Arsenal Captain Thomas Vermaelen Denies Claims He is Poised to Join Manchester United - Arsenal skipper Thomas Vermaelen has denied reports suggesting he is close to joining Manchester United.

The Daily Telegraph suggested on Monday Louis van Gaal was set to make the Belgian international his first signing at Old Trafford in a summer where the Dutchman is expected to make sweeping changes to the squad that recorded the club's worst ever league finish in the Premier League era.

Arsenal Captain Thomas Vermaelen Denies Claims He is Poised to Join Manchester United

Vermaelen has not been a regular in Arsene Wenger's side for nearly 18 months after being ousted by the partnership of Per Mertesackaer and Laurent Koscielny and has just one year remaining on his contact at the Emirates.

However, the 28-year-old insists he has not yet made a decision on his future. "I know there has been a lot of talk and a lot of rumours but the only thing I can say is that it's not true," Vermaelen, who is currently on World Cup duty with Belgium, told Sky Sports News.

"Everybody understands my situation at Arsenal and that I have one year left.

"I understand that people are going to talk but I am here in Brazil and I am enjoying my time and I'm focused on what I am doing."

During the 2013/14 season, Wenger went to great efforts in securing the futures of his current group of players as Mertesacker, Koscielny, Santi Cazorla, Tomas Rosicky, Aaron Ramsey, Wojciech Szczesny, Serge Gnabry and midfield prospect Gedion Zelalem all signed new long term contracts.

A lack of clarity regarding Vermaelen's future has suggested he may join Bacary Sagna in leaving the Gunners this summer but the centre half has refused to be drawn on his talks with the club.

"We talk a lot when I am at Arsenal but it's not what I am going to discuss here, it is something you are going to have to ask him."

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READ MORE - Arsenal Captain Thomas Vermaelen Denies Claims He is Poised to Join Manchester United

England's Unsung World Cup Heroes - The players that made the 1966 success possible - As England embark on another attempt to win the World Cup, the comparisons with the heroes of 1966 become inevitable.

Grainy television images of Gordon Banks, the Charlton brothers, Geoff Hurst and captain Bobby Moore lifting the Jules Rimet Trophy will serve as a reminder to the current England squad of the standards required if they are to emulate their only success in the biggest tournament of all. 

Sir Alf Ramsey's wingless wonders remain the benchmark for any England side, but who were the unsung heroes of that famous triumph? Who were the players whose unselfish work allowed the others to flourish? 

 

 

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England full-back Ray Wilson takes on West Germany's Willi Schulz during the 1966 final 17/5/13 By pa.press.net

The central defensive partnership between Moore and Jack Charlton is well documented in front of the immaculate goalkeeping skills of Banks, but full-backs George Cohen and Ray Wilson go largely unnoticed despite being key members of Ramsey's line-up.

Left-back Wilson was already an England veteran by 1966 having been an ever-present during the disappointing World Cup campaign in Chile four years earlier, which ended with a quarter-final exit to eventual winners Brazil.

Wilson fought off competition from Liverpool's Gerry Byrne to establish himself in Ramsey's England line-up despite playing for unfancied Huddersfield, where he developed into a strong and pacy overlapping full-back under manager Bill Shankly. He remains Huddersfield's most-capped player even to this day after earning 30 caps there prior to a move to Everton in 1964, and he warmed up for World Cup year in 1966 by winning the FA Cup at Wembley against Sheffield Wednesday.

Everton lifted the cup that year despite Wilson deflecting an early shot past his goalkeeper and he suffered a similar mishap in the World Cup final when his weak early header enabled striker Helmut Haller to give West Germany an early lead.

Fortunately for Wilson, the oldest member of the squad at 32, Hurst memorably struck a hat-trick to clinch England's victory and their place in soccer history, but he lost his place to Terry Cooper for the 1970 World Cup in Mexico and retired the following year to set up an undertaker's business in Huddersfield.

Wilson's status as the World Cup winner with perhaps the lowest profile was underlined by the fact he was one of only five members of England's historic side - Cohen, Nobby Stiles, Alan Ball and Roger Hunt were the others - to have missed out on official recognition of the 1966 triumph. That was rectified in 2000 when England's unsung five received an MBE for services to football - many years after the rest of the team and Ramsey had received their gongs - following a high-profile media campaign.

Fellow full-back Cohen made a late run into England's successful World Cup line-up having played the role of understudy to the highly-rated Jimmy Armfield for many years. Cohen, who spent his whole career at Fulham, was given his chance in 1964 as a reaction to England's embarrassing defeat by Scotland at Hampden Park. Ramsey reacted to that setback by giving Cohen his debut later that year against Uruguay and he retained his place for 21 of the next 23 internationals after Armfield suffered a long-standing injury.

Both Cohen and Wilson were expected to add extra width to the midfield while three of the four midfielders - Ball, Bobby Charlton and Martin Peters - alternated between operating down the flanks and through the centre.

Cohen retired in 1969, but left the game with a glowing tribute from the late George Best. The Northern Irishman claimed Cohen was "the best full-back I ever played against". Cohen returned to the public eye in the 1980s when he fought and won a battle with cancer. He suffered further personal tragedy in 2000 when his brother Peter, the father of former England international rugby union player Ben, died. However Cohen's nephew Ben completed a unique family double in 2003 as part of the England side which lifted the rugby union World Cup for the first time.

Of all England's 1966 heroes, perhaps the player who was most pivotal in implementing Ramsey's tactics during the tournament was Manchester United midfielder Stiles, in many ways the prototype to the holding midfielder in the modern game. Given his debut in the 2-2 draw against Scotland in 1965, by the time the World Cup began the following year Stiles was established in England's line-up and was an ever-present during the tournament.

He was particularly effective in the semi-final victory over Portugal, snuffing out the threat of Eusebio so effectively the hosts progressed to the final with a 2-1 victory, and celebrated the 4-2 triumph over West Germany by doing a jig on the Wembley turf with the trophy.

Since retiring, Stiles had spells as manager of Preston and West Brom and as Manchester United's youth coach - when he nurtured the skills of players including David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and the Neville brothers, Gary and Phil.

England's hopes of emulating the heroes of 1966 are likely to depend on the current squad matching their predecessors' rich attacking pedigree. Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard may all be jealously coveted by other sides for their ability to open up international defences, but they all have some way to go before they match the 1966 line-up.

In Bobby Charlton, England had an outstanding midfield player, who finished with a stunning scoring record of 49 goals from 106 internationals while Hurst established himself in World Cup folklore as the only man to score a hat-trick in the final.

Alongside Stiles and Charlton in midfield were Ball and Peters - the heartbeat of the team who often get overlooked when the 1966 line-up are heralded as England's best-ever team. Ball, at 21, was the youngest member of the World Cup-winning line-up and provided seemingly tireless energy to England's midfield either centrally or down the right flank.

Despite playing for an unglamorous side at Blackpool, Ball's industry, stamina and distribution was noticed by Ramsey, who gave him his international debut the year before the World Cup. He delivered a stunning display in the final against West Germany, continuing to work and track back when many of his team-mates were struggling for stamina in the highly-charged Wembley atmosphere.

One of the iconic images of the final is Ball's endless running, with socks rolled down by his ankles, which enabled him to set up England's controversial third goal. His performances in that tournament secured a record £110,000 move to Everton later that year, where he was instrumental in their championship-winning side of 1969-70, and finished his career at the age of 37 at Bristol Rovers having also played at Arsenal and Southampton.

He went on to manage, with differing success, at Portsmouth, Exeter, Southampton and Manchester City and sold his World Cup winner's medal and commemorative tournament cap at auction for £140,000 in 2005 to raise money for his family, before sadly passing away in April 2007.

Peters was equally important to England's tactics in midfield and was almost as inexperienced as Ball at international level, having only made his debut in May of that year in a 2-0 Wembley victory over Yugoslavia. His performance was impressive enough to earn a further warm-up appearance against Finland, which he marked by claiming his first international goal and secured his place in the 22-man World Cup squad.

Overlooked for the opening 0-0 draw with Uruguay, Peters was installed for the next match and his strong running and distribution helped England secure a 2-0 victory over Mexico and he was an ever-present for the remainder of the tournament. Famously dubbed as being "10 years ahead of his time" by Ron Greenwood, his manager at West Ham, for his ability to time his runs into the opposition's penalty area, Peters saved his most influential performance for the World Cup final.

Peters' eye for goal earned England a 2-1 lead with just 15 minutes remaining, but it was West Ham team-mate Hurst who grabbed the headlines after West Germany equalised to take the final into extra time by scoring a hat-trick to seal a memorable triumph.

As one of the first goal-scoring midfielders, Peters was in big demand and moved to Tottenham for £200,000 in 1970, where he won two League Cups and the UEFA Cup, before moving on to Norwich and finishing his career with Sheffield United in 1981.

Of all the unsung heroes of 1966, Roger Hunt was possibly the most established in the England team as Ramsey's first-choice striker having finished as top scorer in the First Division in both 1964 and 1966. Such were his predatory instincts in front of goal, Hunt played in every match of the 1966 World Cup and scored twice in the group victory over France. He also played a key role in England's controversial third goal in the final against West Germany, with Hurst insisting Hunt would have followed up to score himself as the closest player had the ball not crossed the line after crashing down off the crossbar.

Hunt retired after scoring 285 goals for Liverpool, a record only bettered by Ian Rush, formed a successful haulage company and became a sitting member of the pools panel. 

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READ MORE - England's Unsung World Cup Heroes - The players that made the 1966 success possible

When the Three Lions roared - England's World Cup Games To Remember  - Like all countries that have qualified a number of times for the World Cup, the England team has enjoyed its share of memorable moments. Winning the World Cup in 1966 as the host nation would top the list of any England fan's best moments, although younger supporters will probably say beating Germany 5-1 in a qualifier in Munich in 2001 comes a close second. 

Portugal, semi-final, Wembley 1966 

England had come through a dour and ill-tempered quarter-final against Argentina but proved they really were one of the best teams in the world with a magnificent win over a Eusebio-inspired Portugal. Bobby Charlton was outstanding, scoring two goals in perhaps his finest-ever performance for his country. Eusebio pulled one back from the penalty spot - his eighth of nine goals in the tournament - but it was not enough and he left the field in tears.

 

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England striker Gary Lineker fires in a shot against Cameroon at Italia '90 17/5/13 By pa.press.net 

West Germany, final, Wembley 1966 

England's finest hour and an accomplishment which has overshadowed the national team ever since. Geoff Hurst struck a magnificent hat-trick as England claimed the world crown with a 4-2 victory. Helmut Haller put the Germans ahead but Hurst responded and Martin Peters added a second after 78 minutes. Wolfgang Weber forced extra time in the last minute but England claimed the advantage with a controversial Hurst strike which bounced down off the crossbar and was adjudged to have crossed the line by linesman Tofik Bakhramov. With fans spilling onto the pitch, Hurst completed his hat-trick in the dying seconds. 

France, first round, Bilbao 1982 

England, in their first World Cup since 1970, got their campaign off to a flying start with an impressive 3-1 win over a very strong French side, featuring Michel Platini. Bryan Robson scored a stunning opener after 27 seconds and added a second following Gerard Soler's equaliser. Paul Mariner made sure of the win with England's third. 

Paraguay, second round, Mexico City 1986 

The prolific Gary Lineker struck twice as England comfortably moved through to the quarter-finals with a 3-0 win over the South Americans. Lineker opened the scoring just after the half-hour mark and netted the third after Peter Beardsley had doubled the lead. 

Belgium, second round, Bologna 1990 

Progress to the quarter-finals was secured in dramatic fashion as David Platt swivelled to fire in a 119th-minute winner. Neither side had been able to break the deadlock until, with penalties looming, Platt connected with Paul Gascoigne's floated free-kick with a powerful volley.

Cameroon, quarter-final, Naples 1990 

Two Gary Lineker penalties saw England through to the semi-finals after a pulsating encounter. Platt's first-half effort had put England on course but the exciting Africans turned the game on its head after the break with two goals in the space of four minutes from Emmanuel Meboang Kessack (penalty) and Eugene Ekeke. Lineker levelled with his first spot-kick after 83 minutes and then settled it in extra time.

Italy, qualifying, Rome 1997 

England went to Rome knowing that just a draw would be enough to see them through to France 98, but the task was far from straightforward. Italy had won at Wembley earlier in the campaign and triumphed in every qualifier they had played in their capital in the previous 15 years. Yet England produced a heroic performance to grind out a perfectly adequate goalless draw. Christian Vieri gave them a scare with a late header but defeat would have been harsh. 

Germany, qualifying, Munich 2001 

Michael Owen scored a stunning hat-trick as England produced one of their greatest performances to win 5-1 and move closer to qualification for the 2002 tournament. Germany had only ever lost one qualifier on home soil and there seemed little chance of a second defeat as Carsten Jancker gave them a sixth-minute lead. But Owen levelled and Steven Gerrard gave England the lead before the break. Owen then grabbed two more and Emile Heskey completed a glorious rout in the second half.

Argentina, first round, Sapporo 2002 

This game had neither the tension nor excitement of previous encounters between the two sides but in the light of past events, it was a sweet win for England and match-winner David Beckham. After being knocked out by Argentina in controversial circumstances in 1986 and 1998 any win would prove sweet, even 1-0 with a penalty. Beckham, who had been sent off against them and widely castigated four years previously, this time had the last laugh with the winner. 

Croatia, qualifying, Zagreb 2008 

Fabio Capello's England took charge of their qualifying group with a comprehensive 4-1 victory thanks to a stunning hat-trick from Theo Walcott. Having missed out on qualification for Euro 2008 with a Wembley defeat by Croatia, England gained revenge over their main group rivals in style with Wayne Rooney also on the scoresheet. A 5-1 home win against the same opponents later secured England's place in the finals. 

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READ MORE - When the Three Lions roared

Why are Latin American teams dominating Brazil 2014? - Costa Rica's domination of a group with three former champions and Chile and Colombia's triumphant march through their first two matches highlights the strength of the Latin American challenge at the World Cup.

A mixture of enhanced coaching and the confidence gained from playing on familiar territory in their own region means they can play an attacking game that comes more naturally to them with the bonus of profiting from their better ball skills.

Another major factor is the ever growing number of players from all over Latin America gaining experience in Europe's top and secondary leagues.

But the improvement of the national teams is mainly down to management policies at home.

Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay are the South American names that have already been etched on the trophy.

However, an all-encompassing CONMEBOL qualifying system introduced for the 1998 finals in France has allowed other nations on the continent to make progress through greater competition with the big guns.

The group was made up of nine of the 10 member nations, minus World Cup hosts Brazil, with the teams all playing 16 demanding matches on a home and away league basis.

Colombia and Chile, both with highly regarded Argentine coaches, finished second and third respectively behind Argentina with Ecuador fourth, leaving Uruguay once again to book a ticket to the finals in an intercontinental playoff.

Venezuela had never come as close to qualifying for their first finals as last year when only a 1-0 home defeat by a Uruguay side staring elimination in the face dashed their dream.

The new World Cup qualification system and South America's extension of the Copa America since the 1990s to 12 teams, including two invited in from other confederations, usually CONCACAF, has benefited Costa Rica and Mexico.

The two nations from the north of the Americas sent development teams to the Copa America in Argentina three years ago and are yielding the benefits, Mexico having gone on to win the Olympic football gold medal in London in 2012.

Costa Rica, then coached by Mexican-based Argentine Ricardo La Volpe, blooded the likes of Joel Campbell in Argentina in 2011 and Colombian Jorge Luis Pinto has carried on the work.

The latter has now led them to shock wins at the World Cup in Brazil over Uruguay, semi-finalists in 2010, and Italy, champions for the fourth time in 2006.

"Costa Rica prepared from the pre-season and today we've seen the results," Pinto said. "I'm not sure if I'm being daring but I think that in defence we had a perfect match. We've beaten... an Italy with marvellous and extraordinary players,"

Midfielder Celso Borges, referring to Costa Rica qualifying for the second round for the first time since Italia '90, said: "Let the people enjoy, because we're going for more. We've tied our history but we want to be immortal."

South America, having made a mark at the finals in South Africa four years ago by getting four teams into the quarter-finals, want to win the trophy back for the first time since Brazil's record fifth victory in 2002.

Results in the first nine days of the tournament suggest it is not exclusively the big three looking to get in on the act. Time will tell if they have the stamina to stay the course.

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READ MORE - Why are Latin American teams dominating Brazil 2014?

10 Worst World Cup Refereeing Decisions - The biggest mistakes by World Cup officials - Will World Cup 2014 be remembered by fans for moments of brilliant football or moments of controversy caused by referees? We hope that the tournament in Brazil inspires us all - for good reasons rather than bad. Sometimes, however, a referee's decision can be more talked about for years later than best of matches. Here is our selection of the 10 worst decisions made by referees during previous World Cups.

England v Argentina, 1986

One of the most infamous incidents in World Cup history. England were just about holding their own in the quarter-final in Mexico City when Diego Maradona's aerial challenge on Peter Shilton saw the Argentina legend palm the ball past the goalkeeper and into the net. Despite furious protests from the English defence, the 'Hand of God' goal stood.

 

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Italy players protest after referee Byron Moreno disallowed a goal against South Korea in 2002 17/5/13 By pa.press.net

England v West Germany, 1966

Probably the most controversial World Cup goal of all time. With the Wembley final level at 2-2, Geoff Hurst hammered a shot against the underside of the crossbar which bounced down, seemingly over the line, and out. England celebrated and, after consultation with Azerbaijani linesman Tofik Bakhramov, the referee awarded the goal. Subsequent scientific tests have suggested the ball probably did not cross the line but the debate still continues today.

Croatia v Australia, 2006

Croatia's Josip Simunic was booked three times before he was finally shown a red card by English referee Graham Poll in a crucial group game. Having already been booked, the defender received a second yellow card in the 90th minute following a foul but was not dismissed by Poll. Simunic then pushed Poll after the full-time whistle was blown and was shown another yellow card before the red card was brandished at last.

West Germany v France, 1982

Goalkeeper Harald Schumacher ensured his World Cup infamy with one of the crudest challenges ever seen. With the semi-final level at 1-1, Patrick Battiston was put clean through but Schumacher charged out of his goal and threw himself into the path of the Frenchman. Battiston, with a broken jaw, left the pitch on a stretcher but not even a free-kick was awarded against Schumacher and he went on to be the hero in a penalty shoot-out.

Brazil v Sweden, 1978
 
Welsh referee Clive Thomas caused uproar when he blew the whistle for full-time between a corner being taken and Brazil's Zico scoring directly from it with a header, meaning the match ended 1-1.

South Korea v Italy, 2002

All the attention was on Ecuadorian referee Byron Moreno after the match amid claims he was affected by the vociferous home support. After awarding a debatable fourth-minute penalty to Korea - which was saved - he then sent off Francesco Totti after showing him a second yellow card for diving despite the Italy playmaker appearing to have been tripped. Damiano Tomassi had a golden-goal winner ruled out and the hosts snatched victory late on. South Korea v Spain, 2002 Once again the co-hosts benefited from a large slice of luck after two Spain goals were disallowed and the Koreans went on to win their quarter-final on penalties. Just after half-time Kim Tae-young appeared to knock the ball into his own net from a Spanish free-kick, only for the effort to be ruled out because of an 'offside' Fernando Morientes. Then in the second minute of extra time Morientes had a header cancelled out when the assistant referee wrongly ruled the ball had crossed the line before Joaquin put in the cross.

Argentina v France, 1930

France lost 1-0 to their South American opponents but the match in Uruguay had a controversial finish as the referee somehow managed to blow the final whistle six minutes early. After some fierce protests from the French he recalled the players - some of whom were already in the bath - to the field to complete the match.

Argentina v Mexico, 2010

Carlos Tevez was not just offside when he scored the opening goal in the 3-1 win against Mexico but he was the nearest player to the goal when the ball was played to him. The striker even admitted afterwards that he knew the goal should not have stood, saying: "I know I was offside, I know it was selfish but as long as they say it was a goal it's OK for me and the team."

England v Germany, 2010

FIFA president Sepp Blatter had been against the introduction of goal-line technology but admitted it would be "nonsense" not to reconsider after Frank Lampard was denied an equaliser for England during the second-round match against their old rivals. Lampard's shot came down off the crossbar and clearly crossed the line but it was missed by the officials and Germany went on to win 4-1.

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READ MORE - The biggest mistakes by World Cup officials

Making the case for pace in the England defence - Before England’s heartbreaking defeat to Uruguay, around 15 local football hooligans were arrested for attempting to petrol-bomb a bar which had been taken over by English supporters.Armed and dangerous, they were quickly subdued and arrested by Sao Paulo’s police force. Anyone who is in Brazil will have noticed the presence of countless armed Old Bill, built like MMA fighters but able to switch to hospitality mode when visitors ask for directions.

Sao Paulo’s police have a reputation for brutality, but England’s fans were on the receiving end of a different kind of beating at the Arena Corinthians on Thursday, than that of having your wallet and iPhone lifted after a few too many Brahmas in Sao Paulo’s Vila Madalena.

Strangely enough, the conditions were perfect for England, yet Raheem Sterling and co. were more subdued than against Italy in the sweltering heat of Manaus.

But Uruguay are also accustomed to the cold, and what was ultimately a scrappy match was settled by two pieces of individual brilliance, moments of genius which were afforded to Suarez by Jagielka’s inability to cover basic ground.

England’s story was about 'might have beens': Wayne Rooney should have scored three times before he finally did, Diego Godin should have been sent off in the first half, and Luis Suarez should never have been allowed to wriggle away from Phil Jagielka for both of his brilliantly taken goals.

“Two chances came his way, and he took them,” England boss Roy Hodgson said of Suarez afterwards.

But he should never had been afforded those chances.

Before the World Cup, I expressed serious reservations about the partnership between Gary Cahill and Jagielka after watching the friendly win over Peru at Wembley. Not because they are poor players – Cahill is an excellent user of the ball as well as a finer header and tackler, and Jagielka is an experienced stopper - but because of one commonly-lacked attribute.

My issue was, and remains, that they are not blessed with any pace to speak of and, with England’s full-backs of the attacking variety, these centre-halves are vulnerable to players like Suarez, particularly given the defensive midfielder who would ordinarily shield that type of back four is Steven Gerrard, who had a poor game and is more of a playmaker than an anchor.

There is still a belief among coaches, fans and pundits that centre-backs do not need to be fleet of foot if they are sharp of mind. That can be the case, but a well-placed stopper must be accompanied by a partner quick enough to cover the spare yards when faced by a rapid counter attack. Or at least have a driven maniac of a full-back like Cole in his pomp, able to race from flank to flank like an amphetamine-fuelled whippet.

England did not play brilliantly, but they were not awful, whatever the trolls on Twitter will say. Certainly, Suarez and Edinson Cavani aside, Uruguay showed nothing more than competence on the break. This was a game England should have at least drawn.

Suarez’s opener – a fine header from Cavani’s superb cross – was against the run of play. Rooney’s narrowly wide free-kick and unfortunate header on to the post, Daniel Sturridge’s shot that stung Fernando Muslera’s palms, several goalmouth scrambles in the second half, a couple of penalty appeals and another Rooney miss… England were creating but not taking chances, and their defence is a good level below the rest of the XI, particularly with Leighton Baines a shadow of his usual self once more.

Finally England cancelled out Suarez’s opener as Rooney rolled the ball home from a Glen Johnson cross, his first World Cup goal, if you can believe that.

England went for the win, but in doing so left their leaden-footed defence exposed to Suarez, who had no right to latch on to a loose ball with Jagielka gasping for air: the finish was exquisite, but a Chris Smalling or – gulp – Ashley Cole probably would have covered.

England need a miracle to qualify for the second round. Hodgson will be pilloried, for that’s what we English do, but he has clearly been planning to blood his youngsters for future tournaments. He also lacks the resources in central defence, a bizarre turn of events given it is usually England’s strength. And no, John Terry is not the solution – his inability to run is even more pronounced than Jagielka’s.Despite a poor club season – through fault of management – Chris Smalling should probably have been involved. Cahill is superb on the ball, and knows where to put himself, and the Manchester United defender is fast and alert. He would not have lost Suarez for the first, and would likely have made his interception for the second.

But what’s done is done. England will probably go out, and Hodgson will probably be sacked as the press and fans round on him like favela cops on a pickpocket.

An easy scapegoat. But this was an incredibly tough group – almost as tough as Spain’s – and England have lost two matches against fine teams by the narrowest of margins.

They were unbearable to watch in 2010, and with more experienced personnel. There has been some progress, and provided the English heed the cheesy t-shirt’s advice by keeping calm, Euro 2016 could feature an exciting young England side that at least has experience of a major international tournament.

Maybe Roy isn’t the right man. Maybe he is too naturally cautious, headmasterly, bookish for the PlayStation generation.

Costa Rica come next and it is likely to be England’s last World Cup match. A good performance and a win would do something to justify retaining Hodgson; if results go their way on Friday and next week, they could still qualify.

But whatever happens moving forward, it is simply not feasible to continue with the Cahill-Jagielka partnership. Starting from Tuesday in Belo Horizonte. 

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READ MORE - Making the case for pace in the England defence

5 crazy things you missed: Balotelli’s very cheeky tweet to The Queen - Often some of the funniest, most interesting and quirky moments at huge sports events go almost unnoticed, rarely featured in reports or blog posts.

So here are five ridiculous things you may not have already seen or heard about from the last few days in Brazil with the World Cup turning up funny stories.

Did you see anything particularly noteworthy that passed off without mention? Feel free to bring it to our attention in the comments section below...

1) IS THIS A WISH, A REQUEST OR A DEMAND? - Balotelli sends cheeky tweet to The Queen

Mario Balotelli never fails to surprise, and his latest stunt could well be his most outrageous of them all - after tweeting that he wants a kiss... from the Queen of England!

Balotelli, who spent three years in England with Manchester City, has taken it upon himself to have a little dig at England by cheekily suggesting that he should receive a kiss – on the cheek – from Her Majesty should he lead the Azzurri to victory over Costa Rica.

Given that England must now hope that Italy beat Costa Rica on Friday and then Uruguay on June 24, with Hodgson’s side needing to beat Costa Rica in their final group game to sneak through on goal difference, it's surely a deal worth striking with him.

2) IT'S ALL HER FAULT, ALL OF IT... - Spain blames World Cup disaster on Eurovision-winning bearded lady

Spain's shock exit in the group stage of the World Cup has been blamed on the unlikeliest of culprits: Eurovision Song Contest winner Conchita Wurst. That's right: forget the increasingly-shaky Iker Casillas, and instead pin the responsibility on the bearded lady novelty act from Austria, who swept to glory in the annual music competition last month.

That's the conspiracy theory currently flooding through Spain, thanks to a series of bizarre coincidences tied to the fact that the transvestite's win was the first by Austria since 1966.

Last time Austria won was in 1966, a year which has drawn a series of spooky parallels with 2014.

3) SURELY THAT'S NOT HIM? WITH ME? NOW? - Can you spot what is the matter with this Scolari picture?

Photo via @OMarcusBruno

You board a plane and who's on the flight with you? Luiz Felipe Scolari, the coach of Brazil's national football team. Or at least that's what Mario Sergio Conti, one of Brazil's best-known syndicated columnists, thought on Wednesday on a flight from Rio de Janeiro to Sao Paulo.

Instead, it turned out to be Vladimir Palomo, a Scolari look-alike who proceeded to give Conti an interview as if he were Big Phil himself. Below is a photo of the man himself for comparison. Three of Brazil's most-read news websites - Folha de S.Paulo, O Globo and UOL - all published the interview on Wednesday evening.

Hours later, when it emerged that Scolari had spent the day in Fortaleza and hadn't been on the flight, all three promptly took down the interview and published apologies for the mix-up. Whoops!

4) GUESS WHO DAVID MOYES BACKED FOR GLORY? - Yes, it really does not get any better for the humbled former United boss

Poor old David Moyes. He really cannot catch a break, can he?

Even when asked in a seemingly innocuous newspaper piece who he was backing for the World Cup, he managed to come out of it looking utterly ridiculous.

Despite it being a view shared by many prior to the tournament, the timing was not great as Moyes's prediction was rapidly shared and resurfaced just as Spain crashed out in humiliating fashion similar to that of his United exit.

5) WOW, IS THIS BITTER OF FUNNY... OR BOTH? - Tahiti Football Federation revel in Spain's terrible short tournament

It seems the football federation of Tahiti is still bitter that Spain ousted Tahiti from the 2013 Confederations Cup. How else could one explain the federation's tweets?

They've made no attempt to hide their happiness at seeing Spain go home. The Spaniards were eliminated after failing to win or draw in either of their first two games. They lost to Chile and the Netherlands, outscored by a combined 7-1 in the matches.

The Federation even added mock projections for the 2026 World Cup. At least some people were made very happy by the whole Spanish debacle.
 

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'Miserable, dire, traumatic'  - All the reaction from the English journalists in Sao Paulo after they watched Roy Hodgson's team crash to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Uruguay.
After Luis Suarez's two goals almost certainly put England out of the tournament, the reaction was pretty dire.

Though we had to chuckle at The Sun's front page, somehow managing to turn the defeat into a positive. And they say the papers are always too quick to pounce on bad news!

 

The Sun's report is accurate - you can read our story here about how England still have a faint, though realistic chance of making it into the last 16.

Needless to say, however, most of the papers take a more realistic standpoint. And depressingly so, for England fans. Here's how the press reacted to the Three Lions' defeat in Sao Paulo:

England defeat to Uruguay (Reuters)

 

Sam Wallace (The Independent): "In past tournaments, England’s demise has been a slow drawn-out affair, with the handwringing and the tears and the dreadful sense of foreboding. Brazil 2014 promises to be short and sweet. If Italy and Costa Rica draw their game on Friday then Roy Hodgson’s men are out six days after they began. That throat-slicing moment from Greg Dyke at the draw back in October will not tell even half the story. If there was honour in defeat against Italy in Manaus, then this was just a very poor England performance. They never imposed themselves upon the game and they twice allowed Luis Suarez the kind of goalscoring chances that Norwich City would be ashamed to give him. Roy Hodgson’s team were out of their depth against a Uruguay side who relied upon a striker who has not played a single game since the end of the season. It is a miserable way to go."

Daniel Taylor (The Guardian): "After four years of planning, all that emotional commitment and all the anticipation that always attaches itself to this tournament, England’s World Cup has unravelled in the space of five traumatic days and the defining image is of Luis Suárez, on the floor, weeping with joy after the goals that had opened the door and pointed Roy Hodgson’s team on the way out. It is the first time England have lost their first two games of this tournament and if, or rather when, everything is confirmed their departure comes ignominiously early."

Oliver Kay (The Times): "The embarrassment was that Uruguay’s winner was so avoidable. Muslera aimed a harmless-looking punt upfield, but Gerrard’s header sent the ball into the path of Suarez, charging beyond Jagielka. Suarez took a touch and struck a rising shot past Hart. He celebrated wildly and took his leave soon afterwards. He had done his bit. Uruguay were revitalised. England were in despair."

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Henry Winter (The Telegraph): "England's manager, Roy Hodgson, must believe that Suarez is world-class now. It had to be Suarez, the player who has been the best in the Premier League this year, the man voted PFA Player of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year. It had to be Suarez slaying the team representing the FA, the organisation with which he has such history. Barring Rooney's close-range effort, England lacked the killer touch that Suarez had. Suarez had been dreaming of this moment ever since the draw, ever since Gerrard had jokingly sent him a text saying that England had been granted an easy group. Suarez had been hoping to be fit in time for this test against a nation that had castigated and celebrated him in equal measure."

Steven Howard (The Sun): "It was the defeat that Roy Hodgson couldn’t even contemplate. The defeat that, barring a miracle, means his side are on the plane home. The defeat that means England have failed to qualify from the group stage at the World Cup for the first time since 1958. The small matter of 56 years. And 11 tournaments. And eight managers. We might not be any good at winning the bloody thing but we do usually know how to get out of the group. Now it seems we cannot even do that."

Martin Samuel (Daily Mail): "Suarez ran on and finished like a champion. He will say this was always destined to be his night – yet fate was leant a huge hand by England’s defensive frailty. You know where this debate will lead eventually. To a player currently posting pictures of his family holiday in Greece. You know his name, too. Could he have prevented this defeat? Who knows? Would England have been stronger with him in the ranks? Undoubtedly."

Oliver Holt (The Daily Mirror): "The free spirits who took the match to Italy in Manaus had flown away. In their place, an England team as dull and gloomy as the tower blocks in this concrete jungle called Sao Paulo stumbled their way to desperate defeat in the Arena Corinthians. On Saturday, losing had been made easier by some promise. Here, there was no consolation. This was simply dire. England stand on the very brink of elimination from Brazil 2014. After this performance, few will lament their departure if they head home next week."

John Dillon (Daily Express): "The spirit of the World Cup teased and tormented Wayne Rooney and kept its special glory just beyond his reach for 75 painful minutes here last night. Then came the epic moment that briefly lifted a desperate nation and laid to rest the curse which had plagued him through three World Cups. It seemed he would be doomed to frustration and agonising unfulfillment once again until the opportunity for which had waited all his career came in the gathering dark of the Sao Paulo evening. Eventually, he was, as Luis Suarez scored brilliantly for the second time and placed England on the brink of a devastating early exit."

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Born in Brazil, Motta feels Italian — Thiago Motta got a taste of what he was in for when he was jeered every time he touched the ball during a World Cup warmup match with Brazilian club Fluminense.

Then there were more whistles when the midfielder came on in the second half of Italy's win over England on Saturday.

Born in Brazil, Motta gained Italian citizenship through his grandfather, who was Italian, and was on the Azzurri squad that reached the final of the European Championship.

The local fans here consider him a traitor.

"I'm not thinking about (the whistles) that much," Motta said Wednesday. "I feel like an Italian born in Brazil."

Motta played on Brazil's youth squads but was never under serious consideration for the Selecao.

"I left Brazil at 15 for Europe, spent a long time in Spain and I got used to the European way of playing and way of life," said Motta, who came up through Barcelona's youth system. "Fortunately I have an Italian family and was able to obtain an Italian passport. So I weighed my options and went for Italy."

Motta was on the Inter Milan side that won the Champions League in 2010, and he now plays for French power Paris Saint-Germain.

He's not the only foreign-born player with Italy, as center back Gabriel Paletta was born in Argentina.

"I've always felt Italian," he said.

— By Andrew Dampf — 

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Italy's Thiago Motta speaks during a press conference at the Casa Azzurri in Mangaratiba, Brazil, Wednesday, June 18, 2014. Italy play in group D of the Brazil 2014 soccer World Cup. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

SAO PAULO (AP) — Don't text and drive. But how about don't watch the match and drive?

Many Brazilian cab drivers are watching the World Cup games on the screens on top of their dashboards normally used to display GPS maps. With the heavy traffic of Sao Paulo, South America's largest city, and limited parking options in the tourist and business districts, it's the only way they get to watch the tournament.

— By Adriana Gomez Licon — 

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SULTRY SAMBA

NATAL, Brazil (AP) — The Ponta Negra beach in Natal is as much about football as swimming and sunning.

Groups of boys dart like fish after the ball. One passes to a friend to plunge — and disappear — into the sea.

A young man pushes a wheelbarrow across the sand, hawking pina coladas. Sunbathers slurp from straws sunk into coconuts, cooling off from the daze-inducing Brazilian heat.

The enormous beach towels the vendors drape like curtains are of course Brazilian flags. A young man sells dried fish hanging from a wooden pole he carries on his shoulders.

It's all a sultry samba in the world's greatest football nation.

— By Joji Sakurai — 

___

ROYAL SEAL

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil (AP) — The Netherlands team got a royal seal of approval after its hard-fought 3-2 win over Australia.

Sports-loving King Willem-Alexander, a former International Olympic Committee member, is a regular cheerleader of Dutch sportsmen and women ranging from field hockey players to footballers and speedskaters, and he wasn't about to miss the chance of another celebration after flying to Porto Alegre for the Group B World Cup match.

"The king and queen were in the changing room and congratulated us," coach Louis van Gaal told reporters. "That was fantastic, beautiful."

Photos of the meeting quickly circulated online showing Willem-Alexander and his Argentina-born wife Maxima, draped in orange scarves, standing in the midst of smiling Dutch players and coaches.

— By Mike Corder — 

___

MANICURED FANS

SAO PAULO (AP) — Forget the French manicure. It's Brazil during World Cup, and women here want to flaunt their love of the national team with wacky nail designs.

It's not only the Brazilian flag on the hands of many women here. It's jerseys, footballs, pitches, the World Cup official mascot, and even the face of striker Neymar.

"We like to make our nails look pretty, and we are also big fans of Brazil," said Luciana Costa, the nail designer at the Loar Beauty salon, in central Sao Paulo.

Using a thin brush, Costa painted half the Brazilian flag on one nail of a costumer. She decorated another nail with a ball.

The client, 31-year-old Mara Campos, said it's the second time she is getting a Brazilian design on her nails. Last week, she painted them the three colors of the flag: green, yellow and blue.

"I like not having to worry about what I wear in order to support Brazil," she said. "My nails will be consistent."

After decorating two of her fingers on each hand, she wanted the rest of the nails a royal blue, the favorite color of the moment, not only because of the country's flag but because it's worn by one of the prime-time soap opera's main characters. It's the show starring Neymar's girlfriend, Bruna Marquezine.

— By Adriana Gomez Licon — 

___

SPREADING HAPPINESS

SALVADOR, Brazil (AP) — He bounces down the palm tree-lined avenue running along a beach in this northeastern Brazilian city, excitedly waving to cars zooming by on their morning commute.

Arioste Farias, a 66-year-old retiree, has become something of a local celebrity in this World Cup city — for spreading his intense cheer and often receiving big smiles, waves and high-fives in return.

So what drives Farias to spread the love?

"I often see that people's minds are full of regret, as if they have done something wrong," he said recently, taking a brief break from his duties to delight. "But you don't need to be so hard on yourself. You don't need to be so stoical."

Even in a nation known for its convivial people — Brazilians routinely rank among the "happiest" populations in international polls — Farias' exuberance stands out.

Farias is "the embodiment of happiness," said Juliana Dourado, who encounters the "Waving Man" on her morning jogs. "Every day, he is always laughing, always positive. He is just an example of a great human being."

— By Ed Brown

___

ENGLISH PRACTICE

MANAUS, Brazil (AP) — Match day is a holiday in Manaus, and that makes it a perfect opportunity for local students to head out on the river.

With schools closed Wednesday because of the Croatia-Cameroon match at the Arena da Amazonia, a small group of students learning English hopped on a boat with tourists to see the meeting of the rivers and practice their language skills.

The high schoolers approached foreigners and started conversations with the regular pleasantries, but then proceeded to take the time to explain about the rivers.

Manaus is mainly on the Rio Negro, but just off one side of the city it meets the Amazon River.

The black water of the Rio Negro and the brown water of the Amazon then run side by side for several kilometers, partly because of the different temperatures and partly because of the different speeds at which they flow.

The flow of the students' English wasn't bad, either.

— Chris Lehourites — 

___

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Rooney and England need to stop feeling sorry for themselves - Wayne rooney seems eager to get his excuses in early.

Instead of focusing purely on England’s win-or-bust game with Uruguay today, he instead recently took to Facebook to address criticism aimed at him.

“Sometimes wonder what the press are getting at,” he wrote on his official Facebook page.

“I said from the start I want to do everything I can to make sure I’m ready for these World Cup games and as part of that I was doing extra training a week before the squad joined up.

“That’s exactly what I did yesterday, my own extra training because that’s what I wanted to do.”

These dubious claims that the star is unfit or not training properly are perhaps unfair, but surely Rooney should ignore what’s being written about him. Instead of trying to win the PR battle, the only contest he needs to worry about is this evening’s crucial Group D encounter.

Moreover, by responding to the media’s provocative claims, he is making little attempt to hide an insecurity that has characterised his off-field behaviour for a substantial period — up to and including his fallings out with former United manager Alex Ferguson and the ensuing contract wrangles and uncertainty over his United future.

Rooney also seems peeved with the English media and public at large’s supposed fixation with him, though on this issue, the United star has let others do the talking.

“You can call it a debate or an obsession,” assistant coach Gary Neville told reporters.

“I don’t think either are wrong because every time I have been part of a tournament I have seen this with a player, whether it be (Paul) Gascoigne, (Michael) Owen, (David) Beckham or Rooney. 

“We love it. The whole country loves creating a drama around one player.”

Yet it seems somewhat disingenuous for Neville to portray this issue purely as an English problem, as a country’s best player is invariably the most talked-about star. Are Brazil any less obsessed with Neymar? Have the Argentinians been especially eager to downplay Lionel Messi’s importance to the team? Is Luis Suarez just another player as far as the Uruguayan journalists and fans are concerned? Indeed, putting Rooney in the same category as the three aforementioned footballers may seem a tad generous, but he is surely still the England team’s most naturally gifted player at his best.

Nonetheless, it is perhaps no wonder that signs of increasing frustration can be detected in Rooney’s recent comments. Roy Hodgson was praised for his ‘bold’ team selection against Italy, however playing the United star out wide was hardly brave.

Although Rooney did produce an immaculate cross for Daniel Sturridge’s goal in the opening match, that moment aside, the 28-year-old was more of a liability than an asset for England. Throughout the game, he looked unhappy to be playing on the wing (or at least, until he was belatedly moved to the centre), rarely having the discipline to properly track Italy’s influential full-back Matteo Darmian and almost costing his side on numerous occasions as a result.

(Gary Neville has defended Wayne Rooney following recent criticism of the star)

All the latest reports indicate that Rooney will be moved to his favoured number 10 role at the expense of Raheem Sterling — easily England’s best player against Italy — for the Uruguay game tonight. It would be another somewhat conservative decision from Hodgson, whereas dropping Rooney is obviously the most radical prospective outcome, and many high-profile commentators, including Clarence Seedorf, have advocated this move.

Nevertheless, surely playing to Rooney’s strengths without banishing Sterling to the wing is feasible. Liverpool have had significant success this season, most notably in their 3-0 victory over Manchester United, playing the diamond formation with the teenage star behind the two strikers. Against a technically limited Uruguayan midfield, England’s players are likely to see much more of the ball than was the case against the Italians, so surely playing their two stars centrally would not be a considerable risk.

Yet predictably, it looks as if they are opting for the more cautious option, effectively punishing Sterling, after his magnificent display against Italy, in the process.

The move would consequently reiterate the negative mentality that has affected England in numerous past major tournaments, owing to media pressure among other issues. On that note, ahead of the Uruguay match, captain Steven Gerrard was asked to address the squad, and a loose sample of his speech was related back to reporters.

“Basically, [I told them] to realise it could be a terrible, long, frustrating summer if we don’t get it right on Thursday,” Gerrard said. “There is no hiding place for a player when you go out of a tournament earlier than you expect. It can be tough and it can take an awful long time to get over it. A lot of people know that in the dressing room but there are a few young lads in there too, so it was important for them to realise what is at stake and how important this game is.” 

Perhaps Fabio Capello was correct in refraining from awarding the England captaincy to the notoriously anxiety-ridden star, because such words are not exactly inspiring, with Gerrard preferring to emphasise the negatives that come with losing rather than the positives associated with winning.

It suggests that, in the English players’ minds, there is a fear inextricably linked with the potential backlash that faces them at home. And expect this excuse to recur should they actually exit the competition in the opening round for the first time since 1958.

Opinion: Rooney and England need to stop feeling sorry for themselves

Furthermore, reading between the lines, the above comments attributed to Rooney, Neville and Gerrard each at least hint at one common complaint — it’s all the media’s fault.

Granted, this pressure is undoubtedly intense, but the English must embrace it the way all the top teams tend to do, rather than taking to Facebook etc to lament such criticism. Otherwise, they could indeed suffer an embarrassingly premature World Cup exit against an ordinary enough Uruguayan side, thereby striking a fitting conclusion to the perpetually anti-climactic exploits of England’s near-obsolete ‘golden generation’.

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Maradona claims he was barred from Maracana - Not even the 'Hand of God' could open the doors to a packed Maracana stadium for Argentina's World Cup game against Bosnia.

After Pele revealed that he had to listen on the radio in his car to the first half of Brazil's 0-0 draw with Mexico on Wednesday, due to being stuck in traffic, Diego Maradona has claimed that he was refused entry to a game.

Maradona, who notoriously used his fist to score a goal that helped knock England out of the 1986 World Cup, told Argentine television that he was denied entry to the Group F clash at the Maracana stadium in Rio on Sunday.

The 53-year-old World Cup winner has been working as a television pundit during the tournament but said he was unable to take a seat.

"I was not allowed to go in to the game," he told TyC Sports. "So I had to return to the hotel to see the second half. I did everything I could but they would not let us in.

"Someone just said no, it could not happen, so I had to watch it on TV. Hopefully we will get this resolved because I want to go and see Argentina in several more games.

"It is one thing to not be able to go to a game, and another to not be allowed to go. When there is goodwill, you're allowed in but when there is ill will, it's better to forget it and head back to the hotel, which it's what we did."

A FIFA spokesperson said they had not been formally informed of any problem involving Maradona.

"We have not received any report. I read the news article and we double-checked. As long as he is going in with the right media access (on his accreditation) there shouldn't be any issue," said the spokesperson.

"Maybe he went somewhere where he didn't have the necessary access but we have no record of it, we have not received anything from him or anybody else."

Argentina's next game is against Iran in Belo Horizonte on Saturday.

Pele was one of many who missed the first half of Brazil's match against Mexico on Tuesday after being caught in traffic as fans rushed to get home before kickoff.

"For the first time I had to listen to the first half of a Brazil game inside a car, we were stuck in traffic," the Brazilian great told Globo TV.

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‘Barbaric’: KO’d Uruguay star admits ‘madness’ of playing on  - When Uruguay's Alvaro Pereira got up and staggered around after being knocked out cold in their World Cup game against England, he insisted on playing on and his team let him.

The defender later admitted it was "a moment of madness".

Pereira was clattered in the face by England forward Raheem Sterling's knee an hour into the game and he lay unconscious as medical staff rubbed his chest and tried to revive him.

When he got up, staggering along the touchline, Pereira furiously pushed away medical staff who wanted him substituted and he forced his way back on to the pitch.

While his coaches let him play out the final 30 minutes of the game and he drew praise from other Uruguayan players, Pereira himself conceded it was the wrong thing to do.

"It was a moment of madness... I've apologised to the doctor because I know it's his job to look after the players," Pereira said after Uruguay won 2-1 with a Luis Suarez double.

"I went back on dizzy. But in the heat of the moment with a hot head you don't think properly," he said.

"Still, it was a time to help the team and to get a result. And the most important thing is that we got the result."

The incident prompted outrage on social media with the FIFA doctor at the game not stepping in to force a substitution despite the obvious concussion.

The incident raised questions about whether Uruguay's bench took his head injury seriously enough.

Head injuries in sports have come under much closer scrutiny in recent years and campaigners quickly condemned the decision to let Pereira play on.

"That incident today is the kind of thing that happened a long time ago, its borderline barbaric," said Taylor Twellman, a former United States player who suffered five major concussions in his career and now campaigns for more controls in the sport.

"When a player is concussed he doesn't know what has happened - very dangerous to rely on what a player wants," Twellman told Reuters.

"Second impact syndrome is the most dangerous thing. If he goes down again he could die - that is science. You're playing with fire, you are playing with someone's life."

Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera said he was worried when he first went over to help Pereira.

"When I saw his eyes, I got scared and Diego (Godin) and I both began to call for the medics," he said. "He's an important player who loves the shirt and if he can keep playing he will. He is never going to abandon the pitch."

 

Source : https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/the-rio-report/barbaric-ko-d-pereira-admits-madness-playing-034148450.html

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