More than anything, the World Cup is a showcase for crazy hair. Players from across the globe break out the new dos for the sporting world's biggest event. Whether it's Ronaldo in 2002, Beckham at any of the last three tournaments, or the entire Romanian team in 1998, it always makes for interesting viewing.

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Love = Football. Haircut nearly = nasty head injury Not content with providing all the kits for the tournament, Puma decided they were missing an advertising trick by not using Mohamed Zidan's head as promotion. This was rectified in time for yesterday's African Cup of Nations victory over Ghana. A gentleman with a razor blade was let [. Click to continue reading...

We've been meaning to publish this great photo featuring Martin Abram, a Gooner from Croatia and Senor Guapo himself, Carlos Vela, for a very, very long time. So since the Gunners are playing United this weekend (oh dear, we got our fingers dipped into the Juve/Lazio and Depor/Madrid instead), here's his awesome tale of hair gel and sombreros told especially to Futbolita!

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Curiouser and curiouser. You think you've seen it all at the Lane, you brace yourself for the worst – and are then treated to a completely serene, straightforward, almost routine home win, as far removed from the All-Action-No-Plot mentality as is possible.

It Was The Midfield What Won It

Ledley and Daws were generally rock-solid (the latter a little excitable, in his unique, loveable way) and at the other end Defoe barely touched the ball; but in the middle we held the upper hand, player-for-player and as a unit.

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Apparently it's tradition at Boca Juniors for the kids who join the first team to get special haircuts from the senior members of the squad. Either that or these guys really need to lay off the PCP.

[Photo: Marca]

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Manchester City's press conference to unveil Roberto Mancini as their new manager didn't exactly go as planned. Chief executive Garry Cook was caught in a fib about when talks with Mancini regarding Mark Hughes' job began and the questions from the press were preoccupied with the sacked manager.

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If you follow Spanish football at all, chances are you've heard of the Pichichi. As an award it holds status as one of the most prestigious individual merits Spanish football has to offer. As a name it rolls off the tongue delightfully. But what is the Pichichi award and what is the history behind it? Click to continue reading...

1. Charlize Theron won't be invited back by Fifa anytime soon. What was she on – a mixture of valium and gin? She looked great and flirted with everyone on the stage, but boy did she talk a lot of shit.

2. David Beckham's haircut will be great when it's finished.

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Luca Toni's toque was no match for Bordeaux last night. Image via Getty

Wow. Last night's Champions League group action was more exciting than an Hermes sample sale.

In case you missed it, here's what we observed:

- Frank Lampard's increasing use of thigh-covering under-armour is becoming a serious concern.

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Luca Toni's toque was no match for Bordeaux last night. Image via Getty

Wow. Last night's Champions League group action was more exciting than an Hermes sample sale.

In case you missed it, here's what we observed:

- Frank Lampard's increasing use of thigh-covering under-armour is becoming a serious concern.

Click to continue reading...

Leo Messi's getting to be quite the little model, isn't he? We don't know when he found the time to do this what with the insanely hectic football schedule right now, but here he is in a photo-shoot for LadyStork shoes, for the second time.
We still can't get over how dorky that name is, but Leo manages to come out anything but dorky with these casual poses. Click to continue reading...

What's more offensive - Redknapp's language or his haircut?
Congratulations to those nations that have qualified for the World Cup over the international break, but now let's get back to our addictive hobby - trying to manage ourselves into the world's fantasy football elite...
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This week everyone is asking if Jeff Cunningham, one of the most polarizing figures in Major League Soccer, should be capped. Anyone and everyone who's even vaguely familiar with Wordpress, Blogspot or Typad has posed the question and asking it is officially now more popular than wearing Crocs. Click to continue reading...

There were once a bunch of douchebags who were openly laughing at Puyolita at a dingy pub we went to. One our amigas couldn't help it so she yelled : "He's a Spanish and European champion. Are you?!!!!" We left early that night.

Anyway, Goldilocks is so important to the club that Xavi wants him to put pen to paper now and renew his contract!

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Maybe the ladies man wears contact lenses or simply has so much love to give that even post boxes get the benefit of his loving glares, hell we don't know the answers. All we know is that the Bulgarian with the Andy Garcia haircut is a man on a mission...a mission to save the humble postal service (perhaps not!

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Robert Earnshaw: in need of a trim, if not a new car
When it comes to haircuts, nature has long since ensured that I need opt for nothing more expensive than a trip to the local barber for a simple buzz job. A trip to Tony & Guy would be not only a needless extravagance, but also a complete waste of time. Click to continue reading...

Opinions are spinning around that Barca didn't play as well as their standard during this match; but the way we see it, opening up the Liga with a 3-0 win in the absence of Messi, Henry and Iniesta and with Ibra still adapting, is a hell of an achievment. There's lots to be celebrated as a result of this match:
How mind-blowing was Bojan? Click to continue reading...

Over at Fuel/Friends, Heather has a new track from the upcoming CD by The Mountain Goats, news that can only be described as "freakin' sweet." John Darnielle is an amazing songwriter and The Sunset Tree is one of the definitive albums of this decade, which features This Year.

Putting aside the fact that Darnielle is a worse haircut away from winning a Rod Blagojevich lookalike contest, this is one of the greatest teen angst songs ever recorded, so much so that even at 40 it pulls at me.

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Photo by R.Ribeiro

So these sexy homens appear to be doing very well in Estonia! Ah, the ninos above look so happy especially that boy who is sticking his chest out for Robinho to autograph his shirt. Awww.

Anyway, as usual, the selecao were being followed by a huge group of fans on their second day in the country.

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Couple of things you might have missed, buried in the Guardian 'work' section. I only read this because I used the section as a mat to catch my hair while giving myself a haircut yesterday morning.

Haves v have nots in football (while everyone at the top has never been better, those down the leagues are feeling the pinch) some interesting nuggets on average salaries, etc (not as high as you'd imagine, given short careers, etc)

Working life - footbal scout

It was around this time that he spotted a bargain buy while compiling one of his dossiers on Peterborough United.

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Links to click while you watch Leo Messi and his terrible haircut dismantle Seattle... Bundesliga kicked off today, so read Jan's season preview (Bundesliga Offside) And read this coach specific preview (When Saturday Comes) Solving English fixture problems with software (Science Daily) Arsenal vs Celtic, part of Platini's plan (Reuters Soccer Blog) Illustrated Premier League map (Pitch Invasion) Toronto goes crazy [. Click to continue reading...

Bookmakers always provide an valuable insight into professional football research, since they above anyone else have shedloads of their own money on the line. That makes their offers not only interesting but relevant to the Fantasy Football manager. Lets look at a few, starting with goal scoring options. Click to continue reading...

How huge did this match turn out to be? The Rose Bowl was nearly completely filled, with over 93,000 filling the stands – the largest attendance ever in the United States since the World Cup final in the same stadium back in 1994. FC Barcelona: are we epic, or are we epic?
Please excuse the ego trip, we're just too proud of our boys. Click to continue reading...

His name is Ronaldo Luis Nazario de Lima. You may remember him by the crazy haircut at the World Cup 2002 or by his numerous injuries, but let me remind you he was voted FIFA Player of the Year on three occasions and was nicknamed O Fenomeno. Well, he's been a laughing stock of the footballing world after making a switch from Real to Milan and later to Corinthians, mostly because of his weight problems.

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I am Becks. You know this. Welcome to my blog. I write it for myself (I call it a blogoire because it sounds European and intelligent), as it is the only thing to keep me sane while I am over in the dreadful footballing (oh sorry, soccering) nation of USA America, where I will be heading back to play out the string of my multi-million dollar contractual obligations to the LA Failaxy.

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"Get a haircut and get a real job. Clean your act up and don't be a slob. Why don't you, get a haircut and get a real job." - George Thorogood
Please, could someone tell Kei Kamara that a shark fin looks good on a BMW, not the top of his head.
My apologies to Stillkicking for the deviation from his usual high standard of journalistic integrity. Click to continue reading...

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(above: La Galaxy fans give Beckham the news...Go Away!)

Beckham's return to Los Angeles was met by a galaxy of boos. Â Expect to see Beckham playing for anyone in the Premier League within three months. It was an important moment for American soccer.

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It's hard to measure what the general reaction from United fans has been to news that Michael Owen looks to be on his way. Whilst I would rather we didn't, to put it mildly, I do trust the manager. I think he's a horrible little cunt and don't want him anywhere near the club, but if Sir Alex thinks it's worth a punt, then we have to accept it.

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U.S. Soccer Hall of Famer Marcelo Balboa got a haircut at last. And while no pictures have emerged of the "after" version of the longtime national team defender, he'll be making a few public appearances soon.
The haircut and the appearances are for the same cause. Balboa's hair -- much of it, anyway -- is going to Locks of Love, an organization that turns donated hair into hairpieces for young cancer patients. Click to continue reading...

Simply because we have plenty to share and the cool fact that these manos have their own barber on hand 24/7, here are some photos that caught our eye in the past week. Also because we spot our awesome friends in some of them. Enjoy! [Photos courtesy R.

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Marcelo Balboa closes a chapter in his distinctive hair era when he lets his iconic locks fall Friday in an effort to help children in cancer treatment with a personal donation to the cause. "I am getting a haircut, yes, sir!" Balboa said Thursday, less than 48 hours before he goes on Univision's Despierta America ["Wakeup America"] Friday morning for a nationally broadcast live haircut of some 10 inches of his hair.

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