The World Cup 2010, occasionally called the Football World Cup, but usually referred to simply as the World Cup, is an international football competition contested by the men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport's global governing body. The championship has been awarded every four years since the first tournament in 1930, except in 1942 and 1946, because of World War II.
The current format of the tournament involves 32 teams competing for the title at venues within the host nation(s) over a period of about a month – this phase is often called the World Cup Finals. A qualification phase, which currently takes place over the preceding three years, is used to determine which teams qualify for the tournament together with the host nation(s). The World Cup is the most widely-viewed sporting event in the world, with an estimated 715.1 million people watching the 2006 final.
Of the 18 tournaments held, seven nations have won the title. Brazil are the only team to have played in every tournament and have won the World Cup a record five times. Italy are the current champions and have won four titles, and Germany are next with three. The other former champions are Uruguay, winners of the inaugural tournament, and Argentina, with two titles each, and England and France, with one title each.
The most recent World Cup was held in Germany in 2006. The next World Cup will be held in South Africa, between 11 June and 11 July 2010, and the 2014 World Cup will be held in Brazil.
Fabio Capello sidestepped reports of a communication problem with his England squad after Paul Robinson and Wes Brown both retired from international football at the weekend.
The Blackburn goalkeeper and Manchester United defender both made their decisions after being called up for Wednesday’s friendly against Hungary at Wembley.
Liverpool have signed former Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole on a free transfer.
The 28-year-old England international left Stamford Bridge at the end of last season after failing to agree a new contract with the club and has agreed personal terms on a four-year deal at Anfield.
ShareEngland midfielder David Beckham has no intention of becoming a coach and is instead focusing on his recovery from an Achilles injury, which he has revealed is ahead of schedule. The 35-year-old’s dreams of participating in a fourth FIFA World Cup™ were shattered in March, when he sustained the injury while on loan [...]
Steven Gerrard today insisted he has no intention of quitting international football.
Gerrard, who captained England during their woeful FIFA World Cup™ campaign in the absence of the injured Rio Ferdinand, said the 4-1 defeat by Germany would not be his 84th and last game for his country.
Fabio Capello has given an insight into how he sees the future England as he picks over the ashes of his team’s FIFA World Cup™ exit. The England manager, who says he wants to stay in the post, has been told he must wait two weeks before his employers, the Football Association (FA), decide whether he will complete the two remaining years of his current contract, which takes him up to the end of the UEFA EURO 2012 finals.
ShareMiroslav Klose and his Germany team-mates sensed England “were not up to it” within five minutes of the start of Sunday’s FIFA World Cup™ clash. And the veteran striker, who opened the scoring in the last-16 encounter in Bloemfontein which the Germans went on to win 4-1, claimed England paid the [...]
Frank Lampard has insisted he will carry on playing for England for as long as he is wanted. The 32-year-old has almost certainly played in his last FIFA World Cup™ finals after England’s 4-1 last-16 defeat by Germany condemned the team to an early flight home.
The Chelsea midfielder is seen as a possible casualty of the shake-up in the squad that is expected to follow but he does not intend to take a decision on his future out of the hands of Fabio Capello or any other England manager by retiring from international football.
Fabio Capello has stated his desire to remain as England manager – but his future will be decided by the Football Association over the next two weeks.
Capello’s future has been the subject of speculation both before and since England’s disappointing FIFA World Cup™ exit against Germany yesterday, with suggestions he could be axed from his role.
ShareEmile Heskey believes England have to “go back to the drawing board” after crashing out of the FIFA World Cup™ at the last 16 stage. Fabio Capello’s side were one of the pre-tournament favourites after winning nine of their 10 qualifying matches.
But they seldom reproduced that form and had to settle [...]
Talisman Wayne Rooney’s goal drought stretched on as England crashed out of the FIFA World Cup™ at the hands of old rivals Germany on Sunday. Drawing a blank in the match in Bloemfontein means the Manchester United star, after a stellar season for his club, has still never found the net at a FIFA World Cup.
Fabio Capello sidestepped reports of a communication problem with his England squad after Paul Robinson and Wes Brown both retired from international football at the weekend. The Blackburn goalkeeper and Manchester United defender both made their decisions after being called up for Wednesday's friendly against Hungary at Wembley.... details
O'Neill resigns as Villa managerAston Villa have announced the shock resignation of manager Martin O'Neill with immediate effect. O'Neill was seemingly preparing for this weekend's Premier League opener at home to West Ham United, but a statement from Villa this afternoon announced his departure. No reason has been given.... details
Low relishing 2012 challengeGermany coach Joachim Low has said that he could not walk away from the challenge of transforming his young side from FIFA World Cup™ semi-finalists to European champions.... details
Berlusconi: Milan will never sell Ronaldinho Guardiola hopes for long-term stayBarcelona coach Pep Guardiola wants to remain at the Nou Camp for the long-term, despite insisting on only signing a one-year contract at the club. Guardiola, who has won seven trophies in his first two years as Barça coach, signed a new deal last week which runs until next June.... details
Mazzarri delighted to land CavaniNapoli coach Walter Mazzarri is delighted to have Edinson Cavani among his players. Cavani completed his move from Palermo on Saturday, with the Azzurri shelling out a fee in the region of €12million.... details
Mainz swoop for FuchsMainz have signed Christian Fuchs on a season loan from Bochum, with an option to make the deal permanent next summer. The agreement ensures the Austria midfielder will play Bundesliga football in the upcoming campaign after being relegated with Bochum last term.... details
Cole joins LiverpoolLiverpool have signed former Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole on a free transfer. The 28-year-old England international left Stamford Bridge at the end of last season after failing to agree a new contract with the club and has agreed personal terms on a four-year deal at Anfield.... details
Non-stop action in South AmericaDespite the disappointment of not having any representatives in the Final of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, South America is already focusing on the future. Both Brazil and Colombia have already been in action at the FIFA Women’s U-20 World Cup Germany 2010 and the new FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking was published on Wednesday, with some encouraging progress being made by a clutch of CONMEBOL teams. Add to that the resumption of the 2010 Copa Libertadores de America and the fast-approaching return of the domestic league season, and there is more than enough to keep the continent’s football fans occupied.... details
Beckham: I don't want to manageHenry seals New York moveNew York Red Bulls have signed Thierry Henry from Barcelona on a "multi-year contract", the Major League Soccer club have confirmed. The 32-year-old former Arsenal captain moved to the Camp Nou in 2007 and had one year remaining on his Barça contract, but the club agreed last month that he could leave. "Red Bull New York announced today that it has signed star French forward Thierry Henry to a multi-year contract as its second designated player," the club said today in a statement on their website.... details
Udinese rule out Sanchez saleAlexis Sanchez will not leave Udinese this summer despite reported interest from Manchester United and Roma, according to the club's president. The winger has been linked to several leading European clubs this summer after a good performance for Chile at the FIFA World Cup™. However, Udinese have no intention of selling the 21-year-old star, who is currently on holiday.... details
Rajevac keen to stay onMilovan Rajevac wants to remain as Ghana coach, despite receiving several offers following a successful FIFA World Cup™. The Serbian has seen his stock rise over the past month after leading the Black Stars into the quarter-finals in South Africa, where they were beaten on penalties. The west Africans surpassed all expectations, even without star midfielder Michael Essien of Chelsea, and their coach said: "I am still under contract with the Ghana Football Association.... details
Iniesta: I never lost faithSpain hero Andres Iniesta claims he never lost faith in achieving FIFA World Cup™ success, despite a frustrating season with injuries and a bad start for Vicente del Bosque's side in South Africa. Iniesta, who scored the extra-time winner for Spain in the FIFA World Cup Final against Holland on Sunday, struggled for long periods last season with a thigh problem and only reappeared for Barcelona right at the end of the campaign. The midfielder then aggravated the injury in Spain's friendly win over Poland before the start of the FIFA World Cup and was forced off once more as Del Bosque's side went down 1-0 to Switzerland in their opening match in South Africa.... details
Defeated Dutch honoured at homeThousands of fans turned the canals of Amsterdam into a sea of orange Tuesday, honking vuvuzelas and throwing confetti at the Dutch football team after its nailbiting FIFA World Cup™ defeat to Spain. The team, casual in shorts and T-shirts, floated along the seven-kilometre (over four-mile) route on a river boat decorated with orange flowers, sipping beer and making toasts in the direction of the adoring crowds who waved flags, danced and chanted "Holland, Holland" to pumping music.... details