Mexico national team 2010 profile

Mexico are coming to the World Cup as the reigning CONCACAF champions, and confidence is at an all time high thanks to the tactical acumen of their mentor Javier Aguirre. He came into the fold when Mexico's fortunes were waning and managed to transform the El Tri squad. In June they'll engage the likes of South Africa, France, and Uruguay in Group A.

The nation of Mexico have qualified for their fourteenth WC since 1930 (i.e, 1930, 1950, 1954, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1978, 1986, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, and now 2010). The players to watch in this year's team are Carlos Vela and Giovanni dos Santos who'll be taking part in their first World Cup. 'El Tri' as their millions of fans call them qualified at the back of a rigorous campaign involving the United States, Honduras, Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago and El Salvador.

At the 2010 World Cup they'll kickstart their campaign against South Africa at the Soccer City Stadium (above) in the opening match of the tournament. Mexico will go on to meet France in Polokwane followed by Uruguay in Rustenberg. Their best chance to snatch maximum points lies with the opening encounter against the hosts who are languishing at 90th on the FIFA rankings, and they are second lowest ranked team at the tournament. However, Mexico will have to contend with up to 80 000 vuvuzela (high pitched trumpets) wielding host team fans.

Mexico Provisional World Cup squad (May 2010 Update)

Goalkeepers: Guillermo Ochoa (America), Luis Michel (Chivas), Oscar Perez (Jaguares)

Defenders: Rafael Marquez (Barcelona), Carlos Salcido (PSV Eindhoven), Francisco Rodriguez (PSV Eindhoven), Hector Moreno (AZ Alkmaar), Ricardo Osorio (Stuttgart), Efrain Juarez (Pumas), Paul Aguilar (Pachuca), Jonny Magallon (Chivas), Juan Carlos Valenzuela (America), Jorge Torres (Atlas)

Midfielders: Andres Guardado (Deportivo La Coruna), Jonathan Dos Santos (Barcelona), Gerardo Torrado (Cruz Azul), Israel Castro (Pumas), Pablo Barrera (Pumas), Adrian Aldrete (Morelia)

Forwards: Carlos Vela (Arsenal), Giovani Dos Santos (Galatasaray), Guillermo Franco (West Ham), Alberto Medina (Chivas), Adolfo Bautista (Chivas), Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Veracruz), Javier Hernandez (Chivas)

FIFA World Rankings March 2010

1 Spain
2 Brazil
3 Netherlands
4 Portugal
5 Italy
6 Germany
7 England
8 France
9 Argentina
10 Croatia
11 Greece
12 Russia
13 Chile
14 Egypt
15 Serbia
16 USA
17 Mexico
18 Uruguay
19 Australia
20 Cameroon
20 Switzerland
22 Nigeria
23 Paraguay
24 Norway
25 Côte d'Ivoire
26 Ukraine
27 Algeria
28 Israel
29 Slovenia
30 Czech Republic
31 Ghana
32 Romania
33 Slovakia
34 Denmark
35 Turkey
36 Honduras
36 Ecuador
38 Bulgaria
39 Colombia
40 Sweden
41 Scotland
42 Costa Rica
43 Gabon
44 Republic of Ireland
45 Japan
46 Latvia
47 Bosnia-Herzegovina
48 Venezuela
49 Korea Republic
50 Northern Ireland
51 Bolivia
52 Burkina Faso
52 Hungary
54 Finland
55 Austria
56 Tunisia
57 Mali
58 Lithuania
59 Poland
60 Peru
61 Benin
62 Saudi Arabia
63 Iran
64 Canada
65 FYR Macedonia
66 Belgium
67 Bahrain
68 Morocco
69 Montenegro
70 Cyprus
71 Zambia
72 Senegal
73 Togo
74 El Salvador
74 Uganda
76 Panama
77 Wales
78 Jamaica
79 New Zealand
80 Belarus
81 Malawi
81 Iraq
83 Albania
84 China
85 Guinea
86 Angola
87 Moldova
88 South Africa
89 Mozambique
90 Iceland
91 Haiti
92 Gambia
93 Trinidad and Tobago
94 Kuwait
95 Uzbekistan
96 Oman
97 Syria
97 Qatar
99 Congo
100 Estonia
101 Libya
102 Jordan
102 United Arab Emirates
104 Thailand
105 Korea DPR
106 Armenia
107 Rwanda
108 Yemen
109 Tanzania
110 Azerbaijan
111 Congo DR
112 Namibia
113 Zimbabwe
114 Kenya
115 Guatemala
116 Botswana
116 Cape Verde Islands
118 Georgia
119 Vietnam
120 Antigua and Barbuda
121 Sudan
122 Guyana
123 Ethiopia
124 Luxembourg
125 Faroe Islands
127 Singapore
128 Grenada
129 Kazakhstan
130 Tajikistan
131 Fiji
132 Swaziland
132 India
134 Turkmenistan
135 Sierra Leone
136 Bermuda
137 Barbados
138 Indonesia
139 Maldives
140 Hong Kong
141 Myanmar
141 Suriname
143 Equatorial Guinea
144 Chad
145 Burundi
146 New Caledonia
147 Malaysia
148 Lesotho
149 Lebanon
149 St. Kitts and Nevis
151 Liechtenstein
151 Kyrgyzstan
153 Pakistan
154 Madagascar
155 Vanuatu
156 Liberia
157 Sri Lanka
158 Malta
158 Bangladesh
160 Nepal
160 Nicaragua
162 Netherlands Antilles
163 Chinese Taipei
163 Eritrea
165 Niger
166 St. Vincent and the Grenadines
167 Philippines
168 Mauritania
169 Puerto Rico
170 Solomon Islands
171 Cambodia
172 Mongolia
173 Palestine
174 Comoros
175 Seychelles
176 Mauritius
177 Somalia
177 Cayman Islands
177 Laos
180 Samoa
181 Macau
182 Cook Islands
182 Belize
182 Bahamas
185 Dominica
186 Turks and Caicos Islands
187 Tonga
188 Dominican Republic
189 Brunei Darussalam
190 Djibouti
191 Afghanistan
192 St. Lucia
192 Guinea-Bissau
192 Tahiti
195 British Virgin Islands
196 Bhutan
196 Guam
198 Aruba
199 US Virgin Islands
200 Timor-Leste
201 Andorra
202 San Marino
202 Anguilla
202 Montserrat
202 American Samoa
202 Central African Republic
202 Papua New Guinea

World Cup coach profiles: Radomir Antic

Born on the 22nd of November 1948, Radomir Antic has been in charge of the Serbia national team since 2008.

The mentor began his coaching career with Real Zaragoza after spending some time with the club as a player. He went onto join Real Madrid and helped improve the team's fortune.

His coaching career also took him to other teams such as Real Oviedo, Atletico Madrid, FC Barcelona and Celta Vigo.

World Cup player rofiles: Dejan Stankovic, Serbia

The Serbia national team captain is a veteran midfielder who currently plays for Inter Milan, and has been part of club since 2004.

Stankovic started his career at age 16, playing for Red Star Belgrade, he won two Cup competitions with the team.

The midfielder then moved to star studded Lazio in 1998 where he made 137 appearances and scored 22 goals prior to transferring to Inter Milan.

Stankovic nicknamed the Dragon has a knack for scoring crucial goals; he represented his country in the FIFA World Cup twice (1998 and 2006).

World Cup Transport - Gautrain to roll in time for WC

The Gautrain rail project is set to meet the World Cup deadline following speculation on whether the snazzy rail system would be ready by June 11.

Officials announced yesterday that Gautrain will embark on its maiden journey on June 8, just four days away from the tournament's opening.

Local and foreign fans will enjoy trips from the O.R. Tambo Airport to Jorburg CBD at R100 ($10) per trip.

Although the project was not intended for the World Cup, its timeous completion certainly boosts transport plans for soccer showcase.

LOC appeals to African fans to buy World Cup tickets

The 2010 World Cup is in Africa, and it is desirable to see as many fans from all corners of the continent descending on South Africa, but this is not the case.

The Local Organising Committee attributes this to the online application system, as internet access is still low and the over the counter method is the route of choice.

As such Southern African (SADC) countries have been thrown a lifeline, fans in the sub-region can join South Africans from 15 April by accessing tickets over the counter.

And LOC's CEO Danny Jordaan will be embarking on an African Safari to iron out any problems hampering ticket sales.

World Cup player profiles: Alberto Medina, Mexico

Born on the 29th of May 1983, Alberto Medina has represented Mexico several times on international assignments which include the 2005 Confederations Cup in Germany, the Olympics in Athens (2004),etc.

The Mexican forward is also known as El Venado (the deer), he started his professional career in 2000 as a teenager and quickly made a name for himself by scoring a flurry of goals, and winning awards in the process.

In 2006 Medina helped his team Chivas clinch the championship title.

The quick striker is renowned for his superb ball control and accurate passes that have helped catapult him for selection in the Mexican national team.

South Africa national team 2010 profile

The former African Cup of Nations champions (1996) are entering this year's soccer spectacle hoping to derive inspiration from their multitudes of fanatical fans.

However, the host nation team is experiencing a demoralizing slump in form at a time when they need it most.

Bafana Bafana (the boys) as they are affectionately known are currently sitting on a lowly 81st position on the FIFA rankings, despite being led by a top Brazilian mentor, Carlos Alberto Parreira.

The team is set to lock horns against Mexico on June 11, followed by Uruguay, and France in Group A.

The squad has become a major source of worry for Africa's first World Cup hosts, amidst world class preparations on other fronts.

Apart from a few good players plying their trade in Europe such as Benni McCarthy and Steven Pienaar.

The squad features mainly local based players who've been struggling to stand up to more prominent opponents like Spain, Germany, Rep. of Ireland and Serbia among others.

South Africa's failure to qualify for the 2010 Afcon tournament in Angola for the first time since winning it 14 years ago, further dampened the hopes of locals.

If SA pulls through to the second round, it'll be a historic moment for them at the World Cup, they fell at the first hurdle in 1998 and 2002.

And if they fail to qualify, they'll make World Cup history by becoming the very first host nation to be knocked out in the group stages.

World Cup music extravaganza

Top international artists such as Alicia Keys, John Legend, Shakira, Black Eyed Peas among others are set to rock fans at the football showcase.

The artists will ignite events at Africa's maiden World Cup by staging the gig a day before the opening ceremony.

The concert to be held at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto will also feature Benin's Angelique Kidjo and local artists, the Parlotones and Vusi Mahlasela.

Uruguay national team profile

'La Celeste Olimpica' will make their way to South Africa full of expectations, to a tournament they won twice in 1930 and 1950.

Uruguay are sitting in Group B alongside the hosts South Africa, 1998 champions France and the in-form Mexico national team.

Although, Uruguay had a tough time in the CONMEBOL qualifiers, they still managed to spark when it mattered the most.

They squared off with the likes of Brazil, Paraguay, Chile, Venezuela, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina, and Bolivia.

La Celeste Olimpica suffered their worst defeat of the qualifiers (0-4) at the hands of the Samba Kings (Brazil).

But they also inflicted humiliating score lines on Peru, 6-0 and Bolivia, 5-0. They went on seal their place in the last 32 in a play off against Costa Rica of CONCACAF.

Coached by Oscar Tabarez, Uruguay open their World Cup account against France, who they have met three times previously.

The South American squad's next encounter involves South Africa, and their best chance for three points lies with this match considering the host team's lack of firepower.

In the last group match, La Celeste Olimpica will cross swords against an in-form Mexico squad.

Beckham set to miss the World Cup

England and AC Milan midfielder David Beckham is set to take part in this year's soccer showcase due to a ruptured Achilles tendon.

Beckham suffered the major setback during a Serie A match against Chievo last Sunday, in which AC Milan won 1-0.

The player is now expected to return to full fitness in September following a tendon operation in Finland.

Beckham who was keen on travelling to South Africa, with the England team would've been appearing in his fourth consecutive World Cup.

Didier Drogba clinches 2009 African Player of the Year award

Ivory Coast and Chelsea striker, Didier Drogba won his second African Player of the Year title.

The award is determined by the votes cast by national team coaches.

The second and third places went to Samuel Eto'o of Cameroon and Ghana's Michael Essien respectively.

The best coach award went to Sellas Tetteh (Ghana U20) and Dominic Adiyiah was voted Young Footballer of the Year.

On the other hand, Algeria snatched the best national team of the year title.

World Cup player profiles: Georgios Karagounis

Georgios Karagounis will be playing a leading role as captain of Greece when they take on opponents in Group B at this year's World Cup. The Panathinaikos midfielder was part of the Euro 2004 team that lifted the prestigious trophy, and will be looking to inspire his team to greater heights just as he did back then.

Karagounis has played for several European clubs which include Panathinaikos (1995-1996), Appollon Smyrnis (1996-1998), Panathinaikos (1993-1996), Inter Milan (2003-2005), Benfica (1999-2004) and Panathinaikos (2007-).

He has also played at the Confederations Cup, in 2005 and made 90 appearances for his country. Greece World Cup fixtures are as follows, (all times EST, 2010) June 12,
21:30: Korea Republic v Greece, Port Elizabeth; June 18, 00:00: Greece v Nigeria, Bloemfontein; June 23, 04:30: Greece v Argentina, Polokwane.

France national team 2010 profile

Former World Cup champions, France will be keen on silencing their critics with a solid showing in South Africa, following a controversial victory over the Republic of Ireland in the European qualifiers play off that saw them gaining passage to the 2010 event.

Le Bleus cannot afford to stumble in Group A against Mexico, Uruguay and South Africa, a group they are widely expected to win, and qualify for the round of 16.

In Germany 2006, France advanced all the way to the final, where they eventually lost to Italy, and this time around the stakes are high as other powerhouses such as Spain, Brazil, Germany and England are breathing roasting fire.

A lot will be demanded from Thierry and company's legs (not hands) if they're to stand a chance of advancing beyond the semi-finals.

During the qualifiers Le Bleus locked horns against Serbia, Lithuania, the Faroe Islands, Austria and Romania in Group 7. Raymond Domenech's team only lost once to Austria but failed to clinch the top spot thanks to some highly criticized draws against Romania at home and Serbia (who topped the group).

As a result, France had to face Republic of Ireland in the play offs, they registered an away in the first leg of the play offs, and went on to be saved by Thierry Henry blatant "hand of God" incident which Gallas scored a goal that cruelly ended Ireland's hopes of making it to South Africa in an emotionally charged match.

Le Bleus' have qualified for their 13th World Cup and have won it once.

World Cup coach profiles: Otto Rehhagel, Greece

Born on the 9th of August 1938, Otto Rehhagel is an experienced mentor in charge of the Greece national team. He is a former German player and is renowned for his cold as steel style, which some players attribute to their own success.

The coach who hails from Essien Germany, has many accolades under his belt which include the German Cup (1980/91/94), German league championship (1988/93/98), and the European Cup Winners Cup (1992).

Rehhagel has been in charge of several teams prior to joining World Cup bound Greece - Kickers Offenbach (1974-1975), SV Werder Bremen (1976), Borrusia Dortmund (1976-1978), Armenia Bielefeld (1978-1979), Fortuna Dusseldorf (1979-1980), SV Werder Bremen (1981-1995), FC Bayern Munich (1995-1996), FC Kaiserslautern (1996-2000), Greece (2001-).

At the World Cup in South Africa, Greece will face Korea republic, Argentina, and Nigeria in Group B and their fixtures are as follows - (all times EST, 2010); June 12, 21:30: Korea Republic v Greece, Port Elizabeth; June 18, 00:00: Greece v Nigeria, Bloemfontein; June 23, 04:30: Greece v Argentina, Polokwane.

Long term security benefits for SA after World Cup

Security measures being implemented by the South African authorities in readiness for the football spectacle will have long term benefits for the crime capital of Africa.

The beautiful and prosperous Southern African country has some of the highest murder rates (50 people per day/up to 18 000 people annually).

As a result, WC organisers are dealing with security issues as a matter of high priority. Police manpower has been boosted from 55 000 to about 190 000, in addition to the procurement of advanced operational equipment among other things.

These measures are set to yield significant crime reduction spin offs long after the last whistle of 2010 spectacle.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) top brass are on record as saying the structures that have been put in place for the World Cup will remain intact beyond July 11, 2010.

FIFA gives SA's World Cup security plans thumbs up

The South African security officials presented their plans for the World Cup in June at a workshop on security in Zurich last week. The workshop was attended by FIFA officials, security representatives of participating countries, Interpol and LOC officials.

Sepp Blatter assured the rest of the world that guarantees made by South Africa as hosts in terms of security were sufficient, and there is no need to worry. The Local Organising Committee (LOC) and the SA government have been dogged by widespread concerns over security, and in Zurich they managed to garner 63 votes of confidence.

The South African Police Service commissioner, Bheki Cele who attended the workshop said their efforts will ensure that people can have a fantastic time in the beautiful Southern African country.

The Interpol indicated its continued support for their South African counterparts as they prepare for the big event, and this is done through offering operational support on the ground and intelligence coordination.
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Germany to lift World Cup - Klinsmann

The former Germany national team mentor, Jurgen Klinsmann has expressed his confidence of his country's fortunes at this year's soccer spectacle. The coach who was at the helm of Germany's 2006 World Cup team believes in the current squad, even though they lost to Maradona's Argentina team at a home recently.

He mentioned that there are several hot contestants for the coveted title in world football which include Spain and Argentina.

The Germany squad has been given promises of hefty bonuses in the region of 250 000 euros per player if they are to bring home the golden trophy.

World Cup player profiles: Carlos Bocanegra, US

The United States national soccer team which recently made it to the finals of the 2009 Confederations Cup will be coming to the World Cup with high hopes of reaching new heights at the soccer showcase.

Coached by Bob Bradley the US team is currently ranked 14th on the FIFA rankings. And its captain is centreback Carlos Bocanegra, who has proven to be one of the "Yanks" most valuable players.

The defender has made 74 appearances for his country, and on club level he currently plays for Rennes in France, and was previously part of the Fulham (2004-2008) and Chicago Fire (2000-2004) teams.

His captaincy began in 2007 and has led the team consistently since 2008. Bocanegra played in the FIFA U-20 World Cup final 1999, 2006 World Cup finals and the 2009 Confederations Cup.

World Cup coach profiles; Bob Bradley, US

Born in 1958 Bob Bradley began his coaching career at the Ohio University at age 22, He then took charge of Princeton University (1984-1995), US U-23 assistant coach (1996).

Between 1996-1997 Bradley was assistant coach for DC United, Chicago Fire (1998-2002), Metro Stars (2003-2005), Chivas USA (2006), United States U-23 (2006-2007), and has been at the helm of the US senior team since 2006.

The mentor who hails from Montclair, New Jersey guided his charges in a stunning comeback at the 2009 Confederations Cup in South Africa by beating Egypt 3-0, and Spain 2-0 to storm into the finals, where they eventually lost to Brazil.

This was after the Yanks had been subjected to early defeats at the hands of Brazil and World Cup champions Italy, the comeback feat is the team's most memorable event at this level.

Nigeria national team 2010 profile

Ranked 15th on the FIFA January 2010 rankings, Nigeria are one of six African representatives at this year's football extravaganza. Although the Super Eagles were not as convincing at the 2010 Orange African Cup of Nations in Angola. Hope is still high among native Nigerians and the continent as a whole that Yakubu and company will find inspiration from participating at Africa's first WC to reach new heights.

The Super Eagles first made their mark at this level in 1994 in the US by beating Bulgaria 3-0 and advanced to the second round where they were eventually knocked out by Italy. They went onto fall at the same hurdle in France 1998, after suffering a 4-1 defeat against Denmark. But that was at the back of scintillating performances in which they shocked Spain 3-2 and imposed themselves for a second time over Bulgaria.

In Angola early this year, Nigeria finished third at the 2010 Afcon tournament when they were expected to do much better. Their woes had begun in the qualifiers as they almost missed out on the continent's biggest soccer showcase.

The West Africans struggled in the final phases of the joint Afcon and World Cup qualifiers against Tunisia, Kenya (Harambee Stars) and Mozambique only to seal their place in the last group match in a dramatic fashion by "harambeeing" the hosts in Nairobi.

Nigeria's most notable players include the veteran Nwanko Kanu, Obafemi Martins, Yakubu Ayegebeni, Peter Odemwinge, Ikechukwu Uche, Joseph Yobo, Obi Mikel and Victor Obinna

Their new coach Lars Lagerback will be hoping to inspire bigger things for a country renowned for churning out super stars such as the mercurial Nigerian legend Okocha, who lit up stadiums with his dazzling dribbling skills.

Okocha made a fool of any player unfortunate enough to be tasked with the impossible duty of blocking his passage. He dished out his evasive and notorious tactics at any level of the beautiful game including the World cup, and his services will be missed by the current crop of Super Eagles players.

The Nigeria squad is sitting in Group B, and their fixtures are as follows - (all times EST, 2010) June 13, 00:00: Argentina v Nigeria, Johannesburg; June 18, 00:00: Greece v Nigeria, Bloemfontein; June 23, 04:30: Nigeria v Korea Republic, Durban.

2010 World Cup fixtures list

Group A (all times EST, 2010)
June 12
00:00: South Africa v Mexico, Johannesburg
04:30: Uruguay v France, Cape Town

June 17
04:30: South Africa v Uruguay, Pretoria

June 18
04:30: France v Mexico, Polokwane

June 23
00:00: Mexico v Uruguay, Rustenburg
00:00: France v South Africa, Bloemfontein


Group B (all times EST, 2010)
June 12
21:30: Korea Republic v Greece, Port Elizabeth

June 13
00:00: Argentina v Nigeria, Johannesburg

June 17
21:30: Argentina v Korea Republic, Johannesburg

June 18
00:00: Greece v Nigeria, Bloemfontein

June 23
04:30: Nigeria v Korea Republic, Durban
04:30: Greece v Argentina, Polokwane


Group C (all times EST, 2010)
June 13
04:30: England v United States, Rustenburg
21:30: Algeria v Slovenia, Polokwane

June 19
00:00: Slovenia v United States, Johannesburg
04:30: England v Algeria, Cape Town

June 24
00:00: Slovenia v England, Port Elizabeth
00:00: United States v Algeria, Pretoria


Group D (all times EST, 2010)
June 14
00:00: Serbia v Ghana, Pretoria
04:30: Germany v Australia, Durban

June 18
21:30: Germany v Serbia, Port Elizabeth

June 20
00:00: Ghana v Australia, Rustenburg

June 24
04:30: Ghana v Germany, Johannesburg
04:30: Australia v Serbia, Nelspruit


Group E (all times EST, 2010)
June 14
21:30: Netherlands v Denmark, Johannesburg

June 15
00:00: Japan v Cameroon, Bloemfontein

June 19
21:30: Netherlands v Japan, Durban

June 20
04:30: Cameroon v Denmark, Pretoria

June 25
04:30: Denmark v Japan, Rustenburg
04:30: Cameroon v Netherlands, Cape Town


Group F (all times EST, 2010)
June 15
04:30: Italy v Paraguay, Cape Town
21:30: New Zealand v Slovakia, Rustenburg

June 20
21:30: Slovakia v Paraguay, Bloemfontein

June 21
00:00: Italy v New Zealand, Nelspruit

June 25
00:00: Slovakia v Italy, Johannesburg
00:00: Paraguay v New Zealand, Polokwane


Group G (all times EST, 2010)
June 16
00:00: Cote d'Ivoire v Portugal, Port Elizabeth
04:30: Brazil v Korea DPR, Johannesburg

June 21
04:30: Brazil v Cote d'Ivoire, Johannesburg
21:30: Portugal v Korea DPR, Cape Town

June 26
00:00: Portugal v Brazil, Durban
00:00: Korea DPR v Cote d'Ivoire, Nelspruit


Group H (all times EST, 2010)
June 16
21:30: Honduras v Chile, Nelspruit

June 17
00:00: Spain v Switzerland, Durban

June 22
00:00: Chile v Switzerland, Port Elizabeth
04:30: Spain v Honduras, Johannesburg

June 26
04:30: Chile v Spain, Pretoria
04:30: Switzerland v Honduras, Bloemfontein

Maradona relishesArgentina's chances at the World Cup

Following Argentina's victory against the mighty of Germany in an international friendly in Munich, Maradona expressed high hopes for his star studded outfit.

Despite Argentina's bruising campaign in the qualifiers which saw them almost failing to reach the 2010 finals in South Africa. Maradona's men showed their true pedigree in Germany's backyard.

Maradona said, "The game had the character of a World Cup quarter-final and this is the level we were looking for," and he went on to say "Maybe the press in Argentina won't like it, but we are going to play a very good World Cup in South Africa."

His Germany counterpart, Joachim Low commended his opponents for a solid performance, and said his team will have to work on the flaws that were glaringly exposed by the lads of Argentina.

Maradona's side scored through Gonzalo Higuain, and Lionel Messi created problems for the European team even though he had a rather subdued game.

Italy national team 2010 profile

The Azzuri will make their way to South Africa in June adorned with a title none of the other 31 teams can lay claim to at the 2010 showpiece - being the defending champions.

The Italians are also four time winners of the greatest prize in world football, they have a proud history at the FIFA World Cup that stretches to the early 1930's. Their record speaks for itself - First round - 1950, 1954, 1962, 1966, 1974; 2nd round - 1986, 2002; 4th place - 1978; 3rd place - 1990. Runners-up - 1970, 1994, Champions - 1934, 1938, 1982, 2006.

And they are entering this year's Rumble in the Jungle as one of the hot favorites, buoyed by promises of hefty bonuses.

The European team qualified from Group 8 at the expense of Georgia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Montenegro and the Republic of Ireland. They topped the group with twenty four points in a fruitful campaign that saw them reaching the finishing line unbeaten. The worst that happened to the Italian squad in Group 8 were the draws against Republic of Ireland and Bulgaria.

In South Africa the Azurri will lock horns against the likes of Paraguay (ranked 29th), Slovakia (36) and New Zealand (77) in Group F. Italy Group F matches will take place on the following dates - (all times EST, 2010), June 15, 04:30: Italy v Paraguay, Cape Town; June 21, 00:00: Italy v New Zealand, Nelspruit; June 25, 00:00: Slovakia v Italy, Johannesburg.

The Paraguay fixture at the magnificent Cape Town Stadium (Greenpoint) is the certainly the trickiest, considering Paraguay's exploits in the qualifiers in which they made it through ahead of powerhouse Argentina.

Some of the most notable names in the Azzuri camp include Fabio Cannavaro, Gianluigi Buffon, Andrea Pirlo, Fabio Grosso and their coach is Marcello Lippi.

England earmarks Mexico and Japan fixtures

Fresh from an inspiring victory against 2010 Orange African Cup of Nations champions Egypt, the England FA has lined up additional warm-up matches for the Three Lions World Cup team.

The matches involving Mexico and Japan are scheduled for the month of May, starting with the in-form Mexico national team and followed by the Japanese squad on May 30 in Graz, Austria.

The final squad that will fly to South Africa will be announced on the 1st of June by coach Fabio Capello. The team which is one of the hot favorites to lift the cup on African soil will take on Slovenia, Algeria and the United States of America in Group C.

And the group's fixtures are as follows -

Group C (all times EST, 2010)
June 13
04:30: England v United States, Rustenburg
21:30: Algeria v Slovenia, Polokwane

June 19
00:00: Slovenia v United States, Johannesburg
04:30: England v Algeria, Cape Town

June 24
00:00: Slovenia v England, Port Elizabeth
00:00: United States v Algeria, Pretoria

Portugal's Jose Bosingwa out of World Cup squad

A nagging knee injury has crashed the hopes of Chelsea and Portugal defender Jose Bosingwa of featuring in his country's team to travel to South Africa. His knee injury has also ruled him out of Chelsea's fixtures for this season.

The doctors confirmed that his knee will need an additional operation, and this means Chelsea are missing the services of four key players who include goalkeeper Petr Cech, Ashley Cole and Michael Essien.

This comes at a time when they are fighting for Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League honors.

Michael Owen's World Cup woes

England and Manchester United goal poacher, Michael Owen suffered a debilitating hamstring injury that will put him out of action for the rest of season.

And as bad as it is for Sir Alex Ferguson, the striker will most likely miss the upcoming soccer showpiece in South Africa. He was injured during a league match against Aston Villa.

Man United are set to end the season relying on Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov on their strike force.

Euro 2012 qualifiers draw results

Group A

Germany
Turkey
Austria
Belgium
Kazakhstan
Azerbaijan

Group B

Russia
Slovakia
Rep. of Ireland
FYR Macedonia
Armenia
Andorra

Group C

Italy
Serbia
N. Ireland
Slovenia
Estonia
Faroe Islands

Group D

France
Romania
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Belarus
Albania
Luxembourg

Group E

Netherlands
Sweden
Finland
Hungary
Moldova
San Marino

Group F

Croatia
Greece
Israel
Latvia
Georgia
Malta

Group G

England
Switzerland
Bulgaria
Wales
Montenegro

Group H

Portugal
Denmark
Norway
Cyprus
Iceland

Group I

Spain
Czech Republic
Scotland
Lithuania
Liechtenstein

Hosts Ukraine and Poland, qualify automatically.

South Africa hoping to secure Argentina international friendly

South Africa's World Cup winning coach Carlos Alberto Parreira is keen on successfully arranging a warm-up match between his team and South American giants, Argentina. The 2010 hosts recently played minnows Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Namibia registering two wins and a draw.

If successful the fixture is set to be played at the recently completed Soccer City Stadium, venue for the opening match and the 2010 World Cup final. Parreira intends to give his charges a feel of things to come by facing the highly ranked Argentina side.

The stadium is the biggest in Africa, it can accomodate up to 90 000 people, and could potentially prove to be an intimidating environment for some of the South African players, hence the need for the international friendly.

The 81st ranked outfit is headed for a training camp to Brazil (coined "Operation Mount Everest"), and will embark on another preparatory adventure in Germany shortly afterwards. The host team, Bafana Bafana (the boys) open their account on the 11th of June against an in-form Mexico national team as part of Group A matches.

The Group World cup fixtures are as follows -

Group A (all times EST, 2010)
June 12
00:00: South Africa v Mexico, Johannesburg
04:30: Uruguay v France, Cape Town

June 17
04:30: South Africa v Uruguay, Pretoria

June 18
04:30: France v Mexico, Polokwane

June 23
00:00: Mexico v Uruguay, Rustenburg
00:00: France v South Africa, Bloemfontein

Ivory Coast pursues Guus Hiddink

Following the drammatic dismissal of Bosnian Vahid Halilhodzic as the coach of Ivory Coast, the Ivorian FA have been working tirelessly to sign the 63 year old Hiddink.

The experienced mentor has previously been in charge of Korea Republic, Holland and Australia, he is currently attached to the Russians and the contract ends on 30 June.

After which the experienced coach will join Turkey in August, and this means Hiddink must cut short his stay with the Russians, if he is to sign with the Cote d'voire squad specifically for the World Cup.

Terry grateful for support during Egypt friendly

John Terry's fallout from the captaincy, as a result of his personal indiscretion has been dogging him both at national and club level.

The former England captain has been subjected to insults by away fans in the league fixtures.

And the Chelsea player expected another round of unbridled jeers during the friendly against Egypt.

Instead, Terry was pleasantly suprised with the level of support he got from the majority of fans at Wembley.

Wayne Rooney had earlier appealed to fans to desist from making hostile gestures towards the Chelsea captain.

Capello happy with England's performance against Egypt

England came from 0-1 down to win their international friendly against Kings of Africa, Egypt who scored very early in the match through Mohamed Zidan.

The England mentor paid tribute to Crouch who came in as a substitute alongside Shaun Wright-Phillips, and made a big impact. Crouch scored twice for his country and Wright-Phillips beat the veteran Egyptian goalkeeper Essam El Hadari once to give England a 3-1 victory.

The triumph at the hands of a worthy opponent is a step in right direction for Capello's charges who have been promised hefty bonuses if they manage to bring home the highest prize in world football.

South Africa held by Namibia

World Cup hosts struggling to find their rhythm ahead of the football showpiece, disappointed their fans once again by drawing against Namibia ranked 109. The local lads gave their World Cup winning mentor Carlos Parreira more questions than answers with 98 days to go. The result left some of Bafana Bafana fans wondering, that all this preparations for a draw against a minnow!? In the meantime only Nigeria managed to pull a win while the other African WC representative such as Ivory Coast, Algeria, Cameroon, and Ghana struggled. Kings of Africa, Egypt also went down at the Wembley Stadium against England, and the Lions of Teranga, Senegal did the unthinkable away to Greece by beating the former European champions 0-2.

South Africa 1 - 1 Namibia

Ivory Coast 0 - 2 South Korea

Nigeria 5 - 2 Congo DR

Algeria 0 - 3 Serbia

Italy 0 - 0 Cameroon

Bosnia-Herzegovina 2 - 1 Ghana

Greece 0 - 2 Senegal

England 3 - 1 Egypt

International friendlies results

Engines revved, sweat dripped and goals were scored as World Cup bound teams geared themselves for the 2010 Rumble in the Jungle, just 98 days away.

South Africa 1 - 1 Namibia

Ireland 0 - 2 Brazil

Germany 0 - 1 Argentina

England 3 - 1 Egypt

France 0 - 2 Spain

Ivory Coast 0 - 2 South Korea

Greece 0 - 2 Senegal

Nigeria 5 - 2 Congo DR

Portugal 2 - China

Algeria 0 - 3 Serbia

Italy 0 - 0 Cameroon

Slovenia 4 - 1 Qatar

Switzerland 1 - 3 Uruguay

Netherlands 2 - 1 USA

Bosnia-Herzegovina 2 - 1 Ghana

Germany's World Cup bonus bounty

As the participants of the 2010 World Cup ready themselves for the battle ahead, their respective administrators are leaving nothing to chance by dangling fat carrots to the players.

The massive incentives match the mammoth task at hand. The Germany FA promised to bankroll the players in the tune of 250 000 euros each, if they win the tournament.

For reaching the quarter-finals, the German lads will net 50 000 euros, 100 000 for the semis and 150 000 the finals.

Soccer City handed over to Joburg mayor

Africa's biggest stadium, Soccer City in Johannesburg has officially been handed over to the city mayor, Amos Masondo. This is all good and well with 99 days to go to the football extravaganza.

The calabash shaped facility seats up to 90,000, and comes with excellent evacuation capacity, in case of emergencies.

It will host the opening ceremony on the 11th of June and the opening match involving South Africa v Mexico. FIFA expressed satisfaction with standards at the magnificent stadium.

Ivory Coast fires coach

Ivory Coast mentor Vahid Halilhodzic was dismissed from his duties in a bizzare fashion, the Bosnian fate was sealed live on national television.

This is as a result of the Elephants' unconvincing showing at the Orange African Cup of Nations in Angola.

Halilhodzic cried foul saying he was being sacrificed, even though he only lost one game out of 24 matches. Guus Hiddink might be brought in to replace him.

Hefty bonuses for Spain

The Spanish national team players stand to collect mind boggling bonuses if they come out tops at this year's World Cup.

Their football association has promised them 550 000 euros for bringing home the biggest prize in football, for the very first time.

The 2009 FIFA Team of Year will have to be at their best if they are to shrug off other strong contenders such as Brazil and England.

The Spaniards are sitting in Group H alongside Honduras, Chile and Switzerland.

Mexico on the hunt

As part of their preparations for the World Cup in South Africa, the Mexico national team has been revving up their engine to ensure they'll be in top form by 11 June.

El Tri open their account in the opening match of the tournament against the host nation team, Bafana Bafana at the Soccer City Stadium (above).

The Mexicans are also scheduled to meet N. Zealand, this match comes at the back of a resounding win over Bolivia in which they blasted five unanswered goals. The goals were scored by Pablo Barrera, Hernandez, Braulio Luna and Paul Aguilar.

March 2010 international friendlies

As the kick off to the 2010 FIFA SWC finals draws nearer, the majority of participants at this year's Rumble in the Jungle are warming up and revving their engines in international friendlies.

And some of the teams set to swing into action on 2 & 3 March include -
Germany v Argentina

Spain v France

Brazil v Rep. of Ireland

Italy v Cameroon

South Africa v Namibia

Egypt v England

Switzerland v Uruguay

Netherlands v U.S.A

Serbia v Algeria

Portugal v China

N. Zealand v Mexico

We are 100 days away from Africa's first WC

The air of anticipation in South Africa is at an all time high, as the country marks 100 days to the football spectacle starting on the 11th of June. The opening encounter at Soccer City Stadium will feature Bafana Bafana v Mexico.

The majority of locals are confident that the nation will be 100% ready, but the only issues of concern involve the competitive strength of the national squad
ranked 81st. And the benefits of the mega event to ordinary South Africans.

Many believe it'll only make the rich, richer.

Netherlands national team 2010 profile

The Dutch are coming to the World Cup as one of the strongest sides and their path in the qualifiers speaks for itself. They did wonders by maintaining an unbeaten record, the team brushed aside Group 9 contenders which included Macedonia, Norway, Iceland, and Scotland.

But the World Cup will be a different cup of tea for the Oranje lads, particularly when it comes to squeezing through to the quarter-finals.

In the group stages they face up to Denmark, Japan and Cameroon, it is here where Holland will make or break its prospects for the showpiece.

The likes of Denmark, and the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon demand a disciplined and tactical approach or things could go terribly wrong for the top ranked Dutch squad.

Some of their top guns include Dirk Kuyt, Rafael van der Vaart, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Mark van Bommel, Arjen Robben, Robin van Persie, Gregory van Wiel and Wesley Sneijder.

Netherlands coached by Lambertus van Marwick have qualified for their 9th World Cup appearance (1934, 1938, 1974, 1978, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2006 and now 2010.

The have been runners-up twice ('74 and '78), semi-finalists once (France '98').

Netherlands Provisional World Cup squad (May 2010 Update)

Goalkeepers: Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax), Sander Boschker (FC Twente), Michel Vorm (FC Utrecht)

Defenders: Andre Ooijer (PSV Eindhoven), Vurnon Anita (Ajax), Khalid Boulahrouz (Stuttgart), Edson Braafheid (Celtic), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Feyenoord), John Heitinga (Everton), Joris Mathijsen (Hamburger SV), Ron Vlaar (Feyenoord), Gregory van der Wiel (Ajax)

Midfielders: Wesley Sneijder (Inter Milan), Otman Bakkal (PSV Eindhoven), Mark van Bommel (Bayern Munich), Wout Brama (FC Twente), Orlando Engelaar (PSV Eindhoven), Ibrahim Afellay (PSV Eindhoven), Nigel de Jong (Manchester City), Stijn Schaars (AZ Alkmaar), David Mendes da Silva (AZ Alkmaar), Rafael van der Vaart (Real Madrid), Demy de Zeeuw (Ajax)

Forwards: Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich), Ryan Babel (Liverpool), Eljero Elia (Hamburger SV), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool), Jeremain Lens (AZ Alkmaar), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (AC Milan)

Trail record of SA coach Carlos Parreira

Born on 27 February 1943, Carlos Alberto Gomez Parreira is a World Cup winning Brazilian, and currently tasked with the responsibility of guiding the 2010 World Cup hosts' national side Bafana Bafana ranked 81st.

The experienced mentor has been in charge of many clubs and national teams and they include;

Asante Kontoko - 1968

Ghana - 1968 - 1975

Fluminense - 1975 - 1978
Kuwait - 1978 - 1983

Brazil - 1983 - 1984

Fluminense - 1984 - 1985

UAE - 1985 - 1988

Saudi Arabia - 1988 - 1990

UAE - 1990 - 1991

Bragatino - 1991

Brazil - 1991 - 1994

Valencia - 1994 - 1995

Fenerbahce - 1995 - 1996
Sao Paulo - 1996 - 1997

Metro Stars - 1997 - 1998

Saudi Arabia - 1998 - 1999

Fluminense - 1999 - 2000

Atletico MG - 2000

Internacional - 2000 - 2002

Corithians - 2002 - 2003

Brazil - 2003 - 2006

South Africa - 2007 - 2008

Fluminense - 2009

South Africa - 2009-

Pitch troubles for WC stadium

Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, well known for its unusual zebra seats colour scheme is faced with a pitch crisis. FIFA has ordered resurfacing of its pitch for a third time, after failing the football governing body's
stringent inspection.

The magnificent facility will play host to World Cup matches featuring Italy v New Zealand, North Korea v Ivory Coast, Australia v Serbia and Honduras v Chile.
The pitch experts responsible for the task promised to deliver an excellent and ready to play pitch by week seven.