Babe of the Month - Football Freestyler Indi Cowie

Indi Armstrong Cowie was born on 24th September 1994 in Boca Raton, Florida, United States to Scottish parents, and is a global superstar in the world of freestyle football, and is famous around the globe for her amazing videos and incredible talent.

As well as being an official Nike Athlete and a USWNT ambassador, Indi is also a social media phenomenon, with a current reach of 3,000,000 followers across her platforms.

In 2012 footballer Lionel Messi selected indi as the EA Games "Street v Street" world freestyle champion, and she has appeared on Ellen DeGeneres, ESPN, Good Morning America, The Today Show and was featured in the New York Times "Talented Youth of America" edition.

Cowie’s impressive resumé has also seen her travel across the world, performing at high-profile sporting and corporate events for clients such as Microsoft, SAS and Lenovo.

Indi's talents have also given her the opportunity to meet and connect with the biggest names in sport, performing a half-time show in front of 76,000 Manchester United and Chelsea fans at Old Trafford and staring in a Sony PlayStation commercial made for the UEFA Champions League which was played in 58 countries worldwide. Indi got to see it on the jumbotron in at the 2010 Champions League Final in Madrid. It was never aired in the USA.

She also took part Mia Hamm’s Celebrity Soccer Challenge with former Los Angeles Lakers basketball star Kobe Bryant and former FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich and current Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.

Oh, and she has skills on the pitch as well, playing for Celtic Ladies and the U17 Scottish women's national team during 2010/11, and for the North Carolina Tar Heels in 2012.

However in Spring 2013 Indi tore her anterior cruciate ligament during an exhibition match and her chance to play football professionally was delt a huge blow.
As she was getting back from her knee injury, she made the decision to continue with freestyle and go pro with that, although she also works as an assistant football coach for the North Carolina Tar Heels.

From the age of 12 Indi's biggest goal was to become a Nike Athlete. After eight years of hard work and dedication her dream came true!


She was inspired to take up freestyle football after observing a demonstration by John Farnworth. Cowie practices her skills up to three hours per day.

In 2015 Indi travelled to Brazil where she competed in The Red Bull Street Style Championships, to China to compete in a national TV Game Show and to Canada for The Women's World Cup.

In 2015, Cowie became the first woman to do a octuple revolution - eight full circles around the soccer ball with the foot while it is still in the air.

You can follow Indi on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and on her YouTube channel

Dr Eva Carneiro - The Curse of a Scorned Woman!

Having closely followed the Dr Eva Carneiro versus Jose Mourinho 'controversy' and subsequent fall out, and having also written two previous articles on here outlining the case in question (on the 18th September and 24th September 2015), it is with interest that I read the very latest turn of events in 'DoctorGate'

Coming from a family with a substantial background in medicine, and having discussed and read in some detail the rights and wrongs of the behaviour of Mourinho on that fateful day back in August, I for one am pleased, if not slightly surprised to see that Dr Caneiro has the full weight of FIFA's medical committee behind her in her fight against Chelsea Football Club and manager Jose Mourinho.

They have promised the former Chelsea doctor the full backing of FIFA's medical chief in her legal case against the Premier League club.

Carneiro is taking action against the club for constructive dismissal and an individual action against Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho for victimisation and discrimination.

She was dropped from first-team duties after Mourinho criticised her and head physio Jon Fearn for going on to the pitch to treat Eden Hazard after being summoned by referee Michael Oliver.
The action meant that Chelsea were temporarily down to nine men against Swansea, and afterwards Mourinho called Carneiro and Fearn "impulsive and naive."


Mourinho was cleared of using discriminatory language towards her following an investigation by the Football Association, but he is now the subject of a separate but connected claim.

With Mourinho's Chelsea side currently ailing like a rudderless ship, and 'The Special One' now favourite with the bookmakers to be the next Premier League manager to lose his job, one has to question how much damage his bust up with Dr Carnerio (right), during the opening match of the Premier League season back on the 8th August has contributed to what can only be described as a cataclysmic disaster of a season.........to date.

FIFA's medical committee chairman Michel D'Hooghe has now revealed he has been in touch with Carneiro to offer his support and that of the world governing body.
He has backed Carneiro's insistence that she was simply doing her job.

D'Hooghe said: "Of course I support Eva Carneiro. She did her job, she did her duty - when somebody is medically in trouble she has to intervene. Of course she has my support and the whole medical committee's."

"I have had email contact with her and she is very happy with the global support of the medical world in football."

D'Hooghe said the fall-out from the case could mean that Carneiro may find it difficult to find a new job in football but that he would do what he could to help her.

He added: "I can imagine that in the short term she might have some problems with that, but with her personality and her competence she must certainly have a great future and if I can help her I will do it."

I may not be a Chelsea supporting fan, or someone who can be hoodwinked by Mourinho's confident external persona, but I am a football fan, and I can tell you for a fact that there is precious little harmony within the Chelsea camp as I speak!

Following defeat at home to to Bournemouth last Saturday, an insider told how 'The Blues' trained earlier this week saying: “It was a very, very flat atmosphere at the training ground,” with midfielder Nemanja Matic seemingly backing up this observation by admitting the whole club is stuck in a rut with no sign of a way out.
He said: “We are in a difficult situation, so it’s going to be hard to come back from this. But we have to try to resolve this problem, we have to try to recover."

This week could define Mourinho's future. He stays in charge for tonight's decisive Champions League clash with Porto and for a date with ex-Blues boss Claudio Ranieri’s Leicester City next Monday......but for how long! Should Chelsea bow out of the Champions League and then lose to Ranieri’s table-toppers it could force Abramovich’s hand — and get Mourinho sacked just a few months into a new four-year contract.

Chelsea refused to comment on FIFA's decision. The cases are likely to be heard early in 2016, unless they are settled beforehand.

In the wake of the controversy, FIFA's medical committee is to draw up a new code of ethics for managers and team doctors.

As the saying goes: "Nothing like the curse of a scorned woman"

So Macho? Iran women's football team accused of fielding men!

The Iran women's national football team represents Iran in international women's football, and is controlled by the Iran Football Federation. The head of women's football at the IFF is Farideh Shojaei.

Football is highly popular among many Iranian women, despite religious rules that bar them from entering stadiums to watch matches between male teams.

In 2015 for the first time in Iranian women's football history a national team qualified for a top continental competition.

On 26th September 2015, after Iran beat Japan in the Final at the inaugural Asian Women's Futsal Championship in Malaysia, reports emerged that eight of the Iranian team were male.

A FIFA medical officer on Tuesday rejected media reports that Iran had broken rules by fielding women footballers, at the recent Asian Championship, who were actually men.

In violation of FIFA rules, the players either had yet to complete a sex change or had suffered from sexual development disorders, Britain's 'Daily Telegraph' reported, citing Iranian sources.

A report by an Iranian state television website said: "the women players had the physical strength of men and some had male inclinations."

An official for FIFA rejected the claims of rule breaking, though she indicated some players had previously suffered medical conditions that affected their appearance.

"There are no gender concerns for women's futsal and football teams," Dr Zohreh Haratian, the governing body's appointee in Iran, told Shargh daily.

"No scientific proof exists on these claims," she said, noting that all the players had been checked.

According to the rules, any players participating in overseas matches, should first go through gender verification by FIFA's medical representative, Dr Haratian explained.

"Only then the player will be permitted to play in Asian or global matches. FIFA will respond to such accusations by foreign media," she said, naming Saudi Arabia's Al-Arabia and Britain's Sky News.

The allegations are not new, said Haratian, also the Head of Iran's Football Medical Assessment and Rehabilitation Center. "In the past, a few of our female football players were accused of being bisexual," she continued, adding that "in 2010, one player suffering an inborn disease of adrenal glands, looked liked a man but was actually a woman."

"When FIFA understood that their problem was inborn, it rejected the claims and issued permits for them to play in matches."

However more recently, back in February 2014, it was reported that four players had been removed from the Iranian national team squad after failing to be determined as women. The British newspaper 'The Telegraph' reported that it was because the players "were either men who had not completed sex change operations, or were suffering from sexual development disorders"

Gender change operations are legal in Iran according to a fatwa - or religious ruling - pronounced by the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, spiritual leader of the 1979 Islamic revolution.

The law contrasts with the strict rules governing sexual morality under the country's Sharia legal code, which forbids homosexuality and pre-marital sex.

Sex changes are commonly carried out in phases in Iran, with the full procedure taking up to two years and including hormone therapy before the full gender transformation is completed.

In the recent week long tournament held in Nilai, Malaysia Iran defeated Hong Kong, Uzbekistan and the hosts in the group stages, before overcoming Thailand in the semi-final and Japan 1-0 in the final.

Iran's Fereshteh_Karimi (right) was awarded the title of the tournament's Most Valuable Player (MVP), scoring six times including the winning goal in the final.

The Iranian women's national team featured freely without the hijab up until the Iranian Revolution which began in January 1978 and ended in February 1979.
Reformed in 2005, the women's national team finished runners-up in the 2005 West Asian Football Federation Women's Championship held in Amman, Jordan.

In May 2006, the women's team hosted their first foreign visitors when a club from Berlin, Germany called BSV Al-Dersimspor played out a 2–2 draw in Ararat Stadium, Tehran.

The team were again runners-up at both the 2007 and 2011 West Asian Football Federation Women's Championship, after Iran had briefly been banned by FIFA from international competition in 2011 for wearing hijabs.

Dr Eva Carneiro quits Chelsea following Mourinho outburst!

Dr Eva Carneiro has decided against a return to Chelsea Football Club, and is now expected to fight for a significant pay-off from the Premier League side.

The Times and the Daily Mail both report that the FA is investigating a complaint from a member of the public claiming Mourinho had shouted "filha da puta" - something that means "daughter of a whore" towards Carneiro during the Premier League match against Swansea City on 8th August.

New evidence regarding the incident involving Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho and team doctor Eva Carneiro has been submitted to the Football Association by Women in Football (WiF).

This evidence includes video footage and a written submission from a Portuguese translator who says the coach singled out the club doctor in his outburst.

After the controversial incident with manager Jose Mourinho, Carneiro lost her place on the Chelsea bench and was not allowed to attend training sessions, matches or enter the team hotel.

Carneiro was told to report back for duty at Chelsea last Friday by the club’s hierarchy, the day before the crucial game at home to Arsenal, but decided against doing so and is understood to have now left the club.

The news has invited criticism from within the Football Association, with chair of the 'FA's Inclusion Advisory Board' (IAB) Heather Rabbatts expressing her "sadness and anger" at Dr Carneiro’s departure.

Anna Kessel, chair and co-founder of WiF, said: "We'll be extremely surprised if there is no charge at all."

Kessel also wrote in the Guardian: "One day we will look back at the story of Dr Eva Carneiro and wonder how any of this happened."

"How did a highly respected doctor have her reputation ripped to shreds despite not putting a foot wrong?"

"How did a Premier League manager lose his rag, misinterpret the facts and the laws of the game and fail to apologise? And why did no one defend her?"

"It is time now to hear from the game's enforcers, the Football Association and the Premier League. WiF urges them to step up to the plate."

"This is about medical ethics, human rights, employment rights, the integrity of the game. This is a test and we urge football not to shy away from it."

Mourinho’s heavy-handed actions have been condemned by Fifa and the medical community while Chelsea have continued to insist it is an “internal staffing matter” and have not commented throughout the case.


Mourinho had claimed that both Carneiro and Fearn could both eventually resume their duties despite his angry criticism of them – when he called them naïve and not understanding football - but, according to sources at the club, it was always expected that the doctor would leave as her position had appeared to become untenable.

Carneiro is understood to have further angered the manager when in the immediate aftermath of the incident, during the 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge, she took to the social media network Facebook to express her thanks for the "overwhelming support" she received.

Chelsea are unlikely to replace Carneiro (right) in the short-term with Dr Chris Hughes, who has worked with the academy players, continuing to sit on the bench. However it is understood the club is eventually going to use another doctor, David Porter, in the role once he has the necessary certificate to enter the field of play.

In a further twist first team physiotherapist Jon Fearn, who was also rebuked by Mourinho and demoted after also running onto the pitch, is expected to return to the Chelsea bench and has continued to work with the first-team players and also travelled to games.

Defending the doctor’s actions against Swansea, Rabbatts said last night: "Any other response would have been a dereliction of her duty and a breach of General Medical Council guidelines."

"In acting properly she was then subject to verbal abuse and public criticism and in effect demoted by her removal from the bench."


"Over the weekend WiF submitted evidence to the FA's investigation into Mourinho's comments as well as writing to Richard Scudamore, Chief Executive of the highest tier of association football in England, the Premier League.

Anna Kessel says of Carnerio: "Anyone who has met her is impressed by her professionalism, her serious nature, her commitment to helping others – both the patients she treats and the young women who write her streams of letters wanting to follow in her footsteps. She has worked at Chelsea for six years, as first-team doctor under four different managerial regimes. Surviving as a female medic in the football industry is hard enough; excelling as one is almost unheard of.

Dr Carneiro had already endured so much in her career, the horrific sexist abuse from opposition fans highlighted by the WiF campaign last season. It is sad that her ultimate downfall appears to be at the hands of the very club who once supported her and a game that so far has suggested it does not care to."

The expectation remains that no charge will be leveled, but if he is prosecuted Mourinho could be handed a five-match ban.

Will Dr Eva Carneiro accept Chelsea's invitation to return?

Dr Eva Carneiro, who was banned from the Chelsea bench after being criticised by manager José Mourinho, has been told to report for work at the club’s training ground today.
Carneiro has not been seen at Chelsea since the incident on 8th August, possibly through the legal advice she has taken from law firm Mishcon de Reya, but has been informed that she needs to return to duty now.

Whether Carneiro turns up at the Cobham training ground in Surrey remains to be seen – although physio Jon Fearn, who also had his duties cut, has continued to work during the intervening period with the first-team.

The Football Association has confirmed it is investigating a complaint that Chelsea manager José Mourinho used abusive language during the incident in the opening game against Swansea that saw club doctor Eva Carneiro and first-team physiotherapist Jon Fearn stripped of their matchday duties.

Fearn has not, as yet, resumed his place on the Chelsea bench but is expected to eventually do so. Whether Carneiro is able to do the same would appear to remain in doubt although there have been claims the duo will be in place for Saturday’s Premier League match at home to Arsenal.
Chelsea have previously insisted the issue is an "internal staffing matter" and say they do not intend to comment although Mourinho has publically said that Carneiro might be reinstated.

According to a report in the Independent, the Football Association received a complaint after the match on 8th August and the governing body’s compliance department are now studying video evidence.

Carneiro (right), born in Gibraltar is understood to have already taken legal advice with the possibility that Chelsea might be seeking to re-deploy her within their medical department and away from being first-team doctor. Some lawyers have suggested she may have grounds for constructive dismissal.

The Chelsea manager lost his cool towards the very end of his team’s 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge, when Eden Hazard went down in the third minute of stoppage time and Carneiro and Fearn ran on to treat the winger and it was revealed last month that Carneiro and Fearn had been told they would not sit on the Chelsea bench after the incident with Mourinho accusing the pair of naivety and failing to "understand the game."

Under FA rule E3, players and coaches can be penalised for using "offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures," with Mourinho facing up to a five-match ban if he is found guilty.

It subsequently emerged that not only did referee Michael Oliver twice gesture the medics to come on, but that he had also checked with Hazard that he wanted to receive treatment. This led to further criticism of Mourinho from medical professionals.

Sky Sports released video footage of the moment Mourinho lost his temper with his medical staff which appears to show the Portuguese boss calling one or both of them “son of a bitch”.
According to the report, Carneiro has not returned to Chelsea’s Cobham training ground since being withdrawn from matchday duties, with Doctor Chris Hughes and physiotherapist Steven Hughes having replaced her and Fearn.

Mourinho’s treatment of Carneiro and Fearn has already been discussed by world football governing body FIFA. Another influential body, the British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine (BASEM) has also raised the matter with the League Managers Association of which Mourinho is a member.

Chelsea play Arsenal on Saturday 19th September at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League, kick-off 12:45 BST.

Will Eva be on the bench tomorrow in her capacity as Chelsea first-team doctor?

Cristiano Ronaldo - 2014 Ballon d'Or Winner

Cristiano Ronaldo was awarded the 2014 FIFA Ballon d'Or award last night for the second consecutive year at a ceremony held in Zurich.

This was the Real Madrid forwards third Ballon d'Or (2008/2013/2014), as he topped a poll of journalists, international coaches and captains to the title of 'World's Best Player' during the calender year 2014, beating Barcelona striker Lionel Messi and Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
Ronaldo has also been runner-up on four occasions (2007/2009/2011/2012).

Ronaldo received 37.66 per cent of all votes, while Messi just pipped Manuel Neuer to second place, with 15.76 per cent compared to 15.72 per cent for Germany's World Cup-winning goalkeeper.
The remaining 30.86 per cent of the votes were split between a number of other players including: Arjen Robben, Thomas Muller, Philipp Lahm and Neymar to name just a few.

Ronaldo's latest success comes on the back of 12 months during which he scored 56 goals in 51 club games for Real Madrid in all competitions, along with 21 assists. Among his 56 club goals he scored a competition-record 17 in Real Madrid's Champions League-winning campaign.
Roanaldo also made 9 appearances for the Portuguese national team, scoring 5 times with one assist.

On receiving the award on stage from guest Thierry Henry, 29 year-old Ronaldo said the following:

"I can see my mother, my family. I would like to thank all those who voted for me. My coach, my fellow player, the President of my club.
It's been an unforgettable year. To win this trophy, a trophy of this kind, is something unique and all I can say is I want to continue working as I have so far, trying to go on to more titles - individual and as a team - for my mother, my father who is up there looking at there any my son.
I want to get better as the days go by. I want to say to all the Portuguese that I never thought I could win this trophy on three different occasions. Of course it is something that is always with me, I want to become one of the greatest players of all time, and this requires a lot so I would like to thank you for all this evening. BOOM!"

Germany national manager Joachim Low won the 'Coach of the Year' award ahead of Real boss Carlo Ancelotti and Diego Simeone of Spanish champions Atletico Madrid.

The Puskas Trophy for the best goal of 2014 went to Columbia's James Rodriguez for his volleyed World Cup goal against Uruguay,
Republic of Ireland women's striker Stephanie Roche was 2nd for her ball juggle and volley for Peamount United, with Robin van Persie third in the public vote for his diving header in Holland's 5-1 win over Spain at the finals.

Wolfsburg captain Nadine Kessler added FIFA's Women's World Player of the Year trophy to the UEFA equivalent she won last year.

Ralf Kellerman also of Wolfsburg won the award FIFA Women’s Football Coach of the Year.


FIFA's World Team of the Year for 2014 was as follows:

Manuel Neuer (Germany/Bayern Munich)
Philipp Lahm (Germany/Bayern Munich), Thiago Silva (Brazil/PSG), David Luiz (Brazil/PSG), Sergio Ramos (Spain/Real Madrid)
Toni Kroos (Germany/Real Madrid), Andrés Iniesta (Spain/Barcelona), Ángel Di Maria (Argentina/Manchester United)
Lionel Messi (Argentina/Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Real Madrid), Arjen Robben (Netherlands/Bayern Munich).

The 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup - Full Preview

The 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, is an association football tournament for national teams, currently held every four years by FIFA and the 2013 competition will be the 9th tournament of its kind. It will be held held in Brazil from the 15th to 30th June, as a prelude to the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

It is contested by the holders of each of the six FIFA confederation championships (UEFA, CONMEBOL, CONCACAF, CAF, AFC, OFC), along with the FIFA World Cup holder and the host nation, to bring the number of teams up to eight.

The tournament was originally organised by and held in Saudi Arabia and called the King Fahd Cup (Confederations Winners Cup or Intercontinental Championship), contested in 1992 and 1995 by the Saudi national side and some continental champions. In 1997, FIFA took over the organisation of the tournament, named it the FIFA Confederations Cup and staged the competition every two years.

Since 2005, it has been held every four years, in the year prior to each World Cup in the host country of the forthcoming World Cup. Considered a dress-rehearsal for the World Cup it precedes, it uses around half of the stadia intended for use at the following year's competition and gives the host nation, who qualifies for that tournament automatically, experience at a high level of competition during two years of otherwise friendlies. At the same time, participation was made optional for the South American and European champions.

Brazil is the most successful nation in the cup's history, winning the tournament a record three times in 1997, 2005 and 2009 and were also runners-up in 1999. France have won the tournament twice, in 2001 and 2003. Argentina, Mexico and Denmark have each won the competition on one occasion.

Brazil's players celebrate their Confederations Cup success in 2009 in South Africa

Generally, the host nation, the World Cup holders, and the six continental champions qualify for the competition. In those cases where a team meets more than one of the qualification criteria, another team is invited to participate.

Italy were awarded a spot in the 2013 competition because Spain had won both the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2012 UEFA Euro Championships. Since both competitions award their winners a place in the FIFA Confederations Cup, the runner-up of UEFA Euro 2012 received an invitation to the tournament.

2013 Qualified teams:

Brazil - Hosts
Spain - 2010 FIFA World Cup winner
Japan - 2011 AFC Asian Cup winner
Mexico - 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup winner
Uruguay - 2011 Copa América winner
Tahiti - 2012 OFC Nations Cup winner
Italy - 2012 UEFA Euro runners-up
Nigeria - 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winner

Group A: Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Italy

Group B: Spain, Uruguay, Tahiti, Nigeria

Brazil and Japan open proceedings on Saturday 15th June at Brasília's Estádio Nacional while Spain and Uruguay raise the Group B curtain at Recife's Arena Pernambuco on Sunday 16th June.

Seventeen British-based players have been named in provisional squads ahead of the 2013 tournament, and they are as follows:

Spain: Fernando Torres and Juan Mata (both Chelsea), Pepe Reina (Liverpool), Santi Cazorla (Arsenal), David Silva and Jesús Navas (both Manchester City).

Japan: Shinji Kagawa (Manchester United) and Maya Yoshida (Southampton).

Uruguay: Luis Suárez and Sebastián Coates (both Liverpool), Gastón Ramírez (Southampton).

Brazil: Julio Cesar (QPR), David Luiz and Oscar (both Chelsea).

Mexico: Javier Hernández (Manchester United, right)

Nigeria: John Obi Mikel (Chelsea) and Efe Ambrose (Celtic).

All-time Confederations Cup top scorers:

Cuauhtémoc Blanco (Mexico) 9 goals
Ronaldinho (Brazil) 9 goals
Adriano (Brazil) 7 goals
Romário (Brazil) 7 goals                        
Marzouk Al-Otaibi (Saudi Arabia) 6 goals

Stadium Venues:                                                    

Six stadiums venues are to be used, each in a different city. The Maracanã, Rio de Janerio (Capacity: 78,639), The National Stadium, Brasilia (Capacity: 72,000), The Arena Pernambuco, Recife (Capacity: 46,000), The Fonte Nova, Salvador  (Capacity: 50,433), Estadio Governador Magalhães Pinto, Belo Horizonte (Capacity: 62,160), The Castelão Arena, Fortaleza (Capacity: 63,903).

All the teams and and the players to watch out for in more detail:

Brazil: (World rank 22) The Home squad is a wild card, simply because of its youth. Coach Felipe Scolari ignored veterans like Kaka and Ronaldinho, meaning that the pressure will shift to Neymar and Leandro Damiao. No one knows if this club is ready for prime time as Neymar has been inconsistent with his national team in recent outings. This is the first time he is facing major European competition in a tournament.

Italy: (World rank 8) The Italians are in this tournament thanks to a second place finish at the Euro Cup. The team still sports grizzled veterans such as midfield general Andrea Pirlo and veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, the Juventus and Italian nation team captain. It also includes a more mature Mario Balotelli (right) that has stepped up his game in recent months, since his January move back to Italy, scoring 12 goals in 13 games for AC Milan. This team is more youthful than Spain and that alone could propel them in this competition.

Uruguay: (World rank 19) The two-time World Cup winners have been in steady decline since winning the 2011 Copa America tournament in Argentina. Uruguay's strength in recent years has been their attack and this tournament will be no exception.
Tabarez will have the luxury of choosing between Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani, Diego Forlan and Abel Hernandez to front his team.

Spain: (World rank 1) The defending World Cup champions are undoubtedly the stand out team in this tournament. They showcase much of the same roster that earned them the 2012 Euro Cup and will be hungry to reinstate Spain as the world's top soccer country after the dual embarrassments endured by Real Madrid and Barcelona in the Champions league.
Nineteen players remain in the squad from last summer's Euros, and 18 from the 2010 World Cup. The biggest question surrounding the team will be its forward situation. Manager Vicente Del Bosque won the Euro Cup without a striker. His top options include David Villa and Fernando Torres, but neither has been reliable over the last year. Sergio Ramos (right) is the defensive rock for 'La Roja,' allowing those in front of him to play with freedom.

Japan: (World rank 32) The Samurai's have steadily improved their status in World Soccer and enter the tournament with qualification for the 2014 World Cup all but secure. CSKA Moscow's Keisuke Honda and manchester United's Shinji Kagawa pulls the creative strings in the Japanese midfield. They are drawn into a group with Spain, Tahiti, and Nigeria - this alone gives them a huge advantage in this tournament moving forward.

Nigeria: (World ranking 31) The 'Super Eagles' have experienced something of a renaissance in the past two years under manager Stephen Keshi. winning the 2013 African Cup of Nations in February with a 1-0 victory over Burkina Faso in the final.
They are also well-placed in their quest for a 2014 World Cup berth, heading Africa's Group F with eight points from four matches in the second round of qualifiers. Nigeria's Confederations Cup squad includes Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel, Maccabi Tel Aviv goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama and Dynamo Kiev forward Brown Ideye (right) who notched 21 times for the Ukrainian outfit this season. With with 'Africa Cup of Nations' top-scorer Emmanuel Emenike injured, Ideye needs to shine!

Mexico: (World rank 17) 'El Tri' have been terrible in CONCACAF competition, but still sports a team filled with elite players like Javier Hernandez, Giovanni Dos Santos and Cruz Azul's José Corona, who captained the victorious Olympic squad and has established himself as Mexico's number one goalkeeper. The team needs those three to step up as the squad's recent performances in qualifying have not been promising or inspiring.

Tahiti: (World rank 138) The tiny Pacific island-nation earned a ticket to Brazil with a 1-0 victory over New Caledonia in the 2012 Oceania Nations Cup.
Steevy Chong Hue struck the winning goal and became a national hero overnight in a country renowned more for its idyllic beaches than football.
Tahiti's side is made up mostly of amateurs but coach Eddy Etaeta has insisted the team will be no walkover for their Confederations Cup rivals. However it is highly unlikely Tahiti will makes it out of a group stage. A win would be considered a major success for this team. Their goalkeeper Xavier Samin will play a crucial role if Tahiti want to avoid any humiliating defeats.

The 2013 Confederations Cup: My predictions and the official betting:

Brazil wound up in the toughest group of the competition, Group A. Many believe Italy will take down the other teams in the group stage, but based on other European nation's previous performances in this competition, on paper at least, things do not bode well for the 'Azzurri.' The Mexican side is dangerous, but has been madly inconsistent in its World Cup qualifiers. Japan has been terrific in its qualifiers, but has not faced the level of competition that Group B will pose. The Brazilians are still a work in progress and could finish anywhere from fourth to first in this group depending on whether the other sides in the group turn up! However I expect both Brazil and Italy to finish to qualify from their group.

While Group A is the proverbial "Group of Death," Group B is anything but that. The group could best be described as "Spain versus Everyone else." Uruguay is no longer the team that captured third place in the World Cup three summers ago or the squad that won the 2011 Copa America. This is a team that has yet to win a World Cup qualifier since September 2012. Nigeria might pose the greatest danger in the group. They do possess great pace, but they lack the skill and style to hurt the Spaniards. Spain will undoubtedly win the group while Nigeria I feel will likely grab second spot.

If these scenarios play out then Brazil will Nigeria and Spain will face Italy in the semi-finals. Brazil should have no trouble with Nigeria but Italy could pull the upset on the Spaniards. Prior to their 2012 Euro Cup victory last summer, Spain had not beaten Italy in open field play in many years. Look for Italy to pull an upset.

If Brazil faces Italy, the 'Samba Kings' should have no trouble capturing their fourth Confederations Cup trophy.

Betting:

Brazil at 11/8 are favourites to win the 2013 tournament, followed by Spain 13/8, Italy 7/1, Uruguay 9/1, Mexico 11/1, Nigeria 33/1 then Japan 40/1. Tahiti are the rank outsiders. In fact you can name you're price! However I believe there are better value betting options to consider than just Brazil to win the tournament outright.

My Best Bet:
Brazil and Italy to reach the Final 5/1
Outside Bet: Japan to qualify from Group A 5/1
Mario Balotelli (Italy) to be tournaments top goalscorer 16/1
Longshot:
Brown Ideye (Nigeria) to be to be tournament top goalscorer 80/1 (Top three 1/4 odds)

# Odds courtesy of Betfred and correct at time of writing.

Go to oddschecker for all your FIFA Confederations Cup betting.

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See here for full TV schedule of matches and kick-off times in the UK.

The Luis Suárez Crime Sheet!

Liverpool's £22.8 million forward Luis Alberto Suárez Díaz hasn't won over many fans outside of Merseyside since his move to the English Premier League in January 2011. Last season he spent nearly as many games suspended as he did score goals. The Uruguayan undoubtedly has talent, but he's spent more of his time rolling around on the grass than he has dribbling the football.

The Liverpool striker found himself in hot water again last Sunday when his bite on Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic (right) sparked universal condemnation and resulted in the Football Association slapping a ten game ban on the tempestuous Uruguayan.

Luiz Suárez first gave a glimpse of his dark side aged 15, when he was sent off for head-butting a referee and breaking the official’s nose.

Since then, the striker, nicknamed "El Pistolero" meaning "The Gunman" has scored goals and courted controversy wherever he has played.

Here is a list of the the life and crimes of football's serial offender!

February 2007 - Suárez makes his senior international debut for Uruguay on 8th February 2007 in a 3–1 win against Colombia. He is sent off in the eighty-fifth minute after receiving a second yellow card for dissent.

November 2007 - Internal suspension at Ajax for half-time bust-up with team-mate Albert Luque over a free-kick.

July 2010 - During the 2010 World Cup quarter-finals, Suárez (right centre) prevents Ghana's Dominic Adiyiah from scoring in the final minute with a deliberate handball on the goal-line and is subsequently sent off. A penalty was awarded but missed by Asamoah Gyan and footage showed Suarez celebrating on the sidelines. Uruguay eventually went through to the last four on penalties.

July 2010 - In a match for Ajax against FC Twente with the game approaching half-time Suárez loses possession on the edge of Twente's box and tries to win back the ball with a 'shocking' tackle on Cheick Tiote, and in the process feigns injury himself. The referee didn't hesitate in showing the Ajax skipper a straight red card.

November 2010 - Playing for Ajax versus title contenders PSV Eindhoven in November 2010, team mate Rasmus Lindgren had been shown a red card for a reckless tackle on Ibrahim Afellay. A scrap ensued and Suárez decided to bite Otman Bakkal on his shoulder (below). A subsequent seven game ban followed.

October 2011 - Everton's Jack Rodwell is shown a red card for a 'fair tackle' on Luis Suárez. However, the Liverpool player goes down like he'd been shot and the Everton midfielder sees red, which was later overturned on appeal.

October 2011 - Suárez racially abuses Manchester United's Patrice Evra during a Premier League match at Anfield on 15th October. Suárez is later found guilty by the FA and is banned for eight matches and fined £40,000 ($60,000).

December 2011 - After a 1-0 defeat at Fulham in December 2011, Luis Suárez is seen making an offensive gesture (raising his middle finger) in the direction of the home fans as he walks off the pitch. During the match the Uruguay international was subjected to chants of "cheat" after referee, Kevin Friend, turned down a penalty appeal when he went down following a challenge on him by Brede Hangeland.
Suárez is subsequently given a one match ban, immediately prior to his FA suspension for racial abuse coming into effect.

February 2012 - In Suárez's first game back following his eight game suspension for racially abusing Evra he clashes with Tottenham defender Michael Dawson. Dawson beats Luis Suárez to a ball down the line and concedes a throw in. As Dawson falls over in making the clearance, Suárez decides to go over to the defender and kick him whilst on the ground. If kicking Michael Dawson wasn't enough, Luis Suárez also puts his boot into Scott Parker's stomach in the same game.

February 2012 - Manchester United and Liverpool meet in the first match between the two clubs since the Suárez/Evra racial abuse incident, and much hype surrounds the game. With the chance to put the racism row behind him ahead of the big match Luis Suárez decides not to shake hands with Patrice Evra and he make the headlines for all the wrong reasons once more. United boss Sir Alex Ferguson says: "For a club with their history, I'd get rid of him, I really would." 

October 2012 - Suárez dives in front of David Moyes to celebrate a goal after the Everton manager had accused him of diving.

January 2013 - Suárez is involved in controversy when his handball directly leads to him scoring the decisive goal in Liverpool's 2–1 win over Mansfield Town in the FA Cup third round tie at Mansfield on the 6th January 2013.

February - 2013 Luis Suárez's indiscipline again sullied another excellent individual performance in Liverpool's Europa League win against Zenit St.Petersburg, as the Uruguayan stamps on Zenit defender Tomáš Hubočan (below).
Neither the referee nor the official beside the goal apparently saw the incident, and UEFA decided to take no further action, despite having the option of reviewing the incident on video after the game.

March 2013 - In a heated battle with Manchester United, Liverpool's Jamie Carragher attempted a nasty challenge on Rafael only for the Brazilian to commit a terrible foul on Lucas just seconds later. This resulted in a scrap between both sets of players in which Luis Suárez did something commonly associated with girls, and pulls Rafael's hair.

March 2013 - Suárez appears to punch Chile defender Gonzalo Jara on the chin during a World Cup qualifier. The Liverpool striker was jostling with defender Jara during his country’s 2-0 defeat in Chile when he struck out with his fist. Argentine referee Nestor Pitana took no action at the time, but Suárez could still face a lengthy ban should any retrospective action be taken by FIFA.


....................................to be continued!

Congratulations to Mexico - 2011 FIFA Under-17 World Cup Winners

Mexico captain Antonio Briseno holds aloft the FIFA U-17 World Cup

Hosts Mexico won the FIFA Under-17 World Cup on Sunday, with a 2-0 victory over Uruguay in front of a crowd of just under 100,00O at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.

Goals from Antonio Briseno in the 31st minute and Giovani Casillas in second-half stoppage time saw Mexico lift the trophy for the second time, having previously won the tournament in 2005.

Briseno scored on 31 minutes, with a close range volley after a cross from the right was headed back across goal by striker Carlos Fierro, leaving Uruguay keeper Jonathan Cubero stranded.
Uruguay nearly hit back straight away, but Elbio Alvarez's long range effort came back off the upright.

Mexico started the the second-half with more urgency, and looked the more likely to score as they tested Cubero with shots from distance.

However it was Uruguayan striker Juan San Martin who almost levelled the scores in the 61st minute, only to see his left foot shot from six yards strike the post with Richard Sanchez beaten. It was the second time the home team had been saved by the woodwork.

Casillas got his goal and Mexico's second in second-half stoppage time, scoring on the counter attack as Uruguay pressed for an equalizer. The final whistle followed just seconds later, sparking joyous scenes of unrivaled passion from fans and players alike.

"This is an amazing feeling and one of my absolute greatest sporting moments here in Mexico. We have a strong group of players in this young Mexican team, I love this job and I love this team. This is a great day." Mexico coach Raul Gutierrez after the game.

"I can't even begin to explain how happy I am, to play at the Estadio Azteca, we're so happy, me and my teammates. We worked really hard, I can't even explain how I feel," said Mexico goalkeeper Richard Sanchez.

The Under-17 World Cup tournament is famously unreliable as a guide of future success at senior level. Brazil has won the event three times, but so has Nigeria. Spain and England have never lifted the trophy, but Saudi Arabia and Switzerland have. Germany played in the first final, in 1985, but has never been back.

However, only two weeks ago the Mexico senior team won the CONCACAF Gold Cup — a competition to determine the regional champion of North America, Central America, and the Caribbean combined — defeating the United States 4-2 in the final in California.
Mexico also won the Gold Cup trophy in 2009, so are we about to witness a new era of world football domination, in the shape of Mexico? We shall see!

Mexican midfielder Julio Gomez – star of the semi-final win over Germany – was handed the adidas Golden Ball as top player while his teammates Jorge Espericueta and striker Carlos Fierro picked up the Silver and Bronze Balls respectively.

Ivorian striker Souleymane Coulibaly held out as the top finisher, to scoop the adidas Golden Shoe. His nine tournament goals in just four games was a record-equaling feat, tying him with previous tournament top scorer Frenchman Florent Sinama Pongolle, who reached the milestone playing three extra games back in 2001.

The adidas Silver Shoe went to Samed Yesil of Germany who scored six goals (and set up a further five) in a tournament where the Germans finished third.

Uruguayan goalkeeper Jonathan Cubero was awarded the adidas Golden Glove for best goalkeeper in the tournament. The Cerro man helped Uruguay earn their reputation as the meanest defence at these finals, only conceding five goals in his team’s seven games.

Full match highlights of the 2011 FIFA Under-17 World Cup Final

Sony Ericsson launches once in a lifetime 2010 FIFA World Cup Flag Bearer competition

Christmas will come early for two incredibly lucky young people from the United Kingdom as Sony Ericsson, Official Mobile Handset of the 2010 FIFA World Cup is, today, launching a competition to enable them to become the 2010 FIFA World Cup Flag Bearers.

Live the dream together – Football enthusiast families across the UK will be able to enter their child into the free draw by logging onto www.sonyericsson.com/extraman and completing a very simple task.

If you and your child love football then this is the competition for you!

This incredible opportunity for 10-16 year old girls and boys will see them, and a parent, travel to the home of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
Each child and parent will receive free flights, stunning hotel accommodation plus a ticket for the parent to watch their child take to the field alongside some of the world’s greatest football stars.

To ensure your entry is counted for this once in a lifetime prize, we must receive your details via www.sonyericsson.com/extraman by the 19th December 2009 (by 23.59 hours GMT).