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

2015 AFRICA CUP - CAF - Platini wants apology

AFRICA CUP 2015

UEFA president Michel Platini is demanding an apology after the Confederation of African Football criticised him for comments on the staging of the Africa Cup of Nations.

CAF accused Platini of "treacherously" interfering after he discussed the impact of the Ebola crisis on the tournament in a TV broadcast.

But the UEFA president insists his comments have been misinterpreted.

CAF says an apology to Platini will not be forthcoming.

The Nations Cup is due to be held in Morocco from 17 January to 8 February, but the host nation have said they wish to postpone the tournament.

Around 4,500 people have died since the Ebola epidemic broke out in west Africa at the start of the year.

CAF issued a strongly worded statement on Tuesday criticising the UEFA president, who they claimed had suggested in the interview that the tournament be postponed - a claim Platini denies.

The confederation stated it did not "intend to let anyone interfere in the management of its affairs".

But Platini responded in a letter to the CAF president Issa Hayatou saying he was deeply upset by the accusations, and demanded a formal apology.

The letter also included a transcript of the interview.

"At no point did I interfere in any way in the affairs of the CAF, and at no point did I call for or support the postponement of the forthcoming Africa Cup of Nations," Platini wrote.

"It is for Mr Hayatou to decide on the question of postponement.

"Public health has to take priority, but it is up to them to decide what to do."

CAF has stated it has no intention of changing the dates and has since approached Ghana, South Africa and up to five other countries about their willingness to host the event should Morocco withdraw.

The confederation is due to meet Moroccan officials on 3 November to discuss the hosting of the tournament.

 

23 Oct 2014
(BBC Sport UK)

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