It is not too often when a weekend of international football is overshadowed by a soccer uniform but that is exactly what happened at Wembley on Saturday. England were lining up for the national anthems when the player unzipped their training gear to unveil their new soccer kit, which was making its debut on that day. This guaranteed the launch of the new soccer jersey got the most publicity possible but England manager Fabio Capello will be counting the cost of the on-field action. England won 4-0 but three forwards limped off and Heskey, Carlton Cole and Peter Crouch may all be forced out of action for England’s World Cup qualifier against Slovakia. England are looking good to make it to the World Cup in South Africa where no doubt their high tec soccer kit will be vital in giving their team the edge in warm conditions.
The other major European forces look like making up the usual numbers with Spain, Germany and Holland all striding towards the event with a great sense of purpose. France followed up their terrible Euro 2008 campaign with a poor start but look to be getting back on the tracks and Italy received a boost in their qualification hopes when Republic of Ireland dropped two points at home against Bulgaria. The big names in soccer are what help makes the World Cup and the star players, as well as the well known soccer kits, are certain to be involved when the next world cup rolls around.
Elsewhere, even though there is over a year until the next big World Cup, many teams are drawing close to booking their place at the world’s biggest soccer event. By the end of the week, Australia could have booked their spot in South Africa, a turn-around from the 2006 event where the Socceroos were the last team to qualify for the event. They may have a soccer top that is reminiscent of the famous soccer uniform of Brazil but for once, Australia appear to be the team in form between they two.
As much as the Brazilian gold soccer kit is legendary, the way that the team struggles at high altitude is equally well known and this was again the case away to Ecuador. The Brazilian football federation have long been critics of the medical effect of playing at such an altitude but yet again, Brazil dropped points and slipped further behind in the South American qualification campaign. The blue change soccer strip worn by Brazil may have saw the team look slightly unfamiliar but a home tie against bottom nation Peru should see the 5 times World Cup winners return to winning ways.
Brazil may be struggling but Argentina bounced back in Diego Maradona’s first competitive game in charge but the game was the latest example of the brilliance of Lionel Messi. Maradona knows a thing or two about scintillating soccer and how to wow a crowd and he was fulsome in his praise for the performance of the Barcelona superstar. The number 10 Argentina soccer jersey has had some star players in it but Lionel Messi is definitely up there with the best of them. You want to see the best players at the World Cup and Lionel Messi may be one of the greatest on show in South Africa.
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