Argentina coach Diego Maradona is hoping heavenly intervention can save his team’s faltering World Cup qualifying campaign.
1986 quarter-final against England
Of course we’ve been here before with Maradona, something the legendary No.10 admits.
“The Beard (God) saved me many times, I hope he saves me this time too,” he said in a not very subtle reference to his notorious 'Hand of God' goal during Argentina's 1986 victory over England.
Bobby Robson put Maradona straight
It was Bobby Robson who memorably dismissed the so-called celestial interference in earthly matters.
“It wasn’t the Hand of God,” said the then England manager after the match, “it was the hand of a rascal”. Genius.
Argentina face Peru and Uruguay in their final qualifiers next month. Expect a giant hand to sweep the ball into the opposition’s net if Maradona’s team struggle at any time during these games. Or not.
30/09/2009
Seeding system for Europe's World Cup playoffs
The eight teams in Europe's World Cup playoffs will be seeded according to official FIFA rankings. There will also be a separate draw to determine which teams play the second legs at home.
Sepp Blatter made the announcements at a news conference after a FIFA executive committee meeting in Rio de Janeiro.
“We have decided on seeding the teams into two groups of four, taking the FIFA world rankings into account, with the top four in one pot and the others in another pot,” Blatter said. The rankings will be published on Oct. 16.
“There will be a separate draw to decide home and away,” Blatter added of the two-legged ties to determine four extra European places at the 2010 finals in South Africa.
This means the likes of former champions France and Germany will theoretically face an easier tie if they have to go through the play-offs.
While there are lots of teams which can still qualify automatically or via the play offs, the news about seedings could have massive implications for Group Seven’s World Cup hopefuls.
Currently second, four points behind Serbia, France could still win the group and condemn the Balkan team which led the group for so long to two tough play off games – all because of a seeding system which may be designed to give underperforming so-called top teams an easy route to the finals.
Sepp Blatter made the announcements at a news conference after a FIFA executive committee meeting in Rio de Janeiro.
“We have decided on seeding the teams into two groups of four, taking the FIFA world rankings into account, with the top four in one pot and the others in another pot,” Blatter said. The rankings will be published on Oct. 16.
“There will be a separate draw to decide home and away,” Blatter added of the two-legged ties to determine four extra European places at the 2010 finals in South Africa.
This means the likes of former champions France and Germany will theoretically face an easier tie if they have to go through the play-offs.
While there are lots of teams which can still qualify automatically or via the play offs, the news about seedings could have massive implications for Group Seven’s World Cup hopefuls.
Currently second, four points behind Serbia, France could still win the group and condemn the Balkan team which led the group for so long to two tough play off games – all because of a seeding system which may be designed to give underperforming so-called top teams an easy route to the finals.
29/09/2009
Muller dismisses current Germany World Cup strikers
Germany’s legendary Gerd Muller says his country’s current crop of forwards are below average, with only one deserving a place in the national side.
Criticism ahead of crucial World Cup qualifier against Russia
Muller scored 365 goals in the Bundesliga and 68 times in just 62 caps for his country, so he knows a thing or two about hitting the back of the net.
Now Muller has turned his sights on Miroslav Klose, Mario Gomez and Lukas Podolski as the crucial 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa qualifier with Russia approaches.
“When you see what strikers we have in the national team today... in my day, they would not have even been allowed to even sniff the ball,” he told German television.
Only his namesake Thomas Muller of Bayern Munich deserves any praise, said the 63-year-old.
“He is an incredible young lad,” said Muller. “He can use both his left and right foot, like me. He is quick, strong in the air and he is one that can be taken to the World Cup.”
Germany’s manager hits back
Joachim Low claims the world has moved on since Muller’s heyday.
“I have the utmost respect for players like Gerd Muller, but you cannot make comparisons over decades.”
“It has become incredibly difficult for strikers,” added Low. “Football has developed particularly in the art of defending. Nowadays, strikers don't even get five minutes worth of the room that the strikers used to get over 90 minutes in a game.”
That’s fair enough, but you can’t deny Muller was bloody good. Here he is setting up one goal and scoring the other four in a 5 – 1 demolition of Switzerland: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqrPCRj1P7E
Criticism ahead of crucial World Cup qualifier against Russia
Muller scored 365 goals in the Bundesliga and 68 times in just 62 caps for his country, so he knows a thing or two about hitting the back of the net.
Now Muller has turned his sights on Miroslav Klose, Mario Gomez and Lukas Podolski as the crucial 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa qualifier with Russia approaches.
“When you see what strikers we have in the national team today... in my day, they would not have even been allowed to even sniff the ball,” he told German television.
Only his namesake Thomas Muller of Bayern Munich deserves any praise, said the 63-year-old.
“He is an incredible young lad,” said Muller. “He can use both his left and right foot, like me. He is quick, strong in the air and he is one that can be taken to the World Cup.”
Germany’s manager hits back
Joachim Low claims the world has moved on since Muller’s heyday.
“I have the utmost respect for players like Gerd Muller, but you cannot make comparisons over decades.”
“It has become incredibly difficult for strikers,” added Low. “Football has developed particularly in the art of defending. Nowadays, strikers don't even get five minutes worth of the room that the strikers used to get over 90 minutes in a game.”
That’s fair enough, but you can’t deny Muller was bloody good. Here he is setting up one goal and scoring the other four in a 5 – 1 demolition of Switzerland: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqrPCRj1P7E
Bent still hoping for World Cup place
Darren Bent thinks he can still catch Fabio Capello’s eye and make England’s World Cup squad for South Africa.
England striker keen to avoid World Cup heartbreak
The Sunderland striker, who has six goals to his name already this season, told The Guardian he has not yet given up hope of going to the World Cup finals.
Bent says “he was crushed not to make the last World Cup” and said he would be "heartbroken" to miss out this time around.
After scoring his sixth goal of the season during Sunderland's 5-2 home win over Wolves Bent said “I can't do much more than I'm doing at the moment. Hopefully Capello is watching.”
Striker played no part in England’s successful qualifying campaign
It remains to be seen whether Capello is looking the other way. There may well be sound reasons why the Italian is ignoring a player who hasn’t played a single second of England’s successful qualifying campaign. Falling over in your solitary appearance could be the main one.
"I went round the keeper and slipped over,” said Bent, describing his chance in last year's friendly win over Germany.
“Things like that define your England career. If that goes in I could be in the next four or five squads - but it wasn't meant to be.”
If first impressions really do count, Bent is probably already clutching at straws.
England striker keen to avoid World Cup heartbreak
The Sunderland striker, who has six goals to his name already this season, told The Guardian he has not yet given up hope of going to the World Cup finals.
Bent says “he was crushed not to make the last World Cup” and said he would be "heartbroken" to miss out this time around.
After scoring his sixth goal of the season during Sunderland's 5-2 home win over Wolves Bent said “I can't do much more than I'm doing at the moment. Hopefully Capello is watching.”
Striker played no part in England’s successful qualifying campaign
It remains to be seen whether Capello is looking the other way. There may well be sound reasons why the Italian is ignoring a player who hasn’t played a single second of England’s successful qualifying campaign. Falling over in your solitary appearance could be the main one.
"I went round the keeper and slipped over,” said Bent, describing his chance in last year's friendly win over Germany.
“Things like that define your England career. If that goes in I could be in the next four or five squads - but it wasn't meant to be.”
If first impressions really do count, Bent is probably already clutching at straws.
28/09/2009
Ballack confident ahead of World Cup qualifiers
Michael Ballack says he is still enjoying life in England and looking forward to Germany's World Cup qualifier against Russia in Moscow next month.
Living in London
The 33-year-old told FIFA.com London “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.”
With three goals to his name already the Chelsea midfielder appears to be reaping the benefits of a long summer break.
“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.”
Ballack could even afford to break a toe and still claim a place in a team which is currently riding high at the top of the English Premier League. Now he and his Chelsea team-mates face rivals Liverpool before the World Cup qualifiers conclude in October.
World Cup showdown against Russia
The game takes place on an artificial pitch favoured by a strong and skilful home side which is likely to include Arsenal’s Andrei Arshavin. With the difference between the two sides down to one point courtesy of a 2 – 1 win for the Germans twelve months ago, Ballack knows it won’t be easy.
“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.”
FIFA World Rankings
Germany are currently fourth, level with Italy, in the rankings. How does the German captain think his team compares with the rest of the world?
“The rankings are 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.”
Living in London
The 33-year-old told FIFA.com London “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.”
With three goals to his name already the Chelsea midfielder appears to be reaping the benefits of a long summer break.
“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.”
Ballack could even afford to break a toe and still claim a place in a team which is currently riding high at the top of the English Premier League. Now he and his Chelsea team-mates face rivals Liverpool before the World Cup qualifiers conclude in October.
World Cup showdown against Russia
The game takes place on an artificial pitch favoured by a strong and skilful home side which is likely to include Arsenal’s Andrei Arshavin. With the difference between the two sides down to one point courtesy of a 2 – 1 win for the Germans twelve months ago, Ballack knows it won’t be easy.
“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.”
FIFA World Rankings
Germany are currently fourth, level with Italy, in the rankings. How does the German captain think his team compares with the rest of the world?
“The rankings are 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.”
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