Stadium World Cup 2014 Road To Brazil

In our life time can a miracles happen? Can we see a nation from Africa raise the cup which unites nations? I believe Africa do not need a miracle but hard work. It should start now by embracing this beautiful game, in the back yards. The governments form this continents should put more money on developing young players.
Why Is This Continent Is Failing?
1. Lack of Support From the Governments- Looking at the previous of Ghana's performance in this year world cup you can agree with me that it could at least went to the semi finals but what happened they lost by the margin because back home people said their squad was full of young players.
2. Money- Most of African players play overseas because of lack of money in the local teams.
3. Lack of youth development program- In my native language they say Lere le ojwa le sale metsi meaning it is better to prune a tree when it is young as long as we do not have best soccer academy we will always STRUGGLE.
4. Lack of Concentration- The teams lack concentration,if the team scores first in the match it turns to feel like they have already won,and when the other team scores then you will see most of the teams struggles to come back to the game. As the result they lose.
What Can Be Done That A Team From This Continent Reach Semi Finals?
1. For start we have seen South Africa host very best world cup,so for only that shows that Africans can do it if they work together. Countries like South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, Algeria and others which have resources and money can work together in supporting each in by best academy for all African teams. This is only my opinion, for example next year the teams that will African Cup Of Nation its young players can be assisted.
2. Like any gospel they should preach it in every meeting that they hold in their continent meeting were it must be their agendas and ask why they are not winning and they have majority of their players play in most of Europe's best teams.
3. In schools soccer must be played from early age and children must be given funding for the game, have passion for it. This is one of the game that in the world brings humanity together in the a very powerful way it is indeed a beautiful game, so if any team from this continent win or maybe get to the semi final it will bring the moral of every African in the world. It is not only about playing but passion for the game. When South Africa was the host it lost in first round but Ghana remained in the tournament, what happened next? Every African from all works of life started to be behind it. It was a moving experience to see what this game can do people. South Africans from their past history of racial conflicts rose above that but sang together hand in hand supporting another African team. This game really brings humanity together, so as this game does it can indeed bring up the moral of Africa in the in every aspect.
4. Preparation- Nations must start preparing their teams now in the squads,have players in the team that you already prune them for the future.
5. Soccer Federations- They must not be on their own, the must be responsibility of the country's ministry of sports. Help them and make show their report is read and they public have a say.
2014 Brazil Can Africa Rise And Shine?
Honestly there is a lot to be done but as African it our responsibility that this nations can do well, by supporting local talents NGO in the country help disadvantage kids who love the game.

Getting to know Brazil which is an enormously popular attraction among the international tourists is a must before you travel. Try to know a few interesting facts about Brazilian destinations that possess something unique and wonderful making them worthy of worldwide recognition. Before you get into the many attractions, interesting activities, fantastic beaches, uncommon wildlife, exotic places and many more, here are some interesting facts about Brazil:
Brazil is the biggest country in Latin America and one of the biggest in the world geographically. With a coastline of over 7,367 kilometers, Brazil's size is even larger than Italy, Portugal, Japan, Spain, Indonesia and South Africa combined.
In terms of religion, it is the biggest Catholic country and second highest Christian population which presents the tallest iconic statue of Christ the Redeemer overlooking Rio de Janeiro which is considered on of the seven wonders of the world.

Brazil is the only country to have won 5 World Cup titles and is one of the main exporters of soccer players and coaches around the globe. Soccer or football (futebol, as it is called here) is a national passion played on the streets, fields, beaches, indoors, outdoors and of course. Maracanã is one of the world's biggest and most beautiful stadiums. World Cup 2014 and World Olympics 2016 will be in Brazil.
The world's largest rainforest which comprises 2.3 square million miles is found in the Amazon region in Brazil where the famous Amazon River is found. It is home to wonderful ecological displays enriched by diverse flora and fauna and unique animal species. Well, it also holds a record of deforestation and illegal logging and hunting.

 The most extravagant and tourist drawing carnival is scattered around Brazilian cities mainly Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Recife and Olinda. It is an awaited moment of the year which requires long-term preparation in terms of choreography, music and production originality. With the lively samba rhythm, tourists both local and foreign can dance to their hearts' desire. While Carnival in big cities is commercialized, the one at the countryside is free for public participation and appreciation.

 

Yes, you read that correctly... Brazil lost the World Cup! But when was that and how come they still haven't got over it?
OK, you'll have to go back a while. Sixty years in fact. The thing was they were hosting the event. The one and only time that Brazil host the World Cup and they go and lose it. Lose it to near neighbours Uruguay in the final in front of over 199,000 people!
That crowd is a record by the way, a record for any football match. The final was held at the Estadio Maracana in Rio de Janeiro on July 4th 1950 and obviously Brazil were clear favourites to win. But it was more than that. The nation did not hope for a win... they expected it. A team containing the 'three musketeers', Ademir, Zizinho and Jair in attack just could not lose.
And they scored first, two minutes into the second half, Friaca's goal was met with the loudest roar of all time.
The crowd were silenced however in the 66th minute as Uruguayan legend Schiaffino equalised.
Brazil have seven of the past Golden Ball winners, four of the past Golden Boot winners, more than any other nation.
With Brazil continuing to press forward Ghiggia caught them on the break with the winner on 79 minutes.
The unthinkable had happened. Brazil had beaten beaten at home in their own footballing citadel, The Maracana. A huge stadium built for this day.
In a crowd of nearly 200,000 people there was utter silence and disbelief. The effect on the Brazilian nation of that defeat is still felt by many today. At the time Brazilians did not believe they could become a great nation until they had won the World Cup.
And to this day they still regard it as shameful.
Incredible isn't it? The Brazilians have won the World Cup a record breaking 5 times, in Ronaldo they have the highest scorer in World Cup history.

Super Brazil Football Team To Word Cup 2014

Are the sounds of the vuvuzela calling to you? Do you want to wish you could be part of the World Cup action in South Africa, rather than just watching the games on TV?
This year's competition might be halfway over, but the job opportunities for you are just beginning. If you love soccer (or should we say football) and want to turn that love into a career, check out these opportunities at the 2011 Women's World Cup, the 2014 World Cup, and with some of the world's largest soccer organizations.
Soccer Jobs at the 2011 Women's World Cup
Mark your calendars: the Women's competition will be held June 26 - July 17, 2011 in Germany. The best way to get your foot in the door to this elite soccer world is to volunteer. Volunteers are responsible for a wide range of activities, including guest services, hospitality, IT and communication, logistics, marketing, transportation and more.
Volunteering will not only help you make contacts at FIFA, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association and the world's governing body for all things soccer, but the experience will look great on a resume. In addition, World Cup volunteers typically enjoy free refreshments, travel, and other perks during their service. For more information, visit the Fifa Women's World Cup volunteer page.

Soccer Jobs at the 2014 Men's World Cup
Like the Women's World Cup, the best way to get involved is to volunteer with FIFA, the organization that runs both events. The 2014 event will take place in Brazil, and the opportunities will be announced as soon as this year's World Cup ends. For more information, watch the 2014 World Cup website.
Soccer Careers with the UEFA
The Union des Associations Européennes de Football (UEFA) works to promote the game and develop unity and solidarity between the different Europe's different football associations. You don't have to bend it like Bechkahm to work for them; UEFA currently employs administrators, IT specialists, coaches, journalists, and translators who offer a variety of backgrounds and skill sets. For information on job opportunities with UEFA, visit their "work with us" page.
Jobs at U.S. Soccer
Kindergarten co-ed teams. Middle school travel leagues. Professional teams. In the United States, U.S. Soccer is the governing body that oversees all soccer teams, leagues and organizations in the States. Although soccer is still relatively new to many Americans, U.S. Soccer was founded in 1913 and was one of the first organizations to be associated with FIFA. For a list of jobs and internships at U.S. Soccer, visit their jobs page.
Soccer Jobs with Major League Soccer
Whether you root for the Chicago Fire, the New England Revolution, or the Kansas City Wizards, Major League Soccer (MLS) has the job of overseeing them all. MLS works to promote and support professional soccer clubs in the U.S. Check out the MLS jobs page, which not only features jobs at MLS, but also links to each team's individual job listings.
No soccer team in history has surpassed the achievements of Brazil soccer team, not even their fellow Latin American teams.
Many great records had already been lined up in their history vault. As the Brazilian team continues to plow the soccer field everyday, their feats continue to add up even more.
Here are some of the facts and trivia regarding the team's success:
Of all the soccer teams, Brazil is the most successful and the one and only team up to date that has participated in all the 18 World Cups since the team's beginning in the 1930's where they played a record of 92 matches, of it they won 64 games, draws 14 games and had lost 14 times only. Out of those games, they scored 201 goals, also a record. Aside from World Cup feats, they also held the record win in Confederations Cup together with France. They won two times in 1997 and 2005. The Brazilian U17 team has also set a record for winning three times in the U17 World Cup, won 2 out of 3 Panamerican Championship, a now defunct league held sometime in 1952 and 1960. The only national team that Brazil did not claim any victory is Norway. They were also the only team that had won World Cups in all continents that had been able to host the competition, except for Africa and Oceania, they were not able to host any World Cups.
Of all the seven national teams that had claimed World Cup victories, Brazil is the only team that had not won in their own home ground.
Every national team prospers everyday but it is fairly clear enough that Brazil soccer team is the trailblazer, others just follow. They were the trendsetter of the field and no one can refute it.

King Football Of Portugal

n a game that lacked both excitement as well as quality, Portugal and Ivory Coast played to a scoreless draw which left much to be desired from both teams. It being a match in which Portugal got off to a fast start yet was not able to score. Cristiano Ronaldo coming ever close with a shot which hit the post yet went out for a goal kick for Ivory. As for the rest of the game, there was little to suggest that either team wanted more than the draw they eventually got which should favor the team who should win tonight's match between Brazil and North Korea..As for Cristiano Ronaldo, it can be said that he showed very little if any of the qualities which has led many to consider him the world's best player; in a performance which more often than not saw him attempt solo runs that produced very little. Ivory Coast, for its part played on a par with Portugal and perhaps would have won had Drogba not attempted to pass a ball in the penalty box which in all truth he should have shot. This chance coming very late in the game which would have given Ivory Coast a win yet as it stands they got their first point in their world cup history.
In conclusion, I would say the game's results was fair yet should make the upcoming matches for both teams all the more important; as their qualification will depend on what they can do against both North Korea and Brazil.
My name is Gianni Truvianni, I am an author who writes with the simple aim of sharing his ideas, thoughts and so much more of what I am with those who are interested in perhaps reading something new. I also am the author of the book entitled "New York's Opera Society" which is now available on Amazon.
Cristiano Ronaldo, was born on 5 February 1985 in San Antonia, Madeira. He is a Portuguese soccer player who plays in the winger position and is known for his ability to score goals using both his right and left foot. Cristiano Ronaldo holds another distinction and that is of being the most expensive player in soccer history. He was transferred from Manchester United to Real Madrid for £80 million (US$132m/EUR94m).
Cristiano Ronaldo started playing soccer at the age of eight and started off with an amateur team called Andorinha. He signed up with a local club called Nacional in 1995 and went on to win the title. Following this, he joined a 3-day soccer trial with Sporting Clube de Portugal and was later signed on for an undisclosed sum. Cristiano Ronaldo went on to join other youth players of Sporting who he had trained with at the Alcochete at Sproting's football academy. Ronaldo achieved the distinction of being the only Sporting player to have played for the U-16, U-17, U-18, B-team, and first team of the club in the same season. He ended up scoring two goals on his debut with Sporting against Moreirense during the UEFA Under-17 Championships.
Cristiano Ronaldo was spotted at the age of 16 by Ex-Liverpool manager Gérard Houllier but at that time Liverpool declined because they felt he was too young. Later on in 2003, he caught the attention of Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson while playing for Sporting. Sporting defeated Manchester United 3-1 in Lisbon.
Cristiano Ronaldo became the first ever Portugese player in the Manchester United team. He was signed on after the 2002-03 season for £12.24 million and he scored his first goal as a United player against Portsmouth in November 2003. He was also responsible for scoring the 1000th premier league goal for Manchester United in October 2005 against Middlesbrough. In 2005, Ronaldo was voted as the FIFPro Special Young Player of the Year.
Cristiano Ronaldo earned his first Portugal team cap against Kazakhstan in August 2003 as they went on to win the match 1-0. He made it to the Euro 2004 in spite of their loss to Greece in the finals. Ronaldo was able to score only 2 goals in the Euro 2004 championship. The same year, he went on to represent Portugal in the 2004 Summer Olympics and was considered to be the second-highest scorer in the FIFA World Cup qualification stage of the European zone.
In the 2006-07 season, Ronaldo won consecutive "Barclays Player of the Month" award and thus became the third player in Premier League Championship history to have achieved it. In the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying campaign, Cristiano Ronaldo scored eight goals for Portugal but finished the tournament with only one goal. In total, Ronaldo has appeared in 336 matches playing for Sporting CP, Manchester United, and Real Madrid and has scored 136 goals. He has also published an autobiography titled "Moments"

Portugal Football Team




The national football team of Portugal is member UEFA and it is organized by the Portuguese Football Federation. The team got its greatest performance in 1966 in England when they managed to qualify for the final tournament, in a semifinal, when they were defeated by England. We have to mention that England obtained the title that year. They were leaded by Eusebio, a legendary football player and they managed to defeat Brazil with nil to three and defeated North Chorea with 5 to 3. That year Portugal was the third football team in the world and Eusebio was considered the best player of the tournament.
Now, in 2008, the Turkish coach, Fatih Terim, has declared that he has been disappointed at the result obtained in the match with Portugal, in which his trainees have lost with a score of two to nil.
He said that at a moment, they were equal in the first half and the Portuguese had moments of weakness as well, but the first goal did change the match. Portugal is one of the best football teams in Europe and the result of this game has confirmed it.
In order to show their sympathy for the Portuguese team almost 12,000 fans have bought tickets to watch the training of this team in Neuchatel.
The entrance tickets cost almost 15 dollars and the training with audience was programmed on the stadium called La Maladiere in Neuchatel. Tickets were sold at a price four times higher than the official one. All in all these aspects show that Portugal is a popular team with great chances to be a top team this year as well.
I've been following Euro 2008 and I have enjoyed watching the competition thus far. I watched two impressive victories thus far, Spain's 4-1 brilliance over Russia and the Netherlands' thrashing of Italy.
I want to draw some attention right now to the Portuguese, who seem to be in good form, as they have won both of their matches thus far. Although they don't look to me as impressive as the Netherlands or Spain, they get the job done and have been beating their opponents quite convincingly, but I don't think the score lines in both their matches truly reflected how close their games were.
The only difference between them and the teams they have beaten is that they took their opportunities when they came, and in football this is what separates the best from the rest.
Portugal has a good team with the likes of captain Nuno Gomes, Simao, Deco, Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe, but do they have what it takes to be crowned the best of Europe. With the lineup they possess I believe they are capable of doing it but I really don't see them winning this one. They have a good midfield but their defense looks a bit shaky at times and their chemistry seems to be a bit off.
I do like the way Cristiano Ronaldo is playing, as he is passing the ball a lot more than he would had he been playing for Manchester United, but I'm never overly impressed with the things he does.
One thing that I have really questioned about this Portuguese team is the fact that team coach, Luiz Scolari allows Ronaldo to wear the captain's armband when Nuno Gomes is substituted. Personally, I think the band should be given to a more experienced player like Deco, but I guess the armband is given to Ronaldo to boost his confidence. However he is still very young and I don't think he's ready to lead the national team.
Overall Portugal are playing well and with a little bit more time together they most likely will get better, we just have to wait and see how they hold up against the bigger guns of the competition.
Good luck to Portugal.

The Argentina Football

Over the years Argentina's Soccer World Cup history has been remarkable. Their only unsuccessful qualification was in 1970. For whatever reasons, they made the decision to miss three global soccer showcases; but from 1974 onwards they have been regular participants at the Soccer Worldcup tournaments and were knocked out in the first round in 2002, for the first and only time.
As the Argentina 1978 Argentina and Mexico 1986 FIFA World Cup defenders, La Albiceleste faced a series of confronting 2010 world soccer qualifying games. However having overcome various issues, the Argentine soccer team are focused on winning the World Football Cup 2010 for the first time in 24 years. Potentially this goal may well become truth as coach, Diego Armando Maradona, has superior players in his squad (including several players accountable for the team's quarter finals game at the Germany 2006 event).



Twice champions in 1978 and 1986, and ranked 8th by FIFA, Argentina battled through the qualifiers for a 10th consecutive appearance at the World Cup. Argentina haven't won a major tournament after Copa America in 1993. Team coach, Diego Maradona, will be hoping to rectify that shortfall.
Maradona, whose coaching will be under the microscope, is said to be relying on Lionel Messi, to fire. However, Veron and team captain Javier Mascherano are the strikers who really hold Argentina's fortunes, on their shoulders.
Maradona is relatively unpopular with the team, and this is a cross they will have to bear, as they go about their campaign. And given the struggle against weaker teams, in the qualifiers, there is a question mark over Maradona's coaching skills, notwithstanding his legendary status as a player. But Maradona is no stranger to controversy, and if he can keep his head and cioncentrate on getting the job done, he might still manage to get the team unite for a common cause.



Neither Nigeria nor a much improved N. Korea are likely to pose a big challenge in group B, and perhaps, the only match of interest would be against Greece, the Euro 2004 champions, who had great luck in qualifying for the World Cup.
Argentina should lead their group, and probably meet Uruguay in the round of 16, and Germany in the quarter-final. If they manage to scrape past Germany to the semi-final, they will probably meet the winner of an Italy versus Spain encounter.


The Argentina soccer team is considered as one of the giants in the world of professional soccer in the whole world. The team has been rivals with Brazil's team for the past decades and had continued over the years. The national team of Argentina had consistently remained on top for many years and earned the respect of other national teams in the world.
The 1930 World Cup which was held in Uruguay is a historical event of Argentina's team when they were able to defeat France with a score of 1-0 and successively the team of the United States with a score of 6-1. This has made a tremendous impact on the popularity of the Argentina team.
Another major leap of Argentina is when it was given the honor to host the World Cup of 1978. With the privilege, it had made the whole nation more interested with the sport and had given the national team a moral boosting which have burned their desire to achieve victory. They national team didn't fail when they won their first World Cup.
The following years have been a failure for the Argentina soccer team when it didn't manage bring back the gold for the country.
However, the much awaited 2010 World Cup brings hope for the new breed of players of Argentina to take home the crown to their motherland. There are major preparations of the national team for the coming event. They are working hard in order to regain their title and bring glory to their countrymen and let history repeats itself.

The King Football Of Germany

Germany's 6th place in the FIFA world rankings does scant justice to their pedigree and record that includes three World Cups won, in 17 appearances, the last one coming in 1990. But Germany's history in recent years has been a case of missed opportunities, whether at World Cups 2006 and 2002, or at Euro 2008.
In the qualifiers, however, the European giants performed to potential, twice putting it across Russia, apart from dismissing Wales, Liechtenstein and Azarbaijan.
The man to watch is Miroslav Klose, a crafty striker, with a prolific scoring record. Pudolski, midfielder-cum-striker, is another great prospect. Tragically, Germany have lost their star midfielder and captain, Michael Ballack, to injury, on the eve of the World Cup. They have another talented midfielder in Bastian Schweinsteiger, who will be under greater pressure of expectation, in Ballack's absence. They also have a great defender in Phillip Lahm. But German fans will lament the absence of Torsten Frings, from the line-up.
However, Germany should have little trouble heading their group D, the other teams being Serbia, Ghana and Australia. In fact, Germany hold a record of sorts, of not losing a single group game, from 1986 onwards.
Their first real challenge should be in the quarter-final, in the form of Argentina. If they survive Argentina, Germany are likely to run into Italy, in the semi-final. In Ballack's absence, Germany seem beset by an unsurmountable problem. But don't write them off; like true champions, they are given to rising to the big occasions.




he final of the champions League of 2002 pitted perennial finalists and winners Real Madrid against Bayer Leverkusen that were appearing in the final for the 1st time in their history.
The final itself would always be remembered for that spectacular volley by Zinedine Zidane that turned out to be the winner but the area of interest is with that particular Bayer squad that got to the final.
It is just a brief bio on the players, where they are now and a little bit about their careers. This is part 2.
Carsten Ramelow is a 33-year old German international midfielder that can also play as a centre back. He is 1 of the very few currently at the club and is the current captain. He has played 46 times for his country scoring 3 times. He played at centre-back.oltan Sebescen is a 33-year old former German midfielder whose career was cut short by a knee injury. He is currently working as a youth team coach at his 1st club Stuttgart Kickers. He represented his country once and he is of Hungarian descent. He played in midfield.
Oliver Neuville is a 34 year-old current German international who now plays for Borussia Mochengladbach. He can operate as both a winger and a striker with good aplomb. He has 66 caps with 9 goals for his country and played as a winger-cum striker in the final.
Yildiray Basturk is a 29-year old Turkish international with 45 caps and 2 goals. He currently plays for Bundesliga champions Stuttgart and played as an attacking midfielder in the final.
Bernd Schneider is a 34-year old German international with 81 caps and 4 goals. He is the current vice-captain of Bayer Lervekusen and played as a winger in the final.
Michael Ballack is the current German national team captain and needs no introduction.
Thomas Brdaric is a 33-year old former German international striker with 8 caps and 1 goal. He is currently at Hannover 96 and played as a striker in the final.

Germany Football Team

he 1974 FIFA World Cup will be forever remembered as the year Holland displayed to the world their phenomenal style of play known as 'Total Football.' The Dutch team of '74 appeared to have unbeatable quality yet they lost to West Germany in the final, an arguably inferior team. From a soccer sports psychology point of view, the 1974 World Cup final demonstrates perfectly that at top level, superior physical skill alone is not enough: realizing a top performance also requires mental skill.Total Football
The Total Football style of play made Holland arguably the greatest soccer team of the 1970s. It's a style epitomized by the Dutch team captain and star player Johan Cruyff. According to the International Football Hall of Fame, "If Holland were the team that gave the world Total Football, then Johan Cruyff was THE Total Footballer." In short, Total Football describes a style of play where any player can play any position. In the Dutch team, all of the players had equal levels of technical ability and physical skill, although it's fair to say that equaling Cruyff's phenomenal skill was a tall order. He was a player who seemed to effortlessly score goals from everywhere and anywhere on the pitch. So, with such undeniable technical and physical ability making them a force to be reckoned with, why were Holland unable to win the World Cup in 1974?
Total control?
I read an opinion piece once in which the writer said, "while the Dutch quarreled, the German's played." There's your answer right there. Physically, Holland possessed an almost innate sense of timing and their combined skills as a team meant they generally kept possession of the ball too! However, their superior ball skills also allowed overconfidence to develop and the team displaying a degree of arrogance on the pitch. Which is not necessarily a bad thing but and it's a big but!They knew they were good and that manifested itself into believing they knew best. When situations occurred that led to 'discussions' with officials, the Dutch players did not cope well with decisions going against them. It takes mental skills to remain focused in high pressure situations, especially when things are not going your way, and it seems that mental skill was the only thing the Dutch team lacked. It's my opinion that Holland lost the 1974 World Cup final because as a team, they were unable to remain focused on what really mattered, and to disregard the rest.
At half-time, the West German team were a goal ahead of Holland. Was that the psychological blow that stopped the technically untouchable Dutch squad in their tracks? If you know you're superior, what happens when you're a goal down to a team you perceive as inferior? With mental skills training, you learn coping strategies for every situation; you learn how to remain focused and, crucially, how to remain positive. You can't change what has already happened but you can influence what happens next. In the second-half of the 1974 World Cup final, what would have happened if Holland's mental skills had matched their physical abilities?
World Cup group A places the home nation Germany against Costa Rica, Ecuador & Poland in a relatively easy group from which they should comfortably qualify.
Although the German team is not thought to be up to the standard of their previous victorious teams, bookmakers currently have them as joint second favourites behind Brazil, and they must be respected as possible winners on home soil.
It is difficult to see any of their three opponents being able to challenge them as Group A winners and it would appear that Costa Rica, Ecuador & Poland are competing for a chance to qualify in second spot.
History tells us that when the competition is played in Europe, the European nations tend to outperform the sides visiting from other continents. This coupled with Poland's impressive qualification from a difficult European qualifying stage must make the Poles most likely to progress along with the Germans. For the Poles, who will have an army of travelling supporters, the first game will be massively important, and a win over Ecuador in that game should ease their passage to the second stage.
Ecuador are a talented but temperamental outfit who must be respected, because on a good day they can match most national sides. Germany 2006 is only the second finals they have reached and they will be keen to add to their single victory from Japan 2002. Discipline may be a factor for Ecuador, and the strict refereeing of the Finals may not suit them.
Costa Rica will most probably be the groups whipping boys, first up for them is Germany in the tournament's opening game, a game they can't really expect to gain points from. Their second game against Ecuador will be the one that decides whether or not they can progress further in the Cup, and should provide good entertainment as both sides like to attack, sometimes at the detriment to their defensive duties.
It is difficult to see any other outcome than Germany topping group A. Poland should take the second spot if successful in their first match versus Ecuador, but anything less than a win for them will give the edge to Ecuador. Costa Rica will probably sit at the foot of the table, unless they produce a couple of shocks...

Forlan Team

Uruguay went back to the place claimed by their history, that of protagonists. They won the respect of the whole world with commitment and heart of their footballers. Nevertheless, it was will and courage, as well as good football and goals. It was their best performance since World Cup, Mexico '70, when they had also ended fourth in the ranking table.
The coach Oscar Tabarez went to the World Cup with a very clear plan: 4 - 3 -1 - 2, and the 11 players very well selected.
Nevertheless in their tie with France, they did not have a satisfactory reply of the creative midfielder Ignacio Gonzalez and his entrance in the second game gave origin to several changes. Uruguay had an excellent performance in defense and recovery, but they lacked offensive drive that night.
In the game against South Africa, Cavani replaced the aforementioned Gonzalez. By advancing his opponents, he forced Forlan to law a few meters behind, so that he was unable to act as a play-maker.
From the aggressive and dazzling 3-0 against the local national team, the format remained unchanged. The defenders were a bastion, with the two players in the middle - Diego Perez and Arevalo Rios - evincing a marvelous defensive technique and the lethal Suarez and Forlan offensive pair, scoring 8 goals between both of them.
The Uruguayans were not only the South American team that went further, but also the most convincing and regular one and scoring more goals: 11. Diego Forlan's performance was remarkable, to the point of being awarded the Golden Ball. Luis Saruez ratified the virtues that made him known in the Preliminaries for his seven memorable matches. The other players were equally efficient.
Oscar Washington Tabarez was the coach who bet upon an offensive game and rescued the best Uruguayan tradition to return to the highest peak. Uruguay was the nice surprise and Diego Forlan, winner of the Golden Ball and worldwide admiration.
he first FIFA World Cup was played in Montevideo, Uruguay. Uruguay is a small country located in South America and between Argentina and Brazil. Uruguay joined FIFA in 1923 and a year later, in Paris, 1924, became the first South American team to win an Olimpic Soccer Title. Uruguay also win the Olimpic Soccer Cup in Amsterdam, 1928. After the 1928 Olimpics, the FIFA, decided it was time to establish a World Cup Competition, due that International football can no longer be held within the confines of the Olympics, and many countries where professionalism was recognized and organized cannot any longer be represented there by their best players.
So, Uruguay was selected by FIFA to be the first host for the FIRST SOCCER WORLD CUP 1930 Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Paraguay and the host country Uruguay from South America. The United States and Mexico from North and Central America, and Yugoslavia, Romania, France and Belgium from Europe.- No more countries from Europe due the long sea voyage, it could take up to a month. This angered the Uruguayans, who where celebrating their national Centenary at the time and had offered to pay all expenses.
Given that most nations today would sell their souls to get into the World Cup final stages, it's strange to think that so many countries decided no to play in the FIRST WORLD CUP 1930.
Well, in the Championship Game, Uruguay drew first blod against Argentina, through Pablo Dorado, but Argentina equalaized eight minutes later with a goal by Carlos Pencelle and took the lead when striker Guillermo Stabile scored. But Pedro Cea from Uruguayan team, tied the game early in the second half, before goals by teammates Santos Iriarte and Hector Castro, please note that player Hector Castro had only one arm, and security victory for Uruguay

Uruguay Football Team

Uruguay's performance at the 2010 World Cup comes as little surprise to many people who have followed its wins and dreams. The Uruguayan team's, a fierce competitor, took a quantum leap forward in 1997 as they came close to winning the FIFA World Under-20 Cup in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's capital, finishing ahead of Ghana and Ireland. Since then, the national side did not win the tournament, but they paving the way for the Uruguayan World Cup soccer team in South Africa in June 2010.
In sub-Saharan Africa, the world's eyes were focused on Uruguay. Why? The national side -made up largely of unknown players-- became one of the world's top four squads, knocking out the bookies' favorite, Brazil -made up of world-famous footballers. Upon beating four squads: South Africa, Mexico,South Korea and Ghana, the nation- which had traditionally been a leader in the first half of the 20th century-- has become the first Latin American country in 8 years to reach the men's semi-finals.
Uruguay's achievement came despite a serie of obstacles: a small nation of about 4 million of people, exodus of players, lack of sponsors and traditional rivals (Brazil and Argentina). In addition to these obstacles, the country holds one of the lowest sports budget in the Western Hemisphere.Nonetheless, two factors have contributed to development of soccer: human development and determination.

1)- Human Development: Due to its notable human development - healthcare, nutrition, education and recreation--Uruguay is widely considered to be one of the developing world's most respeted democratic countries -the envy of many Spanish-speaking republics in the region-- since the mid-1980s. By the mid-1990s, the UNDP's Human Development Index ranked Uruguay - which does not have mineral resources such as oil, gas, silver and gold-- 32nd out of 173 nations and dependencies. In other words, one of the government's first priorities is to improve the lives of Uruguay's children. In fact, these policies have contributed to improve the country's athletic performance, as well as the national pride. As a result, the under-17 national football team won the right to compete in the 1991 World Junior Championships, a participation that it repeated in 1999, 2005 and 2009.
2)-Determination and Passion: If one word could ever describe the Uruguayan team it is "determination". Despite being made up of unknown players, the national side did not feel intimidated by world-famous squads such as France (which failed to measure up to predictions), Germany and the Netherlands. At the 2010 World Cup, Uruguay, one of the smallest republics geographically in the Western Hemisphere, had earned the respect of fans and experts by their determination and passion. Since then, they, the Uruguayan squad, were aware of the nation's history as one of the greatest
Dictatorship & Soccer
Following the 1973 auto-coup, the nation's then Head of State José María Bordaberry, an anti-Marxist strongman, established a de facto dictatorship, whereupon Uruguay was marked by several poblems. The country's international image had been damaged by the rule's poor human rights and anti-democratic projects. Under this atmosphere, sport was not one of the priorities of the Uruguayan dictators, unlike other tyrants in the region, including Argentina's Jorge Rafael Videla (1976-1981) and Peru's Juan Velasco Alvarado (1968-1975).
Year after year, the military regime reversed most of the Olympic policies. In fact, football, which had fostered national identity in the first half of the 20th century, entered a period of decline. After Uruguay's participation in the World Cup in West Germany in June 1974, where it came in 14th place, the nation, for example, lost the chance to win an Olympic medal as it refused to send soccer players to the 1976 Summer Olympic in Montreal (Canada). Yet, its most unsuccessful year was 1977 when Uruguay lost 1-0 to Bolivia and could not compete in the 1978 World Cup. Without a doubt, the Uruguayan players, which once had defeated Brazil in Rio de Janeiro, were plagued by poor morale.
By July 1979, surprisingly the national side did not compete in the Pan American Games in San Juan de Puerto Rico (where they were the heavy-favorites). But it was not for lack of talent. Prior to this multi-sport meet, the Uruguayan players claimed the 1979 South American Under-20 Tournament. By the early 1980s, it decided not to participate in the Continental Olympic Tournament in Colombia. What's more, despite lifting the Golden Cup in Montevideo, the team, once again, failed to qualify for the 1982 World Cup as was not able to win the South American Elimination.
Amid economic stagnation, corruption and human right abuses, up to 200 soccer players left the nation. On the other hand, in 1984, the anti-Communist dictatorship stepped down after 11 years.
pioneers of soccer.Without a doubt, theseplayers are a symbol of hope and courage.

Football Legend Fom France

His complete name is Zinedine Yazid Zidane. He was born on 23 June 1972 in Marseille, France. He has nickname of Zizou. He got his start in soccer at an early age, when Zidane played for the club of US Saint-Henri. Zidane is an ex-French World Cup-winning soccer player. His playing position in the field is as attacking midfielder. Even if regarded as a brilliant player even from the time when he was a youngster, nobody imagined of Zidane as a considerable contender to Platini's place as the best player in the history of France.
Zinedine Yazid Zidane experienced playing for some senior clubs, and they are Cannes (1987-1992) and Girondins (1992-1996) in France, Juventus in Italy (1996-2001), and Real Madrid in Spain (2001-2006), winning main championships and cups with every team.
In 2001, Pelé include Zidane in the list of the 125 greatest living soccer players. A flamboyant midfielder, in the World Cups of 1998 and 2006 Zidane gained the Golden Ball as the most worthwhile player. After leading France to the finals of the 2006 World Cup, Zinedine Yazid Zidane got retirement from professional soccer.

Football, like any sport, teaches lessons about how to succeed and how to fail. The world football cup competition in 2006 which was won by Italy is full of such lessons.
One lesson is that we should never rely too much on another person or persons to achieve our goals for us.
When England played in the world cup, huge reliance was placed on the shoulders of a young footballer called Wayne Rooney who was expected to score many goals for his team.
In the end he did not score one goal and was sent off for stamping on the family jewels of one of the Portuguese players. England lost the game and all hope of winning the world cup.
Jeremy Clarkson commented in an English tabloid: "I'm assured by friends who are football fans that Wayne Rooney is the best striker in the world. So let's add up his tally of goals shall we? It was, er, nought."
Another star English player is David Beckham who is famous for his varied hair styles. Jeremy was not impressed:
"Plainly, he's very good at taking free kicks. But what exactly does he do for the rest of the time? Is he at the hairdresser's?"


This is a little unfair as one of Beckham's goals took England through to the quarter finals. However, Jeremy did approve of one player (with a chaotic hair style) who scored an outstanding goal and who played well throughout:
"Joe Cole spends very little time at the hairdresser's (obviously) and as a result is the best player we've got. I'm not sure what is achieved by all that fancy footwork but it's fun to watch."
France also placed too much reliance on their famous player, Zinadine Zidane. When France played Spain the commentator remarked:
"When Zidane's in the team, the fans will believe", France won 3-1 and Zidane scored the last goal
Zidane played well with flashes of brilliance for most of the world cup including part of the final but near the end of the final he went from hero to zero when he head butted the chest of the Italian player, Materazzi, for insulting his mother and sister. Materazzi was flattened but Zidane was sent off.
The game went to penalties and, without Zidane, the French team did not perform as well as the Italians. France lost and Italy became the gladiators who won. France had relied too much on one legend who was also a human being.


Obviously another key lesson from the head butt saga is that it pays to keep one's cool and not take insults personally. A sportswriter for the Boston Globe stated that "on most professional fields of play in the U.S., it's more of a news bulletin if someone isn't insulting your mother."
We still don't know for sure what was said to Zidane. One lip reader suggested that Materazzi was wishing an ugly death on him and his family.
Henri, a world class French striker, commented that we should not forget that Zidane was a great player and a great man. Some English papers were less kind. They had headlines about 'ZidVicious' and 'Zinsane'. An American anchor man said Zidane had gone from 'legend to lout'.
Zidane helped the French win the world cup in 1998 and helped them nearly win it in 2006 but in the end his inability to control his anger may well have lost them the 2006 world cup.
He said: "Je ne regrette rien". But the team he captained and the country he played for will regret his action for years to come. Some lost their chance of winning the world cup for ever.
He had walked away from Materazzi three times but in the end his anger took over and he turned round and performed the head butt which will provide a lasting memory of the 2006 world cup.

One moment of anger can destroy a relationship for ever. It can even result in murder and imprisonment for life. Leaders of any kind are exposed to criticism all the time. If they wish continue to lead, they must control their anger.
A third key lesson can be learned from the man who was the recipient of Zidane's expert head butt. Materazzi began the world cup final with a disastrous mistake. He scored an own goal.
A lesser man would have worried about his mistake and played badly for the rest of the game. Instead Materazzi used his mistake to spur himself to head a goal against the French at the other end of the field. He thus put his team mates back into the game.
Later he managed to provoke Zidane into performing the notorious head butt. No one condones his provocation of Zidane but he again bounced back from a painful situation. He got up at once after the head butt and carried on playing with energy. In the penalty shoot out, he scored one of the goals.
Materazzi shows us all how to react to our own mistakes. We need to put them out of our minds and focus on what we can do to achieve our goals.
The Italian team as a whole showed this quality. Thirteen of their squad played for Italian teams who were suspected of match fixing. The trial was going on in Italy during the period of the world cup.

The Italian team used the cloud of suspicion and criticism that hung over them to bond them together as a team and give them the energy and determination to win the world cup.
A fourth success lesson from the world cup is that we should not give up too soon because of our age. The French team had done well to reach the final even if they did not win. They had even struggled to qualify
They said that the French team was too old and the Spanish fans told Zidane that this would be his last game for France. Instead it was Spain who did not last long in the world cup.
Henri had been asked a few days before the competition if France were too old to do well.
"Yes," replied Henri with some sarcasm, "and today we are one day older."
In view of France's success when playing with three 'retired' players one of whom scored most of their goals, we should reconsider our view of what constitutes retirement age.
Le Monde compared the French team to the English rugby team who won the rugby world cup in 2003 They too were considered too old.
A fifth key success lesson is not to blame other people for our own failures. Again, Jeremy Clarkson has some wise and amusing words to say on this to the disappointed England fans.
"Don't blame Ronaldo, Sven or the referee... we were rubbish."
Ronaldo is a Portuguese player who wound up the great Wayne Rooney and then winked at his coach. "Somehow this makes him a bastard," comments Jeremy.
Some fans blame the Argentinian referee. Giving him the whistle "apparently is a bit like asking Osama bin Laden to referee a match between the USA and Afghanistan." In fact the referee did a fairly good job and was chosen to referee the final.
Sven, the coach, gets most blame for not bringing enough strikers to the cup. However, if some of England's key players had played as well as they normally do, there would have been no shortage of goals.
England just did not play well enough. A key lesson for the England team and many of us is that we need to stop blaming others for our failures and just make up our minds to do better next time.
Five key success lessons emerge from the above.
Don't rely on other people to achieve your goals. They are only human and may let you down. Take responsibility for your own goals and plans.
Don't lose your temper. Don't take insults personally. A moment of anger can lead to a life time of regret.
Don't allow your own mistakes to paralyse or distract you. Focus on what needs to be done to achieve your goals. Tony Blair made the mistake of saying he would retire before the next election. His answer to those who keep asking him when he will retire is that he is simply focusing on what needs to be done to improve the lives of UK citizens.
Don't retire from life too early. France nearly won the world cup with an ageing team. England won the 2003 world rugby cup with a team that was criticised for being too old.
Don't blame other people for your own poor performance. Admit that you were not good enough and concentrate on doing better next time.

France Football Team Dreams

Before the South Africa World Cup, nobody could ever imagine that the runner up of World Cup2006 would fall down that badly with two defeats, one draw, foul-mouthed squabbles in the dressing room and a team strike. So what happened with the French players psychologically?
The start of all things came with the bad words by Nicholas Anelka to his coach Domenech during half time game with Mexico. Put aside his inappropriate saying, the worse thing was that somebody leaked that information to the media. In sport psychology terms, a norm in a team was broken. Norms are the standards for behavior that is expected of team members. Norms are not formally adopted by the team but result from a gradual change in behavior until a consensus is reached. Norms are different from rules in the fact that rules are formal for everyone and there are normally some punishments for breaking the rule. Because norms are unobtrusive, they are sometimes taken for granted and only become important when violated. In the case of France team, for some reasons, the norm of keeping team issues inside the locker room was violated. And the result was really destructive.
 Worst of all, the team represented by Patrick Evra boycotted training and some players showed the intention of avoiding playing the last game. In this case the whole team was united under the same cause: to protest against the decision to send Anelka back from the French Football Federation. In sport psychology terms, the team displayed very high cohesion. Team cohesion is defined as: "the resistance of the group to disruptive forces". When a team is highly cohesive like French team, it would be able to tolerate a great deal of negativity arising from the occurrence of unfavorable events, such as losing games, or receiving criticism in the media... Team cohesion is also divided into 2 type: task cohesion (regarding team goals and performance) and social cohesion (regarding relationship outside the task). In France team, the players showed very high social cohesion that led to the boycott and protest to support their teammate.So what could have been fixed in that case? Obviously, there are many issues that had to be solved (from behavior of players to coach, setting up norms for communication with each other and to the media...). However, there is one main issue I believe should have been tackled. By interacting with players in an informal approach, a sport psychologist could help players restore and re-affirm their team goal. Obviously, they came to World Cup to represent their country and to make French people proud. As a national team, they carried the image of the whole nation and should behave accordingly, especially in front of foreign media. By reacting aggressively to coaches, they were successful in showing their team cohesion, yet failed to show their responsibilities for their nation and their fans. By re-aligning the team value and team goal to the players, a sport psychologist could help players redefine their priority and their purpose. This could potentially have led to different behaviors and performance by French players.
Although France team issues were rather extreme, it gives a very clear picture of many sport psychology issues that should have been addressed before and during the tournament. By being aware of norms and cohesion level in your team, you can prevent and address problems as well as improve team performance.
Dzung Dao Tien is a Master student in Sport Science & Sport Psychology from Lund University, Sweden. He is also a practitioner in Neuro Linguistic Program which helps training athletes to achieve peak performance.

Coach Italy Football Team


The excitement in football once again kicks off in South Africa as the biggest show on earth is ready to give the fans a fast paced action pack multitude of games. The last time the World Cup showed its wares was 2006 when Italy were crowned champions. While there will be familiar faces in the Italian lineup most of them have aged and will show signs of slowing down.
Despite half of the teams lineup undergoing a change the Italians will still wear their trademark blue football shirts and football shorts that would instill some fighting spirit to the gritty Italian team. Although pundits are putting off the Italian teams title run this year they will still bring out there fighting form and try to win as much games so they can qualify for the semifinals.
The Italian team being grouped with Slovakia, New Zealand and Paraguay has called the services of the same coach that steered them to victory in 2006. Marcello Lippi taking some time off from coaching football after the successful 2006 campaign comes back at the forefront of the Azurris and tries once more to bring home the bacon. Even though he would have to contend with an aging lineup the team will respond well with Lippi steering them a game at a time.
The players who would be coming back for another title run includes Gigi Buffon the consistent goal keeper of the squad who because of his huge contributions manning that important spot has kept the adversaries from scoring off the Italian team. Playing for the Juventus football club in Italy, Buffon is considered the number 1 goal keeper of the Italian league.
Another stalwart who is returning to the lineup of Team Italy is Fabio Cannavaro the defensive demon who made some key defensive moves in Italy's journey to the 2006 World Cup championship. Now more than ever he would be called upon to lend some leadership on some of the new blood that were added to the lineup. Teaming up with Cannavaro at the defensive end is another returning player in the person of Mauro Camoranesi the two will have to step up to bring out that gem of a defensive strategy in order to start a domino effect on the other players.
Even though the Italian team holds a pattern of winning the World Cup every 12 years this year's team would be hard pressed on winning again simply because age has become a liability in a team that is trying to return to glory once again. Let's see what fighting spirit the men in the blue football shirts and football shorts bring in 2010.




Italy are the defending champions. Next to Brazil, they have the best record at the World Cup, having qualified for all but 2 of the 19, so far.
They went unbeaten in the qualifiers, winning seven and drawing three. They are expected to top group F, where they should have it relatively easy with only Paraguay likely to mount any kind of challenge to their supremacy. The others in the group are inexperienced New Zealand and Slovakia.
The experienced Fabio Cannavaro (130 caps) and legendary goalkeeper, Buffon, are among the stars that make Italy the formidable outfit they are. Among other players to watch are Gilardino, who top scored in the qualifiers, and midfielder, Gattuso, who has the talent to convert into a striker when his team requires.
Marcello Lippi, Italy's coach, is confident that his team is the best in the world. In the last couple of decades, Italy have been accused of being defensive, and in a recent friendly against Cameroon, their failure to score underlined this.
Apart from his bluster, Lippi could also be faulted for ignoring striker Balotelli, who was on a goal scoring spree in 2009, for Inter Milan.
Italy are likely to face either Cameroon or Denmark, in the round of 16, and their entry into the quarter-final appears assured, where they are likely to face their first strong challenge, from favourites Spain. If they get past that hurdle, they are likely to run into Germany in the semi-final. This is the biggest stage of all - the World Cup. Can Italy retain their crown?

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