Italy are dominating the Golden Ball list of 50 candidates with eight players, while Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona each contributed seven names on the list.
- Golden Ball 2007 nominees:
Éric Abidal (Olympique Lyon, FC Barcelona)
Daniel Alves (FC Sevilla)
David Beckham (Real Madrid, Los Angeles Galaxy)
Dimitar Berbatov (Tottenham)
Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus Turin)
Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid)
Iker Casillas (Real Madrid)
Petr Cech (Chelsea)
Rogerio Ceni (Sao Paulo)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Deco (FC Barcelona)
Mahamadou Diarra (Real Madrid)
Diego (Werder Bremen)
Didier Drogba (Chelsea)
Michael Essien (Chelsea)
Samuel Eto'o (FC Barcelona)
Francesc Fabregas (Arsenal)
Gennaro Gattuso (Milan)
Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
Ryan Giggs (Manchester United)
Thierry Henry (Arsenal, FC Barcelona)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Inter)
Filippo Inzaghi (Milan)
Kaka (Milan)
Frederic Kanoute (FC Sevilla)
Miroslav Klose (Werder Bremen, Bayern Munchen)
Younis Mahmoud (Algharafa)
Paolo Maldini (Milan)
Florent Malouda (Olympique Lyon, Chelsea)
Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona)
Shunsuke Nakamura (Celtic Glasgow)
Guillermo Ochoa (America Mexico)
Andrea Pirlo (Milan),
Ricardo Quaresma (FC Porto),
Raul (Real Madrid)
Franck Ribery (Olympique Marseille, Bayern Munchen),
Juan Roman Riquelme (Boca Juniors, Villarreal)
Robinho (Real Madrid)
Ronaldinho (FC Barcelona)
Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
Paul Scholes (Manchester United)
Clarence Seedorf (Milan)
Carlos Tevez (West Ham, Manchester United)
Luca Toni (Fiorentina, Bayern Munchen)
Kolo Toure (Arsenal)
Jose Fernando Torres (Atletico Madrid, Liverpool)
Francesco Totti (AS Roma)
Ruud van Nistelrooy (Real Madrid)
Robin van Persie (Arsenal)
David Villa (Valencia)
16 October 2007
Carlos Tevez's brother Miguel has just completed a two-week trial with Manchester United, who are said to have been impressed with the ability of the 17 year old midfielder.
United manager Alex Ferguson is thought to have identified Miguel as a player to watch, but expects the player to return to Argentina as he was apparently homesick during his time in England.
Miguel is currently part of the setup at Boca Juniors, the club where older brother Carlos initially made his name.
He was part of the youth team which won the prestigious Efipan Cup in 2005, beating Gremio of Brazil in the final. He is yet to feature for the Boca first team.
08 October 2007
Underdog River Plate upset Boca Juniors 2-0 Sunday in Argentina's biggest soccer rivalry, winning with goals by Radamel Falcao and Ariel Ortega in the "superclasico" showdown.
Falaco scored in the 23rd minute and Ortega 10 minutes later off a penalty kick in front of 50,000 mostly River fans at the Monumental stadium in the Argentine capital.
The crosstown rivalry is the biggest in Argentina and, with heavy favorite Boca losing in the 13th Apertura round, frontrunner Independiente kept sole possession of first place with 25 points.
Boca remained two points back, while River jumped to 19 points in a bid to leave behind a long slump that saw the team spend weeks midway back in the first-division pack.
In 180 matches overall, Boca has won 64 of the encounters and River 60, with 56 draws.
Boca entered the match as heavy favorite but River found its groove early by attacking from the opening minutes, leaving no chance for a Boca counterattack - what River coach Daniel Passarella had promised would be an "ultra-offensive" match.
In the 23rd minute, River's Fernando Belluschi kicked a searing shot that rocketed off the bar and Falcao then took the loose ball and left-footed it into the goal past Boca goalkeeper Mauricio Caranta.
Five minutes later, Ortega stepped up pressure on Boca with a free kick that Caranta just managed to save.
Then, when Boca's Gabriel Paletta fouled Boca player Diego Buonanotte in the 31st minute, Ortega got the first of two penalty kick chances.
Caranta blocked the opening kick, but referee Hector Baldassi ordered a second chance for Ortega due to infringements by Boca players and Ortega scored.
Ever Banega was expelled in the final minute of the first period and Boca was forced to play one man and two goals down. While Boca seemed to threaten a few times in the second half, River kept its lead for victory.
Only six rounds remain in the Apertura season, leaving River in its best position yet in this year's title fight. For Boca, the loss to River was its fourth of the season.
06 October 2007
Paraguay coach Gerardo Martino has named the following 24-man squad for the World Cup qualifiers away to Peru on Oct. 13 and at home to Uruguay on Oct. 17:
Goalkeepers: Justo Villar (Newell's Old Boys), Aldo Bobadilla (Independiente Medellin), Henry Lapczyk (Olimpia)
Defenders: Carlos Bonet (Cruz Azul), Denis Caniza (Cruz Azul), Julio Cesar Caceres (Tigres UANL), Dario Veron (Pumas UNAM), Julio Manzur (Pachuca), Paulo Da Silva (Toluca), Jorge Nunez (Cerro Porteno), Claudio Morel Rodriguez (Boca Juniors), Enrique Vera (LDU)
Midfielders: Edgar Barreto (Reggina), Diego Gavilan (Gremio), Victor Caceres (Libertad), Jonathan Santana (VfL Wolfsburg), Jorge Britez (Cerro Porteno), Cristian Riveros (Cruz Azul), Domingo Salcedo (Racing Club)
Forwards: Nelson Haedo (Borussia Dortmund), Nestor Ayala (Tigre), Roque Santa Cruz (Blackburn Rovers), Salvador Cabanas (America-Mexico), Oscar Cardozo (Benfica)
