Fifa World Cup 2014: live - Telegraph.co.uk
Content
This is the html that we pulled from the URL. It’s been sanitized, so it will only contain safe tags.
15.45 These ruffians have been tearing up England's training session in Rio.
15.36 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is also missing from England's open training session.
15.24 Hot off the press from Matt Law:
15.22 The next few weeks will see the World Cup debut for Fifa's latest technological brainwave - vanishing spray. Allow our Project Babb colleagues to tell you all about it .
15.15 Sepp Blatter may not care what anyone has to say about him (and he does appear to be indestructible), but Lord Triesman, the former FA chairman, has now added his voice to the dissenters.
In the light of recent allegations of corruption surrounding the Qatar 2022 World Cup, Lord Triesman said Blatter's tactics to dismiss the issue would have been approved by movie Godfather Don Corleone.
'Fifa, I'm afraid, behaves like a mafia family. It has a decades-long tradition of bribes, bungs and corruption,' he said. 'About half of its executive committee who voted on the last World Cup have had to go. Even its past president Joao Havelange has been removed from his honorary life presidency in his 90s.
'Systematic corruption underpinned by non-existent investigations where most of the accused are exempt from the investigation make it impossible to proceed. Foreign construction workers dying in their dozens in Qatar stadium construction sites are essentially ignored.'
15.00 The caption supplied with this photo is: 'A dog named after Chile's soccer player Jorge Valdivia reacts as he is photographed wearing a Brazilian soccer jersey during his morning walk outside Itaquerao Stadium in Sao Paulo'
I have so many questions about this situation that cannot be answered.
14.55 Our north-east sports reporter Luke Edwards followed up this tweet by saying: 'Feel free to retweet when Spain beat Brazil in the final, England go out in group stage without Rooney scoring and Argentina are woeful!' Better do as he says then.
14.50 Telegraph Sport news correspondent Ben Rumsby has been tweeting galore during the Fifa congress. Here is a selection of greatest hits over the past hour:
- Jerome Valcke has announced Fifa's e-voting system is not working so we're into voting by hand.
- They're using green and red cards for yes and no and some idiot has already held up a red card by mistake. This bodes well...
- Blatter giving president's address. Says: 'Football is a success story... We are stronger than ever.'
- Blatter displaying relentless positivity here.
- Blatter brings up the Fifa film (vanity project) United Passions. And promises we'll here more about it later...!
14.45 Our man Jim White is in the right place for the action. Or is he?
14.15 Sepp Blatter is currently addressing the Fifa congress. And he's shown just how much of a man of the people is by discussing the topic on everyone's lips:
13.57 Punchy stuff from the New Statesman. Actually I say punchy stuff... I have only seen this front cover. The inside story may be as hard-hitting as American mustard.
13.48 You may be aware that since Gary Barlow's Greatest Day was recently ditched by the FA, there is no official England World Cup anthem. But, days after his death, a campaign has now emerged to get actor Rik Mayall to the top of the Top 40 with his unofficial 'lost' World Cup anthem, Noble England.
The comedian recorded the track, in which he reads the iconic speech from Shakespeare's Henry V over a rousing chanted chorus, ahead of the 2010 World Cup although it failed to chart that time around. See the video here and let me know what you think. My verdict: Nice enough idea. Terrible song.
13.38 Almost certainly seemed like a better idea in their head.
How do they stop the ball from floating though?
13.26 The vuvuzela of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa is not something most people will remember fondly. In its place I present to you the Brazilian caxirola. This colorful plastic contraption filled with tiny beads makes a hissing sound when shaken.
But joy! It was banned from stadiums in Brazil last year. Rest assured you won't have to turn the volume down on the TV for the next month then. Except when Mark Lawrenson appears.
13.05 Probably a silly question but this doesn't count as a selfie does it because someone else has taken it? I must brush up on my selfie knowledge.
Here is a snap of Ecuador's unrelated Valencias - Antonio and Enner - competing for who can look smoother.
12.55 This is a great read courtesy of Jonathan Liew, who has spent time in a favela and discovered that, seen up against the daily challenges of life, it is easy for the small matter of the World Cup to pale into the background. Read the whole piece and read an extract below.
'All this will create is shame,' says 22 year-old student Gabrielle. 'Look at the Arena da Amazonia that they're building in Manaus. Manaus doesn't even have a team!'
But surely she must be looking forward to the football? She shrugs. 'Mais ou menos.'
More or less. It is an expression you often hear in Brazil - an opinion that is not an opinion, a feeling of confliction that comes when passion and apathy collide. Most Brazilians have come to the conclusion that the World Cup is not being staged for their benefit. And nowhere will you find a greater sense of disconnect than on the very margins of society, in favelas like this.
12.42 It's Brazil forward Hulk in an ice bath.
12.28 It's official. England supporters are the world's most pessimistic, with only four per cent believing Roy Hodgson's men can win the World Cup. Look, there's a graph and stats to prove it. Read our story explaining it .
12.21 An unexpected World Cup live blog update from our Formula One correspondent Daniel Johnson. F1 team McLaren have produced a video featuring Jenson Button and Oliver Bierhoff comparing a football penalty to a Grand Prix start. It seems Daniel doesn't think there's much competition between the two though...
McLaren have put out a video this morning explaining why taking a penalty is similar to a Grand Prix start. Apparently footballers are using more and more data to analyse the best penalty to take.
As F1 Correspondent I would say this, but anyone who can kick a ball could score a penalty at the World Cup if they hold their nerve. Pretty sure very few could get an F1 car started...
12.12 As part of our Fantasy Football game, we are offering you the chance to win a new car, a seven-day trip to Rio or £1,000 in our Daily Brazil Hat-trick competition. All you have to do is answer 'Yes' or 'No' to three questions each day during the tournament.
Today is the first day and the questions are these (along with my answers in brackets):
Will Brazil win their opening game against Croatia? YES
Will Neymar score for Brazil against Croatia? NO
Will there be more than three goals in the Brazil vs Croatia match? YES
Disagree with me? Give it a go here .
12.02 'I don't care who Henry Winter, Alan Smith and Alan Hansen think will win the World Cup. What I really want to know is what former heptathlete Kelly Sotherton reckons.'
Let me be of service. We have the answer to your queries with our sports star predictions here . Who isn't desperate to know who AP McCoy, James Cracknell and Lee Westwood think will triumph in Brazil?
11.52 Our man Jonathan Liew is in Sao Paolo and has news of Diego Maradona making a fool of himself.
11.45 Apparently the entire England travelling party have started taking Malarone anti-malaria tablets ahead of their trip to Manaus.
But Roy, what about the diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain and headaches, which affect around one in 10 people who take the drug?
'As far as I'm concerned, I've got to go with medical opinion,' said the England manager. 'If the doctors are telling me that, when we go to Manaus, the players must take malaria tablets, whether it has side effects or not, what do I do? I can't turn around and say: 'We will not take malaria tablets' because the bottom line is it's better to have stomach cramps or whatever it is for one player in 10 than have someone contract malaria, because that would be unthinkable.'
As part of an 'elite' band of people to have had malaria (alongside the likes of Kolo Toure and Cheryl Cole) I can confirm that stomach cramps are preferable to the full-blown disease. It's not fun and games.
11.25 It pains me to indulge animal football predictors. Paul the Octopus was the one and only. But I'm willing to make an exception for Predictaroo (What??? They've spelt predictor wrong. All they had to do was combine the words 'predictor' with 'kangaroo' and they have failed).
But it's not the spelling-error kangaroo I'm interested in, it's the girl presenting the video. That's right, it's the late Steve Irwin's (AKA Crocodile Hunter's) daughter Bindi.
WAVEY ARMS, UNBRIDLED EXCITEMENT, I WILL BE FAMOUS, AAAAAAAAAAAGH.
11.08 Tomorrow marks the four-year anniversary of this from Robert Green:
I was watching on ITV HD so I still think USA won the game 1-0.
10.52 And the award for the least incisive set of World Cup predictions in history goes to Andrew (née Andy) Cole. The former England striker gave his predictions to Squawka and below is a snippet of his quite outstanding lack of insight... See his full answers on Project Babb .
10.42 It's Philippe Coutinho's birthday tomorrow! He wasn't selected for the World Cup though so we're not interested in him. Just imagine if he was English though...
10.35 Portugal played Ireland yesterday and scored a quite beautiful team goal. Think Jack Wilshere v Norwich. Or Tomas Rosicky v Sunderland. Unfortunately this one was ruled out for offside. Pesky rules. Can't beauty trump regulations once in a while?
Watch the goal on our Project Babb site here . Do it now. It's rather good.
10.20 If you are not familiar with our World Cup Nation bloggers it is time to rectify that situation. For the past few months, writers from all 32 countries have been providing a brilliant insight into the state of their teams before the tournament begins. You can find a neat summary of the highlights . And the bloggers will also be providing titbits for our daily blog. First up today is our Switzerland man Paul Knott (there are two bits so make sure you read on after the photo!).
Switzerland is a country that prizes social harmony and cohesion. Consequently, great care has been taken to ensure room-mate compatibility at their base in Porto Seguro. Josip Drmić and Haris Seferović are both fans of fast cars, as one would expect from a pair of dashing young strikers. Xherdan Shaqiri and Admir Mehmedi will be sharing their dreams of space travel. And to the great relief of everyone else, midfielder Valentin Stocker and reserve goalkeeper Yann Sommer have been paired together. As Stocker explains: 'We like to discuss deeper matters beyond football'. The prospects for world peace and developments on the avant-garde art scene? No. 'Swapping household maintenance tips and comparing insurance policies'.
10.02 You know that moment when you turn up for Sunday League, wander over to the pitch and are greeted with something that resembles a child's sandpit? That's what awaits Roy Hodgson and the gang on Saturday.
Below is a picture of what the Manaus pitch looks like just three days before the big match. And the rest of the stadium isn't much better, apparently, with naked power cables dangling from the walls of the changing rooms and workers still applying a final coat of asphalt outside the ground. Read our full story here .
9.45 Is there a football supporter who doesn't love Andrea Pirlo? If there is, there is something wrong with them. Much like someone liking 'futbol' but not Jennifer Lopez. Surely the smoothest footballer on the planet, Pirlo has this morning announced he has signed a new two-year contract with Juventus. The Italian club broke the news with this 1min 11sec video of Pirlo playing football.
Go on then, if we must.
9.25 If you are not one of the 74,340,948 people who has watched the Pitbull featuring Jennifer Lopez & Claudia Leitte video to 'We Are One (Ole Ola)' fear not. Here it is. Thank me later.
9.20 Welbeck isn't the big news coming out of Brazil today though. Oh no. Not even close. The big news is: J-Lo is back.
I know, it's exciting but try and stay calm. Two days ago the warbler cancelled her scheduled appearance at tomorrow's World Cup opening ceremony due to 'production issues'. Such was the outcry at a football tournament taking place without its real star that she has reversed the decision with her spokesperson saying: 'Jennifer would not want to disappoint her fans or fans of futbol'.
Futbol + J-Lo = Party time.
9.00 Good morning team. It's the night before Christmas isn't it? The time has come to see who will step up to the plate. Maybe you can spend today getting in the mindset of those who will be attempting such a plate-stepping exercise. Before you go for your lunch break find a plate... and step up to it. You are now a winner.
Back in the real world, Roy Hodgson has an issue to resolve. Danny Welbeck limped out of training yesterday. Will he be fit to face Italy on Saturday? If not it could mean Raheem Sterling starts in his place. Which is pretty much what most fans/pundits/people in England want don't they?
I like Sterling. But I also like Welbeck. I remember watching an England Under-21 match a few years back (England 2-0 Norway, June 2011) where two players stood head and shoulders above the rest of the team: Daniel Sturridge and Welbeck. And I'm still convinced that he could be brilliant if given a proper chance with club and country. So if it was up to me a fit Welbeck would not be the man to make way for Sterling. Adam Lallana would be that man.
Anyway, I'll be here throughout the day live-blogging all your World Cup news. Stay with me and let's kick things off with Henry Winter on why Sterling must start against Italy:
Sterling also analysed the Brazilian, Ronaldinho, while growing up near Wembley Stadium, attempting to copy his ability to drag the ball into the final third. The time for rehearsing is over. Sterling deserves his first competitive England international. Hodgson has talked to him a few times in training, having a quiet word here and there. Now is the time to see whether he can be a big noise in Brazil.
Post a Comment for "Fifa World Cup 2014: live - Telegraph.co.uk"