Football Club

Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk criticised English referee Howard Webb after his side were beaten 1-0 by Spain in the World Cup final.

The match was marred by constant foul play which led Webb to book 13 players including the dismissal of Dutchman Johnny Heitinga for two yellow cards.

“I don’t think the referee controlled the match well,” said Van Marwijk.

“Both sides committed fouls. That may be regrettable for a final. But the best team won the match.”

Webb, 38, was booed by the Dutch supporters as he and his assistants went to collect their medals at the end of what was an extremely challenging match for the official, in which he produced a new record number of bookings for a World Cup final and was forced to deal with a series of major incidents.

Nine of the bookings went to players from the Netherlands, who were fortunate not to be reduced to 10 men in the first half when midfielder Nigel de Jong landed a boot in the chest of Spanish counterpart Xabi Alonso and in many cases Webb was left with little choice but to caution players for overly-aggressive challenges.

With the teams facing a penalty shoot-out as the game was drawing to a close, Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta smashed in a half-volley – which ultimately won the game for Spain – leaving the Dutch incensed after Webb had failed to award their side a corner moments earlier when a Wesley Sneijder free-kick took a deflection off Cesc Fabregas.

Dutch defender Joris Mathijsen was booked for protesting the goal and afterwards goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg continued the condemnation of Webb, saying: “You blame the referee. Everybody outside the stadium can see it was a corner but he didn’t and the assistant also.”

Arjen Robben had missed the Netherlands’ two best chances of the match, which both came from one-on-ones with goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

The second of these produced another contentious incident, when Robben was pulled back by Spain defender Carles Puyol outside the area but stayed on his feet before the ball bobbled to Casillas.

Robben was incensed with Webb for his failure to award a free-kick – which could have earned Puyol a second yellow card – and chased the official, earning himself a booking in the process.

“We made a real game out of it and we had two great chances through Arjen,” explained Van Marwijk.

“I’m not someone to look back on what the referee did. I think the best team usually wins the match.

“But if you look at the second chance of Robben, the referee should give Puyol a second yellow card, which would have meant him being sent off.

“It was a crucial moment just before the end of the 90 minutes. It is very bitter, but that is sport. It is harsh. And as I said, Spain were the better team.”

The Netherlands were extremely physical in their attempts to break up Spain’s passing game – an approach that proved effective for much of the match but which earned them nine yellow cards as a result, including Heitinga’s second.

But the Dutch coach defended his side, saying: “It was still our intention to play beautiful football, but we were facing a very good opponent.

“Spain are the best footballing country in the past few years, so we needed to have a top day to beat them.

“We did a good job tactically on them. We got into good positions at times. It’s not our style, but you play a match to win.

“It’s a World Cup final, and there’s a lot of emotion out there. You saw that with both teams. I would have loved to have won that match, even with not so beautiful football.”

Speaking on BBC Match of the Day, former Liverpool defender Alan Hansen condemned the Dutch approach and defended Webb, who is one of the few full-time referees in world football.

“If the Dutch had triumphed, it would have been bad for the game because there is no place for the way they approached the match,” stated Hansen.

“It’s one thing to have a game plan, be organised and get men behind the ball, but the cynical way in which they operated for the first 45 minutes was a total and utter disgrace.

“Howard Webb tried to make the game flow but on this occasion he was left with no choice.”

Former England manager and BBC 5 Live summariser Graham Taylor was similarly critical of the Dutch, saying: “You have to play within the laws of the game and one has to say that on two or three occasions they didn’t.

“The tackle by De Jong into the chest of Alonso, Howard Webb must have missed that because that is a red card, you don’t tackle people like that.”

Webb was awarded control of the World Cup final – the first Englishman since Jack Taylor in 1974 to be bestowed the honour – following his impressive handling of his three previous games, in which he showed 17 yellow cards.

The Yorkshireman was widely praised for his player-management skills during a tense match in Group F earlier in the competition, which saw Slovakia eliminate 2006 World Cup winners Italy courtesy of a 3-2 victory.

He and his assistants Darren Carr and Mike Mullarkey became the first officials to have refereed a Champions League final and World Cup final in the same year.

Former Dutch international and Manchester United midfielder Jordi Cruyff told BBC 5 Live he was surprised to see Webb given the final.

“I don’t think the referee was up to this kind of game,” said Cruyff. “I’ve seen him in the last few years in the Champions League and I find it unbelievable how he gets the best games.

“I think there is a high standard of refereeing in England so I don’t understand why it is always him.”

Webb has emerged as the Premier League’s top referee following the retirement of Graham Poll, who came in for criticism himself during the 2006 World Cup after he showed three yellow cards to Croatia’s Josep Simunic during their match with Australia.

Despite the criticism of his side’s display, Van Marwijk was quick to heap praise on his players after they reached the third World Cup final in the nation’s history.

“No one expected us to be here, in the final. We even came even very close to a penalty shoot-out. We could even have scored through Robben,” added Van Marwijk.

“Whether we would have deserved that, I don’t know. But it’s a final. It’s very disappointing. You want to win it, and we might have done. I think we performed really, really well to get this far.

“The team that scored the first goal was going to win that match. Those chances for Robben could have meant victory for us. But, unfortunately, we weren’t so lucky.”

Goal-line technology is back on the agenda after Fifa revealed this World Cup is set to be the last tournament under the existing refereeing system.

Fifa general secretary Jerome Valcke told the BBC that TV replays showing Frank Lampard scoring a goal against Germany was a “bad day” for organisers.

And Valcke suggested changes will be made before the 2014 World Cup.

“We’re talking about a goal not seen by the referee which is why we are talking about new technology,” said Valcke.

Fifa’s general secretary also suggested that the use of two extra referees positioned on the goal-line – a system trialled last season in the Europa League and set to be used in the Champions League this coming season – might be used in future World Cups.

“Let’s see if this system will help or whether giving the referee an additional four eyes will give him the comfort and make duty easier to perform,” added Valcke.

“I would say that it is the final World Cup with the current refereeing system.”

Although Valcke’s comments will be interpreted as a change of policy by Fifa following the International Football Association Board’s (Ifab) decision to reject goal-line technology and other aids for referees in March, the Fifa general secretary wants the whole approach to refereeing to be reformed.

“The teams and the players are so strong and so fast. The game is different and the referees are older than all the players,” said Valcke.

“The game is so fast, the ball is flying so quickly, we have to help them and we have to do something and that’s why I say it is the last World Cup under the current system.”

Fifa president Sepp Blatter has repeatedly rejected calls for the introduction of goal-line technology or TV replays, insisting an element of human error has always been a part of the game.

Opponents have also pointed to concerns over universality – that all levels of the game should be subjected to the same rules and methods of refereeing.

But following the Lampard “goal” in England’s 4-1 defeat by Germany and Carlos Tevez’s offside strike for Argentina against Mexico in a game the South American side won 3-1, Blatter performed a U-turn, saying that it would be a “nonsense” not to reopen the file on technology.

Ifab – the game’s rule making body which consists of representatives of the English, Scottish, Northern Irish and Welsh FAs as well as four representatives from Fifa – is due to hold a meeting on 21 July where the issue is expected to be discussed.

But Valcke said it was unlikely serious discussions would be held until a further meeting scheduled for October.

In March, Ifab heard presentations from two companies pitching to introduce systems which they say provide definitive proof when the ball has crossed the line for a goal.

But both the proposals from Cairos Goal-line technology, which uses a microchip inside a football and magnetic fields around the goal line, and Hawk-Eye, which uses six television cameras positioned around the goal, were rejected.

The Cairos system was tested by Fifa in the World Club Championships in Japan in 2007, but despite their claims that the test was a success, Ifab again rejected the proposal in March 2008.

It was debated again in 2009 but again turned down.

Both Hawk-Eye and Cairos insist cost is not an issue as they offered to pay for the installation of the system in return for a share of sponsorship rights.

Ifab also turned down the chance to introduce the system of two extra referees positioned on the goal-line in time for the World Cup in South Africa.

Strangely, when they returned to Cape Town on Tuesday, that same press pack were complaining a lot less. I saw nothing but smiles from them after the win over Uruguay but then reaching a World Cup final tends to play havoc with your emotions – the usually impassive Van Marwijk was fighting back tears as he faced journalists at the final whistle.

What is Van Marwijk’s secret? Other than his undoubted tactical nous, some people see him primarily as a peacemaker, keeping his players happy and stopping egos from clashing, as has happened inside Dutch camps in the past.

But there is far more to his man-management than just achieving harmony in his squad. I spoke to De Boer shortly after the Dutch had reached their first final in 32 years. He said Van Marwijk has given the squad the self-belief they can lift the trophy on 11 July.

De Boer told me: “The first thing that Bert said to these players on his first day as coach was ‘we have a mission and that mission is to be world champions’.

“From day one, we tried to give them the belief they could win this World Cup. A lot of our players didn’t believe it, while some said they did. I knew they didn’t really think it.

“Getting them to actually have that belief was so important and it is a process we have been working on for the past two years. The fact it is working is a compliment to everyone in our camp from the kit man to the head coach.

“For us, since we have been in South Africa, it has been all about winning the final. That is something I didn’t have in 1998 when we reached the semi-finals. Then, reaching the final four was enough.

“I saw the same in the Uruguay players before kick-off in our semi-final. Some of them came on to the pitch with cameras and were filming themselves and the stadium. That showed they were happy just to be there. Our approach was much better and now we have to keep that focus.”

From what I heard from the Dutch players I managed to get near to in a very crowded post-match mixed zone, the coaching staff have indeed succeeded in convincing them of their potential. Dirk Kuyt, for example, mentioned he had the “belief” to win the World Cup about eight times in a two-minute interview before scurrying on to the coach.

But as well as making his side mentally strong, Van Marwijk has taught them to be disciplined, too.

The 4-2-3-1 formation that he favours is not his invention – his predecessor Marco van Basten used it with far more flair and far less success. The Dutch shone brightly in the group stages of Euro 2008 before, in a repeat of their fate at the 2006 World Cup, crashing out after losing their first knock-out match.

Van Marwijk also uses largely the same squad as Van Basten did, with the exception of Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, now retired (again) from international football, and son-in-law Mark van Bommel, who has returned to add some steel to the midfield after falling out with the previous coach.

De Boer, who won a Dutch record 112 caps for an outfield player and is behind only Van der Sar (118) in his country’s record books, added: “In the past we would go to tournaments as one of the favourites, have two or three good games then crash out. But now this team has shown it is much more stable even if we don’t hit top form.

“If we don’t play our best, we still win, or draw. We don’t lose. The only reason that happened against Australia [in September 2008] was because we were down to 10 men. The reason we are so stable is because the players trust the system we play in.”

The reaction to just about every Dutch victory in South Africa has been along the same lines – that they can play much better than they just did, although they were pretty impressive during the second half of their extraordinary fightback against Brazil.

Personally, I’m not so sure there is much more to come, or that they necessarily need to produce it to beat Spain, who do not exactly appear to be on top of their game either.

Like several other sides at this World Cup, the Oranje have a couple of world-class performers – Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben – and a couple of players with the potential to reach that level. Robin van Persie is one and has worked hard despite looking uncomfortable in his role as a lone striker.

They have all played their part in getting their side this far. While improvement is clearly possible, it is not imperative because more of the same could well suffice.

Don’t get me wrong, the Netherlands will be worthy winners if they do overcome European champions Spain at Johannesburg’s Soccer City Stadium on Sunday but there have been more roundly-talented Dutch teams that have left tournaments empty-handed.

Van Marwijk is probably closer to getting the maximum out of his side than it may seem at first glance and deserves a lot more credit than he has received so far.

He has already matched what former Dutch bosses Rinus Michels and Ernst Happel did in 1974 and 1978 but with a much less stellar squad. The irony for a nation used to seeing their teams fail to live up to their promise is that this time Van Marwijk has overachieved just by taking them to the final.

Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk could barely hide his delight after his side beat Uruguay 3-2 to reach their first World Cup final since 1978.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben each scored to earn a clash with Spain or Germany.

Van Marwijk said: “This is very special. After 32 years we play the final again. Such a small country can be so very proud.”

The Dutch boss added he does not mind who his side face in Sunday’s final.

“I think Spain are playing the best football overall, but Germany are perhaps the best team at this championship,” continued Van Marwijk, who took over as Netherlands coach in 2008 and has now led the side on a 14-match winning streak.

“I won’t say I prefer to play one team or another but it would be unique to play Germany after 1974 [when Germany beat the Netherlands in the final].

“I don’t think in terms of revenge. The Netherlands played a wonderful match against Germany but we lost and we should have won it. It was a unique generation with Johan Cruyff, the best footballer who ever existed. So it is great that we have ended up in the final again.

“I am very happy and proud that such a small country is in the final of a World Cup. It is difficult to understand but you have to go out there and live it and do it.”

Van Bronckhorst opened the scoring in a close encounter with a 35-yard pile-driver, before Forlan also struck from range to level.

However, goals from Sneijder – allowed to stand despite Robin van Persie appearing to in an offside position – and Robben restored the Netherlands’ lead going into the final 15 minutes, and van Marwijk’s men held on despite Maxi Pereira’s stoppage-time curler.

“Things went wrong now and again but we took the initiative and when we scored to make it 2-1 we had confidence and you saw how well we could play,” added Van Marwijk.

“Suddenly we were faced with 3-2 and then it was so exciting. It was survival of the fittest in last two minutes. We were so relieved.

“If you truly believe in something you can make it come true.

“The team started believing it. You have got to have the mentality not to be too complacent. The players in the last two years started to understand this.”

Sneijder, whose goal was his fifth of the tournament and made him joint top scorer, reflected: “This is unforgettable. It was a tough fight and toward the end we complicated matters. Sunday we play in the World Cup final. I have to get used to that.

“We are so close now. There is nothing bigger than the World Cup.”

Two goals in three second-half minutes by Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben helped to see off a resolute Uruguay side and put the Netherlands into a World Cup final for the first time since 1978.

The Dutch looked short of ideas for long periods but still had the quality in front of goal when it mattered to set up an all-European final against Euro 2008 champions Spain or Germany in Johannesburg on Sunday.

After Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s spectacular opener, Uruguay were gifted an equaliser when goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg failed to deal with Diego Forlan’s long-range shot.

But Sneijder and Robben again made the difference for the two-time runners-up, who were left hanging on at the end following Maxi Pereira’s injury-time reply. However, the Dutch held firm to make sure of their progress.

It was a dramatic end to an often tepid match as Uruguay, who were without the suspended Luis Suarez following his goal-line handball that helped them past Ghana in the quarter-finals, only showed real attacking intent when they fell two goals behind.

Cheered on by an army of Oranje fans, Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk saw his side struggle to find their feet in the early stages, with their only sight of goal being wasted when Dirk Kuyt fired wastefully over after keeper Fernando Muslera had punched Sneijder’s cross straight at him.

The South Americans, in their first semi-final for 30 years, were defending in depth and in numbers but that tactic did not help them when Van Bronkhorst broke the deadlock after 18 minutes

The ball was fed out to the left-flank and the veteran Feyenoord left-back had time to look up and use his trusty left foot to spank an unstoppable 30-yard shot into the top corner.

But going ahead did not help the Dutch work out how to break down a well-organised Uruguay defence, and they also seemed unwilling to commit players forward in search of more goals.

Martin Caceres had to hold off Robben as he ran on to Robin van Persie’s through-ball, but that was the nearest the Netherlands came to extending their lead.

Uruguay, in the absence of the prolific Suarez, were faring little better at the other end and Stekelenburg did not have a save to make until he had to deal with Alvaro Pereira’s bouncing shot after 36 minutes.

That all changed before half-time, however, and it was the Dutch goalkeeper at fault as Forlan notched his fourth goal in six games in the finals in South Africa.

Stekelenburg had a clear view of Forlan’s swerving strike from 25 yards out and got a hand to the ball, but was still unable to keep it out.

The Ajax keeper had another nervous moment at the start of the second half when he beat Edinson Cavani to a through ball but failed to make a proper clearance and Van Bronkhorst had to clear Alvaro Pereira’s curling shot off the line.

But the game quickly got bogged down in midfield and there were few chances to speak of until Forlan brought a much better stop from Stekelenburg with a dipping free-kick.

The Netherlands had been disappointing up to that point but showed again how they do not have to play well to win games in the tournament with a two-goal burst in the space of three minutes that was enough to give them victory.

Van Marwijk’s side showed signs of life when Van Persie latched on to a long ball over the top and played in substitute Rafael van der Vaart, who saw his low shot pushed away before Robben fired the rebound over.

And they were back in the lead after 70 minutes when Sneijder’s shot hit the luckless Maxi Pereira and span in off a post, with Van Persie trying but failing to get a touch to help it on its way.

In their next attack, Robben made it 3-1, escaping the attentions of Diego Godin to meet Dirk Kuyt’s cross and plant a firm header into the bottom corner.

Uruguay looked exhausted and Robben could have added a fourth when he burst forward on to a Van Persie flick late on, but got his attempted chip all wrong.

Instead the Dutch faced a frantic finale when, in the 92nd minute, Maxi Pereira ran on to a quickly taken free-kick, turned Eljero Ejia and curled a precise shot into the bottom corner of the net.

Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez’s team had time to launch a few balls into the Dutch box but van Marwijk’s side survived and it is they who will go forward hoping it will be third-time lucky for them in a final following their defeats in 1974 and 1978.

Brazil versus the Netherlands has given us some wonderful World Cup memories. The 1998 semi-final was one of Ronaldo’s best performances in the competition. The Dutch should probably have won a pulsating game, losing their nerve in the penalty shoot-out, but they softened up the Brazilians for France in the final.

The 1994 quarter-final had Bebeto’s immortal ‘rock the cradle’ celebration, a shock Holland comeback and finally Branco’s spectacular long-range free-kick.

But the really important contest – the one whose repercussions continue to ripple through the game – was the meeting in West Germany in 1974. In what was effectively a semi-final, the Netherlands won 2-0 while a frustrated Brazil, the reigning world champions, resorted to a full repertoire of rugby tackles and body checks.

Spearheaded by the legendary Johann Cruyff, that Dutch team have gone down in history as one of the greatest sides not to win the World Cup. Their style of play caught everyone’s imagination.

Most often remarked on is how the players constantly changed positions. The game with Brazil supplies a classic example, right-back Wim Suurbier having a shot saved after cutting in from the left wing.

More fundamental than this, though, was the general idea of having as many players involved in the game as possible at any given time, with or without the ball.

Jan Jongloed had to be a sweeper keeper because the back line pushed so high up the field. Not because they were trying to play offside but because they were ferociously pressing to win the ball back.

In the space of a few weeks, the Netherlands rendered South American football obsolete. They toyed with Uruguay on their way to a 2-0 win, brushed Argentina aside 4-0 and then did for the Brazilians.

The South American playmakers were used to having time on the ball. Watch Brazil’s Gerson in 1970. He picks up possession, wanders around chatting to his team-mates, pointing and gesticulating. He almost has time to get out the newspaper and check the headlines before deciding which pass to give. This was no longer possible.

In 1974, no sooner had the playmaker received the ball than half of the Netherlands was charging towards him, anxious to win it back and set an attack in motion. They pressed collectively to win possession and then offered the man on the ball options for a pass.

It was the definitive moment when football stopped being a collection of man-against-man duels and became a constant contest of 11 against 11.

How could this new challenge be met?

A nation’s footballing culture can be a complex thing, with different currents pulling in different directions. In the most general terms, however, Brazil and Argentina came up with very different responses to the Netherlands of 1974.

If there is any truth in Jonathan Stevenson’s argument last week that Argentina have become the new Brazil, then this is the moment when the process begins.

After the 1974 World Cup, Cesar Luis Menotti took over as coach of Argentina. Something of a footballing philosopher, he had a passionate belief in the tradition of his country’s game. Old style Argentine passing football could still compete with the big, strong Europeans, he argued, but the rhythm would have to be increased.

Hence the importance of the ever busy, fetch-and-carry Osvaldo Ardiles to the 1978 midfield. The Argentina side remains full of short players with a low centre of gravity, the classic build of the South American footballer.

Brazil’s coaches were less philosophers than technocrats. They were fascinated with the Dutch team and made a brief attempt to imitate it under Claudio Coutinho in 1978. After that had failed and the more traditional approach of 1982 had not worked either, a consensus formed on the need for change.

It was argued that the physical evolution of the game and the fact players were covering more ground made more physical contact inevitable. So the Brazilians decided that if they could match the Europeans in physical terms, their extra skill would tip the balance.

This has been achieved with interest and Brazil are now a huge side. When they met Germany in the 2002 World Cup final, they did so at no physical disadvantage.

In this new, more athletic football, the statistics seemed to indicate that a move’s chances of ending in a goal were reduced if it contained more than seven passes. So rather than old style elaborate moves through the middle – which Argentina love to indulge in, especially if Juan Sebastian Veron is on the field – Brazil put more emphasis on quick breaks down the flanks.

So Gilberto Silva is a symbol of the modern Brazil – a big, strong central midfielder of limited passing ability whose main function is to close down the middle of the field and plug the defensive gaps. But so is Maicon – a big, strong right-back with the pace, power and skill to rip through any defence.

Of course, the attacking full-back was part of the culture of Brazilian football before 1974, as was the defensive midfielder. But the forward bursts of the full-back have become more important precisely because the central midfielder makes less of an attacking contribution. And the defensive skills of the central midfielder are more important precisely because he has to cover for the full-back.

And this switch in balance, which profoundly alters the style of play, can be dated back to the day that Brazil lost 2-0 to Holland back in 1974.

Venue: Port Elizabeth

Date: Friday, 2 July 2010

Kick-off: 1500 BST

TEAM NEWS
Brazil will be without playmaker Elano, who is suffering from a bruised bone in his right ankle. Felipe Melo (ankle) and Julio Baptista (knee) are doubtful to make the starting line-up. Fellow midfielder Ramires is suspended, leaving coach Dunga with limited options.

The Netherlands go into the match with a clean bill of health and are expected to field the same line-up that beat Slovakia in their last 16 encounter.

Suspended: Ramires (Brazil); one booking from suspension: De Jong, Van Persie, Van der Wiel, Kuyt, Van der Vaart, Van Bronckhorst, Robben, Stekelenburg (Netherlands); Fabiano, Juan, Melo, Kaka (Brazil).

MATCH PREVIEW
The Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium hosts the teams ranked first and fourth in the world, in a fascinating quarter-final encounter. Will it be jogo bonito versus total football, or winning ugly at the expense of the beautiful game?

Brazil and the Netherlands have come to South Africa to win, not to entertain. Pragmatic, workmanlike and efficient may be dirty words in both countries, but coaches Dunga and Bert van Marwijk aren’t listening. “We came here to win,” said Van Marwijk. “If we can win with beautiful football then fine, but I said when I took this job that we would also have to learn how to win ugly games.”

You can see Van Marwijk’s point. In years gone by, the Dutch would delight and dismay in equal measure, but they head into Friday’s match on a all-time national record, 23-game unbeaten run and have won all eight of their games in 2010. The likes of Robin van Persie, Wesley Sneijder and Rafael van der Vaart are yet to dazzle in South Africa, but the Dutch defence, cited as the team’s weak spot before the tournament, has yet to concede a goal from open play (the two goals scored against them were penalties).

Dunga captained Brazil to World Cup glory in 1994 – beating the Netherlands along the way – with a team that was criticised for its negative approach, and is immune to sniping about his current side, perhaps with good reason. Only Germany and Argentina have scored more goals and, according to Fifa, Brazil have created more goal opportunities than any other side.

MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- This will be the 10th meeting between these sides. Brazil have won three to the Netherlands’ two, with four draws.

- They have met at the World Cup on three previous occasions: the Netherlands reached the 1974 final thanks to a 2-0 win in the second group stage; Brazil won 3-2 in the 1994 quarter-finals; and the 1998 semi-final ended in a 1-1 draw, with Brazil progressing on penalties.

Netherlands
- The Netherlands have won four consecutive World Cup matches, equalling their best-ever run. The last time they managed this was in 1974, when they reached the final.

- Van Marwijk’s side are on a 23-match unbeaten run, a record for the Dutch. Their last defeat was in September 2008 (a 2-1 loss to Australia in Eindhoven).

- They have only conceded four goals in their last eight World Cup matches, keeping four clean sheets in the process.

Brazil
- Brazil are competing in the last eight for the 16th time in 19 World Cups.

- The Brazilians have only lost one of their last 30 games. That came in their penultimate qualifier, a game played at altitude in Bolivia after qualification had already been achieved.

- They have participated in all 18 previous World Cups, and have won the most world titles (five).

MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Yuichi Nishimura (Japan)

Assistants: Toru Sagara (Japan) and Jeong Hae-sang (South Korea)

Fourth: Khalil Al-Ghamdi

After the current round of league, team play again become the focus of European football. Aside from those who make last-ditch playoff team, other teams are also doing their own making determined efforts to prepare for the World Cup. Dutch coach Van – Malvik recently, says that Van Persie will likely play in the national team in the future as the center position.

Arsene Wenger this season will be changed to 433, after formation, Van Persie is Arsenal’s main fixed in the iron center, the Dutch in the early season goal drought for several professors challenged this popular tactical adjustments, but as the event depth, Van Persie not help usher in a blowout, not only has seven league goals much richer, more team-mates had seven assists, so can not help but be very impressive all-round performance. Robin van Persie in Arsenal’s successful experience in 433 system, no doubt impressed by the Dutch coach Van – Malvik with Italy and Paraguay in the game so that Van Persie look for the national team center feel.

In an interview with “Sunday Post” interview with Van – Malvik said: “I have already told Robin van Persie this proposal, which is for the team’s interests. Van Persie in the Netherlands as the team is the center for his part a very good The challenge, he is very eye-catching performance in the Arsenal, we are in the Netherlands, how will the country turn a blind eye then? “It is foreseeable that Fan – Malvik this tactical change means that Ruud van Nistelrooy World Cup dream has come true Yue Lai The more distant.

The Dutch coach said that people who had worked together with Van Persie had a story. Robin van Persie during the effectiveness of the Feyenoord Fan – Malvik is the team’s coach, when the media continue to be exposed and two non-hearsay, Fan – Malvik bad boy of the year intolerable, with its 2.5 million pounds Van Persie’s low price sold to Arsenal. Now Van Persie is already a name well-known dynamic striker in Europe, though not yet reached the height of Bergkamp, but it has been a striker Wenger can rely on generals, is now Van Persie was dead person and then reuse, to say the taste is also somewhat ironic.

If the Netherlands team is currently just training, then France and Ireland is Shengsizhizhan a playoff. Arsenal’s French manager Arsene Wenger said the Irish coach Giovanni Trapattoni in charge of a gold medal, the French team certainly can not be belittled. The Italian coach reached the age of 70 so-temperature Ge Qinpei endless, not only because of his brilliant success achieved in the past, but also because he was so old football also maintained a high enthusiasm.

Wenger on the “Mirror” says: “I believe like this showdown (France and Ireland, two rounds battle), experience will play a key role. I am full of respect for Giovanni Trapattoni and his coaching achievements, of course is one thing, but I pay more attention to his full enthusiasm. Whenever you see the coach will find he has been working to meet the every day challenges, which make you have to admire. ”

Former Dutch star Cruyff as the Catalan United (a district northeast of Spain) and new coach, the team announced on its website the news, this is the first time after 13 years in charge of Cruyff pointer.

Cruyff joined Barca in 1973, for the team in 5 years. Cruyff in 1988 to return to the Nou Camp, but this time his identity is the coach, where he spent eight years time, after which he would never engage in coaching.

Now 13 years later, 62-year-old coach Cruyff regain identity, his purpose is not for the money, this new coaching team, Cruyff did not get any reward, he will local time on the 9th officially unveiled the media.

“Cruyff as coach a specific position, he will not pay, we are very grateful to him, Catalan football region as a whole should be proud of.” Catalan Football Federation official said.

Catalonia is not a United team, but a local League, the team is not registered in the FIFA or UEFA. However, each team will play a friendly opponent is the international team. Catalonia wing had in the Nou Camp in November last year, defeated the Colombian national team, including personnel, including Puyol, Pique, Creasey and Busquets. Cruyff coached team Catalonia is the first game against the Netherlands.

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