Neymar

Brazil take on Mexico tomorrow in Dallas with high expectations. Mano Menezes' men go into the match in confident form after convincingly seeing off Denmark and the USA in their two previous outings. Brazil are expected to start with the same eleven that beat the US 4-1.
Mexico are also in good form after winning against Wales, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and will have a massive following in the 80,000 capacity stadium.

By DAVE MARTINEZ

Thing are not getting any easier for Rafa Marquez.

After missing more than half of the New York Red Bulls' matches this season battling injury and disciplinary problems, the Mexican veteran will now likely be out for the beginning stages of World Cup qualifying and possibly beyond with a right thigh injury stemming from a collision in practice.

Giovanni Trapattoni has named his starting eleven for tomorrow's Euro 2012 warm up game against Bosnia and Herzegovina at Lansdowne Road Dublin.
The team includes a start for Derry winger James McClean, while as expected, Keiren Westwood steps in for the injured Shay Given.
Darron Gibson And Glenn Whelan make up the central midfield pairing while, Kevin Doyle will parner Robbie Keane up front.

Players from NK Sloga Ljubuski, a second division side from Bosnia and Herzegovina, have recreated Thierry Henry and Robert Pires' infamous penalty routine but they managed to score. Whether they did so while keeping within the laws of the game is difficult to tell from the camera angle in the video above.

By Chris Wright

Now, Neymar's Rufio-esque faux-mullet-mo plumage looks pretty iffy at the best of the times, but it's latest incarnation (sported during Brazil's insipid 2-1 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in midweek) is possibly and we don't say this lightly the worst it's ever looked; like a knackered bog brush selotaped across this head, with enough matted hair left over at the back to still form that all important 'mullet' element.

International friendlies: For when you're in the mood to nervously watch your club's players in meaningless games where the best prize to be won is not getting injured. If you're the sort to put national loyalties ahead of club, then a few of today's games arguably serve the purpose of keeping teammates familiar as the summer's European Championships approach—though even that seems a stretch when most on display won't be participating in that or any other summer tournament.

Check out the players who could be making their name with Brazil this year

The Brazilian Football Confederation has confirmed Brazil's playing schedule for the first six months of June 2012. The South Americans will take on Bosnia and Herzegovina in Switzerland on February 28th.

The Brazilian Football Confederation has confirmed Brazil's playing schedule for the first six months of June 2012. The South Americans will take on Bosnia and Herzegovina in Switzerland on February 28th. On May 26th they fly to Hamburg to play Denmark. 30th or 31st will see Brazil against the USA in Boston or Washington.

Cristiano Ronaldo scores a 40 yard screamer to give Portugal a 1-0 lead against Bosnia and Herzegovina in their second leg Euro 2012 play-offs.

Grab your Euro 2012 Kits at Soccer.com

ESPN2 and Galavision have the USA - Slovenia friendly at noon. Euro 2012 qualifying on ESPN Deportes: Croatia - Turkey at 2pm and Portugal - Bosnia and Herzegovina at 4pm. The Germany - Holland friendly is on ESPN Classic at 2:30pm. All Times Eastern

Before we take a look at tomorrow's friendly against Spain, it's worth a quick review of tonight's playoffs for the last four places in Euro 2012.

The first thing that jumps out is the quality of the teams in the playoffs. Since Euro '96 Croatia, the Czech Republic, Portugal and Turkey have all reached the knockout stages of at least one of the subsequent competitions with Portugal reaching the final in 2004.

France - USA is at 3pm on ESPN2 and Univision. EURO 2012 qualifying on ESPN Deportes: Bosnia and Herzegovina - Portugal at 2pm and Turkey - Croatia at 4pm. ESPN Deportes also has the Ukraine - Germany friendly at 6pm. Univision has Mexico - Serbia at 9pm. FA Cup on Fox Soccer: Cambridge - Wrexham at 2:30pm.

For those who came second in their Euro 2012 qualifying group, the play-off's await. Nicholas Spiller picks out a potentially thrilling match between Portugal and Bosnia taking place this Friday (11/11/11)...spooky! The two locking horns in the World Cup 2012 Play-offs Revenge is a dish best served cold.

Brazilian midfielder Ricardo Izecson Dos Santos Leite aka Kaka won't be making his much awaited return to the Brazilian national team after a calf injury ruled him out of the Selecao's upcoming friendlies against Gabon and Egypt.

The Real Madrid star who has been in fantastic form for Los Merengues these past few weeks will have to wait a little longer to play his first match for his country in more than a year.

The FA should look no further than Harry Redknapp when it starts the process of finding a successor to Fabio Capello, Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard has suggested.
Italian coach Capello will step down from one of the biggest positions in world football after Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine when his contract expires.

The draw for the Euro 2012 play-off matches pitted the Republic of Ireland against Estonia, Turkey against Croatia, Portugal clashing against Bosnia and Herzegovina, while Czech Republic meet Montenegro. Estonia vs Republic of Ireland Before the draw a pensive Shay Given was quoted as saying that he hopes the Republic of Ireland gets, quote; "somebody [.

Adil Rami 'fights' for the ball with Bosnia and Herzegovina's Edin Dzeko.

Yup, it's gone on forever. But last night, the final round of games in the group qualification stages of Euro 2012 were played. Hopes were crushed. Hearts soared. And Andriy Arshavin took his shirt off.

All were great to watch.

Photo by Howard C. Smith/ISIphotos.com

With the latest batch of international friendlies in the rear view mirror, the U.S. national team is looking forward to its next set of games, which will both take place in Europe.

The United States' next two friendlies will be played during the Nov.

UEFA have confirmed that Ireland will be seeded for the Euro 2012 play-off draw alongside Portugal, Croatia and the Czech Republic.
Giovanni Trapattoni's 'Boys In Green' are the third highest ranked side out of the eight play-off qualifiers in UEFA's coefficient list.
Ireland will now face Montenegro, Turkey, Estonia or Bosnia and Herzegovina in the two-legged play-off.

Last night was the final night of the group stage. If a team didn't win their group, they have to go to a playoff stage (drawing is streaming on UEFA's site Thursday).Play-off drawPot 1 (seeded teams) Croatia (coefficient 32.723)Portugal (31.202)Republic of Ireland (28.203)Czech Republic (27.982)Pot 2 (unseeded teams) Turkey (27.

So, what have we missed in the past week or so?

• Tottenblog Hotspur is running a competition to win a new COYS Spurs Shirt. Click here to enter.

• William Gallas met Snoop Dogg during a gig in London...

• Robin van Persie, following his statement, that "he believes in Arsenal" has put his five bedroom house in Goffs Oak up for sale.

Yohan Cabaye started for France tonight in Paris and a 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina saw France win Group D, and they automatically qualify for the finals next summer. Yohan Cabaye won 8th cap for France tonight As he did last Thursday Newcastle's Yohan Cabaye started for France and played for 61 minutes before before [.

Newcastle fans will take a particular interest in the game tomorrow night at the Stade de France in Paris, where France will be taking on Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Euro 2012 qualifiers. Yohan Cabaye in action for France France currently head Group D with 20 points from their 9 games, and Bosnia and Herzegovina are [.

Here's UEFA.com on France's Group D:

"Group D: France remain a point ahead of Bosnia and Herzegovina following Friday victories, with the pair meeting in Paris to decide the group. Romania have now been eliminated so whoever misses out in the decider will be in the play-offs."

So it could be worse.

England became the seventh team to qualify for EURO 2012 on Friday on a night when Russia and Greece took huge steps towards joining them and the likes of Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina ensured top-two finishes.

Last month holders Spain and former European champions Italy, the Netherlands and Germany ensured their finals berths alongside co-hosts Poland and Ukraine, and to that number can be added England after their 2-2 draw in Montenegro settled Group G.

France escaped from Romania with a point, but Bosnia and Herzegovina have closed to within a point.

Euro Qualifying Group D Standings
France – 17 points from 8 matches
Bosnia and Herzegovina – 16 points from 8 matches
Romania – 12 points from 8 matches
Belarus – 12 points from 9 matches
Albania – 8 points [read more]

The big game here at HTIOT is this afternoon's friendly between the United States Men's National Team and Belgium. Kick-off is at 1:30 PM CST. Both ESPN and ESPN3.com are advertised to be carrying the game. In addition to the USMNT, there is a whole slate of 2014 World Cup Qualifiers and 2012 Euro Qualifiers taking place today.

Euro Qualifying Group D Standings
France – 13 points from 6 matches
Belarus – 12 points from 7 matches
Bosnia and Herzegovina – 10 points from 6 matches
Romania – 8 points from 6 matches
Albania – 8 points from 6 matches
Luxembourg – 1 point from 7 matches

France's Remaining Qualifiers
Friday, September 2, 2011 Away to Albania
Tuesday, September 6, 2011 Away to Romania
Friday, October 7, 2011 Home against Albania
Tuesday, October 11, 2011 Home against Bosnia and Herzegovina

Here is the call-up for next week's qualifiers away to Albania and Romania:

Goalkeepers
Hugo Lloris (Lyon)
Cédric Carrasso (Bordeaux)
Stève Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders
Bacary Sagna (Arsenal)
Younès Kaboul (Tottenham)
Eric Abidal (Barcelona)
Patrice Evra (Manchester United)
Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal)
Adil Rami (Valencia)
Anthony Réveillère (Lyon)

Midfielders
Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle)
Alou Diarra (Marseille)
Yann M'Vila (Rennes)
Marvin Martin (Sochaux)
Blaise Matuidi (PSG)

Attacking Midfielders/Wingers
Samir Nasri (Manchester City)
Franck Ribéry (Bayern Munich)
Jérémy Ménez (PSG)
Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)
Florent Malouda (Chelsea)

Strikers
Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
Kevin Gameiro (PSG)
Guillaume Hoarau (PSG)
Loïc Rémy (Marseille)

That's a squad of 24, which is already one more than France can take to official tournaments, but I still find it curious to see Gael Clichy dropped after having started the previous match in the friendly against Chile.

Not one month into their tenure as Europa League Champions, FC Porto find their title in the cross hairs of over one-hundred ninety European sides from fifty-three leagues, each of which is ready and eager to succeed them as Champions. At the end of this month, June 30, fifty teams will take the field in twenty-five first-leg games for the First Qualifying Round of the Europa League 2011-12 tournament.

Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 Albania
Safet Sušić's side are up to third in Group D of UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying following a comfortable win against their visitors in Zenica.

France drew 1-1 away to Belarus tonight, in European Qualifier number 6 of 10.

Euro Qualifying Group D Standings
France – 13 points from 6 matches
Belarus – 9 points from 6 matches
Romania – 8 points from 6 matches
Albania – 8 points from 5 matches
Bosnia and Herzegovina – 7 points from 5 matches
Luxembourg – 1 point from 6 matches

France have a couple friendlies coming up in the next week visiting the Euro 2012 co-host nations: relatively interesting friendlies.

Pjanjic at the BiH FA Bosnia & Herzegovina 2-1 Romania (26:03:11)Celik Zenica 1-0 Olimpik Sarajevo (30:03:11) Possibly not for the first time, the wishes of UEFA and FIFA differ to that of another organising body. Nick Ames explains why they're in conflict with some Bosnia & Herzegovina FA delegates, and enjoys a couple of football matches into the bargain.

Defender Josip Mikulic (center) -- ISI PhotosBRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- When the Chicago Fire sought out new pieces in building their 2011 squad, they brought in a group that had a combination of athleticism, youth and experience.
That might not be the easiest combination to find, but a fitting example is the addition of center defensive back Josip Mikulic.

Germany maintained their perfect record and England got back to winning ways, while Slovakia and the Republic of Ireland capitalised on a slip by Russia in Saturday's Euro 2012 qualifying action.

Runners-up in 2008, Germany have been perfect so far in their campaign and continued their good form with a 4-0 home victory against Kazakhstan.

Germany maintained their perfect record and England got back to winning ways, while Slovakia and the Republic of Ireland capitalised on a slip by Russia in Saturday's Euro 2012 qualifying action.

Runners-up in 2008, Germany have been perfect so far in their campaign and continued their good form with a 4-0 home victory against Kazakhstan.

Group D Standings
France - 9 points from 4 matches
Belarus - 8 points from 4 matches
Albania - 5 points from 4 matches
Bosnia and Herzegovina - 4 points from 3 matches
Romania - 2 points from 3 matches
Luxembourg - 1 point from 4 matches

France's Results
Sept.

MANCHESTER, England — Premier League title-chasers Manchester City on Friday completed the signing of Bosnia and Herzegovina striker Edin Dzeko from German club Wolfsburg. The 24-year-old, who is believed to have cost City 27 million pounds (32.5 million euros) has signed a four-and-a-half year contract and has been handed the number 10 shirt at the [.