MILAN: Zvonimir Boban left his role as FIFA deputy secretary general on Friday to join his former club and “family” AC Milan, while Paolo Maldini’s appointment as technical director was also confirmed by the Italian giants.
The 50-year-old Croatian Boban has been working at FIFA since 2016, but will now take a job as Italian giants Milan’s “chief football officer,” to work alongside Maldini.
Boban spent 10 years as a player at Milan from 1991 until 2001, winning four Serie A titles and the 1993-94 Champions League.
“The people at AC Milan are my family and the city of Milan and Italy are my home,” said Boban.
“I have a burning desire to help this glorious club, which means so much to me, to return where it belongs.”
Gennaro Gattuso quit as Milan head coach last month, reportedly over spending cuts ahead of the transfer window.
The seven-time European champions finished only fifth in Serie A last season, missing out on a return to the Champions League for the first time since 2014.
“Milan must be a leading and winning club, because this is the only nature of its history and it’s the essence of our fans and their passion,” Boban added.
“I will give all of myself for this cause and for the Rossoneri colors. When Paolo called me to check on my availability, I jumped into my car and went to his home in Milan in the middle of the night to evaluate the situation.”
Milan are yet to name a new coach, while Brazilian Leonardo also stepped down as sporting director and is expected to rejoin former club Paris Saint-Germain.
Maldini steps into his shoes as technical director, a move that chief executive Ivan Gazidis already said last month he was looking to make happen.
“I am confident Paolo will be able to project his experience, his vision and his leadership,” said Gazidis on Friday.
“Paolo is an integral part of AC Milan and knows the way to success. He will be an important example for all.”
The 50-year-old Maldini played over 900 games across 25 seasons with Milan at the San Siro, lifting the European Cup five times, as well as seven Serie A titles and the 2003 Coppa Italia.
Boban, Maldini join former club AC Milan in reshuffle
Boban, Maldini join former club AC Milan in reshuffle
- Boban spent 10 years as a player at Milan from 1991 until 2001, winning four Serie A titles and the 1993-94 Champions League
- The 50-year-old Maldini played over 900 games across 25 seasons with Milan at the San Siro, lifting the European Cup five times, as well as seven Serie A titles
Africa Cup of Nations moved to every four years
- The tournament, which brings in an estimated 80 percent of CAF’s revenue, has traditionally been held every two years since its inception in 1957
RABAT: The Africa Cup of Nations will in future be held every four years instead of every two years, the Confederation of African Football said on Saturday.
The surprise decision was made at the body’s executive committee meeting in the Moroccan capital and announced at a press conference by CAF President Patrice Motsepe.
The tournament, which brings in an estimated 80 percent of CAF’s revenue, has traditionally been held every two years since its inception in 1957.
Sunday marks the start of the 35th edition, hosted in Morocco with the home team taking on Comoros.
Motsepe said the next Cup of Nations finals, scheduled for 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, will go ahead and then another tournament would be held in 2028 but after that it will be hosted every four years.
Motsepe announced the launch of an African Nations League annually from 2029 to fill the gap, following the example of Europe which holds its championship every four years.
“Historically the Nations Cup was the prime resource for us but now we will get financial resources every year,” he said.
“It is an exciting new structure which will contribute to sustainable financial independence and ensure more synchronization with the FIFA calendar.”
Holding the Cup of Nations every four years had been previously proposed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino but this had been rebuffed by CAF because of their reliance on the revenues that the tournament generates.
The timing of AFCON has long courted controversy because it has usually been hosted in the middle of the European season, forcing clubs to release their African players.
This tug of loyalty was supposed to be solved by moving the Cup of Nations to mid-year from 2019 but later tournaments in Cameroon in 2022 and Ivory Coast in 2024 were again hosted at the start of the year.
This year’s tournament in Morocco was moved back six months when FIFA introduced a new-look Club World Cup, which was hosted in the US in June and July.
