The Czech Republic’s most capped player with 112 appearances, Karel Poborsky, will step up from second division Czech football to play in soccer’s most prestigious tournament, the World Cup.
After an acrimonious end to his contract with Sparta Prague in December, Poborsky sought refuge with modest Ceske Budejovice, the club where he started in 1991 and where he is also a joint owner.
A virtually second-string Barcelona ended their stunning double-winning season in inglorious fashion with a limp 3-1 defeat at mid-table Atletico Bilbao.
Bilbao were much the more determined side, desperate to give their expectant public a winning finale to the season, while Barcelona, who only three days previously had claimed their second Champions League crown, were understandably understated.
Rio Ferdinand believes he can put two of the most traumatic experiences of his career behind him by performing well in the World Cup in Germany.
The England defender is still haunted by memories of being dropped for a crucial World Cup qualifier against Austria last year and even more so by the eight-month ban he served for failing to take a drugs test at Manchester United’s training ground in 2004.
The United States World Cup football squad concluded a 12-day training camp and prepared for three friendlies in the next week to serve as a tuneup for matches in Germany.
The Americans, who made an impressive quarter-final run at the 2002 World Cup in South Korea, will face Italy, Ghana and the Czech Republic next month in opening-round play at the global football showdown.
Veteran striker Paul Dickov could be on his way back to former club Manchester City after he rejected the offer of a new contract by Blackburn Rovers.
Dickov, who scored seven goals last season for Mark Hughes’ side, is expected to sign for City in the next few days after he decided not to take up the offer of a new two-year deal at Ewood Park.
Veteran German defender will be key to how the younger German players perform at the World Cup finals claimed national coach Jurgen Klinsmann.
The 32-year-old was a surprise selection in Klinsmann’s squad having not played for the national side since Euro 2004 and a longstanding knee injury had kept him out of action till February this year.
