Ribery thinks France will win!!!

France superstar Franck Ribery is one of the most sought-after footballers in the world. As rumours continue to circulate about the Bayern Munich player's future, the skilful winger finds himself the centre of media attention on a constant basis.

Ribery in even greater demand out on the pitch, with Bayern on course for a domestic double and Inter Milan waiting in the UEFA Champions League final. And that is not to mention 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, where the 27-year-old is hoping to challenge for football's biggest prize.

In an interview with FIFA.COM, Ribery bilieves that France has a better side, and might lift the trophy.

Abado89: How far can France go at the World Cup?
I'm expecting us to have a very good World Cup because it's very important for France to perform well. It's imperative for us to get past the group stage and then hopefully we can make the Final.

ahmed_201096: Who's your favourite to win the World Cup and why?
Obviously I hope it's us who win the World Cup in South Africa. We have a very good team who are more than capable. There are several other teams who are just as good, though, and at the moment I think England and Spain are both very strong. (fifa/it's our world cup)

Gallas to be fit by then....

William Gallas will recover from a calf injury for next month’s World Cup, the France defender said. The Arsenal center half picked up the injury in the Champions League quarter-final first leg game against Barcelona in March and the coach Arsene Wenger said that Gallas’s season with the club was over. “I will be ready for France,” Gallas told French daily Le Parisien. “Had it not been possible-to recover on time-I would have pulled out.” (It’s our world cup)

Will Totti Play?

Impatient Italian fans must bide their time to find out if Francesco Totti will make a remarkable comeback at the world cup, coach Marcello Lippi said, predicting a similar wait for news over his own future. The Roma captain and striker,33, retired from international footbal after Italy’s 2006 world cup triumph but has recently left the door open to a return if he is fully fit. “Totti? Wait until May 11, when we need to send the list of 30 players to FIFA. (it’s our world cup)

Injured Fernando a doubt for first match

Spanish striker, Fernando Torres could miss his team’s world cup opener against Switzerland after undergoing a knee surgery, Liverpool’s medical department said on May 4th. Fernando suffered a torn meniscus in the right knee during the Europa League match against Benfica last month, ruling him out of the livepool’s run-in, and the club said their priority was to make sure their leading striker was fully fit for the next seasin. Favorites Spain face Switzerland on June 16th. (it’s our world cup)

Will Fabio Capello do it in Africa?

Whether Fabio Capello will be the first foreigner to steer England to success in the world cup remains to be seen but one thing is clear. he has transformed the English national team from the disappointment of their failure to qualify from the disappointment of their failure to qualify for Euro 2008 to hopes of being a genuine contender in South Africa. a single-minded disciplinarian who has won honors wherever he has managed in the club game, Capello does not believe in failure.

Thanks to his spirit, the era of Steve McClaren has been forgotten amid England's perfect qualifying record as the former AC Milan, Real Madrid, Roma and Juventus coach has taken a firm grip on a previously listless bunch.

he has gelled the English playing culture and defensive Italian game making the  three lions a difficult side to score against. it is this approach that he has taken to south Africa where england faces United States of America, Algeria and Slovenia.

Himself a successful coach in his previous assignment, England will be the first national team he is taking to a major international competition and he hopes to make it the first time lucky.

Capella has won a league title with every club he has managed , including two in two separate seasons with Real Madrid.

As a player, Capello was a full international for Italy, his best moment in a Azzurri shirt coming when he scored the winner against England at Wembley in 1973.

A complex and intelligent character, Capello has an expensive art collection and takes holidays in unconventional destinations like Tibet, Mexico and Cambodia, choosing to visit historical temples and ruins.

But he comes to our soil for one collection everyone would want to have a hold on (the world cup trophy).

Can he do it with England?

Fabio Capello: 

born-June 18, 196 

birth place-San Canzian d'isonzo, Italy 

previous clubs-AC Milan, Roma, Juventus, Real Madrid 

honors-

Serie A: 1992,193,1994,1996,2001,2005,2006

La Liga: 1997, 2007, 

Champions League: 1994

European super cup: 1994 

adopted from Laduma (the certified guide for this blog, published by Nation Media Group-Kenya)

Monday, April 19th 2010. 

written by:Odindo Ayieko 

its our world cup

World Cup 2010 first round schedule

GROUP A FIXTURES

Friday, 11 June 2010
South Africa v Mexico, 15:00
Uruguay v France, 19:30

Wednesday, 16 June 2010
South Africa v Uruguay, 19:30

Thursday, 17 June 2010
France v Mexico, 12:30

Tuesday, 22 June 2010
France v South Africa, 15:00
Mexico v Uruguay, 15:00

GROUP B FIXTURES

Saturday, 12 June 2010
Argentina v Nigeria, 12:30
South Korea v Greece, 15:00

Thursday, 17 June 2010
Argentina v South Korea, 19:30
Greece v Nigeria, 15:00

Tuesday, 22 June 2010
Greece v Argentina, 19:30
Nigeria v South Korea, 19:30

GROUP C FIXTURES

Saturday, 12 June 2010
England v USA, 19:30

Sunday, 13 June 2010
Algeria v Slovenia, 12:30

Friday, 18 June 2010
England v Algeria, 19:30
Slovenia v USA, 15:00

Wednesday, 23 June 2010
Slovenia v England, 15:00
USA v Algeria, 15:00

GROUP D FIXTURES

Sunday, 13 June 2010
Germany v Australia, 15:00
Serbia v Ghana, 19:30

Friday, 18 June 2010
Germany v Serbia, 12:30

Saturday, 19 June 2010
Ghana v Australia, 12:30

Wednesday, 23 June 2010
Australia v Serbia, 19:30
Ghana v Germany, 19:30

GROUP E FIXTURES

Monday, 14 June 2010
Japan v Cameroon, 15:00
Netherlands v Denmark, 12:30

Saturday, 19 June 2010
Cameroon v Denmark, 19:30
Netherlands v Japan, 15:00

Thursday, 24 June 2010
Cameroon v Netherlands, 19:30
Denmark v Japan, 19:30

GROUP F FIXTURES

Monday, 14 June 2010
Italy v Paraguay, 19:30

Tuesday, 15 June 2010
New Zealand v Slovakia, 12:30

Sunday, 20 June 2010
Italy v New Zealand, 15:00
Paraguay v Slovakia, 12:30

Thursday, 24 June 2010
Paraguay v New Zealand, 15:00
Slovakia v Italy, 15:00

GROUP G FIXTURES

Tuesday, 15 June 2010
Brazil v North Korea, 19:30
Ivory Coast v Portugal, 15:00

Sunday, 20 June 2010
Brazil v Ivory Coast, 19:30

Monday, 21 June 2010
Portugal v North Korea, 12:30

Friday, 25 June 2010
North Korea v Ivory Coast, 15:00
Portugal v Brazil, 15:00

GROUP H FIXTURES

Wednesday, 16 June 2010
Honduras v Chile, 12:30
Spain v Switzerland, 15:00

Monday, 21 June 2010
Chile v Switzerland, 15:00
Spain v Honduras, 19:30

Friday, 25 June 2010
Chile v Spain, 19:30
Switzerland v Honduras, 19:30

The 2010 world cup stadiums

Free State Stadium

Bloemfontein

Capacity: 48,000
Province: Free State
Population: 400 000
Altitude: 1400m
Facts: The stadium will hold the final and opening matches, five first-round matches, one second-round match and one quarter-final.
Distance from Cape Town: 997 km

Greenpoint Stadium

Cape Town

Capacity: 70,000
Province: Western Cape
Population: 1,3 million
Altitude: 0m
Facts: It will host six first round matches, one second round, one quarter-final and one semi-final
Distance from Cape Town: 0 km

Moses Mabhida Stadium

Durban

Capacity: 70,000
Province: KwaZulu-Natal
Population: 3 million
Altitude: 0m
Facts: The stadium will probably be host to a semi-final match
Distance from Cape Town: 1606 km

Ellis Park Stadium

Johannesburg

Capacity: 74,000
Province: Gauteng Province
Population: 3,2 million
Altitude: 1753 m
Facts: Ellis Park Stadium will host one of the semi-finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup,
Distance from Cape Town: 1393 km

Soccer City

Johannesburg

Capacity: 104,000
Province: Gauteng Province
Population: 3,2 million
Altitude: 1753 m
Facts: The stadium will hold the final and opening matches, five first-round matches, one second-round match and one quarter-final.
Distance from Cape Town: 1393 km

Mbombela Stadium

Nelspruit

Capacity: 46,000
Province: Mpumalanga
Population: 21,541
Altitude: 1741 m
Facts: The roof supports have been designed to resemble a giraffe.
Distance from Cape Town: 1393 km

Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium

Port Elizabeth

Capacity: 50,000
Province: Eastern Cape Province
Population: 1,005 million
Altitude: 0 m
Facts: The stadium boasts 150 VIP suites, 60 business suites, 500 parking bays and is scheduled for completion in December 2008.
Distance from Cape Town: 765 km

Peter Mokaba Stadium

Polokwane

Capacity: 46,000
Province: Limpopo Province
Population: 832,000
Altitude: 1312 m
Facts: Initial plans to upgrade the current Peter Mokaba Stadium were abandoned in favor of the estimated R1.1 bn (ZAR) new Peter Mokaba stadium.
Distance from Cape Town: 765 km

Lofthus Verfeld

Pretoria

Capacity: 50,000
Province: Gauteng
Population: 1,9 million
Altitude: 1370 m
Facts: South Africa achieved their first victory over a European opposition at Loftus Versfeld, beating Sweden 1-0.
Distance from Cape Town: 1,464 km

Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace

Rustenburg

Capacity: 42,000
Province: North West
Population: 395,000
Altitude: 1500 m
Facts: The stadium is only a 25 minute drive to Sun City and 30 minutes to the Pilansberg.
Distance from Cape Town: 1,464 km