AS CHILE GUN DOWN THE WORLD CUP DEFENDING CHAMPIONS 'SPAIN' WITH A SUBLIME 2-0 WIN

The defending World Cup champions are out of the World Cup before the group stage is even over after going down 2-0 to a wonderful Chile side in the Maracana! meaning, they have no hope of progressing from Group B.
Vicente del Bosque had led Spain to glory at the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 but, following his side's 5-1 humbling against Netherlands on Friday, a reaction was required to avert a group-stage exit.
They had produced such a reaction four years ago when bouncing back from a defeat in their opener to Switzerland, but La Furia Roja appeared for the most part to be a pale imitation of their 2010 vintage.

 

On 20 minutes, Chile broke the deadlock, carving the Spain defence open as Arturo Vidal, Alexis Sanchez and Charles Aranguiz combined before setting up Eduardo Vargas to skip around Iker Casillas and finish.
Just before half-time, Spain's fate worsened as Casillas failed to deal with a Sanchez free kick, allowing Aranguiz to poke home a second.
Spain injected more urgency into their game at the start of the second half, and Sergio Busquets spurned a golden opportunity to bring his side back into the game, but they could never exercise the kind of control that had been the hallmark of their success in recent years.
Spain enjoyed a series of chances in the dying minutes but could not find a way past Claudio Bravo.
Spain and Australia have both failed to register a point from their opening two fixtures and have no chance of progress. Chile and Netherlands will meet in Sao Paulo on Monday to determine who will advance as group winners.

Read More

AS NETHERLANDS CONTINUE THEIR WORLD CUP PERFECT RUN

Netherlands have maintained their perfect start at the World Cup after edging out Australia 3-2 in a pulsating encounter.

Louis van Gaal's side were in high spirits after beginning their tournament by demolishing Spain 5-1 but Australia, defeated 3-1 in their opener against Chile, took the game to their opponents from the off.
The Socceroos' high-tempo approach looked to be paying dividends until, with 20 minutes on the clock, the in-form Arjen Robben broke free around the halfway line and raced clear before slotting home the opener.
The advantage lasted barely a minute, though, as Tim Cahill cannoned a stunning volley in off the underside of the crossbar to bring the Socceroos level.
Early in the second half, Australia's position improved when Oliver Bozanic, freshly introduced from the bench, clipped in a cross that struck Daryl Janmaat's hand. The referee deemed the Dutchman guilty of handball and pointed to the spot, and Mile Jedinak confidently converted.
Once more, though, the advantage did not last: Robin van Persie -- who, like Cahill, will miss his side's final group game after collecting a booking -- smashed in an equaliser before the Australians had had a chance to settle.
Australia might have restored their advantage when Tommy Oar had a clear sight of goal, but he opted to cross for Mathew Leckie, whose improvised effort with his chest was easily collected by goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen.
The Dutch duly advanced upfield and Memphis Depay, a replacement for the injured Bruno Martins Indi, unleashed a long-range shot that caught Socceroos goalkeeper Maty Ryan off guard and found its way into the net.

Read More

Ronaldo left training with ice on his knee

Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo left the team's practice early with an ice pack on his knee, according to a Reuters report.
Trainers applied ice to Ronaldo's troublesome knee and he watched the final portion of the training session from the bench, according to Portuguese sports daily Record.
Ronaldo has been bothered by several leg complaints throughout his latest club season, in which he led Real Madrid to their record 10th UEFA Champions League title.
He played in the final against crosstown rivals Atlético Madrid -- scoring a penalty late into extra time --then rested in a bid to be ready for the World Cup.
He made his return to the field just under two weeks ago in a friendly win over Ireland, saying he was close to 100 percent fit and then went the full 90 minutes against Germany in Portugal's 4-0 loss  to open Group G play.
Ronaldo has frequently left training early to ice his knee over the past several weeks. The Portuguese federation has not commented.
Portugal face the United States in Group G play on Sunday at 6 ET.

Read More

Lorde's Parents Got Engaged after 30 years together

Lorde shared happy news on Monday, June 16, saying she had finally seen "a diamond in the flesh." Her parents, Vic O'Connor and Sonja Yelich, got engaged after 30 years together.

"BEST DAY," Lorde tweeted on Monday night. "Went to Niagara Falls - my dad proposed to my mum after almost 30 years together." She added a bunch of emojis such as heart, diamond ring, rose and smiley faces at the end of her tweet.

She would later make a reference to her hit "Royals" which has the lyrics, "I've never seen a diamond in the flesh / I cut my teeth on wedding rings in the movies / And I'm not proud of my address / In a torn-up town, no postcode envy." She tweeted, "Inevitable response yes I know I have seen a diamond now."

The family were in Canada where Lorde performed at the 2014 MuchMusic Video Awards in Toronto on Sunday. She took home International Video of the Year for her hit song.

Read More

Mexico goalkeeper 'Ochoa' was Spectacular- Scolari

Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari hailed Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa's performance after Tuesday's 0-0 draw, while he feels his side need to improve their finishing if they are to do well in the World Cup.
The Selecao were left frustrated by Ochoa's display in goal in the Group A clash as he kept their attackers at bay with a string of impressive saves.
The result means Brazil failed to secure their qualification early for the next round and now go into the final group game against Cameroon on June 23 likely needing a result to advance.
"I did not like their goalkeeper. He was really spectacular, he did a great job, he was calm and confident on the pitch -- he was the man of the match," Scolari told a news conference.
"[We need to score] goals against Cameroon. We don't know what the final score of Croatia-Cameroon [on Wednesday] will be so we don't know whether we will be going on to the next phase or not. Goals -- that is what we lacked today.
"We had chances but they had a very good goalkeeper who did a marvellous job. Mexico also shot very well from outside the penalty box, so they had a very good day, so that is why we could not win."
Scolari added: "A 0-0 is never a good result but it does reflect how close this match was.
"It was not a good outcome because a win would have given us the classification but we must respect our adversary, who played really well.
"Both teams tried to score quality goals. There was a lot of physical effort that was evenly matched."
Scolari made one change to the side that started in their opening group game against Croatia, with Ramires coming in for Hulk, who suffered an injury in training.
"Hulk could have played today but he decided to stay on the bench, so we started with Ramires. But if he believes he can play in the next match we will put him back on the pitch," Scolari said.
"This is my team. I may replace some of them against Cameroon, I may begin the match with a different lineup. It is not a matter of trusting or not trusting my players. I trust them all."

Read More

The Expendables 3 first full trailer

The first full trailer for "The Expendables 3" has landed online, sharing a bunch of action-packed scenes. While the first teaser introduced the younger generation of mercenaries, the latest sneak-peek video focuses more on the veteran members.

In what is dubbed their "One Last Ride," Barney (Sylvester Stallone) and his team come face-to-face with former member, Conrad Stonebanks (Mel Gibson) who now is making it his mission to end The Expendables. The trailer reveals that Stonebanks holds the younger members of Expendables hostages to lure Barney to his lair, but Barney is not shorthanded as Antonio Banderas' Galgio and Harrison Ford's Max Drummer join them in action.

Also returning for the third installment of "The Expendables" film franchise are Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture and Terry Crews. The new cast members include Kellan Lutz, Ronda Rousey and Wesley Snipes.

Directed by Patrick Hughes and Dan Bradley, the movie is set to open in theaters across the nation on August 15. 

Read More

Worshipped for his tail: Indian teenager turn god

An Indian teenager is worshipped as a god because he has a 7ins ‘tail’.

Arshid Ali Khan, 13, has become a divine symbol in the state of Punjab.

Locals have hailed him a reincarnation of the Hindu monkey god Hanuman - and refer to him as Balaji.

However, Arshid has to use a wheelchair and he is considering having the ‘tail’ removed.

He said: ‘This tail has been given to me by God. I am worshipped because I pray to god and the wishes of people come true.

‘I feel neither good nor bad about having a tail.’

Arshid lives with his grandfather, Iqbal Qureshi, and two uncles, after his father died when he was four and his mother remarried.

Mr Qureshi, a music instructor, said: ‘When he spoke for the first time at the age on one all he spoke was the names of Gods from different religions.

‘It was that day I realised that he had something divine and godly about him.’

He added: ‘It does not matter whether we are Muslims or Hindus, I think there is just one path for spiritualism.’

Arshid's home has been converted into a temple where his devotees come to visit him to receive his blessings and touch his ‘tail’.

‘A lot of people’s wishes have come true after they have visited,’ claimed Mr Qureshi.

‘Sometimes there are childless couples who come to Balaji for help. He blesses them, and often they are then able to conceive.’

However, Arshid often struggles to balance his time with his faithful devotees and attending school and playing with his friends.

He said: ‘Mostly on weekdays I have to go to school but when I have a school holiday on Sunday around 20 to 30 people come to see me at my home.’

He added: ‘No one teases me. Everybody wants to see my tail and so they keep asking.’

Despite his supposed powers, Arshid has to use a wheelchair and suffers from an undiagnosed disorder.

Some doctors in India have told the family it is down to brittle bones while others have said it is due to the 'tail' growth protruding from his spine.

Others have suggested he has a form of spina bifida called meningocele.

This develops when membranes poke through a hole between the vertebrae, and it can lead to partial paralysis.

This month he is due to see a doctor who has said he can successfully remove the appendage - but his family are sceptical and say they would rather he kept his tail than undertake a risky operation.

But Mr Qureshi said: ‘It is for Balaji to decide. If he wants to get the tail removed, we do not mind.

‘He has trouble walking and so we are asking doctors what can be done.’

As for Arshid, he does not believe the removal of the tail will stop the crowds flocking to his house for blessings.

He said: ‘Doctors can remove my tail - but people will continue to believe in me.’

-mail

Read More

Belgium got a well deserved 2-1 win

Substitutes Marouane Fellaini and Dries Mertens prevented Belgium's much-hyped World Cup campaign falling flat as they came from behind to beat Algeria.
Belgium, seen by many as genuine contenders in Brazil, were losing to Sofiane Feghouli's first-half penalty until coach Marc Wilmots made all three substitutions by the 65th minute.
First Fellaini levelled with a towering header 20 minutes from time then Mertens, sent on at the interval, rifled home Eden Hazard's 80th-minute pass.
Kevin De Bruyne played a key role in both goals having struggled as much as anyone in the first period.
Belgium were ponderous throughout the first half, despite enjoying the lion's share of possession. Hazard and De Bruyne saw plenty of the ball but struggled to break down an organised Algeria leaving Romelu Lukaku isolated and out of the game.
With Rafik Halliche and Madjid Bougherra confidently marshalling the penalty area, Belgium began to rely on longer-range attempts, with Axel Witsel finally working Rais M'Bolhi with a drive from 25 yards.
Algeria needed to make the most of their own breaks and duly won a penalty with their first serious foray. Nabil Bentaleb started things by releasing Faouzi Ghoulam on the left and his whipped cross from the left was heading for Feghouli.
The striker might not have reached it but Jan Vertonghen rendered that academic when he made a mess of his tracking run and felled his man. Feghouli eyed Thibault Courtois all the way as he rolled his shot home.
Belgium attempted to respond but were drawing blanks. De Bruyne and Vertonghen wasted a pair of promising free kicks and Witsel saw a second decent strike saved after taking the ball down on his chest.
Hazard's line-break gave Nacer Chadli sight of goal before the interval but he shot tamely at M'Bolhi and was replaced by Mertens at half-time.
The sides exchanged half-chances from corners, Witsel heading over and Carl Medjani flicking past the far post.
By 65 minutes Wilmots had made two more substitutions, Divock Origi and Fellaini on for Lukaku and Mousa Dembele.
Origi had a great early chance, going one-on-one with M'Bolhi only to see his low effort well stopped by the advancing keeper.
It was Fellaini who made the difference, rising to head De Bruyne's curling cross in off the underside of the bar.
Wilmots' changes continued to reap benefits when Mertens put his side ahead 10 minutes later. De Bruyne was involved again, this time winning back possession by tackling Feghouli.
That set in motion a swift counter and Hazard read the situation perfectly, drawing the defence before finding Mertens, who rifled home.

Read More

Arjen Robben eclipsed Theo Walcott as the fastest footballer with 37km/h

FIFA's official records have confirmed that Robben eclipsed a record held by England's Theo Walcott, who had been clocked at 35.7km/h. Walcott won't be able to try and better Robben's achievement at this World Cup as he misses the finals through injury.
The quickest speed ever recorded by a human was Usain Bolt's 44.72km/h that came between metres 60 and 80 in the final of the 100m World Championship in Berlin 2009. There he set a new world record of 9.58s.
Robben also smashed his previous record, attained in Bayern Munich colours, of 30.7km/h. Given the speeds recorded by Robben in his scoring of the fifth goal, he would have run the 100m in 10.28 seconds. He did this with the ball under control and after 80 minutes of play.
After Robben, the list of the world's fastest is as follows:
Theo Walcott, 35.7 km/h: The Arsenal and England winger misses Brazil 2014 with a knee ligament injury, and will be sorely missed by the Three Lions.
Antonio Valencia, 35.1 km/h: The Ecuador international has previously held the title of the fastest player, clocking up 35.1km/h last September.
Gareth Bale, 34.7 km/h: The Real Madrid player showed everyone how quick he was when he scored against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final. He will turn 25 in July, and must watch the World Cup from home.
Aaron Lennon, 33.8 km/h: The diminutive Tottenham winger is the second English player on the list; however this was not enough for Roy Hodgson to call him up for Brazil.
Cristiano Ronaldo, 33.6 km/h: The Real Madrid player is noted for his ability to impeccably control the ball at high speeds on the counter attack.
Lionel Messi, 32.5 km/h: The Argentina international is as explosive as they come, capable of carrying the ball on his famous left foot at full pelt.
Wayne Rooney, 31.2 km/h: The England forward is deceivingly quick and showed his pace as he set up his side's equaliser against Italy.
Franck Ribery, 30.7 km/h: The Bayern Munich winger misses out on Brazil due to a back injury.
Sergio Ramos, 30.6 km/h: The Real Madrid centre-back was clocked at 30.6km/h as he chased Robben.

Read More

Mourinho Blasted Pepe over Germany Red

Jose Mourinho has told Yahoo! that he feels Pepe let Portugal down by getting sent off in the 4-0 defeat against Germany on Monday.
The Seleccao opened up their World Cup campaign in disappointing fashion with a result that leaves them with plenty to do to make the knockout stages of the competition.
Their cause was not helped when Pepe was shown a red card for confronting Thomas Muller, and Chelsea boss Mourinho believes the Brazilian-born defender owes his adopted nation an apology.
"The fact that he's not even a Portuguese man, I think that should put even more pressure on him to behave in a certain way, which he didn't," Mourinho said.
"Maybe it doesn't deserve a direct red card, but deserves [punishment]. Because in spite of not being a clear aggression, there is a body language that many, many times pushes the referees to have these kinds of decisions.
"To leave a team playing with 10 men for such a long time is obviously a big handicap for the team."
Mourinho concedes the country of his birth are not one of the favourites for the World Cup, but he was still disappointed by their showing against Germany.
"If I go a bit back and I analyse the Portugal performances in the last appearances in World Cups and European Championships, Portugal doesn't get big results against the best teams," he said.
"If I go back to the last European Championships [Euro 2012], we lost against Spain on penalties. We also lost against Germany. In the last World Cup, we couldn't score against Spain and Brazil.
"So to say I expect Portugal to beat Germany or to expect Cristiano [Ronaldo] to score three or four goals like he does against other teams, I would be lying.
"At the same time, I was expecting a game that was much more balanced. I know the circumstances were difficult and playing with 10 men for such a long time, but 4-0 is disappointing."

Read More

Fastest Goal in World Cup History in 29 Seconds

Clint Dempsey scored just 29 seconds into the United States' World Cup opener against Ghana at Arena das Dunas in Natal, Brazil.
The 31-year-old captain received a beautifully threaded pass from Jermaine Jones on the edge of the box, dribbled past two defenders and slotted a left-footed shot past Ghanaian goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey into the bottom-right corner of the goal. (Predictably, the Univision call was everything you'd expect.)

Dempsey's first-minute strike was the fifth-fastest goal in World Cup history.
Only Turkey's Hakan Suker in 2002 (11 seconds), Czechoslovakia's Vaclav Masek in 1962 (16 seconds), Germany's Ernst Lehner in 1934 (25 seconds) and England's Bryan Robson in 1982 (27 seconds) have scored faster goals in World Cup matches.

No one was more excited about the quick tally than U.S. national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann.
It was Dempsey's third career World Cup goal after his right-footed volley against Ghana in 2006 and memorable equalizer against England in 2010. He's now scored 38 times in 106 international appearances.
The Texas native is no stranger to quick strikes: He scored the fastest goal in the U.S. World Cup qualifying history with a 53-second goal in an 8-0 win over Barbados in 2008, later eclipsing the record with a 36-second goal in a 2-1 loss to Jamaica in 2012.

Read More

Justin Bieber and Chris Brown Collaborating on a New Song

Justin Bieber and Chris Brown have confirmed that they are collaborating on a new song. On Monday, June 16, the Canadian star shared an Instagram picture of him and Breezy hanging out in a recording studio together.

"Studio, me and CB did 1 for the fans," he captioned the black-and-white photo. There's still no official word on the title of the collaboration or when it will be released, but this won't be the duo's first time to work together. Bieber was previously featured in "Next to You", a duet appearing in Brown's 2011 album, "F.A.M.E.".

Both Bieber and Brown have been working hard on their respective music. Bieber has shared many Instagram photos to tease his upcoming collaborations with Ariana Grande, Austin Mahone and Cody Simpson among others.

Meanwhile, Brown is now finishing his "X" album which was delayed due to his recent incarceration. The "Loyal" hitmaker recently posted a picture of him, Tyga and Lil Boosie in a studio, hinting that he's also readying "Fan of a Fan 2" album.

Read More

Iran played for the draw- Mikel

John Obi Mikel has expressed disappointment at Iran's game plan and claimed they wanted to frustrate Nigeria after the sides played out a goalless draw in their 2014 World Cup Group F game.
The Chelsea midfielder expressed his unhappiness at the outcome and claimed Iran played for the draw while Nigeria wanted to win.
He told a news conference: "We are all disappointed. The first game of every tournament is very important. When you watch the way Iran played, they had 11 men behind the ball the entire game and it was hard for us to create chances.
"They sat back and it became difficult. It was a game we wanted to win, but they wanted to play a bit different."

Nigeria play Bosnia and Herzegovina in their next game and Mikel believes three points will be crucial.
"A draw is a bad result, but we still have two games to play. Next game, we have to make sure we are clinical in front of goal to win the game."

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi was more considered in his appraisal of his side's lack of cutting edge in front of goal, and admitted he knew Iran would set up to play a cautious game.
"We set out to finish the game in the first 20-25 minutes. When things weren't happening for us, frustration and anxiety set in, but this is football. You try again in the next game," he said.
"We want to change direction of play all the time, but I'm not happy because we were not overwhelming up front. But you have to respect Iran for carrying out their game plan.
"You never know in football. Some days it goes your way. Today, we didn't play badly, we just couldn't convert.
"In football, even the best coaches in the world are not going to tell you they're going to win before the game. In my country, we want to win at all costs. We didn't win, but it's not the end of the world. We will try to prepare for the next game and take it from there."

Meanwhile, Nigeria goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama believes the Super Eagles' forthcoming game against Bosnia and Herzegovina will be like a final.
The Super Eagles face Argentina, one of the favourites to advance to the latter stages of the tournament, in their third and final Group F game and therefore must get points on the board while they can.
Enyeama said: "Bosnia is like a final match for us. We are going to go out there and see what we can achieve. We fall like a team and we win like a team."

Read More

Justin Bieber Cleared from Charges in an Attempted Robbery Case

The 20-year-old pop star was accused of trying to take a woman's phone in May, but he will not face charges in the case. A spokesperson for the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office Frank Mateljan said on Monday, June 16 that the office had decided not to charge Bieber because of insufficient evidence.

Last month, a woman claimed that the Canadian singer tried to take her phone during an alleged scuffle at the Sherman Oaks Castle Park. Bieber, who was at the park with his friends, "then approached and accused her of videotaping him," the woman told police. "He demanded to see her phone, then reached into her purse and pulled the phone out," read the report.

Nine employees who were interviewed about the alleged scuffle did not report such incident. Additionally, the area was not covered by security cameras.

The "Baby" singer has faced some legal problems. Earlier this year, he was accused of pelting raw eggs at his neighbor's house in Calabasas and caused $20,000 in damage. He additionally was arrested for DUI in Miami Beach, Fla. and was accused of assaulting a limo driver in Toronto. According to TMZ, the entertainer will face criminal vandalism charges in the egging case.

Read More

Thomas Muller hat-trick with Pepe's Madness Sank Portugal

Germany made a perfect start to their World Cup campaign as three goals from Thomas Muller saw them ease to a 4-0 victory over 10-man Portugal in their opening match in Group G.
The match started brightly, and Germany might have felt some frustration at failing to take a lead when Sami Khedira, receiving a poor clearance from Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio, missed the target with the goalmouth gaping.
Joachim Low's men had little cause to dwell on the miss, however, as moments later Joao Pereira pulled down Mario Gotze in the area, and Bayern Munich teammate Muller stepped up to convert the penalty.
The Germans were two ahead with a little over half an hour played: After Gotze had seen his shot deflected wide, Mats Hummels rose high to power the ensuing Toni Kroos corner into the back of the net.

 

 

Portugal's hopes of salvaging a result receded further in the minutes that followed when Pepe was dismissed for violent conduct, having thrown an arm at Muller before stooping to clash heads with his opponent. Germany then tightened their grip when Muller took advantage of a Bruno Alves error in defence to make it 3-0 just before the break.

The 10 men of Portugal struggled to muster a response in the second half as Cristiano Ronaldo, whose fitness had been cause for concern in the build-up to the game, was forced to play the full 90 minutes, with injuries to Hugo Almeida and Fabio Coentrao leading Paulo Bento to use all three substitutes by the 65th minute.
With a little over 15 minutes to play, Portugal saw a penalty appeal turned down when Eder went down in the area, and all hope was extinguished soon afterwards as Muller was able to complete his hat trick with a simple finish after Andre Schurrle's effort was parried into his path.

Read More

The Split between the Catholic Church and the Church of England is a 'scandal' that can only be fixed with a gift from God- Pope

The centuries-old divide between the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church is a 'scandal', Pope Francis said as he met the Archbishop of Canterbury in Rome.

The leader of 1.2 billion Catholics worldwide said a goal of full unity between the two churches 'may seem distant' but it remained an aim that should direct their 'every step'.

He said progress towards full unity would not be the result of human actions alone, but would be a 'free gift of God'.

'Beneath his merciful gaze, we cannot claim that our division is anything less than a scandal and an obstacle to our proclaiming the Gospel of salvation to the world,' the Pope told Archbishop Justin Welby.

'Our vision is often blurred by the cumulative burden of our divisions and our will is not always free of that human ambition which can accompany even our desire to preach the Gospel as the Lord commanded.'

The Pope was speaking as the two men met at the Vatican for the second time since they were installed as leaders of their churches last year.

The Archbishop’s visit to Rome, which began on Saturday, focused on work by the churches to eliminate human trafficking and modern-day slavery.

Mr Welby described human trafficking and slavery as 'a grave crime' against humanity.

He also praised the Pope’s 'remarkable' care for the poor and suffering, and his 'passion' for reconciliation, witnessed recently in his visit to the Middle East.

The Archbishop said he hoped that the collaboration with Pope Francis would lead to an 'effective challenge' to the 'unspeakable disasters of war and conflict' throughout the world.

Mr Welby - who gave a gift to the Pope of a cutting from a fig tree in Lambeth Palace planted by the last Roman Catholic Archbishop of Canterbury, Cardinal Pole - added that the Church of England remained 'deeply committed' to ecumenical talks.

But he added: 'I realise that there are matters of deep significance that separate us.'

The meeting comes as the General Synod is widely expected to give final approval next month to legislation introducing the first woman bishops in the Church of England, making the prospect of unity between the two churches appear more distant.

The Roman Catholic Church does not allow women to become priests.

-mail

Read More

I would never put my career at risk even for a World Cup- Ronaldo's Statement in Warmup for Group G Match against Germany

Star striker Cristiano Ronaldo declared himself fit on Sunday and ready to play in Portugal's World Cup opener against Germany.
Ronaldo said he had recovered from a left-knee injury that has bothered him recently.
"I would be the first to tell the coach if I were unable to play, I would never put my career at risk even for a World Cup," Ronaldo said as he prepared for Tuesday's match in Group G.
"I'd love to be 110 percent and but I am 100 percent and that is enough to help my team," the Real Madrid striker said.
The Portugal forward and FIFA player of the year was seen earlier this week walking away from training with ice bags on his knee. He wore a bandage on the knee during Sunday's practice at the match venue, the Arena Fonte Nova.
"Obviously I wish I did not have any pain, but that is impossible," Ronaldo said. "I don't think there's ever been a day without pain."
Ronaldo played in his team's Champions League final on May 24 despite earlier doubts about his fitness and scored a penalty to complete Real Madrid's 4-1 victory over city rival Atletico.
Both German and Portuguese teams have stressed that Portugal is not just about Ronaldo. But Portugal's hopes of upsetting Germany will hinge on Ronaldo's ability to score.
"The importance of having in the team a player like Cristiano is enormous, but this does not mean we have to be world champions," Portugal coach Paulo Bento said Sunday. "All 23 players have to be like a compact team in order to achieve a good result."
Ronaldo said "one player is not a team.
"I can make a difference but I am here to help the team."
Germany goes into the match with recent history on its side. Germany has won the last three tournament matches against Portugal: a 3-1 win in the match for third place at the 2006 World Cup; a 3-2 win at Euro 2008 and a 1-0 victory in their opener at Euro 2012.
"Obviously history has been positive for Germany. But Real has beaten Bayern Munich (in the Champions League semifinals) and maybe this will be the year to change the history and Monday would be the best day for it to happen," Ronaldo said. "It's a new tournament, new players, our team is good, we have confidence."
That said, the talismanic forward was wary of raising expectations too far.
"We must be humble. It's a difficult start for us," he added. "We are playing one of the favorites and one of the best teams. I personally and the entire team is very motivated and we want to enjoy the tournament."

Read More

Fathers Day: As Kim Kardashian Shares Cute Photo of Daughter 'North' with Her Best Dad 'Kanye' on Fathers Day

It seems that Father's Day tuckered out poor old Kanye West.

With the celebration falling on the same day as daughter North's first birthday, the doting daddy succumbed to a snooze as their fun-filled day came to an end - watching a sports game from the comfort of his bed with his mini-me tucked sweetly under his arm.

Of course, snap-happy Kim Kardashian couldn't resist sharing a sweet photo with fans on social media of her husband and precious daughter lying fast asleep in their matching grey outfits.

It's clear the 33-year-old reality star was overflowing with love as she provided an elaborate caption with the heartwarming snapshot.

'This is what life is about! Our baby girl turned 1 today! We played so hard they passed out while we were watching the game!'

She continued: 'Happy Father's Day to the best daddy in the world! The way you love our daughter and protect her makes me filled with so much love! #BestDayEver #Twins #HappyFathersDay #HappyBirthday.'

In the photo, Kanye reclined beneath plush white bedding wearing a snug-fitting grey T-shirt, with
a gold chain around his neck.

The 37-year-old kept his only child close to him, with a protective arm wrapped around her pint-sized body.

The infant looked snug as a bug as she slumbered peacefully, clad in a grey long-sleeved top and matching leggings.

-mail

Read More

2014 World Cup: 5 Best Goals So Far

Though, not every team has played their opening World Cup game, but already a number of players have showcased their talents with outstanding goal scoring performances. With Netherland arguably at the top with their outstanding dismantling of Spain.
We bring before you our 5 outstanding performer so far:

1.Robin van Persie (Netherlands)

The United player have scored one of the arguably best goal of the tournament so far.

In an incredible diving header the 30-year-old rammed the ball into the goal, humiliating experienced Real Madrid keeper Iker Casillas.

Scoring twice for the Dutch side that trashed current holders Spain.

2. Neymar (Brazil)

The 22-year-old striker stole the show for Brazil when they came from behind to open the World Cup with a 3-1 victory over Croatia.

The Barcelona forward found the net either side of half-time, after Marcelo scored an early own goal.

His first goal was a low, sweeping effort that crept into the net from 25 yards while his second, 19 minutes before the end, was the conversion of a penalty.

3. Ajen Robben (The Netherlands)

The Netherlands star scored twice with ease in his side’s 5-1 mauling of Spain and was a thorn in the side of Gerard Pique and Sergio Ramos.

Robben’s second stunning goal of the night came after he ran out defender Salvador Ramos before gliding around the Spanish keeper to hit the back of the net.

The 30-year-old also set a new record as his 37-kilometre sprint was the fastest ever recorded by Fifa during a match.

4. Karim Benzema (France)

He scored twice and created a third that was confirmed by goal-line technology as France beat Honduras 3-0 Sunday in its first World Cup match.

Benzema first converted a penalty just before halftime after Wilson Palacios was sent off with his second yellow card for charging into the back of Paul Pogba.
With Honduras down to 10 men, France continued to dominate and Benzema created the second goal in the 48th minute — the first to be confirmed by goal-line technology at the World Cup. Benzema's shot hit the post and came back across goal before goalkeeper Noel Valladeres fumbled it over his own line. With the new technology system confirming the ball crossed the line, referee Sandro Ricci gave the goal despite Honduran protests.
Benzema scored his second in the 72nd, firing in powerfully from inside the area.

5. Lionel Messi

And, suddenly, he was free. His tormentors were in a heap, the ball was in the net, and Lionel Messi was racing off towards the corner flag, chased only by delirious team-mates, unburdened at last at this World Cup.
He proved doubters wrong with that sublime goal after missing a vital chance.

Read More

World Cup Riots: As Brazil Police Shoot Live Round at Anti-World Cup Protesters

A police officer can be seen on an Associated Press video firing what appeared to be a live pistol round at anti-World Cup protesters Sunday near Rio de Janeiro's Maracana stadium.
During the small but violent and chaotic protest that played out about 1.5 kilometers (1 mile) from the stadium, another man in plainclothes who identified himself as a police officer also pulled a pistol and fired two shots into the air.
Pedro Dantas, a spokesman for the Rio government agency that oversees all security forces, said it would have no comment until it could review the video. He said there had been no reports of any shooting victims during the protest.

The action took place around the beginning of the game between Argentina and Bosnia-Herzegovina -- the first World Cup match played in Maracana stadium since 1950.
"We're seeing tonight the same police brutality we've seen during the past year, and that's why we have to keep protesting,'' said Karen Rodrigues, a 23-year-old student at the demonstration that drew around 200 people. Another protest occurred in the capital, Brasilia, but drew only a handful of participants, and a small protest also was held in Porto Alegre.

Mass protests broke out across Brazil during last year's Confederations Cup tournament, the warm-up to FIFA's premier event. At that time, more than 1 million Brazilians took to the streets on a single day in the largest demonstrations this South American nation had seen in a generation.
But those mass protests died down after about two weeks. Since then, hundreds of smaller, violent protests have been seen across the country, though primarily in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.

Read More