Category: Story

Brazil may be out, but these Brazilians are still in it: Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari and the sublime Barcalona midfielder Deco advanced to the semifinals, two very different, very important Brazilians to this Portuguese side. He’s “Big Phil” or “General Felipao” to those who know him, the no-nonsense coach of Portugal, and the same man […]

Real Madrid, one of the world’s richest clubs, is set to unveil Fabio Capello as the team’s new coach, the Guardian reports. This will be Capello’s second stint as Real coach; he also coached the La Liga side during the 1996-1997 season, where he brought them the league title. Ramon Calderon, Real’s newly elected President, […]

BBC Sport reviews the bizarre press room scenes involving World Cup semifinals France and Portugal. “Big Phil” Luiz Felipe Scolari was the first of the two victims to enter the courtroom. Brazilian journalists, leftover from their country’s exit at the hands of France, clapped politely as Phil, who guided them to their 2002 success, walked […]

There can be no question that the decision about whether German coach Juergen Klinsmann remains with the national team now belongs solely to Klinsmann himself, writes Chris Bryant of the German paper Der Spiegel. There can be no doubt that Klinsmann extended his team to the limit, a team that almost no one gave a […]

The Italian press is in raptures following the extraordinary extra-time display that saw the Azzurri beat host Germany 2-0 in its traditional fortress, the Westfalenstadion in Dortmund. “We love you,” ran the headline form the Corriere dello Sport. The sports paper predicted the performance would become legend. “We knocked them out in their own backyard, […]

What are the economic implications of the World Cup? Is it overrated? The British Center for Economics and Business Research estimates that the World Cup will provide a consumption boost worth $25 billionmost of it netted by Europe. Goldman Sachs published a guide of World Cup nations and history, tipping the now-defeated Brazilians to take […]

According to the New York Times, almost everything in Germany comes back to soccer these days. A few days ago, German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced tax increases coinciding with changes in the health care system. More than one commentator noticed how Ms. Merkel tried to slip that in there while everyone was cheering on the […]

The canonization of France legend Zinedine Zidane continues. Midfielder Franck Ribery says he looks forward to the day when he can tell his grandchildren how he played on the same field with the great Zidane. “He is great, extraordinary,” Ribery said, “and it will be great when later on in my career, or even when […]

Stefano Palazzi, chief prosecutor of the Italian soccer federation, has called for all four clubs involved at the center of the match fixing scandal to be thrown out of Serie A. These would be champion Juventus, Lazio, AC Milan and Fiorentina. Palazzi also asked that Juve’s 2005 and 2006 titles be revoked. Coach Fabio Capello’s […]

Hidetoshi Nakata, Japan’s most famous player, has decided to quit the game altogether he announced on Monday. Nakata is Japan’s most adored player, having played in three World Cups and having won a Scudetto with Roma in 2001. The midfielder became the first Japanese to play professionally in Italy, when he signed for Perugia in […]

Reuters profiles the four coaches whose teams remain to battle it out for the ultimate prize in soccer: Germany’s Jurgen Klinsmann, Italy’s Marcelo Lippi, France’s Raymond Domenech and Portugal’s Luiz Felipe Scolari. Italy’s Lippi, the cigarette-smoking former Juventus boss who Alex Ferguson once dubbed “Paul Newman” for his serious, stoic looks tomorrow takes on a […]

Italy head into tomorrow’s semifinal clash with Germany with the best defense in the tournament and growing confidence after an impressive offensive display against the Ukraine on Friday. The Azzurri haven’t lost in 23 matches, and have only conceded a single goal at this World Cup, an own goal by Cristian Zaccardo in the 1-1 […]

It comes as no surprise that the Brazilian media, that 800-pound monster that accompanies the team wherever it goes, should turn on them so abruptly following Brazil’s failed campaign in Germany . The New York Times notes the media couldn’t understand or forgive how Ronaldinho of all people, the man touted as THE star of […]