Official 2014 Brazil World Cup thread

[Locke]

Not really World Cup news:

Klose retires from Germany.

Germany's all-time leading goal-scorer Miroslav Klose has told Bild his decision to retire from international football is final.

Germany coach Joachim Low praised Klose as "one of the greatest attackers to ever play the game," but -- although he was the only orthodox striker in his country's 23-man World Cup squad -- the player said he would not consider making a return under any circumstances.

"No chance, that's not me," he said. "When I make a decision, it is final, and the Bundestrainer [Low] also knows that."

http://www.espnfc.com/european-champ...germany-return

And Ribery retires from France.

Franck Ribery has retired from international duty, the 31-year-old Frenchman told kicker.

"There were ups and downs, but now the time has come for a new chapter in my life," Ribery said.

Ribery is the second France player to announce his international retirement this week after Samir Nasri said he saw little future for himself with the national team.

http://www.espnfc.com/france/story/1...ty-with-france

[GirlySports]

I'm really surprised Ribery is retiring with France 2016 just around the corner.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

I'm really surprised Ribery is retiring with France 2016 just around the corner.

Too many injuries.

[Locke]

More info from Ribery.

Franck Ribery has told kicker that his negative image in France played a role in his decision to retire from international duty.

his reputation was badly stained by France's disastrous 2010 World Cup campaign after which he -- as vice-captain -- was given a three-game international ban by the French Football Federation (FFF) for his part in the squad's infamous strike.

"His injury just before the World Cup must have caused him to cool towards the national team," Boghossian said. "We knew it was his last World Cup, but I'm convinced he could have given something at Euro 2016. It's a little premature. You have time to be devoted to your family after your career. Perhaps, one day, he'll reconsider his decision."

http://www.espnfc.com/france/story/1...nal-retirement

[Locke]

Also:

Former Belgium international Daniel van Buyten has retired from football.

Van Buyten, 36, left Bayern Munich at the end of last season after an eight-year spell at the club in which he won the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal four times apiece as well as the 2013 Champions League.

Napoli, Hamburg and Marseille were all reported to be interested in signing him this summer, and he had most recently been expected to join Anderlecht, but he has now decided to hang up his boots, although he has yet to officially confirm the news.

http://www.espnfc.com/european-champ...buyten-retires

I always like van Buyten, he wasnt the greatest CB, but he always found a way to contribute.

[Locke]

This one is relevant to the World Cup...kind of.

A Colombian lawyer has filed an enormous lawsuit against FIFA after claiming that the lapse standard of refereeing at the 2014 World Cup hospitalised him with heart problems.

Aurelio Jimenez, 74, is suing world football's governing body for a billion euros (about 800 million pounds or 1.33 billion dollars) with his case centred around the controversial performance of Spanish referee Carlos Velasco Carballo while overseeing Colombia's quarterfinal tie against Brazil.

Indeed, Jimenez reckons that the official's performance was so egregious that it left him hospitalised with ... a broken heart.

"I felt very bad, I was heartbroken, my cardiac rhythm was altered and my relatives took me to the emergency room at the hospital,"

To bolster his case, Jimenez has also collected a raft of evidence to prove that the refereeing out in Brazil was substandard and therefore a potential health risk to the millions of fans who tuned in to watch the tournament around the world.

However, as if to prove that he's not merely lodging a frivolous lawsuit against FIFA in the hope of an easy payout, Jimenez has also announced that if he wins the case, any damages he receives will be donated to a Colombian children's charity.

Best of luck with it all, Aurelio. You'll probably need it.

http://www.espnfc.com/blog/the-toe-p...or-officiating

Whooo.....good luck pal.

[GirlySports]

Anyone watching north korea vs usa? It's pouring in Toronto.

Canada plays zee Germans in Edmonton at 6pm.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Locke

This one is relevant to the World Cup...kind of.

http://www.espnfc.com/blog/the-toe-p...or-officiating

Whooo.....good luck pal.

That ref was ####ty though.

[GirlySports]

Looking like a penalty shootout.

[GirlySports]

North Korea wins.

Now time for O Canada!

[Locke]

Originally Posted by nik-

That ref was ####ty though.

A billion dollars ####ty though? A billion?

[GirlySports]

Anyone going to watch the womens u20 final?

Nigeria vs Germany should be a great one!

[M*A*S*H 4077]

Germany is truly king of soccer. Their u20 girls won their championship today completing Germany's summer hat-trick!

[Locke]

Did any of you know that FIFA had an Ethics Committee? Where have they been this whole time?

And obviously FIFA really dislikes England. I wonder what they did to deserve that?

Watches worth more than 16,000 pounds each were handed out to a representative from all 32 countries at the World Cup, according to FIFA's ethics investigators.

A Parmigiani watch was also distributed in a gift bag from the Brazilian federation (CBF) in June to the 28 FIFA executive committee members though it is unknown what happened to the gift bag for the English FA.

FIFA's ethics committee said accepting such valuable gifts contravenes its rules and has demanded that all the watches be returned by Oct. 24 otherwise it will launch disciplinary proceedings.

http://www.espnfc.com/fifa-world-cup...hics-committee

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by Locke

Did any of you know that FIFA had an Ethics Committee? Where have they been this whole time?

And obviously FIFA really dislikes England. I wonder what they did to deserve that?

http://www.espnfc.com/fifa-world-cup...hics-committee

Green text?

The English are the most vocal against FIFA's corruption. How convenient the package was lost.

[d_phaneuf]

ya after England didn't get 2018 they went rogue, it's also why Platini started being so nice to them then

FIFA hates them

[Locke]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

Green text?

The English are the most vocal against FIFA's corruption. How convenient the package was lost.

Sorry, yes, that whole post was tongue in cheek. I'm aware that FIFA has an Ethics department but they are probably just as woefully corrupt and yes I know exactly why FIFA hates England.

Also this:

UEFA president Michel Platini has criticised FIFA for publicly rebuking football executives who accepted luxury gifts at the World Cup, saying he will donate around $27,000 to charity rather than return a watch.

Platini, who is also a FIFA vice president but one of Blatter's biggest critics, added: "I don't return gifts."

"I receive watches, you receive watches, we all receive watches, I have received several," Platini told the BBC in Geneva. "But I was surprised on the one hand to see the value of the watch.''

http://www.espnfc.com/league-name/st...44748/headline