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 RANKING - JULY 2019 FOR AFRICA

Africa Cup 2019


Algeria beat Senegal to win the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt

 

Newly crowned African champions Algeria were the biggest climbers in the latest Fifa rankings published on Thursday.

The Desert Foxes, who beat Senegal to lift the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, moved up 28 places on July's list to go to 40th in the world and fourth in Africa.

Senegal retained top spot on the continent, moving up two places to reach 20th in the world - their best ever ranking.

Nigeria, who won bronze in Egypt, went up 12 places to 33 on the global list and third in Africa.

Tunisia, the other semi-finalists at the Nations Cup, were second in Africa, behind Senegal, but moved down four places to 29th in the world.

Surprise quarter-finalists Madagascar were rewarded for their impressive run in Egypt, moving up 12 places to 96th overall.

Benin - who knocked out Morocco in the last-16 - went up six places to 82nd in the world with Morocco also going up six places to 41st in the world and fifth in Africa.

Nations Cup hosts Egypt went up nine spots to make the top 50, moving up to 49th overall.

Ghana are just below the Pharaohs in 7th on the African list having maintained their position of 50th in the world.

Belgium remained top of the global standings followed by Brazil, France and England.

Africa's Top 10 on July's Fifa rankings (global position and movement in brackets):


1. (20, +2) Senegal
2. (29, -4) Tunisia
3. (33, +12) Nigeria
4. (40, +28) Algeria
5. (41, +6) Morocco
6. (49, +9) Egypt
7. (48, 0) Ghana
8. (53, -2) Cameroon
9. (56, -7) DR Congo
10. (57, +5) Ivory Coast

 

27 Jul 2019
(afrofootball.com + BBC sports.UK)

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