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

Fifa - Presidential election candidates confirmed

Seven candidates will stand in FIFA's presidential election on 26 February 2016.

The candidates are: 
Prince Ali bin al-Hussein
Musa Bility
Jerome Champagne
Gianni Infantino
Michel Platini
Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa 
Tokyo Sexwale

 

Trinidadian ex-footballer David Nakhid was not included on the list, despite saying he had submitted his candidacy.

The election is to find a successor to the suspended Sepp Blatter, who is under criminal investigation.

The Swiss 79-year-old announced he would be stepping down in June, with world football's governing body at the centre of a corruption scandal.

 

Analysis from BBC Sport's Richard Conway

"David Nakhid's candidacy has been invalidated due to the fact he only received four valid football association nominations. Candidates require five.

"It is understood one national association nominated both Nakhid and another candidate. 

Under the election rules that would invalidate the nomination.

"Nakhid's camp are believed to be writing to Fifa to demand an explanation as to how and why he has been barred from running."


WHO ARE THE CANDIDATES?

Prince Ali bin al-Hussein (39)
• President of the Jordan Football Association

Musa Bility (48) 
President of the Liberian Football Association

Jerome Champagne (57)
Former FIFA executive

Gianni Infantino (45)
UEFA's general secretary

Michel Platini (60)
UEFA president and FIFA vice-president     

Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa (49)
• President of the Asian Football Confederation

Tokyo Sexwale (62)
A South African former government minister 


Platini, the head of European football's governing body, is also suspended, but FIFA's electoral committee says it may allow him to stand if his ban ends before the election date.

FIFA and Swiss prosecutors are investigating reports that a £1.35m payment was made in 2011 for work Platini did as Blatter's adviser.

Both men deny any wrongdoing and are appealing against their 90-day bans.

All candidates had to obtain the written backing of five football associations under FIFA electoral rules.

 

 

29 Oct 2015
(BBC Sport UK)

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