Pelé’s Santos celebrates centenary with exhibition games
By David Gold
April 16 – Santos is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a series of commemorative matches between players of past and present, including the legendary Pelé.
South America
Neymar set to be Brazil’s highest earner after signing landmark deal with Volkswagen
By David Gold
April 3 – Brazilian wonderkid Neymar (pictured centre) is to be the best paid player in the recent history of the country’s football who has not moved to Europe, after he agreed a new sponsorship deal with car giant Volkswagen.
Havelange to leave intensive care after responding well to treatment
By David Gold
April 3 – Former FIFA President João Havelange (pictured) is to leave intensive care at the Samaritano Hospital in Rio de Janeiro where he has been treated for an infection.
Marco Polo Del Nero takes Teixeira’s FIFA Executive Committee seat
By David Gold
March 23 – Brazilian Marco Polo Del Nero (pictured) is to take Ricardo Teixeira’s seat on the FIFA Executive Committee, the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) have confirmed.
CONMEBOL to decide who takes Teixeira’s FIFA Executive Committee seat
By Andrew Warshaw
March 20 – FIFA reiterated today that it will be up to the game’s South American Confederation, CONMEBOL, to replace Brazil’s Ricardo Teixeira (pictured) on the world football governing body’s Executive Committee.
Teixeira quits as member of FIFA Executive Committee
By Duncan Mackay
March 20 – Ricardo Teixeira has resigned as a member of FIFA’s ruling Executive Committee, a week after he quit as the President of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) and Brazil 2014.
New CBF President Marin quashes hopes of a Brazilian football revolution
By Andrew Warshaw
March 14 – The new head of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), José Maria Marin (pictured), has dampened hopes of a fresh beginning for his country’s much-maligned administration by insisting he will not resort to wholesale changes following the resignation of Ricardo Teixeira.
Ricardo Teixeira to keep seat on FIFA Executive Committee
By Andrew Warshaw
March 14 – Ricardo Teixeira (pictured) is to keep his place as a member of the FIFA Executive Committee despite having quit as President of both the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) and Brazil 2014.
Ricardo Teixeira to remain boss of Brazilian football
By Andrew Warshaw
March 1 – After weeks of rumour and counter-rumour about whether he was losing his power base, Ricardo Teixeira (pictured) has managed to hang on to his post as boss of Brazilian football.
Peru holds crisis talks with FIFA over players’ strike
By David Gold
February 21 – Peruvian Football Federation (FPF) President Manuel Burga (pictured) is in Zurich to discuss with FIFA a players’ strike which has left the country’s first division in chaos.
Teixeira set to stand down as CBF President
By Andrew Warshaw
February 16 – The reign of corruption-tainted Brazilian powerbroker Ricardo Teixeira looks set to end after months of growing pressure.
FIFA warns Argentina over plans to rename league after General Belgrano
By Andrew Warshaw
February 15 – FIFA has warned Argentina that provocatively renaming its domestic championship after the General Belgrano battleship sunk by Britain during the 1982 Falklands War could breach its statutes.
Brazil raises to world’s sixth richest league
By David Gold
January 31 – Brazil’s Brasilierão has climbed above Holland’s top flight to become the world’s sixth richest league, according to a study by BDO RCS, as football benefits from the country’s economic boom.
Brazil’s 1982 World Cup captain Sócrates dies
By David Gold
December 4 – Sócrates, one of the world’s greatest midfielders and Brazil’s captain at the 1982 World Cup, has died in a São Paulo hospital at the age of 57, casting a shadow over the final weekend of the Brazilian Championship.
Racism is not resolved with a handshake, sneers Brazil’s Teixeira
By David Gold
November 26 – Brazil’s controversial football chief Ricardo Teixeira (pictured) has launched a veiled attack on Sepp Blatter by declaring that “racism is not resolved with a handshake”, echoing the words the embattled FIFA President used in an interview last week, as the country launched an anti-racism drive.