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Brazil coach Scolari hands in resignation letter
The veteran guided the Selecao to the world title in 2002 and Confederations Cup last year but has opted to step aside after the host nation’s collapse this summer
Brazil boss Luiz Felipe Scolari has presented the Brazilian FA (CBF) with his resignation letter in the wake of their disappointing end to the 2014 World Cup.
The 65-year-old initially refused to step down after Brazil’s failure to win the world title on home soil and said at the weekend that it would be up to the CBF to make a decision on his future.
However, it is understood Scolari has indeed informed the CBF he will resign from his post, with Brazil’s footballing chiefs expected to make the 2002 World Cup winner’s departure official on Monday.
The Selecao started the tournament as the big favourites, but failed to live up to the expectations as they had to settle for fourth spot overall.
Brazil beat Croatia in their opening game before they were held to a scoreless draw by Mexico. A win over Cameroon saw them book their ticket for the knockout stages, where they beat Chile after spot-kicks and then Colombia 2-1 in the quarter-finals.
The hosts’ dream came to an abrupt end in the semi-finals, though, when they were thrashed 7-1 by Germany and Netherlands only poured more salt in their wounds in the third place playoff with a 3-0 win.
Scolari guided Brazil to 19 victories in 29 games during his second spell in charge, winning the Confederations Cup – also on home soil – in 2013.
According to Goal

Fred ‘finished’ with Brazil
The 30-year-old came under a lot of criticism for his performances throughout the World Cup and has confirmed his international career is over
Fred has announced he will retire from international football following Brazil’s disappointing World Cup campaign.
Brazil’s tournament in ended in dismal fashion on Saturday as they were defeated 3-0 by Netherlands in the third-place play-off in Brasilia just four days after the hosts suffered a humiliating 7-1 semi-final loss to Germany.
Fred was unconvincing in his performances throughout the tournament, scoring just one goal, and has come in for criticism from all quarters.
The Fluminense striker was booed during the hammering by Germany and, while the 30-year-old believes the entire team should take the blame, he has decided to end his career with the national side.
“For me, the Selecao is finished,” Fred told Estado de Sao Paulo. “The disappointment is great for everyone.
“We all failed, and we are all responsible, the players and all the coaching staff. You cannot pick one or two to blame for the failure of Brazil.
“I take my share [of the blame]. I wanted to do more. I was not hurt or have any physical problems. But again I say it is the fault of everyone.”
According to Goal

James Rodriguez wins World Cup 2014 Golden Boot
The Monaco attacking midfielder scored six goals in Brazil, one more than Germany’s Thomas Muller, who won the trophy in South Africa four years ago.
Colombia star James Rodriguez has been rewarded for his sensational goalscoring exploits at World Cup 2014 with the Golden Boot.
The attacking midfielder was the breakout star in Brazil, inspiring his side to a first ever appearance in the quarter-final stage by netting six times in just five games.
Four years after claiming the Golden Boot in South Africa, Thomas Muller was forced to settle for silver this time around.
However, after doubling his overall World Cup goals tally with five strikes during Germany’s triumphant campaign, the 24-year-old is now a very serious contender to break the all-time record held by team-mate Miroslav Klose (16).
Lionel Messi, meanwhile, had high hopes of claiming the Golden Boot after racking up four goals in his first three games but the Argentina captain failed to score in the knockout stage.
Consequently, the Barcelona No.10 finishes fourth, just ahead of Netherland striker Robin van Persie on account of the fact that the Dutchman did not register any assists.
Messi was pipped to the Bronze Boot by Neymar as his club-mate – who also set up one goal – only played five games before his tournament was ended by a back injury sustained in Brazil’s quarter-final win over Colombia.
James Rodriguez, of course, also ended that game in tears but at least the Monaco man’s late penalty in Fortaleza has proven no mere consolation goal, as his successful spot-kick has ultimately earned him the Golden Boot – and a place in World Cup history.
According to Goal

Kroos to decide future soon
Toni Kroos’ future will be resolved by Wednesday at the latest, with the international’s agent denying an agreement has already been reached with Real Madrid.
Kroos is out of contract with Bayern Munich in a year’s time and is in all likelihood set to leave the club this summer.
It has been reported that the 24-year-old has agreed terms with Real, and that Bayern had also accepted an offer from the Champions League holders.
However, his agent Volker Struth says nothing has yet been signed and that he will discuss the future with Kroos on his return from Brazil on Tuesday.
“It has not yet been decided where Kroos’ future lies, I can guarantee that,” Struth told the Express newspaper.
Struth says Kroos will meet with him in Majorca on Tuesday, after his and the rest of the World Cup-winning Germany team’s welcome back in Berlin, and a decision will be made within 24 hours.
“We’ll sit down and decide what’s to be done,” he said. “We will announce his decision either on Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning.”
Kroos has already turned down Bayern’s offer of a new contract and looks set to leave the Bundesliga champions off the back of an impressive tournament in Brazil.
Manchester United have also been linked with the midfielder, who played under their new manager Louis van Gaal at Bayern.
According to Foxsports

Maradona questions Messi FIFA award
Diego Maradona has declared that Lionel Messi did not the Golden Ball award, suggesting the Argentina forward won the title for marketing reasons.
A dejected Messi picked up FIFA’s Golden Ball for outstanding player of the tournament moments after Germany forward Mario Gotze’s extra-time winner condemned Argentina to defeat in the World Cup final.
Messi had scored four goals in the group stages but failed to maintain his level of performance in the knock-out rounds, particularly against Germany and against Holland in the semi-final, which Argentina won on penalties.
“I would give heaven and earth to Leo, but when marketing people want him to win something he didn’t (deserve to) win, it is unfair,” said Maradona, the winner of the Golden Ball when Argentina won the World Cup in 1986.
“I could see that he didn’t want to go up and collect it (the award).”
Barcelona star Messi is a prominent ambassador for sportswear manufacturer adidas, also an official FIFA partner.
Speaking on the final edition of his World Cup television programme De Zurda, Maradona said Colombia’s James Rodriguez, who won the Golden Boot as the top scorer in the tournament, was his choice for the Golden Ball.
Germany have now beaten Argentina in each of the last three World Cups, thrashing a side coached by Maradona 4-0 in 2010.
But on this occasion, the former Argentina captain said there was little to choose between the two teams.
“We raised our flag high, there’s no doubt about that,” he said.
“Germany won due to a misunderstanding in the defence but at no point were they better than us. They showed us a lot of respect, and our lads earned that out on the pitch.”
According to Foxsports
Dynamo correctly predicts outcome of the 2014 World Cup!
Álvaro ‘Beast’ Negredo – Amazing Skills & Goals HD

Ten memorable moments at the World Cup
From swashbuckling goals to inglorious exits, on-field shenanigans to sideline lunacy, the World Cup in Brazil has been one of the most remarkable of recent times.
Here are 10 picks from a host of memorable moments:
No. 1 – THE “MINEIRAZO”
This was the tournament where Brazil were supposed to shake off the historical scars of the 1950 “Maracanazo” when Uruguay defeated them 2-1 in Rio de Janeiro’s famous stadium the last time they hosted the World Cup. Yet they never even made it to the Maracana this time, collapsing horribly to Germany 7-1 in the semi-final in Belo Horizonte’s Mineirao stadium. It would be hard to pinpoint one pivotal moment as goal-after-goal flew past the imploding Brazilians. But it was perhaps when Toni Kroos’s left-foot shot put the Germans 3-0 up in the 24th minute that the horror really set in for the capacity crowd and millions of Brazilians watching round the nation. Five goals went in during a 19-minute spell of the first half in Brazil’s record World Cup defeat and their first loss at home in 64 competitive matches since 1975. The “Mineirazo” will haunt Brazil forever.
No. 2 – THE BITE
Uruguay striker Luis Suarez had been the two-goal hero of a 2-1 victory over England, but he turned villain in the next game against Italy by inexplicably biting defender Giorgio Chiellini towards the end. The Italians were still complaining when Uruguay scored from a corner to win 1-0 and reach the last 16. Suarez’s joy at victory was short-lived, though, as his action touched off worldwide controversy and brought a nine-match ban from playing for Uruguay and four-month prohibition from football – the toughest sanction ever given at a World Cup. After initially clutching his teeth on the pitch as if he was the injured party, Suarez eventually apologized and Chiellini forgave him. The incident did not stop Suarez’s 81 million euro ($111 million) move to Barcelona.
No. 3 – THE WINNER
Bayern Munich midfielder Mario Goetze had been having a disappointing tournament for Germany and was dropped in the latter stages. But that all changed after he came on as a substitute in the final against Argentina. In the 113th minute, with the score at 0-0 and penalties looming after a tense game where both sides missed good chances, the 22-year-old creative midfielder received a cross from Andre Schuerrle. He controlled it on his chest and slammed it past Argentina’s Sergio Romero to win the game, send his homeland into raptures and write himself into football history.
No. 4 – THE FOUL
Brazil’s World Cup effectively ended when Colombia defender Juan Zuniga charged into their marquee striker Neymar with a raised knee during a rough quarter-final. Neymar, whose four goals and exuberant play had carried the team, left in tears on a stretcher with a broken vertebra. Brazil won that game 2-1, but the emotionally fragile team collapsed afterwards, losing 7-1 to Germany in the semi-final and 3-0 to the Netherlands in the third-place playoff. The fans’ chanting of Neymar’s name and the team’s holding aloft of his number 10 shirt prior to kickoff against Germany were moving at the time but look hollow in retrospect given the trauma that followed.
No. 5 – THE RECORD
Veteran Germany striker Miroslav Klose’s close-range strike against Brazil in the semi-final after 23 minutes made him the tournament’s all-time leading scorer with 16 goals. The 36-year-old had moved level with former Brazil striker Ronaldo on 15 when he scored in Germany’s 2-2 draw against Ghana in the group stage. The best German striker of his generation, Klose has played in four World Cups and now scored 71 goals in 136 appearances for his country. The mild-mannered, Polish-born Klose, who is also a trained carpenter, was typically modest about his achievement. “Miroslav Klose in the club of 16 and everyone’s welcome to join,” he said afterwards.
No. 6 – THE GOAL
While much of the world had focused on Brazil’s Neymar, Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo as potential standout performers, it was Colombia’s attacking midfielder James Rodriguez who arguably overshadowed them all with consistently brilliant performances – and six goals – in his nation’s dream run to a first quarter-final. His best moment came against Uruguay in the last 16 when the ball arched towards him 25 meters out. Rodriguez had the presence of mind to glance over his shoulder to check the positioning of the goalkeeper before chesting the ball down and, in one fluid movement, turning and firing a left-foot volley in off the underside of the crossbar. The Netherlands’ Robin Van Persie, scorer of an extraordinary “salmon”-like header against Spain, and Australia’s Tim Cahill, who smacked in a fantastic volley against the Netherlands, may disagree, but for most pundits Rodriguez’s was the goal of the tournament.
No. 7 – THE DANCE
No-one shakes it like the Colombians. Their joyous, hip-swaying goal celebrations will live long in the memory, much as Cameroon’s did back in 1990. It was left back Pablo Armero, with a history of dancing for club and country, who led the way after scoring against Greece in their opening game in the fifth minute. The rhythmic 27-year-old raced to his bench, crossed himself, called team mates around, and then led a clearly rehearsed but nonetheless fabulous dance of salsa steps and raised arms that quickly went viral back home. The dances kept on coming as Colombia fired in 12 goals and reached the last 16 for the first time since 1990. Only Ghana ran Colombia a close second with their moves, striker Asamoah Gyan leading the team in a leg-cocking ‘chicken’ dance after scoring against Germany.
No. 8 – THE HEAD-BUTT
Cameroon’s miserable World Cup hit a shocking low when defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto head-butted team mate Benjamin Moukandjo towards the end of their 4-0 capitulation to Croatia. Players from both teams intervened to halt the shameful scuffle that symbolized the chaos in the ‘Indomitable Lions’. “Such behavior is really disgusting, it won’t do, it’s impossible,” said coach Volker Finke. Earlier in the same game, midfielder Alex Song was sent off for bizarrely elbowing Croatia’s Mario Mandzukic in the back right in front of the referee. And all that after a team strike over money prior to departure for Brazil, and injury to captain Samuel Eto’o.
No. 9 – THE PRAYERS
Algeria ended their 28-year-old wait for a World Cup goal when Sofiane Feghouli converted a spot-kick in the 25th minute to give them a 1-0 lead over Belgium. The players, representing the only Arab nation at the World Cup, wore their Muslim faith proudly by kneeling in prayer to give thanks for the goal. The north Africans lost that game 2-1, but went on to score another six goals in a surprisingly fruitful campaign which ended with a 2-1 loss to Germany in the last 16.
No. 10 – THE CROSSBAR
In the dying seconds of extra time with the score at 1-1 in their last-16 game, Chile striker Mauricio Pinilla hit a thunderous shot that rattled off the crossbar to leave Brazil counting their lucky stars as they went to penalties. Chile lost the shootout, but had Pinilla’s shot gone just slightly lower, he would have become a national hero by overturning a painful history of defeats by Brazil, who also knocked them out of the 2010, 1998 and 1962 World Cups. Back home, Pinilla had a tattoo of the shot made on his back with the caption: “One Centimetre from Glory.” Chileans say the crossbar haunts their sleep.
According to TNS

Glory for Gotze as Germany win World Cup
Mario Gotze’s fantastic goal in the 113th minute decided a pulsating final against Argentina to hand Germany their fourth World Cup.
Argentina were preparing for a penalty shoot-out in the Maracana, but in the 113th minute Gotze chested down Andre Schurrle’s cross and volleyed home to cap a historic victory for the jubilant Germans.
It will take a while for Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain and Rodrigo Palacio to forget this defeat.
They were all guilty of missing good chances to give Argentina what would have been a glorious win in the home of their fiercest rivals Brazil.
Tens of thousands of Argentinians had flooded Rio hoping to see Messi inspire his team to their third World Cup win.
This was Messi’s chance to put himself on a par with his idol Diego Maradona.
But unlike in 1986, when Maradona captained Argentina to victory against the Germans, this was the Mannschaft’s night.
And there would be few who would argue they did not deserve it.
Ever since they swept Portugal aside 4-0 in their opening match, Germany have looked destined to lift the famous trophy inside this famous stadium.
Blessed with talent from one to 23, they are a brutal attacking unit also capable of keeping things tight at the back.
The 7-1 destruction of Brazil in the previous round proved as much.
And in Low they have a coach who has answered his critics by becoming the first man to lead a European team to World Cup glory in South America.
It did not take for this game to live up to its pre-match billing as the ball flew from one end to another amid a backdrop of raucous noise, particularly from the Argentinians.
Higuain shot wide from a tight angle early on and Messi used his trickery to prize open the Germany defence, but Bastian Schweinsteiger put in a block.
Miroslav Klose came agonisingly close to heading home Philipp Lahm’s cross at the other end.
Higuain then missed a glorious chance. Toni Kroos headed the ball over his own back four towards Higuain, who watched the ball drop perfectly on to his right foot.
Despite being two yards ahead of the chasing Mats Hummels, the Napoli striker dragged his shot wide. Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella was stunned. Substitute Sergio Aguero was so embarrassed for his team-mate that he pulled his training top over his head.
Higuain thought he had made amends when he tucked away Lavezzi’s cross, but he was offside Cristoph Kramer, who had taken a knock to the head earlier, hobbled off and was replaced by Schurrle.
The first half came to a dramatic conclusion.
Messi squeezed the ball past Neuer, but Jerome Boateng cleared off the line.
And Benedikt Howedes hit a post with a header from Kroos’ corner.
Less than 90 seconds after the restart Messi found a way through the Germany defence, but he dragged his shot a foot wide when he should have scored.
Neuer had to revert to the sweeper role he performed against Algeria as he came right to the edge of his box to punch a long ball by Zabaleta, taking Higuain in the process with his knee.
A dazed Higuain, holding his head, demanded a penalty, but the referee waved play on.
Mesut Ozil and Schurrle lost control of the ball in the box with the goal gaping.
As the clock ticked towards 90 minutes, both teams started to take fewer risks.
Even a moment of magic from Messi was foiled by Neuer who came racing off his line to smother the ball after the Argentina captain has skipped past four defenders.
With nine minutes left Kroos placed a low shot wide, much to the annoyance of Low.
Klose’s record-breaking World Cup career ended when he was substituted for Gotze in the 88th minute.
Gotze sent a weak shot into Sergio Romero’s arms and the game then petered out until the referee blew to signal the end of 90 minutes.
Sabella tried to fire his men up with a motivational team-talk just before extra-time but it was Germany who came out stronger.
Argentina were almost a goal down when Muller returned Schurrle’s pass and he fired a strong drive which Romero did well to parry.
Argentina had their big chance moments later when Hummels failed to clear a routine cross. The ball fell for Palacio, but his lob went wide.
Aguero drew blood from under Schweinsteiger’s right eye as they jumped for the ball.
Then the killer moment came that won the Germans the World Cup.
Unlike many of his team-mates, Schurrle still had plenty of energy left in the tank.
He raced down the left-hand side past three Argentinians and crossed for Gotze who cushioned the ball on his chest swept the ball past Romero from close range.
It was a wonderful strike worthy of winning any tournament. The Argentinians inside the Maracana fell silent. Their party had been gate-crashed.
According to Foxsports