Off the Field
Despite on-pitch disappointments and off-pitch corruption, China's soccer market remains a gold mine.
A meeting between the countries of Common Market of the South (Mercosur) held in Buenos Aires was halted on Tuesday because the Paraguayan delegation requested a break to watch the World Cup match between its national team and Japan.
"Eight goals for Africa" song recorded by eight African artists from across the continent will be sung by them in a live performance at the Soccer City Fan Fest in Johannesburg on the day of World Cup finals.
Germany striker Miroslav Klose could decide to quit the national side after the World Cup, the 32-year-old said on Monday.
South African immigration officials have stopped 613 "undesirable" people from entering the country ahead of and during the World Cup, the department of home affairs said
World Cup 2010 is no longer merely a sporting event. It has become a festival, a carnival for people in nine South African cities and fans worldwide.
A small plane with World Cup fans aboard made an emergency landing Sunday on a highway leading to the city of Bloemfontein, where Germany will take on England in the knock-out match, media reports said.
US President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron exchanged beers on Saturday to honor their bet over the England-US World Cup soccer match that ended in a draw.
For some, the 2010 World Cup is not only a football carnival, but also a family reunion. Fathers, sons, brothers, all enjoy themselves in this special reunion.
President Nicolas Sarkozy called on Wednesday for a wholesale review of French soccer following the national team's humiliation in the World Cup, and said no player should receive bonuses after their dire showing.
Semifinals Fixtures
| July 7 |
|
July 8 |
|
Top Scorers
|
Player |
Team |
Goals |
David Villa | ESP | 5 |
| Sneijder | NED | 5 | |||
| Diego Forlan |
URU |
5 | |||
| Mueller |
GER |
5 | |||
|
Vittek |
SVK | 4 | |||
|
Klose |
GER |
4 |
|||
|
Higuain |
ARG |
4 |
|||
|
Asamoah Gyan |
GHA |
3 | |||
| Donovan | USA | 3 | |||
| Luis Suarez | URU | 3 | Fabiano | BRA | 3 |
URU 2 - 3 NED 
GER 0 - 1 ESP 