We like Mr. Vargas because he... likes Mutu.

Continuing on with our brief hiatus of the regular format TTO, we're celebrating/reflecting upon a few of the many thightastic offerings that went flexed during the last two evenings of Champions League action.

It's really a time for browsing, contemplating and pursuing the goods.

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We like Mr. Vargas because he... likes Mutu.

Continuing on with our brief hiatus of the regular format TTO, we're celebrating/reflecting upon a few of the many thightastic offerings that were well-flexed during the last two evenings of Champions League action.

It's really a time for browsing, contemplating and pursuing the goods.

Click to continue reading...

It was a mixed week for Argentines in England Pablo Zabaleta was sent off and Carlos Tevez had to toil on his own up front as Manchester City could only draw 1-1 with Wigan Athletic, and Javier Mascherano and Emiliano Insúa's Liverpool lost in circumstances which were either hilarious or exasperating depending on your [. Click to continue reading...

These guys may be nearer to drawing their pensions than most, but boy they still have the power to amaze.

We've done the young whippersnappers and we've done the ode to Britain the 25 and over squad, so it's time to pay homage to experienced, the wily, the cunning: the Viagra crowd.

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Maradona no le encuentra la vuelta a la conducción de la Selección, prueba (¿prueba?), arma y desarma, convoca y desafecta bajo un concepto difícil de establecer.

Venezuela (4-0): Juan Pablo Carrizo; Javier Zanetti, Marcos Angeleri, Gabriel Heinze; Maxi Rodríguez (m.

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MARADONA. OLE EDICION 15 OCTUBRE 2009
Originally uploaded by 2018 WORLD CUP Hay aficionados que siguen amando por sobre todas las cosas a Diego Maradona que le perdonan todo, y que sueñan con una portada contraria a la que ilustra este post.
Creo que les dolerá mas si Uruguay sale a vencerlos seriamente en Montevideo. Click to continue reading...

Diego Maradona has announced a list of just eighteen Europe-based players for Argentina's final two World Cup qualifying matches at home to Peru and away to Uruguay. There are numerous big-name casualties of Diego's refusal to consider that any part of the defeats to Brazil and Paraguay might have been his fault. Click to continue reading...

FC Barcelona will kick start their defense of Champions League crown officially with the visit to San Siro tonight. This match is set to bring out some stunning re-unions, most importantly Eto and Ibrahmovic. Zlatan Ibrahmovic is set to have a very hostile reception from the Inter fans; meanwhile Eto will feel a bit awkard playing against players who were his team mates for long six years. Click to continue reading...

After a week of recriminations for the selección, Diego Maradona travels to Europe to bang some heads together and break the news to some players that he'll be picking Argentine-based players over them in future. All the same, there's some food for thought for him ('thought', Diego: that's 'pensamiento' in castellano, a word you might [. Click to continue reading...

We've been here before, and there's not a lot else more to say. In Asunción on Wednesday night, needing a win to remain in the automatic qualification spots for the 2010 World Cup, Argentina slumped to a defeat which sees Paraguay qualify for South Africa. Seba Verón was sent off early in the second half [. Click to continue reading...

Tonight is another must win game as time is beginning to run out on the national team's WC qualifying campaign.

Though not official, the following starting lineup was the one that played in yesterday's practice session:

Sergio Romero

Javier Zanetti
Sebastian Domínguez
Gabriel Heinze
Emiliano Papa

Javier Mascherano
Fernando Gago
Juan Sebastián Verón
Jesús Dátolo

Lionel Messi
Sergio Agüero

It is really hard to understand why Maradona is making a GK change for such a critical WC qualifier tonight.

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Yesterday we asked Offside readers to sound off and let us know who the hardest working player in world football was. We had a great response which helped us define "hard working" a little more specifically. As well as running around, and putting the hours in at training, concepts like willingly playing out of position [. Click to continue reading...

Los problemas no terminan para los organizadores del mundial en Sudáfrica, primero los problemas por la falta de infraestructura que impedía terminar los estadios a tiempo, después debido a eso la huelga de trabajadores de construcción por la falta de pago y ahora surge un nuevo problema mas, algunos jugadores denominados crack están apunto de no asistir a dicho certamen el próximo año, el motivo; sus respectivos equipos no atraviesan por buen momento en las eliminatorias mundialistas.

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One of the most eagerly awaited fixtures on the international football calendar will be staged in Rosario on Saturday night, with Argentina in need of a win and Brazil no doubt eager to put one over the on their great rivals and inflict what would be only Argentina's second ever home defeat in World Cup [. Click to continue reading...

¿Quien no ha jugado en algún videojuego de fútbol un Argentina vs Brasil o viceversa? Es hasta cierto punto "de cajón" probar cuál de las dos selecciones es mejor.

Y si dudan que es un clásico y si no pues simplemente piensen en las dos figuras más grandes de nuestro fútbol y sin duda pensaran en Pelé y Maradona.

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Maradona made it official in the press conference today and there are no surprises.

The starting eleven against Brasil will be:

Mariano Andújar

Javier Zanetti
Nicolás Otamendi
Sebastián Domínguez
Gabriel Heinze

Maxi Rodríguez
Javier Mascherano
Juan Sebastián Verón
Jesus Dátolo

Lionel Messi
Carlos Tevez

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The second practice session was held today and Maradona had the following lineup on the field:

Mariano Andújar

Javier Zanetti
Nicolás Otamendi
Sebastián Domínguez
Gabriel Heinze

Maxi Rodríguez
Javier Mascherano
Juan Sebastián Verón
Jesus Dátolo

Lionel Messi
Carlos Tevez

Maradona did not confirm the starting lineup for the game but there's very little time left.

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El técnico de la Selección Argentina, Diego Armando Maradona, dio a conocer los 19 nombres de los futbolistas que se desempeñan en las ligas del exterior, convocados para los próximos dos compromisos por las Eliminatorias sudamericanas para el Mundial FIFA "Sudáfrica 2010″.

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Friday saw the announcement of Diego Maradona's national team squad to face Brazil in Rosario on the 5th September, which will then take on Paraguay days later in Asunción. Matches between Argentina and Brazil are always intense affairs, but with so much riding on this game for Maradona's men in particular, el pibe de oro [. Click to continue reading...

Maradona gave the list today of European based players for the upcoming WC qualifier against Brasil.

Maradona will give the remaining list of seven players from the domestic league next week.

Player List:

GK Juan Pablo Carrizo (Real Zaragoza)
GK Mariano Andújar (Catania)
GK Sergio Romero (AZ)

D Javier Zanetti (Inter Milan)
D Nicolás Pareja (Deportivo Español)
D Fabricio Coloccini (Newcastle United)
D Gabriel Heinze (Olympique Marseille)
D Nicolás Burdisso (Inter Milan)

M Fernando Gago (Real Madrid)
M Javier Mascherano (Liverpool)
M Maxi Rodríguez (Atlético de Madrid)
M Jesús Dátolo (Nápoli)
M Jonás Gutierrez (Newcastle United)

F Carlos Tevez (Manchester City)
F Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
F Sergio Agüero (Atlético de Madrid)
F Diego Milito (Inter Milan)
F Lisandro López (Lyon)
F Ezequiel Lavezzi (Nápoli)

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Wednesday afternoon saw Russia take on Argentina in a clash of two of FIFA's top ten ranked national sides in a friendly in Lokomotiv Stadium, Moscow. Diego Maradona's men, eager to recover some sort of dignity and continuity to their play after iffy recent performances and results, won against another side known for their neat [. Click to continue reading...

On Wednesday Argentina play Russia in Moscow in an international friendly, with Diego Maradona's charges looking to gain some sort of momentum to take into their World Cup qualifier at home to Brazil in Rosario next month. Argentine sports daily Olé claim that Andrei Arshavin is viewed as a 'hope for the future' in Russia, [. Click to continue reading...

Sin sorpresas el entrenador de la selección argentina, Diego Maradona dio a conocer la lista de convocados para el partido del 12 de agosto ante Rusia, en Moscú.

La lista completa:

Arqueros:

Juan Pablo Carrizo (Zaragoza)
Mariano Andujar (Catania)

Defensores:

Daniel Díaz (Getafe)
Javier Zanetti (Inter)
Emiliano Papa (Vélez)
Gabriel Heinze (Real Madrid)
Nicolás Burdisso (Inter)
Martín Demichelis (Bayern Munich)
Nicolás Otamendi (Vélez)

Mediocampistas:

Javier Mascherano (Liverpool)
Fernando Gago (Real Madrid)
Sebastian Battaglia (Boca)
Maximiliano Rodríguez (Atlético de Madrid)
Jonás Gutiérrez (Newcastle)
Juan Sebastián Verón (Estudiantes de La Plata)
Mario Bolatti (Huracán)
Jesús Dátolo (Napoli)

Delanteros:

Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Carlos Tevez (Manchester City)
Sergio Agüero (Atlético de Madrid)
Lisandro López (Olympique Lyon)
Diego Milito (Inter)
Ezequiel Lavezzi (Napoli)

No veo sorpresas en la convocatoria argentina, me sorprende más que haya convocado a tanta estrella para un amistoso.

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Maradona selects his team for the August 12 frindly against Russia. Maradona is not very keen on going to Russia but will make the best of it. The two new faces to the call up are Jesus Datolo of Napoli. This ex-Boca wing man does his best work on the left. The other face is the central midfielder Mario Bolatti who was considered the top player of the 2009 Argentine 1st Division playing for Huracan (runner up to the champs Velez). Click to continue reading...

Maradona gave the list of players today for the upcoming friendly against Russia.

Huracan's talented central midfielder Mario Bolatti is receiving his first call up to the national team. Bolatti was one of the best players in the Clausura 09 and is definitely a player to watch.

Otamendi is getting another call up and he is also another promising player, among the best in the new generation of defenders coming out of Argentina.

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This summer football fans in America got a glimpse of some of the world's top talents and teams during the World Football Challenge. Chelsea, Club America, AC Milan, and Inter Milan all arrived in America to massive crowds, high expectations, and lots of fun for everyone. With Premiership Talk based in Boston, we witnessed first hand how the Italian giants consumed everyone in and around the Boston area for a weekend.

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Boca Juniors' squad took off for Europe on Sunday in readiness to take part in the Audi Cup in Munich (their first match is on Wednesday against Manchester United), but over the weekend there have already been some Argentine clubs and players in pre-season action. River Plate beat Everton thanks to a great Ariel Ortega [. Click to continue reading...

El Pupi Zanetti and his beloved Banfield's stadium in the background.

In today's Ole an interview with Javier Zanetti

Q Alright, let's review all your managers with short answers, Passarella?

Z The first manager that bet on me, who gave me alot of confidence along with a group of young players that consolidated to play our first world cup.

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Soccerlens was at the Chelsea-Inter World Football Challenge game in California tonight - what follows is a live blog from that game.

Chelsea take on and humble their previous manager Jose Mourniho at the hirstoric Rose Bowl stadium on a sunny California night.

A very festive atmosphere out here at the Rose Bowl as mostly Chelsea fans continue to pour in to fill the stadium close to capacity.

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Chelsea,AC Milan,Inter Milan and Club America are the teams taking part and the event kicks off on the 19th of July.It's been 5 years since the United States last tasted a summer football event quite like World Football Challenge.
The promo says....
Four international soccer powerhouses are coming to America this summer to compete in the inaugural World Football Challenge.

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First a shout out to our readers in Canada. Happy Canada Day!

In a world where loyalty is hard to come by, it's still nice to know that in some part of the world it still exists. Case in point, Manchester United and Nemanja Vidic. But before I go into that let us take a brief trip down memory lane to see how those who were tempted by cash and left for so called "greener" pastures.

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The 2009 Showdown in Chinatown was this past Wednesday. If you're unfamiliar, that's where the NBA's Steve Nash organizes a game of soccer in New York City featuring big names from the worlds of basketball and football. In attendance this year were... from the world of football: Claudio Reyna, Thierry Henry, Javier Zanetti, Salomon Kalou, Ryan [. Click to continue reading...

It's not that often a bunch of basketball superstars take the same field as some of the world's greatest footballers, but today - Wednesday, June 24th - the Steve Nash celebrity soccer game is happening.

If you're anywhere near the New York area, head down to Roosevelt Park at 6:00pm in Chinatown (Manhattan) and witness this excellent spectacle.

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The New York China Town charity exhibition from last year that involved NBA and world soccer stars is back Wednesday June 24th at 6:00 PM(tomarrow). Steve Nash, Claudio Reyna, Thierry Henry, Tony Parker, Javier Zanetti, Raja Bell, Adrian Mutu, Chris Bosh, Ivan Cordoba, Grant Hill, Giovanni van Brockhurst, and Yao Ming will be the participating athletes. Click to continue reading...

I meant to bring this up earlier in the day but nearly forgot. For those of you lucky bastards in the New York City area, there is an event that you need to be at tomorrow in Chinatown. What is it? The second annual Showdown in Chinatown featuring NBA stars and international soccer stars such as Steve Nash and Thierry Henry.

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