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MADRID — Eden Hazard is beginning to show glimpses of his best form and it cannot come soon enough for Real Madrid. 

They play at home to Galatasaray in the Champions League on Wednesday, when victory would put them within touching distance of qualification from Group A.

Hazard has endured a disjointed and disappointing start in Spain, where expectations soared following his long-awaited 100 million euro move from Chelsea in June. 

A week later, 50,000 thousand fans streamed into the Santiago Bernabeu to see Hazard wear the shirt while some even ran to the entrances to grab a better seat. 

As supporters left, Hazard was giving his first press conference underneath the stadium, telling a packed auditorium he wanted to be a galactico.

“I’m not a galactico, not yet, but I hope I will be one day,” he said.

But the grand opening fizzled, in part due to events off the pitch, a combination of bad luck and personal circumstances that have spared the 28-year-old harsher critique from fans and journalists alike. 

On the day before Madrid’s first game of the season away at Celta Vigo, Hazard pulled a muscle in his thigh in training and had to withdraw from the squad. 

He sat out three matches before making his first start against Paris Saint-Germain, but looked off the pace and it was a night to forget as Madrid were thrashed 3-0. 

Hazard was left on the bench against Osasuna amid reports he was overweight and then scored his first goal against Granada, a delightful looping finish that promised finally to unleash the Belgian’s best.

“We know the quality of player we have and we know he is going to deliver,” said Zinedine Zidane in September. 

“Everyone expects a lot from him and he knows that. But we support him and as the games go by I am sure he is going to be the player we want him to be in this Real Madrid team.” 

But the international break checked Hazard’s momentum and he missed Madrid’s first match back, a 1-0 loss away at Mallorca, due to the birth of his fourth child. 

In the three games since, he has appeared in bursts, delivering exhilirating moments like the glorious flick inside against Galatasaray and a run in behind to win the penalty against Leganes. 

“He sees things that other players cannot see,” Zidane said.

Yet there have been disappointments too, not so much glaring errors as a general hesistance, a tendency to choose the safe option or fail to choose at all when in those attacking positions he usually relishes.

Hazard’s most impressive showing so far was arguably against Real Betis last weekend, when Madrid failed to score but he had his exuberance back, not to mention the change of pace that at times has appeared worryingly absent. 

He was darting through gaps rather than turning away from them, taking risks, and unfortunate to see a superb goal ruled out for offside.

“Everyone wants to see Eden playing better,” Zidane said last week. “But I see him getting much better every day. He will get there in the end for sure.”

Madrid’s goalless draw against Betis shows why Hazard’s crescendo must find its climax, and quickly, if Zidane’s team are to avoid the same problems up front that proved their undoing last season.

Despite the best efforts of Benzema in recent months, the void left by Cristiano Ronaldo is still to be filled and although Hazard has never been a prolific scorer, he can contribute and enhance the numbers of others.

Those that know Hazard say he has a relaxed, down-to-earth personality, unfazed by attention and uninterested in the pizazz of modern football. Perhaps it is one of the reasons his move to Madrid was not pushed through sooner.

But to succeed, he is likely not only to need that zip again that comes only with full fitness but self-belief, to take ownership of this Madrid side in the same way he once commanded the adoration of Stamford Bridge.

Few doubt Hazard will soon rediscover his peak, certainly not Zidane, who insists goals are all he needs. Real Madrid need them too.

AMMAN — The Jordan U-19 national team plays Bhutan on Wednesday in their first match of Group E Asian Football Confederation (AFC) qualifiers kicking off in Manama, Bahrain alongside, Bangladesh and hosts Bahrain.

The qualifiers include 46 teams playing in 11 groups. The top team from each group and top four second placed teams will advance to the championship. 

Team officials hope to continue the positive results Jordan had in U-19 events and the squad seem upbeat after they played Iraq, Uzbekistan and Algeria in friendlies and held a training camp in Turkey and finished third at the West Asian Championship in Palestine. 

Jordan reached the AFC U-19 Championship five times with the best performance when they finished fourth in 2006 and advanced to the FIFA Youth World Cup in Canada in 2007. They exited the first round in 2008 and 2010 and 2018 and reached the quarters in 2012. Jordan failed to qualify to the Championships in 2014 and 2016.

On the other hand, the U-23 Olympic team is preparing for the 4th AFC U-23 Championship which acts as a qualifying tournament for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Jordan topped Group E qualifiers to advance to the AFC Championship which will be played January 8-26, 2020 in Thailand.

In 2018, the U-23 men’s team was knocked out of Round 1 of the 3rd AFC U-23 Championship. In 2016, they reached the quarterfinals and in 2014 they finished third. 

In U-16 events, Jordan was eliminated in Group A qualifiers and lost the chance to qualify to the U-16 AFC Championship. Playing in two zones, 47 teams competed in 11 groups with the top team from each group and top four second placed teams advancing to the championship. They are Tajikistan, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, China, Australia and North Korea, Japan and South Korea. Uzbekistan, Oman, Yemen, Indonesia advanced from the best second placed teams.

Held once every two years, the competition serves as a qualifier for the FIFA U-17 World Cup, with the top 4 countries qualifying. Last year, Jordan bowed out of the Round 1 of the 2018 AFC U-16 Men’s Championship.

The U-16 women’s squad was eliminated from Round 1, Group A qualifiers for the AFC U-16 Women’s Championship. The women’s U-19 team was also eliminated from Round 1 qualifiers for the AFC Championship.

MADRID — They may be one of Europe’s most devastating teams at their best but another collapse in La Liga last weekend has shown Barcelona can be a soft touch. 

Their 3-1 defeat by Levante on Saturday reopened old wounds from Anfield and Rome, and suggests they have not learned from either of those collapses. 

Levante scored three times in seven minutes after half-time exposing Barcelona’s inability to regroup during a spell of intense pressure — a familiar weakness since coach Ernesto Valverde came to the helm in 2017. 

Most clubs in EuMADRID (AFP) — They may be one of Europe’s most devastating teams at their best but another collapse in La Liga last weekend has shown Barcelona can be a soft touch. 

Their 3-1 defeat by Levante on Saturday reopened old wounds from Anfield and Rome, and suggests they have not learned from either of those collapses. 

Levante scored three times in seven minutes after half-time exposing Barcelona’s inability to regroup during a spell of intense pressure — a familiar weakness since coach Ernesto Valverde came to the helm in 2017. 

Most clubs in Europe would gladly take winning two league titles and a Copa del Rey in that time, but Barcelona are a team concerned with details, the small margins that could define a good season or a great one.

Barca play Slavia Prague on Tuesday in the Champions League, when victory at Camp Nou against Group F’s weakest team will ensure the frustration and failings from Levante swiftly fade.

But fragility persists that can be exposed by elite opponents when it matters most, as Roma and then Liverpool so emphatically proved in the last two Champions League campaigns, when three-goal first-leg leads were squandered by the Catalan giants.

Barcelona have shown they lack steel when they are uncomfortable, not least away from home, where their record under Valverde has been disappointing.

‘We always respond’

In Valverde’s three seasons, they have won only 25 out of 44 league matches on the road. By comparison, Manchester City have won 35 out of 44. In the Champions League Barca have only won five out of 13 away games. 

“It is true we are not getting the same results away as we are at home, but after the first few games we have managed to put together a good run,” Valverde said on Saturday. 

“We have lost a match and that’s it, it’s true that we must analyse it but we know when we lose that criticism is strong. We always respond and this time it will not be different.” 

A habit for conceding in streaks, which resurfaced at the City of Valencia Stadium, is also nothing new. Since the start of last season, Barcelona have shipped two goals within 15 minutes on seven occasions, six of them away from the Camp Nou. 

This after they threw away a 4-1 lead in 2018 to lose to Roma in the Champions League quarter-finals, and 3-0 lead to Liverpool in the semifinals earlier this year. 

“It might be down to a lack of concentration,” said Antoine Griezmann on Saturday. 

Asked if the problem was due to their football or their attitude, he said: “It is a bit of everything. We must make sure it doesn’t happen again.” 

Some have suggested Barcelona lack leaders although few could argue the likes of Lionel Messi, Gerard Pique, Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets do not command respect. 

There is a vulnerability in midfield, where Barca have struggled against teams on the counter-attack, particularly when players pour through directly and at pace. 

“In the first half I didn’t like us very much,” said Levante coach Paco Lopez. “But at half-time we said we had to be more adventurous, more direct and we did it.” 

Prague are unlikely to pull off a similar trick on Tuesday but if Barcelona are seen as having a soft underbelly, it will only enhance the belief of rivals in Spain and Europe.

“Every team plays us like it’s one of the biggest games of the season,” said Valverde. “We have to find an answer.”rope would gladly take winning two league titles and a Copa del Rey in that time, but Barcelona are a team concerned with details, the small margins that could define a good season or a great one.

Barca play Slavia Prague on Tuesday in the Champions League, when victory at Camp Nou against Group F’s weakest team will ensure the frustration and failings from Levante swiftly fade.

But fragility persists that can be exposed by elite opponents when it matters most, as Roma and then Liverpool so emphatically proved in the last two Champions League campaigns, when three-goal first-leg leads were squandered by the Catalan giants.

Barcelona have shown they lack steel when they are uncomfortable, not least away from home, where their record under Valverde has been disappointing.

‘We always respond’

In Valverde’s three seasons, they have won only 25 out of 44 league matches on the road. By comparison, Manchester City have won 35 out of 44. In the Champions League Barca have only won five out of 13 away games. 

“It is true we are not getting the same results away as we are at home, but after the first few games we have managed to put together a good run,” Valverde said on Saturday. 

“We have lost a match and that’s it, it’s true that we must analyse it but we know when we lose that criticism is strong. We always respond and this time it will not be different.” 

A habit for conceding in streaks, which resurfaced at the City of Valencia Stadium, is also nothing new. Since the start of last season, Barcelona have shipped two goals within 15 minutes on seven occasions, six of them away from the Camp Nou. 

This after they threw away a 4-1 lead in 2018 to lose to Roma in the Champions League quarter-finals, and 3-0 lead to Liverpool in the semifinals earlier this year. 

“It might be down to a lack of concentration,” said Antoine Griezmann on Saturday. 

Asked if the problem was due to their football or their attitude, he said: “It is a bit of everything. We must make sure it doesn’t happen again.” 

Some have suggested Barcelona lack leaders although few could argue the likes of Lionel Messi, Gerard Pique, Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets do not command respect. 

There is a vulnerability in midfield, where Barca have struggled against teams on the counter-attack, particularly when players pour through directly and at pace. 

“In the first half I didn’t like us very much,” said Levante coach Paco Lopez. “But at half-time we said we had to be more adventurous, more direct and we did it.” 

Prague are unlikely to pull off a similar trick on Tuesday but if Barcelona are seen as having a soft underbelly, it will only enhance the belief of rivals in Spain and Europe.

“Every team plays us like it’s one of the biggest games of the season,” said Valverde. “We have to find an answer.”

AUSTIN — Valtteri Bottas kept alive his hopes of delaying Lewis Hamilton’s sixth drivers’ world championship celebrations by claiming pole position with a record lap on Saturday in qualifying for the United States Grand Prix.

The Finn, who has to win Sunday’s race and hope his Mercedes team-mate finishes outside the top eight to keep the championship alive, clocked a best lap in one minute and 32.029 seconds to outpace second-placed Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari by 0.012 seconds.

Max Verstappen was third for Red Bull ahead of Charles Leclerc in the second Ferrari and Hamilton, who was fifth. 

It was the champion-elect’s equal worst qualifying of his career on American soil, but he was only threetenths adrift of his teammate. 

Hamilton is now without a pole since the German Grand Prix in July. 

For Bottas, it was a first pole in the United States, his fifth this season and the 11th of his career, his best lap on his first run in Q3 remaining fast enough to put him on the prime starting spot. 

Alex Albon was sixth in the second Red Bull ahead of the two McLarens of Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris with Daniel Ricciardo ninth for Renault and Pierre Gasly 10th for Toro Rosso.

“I’m really happy about that and it was a nice lap — and to get those kind of laps on a track like this is a good feeling,” said Bottas.

In significantly warmer conditions, prompting many to discard jackets and coats, Leclerc was keen to make an early entry impression in Q1 after missing the morning session following an engine failure. 

He posted an early marker lap before Norris took top spot briefly ahead of a reinvigorated Hamilton, who went fastest in 1:33.454. 

Verstappen, still itching with frustration after being stripped of pole in Mexico a week earlier, was second-quickest for Red Bull, ahead of Bottas, in the second Mercedes. 

The Finn, unflappable as ever, could only keep his title bid alive by winning and hoping for a rare flop, outside the top eight, from his team-mate.

“We think the track has improved, so we’ll take another lap,” said Bottas’s engineer as he and Hamilton stayed out to gain more understanding of the track in the changing conditions.

Unexpectedly, as they did so, Norris topped the Q1 times while out went Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi and Kimi Raikkonen and the two Williams men, George Russell and Robert Kubica, split by Racing Point’s Sergio Perez.

The Mexican will start from the pit-lane on Sunday after being penalised for a weighbridge transgression on Friday.

The Mercedes men, both on medium compound tyres, were first out for Q2 with the Ferraris following on the same rubber. 

Hamilton set the pace ahead of Bottas until Red Bull’s Verstappen, on mediums, and Albon, on softs, went third and first, sandwiching Hamilton.

Albon’s lap in 1:32.898 put him within reach of Hamilton’s 2018 qualifying lap record and the top six were separated by only three-tenths of a second before their second flying runs.

Leclerc went top ahead of Ferrari teammate Vettel to lead the way into the top ten shootout while out went Daniil Kvyat of Toro Rosso, Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg, Kevin Magnussen of Haas, Lance Stroll of Racing Point and Romain Grosjean in the second Haas.

Along with Verstappen, both Magnussen and Sainz were also qualifying to start their 100th Grand Prix race.

SEPANG, Malaysia — French rookie Fabio Quartararo snatched pole position for the Malaysian MotoGP on Saturday in a hard-fought race, but world champion Marc Marquez had a dramatic crash and will start from 11th place.

The 20-year-old Petronas Yamaha sensation, who has emerged this season as a key rival to Marquez, powered to a quickest lap of 1min 58.303sec to seal first place on the grid.

Spain’s Maverick Vinales was second quickest, 0.103 off the pace, while Franco Morbidelli of Italy rounded out an all-Yamaha front row.

Quartararo, who had already set blistering times in practice at the Sepang circuit, was fastest in the early stages of qualifying.

Valentino Rossi briefly took over before Vinales surged into the lead, and looked to be heading for victory.

But the French rider raced a scorching lap in the dying stages to beat his Monster Energy Yamaha rival, and secure his fifth pole position of the season.

The result is a major boost for Quartararo, who crashed out of the Australian MotoGP last week, and lifts his hopes of winning his first race in motorcyling’s premier class on Sunday.

“It was really tough,” he said after the race.

But he added that he “managed to get a clear lap in the last lap. I’m really happy about this lap and for the team, because both riders are on the front row”.

Morbidelli is his Petronas Yamaha teammate.

There was disappointment however for Marquez, who clinched his sixth world title last month, after he crashed on turn two, meaning he will start in 11th position in Sunday’s MotoGP.

The Repsol Honda rider had been following Quartararo, in an apparent bid to get in the French rider’s slipstream to help improve his time, but his bike skidded out of control.

The Spaniard was violently thrown over the bike, rolled off the track and onto the grass, but got up and walked away without serious injury.

His team said on Twitter that he had suffered bruising but had been declared fit.

The poor performance dims Marquez’s hopes of securing a second consecutive Malaysian MotoGP win and his 12th victory of the season.

The 26-year-old conceded the accident “was of course painful” but added: “I’m more disappointed to start 11th, than the crash.

“It will be difficult because it is not one of the best circuits for us.

“We will try to do our 100 per cent... but victory will be very difficult.”

Marquez is seeking to cap a stellar season in Malaysia by winning the team championship, to go with the riders’ and constructors’ titles, and seal the Triple Crown for Honda.

He also needs to score just nine points in Malaysia — a seventh-placed finish or above — to top three-time world champion Jorge Lorenzo’s highest ever tally of 383 in a season.

The Malaysian MotoGP, the season’s penultimate race, is often interrupted by torrential downpours but the rain stayed away Saturday.

PARIS — Samuel Eto’o is convinced that he is the best African footballer of all time and is now targeting more success as a coach, the Cameroon great told AFP in an exclusive interview.

The 38-year-old is pondering his next step after hanging up his boots in early September, bringing the curtain down on his playing days with a brief spell turning out for Qatar Sports Club.

“There comes a point where you have to look for other challenges. That is what I have chosen to do. I have had a wonderful career,” Eto’o told AFP during a visit to Paris.

His career spanned more than 20 years in which he won 18 major trophies, including two Champions Leagues with Barcelona and another with Inter Milan. He also won the Africa Cup of Nations twice with Cameroon as well as Olympic gold in 2000.

One prize that did get away from him, however, was the Ballon d’Or. Liberia’s George Weah, in 1995, remains the only African to have claimed that award, but that does not change Eto’o’s belief that he is the best player to have come out of the continent.

“I don’t need to lay claim to anything, it’s just a fact. Whether you accept it or not, it’s a fact,” he said, as frank and outspoken as ever.

“Everyone is entitled to their opinion. You know, as an African, you are always being judged. What is unacceptable is that the first people to do it are always the Africans. They can’t take anything away from me because I am proud to be African.

Eto’o also turned out for the likes of Real Madrid and Chelsea, but for all he won in the game, it is his first major title with his country that sticks out when asked for his fondest memory.

“I would say my first Africa Cup of Nations [in 2000], because it was my first AFCON, an unforgettable moment, and I had come away from the 1998 World Cup in France with the hope of making history,” he said.

“I wasn’t a starter in that magnificent team but in the end I worked my way into the side and contributed. It is a beautiful memory.”

Eto’o also went to four World Cups but never got beyond the group stage with the Indomitable Lions.

“I told myself that, eventually, with all the magnificent players I played alongside for Cameroon, we could have won the World Cup,” he said.

“It wasn’t to be. That is the only trophy I didn’t manage to win but I had some unforgettable moments with that team.”

Eto’o believes he has left a legacy by helping bring through the next generation. Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana is one player to have emerged from the Eto’o Foundation.

He has also been asked to do work for the Confederation of African Football, but he says it is only a matter of time before he returns to football in a more hands-on role.

“I know my next challenge will be to win at least as much as a coach as I did as a player,” he said.

“I would like to coach in Europe, and then one day return to Africa and win there. I don’t know how to lose.

“I am lucky to have made history at different clubs. I have a lot more doors open to me than others, but you need to be prepared.

“I want to learn, have all the qualifications, understand how things work either in my own businesses or in my future career, in order to come back in 12 or 24 months and start a new career, which I hope will be just as beautiful.”

But having won the Champions League playing for both Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho, whose style is he more likely to be replicate?

“I am a fan of Guardiola. I love football and I think it’s important to win in style.

“Football is like going to the theatre: it is great to go to the stadium and see a spectacle. When you watch Guardiola’s teams play, you never get bored.”

MADRID — Lionel Messi made it clear he is fit and back to his scintillating best by tearing apart Real Valladolid on Tuesday in a thumping 5-1 victory for Barcelona. 

Messi scored another spell-binding free-kick at Camp Nou after his sumptuous pass had already teed up Arturo Vidal for Barca’s second. He then drove home his second late on before sliding through Luis Suarez to make it five. 

Yet in truth his two goals and two assists were just the start of it, the defining moments of another mesmeric all-round performance that was dotted with flicks, passes and dribbles, not to mention two humiliating nutmegs. 

“I don’t know what more I can say,” said Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde.

“There were wonders coming out of his foot,” said Valladolid’s Michel. “You can only applaud and enjoy it.”

Valladolid had threatened to make a game of it when Kiko Olivas benefitted from a rare Marc-Andre ter Stegen error to equalise, after Clement Lenglet had struck in the second minute. 

But with Messi in this sort of mood, the result never felt in doubt as victory sent Barcelona back to the top of La Liga, after Atletico Madrid were held to a 1-1 draw by Alaves a couple of hours before. 

Valverde’s side have now won seven consecutive matches in all competitions, a run that began by beating Villarreal on September 24, when Messi returned from injury to make his first start of the season. 

He has needed time, admitting earlier this month he was still short of sharpness even as goals flew in against Sevilla, Eibar and Slavia Prague. 

But this display sent a resounding message that Messi is back to his best even if Valverde feels there is more to come.

“He is still getting back to full fitness,” Valverde said. “But he is getting better and better.”

Valladolid were perhaps unfortunate the 32-year-old was fresh after the postponed Clasico on Saturday meant Barcelona and Real Madrid were given the weekend off. 

It meant this was the first game at Camp Nou since violent protests broke out across Catalonia after nine pro-independence leaders were sentenced to imprisonment on October 21. 

Giant yellow banners with ‘Independencia’ and ‘Llibertat’ written across them were unfurled before kick-off but there was no sign of unrest. Instead, the mood turned celebratory as Messi got to work. 

It was his free-kick that Valladolid made a mess of clearing, as Sergi Guardiola lashed the ball against Joaquin Fernandez and Lenglet reacted fastest, his shot deflecting in before two minutes were on the clock. 

Messi runs the show

The procession was briefly halted when Ter Stegen, perhaps unsighted, slapped a cross straight into the shin of Olivas but the remaining 30 minutes of the first half belonged to Messi. 

He switched the ball for Frenkie de Jong to slightly overhit a pass for Arturo Vidal and then replicated the Dutchman’s effort but did it better, this time picking out Vidal perfectly to score at the back post. 

Five minutes later he sent a free-kick curling away from Jordi Masip, who scuttled across his line but could never reach the ball as it nestled in the top right-hand corner. 

Messi flicked one through the legs of Oscar Plano, who threw his head back and for a moment stopped dead in frustration. Then it was Guardiola’s turn, only this time the nutmeg doubled up as a pass. 

After half-time, Ansu Fati, making his last appearance before turning 17, should have tucked away a Messi pass before two goals in the 75th and 77th minutes put Valladolid out of sight. 

Messi cushioned Ivan Rakitic’s cute pass on his thigh and drove it into the corner and then slid in Suarez, who finished for his eighth goal of the season. 

In injury time, Messi should have had his hat-trick but curled wide of the left post when he seemed certain to score. It might have been his first mistake all night. 

Atletico Madrid could have done with a drop of Messi’s attacking inspiration as they were held to a disappointing draw by Alaves. 

Alvaro Morata scored his third goal in as many games but Lucas Perez hit a stunning late equaliser at Menizorrotza to ensure a tight contest between two of La Liga’s most stubborn defences ended all square.

Atletico sit third, two points behind Barcelona and level with Granada, having played one game more.

SHANGHAI — Yaya Toure says FIFA is not doing enough to stamp out racism, and that England should have walked off the pitch in the face of monkey chants during their Euro 2020 qualifier in Bulgaria.

The 36-year-old former Barcelona and Manchester City midfielder made the comments to AFP after helping Qingdao Huanghai clinch promotion to the Chinese Super League at the weekend.

England’s 6-0 victory in Sofia earlier this month was marred by racist chants and Nazi salutes from a section of Bulgarian fans.

The game was halted twice during the first half, but England players opted to complete the match instead of walking off the pitch.

“This is a shame, why are you playing for England?” Toure, who has been outspoken on football’s racism problem, said of the decision.

“They are always talking, ‘Blah, blah, blah’, and what? Nothing changes.”

Turning his real fire on football’s decision-makers, the four-time African player of the year said: “People from FIFA don’t care anyway because we’ve been talking about this, but it’s still continuing.

“I don’t want to say that I’m not concerned, I’m concerned,” said the former Ivory Coast international.

Raheem Sterling, the England and Manchester City forward, has been widely praised for playing a prominent role in calling out the racists at home and abroad.

But Toure, his former teammate at City, said that was “not good enough”.

Toure, whose trophy haul includes three Premier League titles with City and a UEFA Champions League with Barcelona, believes it is time the players took more decisive action.

“They have to be serious about it, players need to make serious moves about it otherwise they [the racists] will continue to do that,” he said.

“They have to get the players out of the field.”

In response, FIFA said that “the fight against racism is of utmost importance” to football’s world governing body.

In the aftermath of the Bulgaria match, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said that racists must be “kicked out” of stadiums.

‘They respect nobody’

Toure was speaking after he played a pivotal role for Qingdao in a 2-0 win on Saturday at Shanghai Shenxin, attended by just a few hundred spectators.

Victory ensured promotion to the top-tier Chinese Super League for the team that Toure joined in July, but he is unlikely to make the move up with them next year.

“I think I’ll finish in December or January, then go, have another challenge,” he said, vowing to play on until he is 40.

“People are thinking that I’m done, but I’m not done yet,” he said.

Toure has enjoyed his spell in Chinese football and stressed that he has never experienced any form of discrimination in the country.

“It’s been a nice experience because I’ve seen people with a different mentality from Europe — the way to play football, the way they feel and their behaviour on the field,” he said.

“When I play in the stadiums, nobody boos me because I’m black, it’s a different culture, they respect.

“In Europe, they respect nobody.”

AMMAN — The U-19 national team left to Doha, Qatar on Monday for a final training camp ahead of Group E Asian Football Confederation (AFC) qualifiers kicking off November 6 alongside Bhutan, Bangladesh and hosts Bahrain.

The qualifiers include 46 teams playing in 11 groups. The top team from each group and top four second placed teams will advance to the championship. 

Jordan’s coaching staff and squad seem upbeat after they played Iraq, Uzbekistan and Algeria in friendlies and held a training camp in Turkey. They also finished third in the West Asian Championship in Palestine. 

“We know the task ahead is not easy, but our aim will be to continue the positive results Jordan had in U-19 events,” coach Bilal Lahham told the media after their last practice in Amman.

Jordan reached the championship five times with the best performance when they finished fourth in 2006 and advanced to the FIFA Youth World Cup in Canada in 2007. They exited the first round in 2008 and 2010 and 2018 and reached the quarters in 2012. Jordan failed to qualify to the championships in 2014 and 2016.

Meanwhile, the U-23 Olympic team is readying for a friendly tourney in Dubai starting November 13 where Syria, Bahrain, Uzbekistan, South Korea, Iraq, Saudi and the UAE will compete. Jordan earlier played friendlies against Syria and Qatar as the team prepares for the 4th AFC U-23 Championship which acts as a qualifying tournament for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Jordan topped Group E qualifiers to advance to the championship that will be played January 8-26 in Thailand.

In 2018, the U-23 men’s team was knocked out of Round 1 of the 3rd AFC U-23 Championship. In 2016 they reached the quarter-finals and in 2014 they finished third. 

In U-16 events, Jordan missed the chance qualify to the U-16 AFC Championship when they finished second in Group A qualifiers in which Jordan scored easy wins over lowly Sri Lanka and Nepal in the opening two matches, but then were held 1-1 with Kuwait before losing 5-2 to Tajikistan as the latter qualified from Group A.

Playing in two zones, 47 teams competed in 11 groups with the top team from each group and top four second placed teams advancing to the championship. They are Tajikistan, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, China, Australia and North Korea, Japan and South Korea. Uzbekistan, Oman, Yemen, Indonesia advanced from the best second placed teams

Held once every two years, the competition serves as a qualifier for the FIFA U-17 World Cup, with the top 4 countries qualifying. Last year, Jordan bowed out of the Round 1 of the 2018 AFC U-16 Men’s Championship. 

The U-16 women’s squad was eliminated from Round 1, Group A qualifiers for the AFC U-16 Women’s Championship. The women’s U-19 team was also eliminated from Round 1 qualifiers for the AFC Championship. 

Meanwhile, the men’s national team stayed 98th in latest FIFA Rankings and is now readying to face Australia on November 14 and Taiwan on November 19 in Group B qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup and 2023 Asian Cup. So far, Jordan beat Taiwan 2-1 , held Kuwait 0-0 and beat Nepal 3-0.

Earlier this year, Jordan was eliminated in the Round of 16 at the Asian Cup 2019 as Qatar won the title for the first time.