Rangers boss Walter Smith rules himself out of Scotland return
RANGERS manager Walter Smith has ruled himself out of the running to become boss of Scotland for a second time.

Fifa will reject Ireland replay to avoid 'absolute chaos in football'
THE Republic of Ireland's furious pleas to have their World Cup clash with France replayed are likely to fall on deaf ears as a Fifa source last night indicated the reque

Scott Brown to sit out Celtic's fixtures until 100% fit - Mowbray
CELTIC manager Tony Mowbray has revealed Scott Brown will stay on the sidelines until specialists agree the diagnosis on his ongoing ankle complaint.

Hibs eye Iceland defender Haraldur Freyr Guomundsson
HIBS are on the trail of Icelandic defender Haraldur Freyr Guomundsson with the 27-year-old having impressed during a week-long trial at the club's East Mains Training Ce

Smith has to be No1 pick for Scots job, says McCoist
WALTER Smith should be at the top of the shortlist for the Scotland manager's job, according to his Rangers assistant, Ally McCoist.

Henry's not the first . . . The most famous cheats in football
THIERRY Henry's blatant handball that sent France on the way to next year's World Cup at the expense of Ireland has sparked a huge row in the international game.

Ismael Bouzid's joy at World Cup play-off glory – now he wants to play his way into Algerian squad for South Africa
WHILE the Scottish players in the Hearts dressing-room don't have much to shout about at the moment when it comes to international football, two of their team-mates were s

Alan Pattullo: Technological revolution the only way ahead
GORDON Smith has faced a hard time in recent days. But the chief executive of the Scottish Football Association can cheer himself with the thought that the innovation he so d

Scotland can reach Euro finals, insists John Collins
JOHN Collins would love nothing more than to be in a Polish or Ukrainian stadium in less than three years time watching Scotland make their return to the finals of a major cha

Ireland cries foul over the 'Hand of Frog'
THE Irish government has demanded a re-run of Ireland's World Cup play-off with France after Thierry Henry admitted he handled the ball before setting up the winning goal.

Online poll: Who should replace George Burley as Scotland boss?
GORDON Smith has refused to reveal the shortlist of candidates to replace sacked Scotland boss George Burley.

Settled Hughes says 'I have the best job in Scotland'
THE thrill of being back at Hibernian has not yet worn off for John Hughes and he yesterday dismissed any possibility that he might be a contender to replace George Burley as

Jamie Mole absence adds to Hearts injury woes
HEARTS, already without Andrew Driver due to injury, today suffered another blow ahead of tomorrow's Tynecastle clash with St Johnstone when it emerged that Jamie Mole wil

Moroccan Abdessalam Benjelloun admits international results have made it worst week of career but vows Hibs will benefit
HIBS star Abdessalam Benjelloun today admitted suffering one of the worst weeks in his football career after Morocco failed to qualify for the finals of the African Cup of Nat

Fine start to season for Bo'ness under threat warns boss
BO'NESS boss Alan McGonigal is hoping his side's flying start to the season won't be washed away after admitting it will need "a miracle" for tomorrow'

Stewart says Strollers will survive in top flight
CIVIL Service Strollers joint manager Keith Stewart cast a wary eye over the East Seniors Central Taxis Premier Division table – which shows his side sitting in second-bottom

Online poll: Should video evidence be introduced into football?
FRANCE striker Thierry Henry's handball against Ireland caused a storm of controversy after it led to the goal that sent his nation to next year's World Cup.

Laszlo would 'definitely' discuss vacancy if SFA make approach
CSABA Laszlo insisted yesterday that he is not thinking about a return to international football – but then spent the bulk of a 26-minute press conference discussing the cu

Axed Paul Hegarty views losing his post with national team as his 'hardest setback'
PAUL Hegarty may have become more accustomed than most to the pain of dismissal as a football manager or coach but that did not make his departure from the Scotland set-up thi

Arniston youngsters on track thanks to former Rangers defender Scott Nisbet
BRIAN McNAUGHTON has heaped praise on former Rangers defender Scott Nisbet for helping a young Arniston Rangers side make their presence felt in the East Region's Premier

Changing room chat: Hayes keeps Celtic Park on top
CELTIC'S John Hayes has been voted IOG Scottish Football Groundsman of the Year for the second time in four years.

Henry legacy at risk, says Sean St Ledger
SEAN St Ledger has warned Thierry Henry he risks being remembered for his infamous World Cup handball rather than as a brilliant footballer.

Furious Keane attacks Fifa over seeding issue
ROBBIE Keane has launched a scathing attack on football's governing bodies after the Republic of Ireland's World Cup dreams were shattered in Paris.

Ronaldo and Portugal in line to face England
ENGLAND could face either their nemesis Portugal or the Netherlands in the group stage of the World Cup finals next summer.

Dodgy goals
DIEGO MARADONA ARGENTINA v England, World Cup quarter-final, 1986 Maradona's 'Hand of God' put his side into the lead as he punched the ball past England

Livingston's Raffaele De Vita ready to roar at Hampden
LIVINGSTON manager Gary Bollan hopes to have Raffaele De Vita back when his side travel to Hampden tomorrow to face Queen's Park.

Gannon hits out at McGhee over O'Brien speculation
JIM Gannon has criticised his predecessor as Motherwell manager, Mark McGhee, over speculation that Aberdeen will move for Fir Park winger Jim O'Brien.

Devastated Craig Gordon was close to peak form, insists Steve Bruce
SUNDERLAND manager Steve Bruce believes goalkeeper Craig Gordon was nearing his best form before being "devastated" by injury this month.

Football: Brian Johnston wants 'fun and enjoyment' at Tranent
BRIAN JOHNSTON, who is back combining the roles of manager and general manager at Tranent, is aiming to put some fun and enjoyment back into playing for the South Division cl

Scots tagged as third-rate
ENGLAND have been named among the top seeds for February's European Championship qualifying draw – but Scotland are in the third band after falling down the rankings. Engl

Stay Classy, Adebayor
Soccer breakups are often just like the real thing. They can be by mutual consent — it was probably for the best — or they can be long, drawn out,...

Argentina in Grave Danger of Missing World Cup
World Cup qualifying is reaching its final stages, but for one would-be favorite, little has gone to plan. After two ugly defeats last week, Argentina is now in very real...

FIFA Takes a Closer Look at Transfers, Bans Chelsea From the Market for a Year
After a summer of absurdity in the transfer market, here’s a story you didn’t expect. Chelsea has been banned from signing any new players for a year. (Of course, that...

UEFA Diving Decision Sets a Dangerous Precedent
UEFA has started down a slippery slope. And it isn’t so much because they banned Eduardo for two games for diving — which is ridiculous in itself — but because...

Inter and Manchester United Remind Us They're Still Here
The Premier League and Serie A delivered two huge clashes this weekend with the defending champions reminding any other pretenders to the crown just who they were dealing with. Both...

The Champions League Draw
Now that the European season is officially underway, the storylines and talking points are coming thick and fast. Last Friday, at another one of its glitzy, unnecessary galas, UEFA performed...

Notts County: Curiouser and Curiouser
The story of Notts County just keeps getting more bizarre. After being bought up with petrodollars and appointing Sven Goran Eriksson as their Director of Football, the Magpies of League Two...

Inter Shocked in Serie A's First Weekend
A week after the Premier League and two weeks after the Bundesliga and Ligue 1, Italy’s Serie A finally clicked into gear this weekeend. Though for defending champions Inter...

Is Tottenham for Real?
The Premier League table is a pretty sight for Tottenham fans this week. Thanks to goal difference, Spurs are sitting at the top, ahead of Chelsea. And, just as exciting...

The Return of the Premier League
The Premier League did not disappoint for drama in its first weekend back. The Big Four all created some intrigue and raised more questions about themselves than a summer of...

UEFA statement on match-fixing case
UEFA has confirmed that it has been assisting the German authorities with their investigations following arrests connected to match-fixing and corruption allegations involving about 200 games.

Dinamo fined, given suspended sentence
The UEFA Appeals Body has replaced the three-point deduction handed to NK Dinamo Zagreb in the UEFA Europa League with a €75,000 fine and a suspended ban from the club competitions.

Spain among top seeds for EURO draw
Holders Spain will be joined by Germany, Netherlands, Italy, England, Croatia, Portugal, France and Russia as top seeds for the UEFA EURO 2012™ qualifying draw in Warsaw on 7 February 2010.

Madrid proud to be in final spotlight
In the midst of towering images of some of Spain's UEFA EURO 2008™ heroes, the 2010 UEFA Champions League final logo was launched at the aptly named City of Football in Madrid on Friday.

Around the leagues
Liverpool FC have their backs to the wall in England, the front two meet in Ukraine while three emotional derbies should see passions rise as uefa.com previews the weekend's top domestic fixtures.

Duisburg up against Arsenal in last eight
European titleholders FCR 2001 Duisburg will take on Arsenal LFC in the March quarter-finals while Montpellier Hérault SC will meet Umeå IK after the draw for the rest of the competition was made.

Pick of the week
It was international week and European football produced its fair share of the worthy and unusual. uefa.com gets into a comfy chair and opens up its book of the best stories from the last seven days.

Trezeguet out for rest of group stage
Juventus striker David Trezeguet will miss the last two games of the UEFA Champions League group stage against FC Girondins de Bordeaux and FC Bayern München after picking up a calf strain.

Zürich suffer Vonlanthen setback
FC Zürich will be without Johan Vonlanthen for their Group C fixture against Real Madrid CF on Wednesday because of a thigh tear, although two other injured players have resumed training.

Rubin ready to reclaim crown
If FC Rubin Kazan overcome FC Zenit St. Petersburg on Saturday, they will claim a second successive Russian title and defender Roman Sharonov is determined "nobody should unsettle" his side.

Historic strike just the start for Zapater
Alberto Zapater was delighted to score the first UEFA Europa League goal, but his aim is to ensure Genoa CFC progress in the competition. "I came here to achieve great things for the team, not me," he said.

Big guns set up Sunday showdowns
All four Elite round groups will be decided in Sunday's concluding games after today's Matchday 2 fixtures produced second wins for the favourites, though only holders Interviú Madrid have a points cushion in their section.

Jong Oranje find Pot of gold
Replacing double European champion Foppe de Haan as Under-21 coach was always going to be a big task, but Cor Pot has risen to the challenge and he has the Netherlands thinking big once again.

Time is up for Dutch keeper Timmer
Former Netherlands goalkeeper Henk Timmer has decided to hang up his gloves at the age of 37 following his release by Feyenoord in the summer, saying: "Football is over for me."

Eight wins on the spin for Budućnost
Coach Mihailo Ivanović recently led FK Budućnost Podgorica to a Montenegrin landmark eighth successive league win, but maintained that "football is not about records, it's about titles".

Moselle men setting pace in Luxembourg
CS Grevenmacher lead the race to deny F91 Dudelange a sixth straight Luxembourgeois title, with coach Claude Osweiler noting that the title race is "maybe as open as it has ever been."

Käld calls end to Finland reign
Finland coach Michael Käld, who led them in their first two majors tournaments in reaching the UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2005™ semi-finals and this year's last eight, steps down on Saturday after 107 games in charge.

Genoa enjoying the high life
The uefa.com Magazine turns the spotlight on Genoa CFC and their return to European competition, speaking with Hernán Crespo, Alberto Zapater and coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Click to watch.

MESGO convention signed at UEFA HQ
A convention creating a new Executive Master in European Sport Governance (MESGO) has been signed in Nyon, with the backing of academic bodies and team sport federations.

Fiorentina trip too soon for Toulalan
Olympique Lyonnais coach Claude Puel has rated Jérémy Toulalan as "very doubtful" for Tuesday's UEFA Champions League match at ACF Fiorentina as the midfielder recovers from a groin injury.

France reject Irish replay hopes
The French Football Federation turns down the Republic of Ireland's request for a replay of their controversial World Cup play-off game.

Mercedes want Schumacher - Jordan
Michael Schumacher will race in Formula 1 for Mercedes' new team in 2010, BBC Sport's Eddie Jordan believes.

Match-fix probe targets 200 games
About 200 football ties are under investigation in what one Uefa official calls Europe's biggest match-fixing scandal.

Rain wipes out England ODI opener
The opening match of the one-day international series between South Africa and England in Johannesburg is abandoned due to rain.

Donington given hope to host GP
The mystery over which track will stage next season's British Grand Prix takes a twist with the news Donington Park could host the race after all.

Roy Keane has no sympathy for Irish
Roy Keane lambasts the Republic of Ireland's attempts to get their World Cup play-off match against France replayed.

Levein plays down Scotland link
Craig Levein says talking about the vacant Scotland manager's position would be disrespectful to his club Dundee United.

Benitez backs placenta treatment
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez becomes the latest manager to send players to a controversial clinic in Serbia that uses horse placenta to treat injuries.

Westwood snatches lead in Dubai
Lee Westwood leads Race to Dubai rival Rory McIlroy by two shots after two rounds of the Dubai World Championship.

Beckham never considered MLS exit
David Beckham says at no stage did he think about leaving LA Galaxy, despite being booed on his return from a loan spell at AC Milan.

Brit Munroe retains European belt
Britain's Rendall Munroe overcomes a slow start to retain his European super-bantamweight title on Friday with a points win over Simone Maludrottu.

Rudman wins World Cup silver
Britain's Shelley Rudman collects her first skeleton bob medal of the season with a silver at Lake Placid on Friday.

ATP chief rules out Agassi probe
There will be no new investigation into Andre Agassi's positive drugs test in 1997, the governing body of men's tennis confirms.

Swansea 1-0 Derby
Federico Bessone's late left-foot strike breaks Derby County's resistance and sends Swansea City into third place.

Gloucester 12-9 Leicester
Replacement fly-half Freddie Burns kicks all the points to help struggling Gloucester claim only their third league victory of the season.

Historic strike just the start for Zapater
Alberto Zapater was delighted to score the first UEFA Europa League goal, but his aim is to ensure Genoa CFC progress in the competition. "I came here to achieve great things for the team, not me," he said.

Sporting name Carvalhal as coach
Sporting Clube de Portugal have installed Carlos Carvalhal as coach on a contract until the end of the season with an option for a further campaign following the recent resignation of Paulo Bento.

Mandorlini replaces Conceição in Cluj
Romanian leaders CFR 1907 Cluj have replaced coach Antonio Conceição with experienced Italian Andrea Mandorlini as they seek the two wins they need to maintain their slim UEFA Europa League hopes.

Eden no longer paradise for Slavia
Coach Karel Jarolím insists SK Slavia Praha's shaky form is "not a crisis" but the Czech champions' listless displays in both domestic and European competition are a cause for concern at Eden Stadium.

Anfield hero Šmicer signs off at Slavia
Former Czech Republic and Liverpool FC midfielder Vladimír Šmicer has announced his retirement from playing at the age of 36, saying: "My heart wants to play on, but the body will not have it."

Drazan limps out of Rapid contention
Midfielder Christopher Drazan is likely to miss the remainder of SK Rapid Wien's UEFA Europa League campaign, having been ruled out for "several weeks" after tearing ligaments in his right ankle.

Stein joins walking wounded at Hertha
Hertha BSC Berlin's dire run of luck with injuries has continued, with defender Marc Stein ruled out of action for several weeks after the UEFA Europa League contenders' 1-0 Bundesluga loss at 1. FC Köln.

Sky is the limit for Kazım Kazım
Enjoying his football once again under Christoph Daum, Kazım Kazım is confident Fenerbahçe SK have a real shot at UEFA Europa League glory after moving within touching distance of the last 32.

Everton injury curse fails to lift
Everton's hopes of an upturn in form and fortunes have been set back by the news that key players Phil Jagielka and Mikel Arteta, both 27, have had further surgery on their injured knees.

Srna unveils Shakhtar masterplan
Darijo Srna said FC Shakhtar Donetsk aim to "win every game we play" in this season's UEFA Europa League after the Ukrainian side qualified for the knockout stage with two matches to spare.

Ajax showing inspires Emanuelson
Urby Emanuelson is hoping AFC Ajax can maintain the level of performance that saw them defeat nine-man NK Dinamo Zagreb 2-0 to move within reach of the UEFA Europa League knockout stage.

Early fright stirs Villarreal into action
Midfielder Robert Pirès praised goalkeeper Diego López for a crucial early stop that paved the way for Villarreal CF's 4-1 win over S.S. Lazio. "He saved us from a very complicated situation," he said.

Bento calls time on Sporting tenure
Paulo Bento has resigned as coach of UEFA Europa League Group D leaders Sporting Clube de Portugal after four years at the helm, with his former assistant Leonel Pontes appointed as caretaker.

'At a club like Celtic you never give up'
A 0-0 at Hamburger SV left Celtic FC's UEFA Europa League future hanging by a thread but midfielder Barry Robson is not giving in, though he noted: "Luck's been against us in this competition."

Basel's job not done yet, warns Frei
Alexander Frei said FC Basel 1893 have work to do to reach the round of 32 though a 3-1 defeat of PFC CSKA Sofia kept them top of Group E but agreed they "would have to be sloppy to miss out".

Ventspils deepen Sporting gloom
While Portuguese forward João Martins was delighted to have helped FK Ventspils' earn a 1-1 draw "against the club I love", a gloomy Sporting Clube de Portugal reflected on a disappointing result.

Rijkaard factor lifts Galatasaray
Striker Harry Kewell paid tribute to boss Frank Rijkaard after Galatasaray AŞ reached the knockout phase with two games to spare after another emphatic win over FC Dinamo 1948 Bucureşti.

Okaka Chuka glad to give Roma a lift
Striker Stefano Okaka Chuka said he hoped his winner in AS Roma's 2-1 defeat of Fulham FC would help kick start his and the Giallorossi's season, noting: "It was a nice goal and I'm happy."

Benfica issue early warning
Midfielder Javi García felt SL Benfica had offered a statement of intent by beating Group I rivals Everton for the second time in a fortnight. "Few teams play the football we play," he said.

Fenerbahçe continue fine form
Fenerbahçe SK 3-1 FC Steaua Bucureşti
Fenerbahçe maintained their advantage atop Group H as goals from Brazilian trio André Santos, Bilica and Alex sealed the three points.

Madrid proud to be in final spotlight
In the midst of towering images of some of Spain's UEFA EURO 2008™ heroes, the 2010 UEFA Champions League final logo was launched at the aptly named City of Football in Madrid on Friday.

Trezeguet out for rest of group stage
Juventus striker David Trezeguet will miss the last two games of the UEFA Champions League group stage against FC Girondins de Bordeaux and FC Bayern München after picking up a calf strain.

Zürich suffer Vonlanthen setback
FC Zürich will be without Johan Vonlanthen for their Group C fixture against Real Madrid CF on Wednesday because of a thigh tear, although two other injured players have resumed training.

Fiorentina trip too soon for Toulalan
Olympique Lyonnais coach Claude Puel has rated Jérémy Toulalan as "very doubtful" for Tuesday's UEFA Champions League match at ACF Fiorentina as the midfielder recovers from a groin injury.

Blessed are the set-piece makers
Five of FC Girondins de Bordeaux's six goals in an eye-catching Group A campaign may have come from set-pieces, but Yoann Gourcuff told uefa.com: "We don't work on them all that much."

Real Nihat ready to step forward
Despite saying he has failed to live up to expectations since rejoining Beşiktaş JK, Nihat Kahveci talks happily about finishing his career where it started: "I intend to sign off playing at Beşiktaş."

Delighted Milito nears Barça return
FC Barcelona's Gabriel Milito was "delighted to have the old feeling of playing again" after the Argentinian defender returned to action following almost 19 months on the sidelines with a knee problem.

Atlético coach laid up with swine flu
Club Atlético de Madrid coach Quique Sánchez Flores may miss next week's UEFA Champions League Group D match away to APOEL FC after tests confirmed that the 44-year-old had contracted swine flu.

Santon set for spell on sidelines
FC Internazionale Milano full-back Davide Santon is likely to sit out the rest of the UEFA Champions League group phase after picking up a knee injury while on Italy Under-21 duty on Tuesday evening.

Arsenal tie Eduardo to long-term deal
Croatia striker Eduardo says he hopes to stay at Arsenal FC "for as long as I can" after the announcement that he has signed a new long-term contract with the UEFA Champions League contenders.

Abidal blow for Barcelona
FC Barcelona will be without defender Eric Abidal for the crucial Group F home game with FC Internazionale Milano next Tuesday after the 30-year-old sustained a thigh injury on France duty.

Van Persie set for six-week absence
Robin van Persie faces around six weeks on the sidelines after the Arsenal FC forward tore ankle ligaments during the Netherlands' friendly in Italy, adding to the injury absence of Nicklas Bendtner.

Lampard sidelined with thigh tear
Frank Lampard will miss Chelsea FC's UEFA Champions League trip to FC Porto on 25 November after being ruled out for three weeks with a torn left thigh muscle suffered on England duty in Doha.

Logo launch to herald Madrid final
UEFA will unveil the new visual identity – including a design and logo – created specially for the 2010 UEFA Champions League final in Madrid at a ceremony in the Spanish capital on 20 November.

Torres, Benayoun and Riera ruled out
Liverpool FC striker Fernando Torres looks set to miss the visit to Debreceni VSC on 24 November while Yossi Benayoun and Albert Riera are out for "three to four weeks" according to Rafael Benítez.

Blues lose Bosingwa for three months
Chelsea FC defender José Bosingwa will spend approximately three months on the sidelines after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, although there was better news for Ashley Cole.

Forlán makes Atlético commitment
Club Atlético de Madrid have secured the services of striker Diego Forlán, last season's ESM Golden Shoe winner, for a further two years after the Uruguayan agreed terms on a new deal until 2013.

Boccoli leaves Haifa another man down
Maccabi Haifa FC have suffered another injury blow after MRI scans confirmed that the groin injury midfielder Gustavo Boccoli suffered in training will rule him out for four to six weeks.

Bendtner voted Denmark's best
Arsenal FC's Nicklas Bendtner was named 2009 Danish Player of the Year in Copenhagen on Monday but will not play for another three to four weeks after undergoing surgery on his injured groin.

Júlio César lengthens Inter deal
FC Internazionale Milano goalkeper Júlio César has signed a two-year extension to his current contract with the Nerazzurri, the 30-year-old committing himself to the Italian titleholders until 2014.

Garefrekes renews Frankfurt commitment
Germany midfielder Kerstin Garefrekes has extended her contract with 1. FFC Frankfurt. "I want to play my part in bringing back success at 1. FFC Frankfurt as soon as possible," Garefrekes said.

Aragonés basks in elixir of youth
Luis Aragonés led Spain to their first major trophy in 44 years this year when they swept all before them at UEFA EURO 2008™, but as he told uefa.com, it was his players' approach to their task that pleased him most.

Aragonés gets it right for overdue win
The talent was arguably always there for Spain to lift a major trophy but certain key differences meant Luis Aragonés's shimmering squad took the EURO by storm.

'World's best' bring Madrid to standstill
Spain's UEFA EURO 2008™ winners received a heroes' welcome from tens of thousands of supporters as they brought the Henri Delaunay cup back home to Madrid.

Berlin welcome picks up fallen heroes
UEFA EURO 2008™ runners-up Germany were welcomed home by more than 300,000 supporters at a colourful ceremony at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.

Xavi emerges as EURO's top man
Spain midfielder Xavi Hernández has been named as the Castrol Player of the Tournament for UEFA EURO 2008™ after his stirring displays in the Alpine nations.

Spain dominate Team of the Tournament
The UEFA Technical Team has named its UEFA EURO 2008™ Team of the Tournament, with no fewer than nine Spanish players being selected for the final 23.

UEFA praises the friendly finals
UEFA has reiterated its satisfaction that UEFA EURO 2008™ has been such a positive tournament on and off the field with the success of the Respect campaign.

What Europe's papers said
Olés rang out across Europe as the UEFA European Championship win by Spain met with universal acclaim among the sports editors of the other finalist nations.

The return of the Turniermannschaft
The pre-tournament favourites, Germany did indeed reach the UEFA EURO 2008™ final, but did so in a style more redolent of past pomp than recent achievement.

Roxburgh runs rule over Spanish success
UEFA technical director Andy Roxburgh feels years of superb work at youth level paid off for Spain as they triumphed in Sunday night's UEFA EURO 2008™ final.

'Spain triumphed but football the winner'
Monday's Spanish newspapers included headlines such as "Spain conquers Europe" while Germany took defeat with grace as euro2008.com surveys the reaction.

Spain slumbers after a wild night
Spain woke up with a UEFA EURO 2008™-sized hangover on Monday after wild celebrations accompanied the national team's first trophy success in 44 years.

The A-Z of UEFA EURO 2008™
There was much to admire over a glorious month of football at UEFA EURO 2008™ in Austria and Switzerland: from Arshavin to Zidane via kidney transplants, sensational Turkish comebacks and naked walks in the park.

Goodnight Vienna
Mayor Michael Häupl bade a fond farewell to UEFA EURO 2008™, saying: "Vienna celebrated King Football and put on a peaceful and glorious festival of sport."

UEFA EURO 2008™ in quotes
UEFA EURO 2008™ was not just an entertaining spectacle on the pitch. The players and coaches involved in Austria and Switzerland also provided some colourful reaction in between games and here are some highlights.

Praise for EURO volunteers
The 5,000 volunteers who made a crucial contribution to the success of UEFA EURO 2008™ have received resounding praise as the "smiling face" of the tournament.

EURO achieves green aim
UEFA EURO 2008™ was an environmentally friendly tournament according to Austrian chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer and Swiss federal chancellor Samuel Schmid.

Vote for goal of the tournament
Germany, Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Sweden and Turkey provide the eight contenders as Carslberg Goal of the Day becomes goal of the tournament. Vote now.

Torres ends Spain's long wait for glory
Germany 0-1 Spain
A first-half strike from Fernando Torres earned Spain a first UEFA European Championship crown in 44 years.

Play-offs complete World Cup lineup
The lineup for the 2010 FIFA World Cup is complete after France, Greece, Portugal and Slovenia booked Europe's last available spots via the play-offs to join nine other UEFA members in South Africa.

Dedič fires Slovenia to South Africa
Slovenia 1-0 Russia (agg: 2-2, Slovenia win on away goals)
A lone Zlatko Dedič strike earned Slovenia a narrow but deserved victory and a place at the FIFA World Cup finals next summer.

France pushed all the way by Ireland
France 1-1 Republic of Ireland (agg: 2-1, aet)
The hosts needed a William Gallas header to reach South Africa after Robbie Keane's 41st international goal forced extra time.

Greece grasp finals berth in Ukraine
Ukraine 0-1 Greece (agg: 0-1)
Dimitris Salpingidis's goal on the counterattack was all it took for Otto Rehhagel's men to book themselves a ticket to South Africa.

Meireles confirms Portugal progress
Bosnia-Herzegovina 0-1 Portugal (agg: 0-2)
Raul Meireles's second-half strike ensured Portugal a berth at next summer's South African finals at the expense of the ten-man hosts.

Viennese waltz for Spain's encore
Austria 1-5 Spain
It was business as usual for Spain as they marked their return to the scene of their UEFA EURO 2008™ final triumph in some style.

Chiellini heads Italy to victory
Italy 1-0 Sweden
Italy continued their FIFA World Cup preparations with victory for an experimental lineup via Giorgio Chiellini's first-half header.

Podolski earns Germany emotional draw
Germany 2-2 Ivory Coast
Two Lukas Podolski goals won Germany a share of the spoils in a match played in sombre mood after the tragic death of Robert Enke.

Oranje endure another friendly blank
Netherlands 0-0 Paraguay
So irresistable in FIFA World Cup qualifying, Bert van Marwijk's side were held to a third successive goalless friendly draw in Heerenveen.

Slovenia ready to take their chance
Nejc Pečnik's late goal in Russia gave Slovenia hope ahead of the second leg of their play-off in Maribor and keeper Samir Handanovič said: "This is the most important match this team have played."

World Cup play-offs to go down to wire
Europe's last four FIFA World Cup slots will be filled on Wednesday when the play-off second legs are played with France, Portugal and Russia protecting slender leads and Greece and Ukraine goalless.

Casillas and Buffon mark centuries
Two of the leading European goalkeepers of recent years – Iker Casillas and Gianluigi Buffon – both had reason to celebrate on Saturday after winning the 100th caps of their successful careers.

France in control as luck deserts Ireland
Republic of Ireland 0-1 France
Nicolas Anelka's deflected effort was enough to give the visitors the upper hand after the first leg of their FIFA World Cup play-off.

Bilyaletdinov edges Russia in front
Russia 2-1 Slovenia
Diniyar Bilyaletdinov struck in both halves for Guus Hiddink's side only for Nejc Pečnik's late header to breathe life back into the tie.

Portugal prise slender advantage
Portugal 1-0 Bosnia-Herzegovina
Bruno Alves's first-half header put the 2006 FIFA World Cup semi-finalists in the ascendancy after the Lisbon leg of their play-off.

Ukraine blunt Greece ambition in Athens
Greece 0-0 Ukraine
The resilient visitors had the most to be pleased about after the first leg of their FIFA World Cup play-off ended goalless in Athens.

Alonso keeps Spain flying high
Spain 2-1 Argentina
Two Xabi Alonso goals helped the European champions begin their FIFA World Cup preparations in style against Diego Maradona's side.

Buffon caps century with clean sheet
Italy 0-0 Netherlands
Gianluigi Buffon celebrated his 100th international cap by keeping the Oranje at bay as the two FIFA World Cup rivals met in Pescara.

England leave Doha with nothing
Brazil 1-0 England
Villarreal CF striker Nilmar scored the only goal in Qatar, with a missed Luis Fabiano penalty sparing England further punishment.

Ireland unfazed by French reputations
The Republic of Ireland may be billing their FIFA World Cup play-off against France as a meeting of aristocrats and artisans but the feeling within the hosts' squad is that this tie is anybody's game.

FIFA denies Irish; Henry: rematch 'fairest solution'
FIFA rejected Ireland's request to replay its World Cup qualifier against France on Friday, while Thierry Henry said a rematch would be 'the fairest solution' to resolve the furor over his extra-time hand ball that set up the deciding goal.

FIFA suspends Iraq for political meddling
FIFA suspended Iraq from soccer because of political interference in the national federation.

Presented By:

Galaxy's Donovan named MLS MVP for first time
Los Angeles forward Landon Donovan has been named the MLS Most Valuable Player after helping lead the Galaxy to the MLS Cup finals for the first time since 2005.

Uruguay becomes last nation to qualify for World Cup
Uruguay has claimed the final spot in next year's 32-team World Cup in South Africa by drawing with Costa Rica 1-1 to take the two-leg playoff 2-1 on aggregate on Wednesday.

Galaxy cancel Euro tour after failing to set game
David Beckham won't be coming to Kaiserslautern.

Portugal edges Bosnia to make third straight WC
Portugal qualified for the World Cup for the third time in a row on Wednesday, beating Bosnia 1-0 thanks to Raul Meireles' second-half goal in the second leg.

Slovenia upsets Russia to reach WC next year
A first-half goal from Zlatko Dedic earned Slovenia a place at next year's World Cup finals in South Africa, eliminating Russia on the away goals rule.

Greece wins in Ukraine to claim spot for World Cup
Greece advanced to its first World Cup in 16 years on Wednesday, beating Ukraine 1-0 after Dimitrios Salpigidis' first-half goal in the second leg.

Presented By:

U.S. loses to Denmark 3-1 in last match of 2009
The United States wasted an early goal by Jeff Cunningham and lost a World Cup warmup 3-1 to Denmark on Wednesday night, the final match of 2009 for the Americans.

David Beckham, Ewan McGregor team up for Unicef's 'photo pledge' campaign
London, Nov 20 : Soccer star David Beckham, Ewan McGregor and Cat Deeley have teamed up for Unicef 'photo pledge' campaign in a bid to raise awareness on children's rights.

Posh loves having sex with Becks
London, Nov 20 : Victoria Beckham has revealed the secret behind her blissful married life - she sleeps naked and can't resist a nightly dose of sex when she and soccer hubby David hit the sack.

Irish Justice Minister calls for Ireland-France replay
Dublin, Nov 20: Irish Justice Minister Dermot Ahern has called on FIFA to order a replay of the controversial World Cup play-off between Ireland and France.

Irish winger Duff thinks FIFA conspired to get France into World Cup finals
London, Nov.20 : Irish winger Damian Duff has accused both FIFA and sports manufacturer Adidas of conspiring to get France through to the World Cup finals.

World brands French footballer Henry a cheat
London, Nov.20 : The world has turned on French football star Thierry Henry, branding him a cheat, even as Irish football chiefs have approached FIFA with a demand for a replay of the World Cup tie.

Aftermath of Egyptian Football Loss to Algeria Raises Tensions
Relations between Egypt and Algeria have been taking a serious turn for the worse in the aftermath of Algeria's World Cup playoff qualifying victory over Egypt's national football (soccer) team in Kha...

Madrid proud to be in final spotlight
In the midst of towering images of some of Spain's UEFA EURO 2008™ heroes, the 2010 UEFA Champions League final logo was launched to rapturous applause at the aptly named City of Football in Madrid ...

Big guns set up Sunday showdowns
All four UEFA Futsal Cup Elite round groups will be decided in Sunday's concluding games after today's Matchday 2 fixtures produced second wins for the favourites, though only holders Interviú Madrid...

Roseburg football coach Thurman Bell goes back to school
Roseburg head coach Thurman Bell said things haven't changed much since he was an athletic director. “The hours haven't changed,” Bell said. “It's not an eight-hour day. If you don't...

Roseburg football player Jay Tovey an Unsung Indian
Roseburg outside linebacker Jay Tovey pulls down Miles Phillips of Barlow in the first half of their Class 6A first-round playoff game at Finlay Field last Friday night.

Douglas football team geared for playoff opener with Sweet Home
Douglas senior quarterback Paul Polamalu has passed for 1,905 yards and 20 touchdowns this season. In the foreground is senior lineman Brady Feasel.

High School Football A Way Of Life In Massillon
November 20, 2009 Massillon, Ohio, is something of a football nirvana. A high school game can draw 20,000 spectators – in a town of 30,000. Paul Brown, one of the greatest coaches in the history of ...

Egyptian soccer fans riot against Algeria
CAIRO -- Egyptian soccer fans burned Algerian flags and rioted outside the Algerian Embassy in Cairo, smashing cars and shop windows, in an escalating row between the two countries over a bitter Worl...

Pep Guardiola puts support behind Thierry Henry and video refereeing
A poster outside FC Barcelona's Joan Gamper Sports Center near Barcelona calling for an apology from Thierry Henry. Photograph: Josep Lago/AFP/Getty Images

Crystal Palace Baltimore among soccer clubs joining new pro league
Tampa Bay Rowdies are the latest teams to join a new professional soccer league that will play in the U.S. and Canada beginning in April. Crystal Palace and Tampa Bay will join the

FIFA knocks back 'Hand of Frog' rematch
LONDON - FIFA rejected Ireland's request to replay its World Cup qualifier against France, but Thierry Henry said a rematch would be "the fairest solution" to resolve the furore over his extra-time ha...

Match-fixing arrests made in Europe
FRANKFURT - German prosecutors investigating match fixing in football say 15 people in Germany and two in Switzerland have been arrested and that about 200 games in Europe - including Champions League...

Zola takes firm stand over West Ham striker Cole's future
is determined to keep hold of England striker Carlton Cole as speculation over his future at Upton Park continues. There is speculation Cole, who is the club's top scorer in the league this season wi...

Portsmouth boss Hart had no doubts over signing Boateng
boss Paul Hart admits was relaxed about bringing Kevin-Prince Boateng to Fratton Park, despite questions being asked about the player's attitude during his

BBC close to FA Cup broadcasting deal
The BBC remains hopeful of securing a deal with the Football Association for the live FA Cup ties that became available when Setanta went bust in June. The matter was discussed at an FA board meeting...

McLeish gears up to spend Birmingham war chest
Boss Alex McLeish has admitted he will soon start trying to persuade players to join Birmingham in January, reports the Birmingham Mail. McLeish and his staff have been scouting various targets over ...

Raids carried out in Britain over European match fixing
Police have carried out raids in Britain as part of a match-fixing probe into about 200 matches across Europe, reports the Daily Mail. German prosecutors investigating match-fixing in football say 15...

Liverpool boss impressed with alternative treatment
's use of a controversial Serbian clinic to get four of his top players fit. Glen Johnson, Fabio Aurelio, Yossi Benayoun and Albert Riera have all visited the Belgrade clinic run by physiotherapist M...

Newcastle keeper Forster to remain with Norwich
stopper Fraser Forster until the end of the season. The 21-year-old has kept seven clean sheets in 12 appearances for the Canaries to help the club climb to fifth in League One. As part of the dea...

Tottenham keeper on loan at Shrewsbury until New Year
until the start of January. Shrews boss Paul Simpson has been struggling to bring in another keeper to compete with 19-year-old Andreas Arestidou after Chris Neal was recently ruled out for six weeks...

Hodgson defends Henry from cheat stigma, but…
boss Roy Hodgson does not believe Henry is a cheat but claims he could have done more to help the referee. "I would defend Thierry Henry from the allegation of cheating," he said. "What he did was...

Ipswich boss Keane has little sympathy for Republic of Ireland
Roy Keane isn't too sorry for the Football Association of Ireland's campaign to have their controversial World Cup play-off against France replayed and said: "What goes around comes around." The Ipsw...

Arsenal boss Wenger wants help for officials
manager told ArsenalTV. "We cannot accept that an obvious decision is wrong because we do not want to give ourselves all the needed help we can have in the modern game. "Being at the game, I saw...

Chelsea's Alex almost fighting fit
defender Alex says he has recovered from a groin injury and is now almost back to full fitness. The Brazilian has been restricted to just two starts and one substitute appearance this season after an...

Top 10 HS football games of the week
State football championships are underway in every state, with championship games playing out this week in Idaho, Utah, Iowa and Nebraska, among others; however, it is a game for a conference champion...

Southend v MK Dons
Sam Baldock finds the back of the net with a goal from inside the penalty area to the bottom left corner of the goal. Southend 0-1 Milton Keynes Dons.

Asian champions Iraq suspended by FIFA
BERNE (Reuters) - Asian champions Iraq have been suspended from international soccer because of political interference in the country's Football Association, world governing body FIFA said on Friday.

Spain overtakes Brazil in FIFA Rankings
Zurich, Switzerland (Sports Network) - Spain has regained the top spot in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men's World Rankings, which were released on Friday for the month of November. Brazil was on top of the ta...

Villa's Bouma suffers setback
Villa's Bouma suffers setback Birmingham, England (Sports Network) - Aston Villa defender Wilfred Bouma has suffered a setback in his bid to return from a serious ankle injury which has kept him o...

Hamburg's Petric returns to training
Hamburg's Petric returns to training Hamburg, Germany (Sports Network) - Hamburg striker Mladen Petric has spoken of his relief after making a quicker than expected recovery from a fractured leg. ...

Keane battles for replay
Robbie Keane is refusing to accept that his World Cup dream is over despite FIFA rejecting the Republic of Ireland's call for a replay of its play-off with France.The Irish skipper has called on the F...

35 Egyptian police hurt as football violence simmers
CAIRO (AFP) - Violent protestors injured dozens of police near the Algerian embassy in Cairo on Friday, fanning the flames of a diplomatic row that erupted over a football World Cup qualifier won by b...

Bartow High Employees Disciplined for Roles in Kathleen Football Forfeits
Two Bartow High School employees were officially reprimanded and another was verbally warned for their roles in discovering an ineligible football player at Kathleen HIgh School last month, but the co...

Kenyan youth shoot for peace in UN-backed football reconciliation contest
More than 2,000 Kenyan youths from across Nairobi, the capital, will kick off a multi-ethnic football tournament this weekend to score goals in a United Nations-backed bid to use the power of sport to...

Bolton Wanderers v Blackburn Rovers
Neither side stands out as probable winners of this contest if recent form is anything to go by. Bolton have won one of their six home matches while Blackburn have lost all five away from Ewood Park. ...

Manchester United v Everton
Everton defender Tony Hibbert could raise the issue with his erstwhile team-mate this evening. "There's always banter with Wayne and I talk to him a lot throughout the games," said Hibbert.

Barcelona duo contract swine flu
Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure and defender Eric Abidal have contracted swine flu.Both players have been isolated and will miss the Primera Liga clash with Athletic Bilbao on Saturday night. The news...

Benitez backs placenta treatment
Boss Rafael Benitez has defended Liverpool's decision to send players to a Serbian clinic for treatment.Glen Johnson, Fabio Aurelio, Yossi Benayoun and Albert Riera have visited Belgrade for an unusua...

USC, Tennessee to match up in football
USC and Tennessee are scheduled to play a home-and-home series in the years 2020 and 2021, which means Pete Carroll and his former assistant, Lane Kiffin, are unlikely to face each other by the time t...

Barry set to focus on domestic competition
Barry set to focus on domestic competition Liverpool, England (Sports Network) - Manchester City sits in sixth place as they enter a big showdown with seventh-placed Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday. ...

Real won't rush Ronaldo
Real won't rush Ronaldo Madrid, Spain (Sports Network) - Sporting director Emilio Butragueno insists Real Madrid will exercise caution with Cristiano Ronaldo, who is expected to resume training th...

Inter's Balotelli joking about being AC Milan fan
Inter's Balotelli joking about being AC Milan fan Milan, Italy (Sports Network) - Inter Milan striker Mario Balotelli was only joking when he proclaimed to be a fan of bitter rivals AC Milan, acco...

Del Piero returns as Juve faces big week
Del Piero returns as Juve faces big week Turin, Italy (Sports Network) - Juventus captain Alessandro Del Piero is fit again after battling back and thigh injuries that have limited him to just 10 minu...

Fitness First In Eyes Of Davids
Former Holland midfielder Edgar Davids is looking to maintain his fitness by training with an English club - and could find himself in demand as a result.The 36-year-old has not played competitive foo...

Get updates from tonight's Coastal Bend football games; 3rd-round schedule
THIRD-ROUND PLAYOFF SCHEDULE New Braunfels/Carroll winner vs. Eagle Pass/PSJA North winner, TBD Lake Travis/Schertz Steele winner vs. Flour Bluff (11-1), TBD Killeen/Alamo Heights winner vs. Gre...

Benitez impressed by placenta cure
Glen Johnson, Fabio Aurelio, Yossi Benayoun and Albert Riera have all visited the Belgrade clinic run by physiotherapist Mariana Kovacevic, and all four have returned to full training and are in line ...

Vengeful Roy Keane turns on FAI as he absolves Henry of any blame
Roy Keane often veers left in situations where the majority of people turn right so it came as no surprise when he challenged the overwhelming consensus by failing to muster much sympathy for Ireland ...

Egypt threaten boycott after violence of Algeria tie
Algeria in the aftermath of their recent World Cup play-off match in Sudan.The country's football association has already filed a complaint with the world governing body after violence reportedly brok...

Chelsea v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Chelsea should win easily. The interest, then, lies elsewhere. First, there is Kevin Doyle's reunion with Nicolas Anelka and Florent Malouda days after his heart was broken in Paris. Given the nature ...

Hull City v West Ham United
With so much attention on Hull's manager Phil Brown going into their injury-time win over Stoke last time out, the return of Jimmy Bullard went relatively unremarked, but the Londoner's galvanic midfi...

Stoke City v Portsmouth
Perhaps Sky should have considered dropping the 'Super' prefix of their live Sunday package when pairing this game with Bolton v Blackburn but an apathetic audience should not overlook the importance ...

The Fiver | The Most Important Man In The World; and Tony Hibbert
The Fiver has always prided itself on its highly-evolved damage limitation skills. The excuse about having just sort of forgotten about the litre of Irish Knights tucked inside its specially-adapted s...

Hour of reckoning in Mexico
The third of the four ties involves an intriguing clash of styles as another surprise package, the attack-minded youngsters of Monarcas Morelia, take on a combative and well-drilled Monterrey side. Th...

Back four key to Chelsea's success
. Ancelotti said: "If you want to win a cup or a championship, it is important not to concede a goal. We have fantastic defenders in Terry, Carvalho and Alex.

Fergie confident of pulling back five point Chelsea lead
will benefit the Old Trafford outfit. "Probably the league will start now," he said. "You will get some sort of consistency and we won't be worrying about which players are coming back from inte...

Robinho in Man City squad but unlikely to play
on Saturday, even if the record signing striker is unlikely to play. The Brazilian has not featured in a competitive game since injuring his ankle on international duty against Argentina in September...

Liverpool skipper Gerrard passed fit to play
on Saturday. Gerrard was used as a second-half substitute in the 2-2 draw with Birmingham last time - climbing off the bench to net the 71st minute penalty equaliser. The skipper has used the subs...

Beckham had English offers before Milan move
, told Sky Sports News: "There were options there. But I always said that when I left Milan, if I had the chance to go back, I would go back there. "If they wanted me, I would go back there. That w...

Mind games slowing Hargreaves recovery
believes Owen Hargreaves' cautious recovery from knee surgery is a confidence issue. The midfielder has been out for over a year having undergone revolutionary surgery on both knees in America last y...

Man Utd's Foster not on Tottenham's loan radar
has cooled reports he is set to bring England keeper Ben Foster on loan to White Hart Lane. A lack of opportunities at club level has seen the 26 year old voice his frustration and the former Stoke k...

Dunn yet to open Blackburn negotiations
midfielder David Dunn has told skysports.com that he has yet to begin discussions with the club regarding a contract extension. The 29-year-old's present deal expires at the end of the season and rep...

Pilloried Swedish ref Hansson breaks silence
Referee Martin Hansson has finally spoken over the Republic of Ireland's controversial World Cup play-off by declaring that 'life must go on'. The official and his linesman both failed to spot France...

Colour me surprised! – FIFA refuse to replay Ireland game
Fifa has confirmed that under no circumstances will Republic of Ireland's World Cup play-off with France be replayed. France progressed courtesy of a 2-1 aggregate success, secured in extra-time larg...

QPR swoop for Chelsea teenage keeper Taylor
's teenage goalkeeper Rhys Taylor on a loan deal until January 4. The Wales Under-21 international has yet to feature for the Blues but has been a regular for the reserve team and recently signed a n...

Dunne too gutted over Ireland result for Villa start
boss Martin O'Neill says Richard Dunne is devastated after seeing the Republic of Ireland's World Cup dreams shattered by Thierry Henry's handball. Dunne sat out training at Bodymoor Heath on Friday ...

Only Bolton keeper assured of starting place after Villa horror show
boss Gary Megson has told his players only keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen is assured of his place for the derby against Blackburn on Sunday. Even after two weeks Megson is still reeling from the 5-1 defea...

Burnley's books show a healthy financial position
actually made a loss, before tax, of £11.7million in the year ending June 20. "Promotion was gained at a cost in the financial year," said Kilby in his annual report to shareholders. "Howe...

Accrington striker Grant linked with Derby
Accrington Stanley boss John Coleman has dismissed reports linking striker Bobby Grant with a move to Championship side Derby County. The 19 year old has scored nine goals for Stanley this season. ...

Wolves boss claims Chelsea strongest team in Premier League
's title charge, in the short team at least. McCarthy, whose side have slipped into the relegation zone after collecting just three points from their last six games, said: "I think they are the str...

Drogba to face Essien in African Nations Cup
Didier Drogba will go head to head with team-mate Michael Essien at the African Nations Cup in Angola after Ivory Coast and Ghana were drawn together in Group B.

Africa playoff row escalates
CAIRO, Egypt (CNN) -- A series of clashes between Egyptian and Algerian football fans has led to a diplomatic row between the two north African countries, with Egypt recalling its ambassador to Algier...

Chelsea Duo Square Up In Angola
Chelsea striker Didier Drogba will go head to head with team-mate Michael Essien at the African Nations Cup in Angola after Ivory Coast and Ghana were drawn together in Group B.The Ivorians and the Gh...

Levein Won't Comment On Scots Post
Dundee United manager Craig Levein is dismissing talk linking him with the Scotland position as "pure speculation".The Terrors boss has been installed as one of the early favourites for the post follo...

Hughes Delighted By In-form Bellamy
Manchester City boss Mark Hughes believes Craig Bellamy is playing the best football of his career.The Welsh firebrand returns to boyhood idols Liverpool on Saturday eager to show Rafael Benitez what ...

Ban Won't Affect Ferguson
Everton manager David Moyes does not believe Manchester United counterpart Sir Alex Ferguson's touchline ban will have any effect on his fellow Scot.He also criticised the Football Association's proce...

Redknapp Feels For Keane
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp believes video technology would have prevented Robbie Keane returning to his club dejected this week following Republic of Ireland's controversial World Cup exit.Keane's ...

Cudicini Set To Miss Rest Of Season
Tottenham goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini has been discharged from hospital following his motorbike accident and is expected to miss the rest of the season, boss Harry Redknapp has confirmed.Cudicini underw...

Kenyan youth shoot for peace in UN-backed football ‘reconciliation contest'
More than 2,000 Kenyan youths from across Nairobi, the capital, will kick off a multi-ethnic football tournament this weekend to score goals in a United Nations-backed bid to use the power of sport to...

Dinamo fined, given suspended sentence
The chairman of the UEFA Appeals Body, as judge sitting alone, has today announced the verdict following the appeal lodged by NK Dinamo Zagreb against the decision taken by the UEFA Control and Discip...

FIFA rejects Irish replay demand
FIFA rejected Ireland's request to replay its World Cup qualifier against France on Friday, while Thierry Henry said a rematch would be "the fairest solution" to resolve the furor over his extra-time hand ball that set up the deciding goal.

17 arrests in soccer match-fixing probe
German prosecutors investigating match-fixing in soccer say 15 people in Germany and two in Switzerland have been arrested and about 200 games in Europe are under suspicion.

Spain regains top spot in FIFA rankings
Spain regained first place from Brazil in the FIFA rankings on Friday, while Canada dropped four places to 57th.

Iraq suspended by FIFA
FIFA suspended Iraq from world soccer on Friday because of political interference in the country's national soccer federation.

Preki becomes 4th Toronto FC coach
Preki was presented as the new coach of Toronto FC on Thursday, becoming the fourth bench boss in four years for the Major League Soccer club.

Galaxy's Donovan named MLS MVP
Los Angeles Galaxy forward Landon Donovan was named the 2009 most valuable player by Major League Soccer on Thursday.

Impact's Biello officially announces retirement
Captain Mauro Biello, the lone remaining player from the Impact's inaugural season in 1993, announced his retirement Thursday in Montreal.

'Robbed' Irish demand replay with France
Ireland appealed to France and soccer authorities Thursday to replay their World Cup playoff in Paris after an obvious handball by Thierry Henry produced the winning goal.

Greece books ticket to South Africa
The 2004 European champions shocked the Donetsk crowd in Ukraine during the second leg of their World Cup qualifying playoff on Wednesday, winning 1-0 in the match and on aggregate to book a ticket to South Africa in 2010.

Uruguay earns final World Cup berth
Uruguay has claimed the final spot in next year's 32-team World Cup in South Africa by drawing with Costa Rica 1-1 to take the two-leg playoff 2-1 on aggregate.

Portugal claims World Cup berth
Portugal qualified for the World Cup for the third time in a row, beating Bosnia 1-0 in Zenica on Wednesday thanks to Raul Meireles's second-half goal in the second leg.

France gets by Ireland to qualify for World Cup
France qualified for its fourth consecutive World Cup, getting a disputed overtime goal from William Gallas in a 1-1 tie against Ireland on Wednesday night in Saint-Denis.

Poland beats Canada in soccer friendly
Midfielder Maciej Rybus scored in the first half as Poland defeated Canada 1-0 Wednesday in an international soccer friendly in Bydgoszcz.

Slovenia stuns Russia to qualify for World Cup
Slovenia upset Russia 1-0 in Maribor on Wednesday night and qualified for the World Cup for just the second time.

Canadian Onstad had MLS save of year
Canadian Pat Onstad of the Houston Dynamo was named the inaugural winner of Major League Soccer's Degree Men Save of the Year award Wednesday.