FIFA World Cup 2010 top news

THE TEAMS

Argentina

Argentina is clearly the favorite in this group, though most of us probably don’t want that to be the case. Why? Ya know, because of the whole Maradona will streak if they win the cup thing. And in the YouTube era, that thing (the video) is bound to wind up online. Anyways, it would be a major disappointment if they didn’t come out as the top team in this group, since they are completely loaded with talent. Lionel Messi and Diego Molito will be the main factors this summer, and if both of those guys are playing at their highest level, no one will stop Argentina. Except for maybe Maradona himself. Managing is the only question mark for this team, so when they get into crunch time, that could be a huge factor. If Argentina fans are to be nervous, it will definitely be more about Maradona than about the makeup of their team.


GROUP :B

1. Argentina,
2. Nigeria,
3. Greece and
4. South Korea

For the four nations of Group B—Argentina, Nigeria, Greece and South Korea—it will be the battleground of what is considered to be an open group.

Argentina will be favored as top dog, but Nigeria, Greece and South Korea all have the potential to unseat them. Look for an exciting group stage with lots of fireworks that could provide some upsets.


GROUP SCHEDULE

June 12, 2010

South Korea vs. Greece – 7:30 AM ET, ESPN
Argentina vs. Nigeria – 10 AM ET, ESPN

June 17, 2010

Argentina vs. South Korea – 7:30 AM ET, ESPN
Greece vs. Nigeria, 10 AM ET – ESPN

June 22, 2010

Nigeria vs. South Korea – 2:30 PM ET, ESPN2
Argentina vs. Greece – 2:30 PM ET, ESPN

*Times indicate actual game start times. 30 minute preview show before most games, so the actual coverage will begin a half hour earlier.

Despite laboring through qualification, Argentina, managed by footballing legend Diego Maradona, enter the 2010 World Cup tipped amongst the favorites due their plethora of offensive talent that features current Fifa Player of Year Lionel Messi.



Messi, only twenty two, scored forty seven goals in all competitions this past season for club team Barcelona and already possesses two Champions League titles, three La Liga crowns and a Ballon D’Or.

However, the native of Rosario has yet to replicate this form for his country and he is well aware that for him to transcend into the pantheon of greats, he must produce at the World Cup like previous legends such as Zidane, Pele, Beckenbauer, Platini and, of course, his manager, Maradona.

Messi’s struggles when playing for Argentina were magnified by the international press during Argentina’s arduous qualification campaign, which was only ensured on the last match day in a slender one nil victory over Uruguay.

Even the Argentinean press routinely criticized Messi during the country’s struggles in qualification, citing his lack of offensive production, although he led the team in scoring with six goals during the eighteen game campaign.

Also victimized by the press during qualification and even urged to resign by some was Maradona, who typically plays Messi in a free role behind two strikers.

For Barcelona, Messi occupies the right side of the three pronged Catalan attack and enjoys the freedom to run full pace at defenders or cut inside.

Because Maradona does not play Messi in the same role, despite his well publicized past success, reveals a fundamental problem with this Argentinean squad: most of the other stars do not compliment Messi’s play.

While Carlos Tevez, Sergio Aguero and Diego Milito are all exceptional offensive players and could play for any side in the world, in essence they share similar attributes and contribute the same mix of skill and grittiness to their team.

None of these three are ideal foils to Messi because they all demand space and the ball to create, which is exactly what Messi needs to thrive.

Therefore, the crucial element needed to assure that Messi and Argentina have a successful World Cup is Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain, who scored twenty seven goals in total in La Liga, second only to Messi’s thirty four this past season.

Playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Higuain, who only made three appearances during qualification, demonstrated that he can get into the proper positions without the ball and then finish consistently once he gets it.

If Higuain can perform under similar circumstances with Messi drawing the attention, Argentina should have no problems offensively even if Messi’s name does appear on the score sheet often.

But then again, offense should not be Maradona’s main concern, but rather his defense, which conceded six to Bolivia during qualification and has always been the perceived weakness of Argentina, a nation that regularly produces world class attack midfielders but fails to develop no-nonsense defenders.

With an aged backline consisting of Gabriel Hienze (32), Walter Samuel(32), Martin Demichelis (29) and Nicolas Burdisso (29), and two inexperienced goalkeepers, Argentina are prone to concede a foolish goal at some point in the tournament.

Defensive midfielder Javier Mascherano, who received two red cards in a sub par season for Liverpool by his high standards, must play well and protect the fragile defense for Argentina to advance deep.

Argentina have always looked to outscore their opponents and their numerous offensive weapons will carry them through their group and into the knockout stages.

Yet, Argentineans can only hope that the inevitable mistake from their inexperience goalie or defensive lapse from their aged backline comes in group play and not a pivotal moment of the knockout stages.

That being said, Argentina are serious contenders in the tournament and can win, if they find some luck and avoid certain physical teams, like England and Germany, that will not allow them to play as freely as they desire.

With the potential to inspire the entire nation, much of the focus will be on Leo Messi, but others, mainly Mascherano and Higuain will have to perform at the highest level for Argentina to win the World Cup.

The Argentines definitely have the talent to win the 2010 World Cup with players like Messi and Tevez. Now we'll see if Maradona can guide them to the championship.


When you enter a party, you always want to leave an impression. The question for Argentina is what type of impression will they leave at the prom this year?
odds betting odds

Diego Maradona They have the talent to easily be prom king and win the FIFA World Cup tournament. But at the same time, with an erratic coach like Diego Maradona, the Argentinean team could also leave the type of bad impression that no one will forget for another four years.



The Argentines struggled through qualifying but keep in mind that they did the same in 1985 and still rolled through World Cup football betting and managed to hoist the Jules Rimet trophy.

Meet Team Argentina


While the Argentina team may have some questions it has to answer, few of them have to do with talent. Lionel Messi is considered the best soccer player in the world by many and he’ll suit up alongside Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero. Messi will have to prove, though, that he can perform as well internationally as he does for Barcelona.

Javier Zanetti and Walter Samuel will provide plenty of experience at the back end and with Esteban Cambiasso and Javier Mascherano in the midfield, as mentioned, Argentina doesn’t have many holes on the roster.

The real question is what can coach Maradona milk out of this squad. He’s the biggest wild card on the team and because of it, pundits and handicappers aren’t sure what to expect from a soccer betting perspective.

Argentina Football Team Squad For 2010 World Cup Held In South Africa:Videos




Can Argentina Get Past The Group Stage?

Without question, this team will advance past the World Cup group stage . When you’re in a group with Nigeria, Greece and South Korea, advancing shouldn’t be much of an issue.

South Korea is in its seventh straight World Cup but is not on or near the same level as Argentina. Meanwhile, Greece is still trying to figure out why they were so successful in Euro 2004 and how to duplicate that success.

That leaves Nigeria as the main competitor but they needed two 12th-hour goals to advance through African qualifying and into the draw. There is a shortage of depth on the Nigerian squad and they will have a tough time slowing Argentina.

Overall, there isn’t much competition for Argentina in this group and don’t be surprised if they hang a big number or one or two of these teams.

WORLDCUP 2010 FIFA SPORTING EVENTS TEAM Argentina :videos




Can Argentina Win It All?

There is no question that Maradona was one of the best football players to ever live. What has come into question prior to, during and after qualification is his ability to coach.

Regardless of whether he’s an X’s and O’s guy or not, the reality is that Maradona will have the respect of the players and that might be all it takes to get this team to play to their potential.

Messi will win one or two games for La Albiceleste on his own and the powder blue and white will make a long run. They are among the favorites on the World Cup 2010 betting odds and don’t be surprised if they are the ones paying off at the end.


PREDICTIONS


*Winner in bold

South Korea vs. Greece – DRAW
Argentina vs. Nigeria – DRAW
Argentina vs. South Korea
Greece vs. Nigeria – DRAW
Nigeria vs. South Korea
Argentina vs. Greece

Predicted Standings:

1. Argentina (7 points)
2. Nigeria (5 points)
3. Greece (2 points)
4. South Korea (1 point)

Well that’s all for the Group B Preview here on FA Daily!

What are your predictions for the group? Be sure to vote on our poll to the right, and let us know who you think will win Group B!

Brazil team at World Cup 2010 in pictures


Brazilian soccer has been synonymous with the World Cup for decades. Having won two of the last four tournaments, and making the final in another, Brazil is the only country to have played in every World Cup final tournament.

Their five World Cup trophies stands alone as the most World Championships in international soccer history.

Even when their squads are injury depleted, or they haven't had their usual amount of international success, they are still always a contender on any international stage


We’re just 21 days away from the start of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. To celebrate, Footbalistic will look at one national team a day for the next 32 weekdays. Group by group and team by team, we will discuss team rosters, flaws and their chances of playing in the World Cup Final on July 11.

Group G


1. Brazil
2.Ivory Coast
3. North Kore
4. Portugal

Group G Schedule

June 15th: vs. North Korea (Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg)
June 20th: vs. Ivory Coast (Soccer City, Johannesburg)
June 25th: vs. Portugal (Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban)





World Cup 2010: Brazil remain No 1 in Fifa rankings as Spain lie second
Brazil remained top of the latest Fifa rankings and will head to the World Cup as the tournament's No 1 team.


Brazil's World Cup record: 1930 1st rd, 1934 1st rd, 1938 3rd, 1950 RU, 1954 QF, 1958 Winners, 1962 Winners, 1966 1st rd, 1970 Winners, 1974 4th, 1978 3rd, 1982 2nd rd, 1986 QF, 1990 2nd rd, 1994 Winners, 1998 RU, 2002 Winners, 2006 QF.

How Brazil qualified for World Cup 2010: South American Group, 1st.


The Coach: Dunga (Brazilian, 46). Appointed: July 2006. WC experience: Player: 1990, 1994, 1998. Coach: None.

Dunga was considered as a replacement for Vanderlei Luxemburgo in 2000 but it was not for another six years until he took charge, replacing Carlos Alberto Parreira.

The Country: Brazil are joint favourites, with Spain, to win a sixth World Cup, not that surprising given their pedigree, history and ability to continually produce outstanding players. There is a saying in football that “The English invented it, the Brazilians perfected it” and few would argue.

The “Little Canary”, as they affectionately known, are the only team to have appeared in every World Cup finals and they made sure that record would continue in the best possible fashion, beating Argentina 3-1 in Rosario.

Two goals from striker Luis Fabiano and another from defender Luisao was enough as they inflicted only the second home defeat in World Cup qualifiers on Diego Maradona's struggling side.

But it was not all plain sailing. A 0-0 draw at home to Bolivia was a low point and then they were held by Colombia in the next home tie, prompting the fans to chant “Goodbye Dunga” again.

But a coach who worked in the media during the last World Cup finals is benefiting from the form of Kaka and Robinho. In Dunga they have a man who has won the World Cup, in 1994, while they have some of the world’s most talented players. He used no fewer than 39 players during the qualification process, and the belief is that Brazil have strength in depth ahead of South Africa.

Ronaldo, a World Cup winner in 1994 and 2002, was dropped by Dunga but remains optimistic, at the age of 33, that he could still feature in South Africa, though such a recall remains doubtful.


* FIFA World Cup:

o Winners (5): 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002
o Runners-up (2): 1950, 1998
o 3rd place (2): 1938, 1978
o 4th place (1): 1974


The fifth plays off for another place against the fourth team from the CONCACAF region.

Goalkeepers: Julio Cesar (Inter Milan), Gomes (Tottenham Hotspur), Victor (Gremio)

Defenders: Maicon (Inter Milan), Daniel Alves (Barcelona), Alex (Chelsea), Juan (AS Roma), Lucio (Bayern Munich), Luisao (Benfica), Kleber (Internacional), Andre Santos (Corinthians).

Midfielders: Anderson (Manchester United), Gilberto Silva (Panathinaikos), Josue (VfL Wolfsburg), Ramires (Cruzeiro), Elano (Manchester City), Felipe Melo (Fiorentina), Julio Baptista (AS Roma), Kaka (AC Milan)

Forwards: Alexandre Pato (AC Milan), Luis Fabiano (Sevilla), Nilmar (Internacional), Robinho (Manchester City).

World Cup 2010 Brazil Squad

Name

1. Heurelho da Silva Gomes
2. Júlio César Soares de Espíndola
3. Doniéber Alexander Marangon
4. Ânderson Luís da Silva
5. Juan Silveira dos Santos
6. Maicon Douglas Sisenando
7. Daniel Alves da Silva
8. Thiago Emiliano da Silva
9. Lucimar da Silva Ferreira
10. Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite
11. Gilberto da Silva Melo
12. Josué Anunciado de Oliveira
13. Ramires Santos do Nascimento
14. Felipe Melo de Carvalho
15. Júlio César Clement Baptista
16. Gilberto Aparecido da Silva
16. Michel Fernandes Bastos
17. Elano Ralph Blumer
18. José Kléberson Pereira
19. Róbson de Souza
20. Luís Fabiano Clemente
21. Edinaldo Batista Libânio
21. Nilmar Honorato da Silva


Brazil World Cup 2010 videos








How They Got Here:

First place in CONMEBOL

It might not be Joga Bonito, but it’s still dominant
No team has personified the beauty and joy of soccer quite like the Brazilian National Team. With a history of superstars attacking freely, the inventors of “The Beautiful Game” have no rival. But times have changed. After a team of attack-minded superstars was knocked out of the World Cup in 2006, the Selecao changed their tune under their disciplinarian of a coach, Dunga. If you want Joga Bonito, you may have to watch Spain play. This Brazilian team means business. And because of their new approach, they might be an even more dangerous than their past teams.

Attacking

Take the 2006 World Cup roster and throw it in the trash. There’s no Adriano, no Ronaldo and no Ronaldinho in this year’s squad. This does a couple of things for Brazil: They save money on food now that Adriano and Ronaldo are gone, and they save themselves from drama (and alcohol) if Ronaldinho were to make the trip. Whereas past Brazil squads have been free-flowing attack in the midfield (ala Spain), this one will rely more on counter-attacks. But still, this is Brazil we’re talking about. They’re not Greece. These guys are going to score goals. They still led South American qualifying with 33 goals in 18 matches, and 14 in five matches at last summer’s Confederations Cup.

Brazil is likely to play with just one forward up front and provided his return to fitness goes smoothly, it’ll be Sevilla’s Luis Fabiano. He was the top scorer at the Confederations Cup with five goals, and scored a whopping nine in CONMEBOL qualifying. And did I mention that his goal rate for Brazil (25 goals in 36 matches, .694) exceeds Ronaldo’s (62 in 97, .63)? He can also score in big matches. He scored in the 2006 UEFA Cup Final with Sevilla, two in the Confederations Cup Final and two in a big qualifier against Argentina. Noticably left off the squad are AC Milan’s Pato and Santos prodigy Neymar.

Fabiano will be supported by a plethora of attacking talent. Obviously, the name on everyone’s mind is Kaka. After signing his monstrous contract with Real Madrid, Kaka struggled through an injury-plagued season, scoring eight times in just 22 matches. But overlook him at your own peril. He still scored five times in qualifying and another two in the Confederations Cup. Remember when Ronaldo battled injuries for a couple of seasons before 2002, then proceeded to score eight times? Injury-plagued seasons can be forgotten very quick in the World Cup.

Robinho may represent the last of Brazil’s dying breed of Joga Bonito players. But given the season he had at Manchester City, that might be a good thing. He battled injury, and eventually moved back to Brazilian club Santos after being moved down the pecking order. Elano will help Robinho, Kaka and Fabiano in the midfield. One of the lesser known players in the XI, Elano is a wizard with a dead ball. He’s not too bad in the run of play, either.

Defense

There’s still elements of a very dangerous attack out of Brazil’s defense, but they’re pretty committed to the cause. For the first time in ages, they’re going to play with two holding midfielders. Most likely, those players will be 33-year-old Gilberto Silva and Felipe Melo, who was criticized for a poor season at Juventus.

One of the big storylines in Brazil’s defense has been the demotion of world-class fullback Dani Alves. Despite starring for Barcelona in their treble-winning season a year ago, Alves still finds himself coming off the bench under Dunga. Maicon is a staple of Brazil’s defense, but the other fullback to start the tournament might be Kleber. It’s a pretty scary thing to realize: Brazil’s best player at the club level probably won’t even start for them. How many other teams can say that?

The central defense will be airtight, as well. With captain Lucio and Thiago Silva presiding over the back line, they should thwart the attacks of their Group G opponents. You can’t have a counterattacking side without a great defense, and that’s exactly what Dunga has. This unit won’t have the breakdowns that led to their demise in 2006.

Outlook
Some Brazilian supporters see Joga Bonito as a Brazilian tradition that should never be done away with. But if there’s one thing Brazilians like more than beautiful play, it’s winning. Under Dunga, this team has gone from a bunch of divas in 2006 to a machine that won the 2007 Copa America, Confederations Cup and dominated South American qualifying. The names may be different, their tactics may be less stylish. But this is Brazil. A trip to Johannesburg on July 11 looks likely.


Prediction

Seven points in Group G
A win over Chile in the Round of 16
A win over the Netherlands in the Quarterfinals
A win over England in the Semifinals
A loss to Spain in the Finals

FIFA World Cup 2010 Team Preview ‎


FIFA World Cup 2010 – Team New Zealand Preview
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Only two countries have longer odds than New Zealand in this year's World Cup, and neither are playing in the All Whites' group. It looks like three and out for the Kiwis in 2010.

Sharing the basement alongside the North Koreans as 2010 World Cup odds bottom feeders, the “All Whites” are glad just to be competing on the world stage.

Ricki HerbertNew Zealand has only appeared in one World Cup tournament, a three-loss first round exit in 1982. The Kiwis made their way into the 1982 tournament in Spain after winning a sudden death playoff game against China for an entry.

Their path to the 2010 FIFA World Cup came under similar circumstances. After winning the Oceania qualifying group via the OFC Nations Cup and winning five of their six matches, New Zealand needed to defeat the fifth placed nation of the Asian Football Confederation in order to secure a berth to this year's event.

New Zealand was matched up against Bahrain for a two leg series, and after ending its first match in Manama in a scoreless draw, they headed back to Wellington, New Zealand.

It took 45 minutes of play and a penalty kick save for them to get in to the World Cup Tournament, winning 1-0 on their home pitch.

They have since played a pair of international friendlies leading up to the tournament’s June 11 kick off. Ricki Herbert's squad lost 2-0 loss to fellow World Cup contestant Mexico, and 2-1 at the hands of Oceanic rival Australia.

They were selected into Group F in the first stage of the World Cup, alongside defending champions Italy (14/1), Paraguay (80/1) and Slovakia (250/1).

New Zealand is currently ranked 78th overall in the world, far below the ranking of teams from other, more competitive qualifying federations. The Kiwis rank above only the host country of South Africa – who received an automatic tournament berth – and lowly 105th-ranked North Korea,

A result is the 2000/1 World Cup winning odds that the All Whites currently hold.

Don’t look for a lot of surprises out of the New Zealand side in this World Cup. The squad did legitimately win its way into the tournament, but is completely overmatched by nearly every other team that made its way to South Africa this summer.

If there is anything that the New Zealanders can take from this tournament it is the caliber of international competition they will be facing – an experience that will benefit New Zealand international soccer for many years to come.

If you happen to be a fan, it might be best to simply wear your colors and hide your wallet!

2010 FIFA World Cup 2010 – Denmark Preview
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Unless the Dutch completely fall apart, the race in Group E at this year's World Cup is between the Danish and Japanese. Those two will meet on June 24.


With solid middle-of-the-pack World Cup betting odds, the “Danish Dynamite” should be considered a dark horse in this year's World Cup tournament.

Preceding the World Cup era of international soccer, Danish soccer had decent Olympic and amateur success,. But once the World Cup tournaments commenced, the Danes were absent from significant international tournaments for more than five decades.


Though they have been competing in international play since 1908, their lack of positive results for almost 50 years was due to the Danish side either not entering or qualifying for either the Euro Cup or World Cup.

That all changed in 1984 when they managed to reach the semifinals of the Euro Cup in their first entry into the tournament. Denmark subsequently shocked the soccer world with its performance at the 1986 World Cup.

The little known Danish team swept their group in 1986, winning one match against Uruguay by a score of 6-1. That was an impressive win for any team, let alone a squad in their rookie appearance in the world's biggest sporting event.

The Danes were eliminated by Spain in the next round in a thrashing, but they had officially arrived on the international soccer scene, and they built upon that success in the following years.

After mediocre results in the 1988 Euro Cup and missing out on the World Cup in 1990, the Danish shot back to football prominence by winning the 1992 European Cup championship. They managed the feat under extraneous circumstances, which is becoming the moniker for this feisty team.

At first Denmark failed to qualify for Euro 1992, but as their main competition of Yugoslavia was barred from the tournament, Denmark was admitted and began an historic campaign that concluded in a 2-0 victory over the World Cup defending Champions Germany to win their first international trophy.

Denmark has only had average success in their post Euro Cup winning years, making the world cup quarterfinals 1998 and the round of 16 in 2002.

They missed both the 2006 World Cup and 2008 Euro Cup, but qualified for the 2010 tournament after a win over Sweden in October of 2009.

In the 2010 World Cup they have been selected into Group E alongside the Netherlands (10/1), Japan (250/1) and Cameroon (100/1).

The placement in this group increases the Danes chances of at least advancing out of the group stages, as they have a legitimate opportunity of being the runner up in this grouping.

With their ability to rise to the occasion, wins over both Cameroon and Japan are very realistic outcomes. Of course Denmark will need to start strong, as it opens World Cup soccer betting as +450 underdogs against the Netherlands (-150).

An outright win in their first match might be an unrealistic goal, but a good showing versus the heavily favored Dutch could give the Danes the momentum they need to upset Cameroon and advance.

Denmark’s first match takes place on June 14 at the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg.


FIFA World Cup 2010 – Slovakia Team Preview
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Competing in Group F with Italy and Paraguay is going to make it difficult for Slovakia to advance past the group stage. They will open play June 15 versus New Zealand.

Slovakia began playing as an independent international football team in 1939. But after the second World War ended, the national soccer team was absorbed into the Czechoslovakian international team, and for more than 50 years they played as one entity.

They did share in a European Championship that was won by the Czechoslovakian side in 1976.

Slovakia regained its independence and played its first international soccer match in 1994, and for a time was ranked in the top 20 of FIFA’s international rankings, getting as high as 17th in 1997.

ts now been more than a decade since the Slovakians were ranked in the top 20 of international football, but they still find themselves in the World Cup for the first time in the country’s history as an independent nation.

Making the 2010 World Cup is an incredible feat for any team, but with so little experience against legitimate international competition the Slovakians 250/1 odds almost seem too small for this team.

They drew into Group F for the World Cup’s first round of play alongside Paraguay (80/1), New Zealand (2000/1) and defending World Cup Champions Italy (14/1).

The soccer betting odds chances of coming out with a win versus New Zealand is a very realistic expectation, but getting any points at all against Italy or Paraguay is bordering on the impossible.

Every tournament we see long shot teams advancing into the elimination stage of the tournament with a few draws and some faltering on the part of higher rated teams in their groups, but this is simply a bad draw for the Slovakians all around, and it will be unlikely that any other team loses to New Zealand, or they come up with a draw against the two vastly superior Italians or Paraguayans.

Slovakia opens their tournament versus New Zealand on June 15th at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg as -285 favorites against the All Whites, who are a heavy +900 dog. The line on a draw is at +340.

This first match will almost certainly end as a win for the Slovaks, and if there is any hope of them advancing, it will start with building momentum with a big win against this out matched New Zealand side.

FIFA World Cup 2010 – Team Nigeria Preview
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There will be plenty of cheers from the crowd behind Nigeria at this summer's World Cup in South Africa, but will that be enough to push the squad to the top?

Like many African nations, Nigeria will hope to carry the flag for their country at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. They’ll sure have plenty of fans cheering them on and given their level of talent, they might need it.

World Cup football betting fans should be aware that Nigeria is not a pushover. They may not be talented to steal the bride and drive off into the sunset, but they are capable of getting passed the four-play in the World Cup groups stage.

They are a scrappy squad and aside from Argentina, they should be able to compete with everyone in their group. But against elite soccer teams, the Nigerians simply don’t have the depth to match.

Meet Team Nigeria




The Nigerian squad used to be a bigger concern for the other 31 teams in the World Cup – earlier in the 1990’s – but nowadays, they just don’t have the depth to be a real threat.

This team will be lead by a couple of familiar faces, including Chelsea midfielder Jon Mikel Obi, who missed the latter part of the season with the Blues, and Wolfsburg striker Obafemi Martins. Also keep an eye on Peter Utaka, the younger brother of Portsmouth striker, John Utaka. He’s a gifted goal scorer.

There is a wave of young talent that will likely make more noise in the coming years from now than in the 2010 World Cup. Overall, there just isn’t enough proven talent to really scare the elite opponents.

Can Nigeria Get Past The Group Stage?

The World Cup 2010 betting odds suggest that they should. Argentina is the -250 to win Group B but Nigeria is second in line at +450. They are then followed by Greece at +750 and South Korea at +1150.

South Korea will be the doormat and points against them will be critical for Nigeria. Aside from that, Greece could sting Nigeria but they have been in decline for years since their surprise effort earlier in the decade.

Lastly, Argentina has a lot of talent but with an erratic coach like Diego Maradona and a poor stint qualifying, no one is sure what to expect. Nigeria has an excellent chance to advance in this group and an outside chance to win it if they catch some breaks.

Can Nigeria Win It All?

Nigeria won’t win the 2010 World Cup but from a soccer betting perspective, they do offer a bit of value in the groups stage. They should advance, so don’t hesitate to put a small bet there. And maybe even a sprinkle on them to win the group could pay off well if Argentina isn’t fully interested in doing more than advancing.

Nigeria will have an Africa fan base cheering them on along with a flavor of home field advantage. That 12th man should be enough to get them into the knockout stage.

FIFA World Cup 2010 – Team Argentina Preview




The Argentines definitely have the talent to win the 2010 World Cup with players like Messi and Tevez. Now we'll see if Maradona can guide them to the championship.


When you enter a party, you always want to leave an impression. The question for Argentina is what type of impression will they leave at the prom this year?

They have the talent to easily be prom king and win the FIFA World Cup tournament. But at the same time, with an erratic coach like Diego Maradona, the Argentinean team could also leave the type of bad impression that no one will forget for another four years.

The Argentines struggled through qualifying but keep in mind that they did the same in 1985 and still rolled through World Cup football betting and managed to hoist the Jules Rimet trophy.

Meet Team Argentina

While the Argentina team may have some questions it has to answer, few of them have to do with talent. Lionel Messi is considered the best soccer player in the world by many and he’ll suit up alongside Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero. Messi will have to prove, though, that he can perform as well internationally as he does for Barcelona.

Javier Zanetti and Walter Samuel will provide plenty of experience at the back end and with Esteban Cambiasso and Javier Mascherano in the midfield, as mentioned, Argentina doesn’t have many holes on the roster.

The real question is what can coach Maradona milk out of this squad. He’s the biggest wild card on the team and because of it, pundits and handicappers aren’t sure what to expect from a soccer betting perspective.

Can Argentina Get Past The Group Stage?

Without question, this team will advance past the World Cup group stage. When you’re in a group with Nigeria, Greece and South Korea, advancing shouldn’t be much of an issue.

South Korea is in its seventh straight World Cup but is not on or near the same level as Argentina. Meanwhile, Greece is still trying to figure out why they were so successful in Euro 2004 and how to duplicate that success.

That leaves Nigeria as the main competitor but they needed two 12th-hour goals to advance through African qualifying and into the draw. There is a shortage of depth on the Nigerian squad and they will have a tough time slowing Argentina.

Overall, there isn’t much competition for Argentina in this group and don’t be surprised if they hang a big number or one or two of these teams.

Can Argentina Win It All?

There is no question that Maradona was one of the best football players to ever live. What has come into question prior to, during and after qualification is his ability to coach.

Regardless of whether he’s an X’s and O’s guy or not, the reality is that Maradona will have the respect of the players and that might be all it takes to get this team to play to their potential.

Messi will win one or two games for La Albiceleste on his own and the powder blue and white will make a long run. They are among the favorites on the World Cup 2010 betting odds and don’t be surprised if they are the ones paying off at the end.

2010 FIFA World Cup: A Review of Germany vs. Hungary
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Joachim Low will perhaps be still confused about who to cut off from his 25-man squad. I have no idea of who he should send home after this friendly either.



The Match:

Germany won 3-0 with a penalty from Lukas Podolski and goals from Mario Gomez and Jeronimo Cacau.



The Positives:

Germany attacked well during parts of the match. Piotr Trochowski and Mesut Ozil combined well. Ozil and Miro Klose combined pretty well, too.

Marko Marin looked to take on the entire Hungary team on his own when he came on. Cacau played quite well, too. Sami Khedira played well in the "Ballack" role. Marcell Jansen looked very bright and fresh when he came on. Per Mertesacker was his usual self today.

Jerome Boateng and Arne Friedrich made some important tackles and both had average games. Manuel Neuer had a good game with the exception of one horrendous error when he moved out of his area and nearly gifted Hungary a goal.

Miro Klose seemed slightly more alive than he has been at Bayern. He played well when he had the ball and retrieved some tough passes from his teammates well.



The Negatives:

Mario Gomez can only run with the opposing defender, not ahead of him. Cacau scored a wonderful goal but at times failed to retrieve passes.

I will accuse two players of selfishness today: Trochowski and Marin. They both did not want to pass at all. The number of balls that Trochowski sent into the stands was more than the number of goals that Germany scored on the night. Marin sent the ball out of play rather than pass to his mates.

When he did pass, he chose Gomez rather than Cacau, and we all know what happens when a ball is passed to Gomez in a Germany shirt. Gomez was lucky to score tonight, as the Hungarian keeper let him go easily.

Mario Gomez's goal does nothing to change his reputation. He could have used his head to score a goal from a very good cross but instead attempted with his foot and..well...missed.

Arne Friedrich made some good tackles but almost managed to send a Hungary player to the hospital by kicking him in the chest. Friedrich sometimes makes harsh tackles and Joachim Low should think carefully before putting his name on the team sheet.

Jerome Boateng had some lapses in concentration, which perhaps a player like Kevin-Prince Boateng will be able to exploit in the World Cup.

Toni Kroos seemed more absent than Miro Klose in a Bayern shirt today. It must be said that the Hungary players tackled him harshly. Mesut Ozil needs to improve his finishing ability, as Klose's confidence level is very low at the moment. Klose committed some fouls that the referee let go of, as it was a friendly.

Dennis Aogo didn't start well in the second half but managed to get things together as the half progressed. Manuel Neuer needs to be careful. I am not sure how to judge Westermann's game. Lukas Podolski drifted in and out of the match.



In Conclusion:

Just by looking at this match, Low has a few decisions to take. First of all, Low will perhaps play a lone frontman—if he does will it be Klose or Cacau?

Who will sit beside Per Mertesacker in central defence: Arne Friedrich or Heiko Westermann? The friendly on third June against Bosnia Herzegovina in Frankfurt will tell us more about the starting 11 for the World Cup.
‎
FIFA World Cup 2010 – Team Mexico Preview




Mexico has received the step-child treatment when it comes to Latin and South American futbol. Can Team Mexico change that perception at the FIFA World Cup in South Africa?

While South America is a hot bed of soccer talent, one of the teams that gets lost in the shuffle is Mexico. As we prepare for the FIFA World Cup in 2010, the real question is should this be a team on our radar or is this team accurately filed away in the back of the pack?

quick glance at the World Cup 2010 betting odds indicates that Mexico is +7000, which definitely indicates that the bookies aren’t paying much attention to this squad.

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While this should be a somewhat talented team, they struggled through qualifying and made things harder on themselves then needed. That’s not exactly the vote of confidence bettors were looking for to back this team as they head to South Africa.

Meet Team Mexico

The 37-year-old Cuauhtemoc Blanco is the headlining act up front, but he isn’t exactly a youngster anymore. He is still a very gifted striker but he is inconsistent. He was dropped in 2006, then retired in 2008 but now he’s back in 2010.

Also joining the 26-man squad are West Ham striker Guillermo Franco and Arsenal's Carlos Vela, who will have to be a special player for Mexico to go far. He doesn’t get ample opportunities with Arsene Wenger’s squad so this could be his time to shine.

There are problems in net as coach Javier Aguirre’s team had some difficulties settling on a keeper.

Los Tricolores aren’t exactly a star-studded group like some of the other South American squads – and goal keeping could be a problem – but the talent is there. They are inconsistent overall and will be overwhelmed when an elite team is on the menu in the Sweet Sixteen.

Can Mexico Get Past The Group Stage?

Mexico is a consistent in the round of 16, so soccer betting fans shouldn’t bet against them in the World Cup groups stage. They are situated in Group A, which is a rather easy group altogether.

France barely qualified for the World Cup and their squad is not what it once was. They will be the biggest contenders for Mexico in this group but overall, they won’t be too much of a challenge.

The other two teams include the hosts South Africa and Uruguay.

For World Cup football betting purposes, taking the +7000 for El Tri is now a shrewd decision but there is some good value on betting them to win the group at +335.

Can Mexico Win It All?

The short answer is no. There have been bigger surprises and the Earth wouldn’t stop spinning if Mexico hoisted the Jules Rimet Trophy, but it would take a small miracle for that to happen.

Mexico is your typical brides’ maid – the one who stands furthest from the bride. They are fairly reliable to make it out of the group stage and could be a decent dark horse to win a game in the round of 16, but don’t expect a journey much further than that.

FIFA World Cup 2010 – Team Australia Preview
‎


Australia has some solid talent such as Tim Cahill and Brett Emerton, but it will be a big challenge for the Socceroos to make it through the group stage this year.

The Australian soccer team nearly shocked the world back in 2006 when they gave the Italian team a real scare. As they say, close only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades, so while Italy went on to win the World Cup, Australia’s effort was quickly forgotten.

Meet Team Australia

The Australian squad isn’t exactly young and spry, but they have some savvy veterans that will help them throughout their journey.

Midfielders Tim Cahill, who plays for Everton of the English Premier League, and Brett Emerton, who plays for Blackburn, are the main two catalysts. They generally do the creative work for striker Harry Kewell, but overall, this is definitely a team that lacks firepower.

Their general goal is to play ball control, chip away and find an opening where they can get a goal and then clamp down defensively.

Mark Schwarzer is a decent keeper between the pipes while Lucan Neill anchors the defense in front of him.

This is a team that is the sum of many parts and without any one outstanding player. That’s arguably the main reason why they won’t go far in this tournament from a soccer betting perspective because many of the other teams do have that one go-to player.

Can Australia Get Past The Group Stage?

Advancing through the World Cup groups stage will be a challenge for the Socceroos as they are in a very challenging group.

If they can somehow stymie Germany into a draw or loss, then they’ll have an excellent change but the likelihood of that won’t be great on the World Cup 2010 betting odds. Then they’ll have to take on Serbia, which will provide a big challenge, and also play African nation Ghana, who will surely have a raucous crowd supporting its cause.

Advancing through this group is a tall order for Australia, especially with three other nations who are 37th or better in the FIFA rankings.

Can Australia Win It All?

To be blunt, the answer is no. They simply aren’t good enough.

This is a soccer tournament stuffed with the absolute best teams and best talents in the world. Many teams have remarkable individual talents, whether it is Portugal with Cristiano Ronaldo, England with Wayne Rooney or Argentina with Lionel Messi. With all due respect to Cahill, the Aussies simply do not match up.

Don’t be surprised if they milk a draw – or even a win – out of the German’s now that Michael Ballack is out but this team will have a tough time getting out of their own group.

FIFA World Cup 2010 Team Preview: England‎

Country: England

Nickname: The Three Lions

Manager: Fabio Capello

Group Opponents: USA , Slovenia , Algeria

Recent Form & News: England had an easy run at the Qualifiers. They accumulated nine wins in 10 World Cup qualifying games. This impressive run of form was a most encouraging sign for the English team. Add to that, they will play in relatively familiar temperatures as it will be winter in South Africa during the Cup. On Monday Evening, England will play a friendly against Mexico at Wembley. This will be the penultimate match after which the 23 man squad for the cup will be announced.

Meanwhile, Captain Rio Ferdinand has praised Manager Fabio Capello for his no frills attitude as he has handled the team very well in troubled waters. Ex-captain John Terry had to be removed after his scandalous sex-life came to be known in the public eye. Steven Gerrard will take up the Vice-Captain’s job.

Against Mexico, Fabio is likely to conduct some experiments with his formation. He might look to play Wayne Rooney as the lone striker instead of using Emile Heskey or Peter Crouch. Earlier, Rooney has played behind one of these two. By playing Rooney as the lone striker, he gets the advantage of using both Theo Walcott and Aaron Lennon who will add great pace to their attack from the wings. Also, this will give Gerrard the freedom to run in to support Wayne Rooney and collect balls in dangerous positions for his favorite long distance strikes.

The Team:

Provisional 30 man squad

Goalkeepers:

Joe Hart

David James

Robert Green.

This is the one area in the English squad that seems suspect. Robert Green has been accepted as a talented goalkeeper. Joe Hart is likely to be the one who will start on Monday against Mexico in the friendly. He has only one international cap by now. Capello believes that it is important that he experiences the pressure at Wembley to get ready for the World Cup. David James as the veteran keeper is likely to be on the bench.

Defenders:

The English defense looks fairly solid with the experience of John Terry and Rio Ferdinand at the back. Glen Johnson is an asset for the team as he contributes really well with his well timed runs and pin-point crossing. The ever so dependable Ashley Cole is a certainity and that complete the English defense. On the bench Jamie Carragher will look to make his place in the final 23. He has consistently praised Capello for his strategic brilliance and is adamant on “proving himself” to him at the Cup. Ledley King and Matthew Upson might be required in case of an injury.

Defense:

Leighton Baines

Jamie Carragher

Ashley Cole
Fabio Capello : A job to do

Fabio Capello : A job to do

Michael Dawson

Rio Ferdinand

Glen Johnson

Ledley King

John Terry

Matthew Upson

Stephen Warnock.


Forwards:

The real threat here is of course, Wayne Rooney. A lot has been made out of this boy and he needs to justify all the limelight at the international stage. He has performed decently for the country at the qualifiers and friendlies. In support for him, critics have tipped Darren Bent considering his amazing run of form scoring 24 for Sunderland. He might do much better with the kind of supply he will find from the English Midfield.
The three lions

The three lions

Darren Bent

Peter Crouch

Jermain Defoe

Emile Heskey

Wayne Rooney

The English are paper tigers. That is basically the only problem. For the last 44 years they have faced the humiliation of coming back home trophyless. Kicked out on penalties regularly, they will have to conquer their fears this time around. Their fans and critics equally believe that this might be their year or else it will be almost impossible to clinch the Cup for the many coming years.
Posted by rezwan at 13:27 0 comments
Labels: A Review of Germany vs. Hungary, Argentina, Australia, Denmark, England‎, FIFA World Cup 2010 Team Preview ‎, New Zealand, Nigeria, Slovakia, Team Mexico Preview
Saturday, 29 May 2010
latest news fifa world cup 2010


Salim Sulaiman in FIFA world cup 2010

Although Indian football team have been waiting for a long time to participate in the Prestigious FIFA world cup, but there is something for India football and music fans to cheer.

First time in FIFA history Indian Music composer duo , SALIM and SULAIMAN merchant have been invited by the organising committee to compose the anthem for the upcoming mega event to be held in South Africa between June 11 and July 11.



World Cup Football 2010 is gaining momentum day by day, every match whether it is warm up or friendly attracts huge attention. In Wednesday’s warm up match between Netherlands and Mexico the atmosphere was more like world cup in which under-strength Netherlands squad beat Mexico 2-1.

Robin van Persie celebrated his first international match in six month, since serious ankle injury against Italy in November, by scoring two first-half goals. Javier Hernandez, Manchester united forward, scored after the break, but a resurgent Mexico could not force an equalizer.

Netherlands beats Mexico 2-1 in World Cup warm up game, watch live streaming

Netherlands coach Van Marwijk left key players Wesley Sneijder of inter Milan and Arjen Robben and Mark van Bommel from Bayern Munich out of the line up to give them more time to recover from Saturday’s Championship League final.

Van Persie opened the scoring in the 17th minute when he fired in from close range after a cross from the left by Rafael van der Vaart that left Mexico's two central defenders stranded. The Arsenal striker made it 2-0 in the 41st with a sweetly struck left-foot volley past goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa.

Mexico did not produce a dangerous shot on goal until the 58th minute, when second-half substitute Pablo Barrera unleashed a powerful right-foot drive that Netherlands goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg dived to block.

Dos Santos nearly equalized a minute later but his shot was deflected wide, and Vela had the final shot of the game when he forced another save with a low left-footed shot.

Mexico has two more warm up games, against Gambia and Italy, before kicking off the World Cup on June 11 against host South Africa. Netherlands plays Ghana and Hungry before launching its World cup campaign on June 14 against Denmark in Johannesburg.

FIFA World cup 2010 Updates


Nelson Mandela may miss FIFA World Cup 2010 opening ceremony
Vivek

FIFA World Cup 2010: Sixty Thousand Tickets Sold Today Despite Technical Difficulties
Aman

FIFA World Cup 2010: Argentina's Lionel Messi 'Embarrassed' By Comparisons To Diego Maradona
Shweta

Salim Merchant and Sulaiman Merchant will perform at FIFA World Cup 2010
Vivek Kumar


Cape Town, for me anyway, has it all. The video below will give you just a glimpse of what I miss about Cape Town, but if you wanted to know if Cape Town was ready to host a World Cup, this video will answer it for you. Right at the end you see the stadium and they have played games in it. Cape Town is ready.


Brazil have landed. Cool as you like the players strolled through the airport, jumped on their bus and left for their five star hotel in Randburg. They will be taking it easy today with possibly some light training, but it is business as usual from tomorrow.

With Australia arriving in South Africa last night and tournament favourites landing this morning, excitement in South Africa is increasing and the reality of the World Cup is finally hitting home.





FIFA World Cup 2010 Photos











2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa - Game Introductions

Posted by rezwan at 11:43 0 comments
Labels: FIFA World Cup 2010 Photos, FIFA World cup 2010 Updates
Friday, 28 May 2010
fifa world cup 2010 top news


FIFA World Cup Football 2010

The 2010 FIFA World Cup will be the 19th FIFA World Cup, the premier international football tournament. It is scheduled to take place between 11 June and 11 July 2010 in South Africa. The 2010 FIFA World Cup will be the culmination of a qualification process that began in August 2007 and involved 204 of the 208 FIFA national teams. As such, it matches the 2008 Summer Olympics as the sports event with the most competing nations.

This will be the first time that the tournament has been hosted by an African nation, after South Africa beat Morocco and Egypt in an all-African bidding process. This decision left the Oceania Football Confederation as the only confederation yet to host the FIFA World Cup. Italy are the defending champions. The draw for the finals took place on 4 December 2009 in Cape Town.


FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010 Official Theme Song




Mascot




List of qualified teams

The following 32 teams qualified for the final tournament.

OFC (1)

* New Zealand

CONCACAF (3)

* Honduras
* Mexico
* United States

AFC (4)

* Australia
* Japan
* Korea DPR
* Korea Republic

CONMEBOL (5)

* Argentina
* Brazil
* Chile
* Paraguay
* Uruguay


CAF (6)

* Algeria
* Cameroon
* Côte d'Ivoire
* Ghana
* Nigeria
* South Africa (hosts)


UEFA (13)

* Denmark
* England
* France
* Germany
* Greece
* Italy
* Netherlands
* Portugal
* Serbia
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Spain
* Switzerland




FIFA World Cup Football 2010 Schedule and Time‎

Group A

11 June 2010

South Africa Match 1 Mexico Soccer City, Johannesburg
Uruguay Match 2 France Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town

16 June 2010

South Africa Match 17 Uruguay Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria

17 June 2010

France Match 20 Mexico Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane

22 June 2010
Mexico Match 33 Uruguay Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg
France Match 34 South Africa Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein

Group B

12 June 2010

Korea Republic Match 3 Greece Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Argentina Match 4 Nigeria Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg

17 June 2010

Argentina Match 18 Korea Republic Soccer City, Johannesburg
Greece Match 19 Nigeria Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein

22 June 2010
Nigeria Match 35 Korea Republic Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban
Greece Match 36 Argentina Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane

Group C

12 June 2010
England Match 5 United States Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg

13 June 2010
Algeria Match 6 Slovenia Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane

18 June 2010
Slovenia Match 22 United States Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg
England Match 23 Algeria Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town

23 June 2010
Slovenia Match 37 England Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
United States Match 38 Algeria Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria

Group D

13 June 2010
Serbia Match 7 Ghana Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
Germany Match 8 Australia Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban

18 June 2010
Germany Match 21 Serbia Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth

19 June 2010
Ghana Match 25 Australia Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg

23 June 2010
Ghana Match 39 Germany Soccer City, Johannesburg
Australia Match 40 Serbia Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit


Group E

14 June 2010

Netherlands Match 9 Denmark Soccer City, Johannesburg
Japan Match 10 Cameroon Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein

19 June 2010
Netherlands Match 24 Japan Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban
Cameroon Match 26 Denmark Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria

24 June 2010
Denmark Match 43 Japan Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg
Cameroon Match 44 Netherlands Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town

Group F


14 June 2010
Italy Match 11 Paraguay Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town

15 June 2010
New Zealand Match 12 Slovakia Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg

20 June 2010
Slovakia Match 27 Paraguay Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Italy Match 28 New Zealand Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit

24 June 2010
Slovakia Match 41 Italy Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg
Paraguay Match 42 New Zealand Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane

Group G

15 June 2010
Côte d'Ivoire Match 13 Portugal Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Brazil Match 14 Korea DPR Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg

20 June 2010
Brazil Match 29 Côte d'Ivoire Soccer City, Johannesburg

21 June 2010
Portugal Match 30 Korea DPR Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town

25 June 2010
Portugal Match 45 Brazil Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban
Korea DPR Match 46 Côte d'Ivoire Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit

Group H

16 June 2010
Honduras Match 15 Chile Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
Spain Match 16 Switzerland Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban

21 June 2010
Chile Match 31 Switzerland Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Spain Match 32 Honduras Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg

25 June 2010
Chile Match 47 Spain Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
Switzerland Match 48 Honduras Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein