Babe of the Month - Spanish Golf Belle Belén Mozo

Belén Mozo was born 25th September 1988 in Cadiz, Spain, and is a Spanish professional golfer who plays on the LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour.

Belén was born on September 25, 1988, in Cadiz, Spain. She is the daughter of Jesus Mozo and Isabel Mozo and has one sibling as Jesús Mozo. She is the residence of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, US. Belen completed her schooling from the Institute Ortega y Gasset. Her aspiration to become a professional golfer arises when she started playing golf at the age of eight. She gives credit to her mother who influences her to pursue her dreams.
She enjoys going to the beach, reading books and playing tennis and says that she is pretty laid back. At the age of 14, she moved to Madrid to go to school and pursue her interest in golf.

Mozo enjoyed a successful amateur career, and in 2006 she won both the 'British Ladies Amateur Championship' at the Royal County Down Golf Club, Northern Ireland and the 'British Girls' Amateur Championship' in Portstewart, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, becoming the first woman to win both titles in the same year since 1972. That same year Belén also represented Spain at the 2006 World Amateur Team Championships.

Also in 2006 Belén won 'The International European Ladies Amateur Championship,' which is an annual amateur golf tournament. It is organized by the European Golf Association and was first played in 1986. It is one of the "elite" tournaments in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

Belén earned a scholarship to play golf for University of Southern California and later that year she joined the USC Trojans golf team. She went on to become a four-time NCAA/All-American. Whilst at the University of Southern California she majored in international relations and after four years of collegiate golf, she turned professional, and qualified to join the LPGA Tour on her first attempt as a rookie in the 2011 season. Mozo earned more than $90,000 in her rookie season.

Belén Mozo was featured in ESPN The Magazine’s 2011 Body Issue. She credits her parents and family life growing up for her athletic body. Mozo’s parents established her nutrition and diet plans early on, allowing soda only once a week and never bringing candy into their house. She always stays active, running, playing basketball and riding horses.


























In 2014 Mozo was a member of the Spanish team that won the inaugural 'LPGA International Crown'

In 2017 The Spaniard has more than 100,000 followers on Twitter and Instagram where she shares everything from her puppy’s birthday to books she’s reading to workout videos. And while her followers have loved getting a small glimpse into Mozo’s life through social media, they wanted more! So in September 2017, Mozo launched a new blog simply titled, BELÉN.

Her sponsors are: Skechers Performance, Oakley and Beso Del Sol Sangria

Career earnings to date: $902,602

You can follow Belén on:  Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and on her Blog

Euro 2016 - Part Two: A Short and Concise Preview

Group D

My Predicted Group finish:

1. Spain 2. Croatia 3. Turkey 4. Czech Republic


Spain

There was a time when it looked as if Spain would dominate international football forever more!
Yet the defending European champions are currently in a state of uncertainty. David Villa, Xavi and Xabi Alonso have retired from international football. There are doubts over who will start in goal – Del Bosque remains loyal to captain Casillas in spite of David de Gea’s consistent excellence for Manchester United – and there’s no obvious candidate to be the third midfielder alongside Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta.

For all this, however, Spain were dominant in qualifying, and despite losing friendlies to the French, Germans and Dutch since the summer of 2014, they have arguably Euro 2016’s most talented squad. If it clicks, they’re a difficult side to stop.

Group D isn’t the worst, but Turkey, Croatia and the Czech Republic are no mugs. Spain must avoid finishing second, which would mean a last 16 tie with the Group E winners – likely to be Italy or Belgium. Still, they’re good enough to reach the final.

Opening fixture: 13-06-2016 v Czech Rep - Toulouse, 2pm kick-off (UK time)

Key players: Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), David Silva (Manchester City) and Nolito (Celta Vigo)

World ranking: 6

Odds of winning Euro 2016: 11/2 (Skybet)


Croatia

A lot of the attention falls on the midfield and understandably so! The depth and variety in those positions is impressive with Modric and Rakitic. In defence, Croatia have excellent full-backs. Darijo Srna is a great leader. Sime Vrsaljko is one of the best crossers in Serie A. Up front, Mario Mandzukic has had a fine season at Juventus and Ivan Perisic offers width and goals.

But the question marks come at centre-back! Dejan Lovren has been left out amid differences with coach Ante Cacic. Confidence in Cacic is not the greatest, however if Cacic gets the balance right, this team has what it takes to do very well.

Opening fixture: 12-06-2016 v Turkey - Paris, 2pm kick-off

Key players: Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona), Darijo Srna (Shakhtar Donetsk), Luka Modric (Real Madrid) and Mario Mandzukic (Juventus)

World ranking: 27

Odds of winning Euro 2016: 25/1 (Skybet)


Czech Republic

Gone are the days when the Czechs were part of football’s elite.
The Czechs won their group but conceded 14 goals in qualifying, more than any other side to qualify for Euro 2016.

Still, coach Pavel Vrba has created a side that aren’t easy on the eye but aren’t easy to beat, either. They won’t fear anyone, even in a tough group, but the Czechs could be heading straight home or get as far as the last 16. A leaky defence makes the former a more likely outcome.

Opening fixture: 13-06-2016 v Spain - Toulouse, 2pm kick-off

Key players: Petr Cech (Arsenal), Vladimir Darida (Hertha Berlin) and Tomáš Rosický (Arsenal)

World ranking: 30

Odds of winning Euro 2016: 100/1 (Skybet)


Turkey

Returning to the Euros for the first time since 2008, Turkey didn't need a play-off to book their place in France - they qualified as the best third-placed team behind the Czech Rep and Iceland and ahead of the Netherlands. They were undefeated in 13 games until their recent defeat to England in a friendly in Manchester in May.

Opening fixture: 12-06-2016 v Croatia - Paris, 2pm kick-off

Key players: Arda Turan (Barcelona), Hakan Calhanoglu (Bayer Leverkusen) and Selçuk İnan (Galatasaray)

World ranking: 18

Odds of winning Euro 2016: 66/1 (Skybet)


Group E

My Predicted Group finish:

1. Belgium 2. Italy 3. Republic of Ireland 4. Sweden


Republic of Ireland

Ireland made the Championships by defeating Bosnia in a play-off after finishing third in their tough qualifying group behind Germany and Poland. They only lost two of their 10 qualifying games, conceding just seven goals, and they took four points from world champions Germany, drawing 1-1 in Gelsenkirchen and winning 1-0 in Dublin.

The Irish didn't get any luck when the draw was made! In probably the strongest group in the competition, Ireland's biggest game is likely to be their opener against Sweden. The loser of that game will surely be going home early. Any improvement on their performance at Euro 2012, along with a little luck could potentially see them sneak into the second round as one of the best third-placed teams. Much will depend on the fitness of captain Robbie Keane.

Opening fixture: 13-06-2016 v Sweden - Paris, 5pm kick-off

Key players: Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy), Shane Long (Southampton) and Jon Walters (Stoke)

World ranking: 33

Odds of winning Euro 2016: 100/1 (Skybet)


Italy

Outgoing manager Antonio Conte would dearly like to sign off with success before he leaves for Chelsea, but that's easier said than done for Italy. After a disastrous World Cup campaign that saw the Azzurri eliminated at the group stage – just as they were in South Africa four years previously – Italy needed to shake things up and Conte was brought in.

Italy comfortably won their qualifying campaign in what was ultimately a weak group, which included the likes of Azerbaijan, Bulgaria and Malta. They finished unbeaten but were far from convincing, scoring only 16 times in 10 games and only managing to grind out 1-0 victories both home and away to Malta, currently ranked 165th in the world.

Group E is one of Euro 2016’s toughest, and while Italy’s defence can keep the very best teams quiet, their lack of attacking threat will likely see them fail to make it much further than the last eight.

Opening fixture: 13-06-2016 v Belgium - Lyon, 8pm kick-off

Key players: Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Graziano Pelle (Southampton), Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) and Daniele De Rossi (Roma)

World ranking: 12

Odds of winning Euro 2016: 16/1 (Skybet)


Sweden

Will Zlatan Ibrahimovic alone be enough to savevic alone be enough to save Sweden! The Swedes only qualified via a play-off win against neighbouring Denmark, after finishing behind Russia and Austria in a weak group that included Montenegro, Liechtenstein and Moldova. Ibrahimovic is in the form of his life right now and he will have to hit the ground running, because without him the Swedes look very ordinary. They have recorded just one win in their last six games, so the omens aren't good for coach Erik Hamren's side.

if Sweden manage to get through the group they are likely to play France, Spain or Austria in the round of 16 and that can only mean a ticket back home.

Opening fixture: 13-06-2016 v Rep of Ireland - Paris, 5pm kick-off

Key players: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Paris Saint-Germain)

World ranking: 35

Odds of winning Euro 2016: 66/1 (Skybet)


Belgium

Belgium lived up to their status as group favourites, finishing top despite dropping five points to Wales. But their build up to these Championships has seen them lose several players to injury. However they have enough quality among their ranks to overcome their injury woes to at least reach the final of this year's tournament. Although to do so they will have to dispose of World Champions Germany in the quarter-finals, if results goes to plan.

Opening fixture: 13-06-2016 v Italy - Lyon, 8pm kick-off

Key players: Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City), Yannick Ferreira Carrasco (Atletico Madrid), Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea), Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham) and Romelu Lukaku (Everton)

World ranking: 2

Odds of winning Euro 2016: 11/1 (Skybet)


Group F

My Predicted Group finish:

1. Austria 2. Iceland 3. Portugal 4. Hungary


Iceland

This is the first time Iceland have qualified for a major tournament, and they are the smallest nation ever to qualify for the European Championship, but they're by no means the weakest. They only lost twice in their qualifying group, a group which included the Czech Republic, Turkey as well as the Netherlands, who they beat both home and away. They also kept six clean sheets in their 10 games.

I think they will qualify as runners-up, then see how they fare against Slovakia or Wales – both beatable – in the last 16.

Opening fixture: 14-06-2016 v Portugal - Saint-Étienne, 8pm kick-off

Key players: Gylfi Sigurdsson (Swansea), Kolbeinn Sigthorsson (Nantes), Arnor Ingvi Traustason (Rapid Vienna) and Aron Gunnarsson (Cardiff City)

World ranking: 34

Odds of winning Euro 2016: 100/1 (Skybet)


Austria

Austria will be competing in their first European Championship finals after they won their qualifying group comfortably - following an unbeaten campaign, winning nine of their ten games and conceding just 5 goals.

They could be the dark horses of the tournament. They're a hard-working, quick-countering side and can be absolutely ruthless on the break. Expect Austria to win their group and to face either Italy or Republic of Ireland in the last 16. If they finish 2nd in their group they will be paired with the winners of Group B, possibly England.

Opening fixture: 14-06-2016 v Hungary - Bordeaux, 5pm kick-off

Key players: Marko Arnautovic (Stoke), Marc Janko (Basel), David Alaba (Bayern Munich) and Aleksandar Dragovic (Dynamo Kiev)

World ranking: 10

Odds of winning Euro 2016: 40/1 (Skybet)


Portugal

Portugal topped their qualifying group, with seven wins out of eight, but scored just 11 goals in those 8 games.

So much depends on the condition of Cristiano Ronaldo. The Real Madrid star looked well short of fitness in the Champions League final and manager Fernando Santos will be praying that he recovers in time. Without him, Portugal are worryingly light on goals.

With arguably the tournament’s best player in their ranks, plus a healthy mix of experienced campaigners and bright new talent, hopes are high within the Portuguese camp that they can continue their impressive Euros record. In six appearances, they have reached the semi-finals on four occasions, going on to contest the final on home turf in 2004, and they have never failed to successfully negotiate the group phase.

That’s the good news. The bad news is that Portugal’s recurrent problem of having no high-quality striker is again evident. Eder may lead the line, but one goal in 23 Portugal appearances is not a record that will have opposition defenders quaking in their boots.

I expect Portugal to struggle in this group, and victory in their opening fixture against Iceland in Saint-Étienne is crucial, if they are to progress. Even if they do reach the knockout phase I can't see them progressing beyond the last 16.

Opening fixture: 14-06-2016 v Iceland - Saint-Étienne, 8pm kick-off

Key players: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Renato Sanches (Benfica) and Ricardo Carvalho (AS Monaco)

World ranking: 8

Odds of winning Euro 2016: 20/1 (Skybet)


Hungary

Hungary's qualification wasn't exactly straight-forward and sadly there's little to suggest that their stay in France will be a long one. They made it through to the finals via a play-off win versus Norway, after finishing as the third best placed team in their group, behind Northern Ireland and Romania, scoring only eleven goals in their ten qualifying games. They will need to bring their very best to this tournament if they're to avoid finishing last in Group F.

Opening fixture: 14-06-2016 v Austria - Bordeaux, 5pm kick-off

Key players: Tamas Priskin (Slovan Bratislava), Zoltan Gera and Ádám Nagy (both Ferencváros)

World ranking: 20

Odds of winning Euro 2016: 200/1 (Skybet)



# All tournament betting odds correct at time of writing.
## All kick-offs indicated are in United Kingdom time.

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.

Live TV coverage of The FIFA Confederations Cup will be shown on BBC1 and BBC3 and also on ESPN, ESPN2 and CBCSports.

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

Spain face Swiss challenge in Euro U21's Final - Betting News with Betfred

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Spain have looked virtually unbeatable at times in the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championships, but came within a whisker of elimination in Wednesday's semi-final against Belarus.

Having rescued victory from the jaws of defeat, their last gasp comeback against Belarus has taken them to within 90 minutes of another Under-21 title, but they face an impressive Switzerland team on Saturday evening, playing in their first final, having been semi-finalists in 2002.

The Spanish, European Under-21 champions in 1986 and 1998 have been praised from all sides for their football so far – which is reminiscent of their senior team's brand of play that took them to World Cup glory last summer.

Spain are odds of 4/6 to win in 90 minutes but might not have everything their own way against Switzerland though. The Swiss have emerged victorious from all four matches in Jutland and, perhaps more impressively, the Group A victors have yet to concede a goal.

The football experts believe Spain will lift the trophy, and in Adrián López of Deportivo de La Coruña, Spain have a striker in a rich vein of form, and with five tournament goals to his name already, he will seriously test the so far watertight Swiss defence!

Spain needed an 89th-minute equaliser from Adrián against Belarus to take the match into extra-time, before the same player headed them in front and Barcelona striker Jeffren Suárez clinched the win, as they failed to hit the same heights showed earlier in the tournament.

In the other semi-final the Swiss too needed extra-time to clinch a 1-0 win over the Czech Republic, thanks to a winner from FC Zürich forward Admir Mehmedi.

There is no doubt the two best sides in the tournament have made it into the final of the European under-21 Championships and it promises to be a great meeting between two in-form sides.

Spain have been most people's favourites to win the tournament ever since a ball was kicked, but they showed against England and Belarus they can struggle to break down organised defences, and they looked a little tired in their semi-final.

They will not have everything their own way in the final against a strong Switzerland side that are big outsiders and football odds of 9/2 for a Swiss win in normal time reflect this.

Swiss fans and punters looking for inspiration and a possible upset on Saturday need only to cast their minds back 12 months ago when the senior Swiss side caused a major shock at the World Cup, beating Spain in their opening game group game.

My Tip of the Weekend:

Spain should be too strong for Switzerland but there will not be many goals in the game, with a 1-0 win to the Spaniards looking good at 5/1 with Betfred.
For those of you who feel this final could go beyond the 90 minutes, you can get 5/1 also on the game to be both a draw at half-time and at full-time.

Saturday 25th June: Spain U21's v Switzerland U21's, Aarhus Stadium, Aarhus, kick-off 19.45 BST, live on Sky Sports 1.

By Drew Swainston
(Guest writer from Betfred on behalf of Beer Footy and Birds!)

The 2010/11 European Domestic League's Winners and Losers, and the Top Scorers.

English Premier League:
Winners: Manchester United
Runners-Up - Chelsea
Automatic Champions League Qualification - Man City
Relegated - Birmingham, Blackpool, West Ham.
Top scorers: Dimitar Berbatov (Man Utd 20 goals), Carlos Tevez (Man City 20), Robin Van Persie (Arsenal 18), Darren Bent (Aston Villa 17).

Spanish La Liga:
Winners - Barcelona
Runners-Up - Real Madrid
Automatic Champions League Qualification - Barcelona, Real Madrid, Valencia
Relegated - Deportivo La Coruna, Hércules, Almería.
Leading scorers: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid 40 goals), Lionel Messi (Barcelona 31), Sergio Agüero right, (Atletico Madrid 20), Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla 20), David Villa (Barcelona 18), (Giuseppe Rossi Villarreal 18), Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao 18), Roberto Soldado (Valencia 18).

Italy's Serie A :
Winners - AC Milan
Runners-Up - Inter Milan
Automatic Champions League Qualification - AC Milan, Inter Milan, Napoli
Relegated - Sampdoria, Brescia, Bari.
Top scorers: Antonio Di Natale (Udinese 28 goals), Edinson Cavani (Napoli 26), Samuel Eto'o (Inter 21), Alessandro Matri (Cagliari 20).

German Bundesliga:
Winners - Borussia Dortmund
Runners-Up - Bayer Leverkusen
Automatic Champions League Qualification - Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen
Relegated: Eintracht Frankfurt, St Pauli.
Top scorers: Mario Gomez right, (Bayern Munich 28 goals), Papiss Demba Cisse (SC Freiburg 22), Milivoje Novakovic (FC Koln 17).

French Ligue 1 League Table:
Winners - Lille
Runners-Up - Olympique Marseille
Automatic Champions League Qualification - Lille & Olympique Marseille
Relegated - Monaco, Lens, Arles.
Top scorers: Moussa Sow (Lille 22 goals), Kevin Gameiro (Lorient 21), Youssef El-Arabi (Caen 17).

Dutch Eredivisie League Table:
Winners - Ajax Amsterdam
Runners-Up - Twente Enschede
Automatic Champions League Qualification - Ajax
Relegated - VVV Venlos, Willem II, SC Excelsior Rotterdam.
Top Scorers: Björn Vleminckx (NEC 23 goals), Dmitriy Bulykin (ADO Den Haag 21), Mads Junker right, (Roda JC 21).

Ukrainian Premier League Table:
Winners - Shakhtar Donetsk
Runners-Up - Dynamo Kiev
Automatic Champions League Qualification - Shakhtar Donetsk
Relegated - Metalurh Zaporizhya, Sevastopol.
Top Scorers: EvgenLast Seleznev (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk 17 goals), MarkoLast Dević (Metalist 14).

Portuguese Liga Sagres League Table:
Winners: FC Porto
Runners-Up - Benfica
Automatic Champions League Qualification - FC Porto
Relegated - Portimonense, Naval 1º de Maio.
Top scorers: Givanildo 'Hulk' Vieira de Souza right, (FC Porto 23 goals), Radamel Falcao García Zárate (FC Porto 16), João Henrique Tomás (Rio Ave 16).

Belgian Jupiler Pro League Table :
Winners - Anderlecht
Runners-Up - Racing Genk
Champions League Group Stage Qualification - Racing Genk, Standard Liege
Relegated - AS Eupen, Royal Charleroi SC.
Top Scorers - Jelle Vossen (Racing Genk 17 goals), Ivan Perišić (16), Ronald Vargas Aranguren (Club Brugge 15).

Turkish Spor Toto Super Lig Table:
Winners - Fenerbahce
Runners-Up - Trabzonspor
Automatic Champions League Qualification - Fenerbahce
Relegated - Bucaspor, Konyaspor, Kasimpasa.
Top Scorers - Alexsandro 'Alex' Souza right, (Fenerbahce 28 goals), BurakLast Yilmaz (Trabzonspor 19), Mamadou Niang (Fenerbahce 15).

Austrian Bundesliga League Table:
Winners - SK Sturm Graz
Runners-Up - FC Red Bull Salzburg.
Champions League Group Stage Qualification - SK Sturm Graz
Relegated - LASK Linz
Top scorers: Roland Linz (Austria Wien 20 goals), Roman Kienast (SK Sturm Graz 19), Hamdi Salihi (Rapid Wien 17), Roman Wallner (Salzburg 17).

The Worst Sporting Champions of All Time ! - Part One

The World Cup is over, Spain were victorious and they are the World Champions. At the end of the day whilst watching it from my humble abode here in the UK it is in my opinion that Spain were indeed worthy winners, although it was generally a disappointing tournament all-round in terms of the quality of the football played, and the embarrassment and humiliation the England players and management team bestowed upon our nation!

This article is part one of several to come celebrating those undeserved 'Sporting Champions' - those teams and/or individuals that were actually top of their field, yet were still pretty rubbish.

For this reason I shall call them 'Sport's Greatest Ever Pretenders,' starting with:
Blackburn Rovers - Premiership Champions 1995.

How did a team based around the workmanlike talents of Tim Sherwood and Jeff Kenna become champions of England?

Stick nine men behind the ball, hoof it up to Alan Shearer and hope he's not too busy flapping his pointy elbows into some poor old defender's eye socket, and in the interim point in time he whacks the ball into the back of the onion bag. That is how!

Ole, ole ole!.............free-flowing, aesthetically pleasing, champagne football!

That season Manchester United had been handicapped by the loss of the mercurial Eric 'the karate kid' Cantona, following a now well documented altercation with a Crystal Palace fan at Selhurst Park one January evening in 1995. Without the suspended Frenchman it immediately became advantage Rovers, but they still failed to claim their prize with any assumed authority.

They stumbled over the finishing line, losing three of their final five games, the last of which gave Manchester United the chance to snatch the title with the very last kick of the season, if they could win at West Ham. Luckily for Rovers, that final kick fell to United's Achilles heel, Andy Cole's club foot - and Kenny Dalglish's men topped the table by a single point.

They danced and they sang without a hint of ignominy, as this small Lancashire club lifted the Premier League trophy, just four years after the arrival and the aid of the late Jack Walker's dynasty and his millions.

Such end-of-season shamelessness would never be seen again............that was until Chelsea insisted that it 'wasn't all about Roman's f***ing money,' when in June 2003 Ken Bates sold Chelski to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich for £140 million, completing what was then the biggest-ever sale of an English football club.

He subsequently spent over £100 million on new players, as they went onto become the fifth English team to win (buy) back-to-back league championships since the Second World War in 2004/05 and 2005/06.

England's Kids Can Ease World Cup Hangover !

The very best of this country's young talent hope to put a smile back on the face of English football after the disastrous World Cup campaign under Fabio Capello.

England's Under 19 squad will be gunning for glory in the European Championships in France, beginning this Sunday with their first group stage game of the tournament against their Austrian counterparts in the Stade du Hazé, Flers (Normandy).

The UEFA European Under-19 Championship tournament consists of eight teams.
The group stage will be cut-throat - with Austria, England, France and the Netherlands drawn in Group A, and Croatia, Spain, Italy and Portugal in Group B, with the top two progressing to the semi-finals. The winners of those ties contest the final.

In the last eight runnings of this competition (since it became the Under-19's in 2002) it has paid to support the European big guns, the countries who place such pride is their youth systems. Spain have won the tournament four times, France and Italy once apiece, and with a nod to the World Cup just gone, Germany won it two years ago with a team fine tuned in the same youth system which provided the likes of Mesut Ozil and Thomas Muller.

Ukraine may have looked like shock winners last time (they beat England in the final), but the system put in place by Valeri Lobanovsky all those years ago is still churning out terrific players, especially now that the country's FA is focusing on that area with a nod to Euro 2012.

But which of England manager Noel Blake's squad are good enough to make the full step to full international recognition?

The England Under-19 squad for the European Championships to be held between the 18th and the 30th July 2010 in Normandy, France is as follows:

Declan Rudd (Norwich City), James Severn (Derby County), Nathan Baker (Aston Villa), Stephen Caulker (Tottenham), Matthew Briggs (Fulham), Reece Brown (Manchester United), Nathaniel Clyne (Crystal Palace, right), Thomas Cruise (Arsenal), Josh Thompson (Celtic); John Bostock, Dean Parrett, Andros Townsend (all Tottenham), Matthew James (Manchester United), Jacob Mellis (Chelsea), Matthew Phillips (Wycombe); Nathan Delfouneso (Aston Villa), Ryan Donaldson (Newcastle United), Frank Nouble (West Ham).

England have improved in leaps and bounds at this level, and won the Euro Under-17s earlier in the year. However I think that the draw has not done them any favours, and that they'll find at least two of the other sides in their group too good. The Netherlands look rock solid to make it through as group winners, and local support may benefit the French, with Austria also strong contenders.
I'll take Spain to get it right in Group B, and Croatia to more than likely follow them through.

If your having a bet be warned - the top teams are so tightly matched that any of them could win it, which should make for a superb spectacle.

I am going to have a small wager on the Netherlands to go one step further than their senior team did this month, and lift the trophy on the 30th July. My outside tip for glory would lie with the Croatians.


European U19 Championships 2010 - England's Group A fixtures/results/scorers:

Sun 18st July - England U19's 3-2 Austria U19's

England goalscorers: Nouble (13') & (29'), Cruise (53')
England team: Rudd, Briggs (Clyne 54'), James (C), Caulker (Thompson 86'), Baker, Parrett, Delfouneso, Nouble, Bostock (Mellis 77'), Cruise, Brown.
Substitutes not used: Nicholls (GK), Phillips, Noble, Donaldson.

Wed 21st July - England U19's 0-1 The Netherlands U19's

England team: Rudd, Clyne, James (C), Caulker, Baker, Mellis (Donaldson 83'), Parrett, Delfouneso, Nouble, Brown, Phillips (Noble 72').
Substitutes not used: Nicholls (GK), Briggs, Bostock, Cruise, Thompson.

Sat 24th July - England U19's 1-1 France U19's

England goalscorer: Phillips 90'+ 3'
England team: Rudd, Clyne, James (C), Caulker, Mellis (Bostock 78'), Parrett (Noble 74'), Delfouneso, Nouble, Cruise, Thompson, Donaldson (Phillips 76').
Substitutes not used: Nicholls (GK), Briggs, Baker, Brown.

Group A

1 France 7 pts
2 England 4 pts
3 Austria 3 pts
4 Netherlands 3pts

France and England qualify for the semi-finals.

Wed 27th July: Semi-Final: Spain U19's 3-1 England U19's

England goalscorer: Bostock 37'
England team: Rudd, Clyne, James (C), Caulker, Baker (Bostock 18'), Mellis (Noble 59'), Delfouneso, Nouble, Cruise, Thompson, Donaldson (Phillips 71').
Substitutes not used: Nicholls (GK), Brown, Malone.

All the games can be seen on Eurosport.

Congratulations to Spain - FIFA 2010 World Cup Winners

Spanish skipper Iker Casillas lifts the FIFA World Cup trophy aloft as he celebrates his sides 1-0 extra-time victory over the Netherlands in Johannesburg tonight.

Andres Iniesta (right) struck a dramatic winner four minutes from the end of extra time to give Spain World Cup glory for the first time, and in turn condem the Netherlands to their third defeat in a final, following defeats to the host nations in 1974 and 1978.
European 2008 champions Spain deserved their victory, after gradually taking a grip on a tense and bad-tempered contest which saw referee Howard Webb produce 14 yellow cards, including the dismissal of Dutch defender Johnny Heitinga, sent off for a second bookable offence, seven minutes before Iniesta drilled home the only goal of the game.

Teams:

Spain:
01 Casillas Capt.
03 Pique
05 Puyol (booked)
11 Capdevila (booked)
15 Sergio Ramos (booked)
06 Iniesta (booked)
08 Xavi (booked)
14 Alonso (Fabregas, 87)
16 Busquets
07 Villa (Torres, 105)
18 Pedrito (G Jesus Navas, 60)

Netherlands:

01 Stekelenburg
02 Van Der Wiel (booked)
03 Heitinga (sent-off)
04 Mathijsen (booked)
05 Van Bronckhorst Capt. (booked) (Braafheid, 105)

06 Van Bommel (booked)
08 De Jong (booked) (Van der Vaart, 99)

10 Sneijder
07 Kuyt (Elia, 70)
09 Van Persie (booked)
11 Robben (booked)

Venue: Soccer City, Johannesburg, Referee: Howard Webb, Attendance: 84,490

Two Classic World Cup Underachievers in Final Clash - Betting News with Betfred

After all the hype about the South American teams impressing at the World Cup, it comes down to two European sides to battle it out in the 2010 World Cup Final.

The Netherlands looked impressive in beating a lacklustre Uruguay in their semi-final, the 3-2 scoreline making the game seem a lot tighter than it actually was.

As for Spain, despite all their intricate play and crisp passing, it took a bullet header from a set-piece by 'the perm haired old rocker' Carlos Puyol to book their place in Sunday's final.

It was a narrow win over a well-drilled German side, and perhaps the most surprising statistic was that Spain striker David Villa did not get on the score sheet.

Now, the Dutch are 11/4 outsiders in the World Cup Final betting with Betfred, while their Iberian opponents are favourites at 11/10.

In the final it will be a battle for the Golden Boot as Villa and Wesley Sneijder are both level on five goals apiece - with Villa priced at 4/5 to finish the tournament as top goal scorer compared to 9/4 for Sneijder.

While Holland look reliant on Sneijder and Arjen Robben to provide the pace, skill and the goals, it is clear the likes of Mark van Bommel, John Heitinga and Dirk Kuyt are the Dutch work horses and ball winners.

Spain showed against Germany how effective their midfield is. Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets and Alonso all look comfortable knocking the ball around, and the entire side seem able to play a sharp and direct passing game. With Villa up front they also look to have the best striker in the entire competition, and the betting odds suggest he is likely to find the net again.

Last night, Pedro impressed when coming off the bench, and he can offer a lot to the side if he is called upon in the final. However, despite a relatively poor tournament thus far it would be foolish for any football fan to write off the dangers of Fernando Torres, who is 6/1 to score first in the final.

Whatever happens, a new name will be on the trophy after the two great underachievers of world football collide in what should be an open game between two teams who both play attractive, free-flowing and attacking football.

My Tip Of The Weekend:

Both sides look impressive going forward, so 6/4 for there to be more than 2.5 goals in the final looks like good value.

World Cup Final 2010: The Netherlands v Spain - Sunday 11th July, kick-off 7.30pm GMT

By Drew Swainston
(Guest writer from Betfred on behalf of Beer Footy and Birds!)

The Latest World Cup News

After yesterday's final group games which saw Spain, Portugal, Brazil and Chile book their places in the second round of the 2010 World Cup, we now move straight into the knock-out phase of the tournament.
Today sees Uruguay up against South Korea in Port Elizabeth, whilst the USA take on Ghana in Rustenburg in the late kick-off.

Uruguay are expected to stick with the same line-up that beat Mexico 1-0 in their final group game. Coach Oscar Tabarez may be tempted to bring in defender Diego Godin in place of Mauricio Victorino, who is one booking away from suspension, as are fellow defenders Diego Lugano and Jorge Fucile - BBC Sport

South Korea coach Huh Jung-Moo could drop fullback Cha Du-Ri, who was at fault for Nigeria's opening goal in their 2-2 draw, with Kim Dong-Jin favourite to replace him.
One booking away from suspension are midfielders Lee Chung-Yong and Kim Nam-Il, along with striker Yeom Ki-Hun - BBC Sport

The United States welcome the return of Robbie Findley from suspension after he missed the Algeria victory thanks to two yellow cards picked up in the opening two matches.
Replacing Findley in attack for the game in Pretoria was Herculez Gomez, however with DaMarcus Beasley and Edson Buddle also both available, coach Bob Bradley has options as to who will partner Jozy Altidore up front.
Midfielder Maurice Edu is likely to retain a starting berth after coming in for Jose Francisco Torres - skysports.com

Ghana could be without centre-back Isaac Vorsah for the knockout encounter as the defender struggles to win his fitness battle. Vorsah missed the draw against Australia through injury and was hoping to be in contention for the loss to Germany, however Serbian coach Milovan Rajevac was forced to start him on the bench.
There was better news for fellow first-choice defender John Mensah, who also returned from the sidelines to complete 90 minutes, meaning Ghana may field an unchanged starting XI.
Midfielder Sulley Muntari may come in for Prince Tagoe, despite a 'reported bust-up' with his coach, should Rajevax decide to tinker with his system - skysports.com

The clash between arch-rivals Germany and England rates as one of the glamour fixtures in world football, as both teams gear up for Sunday's last 16 meeting in Bloemfontein.
England's Jamie Carragher could return after suspension at the heart of England's defence replacing Matthew Upson.
Striker Miroslav Klose should return to the German starting line-up after suspension with Cacau making way. Toni Kroos may start in midfield as Bastian Schweinsteiger is doubtful with a thigh muscle injury - Fourfourtwo.com

Brazil will welcome back midfield pair Kaka and Elano for Monday's last 16 encounter against fellow South Americans Chile, in Johannesburg. Kaka served a one-match ban against Portugal while Elano was ruled out through injury - Fifa.com

Spain midfielder Xavi Alonso is a doubt for the World Cup round of 16 showdown with Iberian neighbours Portugal after suffering a sprained ankle in their win over Chile - Goal.com

Japan striker Shinji Okazaki has warned Paraguay that they have "nothing to lose" as they bid for a historic place in the World Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday.
The Samurai Blue helped Japan to victories over Cameroon and Denmark in Group E to seal their place in the last 16 for the first time ever on foreign soil. Okazaki opened his World Cup account when he came off the bench to score the clincher in the 3-1 win over the Danes on Thursday.
Okazaki's first World Cup goal came as a relief for the 24-year-old, who finished as the world's top international scorer for 2009 with 15 goals. Since the turn of the year, however, he has struggled to match that form, but after getting off the mark on Thursday he is determined to add to his tally in South Africa - Fifa.com

Sven-Goran Eriksson has refused to confirm where his future lies after stepping down as Ivory Coast manager.
His team crashed out of the World Cup in the opening stages after failing to progress from Group G, and now that the Swede's short term deal as coach has ended, he has been linked with a return to club management - Goal.com

The Latest World Cup News

After terrific results so far in this World Cup for most of Latin America's teams, Paraguay hope to keep the roll going against Slovakia in Sunday's first game in the quest for a second round place.
The South Americans have not passed the second stage in seven attempts but are buoyed with self-belief after wins over big guns Brazil and Argentina in the qualifiers, and a creditable 1-1 draw with world champions Italy in their opening game - Reuters

Just 15 days after undergoing surgery on a broken arm, Didier Drogba is set to start tonight for the Ivory Coast against Brazil, and that would be a huge boost for a side that has already taken a point off Portugal.
The Chelsea striker made a difference when he came on late in the 0-0 draw and Brazil, having been stretched by North Korea, will be aware of his threat in this most unpredictable of World Cups.
Brazil could keep faith with the side that won 2-1 against North Korea ahead of the final game, against Portugal - Telegraph.co.uk

Paul Le Guen insists he will not step down as Cameroon coach after they became the first nation to be knocked out of the World Cup.
The Indomitable Lions' hopes of reaching the second round are already over after suffering a 2-1 defeat by Denmark in Pretoria on Saturday - Skysports.com

The Netherlands and Denmark will both be missing key players when they face each other on Monday.
Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben will definitely miss out for the Netherlands with a hamstring injury, while Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner is likely to be missing for Denmark with a groin problem - BBC Sport

Fabio Capello has warned his underperforming England side that he is prepared to get tough if necessary.The Italian has made it clear that he will make his selections based on form, meaning nobody is immune from the axe.
Two lacklustre showings in their opening Group C games at the 2010 World Cup have left Capello pondering sweeping changes.
Some difficult decisions may have to be made before the midweek encounter in Port Elizabeth, with the performances of too many players having fallen below the required standard.
Capello accepts as much and has informed those still feeding their feet that he is running out of patience.
The former AC Milan and Real Madrid is renowned for his no-nonsense approach to management and has revealed that he would not be afraid to drop any of his so-called stars against the Slovenians.
"No-one is untouchable, not in my mind," he said - Skysports.com

It is has been reported that France striker Nicolas Anelka has retired from international football.
Anelka was sent home from the World Cup squad on Saturday following a dressing-room bust-up with manager Raymond Domenech.
It is reported that the 31-year old directed a foul-mouthed tirade at Domenech during half-time of Thursday's 2-0 defeat to Mexico.
Anelka, capped 60 times accepted his exclusion and wished the team well, but it now appears he has called time on his international career.
A win over South Africa in their final group game may not be enough for France as they will still be eliminated if Mexico and Uruguay draw their match - Skysports.com

Honduras' three Palacios brothers are forever assured a place in the annals of the FIFA World Cup. They became the first ever trio of brothers to appear at the tournament after Jerry was given a late call-up by Honduras coach Reinaldo Rueda, as a replacement for the injured Julio Cesar de Leon. Jerry thus joined his two younger brothers, Jhony and Wilson, who were named in the original squad for South Africa 2010 - Fifa.com

The thought of Chile against Switzerland as a top-of-the-table clash in the same group as World Cup favourites Spain would have been inconceivable only a few days ago.
But both teams are in the unlikely position of joint Group H leaders after the Swiss stunned the Spaniards 1-0 and Chile beat Honduras by the same scoreline, to seal their first win at a World Cup in 48 years.
Although far from a mouth-watering matchup, Monday's encounter has taken on added significance that might just be enough to wake sleepy Port Elizabeth from its World Cup snooze.
The defeats for Spain and Honduras, who meet later on Monday in Johannesburg, means a win for either Switzerland or Chile would give them one foot in the next round. The winning side may be able to advance with a defeat in their final game - Reuters

Coach Bob Bradley and the USA team are putting the controversy of the tie against Slovenia behind them, with the focus switching to Wednesday's key match against Algeria.
USA coach Bob Bradley firmly believes his team's apparent game-winning goal against Slovenia in the 85th minute should not have been disallowed by referee Koman Coulibaly, who overnight became one of most well-known figures of this World Cup back in America.
Bradley said he watched and rewatched footage of the controversial call on Maurice Edu's close-range shot and did not see anything out of the ordinary pushing and shoving that goes on in the penalty area during a free kick. Instead of a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory, the United States had to settle for a 2-2 draw - Miamiherald.com

Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac declined to criticise his men for failing to kill off 10-man Australia in their 1-1 draw yesterday.
Harry Kewell was sent off for a first-half handball on the line, and although Ghana equalised from the spot, they could not find a winning goal.
But the result leaves the Black Stars needing only one point from their final Group D match to reach the last 16. Ghana, who play Germany on Wednesday, top the group with four points, one more than the Germans and Serbia.
Australia have one point and must beat Serbia to have any chance of progressing to the next phase - BBC Sport

Australia's Harry Kewell has been suspended for one match following his sending off for a deliberate handball during Friday's 1-1 draw against Ghana.
Kewell could have been handed a two-game ban, but Fifa's disciplinary committee opted not to impose a stiffer punishment on the ex-Liverpool player.
It means he will miss Wednesday's final Group D match against Serbia but will be available if Australia progress - BBC Sport

Congratulations to England's Under-17's - UEFA European Champions 2010.

England skipper Conor Coady lifts the the European Championship trophy

England's Under-17's were today crowned European Football Champions for the first time, after a 2-1 victory over their Spanish counterparts in Liechtenstein.

Spain, Under-17 champions twice in the last three years dominated opening proceedings and took the lead in the 22nd minute at the Rheinpark Stadium.

England rallied and were level just eight minutes later when Liverpool's Andre Wisdom headed Josh McEachran's corner past Spanish keeper Adrian Ortolá.

Ipswich forward Connor Wickham was in outstanding form and gave England the lead after 42 minutes, beating three defenders as he cut into the box before giving Ortolá no chance with a cool finish.

Spain were pushing hard to equalise, but tournament top scorer Paco was frustrated in his attempt to add to his six goals.

Wickham could have put his side even further ahead in the second half, but there were no further goals as England held on for a first age-group title since England hosted and won the UEFA Under-18 European Championships in 1993.

England manager John Peacock said afterwards: "It means a lot to the English game. We've obviously got our critics that we are not producing players. We have produced many, many good players from this tournament, we are producing good players back in England. What is missing was a final where we could put our name to a trophy, hopefully we won't have to wait 17 years for another one."

Now can the England senior squad go on and lift the World Cup in South Africa this summer, and put English football firmly back on the map?

Arse About Face - World Cup Hair To Die For!

A hairdresser is a universal term referring to someone whose occupation is to cut or style hair in order to change or maintain a person's image. This is achieved using a combination of hair colouring, haircutting and hair texture techniques.
Some barbers prefer to see themselves as hairdressers or hairstylists.
In fact, barbers can cut hair, trim beards, colour, perm, provide facials, and shave. Today, barbers and stylists may be found working side by side in establishments known as male salons. Male salons have afforded the barber the opportunity to remain traditional in all aspects of the term, yet also progressively contemporary as fashion and trends evolve.

In the dock and charged with crimes against football, in this case for attempting and failing to carry off the role of a fashion icon are:

Defendant One: Ronaldo (Brazil) seen at the 2002 World Cup in Japan & South Korea sporting this cataclysmic faux pas.....

Defendant Two: Carles Puyol (Spain) a repeat offender - seen firstly at the 2002 World Cup in Japan & South Korea and again at the 2006 World Cup in Germany sporting this cataclysmic faux pas.....

Defendant Three: Alexis Lalas (USA) seen at the 1994 World Cup in the United States sporting this cataclysmic faux pas.....

Defendant Four: Carlos Valderrama (Columbia) seen at the 1990 World Cup in Italy sporting this cataclysmic faux pas.....

Defendant Five: Roberto Baggio (Italy) seen at the 1994 World Cup of in the United States sporting this cataclysmic faux pas.....

The 2009/10 European Domestic League's Winners and Losers, and the Top Scorers

English Premier League:
Winners: Chelsea
Runners-Up - Manchester United
Relegated - Hull City, Burnley, Portsmouth.
Top scorers: Didier Drogba (Chelsea 29 goals), Wayne Rooney (Man Utd 26), Darren Bent (Sunderland 24).

Italy Serie A :
Winners - Inter Milan
Runners-Up - Roma
Relegated - Atalanta Bergamo, AC Siena, AS Livorno.
Top scorers: Antonio Di Natale (Udinese 29 goals), Diego Milito (Inter 22), Fabrizio Miccoli (Palermo 19), Giampaolo Pazzini (Sampdoria 19).

Spanish La Liga:
Winners - Barcelona

Runners-Up - Real Madrid

Relegated - Valladolid, Tenerife, Xerez CD.

Leading scorers: Lionel Messi (Barcelona 34 goals), Gonzalo Higuain (Real Madrid 27), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid 26), David Villa (Barcelona 21).

German Bundesliga:
Winners - Bayern Munich
Runners-Up - Schalke 04
Relegated: Bochum, Hertha Berlin.
Top scorers: Edin Dzeko (Vfl Wolfsburg 22 goals), Stefan Kiessling (Bayern Leverkusen 21), Lucas Barrios (Borussia Dortmund 19).

French Ligue 1 League Table:
Winners - Olympique Marseille
Runners-Up - Lyon
Relegated - Le Mans, Boulogne-Sur-Mer, Grenoble.
Top scorers: Mamadou Niang (O.Marseille 18 goals), Kevin Gameiro (Lorient 17), Lisandro Lopez (Lyon 15), Mevlut Erdinc (PSG 15).

Dutch Eredivisie League Table:
Winners - Twente Enschede
Runners-Up - Ajax Amsterdam
Relegated - Sparta Rotterdam, Willem II Tilburg, Rkc Waalwijk
Top Scorers: Luis Suarez (Ajax 35 goals), Bryan Ruiz (Twente 24),Mads Junker (Roda 21).

Portuguese Liga Sagres League Table:
Winners: Benfica
Runners-Up - Sporting Braga
Relegated - Belenenses Lissabon, Leixoes SC.
Top scorers: Oscar Cardoza (Benfica 26 goals), Radamel Falcao Garcia (Porto 25),Liedson (Sporting CP 13).

Danish SAS Ligaen League Table:
Winners - FC Copenhagen
Runners-Up - Odense BK
Relegated - Aarhus GF, HB Køge.
Top Scorers - Peter Utaka (Odense 18 goals), Tim Janssen (Esbjerg 15), Dame N'Doye (FC Copenhagen 14).

Greek Super League Table:
Winners - Panathinaikos FC
Runners-Up - Olympiakos Pireus
Relegated - Pae Levadeiakos, Pas Giannina, Panthrakikos.
Top Scorers - Djibril Cisse (Panathinaikos 17 goals), Giorgos Barkoglou (Levadiakos 11), Javier Campora (Aris 11), Victoras Lacob (Iraklis 11).

Austrian Bundesliga League Table:
Winners - FC Red Bull Salzburg
Runners-Up - Austria Wien
Relegated - SC Austria Kelag Kärnten
Top scorers: Steffen Hoffman (SK Rapid 20 goals), (Roman Wallner LASK Linz 19), Marco Janko (FC Red Bull Salzburg 18).