Rafael Nadal celebrated his fifth French Open title on Sunday and admitted he feared his career could have been over when a series of personal and professional setbacks engulfed him.

All of France must cheer on its World Cup football team, the government spokesman said Monday, in remarks aimed at the sports minister for criticising the team’s choice of a posh hotel.

Top referee — and former movie star — Howard Webb admits he will be happy to let the world’s top players steal the limelight when he officiates the Spain versus Switzerland at World Cup.

Despite losing Rio Ferdinand to a tournament-ending injury in training, England coach Fabio Capello has no plans to rest key players for the team’s final World Cup training match.

Brazil full-back Maicon says his countrymen are more focused on winning a sixth World Cup in South Africa than maintaining the stylish legacy of their predecessors.
Brazilian fans have always demanded ‘o jogo bonito’ (the beautiful game) and in the past have gorged themselves on the skills of supremely gifted individuals such as Pele, Gerson, Zico and Ronaldo.

Diego Maradona’s stewardship of the Argentinian national side is a negative factor which could harm his country’s chances, according to 1978 champion and former international teammate Osvaldo Ardiles.

Switzerland and visiting Italy drew 1-1 in a friendly played six days before the start of the 2010 football World Cup in South Africa.
Gokhan Inler and Fabio Quagliarella were on target here on Saturday in the first half at the Stade de Geneve, where both sides seemed pleased with the draw and c

Not many people expected Grafite to be at the World Cup — not even the Brazil striker himself.
He had no idea it would happen when he played in an amateur league in exchange for diapers and food for his newborn baby girl. He had no idea it would happen when he hopped from door to door on the streets of a small Brazilian city selling trash bags as a 21-year-old.

Regarded as the conductor of the orchestra for club and country, midfielder Xavi Hernandez is often an unsung hero for Barcelona and Spain.
His importance can not be underestimated with his simple, yet highly effective, passing crucial to make Spain tick and he will have to be at his best if the European champions are to go all the way at the 2010 World Cup finals.

England captain Rio Ferdinand was ruled out of the World Cup on Friday after injuring his knee in the team’s first full training session in South Africa. The 31-year-old center back sustained ligament damage to his left knee while defending against striker Emile Heskey at England’s training ground near Rustenburg a week before England’s opener against the United States in this northern South African city on June 12.