The quarter finals of the World Cup of 2010 start of with the mouth watering mix of the European version of flair against South American attempts at controlled steel. The Dutch – schooled in total football if not always practising it and possessing a good few driving creative players – are consistently the most eye [...]
The South Americans clash. Nominally the best against the most impressive so far and Chile. Brazil look as good as one might expect but Chile look – well – as you would hope Brazil would be. Cavalier and attacking. Exciting but strong and in Alexis Sánchez, they have the exciting young talent of the World [...]
Portugal promised a festival of football and so it was delivered although probably not the football they would have wanted to showcase. Firstly to the Ivory Coast who play North Korea with the only hope of qualifying from the group coming in the Africans putting over half a dozen goals in and hoping that Brazil [...]
The second game presents a problem for Ivory Coast – and teams in a similar position – in this World Cup with the change from count back to goal difference giving significance to the scoreline that was not previously there. Ivory Coast take on Brazil with Sven Goran Eriksson putting out two lines of four [...]
North Korean players cry during the national anthem. Jong Tae-Se’s eyes were floods of tears when the music played. They are 103rd in the World Rankings, the country is the most alien to the rest of the world and they are up against the best team in the World but – make no mistake – [...]