England move above Brazil to fourth in Fifa rankings

England have moved above Brazil to fourth in the Fifa world rankings, despite their recent run of poor form.

Fabio Capello's England side only reached the last 16 of last summer's World Cup and have not won their last two qualifying matches for Euro 2012.

Spain are top of the rankings, followed by the Netherlands and Germany.

Republic of Ireland (31st), Scotland (61st) and Northern Ireland (62nd) also climb the rankings but Wales stay in 114th place.

It is the first time England have been as high as fourth since 1997, after they reached the semi-finals of Euro 96.

However, Capello and his side have come under criticism after a poor World Cup and only managing a 2-2 draw against Switzerland at Wembley earlier this month - a result that the Italian coach blamed on fatigue.

Spain's haul of 1,871 points keeps them top and they are 210 points ahead of the Netherlands, who they beat in the World Cup final in South Africa last year.

Germany's 1,417 points moves them up to third, while England tally 1,146 points.

Brazil (1,130), Italy (1,059), Portugal (1,046), Croatia (1,033), Mexico (1,007) and Argentina (979) complete the top 10.

Fifa ranking points are accumulated according to results, the importance of the matches played and the strength of the opposing teams.

A team's total number of points is representative of a four-year period, calculated by the average number of points gained over the past 12 months and the average gained from older games, though that points total depreciates yearly.

Since they were knocked out of the World Cup by Germany just over a year ago, England have won five matches, including three qualifiers; drawn three, which includes two competitive games; and lost once - to France in a friendly.

2010 World Cup head calls for African Olympics

A successful World Cup in South Africa will increase the pressure on the IOC to bring the Olympics to the continent for the first time, the chief organiser of next year''s soccer showpiece said on Sunday.

Danny Jordaan, chief executive of South Africa''s World Cuporganising committee, said the decision to award the 2016 Olympics to Brazil "opens the way to the African continent in 2020".

Rio de Janeiro became the first South American city to be awarded an Olympics when it won the race to host the 2016 Games last month.

Jordaan, speaking in a Reuters interview, said the selection of Rio de Janeiro left one glaring omission for the International Olympic Committee to address.

"I think that 2020 must be Africa''s turn," Jordaan said. "The fact that the Olympics now has gone to Rio and to South America leaves Africa the only continent since 1896 still waiting."

He said the choice of Rio over Chicago and other cities "indicates also that there is a shift in the thinking of the IOC that developing countries must be considered".

Jordaan added: "So I think that the IOC will be under pressure to seriously consider an African bid and part of that of course is a highly successful 2010 FIFA World Cup that will increase that pressure.

"We understand the importance of a successful World Cup in our country." He said South Africa, the biggest economy in Africa, would have a strong case if it decided to bid for the Olympics because existing infrastructure was a key factor in winning the Games.

South Africa is still dealing with concerns about security, transport and accommodation for the World Cup, which runs from June 11-July 11 next year.

Organisers are expecting 450,000 foreign visitors for the first African World Cup, which is being held in a country with one of the world''s highest rates of violent crime.

Jordaan said that security questions were being taken extremely seriously and he pointed to the lack of major problems associated with recent high profile sporting events in the country, including the Confederations Cup, the British and Irish Lions rugby tour and Indian Premier League cricket.

"We have 9.5 million tourists every year to South Africa -- surely we would not have seen a one million year-on-year growth in tourism if it was not a destination where people can come on vacation and be safe," Jordaan said. "(Security) is a matter that we take very, very seriously."

Jordaan said winning the right to stage the World Cup was an event as important for South Africa as the release of Nelson Mandela from jail and the end of apartheid in 1994.

"When the envelope was opened and it was South Africa, I think it was almost a second liberation for us," Jordaan said. "It was a huge moment of joy."

He said it was crucial for South Africa''s national team -- who have suffered a string of recent defeats -- to do well in the World Cup if all races in the country were to "get connected".

"It is a very important issue," he said.

My dream rests in Hands of God

Phew, what a week that was! One of the most emotional ones of my life. There were more changes than I could handle, including moving cities and leaving behind too many friends. If that wasn't enough, dealing with worries about the qualification of Ivory Coast and Argentina for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa saw me at my emotional worst.

I've had to pack my bags and move thousands of kilometers north. Mumbai can be one of the hardest cities to leave. It was intimidating when I first came here six years back. But today, I feel more at home in its squalid lanes than anywhere else in the world.
In Mumbai, I grew to care about Indian football. Before that, the game was all about the Premier League, Jose Mourinho and Brazil.

It was at the Cooperage football ground that I first heard the thump of Baichung Bhutia's boots meeting the ball. The sound of the perfect kick can be as sweet as the ball meeting the middle of Sachin Tendulkar's bat.

It was in Mumbai that I realised Indian footballers don't just dream of a financially secure future but believe that great things are possible. They live in hope, not in desperation. And some of them, I honestly believe, are good enough to compete at the world level.

It wasn't just the goodbyes that were painful. Maradona really played havoc with my nerves and it was Didier Drogba who calmed them. Some months back, dear reader, I got lucky with the World Cup tickets for South Africa. I had applied for the T7 series, which gives the tickets of the team of your choice from the group stages onwards to the final. If your team loses in between, then you get the match ticket of the team that's beaten them.

I had applied for the T7 tickets of Ivory Coast, because of the love I have for Drogba and also because, in the first round, my application for Brazil and Argentina tickets was rejected. The validity of my tickets was subject to Ivory Coast's qualification for the tournament. And Drogba didn't let me down.

Ivory Coast qualified top of Group E in the African qualification after a 1-1 draw against Malawi. Drogba came off the bench to score the equaliser just two minutes after his introduction and helped secure my nerves and a second successive World Cup trip for the West Africans.

Maradona's appointment as Argentina coach was another reason I couldn't have missed this World Cup. However, their trip to South Africa almost got cancelled after losses to Brazil (1-3) and Paraguay (0-1).

But they've come through with wins over Peru (2-1) and Uruguay (1-0). Yet, Maradona's future as coach doesn't look secure. It's highly unlikely that the Argentina football association will trust the eccentric genius to lead the team in South Africa after the qualification fiasco. What can I say! My dream now rests in the Hands of God.

Paraguay coach wary of U-20s

Paraguay's national Under-20 team head coach Adrian Coria says he will not make the mistake and underestimate Trinidad and Tobago when both teams clash in Cairo at the FIFA Under 20 World Championship on October 1.

In a recent interview, Coria spoke of his team's readiness for the upcoming tournament, noting that his team had already beaten T&T 4-1 in an invitational tournament in Venezuela some weeks ago. But he changed his assessment of the junior "Soca Warriors" following their narrow 3-2 loss to Brazil a few days later after being ahead 2-0.

"We played them (T&T) in a six-team tournament in Venezuela and won 4-1," said the Argentina-born Coria. Â

"I didn't think much of their football that day, but they were a totally different side against Brazil a few days later. They played with a lot of skill and created a lot of chances."

Commenting further on his team, Coria added: "We had to go and look for players in the lower leagues because there weren't any in the first division. Then, when we went to Venezuela, we had very little idea how we would respond in a competition like that. Even so, things worked out well for us and we managed to qualify for Egypt and finish runners-up, something we really deserved."

Thanks to their performances at the continental championship, several of Coria's charges have opened up exciting new career horizons.

"It was amazing because quite a few of the players went off to Europe, Argentina and Mexico after the tournament," Coria continued.

When T&T and Paraguay faced each other, Germany-based striker Jamal Gay was not in the line-up. But the big striker along with Belgium-based midfielder Khaleem Hyland have joined up, giving a boost to Zoran Vranes' squad. And Gay says he wants to help T&T try and erase some of the disappointment of not advancing to South Africa 2010.

"That was a big disappointment for me, finding out while we were in Turkey that we lost out on qualifying for South Africa," Gay told TTFF Media after a double session with T&T in Lanarca yesterday.

"I was part of that team last year and it hurt but now I am really happy that I have the chance to go on and represent us at the Under 20 World Cup. It's a great opportunity to move on from here."

He added: "I've settled in easily because I have been around some of the guys before. We have a good chance of doing well but we have to play and work hard on the day of the games. We have to avoid silly mistakes.

"I have scored three goals in games since I joined the team but I have to work harder because it's going to be really tough in Egypt. We can create history and there is a massive opportunity out there for us to take our game to a higher level. Everyone from across the world will be looking at the opening game so we have to make it count" Gay added.

Commenting on his experience in Germany, Gay added that it has been no easy sailing with Second Division club Rot Weiss Oberhausen.

"It's good to be training and playing among and against very good players. There are better strikers at the club, so it means I have to work harder and score more goals to get a start. I'm making good use of my opportunities and I score whenever I get a chance in the training games but there are better strikers who start ahead of me in the League games."

Gay noted that he will be missing a Cup encounter against German giants Bayern Munich this coming week.

"I scored four goals in a practice game before I came to join the national team. The coach was happy but he still preferred the other strikers. We play Bayern Munich in the German Cup second round next week but for me, being with my national team is more important," Gay said

Brazil qualify for World Cup

Brazil qualified for its 19th consecutive World Cup, leaving Argentina to join Portugal and France with difficult paths to reach next year's tournament.

Defending champion Italy and European champion Spain maintained their leads in Europe, while England and Germany won friendlies ahead of qualifiers on Wed-nesday. And in Africa, Cameroon boosted their chances with their first victory in the final round of qualifying.

Luisao put Brazil ahead in the 24th minute at Rosario, Argentina, and Luis Fabiano scored in the 30th and 67th. Jesus Datolo scored in the 65th for Argentina, which will be under pressure to remove coach Diego Maradona.

Brazil lead South American qualifying with 30 points, three ahead of Chile and Paraguay and eight in front of Argentina with three matches remaining. The top-four teams advance to the World Cup while the No. 5 nation goes to a play-off against the No. 4 nation in North and Central America and the Caribbean.

Brazil became the seventh nation to join host South Africa in next year's 32-nation field, following Australia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea and the Netherlands.

Argentina lost a home qualifier for the first time since a 5-0 defeat to Colombia in 1993.

Cristiano Ronaldo, the FIFA player of the year, is in danger of missing the World Cup after Portugal needed a last-minute goal by Liedson for a 1-1 draw against Denmark. Nicklas Bendtner gave the Danes the lead in the 41st minute.

Group One

Denmark lead Group One with 17 points, four ahead of Hungary, which lost 2-1 at home to Sweden when Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored in injury time. Sweden are third with 12 points and Portugal have 10 heading into Wednesday's game against Hungary. The top team qualifies from each of the nine European groups and the best eight second-place teams go to play-offs.

France likely will have to win a play-off for a World Cup berth after a disappointing 1-1 tie with Romania at Saint-Denis.

France looked in control after Thierry Henry's 48th-minute goal, but defender Julien Escude turned the ball past his goalkeeper Hugo Llorisslid while attempting to intercept a cross seven minutes later.

"The objective is to qualify, no matter how we get there. I'm not in the habit of giving up," France coach Raymond Domenech said. "There's still everything to play for, nothing is finished yet. It will go down to the last game."

Les Bleus are second in Group Seven with 14 points, four behind Serbia heading into their meeting at Belgrade on Wednesday.

The Czech Republic played to a 2-2 draw at Slovakia, which could qualify for their first major tournament. Substitute forward Milan Baros headed in his 34th international goal in the 84th minute for the Czechs.

Slovakia heads Group Three with 16 points, two ahead of Northern Ireland. The Czechs are fifth with nine.

At Tblisi, Georgia captain Kakha Kaladze - who plays for AC Milan - headed two own goals in the 57th and 67th, giving Italy a 2-0 victory over Georgia.

Ibrahimovic 'better than Ronaldo'

Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho insists his striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a better player than Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo.

"Ronaldo is a good player but he is certainly not the best," said Mourinho.

"He deserved the Golden Ball award because his team won the Champions League and the Premier League. But, for me, Ibrahimovic is the best."

Mourinho also said he is not chasing Chelsea's Dider Drogba, but admitted he will let striker Adriano leave Inter.

The 26-year-old Brazilian forward has been linked with a move to Chelsea or a return to his home country, and is apparently now free to leave in the January transfer window.

"(Club president) Massimo Moratti and I want him to stay," said Mourinho.

"However, if he asked me to leave I would not oppose it. He has 10 years of football left to play."

He added: "I have never hidden my special relationship with Didier but I do not need another striker as I have Hernan Crespo, Julio Cruz, Mario Balotelli and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

"But Drogba is more than a player for me, he is a part of me, an extension of the coach on the pitch."

With Italian champions Inter set to face Manchester United in the last 16 of the Champions league next February, Mourinho has begun talking up his players.

And the former Chelsea boss believes his fellow Portuguese, Ronaldo, "is certainly not the best" player in the world.

"When I think how a player should be, names like Kaka, Ibrahimovic and (Lionel) Messi come to mind," said Mourinho.

"Messi is great and in two or three years' time he will win the Golden Ball (Ballon d'Or) award."

Ronaldo careful to avoid Fergie "hair-dryer" in Japan

Cristiano Ronaldo studiously avoided talk of Real Madrid after Manchester United booked their place in Sunday's Club World Cup final.

Spanish media reports claiming United had agreed to sell Ronaldo to Real prompted a furious response from Alex Ferguson after his side's 5-3 win over Gamba Osaka on Thursday.

While the United manager insisted he "wouldn't sell a virus" to Real, Ronaldo kept his own counsel, perhaps mindful of Ferguson's famous "hair-dryer" treatment.

"I don't want to talk about Real Madrid," the Portuguese winger told reporters after scoring one of United's five goals in their semi-final win in Yokohama. "I am happy here."

Ronaldo admitted that United would need to play better against Ecuador's LDU in order to become the first British side to win the Club World Cup.

"LDU are a great side and the final will be much more difficult," said the Ballon d'Or winner. "The second game is always harder. It would be amazing to be world champions.

"The lads want the treble (English, European and world champions) and we're delighted to be in the final. But we know we have to play better on Sunday."

LIME GREEN

Ronaldo, wearing lime green boots, gave United a 2-0 lead with a header on the stroke of halftime but was overshadowed by substitute Wayne Rooney's late double strike.

"Wayne did brilliantly tonight," said Ronaldo, who dazzled the crowd of 67,000 with his trademark stepovers. "He was hungry to score and got two fantastic goals."

Ferguson's side won the Club World Cup's forerunner, a one-off match between the champions of Europe and South America, with a 1-0 victory over Brazil's Palmeiras in 1999.

United were beaten 2-1 on aggregate by Argentine side Estudiantes in 1968 when the Intercontinental Cup was played over two legs.

Ferguson was still fuming after the game about the latest rumours from Madrid, which came after last weekend's 2-0 defeat by arch-rivals Barcelona.

"Real Madrid will blame anybody but themselves for their problems," said the Scot. "I said to (chief executive) David Gill last summer, when we sold Gabriel Heinze, you can bet your life in January it will all start up with Ronaldo again.

"We know their game. We've just got to ignore it. If we keep worrying about what Real are going to say then we're not going to concentrate on our own programme of difficult games coming up."

Garforth agree deal to sign Cafu

Former AC Milan and Brazil right-back Cafu has been lined up to play for Unibond Northern League team Garforth Town next year.

The club's manager, Simon Clifford, has played down talk of a move in January but has persuaded the 38-year-old to join before the end of the season.

"He's likely to be coming in April to just play a few games," said Clifford.

"It's an honour to have someone like him lining up in our shirt and I think he'll add something on the field."

Clifford runs the Brazilian Soccer Schools coaching organisation and has built up a number of contacts in the game.

In 2004 he attracted Brazil legends Socrates and Careca to play for the club and the addition of Cafu is another major coup for the West Yorkshire town.

Just last season the World Cup winner was plying his trade with AC Milan but was without a club having being released in the summer after five years at the San Siro.

He is Brazil's most capped player of all time having played 142 times for his country and has won the World Cup twice - in 1994 and 2002.

Good wife is best thing to happen to footballer: Scolari

Brazilian football coach Luiz Felipe ‘Big Phil’ Scolari has said that the best thing that can ever happen to a football player is a “good wife”.

Scolari, 60, slammed the culture that involves cash, flashy cars, nightclubs, and WAGs, insisting that they could put the players and their careers in trouble.

The manager of the Premier League side Chelsea also warned players against using up their huge pay packets on luxuries because their careers are so short.

“The best thing for a player in their football life is to have a good wife,” the Daily Star quoted Scolari as saying. “If a player has a good wife, you don’t need to worry about him.

“Today, if a player is intelligent, they have money for their family for the second generation and even the fifth generation. But some players don’t think about this. Some players only think about today, spending money for the day, spending money on a car, nights out, and on this and on that.

“After 10 years they have spent a lot of money, too much money, and they have killed the life.”

Scolari, who won the World Cup as Brazil's manager in 2002, had grown up poor in his home country, but he now earns £6 million a year to manage the Blues. He has been married to his wife Olga for 33 years.

The only difference between Olga, 53, and the WAGs of English football is that Olga is well educated and has made her own living.

Pele: Great players do not usually make great coaches

Brazilian football legend Pele made clear his scepticism as to the likelihood that Diego Maradona might be successful as coach of Argentina's senior team.

"Great stars, great players do not usually make good coaches. And sometimes a footballer that was not so brilliant in his career becomes a great coach," Pele noted, in comments that Brazilian media published Thursday.

Pele and Maradona are regarded as the two great candidates for the title of the best football players in history.

"I hope everything goes well for him. For him it is just another chance to get over everything he faced," the Brazilian said of Maradona's past drug problems.

According to Pele, Maradona would do well to follow the advice of experienced coach Carlos Bilardo, who led Argentina to the 1986 World Cup title and will now be part of Argentina's managing team under Maradona.

"Bilardo knows football very well. If Maradona listens to Bilardo, he will have a great adviser and then everything can work out well. Maradona can learn a lot, should he want to," Pele said.

Kolkata speaks the language of Maradona

Kolkata is speaking the language of the ‘God’ of football.

The Spanish term for saying welcome is painted all across the City, which is swelling in enthusiasm to receive one of most admired deities in the sport’s pantheon Diego Maradona.

Pele’s visit more than three decades ago brought out thousands on the streets. There is definitely going to be a multiplication of the multitude when football’s greatest magician of the modern times sets his foot in the City.

The words of India’s own footballing heroes’ from the times when the country earned instant recognition in the sport give a good indication of the mood of the City on the eve of Maradona’s arrival.

Moment of pride

“It a moment of pride for all those who love the sport to be able to see Maradona from close,” said Chuni Goswami, the captain of Indian team that won gold in the 1962 Asian Games.

“Although no one is going to see his skills, his presence itself is something to cherish,” he added.

“Both of them are great players who were outstanding in their respective roles. Pele was a striker-creator and Maradona was a creator-striker. By that I mean Pele was more of a finisher while Maradona took dribbling and passing to sublime levels,” he said.

Former India captain Biswajit Bhattacharya said Maradona’s visit would help the football crazy people in the country gauge the true merit of football’s superstar.

“People here hardly have the idea about the charm and grandeur of big time football that is played in the developed world. Maradona’s arrival here would give people an idea of how rich the sport really is,” he said.

Bhattacharya said it is a thrilling feeling to have Maradona “in my own city.”

Coming to the present generation players, Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia is excited about seeing the legend he idolises.

“Maradona is every footballer’s hero. I have grown up watching him play,” he said.

“It is a great feeling as a footballer to see a figure like Maradona from close. I am keenly waiting to meet him,” said

Bhutia will be playing an exhibition match during the superstar’s felicitation on Saturday.

Cristiano Ronaldo wins Golden Ball award

Cristiano Ronaldo won the Golden Ball awarded to the European Footballer of the Year on Tuesday, becoming the fourth Manchester United player to take the honour and the first since fellow winger George Best in 1968.

Ronaldo's brilliant scoring form helped him beat Barcelona striker Lionel Messi into second place, while Liverpool forward Fernando Torres was third in the poll results announced overnight by France Football magazine.

Ronaldo dominated the voting, tallying 446 points. Messi had 281 points and Torres had 179.

That gave Ronaldo two points more than Kaka won last year's award with.

Ronaldo was second last year with 277, while Messi was third with 255. Kaka, Milan's Brazilian playmaker, was eighth this time with only 31 points.

Ronaldo scored 42 goals in all competitions last season as United won the Premier League and Champions League trophies.

The 23-year-old Ronaldo adds the Ballon d'Or award to the FIFA Pro World Player of the Year trophy he won in October, and the Professional Footballers Association and the Football Writers awards.

He also becomes the first Premier League player to win since former Liverpool forward Michael Owen in 2001, and the first Portuguese player since winger Luis Figo won it with Real Madrid in 2000.

France Football's award was decided by an annual poll of football journalists with a short list of 30 players.

Following Portugal's disappointing showing at the European Championship in June, Ronaldo underwent an operation to his troublesome right ankle injury in July that then kept him sidelined until September 17.

In times of terror, seek joy in sports

Sport has often provided me the escape route. Squeaking shoes on the wooden floor of a badminton court, the sound of a shuttlecock whizzing past the ear, reassured me that in the hours spent in its confines, everything else was secondary.

The mundaneness of a summer afternoon was made tolerable by a repeat telecast of an India-Pakistan cricket match on TV.

Racing downhill, bare-feet, on dew-kissed grass, gave me the biggest high.

But the last four days have been different. Filippo Inzaghi’s record-breaking goal in European competitions mattered little. I didn’t care that Chelsea still hadn’t made the last sixteen of the Champions League. In fact, blasphemous as it may sound, I even thought Bill Shankly a passionate fool for believing that football is more important than life and death.

My city was burning, people grieving for the loved ones they lost. How could I, then, seek solace in sport?

It’s in moments like these that you realise, sport may not be that big a deal after all. It may be important for the soul of a man but not as important as life itself.

By late Friday night, as some normalcy returned, and my mother stopped questioning every loud noise she heard while talking on the phone with me, I turned to sport again. Not to escape, but maybe to revive the faith.

I watched the DVD of that NatWest final at Lord’s, where Yuvraj Singh and Mohammed Kaif helped India rise from the dead. Then, I played the DVD of the World Cup final between France and Italy, rewinding the Zinedine Zidane head-butt some 10 times and each time gasping, “How could he?”

I saw Ronaldinho at his magical best, then immediately felt a sense of guilt at the happiness his genius brought me.

On Saturday, Mumbaikars woke up to feel safer than they felt in the last four days. I am glad that the ordeal is over. But, I guess, now we will all need reassurance.

I think I will find mine in sport. This weekend there is some football — matches that can turn out to be classics. Arsenal play Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, hoping to stay in the race for the title. But I think more enthralling could be the game at the City of Manchester Stadium. It’s Manchester City against their old foes Manchester United.
Brazilian Robinho is at the centre of it all. In his first in-depth interview since moving to England, Robinho has revealed that over the last week he has been stopped by hundreds of people in the streets, who tell him, ‘You must beat United. This is our game. This is our day. You have to score the winning goal’.

For the City fans, this is the time for revenge against their more famed rivals. For the first time in years, they feel they can match the Devils kick-for-kick. A win on Sunday, could wipe out the hurt that taunts of ‘wrong Manchester’ have caused.

When Robinho joined City after a £32.5m signing from Real Madrid in September on a salary of £160,000 a week, we called him a mercenary.

Rob’s taken the criticism, played his best football, scored eight goals in 11 league games and brought immense happiness to thousands of City supporters. If he wins them the game on Sunday, they’ll have no greater hero.

In our tough times, let’s all seek our Robinhos.

Arsenal can win league - Luiz Felipe Scolari

Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari is refusing to rule Arsenal out of the title race - even if his side beat them at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Arsene Wenger's Gunners are 10 points behind Scolari's Premier League leaders, and are down in fifth place.

But Scolari said: "Even if you're 15 points clear with five games to go, you're not champions. You're only champions at the end of the last game.

"This is a big game. Wenger's team play football, so it's difficult to win."

Scolari is looking forward to pitting his wits against his old friend Wenger in the team's first Premier League encounter of the season.

"This is the first time I'll have played against Wenger," said the Brazilian, who was appointed as Chelsea boss in June but who used to coach in Japan alongside the Frenchman in the 1990s.

"I met him for the first time in Japan - he's been my friend for 10 or 12 years now.

"I like him as a coach. If I chose five coaches in the world as the best, he'd be one of the five.

"I watched their game against Manchester United and it was one of the best games in the Premier League. This game against Chelsea will be like that as well."

Scolari goes into the game without Didier Drogba, who is serving a three-match ban for throwing a coin at Burnley fans during Chelsea's shock Carling Cup defeat.

The 30-year-old striker was back in the headlines on Monday after he reportedly met Inter Milan's sporting director Marco Branca in a Fulham restaurant to discuss a potential January transfer window move to the San Siro.

But Scolari, who left Drogba on the bench for Wednesday's Champions League draw with Bordeaux, says he believes the Ivorian is committed to Chelsea.

"Every minute in the day, I think he's happy," he added.

"He has my support every day - injured or not injured. I'm sure he's 100% committed to the club.

"All I know is that he can't play against Arsenal. I have to be thinking about the Arsenal game, not what might happen in 2010 or 2011."

Phil Lane ready for challenge of 2012

British Paralympic Association chief executive Phil Lane has warned that there is more hard work ahead as the team work towards London 2012.

In Beijing, Great Britain were second in the medal table behind China but Lane insists there is no room for complacency.

"We have to look at what we have achieved and be ruthless at improving standards," he said.

"We need to rise to the challenge of competing in a home Games in 2012."

Speaking at the launch of ParalympicsGB's Beijing report, Lane praised the achievements of Britain's team in China where they came away with 102 medals, including 42 golds, but warned of other nations catching up.

"This was an extraordinary performance achieved with the pressure of following a successful Olympics and in the backyard of a dominant home nation," he said.

"In what was the most competitive Games I have known, the GB team was the best prepared and best organised to leave these shores and our athletes rose magnificently to the challenge.

"But to retain our place in the medal table in the future will be a test.

"The USA have regrouped and pushed us close for second in the table, Russia are much more prominent and nations like the Ukraine, Brazil and South Africa are making huge strides.

"It means that there is more pressure on established Paralympic nations and we have to be strong and find those small margins which can keep us in front and hold off both new and old rivals."

However, with many anticipating a cut in resources when UK Sport announces the ongoing funding for Olympic and Paralympic sports next week, Lane is keen that the money is channelled in the most effective way.

He says they will need a figure in the region of £6-7m over the next four years to 'back existing winning habits and break new ground.'

"We are the envy of other nations because of what we have achieved but we want to build on our winning formula and challenge sports which didn't achieve in Beijing," he said.

Lane also added that they would be working on developing new talent and ensuring that the 2012 organisers deliver a Games current and future athletes.

But he refused to be drawn on UK Sport's hopes that the British team would be in a position to top the medal standings in London.

"There would be be no greater crowning glory than to top the medal table but we are realistic about the situation.

"We all know that if China turn up in London with the volume of numbers we know they have and with investment they will be a difficult set of opponents.

"But we will do our best to strive and if we get the funding right we will be right."

Late goals send Milan through in UEFA Cup

Late goals from Ronaldinho and Filippo Inzaghi salvaged a 2-2 draw for AC Milan against English FA Cup winners Portsmouth and took the seven times European champions into the last 32 of the UEFA Cup on Thursday.

Milan were trailing 2-0 until Brazilian Ronaldinho curled in a superb freekick after 84 minutes and then Inzaghi, who had hit the woodwork three times, showed fine control to slot home the equaliser in the second minute of stoppage time.

Carlo Ancelotti's side top Group E with seven points from three matches and are guaranteed a place in the knockout phase with a game to spare.

Former winners CSKA Moscow, Manchester City and Ligue 1 strugglers St Etienne joined Milan as the first four teams to qualify for the last 32.

Portsmouth, roared on by the majority of a fervent 20,000 crowd shoehorned into the south coast club's Fratton Park home, had stunned Milan with second-half goals from Younes Kaboul and Nwankwo Kanu.

Kaboul powerfully headed home Glenn Johnson's inviting cross after 62 minutes and 11 minutes later Nigeria striker Kanu, whose FA Cup final winner in May secured Portsmouth's place in Europe, hooked in another Johnson cross from close range.

Ancelotti sent on Ronaldinho and Pato for Kaka and Andriy Shevchenko and it was the former who got Milan back into the game with an unstoppable swirling freekick past David James.

With time running out, a hopeful ball into the danger area was taken down with aplomb by Inzaghi who then found the bottom corner of the net.

Portsmouth 2-2 AC Milan

Filippo Inzaghi struck a late equaliser to break Portsmouth's hearts and send AC Milan into the Uefa Cup's last 32.

Inzaghi hit the post and the bar early on, while Peter Crouch was guilty of missing three excellent chances.

Younes Kaboul headed in Glen Johnson's pin-point cross to put Pompey ahead and Kanu doubled the lead from close range.

Inzaghi hit the woodwork again with a diving header, before Ronaldinho scored with a superb free-kick and Inzaghi's toe-poke snatched a draw.

Talk before the game had been that Milan were not relishing the prospect of a wintry evening at Fratton Park.

And it looked like Portsmouth were going to pull off a famous victory until Inzaghi's late, late intervention.

Not that anyone could really begrudge the striker his reward for a performance of real menace.

The former Italy international almost opened the scoring when he latched on to Andriy Shevchenko's free-kick, sending a left-footed shot against the foot of the post.

Inzaghi hit the woodwork again when he raced on to Gennaro Gattuso's pass and lofted the ball over David James and against the top of the bar.

In between those chances for Milan, Crouch should have done better when volleying horribly off target after being picked out by Kanu's cross into the box.

It was to be the story of the night for Crouch, who later headed back into the box with the goal gaping, sent a diving header wide and mistimed an overhead kick.

Pompey, though, were at least creating chances and certainly did not look overawed.

Following a slick passing move, they fashioned another opening, but the angle proved too tight for Glen Little to get his volley on target.

Aside from a couple of long-range efforts from world player of the year Kaka, Milan were unable to threaten.

And it was no great surprise when Pompey broke the deadlock though Kaboul, who rose between two Milan defenders to thump home a header.

Nine minutes later, the home side doubled their lead - and again it was Johnson who was the provider, this time sending in a cross for Kanu to convert.

But rather than folding, Milan came back strongly, with Inzaghi denied once again by the frame of the goal from a diving header.

On came Ronaldinho, who quickly made an impression when he curled in an exquisite 25-yard free-kick to give Milan a lifeline.

Luca Antonini went close with a low, skidding shot as the visitors searched for an equaliser, which they got when Inzaghi struck after his sublime first touch set him up to earn his side a vital point.

It was a hugely disappointing end for Pompey and their fans, but the club still has hopes of making the last 32.

They need to pick up points from their remaining games against Germany's Wolfsburg - away next Thursday - and Holland's Heerenveen to join Milan in the group's top three.


Portsmouth manager Tony Adams:

"The boys are feeling flat in there. They thought they had won it. But I'm proud of them tonight.

"This was the best performance I've seen from us in a long time. And we can still say we are four games unbeaten now, including against Milan.

"We are struggling to put teams to bed, but they (Milan) have some excellent players. If you switch off, they punish you.

"We can work on picking teams up from set plays but it was a fantastic free-kick. But I was very entertained by my players tonight.

"We've given ourselves a chance but we will still have to get over this. The boys are really upset they didn't hang on to win."

Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti:

"Ronaldinho's free-kick changed the face of the game but we almost lost hope. The reaction had to be good and it was, but you don't often get the opportunity from 2-0 down.

"We were a little lucky. We played quite well in the first half but it became a bit more difficult in the second half after they took the lead.

"Inzaghi deserved his goal. He was unlucky to twice hit a post but we still had to get the break to recover.

"(Portsmouth's) performance did not surprise me. I think they can still go through to the third round in the UEFA Cup with us."


Portsmouth: James, Johnson, Kaboul, Distin, Belhadj, Little (Mvuemba 66), Diop, Hughes, Traore, Crouch, Kanu (Davis 81).
Subs Not Used: Ashdown, Hreidarsson, Pamarot, Wilson.

Booked: Hughes.

Goals: Kaboul 62, Kanu 73.

AC Milan: Dida, Zambrotta, Favalli, Senderos, Antonini, Gattuso (Seedorf 65), Emerson, Flamini, Kaka (Alexandre Pato 74), Inzaghi, Shevchenko (Ronaldinho 74).
Subs Not Used: Kalac, Kaladze, Pirlo, Bonera.

Booked: Antonini.

Goals: Ronaldinho 84, Inzaghi 90+2.

Att: 20,403

Ref: Serge Gumienny.

Brazil's Ronaldo considering retirement

Brazilian striker Ronaldo may retire from soccer following his latest serious knee injury, the 32-year-old said on Wednesday.

Ronaldo ruptured a tendon in his left knee playing for AC Milan in February and made his return earlier this week when he appeared for just 22 minutes in a charity match in Morocco.

His Milan contract ran out in the close season and offers from big clubs have failed to materialise for the Brazilian, who has turned down an approach from Serie A midtable side Siena.

"I thank them but I really don't know what the future holds for me," Ronaldo told Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I don't know if I will continue playing or retire. I still haven't taken a decision. There is no rush. I want to complete my recuperation. I could decide tomorrow or in a month. I really don't know."

England's Manchester City have been linked with a move for the 1997 and 2002 Ballon d'Or winner, along with Brazil's Flamengo.

However, the former Real Madrid player is still nowhere near ready for action after struggling and looking overweight in Morocco.

"I am tired because my rehabilitation work has been hard and my legs are heavy," added Ronaldo, who suffered serious injuries to his right knee while playing for Inter Milan in 1999 and 2000 but recovered to help Brazil win the 2002 World Cup.

FIFA World Rankings

FIFA World Rankings

1. Spain (-)
2. Germany (+1)
3. Italy (-1)
4. Netherlands (+1)
5. Brazil (-1)
6. Argentina (+1)
7. Croatia (-1)
8. Russia (+1)
9. Czech Republic (-1)
10. Portugal (-), England (+4)

Selected others
33. Scotland (-7)
36. Republic of Ireland (+2)
42. Northern Ireland (-7)
62. Wales (-1)

FIFA World Rankings

FIFA World Rankings

1. Spain (-)
2. Germany (+1)
3. Italy (-1)
4. Netherlands (+1)
5. Brazil (-1)
6. Argentina (+1)
7. Croatia (-1)
8. Russia (+1)
9. Czech Republic (-1)
10. Portugal (-), England (+4)

Selected others
33. Scotland (-7)
36. Republic of Ireland (+2)
42. Northern Ireland (-7)
62. Wales (-1)