Zidane remains best-loved French despite head-butt (Boston Globe)
Zinedine Zidane remains France’s best-loved personality despite his head-butt against Italy’s Marco Materazzi in the soccer World Cup final this year, a survey showed on Saturday.

WORLD CUP PREVIEW: Who the local soccer bosses are tipping (The Evening Telegraph)
THE waiting finally ends this afternoon as the 15th FIFA World Cup gets underway in Germany. So who will win it? MATT MILLARD asked a selection of Peterborough’s football experts who they think will be celebrating in Berlin on July 9, who will be the star players, who will be the dark horses and how England will do?

Italian soccer federation drops betting investigation of Buffon (USA Today)
The Italian soccer federation ended an investigation into alleged illegal betting by Italy’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper. Proceedings against Italy and Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon were dropped, the federation said in a statement Friday. Similar allegations concerning Cagliari’s Antonio Chimenti, Sevilla’s Enzo Maresca and Messina’s Mark Iuliano also were dropped.

Cowie milks plaudits as United foiled in cup bid (Edinburgh Evening News)
PENICUIK United’s bid to land a coveted place in the fourth round of the Soccer World Scottish Amateur Cup ended in disappointment as they lost out in extra time in their third-round replay against Viewfield Rovers.