Under-21 Team of the Season: Pogba, Sterling & Laporte all feature

SIMONE SCUFFET (Udinese) - Udinese's teenage goalkeeper Simone Scuffet has been a revelation in Serie A this season. With six clean sheets in his 16 league appearances, the 17-year-old has enjoyed a wonderful start to his professional career with his local club. Playing at such a high level so soon in his life, Scuffet is already regarded as the natural successor to Gianluigi Buffon as the nation's, and the world's, top goalkeeper. The similarities are uncanny as Buffon also made his Serie A debut at 17 and like the Juventus captain - and Italy icon Dino Zoff - the Udinese youngster has the double f in his surname!

FABINHO (Monaco) - A young attacking fullback in the mould of compatriot Maicon, Fabinho has enjoyed an excellent spell since joining Monaco on loan from Rio Ave. The 20-year-old made 26 league appearances for Claudio Ranieri's team, in which he completed 63 per cent of his dribbles and maintained a passing accuracy of 84%. If the 2013-14 campaign is the platform on which he will build, the imposing defender clearly has a bright future.

JOHN STONES (Everton) - In his first season in charge of Everton, Roberto Martinez has put a lot of faith in the young players at his disposal. Gerard Deulofeu, Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley have all been given a chance under the Spaniard, but one of the brightest talents to emerge has been 19-year-old centre-half John Stones. The teenager made 87 clearances and 19 interceptions in his 21 appearances for the Toffees in a bright debut season in the English top flight as Everton challenged for a Champions League spot.

AYMERIC LAPORTE (Athletic Bilbao) - Another bright young player to emerge from Athletic Bilbao's youth system, Aymeric Laporte is on the radar of more than a few of Europe's elite clubs. The teenager is in his second season in the Basque club's first team and has shone in the centre of defence throughout this campaign. The French-born defender played a crucial role as Bilbao finished in fourth place to secure Champions League football for next year and there is much more to come from him.

LUKE SHAW (Southampton) - Coveted by Manchester United and Chelsea and likely to be first-choice left-back for England in the World Cup, Luke Shaw is currently on cloud nine. The 18-year-old has been one of the standout performers in the Premier League for Southampton, who finished in eighth place. Completing 56 dribbles in 35 league starts, Shaw is a bright attacking player but he also put in his fair share of work defensively.

ROSS BARKLEY (Everton) - A 20-year-old with excellent technique, great shooting ability and an eye for a pass, Ross Barkley is one of England's most promising attacking talents. Making 34 league appearances for the Merseysiders, Martinez has given the youngster his chance to shine and he has repaid his manager with some dazzling performances.

PAUL POGBA (Juventus) - Considered the best young player in Europe at the moment, Paul Pogba has been in great form for Juventus and has taken great strides forward since his move from Manchester United in 2012. With Paris Saint-Germain looking to snap him up, the France international is on the right path and already seen as a player capable of becoming one of the best in the world. Tall, strong, technically excellent and intelligent, Pogba - who picked up eight goals and eight assists in the league and in Europe this year - has great potential.

HAKAN CALHANOGLU (Hamburg) - With 11 goals and four assists to his name in his breakthrough season, Hakan Calhanoglu has been a shining star in an otherwise dismal season for Hamburg. The 20-year-old attacking midfielder is already being tracked by clubs across Europe and has proven he is capable of making a step up already. With a good range and intelligence to his passing as well as a good goalscoring ability, the Turkish player can develop into a thoroughly exciting player.

DOMENICO BERARDI (Sassuolo) - Despite finishing one place above the relegation spots with Sassuolo, Domenico Berardo has been a sight to behold in the Italian top flight. His 16 goals and six assists is an incredible return for a young player at such a small team. The youngster scored hat-tricks in the wins over Sampdoria and Fiorentina, but he sensationally scored all of Sassuolo's goals in a 4-3 victory over AC Milan that resulted in Massimiliano Allegri being sacked.

ROMELU LUKAKU (Everton) - Another remarkable prospect to emerge from Belgium, Romelu Lukaku has given Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho something to think about when he weighs up his attacking options for next season. The player on loan at Everton from the Stamford Bridge club has built on the success he enjoyed at West Brom last year. The 21-year-old hit the net 15 times in 29 starts for Everton and racked up a further six assists. The clinical forward has great power and, incredibly, is still developing physically and as a player.

RAHEEM STERLING (Liverpool) - A vital component in Liverpool's excellent season, Raheem Sterling is developing smoothly in the Premier League. The 19-year-old has incredible skill and that, coupled with his excellent pace, can make him a deadly player. Only Luis Suarez and Eden Hazard completed more dribbles in the Premier League this season - yet his Uruguayan team-mate attempted over 100 more and completed just one more than the youngster. Sterling's nine goals and five assists in the Premier League saw him add a great deal to the Anfield club, who finished second in the English top flight.

FIVE THINGS TO LOOKOUT FOR IN 2014- 2015 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Statistically, Lionel Messi enjoyed yet another outstanding season. Most forwards would dream of scoring 41 goals in 46 games in all competitions.

Indeed, in the race for the European Golden Shoe, only Liverpool star Luis Suarez and Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo struck more times in the league than Messi in 2013-14 – and the Argentine would have scored many more had he not been sidelined by injury for three months in total.

But, in football, statistics only tell part of the story and there can be no denying that Messi’s performance levels dropped considerably this past season. Although he hit a hat-trick (two of them penalties) in the memorable 4-3 Clasico win over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in March, Messi went missing in far too many games – most of them big ones.

In six matches against Atletico Madrid this campaign, Messi, 27 next month, failed to find the net (even if he did have a potentially title-winning goal incorrectly chalked off for offside a fortnight ago).

When Barcelona needed him most – in the final-day decider at Camp Nou, in the Copa del Rey final and in the Champions League quarter finals – he was nowhere to be seen.

Gone is that burst of acceleration – that quarter-of-a-yard that makes all the difference at the very top level – which made Messi an untouchable every time he slalomed towards goal. Gone also is that single-minded desire and focus to be the best. "He has lost his passion for football”, noted Argentine coach Angel Cappa earlier this year; an opinion supported by the fact the attacker ran just 6.8 kilometres in Barca’s European loss at the Vicente Calderon in April.

The World Cup in Brazil may answer the question for us next month – but next season’s Champions League should definitively tell us whether we have already seen the best of Lionel Messi.

GUARDIOLA CANNOT FAIL AGAIN

Just like Messi, the fact that Pep Guardiola has been on the receiving end of stinging criticism will come as a surprise to many outsiders. The Bayern Munich coach has just led Bayern Munich to a domestic double, clinching the Bundesliga title in record time, and winning four trophies in total in 2013-14. Not bad for a first season, right?

Wrong.

Given the low standard of the Bundesliga, and the manpower and resources he inherited from Jupp Heynckes – which included undoubtedly Europe’s best squad of players – Guardiola was always going to be judged on how he fared in the Champions League.

The humiliating 5-0 semi-final mauling at the hands of Real Madrid was a microcosm of all the mistakes Guardiola has made since taking charge of the Bavarians. Instead of adapting to the high-intensity skillset of his players, as he promised at his unveiling, Pep stubbornly attempted to imprint his tiki-taka signature on a group who did not possess the attributes to do so.

“You cannot get them to play Catalan here. There were too many changes. The ship begun to go off course,” complained Bayern legend Lothar Matthaus.

When the sterility of such a possession-obsessed system was laid bare as Bayern struggled to overcome a crisis-hit Manchester United side in the quarter-finals, Guardiola still refused to adapt. Nor did he learn his lesson when just days before the 4-0 capitulation at home to Madrid, his suicidal high defensive line was twice carved open by lowly Werder Bremen.

In 13 matches against so-called major opposition, Pep’s Bayern have emerged victorious on just four occasions in normal time. These numbers must improve next season if Guardiola is to silence the critics who say that he is destructively dismantling a winning machine. Nothing less than ultimate Champions League glory will suffice.

JUVENTUS 2.0

The 2013-14 season was a juxtaposition of incredible highs and lows for Juventus. Domestically, the Old Lady created history. The Bianconeri became the first Italian team ever to break the 100-point barrier, setting a new record for a major European league with their 102 points. They also became only the fifth team – after the Juventus of the 1930s, Torino of the 50s, Fabio Capello’s Milan, and post-Calciopoli Inter – to win three Scudetti on the bounce.

In Europe, though, it was another story altogether. The failure to progress from a Champions League group containing Galatasaray and Copenhagen was a massive failure – one that wasn’t soothed by Europa League glory on home soil as Juve exited to Benfica in the semi-finals.

Next season, things should improve for the Old Lady as she plans to revolutionise her playing system. The 3-5-2 formation, which has achieved so much success in Italy but is unsuitable to European competition, is set to be replaced with a 4-3-3 model.

With the right summer signings, this modification will boost Juve’s chances of going deep in the Champions League. For two years now, Juve have possessed a mean defence and one of, if not, the best central midfield trio in Europe in Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal and Paul Pogba. But these strengths have been diluted due to formation.

Should they retain the in-demand Pogba and succeed in purchasing at least one top-class winger – Barcelona’s Alexis Sanchez and Fiorentina’s Juan Cuadrado are high up the club’s shortlist - then we could see the development of a Juventus 2.0. However, there are still tactical question marks hovering over coach Antonio Conte, who will need to learn from his past European mistakes, particularly when it comes to substitutions and squad rotation.

RETURN OF THE FALLEN

The 2014-15 Champions League season will see a number of former powers return to the big time – most notably five-time European Cup winners Liverpool, and former finalists Monaco and Roma. This summer will determine just how well the three teams do on the continent.

Liverpool lit up the Premier League this term and were on the verge of their first title since 1990 until Steven Gerrard’s miscontrol and slip against Chelsea. Brendan Rodgers’ brand of free-flowing, high-octane attacking football has the potential to blow away a number of European opponents.

But a defensive naivety – particularly in the holding midfield position where the Gerrard-Jordan Henderson partnership has been ludicrously overrated by the national press – must be addressed after Liverpool conceded a whopping 50 league goals despite finishing second.

Playing twice a week will also tire Liverpool and challenge their pressing game – to maintain this style the Reds must bolster their squad. The roster is simply too small right now to fight on two fronts – let alone at their 2013-14 intensity when they were absent from Europe.

Monaco’s finance-fuelled return to the Champions League, a decade after losing in the final, will also make for interesting viewing. Financial Fair Play is unlikely to deter billionaire owner Dmitry Rybolovlev from splashing the cash again, after the big-money purchases last summer of Radamel Falcao, James Rodriguez and Joao Moutinho.

It may be too soon to expect instant success, but with Victor Valdes set to sign from Barcelona, a transfer bid for Roma’s Gervinho being formalised and a number of other high profile arrivals inevitable, no one will want to be drawn with Monaco in the group stages.

Serie A runners-up Roma will also turn heads following an outstanding 85-point league season which most years would have won them the title. If the Giallorossi can keep their squad together, sign an attacker and improve their depth in defence, they have the ability to be one of the surprises of the Champions League.

The backline boasts one of Europe’s most complete stoppers in Mehdi Benatia, the midfield oozes quality and quantity with Daniele De Rossi, Miralem Pjanic, Radja Nainggolan and the currently injured Kevin Strootman, while there is plenty of offensive talent too. The concern is whether coach Rudi Garcia can retain his best players as the foreign vultures hover over the likes of Benatia, Pjanic, Strootman and Gervinho.

TIME FOR NEW SUPERSTARS TO EMERGE

Every footballing era is defined by its best attacking talent. In the early 1980s it was Zico, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Michel Platini. In the second half of the decade, it was all about Diego Maradona, Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten. At the start of the 90s, Roberto Baggio and Romario were the biggest superstars, before being replaced by first Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo, and then Ronaldinho and Kaka.

Since 2008, football has been symbolised almost entirely by two men - Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. They have shared the last six Ballons d'Or between them and this term was the seventh in a row that one of the pair finished top-scorer in a Champions League season.

The top end of the game has never been dominated by two men for so long. This fact is as much a damning indictment of a low-quality footballing era that lacks depth, competition and in particular top-class defenders as it is an acknowledgment of the brilliance of the Clasico duo. But what is undeniable is that the time has come where the football-defining successors to Messi and Ronaldo must emerge.

The Argentine's decline has already been documented, while Ronaldo will turn 30 before the next Champions League knockouts kick-off - the Portuguese machine will slow down sooner rather than later.

It is the Champions League where the greats are born now - the 2014-15 edition is waiting for some new ones.

BRAZIL PREPARATIONS FOR THE COMING FIFA WORLD CUP STARTS

The Brazil squad arrived at their training camp Teresopolis, 90km from Rio, so it would be rude not to publish a few pics:

Brazil coach Luis Felipe Scolari (left) welcomes defender Daniel Alves

Chelsea defender David Luiz undergoes a medical check-up

Brazil defender Dante has his fitness tested by the medics

FIFA WORLD CUP 2014; INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY RESULTS

Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku scored a hat-trick as Belgium warmed up for the World Cup with a 5-1 win against neighbours Luxembourg in Genk.

Manchester United youngster Adnan Januzaj made his international debut as a substitute in Monday's victory.

Tottenham winger Nacer Chadli and ex-Chelsea midfielder Kevin De Bruyne scored the other goals. 

Belgium have been drawn alongside Algeria, Russia and South Korea in Group H at next month's World Cup.

They have not played at a major tournament since reaching the last 16 at the 2002 World Cup, but are considered one of the dark horses in Brazil after an impressive qualifying campaign.

Belgium won eight and drew two of their 10 qualifying fixtures, in a group which contained Wales and Scotland.

Januzaj, born in the Belgian capital Brussels to Kosovan-Albanian parents, opted to represent his country of birth in April. He could have played for Kosovo, Albania, Turkey, Serbia or, potentially in the future, England.

The 19-year-old is one of 12 Premier League players in Marc Wilmots's provisional 24-man squad. 

Russia's World Cup preparations got off to a winning start with a 1-0 win over Slovakia in a friendly on Monday. 

Capello's Russia overcome Slovakia 

Zenit St Petersburg striker Alexander Kerzhakov nodded in debutant Maxim Kanunnikov's cross after 82 minutes.

Russia's former England manager Fabio Capello was without injured captain Roman Shirokov for the game in St Petersburg.

How Russia qualified for Brazil

Despite back-to-back defeats by Portugal and Northern Ireland, Russia edged the former to win their qualifying group by a point. They conceded just five times in 10 games.

Capello's team face friendlies against Norway on 31 May and Morocco on 5 June before heading for Brazil.

Russia are playing in the World Cup for the first time in 12 years.

They have been drawn in the same group as South Korea, Belgium and Algeria. 

OTHER RESULTS

 Mon 26 May 2014 - International Friendlies

• Australia 1 - 1 South Africa FT
• Russia 1 - 0 Slovakia FT
• Macedonia 0 - 2 Cameroon FT
• Belgium 5 - 1 Luxembourg FT
• Montenegro 0 - 0 Iran FT
• Estonia 1 - 1 Gibraltar FT
• Serbia 2 - 1 Jamaica FT

Sun 25 May 2014 - International Friendlies

• R. of Ireland 1 - 2 Turkey FT

REAL MADRID NI RAHA TUUUU...WATUA JIJI LA MADRID FULL SHANGWE

CRISTIANO Ronaldo na Gareth Bale wameongoza sherehe za ubingwa wakati Real Madrid wakipita mitaa ya mji mkuu wa Hispania, Madrid, wakishangilia kunyakua ubingwa wa UEFA kwa kuwafunga mabao 4-1 wapinzani wao Atletico Madrid katika mchezo wa fainali jana usiku mjiji Lisbon

Wachezaji wa Real wamesherehekea na mashabiki wao mapema leo asubuhi wakiwa katika basi la wazi mjini Madrid ikiwa zimepita saa kadhaa tangu wachukue ndoo ndani ya dakika za nyongeza.

Wachezaji wa Carlo Ancelotti baada ya kumalizika kwa mechi mjini Lisbon walisafiri moja kwa moja kurudi Madrid na kushangilia usiku kucha.

 Ukiongoza sherehe: Cristiano Ronaldo akiimba wimbo wakati wakiwa katika basi la wazi.

 Mabingwa:  Wachezaji wa Madrid wakirudi Madrid kushangilia na mashabiki wao mapema leo asubuhi.

 Furaha ya kweli: Wachezaji wa Real wakishangilia na mashabiki wao maeneo ya Cibeles Square mjini Madrid baada ya kushinda Lisbon

 Nyomi: Maelfu ya mashabiki wakiwa wamefurika katika mitaa ya Madrid mapema asubuhi kuwapokea mashujaa wao. 

 Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Ronaldo, Jese na Fabio Coentrao wakishangilia

 Amezama katika busu: Nahodha Iker Casillas akilibusu kombe mbele ya maelfu ya mashabiki wa Real Madrid leo mjini Madrid

 Mtaalam: Carlo Ancelotti akishangilia na kombe

 Wapendanao: Ronaldo akishangilia ubingwa na demu wake Shayk, huku akiwa na medali yake

 Angel di Maria (picha ya juu) na Marcelo (picha ya chini) wakishangilia ubingwa na wake zao wakati wakiwa ndani ya ndege kurudi mjini Madrid

CECAFA NILE BASIN CUP: AL-MERREIKH WAZOMEWA KWA KUTOKA SULUHU, POLISI `ZENJI MDOBWEDO`, MBEYA CITY `LAIVU` NA AFC LEOPARD USIKU WA LEO

Al-Merreikh walizomewa na mashabiki wao baada ya kutoka suluhu jana

Na Baraka Mpenja, Dar es salaam
WENYEJI wa michuano ya CECAFA Nile Basin Cup, Al-Merreikh ya Sudan jana wamelazimisha suluhu pacha ya bila kufungana katika mechi ya kundi A dhidi ya Victoria University kutoka Uganda.
Kwa mujibu wa taarifa ya Afisa habari wa CECAFA, Rodgers Mulindwa, mashabiki wa Al-Merreikh waliwazomea wachezaji wao baada ya kipyenga cha mwisho kupigwa kuonesha kuwa hawajaridhishwa na suluhu hiyo.
Kocha wa klabu Al-Merreikh, Mjerumani, Martin Otto Pfister alikiri kubanwa zaidi na wapinzani wao na kusema kuwa kwa muda wote wapinzani wao waliharibu mipango yao.
“Kiufundi wako vizuri sana (Victoria University). Walicheza kwa jitihada kutunyima nafasi za kushinda. Waliharibu mipango yetu na kutupa nafasi kidogo ya kucheza mpira”. Alisema kocha huyo Mjerumani aliyefanya kazi Afrika tangu miaka ya 90.
Suluhu ya jana imeifanya Victoria University kuwa mshindani wa kombe kwasababu timu zote zimefuzu hatua ya mtoano, huku zote zikiwa na mechi moja mkononi.
Mechi nyingine ilizikutanisha timu za Malakia FC kutoka Sudan kusini dhidi ya Polisi ya Zanzibar.
Kwa mara nyingine tena Maafande hao wa Polisi kutoka kwa ndugu zetu Wazanzibar waliangukia pua baada ya kuburuzwa mabao 3-0.
Mabao ya Makakia FC yalitiwa kambani na Thomas Jacob katika dakika ya 68’, 88’ na la tatu lilifungwa na Richard Justin katika dakika ya 74’.
Kwa matokeo hayo, Malakia wameonesha kuwa bado watakuwepo hatua ya robo fainali, lakini Polisi hawana jinsi zaidi ya kurejea nyumbani baada ya kumaliza mechi yao ya mwisho kesho jumanne.
Mechi nyingine ilipigwa mjini Shandi ambapo Dkhill ya Djibouti ilipoteza mechi ya pili mfululizo baada ya kukubali kipigo cha mabao 2-1 kutoka kwa Defence ya Ethiopia.
Matokeo hayo yanawaondoa Dkhill mashindanoni kwasababu kundi moja linatakiwa kutoa timu mbili za kwanza kuelekea katika hatua ya mtoano.

Leo jumatatu na kesho jumanne ni mapumziko mjini Shandi kabla ya wenyeji Al-Shandi kuvaana na Defence siku ya jumatano.

Michuano hiyo itaendelea leo mjini Khartoum ambapo wawakilishi wa Tanzania katika michuano hiyo, Mbeya City fc watakabiliana na AFC Leopard kutoka nchini Kenya majira ya saa 2:00 usiku.
Hii itakuwa mechi nyingine ngumu kwa kocha Juma Mwambusi kwasababu Leopard ni timu kubwa na yenye uzoefu wa kutosha katika mashindano makubwa ukanda wa Afrika mashariki na kati.

Pia hata kihistoria , klabu hii ya Kenya ina muda mrefu zaidi kuliko timu hii changa ya Tanzania.
Hata hivyo, kocha Juma Mwambusi wa Mbeya City fc amesema hakuna haja ya kuwaogopa Leopard kwasababu wao wamejiandaa kupambana kwa mechi zote.
Katika mechi ya kwanza iliyopigwa siku ya jumamosi, Mbeya City fc walishinda mabao 3-2 dhidi ya Academie Tchite ya Burundi.
Mbali na Mechi hiyo ya usiku, mapema saa 11:30 kwa saa za Sudan, Academie watakuwa uwanjani kuoneshana kazi na Etincelles.

KUIONA TAIFA STARS DHIDI YA MALAWI JUMANNE BUKU TANO TUU!!!

TAIFA STARS

Kiingilio cha chini cha mechi ya kirafiki kati ya Tanzania (Taifa Stars) na Malawi (Flames) itakayofanyika Jumanne (Mei 27 mwaka huu) Uwanja wa Taifa, Dar es Salaam ni sh. 5,000.

Washabiki watakaolipa kiingilio hicho ni kwa wale watakaokaa kwenye viti vya rangi ya chungwa, bluu na kijani. Kwa upande wa VIP B na C kiingilio kitakuwa sh. 10,000 wakati kwa VIP A itakuwa ni sh. 20,000.

Mechi hiyo itaanza saa 11 kamili jioni ili kutoa fursa kwa washabiki wengi zaidi kuishuhudia kwa vile itakuwa ni siku ya kazi.

Taifa Stars inayodhaminiwa na Kilimanjaro Premium Lager itawasili asubuhi ya siku hiyo hiyo ya mechi kutoka Tukuyu mkoani Mbeya ambapo imepiga kambi yake chini ya Kocha Mholanzi Mart Nooij.

Malawi (Flames) inayonolewa na mchezaji wake wa zamani Young Chidmozi tayari ipo nchini kwa ajili ya mechi hiyo inayotumiwa na timu zote kama maandalizi ya mwisho kwa ajili mechi za mchujo za Kombe la Afrika (AFCON).

Wakati Stars kwenye mechi za AFCON itarudiana na Zimbabwe jijini Harare, Flames nayo itakuwa ugenini N’djamena kukabili Chad

CL TEAM OF THE SEASON 2014

Marco Reus, Branislav Ivanovic and Philipp Lahm gatecrash a side dominated by the Madrid clubs as Goal selects the standout performers from Europe's top competition this term

Real Madrid's dramatic 4-1 win over Atletico Madrid sealed the fabled Decima triumph as the 2013-14 Champions League drew to a thrilling close on Saturday in Lisbon.

There were records broken, upsets pulled off and dramatic comebacks aplenty in an enthralling competition, and the standout stars of the tournament this term have been rewarded with a place in Goal's Team of the Season.

In goal is Atletico's on-loan star Thibaut Courtois. The Belgian, who is yet to reach a decision on whether he will return full-time to parent club Chelsea for next term, secured five clean sheets in 12 matches in the tournament and was a model of consistency in Atleti's surprise march to the final.

Our back four begins with Branislav Ivanovic, who was part of an exemplary Blues defence which kept seven clean sheets prior to their 3-1 semi-final second leg loss to Atletico. The Serbian was a crucial cog in Jose Mourinho's solid side and even managed to create six goalscoring chances from full-back.

In central defence, Sergio Ramos earns a place after some colossal performances in the latter stages of the tournament. The Spaniard was a rock at the back for Madrid, particularly in the semi-final against Bayern Munich, against whom he scored an impressive double in Germany. After a shaky start in the final, Ramos became a vital springboard for Madrid's efforts to get back into the game and his last-gasp header was fully deserved following his Lisbon showing.

Alongside Ramos is Atletico stalwart Miranda. The Brazilian was a rock for Simeone's side, particularly in the wins over Barcelona and Chelsea, and his tremendous efforts in keeping Madrid's attackers quiet for much of the first 100 minutes in Lisbon meant he certainly did not deserve to be on the losing side.

Miranda's team-mate Filipe Luis completes our back four, with the left-back notching a goal and an assist to cap a hugely impressive campaign for the beaten finalists.

First up in our three-man midfield is Luka Modric. The Croatian has established himself as one of Madrid's best players under Carlo Ancelotti, creating close to 20 goalscoring chances and maintaining a pass completion rate of more than 92 per cent throughout the tournament.

In the middle, Philipp Lahm just about earns the spot after a remarkable season playing in two different roles for Bayern. Lahm, shifted into central midfield for much of the campaign under Pep Guardiola, was exemplary on the ball and in screening the defence against Manchester City in the group stage and was at his brilliant best in switching between midfield and full-back against Arsenal and Manchester United in the knockout rounds.

Finally, Angel Di Maria completes the midfield trio, with the Argentine adapting to a central role in fine style this season as he notched three goals and six assists in the competition and put in a man-of-the-match showing in the final in Lisbon with his electric bursts forward.

Our three-man attack begins with Marco Reus. The Borussia Dortmund star enjoyed another impressive campaign in Europe, notching five goals and three assists before Jurgen Klopp's side were edged out by eventual winners Madrid in the quarter-finals. Reus scored a double in the second leg to inflict the only defeat on the Spanish side in this season's tournament.

The central striker is none other than Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who lit up the first two rounds of the tournament with 10 goals in just eight appearances for Paris Saint-Germain. The Sweden star was sidelined for the return trip to Chelsea due to a hamstring injury, with the French champions ultimately crashing out in his absence.

Finally, this season's top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo secures the final spot in our XI after a quite remarkable campaign. The Portugal captain broke the record for goals in the group stages with a total of nine strikes following on from his opening-day hat-trick before he went on to surpass Lionel Messi's best of 14 in one campaign with his double against Bayern. A late penalty in Saturday's final took Ronaldo to a record-setting 17 for one Champions League tournament as he inspired Madrid - finally - to La Decima.

SAMATTA AIBEBA TENA MAZEMBE

Bao pekee la Mbwana Samatta katika dakika ya 62 limeipa ushindi TP Mazembe dhidi Vita Club.

Vita ambao ni wapinzani wakubwa wa TP Mazembe wamelala kwa bao 1-0 katika mechi ya Ligi ya Mabingwa hatua ya makundi, timu hizo zikiwa zinatokea kundi A.Mechi hiyo mjini Lubumbashi ilikuwa na upinzani mkali.

Kawaida Vita kutoka Kinshasa imekuwa na upinzani wa juu dhidi ya Mazembe.

Mtanzania mwingine, Thomas Ulimwengu alikuwa kwenye benchi katika mechi hiyo.

Ulimwengu ni kati ya wachezaji wachache makinda ambao wamepata nafasi ya kucheza kwenye timu yenye ushindani kama Mazembe.

Kwa matokeo hayo, kila timu katika kundi lao inakuwa imepoteza mchezo mmoja kwa kuwa katika mechi ya mwisho Mazembe ilipoteza kwa bao 1-0 dhidi Al Hilal ya Sudan ambayo nayo imelala 2-1 kwa Waarabu wa Misri, Zamalek.

CR7's RECORD BREAKING CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GOALS

The Real Madrid forward scored his 17th goal in this season's tournament as his side sealed a historic 10th European crown, the best ever haul in a single campaign

Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo has broken new ground by scoring an unprecedented 17 Champions League goals this season, the most ever in a single tournament.

The 29-year-old's 120th-minute penalty in Saturday's final against Atletico Madrid sealed a 4-1 win for Los Blancos and secured his status as one of the competition's most prolific goalscorers.

Ronaldo has now finished the season as Champions League top scorer for a second year running, eclipsing his nearest rival, Zlatan Ibrahimovic (10 goals), and scoring nine more than both Lionel Messi and Diego Costa.

The Portugal star has been in glittering form, beginning the campaign with a hat-trick against Galatasaray in a 6-1 win en route to notching a record nine strikes in the group stage. The only game in which he failed to find the net against Bayern Munich in the first leg of the semi-final.

However, the winger made amends at the Allianz Arena in the return fixture, grabbing two in a 4-0 win over Die Roten and surpassing the previous best goals tally of 14 set by Jose Altafini at AC Milan in 1962-63 and matched by Messi in 2011-12.

Ronaldo now has 67 Champions League goals to his name, the same number as Messi, and is just four behind Raul's overall record of 71 as he continues to set new standards for European competition.

REAL MADRID WIN THEIR 10th EUROPEAN CUP

Story of the match:

• Diego Godin opened scoring for Atletico after Iker Casillas error
• Sergio Ramos forced extra time with dramatic 93rd-minute header
• Goals from Gareth Bale, Marcelo and Cristiano Ronaldo seal win
• Real end their search for a 10th European Cup

Gareth Bale helped Real Madrid win their 10th European Cup as they finally overwhelmed arch-rivals Atletico Madrid in a compelling Champions League final in Lisbon.

The emphatic scoreline after extra time does no justice to the drama that unfolded at Estadio da Luz as Atletico stood moments from winning the trophy for the first time only to end exhausted and well beaten.

Diego Godin capitalised on an error from Real's veteran goalkeeper Iker Casillas to give Diego Simeone's newly crowned La Liga champions a first-half lead, one they protected with fierce intensity until 90 seconds from the end of five minutes of stoppage time when Sergio Ramos headed in Luka Modric's corner. 

Atletico wilted visibly after that, and Real ruthlessly completed the job of becoming the first club to claim the trophy 10 times, an achievement known as "La Decima" (the 10th).

Bale, who had wasted earlier chances, headed in from an acute angle after goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois blocked Angel Di Maria's shot with 11 minutes left. This was effectively the match-winning moment.

The Welshman kept going despite not being at his best and this was the sort of contribution that he and Real had in mind when he made his £86m move from Tottenham last summer.

Substitute Marcelo added a third with a shot Courtois should have saved before Cristiano Ronaldo salvaged something from a disappointing personal performance, scoring his 17th goal of this Champions League campaign from the penalty spot after he was fouled by Gabi.

It was all too much for the combustible Simeone, the game ending amid chaotic scenes when he raced on to the pitch to confront Real's Raphael Varane and was sent off.

In contrast, the calm figure of Real coach Carlo Ancelotti was able to enjoy his own place in history alongside Bob Paisley, joining the former Liverpool manager as the only men to win the trophy three times as a coach having previously secured the crown twice with AC Milan, and twice as a player.

Bale bounces back

Gareth Bale spurned two clear openings in the first half, before twice firing wide after the break.
But when the crucial moment came, one month on from his Copa del Rey-winning goal against Barcelona, Bale remained calm in front of goal to put Real ahead.
After thoughts of "do not miss, literally, do not miss" passed through his mind, "it was great to see it go in", he said.

Real ultimately deserved the victory for their greater attacking intent but Atletico came so close to delivering another spectacular affirmation of their progress under Simeone.

The fitness of striker Diego Costa was a central topic of debate in the build-up, with the Spanish striker using horse placenta as part of his treatment for the hamstring injury he suffered when Atletico clinched La Liga for the first time in 18 years with a draw at Barcelona.

It was only nine minutes before the answer was delivered as a clearly unfit Costa signalled to the bench that he could not continue and was replaced by Adrian Lopez.

Ancelotti gambled on the fitness of Sami Khedira as a starter even though the German midfielder had only played an hour in six months after a knee ligament injury.

He had little chance to make an impact as the intensity of Atletico's approach - which also carried the occasional over-physical edge - offered no time and space for their creative players.

Real's best chance in the first half fell to Bale after 32 minutes when he was carelessly presented with the ball by Tiago but, after showing typical pace to surge into the area, he placed his shot inches wide.

Atletico took advantage and went ahead four minutes later, the responsibility for the goal lying predominantly with veteran Real and Spain goalkeeper Casillas.

He was indecisive as he rushed out recklessly to claim Juanfran's header back into the box, allowing Godin to nudge the ball over him as he desperately tried to recover his ground.

Ronaldo, who had also been an injury doubt with a hamstring problem, had been marginalised but finally got in on the action early in the second half with a free-kick that was turned away by Courtois.

He was then only inches away from getting his head on a cross from Ramos as Real looked to their talisman to haul them back into contention.

Ancelotti made his move with a double change just before the hour, sending on Marcelo for Fabio Coentrao and Isco for Khedira.

Bale had opportunities to bring Real back into the game but he was off target from the edge of the area and was wide again with an angled finish when his pace took him into the area.

Atletico's defending was becoming increasingly desperate but they showed great resilience, only to be denied deep into stoppage time as Ramos rose magnificently to direct Modric's corner past Courtois.

During the break before the restart, Atletico's drained and disappointed players were stretching out on blue mats laid out on the turf while the revived Real side gathered in a huddle to galvanise themselves once more.

It was a clear indication of how the momentum had shifted so significantly and those three goals in the second period of added time wrote another chapter in the history of this tournament's most successful club.

One month on from the winning goal he scored against Barcelona in the Copa Del Rey final, Bale scored the goal to put Real ahead against Atletico on the course for victory

Despite his earlier error Iker Casillas became the first Real captain to lift the Champions League trophy since Fernando Hierro in 2002

Sergio Ramos added to the crucial goals he scored against Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-final second leg with the equaliser in Lisbon against Atletico

It was a night to forget for Atletico manager Diego Simeone, who has led the Madrid club to a first La Liga title since 1996 this season

Ronaldo scored his 17th goal of this season's Champions League campaign to add further gloss to Real's victory

Man United: Danny Welbeck rejects Moyes's training claims

Manchester United forward Danny Welbeck says he has always been professional as he responded to former boss David Moyes's claims he did not train hard enough.

Moyes, who was sacked as United boss in April, said in December he had to tell Welbeck to put in extra training. 

"I was pretty surprised at that to be honest," said England's Welbeck, 23.

"Before he made that statement I was doing extra training. Maybe he just didn't see it."

Country before club?

Welbeck scored 11 goals in 24 United starts last season, but in 2012-13 he scored more goals for England than his club.
He struck three times in seven matches for Roy Hodgson's side (strike rate: 0.43 goals per game), compared to twice in 40 appearances under then Reds boss Sir Alex Ferguson (strike rate: 0.05).

World Cup 2014: Qualifying moments

BBC Sport sorts through all the highlights of the World Cup qualifiers, as the 2014 tournament in Brazil draws nearer.

Watch the best goals, the classic matches, the worst gaffes and the strangest moments as 203 teams sought to be amongst the 32 finalists.

(NB Please note several of these highlights are only available to view outside the United Kingdom for broadcast rights reasons).

The hosts

Along with those who battled through qualifying, Brazil made it to the World Cup finals automatically as hosts.

Barcelona's Neymar, Chelsea trio Oscar, Ramires and David Luiz as well as Tottenham's Paulinho could all feature in Luiz Felipe Scolari's side when they kick off against Croatia on 12 June.

Watch their key stars show off their attacking 'samba' style football in a video on the BBC Sport website.

The qualifiers

Africa

Five African teams qualified for the World Cup finals - Cameroon, Ghana, Algeria, Ivory Coast and Nigeria.

Each side came through a group stage before winning a play-off to travel to Brazil.

Watch highlights from their qualifying campaigns on the BBC Sport website.

Asia

Four teams from the Asia region qualified for the World Cup finals - Australia, Iran, Japan and South Korea.

Iran had to get through three rounds of qualifying, while the three others had to triumph in two rounds.

Watch highlights from their qualifying campaigns on the BBC Sport website.

Europe

Thirteen European teams have qualified for the World Cup finals.

Belgium, Bosnia-Hercegovina, England, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Russia, Switzerland and current World Cup holders Spain all qualified as group winners.

Croatia, France, Greece and Portugal all had to come through the play-offs.

Watch highlights from their qualifying campaigns on the BBC Sport website.

North and Central America

The United States, Costa Rica and Honduras made it through three rounds of qualifying to reach the World Cup finals.

Manchester United's Javier Hernandez and his Mexican team-mates beat New Zealand 9-3 on aggregate in an Oceania v Concacaf play-off.

Watch highlights from their qualifying campaigns.

South America

Five South American countries came through qualifying for the World Cup finals; Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Uruguay, with Brazil qualifying automatically as hosts.

Uruguay, who finished in fifth place, beat Jordan 5-0 on aggregate in a South America v Asia play-off.

Watch highlights from their qualifying campaigns on the BBC Sport website.

Goals

Top scorers

Luis Suarez and Robin van Persie finished the qualifying campaign with 11 goals each, making them the joint top scorers of the 32 teams that reached the World Cup finals.

Uruguay's Suarez scored nearly half of his country's goals in qualifying as they secured their spot via a play-off with Jordan, while Van Persie's goals helped Netherlands finish top of their group with a +29 goal difference.

Watch their best goals from qualifying on the BBC Sport website.

Top shots

Whet your appetite ahead of the World Cup by watching some of the best strikes from the qualifiers.

The video starts with a sensational hit from Juan Carlos Marino, a 30-yard drive which helped Peru earn a point against Bolivia.

Other highlights include Serbia's Aleksandar Kolarov's superb goal against Wales and an overhead kick from Juan Carlos Garcia for Honduras.

Watch the best shots from qualifying on the BBC Sport website.

Top free-kicks

Wales' Gareth Bale's stunner against Serbia features in our top 10 free-kicks from the qualifiers, as does Argentine Lionel Messi's low drive against Uruguay.

You can also see Ivan Rakitic's winner for Croatia against Macedonia, a 40-yard floating free-kick that left goalkeeper Martin Bogatinov stunned.

Watch the best free-kicks from qualifying on the BBC Sport website.

Top headers

The best headers from qualifying include Cristiano Ronaldo's precise placement against Northern Ireland, which helped Portugal secure a win in Belfast. Also included is Wayne Rooney's header against Poland, the England striker's seventh goal in six Group H appearances.

Jeremain Lens also features after the Netherlands international heads home from long range against Romania.

Watch the best headers from qualifying on the BBC Sport website.

Top team goals

Our top team goals from qualifying showcases a 16-pass move from Slovenia in the build-up to Jasmin Kurtic's strike and some classic football from Spain leading to a Jordi Alba finish.

We then finish with a screamer from Hallur Hansson of the Faroe Islands.

Watch the best team goals from qualifying on the BBC Sport website.

Quickest goal

Yura Movsisyan scored twice against Denmark - the first in 27 seconds - the quickest goal scored in qualifying for the 2014 World Cup - and in Armenian national team history.

Armenia finished Group B in fifth place, nine points behind Italy, who qualified along with Denmark.

Watch Movsisyan's goal on the BBC Sport website.

Top matches

Sweden 3-5 Germany

An eight-goal thriller between Sweden and Germany in qualifying for the finals saw the Germans come from behind to win 5-3 in Solna.

Tobias Hysen scored his first of a brace early on for Sweden, before Alexander Kacaniklic made it two, then Mesut Ozil and substitute Mario Gotze scored either side of the break and a fine hat-trick from Andre Schurrle capped off the win for Germany.

The Germans qualified top of their group, with Sweden losing out to Portugal in a play-off.

Watch highlights on the BBC Sport website.

Switzerland 4-4 Iceland

Iceland came back from a 4-1 second-half deficit to steal a dramatic point away to Switzerland.

The hosts looked to be cruising to victory, but were undone by Johann Gudmundsson's hat-trick and sensational added-time equaliser.

Despite the setback, Switzerland still topped their group and will be one of the seeded teams at this year's World Cup, while Iceland finished second but were bundled out in the play-offs.

Watch highlights on the BBC Sport website.

Colombia 3-3 Chile

Colombia produced a fantastic comeback against Chile, in a match that ended 3-3, and qualified for the finals - the first time they have reached a World Cup since France 1998.

They kick off their World Cup campaign against Greece on Saturday, 14 June.

Watch highlights on the BBC Sport website.

Panama 2-3 United States

United States crushed Panama's World Cup dreams in their last qualifying game with two stoppage-time goals to win 3-2, meaning Panama missed out on the intercontinental play-offs.

Panama scored first through Gabriel Torres before Michael Orozco equalised for the US, Luis Tejada then put the hosts ahead again before Graham Zusi and Aron Johannsson scored in the 91st and 92nd minute respectively.

Had Panama held onto the lead they would have finished above Mexico in the qualifying group on goals scored.

Watch highlights on the BBC Sport website.

Sweden 2-3 Portugal

Cristiano Ronaldo starred in one of the best games of the qualifiers - Portugal's 3-2 second-leg play-off win in Sweden.

Portugal headed to Solna with a 1-0 aggregate lead, in a tie that pitted superstars Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic against each other for a spot at the World Cup.

The match-up lived up to the hype in the second half, after the Portuguese star added to his first-leg goal, Ibrahimovic gave Sweden hope with two goals in four minutes.

But Ronaldo added a quickfire double of his own to finish with a hat-trick for the match and book his country's ticket to Brazil.

Watch highlights on the BBC Sport website.

Moments to forget

Own goals

We select some of the most significant own goals in qualifying for the World Cup finals.

It features Montenegrin Branko Boskovic's error against England and Slovak Martin Skrtel's unfortunate own goal against Greece.

Watch the compilation on the BBC Sport website.

Worst misses

Watch a selection of some of the worst misses from the worldwide qualification stages.

They include Hugo Almeida blazing onto the crossbar for Portugal and a howler from Slovakia's Juraj Kucka.

Watch the compilation on the BBC Sport website.

Worst gaffes

We pick out some of the mores embarrassing moments for players during qualification.

Armenia's Araz Ozbiliz features as he somehow manages to kick the corner flag rather than the ball, Jamaica's Alvas Powell gets himself into a spot of trouble with a throw-in while Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio plays his way into trouble.

Watch the compilation on the BBC Sport website.

The strange and unusual

Watch some of the more odd moments from the global qualifying campaign.

The moments revisited include Scotland kicking off the second half of their game in Macedonia before the home goalkeeper Tome Pacovski made it back onto the pitch, and some incredible weather as USA hosted Costa Rica in snow-hit Colorado.

Argentina's Javier Mascherano red card for kicking out in Ecuador, and Italy's Mario Balotelli's furious outburst after being sent off against the Czech Republic are also included.

Finally we see some Poland fans making the most of soggy conditions in Warsaw before their team's qualifier with England, a game that eventually had to be rescheduled because of the waterlogged pitch.