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 - CAPE VERDE - FINAL SQUAD

AFRICA CUP 2015 QUALIFIERS AFRICA CUP 2015

GROUP B - FIXTURES 
18 Jan: vs Tunisia in Ebebiyin
22 Jan: vs DR Congo in Ebebiyin
26 Jan: vs Zambia in Ebebiyin


Cape Verde have named their final 23-man squad for January's Africa Cup of Nations finals in Equatorial Guinea.

Portuguese coach Rui Aguas' squad is made up of entirely overseas-based players, although two ply their trade in Angola.

With Goalkeeper Vozinha and midfielder Calú on the books of Progresso Sambizanga.

The 2015 squad includes 12 players who were part of the team that reached the quarter-finals in South Africa in 2012.

Striker Heldon, who scored the injury-time winner against Angola in 2012 that saw Cape Verde qualify for the last eight, is one of those who has another chance to shine at the Nations Cup.

The Blue Sharks will be preparing in Portugal ahead of the finals that kick-off on 17 January.

They have lined up friendlies against Nations Cup hosts Equatorial Guinea, who are also preparing in Lisbon, as well as Portuguese side Estoril although no dates for games have been fixed yet.

They will then take on Claude LeRoy's Congo-Brazzaville, who are also heading to the Nations Cup finals, in the Senegalese capital Dakar on 10 January.

Cape Verde are due to arrive in Equatorial Guinea a day later before kicking off their Group B campaign against Tunisia on 18 January.


Cape Verde squad:

Goalkeepers: 

Josimar Dias (Vozinha) 
(Progresso Sambizanga, Angola)

Kevin Sousa (Ken) 
(Nacional, Portugal)

Ivan Cruz (Ivan) 
(Gil Vicente, Portugal)


Defenders: 

Carlos Daniel Garca (Kay) 
(Universidade Craiova, Romania)

Carlos Tavares (Carlitos) 
(Apoel Limassol, Cyprus)

Nivaldo Santos (Nivaldo) 
(Teplice, Czech Republic)

Fernando Varela (Varela) 
(Steaua Bucharest, Romania)

Ianique Tavares (Stopira) 
(Videoton, Hungary)

Admilson Barros (Gegé) 
(Marítimo, Portugal)

Jeffrey Fortes (Jeffrey) 
(Dordrecht, Netherlands)


Midfielders: 

Elvis Macedo (Babanco) 
(Estoril-Praia, Portugal)

Sérgio Semedo (Samedo) 
(Olhanense, Portugal)

Luis Carlos Soares (Platini) 
(CSKA Sófia, Bulgaria)

Nuno Monteiro Rocah (Nuno Rocha) 
(Universidade Craiova, Romania)

Tony Varela (Toni) 
(Excelsior, Netherlands)

Carlos Lima (Calú) 
(Progresso Sambizanga, Angola)


Forwards: 

Jorge Djaniny (Djaniny) 
(Santos Laguna, México)

Júlio Tavares (J Tavares) 
(Dijon, Françe)

Ryan Mendes (Mendes) 
(Lille, Françe)

Héldon Ramos (Heldon)
(Sporting, Portugal)

Garry Mendes (Garry) 
(Elche, Spain)

Odair Fortes (Odair) 
(Reims, Françe)

Jailton Alves Miranda (Kuca) 
(Estoril-Praia, Portugal)

 

24 Dec 2014
(BBC Sport UK)

Related countries

Related articles