Jamaica Coach, Tappa Whitmore

Even though the media may be reporting that Jamaica has picked a media strength team for its international friendly against Bafana Bafana in Bloemfontein on Tuesday, this is going to be no walkover for the South African National Team.

According to the Reggaeboyz website, Jamaica coach, Tappa Whitmore said his players had worked hard and well together in training and that this game was an opportunity to show that they can compete with anybody.

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Nicklas Bendtner has claimed his most prestigious award yet after being named the Danish Footballer of the Year for 2009.

The award was presented to the injury-striken front-man in a special programme called Dansk Fodbold Award on the TV2 television network in his homeland.

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Denmark's Footballer of The Year

I have always believed that everyone has their advantages and flaws in certain areas that is different from one another. Some can paint, some can sing, some can dance, while others are just plain stupid. Case in point, Darren Fletcher. After the Chelsea game, he was quoted to say that

I think we are starting to see Mr Wenger's comments starting to influence referees which is a shame really.

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- FC Barcelona legend Johan Cruyff has been officially presented as the new manager of the Catalan national team. He's been given the full option to call up players from Barca, and for a man who's project is coaching a team that plays two matches year, he's pretty psyched about it: "Our style of play will depend, logically, on the quality of the players we have. Click to continue reading...

Just hours after picking up the voted Danish Footballer of the Year gong, Arsenal star Nicklas Bendtner revealed to reporters in his homeland that he will have surgery on his troublesome groin problem this Wednesday. The Dane will go under the knife after aggravting a groin problem during the Gunners' terrific win over Tottenham in the North London Derby [. Click to continue reading...

Now that Argentina has qualified to the World Cup ensuring the presence of star player Lionel Messi, barring any injury or outlandish suspension,  how does one evaluate the comments made by FIFA President Sepp Blatter? Prior to the decisive qualifiers which yielded  Argentina's qualification to South Africa as well as Portugal's opportunity to do so through a two-legged playoff clash with Bosnia & Herzegovina, Blatter declared that the World Cup will not be affected if Messi or Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo were missing.

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Having just returned from a long layoff following wrist surgery and liposuction last weekend, you'd think Fat Ronaldo would be doing pretty well right about now. Well not so fast, cowboy. A Brazilian court has ordered him to take a DNA test in order to resolve a wacky paternity mystery. Here are the facts from the AFP:

The demand was made after a Brazilian resident of Singapore claimed the three-time FIFA Footballer of the Year was the father of her four-year-old boy.

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Hands up who would like to see Cristiano Ronaldo not go to the World Cup? Quite a few? The majority? Such is the measure of the World Footballer Of The Year's vilification that there must be a significant number of football fans who would love it if he didn't make it to South Africa. Click to continue reading...

Consider that a bullet dodged!

Considered one of the best players in the world during his prime, former Inter striker Ronaldo was closely tracked by Roma in the summer's transfer period.

According to a report from globoesporte.com, Il Fenomeno rejected the possiblity to join the Giallorossi, as he had no intention of leaving Corinthians, as he has refound the passion and love for the game.

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Too late the hero

So now that former European Footballer of the year has turned his back on Chelsea and his torrid spell in the English Premier League can we all agree that the transfer of the former AC Milan was a very poorly judged purchase or was the Ukrainian striker never really given a chance to shine?

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A 115th-minute goal from substitute Pedro Rodríguez finally ended the resistance of Shakhtar Donetsk and gave Barcelona a third UEFA Super Cup triumph in Monaco.

Dramatic victory
Spain's first treble winners last season, Barcelona had started the new campaign as they ended the old by collecting silverware thanks to last weekend's Spanish Super Cup victory, but Josep Guardiola's team struggled to unpick a well-drilled Shakhtar defence despite enjoying the vast majority of the possession.

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Courtesy of UEFA:
Lionel Messi, a key figure in FC Barcelona's march to UEFA Champions League glory last season, has more to celebrate after collecting the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year prize at the UEFA Club Football Awards in Monaco. The Argentinian international was also selected as Best Forward while team-mate Xavi Hernández took the Best Midfielder trophy. Click to continue reading...

AP Photo/Claude Paris

It was reported yesterday by Barcaloco.com that Lionel Messi would be taking home the UEFA Footballer of the Year award and it was confirmed today in Monaco. Messi also won the UEFA forward of the year for his great performance in Champions League play last season with nine goals.

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Before today's UEFA Champions League Group Stage Draw, UEFA named selections for footballer of the year in 4 categories, based on position. Click to continue reading...

Before today's UEFA Champions League Group Stage Draw, UEFA named selections for footballer of the year in 4 categories, based on position. Click to continue reading...

vs

FC Barcelona will travel to Monaco today in preparation for their match against Ukranian side Shaktar Donetsk on Friday in the UEFA Super Cup.

For those not familiar with the Super Cup, it is a yearly match that takes place at the beginning of the European domestic season between the winner of the UEFA Champions League and the winner of the UEFA Europa League (formerly know as UEFA Cup).

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This story is getting familiar as what was then just a breach is now seemingly a deluge.

Nemanja Vidic's agent has stated that it his client's "dream" to play for Barcelona. Vidic won every player category last season at Man Utd and his pairing with Rio Ferdinand was crucial to the club's reclaiming the Premiership.

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Here are the superstars nominated for the UEFA's Club Footballer of the Year awards.
Just as many Barcelona boys as Manchester United and Chelsea and Liverpool boys combined:

Goalkeeper: Petr Cech (Chelsea), Victor Valdes (Barcelona), Edwin van der Sar (Manchester United)
Defender: Gerard Pique (Barcelona), John Terry (Chelsea), Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United)
Midfielder: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta (both Barcelona)
Forward: Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi (both Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)

My predicted winners: van der Sar, Vidic, Iniesta and Messi. Click to continue reading...

With the departure of Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso, the Premiership looks in danger of lacking the Latin/Iberian flair and creativity. It is my opinion that English football needs entertainers while maintaining its physical and energetic characteristics. Players who can bring crowds and viewers to their feet with moments of magic. Click to continue reading...

If the title race is decided by individual brilliance, Rafa Benitez has no doubt that Liverpool's two-decade wait for the championship will end next May.
It has taken the Spaniard five seasons to construct a squad capable of slugging it out with Manchester United and Chelsea at the top of the Premier League for the whole nine months. Click to continue reading...

I think everyone has that one player in their club that they just don't like. For me, that player is Lucas Leiva. Why exactly do I have such a distaste for the young midfielder who has won Olympic gold and was previously named Brazilian Footballer of the Year in 2006?

Maybe it's not him specifically, maybe it's the faith that Rafa puts in him after his repeated mediocre or horrible performances.

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Real Madrid president Florentino Perez claims he is ready to walk away from his summer-long pursuit of Xabi Alonso – because Liverpool won't play ball!
Reds boss Rafa Benitez has refused to budge from his £30million valuation of the Spanish international.
But that is way above Real's estimation and Perez insists that despite his club's massive outlay on the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka this summer, they will not pay over the odds for any remaining targets. Click to continue reading...

Time for Rafa to stand by his guns on this one.

Rafael Benitez, the Liverpool manager, has made it clear he will not lower his asking price for the Spain international despite more than two months of machinations from Madrid in an attempt to unsettle Alonso.
Though Madrid are yet to lodge a formal offer, they are believed to have informed Liverpool they are unwilling to pay any more than £24 million for Alonso.

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Last season I made the inspired prediction that Spurs would crack the top 4 and qualify for the Champions League. After watching them take around 23 matches to get their first point, I realised that my ability to forsee in football was still pretty bloody ropey. Previous failures included tipping Craig Bellamy to win European Footballer of the Year while at Liverpool and Colombia to win the World Cup in ‘94.

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Injuries never come at a good time for a footballer, but Everton midfielder Mikel Arteta has revealed the serious knee injury he suffered last February came at the worst possible time.

The former Rangers and Real Sociedad man told the local press in Liverpool that he had been told he was set for a first call-up to the Spanish national side for the friendly with England, just days before he crumpled to the St James' Park turf in agony.

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It seems that Everton target, Kyle Naughton has joined Spurs after Everton refused to match Spurs' offer, even though Sheff Utd had granted Everton permission to speak to the player, only to have that permission rescinded after Spurs trumped it.

The player was apparently very keen to join Everton and had even begun searching for houses in the area.

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Here's the latest European Tranfer News including Carlos Tevez reaching an agreement to sign with Manchester City and Emmanuel Adebayor as the next possible transfer to Man City.

Carlos Tevez to sign with Man City -Â Manchester City have confirmed an agreement has been reached to sign Carlos Tevez on a five-year contract.

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The Brazilian Ronaldinho was at one time regarded as the best footballer in the world, but over the last two or three years his fortunes have changed and he now has a bit of work to do in restoring his reputation. The two-time world-footballer of the year was even left out of Brazil's Confederations Cup squad and is no longer a regular choice for the national side.

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Cristiano Ronaldo insisted he would give his all to help Real Madrid to achieve UEFA Champions League glory this season after the forward was presented to the Santiago Bernabéu faithful for the first time since his record €94m transfer from Manchester United.

The 24-year-old admitted to a "a beautiful feeling" on witnessing 75,000 supporters awaiting him inside Madrid's famous home and that he had "completed a childhood dream" after signing a six-year deal with the nine-time European Champion Clubs' Cup winners.

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Much has been written of Michael Owen's shock transfer to Manchester United. It seems bizarre that he was linked with the likes of Stoke and Hull before moving to the Premiership champions; but it actually makes perfect sense. For Phil Brown or Tony Pulis Owen would have been a massive risk, likely to blow their wage structure and be the focal point of their side, a signing they would live or die by.

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Matias Fernandez set foot on the European pedestal having dazzled those in audience at the Estadio Monumental in Chile, his somewhat youthful age not inhibiting a confidence that reached a sky-high altitude when he ripened into a prominent figure in the ranks of Colo Colo and, in doing so, infiltrating his name into the select handful who are spoken of as South America's budding hopes. Click to continue reading...

A few days ago, we wrote an article about former United player Kleberson, and what life is like now for the Brazilian. After the success in that article, we thought we'd bring you another one. This time, another player who failed to impress at Old Trafford, the one and only Juan Sebastián Verón.

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A gamblers spirit, it is said, is a necessary part of all human endeavour. For a man who by all accounts is a fan of a little gamble, which some, most notably the outspoken Wigan chairman Dave Whelan, have accused of him being too focused on, Michael Owen must appreciate that he must play the odds and take the plunge for his next bet, which could well determine how English football remembers one of it's favourite sons.

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Pain for the brain of every football fan...
1. Spokane Shadow, LA Galaxy, Seattle Sounders, San Jose Earthquakes, Houston Dynamo (current club). Whose playing career?
2. Which are the only three CONCACAF nations to reach a World Cup quarter final?
3. Who was the first British player to win the Champions League? Click to continue reading...

Word is the Saints could be bringing him back.
Sure he's not the European Footballer of the Year like he was as a player back in 1980, but he's a big name linked to a lowly League One team now.
Both sides of this one must be equally desperate. Click to continue reading...