A couple of players on Portugal’s World Cup team are being investigated for allegedly bringing pirated movies to the team’s training camp. This is a minor scandal at best, but since it is the World Cup we might as well make it into a huge deal. Benefica striker Nuno Gomes is reported to [...]

Now that the World Cup is mere weeks away, countries are hoping that divine intervention will help their teams. In Mexico on Saturday, the national team received blessings from religious leaders before departing for their training camp in Europe. “You are the centre of attention for many who admire you,” Catholic Cardinal Norberto [...]

It was a busy Sunday of roster naming as the World Cup coaches continue to release their squads ahead of Monday’s deadline. World Cup debutant Angola’s list of 23 includes few surprises other than uncapped keeper Mario being named to the team and injured Maurito left at home. The Palancas Negras are the [...]

We’ve presented you with our infallible predictions and we’ve showed you how they compare to Google’s selections. Now it is time for you to be the smartypants and to tell us how you think things will play out in each of the groups. Today you get to show your stuff by telling us [...]

Earlier today it was announced that Iran’s Supreme Leader has put an end to that silly notion of allowing women to attend football matches in his country. Now Iran’s leadership is taking direct aim at footballers who sport an “effeminate look,” including long hair and plucked eyebrows. We’re all in favor of anything [...]

It is a good day to be in Mexico. Not only do you get to celebrate kicking French butt back in 1862, but you also get to watch El Tri play a friendly against Venezuela this evening. The game is being played at the Rose Bowl in California and surely will have a [...]

Team Melli joined the fun today by announcing the players it will likely feature in Germany. A look at the list reveals a team that has a few high quality players who spend their working days in Europe, as well as a number of Iran-based players. We’re on record as saying Iran is [...]

I once spent an entire winter in Siberia watching Mexican telenovelas dubbed in Russian. These extremely dramatic soap operas always featured crazy plot twists, wars between families and women who looked like they were torn from the pages of a fashion magazine. It wasn’t a bad way to escape from the reality of [...]

Of all the coaching rumors that have crossed our desks during the past couple of months this is the one that has caught us most by surprise. Angola have evidently asked Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho to help with their World Cup preparations: “He will be asked to assist coach Luis Goncalves de Oliveira, [...]

Iran’s Mehdi Mahdavikia, pictured to the left with Miss Germany, is one hard working defender. It was revealed yesterday that Mahdavikia, who plays for Hamburg HSV in the German Bundesliga, has two wives. He married his first wife, Sepideh, eight years ago. He married his second, Samira, last December in Tehran. Neither [...]