WHO Chief Hails Salah for Encouraging People to Get Vaccinated against COVID

Mohamed Salah. (AP)
Mohamed Salah. (AP)
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WHO Chief Hails Salah for Encouraging People to Get Vaccinated against COVID

Mohamed Salah. (AP)
Mohamed Salah. (AP)

Director-General of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed on Friday his appreciation for Egypt and Liverpool star Mohamed Salah for encouraging people to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

In a tweet, he said: "Thank you Mohamed Salah for your words of support. Vaccines work to save lives, including against COVID19. We hope the world will team up to vaccinate people at highest risk everywhere!"

Salah had said during a recent television interview: "These are doctors who have been studying and working on medicine for years."

"If I said vaccination was wrong, it would be like random people on the street telling me how to play football," he added.

"If the World Health Organization says it's the right thing to do, we must follow them," he stressed.



Japanese Soccer Player Kazuyoshi Miura Says He Will Play Next Season at Age 58

 Kazuyoshi Miura, former forward of Japan's national football team, poses at a press conference at National Stadium in Tokyo on June 25, 2024, as Atletico Suzuka announced that he has rejoined the fourth-tier club. (Kyodo News via AP)
Kazuyoshi Miura, former forward of Japan's national football team, poses at a press conference at National Stadium in Tokyo on June 25, 2024, as Atletico Suzuka announced that he has rejoined the fourth-tier club. (Kyodo News via AP)
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Japanese Soccer Player Kazuyoshi Miura Says He Will Play Next Season at Age 58

 Kazuyoshi Miura, former forward of Japan's national football team, poses at a press conference at National Stadium in Tokyo on June 25, 2024, as Atletico Suzuka announced that he has rejoined the fourth-tier club. (Kyodo News via AP)
Kazuyoshi Miura, former forward of Japan's national football team, poses at a press conference at National Stadium in Tokyo on June 25, 2024, as Atletico Suzuka announced that he has rejoined the fourth-tier club. (Kyodo News via AP)

Japanese soccer player Kazuyoshi Miura is several generations older than his teammates. His contemporaries retired decades ago. Lionel Messi is 37, and Cristiano Ronaldo is 39 — mere youngsters compared to Miura.

Miura will turn 58 in February, and the Japanese news agency Kyodo reported this week that he intends to play next season for his fourth-tier Japanese club, Suzuka. It will be his 40th season playing in professional soccer.

Miura is widely listed as the oldest active professional soccer player.

Miura scored 55 goals in 89 appearances and was a star with Japan’s national team in the 1990s.

He has played professionally in Brazil, Italy, Croatia, Australia and Portugal. He made his debut in 1986 with Brazilian club Santos, a side made famous by Brazilian star Pelé.