Yuppy Sports

Valverde relishing Barça final clash

<img alt="Valverde relishing Barça final clash" src="http://img.fifa.com/mm/photo/world-match-centre/clubfootball/02/55/50/43/2555043_full-lnd.jpg" /><br />
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Athletic Club coach Ernesto Valverde is thrilled at his team's achievement in reaching the Copa del Rey final for the third time in the last seven years. The Basque outfit won 2-0 at Espanyol last night to progress 3-1 on aggregate and set up a meeting with Barcelona in the cup showdown on 30 May.</div>
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"We knew that Espanyol could complicate our lives as they did in the first leg," Valverde told the Spanish press. "My players played at a very high level and we played a perfect game. It wasn't easy to play away from home in a semi-final, but my players did a great job."</div>
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<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">Los Leones</em> have lifted the Copa 23 times but will take on a Barça side who have won this competition a record 26 times. Athletic lost 5-2 at home to Barça in the league last month. "It's obvious that Barça are favourites," Valverde said. "But we didn't care who we would face in the final as long as we were there.</div>
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"Barça have a very strong team and they are favourites. Our chances of winning are slim but it's our duty to give our all in the final. This will be my first final with Athletic and it's going to be extraordinary. I know what it means for this club, for the city, and we are going to fight for this title."</div>
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Valverde, whose side were eliminated in the last 32 of the UEFA Europa League by Torino last month, hopes Athletic's latest success will help them climb up the Spanish La Liga standings. Athletic are tenth in the Spanish top flight, with eight wins from 25 games.</div>
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"We are in a difficult situation in the league," Valverde said. "But to be in a final transmits hope and that will give us an extra motivation. "I hope it will allow us to clinch more points in the league and be more competitive."</div>
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Athletic have won their last two league games and take on La Liga leaders Real Madrid on Saturday at the San Mames stadium.</div>

Valverde relishing Barça final clash

Athletic Club coach Ernesto Valverde is thrilled at his team's achievement in reaching the Copa del Rey final for the third time in t...

Ibenge: We never lost hope

<img alt="Ibenge: We never lost hope" height="359" src="http://img.fifa.com/mm/photo/world-match-centre/nationalteams/02/51/33/57/2513357_full-lnd.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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Congo DR coach Florent Ibenge said his side "never lost hope" as they recovered from two goals down to beat Congo 4-2 in an incredible <a class="articleBodyLink" href="http://www.cafonline.com/competition/african-cup-of-nations_2012" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #1f5b9c; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="">CAF Africa Cup of Nations</a> quarter-final on Saturday.</div>
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"We never lost hope and confidence that we could still win the match," Ibenge said, whose side found themselves trailing 2-0 with 25 minutes left in Bata only for a Dieumerci Mbokani brace and goals from Loteteka Bokila and Joel Kimwaki Mpela to turn the tie on its head.</div>
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"We changed tactics and formation after we went 2-0 down because I noticed the Congo defence was getting tired.</div>
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"It was very emotional to play against a country like Congo but we wanted to go through because it is not every time you get such an opportunity," added Ibenge after the Leopards qualified for the last four for the first time since 1998.</div>
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His side had reached the knockout stage despite not winning a game in Group B, and he acknowledged that Congo DR were staring a disastrous defeat in the face until their comeback.</div>
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"If we had lost to Congo, it would amount to us not doing anything at this tournament. A defeat today would have been a lot tougher on us," he said.</div>

Ibenge: We never lost hope

Congo DR coach Florent Ibenge said his side "never lost hope" as they recovered from two goals down to beat Congo 4-2 in an...

Young Syrians responding to adversity

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   <img alt="Syria national team players pose" height="359" src="http://img.fifa.com/mm/photo/tournament/competition/02/45/23/68/2452368_full-lnd.jpg" width="640" /> </div>
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Times are tough for Syria’s footballers. The country’s bloody civil war, which has been raging for more than three years and has resulted in the suspension of the national league since the 2010/11 season, has forced them to move to neighbouring countries to continue their careers.</div>
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Despite the unrest and the catastrophic consequences it has had for the nation, the Syrians still managed to win the 2012 West Asian Football Federation Championship, held in Kuwait. That unlikely achievement provided a source of inspiration for the country’s U-17 side, who last year qualified for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Chile 2015.</div>
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The Syrians will be making only their second appearance in the competition, and while their journey to the world finals was an improbable one, coach Mohammad Al Attar puts it all down to some solid team virtues: “There was a real sense of togetherness between the players and the coaching staff, and that was thanks to the work we did on a psychological level.”</div>
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Al Attar’s side owe their place in Chile to a strong showing at the 2014 AFC U-16 Championship, which was hosted by Thailand. Drawn into a daunting group against Iran, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the Syrians kicked off with back-to-back draws before stunning the Iranians with a 2-1 win to check into the last eight. An emphatic 5-2 defeat of Uzbekistan then ensured them a place at the U-17 world finals for the first time since Korea Republic 2007.</div>
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Reflecting on the difficulties faced by his side in the run-up to the continental tournament, Al Attar said: “Our preparations weren’t very smooth at all and we weren’t able to play a single international friendly. We had to make do with a training camp in Kuwait, during which we played two local teams. The Syrian FA did all it could to organise matches abroad but it just didn’t happen.”</div>
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Shrugging off their problematic build-up, the young Syrians surpassed themselves in Thailand and brought a little joy into the lives of their fellow countrymen back home. “Our results had a positive impact on our people, who have been through a lot of suffering,” said the 46-year-old, who also coaches club side Al Taliya.</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #474747; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">A hazardous path</strong>Many Syrian players and fans have been killed or wounded as a result of the internal strife that has beset the nation. In spite of the bloodshed, Al Attar and his defiant charges are determined to fly the Syrian flag high on the world stage and make their mark.</div>
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“Life goes on, whatever the circumstances,” he said. “Sport and football in particular help take people’s minds off the problems our country is facing, and in qualifying for the World Cup we’ve allowed them to think about something else for a while.”</div>
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As the war rages on back home, Al Attar and his backroom staff have had to work hard on keeping the morale of their young players high.</div>
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“We’ve really focused on the psychological side of things during our preparations,” he said. “During the training camps we tried to take the players away from events at home, which allowed us to get results.</div>
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“Our sole aim when we were in Thailand was to achieve something big for Syria. We thought about nothing else. We put the situation in our country to one side. If we hadn’t, it would have had a negative impact on the whole squad.”</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #474747; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Future goals</strong>Buoyed by their fourth place at the AFC U-16 Championship, the Syrians are heading to Chile with the aim of bettering their performance at the 2007 world finals, where they went down 3-1 to England in the last 16.</div>
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Acknowledging that the situation has not improved back home, Al Attar said: “The circumstances are the same, but that won’t stop us from working hard and preparing the best we can. We’re dealing with things by training in areas that are safe.”</div>
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Rounding off on an optimistic note, he said: “Qualifying for the World Cup has been a great achievement as far as I’m concerned. That’s why we’re ready to face everything that’s thrown at us. We’re going to do our very best to make sure we get noticed in Chile and put all the problems that we’re going through to one side.”</div>
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As Al Attar has already proved, he has the experience needed to overcome hurdles and steel his players for the challenge that lies ahead, when they will once again seek to bring a little sunlight into the lives of their long-suffering compatriots.</div>
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Young Syrians responding to adversity

Times are tough for Syria’s footballers. The country’s bloody civil war, which has been raging for more than three years and has res...

Happy Birthday to You!

<img alt="Happy Birthday to You!" height="359" src="http://www.fifa.com/mm//Photo/Tournament/Competition/01/67/89/21/1678921_FULL-LND.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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In our regular Sunday feature, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">FIFA.com </strong>presents you with some of the biggest names in football who will be celebrating their birthdays over the coming week.</div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">11. Mohammad Nosrati </strong><strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">(33)</strong> took part in the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™ and in three AFC Asian Cups with <a class="articleBodyLink" href="http://www.fifa.com/associations/association=irn/index.html" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #1f5b9c; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Iran</a>, finishing third at the 2004 edition of the continental contest. In addition, the versatile defender was part of the Iranian sides that emerged victorious from the 2002 Asian Games and the 2004 West Asian Football Federation Championship. Aside from a season with Dubai-based Al-Nasr, Nosrati has spent the majority of his career in his homeland, winning the national league with Pas Tehran and Persepolis, and the Hazfi Cup with Tractor Sazi.</div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">12. Oribe Peralta </strong><strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">(31)</strong> played a key role in <a class="articleBodyLink" href="http://www.fifa.com/associations/association=mex/index.html" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #1f5b9c; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Mexico</a>’s Men’s Olympic Football Tournament triumph at London 2012, notching four goals in the competition, including two against Brazil in the final. The lively forward also helped his country to advance to the 2014 World Cup, scoring ten goals in 11 qualifying matches. At the tournament proper, he played in all four of <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">El Tri</em>’s encounters, but could not prevent their Round-of-16 defeat by the Netherlands. The Torreon native also competed at the Copa America in 2011. Peralta has spent his entire club career in <a class="articleBodyLink" href="http://www.fifa.com/associations/association=mex/index.html" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #1f5b9c; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Mexico</a>, starting out at Morelia and then Leon, where he won a Primera Division title. A two-season stint at Monterrey was followed by a move to Santos Laguna, where he added two league winners’ medals and the 2013 CONCACAF Player of the Year award to his footballing CV. In 2014, the Mexican striker signed for Club America, claiming another league crown later that year.</div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">13. Dan Eggen </strong><strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">(45)</strong> starred for <a class="articleBodyLink" href="http://www.fifa.com/associations/association=nor/index.html" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #1f5b9c; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Norway</a> at the <a class="articleBodyLink" href="http://www.fifa.com/associations/association=fra/index.html" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #1f5b9c; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">France</a> 1998, the Scandinavian nation’s last appearance to date on football’s greatest stage. The towering centre-back headed the Norwegians’ equaliser in their group-stage draw with Morocco, a result which proved crucial to qualifying for the knockout stages of the tournament. He had previously been selected for <a class="articleBodyLink" href="http://www.fifa.com/associations/association=nor/index.html" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #1f5b9c; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Norway</a>’s squad at the 1994 World Cup, but did not play in any of their three matches in the USA. He also appeared at UEFA EURO 2000, his final major competition. Eggen began his professional career in <a class="articleBodyLink" href="http://www.fifa.com/associations/association=den/index.html" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #1f5b9c; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Denmark</a> with BK Frem, before putting pen to paper with Brondby, where he bagged three Danish Championships and two Danish Cups. He then tried his luck in Spain, pulling on the jerseys of Celta Vigo and Alaves, with whom he reached the final of the 2001 UEFA Cup versus Liverpool. The imposing Norwegian subsequently saw out the remainder of his playing days with French outfit Le Mans.</div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">14. Lars Hogh </strong><strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">(56) </strong>participated in the 1986 World Cup and the 1995 King Fahd Cup (precursor to the FIFA Confederations Cup) with <a class="articleBodyLink" href="http://www.fifa.com/associations/association=den/index.html" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #1f5b9c; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Denmark</a>, lifting the latter trophy. At club level, the consistent goalkeeper defended the colours of just one team – Odense – for 23 years, securing three Danish League titles, three Danish Cups and five Danish Goalkeeper of the Year awards during that lengthy period. After hanging up his gloves, Hogh became a goalkeeper coach at Brondby, Nordsjaelland and the Danish national side.</div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">15. Marius Tresor </strong><strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">(66)</strong> is regarded as a living legend of French football, having appeared for <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">Les Bleus </em>at Argentina 1978 and Spain 1982, where he scored against West Germany in a memorable semi-final defeat. After starting off at Ajaccio, where he was named French Player of the Year, the composed defender joined<a class="articleBodyLink" href="http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/clubs/club=33192/index.html" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #1f5b9c; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="">Marseille</a>, with whom he held aloft the Coupe de <a class="articleBodyLink" href="http://www.fifa.com/associations/association=fra/index.html" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #1f5b9c; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">France</a>. Tresor then committed himself to Bordeaux, where he landed the only French League title of his career.</div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">16. Stephan Lichtsteiner </strong><strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">(31)</strong> appeared for <a class="articleBodyLink" href="http://www.fifa.com/associations/association=sui/index.html" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #1f5b9c; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Switzerland</a> at South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014, as well as at EURO 2008. The energetic right-back turned professional at Grasshopper, where he gained a Swiss League winners’ medal. He was then transferred to Lille, where his performances piqued the interest of Lazio, with whom he won the Italian Cup and Super Cup. In 2011, he moved to current club <a class="articleBodyLink" href="http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/clubs/club=31085/index.html" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #1f5b9c; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="">Juventus</a>, where he has since scooped three successive Serie A titles and two Italian Cups.</div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">17. Faouzi Mansouri </strong><strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">(59) </strong>was part of the Algerian XI that made their World Cup debut at Spain 1982 and later qualified for a second global adventure at <a class="articleBodyLink" href="http://www.fifa.com/associations/association=mex/index.html" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #1f5b9c; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Mexico</a> 1986. The North African defender played for a handful of teams in <a class="articleBodyLink" href="http://www.fifa.com/associations/association=fra/index.html" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #1f5b9c; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">France</a>, including Montpellier, Nimes and Mulhouse.</div>

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In our regular Sunday feature, FIFA.com presents you with some of the biggest names in football who will be celebrating their birth...

Bahrainis, Faroes climb amid minimal change

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   <img alt="Bahrain's players pose for a family picture " height="359" src="http://img.fifa.com/mm/photo/world-match-centre/nationalteams/02/47/55/12/2475512_full-lnd.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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As expected, there are very few changes in the first edition of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking of 2015, with football having come to a halt in many places over the New Year period. Only 16 friendlies have been included since December’s instalment, 11 of which took place in 2014.</div>
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In total, 845 matches were played in 2014 – a record for a FIFA World Cup™ year. The top 45 countries in the ranking remain unchanged, with Germany continuing to lead the way ahead of Argentina and Colombia.</div>
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There are 146 non-movers in the 209 teams. Bahrain have made the biggest gain thanks to wins over Saudi Arabia and Jordan, moving up 12 places to 110th in the process. The only teams to climb more than three places are Lebanon (122nd, up 4) and Vietnam (133rd, up 4), while the Faroe Islands have achieved their highest-ever position of 103rd since the ranking was introduced in 1993.</div>
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The biggest fallers this month are Iraq (114th, down 11) and Jordan (93rd, down 12).</div>
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More movement is to be expected in the February edition of the world ranking, which will take into account all of the results from the CAF Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea and the AFC Asian Cup in Australia.</div>
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The next FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking will be published on 12 February 2015.</div>
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Summary</div>
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Leader</div>
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Germany (unchanged)</div>
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Moves into top ten</div>
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none</div>
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Moves out of top ten</div>
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none</div>
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Matches played in total</div>
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16 (11 of which were in 2014)</div>
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Most matches played</div>
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Iraq (4 matches)</div>
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Biggest move by points</div>
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Bahrain (up 43 points)</div>
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Biggest move by ranks</div>
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Bahrain (up 12 ranks)</div>
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Biggest drop by points</div>
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Iraq (down 51 points)</div>
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Biggest drop by ranks</div>
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Jordan (down 12 ranks)</div>

Bahrainis, Faroes climb amid minimal change

As expected, there are very few changes in the first edition of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking of 2015, with football having co...

Arena confirms Gerrard's Galaxy arrival

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   <img alt="Arena confirms Gerrard's Galaxy arrival" height="359" src="http://www.fifa.com/mm//Photo/world-match-centre/ClubFootball/02/48/74/05/2487405_FULL-LND.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Los Angeles Galaxy coach Bruce Arena has confirmed Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard will join the club in July.</div>
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In an interview with the <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">LA Times</em>, Arena revealed what is expected to be officially announced later on Wednesday. "Steven Gerrard arrives in July and by then we will certainly have a plan available," Arena, who has led the club to three Major League Soccer titles in four years, told the newspaper.</div>
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"He's a player of quality. I'm not concerned about how he's going to fit in with our team. We have a club now with a proven history of success. All those things go hand in hand in making <a class="articleBodyLink" href="http://www.fifa.com/world-match-centre/clubs/club=usa-la-galaxy-1884432/index.html" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #1f5b9c; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">LA Galaxy</a> a very attractive team for players such as Steven Gerrard."</div>
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Galaxy president Chris Klein described the Reds captain as "the perfect fit". "We just started thinking in the universe of players that are out there, we want to make a decision on what signifies a Galaxy-designated player. When we look at that, Steven Gerrard is the perfect fit with what he brings to us on the field and the character that he has off it."</div>
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In announcing his decision to leave Liverpool, ending an association he has had since he was eight, Gerrard stressed he could not play for another European club if there was a chance they would come up against his boyhood side. That is partly the reason he made the life-changing decision to move to the United States, and he believes Galaxy is the ideal destination.</div>
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<span style="color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">One of the reasons I chose LA Galaxy was because of the success they've had recently. </span></span></h4>
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<span style="color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">  Steven Gerrard</span></span></h4>
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"I think it's a match made in heaven really," Gerrard told the newspaper. "One of the reasons I chose <a class="articleBodyLink" href="http://www.fifa.com/world-match-centre/clubs/club=usa-la-galaxy-1884432/index.html" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #1f5b9c; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">LA Galaxy</a> was because of the success they've had recently. I want to finish my career very strong. I want to add some medals and trophies to my collection."</div>
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Gerrard admits had the club offered him a new contract last summer he would not be leaving at the end of the season. However, the midfielder insists he does not want to blame anyone for his impending departure.</div>
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A contract offer was not made to Gerrard, who turns 35 in May, until November - by which time he had already been told by Brendan Rodgers his playing time would be managed. Such a tactic had already seen him left on the bench for Liverpool's Champions League match against Real Madrid in the Bernabeu and that, combined with the delay in offering him an extension, resulted in the player coming to a decision about his future.</div>
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"If a contract had been put in front of me in pre-season I would have signed it," he told the <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">Liverpool Echo</em>. "I'd just retired from England to concentrate all my efforts on Liverpool. I didn't want my club games to be tailored.</div>
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"My injury record had been fantastic for the past two and a half years and I had a great season from a personal point of view last season. It's all ifs, buts and hindsight now. That period between the summer and the end of November gave me thinking time.</div>
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"There's no blame and I'm not angry about it. There are other people in the squad and the club had other things to worry about. There is no finger pointing from me towards the manager or anyone else at the club."</div>
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<br /></div>

Arena confirms Gerrard's Galaxy arrival

Los Angeles Galaxy coach Bruce Arena has confirmed Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard will join the club in July. In an interview wit...

Rodgers: FA Cup win would be perfect send-off for Gerrard

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   <img alt="Rodgers: FA Cup win would be perfect send-off for Gerrard" height="359" src="http://www.fifa.com/mm//Photo/world-match-centre/ClubFootball/02/50/14/80/2501480_FULL-LND.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal !important; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 12px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<a class="articleBodyLink" href="http://www.fifa.com/world-match-centre/clubs/club=england-liverpool-1896769/index.html" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #1f5b9c; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Liverpool</a> manager Brendan Rodgers urged his players to help Steven Gerrard sign off with another FA Cup winner's medal after the captain inspired his team-mates to victory at AFC Wimbledon. Gerrard, a two-time FA Cup winner, scored twice to give <a class="articleBodyLink" href="http://www.fifa.com/world-match-centre/clubs/club=england-liverpool-1896769/index.html" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #1f5b9c; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Liverpool</a> a 2-1 win over their valiant fourth-tier opponents on Monday and set up a home game with Championship side Bolton Wanderers in Round 4.</div>
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It was Gerrard's first appearance since he announced that he will leave <a class="articleBodyLink" href="http://www.fifa.com/world-match-centre/clubs/club=england-liverpool-1896769/index.html" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #1f5b9c; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Liverpool</a> at the end of the season, and with his 35th birthday falling on the day of the final, Rodgers is hoping to give him a glittering farewell.</div>
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"Well, the FA Cup final is on his birthday, so there would be no better way for us to mark it," said Rodgers. "That would be a wonderful send-off for him. OK, he might be getting a bit older, but he'll always have that world-class ability and world-class talent.</div>
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"There are a lot of games to play in between, but we've targeted a cup victory this season, so we're still very much in line for that moving into the second part of the season. The team's still very focused and we played some really good football tonight on a really good pitch. So the idea is to get a cup run, and if we can do it, that would be really special of course."</div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">Ardley admires Gerrard</strong><br />The match at the 4,850-capacity Kingsmeadow Stadium in south-west London recalled the 1988 final, when the original Wimbledon -- dubbed the 'Crazy Gang' - stunned league champions <a class="articleBodyLink" href="http://www.fifa.com/world-match-centre/clubs/club=england-liverpool-1896769/index.html" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #1f5b9c; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Liverpool</a> with a 1-0 win.</div>
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Gerrard gave <a class="articleBodyLink" href="http://www.fifa.com/world-match-centre/clubs/club=england-liverpool-1896769/index.html" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #1f5b9c; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Liverpool</a> a 12th-minute lead with a header and claimed the winner with a second-half free-kick, after Wimbledon striker Adebayo Akinfenwa, who is a <a class="articleBodyLink" href="http://www.fifa.com/world-match-centre/clubs/club=england-liverpool-1896769/index.html" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #1f5b9c; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Liverpool</a> fan, had stabbed in an equaliser in the 36th minute. Wimbledon's committed performance belied the 72 places between the teams in the English league system, and beaten manager Neil Ardley felt that Gerrard's class had been all that had separated the teams.</div>
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"We got outdone by a world-class player in the end," said Ardley. "The headline was written for him after the week he's just had. I didn't want to be part of anything that positive for him.<br /><br />"Our players have still done us proud, but there's that element of disappointment in me at the moment. I'm sure there will be a very emotional last game for him at Anfield in the future, but he deserves it. It's very rare to have a player who spends that amount of time at one club."</div>

Rodgers: FA Cup win would be perfect send-off for Gerrard

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers urged his players to help Steven Gerrard sign off with another FA Cup winner's medal after t...