At the Heysel Stadium in Brussels on the eighteenth of June 1972, West Germany lifted their first major tournament trophy since the 1954 World Cup. Two years later, at the Olympic Stadium in Munich, they lifted the World Cup. Yet it is sometimes said that the team of 1972 is more fondly remembered than the team of two years later, and it is certainly fair to say that the road to these twin victories was not without its problems.

Bookies are slashing odds on the Anfield Cat to become the next England boss. After his fearless display on Monday night, the Cat has been attracting attention from all over the globe. The 4 legged cutie showed more bottle in one night than in 5 years under the atrocious Sven McClaren.

'With England's woeful displays in recent tournaments, a change of direction is exactly what the team need', said the Cat's owner.

In December of 1970, the Italian playwright Dario Fo released a play entitled "Morte Accidentale Di Un Anarchico" ("The Accidental Death Of An Anarchist"). Based on the aftermath of the 1969 Piazza Fontana Bombing in Milan, which killed seventeen people, it was a play that shone a light upon the subsequent death of Giuseppe Pinelli, an anarchist activist and railway worker who fell from the fourth floor window of a Milan police station under suspicious circumstances after having already been held for longer than Italian law specified was legal without being granted by a judge.

If the early history of the European Championships can be seen as explicitly wrapped up in the politics of the time, then Spain's victory on home ground in 1964 European Nations Cup could be regarded as one of international football's ultimate flashes in the pan.
This was a victory that was simultaneously the last gasp of one of the greatest club sides that European football has ever seen and the beginning of a lull that would last for more than twenty years, a brief victory for the ultra-nationalism that blighted Spanish political life for the most of the four decades that followed the Spanish Civil War of 1936 to 1939.

There are plenty of people, not least within the governing bodies of football itself, who would have it that football and politics don't mix. This is, of course, bunkum, whether we like it or not. The game holds such influence over so many people that it sometimes seems impossible for politicians not to be able to link the two, from the relatively harmless, "You only win the World Cup under Labour" slogans of Harold Wilson's British government of the late 1960s to the altogether more sinister machinations of the state organisations and their leaders that ran clubs in Eastern Europe during the Cold War.

Top Christmas Football Deals - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

The best part about holiday shopping is the amount of discounts you can find. It is very important to go around the market before buying something because you never know, you might find it for cheaper elsewhere.

Keeping that in mind, I looked around for quality presents with good discounts and picked, what I thought, were really good bargains.

Euro 2012 Gear - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

The 14th European Championship for teams sanctioned by the UEFA is scheduled to be played between 8th June and 1st July 2012 in Poland and Ukraine.

Spain are the current holders of the cup they defeated Germany in the final in Austria / Switzerland version of the tournament in 2008.

Is Group C of the Euro 2012 finals Croatia, Italy, Ireland and Spain the most catholic group in international football tournament finals history? That thought occurred with the fourth team in two of next summer's groups still to be drawn out and Italy's and England's balls still to be opened. When Saturday Comes magazine asked the question of one of the 2002 World Cup finals groups – also involving Italy and Croatia, alongside Mexico and Ecuador so it wasn't an original thought (when I have one, I'll surely let you know).

It was a process that took around six years from top to tail in total, and it came in three very distinct phases. I had been a supporter of the England national team, reasoning that, with no foreign blood in the family tree and a knowledge that we weren't all as bad as we were painted, I had to have someone to follow for international tournaments.

It was a process that took around six years from top to tail in total, and it came in three very distinct phases. I had been a supporter of the England national team, reasoning that, with no foreign blood in the family tree and a knowledge that we weren't all as bad as we were painted, I had to have someone to follow for international tournaments.

Euro 2012 Nations A team by team preview - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Update: Groups Draw details and the official match ball of Euro 2012 added. Scroll down to view.

With the 16 teams competing in Euro 2012 now selected and the qualifying process complete, all eyes look to Poland and Ukraine as time ticks down.

Ireland confirmed their place at next summer's European Championships with a 1-1 draw against Estonia in the second leg of their Euro 2012 play-off.
Already four up from the first leg, Ireland looked to be coasting when Stephen Ward fired home the opener after keeper Pavel Londak failed to hold Kevin Doyle's header.

I spent my day in used car shopping hell on a supposed day off ahead of MLS Cup this weekend.

The dealership managed to misplace my driver's license (eventually found atop a filing cabinet after a protracted hunt) and fail to actually engrave an alleged $289 anti-theft window etching VIN (until we pointed it out to them) but, a used 2011 Honda Accord that I hope my wife appreciates was the result.

Capello takes a leaf out of Mourinho's book - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

The anti-football of Mourinho and Capello can reap rewards, but more is needed for England to be contenders for EURO 2012.

On the face of it, it was not overly surprising. The 7th best team in the world, England, beat the best team in the world, Spain, 1-0 at home in a friendly international.

England: John Terry no longer needed - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

England face Sweden at Wembley on Tuesday as Fabio Capello looks to sign off 2011 in a flourish. On Saturday England claimed a deserved 1-0 victory against, World Champions Spain, which will be remembered as one of the highlights of a successful year for the Three Lions.

Galaxy Coach Bruce Arena confirmed in a conference call today that with Ireland 4-0 up in their Euro 2012 playoff series against Estonia and all but assured of qualification, he had asked Coach Giovanni Trapattoni if he would be willing to let the Galaxy striker miss Tuesday's second leg with MLS Cup looming Sunday.

England's narrow 1-0 victory over Spain proved that Fabio Capello's Italian influence can force England to play without the cavalier tendencies that cause them to be knocked out of every major tournament.

Rather than arrogantly attacking the World and European champions at Wembley, England played with rare discipline and composure.

Euro flip: the Galaxy's Robbie Keane falls over Estonia's Andrei Stepanov as they struggle for the ball during a Euro 2012 qualifier today in Tallinn, Estonia (AP Photo).

*Galaxy fans need to resign themselves to losing Robbie Keane for a month or so next year after Ireland hammered Estonia today in the first leg of the nations' Euro 2012 playoff qualifier.

Euro 2012 Qualifying Playoffs: Portugal, Czech Rep, Turkey & Croatia on the line - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

The likes of Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, and England have all booked their places in Euro 2012 already, but four tickets to the festivities in Poland and Ukraine still have yet to be punched.

Could Spain's second XI beat England? - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

While watching David Silva and Spain dismantle a dogged and compact Scotland on Wednesday, it struck me: this was hardly Spain's best outfit and they were dominating.

Silva cemented his bona fides as one of the top half-dozen players in world football and Spain, with a team featuring second-choice players like Thiago Alcantara, Jordi Alba and Santi Cazorla, passed Scotland into an uneasy submission.

It was a display which fell quite firmly into the category of "Typical England". What should and can could easily have been a comfortable win in Montenegro last Friday night ended with a scrambled draw and a red card for Wayne Rooney, leaving the team's qualification for the finals from a distinctively mediocre group looking just a little more limp than it might otherwise have done.

Rooney three match Euro 2012 ban- England striker to miss group stages is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter

Rooney three match Euro 2012 ban- England striker to miss group stages is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter England striker Wayne Rooney has been awarded a three match ban by UEFA for his tackle on Miodrag Dzudovic.

Maybe - or at least some of the post-season.

Robbie Keane arrives back from Ireland at LAX tonight and will be evaluated by team doctors tomorrow, a club spokesman said. He strained a thigh muscle - specifically the adductor for you medical professionals out there - by playing the entire 90 minutes last Friday against Andorra.

Samir Nasri scored the French equaliser on Tuesday night against Bosnia-Herzegovina, a goal that sent France straight through to next years European Championships in Poland and Ukraine, and Nasri then thanked Arsene Wenger. Nasri actually said, "I thought of Arsene Wenger's words when I picked up the ball.

It was what I once erroneously called "the swings and roundabouts of outrageous fortune." The Republic of Ireland's international football team were ‘done' by a clear handball from France's Thierry Henry in the 2010 World Cup play-offs two years ago. And in the last group game of Euro 2012 qualifying, Ireland's opponents Armenia were ‘done' by a clear ‘not handball' from their goalkeeper Roman Berezovsky.

Sweden vs Holland 2011 3-2 Video Goals Euro 2012 qualifying Highlights is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter

Sweden vs Holland 2011 3-2 Video Goals Euro 2012 qualifying Highlights is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter Sweden vs Holland 2011 ( Sweden v Netherlands 2011) Score and result:- Sweden vs Holland 3-2 ( Kallstrom, Larsson penalty, Toivonen/ Kuyt, Huntelaar) Rasunda Stadion, Stockholm, Sweden- Euro 2012 qualifying- 11 October 2011 [.

Denmark vs Portugal 2-1 Highlights 2011 Goals Video Krohn-Dehli Bendtner Ronaldo is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter

Denmark vs Portugal 2-1 Highlights 2011 Goals Video Krohn-Dehli Bendtner Ronaldo is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter Denmark vs Portugal 2011 Score and result:- Denmark vs Portugal 2-1 ( Krohn-Dehli, Bendtner/ Ronaldo) Parken Stadium, Copenhagen- European qualifying- 11 October 2011 18.

Spain v Scotland 2011 Highlights 3-1 Video David Silva Goals Villa is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter

Spain v Scotland 2011 Highlights 3-1 Video David Silva Goals Villa is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter Spain v Scotland 2011 Score and result:- Spain v Scotland 3-1 ( David Silva*2, David Villa/ David Goodwillie) Alicante, Spain- 11 October, 2011- 19.

Germany vs Belgium 3-1 Highlights Video 2011 Euro 2012 Qualifying is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter

Germany vs Belgium 3-1 Highlights Video 2011 Euro 2012 Qualifying is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter Germany vs Belgium 2011 Final score and result:- Germany vs Belgium 3-1 ( Ozil, Schurrle, Gomez / Fellaini) Esprit Arena, Dusseldorf, Germany- Euro 2012 Qualifying- 11 October, 2011- 18.

Reports on Tuesday suggested the deal struck between the club and the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) has come to a halt after complaints from the Premier League outfit, with the OPLC, the Mayor of London and the government agreeing instead to keep the stadium in public ownership.

Six years is a long time to go without winning a trophy, not that us Arsenal fans need reminding about that now do we, but Robin van Persie could end his personal drought with his country before his club as he is sure to be playing for Holland in next years European Championships, barring injury [...

*Staggering Seattle fell short of the MLS finish line Saturday, missing their three leading scorers, falling 2-0 to the Philadelphia Union and handing the Galaxy their second straight Supporters' Shield.

The title capture was all but inevitable anyway for the Galaxy, who may have finished the season tired and depleted, but they outlasted the rest of MLS to make Sunday's penultimate game of the season against Chivas USA in Carson a coronation rather than confirmation of the rightful MLS champions.

Liechtenstein vs Scotland Highlights Video 2011 Mackail Smith Goal is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter

Liechtenstein vs Scotland Highlights Video 2011 Mackail Smith Goal is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter Liechtenstein vs Scotland 2011 Final score and result:- Liechtenstein vs Scotland 0-1 ( Craig Mackail-Smith) Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz- 8 October, 2011 Craig Mackail-Smith's goal from Phil Bardsley's cross keeps Scotland's Euro 2012 qualification hopes alive [.

For all the panic and soul-searching, then, England have qualified for next year's European Championships in Poland and Ukraine, although their performance last night was again patchy and hinted at a team that is likely to struggle against the very best in Europe next summer. Moreover, England's night which should, or might, otherwise have been an evening for celebration of some sort was further soiled by the decision of Wayne Rooney to take a kick at Miodrag Dzudovic with just over fifteen minutes of the match left to play and get himself a red card and a suspension for the start of next summer's tournament.

Rooney Not Helping England - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Last night Wayne Rooney's astonishing moment of stupidity ensures that Manchester United star is set to miss the start of Euro 2012 next year. It remains to be seen whether he is handed more than a single match ban by UEFA for his act of madness.

England: Be Careful What You Wish For - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Preparations for the Euro 2012 Championships can begin as a 2-2 draw against Montenegro sent England through as group winners for this summer's tournament. Yet Fabio Capello still remains a figure most people can't wait to see the back of.

Holland vs Moldova 1-0 Highlights Video 2011 Klaas Jan Huntelaar goal is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter

Holland vs Moldova 1-0 Highlights Video 2011 Klaas Jan Huntelaar goal is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter Holland vs Moldova 2011 ( Netherlands vs Moldova 2011) Final score and result:- Holland vs Moldova 1-0 ( Klaas Jan Huntelaar 40′) Feyernoord Stadium, Rotterdam- 7 October, 2011 Klaas Jan Huntelaar's first half [.

Portugal vs Iceland 2011 Highlights 5-3 Goals Video Nani Postiga Moutinho Eliseu is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter

Portugal vs Iceland 2011 Highlights 5-3 Goals Video Nani Postiga Moutinho Eliseu is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter Portugal vs Iceland 2011 Final score and result:- Portugal vs Iceland 5-3 ( Nani*2, Postiga, Moutinho, Eliseu/ Jonasson*2, Sigurdsson) Estadio Dragao, Porto- Euro 2012 qualifying- 7 October 2011 Portugal survive a scare [.

Montenegro vs England Goals 2-2 Highlights 2011 Rooney red card Video is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter

Montenegro vs England Goals 2-2 Highlights 2011 Rooney red card Video is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter Montenegro vs England 2011 Score and result:- Montenegro vs England 2-2 ( Zverotic, Delibasic/ Young, Bent) Stadion Pod Goricom, Podgorica, Euro 2012 qualifying- 7 October, 2011 Wayne Rooney is red carded in the [.

Czech Republic vs Spain 2011 Highlights 0-2 Goals Video Mata Alonso is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter

Czech Republic vs Spain 2011 Highlights 0-2 Goals Video Mata Alonso is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter Czech Republic vs Spain 2011 Final score and result:- Czech Republic vs Spain 0-2 ( Mata, Alonso) Generali Arena, Prague- October 7, 2011- European qualifying First half goals from Mata and Xabi Alonso [.