Mirandinha: Gazza taught me all the swear words! © LOC Pay a visit to the Memorial to Ceara Football at the Arena Castelao in Fortaleza, Ceara state – one of the star attractions at the first 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ stadium to be opened – and among the trophies, photos and videos featuring the messages and stories of local ex-players, you will come across the shirt of an English football club. The jersey is a gift from one of the employees at the Castelao, who works from an office on the same floor and who broke off from preparations for this Sunday’s Clássico-rei derby meeting between local giants Ceara and Fortaleza to chat to FIFA.com. The man in question is none other than Mirandinha, who starred for A Seleção on a tour of the UK and subsequently became the first Brazilian to play in English football when he signed for Newcastle United from Palmeiras in 1987. Though the striker returned to his native country two years later, he maintains strong ties with the Magpies. Now a manager at the Arena Castelao, which will stage three games at the upcoming FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil 2013, Mirandinha keeps a close eye on his beloved Newcastle and still goes to watch them whenever he can. Discussing his time in England and more, including the recent influx to the Premier League of Brazilians, whom he believes have an easier time of it than he did, the he gave an exclusive and enlightening interview. FIFA.com: How did your move to England come about? Mirandinha: Newcastle had been watching me for some time. It all started thanks to a Palmeiras fan who was studying in the city on an exchange and staying at the house of a businessman with links to the club. I played for Palmeiras at the time and this Brazilian guy started to speak about me. He showed them magazine and newspaper articles about me and they started to take an interest. I was called up for the national team for the Stanley Rous Cup against England and Scotland, which gave Newcastle the chance to watch me. I played well in both games, scoring in the draw against England and setting up one of the goals in the 2-0 victory over the Scots. When I got back to Brazil, Newcastle made an offer to Palmeiras. I’d been close to joining America of Mexico, and that deal was more or less done. Newcastle insisted though, and they signed me. I go to England whenever I can. I love the club and the city of Newcastle, and I left behind a lot of friends there. They’ve always treated me really well and the fans always give me a very warm welcome. Mirandinha The style of play there was a little different to what you had been used to in Brazil, wasn’t it? It wasn’t the same. Back then most English clubs played a long-ball game. Luckily for me, Newcastle weren’t so ‘English’. They didn’t hit so many high balls, which helped me. They played a kind of game similar to mine, with a lot of pace to it. Though the style of play was totally different to Brazil, I think the biggest problem I had when I arrived was the language, because I couldn’t speak English. Was it hard to learn and did you have any help from the club? The club had an English player who’d lived in Portugal and he interpreted for me when I got there. They did away with the translator in my second season though, and I managed to fend for myself. One person who helped me a lot was Paul Gascoigne – he taught me all the swear words! Unfortunately I’ve lost contact with him and we haven’t spoken for three years, since his health started to worsen. I always try to see him when I go to England though. Do you go back to Newcastle a lot? I go to England whenever I can. I love the club and the city of Newcastle, and I left behind a lot of friends there. They’ve always treated me really well and the fans always give me a very warm welcome. They still call me Mira, just like they did when I was playing. That’s special. When I’m not there I’ll watch the games on TV. I really suffered when Newcastle were relegated, but I was delighted when they went back up to the Premier League and followed it up by having a very good season. I think they can do even better, especially with such loyal supporters, who’ve never turned their back on the team, even when things weren’t going well. There are many more Brazilians playing in England today. Who is the pick of them as far as you are concerned? I like David Luiz of Chelsea a lot. He’s got a lot of quality and he’s one of the best central defenders in the world. Oscar, his team-mate at Chelsea, is doing a great job too despite the fact he doesn’t always start games. He’s definitely got a big future ahead of him. They’re fortunate in that they’re playing a very different and much easier game than the one I came across in my day. There are high-class players from all over the world everywhere you look now and they’re playing on perfect pitches. When I was there I even had to play on artificial pitches, like the one at Luton Town. The culture of English football is completely different today. What does your work at the Arena Castelao involve? I work as a manager for the teams that come and play here, taking care of everything to do with the pitch, the dressing rooms and the delegations. On matchdays I arrive at the stadium at nine in the morning and stay right till the end of the day. I’ve got the master key for the stadium (laughs). I really enjoy the job and being able to play a part in the Castelao project, which is a source of pride for all of us. We know how happy people are with the stadium. I never had the opportunity to participate in the World Cup as a player but I’m going to be taking part in one right here. We’re also looking forward to the FIFA Confederations Cup. Your office is right next to the memorial to Ceara football, a project you were directly involved in. Tell us about your role in it... I took a lot of inspiration from the experience I had at Newcastle, from the way that English clubs treat footballing idols. I think that’s something we can improve on in Brazil, and I hope that grounds like this and the other new stadiums that are being built can change the culture here. I contacted some former players who are big names on the Ceara football scene and recorded their stories for the memorial. It’s very important to protect this heritage. I’ve never been a vain kind of person, but I can honestly say that ex-footballers love being remembered and treated well after their careers are over. The Arena Castelao will stage a test event for the FIFA Confederations Cup this Sunday when Ceara take on local rivals Fortaleza in a derby known here as the Clássico-rei. How would you go about explaining the importance of the fixture to your friends from Newcastle or to visitors to the stadium? I’d say it’s a derby that doesn’t pale in comparison to Corinthians-Palmeiras, Newcastle-Sunderland or Liverpool-Manchester United. It’s the only topic of conversation here in the build-up to the game. People eat, sleep and drink this derby. I had the opportunity to take part in it as a player and a coach, which is far worse I can tell you. When I was playing I knew I could win the game, but when you’re a coach you always have to rely on others. I was lucky enough to be a champion with Fortaleza in both roles, and I strongly identify with the club as a result. Even so, my heart is coral pink, the colour of Ferroviario, the other big team here.

Ferguson: Dortmund are the dark horses re Sir Alex Ferguson believes Borussia Dortmund remain the UEFA Champions League dark horses - even though he thought AC Milan might spring a major surprise by beating Barcelona on Wednesday. Goals from former Portsmouth pair Kevin-Prince Boateng and Sulley Muntari proved enough to beat the overwhelming competition favourites at the San Siro, providing Barcelona with a stiff test if they are to retain an interest in the competition at the Nou Camp in three weeks' time. Bayern Munich have now been installed as favourites for the tournament, although that status is based mainly on the fact they are virtually certain to reach the last eight following their 3-1 win at Arsenal on Tuesday. Only Celtic's conquerors Juventus find themselves in a similarly advantageous position, although Paris St Germain also gained a narrower advantage from their away tie in Valencia. Ferguson, whose side entertain Real Madrid on 5 March having drawn the first leg at the Bernabeu, has watched the remainder of the ties with interest. And whilst he accepts the competition is tight, Dortmund, who, along with Real, ensured Manchester City did not make it through to the knock-out phase for the second season running, remain the side he would most wish to avoid. Their concentration is on the European Cup and their European form has been very good. Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson on Borussia Dortmund "It is a very open tournament," said Ferguson. "I fancied Milan last night. Over the last few years they have played Barcelona quite a few times but they have never been steamrollered. They have always been tight games. "I look at the AC Milan team now and they are all young lads in the team apart from Ambrosini. "Bayern have always had capable and confident teams. Last year they should have won the final and have added to their squad this year with Javi Martinez and Mario Mandzukic up front. They are going to have a chance. "But the dark horse is definitely Dortmund. "I don't think they are paying too much attention to the league. Their concentration is on the European Cup and their European form has been very good. "In addition you have got the two Spanish teams and Milan so it is a really tough competition this year. "But if we qualify against Madrid we will definitely come into the same bracket."

Ferguson: Dortmund are the dark horses Sir Alex Ferguson believes Borussia Dortmund remain the UEFA Champions League dark horses - even though he thought AC Milan might spring a major surprise by beating Barcelona on Wednesday. Goals from former Portsmouth pair Kevin-Prince Boateng and Sulley Muntari proved enough to beat the overwhelming competition favourites at the San Siro, providing Barcelona with a stiff test if they are to retain an interest in the competition at the Nou Camp in three weeks' time. Bayern Munich have now been installed as favourites for the tournament, although that status is based mainly on the fact they are virtually certain to reach the last eight following their 3-1 win at Arsenal on Tuesday. Only Celtic's conquerors Juventus find themselves in a similarly advantageous position, although Paris St Germain also gained a narrower advantage from their away tie in Valencia. Ferguson, whose side entertain Real Madrid on 5 March having drawn the first leg at the Bernabeu, has watched the remainder of the ties with interest. And whilst he accepts the competition is tight, Dortmund, who, along with Real, ensured Manchester City did not make it through to the knock-out phase for the second season running, remain the side he would most wish to avoid. Their concentration is on the European Cup and their European form has been very good. Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson on Borussia Dortmund "It is a very open tournament," said Ferguson. "I fancied Milan last night. Over the last few years they have played Barcelona quite a few times but they have never been steamrollered. They have always been tight games. "I look at the AC Milan team now and they are all young lads in the team apart from Ambrosini. "Bayern have always had capable and confident teams. Last year they should have won the final and have added to their squad this year with Javi Martinez and Mario Mandzukic up front. They are going to have a chance. "But the dark horse is definitely Dortmund. "I don't think they are paying too much attention to the league. Their concentration is on the European Cup and their European form has been very good. "In addition you have got the two Spanish teams and Milan so it is a really tough competition this year. "But if we qualify against Madrid we will definitely come into the same bracket."

Little Guam making giant strides A year can be a long time in football. And rarely has that cliché been more appropriate than in the case of Guam. The remote island nation in the north of the Pacific Ocean is used to welcoming tourists from Japan and USA, but football has rarely been in the spotlight. With very little historical pedigree on the international stage, Guam is suddenly, however, enjoying a massive growth spurt. Guam Football Association (GFA) was founded in 1975, and became a FIFA Member Association only in 1996. Historically forays into international football were rare and invariably painful for Guam. Their maiden participation in FIFA World Cup™ qualifying proved particularly agonising and began with a 19-0 loss against Iran; a then record scoreline for the world’s most enduring international football competition. Hefty defeats were common place, with the focus invariably on damage limitation. However, at the start of last year Guam appointed Gary White, an Englishman boasting a track-record of achievement with some of the globe’s smaller nations. The Southampton-born White started his international voyage with British Virgin Islands as a 24-year-old, preceding none other than current Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas in the role. There followed a lengthy and successful stint at the helm of Bahamas, helping the Caribbean nation to a massive rise in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking. And now White is intent on leaving his mark on another small nation with big ambitions. Shiny infrastructure and rapid change For much of the past century Guam has been governed by the United States, so it is little surprise that American sports have traditionally enjoyed the limelight. That is fast changing and football has recently become the most popular participation sport among the nation’s 200,000 inhabitants. FIFA’s Goal Programme provided financial assistance to help the GFA construct what White describes as a "world class facility". The national training centre houses a full-sized pitch, mini-pitches, and facilities for futsal and beach soccer. There is also an impressive accomodation complex that has hosted J.League and K-League teams. “I arrived last February and I have witnessed massive change,” White told FIFA.com. “In that period and before my time there has been huge growth and that is down to the vision and professionalism of the President Richard Lai, and the entire executive.” “The work people have done here done in recent years is extraordinary. A lot of time and effort has been put in to take the game to another level. Now we are starting to see the results on the pitch.” New horizons and fresh ambitions Guam's results might be relatively small steps but in the context of the nation’s football history they are massive strides. They recently participated in the final qualifying stage of the East Asian Football Federation Championship (EAFF), where their performances provided overwhelming evidence of remarkably rapid growth. In 2009, Guam lost 12-0 against Hong Kong. Fast forward three years to December’s EAFF and the Matao lost by a single goal against the same opponent. “Our players were in tears at the final whistle,” said White indirectly referencing the new-found ambition in the national team. Similarly, a 1-1 draw against Chinese Taipei contrasted markedly with heavy defeats in years gone by. “The first thing I did when I arrived was change the mentality to a more winning mentality and psychologically that has been huge,” White said. “We spend far more time on the tactical side and strategy. And we have a national style of playing in keeping with the modern game.” White has also introduced a form of Guamanian cultural engagement to football across all ages in the island nation. The national side adopted the moniker ‘Matao’, a traditional term that represents courage amongst the indigenous Chamorro population. Teams, both junior and senior, also perform a traditional chant (Inifresi) before each match, and even prior to training sessions. Now Guam again have the opportunity to test themselves against far-bigger and better resourced nations. Next month’s qualifiers for the AFC Challenge Cup pits Guam against India, Chinese Taipei and hosts Myanmar. On offer is passage to next year’s tournament in the Maldives, with the eventual champion to gain a berth among the continental elite at the 2015 AFC Asian Cup. Though the squad is youthful, a number ply their trade overseas including several, unsurprisingly, in the United States. Most notable is midfielder Ryan Guy who competes for Major League Soccer's New England Revolution. “We want to qualify, and we think we can do that,” said White of the looming challenge in Myanmar. “That would be the next step in our progression. We have a ten year plan to progress, and we are going to Myanmar to win it and again that comes back to our new mentality. If we have success, it gives the youngsters role models and something to aspire to.”

Blues edge through, Ajax outed on penalties place this evening in the UEFA Europa League, following six games that wrapped up earlier today. To start, Viktoria Plzen beat Serie A title hopefuls Napoli for the second time in a week to book their place in the last-16 for the first time. Plzen cantered to a 3-0 win in Naples last week and they completed a professional performance over two legs with a 2-0 victory tonight thanks to strikes by Jan Kovarik and Stanislav Tecl. Next up for Plzen is Fenerbahce, for whom Cristian Baroni's first-half penalty was enough see off ten-man BATE Borisov 1-0. With the scores goalless after the first leg, BATE's hopes were hit by the dismissal of Dmitri Baga, while Cristian's spot-kick was enough to see Fener scrape through. Steaua Bucharest dumped Dutch giants Ajax out in a penalty shoot-out to set up a last-16 clash with Chelsea. Ajax had won the first leg 2-0 but Iasmin Latovlevici's excellent first-half goal put Steaua ahead on the night and Vlad Chiriches struck from long range to force extra time. It was no less than the Romanian side deserved and following a goalless extra-time period, Latovlevici netted the winning penalty after Lasse Schone and Niklas Moisander had missed for Ajax. A Jamie Carragher error proved costly as Liverpool were edged out of the competition on away goals despite a 3-1 win on the night against Zenit St Petersburg. The veteran defender, making his 150th - and now last - European appearance, gifted Zenit's star forward Hulk a goal that gave the Russians a 3-0 aggregate lead. Liverpool responded as top scorer Luis Suarez fired in two free-kicks and Joe Allen struck from close range but Hulk's away goal was decisive as the tie ended 3-3. Substitute Eden Hazard saved Chelsea's blushes as his late goal secured a 1-1 home draw with Sparta Prague and a 2-1 aggregate win. Hazard netted in the final moments of the contest after David Lafata had earlier wiped out Chelsea's first-leg advantage as he fired in from close range after 17 minutes. Benfica saw off Bayer Leverkusen 3-1 on aggregate in their encounter in Portugal. Benfica held a 1-0 lead from the first leg in Germany thanks to Oscar Cardozo's goal, and their lead was doubled when Ola John found the net after an hour. Andre Schurrle equalised for Leverkusen on the night with 15 minutes to go, but Benfica restored their two-goal cushion two minutes later through Nemanja Matic. Benfica next play Bordeaux who progressed after a 2-1 aggregate win over Dynamo Kiev. A solitary goal by Cheick Diabate shortly before half-time was enough to guide Bordeaux through after the first leg in Ukraine ended 1-1. Anzhi Makhachkala set up a last-16 tie with Newcastle despite a 1-0 loss at Hannover. Trailing 3-1 from the first leg, Hannover threw everything they had at the Russians but only had Sergio Pinto's 70th-minute goal to show for it as Anzhi squeaked through. Lastly, Levante are through to a tie with Rubin Kazan after a 1-0 win at Olympiacos. The Spanish side held a 3-0 lead after the first leg and duly wrapped up a 4-0 aggregate win thanks to Obafemi Martins' early strike.

Colo Colo women break the mould Historically Colo Colo have been one of the standard bearers of Chilean football in continental championships. And while there is no shortage of facts and figures to back up that assertion, none carry more weight that their 1991 achievement of becoming the country’s first club to win the Copa Libertadores. Fast forward to November 2012 and, with one of the players from that 1991 triumph at the helm, Colo Colo once again did the club and Chile proud by winning their first Copa Libertadores Femenina. “It’s a very significant title as it underlines the club’s great impact in what is the national sport,” said coach Jose Letelier in an exclusive interview with FIFA.com. “It’s also fundamentally a social achievement, as we’re talking about an institution that has given women their place in this sport,” added the former Cacique goalkeeper. His assertion will come as no surprise to followers of this story. Indeed, in the immediate aftermath of his side’s historic triumph in Recife, where they saw off Foz Cataratas 4-2 on penalties after a 0-0 draw, Letelier made a point of putting the triumph in perspective. “This is for all Chileans and everyone working in the women’s game, from the clubs to the national team. We’re all part of this success. We want to involve everyone in this and exclude no one,” said the coach on that unforgettable November night. Key to success A brief look back at the history of this competition illustrates the magnitude of El Cacique’s achievement. In the three previous editions of the tournament, the winners had come from Brazil, the leading exponent of the women’s game in South America. Colo Colo did, however, signal their intent in 2011 when, to the surprise of many, they made it to the final of the continental showpiece. And while they only went down 1-0 to a strong Sao Jose EC side on that occasion, it raised the question of whether the team was ready to make the step up. It shouldn’t depend on whether a title is won or not, it should be about creating institutional policies that put an emphasis on this sport and help it develop in Chile. Jose Letelier, Colo Colo coach. Part of the answer can be drawn from their results during the prestigious tournament itself. Colo Colo finished their Group C campaign unbeaten, though they were pipped to top spot by Brazil’s Vitoria on goal difference. Boasting the best record of the three second-placed teams, El Cacique progressed to the semi-finals where, as fate would have it, they met Vitoria once more – given the latter had the best record of the three group winners. A thrilling 4-3 success sent the Chilean outfit through to the final, where they faced Foz Cataratas, winners of an all-Brazilian semi against reigning champions Sao Jose EC. Filling in the rest of the gaps was coach Letelier, who gave his verdict on the keys to his team’s continental triumph. “On the one hand, we assembled a group of excellent people, who were committed to what we wanted to achieve,” said the 49-year-old supremo. “On the other, the squad was mentally very strong. The players were ready to compete at such a demanding level and were determined not to let another opportunity slip by. Just think, we played the competition in Brazil, we met three Brazilian teams along the way, we didn’t lose to any of them and we took the title,” added the coach, whose team sealed the Copa when Gloria Villamayor converted the clinching penalty in the shoot-out. Looking ahead When quizzed about the far-reaching effects of Colo Colo’s success on the Chilean women’s game, Letelier preferred to err on the side of caution: “It’s hard to predict right now, since there are a lot of factors involved. "It shouldn’t depend on whether a title is won or not, it should be about creating institutional policies that put an emphasis on this sport and help it develop in Chile. That’s because as long as the resources aren’t there, it’ll be a struggle to take any successes to the next level.” In addition to his team’s Libertadores win, there have been enough encouraging signs from the women’s scene in Chile, Colombia and Uruguay in recent years to suggest the gap between Brazil and the rest is narrowing. “It’s all relative,” said Letelier, who has guided Colo Colo to five domestic championships. “The gap can narrow or widen in part due to the economic resources available, but it’ll be sustained hard work over time that decides whether teams can stay at the top. “In order to make women’s football thrive more here, both FIFA, as a global body, and CONMEBOL, in South American terms, must keep showing vision,” added Letelier, as the conversation drew to a close. “They need to keep insisting that it’s worthwhile bringing more women into football, which is such an exciting sport.”

Dembele sends Spurs through with Newcastle ( A last-gasp goal from Mousa Dembele booked Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur a place in the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League in today's afternoon match-ups as he rescued a 3-2 aggregate win over French hosts Lyon. Spurs, who now face Inter Milan, had won the opening encounter 2-1 but trailed for much of the match to a 17th-minute goal from Maxime Gonalons before a cracking drive from Dembele rescued the Londoners and saved them from an exit on away goals. Joining Spurs in the next round were fellow English travellers Newcastle United, who thanked Shola Ameobi's third European goal of the season for a 1-0 win at Metalist Kharkiv, the Ukrainians who held the Magpies to a goalless stalemate on Tyneside last week. Newcastle were under pressure for much of the match and Dutch keeper Tim Krul made several top drawer saves, before Ameobi struck on 64 minutes for a crucial away goal. In another afternoon fixture, Russia's Rubin Kazan put out holders Atletico Madrid 2-1 on aggregate despite Falcao giving the Spaniards the win by the only goal on the night. Inter, European Cup winners in 2010, went through after a 3-0 romp at ten-man Cluj for a 5-0 aggregate success. Colombian star Fredy Guarin scored a brace for Inter with Marco Benassi adding the third. Elsewhere in early action, Germany's Stuttgart won 2-0 at Belgium's Genk for a 3-1 aggregate win while Italy's Lazio defeated German rivals Borussia Moenchengladbach 2-0 with Antonio Candreva and Alvaro Gonzalez the scorers in the first half as the Romans progressed 5-3 overall.

Chelsea duo reflect on Wembley showdown Chelsea stars Gary Cahill and David Luiz reflected on a memorable match between two of international football’s heavyweights, with the England star excited about the future for the Three Lions. Speaking to FIFA.com after England had defeated Brazil 2-1 at Wembley to begin the FA’s 150th anniversary year, it was clear the Stamford Bridge duo enjoyed the showpiece event. “It’s a great occasion, obviously a big game for everybody and a great win,” Cahill said. “I think we played some fantastic football, it was one of the better performances at Wembley and there are a lot of positives to take from the game. We had a lot of good individual performances out there against what is a class outfit.” Cahill was visibly disappointed with himself after conceding possession in the build-up to the Brazil equaliser. “The nature of my position is that you play well for 89 minutes but you can make a mistake like that and it spoils your night. I was pleased that we showed character to come back. “It was out of character for myself, that was the most annoying thing. I thought we defended really well as a team tonight,” he said. “Well 99 per cent of the time. But it’s part of my character to pick myself up and get on with it.” Cahill’s error did not impact the result, as England’s front-line pressed the Brazilian defence and Frank Lampard grabbed the winner on the hour-mark. “We’ve got people that can unlock the door, it was great from the team and we kept plugging away. It’s what I’ve come to expect from Frank. We have a lot of dangerous players, some with pace and it’s great to play alongside these players.” With pacy attacking talent like Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck, the former Bolton Wanderers and Aston Villa defender is looking forward to the future under Roy Hodgson. “It’s a very exciting and young squad, we’re only going to improve and get better. Everybody will be talking about how well we played tonight and rightly so. It’s important to get that blend of youth and experience. But even a lot of the youngsters are playing in massive games for their clubs and everybody’s learning all the time. Cahill’s Stamford Bridge colleague David Luiz was disappointed with the outcome, but is already looking forward to the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ in his homeland. “It was a great night against a big team but we are not happy with the result. We need to take the positives out of every game. Tonight was a good game against a side which is physically different to us. "We had probably 40 per cent of our players who are just starting with us now so it’s different. I want to win the World Cup next year and I know Brazil. We will win.” Cahill was diplomatic about his side’s chances for the return fixture in June, and seemed optimistic about the FIFA World Cup qualifiers to come. “Let’s not get carried away! We’ll enjoy tonight and obviously they’re a class outfit and it’ll be tough. It’s great for us to move into the qualification games with a good result. There are a load of positives to take into the World Cup qualifiers, if we can play like that we won’t go far wrong."

England and Germany lay down markers Wednesday’s set of friendly fixtures saw four former winners of the FIFA World Cup™ demonstrate that they will likely be forces to be reckoned with next summer, as Argentina, Germany, England and Spain registered impressive victories over Sweden, France, Brazil and Uruguay respectively. It was not, however, a night to remember for the aforementioned South American nations, who failed to get the best out of their supremely talented attack-minded players on the night. FIFA.com rounds up all the action from a busy evening of international encounters. The big match England 2-1 Brazil Goals: Wayne Rooney 26, Frank Lampard 60 (England); Fred 49 (Brazil) Luiz Felipe Scolari is likely to have departed Wembley Stadium with much to ponder, as he attempts to steer a Brazil side that has slipped to 18th spot in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking – their lowest placing since the system was established – firmly back on track. The match started in disappointing fashion for the returning Ronaldinho, whose penalty and rebound attempt were brilliantly saved by England goalkeeper Joe Hart. The Atletico Mineiro star seemingly failed to recover from the miss, and remained in the changing rooms at half-time. In the meantime, Wayne Rooney had given the Three Lions the lead, guiding home a ball parried by Brazil No1 Julio Cesar, who otherwise had another excellent 90 minutes. After the break, Scolari reshuffled his pack, bringing on Fred to partner Neymar, with Oscar slotting into the playmaker role and Lucas inserted on the right. England struggled to deal with the changes, allowing Fred in to equalise with a left-footed effort. At that point, it appeared as if the game could go either way, but it was Roy Hodgson’s charges who rose to the occasion, securing a 2-1 triumph with a trademark first-time shot from Frank Lampard. The away side will not have long to wait to attempt to gain their revenge, as a return match is scheduled for 2 June in Brazil. France 1-2 Germany France’s good run of results was brought to an end by a solid German XI, for whom Ilkay Gundogan was outstanding in midfield. Despite the absence of numerous first-team players, Die Nationalelf put in a controlled performance that handed Didier Deschamps just his second defeat as France coach, and also made up for the Germans’ home loss to the same team last year in the process. Les Bleus, with Franck Ribery in fine form, did manage to initially pull ahead, however, Mathieu Valbuena taking advantage of slack defending to score. But this turn of events only served to motivate the Germans in the second half, as Gundogan won the ball in the middle of the park and fed Thomas Muller, who made no mistake. Fifteen minutes from time, a stunning pass by Mesut Ozil found Real Madrid team-mate Sami Khedira, whose clinical finish left France custodian Hugo Lloris with no chance. Spain 3-1 Uruguay The world champions were made to dig deep versus Copa America holders Uruguay in Qatar, on a pristine Doha surface that was not dissimilar to a golfing green. Vicente Del Bosque was forced to make do without several injured regulars, but still managed to field a strong line-up that included seven Barcelona players. One of those, Cesc Fabregas, recorded the opening goal after a terrible handling error by Uruguayan ’keeper Fernando Muslera, before setting up Pedro beautifully in the second half for Spain’s third. Sandwiched in between those strikes were two other goals, Pedro’s first of the night, and a fine Uruguayan equaliser, scored by Cristian Rodriguez. In fact, La Celeste created a plethora of chances via Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, and entertained the crowd throughout with their attacking intentions, but defensive lapses – so painfully evident in their current FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign – cost them dearly in the end. The result provided Del Bosque, in charge of La Roja since 2008, with an excuse for a double celebration, having equalled the record held by Ladislao Kubala (1969-80) of 68 matches at the helm. The former Besiktas coach’s results during this period have been nothing short of exceptional: 57 wins, five draws and six defeats. Netherlands 1-1 Italy For 80 minutes, a youthful Netherlands team dominated Italy, forcing Gianluigi Buffon into several top-class saves. Jeremain Lens stylishly gave the Dutch the lead, and La Nazionale were subsequently fortunate to not concede again. The home side were unable to build on their advantage, however, and Marco Verratti duly grabbed an injury-time leveller, sweeping the ball into the net after excellent interplay inside the box. The game is sure to have provided Dutch supremo Louis Van Gaal with some useful pointers, especially as neither Wesley Sneijder, Rafael Van Der Vaart nor Arjen Robben were part of the starting line-up in Amsterdam. At the other end of the pitch, the much-hyped appearances of Mario Ballotelli and Stephan El Shaarawy failed to live up to pre-match expectations. Sweden 2-3 Argentina The encounter may have been billed as a Lionel Messi-Zlatan Ibrahimovic duel, but it was other performers who stepped up to the mark on the night, with Angel Di Maria and goalscorers Gonzalo Higuain and Sergio Aguero in sparkling form. Well organised and highly adept at lightning-quick counter-attacks, Argentina controlled the first half without having to rely too much on Messi. Di Maria was particularly productive, setting up two goals to give La Albiceleste a 3-1 half-time lead. Ibrahimovic then came off at the break, and could only watch from the sidelines as the South Americans missed a host of chances. Rasmus Elm’s successful last-minute free-kick reduced the gap, but it was a case of too little too late for the Swedes. Portugal 2-3 Ecuador Lying third in their 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil qualifying group with a five-point deficit to make up on Russia, Portugal did little to reassure their fans in an entertaining clash with Ecuador, surprisingly going down 3-2 at home. Manchester United’s Antonio Valencia gave La Tri an early lead, but Cristiano Ronaldo drew the Lusitanians level, before Helder Postiga made it 2-1. Joao Pereira got the Ecuadorians back into the match, and Felipe Caicedo completed the turnaround twenty minutes from the final whistle. In some of the other matches played on Wednesday, Bosnia-Herzegovina dispatched Slovenia 3-0 away from home, while Macedonia saw off Denmark by the same scoreline. Alberto Zaccheroni’s Japan also beat Latvia 3-0, in a match that featured a double from Shinji Okazaki, and Croatia went one better versus Korea Republic in London, defeating the Asians 4-0. Other notable results included Chile’s 2-1 win over Egypt and Serbia’s 3-1 victory in Cyprus, during which Twente’s Dusan Tadic struck a brace. The player Having been criticised for some off-colour displays for Real Madrid this season, Angel Di Maria put in one of his best-ever performances for Argentina against Sweden. The significant mental boost he received from his brace in Real’s recent 5-0 win in Valencia was evident in his eye-catching play, which propelled his team-mates to a well-deserved 3-2 victory in what was the skilful winger’s 36th appearance for his country. The goal France 1-0 Germany, Mathieu Valbuena 44 The smallest player on the pitch, Valbuena succeeded in evading two towering German defenders in the shape of Per Mertesacker and Mats Hummels to nod France into a 1-0 lead. After Karim Benzema’s free-kick had come back off the crossbar, the diminutive forward was first to react to Moussa Sissoko’s cushioned headed pass. The stat 200 – The number of international appearances that English full-back Ashley Cole and Spanish stalwart Carles Puyol collectively have under their belts, after both joined the elite 100-cap club on Wednesday. Cole, 32 years of age, made his England debut in a 3-1 win over Albania on 28 March 2001, four months later than the 34-year-old Puyol, who was awarded his first cap on 15 November 2000 in a 2-1 loss to the Netherlands. Whereas the Barça defender has three goals to his name, the Chelsea man has yet to find the net for his country. Just six players in England and in Spain had previously reached or surpassed this symbolic total. Have your say Will Brazil be ready for the challenge of a FIFA World Cup on home soil next year?

England and Germany lay down markers Wednesday’s set of friendly fixtures saw four former winners of the FIFA World Cup™ demonstrate that they will likely be forces to be reckoned with next summer, as Argentina, Germany, England and Spain registered impressive victories over Sweden, France, Brazil and Uruguay respectively. It was not, however, a night to remember for the aforementioned South American nations, who failed to get the best out of their supremely talented attack-minded players on the night. FIFA.com rounds up all the action from a busy evening of international encounters. The big match England 2-1 Brazil Goals: Wayne Rooney 26, Frank Lampard 60 (England); Fred 49 (Brazil) Luiz Felipe Scolari is likely to have departed Wembley Stadium with much to ponder, as he attempts to steer a Brazil side that has slipped to 18th spot in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking – their lowest placing since the system was established – firmly back on track. The match started in disappointing fashion for the returning Ronaldinho, whose penalty and rebound attempt were brilliantly saved by England goalkeeper Joe Hart. The Atletico Mineiro star seemingly failed to recover from the miss, and remained in the changing rooms at half-time. In the meantime, Wayne Rooney had given the Three Lions the lead, guiding home a ball parried by Brazil No1 Julio Cesar, who otherwise had another excellent 90 minutes. After the break, Scolari reshuffled his pack, bringing on Fred to partner Neymar, with Oscar slotting into the playmaker role and Lucas inserted on the right. England struggled to deal with the changes, allowing Fred in to equalise with a left-footed effort. At that point, it appeared as if the game could go either way, but it was Roy Hodgson’s charges who rose to the occasion, securing a 2-1 triumph with a trademark first-time shot from Frank Lampard. The away side will not have long to wait to attempt to gain their revenge, as a return match is scheduled for 2 June in Brazil. France 1-2 Germany France’s good run of results was brought to an end by a solid German XI, for whom Ilkay Gundogan was outstanding in midfield. Despite the absence of numerous first-team players, Die Nationalelf put in a controlled performance that handed Didier Deschamps just his second defeat as France coach, and also made up for the Germans’ home loss to the same team last year in the process. Les Bleus, with Franck Ribery in fine form, did manage to initially pull ahead, however, Mathieu Valbuena taking advantage of slack defending to score. But this turn of events only served to motivate the Germans in the second half, as Gundogan won the ball in the middle of the park and fed Thomas Muller, who made no mistake. Fifteen minutes from time, a stunning pass by Mesut Ozil found Real Madrid team-mate Sami Khedira, whose clinical finish left France custodian Hugo Lloris with no chance. Spain 3-1 Uruguay The world champions were made to dig deep versus Copa America holders Uruguay in Qatar, on a pristine Doha surface that was not dissimilar to a golfing green. Vicente Del Bosque was forced to make do without several injured regulars, but still managed to field a strong line-up that included seven Barcelona players. One of those, Cesc Fabregas, recorded the opening goal after a terrible handling error by Uruguayan ’keeper Fernando Muslera, before setting up Pedro beautifully in the second half for Spain’s third. Sandwiched in between those strikes were two other goals, Pedro’s first of the night, and a fine Uruguayan equaliser, scored by Cristian Rodriguez. In fact, La Celeste created a plethora of chances via Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, and entertained the crowd throughout with their attacking intentions, but defensive lapses – so painfully evident in their current FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign – cost them dearly in the end. The result provided Del Bosque, in charge of La Roja since 2008, with an excuse for a double celebration, having equalled the record held by Ladislao Kubala (1969-80) of 68 matches at the helm. The former Besiktas coach’s results during this period have been nothing short of exceptional: 57 wins, five draws and six defeats. Netherlands 1-1 Italy For 80 minutes, a youthful Netherlands team dominated Italy, forcing Gianluigi Buffon into several top-class saves. Jeremain Lens stylishly gave the Dutch the lead, and La Nazionale were subsequently fortunate to not concede again. The home side were unable to build on their advantage, however, and Marco Verratti duly grabbed an injury-time leveller, sweeping the ball into the net after excellent interplay inside the box. The game is sure to have provided Dutch supremo Louis Van Gaal with some useful pointers, especially as neither Wesley Sneijder, Rafael Van Der Vaart nor Arjen Robben were part of the starting line-up in Amsterdam. At the other end of the pitch, the much-hyped appearances of Mario Ballotelli and Stephan El Shaarawy failed to live up to pre-match expectations. Sweden 2-3 Argentina The encounter may have been billed as a Lionel Messi-Zlatan Ibrahimovic duel, but it was other performers who stepped up to the mark on the night, with Angel Di Maria and goalscorers Gonzalo Higuain and Sergio Aguero in sparkling form. Well organised and highly adept at lightning-quick counter-attacks, Argentina controlled the first half without having to rely too much on Messi. Di Maria was particularly productive, setting up two goals to give La Albiceleste a 3-1 half-time lead. Ibrahimovic then came off at the break, and could only watch from the sidelines as the South Americans missed a host of chances. Rasmus Elm’s successful last-minute free-kick reduced the gap, but it was a case of too little too late for the Swedes. Portugal 2-3 Ecuador Lying third in their 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil qualifying group with a five-point deficit to make up on Russia, Portugal did little to reassure their fans in an entertaining clash with Ecuador, surprisingly going down 3-2 at home. Manchester United’s Antonio Valencia gave La Tri an early lead, but Cristiano Ronaldo drew the Lusitanians level, before Helder Postiga made it 2-1. Joao Pereira got the Ecuadorians back into the match, and Felipe Caicedo completed the turnaround twenty minutes from the final whistle. In some of the other matches played on Wednesday, Bosnia-Herzegovina dispatched Slovenia 3-0 away from home, while Macedonia saw off Denmark by the same scoreline. Alberto Zaccheroni’s Japan also beat Latvia 3-0, in a match that featured a double from Shinji Okazaki, and Croatia went one better versus Korea Republic in London, defeating the Asians 4-0. Other notable results included Chile’s 2-1 win over Egypt and Serbia’s 3-1 victory in Cyprus, during which Twente’s Dusan Tadic struck a brace. The player Having been criticised for some off-colour displays for Real Madrid this season, Angel Di Maria put in one of his best-ever performances for Argentina against Sweden. The significant mental boost he received from his brace in Real’s recent 5-0 win in Valencia was evident in his eye-catching play, which propelled his team-mates to a well-deserved 3-2 victory in what was the skilful winger’s 36th appearance for his country. The goal France 1-0 Germany, Mathieu Valbuena 44 The smallest player on the pitch, Valbuena succeeded in evading two towering German defenders in the shape of Per Mertesacker and Mats Hummels to nod France into a 1-0 lead. After Karim Benzema’s free-kick had come back off the crossbar, the diminutive forward was first to react to Moussa Sissoko’s cushioned headed pass. The stat 200 – The number of international appearances that English full-back Ashley Cole and Spanish stalwart Carles Puyol collectively have under their belts, after both joined the elite 100-cap club on Wednesday. Cole, 32 years of age, made his England debut in a 3-1 win over Albania on 28 March 2001, four months later than the 34-year-old Puyol, who was awarded his first cap on 15 November 2000 in a 2-1 loss to the Netherlands. Whereas the Barça defender has three goals to his name, the Chelsea man has yet to find the net for his country. Just six players in England and in Spain had previously reached or surpassed this symbolic total. Have your say Will Brazil be ready for the challenge of a FIFA World Cup on home soil next year?

England and Germany lay down markers ( Wednesday’s set of friendly fixtures saw four former winners of the FIFA World Cup™ demonstrate that they will likely be forces to be reckoned with next summer, as Argentina, Germany, England and Spain registered impressive victories over Sweden, France, Brazil and Uruguay respectively. It was not, however, a night to remember for the aforementioned South American nations, who failed to get the best out of their supremely talented attack-minded players on the night. FIFA.com rounds up all the action from a busy evening of international encounters. The big match England 2-1 Brazil Goals: Wayne Rooney 26, Frank Lampard 60 (England); Fred 49 (Brazil) Luiz Felipe Scolari is likely to have departed Wembley Stadium with much to ponder, as he attempts to steer a Brazil side that has slipped to 18th spot in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking – their lowest placing since the system was established – firmly back on track. The match started in disappointing fashion for the returning Ronaldinho, whose penalty and rebound attempt were brilliantly saved by England goalkeeper Joe Hart. The Atletico Mineiro star seemingly failed to recover from the miss, and remained in the changing rooms at half-time. In the meantime, Wayne Rooney had given the Three Lions the lead, guiding home a ball parried by Brazil No1 Julio Cesar, who otherwise had another excellent 90 minutes. After the break, Scolari reshuffled his pack, bringing on Fred to partner Neymar, with Oscar slotting into the playmaker role and Lucas inserted on the right. England struggled to deal with the changes, allowing Fred in to equalise with a left-footed effort. At that point, it appeared as if the game could go either way, but it was Roy Hodgson’s charges who rose to the occasion, securing a 2-1 triumph with a trademark first-time shot from Frank Lampard. The away side will not have long to wait to attempt to gain their revenge, as a return match is scheduled for 2 June in Brazil. France 1-2 Germany France’s good run of results was brought to an end by a solid German XI, for whom Ilkay Gundogan was outstanding in midfield. Despite the absence of numerous first-team players, Die Nationalelf put in a controlled performance that handed Didier Deschamps just his second defeat as France coach, and also made up for the Germans’ home loss to the same team last year in the process. Les Bleus, with Franck Ribery in fine form, did manage to initially pull ahead, however, Mathieu Valbuena taking advantage of slack defending to score. But this turn of events only served to motivate the Germans in the second half, as Gundogan won the ball in the middle of the park and fed Thomas Muller, who made no mistake. Fifteen minutes from time, a stunning pass by Mesut Ozil found Real Madrid team-mate Sami Khedira, whose clinical finish left France custodian Hugo Lloris with no chance. Spain 3-1 Uruguay The world champions were made to dig deep versus Copa America holders Uruguay in Qatar, on a pristine Doha surface that was not dissimilar to a golfing green. Vicente Del Bosque was forced to make do without several injured regulars, but still managed to field a strong line-up that included seven Barcelona players. One of those, Cesc Fabregas, recorded the opening goal after a terrible handling error by Uruguayan ’keeper Fernando Muslera, before setting up Pedro beautifully in the second half for Spain’s third. Sandwiched in between those strikes were two other goals, Pedro’s first of the night, and a fine Uruguayan equaliser, scored by Cristian Rodriguez. In fact, La Celeste created a plethora of chances via Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, and entertained the crowd throughout with their attacking intentions, but defensive lapses – so painfully evident in their current FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign – cost them dearly in the end. The result provided Del Bosque, in charge of La Roja since 2008, with an excuse for a double celebration, having equalled the record held by Ladislao Kubala (1969-80) of 68 matches at the helm. The former Besiktas coach’s results during this period have been nothing short of exceptional: 57 wins, five draws and six defeats. Netherlands 1-1 Italy For 80 minutes, a youthful Netherlands team dominated Italy, forcing Gianluigi Buffon into several top-class saves. Jeremain Lens stylishly gave the Dutch the lead, and La Nazionale were subsequently fortunate to not concede again. The home side were unable to build on their advantage, however, and Marco Verratti duly grabbed an injury-time leveller, sweeping the ball into the net after excellent interplay inside the box. The game is sure to have provided Dutch supremo Louis Van Gaal with some useful pointers, especially as neither Wesley Sneijder, Rafael Van Der Vaart nor Arjen Robben were part of the starting line-up in Amsterdam. At the other end of the pitch, the much-hyped appearances of Mario Ballotelli and Stephan El Shaarawy failed to live up to pre-match expectations. Sweden 2-3 Argentina The encounter may have been billed as a Lionel Messi-Zlatan Ibrahimovic duel, but it was other performers who stepped up to the mark on the night, with Angel Di Maria and goalscorers Gonzalo Higuain and Sergio Aguero in sparkling form. Well organised and highly adept at lightning-quick counter-attacks, Argentina controlled the first half without having to rely too much on Messi. Di Maria was particularly productive, setting up two goals to give La Albiceleste a 3-1 half-time lead. Ibrahimovic then came off at the break, and could only watch from the sidelines as the South Americans missed a host of chances. Rasmus Elm’s successful last-minute free-kick reduced the gap, but it was a case of too little too late for the Swedes. Portugal 2-3 Ecuador Lying third in their 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil qualifying group with a five-point deficit to make up on Russia, Portugal did little to reassure their fans in an entertaining clash with Ecuador, surprisingly going down 3-2 at home. Manchester United’s Antonio Valencia gave La Tri an early lead, but Cristiano Ronaldo drew the Lusitanians level, before Helder Postiga made it 2-1. Joao Pereira got the Ecuadorians back into the match, and Felipe Caicedo completed the turnaround twenty minutes from the final whistle. In some of the other matches played on Wednesday, Bosnia-Herzegovina dispatched Slovenia 3-0 away from home, while Macedonia saw off Denmark by the same scoreline. Alberto Zaccheroni’s Japan also beat Latvia 3-0, in a match that featured a double from Shinji Okazaki, and Croatia went one better versus Korea Republic in London, defeating the Asians 4-0. Other notable results included Chile’s 2-1 win over Egypt and Serbia’s 3-1 victory in Cyprus, during which Twente’s Dusan Tadic struck a brace. The player Having been criticised for some off-colour displays for Real Madrid this season, Angel Di Maria put in one of his best-ever performances for Argentina against Sweden. The significant mental boost he received from his brace in Real’s recent 5-0 win in Valencia was evident in his eye-catching play, which propelled his team-mates to a well-deserved 3-2 victory in what was the skilful winger’s 36th appearance for his country. The goal France 1-0 Germany, Mathieu Valbuena 44 The smallest player on the pitch, Valbuena succeeded in evading two towering German defenders in the shape of Per Mertesacker and Mats Hummels to nod France into a 1-0 lead. After Karim Benzema’s free-kick had come back off the crossbar, the diminutive forward was first to react to Moussa Sissoko’s cushioned headed pass. The stat 200 – The number of international appearances that English full-back Ashley Cole and Spanish stalwart Carles Puyol collectively have under their belts, after both joined the elite 100-cap club on Wednesday. Cole, 32 years of age, made his England debut in a 3-1 win over Albania on 28 March 2001, four months later than the 34-year-old Puyol, who was awarded his first cap on 15 November 2000 in a 2-1 loss to the Netherlands. Whereas the Barça defender has three goals to his name, the Chelsea man has yet to find the net for his country. Just six players in England and in Spain had previously reached or surpassed this symbolic total. Have your say Will Brazil be ready for the challenge of a FIFA World Cup on home soil next year?

Jamaican joy as USA, Mexico suffer © AFP THE DAY REPLAYED – Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz pulled off a stunning result, drawing Mexico 0-0 at the fabled Estadio Azteca to open the final ‘Hexagonal’ round of FIFA World Cup™ qualifying in North, Central America and the Caribbean. Elsewhere, Jurgen Klinsmann got a rude introduction to the so-called ‘Hex’ as his USA were beaten 2-1 on the road by Honduras, while Panama blew a two-goal lead to draw with Costa Rica. FIFA.com wraps up an eventful evening in CONCACAF. The big game Honduras 2-1 USA Klinsmann’s Americans wilted in the humidity of San Pedro Sula, suffering their first loss in a Hexagonal opener since the format was adopted in 1998. The German boss opted for an inexperienced, new-look rearguard, with captain and veteran Carlos Bocanegra left on the bench. Even so, the Americans opened the scoring after 36 minutes, Clint Dempsey latching onto a brilliant chipped ball from Jermaine Jones to volley into the top corner. The dream didn’t last, however, and Honduras equalised via a Juan Carlos Garcia stunner five minutes before the interval. From there on, the visitors, who lacked a creative spark, lost their way, looking a decidedly uninspired lot. Honduras made certain of all three points when Jerry Bengston, who plays his club football in the US with New England Revolution, took advantage of a defensive miscue with eleven minutes to play. In other action Costa Rica came back from a two-goal deficit to draw 2-2 on the road against Panama. Los Canaleros were rewarded for their frenzied early pressure, opening the scoring after 16 minutes when Luis Henriquez cut inside and struck from just inside the area. Roman Torres doubled the lead eleven minutes later, volleying home from close range after brilliant approach work by young sensation Marcos Sanchez. But Costa Rica, recently crowned champions of Central America, rebounded in style. Top scorer Alvaro Saborio bagged his seventh goal in qualifying to cut the deficit before the interval. Fulham schemer Bryan Ruiz, who had a fairly quiet game up to that point, then went on to steal a share of the spoils with an improvised overhead kick in the 84th minute. Jamaica made history with a 0-0 draw against Mexico at their much-feared Estadio Azteca. The Mexicans, reigning Olympic and CONCACAF champions, looked out of sorts from the start, despite having such household names as Giovani Dos Santos, Javier Chicharito Hernandez and Andres Guardado in the side. And when they trudged off the pitch to a chorus of boos and clenched fists from their own fans, they will have breathed a sigh of relief. It was a game Mexico could well have lost. Ryan Johnson started as lone striker for the Reggae Boyz, hitting the post once and missing two golden opportunities. One wonders what top scorer Luton Shelton, who missed the match through injury, might have done with similar chances. In the end, the point is a famous one for the Jamaicans. It is their first-ever at the Azteca, and fittingly it came on the birthday of late reggae star Bob Marley, who so loved his football. Player of the day – Donovan Ricketts (JAM) The gigantic USA-based shot-stopper had the game of his life in Mexico City, making save after save to deny the much-fancied El Tri strikers and pulling every cross out of the air with calm and ease. In the 48th minute, the Montego Bay-born keeper got down like a snap to deny a quick-fire shot from Oribe Peralta, and in the dying moments he twice denied Manchester United ace Chicharito to keep the scoresheet clean. Goal of the day - Juan Carlos Garcia Honduras-USA, 40’ Just four minutes after Clint Dempsey silenced the San Pedro Sula crowd with a cleverly volleyed opener, Juan Carlos Garcia sent the home fans into raptures with an outrageous, acrobatic equaliser. A long, looping corner-kick was collected wide on the right by Victor Bernardez, who lofted the ball back into the penalty area. Maynor Figueroa chested it forward, where Garcia, a burly defender for local giants Olimpia, slammed home an overhead bicycle-kick that would make any striker jealous. The number 24 – The number of matches in Mexico’s winning streak in qualifying at the Azteca. Their draw with the Jamaicans is the first time they failed to win there since losing to Costa Rica – their only defeat in qualifying at the Azteca – in 2001. One wonders if the mystique of the old stadium is fading, as USA managed their first-ever win at the ground in a friendly late last year. What they said “We made too many mistakes and too many players didn’t play up to their potential. When you lose a game, there are reasons for it. The reason tonight was that too many players were below their usual performance,” US coach Klinsmann on the loss in Honduras, the fourth straight road qualifier in which the Americans have surrendered a lead. CONCACAF fourth round ‘Hexagonal,’ matchday one Honduras 2-1 USA Panama 2-2 Costa Rica Mexico 0-0 Jamaica Up next 22 March 2013 Honduras-Mexico Jamaica-Panama USA-Costa Rica

President Blatter attends the XXI Commonwealth Cup FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter visited Russia on 18 January for the opening of the XXI Commonwealth Cup, a competition he has been attending every year for the last 20 years. The competition brings together U-21 teams from Eastern Europe and Central Asia. This year, Belarus, Latvia, Estonia, Tajikistan (Group A), Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan (Group B) and Ukraine, Lithuania, Moldova, Turkmenistan (Group C) are all competing for a place in the final which will take place on 27 January 2013. Present at the opening ceremony were a number of dignitaries alongside the FIFA President, including Sports Minister and FIFA Executive Committee Member Vitaly Mutko, the Vice-Governor of St. Petersburg Vassili Kitigi, the Governor of St. Petersburg Region Alexander Drozdenko, the President of the Football Union of Russia, Nikolai Tolstykh and the CEO of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ Local Organising Committee Alexey Sorokin. At this opening ceremony, Blatter first mentioned his "respect and emotions on this special day, as it's exactly 70 years that Leningrad, now St Petersburg, saw the end of its blockade. My thoughts are with the city and the population." The FIFA President was referring to the Siege of Leningrad, also known as the Leningrad Blockade, which was a prolonged military operation undertaken by the German Army against Leningrad during the second World War (8 September 1941 - 18 January 1943). President Blatter continued, speaking in Russian, saying: "Football has no borders, that's why I have come here for 20 years, because the Commonwealth Cup unifies people. With the FIFA World Cup 2018, it's people from the entire world who will gather, because football is more than a game.” On Saturday 19 January, the President will meet representatives of Member Associations of the region. (Total comments 1)

Del Neri dismissed from Genoa post Genoa have sacked Luigi Del Neri following today's 2-0 home defeat to Catania. Del Neri only replaced Luigi Del Canio at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris on 24 October but a run of just two wins from 13 games sees the club languishing in the Serie A relegation places. A statement on Genoa's official website tonight read: "Genoa announce that it has dismissed coach Luigi Del Neri. "The club wishes to thank Mr Del Neri, and his team of assistants, Francesco Conti, Maurizio D'Angelo and Luca Alimonta, for their efforts during this period." The club have yet to name a replacement, but former coach Davide Ballardini has been linked with the post in the Italian media.

Galatasaray confirm deal for Sneijder Galatasaray have agreed a deal to sign Netherlands midfielder Wesley Sneijder from Inter Milan, the Turkish club have confirmed. The 28-year-old has been locked in contract talks with Galatasaray since Inter accepted a €10 million bid for his services two weeks ago. A statement on galatasaray.org read: "The transfer of Wesley Sneijder from Inter Milan has been agreed. The conditions of the deal will be made public and the player will sign the contract after health checks." A short conversation between Inter president Massimo Moratti and Sneijder was released on the Serie A club's website earlier this evening, in which both parties revealed the Dutch international was close to calling time on a successful spell at the San Siro. Reports in Italy and Holland suggested Sneijder and his agent Soren Lerby met with Galatasaray director Lutfi Arigogan in a Milan hotel this evening to finalise the details of a three-and-a-half year contract. Sneijder has not featured for the Nerazzurri since a 2-0 victory at Chievo in September after publicly refusing to take a €2 million pay cut on a contract that ran until June 2015. Head coach Andrea Stramaccioni maintained the playmaker's absence from the first team was solely a tactical decision, despite Inter's clear difficulty in keeping pace with league leaders Juventus through an injury crisis. This week saw Moratti urge Sneijder to make a "professional" decision over his future in Milan, where he won the treble under Jose Mourinho in 2010. The pair cleared the air before Sneijder headed for decisive talks with representatives of the Super Lig leaders. Moratti told inter.it: "I met Sneijder. I wanted to have a chat with him, I thought we needed to. "Have we made peace? I don't think there was ever a war in the first place, and certainly not with me personally. "Did we chat to see if we were all moving in the same direction? Which one? It's a surprise... "Is he close to a move to Galatasaray? Yes, I think so." The playmaker, who joined Inter from Real Madrid for €15 million in 2009, indicated he was ready to move on. "I spoke a lot with president Moratti because we have a good relationship, we had a good talk, nothing more than that," he told inter.it. "He said that it's looking like I'll be off to Galatasaray but there's still a slim chance I could stay? What the president said is exactly right. "The Inter fans expect me to stay? Inter fans are the best around, I've won everything here and I'm happy here. "Now I don't know whether I'll be saying, 'I am happy here' or 'I was happy here'. One of two things could happen, we'll see."

Draw leaves islanders hungry for more ( CAF Africa Cup of Nations rookies Cape Verde Islands had already created a sensation by merely qualifying for the 29th edition of the showcase event of African football at the expense of Cameroon's Indomitable Lions. On Saturday, they continued the trend by holding the host South Africans to a goalless draw in the tournament's opening game, and far from being satiated, the Blue Sharks' players told FIFA.com that they are now looking for more. When Cape Verde secured their place at the finals of the AFCON, most neutral football fans thought that the Blue Sharks would do little more than make up the numbers in Group A of the competition, where they were drawn with experienced campaigners Morocco and Angola as well as Bafana Bafana. And likewise, the islanders, who represent the smallest country to have ever qualified for the finals of the continental championships, remained modest in their preparations before the event. However, the opening day draw in the cauldron of Soccer City has seen them become even more determined. "For Cape Verde, we want our first victory in the Cup of Nations to be here in South Africa in the first AFCON in our history. We can be proud of what we achieved in our first-ever game at the finals, but now, after the draw, we want more. We have to be ambitious," said Julio Tavares. The 24-year-old striker, who plays his club football for French club Dijon, came on as a second-half substitute for midfielder Platini at a time when coach Lucio Antunes was throwing men forward in an attempt to stun the hosts – in itself a good indicator of the positive thinking of the coach and the side. Tavares, who started his career with lower-league club Bourg-Peronnas in France, before moving last year, is now looking forward to their next game against Morocco. "If we play like we did against South Africa, we can do something good. I think we can beat them," he said. It is never easy to play in front of a hostile crowd, but we did well and showed we could really act as a team. Cape Verde defender Fernando Varela after the opening AFCON match That is an ambitious view in the face of the challenge against the 1976 African champions, who feature numerous well-known internationals, but it is a mood shared by much of the team. "We have no reason to go into our next game suffering an inferiority complex. Having said that, Morocco, like all the teams in North Africa play good football, but we are going to do our best and play our game,” said Fernando Varela, who plays his club football in Romania for Vaslui after joining them from Portuguese club Feirense at the beginning of the season. The centre-half, who was born in Portugal, explained after the South Africa match that the islanders could not help but be positive given their performance in the nervy opener. "We are happy with the draw against the host country. It is never easy to play in front of a hostile crowd, but we did well and showed we could really act as a team. We have to keep on this way to create a surprise in this group," he said. A happy coach Also satisfied with the result was Antunes, who brought a squad comprised mainly of European-based players to the tournament. Ranked 15th in Africa and 70th in the world - 15 places better in the world rankings than Bafana Bafana - the Blue Sharks took the game to the hosts and were rewarded for their efforts with a goalless draw. "For me, it was mission accomplished," said Antunes. "The team was excellent, we did the job we came to do and met our objectives, and now we can concentrate on our next match against Morocco." Surprisingly his team, who also secured a 7-1 aggregate victory over Madagascar en route to the finals, had the better chances against the hosts to the dismay of the home supporters. "I am happy, the players are happy and the technical staff are happy. We represented our country well. It is a small country of 500,000 people, but we made them proud today." With the second game in the group between Morocco and Angola also ending in a goalless stalemate, the table remains evenly poised ahead of the second round of matches in Durban on Wednesday. For the traditional underdogs, that means another result against Morocco could open up the door to something that could never have been dreamt of a few months ago: A place in the quarter-finals of the continental championship.

Xavi: The hunger is still there ( Xavi Hernandez has long since cemented his place among the greatest footballers of all time. He has won that status by lifting every team trophy going and securing a number of FIFA Ballon d’Or nominations, accolades based on his metronomic ability to dictate the pace of play and his many other technical gifts, which have also earned him the lasting admiration of the fans. Figuring large in the global elite once again, thanks to his place in the 2012 FIFA/FIFPro World XI, the cultured Barcelona and Spain linchpin granted an interview to FIFA.com, in which he showed he is every bit as astute and perceptive away from his midfield beat as he is when he is patrolling it. FIFA.com: Xavi, how do you feel about taking part in the FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala again? Xavi Hernandez: I’m delighted to be in Zurich after another amazing year with Barcelona and the national team, the highlight of which was winning the European Championships. Though I’m not among the three candidates this time, I’m every bit as happy to be here. You have also been named in the FIFA/FIFPro World XI by your fellow footballers. It’s a tremendous honour. There are a lot of people in football, and I feel very proud that my professional colleagues from around the world have selected me as one of the best eleven players. Spain retained their European title in 2012, having won the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ in between. How do you explain that run of success? We’ve got a very good team. There’s a huge amount of talent and a lot of desire too. When you start making a habit of winning, it’s very important that you put a little pressure on yourself and take some responsibility for the next challenge ahead. We’ve had a little bit of luck too, in the penalties against Portugal, for example. But then we went and played a great final against Italy and set the seal on all the hard work this generation has put in, a generation that is as good as it gets as far as I’m concerned. You mentioned luck there. Do you think it’s that important in football? Yes, it is. And there have been times when it’s been on our side. It’s what they call the luck of the champions. When it’s come to the crunch things have always gone our way: against Paraguay in the World Cup, Italy at EURO 2008, Portugal a few months ago and against Croatia in the same tournament too. We’ve had luck. Of course we have. But we’ve also got a competitive streak, and that’s helped us make the most of it. How have you managed to prevent the club rivalry between the Real Madrid and Barcelona players from becoming a factor in the national side? By putting it to one side. When we get together we all know that we want the same objective. I’m big friends with Iker Casillas, and they even gave the two of us an award (The Prince of Asturias Award for Sport). You can see that friendship when we play together. As well as putting our rivalry to one side in the national team, we also forget about our friendship when we’re playing for our respective clubs, though we never lose our cool or our respect for each other. I like to read the papers. I make my living from football and I like to know what’s going on. Xavi, Barcelona midfielder. It’s hard to escape that rivalry in Spain these days. Do you think it’s become even more intense lately? It’s always been that way. I’ve spent my whole life at Barcelona and it’s a football war. Some people use it to sell things but it’s good for football, the league and the national team. To be honest it makes you proud that we’ve got such big teams here. The Spanish football press is closely linked to the two clubs. Do you read what it has to say? I like to read the papers. I make my living from football and I like to know what’s going on. Obviously there are a lot of different opinions out there, but we live in a democracy and you have to respect every point of view, whether you agree with it or not. Moving on to Barcelona, why did the team’s performance dip last season? Well, we’ve just been talking about how things either go your way or they don’t, and in that case they didn’t, especially in the games against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and then the Camp Nou, where we had the tie in the bag, with them down to ten men, only to let it slip. The same happened in the league. This year we’ve been turning those kinds of things our way, making every game count. My feeling is we were just a bit below our usual standard last season and we ended up paying for it. Pep Guardiola left the club at the end of the season, marking the end of an era. Do you feel that weighed you down? I don’t see it that way because we have a very competitive team. Watch us train and you realise how much we want to win, even in the practice matches. The hunger is still there. We’ve got practically the same squad this season and the results have been just about perfect. Do you feel you owe something to the fans? No, I wouldn’t go so far as to say that. We’ve already won a lot. We want to make Barcelona supporters happy and we get a kick out of that, as much as the fans do. I don’t feel we’re in debt to them because of one bad season. All it does is make us even more determined to start winning things again. What is the difference between Tito Vilanova’s Barcelona and Pep Guardiola’s? They’re very similar. We’ve had a bit more fortune this year but we’ve been working more or less the same way, which is what you’d expect. Tito was Pep’s assistant coach and they worked a lot together. They’re different characters but the training sessions are pretty much the same, the system is the same and our desire undiminished. It’s been a case of continuity, in every sense of the word. The team has got back to its very best in recent months, though it did take you a little while to click into top gear at the start of the season. My feeling at the start of the season was that we weren’t quite there in terms of fitness, and we found it hard, especially with teams knowing us so well. It was just a question of picking up the pace again and sticking to our style. In the last two or three months the team has got back into the groove we’ve been in over the last few years. How does it feel having such a big lead over Real Madrid? On a personal level I feel happy and satisfied. It’s a very long race and there are still a lot of games to go, but we’ve got a massive cushion and we’re moving closer to the league title, no doubt about it. Turning to the UEFA Champions League now, what’s your view on your upcoming opponents Milan? They’re a tough side. They keep it tight at the back and they’ve always made life very hard for us defensively. The San Siro is not an easy place to go to either because the fans are very passionate. And if you look back through history you’ll see that they’ve won more European Cups than us. They might not be at their best right now but they always have players who can make life hard for you. One last question. Could this be another historic year for Barcelona? The team is very competitive and we want to do well in every competition. We’d like to win the lot but we have to watch our step. The talent is there for sure, but we need luck to be on our side too.

Tevez: I want to help Balotelli Carlos Tevez has told Manchester City team-mate Mario Balotelli not to make the same mistakes he did. Balotelli, 22, was pictured last week in an apparent physical confrontation with manager Roberto Mancini in what was the latest chapter of a controversial and incident-packed spell at Eastlands. Tevez is no stranger to controversy himself, having been out of the City side for a long spell last season after refusing to warm up during a UEFA Champions League match against Bayern Munich. The 28-year-old Argentina striker, who eventually returned to the City side to win a Premier League winner's medal last term, said: "I try to help Mario. I talk to him personally, on and off the pitch. I've been in that moment like him. "I'm always keen to help him and keep him going through these kind of moments, so he doesn't make the same mistakes that I did in the past." Tevez did not feel the training-ground incident with Mancini, which was sparked by a tackle from Balotelli on Scott Sinclair, was a big deal. "There are these kind of things that have happened at all the clubs I've been, but here at City the spotlight is always on us, as it is always on Roberto and Mario," he said. "So here it always comes out - but this kind of thing happens everywhere."

Ballon d'Or Gala takes shape The biggest names in football will be in Zurich tomorrow for the FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala as the outstanding performers of 2012 are honoured. However, the city's Kongresshaus - the venue for the big event - has already been a hive of activity over recent days as the stage is prepared, with this behind-the-scenes video showing just how the room has taken shape.

Vilanova: Cancer fight not over yet ( Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova admitted on Sunday that his cancer battle is not over and that he may be forced to once again step away from guiding the team's thrilling pursuit of La Liga title. The 44-year-old underwent surgery for a second time on a tumour on a saliva gland on 20 December. He missed the away win over Valladolid but was back in the Camp Nou dugout on Sunday for the 4-0 derby victory over Espanyol which allowed Barcelona to go 11 points clear of Atletico Madrid and stay 16 in front of bitter rivals Real Madrid. "This is not over yet and there will be days that I can take training and others I can't but I want the media to realise that this illness is mine and it is private even if I am a public figure," said Vilanova. What has happened to me could have happened to anyone. Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova "I would like to thank everyone for their support. This club has had a lot of knocks in the last couple of years but I always want to take the positive approach. What has happened to me could have happened to anyone." Pedro Rodriguez hit a double with Xavi Hernandez and Lionel Messi also scoring in a rampant first half as Barcelona claimed a 17th win in 18 La Liga matches against just one draw. Speaking after the match, he said: "I want to thank the doctors and nurses at Vall d'Hebron and also to the club. At all times I've felt supported and protected by the club. I want to thank the staff and the players, as it isn't easy for them either." Barcelona's win over Espanyol helped them extend their lead at the top of La Liga to 11 points after nearest challengers Atletico Madrid were held 1-1 by Real Mallorca. Barça had their victory wrapped up inside the opening half-hour after netting four times through Xavi, Lionel Messi and a Pedro Rodriguez double. Vilanova said: "We started off really well. It's not easy to start like this after a break, but we showed that we're on form

The FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala: live like never before (FIFA.com) Friday 4 January 2013 In many places around the world the beginning of January is a time of giving, not least Zurich, where the FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala will take centre stage on Monday 7 January. And like the Three Kings Balthasar, Caspar and Melchior, FIFA.com will be bearing some wonderful gifts for the big occasion. Football fans around the globe are eagerly waiting to see if it will be Cristiano Ronaldo, Andres Iniesta or Lionel Messi stepping up to collect the 2012 FIFA Ballon d’Or a little before 20:00 CET on Monday, though there will be plenty to keep you entertained in the build-up to that crowning moment, all of it broadcast live at FIFA.com. Once again this year, the press conferences given by the FIFA Ballon d’Or nominees will be going out live on the site, with the women online at 14:00 CET and the men an hour later. This time, however, we will also be offering a simultaneous live blog complete with your comments, tweets and retweets from stars around the world, as well as photos, videos, links and special polls. Running from 14:00 to 20:30 CET approximately, the blog will tell you everything you need to know about the 2012 FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala. And that’s not all. For the very first time FIFA.com will this year be out and about on the red carpet before the ceremony gets under way, broadcasting live from 17:00 CET and bringing you interviews with the evening’s glittering array of guests, from the nominees themselves to stars of yesteryear and former Ballon d’Or winners. Rest assured, FIFA.com has a surprise or two up its sleeve for you. The high point of the evening, the Gala itself, will go out live from 18:30 CET right through to its conclusion at around 20:00, during which time you will find out who has made off with the FIFA Ballon d’Or for 2012. FIFA.com also has plenty more in store for you after the show is over, with interviews with the winners, the very best photos and videos of the event, and the official voting documents, all live and direct. With FIFA.com posting articles and videos throughout the day, you won’t miss a single thing, and you can play your part in the show as well by sending us your comments and tweets.