20-Man Dutch Squad For Friendly Against Russia At Amsterdam Arena

Dutch coach Marco van Basten has announced the following 20-man squad for the friendly international match against Russia to be played at the Amsterdam Arena on Wednesday.

20-Man Spain Squad for International Friendly Against England At Old Trafford

Spain coach Luis Aragones has named the following 20-man squad to face Steve McClaren’s England in a friendly international at Old Trafford next Wednesday.

Governing Body of World Football FIFA Gets Sued By Lyon Over International Friendly Injury of Defender Eric Abidal

French club side Olympique Lyon has today initiated a legal battle against FIFA, following the injury sustained by Eric Abidal in the International Friendly match against Costa Rica played in Martinique in November.

The legal action is also backed by the G14 Club which has AC Milan, Real Madrid, Ajax, Liverpool, Juventus, Bayern Munchen, Inter Milan, Barcelona, Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund, PSV Eindhoven, Porto, Olympique de Marseille, Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Olympique Lyonnais and Valencia CF as its members...

France and Arsenal FC Midfielder Robert Pires Apologises To Coach Raymond Domenech In Bid For Squad Place

Les Bleus and Arsenal FC midfielder Robert Pires has apologised to France coach Raymond Domenech, in a bid to win a recall to the French squad for the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany, even though he last played for France a year ago...

Injuries To Spain's Captain & Midfield Maestro Open Way For Arsenal's Fabregas & Barcelona's Iniesta To Progress From Under-21's

Spain’s ‘Furia Roja’ head coach Luis Aragones has hit a major injury set-back in his World Cup preparation plans. Two of Spain’s key figures in the qualification for the World Cup finals could be ruled out of the tournament next summer due to injury, after Xavi Hernandez joined Spain captain Raul on the long-term injury list...

Poland & Liverpool's Jerzy Dudek May Look To Ronald Koeman's Benfica For First-Team Action To Assure Squad Place

Poland and Liverpool keeper Jerzy Dudek has voiced his intentions to leave Liverpool FC in search of first team action. Liverpool’s Champions League goalkeeping hero is worried that a lack of regular team play will affect his chances of being picked as the first-choice keeper in the Polish squad in next Summers World Cup finals...

The Strange Case Of Spain And The Disappearing Form

In the World Cup Finals in Spain in 1982 the Spanish after scraping through the first group stage by goal difference over the former Yugoslavia; limped out at the second group stage. The format was different then but the results for the boys from Iberia were the same. All too often Spain have gone through into the World Cup finals full of promise, just to get there and go out with a whimper...

AC Milan Legend & 'Oranje' Coach Marco Van Basten Boosts Salomon Kalou's Appeal for Dutch Citizenship

Attempts by Salomon Kalou, the Cote D’Ivoire-born striker who is trying to have his application for Dutch citizenship fast-tracked before FIFA World Cup Germany 2006, have received a significant boost following the support of 'Oranje' coach, and Holland legend Marco Van Basten...

Spain & Arsenal Midfielder Cesc Fabregas Sets His Sights On Luis Aragones' Spain Squad For World Cup

Spain Under-21 and Arsenal FC midfielder Cesc Fabregas has set his sights on the World Cup, and is hoping to cement himself a place in Spain coach Luis Aragones’ 'Furia Roja' squad in time for the World Cup finals in June...

England Captain David Beckham Denies Claims Of England Players Greed Over World Cup Bonuses

England captain David Beckham has hit back at newspaper claims that the England players are being greedy over their potential cash bonuses for next year's World Cup, insisting that the reports suggesting that each player would receive £300,000 for winning the tournament were well wide of the mark...

Repercussions From FIFA Likely Following Turkey v Switzerland Brawl After Play-Off's

As the dust continues to settle after the disgraceful brawl at Fenerbahce’s Sukru Saracoglu Stadium following Switzerland’s victory over Turkey in their explosive second-leg play-off last week, Swiss defender Stephane Grichting has spoken of the incident...

Portugal & Middlesbrough FC Defender Abel Xavier Banned For 18 Months By FIFA After Failed Drug Test

Portugal and Middlesbrough FC defender Abel Xavier was yesterday found guilty by FIFA of the use of performance enhancing drugs, and has been banned from all competitive play for 18 months, and in so denying the experienced defender any chance of playing for Portugal in next Summer's World Cup finals...

World Cup Play-Offs 2nd Leg - Turkey V Switzerland Team Line-up

Turkey V Switzerland.

The players to face each other in today's crucial second leg of the World Cup finals play-offs in Istanbul. Switzerland lead from the first-leg 2-0...

Tension Builds Up Before Crucial Playoff Standoff Between Turkey And Switzerland In Istanbul

After a 2-0 Switzerland win in the first leg of this European zone World Cup 2006 Playoffs, things don't look so good for the Turkish team. Fatih Terim's players will have to win by three clear goals against the Switzerland players in order to qualify...

Switzerland Coach Koebi Kuhn Announces Squad To Face Turkey In World Cup playoffs

Young Boys midfielder Hakan Yakin has been ruled out of Switzerland's World Cup Playoffs Squad due to a thigh injury which has kept him out of action the last 8 weeks. Yakin's brother, Murat Yakin, has suffered an extra injury latel keeping him out of the squad as well.