet been released. When the Herald asked ICE to clarify what it meant by advising that 'all non-American citizens need to carry proof of their legal status' as part of security measures, an ICE spokesperson responded in a statement: 'As is customary for an event of this magnitude with national security implications, ICE will be working alongside our Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice partners to help ensure the safety and security of the event.' Not another Copa The Club World Cup is considered a dress rehearsal for Miami's participation in next year's FIFA World Cup and a chance to show that Miami has the security infrastructure to host a big event safely. The chaotic scenes at last year's Copa América final at Hard Rock Stadium have only heightened concerns around security for the Club World Cup. During the July 2024 the tournament final's between Argentina and Colombia, thousands of fans overwhelmed stadium entry points—jumping over barricades, bypassing security checks, and clashing with police. The chaos endangered the safety of spectators, players, and referees, ultimately forcing officials to delay the game 80 minutes. According to reports at the time, 55 people were ejected from the venue and 27 were arrested. Nearly 800 police officers were there, which is quadruple what they deploy for Dolphins games and close to Super Bowl numbers, reported the Miami Herald at the time. However, Saturday's match may not draw the same crowds as last year's Copa América final. According to Sports Illustrated, FIFA was forced to slash ticket prices for the opening fixture of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup due to sluggish sales. After the tournament draw in December, the cheapest seats were priced at $349. That figure dropped to $230 the following month, then to around $110—and as of early June, tickets have fallen to as low as $55 for fans hoping to see Inter Miami face Egypt's Al-Ahly on Saturday, June 14. Hostile environment While the presence of federal agents at major sporting events like the Super Bowl is not unusual, the political climate has dramatically shifted. For many immigrant advocates, CBP's tone and visibility suggest something more than routine security measures. Thomas Kennedy, an immigration advocate with the Florida Immigrant Coalition, said the rhetoric is troubling. Although checking legal status for every attendee would be logistically difficult, he said, the mere suggestion that non-citizens should carry proof of legal status could be enough to deter participation. 'Detentions have clearly increased, and there's such a hostile immigration enforcement environment right now,' Kennedy said. 'It's not just Miami—international fans with valid visas could feel intimidated. There are real financial and emotional consequences.' He added: 'I'd be worried and disturbed if I were going to the games,' Kennedy said. 'If I didn't have status, I would probably stay away altogether.' FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who oversaw the 2022 tournament in Qatar, said they are prepared to create a safe environment at the matches. 'The most important thing for us is to guarantee security for fans who come to the games,' he said. 'Nobody should think they can come to a game and create problems. We want everyone to have a good time.' At a press event Wednesday at the Pérez Art Museum, marking the one-year countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will include seven matches in Miami, Mayor Daniella Levine Cava was asked whether fears of immigration enforcement might deter fans from attending. 'I'm not the sheriff, I'm not a police officer, and I'm focusing on how the games are going to continue for the protection of everyone,' she told the Herald. 'We want to focus on the well-being and safety of all participants. That's my priority.' Miami Herald staff writer Vivienne Serret, Douglas Hanks, and Michelle Kaufman contributed to this story.
