FIFA.com - News

Happy Birthday to you!

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 09:53:00 GMT

We look ahead to another week of birthdays across the footballing world, this week including Portugal coach Paulo Bento as well as international goalkeepers Faryd Mondragon and Noor Sabri.

Mata ignoring Chelsea exit reports

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 12:01:00 GMT

Juan Mata has played down talk Jose Mourinho wants to shift him out of Chelsea and insisted he is 'very happy' at Stamford Bridge.

The Week in Quotes

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 02:03:18 GMT

Featuring Simun Samuelsen on Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s bad behaviour, Jose Mourinho on how he was Barcelona’s nemesis and Giovanni Trapattoni comparing the current Spain team to the Brazil one of Pele and Co.

Benfica sign Partizan's Markovic

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 08:59:00 GMT

Benfica have signed 19-year-old Partizan Belgrade forward Lazar Markovic on a five-year contract, increasing the club's Serbian contingent.

Mourinho: I'm the happy one

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 13:22:00 GMT

Jose Mourinho has compared himself to how he was in his first spell at Chelsea, discussed his relationship with Roman Abramovich and backed the Blues to succeed.

Porto appoint Fonseca

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 11:39:00 GMT

Former Pacos de Ferreira coach Paulo Fonseca has been appointed by Porto on a two-year contract to succeed Vitor Pereira.

Turkey 2013 hopefuls take Toulon test

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 01:54:00 GMT

FIFA.com reviews the prestigious Toulon Tournament which this year featured six teams from five continents preparing for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey later this month.

Bruno Alves heads to Fenerbahce

Sun, 09 Jun 2013 08:17:00 GMT

Portuguese international defender Bruno Alves has signed for Turkish giants Fenerbahce from Russian side Zenit Saint Petersburg, the Yellow Canaries announced on their website.

Arab stars shining in Europe

Sat, 08 Jun 2013 12:36:17 GMT

FIFA.com takes a look back at the Arab stars who made an impression in Europe's top leagues this season, with a UEFA Europa League semi-finalist and an English FA Cup winner among them.

Belgium move clear, Portugal claim key win

Sat, 08 Jun 2013 03:01:00 GMT

FIFA.com reviews Friday's matchday in European qualifying for Brazil 2014 as Belgium and Portugal improved their prospects, while Croatia and Montenegro both stumbled at home.

South Africa legend McCarthy retires

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 12:00:00 GMT

Benni McCarthy, South Africa's all-time leading marksman, has hung up his boots and expressed his satisfaction over a noteworthy career.

Crunch time for Portugal in Europe

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 10:09:00 GMT

Russia's trip to face an under-pressure Portugal side is arguably the highlight of an intriguing programme of European Zone qualifiers on Friday, which also includes Belgium-Serbia, Czech Republic-Italy and Austria-Sweden.

Dutch go fifth, quartet reach personal bests

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 08:59:00 GMT

The Netherlands have moved up to fifth on the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, while Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Mali and Albania have hit their highest-ever spots.

Moutinho: Failure is not an option

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 14:35:00 GMT

Fresh from helping Porto win their third straight title and then signing for Monaco, Portugal midfielder Joao Moutinho spoke to FIFA.com about their crunch Brazil 2014 qualifier with Russia.

Jesus extends Benfica stay

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 12:45:00 GMT

Benfica coach Jorge Jesus has signed a two-year extension to his contract, the Portuguese giants announced, with Jesus extending his stay until June 2015.

Capello eyes win over Portugal

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 08:45:00 GMT

Fabio Capello wants nothing less than a win against Portugal in their upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifier to help Russia reach the finals in Brazil next year.

Mourinho returns to Chelsea

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 13:44:00 GMT

Jose Mourinho has been appointed as Chelsea manager for a second time, the Premier League club have confirmed. The Portuguese coach signed a four-year deal at the club he left in 2007.

The Week in Quotes

Sun, 02 Jun 2013 14:19:00 GMT

Featuring Mario Mandzukic on why he was a more rebellious youngster than Mario Balotelli, Franck Ribery on sleeping with silverware and Francesco Totti on what he’d have done to his mother if she’d made him join Lazio.

Benfica finalise deal for Djuricic

Sat, 01 Jun 2013 08:43:00 GMT

Benfica have confirmed the signing of Serbian international Filip Djuricic, bringing him in from Heerenveen for €6m.

Busby masterminds ten-year turnaround

Wed, 29 May 2013 08:51:00 GMT

The Munich Air Disaster decimated Manchester United. Just ten years later, however, a man who had barely survived the tragedy guided a new team to European Cup glory.

FIFA Executive Committee fully backs resolution on the fight against racism and discrimination

Tue, 28 May 2013 15:52:00 GMT

Racism and discrimination, the destination of some FIFA tournaments and the appointment were on the agenda during the FIFA Executive Committee’s second meeting of 2013.

Guimaraes complete Benfica's nightmare month

Sun, 26 May 2013 19:39:00 GMT

Benfica completed a truly miserable end to the season as they conceded two late goals to lose the Taca de Portugal final 2-1 to Guimaraes today.

The Week in Quotes

Sat, 25 May 2013 15:19:10 GMT

Featuring Julio Cesar on goalkeeping craziness, Ramon Calderon blasting Jose Mourinho, Jurgen Klopp on the sale of Mario Gotze and a Uruguayan writer with a Messi theory.

Monaco make €70m swoop for Rodriguez, Moutinho

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:09:00 GMT

Newly-promoted Monaco have splashed out to land Porto pair James Rodriguez and Joao Moutinho in a record-breaking deal.

Europa given Champions incentive

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:28:00 GMT

UEFA have announced that the winner of the UEFA Europa League will earn a place in the following year's UEFA Champions League, with the initiative to begin in the 2015/16 campaign.

The parallel courses of Falcao and Martinez

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:55:00 GMT

FIFA.com looks at the performances of Colombian forwards Jackson Martinez and Radamel Falcao in their first seasons in Europe and finds some striking statistical similarities.

Porto claim Portuguese title, Benfica win

Sun, 19 May 2013 22:21:00 GMT

Porto claimed their third consecutive Portuguese Liga title and ninth in 11 years after beating Pacos de Ferreira 2-0 Sunday, as Benfica also won to secure second place.

Happy Birthday to you!

Sun, 19 May 2013 08:30:00 GMT

In our regular Sunday feature, FIFA.com presents you with some of the biggest names in football who will be celebrating their birthdays over the coming week.

The Week in Quotes

Sat, 18 May 2013 10:08:00 GMT

Featuring Ludovic Giuly on making a fashion mistake at Barcelona, Marco Schallibaum on the amazing toughness of Jeb Brovsky and Gabriel Batistuta on what playing alongside Lionel Messi would have forced him to do.

Artur sees consolation for Benfica

Thu, 16 May 2013 11:41:00 GMT

Benfica goalkeeper Artur has praised his team-mates for their performance against Chelsea and says that, despite the defeat, they proved that they are capable of challenging for the big prizes.

Resilient Blues rejoice in historic Europa win

Thu, 16 May 2013 04:39:00 GMT

Chelsea’s dramatic UEFA Europa League win is a testament to the team’s character at the end of a tumultuous and elongated season, according to midfielder Frank Lampard and interim manager Rafael Benitez.

Guttmann’s curse strikes Benfica again

Wed, 15 May 2013 23:10:00 GMT

A stoppage-time goal condemned Benfica to a UEFA Europa League final defeat, extending the alleged curse put on them by their former coach Bela Guttmann in 1962.

Last-gasp Ivanovic heads Chelsea into ecstasy

Wed, 15 May 2013 22:12:00 GMT

An 11th-hour header from Branislav Ivanovic snatched Chelsea a 2-1 win over Benfica in a pulsating UEFA Europa League final.

Runs, records and retirement

Wed, 15 May 2013 09:39:00 GMT

Sir Alex Ferguson stars in FIFA.com's latest stats review, which also reflects on a week of contrasting emotions for Greuther Furth, Lionel Messi, Paris Saint-Germain and Porto.

Benfica set sights on long-term success

Wed, 15 May 2013 04:48:00 GMT

Benfica coach Jorge Jesus hopes that victory in the UEFA Europa League against Chelsea will set the club on a journey towards next year's UEFA Champions League final to be played in Lisbon.

Benitez defends Chelsea record, Lampard eyes glory

Tue, 14 May 2013 20:55:00 GMT

Rafa Benitez has outlined the difficulties he’s faced as Chelsea manager and insisted they’ve had a good season, while Frank Lampard has discussed how much the UEFA Europa League means to the Blues.

Ramires: I have great affection for Benfica

Tue, 14 May 2013 11:04:00 GMT

Ramires speaks to FIFA.com about his time at Benfica, his varying role in the Chelsea team, the UEFA Europa League final between his former and current club, the form of David Luiz and his targets with Brazil.

Chelsea, Benfica chase continental history

Tue, 14 May 2013 02:44:00 GMT

Chelsea are seeking to win the UEFA Europa League a year after becoming European champions, while Benfica will aim to end a 51-year continental drought in Wednesday's decider.

Jesus: This final is international recognition

Mon, 13 May 2013 14:38:00 GMT

Jorge Jesus is hoping his Benfica side can bounce back from the domestic blow of losing to Porto by beating Chelsea in the UEFA Europa League final.

Mata looking for Euro double

Mon, 13 May 2013 13:12:00 GMT

Juan Mata hopes Chelsea can emulate Jose Mourinho's Porto by winning back-to-back European trophies this week. The Blues travel to Amsterdam to take on Benfica after their UEFA Champions League victory a year ago.

Last-gasp Porto deny Benfica as Moreirense win

Sat, 11 May 2013 23:41:00 GMT

The battle of the unbeaten teams took a dramatic turn in the 91st minute when Kelvin scored the game winning goal for Porto to steal all three points from Benfica with a 2-1 win, while Moreirense dropped Vitoria Setubal 2-1.

Babies and the beautiful game

Fri, 10 May 2013 11:55:00 GMT

From Bebeto through Joey Barton to Jonathan Soriano, FIFA.com looks at how the arrival of babies has been greeted in the world of football.

Benfica stumble near finish line

Mon, 06 May 2013 23:00:00 GMT

Benfica are two points clear of Porto with two matches remaining after being held 1-1 at home by Estoril.

Olhanense claim crucial win in relegation battle

Sun, 05 May 2013 23:43:00 GMT

Struggling Olhanense picked up what could prove to be a vital victory in their battle to avoid relegation with a 1-0 win over Rio Ave, while Pacos Ferreira beat Sporting.

Porto turn heat up on Benfica

Sat, 04 May 2013 23:00:00 GMT

Porto put pressure on Benfica in the race for the title as they won at Nacional thanks to goals from James Rodriguez, Eliquin Mangala and Lucho Gonzalez. All four of the game's goals came in the opening half an hour.

Benfica beat Fener, book passage to final

Thu, 02 May 2013 22:34:00 GMT

Oscar Cardozo's double helped Benfica to a 3-1 win against Fenerbahce, which pushed the Portuguese league leaders through to the UEFA Europa League final 3-2 on aggregate.

A springboard into the world’s elite

Thu, 02 May 2013 02:23:00 GMT

Ahead of this summer’s FIFA U-20 World Cup Turkey 2013, FIFA.com and FIFA TV look back on some of the tournament’s previous editions, which launched the careers of more than a few of the world’s biggest stars.

Beaten Ronaldo up for the cup

Wed, 01 May 2013 08:24:00 GMT

Cristiano Ronaldo has turned his attentions to winning the Copa del Rey after Real Madrid's UEFA Champions League exit to Borussia Dortmund.

Fortresses, failures and a 14-year-old

Wed, 01 May 2013 07:26:00 GMT

Demoralising defeats for Boca Juniors and Newcastle United feature alongside impressive feats from Mathieu Flamini, Houston Dynamo and young Jordan Allan in FIFA.com's latest stats review.

Benfica maintain advantage

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 23:01:00 GMT

Benfica are a step closer to the league title with a 2-1 win at Maritimo lifting the capital club four points clear of Porto with three matches remaining.