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Schelotto named MLS' best

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 19:51:00 GMT

Argentine striker Guillermo Barros Schelotto was named Major League Soccer's top player on Thursday after a great season with the Crew.

CAS updates Atletico punishment

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:40:00 GMT

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) halved a fine for Atletico Madrid to 75,000 euros (94,000 USD) after its fans chanted racist insults.

Donovan off to Bayern

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:34:00 GMT

Bayern Munich will sign US international captain Landon Donovan on a loan deal running from 1 January to at at least the middle of March 2009.

Messi: Barcelona must capitalise

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 12:01:00 GMT

Barcelona's Argentinian star Lionel Messi has said the Catalan giants must continue to rack up the points to make sure they reclaim the title.

Chelsea expect Ballack to stay

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:38:00 GMT

Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon is confident Germany midfielder Michael Ballack will commit his long-term future to the Premier League leaders.

Switzerland break into top 30

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 07:54:00 GMT

After a defeat in Luxembourg that had left his in real trouble, Ottmar Hitzfeld has led Switzerland back up the Ranking table to 27th place.

Villa and Torres on target

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 23:30:00 GMT

David Villa's penalty, a cool finish by Fernando Torres and Santi Cazorla's deflected strike gave Spain a 3-0 win over Chile on Wednesday.

Away joy for Maradona and England

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 23:13:00 GMT

Diego Maradona's debut as Argentina coach ended in victory over Scotland and England won in Germany, while Spain were successful again.

Poles hang on in Ireland

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 23:04:00 GMT

Poland survived a frantic finale to win 3-2 as Giovanni Trapattoni's six-game unbeaten run in charge of the Republic of Ireland ended at Croke Park.

Hungarians edge Northern Ireland

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:57:00 GMT

Second-half goals from Sandor Torghelle and Fulham's Zoltan Gera saw Hungary to a 2-0 win against Northern Ireland at Windsor Park.

Savo says bye in style

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:50:00 GMT

Savo Milosevic scored two goals and missed two penalties in his last international appearance as Serbia demolished neighbours Bulgaria 6-1.

Wenger: Walcott out for three months

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:49:00 GMT

Arsenal winger Theo Walcott will be sidelined for at least three months after dislocating his shoulder, coach Arsene Wenger said on Wednesday.

Maradona handed winning start

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:41:00 GMT

Diego Maradona's first match as head coach of Argentina ended with a 1-0 friendly win over Scotland at Hampden Park on Wednesday.

Van Persie leads Dutch to victory

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:32:00 GMT

Arsenal star Robin van Persie scored twice as Holland beat Sweden 3-1 in a spirited international friendly on Wednesday.

Captain on cue for England

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:27:00 GMT

England captain John Terry's header six minutes from time sealed a 2-1 win over Germany in Wednesday's friendly at Berlin's Olympiastadion.

Bellamy goal downs Danes

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:25:00 GMT

Wales captain Craig Bellamy's second-half goal was good enough to give the visitors a 1-0 win over Denmark in a friendly.

French frustrated by Uruguay

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:22:00 GMT

France were held to a disappointing 0-0 draw by Uruguay in a largely uneventful friendly international at the Stade de France.

Lippi's Italy break record

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:18:00 GMT

Italy coach Marcello Lippi broke Vittorio Pozzo's record of 30 consecutive matches without defeat as the Italians drew in Greece.

Bafana end '08 on a high

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 21:47:00 GMT

South Africa claimed a fourth consecutive international victory by edging Cameroon 3-2 in a Nelson Mandela Challenge thriller.

QPR hand reins to Paulo Sousa

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:32:00 GMT

Former Portugal midfielder and two-time UEFA Champions League winner, Paulo Sousa, has been named the new manager of Queens Park Rangers.

Ronaldo considering retirement

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:59:00 GMT

Brazilian striker Ronaldo may retire from football following his latest serious knee injury, the 32-year-old said on Wednesday.

Moore back in training after surgery

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:53:00 GMT

Craig Moore trained with his Queensland Roar team-mates on Wednesday, just days after surgery for testicular cancer.

Goals carry numerical theme

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 08:50:00 GMT

FIFA.com's latest statistical review focuses on goals from Franco Brienza, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Vagner Love, Eden Hazard and Danny Welbeck.

Better late than never for Savidan

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 08:13:00 GMT

France coach Raymond Domenech has acquired a reputation for being a bit of a gambler and the call-up of 30-year-old Steve Savidan is just that.

Walcott out with shoulder injury

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 22:12:00 GMT

Arsenal's Theo Walcott has been ruled out of England's friendly against Germany on Wednesday after dislocating his shoulder in training.

Three games for Drogba

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:24:00 GMT

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba was banned for three games by the Football Association (FA) for a charge of violent conduct.

Fergie gets touchline ban

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:18:00 GMT

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was given a two-match touchline ban and fined 10,000 pounds by the FA.

The last dress rehearsal

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:38:00 GMT

The midweek international friendlies include four intriguing Europe versus South America battles, along with Germany's meeting with rivals England.

Real back under-fire Schuster

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:17:00 GMT

Real Madrid's sporting director has expressed confidence in German coach Bernd Schuster despite a string of recent defeats and poor form.

Carrick: Germany game a dream

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:51:00 GMT

England midfielder Michael Carrick says playing against Germany in Wednesday's friendly in Berlin will be "the stuff of dreams."

Drogba admits conduct charge

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:45:00 GMT

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba admitted an FA charge of violent conduct after throwing a coin into the crowd at Stamford Bridge.

Hughes: It will take time

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:37:00 GMT

Mark Hughes believes Manchester City are on the right track after they ended a three-match losing run with a 2-2 draw at Hull City.

Moyes hails Yakubu return

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:08:00 GMT

Ayegbeni Yakubu's first goal in nine games has earned him praise from David Moyes, who believes Everton are heading in the right direction.

End of the road for Pauleta

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:30:00 GMT

Pauleta, the all-time leading scorer for Portugal and Paris Saint-Germain, has announced his retirement from playing at the age of 35.

Glory hopes extinguished

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 10:35:00 GMT

The title hopes of Guadalajara, Indios Juarez, Pachuca, Real Salt Lake, Cruzeiro, Palmeiras and SoNy Sugar ended, while Boca Juniors's suffered.

The insatiable Dani Alves

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 09:56:00 GMT

FIFA.com caught up with Dani Alves and spoke to him exclusively about Sevilla, stepping in for the legendary Cafu, and a new challenge at Barca.

Following in Maradona's footsteps

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 08:45:00 GMT

Diego Maradona inspired Napoli to the summit of Italian football during his playing days. Another two Argentinians are now leading the team's charge.

Full steam ahead for leaders

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 08:15:00 GMT

It was a good weekend for leaders in Europe’s top leagues. Chelsea, Barcelona, Bayer Leverkusen and Lyon all won to stay in pole position.

Lyon surge as OM implode

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 22:20:00 GMT

Lyon defeated title contenders Bordeaux on Sunday to go seven points clear in France after Marseille let a lead slip away on Saturday.

Rampant Barca go three clear

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 22:15:00 GMT

Barcelona opened a three-point lead at the top in Spain with a win over Recreativo thanks to goals from Lionel Messi and Seydou Keita.

Baptista winner boosts Roma

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 22:09:00 GMT

Brazilian forward Julio Baptista scored the winner as Roma gave their season a welcome boost with a crucial 1-0 win over Lazio.

Kaka keeps up pressure on Inter

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 20:47:00 GMT

Kaka's penalty earned AC Milan a win over Chievo that moved them one point off the pace, while Napoli, Udinese and Fiorentina all suffered defeat.

England lose Hart to injury

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 20:17:00 GMT

Goalkeeper Joe Hart has become England's latest casualty for their trip to Germany, after going off injured in Manchester City's 2-2 draw at Hull City.

Hartley sends Celtic four clear

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 20:00:00 GMT

Celtic fell behind at Hamilton Academical, but Shunsuke Nakamura and Paul Hartley ensured they won to go four points clear at the SPL summit.

Geovanni strikes to frustrate City

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:35:00 GMT

Stephen Ireland's brace reversed an early opener from Hull City's Daniel Cousin, but Geovanni struck to deny Manchester City an away victory.

Gerrard pulls out of Germany friendly

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:11:00 GMT

A muscle tear has forced Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard to withdraw from England's squad for their friendly against Germany in Berlin.

Mathare United crowned in Kenya

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:00:00 GMT

Mathare United won their first Kenyan league title today, after a point on their travels proved enough to end the challenge of SoNy Sugar.

Yakubu equaliser denies Boro

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 16:57:00 GMT

Gary O'Neil's early goal put Middlesbrough in command at Goodison Park, but Ayegbeni Yakubu's second-half equaliser rescued Everton.

CSKA beat champions to bank second

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 14:38:00 GMT

CSKA Moscow took some consolation for missing out on the title by beating champions Rubin Kazan 4-0 to bank themselves a second-placed finish.

Robinho: I hope to make history

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 14:15:00 GMT

Robinho wants to help turn Manchester City into one of the most successful teams on the planet, and would like his Brazil team-mate Kaka to help him.

Lampard revels in 'right decision'

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 13:45:00 GMT

Frank Lampard admits he was inclined to leave Chelsea for Inter Milan during the close season, but is certain he made the right decision in staying.

Ferguson: Ronaldo back to his best

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 01:41:00 GMT

Sir Alex Ferguson believes Cristiano Ronaldo is in top form again after he reached 100 goals for Manchester United in the 5-0 win over Stoke.

Leixoes continue fine start

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 01:22:00 GMT

Leixoes continued their excellent start to the season with a 1-0 win at Sporting on Saturday to stay top of Portuguese Premier League.

Ibra works magic for Inter

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 23:40:00 GMT

Two goals from striking magician Zlatan Ibrahimovic in a 2-0 victory at Palermo shot Inter Milan three points clear at the top in Italy.

Schuster in danger as Real lose

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 23:39:00 GMT

Real Valladolid increased the pressure on Bernd Schuster by beating his Real Madrid side 1-0, while Valencia were upset by visiting Sporting Gijon.

OM implode as PSG roll on

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 23:36:00 GMT

Marseille let a big lead slip at home on Saturday while Paris Saint Germain picked up their third win in three games.

Rangers close in on Celtic

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 23:30:00 GMT

Rangers closed the gap with leaders Celtic to one point by defeating St Mirren at Ibrox on Saturday thanks to an historic goal from Kris Boyd.

Clinical Pirates sink Chiefs

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 23:26:00 GMT

Orlando Pirates scored twice within 11 minutes en route to a 2-0 win over arch foes Kaizer Chiefs in a Soweto derby staged far from its roots.

Mancienne in as Capello axes Becks

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 21:56:00 GMT

Fabio Capello has named Michael Mancienne in his England squad for their friendly against Germany, but there was no place for David Beckham.

Anelka double keeps Chelsea top

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 20:35:00 GMT

Two goals from the in-form Nicolas Anelka helped Chelsea cruise to a 3-0 win at West Bromwich Albion and stay top of the Premier League.

Pompey claim point at Hammers

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 19:17:00 GMT

Portsmouth held West United to a goalless draw at Upton Park, although only the goalkeeping of Robert Green denied the visitors a greater return.

Bramble returns to deny Newcastle

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 19:00:00 GMT

Two second-half goals looked to have earned Newcastle United a comeback victory, until Wigan Athletic's Titus Bramble returned to haunt them.

Fulham hand Redknapp first defeat

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 18:36:00 GMT

Fulham beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 to inflict a first defeat as Spurs manager upon Harry Redknapp and send his team into the relegation zone.

Ronaldo hits century in United win

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 18:12:00 GMT

Cristiano Ronaldo's 100th goal for Manchester United set the Premier League champions en route to a 5-0 win over Stoke City at Old Trafford.

Villa leave Gunners on the floor

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 17:41:00 GMT

Aston Villa missed a penalty against Arsenal, but a Gael Clichy own goal and a second from Gabriel Agbonlahor earned them a 2-0 win in London.

Bayern held as top two win

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 17:14:00 GMT

Bayer Leverkusen and Hoffenheim won narrowly to stay level on points at the summit, but Bayern Munich were held at Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Benitez: The league is our priority

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 16:09:00 GMT

Rafa Benitez rested a number of first-choice players as Liverpool lost in the League Cup in midweek, but he insists the Premier League is their priority.

Reds' title surge gathers pace

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 14:55:00 GMT

Headers from Dirk Kuyt and Steven Gerrard in either half earned Liverpool a 2-0 win at Bolton Wanderers that sent them top of the table.

Lavezzi: I'm really happy at Napoli

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 13:58:00 GMT

Ezequiel Lavezzi has revealed that Chelsea are interested in him, but said he wants to stay at Napoli and become a permanent fixture for Argentina.

Mariners heighten United hangover

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 13:46:00 GMT

Central Coast Mariners ran out 3-0 winners to amplify the hangover of Adelaide United, who lost in the AFC Champions League final in midweek.

Cup draw sends Arsenal to Burnley

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 13:27:00 GMT

Championship side Burnley will host Arsenal in the quarter-finals of the League Cup, while Blackburn Rovers will play at Manchester United.

Del Piero or Totti? You decide...

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 13:03:00 GMT

Alessandro Del Piero and Francesco Totti are both legends of Italian football. FIFA.com wants you to decide which of them has been the greater player?

Fergie content with Ronaldo contract

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 10:23:00 GMT

Despite rumours to the contrary, Sir Alex Ferguson has insisted Manchester United are happy with the length of Cristiano Ronaldo's current deal.

New dawn breaks for Aurora

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:29:00 GMT

Bolivian club Aurora looked to be falling on hard times until a former national hero took the coaching reins. Now, they are league champions.

Brazilian coach of Esperance resigns

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 17:51:00 GMT

Carlos Cabral has quit Esperance to protest the sacking of a fellow Brazilian as physical trainer at the top Tunisian club.

Fergie admits impasse in Tevez talks

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:17:00 GMT

Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed that Manchester United are no closer to signing Carlos Tevez, who is on loan at Old Trafford, on a permanent deal.

Ballack wants to end career a Blue

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:04:00 GMT

Michael Ballack, whose Chelsea contract expires in June, has revealed his satisfaction in London and desire to finish his career at the Blues.

Youth academies bearing fruit

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 09:04:00 GMT

As recent results in the major leagues in Europe and South America have shown, splashing out on big names is not the only recipe for success.

Brugge trio lead from the front

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 08:49:00 GMT

Riding high at the top of the league, the renaissance of Club Brugge can be traced back to the summer of 2007 and the arrival of Jacky Mathijssen.

Giants seek to restore lost shine

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 08:27:00 GMT

Chelsea, Lyon and Real Madrid will strive to rebound from embarrassing cup exits in midweek when league action resumes at the weekend.

Cahill relishes fight for place

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 06:31:00 GMT

Tim Cahill has insisted he welcomes rather than resents the competition for his starting place offered by Everton's new signing Marouane Fellaini.

Gunners lurch upwards again

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 06:25:00 GMT

After a difficult week in which they lost to Stoke and dropped two points against north London rivals Spurs, Arsenal are back on the up once more.

United to fight fire with fire

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 06:17:00 GMT

Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher has dismissed suggestions that the champions are not prepared for the physical style of Stoke City.

Leaders seek to shrug off Cup blues

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:55:00 GMT

Chelsea and Liverpool will try to make amends for their League Cup defeats on the weekend, while the champions face a confident Stoke City.

Davis: We're not panicking

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:43:00 GMT

Rangers midfielder Steven Davis says that Rangers are remaining calm despite falling further behind Glasgow rivals Celtic in the title race.

Fred signs on as Phoenix guest

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:35:00 GMT

Former A-League player of the year Fred has agreed to a six-game guest stint with Wellington Phoenix, the league's New Zealand representatives.

Changing fortunes in France's east

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 04:40:00 GMT

The current league positions of Lyon and St Etienne tell a tale about the shift in footballing power in France's east, as the Ligue 1 race continues.

Lahm back as Bayern chase lead

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 04:25:00 GMT

German international Philipp Lahm returns to a Bayern Munich side gaining confidence in the Bundesliga, as their chief rivals face tough fixtures.

Rome derby about more than pride

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 04:12:00 GMT

Lazio and Roma will be playing for more than local bragging rights when they meet in the season's first Rome derby on Sunday evening.

Schuster under pressure to deliver

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 03:59:00 GMT

Out of the cup, in trouble in the UEFA Champions League and stuttering in La Liga, Real Madrid face one of toughest periods of Bernd Schuster's reign.

Spotlight on South America

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 03:46:00 GMT

With many of the world's leagues taking a break ahead of midweek FIFA World Cup qualifying action, South America is in focus this week.

New signings for North Queensland

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 00:58:00 GMT

North Queensland Fury, who will be joining the Australian A-League next year, have announced three new signings for their inaugural season.

Cup respite for Osasuna

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 22:41:00 GMT

A goal from striker Walter Pandiani gave La Liga strugglers Osasuna a 1-0 win over Getafe in Spain's King's Cup, while Sevilla also advanced.

Juventus rout Genoa to join Inter

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 22:30:00 GMT

A 4-1 home win over Genoa has put Juventus back at the top of Serie A alongside defending champions Inter Milan, on 24 points from 12 games.

Brazil and Italy to play at Arsenal

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:43:00 GMT

Brazil are to play a friendly against FIFA World Cup holders Italy at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium on 10 February, the Premier League club have announced.

Duo miss French friendly

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:38:00 GMT

France coach Raymond Domenech omitted Marseille's Hatem Ben Arfa and Chelsea winger Florent Malouda from a 23-man squad to face Uruguay.

Buffon admits to depression

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:34:00 GMT

Italy and Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has openly admitted that he once suffered from depression.

No recall for Frings

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:31:00 GMT

Torsten Frings has not been recalled for next week's friendly against England after Germany coach Joachim Low announced his squad.

Van Nistelrooy out for season

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:19:00 GMT

Real Madrid's Dutch striker Ruud Van Nistelrooy underwent an operation on his right knee in the US on Thursday and will miss the rest of the season.

Japan duo in hunt for award

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:17:00 GMT

Japanese stars Yasuhito Endo and Yuji Nakazawa were named among the five players in contention to be AFC Player of the Year on Thursday.

Resurgent Jamaica dream on

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 10:16:00 GMT

Upsets of Mexico and Honduras have not only revived Jamaica's hopes of reaching South Africa, but also lifted them 33 places on the world ladder.