NATIONAL TEAM - SWITZERLAND - 2014 WORLD CUP - Goodbye, Ottmar Hitzfeld. All the best and take care.

Hitzfeld has made a positive impression wherever he has been stationed and his name is still regularly chanted in the stands at Bayern Munich.

“He put together a really good team that will last for many years to come,” Granit Xhaka told FIFA.com, before Josip Drmic added: “He’s done a great job.” 

2 Jul 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 19 - LAST SIXTEEN - ARGENTINA VS SWITZERLAND 1:0

LAST SIXTEEN
1st July 2014

Argentina vs Switzerland 1:0

1 Jul 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 19 - LAST SIXTEEN - BELGIUM VS USA 2:1

LAST SIXTEEN
1st July 2014

Belgium vs USA 2:1

1 Jul 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - ARGENTINA - KEY PLAYER - ‪LIONEL MESSI - PROFILE

Lionel Andrés Messi; born 24 June 1987, is an Argentine footballer who plays as a forward for Spanish club FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team. He serves as the captain of his country's national football team.

By the age of 21, Messi had received Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations. The following year, in 2009, he won his first Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards. 

1 Jul 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - USA - KEY PLAYER - ‪JERMAINE JONES - PROFILE

Jermaine Junior Jones, born 3 November 1981, is a German-American footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Turkish club Beşiktaş. He has previously played for Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayer Leverkusen, Blackburn Rovers and Schalke 04. He was born in Germany and represented them at U21 and senior level.

1 Jul 2014
NATIONAL TEAM - NIGERIA - COACH - STEPHEN KESHI RESIGNS AFTER EXIT

He becomes the sixth manager to leave his job during the World Cup, following the departures of Honduras's Luis Suarez, Iran's Carlos Queiroz, Japan's Alberto Zaccheroni, Italy's Cesare Prandelli and Ivory Coast's Sabri Lamouchi.

Keshi, who captained Nigeria at the 1994 World Cup finals, was previously in charge of Mali and Togo.

1 Jul 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 18 - LAST SIXTEEN - FRANCE vs NIGERIA 2:0

LAST SIXTEEN
30th June 2014

France vs Nigeria 2:0

30 Jun 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 18 - LAST SIXTEEN - GERMANY vs ALGERIA 2:1

LAST SIXTEEN
30th June 2014

Germany vs Algeria 2:1

30 Jun 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - GERMANY - KEY PLAYER - THOMAS MUELLER‬ - PROFILE

Müller's role can be described as an attacking all-rounder, a player able to play in a variety of forward positions. He can play in any of the attacking midfield roles but usually plays in the center for Bayern Munich, and on the right for Germany.

He has been used as an out-and-out striker on occasion. Müller has been praised for his maturity, pace, technique, awareness and positioning.

30 Jun 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - FRANCE - KEY PLAYER - ‪KARIM BENZEMA - PROFILE

He has been named French Player of the Year twice for his performances in 2011 and 2012. Benzema is a former French youth international and has represented his nation from under-17 level onwards. 

Benzema has earned over 65 caps and represented France at three major international tournaments; the 2008 and 2012 editions of the UEFA European Football Championship and the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

30 Jun 2014

2014 World Cup - squad - Shola Ameobi in provisional Nigeria squad

Odemwingie has been recalled to the Super Eagles after ending his feud with coach Stephen Keshi. The pair fell out after Odemwingie was omitted from Keshi's 2013 Africa Cup of Nations squad. Odemwingie, 32, last played for Nigeria in a goalless draw against Rwanda in February 2012.

Also handed a recall is captain Joseph Yobo, 33, who has not played for Nigeria since they won the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa last year. John Mikel Obi of Chelsea and Liverpool's Victor Moses lead a cast of 19 returning players from the Nations Cup squad despite both struggling for first-team football, but Hull's Sone Aluko is left out.

The three-time African champions will face Scotland in a friendly on 28 May at Craven Cottage, before they depart for their training camp in Houston, Texas. They will also play friendly internationals against Greece and the United States in June as part of their warm-up for this year's World Cup.

The West Africans will play Greece in Philadelphia on 3 June then face USA in Jacksonville, Florida on 7 June. The deadline to name the final 23-man squad is 2 June. Nigeria will face Argentina, Iran and Bosnia in Group F of this summer's tournament in Brazil.

Provisional Nigeria squad

Goalkeepers: 

Vincent Enyeama (Lille FC, France)

Austin Ejide (Hapoel Be'er Sheva, Israel)

Daniel Akpeyi (Warri Wolves)

Chigozie Agbim (Gombe United)

Defenders: 

Elderson Echiejile (AS Monaco, France)

Efe Ambrose (Celtic, Scotland)

Godfrey Oboabona (Rizespor, Turkey)

Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves)

Kenneth Omeruo (Middlesbrough, England)

Juwon Oshaniwa (Ashdod FC, Israel)

Joseph Yobo (Norwich City, England)

Kunle Odunlami (Sunshine Stars)

 

Midfielders: 

John Mikel Obi (Chelsea, England)

Ramon Azeez (Almeria FC, Spain)

Ogenyi Onazi (SS Lazio, Italy)

Joel Obi (Parma, Italy)

Nnamdi Oduamadi (Varese, Italy)

Ejike Uzoenyi (Enugu Rangers)

Nosa Igiebor (Real Betis, Spain)

Sunday Mba (CA Bastia, France)

Reuben Gabriel (Waasland-Beveren, Belgium)

Michael Babatunde (Volyn Lutsk, Ukraine)

 
Forwards : 

Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow, Russia)

Shola Ameobi (Newcastle United, England)

Emmanuel Emenike (Fenerbahce, Turkey)

Obinna Nsofor (Chievo Verona, Italy)

Peter Odemwingie (Stoke City, England)

Michael Uchebo (Cercle Brugge, Belgium)

Victor Moses (Liverpool, England)

Uche Nwofor (Heerenveen, Netherlands)
 
7 May 2014
BBC Sport by Oluwashina Okeleji

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