Soccer Betting - Asian Handicap Secret

Many bookmakers offer Asian Handicap Markets as an alternative to the traditional ?1X2? betting markets. If you take your punting seriously, you should include or develop Asian Handicaps into your punting strategies and explore using it as a viable alternative to 1X2 betting.

When betting on Asian Handicap, there are only two options ? to give handicap or to receive handicap. I personally feel that receiving handicap has a greater advantage than giving handicap.

If you are receiving handicap, you are actually betting on the underdog to win the game or at the same time drawing the game. Your probability of winning is higher than giving handicap. When you give on the handicap, the team you pick has only one option that is to win the game. You will lose your bet even if the team drew the game. In this sense, when giving handicap, you must 100% sure that the team will win. There is no other way for you to win your bet when you are giving handicap except for the team you are taking win the game. As a season punter, I would prefer accepting handicap. By accepting handicap, you have already win the bet before the game even started and it can stay nil-nil after the whole 90 minutes and you still win your bet. There is some strategy in identifying the odds in Asian Handicap.

Most of the time, the opening odds plays a very important role in deciding which team to bet. Bookmakers 99% knows the outcome of each game when they open the odds and offer it to the public. They will usually inflate the odds for the favorite team. It will be wise, after so many years of betting, to accept handicap when there?s a clear signal appear in the opening odds.

You can find valuable information on how to identify signals in Asian handicap odds at www.puntersultimateweapon.com

Zack Haris is a soccer betting expert and a writer. Zack Haris has write on many articles on soccer betting strategy. To know more about the author and his work, visit http://www.puntersultimateweapon.com

The Secret of Asian Handicap Soccer Betting

Soccer betting is by far the most widely accepted form of gambling around the world. This is because of the nature of the betting style and because most people think that it?s the easiest form of gambling.

There are only two teams to bet. Either Team Win or Lose or Draw. And of course there are other form of betting in soccer and ? The Asian Handicap and I am going to explain a little bit more about this.

Asian Handicap is a method of giving or accepting handicap from one team. This is mostly played by Asians and more and more people in Europe are adopting this style of betting.

If you are accepting handicap, you have more probability to win because you will win your bet even if the game end up in a Draw.

There are many strategies that you can apply when betting on Asian Handicap and I am going to go through just some that is really important when you are placing a bet in soccer.

The opening odds and the movement will tell us where the game is heading. It is very important to take note of the opening odds when you are betting on Asian Handicap.

If you are serious about betting on Asian Handicap, there are many books offering the secrets signal to look out for in the odds. www.soccerbettingpro.com provides very clear and easy signals to look out for and these signals are of 90% correct.

Writer is the author for ?Make Your Bookie Your ATM Machine? and has more than 12 years of experience in the soccer betting industries. To know more about the author, you can visit http://www.soccerbettingpro.com and writer also provide paid tips services where he is one of the best Banker?s Bet provider in the world. Visit http://www.soccerbettingpro.com/tips

Soccer Injuries - Head To Toe

Soccer is a very popular sport both locally and worldwide. References to the sport go as far back as 200 BC in China and around 4 BC in Greece. However, soccer as you and I know it did not have a formal set of rules set down until 1848 at Cambridge University.

Soccer is a very physically demanding sport, thus making those who participate vulnerable to injury. The National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) has done various studies on injury rates in high schools athletics, including soccer. It was found that most injuries in soccer occur to the ankles and feet, followed closely by the hip, thigh and leg area. Common injuries include ligament sprains/tears, muscle strains, contusions (bruises), cartilage tears (more common in the knee) and fractures. Higher percentages of injuries occur while kicking and when engaging in controlled pattern activity. Injury rates were higher at different positions as well. Halfbacks had the highest rate of injury where the goalkeeper had the lowest. Interestingly, soccer was the only sport studied that had more injuries during games than in practice. The statistics are very similar when comparing males and females in respect to the above information.

Head injuries are also of some concern. Studies by the NATA have shown that ball velocities can reach speeds up to 100km/hr (62 mph). However, most situations in which a player will head the ball would be at speeds slower than 100km/hr. Average speed from a punt is 70km/hr (43 mph) and a drop kick or goal kick 85 km/hr (53 mph). Most opportunities to head a ball are at velocities less than 65 km/hr (40 mph).

Where the ball strikes the head and how the player strikes the ball are also of importance. Head-ball contacts that occur on the side of the head or the forehead of an unprepared player can lead to ?whiplash? like injuries. It is recommended that contact be made at or near the hairline. Although the evidence is not conclusive that repetitive head shots cause significant impairments in the long term, it is still worthy of precaution.

It is no secret that preventing injuries is preferred. With the higher demands on young athletes today, off-season training including weight training and general conditioning is an important step towards preventing in-season injuries. A 15 minute warm-up before practice and games and a brief cool-down period is also recommended. Rest and fluid breaks are important as well. Protective gear such as mouthpieces and shin-guards can be very helpful. There are even various types of headgear that can be worn to protect the head.

While we all get bumps and bruises, more serious injuries that involve high levels of pain, swelling and loss of function should be evaluated by your physician. Your physician may refer you to physical therapy for treatment. Your Excel physical therapist can guide you through a rehabilitation program to get you back on the playing field as quickly and safely as possible. Best of luck to all athletes this spring season!

Brent Todd is a Physical Therapist at Excel Physical Therapy of Nebraska. You can read more articles on Physical Therapy by subscribing to the free quarterly newsletter at http://www.excelpt.com

Soccer Cleats: To Stud Or Not To Stud

Soccer boots, only correctly called cleats when they have the ground gripping teeth on the bottom of the shoe, have always been fodder for debate, among those who believe the screw in stud to be better than the molded teeth for traction or reliability. Many of the modern changes to soccer boots has come more from concerned parents, demanding the safest footwear for their young players, than it has from professional players, as might be believed.

There are basically three different types of soccer boots available, those being molded cleats, screw in studs, and these called 'astros' which are designed especially for use on astro turf. A good molded cleat is probably the best beginner boot, if play is to be on grass. They are easy to care for, and hitting them against each other or a wall will knock off most muddy, grassy build-up. Other than that, a rinse with warm water, and allowing them to thoroughly dry before wearing again will provide for about all the care these durable cleats will need.

If finances allow, it is wise to have two pairs of these soccer cleats for your young player, to insure one is thoroughly dry before re-wearing it. In the case of tournaments, where 3 or more games are played in a singe weekend, it is a great relief for those hard working feet to have fresh boots to put on. It is wise to note here that soccer slides, or sandals, are a very important item in the soccer bag. If the cleats are worn on hard surfaces for any length, the cleats will wear or break off much quicker than normal field use would cause.

When your player is ready to try screw in studs make certain they are fully prepared for the additional maintaince these boots will typically require. The simple cleaning of them is much the same as other molded boots, however, the screw in studs, or cleats, is where the care of these soccer boots makes a real difference in the performance they will afford the player.

The studs are available in plastic or metal, and it may be wise to determine which is allowed on your field, particularly if it is for youth play, prior to making your choice. It is possible that the sanctioning body at your playing fields may not allow screw in studs at all.

After you have made the decision to purchase soccer cleats with screw in studs, and have determined that the playing fields in your area do allow them, go to a sporting goods store that knows soccer, and has sales associates who will take the time to ensure your player gets a good, snug fit. This would be true even in the molded cleats, of course. Make certain the studs are screwed in tightly, and always carry extra studs in the soccer bag.

Inspecting the studs as the cleats are cleaned and put away after a match will prove wise, and help prevent a lost stud during a game. Never continue to play with a missing stud, it is harmful to the overall stability of the player, and can easily distort the hole so a new stud may not fit properly when replacing it is finally attempted. At first break in the game, replace the missing stud.

Astros are easy to care for, and can be used on grassy or hard surfaces. Basic cleaning is similar to the molded cleats.

Get all the latest in Soccer know how from the one and only true source at http://www.SoccerDetails.com. Be sure to check our soccer cleats page.

How To Improve Your Soccer Bets

How To Improve Your Soccer Bets is a series of articles that describe some well known and well used statistical techniques that will help the soccer punter make more informed bets. Each of the techniques has its own advantages and disadvantages and using them in isolation will improve your chances of winning. However, together they will prove invaluable in your battle with the bookies. In each article we will describe in detail how a particular method works giving you enough information for you to go ahead and create your own forecasts. We will also give you information as to where you can already find websites that use this technique in comprising their weekly forecasts.

The statistical methods described in this set of articles should help you to arrive at a better decision about the match, or matches, that you are betting on.

In this article we will be describing the Footyforecast method. The Footyforecast method was originally developed for the English Football Pools and attempts to eliminate those matches that will not be draws, leaving you with a shorter list of matches from which to choose your 8 from 11. This method was introduced to the world in 1999 on the original Footyforecast website (now 1X2Monster.com). This method is similar to the Simple Sequence method which is described in another of our articles in this series.

Here are the basic rules?

For each team work out the following,
1. Work out the total number of points obtained for the last N games.
2. Work out the maximum number of possible points for the last N games.
3. Divide the total number of points obtained by the maximum available and multiply by 100.
4. Calculate the forecast value.

In (1) and (2) above N games could be all the home games for the home side and all the away games for the away side. Alternatively N could be the last N games including all home and away games for a team.

The forecast value is calculated like this...

HOMEPOINTS = number of points for home team from last N games

AWAYPOINTS = number of points for away team from last N games

HOMEVAL = (HOMEPOINTS / (POINTSFORWIN * N)) *100

AWAYVAL = (AWAYPOINTS / (POINTSFORWIN * N)) *100

FORECAST = (HOMEVAL + (100 - AWAYVAL)) / 2

To calculate the possible outcome of a match based on the Footyforecast method the value is compared with the following...

1. A forecast value of 50 = a draw.
2. A value between 50 and 100 gives an increasing chance of a home win the closer to 100.
3. A value between 50 and 0 gives an increasing chance of an away win the closer to 0.

There are a few variables to consider, for example the number of matches to use and whether to use all matches or just home for home side and just away for away side to name but two. You may wish to experiment with these values.

By plotting actual resulting draws against the forecast it is possible to generate two threshold values, one for away wins and one for home wins, any values in-between these thresholds are likely draws. All matches outside these thresholds will be less likely to be draws. For example a value of 40 or less for away wins and a value of 60 or more for home wins. This would mean any matches falling between 41 and 59 may be draws. What this method does, with careful tuning by the user is to eliminate many matches which will not be draws giving you a short list to choose from. This method is best used where an English Pools Plan is to be used.

Here is a worked example?

The values shown are the points gained by the team for each game in a sequence of four recent matches, you of course could choose more games to base your calculations on. West Ham
H4 = 3 (oldest match)
H3 = 1
H2 = 1
H1 = 0 (most recent match)v Leeds Utd
A4 = 1 (oldest match)
A3 = 3
A2 = 0
A1 = 3 (most recent match)

Using only home games for home side and only away games for away side...

FFPHome = ((3 + 1 + 1 + 0) / 12) * 100 = 42
FFPAway = ((1 + 3 + 0 + 3) / 12) * 100 = 59
FFPForcast = (42 + (100 - 59)) / 2 = 42

If our threshold values are 40 and 60 then for this match the prediction lies in the expected draw region and at the lower end meaning that if it is not a draw the most likely other outcome would be an away win. This may be interpreted as an X2 prediction, i.e. draw or away win, which some bookies will accept as a bet.

Now it?s your turn?

Here is a list of all the articles in this series?

How To Improve Your Soccer Bets Using The Rateform Method
How To Improve Your Soccer Bets Using The Footyforecast Method
How To Improve Your Soccer Bets Using The Win Draw Loss Method
How To Improve Your Soccer Bets Using The Simple Sequence Method
How To Improve Your Soccer Bets Using The Score Prediction Method
How To Improve Your Soccer Bets Using The Superiority Method

Malcolm Nossiter is the owner of http://www.1x2monster.com and http://www.footyforecast.com. He has been providing hundreds of 1X2 tips every week since 1999. Please visit 1x2monster.com for a fountain of information on soccer betting.

Soccer Betting Principal

Among all sports betting, soccer betting is the easiest and has the most lucrative payout. It is easy in the sense that it can only be a home win or away win or a draw. It could only be Over or Under when it comes to total goal bet.

It easier said then done when you are actually betting on the game. Punter?s seems to get carried away with emotion and greed. These are the two main reasons why most punters lose in soccer betting. I can say about 80% of those people who bet on soccer, lose their money in it. Only 20% of the punters will make a healthy amount from their bookmakers.

It?s very important for anyone who likes to start a soccer betting career to first learn and master the basic principal. It is a very simple principal and yet not everyone can master it. It is called the greed and emotion principal. We should put greed and emotion away when we are betting in any soccer match.

You first set your plan to make a certain amount of winning from the bookmaker and you should stick to it. Call it a day off when you have met your objective. You should also set a limit to what you can bet. Put a stop lose point in your nett daily wages. If you hit the limit, you should stop and wait for another day to make a come back.

What punters usually do it to double up when they are loosing. This method is the surest way to dig your own grave. It?s good when you double up and you win the bet but you should always consider what if you loose the bet. Soccer betting is a long term investment and you should plan your strategy properly and stick to it.

Some new punters will place a bet with their eyes close. This is because they don?t know what to look out for when placing a bet. There are a lot of services that offer good tips for the match. You should consider going for these service if you are not sure about what game to bet.

You should always do a lot of research about the match that you are going to bet. I will list down a few important things that you should look out for before you place a bet.

Opening odds of each game should be noted. This will tell a lot about the game.

It will also be good to find out the lineup of the team. Find out who is playing and who is not playing.

What kind of form is the team now in? Have they been on the winning form or losing form?

And lastly, the statistics of the match plays a part too. Have Team A always win when playing Team B.

Writer is the author for ?Make Your Bookie Your ATM Machine? and has more than 12 years of experience in the soccer betting industries. To know more about the author, you can visit http://www.soccerbettingpro.com and writer also provide paid tips services where he is one of the best Banker?s Bet provider in the world. Visit http://www.soccerbettingpro.com/tips

Will The 2010 World Cup Soccer Inflate The Value Property In SA?

The 2010 Soccer Tournament is definitely not comparable with the 1995 Rugby World Cup. In 1995 only 25 000 tourists visited South Africa. FIFA expects some 350 000 foreign tourists in 2010. The prediction is that the soccer fans will spend R10bn on meals, accommodation, transport and merchandise, he said.

?The influx of foreign capital is great, however, insignificant in comparison to the huge spin-offs the publicity will have for South Africa?, says Lodewyk Joubert, CEO of Syndation. ?Over a billion people are expected to follow the month-long tournament between the world?s top 32 soccer playing nations?.

Andrew Golding, CE of the Pam Golding Property Group confirms that the potential spin-offs are far-reaching. As soccer enjoys a large following, countries that have not been exposed to South Africa before will be in 2010.

?Just imagine what will be promoted on TV during this period?, Joubert says. ?Images of our natural beauty ? of Table Mountain, the Kruger National Park and the bushveld, the Southern Cape coastline, the Kalahari and a few other places will be brought to billions of households around the globe.

If we do this correctly, it will be an advertising campaign for luxury lifestyle ownership in South Africa on a scale that has never been seen before!?

Jose Ventura, MD of Pam Golding VIP, made the connection recently that the future of luxury lifestyle ownership lies in stress-free fractional ownership.

"There are clear and distinct differences between property syndications and high-end fractional ownership. The two should not be confused?, says Stephen Rademeyer, of Syndation. ?High-end fractional ownership is a fully managed service with international and local exchange options ? the difference is the hassle-free component which is generally not found with normal property syndication.?

A lot can be learnt from previous World Cups and other tournaments of that magnitude such as the Olympic Games. Greece did not promote the property market to the extent that Barcelona and Sydney did. The latter capitalised on the publicity and promoted Spain and Australia as great places to tour and to own a second home.

Similarly the property prices in Paris escalated by between 60-100% within the first year after the 2002 World Cup in France.

Butana Komphela, chairperson of parliament's sport and recreation committee warned that the experience of the Soccer World Cup in Japan and South Korea showed the job creation forecasts were hugely overestimated. However, even Mbembe agrees the World Cup will boost investment and tourism in the longer term - as long as South Africa can utlise the promotional value the world cup would render.

Lourens van Wyk (Industrial Psychologist)

Goal Setting For Better Soccer Team Performance

Having goals can increase effort because the players have a means of measuring their performance and contribution against.

SMART goals have long lasting motivation benefits.

When you review performance against set goals and the player has shown an improvement, raise the bar a little higher. Each time the player will be motivated to achieve a new level of performance providing the incremental increase is still within grasp.

If you've not been overly exposed to SMART goal setting then let's run through what we mean by SMART goals and how we can use them with our players.

SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Action based, Realistic & Time bound.

SPECIFIC

The more specific a goal is the easier it is to identify when and whether its been achieved. The goal should be a detailed description of what the required outcome is that both player and coach want to see happen.

MEASURABLE

Unless a goal is measurable, how can you establish whether there has been an improvement or not?

Goals should be measurable in terms of quality, quantity, shots, tackles, runs and saves. When players can see they have made progress towards achieving the goal the motivational benefits really kick in.

A baseline starting point should be established and the goal set from the baseline measurement. From this baseline, and having the target, players can measure how far they have come.

ACTION BASED

A player must know exactly what they've got to do. That means you will both have to agree a set of actions that will help the player achieve their goal.

For example, an action based element could read like this... "I will increase the accuracy of my crossing from corner kicks putting the ball into the box on no less than 8 out of 10 occasions."

REALISTIC

Goal have got to be within the reach of the soccer players.

That's not to say that you are going to set "soft targets". Targets that are so within reach that the players aren't motivated to stretch themselves because its too easy.

However, setting realistic goals is a tough balance, make them too easy and the players won't try, make them too hard and the players will give up quickly because they don't believe they can do what it takes.

TIMEBOUND

It is very important to set definitive time limits for each of the players goals. Remember too, that you should build in regular reviews with the players to assess their progress and revise the goals that they have.

Have a go....

Get yourself some paper and a pen and write down a high level goal that you want your team to achieve following the SMART goal setting principles.

Remember, keep them SMART!

Claim your complimentary copy of the 'Soccer Coaching Guide' provided by Junior Soccer Coach and receive hints, tips and techniques to improve your team?s performance AND your expertise as a coach. Grab your copy now, visit the website today? Junior and Youth Soccer Coaching

Young Soccer Players And The Stages Of Learning

When a new skill is learned there are three stages of the development, the mental, practice and automatic stage.

Throughout these three stages your input into the learning cycle will differ according to the phase the player is in.

The Mental Stage

When a player first learns a new skill their key goal is to understand what to do to perform the technique correctly. They draw upon all of their awareness to search for information to map the correct technique.

It's more about internalizing "mentally" the physical technique of what's to be done. The mental map is made from previous activities, similar actions and looks, visual input as the player attempts to make neural connections so that their physical body can perform.

Coaching during the Mental Stage

Patience is the key. Some players will make the connections a lot quicker and will be able to perform the technique sooner than others.

Only key information should be given to the players at this stage as there is a tendency for player to become overwhelmed with information if they are given too much instruction.

Visual indicators are very important during this development phase, which is why we encourage you to demonstrate new techniques and skills.

The Practice Stage

The next phase of mastering a technique is to have a go.

There is some overlap with the mental stage here as the players will be having a go at the technique, but they will still be making mental connections as the neural paths start to give information too.

Refinement is the key here and so the more opportunities that the players have to execute the skill the better.

As players practice the errors they make should start to reduce over time as the sensory, visual and touch functions will start to give feedback to the players on how well they are performing the technique.

For example, when under 6's practice dribbling just keeping the ball close is a major battle, any adjustments they make can often lead to the ball being toe poked away even further!

But as the young players see the ball moving away from them, and make small jumpy movements to keep the ball under control, all of the feedback signals will be computing and assisting in their development.

Coaching in the Practice Stage

Observation, accurate feedback, encouragement and praise are all key skills during this phase.

Very young players will need more feedback whereas youth players should be able to self analyse their performance; some well structured questions can also assist.

The Automatic Stage

As practice continues so the players become far more proficient at the technique; this then frees up some mental capacity to take the learning even further.

This is why some techniques lend themselves to a chaining type coaching method, or when using a functional phase practice and build it through to extended play.

Players in the automatic stage know when they have made mistakes and also have the knowledge internally on how to put things right without much input from the coach.

However, complacency can creep in, so to can over-analyzing a technique which can be harmful to performance.

Coaching in the Automatic Stage

Rather than coaching specifics, the coaches duty now shifts to present more challenging situations to practice the technique and develop it into a full functioning skill.

Refinement is the key to develop truly magnificent players.

Claim your complimentary copy of the 'Soccer Coaching Guide' provided by Junior Soccer Coach and receive hints, tips and techniques to improve your team?s performance AND your expertise as a coach. Grab your copy now, visit the website today? The Junior Soccer Coach - Soccer Coaching Guide

Soccer Training Games And Drill Conditions

Small sided games and soccer drills can be varied greatly by adding a few extra rules to condition the players. Conditions can be used to make the drills harder or easier depending what you want the outcome to be.

However, if you want to condition your players differently it's important to have a variety of rules that you can implement.

Here are five of the ten variations we prefer that you can use in your next training session.

One Touch

Quite simply, players only have one touch. Do not allow your players to trap the ball or control then pass. They must play the ball first time.

This means they must be constantly aware of where their team mates are, move their feet quickly to get in line with the ball flight and they must decide where they are going to play the ball before they receive it.

This rule forces players to think quickly and anticipate the ball. When using this condition reiterate the key coaching points of thinking ahead, sound decision making, head up & vision, quick movement and communication.

Two Touch

Here the condition limits the players to a maximum of two touches.

A player is allowed to control the ball with their first touch but they must play the ball with their second touch.

The extra time that they are allowed on the ball, even though brief, allows them to evaluate their options and focus more on anticipation. Supporting team mates also need to think ahead and use good movement to create space and be available for the ball.

When using this condition, specifically watch and give feedback on the player's first touch as this will determine to a great extent what options they have thereafter.

Three (or a Specified Number of Touches)

Giving players more touches doesn't necessarily make the games or drills easier. For example, we might condition our players to five touches. That means they must be able to control the ball, get their head up, look for space, dribble, shield and bring other players into the game.

Ball Height - Below Knee Height

I like the quote from Brian Clough..."If God had meant football to be played in the air he'd have put goals in the sky!" This condition focuses the players to keep the ball on the ground.

That means they must look for passing channels along the floor and minimizes the "hoof" football that is so prevalent!

Coach players on creating space, good movement and offering support.

Ball Height - Head Height

Allowing the players a little more flexibility and some more ball maneuverability allows them to lift the ball but still discourages the "hoof" or "long ball all the time" soccer.

Again, creating space, movement and offering support should all be key components when imposing this condition.

Claim your complimentary copy of the 'Soccer Coaching Guide' provided by Junior Soccer Coach and receive hints, tips and techniques to improve your team?s performance AND your expertise as a coach. Grab your copy now, visit the website today? The Junior Soccer Coach - Soccer Coaching Guide

The World Soccer

INTRODUCTION:
I studied drawing at scool for many years, but I did not like it very much. My favourite subject at school were the olympic sports. I remember when I was a child and I played soccer with my friends. My best memory was when El Salvador,a small Central American country, qualified at the World Cup in 1982.I did not think ?ES? defeat Mexico, sixth place in the FIFA World Championship in 1970.

Between 1978 and 1989, El Salvador had one of the worst civil war in the modern history of Latin America.Unfortunately, more than 70,000 people were killed by anti-communist dictatorships and marxist rebels.

Certainly, I was a big fan of Salvadoran soccer. I once said: ?ES ganar? el Mundial ( El Salvador will be win the FIFA Soccer World 1982..!).However, the only thing that I clearly remember is that Hungary beat El Salvador 10-1 in the World Cup in Spain?Good Bye ES?!

Like many people, I think that soccer is ?passion? in the world since 1910. When Cameroon, ex French colony in Africa, won its first gold medal at the XXVII Summer Olympics Games in Australia (2000)?Yaound?, the capital city of Cameroon, was carnival for days.Cameroon was the second African country to win the gold olympic?

Unfortunately, Liberia was the nightmare of the Third World?From 1980 to 2005, more than 180,000 people were killed by dictatorships and AIDS?Currently, the poverty is a plague?Its percapita income of $ 80 a year is one of the worst in the World History. Hundreds of thousands of Liberian people fled the country. Like neighboring Sierra Leone, the African country has one of the highest number of orphans in the Africa in relation to its population.

Fortunately, Liberia is home to George Manneh Oppong Ousman Weah, one of the World`s most famous and charismatic players. In 1995 the FIFA selected George Weah as the best footballer of the Year.Certainly, he became a ?World Star? in the 1990s.Like Iman (former super-model from Somalia) and Dikembe Mutombo (basketball player from the Democratic Republic of Congo), George Weah is an icon in the African continent. Since then, he made a great contribution to Liberian human development. Currently, George Weah is UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. He was national team captain for many years, but his country did not qualifity for the FIFA Football World. Ironically, Liberia was not one of the best teams of Africa in the 20th Century.

In 1994 Bolivia`s qualification for the finals was one of the surprises in the Third World sport. Under the leadership of Marco Etcheverry, Bolivia beat Brazil 2-0 in the Pre-World Cup in La Paz, Bolivia`s capital. I remember that Etcheverry, best known for his nickname ?El Diablo?, was the idol of millions of Bolivians.It was one of the greatest sporting moments in Bolivian history since 1978. At that time, Bolivia, under the leaderships of Guadalupe Ya?ez, qualified for the FIBA Women`s World Championship in Seoul, South Korea?s capital.

In my opinion, the FIFA World Championship is a world without frontiers. Ferenc Puskas, was born on April, 1926, in Budapest, Hungary, made his debut in the friendly against Austria at the age of only fifteen?In the past Century, Puskas represented both Hungary, a former communist State, and Spain.At the time, Santamaria played for Uruguay and Spain. Traditionally American players have Latin American and African roots: Hugo Perez (El Salvador), Tab Ramos (Uruguay), Claudio Reyna (Argentina), Josmer Altidore (Haiti) and Freddy Addu (Ghana). Today Gerald Asamoah, was born in Accra (Ghana), is one of the best footballers in Germany at the moment. While Alex (Alessandro) Santos, was born in Brazil, is a Japanese player.Santos played many times for Japan, including appearances at the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Personally, I think that this Century will be an era of ?Sports Miracles? in the Third World. Cote D`Ivoire, best known as Ivory Coast, qualified for the FIFA Soccer World 2006?Angola made its debut in Germany?Trinidad-Tobago made its debut in the World Cup?Paraguay won the silver medal in football in the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens.

CHRONOLOGY:
1930: FIFA World Cup in Montevideo, the capital city of Uruguay, one of the most development countries in the 1930s.The final ranking:1-Uruguay,2-Argentina, 3-Yugoslavia,4-USA,5-Chile, 6-Brazil,7-France,8-Paraguay,9-Romania, 10-Peru, 11-Belgium, 12-Bolivia, 13-Mexico.

1934: World Cup in Rome. Uruguay did not participate. The final ranking:1-Italy, Czechoslovakia,Germany, Austria, Spain, Hungary, Sweden, Switzerland, Romania, Argentina, France, Holland, Brazil, Egypt, Belgium and the United States.

1938:World Cup in France.The final ranking:1-Italy, Hungary,Brazil,Sweden,Czechoslovakia,Switzerland,Cuba,France,Romania,Germany,Norway,Poland,Belgium,Holland,Netherlands Indies.

1950:FIFA World Cup in Brazil. In Rio, the host lost the final 2-1 to Uruguay. Brazil was the big favourite? Uruguay had its second World Cup!

1954:World Cup in Switzerland.The final ranking:1-West Germany,Hungary,Austria,Uruguay,Switzerland,Brazil,England,Yugoslavia,France,Italy,Turkey,Belgium,Mexico,Czechoslovakia,Scotland,Korea.

1958: World Cup in Sweden?The final ranking:1-Brazil, Sweden, France, West Germany, Wales, USSR, Northern Ireland, Yugoslavia,Czechoslovakia,Hungary,England,Paraguay, Argentina, Scotland,Austria and Mexico.

1962:World Cup in Santiago de Chile?Certainly, the people of Brazil produce the World`s best coffee, but also the best soccer?The final ranking:1-Brazil,Czechoslovakia, Chile, Yugoslavia, Hungary, West Germany,USSR, England, Italy, Argentina, Mexico, Spain, Uruguay, Colombia, Bulgaria and Switzerland.

1966: World Cup in London,UK?The final ranking: 1-England, West Germany, Portugal, USSR, Argentina, Hungary, Uruguay, North Korea, Italy, Spain, Mexico, Brazil?

1970:Brazil won the FIFA World Cup on June 27th in Mexico City. The final ranking: Brazil, Italy, West Germany, Uruguay,USSR, Mexico, Peru, England, Sweden, Belgium, Romania, Israel, Bulgaria, Morocco, Czechoslovakia and ES.

1974:World Cup in West Germany?After Zaire, today`s Democratic Republic of Congo, qualified for the FIFA World Championship, a legal holiday was declared by Mobutu S?s? Seko Kuku Ngbendu Wa zan Banga, tyrannical president of the African country??Haitian footballers sometimes use the language ?creole? during games to confuse rivals? Brazil and WGermany were the obvious favorites.The final ranking:1-West Germany, Holland, Poland, Brazil, Sweden, Argentina, East Germany, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Italy, Scotland, Australia, Chile,Uruguay, Haiti and Zaire.

1978: World Cup in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The final ranking:1-Argentina, Holland,Brazil, Italy, West Germany, Poland,Austria, Peru, Tunisia, Spain, Scotland, France, Sweden, Iran, Hungary and Mexico.

1982: For first time, there were 24 teams. FIFA World Cup in Spain. Italy won the trophy. The ranking final:1-Italy, West Germany, Poland, France, Brazil, England, USSR, Austria, Northern Ireland, Belgium, Argentina, Spain, Algeria,Hungary. Scotland, Yugoslavia,Cameroon,Honduras,Czechoslovakia,Peru, Kuwait, Chile, New Zealand, ES.

1986: World Cup in Mexico. The final ranking:1-Argentina, West Germany, France, Belgium, Brazil, Mexico, Spain, England, Denmark, USSR, Morocco, Italy, Paraguay, Poland, Bulgaria, Uruguay, Portugal, Hungary, Scotland, South Korea, Northern Ireland, Algeria, Irak and Canada.

1990:World Cup In Italy.The final ranking:1-West Germany, Argentina, Italy, England, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Ireland, Cameroon,Netherlands, Brazil, Belgium, Spain, Romania, Colombia, Uruguay,CR,Egypt,Austria,Scotland, USSR,Sweden, South Korea,USA and the United Arab Emirates.

1994: World Cup in the United States. The final ranking:1-Brazil, Italy, Sweden, Bulgaria, Germany, Romania, Netherlands, Spain,Nigeria, Argentina, Belgium, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, USA, Switzerland, Ireland, Norway, Russia, Colombia, South Korea, Bolivia, Cameroon, Morocco and Greece.

1998:World Cup in Paris. The final ranking:1-France,Brazil,Croatia, Netherlands, Argentina,Italy, Germany, Denmark, England, Yugoslavia,Romania,Nigeria, Mexico, Paraguay, Norway, Chile, Spain, Morocco, Belgium, Iran, Colombia, Jamaica, Austria, South Africa, Cameroon, Tunisia, Scotland, Saudi Arabia, Bulgaria, South Korea, Japan and the United States.

2002:World Cup in Japan and South Korea?1-Brazil, 2-Germany, 3-Turkey,4-South Korea?SKorea has one of the best sporting infrastructure in the world?

2006: World Cup in Germany?1-Italy, 2-France,3-Germany,4-Portugal?

REFERENCES: -Laity,Paul. ?Costa de Marfil Brujer?a: que forma de ganar?, National Geographic,MexicoDF, junio 2006

-Matthews,Meter.Whitaker?s Almanac Internacional Sports Records and Results 1998-9, London:The Stationery Office, London, 1998.

-Vickery,Tim. ?Paraguay:Rags and Riches?,World Soccer Special Edition, London, Summer 2006

-1976 Almanaque Mundial Deportivo, Editorial Am?rica, Panama, 1975

-1977 Almanaque Mundial Deportivo,Editorial Am?rica, Panama, 1976

-2001 The World Almanac, World Almanac Books, New Jersey,2000

ALEJANDRO GUEVARA ONOFRE:I am a writer about Third World issues (human rights, biographies, culture, history, olympic sports, democracy, women?s rights).My hobbies and interests are writing essays, going to the gym, browsing the Internet, Foreign Politics, learning about cultures, reading (my favourite writer is Juan Gasparini from Argentina), cooking Peruvian food, listening to American and British Music (my favourite singer is Barry White). My personal motto is "the future is for those people who believe in the beauty of their dreams" by Eleanor Roosevelt...My heroes are Frida Kahlo (Mexican painter), Mpule Kwelagobe (ex Miss Universe and currently Anti-AIDS activist), Bono, Dian Fossey, Jimmy Carter, Oprah Winfrey,Hernando de Soto, Javier Perez de Cuellar and Mario Vargas Llosa...