2006 FIFA WORLD CUP CHAMPIONS: ITALY
CONGRATULATIONS TO TEAM ITALIA - THE 2006 FIFA WORLD CHAMPIONS

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 25 - Final
June 9: Italy 1:1,5-3 France [on penalties]
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

Cufre, Rodriguez suspended, Rooney penalised
July 9: FIFA Saturday imposed match bans on Argentine players Leandro Cufre and Maxi Rodriguez for their involvement in the brawl at the end of the quarter-final match against Germany. Cufre received a four-match suspension for kicking German defender Per Mertesacker and was also fined 10,000 Swiss francs ($8,170). Rodriguez was banned for two matches for striking German midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger and fined 5,000 Swiss francs ($4085). German defender Torsten Frings was earlier suspended for one game by FIFA for his role in the June 30 melee, which erupted after Germany defeated Argentina on penalties to reach the semi-finals. England’s Wayne Rooney was given a two-match ban and 5,000-franc fine for stamping on an opponent during his country’s quarter-final loss to Portugal July 1.

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 24 - 3rd Place Match
June 8: Germany 3:1 Portugal
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

Azzurri prominent in All Star Team
July 7: The Mastercard All Star Team featuring the 23 most impressive players at the 2006 FIFA World Cup has been revealed - and Italy are the team best represented. Seven members of the Italy squad that will contest Sunday's Final with France were included in the All Star team, while opponents France and the two beaten semi-finalists Germany and Portugal all contribute four players each. Argentina, Brazil and England - three sides who fell at the quarter-final stage - are also represented in the team.
The Mastercard All Star Team is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Italy), Jens Lehmann (Germany), Ricardo (Portugal)
Defenders: Roberto Ayala (Argentina), John Terry (England), Lilian Thuram (France), Philipp Lahm (Germany), Fabio Cannavaro (Italy), Gianluca Zambrotta (Italy), Ricardo Carvalho (Portugal)
Midfielders: Ze Roberto (Brazil), Patrick Vieira (France), Zinedine Zidane (France), Michael Ballack (Germany), Andrea Pirlo (Italy), Gennaro Gattuso (Italy), Francesco Totti (Italy), Luis Figo (Portugal), Maniche (Portugal)
Forwards: Hernan Crespo (Argentina), Thierry Henry (France), Miroslav Klose (Germany), Luca Toni (Italy)

Podolski crowned Best Young Player
July 7: The FIFA Technical Study Group has made its decision, bestowing Germany's Lukas Podolski with the coveted Gillette Best Young Player award. Selected from a shortlist of six talented nominees, the striker becomes the first Gillette Best Young Player award winner in the history of the FIFA World Cup. Germany enjoyed a thrilling FIFA World Cup journey on home soil, achieving a place in the semi-finals few felt confident of predicting before the tournament began. A joy to watch as they poured forward in attack, the hosts owed much of their success to the fearsome strike duo of Miroslav Klose and Podolski. Junior partner Podolski, at 21, was one of 40 candidates competing for the title of Gillette Best Young Player. "I'm very honoured," said Podolski as he received the prize. "Of course this is a big motivation for myself to keep on improving in my career and to play a even better World Cup in four years' time even though I had hoped to take a different trophy home." An integral part of Jurgen Klinsmann's starting line-up, 'Prince Poldi' already boasts a tally of 15 goals in 31 games for his country. An impressive haul for one so young, over the course of this FIFA World Cup Podolski has demonstrated time and time again that he thrives under pressure. "He not only scored three goals, he was a key element in Germany's attack," explained Holger Osieck, Head of the FIFA Technical Study Group. "He showed a great understanding with Miroslav Klose and the two players formed a very effective partnership. Together, they netted eight of the Mannschaft's 11 goals." The Polish-born German put in perhaps his strongest performance against Sweden in the Round of 16, firing in a brace to cap a display of tireless front-running. Facing Argentina in the quarter-finals, the youngster once again gave everything. The Bayern Munich-bound forward demonstrated real character in what was an extremely tight encounter, not least when he coolly converted from the spot during the penalty shoot-out. Having scored against Ecuador in the first round, Podolski currently has three goals to his name and will be looking to bolster his account in the match for third place against Portugal on Saturday. His youth may have caused him to snap at a few chances along the way, but ‘Poldi’ undoubtedly possesses remarkable maturity for a 21-year-old. However, his greatest attributes have to be his boundless energy and hunger for success. "Another factor we considered was how much playing-time he saw," added Osieck. "He started all the games and was only substituted after scoring twice against Sweden and right at the end of the Poland match." Indeed, his statistics bear out his considerable contribution to the host nation's cause: in 563 minutes, Podolski struck three goals, took 21 shots and drew 15 fouls. "Our choices are based on hard facts and how a player performs at a given tournament, the World Cup in this case," concluded Osiek. "Podolski still has a lot to learn but he is clearly a player with a great future."

adidas Golden Ball shortlist revealed
July 6: FIFA unveiled on Thursday the ten candidates for the 2006 adidas Golden Ball, the prestigious award presented at each FIFA World Cup to the tournament’s outstanding player. The shortlist has been drawn up by the FIFA Technical Study Group (TSG) and, with only players who reached the last four considered eligible for selection, representatives of the media will now pick from a field comprising three Frenchmen, two Germans, four Italians and a solitary Portuguese. Past winners of adidas Golden Ball – arguably the most sought-after individual trophy in football – include the likes of Oliver Kahn (2002), Romario (1994) and Diego Maradona (1986), and though there can be only one winner, Silver and Bronze Balls will be awarded to the two runners-up.
2006 FIFA World Cup adidas Golden Ball candidates:
Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Zinedine Zidane (all France), Michael Ballack, Miroslav Klose (both Germany), Gianluigi Buffon, Fabio Cannavaro, Andrea Pirlo, Gianluca Zambrotta (all Italy) and Maniche (Portugal)

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 23 - Semifinal (Day 2)
June 5: Portugal 0:1 France
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 22 - Semifinal (Day 1)
June 4: Germany 0:2 Italy (after extra-time)
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 21 - QUARTERFINAL (Day 2)
June 1: Brazil 0:1 France
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 21 - QUARTERFINAL (Day 2)
July 1: England 0:0, 1:3 Portugal (on penalties)
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

Announcer substituted for backing Germans
July 1: A stadium announcer was replaced during Friday's World Cup quarter-final between Germany and Argentina for encouraging the home fans, FIFA said. FIFA intervened after Andreas Wenzel used the announcement of a substitution to tell the 72,000-strong crowd in Berlin's Olympiastadion that the German team needed their support. Wenzel, a veteran announcer for the German national team's games, promptly found himself substituted at the microphone by the local organising committee. "This had no place in the balanced neutrality of an announcer," Markus Siegler, a spokesman for world soccer's governing body, said of Wenzel's comments. "It's not acceptable." Germany defeated Argentina 4-2 in a penalty shootout after the match finished 1-1 at the end of extra time. (Reuters)

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 20 - QUARTERFINAL (Day 1)
June 30: Italy 3:0 Ukraine
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 20 - QUARTERFINAL (Day 1)
June 30: Germany 1:1, 4:2 Argentina (on penalties)
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

Figo optimistic about England match
June 29: Portuguese captain Luis Figo has revealed that he's quite optimistic about Portugal's chances to advance against England. Figo and team-mate Costinha were the players attending today's press conference at the 'Klosterpforte' in Marienfeld.
Some Figo-quotes from the press conference:
• On David Beckham: "David is a friend of mine. He is one of the best players of the world!"
• On Cristiano Ronaldo's injury: "We are a group of 24 players and everyone is important in this team. Cristiano is also important for the team and he's feeling much better now. I'm sure that he will be fit for the match!"
• On the England-match: "It's a big game for us like for the English team. All players know the importance of the game and we know that they are a good team. We have to be strong as much as possible. Such matches will be decided by small things!"
• On penalties and Ricardo: "We haven't trained penalties so far. But we might practise them in the next two days, if coach Scolari feels there's a need to do so! Our goalkeeper Ricardo is good in saving penalties."

Nesta ruled out of Ukraine clash
June 29: Alessandro Nesta has confirmed that he will not play in Italy's quarter-final clash against Ukraine after failing to recover from a groin injury. The 30-year-old, who missed Marcello Lippi's side's 1-0 Round of 16 win against Australia, is hopeful of being fit for the semi-finals should the Azzurri advance.

We must play better, says Gilberto Silva
June 28: After playing from the start in Brazil's final group game against Japan, defensive midfielder Gilberto Silva was called on again in the Round of 16 clash with Ghana, coming on at half-time for Emerson to bring his spark and mobility to the holding role. After doing his best to see Brazil through to the quarter-finals with a 3-0 victory over the Africans, Gilberto Silva took time out for a chat with FIFAworldcup.com. On the agenda: Brazil’s performances so far and the need to improve further, why he does not fear Arsenal team-mate Thierry Henry and France, and why nothing short of a sixth world title would satisfy the folks back home. “Overall I think we played a pretty good game, but Ghana did not make it easy for us,” he said. “They did not sit back and wait for us to come, but instead they put us under heavy pressure for the full 90 minutes and they never let up. The second half in particular they put us up against it and we had to be very careful to keep them out.”

Neville back in training
June 28: England received a boost ahead of Saturday's quarter-final with Portugal when veteran defender Gary Neville returned to full training today. The 31-year-old, who won his 80th cap in England's opening 1-0 victory over Paraguay, has missed their last three games with a calf injury but should be in contention for the game in Gelsenkirchen.

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 19 - ROUND OF 16 (Day 4)
June 27: Spain 1:3 France
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 19 - ROUND OF 16 (Day 4)
June 27: Brazil 3:0 Ghana
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 18 - ROUND OF 16 (Day 3)
June 26: Switzerland 0:0, 0:3 [on penalties] Ukraine
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 18 - ROUND OF 16 (Day 3)
June 26: Italy 1:0 Australia
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 17 - ROUND OF 16 (Day 2)
June 25: England 1:0 Ecuador
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 17 - ROUND OF 16 (Day 2)
June 25: Portugal 1:0 Netherlands
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 16 - ROUND OF 16 (Day 1)
June 24: Germany 2:0 Sweden
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WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 16 - ROUND OF 16 (Day 1)
June 24: Argentina 2:1 Mexico
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WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 15 - GROUP H (Day 3)
June 23: Ukraine 1:0 Tunisia
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WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 15 - GROUP H (Day 3)
June 23: Saudi Arabia 0:1 Spain
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 15 - GROUP G (Day 3)
June 23: Switzerland 2:0 Korea Republic
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 15 - GROUP G (Day 3)
June 23: Togo 0:2 France
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WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 14 - GROUP F (Day 3)
June 22: Croatia 2:2 Australia
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WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 14 - GROUP F (Day 3)
June 22: Japan 1:4 Brazil
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 14 - GROUP E (Day 3)
June 22: Ghana 2:1 USA
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 14 - GROUP E (Day 3)
June 22: Czech Republic 0:2 Italy
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 13 - GROUP D (Day 3)
June 21: Iran 1:1 Angola
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WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 13 - GROUP D (Day 3)
June 21: Portugal 2:1 Mexico
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 13 - GROUP C (Day 3)
June 21: Cote d'Ivoire 3:2 Serbia&Montenegro
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 13 - GROUP C (Day 3)
June 21: Netherlands 0:0 Argentina
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

Dasmunshi selected Match Commissioner once again
June 21: The AIFF has informed in a press release that its president Priya Ranjan Das Munshi has been selected by FIFA as the Match Commissioner for the crucial Group F match Croatia vs Australia to be played at Stuttgart on June 22. This is the second time in the current World Cup that Mr. Das Munshi has been chosen by FIFA to be the Match Commissioner. He earlier was the match commissioner at the Spain - Tunisia match.

Owen ruled out of tournament
June 21: Michael Owen received the news the whole of England was fearing, if expecting, when it was confirmed on Wednesday that he would miss the remainder of the 2006 FIFA World Cup. The England and Newcastle United striker was stretchered off after twisting his knee awkwardly in the first minute of Sven-Goran Eriksson’s side’s 2-2 draw with Sweden in Cologne, and though the English Football Association has not revealed the extent of the injury, it is believed that cruciate ligament damage has been sustained. This could well mean a period of around five months in rehabilitation for a player who only recently returned to action from a broken foot that had sidelined him since 31 December. Owen said today: "Obviously it's a massive blow to suffer the injury – and to be out of the World Cup. As soon as it happened I knew I was in trouble. It was a major disappointment to pick up the injury so early in the game. "I'll go back home now and work with the Newcastle medical staff to put a recovery programme in place. I'm clearly sorry to be leaving the lads in Germany, but I'm convinced they can go on and achieve success. "I'll be following all the matches very closely and giving them my full support, hopefully all the way to Berlin. My main objective is now to get fit as quickly as possible for Newcastle United." The thoughts of England fans will be dominated by sadness for Owen, but there will also be the realisation that the 26-year-old’s injury leaves a gaping void in their side’s attacking armoury, particularly as Wayne Rooney is still evidently short of match-fitness and only the untried teenager Theo Walcott can be considered a genuine like-for-like replacement for the Newcastle striker.

World Cup fever in India
June 20: The World Cup has been great out here in Germany so far, but also in India the football fever is huge!
PTI report: The ongoing football World Cup in Germany has caught the fancy of sports lovers all over the country and the mega event has registered more eyeballs than the Indian cricket team's current tour of the West Indies. The opening match between Germany and Costa Rica on June 9 garnered a TV rating of 3.43 whereas the Test match could manage a TVR of just 2.8, ESPN-Star Sports claimed. The network feels that the unique appeal of this once in four years tournament was behind the impressive ratings and hopes that the knockout phases will see the figures rise even further. A notable feature was that the high figures emerged from not just traditional football hotbeds like West Bengal, Kerala and Goa, but also from unlikely states like Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The convenient timings of the matches is also a reason behind the phenomenon. The network has undertaken an initiative to provide parallel Hindi feed and it is the first time that people in traditional markets are able to follow the matches in their own language. The trio of Novy Kapadia, Ghaus Mohammed and Sunil Taneja are doing the Hindi commentary, which has been well received in North India, Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 12 - GROUP B (Day 3)
June 20: Paraguay 2:0 Trinidad&Tobago
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 12 - GROUP B (Day 3)
June 20: Sweden 2:2 England
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 12 - GROUP A (Day 3)
June 20: Costa Rica 1:2 Poland
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 12 - GROUP A (Day 3)
June 20: Ecuador 0:3 Germany
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 11 - GROUP H (Day 2)
June 19: Spain 3:1 Tunisia
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 11 - GROUP H (Day 2)
June 19: Saudi Arabia 0:4 Ukraine
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 11 - GROUP G (Day 2)
June 19: Togo 0:2 Switzerland
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

Dasmunshi appointed match commissioner
June 18: All India Football Federation (AIFF) President Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi has been appointed match commissioner for the Spain vs Tunisia tie in the World Cup 2006 at Stuttgart, Germany, to be held on Monday. Dasmunshi is the first Indian to earn the rare honour of being appointed as match commissioner for any World Cup match.
A match commissioner is FIFA's official representative in the match and his job is to ensure that the match is properly organised and run smoothly. He shall be alert to all incidents and comments surrounding the match itself.

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 10 - GROUP G (Day 2)
June 18: France 1:1 Korea Republic
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 10 - GROUP F (Day 2)
June 18: Brazil 2:0 Australia
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 10 - GROUP F (Day 2)
June 18: Japan 0:0 Croatia
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 9 - GROUP E (Day 2)
June 17: Italy 1:1 USA
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 9 - GROUP E (Day 2)
June 17: Czech Republic 0:2 Ghana
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 9 - GROUP D (Day 2)
June 17: Portugal 2:0 Iran
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WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 8 - GROUP D (Day 2)
June 16: Mexico 0:0 Angloa
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 8 - GROUP C (Day 2)
June 16: Netherlands 2:1 Cote d'Ivoire
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WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 8 - GROUP C (Day 2)
June 16: Argentina 6-0 Serbia&Montenegro
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WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 7 - GROUP B (Day 2)
June 15: Sweden 1-0 Paraguay
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WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 7 - GROUP B (Day 2)
June 15: England 2-0 Trinidad&Tobago
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 7 - GROUP A (Day 2)
June 15: Ecuador 3-0 Costa Rica
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 6 - GROUP A (Day 2)
June 14: Germay 1-0 Poland
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WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 6 - GROUP H (Day 1)
June 14: Tunisia 2-2 Saudi Arabia
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WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 6 - GROUP H (Day 1)
June 14: Spain 4-0 Ukraine
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WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 5 - GROUP G (Day 1)
June 13: France 0-0 Switzerland
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WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 5 - GROUP G (Day 1)
June 13: Korea Republic 2-1 Togo
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WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 5 - GROUP F (Day 1)
June 13: Brazil 1:0 Croatia
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WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 4 - GROUP E (Day 1)
June 12: Australia 3:1 Japan
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WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 4 - GROUP E (Day 1)
June 12: USA 0:3 Czech Republic
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 4 - GROUP D (Day 1)
June 12: Italy 2:0 Ghana
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 3 - GROUP D (Day 1)
June 11: Angola 0:1 Portugal
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WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 3 - GROUP D (Day 1)
June 11: Mexico 3:1 Iran
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 3 - GROUP C (Day 1)
June 11: Serbia&Montenegro 0:1 Netherlands
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 2 - GROUP C (Day 1)
June 10: Argentina 2:1 Cote d'Ivoire
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 2 - GROUP B (Day 1)
June 10: Trinidad&Tobago 0:0 Sweden
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 2 - GROUP B (Day 1)
June 10: England 1:0 Paraguay
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

Togo coacg Pfister resigns
June 10: Togo coach Otto Pfister has surprisingly resigned on Friday! The 68-year-old, who was born in Germany, was finalising his squad's preparations in Wangen, when he made his decision to leave.
Pfister: "When I started to be manager of Togo, I was promised that bonuses for the players would be cleared. That is still not the case, so I decided to quit immediately. It's a professional decision. However, in not managing a team at the World Cup, my life's dream has been destroyed. But this is a situation I simply cannot work with."
Meanwhile Kodjovi Mawuena was named officially as coach of Togo on Saturday replacing Otto Pfister, though the newly-installed manager said he hoped his predecessor would return.
Mawuena, one of Pfister's assistants, expressed his sadness at his departure.
"Otto Pfister was like a father to us," said Mawuena. "His departure has really affected us, but we will continue to follow his tactics and we hope he will return soon."

Lehmann struggling to face Poland
June 10: Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann says he may not recover in time to face Poland next week after injuring his ankle in the first half of their 4-2 win over Costa Rica in the opening match of the FIFA World Cup. Lehmann had treatment on his ankle during the game but managed to continue playing and had his foot taped at halftime. Although goalkeeping coach Andreas Koepke said the injury was not serious, Lehmann sounded less convinced. "I am in pain," Lehmann told reporters. Asked whether he would be fit in time to keep goal against the Poles on Wednesday, Lehmann would only say: "I don't know, I can't tell. We'll see". Germany coach Jurgen Klinsmann picked Lehmann as his number one keeper only in April ahead of long-standing first-choice Oliver Kahn, who led the team to the FIFA World Cup final four years ago, winning the adidas Golden Ball.

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 1 - GROUP A (Day 1)
June 9: Poland 0:2 Ecuador
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

WORLD CUP MATCHDAY 1 - GROUP A (Day 1)
June 9: Germany 4-2 Costa Rica
<MATCH STATS & REPORT>

Zandi to miss Mexico match
June 9: Iran's German-based midfielder Ferydoon Zandi has been ruled out of his country's FIFA World Cup opener with Mexico on Sunday, coach Branko Ivankovic said on Friday.

Andrews to miss Sweden encounter
June 9: Trinidad & Tobago's hopes of upsetting Sweden in their Group B opener on Saturday were dealt a major blow on Friday when central defender Marvin Andrews was ruled out with a knee injury.

Baros suffers new injury setback
June 9: Czech Republic striker Milan Baros's return to training on Friday lasted a mere 15 minutes before he sat out the rest of the session on the bench with a foot injury. Coach Karel Brueckner, who said earlier in the week that doctors were optimistic he would be fit in time for the team's FIFA World Cup Group E opening game against the United States on Monday, seemed less confident. "He can't even jog, the only physical exercise he can do is cycling," said Brueckner. The injury has prevented the 24-year-old forward from training this week in Germany.

Deco: I am feeling fine
June 9: England are using a ploy in training that would make every goalkeeper's FIFA World Cup penalty dream come true. Beating a top-class keeper can be hard enough but England have given the ultimate soccer duel an extra twist by telling Paul Robinson where they will place the spot kick. The unlikely tactic is rooted in England's traumatic experience at past tournaments, where shootout misses have bounced them out of FIFA World Cups in 1990 and 1998, along with UEFA EURO 96 and EURO 2004 in Portugal. As he prepared for Saturday's Group B opener against Paraguay, Robinson told reporters: "The lads get used to taking penalties against you - and you generally tend to know which way they like going. "So at some stages we say to them 'Tell us which way you're going to go, we won't dive until you've kicked it'. "It makes it harder for them to score -- they really have to put it in the corners." Robinson, who saved a penalty for Tottenham Hotspur in last season's final Premiership game at West Ham United, is fully expecting to face penalties at the finals.

Deco: I am feeling fine
June 8: Portuguese midfielder Deco says he is in even better shape now than he was at the end of an exhausting domestic season in which he helped club side Barcelona to the Spanish league title and the UEFA Champions League. Now, just days before his adopted country’s first game at the finals, the Brazilian-born playmaker admits that with every passing hour the tension is rising, as a must-win game for Portugal against Angola gets ever closer. "In football, you can never be sure you’re going to win. But I know that we have to win this game to get through to the second round. We can’t guarantee the victory, but we’re going to work hard to try and achieve it. We all know exactly what we have to do," stated Deco in a press conference held just before Luiz Felipe Scolari’s men undertook another gruelling training session at their base in Marienfeld.

Arunava in Munich, Chris in Marienfeld
June 8: IndianFootball.Com's extensive coverage of the 2006 FIFA World Cup continues. Editors-in-Chief Arunava Chaudhuri and Chris Punnakkattu Daniel are touring through Germany to cover the big event.
Arunava has arrived in Munich to attend the opening match Germany vs Costa Rica, while Chris was once again in Marienfeld to get all the latest from the Portugese camp.
<Arunava: Pictures from Munich> | <Chris: Pictures from Marienfeld>

Samba fever grips India's soccer capital
June 8: When Ronaldinho catches a cold, soccer fans in Kolkata sneeze. This is no overstatement if one visits Kolkata now - the World Cup countdown has begun in India's Brazil-besotted soccer capital with the otherwise red bastion of Communism turning yellow-green, the colours of the South American nation. In a city where soccer mania has divided the population between archrival clubs East Bengal and Mohun Bagan for several decades, it is Brazil that unites the people when it comes to international soccer, though Argentina still holds up its own. With no Election Commission whip to crack like in case of political graffiti, Kolkata's walls have been painted yellow-green with larger than life figures of Ronaldinho and Ronaldo in various modes of dribbling. England's injury-hit Wayne Rooney and Argentina's Lionel Messi also get a look-in. And, despite Maradona's retirement from soccer, Kolkata's commitment to the Argentinean has not waned. While Kalighat in south Kolkata is the place to spot the best wall graffiti on Brazil and Argentina, many other neighbourhoods have also caught up. It is not just the walls - as a visit to Subhas Sangha Club in Kalighat proves. Here youngsters paint their faces with the colours of Brazil. A few also sport the colours of Argentina and Holland. One can truly mistake the city's Maidan Market in downtown Esplanade area as a something straight out of Rio de Janerio. The rows of sport goods shops here are stocked with yellow and green jerseys of Brazil besides other soccer souvenirs, caps and flags of other playing nations.
'The demand for Brazil jerseys is the highest, followed by Argentina, though other countries are selling well too. The teenagers are experimenting with other European countries but those from the older generation still prefer Brazil,' said a shopkeeper of Maidan Market who is doing brisk business. Sports dressing and fashion is in. The economical Maidan Market apart, in many big and branded outlets, soccer T-shirts are available for a mere Rs.200 while jackets and jerseys retail for Rs.500. Even women clothing items have names and symbols and flags of participating countries, indicating that women are as much fond of football as men. Then, there's the fashion scene. Though David Beckham is no longer England's main man and the World Cup might be his swansong, the 31-year-old midfielder rules the fashion scene with his glamorous lifestyle, dress sense and tattoos as much as his 'Bend it like Beckham' free kicks. A quick survey of the city's beauty parlours and saloons revealed it is Beckham who still calls the shots when it comes to a World Cup hairdo. 'Many youngsters are asking for the current Beckham look. However, guys with long hair prefer Ronaldinho and (Italian Alexandro) Del Pierro. The colours they want for the hair are, however, not shocking green or purple,' Raman Bhardwaj, hair stylist at A.N. John on the city's happening Park Street. Sujit Bhagat at the Habib's outlet on Ho Chi Minh Sarani had a slightly different experience. 'We got someone who wanted a Ronaldo look. Of course, Beckham fans are dropping in for a crew cut (his current style). There are those who still fancy his last Cup's tomahawk (hairstyle).' The city's electricity providers are well aware of the World Cup frenzy and are not taking any chances. 'In case of any breakdown (June 9-July 19) we will deploy additional forces so that power can be restored immediately,' Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation executive director (Distribution) S.S. Sinha assured.
The soccer frenzy is no less intense in other parts of West Bengal, especially in the mini metros. In Siliguri in north Bengal, soccer jerseys and caps are selling by the hundreds. So, why are Bengalis sleeping, eating and dreaming soccer and rooting for Brazil? Why are yellow-green banners, bunting, streamers and festoons waving in the air and why are people endlessly debating on the superiority of the Latin American country? Indian football captain Baichung Bhutia feels Kolkata loves Brazil 'for the sheer style of their play. Of course, Pele is also a big reason'. Said Arup Biswas, a diehard soccer fan and a Brazil supporter: 'I think Kolkata's Brazil conversion dates to the visit of (soccer legend) Pele in 1977 to play a match organised here. And, more than power play, Kolkatans have always been connoisseurs of soccer artistry. So, Brazil is their unanimous choice as it combines 60 percent skill with 40 percent power. Often, the reason behind the support is rooted in India's colonial past.
Said Kolkata-based author Amit Chowdhury: 'I support Brazil for emotional reasons. When it comes to whites playing non-whites, I can't help but support the non-whites.' According to football fan Amar Mitra, 'Brazil is a third world country like ours. That is one reason. But above all we like their brand of soccer'. (IANS)

World Cup fever in Kerala
June 8: In Kerala football fans are as passionate about the game as in Bengal or Goa, sadly the local Keralite football scene hasn't been able to be part of the Indian club football mainstream. But when it is World Cup time they show their passion as the rest of the country.
The city of Tirur hosted to a Fans march ahead of the World Cup, organised by the Malayala Manorama. The march was flagged-off by Indian international MA Abdul Hakkim at the Tirur Ring Road. For the football fans of Malappuram it is a venue to cheer for their favourite football team. Local clubs, fans, the District FA were all part of the March, who had a chance to represent their favourite football team in the March. The best perfomering team of the March wins Rs.5,001 and a trophy, the runners-up will receive Rs.3,001 and a trophy, while the thrid-placed team will get Rs.1,001 and a trophy. The march ended at the Tirur Muncipal Stadium. Around 30 teams participated.
Further Malappuram played host to a Football Gazal today. It was presented by Gazal singer Shabaz Aman. The gazal is on Argentine football legend Diego Armando Maradona. This is the first instance that a Gazal on football has been made. It was held on DTPC Auditorium in Kottakunnil (Malappuram District). Football stars Sharif Ali, Jo Paul Ancheri, CV Pappachan, Chacko, Habibur Rehman etc were at the event. Also at this event the Mathrubhumi newspaper presented their World Cup Special Publication. It has 232 pages on the Football World Cup Football. Football Album, Double Poster, World Cup Fixtures Booklet, etc.There will also be a football Novel on Latin American Football secrets included. This is the first time that a complete football novel is published in Malayalam.
Also the Kerala Sports Minister M Vijayakumar has ordered the District Collectors to place Big Screen in public places, where possible, so that people can watch the World Cup live throughout the state.

Isaksson out of first game
June 8: First-choice goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson will miss Sweden's opening FIFA World Cup match against Trinidad and Tobago after suffering concussion in a training accident, a Swedish team spokesman said on Thursday.

Japan face fresh injury scare
June 8: Japan faced a fresh injury scare on Thursday as playmaker Shunsuke Nakamura left training early because of a painful left hamstring four days before their crucial FIFA World Cup opener against Australia. The 27-year-old, whose pinpoint kicks and passes helped Celtic to the Scottish Premiership title, skipped a shooting session on Wednesday and left the ground with a thick bundle of ice strapped round his left thigh.

Germany lose Ballack for opener
June 8: Germany captain Michael Ballack has lost his battle to be fit for Friday's FIFA World Cup opener against Costa Rica, manager Jurgen Klinsmann said on Thursday. Ballack was forced to pull out of Wednesday's training with his calf injury still troubling him and Klinsmann said his star midfielder would not be available in Munich. "It seems that Michael Ballack cannot play against Costa Rica," Klinsmann said at a press conference on Thursday. "He only trained for 30 minutes on Wednesday and then had to pull out. "We wanted Ballack on board as he is our captain and leader but it is important that he recovers. "We want him to get back to full fitness so that he can be fit for the other games in the competition." Werder Bremen midfielder Tim Borowski and Borussia Dortmund's Sebastian Kehl are thought to be the men in the frame to step in for Ballack against Costa Rica.

France lose Cisse
June 8: Djibril Cisse will miss the FIFA World Cup after fracturing his right leg in France's 3-1 win over China in their final warm-up game on Wednesday. "He is in hospital and he's undergoing surgery," France coach Raymond Domenech told reporters after the match in Saint-Etienne. "It's a vicious blow to all of us. "Everything was going so well. All the players are depressed. Even during the game you could see it. They just lost interest in the game." French Football Federation (FFF) president Jean-Pierre Escalettes told French radio that Cisse had fractured his right fibula and shinbone (tibia). The Liverpool forward was hurt in a clash with a Chinese defender ten minutes into in his team's final outing before they fly out to Germany for the finals on Thursday.

Rooney cleared for England duty
June 8: Wayne Rooney flew back to rejoin his England team-mates at their Baden-Baden base on Wednesday night after being passed fit to take his place in Sven-Goran Eriksson's FIFA World Cup squad. Although a statement from the Football Association was not forthcoming on Wednesday, Rooney's club Manchester United confirmed that the 20-year-old "has a good chance of being fit after the group stage". As stand-by striker Jermain Defoe packs his bags to return home, England are expected to start their finals campaign against Paraguay on Saturday with a front pairing of Michael Owen and Peter Crouch.

Germany inexperienced and unstable
June 7: Germany are heading into the FIFA World Cup with an inexperienced, less-than-stable team whose success is far from certain, captain Michael Ballack has said in a newspaper interview. "We have players that have been on the pitch only sporadically with their club teams. We don't have the choice of players we had in the 1990 World Cup or in the 1996 European Championship," Ballack told German daily Handelsblatt. "As a result the team makes mistakes and is not fixed. For that reason I think there is a little uncertainty as we head into the tournament," he added. "The results and performance in the run-up to the World Cup show that this team is not so stable."

The Netherlands arrives in neighbouring Germany
June 7: A week that began with fears and foreboding news on five key players seems poised to end for the Netherlands on something of a high note. The arrival on German soil of the Dutch squad yesterday certainly appears to have coincided with encouraging developments on the condition of the Marco van Basten's injured players, with all five reporting significant progress as they work their way back to full fitness. Rafael van der Vaart, the longest-standing of all the Netherlands' injury worries, trained with the squad for the first time on Wednesday morning, and the sight of Kew Jaliens and Giovanni van Bronkhorst taking part alongside the Hamburg midfielder was just as encouraging, particularly as both declared themselves "100 per cent ready". Of the other two, who trained separately, Phillip Cocu has assured his manager that he will be fit in time to face Serbia and Montenegro in their tournament opener on 11 June, while Wesley Sneijder – all but written off after limping out of Sunday's 1-1 friendly draw with Australia – admits his own initial pessimism has given way to genuine belief.

Koreans make their entrance
June 7: It has been a long time coming, but the team who shocked the world four years ago have finally arrived. Korea Republic were the last of the non-European contenders to arrive in the host nation, touching down in Cologne at 5pm on 6 June, but they are hopeful that their training stint in Glasgow will prove to have been time well spent. Their new team quarters, after 10 days at Glasgow Rangers' expansive training complex, is Cologne's Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg, where they were greeted by a cordial welcome ceremony.

Chris Punnakkattu Daniel at Portuguese training
June 6: The 2006 FIFA World Cup is set to kick-off on Friday, when hosts Germany take on underdogs Costa Rica.
All participating national teams have already arrived in Germany and are getting ready for the the big event.
IndianFootball.Com Editor-in-Chief Chris Punnakkattu Daniel attended the first press conference of the Portuguese national team at their base 'Klosterpforte', Marienfeld and the inaugural public training session at the Heidewald Stadion, Guetersloh.
IndianFootball.Com will have extensive coverage of the 2006 FIFA World Cup taking place in Germany, where Editors-in-Chief Arunava Chaudhuri and Chris Punnakkattu Daniel are based.
<Picture Gallery - Part 1> | <Picture Gallery - Part 2>

Pele and Maradona to parade before opening match
June 6: A total of 170 FIFA World Cup-winning players including Pele and Diego Maradona will parade at the Allianz Arena before Friday's opening match between Germany and Costa Rica. The pre-match ceremony will see also Pele, who won the FIFA World Cup three times with Brazil, and German super-model Claudia Schiffer carry the FIFA World Cup Trophy into the stadium. The tournament will be opened officially by Germany's chancellor Angela Merkel, following a welcome speech by the president Horst Koehler, said FIFA president Sepp Blatter on Tuesday. Speaking at a news conference, Blatter said Merkel would also attend the 56th FIFA Congress which opens on Wednesday. He said it was FIFA's idea to invite all the players who had won the FIFA World Cup since 1930 to the opening parade. "As far as I know, 170 have said they will be there," said Blatter. The entire 22-man squad of Germany's triumphant 1974 campaign will also be together at the event which, according to weather forecasts in Bavaria, will be blessed by the return of summer after days of cold and wet conditions.

Ballack misses Germany training again
June 6: Germany captain Michael Ballack missed training again on Tuesday due to his troublesome calf, sparking fears that he may lose his fitness race for Friday's FIFA World Cup opener against Costa Rica in Munich. The 29-year-old Ballack picked up the injury in last Friday's 3-0 friendly win over Colombia and can still not put any pressure on his calf.

England waiting for Rooney comeback
June 6: As England held their first training session on German soil, the undoubted star attraction was the man who should know in the next 24 hours if his FIFA World Cup dream is alive or over. Wayne Rooney, who will fly back to Manchester to have a final scan on his fractured metatarsal on Wednesday, took on light exercises involving a little ball work and some sprinting, but nothing like the scissor kick he was pictured performing in England’s final workout before flying to Germany. A crowd of around 500, comprising local schoolchildren and the world's media, gathered at the picturesque Mittelbergstadion set high in the vineyard-covered hills of Buhlertal, just outside England’s tournament headquarters at Baden Baden. All watched in wonder as Rooney and the squad prepared for the finals on a pitch specially prepared for England by the company supplying the turf for the new Wembley Stadium. Rooney was reduced to onlooker status himself after taking part in the early stages of the 90-minute session, while team captain David Beckham (ankle knock) and Arsenal defender Ashley Cole (thigh strain) also skipped the more physical aspects of the workout and concentrated instead on light jogging duties with England physio Gary Lewin.

Cardozo blow for Paraguay
June 6: The experienced Paraguay forward Jose Cardozo could miss the 2006 FIFA World Cup after suffering a calf injury in the recent friendly with Denmark. The veteran of Paraguay's 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cup campaigns tore a muscle in his left calf and suffered severe bruising, and he will not be able to play for three or four weeks according to the squad's medical team. Cardozo actually scored the Paraguayans' goal against Denmark in the 1-1 draw on 27 May.

Costa Rica rocked by injuries
June 6: The timing could hardly be worse. Just two days before taking the field in the opening game at the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany, underdogs Costa Rica have had their preparations disrupted by a spate of injuries to key players. Paulo Wanchope, Gilberto Martinez, Alvaro Mesen and Michael Umana are among those receiving treatment in a bid to be fit for Friday’s curtain-raiser against the host nation.

Trindad&Tobagao pip FC St.Pauli
June 6: After recent losses to the Czech Republic and Slovenia, Caribbean first-timers Trinidad and Tobago ground out a 2-1 win on Monday against Germany third division club FC St Pauli to boost their confidence levels a little. The match was played in front of 20,000 fans at the Millerntor-Stadion in Hamburg and the travelling support went wild after only 14 minutes when Kenwyne Jones opened the scoring. Jason Scotland then doubled their delight with a goal of his own near the interval. Although they never really looked like losing, the expulsion of Trinidadian defender Atiba Charles, some scrambling saves by Clayton Ince and a late penalty from St Pauli left coach Leo Beenhakker with something to think about after a less-than emphatic 2-1 scoreline against admittedly humble opposition.

De Jong and Schaars put on Dutch standby
June 6: Dutch coach Marco van Basten has put midfielders Nigel de Jong and Stijn Schaars on FIFA World Cup standby as his players headed for Germany on Tuesday. De Jong has recovered from the knee surgery that kept him out of the full squad. Schaars was captain of the team that won the U-21 European Championship last Sunday in Portugal. They have been put on standby as a precaution because Philip Cocu, Rafael van der Vaart, Wesley Sneijder and Giovanni van Bronckhorst are all currently injured.

Ballack misses training
June 5: Germany captain Michael Ballack sparked home fears on Monday when he sat out a training session due to a calf complaint, but team doctors said it was just a precautionary measure.

German players received in Berlin
June 5: The stage is set, the curtain is ready to rise and the protagonists can hardly wait for the show to start. Hosts Germany arrived in Berlin on Monday with a spring in their step and to a hero's welcome. The capital of the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ host nation greeted its team with an outpouring of pride and thunderous applause, with several hundred fans gathered outside the team's Schlosshotel Grunewald base camp. National coach Jurgen Klinsmann was also in confident mood, declaring: "We are planning to stay until 10 July." Christoph Metzelder was the first on the scene, the 25—year-old Borussia Dortmund centre-back arriving at the luxury Berlin hotel on Sunday evening, a day earlier than his team-mates. Klinsmann had given the players the weekend off as reward for their hard work, and feels his team are in the best possible shape for the challenge ahead. "We have worked hard and now we are ready to go," he said.

Santa Cruz joins Paraguay team
June 5: Paraguay striker Roque Santa Cruz, who missed most of the Bundesliga season due to an operation on his right knee, is hoping to be fit for the first Group B match against England on Saturday. "Compared to last Friday, today I was much, much better," he told reporters on Monday, surrounded by hundreds of fans at the end of training. "I am not yet 100 per cent but I am moving well and trying to coordinate my movements with the rest of the team," added the Bayern Munich player, who has also recently had tendonitis in the same knee. "We will see what will happen in the next few days. It is important I have started working with the team." Santa Cruz said Paraguay, playing in their third finals in a row, would have to beware every England player.

Linderoth misses training
June 5: Defensive midfielder Tobias Linderoth missed Sweden's training session on Monday with a pulled hamstring while goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson has recovered from a minor back injury.

Nakata angry with team-mates
June 5: Japan's Hidetoshi Nakata has expressed his disappointment with the 'Blue Samurai's' work ethic a week before their opening FIFA World Cup game against Australia. Nakata blasted his team mates for lacking heart after Sunday's stuttering 1-0 win over Malta in their final warm-up game. "We got nothing from the game," fumed Nakata. "It doesn't matter what sort of football you play, unless you run and work for each other it's pointless. Those are basic things." The 29-year-old midfielder has already complained that the atmosphere within the Japanese squad was "too friendly" and said the Asian champions were "not ready" for the FIFA World Cup.