Ghana flying cash in on plane after players reject receiving World Cup appearance fees by wire transfer

Faryd Mondragon overtakes Roger Milla as World Cup's older player while Brazilian minister blames long season for European woes

Ghana's Asamoah Gyan, left, celebrates after scoring a goal during the 2014 World Cup Group G match against Germany at the Castelao arena in Fortaleza on June 21, 2014. Marcelo Del Pozo / Reuters

 Show Ghana the money

Ghana’s government said on Wednesday it is sending more than US$3 million (Dh11m) in cash on a chartered plane to Brazil to pay appearance fees for its World Cup squad.

Joseph Yamin, the deputy sports minister, told radio station Citi FM in Accra that the government chartered a plane to fly from Ghana to Brazil after the Black Stars demanded they be paid their appearance fee and rejected having the money wired to them.

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“The players haven’t been paid their appearance fee, as such, today,” Yamin said. “It’s as a result of the decision as to which mode of payment should be affected in this current World Cup.”

A statement from the Ghana Football Association said John Dramani Mahama, the president, assured the players that they would receive their money for competing in Brazil.

“The government is pre-financing the payment of the Black Stars appearance fees which will be reimbursed when Fifa’s prize money for Ghana’s participation in the World Cup is paid after the tournament in Brazil,” the statement said.

 Old man Mondragon

Colombia goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon became the oldest footballer to play in a World Cup finals match on Tuesday when he came on in the last few minutes of their 4-1 success over Japan in Group C.

At 43 years and three days old, he surpassed the record of Cameroon’s Roger Milla, who played in a World Cup at 42 years and 39 days.

“It’s a great moment at the end of a long journey to play a World Cup at 43 years old,” Mondragon said. He added he was keeping the match ball “for my own private museum”.

Jose Pekerman, the Colombia coach, said: “With Faryd, we have a goalkeeper who has experience, who has already played at a World Cup and other players are pretty young, so it’s good that he can share his experience with those younger players.”

 Don’t blame the weather

European football nations are under-performing at the World Cup because of their long domestic seasons, not the hot and sticky weather in Brazil, Aldo Rebelo, Brazil's sports minister, said on Wednesday.

He singled out Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo as someone who was clearly not fit enough after a tough season with his club Real Madrid. Holders Spain, Italy, England, Croatia and Bosnia are already out in the group stages, and they could be joined by Portugal and Russia.

Some European coaches and players have complained about the heat and humidity at venues, but Rebelo said: “European soccer has been the victim of its own calendar. The main players from Europe came to the World Cup after very exhausting seasons at their clubs. Exceptional players like Cristiano Ronaldo were not in the best shape. Naturally he made a huge effort for the World Cup, but he wasn’t prepared.”

 Hulk a crowd favourite

Fans visiting Brazil’s training camp are lining up for a photo opportunity with a huge statue of the comic book character Hulk dressed in a national team jersey.

The statue, which is located in front of a restaurant just outside the training camp in Teresopolis, wears the Selecao’s yellow No 7, the number worn by the Brazilian striker who goes by the same name.

“We came to try to see the players, but if they don’t let us, at least we got a photo with someone who we know is part of the team,” the 17-year-old Brazilian fan Luana de Aguiar joked after his encounter with the Hulk.

Brazil’s training sessions in the mountain city, which is about an hour from Rio, have been closed to fans throughout the tournament, but hundreds still show up at the gates every day to try to get a glimpse of their idols.

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