FOOTY FAIR

Messi Meets the President of Gabon and Dresses Like a Bum

2015-07-24T12:00:00.000-04:00

Widely considered, outside of Madrid at least, to be the finest footballer on the planet Lionel Messi is as useless at picking out what to wear as he is brilliant at picking apart opposition defenses.

As if his comically bad shiny maroon suit he wore to a recent FIFA Awards night, one of those annual events where they give him a prize simply for being Messi, wasn't bad enough he's now outraged a nation with his dress sense.

While in Gabon, the Barcelona star went on a VIP tour of the capital city, Libreville, organised by former teammate Samuel Eto’o, who is a close friend and advisor of Gabonese president Ali Bongo Ondimba.

The president also asked Messi to place the first stone for a new national stadium being built for the 2017 African Nations Cup.

For such a momentous occasion you figured that Messi would perhaps put on a suit, or even a nice pair of dress pants and a button up, but instead he opted for a pair of scummy looking shorts and a t-shirt. As if he was going to the beach or the zoo.

The Union du Peuple Gabonais (UPG) political party responded with the following statement:

“The messiah of football arrived in Gabon like he were going to a zoo: dirty, unshaven and his hands in his pockets, looking for peanuts to throw to them!

“When you’re called Lionel Messi and you’re a multi-billionaire, you don’t have the right to present yourself to officials of a republic, even a banana one, with your hands in the pockets of a ripped, tattered pair of shorts.

“Gabon isn’t a zoo. We don’t know what the Argentine came to Gabon for, but we at least have the right to denounce his negligence and his lack of respect for standards and principles.

“We are uneasy with Messi’s attitude and his attire. Only for these reasons, linked to respect for the host country, do we condemn the footballer’s indelicateness, to say the least!”

That Messi dirtbag was also accused by France Football magazine of being paid €3.5million for the visit, but the Argentine play maker strongly denies that.

Amazing Quote Portraits From Panenka Magazine

2015-02-10T16:00:00.000-05:00

Chamo San is an artist based in Barcelona. Every month San illustrates a portrait of a legendary football icon together with one of their popular quotes.

Here are a few samples of his work, together with the translation of the quotes.

Luis Aragonés

"The sport is divided into two: football and the rest."

David Beckham

"I definitely want Brooklyn to be christened, but I don't know into what religion yet."

Vincente del Bosque

"If we do not win the World Cup, Germany will."

Alessandro Del Piero

"A true gentleman never leaves his lady."

Alfredo Di Stefano

"Scoring goals is like making love, everyone knows how to do it but nobody does it like me."

Samuel Eto'o

"I'll run like a black man to be able to live like a white man."

Alcides Gighia

"Only three people silenced the Maracana : the Pope, Frank Sinatra and I."

Jorge Alberto "Mágico" González

"I have a silly head : I do not like to take football as a job."

Rinus Michels

"Football is war."

Pelé

"A penalty is a cowardly way to score a goal."

5 African Players That Have Won the UEFA Champions League

2015-01-21T16:00:00.000-05:00

As the Africa Cup of Nations kicked off this past weekend in Equatorial Guinea, many club sides around the world gritted their teeth and hoped that their players taking part in tournament would come back healthy.

Although it is certainly an inconvenience to some clubs, particularly in Europe, that the biannual tournament falls in the middle of club season, it's a wonderful competition that pits the best African players against each other. It also provides a showcase for lessor known players that are hoping to capture the eye of one of Europe's big clubs.

Several players that have taken part in this tournament have also good on to great success in Europe and have helped their clubs to win what is still arguably the greatest prize in club, the UEFA Champions League. The following are five of the best African players who played for sides who won European Football's greatest prize.

Didier Drogba

One of the greatest African footballers ever, the Ivory Coast superstar Didier Drogba was the hero in the 2012 Champions League final as he scored a late equalizer to cancel Thomas Müller’s opener and send the game into extra time and eventually penalties. During the penalty shootout, Drogba scored the final spot kick to secure 4-3 win for the Blues. His countryman Salomon Kalou was also in the starting lineup in that 2012 final, alongside Nigeria’s John Obi Mikel.

Samuel Kuffour

Despite playing a terrific match for Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League Final and keeping Manchester United's potent attack of Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke off the scoresheet, the former Ghanaian star is largely remembered from that final for letting Ole Gunnar Solskjær score the winner deep into stoppage time. The pain of that last minute defeat would be washed away two seasons later for Kuffour and Bayern though, as they surged to victory in the 2001 final with a win over Valencia.

Yaya Toure

On his day, Manchester City's Yaya Toure can be the most dominant player in the Premier League, but it with injuries affecting his former club Barcelona's backline heading into the 2009 Champions League Final against Manchester United, Toure was asked to fill the role of a centre back. The Ivorian filled the role superbly, as his side went on to a comfortable 2-0 victory in Rome.

Abedi Pele

Considered to be one of Ghana's finest ever players, Abedi Pele starred for the controversial Marseilles side of the late 1980's and early 1990's that upset AC Milan in the 1993 Champions League Final. Pele, the three time African Footballer of the Year, provided the cross to Basil Boli for the lone goal against the favoured Italian side.

Samuel Eto'o

The record four time African Footballer of the Year, and one of the finest strikers that has taken part in the Champions League over the past decade. Samuel Eto'o levelled the scores in the 2006 final against Arsenal for his former club Barcelona, in a match that the Catalan giants would go on to win 2-1. The Cameroonian legend, again opened the scoring for Barcelona in the 2009 final, which they would go on to win 2-0 against Manchester United. He was later a key player for Jose Mourinho's Inter side that downed Bayern Munich 2-0 in the 2010 final.

The 5 Greatest African Players of All Time

2014-12-02T16:00:00.000-05:00

Whenever you compile a list with the title of "greatest x of all time" you're most certainly welcoming a lot of debate.

Most reasonable football fans can roughly agree on irrefutable facts like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi being the most dominant footballers on the planet for the past five years, but ask them to name who is the better player of the two and debates will rage. Open the debate up to having people name the top five players in the world right now and you're guaranteeing yourself a long night of arguing.

So with much trepidation I've put together a list of the five greatest African footballers of all time. The one stipulation I set for myself is that I had to have seen the players in my lifetime. So in fairness to African greats of the past, I suppose this list could have been more fairly labelled 'The 5 Greatest African Players of the Past Twenty Five Years", but regardless of that the five players I've selected were definitely World Class footballers and would presumably make most people's top five or top ten lists.

Let the debates begin.

5 - Hossam Hassan

Although Hossam Hassan didn't make much of an impact away from North Africa, the Egyptian striker supreme is rightly lauded for his remarkable success with the Pharaohs, which whom he won African Cup of Nations titles in 1986, 1998, and 2006. Hassan scored 68 goals in 176 appearances for his country and led Egypt to a World Cup appearance in 1990 where they narrowly missed out on progressing out of the group stages.

Hassan also enjoyed a successful career in Egyptian club football where he won thirteen league titles, five Egyptian Cups and one African Champions League with Cairo based giants Al-Ahly. He would later move to Al-Ahly's bitter rivals Zamalek, where he would win another three Egyptian league titles, an Egyptian Cup, and another African Champions League title.

4 - Abedi Pele

The three time African footballer of the year is widely regarded as Ghana's greatest ever player and one of the finest footballers to come out of Africa. Born with the name Abedi Ayew, after his football career began to take off he was given the moniker of the famous Brazilian and the name stuck. Abedi Pele was a skillful attacking midfielder who first came to prominence with Ghana after winning the 1982 African Cup of Nations.

After beginning his club career in Ghana with Real Tamale United, Pele moved around between several clubs at home and abroad before finding success with the dominant Olympic Marseilles side of the late '80s and early '90s. With the French side he won three Ligue 1 titles and the 1993 UEFA Champions League crown. A key part of that all conquering side, the later controversy and scandal that plagued the club shouldn't diminish the accomplishments of this pioneering African footballer who found great success in Europe.

3 - George Weah

Although the great George Weah didn't enjoy much international success with the small footballing nation of Liberia, the explosive striker had a major impact on club football. After being brought to Europe by then Monaco manager Arsene Wenger, Weah flourished in Ligue 1, scoring 47 goals in 103 appearances for the club on his way to winning the 1989 African Footballer of the Year award, as well as helping the club to the 1991 French Cup.

Subsequent moves to Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan brought further success as he secured a Ligue 1 title and two Serie A titles respectively. He also won two more African Footballer of the Year awards in 1994 and 1995, and became the first African player to win the coveted Ballon d'Or in 1995.

There's also the small matter of THIS famous goal he scored against Verona for AC Milan.

2 - Samuel Eto'o

The four time African Footballer of the Year could undoubtedly top this list, and perhaps many feel he should do, after a brilliant career for club and country. Samuel Eto'o helped his country, Cameroon to three World Cup appearances, one Olympic title and two African Cup of Nations wins.

He was perhaps even more successful at club level though, with three league titles and two Champions League wins at Barcelona which he followed up with a Serie A title and another Champions League win for Inter Milan. Eto'o scored an incredible 108 goals in 145 appearances for the Catalan giants, before bagging 33 goals in 67 matches for Inter.

The Cameroon international is still going strong for Everton in the English Premier League at the tail end of what has been a wonderful career.

1 - Didier Drogba

Ivory Coast's all time top scorer with 65 goals in 104 appearances, besides being his countries greatest player, Didier Drogba could also stake a claim at club level to be the greatest Chelsea player ever as well. Known for his physical strength, powerful presence in the air and his ability to bully defenders, Drogba is the prototypical 'lone striker'.

Scoring 101 goals in 233 appearances for Chelsea, who he initially joined after a successful season with Marseilles, none of his goals were more important than his late equalizer against Bayern Munich in the 2012 Champions League Final and his final successful penalty that handed the West London club their first win the top European competition. To go along with that win, he also played a key role in the club winning three Premier League titles, five FA Cups, and two League Cups.

At international level, despite not winning any silverware with his country, he did lead his nation to two African Cup of Nations Finals that they subsequently lost on penalty kicks, and he also helped the Ivory Coast to qualification for the last three World Cup tournaments.

5 Highest Paid African Footballers of 2014

2014-09-15T06:00:00.001-04:00

I am going to take a look at the five highest paid African footballers of 2014; the names will perhaps not surprise you since they are well known names and players that have played at the highest level for club and country.

Here are the 5 highest paid African football players of 2014, including a calculation of their respective net worth, according to Football Money site.

Michael Essien - $25 million

He was Africa’s wealthiest player in 2005 when he transferred from Lyon to Chelsea. That was a signing that gained the Ghanaian international midfielder around $40.5 million. After playing with Chelsea and a loan spell at Real Madrid, Essien signed with AC Milan in January of 2014.

Emmanuel Adebayor - $27 million

He is Togo’s top scorer of all time and he was reported to be earning $268,000 a week when he joined Manchester City. He is currently representing Tottenham Hotspurs of the Premier League. He has also donated large sums of money to charities over the years, giving back some of what he has earned to help the ones in need.

Yaya Touré - $65 million

The Ivorian international and Manchester City midfielder signed a five year deal with City reportedly around the amount of $40 million. His combined earnings for his international performances amount to around $15 million annually. He is one of Africa’s best players and it isn’t a surprise that he is the third best paid African player.

Didier Drogba - $70 million

A member of Ivory Coast’s golden generation, Didier Drogba hit the big time at the age of 26 when he moved to Chelsea to earn $170,000 a week. He is the club’s fourth highest goal scorer of all-time, and it wasn’t a surprise that after a spell with Turkey’s Galatasaray where he earned $5.2 million annually, that he would move back to Chelsea during this summer’s transfer market.

Samuel Eto’o - $90 million

The wealthiest player in the African continent is the Cameroonian international Samuel Eto’o. When he played for Anzhi during 2011-2013 seasons he earned around $25 million annually. He has represented Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Chelsea and as of August 2014 Everton. He has been able to help his country and Africa by starting his own charity, Fundacion Privada Samuel Eto’o, which has helped people in Cameroon obtain basic health care.

5 Less Known Facts About Samuel Eto'o

2014-08-13T06:00:00.000-04:00

Cameroon international Samuel Eto’o is one of the most recognizable African footballers of all time.

He has made a name for himself playing for Barcelona in La Liga, Inter Milan in Serie A and Chelsea in the Premier League. A proved winner and a prolific striker, Samuel Eto’o has also been the star of his home country of Cameroon, and while he was with his team at the World Cup in Brazil, an injury prevented him from being a strong contributor.

Many things have been written about Eto’o, but perhaps the next couple of lines will bring some new facts about the man and the player that you didn’t know yet.

Here are the 5 less known facts about Samuel Eto’o.

Fact 1

Growing up his nickname was “little Milla”, in reference to Cameroonian international Roger Milla. His connection with Milla dates back to his childhood, when he caught one of Milla’s jerseys that he had thrown into the crowd during a match. In an interview with the BBC, Samuel Eto’o had this to say about his connection to the former Cameroonian star “He was one of the best in the world, not just in Africa. A lot of us think he did not win the Best Player in the World award just because he was African. It was an honor to have the nickname, he was an inspiration”.

Fact 2

During his teenage years, he wasn’t able to join a French side due to his youth and lack of proper documentation. Instead, he would end up joining Real Madrid youth academy. He wasn’t ever able to make an impact with Real Madrid and ended up being loaned to several teams, before eventually making his way to Barcelona.

Fact 3

Eto’o holds the record for most appearances by an African player in La Liga games. He played for several teams in La Liga, but he is better known for his time with Barcelona. In 5 seasons at Barcelona he has 145 appearances and 108 goals, impressive numbers.

Fact 4

He has won the African Player of the Year four times, making him the most decorated African player of all time. He has also finished third place in the 2005 FIFA World Player of the Year voting. He won the Olympics in 2000 with Cameroon and he is also a two time Africa Cup of Nations winner. He is currently the all-time leading scorer for Cameroon and the third most capped player in his country’s history.

Fact 5

Eto’o has written nine graphic novels about his life, the latest is called “Birth of a Champion” and it focuses on his time in Douala, Cameroon. His decision to create his autobiographies in graphic novels was driven by the fact that he wanted them accessible to children.

2014 World Cup Match Day 7: Goals & Highlights

2014-06-18T21:30:00.000-04:00

Game 18: Australia 2-3 Netherlands

Game 19: Spain 0-2 Chile

Game 20: Cameroon 0-4 Croatia

2014 World Cup Match Day Preview: Day 7

2014-06-18T06:00:00.000-04:00

Match day 7 will see the 2^nd games of countries in group B and of two countries in group A. The marquee match up will be Spain vs. Chile.

Australia vs. Netherlands

Match Info

The first game of the day will see Group B’s Australia against Netherlands at 1pm local time in Brazil.

The match will be played at Estadio Beira-Rio in Porto Alegre, which has a capacity of 42,991 people.

These two countries have met in three different occasions before with Australia winning once and the other two games ending in a tie. Surprisingly, Netherlands has never defeated Australia. This should set up a very interesting match for the first game of the day.

Australia lost their opener to Chile by a score of 3-1 but the score line is not really indicative of how well Australia played in that match. They created several chances and the result could have been very different. This is a must win game for Australia, if they are to have any chance of advancing to the round of 16 they will need to get a win, anything else will see them going home after the group stages. Considering the history between these two countries it is not out of the realm of possibility. Having said that let’s not forget that Netherlands is coming from a convincing 5-1 win over the champions Spain. If that display in the opener is a sign of what it is to come, Netherlands will be a force to be dealt with and most likely be able to get their first win ever against Australia. What better place to do it other than the World Cup.

Players to Watch

From Australian side Cahill is the star, captain and the one player that really caries his country on his shoulders. Australia will go as far as Cahill can take them, so I expect another big game from him. Netherlands has so many quality players but I expect Robben to once again be the man of the match. He has the ability to not only run at defenders and make incredible passes to his forwards but also to finish his own plays. He will have another incredible performance.

Spain vs. Chile

Match Info

The second match of the day will be our marquee match and will see the other Group B’s game between Spain & Chile, at 4pm local time in Brazil.

The match will be played at Estadio jornalista Mario Filho in Rio de Janeiro, with a capacity of 74,689 people.

These two countries have played 10 times before, with Spain winning eight times and tying twice. In those 10 match ups Spain has scored 28 goals while Chile has only scored 8 times. There is a clear dominance from Spain in the match ups between these two countries.

This is a must win for Spain. After dropping the opener to Netherlands they need a win to stay in the hunt for one of the two spots on top of the group. Chile has 3 points from their win against Australia and even a draw in this match could be enough for them to be able to advance to the round of 16. Chile will be aware that their win against Australia wasn’t as easy as the score line shows and that Spain is not as bad as their result indicated, so it will be a very defensive minded Chile that will look at breaking Spain down in counter attacks. I expect Spain to change their formation going into this match by dropping Diego Costa and adding Fabregas in more fluid number 9 position. Chile will most likely see the return of Vidal and that should add some fire power and boost to their midfield line. A fit Vidal will be a very important addition and a headache for Spain’s defensive lines.

Players to Watch

Xavi will be critical in this game. He didn’t have a good game against Netherlands, but then again nobody in the Spanish squad did. He will be the key factor for his team in order for them to be able to control the ball but also creates enough offensive situations that will allow them to score. I see Vidal coming into this game and having a huge impact. He was rested for the opener and should be fit to play this important match that could dictate who finishes on top of Group B or who goes home. Vidal is the brain and muscle of this team, and I believe he will be crucial in how they will stop Spain from attacking but also pushing them forward.

Cameroon vs. Croatia

Match Info

Last match of the day will feature Cameroo vs. Croatia from Group A. This game will be played at 7pm local time in Brazil.

This match will be played at Arena Amazonia stadium in Manaus and it has a capacity of 39,118 people.

These two countries have never played each other.

Both teams lost their opening matches so this game is crucial for both countries aspirations of advancing out of the group stages. Croatia played a disappointing first game, but they were missing their forward Mandzukic. He will be back for this game and will be an important factor for his country. Cameroon had a very disappointing first match and lost to a very strong Mexico side. Cameroon doesn’t look strong enough in defense or offense to really pose a threat to Croatia. Rakitic and Modric will have to have a more inspired game against Cameroon and give their side more speed when moving forward, but all things considered Croatia should win this game and setup an incredible match up with Mexico for the last game of the group.

Players to Watch

From the Croatia side Mandzukic will be the player to keep an eye on. He will be returning from suspension and will be looking at having an impact in this game. He is a very prolific goal scorer and with Rakitic and Modric feeding him quality balls he could become a real headache for a very shaky Cameroon side. Samuel Eto’o was invisible in their first match and I am expecting more of the same from him. The key player for Cameroon will be Song. He will have to make his presence in midfield felt in order to be able to stop the fast and quick Croatian midfielders. If he has a bad game the chances of Cameroon winning or getting any points out of this match are slim to none.

Match-day 7 - Staff Picks

Pedro: Australia 0-3 Netherlands, Spain 1-1 Chile & Croatia 2-1 Cameroon

Kon: Australia 0-3 Netherlands, Spain 2-1 Chile & Croatia 1-0 Cameroon

Iain: Australia 0-2 Netherlands, Spain 0-1 Chile & Croatia 2-0 Cameroon

5 World Cup Stars MLS Bound

2014-06-13T09:00:00.000-04:00

MLS has always been a place where world soccer stars find a home during the twilight of their careers.

Fans don’t always like to hear it, but it is still difficult for the league to attract world class players when they are in their prime, exception being made of course. This year’s World Cup has at least 5 potential players that could be applying their craft in the MLS in the next 1 to 2 years. While not in their prime, these 5 players that we will be taking a look at would still be impactful on the field and off the field in any MLS roster.

Frank Lampard

Lampard is 35 years old, he will be 36 by the time the World Cup raps up, but he is still a quality midfielder with place on some of Europe’s top tier clubs. He has announced that he is leaving Chelsea, so it is only natural that we look at Lampard and MLS as a match made in soccer heaven.

News have been swirling that he would most likely join the new expansion franchise NY City FC. They have already added Villa to that team and considering how rich the owners are, I wouldn’t be surprised if they added Lampard to their roster. I think he would be a good fit in NY, but I don’t think NY would be the only MLS market that he would fit in. LA Galaxy would be another team to consider, after all, they are always in the mix. The issue with LA is the availability of a designated player spot.

Lampard will not move to a small market or even a medium size market, this puts NY and LA in the hunt with to me NY having a huge advantage over LA.

Didier Drogba

Drogba is 36 years old and has confirmed his exit from Galatasaray. There had been speculation this week that the Ivorian star could be making a move back to Chelsea. I found this very hard to believe. Mourinho is looking at younger solutions for his team, not an aging Drogba, regardless of how close the two are.

At 36 he can still have a huge impact in MLS. He is a proven goal scorer and a strong player in the 1v1 situations. He has experience and would bring not only quality to a team but also goals. A perfect team for Drogba would be Montreal Impact. They need goals, he can score goals, and the language spoken is French, which would make for an easier transition for the player and team. Montreal has a bit of a European vibe to it, so I think he would enjoy the city and fit perfectly into that team, that desperately needs some offensive help as well some midfield power.

Another possible destination would be Seattle. In this case I think it would be more of a money option, since I don’t feel like he would be as good of a fit there as he would be in Montreal.

Xavi

Xavi is 34 years old, but he is like vintage wine, he gets better with age. I think within the next two years we will see him losing his space at Barcelona and for a player like him, I believe that he rather leave when he is on top instead of being forced out.

There would be a lineup of contenders for his signature. Any team with deep pockets would be looking at him not only for what he could do on the field but also the marketing powers off the field. LA, NYRB, NYC FC, Toronto FC, Seattle, Chicago are all teams that would be interested, but I think the dark horse in this race would have to be Miami. I believe that David Beckham will get his Miami franchise within the next two years and what better way to get that Franchise up and running than signing Xavi as your first player. That would be a statement to the league and the other owners, and Beckham is all about making a statement.

Samuel Eto’o

He is 33 years old, but to managers like Mourinho he is an old man. I don’t see him making a move to MLS this year, he still has market in Europe and his ego would prevent him from moving here earlier than what he has to, unless the money is obscene.

He speaks English and French which would make him a desirable piece of the puzzle in Montreal, but as I said about Xavi I will say it about Eto’o. I can see him landing in Miami and helping that new franchise get off the ground. He is a great player, pure finisher that has won everything you can win at club level. Uniting him and Xavi in the same team, would be reuniting two “former” Barcelona players and perhaps bring some of that magic to South Beach.

Not many teams will have the pockets to sign him and when you add the designated player spot into the mix, most of the ones that can won’t have a spot for him. Miami will most likely be his place.

Michael Essien

The 31 year old Essien is not getting the same playing time he once did, but he is still a force in any team’s midfield. His ability to break the play and start the attack makes him a unique player in that part of the field.

He would be the kind of player I can see Seattle signing. He would fit well into that team and I think he would be very successful with them. I don’t see many other teams in which he could really be a better fit. If they have the designated player spot available and he decides to come to MLS I expect him to land on the west coast in Seattle.

A robust player that would bring some needed muscle to that midfield. He would help Clint Dempsey tremendously, and make that offense more dangerous since he has a really good ability to recuperate the ball up on the field and distribute.

The fans would always like to see Ibrahimovic or Neymar come to MLS when they are 27 or 29, but players of this elite level, that have played in World Cups, Champions League and have won trophies all over Europe will not come here when they feel that they still can win it there. So let’s enjoy what we get when we get it.

2014 World Cup Match Day Preview: Day 2

2014-06-13T06:00:00.000-04:00

So we got the anxious wait out of the way and we are into the second day of action. Since there was only one fixture in match-day 1 this day we will be watching 3 match-ups, one of which can already set the tone for the eventual winner of the group.

Mexico vs. Cameroon

Match Info

This one will be hosted at the brand spanking new Arena das Dunas in city of Natal, with a capacity of 45,000. If you are travelling to Natal to catch the game, I've got good news for you, it's another city on the beach.

For TV times and channels please check your local listings.

Mexico and Cameroon met just once before, with the Central Americans coming out on top by a score of 1-0.

Mexico has impressed in the warm-up matches and will certainly look to gain the crucial 3 points against the "minnows" from Africa. The Cameroonians are pretty far away now from the days of Roger Milla and the surprises of the late 80s and early 90s but as we know all too well, it's never a good idea to count the African nations out too early.

Players to Watch

My Mexican player to watch would have to be Giovani dos Santos. The man who can't seem to find a permanent home for his club career will have a lot of pressure from the fans back home as he wears the number 10 on his back. On the Cameroonian side it has to be "old man" Samuel Eto'o. How much impact can the African striker provide for his less than favorite to qualify out of the group side Cameroon.

Spain vs. Netherlands

Match Info

The most enticing fixture on the day is the re-match of the 2010 World Cup final between Spain and Netherlands. For this one we are off to the Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador, a stadium with the capacity of 50,000.

Spain and Netherlands have met 9 times in previous competitions and have an identical head-to-head record of 4 wins, a draw and 4 losses. Spain does have a 3 goal advantage in their meetings.

This match will almost certainly crown the group winner unless the match concludes in a draw. Spain is looking to defend their title, while the Dutch are still chasing that very first World Cup championship celebration. Both teams surely understand that coming in 2nd place in this group means a likely meeting with hosts Brazil in the second round, so a laid back approach to their match may not be the best game-plan.

Players to Watch

From the Spanish side I'll be watching Sergio Ramos. The Real Madrid full-back has been instrumental this year for the Champions League winners, doing a terrific job both in defense and up front scoring some crucial goals for his club. The Netherlands always rely heavily on Arjen Robben and I would like to see if the Bayern Munich winger can provide the Dutch with enough creativity in transition to surprise the defending World Cup champions.

Chile vs. Australia

Match Info

The second match of group B between Chile and Australia will be played at the Arena Pantanal in Cuiabá. The stadium seats just under 40,000 spectators, most of which I presume would be of the Chilean variety given the proximity of Chile to host country Brazil.

The two countries met on 4 previous occasions, with the Australians managing just one draw, losing the other three matches.

Chile will certainly look to pick up all 3 points from this fixture. A win will give the Chileans an opportunity of qualifying for the next round if they can manage a surprise in one of their next two matches (against Spain and Netherlands). The Australians are a confident bunch, but surely they understand that not many will be giving them a chance to come out with more than 1 point out of this group, a point they will be looking to achieve against the South Americans on match-day 2.

Players to Watch

Of course on the Chilean side all eyes will be on Juvetus midfielder Arturo Vidal, while on the Aussie side it'll be forward Tim Cahill. Against a team like Australia, Vidal could swing the game to his squads favor by controlling the midfield. Cahill on the other hand will have to provide the Soceroos with attacking options as it is very unlikely that Australia could manage even 1 point without scoring against the Chileans.

Match-day 2 - Staff Picks

Pedro: Mexico 0-1 Cameroon, Spain 2-1 Netherlands, Chile 4-0 Australia
Kon: Mexico 1-0 Cameroon, Spain 2-2 Netherlands, Chile 3-0 Australia
Iain: Mexico 2-0 Cameroon, Spain 1-1 Netherlands, Chile 3-1 Australia