The year in Futsal
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Article summary
Action 21 Charleroi and Spain took the two UEFA titles on offer in 2005, but Futsal in the past 12 months has been about much more than sporting success.
Article body
Great strides
Away from the action, UEFA has continued to make great strides for the sport's future, with Futsal having been integrated into its professional football division since 1 January. A successful workshop for new nations was held in February and preparations are being made for the second UEFA Futsal Conference early next year. There are also firm plans for a UEFA youth tournament and efforts to boost the number of Futsal nations from 34 to 40 are continuing apace.
Big-name sponsors
The end of the year also saw a referee's course staged for 31 international officials at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, underlining the commitment to excellence in all areas. Another step forward that will help Futsal to grow is the completion of the UEFA EUROTOP commercial programme, which includes backing for the 2007 and 2009 UEFA European Futsal Championship from established global sponsors like McDonald's, Carlsberg and JVC.
Portugal hosting
Despite strong bids from the Netherlands and Bosnia-Herzegovina, the 2007 finals will be held in Porto, following a UEFA Executive Committee decision in April. They will do well to match the quality of play and warmth of welcome witnessed at the 2005 event in Ostrava. Winners Spain and hosts Czech Republic took part in a thrilling spectacle, along with Russia, Italy, Ukraine, Hungary, Portugal and the Netherlands.
Ostrava memories
Spain had entered February's final round, which was to see 54,000 fans attend the 16 matches, on a high after clinching the FIFA Futsal World Championship at the end of 2004. Despite a 3-1 group reverse at the hands of 2003 champions Italy, Spain powered to a 5-0 victory against Ukraine in the semi-finals to set up a showdown with Russia.
Nervous finish
Javier Lozano's men were on top once Andreu scored in the ninth minute. Alberto Cogorro doubled the advantage just after half-time, although Konstantin Douchkevitch ensured a nervous finish. Spain held firm to win 2-1 and Julio had the honour of lifting yet another trophy. Italy's Nando Grana top scored with six goals while others to shine included Ukraine's Serhiy Sytin, Hungary's Zoltán Balázs and Dutch sensation Zaid El Morabiti. Spain learned later in the year that they will defend their world title in 2008 in Brazil.
Looking ahead
Memories from Ostrava will surely surface at the UEFA Futsal Conference to be held in Spain from 13-15 February 2006. The first was staged in Italy in November 2002 and once again leading lights from across Europe will join those new to the game to discuss ways of taking the sport forward, both in a tactical and commercial sense.
Belgian pride
Those attending will be encouraged by the signs shown in the 2004/05 UEFA Futsal Cup and the early stages of the 2005/06 edition. Charleroi, after two near-misses, were at last crowned club champions of Europe in May after a thrilling 10-9 aggregate victory against MFK Dinamo Moskva. It was the first time a Spanish team had not reached the final.
Holders through
Charleroi and Moskva are among eight clubs through to the second qualifying round of the 2005/06 edition, to be played in Lisbon and Belgrade next February. Boomerang Interviú will be many people’s favourites to restore Spanish pride in a competition that is set to undergo modifications to make it even more attractive.
Work ongoing
Laurent Morel, UEFA Futsal manager, said 2005 had been a great year. "We have set up a really good base for Futsal's new era. We have met with the countries where Futsal needed to be developed and will work with them. We have a four-year strategy plan to develop. It is really going well."
