&nbspArgentina showed once again how reliant they are on Lionel Messi as the Barcelona forward scored a hat-trick in their 4-0 World Cup warm-up win over Haiti on Tuesday.

With Javier Mascherano making his 143rd appearance to put him one ahead of Javier Zanetti as Argentina's most capped player, Messi got the opener from the penalty spot after 17 minutes.

He doubled their lead 12 minutes into the second half with a simple tap-in after the goalkeeper could only parry a header, scored Argentina's third after 65 minutes, and then set up Sergio Aguero to make it four just two minutes later.

Argentina failed to add to their tally but should have been further ahead against Haiti, whose sole appearance at the World Cup finals came in 1974 and are ranked 108th in the world, 103 places below them in the world rankings.

"More than the result we were able to say goodbye to our fans and show that we are going to Russia with hope," Messi said.

"We're not going as favourites because we had a complicated time in the qualifiers, but we are training well and we will give it our all."

Aguero was fit again after a knee injury but began the game on the bench, with Gonzalo Higuain and Angel Di Maria starting up front alongside Messi.

However, both men failed to shine and instead it was Aguero and Boca Juniors' Christian Pavon who staked their claim for a World Cup place when they came on after an hour.

Argentina now fly to Barcelona to prepare for World Cup matches against Iceland on June 16, Croatia on June 21 and Nigeria on June 26.

Argentina now fly to Barcelona to prepare for World Cup matches against Iceland

&nbspArgentina showed once again how reliant they are on Lionel Messi as the Barcelona forward scored a hat-trick in their 4-0 World Cup warm-up win over Haiti on Tuesday. With Javier Mascherano making his 143rd appearance to put him one ahead of Javier Zanetti as Argentina's most capped player, Messi got the opener from the penalty spot after 17 minutes. He doubled their lead 12 minutes into the second half with a simple tap-in after the goalkeeper could only parry a header, scored Argentina's third after 65 minutes, and then set up Sergio Aguero to make it four just two minutes later. Argentina failed to add to their tally but should have been further ahead against Haiti, whose sole appearance at the World Cup finals came in 1974 and are ranked 108th in the world, 103 places below them in the world rankings. "More than the result we were able to say goodbye to our fans and show that we are going to Russia with hope," Messi said. "We're not going as favourites because we had a complicated time in the qualifiers, but we are training well and we will give it our all." Aguero was fit again after a knee injury but began the game on the bench, with Gonzalo Higuain and Angel Di Maria starting up front alongside Messi. However, both men failed to shine and instead it was Aguero and Boca Juniors' Christian Pavon who staked their claim for a World Cup place when they came on after an hour. Argentina now fly to Barcelona to prepare for World Cup matches against Iceland on June 16, Croatia on June 21 and Nigeria on June 26.

Football World Cup friendly: Messi's hat-trick sinks Haiti

Liverpool and Egypt star Mohamed Salah will travel to Spain on Tuesday for treatment on the injured shoulder that wrecked his Champions League final bid and threatens his World Cup participation.

Egypt's football federation (EFA) said Salah's entourage had chosen Spain for a rehabilitation programme that Egyptians will hope helps Salah return in time for next month's World Cup in Russia.

According to an EFA statement, Salah will be accompanied by Liverpool's medical staff "for the duration of the treatment period", having "started his rehabilitation on Sunday".

Salah, who hit a stunning 44 goals for Liverpool last season in all competitions, was forced out the Champions League final in tears on Saturday clutching his left shoulder after being wrestled to the ground by Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos.

It was feared the injury had ruled Salah out of the June 14-July 15 World Cup, but on Sunday the Reds' striker said he was "confident" he would be back in time.

"It was a very tough night, but I'm a fighter. Despite the odds, I'm confident that I'll be in Russia to make you all proud," Salah wrote on his official Twitter account on Sunday.

Egyptian media reported Salah wouldn't kick a ball in anger for three weeks.

Egyptian federation officials meanwhile are set to pay Salah -- described by the EFA as "the symbol of Egypt" -- a morale-boosting visit on Wednesday.

Egypt, who were drawn in Group A, open their World Cup campaign against Uruguay on June 15, before facing hosts Russia and Saudi Arabia.

The Pharaohs play a first warm-up match, against Colombia, in Bergamo, Italy on June 1.

It was feared that the injury had ruled Salah out of the June 14-July 15 World Cup

Liverpool and Egypt star Mohamed Salah will travel to Spain on Tuesday for treatment on the injured shoulder that wrecked his Champions League final bid and threatens his World Cup participation. Egypt's football federation (EFA) said Salah's entourage had chosen Spain for a rehabilitation programme that Egyptians will hope helps Salah return in time for next month's World Cup in Russia. According to an EFA statement, Salah will be accompanied by Liverpool's medical staff "for the duration of the treatment period", having "started his rehabilitation on Sunday". Salah, who hit a stunning 44 goals for Liverpool last season in all competitions, was forced out the Champions League final in tears on Saturday clutching his left shoulder after being wrestled to the ground by Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos. It was feared the injury had ruled Salah out of the June 14-July 15 World Cup, but on Sunday the Reds' striker said he was "confident" he would be back in time. "It was a very tough night, but I'm a fighter. Despite the odds, I'm confident that I'll be in Russia to make you all proud," Salah wrote on his official Twitter account on Sunday. Egyptian media reported Salah wouldn't kick a ball in anger for three weeks. Egyptian federation officials meanwhile are set to pay Salah -- described by the EFA as "the symbol of Egypt" -- a morale-boosting visit on Wednesday. Egypt, who were drawn in Group A, open their World Cup campaign against Uruguay on June 15, before facing hosts Russia and Saudi Arabia. The Pharaohs play a first warm-up match, against Colombia, in Bergamo, Italy on June 1.

Mohamed Salah to travel to Spain for treatment: Egypt football federation

Israeli Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said on Sunday he is seeking to ban Palestinian prisoners who are members of Hamas from watching the upcoming World Cup.

"I have no intention of letting Hamas members who are detainees in our prisons enjoy the World Cup matches while we have Israeli hostages and soldiers in the Gaza Strip," Erdan said, quoted by the YNet news website.

The minister said he had asked the Israel Prison Service to "put pressure" on jailed members of Hamas.

Under current rules, prisoners have the right to watch television, but Erdan said he was checking to see if regulations could be changed in time for the World Cup, which runs from June 14 to July 15.&nbsp

Prisoners who "support terrorism cannot benefit from a sporting competition which unites populations," the minister said.&nbsp

The bodies of two Israeli soldiers killed in the 2014 Gaza war, Oren Shaul and Hadar Goldin, are believed to be held by Hamas.&nbsp

Around 6,500 Palestinians are detained in Israeli prisons, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Club.

Israeli Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said on Sunday he is seeking to ban Palestinian prisoners who are members of Hamas from watching the upcoming World Cup

Israeli Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said on Sunday he is seeking to ban Palestinian prisoners who are members of Hamas from watching the upcoming World Cup. "I have no intention of letting Hamas members who are detainees in our prisons enjoy the World Cup matches while we have Israeli hostages and soldiers in the Gaza Strip," Erdan said, quoted by the YNet news website. The minister said he had asked the Israel Prison Service to "put pressure" on jailed members of Hamas. Under current rules, prisoners have the right to watch television, but Erdan said he was checking to see if regulations could be changed in time for the World Cup, which runs from June 14 to July 15. Prisoners who "support terrorism cannot benefit from a sporting competition which unites populations," the minister said. The bodies of two Israeli soldiers killed in the 2014 Gaza war, Oren Shaul and Hadar Goldin, are believed to be held by Hamas. Around 6,500 Palestinians are detained in Israeli prisons, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Club.

Israel minister Gilad Erdan wants World Cup TV ban for Hamas inmates

Swansea City defender Alfie Mawson underwent knee surgery and is reportedly out of contention for England's World Cup squad.

As per media reports, the 24-year-old was yet to make his England debut but was called up by manager Gareth Southgate for friendlies in March against the Netherlands and Italy.

On Sunday, Swansea were relegated from the Premier League, leaving Mawson's club future in doubt with the former England under-21 international linked to several top clubs.

The reports also added that Southgate told Mawson before the operation that he was unlikely to be called up for the tournament starting in Russia next month.

It said the player had therefore decided to have surgery as soon as possible to be in the best shape for next season.

the 24-year-old was yet to make his England debut but was called up by manager Gareth Southgate for friendlies in March

Swansea City defender Alfie Mawson underwent knee surgery and is reportedly out of contention for England's World Cup squad. As per media reports, the 24-year-old was yet to make his England debut but was called up by manager Gareth Southgate for friendlies in March against the Netherlands and Italy. On Sunday, Swansea were relegated from the Premier League, leaving Mawson's club future in doubt with the former England under-21 international linked to several top clubs. The reports also added that Southgate told Mawson before the operation that he was unlikely to be called up for the tournament starting in Russia next month. It said the player had therefore decided to have surgery as soon as possible to be in the best shape for next season.

England defender Mawson ruled out of FIFA World Cup

A referee selected for&nbsp;this year's World Cup is being investigated by Saudi Arabian authorities, the nation`s football association has said.

Fahad Al-Mirdasi, one of 36 referees chosen by FIFA for Russia, was replaced by English official Mark Clattenburg for the King's Cup final between Al-Ittihad and Al-Faisaly on Sunday.

The Saudi Arabian Football Federation said on its Twitter account that Al-Mirdasi was under "administrative investigation" but did not specify the nature of the probe.

A source close to the Saudi Arabia Football Federation told Reuters a disciplinary hearing would be held on Monday, with Al-Mirdasi accused of asking one of the teams playing in the King's Cup final for money.

A decision is expected to be announced later on Monday.

Al-Mirdasi was selected for last year`s Confederations Cup in Russia, a warmup for the June 14-July 15 World Cup.

Fahad Al-Mirdasi is one of the 36 referees chosen by FIFA for Russia.

A referee selected for this year's World Cup is being investigated by Saudi Arabian authorities, the nation`s football association has said. Fahad Al-Mirdasi, one of 36 referees chosen by FIFA for Russia, was replaced by English official Mark Clattenburg for the King's Cup final between Al-Ittihad and Al-Faisaly on Sunday. The Saudi Arabian Football Federation said on its Twitter account that Al-Mirdasi was under "administrative investigation" but did not specify the nature of the probe. A source close to the Saudi Arabia Football Federation told Reuters a disciplinary hearing would be held on Monday, with Al-Mirdasi accused of asking one of the teams playing in the King's Cup final for money. A decision is expected to be announced later on Monday. Al-Mirdasi was selected for last year`s Confederations Cup in Russia, a warmup for the June 14-July 15 World Cup.

2018 FIFA World Cup referee under investigation by Saudi FA

Injured Argentina striker Sergio Aguero is recovering well from knee surgery and will be ready for next month's World Cup in Russia, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said on Friday.

"He will get there fine," the Spaniard told reporters. "I can give you the latest news from doctor (Ramon) Cugat in Barcelona and it's going perfectly."

Aguero, 29, has scored 21 Premier League goals for runaway champions City this season but underwent an arthroscopy in mid-April.

Argentina play their opening World Cup match against Iceland on June 16.

Guardiola said Belgium international captain Vincent Kompany and England defender John Stones were fit and ready for Sunday's league game against Huddersfield Town after earlier injury problems.

"The main target for the players in the World Cup because the Premier League is done. But the best way to arrive at the World Cup is to play good in these three games," said the manager of the final Premier League matches.

Sergio Aguero is recovering well from knee surgery and will be ready for next month's World Cup in Russia

Injured Argentina striker Sergio Aguero is recovering well from knee surgery and will be ready for next month's World Cup in Russia, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said on Friday. "He will get there fine," the Spaniard told reporters. "I can give you the latest news from doctor (Ramon) Cugat in Barcelona and it's going perfectly." Aguero, 29, has scored 21 Premier League goals for runaway champions City this season but underwent an arthroscopy in mid-April. Argentina play their opening World Cup match against Iceland on June 16. Guardiola said Belgium international captain Vincent Kompany and England defender John Stones were fit and ready for Sunday's league game against Huddersfield Town after earlier injury problems. "The main target for the players in the World Cup because the Premier League is done. But the best way to arrive at the World Cup is to play good in these three games," said the manager of the final Premier League matches.

Argentine striker Sergio Aguero will be fine for FIFA World Cup 2018: Pep Guardiola

Recently, Argentina suffered an embarrassing 6-1 defeat against Spain in the FIFA warm-up matches. Although, former Argentine football legends have backed the team ahead of World Cup but the dependency of the team on Lionel Messi is very much visible by their current performance.

Lionel Messi, who is currently suffering from a muscle injury, was not there in the squad list of Argentina against Spain in the FIFA friendly match.

Though he was watching the game from the stands&nbsp;but with 10 minutes remaining he had seen enough and left the stands with dejection.

Messi's reaction during the Argentina-Spain friendly match:

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Messi is currently suffering from a muscle injury and was not there in the squad list of a warm-up match against Spain in which Argentina suffered an embarrassing 6-1 defeat.<a href="https://t.co/TCQkHMeA3K">https://t.co/TCQkHMeA3K</a>
— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/979015254964281345?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Mario Kempes, formers Argentine player said, on recent Argentina's performance, "There is time to correct mistakes, there is time to form that team."

Ricardo Villa, 1978 Argentina World Cup champion, said, "I am quite critical with the authorities of Argentine soccer. They have changed the head coaches very often."

Ricardo further added, "For Sampaoli this is a problem, he still doesn't have the team but I think he's going to do it."

2018 World Cup trophy unveiled in Argentina:

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Lionel Messi has suffered a hoodoo in the finals of the major tournaments like World Cup and Copa America.

In the last football World Cup in Brazil, the Barcelona sensation led the team in the finals but suffered a terrible fate when Germany scored the winner in the extra time and became world champions.

Apart from the World Cup, he also faced defeats in the finals of Copa America. Not to forget the Copa 2016, when he suddenly announced retirement which he later overturned after facing a tragic defeat against Chile in the penalties.

The upcoming football World Cup could be his last as he is already&nbsp;in his thirties and has already said&nbsp;he could retire from international matches if Argentina doesn't win the World Cup.

Lionel Messi during practice session:

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[SELECCIÓN MAYOR] Último entrenamiento de <a href="https://twitter.com/Argentina?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Argentina</a> previo al duelo ante <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Espa%C3%B1a?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#España</a>. <a href="https://t.co/3ZSFnpKhsm">pic.twitter.com/3ZSFnpKhsm</a>
— Selección Argentina (@Argentina) <a href="https://twitter.com/Argentina/status/978293612290113542?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

The upcoming football World Cup could be his last as he is already in his thirties and has already said he could retire from international matches if Argentina doesn't win the World Cup

Recently, Argentina suffered an embarrassing 6-1 defeat against Spain in the FIFA warm-up matches. Although, former Argentine football legends have backed the team ahead of World Cup but the dependency of the team on Lionel Messi is very much visible by their current performance. Lionel Messi, who is currently suffering from a muscle injury, was not there in the squad list of Argentina against Spain in the FIFA friendly match. Though he was watching the game from the stands but with 10 minutes remaining he had seen enough and left the stands with dejection. Messi's reaction during the Argentina-Spain friendly match: Messi is currently suffering from a muscle injury and was not there in the squad list of a warm-up match against Spain in which Argentina suffered an embarrassing 6-1 defeat.https://t.co/TCQkHMeA3K — WION (@WIONews) March 28, 2018 × Mario Kempes, formers Argentine player said, on recent Argentina's performance, "There is time to correct mistakes, there is time to form that team." Ricardo Villa, 1978 Argentina World Cup champion, said, "I am quite critical with the authorities of Argentine soccer. They have changed the head coaches very often." Ricardo further added, "For Sampaoli this is a problem, he still doesn't have the team but I think he's going to do it." 2018 World Cup trophy unveiled in Argentina: × Lionel Messi has suffered a hoodoo in the finals of the major tournaments like World Cup and Copa America. In the last football World Cup in Brazil, the Barcelona sensation led the team in the finals but suffered a terrible fate when Germany scored the winner in the extra time and became world champions. Apart from the World Cup, he also faced defeats in the finals of Copa America. Not to forget the Copa 2016, when he suddenly announced retirement which he later overturned after facing a tragic defeat against Chile in the penalties. The upcoming football World Cup could be his last as he is already in his thirties and has already said he could retire from international matches if Argentina doesn't win the World Cup. Lionel Messi during practice session: [SELECCIÓN MAYOR] Último entrenamiento de @Argentina previo al duelo ante #España. pic.twitter.com/3ZSFnpKhsm — Selección Argentina (@Argentina) March 26, 2018 ×

'Messi-dependent' Argentina might suffer again in FIFA World Cup

Iceland on Monday announced that its leaders will not attend the FIFA World Cup in Russia this summer.

This came as the government of Iceland decided to stand in solidarity with the United Kingdom and other western states and join in their coordinated response to the chemical attack in Salisbury in England earlier this month.

"All of Iceland's closest allies and partners have decided to take measures against Russia in the wake of the Salisbury attack, including the Nordic countries, most member states of NATO as well as several EU nations. Among the measures taken by Iceland is the temporary postponement of all high-level bilateral dialogue with Russian authorities. Consequently, Icelandic leaders will not attend the FIFA World Cup in Russia this summer," the foreign ministry said in a statement said.

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Icelandic leaders will not attend the FIFA World Cup in Russia this summer: Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Iceland.
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/978385981735915523?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Earlier in the day, the ambassador of the Russian Federation to Iceland was summoned to the Icelandic Foreign Ministry and informed of the decision.

The statement further said, "So far, Russia's response has been severely lacking. Russia must provide credible explanations on how a nerve agent originally produced in Soviet laboratories came to be used to attack civilians in the United Kingdom. The Government of Iceland urges Russian authorities give clear answers to important questions pertaining to the investigation and to fully cooperate with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons."

Retired military intelligence officer Skripal, 66, and his daughter, Yulia, 33, were found slumped on a bench in Salisbury city centre on March 4. However, they remain in a critical but stable condition in hospital.

Iceland's decision came as 16 European Union countries on Monday gave a large number of Russian envoys notice to leave their territory.&nbsp;

The ambassador of the Russian Federation to Iceland was summoned to the Icelandic Foreign Ministry and informed of the decision

Iceland on Monday announced that its leaders will not attend the FIFA World Cup in Russia this summer. This came as the government of Iceland decided to stand in solidarity with the United Kingdom and other western states and join in their coordinated response to the chemical attack in Salisbury in England earlier this month. "All of Iceland's closest allies and partners have decided to take measures against Russia in the wake of the Salisbury attack, including the Nordic countries, most member states of NATO as well as several EU nations. Among the measures taken by Iceland is the temporary postponement of all high-level bilateral dialogue with Russian authorities. Consequently, Icelandic leaders will not attend the FIFA World Cup in Russia this summer," the foreign ministry said in a statement said. Icelandic leaders will not attend the FIFA World Cup in Russia this summer: Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Iceland. — ANI (@ANI) March 26, 2018 × Earlier in the day, the ambassador of the Russian Federation to Iceland was summoned to the Icelandic Foreign Ministry and informed of the decision. The statement further said, "So far, Russia's response has been severely lacking. Russia must provide credible explanations on how a nerve agent originally produced in Soviet laboratories came to be used to attack civilians in the United Kingdom. The Government of Iceland urges Russian authorities give clear answers to important questions pertaining to the investigation and to fully cooperate with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons." Retired military intelligence officer Skripal, 66, and his daughter, Yulia, 33, were found slumped on a bench in Salisbury city centre on March 4. However, they remain in a critical but stable condition in hospital. Iceland's decision came as 16 European Union countries on Monday gave a large number of Russian envoys notice to leave their territory.

Iceland leaders to not attend FIFA World Cup in Russia this summer

Indian football &ndash; as indeed India &ndash; is going places.

As much as India&rsquo;s recent quantum leap of 30 spots to make it to the world&rsquo;s Top-100 in Ease of Doing Business enthused the businessman in me, a jump of just a couple of notches to break into FIFA&rsquo;s Top-100 ranking for football will be a source of immense joy for the sports enthusiast in me.&nbsp;

The real big moment, of course, would be to see lakhs of little heroes dribbling the ball on the grounds and kicking up a storm in the years to come to make India truly a football country.&nbsp;

Just a few weeks back, Indian Under-19 footballer from Delhi, Luv Kapoor signed up for Palamos FC, one of Spain&rsquo;s oldest football clubs, to play at the highest level that any Indian has in the Spanish Football League. In another part of Europe, the Under-17 World Cup star Dheeraj Singh took up an assignment under the goalposts for Scotland&rsquo;s Motherwell FC.&nbsp;

Closer home, a local football tournament hosted in Baroda over the weekend attracted as many as 1200 players who represented 92 teams from across Gujarat, participating in all age groups &ndash; right from under-9 to under-15.&nbsp;

And at the highest national level, the AIFF has announced the Hero Super Cup for April, where the top 16 teams in the country will participate in the knockout tournament.&nbsp;

Even as Indian players are venturing on to the world stage and the finest international stars are playing before local crowds, the increasing participation at the grassroots level and the swelling crowd in the stands is a testimony to the sport&rsquo;s growing popularity in the country.&nbsp;

Creating Heroes&nbsp;

&nbsp;

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Pawan Munjal with Amarjit Singh, captain, Under-17 World Cup skipper Amarji Singh. (Others)
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&nbsp;

For the young aspiring country that India is, sporting icons make the ideal role models. While cricket has captured the imagination of the nation, footfall has all the makings of a popular national sport. Physical prowess, intelligence, tactical acumen and team spirit &ndash;the qualities that go into the making of a good football player are the same as the ones of a successful personality.&nbsp;

In just five years, the Hero Indian Super League has inspired millions of youngsters across the country to take up the sport. While some of them will go on to become professional players in the years to come, I am confident that each youngster who straps the studs and kicks the ball will only get enriched by the game and grow into a fuller personality. Football is not just about scoring goals, but also about setting goals.&nbsp;

Football has made huge strides in the past five years, not just in the traditional bastions of Kerala, West Bengal and Goa, but also in other parts of the country. Over the past 10 years, north-eastern states such as Meghalaya and Manipur have made immense progress, and young footballers from these states are today making their mark at the national level.&nbsp;

The goal&nbsp;

The players are ready and the resources are available. The only thing that is required is consistent commitment on the part of administrators, state associations, clubs and coaches to give their best for the game.&nbsp;

There is a need to develop playgrounds with more grass on them so that our players are not afraid of making diving tackles for the fear of picking up injuries. Then we need better sports medicine specialists attached to the teams so that the injuries are treated expeditiously and appropriately and don&rsquo;t get aggravated. We also need to train and groom referees from the grassroots so that they gain enough confidence to officiate at the highest level without getting intimidated, to be able to penalize the players committing serious fouls. These three measures will certainly go a long way in instilling a lot of confidence in our young players and prepare them for the intensely competitive big league at the global level. &nbsp;

On our part as long-term supporters, we are committed to continuing to contribute towards the creation of a sporting culture in the country, and we are convinced that football has huge potential to be a positive influencer for the youth. We are determined to play the role of a catalyst &ndash; a change agent &ndash; in bringing about a complete transformation in the &lsquo;culture&rsquo; of football in India.

If we collectively put our hearts to it, it is a matter of just a few years before football will be the chosen sport for millions of Indians. Simultaneously, the immense talent that lies latent within the country will begin to express itself on the world stage.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The players are ready and the resources are available. The only thing that is required is consistent commitment on the part of administrators, state associations, clubs and coaches to give their best for Indian Football.

Indian football – as indeed India – is going places. As much as India’s recent quantum leap of 30 spots to make it to the world’s Top-100 in Ease of Doing Business enthused the businessman in me, a jump of just a couple of notches to break into FIFA’s Top-100 ranking for football will be a source of immense joy for the sports enthusiast in me. The real big moment, of course, would be to see lakhs of little heroes dribbling the ball on the grounds and kicking up a storm in the years to come to make India truly a football country. Just a few weeks back, Indian Under-19 footballer from Delhi, Luv Kapoor signed up for Palamos FC, one of Spain’s oldest football clubs, to play at the highest level that any Indian has in the Spanish Football League. In another part of Europe, the Under-17 World Cup star Dheeraj Singh took up an assignment under the goalposts for Scotland’s Motherwell FC. Closer home, a local football tournament hosted in Baroda over the weekend attracted as many as 1200 players who represented 92 teams from across Gujarat, participating in all age groups – right from under-9 to under-15. And at the highest national level, the AIFF has announced the Hero Super Cup for April, where the top 16 teams in the country will participate in the knockout tournament. Even as Indian players are venturing on to the world stage and the finest international stars are playing before local crowds, the increasing participation at the grassroots level and the swelling crowd in the stands is a testimony to the sport’s growing popularity in the country. Creating Heroes Pawan Munjal with Amarjit Singh, captain, Under-17 World Cup skipper Amarji Singh. (Others) × For the young aspiring country that India is, sporting icons make the ideal role models. While cricket has captured the imagination of the nation, footfall has all the makings of a popular national sport. Physical prowess, intelligence, tactical acumen and team spirit –the qualities that go into the making of a good football player are the same as the ones of a successful personality. In just five years, the Hero Indian Super League has inspired millions of youngsters across the country to take up the sport. While some of them will go on to become professional players in the years to come, I am confident that each youngster who straps the studs and kicks the ball will only get enriched by the game and grow into a fuller personality. Football is not just about scoring goals, but also about setting goals. Football has made huge strides in the past five years, not just in the traditional bastions of Kerala, West Bengal and Goa, but also in other parts of the country. Over the past 10 years, north-eastern states such as Meghalaya and Manipur have made immense progress, and young footballers from these states are today making their mark at the national level. The goal The players are ready and the resources are available. The only thing that is required is consistent commitment on the part of administrators, state associations, clubs and coaches to give their best for the game. There is a need to develop playgrounds with more grass on them so that our players are not afraid of making diving tackles for the fear of picking up injuries. Then we need better sports medicine specialists attached to the teams so that the injuries are treated expeditiously and appropriately and don’t get aggravated. We also need to train and groom referees from the grassroots so that they gain enough confidence to officiate at the highest level without getting intimidated, to be able to penalize the players committing serious fouls. These three measures will certainly go a long way in instilling a lot of confidence in our young players and prepare them for the intensely competitive big league at the global level. On our part as long-term supporters, we are committed to continuing to contribute towards the creation of a sporting culture in the country, and we are convinced that football has huge potential to be a positive influencer for the youth. We are determined to play the role of a catalyst – a change agent – in bringing about a complete transformation in the ‘culture’ of football in India. If we collectively put our hearts to it, it is a matter of just a few years before football will be the chosen sport for millions of Indians. Simultaneously, the immense talent that lies latent within the country will begin to express itself on the world stage. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Indian football rising from the grassroots

Football legend Pele, 77, is confident that Brazil has a strong chance to win the FIFA World Cup due to begin&nbsp;in June.

Five-time winners Brazil were thrashed 7-1 in the 2014 semi-finals by Germany, but Pele has faith in the newly appointed coach, Adenor Leonardo Bacchi.

He advised&nbsp;the Brazilian&nbsp;footballers to play as a team&nbsp;and not rely on just one or two players.

&quot;Whenever Brazil won World Cups it was not because of Pele, Zico&hellip; it was because of the team,&quot; he said.

The king of football was honoured on Monday in Rio de Janeiro during an event to launch the 2018 edition of the Rio State League.

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Legendary Brazilian footballer Pele uses a walking frame as he greets supporters. (AFP)
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Pele is recovering from several surgeries. In the backstage, he denied to take any assistance&nbsp;to reach the stage, he said his walker is the&nbsp;&quot;new God-given boots&quot;.

&quot;I&#39;m fine, thank goodness, and I want to thank all those who sent me messages wishing me a good recovery from all over the world,&quot; he said.

He also criticised the current scenario of football and mentioned that very few players are emerging as legends.

&quot;Today, there are only three players who really stand out; Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar,&quot; he said.

Pele stated that, in the past, you could name several star footballers who played at the same time, such as Portugal&#39;s Eusebio, Germany&#39;s Franz Beckenbauer, England&#39;s Bobby Moore and his Brazil teammates such as Tostao, Jairzinho among others.

Pele, who scored over 1,000 goals during his career, despite any comparisons that might one day appear, &quot;there will be no other Pele&quot;.

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Pele, who scored over 1,000 goals during his career is confident that Brazil has a strong chance to win FIFA World Cup 2018

Football legend Pele, 77, is confident that Brazil has a strong chance to win the FIFA World Cup due to begin in June. Five-time winners Brazil were thrashed 7-1 in the 2014 semi-finals by Germany, but Pele has faith in the newly appointed coach, Adenor Leonardo Bacchi. He advised the Brazilian footballers to play as a team and not rely on just one or two players. "Whenever Brazil won World Cups it was not because of Pele, Zico… it was because of the team," he said. The king of football was honoured on Monday in Rio de Janeiro during an event to launch the 2018 edition of the Rio State League. Legendary Brazilian footballer Pele uses a walking frame as he greets supporters. (AFP) × Pele is recovering from several surgeries. In the backstage, he denied to take any assistance to reach the stage, he said his walker is the "new God-given boots". "I'm fine, thank goodness, and I want to thank all those who sent me messages wishing me a good recovery from all over the world," he said. He also criticised the current scenario of football and mentioned that very few players are emerging as legends. "Today, there are only three players who really stand out; Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar," he said. Pele stated that, in the past, you could name several star footballers who played at the same time, such as Portugal's Eusebio, Germany's Franz Beckenbauer, England's Bobby Moore and his Brazil teammates such as Tostao, Jairzinho among others. Pele, who scored over 1,000 goals during his career, despite any comparisons that might one day appear, "there will be no other Pele".

Watch: Pele 'guides' Brazil ahead of FIFA World Cup

Egypt&nbsp;have finally found their Holy Grail, overcoming the disappointment of decades of heartbreaking failure to reach the World Cup finals for the first time since 1990.

Qualifying had become an obsessive weight on the team, whose repeated failures in the World Cup came in stark contrast to their record-breaking achievements in the African Nations Cup, where they repeatedly won the continental championship.

Egypt&nbsp;reached the African playoffs for the last World Cup but a 6-1 hammering in Ghana proved yet another huge setback and when they were paired with the Ghanaians again in qualifying for the 2018 finals, more disappointment was anticipated.

But Ghana started the campaign poorly, including being beaten 2-0 in Alexandria, and&nbsp;Egypt&nbsp;was able to keep their noses in front in the group, even after losing in Uganda and producing unconvincing displays in their last two home matches.

Giddy celebrations followed after qualification was secured with one game to play, with Mohamed Salah tucking away a late penalty to beat Congo 2-1 at home and avoid having to go to Ghana in their last match to try and secure a World Cup place.

Liverpool&rsquo;s Salah was the talisman of the campaign, ending as the leading scorer in the African preliminaries with five goals.

He is among a growing contingent of English-based players in the side, including Ahmed Elmohamady of Aston Villa, Mohamed Elneny of Arsenal, Ahmed Hegazy from West Bromwich Albion and the promising Ramadan Sobhi of Stoke City.

Argentine-born coach Hector Cuper has managed a smooth transition from the aging generation he inherited into a much younger outfit but still relies on the veteran Essam El Hadary in goal.

El Hadary turns 45 in January and if he plays in Russia will set a new record for the tournament&#39;s oldest participant.

Egypt reach the World Cup finals for the first time since 1990

Egypt have finally found their Holy Grail, overcoming the disappointment of decades of heartbreaking failure to reach the World Cup finals for the first time since 1990. Qualifying had become an obsessive weight on the team, whose repeated failures in the World Cup came in stark contrast to their record-breaking achievements in the African Nations Cup, where they repeatedly won the continental championship. Egypt reached the African playoffs for the last World Cup but a 6-1 hammering in Ghana proved yet another huge setback and when they were paired with the Ghanaians again in qualifying for the 2018 finals, more disappointment was anticipated. But Ghana started the campaign poorly, including being beaten 2-0 in Alexandria, and Egypt was able to keep their noses in front in the group, even after losing in Uganda and producing unconvincing displays in their last two home matches. Giddy celebrations followed after qualification was secured with one game to play, with Mohamed Salah tucking away a late penalty to beat Congo 2-1 at home and avoid having to go to Ghana in their last match to try and secure a World Cup place. Liverpool’s Salah was the talisman of the campaign, ending as the leading scorer in the African preliminaries with five goals. He is among a growing contingent of English-based players in the side, including Ahmed Elmohamady of Aston Villa, Mohamed Elneny of Arsenal, Ahmed Hegazy from West Bromwich Albion and the promising Ramadan Sobhi of Stoke City. Argentine-born coach Hector Cuper has managed a smooth transition from the aging generation he inherited into a much younger outfit but still relies on the veteran Essam El Hadary in goal. El Hadary turns 45 in January and if he plays in Russia will set a new record for the tournament's oldest participant.

World Cup football: Egypt finally discover Holy Grail

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/lebanons-hezbollah-accuses-saudi-of-detaining-hariri-23953" target="_blank">Saudi Arabia holding Lebanon PM, inciting Israel to strike country: Hezbollah</a>

Lebanon`s powerful Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on Friday accused Saudi Arabia of detaining prime minister Saad Hariri and of asking the Shiite movement`s arch-foe Israel to launch strikes.&nbsp;Hariri`s sudden resignation on November 4 in a statement made from Riyadh took the Lebanese political class by surprise and has sparked international concern.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-goalkeeper-accuses-former-fifa-president-of-sexual-harassment-23954" target="_blank">He grabbed my ass: US goalkeeper accuses Sepp Blatter of sexual assault</a>

Hope Solo, the 36-year-old US goalkeeper has accused former FIFA president Sepp Blatter of&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/actress-portia-de-rossi-accuses-steven-seagal-of-sexual-harassment-23862" target="_blank">sexual harassment</a>. In an interview with Portugal newspaper Expresso, Solo said that Sepp had grabbed her ass.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/world-cup-playoff-sweden-beat-toothless-italy-with-1-0-23955" target="_blank">Football World Cup play-offs: Sweden beat </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/world-cup-playoff-sweden-beat-toothless-italy-with-1-0-23955" target="_blank">lacklustre</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/world-cup-playoff-sweden-beat-toothless-italy-with-1-0-23955" target="_blank"> Italy</a>

A second-half goal by Sweden substitute Jakob Johansson was enough to beat Italy 1-0 and put his side in the driving seat after their World Cup playoff first leg on a chilly night.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/comedian-louis-ck-admits-sexual-misconduct-entertainment-outlets-cut-ties-23950" target="_blank">&#39;These stories are true,&#39; says comedian Louis CK</a>

US&nbsp;comedian Louis C.K. on Friday admitted to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/actress-portia-de-rossi-accuses-steven-seagal-of-sexual-harassment-23862" target="_blank">sexual misconduct allegations made against him&nbsp;</a>by several women, and television and film companies moved quickly to sever ties. &quot;These stories are true,&quot; C.K. said in a statement.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/heres-what-got-cheaper-after-revised-gst-rates-23947" target="_blank">Revised GST rates: Complete list</a>

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In the biggest GST rearrangement till date, tax rates on over 200 items were cut down&nbsp;to provide relief to consumers and businesses&nbsp;on Friday.&nbsp;Giving a major reprieve to the common man, the GST Council came up with&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/preview/article/23931">a number of new measures.&nbsp;</a>Maximum pruning was done in the 28% slab which will now be applied to only 50 items from 228 earlier. Many of the items and services which were previously under the 28% bracket will now attract a tax of 18% only.&nbsp; 
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Saudi Arabia holding Lebanon PM, inciting Israel to strike country: Hezbollah Lebanon`s powerful Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on Friday accused Saudi Arabia of detaining prime minister Saad Hariri and of asking the Shiite movement`s arch-foe Israel to launch strikes. Hariri`s sudden resignation on November 4 in a statement made from Riyadh took the Lebanese political class by surprise and has sparked international concern. He grabbed my ass: US goalkeeper accuses Sepp Blatter of sexual assault Hope Solo, the 36-year-old US goalkeeper has accused former FIFA president Sepp Blatter of sexual harassment. In an interview with Portugal newspaper Expresso, Solo said that Sepp had grabbed her ass. Football World Cup play-offs: Sweden beat lacklustre Italy A second-half goal by Sweden substitute Jakob Johansson was enough to beat Italy 1-0 and put his side in the driving seat after their World Cup playoff first leg on a chilly night. 'These stories are true,' says comedian Louis CK US comedian Louis C.K. on Friday admitted to sexual misconduct allegations made against him by several women, and television and film companies moved quickly to sever ties. "These stories are true," C.K. said in a statement. Revised GST rates: Complete list In the biggest GST rearrangement till date, tax rates on over 200 items were cut down to provide relief to consumers and businesses on Friday. Giving a major reprieve to the common man, the GST Council came up with a number of new measures. Maximum pruning was done in the 28% slab which will now be applied to only 50 items from 228 earlier. Many of the items and services which were previously under the 28% bracket will now attract a tax of 18% only.

WION Morning news brief, November 11, 2017: 5 stories

New Zealand came from a goal down to draw 1-1 against Turkey in the opening Group B match of the FIFA U-17 World Cup at the D Y Patil Stadium.

Turkey was given a 18th minute lead by striker Ahmed Kutucu through a headed goal which was neutralised in the 58th minute by New Zealand captain Max Mata.

Incidentally, the two countries had drawn 1-1 in their only previous encounter in the tournament eight years ago.

Turkey, making their third appearance in this tournament, appeared the more skillful team in the first half and their quick passing game had the Kiwis under a lot of pressure as unseasonal rains welcomed both the sides.

But New Zealand, who have made the tournament proper for the eighth time and sixth in a row, came into their own in the second half to equalise and even dominated play for a prolonged spell.

The Turks&#39; forward duo of Ahmed Kutucu, who opened their account in the 18th minute with a headed goal, and Malik Karaahmet got splendid support from the mid-field in which Kerem Kesgin and Atalay Babacan stole the show in the first half.

In the eighth minute itself, the New Zealand goal came under a lot of pressure following a speedy left flank run by overlapping back Melih Gokcimen whose angular effort was easily blocked by the rival goalie Jacob Clark.

New Zealand, who counter-attacked on occasions, tried to take advantage of a none-too-sure Turkey defense and saw Kingsley Sinclair hook a ball while off balance just wide of the left post off a feed from Elijah Just.

This was five minutes before the superb headed goal by Kutucu, who is registered with German club F C Schalke 04, as he rose and met the excellent corner kick taken from the right by Kesgin to bulge the right corner of the net.

Kutucu was soon afterwards booked for rough play but continued to harass the New Zealand defense with his skilful play and could have scored again in the 39th minute but for Clark blocking his shot taken from well inside the box.

The change of ends saw New Zealand mount some attacks but it was Turkey who came close to scoring in the 51st minute when captain Recep Gul advanced into the box to meet a cross from the right but his stiff left footed essay was blocked by Kiwi custodian Clark.

The hard work of the Kiwis finally paid dividends when an unmarked Mata took advantage of a leaky defense by running forward to meet a short free-kick taken by midfielder Just and beat Turkey goalkeeper Berke Ozer with a left-footed shot.

Mata was soon afterwards booked for a foul and then a stray dog entered the playing area to stop the game for a brief.

Turkey made three changes by replacing Kutucu, Karaahmet and then Gokcimen, but could not cobble the sort of attacking moves with which they repeatedly troubled their rivals in the first half.

In fact, Turkey&#39;s defense looked vulnerable and their citadel could have fallen again had Spragg not booted over a cross from the left from Mata with none to challenge him.

Turkey was fortunate not to concede a second goal when creative New Zealand media Just hooked a left-footed shot on- the-run that hit the left post and rebounded into play.

At the other end, Turkey captain Kesgin&#39;s shot from well outside the penalty box was stopped by Clark.

New Zealand came from a goal down to draw 1-1 against Turkey in the opening Group B match of the FIFA U-17 World Cup at the D Y Patil Stadium. Turkey was given a 18th minute lead by striker Ahmed Kutucu through a headed goal which was neutralised in the 58th minute by New Zealand captain Max Mata. Incidentally, the two countries had drawn 1-1 in their only previous encounter in the tournament eight years ago. Turkey, making their third appearance in this tournament, appeared the more skillful team in the first half and their quick passing game had the Kiwis under a lot of pressure as unseasonal rains welcomed both the sides. But New Zealand, who have made the tournament proper for the eighth time and sixth in a row, came into their own in the second half to equalise and even dominated play for a prolonged spell. The Turks' forward duo of Ahmed Kutucu, who opened their account in the 18th minute with a headed goal, and Malik Karaahmet got splendid support from the mid-field in which Kerem Kesgin and Atalay Babacan stole the show in the first half. In the eighth minute itself, the New Zealand goal came under a lot of pressure following a speedy left flank run by overlapping back Melih Gokcimen whose angular effort was easily blocked by the rival goalie Jacob Clark. New Zealand, who counter-attacked on occasions, tried to take advantage of a none-too-sure Turkey defense and saw Kingsley Sinclair hook a ball while off balance just wide of the left post off a feed from Elijah Just. This was five minutes before the superb headed goal by Kutucu, who is registered with German club F C Schalke 04, as he rose and met the excellent corner kick taken from the right by Kesgin to bulge the right corner of the net. Kutucu was soon afterwards booked for rough play but continued to harass the New Zealand defense with his skilful play and could have scored again in the 39th minute but for Clark blocking his shot taken from well inside the box. The change of ends saw New Zealand mount some attacks but it was Turkey who came close to scoring in the 51st minute when captain Recep Gul advanced into the box to meet a cross from the right but his stiff left footed essay was blocked by Kiwi custodian Clark. The hard work of the Kiwis finally paid dividends when an unmarked Mata took advantage of a leaky defense by running forward to meet a short free-kick taken by midfielder Just and beat Turkey goalkeeper Berke Ozer with a left-footed shot. Mata was soon afterwards booked for a foul and then a stray dog entered the playing area to stop the game for a brief. Turkey made three changes by replacing Kutucu, Karaahmet and then Gokcimen, but could not cobble the sort of attacking moves with which they repeatedly troubled their rivals in the first half. In fact, Turkey's defense looked vulnerable and their citadel could have fallen again had Spragg not booted over a cross from the left from Mata with none to challenge him. Turkey was fortunate not to concede a second goal when creative New Zealand media Just hooked a left-footed shot on- the-run that hit the left post and rebounded into play. At the other end, Turkey captain Kesgin's shot from well outside the penalty box was stopped by Clark.

U-17 World Cup: New Zealand rally to hold Turkey to draw

Germany&nbsp;fired six past Norway while England fought back after an early scare to beat Slovakia in European&nbsp;World&nbsp;Cup&nbsp;qualifying on Monday.

Timo Werner scored a double in&nbsp;Germany&#39;s 6-0 rout of the Norwegians in Stuttgart to leave Joachim Loew&#39;s&nbsp;world&nbsp;champions with a perfect eight out of eight record atop Group C.

But with second-placed Northern Ireland beating the Czech Republic 2-0 in Belfast&nbsp;Germany&nbsp;will have to wait until their next match, away to the Irish on October 5, to seal automatic qualification to Russia.

Werner, booed by his own fans in&nbsp;Germany&#39;s 2-1 win in Prague against the Czechs last Friday, came off to a standing ovation this time after netting in the 21st and 40th minutes.

After struggling to beat the Czechs, this was a far more polished performance, with Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil&#39;s 10th-minute opener sparking the rout.

Paris Saint-Germain star Julian Draxler netted the second with Werner&#39;s brace putting them four goals up at the break.

Schalke midfielder Leon Goretzka grabbed&nbsp;Germany&#39;s fifth with Werner&#39;s replacement, the 32-year-old veteran Mario Gomez, rounding off a productive night.

It was the perfect antidote after Friday&#39;s laboured trip to Prague marred by a group of 200 right-wing German fans chanting Nazi-era slogans.

&quot;That showed the beautiful side of football,&quot; said head coach Loew, who had said Friday&#39;s scenes in Prague &quot;shamed&nbsp;Germany&quot;, following Werner&#39;s ovation after his two goals.

&quot;It was a huge amount of fun to play here and we played our part in that with some great combinations and goals.&quot;

The Northern Irish guaranteed themselves at least a place in the play-offs thanks to Jonny Evans&#39; second international goal eight years after his first and his West Bromwich Albion teammate Chris Brunt&#39;s 41st minute freekick.

&quot;I thought I might have been offside,&quot; Evans admitted. &quot;I thought I&#39;d head it anyway and see what happens. I saw it go into the net and I don&#39;t remember much after that!&quot;

Manager Michael O&#39;Neill praised his men after yet another solid defensive display.

&quot;We&#39;re in a great position now. We&#39;re guaranteed second place and seven clean sheets out of eight is a phenomenal record.&quot;

At Wembley, England were stunned when Stanislav Lobotka gave Slovakia a third-minute lead after a costly error by Marcus Rashford.

But the 19-year-old atoned in style when setting up the equaliser for Eric Dier and then netting a sumptuous 20-yard winner in the second half.

Victory sent England five points clear of Slovakia in Group F -- Gareth Southgate&#39;s side need only two points from their last two games against Slovenia and Lithuania to seal qualification.

&quot;To come from behind against a side with very good footballers, particularly in midfield, we had to show character,&quot; said Southgate.

&quot;Marcus Rashford showed, like the rest of the team, great character. He made the mistake for their goal, but he kept persevering.&quot;

Scotland kept alive their hopes of a play-off place with a 2-0 home win over Malta, the goals coming from Christophe Berra and Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths.

Gordan Strachan&#39;s team are alive and kicking on the road to Russia in fourth place, on 14 points.

Elsewhere, Poland held on to the Group E summit, beating Kazakhstan 3-0, with Denmark going second on the strength of a 4-1 win in Armenia.

Germany?fired six past Norway while England fought back after an early scare to beat Slovakia in European?World?Cup?qualifying

Germany fired six past Norway while England fought back after an early scare to beat Slovakia in European World Cup qualifying on Monday. Timo Werner scored a double in Germany's 6-0 rout of the Norwegians in Stuttgart to leave Joachim Loew's world champions with a perfect eight out of eight record atop Group C. But with second-placed Northern Ireland beating the Czech Republic 2-0 in Belfast Germany will have to wait until their next match, away to the Irish on October 5, to seal automatic qualification to Russia. Werner, booed by his own fans in Germany's 2-1 win in Prague against the Czechs last Friday, came off to a standing ovation this time after netting in the 21st and 40th minutes. After struggling to beat the Czechs, this was a far more polished performance, with Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil's 10th-minute opener sparking the rout. Paris Saint-Germain star Julian Draxler netted the second with Werner's brace putting them four goals up at the break. Schalke midfielder Leon Goretzka grabbed Germany's fifth with Werner's replacement, the 32-year-old veteran Mario Gomez, rounding off a productive night. It was the perfect antidote after Friday's laboured trip to Prague marred by a group of 200 right-wing German fans chanting Nazi-era slogans. "That showed the beautiful side of football," said head coach Loew, who had said Friday's scenes in Prague "shamed Germany", following Werner's ovation after his two goals. "It was a huge amount of fun to play here and we played our part in that with some great combinations and goals." The Northern Irish guaranteed themselves at least a place in the play-offs thanks to Jonny Evans' second international goal eight years after his first and his West Bromwich Albion teammate Chris Brunt's 41st minute freekick. "I thought I might have been offside," Evans admitted. "I thought I'd head it anyway and see what happens. I saw it go into the net and I don't remember much after that!" Manager Michael O'Neill praised his men after yet another solid defensive display. "We're in a great position now. We're guaranteed second place and seven clean sheets out of eight is a phenomenal record." At Wembley, England were stunned when Stanislav Lobotka gave Slovakia a third-minute lead after a costly error by Marcus Rashford. But the 19-year-old atoned in style when setting up the equaliser for Eric Dier and then netting a sumptuous 20-yard winner in the second half. Victory sent England five points clear of Slovakia in Group F -- Gareth Southgate's side need only two points from their last two games against Slovenia and Lithuania to seal qualification. "To come from behind against a side with very good footballers, particularly in midfield, we had to show character," said Southgate. "Marcus Rashford showed, like the rest of the team, great character. He made the mistake for their goal, but he kept persevering." Scotland kept alive their hopes of a play-off place with a 2-0 home win over Malta, the goals coming from Christophe Berra and Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths. Gordan Strachan's team are alive and kicking on the road to Russia in fourth place, on 14 points. Elsewhere, Poland held on to the Group E summit, beating Kazakhstan 3-0, with Denmark going second on the strength of a 4-1 win in Armenia.

World Cup qualifiers: Germany rout Norway, England survive Slovakia scare

A story claiming that six Arab nations had written to FIFA demanding that Qatar be stripped of the World Cup in 2022 was published on what appeared to be a fake version of a Swiss news website, the site&#39;s co-founder said on Sunday.

The report, carried on a website resembling The Local, included quotes purporting to be from FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Reuters published stories based on the report, which were subsequently withdrawn.

The fake story on The Local&nbsp;said that the six countries, which last month cut ties with Qatar, had collectively written to world soccer&#39;s governing body asking it to remove Qatar as hosts under Article 85 of the FIFA Code, which allows for such action in the case of emergency.

<h3><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uae-arranged-for-hacking-of-qatar-govt-sites-causing-diplomatic-row-washington-post-17984" target="_blank">Related Read:&nbsp;UAE arranged for hacking of Qatar gov&#39;t sites, causing diplomatic row: Washington Post</a></h3>

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&quot;The Local&#39;s staff neither wrote, published nor removed the article in question and The Local can therefore not vouch for any of the claims made,&quot; co-founder James Savage said in a statement on Sunday.

&quot;Our investigation so far indicates the article appeared on a fake site designed to look like The Local, and never appeared on The Local&#39;s own site.&quot;

The Local publishes in English and operates nine news sites across Europe.

Reuters published stories based on the report, which were subsequently withdrawn

A story claiming that six Arab nations had written to FIFA demanding that Qatar be stripped of the World Cup in 2022 was published on what appeared to be a fake version of a Swiss news website, the site's co-founder said on Sunday. The report, carried on a website resembling The Local, included quotes purporting to be from FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Reuters published stories based on the report, which were subsequently withdrawn. The fake story on The Local said that the six countries, which last month cut ties with Qatar, had collectively written to world soccer's governing body asking it to remove Qatar as hosts under Article 85 of the FIFA Code, which allows for such action in the case of emergency. Related Read: UAE arranged for hacking of Qatar gov't sites, causing diplomatic row: Washington Post "The Local's staff neither wrote, published nor removed the article in question and The Local can therefore not vouch for any of the claims made," co-founder James Savage said in a statement on Sunday. "Our investigation so far indicates the article appeared on a fake site designed to look like The Local, and never appeared on The Local's own site." The Local publishes in English and operates nine news sites across Europe.

Website says report of plot to strip Qatar of World Cup was 'fake'

Congratulatory messages are pouring in from every nook and corner of the country for the&nbsp;<a href="http://aninews.in/keysearch/keyword-search/indian-fifa-u-17-world-cup.html">Indian FIFA U-17 World Cup&nbsp;</a>football team who wrote a brand new chapter in the Indian football history by overpowering Italy U-17 national team 2-0 in a friendly match here on Friday.

Be it the flamboyant cricketer Virender Sehwag or an ardent football fan Abhishek Bachchan- nobody let the opportunity to praise the youngsters through their social media channels slip.

Taking to his official Twitter account, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports&nbsp;<a href="http://aninews.in/keysearch/keyword-search/vijay-goel.html">Vijay Goel</a>said,&quot;Great day! #India U-17 #football team defeats #Italy 2-0! Well done boys, proud of you all!&quot;

Former Indian opening batsman&nbsp;<a href="http://aninews.in/keysearch/keyword-search/virender-sehwag.html">Virender Sehwag</a>, who is famous for his witty remarks on Twitter apart from his explosive batting style, praised the Indian team for making `idli` out of Italy.

&quot;Yaay! We have beaten Italy.Congratulations to the under 17 @IndianFootball on the spectacular victory. Italy ki&nbsp;<a href="http://aninews.in/keysearch/keyword-search/idli.html">idli</a>&nbsp;ban gayi !,&quot; he added.

Aditya Thackeray comes out loud in support of Indian Football and time and again AIFF has expressed their gratitude towards this youthful vibrant leader.

The Mumbai-based leader urged everyone to watch the match before the kick-off and the avid football fan was following the action as it unfolded.

After Matos&#39; boys secured the victory, he could not hold his emotion back and congratulated the boys wholeheartedly.

&quot;Huge boost for India! @IndianFootball team of U17 lads won against Italy&#39;s Football Team of U17 2-0! Congratulations #IndianFootball&quot;

He added more: &quot;This win is a big win for India and a boost before the U17 World Cup in India! @IndianFootball&quot;

Praful Patel, President, All India Football Federation said,&quot;First entering the 100 club &amp; now India&#39;s U-17 Team beats Italy&#39;s U-17 Football Team. Way to go @IndianFootball #FIFAU17WC,&quot; Patel said.

Even the film industry didn&#39;t mince their words eulogizing the colts who pulled off the heroics last night.

<a href="http://aninews.in/keysearch/keyword-search/abhishek-bachchan.html">Abhishek Bachchan</a>, an ardent football fan, symbolised this victory as &quot;a sign of things to come.&quot;

&quot;Many congratulations to our Indian U-17 boys football team who beat Italy 2:0 today. Hope this is a sign of things to come. #BleedBlue&quot;

Stephen Constantine praised the entire team for the wonderful victory against the Azzurri.

&quot;Great result lads well done to the entire team&quot;, was what he tweeted yesterday following the 2-0 victory.

&#39;AIFF Player of the Year 2016&#39; Jeje Lalpekhlua who is going to hit the pitch tomorrow for Mohun Bagan in their quest for the second consecutive Hero Federation Cup, congratulated the boys for their astounding feat.

The lanky defender Sandesh Jhingan and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu also heaped their praises for the colts.

&quot;Congratulations to our u-17 @IndianFootball for this inspirational win, keep working hard and more results like this will come.My best wishes&quot;, was what Sandesh&#39;s twitter handle read yesterday.

Sunil Chhetri, who has already embossed his name as the highest scorer on the national colours for India, tweeted: &quot;Big result last night for our @IndianFootball U17s against Italy. Keep working hard and miracles will happen boys!&quot;

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, who has an all-win record as the National Team skipper until now, put a cosy picture of himself along with the U-17 squad on his official twitter handle and wrote: &quot;Good win for the @IndianFootball U-17 team against #<a href="http://aninews.in/keysearch/keyword-search/italy.html">&nbsp;Italy</a>&nbsp;U-17, im not surprised by it because i know these boys have the fight in them&quot;

The Asian Football Confederation lavished their praises for the Indian colts which would surely motivate them to scale a newer height in the near future.

&quot;A great result - well played India!&quot;

Earlier, Abhijit Sarkar (31st minute) and Rahul Praveen (80th) scored for the Indians either side of the break.

The match was part of the exposure tour of Europe for the Indian boys as they gear up for the FIFA&nbsp;U-17 World Cup to be held in India later this year.

<a href="http://aninews.in/" target="_blank">(ANI)</a>

Congratulatory messages poured in from all quarters for Friday's performance

Congratulatory messages are pouring in from every nook and corner of the country for the Indian FIFA U-17 World Cup football team who wrote a brand new chapter in the Indian football history by overpowering Italy U-17 national team 2-0 in a friendly match here on Friday. Be it the flamboyant cricketer Virender Sehwag or an ardent football fan Abhishek Bachchan- nobody let the opportunity to praise the youngsters through their social media channels slip. Taking to his official Twitter account, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Vijay Goelsaid,"Great day! #India U-17 #football team defeats #Italy 2-0! Well done boys, proud of you all!" Former Indian opening batsman Virender Sehwag, who is famous for his witty remarks on Twitter apart from his explosive batting style, praised the Indian team for making `idli` out of Italy. "Yaay! We have beaten Italy.Congratulations to the under 17 @IndianFootball on the spectacular victory. Italy ki idli ban gayi !," he added. Aditya Thackeray comes out loud in support of Indian Football and time and again AIFF has expressed their gratitude towards this youthful vibrant leader. The Mumbai-based leader urged everyone to watch the match before the kick-off and the avid football fan was following the action as it unfolded. After Matos' boys secured the victory, he could not hold his emotion back and congratulated the boys wholeheartedly. "Huge boost for India! @IndianFootball team of U17 lads won against Italy's Football Team of U17 2-0! Congratulations #IndianFootball" He added more: "This win is a big win for India and a boost before the U17 World Cup in India! @IndianFootball" Praful Patel, President, All India Football Federation said,"First entering the 100 club & now India's U-17 Team beats Italy's U-17 Football Team. Way to go @IndianFootball #FIFAU17WC," Patel said. Even the film industry didn't mince their words eulogizing the colts who pulled off the heroics last night. Abhishek Bachchan, an ardent football fan, symbolised this victory as "a sign of things to come." "Many congratulations to our Indian U-17 boys football team who beat Italy 2:0 today. Hope this is a sign of things to come. #BleedBlue" Stephen Constantine praised the entire team for the wonderful victory against the Azzurri. "Great result lads well done to the entire team", was what he tweeted yesterday following the 2-0 victory. 'AIFF Player of the Year 2016' Jeje Lalpekhlua who is going to hit the pitch tomorrow for Mohun Bagan in their quest for the second consecutive Hero Federation Cup, congratulated the boys for their astounding feat. The lanky defender Sandesh Jhingan and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu also heaped their praises for the colts. "Congratulations to our u-17 @IndianFootball for this inspirational win, keep working hard and more results like this will come.My best wishes", was what Sandesh's twitter handle read yesterday. Sunil Chhetri, who has already embossed his name as the highest scorer on the national colours for India, tweeted: "Big result last night for our @IndianFootball U17s against Italy. Keep working hard and miracles will happen boys!" Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, who has an all-win record as the National Team skipper until now, put a cosy picture of himself along with the U-17 squad on his official twitter handle and wrote: "Good win for the @IndianFootball U-17 team against # Italy U-17, im not surprised by it because i know these boys have the fight in them" The Asian Football Confederation lavished their praises for the Indian colts which would surely motivate them to scale a newer height in the near future. "A great result - well played India!" Earlier, Abhijit Sarkar (31st minute) and Rahul Praveen (80th) scored for the Indians either side of the break. The match was part of the exposure tour of Europe for the Indian boys as they gear up for the FIFA U-17 World Cup to be held in India later this year. (ANI)

Football: India beat Italy 2-0 in FIFA U-17 World Cup preparation

FIFA announced its proposed slot allocation for the expanded 48-team World Cup on Thursday, including an automatic place for Oceania, 16 places for Europe - up from 13 - and a six-team inter-zonal playoff tournament for two more spots.

The proposals will be submitted to the FIFA Council at its next full meeting in Bahrain in May for a final decision, FIFA said.

Under the proposal, made by the FIFA Bureau, for the enlarged tournament beginning in 2026, Europe would get 16 direct places, Africa nine, Asia eight, South America six, CONCACAF six and Oceania one, totalling 46 teams.

The host nation would qualify automatically and its slot would be taken from the allocation of its confederation.

In the most innovative part of the proposal, the two remaining places would be decided by a six-team playoff tournament which would take place in the World Cup host nation, possibly in the November before the finals, FIFA said.

That tournament would include one team from each confederation, except UEFA, and an extra one from the continent of the host country.

FIFA decided in January to increase the tournament from 32 teams to 48.

The current allocation is 13 places to Europe, five to Africa, four to Asia and South America and three to CONCACAF.

Asia, South America, CONCACAF and Oceania also get a place in two inter-zonal playoffs.

The proposal shows how football has grown around the world over the last 40 years.

As recently as 1978, when the World Cup had only 16 teams, Africa and CONCACAF were given only one place each while Asia and Oceania had to share one place between them.

According to the FIFA world rankings, the top nine teams in Africa currently include Burkina Faso, who have never played at a World Cup, and Democratic Republic of Congo, who took part only once as Zaire in 1974.

CONCACAF&#39;S top six include Panama and Haiti while St Kitts and Nevis are seventh.

Asia&#39;s top eight include Uzbekistan and Qatar while China are ninth and Syria 10th.

(Reuters)

There'll be an automatic place for Oceania, 16 places for Europe - up from 13 - and a six-team inter-zonal playoff tournament for two slots

FIFA announced its proposed slot allocation for the expanded 48-team World Cup on Thursday, including an automatic place for Oceania, 16 places for Europe - up from 13 - and a six-team inter-zonal playoff tournament for two more spots. The proposals will be submitted to the FIFA Council at its next full meeting in Bahrain in May for a final decision, FIFA said. Under the proposal, made by the FIFA Bureau, for the enlarged tournament beginning in 2026, Europe would get 16 direct places, Africa nine, Asia eight, South America six, CONCACAF six and Oceania one, totalling 46 teams. The host nation would qualify automatically and its slot would be taken from the allocation of its confederation. In the most innovative part of the proposal, the two remaining places would be decided by a six-team playoff tournament which would take place in the World Cup host nation, possibly in the November before the finals, FIFA said. That tournament would include one team from each confederation, except UEFA, and an extra one from the continent of the host country. FIFA decided in January to increase the tournament from 32 teams to 48. The current allocation is 13 places to Europe, five to Africa, four to Asia and South America and three to CONCACAF. Asia, South America, CONCACAF and Oceania also get a place in two inter-zonal playoffs. The proposal shows how football has grown around the world over the last 40 years. As recently as 1978, when the World Cup had only 16 teams, Africa and CONCACAF were given only one place each while Asia and Oceania had to share one place between them. According to the FIFA world rankings, the top nine teams in Africa currently include Burkina Faso, who have never played at a World Cup, and Democratic Republic of Congo, who took part only once as Zaire in 1974. CONCACAF'S top six include Panama and Haiti while St Kitts and Nevis are seventh. Asia's top eight include Uzbekistan and Qatar while China are ninth and Syria 10th. (Reuters)

FIFA unveils new slot-allocation for 48-team World Cup in 2026

Wales conceded an agonising late equaliser as Serbia battled to a 1-1 draw in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday as former champions Italy and Spain both won 4-0.

Earlier Saturday, the Republic of Ireland has stunned Austria 1-0 in Vienna and are top of Group D on 10 points, with Serbia second on eight and Wales third on six.

Gareth Bale rocketed Wales into a 30th-minute lead in Cardiff after Hal Robson-Kanu dispossessed Matija Nastasic and fed the ball to the Real Madrid forward, who cracked home a powerful snap shot to make it 1-0.

But Aleksander Mitrovic was fastest to react with four red shirts around him when Antonio Rukavina whipped in an inviting cross to level for the visitors late in the game.

&quot;It was a disappointing result, we feel like we threw away two points. We&#39;re at home, 1-0 up after 85 minutes, it`s two points lost,&quot; Bale admitted after the game.

Just moments before Serbia had levelled, Bale had seen a snapshot come agonisingly back off the post.

Wales coach Chris Coleman was less disappointed and was looking down the road.&nbsp;

&quot;We are four points behind Ireland but we play them twice,&quot; he said. &quot;We have a massive chance. Tonight the boys deserved all three points.&quot;

It was the third game in a row the Welsh have gone ahead only to draw.

&quot;We can be proud of ourselves. We are on the right track. Today we can be happy with one point,&quot; said Serbia captain Branislav Ivanovic.

The Irish top Group D thanks to a James McClean strike three minutes after half-time in Vienna.

&quot;This is going to be a very tight finish. But this has been a splendid start for us and we are delighted with the 10 points,&quot; said Ireland boss Martin O`Neill.

Spain and Italy continue to set the pace at the helm in Group G and both have 10 points.

Spain played at Granada where Macedonia`s Darko Velkovski scored a 34th minute own goal before Votolo on 63 minutes, Nacho Monreal (83) and veteran striker Aritz Aduriz (85) gave them a comfortable win.&nbsp;

Taking on minnows Liechtenstein, Italy&#39;s Anfrea Belotti scored either side of strikes from Ciro Imobile and Antonio Candreva.

Eran Zahavi converted an 18th-minute penalty to set Israel on their way with Dan Einbinder and Eliran Atar making sure they beat Albania 3-0 in Tirana.

Iceland failed to replicate their Euro 2016 heroics in a 2-0 defeat in Croatia in Group I.

Croatia grabbed the lead after 15 minutes through Inter Milan midfielder Marcelo Brozovic, but it was Iceland who took control after that in Zagreb, where the game was played out in front of empty stands after a FIFA stadium ban.

Despite having plenty of the ball in both halves, Iceland failed to make the crucial breakthrough.

And the home side punished them in injury time, Brozovic again doing the damage against the run of play.

Croatia, now top of the group with 10 points from four games, finished the match with 10 men after Ivan Perisic was sent off at the death.

Also in Group I, Turkey revived their slim hopes of making it to Russia in 2018 with a 2-0 home victory over Kosovo in Antalya.

Burak Yilmaz and Volkan Sen scored within four minutes of one another in the second half to leave Kosovo bottom on just a solitary point.

Georgia and Moldova played out a 1-1 draw in Tbilisi to remain rooted in the bottom two spots in Group D.

(AFP)

Serbia's Aleksander Mitrovic scored late in the match to push Wales down to third in the group

Wales conceded an agonising late equaliser as Serbia battled to a 1-1 draw in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday as former champions Italy and Spain both won 4-0. Earlier Saturday, the Republic of Ireland has stunned Austria 1-0 in Vienna and are top of Group D on 10 points, with Serbia second on eight and Wales third on six. Gareth Bale rocketed Wales into a 30th-minute lead in Cardiff after Hal Robson-Kanu dispossessed Matija Nastasic and fed the ball to the Real Madrid forward, who cracked home a powerful snap shot to make it 1-0. But Aleksander Mitrovic was fastest to react with four red shirts around him when Antonio Rukavina whipped in an inviting cross to level for the visitors late in the game. "It was a disappointing result, we feel like we threw away two points. We're at home, 1-0 up after 85 minutes, it`s two points lost," Bale admitted after the game. Just moments before Serbia had levelled, Bale had seen a snapshot come agonisingly back off the post. Wales coach Chris Coleman was less disappointed and was looking down the road. "We are four points behind Ireland but we play them twice," he said. "We have a massive chance. Tonight the boys deserved all three points." It was the third game in a row the Welsh have gone ahead only to draw. "We can be proud of ourselves. We are on the right track. Today we can be happy with one point," said Serbia captain Branislav Ivanovic. The Irish top Group D thanks to a James McClean strike three minutes after half-time in Vienna. "This is going to be a very tight finish. But this has been a splendid start for us and we are delighted with the 10 points," said Ireland boss Martin O`Neill. Spain and Italy continue to set the pace at the helm in Group G and both have 10 points. Spain played at Granada where Macedonia`s Darko Velkovski scored a 34th minute own goal before Votolo on 63 minutes, Nacho Monreal (83) and veteran striker Aritz Aduriz (85) gave them a comfortable win. Taking on minnows Liechtenstein, Italy's Anfrea Belotti scored either side of strikes from Ciro Imobile and Antonio Candreva. Eran Zahavi converted an 18th-minute penalty to set Israel on their way with Dan Einbinder and Eliran Atar making sure they beat Albania 3-0 in Tirana. Iceland failed to replicate their Euro 2016 heroics in a 2-0 defeat in Croatia in Group I. Croatia grabbed the lead after 15 minutes through Inter Milan midfielder Marcelo Brozovic, but it was Iceland who took control after that in Zagreb, where the game was played out in front of empty stands after a FIFA stadium ban. Despite having plenty of the ball in both halves, Iceland failed to make the crucial breakthrough. And the home side punished them in injury time, Brozovic again doing the damage against the run of play. Croatia, now top of the group with 10 points from four games, finished the match with 10 men after Ivan Perisic was sent off at the death. Also in Group I, Turkey revived their slim hopes of making it to Russia in 2018 with a 2-0 home victory over Kosovo in Antalya. Burak Yilmaz and Volkan Sen scored within four minutes of one another in the second half to leave Kosovo bottom on just a solitary point. Georgia and Moldova played out a 1-1 draw in Tbilisi to remain rooted in the bottom two spots in Group D. (AFP)

FIFA World Cup qualifiers: Spain, Italy win big, Wales held

FIFA&#39;s ethics committee today banned Wolfgang Niersbach, former president of the German Football Association (DFB), for one year over misconduct surrounding the country&#39;s successful 2006 World Cup bid. 
 
&quot;Mr Niersbach has been banned for one year from all football-related activities,&quot; a statement from FIFA&#39;s in-house court said, noting that the German official &quot;failed to report findings about possible misconduct concerning the awarding of the 2006 FIFA World Cup&quot;. 
 
Niersbach served as vice-president of the 2006 World Cup organising committee. 
 
He resigned from the German federation last November amid accusations that the DFB used a slush fund of 10 million Swiss francs (6.7 million euros, $8 million, according to the exchange rate at that time) in 2000 to buy the right to host the tournament. 
 
The 65-year-old has said he will now consider whether to appeal the decision. &quot;This decision hits me very hard,&quot; Niersbach told SID, an AFP subsidiary. 
 
&quot;I think this sanction is inappropriate and over the top.&quot; &quot;I will let my lawyer advise me as to whether I will appeal against the decision.&quot; 
 
&quot;After the hearing in Zurich, I was confident that the Ethics Commission would impose no sanction. I have once again acknowledged and regretted my mistakes.&quot; 
 
Niersbach had insisted that quitting his job should have been punishment enough because he was not directly accused of paying bribes or financially benefitting from corruption. 
 
FIFA prosecutors sought a two-year ban, however, arguing that Niersbach should have spoken up sooner when he learned of possible wrongdoing. 
 
The ethics committee suspension will force his immediate removal from posts he currently holds on the FIFA Council and UEFA executive committee. 
 
FIFA opened a probe on March 22 targeting six people including Niersbach and Franz Beckenbauer, the German football legend and World Cup organising committee chief, over their roles in the bidding process, amid allegations of bribery. 
 
The FIFA investigation followed the release of a report commissioned by the DFB which found that Germany may have bought votes to secure the tournament. 
 
The report linked Beckenbauer to a suspect deal with disgraced former FIFA bigwig Jack Warner. 
 
(AFP)

FIFA prosecutors sought a two-year ban, however, arguing that Niersbach should have spoken up sooner when he learned of possible wrongdoing

FIFA's ethics committee today banned Wolfgang Niersbach, former president of the German Football Association (DFB), for one year over misconduct surrounding the country's successful 2006 World Cup bid. "Mr Niersbach has been banned for one year from all football-related activities," a statement from FIFA's in-house court said, noting that the German official "failed to report findings about possible misconduct concerning the awarding of the 2006 FIFA World Cup". Niersbach served as vice-president of the 2006 World Cup organising committee. He resigned from the German federation last November amid accusations that the DFB used a slush fund of 10 million Swiss francs (6.7 million euros, $8 million, according to the exchange rate at that time) in 2000 to buy the right to host the tournament. The 65-year-old has said he will now consider whether to appeal the decision. "This decision hits me very hard," Niersbach told SID, an AFP subsidiary. "I think this sanction is inappropriate and over the top." "I will let my lawyer advise me as to whether I will appeal against the decision." "After the hearing in Zurich, I was confident that the Ethics Commission would impose no sanction. I have once again acknowledged and regretted my mistakes." Niersbach had insisted that quitting his job should have been punishment enough because he was not directly accused of paying bribes or financially benefitting from corruption. FIFA prosecutors sought a two-year ban, however, arguing that Niersbach should have spoken up sooner when he learned of possible wrongdoing. The ethics committee suspension will force his immediate removal from posts he currently holds on the FIFA Council and UEFA executive committee. FIFA opened a probe on March 22 targeting six people including Niersbach and Franz Beckenbauer, the German football legend and World Cup organising committee chief, over their roles in the bidding process, amid allegations of bribery. The FIFA investigation followed the release of a report commissioned by the DFB which found that Germany may have bought votes to secure the tournament. The report linked Beckenbauer to a suspect deal with disgraced former FIFA bigwig Jack Warner. (AFP)

FIFA bans former German boss Wolfgang Niersbach

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