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)
21 October 2007
Scott Sealy scored two goals to lead the Kansas City Wizards into the Major League Soccer playoffs with a 2-0 victory over FC Dallas on Saturday.
Kansas City clinched a playoff spot with the win. Its first-round opponent won't be determined until the league's final regular-season game Sunday. The Chicago Fire, who have a chance to reach the playoffs, host the Los Angeles Galaxy.
FC Dallas already had clinched a wild card berth in the Western Conference Semifinals.
In other matches Saturday, Columbus Crew edged D.C. United 3-2, the New England Revolution drew 2-2 with Toronto FC, Real Salt Lake downed the Colorado Rapids 1-0 and Chivas USA played out a scoreless draw with the Houston Dynamo.
Sealy broke a scoreless tie in the 39th minute. After a Dallas turnover, native Texan Davy Arnaud passed across to Sealy on the left side., who fired a shot into the net to the left of goalkeeper Ray Burse.
The Wizards went ahead 2-0 in the second half during the 55th minute. Jack Jewsbury kicked the ball in front of the goalie box, and Sealy drilled in a low shot for his seventh goal this season.
Robbie Rogers scored two goals and Columbus finished a disappointing season on a high note, defeating D.C. United at Washington D.C.
The Crew, already eliminated from the playoffs, snapped United's 13-game unbeaten streak, handing United their first loss since July 22.
Rogers scored in the 21st minute, when he sneaked a left-foot shot past goalie Troy Perkins. He added a goal in the 91st minute to give the Crew a 3-1 lead.
D.C. midfielder Christian Gomez had two goals, scoring in the 89th and 92nd minutes.
At Toronto, striker Danny Dichio scored in the 90th minute to give Toronto FC a draw with New England.
Collin Samuel opened the scoring for Toronto.
Michael Parkhurst and Taylor Twellman scored for New England, which is headed for the playoffs and faces the New York Red Bulls in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Dichio, who was making his first appearance in eight games after being out with an ankle injury, finally connected for Toronto, hammering in a hard shot from just outside the box.
Robbie Findley scored in the 87th minute and Real Salt Lake defeated the Rapids, ending Colorado's hopes of making the postseason.
Real Salt Lake was last place in the Western Conference and already out of postseason contention. Colorado needed a win over Real Salt Lake and some help to get to the playoffs.
Chivas USA held off Houston at Carson, California and secured the Western Conference title.
Chivas finished one point ahead of nemesis Houston, which knocked Chivas out of the playoffs a year ago en route to winning the MLS Cup.
Chivas had to do it down a man for most of the game; midfielder Lawson Vaughn was shown a red card in the 40th minute after tackling Richard Mulrooney.
21 October 2007
Chivas USA held off the Houston Dynamo and secured the Western Conference title with a scoreless draw on Saturday.
Chivas (15-7-8) finished one point ahead of nemesis Houston (15-8-6), who knocked Chivas out of the playoffs a year ago en route to winning the MLS Cup.
Chivas had to do it down a man for most of the game; midfielder Lawson Vaughn was shown a red card in the 40th minute after tackling Richard Mulrooney.
Despite clinching, Chivas will enter the postseason on a three-game winless streak. The third-year MLS team will play Kansas City, Chicago or Los Angeles in the first round. Houston, meanwhile, will play FC Dallas.
Chivas had scoring chances before Vaughn was sent off. Orlando Perez hit teammate Alex Zotinca in the back from 10 yards out midway through the first half in perhaps the club's clearest scoring chance.
After Houston went up a man, though, the defending champs dominated offensively while Chivas tried to avoid giving up a goal.
Chivas set club records in wins, points (53) and goals scored (46) and fewest goals allowed (28).
Chivas midfielders Jesse Marsch and Francisco Mendoza did not play due to groin injuries. Both are expected back in time for the first playoff match.
07 October 2007
England manager Steve McClaren has described David Beckham as a 'true patriot' as he continues his recovery from a knee injury.
Beckham resumed training with Los Angeles Galaxy this week having been out of action for more than a month with a sprained right knee.
The injury ruled Beckham out of England's Euro 2008 qualifiers in September and the midfielder is also set to miss the forthcoming games with Estonia and Russia.
England require two wins from the games, on October 13th and 17th respectively, to seal qualification for the finals in Austria and Switzerland.
If England do not produce what is required against Estonia and Russia progression will come down to the final Group E meeting with Croatia on November 21st.
Beckham is determined to be fit in time for the Croatia meeting and McClaren has praised the 32-year-old's dedication.
"He's a true patriot and he loves playing for England," McClaren said. "That's still his motivation, that's still his mind-set. He's working towards that (the Croatia game). He's in late training at the moment and that's his target to be back playing and in contention for that squad."
04 October 2007
David Beckham is expected to return to action for the Los Angeles Galaxy next week after an extended layoff through injury, the club said on Thursday.
LA Galaxy president Alexi Lalas said the England international had started light training this week after spraining a ligament in his right knee in late August.
"We are hopeful he will play a part in the next two home games -- not this weekend but the following weekend," Lalas said at a football symposium in Los Angeles.
"But if for one instant, we feel he is physically or mentally not 100 percent ready, he will not play for us nor will he play for England," Lalas added.
Midfielder Beckham joined the LA Galaxy in July, mid-way through the Major League Soccer (MLS) season on a five-year contract which could potentially earn him a reported $250 million, mainly from endorsements.
But because of a nagging ankle injury, he played only 310 minutes in six games for Galaxy before spraining his knee on 29 August.
02 October 2007
David Beckham will not return to the Premier League on loan during the close season in the USA, his spokesman has insisted.
Sunderland are the latest club to be reportedly offering the England midfielder an opportunity during Major League Soccer's break.
But a spokesman for Beckham said the player was contracted to Los Angeles Galaxy for five years and would not be going to another club on any basis.
The spokesman said: "There will be no loan moves or short-term contracts. He is under contract to the Galaxy."
