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 - DAY 17 - LAST SIXTEEN - NETHERLANDS VS MEXICO 2:1

LAST SIXTEEN
29th June 2014

Netherlands vs Mexico 2:1

Lucky dutchmen!

29 Jun 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 17 - LAST SIXTEEN - COSTA RICA VS GREECE 5:4 - win on penalties

LAST SIXTEEN
29th June 2014

Costa Rica vs Greece 5:4

Costa Rica through on penalties.

29 Jun 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - MEXICO - KEY PLAYER - ‪Giovani dos Santos‬ - PROFILE

Giovani dos Santos‬ was born in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Giovani joined FC Barcelona's academy of La Masia at the age of eleven and played for Barcelona's Juvenil A category where he helped his team to make a comeback in the league and win the regional title. 

This title allowed them to participate in the Youth Copa del Rey, where they faced other regional champions, among them their historic arch-rivals, Real Madrid. 

29 Jun 2014

2014 World Cup - squad - Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah dropped big names

Leicester City defender Jeffery Schlupp has been picked in Ghana's preliminary 26-man World Cup squad. The Germany-born Schlupp has only one Ghana cap but his form helped Leicester win promotion to the Premier League. Helsingborg striker David Accam is another surprise inclusion, winning his place after a burst of 10 goals in 10 games for his Swedish club. 

Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah dropped a number of big names, including ex-captain John Mensah and Isaac Vorsah. Michael Essien has been selected for his second World Cup after missing the 2010 tournament through injury, while Asamoah Gyan and Sulley Muntari are on course to appear at the tournament for their third time.

The Black Stars will begin training in Accra on 20 May before travelling to Amsterdam for a friendly against Netherlands on 30 May.
Appiah says he will then prune down his squad to 23 players before heading to the United States of America for the final phase of preparations in Miami.

Ghana's final pre-World cup friendly will be against South Korea in Miami before the team arrives in Maceio, their World Cup base on 11 June, five days before their world cup opener against USA. They will also face Germany and Portugal in Group G.

 

Goalkeepers: 

Fatau Dauda (Orlando Pirates)

Adam Kwarasey (Stromsgodset)

Stephen Adams (Aduana Stars)

 

Defenders: 

Samuel Inkoom (Platanias)

Daniel Opare (Standard Liege)

Harrison Afful (Esperance)

Jeffrey Schlupp (Leicester)

John Boye (Rennes)

Jonathan Mensah (Evian)

Jerry Akaminko (Kisehirspor)

Rashid Sumalia (Mamelodi Sundowns)

 

Midfielders: 

Michael Essien (AC Milan)

Sulley Muntari (AC Milan)

Rabiu Mohammed (Kuban Krasnodar)

Kwadwo Asamoah (Juventus)

Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu (Udinese)

Afriyie Acquah (Parma)

Christian Atsu (Vitesse)

Albert Adomah (Middlesbrough)

Andre Ayew (Marseille)

Mubarak Wakaso (Rubin Kazan)

 

Strikers: 

Asamoah Gyan (Al Ain)

Kevin-Prince Boateng (Schalke 04)

Abdul Majeed Waris (Valenciennes)

Jordan Ayew (Sochaux)

David Accam (Helsingborg)

 

13 May 2014
(BBC Sport, Accra by Michael Oti Adjei)

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