Tag: News

Gazza broke down after costly yellow card in 1990 semi-final ‘I really thought we were going to win that World Cup’ The Geordie genius, then 23, never played another World Cup match “When things are good and I can see they’re about to end, I get scared – really scared. I couldn’t help but cry that night.” Paul Gascoigne’s tears… Read More

One year ago today Jackie Groenen brilliantly settled a France 2019 semi-final She describes that moment and the atmospheres at that tournament Manchester United, Johan Cruyff and the Olympics are also on the menu Jack Groenen will readily admit it: he’s the daddy of football fanatics. His father Jef played for Willem II. He himself made it to the Dutch… Read More

There can be little doubt that the period spanning the late 1970s through to the mid-1990s was a golden era for the Argentinian national team, featuring two FIFA World Cup™ wins, one runners-up spot and two triumphs in the Copa America. Both continental successes came under the steady hand of coach Alfio Basile, whose team travelled to USA 1994 as… Read More

Central African Republic have never participated in AFCON or Word Cup finals Coach Francois Zahoui eyes maiden AFCON participation Les Fauves approaching qualifiers without inferiority complex Traditionally one of the weakest teams in Africa, Central African Republic have yet to reach the CAF Africa Cup of Nations, let alone a FIFA World Cup™. But over the past ten years, Les… Read More

Almoez Ali has had a string of successes with Qatar Striker competed at U-20 World Cup and won Asian Cup, finishing top-scorer Also took part in Copa America and hopes to shine at Qatar 2022 Almoez Ali’s career to date can be measured by some key footballing milestones. After taking part in the FIFA U-20 World Cup New Zealand 2015™,… Read More

Sebastian Abreu pictured scoring winning penalty in 2010 shoout-out​ His impudent ‘Panenka’ sent Uruguay through to the semis ten years ago today ​Lugano: “He’s as mad as he is intelligent” It was one of the most memorable moments in FIFA World Cup™ history. Sebastian Abreu had the responsibility of returning Uruguay to the semi-finals for the first time in four… Read More

​Tim Howard made an unprecedented 16 saves against Belgium in Salvador He could have saved dinosaurs, the Titanic and Private Ryan, said Twitter! Howard was listed as the American Secretary of Defence on Wikipedia! “I mostly felt sadness and anger. Some numbness.” These are not the first words you might think would fall to a player’s lips when discussing the… Read More

Congo DR boast Cedric Bakambu, Yannick Bolasie and Arthur Masuaku They are above Côte d’Ivoire on the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking Christian Nsengi-Biembe discusses his side’s Qatar 2022 qualification hopes Africa’s first participation in a FIFA World Cup™ came at Italy 1934, with Egypt its pathfinders. Almost four decades would pass before the ‘Mother Continent’ enjoyed its second appearance, courtesy of… Read More

Kyrgyz Republic have fared well in World Cup qualifying Central Asians are trailing leaders Japan Forward Mirlan Murzaev aims to fire country to Qatar 2022 On the surface, a FIFA World Cup™ berth is not something which countries like Kyrgyz Republic dare dream of. The Central Asians, ranked 96 in the current FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, have never reached even the… Read More

​Ronaldo won the FIFA World Cup Final for Brazil today in 2002 Holding and kissing gold ‘It wasn’t about Rivaldo, Ronaldinho or Ronaldo’ Ronaldo had barely kicked a ball in two-and-a-half years. Brazil had barely booked their place at Asia’s first FIFA World Cup™. After 30 days in the Far East, however, O Fenômeno held the adidas Golden Boot and… Read More