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

NATIONAL TEAM - NIGERIA - Carl Ikeme in squad

AFRICA CUP 2017 QUALIFIERS Carl Ikeme

 

New Super Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh has stuck largely with the same squad as predecessor Stephen Keshi.

But there are recalls for UAE-based forward Emmanuel Emenike, Werder Bremen striker Anthony Ujah and midfielders Lukman Haruna and Obiora Nwankwo.

Chelsea midfielder John Mikel Obi and winger Victor Moses miss out.

Académica de Coimbra's Nwankwo has been overlooked since the country's Nations Cup win in 2013, while Anzhi Makhachkala's Haruna has not played for his country since the 2010 World Cup.

There is no place for Watford striker Odion Ighalo.

He was in the squad for Nigeria's first 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier and scored in a 2:0 win over Chad in June.

Captain Vincent Enyeama will lead the 18 foreign-based players to Abuja where they are expected to join up with 23 Nigeria-based players by 31 August.

"Coach Oliseh has fulfilled his promise that only players playing regularly at the top level will be invited," Nigeria Football Federation spokesman Ademola Olajire told BBC Sport.

"This is a new opportunity for some old players as well players who have been on the fringes of the squad.

"The locally-based players are already in Abuja, now the preparations can truly begin for Mr Oliseh and his players."


Nigeria 18-man foreign squad:

 

Goalkeepers: 

Vincent Enyeama 
(Lille, France) 

Carl Ikeme 
(Wolverhampton Wanderers, England)


Defenders: 

Leon Balogun 
(FSV Mainz 05, Germany) 

Kingsley Madu 
(AS Trencin, Slovakia)

Godfrey Oboabona 
(Rizespor, Turkey)

William Troost Ekong 
(FK Haugesund, Norway)

Kenneth Omeruo 
(Kasimpasa, Turkey)


Midfielders: 

Joel Obi 
(Torina FC, Italy) 

Izunna Ernest Uzochukwu 
(FC Amkar Perm, Russia)

Obiora Nwankwo 
(Coimbra FC, Portugal)

Lukman Haruna 
(Anzhi, Russia)

Rabiu Ibrahim 
(AS Trencin, Slovakia)


Forwards: 

Ahmed Musa 
(CSKA Moscow, Russia)

Emem Eduok 
(Esperance, Tunisia)

Emmanuel Emenike 
(Al Ain, UAE)

Anthony Ujah 
(Werder Bremen, Germany)

Sylvester Igboun 
(FC UFA, Russia)

Moses Simon 
(KAA Gent, Belgium)

 

 

18 Aug 2015
(BBC Sport, Nigeria by Oluwashina Okeleji)

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