futyfutbolfootball:

theworldsgame:

The latest FIFA rankings are out and the Netherlands has surpassed Spain for the top spot. Here is the top 30.

Europe lead the way in the top 4 while Uruguay are top ranked side in South America.

What are the point in rankings? They have never Represented the true greatness of a team, I mean England would probably lose to every team in the top 15. And have only won one world cup. How have holland leap-frogged Spain? When holland didn’t play their game v England, and especially considering Spain are the holders of both the European championships and the world cup. Who makes this shit up?

afootballreport:

Presenting The Tumblr Football Club Fantasy Premier League, hosted by A Football Report and the football community on Tumblr!

Last year, the AFR Fantasy Premier League had over 650 participants. This year, we’re hoping to shake things up a bit and focus on getting the football community (from our friends at The World’s Game and The Beautiful Game Blog to all the personal blogs) on Tumblr involved to create something special.

We took care of the winnings to be had thanks to the awesomeness of SoccerPro (winner gets soccer jersey of their choice, 2nd/3rd place get a jacket or an official ball, 4th and 5th place get a $20 Gift Card to SoccerPro.com) mixed with the genius of Live Breathe Football (sign up by kickoff this weekend to be one of five winners of a brilliant LBF shirt). 

The rest is up to you. Just click here, enter the league code (81352-135043), and then SPREAD THE WORD! Let’s make this massive!

MLS Goal of the Season: Eric Hassli (Vancouver Whitecaps) v Seattle Sounders

Despite it being relatively early on in the MLS season, French striker Eric Hassli appears to have scored the MLS goal of the season in 2011 with a stunning strike on Saturday night.

Golazo! Willians (Flamengo) v Horizonte

Lionel Messi wasn’t the only player running through defences single handedly on Wednesday.

Tony Tchani the latest MLS player to score and see red (Toronto FC-Columbus Crew)

Any booking handed out for a celebration is a shocking rule that needs to be addressed sharpish and in the MLS it seems to be a regular occurrence. 

Just over a couple of weeks ago I highlighted Eric Hassli’s crazy sending off during the Vancouver Whitecaps encounter with the New England Revolution.

The latest player to come a cropper is Toronto FC midfielder Tony Tchani who scored and then after receiving his second booking was sent off on Saturday night in the 1-1 draw with Columbus Crew.

There are a number of factors which make this sending off really harsh. To start with Tchani disputed his first yellow card, handed out just three minutes before his goal and subsequent red card.

Tchani: “On the first [yellow card] it wasn’t me; I didn’t push the guy — it was my teammate, I didn’t want to snitch on my teammate but it was my teammate who pushed the guy. Then the ref called me and gave me the yellow card, I was shocked. Then on the second one, I was like, ‘What’s going on?’ Then he gives me the red.”

Following Tchani’s goal, his first in the MLS, the 22-year-old Cameroon midfielder ran over the advertising hoardings and into the crowd, then ran all the way back to the centre circle before the referee whipped out a second yellow.

In his defence Tchani said afterwards: “I didn’t think it was stupid because I have seen games before that [players go into the crowd] all the time. I thought that for my first goal I had to give that to the fans.”

Showboating Jorge Valdivia gets smacked-down by Anderson (Palmeiras - Santo Andre)

This is what happens when you take the piss out of professional footballers.

The latest round of the Brazilian cup played out on Thursday night, and Palmeiras edged Santo Andre 1-nil to advance into the next round. It wasn’t all smiles for the home team though, as schemer Jorge Valdivia got the Nigel de Jong treatment after going a little too far with his showboating.

With the match approaching it’s final stages, the Chilean playmaker picked up the ball near the corner flag. Once in possession, not once, not twice, but three times Valdivia pretended to thrash the ball into the danger area, only for the footballer to fake his cross as he looked to embarrass his opponents.

Minutes later Valdivia got his comeuppance.

As the Palmeiras number ten received another pass close to the touchline, Santo Andre defender Anderson came storming into the frame. Brutally he whipped both Valdivia’s legs from under him in a blatant act of revenge, receiving a yellow card for his troubles.

Celebration of the Week: Timber Joey (Portland Timbers) vs Chicago Fire

Thursday night was a special night in the MLS for the Portland Timbers as the new franchise claimed their first win of the season against the Chicago Fire.

Aside from the welcomed three points that were earned from the 4-2 home win, the victory also allowed Portland to show off their unique mascot “Timber Joey.”

Whilst most clubs in the world look to stoke up their supporters with the traditional mascot of having a grown man fitted into some fluffy suit, the Portland Timbers have their own unique style. They opt to roll out a 40-something, chunky, bearded fella whose real name is Joey Webber, who wears a silver hat, the club jersey and who wields a real and operational chainsaw.

Timber Joey’s bizarre ritual sees him saw off a slab of a log following every Timbers goal and present the slice to the goalscorer in a post-match ritual.

It’s wacky, bizarre, and unparalleled.

Liverpool’s photoshoot for the new kit for 2011-12 season

Liverpool rolled out Steven Gerrard, Jaime Carragher, Luis Saurez, Pepe Reina and Dirk Kuyt to unveil their new charcoal away kit for next season.

Van der Vaart does keepyups with chewing gum in warm-up

SoccerAM | Showboat