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

STARS IN EUROPE - SIERRA LEONE - CLUB - Kamara wins title with IFK Norrköping

IFK Norrköping Alhaji Kamara

 

Sierra Leone international Alhaji Kamara has his sights set on European Champions League football after helping IFK Norrköping become the new Swedish champions.

His side IFK Norrköping won the league on the last day of the season thanks to a 2:0 away victory over Malmö FF on Saturday, with Kamara starting the game and leaving the pitch in the 90th minute.

It is the first major title of the 21-year-old striker's career.

"I'm so happy for this success and my heart is full of joy," Kamara told BBC Sport.

"I look forward to playing in the Uefa Champions League next year as it'll be a dream come true."

Kamara returned to Sweden in the second half of the season after a brief loan spell with Malaysia team Johor Darul Ta'zim.

He scored six goals in the campaign to help IFK Norrköping win the league title for the first time in 23 years.

"It has been a long journey to achieve this success and we won because we were decipline and hard working," Kamara said.

"I dedicate the success to my family. 

I can't wait to celebrate it with them when I return home this month for vacation.

"The party has already started as we presented the trophy to close to 10,000 fans who were waiting for us at the Norrkoping city square for hours to celebrate with us. 

It was an amazing and emotional moment."

Kamara hopes this latest success will be the start of bigger and better things to come.

"This honour means a lot to me as it's the first major title in my footballing career.

"I hope it'll be the stepping stone for more success to come my way."

Kamara was struggling for playing time when he returned to Sweden from his loan spell in Malaysia but gradually fought his way back into the team and was prolific towards the end of the season, scoring five goals in IFK Norrköping's last four league games.

His compatriot, Mohamed Bangura - formerly of Celtic - scored eight goals in the Swedish league with AIK Stockholm who finished third.

Kamara started his football career with Belvic United - a second tier league side in Sierra Leone - and later joined Kallon FC, owned by the legendary Mohamed Kallon, before he moved to Europe in 2012, joining Norrköping two years later.

 

 

2 Nov 2015
(BBC Sport, Freetown by Mohamed Fajah Barrie)

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