Spain regain top slot in this month's Fifa world rankings. Brazil are second followed by the Netherlands, Italy and Portugal. England are in 9th place. Argentina are 8th.
France are in 7th after Thierry Henry handed them victory in their World Cup play off encounter with Ireland in Paris. Cameroon are the highest African team in 11th. Click to continue reading...

Maybe if Thierry Henry was back with Arsenal , he could get himself out of a fix by helping the rest of the Arsenal crew dressing up and having a bit of fun with the kids at Great Ormond Street Hospital! Theo Walcott,Cesc Fabregas,Andrey Arshavin,Bacary Sagna all took part in the Fundraising video and showed the [. Click to continue reading...

Official Press Release The Football Association of Ireland today (November 19) confirmed that it will lodge a complaint with FIFA, following last night's World Cup play-off match between France and the Republic of Ireland in Paris. Conclusive video evidence of a deliberate hand ball by Thierry Henry, which led to France's additional time goal, has been seen [. Click to continue reading...

Okay okay, I guess I have to write something about this Thierry Henry hand ball or something. Here is the obligatory (and slightly sarcastic) background info already reported: The World Cup playoffs are seeded, seemingly hurting the minnows like Republic of Ireland. Then, Ireland are given an away game in Paris for the second leg, presumably giving them yet another disadvantage.

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For a 120 minutes the Irish National Team played their hearts out and with one hand Henry took their dreams of a World Cup away. Here is how the Irish newspapers covered the events yesterday in Paris.
Irish Times
Irish Independent
Irish Examiner
Irish Daily Star
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Image via Wikipedia With Ireland reeling from "Le Hand of God" bookie Paddy Power have issued a whole host of special bets on the man who will forever be known as "cheating Thierry." Unfortunately for Irish fans and Justice Minister Dermot Ahern, the likelihood of justice prevailing look slim with odds of 33/1 the match gets [. Click to continue reading...

This is a picture of what's currently going down in the center of Paris. No, that is not a Frenchman celebrating the lack of video replay in football. No, that is not an Irishman infuriated by the lack of integrity by one Thierry Henry. Hell, it's not even the CEO of Caran d'Ache.

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"Those that doubted football's cruelty ought to have been on hand here in Paris."
-David Hytner of the Guardian, following Ireland's 1-1 draw (2-1 aggregate loss) to France on Wednesday.

Applaud these men.

This is obviously a non Chelsea-related post, but I don't care.

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A Thierry Henry handball cost Ireland a chance of a glorious win in Paris and France sneak into South Africa 2010.

0-1 Keane

1-1 Gallas

Don't forget to check out Online Football Manager!

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The Desert Foxes (not making this up either) beat Egypt 1-0 with a first half goal from Anthar Yahia of Germany's VfL Bochum. Last appeared in the finals in Mexico 86, where they drew with Northern Ireland but lost to Spain and Brazil.

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In a city renowned for it's romance and passion, the Republic of Ireland team will be merely looking for a brief fling with Lady Luck in Paris tomorrow night. Whether it be a passionate 90 minute romp or a sleazy 120 minute affair, all voyeuristic Irish eyes will be on the Stad de France ... Click to continue reading...

Ireland go into their World Cup play-off second-leg with France at full strength with no injuries to report.
It is do-or-die for Giovanni Trapattoni's men as they prepare to fly to Paris on Tuesday trailing 1-0 from the first-leg at Croke Park.
Ireland performed admirably on Saturday but still fell to a deflected 72nd minute Nicolas Anelka strike, handing the French the initiative ahead of the return match on Wednesday. Click to continue reading...

Bad day for England, Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland who all lost today.The Republic who lost 1-0 at home to France in their World Cup play-off 1st leg at Croke Park to leave them with an uphill task to qualify for South Africa next summer, away leg on Wednesday.England played the mighty Brazil without alot of injured players in Quatar and lost to a Nilmar goal on 47 mins. Click to continue reading...

Video goal highlights from the Republic of Ireland vs France first leg World Cup 2010 playoff game on November 14, 2009- Saturday. Game kicks off at Croke Park, Dublin- 20.00 GMT. Big, big game for the Irish- they need a good result here ahead of the second leg in Paris. Ireland vs France highlights and team [. Click to continue reading...

Coração grande mas sempre ao pé da boca. Voluntarista, dedicado, teve enormes dificuldades na sua vida pessoal com a morte de familiares queridos. Revoltado, talvez por isso, nunca foi muito feliz nas diversas selecções nacionais. Apontou sempre o dedo, acusador, aos diversos treinadores nacionais, o último dos quais a Luiz Felipe Scolari, que o foram afastando de algumas das diversas fases finais onde a sua geração esteve presente. Click to continue reading...

Iriam jogar hoje, amistosamente, as seleções do RD COngo e do Haiti. Mas, devido a seleção do Haiti não conseguir visto para fazer escala na França e passagem para a RD COngo, o jogo foi adiado.
Segue nota oficial da federação haitiana de futebol em francês.
Port au Prince, le 13 novembre 2009
La Fédération Haïtienne de Football a le regret d'annoncer l'annulation du match international amical Haïti Vs RD Congo prévu pour se jouer à Kinshasa le 14 Novembre prochain. Click to continue reading...

Wolves striker Kevin Doyle believes that Ireland are capable of upsetting France in their upcoming World Cup play-off games.
The striker feels that, despite their underdog status, Ireland have an excellent chance of advancing to South Africa at the expense of Raymond Domenech's side, beaten finalists in Germany in 2006. Click to continue reading...

Giovanni Trapattoni yesterday announced the Irish squad for the World Cup play-off games against France in Dublin on November 14th and Paris on the 18th. And, as is now usual with an Irish squad announcement, there was more questions about the players that were not in the squad than those that were named. Click to continue reading...

After Samuel Eto'o's alleged statements against Pep and others at Barca, he adressed the subject as expected at the presentation campaign for "Shoe Aid In Africa" which he's the face of. And Samu's statements were far from any sort of lashing out at the club:
"My relationship [with Guardiola] has never been bad. Click to continue reading...

It was reported that a "Shaman" was hired by an anonymous personto practice "witchcraft" on CRISTIANO RONALDO & cause him seriousinjury. The anonymous person was later speculated to be Paris Hiltonafter she considered the REAL MADRID player to be a bit "gay" ¬ enough man for her, & her sexual appetite. Click to continue reading...

Musulmanes vs. Homosexuales... quien ganara? Desafortunadamente parece que nunca vamos a saber. El club Créteil Bebel, un equipo de fútbol aficionado compuesto por musulmanes practicantes se niega a jugar contra el PFG (Paris Foot Gay) solo por ser compuesto de homosexuales. Esto es algo triste y creo que solo se puede resolver con lucha libre. Click to continue reading...

Musulmanes vs. Homosexuales... quien ganara? Desafortunadamente parece que nunca vamos a saber. El club Créteil Bebel, un equipo de fútbol aficionado compuesto por musulmanes practicantes se niega a jugar contra el PFG (Paris Foot Gay) solo por ser compuesto de homosexuales. Esto es algo triste y creo que solo se puede resolver con lucha libre. Click to continue reading...

Video ansehen

Mit 29 kann sich ein Fußballer durchaus Gedanken über die Zeit nach dem Spiel machen. Die Zukunft für Ronaldinho sieht sehr musikalisch aus, so übt er hier fleißig als Trommler einer Samba-Gruppe in Paris bis in die frühen Morgenstunden.

Das war offenbar der beste Antrieb für Ronaldinho im darauf folgenden Sonntagsspiel dieses schöne und wichtige Tor zum 1:1 für den AC Mailand gegen Atalanta Bergamo zu schießen.

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An amateur league matchup between the gays and the Muslims was canceled the other day. Here's the letter from team Creteil Bebel, which explains the reasoning.

"Because of the principles of our team, which is a team of devout Muslims, we can't play against you,'' the e-mail said, according to Paris Foot Gay.

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Li e pasmei com a notícia abaixo, primeiro, porque não sabia que havia um clube com essas características, segundo, porque é estranho fazer-se desporto levantando questões deste tipo. No entanto a questão que se me coloca é a seguinte: - Não há gays no futebol dos países muçulmanos? E a resposta foi-me dada por alguns amigos treinadores com vasta experiência de trabalho nesses países. Click to continue reading...

So the Selecao jovens left Brazil for the U-20 World Cup yesterday. There was no direct flight to Egypt from Brazil so the group had to make a brief stopover in Paris where they continued to Cairo.

Alan Kardec who plays for Internacional will be one of the names to look out for in the tournament.

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.Arsenal Transfered In: Thomas Vermaelen (Ajax, £11m), Damian Martinez (Club Athletico Independiente, £1.3m), Jamie Edge (Cheltenham, undisc) Transfered Out: Abu Ogogo (Dag & Red, free), Amaury Bischoff (Academica de Coimbra, free), Emmanuel Adebayor (Man C, £25m), Kolo Toure (Man C, £14m), Jay Simpson (QPR, loan), James Dunne (Exeter, free), Rui Fonte (Lisbon, free), Rene Steer (Oldham, free), [. Click to continue reading...

Please observe a moment of silence for that fine band of City fans from Manchester, Oasis. It looks like they'll be splitting up now that guitarist and songwriter Noel Gallagher will be leaving the band since he can no longer work with his brother, Liam.
Noel wrote on the band's website: "It's with some sadness and great relief to tell you I quit Oasis tonight. Click to continue reading...

Bordeaux are the only side remaining in Ligue 1 with a 100% record

Bordeaux find themselves as the only side in Ligue 1 remaining with a 100% victory after their 4-0 win over Nice on Sunday. Â This weekend in Ligue 1 was filled with some big victories, some expected results and a surprise showing by one of the newly promoted sides!

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Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho wanted to leave PSG to sign for Manchester United in 2003, which was brilliant at the time, given the way he had performed in the World Cup the year before. When you consider the following year he was named the best player in Europe and the World, it's pretty gutting to remember how close we were.

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Patrice Evra recently gave some insight in to what Sir Alex Ferguson looks for when signing a player.

"The boss comes from a difficult part of Glasgow, I came from a difficult suburb in Paris, with 24 brothers and sisters, and the same goes for Wayne Rooney and Ryan Giggs," said Evra.

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My wife and I arrived back home here in Raleigh at 3:30 am this morning local time after a harrowing journey back from Paris. Sir Bobby Robson alongside his statue at St. James' Park And the very sad news we have just seen is the death of the great man, Bobby Robson. Born in Sacriston, County [.. Click to continue reading...

American Lance Armstrong seems to be channeling Paolo Maldini these days by hanging tough with athletes who were born at least a decade after him. Today on the Tour de France's gruelling 20th stage ride up Mont Ventoux, Armstrong beat back several attacks to cement his third place standing for the ride into Paris tomorrow. Click to continue reading...

In an event organized by their common sponsor PUMA, Samuel Eto'o met with Jamaican runner Usain Bolt at the offices of L'Equipe (a nationwide french daily newspaper dedicated to sports) in Paris last Wednesday. Even though the two speak different languages, they had quite an interesting conversation, full of laughs, via translator. Click to continue reading...

Manchester United signed 20-year-old, Gabriel Obertan from Bordeaux on a four-year contract on Wednesday.

I believe Obertan could be just what United need, he has proven himself in Ligue 1, and I'm anxious to see how he will adjust to the English game. He can play in several attacking positions and becomes third signing of the summer.

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