The greatest single sports event on earth was born amid confusion and resistance. The idea of holding a football World Cup had first been mooted soon after the sport’s governing body, the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), had been formed in 1904.

According to MasterCard , glory for the England Football Team at this summer's international tournament is also more important to ten per cent of the nation than holidays or giving up work.

ON June 10 the England Football Team will kick off its World Cup campaign in a match against Paraguay. It will be a proud moment for the nation which is desperate for the team to lift the coveted trophy.

World Cup mania has swept the country, and pubs across the UK will be packed with fans adorned in the iconic Three Lions shirt of the England team. But while they will have to wait to see if the team will emerge victorious, World Cup glory has already come to one north west firm - Sir Alf Ramsey's 1966 heroes wore Umbro gear.

The league leaders in England and Spain will meet again in the first knockout round of the UEFA Champions League after Chelsea FC were paired with FC Barcelona in a repeat of the tie that produced two thrilling matches at this stage last season.

Liverpool have been drawn to face Benfica in the "Super Sixteen" phase of this season´s Champions League.

Saprissa: Purchased by Mexican magnate and Chivas Guadalajara/Chivas USA owner Jorge Vergara in 2003 following a fiduciary crisis, the club now has a degree of financial security in addition to the adulation of the nation and a trophy case bursting at its seems. Instituting a policy of employing only native-born or naturalised Costa Rican players, Vergara has hammered home the idea that Saprissa is ‘Costa Rica’s team.’ “The meaning of ‘Saprissa’ can not be found in any dictionary, but only in the soul,” the owner espoused shortly after forking over four million USD for the club.

Saprissa beat Sydney to book a meeting with Liverpool, a match coach Hernan Medford described as "maybe the most important in Costa Rica´s history".

Saprissa destrozó las ilusiones de Sydney, de Australia, por 1-0, para avanzar a la semifinal del jueves en Yokohama contra el poderoso Liverpool.

Saprissa convocó a un sondeo en su portal de internet para que los aficionados opinen sobre el posible marcador y de 370 respuestas, el 40% se inclina por un empate, un 39% apuesta por 2-1 a favor de su equipo y tan sólo un 17% afirma que el Saprissa perderá.

No Brit has ever won FIFA’s World Player of the Year award but Frank Lampard is one of the names on this year’s shortlist of three. The Chelsea midfielder is bracketed with two Barcelona stars who are both serial award winners.

Brazilian Ronaldinho is the current holder of both World and European Player of the Year titles after he pocketed Europe’s Ballon D’Or on Monday. His club colleague Samuel Eto’o is a double African Footballer of the Year. Ironically, Lampard was pipped to the British equivalent by his own team-mate John Terry.

William Gallas and Frank Lampard are now fourth and fifth respectively in Chelsea’s list of most capped players while at the club. Hernán Crespo has moved up to seventh in the international goalscorer list level with Lampard. Eidur Gudjohnsen is second equal.

Hernan Crespo added: "I have shown that when I have an opportunity to do something in Chelsea, I´m ready to play.

CHELSEA chief executive Peter Kenyon has drawn a line under coach Jose Mourinho´s row with Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger and promised that his club will avoid any more of the controversies that tainted their campaign last season.

Deco has stoked the fires ahead of Barcelona´s eagerly-awaited visit to Real Madrid, by claiming that his Barca team are a match for Real in every department.

Chelsea survived two penalty appeals as Liverpool shaded the Champions League group G clash at Anfield.

Referee Massimo De Santis rejected their claims for a first-half spot-kick when Sami Hyypia was clearly fouled by Didier Drogba and did the same after the break when William Gallas handled a header from Jamie Carragher.

Matchday 3
18 & 19 October 2005

Group stage The 16 winners of the third qualifying round ties join a similar number of automatic entrants in the 32-team group stage. The clubs are split into eight groups of four teams, who play home and away against each of their pool opponents between September and December to decide which two teams from each pool advance to the first knockout round. The third-place finishers in each pool enter the UEFA Cup Round of 32.

Tomáš Galásek says AFC Ajax have taken comfort from Thierry Henry´s absence as they prepare to take on Arsenal FC in the UEFA Champions League tonight.