FIFA Puskas Award 2009: Most Beautiful Goal of the Year

It's obviously that time of the year. A time for giving. A time for recieving. And a time for voting. As well as FIFA World Player of the Year, UEFA Team of the Year and so on, perhaps the most interesting of all will be who wins the inaugural FIFA Puskas Award, given to the scorer of the 'most beautiful' goal between July 2008 and July 2009. With goals from Iniesta and Torres among the ten, my vote would probably go to Grafite for his effort against Bayern Munich back in April. Actually having said that, taking into account the occasion and significance, maybe Iniesta should get it!

READ ON TO SEE VIDEOS OF ALL THE GOALS:

FIFA 2010 World Cup Draw: Spain are laughing

Well there it is. Vicente Del Bosque will sleep well tonight as his Spain side successfully avoided Portugal and France in the World Cup draw, and instead will have to negotiate a group that contains Switzerland (16th June), Honduras (21st June) and Chile (25th June). Out of those three matches, only Chile can be expected to pose problems for 'La Roja'. But once they reach the knockout stages things begin to get a little complicated. Brazil, Ivory Coast and Portugal are potential opponents in the second round, although if both Spain and Brazil manage to top their groups, they wouldnt meet until the final. Interesting.

Spain on Top of the World: FIFA FIFPRO World XI 2009

On the day that Spain were officially unveiled as FIFA's top ranked country, the governing body also released the names of 55 footballers who make up the shortlist for a FIFA FIFPRO World XI for 2009. Spain contribute the most stars with a total of 11 coming from 'La Roja', followed by Brazil with 8 and England/Italy with 7 each. Over 50,000 professional players from around the world will choose their favourite players for each position, and the XI will be announced in Zurich on December 21st.

Pick your best eleven out of this lot.

GOALKEEPERS: Gianluigi Buffon (Italy/Juventus), Iker Casillas (Spain/Real Madrid), Julio Cesar (Brazil/Inter), Pepe Reina (Spain/Liverpool), Edwin van der Sar (Holland/Manchester United)

DEFENDERS: Dani Alves (Brazil/Barcelona), Fabio Cannavaro (Italy/Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Italy/Juventus), Gaël Clichy (France/Arsenal), Ashley Cole (England/Chelsea), Patrice Evra (France/Manchester United) Rio Ferdinand (England/Manchester United), Fabio Grosso (Italy/Juventus), Glen Johnson (England/Liverpool), Philipp Lahm (Germany/Bayern Munich), Lucio (Brazil/Inter), Maicon (Brazil/Inter), Alessandro Nesta (Italy/AC Milan), Pepe (Portugal/Real Madrid), Gerard Piqué (Spain/Barcelona), Carles Puyol (Spain/Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Spain/Real Madrid), Walter Samuel (Argentina/Inter), John Terry (England/Chelsea), Nemanja Vidic (Serbia/Manchester United)

MIDFIELDERS: Xabi Alonso (Spain/Real Madrid), Michael Ballack (Germany/Chelsea), Daniele De Rossi (Italy/AS Roma), Diego (Brazil/Juventus), Michael Essien (Ghana/Chelsea), Cesc Fabregas (Spain/Arsenal), Steven Gerrard (England/Liverpool), Ryan Giggs (Wales/Manchester United), Andrès Iniesta (Spain/Barcelona), Kaká (Brazil/Real Madrid), Frank Lampard (England/Chelsea), Andrea Pirlo (Italy/AC Milan), Franck Ribéry (France/Bayern Munich), Yaya Touré (Ivory Coast/Barcelona), Xavi (Spain/Barcelona).

FORWARDS: Nicolas Anelka (France/Chelsea), Andrei Arshavin (Russia/Arsenal), Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast/Chelsea), Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon/Inter), Luís Fabiano(Brazil/Sevilla), Thierry Henry (France/Barcelona), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden/Barcelona), Lionel Messi (Argentina/Barcelona), Diego Milito (Argentina/Inter), Alexandre Pato (Brazil/AC Milan), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Real Madrid), Wayne Rooney (England/Manchester United), Fernando Torres (Spain/Liverpool), David Villa (Spain/Valencia).

France v Ireland: 'Le Hand of God' - Who is to blame?

Short of writing off yesterdays match in favour of a replay, there is absolutely nothing that anyone can say or do that will make Irish players and fans feel any better. Even here in Spain we have the predictable public and media outcry after Thierry Henry handled the ball into his path to allow him to square it to Gallas for the winning goal. Emotions are running high and people want blood, especially those from the Emerald Isle. It was a gut-wrenching experience to see the Ireland team fall to their knees on the Parisian turf at the final whistle. They were cheated out of a chance to go to the World Cup through a penalty shootout, which at the end of the day was the least they deserved. As the witchhunt unfolds across the footballing world, fingers are being jabbed all over the place, but who is really to blame for this mess?


Monsieur Henry? The ex-gunner is getting an absolute pasting from fans and press all over the world. How could he do such a thing? How can anyone ever have any respect for this man again? Ban him from the World Cup! Absolute nonsense. Thierry cheated in the heat of the moment, but he has readily admitted he handled the ball. You cannot condone what he did, nor his overelaborate celebrations after, but had Robbie Keane done the same I am sure the Irish would have taken it: it's the harsh reality of the matter. Besides, what can he do once the goal has been allowed? NOT GUILTY (But poor show Thierry)

The Referee? Martin Hansson must have feared the worst when he tucked himself into bed last night, and you can only imagine the relief when he saw the morning papers full of stories about FIFA and Henry. Not only did the French striker handle the ball but two attacking players were offside when the free kick came in. How could he and his team miss all that? Was it some form of unconscious compensation after denying France a contentious penalty shout moments earlier? The truth is they cocked up big time, and when all is said and done the goal was allowed by him and him only. Of course it was a human error on his part, he's not the devil reincarnated, but in most professions you get the boot if you don't do your job properly. There are reports that the press in his home country Sweden have called for him to be banned from international refereeing, and I have to say I support that recommendation. GUILTY.

FIFA? Michel Platini and his jolly band of FIFA comissioners are looking as clueless and ineffective as ever. The argument over cameras in football has been raging for some time and their abject failure to make a firm decision either way is only serving to fan the flames. I can't really understand the arguments against camera technology, such as those that state cameras would slow the game down; players feign injury and waste time for fun. I even lean slightly towards the notion that football wouldn't be as entertaining without these faux pas. But having an assistant sat next to a screen who can make a decision in a split second and relay any foul play or poor decisions to the ref if requested wouldn't do the game any harm. But arguments aside, if it's a no for cameras, FIFA should say no and close the matter. Otherwise get on and do something about it. And this is before we even start with their farcical decision to seed the playoffs which was a disgraceful attempt to maximise FIFA profits. GUILTY.

There are calls to replay the match from the Irish FA, but as much as I'd like to see it happen, it would open a whole can of worms that probably isn't worth going into and FIFA would never have the nerve to allow it. The controversy will roar on, but when the dust settles it will be France travelling to South Africa and Ireland watching it at home. As people search for a scapegoat, Thierry Henry is an easy target for a media storm caused by inaction from FIFA and a sub-standard ref. Yes, he committed the crime but it is those who let him get away with it who are more culpable.