Goal.com cartoonist takes a break

He provides Goal.com with his own unique take on the latest breaking football news seven days a week.

But Omar Momani is taking a well-earned two-week break from illustrating the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney.

It is only fitting, then, that Omar should be waved off at the airport by some of football's biggest stars ahead of his holiday.
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England make a splash with new kit

The World Cup qualifier between England and Poland didn't exactly go according to plan on Tuesday night.

What was supposed to be a crucial Group H clash became the washout in Warsaw, as a waterlogged pitch saw the game postponed after officials failed to close the stadium roof amidst the onset of a downpour.

The game has been rescheduled for Wednesday afternoon, where England players will no doubt be well prepared for the conditions.

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Ronaldo eclipses Messi on Facebook

The debate over who will win this year's Ballon d'Or rages on, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, as ever, neck and neck.

But the Real Madrid star has scored a minor victory over the Barcelona forward on social networking site Facebook.

Ronaldo has accumulated a staggering 50 million 'Likes' - 10m more than Messi - and is the most popular athlete on the site, eclipsing the likes of David Beckham, Kaka, Andres Iniesta and basketball stars LeBron James and Dwayne Wade.

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Vidic set for Russia exile as Fergie eyes the money

 

With Rio Ferdinand's shelf-life waning at 33 years of age, the last player Manchester United fans expected to see leave the club may well have been Nemanja Vidic.

The Serbia international is 30-years-old himself, however, and Goal.com exclusively revealed that the Red Devils could consider cashing in on a considerable offer from interested Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala.

The money spent by Zenit St. Petersburg on Hulk and Axel Witsel perhaps caught the eye of Ferguson, who could yet send Vidic the same way.

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Rampant Germany hit Ireland for six

 

Even the most optimistic of Republic of Ireland fans may not have been expecting to defeat Germany, but the 6-1 hammering in Friday's World Cup qualifier certainly wasn't part of the plan for Giovanni Trapattoni's men.

Doubles from Marco Reus and Toni Kroos, alongside goals for Mesut Ozil and Miroslav Klose, ensured Joachim Low's men secured a rampant win at the Aviva Stadium.

And while Andy Keough may have grabbed a late consolation goal, there is no denying that the Irish were smashed out of the park by their German counterparts...
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Braveheart Wenger has freedom to spend

 

Arsenal's chief executive Ivan Gazidis has labelled Arsene Wenger as "extraordinarily brave" in his devotion to promoting youth players and unearthing hidden gems from across the globe.

The 62-year-old French manager made some surprisingly big signings in the summer in the form of Lukas Podolski, Olivier Giroud and Santi Cazorla after the departure of captain Robin van Persie.

And with rumours of a substantial transfer budget awaiting him in January, will Wenger bite the golden bullet and dip his toes into the market once more?

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Rooney channels his inner King Cantona

 

With John Terry retired, Frank Lampard injured and Steven Gerrard suspended ahead of England's clash with San Marino on Friday, it could be time for Wayne Rooney to lead the way for the Three Lions.

And the Manchester United star is taking influence for his new senior role from former Red Devils legend Eric Cantona, with the 27-year-old keen to help nurture the national team's next generation of players.

But Rooney, who has a chequered behavioural record himself, must ensure there are certain habits he does not pick up from King Cantona...

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