General Football Thread

[Summers]

That's fucking awesome.

[Starvinho]

Haha that's a few weeks old that one, I wonder what he would have done if he missed?

[thirteenthghetto]

That is the best penalty I have ever seen.

Edited May 5, 2011 by thirteenthghetto

[METALMAN]

another nice penalty

[stokeriño]

lol, goalkeepers.

[TCO]

The guy who did thhe backflip had to have gotten absolutely boned the next time a 50-50 challenge went in!

Is the guy who scored the Spain penalty right-footed? It'd be much more impressive if he is/

[Lineker]

Nigeria's Amos Adamu has appealed to sport's highest court to overturn his three-year ban from football.

The veteran administrator was found guilty of seeking bribes during 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding process.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) said on Thursday that he has now appealed against his suspension.

Tonga's Ahongalu Fusimalohi has also appealed his two-year ban, according to the Swiss-based court.

"In both cases, the appellants request that they be found not guilty and the sanctions against them be annulled," the court said in a statement.

The court has not fixed a hearing date.

In February, Fifa's Appeal Committee upheld the decisions taken by the Ethics Committee in November.

Adamu had been on the executive committee for both Fifa and the Confederation of African Football, as well as the president of the West African Football Union, before his ban.

Fifa will consider a proposal to relax the rules on the naturalisation of players at its annual Congress.

The Congress will also seek to give the executive committee greater powers to suspend member federations.

The main item on the Congress agenda on 1 June is the presidential election between incumbent Sepp Blatter and challenger Mohamed Bin Hammam.

The Congress will also be asked to rubber-stamp moves to tighten up on friendly internationals.

Football's governing body will consider a suggestion that a player over the age of 18 need only live in a new country for three rather than the current five years before he can play for its national team.

Fifa said the proposal, included in the Congress agenda, had been made by the United Arab Emirates Football Association.

Many feel the regulations are already too relaxed and allow players to switch nationalities too easily.

Portugal and Mexico have fielded foreign-born players with no parental connections to the country, as have a number of African countries.

Blatter once said that he feared a World Cup being played with teams full of Brazilian players who had changed nationalities.

Until 2004, a player only needed the passport of the country he wanted to represent, which many nations were happy to fast-track.

But after Qatar tried to sign up Brazilian forward Ailton, Fifa ruled that players must have lived in their country for at least two years before they could play for it.

That was later increased to five.

The Congress will also be asked to allow the executive committee to suspend a member federation for a single violation of Fifa statutes.

At the moment, it can only do this for repeated serious violations.

Fifa's executive committee announced in March it would take greater control over international friendlies.

This came after a fake Togo team played in one game in September and seven penalties were awarded in two matches in Turkey in February.

Congress has been asked to approve the new rules which include allowing Fifa to change the referee if it thinks he is not qualified for the game.

The Congress agenda said: "FIFA would like to highlight the fact that it is of vital importance to have clear provisions regarding the authorisation of international matches in order to protect the integrity of football."

[IAceI]

The goalkeeper had another one recently where he got tackled and the ball immediately rolled in. Although it was probably the defenders fault more than his.

He then takes his top off, jinks passed all his defenders and runs off the pitch.

[Starvinho]

Bayern have just sealed an 8-1 win again St. Pauli. Gomez hat-trick, Robben two, Ribery two and Van Buyten one. Still not 100% confirmed a CL spot for next season yet though I don't think.

[Starvinho]

David Beckham unhurt in Los Angeles road accident

David Beckham has escaped injury after being involved in a car accident on a busy Los Angeles motorway.

Beckham's Cadillac was in collision with a vehicle which had broken down in the car-sharing lane, a California Highway Patrol spokeswoman said.

The 40-year-old driver of the other car was taken to hospital but was not seriously injured, she added.

Friday's accident took place on the southbound 405 Freeway shortly after 0900 (1600 GMT).

The spokeswoman said: "David Beckham was not cited or arrested."

Beckham was well enough to watch his former club AC Milan win the Italian title later on Saturday, saying on his Facebook page: "Just been watching my old teammates at Milan win the Scudetto.

"I want to congratulate them and everyone at the club for a great season. They deserve it..."

Former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder Beckham, 36, has lived mainly in Los Angeles since joining Major League Soccer club LA Galaxy in 2007.

The former England captain, who has been capped 115 times by his country, was back in the UK recently as a guest at the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.

Beckham's contract with LA Galaxy expires this year but he has expressed a desire to remain in the United States.

His wife, Victoria, is expecting the couple's fourth child - a daughter - this summer. They already have three sons.

[Lineker]

Ibra sure knows how to lead the celebrations!

[IAceI]

Hit him like a fucking giraffe. What was he even doing?! Makes as much sense as Balotelli throwing darts at youth players from a first story window.

Mind you, this is how you kick someone in the face:

Even more destructive than what Test could manage. >_<

[Lineker]

LEGDROP!

1! .....2! .....3!!!

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Ibra being a bit of a dick? What a shock

[IAceI]

Since this is the perfect thread for this sort of thing, I'd just like to extend a thought to the fifty-six people (54 Bradford, 2 Lincoln fans) who perished 26 years ago in the Bradford City Stadium Fire when one end of Valley Parade went up in flames.

RIP.

[Marcos]

Why haven't I seen this before:

that is brilliant!

[Dynamite]

Kevin Prince Boateng does a Michael Jackson dance routine in Milan's title celebrations.

[Lineker]

Prince is the King.

[Lineker]

Diego Maradona has been appointed as the new manager of United Arab Emirates club Al Wasl.

The Dubai-based outfit claimed the Argentine legend has agreed a two-year deal starting next season.

Maradona, who led Argentina to the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup, met club officials over the weekend.

A statement from the club read: "Al Wasl can confirm soliciting the services of one of the greatest footballers of all time."

Maradona, who won the 1986 World Cup with Argentina as a player, has been out of football since his side departed last year's competition following a 4-0 thrashing by Germany.

He is due to take up his post with Al Wasl, who currently lie fourth in their domestic league, when the new season gets under way in September.

The deal was agreed "after lengthy negotiations held with Maradona", the club said, adding that details of his contract would be revealed at a news conference next month when he will be formally introduced.

Al Wasl chairman Marwan Bin Bayat added: "The value of the contract is worthy of the stature and reputation of the great legend."

Up until the quarter-final disaster against Germany, Maradona's Argentina side had been widely tipped to win the 2010 World Cup after impressing in the group stage and second round.

But the Argentine Football Association decided not to renew his contract after the finals, when the 50-year-year-old refused a request to make changes to his backroom team.

In September, Maradona pleaded to be given his job back, saying: "I'd give my life to be the national team coach. I'm dying to be with the team. I am thirsty for revenge."

But the AFA decided to appoint his former team-mate Sergio Batista to the role.

[DavidMarrio]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/13418295.stm

You'd think as a keeper he'd be able to keep hold of a giant circle trophy....