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 - BURKINA FASO - TRAORE BROTHERS IN SQUAD

AFRICA CUP 2015 QUALIFIERS AFRICA CUP 2015

GROUP A - FIXTURES
17 Jan: vs Gabon in Bata
21 Jan: vs Equatorial Guinea in Bata
25 Jan: vs Congo in Ebebiyin

Burkina Faso coach Paul Put has included brothers Alain and Bertrand Traore in a preliminary 24-man squad for January's Africa Cup of Nations finals.

Bertrand, who is on loan at Dutch club Vitesse Arnhem from Chelsea, missed out on the 2013 Nations Cup when Burkina Faso finished as runners-up.

He was part of the Burkina Faso squad that lost all its matches at the 2012 tournament in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon as a 16-year-old.

Alain missed out on the Stallions' run to the final in 2013 after picking up a thigh injury in the final group game against Zambia.

He had scored three goals in their opening two games in South Africa to ensure their passage to the quarter-finals.

Jonathan Pitroipa, the Player of the Tournament in 2013, is once again included in Put's initial list.

Defender Paul Koulibaly has also retained his squad place, after being recalled for the final qualifier against Angola.

He had been left out of the squad since last year after struggling to play regularly at club level.

Missing from the list is experienced goalkeeper Daouda Diakité, who was absent from the qualifying campaign because of injury.

Defender Issoufou Dayo, who plays for AS Vita Club in DR Congo and was part of the squad for the qualifiers, has also been left out.

Burkina Faso are in Group A at the Nations Cup where they will face hosts Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Congo-Brazzaville.

 

Burkina Faso preliminary squad:


Goalkeepers: 

Germain Sanou 
(Bauvais, France)

Abdoulaye Soulama 
(Hearts of Oak, Ghana)

Moussa Fofana 
(Rail Club du Kadiogo)


Defenders: 

Mohamed Koffi 
(Zamalek, Egypt)

Wilfried Balima 
(Sheriff Tiraspol, Moldova)

Bakary Koné 
(Lyon, France)

Florent Rouamba 
(CA Bastia, France)

Steve Yago 
(Toulouse, France)

Paul Koulibaly 
(Horoya, Guinea)

Narcisse Bambara 
(CF Cluj, Romania)

Issa Gouo 
(As Kaloum, Guinea)


Midfielders: 

Jonathan Zongo
(Almeria, Spain)

Préjuce Nakoulma 
(Mersin, Turkey)

Charles Kaboré 
(Kuban, Russia)

Djakaridja Koné 
(Evian, France)

Abdul Razack Traoré 
(Karakbukspor, Turkey)

Bertrand Traoré 
(Vitesse Arnhem, Netherlands)

Moussa Yedan
(Al Ahly, Egypt)

Adama Guira 
(Sonderyesk, Denmark)


Forwards: 

Jonathan Pitroipa 
(Al Jazira, UAE)

Aristide Bancé 
(HJK Helsinki, Finland)

Issaka Ouédraogo 
(Admira Wacker, Austria)

Alain Traore 
(FC Lorient, France)

Banou Diawarra 
(RC Bobo Dioulasso)

 

23 Dec 2014
(BBC Sport UK)

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