ibrahim Afellay

ibrahim Afellay
Nickname:	Ibi
Date of Birth:	Apr 1, 1986
Place of Birth:	Utrecht
Nationality:	Netherlands
Height:	180 cm.
Weight:	68 Kg.
Position:	Midfielder
Squad Number:	20
Club Team:	PSV

Samuel Eto'o Fils

Eto'o
Full Name:	Samuel Eto'o Fils
Nickname:	Sammy
Date of Birth:	Mar 9, 1981
Place of Birth:	Nkon
Nationality:	Cameroon
Height:	180 cm.
Weight:	75 Kg.
Position:	Striker
Squad Number:	9
Club Team:	Inter milan

Bastian Schweinsteiger

Bastian Schweinsteiger
Nickname:	Schweini
Date of Birth:	Jul 31, 1984
Place of Birth:	Kolbermoor
Nationality:	Germany
Height:	183 cm.
Weight:	79 Kg.
Position:	Midfielder
Squad Number:	7
Club Team:	Bayern

Karim Ziani

Karim Ziani
Date of Birth:	Aug 16, 1982
Place of Birth:	Sevres (France)
Nationality:	Algeria
Height:	169 cm.
Weight:	66 Kg.
Position:	Midfielder
Squad Number:	15

2010 Tour de France Preview: Does Lance Have a Chance?

"Few things can bring the country of France to a standstill. The start and end of world wars. A revolution. And, every summer, in the heat of July, a bicycle race, as millions line to roads just to catch a glimpse of the two wheeled missiles and the gods who ride them"

Jorgen Leth from the film "23 Days in July"

Stage 3. This early battleground could tell us a lot about what kind of a race this will be. Stage 3 finishes with seven sectors of cobblestone roads, some of which are very difficult. Traditionally, thin climbers (like defending champion Alberto Contador) have trouble riding the cobbles. In 2004, Spanish climber Iban Mayo lost huge chunks of time to Lance Armstrong on a similar cobbled stage. If Armstrong and his team can make Contador suffer on this stage--and take some time from him--then we could have a wild and dramatic race.

Before we get to how I think it will play out, let's look at the favorites.


Alberto Contador


Two-time winner of the Tour, and acknowledged best stage racer in the world. He has started four grand tours, and won them all. He chalked up some impressive early season wins in this year, and three weeks ago he won the l'Alpe D'Huez stage of the Dauphine. At 27, he is at the height of his powers. His team (a weakened Astana) is a question mark, but his ability is not. His only real weakness may be his impatient nature and lack of tactical nous.

Lance Armstrong


Seven-time winner. 3rd place last year after 3 years in retirement. Slow start this year, but in June finished 3rd in the Tour of Luxembourg and 2nd in the Tour of Switzerland. He's 38, but has said in the last week that he feels 28 again, and that his training and test times are close to where they were at his peak (at least on the climbs). Has a very strong, albeit very old, Radio Shack team. His time trialing has slipped--a lot. But, he's the smartest racer in the bunch, and may be peaking at the right time.

Andy Schleck


2nd place last year. Regarded as the 2nd best climber in the world, behind Contador. Not much of a time trialist, and not much in the way of race results this year. Crashed in training last week--scratched up. Has put all of his 2010 eggs in the Tour basket. May be the only rider in the world who can ride away from Contador in the mountains, and is backed by a strong Saxo Bank squad. He's 25 years old--should be coming into his peak as a rider.

Frank Schleck


Andy's brother, who has been better than Andy this season. Recently won the Tour of Switzerland, and was second in Luxembourg. Improved time trialist, gifted climber. May be a better bet this July than his brother. Also races for Saxo Bank. Frank seems to be a better all-around rider than Andy, yet always seems to sacrifice himself for his bother at the Tour. With his form this season, it may be the other way around this time.

Ivan Basso


Former Tour of Italy winner, then suspended two years for doping, and now recent Tour of Italy winner (two months ago). Does he have enough in the tank to win the Giro in May and then be competitive at the Tour? We'll see. If on form, he's a great climber and a good time trialist. Liquigas team is strong. Basso is this Tour's dark horse/wild card--he could be very good, or very bad.

Others:

Cadell Evans, Denis Menchov, Carlos Sastre, Bradley Wiggins, Christian Vandevelde. If anyone other than one of these ten riders wins the Tour, I will walk down Greenville Ave in a bra and panties.


How I Think It Will Play Out

Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) will win the prologue time trial, and the first yellow jersey. He will then try to keep yellow on Stage 3 over the cobblestones. Saxo Bank will have to be careful not to burn themselves out early helping Cancellara, as they'll need to save energy for the Schleck brothers and the mountains in the final two weeks. But they'll have yellow for a few days early.

Radio Shack will set a torrid pace on the cobbles near the end of Stage 3. Armstrong is good on those roads, and I think The Shack will try to rip the race apart. Contador knows this, but that doesn't matter--can he do anything about it? He trained a bit on the cobbles this spring, but he's never raced on them--big difference. I see him losing a couple on minutes on this stage. And that will set the stage for a delicious final two weeks. If Amrstrong is not able to pick up any time on Contador on this stage, then the race may be over.

The Alps come first this year, with one mountain top finish. The Pyrenees are more difficult, but will Ccontador be able to control himself until the final week? Will he need to make up time on Armstrong sooner that he thinks? I'm sure, given his mindset, that Contador will try to take time at Avoriaz, the first mountain top finish--Stage 8. If Contador has trouble dropping Lance on this stage, then lookout. If Amrstrong is climbing as well as he says, then this stage should be very interesting.

Stages 16 and 17 are brutal Pyrenean climbing stages. Most feel that Contador will stamp his authority on the race here, in the mountains that border his native country. I think we may have three or four men (Contador, Armstrong, and the Schelck brothers) all within a minute of each other at this point. Whoever can handle the Tourmalet the best will emerge as the likely yellow jersey in Paris. Safe bet here is Contador. He should leave the mountains with a couple of minutes advantage on his rivals, and he should add to that in the final time trial the day before the race ends.

My final picks:

1. Contador
2. Armstrong @ 3:00
3. F. Schleck @ 3:15
4. A. Schleck @ 4:00
5. Evans @ 5:00

(If I had just a little more faith in Conatador, I would pick him to win by 10 minutes. This is the year he should be able to do that, but part of me doesn't trust him, and part of me believes the way the Tour is raced these days--with race radios and director sportif's controling almost everything--that the days of the Merckx-like 10 and 20 minute gaps are over)

It's hard to pick against Contador--he's in his prime, he's had a nice season so far, he's motivated to beat Lance, and he's the best in the world. Lance will put up a good fight--he probably knows he can't beat Contador straight up, but over three weeks, anything can happen. Contador could crash, test positive, have one really bad day, get sick--anything can happen.

I expect Lance to be better than last year in the mountains, but I worry about his time trialing. You can win the Tour if you're in the top 5 in the time trials, but you can't finish 15th in the time trials as he's been doing. Lance can get time on the cobbles, stay close in the mountains, limit his losses in the time trials, and finish on the podium again.

I like Frank Schleck better than Andy this year, but Frank and Andy have a way of throwing away their own chances in order to help each other. If Frank gets greedy and doesn't worry about Andy, he can finish in the top 3. Andy could be playing possum, but something just doesn't look or feel right about him this season.

Cadell Evans is a cagey, gutsy rider who has twice finished second in this race. He'll ride well again. It will be good to see the world champion's jersey racing to win the Tour de France--we haven't seen that since the 90's with Abraham Olano and Greg LeMond.

It will be a fascinating three weeks. With Lance and Alberto on different teams this year, the race should be much more interesting than the '09 edition. This will be Lance's final Tour, and I think he'll go out with a bang--another podium finish, and a fight with Contador through the final week. But, in the end, 27 year old legs beat 38 year old legs.

David Villa Sánchez

David Villa
Full Name:	David Villa Sánchez
Nickname:	Guaje
Date of Birth:	Dec 2, 1981
Place of Birth:	Langreo
Nationality:	Spain
Height:	175 cm.
Weight:	69 Kg.
Position:	Striker
Squad Number:	7
Club Team:	Barcelona

Didier Drogba

Didier Drogba
Nickname:	Drogbazooka
Date of Birth:	Mar 10, 1978
Place of Birth:	Abidjan
Nationality:	Côte d'Ivoire
Height:	189 cm.
Weight:	84 Kg.
Position:	Striker
Squad Number:	11
Club Team:	Chelsea

Walter Samuel

Walter Samuel
Nickname:	El Muro
Date of Birth:	Mar 22, 1978
Place of Birth:	Firmat, Santa Fé
Nationality:	Argentina
Height:	183 cm.
Weight:	83 Kg.
Position:	Defender
Squad Number:	13
club: Inter milan

Cacau

Full Name:	Jeronimo Baretto Cacau
Date of Birth:	Mar 26, 1981
Place of Birth:	Sao Paulo
Nationality:	Brazil
Height:	178 cm.
Weight:	74 Kg.
Position:	Striker
Squad Number:	19
Club Team:	VfB Stuttgart
religion: katolik

The World Cup, From The Outside Looking In

I have never been a soccer fan, though not for a lack of trying (more on that later). I have no bias against the sport. I do not hate soccer. I do not hate soccer fans. Or soccer balls. Or soccer moms. On the show this week, we've taken a lot of grief from irate soccer fans who think we deserve a red card for our take on the world's most popular sport. Allow me some time to explain...

I have always been a fringe sport/Olympic sport fan. Like any good American, I've always enjoyed football, basketball and baseball. But I've also always loved learning about sports that most Americans don't know much about. If you've listened to our show for any amount of time, or read this blog, you know that cycling is my passion. Since childhood, I've also always followed and/or played tennis, golf, World Cup skiing, track and field, triathlon, surfing, motorcycle racing, F1--you name it, and I'm open to watching it, learning about it, and trying it.

I would stack my love for and knowledge about international sports up against anyone at The Ticket. Nobody was more into the Winter Olympics than I was. Bob has me on soccer, boxing and hockey. Corby has me on soccer and golf. George has me on golf and swimming. Norm has me on horse racing and gambling. But I'm guessing I've got everyone on most of the sports I listed above, and then some. As a kid, I thought it was great that everyone in school knew who Roger Staubach was, but that I was the only one who knew who Bill Rodgers was. Everyone knew of Larry Bird, but I was the only one who knew of Dave Scott. Everyone had heard of Pete Rose, but no one had heard of Niki Lauda. Walter Payton, Reggie Jackson, Dr. J? That's easy. But how about Laurent Fignon, Gustav Thoni and Guillermo Vilas? I knew them all, because I loved all sports.

Which brings us to soccer. I tried to play it as a kid. I lost interest in a hurry. Not being able to use your hands was a big drawback, I thought. It just didn't have the constant, hands on (sorry) excitement that other sports did. As an adult, I tried watching it, but it never hooked me. I tried getting into the World Cup in 1994 when the U.S. hosted the event--I even went to a game at the Cotton Bowl. Fun atmosphere, but it never grabbed me. I've tried (maybe not hard enough--still more on that later).

So, against that backdrop, and armed with that information--here are my unbiased, non-sarcastic, from the heart observations on the sport of soccer and the World Cup.


THINGS I LIKE

1. Commercial free halves. Greatness. No other sport gives you that bang for the buck. You invest 110 minutes total and it's over. You have zero commercials per half. There is not another sport in the world that can make that claim. I love it.

2. The passion. I would stack the passion of the soccer fan up against the passion of any other fan from any other sport. I've never experienced anything like standing on the side of a mountain road during the Tour de France--the fans are insane. But I hear that the soccer fans at a Premier League game are just as nuts, if not nuttier. I would like to experience that one day.

3. The international flavor. I love any event where, in the stands, you will hear 10 different languages being spoken and see 10 different flags being waved. I enjoy the political/geographical rivalries. I enjoy countries whose hatred for each other goes back centuries. You don't get that in many sports. I also love the color--the jerseys and logos, etc. Very rich.

4. The history. While the game itself doesn't reel me in, the history of the sport does. I like reading about Pele and Beckenbauer. I like looking at the list of the Cup winners. I like the stories behind the stories. Any sport with a thick, global history and with lots of characters and intrigue is ok by me.

5. The United States climb to dominance. Soccer is one of the few sports remaining that we haven't figured out. We've reached the top of the mountain in just about everything else, but the road map to international soccer success is still confusing to us. I like that we are a hungry nation. America is usually at it's best when it's hungry.


THINGS I DON'T LIKE

1. The lack of scoring opportunities. My biggest beef with the sport. There is too much time where the ball is being kicked around at midfield, or kicked out of bounds, or when play just bogs down to the point that you realize nothing exciting is going to happen in the next minute, guaranteed. However, in other sports, there is almost always a chance for a score or something dramatic at any moment. In baseball, every pitch gives you a scoring opportunity. In football, every snap delivers the promise of something big. In basketball, almost every trip down the floor results in a payoff. Even in a slow sport like golf, every single stroke for Tiger counts towards his score--every swing could win or lose the tournament. Every one. Yet, in soccer, I would estimate that you get a legitimate scoring chance once every 5-10 minutes. Not enough, for this reporter.

2. The clock. "Extra time" is the most unstable thing in international sports. Can you imagine watching an NFL game where time was kept on the field and basically hidden from the players and fans? How outraged would we be? I don't understand why the clock can't start at 45:00 and count back, and be stopped when the official wants it stopped. It would make the game much easier to follow, instead of forcing fans to constantly do math and then guess at how much time might remain.

3. The flopping. I don't like it in the NBA, and I like it even less in soccer. At least in the NBA they get right up. In soccer, they bring out a stretcher. Really??

4. The ABC/ESPN announcers. The American announcers (save for a few) act like they've been around the sport forever--they haven't. The Euro announcers that they've imported for this event sound like they would rather be somewhere else. That doesn't get me fired up. Heck, we get so few scoring opportunities, I want those announcers losing their sheet in those moments.

5. The hyperbolic soccer media and fandom. Claiming that the extra time goal against Algeria was one of the greatest moments in U.S. sports history is a bit of a stretch to me. Likening it to the Miracle on Ice (Mike and Mike, Matt Laurer, and dozens of spare soccer scribes) is a joke. The Miracle on Grass? Come on. Should the U.S. beat Spain in the semi-finals on a last-second goal, then yes, let's all roll out the Lake Placid comparisons. But not beating Algeria (who didn't score a goal in any of their three World Cup games) in the preliminary round. As one listener said, it was the equivalent of Texas beating Iowa State 3-0 on a last second field goal. Nice, exciting win--but not epic.

MY PLEDGE

Then again, maybe it's me. So, as an olive branch to the soccer fan who thinks I haven't given the sport a chance or who thinks I haven't thought out my "soccer is boring" opinion, I offer this...

I've been told by many of you via email that the World Cup is not the best soccer to watch--that big-time European pro soccer is. So, I will get into Euro soccer for a season and see if it grabs me. I'll pick one team to follow (suggestions, please), and I will watch all of their games. I will read about it. I will talk about it. I will corner Bob at work and make him answer my questions, at gunpoint if that's what it takes. I will give it an honest effort. I will update my findings along the way. If, at the end of that season, it still hasn't grabbed me, then you'll just have to accept that one of the worlds best sports reporters finds the world's most popular sport boring.

So, let's get going. Let me know which league and team I should follow. Let me know when and where I can watch them. Let me know which websites are the best to keep up with them. I even pledge to attempt to see a game in person, if possible. It's just my way of showing you that I don't hate international sports, and that I don't hate soccer. I just don't get it. Yet.

Sami Khedira

Date of Birth:	Apr 3, 1987
Place of Birth:	Stuttgart
Nationality:	Germany
Height:	189 cm.
Weight:	81 Kg.
Position:	Midfielder
Squad Number:	28
National Team Page:	Germany Under 21
Reigion: moslem

Thomas Müller

Date of Birth:	Sep 12, 1989
Place of Birth:	Weilheim
Nationality:	Germany
Height:	186 cm.
Weight:	74 Kg.
Position:	Striker
Squad Number:	21
National Team Page:	Germany

Lukas Podolski

Nickname:	Prinz Poldi
Date of Birth:	Jun 3, 1985
Place of Birth:	Gleiwitz
Nationality:	Germany
Height:	180 cm.
Weight:	81 Kg.
Position:	Striker
Squad Number:	10
Club Team:	FC Köln

Marek Hamsik

Date of Birth:	Jul 21, 1987
Place of Birth:	Banska Bystrica
Nationality:	Slovakia
Height:	183 cm.
Weight:	73 Kg.
Position:	Midfielder
Squad Number:	17
National Team Page:	Slovakia

Wesley Sneijder

Date of Birth:	Jun 8, 1984
Place of Birth:	Utrecht
Nationality:	Netherlands
Height:	170 cm.
Weight:	64 Kg.
Position:	Midfielder
Squad Number:	10
National Team Page:	Netherlands

Gonzalo Gerardo Higuain

Nickname : Pipita Date of Birth : December 9, 1987 Place of Birth : Brest, Finisterre, Francia Nationality : Argentina Height : 184 cm. Weight : 75 Kg. religion : katolik Role : Striker Back Number : 20 National Team : Argentina

Maicon
Nama Lengkap:	Douglas Sisenando Maicon
Tanggal Lahir:	25 Jul 1981
Tempat Lahir:	Criciuma
Warga Negara:	Brazil
Tinggi:	184 cm.
Berat:	77 Kg.
Peranan:	Bek
Nomor Punggung:	2
Tim Klub:	Inter Milan

Luis Fabiano

Luis Fabiano
Nama Lengkap:	Luis Fabiano Clemente
Nama Panggilan:	O Fabuloso
Tanggal Lahir:	10 Agu 1980
Tempat Lahir:	Campinas
Warga Negara:	Brazil
Tinggi:	182 cm.
Berat:	78 Kg.
Peranan:	Striker
Nomor Punggung:	10
Tim Nasional:	Brasil

lionel messi

Lionel Messi
Nickname:	Lio
Date of Birth:	Jun 23, 1987
Place of Birth:	Santa Fe
Nationality:	Argentina
Height:	169 cm.
Weight:	67 Kg.
Position:	Striker
Squad Number:	10
Club Team:	Barcelona

Nicklas Bendtner

Date of Birth:	Jan 15, 1988
Place of Birth:	Copenhagen, Denmark
Nationality:	Denmark
Height:	193 cm.
Weight:	84 Kg.
Position:	Striker
Squad Number:	52

Religion : katolik

Robin van persie

Robin Van Persie
Date of Birth:	Aug 5, 1983
Place of Birth:	Rotterdam
Nationality:	Netherlands
Height:	183 cm.
Weight:	71 Kg.
Position:	Striker
Squad Number:	11
National Team Page:	Netherlands

religion : moslem

Conference Realignment and The Year 2025

In sports, like in life, things change. The NFL used to be a 10 team league. The NBA used to be an 8 team league. The NHL used to be a 6 team league. They are not anymore. Things change.

College sports conferences used to be very small and very regional. The Big 6 became the Big 8. The Southwest Conference was 7, then added Tech and Houston. The Pac 8 added Arizona and Arizona St. to form the Pac-10. The Big 10 has grown. The SEC has grown. Things change.

Now, things are really changing. The demise of the Big 12 is the first step in what I believe will be a radical and total reshaping of Division One college football. Think about it this way: things have changed very rapidly in the last 15-20 years. In that time, the Big 12 has come and gone. Other conferences like the WAC and Mountain West and Big East and ACC and C-USA change seemingly all the time. The Big 10 is always looking grow. The haves want more, and they want to distance from the have nots. And it's going to happen in a big way, sooner than you think.

Consider the panic that has set in during the last week. You will, from here on out, see teams constantly trying to set themselves up in a super-conference. Nobody will want to be left out, which will cause things to happen at a rapid pace.

I believe we are headed for four, 20 or 22-team, super-conferences. By the year 2025 at the latest, things will look something like this:

The Pac-20

Northwest Division
Washington
Washington St
Oregon
Oregon St.
Boise St.

California Division
USC
UCLA
Stanford
Cal
San Diego State

Mountain Division
Arizona
Arizona St.
Utah
BYU
Colorado

Southwest Division
Texas
Texas A&M
Texas Tech
Oklahoma
Oklahoma St.


The Big-20 (formerly the Big-10)

Plains Division
Nebraska
Iowa
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Missouri

Lakes Division
Michigan
Michigan State
Ohio State
Syracuse
Cincinatti

Northeast Division
Penn State
Pittsburgh
Boston College
Rutgers
West Virginia

Valley Division
Notre Dame
Indiana
Illinois
Northwestern
Purdue


The SEC

West Division
Arkansas
Alabama
Auburn
LSU
Ole Miss
Miss. State

North Division
Tennessee
Vanderbilt
Kentucky
Louisville
South Carolina
Maryland

South Division
Clemson
Georgia
Georgia Tech
Virginia
Virginia Tech
Wake Forest

East Division
Florida
Florida St.
Miami
Duke
North Carolina
NC State


The Super-West

Patrick Division
Kansas
Kansas State
Colorado State
Air Force
Wyoming

Adams Division
UNLV
Nevada
Fresno
Hawaii
New Mexico

Smythe Division
Baylor
SMU
TCU
Houston
UTEP

Norris Division
Marshall
Memphis
Ohio
Tulsa
Southern Miss

(Late editor's note: I just realized that the Super West might really suck in football, and nobody will think they deserve a Final Four bid. I may have to change out a few teams to create balance)

That's it. That is your new Division One. Each football team will play 11 games--4 or 5 against your division mates, 4 or 5 others against rotating members of your super-conference, and a few non-conference games. Then, at the end of the regular season, each conference will have a playoff featuring the four division winners to determine who goes to college football's Final Four.

The Final Four, of course, will feature the four conference champions. The schools will love this format because each conference will make lots of money with their own, four-team playoff. College football will make a ton of money in the end with the Final Four. We will have a playoff, conferences will make a ton of cash, and everyone will be happy--everyone except the former division one schools who got left out. I can't really see that any of the schools left behind would have much of a case, based on program success, revenue, stadium, size, etc. Anyway, that's life. Things change.

Given the events of the last 7 days, the exact configuration of each conference is of course subject to change. I may not hit on all of the teams and their exact landing spots, but I am confident that we will be looking at this kind of set-up. And perhaps a lot sooner than 2025, because things change. They always have in conference and league lineups, and they always will.

ghana profil team 2010

Ghana

Confederation:

CAF

Star Players:

Michael Essien, Sulley Muntari

Best World Cup Finish:

Second Round (2006)

Current FIFA Ranking:

32

Strengths:

Excellent midfield

Weaknesses:

Lack of striking options

Fans:

Black Stars growing in number

Coach: Milovan Rajevac
Confederation: CAF
FIFA Ranking (Apr 10): 32
Previous Appearances: 1 (2006)

Background

The West African nation made its maiden appearance at the World Cup finals in Germany in 2006. They left a lasting impression on the minds of billions of people across the world as the only African country to make it to the Round of 16 in that tournament. They slumped to a 2-0 defeat to Italy in their first match, but recovered strongly to repeat that same scoreline in their favour against Czech Republic and surprised the USA with a 2-1 victory. The whole continent of Africa fell in love with the boys in black and white until Brazil shattered their World Cup dreams with a humiliating 3-0 defeat. The Ghanaians hope to revive their previous performance and do even better this time around.

How They Qualified

Ghana was the first African team to qualify for the World Cup after winning its first four matches against Benin, Mali and Sudan, thereby guaranteeing them a spot at Angola 2010. An early qualification meant that Ghana knew they were headed for the African Cup of Nations, and could prepare accordingly.

Strengths

Ghana’s midfield is star-studded and serves as the distribution centre for the wings towards its strikers. No wonder it became the first African team to qualify for the World Cup after winning its first four matches without conceding a goal. Ghana ended their qualification campaign with a draw against Mali.

Weaknesses

The team needs strikers that can create their own chances and score at any given time. The left back position has always been weak for Ghana, and the earlier it patches that hole the better. Meanwhile in midfield, star player Michael Essien is out due to injury, severely weakning this Black Stars outfit.

The Coach

Milovan Rajevac assumed this post in August 2008 from Frenchman Claude Le Roy. The 55-year-old was handling provincial club FK Borak through the UEFA Cup qualifiers before coming to Africa. Most of his career has been spent in his homeland Serbia with Red Star Belgrade being the highest-profile club he managed.

Star Men

Richard Kingson (Wigan Athletic)

Kingson is no doubt the number one goalkeeper for Ghana. He has been very consistent and his surveillance at the goal post is classic. He made many saves for Ghana at the 2006 World Cup and was superb in the qualifying campaign. He will be in his favourite 22 jersey for Ghana in the upcoming tournament in South Africa.

Sulley Muntari (Inter)

Despite his intermittent standoffs with the Ghana Football Association, the midfielder and left winger has been a regular for the senior national side. His thunderous strikes have sent chilling fears in the minds of world class goalkeepers. He doesn’t care where the ball is placed as he still makes good use of the slightest chance. Watch out for his usual left-footed pile-drivers.

Best Footballing Moment
It was at the 2006 FIFA World Cup when Asamoah Gyan scored the fastest goal of the tournament after just 68 seconds.

Off The Pitch
Famous for: Unusual coffins ranging from brightly coloured luxury cars, planes, butterflies, lobsters, shoes, peppers, musical instruments and coconuts.

Most likely to: Have the largest following in Africa if the other continental representatives falter in the tournament.

World Cup Objective
Do what is impossible - go beyond the group stages and break its own record from the last World Cup.

greece profil team 2010

Greece

Confederation:

UEFA

Star Players:

Theofanis Gekas, Sotiris Kyrgiakos

Best World Cup Finish:

First Round (1994)

Current FIFA Ranking:

13

Strengths:

Tactics and spirit

Weaknesses:

Aging squad

Fans:

Partisan

Coach: Otto Rehhagel
Confederation: UEFA
FIFA Ranking (Apr 10): 12
Previous Appearances: 1 (1994,)

Background

Until 2001, Greece had just two appearances in the finals of a major tournament. The first was in the European Champions of 1980 and the second in the 1994 World Cup. And then the unexpected happened... Otto Rehhagel took over as the team's coach, first completely transforming its style, attitude and mentality and then leading it to the most sensational achievement in football's history. The Euro 2004 triumph. In 2008, he added a third Euro appearance under Greece's belt and now the team faces a second World Cup challenge after a disastrous tournament sixteen years ago. Back then Greece exited the tournament with two 4-0 defeats and a less harsh 2-0 setback.

How They Qualified

Despite being drawn in a rather easy group, Greece had to fight hard their way to South Africa. The Greeks finished second in Group B of the UEFA zone, behind of Switzerland (to which Greece suffered defeats both home and away) and earned a World Cup spot by beating Ukraine in a two-legged play-off. Greee slumped to a scoreless draw in Athen in the first leg before Dimitris Salpingidis' goal in Donetsk sent Greece to South Africa.

Strengths

Greece have been accused as being one of the most boring and anti-football teams ever but their biggest strength lies in its solid defence. With two centre-backs and a libero, Otto Rehhagel revived in 2004 the old-fashioned but always effective catenaccio style. He was proved right...

Weaknesses

When it comes to creative football, Greece suffers greatly. The only attacking plan is to wait for a set piece so someone can jump to the ball and send it home. Otherwise, don't expect any rational attempts with the ball down the pitch.

Coach

Otto Rehhagel became again the 'Rehhakles' of Euro 2004 after he won yet another qualification for the Greek team in the finals of a major tournament. The German coach is definitely the most successful manager with the most unlikely squads, leading all the underdogs to top honors. The whole Greek national team is his own creation and the players look up to him as a father figure. This World Cup will most probably be his swan song as a coach.

Star Men

Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos)

The natural leader of the team. A stubborn midfielder, who knows how to keep the ball and be the perfect playmaker in the big games. Without him, Greece's midfield most likely will have no real strength.

Sotirios Kyrgiakos (Liverpool)

The only Greek player in a top-class team. A strong defender, earned the nickname 'Highlander' after playing for Rangers and due to his long hair. He is very unlikely to get beaten when the ball comes in the air or in a personal challenge.

Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos)

Rehhagel doesn't trust him yet. He has used him only a few times. However, no doubt he is the most talented and promising Greek players. He will definitely be in Greece's squad and if he is given the chance, he will shine.

Best Footballing Moment

The Euro 2004 victory. In Greece, this success seems still feels like a good dream and a sign that anything is possible.

Off The pitch

Famous for: the strange and kind of unique 'Greek reality' habits that can see the players staying awake all night before a major game, drinking coffee!

Most likely to: be dearly welcomed by the strong Greek community of South Africa. The local leaders have said to be with the national team all the way to the final...

World Cup Objective

No one will be expecting a Euro 2004-like success story. Advancing from the group stage will be just great.

italy profil team 2010

Italy

Confederation:

UEFA

Star Players:

Gianluigi Buffon, Daniele De Rossi

Best World Cup Finish:

Winners (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006)

Current FIFA Ranking:

5

Strengths:

Squad spirit

Weaknesses:

Attack

Fans:

Global, passionate

Coach: Marcello Lippi
Confederation: UEFA
FIFA Ranking (Mar 10): 5
Previous Appearances: 16 (winner 1934, winner 1938, 1950, 1954, 1962, 1966, final 1970, 1974, 1978, winner 1982, 1986, third place 1990, final 1994, 1998, 2002, winner 2006)

Background

The current world champions don't need any special introduction. After Brazil, Italy are the most successful national team on the planet with four titles. They last conquered Germany in 2006 and surprised the media and the football world. After a disappointing showing at Euro 2008 and the Confederations Cup a year later, Italian fans don't believe that the new 'Lippi Boys' can triumph like four years ago, however this scepticism can become a lethal weapon for Italy.

How They Qualified

Italy qualified with a game to spare in Group 8 of the European qualifying zone. It wasn't exciting. The Italian team rarely played scintillating football during the qualification phase but they were undefeated nonetheless and Azzurri faithful are now looking to June.

Strengths

Marcello Lippi loves to speak about the group, the collective, the team. He doesn't like individualism, that's why cohesion is the most important Azzurri virtue. Like in 2006, if you remember. But Italy also have a solid defence led by Juventus trio Buffon, Cannavaro and Chiellini.

Weaknesses

Italy's biggest problem is in attack. The Azzurri lack a world class forward like Messi, Kaka or Torres. Gilardino, Iaquinta, and Di Natale are good players, but they don't seem to be decisive.

The Coach

Marcello Lippi is a winner. His honours list is as impressive as anyone in the world: from Serie A to Champions League, from Intercontinental Cup to World Cup, nothing is missing. He has clear ideas and precise principles that he doesn't betray even in front of popular uprisings. For this reason he's disliked by many Italian fans, despite Germany 2006...

Star Men

Gigi Buffon (Juventus)

He's back to being the best goalkeeper in the world after having spent some hard times with Juve in recent years. When Buffon is 100%, heis like a decisive playmaker or striker. He was one of the heroes of the Azzurri victory in Germany.

Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus)

Fabio Cannavaro is still the leader of the team, but the best Italian defender is Giorgio Chiellini. He has grown amazingly in the last few seasons and is a guaranteed starter for Italy and Juventus.

Andrea Pirlo (Milan)

If Pirlo plays well then his team plays well. The rule applies to Italy and AC Milan. Lippi has designed a new position on the field for the former Inter player, bringing him close to the strikers in the role of offensive playmaker. Will it be the decisive move for Azzurri ambitions?

Best Footballing Moment

The 1982 and 2006 triumphs were unforgettable. During Spain '82, the Azzurri defeated Argentina, Brazil and Germany, some of the best national teams in the world. Germany 2006 was a redemption after the Calciopoli scandal.

Off The Pitch

Famous for: Italy are the world champions in football and the leaders in other areas. Food, fashion, beauty, sports cars and motorcycles... Italians do it better.

Most likely to: If you listen the chorus 'Popopopopopopo' with the 'Seven Nation Army' melody don't fear the Italian fans who are coming...

World Cup Objective

The world champions must fight to defend their crown, no excuses. An elimination before the semi-finals would be a complete failure.

serbia profil team 2010

Serbia

Confederation:

UEFA

Star Players:

Nemanja Vidic, Branislav Ivanovic, Dejan Stankovic

Best World Cup Finish:

Fourth Place (1930,1962)

Current FIFA Ranking:

15

Strengths:

Strong defence & creative midfield

Weaknesses:

Lack of a class striker

Fans:

Passionate

Coach: Radomir Antic
Confederation: UEFA
FIFA Ranking (Apr 10): 16
Previous Appearances: First as Serbia

Background

This will be Serbia’s first appearance as an independent nation after previously competing under the flag of Yugoslavia, and later Serbia and Montenegro. As the Yugoslavs, their best performance at a World Cup was reaching the semi finals twice, once in the first tournament of 1930 and then again in 1962.

They reached the final of the European Championships, but their best achievement at international level was winning Olympic Gold and winning the World Youth Cup in 1987. In recent years the youth team has been the shining light in Serbian football

How They Qualified

Impressive performances gave Serbia top spot in Group 7 ahead of France, and the team wrapped up qualification with a game to spare. The moment of glory came with a 5-0 thrashing of Romania in Belgrade. Defeat to France was disappointing, and leaves a few questions unanswered ahead of South Africa, but overall this was an efficient qualification.

Strengths
The defence is the strongest part of the Serbian squad, Nemanja Vidic and Branislav Ivanovic commanding the backline to perfection and their attacking instincts at set pieces proved valuable in Serbia’s qualifying campaign. The two attacking midfielders, Milos Krasic and Milan Jovanovic, were exceptional on the wings throughout the campaign and their performances caught the eye of Europe’s best clubs.

Weaknesses

Serbia’s weakness can come from the central midfield. Dejan Stankovic and Nenad Milijas played throughout qualifying and performed, well but Milijas’ lack of pace can be a problem.

Serbia also lack a classic striker. Target man Nikola Zigic can have a game in which he is not seen at all and Marko Pantelic produces more assists than goals. The lack of depth in this position could be a big problem for the team.

The Coach

Radomir Antic is one of the most well-known managers around, having taken the reign of the big three Spanish clubs. His appointment was greeted with mixed reactions from the demanding Serbian media and public. In the team’s first home game against Lithuania, there were only 15,000 fans, which angered Antic. But as games went on and Serbia’s growing dominance over their opponents grew, the whole nation was behind 'Raddy'. He is like a father figure to the players.

Star Men

Milos Krasic (CSKA Moscow, Russia)

The blonde haired winger was a delight for the Serbian public during the qualifying campaign. His electrifying pace, great passing and a precise shooting where valuable attributes to the teams play and having caught the eye of European footballs biggest clubs the player can only grow and grow as matches go by.

Milan Jovanovic (Standard Leige, Belgium)

Electrifying pace, a great football brain and an attacking instinct has labelled the player as Serbia’s best at the moment. It was a joy to watch Jovanovic during the campaign, and his excellent performances have seen many European clubs consider meeting his eight million euro valuation. He was Serbia’s top scorer with five goals.

Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United, England)

The rock and commander in defence gives the Serbian team trust in its back line. Vidic was unbeatable in qualification, and coming up for set pieces with Branslav Jovanovic added an edge to the teams attack and with younger defenders coming up in the teamHe will be the team’s leader in South Africa.

Best XI

Best Footballing Moment

As a young independent team, Serbia’s best moment is yet to come. South Africa will be a great chance for this team full of talent to show the world what they have to offer.

Off The Pitch

Famous For: Games other than football. Serbia is a leader in world team sports. Water polo, volleyball and basketball have given the country many happy moments.

Most likely to: Complain about the draw and being placed in a tough group again

World Cup Objective

Serbia will be a dark horse in South Africa. The team should get out of the group stages and from there on the journey to the semi finals begins. If they fail it will be nothing new for Serbian football.

chile profil team 2010

Chile

Confederation:

CONMEBOL

Star Players:

Humberto Suazo, Matias Fernandez

Best World Cup Finish:

Third Place (1962)

Current FIFA Ranking:

15

Strengths:

Strong, young attack

Weaknesses:

Lack of defensive experience

Fans:

Los Rojos are fanatical

Coach: Marcelo Bielsa

Confederation: Conmebol
FIFA Ranking (April 10): 15
Previous Appearances: 7 (1930, 1950, 1962, 1966, 1974, 1982, 1998)

Background

Chile doesn’t have a great tradition in football like Brazil, Argentina or Uruguay. Chile fights for being in the second order in South America and through the years, have dealt with good and bad administrations of its FA, which never have let the national team cement a solid base to the future. Despite all this, Chile manages to qualify for World Cups.

How They Qualified

Chile qualified when they beat Colombia (4-2) in Medellin. Chile had never before won so many times as on the road as they did in this qualifying campaign. Chile always qualified in the past by being strong at home, but not away but that wasn't the case this time around.

Strengths

A very attacking team, with a high-powered offence. From the very first minute, Chile will go searching for goals. And when the team is winning, they keep up the pressure and do not fall into a defensive shell. Synchronised movements are the key to their success.

Weaknesses

The defence. Errors in the backline due to the pressure create at the opposite end. Another weakness is the defensive aerial game, due to their lack of height.

The Coach

Marcelo Bielsa is a personality in football. He is studious and ‘crazy’ (his alias is ‘El Loco’) for strategy and football. A faithful follower of the ‘Coerver’ method, implanted his identity in a group of players that blindly trust in him and mechanise their moves throughout the game. Their lineup either at home or away is always 3-3-1-3.

Star Men

Humberto Suazo (Monterrey)

He was the top scorer of the South American Qualifiers with 10 goals. He is owner of a very good shot and if you give him a even few centimetres, he will make you pay.

Alexis Sanchez (Udinese)

'El Nino Maravilla' (The Wonderboy) will be 21 years old in the World Cup. He is fated to be one of the greatest figures of the Chilean team. He doesn’t have Suazo’s scoring ability but he is explosive as a right winger and at any minute can generate a chance or a penalty.

Matias Fernandez (Sporting CP)

He was the Best South American Player in 2006 and despite having a mediocre stint at Villarreal in Spain, his level has never dropped in the Chilean team. He is the key in the midfield and despite his dispute with Jorge Valdivia for being the playmaker of the team, he will probably be the starter in the first match of the World Cup.

Best Footballing Moment

Without any doubt, it occurred in 1962 when Chile finished in third place in the World Cup that took place on their home soil. After losing to Brazil in the semi-finals, Chile beat Yugoslavia 1-0 in the third place match.

Off The Pitch

Famous for: It’s a land of poets. Gabriela Mistral and Pablo Neruda won the literature Nobel Prize. Its wines are also recognised all over the world.

Most likely to: encourage their team in large crowds, like in the 1998 World Cup. ‘La Marea Roja’ won recognition for its passion and encouragement in that tournament, although many of them are still paying their debts for that adventure... In South Africa, something similar will happen.

World Cup Objective

For Chile and Bielsa, the first objective is to win a match away from home. The other mission is to replicate what the ’98 team did in France. In that World Cup, Chile reached the Round of 16. From there, everything is a gift.