Barrack Obama has written to the Fifa president, Sepp Blatter, to signal his support for the United States' hosting of either the 2018 or 2022 World Cup. In the letter Obama also recalls his early ties to football during his time spent as a child in Indonesia.“As a child, I played soccer on a dirt road in Jakarta, and the game brought the children of my neighborhood together.”
National pride will be a significant component in this week's AFC Champions League Matchday 3 with the fixtures throwing up some intriguing derbies between countries that have developed key rivalries over the years.
In East Asia, Korea Republic and China have long been football adversaries and that rivalry is set to continue this week with each nation's representative teams scheduled to lock horns. Inspired by the recent outstanding performances of the Socceroos, Newcastle Jets and Central Coast can be expected to raise their game, on the back of an improved showing on Matchday 2, as they challenge Japanese opponents in the shape of Nagoya Grampus and Kawasaki Frontale.
Steven Gerrard has challenged England to make it a Magnificent Seven in their World Cup campaign.
And with Kazakhstan away and Andorra at home to come in June, it could be a healthy maximum of seven straight wins.
THE new England shirt goes on sale now and fans reckon that it is a real winner. Umbro’s latest design was given its first run out on the pitch when England took on Slovakia last Saturday.
It features the famous Three Lions crest and a snazzy button-up collar.The £50 shirt has been designed with comfort in mind – boss Fabio Capello, 62, even insisted on placing the crest high up so it did not rub the players’ nipples.
David Blanch, Umbro senior designer and the man behind the kit, said: “It’s flexible and comfortable.”
The Reds wide-man completed the European Champions' recovery from a goal down after fellow Anfield team-mate Xabi Alonso had equalised from the penalty spot to leave them with six wins out of six so far in Group Six.
Fernando Torres played for 85 minutes before being subsituted.
Steven Gerrard played the full 90 minutes in England's win over Ukraine, setting up the winner for John Terry.
Dirk Kuyt scored twice in Holland's 4-0 win over Macedonia, with Ryan Babel figuring as a substitute.
Daniel Agger played the full 90 minutes as Denmark beat Albania 3-0 and Yossi Benayoun came on as a 47th minute substitute for Israel in their 2-1 defeat in Greece, while ex-Liverpool striker Robbie Keane scored the Republic of Ireland's late equaliser as they held world champions Italy 1-1 in Bari.
Fabio Capello never had any doubts he could get the best out of Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard for England.
With Gerrard in such scintillating form for Liverpool, where he effectively fills the same space 'in the hole' as Rooney, it was feared Capello, like Sven-Goran Eriksson and Steve McClaren before him, may lose something from one in order to get the best out of the other.
Previously Frank Lampard has been the man Gerrard has found his immense talent sacrificed for. Clearly though, Capello has an insight which evaded his predecessors.
France legend Zidane, regarded as one of the greatest players ever to grace the game, caused a ripple in the world order when heaping huge praise on Liverpool star Gerrard.
Capello seems to be succeeding where others have failed by getting the best out of Gerrard in the national jersey and he feels Zidane is correct in his assessment.
"Zidane said Gerrard was one of the best in the world and I agree with him," said Capello. "It is a fantastic time for him. He is at the very top of his game."
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