Brazil head coach Tite released his squad of 23 players at a news conference in Rio de Janeiro on Monday, and it included only three Brazilian-based players: Corinthians’ Cassio andFagner and Gremio’s Pedro Geromel. Local options. The spotlight will be on the 28-year-old Fagner as a possible choice at right back for Dani Alves, who […]
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World Cup Retro 1958: Five names to have at your fingertips
Here are five names to have at your fingertips about the sixth World Cup, hosted by Sweden and won by Brazil. Nils Liedholm. Sweden had won the gold medal at the 1948 Olympicsoccer tournament in London but its stars, Gunnar Gren, Gunnar Nordahl and Nils Liedholm, were dropped from the national team by the Swedish […]
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World Cup Retro 1954: Five names to have at your fingertips
Here are five names to have at your fingertips about the fifth World Cup, hosted by Switzerland and won by West Germany. Television. The fifth World Cup, hosted by Switzerland so FIFAcould celebrate its 50th anniversary in its headquarter nation, was the first to be televised. The European Broadcast Union, which had to pay no […]
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World Cup Retro 1950: Five names to have at your fingertips
Here are five names to have at your fingertips about the fourth World Cup, hosted by Brazil and won by Uruguay. Maracana. Brazil was a natural choice to host the World Cupafter the tournament’s hiatus during World War II. Rebuilding European nations didn’t put soccer stadiums high on their priority list. Brazil, where soccer’s popularity […]
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Iceland's success is a melding of planning and perseverance
The smallest country at the 2018 World Cup will have one of the largest followings, particularly among those who admire the underdog.
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World Cup Retro 1938: Five names to have at your fingertips
Here are five names to have at your fingertips about the third World Cup, hosted by France and won by Italy. Anschluss. The specter of World War II was emerging with NaziGermany’s annexation (Anschluss) of Austria — a move that also disbanded the talented Austrian “Wunderteam” and placed its stars in the German squad. The […]
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L'Affaire Benzema: 'If they need me, they know where I am'
France’s loss is Real Madrid’s gain. Karim Benzema has been having a crummy season by his standards — five goals in La Liga and two in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League– but the 30-year-old forward still has the faith of countryman Zinedine Zidane. That’s more than can be said for French national […]
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World Cup Retro 1934: Five names to have at your fingertips
Here are five names to have at your fingertips about the second World Cup, won by host Italy. Benito Mussolini. Il Duce had been in power 10 years when FIFA awardedItaly the tournament in 1932. Constructing lavish soccer stadiums suited the Fascist dictator’s penchant for grandiose buildings and he hoped for a nationalistic celebration amid […]
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World Cup Retro 1930: Five names to have at your fingertips
Here are five names to have at your fingertips about the inaugural World Cup won by Uruguay. Estadio Centenario. Uruguay, with a population of just 2 million, was namedhost of the first World Cup because it won the previous two Olympic tournaments and it offered to pay travel costs of all entrants. It also used […]
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A third Asian finalist pushes panic button
Not for the first time, Vahid Halilhodzic qualified a team for the World Cup only to be fired on the eve of the finals. In 2010, the Bosnia-born Frenchman was fired by Ivory Coastin late February following the Elephants’ elimination in the quarterfinals of the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola. “I lose one game […]