African World Cup 2010 qualifiers include all the games played to determine the 32 finalists for the championship. FIFA World Cup will take place for the first time in the history in Africa, in 2010. Each nation on the continent dreams about this fiesta. However, what teams will qualify for Africa? The preliminary matches have begun on Saturday, 31 May, in Africa (Nigeria – South Africa can be watched live on Fifa.com) and the pressure is high with all the pickers on the continent: nobody wants to skip the historic event in 2010. Fifa.com wants to ask this question and of course, the answers will be numerous.

Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Egypt and Ghana, the four latest semi finalists of Euro 2008 are part of the favorites. An absence in South Africa would be for these teams a great disillusion. Morocco with Chamakh and Hadji, Mali with the three precious players Diarra, Keita and Kanoute, Guinea with Feindouno, Tunisia with Santos, Algeria with Ziani, Togo with Adebayon, Senegal with Sylva and Nigeria with Taiwo complete the list of serious candidates. The best arguments to convince are necessary as the debates are heated.

There are sites where you can express your opinions. You can express yourself taking into account fair play, respect, correction and common sense. You can express your arguments and discuss them with the other users. Fifa 2010 will be an exciting event for all the continents for sure, therefore a real source of excitement.
The first team will qualify for the World Cup, whereas the second one may play a barrage game. Qualifications start in September 2008 and finish in November 2009.

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You can watch live qualifiers for African World Cup 2010 and other professional soccer leagues on your laptop or PC with a Internet TV for PC software.

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It was August 2003 and my team at the time, the Pittsburgh Steelers, was holding the first live scrimmage for training camp. As a rookie in the NFL I had practiced a number of times with the team, but this was the first time I was going to suit it up for a “full contact and tackle goal line scrimmage”. The set up was easy. The first and second team offenses would go against the first and second team defenses. The offense had four downs to score a touchdown. If they scored, they won; if they failed to score the defense won.

The first team offense and defense took the field first. The offense included Jerome Bettis, Hines Ward, Plaxico Burress, and Tommy Maddox who went against a defense consisting of Joey Porter, James Farrior, and Kendrell Bell. The opposing sides lined up against each other, the referee blew his whistle to start the play clock, Tommy Maddox called out the cadence, then the ball was snapped … … from that instant, the phrase “The Next Level” was defined for me.

“The Next Level” is a phrase commonly thrown around by athletes referring to the ability to play in a professional arena such as the NFL, NBA or MLB. To me “The Next Level” is not a title you gain, e.g. Professional Football Player; it is more a state of mind, an attitude and way of thinking when competing. Therefore, I have come up with three characteristics that I believe all athletes must posses in order to achieve “The Next Level”.

1. Play, Practice and Think with 100% Effort. It is as simple as that. You should have one speed and one speed only – FAST! There is no such thing as “half speed” or “walk thru”. Regardless of what people say, that is how we practiced and prepared in the NFL. Mike Holmgren said it best one day while practicing in the middle of December while preparing for the playoffs, “We run plays at full speed during the week so when the game comes it will be second nature and all you have to do is react.”

2. Be Able to “Flip the Switch” Once the Whistle Blows. This is probably the most mental of the three characteristics. Just picture in your mind a Cheetah stalking a gazelle and how meticulous, careful and alert it is as it sets up its approach. Once that Gazelle notices it is being hunted and starts running, the Cheetah “flips the switch” and accelerates to incredible speeds. Within seconds it has the Gazelle in its grasp and the hunt is over. This is the same way you should approach every play. An average football play lasts an average of 10 seconds or less, but when that ball is snapped a literal switch should be flipped in your mind and every ounce of energy should be released at that moment.

3. Dominate. This one word sums up every quality of those who achieve “The Next Level”. To dominate simply means competing to be the BEST. Does it mean you have to be the best? NO! It just means you are working, preparing, practicing and believing YOU CAN be the BEST. You may never achieve it and if you do there will always be someone that will be better. But if you compete and approach everything with 100% effort, dedication, commitment, and hold yourself accountable, you will dominate. While I was playing with the Philadelphia Eagles during our run up to the Super Bowl in 2004, starting tight end and 3-time Pro Bowl selection Chad Lewis would always tell the team, “Time to DOMINATE!” That is literally how you should approach every conditioning drill, lift, practice, meeting and play as an athlete. You approach it no other way!!

When I witnessed the explosive power, speed and attitude that my teammates displayed that late summer day in Pittsburgh, I came to the conclusion that “The Next Level” is not a title you gain when you make it to the NFL, it is truly a state of mind and way of life for those that achieve greatness in athletics.

By: Casey Poppinga

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Spain’s chances of winning the World Cup 2010 took a blow as Fernando Torres was declared injured and is due to miss the rest of the season after knee surgery. Torres is expected to be out of action for six weeks which means he could be fit for the tournament but it is hardly an ideal situation. If he is fit to play, he certainly won’t be at his peak. This is a massive blow to the Spanish side.

Spain’s World Cup Odds currently have the European Champions as favourites. Any injury to a major player before a big tournament will obviously have serious consequences for the team. Benefiting from Spain’s misfortune is Brazil. Bookmakers are reporting large amounts of money on Brazil as many believe they have a very strong chance of winning the tournament. Brazil are the only country to have won a World Cup in a foreign continent and they have managed to do that three times already. That means the winner is likely to be either Brazil or an African side which is why Brazil are being backed at 5/1.

The injury to Torres has also had an impact on the World Cup Golden Boot Odds, Torres has been pushed out to 12/1. The odds on Torres’ international team mate David Villa have shortened, he is the favourite at 10/1. Lionel Messi has been a big market mover in the last month, he is now a top price of 11/1 ahead of Wayne Rooney at 12/1 and Luis Fabiano at 12/1.

With David Beckham out of the England squad after tearing his Achilles tendon playing for AC Milan, England’s World Cup hopes have also taken quite a hit. With just over 6 weeks left to go, the hype has already begun. Both England and Spain have often gone into the World Cup as favorites, only to underperform. Expectations are high, lets hope the fans are not disappointed

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Sinead Lambert
http://www.worldcupodds.eu

Uruguay will be playing in its 11th FIFA World Cup in 2010 in South Africa. Uruguay hosted and won the first FIFA World Cup tournament in 1930. Uruguay also won the 1950 FIFA World Cup in Brazil (beating the hosts by 2 goals to 1 in the final). Uruguay also played in the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup tournament in Saudi Arabia and finished in 4th place. Uruguay is currently ranked at number 19 on the FIFA rankings. Uruguay have played in 40 Copa America tournaments. They competed in the competition for the first time in 1916 and have won the Copa America trophy 14 teams over the years.

The Uruguay national football team has 3 nicknames, “Charrúas”, “La Celeste Olímpica” (The Olympic Sky Blue) and La Celeste (The Sky Blue). The current head coach of the Uruguay national football team is Oscar Tabárez. This former player has been managing football teams in Europe and South America since 1980. He took up the Uruguay coaching position in 2006 after a spell of 4 years at Argentinian football club Boca Juniors. Rodolfo Rodríguez is the most capped Uruguayan footballer in history. He played for Uruguay in 79 matches between 1976 and 1986. He does not have a single goal behind his name because he played in the goalkeeper position. Héctor Scarone is the highest scoring Uruguayan footballer in history. He scored 31 goals for his country in 52 matches between 1917 and 1932. He was also the manager for Real Madrid (in Spain) between 1951 and 1952.

Uruguay achieved its biggest win in footballing history in 1927 when the team beat fellow South Americans Bolivia by 9 goals to 0. The country suffered its biggest loss in footballing history in 1902, losing by 6 goals to 0 against Argentina. Uruguay will be one of the teams to watch in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in my opinion. They should not be underestimated. They should make it into the last 16 stage of the competition. Uruguay will play in the following 3 group matches in 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa:

11 June 2010 – Uruguay vs France @ Cape Town Stadium – Kickoff at 20:30 16 June 2010 – Uruguay vs South Africa @ Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria – Kickoff at 20:30 22 June 2010 – Uruguay vs Mexico @ Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg – Kickoff at 16:00

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Read our previous post about the 2010 FIFA world cup at our blog http://www.junkmail.co.za/blog/2010fifaworldcupteamsuruguay/204.

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Step 1 – First you need to place the ball on the ground and start dribbling down the field at your own speed.

Step 2 – Pick your strong foot and dribble only with that one foot using the outside of your foot. Make each touch only a few feet in front of you taking small touches every time you touch the ball.

Step 3 – When your ready to make your move plant your left foot too the left side of the ball and swing your right foot all the way around the ball. You should end up with your right foot landing on the right side of the ball.

Step 4 – Right as you land on your right foot you want to do the same thing with your left foot swinging it completely around the ball landing right to the left of the ball.

Step 5 – As you swung your left foot around the ball you need to fake like your going to the left side so the defender starts to lean the same way you faked.

Step 6 – Now that your defender is going to the left you want to take the outside of your right foot and tap the ball to your right just out of the reach of the defender.

Step 7 – With all your momentum going to the right and knowing where you were going the whole time a quick burst will get you right by your defender with plenty of room between the two of you.

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DID YOU KNOW THAT…

The word favourite doesn’t mean much in soccer (football) today. Paraguay won the silver medal in soccer in the 2004 Olympic Games in Greece.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

In 1962 the FIFA World Championship was held in Chile for the first time. Brazil captured an unprecedented 2nd FIFA World Cup by defeating Czechoslovaquia (currently Czech Republic) on June 17, 1962, in Santiago de Chile.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

The 2010 FIFA World Championship was scheduled to be held in South Africa.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

Japan won the bronze medal in soccer at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

Everald “Gally” Commings is the best known and experienced Trinidadian player around the world. He played in the North American Soccer League in the 1970s.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

For the first time, Kuwait qualified for the FIFA World Cup in 1982.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

In 1950 Brazil hosted the World Cup. Surprisingly, the host lost the final 2-1 to Uruguay.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

Jose Luis Chilavert was the best known and most experienced Paraguayan player in the 20th century.He was born on July 27, 1965, in Luque, Paraguay. Like Oscar Schmidt (Brazilian basketball player) and Raul Ramirez (Mexican tennis player), Jose Luis”Chila” Chilavert was one of the best sportsman in Latin America.He played for clubs in Argentina (San Lorenzo) and Spain (Zaragoza).

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

Uruguay won the first FIFA World Cup in 1930. They beat Argentina 4-2 in the final in Montevideo, the capital city of Uruguay.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

West Germany (currently Germany) was the first team from Europe to win the FIFA World Cup (1954).

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

Cameroon, an ex-French colony in Africa, won the gold medal soccer in the 2000 Olympic Games in Australia. Cameroon defeated Spain 5-3.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

Different from Peru, Malaysia, Thailand, and Taiwan, Cote d’Ivoire, formerly Ivory Coast, is one of the world`s poorest countries.However, Cote d’Ivoire is one of the best teams in the Third World.It qualified for the FIFA World Cup in 2006.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, who is best known as “Pele”, played in four FIFA World Cup competitions (Sweden-1958, Chile-1962, England-1966, and Mexico-1970), and scored over 1,200 goals in his career before finally retiring in 1977.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

In August 1983 Uruguay’s national soccer team won its first-ever gold medal at the Pan American Games in Venezuela.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

Nigeria defeated Argentina 3-2 and won the gold medal in soccer at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia (USA).

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

Angola qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. It is one of the ten poorest countries in the world. The education system is one of the worst in the Third World.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

In 1994 Bolivia beat Brazil 3-1 in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

South Korea has competed in the World Cup seven times:1954, 1986,1990, 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2006.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

El Salvador won the gold medal in soccer at the 1954 Central American and Caribbean Games in Mexico City.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

Hungary has won a gold medal in mes?s soccer three times at the Olympic Games:1952, 1964 and 1968.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

There are Brazil-born player in the squads of Mexico (Antonio Naelson), Japan (Alessandro “Alex” Santos), Spain (Mario Senna), and Tunisia (Francileudo dos Santos)

Ricardo Lavolpe, former coach of Mexico,once said, “I would say around 80 per cent of the strikers who play in the Mexican League are foreigners, and If one of them is a naturalized Mexican, I don’t understand why I can’t pick him If the Constitution says he’s Mexican, that’s good enough for me”.

About the Author:
Alejandro Guevara Onofre: He is a freelance writer. Alejandro is of Italian, African and Peruvian ancestry. He’ve studied political science and journalism. He has published more than seventy-five research paper in English, and more than twenty in Spanish, concerning the world issues, olympic sports, countries, and tourism. His next essay is called “The Dictator and Alicia Alonso”.He is an expert on foreign affairs. Futhermore, Alejandro is the first author who has published a world-book encyclopedia in Latina America.He admires Frida Kahlo (Mexican painter), Hillary Clinton (ex-First Lady of the USA), and Jimmy Carter (former President of the USA). His favorite film is “Gorillas in the Mist”. Some of his favorite books are “The Return of Eva Peron and the Killings in Trinidad” (by V.S.Naipaul), “Las Mujeres de los Dictadores” (by Juan Gasparini) and “Murder of a Gentle Land” (by John Barron and Anthony Paul). His personal motto is “The future is for those people who believe in the beauty of their dreams” by Eleanor Roosevelt.

FIFA 2010 World Cup will be the 19th FIFA World Cup. This will take place in South Africa and is scheduled for June 2010(June 11th until July 11th). Between August 2007 and November 2009, qualifying rounds are being organized on every continent to select the participating teams. As confirmed by FIFA, the total prize money on offer is $420 million, a 60% more from the 2006 tournament.

There are total 32 spots available, out of which one spot is reserved for the host nation. All the 32 teams have been finalized including the hosts. Five Asian and Oceania teams, Thirteen European nations and 8 qualifiers for the American continent will participate in the tournament. South Africa being the host qualifies automatically along with 5 other African nations. There have been recent changes in the qualifying system. As per the new changes, Australia has been moved to the Asian qualifying group while New Zealand faces the sixth team from Africa for a berth in World Cup 2010.

A round-robin stage kicks off the competition. This consists of 8 groups with 4 teams in each group. The best 2 teams from every group advances to the final knockout rounds, the knockout round comprise of elimination games. The tournament will last for 4 weeks and 64 exciting games will feature in the tournament.

The result of the FIFA World Cup every year upsets few and surprises many. In the last World Cup, Brazil and Argentina had disappointing performances; this will keep them under a lot of pressure of performing well. In the 2006 World Cup in Germany, Brazilian players faced a lot of criticism at Home as they were eliminated by France in the quarterfinals.England, Portugal, Spain, Germany, Netherlands along with the defending champions Italy can be considered as contenders for the championship.

After winning the Euro 2008 title, Spain team around Fernando Torres and Xavi are coming with a huge confidence. South Africa is hoping to play brilliantly at their home but a group-stage knockout might become a big surprise.

The preparations of the World Cup are going on full swing these days. All necessary arrangements are being made and inspected to make this event a great one. The Local Organizing Committee and operational experts from FIFA have completed a tour of South Africa recently to see the arrangements. A few initial problems were reported, however it has been all taken care off.

If you plan to travel to South Africa for this great and historic event – The FIFA World Cup, there are plenty of other things you can count on. A Swim with penguins on the Cape Peninsula, Ride on an Ostrich would be perfect to make it a wonderful trip. And this doesn’t end your soccer trip. A walk at the Garden Route makes it a memorable one. A visit to Devil’s park in Cape Town, St. Lucia’s Nature Reserves and Durban’s Drakensberg will make it a perfect outing for you. Overall 2010 World Cup Trip to South Africa would be one to be cherished for the entire life.

About the Author:
Ah Tiong, One Football News
http://onefootballnews.com

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South Africa went into celebration mode at the final word of hosting the Fifa World Cup 2010 Soccer. This is amazing and a fantastic opportunity to show the world just what South Africa has to offer.

Major preparations are underway for this great event. Aspects include preparing the international airports to cater for the traffic inflow expected. Significant renovations are underway improving airport access, parking and baggage handling.

Stadiums are being built in the major areas where the games will be played and tourism establishments are stepping up the pace to offer world class accommodation adequately catering for more people.

Even tour companies are making sure that visitors – both viewers and participants of the Game will have a throughly wonderful experience when not within the stadium confines.

South Africa is making tremendous progress in this regard. The whole country is on board and so excited to show case the very best of South Africa.

Fortunately as the Games will be played in various of South African cities, there is a perfect chance to view plenty. Winelands, culture and beautiful beaches in the Western Cape, wide open spaces in the Free State, safari expeditions in the North West, mountains, mist and sites of amazing natural beauty in Mpumalanga, battlefields and beaches in Kwazulu Natal, peaceful and warm beaches in the Eastern Cape, as well as the world’s biggest elephants, additional safari expeditions in Limpopo as well as culture galore in Gauteng.

South Africa welcomes the world to enjoy and savor its accommodation, dining and other experiences.

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Visit Guest Files to find South African Accommodation and 2010 Accommodation as well as all your other Southern African tourism needs.Guest Files also distributes a complementary tourism newsletter every two weeks.

fifa word cup

Almost every culture around the world has some type of connection to the history of football/soccer. Such cultures as the Ancient Greeks, Persians, Vikings, The Chinese, Japanese, and much more, played a game that is much like today’s football/soccer. For instance, The Chinese played “footballer” games dating as far back as about 3000 years ago. However, it was in England that soccer / football really began to grow in popularity. After becoming popular in England, soccer became a widely loved sport throughout the world. The celebrated FIFA World cup led the way to the rise of soccer stars, and conferred world soccer records holders such as the player who has scored the most goals in world cup soccer history.

Brazilian professional footballer Ronaldo Nazario de Lima has scored the most goals in Fifa World Cup history. Ronaldo Lu?s Nazario de Lima, more generally known as Ronaldo, was born in September 18, 1976. In 1993, Ronaldo began his professional soccer/footballer career playing for Cruzeiro. In his single year with Cruzeiro, he accumulated 12 goals in 14 games and led the team to win their first Copa do Brasil championship. After playing with Cruzeiro, in 1994, he joined with the Dutch football team PSV. In 1996, in his final year with PSV, Ronaldo aided the team to win the Dutch Cup.

Ronaldo is also an established national footballer for Brazil. He has played in 97 international games, accumulating 62 goals and standing 15 goals away from the Brazilian national scoring record. He was a member of the Brazilian team that won the 1994 and 2002 World Cups. During the 2006 World Cup, Ronaldo became the highest goal scorer in the history of the World Cup with his fifteenth goal.

Nicknamed ‘O Fen?meno,’ which is translated as “”The Phenomenon” in English, Ronaldo made the number 9 famous and made it tantamount with the position of center forward. During his footballer career in Europe, Ronaldo became one of the most celebrated ’strikers’ throughout the world after he won his first Ballon d’Or as the European Footballer of the Year in 1997, and then once more in 2002. He is also one of only two players to have won the FIFA Player of the Year award three times. In 2007, he was named as one of the best starting eleven of all-time by France Football and was named to the FIFA 100, a list of the greatest footballers compiled by his fellow Brazilian soccer star, Pel?.

To many contemporary footballers, Ronaldo is a living icon who has been credited with encouraging a stronger marketing interest in soccer throughout the world, particularly because of his relationship with Nike who had in the past spent their marketing resources and time primarily on Basketball.

The soccer that we know today was shaped during the 1960s. Increased media coverage and TV broadcasts has made the game more popular than ever. With soccer stars such as David Beckham in the spotlight, the popularity of soccer will continue to grow.

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A recognized leader in sports travel and tours provides 2010 world cup packages. Don’t miss the largest sporting event in the world, book your 2010 world cup tickets from the industry leader in sports travel.

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In every sporting event one can invariably find a player, a team, a nation, poised to become the next memorable story – a story that will survive the test of time and go down in history. The FIFA World Cup is unique, in that, every country can qualify. It is the only tournament that can unite the world with its common passion for the sport. It is a tournament where everyone celebrates, dances, and rejoices in the streets of their capitals, exulting in the spectacular feats of their players, their teams and their nation.

But what makes the World Cup particularly extraordinary is the national pride that it inspires, especially for the first time qualifiers. Since the first tentative World Cup in Uruguay in 1930, World Cup history was not only about the winner or winning the title, but about the stories. World Cup history resonates with the back-stories that echo through time – of players, teams and nations that surprised the world by achieving the unexpected. From the poignant moments of the underdogs and the worlds Cinderella teams, to the birth of legends and the brilliance of the football giants – the World Cup brings joy to every nation. It is about the stories of players, teams and nations taking it to the highest levels; the stories about emotions and pride that unites the world.

At 2006 FIFA World Cup, we welcome the heavy favorites – from the European continent and all the way to the South American continent. For these giants, winning is everything. In their spirit is held the promise of thrilling showdowns, individual feats of brilliance and the majestic harmony in motion of a team united in its quest for the world’s most coveted prize in football. Will the European contenders – Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Netherlands, France, and England have the firepower to overcome the South American power forces from Brazil and Argentina, or will the world be dancing to the samba beat again this year?

What about the other European contenders, the lesser known South American teams, or the North American and Central American zone teams? Or better yet, the Australians? Let’s not overlook the African continent! Will the trophy finally make its first trip south of the Mediterranean Sea? For that matter, even the Asian continent and their desire to bring Asian football to new international acclaim should be considered.

At the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, we hope to see these underdogs, long shots, and Cinderella teams. There is always something special about the underdogs for winning is not everything to them. Simply by qualifying to walk onto the world stage, they have realized their goals and sparked the hopes of their nation. Armed with this impossible hope, win or lose, they are there to defend their national pride, and valiantly defend it they will, sometimes to the very chagrin and amazement of disbelieving onlookers.

As football fans across all continents count down to the opening day of 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, BetUS Sportsbook has launched its 2006 World Cup betting portal for soccer betting enthusiasts around the world. What a day it shall be, June 9th 2006! What a month it shall be, until the truth will set us all free on July 9th 2006! The whole world will be looking to Germany from June to July, watching history in the making. There will be sorrow, there will be joy. There will be dreams crushed, there will be dreams made. There will be silence in the streets, there will be rejoicing and dancing in the streets. After all, this is the World Cup, the tournament of tournaments. So may the best national team win!

About the Author:
Natalie Aranda writes about sports and entertainment. As soccer fans across all continents count down to the opening day of 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, BetUS Sportsbook has launched its 2006 World Cup betting portal for soccer betting enthusiasts around the world. What a day it shall be, June 9th 2006! What a month it shall be, until the truth will set us all free on July 9th 2006!

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