ASUNCIÓN: Lili Cantero, a 29-year-old Paraguayan artist famed for painting intricate and personal soccer boots for stars including Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho, is preparing a new colorful show of her work to take to the World Cup in Qatar.
The Asuncion-born artist is painting some two dozen sets of boots, balls and canvases, many inspired by the Middle Eastern nation and its capital Doha, which will host national teams from around the world next month to compete for the World Cup crown.
Cantero made a name for herself painting soccer boots, including a pair she sent to Argentine star Lionel Messi when he was playing at Barcelona, lovingly detailed with a gallery of black and white images of the striker and his family.
She hadn’t known if he would even receive them, but to her surprise she received a photo of Messi, one of the world’s best soccer players, holding the boots. That marked a turning point for Cantero at a time she had almost decided to stop painting.
“Messi’s boots marked a before and after,” said Cantero, who wants to create her own sportswear brand and bring Paraguayan art to major global events. “It was a nice moment because thanks to that many doors were opened and my career really started.”
Her colorful designs drew attention from other players. She met two years ago in Asuncion former Brazil striker Ronaldinho Gaucho, to whom she gave boots and a ball portraying a kiss his mother had given him after winning the Ballon d’Or in 2005.
In Qatar, Cantero plans to exhibit eight balls with designs that pay tribute to the countries that have lifted the trophy throughout history: Brazil, Germany, Italy, Argentina, Uruguay, France, England and Spain.
The boots will be presented within 3D structures that reproduce the eight stadiums that Qatar built for the World Cup in Doha, Lusail, Rayyan, Al Khor and Al Wakrah. The remaining series will combine elements of Qatari and Paraguayan cultures.
“I have been working on this for three years and it is a great pride for me to represent my country at this World Cup,” Cantero said.
“In Latin America, football is lived with a great passion and that influenced me a lot. Since I was a girl, I have been living football... it is something that I always liked as well as art and so I found a way to connect the two things.”
Paraguay artist who painted boots for Messi looks to bring color to World Cup
https://arab.news/5z8jk
Paraguay artist who painted boots for Messi looks to bring color to World Cup
- Cantero made a name for herself painting soccer boots, including a pair she sent to Argentine star Lionel Messi when he was playing at Barcelona
- She plans to exhibit eight balls with designs that pay tribute to the countries that have lifted the trophy throughout history
Cameroon end South Africa hopes to reach AFCON last eight
RABAT: Goals either side of half-time by Junior Tchamadeu and Christian Kofane took Cameroon through to the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals at South Africa’s expense on Sunday as the Indomitable Lions edged their last-16 clash 2-1.
Tchamadeu opened the scoring in the 34th minute at Al Medina Stadium in Rabat and teenage Bayer Leverkusen forward Kofane headed in the crucial second goal two minutes after half-time.
A late rally from South Africa saw Evidence Makgopa pull one back, but it is Cameroon who go through, and the five-time champions now play hosts Morocco in a heavyweight quarter-final on Friday.
They can go into that match in relaxed mood, knowing all the pressure is on Morocco as they look to win a first AFCON title in 50 years in front of their home support.
“I want to savour this victory first of all. The game against Morocco is still a long way away,” said Cameroon coach David Pagou.
“The lads are celebrating just now. We suffered today even though we won, and I think we all need a rest.”
For Cameroon, reaching the last eight means their AFCON is already a success after a chaotic build-up in which football federation president and Indomitable Lions legend Samuel Eto’o sacked coach Marc Brys, replacing him with Pagou.
The new coach got the better of South Africa’s Hugo Broos, who had promised to show no mercy to Cameroon nine years after leading them to their last continental crown at the Cup of Nations in Gabon.
There will be major disappointment for Bafana Bafana, who finished third at the last AFCON two years ago, but they can console themselves by turning their attentions toward the upcoming World Cup.
“Everyone is very disappointed and sad that we are eliminated today,” said Broos.
“We had three open chances in the first half an hour and normally the game has to be done then, but we paid the bill with a lucky goal ,” he added.
“Then unfortunately very soon in the second half they get a second goal and then you know it will be very difficult.”
Eto’o in attendance
Relebohile Mofokeng squandered a golden opportunity fpr South Africa inside seven minutes, blazing over after finding himself in on goal when Cameroon defender Che Malone failed to deal with a simple ball forward.
Lyle Foster then had the ball in the net only to be denied by the offside flag, and instead Cameroon went in front just after the half-hour mark.
When the South African defense could only partially clear a corner, the ball fell to Carlos Baleba on the edge of the area.
He took a touch and tried a shot which was deflected into the path of Tchamadeu and the London-born full-back with Stoke City rolled home from close range.
That goal — confirmed after a long VAR check — was celebrated by the Cameroonian fans who made up the majority of the 14,127 crowd, with two-time AFCON winner as a player Eto’o among those in attendance.
South Africa would have been hoping for a strong start to the second half but instead Cameroon scored again within two minutes of the restart.
Substitute Mahamadou Nagida crossed from the left and Kofane headed in his second goal of the tournament so far.
Cameroon goalkeeper Devis Epassy then made good saves from Samukele Kabini and from a Teboho Mokoena free-kick before Makgopa turned in a low cross by fellow substitute Aubrey Modiba on 88 minutes.
That set up a grandstand finish, but Cameroon nervously held on.
