The best part about holiday shopping is the amount of discounts you can find. It is very important to go around the market before buying something because you never know, you might find it for cheaper elsewhere.

Keeping that in mind, I looked around for quality presents with good discounts and picked, what I thought, were really good bargains.

Real Madrid 2011-12 Third kit

adidas have made a red third kit for Real Madrid’s 2011-12 UEFA Champions League campaign. The red shirt has white adidas stripes on the shoulder.

The original price of this red Galacticos shirt is £41.24 but you can buy the 11-12 Real Madrid Champions League third shirt for £35.05.

Nike Total90 Strike IV

The Strike IV by Nike is the ideal football boot for powerful shooting and accuracy. Strike IV is designed to provide you assistance in touch, control, optimal precision and uniform striking surface.

The T90 Strike IV is available for £58.66 and that’s after a 26% discount – from the actual price of £79.99.

V. Persie 9 – Holland 2010 World Cup Home Shirt

Nike manufactures the sports goods for the Holland national team and the number 9 orange home shirt of the sensational Arsenal skipper, Robin van Persie, is available on the Soccerlens Store.

The original price of this shirt was £59.99 and it is on a 5% discount. You can buy the 10-11 Holland home shirt for £56.99.

Zidane 10 – France 2010 World Cup Home Shirt

It was a disappointing trip to South Africa for the 1998 champions. Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema were already trapped in a lot of controversy and to add to the tension, there were disagreements in the dressing room. It was clearly a different France than we last saw in 2006 under the captaincy of the great Zinedine Zidane.

The original price of this adidas manufactured shirt was £54.99 but with a 45% discount, you can buy the 10-11 France home shirt for £30.

Drogba 11 – Ivory Coast 2010 World Home Shirt

Didier Drogba’s injury to the forearm kept him from performing a hundred percent. On top of that, it would have been quite a task to beat Brazil and Portugal. North Korea was the fourth team in their group. They still managed a goalless draw with Portugal and a three goal win over Korea but Brazil was just too strong for them.

That was probably Drogba’s last World Cup as a top class striker. The Chelsea ace wore the number 11 for his national team.

The original price of the shirt was £59.99 but we’re offering a 42% discount. You can now buy the 10-11 Ivory Coast home shirt for £35.

Beckham 7 – England Euro 2012 Home Shirt

David Beckham was the most influential footballer in recent times and his experience and skills were unmatched across England. His presence will be missed but there is a lot of promising young blood coming through.

The original price of the Euro 2012 home shirt was £59.99. After a massive 42% discount, you can buy the 11-12 England home shirt for £35.

Eto’o 9 – Cameroon 2010 World cup Away Shirt

Samuel Eto’o is as clinical as a striker can get. If his successful spells at Barcelona and Inter Milan don’t convince you enough, his larger than life pay-check with Russian Premier League club Anzhi Makhachkala should leave you dumbfounded.

The original price of this shirt was £59.99 but after a 42% discount, you can buy the 10-11 Cameroon away shirt for £35.

adidas adiPower Predator

The adidas Predator was formerly worn by players like Xavi, Lionel Messi and many others in top competitions around the world. It’s built for speed, power and swerve.

The original price of the boot was £154.99. Kitbag is offering a 29% discount and you can buy the adidas Predator for £109.99.

Robbie Fowler Signed Liverpool Shirt

The Liverpool born striker came through the youth ranks of the Reds and played through his prime at Liverpool. He left his childhood club and moved the Leeds United and went on to impress fans across England. He also made appearances for Manchester City and had another stint at Liverpool.

To honor the Reds legend, here’s a personally signed Liverpool numbed 9 shirt of Robbie Fowler:

The original price of this framed shirt was £366.67. Kitbag is offering a 15% discount and you can buy the Fowler signed Liverpool home shirt for £311.67.

This magnificent collector’s item was originally priced at £916.67. Kitbag if offering a 15% discount and the Pele and Maradona dual framed and signed shirts for £779.17.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Throughout history, people have been kicking a ball but the earliest scientific evidence suggest that it was an exercise from a military manual in the second and third BC in China – it was called Cuju. Modern football took years in the making after the Chinese forgot about cuju.

In 1872, the first ever international football game took place when England faced Scotland. I don’t know if that was a great match or not but since then, there have been many teams, players and matches that have redefined football history.

From 1930, when the first World Cup took place in Uruguay, to Spain lifting the trophy in 2010, a lot has happened. Many heroes emerged and took center stage as fans sat in awe of them and cheered them on.

To commemorate all that is now past, here are some of the items from the retro section of the Soccerlens Store.

Maradona 1986 World Cup Jersey

A thrilling 3-2 victory over West Germany in the extra time of the final marked the end of a tournament that was completely dominated by Diego Maradona. It was Argentina’s 2nd title.

The blue and white striped Argentina shirt comes with the name and number of Maradona printed on the back of the shirt.

Click here to buy Maradona 1986 World Cup jersey online.

Juventus 1977 UEFA Cup Jersey

The significance of this triumph for Juventus fans is the fact that this is the only triumph for an Italian side in an official European tournament without foreigner players in its first team squad.

It was a two-legged final against Athletic Bilbao and Marco Tardelli had given Juve a slender 1-0 lead in the home leg. Juve traveled to Spain and striker Roberto Bettega doubled the lead. Bilbao won the game 2-1 after Jose Churruca and Carlos Ruiz scored but Juventus won the title on away goals.

Juve wore this blue away shirt in the second leg of the final:

Click here to buy Juventus 1977 UEFA Cup jersey online.

Cruyff 1974 World Cup Jersey

A lot can be said about Johan Cruyff, he has almost single-handedly revolutionized modern football with the help of the Catalan giants Barcelona – both as a player and a coach.

The first Dutch international to receive a red card, Cruyff, was unlucky to have collected the runners up medal in 1974 and 1978. However, he was the chosen the best player in the 1974 World Cup.

His managerial expertise indirectly resulted in Spaniards winning the Euro 2008 and the World Cup 2010.

Here is Cruyff’s famous shirt with two stripes:

Click here to buy Cruyff 1974 World Cup jersey online.

Brazil 1971 Three Star Jersey

When Brazil beat Italy in the final of the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, it was their third world title. They have gone on to make it five titles now but that was their third in four attempts.

1970 also marked the end of the Pele era, and this three star away jersey from 1971 is how he left Brazil. It took Brazil 24 years to win another World Cup.

Click here to buy Brazil 1971 three star jersey online.

Man City 1969 FA Cup Winners Track-top

The 1969 FA Cup was the last major English trophy that Manchester City had won until their recent 2011 triumph. The ’69 final was played between Man City and Leicester City at the Wembley Stadium.

Neil Young scored the only goal of the game as the cup win earned them the right to compete in the 1969-70 European Cup Winners’ Cup – which City went on to win as well.

Here is the track-top that was worn by the players after they have won the FA Cup:

Click here to buy Man City 1969 FA Cup winners track-top online.

AC Milan 1963 European Cup Jersey

Wembley stadium witnessed AC Milan and Benfica go head-to-head for the 1963 European Cup final. Two goals from Jose Altafini in the second half over-turned the first half strike of the legendary Portugal midfielder Eusebio and Milan clinched the their first European Cup title.

This is the white shirt Milan wore in the final that day:

Click here to buy AC Milan 1963 European Cup jersey online.

Puskas 1954 World Cup Jersey

Hungary was in top form prior to the 1954 World Cup, winning everything that came their way. They were unbeaten in 32 games. They became the first non-UK team to beat England at Wembley – they thrashed them 6-3 and then later 7-1 in Budapest.

In the group stage, Hungary violently defeated West Germany 8-3 and now the Germans were their last hurdle. Ferenc Puskas and Zoltan Czibor gave them a two goal cushion but they failed to capitalize on that. The efficient Germans won the final 3-2 (Max Morlock and Helmut Rahn were the goal-scorers).

Here is the number 10 jersey that Puskas wore in the final:

Click here to buy Puskas 1954 World Cup jersey online.

John Charles 1950s Leeds Utd Jersey

Rated by many as the greatest all-round footballer ever to come from Wales, he was equally adept at center forward or center back. In the peak of his career, he plied his trade at Leeds United and Juventus. He made a return to Leeds at the age of 31 but was soon sent back to Italy as he joined Roma for a season.

Towards the end of his career, he could be seen at Cardiff City and as a player-manager at Hereford United and Merthyr Tydfil.

To commemorate this great all-rounder of football, here’s a shirt from one of Leeds’ dressing rooms of the 1950s (not literally):

Click here to buy John Charles 1950s Leeds Utd jersey online.

Italy 1934/1938 World Cup Winners Jersey

In 1934, Italy hosted the World Cup tournament themselves and defeated Czechoslovakia. In 1938, France hosted the World Cup but Italy managed to defend their title successfully as they defeated Hungary 4-2.

Inter Milan legend Giuseppe Meazza played both the World Cups and he played instrumental parts in their triumphs.

Click here to buy Italy 1934/1938 World Cup winners jersey online.

Uruguay 1930 World Cup Final Jersey

Uruguay hosted the inaugural FIFA World Cup in 1930. Uruguay faced Argentina in the final which was a repeat of the match-up in the 1928 Olympic final – which Uruguay had won 2-1. The final was won with the same ratio of goals but the scoreline was 4-2.

93,000 fans watched the final where different balls were used in each half but those are just details. This is the shirt Uruguay wore in the first-ever FIFA World Cup final:

Click here to buy Uruguay 1930 World Cup final jersey online.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The 14th European Championship for teams sanctioned by the UEFA is scheduled to be played between 8th June and 1st July 2012 in Poland and Ukraine.

Spain are the current holders of the cup – they defeated Germany in the final in Austria / Switzerland version of the tournament in 2008.

The groups and the schedule of the Euro 2012 have been announced and the groups are as follows:

Group A: Poland, Greece, Russia, Czech Republic
Group B: Holland, Denmark, Germany, Portugal
Group C: Spain, Italy, Republic of Ireland, Croatia
Group D: Ukraine, Sweden, France, England

You can see the team by team preview of Euro 2012 from a couple of weeks ago and here we’re covering the football gear to be used by the national teams in the tournament.

Before we look at what kits the players will be donning for the competition, lets look at the official Euro 2012 match ball:

adidas Tango 12

The official match ball that will be used for the duration of the tournament in Poland and Ukraine in the coming summers is the adidas Tango 12. It is a brand new ball inspired by the famous line of adidas Tango balls.

Here’s a picture of the ball. As soon as it is made available, we will have it up for grabs in the Soccerlens Store.

Official UEFA Euro 2012 Match Ball: adidas Tango 12
(Click to enlarge image)

All the football gear and kit manufacturers have lined up for the biggest tournament in Europe and they present to you the Euro 2012 shirts:

Croatia

Coming soon to the Soccerlens Store…

Czech Republic

Chelsea stopper Petr Cech, Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky and Galatasaray forward Milan Baros will probably be featuring for the last time in a major tournament and surely, they will all want to end their careers on a high.

Czech Republic will wear a Puma manufactured red shirt with white and blue details. They will be playing in Group A.

Czech Rep. Home Shirt

Click here to buy Czech Republic Euro 2012 home shirt.

Denmark

Coming soon to the Soccerlens Store…

England

England captain John Terry came under much scrutiny before the start of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa but this time around, things seems to be relatively smoother. Fabio Capello will be looking to exit the job with grace.

England are placed in Group D and will play their opening fixture against the French national team. The Three Lions will wear a plain white shirt, manufactured by Umbro.

England Home Shirt

Click here to buy England Euro 2012 home shirt.

They will wear navy blue away shirts with light blue collars.

England Away Shirt

Click here to buy England Euro 2012 away shirt.

France

France are also placed in Group D and they will play their opening fixture against England. The French squad is relatively younger blood from last time around. Karim Benzema is set to lead the attack as Franck Ribery will takeover the creative part.

Les Bleus will wear a Nike manufactured navy blue shirt. The only details on the shirt are the Nike swoosh and the team emblem.

France Home Shirt

Click here to buy France Euro 2012 home shirt.

The Frenchmen will wear a white away shirt with black horizontal stripes – kind of like the prisoners.

France Away Shirt

Click here to buy France Euro 2012 away shirt.

Germany

Euro 2008 finalists, Germany are seeded in Group B and it is the toughest group in this tournament. Mesut Ozil and Lukas Podolski will be looking to steal the show with sound backing from the rest of the squad. Joachim Low will be looking to leave previous disappointments behind.

Germans will wear a very attractive white shirt with diagonal black, red and yellow lines on the front and black adidas pin-stripes on the shoulder.

Germany Home Shirt

Click here to buy Germany Euro 2012 home shirt.

Greece

Coming soon to the Soccerlens Store…

Holland

Coming soon to the Soccerlens Store…

Italy

Participating in Group C, Italy will open the tournament with a match against the world champions. Juventus’ fantastic shot-stopper Gianluigi Buffon will look to play this tournament through as Daniele De Rossi and his midfield will have to take the pressure off of defence and supply Mario Balotelli up front.

Italy will wear the Puma manufactured blue shirt with a white collar containing details in the colours of the Italian flag.

Italy Home Shirt

Click here to buy Italy Euro 2012 home shirt.

Poland

Coming soon to the Soccerlens Store…

Portugal

Coming soon to the Soccerlens Store…

Republic of Ireland

LA Galaxy striker and national team captain Robbie Keane will look to lead Ireland to at least give a tough time to the giants of Group C. He will need all the expertise Shay Given, John O’Shea and Darron Gibson have to offer.

Ireland will wear a white away shirt with green details. The kits are manufactured by Umbro.

Rep. of Ireland Away Shirt

Click here to buy Republic of Ireland Euro 2012 away shirt.

Russia

Arsenal striker Andrie Arshavin will captain a Russia side out of which only four players ply their trade outside of the country. Tottenham forward Roman Pavlyuchenko, Vfb Stuttgart forward Pavel Pogrebnyak and Everton midfielder Diniyar Bilyaletdinov are the three other players who play outside of Russian Premier League. Yuri Zhirkov’s services will also be available.

Russia will wear an adidas manufactured red shirt with a blue and white diagonal stripe going down the front.

Russia Home Shirt

Click here to buy Russia Euro 2012 home shirt.

Spain

Reigning world and European champions, Spain will play Euro 2012 in Group C. Since the triumph in the World Cup, the Spaniards haven’t been in top form but they should never be underestimated with the quality of the squad they possess.

Head coach Vicente del Bosque will be looking for a repeat performace from his team which features five Real Madrid players and eight Barcelona players. Another three Barca players have been called-up for the squad recently (Martin Montoya, Thiago Alcantara and Pedro).

Spain will wear a red jersey proudly featuring a single golden star above their team emblem. The kit is manufactured by adidas.

Spain Home Shirt

Click here to buy Spain Euro 2012 home shirt.

Sweden

Coming soon to the Soccerlens Store…

Ukraine

Andriy Shevchenko captains the Ukraine side and the former AC Milan and Chelsea striker will look to impress in front of his home crowd. Ukraine are in Group D and will face tough competition from Sweden, France and England.

They will wear an adidas manufactured yellow shirt with blue details.

Ukraine Home Shirt

Click here to buy Ukraine Euro 2012 home shirt.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Update: Groups Draw details and the official match ball of Euro 2012 added. Scroll down to view.

With the 16 teams competing in Euro 2012 now selected and the qualifying process complete, all eyes look to Poland and Ukraine as time ticks down. The seeding for the selection of the group stages has been completed also, with the draw for the pool stages happening in Kiev on December 3rd. English and Irish fans will look for a favourable draw, but both nations will know that the competition is packed with top teams.

Pot 1 consists of co-host Poland and Ukraine, world champions Spain and a technically gifted Netherlands side; most participants will be keen to draw the hosts rather than the other two powerhouses.

SPAIN

Spain’s mantle as the top team in the world has been slightly diminished of late, as poor results in friendlies against Spain and Costa Rica have tarnished the end of 2011 for La Roja. Vicente Del Bosque has a plethora of players to choose from however, with a strong base from Barcelona and Real Madrid making up the majority of the team.

The Spaniards midfield is still as menacing as ever, with Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas and Xabi Alonso world class players that opponents will struggle to compete against; however Xavi is still Spain’s main man and will orchestrate long periods of possession for the world champions.

NETHERLANDS

Holland impressed during the qualifying rounds, and again must go into the tournament as one of the favourites. Bert van Marwijk’s men, similar to Spain, have had an under-par end to the year however, as the Oranje lost their last qualifying game to Sweden and were put to the sword by Germany in a recent friendly, losing 3-0.

Despite this the squad is full of talent and a number of young players are battling the established names for a place in the starting XI. Although their defence at times can be questioned, their attack cannot.

Rafael van der Vaart and Wesley Sneijder will look to provide chances for red hot striker Robin van Persie. The Arsenal man is proving himself to be one of the top hitmen in Europe, and will look to fire his nation to glory.

POLAND

On of the downfalls of hosting a major tournament is the fact that you do not get to take part in qualification, and Polish fans will hope that Franciszek Smuda’s men do not suffer due to a lack of competitive fixtures. Solid performances in friendlies over the last 12 months have seen the host draw with Germany and beat the likes of Belarus and Hungary; the home crowd will also play a key part in their chances.

Borussia Dortmund attacker Robert Lewandowski was a key figure in the German club’s Bundesliga success last season, and will be counted on to get goals for the Eastern European side.

Poland are co-hosts.

UKRAINE

Ukraine have had inconsistent form over the last year, and with the glory days of Sergei Rebrov and Andriy Shevchenko over, Oleg Blokhin has had to look to the youth in his side.

Dynamo Kiev forward Andriy Yarmolenko holds the weight of expectation on his shoulders, as the 22-year-old has shown the necessary promise to fill the boots of the generation before him.

Ukraine are co-hosts.

England find themselves in the second tier of the seeding, alongside old enemy and highly-fancied Germany; 2006 World Cup winners Italy and an unpredictable Russia team make up this quartet.

ENGLAND

England have been inconsistent over the qualifying rounds, and despite showing their quality at times can also lack creativity and the ability to break teams down. Fabio Capello will be buoyed on by an unbeaten qualifying campaign and friendly victories over Spain and Sweden, but will look for more from his team if they are to pose as realistic challengers.

Wayne Rooney’s absence in the pool stages will be a real blow for The Three Lions, and the Italian coach will be under pressure to find a replacement that can fire the side into the knockout rounds. Scott Parker has really matured over the last 12-18 months, and the Tottenham man could showcase the determination and will to win to inspire his team-mates; a North London central midfield partnership alongside Jack Wilshere could just prove the balance England needs.

GERMANY

Germany, as always when a major tournament rolls round, must be considered as serious contenders.

Joachim Low has comprised a squad with an enviable mix of experience and youth, and a flawless qualifying campaign proves testament to the side’s motivation to succeed.

The German side is packed full of quality, but playmakers Mesut Ozil and Mario Gotze in particular have vital attributes in creating chances for sharpshooter Mario Gomez.

ITALY

Italy traditionally have blown hot and cold when it comes to international tournaments, and the Azzurri this time round have shown inconsistency and a lack of a real killer instinct in the qualifying rounds.

Cesare Prandelli has a football mad nation keen to recapture the glory days, and a wide ranging player base to choose from – however the side in blue will most likely adopt cautious tactics and look to win fixtures by the odd goal.

Mario Balotelli looks to have been given a real chance to start up front in the absence of Giuseppe Rossi and Antonio Cassano, and may lead the line alongside Juventus’ Alessandro Matri.

However the key man for Italy will be at the back, where Giorgio Chiellini will look to emulate great Italian central defenders of the past, and organise a stubborn rearguard upon which the midfield and attack can build upon.

RUSSIA

Dick Advocaat’s Russian side will fancy their chances of upsetting some of the bigger names, as the proximity of the tournament favours the Eastern European side. A solitary defeat in qualification has shown that Russia are an emerging superpower in the game, and they undoubtedly harbour a number of excellent players.

Andrei Arshavin and Roman Pavlyuchenko are struggling currently at their North London clubs; the experienced duo will need to find their form to inspire a talented but not yet proven team.

The third pot is made up of four seasoned and competitive nations, as Portugal, Sweden, Croatia and Greece lie in wait. The likes of Zlatan Ibrahmovic and Cristiano Ronaldo are first rate players in supposed third rate teams, but none of the participants in this pot will be pushovers.

PORTUGAL

Portugal were beaten to the top of Group H by Denmark, but the Iberian nation powered past Bosnia and Herzegovina in the playoffs to book their place at Europe’s top table. Coach Paulo Bento has ruffled some feathers since taking charge of the team, with veteran duo Ricardo Carvalho and Jose Bosingwa retiring from international football after falling out with the former midfielder.

Despite the absence of the experienced pair, Portugal still have an abundance of quality, with the likes of Nani and Joao Moutinho sure to terrorise opposition defences. Their key man is obviously Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, and if the 26-year-old  can replicate the form and goalscoring ability he shows for his club on the international stage, Portugal will take some beating.

SWEDEN

The Swedes have a technically gifted and balanced side, made from a mix of players playing in their homeland and the top European leagues. Erik Hamren’s side qualified as a top runner up in qualification, and had they not had Netherlands in their group may well have topped a pool.

Temperamental but clearly gifted Zlatan Ibrahimovic hold the nation’s destiny in his hands.

Although Ibra was ineffective in the recent game against England at Wembley, his club record tells a completely different story. It will be a long-shot, still, to believe that he can single-handedly take his nation all the way through the competition.

GREECE

The Euro 2004 champions look to have recovered form and showcased some excellent football in an unbeaten qualification process.

Fernando Santos’ squad still has some remnants from the triumphant side from seven years ago, which is complemented by exuberant youngsters breaking into the international fray.

PAOK striker Dimitris Salpingidis has learnt from some of the senior goal-getters in recent Greek history, and has the ability to cause opposition defences a headache.

CROATIA

Slaven Bilic’s men made the finals by comprehensively beating Turkey 3-0 in the playoffs, and should not be written off. The Croats follow Luka Modric’s direction, and the Tottenham playmaker has the ability to hurt any side in the world, whilst Bayern Munich attacker Ivica Olic will be keen to add to his tally of 15 international goals.

Modric’s club teammate Niko Kranjcar and Bolton Wanderers’ Ivan Klasnic will also be available for selection. Both of them last played for the national team in October against Latvia.

Finally, Republic of Ireland find themselves in the lowest tier of seeding for the tournament, but will have expected this. Giovanni Trapattoni’s men are bunched alongside an under-performing France, dark horses Czech Republic and Denmark.

FRANCE

France have not shown enough quality to make it into the top pots, and the French public will not be happy as being deemed as a fourth-tier side. A late goal against Bosnia and Herzegovina ensured Les Bleus automatic progression to the tournament, but their form in qualification was nothing to write home about.

Laurent Blanc is widely seen as the man to spark a renaissance, and the coach undoubtedly has talented players to call upon. Experienced international heads such as Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema will harbour most of the responsibility for leading their nation’s dreams – but look out for Sochaux playmaker Marvin Martin.

The starlet has rose to fame over the last 12 months, and his craft and guile has prompted many in the game to compare him to Zinedine Zidane; it could be Martin’s time to announce himself to the world game.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

The Emerald Isle will be competing in the European championships for the first time since 1988, and a wave of expectancy has washed over the country since a 5-1 aggregate victory over Estonia ensured Ireland’s place at the finals.

Giovanni Trapattoni still relies on old heads Richard Dunne, Shay Given and Robbie Keane, but faith should be put in some of the younger players such as Aidan McGeady to compete at the highest level.

DENMARK

The Danes qualified for the tournament by topping Group H ahead of Portugal, and Morten Olsen’s men will go into the competition full of confidence.

If the Scandinavians can get off to a good start they will be a match for most, and in Christian Eriksen they have one of the brightest prospects in the world game. The Ajax midfielder will look to impress to force a transfer to one of Europe’s biggest clubs, and has the energy and guile to win a game for Denmark.

CZECH REPUBLIC

It is fair to say that the Czech Republic are not the force that once saw them challenge for international tournaments in the 2000′s, but Michael Bilek’s men will still provide a tricky test to their opponents next year.

Arsenal’s Tomas Rosicky captains the side and is a talisman for the nation, but the Czechs are going through a transitional period as a number of the under-21 players make the step up to the seniors.

However, still the elders of the team, like Milan Baros, carry the hopes of their nation.

So there you have it; although there is a lot of football to be played before Euro 2012 starts in earnest, most of the major players in the continent will have one eye on the finals. With the groups being drawn in the forthcoming weeks excitement over the tournament should build, as there are many nations that could realistically experience glory next year.

Groups

Group A: Poland, Greece, Russia, Czech Republic.
Group B: Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Portugal.
Group C: Spain, Italy, Ireland, Croatia.
Group D: Ukraine, Sweden, France, England.

Euro 2012 Schedule

Match schedule
All kick-offs CET, Ukrainian time is one hour ahead

Friday 8 June 2012
#1: POL v GRE, 18.00CET, Warsaw
#2: RUS v CZE, 20.45CET, Wroclaw

Saturday 9 June 2012
#3: NED v DEN, 18.00CET, Kharkiv
#4: GER v POR, 20.45CET, Lviv

Sunday 10 June 2012
#5: ESP v ITA, 18.00CET, Gdansk
#6: IRL v CRO, 20.45CET, Poznan

Monday 11 June 2012
#7: FRA v ENG, 18.00CET, Donetsk
#8: UKR v SWE, 20.45CET, Kyiv

Tuesday 12 June 2012
#9: GRE v CZE, 18.00CET, Wroclaw
#10: POL v RUS, 20.45CET, Warsaw

Wednesday 13 June 2012
#11: DEN v POR, 18.00CET, Lviv
#12: NED v GER, 20.45CET, Kharkiv

Thursday 14 June 2012
#13: ITA v CRO, 18.00CET, Poznan
#14: ESP v IRL, 20.45CET, Gdansk

Friday 15 June 2012
#15: SWE v ENG, 20.45CET, Kyiv
#16: UKR v FRA, 18.00CET, Donetsk

Saturday 16 June 2012
#17: CZE v POL, 20.45CET, Wroclaw
#18: GRE v RUS, 20.45CET, Warsaw

Sunday 17 June 2012
#19: POR v NED, 20.45CET, Kharkiv
#20: DEN v GER, 20.45CET, Lviv

Monday 18 June 2012
#21: CRO v ESP, 20.45CET, Gdansk
#22: ITA v IRL, 20.45CET, Poznan

Tuesday 19 June 2012
#23: ENG v UKR, 20.45CET, Donetsk
#24: SWE v FRA, 20.45CET, Kyiv

Wednesday 20 June 2012
No matches

Thursday 21 June 2012
#25: 1A v 2B, 20.45CET, Warsaw

Friday 22 June 2012
#26: 1B v 2A, 20.45CET, Gdansk

Saturday 23 June 2012
#27: 1C v 2D, 20.45CET, Donetsk

Sunday 24 June 2012
#28: 1D v 2C, 20.45CET, Kyiv

Monday 25 June 2012
No matches

Tuesday 26 June 2012
No matches

Wednesday 27 June 2012
#29: W#25 v W#27, 20.45CET, Donetsk

Thursday 28 June 2012
#30: W#26 v W#28, 20.45CET, Warsaw

Friday 29 June 2012
No matches

Saturday 30 June 2012
No matches

Sunday 1 July 2012
#31: W#29 v W#30, 20.45CET, Kyiv

Official Match Ball

In 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the adidas Jabulani caused a few problems for goalkeepers and out-field players because of its unique flight and all the new technical advancements. Adidas have now revealed the official Euro 2012 match ball and called it the adidas Tango 12.

Hoping that it will be more human than it’s predecessor, Tango 12 has been inspired by the famous line of adidas Tango balls. Here’s what the ball will look like:

Also see: Euro 2012 News | Euro 2012 Statistics | Euro 2012 Fixtures | Euro 2012 Football Gear.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Like myself, all English football fans have been let down in recent years by our regularly under achieving international side. I would like to share my views on why this is the case, and on why I don’t see any reason to expect success in the near future.

The fact that us English created the beautiful game often gives fans a false sense of belief that we are also the best at it, trouble is, we aren’t. Nor are we close for that matter. When you look at the truly great international sides of today, such as Spain, Brazil, or Holland, you will note that they play a different style of football to our inferior England.

While our game is based on being fast paced, hard tackling and extremely competitive, other nations dedicate their attention to the finer things in football, pass and move, retaining possesion, creativity and flair. These are now proving to be far more valuable traits to learn and this is the sole reason England shall never be able to match top nations when they meet in major competitions.

In England we have teams like Arsenal – who try to play attractive football, coming up against the likes of Stoke City – a rough team that dedicate time to set pieces and often try to bully their way to a win. How can this possibly be of benefit to our national side? When a manager selects a squad of players to work together as a team, they all need to have the same philosophy of how to play the game, they need to be synchronized and understand exactly what each other are going to do.

Little use is it picking a player who often attempts, and fails, to make forty yard passes such as Gareth Barry, to sit alongside a very talented individual in Jack Wilshere, who likes to get the ball down and play the sort of football that has recently propelled the Spanish to become world and european champions. These two men are only an example, however there are many players in the England camp which have a complete different understanding of the game to one another, and that can only mean one thing, failure.

Although it will never happen, my suggestion would be that clubs in England follow in the lead of teams such as ‘catalan giants’ Barcelona, and begin to invest more money and time in developing youth prospects at academy level, which would benefit the nation as a whole, and less money on bringing in foreign exports to play football in the way we can only dream of. Until this happens, my prediction is that there will be no future success at international level for our country, and the already endless amount of excuses and apologies, from managers and players alike, will continue for many years to come.

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From Soccerlens.com - Football News

In my previous article, I argued that the process by which we decide who the world’s best players are has been grossly distorted.

A combination of mainstream media hype (backed up with its ‘statistics’ – often little more than a ruse to get people gambling) and a nostalgic longing for the return of the great playmaker – a natural human urge towards hierarchy and order expressed on the pitch by those players who, commentators love to remind us, ‘dictate the tempo of the match’ (Spain) or ‘make the difference’ (England) – has reduced the role of the fan to that of consumer.

Abandoning our reason, we channel our passions into the banal tunnels dug by sensationalist pundits salivating over inane comparisons, half-witted ‘match analysis’ and pure marketing hype.

We’re forgetting that the beauty of football lies in the sheer multiplicity of possibilities abounding on the field; the best player does not always run the fastest, score the most or tackle the hardest. They need not even play for the best teams.

Now, with the increasing tendency towards a more ‘total’ form of football, we can appreciate more than ever the sheer variety of players whom we can admire and applaud. Here’s the first part of a list of the best 25:

1. 25. Thomas Muller



A classic German international, Muller’s poise, pace and shooting mean he is comfortable in virtually any attacking position. A fine World Cup on the back of a remarkable breakthrough season at Bayern Munich got him noticed beyond the Bundesliga; Bayern’s struggles this year have kept him out of the international spotlight, but you’d be hard pressed to find a more efficient forward in world football today.

Video: Thomas Muller Best of 2009/2010 at Bayern Munich

2. 24. Robinho



The prodigious Brazilian’s troubled career appears to be settling, at last, in Italy. The forward’s movement and trickery appears, strangely, to flourish more in Serie A than either the English Premier League – where he was considered a flop at Manchester City – or La Liga.

Video: Robinho Highlights

3. 23. Radamel Falcao



The Colombian international is the focal point of a Porto attack which has swept all before it in the Portuguese Liga and the Europa League this season (he is the top scorer in both). The striker’s devastating scoring exploits are beginning to draw comparison with those of Mario Jardel; a player with good movement, excellent finishing, a good deal of power and sound decision-making, Falcao also boasts a frightening ability to score memorable back-heeled goals. Big offers are expected over the summer.

Video: Radamel Falcao Goals

4. 22. Arjen Robben



It has often been said that only niggling injuries has held Robben back from being recognised as one of the best wingers in history. Having played at Real Madrid and positively shone at times for Chelsea, one might be forgiven for thinking the Holland international has gone off the radar a little at Bayern Munich. Nothing could be further from the truth. The dazzling Dutchman is still one of the deadliest wide men in the game.

Video: Robben Still Has It

5. 21. Carlos Tevez



Perhaps one of the biggest mistakes Sir Alex Ferguson has made in recent years was that of the British public at large: namely, thinking that the combative Argentine is little more than a second option for Wayne Rooney. Cleverer and stronger in front of goal than the Englishman, Tevez has since flourished across at Manchester City, but appears to be hankering for a move back to Argentina. The Premiership will be that little weaker without him.

Video: Carlos Tevez 2009/2010 Manchester City Goals

6. 20. Ramires



After a slow start to his Chelsea career, the Brazil international is turning into an instrumental player for the London club. The fact that he seems to always get used as a foil for someone else in midfield (at former club Benfica, he was used to help an extremely attacking 4-4-2 function by combining the role of right-winger with defensive midfield) overlooks his ability to make timely runs into the box to score crucial goals, as well as good technical ability which has seen him stand out against nominally similar players like Michael Essien.

Video: Ramires vs Blackburn (15 Jan 2011)

7. 19. Luka Modric



The Croatian international sometimes gets left in the wake of Gareth Bale’s trailblazing runs or Rafael van der Vaart’s spectacular goals, but he is a fundamental component of the most exciting Spurs side in years. Bursting with flair and ingenuity on the ball, Modric epitomizes the importance of a player who can construct moves from deep, picking put the runs of more advanced forwards. The kind of player who makes things happen without always being noticed. The kind of player who belongs on this list.

Video: Luka Modric Compilation

8. 18. Fabio Coentrao



One of the most exciting prospects in Europe, Coentrao’s career began on the left wing. Manager Jorge Jesus controversially converted him to left-back early last season and since then, the Portugal international has blossomed. His ferocious pace and relentless desire to bomb forward at any opportunity are perfectly balanced by a never-say-die attitude which masks his (improving) technical shortcomings as a defender. With a sweet left foot and an eye for goal too, Coentrao is arguably the most complete full-back in the world.

Video: Fabio Coentrao: Marauding Left-Back

9. 17. Fernando Torres



Though this may seem like a strange time to be sticking Torres anywhere near a list of the best players in the world, greatness doesn’t vanish overnight. It doesn’t even disappear over the course of one season. Rather, what we are seeing with Torres is the combination of a) a gradual decline, which has perhaps come a couple of years earlier than you might expect for a player of his age; b) poor form, which has lasted, loosely, since the end of last season; and c) difficulty adjusting to new technical systems – this is a player who has had to endure the dismal tenure of Roy Hodgson, the shift to Kenny Dalglish and then a move to Chelsea all in one season. Expect him to recover, if gradually.

Video: Fernando Torres 2009/2010 Compilation

10. 16. Gareth Bale



Though the ‘Balemania’ earlier this season has thankfully subsided, the Welshman’s meteoric rise has to be recognized as one of the most exciting developments in English football this season. The PFA Player of the Year’s pace, power and unstoppable left foot have marked him out as one of Europe’s most sought-after players. Could he cut it abroad? Judging by the manner in which he sliced open Inter Milan, you’d have to imagine ‘yes’.

Video: Gareth Bale 2010/2011

11. 15. Sami Khedira



The German international is arguably the unsung hero at Jose Mourinho’s new-look Real Madrid – while Ronaldo hoards the acclaim with goals and Xavi Alonso gets the purists drooling with passes, Khedira’s all-round ability in midfield goes relatively unnoticed. Strong in the tackle, good on the ball and with a remarkable ability to read the game for a relatively young player, the German international is arguably the most important member of Madrid’s midfield. His versatility is particularly important when Mourinho adopts a more cautious, lopsided midfield diamond which relies heavily on a central midfield player being able to combine his role with that of a wide player (see also Ramires, number 20 on this list).

Video: Sami Khedira in 2010

12. 14. Nani



Perhaps it’s the fact that he’s a Portuguese winger who ‘goes down too easily’. Perhaps it’s because his name sounds reads like ‘Nanny’ to the English eye. Perhaps it’s because he isn’t Ronaldo. Who knows why the mercurial Manchester United wide man is not being universally lauded for a series of fine displays which have carried Manchester United towards the Premier League title.

True, the Portugal international does still have the occasional tendency to gallop around like a headless chicken but, for the most part, the ingenious trickery, pace and goal threat are now combined extremely effectively. More productive as well as more creative than Antonio Valencia, who appears to have shunted him to the left flank, Nani’s sheer unpredictability mark him out as a winger in the classic sense of the word.

Video: Nani 2008/2009

13. 13. Dani Alves



True to the spirit of a list which recognises players who are able to perform in more than one position at once, Alves does more than merely conjure images of Cafu. Having displaced Maicon at right-back for th Brazilian national team, the Barcelona man is now widely regarded as the best right-back in the world. His ability to defend the right flank yet appear to spend an entire game in the opponent’s half is a testament to the sheer pace and stamina of the man, whose phenomenal work ethic provides Barca with a vital outlet out wide.

Video: Dani Alves 2009/2010 Highlights

14. 12. Ezequiel Lavezzi



Arguably one of the most under-rated players in European football. Lavezzi’s combination of pace, power and trickery has finally been harnessed by Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri, who allows the Argentinian a floating role coming in from the left flank. The sheer competition for places, combined with his until now uncertain role has kept him out of the national team’s first eleven, but Lavezzi – whose abundant skill is not always matched by great finishing – is the kind of rough diamond (see Riquelme, Veron, Ortega) who inspires the adulation of fans in his home country. Here’s a snippet of what the man can do:

Ezequiel Lavezzi: 2010/2011 Compilation

15. 11. Xavi



Not much needs to be said about the Barcelona and Spain playmaker. Allying superb vision to a sure touch and the battling spirit so typical of Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona, Xavi is arguably the one player able to distract the attention of pundits away from Lionel Messi to and extent which unfairly detracts from the merits of other members of the side. The mark of a great player.

Video: Best of Xavi Hernandez

And here are the The Top Ten

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The qualifiers for the 2012 European Championships resume this weekend, with some crucial clashes for some of the continent’s strongest sides. Whilst England face Wales in a crunch Group G clash, and Denmark look to overcome rivals Norway in order to leapfrog Portugal in Group H, some of the other groups have thrown up a few intriguing matches in the next seven days.

So here are the top three match-ups that you will not want to miss:

3. Hungary v Netherlands – 25 March

These two nations are set to meet in two crunch qualifiers on March 25 and 29, with the former definitely looming as the most crucial of all the Group E fixtures. The Netherlands are undoubtedly one of the favourites for the tournament, and with one of the strongest squads in European football, it’s no surprise why. They have won all four of their qualifiers so far, including a crushing 4-1 win over Sweden. With three points separating them at the summit from Hungary though, both of their upcoming meetings will be crucial to booking their spot in the finals.

With a solid mix of youth and experience, the Hungarians have been one of the surprise packages in the qualifying rounds thus far. While it may be unlikely, a victory against the Dutch at home will see Hungary join them atop of the group, with five matches still to play. If they were to be defeated in both of their upcoming fixtures with the Dutch however, they can all but kiss away their chances of playing in next year’s finals.

2. Slovenia v Italy – 25 March

The 2006 world champions can all but assure themselves of progression to the finals with victory over their Slovenian hosts, who currently trail them in Group C by three points. Victory will see the Italians extend that to six, and with just five rounds of qualifying remaining after this one, the Azzurri will be well on their way to booking their tickets to Poland and the Ukraine. Italy will play three of those five matches at home, whilst they will travel to Serbia and minnows Faroe Islands in the other two.

Despite being without Daniele De Rossi and Mario Balotelli for the clash, Cesare Prandelli should be targeting maximum points in this one, against a side that were humbled by Northern Ireland at home in late 2010. However, the Slovenians were very convincing in the final home qualifier of 2010, accounting for the Faroes 5-1. Knowing that three points will see them join the Azzurri atop of the group, should provide them with enough motivation to take the game on, rather than sit back and play for a draw, making it an entertaining spectacle.

Also see: Why Italy will rejoin world’s best football nations under Cesare Prandelli

1. Spain v Czech Republic – 25 March

Unsurprisingly the reigning world champions have a perfect record of three wins from three matches thus far, with victories over Scotland, Lithuania and Liechtenstein respectively. To be fair to the first two of those opponents however, Spain were made very hard to work for the three points, something that should inspire the Czechs this week.

Whilst they undoubtedly are coming up against the best international side in the world, this young and fast improving Czech side should take some confidence into this match. With a few injury concerns amongst the Spanish ranks, and a recent heavy workload for some of their stars at Barcelona and Real Madrid, the visitors could come away with at least a point from this one, if they play their cards right. Whilst their chances may be slim, this is probably the time of year that you want to be competing against the world’s best.

Be sure to follow me on twitter: twitter.com/adriandelmonte

Also See: Euro 2012 Qualifiers – Complete Fixtures List.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Since the World Cup there has been one major debate amongst England fans. Youth. Every one of our 60 million football experts has the idea of how we should bring through swarms of talented players to annihilate competition. Who should the FA be looking at to find the blueprint to dispel a 50 year enigma.

Who has the best youth system? No one can say for sure and there are varying criteria that people look at before plumping for their opinion. Is it the historic triumph and trophies from Brazil or as simple as listing great French players from the last two decades?

There have been many pointers towards the German system in particular, especially after watching their young team marauding through South Africa. You would expect nothing less than an efficient academy system from Germany.  The key for the recent regeneration of their national team can hugely be put down to far sighted planning.

A group stage exit at euro 2000 rattled alarms and sparked a change. Money was re-channelled back into the youth, building a staggering 121 national talent centres for 10-17 year-olds, emphasising technical skills, with full-time coaches.

The German FA then brought in regulations for Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 where by meaning all clubs were obliged to erect centrally controlled academies. “That was the key difference”said Christian Seifert, the Bundesliga’s CEO. “Fifa’s 6+5 rule means only that players must have grown up in the club. For example, Cesc Fabregas was developed at Arsenal, but is Spanish. In Germany, our academies must have 12 in each group able to play for Germany.”

Since that restructuring, the proportion of Germany-qualified players in the Bundesliga has changed significantly, thus leading to their rejuvenation at the World Cup.

A clean sweep of European champions at under-17, under-19, and under-21 level further strengthens their case.

If you’re looking at continual and historic success coupled with unpredictable attacking football as a barometer of how to develop players then you can’t look beyond Brazil. Sun, Skill and Samba. On the surface it would look as if street football and tennis balls are the way to go but there has to be more to it. Argentina have a very close ethos along with Spain and Portugal who both have strong ties with South America. Could it perhaps be a slight genetic advantage, that would certainly clear up as to how Brazil have dominated world football.

Brazil continues to produce a ceaseless line of top-class players and one of them who lit up the Premiership, Juninho, said this after watching an FA youth coaching session in England: ‘This is a load of rubbish. It’s like learning to swim on dry land.’

Futebol de Salao is a brand of football that children are encouraged to play across Brazil. It uses a smaller heavier ball which forces you to play a certain way. The long ball in out of the question, short quick passing is needed alongside support and finding space. It leaves no surprise that they can step onto a bigger pitch with a lighted ball.

From my experience it is in stark contrast to English youth, where a lot of focus is ‘’over the top’’ a la Sam Allardyce.  Quite often Brazilian’s never even kick a full size ball till the age of 14.

The Dutch and Spanish  have another meticulous philosophy on football, concentrating on coaching technique and tactics. It shows too, there is a clear high grade technique on view from their players that you don’t see from the English boys. Fantastic touch and ball striking makes football a whole lot easier. This allows them to play tight controlled football, in and out of pressurised area with ease.

The Dutch have a massive amount of patience with their players sticking with them until they are 22 and not discarding them at 18 due to a lack of strength!

In theory Holland are the best at squeezing everything from their youth system. From such scarce resources they have maintained a high standard of football and great football players throughout history.

Ajax has a reputation for using home-grown players even when they were a European powerhouse. Looking in depth at their coaching is like being back at school in a science lesson. Detailed coaching schedules, diagrams and charts for all the different age-groups are used to analyse and teach the kids
To start with 7 to 12-year-olds have one aim, to work on individual skill and playing on their own. This is then succeeded by a series of very small sided games and drills. Arjen Robben is the clear example of this upbringing. This system has come under a little criticism recently, with too much attacking emphasis. Can you name a truly great Dutch defender, Kalid Boulahrouz was considered the best they have for a while and he wasn’t up to much.

The Spanish are currently reaping the rewards of a ten year investment. About 40 percent of players in the Premier League qualify to play for England but in La Liga 77 percent of players qualify for Spain, quite a contrast.

The great thing about their system, in particular Barcelona, is that their academy aims to shape the boys’ values as well as their football. At the age of 13 or 14, boys who live outside the city are housed in Barca’s academy, letting the club mould their futures more fully, and making sure that the training is not interrupted by wasteful travel. On average a boy aged 14 will train for 6 hours a day and play one 90 minute match a week.

‘It was the best year of my life and I made friends for life there,’ remembers Fabregas.

Among them was a timid and tiny Argentinean boy who spent the first few days cowering in the corner, speaking to no one. His name? Leo Messi.

Clairefontaine is the word screamed from the rooftops when it comes to France, it’s their National Technical Centre. It is thought by millions to be the finest academy on the planet. The centre has a mega reputation for producing a host of talent including Anelka, Saha, Gallas and Henry. They continue to develop players such as Gabriel Obertan and Hatem Ben Arfa even after they have made a move to the Premier League. The philosophy at Clairefontaine is based on an all round game. Technique, movement, psychological and tactics are coached to all players.

Since it opened in 1988 the national team has had a catalogue of success including World Cup and European victories, and a host runs in major tournaments.

All countries have an ingrained style of their football, and this in some part comes down to culture which can have big effects on sports. This is true of the English style, strength pride and passion is a part of the game. So big centre forwards and direct play stems from our philosophy, which can lead in two directions. One, embrace it! Instead of half heartedly playing this football when chasing a game, go for it from the start. Get Big Sam in and get behind the long ball.

ORRRR, and most people’s favourite, change coaching, build the technical centres and concentrate on technique and skill giving us more flair and the ability to beat top sides regularly. Make the new generation pass and move, develop both feet and their awareness. It’s why there is such hysteriabout young Jack Wilshire, as Arsenal have taught him that way.

Follow Eliot on Twitter

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Danny Blind………wasn’t he that Dutch bloke with the dodgy perm who brought down Paul Ince for the penalty at Euro 96?

It seems the current AFC Ajax Director of football is remembered more for his resemblance of a Harry Enfield sketch than his playing career.

A complete travesty if you ask me.

The team of the nineties was undoubtedly Ajax Amsterdam. The six year tenure of the then coach Luis Van Gaal, brought the most complete football team I had ever seen.

The Dutch masters boasted names such as Rijkaard, Davids, Litmanen, the De Boar twins, Kluviert, Overmars and played the game in text book fashion. The success of Ajax was most notable during the 1994/1995 season where they claimed the Dutch League Championship and European Cup, going unbeaten throughout in both competitions.

The Captain and lynchpin of this team? It was that bloke with the dodgy perm who brought down Paul Ince for the penalty at Euro 96.

Danny Blind began his professional football career with Sparta Rotterdam and made 165 appearances for the club over a seven year spell.

Following the 1985/1986 season, the then Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven managed to lure the unsettled and out of contract Ajax defender Ronald Koeman to the club. Koeman, an established International at the time. left a gapping hole in the Amsterdam clubs backline with the move.

This void was to be filled by the relatively unknown Sparta Rotterdam defender Danny Blind, much to the anger of the clubs star man and striking legend, Marco Van Basten.

Van Basten was aghast at why the then coach Johan Cruyff had replaced the impressive Koeman with an untried player at the highest level instead of splashing the cash on a big name.

Van Basten didn’t stick around long enough to eat his words as the following season he was signed by Italian giants AC Milan. Blind, signed by Cruyff would become a colossal at Ajax another four managers down the line under the leadership of Van Gaal.

Van Gaal saw in Blind what Cruyff discovered 5 years previous and the new Ajax chief built a side and a legacy around the stylish centre half.

Blind’s passing of a football and calm manner on the field typified the Dutch style. Van Gaal was to install this style in his Ajax team and with the young attacking powers breaking through, Blind became a solid foundation to accommodate the likes of Kluivert. Many trophies followed and many records were broken.

Ajax have since been unable to come anywhere near the success achieved under Van Gaal. Following the European cup success in 1995, Ajax began to decline with the bosman ruling and the eventual manager’s departure.

With a large number of their stars heading to Barcelona, where Van Gaal joined them after his contract in Amsterdam expired, Ajax where left with a shell of the great team that had worn the red and white over the previous six years.

Danny Blind remained at large though, picking up a further league title and two more KNVB cups, never donning the shirt of another team other than his Ajax.

When people look back to remember that great Ajax team of the nineties it is the names of Kluivert, Litmanen and Overmars that immediately spring to mind.

Most people overlook the captain, the man who is still the only Dutchman in history to win all five International club competitions recognised by UEFA and FIFA (European Cup, European Cup Winners Cup, UEFA Cup, Super Cup and Intercontinental Cup), a feat only achieved by four other professionals in the history of the game.

Danny Blind may have been an unknown left back playing for the modest Sparta Rotterdam until the mid eighties but John Cruyff, Ajax’s most famous name, gave him an opportunity and Blind took it, becoming another club legend in the process.

Perm or not this truly was a great footballer.

David Cockcroft is a contributor to soccerlens.com and editor of the blog site Silver Fox. (www.silverfox.blog.co.uk). You can follow David Cockcroft on Twitter.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Sitting through the four respective last-ditch World Cup 2018 pitches this morning was nigh-on insufferable at times, as if trapped in a hellish junior management sales exposition that was doomed to cycle on for the rest of human existence.

First up, Holland and Belgium, who’s bid president Ruud Gullit opened up by informing the room that their option would be ‘safe’ and very little else, with luminaries such as Johan Cruyff (to warn the ancient FIFA delegates about the adverse effects that PlayStations can have on a child’s life prospects) and Guus Hiddink (who flatly regaled us with memories of Euro 2000 – not the best strategy considering that, if I recall correctly, it wasn’t all that long ago) following closely behind.

In short, if the Dutch/Belgians manage to pull this one out of the bag, you better start battening down the hatches, as some kind of Faustian evil will surely be unleashed upon the world as part of the bargain.

Next came the Spain/Portugal bid, in which Spain’s FIFA ExCo member Angel Villar Llona blatantly tried to exacerbate any anti-English swell within the FIFA ranks by issuing a timely reminder that their rival’s national media had called the organisation a lot of nasty names over the past few months:

“I love Fifa dearly but those I love the most are my colleagues in the ExCo. Recently we have been criticised by many media outlets. Unfortunately for them Fifa is a clean institution.

Fifa values honesty, Fifa works for football and for the world and all my colleagues here present are all honest, hard-working football people and the people not here are also honest and hard-working.

You have already heard enough slander in the media, the bidding process is clean regardless of what they say.”

What’s the Spanish for ‘kiss-arse’?

Portuguese prime minister Jose Socrates and Spanish president Jose Luis Zapatero then rounded out the fairly uneventful showcase by reminding the world that their respective countries currently enjoy more sunshine than Russia and England combined, fairly punctual trains and a swathe of middling, moderately priced hotels.

With Cristiano Ronaldo pulling out at the last minute and their dual footballing heritage large left untouched, it’s little wonder that the Iberian effort has slipped so readily into third place in the betting – and that’s despite all that Qatari ‘help’ they may or may not have received along the way.

England's 'Three Lions': Prince William, Cameron and Beckham

Third onto the podium was jolly old England who, thanks largely to a sob story from David Beckham, five minutes of dead-pan stand-up comedy from Prince William and some politely conniving sales patter from prime minister David Cameron, produced a hideously pandering, yet undoubtedly effective pitch to the gathered FIFA representatives.

For all the plaudits shovelled upon England’s ‘three lions’, the hub of the entire pitch was arguably Manchester City’s community bod Eddie Afekafe, who seemingly came from nowhere only to convincingly hammer home the important role that football continues to play in the lower strata of English society:

“Football changed my life. I grew up in one of the roughest parts of Manchester, most of the guys I grew up with were in gangs – some still are, some are in prison. What they didn’t get, but I got, was an opportunity – and that was through football.

“I’m just one story, choose England today and England will deliver many more stories like mine. It’s a new idea, it’s a big idea and it’s one everyone supports – from the prime minister to the Football Association, from the Premier League to the players.”

FIFA president Sepp Blatter immediately praised the English presentation, calling it both ‘excellent’ and ‘remarkable’ – thus resulting in a flurry of betting on England, as they quickly became installed as bookmaker’s favourites to be bestowed with the 2018 hosting duties later this afternoon.

And if gambling surges don’t constitute clear harbingers of impending doom these days, then I really don’t know what do.

Russia rounded up the morning’s entertainment with a bizarre, Putin-less display of diabetes-inducing B-movies set to terrible Euro-house, screaming female pole vaulters, Winston Churchill mis-quotations, hearts, minds and a series of strange allegories between winning the right to host a World Cup and the fall of the Berlin Wall 21-years ago.

As always, answers on a postcard please.

UPDATE: FIFA have just confirmed that Russia will be hosting the 2018 World Cup and that Qatar will be hosting the out-of-the-box 2022 tournament. What a wonderful advertisement for the power of the petro/gaz/oil dollar.

Roll on 2026!

From Soccerlens.com - Football News