Soccer star Thierry Henry became the villain of Dublin on Wednesday.
If his incredible two-goal display against Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday was any indication, Atlético Madrid superstar Sergio Agüero could be on the path to recovery after a frustrating beginning to the 2009-10 season.
Brazil and Paraguay already booked their tickets for the 2010 World Cup, but six other teams are still in the running. There are only two automatic tickets left for South America, and one playoff berth against the fourth-place team from CONCACAF.
From the outside looking in, most don't appreciate how hard it is to qualify for the World Cup from the South American region.
With Argentina on the brink of elimination from the 2010 World Cup, which would be the first time it missed out on the finals in 40 years, immediate measures need to be taken. Diego Maradona, who will remain the coach for Argentina's final two qualifiers versus Peru and Uruguay next month, will need to pick up positive results to avoid the embarrassment of elimination.
It was just more than five months ago that Diego Maradona's reign in charge of Argentina seemed on the right track. After a couple of wins in friendly matches, he debuted in World Cup qualification with a conclusive 4-0 triumph at home to Venezuela.
With only two rounds remaining until the conclusion of two years of South American qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, only Brazil and Paraguay have booked their tickets to South Africa.
In a little more than a week, we'll likely know if Argentina is a contender for the 2010 World Cup or a pretender, and a serious risk to miss out on South Africa altogether. Diego Maradona's squad has little option but to claim all three points on Sept. 5 when it takes on archrival Brazil in a decisive South American qualifier.
With South American qualifying for the 2010 World Cup resuming next month, the top four positioned teams of the continent tested their strength in what ended up being worthwhile friendly matches on Wednesday. While Brazil, Argentina and Chile claimed hard-fought victories in Europe, Paraguay lost in Asia.
As Brazil coach, Luiz Felipe Scolari's most controversial decision was his refusal to pick Romário. Even at 36, Romário was still one of his country's most prolific strikers at the time and "Big Phil" faced a Spanish inquisition at every media conference. TV stations and newspapers launched pro-Romário campaigns and even Fernando Henrique Cardoso, then the Brazilian President, joined in.
Soccer star Thierry Henry became the villain of Dublin on Wednesday.
If his incredible two-goal display against Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday was any indication, Atlético Madrid superstar Sergio Agüero could be on the path to recovery after a frustrating beginning to the 2009-10 season.
Brazil and Paraguay already booked their tickets for the 2010 World Cup, but six other teams are still in the running. There are only two automatic tickets left for South America, and one playoff berth against the fourth-place team from CONCACAF.
From the outside looking in, most don't appreciate how hard it is to qualify for the World Cup from the South American region.
With Argentina on the brink of elimination from the 2010 World Cup, which would be the first time it missed out on the finals in 40 years, immediate measures need to be taken. Diego Maradona, who will remain the coach for Argentina's final two qualifiers versus Peru and Uruguay next month, will need to pick up positive results to avoid the embarrassment of elimination.
It was just more than five months ago that Diego Maradona's reign in charge of Argentina seemed on the right track. After a couple of wins in friendly matches, he debuted in World Cup qualification with a conclusive 4-0 triumph at home to Venezuela.
With only two rounds remaining until the conclusion of two years of South American qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, only Brazil and Paraguay have booked their tickets to South Africa.
In a little more than a week, we'll likely know if Argentina is a contender for the 2010 World Cup or a pretender, and a serious risk to miss out on South Africa altogether. Diego Maradona's squad has little option but to claim all three points on Sept. 5 when it takes on archrival Brazil in a decisive South American qualifier.
With South American qualifying for the 2010 World Cup resuming next month, the top four positioned teams of the continent tested their strength in what ended up being worthwhile friendly matches on Wednesday. While Brazil, Argentina and Chile claimed hard-fought victories in Europe, Paraguay lost in Asia.
As Brazil coach, Luiz Felipe Scolari's most controversial decision was his refusal to pick Romário. Even at 36, Romário was still one of his country's most prolific strikers at the time and "Big Phil" faced a Spanish inquisition at every media conference. TV stations and newspapers launched pro-Romário campaigns and even Fernando Henrique Cardoso, then the Brazilian President, joined in.
These lists are not mere compilations of all-time bests in their respective sports but all-time bests at quickening the pulse and evoking a visceral response from those fortunate enough to have witnessed their artistry.
I am told that if you want to be a part of today, you have to Twitter. So I am Twittering ? JPosnanski, if you want to follow ? but since I have no idea what I'm am supposed to say, I just posted this: Pete Rose's career hit total is made up of Jackie Robinson's number (42) and Joe DiMaggio's hitting streak (56).
With the South American World Cup qualifiers set to resume on the weekend after more than a five-month break, all eyes will be glued on Diego Maradona and the exploits of the Argentine national team.
All over South America, international squads are being called up as the continent's World Cup qualification campaign resumes after a 5½-month break. The 11th and 12th games for each nation are coming up in late March, followed by two more in June, two in September and the final two in October.
As a player, Oscar Ruggeri bludgeoned his way through 97 games for Argentina, winning one World Cup and two Copa América titles to become one of his country's most successful internationals. His coaching career, on the other hand, has been an extraordinary run of failure. It began reasonably well at San Lorenzo, when he was close to winning the championship in his first season. But it has been all downhill since then.
After a couple of years with nothing to show, FC Barcelona has finally been transformed into the most feared club in Europe. The Catalan giants have been nothing short of extraordinary this season, and if their magnificent form continues, they could be on track for a rare triple.
It's that time. So why not make a list of things I hope to see in 2009?
Diego Maradona will become Argentina's soccer coach next week, leaving the team in the hands of a national icon whose achievements have been undercut by a controversial history
Diego Maradona is in Tblisi, Georgia, this week preparing for a game of Showbol. But he surely has his ears glued to the telephone, waiting to hear what becomes of Argentina's latest coaching drama.
BEIJING -- It was a zany night at Workers' Stadium, a Brazil-Argentina soccer showdown that included a Kobe Bryant-driven human stampede, a good-old-fashioned journalist scuffle, the sight of Diego Maradona talking on a 1980s-style cellphone and a beleaguered Brazilian manager who dressed like a Club Kid, coached like a fraidy-cat and, in the end, mistook me for an Englishman.
My favorite sports venue? Whenever I want to explain why it's La Bombonera, the Buenos Aires home of Boca Juniors, I simply refer to the photograph. It was taken by ace SI snapper Simon Bruty at Diego Maradona's farewell game in 2001, and it captures everything I love about Argentine soccer supporters -- for my money the most passionate sports fans in the world.
Two documentaries at this year's Cannes Film Festival dealt with sporting legends.
Whenever the two greatest soccer players of all-time set foot in the same country these days, it seems like it's for some luxurious awards ceremony.
And then, just like that, he went down again. A sprint into space, his left foot seemingly crazy-glued to the San Siro pitch, his left knee buckling and his body collapsing in a heap.
Diego Maradona was one of my idols. He was always the man to me. Do you remember the 1986 World Cup? Forget about the 'Hand of God' goal. What about the second goal? You could not deny that this dude was the best. I think he's the best player in the history of soccer. I met him once in a restaurant in Buenos Aires, and he once came to one of my concerts with his wife and kids. Last year I did a TV show with him. Maradona was the guy I always wanted to meet. The first time I met him I was like, "Oh, my God, I can't believe I'm actually sitting down in a restaurant talking to him." Soccer is my favorite sport to watch, definitely. I also love going to Miami Heat games. It was a tough year, though. D-Wade got hurt, and there is no way the Heat can win without Dwayne Wade. I follow them on a daily basis and if I am in Miami I will always try to go to a game. A friend of mine is the doctor for the Miami Heat, Dr. Harlan Selesnick. So I always get to sit with him.
We're pretty smart, when it comes to cheating in sports. We pick and choose. There's real cheating and then there are episodes we let slide.
"Brazil won. End of story!"
World Soccer's Keir Radnedge recently interviewed Barcelona wonder-teen Lionel Messi about his tremendous potential, European stardom and comparisons to his idol, Diego Maradona.
"I believe I'm the best ambassador baseball has, because I'm constantly selling the game of baseball." -- Pete Rose on the Dan Patrick Radio Show
If you ever really want to test your knowledge of soccer, try your luck with an Argentine cab driver. During a recent ride I took to meet River Plate's latest European export, Gonzalo Higuaín, my cabbie, a passionate River supporter, asked me: "Tell me, who do you think is the best Argentine soccer player at the moment?"
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina -- "El papa es alemán, pero el Dios es Argentino."
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