Platini and Blatter cram the World Cup full

With the European Championships soon to expand from 16 teams to 24, the World Cup could be set to receive similar treatment.

Fifa president Sepp Blatter is on record as wanting more Asian and African teams to be represented at the planet's biggest tournament and Uefa head honcho Michel Platini suggested on Monday that the finals could be stretched to 40 teams to make room.

There are more international teams around than there used to be but it could still be a tight fit if football's administrators get their way and push Russia 2018 to another level.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013 12:48

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Ibrahimovic vs Ronaldo - who will miss the World Cup?

Following Monday's World Cup play-off draw which saw Sweden paired with Portugal, we already know one superstar will not will heading to Brazil next summer.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Cristiano Ronaldo, two of the game's current greats, are both in danger of missing out on international football's pinnacle competition.

Let us know who you would prefer to see at the World Cup.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013 12:00

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Ronaldo might need helping hand to reach Brazil 2014

 

If Cristiano Ronaldo is not worried, he probably should be. Portugal are labouring in qualification for another major tournament - this time, Brazil 2014.

Friday's 3-3 draw away with Israel has left Paulo Bento's men third in Group F, four points behind Fabio Capello's Russia, who also have a game in hand.

If they win, the gap will extend to seven, in all likelihood condemning Portugal to a life-and-death scrap with Israel for second place and passage into a nail-biting qualifying playoff.

There also remains the distinct possibility that Ronaldo, widely regarded as one of the greatest players of his or any generation, will not even make it to the World Cup next year.

Missing out could potentially deal a fatal blow to the Real Madrid superstar's hopes of adding a World Cup winner's medal to his heaving collection, and hand Lionel Messi a decisive advantage in their epic rivalry.

With this in mind, he needs all the help he can get. 
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Blatter salutes 'general' Ronaldo & hails 'magician' Messi

 

Fifa president Sepp Blatter believes both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are "living legends" in the world of football.

The 76-year-old feels the two players are different on the pitch but thinks they possess rare quality, and he believes the Real Madrid man dominates the game while the Barcelona star lights up matches with moments of pure magic.

"Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo? Both! They are different but both fantastic for football," Blatter was quoted as saying by Marca.

"Cristiano wants to be the general on the pitch, lay down the law and scream here I stand. Messi, on the other hand, is like a conjurer, a magician. They are both living legends of football." 

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Maradona takes aim at his old rival Pele

 

The bitter feud between Diego Maradona and Pele only continues to escalate, and judging by the Argentine's latest comments, which include branding his arch rival a mere puppet to the Fifa family, before accusing him of being absent from civilisation for the past 20 years, it seems a reconciliation will never see the light of day.

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2011 FIFA Ballon D'or nominees

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Blatter the Football

Sepp Blatter asked to be reelected or football will suffer
http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italy/2011/05/13/2484989/sepp-blatter-re-elect-me-for-fifa-presidency-or-football