Football can unify people of different skin colours and from different cultures and religions. One shining example of the power of football can be found in Jerusalem, the city that is home to a mixed Jewish and Arab-Israeli football team.
The pitch is scruffy with bare patches of earth and sand. The crowd is sparse with half a dozen girls and boys yawning in the sunshine of the Judean hills. The home players are having a lazy kickabout as they wait for their opponents’ bus to arrive.
As football games go, this is as ordinary as it gets. And yet the presence of a tiny FIFA film crew, for this apparently insignificant fixture, shows that something rather special is taking place.
In fact, today’s match in the Jerusalem suburb of Mevaseret Zion might be recorded by future sports historians as one of those rare moments when sport was history, when sport made history. An epochal event like Jesse Owens’ gold medals in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, when the world was first alerted to the threat of national socialism. An event like the ping-pong diplomacy of the ’70s and the table tennis tournaments that are now seen as the first thaw in Chinese-American relations. But how can this game of youth football rank alongside those seminal episodes? To understand, you have to know the history of the two teams involved.
The home team is Hapoel Katamon FC – “Katamon” for short. The club was founded by one-time Israeli diplomat Alon Liel. A few years ago, Liel approached the mayor of Abu Ghosh, a small Arab-Israeli town near Jerusalem, with the idea of combining Abu Ghosh’s team with a mainly Jewish team from the larger settlement of Mevaseret.
HORRIBLE THINGS
Liel’s intention was to fight the anti-Arab feeling prevalent in sectors of Israeli football. As Liel says: “The hatred exists mainly in places like Jerusalem, where there has been a lot of Palestinian terrorism. The fact that the Arab population in Israel often identifies with the Palestinian cause leads to a very low level of trust.”
Whatever the reason, this racism can be decidedly nasty. Liel recalls a match between the mixed Arab-Israeli team of Sakhnin, and Betar Jerusalem, one of the leading teams in Israel. “For 90 minutes the Betar crowd chanted horrible things. They sang, Ahmed, clean the toilets’, Ahmed, get me a coffee’ and ‘Death to Arabs.”
DIFFICULT INTEGRATION
To help fight this racism, Liel had a working lunch with the mayor of Abu Ghosh. The mayor agreed to Liel’s innovative proposal. Since then, the mixed-race football team they established has fought its way through the divisions and now boasts a strong following of supporters. All three youth squads attached to the club combine Arab-Israeli and Jewish players. The management of the club is likewise divided between Arab-Israelis and Jews.
The diversity of Katamon is written in the faces of the young players in Mevaseret today. Some of these faces are of Jews from Ethiopia who speak Amharic. And some, of course, are Muslim.
Here is Fawzi, just 15, and a right back, limbering up for the match. “I like playing with this team. It’s difficult for Arabs and Jews to play together normally. But here that’s what we do – we play together, just like anyone else.”
Mohammad Isa, 31, is the sports director of the team. He is also from Abu Ghosh: “When kids reach their teens it is difficult to integrate them. Because they fall in love and marry — within their own community. But if you start them young, it is easier. I hope we teach these Arab and Jewish kids not just to train together, but to learn from each other.”
The work of Katamon is well known in Israeli society. Liel has harnessed the energy of his mixed-race team for other causes: helping kids from Darfur for example. He likes to think of Katamon as “socialist” in principle as they assist poor people anywhere. But today’s match is a giant stride beyond anything Liel has attempted before. As 12 noon approaches, his face twitches with anxiety. Will the opponents even show up? A proper crowd has gathered now, alerted to the unusual nature of the game.
At last a big bus sweeps in. And the first person who alights is a woman with a white veil.
She is a Druze Arab from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Her son belongs to the first Syrian-born football team ever to play in Israel.
An editor from Yedioth Ahronoth, Israel’s biggest-selling Hebrew tabloid, has arrived. As we watch the young team step down from the bus with their parents and grandparents, he explains why the game is so remarkable.
SHY AND ANXIOUS
“These people, the Druze team, are being incredibly brave. They are Syrian nationals, even though they live in the Israeli-occupied zone. Syria has been at war with Israel for decades. Maybe one day Israel will give the Golan back to Syria. Then these people could be shot by the Syrian government: as Israeli spies. Yet they have come here, anyway, to play football. That shows great courage.”
The Druze are a religious sect whose beliefs deviate from those of mainstream Islam. There are over a million worldwide, with 100,000 living in Israel. The players certainly look rather shy and anxious; Alon Liel rushes forward to reassure them.
It is a long and arduous road. The negotiations have been disowned by the respective governments, conscious of popular sentiment. Yet the urge for peace persists, because without a conclusion to the Golan dispute, Israel can never be truly secure like any normal country.
And this football match is a crucial element of the normalisation of Syrian-Israeli relations. Alon Liel puts it bluntly: “These Syrians would never have been allowed to come here without the tacit permission of the Damascus government. I see this match as a smile from Syria.”
SMILING KIDS
At first there are not too many smiles on the faces of the young and muscular Druze players. But as the match unfolds, everyone starts to relax. The Druze team slot three goals past the weaker Israelis. At half-time, the friends and relatives of the Druze players hand out sweetmeats and pastries from Damascus and rosy red apples from the Golan orchards. It is a touching scene.
Rifat and Nedaq are a young couple from the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the Golan. They are here to watch their brother play. A talented playmaker, he has already whacked a brace of goals past Katamon’s Arab-Israeli keeper.
Rifat explains that this is the first time he has been to Jerusalem. “I am a Syrian national. It is very difficult for the Golan Druze to travel, we do not have Israeli passports, nor do we have Syrian passports. But we are very happy to be here today. Especially because we are winning!”
He turns and cheers. The second half is something of a walkover. The final result is 7-1. The Israeli team hope to do better when they play the scheduled return match, in the green hills of the Golan, in a few weeks’ time. But the result, of course, is relatively unimportant. What remains in the mind is the sight of these players, from so many varied, remote and sometimes hostile cultures, brought together by a simple game.
And maybe that simplicity is the key. Make it any more complicated, any more significant, and it would not work. Put it another way: peace begins not with politicians signing treaties in palatial halls, but with a shy Arab woman handing out Syrian pastries to smiling Jewish kids on a scruffy football pitch.

Eric Gerets, or the discourse on the method
As demanding on himself as he is on others, Eric Gerets is not cutting any corners to achieve the goal he has set himself for next season – taking Marseille to the top of the French league.
He laps up compliments and sidesteps questions with a sombre voice so as to give an assured impression. 54-year-old Eric Gerets alternately shocks, impresses, fascinates and surprises people. The Lion of Rekem has Marseille in the palm of his hands. Everyone sits up to listen to the subtle tactician, admire the convincing communicator and respect the leader of men. The Belgian has managed to revamp Marseille without playing the great dictator. “You have to create an atmosphere in which everyone feels at home,” explains the former international in his managerial office located in the training centre and club headquarters. “Creating a good atmosphere means five or six points more a season.” His availability and accessibility have seemingly prevented him from staying longer than three years with any club since he began coaching in 1992. “My method of working means that I can’t stay anywhere for more than three years because I don’t distance myself much from the team. My office is always open if a player wants to talk about a personal problem. In one way, you become friends with the players but it can also be dangerous because it can be misunderstood. To stay any longer at a club, I would have to be more detached but I don’t like coaching that way. That’s the only way I can be the kind of coach I want to be, and it enables me to travel and to see different places.” And he has certainly been around: winning the European Cup with PSV Eindhoven in 1988, playing for Bruges and Lierse in his native Belgium, answering the call of Kaiserslautern and Wolfsburg in Germany, appearing for Galatasaray in Turkey and finally turning up in France in September 2007.
As a well-informed linguist, the former defender thrives on his experiences: “When I stop training, those experiences will be my heritage.” For him, adapting to different circumstances is not an obstacle. “It is only the details that change; the work and the way you approach it are always the same wherever you coach. But you can’t control everything — like Ramadan in Turkey, for instance. You can’t change people’s culture and customs – that’s not the object of the exercise,” he explains. “He couldn’t possibly criticise anyone in dressing rooms over there; that was just not done. He had to change his methods for that country,” points out his friend, Eric van Meir, former captain at Lierse, 1997 Belgian champions. When he was called upon by Marseille chairman Pape Diouf to succeed Albert Emon, the previous season’s runners-up were floundering in 19th place and confidence had taken a knock.
“THE BEST OUT OF EVERY PLAYER”
People who know him well, such as Van Meir, say Gerets, far away from his abode in the quiet town of Limbourg, is just the man to set the Provencal ship sailing again. “With the club under such pressure, there’s only one person who could possibly manage it and at the same restore order, and that’s him. He knows how to get the best out of every player and I’m a perfect example of that. Under his leadership, I was an international player and second best league scorer. He brought out my true potential. With Lierse in 1997, even the substitutes played their hearts out. They believed that the coach was relying on them and that they would have their turn. He just had a knack with words.”
“My job is to get the best out of a group, both individually and as a team, and it’s what I enjoy doing. Sometimes if I don’t manage it, I get very upset,” admits Gerets, puffing away on a cigar. “When Samir Nasri wasn’t making any headway the way he was supposed to, it worried me and I tried to find a solution and make adjustments.” Gerets is a stickler for precision. In his opinion, a footballer must feel at ease and in his best position on the pitch to perform to his full potential. “I personally don’t set too much store by systems; I have my own preferences. What’s important is to put the players in their optimum position – in the very spot where they perform best.”
He laughs and smiles a lot, enjoys teasing and chatting. But, if need be, he can also bang his fist on the table and tell people off. He is a very demanding person. “And a bad loser,” comments his son, Johan, a central defender with Dender in the Belgian first division. “What I want is to win and I don’t care who the opponent is,” asserts his father, who shows a dislike for privilege and other preferential treatment. “He is just as demanding in how he allocates his time, whether during training or during a match. You have to give 110% when you play for him or else you’re in trouble because he hates doing things by halves,” explains Johan, who still remembers how fiercely they used to play football in the back garden. “When I beat him for the first time when I was 14, he said, “That’s it; no more football’. And that was the end of football.”
“90% PITCH”
As captain of Standard Liege, and Belgian champion in 1983, wherever he has been, Gerets has won practically everything, either as a player or as a coach.
And for next season, his goal is perfectly clear — the league championship with Marseille. He already know that entails a few sacrifices. It is a task in which his method will have a key role to play. “He is hard on himself and on others. He was like that as a player. It’s easy to talk to him; that’s no problem. But if you don’t take your work seriously, you’re in for big trouble. With him, there’s no room for mediocrity,” affirms Van Meir. “Sometimes you have shake the players to wake them,” explains The Lion, whose method can be summed up as “90% pitch and 10% dressing room”.
Although frank as a private person, as a coach he is less open in the field of tactical discipline. “Good organisation is the bulk of the work,” reckons the Marseille coach. A pragmatic, wily psychologist, Gerets is also aware that his profession has undergone huge change and that without good people and leadership skills he would be going nowhere. “The main change since the 1980s has been communication with the players. If you don’t master that, then you’re doomed. The psychological factor has always been important but we used to leave it until the game to work that out,” he confesses. Nostalgia means very little to him. It is not his style. “Life is changing, the world is changing and so is football – that’s normal. All the better – it makes life less boring.” He will probably bow out in “three to four years at the most”. Will he still be with Marseille then? “I don’t know. Life is so fast in football, it’s difficult to predict.”

Full name: Diego Ribas da Cunha
Born: 28 February 1985 in Ribeirao Preto (Brazil)
Nationality: Brazilian
Height: 1.74m
Weight: 76kg
Position: Attacking midfielder
Clubs: 1997-2004: Santos (Brazil). 2004-2006: Porto. Since 2006: Werder Bremen.
Honours: Brazilian league champion (2002), Copa America winner (2004), Portuguese league champion (2006), Portuguese cup winner (2006). 18 caps for Brazil, 3 goals.

“The 2014 World Cup in Brazil would be the highlight for me”
He may be small in stature, but Werder Bremen’s Brazilian star Diego has a big future ahead of him. Although still only 23, he has already had his fair share of highs and lows. In this interview, Diego talks to FIFA magazine about the Bundesliga and about his hopes and dreams with Brazil.
FM: Diego, in Germany, the country where you have chosen to play your football, the sun is shining, Werder Bremen have turned the corner and you have qualified for the UEFA Champions League after all. What more could a Brazilian want?
Diego: Yes, of course, everything is great. Every team goes through difficult periods, which is when you need to stick together and fight for each other. We did exactly that – we stuck together and we got through the bad times.
You are the star of this Werder side, and I assume that you are settled here because there is such a good team spirit …
Diego: Every player wants to feel at ease in the team and for the team itself to be a close unit. I’m no different. I really appreciate the fact that this team has unbelievable spirit.
Off the pitch you like to avoid the spotlight, whereas on the pitch, you have what I would call a “typical Brazilian approach”. Does that mean that your life in Germany is always full of contrasts?
Diego: It goes without saying that I had to find my feet here and learn some rules, but it never went so far that I lost my Brazilian mentality or my extrovert
Which rules are you referring to in particular?
Diego: Maybe they weren’t rules as such, but rather conditions that you have to get used to when you live here. It took a while for me to get used to the weather, for example. It isn’t a lot of fun to go out here when it is cold because the sky is always grey. But I quickly got used to it, not least because everyone here welcomed me with open arms.
You joined Werder from Porto in the summer of 2006 and you haven’t looked back since. What has the Bundesliga taught you? How have you developed as a player?
Diego: I’m now more disciplined when it comes to tactics and I’ve learnt to react quickly to events on the pitch.
Your time at Porto could hardly be described as a success. What has changed since your move from Portugal to Germany?
Diego: I play in a different position here, and more importantly I know that our coach, Thomas Schaaf, has faith in me. I didn’t have such support in Portugal.
In your opinion, which is the strongest league in Europe? How highly do you rate the Bundesligal
Diego: As far as I’m concerned, the English and Spanish leagues are the strongest, followed by the Italian and then the German. The Bundesliga has developed very quickly and it now has a very good reputation.
A lot of that is down to you. After all, you are one of the players who have taken the Bundesliga to a higher level. Are you proud of that?
Diego: I’m obviously delighted whenever people say that. I also have to say that I really, really enjoy playing in the Bundesliga.. The organisation and structure here is fantastic … it is quite simply a very ague.
If a team has a Brazilian playmaker, everyone expects him to play well in every game. It is no different with you. How do you cope with that pressure?
Diego: I do not go onto the pitch determined to put on a show or to do something special. I only want to help the team win. I am, after all, a team player and not a one-man show. I also want to be able to play my own game and stay true to myself. I know that you cannot always be the best player on the pitch, but if something special does happen on the pitch, maybe a wonderful pass or some crowd-pleasing tricks, well that is even better. But that most certainly is not my main objective.
There is currently huge competition for places in the Brazil team. You have been part of the national team for a while now and you are becoming increasingly important. Are you happy with your current role in the Selecao?
Diego: I am nowhere near where I want to be with the Selecao. I still have a lot to do. I played 90 minutes in both of our last two games, so I was pleased with that. I am also fully aware that you have to be patient with Brazil. But my time will come!
Who would you say are your main rivals for a place in the Brazil team?
Diego: At the moment, I would have to say Ronaldinho and Kaka.
Would you be able to play with both of them?
Diego: Of course it is possible to have more than one creative player in a team, but that obviously depends on the coach’s plan and tactics. We have all played together before, so yes, it is possible in principle.
How important is your shirt number, 10, to you?
Diego: I love having the number 10. Whenever I see that number on my shirt, I get a warm glow inside. It is quite simply the number that I identify the most with.
Who were your idols?
Diego: As a person, my father. And as a footballer, Ronaldo.
You have been close friends with Robinho ever since you were in the Santos youth setup. What is your relationship with him like today?
Diego: We are in regular contact. Actually, we speak every day, so we have a very, very close relationship.
How do you manage that? Are you always on the phone to each other?
Diego: (laughing) Either by telephone or by internet messenger.
How do you cope with the immense pressure of Brazil being expected to win every match and every FIFA World Cup™?
Diego: The team has to be a solid group and stick together. That means that you also have to have the support of the coach and have faith in your team¬mates. That is the best way to deflect criticism from the outside. We have that bond at the moment. Our national team is a close-knit unit just now. Then, of course, you always have to do your best on the pitch and let your football do the talking.
The current coach of the Brazilian team, Carlos Dunga, was a determined, hard-working player. You are more of a creative player. Do those contrasting playing styles ever lead to conflict?
Diego: No, not at all. There are no problems because Dunga is a coach who knows how to use a player’s particular skills for the benefit of the team. Creative players, technicians, hard workers — Dunga always finds the right balance.
The 2010 FIFA World Cup™ in South Africa is not far off now. How desperate are you to be there?
Diego: It would, quite simply, be a dream come true for me.
What are the Selecao’s chances of winning their sixth FIFA World Cup™ in South Africa?
Diego: I think that Brazil have a very good chance of winning the World Cup. We will have a very strong team in 2010, I have no doubt about that. Of course it is never easy to win a World Cup. But let’s just say that I am very optimistic!
The World Cup will be held on Brazilian soil in 2014. What does the FIFA World Cup™ mean to your home country?
Diego: Being awarded the right to host the World Cup was incredibly important for Brazil. It was, in a way, our first victory in that World Cup. For Brazil, the tournament will be a huge boost in every respect… for our tourism, our economy, our football and even for Brazilian sport in general. A lot of money will be invested in our infrastructure, something that the entire country will benefit from. It will be a wonderful opportunity for us to show the world that we are a well-organised country and worthy World Cup hosts.
Will the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ on home soil be the highlight of your career?
Diego: Yes, it would obviously be the highlight for me. I will be 29 by then and I really hope that I will be there in person for such a wonderful experience.