Left field
The Reuters global sports blog
from Reuters Soccer Blog:
Will God be Brazilian in 2014?
"God is Brazilian" is a favourite phrase for Brazilians when fortune smiles on their country.
Former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva famously uttered it after massive new oil reserves were discovered off the coast in 2007.
Often, it is used with a dose of irony after something turns out right even when circumstances suggested it would or should not -- such as a game where Brazil find themselves on the back foot for 89 minutes and then sneak a late winner.
The phrase would also fit perfectly if, having dallied and left preparations to the last possible moment, Brazil pulled off a successful and seamless World Cup in 2014.
from Reuters Soccer Blog:
Scotland on their way back to London, but England match must wait a while
Scotland's soccer team return to London for the first time since 1999 at the end of this month -- but they won't be playing England at Wembley.
Instead they will face five-times world champions Brazil in a high profile friendly at the Emirates Stadium which should be filled close to its 60,000 capacity.
from Reuters Soccer Blog:
Farewell Ronaldo, one of the game’s greats
Ronaldo has just made the official announcement that he is to retire with immediate effect, bringing to an end one of the great soccer stories.
The 34-year-old Brazilian announced his decision at a news conference in Sao Paulo a few moments ago, after concluding that the battle for fitness -- always a bruising struggle -- was one he could no longer win.
from Reuters Soccer Blog:
Where does benchwarmer Ronaldinho go from here?
AC Milan are flying high at the top of Serie A but Ronaldinho is stuck to the bench with Massimiliano Allegri-branded glue.
The struggling Brazilian has started once in the last nine games and that was in the lacklustre 2-0 home defeat by Ajax Amsterdam, Milan's only loss during the spell.
from Reuters Soccer Blog:
Reuters World Cup 2010 podcast — quarter-finals (II)
Join us for a look back at the extraordinary first two quarter-finals at the World Cup and a look forward to Germany v Argentina and Spain v Paraguay. Paul Radford, Felix Bate, Jon Bramley and Kevin Fylan argue over the merits of penalty goals in soccer and consider Ghana's desperate misfortune.
from Reuters Soccer Blog:
Reuters World Cup podcast — quarter-finals (I)
Join us for an in-depth look at the first two World Cup quarter-finals, Netherlands v Brazil and Uruguay v Ghana, with our soccer experts Paul Radford, Owen Wyatt, Felix Bate, Mark Gleeson, Helen Popper and Kevin Fylan.
from Reuters Soccer Blog:
World Cup 2010 quarter-finals podcast
Welcome to our latest Reuters 2010 World Cup podcast, as we follow the lead of the world's most famous psychic octopus and try to predict what will happen in the quarter-finals. Kevin Fylan is joined by Paul Radford, Jon Bramley, Ken Ferris and Mr Mark Gleeson.
from Reuters Soccer Blog:
Don’t blame the referees, blame the players
![RTR2FGUR[2]kakasmall](http://blogs.reuters.com/soccer/files/2010/06/RTR2FGUR2kakasmall.jpg "RTR2FGUR[2]kakasmall")
I watched the Brazil v Ivory Coast match in the bar of a Cape Town media hotel on Sunday and, not that it was really needed, was given another reminder of what an impossible job referees have in modern football.
When Luis Fabiano broke through to score Brazil's second goal, the reaction of around 60 watching journalists ranged from joy to disappointment - but nobody was crying "handball."
from Reuters Soccer Blog:
World Cup squad news: Capello calls on Carragher, Ronaldinho left out
Fabio Capello has announced his provisional 30-man squad for the World Cup and the big news is that Jamie Carragher is back, while there is no place for Bobby Zamora or Owen Hargreaves.
Meanwhile Brazil have omitted Ronaldinho as expected and Italy coach Marcello Lippi has decided to leave Francesco Totti at home. Fernando Torres and Cesc Fabregas are in Spain's squad despite injuries.
from Reuters Soccer Blog:
Can Ronaldinho really get back to his best?
Ronaldinho is enjoying his best form in four years but he is still some way off the awesome performances he managed in the middle of the last decade (Noughties? ).
Sunday's hat-trick in AC Milan's 4-0 win over Siena featured a penalty and a close range header, but the third goal where he sent a perfect shot into the top corner from distance was a reminder of the Brazilian at his Barcelona best.
