Fifa World Cup 2010

Germany Australia 3-0 Müller 2010

2010-06-13T12:54:00.000-07:00

Germany Australia 2-0 Klause

2010-06-13T11:56:00.001-07:00

Germany Australia 1-0 Podolsky

2010-06-13T11:39:00.000-07:00

Ghana wins over Serbia 1-0 in the first round of world cup 2010

2010-06-13T08:51:00.001-07:00

Congratulations Ghana.

Ghana almost scored the second goal against Serbia

2010-06-13T08:50:00.000-07:00

Ghana Serbia 1-0 fifa world cup 2010

2010-06-13T08:40:00.000-07:00

Ghana scores the first goal from a penalty by Asmoa in FIFA world cup 2010

Ghana against serbia world cup 2010

2010-06-13T08:06:00.000-07:00

The second half just started now Ghana´s team is doing prety well but Serbia is never the team to give up easily. still 0-0.

WM 2010: Deutschland heute gegen Australien

2010-06-13T03:33:00.000-07:00

Am Sonntag wird die deutsche Mannschaft bei der WM in Südafrika erstmals ins Geschehen eingreifen. Die Mannschaft um Kapitän Philipp Lahm wird in Durban im ersten Gruppenspiel auf Australien treffen.

Am Sonntag geht es endlich auch für die deutsche Fussballnationalmannschaft los. Das Team von Bundestrainer Joachim Löw trifft am Abend (20:30 Uhr) auf Australien. Am Nachmittag (16:00 Uhr) treten in Pretoria die Gruppen-Rivalen Serbien und Ghana gegeneinander an.

Im ersten Spiel des Tages treffen um 13:30 Uhr Algerien und Slowenien aufeinander.

Die deutsche Mannschaft geht mit viel Selbstbewusstsein in die Partie. Alle Spieler sind fit und Bundestrainer Löw erklärte, dass man froh sei, dass es nach der langen Vorbereitung nun endlich los geht. Bei der Mannschaftsaufstellung wird es wohl wenige Überraschungen geben. Löw erklärte im Vorfeld, dass er keinen Grund für Änderungen sehe und auch der zuletzt gescholtene Miroslav Klose erhalte weiterhin das volle Vertrauen des Bundestrainers.

WM 2010: England 1:1 gegen USA

2010-06-13T03:29:00.000-07:00

Am Samstag sind die Engländer in das WM-Turnier gestartet und boten eine enttäuschende Leistung. Vor allem für Torwart, Robert Green, sollte der WM-Auftakt 2010 ein Desaster werden.

In der Gruppe C standen sich am Samstagabend England und die USA gegenüber. Die Engländer um Kapitän Steven Gerrard kamen dabei nicht über ein 1:1 hinaus.

Obwohl England einen Traumstart erwischte und der Kapitän Gerrad selbst bereits in der 4. Minute zum 1:0 ins amerikanische Herz traf, konnte die Mannschaft von Fabio Capello über weite Strecken nicht überzeugen.

Die 40 Minute: Der Amerikaner Dempsey schiesst aus 20 Meter unplatziert und ohne besondere Härte auf das englische Tor und Keeper Green lässt den Ball über seine Handschuhe kullern. Was für ein Patzer. England und seine Keeper, das bleibt wohl eine Geschichte für sich.

Nach der Pause kamen die Engländer etwas besser aus der Kabine, aber Torwart Howard erwischte im Gegensatz zu seinem Gegenüber einen guten Tag und trieb Rooney und Co. zur Verzweiflung. Auch der eingewechselte Peter Crouch konnte das erhoffte Siegtor für die Engländer nicht mehr erzielen und so blieb es am Ende beim 1:1-Unentschieden. (NCA / dpa)

Argentina Nigeria 1-0

2010-06-12T08:21:00.000-07:00

Nigeria changed 2 players till now...only in the second half.

Argentina Nigeria 1-0

2010-06-12T08:17:00.000-07:00

At the moments Argentina scored 1 goal...and still more to come.

Michael Ballack Germany's recent success

2009-09-29T01:03:00.000-07:00

Michael Ballack, the poster boy for German football, has been forging a reputation for himself at Premier League leaders Chelsea, whom he joined in 2006. The Germany captain is enjoying his time under new coach Carlo Ancelotti, having scored three goals already this season.

The 33-year-old attacking midfielder is very much the lynchpin of the Germany side as well, with 95 caps to his name and no fewer than 42 goals. Next year, he will be looking to play in his third FIFA World Cup™ after taking part in the 2002 and 2006 tournaments. Before the father-of-three can book his ticket to South Africa, however, he and his team-mates need to get something out of their showdown against Russia in mid-October.

FIFA.com spoke exclusively to Michael Ballack about life in London and with Chelsea, his role for Germany and the FIFA World Cup qualifier against Russia in Moscow.

FIFA.com: Michael, you have been living and working in England's capital for a few years now. How are you enjoying London?
Michael Ballack: London is great city, particularly when the weather is nice. It's brilliant, it really is. The city has a lot to offer, and not just in footballing terms. Both culturally and in culinary terms you feel really at home in the English capital. The city's buzzing, and my family and I are very happy there.

Things are going swimmingly for you at Chelsea at the moment. The Blues are flying and you've scored three goals already. How do you see the situation at the moment?
I've just had the longest summer break of my professional career. Usually you only get two weeks, but this time I had five weeks off, which was very important for me in terms of rest and recuperation. Pre-season went great until I broke my toe, but this didn't set me back too much, and I didn't have a problem making up for lost time. I was back in the team from the second game of the season and I'm pleased that I have been able to fulfil the new coach's expectations thus far.

A new coach came to your club over the summer in the shape of Carlo Ancelotti. How would you describe the Italian?
He has a great deal of experience and he just has a real presence, and that carries over into the team. We've been through a lot as a club in the past few years, going through thick and thin. The fact that we're now on to our fourth coach in three years doesn't make things easy, so we're looking to bring some continuity in now. This time around, the team has connected with the coach, which speaks volumes for the quality of the team. His mindset has already had an influence on us.

At Chelsea, you are in daily contact with stars such as Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba and John Terry. What is it like to rub shoulders with top players like these?

You obviously all get to know each other but it does take time. The competition is enormous and every new player who joins us adds to this battle. Despite this, you do try to have a good, friendly relationship with your team-mates. I had a good understanding with Andriy Shevchenko and we also spent a lot of time together off the pitch. Unfortunately he's no longer with the club any more, but my wife and I have a group of friends here in London outside of football and we spend some time with them.

Your Chelsea contract expires next summer. What does the future hold for Michael Ballack?

I signed an extension just recently and I obviously hope that I will continue to be successful in the future. Any decisions I have in the future though will be made after due consideration and I will discuss everything with the club and with my family. At my age you think in shorter time-frames, and I am already playing for one of the best clubs in the world. I'm very much at home in London and I can imagine seeing out my career at Chelsea. What is important for me in the future is winning titles, and that's why I also want to play in a team that is hungry for success.

Despite having a long and successful career, your trophy cabinet is still lacking an international title, at either club or international level. Is this something that you really are desperate to achieve?
Well, of course you always strive to achieve what you don't have - that's only to be expected. It's very important for us this year to win the Premier League again after a three-year wait. We want to take England by storm, but winning the Champions League is a big personal aim of mine.

Plenty of pundits see you as one of the most dangerous midfielders in the world in front of goal. Is this an opinion that you share?

I don't like evaluating myself - that's for other people to do. There are plenty of world-class players around, but football will always be a team sport. There will no doubt always be players who stand out from the crowd, particularly attackers, but there are 11 players in every team and every big-shot knows that they will have no success without the help of their team-mates.

You have been Germany captain for a few years now. What does this international responsibility mean to you?
Captaining my country is a great honour for me. When I was first chosen I was bursting with pride at the thought of taking on this role. With time, I've grown into it. I really enjoy the responsibility and take it very seriously, both on and off the pitch.

It has been said that Germany's recent success in the qualifiers for the South Africa 2010 has been the result of hard work more than skill. What are the main qualities of the team?
Our players are all technically very skilful, but it's our physical strength that we're counting on most at the moment. We need to focus on our strengths and our team spirit. We saw at the last Euro how effective this can be - it got us into the final. At the same time I think that we need individual skills as they can turn a game. At the top of the sport, the teams are very well matched in terms of quality and that means that individuals can make the difference. This is why we're delighted to have Mesut Ozil - he is the kind of player who's got all the qualities you need to be a genuine "number 10".

On 10 October you're facing a real show-down in the form of a World Cup qualifier against Russia in Moscow. How do you see this match panning out?

We are devoting all our focus, energy and commitment to the match. We can't let the artificial pitch be an excuse for us - we'll just have to adapt to the conditions. Russia have got a strong team and they have got results in the past, so we will have to be at our very best if we are to get something out of our trip to Moscow. We're confident that we will qualify directly for the World Cup, because we're totally motivated for this match, well prepared and we know that we can get the right result.

Next year's tournament in South Africa would be your third FIFA World Cup. What do you remember most about the 2002 and 2006 tournaments?
Both World Cups were really tough for me emotionally as a player. In 2002 we amazed everybody by getting to the Final, and I scored the winners in the 1-0 victories in the quarter and semi-finals, only to be suspended for the Final. That was a bitter pill, it really was. The atmosphere in 2006 was sensational. For us players it was a unique experience, and I don't think that the fans ever will forget that World Cup either. Germany showed that we are a friendly nation who like to receive guests, and that was very important for our country's international image. It was a great World Cup, both on the pitch and in terms of the atmosphere all around the country and among football fans in particular.

Germany are currently fourth, level with Italy, in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking. How do you think the team compares with the rest of the world?
The ranking's just the snapshot of a particular moment. Teams like The Netherlands and Spain have certainly strung some great results together, but we have always proved at big tournaments that we are focused on the job and playing at our peak, and that is why our place towards the top of the rankings is totally justified.

Annan, Ghana's next shooting star

2009-09-26T18:47:00.000-07:00

At any given moment there are names floating through the heads and across the desks of the managers of major European clubs; hot young prospects poised in their relative obscurity but on the cusp of a big breakthrough. The name of Ghanaian Anthony Annan is at the top of those lists.

Currently with Rosenborg, runaway leaders in Norway's Tippeligaen, Annan has played every minute of Ghana's ten qualifying games in the African Zone, culminating earlier this month in the Black Stars becoming the first African nation, aside from hosts Bafana Bafana, to qualify for next year's 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™. Not bad for the 23-year-old who only two years ago was lining up for Hearts of Oak, training on a dirt pitch beside a dumping area on the sun-scorched coast of Accra.

"I was an important part of the team, not just a member of the squad," the friendly Annan told African Football Media from his home near Trondheim. "It is a source of great pride for me to have had such a responsibility. We have big players in the Ghana team, guys like Michael Essien and Sulley Muntari, players who are known all over the world. Those guys always gave me total encouragement to play with confidence."

I just stood there not moving, trying to think about what had happened. I stared into the sky and thanked God. I thought: 'We did it! I am here!'
Annan on reaching South Africa 2010

Over the course of a gruelling qualifying campaign, young Anthony, who grew up admiring Pablo Aimar and Argentine football in general, played a holding role in the centre of midfield, keeping things tight when Chelsea star Essien sought more freedom in attack."It helps a young guy like me a lot to look over and see Essien by my side. It can slow your breathing down," added Annan, who has been described as ‘the next Essien' because of the interest being shown in him from big-time clubs in England, Spain and Italy.

Annan is quick to defer to his team-mate however, saying: "Essien is a unique player, powerful and strong but elegant. When he goes forward, I stay behind and cover him. I let him go up and do his things because he is an amazing player when he moves toward goal. I'm happy to stay back and support the man."

The compact, muscular Annan can also play in the backline but prefers to line-up in midfield, where his eye for a piercing pass has made him a target for major European clubs. He first caught the eye of Ghana's then-coach Claude Le Roy - who publically compared Annan to French icon Claude Makelele - and picked him for last year's CAF African Cup of Nations on home soil in 2008.

Third place wasn't a dream result for the Black Stars, but Annan took a major step as a player. "It was my first international tournament," he says. "It was a tremendous honour that the coach put his faith in me. Every African wants to play in the CAN, and on home soil it was even more special. We did what we could do, but we lacked a little bit of luck and missed out on the trophy. Now we are a better team, and better for the experience of having lost."

Focused on claiming the Norwegian top flight, something domestic giants Rosenborg are only one win away from doing, Annan says that English football would suit him well and that he'd like to play there someday. But for now his focus is intently on next year's FIFA World Cup finals.

Essien is a unique player, powerful and strong but elegant. When he goes forward, I stay behind and cover him.
Annan on Michael Essien

Ghana sealed their place in the event on 6 September, with two games to spare, after a 2-0 win over Sudan. "When the final whistle went [against Sudan] I was so excited that I froze," Annan said, joy clearly in his voice. "I just stood there not moving, trying to think about what had happened. I stared into the sky and thanked God. I thought: 'We did it! I am here!'

"With next year being the first World Cup in Africa, we were all desperate to make sure we'd be there," Annan added about what will be Ghana's second finals on the trot and the first ever on African soil. "We were always talking about it together as a team like a bunch of kids, and then we did it."

The world seems to spreading out at young Annan's feet. With a move to one of Europe's big leagues looking likely and a virtually guaranteed place in the FIFA World Cup-bound Ghana's first team, this is one young Black Star about to shoot through the sky.

goal-shy Portugal

2009-09-26T18:42:00.000-07:00

Portugal's record over the years suffers in comparison with the achievements of Europe's superpowers. Their tally of four appearances at the FIFA World Cup™ and five at the UEFA European Championship seems paltry when compared to that of seasoned qualifiers like Germany, Italy and England.

Yet over the last decade, the Portuguese have become virtual ever-presents at major finals and have impressed on the big stage on more than one occasion, finishing runners-up at UEFA EURO 2004, fourth at Germany 2006 and reaching the last eight at Austria and Switzerland 2008.

Given that impressive run, Portugal were widely tipped to qualify for South Africa 2010 at a canter. But despite boasting the reigning FIFA World Player Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos Queiroz's undoubtedly talented outfit are in serious danger of missing out on the finals for the first time since France 1998.

Their most obvious shortcomings have been up front, where star performer Ronaldo has failed to repeat the club form that has taken him to the pinnacle of the world game. The Real Madrid man has hit just two goals on international duty in the last 23 months and, alarmingly, has yet to score in eight games in the current qualification campaign.

What makes his goal drought all the more perplexing is the fact that over more or less the same period, the flying forward struck 18 English Premier League goals for Manchester United, the second-biggest haul in the country.

Ronaldo's finishing woes are not the only cause of Portugal's troubles in front of goal. "Our finishing has been very poor," lamented midfielder Duda after the recent qualifiers against Denmark and Hungary. "We've been missing a lot of chances."

We have been the better side in a lot of our games but unfortunately we are just not putting our chances away.
Portugal's Pepe

That game against the Danes provided a perfect illustration of their problems, with Ronaldo and Co hitting the back of the net just once from 35 goal attempts. "We have been the better side in a lot of our games but unfortunately we are just not putting our chances away," commented Pepe after heading Portugal to a welcome 1-0 defeat of Hungary just days later.

Among the side's scorers, only Nani and Hugo Almeida have two goals to their name. Simao Sabrosa, Deco, Bruno Alves, Liedson (on his debut for A Seleçao das Quinas) and Pepe have all appeared on the scoresheet once, with their other goal coming when Malta defender Brian Said put through his own net in a 4-0 win in Ta'Qali. Since then the Portuguese have laboured to no fewer than three goalless draws.

Adding to the mystery is the fact that coach Queiroz has a glittering cast of players to call on aside from Ronaldo. Nani continues to develop under the tutelage of Sir Alex Ferguson, while right winger Simao has made a valuable contribution at Atletico Madrid, forming part of a highly productive attacking line with Diego Forlan and Sergio Aguero.

Pepe has produced some commanding performances at the back for Real Madrid, and fellow centre-back Bruno Alves is yet another cultured performer to graduate from the Porto academy. Seasoned midfielder Deco, a UEFA Champions League winner with Porto and Barcelona, is back in favour at Chelsea, while the Brazi-born Liedson has proven his lethal goalscoring skills in the colours of Sporting.

Too little, too late?
Yet despite the riches at their disposal, Portugal have struggled to gel as a unit during their faltering Group 1 campaign. Inhibited by a lack of fluency in possession and a tendency to lose shape, their failings in front of goal are the most obvious symptom of their shaky recent form.

Uncertainty has been heightened by Queiroz's decision to switch goalkeepers midway through the group. After being entrusted with the No1 jersey for the first four games, keeping three clean sheets in the process, Benfica's Quim was surprisingly dropped for Sporting Braga's Eduardo.

"Quite apart from anything else, I'm happy because we've got a balanced side now," said Queiroz after returning from Budapest. "We have a settled squad and I'm very happy with how the players have responded to the difficulties we're facing."

That balance may have come too late to save Queiroz's side from a surprise elimination, however. With only high-pressure home games against Hungary and Malta to come, Portugal need maximum points and a Swedish slip-up just to make the play-offs. It is a state of affairs few would have predicted when the Lusitanians embarked on what was meant to be a straightforward journey to South Africa.

2009-09-19T17:10:00.000-07:00

Fifa 2010 world cup Tickets

Buy your ticket from here»

The Fifa 2010 official Ball

See Now»

Germany edge closer to South Africa (fifa 2010)

Germany edged closer to securing a place at next year's FIFA World Cup finals with a comfortable victory over Azerbaijan in Hanover.

Read the rest of the article »

Turkey hoping for a miracle (fifa 2010)

Turkey were left hoping for a miracle to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ after a 1-1 draw against their leading Group 5 rivals Bosnia last night.

Read the rest of the article »

Countries Playing in the FIFA 2010 Soccer World Cup

Overview of Countries and National Teams that qualified for FIFA 2010 and will be playing in the Soccer World Cup in South Africa.

Read the rest of the article »

Who has qualified for South Africa 2010?

Find out who will be playing alongside hosts South Africa at the 2010 World Cup with thecup2010.blogspot.com definitive guide to who has qualified and when they wrapped up their place at the finals.

Read the rest of the article »

Netherlands might win fifa 2010

2009-09-19T06:38:00.000-07:00

If the Netherlands have underperformed at recent major tournaments, it has not been due to a shortage of talent. Rather, as those involved will testify, the Dutch have tended to lack the consistency and dogged determination that generally separates champions from also-rans at these intensely competitive international events.

As captain Giovanni van Bronkhorst admitted: "When you have a big tournament with all the best teams, you have to be on top form in every single match if you're going to win. We saw that at EURO 2008, when we played really well but had one bad game against the Russians and were knocked out. That's got to be a lesson for us in South Africa."

Fortunately, the signs auger that we will see a different kind of Oranje at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™. The majestic manner in which they qualified hinted at a new, untypically Dutch mentality, with the inconsistency bemoaned by Van Bronkhorst replaced by a ruthless streak that yielded eight straight wins. If it's omens you're after, the only other team to have survived the European preliminaries without dropping a point - West Germany in Spain 1982 - went on to reach the Final.

Yet even that might not be enough to satisfy this Netherlands side. Bert van Marwijk, the coach responsible for the team's new tough, resolute mindset, has also made no secret of his ultimate goal, telling FIFA.com earlier this year: "If I had the slightest idea that we could not win the World Cup, I would just stay at home."

This attitude has proved contagious. Frank de Boer, Van Marwijk's assistant and a veteran of 112 internationals, is perhaps best placed to judge the transformation that has taken place, and he believes that this current Dutch side have every right to target a trophy that has proved notoriously elusive.

"We have a mission - and that mission is to be world champions," he said. "Why not? We have the quality to beat anybody. Of course, we are also respectful of the fact that many other teams have the same mission and will have the same confidence we do. Brazil look tremendous just now, Spain too, England are very strong and there are some nations that you know you can never count out at the big tournaments.

But we are going to South Africa to win, that's for sure."
De Boer's confidence is based largely on the evidence of a qualifying campaign that, as well as witnessing the usual flair and fluidity one might expect, also saw clean sheets kept in all but two of the Netherlands' matches. Vital to this impressive defensive effort was the ever-present Andre Ooijer, a former team-mate of De Boer's who also shared with FIFA.com his belief in this new, results-focused Oranje.

"Winning becomes a habit," said the 35-year-old. "You see that with the best teams all over the world, and going into games expecting to win is a big factor for us. It's been brilliant. None of our qualifiers were easy, there was no really weak team in our group, so it's very satisfying to have done enough to win every single game. I think we can go on to the World Cup full of confidence because of what we have achieved."

De Boer, whose own glittering playing career brought him UEFA Champions League glory but only FIFA World Cup frustration, admits that the Netherlands' consistency under Van Marwijk has surpassed even his expectations. His hope now is that this new generation of Dutch players can succeed where there was only failure for legends such as Cruyff and Bergkamp.

"I would never have expected them to win every match," he admitted. "But we knew how we wanted the team to play and, fortunately, the players managed to put that plan into action. It's all been going extremely well and we're very proud of what the boys have achieved. If they keep the same form and attitude, they can beat anybody. We have a good squad and, if you look at our bench, it's vert encouraging. But you can always improve and that's what we'll be trying to do before 2010."

The strength in depth referred to by De Boer was underlined in the Netherlands' final preliminary win in Scotland, when a trio of star substitutes, Rafael van der Vaart, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and the team's latest sensation, Eljero Elia, turned the match in their favour. Qualification had long since been secured, of course, and yet Ooijer explained that making it eight wins from eight served a greater purpose than merely maintaining momentum and creating a little bit of history.

"It was important in a few respects, not only psychologically but also in terms of our FIFA ranking and perhaps the way we are seeded for the draw in South Africa," he said. "As for whether there is more to come from us, we will see that at the World Cup. That is where the big test will come for all of the teams who want to win that tournament. But we have set a standard by the way we have played in qualifying."

For Ooijer and De Boer alike, there is also the added incentive of bettering the Netherlands' finest FIFA World Cup campaign in recent memory. Both were members of the squad that came within penalty kicks of reaching the 1998 Final and, according to Ooijer, the bittersweet memories of that French summer still evoke thoughts of what might have been.

"For me, that was my best World Cup memory; to get into the semi-finals of that tournament against Brazil was fantastic. If we had not been unlucky on penalties, who knows what might have happened? Hopefully we can have a bit more luck this time and take the trophy. If we play to our maximum, I think that's possible."

Top 10 Players Who Never Made A World Cup

2009-09-16T12:08:00.000-07:00

So a lot of the talk this week has been all about how we might be witnessing a World Cup in 2010 without Cristiano Ronaldo, or for that matter Lionel Messi. Its pretty unthinkable to imagine a World Cup without the two best players on the planet, but it could happen.

And while both Messi and Ronaldo have played at World Cups before, I thought it would be a timely reminder of ten players who weren’t lucky enough, for whatever reason, to play in the biggest tournament in World Football.

It might be because they played for a country who never made it, or because they fell out with management, or because they had somebody better than them ahead of them. But food for thought - Stéphane Guivarc’h has played at a World Cup, and none of these players have.

Abedi Pele

A World Cup in Africa, so its only right we start with the player who bought so much prominence to African Football in the first place. The three time African Footballer of the Year had success in Germany and Italy, but mostly in France, where he was an instrumental part of the Marseille side that picked up a Champions League medal (against a formidable AC Milan side, no less) unfortunately, despite the dual talents of himself and Tony Yeboah for Ghana, they never made a World Cup.

Johnny Giles and Ryan Giggs

The two have a number of similarities. They played completely differently - Giggs known for his silky skills and speed, Giles known for his win-at-all-costs mentality, but they both helped to define clubs that dominated eras in English Football, Giles as part of the 1970s Leeds United team that won a number of titles and Giggs as part of Man United’s 1990/00s teams that won everything there was to win. Neither made it to a World Cup though - Giles Republic of Ireland never making the cup, exactly as Ryan Giggs’ Wales never did.

Matthew Le Tissier

One of the best footballers of his generation, it remains a little bit of a mystery why Le Tiss, never made a World Cup although there are a couple of reasons. First, no-one knew exactly where he played, sometimes as an attacking midfielder, sometimes a forward. Second managers tended to want to play him in midfield, where England already had Paul Gascoigne, a national treasure and as big a talent. Lastly, he loyally spent his entire career at Southampton, meaning he was never tested on as big a stage as he should have been.

Eric Cantona

He might have defined the Man United team of the 1990s, but he never made it to a World Cup for France, despite being first capped in the late 1980s. He had fallen out with management before the 1990 World Cup so wasn’t selected for France’s Italian adventure, he was apart of the squad that failed to make the 1994 World Cup, and he retired in 1997, a year before France won the World Cup. He probably wouldn’t have been picked anyway.

Duncan Edwards

Speak to absolutely anyone of a certain age in England, and they’ll tell you how good Duncan Edwards was. Bobby Charlton called him the best player he ever played with. There is very little footage left of Edwards, who was killed in the 1958 Munich Air Disaster, but if he’s a tenth as good as people say, its a massive shame he never made a World Cup.

Valentino Mazzola

Similarly to Edwards, was killed before his time. There was a time in Italy, where Juventus were not Turin’s most talented team. Torino snatched Mazzola during the war from under the nose of Juve, and he led Torino to league title after league title as they dominated the post-war Serie A. Sadly, the entire team was killed in an air crash leaving one of Italy’s most talented players with just 12 caps.

Bernd Schuster

Voted second best player of the 1980 European Championships (which Germany won), Schuster sensationally retired from international football aged 24, after repeatedly falling out with the German FA. He decided to go home and see his baby son be born instead of playing for his country, which caused a national scandal and he walked away from the chance to play at any World Cup for his country.

George Weah

Another case of the most talented player in the world playing for a country - Liberia - that were never good enough to make the cut. Weah mesmerised Europe, especially when he did things like this for AC Milan, and he won World, European and African footballer of the year. In 1994 there was undoubtedly a feeling that one of the best players in the game was not at the World Cup.

George Best

Possibly the most famous big name never to make a World Cup, Best played for Northern Ireland, who never made the World Cup. You probably don’t need reminder of his ability on the ball though, as he lit up English football (and picked up a European Cup with Man United) for years and years. Eternal proof that you can’t qualify (let alone win) a World Cup with just the best player in the world playing for you.

Alfredo Di Stefano

Described by Pele as better than a certain El Diego, and yet bizarrely, the Real Madrid legend never played in a World Cup. The reasons though, are more complicated than some of the others above. Born in Argentina, he played for his country, but they didn’t play in the 1950 World Cup. He then became a Colombian international, and never made a World Cup. He became a Spanish National in 1956, but the Spanish didn’t qualify for the 1958 World Cup. Finally he led them to the 1962 Finals, but he got injured before the tournament and couldn’t play.

Ballack's future

2009-09-14T18:38:00.000-07:00

Germany's Michael Ballack will consider his international future after next summer's 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™. The Chelsea attacking midfielder, 33 in three weeks' time, has been the key player for his country for several years.Speaking ahead of Saturday's friendly with South Africa in Leverkusen, he said: "I will decide after the World Cup in 2010 if I carry on or stop."This will be a new situation for me that I need to think carefully about. In any case, I'll play as long as it gives me pleasure and I have ambition."

I will decide after the World Cup in 2010 if I carry on or stop. I'll play as long as it gives me pleasure and I have ambition.

Germany's Michael Ballack on his international future

Ballack's admission is unlikely to come as a surprise to Germany coach Joachim Low, whose side continue to hone their preparation for their remaining qualifiers with a game against Bafana Bafana at the weekend.The match comes four days ahead of a Group 4 qualifier against Azerbaijan in Hannover. The crucial games in the pool are in October, when Germany travel to second-placed Russia before hosting third-placed Finland.

Germany have been unimpressive in recent outings, and Low is expecting his side to rise to the challenge over the next few games. "I expect a much improved performance in Leverkusen and Hannover. We know exactly what caused the dip in the curve recently," he said.

Bayern Munich full-back Philipp Lahm is another who is hoping Germany can raise their level of performance when it really matters. "We have to get a grip on a few tactical things, both in attack and defence," he told Bild newspaper. "Otherwise we are going to have real problems in the World Cup qualifiers."

Germany edge closer to South Africa (fifa 2010)

2009-09-14T18:21:00.000-07:00

Germany edged closer to securing a place at next year's FIFA World Cup finals with a comfortable victory over Azerbaijan in Hanover.
Michael Ballack opened the scoring with a penalty in the 14th minute, but Germany coach Joachim Low would not have been happy with the remainder of the first half as his side risked conceding an equaliser.

Their guests had Samir Abbasov sent off early in the second half and there was no stopping Germany with a one-man advantage. Two goals from Miroslav Klose and a Lukas Podolski strike sealed the comprehensive win which keeps Germany top of qualifying Group Four by a single point from Russia, who they meet in Moscow on 10 October.
After making his full debut in the 2-0 win over South Africa at the weekend, Mesut Ozil's name has become one of the first on Low's teamsheet and he showed precisely why he is one of Germany's hottest properties at the moment.

He left three Azerbaijan defenders stranded as he moved into a position to shoot in the seventh minute, but Kamran Agayev made his first save of a very busy opening 15 minutes.

The visiting goalkeeper was called into action five minutes later by Ballack, who tried his luck from long range before he was given the chance to open the scoring from the penalty spot.

Podolski was fouled inside the area by Samir Abbasov and the Chelsea midfielder stepped up to send Agayev the wrong way from the spot and give Germany a 14th-minute lead.

The floodgates were expected to open and Mario Gomez should have added a second two minutes later when he had a free header from Ballack's cross, but Agayev made another save.

However, Germany lost their early momentum too quickly and even risked conceding a goal before the interval when Olexandr Chertogan tested Rene Adler from long range. Adler tipped his shot over the crossbar before making a more difficult save to deny Mahir Shukurov moments later.

Low brought Klose on at the interval and he made an instant impact, luring Abbasov into a foul which earned the Azerbaijan captain his second yellow card of the evening in the 50th minute before the Bayern Munich striker doubled Germany's lead five minutes later.

He picked up the ball from Philipp Lahm before picking his spot past Agayev for a goal which will come as a major fillip to a player who no longer has a guaranteed place for club or country. The goal certainly did do Klose good, as he showed in the 66th minute when he provided an excellent finish to a deflected cross from Andreas Beck from just inside the six-yard box.

Podolski got in on the action five minutes later when he added the fourth after Ballack nodded Ozil's cross down to him inside the penalty area and Germany's first-half struggles had been forgotten as they looked capable of scoring on every attack.

Klose was denied his hat-trick when another effort was correctly ruled out for offside in the 73rd minute, but his two earlier goals had done enough damage to earn Germany a vital three points.

Turkey hoping for a miracle (fifa 2010)

2009-09-14T17:41:00.000-07:00

Turkey were left hoping for a miracle to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ after a 1-1 draw against their leading Group 5 rivals Bosnia last night.

"Luck has abandoned us," lamented the daily Taraf on Thursday, while the mass circulation daily Hurriyet headlined: "From now we have to wait for a miracle."The UEFA EURO 2008 semi-finalists Turkey suffered two losses against Spain and have dropped several points to the group's outsiders. "We're paying the price of points lost against Belgium and Estonia," former player Ridvan Dilmen told the Milliyet newspaper.

Turkey, who finished third in the 2002 FIFA World Cup after beating South Korea 3-2, failed to qualify for the 2006 tournament. However, coach Fatih Terim insisted that he would not be pushed into quitting. "I'm the one who decides what I should do," he said.

For the Turks to finish second in their group and to make the play-offs, they need to win their last two matches against Belgium and Armenia, but also hope that Bosnia, who currently have a four-point advantage, lose both of their final matches against Spain and Estonia.

Rodrigo Kenton axed after Tico slump

2009-09-14T17:18:00.000-07:00

Rodrigo Kenton has paid the price for Costa Rica's poor recent form in 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ qualifying. The Central American nation's FA announced the boss's dismissal at a press conference on Monday in San Jose.

The coach, formerly a national team assistant and successful youth manager, took over the country's top post in June of 2008. He brought about a much-heralded revival after the disastrous reign of Hernan Medford nearly saw the Ticos eliminated from South Africa 2010 contention in the preliminary rounds at the hands of lowly Grenada.

However, after Kenton - a former player with local club giants Deportivo Saprissa - led the side to a first-place finish in the semi-final round, fortunes shifted in the final 'hexagonal.' After leading the six-team group for a large chunk of the campaign, the Costa Ricans - who have reached the last two FIFA World Cup finals and three overall - dropped their last three games, falling into the precarious fourth-place position with two matchdays to go.

It is likely that the Ticos will miss out on one of the three top spots in the North, Central America and Caribbean Zone, meaning they could face a play-off with South America's fifth-place finisher, a daunting proposition which might pit them against the likes of Argentina, Ecuador or Colombia.

"I would like to take the opportunity to thank Mr. Kenton for all of the work he has done," said FEDEFUT (Costa Rica's FA) President Eduardo Li to members of the media on Monday. "But results are important, and we have not got the right ones over the course of our last three matches."
The dramatic implosion of the Costa Rican side, which Kenton had revived by calling on youngsters like Celso Borges and Bryan Ruiz, has been nothing short of devastating. They lost their last three qualifying games to Mexico (at home in San Jose), Honduras and El Salvador, conceding eight goals and scoring none.

The powers that be in the FA clearly felt a message needed to be sent as the side aim to turn things around with all to play for in their last two games. The announcement of a new coach is expected in the next few days, with the next game - at home to eliminated Trinidad and Tobago - coming on 10 October. Costa Rica round out their account away against the USA four days later.

Ten-man United burst Spurs' bubble

2009-09-12T16:10:00.000-07:00

Manchester United were behind after a minute and reduced to ten men but still recorded victory in a pulsating match at White Hart Lane that ended Tottenham Hotspur's 100 per cent start to the Barclays Premier League season. Jermain Defoe's acrobatic strike opened the scoring, but United have a history of comebacks against Spurs - 5-2 last season and 5-3 eight years ago - and they levelled through Ryan Giggs' free-kick.

Anderson drilled home before the break and despite playing the last half an hour without Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney sealed victory with a cool finish before the end. It was meant to be the game in which Spurs proved their top-four credentials after four straight wins, but instead it was United who showed their steel, if anyone thought they would not challenge for titles without Cristiano Ronaldo.

This match had everything - spectacular goals, off-the-ball incidents, a red card, flying tackles and incredible intensity. By half-time the number of openings or shots had reached double figures.

The thrilling first half sprang to life after Defoe's opener. The 26-year-old spent the summer in the gym bulking up his physique and the result has been an explosive start to the campaign, his spectacular goal after 50 seconds was his eighth in as many games for club and country.

The chance was created following a loose pass by Dimitar Berbatov, who was jeered with his every touch on his return to Spurs, to Darren Fletcher, allowing Wilson Palacios to slide in. Robbie Keane shifted the ball to Benoit Assou-Ekotto and his cross to the far post had Peter Crouch challenging Nemanja Vidic. Vidic appeared to get the last touch as the ball went into the danger zone, leaving Defoe to execute his bicycle-kick into the bottom corner.

This kick-started United. Scholes drove wide and Fletcher drove into the penalty area and forced Carlo Cudicini to parry at the near post. The Italian also saved from Berbatov's flick header.

Crouch's height caused United problems, especially when he collected a long ball, flicked over Vidic and volleyed powerfully, with Ben Foster's footwork making the save look easy. Crouch had replaced injured Luka Modric and added a different dimension to the Spurs attack, resulting in Keane drifting wide.

United's equaliser came from the familiar source of Giggs. Palacios had received a yellow card for the tackle on Berbatov that led to the free-kick, 25 yards from goal. Giggs' set-play curled over Keane in the wall and into the top corner.

Berbatov had two chances shortly after, the first when he crushed Anderson's pass and had his volley tipped over the crossbar. Then he had a rebound cleared off the line after Rooney's effort was saved, and another that went over when the ball was worked back to the Bulgaria striker. The action never stopped. Aaron Lennon thought he was caught off the ball, while Crouch headed over from a Tom Huddlestone corner.

Scholes bookedSpurs brought on Jermaine Jenas for Palacios at the interval, and there was the same pace and intensity when play got under way again. Scholes was booked for tripping Defoe, then King was cautioned for exacting revenge a minute later. Jenas, returning from a calf injury for his first appearance of the season, curled an effort that Foster tipped around the post, with Crouch hitting the crossbar from the corner.

Scholes received his marching orders just before the hour mark for his second caution, this time for a clumsy tackle on Huddlestone. United's response was to bring on Michael Carrick for Berbatov to add numbers in midfield.

Carrick's quick pass to Rooney set the England striker off down the left and he cut inside to force Cudicini into a save that came off the woodwork. Rooney's goal came 12 minutes from full-time. He raced onto Fletcher's pass and cut inside Alan Hutton before squeezing his finish through Cudicini's legs.

FIFA World Cup 2010 Tickets (book now)

2009-09-10T19:53:00.000-07:00

The FIFA World Cup 2010 is rapidly approaching, and so now is the time that you need to start buying your tickets if you want to have a good chance at getting some. With only just over a year before the first game of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, over 1.6 million tickets have been requested.
Already the first phase of World Cup Tickets has been released, and with approximately only 3,000,000 tickets in total, tickets are running out.

The second sales phase for World Cup 2010 tickets opens on the 4th May through FIFA, which can be found at the following link:

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/organisation/ticketing/index.html.

It is without a doubt the best option to buy the tickets through FIFA now and not from some dodgy person later on, simply because by purchasing around now your tickets won’t be in as much danger and prices will also be a lot lower.

Use this link to go to the FIFA site and access information about the 2010 World Cup ticketing.

Thecup2010 Fifa world cup 2010 Fifa 2010 Fifa 2010 world cup

Fifa world cup 2010 official ball (adidas)

2009-09-10T19:32:00.000-07:00

Well I don’t know about you but I personally just can’t wait for the launch of the FIFA World Cup 2010, and especially seeing the new World Cup Ball. Although I’m not aware of the new design yet, I have a feeling that it will be extremely decorative, and there’s no doubt that all of the teams will be playing with a very stylish ball.

Like in previous years, it will be Adidas, a sponsor of the FIFA World Cup, who will be creating the ball which I am happy about. I really like the quality of all of their balls, and am pleased with the Teamgeist that I purchased a few years ago. I’ll be looking to upgrade my current soccer ball to the new World Cup ball as soon as it becomes available to purchase.

I personally think that the official ball of the 2010 FIFA World Cup will be a bit more decorative then the Teamgeist, which is fairly simple yet elegant.

The official FIFA World Cup 2010 soccer ball is set to be released in December, which I am now counting down until.

The first world cup official ball

Capello keeps Owen in exile

2009-09-10T19:12:00.000-07:00

Michael Owen's chances of playing in the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ finals suffered another blow when coach Fabio Capello omitted the striker for next week's qualifier with Croatia.
The 29-year-old Manchester United player, who scored his first competitive goal for the English champions in last week's defeat of Wigan Athletic, is his country's fourth-highest goalscorer.

But Capello was not convinced enough by the striker's form to include him in the squad which faces Slovenia in a friendly at Wembley on Saturday before the Group 6 qualifier with Croatia on 9 September where victory would guarantee England's place at South Africa 2010.

Capello has instead decided to keep faith with Tottenham Hotspur talent Jermain Defoe, who has been in fine form this season.

Goalkeeper David James misses out for the third squad running after being forced to sit out Portsmouth's home defeat to Manchester City on Sunday.

In defence, the absence of Rio Ferdinand with a thigh strain has provided Manchester United team-mate Wes Brown with a surprise return.

England squad

Goalkeepers: Ben Foster (Manchester United), Robert Green (West Ham United), Paul Robinson (Blackburn Rovers)

Defenders: Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Wes Brown (Manchester United), Matthew Upson (West Ham United), John Terry (Chelsea, capt), Joleon Lescott (Manchester City), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Wayne Bridge (Manchester City)

Midfielders: Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham Hotspur), David Beckham (Los Angeles Galaxy/USA), Gareth Barry (Manchester City), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Ashley Young (Aston Villa), James Milner (Aston Villa)

Forwards: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Emile Heskey (Aston Villa), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur), Carlton Cole (West Ham United), Peter Crouch (Tottenham Hotspur)

Thats for fun

England Spain Paraguay in Fifa 2010

2009-09-10T07:06:00.000-07:00

The European Champion, Spain qualified for the 2010 World Cup after a 3-0 victory against Estonia. Fábregas scored the first goal in the match. Spain have won all the 8 qualification matches.

England qualified for the World Cup 2010 after their match against Croatia in London. After their 5-0 win against Croatia England showed the world that they are a serious candidate to compete for the World Cup.

Paraguay beat Argentina 1-0 to qualify for the 2010 World Cup This victory made Paraguay the second South America team to qualify for the World Cup.

Find out where the games are being played in the complete overview of match fixtures in 2010: Match Schedule FIFA 2010

Something you don't want to miss every month is the latest news on which teams qualified for FIFA 2010 and how to have a great World Cup in South Africa with the national teams that qualified for FIFA 2010.

Thecup2010 Fifa 2010 Fifa 2010 world cup

Paraguay vs Argentina World Cup 2010

2009-09-10T06:36:00.000-07:00

Argentina vs Paraguay September 9th 2009 FIFA World Cup 2010 Qualifier Results, Score, Highlights. Paraguay 1 – 0 Argentina

Argentina's hopes of reaching the World Cup next year took a further knock tonight after losing to Paraguay, whose victory sealed their own passage to South Africa. For Argentina's coach, Diego Maradona, it was another disappointing night as his side dropped into the play-off positions, with his own position beginning to look increasingly untenable.

Nelson Haedo Valdez's first half goal was enough for Paraguay against dispirited opposition. Argentina showed little fight, only displaying a bit of fire in the belly when Juan Sebastian Veron was stupidly sent off for a second bookable offence midway through the second half.
Maradona has now suffered four defeats in five qualifying games.

Ecuador moved above his side after beating Bolivia tonight and Uruguay and Colombia are both hot on their heels. A 3-1 defeat at home to Brazil on the weekend was disastrous - but instead of provoking a response from a red-faced team, their performance against Paraguay remained just as insipid. Desperately needing a win, Maradona appears unable to cajole anything out his team at all, the most damning indictment of any manager.

Brazil had highlighted Argentina's many flaws, in defence and attack alike, but despite making changes to their side, most notably dropping Carlos Tevez for Sergio Agüero, Paraguay thoroughly deserved the three points. They tore into Argentina from the start and could have been two up had the woodwork not denied both Haedo and Jonathan Santana.

It was always likely that Paraguay would take the lead and it was a wonder they did not score more than once. Midway through the first half, Salvador Cabanas played in Haedo on the left of the area and the Borussia Dortmund striker's fierce shot into the far corner was unstoppable. Even then, Argentina could barely muster an attack worthy of the name.

In response, Maradona threw on the veteran striker, Martin Palermo, and he might have helped Argentina rescue a point in the dying moments if his fellow substitute Rolando Schiavi had been able to reach his header. That would have been unthinkable given the flow of the match, but then again, so is Argentina not qualifying for a World Cup.

Fifa world cup 2010 fifa 2010

World Cup Tourism Plan

2009-09-10T05:49:00.000-07:00

Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk will meet his counterparts from nine southern African countries today to discuss the potential of the region's transfrontier parks to enhance tourism during the 2010 World Cup.

Van Schalkwyk's spokesman, Riaan Aucamp, said at the weekend the transfrontier parks - protected conservation areas that straddle international boundaries - would enable SA to host a "truly African" 2010 World Cup.

He said the benefits would filter to SA's neighbours, and the cross-border parks to be discussed at today's meeting were !Ai/!Ais-Richtersveld, Kgalagadi, Kavango Zambezi, Limpopo-Shashe, Great Limpopo, Lubombo and Maloti-Drakensberg.

He said today's meeting was intended to develop "a regional approach" to unlocking the tourism potential of the parks.

"We want to ensure that when people come for the world cup they don't only enjoy the soccer but see other parts of southern Africa, and the parks will make the movement between SA and neighbouring countries easy."

SA will become the first country on the African continent to host the Soccer World Cup finals, the world's biggest sporting showpiece, when it stages the games in 2010.

Government has said it wants the economic benefits of the tournament to accrue to every country in southern Africa.

Aucamp said that the meeting would consider upgrades to ensure the parks offered travellers to the world cup the chance to experience Africa "beyond the walls of soccer stadiums".

"This approach is to enable travellers to experience a number of different African countries in a single destination," Aucamp said.

"The discussions will also address issues of tourism, infrastructure investment, quality assurance within the hospitality sector, ease of travel within the region and obstacles to convincing world cup spectators to travel more widely," he said.

The parks offer, among other attractions, hiking trails and overnight camping, specialist botanical, geological and photographic tours, cultural tours and horse trails.

Introduction to South Africa

2009-09-09T07:24:00.000-07:00

It’s no wonder that South Africa draws more visitors than anywhere else in sub-Saharan Africa. World-class wildlife-watching, cosmopolitan cities like the great big beating heart of Johannesburg, stunning natural panoramas from Table Mountain National Park and vibrant cultures make the country appealing to almost every taste and budget. Geographically, its extremes include the arid semidesert of the Karoo, the snowcapped peaks of the Drakensberg Range, the lush subtropical coast of KwaZulu-Natal and the fertile temperate valleys of Western Cape. Within the space of a day, you can journey from vineyard-clad hillsides in the Western Cape to the vast open spaces of the Kalahari; from waterfront chic in Cape Town to isolated Zulu villages; from elephant-spotting in Kruger National Park to the sublime seascapes of the coast.

While it’s easy to focus on the glitz and developed infrastructure, you’ll only get below the surface by seeking out the country’s other face – most visible in the sprawling townships where far too many people live stalked by the shadows of hunger, poverty and one of the highest HIV/AIDS infection rates in the world. Behind its incredible natural beauty, South Africa is the stage for the daily drama of one of the world’s greatest experiments in racial harmony. The intensity of this drama surrounds you wherever you go, and is likely to be one of the most fascinating and challenging aspects of your travels.

fifa 2010 fifa world cup 2010 the cup 2010

2010 World Cup schedule

2009-09-09T06:09:00.000-07:00

2010 World Cup schedule

Teams qualified for fifa 2010 Fifa 2010 Fifa world cup 2010

Teams qualified for fifa world cup 2010

2009-09-08T17:40:00.000-07:00

FULL LIST OF TEAMS AT 2010 WORLD CUP

HOSTS
South Africa

AFRICA QUALIFYING
Ghana

ASIA QUALIFYING
Japan
Australia
South Korea
North Korea

EUROPE QUALIFYING
Netherlands

SOUTH AMERICA QUALIFYING
Brazil

thecup 2010 Fifa world cup 2010 fifa 2010

Qualified for South Africa 2010

2009-09-08T17:12:00.000-07:00

GHANA (6 September, 2009)

Ghana defeated Sudan 2-0 in Accra to become the first African side to reach the 2010 World Cup in South Africa from the qualifiers.

Inter Milan's Sulley Muntari and Chelsea's Michael Essien scored the goals in each half to give Ghana an unassailable lead at the top of qualifying Group D.

Ghana midfielder Michael Essien: "The people of Ghana wanted us to win and we did not let them down. What a fantastic feeling to be the first African country to qualify for the first World Cup to be staged in Africa."

BRAZIL (6 September, 2009)

Brazil are the only team to have appeared in every World Cup finals and they made sure that record would continue in the best possible fashion, beating their bitter rivals Argentina 3-1 on their home turf.

Two goals from striker Luis Fabiano and another from defender Luisao was enough as they inflicted only the second home defeat in World Cup qualifiers on Diego Maradona's struggling side.

Coach Dunga: "We're happy. We beat a great team with great champions. Lionel Messi might be the best player in the world. We beat Argentina, which had not lost a match at home in qualifying."

NORTH KOREA (17 June, 2009)

Iran's failure to defeat South Korea in Seoul earlier in the day meant North Korea only needed to draw in their final group match against Saudi Arabia in Riyadh.

They did exactly that, with a 0-0 result, putting them into their first World Cup finals since 1966. Back then, they were memorably beaten 5-3 in the quarter-finals by Portugal - despite taking a 3-0 lead.

Coach Kim Jong-Hun: "It was so hot in Saudi Arabia and as you know the journey from Korea was long, but our belief in the ability of the players snatched the ticket to South Africa."

THE NETHERLANDS (6 June, 2009)

The Dutch won 2-1 away to Iceland to become the first European side to qualify for next summer's tournament.

Goals from Nigel de Jong and Mark van Bommel put Bert van Marwijk's team in the driving seat before Kristjan Orn Sigurdsson pulled a goal back.

Bert van Marwijk: "My goal was to qualify for the finals so now we have a year to prepare. Winning six straight World Cup qualifiers deserves a compliment."

SOUTH KOREA (6 June, 2009)

The South Koreans secured a seventh successive World Cup finals place thanks to a 2-0 victory over United Arab Emirates in Dubai.

Park Chu-young and Ki Sung-yueng grabbed the goals as Huh Jung-Moo's outfit strolled to a place in Africa's first World Cup.

Huh Jung-Moo: "I'm really happy that we made it. We are all satisfied with a performance that saw us ensure a place in South Africa. The players were excellent throughout the qualifiers, they did a great job."

AUSTRALIA (6 June, 2009)

The Socceroos eased into the World Cup without so much as even conceding a goal in the six matches it took them to qualify.

A 0-0 draw against Qatar in Doha wrapped things up for Pim Verbeek's team after they picked up 14 points in Group A of the final Asian qualifying phase.

Pim Verbeek: "The World Cup is a great, great event and I'm already looking forward to going there. We have to go and do it better than last time."

JAPAN (6 June, 2009)

Takeshi Okada's Japan became the first team to book their place after earning a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Uzbekistan in Tashkent.
Shunji Okazaki grabbed the only goal of the game after nine minutes to book a fourth successive finals berth.

Takeshi Okada: "We played very well. I think we should continue playing this style in the remaining matches."

Fifa world cup 2010 fifa 2010 the cup 2010

England vs Croatia on the road to Fifa 2010

2009-09-07T13:05:00.000-07:00

It’s England vs Croatia on Wednesday. A win and we qualify for the World Cup. Simple as that, and definitely do-able.

But Croatia coach Slaven Bilić seems to think he’s spotted a weakness in the England team:
“They have some advantages but they are also missing something from their game,” he said.
“They are missing some Englishness, some of the things that have always made England teams difficult to defend against and play against.

“All I will say is that they are definitely missing something and we know what it is. But of course I am not going to tell you now what it is. It is our secret.”

This is likely just amateur mind games from the Croatia coach. But let’s indulge him anyway. And let’s assume that the weakness he’s spotted is something more tangible than “missing some Englishness”. What could England’s weakness be?

In goal maybe? Robert Green seems to be settling in as #1 without any major problems, but he’s yet to be seriously put under pressure. Wednesday against Croatia will arguably be the first time. Let’s hope he doesn’t pull a Scott Carson. Shudder.

Right back maybe? Glen Johnson is exciting going forward, but still likely to get done while defending. Which is exactly how Slovenia scored on Saturday.

Maybe in central defence? With Rio Ferdinand out, we look likely to pair John Terry with Matty Upson. Two very capable defenders, but lacking the pace and athleticism that Rio brings.
How about our lack of a proper defensive mid? Gareth Barry sort of does it, but he’s not exactly the second coming of Claude Makelele is he? Get well soon Owen Hargreaves.

Theo Walcott’s absence is a problem. Especially after what he did to Croatia last time. But Shaun Wright-Phillips or Aaron Lennon can provide some pace. Maybe we’ll even see David Beckham play there on Wednesday.

Maybe our lack of a left sided midfielder? Although that’s not exactly a secret. Or how about our lack of a world class centre forward to partner Wayne Rooney. Emile Heskey gets the job done, but he’s not exactly Didier Drogba.

So, yes, all kinds of weaknesses in the England team. But what I like about our team is that Capello is solving most of these problems. Heskey may not be world class for example, but he’s definitely getting the best out of Wayne Rooney. Steven Gerrard’s not a left mid, but that role seems to be working out for him and for Frank Lampard. Glen Johnson isn’t too strong defensively, but Wes Brown is much more solid.

More importantly, despite all our problems, we’re unbeaten in World Cup qualifying so far. Which is something Croatia can’t claim. So unless Bilić ha spotted something other than the above, something he can really exploit, then I’m expecting England to qualify for South Africa on Wednesday

The cup 2010, fifa world cup 2010, fifa 2010

Brazil and Ghana qualified for 2010 World Cup

2009-09-07T12:26:00.000-07:00

Brazil qualified for its 19th consecutive World Cup, leaving Argentina to join Portugal and France with difficult paths to reach next year's tournament.

Defending champion Italy and European champion Spain maintained their leads in Europe, while England and Germany won friendlies ahead of qualifiers on Wednesday. And in Africa, Cameroon boosted its chances with its first victory in the final round of qualifying.

The United States came from behind at home for the second straight qualifier, defeating El Salvador 2-1 to move up one spot into second place in North and Central America and the Caribbean.

Luisao put Brazil ahead in the 24th minute at Rosario, Argentina, and Luis Fabiano scored in the 30th and 67th. Jesus Datolo scored in the 65th for Argentina, which will be under pressure to remove coach Diego Maradona.

Brazil leads South American qualifying with 30 points, three ahead of Chile and Paraguay and eight in front of Argentina with three matches remaining. The top four teams advance to the World Cup, while the No. 5 nation goes to a playoff against the No. 4 nation in North and Central America and the Caribbean.

Brazil became the seventh nation to join host South Africa in next year's 32-nation field, following Australia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea and the Netherlands. Argentina lost a home qualifier for the first time since a 5-0 defeat to Colombia in 1993.
Cristiano Ronaldo, the FIFA player of the year, is in danger of missing the World Cup after Portugal needed a last-minute goal by Liedson for a 1-1 draw against Denmark. Nicklas Bendtner gave the Danes the lead in the 41st minute.

Denmark leads Group 1 with 17 points, four ahead of Hungary, which lost 2-1 at home to Sweden when Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored in injury time. Sweden is third with 12 points, and Portugal has 10 heading into Wednesday's game against Hungary. The top team qualifies from each of the nine European groups, and the best eight second-place teams go to playoffs.
France likely will have to win a playoff for a World Cup berth after a disappointing 1-1 tie with Romania at Saint-Denis.

France looked in control after Thierry Henry's 48th-minute goal, but defender Julien Escude turned the ball past his goalkeeper Hugo Llorisslid while attempting to intercept a cross seven minutes later.

"The objective is to qualify, no matter how we get there. I'm not in the habit of giving up," France coach Raymond Domenech said. "There's still everything to play for, nothing is finished yet. It will go down to the last game."

Les Bleus are second in Group 7 with 14 points, four behind Serbia heading into their meeting at Belgrade on Wednesday.

The Czech Republic, which beat the United States at the 2006 World Cup, played to a 2-2 draw at Slovakia, which could qualify for its first major tournament. Substitute forward Milan Baros headed in his 34th international goal in the 84th minute for the Czechs.

Slovakia heads Group 3 with 16 points, two ahead of Northern Ireland. The Czechs are fifth with nine.

Czech forward Jan Koller, the country's leading scorer with 55 international goals, retired from the national team after last year's European Championship, returned for this match, then said he was retiring for good from the national team.

"It's now up to the younger ones," the 36-year-old said. "I'm not good enough for it."

At Tblisi, Georgia captain Kakha Kaladze -- who plays for AC Milan -- headed two own goals in the 57th and 67th, giving Italy a 2-0 victory over Georgia.

"If we had to rely on two own goals to win, then so be it," Italy coach Marcello Lippi said. "But such was the way we were playing we would have scored anyway as we were creating many chances."

Italy leads Europe Group 8 with 17 points heading into Wednesday's game against Bulgaria in Turin. Second-place Ireland, which trails by one point, won 2-1 at Cyprus as Robbie Keane scored in the 83rd minute with a headed goal from seven yards.

Spain routed Belgium 5-0 as David Villa scored two goals and set up two others.

Villa had a penalty kick saved, then fed Valencia teammate David Silva for the first goal in the 41st minute. Villa made it 2-0 with a long shot in the 49th and found Gerard Pique alone in front of goal one minute later.

Silva boosted the lead to 4-0 in the 68th, and Villa tapped in a shot in the 85th.
Spain, the European champion, is atop Group 5 with 21 points and holds a six-point lead over second-place Bosnia-Herzegovina, which won 2-0 at last-place Armenia.

At Wembley, Jermain Defoe boosted his chance to start in England's World Cup qualifier against Croatia, coming off the bench to score the second goal in a 2-1 exhibition victory over Slovenia.
Frank Lampard converted a penalty kick in the 31st minute after Wayne Rooney appeared to drag down Slovenia defender Bostjan Cesar. Zlatan Ljubijankic scored for Slovenia in the 85th with a near-post header after errors by both Glen Johnson and Joleon Lescott.

David Beckham was on the bench, but the midfielder didn't make an appearance and remained on 113 international caps, 12 shy of goalkeeper Peter Shilton's record.

Mario Gomez and Mesut Oezil scored to give Germany a 2-0 victory over World Cup host South Africa in a friendly match at Levekusen.

Germany leads Group 4 with 19 points and hosts Azerbaijan on Wednesday. Russia is one point back following Saturday's 3-0 win over Liechtenstein.

Cameroon won 2-0 at Gabon on goals by Achille Emama and Samuel Eto'o. Only the top team in each group qualifies, and the Indomitable Lions need another win when they host Gabon on Wednesday.

Ivory Coast improved its record to four victories from four games, routing Burkina Faso 5-0 as Didier Drogba scored twice

Rankings

2009-09-02T11:15:00.000-07:00

"The best part of the monthly rankings release is looking at the change in ratings for particular teams and wondering, “what the hell did they do to deserve that?”. The answer is almost always “absolutely nothing”, which is wonderful. Take for instance defending champions Italy, whose nil-nil friendly draw with Switzerland was apparently enough of a showing to vault them above Germany to 4th in this month’s rankings.

Which is why the ELO World Rankings are below FIFA’s for comparison. And respect."

2010 World Cup Match Schedule

2009-08-31T18:07:00.000-07:00

The 2010 FIFA World Cup™ match schedule has been released, which means that Cape Town soccer fans and people planning to visit the city for the tournament can now start making plans to view the games.The World Cup will be held between 11 June and 11 July 2010 and will see the best national teams in the world competing for the title FIFA Soccer

World Champion.The qualification for FIFA 2010 is in full swing and has seen the first teams qualified for 2010. Cape Town’s new Green Point Stadium is scheduled to host eight games, including a semi-final.

This is more than any other stadium in the country with the exception of Soccer City in Johannesburg, which will host the opening and closing matches, and Nelson Mandela Bay (Port Elizabeth), which will also host eight games.All but two of the Cape Town matches will take place at night (20:30 local time), meaning that local fans will not have to take time off work to watch at the stadium or at one of the Fan Parks - public places where people can gather to watch matches on large screens and enjoy the large crowd atmosphere.

The night-time matches will also mean that peak hour traffic out of the city on match days is unlikely to be affected.2010 World Cup tickets will go on sale in several phases in February 2009. Category 1-3 tickets will be sold locally and internationally in dollars, while Category 4 tickets will only be sold to South Africans (in rands) to ensure that locals are able to afford tickets.The ticket distribution system will be finalised closer to the time.

The cheapest tickets will cost R140.The final draw – which is the final 32 teams taking part in the tournament, and the groups they play in - will be announced will take place in Cape Town on 4 December 2009.After this, the final match schedule will be released.The opening match will take place at Soccer City at 16:00 on Friday 11 June 2010. That same evening, Cape Town will host its first match, a Group A

encounter.CapeTownMagazine.com brings you the full overview for each city. Match schedules for the 2010 World Cup cities

Teams & Countries Playing in the FIFA 2010 Soccer World Cup

2009-08-31T17:19:00.000-07:00

Overview of Countries and National Teams that qualified for FIFA 2010 and will be playing in the Soccer World Cup in South Africa

Overview of National Teams & Countries playing in the 2010 Soccer World Cup in South Africa: AFC Qualification Group:Countries qualified for the 2010 Soccer World Cup from the Asia Qualification Group in chronological order:

Japan [Group 1] qualified for 2010 on 6 June

Australia [Group 1] qualified for 2010 on 6 June

Korea Republic [Group 2] qualified for 2010 on 6 June

The Netherlands [Group 9] qualified for 2010 on 6 June

Korea DPR [Group 2] qualified for 2010 June on 17

The story so far:Japan: The first team to qualify winning 1-0 at Uzbekistan on a ninth-minute goal by Shinji Okazaki. It will be the fourth straight World Cup appearance for the Japanese, who were eliminated in the first round of the 2006 tournament in Germany.

Australia: Appearing for the second straight time following a 0-0 tie at Qatar. It will be the third World Cup appearance for Australia, which qualified in 1974 and was eliminated three years ago with a second-round defeat to Italy.

Korea: South Korea clinched a berth in the other Asian group with a 2-0 victory at the United Arab Emirates. South Korea was a semifinalist when it co-hosted the 2002 World Cup co-host. South Korea will be making its seventh straight World Cup appearance.

The Netherlands: Qualified for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa after beating Iceland 1-2 in Reyjavik on 6 June. Nigel de Jong opened the scoring for the Oranje and former PSV captain Mark van Bommel crowned a career highlight by netting the second goal. Ooijer also won his fiftieth cap for his country.

Korea DPR: The team will return to the World Cup next year for the first time since 1966. The side sealed their second trip to the global finals with a goalless draw with Saudi Arabia.UEFA Qualification Group Countries qualified for the 2010 Soccer World Cup from the UEFA Qualification Group: The Netherlands [Group 9] qualified 6 June

fifa 2010 fifa world cup 2010 thecup 2010 fifa 2010 world cup

Michael Ballack 2010

2009-08-31T07:59:00.000-07:00

Captain Michael Ballack says Germany need to raise their game if they are to seal a place at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™.

Ballack's call to arms on Monday comes just over five weeks before the UEFA EURO 2008 finalists face Russia in a pivotal Group 4 qualifier in Moscow. Germany go into that 10 October clash leading Guus Hiddink's Russians, who have a game in hand, by four points.

"We have to singularly improve our level of play if we want to be a candidate at the World Cup," the Chelsea midfielder told German news agency SID.

It would be good if other Germany players could find their way to playing for big European sides. Germany didn't become world champions in 1990 by chance - seven of that side were playing in Italy.

Michael Ballack

He added: "First of all we have to qualify, but if we make it through Germany will be one of the favourites based on our commitment and our good organisation which compensate for certain weak spots - that's how we reached the final at EURO 2008."

Looking ahead to the Russia game Ballack said: "We have to play at the same level as we did in the first leg (2-1 to Germany in October 2008) and for the moment we're far off that."
Before Germany face Azerbaijan in their next qualifier on 9 September, they have a friendly against 2010 hosts South Africa on Saturday.

"We have to play two good games to show that our top spot ahead of Russia is justified," added the Germany captain, who went on to regret that none of his team-mates played for other major European sides.

"It would be good if other Germany players could find their way to playing for big European sides. Germany didn't become world champions in 1990 by chance - seven of that side were playing in Italy."

fifa 2010 thecup2010 Fifa world cup 2010 tarek el hewehi fifa 2010

Fifa 2010

2009-08-31T07:32:00.000-07:00

2010 World Cup schedule
Day
Venue & Time
Stage
Team 1
Result
Team 2

Friday, 11 June
Johannesburg, 16:00
Group A
South Africa
–
A2
Cape Town, 20:30
A3
–
A4
Saturday, 12 June
Johannesburg, 13:30
Group B
B1
–
B2
Port Elizabeth, 16:00
B3
–
B4
Rustenburg, 20:30
Group C
C1
–
C2
Sunday, 13 June
Polokwane, 13:30
C3
–
C4
Durban, 16:00
Group D
D1
–
D2
Pretoria, 20:30
D3
–
D4
Monday, 14 June
Johannesburg, 13:30
Group E
E1
–
E2
Bloemfontein, 16:00
E3
–
E4
Cape Town, 20:30
Group F
F1
–
F2
Tuesday, 15 June
Rustenburg, 13:30
F3
–
F4
Port Elizabeth, 16:00
Group G
G3
–
G4
Johannesburg, 20:30
G1
–
G2
Wednesday, 16 June
Nelspruit, 13:30
Group H
H3
–
H4
Durban, 16:00
H1
–
H2
Pretoria, 20:30
Group A
South Africa
–
A3
Thursday, 17 June
Polokwane, 13:30
A4
–
A2
Bloemfontein, 16:00
Group B
B4
–
B2
Johannesburg, 20:30
B1
–
B3
Friday, 18 June
Port Elizabeth, 13:30
Group D
D1
–
D3
Johannesburg, 16:00
Group C
C4
–
C2
Cape Town, 20:30
C1
–
C3
Saturday, 19 June
Rustenburg, 13:30
Group D
D4
–
D2
Durban, 16:00
Group E
E1
–
E3
Pretoria, 20:30
E4
–
E2
Sunday, 20 June
Bloemfontein, 13:30
Group F
F4
–
F2
Nelspruit, 16:00
F1
–
F3
Johannesburg, 20:30
Group G
G1
–
G3
Monday, 21 June
Cape Town, 13:30
G4
–
G2
Bloemfontein, 16:00
Group H
H4
–
H2
Johannesburg, 20:30
H1
–
H3
Tuesday, 22 June
Bloemfontein, 16:00
Group A
A4
–
South Africa
Rustenburg, 16:00
A2
–
A3
Polokwane, 20:30
Group B
B2
–
B3
Durban, 20:30
B4
–
B1
Wednesday, 23 June
Pretoria, 16:00
Group C
C2
–
C3
Port Elizabeth, 16:00
C4
–
C1
Johannesburg, 20:30
Group D
D4
–
D1
Nelspruit, 20:30
D2
–
D3
Thursday, 24 June
Johannesburg, 16:00
Group F
F4
–
F1
Polokwane, 16:00
F2
–
F3
Rustenburg, 20:30
Group E
E2
–
E3
Cape Town, 20:30
E4
–
E1
Friday, 25 June
Durban, 16:00
Group G
G4
–
G1
Nelspruit, 16:00
G2
–
G3
Pretoria, 20:30
Group H
H4
–
H1
Bloemfontein, 20:30
H2
–
H3
Saturday, 26 June
Port Elizabeth, 16:00
Round of 16 - Match 1
1A
–
2B
Rustenburg, 20:30
Round of 16 - Match 3
1C
–
2D
Sunday, 27 June
Bloemfontein, 16:00
Round of 16 - Match 4
1D
–
2C
Johannesburg, 20:30
Round of 16 - Match 2
1B
–
2A
Monday, 28 June
Durban, 16:00
Round of 16 - Match 5
1E
–
2F
Johannesburg, 20:30
Round of 16 - Match 7
1G
–
2H
Tuesday, 29 June
Pretoria, 16:00
Round of 16 - Match 6
1F
–
2E
Cape Town, 20:30
Round of 16 - Match 8
1H
–
2G
Wednesday, 30 June
Rest days
Thursday, 01 July
Friday, 02 July
Port Elizabeth, 16:00
Quarter-final C
5
–
7
Johannesburg, 20:30
Quarter-final A
1
–
3
Saturday, 03 July
Cape Town, 16:00
Quarter-final B
2
–
4
Johannesburg, 20:30
Quarter-final D
6
–
8
Sunday, 04 July
Rest days
Monday, 05 July
Tuesday, 06 July
Cape Town, 20:30
Semi-final I
A
–
C
Wednesday, 07 July
Durban, 20:30
Semi-final II
B
–
D
Thursday, 08 July
Rest days
Friday, 09 July
Saturday, 10 July
Port Elizabeth, 20:30
Third place play-off
Loser I
–
Loser II
Sunday, 11 July
Johannesburg, 20:30
FINAL

Winner I
–
Winner II

Fifa 2010 Fifa world cup 2010 the cup 2010

FIFA.com - Capello keeps Owen in exile

2009-08-30T20:35:00.000-07:00

FIFA.com - Capello keeps Owen in exile

Germany must recapture form

2009-08-30T20:16:00.000-07:00

Germany coach Joachim Loew acknowledged that his side have suffered a drop in form since their UEFA Euro 2008 final defeat to Spain, as the Germans look to make sure of their place at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ next summer

Germany take on South Africa, who will host the competition, in a friendly next Saturday, before facing Azerbaijan in a Group 4 qualifier on 9 September, but Loew says his team is weaker than in the past

"We have not always exploited our potential in recent games like I had imagined we would," Loew said, with his side fourth in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking behind Brazil, Spain and the Netherlands.

"We have not always been convincing and we must find the way to recapture our form. This year we have not dominated our opponents; that has been one of our weak points.
"We must work to make sure the opposition is constantly under pressure and are forced into errors," Loew said.

Since losing the UEFA Euro 2008 final to Spain in June of last year, Germany suffered rare consecutive home defeats over the winter when England won 2-1 last November in Berlin, followed by a shock 1-0 defeat to Norway in February.

Since then, unconvincing wins over Wales and Azerbaijan, plus a 1-1 draw with China has done little to boost Loew's confidence, with his side facing Russia in Moscow in October where victory would take his team to South Africa 2010.

Germany top Group 4 with a four-point lead over Russia, who have a game in hand and Loew insists his aim is to win the group to claim a guaranteed place in South Africa.
But Loew acknowledges that it has been hard to keep his side at the same level they reached last summer on their way to the UEFA Euro 2008 final.

"It is not easy to stay at the same level for several years, but I am sure we will reach those levels again and our supporters enthusiasm will return," said Loew, who took over as Germany coach in July 2006.

Fifa World Cup 2010 the cup 2010 fifa 2010

Old foes in Diego's sights fifa 2010

2009-08-30T20:08:00.000-07:00

Diego Armando Maradona's career in the game has been intertwined with that of Argentina's fiercest footballing rivals: Brazil. From his red card against the Auriverde at the 1982 FIFA World Cup Spain™ through the eternal debate over Pele and his claims to being the world's best, to the wonderful run and pass which helped win a memorable encounter at Italy 1990, El Diez and A Seleção have shared decisive moments aplenty.

The latest chapter in the Albiceleste icon's own Brazilian story is set to be written on 5 September, when he guides his Argentina charges in his first clásico as coach: a game that could prove vital on the road to South Africa 2010. As the day of the match looms large, Maradona took time out to speak to FIFA.com about opposite number Dunga, Brazil's strengths and some of the fiercest duels between the two nations during his playing career.

FIFA.com: Diego, another huge clash with Brazil is fast approaching. How would you explain the rivalry between the two countries to somebody not from either nation? Diego Maradona: They're the ones who play the joyous and attractive football, while we're known for our gutsiness and having very good players. I'd say that neither is better than the other - there we both are, level-pegging. You have to remember that both countries supply so many players to world football.

Can you compare it to any other game?It's a South American derby which compares to the final of the Champions League or European Championship. That said, neither side does the other any favours. If they say Kaka won't play then we don't believe them, and if we say Messi will miss out, Dunga won't believe us - that's how it works. You get nothing for free.

What do you remember about your red card against Brazil at Spain 1982?To be honest, that kick in the 82 tournament was meant for Falcao, not Batista. After they made it 3-1 he (Falcao) started to toy with us, knocking the ball around and showing off, and I didn't like it. I got riled up and kicked out but when I saw it was Batista on the floor I said to him, 'Oh no! That wasn't meant for you!'

What matters is that when the people voted, he came second behind me. Nobody can take that away from me.
Maradona on his rivalry with Pele

Was he ok with that?Yes, of course. We became good friends later on because he went to join Lazio and we lived close by. Every time there was an awards ceremony or something we'd sit together and chat loads. I'd always say to him, 'Look, that kick wasn't for you. I swear I saw you and thought you were Falcao.' We'd have a good laugh because he used to say that Falcao was fair-haired and they didn't look anything like each other. And he's right, but I explained to him that I couldn't see anything because of the red mist!
So did your part in Claudio Caniggia's winning goal at Italy 1990 feel a bit like revenge?It was marvellous. Brazil had a great team and they had us on the back foot the entire game, but the one chance I had I undid them. I beat Alemao and Dunga for pace, then got my body between him and the ball and stopped him bundling me over. And when I ran out of room I played a through-ball with my right for a bolt of lightning called [Claudio] Caniggia who had raced past me. I played the ball with my right and it went through the legs of (Brazil defender) Ricardo Rocha, who caught me with a sliding tackle.

And then came Caniggia's finish...That's it. I was still on the floor watching as Cani took on [Claudio] Taffarel. And I was thinking 'shoot, shoot, please shoot!' but he just kept on dribbling and dribbling. Then he swerved round him and shot, and when the keeper moved out the way I looked towards the goal and saw the net rippling. It was one of the happiest moments of my life.
You have, on occasion, given Caniggia some friendly stick about his less-than-enthusiastic celebration, isn't that right?It's unbelievable, I wanted to reach up and embrace the heavens! But Caniggia just did this, this movement (Maradona raises his hand in the air). That was typical of him, he did the same against Italy. It was crazy.

There's a constant debate between Brazilians and Argentinians over whether Pele or you is the world's best ever player. Is it possible to make a comparison given you played in completely different eras?Do you know what? I played in European football for ten years while Pele played in South America. Yes he won World Cups and everything, but playing in Europe is something else entirely. Not that that makes me much better than him or anything like that. When I played, the man-markers in Spanish and Italian football were like hunting dogs. They never left me alone.

Pele had Coutinho and Rivelino, who for me is one of the best ever, alongside him. And then there was Jairzinho, Clodoaldo, Gerson and Tostao. Those guys were brilliant. Oh well, what matters is that when the people voted, he came second behind me. Nobody can take that away from me. And there was another vote in Brazil in which he came second behind Ayrton Senna. He needs to stop coming second!

Staying on the Brazilian national team. How did you rate their performance at the FIFA Confederations Cup 2009?They played very well. I think they struggled to find a solution on the left flank, where they tried Kleber, [Andre] Santos and even Dani Alves. But Felipe Melo was on top form, as was Luis Fabiano and Kaka. Maicon's like a tractor while every time Robinho attacks with the ball at his feet he's looking to score. They're a very tough team. They've got great centre-backs and the best keeper in the world, in my humble opinion.

Gone are the days when Brazilian keepers would let in shots that weren't even on target. In Julio Cesar they've got the best around, who's proven that at Inter and with the national team. It's a solid side though you can get at them. But let me make it clear: we're going to go for the win.
If you could have one of the Brazilians in your team, which would you choose? From this national side? I'd like to have Kaka. He can turn a game for you.

And which Argentinian do you think the Brazilians would like? They'd love to have [Lionel] Messi, I'm sure of it.

How did you normally do against Dunga as a player?I did well. The thing is that Dunga, when he was a player, wanted to be the Sheriff of the pitch. There he was with those huge legs and he wanted to hog half the pitch. And if you didn't close him down then he'd want to take over, he wanted to boss the midfield. That's why I mention that Caniggia goal in Italy, because he stuck out a leg to try and bring me down but I saw him coming. He didn't get the ball or me. But to be honest we've been getting on well recently.

And finally, would you care to predict the result of 5 September's game?No, I'm not one for guessing results. But what I will say is that this game is vital for our qualifying hopes.

The cup 2010 fifa world cup 2010 Fifa 2010

Loftus Versfeld Stadium

2009-08-30T20:00:00.000-07:00

South Africa 2010 Stadiums

In the city of Tshwane (Pretoria), Loftus Versfeld is situated 5 km from the city centre. To qualify for selection as a first and second round venue the floodlights, sound system and scoreboard at Loftus Versfeld were upgraded and designated media areas were constructed in the lower level of the west stand. Loftus is the homeground of the Sundowns Football Club, one of South Africa’s premiere professional clubs. Since 1977 Loftus Versfeld has undergone many renovations and its four major stands have been completely rebuilt.

Matches and Dates:

• Sunday, 13 June 2010 - Group D, first-round

• Tuesday, 15 June 2010 - Group A, first-round

• Friday, 18 June 2010 - Group E, first-round

• Wednesday, 23 June 2010 - Group C, first-round

• Friday, 25 June 2010 - Group H, first-round

• Tuesday, 29 June 2010 - Round of 16

Loftus boasts the country's finest corporate hospitality facilities and will only have to undergo minimal upgrades in order to meet FIFA's stringent requirements for the 2010 FIFA™ World Cup in South Africa.

Thecup2010 Fifa World cup 2010 Fifa 2010

Pretoria 2010

2009-08-30T19:51:00.000-07:00

Facts
Name: Tshwane/Pretoria
Province: Gauteng Province
Population: 2,2 million
Altitude: 1214m
Geography: Situated between rocky ridges in the north eastern part of the country. The city is in the transitional area between tropical savannah (Bushveld) and the Highveld plateau. Climate: Dry winters with temperatures averaging 20 °C during the day, dropping to about 5 °C at night. Hot summers with occasional thunderstorms, daytime average temperatures 25 to 30 °C.
Key Economic Sectors: Services, Commerce, Industry
Professional Football Clubs: Mamelodi Sundowns, Supersport United (Premier) Pretoria University (1st Division)

Tshwane/Pretoria's rich and colourful heritage is reflected in the city's myriad of museums and monuments and is punctuated by contemporary arts and craft markets, making the city alive with a unique blend of new and old.

Tshwane/Pretoria is the capital of South Africa. Many embassies thus call this city their home. The Union Buildings house the administration of the country and have also been the setting for all the presidential inaugurations of Nelson Mandela,Thabo Mbeki and the incumbent South African president, Jacob Zuma. These sandstone buildings offer beautiful views over the city.

There is a lively culture in the city with a variety of museums, monuments, historical buildings and art centres. The Science and Technology Museum offers a tactile experience of science at work. The South African mint has a minting press dating back to 1892, which is still in operation. The city also offers township sleepovers with a five-star stay.

Church Square and the State Theatre often host international and national performances. There are also two nature reserves where visitors can view wildlife such as buffalo, antelope, cheetah, jackal, giraffe and sable.

HistoryThe City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality was established on5 December 2000. It is made up of 13 former city and town councils and is managed by means of an executive mayoral system. These councils include Pretoria, Centurion, Akasia and Soshanguve, and the surrounding areas of Mabopane, Atteridgeville, Ga-Rankuwa, Winterveld, Hammanskraal, Temba, Pienaarsrivier, Crocodile River and Mamelodi.

The Ndebele people were the first people to settle along the Tshwane River, which was named after a Ndebele chief. This would later become the site for Pretoria. In 1855, it became the first capital of the Zuid-Afrikaanche Republiek (ZAR), a territory claimed by the Dutch settlers in South Africa.

The Rivonia Treason Trial (1956-1961), which led to the prosecution and imprisonment of Nelson Mandela among others, was held in Pretoria. In 1994, the same accused would also be sworn into office as the first democratically elected president of South Africa.

Arcadia were triple winners in 1974 but it is Mamelodi Sundowns who have been the real pride of the city. They broke the Professional Soccer League record, winning the league five times in a row since 1988. Sundowns were also runners up in the 2001 CAF Champions League. They have been nicknamed 'the Brazilians' because of their blue and yellow kit.

Supersport United have been dominant lately winning back to back championships in South Africa under their coach, Gavin Hunt. Pretoria University has the largest sports excellence school in the country. They also have the highest number of female football players, producing exceptionally strong women's teams.

Fifa world cup 2010 the cup 2010 fifa 2010

Rustenburg 2010

2009-08-29T20:37:00.000-07:00

Facts
Name: Rustenburg. The city's name originates from Dutch.
Province: North West
Population: 395 539
Altitude: 1500m
Geography: Located on the Highveld Plateau with low mountains and grasslands in the north western part of South Africa.
Climate: Rustenburg enjoys a sub-tropical climate with temperatures around 16°C during winter and 31°C during summer. The climate is generally ideal for year round outdoor activities.
Key Economic Sectors: Mining, Agriculture
Professional Football Clubs: Platinum Stars (Premier)

Rustenburg is in the heart of the savannah bushveld. The city is in the North West Province, nestled at the foothills of the breathtaking Magaliesburg Mountains. The highest point in this mountain range is 1,852m above sea level and has been a tactical region for many battles for land during the early 1800s.

The region is rich in mineral wealth and boasts the most platinum mined in the world making it the platinum capital of the world. Mining, therefore, provides the most employment in the area. It is home to one of the country's richest tribes, the Bafokeng Nation.Rustenburg is also 30 kilometres from the sensational Sun City.

Internationally renowned as Africa 's premier holiday resort. Sun City offers a myriad of different entertainment and relaxation opportunities, as well as enough attractions and activities to keep everyone busy. It incorporates The Palace of the Lost City. Attractions at this resort include hot air balloon rides, The Valley of Waves and a 25-hectare jungle.

History The Bafokeng people originate from this area. Bafokeng means 'people of the dew'. They are originally from the Bakwena people, and settled near in the area more than 200 years ago.

The 36th reigning monarch is King Leruo Molotlegi.It has a strong Voortrekker (Dutch farming settlers) influence and was one of the first cities of importance in their history. In 1851, they named the city Rustenburg, which means 'place of rest'.

Football Platinum Stars, owned by the Royal Bafokeng Sports Holding, are the only professional side from Rustenburg.

The team, which has positioned itself as one of the front-runners over recent times, has purchased some of the country's finest talent including Dillon Sheppard, Jabu Pule Mahlangu and former Tottenham Hotspur defender, Mbulelo 'Old John' Mabizela. Platinum Stars are coached by former Bafana Bafana player, Steve Kompela. Garankuwa United are another side hailing from the North West who currently ply their trade in the First Division.
Kaizer Chiefs, Moroka Swallows, Orlando Pirates, Silver Stars and Jomo Cosmos have all used the Royal Bafokeng stadiums Stadium as their as alternative home venue.

Polokwane stadium

2009-08-29T20:30:00.000-07:00

The Wilson Bayly Holmes-Ovcon (WHBO)/Paul joint venture (JV) has won the R716,78-million tender to construct the Peter Mokaba sports complex in Polokwane for the 2010 soccer World Cup, city spokesperson Simon Mokoatedi said.

In a response to emailed questions, he said that the Polokwane municipality had handed over the site for the 45 000-seater stadium on Friday and that construction was now expected to start “soon”.Late last week, the municipality appointed the WBHO/Paul JV as principal contractor, sinking the hopes of the Concor-Hotchief-Motheo consortium, which also had preferred bidder status, to build the Peter Mokaba sports complex.

The final awarding of the tender had been held back by unspecified delays and a funding shortfall, all which were resolved this month.The Peter Mokaba complex is one of five new stadiums that will be built in preparation for the 2010 soccer World Cup, together with the King Senzangakhona stadium, in Durban, the Nelson Mandela stadium, in Port Elizabeth, the Mbombela stadium, in Nelspruit and the Green Point stadium, in Cape Town.

The final awarding of the tender had been held back by unspecified delays and a funding shortfall
The City of Cape Town signed the R2,85-billion contract to build the 68 000-seater stadium with construction firms M&R and WBHO last week and a sodturning event, which would pave the way for construction to start, had been held on Tuesday.

Local Organising Committee CEO Dr Danny Jordaan said that the sod-turning ceremony signalled a "huge vote of confidence" in the work that had been done in Cape Town. "We must give credit to mayor Helen Zille and the entire council of the city of Cape Town," said Jordaan.

"The 70 000-seater capacity of the stadium in the city will be a ignificant boost in terms of the additional number of tickets that will be available to South Africans for World Cup matches. The high number ofaccommodation available in the city, together with the good public transport network and the beauty of the city will certainly make Cape Town one of the strengths of South Africa's bid to deliver a world-classevent," he added.

Durban has selected a group, led by Group Five and WBHO, as preferred bidders to build its 70 000-seater stadium and the municipality has stated that a tender dispute would not delay construction. PG Mavundla Engineering and its partner, Muratori Cementiti Di Ravenna claimed that their tender was the lowest bid and that its consortium should have secured the contract. The dispute would reappear in the Durban High Court next month.In February, the Grinaker-LTA/Interbeton Ibhayi JV was appointed by the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality to build a new stadium in Port Elizabeth.

The contract for the R920-million Mbobela stadium, in Nelspruit, was awarded to a JV between Bouygues, a French construction company, and Basil Read, late last year.

Polokwane 2010

2009-08-29T20:23:00.000-07:00

Facts

Name: Polokwane, place of safety
Province: Limpopo
Population: 508 272
Altitude: 1310m
Geography: 60 kilometers south of the Tropic of Capricorn. The landscape is mainly grassland interspersed with rocky granite hills, referred to as 'koppies' in South African English. Climate: Tropical climate with winter temperatures 20°- 4° Centigrade and summer temperatures between 28-16° Centigrade.
Key Economic Sectors: Agriculture, mining, manufacturing
Professional Football Clubs: Black Leopards, Dynamos, Winners Park (1st Division)

Polokwane is often described as a vibrant, busy and colourful wonderland in a sea of grasslands, surrounded by scenic mountains. It is home to many fascinating people and some remarkable cultural diversity. Polokwane is situated at the centre of the Limpopo Province and is surrounded by three of South Africa's neighbours: Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. It is the economic and cultural hub of Limpopo and is attracting investments into the province. This is also the land of the upside down tree known as ‘Baobab', which is the biggest tree in Africa.

Polokwane, which means 'place of safety', was previously known as Pietersburg.

The area around Polokwane is steeped in mythology and resonates with the sound of the ancient lands. It has seen the history of the Mapungubwe people who flourished during the Iron Age and Modjadji, the Rain Queen. The Bakone Malapa Northern Sotho Open-Air Museum is a good introduction to the daily life of the dynamic Bakone people. The Bakone people are a highly sophisticated northern Sotho tribe.

The Polokwane Museum, housed in the historic Irish House, has interesting exhibitions including a history of the city and its environs. Here you will find artifacts from the Stone and Iron ages.There are 4x4 adventure excursions and hiking trails in the Polokwane Game Reserve.

History Polokwane has been part of the history of the Stone Age nomads, Iron Age settlements and European migrations.The Mapungubwe people settled in this area 2,000 years ago. The Mapungubwe World Heritage site is at the confluence of the Limpopo and Sashe Rivers and borders Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa. The site documents the civilization who lived in the area from 1000-1300AD.

Polokwane is the capital of Limpopo, the northern-most province of South Africa. Gold was first discovered in the area at Eersteling and the economy of the town flourished. This was solidified in 1886, when Pietersburg was named after General Petrus Jacobus Joubert, a leader of the Voortrekkers (first Dutch settlers in South Africa).

Football Professional soccer first came to Polokwane in 1995 when Real Rovers were promoted to the country's Premier Soccer League. There have been two other Limpopo Province-based sides who have competed at the highest level; Dynamos and Black Leopards. Both these teams have since been relegated to the lower ranks.

Winner's Park is another popular club in the area and now compete in the First Division. The Peter Mokaba stadium holds a special memory for the 2006 African Football Player of the Year. In 2001, Didier Drogba made his debut for Côte d'Ivoire in a decisive CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualification game. South Africa won the encounter 2-1, securing a place for Bafana Bafana in the 2004 CAF Africa Cup of Nations.

Nelspruit statdium

2009-08-29T20:16:00.000-07:00

Nelspruit - Construction of the Mbombela stadium for the 2010 Fifa World Cup in the Mpumalanga city of Nelspruit is well on track and nearly 40% complete.

This emerged on a site tour of the 46 000-seater stadium given by the Mpumalanga provincial government, which was also hosting a trade delegation from the Maputo province of Mozambique.

According to Leon Botha, the stadium's senior engineering technician and project leader, the construction is progressing as originally planned and on budget.

"Except for a few minor Eskom and labour problems we had, everything is progressing well," says Botha.

He was referring to the power crisis facing South Africa - which has resulted in the parastatal embarking on demand-side management through power cuts - and the wage strike late last year by construction workers aligned to the National Union Mineworkers (NUM).

The strike brought work to a standstill for nearly three weeks in November and as late as February this year.

Botha said the issues had been resolved through negotiations with labour representatives and that "negotiations are a continuous affair" in a project of this nature.

"We haven't suffered any load-shedding in the past two months as a result of our own back-up plans," said Botha.

He was speaking a few hours after of the day's scheduled load-shedding that plunged the city into darkness for two hours in the ongoing efforts to meet demand by Eskom. "We installed two generators two months ago."

Botha said the stadium is well on schedule to be completed by May 2009, a year ahead of the soccer showpiece.

Construction materials prices have increased significantly since last year.

Already this year steel producer ArcelorMittal SA has announced three price increases totalling about 68% as a result of "high global" input costs. However, Botha said the project has experienced no unexpected overruns in the budget.

"We have no budget overruns as we had placed all our orders well in advance," said Botha.

Nelspruit 2010

2009-08-29T20:05:00.000-07:00

Facts
Name: Nelspruit. The city's name has Dutch origins and means Nel's stream.

Province: Mpumalanga

Population: 21541

Altitude: 660m

Geography: Located on a low-lying plateau, known as the Lowveld, in the fertile Crocodile River valley in the north eastern part of South Africa.

Climate: Sub-tropical with temperatures around 23°C during winter and warming up to 29°C during summer.

Key Economic Sectors: Agriculture, Mining

Football Clubs: Mpumalanga Black Aces, Witbank Spurs (1st Division)

Surrounded by some of the country's most spectacular game reserves and the famous Kruger National Park, Nelspruit offers more than just a world-class football stadium. Nelspruit is the capital of Mpumalanga Province. In siSwati,(one of the official languages), Mpumalanga means a 'place where the sun rises'. With the unending view of rolling mountains from God's Window to the majestic scenes of the green hills contrasting with blue rivers at Blyde River Canyon, this is definitely a place the sun would not want to leave.

Nelspruit, located in the local municipality of Mbombela. The whole area invokes the idea of a 'Garden of Eden', with a flourishing fruit industry and countless waterfalls which drop from dramatic cliff faces. Wild horses roam freely in Kaapsehoop.

A few kilometres north of the small town of Middelburg lies the museum village of Botshabelo. It preserves the culture of the Ndebele, who belong to the large group of Nguni people. The Ndebele presumably moved around the 15th and 16th centuries from Natal to live here in a quasi-peaceful co-existence with other Nguni groups. Nearby Pilgrims Rest is an old gold-mining town which has seems to have been forgotten by time. Also in the area is Komatipoort, which serves as a gateway to Mozambique.

Nelspruit is a good base for exploring the nearby Limpopo Trans-frontier Park, which incorporates the Kruger National Park (South Africa), Limpopo National Park (Mozambique) and Gonarezhou National Park (Zimbabwe).

History Nelspruit is named after the Nel family which settled in the area in 1905. The family farmed cattle in the area and eventually settled along the Crocodile River which runs through the centre of the province.

The nearby Sudwala caves became a place of Swazi legend. The dolomite caves were a safe haven for Prince Somquba, who sought refuge here from persecution. He eventually died, but the rest of the survivors sought refuge in the caves under the leadership of a tribal councilor named Sudwala.

Football Newly-promoted side Mpumalanga Black Aces are the only professional outfit from the Mpumalanga province. Before that, Dangerous Darkies, who spent two seasons in the top flight in the early 1990s, were the last side to compete in the elite South African league but just as quickly faded from view.

The most famous footballer to emerge from Nelspruit is former Bafana Bafana fullback David Nyathi, who played in Spain, Switzerland and in Italy's Serie A for Cagliari. He was a member of the FIFA World XI who played a match in Marseille as part of the festivities for the 1998 FIFA World Cup™ Final Draw.
Fifa world cup 2010 thecup 2010 fifa 2010

Nelson mandela bay stadium

2009-08-29T18:36:00.000-07:00

Port Elizabeth stadium almost complete

The last of 36 roof truss girders was fitted on Port Elizabeth's 2010 Fifa World Cup stadium on Wednesday as the venue neared completion.

With 15 months left before the World Cup kick-off, the R1.7-billion stadium is well ahead of South Africa's other built-from-scratch stadiums for 2010, and will be the first to be completed ahead of the Fifa Confederations Cup in June.

"When South Africa made a promise to host the biggest event in the world in 2004, we were sure to deliver on that promise," the metropolitan municipality said in a statement. "The delivery of the Nelson Mandela bay multi-purpose stadium in May 2009 will be a big step in that process."

The stadium will seat 44 000, while an extra 4 000 seats will be temporarily installed for the World Cup. This capacity will ensure that the stadium is able to host eight World Cup games, including a third- and fourth-place playoff and a quarterfinal.

The municipality said the handing over of the stadium would be held at the end of April, and several games were lined up to test the stadium when it becomes operational in May.

The first trial game is planned for that month, while the first full-capacity match will be staged on 16 June, when the British and Irish Lions will play an Eastern Cape coastal team.

The stadium building is approximately 40 metres high and consists of six levels on the western side in addition to five on each of the north, south and east stands.

Two big viewing screens will be installed for the live viewing of events, as well as two conference rooms capable of accommodating 200 people, the municipality said. There will be 23 private boxes with a planned additional 22 private boxes, including two bars, as part of the post-World Cup building.

There are four ramps for easy wheelchair access, 74 toilet blocks and 32 colour-coded turnstile gates.

According to the municipality, all aspects of the project have factored in energy efficiency. These include energy-saving designs, a building management system, temperature control and reduced energy consumption rates.

"The bulk sewer and bulk water line to service the stadium development has also been completed. The playing field is natural grass, with the outer and surrounding areas consisting of artificial turf."

With most of the hard work nearly done, members of the council took on local team Bay United in an exhibition kick-about match to commemorate the placement of the last girder on Wednesday - laying claim to being the first players to run out on a World Cup stadium pitch.

For the municipality, the progress on the stadium allows the city to shift its focus away from capital projects such as stadium construction to concentrate on building up excitement among residents for the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

The city will soon embark on an aggressive marketing campaign, and will this week officially launch the Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth 2010 Fifa World Cup poster.

"We can now re-focus our attention and energy on other areas, such as the beautification of our streets, accommodation, tourism and marketing," said the municipality.

fifa world cup 2010 the cup 2010 fifa 2010

Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth 2010

2009-08-29T11:13:00.000-07:00

Facts

Name:Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth

Province: Eastern Cape Population: 1 00 5779

Altitude: 0m Geography: Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth is nestled in the shelter of Algoa Bay

Climate: Sub-tropical with winter rainfall. The city has mild temperatures ranging from 20°- 9°C during winter and 25°-17°C during summer.

Key Economic Sectors: Motor Industry, Tourism

Professional Football Clubs: Bay United (Premier)

Named after one of the world's renowned statesman and South African icon, Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth is one of the most sought-after destinations in South Africa. It will host the third and fourth place play-off.

Known as ‘the Friendly City', Nelson Mandela Bay/ Port Elizabeth is surrounded by immaculate beaches and is one of South Africa's port cities .It is located in the Eastern Cape Province, which has been home to some of the country's most iconic figures including Mandela, former president Thabo Mbeki, Steve Biko, Chris Hani, Walter Sisulu, Oliver Tambo and other heroes of the struggle against apartheid.

The city's buildings are a physical timeline of the architectural changes dating as far back as the 19th century. The Opera House is a good example of Victorian architecture and is still in use and the city also has the richest collection of Art Nouveau buildings in South Africa. Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth is an exceptionally busy port city and is regarded as the motor industry capital of South Africa.

Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth was a core centre of resistance to the oppressive apartheid regime. In 2000, Port Elizabeth became part of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality. It was named in honour of Nelson Mandela and includes the cities of Dispatch and Uitenhage in its jurisdictional area.

Football Football, rugby and cricket are the most popular sports in this part of the world and it is therefore not surprising that some of the country's top cricketers, rugby and footballershave emerged from the Eastern Cape Province.

The now-relegated Bay United were the city's only top flight outfit. And with the team failing to preserve their spot in top flight football, it means the city once again finds itself without a professional club. Before Bay United, the city's last professional team was Michau Warriors, which was relegated in 1997. PE Blackpool played in the top flight in 1991 after the unification of the segregated football leagues. Among other players who from the area are former Bafana Bafana defender Frank Schoeman, Patrick Mayo and Blackburn Rovers forward Elrio van Heerden.

The city was a host for the group and quarter-final stages of the 1996 CAF Africa Cup of Nations. Most football games have been hosted at the Eastern Province Rugby Football Union stadium. South Africa beat Trinidad and Tobago in the 2003 edition of the Nelson Mandela. The city also hosted Senegal for the 2005 Nelson Mandela Challenge. South Africa lost 2-3 to Senegal.

TheCup2010, World Cup 2010

Fifa ball 2010

2009-08-27T20:30:00.000-07:00

The testing procedures and designations offer many benefits to those who buy soccer balls (footballs) including guaranteed quality, value for money and better playing performance. Since January 1, 1996 only those outdoor footballs which have been tested and meet the demanding quality criteria, bearing either of the official markings 'FIFA Approved', 'FIFA Inspected' or 'International Matchball Standard (IMS),' are allowed to be used in FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association www.fifa.com ) competition matches and competition matches under the auspices of the six continental Confederations.

As of January 1, 2000 the quality testing and certification has also become compulsory for indoor footballs used for international matches under the auspices of FIFA and the Confederations.

FIFA has set out to ensure that the balls used in top matches meet the most exacting standards. It has meant a general upgrading of standards of footballs (soccer balls) throughout the world.
Testing procedures for the balls submitted for these designations are designed to simulate match conditions.

Manufacturers have to submit seven balls if they are applying for "FIFA Inspected" status, and ten samples if they seek the "FIFA Approved" label. All these are put through their paces at EMPA, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research in St.Gallen.

There is another qualification level, too, less demanding than the others. This is the designation "International Matchball Standard", and for this the applicant footballs (soccer balls) can be sent to any of seven European test institutes which have been selected by FIFA to test and certify the balls for this category, which is free of any royalty fees.

There are a total of seven tests. All footballs are submitted for the first six and only potential "FIFA Approved" candidates for the seventh test, which is a shooting test for shape and size retention, including change of pressure.

However, the criteria for "FIFA Approved" footballs are higher throughout. For example, 25% loss of pressure is acceptable for a "FIFA Inspected" applicant, but only 20% for a "FIFA Approved" ball.

Referees of FIFA and Confederation matches are among the beneficiaries. They simply have to check that the ball carries one of the three marks and that the pressure is correct, rather than having to check weight, circumference and other details before matches.
The testing criteria are indeed tough, but they have been set by the industry itself. Only the best products pass the test, which means that the new standards are worthwhile. Licensees include most of the major leading brands and also manufacturers from India, China, Thailand and Japan, showing that the value put on the FIFA mark is as universal as football itself.

Fifa World Cup 2010 the cup 2010

Mangaung / Bloemfontein 2010

2009-08-27T20:02:00.000-07:00

Facts

Name: Mangaung / Bloemfontein

Province: Free State Population: 850 000

Altitude: 1400m Geography: The city is located in central South Africa on the Free State Plateau. The landscape is accentuated by grassland plains and low hills.

Climate: : Dry winters, from May to August with temperatures around 17° C in the day and reaching -2° C at night. Summer ranges from October to February and city is much warmer, around 30° C during the day and cloud bursts in the afternoon.

Key Economic Sectors: Trade, Finance, Transport

Professional Football Clubs: Bloemfontein Celtic, Free State Stars (Premier League) Carara Kicks (1st Division

At the heart of the Free State Province lies artistic city of Mangaung/ Bloemfontein which is home to some of the country's most fanatical football supporters. The city's open spaces reflect the openness of its people - friendly, warm and quietly dignified. The city's citizens are a unique blend of rural tranquility and vibrant city life.
Mangaung/Bloemfontein is the judicial capital of South Africa and the provincial capital of the Free State Province.
The Appeal Court,which is the highest court in South Africa, is also found in the city. Mangaung literally means "Place of the Cheetahs" in SeSotho, which is one of South Africa's 11 official languages. On the other hand, Bloemfontein literally means 'fountain of flowers' in Dutch

The regal stinkwood paneled courtroom was completed in 1929. The city hall is a magnificent sandstone building built by Sir Gordon Leith and the city has an inner game reserve. The Free State is bordered by four of South Africa's nine provinces and the country of Lesotho. The city has a wealth of culture and history, reflected by its rich architectural heritage, numerous museums and monuments.
The Golden Gate National Park in the eastern Free State has sandstone cliffs, which illuminate in gold hues when the sun strikes the exposed cliffs. The Vredefort Dome is the oldest impact crater in the world, dating back 2,023 million years and the expansive Gariep Dam is a local favourite among the landlocked people of the Free State and Gauteng.

History Chief Yoruka and the Barolong tribe settled in the area around Thaba Nchu in the early 1830s. In the late 1800s the Free State became home to Chief Moshoeshoe and the Basotho tribe. The area became a safe haven for tribes fleeing King of the Zulu's, Shaka Zulu.
The Mangaung Local Municipality was formed at the end of 2000 by amalgamating the transitional local councils of Bloemfontein, Botshabelo, Thaba Nchu with two rural councils. It is the sixth largest city in South Africa. Although amalgamated under one city authority in 2000, Bloemfontein was initially founded by Dutch and English settlers in mid-1800s. Bloemfontein is rumoured to have been named after an abundance of roses which grew around a fountain on a farm owned by a Dutch settler (Voortrekker), Johannes Nicolaas Brit.

Football In South Africa, Bloemfontein is known as a nest to some of the country's most decorated and colourful football supporters known for their sheer enthusiasm and vociferous singing during games. Local outfit, Bloemfontein Celtic are the most popular football side from the city with their famous clan of supporters, known as Siwelele. The team's playing kit is very similar to that of Scottish side, Celtic, with green and white horizontal stripes.

Free State Stars is another professional outfit from Free State. Football in Bloemfontein, was first played in 1891, when the territory was an independent Boer republic, known as the 'Oranje Free Staat'. Famous clubs like Aberdeen, Dundee United (both Scotland), Newcastle United (England), Ajax Amsterdam (Netherlands) and Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany) played tour matches in the territory. Bloemfontein City played briefly as the first professional club of the city.

Soccer City

2009-08-27T19:10:00.000-07:00

One of the most artistic and awe-inspiring football venues on the African continent, the newly-reconstructed Soccer City Stadium will host the first and final matches of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™.

The ground's design is inspired by the iconic African pot known as the calabash, and its aesthetic appeal will be heightened when the stadium is lit at night. Soccer City is located in Johannesburg's southwest and is only a short distance from one of the country's football-crazy townships, Soweto. About 40 per cent of Johannesburg's population live in Soweto and this proximity is bound to make the stadium a hub of activity throughout the 2010 finals.

The stadium is widely regarded as the heart of football in South Africa as it has hosted many important matches through history. In the mid 1980s, officials came together to build the first international football stadium in the country and the construction was funded from the football fraternity's coffers. Soccer City hosted the first mass rally of Nelson Mandela after his release from prison in 1990. Thousands of mourners lamented Chris Hani's assassination at the stadium in 1993. It was also the venue for the 1996 CAF African Cup of Nations final, with South Africa eventually triumphing 2-0 over Tunisia.

The original stadium, which was known as the FNB Stadium, had a capacity of 80,000. Upgrades involved extending the upper tier to increase the capacity to 94,700; adding 99 more suites to bring the number to 184; constructing an encircling roof; adding new changing room facilities and installing new floodlighting.

Fifa World Cup 2010 thecup2010

Johannesburg 2010

2009-08-27T18:52:00.000-07:00

Facts
Name: Johannesburg, also referred to as Jozi, Joburg or Egoli (place of Gold)

Province: Gauteng Province

Population: 3,2 million

Altitude: 1753m

Geography: Located on the eastern high-lying plateau in South Africa referred to as the Highveld.

Climate: Dry with winter temperatures ranging from 24°-16°C. Summer is temperate with temperatures exceeding 30°C and afternoon thundershowers.

Key Economic Sectors: Retail, Finance

Professional Football Clubs: Bidvest Wits, Kaizer Chiefs, Moroka Swallows Orlando Pirates (Premier) FC AK, Jomo Cosmos (1st Division)

Johannesburg or the City of Gold, as the city is known in South Africa, is the business hub of South Africa, contributing a substantial part of the country's GDP approximately 12%. The City is home to two of the country's most popular football teams and historical arch-rivals, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates. Johannesburg is also known as the economic engine of Southern Africa and the trendsetter of South Africa. It is a melting pot laced with all the flavours of African cultures and beyond

Despite the hustle and bustle of the big city, Jo'burg is unexpectedly green and orientated towards outdoor living. It has a wealth of trees creating an 'urban forest', and many of the trees are located in the 2328 parks.

Cultural wealth is also in abundance, with a host of interesting museums including the Apartheid Museum, Constitution Hill and the living memory of the South Western Townships, which include the world acclaimed Soweto. The Mai Mai Market is the oldest market in Johannesburg and is a great place to discover traditional remedies. But more than that, Johannesburg has become a truly African city, melding disparate people from across the continent with the descendents of the original Tswana and Ndebele inhabitants and the European, Indian and Chinese settlers.

Today descendents of immigrants from around the world call themselves Joburgers and they are added to daily by a continual stream of migrants, keen to have some of the city's shine rub off on them.

History The Tswana name for Johannesburg is eGoli, a place of gold. The San and Stone Age people were the first inhabitants of the area. The face of the area changed when an Australian gold prospector generated interest in the mineral wealth beneath the surface. Johannesburg became a city in 1886, during the beginning of the Witwatersrand Gold Rush.

The city also became a political hotspot during the apartheid years. Soweto was an important instrument in the liberation of South Africa. In 1955, many anti-apartheid movements met in Kliptown, Soweto to sign the Freedom Charter. The Charter enshrined the belief in equality for all. It also became the working document for the current Constitution of South Africa.

Football A heartland of South African football, Johannesburg is the backbone of the professional game. The majority of professional clubs come from the city and its surrounds. The professional football outfits from the city are: Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates, Jomo Cosmos, BidVest Wits and one of the oldest clubs in the country, Moroka Swallows.

The city centre has been at the core of football development in South Africa. Professional football was formed in the offices of the old Rand Daily Mail newspaper in 1958. In later years, football unity talks took place at the old Rand International Hotel. Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates, Jomo Cosmos and the now defunct Highlands Park, Rangers and Lusitano have all been championship-winning clubs.

A match between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, which is dubbed as the ‘Soweto Derby' in South Africa, is the biggest drawcard in the country. Everytime the two meet, they attract a capacity crowd and their rivarly has been well documented throughout the decades.
Jo'burg is home to some of the country's most prized talent that include, Jomo Sono,Kaizer Motaung, Ace Ntsoelengoe, Doctor Khumalo, Lucas Radebe and many others. Sono played with Pele and Franz Beckenbauer at New York Cosmos.

Ntsoelengoe is revered as one of the greatest football players ever to be produced in South African football. He enjoyed immense success in the NASL.

The Premier League-based Wits University (now called BidVest Wit) are a team based at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. Due to their location, the team is affectionately known as the 'Clever Boys' or the ‘Students'..

Johanesburg has hosted major games before including the CAF Africa Cup of Nations, which was won by South Africa beating Tunisia 2-0 at Soccer City. The Ellis Park Stadium, situated in the heart of Johannesburg, hosted the historic 1995 Rugby World Cup where South Africa were crowned as the rugby world champions.

Fifa World Cup 2010 thecup2010

Durban Stadium

2009-08-26T07:58:00.000-07:00

The newly-built Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban will host one of the semi-finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. The ground epitomises the architectural innovation on display in South Africa and takes its design inspiration from the South African flag, with its grand arch representing the unity of this sport-loving nation. The two legs of the arch on the southern side of the stadium come together to form a single footing on the northern side, symbolising the new unity of a once-divided country.

The 70,000-seater has been specifically designed as a multi-purpose venue and an amphitheatre complete with a cable car which ascends to a viewing platform at the top of the expansive 350m arch, a staggering 106m above the pitch. From this vantage point, visitors can experience spectacular panoramic views of the nearby shoreline and the city. The roof is attached to the arch by 95mm-diameter steel cables. Each seat of the stadium is spacious and comfortable, providing a clear line of sight to the pitch.

It is a world-class and multifunctional arena located in the heart of the Kings Park Sporting Precinct. Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium will be the jewel in the crown of the Kings Park Sporting precinct. The entire area will feature additional sporting arenas and facilities as well as restaurants, shops, play areas for children and a pedestrian walkway linking the stadium complex to the beach.

The stadium was built on the site of the old Kings Park Stadium. Moses Mabhida, the ground's namesake, was born in Thornville near Pietermaritzburg on 14 October 1923 into a poor family who were later forced off their land. In 1963, Mabhida was asked by Oliver Tambo while working in Prague rallying support from the World Federation of Trade Unions, to come back to Africa to develop the ANC's armed wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK). He underwent military training and became the chief political instructor of new military recruits. He later served as the commander of MK.

Durban 2010

2009-08-26T06:46:00.000-07:00

Facts

Name: Durban Province: KwaZulu-Natal

Population: 3064624

Altitude: 0m

Geography: The city is located on a huge natural lagoon that forms its harbour with a range of hills inland that are the remains of fossilized sand-dunes.

Climate: Sub-tropical, mild and sunny winters, hot and humid summers. Average temperatures are around 16 to 25° C year round.

Key Economic Sectors: Tourism, transport, agriculture, manufacturing

Football Clubs: Amazulu, Golden Arrows, Thanda Royal Zulu, Maritzburg United (Premier) Durban Stars, Nathi Lions (1st Division)

The City of Durban or Ethekwini, is a place of fusion. It is the largest city in the KwaZulu-Natal Province. The city has an intense gusto for life.and has a diverse range of cultures Durban is the venue for one of the two semifinals of the FIFA World Cup and with its humid weather, it is bound to be a tourist hot spot during the tournament.

Durban, which is also a port city, is the busiest port in Africa. You can take a ride on a rickshaw, a distinctive Durban experience, with the drivers decorated in ornate headdresses. At the very heart of Durban is the 'golden mile', a four kilometer stretch of beaches, promenades, swimming pools and restaurants. The water is warmed by the Aghulas current and even during winter, the water temperature averages at 15°C making it ideal for year-round swimming.

UShaka Marine World is Africa's largest Marine-themed park. Within the park is one of the five largest aquariums in the world.

Durban hosted the Preliminary Draw on 25 November 2007. Durban is also a gateway to the Zulu Kingdom, where tourists can experience the intensity of Zulu culture. The city is also a good base from which to explore two UNESCO World Heritage sites. The Greater St Lucia Wetland Park has various landforms such as coral reefs, coastal dunes, lake systems, swamps, and reed and papyrus wetlands. The Ukahlamba/Drakensberg National Park has dramatic blue mountains and the largest concentration of rock paintings south of the Sahara.

History The history of the area extends to hundred years dating on rock art found in caves in the uKhahlamba/ Drakensberg National Park. The San lived in these mountains for four millenniums and they documented their history in rock art. This discovery has since led to the inclusion of the uKhahlamba/ Drakensberg National Park as a UNESCO World Heritage site
The Zulu nation originally migrated south from the Great Lakes region as part of the Nguni migration. They settled in the area now known as KwaZulu-Natal and many great leaders, including Shaka, have led the Zulu nation into historically revered battles.

On 25 December 1497, a Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama anchored in a natural lagoon which would become the site of present-day Durban. He thought the lagoon was a river and named it Rio de Natal (Christmas River), but it was later corrected and changed to Port Natal. Port Natal became Durban on 23 June 1835, in honour of the Cape Governor, Sir Benjamin D'Urban.

Football Durban is home to two Premier Soccer League clubs, Golden Arrows and Maritzburg United.

The city is said to have hosted South Africa's first football league in 1882, which comprised four clubs: Pietermaritzburg County, Natal Wasps, Durban Alpha and Umgeni Stars.
Durban has produced numerous South African championship-winning sides but in recent years its teams have struggled to preserve their top flight statuses. Zulu Royals were the first winners of the National Professional Soccer League in 1971.

After the major leagues unified, Durban Bush Bucks and Manning Rangers both won the championship. Durban City and Durban United, which are now both defunct, were frequent league and cup winners in the National Football League.

Durban is the birthplace of the former Zimbabwe international goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar, who, while at Liverpool, added his name to a rare list of Africans who have played for teams which won the European Cup. The city has also produced talented football players such as Sibusiso Zuma, Siyabonga Nomvete and Delron Buckley.

Durban hosted group, quarter-final and semi-final games in the 1996 CAF Africa Cup of Nations. The city also hosted South Africa's game against England in 2003, which helped launch the country's bid for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. England won the encounter 2-1.
Going To…

Green Point Stadium

2009-08-26T06:32:00.000-07:00

One of the most artistic football venues in South Africa, the newly-built Green Point Stadium is situated in one of the much sought-after areas in the city of Cape Town. Green Point Stadium is one of the two semi-final venues for the FIFA World Cup™.

This multi-purpose venue is also going to be used to stage major events and concerts. Fans will be a stone's throw from the ocean and the mountains of Cape Town will also provide the backdrop for matches. The location is ideal as it is a short walk from the transportation hub of the city. The new stadium has been partly built on land that was previously used as a golf course.

The stadium, which has an exterior that is covered with noise-reducing cladding has a capacity of 70,000 and is scheduled for completion in December 2009. The Green Point Common, on which the new 2010 stadium is being built, was originally much larger than what now remains, and included most of the land between the sea and Signal Hill, stretching from the city centre towards Sea Point.

Cape Town has another world-standard stadium, Newlands, but this is primarily used as a rugby union venue. Post FIFA World Cup, the Green Point Stadium is likely to be used by some of the Cape Town-based professional football outfits that include Ajax Cape Town and Santos.

Cape Town 2010

2009-08-26T06:11:00.000-07:00

Facts

Name: Cape Town The city's name is derived from its association with the Cape of Good Hope.

Province: Western Cape

Population: 1,3 million

Altitude: 0m

Geography: The city is located on either side of a mountain ridge on the Cape Peninsula and low-lying flat areas at sea level.

Climate: Mediterranean climate with winter rainfall and temperatures around 18°C. Summer time is generally warm with temperatures in the range of 25-27°C.

Key Economic Sectors: Tourism, Agriculture, Manufacturing

Professional Football Clubs: Ajax Cape Town, Santos (Premier) Hanover Park, Ikapa Sporting, FC Cape Town (1st Division)

Cape Town is a diverse city and is regarded as the melting point for various different cultures in Southern Africa. One would be hard pressed to find a reason not to fall in love with one of South Africa's most iconic city, Cape Town. It has one of the most idyllic settings - nestled between the ocean and breath-taking mountains. The iconic Table Mountain rises 1,086 above the city and has served as a mariner's landmark. On a clear day, the flat-topped mountain is visible 200km out to sea.

The "Mother city", as Cape Town is known in South Africa, has an abundance of contrasting activities from lounging on the Atlantic seaboard's popular beaches to exploring the vividly painted area of the Bo-Kaap. Hout Bay is a hub for fishing, especially tuna and crayfish, and the historical naval base at Simon's Town has a fascinating past.

The Victoria and Alfred (V&A) Waterfront is a great location for shopping, and is also host to the Two Oceans Aquarium, depicting sea life from the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Long Street has long been a place of bustling nightlife and there is a wealth of museums in the city to discover. The Western Cape area is renowned as a wine-producing area, and there are tours available along the 'wine route'.

Cape Town has distinct Malay influences, reminiscent of days when the spice route traveled via its shores. There are also many foreign people who have made Cape Town their home, and the result is a hybrid of cultures in a cosmopolitan city.

History It is said that Cape Town had its first inhabitants as early as 100,000 BC, when hunter-gatherers roamed the Cape Peninsula. After the arrival of European sailors in 1652, it became a haven for sailors who traveled along the African coast on the spice route to India.

The city has also played an important role in contemporary South African history. One of the most iconic sites in Cape Town is Robben Island, a place that was used as a prison for political prisoners as early as 1898. Robben Island became famous as the place of incarceration for the Rivonia Trial accused, which included Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu and many others.

Cape Town has been the legislative capital of South Africa since 1910. The Houses of Parliament, still in use today, were built in 1885.

Football Cape Town has produced many of South Africa's top recent internationals such as Shaun Bartlett, Benni McCarthy, Andre Arendse and former legends such as Albert Johannensen and David Julius, who played top football in Europe.

The City has also produced many other top footballers that went on to play for some of the top clubs in Europe. Former Manchester United player, Quinton Fortune is one such example. Fortune signed for United in 1999. .

South Africa's all-time top goalscorer, Benni McCarthy has enjoyed international success, winning the UEFA Champions League with FC Porto under the leadership of Jose Mourinho. He also won a Portuguese top flight Golden Boot. McCarthy has been one of the country's most celebrated players in the last 10 years.

Bartlett played for FC Zurich in 1998 and then made the move to Charlton Athletic in 2000. During his tenure at Charlton, he helped the club consolidate their position in the English top flight..

The now defunct Hellenic FC was the first Cape Town side to win a championship in 1971, soon followed by Cape Town City. In 1995, Cape Town Spurs swept the board and did the double, claiming the league and knockout cup crowns. All three clubs have since folded.

Ajax Cape Town and Santos, champions in 2002, continue to keep professional football alive in the city. Ajax Cape Town is a satellite club of Dutch giants, Ajax Amsterdam and the partnership between the two clubs has seen many players launching their careers in Europe. Those include current Everton star, Steven Pienaar, Bafana Bafana captain, Aaron Mokoena, McCarthy and many others.

Cape Town has a number of clubs that compete in the country;s First Division. They are Ikapa Sporting, FC Cape Town, Hanover Park and Vasco da Gama.

World Cup 2018/2022 Bidding Nation Logos and Slogans

2009-08-25T19:02:00.000-07:00

Bidding to host the World Cup is all about infrastructure. You need quality stadia, reliable public transport and an absolute boatload of available hotel rooms.
But you also need a nice looking logo and a catchy slogan. So below are listed all the available logos and slogans for the various World Cup 2018/2022 bids.
Australia 2018/2022 - “Come Play!”

Belgium/Netherlands 2018/2022 - “Together for Great Goals”
(Together in theory, but the fact that the Netherlands side of the logo dwarfs the Belgian side is surely a coded message.)

England 2018/2022 - “…”
Deliberately slogan free. Apparently the “Football’s Coming Home” slogan for the 2006 bid was considered arrogant, so this time they’re not risking anything.

Qatar 2022 - “It’s Our Time”

USA 2018/2022 - “The Game is in Us”
(Despite furious Googling, I was unable to find logos for Japan, South Korea, Indonesia Mexico, Russia, or the joint bid from Spain & Portugal. So they must not want it as badly. If you spot any of these logois, please leave a link in the comments.)

Please feel free to compare the above (official) slogans with those suggested by World Cup Blog readers.

The main thing I’m noticing is that none of the above are particularly good. The USA bid looks like a nuersery/kindergarten logo, the England bid is just the word England badly shaped into a football, and Australia went with the rather unimaginative two kangaroos and a soccer ball. Only Qatar and Belgium/Netherlands get a passing grade.

The only explanation I can think of is that if any of the above bids are successful, they’ll have to come up with a whole new logo for the actual tournament. Which might explain why Qatar and Belgium/Netherlands have put the effort in early. Hopefully the other bids are just keeping their graphic design powder dry.

FIFA will announce the World Cup 2018 and 2022 hosts in December 2010.