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Argentina must abandon Barcelona plan

2011-07-19T10:52:00.000+07:00

Photo: AP

If the Titanic had reached New York it would have been just another ship ride. The fascination lies in the failure. The thought kept running through my mind last Wednesday night as I watched Argentina ride their luck to hold Colombia to a 0-0 draw in the Copa America. The game was like an iceberg - an appropriate image given the Arctic conditions - that left the big idea of Argentina coach Sergio Batista holed below the waterline. The project to mould the national side in the shape of Barcelona will surely have to be abandoned.

The slavish copy of the 4-3-3 with Lionel Messi in that false number nine position has not been a success - and the players know it.

Watching Argentina was a lot like seeing the air removed from one of those inflatable men. The team took the field swelling with hope, fanatical provincial crowd behind them, ready to show that the debut draw against Bolivia was nothing but a case of opening-night nerves. And then during the course of the 90 minutes they visibly deflated, shrinking in front of our eyes as their faith in what they were doing seeped away.

In part this is a story of the contemporary primacy of European club football, of how the outstanding teams in the Champions League are now a global reference, setting standards throughout the game.

And to be fair, Batista was perfectly entitled to attempt an imitation Barcelona. It seemed to supply an off-the-peg solution to a vital question - that of how to get the best out of Messi at international level.

There was some promising evidence in friendlies - especially the first 45 minutes away to the USA at the end of March, when Argentina looked worthy of the comparison they had set themselves.

Friendlies, though, can be unreliable witnesses. After two ineffective Copa America matches, one of Winston Churchill's pithy observations seems appropriate - however beautiful the strategy, one should occasionally stop to have a look at the results.

That time has clearly come for the Copa hosts, who, almost incredibly, are going into their final group game still scrambling around for points in order to qualify for the quarter finals - and this in a tournament where only four of the 12 teams fail to make it out of the group stage.

Tournaments are like time speeded up. Some teams fall apart, others suddenly come together, making a year's progress in half a week as the elements reform and come back together in a more effective combination. By far the biggest test of Batista's coaching career is coming up. Can he find a new formula and convince his players that he has found the way forward?

The first tactical change is obvious - the introduction of Gonzalo Higuain up front. Very, very few teams can play attacking football without a penalty-area presence. Barcelona can do it. Holland could do it in 1974.

Almost everyone else benefits from the capacity to take defenders out of the game by playing up to some sort of target man. Without such a figure there is a constant obligation to play perfect football, to have slick passing and moving in restricted spaces plus the occasional touch of genius in one-against-one situations.

Some presence in the box can also bring out the best in skilful players coming from deep, either by dragging defenders away or simply by offering a strong option for a pass - Brazil have also suffered from the absence in their starting line up of a genuine number nine.

One of the most inspired balls that playmaker Paulo Henrique Ganso gave against Paraguay on Saturday was the little slip that set up substitute Fred, the only centre forward in the squad, for the last-minute equaliser in the 2-2 draw.

So Higuain will have to come in for Argentina. So too will Angel Di Maria.

I found it difficult to understand the one change that Batista made for the Colombia game - left back Marcos Rojo dropping out, Pablo Zabaleta coming in at right back, and Javier Zanetti crossing over to the other flank.

With no Rojo and no Di Maria, Argentina were without a naturally left-footed player down that flank. Instead of creating space they played into the hands of the Colombian marking. So, to open out the field, Di Maria goes wide left, Higuain is central and Sergio Aguero can cut in from the right, with Messi free to wander behind them. Carlos Tevez is left on the bench, behind Javier Pastore as the first attacking option.

All this armchair generalship, of course, totally ignores the emotional aspect, which is so important at a time like this. Do Argentina's players and coaching staff really believe they can win the Copa with a revamped line-up - and could their faith survive some missed chances or a goal conceded?

Normally such questions would not even be raised against an experimental young Costa Rica side. But these are not normal conditions. The pressure is cranking up.

And to add spice to the occasion, the opposing coach is Ricardo La Volpe, he of the big moustache and even bigger ego. An Argentine who has done much of his coaching in Mexico, La Volpe feels something like a prophet without much prestige in the land of his birth. He would thoroughly enjoy putting one over Sergio Batista - and in explosive striker Joel Campbell he might feel that he has a potent secret weapon.

On paper, of course, Argentina should walk into the quarter finals - they were placed in Group A for precisely this reason. And they could still go on to win the Copa. But if an early goal does not come, it could be a nervy 90 minutes on a bumpy pitch in Cordoba. And should Argentina fail to make the quarter finals then Batista's immediate job prospects will be as sunk as the Titanic.

Please leave comments on this piece in the space provided. Send questions on South American football to vickerycolumn@hotmail.com and I'll pick out a couple for next week.

Q) Tim, I hardly ever read any comments about football in Chile. Based on what Argentina and Brazil have done (or haven't) in the Copa America don't you think Chile has a chance? I know Claudio Borghi is no Marcelo Bielsa, but the players are amazing and CAN make the difference, dont you find?

Eric Gamboa

A) They certainly have an exciting team - the only ones in the Copa to score three goals in their first two games. The tournament already owes them a debt! It's also something of an anomaly that they have never won the Copa - Paraguay, Peru, Bolivia and Colombia all have.

This is probably Chile's finest ever generation, and there is plenty of time ahead for them to achieve things. But I do worry about that defence - I fear that they give away too many soft goals to be real title contenders - but I'd be happy to be proved wrong.

Corinthians yet to agree deal for Man City's Carlos Tevez

2011-07-19T09:52:00.000+07:00

Brazilian club Corinthians say they have not yet struck a deal to sign Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez. On Sunday, City boss Roberto Mancini claimed a deal had been reached for the 27-year-old, with only personal terms still to be agreed. But a Corinthians statement said: "We would like to clarify to the public that City did not accept our offer. "City sent a counter-proposal in the early hours... and this will be analysed by Corinthians." Tevez's representative Kia Joorabchian also insisted that, contrary to Mancini's comments on City's pre-season tour, the clubs had not yet settled on a fee despite Corinthians returning with an improved bid understood to be about £40m.

"There is no agreement at the moment but we are working hard and we will see what happens," he told BBC Sport chief football writer Phil McNulty.

"The deal has not been done and I don't want to say too much either way. To say I am optimistic would be just a guess but we are working hard."

BBC Sport understands the only change to the offer accepted following a weekend of deliberation by City is regarded by Eastlands officials as minor and does not relate to the value of the bid, which was almost £39m.

Mancini had previously told Sky Sports News that Tevez was a still a City player, but only the attacker's personal terms stood between a deal being finalised.

TEVEZ SAGA TIMELINE

12 December 2010 - Tevez says he is going to leave Manchester City
20 December 2010 - withdraws transfer request and commits future to club
16 May 2011 - says he will only stay at club if solution found to "family issues"
8 June 2011 - Tevez says he will never return to "small and wet" Manchester
4 July - confirms he is going to leave Manchester City
18 July - City boss Roberto Mancini says club have agreed deal, but Corinthians' statement disputes that

However, the transfer of Tevez back to Corinthians, who he played for from 2004-06, appears to be some way off completion, though the Sao Paulo club must be quick as Brazil's transfer deadline day is on Wednesday.

Their statement, issued on Monday, continued: "Due to the time difference, the counter-proposal was only read by our club management on Monday morning.

"The English club have asked for changes in the form of payment and on the value of the transfer. In addition, Manchester City has also insisted that Tevez would have to give up a pending amount with them.

"Lastly, our president Andres Sanchez informs us that for the time being there does not exist anything concrete for Tevez."

Argentine international Tevez - joint top scorer in the Premier League last season with 20 goals - is desperate to leave England in order to spend more time with his family in his homeland.

Corinthians, backed by revenue from a new television deal, want to make Tevez a landmark signing by taking him back to the club where he previously enjoyed success.

Moving to South America would also help to solve Tevez's problem of being separated from his two children.

The former West Ham forward, who joined City from Manchester United in the summer of 2009, is under contract with Mancini's side until June 2014.

If Tevez does go, his 23-year-old countryman Sergio Aguero, who is rated at £45m by Atletico Madrid, is regarded as a natural replacement.

Manchester United Tour Reflects English Soccer's Odd Priorities

2010-07-26T13:29:00.000+07:00

PHILADELPHIA -- In between the first and second games of his club's preseason tour through North America, Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson complained about the lack of a winter break during the English Premier League season.

"Most Decembers we play between eight and nine games at the worst time of the year. The pitches are heavier, the weather is worse and then in the second half of the season you'll find a lot of players at all clubs carrying strains, pulls, but because of the importance of the games, they keep on playing," he said.

"And then when they get to the end of the season and have a major tournament like a World Cup or European Championship they are not 100% fit. They can't be. They need that rest factor which brings the energy back into the system. Germany always takes that month-long break in January and they always seem to do better in World Cups than anyone ever expects." Sir Alex may be on to something.
England, of course, crashed and burned in South Africa, winning only one of its four games. And the four teams that advanced to the World Cup semifinals? They featured a combined eight players (out of 92) from the world's most famous and revered league. Among them were Spain's Fernando Torres (Liverpool), who was more of an impediment than an asset on La Roja's road to the title, and Holland's Robin van Persie (Arsenal), who hardly impressed.

But strangely, several English clubs think nothing of uprooting their players for lengthy overseas tours. Each summer, American fans are given the opportunity to spend big bucks to see FOX Soccer Channel come alive at their local stadium. This year is a bit quieter than normal because of the World Cup, but several big names, including United, have still chosen to spend their preseason in North America.

These tours include an awful lot of activity away from the field. United practiced in Chicago and scheduled games in Toronto (against Glasgow Celtic), Philadelphia (vs. the Union), Kansas City (against the Wizards on Sunday) and Houston (the MLS All-Star Game on July 28). That's a significant amount of travel. In addition, there are all kinds of photo ops and sponsor obligations that command the players' attention.

Prior to Wednesday's match at Lincoln Financial Field, the team was taken to the Philadelphia Museum of Art to recreate the famous scene on the steps from Rocky. One source told FanHouse that United's participation wasn't nearly as enthusiastic as the fictional boxer's.

On Thursday, a few hours before Tottenham Hotspur was scheduled to play the New York Red Bulls in New Jersey, United was across the Hudson River in Manhattan. There, several of the team's biggest names (including Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes) were supposed to participate in an outdoor charity event at 23rd and Broadway, organized by a club sponsor.

On Wednesday evening, United earned an entertaining 1-0 victory over the Union before 44,213 fans, many of whom were in red. The lines at the souvenir stands were deep throughout the evening. United left its World Cup participants behind, and had difficulty taming the MLS expansion side without Wayne Rooney, Michael Carrick, Nemanja Vidic, Park Ji-Sung and Patrice Evra. The Union had plenty of golden chances to score, and the visitors didn't find the net until the 76th minute, when Gabriel Obertan, a 21-year-old Frenchman, collected a quick through pass from Danny Welbeck and beat Philly reserve goalkeeper Brian Perk.

"It was a good game for us. Very good opponent. I thought they did really well," Ferguson said. "I thought they played better than expected."

The match clearly was a friendly. There wasn't much tackling, and United didn't do a whole lot of running off the ball. Perhaps the Rocky Steps weren't such a good idea so early in preseason. Maybe the travel and heat have taken a bit out of them as well.

FanHouse asked Ferguson if the taxing preseason tours make sense, in light of his call for a winter break in England.

"You need preseason games," he answered. "They're absolutely essential. Because there's no way they can do a preseason training program involving endurance and power, and then go into a campaign in a week. You need these games to get their timing, their rhythm, and their breathing right. It's impossible without it."

But do those preseason games need to be across an ocean? Do they need to involve travel to six different cities? Do they require detours so players can kick soccer balls at giant watches (click charity link above)?

"We have to do preseason anyway," United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar (below) told FanHouse. "You have to play games. This is part preseason and part commercial, and that's fine for the players. We get enough rest, and sometimes you have to do something for the club and for the sponsors, and that's the two-way system, I think."

Van der Sar played 130 times for the Netherlands, a national record, and competed in the 1998 and 2006 World Cups. While his lukewarm support for the preseason tour was apparent, he disagreed with his manager and claimed that the Premier League schedule was not to blame for its players' difficulties in South Africa.

"A winter break would be nice, but [the World Cup problems are] just a situation that sometimes happens," Van der Sar said. "Some countries go out a little earlier than the other ones. I don't think it's a trend or something, but we'll just have to keep an eye on it."

So it's a coincidence that the semifinals were relatively Premier League-free?

"I think so, yeah," he said.

Either way, the tours just seem like a burden. United certainly should be given tons of credit for playing MLS teams and not insulting the public with walk-throughs against other European sides like we saw during the Champions World days, and the games are a fun day out for the fans. But if the clubs and Football Association really cared about long-term results, they'd figure out another way to accomplish the goals Ferguson referenced above.

But we know they don't, and we know the arrogance that permeates English soccer likely will forever prevent them from making the changes they need to make. Every two years, the English fans and press claim their national team is ready to win a major championship, they claim their players are the best in the world and hungry for glory, and every two years they fall far short. They say the game is their birthright. But they've sold that birthright to suits and sponsors who wring the players dry and clubs that continually shunt young English talent aside to make room for big-name foreigners. And the fans are complicit, refusing to demand change.

That arrogance prevents a rethink, and we've had the chance to catch a glimpse of it over the past couple of months. FanHouse was there in Rustenburg during Fabio Capello's press conference the day before England faced the U.S., and we watched as the F.A. moderator refused to allow any American journalists to participate. Even more galling, Capello did not think enough of the U.S. to mention it, or any of its players, during the event.

We saw it again on Wednesday. United players were steered through the "mixed zone" as they exited their locker room, where reporters were waiting to interview them as they passed by. FanHouse endured, and heard similar stories from at least three others, English journalists -- visitors to this country -- growing angry if an American approached a player they were interviewing.

Mixed zones are a free-for-all. You stick your tape recorder where it will fit and yell out a question when you can. There are no exclusives. But several English reporters felt the rules didn't apply to them, that their needs were paramount and that they could march into the U.S. and tell us how it's done.

It was stunning, and Scholes, for one, was guilty as well, giving two English reporters his time, walking right by an American who asked politely for a moment, then stopping again for another Brit. We're quite certain that the veteran midfielder has received far better hospitality during his stay in the U.S. than he showed his hosts on Wednesday.

But that's all part of the preseason tour. It asks a lot of the players and clearly doesn't leave them at their best, on the field or off.

Thierry Henry Makes Himself at Home in New York Debut

2010-07-26T13:25:00.000+07:00

HARRISON, N.J. -- Thierry Henry clearly is thrilled to be a New Yorker. In fact, he's so eager to adopt the big city lifestyle that he rode the cramped, sweaty PATH train from Manhattan, where he's staying in a hotel, out to this industrial Jersey suburb on the Passaic River ahead of his Thursday night debut in a Major League Soccer uniform. The PATH is no place for a prima donna.

"It was the quickest way to come to the game," he said. "I was on the train with my friends, with all the fans. It was quite an experience. It was the quickest way to come, so that's how I came. It was cool."
Once he arrived at Red Bull Arena, he gave New Yorkers every reason to be just as thrilled to have him. Within minutes of the start of an exhibition game between the Red Bulls and England's Tottenham Hotspur, which qualified to play in this season's UEFA Champions League, Henry demonstrated his ability to find the ball and shape the course of a match. He'd been practicing with his new teammates for less than a week, but he fit in right away.

In the fourth minute, he bought some time in midfield and floated a nearly perfect curling pass down the left flank intended for Seth Stammler. A Spurs defender reached the ball first. One minute later, Henry drew cheers from the crowd of 20,312 with a deft flick of the ball with the outside of his right foot. The pass reached fellow striker Macoumba Kandji, and the Red Bulls kept possession until Stammler sent a header wide.

Kandji had said before the game that he "still can't believe" he'll be partnering with Henry. "It's just amazing," the 24-year-old from Senegal said. He probably was imagining plays like that one.

In the seventh, Henry wasted a clear-cut scoring chance. A fortunate bounce left him alone in front of goal with Spurs keeper Carlo Cudicini at his mercy, but the shot was scuffed a bit and the Italian made the save. In the ninth, Henry held off Tottenham's Kyle Walker on the left and hit a low hard cross that gave Cudicini some trouble.

In just 10 minutes, Henry proved his class. He was working with his Red Bulls teammates and getting the ball in position to do some damage. The chemistry was there.

Then in the 25th, the former Arsenal and Barcelona legend, the man who's won just about every trophy available in world soccer, gave the fans what they came for and took his first step toward justifying Red Bull's faith in him. New York midfielder Joel Lindpere created the play with a slick move on the left, and Henry deftly finished the cross with a sliding right-footed shot. He jogged toward the corner flag to the left of Red Bull Arena's north goal, pointing and nodding toward the fans.

"You saw it," he said of the celebration. "I'm here. That's what I'm saying. I'm here. It's good to be here."

The Frenchman, who hasn't played since his country's embarrassing first-round elimination from the World Cup one month ago, faded toward the end of the half and was replaced during intermission. But the statement was made. Henry will make the Red Bulls, and MLS, better.

"I'm trying hard to get back into fitness. Obviously after the World Cup I didn't do a lot. I don't know, maybe 10-15 days, you know, to get back into being in shape," he said. "But hey, I wanted to play today and try to go out there and help."

Spurs coach Harry Redknapp joked, "The young guy up front first half, Henry, looks like he has a good future," adding, "He was fantastic. He's a different class."

New York led Tottenham's starters 1-0 at the interval. In the second half, Spurs recovered and scored twice. Captain Robbie Keane knocked in a corner kick in the 62nd minute and Welsh international Gareth Bale tallied the winner 10 minutes later. The hosts had several chances to equalize, but none could take their chance like Henry. The Londoners won on the night, 2-1, but New Yorkers will win in the long run. Henry is the complete package, despite what the Irish might think.

The natural question is whether the players around him are good enough. Henry said they are.

"You saw the move of Joel today. Great move, great cross. The guys, obviously we're going to have to work together, but yes, the guys are all good guys," he said. "We're going to have to go forward as a team and win something as a team. Not me, or two or three [players], it's going to be a team thing."

Red Bulls first-year coach Hans Backe said, "I don't think we should force it. Of course [Henry] is a massive impact for us and will make a difference. But to be realistic, one player can't change the team totally. He needs his teammates around him to feed him with the right passes, the killer passes ... this is a long-term process."

At the same time, Henry is "a world-class player," the coach said. "This is a player who can make things by himself."

Those teammates looked plenty good on Thursday night -- they should have been ahead by more than one at halftime -- and they'll get better. Forward Juan Pablo Angel missed the game with an injured ankle. He's second in MLS with nine goals. And the talk around Red Bull Arena was that the signing of Mexico and Barcelona defender Rafael Márquez is imminent, and could be announced as early as next week.

But Henry will remain the focal point. He combines charisma with the potential to dominate like no MLS player before him. His seamless interaction with his teammates during the first half proved the latter, and the crowd's response to him each time he touched the ball demonstrated the former. He opened his post-game press conference in Spanish, switched to English, then answered a few questions in French.

Put simply, Henry is cool. One can only hope that attracts more fans to Harrison, and rubs off on some that already show up. The "You suck, a**hole" cheer directed by the fan clubs at the south end of the stadium toward opposing goalkeepers as they take a goal kick, for example, is incredibly juvenile and uninteresting. That word is funny to eight-year-olds (and sadly, Philadelphia Union supporters were doing the exact same thing on Wednesday against Manchester United.) Perhaps the Empire Supporters Club will take a cue from Henry and come up with something a bit more sophisticated.

Henry ended his evening by signing a few autographs outside the players tunnel.

"This stadium looks like a football stadium. That's really important. The club made the stadium feel like a home stadium," he said. "It was amazing to see the fans, walking with them to the stadium. Just amazing. I would say the reception was tremendous. Every time I touched the ball, when I came out, when I scored. It is something important to me to feel at home."

Based on Thursday's first impression, this home could be a sweet one.

French Coach Blanc Drops All 23 Players Due to World Cup Finish

2010-07-26T13:22:00.000+07:00

PARIS (AP) -- France coach Laurent Blanc will drop all 23 World Cup players for his first match next month as collective punishment for the team's embarrassing fiasco in South Africa.

The French federation said Friday in a statement it had granted Blanc permission to suspend the players at the coach's request.
France was eliminated in the group stage at the World Cup, failing to win a game. The players also refused to train as a protest after Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka was sent home following an expletive-laced tirade at then-coach Raymond Domenech.Blanc refused to speak to reporters when he left the federation's headquarters Friday.
France plays a friendly against Norway on Aug. 11 in Oslo, and Blanc is set to announce his squad Aug. 5.

France's disappointing performance in South Africa came after the team failed to win a game at the 2008 European Championship, also under Domenech.
The French team endured days of chaos at the World Cup after L'Equipe newspaper published a rant by Anelka aimed toward Domenech at halftime of a 2-0 loss against Mexico, prompting the French federation to send him home.

The next day, the entire squad refused to train in protest and captain Patrice Evra had a lively altercation with the team's fitness coach that was captured on TV.

The events caused an outcry in France, with politicians harshly criticizing the players' attitude, legislators in parliament questioning the coach and even President Nicolas Sarkozy weighing in on the mess.

Earlier Friday, France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris criticized the squad for being "totally stupid" for going on strike and said he is desperate to "restore the image" that was so badly damaged in South Africa.

"Going on strike was the decision of a group that felt isolated, that felt no one had protected it, and that wanted to get a message across," Lloris said in an interview with L'Equipe. "We went way too far. It was a clumsy decision, a big mistake. It was totally stupid."

Lloris, who has 14 international appearances and is expected to stay the No. 1 goalkeeper, accepts the players have an obligation "to make sure what happened in South Africa never happens again, that we don't self-destruct in that way ever again."

"We acted more like a team in the bus than on the pitch," the 23-year-old Lloris said.

"We all want to restore the image of Les Bleus. I'm not asking for us to win everything, just that we all make an effort, that we give everything," he added. "We need to get back to basics, respect for the jersey, for ourselves, our teammates and the institution that is the France team."

Federation president Jean-Pierre Escalettes handed in his resignation earlier this month and the federal council unanimously appointed Fernand Duchaussoy as caretaker president Friday.

Duchaussoy said earlier this week it would be difficult for Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema to play for France after both players were issued the preliminary charges for their alleged involvement in a sex scandal with an underage prostitute.

Duchaussoy moderated his position Friday, saying any decision would have to be made in accordance with Blanc's views on the matter, and that sometimes decisions must be made that go "against one's personal convictions."

AP Sports Writer Samuel Petrequin contributed to this report.

Kansas City Beats Manchester United

2010-07-26T13:20:00.000+07:00

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Davy Arnaud and Kei Kamara scored first-half goals and the Kansas City Wizards beat Manchester United 2-1 Sunday in front of the largest crowd to see a soccer match in Kansas City.

A crowd of 52,342, the biggest for Manchester United on its North American tour so far -- eclipsed the 37,319 who witnessed a World Cup qualifier here in 2001.
The crowd may have also been drawn partly out of curiosity to see the newly renovated Arrowhead Stadium, which was hosting its first event after a $325 million makeover.
Backup goalkeeper Eric Kronberg replaced Jimmy Nielsen at halftime and made five saves for the Wizards, who have not won an MLS title since 2000 and are 4-8-4 this season.

In the 11th minute, Arnaud beat United's offside trap and took a well-placed through ball from Kei Kamara. Given the one-on-one against backup keeper Ben Amos, Arnaud dribbled into the penalty area and calmly slotted the ball into the lower left corner.

Dimitar Berbatov equalized from the penalty spot in the 41st minute after defender Jimmy Conrad was sent off for a sliding tackle on him.

Replays appeared to show Conrad made contact with the ball before Berbatov went down, but referee Terry Vaughn went straight for the red card and Berbatov converted with a roller into the lower right corner.

Kamara's goal put the Wizards up 2-1 in the 42nd minute. He headed Ryan Smith's corner kick over Amos and off the underside of the crossbar, and the ball landed just over the goal line.

Manchester United, the world's biggest soccer brand and a longtime power in the English Premier League, played without several of its stars, including Ji-Sung Park, Rio Ferndinand, Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick.

The Wizards had 12 shots in the first half to five for the Red Devils, and led on shots on goal 6-4.

Manchester United's next stop will be a match against the MLS all-stars on Wednesday in Houston.

Earlier Sunday, the New York Red Bulls beat Manchester City, another English Premier League heavyweight, 2-1.

Officials hoped a big, enthusiastic crowd would help the town's bid to host future World Cup games.

"I do think it's part of the equation," said Clark Hunt, owner of the Kansas City Chiefs and former owner of the Wizards.

"I'm very optimistic that the United States has a very good shot at landing the 2022 World Cup, and Arrowhead is on the list as one of the 18 stadiums that would be a possible venue for that game." Hunt lobbied hard to get the Manchester United-Wizards match.

"Events like tonight's where we're going to have over 50,000 people in the building for a soccer game I think will be a big selling point for both FIFA and U.S. Soccer when it comes time to make the decision on which stadium to bring the World Cup to," he said.

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Menezes accepts offer to coach Brazil

2010-07-26T13:15:00.001+07:00

SAO PAULO: Mano Menezes has become the new coach of the Brazil national team, one day after first-choice Muricy Ramalho turned down the job because of his contract with Fluminense.

SAO PAULO (AP) -- Mano Menezes became the new coach of Brazil's national soccer team Saturday, one day after first choice Muricy Ramalho turned down the job because of his contract with Fluminense.

Mano Menezes in June 2009

Menezes has been coaching Corinthians but will now replace Dunga, who was fired days after Brazil lost to the Netherlands in the World Cup quarterfinals in South Africa.
Menezes will coach the team through the 2014 World Cup, which will take place in Brazil for the first time since 1950.

"I am here today in front of all of Brazil to say that I have agreed with satisfaction and pride to coach the national team," Menezes told a news conference. "I have a habit of accepting important invitations, for they are always major challenges. I have always dreamed of one day becoming the national team's coach, and that day came sooner than I expected."

The news conference was briefly interrupted when a group of Corinthians players, including Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos, barged in to congratulate and embrace Menezes.

Corinthians president Andres Sanchez released Menezes from his contract.

"I am not one to stand in the way of a professional advancing in his career," Sanchez said. "I would never do anything to destroy the dreams of a human being, especially one like Mano, who has helped our team so much."

The Brazilian Football Federation said Friday that Menezes had earned respect for his work at Brazilian clubs Gremio and Corinthians in which he had shown a desire to promote young talents.

Menezes led Corinthians to the Brazilian Cup title last year after helping the club return to the first division following relegation in 2007. He also brought Gremio back into the first division in 2005. In 2007, he led the team to a runner-up finish in the Copa Libertadores, Latin America's top club competition.

On Monday, Menezes will announce the Brazilian squad for the Aug. 10 exhibition game against the United States in New Jersey.

Other names touted for the position included World Cup winner Luiz Felipe Scolari and former Real Madrid coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo.

Scolari led Brazil to the World Cup title in 2002 and is a favorite of the fans, but he recently signed a two-year contract to coach four-time Brazilian champion Palmeiras and hinted he would not be available to the national team until 2012.

Alonso leads controversial Ferrari one-two

2010-07-26T13:13:00.000+07:00

Fernando Alonso, center, Sebastian Vettel, right, and Felipe Massa celebrate after the German Formula One Grand Prix at the Hockenheimring racetrack in Hockenheim, Germany, on Sunday. (EPA)

HOCKENHEIM, Germany: Fernando Alonso led a Ferrari one-two in the German Grand Prix on Sunday after denying Brazilian team mate Felipe Massa an emotional victory one year on from a near-fatal crash. While the Spaniard celebrated his second triumph of the season, and 23rd of his career, it was accompanied by a whiff of controversy with Massa sent a veiled message to allow his teammate through.

"So, Fernando is faster than you," Massa's race engineer Rob Smedley told the Brazilian on the 47th of the 67 laps after his driver had led from the start.

Alonso then passed two laps later, prompting Smedley to say to Massa: "Good lad. Just stick with it now. Sorry." Massa's disappointment, evident at the finish when he shrugged off Alonso's attempted embrace as they stepped out of their cars, was matched by that of the home fans hoping to see Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel win from pole position.

The young German made a poor start, with the Ferraris scything past on either side, and had to make do with third place.

McLaren's Lewis Hamilton finished fourth to extend his championship lead over teammate and reigning champion Jenson Button, who was fifth, to 14 points.

The one-two finish was Ferrari's second of the season after they placed in the same order in the Bahrain season-opener and re-established them and Alonso as contenders after a difficult run of races.

Sunday marked the first anniversary of the Hungarian Grand Prix accident that left Massa in a coma for days and fighting life-threatening injuries after being hit on the head by bouncing debris in qualifying.
The Brazilian missed the rest of the 2009 season, and has not won a race since 2008, but he gave it his best shot on Sunday.

Vettel, on pole for the sixth time in 11 races, moved aggressively to his right at the start to try and block Alonso, handing Massa a clear track to beat both of them into the first corner.

With the Ferraris one-two for the first 13 laps before Alonso pitted, the main thrill was the battle of wills between the determined Brazilian and a Spanish teammate whose frustration became increasingly evident.
"This is ridiculous," Alonso was heard saying over the team radio as he tried, and failed, to squeeze past on lap 21.

When the double world champion, who will celebrate his 29th birthday in Hungary on Thursday, finally did get past, it was a muted success.

"That was as blatant as it comes. He might as well have put his arm out of the cockpit and waved him through," British driver Anthony Davidson told BBC radio listeners.

With Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren in a different race to the rest, Renault, Mercedes and Sauber scrapped for the remaining points.

Australian Mark Webber was sixth for Red Bull, Poland's Robert Kubica seventh in a Renault and followed by the Mercedes of Germans Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher.

Russian Vitaly Petrov, his future with the team subject to considerable speculation, collected the final point for Renault in his first top 10 finish since April.

Kenny Dalglish tips Fernando Torres to stay at Anfield

2010-07-26T12:32:00.000+07:00

Torres suffers groin injury in the World Cup final

Former Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish says he hopes striker Fernando Torres will commit his future to the club.

The 26-year-old has been linked with a move away from Anfield, but Dalglish said he felt the arrival of new boss Roy Hodgson could persuade him to stay.

Captain Steven Gerrard has since said he expects to stay at the club, while Joe Cole has signed from Chelsea.
"When Torres sees that and talks with Roy I'm sure he'll give us good news," Dalglish told 5 live's Sportsweek.

Hodgson told the News of the World on Sunday that he believed he had done all he could to keep Torres at Liverpool.

"Unfortunately, I cannot do much more. His beef is with the club and not me," the paper quoted Hodgson as saying.

Torres has been struggling with injury of late and is currently out with an adductor problem although the club are hopeful he will be fit for the Premier League opening fixture against Arsenal on 15 August.

Chelsea are rumoured to be among the clubs interested in the Spanish World Cup winner, but Dalglish added: "I hope Torres stays. Only Fernando knows what is going to do. Unfortunately for him he is injured but he is a fantastic player and is very happy around the club and the city.

"The fact that Stevie is staying will be a great help and players like Joe Cole, Milan Jovanovic, Jonjo Shelvey and Danny Wilson means there is buying for present and the future."

Meanwhile, Dalglish said he was unsure about whether he will return to football management.

The 59-year-old has been out of management since ending a short spell with Celtic in 2000.

He was keen on the Liverpool post after Rafael Benitez's exit, but stepped aside when it became clear he was not in the club hierarchy's thoughts.

"Whether I would be a manager somewhere else remains to be seen. I don't know," he said.

"Sometimes you miss the buzz of competing at the top level but you don't miss it when you lose a game because it can be very lonely."

A Reds player for 10 years and manager between 1985 and 1991, Dalglish returned to the club last year to take up a senior position at the club's academy as well as an ambassadorial role at Anfield.

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"When Rafa went I offered to help in any way I could," he said. There was a list made up [managing director] Christian Purslow and I spoke to a few people.

"After the initial conversations I stepped aside and the board made the decision who would be the next manager.

"I said I would help in any way I possibly could for Liverpool and I would have been prepared to be the manager if they wanted that.

"But they didn't want that to happen which is their prerogative and that is no problem for me.

"I was very happy at the club last year working with the academy and being an ambassador and it was enjoyable."

Dalglish believes the future is promising for Liverpool after the team failed to qualify for the Champions League this season.

"Signing Joe Cole and Steven Gerrard coming out with a statement saying he is staying gives everyone a lift and it wasn't a bad week for the club," said Dalglish.

"Roy is going to stamp his own authority on the club. It is difficult at the moment because the players are coming back in dribs and drabs after the World Cup and you don't have everyone coming back together it is difficult."

Liverpool signs England's Joe Cole on 4-year deal

2010-07-20T12:22:00.000+07:00

Liverpool has given Joe Cole a four-year contract to make the England midfielder Roy Hodgson's first signing as manager.

The Premier League club said Monday that the 28-year-old Cole, who won three Premier League titles in a seven-year spell with Chelsea, will complete the move if he passes a medical "in the next 48 hours."

Cole is Hodgson's first signing since becoming manager on July 1 and arrives on a free transfer after his Chelsea contract ended.

Cole fills the creative midfield role vacated by Yossi Benayoun, who joined Chelsea two weeks ago.

Cole started just 14 Premier League games last season after struggling with a knee injury but recovered sufficiently to make England's World Cup squad.

But he made only two late substitute appearances in South Africa as England played poorly and was eliminated in the second round.

Cole who spent five years in West Ham's first-team squad before joining Chelsea in 2003, scored 10 goals in 56 international appearances.

Ashley Cole to remain at Chelsea, says Carlo Ancelotti

2010-07-19T15:18:00.000+07:00

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti insists Ashley Cole will be at the club next season and dismissed speculation the Blues would move for Fernando Torres.

Defender Cole has been linked to Real Madrid but Ancelotti said: "Cole will be important for us next season. 100%."

The Italian also ruled out a move for Liverpool's Torres by claiming there are already enough strikers at Chelsea.
Michael Essien, meanwhile, scored the only goal of the game on his comeback from a knee injury at Crystal Palace.

Cole, 29, did not play in the friendly match as he is still on holiday after the World Cup in South Africa.

But in his absence the former Arsenal player has been associated with a move to join former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho at the Bernabeu, not least because of his split from his wife Cheryl Cole.

Ancelotti stated he had not spoken to the England left-back about his future, but said he had no need to.

"I didn't speak with him, I don't need to speak with him and he doesn't need to speak to me," he said.

The former AC Milan boss also quashed suggestions that he would be making a move for Spanish front man Torres.

606: DEBATE
Twas a nice goal and a good performance from him (as usual)

mary poppins

"I don't think we need other strikers," he said. "Nothing has changed because in the next days we have Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka and Salomon Kalou back and we have Daniel Sturridge."

Despite the narrow victory at Crystal Palace, the return of Essien was a boost for Chelsea as he has been absent since January with a knee ligament problem.

The 27-year-old midfielder, who missed Ghana's 2010 World Cup campaign in South Africa, struck on the hour with left-foot shot from the edge of the area and was immediately substituted.

"Everything is good and there is no reaction from the training, so things are looking good for me," said Essien after the friendly.

Ancelotti added: "It was an important return, he came back very well and played very well.

"He is a fantastic player, we missed him last season and we hope he can do the best for this season."

Despite missing the majority of his big names, who, like Cole, are taking a break following the World Cup, Ancelotti could reflect on a positive afternoon's work against the Championship side at Selhurst Park.

Nigerian midfielder John Obi Mikel also returned to action after recovering from the minor knee surgery in May, which also ruled him out of the World Cup.

Goalkeeper Petr Cech and defender Alex were the only other first-team players to feature in a squad predominantly made up of reserves and youth team players, including 15-year-old Nathaniel Chalobah, who is part of England's under-17 team.

Last season's Double winners continue their preparations for the defence of their Premier League title and the FA Cup next Friday against Ajax in Amsterdam.

The Blues then conclude their pre-season plans with two fixtures in Germany, taking on Eintracht Frankfurt on 1 August followed by a trip to Hamburg three days later.

The west Londoners play Manchester United in the FA Community Shield on 8 August and kick off their league season at home to West Bromwich Albion on 14 August.

Liverpool World Cup stars to miss Europa opener

2010-07-19T15:14:00.000+07:00

LIVERPOOL: Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson says he won't risk any of his squad's World Cup stars in their early Europa League qualifier.

Hodgson's team face a third qualifying round clash against either Macedonian side Rabotnicki or Armenia's Mika later this month in what will be the former Fulham manager's first competitive match in charge of the Reds.

With the first leg scheduled for July 29, Hodgson knows he is going to have to kick off without Steven Gerrard, Javier Mascherano, Jose Reina, Dirk Kuyt, Ryan Babel, Daniel Agger, Glen Johnson, Jamie Carragher and the already injured Fernando Torres.
Hodgson's medical staff have warned him about forcing those players back into action too early after their grueling season finally came to an end in South Africa earlier this month.

"Possibly none of our World Cup players will play in the early Europa Cup games if we listen to the advice of the sports science people," Hodgson said.

"They are telling me we would be very foolhardy to use players who have only been training for three or four days on the back of the World Cup that early on because that will affect us further on down the road.

"If we feel we are endangering our chances of doing well in the Premier League by risking players in the early stage of the Europa League, it will be a decision the club will have to take. You have to follow the guidance." Gerrard, Carragher, Johnson and Agger will start individual fitness programs at the club's Melwood training ground soon, but Mascherano, Reina, Kuyt and Babel will not return until after the Europa League first leg has been played.

"Their (medical staff's) advice is to not use these players," Hodgson said. "If we have enough players to put a team out without them is another question.

"Things can happen before July 29; we will not be speculating on that and there is no point in me making predictions of what the team will be like for that game.

"The sports science people are advising me not to use the players from the World Cup. Therefore new signings would become important for the Europa League."

Fabregas to join Barca: Puyol

Meanwhile, Barcelona captain Carles Puyol is convinced Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas will move to the Nou Camp - even if the Spanish champions have to wait another 12 months to seal the deal.

Puyol spent the last six weeks with Fabregas as the pair helped Spain win the World Cup in South Africa and the defender has no doubts that his compatriot would love to return to Barca.

Fabregas, who began his career in Catalonia before moving to Arsenal as a teenager, had talks with Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger prior to the World Cup in a bid to persuade the Gunners to let him leave.

Wenger remains adamant Arsenal will not sell their prize asset and there is no sign of the deal progressing at present, but Puyol still expects Fabregas to get his wish eventually.

"Cesc is a really nice guy and desperate to become a Barcelona player," Puyol told the Daily Star on Sunday.

"But he is not the sort of player to be ruthless and start using the media to get him the move that he wants.

"There are many players who would try all sorts of tricks to make it impossible to ever play for Arsenal again but that is not his style.

"I think Arsenal need to respect his class and show the same class by giving the guy who has given so much to them the move that he and his family want.

"He isn't just being deprived of moving to the best club in the world. More importantly, he is being deprived of coming home." Puyol believes it is Arsenal's failure to win silverware for the last five years that has convinced Fabregas now is the time to quit the Premier League club.

"He has tried everything to win trophies at Arsenal and when he sees the success so many of his Spanish team-mates are having at Barcelona, it's only natural that he should want to be a part of that," Puyol said.

"He is the future of Barcelona and Arsenal can't do anything to stop that. I have just spent six weeks with him and there is only one club he wants to be at.

"The worst-case scenario is that we have to wait another 12 months for him to join us - but Arsenal, Barcelona and Cesc know that is the very worst-case scenario." Puyol's comments come 24 hours after Wenger attempted to draw a line under the affair.

"He's such an important player for us, he's our captain and we want to keep him," said Wenger. "That's why we're not listening to any offers," he said.

But reports from Spain suggested Barcelona president Sandro Rosell was planning to head to London on Tuesday in a bid to unblock what is being referred to as 'Operation Fabregas'.

Barca are prepared to pay more than 40 million euros for the World Cup winner, says the daily Mundo Deportivo.

Fabregas "remains the objective for Barca this season even if it is not at any price," wrote the paper Sport.

Arsenal rejected a 35 million euro bid in June but that has not deterred Barcelona.

"He will arrive. Even if it is not now, it will be next year," Rosell told Spanish television on Friday.

'Capello will axe Terry'

In another development, Fabio Capello is likely to drop John Terry from the England team next season, according to Italy defender Fabio Cannavaro.

Cannavaro got an insight into Capello's ruthless style of management when he worked with the Italian at Real Madrid and the Juventus star is convinced Terry is in severe danger of losing his England place after his controversial comments at the World Cup.

Earlier this year Capello had stripped Terry of the captaincy following revelations about the Chelsea player's affair with the ex-partner of former teammate Wayne Bridge.

And Capello was further angered when Terry used a press conference during the World Cup to claim that he was ready to confront the Italian over his tactics and team selection.

Terry was forced to back down after Capello called his comments a "big mistake" but he gave a poor performance as England slumped to a 4-1 second round defeat against Germany.

Cannavaro is convinced Capello will make changes for the 2012 European Championship qualifying campaign, with Terry the most likely to lose his place.

"My thoughts are that John Terry won't be on the team sheet," Cannavaro told the Daily Star Sunday.

"You don't cross Fabio and he won't want anybody disrupting his tournament again.

"It was absolutely the correct decision for the English FA to keep Fabio on. He can make this England team his own now - and I would actually make them the favorites for Euro 2012.

"When he joined Real Madrid he brought a lot of players in the first season like myself and Ruud van Nistelrooy and the result was instant success but internationally it takes time to build your own team.

"I don't want to speak for Fabio but I'd be surprised if more than five of the players who started against Germany start the opening game of Euro 2012.

"For me, the only two players that can be guaranteed to start in 2012 are Ashley Cole and Wayne Rooney.

"If Fabio gets rid of egos, I think England will see exactly why it was a good decision to keep him on."

'Mourinho asked for our help'

In Nairobi, Real Madrid's new coach Jose Mourinho sought the assistance of Kenyan jujumen to help him succeed in his tough new job with the Spanish giants, one of the men said on Sunday.

Mourinho, who spent a three-week holiday in Kenya with his family this month, met with the four men during his last days in the paradise resort region of Ukunda, on the south coast.

"We met him through an intermediary in a secret location because he did not want the media to know. He was driven to the place in a tourist's van accompanied by his wife," said Mzee Makthub, a reputed Mombasa medicineman, who has acted as a consultant to many politicians and football officials.

Makthub added: "He asked us to help him succeed in his new job. Of course everyone who is undertaking a new assignment, even the politicians always seek that external assistance.

"Mourinho said he was taking a tough assignment at Real Madrid and he wanted to earn the respect of the people he was going to work with." The 47-year-old Mourinho refused to have his photograph taken or grant interviews with reporters during his Kenyan visit, which included a stay in the famed Masai Mara game park.

He flew back to Europe last Sunday, only four days before he arrived at Real Madrid on a four-year contract after leading Italian club, Inter Milan to a historic treble last season.

Spaniard Pedrosa wins German MotoGP

2010-07-19T15:11:00.000+07:00

BERLIN: Spaniard Dani Pedrosa won the German MotoGP on Sunday to gain a little ground on world championship leader Jorge Lorenzo.

Honda rider Pedrosa, second in the standings, finished 3.355 seconds ahead of compatriot Lorenzo, who had started on pole but had to settle for second place in a re-started race following a crash on lap nine at the Sachsenring circuit.

MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi finished fourth in his first race back just six weeks after breaking his leg. The Italian was just edged out by Australian Casey Stoner who took the final podium place.

With 10 rounds of the championship to go, Yamaha's Lorenzo, who had won the previous three races and has finished no worse than second all season, leads with 185 points. Pedrosa has 138 and Italian Andrea Dovizioso is third with 102 points.

Lorenzo led until the race was red-flagged when Frenchman Randy de Puniet crashed at turn four and brought down Spaniards Aleix Espargaro and Alvaro Bautista.

De Puniet suffered a broken left leg, the championship website (www.motogp.com) reported.
After a 25-minute delay for the track to be cleaned up, Pedrosa re-grouped after the re-start to claim a lead he never relinquished.

"He (Pedrosa) had more pace than me and it was impossible for me to follow him," Lorenzo told BBC TV.
"I'm quite satisfied... quite happy with second place which is very positive for the championship."

Brazil trying to find perfect coach for 2014 WCup

2010-07-19T09:43:00.000+07:00

SAO PAULO (AP)—Brazil is taking its time to choose a new coach, the man who will face the hard task of leading the team at home in the 2014 World Cup.

After firing coach Dunga following the disappointing elimination by the Netherlands in the quarterfinals in South Africa, the Brazilian football federation is carefully considering its options before deciding who will be in charge of the five-time champions four years from now.
The federation took a chance in picking Dunga, who had no coaching experience, but this time it may adopt a different approach. Experience will likely be the main requirement, as the pressure for Brazil to succeed at home will be unprecedented.
“To lose in 2010 was justifiable, but to lose in Brazil will be like repeating 1950,” federation president Ricardo Teixeira said recently, referring to the team’s 2-1 loss to Uruguay in the 1950 World Cup final in Brazil, when the country hosted the tournament for the first—and last—time.

The federation said it will make the announcement of the new coach by the end of the month, and the main names touted for the job include World Cup winner Luiz Felipe Scolari, former Real Madrid coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo, and three-time Brazilian league champion Muricy Ramalho.

Other names reportedly on the list include former player Emerson Leao, Paulo Autuori, and less-experienced coaches such as former AC Milan coach Leonardo, Sao Paulo manager Ricardo Gomes and Corinthians commander Mano Menezes.

Scolari led Brazil to the World Cup title in 2002 and is the favorite for fans, local media and even President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who recently said the former Chelsea manager has a “huge advantage over the other candidates” because of his triumph at the World Cup in Japan and South Korea.

Even some other local coaches are behind the return of Scolari.

“He is the right coach because of all he has achieved so far,” Santos’ Dorival Junior said. “He is a great person and has the kind of a profile that everyone in football likes.”

But Scolari just signed a two-year contract to coach four-time Brazilian champion Palmeiras and hinted he would not be available to the national team until 2012.

He said the federation has not made him an offer so far, but he did leave open the possibility of eventually taking the job.

Teixeira may not be willing to wait too long for Scolari, however, and may need to look for alternatives.

He could go with established coaches Luxemburgo and Ramalho, who are highly respected by Brazilian fans and media for their success locally.

Luxemburgo, currently with Brazilian club Atletico Mineiro, coached Brazil from 1998-2000. He led the team to the 1999 Copa America title, but off-field problems with the revenue service and Brazil’s elimination in the 2000 Olympics eventually cost him the job. He has won five Brazilian league titles with four different teams.

Ramalho became a well-regarded name after leading Sao Paulo to three consecutive Brazilian league titles from 2006-2008. He is currently in charge of Rio de Janeiro club Fluminense.

Menezes led Corinthians to the Brazilian Cup title last year, while Gomes has coaching experience abroad with Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco and led Sao Paulo to the semifinals of the Copa Libertadores this year.

“It makes me proud to have my name included in this discussion, but it’s all speculation right now,” Menezes said.

Leonardo, who as a player helped Brazil win the 1994 World Cup, had only a brief coaching experience with AC Milan last season and his hiring would mean taking another chance, which Teixeira may not be willing to do.

Dunga was chosen to revamp the national team, replacing veteran Carlos Alberto Parreira following Brazil’s elimination to France in the quarterfinals in Germany in 2006.

He imposed a defensive style and left out stars such as Ronaldinho, Ronaldo and Adriano, displeasing millions of Brazilian fans, but the team achieved significant results under his command and entered the World Cup as a favorite to win a sixth world title.

Despite not impressing, Brazil did well and looked good to go all the way to the final, but a disappointing second half in the quarterfinal match allowed the Dutch to rally to a 2-1 victory.

Brazil will play a friendly against the United States in August in New Jersey, and could be playing five other exhibition matches before the end of the year.

World Cup seals Spain's sports superpower status

2010-07-16T14:52:00.000+07:00

MADRID: When Iker Casillas became the first Spanish player to lift the World Cup trophy in South Africa's Soccer City, it underlined Spain's recent emergence as a sports powerhouse.

Since 2000, Spain has won basketball's world and European championships and four Davis Cup tennis titles; Rafael Nadal has captured eight Grand Slam victories; three Spanish riders have triumphed at the Tour de France; Fernando Alonso has secured two Formula One titles, and Pau Gasol has helped the Los Angeles Lakers win back-to-back NBA titles.

As Spain's economic star rose over the decades, so did the quality of its sports stars — culminating with the World Cup win that had eluded the football crazy nation after so many decades of frustration and under-performance.

And even though Spain has been badly damaged by the current European debt crisis, experts predict it won't lose its edge on the playing fields.

"Our progress in tennis, cycling, basketball, motor racing and bike racing has been remarkable," said an editorial in Spanish daily El Pais the day after the World Cup triumph. "Football, however, always seemed to be condemned to the role of unfortunate hopeful, which seemed to have everything conspire against it. Referees, penalties — sport's fates seemed to work overtime to delay this dream every four years." A failure to even reach the semifinals of football's premier tournament since the competition's inception had reflected the fact that while Spain had two of the biggest club teams in the world — Barcelona and Real Madrid — its national side never delivered. That seemed to change with the team's 2008 European Championship win, which came on the back of a decade that saw Spain start to win major titles in several sports on a regular basis.

Football, tennis and cycling have been the staples of Spanish sports for decades. With football players such as Alfredo di Stefano and Luis Suarez, tennis players Manolo Santana, Manuel Orantes, Sergi Bruguera and Arantxa Sanchez and Tour-winning cyclists Pedro Delgado and Miguel Indurain, the country already had an admirable stable of athletes.

However, most of the above were in their prime before Spain embarked on its construction-driven economic boom in the mid-1990s. The corresponding investment in the country's sports facilities has led to unprecedented success.

"The development of sports infrastructure in this country over the last 20 years has been absolutely unbelievable," said Juanma Murua, of sports consultant Avento in San Sebastian. "As a consequence there has been a huge increase in the amount and quality of sport practiced." Murua also highlights a focus on the development of coaches, particularly at grass roots level, as crucial to Spain's sports boom.

Going into the World Cup, for example, Spain had 23,995 coaches holding UEFA's top qualifications, compared with 17,588 in the more populated France and only 2,769 in England.

The arrival of one or two outstanding figures has also boosted the profile of certain sports and created a new fanbase, driving popularity and economic backing.

"Nobody really followed Formula One here until Fernando Alonso won the world title. It's the same with basketball — when Pau Gasol started to have an impact in the NBA, it took the sport to a new level for Spain," said Miguel Jimenez, a 50-year-old sports fan who works as a security guard in Madrid. "In the towns and villages, the kids see Nadal winning at tennis and they say to their parents, 'I want to play tennis."' Of course, Spain's dominance is not total. Despite its pre-eminence in the handful of sports which Spaniards follow most closely, there are others where it falls short.

In the 2008 Olympics, Spain was 15th in the medal table, behind the likes of Ukraine, Kenya and Jamaica.

The fact the Olympics rewards certain multi-discipline sports more than others perhaps helps explain why Spain has rarely performed notably at the Games. Nonetheless, the nation should go into the 2012 London Olympics in optimistic mood.

Before then, the country's athletes are aiming to make it an even more glorious Spanish summer of sport.

Alberto Contador is in contention to secure a third Tour de France title, and Miguel Angel Jimenez and Sergio Garcia are potential contenders at the British Open this week in St. Andrews, Scotland.

Delighted with Spain's World Cup triumph, Garcia said: "It was great, so intense. For the country, it has been the best thing ever. Everybody has gone ballistic. It is great to see." Asked if he was going to wear anything or do anything for Spain during the Open, he added: "We'll see. We're working on it. Hopefully a nice surprise." Spain begins the defense of its world basketball title in Turkey on Aug. 28. Also, Spain and Portugal are hoping that the World Cup win will boost their joint bid to host the 2018 or 2022 tournament.

The only cloud on the horizon is the economic situation.

Spain's success story came to a shuddering halt as the world recession started to bite. The big question is whether this will hurt the country's future attempts to win major trophies.

Murua points out that with other countries suffering, the playing field is relatively level.

Fabio Duran, of Cogesdeporte sports consultancy in Seville, believes that Spain's sporting achievements should not be too heavily affected by problems off the field.

"Sport is no less susceptible to (the recession) than other sectors, but we have strong structures and financing systems and support to be able to weather it," he said.

FIFA sets tighter ethics rules for World Cup bids

2010-07-16T14:46:00.000+07:00

ZURICH (AP)—FIFA has imposed tighter transparency rules on World Cup bidders when they seek meetings with voters who will choose the 2018 and 2022 hosts.

World soccer’s governing body said Thursday that the nine bid teams must explain in writing why they need access to the 24 Executive Committee members or voters’ national associations.

FIFA told bidders in a statement that they are forbidden from trying to influence voters by “offering benefits for specific behavior.”

The 24 executive voters noted that various bid teams approached them “either formally or informally” during the World Cup in South Africa. FIFA said it wanted to “better monitor these contacts and also preserve the independence of members in the bidding procedure.”

FIFA’s warning comes days after the World Cup ended, and much of the organization’s focus shifts toward a blockbuster vote on Dec. 2 to award back-to-back World Cup hosting rights.

The United States has retained its entry for the 2018 World Cup, which is expected to be awarded to one of four European bids: England, Russia, and the joint bids of Spain-Portugal and Netherlands-Belgium.

The U.S. is competing with Japan, Qatar, South Korea and Australia to host the 2022 World Cup.

Next week, a FIFA team of technical experts will begin inspection visits of the nine bids to assess their ability to host the tournament.

The World Cup brings FIFA 95 percent of its total income, and is budgeted to earn at least $3.8 billion in commercial revenue for the 2014 tournament, which is being staged in Brazil.

FIFA bid rules say candidates can give voters gifts of merely symbolic value, which must not influence the bidding process. Candidates also cannot criticize rival bids or make deals to trade support on the FIFA ruling executive, with eight of the 24 members representing countries in the bidding races.

The new transparency rule requires all bid teams to register any planned attempt to contact voters or their national association.

All contacts “shall be reported in advance and in writing to the secretariat to the FIFA Ethics Committee,” the governing body’s secretary general, Jerome Valcke, said in the letter. “Any violation of this principle will lead to an investigation … with possible sanctions in accordance with the FIFA code of ethics.”

The ethics panel, chaired by former Switzerland international forward Claudio Sulser, is finalizing its investigation into the behavior of Australia’s bid team.

The probe was launched last month after Australian newspapers reported that bid leaders offered jewelry to FIFA voters and their wives, and offered to pay travel expenses for soccer projects.

Thierry Henry retires from French national team

2010-07-16T14:41:00.000+07:00

NEW YORK: Thierry Henry said Thursday he is retiring from the French national team.

The 32-year-old forward announced his decision during an interview at the offices of The Associated Press before a news conference to discuss his signing with Major League Soccer's New York Red Bulls.

He said he will not try to emulate England's David Beckham and commute between the US and Europe.

"I always want to be here 100 percent and fully committed to this cause and the organization," Henry said.

Henry had 51 goals in 123 international appearances. He made his debut Oct. 11, 1997, in a 2-1 win over South Africa. His finale was June 22 against Bafana Bafana, when he was introduced as a 55th minute substitute in a 2-1 defeat that condemned France to a first-round exit from the World Cup.

"That was my last game, against South Africa," he said.

"Ironically, it was also my first game in the national team against South Africa." Henry said he had made up his mind to retire before the World Cup.

"I couldn't announce it before because that's the not type of thing you announce before a World Cup," he said.

Spain, Germany in transfer tussle for oracle octopus

2010-07-16T14:35:00.000+07:00

In this combo image, Spain's Andres Iniesta (left) shows a mock version of Paul the oracle octopus as the Spanish national football team celebrate their World Cup victory on a stage in Madrid on July, 2010. Picture on the right shows the octopus holding on to a copy of the World Cup Trophy in his aquarium in Oberhausen, Germany. (Reuters/EPA)
By STEPHEN BROWN | REUTERS

BERLIN: Madrid zoo made a transfer bid for Paul the oracle octopus on Thursday, telling his aquarium in Germany it would outbid all others and give him a warm welcome in gratitude for predicting Spain's soccer World Cup win.

But Paul's keepers at Sea Life in Germany said the tentacled tipster was not on the transfer list.

Paul, credited variously with psychic powers or incredible insight into soccer, even for a species considered the cleverest of all invertebrates, became a celebrity for managing a perfect eight-for-eight record tipping winners in South Africa.

The octopus predicted football matches by picking food from two different transparent containers lowered into his tank, each adorned with the flag of one of the matches' competitors.

Paul earned Spain's affection for accurately tipping them to beat the Dutch in the final, but in Germany he became the butt of bitter jokes about grilled octopus and 'pulpo a la gallega' after predicting its defeats to Serbia and Spain.

The Zoo Aquarium in Madrid said that in response to "dozens of petitions from all over Spain" it had contacted Sea Life in the town of Oberhausen "to ask them to transfer the animal" and making the Germans an offer they could not refuse.

Madrid zoo assured the Germans that it could "improve on any offer received so far" and throw in some animals of its own. It did not make any mention of cash sums involved.

"The zoo also guarantees that Paul will receive the best attention, reflecting the great affection in which he is held by all the Spanish people since he predicted that the Spanish team would win the football World Cup," it said in a statement.

But Paul's keepers in Oberhausen were doing just that. They had said when the World Cup ended that the fame had not gone to his head and that he would see out the rest of his life — about another year, given the short life span of his species — at his old job of "making children smile."

During the tournament in South Africa, television crews from all over the world interrupted broadcasts for live coverage of the eight-legged oracle selecting a mussel from one of two food containers draped in the national flags of the opposing teams.

Standing near Paul's tank, which was crowded with visitors and bedecked with flags, Sea Life spokeswoman Tanja Munzig said on Thursday that the octopus was not for sale.

"We are not in contact with Madrid Zoo. And we know nothing about swapping Paul for another animal or him going to Madrid Zoo for a transfer sum," she told Reuters.

But she did add that one Spanish approach was welcome — from a small, unnamed Spanish town that had declared Paul an honorary citizen and would send its mayor to Oberhausen next week to present him with a commemorative plaque and sculpture.

Iniesta says Spain will start from scratch

2010-07-15T13:30:00.000+07:00

BARCELONA, Spain —Andres Iniesta said Tuesday that Spain is determined to win more titles after its World Cup success and that the team begins “from zero” next season.

The Barcelona midfielder’s extra-time goal against the Netherlands clinched a 1-0 win for Spain in Sunday’s final.

Iniesta was speaking as he arrived in Barcelona after celebrating with his teammates and thousands of fans in Madrid, where the Spain team met King Juan Carlos and Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

Iniesta said winning the World Cup would not affect the team in the future.

“We want to keep going in this way in terms of titles. This title won’t affect the performance of any player,” he said.

Spain plays Mexico in a friendly on Aug. 11 and begins its effort to qualify for the 2012 European Championship against Liechtenstein on Sept. 3.

On his winning goal from a Cesc Fabregas pass, Iniesta said: “It was all very quick. At first I felt very isolated and thought I must be offside.

“It was phenomenal how Cesc saw me, he passed to me very fast and when I got the ball I knew it had to go in, because going to penalties would have been terrible.”

Iniesta said he would like to play alongside Fabregas at club level next season.

The Catalan team wants to sign the Arsenal captain and has already had one bid rejected. During Monday’s celebrations in Madrid, Barcelona players Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique forced a shirt over Fabregas’s head as a joke.

“Everybody has come out and spoken of the desire we have for him to be with us next season. We would be delighted. Not just because he is a teammate and a friend, but because it would be great for the club,” Iniesta said.

“His arrival would give us a huge jump in quality and he would play his part to help us stay up there competing in the big competitions. We would love him to be here.”

Iniesta said there are similarities between the Spanish team and Barcelona, which was the most represented team in the World Cup-winning squad.

However, he underscored the importance of non-Barcelona players in the team, such as Fernando Llorente of Athletic Bilbao, who came on as a substitute during the 1-0 win against Portugal.

“The day of the Portugal game, Llorente’s coming on was key to winning,” Iniesta said.

Messi says WCup loss left him with 'bad feeling'

2010-07-15T13:28:00.000+07:00

PANAMA CITY: Lionel Messi says Argentina's 4-0 defeat to Germany in the World Cup quarterfinals left him with a "bad feeling" that lingers almost two weeks later.

Messi is playing an exhibition game in the Panama capital on Wednesday, which will feature Messi and a few Argentine players against a team led by former German international Kevin Kuranyi. Messi arrived after spending a holiday on the beach in Brazil.

Messi was reluctant to be drawn on the national team's immediate future, saying it was up to Diego Maradona to decide if he wants to continue as coach.

Dutch celebrate 2nd place in World Cup

2010-07-15T13:23:00.000+07:00

MIKE CORDER | AP - The boat with the players of the Dutch National Football Team is cheered to by thousands of fans dressed in orange along the canals of Amsterdam. Thousands of fans came to Amsterdam to celebrate the 2nd place finish of the Dutch team at the World Cup. Spain beat Netherlands in the final 1-0. (EPA)

AMSTERDAM (AP)—Hundreds of thousands of fans lined Amsterdam’s web of canals to cheer the World Cup runner-up Netherlands as the team cruised the waterways, swigging beer and blowing vuvuzelas, in an open-top boat on Tuesday.
Looking to have finally shaken off the disappointment of the team’s third second-place World Cup finish, the players drank beer and waved at fans as orange streamers, fired from cannons along the canal, drifted over them.

Midfielder Rafael van der Vaart sprayed fans with beer, while defender Edson Braafheid caught a bottle of beer tossed to him by a fan and started drinking from it. Players had to regularly duck as their boat cruised under low bridges.

“I expected some people to come, but this is unbelievable,” coach Bert van Marwijk said. “Can you imagine what it would have been like if we’d won?”

Scores of small boats, most of them pumping out loud music and packed with dancing revelers, followed the official flotilla.

In front of about 100,000 fans at the central Museum Square, winger Arjen Robben said: “Spain may have won the World Cup, but we have the best supporters in the world.”

Before the team boat arrived, several fans leaped into the murky waters of the Brouwersgracht canal cheered by hoards of orange-clad, flag-waving supporters—despite warnings from authorities that swimming in the canals could expose them to anything from E. coli bacteria to sunken bicycles and shopping carts.

“It’s a bit much, considering we lost,” said Loes Olden, who was sipping a glass of white wine at the water’s edge at a table decked in an orange tarp, two ornate candle sticks and a bowl of oranges. “It’s over the top, but we’re enjoying it.”

Houses along the canals were draped in flags and some had giant footballs hanging from their facades.

Earlier, the team was honored by Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende at the start of a hectic day of celebrations.

Under bunches of orange balloons, Van Marwijk and retiring captain Giovanni van Bronckhorst were given the honorary title of “Knight in the Order of Oranje Nassau” at a reception in front of Balkenende’s official Catshuis residence.

The team then was driven by coach to meet Queen Beatrix at her Noordeinde Palace in The Hague before an Air Force helicopter whisked the team to Amsterdam for its boat tour and an open-air party at Museum Square, where fans had watched the action from South Africa on giant screens throughout the tournament.

Amsterdam police tweeted that 500,000 people had descended on the city to celebrate the Netherlands’ best World Cup finish since 1978. There were no immediate reports of any problems among the fans, who quickly dispersed from the canals after the team boat had passed.

Orange-clad supporters began pouring into the grassy square, flanked on two sides by the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum, hours before the party’s scheduled 5 p.m. (1500 GMT) start.

Security staff were posted next to a handful of house boats along the route in an effort to prevent fans clambering onto their roofs. When the Netherlands won its only international title, the 1988 European Championship, several house boats were badly damaged and a few sank amid wild scenes of jubilation.

The Dutch lost 1-0 in extra time to Spain in Sunday’s final—the third time the country has lost the final after defeats in 1974 and ’78.

Dennis Nuitermans, who runs a car showroom in the southern city of Breda, traveled to Amsterdam on his 32nd birthday for the celebration.

“It doesn’t happen often that we are second in the world so we’re coming for a great day out in Amsterdam,” he said.

While Nuitermans was pleased with the team’s second place, he was critical of its style of play. Van Marwijk ditched the trademark Dutch flowing, attacking style known the world over as “total football” and replaced it with patient passing and uncompromising tackling he calls “result football.”

“It was not really Dutch, but it was efficient,” Nuitermans said. “The final was not exactly charming. It was pretty ugly at times.”

Eight Dutchmen were booked and defender John Heitinga was sent off in an ill-tempered final in Johannesburg, where five Spain players were also booked.

Robben said his missed chance on the hour mark was still haunting him. The Bayern Munich star had only Iker Casillas to beat, but the Spain goalkeeper deflected Robben’s shot wide with his outstretched foot.

“You want nothing more than to score that goal. It was a big chance,” he said. “It hurts to miss a chance like that.”

As he sang and danced in front of the huge orange crowd of adoring fans in Amsterdam, the pain appeared to be easing

Argentina to offer Maradona new 4-year deal

2010-07-15T13:16:00.000+07:00

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP)—The Argentine Football Association said it will offer Maradona a new four-year contract that would keep him in charge of the national team through the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Ernesto Cherquis Bialo, a spokesman for the association, told reporters Wednesday that AFA President Julio Grondona would meet next week with Maradona to discuss the offer.

This is the strongest indication that Maradona is likely to continue as the coach. It comes two weeks after Argentina was knocked out of the World Cup in a humiliating 4-0 quarterfinals loss to Germany. Maradona has said little since then, keeping to himself in his home in suburban Buenos Aires.

Cherquis Bialo said the association did not have another coach in mind should Maradona turn down the deal. He also suggested Argentina’s performance in the World Cup had been respectable, despite anything less than a third title being seen as a failure by many Argentines.

Argentina won the World Cup in 1978 and 1986, but has not won a major title since claiming the Copa America in 1993.

“Fifth place is below what people here expect,” Cherquis Bialo said. “But it’s not embarrassing to an Argentine team.”
His mention of fifth place was a little presumptuous.

There was no playoff among the four quarterfinalists eliminated. The losing semifinalists—Germany and Uruguay—did have a playoff game to decide third and fourth place.

Public opinion is divided about the 49-year-old coach, who is a national icon as a player who led the country to the 1986 title. But he is seen by many as a poor tactician, an unqualified coach whose main asset is cheerleading.

Argentina President Cristina Fernandez has publicly supported him, and an Argentine legislator has proposed building a monument to honor him.

Many of his players, including Barcelona star Lionel Messi, have said Maradona should make his own decision about staying on the job.

David Beckham rules out England management role

2010-07-15T13:08:00.000+07:00

David Beckham has said he will never manage England, but has indicated his desire to play for his country at the 2012 European Championships.

Beckham, 35, was an unofficial member of manager Fabio Capello's staff at the World Cup in South Africa after injury ruled him out of the tournament.

"At the moment I have no interest in being a coach or becoming a manager," the midfielder told BBC Sport.

Beckham also said the players were to blame for England's poor World Cup.

England were beaten 4-1 by Germany in the last 16 and were disappointing throughout the tournament.

And although Capello came under huge criticism following England's exit, Beckham insisted the manager was not responsible for the early exit.
"The players are to blame," said Beckham.

"Without a doubt it was the right decision for him [Capello] to keep his job.

"When the players step on that field is up to them to perform. Speaking to the lads, and knowing them as well as I do, they know they didn't play and perform well enough. That is why we didn't go any further in the competition.

"Everything was set up for us, the preparation was right and everything the manager and his staff did was right. Behind the scenes everything in the camp was perfect. We just didn't perform.

"The lads would admit, and a few of them have already, that they just didn't play well enough in the games."

However, while Beckham believes that there are several young players that could force their way into the squad for the forthcoming European Championships qualification campaign, he remains keen to regain his own place in the squad once he has returned from an Achilles injury.

"There is no need for an overhaul or the need to make big changes," Beckham told BBC sports news correspondent Dan Roan.

I don't want to be a manager - Beckham

"I believe there are four or five players coming through that could come into the England squad and be given a chance, but I'm not manager and never will be.

"It's the manager's decision and he's experienced enough, and has been in football long enough and been around great players for his whole career, to know what is best.

"I hope to play this season for England and I've always said that I'll be available.

"I'm not ready to step aside but if I don't get picked again then I am very proud of my record - 100 starts in 115 appearances. But I still believe I have a part to play."

He added: "Things might be different in two, three months so we'll have to see but like I said I never want to step down from playing for my country."

Beckham's coaching role with the England team in South Africa has led to suggestions that the LA Galaxy star would one day move into management.

But the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and AC Milan player says he would prefer to coach kids at his academy.

"Management is not something I am passionate about and it is not something I have thought about," said Beckham, who could return to action in September despite initial fears he could miss the entire Major League Soccer season, which runs until 21 November.

"I love coaching kids, people know I love coaching kids, but being a manager - no. I have other interests that I want to fulfil before anything else.

I don't think anything that happen on the field makes the 2018 bid suffer

David Beckham

"Then again, when I stop playing I still want to be involved in football in some way but I don't think it will be as a manager."

And although he has all-but ruled out managing the team, Beckham admitted he would love to see England play as the host nation at the 2018 World Cup.

England have not hosted a World Cup finals since 1966 and Beckham does not believe the poor performance in South Africa will have any affect on their chances of staging the competition in 2018.

"I don't think anything that happens on the field makes the bid suffer," said Beckham, who is an ambassador for the 2018 bid.

"There has been a lot of hard work going on for a long while now behind the scenes and I think there is still a lot of hard work to be done before 3 December and the decision.

"Fingers crossed that we get it because I think as a nation we haven't had the World Cup for a number of years and we would be ready. "

Manchester City complete £24m David Silva transfer

2010-07-15T13:01:00.000+07:00

Manchester City have completed the £24m transfer of Spain international winger David Silva from Valencia.

Silva, 24, had a medical on Wednesday before signing a four-year contract at City, where he hopes to earn Champions League qualification next season.

"I will be happy if at the end we are in the Champions League - or if we win a trophy," he told the club's website.

"My first target is to get into the team, and then to fight for the league and the other competitions."

Silva becomes City manager Roberto Mancini's third signing of the summer following the arrivals of Hamburg's German international defender Jerome Boateng and Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure from Barcelona as the big-spending Blues resume their quest to establish themselves among the Premier League's elite.

"Roberto Mancini and [chief executive] Garry Cook have told me we are building a very good team with some of the best players in the world and we are going to fight for honours," added the Spaniard.

Silva will not join up with his new team-mates until after he returns from a holiday in the Canary Islands following his World Cup campaign with newly-crowned champions Spain.

Despite his starring role in country's march to glory at Euro 2008, where he playing five times and scored once, he was restricted to just two appearances for Vicente Del Bosque's side after starting in their opening 1-0 defeat to Switzerland.

Mancini, though, clearly holds his latest acquisition in very high esteem, hailing him as "one of the best midfielders in Europe".

Speaking in June when City revealed details of Villa's imminent arrivial, Italian Mancini said: "I am so pleased he is coming to us, I think he can make a big, big impact.

"In signing David, we are showing the world that we are bringing the best players here and that we hope to compete to win the Premier League."

Silva began his career with Valencia, enjoying successful loan spells with Eibar and Celta Vigo before going on to establish himself as a key figure in Los Che's first team and becoming a regular member of the Spain squad. He made his international debut in a 1-0 friendly defeat to Romania on 15 November 2006 and has since gone on to play 38 times for his country, scoring seven goals.

Silva is the second high-profile summer departure from Valencia, who have qualified for next season's Champions League, but are in a dire financial situation, with debts reported to be over £400m.

Spanish international striker David Villa, 28, left Los Che to join Barcelona for £34.2m in May.

Spain World Cup fiesta goes wild, boosts unity

2010-07-13T10:33:00.000+07:00

MADRID (AP)—Spain erupted with its biggest fiesta in memory when its football team returned to a jubilant nation after winning the World Cup, giving elated Spaniards a break from months of economic gloom and political squabbling.

Hundreds of thousands of people—if not more—jammed Madrid’s historic avenues Monday as an open air bus ferried the national team down stately avenues to cheers from Spaniards decked out in a sea of red and yellow, the colors of the Spanish flag.

The celebration in Madrid, where national unity is at its strongest, was expected. But there were striking examples of support from unlikely places: The well-off Catalonia region, which has long sought greater autonomy, and the separatist Basque region, where anything pro-Spain is often shunned.

South Africa 2010 Top goal celebrations Will Spain continue to reign?

The massive Madrid street party came after players visited Madrid’s Royal Palace, normally used only for dreary state affairs. But team members chatted and had drinks with King Juan Carlos, who hugged many players and gave coach Vicente del Bosque friendly punches on the cheek and the chest.

“You are an example of sportsmanship, nobility, good play and team work,” said the king.

Team members then traveled to government headquarters, where they were greeted by Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, ministers and hundreds of ecstatic children invited to the event.

“They won the cup but it belongs to all Spaniards,” shouted a delighted Zapatero.

Goalkeeper and captain Iker Casillas said the victory meant “Spain’s name will be on top of the world for the next four years.”

Next came an open-air bus ride through Madrid’s historic center, the epicenter of the celebration for the second day in a row. Crowds overflowed into the street and surrounded the team bus, virtually all sporting the red and yellow national colors along the five-kilometer (three-mile) route as the bus crawled through the crowd with the players waving and raising the gold World Cup trophy into the air.

At the route’s end, firefighters hosed down fans sweltering in 36 degree Celsius (96 degree Fahrenheit) evening heat.

As the parade snaked down the Gran Via in the heart of Madrid, Spanish air force fighter jets flew overhead spewing out the colors of the national flag.

On the bus, the players waved flags and saluted the screaming fans below. Casillas raised a red and yellow carton cutout of Octopus Paul, the mollusk from the German aquarium that predicted Spain’s victory

Such was the multitude clogging the streets and avenues that the team arrived more than hour late at the finishing esplanade. Madrid town hall urged no more people to go to the park area, as it had already reached its 150,000 capacity.

“For us Spaniards this is important. It is a way of showing that Spain is united,” said Roberto Lopez, 48, a Madrid car salesman. “It’s not Galicia on one side and Catalonia on the other.

Juan Mateos, a 35-year-old civil servant, described the celebrations as “a bit of anesthetic to forget about our problems.”

The party started when the players’ plane touched down, flying Spanish flags from its cockpit windows, with dozens of airport workers cheering from the runway. It taxied to a stop as cars driving by on nearby highways blared their horns in support.

A roar of approval rose as Casillas stepped from the plane and raised the trophy. The crowd chanted “Campeones! Campeones!” (Champions! Champions!). Then the players in their team jerseys walked from the plane to a waiting Spanish football federation bus without commenting to journalists.

The spectacle was “very important, it helps us forget a lot of things, like the economic crisis, for example, or people’s domestic issues,” said Javier Sanchez, a 42-year-old photographer from Madrid.

But will the ecstasy last? Could this be Spain’s moment to unite under a single flag? Or is it a fleeting instance of patriotism following near economic chaos when the country was targeted as one of the European nations most likely to default on debt like Greece?

Spain has been depressed by a debt crisis, 20 percent unemployment and nationalist regions fighting to separate from the country or at least win much greater autonomy and near-nation status.

While the spotlight was on Madrid, the win led to a rare sight in the Catalonia region’s capital of Barcelona: Spanish flags waving side-by-side with Catalonia’s own red and yellow flag.

“It has been very strange, but now it is being tolerated,” said Saray Lozano, a 31-year-old taxi driver from Barcelona. “If it weren’t for football, you might get rocks thrown at you” for displaying Spain’s national symbol.

About 75,000 people celebrated the win in Barcelona, and about 2,000 people waved Spanish flags and wore the team’s football jersey in the Basque city of Bilbao—actions rarely seen because of the violent campaign led by the separatist group ETA since 1968 to gain independence from Spain.

Just wearing the jersey on the streets of Bilbao before the win was a sure way to get insulted and risk assault.

But experts said the idea of Spain overcoming its internal divisions and economic woes because of the World Cup is unlikely to become reality. In and around Bilbao, authorities blamed sabotage for an electrical outage that canceled an open air broadcast of the final game, and several people supporting the national team were attacked by separatists.

“I wouldn’t have thought the euphoria over the football will last very long,” said Paul Preston, a Spain expert and history professor at the London School of Economics.

As for Spain’s fragile economy, the win “may soften the blow of the economic news, but it won’t have a long-lasting effect,” Preston said.

Joan Foguet, a Barcelona-based journalist for the leading Spanish newspaper El Pais, said Catalonia has a “schizophrenic” relationship with the national team—and attributed the burst of enthusiasm to the fact that the team played well.

NGO worker Elisenda Siguerola felt some people were playing up the Spain unity theme.

“One thing is football and another is politics,” said Siguerola, “even though politicians try to mix the two.”

Contributing to enthusiasm from unlikely places was the fact that several of Spain’s best players are from Catalonia—Xavi Hernandez, Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique. The team also included superstar Xabi Alonso, from the Basque region.

In Bilbao, Alejandro Munoz said his daughter was wearing a Spanish national team jersey on Monday, but noted that “she also has a Basque one.”

“I think the celebrations in the Basque region should be seen as normal and will improve relations between the region and Spain,” said Munoz, 48.

Other Basques, like 29-year-old Aitor Elexpuru, said Spanish politicians against greater Basque autonomy would use the win for political purposes.

“A lot people wanted Spain to win so they could show the Spanish jersey and flag to those of us who don’t feel Spanish,” he said. “They wanted Spain to win, but not for football.”

The victory, however, brought at least some Spaniards from diverse backgrounds together, meaning it accomplished “unfinished business for Spain, so it’s been good for everyone,” said Soledad Gonzalez, 51, a security guard from Madrid.

She added: “I hope that, God willing, finally, the Spanish flag means being Spanish and not being a fascist, as was the case not so long ago.”

During the dictatorship of Gen. Francisco Franco from 1939 to1975, Catalans, Basques and others were forbidden from speaking their languages and it was illegal to publish books in those languages.

Griffiths reported from London. Associated Press writers Ciaran Giles, Jorge Garma, Harold Heckle, and Joseph Wilson contributed from Madrid, Barcelona and Bilbao.