Soccer Blog | Category | Soccer Teams – National

Which rank outsider will be the surprise of this World Cup?

Hristo Stoichkov- Bulgaria, 1994 Davor Suker- Croatia, 1998 Hasan Sas- Turkey, 2002 The last three World Cups has seen...

The degree of insularity in the national soccer squads: Italy worst, France best

Examine the rosters of the national squads of the countries that have the biggest drawing domestic leagues, the big...

World Cup rosters: Group H

Spain Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Santiago Canizares (Valencia), Jose Manuel Reina (Liverpool) Defenders: Michel Salgado (Real Madrid), Carles...

World Cup rosters: Group G

France Goalkeepers: Fabien Barthez (Marseille), Gregory Coupet (Lyon), Mickael Landreau (Nantes). Defenders: Eric Abidal (Lyon), Jean-Alain Boumsong (Newcastle), Pascal...

World Cup rosters: Group F

Brazil Goalkeepers: Dida (AC Milan), Julio Cesar (Inter Milan), Rogerio Ceni (Sao Paulo) Defenders: Juan (Bayer Leverkusen), Lucio (Bayern...

World Cup rosters: Group E

Italy Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Angelo Peruzzi (Lazio), Marco Amelia (Livorno) Defenders: Gianluca Zambrotta (Juventus), Alessandro Nesta (AC Milan),...

World Cup rosters: Group D

Portugal Goalkeepers: Ricardo Pereira (Sporting), Quim Silva (Benfica), Bruno Vale (Amadora). Defenders: Paulo Ferreira and Ricardo Carvalho (Chelsea), Nuno...

World Cup rosters: Group C

Argentina Goalkeepers: Roberto Abbondanzieri (Boca Juniors), Leonardo Franco (Atletico Madrid), Oscar Ustari (Independiente). Defenders: Fabricio Coloccini (Deportivo La Coruna),...

World Cup rosters: Group A

Germany Goalkeepers: Jens Lehmann (Arsenal), Oliver Kahn (Bayern Munich), Timo Hildebrand (VfB Stuttgart). Defenders: Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin), Per...

England and Trinidad and Tobago: The World Cup brings together the coloniser and the colonised

Trinidad and Tobago attained independence from England in 1962. The islands of Trinidad and Tobago was fiercely contested amongst...

Portugal and Angola: The World Cup brings together the coloniser and the colonised

Angola won its independence from Portugal in 1975. It was the beginning of a long civil war between different...

Brazil’s soccer rivalry in the future will come from Africa

The WC 2006 is abuzz with the possibility of a Brazil- Netherlands, Brazil- England, or even a Brazil-France showdown...

Togo’s coach Pfister doubts German chances in WC

Another detractor. And this one is Otto Pfister, Togo’s coach to the World Cup. Pfister is German and he...

Apartheid era soccer legend Ace Ntsoelengoe passes away

Patrick Ace Ntsoelengoe A few days ago I had written about the role that soccer played in the struggle...

Video: The Robo Cup Euro final 2006

We are still awaiting the Barca- Arsenal final video. And as soon as we can get our paws on...

Barca, European champions: Arsenal minus Jens Lehmann; Henrik Larsson shines

Henrik Larsson, Barca midfielder It was a match full of drama. Theater. Enthralling till the end. Barca pulled out...

Inter’s Julio Cruz makes the Argentine team

Julio Cruz is surprised to be on the Argentinian team. I’m sure Veron is surprised as well. Here’s part...

Klinsmann announces the German 23

Gerald Asamoah, Schalke striker Hat tip to Alfred Worcester for drawing our attention to the hosts announcing their final...

Brasil: Roque Junior out, Juninho Pernambucano in

Juninho Pernambucano made it. I’m sure he’s happy now. Now they have to put their heads down and play...

Beckham: “Take it Easy Rooney!”

“If he’s not right, then he has to look after himself. He can’t take risks. He’s got a huge...

Escape to Victory: We’ve come a long way, USA!

Remember schmaltzy Escape to Victory. The soccer movie by John Huston with a beefed up Sly Stallone playing the...

Taylor Twellman scores again: Bruce Arena, perk up your ears

The New England Revolution made short shrift of Chivas USA after falling behind. But the game was settled with...

Pele:The Autobiography

Simon and Schuster, UK has just published Pele’s autobiography. We all know Pele, the legend, the player. But in...

India shops for a soccer coach: My advice, Go Dutch

Clarence Westerhof has joined a group of 10 other names being considered for coaching the Indian soccer squad. Westerhof...

South Africa WC 2010: Soccer’s role in ending Apartheid

We all recognize soccer for the beautiful game that it is. And for its power to unite a country...

The French name their 23 man squad

Djibril Cisse, Liverpool striker Raymond Domenech has solved the goalkeeper quandary by keeping Fabian Barthez as his first pick....

Paolo Di Canio: Soccer player, Mussolini goon

Paolo Di Canio wants the good old days back. The days of the brownshirt. And it helps that he...

Ghana names its 23 man WC squad

Stephen Appiah, Ghana WC captain Ghana became the first of the Africa zone qualifying teams to name their final...

Who will Italy’s Ahn Jung Hwan be this time?

Ahn Jung Hwan celebrating his golden goal (S.Korea- Italy QF, WC 2002) Italians are poor losers when it comes...

Jogo Feio: Fiat, Juventus & the Soccer Mafia

What’s going on in the Calcio? From the NY Times: Players and managers being threatened and blackmailed; numerous discussions...

The Labor party and England’s chances at the World Cup

Harold Wilson: Soccer & Politics “Have you noticed how we only win the World Cup under a Labor Government?”...

Rooney’s Dancing!

Bang a gong! Listen to this, children: “Already free of the protective casing around his foot, Rooney is walking...

Warriors Charging: T&T name Team

Will these guys be tough enough for England, Sweden and Paraguay? Goalkeepers Kelvin Jack (Dundee), Shaka Hislop (West Ham...

Rooney’s Biking Around on his Metatarsals

Could it be that Rooney might get back in time? Apparently his foot is fit enough to allow him...

Mehmet Scholl should go to the World Cup

Sebastian Diesler is out through injury. Germany’s midfield is too reliant on Ballack to make up the gap. It...

Alan Shearer says farewell to St.James Park

Alan Shearer will be missed. A gutsy forward who played through repeated injuries to his knees and England’s ups...

Debate: Should the Iran team be banned from the World Cup?

Can politics be far behind when the World Cup is organized? Now, many EU members are demanding that FIFA...

Ecuador names its 23 man squad

Ivan Kaviedes- Ecuador’s 1998 Golden boy The 23 man roster includes Ivan Hurtado, Ecuador’s veteran defender and captain. He...

Three Lions Fitness Report

Player by player analysis from the Beeb: On Rio: “Chosen ahead of Sol Campbell to start the friendly with...

Robbo: “Brazil have 4 Rooneys!”

Former England captain Bryan Robson gets realistic about England: “We are talking about Rooney being a big part for...

The Socceroos

Guus Hiddink names Tim Cahill to the team messed up knee and all… Goalkeepers Mark Schwarzer (Middlesbrough), Zeljko Kalac...

Surprise – The Calcio is Corrupt

In “Forza Italia – A Journey in Search of Italy and Its Football,” published last week, the author Paddy...

Walcott: 100 metres in 11.52 seconds

Last year, Arsène Wenger predicted that Walcott could become the best player in the world. A fanciful claim? The...

Japan and S.Korea, the 2002 WC surprises hope to repeat their success

South Korea and Guus Hiddink accomplished the impossible, getting to the semi-finals of the 2002 WC. And now there...

Why is soccer good for you? Start your toddler early

In a study done by scientists at Louisiana State University published in Pedatric Physical Therapy (April 2006) it was...

Mexico’s electorate: Soccer more important than politics

The World Cup will soon see Mexico launch its campaign against Iran, Angola, and Portugal. And the forthcoming Mexican...

Sven-ile Dementia: Where is Darren Bent?

I think Sven Goran has really lost the plot. The squad he picked has some real shockers. Theo Walcott??...

Video: Theo Walcott -Young Lion!

Maybe this will be his World Cup instead of Rooney’s…

The Three Lions Roar: England’s 27

The Three Lions roar! Goalkeepers Robinson (Tottenham), James (Manchester City), Green (Norwich) Defenders G Neville (Manchester United), Ferdinand (Manchester...