sports football

Abidal pens new Barça deal

2012-01-17T01:40:00.006-08:00

Abidal pens new Barça deal
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French international defender Eric Abidal has signed a new deal with Barcelona, the Catalan club said on Monday after some protracted negotiations.

European champions Barça said they had reached agreement with 32-year-old Abidal for an extra year, meaning his new deal runs through to June 2013.

"The agreement includes an option to extend it through to 2015," the club added on their website.

Abidal's original deal at the Nou Camp was until 2012 and he was initially offered a one-year extension, but based on appearances whereas the player had asked for two years without any appearance strings attached.

Abidal - capped 60 times for France - has made 177 appearances in four years at the club, winning the UEFA Champions League twice and the Spanish title three times among other trophies, and won much admiration for overcoming surgery to remove a liver tumour last spring.

Dzeko strikes as City extend lead

2012-01-17T01:40:00.004-08:00

Dzeko strikes as City extend lead

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Edin Dzeko broke an 11-match scoring drought to send Manchester City three points clear in the English Premier League title race. The giant Bosnian netted his 14th club goal of the season as he steered David Silva's free-kick into the bottom corner for a 1-0 win.

It was enough to overcome a spirited Wigan side, although the visitors did have chances to make life a little more comfortable against the basement boys, with Dzeko taking the best chance off the toe of Sergio Aguero. And Blues boss Roberto Mancini ended the game in animated conversation with the fourth official after Martin Atkinson's failure to show Maynor Figueroa a red card for deliberate handball as he denied Aguero a clear run on goal two minutes from time.

Wigan's adherence to the passing game is very laudable, but there are times when their supporters would were prefer a bit of old-fashioned English-style long ball. Although the Latics were back-pedalling for most of the half, there were enough occasions when they did work themselves into decent positions yet failed to deliver a cross or a pass that might have put their opponents under pressure, leaving their supporters distinctly agitated.

As it turned out, James McArthur had their best chance, a snap-shot from the edge of the area, which Joe Hart gathered at the second attempt.

Silva returned to the City side for tonight's match at the DW Stadium. The diminutive Spain international is behind so much of the Blues' most inventive play and with Yaya Toure amongst the five senior figures missing this evening and Samir Nasri struggling for top form, there was more reliance on him than usual.

Silva had a couple of shots blocked, almost sent Aguero through and supplied the free-kick for Dzeko's goal. Having not found the net since 5 November, the Bosnian was in need of a goal. To that end, he could not have wished for more accommodating opponents. Wigan failed to get close enough to Dzeko and as Gary Caldwell and Antolin Alcaraz floundered, Dzeko found the bottom corner with a precise header.

Aguero brought a fine one-handed save out of Ali Al Habsi as the opening period drew to a close and, despite the closeness of the scoreline, the suspicion remained that City would cruise clear after the restart. Yet Wigan remained spirited opposition and with plenty of team-mates in support, McArthur could have picked a better option than a long-range shot from an acute angle that fizzed disappointingly wide.

It was not long before City were back on the offensive, although how they had not increased their advantage by the hour mark was a bit of a mystery. First of all, Al Habsi made a magnificent double save to deny Dzeko and Silva, clawing the Bosnian's curling effort away from the top corner, then repelling the midfielder, who had aimed low from barely seven yards.

What followed next was infuriating for Aguero, who weaved his way past three Wigan defenders and seemed to have the simplest of tasks to find the net. Instead, Dzeko whipped the ball off his toe and went for goal himself. But his shot was so weak Al Habsi was able to make a comfortable save.

It meant Roberto Martinez was able to introduce Ben Watson and Franco Di Santo midway through the second period still harbouring hopes of snatching something from the game. And how close they came too as Hugo Rodallega rolled a pass to James McCarthy on his left and the midfielder forced Hart into his best save of the match.

It was not turning into the cruise many had predicted and the jitters even seemed to get to the normally unflappable Hart, who made a save he did not need to as McCarthy's shot was flying wide. The introduction of Nigel de Jong for Nasri and Nedum Onuoha for Silva were further signs of City entering preservation mode.

Wigan continued to be the architects of their own downfall though, gifting a chance to Dzeko, which Al Habsi turned away, then costing themselves a decent attacking chance when Caldwell rolled a two-yard pass to Stam straight out of play.

And, though they worked hard to fashion another opportunity, Wigan could not find a talking point to match Figueroa's deliberate handball as he got the bounce of a De Jong clearance all wrong and, knowing he was the last man, stuck up a hand to prevent Aguero bursting clear.

Rewriting the rulebook

2012-01-17T01:40:00.002-08:00

Rewriting the rulebook
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Football is a game rooted in tradition, and the Laws of the Game have undergone fairly minor changes since they were first drafted by England’s newly-formed Football Association in 1863. Nonetheless, while the aim has always been to preserve football’s original spirit, and to ensure that rules can be applied from elite to amateur level, several crucial changes have helped to enhance the sport over the years. Here, FIFA.com looks at a few of these key modifications.

1866: Forward passes permitted
The most fundamental alteration was also the earliest, with forward passes permitted for the first time – provided there remained three defending players between the receiver and the goal. Previously, once the ball had been kicked, any player on the same team closer to the opponent's goal was considered out of play and unable to receive the ball. This 1866 change represented the crucial first step away from sharing the original offside rule that remains in place in rugby, and allowed passing football to thrive.

1891: The penalty kick introduced
It took almost three decades from the first rules being drafted for the penalty, which has become such an integral part of modern football, to be instituted. Having previously operated on the quaint assumption that a gentleman would never deliberately commit a foul, football responded to increasing intensity and competitiveness by bringing in a measure known then as 'the kick of death'. Until 1902, the penalty was not taken from a spot, however, but from anywhere along a 12-yard line.

1891: Referees enter the fray
More recognition that the game had evolved from its gentlemanly roots came with the introduction of referees. In football’s early days, disputes had been settled by the two team captains, and later by two umpires - one per team - to whom appeals could be made. However, as the number of disputes and complaints grew, the need for an impartial arbiter became clear, and from 1891 the power to give penalties and free-kicks became the job of one man: the referee.

1912: Goalkeepers restricted
It was a century ago this year that goalkeepers were forbidden from handling the ball outside the penalty area. This change came just three years after it was decided that the players filling this position should be visually distinctive from their team-mates by wearing a different colour, with green the general default.

1925: Offside changed again
The revised offside rule was further relaxed in 1925 to allow a player to remain onside provided two, rather than three, opposition players stood between him and the goal. The result was an immediate increase in goalscoring, and this particular law was amended in attackers’ favour once again in 1990 to enable a player to remain onside by keeping level with his/her second-last opponent.

1958: Substitutes permitted
The early history of the game includes several mentions of ‘substitutes’, but the purpose of these back-up players was merely to stand in if any of the 11 selected failed to turn up. However, the detrimental impact of injuries on matches eventually resulted in substitutes being permitted during the 90 minutes, although initially only for an injured goalkeeper and one other injured player. From the late 1960s, these rules were relaxed to allow substitutions for tactical reasons.

1970: Red and yellow cards introduced
Championed by English referee Ken Aston, then an influential figure on the FIFA Referees' Committee, this ‘traffic light’ system was aimed at ending confusion among players and spectators over a referee’s intentions. Red and yellow cards were first used at the FIFA World Cup™ of the same year and have been a fixture ever since, even spreading to several other sporting codes.

1992: Handling of pass-backs forbidden
Another change aimed at tilting the balance of power in favour of attacking players was the International Football Association Board’s 1992 decision to forbid goalkeepers from handling deliberate pass-backs from a team-mate’s feet. Though initially greeted with widespread scepticism, this measure is now universally seen to have made a positive impact on the beautiful game.

As football continues to evolve, the Laws of the Game are sure to follow suit. Indeed, the FIFA Task Force Football 2014, chaired by Franz Beckenbauer, is currently examining various proposals aimed at improving the game’s overall attractiveness and match control in elite competitions. And as the aforementioned examples go to show, a small change can often go a long way.

Have Your Say
All of the amendments listed above have had a major impact on the game we watch today. But which do you believe has been the most significant? Just click ‘Add your comment’ to share your views with the world.

Klinsmann: I’d love to play Mexico every day

2012-01-17T01:40:00.001-08:00

Klinsmann: I’d love to play Mexico every day
(FIFA.com) Tuesday 17 January 2012
Klinsmann: I’d love to play Mexico every day
© Getty Images

In the second instalment of FIFA.com’s two-part interview with USA coach Jurgen Klinsmann, the former striker chatted candidly about Mexico having the edge in the most hotly disputed of North American rivalries. The former Germany and Bayern Munich boss also discussed players needing to improve themselves, the peculiar complications of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup™ through the CONCACAF Zone and his hopes of finding a ‘hidden Messi’ on US soil.

FIFA.com: Jurgen, you have been experimenting with many new faces in your first six months in charge. What do you look for most in assessing a potential national team player?
I look for consistency and hunger. I can only tell the players to believe in themselves; I can’t do it for them. Every performance needs to be at the same level, like it is at Barcelona. It’s doable with the right mindset. The mental part of the game is very important. I can see a lot of my players taking this on. Some players we will lose along the path, I know this. You have to suffer to get to the top, I don’t care what field you are in: journalism, business, sport. The players need urgency. They can’t wait for things.

Can you give an example?
[Edson] Buddle was having trouble getting in the team with his German club Ingolstadt, so he was just hanging around, taking a break. I got on the phone and arranged for a fitness coach to work with him in Munich. He drives an hour and gets worked out hard and then he drives back to Ingolstadt feeling tired. There are no breaks at the top levels of football. It’s why I am sending some players from MLS over to Europe to train in the off-season (Brek Shea, Tim Ream, Juan Agudelo to name a few). There is no off-season.

So, they need to make themselves better players?
It’s about empowerment. You can only get people to do better if you leave it up to them. Soccer is driven from the inside. It's a player's game no matter what the level. This is something that is hard for Americans to understand. Baseball, American football and basketball, to a lesser degree, are driven from the outside, by coaches and managers. You have playbooks and timeouts and all manner of things.

Do you think there is a problem of sporting culture to work past?
In football, there are 11 quarterbacks on the field, so to speak, and they need to improvise and change things all the time. And that’s why I need to develop players who push themselves. You have to go out and work on the things that you are weakest at, over and over, hundreds of times every day. Then it will become automatic.

You have much experience in world football, but CONCACAF is different. You have never been to ‘The Office’ in Kingston, Jamaica or played on a bumpy cricket pitch or in the hostile environs of Central America. Are you ready for it?
It’s true, I am not totally familiar with the way things are over here in CONCACAF, but I will be. This is one of the main reasons that we will go play a friendly in Panama later this month. This way I can get a sense of the atmosphere in Central America, where there is great animosity and passionate feeling toward the USA.
I don’t think the Mexicans like to play us. The US players are fighters and they put everything on the line and never give up.
Jurgen Klinsmann

When USA play in Central America and Mexico is it about more than just football?
The US is seen in a special way in Mexico and Central America. I know from my playing days what it is to play in hostile environments and on tough pitches, in South America and Africa and big derbies, but this is a special case. I have good people in my coaching staff, like Martin Vasquez (Mexico-born former USA and Mexico international), who have a foot on both sides. We will do a great deal of preparing.

Friendlies are one thing, but FIFA World Cup qualifying is a whole different animal...
The goal becomes very practical once qualifying starts: get the points you need to take you through.

Mexico are USA’s arch-rivals and they currently boast one of their best teams in recent memory. Is there pressure to not only qualify for Brazil 2014, but also to beat Mexico along the way?
The rivalry with Mexico is big and you have to respect it. I have an admiration for what Mexico have done in the last ten years or so. The youth system at national level and the academy system at their clubs has been amazingly productive. They have all done a great job and their style of play is very creative, mainly because they have the kind of players they need to play that style. This is something we’re aspiring to.

Your first game in charge ended in a draw with Mexico, but before that the US were beaten badly in the Gold Cup final. Is this is a bad time for USA in this rivalry?
I would love to play Mexico every day. When you play teams like this, good teams, you play up to their level. Mexico are a notch above us on the international scene, there is no denying that. At the same time, we know we can beat them and we’ve proven it.

What do you think makes the USA-Mexico divide so great and so interesting to players and fans?
I don’t think the Mexicans like to play us. The US players are fighters and they put everything on the line and never give up. There is a psychological component to the rivalry. I had a taste of it after only one week in the job and it was great. We drew Mexico, but we should have won and it was a great moment to show my players what happens when you make a silly mistake against a strong team. CONCACAF needs five more Mexicos and it’s games like this that will get us to the level of the bigger teams. They bring out the best.

How important are experienced veterans like Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey to the fortunes of the current US team?
Guys like Tim Howard, Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey are very important because they carry my message. As a coach you need the support of players like this on and off the field. Also, it is good because it can move them out of their comfort zone where they will have to challenge themselves more. There are also times where they need to step back and give the younger ones a chance to breathe. I couldn’t be happier with the way these players are going about their business as leaders.

You joked early on in your tenure about finding a “hidden Messi” somewhere in this very large USA. Do you think there are pockets of unknown players who might have what it takes to go all the way?
There is definitely talent in the US that is not being tapped. I think most of them are to be found in the Hispanic areas, in places like Southern California and Texas and Florida. We are trying to get our heads and hands around that. We are doing great work in building bridges and getting these players over to our side early, so they don’t get pulled toward Mexico.

Follow the FIFA Ballon d’Or 2011 Gala

2012-01-09T01:12:00.000-08:00

Follow the FIFA Ballon d’Or 2011 Gala

Zurich provides the setting for the first major football event of the year, the FIFA Ballon d’Or 2011 Gala, which takes place on Monday 9 January.

The highlight of the star-studded evening will be the unveiling of the second FIFA Ballon d’Or winner, while the FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year and the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Men’s Football and Women’s Football will also be named, along with the winner of the FIFA Puskas Award and a clutch of other accolades.

You can follow the whole day from start to finish at FIFA.com. The first item on the packed agenda is a press conference at 14.00, when FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year candidates Marta, Homare Sawa and Abby Wambach will be joined by Bruno Bini, Norio Sasaki and Pia Sundhage, the three nominees for the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Women’s Football award. As well as broadcasting the event live on the site, we will be making sure you do not miss a thing by publishing everything the six candidates have to say.

Following the presentation of the FIFA Interactive Award to the winner of the FIFA Interactive World Cup 2011, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Xavi, Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola will take centre stage for their press conference, which kicks off at 15.00 and will also go out live.

At 17.00 it is on to Zurich’s Kongresshaus, where a fan zone will be set up beside the red carpet to give the lucky locals a chance to get the autographs of the players, coaches and celebrities attending the glittering show. Naturally, the FIFA.com team will be there to bring you the views of those present in a series of exclusive interviews, available for you to read on the site.

FIFA.com will also be offering live coverage* of the Gala itself, which gets under way at 19.00. You will find out who wins what just as soon as the awards are announced, and when the show is over we will be talking exclusively to the winners and their fellow nominees. All the interviews will be available for you to read on the site, which will also feature videos and photos of the Gala and the backstage scenes.

So make sure you log on to FIFA.com next Monday and keep up to date with all the events at what promises to be a very special FIFA Ballon d’Or 2011 Gala.

In the meantime you can decide the fate of the FIFA Puskas Award by voting for your goal of 2011, and there is also a chance to win an exclusive signed shirt by playing the FIFA/FIFPro World XI Predictor.

*The Gala will not be broadcast in some countries. A full list of countries where it will not be shown will be published shortly.

Sabella: You can’t say no to this job

2012-01-09T01:06:00.000-08:00

Sabella: You can’t say no to this job

Last August, former Argentinian midfielder Alejandro Sabella was given one of the biggest challenges a coach can face when he was handed the reins of his national team. An assistant to Daniel Passarella at the 1998 FIFA World Cup France™, Sabella’s brief was to restore the lustre of La Albiceleste and take them to Brazil 2014.

Already preparing for Argentina’s next qualifying match in June, the 57-year-old father of four and avid history student spoke to FIFA.com about the unique challenges and demands of the job, the form of the world’s leading national sides and the contribution Lionel Messi makes to the national side.

FIFA.com: You took over as Argentina coach nearly six months ago. Has the job matched your expectations?
Alejandro Sabella: I felt a huge responsibility when I took over and a huge amount of love too. The first thing I had to do on coming into the job was to get familiar with how a national team works, which is totally different to a club side. Luckily I’ve been able to draw on my experience alongside Passarella, which came at a time when Argentinian players started going abroad in large numbers. It’s taken me a while to settle in but I knew all about the responsibility I had on my shoulders when I took over and how difficult the World Cup qualifiers are.

What do you enjoy most and least about coaching the national team?
As a football-loving Argentinian this is the biggest job there is, the thing you dream about doing most. Anyone who makes a living out of the game dreams about playing in the first division and for the national team, and that goes for coaches too. That’s the good thing. The hardest part is handling the tremendous pressure to get results. There’s more and more pressure in football these days and not just in Argentina. There’s maybe a bit more in Latin America than there is in English-speaking countries, where the mindset’s a bit different, but there’s pressure wherever you go. That’s the unpleasant bit but it’s all part and parcel of the job.

Did the untimely departures of your predecessors Alfio Basile, Diego Maradona and Sergio Batista make you think twice about taking on the job?
No, not all. I didn’t have any doubts, for the reasons I’ve just mentioned. This job is the dream of any Argentinian who’s ever been in coaching. You just can’t turn it down or even have any doubts about it.
As a football-loving Argentinian this is the biggest job there is, the thing you dream about doing most.
Alejandro Sabella on the Argentina job

Let’s turn to the qualifiers for Brazil 2014 now and Argentina’s away win over Colombia in their last game, a result you seemed very pleased with.
Yes, because our previous match against Bolivia [a 1-1 draw in Buenos Aires] was a disappointment for us. We didn’t play that well but the result was totally unfair. We fell behind in Colombia and I felt a lot of pressure on myself to turn the game around quickly and take Argentina to where they belong.

Do you demand high standards of yourself?
Yes, I do.

That’s quite an explosive combination: someone as driven and determined as the national team coach of a country as passionate about its football as Argentina.
That’s right, and that’s why I feel you shouldn’t ask too much of yourself or be too critical of yourself. There’s nothing wrong with being self-critical as long as you don’t go too far. That’s when you can get depressed and that’s not good.

Have you ever had counselling or therapy?
No, never. Mao Tse Tung once said that self-criticism was a symptom of weakness. And there’s something in that because it is a weakness when taken to an extreme. Reading that helped me because I’ve always been critical with myself. It’s something I use with my players as well. I always tell them not to dwell on their mistakes because that’s worse. A little bit of self-criticism is great sometimes and necessary even. It’s a sign that you’ve got your feet on the ground. You can get big-headed otherwise, but there again, you always need to strike a balance.

Turning back to football now, would you say your biggest problem has been putting the defence together?
Overhauling the defence is taking a bit more time, that’s true. We need to stay grounded about it but when you’ve got strikers of the quality of [Lionel] Messi, [Gonzalo] Higuain and [Sergio] Aguero, I don’t think people should be offended by anyone saying the back line is proving to be a bit more of a headache. The thing is, we don’t have much time to work with and solve the problems inherent in the team. We need to get a good squad together, make sure the players get on well and that they have a sense of belonging and feel something when they pull the Argentina shirt on. That’s what these boys have been doing, especially in the second half against Colombia.

Do you listen to what the media have to say?
A little but not that much. There’s always someone worth listening to, and criticism, whether it’s positive or negative, is good. It opens your mind. Some people do have useful things to say.

You received a lot of criticism in the press when you said before the Venezuela match that you’d be happy to win “by half a goal to nil”, a comment some felt gave the Venezuelans belief. Having lost the game, do you regret saying that?
Given the history of the fixture, maybe I made a mistake in saying the “half a goal to nil” thing, though I don’t think it gave our opponents extra belief. You need to put things in context. Venezuela have come on a lot, they rested their first-teamers for their first game, and the match was played in very hot and humid conditions. Venezuela had the luxury of playing with their second string against Ecuador, the idea being: “If we lose this game, then so be it because we’ve got Argentina next.” But with the history Argentina have got they don’t have that luxury. Maybe my comment was a little unfortunate but I don’t think it helped them gain in stature.

Brazil are the hosts of the upcoming FIFA World Cup. You’ve played there and you know Brazilian football well. Do you think playing at home will be a disadvantage for them?
Home advantage can be a double-edged sword, and it all depends on the character of the players. Brazilian players are very special and possess tremendous technique. If they hit their stride they can destroy you, wipe the floor with you, thrash you. They’ll also be under pressure though. They’ll have the obligation of having to win, and we’ll have to see how they handle that. They’ll be big favourites of course. They always are and they’re at home. It’s a tricky one, though, and I always say that the sword has two edges.
The control he has of the ball at full pace is amazing. It reminds me of the Scalextric I used to play as a kid – those cars going flat out from a standing start.
Sabella on Lionel Messi

You were assistant coach to Daniel Passarella during his time as Uruguay coach. Why do you think La Celeste have been doing so well lately?
Uruguay have got a lot of character and a very strong and close-knit squad. The players really stick together and they feel they belong. They know what the Celeste shirt is all about and they also seem to have a great relationship with the coaching staff. Then there’s the fact that the players based in Europe have come on a lot. All that’s made them tremendously strong and they’ve really gained in confidence. They’ve created a virtuous circle and it’s all very positive for them.

You watch a lot of football. Which national teams have impressed you the most recently?
Germany and Spain are the best sides around. Germany are looking really good and they’ve grown a lot. They’ve brought in a couple of new and very talented young players, the likes of [Thomas] Muller have cemented their places in the team and big-name players like Philipp Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger are still there. They’ve gained in experience after going through a transitional phase. Spain are up there as well, no question. They’ve got fantastic potential but sometimes you ease off a little when you’re the world champions. They stand out the most, but then there’s Brazil too. How could I forget about them? Brazil are Brazil, and the five-time world champions too.

A question about Lionel Messi. What has surprised you about him most as a person?
I knew I’d be working with the best player in the world, a player who can change a game quicker than anyone. But to see him close up, and his acceleration, explosiveness and technique at pace, was a real eye-opener for me. The control he has of the ball at full pace is amazing. It reminds me of the Scalextric I used to play as a kid – those cars going flat out from a standing start. What’s surprised me about him more than anything, though, is what he means to people in India and Bangladesh, for example. It’s incredible. It’s the same in Venezuela, and Colombia was something else. He means so much to people. They idolise him and they’re crazy about him on and off the pitch. It’s unbelievable.

One last question. Do you see yourself at Brazil 2014?
No. I just see myself playing against Switzerland in February. After that we’ll see. I like to take things one game at a time and focus on the job in hand, and that goes for my work in general, not just coaching the national team. I don’t think long term, only short and medium term. We’ll see how the rest works out.

The special ones

2011-12-29T02:19:00.000-08:00

The special ones
(FIFA World) Wednesday 28 December 2011
The special ones
© Getty Images

“My colleagues spend most of their time with their backs turned towards me. I don’t believe it’s because I’m unpopular.” Those words by USA’s 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan™ goalkeeper Brad Friedel may have been uttered in jest, but they nevertheless point towards the distinct role football’s shot-stoppers take up within the team. Quite simply, goalkeepers are different.

It wasn’t always that way, however. When the rules prohibiting outfield players from handling the ball were first introduced by The Football Association in 1863, the position of goalkeeper was allocated to a team member haphazardly, and even by the start of the 20th century, goalkeepers were not differentiated from other players in terms of appearance or the way they played the game.

However, subsequent rule changes such as the introduction of dead-ball situations, the offside law, and the prevention of goalkeepers handling the ball outside their own penalty areas gradually turned the role into a specialist position requiring a different skill set to outfield players. Meanwhile, more recent changes, such as the 'back pass' and 'six-second release' rules, have greatly increased the speed of the game and the need for tactical awareness, as well as obliging goalkeepers to develop the skill of controlling the ball with their feet.

Modern goalkeepers are expected to take an active part in the attacking play and assume the role previously occupied by a libero in defensive play, while the specific nature of the position also requires coaching of psychological aspects to enable keepers to cope with the intense pressure of the position. In short, goalkeeping has graduated from being an ill-favoured position given over to those players considered less talented to a coveted role practised only by those blessed with specialist technique and leadership.

Saving plan
Reflecting the special status of the position within the game, FIFA’s Education & Technical Development Department recently launched a new goalkeeping programme directed primarily at goalkeeping coaches working at national level. Bringing together the technical, physical, psychological and tactical aspects of goalkeeping, the programme aims to boost the standard of goalkeeping instruction worldwide and encourage the use of dedicated coaches.

Following a successful pilot phase in the first half of 2011, the programme is now being taken around the world, with seminars recently being held in Malaysia, Ecuador, FYR Macedonia and Iceland. At these regional events, goalkeepers who have played the game at the very highest level, such as Slovakia’s Alex Vencel and the Republic of Ireland’s Pat Bonner, join other top-level coaches in passing on their expertise to participants and introducing them to world-class training methods.
Keepers need to be managers on the field and they need to be taught that from a young age.
Alex Vencel

FIFA instructor Vencel is well placed to provide goalkeeping tuition, following a lengthy career as a professional goalkeeper which saw him represent Czechoslovakia twice before going on to make 19 appearances for Slovakia between 1994 and 1998. The 44-year-old also made more than 500 appearances in club football, making his debut for home-town club Slovan Bratislava in 1988 before moving to France in 1994, where he helped Strasbourg win the French league cup in 1997.

“I’m very happy that I can participate and help develop this programme for FIFA,” says the towering Slovak. “In the past, there was nothing for goalkeepers. The problem is that we don’t have enough coaches and nobody knows how to train them properly. They just get sent off alone to do their own thing at training – that is not the way to produce good goalkeepers. It’s a very specialised position and the goalkeeper has a very important role in modern football.”

Leading from the back
As well as participating in the seminars and coaching courses around the world, Vencel has worked together with FIFA’s Education & Technical Development Department to put together a training kit consisting of a comprehensive manual accompanied by three DVDs on technical preparation, physical preparation and exercises for young goalkeepers.

Targeted at a broad audience of both amateur and professional footballers as well as coaches and instructors, the manual provides a wealth of ideas on how to improve training programmes and make them more interesting, as well as giving practical goalkeeping tips and highlighting the importance of individually targeted work.

For Vencel, the most important aspect of goalkeeping nowadays is that you not only need to be a talented shot-stopper and acrobat, but also a leader who will command the troops on the field. “One of the most important things is organisational skills, which in turn obviously help their decision making and ability to read the game. Keepers need to be managers on the field and they need to be taught that from a young age. A goalkeeper coach must work on what the keeper says to his players on the field, because at times, keepers tend to just shout without communicating a message. Especially for younger keepers, it’s about learning when to talk and when you have to keep your mouth shut.”

Women’s version
When it comes to women’s football, goalkeeping has often been cited as a relatively underdeveloped area of the game. Although the recent report on the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2011™ by FIFA’s Technical Study Group pointed out considerable improvements since the 2007 edition, it also noted continuing shortcomings and called for better coaching of women goalkeepers from youth level onwards, arguing that it was “paramount that associations invest in good goalkeeping coaches for their female goalkeepers, starting with the youth teams”.

In keeping with this philosophy, FIFA has produced a separate goalkeeping manual for female goalkeepers, along with specific DVDs. As with the men’s version, the women’s manual has been created with the help of experienced goalies, including current Germany stopper and skipper Nadine Angerer.

Living proof of the benefits that can be realised through one-to-one sessions with a dedicated goalkeeping coach, Angerer started working with such a specialist just before the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2007™ and went on to star in a successful campaign that saw Germany win the title without Angerer conceding a single goal.

“He does a fantastic job,” says the 33-year-old keeper of her trainer. “It’s not just a question of catching balls. You have to have the right technique, know how to approach a ball properly, move efficiently and exude calmness and authority rather than running about wildly.”

Speaking to FIFA World during a visit to FIFA’s Zurich headquarters to finalise the contents of the women’s goalkeeping manual, Angerer described the importance of the project.

“Even before contributing to the instruction manual, I was already aware that I wanted to get involved in goalkeeping coaching, and my participation this week has reinforced this wish,” she said.

“The criticism levelled at women goalkeepers in the past was justified, but I believe that every country has a good goalkeeper. The main problem is that goalkeepers are not given the proper training or that the proper structures are not in place. Some football associations do not even have a goalkeeping coach, so how can their goalkeepers be expected to develop? Having had the good fortune to work with my own coach, who has transferred his philosophy onto me, I now hope I can also make a difference and help make the next generation of goalkeepers better players.”

Agassa: The World Cup trumps them all

2011-12-29T02:12:00.000-08:00

Agassa: The World Cup trumps them all

For goalkeeper Kossi Agassa, 2012 is already shaping up to be an important year. His club, Reims, are seemingly on course for promotion to Ligue 1, while he also harbours dreams of a return to the FIFA World Cup™ with Togo.

Reims lie second in Ligue 2 and have their sights set on rejoining France’s top flight, where they enjoyed one of the most successful spells in their history. Indeed, in the post-war period, Reims won the national league six times and twice finished runners-up to Real Madrid in the UEFA European Cup.Some fans may feel that those exploits will never be matched, but a return to the elite would certainly be a step in the right direction.

“We’re not playing for promotion,” Agassa told FIFA.com. “Our objective is to ensure we avoid relegation as quickly as possible. Then we’ll see whether or not we’re in a good position.”
Everyone, at every level, is trying to do as much as they can to help us thrive in French football. Every player wants to play at the highest level.
Kossi Agassa

Reims’ recent performances have been nothing if not encouraging, but with half the season still to play, the players are understandably keen to keep their feet on the ground. “The club is restructuring little by little,” explained Agassa, who arrived in Europe in 2002.

“It’s my fourth year here [at Reims] and I’ve really noticed a change. Everyone, at every level, is trying to do as much as they can to help us thrive in French football. Every player wants to play at the highest level.”

At the age of 33, Agassa believes he still has the ability to shine in Ligue 1 and backed up those claims with some fine displays in Reims’ impressive run in the 2010/11 Coupe de France. After knocking out Montpellier, the Ligue 2 side defeated Rennes in an exhilarating encounter, with Agassa saving two penalties. Reims eventually fell to Nice in the quarter-finals, but the cup run provided a taste of success and only increased their desire to return to the top tier of French football.

2006 memories, 2014 dream
Aside from Reims’ possible promotion push, spring 2012 will also be a crucial period for Agassa at international level, with the second round of African qualifiers for Brazil 2014 looming on the horizon. Togo overcame Guinea-Bissau to seal their progress to the second round, and after a testing few years, the west Africans can finally dare to dream again.

“Togolese football is in a transitional phase,” said the former Etoile Filante keeper. “We’re preparing for future challenges, such as the CAN in 2013 and the 2014 World Cup. We failed to make it to the CAN in 2012, but sometimes you need a year like that to make you bounce back stronger.”

Emmanuel Adebayor’s return to the national set-up is an encouraging sign for Togo, as Agassa explained. “He’s the biggest star in the team, and we missed him during his absence,” said the keeper, who has 52 international caps to his name.
I’ve never played in the Champions League or Europe League, but I can say I’ve played in a World Cup, and that’s a competition that trumps them all.
Kossi Agassa

“We’re now back on track and we can aim higher than we’ve been able to for the past two years. Emmanuel and I are among the senior players in the team. I’m one of the oldest and we’re there to guide the younger players, whose job it will be to carry the national team in years to come.”

Agassa was No1 throughout Togo’s maiden FIFA World Cup campaign in 2006, so he is well aware of the opportunity that lies before him and his team-mates. “It was an honour to play at the World Cup,” he said. “Our performance against France, particularly in the first half, is a great memory for me.”

Eventual finalists France won that first-round tie 2-0, but Agassa will no doubt remember the match with fondness. He pulled off one of the saves of the tournament, thwarting David Trezeguet from point-blank range after keeping out Florent Malouda’s initial effort.

“I’ve never played in the Champions League or Europe League, but I can say I’ve played in a World Cup, and that’s a competition that trumps them all,” said Agassa, clearly excited at the prospect of returning to the world stage with Togo. “Once you've tasted it you only want one thing, and that’s to go back there again. We need to do as well as we possibly can in our qualifiers and give ourselves a strong chance of experiencing it all once again.”

The Year in Quotes

2011-12-29T02:05:00.000-08:00

The Year in Quotes

“You heard people complaining about how much [South Africa 2010] cost, for example the stadiums that we built. But how much would you pay for the kind of spirit that pervaded our country? It was a fantastic thing. No-one could have predicted that South Africans would feel so good about themselves. It was reminiscent of the time when Nelson Mandela was released from prison or when we won the Rugby World Cup. You can’t put a monetary value on it. So many South Africans of so many different races walked tall with their heads held high. We were showing off our flags and we even gave the world the vuvuzela!”
Archbishop Desmond Tutu to FIFA.com

“Silvio Berlusconi said that Cassano is the most talented Italian player. He’s either wrong or he doesn’t know Balotelli.”
Mario Balotelli

“Udinese play very well with a 3-5-2 formation and I told my coach at the time to use it. I was taken for a fool, though. It’s impossible to talk to coaches sometimes. They think they invented football.”
Maurizio Zamparini, Palermo president

“Coaches are like husbands – always the last to know.”
Claudio Ranieri

“Congratulations to Real Madrid for paying tribute to [Eric] Abidal. There’s so much more to football than just rivalry.”
Ronaldo, who played for both Barcelona and Real Madrid, on Twitter

“You might end up being embarrassed when you’re dealing with a Zidane or a Rivaldo. It’s better to let them control the ball, look around and pass it to someone else.”
Rivaldo to FIFA.com

“If I was the boss, I’d have sacked myself a few times by now.”
Leonardo during his tenure at AC Milan

“Nobody’s achieved what Pele has. He was a world champion at the age of 17, won three World Cups, and scored more than 1,208 goals. No-one else has done that up to now. That’s why, to my mind, Pele is the best.”
Pele

“The king of Rome is not dead. He’s alive and well.”
Francesco Totti

“I really want to try soccer after I retire, because I’ve watched football over the years and I think I could be a good contender. I’m really looking forward to it and yes, I definitely think I’m good enough to play for Manchester United. I’m good enough because I’m quick, I have a little skill. I have to refine it a little bit, but I should be good enough.”
Usain Bolt, Jamaican sprinter

“Maradona? I wouldn’t give him a lift even if it were raining. As for Romario, he even counts the goals he scored on the beach.”
Pele

“I’ve been a national team member for 18 years, so this has been a long, long wait. I’ve been through the difficult times for women’s football in Japan, so I really feel relieved. It doesn’t feel like reality.”
Homare Sawa after Japan won Germany 2011

“Just because you have talent or even genius, it doesn’t mean to say that you’ll have a great team, which is just as well, because otherwise Brazil would have won ten World Cups instead of five.”
Laurent Blanc to FIFA.com

“There are 1.3 billion people in this country, so there’s got to be some good footballers somewhere. And we’re going to find them.”
Jose Antonio Camacho after being appointed China PR coach

“The fans whistle me because I’m good-looking, rich and a great footballer. They’re jealous. I don’t have any other explanation.”
Cristiano Ronaldo

“He spends his days off picking mushrooms in the country, so he can’t be a bad lad.”
Pep Guardiola on Xavi

“The players see themselves as icons and they see another football icon in me. I’m just like them, and that makes it easy to handle the dressing room.”
Jose Mourinho

“I don’t play football because I want to be the best in the world. I don’t care whether I am or not. I play football because it’s my passion, because I’m in the best team in the world and because winning titles makes me happy. I don’t want to prove anything to anyone. I play for a different reason – to be happy.”
Andres Iniesta

“Guardiola was so happy with [Lionel] Messi, he didn't even bother looking at me. I told him I was a Ferrari and that he was driving me like a Fiat. I wasn’t part of his plans after that.”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic

“I don’t care where I play. I’m just happy to be on the pitch, I’ll play anywhere. Well, probably not right-back, no.”
Wayne Rooney

“My philosophy is that the solution arises before the problem. What I mean is that you can always look for solutions before problems even come up. That’s what we do on a day-to-day basis.”
Pep Guardiola to FIFA.com

The Year in Numbers

2011-12-29T01:57:00.000-08:00

The Year in Numbers

It’s been another unforgettable year on planet football, with Japan, Barcelona, Uruguay and Manchester United just a few of the biggest winners. As 2011 draws to a close, FIFA.com looks at the stats behind some of year’s most eye-catching events.
98943

spectators watched hosts Mexico beat Uruguay 2-0 in July’s FIFA U-17 World Cup final at the Azteca, providing a fittingly raucous climax to a tournament that drew a cumulative attendance of 1,002,314.
178

international appearances, the most recent of which came in last month’s 2-0 defeat by Brazil, established Egypt’s Ahmed Hassan as the joint-most capped player in football history. The 36-year-old, who made his international debut in 1995, needs just one more Pharaohs outing to surpass the record of Saudi Arabia goalkeeper Mohamed Al Deayea, who last played in 2006.
150

matches over nine years, one month, ten days and four different clubs: this was the incredible unbeaten home league record that came to an unexpected end for Jose Mourinho in April. Manolo Preciado succeeded where 107 different coaches had failed as his Sporting Gijon side became the first team since Beira Mar in February 2002 to claim league points on Mourinho’s patch.
110

consecutive years of top-flight football was the run that came to a historic end for River Plate in June. The Buenos Aires giants were relegated for the first time after a 1-1 draw against Belgrano - their ninth straight match without a win - which sealed a 3-1 aggregate defeat in the Promoción play-off.
108

goals in the amazing combined tally with which Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will end their 2011 club campaigns. The Ballon d’Or contenders have been in sensational form once again, with Ronaldo scoring 53 times in just 51 Real Madrid appearances, and Messi managing 55 in 57 for Barcelona.
100

years of patience were finally rewarded in October when Norway’s Molde capped their centenary season with the first league championship of the club’s history. With Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at the helm, the Blåhvit (Blue-Whites) cast aside a reputation as perennial bridesmaids, earned by seven previous second-placed finishes.
75

years of competing in FIFA tournaments finally yielded a trophy for Japan when they won the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ in July. The Nadeshiko had lost 22 and drawn three of their 25 prior meetings with final rivals USA, but a dramatic penalty shootout triumph saw them become the first team to lose during FIFA’s women’s showpiece – 2-0 to England in their case – and go on to lift the trophy.
57

years without a league title was the drought that came to a long-awaited end for Lille in May. No team in the history of the French top flight had endured such a long wait in between championships, so it was with some relief that Rudi Garcia’s side clinched the third top-tier crown of the club’s history and their first since 1954.
46

goals was the new Spain national team record set in March by David Villa. The Barcelona striker, who has since reached the half-century mark, needed just 72 matches to surpass Raul as his country’s foremost marksman. Nor was Villa the only Roja record-breaker this year, with Iker Casillas setting a new benchmark for appearances, surpassing Andoni Zubizarreta’s previous mark with cap number 127 last month.
32

goals, the most recent of which came in October’s 1-1 draw with Paraguay, established Diego Forlan as Uruguay’s all-time leading scorer. The Inter Milan striker moved ahead of the legendary Hector Scarone, and earning his 84th cap in the same match enabled him to extend his already record tally of international appearances. Earlier in the year, Forlan had followed in the continent-conquering footsteps of his father and grandfather by helping Uruguay to a record 15th Copa America crown.
30

successive Brazil victories was the run that finally came to an end in September’s FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup final. Prior to their 12-8 defeat by Russia in the Ravenna 2011 decider, the Brazilians had survived unbeaten since losing on penalties to Portugal in the semi-finals of the 2005 edition.
29

matches without defeat was the run with which Boca Juniors ended their triumphant Apertura campaign two weeks ago, establishing them as the first team in the last 26 Argentinian championship campaigns to remain unbeaten until the end. Having leaked just six goals all season, Boca also equalled their own record for the fewest goals conceded since the current format was adopted in 1990.
23

wins, two draws and zero losses was the near-perfect record with which Porto clinched the title in April, enabling them to become only the second team - after the Benfica side of 1972/73 - to win the Portuguese championship without tasting defeat.
19

top-flight titles, the latest of which was secured in May of this year, established Manchester United as the most successful team in English league history, one ahead of old rivals Liverpool. The 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers that sealed this landmark championship also witnessed Ryan Giggs break David James’s Premier League appearance record by turning out for the 573rd time.
15

million euros was the fee Chelsea paid to release Andre Villas-Boas from his Porto contract in June, making him the most expensive coach in history. The month before, Villas-Boas - at 33 years and 213 days old - had become the youngest coach ever to win a European trophy by guiding Os Dragões to UEFA Europa League glory.
13

out of 16 is Barcelona’s amazing haul of major titles under Pep Guardiola after they returned the FIFA Club World Cup to their trophy cabinet earlier this month. The 4-0 final win over Santos was secured by a team that included 11 homegrown players, and Lionel Messi’s brace established the Barça No10 as the first player to score in separate FIFA Club World Cup finals.
5

goals were served up in August’s FIFA U-20 World Cup final, establishing the Colombia 2011 decider as the highest-scoring of the tournament’s 34-year history. Three of those goals came from one player, Brazil’s Oscar, who – having not managed a single goal in the preceding rounds – became the first player to score a hat-trick in the final.
4

AFC Asian Cup titles, the latest of which was secured in January, have established Japan as the most successful team in the competition’s history. By edging Australia 1-0 in the final, the Samurai Blue inched ahead of Saudi Arabia and Iran, both of whom have three Asian crowns to their name.
3

first-time finalists - Botswana, Niger and co-hosts Equatorial Guinea - will take part in the 2012 CAF Africa Cup of Nations after a dramatic year of qualifying action in the Mother Contintent. The CAN preliminaries brought despair for several of the continent’s big guns, with only two winners from the competition’s previous 14 editions - Côte d’Ivoire and Tunisia – doing enough to progress.

Curtain falls on glittering careers

2011-12-29T01:50:00.000-08:00

Curtain falls on glittering careers
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Three former FIFA World Cup™ winners retired from football this year, having illuminated the 1990s and early 2000s with their talents. Brazilian striker Ronaldo, French midfielder Patrick Vieira and Italian defender Fabio Cannavaro all called time on their careers after years of delighting fans around the world with their on-pitch efforts.

Several other experienced campaigners such as Claude Makelele, Paul Scholes, Matias Almeyda and Marcelo Gallardo have also moved on to new challenges after many successful years in the game. FIFA.com bids farewell to these recent retirees, many of whom will now switch to the dugout to embark on coaching careers.

Former Brazil striker Ronaldo is undoubtedly the most high-profile retiree of the year. With 62 goals from 98 appearances, Ronaldo is second only to Pele in Brazil’s list of all-time leading goalscorers, and remains the highest scorer in FIFA World Cup finals history with 15 goals. Il Fenomeno netted 367 times in 531 matches at club level, including 104 in 177 games for Real Madrid, and won two FIFA World Cups with Brazil in 1994 and 2002, as well as a runners-up medal in 1998. He also won the FIFA World Player of the Year title three times, in 1996, 1997 and 2002.

Ronaldo possessed a blistering turn of pace, brilliant technical ability and a well-honed striker’s instinct, and his list of achievements is as long as it is impressive. He holds a special place in the hearts of Brazilian fans, many of whom considered him to be the natural successor to Pele.

When Ronaldo announced his retirement on 14 February 2011, he also revealed that he had been suffering for several years from hypothyroidism, an illness thought to be the root of his oft-publicised weight issues. “Lots of people must regret having made jokes about my weight. But I feel no anger towards anyone,” said the striker, who will be remembered as one of the greatest in history. “With this announcement, it feels like my first death. It’s very hard to abandon something that has made me so happy.”

International heroes call it a day
Exactly five years after Italy’s 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany final victory over France, Fabio Cannavaro decided to call time on his football career. Cannavaro, whose last spell as a player was in Dubai with Al-Ahli, retired at the age of 37 following a persistent knee injury. Amazingly, despite a 19-year career that included 16 years in Italian football with the likes of Napoli, Parma, Inter Milan and Juventus, Cannavaro never won a Serie A title. Fans will nevertheless remember him as the iconic captain who led Italy to their fourth FIFA World Cup crown, and as the country’s most-capped player ahead of Paolo Maldini and Dino Zoff.

Former France international Patrick Vieira was a losing finalist against Cannavaro’s Italy at Germany 2006, but also lifted the FIFA World Cup trophy in 1998. Vieira retired in the summer at the age of 35, having made 651 career appearances for various prestigious clubs including AC Milan, Arsenal, Juventus, Inter Milan and Manchester City. He followed up the France 1998 triumph with the UEFA EURO 2000 title, and was a key component in Les Bleus’ midfield in all 107 of his international appearances. With Vieira no longer on the scene, Thierry Henry, Robert Pires and David Trezeguet are the only remaining members of the France 1998-winning side still playing professional football.

Vieira is now part of the backroom staff at Manchester City, and he appears to be relishing his new role. “I don’t yet know what I’ll specialise in, so I’m spending time in all areas of the club, watching and learning,” said the former France captain.

Staying in France, Claude Makelele hung up his boots on 29 May this year at the age of 38. The tireless ball-winner made 880 appearances for a total of seven different clubs, and earned 71 international caps with France. Makelele played in title-winning teams in three different countries (Nantes in 1995, Real Madrid in 2001 and Chelsea in 2005 and 2006), and finished his career at Paris Saint-Germain, where he now works in an advisory role.

Three Red Devils retire
In England, former Manchester United mainstay Paul Scholes (36) announced on 31 May that he was retiring from professional football to join the club’s coaching staff. Scholes’ remarkable career included 14 goals in 66 international appearances, as well as ten league titles, three FA Cups, two UEFA Champions League winner’s medals and an Intercontinental Cup.

Scholes was known as a man of few words during his playing days, but he certainly seems to have found his voice in retirement. “The England team these days are treated like world superstars from what they do at club level," he said. "I don’t think this helps when they go to England [duty] because they’re all mollycoddled and pampered.”

Another cornerstone of recent Manchester United sides also decided to call it a day earlier this year. Indeed, right-back and former England international Gary Neville retired back in February, shortly before his 36th birthday. “I have been a Manchester United fan all my life and fulfilled every dream I’ve ever had,” Neville said in a statement. “I have played in the most incredible football teams, playing with and against some of the best players in the world and I have been lucky to have been part of the team’s achievements and the club’s great success.” Neville’s brother Phil, 34, continues to play for Everton.

Dutch goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar completes the trio of recently-retired Manchester United stars. Van der Sar is the Netherlands’ most-capped player with 130 appearances, and was named Best European Goalkeeper on four occasions during his career. He followed in the footsteps of the legendary Italian goalkeeper Dino Zoff by retiring at the age of 40, deciding it was “time to devote more attention to my family”. Van der Sar was Manchester United’s No1 between 2005 and 2011, and made his final appearance in United’s 3-1 Champions League final defeat by Barcelona on 28 May 2011.

Danish fans bade farewell to Jon Dahl Tomasson, who retired from football to become assistant manager of Dutch club Excelsior. The striker scored 52 goals in 112 international appearances for Denmark. It was a similar tale for for 37-year-old defender Sami Hyypia, who retired from his playing role at Bayer Leverkusen to join the club’s backroom team. The former Finland international had spent ten seasons at the heart of Liverpool’s defence before he joined Leverkusen.

Spanish midfielder Ivan de la Pena, who made his name under Johan Cruyff at Barcelona, announced his retirement in May at the age of 35. The gifted but injury-prone attacking midfielder won several titles over the years but never quite hit the heights his talent deserved, arriving on the scene too early to be part of the free-flowing Barça sides of the last few years.

Successful switch for Gallardo
South America also witnessed a number of high-profile retirements this year, particularly in Argentina, where a talented generation of players waved goodbye to the game. Among them were spring-heeled defender Roberto Ayala, a formidable aerial presence who won 115 international caps, and striker Martin Palermo, who struggled in Europe but enjoys hero status as Boca Juniors’ leading scorer with 236 goals in 404 matches. Defensive midfielder Matias Almeyda, capped 39 times for the Albiceleste, retired from playing at River Plate to become their coach the day after the club's historic relegation to the second tier of Argentinian football.

Diminutive Argentinian playmaker Marcelo Gallardo finished his career in similar fashion. Gallardo retired from playing in early June at the end of his final season with Uruguayan outfit Nacional de Montevideo, before taking the reins as coach on the final day of the month. He made an instant impact, winning his first Apertura title just a few months later.

A glimpse behind the scenes+

2011-12-27T01:59:00.000-08:00

A glimpse behind the scenes
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The year is slowly but surely drawing to a close, the biggest tournaments are a fading memory, and many leagues have closed down for the holiday season. That surely makes it the perfect time to look back at the events of 2011 in pictures.

In the days leading up to 30 December, FIFA.com is proud to present four very special photo galleries.

After our gallery dedicated to the passion shown by true fans, our second photo collection takes you behind the scenes, into the changing rooms and the players’ tunnel. We have stunning images of Brazil star Marta, leading her team-mates in a pre-match beating of the drums, and we’ve also added a unique glimpse into the Japan women’s national team dressing room. Following their triumph against the USA in last summer’s FIFA Women’s World Cup final, the Nadeshiko gave their emotions free rein – and fired off the champagne corks too.

So why not join us for a browse through our special photo galleries? Just follow the link in the right-hand navigation.

The gallery includes the unforgettable image of Ogbonnaya Okemmiri celebrating Nigeria’s victory over Tahiti at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2011 in Ravenna, Lionel Messi a study of intense concentration prior to the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final against Al Sadd, and a selection of players going through their pre-match warm-up routines. All in all, the collection is truly wonderful and exclusive.

Immerse yourself in the colourful world captured by our rare and unique photos. Click away, and enjoy!

Who should your club sign?

2011-12-20T01:15:00.019-08:00

Who should your club sign?
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With club football in recess across many parts of the world, the transfer market is taking centre stage.

FIFA.com wants to know who you think your favourite team should sign.

Simply click ‘Add your comment’ to share your thoughts with fellow fans from across the world, remembering to keep your posts clean, respectful, on-topic and in English.

Tales of footballing cheer for Christmas

2011-12-20T01:15:00.017-08:00

Tales of footballing cheer for Christmas

At this magical time of year, when we give and receive with open hearts, the desire for all of us to come together and make the world a better place is particularly strong.

In promoting that spirit and the belief that small gestures can make a big difference, FIFA.com tells just a few of the tales in which football has played its part in helping to heal wounds, restore hope and bring joy, even in the most trying of circumstances.

The Christmas truce
The First World War was fought mainly in the trenches of Belgium and northern France. And it was between those trenches, near the Belgian town of Ypres, that German and British soldiers came together to play one of the most celebrated of all football matches on a chilly Christmas Eve in 1914, only a few months after the conflict began.

The catalyst for the game was the lighting of candles in the German trenches and the sound of carols drifting across 'No man’s land' to the watching British. Cautiously at first, soldiers from both sides ventured out of their makeshift retreats. Meeting each other halfway across the battlefield, they began exchanging what few possessions they had and sharing their memories of home.

The fraternising took a sporting turn when the opposing soldiers decided to play a football match, with the Germans reportedly winning 2-1. Sadly, the unofficial ceasefire was short-lived, and no sooner was Christmas over than the war resumed, the hostilities only coming to an end nearly four years later. The powerful symbolism of that impromptu game has lasted for far longer however.

Twenty years later football and war would cross paths again in distant South America, where Bolivia and Paraguay were locked in a bloody territorial dispute. As the conflict grew on, the Paraguayan Red Cross decided to raise funds in support of the wounded on both sides.

Deciding that the massively popular sport of football was the best way of arousing interest in their cause, the organisation decided to form a team that would tour Argentina and Uruguay and persuade the watching public to make a donation. One of the members of that charity side was a young Paraguayan by the name of Arsenio Erico, who quickly attracted the attention of Argentina’s biggest clubs and went on to become the leading scorer in Argentinian football with 295 goals, a record that stands to this day.

Defying the odds
Rudiger Bohm is one man who can testify to football’s power to turn despair into hope. A German skiing instructor, Bohm lost both his legs in a serious car crash in 1997. “Those were the first 27 years of your life,” a friend told him in the aftermath of the accident. “Now draw a line under them and start again.” Taking heed of his advice, Bohm learned to walk again and then took a football coaching course, where he met Marco Pezzaiuoli, the head youth coach at Karlsruher SC.

Amazed by his colleague’s desire to live life to the fullest, Pezzaiuoli decided to give him a job at the club. And Bohm is still coaching to this day, having last year taken charge of Thun’s Under-21 team, appearing with them at the 2011 FIFA/Blue Stars Youth Cup.

Sticking together
The terrible earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in March this year triggered a massive response from the global footballing community, which did what it could to help the stricken country and its people. As the world and the media turned its attention to the catastrophe in the Far East, however, the spotlight inevitably moved away from other disaster-stricken parts of the world, Haiti among them.

Fortunately, there are some people who remain dedicated to the cause long after the reporters and TV cameras have gone. Bryane Heaberlin is one such example. The young USA goalkeeper saw the suffering caused by last year’s earthquake in Haiti when her side took on the Caribbean islanders in the 2010 CONCACAF Women’s U-17 Championship.

After chatting with her opposite number and finding out that she had lost both her parents in the disaster, Heaberlin got to work and set up her own foundation to raise money for the Haitian girls, getting enough funds together to organise a training camp in the USA for the country’s U-20 women’s team.

“Many Hearts, One Goal” is the name she has given to her mission, which is still going strong and has the support of some of the biggest names in women’s football – just another illustration of the great game’s ability to build bridges and unite people.

These are only a few examples of the power football has to bring good. If you know of any others click on ‘Add your comment’ and tell us about them.

Villas-Boas defends Torres, talks title hopes

2011-12-20T01:15:00.015-08:00

Villas-Boas defends Torres, talks title hopes

Andre Villas-Boas had nothing but praise for Fernando Torres, despite watching Chelsea's £50m man fluff his first Premier League start for almost two months. Torres's latest goal drought grew to ten matches yesterday as the Blues drew 1-1 in their west London derby against Fulham in what was another blow to their increasingly remote title hopes.

The game at Stamford Bridge must have seemed the perfect time to give Torres a chance to play himself back into form, ahead of Didier Drogba's January departure for CAF Africa Nations Cup duty. But after some positive early signs, including a volley the striker was unlucky to hit straight at David Stockdale, the 27-year-old looked as lost as he had ever done in a Chelsea shirt.

Villas-Boas pointed out the Spaniard had set up Juan Mata's opener, neglecting to mention that was only because he had miscontrolled Ashley Cole's cross. Explaining Torres's recall, the Chelsea manager said: "We decided to bring Fernando in.

"He's been working well and he had an impact in the game. He worked well for the team, assisted Mata for his goal, and showed the level of commitment he has shown in training."
With City and United continuing to get the points they are getting at the moment, it'll be difficult. Maybe the Premier League [title] is over for us at the moment.
Andre Villas-Boas

"We don't judge our strikers on the score. We are one of the most attacking teams in the country. We have a lot of goals spread out among the team. What is important is that they make an impact. That is what we expect from them."

Villas-Boas all but conceded the title yesterday, something which might have been the cue for Torres to be given a run in the side without fear of it proving too costly. But Chelsea simply cannot afford to keep throwing away points because they are suddenly back in a real battle to finish in the top four, with Arsenal knowing a win against Wolverhampton Wanderers today would lift them above their London rivals.

Billionaire Blues owner Roman Abramovich may yet forgive Villas-Boas not winning the title this season, but he is unlikely to tolerate failure to qualify for the UEFA Champions League.

"The difference between us and the top will be big," the Portuguese said. "We had reduced it to seven points recently, but 13 points would be new for us. With City and United continuing to get the points they are getting at the moment, it'll be difficult.

"That is the perspective we have to make at the moment. It's difficult. It's not impossible. You cannot say that.

"But we have to focus on our position at the moment and make a real assessment. Maybe the Premier League [title] is over for us at the moment."

Jol upbeat
Fulham boss Martin Jol is on a much longer leash, but still needed a better performance yesterday from his players than they delivered in Wednesday's 5-0 thrashing by Manchester United. The fact he got it was all the more impressive after forwards Bobby Zamora (Achilles) and Andy Johnson (groin) both pulled out injured.

Admitting he "gambled" with his team selection and tactics, Jol said: "Our two main strikers dropped out, so we had to come up with something else. I think it paid off."

Indeed, Fulham were unrecognisable from Wednesday night and Jol added: "We had a good result against Liverpool, a good result at the Emirates.

"You can't say we are inconsistent - it was just against United that we didn't have a good result. We've shown we can give all these teams a good game."

Making your first touch count+

2011-12-20T01:15:00.013-08:00

Making your first touch count

Making an instant impact is what every player hopes to do when they set foot on the field, but now and again players can take that to the extreme. Scoring with your first touch of a game is a skill that not only takes instant composure and a sure finish, but it also often requires the bit of luck to turn up in the right place at the right time.

To do it in any match is an achievement, but should it be a particularly pivotal goal, it has an even greater shine to it. Possibly the most memorable of all is Lars Ricken’s stunning lob in the 1997 UEFA Champions League final. The goal handed Borussia Dortmund the title, killing off Juventus’ revival in a 3-1 victory and starting his career in blockbuster style.

Having just entered the field, Andreas Moller played in the 20-year-old who sprinted through in search of the killer goal. With just 16 seconds on the clock since gracing the stage, a delightful waft of his right foot saw him chip the ball over the advancing Angelo Peruzzi and into Champions League folklore. Looking back on the moment Ricken said: "It was without any doubts my most important goal in my career and I will always be connected with it."

German teams seem to have a habit of grabbing goals of this fashion in the tournament, with a couple more important strikes having been converted with players’ maiden touches in the last few years. First, Bayern Munich’s Roy Makaay netted in a record-breakingly quick time of 10.12 seconds against Real Madrid in their 2007 quarter-final, capitalising after Hasan Salihamidzic dispossessed Roberto Carlos and crossed for the Dutch international. Then, back in November of this season, Erin Derdiyok struck the first goal of Bayer Leverkusen’s 2-1 turnaround against Chelsea. Needing a win to guarantee qualification, Derdiyok came off the bench and, having let the ball run under his foot for what would have been his first touch, he peeled away to meet the subsequent cross and send them on the way to victory.
It was without any doubts my most important goal in my career and I will always be connected with it.
Lars Ricken on his strike for Borussia Dortmund in the 1997 UEFA Champions League final

Possibly the only thing that tops bringing joy to a club’s fans is bringing it to an entire country. Amr Zaki managed to do so with his premier connection with the ball on a huge continental stage. With all eyes on a row between Egypt coach Hassan Shehata and the substituted Mido, he rose to break the deadlock against Senegal with his first touch and send them into the 2006 CAF Africa Cup of Nations final. Thanks to him they got their shot at the title against Côte d'Ivoire, winning the showpiece on penalties.

International football’s biggest stage has seen its fair share of first-touch finishes too, of all shapes and sizes. The 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ was graced with not one, but two goals of this ilk in a single game, with both at either end of stopwatch spectrum. Lukas Podolski struck a fizzing strike against Australia to open Germany’s account for the tournament, after a whopping eight minutes without touching the ball. His compatriot Cacau rounded off the 4-0 victory in slightly more timely fashion, side-footing in after just 110 seconds on the field.

At the 1978 edition, France striker Bernard Lacombe opened his account, and the tournament as a whole, by getting Les Bleus off to a cracking start against eventual semi-finalists Italy just 30 seconds into proceedings. The Lyon legend arrived to head into the far bottom corner after Jean Marc Guillou’s lung-busting run and inch-perfect cross, however it couldn’t prevent them falling to a 2-1 defeat.

Four years later they saw the other side of an almost identical goal, conceding in eerily comparable circumstances. In their opening game of Spain 82 they faced England in a similarly high-profile encounter, but this time out Three Lions captain Bryan Robson managed to upstage Lacombe – who was watching from the bench - by striking three seconds faster than the Frenchman did. Having gotten an early throw-in on the right wing, Steve Coppell hurled the ball into the box and, following a flick-on, Robson ghosted in at the back post to convert an impressive, acrobatic volley.

Those with a little less experience have managed similar feats, and some in huge games as well. It’s hard to beat AC Milan striker Alberto Paloschi’s effort however. When the fresh-faced 17-year-old made his debut against Siena at the San Siro, he was expected to just provide some youthful exuberance. However, 18 seconds into his debut, the Italian latches on to a hooked through-ball by Clarence Seedorf and rifles in a sublime half-volley from the edge of the box with his first touch in professional football to win the game.
It was fantastic. First touch, first Premier League goal.
Arsenal forward Nicklas Bendtner on his record-breaking goal in the North London derby

Nicklas Bendtner struck his first league goal for Arsenal in memorable style, just 1.8 seconds into his North London derby debut, a Premier League record for a substitute. Getting clear of his marker, he headed home Cesc Fabregas’s freekick to instantly warm himself to the home faithful by giving The Gunners a 2-1 win over fierce rivals Tottenham Hotspur. "It was fantastic," he said. "First touch, first Premier League goal.” Everton striker Apostolos Vellios managed a similar effort this season against Chelsea. The Greek striker saw just eight seconds of play before he stretched to prod past Petr Cech.

Bendtner’s not the only striker to get a first Premier League goal with his first touch in the heat of a local derby. Newcastle’s Michael Chopra, who would also play for Sunderland, struck his first goal in the Tyne-Wear derby of 2006 having been on the field for just ten seconds, a record at the time. A long ball from Titus Bramble was allowed to bounce in the area and, bundling into Black Cats keeper Kelvin Davis, Chopra managed to get enough on the ball to equalise and spark a 4-1 turnaround.

The Greek Super League showed stars in the twilight of their career can carry a similar instant impact when Icelandic veteran Eidur Gudjohnsen managed the same achievement. Just 15 seconds after entering the field in his second league appearance for AEK Athens, the former Barcelona striker tapped in to register his first goal for the side from a capital in a 4-3 win over Xanthi. However, another former Premier League striker managed to do the same, and go one better, two years previous. With less than an hour of league football for Olympiakos to his name, Matt Derbyshire entered the field against Iraklis to grab his first goal for the club having been on for less than a minute. He followed that up with this second, and Olympiakos’ fifth, five minutes later.

Have your say
Are there any goals you’ve seen scored with a player’s first touch that stand out for you? Do you have an all-time favourite? Bring your voice to the conversation by clicking ‘Add your comment’, remembering to keep your comments clean, respectful, on-topic and in English.

Messi: I will win the World Cup

2011-12-20T01:15:00.011-08:00

Messi: I will win the World Cup
(AFP) Monday 26 December 2011
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Barcelona star Lionel Messi is convinced he can lift the FIFA World Cup™ with Argentina, the forward said in an interview with the Argentina Football Association.

Messi has won a host of top honours with Barça but has yet to taste major success with the Albiceleste, who are without a top title since 1993 and flopped at the Copa America on home soil in July, with many observers puzzled as to why his club form rarely appears at international level.

"I still have this dream and that is to be a world champion and lift the Copa America with the national side. And I know I'll do it, I am convinced I shall," insisted Messi.

"I don't have to demonstrate anything to anybody. I would love to win a title with the national team but I am just another one in the group who wants to do the best for Argentine football, nothing more," he added.
I still have this dream and that is to be a world champion and lift the Copa America with the national side.
Lionel Messi, Argentina forward

Under new coach Alejandro Sabella, Argentina got off to a mediocre start in their 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers with an embarrassing loss to Venezuela, but their recent win over Colombia put them on a more even keel and they are now level on points with regional group leaders Uruguay, albeit having played a game more, and Venezuela.

"The group are doing fine. But we needed a win like that to strengthen ourselves. It has revitalised us," Messi said, recognising that "sometimes we don't quite get up to the mark either in terms of performance or the result. We are aware of that."

On the difference between playing for his country and Barça, with whom he has just won the FIFA Club World Cup, Messi said: "They are two different things. Barcelona are the best team in the world, even non-fans admit as much. That is the result of years of hard work with the same team-mates.

"It's more difficult with the national side and we've been through a lot of chopping and changing of coaches in recent years," he said pointedly. "But we are growing and I know we are going to achieve a lot."

Berbatov burst sees United soa

2011-12-20T01:15:00.009-08:00

Berbatov burst sees United soar

Dimitar Berbatov scored a hat-trick as Manchester United muscled their way level with Manchester City at the top of the English Premier League.

City still hold the advantage on goal difference, but even that lead was cut to five by United's second successive five-goal triumph. It was tough luck on Wigan, whose chance disappeared once Conor Sammon was sent off for catching Michael Carrick with his elbow just before the break.

Already leading through Park Ji-sung's early goal, United took maximum advantage. Berbatov doubled their lead before half-time, then scored twice more, bringing back memories of his form in the first half of last season, when he claimed three match balls.

On this occasion, he owed the honour to Wayne Rooney, who stepped aside to let him take the penalty after Park had been fouled by Antolin Alcaraz. The excellent Antonio Valencia was also on target to ensure Sir Alex Ferguson will be handed the perfect 70th birthday present of a place on top of the table should his side overcome Blackburn on New Year's Eve, given City are not in action until 24 hours later.

If there was one game where Ferguson might not have been too alarmed to field a defence including Michael Carrick and Antonio Valencia, this was it. Wigan had not managed so much as a draw in 13 previous meetings between the sides and the combined score from their past four encounters was 16-0.

United soon added to their tally as Patrice Evra slalomed his way into the Wigan box, then picked out Park Ji-sung with a neat cut-back. The Korean had enough space to pick his spot, into the top right corner, well out of Ali Al Habsi's reach.

The men in red continued to create chances at regular intervals, with Nani, Berbatov and Darron Gibson all trying their luck. However, Wigan were not content to play the meek visitors and with Victor Moses building on recent impressive performances and Ronnie Stam exploiting the hosts' lack of an orthodox left-sided midfield player, created just as many chances as their hosts early on.

Sammon wasted the best, turning onto David Jones' pass, but drilling a shot straight at Anders Lindegaard. The Irishman's day quickly got much worse, and any chance Wigan had disappeared. There is no doubt Sammon's arm did end up in Carrick's face, offering referee Phil Dowd the opportunity to send him off.

And, as good sides do, United quickly exploited the situation. Had injury not struck him down in August, Gibson might well have moved on in the summer. As it was, Ferguson was probably glad to have him available for this one.

The Irishman delivered a teasing cross from the right flank, which ended up with Berbatov. Making only his second Premier League start of the season, United's record signing took some time to get the ball under control. However, he had the strength to hold off Antolin Alcaraz and drilled his shot past Al Habsi.

The departure of Evans at half-time led to Evra becoming possibly becoming United's shortest-ever central defender. He was limping too not long afterwards, although that proved to be a false alarm. There did not seem much wrong with the Frenchman when he went straight through the back of Moses anyway.

Jones curled the free-kick narrowly wide, which turned out to be Wigan's last opportunity before United struck again. Valencia was having a quietly effective game and his prodded pass left Berbatov with enough space and time to smash his shot beyond Al Habsi.

Having fallen so far behind Manchester City in the goal difference stakes, United sensed it was time to start making up some ground. Valencia's excellent performance continued when he drilled his first Premier League goal of the season into the bottom left corner. Then, after Park was chopped down in the box by Alcaraz, substitute Rooney let Berbatov finish off his hat-trick.

Petit: France are better as outsiders+

2011-12-20T01:15:00.007-08:00

Petit: France are better as outsiders

A legend in French football circles from the moment his shot hit the net at the Stade de France on 12 July 1998, Emmanuel Petit can look back on a hugely successful career in the game. The midfield linchpin rounded off the scoring as the hosts beat Brazil 3-0 in the 1998 FIFA World Cup™ Final and he then followed that up with continental glory at UEFA EURO 2000. At club level Petit racked up an equally impressive collection of winners’ medals during spells with Monaco, Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea.

Since hanging up his boots in 2004, Manu has become one of the most respected television pundits on the French scene, offering the public the benefit of his excellent insights and genuine candour. Earlier this month, he also provided his analysis during the announcement of the final list of candidates for the 2011 FIFA Ballon d’Or Award, and afterwards he agreed to share his thoughts with FIFA.com. Petit gave his views on the three contenders, his own illustrious career and the state of the French national team.

FIFA.com: Xavi, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are the three candidates for the 2011 FIFA Ballon d’Or Award. Do you agree with that shortlist?
Emmanuel Petit: It’s easy to lose objectivity in this type of discussion, but the list of the three contenders makes some sense. Spanish football is enjoying a certain supremacy at the moment and this list fits in with that reality.

Do you have your own favourite among that trio?
For me, they all deserve the Ballon d’Or. Xavi has redefined the position of midfield anchorman and taken that role forward. He’s Barcelona’s jack of all trades: he moves the ball forward from deep, organises attacks, scores goals and creates them. His talent is immense. As for Lionel Messi, he adds magic to Barcelona’s team work. He’s exceptional, a PlayStation player. That said, Cristiano Ronaldo would get my vote, and God knows how much I like the other two! But in a Real Madrid environment where things are maybe more complicated than they are at Barcelona, he boasts some impressive statistics. Despite dominating in England, he didn’t think twice about testing himself again by going to Madrid. He’s assumed his responsibilities perfectly and maybe has more of an ability to score with his head compared to the Argentinian. He’s just a tad out in front, but I’m still waiting for both of them to finally make full use of their abilities with their national teams.

You crossed paths with a number of Ballon d’Or winners during your career. Which of them impressed you the most?
I loved Marco van Basten, Michel Platini and also Zinedine Zidane. For me, you have to fulfil a whole list of criteria to deserve the Ballon d’Or – and being an example off the pitch is a fundamental one as far as I’m concerned.
The year 1998 with Arsenal and the France team was the pinnacle of my career. To win six titles in one year is something extraordinary.
Emmanuel Petit

Attacking players tend to win the most votes. As a player confined to more defensive roles during your career, do you find that unfair?
Guys like Paolo Maldini, Lilian Thuram, Franco Baresi and Marcel Desailly were giants at the back. They were all good enough to win the Ballon d’Or. Maybe we should have one Ballon d’Or for each position!

What did you enjoy most about being a holding midfielder, a typically unsung role?
The unselfishness and importance of the position. The midfield anchorman is at the crossroads between all the various aspects of a team. He’s like a roundabout and everything goes through him. If the midfield isn’t working well, the whole team feels it. I adored players like Fernando Redondo and Frank Rijkaard in that position, even if they were very different. I was fortunate enough to share the pitch with them – and the danger is that you end up standing back and watching when you play against them (laughs).

France coach Laurent Blanc has tried a few different options in that position, giving chances to Yohan Cabaye, Yann M’Vila, Alou Diarra, Abou Diaby and Maxime Gonalons. Do you see any of those players as the next Emmanuel Petit?
I’m left-footed, and that’s one of a number of things missing in the current France team. Les Bleus tend to favour one side of the pitch more than the other. Cabaye is improving his game at Newcastle and I hope he manages to add another dimension to his play in the Premier League. He mustn’t confine himself to a role as a holding player; on the contrary, he should look to be involved in moves going forward. That will require him to have a more physical profile, real tactical clarity in his movement and a more refined technical finesse. In England, teams move the ball around quicker and that means you have much less reaction time.

In total, you spent six years in England and just one in Spain. Why did you experience less success in Spain than elsewhere?
I arrived at Barcelona at perhaps the worst possible moment in the last 20 years (laughs). I laugh about it now, but I found it less funny at the time. I’m not bitter, though. We had a squad that was coming to the end of an era. Rivaldo, Pep Guardiola, and the De Boer brothers were fantastic players, but they were on their way down, as was I. That explains what happened.

Barcelona had an impressive contingent of players in the initial list of 23 candidates for the 2011 FIFA Ballon d’Or and now boast two in the shortlist. Are they the best club in the world?
They’re the team that keeps winning everything, anyway. They’re the club that sums up modern football perfectly at the moment. Plenty of people are growing tired of watching them knock the ball around, but their players have given new life to terms like ‘pressing the opposition’, ‘winning the ball back’ and ‘possession’. For me, this Barça team right now are what football is all about. They’re one of those rare sides who manage to raise football to its highest possible level, like Brazil in 1970.

You played for Monaco, Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea. Which of those clubs left the greatest impression on you and why?
The year 1998 with Arsenal and the France team was the pinnacle of my career. To win six titles in one year is something extraordinary.

As a former international, what did you make of France’s qualifying campaign for EURO 2012?
I’m not going to fall into the popular trap of patriotism. I think that, right now, Laurent Blanc’s France team has neither the mental capacity nor the football ability to be considered among the favourites. France have a number of top-quality players, but those players still haven’t managed to express the full range of their talent in the national team. Still, it’s all the better if we’re able to shake off the tag of group favourites, as we showed in friendly wins against England and Brazil that we’re better in the role of outsiders.

What are thoughts on your former France team-mate Laurent Blanc as Les Bleus coach?
He’s trying to do the best he can, and I think he’s doing it well – Les Bleus are on a long unbeaten run. In terms of their play, I think we’re right to expect much better, but he would be the first to say that. After the events in Knysna [at the 2010 FIFA World Cup] and the awful image left by the France team, it was suicidal to take the reins of that side. At the moment, he must simply be frustrated that certain players are a long way from their best when they play in blue. He must also be frustrated that generations change: football is becoming more and more of a sport for individuals. Taking that into account, I think he’s doing a more than competent job in charge of the France team.

Can you see yourself moving into a coaching role like him?
I have other priorities right now. To be a club or national coach, you need to dedicate yourself 200 per cent to that job. At the moment, I’m not willing to make such significant sacrifices in my private life and professional career.

El Shenawy: I want Al Masry silverware+

2011-12-20T01:15:00.006-08:00

El Shenawy: I want Al Masry silverware
(s

Al Masry goalkeeper Ahmed El Shenawy has had an impressive 2011, garnering praise for his consistently excellent performances for Egypt in major tournaments. The sequence started at the CAF African Youth Championship in South Africa in April and was followed by the FIFA U-20 World Cup Colombia. Then came the final qualifying round for the Olympic Football Tournament London 2012 in Morocco, where the Baby Pharaohs booked their ticket with a third-place finish.

In an exclusive interview with FIFA.com the 21-year-old keeper spoke about his ambitions for 2012, playing for his country’s senior team against Brazil and rumours that he will be moving to a new club in the New Year.

FIFA.com: First of all, congratulations on qualifying for the 2012 Olympics. This year the final round was an U-23 tournament organized by CAF. What do you think of the format?
Ahmed El Shenawy: Thanks! In my opinion the format worked out perfectly and I’d like to take the opportunity to thank the organisers in Morocco, who staged this tournament for the first time and at such short notice. The organization was spot on. Everything was perfect: the hotels, the training facilities and the pitches. We had everything we needed and it was just a marvellous opportunity to rub shoulders with other quality African sides. Events like this always have a positive effect on the teams taking part and improve the quality of their play.

As you’re aware, Egypt was supposed to have hosted this tournament, but at the last moment it was moved to Morocco. Did losing your home advantage have a negative impact on the team?
Of course, we would have preferred it to be held on Egyptian soil, but the situation in the country made it impossible. The safety of players and supporters had to be considered. Sure, we might have done better if we’d been playing at familiar stadiums in front of our fans, but we still did well in Morocco. We qualified for the Olympics and that was the objective.

Before the tournament Egypt’s U-23 coach Hany Ramzy said he was confident the Moroccan supporters would get behind Egypt. Did they?
They certainly did. The Moroccan public were 100 per cent behind us in all our games. After our semi-final loss to Morocco they gave us a lot of encouragement and I’d like to thank them all personally for their amazing support during our third-place play-off against Senegal. It was a must-win game and they deserve a lot of the credit for our victory.

It’s been a year of achievements for you: third place at the African Youth Championship, reaching the last 16 of the FIFA U-20 World Cup and another third place in Morocco, which guarantees you a berth at the Olympics. What have been your happiest memories of 2011?
There have been a few. It’s been quite a year for me personally, what with my winning the award for the best goalkeeper at the U-20 African Youth Championships. However, if I had to pick one moment, it would be beating Senegal to take third place in Morocco and qualify for the 2012 Olympics.

You won the best goalkeeper award in South Africa, were picked in the team of the tournament in Morocco and then played for Egypt’s first team in a friendly against Brazil. Do you think you have what it takes to replace a great goalkeeper like Essam Al Hadari?
I aspire to, naturally, but only once he retires for good. He’s still Egypt’s number-one keeper. He may be experiencing a few difficulties at the moment, but I’m confident he’ll find a way through and regain his rightful place as the country’s last line of defence.

How was it playing for the first team, especially against such illustrious opponents as Brazil?
Well, it was a very tough match. Your first game for the national side is always going to be a nervous time, and it doesn’t make it any easier when you’re playing a side like Brazil. For the first five minutes I was terrified, but I settled down after that and did my job. That game was a turning point in my life, to be honest.

What do think of Egypt’s new coach, Bob Bradley?
He’s a guy with fresh ideas who’s had some amazing results with the USA team. We hope he can do the same for us, lead us to the World Cup and the next African Cup of Nations, and get the first team out of its current slump.

You were only one year old when Egypt last qualified for the Olympics back in 1992. In Barcelona the team went out at the group stage after losing to Spain and Qatar. How do you think things will go in London next year?
I’m hoping we do really well! This will be the last major tournament for this generation of youth players, so I want us to get past the group stage and really make our mark. We’ll be playing strong sides and it won’t be easy. I also hope that as many of our players as possible get picked up by major clubs. It’s a dream for all of us.

On that subject, you’re rumoured to have been the subject of transfer talks between Al Masry and a number of European clubs, and that Al Ahly and Zamalek have also taken an interest in you. Can you confirm any of that?
I don’t think that this is the right moment for me to leave. I’d like to win something with Al Masry, and also have success with the Olympic team in London or with the Egypt senior team before I start thinking of moving on. I’m yet to win a single title, after all. Al Masry have assured me that they will not block a potential move if the offer is good, but only after the end of this season. We have a good chance of winning the Egypt Cup this year and I want to be part of that.

El Shenawy: I want Al Masry silverware++

2011-12-20T01:15:00.004-08:00

El Shenawy: I want Al Masry silverware

Al Masry goalkeeper Ahmed El Shenawy has had an impressive 2011, garnering praise for his consistently excellent performances for Egypt in major tournaments. The sequence started at the CAF African Youth Championship in South Africa in April and was followed by the FIFA U-20 World Cup Colombia. Then came the final qualifying round for the Olympic Football Tournament London 2012 in Morocco, where the Baby Pharaohs booked their ticket with a third-place finish.

In an exclusive interview with FIFA.com the 21-year-old keeper spoke about his ambitions for 2012, playing for his country’s senior team against Brazil and rumours that he will be moving to a new club in the New Year.

FIFA.com: First of all, congratulations on qualifying for the 2012 Olympics. This year the final round was an U-23 tournament organized by CAF. What do you think of the format?
Ahmed El Shenawy: Thanks! In my opinion the format worked out perfectly and I’d like to take the opportunity to thank the organisers in Morocco, who staged this tournament for the first time and at such short notice. The organization was spot on. Everything was perfect: the hotels, the training facilities and the pitches. We had everything we needed and it was just a marvellous opportunity to rub shoulders with other quality African sides. Events like this always have a positive effect on the teams taking part and improve the quality of their play.

As you’re aware, Egypt was supposed to have hosted this tournament, but at the last moment it was moved to Morocco. Did losing your home advantage have a negative impact on the team?
Of course, we would have preferred it to be held on Egyptian soil, but the situation in the country made it impossible. The safety of players and supporters had to be considered. Sure, we might have done better if we’d been playing at familiar stadiums in front of our fans, but we still did well in Morocco. We qualified for the Olympics and that was the objective.

Before the tournament Egypt’s U-23 coach Hany Ramzy said he was confident the Moroccan supporters would get behind Egypt. Did they?
They certainly did. The Moroccan public were 100 per cent behind us in all our games. After our semi-final loss to Morocco they gave us a lot of encouragement and I’d like to thank them all personally for their amazing support during our third-place play-off against Senegal. It was a must-win game and they deserve a lot of the credit for our victory.

It’s been a year of achievements for you: third place at the African Youth Championship, reaching the last 16 of the FIFA U-20 World Cup and another third place in Morocco, which guarantees you a berth at the Olympics. What have been your happiest memories of 2011?
There have been a few. It’s been quite a year for me personally, what with my winning the award for the best goalkeeper at the U-20 African Youth Championships. However, if I had to pick one moment, it would be beating Senegal to take third place in Morocco and qualify for the 2012 Olympics.

You won the best goalkeeper award in South Africa, were picked in the team of the tournament in Morocco and then played for Egypt’s first team in a friendly against Brazil. Do you think you have what it takes to replace a great goalkeeper like Essam Al Hadari?
I aspire to, naturally, but only once he retires for good. He’s still Egypt’s number-one keeper. He may be experiencing a few difficulties at the moment, but I’m confident he’ll find a way through and regain his rightful place as the country’s last line of defence.

How was it playing for the first team, especially against such illustrious opponents as Brazil?
Well, it was a very tough match. Your first game for the national side is always going to be a nervous time, and it doesn’t make it any easier when you’re playing a side like Brazil. For the first five minutes I was terrified, but I settled down after that and did my job. That game was a turning point in my life, to be honest.

What do think of Egypt’s new coach, Bob Bradley?
He’s a guy with fresh ideas who’s had some amazing results with the USA team. We hope he can do the same for us, lead us to the World Cup and the next African Cup of Nations, and get the first team out of its current slump.

You were only one year old when Egypt last qualified for the Olympics back in 1992. In Barcelona the team went out at the group stage after losing to Spain and Qatar. How do you think things will go in London next year?
I’m hoping we do really well! This will be the last major tournament for this generation of youth players, so I want us to get past the group stage and really make our mark. We’ll be playing strong sides and it won’t be easy. I also hope that as many of our players as possible get picked up by major clubs. It’s a dream for all of us.

On that subject, you’re rumoured to have been the subject of transfer talks between Al Masry and a number of European clubs, and that Al Ahly and Zamalek have also taken an interest in you. Can you confirm any of that?
I don’t think that this is the right moment for me to leave. I’d like to win something with Al Masry, and also have success with the Olympic team in London or with the Egypt senior team before I start thinking of moving on. I’m yet to win a single title, after all. Al Masry have assured me that they will not block a potential move if the offer is good, but only after the end of this season. We have a good chance of winning the Egypt Cup this year and I want to be part of that.

Barça's history boysJapan coronation for Barça's history boys++

2011-12-20T01:15:00.002-08:00

apan coronation for Barça's history boys
(FIFA.com) Monday 19 December 2011
Japan coronation for Barça's history boys
© Getty Images

For Barcelona, the extraordinary has now become ordinary. The fact is, we are no longer astounded when Pep Guardiola’s side achieve incredible feats in sensational style. Their latest triumphant campaign here at the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan broke records, wowed crowds and earned only generous acclaim from their outclassed rivals. That no-one was particularly surprised is perhaps the biggest compliment of all.

Their final against Santos had been billed as a showdown between the current king of football and one of the principal pretenders to his throne. As it was, even Neymar himself was gracious enough to admit that, for now at least, Lionel Messi and Barça are simply in a class of their own. “It’s impossible to stop them,” reflected the teenager. “Today, the best team in the world showed us how to play football.”

As Neymar’s comment suggests, the Catalans’ coronation really only confirmed what we already knew about their current pre-eminence. The club has now won 13 of the 16 trophies it has competed for under Guardiola, and secured their second FIFA Club World Cup in three years with the highest number of overall goals and with a record winning margin in the final itself. Yet it was the manner of the success that most pleased their coach. “In the first half, the players were like artists,” Guardiola enthused. “Whatever they envisioned in their minds, it appeared on the pitch.”

Even in a team packed full of virtuosos, Messi still managed to stand out. A brace in the 4-0 win over Santos saw the little Argentinian become the first player to score in multiple FIFA Club World Cup finals, and left his tally for the season at 29 from 26 appearances. While Xavi, winner of the adidas Silver Ball, was at his brilliant best in the final, and though Thiago impressed throughout, Messi’s place at the top of the pile was beyond dispute.
In the first half, the players were like artists. Whatever they envisioned in their minds, it appeared on the pitch.
Pep Guardiola

Yet, for all that Barça and their talismanic No10 reigned supreme, this was a tournament in which there was always going to be more than one winner. Even Santos, once they recover from their final humbling, will be able to reflect fondly on a 3-1 semi-final win over Kashiwa Reysol that was secured by a trio of truly outstanding goals.

Asian champions Al-Sadd, meanwhile, proudly flew the flag for Qatar, which became the 20th nation to be represented at FIFA’s club showpiece. Beating their African counterparts Esperance in the quarter-finals was a feat in itself, but the fact that Jorge Fossati’s side went on to secure third place came as a major boost for the game in this emerging football nation. “It’s a great day for Qatar,” beamed their Uruguayan coach. “Today is a national holiday in the country and I believe we are adding something to what will be a day of huge celebration.”

Kashiwa Reysol were the team Al-Sadd beat on penalties to secure a place on the podium, but not even the bitter taste of defeat in a match they dominated could detract from a fairy tale season for the Chiba outfit. It certainly should not forgotten that the Sun Kings won the J.League, becoming the first newly-promoted side to do so, just four days before competing in their FIFA Club World Cup opener. That 2-0 win over Auckland City in the tournament’s curtain-raiser was one of five matches Kashiwa faced in the space of 15 days – two of which went to penalties – and yet their play never lost the verve and energy that continues to earn scores of new admirers.

Auckland, despite bowing out early, could draw solace from having competed with an intensity that belied their amateur status, and from having provided a new FIFA Club World Cup record-breaker. Striker Daniel Koprivcic was, after all, competing in his fourth edition of the club showpiece, edging him ahead of an illustrious group of three-time veterans that includes, among others, Xavi and Andres Iniesta.

Even Monterrey and Esperance, arguably the most disappointed of the seven Japan 2011 hopefuls, could reflect on areas for optimism. For the Tunisians, hope for the future emerged in the shape of Yannick N’Djeng and Youssef Msakni, an accomplished attacking duo who, at 23 and 21 respectively, should have their best years ahead of them. Monterrey too showed that they have plenty of firepower, and while fifth place fell considerably short of their pre-tournament aims, the Mexicans returned home with the creditable record of having won one match and drawn the other.

Los Rayados could also lay claim to provided the quote of the tournament, courtesy of Ricardo Osorio. “Football is a sport of happiness, and hopefully this World Cup brings happiness to everyone in Japan,” the veteran fullback told FIFA.com ahead of the tournament. “No matter which team wins and which team loses, the goal must be to bring smiles to the people affected by the disasters.”

Osorio’s words typified a spirit of solidarity that pervaded a tournament taking place less than nine months after that devastating earthquake and tsunami of 11 March. Japan will host the FIFA Club World Cup once again next year and, should that event enjoy the same excitement, skill and flawless hosting on show in 2011, it’s sure to prove a very happy homecoming.

Final standings
1. FC Barcelona
2. Santos Futebol Clube
3. Al-Sadd Sports Club
4. Kashiwa Reysol
5. Club de Futbol Monterrey
6. Espérance Sportive de Tunis
7. Auckland City FC

Stadiums
Toyota Stadium (Toyota)
Yokohama International Stadium (Yokohama)

Riquelme: Football has given me everything+

2011-12-20T01:15:00.001-08:00

Riquelme: Football has given me everything

Now 33 and arguably in the twilight of his glittering 15-year top-flight career, few would deny that Juan Roman Riquelme remains one of the most elegant and gifted creative midfielders of his generation. Cerebral, unerringly accurate from open play and set pieces, and a fine striker of the ball, the Argentinian schemer continues to bring these powers to bear for Boca Juniors – who he has just helped to victory in the 2011 Apertura.

Currently enjoying a well-deserved post-season break, as he recharges his batteries for Los Xeneizes’ assault on the 2012 Copa Libertadores, a trophy he has lifted on three occasions, the No10 graciously made time for an in-depth and exclusive interview with FIFA.com.

FIFA.com: 2011 has been special for you for a number of reasons, including the fact that it’s now been 15 years since you made your professional debut. As a child, did you imagine you’d enjoy such a fine career?
Juan Roman Riquelme: To be honest, no. However, I used to imagine becoming a footballer, and that I’d try to get to wear the Boca shirt in the Bombonera someday, as my family all support this club. But I never dreamed I’d play for such a long time, nor that I’d be fortunate enough for people to be so fond of me here in my own country. It’s a really lovely feeling.

One of your biggest strengths has been the way you strike the ball so accurately. Was there anyone in particular who you modelled your game on?
I was lucky enough to grow up during the era of (Diego) Maradona’s, who all Argentinians consider the greatest player ever. After watching him play I used to run out onto the street with my mates, get the ball and pretend that I was him. I’d be commentating on myself and saying “Maradona has the ball”, stuff like that. Now that’s what my son’s like with (Lionel) Messi: he starts kicking the ball and saying “Messi’s on the ball”. For people my age, Maradona is the main man. But for younger generations, like my boy, Messi’s their hero.

If you had to pick out two moments that have shaped your career, one positive and one negative, which would you choose?
I really enjoy those moments I get to spend with my team-mates, both in training or if we all go for a meal. But from the fans' point of view, I guess their fondest moments will be of a championship or cup win I was involved in. It’s hard to just pick one, right? If I had to choose the worst one though, it might be that semi-final we lost with Villarreal (against Arsenal in 2005/06). We were so excited about trying to reach that Champions League final, because we knew that Villarreal may never get the chance again. It was a really tough time.

You missed a key penalty in that game, but have you seen that incident again since?
Yes, I watch all the games I play in. I think we deserved to win that game, we played better than Arsenal. We played much better, we won a penalty and we missed several clear chances, while they didn’t create any opportunities at all. But, in football, when things don’t go your way there’s not much you can do.

A few months later you appeared at the FIFA World Cup™ in Germany. What did playing at the finals mean to you?
It meant a lot to me, it was the only major championship that I hadn't played in. There’s been a lot said about our performance at that tournament. Even though it ended disappointingly because we crashed out, you have to remember that we got knocked out without losing a game. I think we played the best football out of anyone there and I supplied more assists than anyone else at that World Cup. That was a great experience and so were the 2008 Olympic Games, where I thoroughly enjoyed myself (and helped Argentina win gold).

Looking back at that quarter-final defeat against the hosts at Germany 2006, what’s your verdict on the way that game panned out?
I reckon we had that game under control, don’t you think? It seemed more likely that Argentina would score a second than Germany would get an equaliser. You could see they were very tired, several of them had cramped up. But they managed to grab a goal after a move where the ball came to (Miroslav) Klose at the far post. And he’s phenomenal in the air, he’s better with his head than with his feet, and that moment changed the whole game. Penalty shoot-outs are a question of luck: their keeper had a good day and we ended up going out.

Jens Lehmann was between the sticks for Germany keeper that day, as he was for Arsenal in that aforementioned semi-final with Villarreal…
I wasn’t fortunate enough to take a kick in that World Cup match, though I would’ve loved to. I used to take my team’s first kick in penalty shoot-outs and it would’ve been a wonderful moment. I’m one of those who thinks that football players have to always put themselves in those situations where nerves are most frayed, where you can decide the outcome. But I’d already been subbed so I couldn’t play a part. And that was what stayed with me, the feeling that I’d be denied the chance to take that penalty.

That particular penalty shoot-out was even more memorable because of the piece of paper Lehmann consulted between penalties…
There wasn’t anything written on that piece of paper.

Really?
There wasn’t anything on it. It was all about delaying the kicks that bit longer and making our penalty-takers think he knew where they were going to shoot. For example I remember that (Esteban) Cambiasso struck his kick at medium height, which he’d never done in training. But Lehmann still guessed right, which doesn’t add up. In my opinion the piece of paper had nothing on it, but in any case he did a good job; he was very sharp in the way he tried to put our players off.

Let’s talk about what you’re like off the pitch. Do you watch many matches?
Yes, I watch everything I can: Argentinian football, European football, national team games...

Is there a team you particularly enjoying watching?
We all like watching Barcelona. They’ve been fortunate enough to bring together a group of players the likes of which will never be seen again in Messi, (Andres) Iniesta, Xavi, (Gerard) Pique... all in the same team at the same time. It’s a stroke of fortune, but they’re a real joy to watch.

How do you beat a team like that, is there any secret formula?
It’s difficult. If you come up against them in a knockout cup tie or over two legs and luck goes your way then you can edge past them. But they’re very unlikely to be beaten in a longer competition, like a league championship. I think the only coach who’s managed to beat this Barcelona team is the guy who’s at Getafe [Luis Garcia], who beat them 1-0 recently and managed a draw with them last season when he was at Levante. That says it all. Barcelona and Real Madrid, though they have different styles, are both way ahead of the rest.

When you watch this Barcelona team, do you wonder what might have been had you signed for them at a different time?
When a team’s playing well and winning they exude a sense of calm and confidence. It’s a pleasure to watch them play. I joined them in a year when there were elections at the club and a lot of internal problems, a lot of anxiety. But now I’m here, where I want to be: Boca are my club and my home. I’m really enjoying where I am right now.

Speaking as a Boca player, how did it feel to see River Plate go down?
It’s all about perspective. The Boca faithful celebrated it like we’d won a trophy ourselves but for me, as someone who loves football, I think it was a bad thing. It’s like if Barcelona or Real Madrid were relegated in Spain – it’d be bad for La Liga. El Superclásico is the game everybody looks forward to most and we won’t get to play it this year. Let’s hope River can bounce back quickly so we can enjoy those matches again.

Which are the current players that you most admire?
Messi is the greatest, the best in the world. Cristiano Ronaldo is like the ideal Playstation player, the kind that can score with his right foot and his left. Plus he’s fast, tall, good in the air, scores penalties and free-kicks and is skilful. But the one who plays the game best is Iniesta: he knows exactly when to go forward and when to drop back. If he’s got the ball out on the left he knows who’s out on the right. He picks the right moment to do everything: when to dribble, when to speed things up and when to slow things down. And I think that’s the only thing that can’t be taught or bought. You can learn how to shoot and how to control the ball, but being aware of everything that’s happening out on the pitch – that’s something you’re born with or not.

Iniesta is always fulsome in his praise for you too…
What happened was that I was fortunate enough to join Barcelona when he was in the youth team. He started training with us and I became very fond of him; we used to spend a lot of time together. He made his first-team debut around that time and we’ve got on really well ever since. We’ve always kept in touch.

A short while ago you stated that you were determined to appear at the next FIFA World Cup. Is that because your son asked you to?
Yes! (laughs) He’s nine years old, he really likes football and he knows the World Cup will be played over here (in Brazil). I’m just going to try and keep playing football. I know it’s going to be tricky and that I’ll be getting on a bit by then, but I won’t have lost any of my enthusiasm or desire to play at a World Cup. And if I’m not there as a player then I’ll go as a fan to cheer on our national team.

We’ve heard that you’ve got quite a collection of shirts from opposing players. Are there any that you hold especially dear?
I’m lucky enough to have a lot of shirts now, but if I had to pick just one I’d definitely go with Zinedine Zidane’s. I’ve got the shirt he wore in his very last home game for Real Madrid. The Wednesday before the game he called me and told me that he didn’t have mine and he wanted to swap shirts on Sunday. At the match, they subbed him five minutes from the end so the fans could give him an ovation and he stood there waiting by the touchline so he could keep his promise to me. It was a really lovely moment. I’ve got it displayed in my house, with the date on it. He was one of the greatest players I’ve ever seen.

Changing the subject completely, is your dad still your harshest critic?
Yes, he never thinks I play well! (laughs) For him, there’s always something wrong, but by being so demanding he’s really helped my game. Even if the press say I’ve had a good game, he’ll come up to me and say “if you’re that good, why’d you misplace that pass”. I think it’s good having someone there who always demands more from you. It stops you resting on your laurels and makes you want to always keep improving.

Finally, after so many years in the game, how important would you say football has been in your life?
Football’s given me everything. Just like little girls love dolls, the best toy I’ve ever had, or ever could have, is a football. The person who invented it is a true hero: nobody can top that.

Matip: We need to move forward+

2011-12-20T01:15:00.000-08:00

Matip: We need to move forward
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Although just 20 years old, defensive midfielder Joel Matip, who also plays as an outright defender, has already achieved much for such a young man, showing a preternatural promise along the way that has many marking him for future greatness.

German-born, Matip plays club football for Bundesliga team Schalke 04, with whom he won a German Cup earlier this year, and international football for the country of his father: Cameroon. It was with the Indomitable Lions that the then-18-year-old competed at the highest stage for any player last summer at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™.

His path to the world stage began the December before when Matip was surprisingly called up into Cameroon's squad for the 2010 CAF Africa Cup of Nations finals in Angola despite having played in just eight Bundesliga games. His league debut had been particularly noteworthy - he scored the equaliser in a 1-1 draw at giants Bayern Munich - and his all around good play led coach Felix Magath to make him a regular in the team despite his young age.

As a result, Matip decided not to accept Paul Le Guen's invitation to be in the squad for Angola, opting instead to concentrate on his Bundesliga career. However, he never left Le Guen’s radar, and Matip made his international debut in a friendly against reigning FIFA World Cup champions Italy just before South Africa 2010, and he started Cameroon's Group E match against Japan in Bloemfontein at the finals.
A country like Cameroon should be there. But now we need to draw a line under it and get ready for our next goals.
Joel Matip on the Lions failing to reach the Cup of Nations

Matip admits that it was not an easy decision to throw in his lot with Cameroon, having grown up in Germany, the country of his mother. "When I was called upon to make a decision, I thought about it for a long time, but in the end it was a decision of the heart. I think it was the right choice, and I am very satisfied and happy with it now,” he explained. “My father never pushed me in a certain direction. He said he would be proud of me whatever choice I made, and he supports me as best he can. At the end of the day, it was my decision."

Joel's brother Marvin is also a professional footballer, who currently campaigns in Germany's second division, where he is under contract to Ingolstadt. A German youth international, the defender Marvin played for the German under-20 side at the FIFA World Youth Cup 2005 in the Netherlands. At the time he was playing Bundesliga football for Cologne, but in 2007 he was called up for Cameroon's 2008 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Liberia. A bureaucratic problem prevented him from making the side though, but Joel still dreams of playing international football alongside his brother. "That would just be a terrific feeling. He has the quality to play for the team, and it would be a big honour for me to line up next to my big brother."

A shock for the Lions
One place neither of the Matip brothers will line up is at the upcoming finals of the Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon after Cameroon were sensationally knocked out of qualifying. For Joel it is a huge disappointment. "A country like Cameroon should be there. But now we need to draw a line under it and get ready for our next goals,” he said, referring to next year's preliminary campaigns for the next continental championship as well as the start of Brazil 2014 qualifying.

There is, of course, some consolation for Matip that he can avoid becoming involved in the persistent club versus country debate surrounding January’s Cup of Nations. “Schalke would have supported me, I know that," he said. "Not being there has its advantages and disadvantages, and now I will be available for our first game of the New Year and that is also a good thing."

Matip, who is a distant cousin of former Arsenal player Joseph Desire Job enjoys being a member of the Cameroon squad, which has several world-class players like Samuel Eto'o and Alexander Song. "Even though I was so young, they immediately accepted me. It is a huge honour to be allowed to play alongside such stars as Eto'o and Song,” said Matip, who speaks French and English as well as German, and is in Cameroon regularly. “Playing in Africa is very different than playing in Germany. It is like a big family. The people in Africa are much more emotional and even if things are not as structured as in Germany, it’s not difficult to get used to it. I have adapted easily, and I have never regretted the decision to play for Cameroon. Different is just different, I suppose.”

Growing at Schalke
The youngster is enjoying another excellent season with Schalke, who have made it to the knockout stages of the UEFA Europa League and are well positioned in the German league after reaching the semi-final stage of the UEFA Champions League last term. "There has been a constant development over the past few years, but there is still room for further growth. Last season we played in the Champions League, and I had hoped that it would go well."

Matip is grateful to the three coaches that he has had at Schalke - Magath, Ralf Rangnick and now Huub Stevens. "They are all very good coaches and all very different. I have a lot to thank them for as they all helped develop me. They all have their own style and their own ways."

The international was touched by Rangnick's resignation just a few months ago due to a burn-out syndrome. "It was a difficult time. He is part of the team and if something like that happens, you start to think. I truly hope that he will be better soon and return to coaching."

FIFA confirms its strong commitment to reforms by adopting governance structures and road map

2011-12-12T01:41:00.000-08:00

FIFA confirms its strong commitment to reforms by adopting governance structures and road map

Following the proposals made by the FIFA President, Joseph S. Blatter, at the last FIFA Congress on June 1 in terms of good governance, transparency and zero tolerance towards wrongdoing on and also off the pitch – proposals which were overwhelmingly approved by the Congress – the FIFA Executive Committee, meeting yesterday and today at the Home of FIFA in Zurich, agreed on a series of major measures:

- the creation of four task forces, mandated to propose reforms:
• “Task Force Revision of Statutes”, chaired by Dr Theo Zwanziger (Germany)
• “Task Force FIFA Ethics Committee”, chaired by the Chairman of the Ethics Committee, Claudio Sulser (Switzerland)
• “Task Force Transparency and Compliance”, chaired by Juan Ángel Napout (President of the Paraguayan FA) and Frank Van Hattum (President of the New Zealand FA)
• “Task Force Football 2014” (operating since May 2011), chaired by Franz Beckenbauer (Germany)

- the creation of a “Committee Good Governance” (to be established at the next meeting of the FIFA Executive Committee in December 2011) which, among other tasks, will oversee reforms undertaken by FIFA. It will comprise of representatives not only from the international football family but also from other spheres

- establishment of a “FIFA Good Governance” road map (between today and the 2013 FIFA Congress) according to which the first reform proposals will be submitted by the four Task Forces to the Executive Committee in December 2011

It should be noted that since the last FIFA Congress, FIFA has taken the step of consulting external bodies and experts such as Transparency International and Prof. Mark Pieth on governance matters.

More detailed information on the measures taken today is provided in the document linked on the right.

Furthermore, following a proposal from the FIFA President, the Executive Committee stated its full support for the release of the dossier on the ISL-ISMM case. However, this can only be done after a thorough legal analysis because of the complexity of the matter. The case will be opened at the next meeting of the Executive Committee in December 2011. It will then be given to an independent body for further examination.

Other items:
- 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™
• The match schedule of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ and key match assignments for the FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil 2013 have been approved (more details can be found through the story on the right).
• Mexico’s qualifier scheduled on 18 June 2013 has been moved to 4 June 2013 due to the team’s participation in the FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil 2013; moreover, the release period for players for this date, which is an international friendly one, will be extended from two to five days (only for Mexico and their opponents)

- Swiss club FC Sion/Olympique des Alpes SA (OLA): the case was discussed today without FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter and UEFA President Michel Platini due to their direct involvement. The Executive decided to give a deadline of ten working days to the Swiss FA to implement the decision taken by the Emergency Committee on 5 October 2011 (more details can be found through the story on the right)

- Humanitarian help: the Executive has ratified the decision taken in August 2011 to make a donation of USD 1 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in emergency aid for the humanitarian crisis afflicting Somalia; FIFA’s contribution directly helped over 25,000 families (ca. 150,000 people) in one month
(more details can be found through the story on the right)

- Football development: the Executive was informed that the current number of Goal projects amounts to 556 in 194 member associations

- Member associations:
• Syria: the Executive has confirmed the decision taken on 15 September 2011 by the FIFA Emergency Committee to appoint a normalisation committee whose mandate is to organise elections by 11 December 2011 at the latest; this follows the resignation of all members of the Syrian FA’s Executive Committee
• Bosnia-Herzegovina: in order to respect the statutory provisions and to ensure a smooth process, the mandate of the normalisation committee has been extended until the elective general assembly but no later than 31 December 2012

- Football Federation of Kosovo (FKK): following UEFA’s stance on the matter, the FIFA Executive Committee confirmed that the request of the FKK to play international friendlies cannot be approved

- 2013 and 2014 FIFA Club World Cups: Morocco is the remaining bidder to host the tournaments. A further analysis of its bidding dossier will be made before a possible decision by the Executive in December

FIFA Vice-Presidents H.R.H. Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein (Jordan) and Jim Boyce (Northern Ireland) as well as members V. Manilal Fernando (Sri Lanka), Dr Theo Zwanziger (Germany) and Zhang Jilong (China PR) participated in their first FIFA Executive Committee meeting since their election to this body.

The next FIFA Executive Committee meeting will be held in Tokyo on Friday 16 and Saturday 17 December 2011.

Pieth: I’m convinced FIFA will get it right+

2011-12-12T01:39:00.000-08:00

Pieth: I’m convinced FIFA will get it right

After the presentation of the 'Governing FIFA' report, Prof. Mark Pieth answered questions from journalists at the Home of FIFA after being introduced by FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter. FIFA.com reports on what was said.

FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter
Today is an important day for FIFA. We started with all the new task forces, which have been implemented here this week. It’s now time to have the Independent Governance Committee, and I’m happy to introduce the new chairman of this committee, Professor Mark Pieth. I’m happy and proud that you have accepted the call - my call and the call of FIFA.

Professor Mark Pieth
The report is not the end product; it’s the beginning of our work. We’ve been in the [Home of FIFA] and have talked to a lot of people. The significance of football is enormous. There has been a transformation process in the last 30 years, so that, as a governing body, means big business. We are in the house of a para-international organisation, and you have to upgrade governance to meet the requirements of a large company.

There are a couple of proposals we have worked out. We would like to include independent members to be part of the Exco, have a clear differentiation between committees, a clear separation between the Ethics and Disciplinary Committees, and to have due diligence requirements of members of the Exco. We also propose a limiting term of office.

There was the idea of refusing members if they have criminal record. I’m talking about serious stuff, but the tricky thing is, ‘How do you do such a thing?’ So the group has to figure this out. Not everybody will like this, but I’m not too worried about it. This is a process where we will try to change something, so we have to draw a line.

On the past
It’s always a difficult question, when you do such an exercise. It’s forensic work to look at the past. The other side is compliance, which is more like a coach leading to the future. It asks for a different type of know-how. We would fail if we did both with our team. A multi-stakeholder group has its advantages, but it would be mixing up issues. If you want to look at the past, you need the police and an independent Ethics Committee. If you look to the future, we would start our work by trying to convince people to do certain things. I have to take a decision, whether I look at the past or the future. My answer is that I’m looking to the future, other people will look at the past. But you have to glance at the past, to be sure that you are realistic about the path you are taking for the future.

On the mandates
People who are together in a group for a long time become friends and owe each other. For the future, we should ask, ‘How much time should you spend in such a job?’ But we therefore need the knowledge of such an institution. It’s a balance to be taken here.

On who is paying for his services
There are people who would do such an exercise for free, but we cannot do this for free. We do things for free, but this is not a place where we do our pro bono work. Auditors need to be paid. If you are working as a compliance monitor, cleaning up the company and also talking to the company, this is a serious professional work. But most of the money goes into another non-government organisation, which is the Basel institute.

On FIFA’s commitment
From a legal point of view, FIFA organises itself. They have to be convinced on certain things. We cannot force them to change certain things. The Independent Governance Committee is an advisory function. It’s a body of experienced people and stakeholders who know what they are talking about. It’s kind of a system that has its checks and balances.

On the timeframe
This is a process and I’m saying this in strong words. We will assess things as we go. I’m the person who is the founding member of this committee. I have quite a few people with me here, and we do things together. I’m presenting what the options are and the procedures. On the 17th of December, we will have the composition of the group. We will work until March to present to the Exco. If you want to change legal things, you have to go to Congress in summer 2012. FIFA has given itself a year of implementation of this reform scenario. These things are quite complicated. But I’m convinced that they will get it right this time around.

Pieth: I’m convinced FIFA will get it right+

2011-12-12T01:34:00.000-08:00

Joseph S. Blatter confirms ISL +

2011-12-12T01:32:00.000-08:00

Joseph S. Blatter confirms ISL file will be published despite objection of involved party

On 21 October 2011, FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter announced his commitment to publish the ISL-ISMM file after receiving the full backing to do so from the members of the FIFA Executive Committee. Today, the FIFA President confirms his determination to publish the file on the ISL-ISMM case despite the fact that legal measures have been taken by one of the parties involved.

These measures request another thorough legal analysis which will postpone the envisaged publication of the ISL file.

Joseph S. Blatter stated today: “FIFA has been working intensively over the past few weeks with its lawyers and legal team to be able to publish the ISL file at the next meeting of the FIFA Executive Committee in Japan on 17 December 2011. It was my strong will to make the ISL file fully transparent at this meeting. I have now been advised that as a result of the objection of a third party to such transparency it will take more time to overcome the respective legal hurdles. This does not change my stance at all. I remain fully committed to publishing the files as soon as possible as an important part of my many reform plans for FIFA, which include handling the past as well as preparing the future structure of the organisation.”

The reform process has in any case already started and will continue with a view to presenting concrete measures at the 2012 FIFA Congress.

Unlikely Gabon lead trio to London+

2011-12-12T01:30:00.000-08:00

Unlikely Gabon lead trio to London

Following a dramatic fortnight at the CAF U-23 Championship, Gabon, Morocco and Egypt have qualified for the 2012 Men’s Olympic Football Tournament by claiming the top three spots in the first continental event at this age group. The host Moroccans were stunned in Saturday’s final 2-1 by the Gabonese, who came from behind to win the match and claim the laurels en route to their first Olympic finals.

Recovering from a slow start to the event, the Baby Panthers successfully completed a shock run to a first-ever continental final, triumphing over three of the best sides at the event as their momentum increased. Despite the defeat, Morocco had already assured themselves a place at London 2012 by reaching the final, while Egypt beat Senegal 2-0 in the third-place match to qualify for their 11th Olympiad. The Senegalese will play-off with an Asian team next year for a second chance at the games.

Panthers get nine lives
Gabon, who are co-hosts of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations early next year, came to Morocco flying well under the radar, but there were hints of the team’s toughness in qualifying, where they beat Mali 1-0 in Bamako with an extra-time winner to reach the U-23s. But after opening the event with a 1-0 setback to Egypt and then needing a late goal to draw South Africa 1-1, they were expected to go home when faced with Côte d’Ivoire in a must-win Group B contest.

Behind 1-0 at half-time from a deflected goal, the Baby Panthers rallied at the break and took the lead within minutes of the restart with a goal from Emmanuel Mba Ndong and a penalty from Henri Junior Ndong. Despite going down to ten men near the hour mark, the Gabonese held their nerve and added to their lead for a 3-1 win that sent them into the last four on a head-to-head tie-breaker over the Baby Elephants. Again underdogs in the semi-final against Senegal - who impressively topped Group A ahead of Morocco, Nigeria and Algeria - the Gabonese held on against the tide of the game, and substitute Andre Biyogho Pocko scored the only goal just a minute before a penalty shoot-out would have decided matters.
This is the biggest victory in Gabonese football history and words cannot describe our happiness. It's a moment of intense joy.
Gabon coach Claude Albert Mbourounot

Against the heavily favoured and supported hosts in the final, Gabon went behind after Younes Mokhtar opened the scoring in the 21st minute. But again the Baby Panthers showed a venomous bite when cornered, bulging the net twice before half-time through Landri Obiang Obiang and Allen Nono. Coach Pim Verbeek’s Lionceaux rallied after the break, but their challenge was hopelessly derailed after goalkeeper Yassine El Kharroubi was sent off while thwarting a Gabonese counterattack.

After the result, Gabon’s celebrations were worthy of their Cinderella story. “This is the biggest victory in Gabonese football history and words cannot describe our happiness. It's a moment of intense joy,” said Gabon coach Claude Albert Mbourounot. Midfielder and captain Cedric Boussoughou added: "I am elated, and the whole nation of Gabon deserves the celebrations and to feel proud of what we have achieved tonight. We have made history, and it feels great to be part of this history making side.”

Dutchman Verbeek, who coached Australia at South Africa 2010, was also full of praise for the surprise champions. “Gabon‘s team spirit and determination have impressed me. They fight for every ball and never give up.”

Two familiar faces
Undoubtedly, Verbeek was not too displeased after leading Morocco to their seventh Olympics, but he must have regretted in-form midfielder Abdelaziz Barrada's return to his club Getafe before the final. The 22-year-old had scored twice in the first ten minutes and was involved in the third goal in the 3-2 win over the semi-final over Egypt. Barrada also converted the penalty in the vital 1-0 win over Nigeria to open the event, which made him co-top scorer along with Nigeria’s Raheem Lawal who scored all of his goals in a hat-trick against Algeria. The self-proclaimed Dream Team from Nigeria have had the most Olympic success of any African nation, winning gold in 1996 and silver in 2008. However, their 4-1 win over the Algerians to close out Group A provided their only points, and coach Austin Eguavoen was sacked even before the end of the tournament.

Almost as important as the final on Saturday was the third-place match that saw Egypt claim the final automatic qualifying spot with a 2-0 victory over the Senegalese. Goalkeeper Ahmed El Shenawi was in top-notch form for the Baby Pharaohs, who will be appearing in their first Olympics in two decades. Striker Ahmed Sherwida and midfielder Saleh Gomaa scored the vital goals either side of half-time.

“We came here seeking to qualify for the Olympic Games in London next year, and we have achieved that goal,” said Egypt coach Hany Ramzy, who said qualifying for the Olympics could help put a difficult time for Egyptians in the background. “We will celebrate tonight and then head back home and continue with our through preparations for London 2012.”

Msakni the gem amid Esperance gloom+

2011-12-12T01:28:00.000-08:00

Msakni the gem amid Esperance gloom

On the back of their glorious – and gruelling – triumph in this year’s CAF Champions League, which was followed by an intensive preparatory period and a lengthy journey to Japan, Esperance were left with a bitter pill to swallow at the FIFA Club World Cup 2011. For the ambitious African champions, a 2-1 quarter-final loss to Qatar’s Al-Sadd was most certainly not in the script.

However, amid their palpable disappointment in defeat, the African champions did make a positive impact in the shape of the sumptuous skills of winger Youssef Msakni. In the first 30 minutes of 11 December’s clash in particular, when the Tunisian outfit were in control of the game, the No28 was behind several moves that created havoc in the Al-Sadd backline.

“He’s a player who has the skill to really tip the balance of a game. It was mainly due to him that they caused us problems early on,” said Al-Sadd coach Jorge Fossati, when asked by FIFA.com about the 21-year-old. “And, to tell you the truth, we weren’t surprised by that. We’d watched a lot of Esperance matches and we knew how good Msakni was.”
I try to model my game on the man who plays the best football around: [Lionel] Messi.
Youssef Msakni

Msakni’s gifts have been gaining greater visibility outside of Tunisia, ever since he burst onto the international scene with three goals in four games in his country’s run to the Round of 16 at the FIFA U-17 World Cup Korea 2007. And though he is now a key player for his club, as well as breaking into the senior national team, the youngster clearly has not let his success go to his head.

“Well, if they say that I’m a skilful player... That’s very nice of them,” said Msakni humbly, when chatting to FIFA.com. “I came to Japan to try and help my team succeed: that’s what really mattered. But, as that wasn’t possible, it’s some consolation to hear people praising my style of play. That’s because I try to model my game on the man who plays the best football around: [Lionel] Messi,” added the shy starlet.

Endowed with fine dribbling skills and fast gaining celebrity status back home, Msakni would appear to be well on the way to his dual ambitions of playing in European football and helping Tunisia qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™. “He’s out of this world,” said fellow Esperance forward Yannick Ndjeng. “Truth be told, he’s got the potential to become the kind of star Tunisia has never seen before.”

Weighty words, perhaps, but on the basis of his electric – if ultimately fruitless – display on Sunday in Toyota, who is to say that Msakni cannot achieve just that?

Chetri shines as India retain crown+

2011-12-12T01:24:00.000-08:00

Chetri shines as India retain crown
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India continued their dominance of the SAFF (South Asian Football Federation) Championship as the hosts and defending champions overpowered Afghanistan 4-0 in the final at New Delhi on Sunday. The success brought a happy conclusion to what has been a disappointing year for India during which they failed to progress beyond the group stage in January's AFC Asian Cup, before being knocked out of Asian qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ at the hands of United Arab Emirates.

The final scoreline in the decider was deceptive, with Afghanistan in the hunt until the latter stages. Storming into the final for the first time, tournament surprise packages Afghanistan did well in keeping the hosts at bay but the balance was abruptly tipped when the underdogs conceded a penalty on 71 minutes.

Striking ace Sunil Chetri stepped up to the spot to put the hosts ahead, before two goals in as many minutes from midfielder Clifford Miranda and forward Jeje Lalpekhlua put the game beyond any doubt. Second-half substitute Sushil Kumar then added icing to the cake with a thunderbolt deep into the injury time.

"It is an important tournament and I am very happy that we won," said an ecstatic Chetri, who struck seven times to win the tournament Golden Boot and Most Valued Player awards as India lifted the trophy for a record sixth time. "We played well as a team and we are going in the right direction."

Chetri the new icon
The tournament saw Chetri cement his place as India's new talisman after the retirement of the iconic Baichung Bhutia, who called time on his international career last August. The No11 opened his account in the tournament opener against Afghanistan, striking the equaliser as India came from behind to draw 1-1. The 27-year-old completed his first brace during the tournament as India dismantled Bhutan 5-0 in their second outing, before again being on target in their 3-0 defeat of 1995 winners Sri Lanka.

But it was in the semi-final showdown against Maldives that Chetri fully demonstrated his predatory talents and leadership. Syed Rahim Nabi put India in front after 24 minutes but Shamweel Qasim struck on the hour-mark to draw the islanders level. With so much at stake, Chetri kept his cool to convert a penalty on 70 minutes, before sealing the hard-fought victory in added time.

Already hailed as the true heir to Bhutia by media and fans alike, Chetri, who recently had a trial with Scottish champions Rangers, paid tribute to veteran role models from whom he draws inspiration. "My goal is to help my team," he said. "Baichung Bhutia, Renedy Singh, Climax Lawrence – they all have been great ambassadors of Indian football. They are all good examples for us to learn from."

Breakthrough for Afghanistan
Chetri may have captured the most attention through his stellar display, but Afghanistan striker Balal Arezou raised quite a few eyebrows with his free-scoring form. The Norway-based forward began the tournament brightly, stunning the hosts with a fifth-minute opener only for Chetri to level to earn them a share of the spoils.

The 22-year-old went on to run riot against Bhutan, finding the net four times as his team prevailed 8-1 to produce the tournament's biggest win. The semi-final clash against Nepal proved the hardest test for them, with the two sides playing out a goalless draw after regular time. But it was again the impressive Arezou that rose to the occasion, scoring the only goal on 101 minutes to seal an unlikely final place for the Afghanis.

The five-point European review +

2011-12-12T01:23:00.000-08:00

The five-point European review

El Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona was the standout fixture in Europe at the weekend. The Catalans registered a famous victory in the Spanish capital and took over top spot in La Liga from Jose Mourinho's men, ensuring they travel to the FIFA Club World Cup 2011 with confidence soaring.

Elsewhere, Manchester United reacted to their shock midweek elimination from the UEFA Champions League with a thumping home win, and Paris St Germain closed the gap at the top of Ligue 1 following a rare defeat for leaders Montpellier. The lead changed hands in Italy, where Udinese have edged ahead of Juventus at least until Monday evening. In Germany, Bayern are all but guaranteed to finish top of the standings at the halfway mark after their rivals faltered.

FIFA.com rounds up the latest events in Europe’s major leagues.

One match
Real Madrid-Barcelona, Matchday 16 in Spain
For the first time in quite a while, hosts Real Madrid were narrow favourites for El Clasico against bitter foes Barcelona. The men in white have been in scintillating form at home and in Europe this term, and Karim Benzema even gave Jose Mourinho’s team the perfect start with a goal from the first move of the game, but the Champions League holders recovered their poise and levelled before half-time through Alexis Sanchez.

Barça then smoothly shifted up through the gears in the second half, emphatically reasserting their authority with goals from Xavi and Cesc Fabregas. Pep Guardiola and company now set off for the FIFA Club World Cup 2011 in Japan as league leaders, although Real will recapture top spot if they avoid defeat in next weekend's game in hand.

Two teams
Manchester United reacted to their shock elimination from the Champions League in midweek with a thumping 4-1 home victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers, and remain hot on the heels of English Premier League leaders and fierce local rivals Manchester City, who face a tricky trip to Chelsea on Monday evening. Portugal international Nani and England superstar Wayne Rooney eased the Old Trafford frustration with a brace apiece, Steven Fletcher finding the target for the otherwise toothless Wolves.

In Italy, Udinese are the overnight leaders courtesy of a 2-1 victory over Chievo Verona, although Juventus can regain first place in Monday evening’s trip to Roma. Antonio di Natale continued his sparkling form this season with his tenth goal of the campaign, handing the men from Udine the lead. Dusan Basta doubled the advantage for Francesco Guidolin’s side, who held on for the win despite Alberto Paloschi’s reply.

Three players
Paris St Germain striker Kevin Gameiro turned match-winner for his club at the weekend, striking the only goal of the game away to Sochaux. The goal-getter is up to nine for the season, although it was his strike since 16 October. The expensively assembled team from the capital are now level on points with leaders Montpellier.

Hometown boy made good Lukas Podolski is more valuable than ever for his club Cologne. The man capped 95 times by Germany struck his fifth brace of the season in a 4-0 home victory over Freiburg, and is now up to 13 goals this term. With a mere 15 games played, the 26-year-old has already equalled his own personal best in the Bundesliga from last season. Prinz Poldi has scored seven goals in the last five matches.

Cesc Fabregas started a Clasico for the first time, repaying Pep Guardiola's faith with the goal to wrap up the points at 3-1. The midfielder, a product of the Catalans’ youth academy, had enjoyed a tantalising taste of the action against rivals Madrid in the pre-season Supercup return leg, but failed to make a mark in an eight-minute cameo.

Four stats
50 - Spanish icon Raul made his 50th Bundesliga appearance for Schalke on Friday evening, laying on a goal in a deserved 2-1 victory away to Hertha Berlin. The former Spain international is up to 20 goals for Die Königsblauen, and has turned provider on a further nine occasions.

15 - Lille are now undefeated in their last 15 Ligue 1 fixtures. Last term's double winners won 2-0 against Dijon on Sunday, and currently lie third in the table. Moussa Sow and Eden Hazard found the target for the team beaten only once this term, a 1-0 reverse against leaders Montpellier on Matchday 2. Our other 15s are players: both Robin van Persie of Arsenal and Bayern's Mario Gomez are already up to 15 goals for the season, and top the scoring charts in England and Germany respectively.

4 - After a double strike in Stoke City's unexpected 2-1 success against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, Matthew Etherington will look forward to facing Spurs even more than ever before. The midfielder now has four Premier League goals against the club he represented between December 2001 and August 2003, more than against any other side.

21 - Karim Benzema needed just 21 seconds to strike the fastest goal in Clasico history, handing Real a dream start against Barcelona. Keeper Victor Valdes’ mis-hit pass landed at the feet of Angel di Maria, who found Mezut Ozil. The German’s shot was deflected, but Benzema was on hand to apply the close range finish.

Five memorable moments
Callsen-Bracker buries former club: Jan-Ingwer Callsen Bracker scored the only goal of the game for Bundesliga minnows Augsburg at home to high-flying Borussia Monchengladbach. The midfielder did no favours at all to the club where he played from July 2008 until December 2010.

It ain't over till it's over: Every youth player is told to focus and keep trying until the final whistle, and Betis Seville showed just why that is a good idea on Saturday. Betis were a goal down to Valencia and seemingly destined to lose in front of their home crowd, but Ruben Castro struck in the first and fourth minute of added time to rescue victory from the jaws of defeat.

Sweet revenge: New Sunderland boss Martin O'Neill celebrated three points and a measure of personal revenge with the Black Cats against Blackburn Rovers. Rovers were the coach’s last opponents as Aston Villa boss before his departure from the Midlands club in August 2010.

Father versus son: Lorient’s 1-0 home defeat to Olympique Lyon featured a father versus son clash between home boss Christian Gourcuff and his son Yoann, who plays for the men from the Rhone Valley. It was the eighth time Gourcuff junior has faced a team coached by his dad, and he duly added to his positive record: Yoann has only twice finished on the losing side against Christian.

Successful German import: Germany international Miroslav Klose continued his good start in Serie A with his first two-goal haul in Lazio’s 3-2 victory over Lecce. The striker, who also laid on his side's third, is up to eight goals in his maiden Italian campaign.

United suffer Palace coup in League Cup

2011-12-01T00:04:00.000-08:00

United suffer Palace coup in League Cup

English champions Manchester United suffered a shock 2-1 defeat to Championship side Crystal Palace thanks to an extra-time goal from substitute Glenn Murray in their League Cup quarter-final on Wednesday.

Palace had not won, or even scored a goal, in five matches, but took a surprise lead at Old Trafford with Darren Ambrose's fine long-range strike. Federico Macheda pulled one back from the penalty spot with his first goal at Old Trafford in 18 months. But after the game went to extra time, Murray headed in to send the south London side into the semi-finals.

After the 6-1 defeat to City in October, it was just United's second defeat at Old Trafford since their 2-1 loss to Chelsea in April 2010. Even though Sir Alex Ferguson made a host of changes to his team, United were still expected to take a place alongside Manchester City, Liverpool and another Championship side Cardiff in the last four.

But despite their recent problems, Dougie Freedman's Palace started the game showing far more threat than the Premier League champions. Wilfried Zaha looked a constant threat and the Palace winger fired just past the near post after a quick breakaway after just one minute.

The hosts finally went close when a sweeping move involving Antonio Valencia and Park Ji-Sung ended with Darron Gibson having a drive deflected wide. Dimitar Berbatov met the Gibson corner that followed, but headed straight at goalkeeper Lewis Price.

United finally produced a decent opportunity just before the interval, when Valencia lifted a cross to the far post and Mame Biram Diouf's overhead kick flew over the bar. Fabio had already been replaced by Ezekiel Fryers in the opening period and Berbatov, who seemed to have sustained an ankle injury in the first half, came off for Ravel Morrison at the interval.

Just after the restart, Republic of Ireland midfielder Gibson, who was making his first appearance of the season after a shoulder injury, drove wide from just inside the area. And United should have opened the scoring when Anthony Gardner's error let in Valencia, but the winger's cross-shot flew just wide of the post. Morrison, making just his third appearance for United, also produced a powerful effort from around 25 yards that was held by Price.

As United continued to look more dangerous, Valencia slipped a pass through for Morrison and the young forward's near post shot was turned away by Price. Macheda also thumped an effort wide of goal after turning his defender on the edge of the area.

Ferguson's injury woes
United's injury problems continued when the other Da Silva twin, Rafael, limped off to be replaced by Paul Pogba just after the hour. But in the 65th minute, Ambrose picked the ball up just inside the United half and found the top corner from 25 yards for his fifth goal of the season. French youngster Pogba came close to a quick equaliser when he drilled a shot wide from just outside the area.

They got the chance to pull level when Patrick McCarthy pulled Macheda over in the area and the Italian got up to put the penalty in the bottom corner of the net.

After the game slipped into extra time, Gibson went close to breaking the deadlock with a powerful shot from 20 yards. But seven minutes into the added period, Ambrose's whipped free kick was glanced into the net by Murray.

After Macheda prodded a shot wide, Ambrose almost added a third with a swerving free kick from 35 yards that Ben Amos could only gather at the second attempt. In the second period of added time, Palace were forced deeper and deeper but held on for their first win at Old Trafford since 1989.

Crystal Palace manager Dougie Freedman said that it was a moment to treasure for a club that has had a hard few years. "It's a wonderful night for the club, especially given the position we've been in the last few years," said Freedman, who as a player scored 95 goals in 330 appearances for the club. "To play at Old Trafford tonight, we're privileged, the lads learnt a lot from tonight.

Six more taste Europa joy

2011-11-30T23:59:00.000-08:00

Six more taste Europa joy

Ryan Donk's injury-time winner capped a stunning comeback by Club Brugge, who hit back from 3-0 down to win 4-3 at Maribor and boost their chances of qualifying from UEFA Europa League Group H.

The visitors looked down and out when the Slovenians stormed ahead with Dalibor Volas opening the scoring in the 11th minute and a Donk own goal and a second from Volas making it 3-0 with 68 minutes gone.

But two goals in three minutes from Moroccan Nabil Dirar gave Brugge hope and after Joseph Akpala equalised on 81 minutes, Donk fired home in added time to give his side a famous win.

The dramatic victory means Club Brugge go into their final group match against Braga knowing a draw will be enough to earn them a place in the knockout phase at the expense of Birmingham. Braga secured their qualification with a 1-0 win over the Championship side with Hugo Viana striking a 51st-minute winner. However, Birmingham will still go through if they beat Maribor in their last game and Brugge are beaten.

Ukrainians Metalist confirmed their qualification at the top of Group G with an emphatic 4-1 win over Austria Vienna, who still have a chance to join them after AZ slipped up against group whipping boys Malmo. Metalist made no mistake in Kharkiv with Marko Devic opening the scoring in the 19th minute and hitting back after Florian Mader's equaliser, with Edmar, Papa Gueye and Jose Sosa wrapping up victory.

AZ would have joined Metalist in the knockout stage with a win in Malmo, but gifted the Swedes their first point in a goalless draw. AZ still know a win in their final game at home to Metalist will be enough.

Atletico Madrid booked their passage from Group I with a 1-0 win over Celtic in Glasgow. Arda Turan scored the winner on the half-hour for the visitors, but Celtic were handed a lifeline with the news Udinese slipped up at Rennes. The already-eliminated French side clung on for a goalless draw against the Serie A title contenders, meaning Celtic will head to Italy for their final group game next month in the knowledge that a win will send them through.

Tottenham's hopes in the balance
Jermain Defoe had a late goal disallowed for Tottenham as 10-man PAOK Salonika secured qualification for Group A with an action-packed and controversial 2-1 win at White Hart Lane. Dimitris Salpigidis and Stefanos Athanasiadis put the Greeks 2-0 in upside the opening quarter of an hour but Spurs hit back with Luka Modric's 39th minute penalty after Konstantinos Stafylidis was harshly sent off for handball.

Spurs poured forward and laid siege to the visitors goal with Defoe bundling home in the 80th minute amid chaos, with Pablo Contreras lying injured on the goal-line and Dutch referee Bas Nijhuis taking some time to make his decision. The defeat, coupled with Rubin Kazan's 4-1 stroll against pointless Shamrock Rovers, leaves Harry Redknapp's men needing to beat Rovers in their final game and hope PAOK beat the Russians with a six-goal swing.

Earlier, Rubin made it look all too easy against the outclassed Irishmen, with two goals from Nelson Valdes and one each for Bibras Natcho and Obafemi Martins, while Ken Oman scored for the visitors.

Standard Liege beat Hannover 2-0 in Belgium on a night which earned both clubs qualification from Group B, with Copenhagen blowing their chance after being held to a 1-1 draw at Vorskla. Goals from Mohamed Tchite and Gohi Cyriac earned Standard their win, while Copenhagen's Dame N'Doye cancelled out an earlier own goal with a strike at the right end, but it did not prove enough to keep the Danes in the hunt.

PSV Eindhoven guaranteed top spot in Group C with a 3-0 win over Legia Warsaw in Poland. Stanislav Manolev, Dries Mertens and Zakaria Labyad scored to keep the Dutchmen's unbeaten record intact.

Legia also qualified after Rapid Bucharest fell to a 3-1 home defeat to Hapoel Tel Aviv. Nosa Igiebor and Toto Tamuz put Hapoel 2-0 ahead and despite Ciprian Deac's penalty, Salim Toama secured the Israeli's first group win.

Six more taste Europa joy

2011-11-30T23:52:00.000-08:00

Six more taste Europa joy
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Ryan Donk's injury-time winner capped a stunning comeback by Club Brugge, who hit back from 3-0 down to win 4-3 at Maribor and boost their chances of qualifying from UEFA Europa League Group H.

The visitors looked down and out when the Slovenians stormed ahead with Dalibor Volas opening the scoring in the 11th minute and a Donk own goal and a second from Volas making it 3-0 with 68 minutes gone.

But two goals in three minutes from Moroccan Nabil Dirar gave Brugge hope and after Joseph Akpala equalised on 81 minutes, Donk fired home in added time to give his side a famous win.

The dramatic victory means Club Brugge go into their final group match against Braga knowing a draw will be enough to earn them a place in the knockout phase at the expense of Birmingham. Braga secured their qualification with a 1-0 win over the Championship side with Hugo Viana striking a 51st-minute winner. However, Birmingham will still go through if they beat Maribor in their last game and Brugge are beaten.

Ukrainians Metalist confirmed their qualification at the top of Group G with an emphatic 4-1 win over Austria Vienna, who still have a chance to join them after AZ slipped up against group whipping boys Malmo. Metalist made no mistake in Kharkiv with Marko Devic opening the scoring in the 19th minute and hitting back after Florian Mader's equaliser, with Edmar, Papa Gueye and Jose Sosa wrapping up victory.

AZ would have joined Metalist in the knockout stage with a win in Malmo, but gifted the Swedes their first point in a goalless draw. AZ still know a win in their final game at home to Metalist will be enough.

Atletico Madrid booked their passage from Group I with a 1-0 win over Celtic in Glasgow. Arda Turan scored the winner on the half-hour for the visitors, but Celtic were handed a lifeline with the news Udinese slipped up at Rennes. The already-eliminated French side clung on for a goalless draw against the Serie A title contenders, meaning Celtic will head to Italy for their final group game next month in the knowledge that a win will send them through.

Tottenham's hopes in the balance
Jermain Defoe had a late goal disallowed for Tottenham as 10-man PAOK Salonika secured qualification for Group A with an action-packed and controversial 2-1 win at White Hart Lane. Dimitris Salpigidis and Stefanos Athanasiadis put the Greeks 2-0 in upside the opening quarter of an hour but Spurs hit back with Luka Modric's 39th minute penalty after Konstantinos Stafylidis was harshly sent off for handball.

Spurs poured forward and laid siege to the visitors goal with Defoe bundling home in the 80th minute amid chaos, with Pablo Contreras lying injured on the goal-line and Dutch referee Bas Nijhuis taking some time to make his decision. The defeat, coupled with Rubin Kazan's 4-1 stroll against pointless Shamrock Rovers, leaves Harry Redknapp's men needing to beat Rovers in their final game and hope PAOK beat the Russians with a six-goal swing.

Earlier, Rubin made it look all too easy against the outclassed Irishmen, with two goals from Nelson Valdes and one each for Bibras Natcho and Obafemi Martins, while Ken Oman scored for the visitors.

Standard Liege beat Hannover 2-0 in Belgium on a night which earned both clubs qualification from Group B, with Copenhagen blowing their chance after being held to a 1-1 draw at Vorskla. Goals from Mohamed Tchite and Gohi Cyriac earned Standard their win, while Copenhagen's Dame N'Doye cancelled out an earlier own goal with a strike at the right end, but it did not prove enough to keep the Danes in the hunt.

PSV Eindhoven guaranteed top spot in Group C with a 3-0 win over Legia Warsaw in Poland. Stanislav Manolev, Dries Mertens and Zakaria Labyad scored to keep the Dutchmen's unbeaten record intact.

Legia also qualified after Rapid Bucharest fell to a 3-1 home defeat to Hapoel Tel Aviv. Nosa Igiebor and Toto Tamuz put Hapoel 2-0 ahead and despite Ciprian Deac's penalty, Salim Toama secured the Israeli's first group win.

Muricy: We need to use our heads

2011-11-30T23:43:00.000-08:00

Muricy: We need to use our heads

Regarded by some as gruff, ill-tempered and possessing a short supply of patience, Santos coach Muricy Ramalho is nevertheless an authority on the game, as you would expect of a man who has won four Brazilian championships and who steered O Peixe to their third Copa Libertadores title earlier this year.

Expounding on his side’s bid for glory at the FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2011, the vastly experienced coach spoke to FIFA.com about the challenges that await them in the Far East.

FIFA.com: Everyone’s talking about a potential FIFA Club World Cup final between Santos and Barcelona, but you’ve got a semi-final to play first of all. How have you been approaching that with your players?
Muricy Ramalho: In football you always have to give an example whenever you want to get a message across. It’s not enough just to speak to players. You have to give them an example or they won’t believe in what you’re saying. And the most recent example we’ve got is Internacional last year (Inter lost 2-0 to Congo DR’s TP Mazembe Englebert in the semi-finals at UAE 2010). It goes without saying that people are only asking about Barcelona, but all we know is that we’ve got a very tough opening game, and opening matches are always incredibly stressful.

Barcelona might be the only topic of conversation out there, but I can tell you that the team’s talking about the first game and nothing else. I spoke to the people at Inter, where I’ve coached before and I’ve still got friends, because I wanted to find out what went on. They told me that’s more or less how it was. All the talk was about the final and they forgot about the first game. We can’t have a Brazilian team messing up again.

Does that mean you’re focusing more on the psychological than the tactical side of things?
I’m trying to make sure we’re in the right frame of mind before we go on to the pitch. Once we’re on it there’s not the slightest possibility we won’t have done our homework on the team we’ll be up against, because we really have a close look at all the teams we play. I could tell you something about any team anywhere in the world. It’s an essential part of my job and it’s a way of getting across to your players that the other side’s really good and that you’re on the ball. I’ve always worked like that. You can’t go and play a Bolivian team in the Libertadores and say, like I’ve heard some coaches say, “Ah, I don’t know anything about them’. You can’t say that these days, not with all the resources we’ve got.

Presumably you’ve seen Barcelona a few times already. Have you been watching them more closely since qualifying for Japan 2011?
I’ve heard a lot of people in Brazil say that when there’s a lot of games on at the same time they’ll watch the Santos match. And it’s the same with Barcelona. If there are three European matches on I’ll watch the Barcelona one. I was doing that even before we qualified, so you can guess who I’m watching now.
We need to be patient when we’re not in possession and be able to deal with it.
Santos coach Muricy preaches patience

What’s your view of Barcelona’s possession-based game and how do you plan to combat it?
Real Madrid, Valencia and Manchester United have all tried to get more possession of the ball and none of them have managed it. So what you have to do is use your head and tell the players that that’s the opposition’s strong point. If you try and stop it, not only will you fail but you’ll also be unable to play the way you want to play. We need to be patient when we’re not in possession and be able to deal with it. You feel like saying, ‘Come on, let us have the ball for a bit’. We Brazilians don’t like not having the ball, but we’ll just have to wait for the right time to get hold of it and then play our game, which is not a possession game. It’s the exact opposite to what Barcelona do. We play at pace and go straight for goal and we don’t control the play, whereas Barça move the ball around and try and knock the opposition off balance, pull players out of position so that Pedro, [David] Villa and the midfielders can exploit the gaps. And that happens because their opponents lose patience, which is when the spaces start opening up.

If you freeze the screen when Barcelona are playing you never see anyone up front. You only see the opposing centre-halves standing there on their own, and you ask yourself, ‘How the heck is this team going to score?’ Their penetration’s the key, the patience they’ve got when they’re on the ball. Opposition centre-halves start to want to chase the ball and that’s when they move out of position and someone nips in behind them. We have to be aware that when they’re in possession, someone’s going to try and get into space. We need to make sure the spaces are filled in.

Ganso becomes an even more important player in games like that, doesn’t he?
He’s essential because we don’t have many passers of the ball. We’ve got finishers like Neymar, Borges and Alan Kardec, but we never have much possession. Even when our defensive midfielders get forward their job is to score. Not Ganso though. He’s the only ballplayer we’ve got. He slows the game down when we need to and that’s why we take so much care of him and wrap him up in cotton wool between games.

You've only been at Santos for a little more than six months. Does it feel like more?
It does. I’ve settled down so well it feels like years. I won a trophy straightaway and I’ve adapted to the players and the club’s philosophy and its outlook. I always adapt wherever I go. When I go to a new club I keep the people who’re already there. It’s very rare that I’ll make a change. Some coaches take 12 or 15 people with them when they start a job and get rid of everyone. That’s a big mistake. I didn’t know Santos when I came in, but the people I kept on did. And they’ve helped me settle in and get used to things.

It must have felt strange to go down in Santos' history by winning the Copa Libertadores after just two months.
It was an historic achievement because it was a title the club had been after for a long time. The Libertadores was fundamental to our continued survival in every respect and to our media profile, so much so in fact that we’re getting invitations to go on pre-season tours in China and Africa. It’s been a while since Santos were in such demand and the Libertadores was vital to getting the club back in the spotlight again. And the Club World Cup’s only going to help with that.

Universidad into first Sudamericana final

2011-11-30T23:41:00.000-08:00

Universidad into first Sudamericana final

Universidad de Chile reached their first Copa Sudamericana final by beating Vasco da Gama 2-0 in the second leg of their semi-final on Wednesday.

Goals from Gustavo Canales and Eduardo Vargas carried Universidad to their victory, and a 3-1 aggregate success over their Brazilian opponents.

Universidad will be competing in their first continental final when they take on Ecuadorian giants Liga de Quito. The first leg takes place in Quito next Thursday followed by the return leg in Santiago on 12 December.

Canales put Universidad ahead in the 30th minute after Vasco goalkeeper Fernando Prass parried a shot from Charles Aranguiz.

Vasco defender Fagner was sent off after 70 minutes for elbowing Canales, with Uruguayan referee Dario Ubriaco brandishing the red card.

Universidad took advantage of their extra man two minutes later when Vargas finished off a Eugenio Mena cross for his seventh goal in this year's competition.
"We want to clinch glory for the club. We have already made history by getting into the final.
Universidad midfielder Marcelo Diaz

Universidad midfielder Marcelo Diaz told Fox Sports: "We want to clinch glory for the club. We have already made history by getting into the final. Liga will be very tough rivals. Playing at high altitude in Quito will not be easy and they are a team who have won a lot of international titles recently. Anything can happen."

Vasco midfielder Juninho Pernambucano said the beaten Brazilians would quickly focus on their domestic league duties as they challenge for the title. He told Globo TV: "It's time to forget this defeat. It hurts a little bit, but we must beat Flamengo. Universidad are a good team, but not better than us."

Guardiola: We must raise our level further

2011-11-29T01:23:00.000-08:00

Guardiola: We must raise our level further

Spanish champions Barcelona are playing very well but they have to step up a gear said coach Pep Guardiola on Monday.

Barcelona trail bitter rivals Real Madrid by six points after a surprise 1-0 loss to Getafe on Saturday and Guardiola called on his players to show they had taken on board his advice as they look to get back to winning ways on Tuesday against Rayo Vallecano.

"We have been playing very well already this season," said the 40-year-old, who in three years at the club has guided them to three league titles, one Spanish Cup and two UEFA Champions League trophies.

"But apparently that is not good enough. Therefore it is imperative that we raise our level. Will that be sufficient to be champions? That I cannot answer."
Our away form has cost us. But even away we have not always deserved to drop points.
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola

Guardiola, who enjoyed a stellar career as a player with Barcelona collecting six league titles and the 1992 European Cup among other trophies, did however concede that Real Madrid have been the better side so far this season.

He also admitted that his team had struggled with results away from home, where they have taken just nine points from a possible 18. "Our away form has cost us," he said. "But even away we have not always deserved to drop points.

"In all our matches away from the Camp Nou, we created more chances than our rivals. But again that wasn't good enough. We will therefore have to do better from now on."

Favourites stumble in North Africa

2011-11-29T01:18:00.000-08:00

Favourites stumble in North Africa

Tusker FC won their first title since 2007 on the final day of the season in Kenya, denying Ulinzi Stars successive titles. In Madagascar, there was a first-ever championship for Japan Actuel’s from Manjakaray. Tunisia’s Esperance, headed soon to the FIFA Club World Cup, already seemed to have their minds in Japan as they lost their first league match in 10 months in Tunisia. Algerian leaders USM Alger also lost but in Ghana Asante Kotoko kept up their slender advantage.

Kenya Premier League: Joy for Tusker
Tusker had to be awoken from a first half slumber but got the win they needed - 1-0 over bottom-placed Congo United - to take back the league crown. Defending champions Ulinzi Stars had the advantage going into the final week of the race but lost their catch-up match against Sofapaka in midweek, handing Tusker the initiative on the last day of the campaign.

Big game: The big occasion threatened to overwhelm the Tusker players as they battled against already relegated Congo United, but it seemed a half-time talk from coach Sammy Omollo energised their efforts. Just three minutes after the break, Joseph Shikokoti scored a diving header to put one hand on the crown, and there was a heart-stopping late save to ensure the championship.
Headline-grabbers: Stephen Waruru bagged a consolation prize after the weekend without much effort. He did not score in the last game of the season for Ulinzi Stars but his 12-goal haul for the season saw him end as the leading scorer. On the last day of the campaign team-mate Anthony Ndirutu grabbed a hat trick for Stars in a 3-0 win over Posta Rangers, but it was too title, too late for the outgoing champions.

Tunisia Ligue 1: African champions suffer rare setback
New continental champions Esperance suffered their first defeat in a league for almost a year as they went down to CA Bizertin away from home at the weekend. Bizertin are in a three-way tie at the top of the standings after the first three rounds of the new season. Also on seven points are Etoile Sahel and Club Africain, who beat JS Kairouan. Etoile were held to a 2-2 draw at home by AS Gabes

Big game: Esperance last lost a game away at Etoile Sahel in January but after the euphoria of winning the CAF Champions League they came back down to earth with defeat in the north of the country. Esperance had the lead in the first half after Youssef Msakni scored in the 21st minute but conceded two goals in the second half as Hassan Herbawy scored an equaliser just after half-time and Nour Hadhria netted the 70th-minute winner from the penalty sport.
Headline-grabbers: AS Gabes have drawn their three games in the new season, but a 2-2 tie at Etoile Sahel will have felt like a win for the side, who finished second from bottom in the last campaign but were granted a reprieve and kept their top flight status. Anis Boucharbia grabbed all the headlines with his last gasp equaliser after the home team had fought back from conceding a first-minute penalty.

Ghana Premier League: Kotoko keep the beat
Asante Kotoko have a one point lead at the top of the table as they kept up their unbeaten start to the season with a 4-1 home win over newly promoted Wassaman. They have 18 points after eight games, one more than champions Berekum Chelsea and long-standing rivals Hearts of Oak, who have both lost once in their first eight outings of the season.

Big game: Four goals in the first half suggested a rout in Kumasi for Kotoko as they took on rookies Wassaman. Ahmed Toure, the Ivorian-born striker who recently took out Ghanaian citizenship, and Nathaniel Asamoah scored two apiece but the master class did not continue as expected after the break as the home side lost the momentum.
Headline-grabbers: After changing their coach at the start of the season, champions Berekum Chelsea have now won four games in a row and are right back near the top of the table. Their latest success at home came with a convincing 4-0 win over AshantiGold, including two goals for Emmanuel Clottey, a penalty to start from captain Abdul Basit and one for Moro Awudu.

Algeria Premier Division: Derby defeat but still top
USM Alger lost the capital city derby to struggling Mouloudia Alger but maintained the one-point advantage they have in the league. Entente Setif won for a fourth successive game to jump to second on 20 points while the trio of CR Belouizdad, ASO Chlef and USM El Harrach are just two behind the leaders on 19.

Big game: New USMA coach Didier Olle-Nicolle came face to face with intensity of the Algerian league as his side went down in the derby to 72nd-minute goal from Hamza Zeddam. It was a battling performance from MC Alger, who had won just twice before in the season. But their coach Francois Bracci refused to get carried away. “The sweetest win for us will be our next one,” he said after the game.
Headline-grabbers: ES Setif lost three of their first four games of the new season and were near the bottom at the start of the new campaign. But then came a win over champions ASO Chlef and they have not looked back since with a haul of 17 points out of a possible 21. Their latest win came at home to WA Tlemcen with two goals in the first six minutes.

Elsewhere
Japan Acteul’s FC have been crowned champions in Madagascar after securing the Champions League with a 2-0 win over ASJF Capricorne on Sunday. Defending champions Coffee FC were held to a 2-2 draw by Harar Brewery on the opening day on Sunday of the new Ethiopian season. Black Africa’s Jerome Louis scored his sixth goal of the season as his club consolidated a six point lead in Namibia.

Agent predicts Drogba exit

2011-11-29T01:14:00.000-08:00

Agent predicts Drogba exit
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agent has revealed he has snubbed Chelsea's offer of a one-year contract extension and vowed to "go where he is offered the most money" after turning down a loan move to AC Milan.

The 33-year-old Ivory Coast striker looks increasingly set to walk away from Stamford Bridge for nothing when his contract expires next summer. And his agent, Thierno Seydi, is weighing up lucrative options including possible moves to America, Russia or Asia.
Didier Drogba's
"Didier has had the offer of a one-year extension from Chelsea. That does not suit us," Seydi is quoted as saying by The Sun. "We know what we want, where we want to go and what offers we have.
It could be the United States, Russia, Qatar or somewhere else in Asia... You have to go to a club where you can be certain you'll be able to pay your bills.
Didier Drogba's agent on the Ivorian's next move

"AC Milan came in for Didier on loan with an option to buy but I said 'No' straight away. Their offer did not interest us. At Didier's age, he has nothing left to prove as a player. He will go where he is offered the most money.

"It could be the United States, Russia, Qatar or somewhere else in Asia. Once you are well into your thirties you have to go to a club where you can be certain you'll be able to pay your bills.

"LA Galaxy are a possibility among many others. He has been linked with Anzhi Makhachkala in Russia, as they pay well. But neither Didier nor I have had an offer from them."

Ten corkers, one crown

2011-11-29T01:01:00.000-08:00

Ten corkers, one crown

“Scoring any goal always gives you a nice feeling, but scoring a beautiful one like that is an incredible buzz. You know that people will want to come up to you and talk about it for years and years.”

Those were the words of Ferenc Puskas about his marvellous goal in Hungary’s historic 6-3 defeat of England in 1953. It was one of the most breathtaking in the collection of a man so revered as a serial scorer of wonder goals that, when FIFA decided to create an award to honour the best goal of each year, they named it in honour of ‘The Galloping Major’. Cristiano Ronaldo was the first to get his hands on the FIFA Puskas Award, courtesy of his violent thunderbolt for Manchester United against Porto, while Hamit Altintop emerged triumphant last year thanks to a sensational volley for Turkey in Kazakhstan.

Several of the ten candidates vying to succeed the pair are renowned for scoring breathtaking goals. Dejan Stankovic, once lauded by Roberto Mancini as the greatest scorer of wonder goals on the planet, earned inclusion due to an exceptional volley from the halfway line against Schalke in the UEFA Champions League, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s 30-yard cracker earned AC Milan a point at Lecce in January. “It was such an amazing goal but he made it look so easy,” said Rossoneri coach Massimiliano Allegri thereafter.

Should Lionel Messi add another trophy to his enviable collection, he’ll owe a debt of gratitude to Andres Iniesta. With Barcelona trailing 2-1 on aggregate to Arsenal in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie, the 27-year-old Spain midfielder employed sumptuous footwork to beat one Arsenal opponent, glided past another and sent a gorgeous pass into the path of the little Argentinian. Messi still had work to do, but he masterfully lofted the ball over goalkeeper Manuel Almunia and volleyed home to make it 1-0 on the night and put Barça en route to a place in the quarter-finals.

“I still don’t know how he got past me,” a shocked Almunia reflected. "Messi is from a different planet.” Pep Guardiola said: “Iniesta did fantastically, and what a brilliant piece of play from Messi.”
Sometimes you hit shots like that on the training field, but to see it translate into a game of that magnitude was a very rewarding feeling.
Heather O'Reilly

Giovani dos Santos, who rose to fame by scoring some corkers for the Mexico U-17s, produced his effort in an actual final. With El Tri 3-2 up against USA in a thrilling colnclusion to the CONCACAF Gold Cup, he left goalkeeper Tim Howard grounded and desperately flapping at thin air, before chipping home to seal a 4-2 win.

USA are nonetheless represented in the FIFA Puskas Award running, thanks to the Heather O’ Reilly piledriver that broke the deadlock in their 3-0 defeat of Colombia at the FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany 2011™.

The 26-year-old midfielder said: "Sometimes you hit shots like that on the training field, but to see it translate into a game of that magnitude was a very rewarding feeling. It's an amazing honour to be nominated among all these great players, and I'm really proud there is a woman on the list."

Neymar caused jaws to drop with an exceptional goal to put Santos 3-0 up against Flamengo in a match O Peixe ultimately lost 5-4. The teenage phenomenon collected the ball on the left wing, expertly navigated his way past a number of defenders, produced an extraordinary piece of skill to move into the penalty area and poked the ball home under pressure.

Another stupefying piece of skill enabled Benjamin de Ceulaer to enter the FIFA Puskas Award running. In a Jupiler League match against Club Brugge, the Lokeren winger controlled a cross into the box with a flick, which got him past an stunned opponent and allowed him to fire into the roof of the net.

Wayne Rooney’s breathtaking 78th-minute bicycle kick snatched Manchester United victory over fierce rivals Manchester City, and Sir Alex Ferguson saluted it as the best goal he’s ever seen in his 25 years at Old Trafford. "It was stunning," said the Red Devils manager. "The execution was exceptional.”

Julio Gomez is also on the list because of an overhead-kick, and a crucial on at that. The Mexico winger’s effort came in the last minute of a FIFA U-17 World Cup semi-final to snatch his nation a 3-2 win over Germany – and this after he’d been told he couldn’t carry on playing due to a clash of heads.

Gomez told FIFA.com: “The doctor told me, ‘you have to stop now, you can’t carry on’, but I knew we didn’t have any substitutions left and I wasn’t prepared to let the team play with ten men. So, I said to him, ‘bandage me up, do whatever you want, but I am going to continue’. You always dream of scoring important goals, but this one tops them all.”

Rooney and Gomez are not the only players on the list courtesy of bicycle-kicks, though the other nominee’s inclusion is far more surprising. For although the name Lisandro Lopez is associated with goals, this scorer of this one was not the Lyon forward but an Argentinian better known for his crunching tackles. Lopez, the young Argentina centre-back, performed his masterpiece for Arsenal against Olimpo.

“I am proud and very happy that my goal is among the best ten in the world this year,” the 22-year-old told FIFA.com. “When I found out, I was surprised, because hundreds of goals are scored every week across the globe and having mine nominated feels incredible, especially as I’m a defender. It was a high cross and was too strong for the back post. When I realised there was no way I was going to head the ball, I thought about trying an overhead-kick – thank God it went in!

“If I had to pick one, I would pick mine, but I will go with Messi’s because of the way he decides on something and executes it in a second, and because he is the best player of the world.”

Lopez will not decide the outcome. That, of course, is down to you, the users of FIFA.com, and francefootball.fr. So, what are you waiting for? Check out the ten goals and get voting!

Trapattoni

2011-11-29T00:50:00.001-08:00

Trapattoni signs contract extension

Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni has agreed a contract extension which will run until the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™.

The Football Association of Ireland have rewarded the Italian coach for his recent success in securing the Republic's place at next summer's UEFA EURO 2012 finals following victory over Estonia in their qualification play-off.

"I am very happy to continue my job with the FAI," said Trapattoni, whose assistant Marco Tardelli has also signed a new deal.

Trapattoni, who will travel to Kiev for Friday's EURO 2012 draw ahead of the tournament in Ukraine and Poland, said: "I have always said that Marco and I believe very strongly in the work that we are doing to grow and develop the Irish team.

"It is a huge honour and a privilege to represent the Irish team and we look forward to continuing this important task."
I have always said that Marco and I believe very strongly in the work that we are doing to grow and develop the Irish team.
Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni

Trapattoni's deal will again be part-funded by business Denis O'Brien, who played a significant part in the FAI's original acquisition of the former European Cup winner.

FAI chief executive John Delaney said: "On behalf of the FAI board of management, we are very happy to agree a contract extension with Giovanni Trapattoni and his team of Marco Tardelli and Fausto Rossi.

"They have done fantastic work with the squad, bringing us to qualification for a major tournament for the first time in ten years, increasing our world ranking to 21st and introducing many new players for the future. Giovanni's experience, professionalism and achievement in qualifying for EURO 2012 has impressed everyone including the players and the FAI board.

"The FAI board of management are particularly grateful to Denis O'Brien for his continuing contribution which gives the Irish team and supporters the benefit of Giovanni's services into the next World Cup campaign."

The Italian's brief had been to steer the national team to the EURO 2012 play-offs, which he achieved before securing the Republic's first appearance at a major finals for a decade with a 5-1 aggregate win over Estonia.

The 72-year-old said after the play-off success: "I have said I think we deserve a new agreement, Marco and myself. We are now happy with the squad. We find new players in almost every game.

"We have done what we were asked to do by the FAI and the Irish people. They chose us for this reason and I think we have given the perfect answer with qualification."

The Italian and his staff have previously taken two pay cuts with Ireland's financial difficulties biting hard, and there had been speculation that a significantly reduced package could be on the table.

Djeparov:

2011-11-29T00:42:00.000-08:00

Djeparov: We can reach Brazil 2014

When he pipped the likes of Ismael Matar and Sebastian Soria to the AFC Player of the Year award in 2008, it seemed that Server Djeparov had come from nowhere to clinch the coveted Asian crown. Three years later, however, the Uzbekistan talisman stepped onto the podium in Kuala Lumpur for his second individual accolade to significant continental acclaim.

Indeed, it was a fitting end to a year in which Djeparov has been turning over new ground with the national team. He excelled in his captaincy and playmaking role as the Central Asians stormed into the last four for the first time in January's AFC Asian Cup, before going on to help his side seal early progression to Asia's final qualifying round for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™. Now, he is the first player to twice reign in Asia since the back-to-back wins of Japan icon Hidetoshi Nakata's in 1996 and 1997.

"I am very happy to win the title for a second time," the 29-year-old told FIFA.com after Wednesday’s ceremony. "It is every Asian player's dream to win the continent's top individual title so this is important to me. When I was first named the AFC Player of the Year three years ago, it showed that I had reached the level where I can compete against Asia's best. By recapturing it this time, I have proved I have maintained my performance level throughout the years."

Memorable moments
Recent years have seen Djeparov develop from an emerging star into Uzbekistan's leading player, a fact underlined when he inherited the captain's armband from White Wolves maestro Maksim Shatskikh. The midfielder excelled so well in his new role that Uzbekistan coach Vadim Abramov has paid tribute to the progress he has made.

"Djeparov has grown into a key player of the team," the 58-year-old tactician told FIFA.com in a recent interview. "He is the team's playmaker and with the experiences he has reaped over recent years, he is capable of the skippering duties."
We have a high-quality side, which should be the best squad in [our] history... we can fulfil the World Cup mission this time.
Uzbekistan captain Server Djeparov

He may have captained his team through many tough battles throughout the year, including opening the scoring in their 1-1 draw against Asian champions Japan and providing the leadership as his side secured successive victories over South Africa 2010 finalists Korea DPR. Despite these showings, however, he singled out their 2-1 defeat of Kuwait at Qatar 2011 as his most memorable game of the past year.

"I chose this game because I think it was a good game during which I scored a good goal," he said. It was Uzbekistan's second group match, having overcome hosts Qatar 2-0 in the opener where Djeparov was also on target. Shatskikh put Uzbekistan ahead with a deflected free-kick and, although Bader Al Mutawa levelled for the rivals with a penalty, Djeparov scored the match-winner through a thunderous long-range strike.

Chief goal
Having twice won the Asian individual title, it is natural that Djeparov has switched his sights to the FIFA World Cup stage. After enduring the failed campaigns of Germany 2006 and South Africa 2010, he believes that the team's past experiences will stand them in good stead during the next qualifying stage.

"My chief goal is to help my country secure our first-ever qualification for the FIFA World Cup at Brazil 2014," he went on. "We failed at the final hurdle on the road to the last World Cups so I think we won't miss it for the third consecutive time. We have proved we are capable of the task and we must now realise it."

His confidence is not without basis, given their campaign in Asia's third qualifying phase saw them amongst the first group of teams to book passage to the last ten.

"Obviously we have developed into a highly competitive team in Asia. We played well against Japan and we dominated both legs against Korea DPR. We have a high-quality side, which should be the best squad in [our] history, with a host of overseas-based players and talented youngsters. In one word, we can fulfil the World Cup mission this time

Germans close on Dutch, England go fifth

2011-11-25T01:59:00.000-08:00

Germans close on Dutch, England go fifth

World and European champions Spain remain unchallenged atop of this month’s FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking. Although La Roja’s defeat by England and draw with Costa Rica lost them points, their place on the global ladder remains unchanged.

Just behind them, an intriguing three-way tussle is under way, with Germany edging dangerously close to the second-placed Netherlands following their 3-0 victory in the match between the two sides.

Hot on their heels are Uruguay, who are continuing to make progress following their convincing 4-0 win over Chile in the South American Zone qualifiers for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ and a friendly defeat of Italy, which brought Cesare Prandelli's team's 13-game unbeaten run to an end.

Within the top ten, England (5th, up 2) have climbed up the Ranking, as have Portugal (7th, up 1) and Croatia (8th, up 4) thanks to recent successes in UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying.

In the top 50, meanwhile, Czech Republic (33rd, up 14) and Ecuador (42nd, up 10) have made the biggest jumps.

Three teams are currently in their highest-ever position since the launch of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking in August 1993: Venezuela (39th, up 1), Cape Verde Islands (57th, up 9) and Antigua and Barbuda (83rd, up 7).

Interestingly, Sao Tome e Príncipe (192nd, new) have been ranked for the first time in four years following their two FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Congo in November.

In all, 131 international 'A' matches were played in the past month, of which 72 were Brazil 2014 preliminaries, eight were EURO 2012 qualifiers and the remaining 51 were friendlies.

Neymar rues Adriano loss, discusses stopping Messi

2011-11-25T01:50:00.000-08:00

Neymar rues Adriano loss, discusses stopping Messi

Neymar has lamented the fact Santos marking master Adriano will miss the FIFA Club World Cup 2011 through injury, and joked that his side will therefore have to knock Barcelona’s hypersonic ball wizard Lionel Messi off balance to stop him.

Having done excellent man-to-man jobs on a couple of dangerous opponents during O Peixe’s triumphant Copa Libertadores campaign in the first half of this year, Adriano had been earmarked to perform a similar function on Messi in Japan, provided the respective champions of South America and Europe advance to the Yokohama final.

However, the 24-year-old defensive midfielder suffered an ankle injury against Atletico Goianiense last week that will require surgery and keep him on the sidelines until next year.

“Adriano has been very important this season, acting as a piano charger and never stopping to run,” said Neymar. “We call him 'iron lung' because he never stops! He will be sorely missed. It is a big loss, especially for him because he was enjoying a wonderful moment in his career.”
I’ve already said that Messi is the best [in the world], and that stopping him is very difficult.
Neymar

Neymar acknowledges that Adriano’s absence will make the already towering task of nullifying the 24-year-old Argentinian an even taller one.

“I’ve already said that Messi is the best [in the world], and that stopping him is very difficult,” the 19-year-old forward said, before joking: “I don’t know how but we are studying really hard for a way for someone to, at the very least, manage to give him a push to slow him down!”

Adriano’s injury aside, Neymar revealed that Muricy Ramalho’s team’s build-up to the tournament has been ideal: “The preparations have been going really well and we hope to arrive there and have a great World Cup.”

Santos won successive Intercontinental Cups in 1962 and ’63, with a legendary side comprising the likes of Gilmar, Zito, Pepe, Coutinho and Pele.

Brazilian teams - namely Corinthians, Sao Paulo and Internacional - won the first three instalments of the FIFA Club World Cup, but the trophy has gone to Europe in each of the subsequent four years.

Czechs look to the future

2011-11-25T01:46:00.000-08:00

Czechs look to the future

For most of the year, Czech football fans had their heads in their hands in despair. Their team won a grand total of five of the 12 matches they played, two of those against Liechtenstein and Lithuania. The other games brought four defeats and three draws.

Yet if you were to run a straw poll now among the Narodny Tym fans, optimism would currently be running high. Coach Michal Bilek's men managed to pull the iron out of the fire with two play-off wins over Montenegro (2-0 and 1-0) in mid-November, meaning that the Czechs have qualified for UEFA EURO 2012 – a tournament they won back in 1976.

These good results at the end of the year in international terms have also had a positive effect on the latest FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, with the Czechs making the most progress of any country in the top 50 in November, moving up 14 places to 33rd, the best ranking since May 2011 when they were 32nd.

'Done what we set out to'
Czech Republic are still a long way off reliving the glory days when, firstly in 1999 and then in 2005, they got as high as second in the Ranking. Since making it all the way through to the final of EURO 1996 where they lost to Germany, the eastern Europeans have had little in the way of success.

They failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cups™ in 1998, 2002 and 2010, and while they were present at the UEFA EURO 2000 and 2008, they had to pack their bags at the end of the group stage. Their best achievement in recent years came at EURO 2004 when they made the semi-finals, only to lose to eventual winners Greece.

It will come as no surprise therefore to learn that the Czechs are managing expectations ahead of next year's tournament. "We'll see what kind of draw we get and then work out what we want to achieve. We've got nothing to lose in Poland and Ukraine since we've done what we set out to do," said Chelsea's Petr Cech, voted FIFA World Goalkeeper of the Year in 2005, with regard to his country's fifth successful EURO qualifying campaign in a row.

"The tournament is still another six months away," added Czech captain Tomas Rosicky of Arsenal. "We'll have time to think about it more later on, but for the moment we're just pleased that we've earned our place among the top teams in Europe."

Last chance saloon
While plenty of Czechs ply their trade among the elite of European club football - including Cech, Rosicky, Milan Baros (Galatasaray) and Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux) - the national team have only sporadically shone on the international stage. All of which means that, for a number of the squad's older performers, EURO 2012 may be their last chance to achieve something significant for their country.

As Michal Kadlec said in an interview with FIFA.com last year: "None of us are getting any younger. I think that the problem we have is that the younger players weren't brought into the squad with any consistent plan in mind, and now it's tough to sort this out."

'You never know'
The new generation finally appears ready to make the next step however, and none more so than Nuremberg's Tomas Pekhart. "I can still see myself back in 1996 with my parents, sitting in front of the TV in the lounge watching the final of the EURO," said the 22-year-old in an exclusive interview with FIFA.com just a few days ago. "And now I will be playing at the same tournament, which is incredible. I know that my moment will come."

Competition for places means that Pekhart has yet to gain much experience in international terms. "Milan Baros – one of my heroes – plays the same position as me, which is great as it means that I can simply watch and learn." His time with the Czech squad has also enabled him to play alongside Rosicky, whom he describes as "the most technically-gifted player of all time. I had posters all over my bedroom walls of him when I was a kid."

This positive attitude will hopefully rub off on some of the veterans next summer as they face up to the dizzying challenge of taking on the likes of Germany, holders Spain and the Netherlands. But as the ever-optimistic Pekhart puts it: "You never know what might happen at a tournament!"

Samoa draw sets up decisive final contest

2011-11-25T01:44:00.000-08:00

Samoa draw sets up decisive final contest

Samoa and Tonga have played out a 1-1 draw on day two of the Oceania Round One 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ qualifiers in Apia, setting up a winner-take-all match between the hosts and American Samoa on Saturday (Sunday GMT).

Samoa’s marginally superior goal difference means they just require a draw from the match to stay top of the section and progress to next June’s Round Two in Fiji alongside the seven remaining Oceania nations.

The earlier match between American Samoa and Cook Islands was also a 1-1 draw. Today’s two results means the end of the road for both the Cook Islands and Tonga.

The latter match saw hosts Samoa denied by a Tonga equaliser nine minutes from full time scored by Lokoua Taufahema, who headed a loose ball home just seconds after coming off the bench.

A solid defensive display from Tonga against their traditional rivals frustrated the home side for the majority of the first half, but Samoa finally broke through just before the break after Folio Moeaki brought down Desmond Fa’aiuaso in the penalty area.

Midfield playmaker Shaun Easthope gave goalkeeper Kaneti Felela no chance with his spot kick, to the delight of the hundreds of locals who had descended on the J.S. Blatter Field in the capital.

“They put up a good fight to get back into the game and managed to score the equaliser,” said Samoa coach Tunoa Lui. “I thought our boys worked really hard and we did everything we could.”

Tonga coach Chris Williams was delighted at the way his charges bounced back from the opening day defeat to American Samoa.

“I’m really proud of the boys after what happened two days ago,” he said. “We were playing probably the best team in the tournament today and responded very well.”

Having never claimed a point before in their 12 previous FIFA World Cup qualifiers, American Samoa now go into Saturday’s match on the back of a win and a draw in optimistic mood, having improved significantly under new coach; former USA U-20 mentor Thomas Rongen.

“Our game plan was to win but the draw has gotten us to four points and puts us into a position on Saturday to play for a championship,” Rongen said.

“I think we should have put the game away in the first half and scored two or three with the chances we had. We made it very hard for ourselves again but we got the result we needed to make the game against Samoa, who I consider the best team, a meaningful contest. It’s going to be great – Samoa and American Samoa is like a dream match-up.”

Kuranyi: I've matured in Russia

2011-11-25T01:40:00.000-08:00

Kuranyi: I've matured in Russia

Many an eyebrow was raised some 18 months ago when goal-getter Kevin Kuranyi swapped the home comforts of Gelsenkirchen-based Schalke for the exotic shores of Dynamo Moscow in the Russian top flight. Cynics thought the adventure would go wrong, but instead, it has proved a highly productive transfer.

The striker with Brazilian, German and Panamanian roots has just extended his stay in the Russian capital until 2015, and his goals have earned him hero status among the Dynamo loyalists. Some have even started a petition to support the player’s return to the Germany squad, from which he was ejected by coach Joachim Low for disciplinary reasons some years ago.

However, Kuranyi is currently wasting no time contemplating a resumption of his international career, because he is pursuing ambitious targets at club level. “We want to finish in the top five and earn a place in Europe next year," he exclusively told FIFA.com.

Boost to mental strength
The target is far from unrealistic. Kuranyi has ten goals to his name this season, a significant contribution to Dynamo’s ascent to third place in the Russian Premier League, just a point off CSKA Moscow and four adrift of leaders Zenit St Petersburg. “The decision to move to Russia was absolutely the right one for my future. I'm mentally a lot stronger than I was a couple of years ago," the player said.

The 29-year-old rates as one of the league's biggest names, but fame from goalscoring has a price, as opposing defences now keep a much closer eye on him. However, the special attention has helped him develop and improve his all-round game, as he adds new attributes to his raw finishing skill. “It's even more difficult for me here than in the Bundesliga, because I’m generally double marked. But that means there's more space for my team-mates, so I turn provider far more often."

In his 45 league appearances in Russia so far, Kuranyi has either scored or set up 29 goals, a prolific figure which explains his popularity among the fans and the willingness of the club to retain his services for longer. The former Schalke player has teamed up with fellow ex-Bundesliga men Andriy Voronin and Zvejzdan Misimovic, and with home-grown schemer Igor Semshov, to form a potent quartet. “When I arrived in Moscow the club was in turmoil and we weren't successful. But we've steadily improved over recent months, and we're following a successful course now," said the man capped 52 times by his country

Rapid personal development
Kuranyi feels he has come on not merely as a player but also as a person. In Germany, he recalls, he would sometimes worry more about his appearance than his football, even if the goals had dried up at the time. “And I think there are still people out there who have the wrong image of me. They've never got to know me, and can't possibly properly understand my personality," the player reflected.
I'm mentally a lot stronger than I was a couple of years ago.
Kevin Kuranyi, Dynamo Moscow striker.

A stain which may remain for ever was Kuranyi’s grave error in storming out of a Germany fixture and going home on learning he had not been named in the matchday squad. He was branded selfish after the incident, but he now takes a different view of the matter. “I know it was the wrong thing to do, but I've learned from it and grown a lot as a person and a character. Moving to Russia has helped me mature.”

Aiming for the top
The striker need not worry about negative headlines for the time being - quite the opposite in fact: a group of Dynamo loyalists has raised a petition trying to persuade Germany boss Low to recall the expelled player. “Obviously, I was thrilled when I heard about what the fans were doing, because it showed how well I've been playing for Dynamo, and the reputation I’ve earned among the fans. But personally, I regard the matter as closed. I'm not wasting any time thinking about the national team for now."

Instead, he is totally focused on his new first love, as his goal is to help Dynamo return to Europe's biggest footballing stage. “We're in good form and working hard for our success, but we're not consistent enough to mix it right at the top, and that's the main area for improvement. Our target is to finish in the top five and play European football in the coming year. If we manage it, it would represent a massive success - and if we do even better, then so be it."

‘Even better’ would be a place in the UEFA Champions League, in which case Kuranyi would have completed his personal rehabilitation, and would be in a position to test his skills against the best players in the world, which would certainly up the pressure on Low to take another look at one of the country’s forgotten sons.

A new beginning for Guyan

2011-11-25T01:36:00.000-08:00

A new beginning for Guyana

“We came from all over the world,” enthused Leon Cort about Guyana’s Golden Jaguars, the national team he’s captained to unprecedented success in recent months. “From England, from Canada, Suriname, the USA, Trinidad, Antigua, Puerto Rico – we’re coming from everywhere!”

Guyana is plagued by massive waves of emigration; the tiny, underdeveloped country’s population grows smaller every year. But the sons and grandsons of those who fled are returning, and are making a big impact on the football pitch.

There are six players in the team from the various tiers of England’s professional football leagues. “We bring experience and organisation from the Premier League, League One and Two," said Ricky Shakes, the 26-year-old winger who plays his club football for Ebbsfleet United. Captain Cort, 32, is on loan from Burnley at Charlton Athletic – and his older brother Carl is a former EPL standout with Wimbledon and Newcastle.

A football blend
A handful in the side are native-born Guyanese, but many were born in Canada, USA, England and various ports in the Caribbean. “It’s a blend of football flavours,” added Shakes, the speedy wide man who scored two of Guyana’s goals in Brazil 2014 qualifying so far. “The cultures and styles seem to blend.”

There is another foreign influence guiding Guyana, a side devoid of any real international pedigree. “He is an organised man,” said Brixton-born Shakes about coach and Trinidad native Jamaal Shabazz. “He comes up with the patterns and we adjust to them.” Cort is quick to claim the coach as a major factor in the side’s triumphant run in the region’s second round of qualifying. “He’s brought a real discipline, a European ethic, to the team.”
We’ll be up against some of the top players in the world, like Chicharito [Mexico and Manchester United’s Javier Hernandez] at the famous Azteca stadium, and Costa Rica just tied world champions Spain in a friendly.
Ricky Shakes on Guyana's coming tests

“We might not have the talent of some of the region’s big guns,” the coach said. “But we believe in ourselves and work hard on being organised, professional and disciplined.”

A former British colony, Guyana is a dense tangle of jungle in the north-east corner of South America. Due to its small size and long-standing cultural ties to the Caribbean, they play their football in the CONCACAF zone. “Guyana’s footballing roots are somewhere between South America and the Caribbean,” said Shabazz, who now has the double-edged pleasure of taking on the likes of Costa Rica and mighty Mexico in the next round.

Conquering hardship, Trinidad
There are precious few direct flights to the capital of Georgetown, making travel to the country, from any port, a complicated affair. “It’s tough to get any national team to gel, to understand each other on the field” said Cort to FIFA.com. “And here, with all the travel and the guys coming in from so far, and having to get used to the heat, we had a big job to do.”

Over the last few months, Guyana have electrified the New World football scene, a run of four wins from six booking their place in the penultimate round of qualifying. It all culminated in an historic game. “Everyone thought Trinidad would stroll to first place,” said Cort of the T&T side, led by Premier League sensation Kenwyne Jones and tipped for an easy ride in a group that also contained Bermuda and Barbados. “People thought we were there just to make up the numbers,” added Cort, a long way from his birthplace in south London.

A 2-1 win put Guyana through and T&T out in front of a capacity crowd at the National Cricket Stadium in Georgetown. Cort and Shakes scored the goals on that momentous night.

“We knew what was at stake, and we were at home,” said Shakes who, along with Cort, was playing his first game in Georgetown. “If we won, we’d put it to bed.” Cort picked up the story: “T&T’s coach [Otto Pfister] put only one striker out, he was playing for the draw. So since they invited us to go forward, we bombarded them.”

Mexico, Costa Rica await
The final whistle triggered wild celebrations. “Before the game, the atmosphere was incredible,” remembered Shakes. “The passion, the atmosphere was so special even before the game. When the whistle finally went, it just increased by three,” added Cort, a seasoned pro unable to resist the cheerful call of his ancestral home. “It really meant something to walk off winners that night.”

For Guyana’s Golden Jaguars, the dream continues. Their recent fortunes have landed them in a ferocious group in the next stage, alongside CONCACAF champions Mexico, three-time FIFA World Cup™ participants Costa Rica and El Salvador, winner of all six of their qualifiers to date. “We’ll be up against some of the top players in the world, like Chicharito [Mexico and Manchester United’s Javier Hernandez] at the famous Azteca stadium, and Costa Rica just tied world champions Spain in a friendly,” concluded Shakes, before calm captain Cort has the final word on what seems another mission impossible.

“If we don’t think we can win, we might as well pack it in now,” he said. “We’re a small country, but we believe.”

rivals reach for London tickets

2011-11-25T01:27:00.000-08:00

London tickets

Half of the field at the upcoming African qualifying tournament for the 2012 Men’s Olympic Football Tournament have a chance to compete in London, meaning there will be tense action from the start of the tournament in Morocco.

The top three finishers in the eight-team, two-week event are guaranteed automatic entry to the games while the fourth-place nation will take on an Asian qualifier in a one-off play-off match in Coventry, England next April. Play gets underway on Saturday with a double-header kicking off the Group A action in Tangiers while the other venue is Marrakech where Group B starts on Sunday.

The two top finishers in each group go through to the semi-finals on 6 December, and the winners of those games are ensured places in London. The semi-final victors will be in the first-ever CAF U-23 Championship final, but there is likely to be just as much focus on the third-place play-off game in Marrakech on 10 December. The winner of that encounter also goes to the finals while the loser gets another opportunity in the cross-continental play-off.

The match
Morocco-Nigeria
Despite taking over hosting duties from Egypt relatively recently, Morocco showed their serious intent last year by hiring Dutch coach Pim Verbeek to oversee their Olympic dreams. Verbeek actually took the position before leading Australia at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, and the Lionceaux have been preparing resolutely in Rabat for these matches. Their key contest could be this weekend’s Group A opener against Nigeria, who have had the most Olympic success of any African nation. Known to Nigerians as The Dream Team, their Olympic side made history by winning a gold medal at Atlanta 96 and followed that up with silver at Beijing 2008. Whichever team seizes the impetus in the first match will undoubtedly have the momentum going up against Algeria and Senegal in the next two matches.

Other attractions
It is never easy in age group competition to draw any form from history, but Nigeria’s pedigree in previous qualifiers dictates they will command respect from their opponents. Although he will be missing many big name stars - including Joel Obi, Lukman Haruna and Ahmed Musa - coach Austin Eguavoen says six weeks together in preparation has built up a potential winning team spirit. “I have confidence in the squad we are taking to Morocco, and there is a growing confidence in the team that we can secure a ticket to London,” said the former Super Eagles defender. In total, Nigeria’s men’s team has been at six separate Olympic finals, the same with Morocco, who will also be counting on a massive boost from the home atmosphere.

South Africa were runners-up at September's All-Africa Games in Mozambique, where Senegal also competed and won bronze. Both therefore have some form and extra practice to take to the tournament in Morocco. South Africa’s top league clubs are allowing one player per club to travel to North Africa with the squad while Senegal have managed to obtain eight players from French clubs despite the qualifiers not being played on dates on the co-ordinated international calendar. All-Africa Games gold medallists Ghana went out early in the Olympic qualifiers to Sudan.

Egypt have played in ten Men’s Olympic Football Tournaments dating as far back at 1920, so they figure to be in the mix, while Algeria (1980), Côte d’Ivoire (2008) and South Africa (2000) have each gone to one previous tournament. Only Gabon and Senegal have no prior Olympic experience. Hani Ramzy, who played for Egypt at the 1990 FIFA World Cup™, leads the Egyptian side while Algeria have put in some quality preparation under Azzedine Ait Djoudi.

Players to watch
Levy Madinda of Celta Vigo in Spain played for Gabon’s senior side in midfield against Brazil earlier this month and is one of four foreign-based players in his country’s unheralded squad. Algeria’s captain Mohamed Chalali scored twice in friendlies last week against South Africa and comes from Scottish club Aberdeen. Imad Najah is Dutch born and the captain of the PSV Eindhoven side, and he will be among Morocco’s star attractions.

Football memories fighting Alzheimer’s

2011-11-25T01:23:00.000-08:00

Football memories fighting Alzheimer’s

It’s often said that football is in our blood. It is said so often, in fact, that the phrase has become trite, long ago entering the realm of the cliché.

At its heart, however, remains a fundamental truth that, for most supporters, football is central to our very identity. And as well as representing a lifelong passion in itself, the game becomes closely interwoven with our families, home towns, childhood dreams and much besides. None of this is news, of course. But in Scotland, a new way of harnessing this unique power has been unearthed, and is achieving spectacular results by breathing new life into Alzheimer’s sufferers.

A rapidly aging population has established this condition, which brings about a corrosive mental decline, as one the developed world’s most pressing health issues. Sufferers endure confusion, memory loss, mood swings, and are robbed of much that is familiar and dear to them, such as the names of loved ones and treasured recollections. Confidence is dented as a result, and a steady withdrawal from society invariably follows.

Where football enters the fight against Alzheimer's is in reviving some of those memories, with photos and memorabilia from patients’ favourite clubs used to reconnect them, for a while at least, to a lost personal history. This work is now known as the Football Reminiscence Project, but it began in 2009 when Michael White, the Falkirk Football Club historian, embarked on an experiment in hope rather than expectation.

As he told FIFA.com: “I think a lot of people, probably myself included, felt it was too simple an idea to work as well as it does. Reminiscence therapy is nothing new in treating Alzheimer’s, but I noticed when I went in to do talks in care homes that, of a group of 20, you’d only have two or three really getting something from it. Most reminiscence therapy was also aimed more at women because it focused on things like clothes and music. I always felt football was the best way to reach men, but it’s been using photos from their era and favourite teams that’s really made a big impact.

“You’ll have someone come in - head down, seeming totally withdrawn - and then you’ll show him a picture and his face will just light up. I had one guy in our group recently who I showed a general shot of a Falkirk-Celtic game from the ‘50s. Immediately, he shouted: “That’s the match where Charlie Tully scored twice from a corner!” And he was right! That kind of thing happens in every group, and other memories will come back as a result. For ourselves and the carers, it’s incredible to see.”
He’s a different person when he comes out... It’s put new life into him, and you can see that with all the men there.
Irene Gray explains the project's impact on her husband

White’s experiment quickly spread, gaining the support of Alzheimer Scotland and the Scottish Football Association as it was rolled out nationwide. The Scottish Football Museum at Hampden Park became a focal point, with the sound of clicking turnstiles and scents of the museum’s restored dressing room capable of stirring a multitude of memories.

Stories of the fledgling project’s seemingly miraculous successes also alerted the academic community, and soon a team of cynical dementia researchers were attending sessions, analysing the facts behind an ever-increasing mass of anecdotal evidence. There was enough to justify a year-long study by Glasgow Caledonian University, and the results supported everything the sufferers’ families and carers had been raving about.

Its final report recounted stories of patients being moved to tears of joy, and went on to conclude that those attending the project were “more confident, calmer, more talkative within the group and, afterwards, more communicative with their spouses”.

One of the co-authors, professor Debbie Tolson, recalls how her initial scepticism was overcome. “I’m not actually a football fan, so I wasn’t aware – although I certainly am now – of how important football is in people's lives,” she told the BBC. “But our researchers went into the groups, spent many hours observing their impact and, to be honest, I was astonished. I don’t believe anything until I see the evidence, and what struck me as amazing was how people who were so withdrawn would suddenly shine.”

For Irene Gray, wife of one of the project’s beneficiaries, the university’s findings merely confirmed what she already knew. “He’s a different person when he comes out,” she said of her husband. “He’s animated and he’ll talk all the way home, and not necessarily about football. I know I can leave him there and, when I come back, he’s going to be in a happy mood. It lightens my day too. It’s been a Godsend. It’s put new life into him, and you can see that with all the men there.”
It’s not just the football, it’s everything surrounding it: the build-up to the game, who you go with, where you go for a pint beforehand, the banter you’ll have with your pals on a Monday morning.
Michael White of the Football Reminiscence Project

So what is it about football that enables the game to connect with these men in ways that other, seemingly more significant elements of their lives seemingly can’t? “It’s so central to who we are, certainly in this country," is White's view. "And it’s not just the football, it’s everything surrounding it: the build-up to the game, who you go with, where you go for a pint beforehand, the banter you’ll have with your pals on a Monday morning. For so many people, it’s a massive part of their overall lives and their own identity.”

Given the project’s success, the next step will be to extend it beyond Scotland, and to those suffering from conditions other than Alzheimer’s who can benefit. Its message is also being spread through Alzheimer Scotland’s Football Memories website, which was launched recently with the aim of raising funds and awareness, not to mention accruing an unprecedented bank of fan recollections.

As the project’s Martin Greig explained: "Our aim is to make it the biggest collection of fans' memories ever collated. We have some great memories on the site from celebrities, authors, journalists and footballers - including Zinedine Zidane - to catch people's interest. But this is all about the fans. First and foremost, we want fans to browse the site and feel inspired to leave their favourite football memory. While doing so, it would be great if they read up about the life-changing work Alzheimer Scotland are doing in the Football Reminiscence groups. The site’s for every football fan around the world."

For White, the website serves a purpose of “bridging the gap between the people we’re treating, who’re clearly not the internet generation, and those who can carry this project forward”. And while the work of this devoted historian and his fellow volunteers can only be applauded, just as impressive is the fact that he derives as much pleasure from reminiscing as the patients.

“The most satisfying thing is the way their faces light up when you bring out the photos,” he said. “One of the men in my group, who played for Celtic just after the Second World War, passed away recently. But I always remember the last time I saw him. As he was taken out of the room in his wheelchair, he gave me a thumbs-up and shouted back: “Son, that was the best day of my life!” I thought then, you can keep all your university studies – that’s good enough for me.”

American Samoa break new groun

2011-11-23T00:55:00.000-08:00

American Samoa break new ground

Oceania qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ has commenced with American Samoa creating a slice of history with a 2-1 victory over Tonga in Samoa.

A goal in each half from Ramin Ott and Shalom Luani ensured American Samoa, who had lost all of their previous 12 FIFA World Cup matches, kicked off their Brazil 2014 campaign in the best possible fashion.

The match was played in humid conditions at J.S. Blatter Field in Apia, with Round One of Oceania qualifying also featuring Cook Islands and Samoa who played later in the day. And it was the host nation that took a narrow lead at the top of the standings thanks to a 3-2 injury-time win against Cook Islands.

An action-packed encounter saw Ott - who scored one of American Samoa's two previous FIFA World Cup goals - thump a shot against the crossbar just past the half-hour mark, before breaking the deadlock two minutes prior to the interval. Ott’s speculative long-range effort somehow evaded goalkeeper Kaneti Felela for the opening goal.

Shalom Luani then doubled American Samoa’s lead midway through the second half when he ran onto a through ball and lobbed the oncoming Felela.

Tonga gave themselves a lifeline with two minutes remaining when Unaloto Feao headed home a Lafaele Moala cross at the back post.

Tonga were desperate to take something from their opening match but goalkeeper Nicky Salapu, a veteran of American Samoa’s FIFA World Cup debut in 2001, pulled off several crucial stops in a frantic finish to the match.

Safe passage for Bayern, Inter, Benfica

2011-11-23T00:51:00.000-08:00

Safe passage for Bayern, Inter, Benfica(FIFA.com)

Former European champions Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Benfica secured the results they needed to check into the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League, where they join the already qualified Real Madrid, AC Milan and Barcelona. In the process the Germans and Italians, the 2010 finalists, clinched first place in their respective sections.

Manchester City were the big losers on an evening when 28 goals were scored in the eight games, the Premier League leaders going down 2-1 at Napoli to relinquish their grip on second place with just one game remaining.

The big game
Manchester United 2-2 Benfica
Goals: Dimitar Berbatov 30, Darren Fletcher 59 (Manchester United); Phil Jones 3 og, Pablo Aimar 61 (Benfica)
This meeting between the section’s two unbeaten teams began in dramatic fashion when Phil Jones turned in Nico Gaitan's cross on the visitors' first foray forward. Struggling to recover from the blow, the United rearguard creaked under the pressure exerted by the Benfica front line, expertly supplied with possession by the artful Nico Gaitan and Pablo Aimar. Yet, as the minutes passed the English giants came back into the game, and pulled level when Dimitar Berbatov, standing in for Wayne Rooney, glanced home a fine cross by Nani, the only Portuguese player on the pitch. Played in by a well-timed Patrice Evra centre, Scotland captain Darren Fletcher kept his cool to prod the home side in front, reward for their high-tempo pressing game. Their lead was short-lived, though, Pablo Aimar thumping in from close range after United keeper David de Gea had failed to clear his lines properly. And though the chances continued to flow at both ends, there was no further scoring, leaving the Portuguese to celebrate their progress to the next round and United to sweat on their final-day trip to Basel.

The other games
Group A
Bayern Munich 3-1 Villarreal
Napoli 2-1 Manchester City
Franck Ribery stole the show as Bayern cantered into the knockout phase, the French ace scoring twice and displaying all his attacking prowess. Surging into a 2-0 lead after 23 minutes, the Bavarians then eased off the accelerator, allowing Jonathan de Guzman to cut the deficit with a fine volley before Ribery restored their two-goal advantage midway through the second half.

Napoli brought City’s nine-game winning streak to a grinding halt on a typically passionate night at the San Paolo, one that brought back memories of Diego Maradona’s glory nights. Taking the lead when Edinson Cavani got the merest of touches on an inswinging corner, the Italians were pegged back when Mario Balotelli tapped home after a defensive error. The Uruguayan striker settled the issue with a classy finish just after the restart, rounding off a move also involving Ezequiel Lavezzi and Marco Dossena. In holding off City’s late onslaught and with a final game at pointless Villarreal to come, Napoli have given themselves an excellent chance of going through, while Roberto Mancini’s men will be pondering their failure to make sure of second place.

Group B
CSKA Moscow 0-2 Lille
Trabzonspor 1-1 Inter Milan
Lille’s first ever win on Russian soil meant Inter went through without even kicking a ball, though the Italians will be disappointed not to have avenged their shock home defeat to the Turkish side on Matchday 1. The draw was enough to move Trabzonspor into second, a position they will seek to defend in next month's visit to the French champions, who lie a solitary point behind them.

Group C
Otelul Galati 2-3 Basel
Basel’s ultimately nervy win in Romania kept them in with a chance of overhauling second-placed Manchester United. All will be decided on the final matchday, when the Swiss host Sir Alex Ferguson's side in a game they must win.

Group D
Real Madrid 6-2 Dynamo Zagreb
Lyon 0-0 Ajax
There were only 83 seconds on the clock when Karim Benzema put Real Madrid ahead, their fastest ever goal in the competition. More landmarks tumbled shortly afterwards as the Spaniards put their Croatian guests to the sword in ruthless fashion. In taking a 3-0 lead after nine minutes, Madrid eclipsed the previous competition best of three goals inside the opening 11 minutes, held by Stuttgart, and then became the first club in Champions League history to bag four goals inside the opening 20 minutes. To their credit, Zagreb kept fighting, and earned some reward with two late consolation goals.

Lyon’s chances of joining the nine-time champions in the next round were severely dented by their failure to break down Ajax, who remain three points clear of the French club and boast a far superior goal difference.

The player
A goalscorer when the two sides met earlier in the group, Edinson Cavani once again proved too hot for the Manchester City defence to handle. In hitting a match-winning brace, the second of his goals coming when he coolly cushioned a half-volley into the back of the net, El Matador took his Napoli account to an impressive 42 goals in 54 appearances since his arrival in 2010. Part of the reason for that bulging haul is the understanding he has struck up with Argentinian sidekick Ezequiel Lavezzi.

Goal of the night
Real Madrid 3-0 Dynamo Zagreb, Gonzalo Higuain 9
The hosts were already two goals to the good when Gonzalo Higuain was set free down the right side of the box by Lassana Diarra. Leaving his marker sliding on his back as he spun back from the by-line, the Argentinian then made light of the narrow angle by nonchalantly dinking the ball over the advancing Ivan Kelava.

The stat
7 - The number of goals Basel’s unrelated namesakes Fabian and Alexander Frei have scored in Group C, all but two of the Swiss team’s tally. The duo were both on the scoresheet in Romania and will out to augment their accounts when Manchester United come visiting in December.

Have your say
Will it be United, Benfica or Basel who come out on top in Group C?

Your thoughts on EA SPORTS™ FIFA 12

2011-11-23T00:49:00.000-08:00

Your thoughts on EA SPORTS™ FIFA 12
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Since its release in late September, EA SPORTS™ FIFA 12 has broken sales records and won critical acclaim all over the world. Now that gamers have had ample opportunity to try the game for themselves, what we would like to know is: What do you think of EA SPORTS™ FIFA 12?

Almost a million gamers were able to experience the most realistic football simulator out there by taking part in the FIFA Interactive World Cup 2011. The next season of the tournament will, of course, feature the latest version of the groundbreaking series. Prepare to be amazed by the tactical depth and lifelike graphics of EA SPORTS™ FIFA 12 at the FIFA Interactive World Cup 2012. FIWC12 kicks off on 1 December!

Tactical defending, mesmerizing runs and battles for every ball
One of the key features of the game which developers endeavored to improve for the 2012 version was the overall match dynamic. Defenders now focus on the player with the ball, shifting accordingly and blocking off potential passes. Naturally this demands increased creativity, ideas and intelligent passing from attackers, though tricksters can still turn their opponents inside-out by using the many Special Moves incorporated into the game. Tackles also feel more authentic thanks to the brand-new impact engine, which features players barging, shoving and lunging to win the ball.

Your thoughts on SPORTS™ FIFA12?
The long wait is almost over. The FIFA Interactive World Cup 2012 season kicks off on 1 December 2011! Follow the FIWC on Twitter to be the first to receive important news and information regarding the FIFA Interactive World Cup. Until then, there's still plenty of time to get some intensive training in for the new season.

We are eager to hear your thoughts on EA SPORTS™ FIFA 12. Is the latest version of the record-breaking series the most realistic ever? Which new features do you like most? Use the 'Add your comment' function below to share your views.

Brasileirao keeps everyone guessing

2011-11-18T02:04:00.000-08:00

Brasileirao keeps everyone guessing

The 2011 Brazilian championship has proved to be one of the most unpredictable of recent times, throwing up a succession of surprise results that have confounded the pundits, with more than one title challenge coming unstuck in a frenetic run-in.

As recently as 11 days ago only three points separated the top five teams, with every expectation that the season’s finale would be even more nerve-wracking than in the last two years, when three sides went into the final day still harbouring championship aspirations.

Much has changed since then, however. And the main reason for that has been the spectacular form of America-MG, who have climbed off the bottom of the table by first of all beating leaders Corinthians and then conjuring up two more unlikely wins to spike the title bids of Fluminense and Botafogo.

O Timão promptly recovered their poise with back-to-back victories over Atletico-PR and Ceara, two other teams stuck in the relegation zone. With three games remaining, they hold a two-point lead over Vasco da Gama, who beat Rio rivals Botafogo last weekend, but have themselves been on the end of some shock scorelines, the most notable a 4-1 mauling at the hands of America-MG in September.

Now five points off the pace in third, Flu have been left to rue points dropped against supposedly inferior opposition, while Flamengo and Botafogo, who are both four points further adrift, have similar cause for lament.

Rollercoaster ride
Having burst into title contention with a spectacular run of six wins in eight games as the season entered its second half, Fluminense have better reason than anyone to ponder what might have been. No sooner had they staked their championship claim than they lost 2-0 at home to Atletico-MG in October, compounding the felony by going down 2-1 to America-MG at the Engenhao last Saturday, a result that left coach Abel Braga scratching his head.

“It’s been anything but an ordinary championship,” he said. “Fluminense, Vasco and Botafogo have all had chances to move to the top and pull clear but they haven’t taken them. Sao Paulo have had their opportunities too.”

The loss of form suffered by O Tricolor Paulista has been dramatic to say the least. Firm candidates a few short weeks ago, a slew of draws and defeats to the likes of Goianense and Atletico-PR has seen them drop out of the title running and even lose ground in the race for Copa Libertadores places.

Flamengo have been equally erratic. Buoyed by the arrival of Ronaldinho, O Rubro-Negro led the table in the first half of the season before inexplicably going ten games without a win. Despite recovering some momentum, Fla have run out of steam once again in the final stretch.
It’s been anything but an ordinary championship.
Fluminense boss Abel Braga

Teams react to Japan 2011 draw

2011-11-18T01:39:00.000-08:00

Teams react to Japan 2011 draw

The path to glory for th hopefuls was set out earlier today when the official draw took place in Nagoya.

What it threw up were two intriguing quarter-final duels, the first of which will see Africa take on Asia in a clash between Esperance Sportive de Tunis and Al-Sadd Sports Club on 11 December. Later the same evening, Mexico’s CF Monterrey will square up to the winner of the tournament curtain-raise FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2011er between Oceanian champions Auckland City and the as yet undecided J.League champions.

The winner of this latter quarter-final will then take on South American champions Santos in the last four, while Barcelona await for whoever emerges triumphant from the Esperance-Al-Sadd showdown. Representing FIFA at the draw was Organising Committee member David Chung, who expressed a collective sense of excitement as the global club showpiece draws ever closer.

He said: “This is the eighth edition of the FIFA Club World Cup, and this year once again we have some mouth-watering talent ready to excite football fans in the stadium, and also those watching on their televisions around the world. Like many of you here today, I can’t wait now for the games to start."
Any of the teams would have been difficult but Monterrey are the best of that trio.
Auckland City coach Ramon Tribulietx

The wait will end on 8 December with that opening fixture between Auckland City and whichever of the three remaining contenders from the J.League crown finishes up on top next weekend. For the New Zealanders, seeing off the host representatives – as they managed to do at their last FIFA Club World Cup in 2009 – would create a familiar scenario, as they also faced Mexican opposition in the quarter-finals two years ago.

Atlante proved too strong for the Kiwis on that occasion, winning 3-0, and Auckland coach Ramon Tribulietx conceded that he would have preferred to avoid the CONCACAF champions. “Any of the teams would have been difficult but Monterrey are the best of that trio,” he said. “Two years ago we played Atlante and they were top class. Monterrey are a fantastic team.”

The Mexicans, for their part, are taking nothing for granted, although sporting director Luis Miguel Salvador evidently enjoyed his participation in the ceremony. “It was a unique experience,” he reflected. “This was the first time I’ve had the chance to assist at a draw ceremony at this level and it was very emotional. As for our debut, the only advantage we could have is that we will have the chance to see our opponents’ first match. Apart from that, there is no advantage. Teams in this competition have great quality and are all tough opponents.”

For Al-Sadd and Esperance, the prospect of a semi-final meeting with Barcelona is predictably tantalising, with the Asian champions’ director of football Jafal Rashid barely able to conceal his delight. He said: “We are very happy we the draw result and want to give ourselves the opportunity to play against the best team in the world. But the main objective for us is to give the best impression of our football.”
Everyone is expecting to see a final between Santos and Barcelona but maybe they can watch a final between Esperance and Santos instead!
Riadh Bennour, president of the Esperance's football section

Esperance’s reaction was even more bullish, with Riadh Bennour, president of the club’s football section, suggesting that the Tunisians could even emulate last year’s African representatives, TP Mazembe Englebert, by reaching the final. “It’s a good draw,” he said. “Everyone is expecting to see a final between Santos and Barcelona but maybe they can watch a final between Esperance and Santos instead! We will try to make it happen, that’s for sure.”

The European champions will have something to say about it, of course, and Amador Bernabeu, Barcelona’s delegate for UEFA/FIFA matters, exuded an air of quiet confidence following the ceremony. “The draw was fine,” he said. “We are looking forward to playing against Esperance or Al-Sadd. We hope that we can contribute with good football but of course our main hope is to reach the final”.

While Barcelona’s semi-final will take place in Yokohama, Santos will negotiate their last four clash in Toyota City, a venue in which director of football Pedro Luiz Nunes Conceicao believes Neymar and Co will feel particularly at home.

“We are very happy to play in Toyota, where we have the biggest community of Brazilians,” he explained. “With them and the 5,000 we are expecting to make the journey from Brazil, we will have excellent support. We think it’s going to be a great tournament. The draw was ok for us but we don’t think is going to be easy to reach the final, although we remain focused on that objective.”

For full details of the FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2011 draw and match schedule, please refer to the pdf linked on the right.

Year of high drama wraps in CONCACAF

2011-11-18T01:30:00.000-08:00

Year of high drama wraps in CONCACAF
(FIFA.com)

For teams from the North, Central America and the Caribbean Zone, there can have been few years as intense as 2011. With new-look sides, a pulsating CONCACAF Gold Cup and a dramatic start to qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™, the region has had more than its share of excitement these last 12 months.

The range of protagonists covers the complete spectrum, from regional champions Mexico to the tiny nation of Antigua and Barbuda who, despite a population of less than 90,000, are among the last 12 teams still in the hunt for a ticket to Brazil 2014.

With the international action now completed there for the year, FIFA.com takes a look back at how the region’s main sides fared in 2011.

Standout performances
If there is one CONCACAF nation that deserves to be singled out this year, then it is Mexico. Under the stewardship of Jose Manuel de la Torre, El Tri lost just one game all year. Moreover, they retained the Gold Cup after a pulsating 4-2 defeat of eternal foes USA in the decider. It came as no surprise then to hear wing wizard Andres Guardado sum it up thus: “This year we were beyond reproach, although the real test is yet to come with the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.”

Another team who will look back fondly on 2011 are Panama. Los Canaleros beat USA [2-1] for the first time in their history at June’s Gold Cup, where they went all the way to the semi-finals. The Central Americans then built on that success by easing into the second group stage of qualifying for Brazil 2014 with a 100 per cent record. Just last month, striker Blas Perez spoke of his optimism in an interview with FIFA.com, saying: “We’re all pulling in the same direction, and our goal is to make history.”
This year we were beyond reproach, although the real test is yet to come with the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
Mexico's Andres Guardado

Two countries that delighted and surprised their fans in equal measure were Guyana and Antigua and Barbuda. Widely predicted to be mere also-rans in the first group stage of Brazil 2014 qualifying, the duo progressed at the expense of regional powers Trinidad and Tobago and Haiti respectively. Having upset the form book so spectacularly, Los Jaguares Dorados and the Wadadli Boys will be hoping to spring more surprises when the third round gets underway in mid-2012.

Also taking a lot of positives from this year will be Honduras. After an uncertain start under coach Luis Fernando Suarez, Los Catrachos took a richly deserved third place at the Gold Cup after their march to the semis. The team also finished the year on a high with this week’s 2-0 friendly win against Serbia, a result the coach greeted by saying: “We feel good about the road we’re on and can look to the future with optimism.”

Mixed fortunes
Jamaica and Canada experienced both highs and lows in 2011. The Reggae Boyz impressed at the Gold Cup but lost each of their subsequent four friendlies. For the Canucks, meanwhile, it was the opposite scenario, recovering as they did from a disappointing showing at the regional championship to progress undefeated into the second group phase of Brazil 2014 qualifying. It was a similar story for El Salvador, who cruised through Group A with six wins from six, but who will nonetheless have to improve if they are to secure a second-consecutive appearance in the hexagonal final qualifying round.

For regional powerhouses USA, it was a difficult 12 months to say the least. The Stars and Stripes not only lost the continental title to arch-rivals Mexico for the second time running but, under new coach Jurgen Klinsmann, have had a disappointing return of two wins, four defeats and one draw from seven games.

Costa Rica, for their part, brought the curtain down on an inauspicious year in the best manner possible. Their impressive 2-2 draw this week with world champions Spain had many positives, especially after the disappointing showings at the Gold Cup and the Copa America that cost coach Ricardo La Volpe his job. His replacement, Jorge Luis Pinto, left no one in any doubt about the mood in the camp after Tuesday’s friendly against the Spanish. “Everyone thought they’d run rings around us, but in the end we ran a few rings ourselves,” he said with good humour afterwards.

The two most dissatisfied teams in the region have to be Trinidad and Tobago and Haiti. Just five years after a memorable adventure at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, the Soca Warriors need to start again from scratch after being pipped to the Group B qualifying berth by Guyana. “We have to come back from this and try again,” said their dejected coach Otto Pfister after his side’s decisive defeat to Guyana in Georgetown last weekend. Equally frustrated were Haiti, who made it a year to forget after earlier qualifying-round eliminations at the Caribbean and Gold Cups and have much to do to recapture their former glories.

Teferra: Mentality is key for Ethiopia

2011-11-18T01:23:00.004-08:00

Teferra: Mentality is key for Ethiopia

The excitement of a positive start to their FIFA World Cup™ qualifying campaign has Ethiopia believing they could return to the glory days when they were one of the continent’s dominant teams. Past winners of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations, albeit almost 50 years ago, the east Africans have slid down the rankings in recent years, and being ranked at 136 in the world they were forced to participate this month in the first phase of African qualifiers for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil.

But despite a surprising scoreless first leg, the ‘Walyas’ successfully negotiated the opening hurdle, beating Somalia 5-0 in the second leg and on aggregate, and they now look forward to the challenge of the second phase where they will be joined by the big boys of the continent. In a challenging Group A, which starts next June, the Ethiopians will be faced by 2010 World Cup hosts South Africa, 2012 Cup of Nations qualifying surprises Botswana and the massively improved Central African Republic.
We are similar style to South Africa, physically and in the way we play. For me personally it is going to be a real thrill.
Fikru Teferra on playing his 'second home' in Brazil 2014 qualifying

For the team’s most experienced player, striker Fikru Teferra, the current preliminary cycle presents a window of great opportunity. Ethiopia's group, says the 25 year old, will not be easy to navigate, but it does offer the national team an outside hope of advancing to the final stage of play-off matches at the end of 2013. “I think we have a very good chance to qualify for the last round of qualifiers and go onto the World Cup,” said the optimistic forward, who is a rare east African to have played professionally in Europe after stints in the Czech Republic, Finland and in South Africa.

“I think it is going to be a very good competition between some evenly balanced teams,” he said, explaining that Ethiopia have not had better odds to make major progress in recent qualifying competitions, because they have invariably been grouped with some of the continent’s heavyweights. However, this time around the mood is positive, both within the team and across the nation. “Our federation has told us a lot about their plans to take this campaign very seriously, and the players are holding out a lot of hope. Our hope is to do better with each game we play,” explained the athletic forward.

Attitude and good start are vital
Included in those plans is the possibility of appointing a new foreign coach. Anglo-Nigerian Iffy Onoura and the Belgian Tom Saintfiet have recently been in charge of the national side, but Sewnet Bishaw returned to the post to take charge of the two matches against Somalia. The key, says Teferra, will be the opening Group A game on the first weekend in June against South Africa, which Teferra is well acquainted with. Up until May he was on the books of South African club SuperSport United, before a short spell in Finland with KuPS. “We are similar style to South Africa, physically and in the way we play. For me personally it is going to be a real thrill. South Africa is my second home and I’m going back there now to see if I can get a new club from January onwards,” he said. “For [Ethiopia] it will be a lot about the mental side and believing we can do it,” he added.

Along with Salahedin Said, who plays at Wadi Degla in Egypt, Teferra is the only foreign-based player, which he says does present a burden. “People do expect a lot of things from me, many things that I cannot change,” he explained. “I have to remind them that football is a game of 11 players not just one. But I do feel that I can assist the team with my experience from playing in other countries, especially in training and preparing. I don’t really mind the pressure on me. If I can do it, I’ll do it.”

Goalkeepers who belied their size

2011-11-18T01:23:00.001-08:00

Goalkeepers who belied their size

Many believe size matters when it comes to a goalkeeper, and it is hardly rare for an aspiring youngster to get overlooked because he doesn't tower over his opponents. However, history tells us that height isn’t everything, with FIFA World Cups™ being won by many a smaller No1. FIFA.com takes a look back at some of the outstanding keepers who measured under 6ft.

Among them is Jorge Campos, who, with 130 caps to his name, sits fourth on Mexico's list of all-time appearances. He won back-to-back CONCACAF Gold Cups in 1993 and 1996, conceding just two goals in the former and zero in the latter, and also claimed the FIFA Confederations Cup in 1999.

Perhaps best remembered for his flamboyant shirts at USA 1994 and France 1998, the 5ft 8ins shot-stopper began his career up front, scoring 14 times in his first full season, before repositioning himself between the sticks to help Pumas to the 1990/91 Mexican title. Not that Campos's striking spirit ended, as he was thereafter sent outfield as part of substitutions or seen dashing forward while still the designated keeper, causing havoc for both defences.

Goalkeepers are often remembered for the goals that don’t go in, but none so in the way Ladislao Mazurkiewicz is, playing a role in the greatest goal that almost was. A Uruguayan of Polish decent, the moment came when the 5ft 10in keeper was playing in the Mexico 1970 semi-finals. As La Celeste faced Brazil in Mexico City, Pele ran to latch on to a Tostao pass, and as Mazurkiewicz advanced, O Rei let the ball run past them both before rounding the stranded Uruguayan to fire back across goal, narrowly missing.

However this single event unfairly defined a fantastic goalkeeper’s career. A superbly athletic shot-stopper with magnetic hands who wrote his name in Penarol’s history, winning five league titles during two spells at the side, including back-to-back national championships. The fact he sits 12th on the International Federation of Football History and Statistics’ (IFFHS) goalkeeper of the century standings says it all.

Italian world champion
Being regarded as Italy’s third-best goalkeeper, behind Dino Zoff and Walter Zenga, is a huge accolade for anyone, but with Giampiero Combi only measuring 5ft 8in he can take it with particular pride. He shone as the goalkeeper who took Italy to their maiden FIFA World Cup title in 1934.

In fine form throughout the tournament, Combi captained the side to glory and collected a bronze medal at the 1928 Olympics, but his records at club level are similarly notable. Not only does he hold the Serie A record for the longest run without conceding at 934 minutes, he also helped Juventus, his only club, win five Scudetti, including four successive ones between 1930 and '34.

The smallest member of this list is also arguably the best. Frantisek Planicka reached his pinnacle during numerous stirring performances at the 1934 FIFA World Cup with Czechoslovakia, where he faced off opposite Combi. Sitting at ninth in the IFFHS goalkeeper of the century poll, to be so well revered at just 5ft 7in is a wonderful achievement.

In only the second edition of the FIFA World Cup, Planicka was in sensational form throughout before ultimately losing 2-1 to Italy in the final. On that defeat he said: “Even though we lost, we returned home as heroes. We travelled back by train and there were thousands of fans applauding us at every station.”

He showed his commitment to his national side four years later as, during one of his 76 caps in the quarter-final against Brazil, then captain Planicka battled through to a 1-1 extra-time draw, known as ‘the Battle of Bordeaux’, despite spending much of the game with a broken arm. He had a reputation for this, having soldiered on through a semi-final of the Eastern European Mitropa Cup in 1932 with Slavia Prague having been hit in the head by rock thrown from the crowd.

As keeper for the great Mighty Magyars side of the 1950s, Gyula Grosics would have gone down in Hungarian football history just for being on the pitch with the likes of Ferenc Puskas, Sandor Kocsis and Jozsef Bozsik. However, the 5ft 10in stopper, nicknamed the Black Panther, was a talent in his own right. Not only did he help the side to four years and 33 games without defeat, he was also good with his feet, being credited with helping create the sweeper-keeper role, playing the ball out from the back.

However, he will always be part of footballing folklore thanks to his exploits in that team’s greatest achievements. First they defied the status quo by beating England 6-3 at Wembley, and then he helped take the Golden Team to the 1954 FIFA World Cup Final, missing out on the title courtesy of a 3-2 defeat by West Germany.

Argentine great
Arguably Argentina’s greatest-ever goalkeeper, Ubaldo Fillol played for over two decades between the sticks at club level and more than half of that period as part of the national team set-up. The tallest of this selection at 5ft 11in, but still dwarfed by many opponents, he played in three FIFA World Cups, getting his hands on the Trophy in 1978. Fillol was voted the goalkeeper of that tournament having kept clean sheets in all three of Argentina's second-round group matches and made a brilliant penalty save against Poland.

He began his career at 19 with Quilmes, but started to stand out during a two-year spell at Racing Club, where at the age of 21 he saved six spot-kicks in a season - a league record - and was snapped up by River Plate. He went on to play his way into the hearts of Los Millonarios’ fans during an 11-year spell, encompassing more than 350 games. Fillol won seven titles - including three national championships - with River and helped end an 18-year barren spell for the club in the process.

An eccentric in every sense of the word, Rene Higuita was able to command his area despite being just 5ft 9in. Known as 'El Loco' (The Crazy One), his most memorable moment will always be his scorpion kick against England, clearing the ball off the line with his heels while airborne. It was with Colombia where his legacy stands tallest, claiming 68 caps and eight goals, mostly from free-kicks. He was part of the side that reached the Round of 16 at Italy 1990, but was hugely at fault for their exit, losing the ball on the halfway line to Roger Milla of Cameroon, who subsequently scored.

At club level his finest achievement was undoubtedly winning the Copa Libertadores in 1989 with Atletico National, triumphing on penalties over Olimpia of Paraguay.

Goalkeepers who belied their size

2011-11-18T01:15:00.000-08:00

LA Galaxy shooting for the stars

2011-11-16T01:08:00.000-08:00

LA Galaxy shooting for the stars

LA Galaxy will be out to win the MLS Cup for the first time since 2005 when they take on Houston Dynamo in the final on 20 November. The match could be David Beckham’s last appearance for the Galaxy, and the Western Conference champions will be keen sign off in style at the end of what has been a near-perfect season.

“It’s our year,” LA Galaxy’s Omar Gonzalez told FIFA.com ahead of his side’s final match of the season. “We’ve been playing well since the start of the season, and we’ve done what was needed to get to within one match of the title. If we maintain the same level of play on Sunday, then we have to go all the way. It’s our season,” added the centre-back, who was recently named MLS Defender of the Year.

The Galaxy lost the MLS Cup to Real Salt Lake in 2009, and were well beaten by FC Dallas in the Conference finals last year. However, the Californians have shown greater consistency since coach Bruce Arena’s arrival in 2009, and they now appear to be reaping the rewards. “We’re all benefiting from the words and methods of the coach,” said Gonzalez, who was drafted by Arena in 2009. “The 2009 defeat has helped us to grow, and we’ve learned a lot. We’ve played really well all season, without any real dip in form. We’ve been consistent and we’re ready to finish the job.”

Magee magic
Two years after beating Houston Dynamo in the Western Conference final, the Galaxy are poised to take on the Texan outfit once again. They will be without forward Chad Barrett for the rematch, however, after the former Toronto FC man suffered a serious injury. Barrett’s absence is a blow, but the Galaxy do have other options up front, with Mike Magee in particular proving to be their unlikely hero with three crucial goals since the start of the play-offs.

“I’ve never played so well in my entire career. Mentally and physically, I feel really good,” said Magee, a former New York Red Bulls player who appears to be thriving on the service of team-mate Beckham. “When you play with him [Beckham], even if he’s not looking at you, you know you need to break forward.”
We’ve been playing well since the start of the season, and we’ve done what was needed to get to within one match of the title.
LA's Omar Gonzalez

“Last year, against Dallas, we were poor,” added Magee, an important figure in the Galaxy’s play-off campaign. “We won’t be making the same mistakes twice. Our reaction in the second half against Salt Lake in the Conference final shows we have a different mindset. We’ve been putting huge pressure on ourselves since the start of the play-offs, because not only is it great to play the final at home, it’s also a big advantage.”

With just five days to go until the MLS Cup final, LA Galaxy’s Home Depot Center is already sold out. The home support will no doubt be desperate for a Galaxy success, particularly with Beckham approaching the end of his contract. “If David leaves, we’ll be losing a friend first and foremost,” said Gonzalez, referring to the Englishman’s considerable effect on the LA Galaxy dressing room, of which star striker Robbie Keane is also now an integral part.

Goodbye Beckham?
The MLS Cup final on Sunday 20 November could be Beckham’s last outing in an LA Galaxy shirt, and he will be keen to finish his five-year spell by adding to the single Western Conference title he won in 2009. Beckham finished the MLS regular season as best passer, after a campaign largely dominated by his team. The midfielder now has just ninety minutes to add to his already impressive trophy cabinet. “Houston are on a great run; nobody expected to see them here,” said Magee. “We know it’s going to be tough.”

Both sides will have been out of action for two weeks by the time the big day comes around, but Gonzalez is not unduly concerned. “The schedule has been very strange all season,” said the Dallas native. “But we’re using it to work on the more specific aspects of our game, which is something we don’t have time to do during the season.” Magee shares Gonzalez’s view, adding: “Our bodies are tired, it’s been a very long season and this break is welcome. We can look after ourselves.”

Such is the importance of the MLS Cup final that USA talisman Landon Donovan even declined a recent international call-up, opting to stay and train with the Galaxy instead. “Since I’ve been here, I’ve never felt so much confidence within the group,” Gonzalez concluded. “We need to maintain this positive energy. With it, nothing bad can happen to us.”

Adebayor leads Togo as minnows fall

2011-11-16T01:06:00.000-08:00

Adebayor leads Togo as minnows fall

Some of the favourites stumbled in Tuesday's return-leg qualifiers in the first round of the qualifying competition in Africa for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™, but in the end none of them fell as ten sides booked their places in the second round.

FIFA.com takes a look at all of the action, which includes shock defeats for Tanzania and Equatorial Guinea.

Match of the day
Kenya 4-0 Seychelles
Goals: Brian Mandela '20; Dennis Oliech '38; Titus Mulama '45+1; Victor Wanyama '76
Kenyan goalkeeper Arnold Origi enjoyed a pleasant 28th birthday as the Harambee Stars added a 4-0 victory to their 3-0 first-leg win in the Seychelles. Defender Mandela, who was starting in only his second match opened the scoring midway through the first half with a powerful header from a Kevin Kimani corner. Auxerre striker Oliech scored Kenya's second in the 38th minute to take his personal FIFA World Cup qualifying tally up to 15. The home side added two more goals through Mulama and Wanyama en route to an emphatic victory.

Elsewhere
There were scares for Lesotho and Tanzania, who both advanced on the away-goal rule. Tanzania's Taifa Stars thought they had done enough in the first leg after registering a 2-1 victory in Chad, but lost 1-0 at home as Mahamat Ahmat Labo scored the only goal of the game three minutes after the restart. The Taifa Stars then managed to hold Chad at bay through a nervy second half to go through on a 2-2 aggregate score. The tie between Lesotho and Burundi also ended 2-2 on aggregate with Lesotho's Bokang Mothoana scoring the tie-breaking away goal midway through the first half to see his side advance despite a 2-1 defeat.

Serbian coach Milutin Sredojevic had a far easier ride into the next round with his Rwanda team as they beat Eritrea 3-1 to book their place in the next round with a 4-2 aggregate. The game in Antananarivo between Madagascar and Equatorial Guinea had a late start as the visitors were delayed on their way to the Stade Municipal de Mahamasina, but then got out of the starting blocks much faster as Donvalla Elongue gave the 2012 CAF Africa Cup of Nations co-hosts a 26th-minute lead. Although Yvan and Ferdinand Ramanamahefa turned things around for the hosts, it was too little, too late as the islanders were knocked out 3-2 on aggregate.

Tresor Mabi Mputu scored his second and third goal of the two-legged tie as DR Congo added a 5-1 victory to the 3-1 win they secured in Swaziland in the first leg to secure a comfortable ride into the next round. In contrast, Congo were surprisingly held to a 1-1 draw at home by Sao Tome e Principe, but had already done all the hard work in the first leg with a 5-0 victory that gave them a 6-1 aggregate win. Togo also flirted with danger against Guinea Bissau but scrapped through to the group stage with a 1-0 victory on the day after their 1-1 draw in the first leg. Mozambique secured their place in the second round with a comfortable 4-1 victory over the Comoros, adding to their 1-0 win from the first leg, while Namibia also had little trouble with Djibouti after running out to their second 4-0 win in the tie.

Player of the day
Emmanuel Adebayor (TOG)
The Tottenham Hotspur striker retired from international duty in January 2010 after a deadly attack on the Togo team bus at the Cup of Nations in Angola, which also saw the Hawks withdraw from the competition. With Togo's fortunes on the wane since, Adebayor decided to make himself available for selection again and in his first game back, he inspired the side to find the all-important goal to take them through 2-1 on aggregate against the Djurtus.

The stat
41 - The number of African countries that can still dream of competing at the FIFA World Cup finals at Brazil 2014. Of the 51 teams that entered, Mauritius withdrew before the start of the qualifying campaign and ten were knocked out on Tuesday. Another team will be eliminated on Wednesday when Somalia and Ethiopia settle their scoreless tie, which will leave it at 40 in the second round.

What they said
"This is the beginning of a new dawn for Rwanda football. If my side wins a game, I don't start to fly, and if I lose, I do not give up. We will simply continue working hard. There are plenty of games coming up for us to become stronger, and we are rebuilding Rwanda football. I am confident that with time the team will become strong." Rwanda coach Milutin Sredojevic after his side beat Eritrea 3-1 to advance 4-2 on aggregate.

Portugal among final four qualifiers

2011-11-16T01:00:00.000-08:00

Portugal among final four qualifiers

The final four places at UEFA EURO 2012 have been decided after Croatia, Czech Republic, Portugal and Republic of Ireland all came out triumphant following their play-off second legs to ensure they will travel to Poland and Ukraine next year.

Portugal were forced to dig deep by Bosnia-Herzegovina, while the Croats, Czechs and Irish were all big winners in the first legs on Friday night and each consolidated their lead in the return, with little sign of a miraculous comeback from any of their opponents. FIFA.com reviews the final, vital, qualifiers.

The big game
Portugal 6-2 Bosnia-Herzegovina
These two sides know each other well, having met in the play-offs for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, when Portugal won both legs 1-0. Bosnia-Herzegovina have made terrific strides since then, however, and came mighty close to toppling France and grabbing first place during the group stages. A scrappy first leg, played on a difficult surface, ended 0-0 and left the tie completely in the balance for this return meeting in Lisbon and it did not disappoint.

Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo gave his country the lead with just eight minutes played and the advantage was quickly doubled by fellow forward Nani 15 minutes later. The Bosnians are nothing if not tenacious, though, and they equalised from the penalty spot shortly before half-time, Zvjezdan Misimovic converting after Fabio Coentrao was penalised for handball. When Ronaldo bagged his second and the hosts’ third, just a minute before Senad Lulic was dismissed for two quickfire bookings, it looked all over for Safet Susic’s men. But back they came, captain Emir Spahic again reducing their arrears to a single goal. Portugal refused to give it up, however, and a brace from Helder Postiga sandwiched a Miguel Veloso strike to finally ensure Portugal’s place at EURO 2012.

The other matches
Croatia 0-0 Turkey
Slaven Bilic’s side were imperious in Turkey last week and so emphatic was their 3-0 away win that they merely had to avoid any mistakes in the home leg. The Turks, who entertained greatly during their run to the semi-finals in 2008, faced a mountain to climb but never really looked like reducing their deficit in Zagreb despite hitting the post. A goalless stalemate was enough to qualify Croatia for the continental tournament for the third consecutive edition, while Turkey coach Guus Hiddink suffered play-off heartbreak again following Russia’s exit in the South Africa preliminaries.

Montenegro 0-1 Czech Republic
Goal: Petr Jiracek (81)
Czech Republic held a solid advantage coming into their second leg with Montenegro, who had pushed England so close during the group stage. The Three Lions found the going difficult when they travelled to Podgorica and Montenegro were hoping a frenzied atmosphere could spur the side on to another surprise result. But the hosts failed to match their previous exertions despite piling on pressure throughout the game, with a late goal for the visitors from Petr Jiracek adding to the two secured in Prague on Friday. After finishing second behind Spain and holding off Scotland before the play-offs, Michal Bilek’s transitional side can now make plans in earnest for next summer.

Republic of Ireland 1–1 Estonia
Goals: Stephen Ward (31), Konstantin Vassiljev (57)
It is typical of a Republic of Ireland fan’s cautious approach to their national team that many refused to believe that their tie with Estonia was done and dusted before tonight, despite the boys in green having outclassed their opponents 4-0 on Friday. Manager Giovanni Trapattoni was equally measured in the build-up to the match, insisting that there was still work to be done at the Aviva Stadium. However, an early goal from Stephen Ward calmed even the most pessimistic of supporters and the Irish could begin a party which they will keep going up to and throughout the tournament. A second-half consolation from Konstantin Vassiljev was probably the least the visitors deserved after a hard-fought and inspiring qualification campaign, but it is the Irish and their Italian manager who will add some extra fun to proceedings when the finals kick off.

Four spots left in Asia

2011-11-16T00:45:00.000-08:00

Four spots left in Asia
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The picture of Asia's third qualifying round for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ became clearer after matchday five today, with Australia, Iran and Iraq progressing with a game to spare, joining the already-qualified Japan, Uzbekistan and Jordan in the last ten of the next stage, leaving just four qualifying berths from three groups to be decided.

The penultimate fixture, however, proved to be too little too late for China PR who went out despite winning 4-0 in Singapore, while Korea Republic were dealt a 2-1 blow against Lebanon which saw their celebration parade denied. Join FIFA.com as we review the thrills and spills from across the continent.

The match
Thailand 0-1 Australia
Goals: Brett Holman 76
Despite losing away in Oman four days ago, Australia bounced back to defeat hosts Thailand. Brett Holman's second-half goal was enough for his side to register their fourth win from five games but coach Holger Osieck's visitors didn't have everything their way in Bangkok, where coach Winfried Schafer's side put on a fighting display throughout for their flood-stricken people.

The Thais went forward from the outset and they caused numerous headaches for the Socceroos, with right-winger Suree Sukha particularly potent and coming close to opening the scoring in the first half. At the other end, Josh Kennedy directed several headers on target but it was Holman that provided the difference, nodding home Brett Emerton's cross. While the win secured Australia's path through, it leaves Thailand in a three-way battle for the second qualifying spot with Saudi Arabia and Oman, who shared the spoils in a 0-0 draw at Riyadh.

The surprise
Lebanon 2-1 Korea Republic
Goals: Ali Al Saadi 5, Abbas Atwi 31 (pen); Koo Ja Cheol 20 (pen)
Lebanon continued their stunning run in Group B under German Theo Bucker, avenging their 6-0 defeat in Seoul against Korea Republic by sealing a shocking 2-1 home win. Playing in front of their own supporters, the Lebanese got off to a perfect start when they went ahead on five minutes, centre-back Ali Al Saadi latching onto a rebound to fire into the top corner.

Coach Cho Kwang-Rae's side drew themselves level on 20 minutes courtesy of Koo Ja-Cheol, who equalised from the penalty spot. However, the VfL Wolfsburg midfielder went from hero to villain as he tripped Mahmoud el Ali to gift the rivals a chance of retribution from 12 yards, which Lebanon No10 Abbas Atwi coolly converted to restore their lead. The remainder of the game saw the Taeguk Warriors push hard but the absence of striking-ace Park Chu-Young took its toll as they lacked accuracy in front of goal, with the hosts holding on for a famous victory; their first against the east Asians.

The other attractions
In the section's other game, Kuwait came from behind to down the already-eliminated United Arab Emirates 2-1, pulling themselves back into contention. Fahad Al Enezi struck shortly after the interval to cancel out Ismail Matar's first-half goal, before Walid Abbas put through his own net to gift the hosts a much-needed three points. The result, coupled with Lebanon's win, leaves Group B the only one where both spots are still up for grabs.

In Group A's first game, defender Zheng Zheng netted a brace while Yu Hai and captain Li Weifeng were also on target as a ten-man China crushed hosts Singapore 4-0 for only their second victory. Their hopes, however, lasted just five hours when Iraq negotiated their way though with a 3-1 triumph with Jordan to claim the section's second qualifying spot and confirm China's demise.

Group E front-runners Iran continued their free-scoring form with a comfortable 4-1 win over Indonesia, with their progression confirmed later on by the goalless draw played out between Qatar and Bahrain in Doha. The latter two are left vying for the section’s remaining spot in the concluding matchday on 29 February, where the Bahrainis are facing a must-win match against Indonesia, while the Qataris need just a point against Iran to go through.

Elsewhere, in Group C, already-qualified Japan suffered their first defeat, falling in Pyongyang as hosts Korea DPR recorded a consolation win despite early elimination – Pak Nan Chol heading home the only goal shortly after the restart. In the group’s other game, Uzbekistan recorded a comfortable 3-0 triumph at home against bottom side Tajikistan to move three points clear at the top.

Germany, Uruguay lay down markers

2011-11-16T00:41:00.000-08:00

Germany, Uruguay lay down markers

By convincingly dispatching the Netherlands 3-0 on Tuesday, Germany again demonstrated that they are currently the team to beat in Europe, while Copa America winners Uruguay continued their own fine run of form by securing a clinical 1-0 victory over Italy in Rome.

Elsewhere, world champions Spain battled to the very end of their game with Costa Rica in order to scrape a 2-2 draw, after trailing 2-0 at half-time. Other notable results during 2011's final round of international friendlies included a 1-0 win for England over Sweden and an impressive 3-2 triumph for the USA in Slovenia.

The big match
Germany 3-0 Netherlands
Goals: Thomas Muller 15, Miroslav Klose 26, Mesut Ozil 66

The semi-finalists from the last FIFA World Cup™ were too strong for the runners-up on Tuesday evening, as the Netherlands showed that their defence is nowhere near as strong as their attack. Germany, however, do not suffer from the same problem, and their well-balanced side continues to catch the eye with a free-moving style of play that spreads the ball all over the pitch. And with their forwards combining as well as they ever have done, the opening goal was not long in coming. Toni Kroos, marauding down the left, spotted Miroslav Klose – outstanding on the night – in space on the right-hand side of the box, and delivered a perfect cross-field pass to his attack-minded team-mate. The German captain laid the ball off first-time on the volley to Thomas Muller, who expertly steered it past Maarten Stekelenburg in the Dutch goal to give Die Nationalmannschaft the lead. The second goal, which delivered a knockout blow to the opposition, saw Mesut Ozil send in a fine cross from the right on to the head of Klose, who made no mistake from midway inside the area. In the second half, Ozil rounded off an excellent move to get on the scoresheet himself, leaving the Oranje reeling.

The other games
On a difficult surface that had been badly affected by heavy rain, Spain dominated the early exchanges of their match with Costa Rica, knocking the ball around in their usual fashion but exhibiting a lack of composure in front of goal, with Cesc Fabregas the main culprit. As time went by, the Costa Ricans grew in confidence and took a deserved lead through Randall Brenes, following a major misjudgement by Iker Casillas. The home side then doubled their lead, young Lorient forward Joel Campbell delightfully curling the ball into the net from just outside the box. After the break, with the rain increasing in force, the Spanish pressed hard in an attempt to repair their damaged pride. Seven minutes from time, David Silva provided La Roja with a lifeline, before David Villa snatched a last-gasp equaliser in injury time.

Uruguay, still without talisman Diego Forlan, gave Italy a lesson in clinical finishing at the Stadio Olimpico, in a highly competitive encounter that belied its friendly status. Following Sebastian Fernandez’s early goal, the Uruguayans adopted a rugged pressing game that disrupted the Italians’ flow. Despite a solid debut from Pablo Osvaldo, Roma’s Argentine-born striker, the home side were unable to convert their territorial dominance into concrete chances.

England, meanwhile, again contented themselves with a 1-0 victory, with Sweden on the wrong end of the scoreline this time out. Swedish defender Daniel Majstorovic deflected a Gareth Barry header into his own net for the only goal of a game that the Three Lions never truly looked like losing. Without players of the calibre of Wayne Rooney, who was not retained by Fabio Capello, they were guilty of some serious misfiring up front, however.

France had to make do with a scoreless draw at home to Belgium, which stretched their recent unbeaten series of matches to 17, 11 of which have ended in victory. Despite this run, the fifth best in their history, French fans and media still appear unconvinced by the style and system on display.

Brazil won 2-0 in Egypt to register their fifth successive triumph, a result achieved with a young, vibrant side. Earning his fifth cap on the night, Valencia attacker Jonas notched his first and second goals for Brazil, continuing the form that saw him finish top scorer in the Brazilian league last season with 23 strikes.

The co-hosts of next summer’s UEFA EURO 2012 tournament both emerged victorious from their respective preparatory matches. Ukraine confirmed the form they showed in their recent good performance against Germany by beating Austria 2-1 in stoppage time. Poland’s match followed a similar path, with their decisive goal versus Hungary coming four minutes from the end. It was a different story for Greece, who stumbled to a 3-1 home defeat against Romania, while fellow EURO qualifiers Denmark overcame the loss of the opening goal to overcome Finland 2-1, with Nicklas Bendtner grabbing the winner.

After losing 1-0 to France in a tight match last week, the United States showed the progress they have made by winning 3-2 in Slovenia, in an exciting encounter that saw Edson Buddle, Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore all score for the away side, while Tim Matavz replied twice for the Europeans. The surprise result of the night was undoubtedly recorded in Honduras, where locals celebrated their heroes’ 2-0 triumph over Serbia. Forward Jerry Bengtson scored both goals, and now boasts 8 in 20 international appearances.

Finally, Libya secured an impressive 1-1 draw away to Belarus.

The player
Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon racked up his 112th cap against Uruguay on Tuesday, and in doing so drew level with the legendary Dino Zoff. La Nazionale’s former custodian reached the same number of appearances over a 25-year period (1968-83), just after having lifted the 1982 FIFA World Cup at the age of 40. Buffon, whose international career began in 1997, is still only 33, however, and will likely add to his tally in the coming years.

Goal of the night
Italy 0-1 Uruguay (Sebastian Fernandez 3)
Jose Martin Caceres made a break down the right wing, finding space and whipping over a good cross into the middle that Sebastian Fernandez guided past Buffon into the corner of the net, despite the presence of numerous Italian defenders.

Joy of six in CONCACAF

2011-11-16T00:34:00.000-08:00

Joy of six in CONCACAF

The first round of group-stage action in North, Central America and the Caribbean was a festival of shocks as two Caribbean powers tumbled out to ignominiously early exits. While some stars faded, others like Antigua and Barbuda and Guyana set their sights on the heavens. Canada, El Salvador, Guatemala and Panama all did what was expected, booking their place in the next round of qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™.

The surprises
A quick look at Groups B and F back in August would have led any sane observer of the CONCACAF scene to tap Trinidad and Tobago and Haiti for an easy road to the next round. But Guyana and Antigua and Barbuda had other ideas. The Trinidadians, participants at the 2006 FIFA World Cup and now coached by German tactician Otto Pfister, saw their campaign begin to unravel with a loss to lowly Bermuda. Guyana took full advantage with a 2-1 win on the penultimate matchday that took them through to the semi-final group stage at the expense of the star-studded Soca Warriors and their much-heralded captain Kenwyne Jones. This is the first time since the qualifiers for Spain 1982 that T&T have failed to reach the semi-final round.

Arguably an even greater triumph was pulled off by Antigua and Barbuda, a tiny Caribbean island chain of just under 90,000 people. Coached by young English ace Tom Curtis, and with a recent injection of some much-needed professionalism into the country’s football, the Boyz made easy meat of lesser lights Curacao and US Virgin Islands before edging mighty Haiti on the all-important penultimate day. The triumph was celebrated in St John’s with an enthusiasm and pride befitting the biggest day in the nation’s sporting history.

Group by group
El Salvador ran away with Group A, winning all of their games against Suriname, the Dominican Republic and the Cayman Islands. Guyana’s Golden Jaguars were a cut above in Group B, where they shocked Trinidad and Tobago, Bermuda and Barbados. Panama – semi-finalists from last year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup – finished easily in first place in Group C, which contained only three teams after the Bahamas’ withdrawal early on.

Over in Group D, Canada were inspired by old pro Dwayne De Rosario as they bested an all-Caribbean trio of St. Kitts and Nevis, Puerto Rico and St. Lucia. Central America demi-powers Guatemala strolled through Group E with a perfect six wins from six, all-time top scorer Carlos Ruiz added attacking panache and experience. Group F was ruled by tiny Antigua and Barbuda, who despite being “big underdogs” according to coach Curtis, sent Caribbean giants Haiti packing.

Stars of the round
Peter ‘Big Pete’ Byers is Antigua and Barbuda’s all-time top scorer and his poaching skills were on display, as was the cool calm of captain George Dublin, as the little islanders shocked the competition. Guyana were led by the pace of England-born striker Ricky Shakes, while Panama’s long-serving strike duo of Blas Perez and Luis Tejada combined again to terrorise opposition defences.

Canada’s campaign was sparked by the know-how and leadership of Dwayne De Rosario and wily midfield orchestrations of Julian De Guzman as Guatemala’s goal-littered unbeaten run was down in large part to the cleverness and experience of Carlos ‘El Pescadito’ Ruiz. El Salvador could point to young gun Mark Blanco and Eliseo Quintanilla for their easy passage through.

What they said
“This is something you never look forward to and it is something that is always difficult to accept and understand. But it must be a lesson in life for all of us,” Trinidad and Tobago’s German coach Otto Pfister was philosophical after his team's surprise elimination.

“We can go on to become a power in the Caribbean. We can beat anyone on these islands,” Antigua and Barbuda’s top scorer Pete Byers on A&B’s triumph over relative giants Haiti to book a place in the next round.

“We are playing up to our abilities at the moment... I think we have a great chance to make it to the World Cup this time around,” Canada captain Dwayne De Rosario on the team’s current form and his hopes of a finals’ return for the Canucks.

“This is history for Guyana and we created it by showing what belief, determination and a will to accomplish something can do for our lives and our country. It was a moment we dreamed about and we worked together and made it happen,” Jamaal Shabazz after his Guyana team beat his birth-nation of Trinidad for a place in the next round.

“Our first goal was to advance, and we have done that. Now we will focus on the next test, where we will meet some interesting rivals. We have to keep winning,” El Salvador’s Mark Blanco looks ahead after a rampaging first group phase.

Tight at the top as Messi fires Argentina

2011-11-16T00:31:00.000-08:00

Tight at the top as Messi fires Argentina
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THE DAY REPLAYED – Continuing a trend that emerged at this year’s Copa America, the South American qualifying competition for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ looks set to be one of the tightest since the current round-robin league system was introduced. With four rounds of games now completed, the top five sides in the nine-team group are separated by a single point, while bottom-placed Bolivia are the only outfit yet to record a win.

FIFA.com rounds up all the news from Tuesday’s quartet of games in the CONMEBOL Zone.

Match of the day
Colombia 1-2 Argentina
Goals: Dorlan Pabon 45 (Colombia); Lionel Messi 60, Sergio Aguero 84 (Argentina)

Things looked bleak for Argentina when Javier Mascherano inadvertently deflected Dorlan Pabon’s low free-kick into the back of the net to end a largely uneventful first half. Switching his side around in the second 45 minutes, Alejandro Sabella found the perfect ally for Lionel Messi in Sergio Aguero, and though his side failed to produce their best football, they will take great heart from fashioning a late turnaround. The win was La Albiceleste’s fourth FIFA World Cup qualifying triumph on Colombian soil and the second for Sabella, who was assistant coach to Daniel Passarella in their 1-0 win in 1997, a game also played in Barranquilla.

Elsewhere
Argentina’s hard-earned victory took them level with Uruguay on seven points at the top of the section, where they would be joined a few hours later by Venezuela, 1-0 winners over Bolivia. As was the case in their ground-breaking defeat of the Argentinians last month, the hero of the hour for La Vinotinto was a centre-half. Following the trail blazed by Fernando Amorebieta a few weeks ago, Oswaldo Vizcarrondo settled the issue with a 24th-minute header, leaving the still-winless Bolivians bottom of the group.

Cristian Benitez turned in another fine performance as Ecuador saw off Peru 2-0 in Quito to move into fourth place, a point adrift of the leading trio. Benitez it was who set up experienced midfielder Edison Mendez for his 11th goal in FIFA World Cup qualifying, the striker then capping the win by prodding home a rebound with a minute remaining.

Rocked last week by disciplinary problems and a heavy defeat to a rampant Uruguay side, Chile recovered their poise with a timely 2-0 defeat of Paraguay in Santiago. Pablo Contreras set La Roja on the way with his first goal for his country since 2003, with Matias Campos adding the second after the break as the Chileans moved fifth on six points, one off the pace. Winners in Peru on their last two world finals qualifying visits, the Paraguayans now find themselves down in seventh place.

Player of the day
Lionel Messi (Argentina)
Returning to the country where he scored his first goal in Albiceleste colours six years ago, at the 2005 South American U-20 Championship, the Argentinian captain showed his character by calling for the ball at every opportunity, netting his side’s equaliser and playing a part in their winner. A scorer in the same fixture four years ago, a 2-1 win for Colombia in Bogota, Messi can be happy with his afternoon’s work in Barranquilla.

The stat
34 - The number of years Ecuador have now gone without losing to Peru in a FIFA World Cup qualifier. Since going down in Lima in the qualifying competition for Argentina 1978, La Tricolor have faced the Peruvians nine times, winning six of those matches (the last three consecutively) and drawing the other three.

What they said
“I don’t want to sound pompous, but I think the players were playing for me today. I celebrated more today than in any other game I’ve coached, after one of the toughest weeks of my career as a coach and player. At the same time, I’ve never been so sure of the decisions I’ve made.” Chile coach Claudio Borghi reacts to his side’s win over Paraguay.

Klinsmann excited by French test

2011-11-08T20:38:00.000-08:00

Klinsmann excited by French test
© Getty Images

says he is relishing the opportunity to test his team against France in their friendly on Friday.

Klinsmann took charge in July, after the US had lost to Mexico in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final, and his brief is to craft a team capable of making an impact at the FIFA World Cup™ in Brazil in three years' time. Results to date have been mixed, with the US picking up just a single win -- against Ecuador -- and scoring only two goals in the five friendly matches to have taken place since Klinsmann succeeded Bon Bradley.

Friday's match at Stade de France represents the sternest test yet for the former Germany great. France's world ranking of 15 does scant justice to the progress that they have made under coach Laurent Blanc and they recently celebrated qualifying for next year's EURO Championships in Poland and Ukraine.

"For us, it's really very exciting to play against such a good team," Klinsmann said. "We're in the process of restructuring the national team by introducing lots of young players. We're in a bit of a transitional period and taking on France is a marvellous opportunity for us to learn.

"But we're also very ambitious. We're not coming just to learn, but also to be competitive," he added. "We've come a long way in the United States in the last 25 years and people now expect us to compete against the top 15 teams in the world, like France."
For us, it's really very exciting to play against such a good team.
USA coach Klinsmann ahead of the France friendly

One player likely to provide headaches for Klinsmann and his defenders on Friday is France winger Franck Ribery, who Klinsmann coached during his ill-fated stint as coach of Bayern Munich. After a troubled 2010, the 28-year-old winger has recaptured his best form this season and already boasts six goals and six assists after 12 games of the current Bundesliga campaign.

Ribery has yet to scale the same heights for France on a consistent basis, but Klinsmann expects him to prove a steady source of danger on Friday. "I really enjoyed working with Ribery," he said. "When you know what he's done, when you take him as he is, you appreciate him. I hope that one day he shows off his qualities at a big tournament, because he has everything: he's creative, quick and has perfect technique.

"He has that madness -- in the good sense -- that means he doesn't know what he's going to do just before he does it, and neither does his opponent," Klinsmann went on. "I love that. I like creative players. We'll put two or three players on him on Friday!"

Klinsmann had been out of work for over two years following his sacking by Bayern towards the end of the 2008-09 season, and says it was love for his adopted country that prompted him to accept the challenge of coaching the USA. "I have a special link with the country," he said. "My wife is American, my children grew up there and we've been living in LA since the 1998 World Cup. It's very exciting and very moving for me, because I'm half-American."

Klinsmann's stateside residency means he is well placed to judge football's health in the country and he believes that the sport is "booming," as well as gaining ground on America's traditional sporting pastimes. The 47-year-old thinks David Beckham deserves a great deal of credit for that and says that the former England captain still has a lot to give on the pitch, amid speculation linking him with a move to Paris Saint-Germain.

"Paris would be a great destination for any player," he said. "What Beckham's done for the MLS (Major League Soccer) is huge. His decision to come to the United States, like Thierry Henry or Rafael Marquez after him, has helped football there. David is a superb ambassador. He has special, unique qualities: his vision, his passing ability. It's up to the coach to decide whether he can be incorporated into a team. Only PSG can judge that."

Mulligan: Auckland won't be daunted

2011-11-08T20:36:00.000-08:00

Mulligan: Auckland won't be daunted

, being released by Wellington Phoenix at the end of the 2009/10 season not only put his FIFA World Cup™ place in jeopardy; it threw his entire future into doubt. And while the New Zealand midfielder eventually made it to South Africa, questions about his club future remained unanswered.

That was when Auckland City came calling, eager to slot the Liverpool-born schemer alongside his veteran international team-mate, Ivan Vicelich. After ten years as a professional with Barnsley, Scunthorpe United, Port Vale and the Phoenix, dropping into an amateur league might have proved difficult to accept. Not for Mulligan.

“I really enjoy playing at Auckland City,” he told FIFA.com. “We’ve been very successful, both in the OFC Champions League and domestically. Everything the club does is excellent and the Club World Cup gives us a massive stage to play on.”

Mulligan wasn’t with the New Zealanders when they proved to be the sensations of the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup, claiming shock wins over local favourites Al Ahli and last year’s finalists, TP Mazembe Englebert. That was then, however, and this is now, with Japan having replaced UAE as hosts and Auckland City facing a tough tie against the as-yet-undecided J.League champions. For Mulligan, clearing that first, imposing hurdle is all-important.

“I’m looking forward to it,” he said. “Two years ago we had a great experience in Abu Dhabi. We made it through to the next round then and if we can do the same we’ll all be delighted.”
Although we play in an amateur competition, we have a lot of players with professional experience – our mentality is very strong.
David Mulligan on Auckland City

With Auckland City the only amateur club competing at the upcoming club showpiece, Mulligan knows exactly what Oceania’s champions will face in Toyota City when they come up against their Japanese opponents on 8 December. He said: “Professional teams train full-time, and their tempo, the speed they move the ball, their first touch – everything they do is of an unbelievably high quality. But we’re not daunted - all we can do is try our best to bridge that gap.”

In bidding to repeat their 2009 heroics, Auckland City’s players have been training every day for over a month, and the results speak for themselves, with four wins from as many matches. Those victories have included a 3-1 friendly win over professional opponents, Australia’s Central Coast Mariners, with Auckland’s players dedicating themselves to a demanding schedule despite full-time professional and study commitments.

“Some of our boys have had university exams and there are guys who work full-time in our squad,” explained Mulligan. “But as a squad we get on together and support each other – we’re a tight group. Although we play in an amateur competition, we have a lot of players with professional experience – our mentality is very strong.”

A quick scan of the Auckland City ranks backs up Mulligan’s claim. Ivan Vicelich spent seven years with Roda JC in the Netherlands; Manel Exposito and Andreu Gurao have played in La Liga with Atletico Madrid and Sporting Gijon; goalkeeper Jacob Spoonley, defenders James Pritchett and Chad Coombes have been capped by New Zealand.

But can the club’s class of 2011 emulate their predecessors and spring a surprise? Mulligan says coach Ramon Tribulietx’s eye for detail could be a deciding factor. “New Zealand has previously had a very English-style influence in its football but Ramon has developed a style closer to a pass and move approach,” he said of the Barcelona-born coach. “Ramon always makes sure we are well prepared and briefed on our opponents, and it’s been working for us so far.”

Mulligan’s football career has already taken him from one side of the world to the other, and Japan is familiar to him too. The 29-year-old’s last stop in the land of the rising sun was with Wynton Rufer, who played with JEF United, as part of the former All White and Oceania Footballer of the Century’s youth project.

“I went to Japan as part of an age group side but didn’t really take it all in at the time,” he recalled. “From what you see on television and in the media it’s an amazing country and very different to home. I love Japanese food – sushi and sashimi – and I even have a Japanese tattoo, so hopefully when we are over there I get a chance to take a look at some more art work.”

His career has had its ups and downs. But with the challenge of the FIFA Club World Cup looming ever closer, Mulligan believes he is living the dream of every child. “Football is what I have wanted to do all my life,” he said. “Training everyday and playing as often as possible is my aim. I just can’t wait to be in Japan.”

Bester: I try to be an example for Namibia

2011-11-08T20:35:00.000-08:00

(Bester: I try to be an example for Namibia

like to revel in the delights of anonymity when he goes home to Namibia to represent his country. “I tell my friends to cut it out when they call me ‘Professional’,” he said, explaining the pressure of being one of the few current footballing exports from the southern African nation.

In recent years, the 28-year-old from Otjiwarongo has taken over the mantle as their key player, and there is a burden of expectation on his shoulders as the Brave Warriors seek to re-establish their credentials after a barren run of results. The South Africa-based winger continued: “There is pressure, but I love playing for the national team, coming home to represent my country. It is a real thrill.”

Bester recently joined Orlando Pirates, the South African Premiership champions, who have a massive following in neighbouring Namibia. There is even a major club in the Namibian capital Windhoek named after the Soweto team, and thousands of supporters for whom Bester is now even more of an inspiration.

For now, club matters are banished to the back burner as Bester and his team-mates set their sights on 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ qualifying. On Friday, they are away to Djibouti in the first leg of their opening-round tie, and then they are in Windhoek next Tuesday to host the return match.
There is pressure, but I love playing for the national team, coming home to represent my country. It is a real thrill.
Rudolf Bester

In the South Africa 2010 preliminaries, the Namibians fell at the first qualifying group with only victories over Kenya and Zimbabwe to keep morale high. Similarly, in qualifying for the CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2012, they finished bottom of their section with only a home triumph over Gambia as consolation. For Bester and Co, an initial play-off with Djibouti is merely a prelude to the next round, which should again throw up a massive challenge.

He said: “To be honest we don’t know anything about Djibouti. We’ve obviously seen their Ranking but that’s all the info we have. If we can win away on Friday that would be the best scenario, because then we come home for the second leg. We all know we need to get through this tie and into the next stage.”

If the 127th-positioned Namibia succeed against Djibouti, who are 195th on the latest FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, then the Warriors will advance to a group that includes Ghana, Sudan and Zambia – all teams that have qualified for the upcoming CAF Africa Cup of Nations.

“That’s tough draw!" said Bester. "Ghana are a very strong team, but at least we know them. We’ve watched them play at the last World Cup finals and many other times too. It will be a privilege to play against some of their top players.” Bester is also quick to point out that when Ghana met Namibia at the Cup of Nations in 2008, the hosts won only 1-0 at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Bester thinks Namibia are in a transitional phase, with caretaker coach Bernard Kaanjuka picking a mix of experienced players and new faces promoted from the country’s U-20 and U-20 sides. He said: “You can’t compare us with the Namibia team that went to the 1998 Nations Cup or even the side in 2008. For now, we are building a team. It is mostly young guys who will gain experience.”

Along with a call for patience, Bester feels he has an important role to play in this development: “I’m always there to help and always happy to play for my country. The younger players look up to me and that means I don’t want to disappoint when I put on the national colours. When I’m called up there are many who put their hopes on me, and that’s why I always try to do my best. I try to lead by example.”

Elite stunned as goals reign down

2011-11-08T20:33:00.000-08:00

(FIFA.com) Tuesday 8 November 2011
It proved to be a milestone weekend for the traditional big guns in Germany and Australia. Two of the three genuine title contenders crashed in Germany, while the record books were rewritten Down Under. The title race remains alive in Japan after the competition’s elite club sides, featuring many stars of the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup™, could not be separated. And the same is true in Denmark, where the trio of teams at the top continued their winning ways amid a flurry of goals.

: Favourites stunned as Frankfurt cruise
Germany’s elite trio of FFC Frankfurt, and FCR Duisburg had not lost a single match between them in the opening seven rounds of the season. However, round eight proved to be one of shocks with only five-time champions Turbine Potsdam maintaining their unbeaten status. Last year’s UEFA Women’s Champions League finalists cruised to a 4-0 victory at Bayern Munich thanks to a treble from Anonman. The Equatorial Guinea star is out in front in the race to be crowned the competition’s leading goalscorer. Frankfurt’s road trip was not so memorable as they went down 1-0 at Freiburg courtesy of Kerstin Boschert’s late winner. Duisburg’s defeat was even more surprising as SC Bad Neuenahr collected their first win of the campaign, with New Zealand international Sarah Gregorius bagging both goals.
Top three: Turbine Potsdam (24 points), FFC Frankfurt (21), FCR Duisburg (19)

Denmark’s Elitedivisionen: Momentum maintained at the summit
Denmark’s competition is mirroring that of Germany’s, with three teams breaking clear of the pack. However, in the Danes' case, their elite trio are maintaining a relentless winning streak, which has fourth-placed OB Odense 13 points off the summit before the half-way mark has been reached. Brondby and Fortuna Hjorring, who have won the last ten titles between them, share top spot with the former in the ascendency due only to goal difference. A point off the pace are Skovbakken, who downed Velje with seven unanswered goals. Fortuna cruised to a 5-0 win against Kolding as American Megan Manthey bagged a treble. Brondby were dealt the toughest obstacle of the trio, winning 3-1 at Taastrup, with Lisa Munk scoring a brace.
Top three: Brondby (34 points), Fortuna Hjorring (34), Skovbakken (33)

Australia’s W-League: All change Down Under
It was a weekend of firsts in Australia as Canberra United and Newcastle Jets claimed first and second with victories over traditional competition heavyweights Sydney FC and Brisbane Roar. It was the first time the latter pair – who have won all three previous editions of the competition – had both lost on the same weekend, and the round also marked the first time neither have featured in the top two positions on the ladder. Canberra have a perfect record after three rounds, with an Ashleigh Sykes goal enough to see off Sydney on their home turf. The Jets also have a perfect record, albeit having played only two matches, although their victory was far more dramatic. Down with 20 minutes remaining, Lisa De Vanna scored twice from the penalty spot to sink Brisbane 3-2 and collect a second brace in as many weeks for her new club.
Top three: Canberra United (9 points); Newcastle Jets (6). Sydney FC (4)

Japan’s Nadeshiko League: All to play for after summit stalemate
All eyes were on the highly anticipated top-of-the-table meeting between INAC Leonessa and NTV Beleza with the former left well-placed following the 1-1 draw. Leonessa’s Nahomi Kawasumi opened the scoring early in the contest, in a match where victory would have sealed first place in the 16-round competition. However, irrepressible teen starlet Mana Iwabuchi equalised midway through the second half. Nevertheless, Leonessa need just three points from their remaining two matches, with Beleza a point adrift having played a game more.
Top three: INAC Leonessa (36 points), NTV Beleza (35), Urawa Red Diamonds (27)