A gnawing and suspicious paradox lies at the heart of African national team experiences in world competition: African teams tend to do much better at the youth level than they do at the senior level. Take the fact, for example, that African teams have won 5 of the 12 FIFA U17 World Cups (with the 2009 version scheduled to be hosted by Nigeria in October and November), but not a single African team has ever made it as far as the semi-finals of a full World Cup.

A couple of MLS alums have found new teams. After regaining his scoring touch in Paraguay, Carlos Ruiz has moved from Apertura champs Olimpia to Mexican club Puebla. One of the best strikers in league history, Ruiz still ranks 8th on the all-time MLS goal scoring list.
Puebla recently lost another former FC Dallas player when Ramon Nunez moved to Cruz Azul.

"Who do you support?" For your average American that question, particularly without any context, is almost impossible to make sense of. But as I learned on a tour of Uganda and Kenya with a group of American educators in the summer of 2008, for a surprising number of Africans (particularly the teenage students we met) it is among the first questions a Western visitor will be asked.

The BBC's recent pre-season analysis of "Where the Premier League's players come from" offered a striking picture of the dramatic demographic changes in European soccer over recent decades. Comparing the EPL's 2009-2010 rosters with the same clubs' 1989-1990 rosters, I was particularly struck by the influx of African players.

by FRANCO PANIZO

If you were upset at the thought of not seeing Cristiano Ronaldo in action for a month, you may be happy to hear the superstar's latest comments.

Ronaldo expects to recover from the ankle injury he picked up in Portugal's 3-0 World Cup qualifying win against Hungary in less than a month, the amount of time he was originally expected to miss.

Carlos Alberto Parreira

The recent re-appointment of Carlos Alberto Parreira as coach of South Africa, replacing fellow Brazilian Joel Santana who had been hired on Parreira's recommendation, ignited that perennial question: is a national team, particularly one on the periphery of world football, better served by a local or an outsider?

Here is an interesting article on the World Cup draw "show" and match-ups hosted by Theron. It was funny how the article mentions, "The only uncomfortable moment came when Blatter forgot the venue of the World Cup's first match (which, of course, is Johannesburg). The FIFA president redeemed himself, however, when he announced that the World Cup trophy would remain in Africa, as a gift, after being presented to the tournament winners.

West African representation in the top professional soccer league of the United States has grown quickly in recent years. As they reach the highest level across the Atlantic, African soccer players are seeing America as an increasingly attractive option.
Before Aboubakarim Ndaw arrived in the United States late last year from his native Guinea, he had heard about the success of some West African players in Major League Soccer, the United States' growing professional league.

Matthew Booth

You don't run into a lot of Irish folks in Africa. Lots of Canadians, Norwegians, Japanese, and Australians but very few Irish. Maybe that helps to explain why Sport Against Racism Ireland was among the groups who, during June's Confederations Cup in South Africa, were quick to assume that predominantly black crowds were booing the lone white player on the South African national team Matthew Booth.

Just like there is only one true Mecca, can really only be one true spiritual home of world soccer? Until recently, such a place existed in the form of Wembley Stadium (the most storied grounds in the capital city of the founding nation of the sport? I don't think anybody could compete with that) but the old Wembley was demolished in 2003 and replaced with a new version four years later.

by FRANCO PANIZO

If you were upset at the thought of not seeing Cristiano Ronaldo in action for a month, you may be happy to hear the superstar's latest comments.

Ronaldo expects to recover from the ankle injury he picked up in Portugal's 3-0 World Cup qualifying win against Hungary in less than a month, the amount of time he was originally expected to miss.

The call has been put out. The FIFA World Cup 2010 needs volunteers! Are you up for the challenge? If you can speak excellent English and one additional language, you can answer the call to action. Here's an overview of the open call courtesy of Chad Thomas at African Soccer Renaissance. Make sure you check out his international radio show on SABC 2000.

Now that our rant about the draw is out of the way, it's time to get pumped! The Cup is near and the draw is here! There isn't much going on this morning before the draw, so et's take some time to look at the pots and discuss what we would/would not like to see this afternoon.

POT 1

Our opponent out of Pot 1 is going to be difficult no matter who we draw.

So, about the new header. Yeah, I'm getting into the spirit of things, I admit it. But I realize we need to put all this into perspective.
For one thing, there's more than the Coppa Della Special Relationship going on here.
"LOVED 'Battle of Algiers'! I could NOT stop laughing!