Qualification is officially over. Playoffs won, tears shed, hearts broken and dreams renewed, it's all over. After Uruguay withstood the Costa Rican pressure late in the evening, the final 32 teams were written into stone though not without a fair bit of controversy.

The following are those 32 teams who will take part in South Africa 2010.

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After Warzycha benched the teams biggest threat for the teams biggest match (what a dope!), it should have sent warning shots in the minds of everyone associated with MLS.

Former All Star, MLS Cup Winner, Boca Jrs. Legend and league MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto has just been asked to take a sizable pay cut by the Columbus Crew, to the tune of $400k.

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Paul Scholes is hoping Sir Alex Ferguson doesn't retire any time soon as he believes having the stability of one manager can ensure silverware.

"His record speaks for itself," said Scholes. "Twenty-three years is a long time and, hopefully, he can continue to be here and win trophies for a long time to come.

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Sir Alex Ferguson is into his 23rd year as Man United manager and midfielder Paul Scholes hopes he will be at Old Trafford for many years to come. Sir Alex was sent to retire at the end of the 2001/02 Premier League season but that was called off.
There have been a few rumour suggesting that Sir Alex may retire at the end of this season but I don't think that will happen. Click to continue reading...

Eduardo has committed his future to Arsenal by signing a new long-term contract at Emirates Stadium.
The 26-year-old Brazil-born Croatia international suffered horrific leg and ankle injuries against Birmingham in February 2008 and was sidelined for almost a year as he battled his way back to full fitness. Click to continue reading...

Yes, despite cara's hectic schedule with the selecao late last week, Brazil's Felipe Melo found the time to answer Futbolita's questions. En realidad, we spent the whole day running in the airport and walking in the rain last Friday before the all-important call from Felipe's agent came through!

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Rafael Benitez has strongly defended his managerial style as questions are being asked about him following Liverpool's current run of one win out of nine.
He said in Champions Magazine: "You cannot win trophies if you are cautious. I have won titles not because I am cautious, but because I have a clear idea of what to do. Click to continue reading...

Atletico Madrid winger Jose Antonio Reyes says it's time for Arsenal's young players to deliver on their promise.
Unlike his own career, which has seemingly gone into terminal decline since leaving the Gunners, Reyes believes the Gunners are finally poised to reclaim a major trophy this season. Click to continue reading...

Rafa Benitez faces more battles between club and country if Liverpool fail to get their season back on track.
The World Cup will become an unwanted distraction for the Kop boss unless his side is competing for honours in the New Year.
Star players Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres are putting their bodies on the line to help save the club's faltering season. Click to continue reading...

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has stoked up the mounting pressure on himself by incredibly insisting: "I don't have to win a trophy."
The Reds' title dreams have been hit by FIVE League defeats already this season; they crashed out of the Carling Cup at Arsenal in midweek and their Champions League dreams will be in tatters if they lose Wednesday's crucial Group E clash in Lyon. Click to continue reading...

Many Liverpool fans are distraught at the club's current predicament/failure to win any trophies for the last three years. After 1 win in 9 games, questions are rightly being asked about Rafa Benitez's future. However, The ‘Rafa can do no wrong' brigade come up with endless excuses/justifications for giving the manager more time, the most common of which is the ridiculous comparison between Benitez and Arsene Wenger. Click to continue reading...

The papers over the weekend were linking Wayne Rooney with an £85m move to Barcelona whilst Cristiano Ronaldo said he would welcome Wayne at Real Madrid.

Rooney has moved to put an end to end rumours before people start getting carried away by again claiming he wants to spend the rest of his career with us.

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Man United keeper Tomasz Kuszczak has taken a swipe at fellow United keeper Edwin Van Der Sar. Kuszczak has said that he goes to United's number one Van Der Sar to ask him for advice but he is only rejected.
If this is true, then I can understand why Kuszczak is frustrated, but is it really the best thing to go to the papers? Click to continue reading...

With Alex Song in inspired form, it begs the question who will replace him when he leaves for the African Cup of Nations in January?

The obvious candidates are Abou Diaby and Denilson. In my opinion, they are not good enough to play every game for Arsenal. They are great squad players, with lots of potential.

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For ranking methodology and other information about the series, see the original post. To read the about the No. 7-rated stadium, the Camp Nou in Barcelona, click here. To see all "soccer mecca" entries click here.
No. 6 Estadio Bernabeu, Madrid
Open since: 1947
Capacity: 80,000
Tenant(s): Real Madrid
World Cup hosts: 1982
We have now had two stadiums in Argentina (Bombonera at No. Click to continue reading...

QUESTION ON MY MIND
Who will help save my team?
The Minnesota Thunder is all but dead. This is horrible news. The team has been around since 1990 and won many amazing games & trophies, but currently finds itself in the hands of ownership who appear to be lying to everyone in sight, and have no money at all. Click to continue reading...

Liverpool FC secured its first trophy of the season in Spain at the weekend, but it was on the track rather than on the pitch.
A motorsport team backed and financed by the English soccer club won the 2009 Superleague Formula title, seeing off the challenge of Tottenham Hotspur. Liverpool's driver, Adrian Valles, secured a fourth-place finish in the final race, won by Anderlecht, to take the series. Click to continue reading...

This weekend, is a magical weekend in English Football, its the first round of the FA Cup. While in other countries knockout cup trophies don't seem to have the same romance, or weight, there is something genuinely special about the FA Cup. Over the last few years, as English Football has grown and grown, talk [. Click to continue reading...

Despite 8 defeats in 15 games this season, JODY DANIELS refuses to give up hope, and is confident that if Liverpool fans keep the faith, their loyalty will eventually be rewarded.
In my view, fans publicly chastising the club Manager/Owners (or accepting the pessimistic, bias and prejudiced stories written by the media) is totally against the spirit of Liverpool FC. Click to continue reading...

Carlo Ancelotti has spoken ahead of the game against United this weekend and has told Alex Ferguson that Chelsea are in the mood to deliver a substantial blow to United's hopes of retaining the Premier League title this season.
"We are happy to play this game at this moment. I think we are doing very well, we are in good condition and we have a very good mental attitude at this moment," "It's a very important game. Click to continue reading...

Wayne Rooney, who caused a fuss last season by telling a national newspaper he "hated" Liverpool FC, has today confessed that when he was growing up as an Everton fan, he used United's success to wind up any Liverpool fans he came across.

"United won most of the trophies in the 1990s and for me, as an Everton fan, it was a chance to have a go back at the Liverpool fans," said Rooney.

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Tomasz Kuszczak has stupidly given an interview with MUTV criticising Edwin Van der Sar for not helping him enough and suggesting that the Dutch goalie doesn't like him.

Oh dear.

"I must say this, Edwin doesn't help me. Maybe he doesn't like me," said Kuszczak. "He's got more experience and many more games under his belt.

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David Beckham journey continues as recent confirmed reports in Italy suggest that he is on his way back to AC Milan for another loan deal. We have witnessed in the past big players moving from their clubs like Brazilian legend Ronaldo moved from Inter Milan to Real Madrid, Luis Figo from Barcelona to Read Madrid, Andriy Shevchenko from AC Milan to Chelsea, Thierry Henry from Arsenal to Barcelona, recently Kaka from AC Milan to Real Madrid and other big players had to move from one club to another at some stage of their careers.

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The Beauty: Remember those old beer commercials about the Swedish Bikini Team? Yeah, they weren't very funny. But, if such a team did exist, then Helen Svedin would be its Captain. Helen is a Swedish model with a pretty intimidating resume. She's graced the catwalk for several of the world's most honored designers and she has appeared on the cover of major fashion mags the world over.

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The city of Liverpool claims it would receive a £200 million (US$330 million) boost if it is a host city for the 2018 World Cup, should England win the rights to host the tournament.
The city is arguably the biggest heartland of English soccer, with both Liverpool and Everton having secured multiple trophies over the years. Click to continue reading...

D.C. United coach Tom Soehn will not be back next season.
He's resigning. Or opting not to sign a new contact. Or something like that.
The Post has the goods on the story.

"My family and I have spent a lot of time in reaching this very difficult decision," Soehn said in a written statement.

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With nine coaches in six years, no trophies since 1996 and 'encouragement' from extreme-right ultras Frente Atlético, what crisis will hit the club next?
Are 'madhouse' Atlético Madrid the worst run club in Europe? Click to continue reading...

Liverpool's willingness to seal a new contract for first-choice goalkeeper Pepe Reina has been returned by the 27-year-old, who has revealed that he feels at home on Merseyside after five years at Anfield.
The Spaniard, bought by Rafael Benitez in 2005 from Villarreal, also added that one of his daughters "is a Scouser", and that he is desperate to help the club realise their primary ambition of landing a Premier League title. Click to continue reading...

"I don't have to win a trophy."

Maybe a bit sensationalist to leave that excerpt as the lead-in, but the overall thrust of an article from the Times(among other sources) is that Rafa Benitez feels that progress alone is an acceptable indicator of success. Since there's plenty of ammo here, I figured it's best digested quote-by-quote:

"I don't agree with people when they say you have to win trophies.

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Count the years off one by one. Every single year in this decade we have played Spurs home and away in the League. And out of twenty matches we haven't lost a single one. Not a single one.
Even if we had lost one, we could still reflect on the annual difference between the teams shown by the League table. Click to continue reading...

Rafa Benitez has claimed success at Liverpool should not be measured in trophies.
The Merseysiders pride themselves as being the most successful club in England, with 18 titles and five European Cups.
But Benitez, who takes Liverpool into a week that could decide their Champions League fate after Saturday's shock 3-1 defeat at Fulham, said: "I don't agree when people say that you have to win trophies. Click to continue reading...

Popular "pit-bull" Edgar Davids might get back on football scene and as no less than a Leicester City member. Dutchman's final decision is expected these days and everyone in Leicester are unanimous about getting this excellent player and winner of many trophies on their side.

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A new version of Football Manager is released today, which makes this, in my house at least, a time of hushed reflection. The old era is passing away, the new era is rising up before us. Everything we knew and loved is sliding into the sea, while before us, like a mountainous country, is thrust a terrifying and exhilarating possibility.

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Tottenham Hotspur

Position: 4th, 6-1-3 (19 points, +7 goal differential)

Recent Form: LWDWL

Away Form: 3-1-1

Last Meeting: Tottenham 0-Arsenal 0 (2/8/09)

It's here. The North London derby.

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Ok, so it has not been the best start to the season by a long way, but I am sick and tired of reading on a daily basis people continually ripping into Liverpool and Rafa Benitez. Yeh we had a good season last year (from a premier league perspective) and yeh we have not had the best of starts to this years campaign, but to continually keep saying they are out of it and then the next week they are back in it is starting to do my head in.

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