FIFA follows Oil Money in 2018 & 2022

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The big wins for Russia and Qatar - securing the right to host the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups - mirror the monumental shift from slow-growth, budget-choked developed economies to fast-growing, often resource-rich nations with deep global ambitions.

Thursday's awarding of the coveted hosting prize is not just an embarrassment for such traditional sports hosts as England and the United States, which trotted out Prince William and Bill Clinton, respectively, to jazz up their cause.

It's a reflection of the tilting of the world's power base into zippier emerging markets, as shown by the recent hosting of major events by China, South Africa and India, continuing with Brazil's hosting of the 2016 Olympics and World Cup in 2014, and now, on to Russia and Qatar.

This new world order as reflected by global sporting events would have been tough to imagine a decade or two ago, when most spectacles Ping-Ponged between Western Europe and North America. Economists have touted this shift for years, and now, it seems, the sports community is catching on.
The decision has huge symbolism, and benefits, on the geopolitical stage. No Eastern European or Middle Eastern country has hosted this kind of event before. For Russia, roiled by WikiLeaks allegations this week calling it a "virtual mafia state," the announcement could not have come at a better time. Qatar's surprise win, meantime, is expected to boost the profile of the whole region.
"If Qatar can pull it off, it can show the rest of the world that the Gulf region is about more than just the traditional image of very conservative, oil-rich countries where there's nothing but sand and a few high-rise buildings," said Jacob Kirkegaard, research fellow, economist and soccer fan at the Washington-based Peterson Institute for International Economics. "It's the branding of the broader Middle East."

Qatar is, indeed, trying to establish itself as a more moderate cultural force in a part of the world that, as WikiLeaks underscored, is replete with tension. And in the heated regional race for dominance against Dubai, "Qatar's probably feeling pretty smug today."

Several factors nudged the decision in favour of Russia and Qatar. One, FIFA is trying to shift the World Cup into new markets, moving away from traditional venues. As FIFA president Sepp Blatter said after the vote, "We go to new lands."

And two - setting both countries apart from their rivals - they had 100-per-cent government support, backed by gobs of cash, Mr. Kirkegaard points out. It's a contrast to most G8 countries, where governments are seriously distracted by deficit-cutting austerity measures.

Oil plays a big, if murky role in the next three successful bids. Brazil, Russia and Qatar are all hefty oil exporters, and that wealth, in good part, is helping them write the cheques. Brazil is spending $2.8-billion (U.S.) and Russia $3.82-billion. Tiny Qatar (population: 1.7 million, though expected to have the world's fastest-growing economy this year) is spending $3-billion for air-conditioned, zero-emissions stadiums - and is set to invest an eye-watering $100-billion in infrastructure in the next few years.

The announcement came amid plenty of fireworks, before and after. Last month, FIFA officials suspended and fined two executive committee members for voting on the 2018 and 2022 hosting amid allegations they had offered to sell their votes. On Thursday, meantime, the announcement of Qatar's victory over the mighty U.S. shocked many observers.

Yet the decisions are a reflection of the post-recession world. The BRIC term - for Brazil, Russia, India and China - coined by Goldman Sachs in 2001, has now entered the mainstream lexicon. With good reason - in the past decade, the four countries alone have contributed more than a third of global GDP growth, and now account for nearly a quarter of the world economy from one sixth, according to Goldman. It thinks that trend will get even more pronounced in the coming decade.

Now, the race is on to create a nifty new term. Goldman has identified the Next Eleven, 11 countries it figures have the potential to be among the world's largest economies, along with the BRICs - Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Korea, Turkey and Vietnam.

Not to be outdone, the global bank HSBC has coined the CIVETS - not cats, but rather six countries poised to blast off in the next decade: Colombia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey and South Africa.
Not everyone's so sure that the BRIC acronym is still apt. A growing number of economists say Russia, blighted by corruption woes and a declining population, should be thrown out in favour of younger, thriving Indonesia (though, the term just doesn't have the same ring - BICI? ICIB?).
For now, victory is sweet for Russia, given many of the recent unsavoury headlines on bribery and organized crime. "A day for rejoicing," said Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

"We are building a new Russia ...we can achieve this better and quicker with your help," said First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov.

As for Qatar, citizens danced in the streets and blew vuvuzelas last night. The Emir of Qatar, Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, thanked FIFA for "believing in change."

www.globeandmail.com

Sealing the World Cup With a Kiss

A fan’s remix of a post-game interview between Spain’s captain, Iker Casillas, and his girlfriend, Sara Carbonero on Sunday night,

Soon after Spain won the World Cup on Sunday in South Africa, the Spanish broadcaster Telecinco sent its star sideline reporter, Sara Carbonero, to interview the national team’s goalkeeper and captain, Iker Casillas — who also happens to be her boyfriend. The interview was a sequel of sorts to a far more awkward one between the journalist and the player after the team opened the tournament with a loss.

The earlier interview was at first little remarked in Spain, where both participants were judged to have acquitted themselves with professionalism. But, thanks to a poorly-sourced report in the British press, it soon sparked a wave of speculation in the English-speaking world about whether the goalkeeper’s fetching girlfriend was a distraction to the player — or “hen-pecking” him on camera — and so was to blame for the team’s loss.

Even though the Spanish press roundly denounced the reports by their British colleagues as “nonsense,” and defended Ms. Carbonero’s right to do her job despite her relationship with Spain’s captain, the idea that she was somehow at fault for Spain’s stuttering start to the tournament lingered for weeks.

So on Sunday night, Telecinco proudly posted an article on its Web site with video of their reporter’s post-game interview with her boyfriend, minutes after he had hoisted the World Cup above his head, which ended with a sudden kiss on the lips.

The soccer blog Kickette reports:

Basically, here’s the translation from Iker: he repeats how happy he is about 40,000 times before he thanks his parents, his (hot, younger, French-speaking) brother, and then pauses to shed a tear. After he collects himself he says, ‘and you’, before going in for the kill.

Telecinco explains that a shocked Ms. Carbonero, before regaining her composure and tossing back to her colleagues, could only respond, “madre mía,” — which is Spanish for “mama mia.”

So, a happy ending to one of the World Cup’s many subplots. In other news, the Spanish victory, coupled with Germany’s win in Saturday’s contest for third place, meant that “the Oracle of Obehausen,” Paul the octopus, finished the tournament with a perfect record having indicated which team would win before all eight matches he was consulted on.

Brazil Fires Dunga After Early Departure From World Cup

Dunga is out as coach of Brazil's national soccer team.

The coach and his staff were fired Sunday, two days after Brazil was beaten by the Netherlands in the World Cup quarterfinals.

The announcement was made by the Brazilian Football Federation (CBF). The decision was widely expected after the 2-1 loss to the Dutch. Brazil led 1-0 on Robinho's first-half goal, but allowed two goals and had a player sent off in a dismal second-half performance in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

"With the closing of the work cycle that started in August 2006 and ended with the elimination of Brazil from the World Cup in South Africa, the CBF announces the dismissal of the Technical Commission of the Brazilian team," the federation said in a statement.

A new coach will be appointed before the end of the month, CBF said.

Former Brazil player Mano Menezes, AC Milan coach Leonardo and Wanderley Luxemburgo are being mentioned as potential successors to Dunga.

Luiz Felipe Scolari, who coached Brazil to its fifth World Cup title in 2002, had been mentioned as a successor, but he has signed a two-year deal to be with the Brazilian club Palmeiras.

The new coach and his staff are likely to face several exhibition matches in the next few months and then the South American championship – the Copa America – in 2011 in Argentina.

Dunga returned to Brazil with the team early Sunday and was met with applause and cheering by fans in his native Porto Alegre in southern Brazil.

FIFA Must Adopt Instant Replay

Instant replay arrived in world soccer on Sunday. It became absolutely essential when the field officials totally missed the shot from England’s Frank Lampard that hit the crossbar and bounced close to two feet inside the goal.

The referee and the linesman were fully 25 yards away, but television cameras instantly told everybody around the world that the ball had gone into the goal and that England should have tied the score 38 minutes into the first half of its Round of 16 match.

The blown call did not change history, because (in the end) Germany pummeled England, 4-1 (but you can argue the point - the error influenced the outcome). But the glaring mistake was a reminder that soccer goals — more than baseball home runs or football touchdowns or even hockey goals — are too precious to be squandered. Those three sports now have some version of instant replay in North America. It’s time for soccer, too — at least where television and big bucks are present. And surely by the World Cup, next time, in 2014, in Brazil.

That view of Lampard’s hard drive was so clear, so available, that any FIFA monitor in the stadium could have seen it on first view, clicked for an instant replay and stopped play to reverse the noncall. FIFA has been grudgingly saying that electronic review of the goal might take place by the 2014 World Cup, maybe, you never know. But Sunday’s missed goal should make it mandatory.

This gross error was the opposite of the disputed call in the famous 1966 World Cup final when Geoff Hurst of England hit a shot in overtime that hit on or close to the line. The official signaled for a goal and England went on to beat West Germany, 4-2. People still argue and interpret the Hurst goal. But the call on Lampard’s goal is more obvious.

On June 3, Jim Joyce, one of the better umpires in Major League Baseball, missed an obvious call on what would have been the 27th and final out, costing Armando Galarraga, a pitcher with Detroit, a rare perfect game. Many fans (but few baseball people) demanded the call be overturned and used the acknowledged mistake as a reason for instant replay. But I argued against it, and still do, because umpires’ imperfections are part of the sport.

The same goes for soccer. The sport can live with refs being snookered by dives or hidden fouls. But a blatant, if honest, mistake on a rare goal? That can be judged, like a disputed home run over a fence 350 feet away.

Up to now, I have argued that soccer can ignore technology and just let the calls be part of the match. Never stop the game, because that leads to television sticking its grubby commercials where they do not belong. But if everybody around the world saw Lampard’s shot obviously bounce into the goal, I say it is time to initiate technology for goal calls. Otherwise, let ’em run.

www.nytimes.com

France's Domenech embarasses a nation

Adding his own insult to his injuries, France coach Raymond Domenech refuses to shake South Africa Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira's hand.

USA's last line of defense - Tim Howard

A feature on United States goalkeeper Tim Howard.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Photo of the day - World Cup 2010

Côte d'Ivoire 0:0 Portugal, Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth - June 15, 2010

England vs. U.S. in Legos

In case you missed the U.S.'s "victory" over England over the weekend, you're in luck. The website Lego Fussball has gone through the trouble of recreating the key plays with Legos. Unlike the actual game, we all win in this one. (via Guardian)

Argentina celebrates win over Nigeria

Coach Diego Maradona fielded an attacking starting 11 with three of the most dangerous players in the world up front — Lionel Messi, Carlos Tevez and Gonzalo Higuain. The front line was also supported by the likes of Juan Sebastian Veron, Javier Mascherano and Angel Di Maria in midfield.

But it was Heinze, a veteran defender, who provided all the offence that the Argentines would need on this day.

That's not to say Messi, touted as the best player in the world, didn't have chances. He had plenty, but Nigerian goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama came up with some big saves to thwart the Argentine wizard. Higuain also failed to convert three good chances.

The winning goal

This was a classic Argentine set piece. Veron whipped a corner kick into the box, and Heinze broke away from his defensive marker and powered home a beautiful header past Enyeama.

Turning point of the game

Nigeria was furiously pressing for the equalizer in the 78th minute when substitute Obafemi Martins unleashed a powerful shot from just outside the box. But goalkeeper Sergio Romero beat the ball away to snuff out the scoring chance and help Argentina hold on to the lead.

What this result means

With the win, Argentina moves into a tie for first place with South Korea in Group B. Both teams have three points, but the Asians lead the group because they have scored two goals, compared to one for the South Americans. Winless Nigeria and Greece each have zero points.

Argentina looks poised to move on to the second round, probably needing only a win in their last two matches. Nigeria, on the other hand, has it all to do. A loss in their next game, against Greece, would likely eliminate the Africans from contention.

Man of the match

If not for the heroic efforts of Enyeama, Nigeria could have easily lost by a much larger margin. The Nigerian goalkeeper made a handful of highlight-reel saves, including several on Messi.

Save of the match

Lionel Messi had his sights set firmly on goal and should have made it 2-0 for Argentina in the 38th minute when he delivered a curling shot that look destined for the upper-left corner of the net. But Enyeama made a fabulous fingertip stop to deny the Argentine.

The Argentine perspective

"The team made good moves, but we ended up suffering. That's the law of soccer. Thank God we won the game. To begin a World Cup in winning fashion gives you a certain sense of calmness. The only thing that concerns me is that we won a big game." — coach Diego Maradona

The Nigerian perspective

"Of course, I'm very disappointed. Unfortunately, there was a mistake from our side that created the corner kick. We were sleeping on one of the corners and that was enough. We were punished this time." — Nigeria coach Lars Lagerback

South Africa scores first in draw with Mexico

Siphiwe Tshabalala of South Africa celebrates scoring the first goal of the FIFA World Cup.

Siphiwe Tshabalala scored in the 55th minute, but Mexico's Rafa Marquez responded with 11 minutes left in regulation as South Africa and Mexico battled to a 1-1 draw in the opening game of the FIFA World Cup Friday in Johannesburg.

The main story line
The majority of critics predicted prior to the tournament that South Africa was destined to become the first host nation in the 80-year history of the World Cup not to make it out of the first round. Many thought they would lose all three of their games, so a loss in their opening match against the Mexicans seemed to be foregone conclusion. But Bafana Bafana showed great resolve and commitment in earning a shocking 1-1 draw and proving the pundits wrong.

The turning point of the game
Mexico was all over South Africa in the first half, and it appeared as though it would only be a matter of time before the hosts would concede. But Tshabalala's goal 10 minutes into the second half revitalized the Bafana Bafana, as they began to play with more confidence and conviction.

What this result means
A loss would have delivered a hammer blow to the World Cup hopes of both teams, and made it an uphill battle to qualify for the second round. With one point each, South Africa and Mexico are still firmly in the mix in Group A and can go a long way to clinching a spot in the round of 16 with a win in their next games.

Man of the match
Siphiwe Tshabalala will garner all the headlines for his goal, but if not for the efforts of South African goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune, the host nation could have easily lost this game. Khune came up with big stops on Guillermo Franco in the first half and on Giovani Dos Santos in the second to keep Bafana Bafana in the match.

Goal of the match
South Africa launched a quick counterattack and Tshabalala snuck in behind the Mexican defence, using his speed to catch up a through ball before bursting into the penalty area. From there, the South African calmly strode forward before blasting a left-footed shot into the roof of the net past helpless Mexican goalkeeper Oscar Perez.

Save of the match
Mexico should have opened the scoring in the 32nd minute when Franco controlled the ball deep inside the box and tried a chip shot. But Khune spread himself wide and robbed the Mexican striker by sticking out his hand.

Mexico should have opened the scoring in the 32nd minute when Franco controlled the ball deep inside the box and tried a chip shot. But Khune spread himself wide and robbed the Mexican striker by sticking out his hand.

Will England show up to play?

South African teenagers in red Liverpool jerseys and Manchester United sweatshirts jumped up and down with vuvuzela-blowing compatriots wearing Bafana Bafana shirts. They were all shrieking the names of England’s players: Gerrard. Rooney. Terry. Especially John Terry.

“I think we realized today it’s another step up actually in game mode,” said Terry, the Chelsea captain. “Coming here, getting changed in the kit, and the stadium as well. We’ve enjoyed that part of it.”

Chelsea is big here. The Premier League champion is an international brand with well-known African spokesmen: Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, Jon Obi Mikel. The latter two won’t be playing in the World Cup, and Drogba might not either, but Terry will. Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria and the host team have little chance to win the championship. But England might.

The older South African fans here at Moruleng Stadium in North West Province, a mining area, were mostly men, dressed in slacks or jeans and collared shirts. They were supporting the local team, Platinum Stars, who were given a dream assignment: Give the guys from England a run around.

Firm applause and baritone chants greeted the Stars every time they pushed forward or ventured a shot on goal, of which there were a few. The Stars, who finished 14th in the South African Premier League last season, did their best, but they were no match for the Premier League players of England.

“It wasn’t a case of us coming here and wanting to win 8- or 9-nil, or 4- or 5-nil,” Terry said after England won, 3-0. “We were coming here to get the right preparation and take a lot of things from the game.”

“I’m sure the manager will look back on the first half, especially, and not be happy with that,” said Terry, who was among 10 starters substituted at halftime. “I’m sure we’ll sit down and go through it like we do every game and dig a few holes in our performance.”

There were more than a few, and they did not escape the notice of the United States assistant coaches watching from the stands. The Americans will face England on Saturday in nearby Rustenburg.

“I feel like I know these guys so well already,” one U.S. assistant coach said before making his way out of the stadium ahead of the crowd.

The scouting report he will deliver to Coach Bob Bradley won’t say anything new, but it will confirm some suspicions:

*Center back Ledley King, who has chronic knee problems and trains only two days a week, is less intimidating than Rio Ferdinand, the injured England captain.

*Michael Dawson, King’s Tottenham teammate and Ferdinand’s replacement on the roster, might have had a great season with Spurs, but he needs to find his international footing with his England teammates.

The game re-emphasized other things:

*Aaron Lennon is more dangerous on the right wing than Shaun Wright-Philips because he can run at defenders and effectively cross the ball, while Wright-Philips can only do the former. The pace of either Lennon or Wright-Phillips will be a challenge for the American captain Carlos Bocanegra, who is expected to play left fullback on Saturday.

England Coach Fabio Capello will give his players a detailed assessment of their performance, and he is likely displeased.

Each time a ball was misplayed or an England player was out of sync with a teammate, one of them looked over to the bench at a visibly perturbed Capello. This happened often. England was slow, which was what this mismatched game prescribed. Is that the best preparation five days before the start of the World Cup?

“The manger is a great coach and all he wants to do is win,” said Jermain Defoe, who scored England’s first goal. “He gets you fired up before the games.”

The only England player who didn’t seem to care what the coach thought of him was Rooney. He came on at halftime and played as if it were a cup final. Rooney has no dimmer switch – it’s either on or off. He worked the referee, went in for tackles when he lost the ball and even earned a yellow card before scoring England’s final goal.

Rooney is a known quantity. Unknown is who will start alongside him up front against the United States. It was Emile Heskey on Monday, and he was active. But Defoe scored, in the third minute, and Peter Crouch is a tall, complementary player who won’t get in Rooney’s way. He likes to play higher up, while Rooney, who prefers to get a lot of touches on the ball, prefers to come back into the midfield to get it.

The only field player who played both halves of the game was Joe Cole, on the left flank. James Milner, who came on in the second half, was quick, but appeared to occupy the same space on the field as Cole. It’s unlikely that they will be in the same lineup, but both could play against the United States.

What do you expect from England on Saturday? Does Capello have the team wound too tight? Or will he get them in sync and match ready?

www.nytimes.com

World Cup 2010 Odds - Updated

The World Cup is just four days away beginning June 11 in South Africa. BroburySports.com has received tremendous interest and has just updated the odds-to-win.

Here’s a look at the updated odds. This shows which teams are getting the late action and which are fading.

Spain (4/1) is still the favorite, but Brazil is inching closer at 9/2. The Spaniards claim they’re ready to shake their World Cup underachiever tag. They’ve never finished better than fourth place (1950). The team has done some serious training in high altitude, but injuries to Fernando Torres and Cesc Fabregas are causing questions.

Bettors are attracted to Brazil due to its history. They’ve won the most World Cup titles with five. The latest came in 2002 in Japan, with Brazil once again proving it can win far away from home.

The latest news coming from the Brazil team is they’re taking this tournament more seriously than 2006. Players are on stricter night schedules and not allowed to just hang out in night clubs until the wee hours.

Argentina has gotten a boost, moving from 15/2 up to 13/2, Striker Lionel Messi (8/1) is co-leader for the tournament’s top goal scorer. Spain’s David Villa is also 8/1.

England has dropped a bit to 7/1. Their grouping is very favorable with USA, Slovenia and Algeria in Group C with them. Support for the Americans has dropped from 66/1 to win the World Cup down to 80/1. That’s a somewhat surprising trend.

Holland is quietly moving up the charts. They’re ranked fifth at 9/1, now ahead of their more celebrated European counterparts, Italy and Germany. Holland is another historic underachiever, like Spain, but they’re strong at both midfield and forward.

Can Holland finally win its first World Cup with few expecting them to do so?

Finally, Germany has to make do without injured players Rene Adler, Simon Rolfes and Michael Ballack. There’s still a lot of talent remaining, and that’s holding them steady at 12/1.

Odds-to-Win 2010 World Cup (opening odds in parenthesis)

Spain 4/1

Brazil 9/2 (5/1)

Argentina 13/2 (15/2)

England 7/1 (6/1)

Holland 9/1 (12/1)

Germany 12/1

Italy 14/1 (12/1)

France 20/1 (18/1)

Portugal 25/1 (28/1)

Ivory Coast 50/1 (28/1)

Serbia 50/1 (66/1)

Chile 66/1

Mexico 80/1

USA 80/1 (66/1)

Ghana 100/1 (66/1)

Paraguay 100/1 (80/1)

Cameroon 125/1 (100/1)

Denmark 125/1 (100/1)

Uruguay 125/1 (100/1)

Australia 150/1 (125/1)

Nigeria 150/1 (100/1)

South Africa 150/1 (125/1)

Greece 200/1 (150/1)

South Korea 250/1 (200/1)

Switzerland 250/1 (200/1)

Slovakia 400/1 (200/1)

Slovenia 500/1 (200/1)

Japan 600/1 (250/1)

Algeria 700/1 (400/1)

Honduras 1000/1 (500/1)

North Korea 2000/1 (1000/1)

New Zealand 2500/1 (2000/1)

Tanaka Breaks Drogba's World Cup

Didier Drogba told teammate Kolo Toure that he will miss the World Cup after breaking his right arm Friday in a warmup match.

"For him, he said, the World Cup is finished," Toure said.

The 32-year-old Drogba was taken off 15 minutes into Ivory Coast's 2-0 win over Japan after a high challenge by Japan defender Marcus Tulio Tanaka. He was then rushed to a hospital.

"We can just see on his face that he was sad, and when he is like that you can't ask more," Toure said. "It is difficult for us because he is such a really important player."

Team spokesman Eric Kacou told The Associated Press that "it is a fracture in his right arm," but coach Sven-Goran Eriksson said the team hadn't officially ruled out its captain.

"We are not sure yet," Eriksson said, saying Drogba's participation was "still a possibility."

Toure said Ivory Coast's players were hoping for a surprising recovery, and said the team would know more later Friday.

Drogba scored 29 goals in 32 Premier League matches this season, helping Chelsea win the title.

Friday's friendly was the final warmup for Ivory Coast and Japan before they travel to South Africa. The Ivorians open the World Cup on June 15 against Portugal in Port Elizabeth, while Japan begins a day earlier against Cameroon in Bloemfontein.

Drogba appeared to be holding his right side after Tulio's challenge. After returning from the hospital, the striker entered the team bus without speaking to reporters.

Eriksson said the injury was unlucky, and didn't blame Tulio.

"It wasn't bad or stupid. He didn't want to hurt anyone," the Swedish coach said. "Football is a game of contact."

Watch the video

Rooney all grown up and ready to lead England

The life and times of Wayne Rooney, England’s star and star-crossed forward, can be floridly traced in the body art of his tattoos.

On his right forearm is inked “Just Enough Education to Perform.” It is an album tribute to his favorite band, the Stereophonics, but also perhaps an unintended confirmation of his petulant, hot-headed youth.

When last seen in the World Cup four years ago, Rooney was being ejected for doing a Portuguese folk dance on the groin of defender Ricardo Carvalho in the quarterfinals. England exited in that same match against Portugal on penalty kicks.

“He had a bit of a temper; he lost his head seemingly in important situations, but it’s something he’s gotten control over,” said Jonathan Spector, a defender with the United States, which will face Rooney and England on June 12 in Rustenburg, South Africa.

“In the past, players tried to get into his head, knowing he could snap,” said Spector, who plays for West Ham United in the English Premier League. “It doesn’t seem to happen anymore.”

A sign of Rooney’s newfound maturity at 24, we are assured, is fatherhood. After an exhibition match last week, Rooney unveiled on his back a tattoo of praying hands and angels’ wings etched with the name of his 6-month-old son, Kai.

As the World Cup approaches, Rooney is widely considered the planet’s second-best soccer player behind Lionel Messi of Argentina. He enters the tournament having scored 34 goals in all competitions this past season for Manchester United, shouldering greater responsibility after Cristiano Ronaldo left for Real Madrid.

Older and wiser is how Rooney described himself at a news conference last month in London. By this he presumably meant that he is no longer encumbered by stories of his admitted visits to prostitutes as a teenager; libelous tabloid accusations (for which he won a lawsuit in 2006) that he had slapped his wife, Coleen (then his fiancée), in a nightclub; or reports of gambling losses that surpassed $1 million in one spree.

On the field, this son of a Liverpool family of amateur boxers has curbed his pugilistic instincts. And he has also apparently toned down his baroque oratorical style (he is once said to have used a certain word more than 20 times in 60 seconds during a Socratic parry with a referee).

“You are excited and emotional when you make decisions, but now I have matured on and off the pitch,” Rooney said at the news conference. “Now I probably take my anger out during training the week before the game.”

On his left arm, Rooney has another tattoo, the St. George’s Cross of England. The red cross on a white field will be flown proudly and nervously by England’s supporters during the World Cup in hopes that Rooney’s X-rays and magnetic resonance imaging scans will not become more prominent news than his tattoos.

Rooney’s knee, ankle and groin injuries in the last two months have put England in a familiar and conflicted position — hoping to win the World Cup, fearing things will end too early, as they have since a triumph on home soil in 1966.

Landon Donovan, the American midfielder, has said that Rooney seems “worn out” after a long club season. Fabio Capello has declared Rooney “100 percent” fit. Capello is England’s manager, not a doctor or a palm reader. A country expectantly and fretfully waits. Perhaps none of the World Cup contenders are as dependent on one player as England is on Rooney.

With him in good health, the Three Lions could reach the final or even win. If his body breaks down — Rooney broke a toe in the 2004 European championships and just before the 2006 World Cup — many feel that England’s chances will be equally fractured.

“The whole country would go into mourning,” said Barry Glendenning, a soccer writer for The Guardian.

Chunky and meaty-faced, Rooney was conspicuously absent from the group of sculptured international soccer stars photographed for the June issue of Vanity Fair magazine. But he relies on six-shooter legs, not six-pack abs. At his best, Rooney is an incessant worker, deceptively fast on the ball, instinctual in finding a sliver of space, solid in the air, able to shoot from anywhere and increasingly smarter about his runs into the box.

“Maturity is one of the final parts of a player’s development,” Manchester United Manager Alex Ferguson said. “You have to wait until their mid-20s before they get that authority, timing, the maturity, to do things that those qualities bring. This season, he accepted the fact that to get the best out of himself, he had to conserve his energies for the best part of the pitch — the penalty box area.”

Nine of the 23 Americans on the World Cup roster played in England this past season, so the United States will be more than familiar with Rooney. Man-marking him is too risky, several of the Americans said.

“They have too many other players who can hurt you,” Spector said. “You get dragged out of position and they’ll find the gaps.”

Instead, the Americans will have to rely on discipline and a collective, unyielding effort from a defense left uncertain by injury. They will have to challenge Rooney’s first touch and challenge themselves to work as hard as he will.

“If you know where he is at all times and you do that for 90 minutes, you should be O.K.,” said goalkeeper Brad Guzan, who plays for Aston Villa. “If you do it for 89 minutes, he’ll find a way to punish you.”

In the past, said goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann, who plays for Wolverhampton, Rooney’s Vesuvian eruptions were regular and predictable enough to mark with an egg timer.

“The bad thing is now he’s controlling his temper,” Hahnemann said.

www.nytimes.com

Blame it on Rio: Ronaldinho, Adriano left off Brazil squad

Brazil coach Dunga has left Ronaldino and Adriano off of Brazil's final 23 for this summer's World Cup in South Africa. But while AC Milan star Ronaldinho still has a slim chance after being named as one of the seven reserves, Dunga admitted recently he has not been impressed enough by former Inter Milan forward Adriano.

He told FIFA.com: “Adriano was given several opportunities. There was a moment when we made a decision about the group.

“The group always welcomed Adriano, but there is a moment when reason talks louder than the heart.”

Ronaldinho’s team-mate Alexandre Pato has missed out after a disappointing campaign with the Italian giants, and Dunga has also left out Santos pair Paulo Henrique and Neymar.

There is a place for Manchester City flop Robinho, who has been on loan at Santos, and Tottenham goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes has also been named.

Dunga took the opportunity, while naming the squad, to rally support from the Brazilian public, insisting they should put aside their feelings about him.

“I beg the fans to support us,” he said.

“If they don’t like me or any other thing, that’s fine. But I want them to support us, to be a patriot.”

Brazil's 2010 World Cup Team:

Goalkeepers: Julio Cesar (Inter Milan), Doni (Roma), Heurelho Gomes (Tottenham)

Defenders: Maicon (Inter Milan), Dani Alves (Barcelona), Lucio (Inter Milan), Juan (Roma), Luisao (Roma), Thiago Silva (AC Milan), Gilberto (Cruzeiro), Michel Bastos (Lyon)

Midfielders: Gilberto Silva (Panathinaikos), Felipe Melo (Juventus), Josue (Wolfsburg), Elano (Galatasaray), Ramires (Benfica), Kleberson (Flamengo), Kaka (Real Madrid), Julio Baptista (Roma)

Forwards: Robinho (Santos/Manchester City), Nilmar (Villarreal), Luis Fabiano (Sevilla), Grafite (Wolfsburg)

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Vanity Fair Scores with World Cup Feature

In 38 days, it begins. The World Cup captivates more people around the globe than any other event, sporting or otherwise. Every four years, in pubs and corporate boardrooms, thatched huts and flophouses, fans of “the Beautiful Game” gather around televisions and transistor radios—and now, for the deep of pocket, iPhones and 3-D flat screens—to cheer for their heroes. They watch and listen by the billions, holding their breath at every corner kick, falling to their knees or leaping for joy at every goal scored. That this year’s tournament is in South Africa, where apartheid was the law of the land until 1994, only adds to the heightened sense of celebration—this is about a whole lot more than just soccer.

For the June issue of Vanity Fair, Annie Leibovitz set out to capture some of the sport’s biggest stars, including Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, Ivory Coast’s Didier Drogba, Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o, and Brazil’s Kaká. Leibovitz’s portraits are, well, revealing. And underwear has never looked so patriotic. In America, these men might not enjoy the same name recognition as the stars of the N.F.L.—that game that we call football—but for most of the planet, they are more than just showstoppers. They are gods.

A. A. Gill, in his accompanying June-issue essay, captures just how important football (don’t you dare call it “soccer,” he warns) and the World Cup are to the 6.8 billion of us who live on Planet Earth. “Football took to the world pitch at about the same time as the modern independent nation-state,” Gill writes. “After a flag, a national anthem, and a press release decrying Yankee imperialism, the next thing newly minted nations do is build a stadium and come up with a national grudge match.”

Grudges old and new will be settled (or worsened) beginning on June 11, as South Africa opens the World Cup in Soweto against Mexico. Must-see games abound from there on, with England vs. U.S.A. (June 12) and most any matchup from the so-called Group of Death—Ivory Coast vs. Portugal (June 15), Brazil vs. Ivory Coast (June 20), Portugal vs. Brazil (June 25)—topping the list from the opening round.

You don’t have to be a footie fan to enjoy the tournament. (How many of you follow swimming when it’s not the Olympics and Michael Phelps?) To keep up with all the news and festivities, check in every day with our soccer football blog, Fair Play, which will be filing from South Africa . And as you’re watching and reading, remember the closing quote to Gill’s essay, from the great Scottish player and coach Bill Shankly: “Some people believe football is a matter of life and death. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that.”

Photograph by Annie Leibovitz.

Germany left off favorites list

Brazil, England and Spain are the favourites to win the World Cup, UEFA president Michel Platini said on Thursday. Germany was not mentioned.

"I see three teams who have the quality to win it - in alphabetical order, Brazil, England and Spain," the former French international told a news conference at the UEFA Congress.

"Other teams may be hard to beat but they may not have the potential in absolute terms to win the World Cup."

Brazil have lifted the trophy five times, England were winners in 1966 and Spain are the European champions.

In contrast, Germany (West Germany) has won the World Cup three times, placed second four times, and received two third place finishes.

The president of European soccer's governing body also mentioned Argentina, France, Netherlands, Italy, Ivory Coast and Portugal as teams that could cause trouble for his top three at the finals in South Africa in June and July.

While the German team may feel slighted by Platini's comments, you can't help but think an 'underdog' status is an enviable place to be.

2010 FIFA World Cup Odds

The 2010 FIFA World Cup will be held in South Africa June 11 through July 11 and Spain has been made the opening favorites to win this year’s Cup.

This will be the 19th FIFA World Cup, which is the premier international football tournament. The Cup will be the culmination of a qualification process that began in August 2007 and involved 204 of the 208 FIFA national teams. With South Africa’s win over Morocco and Egypt in an all-African bidding process, this will be the first time that the Cup has been hosted by an African nation.

Despite never winning a title, oddsmakers from online sports book Sportsbook.com has made Spain a 9/2 favorite to win the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Their odds best Brazil (5/1), England (11/2) and Argentina (9/1), among other teams.

Brazil has won the most FIFA World Cup titles at five (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002). They were also runners-up in 1950 and 1998, took third place in 1938 and 1978, and fourth place in 1974.

Italy is right behind Brazil with four titles (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006). The Italians were also runners-up in 1970 and 1994, took third place in 1990 and fourth place in 1978. Italy is 11/1 to win this year’s FIFA World Cup.

Germany (3), Argentina (2), Uruguay (2), France (1) and England (1) are the only other countries to win a title. Germany is 12/1 to win in 2010, Uruguay is 100/1 and France is 14/1. USA is a 50/1 underdog.

The 2010 FIFA World Cup takes place on June 11 and wraps up on July 11. Thrity-two teams will compete in this year’s Cup at 10 venues and nine host cities throughout South Africa. For a complete list of odds on this year’s FIFA Cup, see below.

2010 FIFA World Cup – June 11 – July 11 – South Africa

Spain 9/2

Brazil 5/1

England 11/2

Argentina 9/1

Italy 11/1

Germany 12/1

Netherlands 12/1

France 14/1

Ivory Coast 25/1

Portugal 28/1

USA 50/1

Chile 50/1

Serbia 50/1

Ghana 50/1

Paraguay 66/1

Mexico 80/1

Cameroon 80/1

South Africa 100/1

Nigeria 100/1

Uruguay 100/1

Denmark 100/1

Australia 100/1

Greece 125/1

Switzerland 200/1

Slovenia 200/1

Slovakia 200/1

Japan 300/1

Algeria 250/1

South Korea 300/1

Honduras 500/1

New Zealand 1500/1

North Korea 1500/1