World Cup 2010 News Update: A reward for Uruguayan football

If there was one thing lacking from Diego Forlan’s stellar performance here at the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ it was a piece of silverware, particularly after the deadly striker just missed out on clinching the adidas Golden Shoe for the competition’s top scorer. No matter, the inspirational Uruguayan No10 instead made off with the coveted adidas Golden Ball – awarded to the finest player at this year’s finals on South African soil.

Forlan thus becomes the fourth South American to claim the prize, following in the footsteps of Argentina’s Diego Maradona (1986) and Brazilian duo Romario (1994) and Ronaldo (1998). Just minutes after learning of his award, the Atletico Madrid hitman spoke exclusively to FIFA.com.

FIFA.com: Diego, how does it feel to have won the Golden Ball?
Diego Forlan: It’s as great as it is unexpected. I never even imagined something like this, nor did I have my sights set on it. As I’m a striker, I perhaps

World Cup 2010 News Update: Luis Fabiano set to follow in Ronaldo's footsteps

He has something to live up, replacing Ronaldo, the "Phenomenon" who fired Brazil to glory in 2002 and broke Gerd Mueller's all-time FIFA World Cup™ scoring haul of 14 goals in Germany last time out. But Luis Fabiano isn't letting the burden of shooting the Selecao to their sixth title weigh too heavily on his shoulders as he seeks his own place in the pantheon of all-time greats to have worn the canary yellow shirt.

The Seville striker is playing in his first FIFA World Cup but notched five goals in as many games in the FIFA Confederations Cup last year and so is already

World Cup 2010 News Update: FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter launches Twitter page

 

FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter will launch his personal Twitter page yesterday, Thursday 10 June. Fans from all over the world will be able to follow the FIFA President’s views and opinions on the account “@seppblatter” throughout the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ in South Africa.

FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter, commented:
“We are approaching the first FIFA World Cup in which social media websites will

World Cup 2010 News Update: Elano: We respect Korea DPR

Brazilian midfielder Elano said the five-times world champions would treat their opening FIFA World Cup™ game against Korea DPR just like any other match despite the veil of mystery shrouding their opponents.

Brazil open their campaign on Tuesday against the Koreans in Johannesburg before facing Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal and Didier Drogba's Côte d’Ivoire in the so-called "Group of Death."

Elano said Korea DPR were a strong outfit with a good midfield. "We have to respect them just like any other good team

World Cup 2010 News Update: Terry an imposing barrier for USA

USA striker Jozy Altidore expects to come up against a central defender at the top of his game in former England captain John Terry in Saturday's FIFA World Cup™ clash.

Chelsea defender Terry lost the captaincy after much-publicised allegations about his private life and with Rio Ferdinand, his replacement as skipper, ruled out of the tournament through injury, he will be critical in shutting out the US attackers.

None will be more dangerous than Altidore, the 20-year-old who led their qualifying scoring chart. He said of Terry: "He's a great player and he reads the game

World Cup 2010 News Update: Hero Dedic still dreaming

As scorer of the goal that sunk Russia and secured a place at South Africa 2010, Zlatko Dedic is responsible for the greatest moment in Slovenia’s football history. His greatest wish, however, is to see this strike knocked off its perch. After all, so beloved is Dedic’s momentous match-winner in Slovenia that it will take something spectacular and very special indeed here in South Africa to see it replaced in the hearts of the Zmajceki fans.

Yet no matter what happens in the coming weeks, it is clear that Dedic himself will always treasure a career-defining moment that, for him at least, is frozen in time. “There was a picture taken when the ball was about a metre from my foot - and the clock says 43 minutes and 50 seconds,” he told FIFA. “I will never forget that moment. But it was something we

World Cup 2010 News Update: Referee reveals debt to father

It is not just the footballers of South Africa and Mexico who will be pinching themselves when they step out inside Soccer City Stadium today. For Uzbek referee Ravshan Irmatov, his selection from a strong list of candidates to officiate at the Opening Match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ is the stuff of dreams also.

"I was delighted by the news, because taking charge of the tournament's Opening Match or Final are the two events that all referees dream of," said the 32-year-old. The opportunity to play a significant role in the greatest show on

World Cup 2010 News Update: Honda aims to drive Japan forward

Japan will enter their FIFA World Cup™ opener against Cameroon on Monday on the back of four straight defeats but there is no danger of them retreating into their defensive shells.

This is the view of playmaker Keisuke Honda, who insists that attack remains the best form of defence for a Japan side who, as the lowest-ranked team, can be considered outsiders to advance from Group E, which also contains

World Cup 2010 News Update: FIFA World Cup live action for blind and visually impaired football fans

Blind and visually impaired fans will be able to enjoy a special live-match experience at the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ in South Africa. Six stadiums will each have 15 seats equipped with headphones, and trained commentators will report live on the action happening down on the pitch. In addition, each of these six stadiums will have 15 seats that will be allocated to their sighted guides who will accompany them, while specially trained volunteers will provide assistance within the stadiums. This is a premier in South Africa’s sporting landscape.

The initiative, launched by the Swiss National Association for the Blind (SNAB) and the South African National Council for the Blind (SANCB) and financially supported by FIFA, is aimed at making the tournament accessible to all. FIFA Partner Sony is providing

World Cup 2010 News Update: Cahill sits out Aussie training

Key man Tim Cahill failed to complete a full training session with the Australian squad on Tuesday just five days out from Australia's 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ opener against Germany.

Cahill completed just the warm-up and light work at the session in the Johannesburg evening before sitting out the practice match which followed. The Everton attacking midfielder injured his neck in Australia's 3-1 friendly loss to the USA last Saturday and was taken to hospital for observation.

Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek said scans had shown no serious

World Cup 2010 News Update: Drogba-less Côte d'Ivoire held by Swiss club

Injured Côte d'Ivoire striker Didier Drogba stayed out of the public eye on Tuesday as his team-mates missed a host of chances in a 1-1 2010 FIFA World Cup™ warm-up draw against Swiss second division club Lausanne.

Drogba, who fractured a forearm in a friendly against Japan last Friday, was not seen during the game at Colovray stadium in Nyon, western Switzerland. The Côte d'Ivoire football federation had signalled more than day ago that the Chelsea player was expected to follow the squad from the touchline

World Cup 2010 News Update: Marquez boost for Mexico

Barcelona defender Rafael Marquez has given Mexico a major boost ahead of Friday's 2010 FIFA World Cup™ opener against hosts South Africa by returning to training.

Marquez was withdrawn at half-time in last week's friendly win over Italy with a leg injury and it was feared the team's best-known player could

World Cup 2010 News Update: Spain tune-up with goalfest

Fernando Torres made a scoring return from injury as Spain overpowered Poland 6-0 in their last warm-up match before departing for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™.

Torres came on after 66 minutes and showed no ill effects from the injury which had seen him miss the end of the season with Liverpool, but Andres Iniesta went off with a thigh problem, the Barcelona midfielder's fitness was the only concern for coach Vicente del Bosque.

Iniesta was involved as Spain cruised to a comfortable 2-0 lead at half-time. The Barcelona star brilliantly set up Spain's first two goals in the opening 15 minutes for David Villa and

World Cup 2010 News Update: Ljubijankic lift for Slovenia

Slovenia coach Matjaz Kek has declared Zlatan Ljubijankic fit to start his side's FIFA World Cup™ opener against Algeria.

Ljubijankic was a minor concern with an ankle knock but Kek has given him the green light to feature in the 13 June clash. Ljubijankic's fitness

World Cup 2010 News Update: Rio Ferdinand's South African dreams dashed

Rio Ferdinand was today ruled out of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. The new England skipper suffered a knee ligament injury at the end of a training session on the Three Lions' first full day in South Africa.

He was immediately sent to a local hospital for a scan by manager Fabio Capello, but the news has been bad enough to rule Ferdinand out of the entire tournament.

The FA confirmed the news this evening, with Ferdinand expected to be sidelined until the middle of next month.

It is obviously bad news and everyone with the squad is

World Cup 2010 News Update: Hope for Drogba despite fracture

The Ivorian Football Federation have confirmed that captain Didier Drogba has broken his arm but are still not ruling him out of the FIFA World Cup™.

Drogba was forced out of the Côte d'Ivoire's warm-up game against Japan in Sion today in the 17th minute, leaving the field clutching his right arm. There were fears the Chelsea striker would miss the FIFA World Cup but the federation are confident Drogba will be able to play some part in the finals.

He can still play. We don't know if he will be able to play the first game - that depends on the verdict of the medical team. But he's definitely not out (of the tournament).[Ivorian FA spokesman]

A statement released to Press Association Sport read: "He was taken urgently

World Cup 2010 News Update: Javier Aguirre boosted by Italy win

Mexico coach Javier Aguirre believes last night's friendly victory against Italy will serve as a timely confidence boost heading into the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™.

Goals from Carlos Vela and second-half substitute Alberto Medina helped Mexico consign the world champions to a 2-1 defeat in Brussels. It was the perfect tonic after Aguirre's men had slipped to narrow defeats against the Netherlands and England despite vastly outplaying their opponents for large swathes of the games.

We can be calmer now than we were a week ago. We are going for success without fear, we've played Italy, Holland, England...we can win, lose, but let's at least say that we are there.[Mexico coach Javier Aguirre]

"It was a great result," said Aguirre. "It was an incredible

World Cup 2010 News Update: Deng consigns France to shock defeat

A vicious free-kick by Deng Zhuoxiang earned China a 1-0 win over France on Friday as Les Bleus slumped to a dispiriting defeat in their last 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ warm-up game.

France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris was completely bamboozled by the dipping trajectory of Deng's 68th-minute strike. The hosts largely controlled the game but did not begin to threaten until they had gone behind and they sign off their pre-tournament preparations with a win, a draw and a loss after beating Costa Rica 2-1 and tying 1-1 with Tunisia.

The 2006 runners-up travel to South Africa on Saturday and begin their FIFA World Cup campaign against Uruguay on 11 June. "I'm disappointed. Losing a match,

World Cup 2010 News Update: FIFA.com to broadcast International Sign video reports

Video reports from all 64 matches of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ will be broadcast in International Sign on FIFA.com.

For the first time, the Official Website of FIFA and the FIFA World Cup is enabling deaf and people with hearing impairments across the globe to follow all 64 matches of world football’s showpiece event even more comprehensively.

International Sign, also known as IS, is an international auxiliary language used at international meetings such as the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) Congress and events such as the Deaflympics.

Football is a universal sport and

World Cup 2010 News Update: France coach: China defeat worries me

France coach Raymond Domenech admitted he was concerned after seeing his team slump to a 1-0 defeat against China in their final 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ preparation match on Friday.

Domenech's side bossed possession for long periods of the game but lacked a cutting edge and were ultimately undone by a wickedly dipping free-kick by Deng Zhuoxiang in the 68th minute - his side's first shot on target.

After a 2-1 win over Costa Rica and a 1-1 draw with Tunisia, it means France will go into their FIFA World Cup Group A opener against