Spain and Barcelona Have No Plan B!

"I don't know." That was what Swiss center back Philippe Senderos replied when asked how to beat Spain  and it was a logical enough response. After all, it seemed like the impossible task.

Spain's coach Vicente del Bosque had spent the last year desperately trying to escape the favorites' tag that he described as a terrible trap, but he knew he was fighting a losing battle. It was about the only battle he did lose. Since he took over, Spain had won 23 of 24 games entering the World Cup. Only once had it been beaten -- against the U.S. in the semifinal of the Confederations Cup last summer.

It wasn't just del Bosque either -- the run stretched right back to an Andres Iniesta-goal at Old Trafford in 2007. Spain had lost just once in 49 matches. It had won the European Championships in brilliant style, finally ending a 44-year wait for international success, and had qualified for the World Cup with 10 wins out of 10 -- a feat never before achieved. No wonder everyone had them down as favorite this time. Real favorite.

Which is more than could be said for Switzerland. If Spain were 4/1 to win the World Cup according to the bookies, Switzerland were 175/1. The Swiss had qualified, sure, but the teams that failed to get through their qualifying group were Luxembourg, Israel, Latvia and Moldova. Hardly giants of the European game. At home against Luxembourg they had even managed to lose 2-1. And as Senderos admitted, half the players can't even communicate with each other -- the country is divided between German, French and Italian speakers.

Only, it turns out that Senderos did know how to beat Spain. "All you can do against them is run and run, defend well, sit deep and hope to catch them on the break," he said, by way of excuse. Thing is, it wasn't an excuse, it was a game plan. That is pretty much exactly how they beat Spain Wednesday -- in what must rank as one of the greatest World Cup upsets ever.

This defeat was faintly absurd. Well over 60 percent of the possession, 23 shot attempts and the goal happens like that? What, some are asking, is the point of pretty passing if a prosaic punt does the trick?

Well, a prosaic punt and a spot of slapstick. A long goal kick by the Swiss, nodded down by forward Eren Derdiyok. Followed by Blaise Nkufo's pass, a bounce off a knee, through the gap, Spain's goalkeeper Iker Casillas sprinting out and missing it, defender Gerard Pique falling over and getting a boot in his face. The ball squirmed through until eventually Gelson Fernandes bundles his way past to nudge it home as everyone tumbles around the area. And suddenly it's 1-0. Suddenly, Spain is on its way to an opening match defeat -- and no team has ever lost its opening game and gone on to win the World Cup.

It's tempting to write it off as an accident --which, of course, it was. But in a way it wasn't either -- even if the Swiss goal should have been played out to a soundtrack of drum rolls and cymbal crashes.

The Swiss have now gone over eight hours without conceding a goal, and while Spain had lost only once in almost 50 games, that one defeat came rather like this one did. On the break against a well-organized, aggressive, fast team. For Barcelona fans -- and the style that Spain have adopted is, with Xavi Hernandez at the heart of it all, very much Barcelona's style -- there was an even more recent and equally painful example: Barcelona's defeat against Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan in the Champions League semifinal.

Because, like Barcelona, while Spain were dominant, they were also wasteful and worryingly toothless. There were few genuinely clear chances. Of Spain's 23 shots, only eight were on target. David Villa looked a little flat, midfielder Sergio Busquets lacked fluidity, and even Xavi was unable to find the passes he normally does. As one commentator put it: "even Casillas seems not to be a Saint any more".

When Jesus Navas came on, he produced more crosses than anyone else in tournament so far. But few found their way to a waiting teammate. When Fernando Torres came on he was quick, but often too quick to control the ball, bundling his way through it, watching it escape him. When Cesc came on ... well, Cesc didn't come on.

Not that it was all about Spain. Because Switzerland, like Inter and so many teams at this World Cup (and in a way it is a pity), appeared to find a way to counteract a more talented team. A draw would have been brilliant for the Swiss. The winning goal was a bonus.

For Spain it was a kick in the teeth. It should still get through the group, but finishing second -- which looks likely now, after the impressive performance of Chile -- would in all probability see it play Brazil straight away. Spain can beat Brazil and it might well have had to beat them anyway if the Spanish were to reach their objective of winning the tournament. But no one expected to have to do it just yet.

Then there's the potential twin consequences of the defeat: has Spain lost its veneer of invincibility? And has everyone else learned how to beat them? Fundamentally, Spain was unlucky but it was also confronted by problems it couldn't overcome either here or at last summer's Confederations Cup. Does Spain now have to learn a different way round defensive sides who come and park the bus? Del Bosque has spent the last year trying to persuade everyone that Spain isn't favorite despite what they might think. Today, for the first time, they might even agree with him.

WC 2010 Day 6 : Video Highlights

Chile 1 Honduras 0
Playing El Loco Bielsa’s highly anticipated formation, Chile looked arguably the smoothest team of World Cup 2010 so far, exchanging passes easily and generally looking like a team that knew their plan of attack. Honduras, on the other hand, struggled to get past the halfway line, and it’s a minor miracle they didn’t concede more. Chile’s goal came in the 34th minute through a mixture of good football and luck.



Spain 0 Switzerland 1
Spain had all the possession, but Switzerland had all the goals. Well, just the one goal, from Gelson Fernandes. And it wasn't pretty. But it was one more than Spain managed. Incredible stuff and the biggest upset in this tournament, so far.



Uruguay 3 South Africa 0
This wasn’t the same Uruguay team that played for a dull draw against France. Instead, this was a Uruguay team interested in scoring goals. South Africa had a couple of moments too. From the seconds, Forlan scored a cracker on 24th minute, the stage was set for Forlan and Uruguay to shine. Forlan clearly was the key man who runs the show for Uruguay. When he converted a nicely taken penalty on 76th minute the contest was over beyond any doubt. The misery wasn’t over for the host, in fifth minute of added time, Luis Suarez crossed for Álvaro Pereira to knock home a third. So, 3-0 to Uruguay, who suddenly look very strong with four points from two games in Group A, and South Africa are in imminent danger of being the first host nation to fail to advance beyond the group stage.

Milito Transfer Under Investigation

The Italian football federation have confirmed they are investigating irregularities in the transfer of Diego Milito and Thiago Motta from Genoa to Inter Milan and will question both clubs' presidents.

The case centres around the involvement of Genoa owner and president Enrico Preziosi who is banned from footballing activities for five years but has claimed to have instigated the sale of the duo to Inter.

Milito scored 30 times for Inter last season and was instrumental in them winning the treble, with goals in the Champions League final, the Coppa Italia final and the last game of the campaign where victory secured the Serie A title.

A spokesperson for the Italian federation (FIGC) confirmed to Press Association Sport that their disciplinary committee have called Preziosi and Inter president Massimo Moratti up for questioning and revealed that more information could be forthcoming. However, she refused to comment on reports suggesting the Nerazzurri could be stripped of one of their titles.

Preziosi was handed a five-year ban in May 2005 after he was found to be heavily involved in the club bribing Venezia to throw a match against Genoa.

The Grifone, who had just been promoted to Serie A for the first time in 10 years, were relegated to the third division.

The FIGC have known about a possible contravening of the ban for almost a year after Preziosi told local TV channel Telenord: "I saw Moratti at breakfast, we reached an agreement on the valuation of the two players and we shook hands.

"Between us there is a lot of sympathy and there could be other collaborations in the future."

Source: Press Association

WC 2010 Day 5 : Video Highlights

Slovakia 1 New Zealand 1
New Zealand looked heading for heroic loser status, trailing 1-0 to Slovakia with time running out. But then Shane Smeltz crossed the ball into the Slovakia box in the 93rd minute and Winston Reid rose highest and headed home to make it a dramatic 1-1, The All Whites' first ever point in World Cup history, so no matter what happens in the games against Italy and Paraguay, they are going back home as heroes.



Portugal 0 Ivory Cost 0
Portugal and Ivory Coast had to make do with a point apiece in Port Elizabeth. Cristiano Ronaldo, who has not scored an international goal in 16 months, was denied by the woodwork wheb he rattled a post with a blistering early strike, but that was as close as his side came to snatching victory. Even Didier Drogba's arrival as a second-half substitute, to the delight of the crowd, could not separate the sides as each attempted to gain the upper hand in Group G ahead of their respective encounters with Brazil.



Brazil 2 North Korea 1
Brazil had big anticipation leading up to kickoff. It's a clash between David and Goliath, a mismatch perhaps. However North Korea did prove their worth and scare off the mighty Brazil. It took Brazil 55 minutes to break the deadlock with Maicon's wonder goal. In the end it was 2-1 for Brazil, but Yun-Nam Ji will be a national hero back in North Korea.

Is this the Worst World Cup ever?

Okay, so we’ve only had the first week of the World Cup, but let’s be honest, with the exception of the Germany game, most of the matches have been rather disappointing. In fact a few of them have been shockingly poor.

Is this just a blip? A slow start to the tournament as the players adjust to the altitude? Or something more endemically wrong with the best sporting tournament in the world. Hopefully..

The number of column inches devoted for the weeks leading up to the World Cup really inflate our expectations. Then add every brand and supermarket jumping on the bandwagon and from the start of May you can’t move without seeing football players' cheesy grin at every turn and corner.

With this amount of hot air it’s inevitable that we will be disappointed by what the World Cup actually delivers. Does that mean it’s a worse World Cup? Maybe not in real terms but in terms of how much we actually enjoy it, the answer is “yes”.

Worse still, the media attention inevitably burdens most footballers with an exceptional amount of pressure. I think this is certainly the case with the England team. Let’s hope Robert Green has helped get that out of the squad’s system!

France and Portugal are arguably only at this tournament because FIFA conveniently seeded the playoffs after it was clear these big guns were in them! Whose fault is that? Probably ours, the fans – at the very least the wider public.

Although we say we want to see the underdogs do well, as long as that wasn’t at the expense of the big teams. We want to see the best players and the biggest nations on the biggest stage, yet we’re also guilty of complaining that it’s become predictable – with the ‘same old teams’. So, FIFA feel like they have to protect what we want, and make decisions accordingly but worryingly.

It’s not that players are saving themselves for club football… they genuinely care for their countries. The problem is that the standards of club football are so high that we’re always disappointed that a team of players who have spent no more than a few weeks together can’t play as a team – remember what a difference it made to South Korea when Hiddink had the squad together for months before World Cup?

Club football is also now too big a physical burden on the modern player. So many players are injured or carrying knocks going into the World Cup, it will inevitably affect performances. Maybe more players will be taking a leaf out of Paul Scholes’ book and retiring from international football.

There are no guarantees that great players at club level will have the same effect on their country. Most often then not, they tend to disappoint at the international level, because they just don’t have the same quality of players around them. Honestly, Internationals just aren’t “up a level” from the Champions League at club level.

Finally, for the benefit of everyone’s entertainment and sanity, the organizers have to ban the vuvuzelas. They drown out all the chants, they make your TV sound like it’s broken, and they were originally invented to scare off baboons!

WC 2010 Day 4 : Video Highlights

Holland 2 Denmark 0
It wasn’t quite Germany 4-0 Australia, and it wasn’t the fluid Oranje football we were all hoping to enjoy, but the Holland made a decent start to World Cup 2010 by comfortably beating Denmark 2-0.



Japan 1 Cameroon 0
Ladies and gentlemen we have our first upset of World Cup 2010. Cameroon were (and maybe still are) many people’s pick to take second place in Group E and advance to the knockouts. Almost no one picked Japan, in part because the team had never won a World Cup match outside Japan. But all that changed today as the Blue Samurai beat the not so Indomitable Lions 1-0 in Bloemfontein.




Italy 1 Paraguay 1
After the initial scare by Paraguay with a goal, Italy manage to get back into the game. Although Buffon was substituted after the break but Italy was more interested in scoring goals. Eventually, De Rossi scored and made it 1-1 till the final whistle. A good result for both teams.

Mourinho: Come to me Stevie!

There is a real possibility of Gerard joining Mourinho at the Bernabeu. Real Madrid are confident Steven Gerrard wants to join Jose Mourinho's Bernabeu revolution, according to reports in Spain.

The nine-time European Cup winners have sounded out the Liverpool captain's agent Struan Marshall several times and believe the player is open to the move, says daily sports paper AS.

However, Madrid are reluctant to pay anywhere near the mooted £25million asking price for a player who recently turned 30.

Mourinho wants to add experience, but Bernabeu president Florentino Perez has made it clear they cannot afford to match last summer's lay-out of more than £200m.

Interest in Ashley Cole has cooled because of the high fee that Chelsea would demand, with a move for Lazio's Alexander Kolarov - a Manchester City target - thought to be imminent.

Madrid are also in a strong position to sign right back Maicon from Inter Milan and winger Angel di Maria from Benfica, leaving the central midfield position as their most pressing headache.

They have put aside plans to sign Daniele de Rossi for now because of Roma's insistence that the midfielder is not for sale and they will not pay over the odds for Gerrard.

Valencia's David Silva has been presented as an alternative - as has the fanciful option of signing Cesc Fabregas from Arsenal - while Athletic Bilbao's Javi Martinez, Inter Milan's Thiago Motta and Bayern Munich's Bastian Schweinsteiger are also in their sights.

Riquelme: It's Hammer Time!

It could be Hammer time for Riquelme! Argentina playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme is considering a move to West Ham United.

The gifted 31-year-old is out of contract at Boca Juniors and has stalled on an expected move to Brazilian side Flamengo because of a raft of interest from South American and European sides.

Renewing with his current side is not out of the question, but Riquelme is also said to have an offer from a second, unnamed English side.
The former Villarreal star almost signed for Everton three years ago, but instead clinched a move from Spain back to his homeland.

Fiery Riquelme missed out on Argentina's World Cup party after a clash with coach Diego Maradona.

Brazilian sides Cruzeiro and Flamengo are also interested, as are Mexico's Atlas, and Buenos Aires side Racing Club de Avellaneda.

Flamengo are believed to have offered him a two-and-a-half year deal worth £45,000 a week.

Freebies: Raul & Ballack to Man Utd?

Sir Alex Ferguson has entered the race to sign free agent Michael Ballack after the midfielder's release from Barclays Premier League champions Chelsea.

The Manchester United boss plans to offer the injured Germany captain a one-year contract at Old Trafford with an option of a 12-month extension, according to reports.

With reports suggesting United's American owners are over a £1billion in debt, resources could be thin for Ferguson this summer, who may be forced to scour the free market having already spent £7.5million on Mexican recruit Javier Hernandez.

Manchester United also have been linked with a move for Real Madrid striker Raul should he be allowed to leave on a free transfer.

Real president Florentino Perez is believed to be ready to give the 32-year-old a golden handshake to leave the club this summer.

However, while he is admired by Sir Alex Ferguson, sources at Old Trafford believe Raul is too old to make a significant impact on the Premier League.

Al Fayed keen to keep Hodgson

The Fulham owner Mohamed Al Fayed would give Roy Hodgson "anything he wants" to stay at Craven Cottage as the club's manager next season despite speculation linking him with the vacant post at Liverpool.

"I don't think he'll leave me," Fayed said. "I'm sure he'll have lots of approaches from other clubs, but I give him anything he wants to reach results and we have a very good relationship."

Fayed sold Harrods for £1.5bn in May but told the Guardian at the time he remained committed to the club. "If you own a football club you have to be really involved and committed," he said. "That is very important and it's the same in any business. When I get to the club my mood is always lifted. I am also a fan. And so I have a tremendous feeling of being committed and helping give pleasure to all the supporters and players."

Hodgson's star has risen dramatically over the past couple of years, first by keeping Fulham in the Premier League and then steering the London club into Europe and, last season, into the Europa League final in a remarkable run.

The Liverpool club may be about to step up their search for Rafael Benítez's successor by opening talks with the 62-year-old before he heads out to South Africa for a stint as a World Cup pundit. But Fayed, who appointed Hodgson in December 2007, believes Hodgson has no reason to leave the club.

Source: Press Association

WC 2010 Day 3 : Video Highlights

Algeria 0 Slovenia 1
Not quite as bad as Robert Green’s spill yesterday. Because Koren’s shot was aimed at the corner rather than right at Chaouchi. But it’s still a goalkeeping disaster. Maybe Green and Chaouchi should form a Facebook group tohether.



Serbia 0 Ghana 1
Seems like the best tactic for a result at World Cup 2010 is to wait for the other team to screw up. Think of England's Robert Green against and Algeria's Faouzi Chaouchi against Slovenia. Ghana and Serbia were fairly and evenly matched in today's Group D opener, but Ghana emerged victorious mostly thanks to silly mistakes from Serbia's Aleksandar Lukovic and Zdravko Kuzmanovic



Germany 4 Australia 0
It was an impressive performance from young German side. Prior to the match, nobody could have imagine they were going to crush Socceros as they did in the match. Easily, could have been six or seven goals, but four goals were more than enough to see off their opponent. The highest scoring game so far, in this tournament.

Vuvuzelas: Local Color or Curse?

Unless someone has been living under a rock since the start of the World Cup in South Africa, there can't be many people on the planet who are not aware of what a vuvuzela is.

They are loud, they are colorful, but now they are also attracting an increasing number of complaints, and South Africa's World Cup organizers are having to look at the subject once again.

Even prior to the tournament there were calls for the vuvuzela to be banned, with FIFA claiming it could be used as a potential weapon. The South African organizers stood their ground, but with their World Cup stock falling, and a flood of complaints coming in, they're once again looking at the possibility of sanctions against these "instruments."

So far, senior figures inside of football have been underwhelmed by the quality of the tournament—between bouts of sickness, heating various camps, low-key matches, and non-sellout grounds, the tournament itself has failed to ignite, and the vuvuzela is being lined up as the scapegoat.

Already the complaints against the vuvuzela have come from about every possible angle.

Many fans have complained that the constant sound of the horn-like instrument has so far drowned out much of the atmosphere-generating singing usually associated with games.

Broadcasters have complained that they've had to alter volume levels, turning down stadium noise, against commentary noise, to make the commentary clearer, and to drown out the vuvuzela, after complaints from viewers.

And even the players are complaining, citing the inability to communicate on the field, because of the cacophony, for the poor showing in the early matches.

However, it takes an even more sinister twist, with various players complaining that South African fans are congregating near to their hotels and keeping them awake at nights, with their constant blaring.

Amongst the critics, France captain Patrice Evra said, "We can't sleep at night because of the vuvuzelas," and "We can't hear one another out on the pitch because of them."

Under growing pressure, after the poor start to the tournament, South Africa's World Cup organising chief Danny Jordaan has stated that they might ban vuvuzelas from inside stadiums.

Jordaan, who admitted he was not a huge fan of them himself, stated, "It's something we are evaluating on an on-going basis."

So what's the verdict, are vuvuzelas just a bit of local color, or the curse of the cup?

Diego Maradona Is Back!

I knew I’d enjoy Diego Maradona’s contribution to World Cup 2010, but I thought it would be more about his crazy antics like running over cameramen, making diva-ish requests and gifting us brilliant quotes. I dind’t think it would be for his tactics.

Yet that’s exactly what happened yesterday, when Maradona fielded easily the most attacking line up of the World Cup so far, and Argentina beat Nigeria 1-0. El Diego’s starting XI featured the following attacking players: Angel Di Maria, Juan Veron, Gonzalo Higuain, Leo Messi, Carlos Tevez and Jonas Gutierez, with the latter playing out of position at right back. That’s six players (over half the team) who can only be described as either attackers or creators. It would be an attacking galore if all the coaches in World Cup practice this.

Obviously that’s not realistic. Coaches want to win things, getting organized and balanced is usually what does the trick. It takes a crazy person to field that many attacking players with only Javier Mascherano to keep the defenders company. Fortunately Diego Maradona is such a crazy person. If only the other 31 coaches were equally crazy, then this would be the best World Cup ever.

Another thing is, after Leo Messi’s performance against Nigeria, we can now finally stop saying that Maradona is failing to get Messi playing well. Although he didn't score but he finally looked and played like the Leo Messi we all knew. It's about time for him to shine in the biggest stage of all.

Hopefully, yesterday's win was not a fluke.

Vamos, vamos Argentina!

WC 2010 Day 2 : Video Highlights

Argentina 1 Nigeria 0

The story for Argentina was Vincent Enyeama, his magical saves bailed his defense out a number of times and kept his team in the game right until the final whistle. No greater anticipation than, that surrounding Leo Messi and in stark contrast to many saddled with the weight of high expectation, he delivered. Maybe not with a goal, though it certainly wasn't for lack of trying. If he can maintain his form and be more clinical, this World Cup will belongs to him.

England 1 USA 1

Captain Fantastic done his job.

The hype, the media circus, the promise of a renewed power and a plucky upstart and it was all defined by one man, one ball, one howler. Of course like a classic, Green’s howler will be unforgettable!

South Korea 2 Greece 0

South Korea's accomplished and stylish display saw off a lacklustre Greece side 2-0 in the Group B opener thanks to goals from Lee Jung-Soo and Park Ji-Sung.

WC 2010 Day 1 : Video Highlights

South Africa 1 Mexico 1

Brilliant finish from Tshabalala on his 50th Bafana Bafana appearance though, and excellent dance too.

South Africa captain Aaron Mokoena will surely be annoyed with himself for failing to push out with his teammates and catch Marquez offside, but Mexico’s captain took full advantage and scuffed the ball home.

France 0 Uruguay 0

Please don’t take “highlights” at face value – there were very few, if any, to be honest. It was a very boring, very frustrating ninety minutes of football. France spent the game dominating the ball going forward, but looking for space which simply wasn't there. Simply a great defensive performance, it was well and truly a story of Uruguay’s defense and France’s inability to formulate any ideas.

The Wait Is Over! But Who Will Win?

So here we go – a cornucopia of style, speed and drama; a heady mix of sport rich in story lines and the creation of heroes and villains. Aside from coming to terms with a new, roundly criticised ball, the test of mettle at a world cup is more often than not a mental one: who can withstand the eyes and pressure of a worldwide audience and not only perform fault-free but play with the inhibition talent demands.

So who will triumph? The Brazilians are traditionally the team who have been able to mix style with physical brawn and mental strength – the country most able to produce when it matters. But they appear a team moulded in their image of their new manager, Dunga, a midfield enforcer of tough repute in two successful Brazilian teams. They possess a couple of star names up front in Kaka and Robinho, but will the former shrug of a loss of form and fitness to shine and the latter adapt once more to the paucity of time given on the ball by European opposition? He has the touch and technique to do so –does he have the mental fortitude?

It’s far more likely in this year’s competition that the pass and move ethos favoured and expressed so artfully by those aesthetes from Iberia will triumph when it matters. Spain’s victory at Euro 2008 may have banished for good the mental baggage in tow at all tournaments played before, and a glittering array of relatively young superstars in a squad committed and shaped in a singular style lends itself to the formation of a formidable gestalt three years in the making.

But what of England? Another team boasting an array of experienced and talented players, and who, it cannot be ignored, qualified out of their group in style. Like Spain before them, any tournament victory would go some way to banishing the demons of the past, but surely a move away from Capello’s four-four two formation will be necessary to overcome sterner tests than the USA, Algeria or Slovenia. Undoubtedly the psychological pressures on England players’ have stemmed from our countries obsession and fear of the ignominy of defeat rather than a meditation on the rewards of success; let’s hope that our most experienced and talented players can help us break the hoodoo. If nothing else England, have displayed a proclivity for scoring goals in the last couple of years, but can we marry it with obduracy? And do we have the strength in depth?

Holland and Argentina are two sides who could do with some defensive steel. Both boast an array of attacking talent to be coveted; not only evincing finesse in the finish but pace, creativity and a robustness to frighten most. But can they balance it will defensive prowess under pressure? Is Maradona up to the tactical battle of wills that will inevitably follow in the later stages of the tournament? Argentina could play like a madman’s work of art and veer from the fantastical to the farcical, but regardless of who Maradona injudiciously left at home they have a side to scare any on their day.

The French are another side who may suffer from the whims of unpredictable coach. Raymond Domenech, the beleaguered man who proposed live on TV to his wife in the aftermath of France’s failure at Euro 2008 (he still hasn’t married her), is facing player revolt over the decisions to put Abou Diaby and Thierry Henry on the bench. He also somehow saw fit to leave prodigious talents such as Samir Nasri and Karim Benzema at home, and as such France may struggle to deliver as a unit akin to the one which triumphed in 1998, despite boasting some excellent footballers.

Should their talisman be fit, the Ivory Coast have a team of adroit players to give group opponents Brazil and Portugal cause for concern, as do Serbia, an unheralded side hording a striking mix of young talent and experienced European-based players. Expect them to surprise a few people and reach the later stages, likewise Chile, who possess some exciting attacking players capable of changing a match on their day. Elsewhere, Portugal have Cristiano Ronaldo and several technically gifted midfielders but may find the loss of Nani and the absence of a player emerging to fill Nuno Gomes’ boots their usual hindrance, and Germany’s loss of Michael Ballack could prove decisive despite the talents of emerging playmaker Mesut Ozil.

Spain are most people's favourite to win but you never know. For surely their combination of artistry, ball retention and experience will be too much for most teams. England, well my heart would love it to be their year and we are capable, but whether or not it will be remains to be seen. In the very least, let’s hope this year’s tournament is an eclectic mix of goals, tackles, excitement and story lines unparalleled by those in the past.

2010 World Cup Kick-Off Concert

South Africa, South Africa, are you ready?" Black Eyed Peas will.i.am shouted to the 30-000 strong crowd 12 minutes into the live broadcast - and from that moment, the first-ever FIFA World Cup Kick-Off concert hit its stride and the pace never let up.

Dressed in glitzy military-themed costumes, Black Eyed Peas ran rapidfire through a medley of hits: "Where Is The Love," "Pump It," "Meet Me Halfway," "Boom Boom Pow," and "I Gotta Feeling" - the latter's refrain of "tonight's gonna be a good, good night" setting the tone for a rare display of stadium-sized international music talent.

The live broadcast had opened with a statement of African past and present, with veteran South African jazzman Hugh Masekela segueing from his classic "Grazing in the Grass" into the late Miriam Makeba's signature song, "Pata Pata" - this time featuring young Afro-soul multi-award winner, Lira on vocals.

The potency of Africa's talent was plain to see: whether it was Benin's Angelique Kidjo in full vocal throttle on the "Malaika/Afrika" medley with Grammy Award-winners Soweto Gospel Choir, Mali's Amadou & Mariam's transporting "Welcome To Mali," and "Africa", the intoxicating sound of Mali's desert Blues outfit, Tinariwen, South Africa's Afro-folk favourite Vusi Mahlasela, previously unannounced South African kwaito (township house) hitmakers Big Nuz and DJ Tira, The Parlotones' full-throttle rock or the deft guitarwork of Mali's Vieux Farka Toure, Africa claimed the spotlight with passion, energy and no small amount of talent.

But it was the collaborations that really stole the hearts of the crowd: among the raft of pair-ups was Alicia Keys and swampy South African art-rock outfit BLK JKS in a version of the late Brenda Fassie's decade-old hit song "Too Late For Mama", and John Legend riffing off Kidjo before heading off into several of his hit songs including "Green Light."

Shakira provided the show's crowning moment, the Colombian singer launching first into "She Wolf" before delivering a show-stopping performance of "Hips Don't Lie" with South African hip-hop artist Tumi Molekane who had performed earlier in the evening as part of the pre-broadcast show. And when the first notes of the official 2010 FIFA World Cup Song, "Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)" were heard and Shakira's South African collaborators - Afro-pop outfit Freshlyground - appeared, the crowd erupted into an unceasing cry of delight. "Ngiyabonga Mzansi," ("thankyou South Africa") Shakira said in closing.

Watch World Cup Kick-Off Celebration Concert

Source: Getty Images, AP, Yahoo!, Vevo

Playing The Name Game..

Nicknames have always been an important part of football lore. Edson Arantes do Nascimento would never have rolled off the tongue so readily as Pele did after the teenage Brazilian became a household name following his exploits at the 1958 FIFA World Cup in Sweden. Over the next few weeks, there should be several more monikers etched into the global consciousness and here are some of the players who could be making their names in South Africa, literally so.

All eyes will be on Argentina ace Lionel Messi to see if he can inspire La Albiceleste to their first world crown since Mexico 1986. Football reporters have been running out of words to describe the improbably gifted Barcelona wizard, and should La Pulga (The Flea) turn it on in South Africa, he will no doubt have them – along with bemused defenders – scratching their heads again.

Messi is far from the only player whose nickname comes from the natural world. Mexico goalkeeper Oscar Perez is known as El Conejo (The Rabbit), while Honduras striker David Suazo goes by the title of La Pantera (The Panther), a tribute to his predatory instincts. Italy's Gennaro Gattuso has never been afraid to throw his weight around on the pitch, which explains why fans call him Il Rino (The Rhino). No less imposing a presence is Brazil’s Julio Baptista, otherwise known as La Bestia (The Beast), although all these denizens of the animal kingdom have reason to fear 'The Hunter', aka Klaas Jan Huntelaar, the front man hoping to shoot the Netherlands to success.

Argentine Tradition
Like Messi, most Argentinian players acquire a nom de guerre or two during the course of their careers. With El Apache, Carlos Tevez would not be out of place in a western, while Gabriel Heinze's German ancestry has led to him being dubbed El Gringo. Juan Sebastian Veron takes after his father Juan Roman in more ways than one: following in the footsteps of La Bruja (The Witch), the midfield sorcerer has been casting spells under the name of La Brujita (The Little Witch) for many years now. Gonzalo 'El Pipita' Higuain, meanwhile, is another chip off the old block. His father Jorge went by the name of 'El Pipa', Argentinian slang for nose.

Team captain Javier Mascherano's leadership qualities are reflected in his title of 'El Jefecito' (The Little Leader), the original 'Jefe' being his mentor, the River Plate legend Leonardo Astrada. If that were not enough, Argentina can also call on the regal presence of Diego 'El Principe' Milito and their very own madman in Martin 'El Loco' Palermo.

England are relying on the superhuman powers of the player dubbed by their media as 'Captain Fantastic'. His fellow Liverpudlian and international team-mate Wayne Rooney is known as Wazza in the dressing room in deliberate homage to Paul Gascoigne's moniker 'Gazza'. He is also called 'The White Pele' for his barnstorming displays on the pitch.

Spain are investing their hopes in a pair of 'kids': Fernando 'El Niño' Torres and David 'El Guaje' Villa, while Australia will be looking for some inspiration from their resident magician Harry Kewell, also known as 'Harry Potter' or 'The Wizard of Oz'. Portugal have a conjuror of their own in Deco, or O Mágico to his fans and team-mates.

Cartoon Character
There is no shortage of sobriquets elsewhere. Uruguay’s long-haired hitman Diego Forlan bears more than a passing resemblance to the well-known Argentinian cartoon character 'Cachavacha', hence his unusual moniker, while Robinho’s penchant for stepovers make him an obvious choice as 'O Rei Das Pedaladas' back in Brazil.

USA midfielder Clint Dempsey moonlights as hip-hop artist 'Deuce' in his free time and he could make quite a double act with team-mate DaMarcus Beasely, dubbed 'Jitterbug' for his dancing skills. Adding a sense of majesty to the world finals will be France's Franck Ribery, baptised 'Kaiser Franck' by his followers at Bayern Munich, and Mexico stalwart Rafael Marquez, similarly dubbed 'El Kaiser de Michoacán', in reference to his home state.

Flying the flag for Asia, meanwhile, are Korea Republic's Kim Nam-Il, whose ability to clean up at the back has made 'The Vacuum Cleaner' the obvious choice for his nickname. Few South Korean players will cover more ground in the tournament than his team-mate Cha Du-Ri, hence his moniker 'Autobahn' (German for motorway). Opponents of host nation South Africa, finally, will hope that defender Aaron Mokoena's nickname 'Mbazo' (The Axe) is not an accurate reflection of his tackling style.

Coaching Royalty
It is not just the players who have picked up a nickname or two in their time. Argentina's Pibe de Oro (Golden Kid) is none other than national coach Diego Maradona, while Chile fans will be going crazy if his compatriot Marcelo 'El Loco' Bielsa (The Madman) can inspire La Roja to success. Mexico coach Javier Aguirre is 'El Vasco' on account of his ancestors in Spain’s Basque country.

Lastly, Algeria's players hold coach Rabah Saadane in such high esteem they address him as 'The Sheikh', and Otto Rehhagel has achieved so much with Greece that his status as 'King Otto' is undisputed. Should they or any of their peers attain footballing immortality in South Africa, their nickname is likely to lodge in the minds of football fans worldwide for many years to come.

Below are some of the nicknames for past and current football stars:

•      Francesco Totti - Er Pupone (The Big Baby)
•      Lionel Messi - Atomic Flea
•      Iker Casillas - El Gato (The Cat)
•      Fernando Torres - El Nino (the kid)
•      Carlos Valderrama - El Pibe
•      Zinedine Zidane - Zizou
•      Paul Scholes - Ginger Ninja
•      Enzo Francescoli - El Principe (The Prince)
•      Michael Owen - Wonder Boy
•      Claudio Lopez - “El Piojo” (The Louse)
•      Dennis Bergkamp - "The Menace"
•      Javier Zanetti - The Tractor
•      Javier Hernandez - Chicharito or "Little Pea"
•      Eidur Gudjohnsen - Ice Man
•      Gennaro Gattuso - The Pit Bull
•      Pablo Aimar - El Payaso (The Clown)
•      David Beckham - Golden Balls, Spice Boy, or Becks
•      Guillermo Barros Schelotto - El Mellizo ("The Twin")
•      Wayne Rooney - The White Pele
•      Diego Milito - El Principe
•      Nicolas Anelka - Le Sulk
•      Roberto Baggio - The Divine Ponytail
•      Shevchenko - Sheva
•      Ole Gunner Solskjaer - Baby faced assassin
•      Dwight Yorke - The Smiling Assassin
•      Esteban Granero - The Pirate
•      Franz Beckenbauer - The Kaiser
•      Ferenc Puskas - The Galloping Major
•      Eusebio - The ' Black Panther'
•      Paul Ince - The ' Guv' nor'
•      Kevin Keegan - Mighty Mouse
•      Darren Anderton - Shaggy
•      Paul Gascoigne - Gazza
•      Jack Charlton - The Giraffe
•      Marco Van Basten - The Swan of Utrecht
•      Ruud Gullit - Il Tulipo Nero
•      Stuart Pearce - Psycho
•      Roy Keane - Keano
•      Thierry Henry - Titi
•      Julio Baptista - The Beast
•      Steven Gerrard - Captain Courageous, Huyton Hammer
•      Carlos Valderrama - 'El Pibe' (Means 'the kid' as well)
•      Gabriel Batistuta – Batigol
•      Alfredo di Stefano – La Saeta Rubia (The Blond Arrow)
•      Diego Maradona – Pelusa (Dishevelled one)
•      Ronaldinho - Means little Ronaldo
•      Ronaldo – Ronnie
•      Hristo Stoichkov – The Dagger
•      Peter Schmeichel – The Great Dane
•      Eric Cantona – The King
•      Michael Essien – The Bison
•      Samuel Eto'o – Pantera Negra (The Black Panther)
•      Frank Lampard – Fat Frank, Super Frank
•      John Terry – JT (Don't be his best friend if you have a pretty girlfriend)
•      Zlatan Ibrahimovic – Ibra
•      Carlos Puyol – Tarzan

Lionel Messi: The Atomic Flea

Everyone who saw Jorge and Celia Messi's son play football thought he was a star in the making. He was quick, skilful, he scored goals like they were going out of fashion and clubs were queuing up to take a look at him.

Then they saw his younger brother Lionel. The rest, as they say, is history.

'Rodrigo was a good player and there was a time when people thought he was better than Leo,' recalled Oscar Lopez, the pair's first coach at Grandoli Sports Centre No 8 on the dusty outskirts of Rosario, 185 miles west of Buenos Aires. 'But he didn't have the same mental strength and focus as Leo. That was the difference.'

Grandoli is a stereotypically perfect place to start a footballing rags-to-riches story - a lazy, downtrodden suburb where people sit outside their tower blocks sipping the national drink mate, stray dogs sleep in the sun and the occasional horse and cart trot by.

Harmless by day but the sort of place they tell you not to go to at night. In the middle of it all is the sports centre and its football pitch, on which the grass has largely worn away. It is in constant use as boys sprint up and down, desperate to follow in the footsteps of the phenomenon who made his debut here.

'He was four years old, we were putting a team together and I was one short in the age group above him,' said Lopez. 'I asked his mother if it would be OK to put him in the team because his grandmother had urged me to. She laughed and said no, especially because of the size of the older boys.

'But we convinced her. So we put the boy on the pitch and he just sat on the floor playing with stones. Then the ball came his way, he jumped up, controlled it and started dribbling away. He was incredible.

'He didn't score that day but he did in the second game and from then on he couldn't stop. Everyone wanted to play against him to try to stop him. He seemed to create pictures of what he wanted to do in his head and then make them reality on the pitch. He was just born with this talent. You can't teach it.'

Messi had caught the football bug. He made fools of his peers at break time at school using a cola can for a ball, he dazzled in the Grandoli youth team and spent hours at home kicking a ball around while his brothers and sister played in the paddling pool.

The family home - where his parents and siblings still live - is about 15 blocks away from Grandoli in a narrow, humble road, a sort of Argentina version of Coronation Street. On two floors, it is now the most noticeable house on Estado de Israel street because of the security gates and videophone which allow the Messis a bit of quiet. A five-minute walk across some football pitches takes you to Messi's primary school.

'My overriding memory of him is kicking a ball around between classes,' said his maths teacher, Andrea Sosa, at General Las Heras No 66 school. 'He wasn't brilliant at maths but he was conscientious and did all his work without any problems. He was very shy, he barely spoke and he was the smallest in the class.'

Memories of shyness and shortness abound and come as no surprise. But a look at his end of- school report at the age of 11 - when the students are marked out of 10 for each subject - shows Messi was not a typical football obsessive. His six out of 10s for maths, Spanish and science were respectable and marks of eight for music and art hint at the sort of creativity we've come to know so well in a Barcelona shirt. Needless to say, he was awarded a 10 for PE.
Young star: Messi in his youth team

'He was six or seven when I taught him,' said one PE teacher. 'It was obvious he was going to be something special. The kids play football a lot with cola cans during their breaks and I was used to seeing a lot of good ones. But he was something else. The other thing I remember is that he was very caring. When he came into school he would always come and find me to give me a kiss.'

The words caring and humble crop up time and time again when talking to the people who knew Messi as a boy. The credit seems to belong to his close-knit family, quiet people who continue to shun the limelight. While his mum and dad worked as a cleaner and in a steel factory respectively, it was down to Messi's grandma Celia and his aunt Marcela to take him to football and look after him. It ensured a very close bond.

Marcela is still attached to the school - her son finished there just last year - and accompanied Messi on a return there in 2007. 'Marcela called me. It was 4.10pm and she said Lionel wanted to come to the school,' said headteacher Graciela Riboldi.

'Within five minutes the whole place had gone mad. When he arrived, he was mobbed. He couldn't move an inch. Everyone was screaming his name. He went round each and every classroom to talk to the children. He was brilliant but still very shy. He didn't move from his aunt's side.
Barcelona's Lionel Messi scores in the 2-0 victory over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu

'He was like a little boy at school all over again. He had photos with every child, he answered all their questions and then he tried to leave. As he did, the parents waiting outside went mad for him, too. He finally left at seven o'clock.

'Then in 2008 Marcela called me to tell me Lionel was going to send me some money for the school. I thought he would give us 500 pesos (£100). As it was, his dad turned up with 7,500 euros (£6,500) in cash. We bought tables, we re did the playground, we bought a new television, a keyboard, everything. A short time after that there was a school trip to Mendoza and one family couldn't afford it so we were able to pay for the boy to go. All thanks to Messi.'

As his reputation grew in youth football, Messi was spotted by then Newell's Old Boys No 2 Claudio Vivas, who was working for future Argentina boss Marcelo Bielsa. Along he went to their training centre in the heart of Rosario where Gabriel Digerolamo was putting a team together.

'I had the team all set up and I was asked if I had space in the squad for one more,' recalled Digerolamo. 'He was from another world. He dribbled with the ball so closely it was like watching someone who had been given years of training in how to do it. He played like he does now, dribbling and scoring lots of goals. He was brilliant at anticipating what his teammates, his opponents and the goalkeeper would do.'

But there was one major difference between the Messi of today and the Messi who first wore the black and red shirt of Newell's.

'I played him as a sweeper,' said Digerolamo. 'That way no one marked him, he would get the ball and he'd run the whole way through the opposition. It worked brilliantly. He always scored spectacular goals, running from the halfway line like he has done at Barcelona. It surprised me at first but nothing does anymore. I think he has images in his head of things he has seen and then he tries to reproduce them.'

Digerolamo wasn't the only one to play Messi in a strange role. Ernesto Vecchio took over as his coach a year later and took a while before putting him in a forward position.

'It is just as well I didn't judge him on what he looked like because he was so small, he was just a flea,' said Vecchio. 'But the second I saw him with the ball I knew he had a big future. You can't teach someone as good as him anything technical.

'When he started out with me he was a defensive midfielder, because that is what we needed in the team. But I soon realised he was better off further forward. Even back then he played everywhere. He was amazing and each season he scored more than 100 goals. He was a goal machine and he scored all different types, even with his head. It never surprises me when he does something incredible. He is doing things at Barcelona that he was doing here as a child.'

Messi was not the only genius at Vecchio's disposal. Gustavo Roja was rated just as highly but a lack of mental strength and his family again proved to be the difference.

'Lionel was such a timid, humble boy. He never moaned or fought with anyone and he's still the same. I had another boy as good as him at the time called Gustavo. Boca and Independiente wanted him. But his circumstances weren't like Leo's and that made a difference. Leo's parents were brilliant but Gustavo's weren't. He grew up in a tough neighbourhood - in a slum - and he got distracted by drugs and alcohol. It shows how important Messi's family life was.'

A hundred goals a season and the perfect attitude were all very well but Messi and his family knew that to make it past youth football, something had to be done about his height. At the recommendation of the Newell's doctors, Jorge and Celia took nine-year-old Messi to child growth expert Dr Diego Schwarzstein.

'I examined him, did some tests and it was clear he had a growth hormone deficiency,' said Schwarzstein. 'I can't remember his height exactly but he was very short. He was very shy but I managed to open him up a little by talking about football.

'Working out the right treatment was not something we could do overnight so we spent a year or so looking at how much he grew each month. At that age you would expect a boy to grow about four centimetres a year. He was growing a lot slower than that because he had this hormone deficit so we treated it by injecting the hormone he was lacking.

'He needed an injection ever day. At the start his mother helped him with the injections but after a while he did it himself. He was a bit scared doing it the first time, of course. I haven't seen a single child in my time whose hand didn't tremble injecting himself for the first time. But it worked really well . With the injections, he grew over a year or two. The effect was fantastic. Lionel was so much happier. He needed new shoes and trousers every three months! It was good for his self-esteem.'

But increasing Messi's growth and self-esteem eventually came at a price. While the expensive treatment - which costs between $500 (£327) and $1,000 (£654) a month - was covered by the government at first, financial troubles in Argentina left the Messis with a tough decision.

'In 2000 the economy was about to crash and all of a sudden the money wasn't there for him, ' said Schwarzstein. 'That was a problem because the treatment was absolutely necessary and Newell's couldn't help him much. I don't know how big a role that played in him leaving for Barcelona but he needed to continue with the treatment, that's for sure. I think the financial crisis was one of the reasons the family left.'

And so Jorge and Celia sat the whole family round the table to ask if they should all go and live in Barcelona. Barca - who had invited Lionel for a trial after hearing about him through their scouting network - would pay for his treatment. If one of the family said no, they would stay in Rosario.

They, of course, said yes and the world's greatest footballer and his family left his homeland to take the next step in a dazzling career, leaving behind the legacy of a wonderfully talented boy whose humility set him apart from the rest.

'There was one game here where he picked up the ball in our area and started dribbling past their whole team,' remembered Vecchio. 'He got to the keeper, who came out, and they collided. Leo still somehow managed to keep hold of the ball but instead of slotting it into the empty net, he stopped and went to see how badly hurt the keeper was. That story tells you everything about the boy.'

Exclusively by: Alex Kay

Shakira to Kick-Off World Cup 2010

"The FIFA World Cup is a miracle of global excitement, connecting every country, race, religion and condition around a single passion. It represents an event that has the power to unite and integrate." - Shakira

 The World Cup is going to get a resounding musical kick off. FIFA and Control Room, a leading producer of global music events, announced the first performing artists for the inaugural FIFA Kick-Off Celebration Concert.

The stage is set at Orlando Stadium in Soweto/Johannesburg to celebrate the first World Cup on African soil. It's being called the greatest entertainment show to date in Africa, it will feature performances from major international musicians and African artists, as well as appearances by football legends and celebrities from other fields.

This historic music event will take place in front of a capacity stadium audience of 30,000 will be broadcast to hundreds of millions more worldwide. It is scheduled to begin on Thursday June 10 at 20.00hrs local time (GMT+2), the eve of the opening match of the tournament. Shakira will be performing the official World Cup song, Waka Waka, at the Kick-Off Celebration concert.

Speaking about her decision to perform the official tournament song, Shakira said: 'The FIFA World Cup is a miracle of global excitement, connecting every country, race, religion and condition around a single passion. It represents an event that has the power to unite and integrate, and that's what this song is about.' She added: 'This song is a synthesis of the passion for soccer and what it arouses in people.'

Other stars to perform at the Kick-Off concert include Alicia Keys, the Black Eyed Peas, John Legend, the Parlotones, Hugh Masekela and Freshlyground.

FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke said: 'We are thrilled to have a concert of such magnitude and performing talent raise the curtain on the first FIFA World Cup in Africa. 'It is testament to the universal and unifying power of football and music, and will start the competition off on the right note - of celebration.'

The 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa will kicks off on Friday June 11 at 16.oohrs local time (GMT+2), with the opening match to be played by South Africa and Mexico.

Best International Football Rivalries

From relatively recent spats, to cultural divides that go back over centuries, these countries just can't seem to get along and it always comes out when their football teams meet. There is only one more day to go before the biggest carnival of this summer begins and we might get a chance to witness these fierce rivals compete with each other in current edition of World Cup in South Africa.

10. El Salvador vs Honduras

In one of the biggest rivalries in CONCACAF, El Salvador and Honduras are two neighbors that have played many major matches throughout the years that have had Gold Cup and World Cup implications throughout the years. This was not more apparent than in qualifications for the 1970 World Cup, in which these two sides met each other in a three game playoff, with the winner going to the World Cup.

In the first game in Honduras, tensions were starting to build but during the second match in El Salvador, when the home supporters started attacking the Honduras supporters, which coupled with the tensions over land, caused El Salvador to start the "Soccer War" with Honduras which lasted for four days with several thousand casualties before the war ended.

More recently during 2010 World Cup qualifying, Honduras won 1-0 in El Salvador, which coupled with a Costa Rica draw with the United States, Honduras was able to clinched their first World Cup birth in 28 years.

9. Turkey vs Greece

Long-standing rivals on and off the pitch, this particular "derby" would not have registered much interest outside the two nations themselves not so long ago. However, things are completely different now as they continue to punch above their weight internationally. Greece famously won Euro 2004, while Turkey followed-up their World Cup semifinal appearance in 2002 by reaching the last four of Euro 2008.

These two sides were paired together in Euro 2008 qualifying, where Turkey beat the defending champion Greece 4-1, which was key for Turkey's Euro 2008 qualification campaign. Turkey's win was not well received in Athens, add into the mix the age-old dispute surrounding Cyprus and its no surprise this rivalry makes the top 10.

8.  Denmark vs Sweden

The Scandinavians are not renowned for their passion, or if they are, they keep it nicely controlled. However, there is something about this fixture that gets the blood bubbling on both sides.

First played in 1913, the fixture has witnessed numerous controversial incidents down the years, none more so than in qualifying for Euro 2008. A remarkable match in Copenhagen saw Denmark recover from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 before the referee awarded the Swedes a last minute penalty. This was too much for an enraged Danish fan who ran onto the pitch to confront the referee, who promptly abandoned the match. UEFA took a dim view and awarded Sweden a 3-0 victory. The Swedes qualified for the finals and Denmark didn't.

However, Denmark got some recent revenge on Sweden by defeating them 1-0 to finish first in Group One and by doing this, they gained an automatic spot to qualify for the 2010 World Cup, and the loss was the deciding factor for Sweden to miss going to a playoff to go to the World Cup

7. USA vs Mexico

There is a lot at stake when these two nations collide, most notably to see which one is the stronger in the CONCACAF confederation they both represent. This rivalry has grown big in a short amount of time. Originally, Mexico were superior to the United States in international competition, as they lost only one match against the United States from 1937-1990.

However, in recent years, the United States have become a way stronger side in international competition, as they have been able to qualify for five straight World Cups, and they also have been able to defeat Mexico on American soil in World Cup qualifiers. Also, the United States beat Mexico 2-0 in the round of 16 of the 2002 World Cup, and matches in recent years have grown in significance each time.

Add in the history of the Alamo and Mexicans' perceived grievances as to how they are treated as citizens within the U.S. and you have a cocktail of ingredients fit to rival most national derbies.

6. Spain vs Portugal

This is an ancient rivalry off the pitch, which can be traced back to the Middle Ages, when Philip II of Spain took it upon himself to become Philip I of Portugal - before that particular dynasty was overthrown. Portugal borders Spain on the Iberian Peninsula, and have always been seen as the less dominant neighbor. The hundreds of years rivalry between these two countries has naturally spread onto the football pitch.

Over the years, both of these sides have had many memorable match ups, with the most recent one being in Euro 2004, which was hosted in Portugal. In that matchup, Spain were tied with Greece at top of the Group A table with four points, and needed only a draw over Portugal (who had three points) to get into the next round.. Prior to their clash with Spain, coach Luiz Felipe Scolari declared: "This is war, and I have to kill and not be killed. Ironically, Portugal defeated Spain 1-0 to go onto the next round and eventually to the final, where they lost to Greece

However, Spain made up for this loss in Euro 2008 by winning the tournament, and now with some of the best players in the world in Fernando Torres and Cristiano Ronaldo playing for both sides, this rivalry only continues to get better.

5. Holland vs Germany

Another rivalry between two nations that share a common border, Holland and vs Germany. This is a contest between two of the top sides in European football. Their first memorable matchup was in the 1974 World Cup final, where the Dutch were expected to win but lost to Germany.

In the 1988 European Championships, both sides met in a hotly contested semi-final in which the Dutch came from behind to win 2-1 in a hotly contested battle and went on to win the final. After coming back to Amsterdam after the final, manager Rinus Michels told the crowd "We won the tournament, but we all know that the semi-final was the real final."

Since then, both sides have met in another hotly contested 1990 World Cup. In the knock-out stages, the Germans took their revenge on the Dutch for defeat in the Euro 88 semi-finals with a 2-1 win. The game became infamous for a disgraceful spitting incident between Frank Rijkaard and Rudi Völler. in which both players were sent off.

4. England vs Scotland

This is the oldest international football rivlry in the world, Despite both countries being part of the wider United Kingdom, a major rivalry exists between the pair. Ever since the first match in 1872, the two sides have met each for 109 times, with the English winning 45, Scotland winning 41 and 24 draws.

Even thought these two sides haven't met each other since 1999, these two countries have met each other more times than any other country in history, mainly due to the annual fixture between them in British Home Championship which was ended in 1989. Also, Scottish and English fans usually support their arch rival's opposition.

3. Germany vs England

A long-time rivalry between two great European sides, Germany vs England is a matchup that has existed for over 100 years. For the first 70 years of this rivalry, these countries only met each other in friendlies, but that all changed in 1966, as both sides met each other in Wembley Stadium in the World Cup final.

During the final, Germany were able to tie the game at two in the dying minutes, which led the game into extra time. During extra time, England striker Geoff Hurst had a shot on goal which bounced down from the crossbar and then out of the goal, before being cleared away by the German defenders.

After the play, the referee's consulted each other and decided to go with linesman Tofik Bakhramov's decision that the ball went into the goal and then out, giving England a 3-2 lead, which they would later add onto and gave England a 4-2 win and their first and to date, their only World Cup.

Since then, Germany have been in control of the rivalry, as they have beaten England in the 1970 and 1990 World Cup, and also beat England in Euro 1996.

Even though England beat Germany in Euro 2000, Germany beat England in the final international match at the Old Wembley Stadium and became the first team to defeat England in the New Wembley Stadium in 2007.

2. Italy vs France

A matchup between two major European football nations that are neighboring countries, Italy vs France is a rivalry that has always had major implications on the line each time that these two sides meet. For the first 72 years of the rivalry, Italy dominated with a 17-6-2 record (which included victories over France in both the 1938 and 1978 World Cups).

But France turned the tables, starting with a 2-0 win over Italy in the 1986 World Cup, and continued onto the 1998 World Cup in France, in which France defeated Italy 4-3 on penalties in the quarterfinal, as they went on to win their first World Cup.

After winning the World Cup, France continued their dominance over Italy, beating them 2-1 in Euro 2000 (which France also won), but the two countries didn't meet again for another six years.

The next time that Italy and France squared off with each other, it was the 2006 World Cup final in Berlin, and it turned out to be one of the most memorable World Cup finals of all time. During the match, France, on the power of a Zinedine Zidane goal off of a penalty in seventh minute and Italy, on the power of a Marco Materazzi goal in the 19th minute, the game went onto extra time.

In the 110th minute, Materazzi started to insult Zidane, which caused Zidane to headbutt Materazzi in the chest, causing Zidane to be sent off in his final ever career match. After the end of extra time, the game went to a penalty shootout, in which Italy won 5-3, and won their fourth ever World Cup. Since then, France and Italy played each other in Euro 2008, in which Italy beat France 2-0.

1. Brazil vs Argentina

The greatest international football rivalry in the world, Brazil vs Argentina is a battle between two of the strongest countries in international football. Since they first crossed swords in 1914, Brazil lead 35-34 in terms of victories and although Brazil have won five World Cups to Argentina's two, the Argentines have claimed an impressive 14 Copa America's as well as two Olympic titles.

These two countries quarrel over who was the best footballer of all time (Pele or Maradona), and each match between these two titans has humongous implications on the line as well as controversy and dismissals. They have met in several World Cups in 1978, 1982 and 1990. In 1978,

"The Battle Of Rosario," Brazil and Argentina had a scoreless draw but in the final match of the second group stage, in which Brazil beat Poland 3-1, forcing Argentina to beat Peru by at least four goals to advance onto the final. Argentina defeated Peru 6-0, and advanced to the final, where they defeated Holland and subsequently won their first World Cup. There are claims that Peru allowed Argentina to beat them the way they did, but there is no proof for this claim.

Argentina and Brazil met again in the 1982 World Cup, where Brazil dominated Argentina 3-1, and were able to advance out of the Group of Death into the next round. In 1990, Claudio Caniggia scored the match's only goal off a pass by Maradona, which gave Argentina a 1-0 victory over their arch rival. After the match, Brazilian player Branco accusing the Argentina training staff of giving him a bottle of water laced with tranquillizers while they were tending to an injured player, which the Argentine Football Federation claims never happened.

Although politically there is no tension between the pair, their standing as the elite nations in South American football ensures that this rivalry is as hot as any other in the world. It is impossible to split them in terms of football talent and results. With its great history of international football and the long existing rivalry between each other, this is the best international football rivalry in the world.