ERASMIA: Midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger said on Sunday Germany`s rising stars have the potential to become future World Cup winners after finishing third at the World Cup finals."We have come even closer to the top five teams in the world, there is a bit of a tear in my eye thinking of

BRISTOL:  Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza hailed his players` perseverance after they won for the first time in 2010 with a maiden victory over England here on Saturday. The Tigers beat England by five runs in thrilling fashion to win the second one-day international and so end a

PORT ELIZABETH: Germany coach Joachim Loew insisted on Saturday that there have been no talks over a new contract which would keep him at the helm of the team he led to third place at the World Cup. "There have been no negotiations for the moment. I need calm and time to go over things

PORT ELIZABETH: Joachim Loew hailed Germany`s spirit after they came from behind to defeat Uruguay 3-2 in a thrilling game on Saturday and secure third place at the World Cup. "In the second half, when we were forced to dig deep, we saw the mental strength the team had to resist and then

PORT ELIZABETH: Sami Khedira`s 82nd-minute header earned Germany a 3-2 victory in a rousing and rain-soaked World Cup third-place play-off match here on Saturday. The Stuttgart midfielder rose to nod the ball beyond Fernando Muslera after Uruguay failed to clear a late corner, while

BRISTOL: Bangladesh won for the first time in 21 matches and enjoyed their first victory over England in any format with a stunning five-run success in the second one-day international here on Saturday. They defended a seemingly below par total of 236 to bowl England out for 231 with

SREBRENICA: FIFA has rejected a demand to mark the 15th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre before the World Cup final, a non-governmental group said Saturday.   Bosnia`s branch of the Germany-based Society for Threatened Peoples (GfbV) had called on FIFA to hold a minute`s silence

PRETORIA: Olympics chief Jacques Rogge Saturday said South Africa had made the continent proud by hosting the World Cup on the eve of the final between the Netherlands and Spain.   "It is something that will be remembered for a very long time. It will make all Africa proud and the

CAPE TOWN: A British journalist accused of harbouring a World Cup fan who entered the England team`s locker-room paid a fine for fiddling a hotel register, a court heard Saturday.   British tabloid newspaper journalist Simon Wright paid a nearly 100 dollar fine after pleading guilty to

JOHANNESBURG: Colombian superstar Shakira said Saturday that following the World Cup in South Africa has made her "a football fanatic."   "I really never in my life imagined that I would go straight to the sports section in the newspaper," she told journalists ahead of Sunday`s final.

AMBON: One Indonesian was killed and two wounded in World Cup-related violence as rival sets of fans clashed Saturday, police said Saturday.   Violence broke out between two groups of villagers on Maluku island and several houses were set on fire.   It was not immediately clear

JOHANNESBURG: Every World Cup final is like a walk on the precipice of history.An abyss of despondency awaits the team that slips, joy unconfined for the one that retains its footing, and never has the gulf between the two outcomes been as great as it will be at the conclusion of Spain`s

BRASILIA: Former Brazil coach Dunga insisted on Friday that he was not responsible for the team`s disappointing World Cup, which ended in quarter-final elimination.Dunga, who was sacked on his return to the country, is also adamant that his players did all they could to win a sixth World

JOHANNESBURG: South Africa began its long farewell to the World Cup with a celebration parade Friday through the streets of Soweto, two days ahead of the decisive final between the Netherlands and Spain.Four brightly coloured floats inspired by football themes made a three-kilometre

JOHANNESBURG: French football legend Michel Platini was rushed to hospital in South Africa on Friday but medical checks showed no signs of a heart attack, football governing body FIFA said.Platini, 55, president of European football`s governing body UEFA since January 2007, complained of

ERASMIA: Germany midfielder Thomas Mueller is the favourite to be voted the best young player at South Africa 2010 - but has admitted winning the World Cup would have been a better prize.   The 20-year-old has been short-listed by a FIFA committee for the award - won by team-mate Lukas

ATTERIDGEVILLE: Germany have been hit with flu worries as well as concerns over the fitness of star striker Miroslav Klose ahead of Saturday`s World Cup third place play-off against Uruguay, team sources said on Friday.Coach Joachim Loew is suffering from the flu - and so are skipper

OBERHAUSEN: Let the fiesta begin. Spain will win the football World Cup for the first time in their history on Sunday, according to Paul, the "psychic" octopus with a perfect prediction record.The eight-legged oracle, who has become a World Cup sensation by correctly predicting all six

POTCHEFSTROOM: Veteran defender Carles Puyol, whose headed goal took Spain into the World Cup final, will make a decision on his international future after Sunday`s title showdown with Holland."What faces us is beautiful and after that will be the time to think," the 32-year-old Puyol

POTCHEFSTROOM: Veteran defender Carles Puyol, whose headed goal took Spain into the World Cup final, will make a decision on his international future after Sunday`s title showdown with Holland."What faces us is beautiful and after that will be the time to think," the 32-year-old Puyol