Juninho: Brazil was unprepared at World Cup (Sports Illustrated)
Brazil’s team at the World Cup earlier this year was poorly prepared and not selected on form, according to Lyon midfielder Juninho.

Portugal have cause for pride
Portugal returned home as heroes after reaching the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 40 years. FIFAworldcup.com reflects on their campaign in Germany…

Loud Cheers Banned at Soccer’s Blind World Cup (WPVI-TV Philadelphia)
It’s no ordinary World Cup: the soccer ball sounds like the clatter of a rattlesnake’s tail, fans are barred from cheering too loudly and the sidelines are clear plastic walls meant to keep the players in-bounds.

Germany 2006 in numbers
After 31 days and 64 games the curtain came down on the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany with Italy holding the Trophy aloft amid an outpouring of joy inside Berlin s Olympiastadion. FIFAworldcup.com rounds up the statistics from a memorable tournament…

Long wait begins as national women’s soccer team looks forward to World Cup (Canadian Press via Yahoo! News)
CARSON, Calif. (CP) - The long wait now begins for the national women’s soccer team.

South Africa: Shilowa Affirms World Cup Readiness (AllAfrica.com)
GAUTENG premier Mbhazima Shilowa told delegates from the world’s largest soccer exhibition, Soccerex, in Dubai yesterday that SA would be ready to host the Fifa World Cup in 2010.

South Africa: Dubai Soccer Expo Assured SA Will Host Successful World Cup (AllAfrica.com)
Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa has assured delegates at the Soccerex football expo in Dubai that South Africa will be ready to host the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup.

Cannavaro Beats Buffon to Win Europe’s Top Soccer Player Award (Bloomberg.com)
Nov. 27 (Bloomberg) — Fabio Cannavaro, who captained Italy to soccer’s World Cup title in July, was voted European footballer of the year.

Cape Town needs support on World Cup ‘risks’ (Mail and Guardian)
The City of Cape Town says it is still waiting for a decision from the National Treasury on whether it will underwrite “risk factors” attached to the construction of the Green Point Stadium, proposed venue for a 2010 Soccer World Cup semifinal.

Long wait begins as national women’s soccer team looks forward to World Cup (Canadian Press via Yahoo! News)
CARSON, Calif. (CP) - The long wait now begins for the national women’s soccer team.

Long wait begins as national women’s soccer team looks forward to World Cup (Canadian Press via Yahoo! News)
CARSON, Calif. (CP) - The long wait now begins for the national women’s soccer team.

Bafana’s Parreira blamed for World Cup flop (SABC News)
Juninho a Brazilian and FC Lyon midfield star, has blamed Carlos Alberto Parreira, the new Bafana Bafana coach, for Brazil’s World Cup exit in Germany earlier this year.

Africa: World Cup; It is Africa’s Turn (AllAfrica.com)
Sepp Blatter once again dismissed fears that the next World Cup could be moved from South Africa and said the 2010 hosts were further along at this point than Germany was four years ago. “They’ll get it done,” Blatter was quoted as telling German magazine Sport Bild on Tuesday.

Italy conquer world as Germany win friends
Football’s most prized Trophy may be in Italian hands but Marcello Lippi’s Azzurri were not the only ones celebrating after a FIFA World Cup where both the players and their German hosts gave football lovers so much to smile about…

Fox Soccer Channel to Telecast the FIFA Club World Cup 2006 for Second Consecutive Year (Business Wire via Yahoo! Finance)
LOS ANGELES—-Fox Soccer Channel will once again offer live and exclusive coverage of the FIFA Club World Cup 2006 in Japan.

South Africa: Shilowa Affirms World Cup Readiness (AllAfrica.com)
GAUTENG premier Mbhazima Shilowa told delegates from the world’s largest soccer exhibition, Soccerex, in Dubai yesterday that SA would be ready to host the Fifa World Cup in 2010.

Long wait begins as national women’s soccer team looks forward to World Cup (Canada.com)
Canada’s Christine Sinclair, center, fights for the ball with USA’s Catherine Whitehill during the second half of their final CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer game in Carson, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 26, 2006.

South Africa: Dubai Soccer Expo Assured SA Will Host Successful World Cup (AllAfrica.com)
Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa has assured delegates at the Soccerex football expo in Dubai that South Africa will be ready to host the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup.

Cup spot secured, USA faces Canada (USA Today)
One down, one to go. Less than 100 hours after securing a berth in the 2007 World Cup, the U.S. women’s soccer team will seek the CONCACAF Gold Cup championship Sunday against Canada. The USA qualified for the World Cup with a 2-0 semifinal victory Wednesday against Mexico.

Fox Soccer Channel to Telecast the FIFA Club World Cup 2006 for Second Consecutive Year (Business Wire via Yahoo! Finance)
LOS ANGELES—-Fox Soccer Channel will once again offer live and exclusive coverage of the FIFA Club World Cup 2006 in Japan.

Loud Cheers Banned at Soccer’s Blind World Cup (WPVI-TV Philadelphia)
It’s no ordinary World Cup: the soccer ball sounds like the clatter of a rattlesnake’s tail, fans are barred from cheering too loudly and the sidelines are clear plastic walls meant to keep the players in-bounds.

South Africa: Shilowa Affirms World Cup Readiness (AllAfrica.com)
GAUTENG premier Mbhazima Shilowa told delegates from the world’s largest soccer exhibition, Soccerex, in Dubai yesterday that SA would be ready to host the Fifa World Cup in 2010.