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 - GHANA - SQUAD - Atsu, Wakaso, left out of Ghana squad

Africa Cup 2019 Qualifiers Christia Atsu

 

Christian Atsu has been left out of the 30-man Ghana squad for next month's Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Ethiopia.

The 25-year-old forward is one of several high-profile players omitted by Kwesi Appiah in his first squad since his second coming as Black Stars coach.

Atsu, who signed for newly-promoted English Premier League side Newcastle United this week, is joined on the sidelines by Mubarak Wakaso, Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu and Razak Brimah.

No official explanation has been given for the decision to drop Atsu, Wakaso, Badu and Brimah but Appiah has made it clear that he will cast his net far and wide in search of new talent to take Ghana forward.

Appiah has included seven players from the domestic league in a squad that will also play friendly internationals against the United States and Mexico.

Abdul-Majeed Waris, the striker overlooked by former coach Avram Grant for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Gabon, has been given a chance to revive his international career as a Black Star.

Appiah has also kept faith with regulars such as captain Asamoah Gyan and the Ayew brother, Andre and Jordan.

The Nations Cup qualifier against Ethiopia will take place on 11 June in the second city of Kumasi.

The Black Stars will travel to the US for a date with Mexico in Houston, Texas, on (28 June) and the US in Connecticut (1 July).

 

GHANA SQUAD

Goalkeepers:

Richard Ofori 
(Wa Allstars)

Adam Kwarasey 
(Brondby, Denmark)

Felix Annan 
(Kotoko)

Joseph Addo 
(Aduana Stars)


Defenders:

Harrison Afful 
(Columbus Crew, USA)

Daniel Amartey 
(Leicester City, England)

Lumor Agbenyenu 
(Munich 1860, Germany)

Daniel Darkwah 
(Aduana Stars, Ghana)

John Boye 
(Sivasspor, Turkey)

Rashid Sumalia 
(Al Gharafa, Qatar)

Nicholas Opoku 
(B.Chelsea, Ghana)

Jonathan Mensah 
(Columbus Crew, USA)

Jerry Akaminko 
(Eskiserhispor, Turkey)

Samuel Sarfo 
(Liberty, Ghana)


Midfielders:

Mohammed Abu 
(Columbus Crew, USA)

Afriyie Acquah 
(Torino, Italy)

Isaac Sackey 
(Alanyaspor, Turkey)

Thomas Partey 
(Atletico Madrid, Spain)

Ebenezer Ofori 
(Stuttgart, Germany)

Kingsley Sarfo 
(Sirius, Sweden)

Winful Cobbinah 
(Hearts of Oak)

Yaw Yeboah 
(FC Twente, Holland)

Godsway Donyoh 
(Nordjaelland, Denmark)

Andre Ayew 
(West Ham, England)

Frank Acheampong 
(Anderlecht, Belgium)

Thomas Agyepong 
(NAC Breda, Holland)


Forwards:

Asamoah Gyan 
(Al Alhi, UAE)

Jordan Ayew 
(Swansea City, England)

Majeed Waris 
(Lorient FC, France)

Raphael Dwamena 
(FC Zurich, Switzerland)

 

 

24 May 2017
(BBC Sport UK)

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