When Josep Maria Bartomeu became the 40th president of FC Barcelona at the start of this year, he wa...

1. News & Videos about Football -- CNN.com
When Josep Maria Bartomeu became the 40th president of FC Barcelona at the start of this year, he
was paraded at the Camp Nou stadium in front of the waiting press, just as his predecessors before
him had.
Concern over the spread of the Ebola virus has caused the cancellation of an African Cup of Nations
football match.
The vanishing spray used by referees at the recent FIFA World Cup has found a new home in the
English Premier League.
A Spanish football club will wear a specially designed tuxedo kit whilst playing in a pre-season
tournament this week.
Argentine football star Carlos Tevez has thanked his fans for their support following his father's
kidnap ordeal in Buenos Aires.
For at least 10 minutes, it looked as if it could have been a fairytale night for the home side.
FIFA has asked the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) to investigate alleged comments from the
front runner to become its next president that referred to African players as "banana eaters."
Not content with claiming every major club honor with Chelsea and over a century of caps for
England -- now Frank Lampard is relishing a new challenge in MLS with New York City FC.
A preseason soccer match in Austria had to be abandoned after pro-Palestinian protesters invaded
the pitch and started attacking players from Israeli team Maccabi Haifa.
Europe's star soccer clubs have booked a summer holiday to the United States -- but this is strictly
business not pleasure.
After Brazilian midfielder Douglas Costa said he was "afraid" to return to Shakhtar Donetsk, the
Ukrainian club located in a war zone announced that it would play its home games elsewhere.
There is a new man tasked with fulfilling Brazil's World Cup destiny.
One of the World Cup's most exciting players has joined Real Madrid.
Danish football club FC Copenhagen has been left in limbo ahead of its European Champions League
game at Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk due to the current conflict in Ukraine.
The president of Ukraine's top football club has warned six of its players who have gone AWOL they
will "suffer" if they don't return to the conflict-torn country.
He may have written his name into national folklore less than a week ago but Germany's World Cup
winning captain Philipp Lahm has decided to go out at the top by announcing his retirement from

2. international football Friday.
Manchester United may have 659 million "followers" -- according to a survey conducted two years
ago -- but it's not the biggest club in the world.
It's a good day for Real Madrid.
One Italian Serie A-winning coach out, and one Italian Serie A-winning coach in.
Luis Suarez is "now a Barcelona player in all respects," according to the Spanish club.
The streets of Berlin have turned black, red and gold as up to a million flag-waving fans gather in the
German capital to welcome home the nation's World Cup-winning footballers.
The pressure suffocated those toiling on the grass, the gravity of a World Cup final adding weight to
the air like plumbing a great depth in the ocean.
In a twist of fate, the hosts' vanquishers became the heroes. Germany's Mario Götze's late, late
strike made the difference in the final against Argentina, and his sublime goal prevented Brazil's
neighbors and arch-rivals from lifting the trophy.
So that's it for another four years.
Luiz Felipe Scolari resigns as Brazil boss after the 2014 hosts seek to make amends for their
humiliating World Cup exit.
And so it comes to a close. With 64 games, some huge shocks and 171 goals scored over a month of
great football, the medals have been presented and the trophy lifted. Now it's time to look back, and
to recognize some superlative performances from some of the world's best players.
Police in Argentina arrested at least 120 people Sunday after a World Cup celebration in downtown
Buenos Aires got out of hand, state news agency Telam reported.
There were triumphs, tears, joy and sorrow at the World Cup final between Argentina and Germany.
There were also some bizarre moments. Here are our top 5.
It's all over now. Germany won the World Cup, which can't have surprised anyone who watched it
demolish Brazil en route to the championship.
Never bet against Germany.
It's often described as the game no team wants to play in.

3. In a World Cup already marked by stunning victories and catastrophic defeats, Germany faces
Argentina for the final on Sunday
It is the scenario Brazil had always feared -- the $11 billion party where the neighbors come round
and trash your newly spruced up home.
Germany's demolition of World Cup hosts Brazil in their Tuesday semifinal in Belo Horizonte is the
game that seemingly everyone can't stop talking about.
His World Cup was brutally cut short by injury, but Brazilian star Neymar could yet end up a winner
after he was named on FIFA's Golden Ball shortlist
You may have watched in wonder as Germany dismantled Brazil on Tuesday. But to really appreciate
the art of German football you need to understand the lingo.
Luis Suarez is set to join Spanish giants Barcelona after Liverpool and the La Liga club announced
they had agreed terms for a sale.
In the sight of Rio de Janeiro's Christ the Redeemer, the man who would be king awaits his destiny.
One of the joys of watching FIFA's quadrennial football fest is seeing relative unknowns -- young
prospects or previously unheralded players -- come to the fore with some dazzling football.
He may be on the verge of signing for Barcelona, but it looks like Luis Suarez won't be returning to
football action anytime soon after FIFA upheld his ban for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini at
the World Cup in Brazil.
FIFA has suspended Nigeria from international football citing government interference in the
running of its national federation.
Brazil thought its nightmare was over -- but perhaps it's only just beginning.
First there was disbelief. Then there were tears.
It might be a bit of a blur to everyone else, but Lionel Messi always seems to keep a clear head --
even in the most pressurized situations.
The German blowout over Brazil stunned the world, launched countless memes and set a new
Twitter record.
World Cup 2014 -- Germany demolishes Brazil: Record-setting numbers came from the rout of all

4. routs.
All eyes will be on Lionel Messi and Arjen Robben when Argentina face the Netherlands in the World
Cup semifinal in Sao Paulo to discover who will meet Germany in the final.
FIFA says it will help police in Brazil with investigations into allegations that one of its commercial
partners has been involved in a ticket scalping scandal.
Four days after Neymar was kneed in the back, Brazil face the real possibility of being booted out of
their own World Cup when they take on Germany in the semifinal at Belo Horizonte on Tuesday.
Former Real Madrid star Alfredo Di Stefano, widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all
time, has died at the age of 88.
If your interest in the World Cup died with Team USA's
dreams, do reconsider. Because, boy, will you be treated to
some fancy footwork today.
It's been a World Cup notable for late drama in most of the
matches and a high number of goals scored, particularly in
the preliminary stages.
With a population of 1.3 billion, you'd think that there would be 11 people in China who are good
enough to put up a fight on the football pitch.
Neymar, the star of Brazil's team, is out of the World Cup after fracturing a vertebra, the team
doctor says.
It was supposed to be a formality, but the Netherlands was made to sweat against Costa Rica before
eventually overcoming the 2014 World Cup's surprise package and booking a place in the semifinals
Saturday.
If anyone wondered about Argentina's World Cup winning credentials, surely there can be little
doubt now after La Albiceleste overcame Belgium 1-0.
Colombia may have exited the World Cup at the quarterfinal stage but it did not stop a massive
crowd from welcoming home their heroes in the capital Bogota.
There were goals, there was choreographed dancing, there were moments of great footballing
beauty, but Colombia -- one of the teams to excite most at this thrilling World Cup finals -- is going
home after Friday's quarterfinal defeat at the hands of Brazil in Fortaleza.
It's a demon buried deep within the French psyche -- a demon which refuses to be exorcized.
Football has traditionally been a male preserve -- but no more, according to a U.S. academic who
says social media has helped spark women's interest.
The so-called 'spiritual home of football' is playing host to the World Cup and Brazilian fans
anxiously await the outcome.

5. Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar has gone from scapegoat to national hero in the space of two World
Cups.
We've had octopuses, camels and turtles providing World Cup predictions, but now a computer
software program has got in on the act of forecasting football matches.
For Colombia this week, two worlds collide.
Here's what you need to know about the 35-year-old Tim Howard
Diego Maradona was a mesmerizing presence on the pitch during four World Cup finals as a player.
No guts no glory, or so the saying goes.
Convicted Singaporean match-fixer Wilson Raj Perumal is categorically denying a story published by
German weekly Der Spiegel alleging that the Cameroon team was involved in fixing a World Cup
game in Brazil.
This World Cup is no protector of reputations.
Belgium defeats USA 2 - 1 to terminate team USA's World Cup journey. Belgium advances to World
Cup quarterfinals.
Cameroon is to investigate allegations that seven of their players were involved in match fixing
during the group stages of the World Cup finals in Brazil.
A short story, buried on the fourth page of the sports supplement: that's how the New York Times,
one of America's most globally orientated of newspapers, marked what remains as U.S. Soccer's
most sensational result to date and possibly one of the greatest underdog victories of any World
Cup.
Extra-time goals from Mesut Ozil and Andre Schurrle spared Germany's blushes against Algeria in
the World Cup last 16 tie at Port Alegre on Monday.
Redemption is not easy to attain.
Luis Suarez has promised never to bite a player again after the Uruguayan issued an apology to
Italy's Giorgio Chiellini.
Nobody gave them a chance -- nobody.
Who would have thought it? Team Brazil just scraping by in a cliffhanger penalty kick shootout.
More soccer suspense to come on Sunday!
Who would have thought it? Team Brazil just scraping by in a cliffhanger penalty kick shootout.
More soccer suspense to come on Sunday!
And so the carnival carries on.
Brazil had promised there would be a time where the world would finally see a special player.

6. Like what you've seen so far? Well, the World Cup will dish up even more soccer superlatives as the
"Round of 16" kicks off on Saturday.
Goalkeeper Tim Howard says the explosion of interest in the football in the United States is "mind
blowing".
Sympathy for biting footballer Luis Suarez has been in short supply, but Friday the Uruguayan found
support from an unlikely candidate -- his latest victim.
The World Cup is the world's most widely viewed sporting event, according to FIFA. It seems the
world (yes, even the U.S.) has a love affair with soccer that runs deep and transcends cultural
differences.
It's been a World Cup filled with plenty of goals, surprise, intrigue and -- in Luis Suarez's case -- an
unwelcome incisor intervention.
Mission accomplished -- Team USA booked its place in the last-16 of the World Cup after escaping
from one of the tournament's toughest groups.
In amongst all the goals, the drama and excitement, and the scandal (we're looking at you, Luis),
each World Cup is tinged with sadness, as a handful of greats inevitably use the occasion to mark
their final appearance on the international stage.
Belgium set a date with the U.S. in the last 16 of the World Cup as Algeria make World Cup history
by reaching the knockout stages of the first time.
Here's a cheat sheet to make you an insta-pundit on the crucial USA-Germany showdown
As senior World Cup photographer for leading agency Getty, Shaun Botterill has snapped pictures of
every tournament since 1994.
Luis Suarez will have plenty of time to ponder his tendency to bite opposition players after the
Uruguayan striker was banned for nine international matches and suspended for four months from
any football activity by FIFA.
Luis Suarez may have bitten off more than he can chew this time.
Ghana's World Cup challenge is in danger of imploding after two of its star players were thrown out
of their squad following allegations of physical and verbal attacks within the team's camp.
Here are five things we'll be watching for and talking about Thursday the World Cup.