World Cup 2014 Qualifiers

[Starvinho]

ESPN thought Spain were playing the US State Georgia instead on the country Georgia.

[Plubby]

It took them 86 minutes to slot past Georgia?

[EddieG]

Would've taken em 87 were they playing California.

[Chris the Human]

Australia not looking at all good under another in a long line of unimaginative coaches determined to run the same squad that did the job at Germany in 2006. Jordan won 2-1 and played hard for it, but God we were awful. Aimless passes, long-balls into the box, sloppy challenges, and a generally dismal attitude.

Neill has no right to be in the team the way he's played of late, the insistence that Valeri is our new Grella, the fact Harry Kewell still has no club, Marco Bresciano and Cahill not playing at the same level they used to, and a refusal to blood quality young guys is just killing us.

Away to Iraq next and a loss there puts us five points off second place. Three of our final four games are at home, but something's gotta change if we want to avoid the South American playoff.

[Lineker]

(Reuters) - Spain had Naranjito the smiling orange in 1982, France Footix the football playing rooster in '98, now Brazil have chosen an endangered armadillo as the mascot for the 2014 World Cup.

FIFA said the mascot, unveiled by former Brazil striker Ronaldo during a television programme late on Sunday, represented the three-banded armadillo, an endangered species indigenous to Brazil.

While nature's version is light brown in colour, FIFA's mascot is yellow with green eyes and a blue shell, the colours of the Brazilian flag, and will be holding aloft a football.

Other mascots over the years include 'Zakumi' the leopard from South Africa 2010, 'Pique' the chillipepper from Mexico 1986, and a lion named 'World Cup Willie' from England in 1966.

"The mascot will play a key ambassadorial role in the next two years," said Ronaldo, who played in three World Cups and was an unused squad member in 1994, on Brazilian television.

"I'm sure he will inspire many young football fans in Brazil and all over the world with the great passion which he has for the sport and for his country."

Three-banded armadillos live mainly in Brazil's arid northeast and are threatened by habitat destruction. They are unusual among armadillos in that they can roll up into a ball to defend themselves from predators.

"The fact that the three-banded armadillo is a vulnerable species is very fitting," said FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke.

"One of the key objectives through the 2014 World Cup is to use the event as a platform to communicate the importance of the environment and ecology.

"We are glad to be able to do so with the help of a mascot who I'm sure will be much-loved, not only in Brazil, but all over the world."

FIFA said a vote would be held to choose the mascot's name.

"The mascot is one of the key visuals of a FIFA World Cup, providing FIFA, the LOC (local organising committee) and other stakeholders with a strong and exciting brand asset through which promotional campaigns can be activated and target audiences can be engaged," added FIFA in a statement.

[Starvinho]

[Lineker]

Ronaldo now appears to look like a miniature Big Show with hair.

[Dingle]

Ronaldo now appears to look like a miniature Big Show with hair.

He looks more like Craig Charles.

[Adam]

What an image that is.

What the hell happened to Ronaldo!?

[Colly]

Cakes.

[Dingle]

Cakes.

Lots of cakes.

[GoN_]

The guy has a metabolism problem. Hypothyroidism I think.

[Rafael]

I think Brazil will have a hard time qualifying for that World Cup.

[EddieG]

I reckon they won't win a single qualification game.

[Colly]

The guy has a metabolism problem. Hypothyroidism I think.

Is that John Barnes' excuse too?

[IAceI]

Don't think Shipperley can get away with that excuse, I know he was big towards the end of his playing days but still..

[DavidMarrio]

This is gonna turn into the footballers who are fat/went fat thread now ain't it

[Dingle]

His belly button freaks me out. Are all fat people like this?

[Adam]

Please, never post that image again David

[TCO]

Holy shit, has Neil Shipperley spent his entire time away from football eating.