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 - warm up - Jordan Ayew hat-trick inspires Ghana

Ghana swept aside South Korea 4:0 in their final World Cup warm-up match as striker Jordan Ayew hit a hat-trick after coming on as a substitute.

Ayew, 22, entered the game in the fourth minute for Majeed Waris, who suffered a leg injury. And he opened the scoring with a deflected shot 11 minutes later before Asamoah Gyan scored a fine solo effort. After the break, Ayew rifled in from 20 yards and scored his third from close range with a minute left.

Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah was pleased with his side's performance but remained cautious and played down the significance of the margin of victory. He told the Ghana Football Association's website:  ''It was a good friendly match. 'It's fine we won, but we still have some work to do.

''South Korea attacked really well. Playing against players with good pace, you have to be cautious in the back. We made good use of the counter-attack chances we got. "The scoreline didn't matter to me. 

I am not looking at the scoreline, I am looking at how best I will prepare my team and how we played individually and as a team. "If my team had lost by four goals it would maybe help me to look at the mistakes and correct them before the World Cup."

Ayew's performance will be a boost for Ghana but they will be concerned about Waris, who was in fine form for Valenciennes in the second half of last season.

Waris hit nine goals in 11 games for the French side after joining them on loan from Spartak Moscow and has been tipped to make an impact at the World Cup.

Ghana fans were so excited by their country's dominant display over fellow World Cup finalists South Korea in Miami that in the second half they chanted "we want USA", beckoning on the Black Stars' first opponents in Brazil.

The sides go head to head in Natal on Monday, with Ghana seeking to record a treble over the United States, who they eliminated from the 2006 and 2010 finals.

Ghana will also face Germany and Portugal in Group G.

 

 

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11 Jun 2014
(BBC Sport UK)

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