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Portugal World Cup Jersey

Portugal is one of the recently emerged European powers, and a team with dreams of lifting the trophy in the 2010 World Cup. The Portuguese had qualified for only two World Cups previous to 2002, but since then they have developed in to one of the stronger teams on the world's toughest continent for soccer. They were a semifinalist in the a finalist in the 2004 European Cup and 2006 World Cup in Germany. They look to better their fourth-place finish in South Africa.

Led by Cristiano Ronaldo, the World Player of the Year in 2008, and Simao, the Portuguese have a dynamic offense capable of lighting up the scoreboard. On defense, the Portuguese feature Ricardo Carvalho and Bruno Alves, both considered world-class defenders. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/team/squad/_/id/482/portugal?cc=3888&ver=global

Despite their talent and their fourth-in-the-world ranking, Portugal battled to qualify for the 2010 World Cup, needing to dig their way out of a third-place hole (only the top two advance in each group) in the final round of qualifying, and then win a home-and-home playoff against Serbia, both games by the score of 1-0, to punch their ticket to South Africa. http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/ranking/lastranking/gender=m/fullranking.html Recently, longstanding star Deco seemed to downplay expectations, declaring that the Portuguese were not favorites.http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/777893/ce/uk/?cc=3888&ver=global

Portugal was placed in Group ...

updated 2010-07-17 19:10:51

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Netherlands World Cup Roster

In the early seventies, the Dutch introduced Total Football, a type of play pioneered by Ajax, and adopted by the national team, in which players are not bound to any position, but instead can take over the role of any other player in the team. Execution of this tactical play requires high quality, flexible players, capable of acting on several positions.

The adoption of Total Football by the Dutch national team resulted in two consecutive World Cup finals, in 1974 and 1978, however neither resulted in a World Cup win. The core players of both World Cup teams were Johan Neeskens, Johnny Rep, Arie Haan, Ruud Krol and Rob Rensenbrink. Johan Cruyff, one of the main advocates of Total Football, participated in the 19974 campaign, but refused to take part in the 1978 campaign. The coach of the Dutch team, Rinus Michels (picture), is by many considered the founder of the “Total Football” concept, and because of his tactical insights, is generally known as “The General”. Michels returned to coaching for the Euro '88 campaign, once again proving his managing qualities, by leading the team to winning the European Cup, the only (European or World) cup ever.

updated 2010-07-17 16:50:07

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England Soccer Team

updated 2010-07-17 04:28:56

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D.C. United

• 1995: Team Founded

• 1996: MLS Cup and U.S. Open Cup Champions

• 1997: MLS Cup Champions and won their first Supporters' Shield

• 1998: First American club to win the CONCACAF Champions' Cup and the Copa Interamericana

• 1999: Won their third MLS Cup and their second Supporters' Shield

• 2004: Made sports history by drafting and signing 14-year-old soccer prodigy Freddy Adu

• 2004: Defeated the Kansas City Wizards 3-2 to take their fourth MLS Cup

• 2006: Won their third Supporters' Shield

• 2006: Won their fourth Supporters' Shield

updated 2010-07-17 02:35:11

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Japan World Cup Roster

While the Japan national soccer team has long been unsuccessful to qualify for any World Cup or Asian Cup final rounds, the team started a remarkable improvement in 1988, when it qualified for the AFC Asian Cup for the first time in history, and qualified for all following Asian Cups, winning the Cup three times, in 1992, 2000 and 2004.

Japan also qualified to the World Cup final rounds for the first time in 1998, and have qualified for all World Cup finals after that, reaching beyond the group stage in 2002, where they lost against Turkey.

During the 1990's, Kazuyoshi Miura was a major force of the Japanese team, scoring 55 times, in 89 caps, which ranks him the #2 top scorer of all time, only behind Japanese soccer legend Kunishige Kamamoto, who scored 75 times in 76 caps in the 1960's and 1970's.

Several players of the current Japanese World Cup selection are amongst the most capped player ever for Japan, including Yuji Nakazawa (102 caps), Shunsuke Nakamura (95 caps), and Yasuhito Endō (91 caps). Japan Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi and Masami Ihara rule the Most Capped players list, with 116 and 122 caps.

updated 2010-07-17 11:12:04

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FIFA World Cup 2018

The inaugural FIFA World Cup was hosted by Uruguay on 1930 and this competition is held for every four years since then. Two competitions could not be held due to World War II. Football took place on the Summer Olympics on 1936 and has grown to one of the most popular contests of the olympics. The FIFA World Cup for 2018 will be held two years before the Summer Olympics 2020.

updated 2010-07-17 05:12:59

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UEFA Europa League 2009-10 Matchday 4

Group A
RSC Anderlecht	3-1	FC Timisoara
NK Dinamo Zagreb	0-2	AFC Ajax
Group B
SK Slavia Praha	2-2	Valencia CF
Genoa CFC	3-2	LOSC Lille Metropole
Group C
Hamburger SV	0-0	Celtic FC
SK Rapid Wien	0-3	Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC
Group D
Sporting Clube de Portugal	1-1	FK Ventspils
SC Heerenveen	2-3	Hertha BSC Berlin
Group E
FC Basel 1893	3-1	PFC CSKA Sofia
AS Roma	2-1	Fulham FC
Group F
FC Dinamo 1948 Bucuresti	0-3	Galatasaray AS
SK Sturm Graz	0-1	Panathinaikos FC
Group G
Villarreal CF	4-1	S.S. Lazio
PFC Levski Sofia	0-1	FC Salzburg
Group H
FC Twente	2-1	FC Sheriff
Fenerbahce SK	3-1	FC Steaua Bucuresti
Group I
AEK Athens FC	2-2	FC BATE Borisov
Everton	0-2	SL Benfica
Group J
Toulouse FC	0-2	FC Shakhtar Donetsk
FK Partizan	2-4	Club Brugge KV
Group K
FC Kobenhavn	1-1	PSV Eindhoven
CFR 1907 Cluj	2-3	AC Sparta Praha
Group L
Werder Bremen	2-0	FK Austria Wien
CD Nacional	1-1	Athletic Club

updated 2010-07-18 01:19:48

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Spain Wins Euro 2008

• Photobucket: Spain vs. Germany highlights

• The Guardian: Euro 2008: Germany 0-1 Spain (June 29, 2008)

• Online Casino Reports: Spain Tipped to Win Final (June 29, 2008)

• BBC Sport: Germany 0-1 Spain (June 29, 2008)

• ESPNsoccernet: Gamecast: Germany vs Spain - European Championship (June 29, 2008)

• Deutsche Welle: Spain Wins Euro Final 1-0 (June 29, 2008)

• Topix.net: Spain Wins Euro 2008

• Google News: Spain Wins Euro 2008

updated 2010-07-17 22:27:19

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Cristiano Ronaldo

At the beginning of the 2009, 2010 season, Cristiano Ronaldo stood before more than 75,000 fans as he was formally introduced to Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu Staduim in Madrid. Pele, touted as the second best soccer player in the world is endorsing Ronaldo for the showSouth Africa. Pele has recognized the greatness in Ronaldo as a soccer player and he is confident that Ronaldo will play as demanding as he does for his home team.http://soccernet.espn.go.com/players/profile?id=22774&cc=5901

Ronaldo has released two 2010 calendars, with himself as the focus, that are for sale on his website. One calendar is a highlight of his professional life, the other is more personal, with photos and images of his personal life.http://www.cristianoronaldopics.com/cristiano-ronaldo-calendar.html

updated 2010-07-17 02:24:31

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