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

2015 AFRICA CUP QUALIFIERS - GROUP STAGE - IVORY COAST - 5TH MATCHES - PREVIEW

AFRICA CUP 2015 QUALIFIERS GROUP D

The Ivorians are third in Group D ahead of the ties against Sierra Leone on 14 November and Cameroon five days later.

Both matches will be played in Abidjan as Sierra Leone are unable to host their tie due to the ongoing Ebola crisis in their country.

However there is no place on the 24-man list for CSKA Moscow's Seydou Doumbia.

The striker has scored six goals in the Russian league this season to help his side to second in the table after 12 matches.

He has also impressed for CSKA in the European Champions League, twice helping them to beat English champions Manchester City in recent weeks.

Monaco striker Lacina Traore is included in the squad for the first time since a 2014 World Cup qualifier against Senegal in October last year.

Traore is yet to score for his French side Monaco this season, having played just four matches this season for them.

In their last qualifier, the Elephants slumped to a shock 4:3 defeat in Abidjan at the hands of DR Congo.

That result gave the advantage to the Congolese thanks to having scored more away goals in the head-to-head matches between the two sides.

Defender Franck Kessie is suspended for the last two ties after following his dismissal against DR Congo.

Cameroon top the group with 10 points, four ahead of both Ivory Coast and DR Congo - with only the top two sides guaranteed to qualify for the 2015 Nations Cup finals.


IVORY COAST'S SQUAD


GOALKEEPERS:

Sylvain Gbohouo 
(Sewe Sports)

Boubacar Barry 
(Lokeren, Belgium)

Sayouba Mande 
(Stabaek, Norway)

 

DEFENDERS: 

Serge Aurier 
(PSG, France)

Didier Zokora 
(Akhisar Belediyespor, Turkey)

Kolo Toure 
(Liverpool, England)

Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro 
(Toulouse, France)

Diarrassouba Ousmane Viera 
(Rizesport, Turkey)

Brice Dja Djedje 
(Marseille, France)

Siaka Tiéné 
(Montpelier, France)

Wilfried Kanon 
(Ado Den Haag, Netherlands)

Adama Traore 
(Vitoria Guimaraes, Portugal)

 

MIDFIELDERS:

Roger Assale 
(Sewe San Pedro)

Yaya Toure 
(Manchester City, England)

Max-Alain Gradel 
(St Etienne, France)

Ismael Diomande 
(St Etienne, France)

Serey Die 
(Basel, Switzerland)

Cheick Doukore 
(Metz, France)

 

STRIKERS: 

Gervinho 
(Roma, Italy)

Gadji Tallo 
(SC Bastia, France)

Wilfried Bony 
(Swansea, England)

Salomon Kalou 
(Hertha Berlin, Germany)

Gohi Bi Cyriac 
(Anderlecht, Belgium)

Lacina Traore 
(Monaco, France)

 

 

11 Nov 2014
(BBC Sport UK)

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