Rangers boss Walter Smith looks set to be without DaMarcus Beasley for the next few weeks after he suffered an injury in training that kept him out of their Sunday win over Hibs.

The United States international has enjoyed a fine return to form in the last few matches and Smith admits his absence is a blow.

"He has a tear in his thigh," said the Rangers boss.

"I'm not sure how long that will keep him out - two or three weeks maybe.

"It's disappointing in the sense that he is just back in the team and doing exceptionally well so it was disappointing it happened."

Beasley, confident that he'll return soon, commented today on Twitter that the "injury definitely won't be 3 weeks...the injury is not as bad as we thought. So with rest and extra treatment hope to be back by the end of the week! Fingers crossed!" http://twitter.com/DaMarcusBeasley/

Follow our complete list of soccer professionals on twitter here: http://twitter.com/soccerdotcom/soccer-pros

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 02:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

England coach Fabio Capello has revealed David Beckham will definitely be in his World Cup squad if he remains fit during his loan at AC Milan.

Beckham has returned to Milan until the end of the season in a bid to retain his England place and add to his 115 caps - an England record for an outfield player.

And Capello insists that if the Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder impresses as much as he did during his first loan spell last year then he will be on the plane to South Africa.

"Of course, if he plays well and is fit I will include him in my squad," Capello told Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I don't look at age, I pay attention to quality and David has a lot.

"He's serious, he's a great professional and he's crazy about the World Cup."

It came as something of a surprise when Beckham moved on loan to Milan last season initially until March.

But the former England captain impressed so much the deal was extended until the end of the season.

And Capello is confident Beckham will once again shine in Serie A.

He added: "He will again do good for Milan because he has the right head on his shoulders."

Beckham arrived in Milan on Sunday in time for Monday's first training session after the winter break.

The 34-year-old is seeking selection for the Rossoneri's game at home to Genoa on January 6.

(Soccer365.com)

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 02:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Real Madrid forward Kaka is fit and raring to go as the Spanish side returned to training after the winter break on Monday.

Kaka has been sidelined with a pelvis injury since the defeat at Barcelona at the end of November.

But the Brazil international is confident he will be fully fit for Sunday's match against Osasuna.

"I am totally cured," Kaka said. "I am good, I don't have any more pain in the pubis. I hope to work with the group at my top this week and get myself good physically."

Madrid have won all four of their matches in Kaka's absence.

(Soccer365.com)

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 02:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Roberto Mancini has played down talk of dressing room unrest at Manchester City and declared himself happy with the players' attitude.

When Mark Hughes was sacked after the 4-3 victory over Sunderland on Saturday there were reports a number of senior players, including Craig Bellamy, leading a protest delegation to chief executive Garry Cook.

There were suggestions this could continue with a number of players close to Hughes looking to leave in the January transfer window.

However, Mancini - who did not take his first training session until Monday this week - is happy with the attitude of his squad.

"I thought the players trained very well. I think I have a good team and we have only one problem and that is many players injured," said the Italian.

"I have a good relationship with the players. I appreciate some players are close to Mark but that is a good thing for a manager."

Mancini went on to joke: "When I go away from Manchester City in 15 years after five Premier League titles and four cups the players will have the same situation with me."

Mancini also stuck to the belief he highlighted at his public unveiling on Monday that City can finish in the top four this season.

And he was optimistic he could match his feats at the San Siro when he guided Inter to a trophy in his first season in charge and went on to win three Serie A titles.

The comparison between the two Milan clubs - where AC dominated for so long - and City's situation with rivals United was not lost on Mancini.

"It depends (finishing in the top four) but I think so. It is important now we concentrate on Boxing Day's game at home to Stoke and then after that one game at a time," he said.

"I think I can do a job and my target, always, is to win.

"Inter Milan was a good job. I arrived there when they had not won in 18 years and after one year they won the cup and then after that the championship.

"I think I can do the same in Manchester but for this it is important that I work hard and I get to know the team fast."

The new City boss acceps it would take time for the players to adjust to his methods but feels they could be playing the Mancini way within a month.

"We must work out our defensive problem. A balance to the team is the most important situation but for this we must work every day," he added.

"After three or four weeks it will be possible (for them to adapt to his style).

"I hope the players play well on Saturday and understand my team talk."

Mancini said he knows exactly what to expect from Stoke on Boxing Day.

"I am very excited for Saturday's match. I hope for the supporters it will be a good day and I hope to win for them because that is important," he said.

"Stoke are a good, physical team - typically English. I watched their game against Aston Villa when they played well (but lost 1-0).

"It is a hard match for us."

(Soccer365.com)

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 11:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

United States international Landon Donovan has been granted a work permit and can now officially join Everton on loan next month.

A deal to bring the 27-year-old from Los Angeles Galaxy to Goodison Park for two and a half months was finalised between the two clubs on Friday.

However, Donovan, who has won 120 caps for his country, had to go through the formality of applying for his permit.

That has now been granted and he will join up with his new club on January 2.

(Soccer365.com)

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 10:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Everton have confirmed the signing of United States striker Landon Donovan on a short-term loan deal from Los Angeles Galaxy.

Donovan will join the Merseyside club in the January transfer window and stay until mid-March having been granted permission by his MLS club.

The 27-year-old will increase manager David Moyes' selection options during a season which has seen the Merseysiders hampered by injuries throughout the season.

(soccer365.com)

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 11:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

David Beckham's AC Milan face Manchester United in the last 16 of the Champions League, while Arsenal and Chelsea face Porto and Inter Milan.

England midfielder Beckham, who won the Champions League with United in 1999 before joining Real Madrid in 2003, will be on loan at Milan from Los Angeles Galaxy.

Chelsea take on former manager Jose Mourinho after being drawn against Serie A giants Inter.

Mourinho led Chelsea to consecutive Premier League titles in 2005 and 2006 before surprisingly leaving early in the 2007/2008 season.

The 46-year-old signed a three-year contract with Inter in 2008 and completed his first season in Italy by winning the Serie A title.

Arsenal will take on Porto, with all three English clubs playing the first leg of their ties away from home after winning their groups.

Full draw:
Stuttgart v Barcelona
Olympiacos v Bordeaux
Inter Milan v Chelsea
Bayern Munich v Fiorentina
CSKA Moscow v Sevilla
Lyon v Real Madrid
Porto v Arsenal
AC Milan v Manchester United

First legs to be played on 16/17 and 23/24 February with the second legs scheduled for 9/10 and 16/17 March.

(Soccer365.com)

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 11:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Michael Essien admits he could face a club-versus-country dilemma in January, when he will feature in the African Nations Cup for Ghana.

The Chelsea midfielder, preparing for Tuesday's Champions League clash with Apoel Nicosia at Stamford Bridge, will leave the Blues to take part in the tournament in Angola from January 10 to 31.

Essien will miss four Premier League games during that period but Ghana have the right to call him up to their squad two weeks prior to the start of the tournament and that might cause further problems.

Nigeria and the Ivory Coast could do the same with John Obi Mikel plus Salomon Kalou and Didier Drogba respectively, but Essien says he will leave the discussions to Chelsea and the Ghana Football Association should the situation arise.

"At the moment, I haven't heard anything from Ghana yet," said Essien.

"I'm focusing just on club issues. Once I get that call, we'll have to talk to them.

"If I have to leave, there's nothing I can do. It's always difficult when it comes to this situation. The club have a good relationship with the (Ghana) FA and I'll leave that to the club and just focus on what I'm doing.

"We'll be going away in January, but we still have a very big and good squad to come in and do the job. It won't cause a big problem for the club.

"It's going to be a very difficult tournament. We have a lot of African players playing in Europe. It'll be very difficult. We have some good players in the team who can do a job.

"We'll just work very hard and see what we can do. I'm always happy to represent my country."

After two defeats inside four days last week, Essien was eager to reject suggestions the Blues had lost their momentum.

Their Carling Cup exit on penalties at Blackburn was followed by a league defeat to Manchester City but Essien says the spirit in the camp remains buoyant.

"We were just unlucky to lose those games," said Essien. "We still have good players who are going to do the job.

"We are going to tackle that tomorrow and, hopefully, we can win this game.

"I don't know about us having a point to prove. We've already qualified. But us, as players, we always go out there to win.

"We've lost two games in a row and we don't want to make it three, so we're going to do everything we can to win this match.

"We did not play badly against City. We were just unlucky to lose the game. But it's part of the game. You win some, you lose some, you draw some. It's finished now. We have to look forward and think about the games ahead.

"We know it's difficult to win the title. You come up against very tough teams. We have to keep working hard and see what happens at the end.

"We're not planning on losing any games. We want to win all our matches. We'll work hard on that, try to get our points and see what happens.

"We're still at the top now and have some difficult games to play. While we are away in Africa, our team-mates will be there to do the job, go out there and win games for the team and for the club. We will come back and help them finish the season."

Essien also defended Frank Lampard and Petr Cech, who came under fire for errors in the 2-1 defeat at Eastlands.

Cech allowed Carlos Tevez to score from a 25-yard free-kick and Lampard missed an 83rd-minute penalty - his first error from the spot since September 2006.

But Essien insists all the team should shoulder the blame for mistakes.

"Petr does not play on his own," added Essien. "There are 11 players on the pitch. Everyone should take the blame, not only Petr. If we'd done our defensive work, we would not have conceded. There's no blame. We just need to do our homework well.

"Frank is a very strong guy, very strong mentally. These things happen. Anyone can miss a penalty. He's not the first and he won't be the last. He's put it behind him and is looking to the future. He's our best penalty taker at this club."

(Soccer365.com)

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 05:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Cristiano Ronaldo apologized to his Real Madrid team-mates after being sent off for two needless bookings against Almeria on Saturday night.

Ronaldo, starting his first home match in more than two months having recovered from his ankle injury, was at the center of a hugely eventful match that Madrid eventually won 4-2.

Not only did Ronaldo set up Madrid's first goal, he also scored their last, controversially won and then missed a penalty, before picking up two yellow cards in the final four minutes.

The first was for removing his shirt in celebration of his goal and then, soon after, he was shown a second yellow card for kicking Juanma Ortiz following a tussle by the touchline.

That red card means the Portugal international is now set to be suspended for next weekend's tough trip to fourth-placed Valencia.

Ronaldo was quoted as saying after the match by AS: "Taking off my shirt was an instinctive reaction. I know that I made a mistake but I'm human. I didn't want to do it.

"These are things that happen in football and I hope to learn from them. I've apologized to my team-mates.

"I'm sad that I won't be able to face (Valencia defender) Miguel, my team-mate with Portugal."

Regarding the incident involving Ortiz, Ronaldo added: "I won't lie, I hit him. I said sorry to him."

The world's most expensive player also spoke about his lack of celebration for Karim Benzema's crucial goal in the 83rd-minute, a strike that helped Madrid establish a 3-2 lead.

Benzema crashed the ball home after Ronaldo had seen his penalty saved by Almeria goalkeeper Diego Alves, who will have felt justice was done after conceding what was a debatable spot-kick.

The Brazilian looked to have got a hand on the ball as Ronaldo attempted to round him before the £80million man went crashing to the ground, but the referee ignored the Almeria team's protests and awarded the penalty.

Explaining why he did not join his team-mates in congratulating Benzema, Ronaldo said: "I was angry. I missed the penalty. I don't like to lose and I don't like to miss.

"My reaction is always going to be like that. I'm a professional but neither will I give up and I felt happy for Karim's goal and for mine."

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 12:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Inter Milan suffered a second loss of the season as Juventus won the Derby d'Italia 2-1 to move within five points of the Serie A leaders.

The 21st-minute opener was a free-kick that appeared to ricochet in off Lucio, although Felipe Melo claimed the goal.

Samuel Eto'o levelled five minutes later at Turin's Stadio Olimpico but a stunning Claudio Marchisio goal, when he skipped past Walter Samuel and lifted the ball beyond Julio Cesar, won the contest.

The home side even had Felipe Melo sent off in the closing stages of a dramatic match.

Inter's city rivals AC Milan are in second place in the standings, four points behind, after a 3-0 defeat of Sampdoria.

All the goals came in the first half, with Marco Borriello putting the Rossoneri ahead in the first minute of the match and Clarence Seedorf adding a second in the 21st minute.

Ronaldinho was in inspired form, creating the first two goals, and fellow Brazilian Alexandre Pato completed Milan's fifth straight win in the 23rd minute to pile the misery on the Blucerchiati.

(Soccerr365.com)

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 12:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

A group of hosts, past and present. Next year’s home team, South Africa will kick off their campaign against 2-time hosts Mexico and France, as well as Uruguay, home of the first World Cup in 1930.

Despite missing out on seeding, The French (with or without Thierry Henry) will fancy their chances of progression. Mexico, post-Sven, look an increasingly attractive proposition, but may lack a truly world-class striker. Uruguay, on the other hand, boast the red-hot Diego Forlan, winner of last season’s European Golden Shoe. Goals might be a problem for South Africa, but the Bafana Bafana will rely on feverish support from the vuvuzela-wielding locals.

11 June Johannesburg South Africa v Mexico
11 June Cape Town Uruguay v France
16 June Pretoria South Africa v Uruguay
17 June Polokwane France v Mexico
22 June Rustenburg Mexico v Uruguay
22 June Bloemfontein France v South Africa

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 02:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (121)

Diego Maradona’s Argentina will be the clear favorites to progress from Group B, but second place could be a dogfight between three very solid teams – South Korea, Nigeria and Greece.

If Maradona can figure out his favorite 11, a Leo Messi-inspired Argentina will expect to win the group and go much further. Nigeria will rely on the firepower of Obafemi Martins and Yakubu to help them reach the Round of 16 for the first time since 1998. Despite winning Euro 2004, Greece failed to qualify for the last World Cup and crashed out of Euro 2008 in the group stages. Success in South Africa would give coach Otto Rehhagel the send-off he deserves. South Korea are well-organized, and stunned the world by reaching the Semis in 2002, but qualifying for the latter stages may be beyond Ji-Sung Park and co this time.

12 June Johannesburg Argentina v Nigeria
12 June Port Elizabeth South Korea v Greece
17 June Bloemfontein Greece v Nigeria
17 June Johannesburg Argentina v South Korea
22 June Durban Nigeria v South Korea
22 June Polokwane Greece v Argentina

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 02:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (33)

All the focus in Group C will be on the opening match between England and USA. American fans will be hoping for a repeat of their famous 1-0 victory at the 1950 World Cup. Both sides will be confident of overcoming Algeria and Slovenia.

Fabio Capello has transformed England since taking the manager’s hot-seat in 2008. The Three Lions were Europe’s top-scorers during qualification, but stake a great deal on the fitness of key players like Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard. With Freddy Adu’s star on the wane, Landon Donovan seems set to carry American hopes in South Africa; wouldn’t he love to put one over club-teammate David Beckham? Despite being tournament outsiders, Algeria and Slovenia should not be overlooked. The Algerians conquered Egypt in a dramatic playoff and Slovenia overcame the heavily-favored Russians. Food for thought, Capello and Bradley…

12 June Rustenburg England v USA
13 June Polokwane Algeria v Slovenia
18 June Johannesburg Slovenia v USA
18 June Cape Town England v Algeria
23 June Port Elizabeth Slovenia v England
23 June Pretoria USA v Algeria

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 02:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (80)

One of the strongest groups on paper – featuring powerhouses Michael Ballack, Michael Essien and Nemanja Vidic – Group D is anchored by perennial favorites, Germany. Australia are a rapidly improving outfit, while Ghana and Serbia both deserve dark horse status.

Three-time winners, the Germans haven’t failed to reach the second round since 1950. It won’t be easy, but only a fool would bet against them making it 15 in a row. Pushing them all the way will be Ghana, led by the indestructible Essien. The Black Stars made the Round of 16 at their first attempt in 2006.

Serbia went into the last World Cup with an imperious defensive record and proceeded to lose every match in that year’s group of death – can they do better this time?

The Socceroos feature a number of European-based players – Tim Cahill, Mark Schwarzer and Brett Emerton to name but three. Automatic qualification from Asia proved simple enough – the competition in South Africa will much stiffer.

13 June Durban Germany v Australia
13 June Pretoria Serbia v Ghana
18 June Port Elizabeth Germany v Serbia
19 June Rustenburg Ghana v Australia
23 June Johannesburg Ghana v Germany
23 June Nelspruit Australia v Serbia

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 02:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (22)

Holland are a good bet to win Group E. The Oranje will have no trouble scoring goals, though the health of key players is a concern, with Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben particularly injury-prone this season.

Cameroon have an excellent shot to advance. No strangers to the biggest stage, the Indomitable Lions are the only African team to advance to the quarterfinals in World Cup history and they will take a strong fan base to South Africa.

Japan and Denmark should not be overlooked. Denmark topped a difficult qualifying group, featuring Sweden and Portugal, and will feel at home in the cooler temperatures of South Africa’s winter.

The Japanese have an intriguing mix of experience and youth, with veterans Shunsuke Nakamura and Yasuhito Endo complementing exciting young-guns like Keisuke Honda and Shinji Okazaki.

14 June Johannesburg Holland v Denmark
14 June Bloemfontein Japan v Cameroon
19 June Durban Holland v Japan
19 June Pretoria Cameroon v Denmark
24 June Rustenburg Denmark v Japan
24 June Cape Town Cameroon v Holland

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 02:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)

Italy haven’t necessarily offered scintillating football since winning the Cup in 2006, but the Azzurri got a favorable draw and should advance to the quarterfinals with ease. Famously stingy at the back, the Italians also possess clinical strikers in the shape of Alberto Gilardino and Vincenzo Iaquinta.

Paraguay, New Zealand and Slovakia look set to battle it out for the runners-up berth. Paraguay looked sharp in CONMEBOL’s qualifying; they defeated Brazil at home 2-0 and will ultimately be the favorite to join Italy in second round.

Slovakia are appearing in their first World Cup, and much rests on the shoulders of their young captain and playmaker, Napoli’s Marek Hamsik.

New Zealand’s solitary World Cup appearance came in 1982 and qualification for 2010 created excitement in the rugby-obsessed nation. Their best hope might be to borrow the Haka from their egg-chasing countrymen and scare the rest of the group into submission.

14 June Cape Town Italy v Paraguay
15 June Rustenburg New Zealand v Slovakia
20 June Bloemfontein Slovakia v Paraguay
20 June Nelspruit Italy v New Zealand
24 June Johannesburg Slovakia v Italy
24 June Polokwane Paraguay v New Zealand

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 01:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (12)

The Group of Death was established when Portugal fell to Group G, joining Brazil, the Ivory Coast and Korea DPR. Barring a miraculous run, North Korea's first trip to the World Cup since 1966 will almost certainly be short-lived.

A very good team will be sent packing from Group G. Brazil will be the popular favorite to advance. Portugal and the Ivory Coast are ranked 5th and 16th respectively in FIFA's latest world rankings.

The Portuguese didn't impress in qualifying, but they are led by arguably the world's best player, Cristiano Ronaldo. The Ivory Coast has experience in the Group of Death. The Elephants were grouped with Argentina and the Netherlands in 2006.

15 June Port Elizabeth Ivory Coast v Portugal
15 June Johannesburg Brazil v North Korea
20 June Johannesburg Brazil v Ivory Coast
21 June Cape Town Portugal v North Korea
25 June Durban Portugal v Brazil
25 June Nelspruit North Korea v Ivory Coast

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 01:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (32)

Joint-favorites, Spain are head and shoulders above their Group H counterparts, and that’s no disrespect to Honduras, Chile or Switzerland. Any team boasting the likes of Iker Casillas, Carles Puyol, Xavi, and Fernando Torres will be hard to beat; Spain are world-class from back to front.

The battle for the other spot in the quarterfinals should be a good one.

Chile and Switzerland are ranked 17th and 18th in the latest FIFA rankings, and Honduras proved dangerous in CONCACAF qualifying. Chile, in particular, play an attractive style where possession is king.

Honduras blend the midfield steel of Wilson Palacios with the flair of frontmen David Suazo and Carlos Pavon.

The Swiss plan on being anything but neutral, but a relatively inexperienced squad may opt for damage limitation in their opening fixture against the Spanish.

16 June Nelspruit Honduras v Chile
16 June Durban Spain v Switzerland
21 June Port Elizabeth Chile v Switzerland
21 June Johannesburg Spain v Honduras
25 June Pretoria Chile v Spain
25 June Bloemfontein Switzerland v Honduras

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 01:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (17)

The World Cup is still more than six months away, but first blood will be drawn in Cape Town tomorrow. Who will stand in the way of your team achieving ultimate glory? Which poor souls will be cast into the Group of Death?

Well, all the excitement was too much for us, so we decided to stage our own unofficial mock World Cup Draw. Here goes…

(written by Martin North)

First to be assigned to their groups will be the seeds - South Africa (the hosts automatically go into Group A), Germany, Brazil, Italy, Spain, England, Argentina, and Holland.

So we know South Africa kicks off Group A. The seed in Group B is…

Argentina! Some may say Maradona’s men are lucky to be seeds at all.

Group C’s top dog is…

Spain! The joint favorites will be happy with that – a potential match-up with South Africa in the Quarter Finals, if the hosts make it that far.

The seed into Group D is…

Brazil! This is already heating up – Brazil into Group D opens up the possibility of a showdown with Argentina in the QFs.

Onward…Group E’s seed is…

Holland! The Dutch are another team who just managed to grab a seat at the top table. Along with Spain, probably the biggest name still without a World Cup trophy.

Next up is Group F and its seed…

Italy! The reigning World Champs are stuck in Brazil and Argentina’s side of the draw. Mamma Mia!

Into Group G goes…

England! One of the favorites. Fabio Capello’s Three Lions face a possible QF meeting with Holland.

All of which means the last seed into Group H is…

Germany! The perennial contenders complete a very strong bottom half of the draw, along with Brazil, Argentina and Italy.

On to the second pot, featuring teams from Asia, Oceania and North America – Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Mexico, and Honduras. First out of the hat is…

North Korea! The communists join South Africa in Group A – so far not the toughest group on paper.

The next team into Argentina’s Group B is…

New Zealand! The 1500/1 outsiders. How will they fare against the likes of Messi and Tevez?

Spain’s Group C opponents are…

USA! Tough draw for the US. Can we expect a repeat of their shock Confederations Cup victory over the Spanish?

On to Group D, and the lucky team facing Brazil is…

Australia! The Aussies reached the Round of 16 in 2006, losing to Italy in a heartbreaker. If they manage to negotiate their group this time, they could face Spain in the second round. Fair dinkum!

Holland’s first opponent in Group E is…

Japan! Group E is shaping up to be a solid, if not spectacular collection. The Japanese do have an insider - up-and-coming midfielder, Keisuke Honda plies his trade in Holland for VVV-Venlo.

Next up...Italy’s Group F, which gets…

Honduras! The North American third-placed team will be no pushovers, but the Italians must be happy with that selection.

In Group G, with England, is…

South Korea! Phew. Capello looks relieved not to get Mexico. Manchester United’s Ji-Sung Park will look forward to battling teammates Rooney, Ferdinand and co.

Which leaves only one team for Group H and Germany…

Mexico! What a clash of styles! Teutonic steel against New World flair. One to look forward to…

That rounds out the second pot. Pot 3 features sides from Africa and South America - Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cameroon, Nigeria, Algeria, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay. First into Group A goes…

Chile! The South American runners-up made the second round in their last Finals appearance in 1998. Looks like they have a great chance to do it again.

Group B’s third team is…

Algeria! More good news for Argentina. New Zealand and Algeria don’t represent the steepest of hurdles.

Group C’s turn…next to face Spain and the US is…

Ivory Coast! The draw goes from bad to worse for Bradley’s boys. This is shaping up to be the Group of Death.

Who next for Brazil and Australia? Group D’s third team is…

Cameroon! The Indomitable Lions join the Seleção and Socceroos. Tasty!

Moving on to Group E, Holland and Japan will be joined by…

Uruguay! The CONMEBOL/CONCACAF play-off winners will be dangerous, but the Dutch will be quietly satisfied not to get Ghana or Paraguay.

Group F’s next team is…

Paraguay! Should provide Italy with more competition than Honduras. That’s all the South American teams out of the pot now.

So, is it Ghana or Nigeria for England and Group G?

Ghana!A dangerous proposition, England will be wary of the West Africans. They will know all about The Black Stars’ key man, Chelsea’s Michael Essien.

That leaves only one possibility for Group H and the Germans…

Nigeria! Not the force they once were, Nigeria still has enough to worry Germany and Mexico. A strong European team from the final pot would make this a very competitive group.

And so we move on to the final pot. These are the unseeded European nations – France, Portugal, Slovenia, Switzerland, Greece, Serbia, Denmark, and Slovakia. Group A’s selection is…

Denmark! The Danes and Chile will be favorites, but South Africa is definitely in with a chance of keeping the home fans interested.

The last team into Group B is…

France! Finally Argentina gets some competition (no offense to New Zealand and Algeria) and it comes in the shape of the 2006 Finalist. Henry v Maradona in “hands down” one of the matches of the group stage.

Group C is next to be completed. Joining Spain, USA and Ivory Coast will be…

Serbia! It could have been worse, but if there was ever a man to survive the Group of Death it would be Serbia’s Nemanja Vidic. Scary.

On to Brazil’s Group, the lucky winner is…

Switzerland! The Swiss round out a very competitive group. Brazil should progress, but second place looks up for grabs.

Portugal is the most dangerous team still in the hat, and Group E’s final team will be…

Portugal! So, the Portuguese join the Dutch in Group E. Italy (probably) awaits the runner-up.

Only three teams left to be drawn – Greece and the two Slovs. Group F gets…

Slovakia! The first of the Slovs to be drawn. Even the notoriously slow starting Italians would be expected to come through this group safely.

That leaves just Slovenia and Greece. I know which one England fans would prefer…

Slovenia! They shouldn’t be underestimated, but it would be a huge shock if South Korea or Slovenia were to finish ahead of England or Ghana.

The Greeks are left as the last men standing. But for formality’s sake, let’s make sure…

Greece! The Euro 2004 winners make up an intriguing group with Germany, Mexico and Nigeria. You’d bet your house on the Germans to progress, but second place is anyone’s guess.

That concludes our fake World Cup draw. Here’s how it shaped up:

GROUP A
South Africa
North Korea
Chile
Denmark

GROUP B
Argentina
New Zealand
Algeria
France

GROUP C
Spain
USA
Ivory Coast
Serbia

GROUP D
Brazil
Australia
Cameroon
Switzerland

GROUP E
Holland
Japan
Uruguay
Portugal

GROUP F
Italy
Honduras
Paraguay
Slovakia

GROUP G
England
South Korea
Ghana
Slovenia

GROUP H
Germany
Mexico
Nigeria
Greece

What do you think? How would your team fare? Which frontrunner could fall at the first hurdle?

Of course, the actual groups probably won’t look anything like this. The real fun begins on Friday.

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 09:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

The fates of the United States national team along with the 31 other teams that qualified for the FIFA World Cup took one step closer to a reality when the top eight seeds along with the four other pots were announced on Wednesday.

The Red, White and Blue were placed in Pot 2 along with the other qualifiers from CONCACAF and teams from Asia and Oceania. The Netherlands edged out France for the final top seed.

ESPN2 will provide three hours of coverage of Friday's 2010 World Cup Draw, beginning at noon ET.

Draw rules: No two teams from the same confederation will be drawn in the same group (except European teams, where a maximum of two will be in a group). For example, South Africa cannot play the African teams from Pot 3, and Argentina and Brazil cannot be drawn against the three remaining South American teams.

Pot 1 (seeds):
South Africa (A1)
Germany
Brazil
Italy
Spain
England
Argentina
Netherlands

Pot 2 (Asia, Oceania and CONCACAF):
Japan
South Korea
North Korea
Australia
New Zealand
USA
Mexico
Honduras

Pot 3 (Africa and South America):
Ivory Coast
Ghana
Cameroon
Nigeria
Algeria
Paraguay
Chile
Uruguay

Pot 4 (Europe):
France
Portugal
Slovenia
Switzerland
Greece
Serbia
Denmark
Slovakia

(Soccer365.com)

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 10:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi has described becoming the first Argentinian to win the prestigious Ballon d'Or as a "big honor".

The talented Barca forward beat last year's winner Cristiano Ronaldo into second place in the poll for Europe's footballer of the year, organised by France Football magazine.

Messi, 22, is the sixth Barcelona player to take the award but the first for four years - since Brazilian playmaker Ronaldinho.

He told France Football: "There's lots of emotion - the Ballon d'Or is very important for me.

"I know I appeared among the favourites because Barcelona had a profitable year.

"For me it's a big honor to win - but also to become the first Argentinian in history to receive the trophy.

"I dedicate it to my family, they were always present when I needed them and sometimes felt even stronger emotions than me."

Messi recently signed a two-year contract extension with European champions Barca until 2016 - an improved deal which includes a buy-out clause worth 250million euros (£228million).

The Argentinian won an unprecedented treble last season as the Catalan side won the Champions League, the Spanish title and the Copa del Rey.

Messi was the top scorer in last year's Champions League with nine goals, including a header in the 2-0 final defeat of Manchester United in Rome.

Messi polled 473 votes, more than double the number Real Madrid's Ronaldo totalled (233) and 27 more than the impressive number the Portugal international managed in winning last year's award.

Ronaldo was the only non-Barcelona player in the top four, with Spain midfielders Xavi (170) and Andres Iniesta (149) next in the list.

(Soccer365.com)

Posted by SoccerAdmin at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)