*Brazil won the FIFA U-20 World Cup, defeating Portugal 3:2 in the final in Bogota. Mexico beat France 3:1 to clinch third. The seleçao were top gunners with 18 goals in seven matches but Nigeria were the most prolific, averaging three goals a game. Spain were the most on-target team, shooting on goal 54 times in five games. Five of the 24 entrants failed to find the net - Austria, England (in four games), Mali, North Korea and Panama. Three youngsters tied for the golden boot but Spain's Alvaro Vasquez took the least time to score five - 219 minutes as opposed to 353 for Alexandre Lacazette of France and 557 for Henrique of Brazil. *Scourge of FIFA Andrew Jennings continues to build the case against Chuck Blazer . The supersized American of the Ex.Co. might have blown the whistle on his CONCACAF boss Jack Warner but does not appear to be cut from much of a different cloth. *Hernan Dario Gomez has resigned as coach of Colombia. *Spain was unusually quiet yesterday as La Liga players went on strike over money. Actually, the nation could have done with a breather as the thermometers hit 35C , young Catholic pilgrims from across the globe succumbed to heat exhaustion on World Youth Day in Madrid and arguments continued over the latest Barça v Real bust-up earlier in the week. The European champions won an entertaining Spanish Supercup 3:2 at home after a 2:2 draw away courtesy of another wonder goal from Lionel Messi in the Camp Nou, before the closing seconds saw the clash of the titans go back to the playground. *Still in Spain, Valencia's right-sided attacker Juan Mata , who starred in his country's Euro U21 win in Denmark, is off to Chelsea, while Colombian marksman Falcao , once thought to be Stamford Bridge-bound, has signed for Atletico Madrid as replacement for Sergio Aguero. *Arsenal 's much-trumpeted malaise appears to have begun in earnest with a 0-2 home reverse to rejuvenated Liverpool. With Cesc Fabregas now back in the blaugrana and Samir Nasri moments from Manchester City, Arsene Wenger was a tableau of sodden schadenfreude on the touchline as his dreams of an Ajax-on-Thames dissolved in the London drizzle. Wenger's ideal of a top-notch youth system supplying all his needs with multi-functional footballers has run out of steam in the face of his rivals' active recruitment of established specialists. Or as Alan 'If in doubt, launch it' Hansen wrote in today's Telegraph, "They need more destruction than creation." Only some sheepish yet hectic transfer activity can cure the sick patient that is the Gunners, but with the transfer market sure to exploit any panic-buying from Arsenal, January might realistically be the next time they can dam the flood. *Russia opened one of its stadia for the 2018 World Cup. Yekaterinburg's renovated Central Stadium opened and will be expanded from its current 27,000 capacity to 40,000 for the World Cup. (c) Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile Tags World Cup Pens World Cup Posters Euro 2012 football

Banned Ex.Co. member Mohamed Bin Hammam has slammed Sepp Blatter and Chuck Blazer following his expulsion from football last week. He compared Blatter to a tyrant wiping out his rivals and called for Blazer to go before the FIFA Ethics Committee for receiving suspicious payments. Bemoaning his life ban from football, the former Asian Football Confederation chief told Sky News, "This is the act of the dictators and we have witnessed this through history...When they think that a person is prominent to replace him, the first thing they do is execute him." With reference to his ban for handing out cash for votes, Bin Hammam denied he was guilty, but also admitted that clientelism was an everyday fact of FIFA life. "This is a normal, a normal, normal practice," he confirmed. "This watch is a gift." The Qatari then went on to have a dig at Chuck Blazer , whose whistleblowing began his impeachment process. "We have, during the investigations, discovered that Chuck Blazer himself has received from the Caribbean (Football) Union $250,000. For what, God knows." This news was broken by Andrew Jennings and Blazer's defence sounds, well a little odd. Claiming it was Jack Warner repaying him a loan, he added, "As a precaution, I have set aside these funds and am prepared to return them should it turn out that the CFU was the source of the funds and not Jack Warner as was represented to me." Jennings also revealed Blazer pocketed 10% of CONCACAF's marketing and TV rights money over the past five years, a total of $9.6m. The 66 year-old New Yorker defended his bonuses as "consistent with industry standards." * * * Ricardo Texeira , was it something we said? The Brazilian soccer chief, FIFA Ex.Co. member and former son-in-law of that great dictator Joao Havelange, has something against the English all right. This is what he told Brazilian magazine Revista Paui at the weekend: "The islanders (the English) are the pirates of the world, a bunch of pirates.... The BBC is a state organisation...It’s all orchestrated...I will make their lives hell...In 2014, I'll be able to get away with anything. The most slippery, unthinkable, Machiavellian things. Denying press credentials, barring access, changing game schedules. While I'm at the CBF, at FIFA, they won't get past the door! And you know what? Nothing will happen. You know why? Because in 2015 I'm out of here... " Why do you hate us so much, Ricardo? Are you worried London's smoothly organised Olympics next year will show up your disorganised World Cup two years later or the Rio Olympics in 2018? Oh I remember - you took at least $12m in bribes from FIFA's now defunct marketing company, ISL, your company laundered the money and our media (Andrew Jennings, the BBC et al.) pointed it out, that's right. Oh and you have been awarding yourself contracts for 2014 and you were willing to sell your vote for 2018. The truth hurts, Ricardo. And when the Zug prosecutor's report is finally revealed, you'll be history like Jack Warner and the other crooks in Zurich. Enjoy your time in football while it lasts. -Sean O'Conor Tags World Cup Pens World Cup Posters Euro 2012 football

What a week it has been at FIFA H.Q. Could the den of thieves finally be about to be gutted and the old guard sent packing, bribes and all? By Sunday afternoon, the final stretch of campaigning for the Presidency had become an ugly fire-fight between incumbent Sepp Blatter and the challenger Mohamed Bin-Hammam , with the Swiss apparently emerging from the conflagration the winner after his rival withdrew. Blatter had led comfortably going into this week as news arrived that the African votes were headed his way. Then out of the blue Chuck Blazer , the portly Executive Committee member from the USA, who has backed the uber-crook Jack Warner for two decades, suddenly announcing he had reported Bin-Hammam and his CONCACAF boss to the Ethics Committee for trying to buy vote s from the Caribbean Football Union. On Sunday, Bin-Hammam, seeing his bid for glory going up in flames, retaliated by reporting Blatter to the same committee for not reporting breaches of its laws on his watch. Warner and Bin Hammam were suspended from football activities, while Blatter was let off. Now on Monday, Warner has got his revenge by reporting Blatter for sending unsolicited gifts of computers and cash to CONCACAF, plus revealing an email in which General Secretary Jerome Valcke expressed an opinion that Bin-Hammam was trying to buy FIFA Presidency in the same way Qatar "bought" the 2022 World Cup finals. The ruling class of FIFA are at each other's throats in an almighty cat-fight. So mu ch changes by the day it is hard to keep up with the latest shenanigans. The presidential election on Wednesday will be the most absurd embellishment to this farce, with only one, denigrated and discredited candidate left on the ballot paper. If the FIFA nations have any shame they will follow the lead of the Football Association and allegedly some Asian members in boycotting the ridiculous 'vote' for Sepp Blatter. Surely the 'Salt Lake City moment' we have dreamed about is imminent; if the FIFA house of shame does not fall now in the fallout from the disgraceful 2018/2022 World Cup votes, then when will it ever? - Sean O'Conor Tags World Cup Pens World Cup Posters Euro 2012 football

The Football Association 's decision to abstain from the FIFA Presidential Vote garnered unwanted criticism in the press at home. There is no shame in rejecting both candidates and ticking 'none of the above'. On the contrary, it sends a clear message that FIFA is foul and needs change. Sepp Blatter had a cheek to visit Wembley in search of a vote when he had personally done to much to derail England's 2018 World Cup bid only months earlier, while Mohamed Bin-Hamm am i s sadly cut from the same cliquey cloth and like Jack 'Pirate of the Caribbean' Warner, has also been implicated in ticket touting. Whatever he says, Bin-Hammam has no real interest in transparency. Can he really enjoy reading the revelations of how his country bought the 2022 World Cup finals in spite of its merciless summer heat, medieval laws and an obvious lack of a football heritage? Until such time as the FA cleans out FIFA from the inside, which is a pipe-dream given how few allies it has in Zurich, the world's oldest soccer organisation should proceed w ith Plan B, a clandestine mustering of rival forces to launch a counter organisation. Football might be in chaos for a couple of years until a rapprochement occurs, and a World Cup could be ruined by a global split, but FIFA's persistent refusal to open its doors to scrutiny and fairness when the whole world is holding it in contempt will only be to blame. Associations worldwide are as fed up with the cabal in Switzerland as the fans are but they keep schtum because there is no leader to mobilise the groundswell of dissatisfaction into serious opposition. England as the motherland of the game is the obvious instigator of a revolt, but this plan needs preparation before execution. So far, the evidence of a desire to challenge FIFA is thin on the ground, meaning we can expect more of the same from Blatter & Co., ensconced in their legally-untouchable Swiss bunker. The alternative to revolt is to grin and bear it forever. The Augean stables just will not be cleaned from the inside as long as Warner, Nicolas Leoz and chums sit tight or laugh all the way to the bank. Just look at how CONCACAF re-elected the uber-crook as their boss this month, unanimously . Waiting for Michel Platini to break his silence and change into Captain Reformer is futile as it may never happen. Enough is enough. It is time for rebellion. Now will somebody please step forward? (c) Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile Tags World Cup Pens World Cup Posters Euro 2012 football

World soccer news: For week of December 20th Soccer Crusaders: Crosses on shirts upset Moslems Soccer is known for knocking down many barriers, except for those fortified in religious fanatism. One Baris Kaska, a Turkish lawyer from Izmir, filed a complaint against UEFA with the local court asking for the annullment of Inter Milan's 3-0 Champions League win over Fenerbahce on account that the "Italians wore a red cross on a white surface." For Kaska, a clear symbol of the Crusades. "The cross reminded me of the bloody days of the past. In my opinion, the design of the shirt openly suggests the superiority of one religion," claims Kaska. Naturally, the complaint has no chances of prospering since UEFA approved the design of Inter's reserve kit, inaugurated on the occasion of the Milan club's forthcoming centenary. Indeed, Inter had the sensitivity to ask Fenerbahce whether they would object to their using the crossed shirt at San Siro, and the Turks said no problem. Barcelona, who sell tons of shirts in Islamic countries, have forestalled a possible customers' boycott by redisigning their coat of arms in the batches intended for Moslem markets. Instead of the city's patron saint St George's cross in the upper left corner, Barça's coat of arms on sale in Islamic states cointains an ordinary vertical red line on the white surface. "They don't tolerate crosses, be it Barça's or another club's," said a Spaniard living in Saudi Arabia to the La Vanguardia daily. "Barcelona's merchandise sells well, but it would not be the same if there was a red cross drawn within a white square." John Terry six weeks out of action Chelsea's captain and England international John Terry will spent at least six weeks on the sidelines after sustaining an injury during the London derby against Arsenal. The team doctors confirmed Terry broke three bones in his left foot. The international defender tried to continue playing even after Eboué's rough tackle, but the pain was too strong, forcing him to abandon the pitch. Eboué apologized to Terry for the tackle before getting injured himself. This has been yet another blow to the Blues, already without Ricardo Carvalho since the early stages of the season. The brave skipper could return to action against Birmingham in late January and should certainly be ready for Fabio Capello's England debut against Switzerland at Wembley on February 6th. Kaká's double triumph The journalists who determine the winner of the Golden Ball in France Football's poll have a similar taste to that of the coaches and skippers of national teams taking part in FIFA's contest for the world's best player. As a consequence, the same player has won the Golden Ball and the FIFA's award in the same season for the tenth time in 17 years. This year's double winner is Milan's Kaká, the fifth Brazilian to have unified the two most prestigious individual prizes in soccer. That was not the end to Kaká's astonishing run of trophies: by winning FIFA's World Club Cup, the 25-year-old attacking midfielder has become only the second player to have won the set of soccer's most distinguished trophies. Just like Marco van Basten in 1989, Kaká has collected the Champions' League, the Supercup, the World Clup Cup and the Golden Ball. Van Basten could not win FIFA's player of the year award simply because it was not given before 1991. Here are the ten double-winners since 1991, when FIFA started to award the prize for the top player of the year. Golden Ball plus FIFA award 1992. Marco van Basten (Netherlands) 1993. Roberto Baggio (Italy) 1995. George Weah (Liberia) 1997. Ronaldo (Brazil) 1998. Zinedine Zidane (France) 1999. Rivaldo (Brazil) 2002. Ronaldo (Brazil) 2005. Ronaldinho (Brazil) 2006. Fabio Cannavaro (Italy) 2007. Kaka (Brazil) Inzaghi like Cruyff and Rijkaard! Filippo Pippo Inzaghi has become the third European player to have scored a goal in all three finals of club cup competitions in the same cycle. Before Pippo, only two Dutchmen achieved that distinction. The first was Ajax' Johan Cruyff, who scored twice against Inter in the Champions' Cup, twice against Rangers in the Supercup and once against Independiente in the Intercontinental Cup in 1972 and early 1973. Eighteen years later, Milan's Frank Rijkaard repeated the feat in the games against Benfica, Sampdoria and Olimpia of Asunción. Milan's third hat-trick AC Milan has joined for the third time the select group of the elite European clubs who won the three most important international trophies in one competitive cycle. Before winning the World Club Cup by beating Boca Juniors 4-2, Milan collected the Champions' League at the expense of Liverpool (2-1) and the European Supercup against Sevilla (3-1). The world's most successful club picked up their first two hat-tricks in 1989 and 1990 under the guidance of Arrigo Sacchi. This elite group includes Ajax (twice), Porto, Juventus and Real Madrid. Hat-trick of titles 1972. Ajax 1987. Porto 1989. Milan 1990. Milan 1995. Ajax 1996. Juventus 2002. Real Madrid 2007. Milan Wanchope says goodbye in January Paulo Wanchope, Costa Rica's top soccer export, will bid a final farewell on January 13th against Sweden in San José. The gigantic striker, who announced his retirement last month, will play his final game at the national Ricardo Saprissa stadium, where he debuted for the national team back in 1996. The former Derby County, West Ham and Manchester City player scored 45 goals in 73 appearances for Costa Rica and was the country's top scorer until Rolando Fonseca recently overtook him. European leagues' top scorers Kruno Lovrek, the leading scorer in the Croatian 1st Division, is the highest scoring player in all of Europe with 14 hits, a goal above a group of six players with 13 goals each. This group includes Celtic's Scott McDonald and Ajax' Jan-Klas Huntelaar alongside two other players from the Croatian League – Nikola Kalinic and Radomir Djalovic. Only two strikers from the top leagues are present among the European top scorers: the French boy wonder Karim Benzema of Lyon and Juventus' David Trezeguet, both with 12 goals. The Spanish number one is Sevilla's Brazilian Luis Fabiano with 10 goals, while both in the Premier League and Bundesliga the leading scorers are still within single digits. Bayern's Klose and Toni, Hamburg's Van der Vaart and Werder's Diego have finished the first part of the season with nine goals on their account, like Arsenal's Adebayor, Manchester United's Ronaldo and Everton's Aiyegbeni. 1. Kruno Lovrek (Zagreb) – 14 goals 2.-7. Nikola Kalinić (Hajduk) – 13 Radomir Đalović (Rijeka) - 13 Jan-Klas Huntelaar (Ajax) - 13 Gheorghe Bucur (Politechnica T.) – 13 Scott McDonald (Celtic) - 13 Hakan Yakin (Young Boys) - 13 8-17. Karim Benzema (Lyon) - 12 David Trezeguet (Juventus) - 12 Oleksandr Hladki (Šahtar) – 12 Peter Graulund (Arhus) – 12 Juraj Halenar (Artmedia) – 12 Sanel Jahić (Željezničar) - 12 David Bunderla (Primorje) – 12 Dario Zahora (Domžale) – 12 Marek Zienczuk (Wisla) - 12 Pawel Brozek (Wisla) - 12 Argentina bought 1978 World Cup, says a mafioso The former Columbian mafioso Fernando Rodríguez Mondragón has revealed new details of the scandal that allegedly took place at the 1978 World Cup in Argentina and that cost the Brazilians the title. According to the ex-narco dealer, it was the then Argentinian vice-admiral, Carlos A. Lacoste, who masterminded the bribing of the Peruvian FA so that Argentina would beat Peru by at least four goals and qualify for the finals ahead of Brazil. "My uncle and dad were called by the players' agent Carlos Quieto asking them to mediate between the Argentinian and the Peruvian FA's, since he was the Peruvian FA's president's friend," said Mondragón to terra.es digital newspaper. "Two days before the key game, at the meeting in Lima, the Argentinian bought the favours of four players for 50,000 USD each, and their government gave Peru some grain free of charge," continued the infamous Guillermo Rodríguez Mondragón's son, promising to reveal all the names, amounts and other details of the scandal in his forthcoming book. Lacoste was the chairman of the World Cup organizing committee, short lived president of Argentina and long-time FIFA vice-president. Argentina won that World Cup by beating Peru 6-0 in the crucial semifinal group game and the Netherlands 3-1 in the finals. All players involved have always rejected claims of foul play. Copyright Ozren Podnar/Soccerphile Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting