Selling Cazorla to Arsenal at that price was a 'blunder', says Pellegrini

Malaga manager Manuel Pellegrini believes Arsenal snapped up the bargain of the summer in Santi Cazorla after admitting the Spanish club were forced into selling the player because of financial problems...

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 Cazorla joined the Gunners in August for a fee believed to be around the €18 million mark and the Spain international has impressed immediately netting seven goals already including a hat-trick at Reading.

 Cazorla admitted recently that he would love to face his former club in the final of this year's Champions League, and Pellegrini has revealed that allowing the forward to leave the club was a mistake.

 The Malaga boss told 'Al Primer Toque', a radio show on Spanish station Onda Cero: "There are many clubs who have to give up their big names except Barca or Madrid, so there is a big difference between them [their quality] and the rest. "Economically, the club had to make a change based on what had been proposed [there was a lot of financial trouble - owner threatened to pull out over TV money] and we had to sell Santi Cazorla. "Santi's case was inexplicable. It was a time of acute crisis in the club.

The departure of Cazorla at the time and at the amount that was agreed was a blunder." The latest superstar in the Malaga ranks is Isco, who some believe has been empowered by Cazorla's departure, as he has been able to play a more prominent role, a suggestion Pellegrini denies. He added: "A good player has never benefited from another good player leaving and no player has gone backwards by playing alongside another great player.

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Benitez still unsure over Terry

Rafael Benitez admits he does not know when John Terry will be fit to return to the Chelsea team, but insists he was delighted with his side's "amazing" performance in the Capital One Cup on Thursday evening..

Terry watched the Blues' 5-1 quarter-final win over Leeds from the substitutes' bench, having travelled to Yorkshire. But he was not in Chelsea's matchday squad and Benitez said that the knee injury which has sidelined Terry since November 11's 1-1 draw with Liverpool, when he scored and was then hurt, remains a concern.

"Still I say we don't know," Benitez said. "One day he is fine, the day after he has some pain."

Terry has sat out the last 10 games and could be in contention to face Aston Villa on Sunday but Benitez has not set a date for the central defender's comeback.

"With the knee it is always very difficult to say," he added. "We don't know if it will be one day or one week."

Chelsea's victory took them into the semi-finals where they will face Swansea and Benitez said: "When you go to a semi-final, any team is difficult. Swansea is a good team, they are playing well. They like to play football, on the floor and it will be interesting."

Benitez praised his players for their character at Elland Road, as they scored five second-half goals after trailing to Luciano Becchio's 37th-minute shot.

"We were looking for character and the reaction was so good, we have to consider it for the future. The reaction in the second half was fantastic, especially with travelling back from Japan and having jet lag.

"The second half was amazing. Coming back we needed to see the fitness of the players and we had to decide to change some of them, so to have this reaction, being mentally ready and after working so hard and playing so well, I'm really pleased with them."

After losing the World Club Cup final, Chelsea's win puts them on course for a first trophy of Benitez's reign and he said: "Every competition is important for us and a top side like us has to win every competition."

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Nasri may miss festive period

Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri has been ruled out for two weeks with a groin injury, the Daily Mail reports..

Nasri had to be substituted during the first half of City's 3-1 victory over Newcastle United on Saturday and appears set to miss the champions' upcoming Premier League encounters with Reading, Sunderland and Norwich City over the festive period.

He is also "extremely doubtful" for the New Year's Day encounter with Stoke City, theMail adds.

Roberto Mancini has a number of injury concerns at present, with James Milner, Aleksandar Kolarov, Maicon, Jack Rodwell and Micah Richards all contending with fitness issues.

However, City captain Vincent Kompany has returned to training and is expected to be available for the visit of Reading on Saturday.

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Huntelaar set for Schalke stay

Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, 29, is set to extend his contract at Schalke in the next few days, DerWesten and kicker reports..

The deal comes as a surprise after Huntelaar had been linked with a move to the Premier League with Arsenal and Liverpool, and recent speculation suggested negotiations between Arsenal and Huntelaar were already underway.

But the former Real Madrid and Milan star, 29, now seems set to stay put at the Royal Blues. In earlier interviews Huntelaar had explained he would look at all available offers with perspective and if Schalke were able to compete for titles and then decide about where to sign, what is believed to be, his last big contract.

Despite Schalke’s recent run of bad form - with their cup exit against Mainz on Tuesday and the departure of manager Huub Stevens the latest blows - Huntelaar has reportedly been convinced of a bright future at Schalke , with whom he has reached the knockout stages of Champions League

DerWesten also reports that Germany international Lewis Holtby, 22, is to make a decision about his future in December. Holtby is in the last year of his contract and has been linked with a move to the Premier League. According to DerWesten it was “thinkable” Holtby, the son of an English father, could opt for a Premier League club.

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Bale returns to training

Tottenham winger Gareth Bale is back in training after recovering from a hamstring injury and is in contention to face Stoke at the weekend..

Bale, 23, had been sidelined since December 1 after picking up the injury in Spurs' 3-0 win against Fulham at Craven Cotage.

And manager Andre Villas-Boas is delighted to have the Wales international back after having to make do without him for three games.

"It's good news," he told the club's official website. "First for the player (Bale) because he wants to be back in the group and he's made a tremendous recovery. He's worked extremely hard."

Defender Michael Dawson also picked up a hamstring injury in the same game as Bale and has recently rejoined training too.

"Michael was injured in the same game as Gareth and they've both returned to training. It's great to have them back," Villas-Boas added.

"Benoit (Assou-Ekotto) is also recovering his fitness, along with Scott Parker. Scott is a little ahead of Benoit, but he's getting back into shape and back into contention."

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Fergie: Ronaldo and Messi are equals

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has claimed Cristiano Ronaldo deserves equal billing with Barcelona's Lionel Messi when the tag of best player in the world is being deliberated..

Ferguson worked with Ronaldo during his stint at Old Trafford, which came to an end with his world record breaking £80 million move to Real Madrid in the summer of 2009.

Yet the United boss has suggested the question over whether Ronaldo or Messi are worthy of the title of the best player on the planet can be easily resolved, as he has backed his former charge to be a match for Barca's Argentine maestro.

"There is nothing between the two of them, they are both the best players in the world," says Ferguson in The Sun.

"There will always be great players. You can go back to the 60s with Alfredo Di Stefano, Ferenc Puskas and Eusebio. Going into the 70s you had Johan Cruyff and Franz Beckenbauer and then in the 80s Marco van Basten.

"I think what we are seeing at the moment is that Messi is an exceptional player from this decade, along with Cristiano.

"I don't think the rivalry against each other bothers them. I think they have their own personal pride in terms of wanting to be the best and I certainly know that about Cristiano because he played here at United for six years."

Ferguson may be handed a reunion with his former star in the draw for the Champions League on Thursday, as Manchester United could be handed a mouth-watering last-16 tie against Ronaldo's Real Madrid.

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PSG confirm interest in Mourinho & Cristiano Ronaldo

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Sheikh Bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani has revealed that Paris Saint-Germain are interested in luring Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho away from Real Madrid. .

PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi had previously denied reports that the Ligue 1 giants are interested in signing the Madrid coach and the Portugal international, but his right-hand man has now admitted that the Parisians would like to sign the duo after all, as they aim to win the Champions League.

"Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho are objectives for Paris Saint-Germain, of course," Al-Thani told Canal Football.

"PSG are one of the best clubs in the world. Ever since day one, our goal has been to win the Champions League.

"We are already one of the best teams in France, and it's our goal to become one of the best in Europe and the world, too."

PSG climbed to joint first in the table at the weekend following their 1-0 win over Olympique Lyonnais

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I have complete confidence in Mourinho and he has my full support, says Perez

Florentino Perez y Jose Mourinho - Real Madrid

Real Madrid  president Florentino Perez has given a vote of confidence to under-fire coach Jose Mourinho, who has been the subject of harsh criticism from a fraction of the club's supporters and parts of the media..

Los Blancos find themselves trailing league-leaders Barcelona by 11 points and have been not been up to par with their usual standard in the Champions League, finishing second behind Borussia Dortmund in Group D.

With rumours circulating that Mourinho is on the radar of French giants Paris Saint-Germain, it has been speculated that the Portuguese may leave the club, but Perez has moved to squash such reports and voiced his unwavering support for the two-time Champions League winner.

"I want to express my appreciation, my confidence in his work and my love for him as person," Perez said at a press conference.

"We have the best trainer in the world. He has an impressive record and he is more ambitious to win trophies than anyone.

"Mourinho has endured attacks and unfair criticism, some of them aimed at his dignity as a person. We have built a dream team and we play spectacular football with the ability to meet our objectives.

"For Real Madrid there are no unattainable goals, and the players and the trainer know this."

Real Madrid host Espanyol on Sunday and will be hoping to close the gap to leaders Barcelona, who play second-placed Atletico Madrid later in the eveing.

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Zenit fans' group: Don't sign black players

Zenit St Petersburg's largest supporters' group has called on the club not to buy black or gay players and urged it to maintain its "national identity".

The Landscrona group posted the demands on its website in what it described as a "manifesto".

Zenit are the only leading Russian club never to have signed an African player, and are based in a city known for strongly nationalist and rightwing attitudes.

"We're not racists but we see the absence of black players at Zenit as an important tradition," the Landscrona "Selection 12 manifesto" read.

"It would allow Zenit to maintain the national identity of the club, which is the symbol of St Petersburg."

The organisation said it wanted to see only "players from other brotherly Slav nations, such as Ukraine and Belarus, as well as from the Baltic states and Scandinavia".

It said this was because St Petersburg shared "the same mentality and historical and cultural background as these nations".

Landscrona also said it did not want to see "sexual minorities" in the team.

Media reports in St Petersburg have claimed that several well-known black players have turned down lucrative offers from the lavishly-backed club because of threats from fans.

Zenit refused to comment on the fans' group's "manifesto", but ex-Zenit and Russia striker Alexander Panov said: "All clubs around the world have black players.

"If they are absent from Zenit, it's Zenit's problem. I don't think fans should demand the club buy or don't buy certain players."

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Dangling Arsenal Sinks Reading In a 5-2 Match

Santi Cazorla helped himself to a hat-trick as Arsenal closed up on the top four of the Premier League with a 5-2 win at bottom club Reading..


Gunners boss Arsene Wenger had called for a response following last week's shock Capital One Cup penalty shoot-out defeat at Bradford - and got it tonight as the visitors surged into a 3-0 half-time lead following Lukas Podolski's well-taken goal and a brace from Cazorla.

 The Spaniard completed his treble on the hour, and although the Royals rallied with goals from substitute Adam Le Fondre and Jimmy Kebe, Arsenal made sure there would be no late drama when contract rebel Theo Walcott slotted in a fifth with 10 minutes left to close within two points of Tottenham.

 In a sign of what was to come, the visitors were quickly on the offensive as midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain tested Royals keeper Adam Federici with a rasping drive. Walcott then tried his luck with a 25-yard free-kick which bent around the wall, but also wide of the far post.

 Reading forced an opening on 12 minutes when Pavel Pogrebnyak broke down the right past Kieran Gibbs and pulled the ball back across the six-yard box, but Jobi McAnuff's shot was blocked. Royals striker Noel Hunt then headed over from a corner as the hosts pressed again.

 Arsenal were ahead on 14 minutes. Gibbs pushed forwards down the left channel and clipped the ball through to Podolski, who expertly took the bounce in his stride to leave two defenders trailing in his wake before smashing a left-foot shot past the keeper. The Gunners were now full of confidence, as midfielder Cazorla cracked a 20-yard effort just wide.

 Walcott sprinted clear onto a pass from the Spaniard, but Federici was out quickly to close down the angle and make a smart save with his legs. Jack Wilshere's shot into the ground was then pushed behind by the busy Reading keeper.

 However, it needed a superb clearing tackle by Arsenal skipper Thomas Vermaelen to get the ball away from in front of his own goal after a break by Pogrebnyak down the left. It was 2-0 on 32 minutes. This time Podolski turned provider as the German charged down the left channel before chipping the ball back through the six-yard box where Cazorla arrived to head past Federici. Before the Royals could mount any sort of fightback, Arsenal were 3-0 up on 35 minutes.

 Walcott's cross from the right was nodded back by Gibbs and Cazorla, with his back to goal, turned to hook the ball into the bottom corner. There was, though, some concern for Arsenal when Wilshere was left in a heap after being caught in the groin by McAnuff's boot, which saw the Reading captain cautioned by referee Anthony Taylor.

The Gunners midfielder was able to continue, however. Federici produced a brilliant save to palm away Walcott's flying header as Arsenal went close to further extending their lead before half-time. Walcott split the Reading defence again with a burst of pace at the start of the second half, latching onto an angled ball into the right side of the penalty area from Wilshere, before cutting the ball back goalwards, which Adrian Mariappa hacked off the line.

 The Royals defence was breached again on the hour as Cazorla grabbed his hat-trick, drilling the ball in at the far post after Wilshere had released Podolski down the left.

 The home fans at least had something to cheer on 66 minutes when Le Fondre pulled a goal back when he was played in by Jay Tabb after the midfielder had latched onto a stray pass from Gibbs.

 Le Fondre sprinted clear following Wilshere's slip to round Wojciech Szczesny and net. Reading closed further with 20 minutes left when Kebe slotted home after beating the offside trap from a pass by Hal Robson-Kanu.

 Hopes of a remarkable comeback were, however, dashed with 10 minutes left when Walcott was released into the right side of the penalty area by Cazorla, and the England midfielder stepped back inside before slotting a curling effort into the far corner. Substitute Olivier Giroud was denied a sixth in stoppage time when Federici made a smart block at the edge of his area.

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Demba Ba Plans To Join Arsenal Next January

Newcastle striker Demba Ba has issued a come-and-get-me plea to Arsenal, amid speculation that the north London club are set to take advantage of a release clause in the player's contract..

Ba, 27, had a clause put into his contract when he signed for the club in the summer of 2011 that allows him to leave St James' Park for just £7.5 million.

Newcastle are determined to keep hold of their in-form striker, who has hit 11 goals this season, however, they have yet to tie him down to a new deal.

The contract situation has led to a whole host of clubs being linked with the player ever since he arrived in the north-east, including the Gunners, who are looking to bolster their frontline in January.

While Ba admits there is so far no truth behind the rumours that he will move to the Emirates Stadium, the Senegal international has hinted that he would be more than open to such a deal.

"I have nothing to say about those speculations [with Arsenal]. Nothing has happened," Ba told Canal+.

"The media know Arsenal need another striker and they know about my release clause. They need to make their own mind up about it.

"Arsenal are one of those teams who makes you dream".

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Espinoza receives permit to join Wigan

Roger Espinoza is to complete his transfer to Wigan Athletic after receiving a work permit to play in the U K..

Honduras international Espinoza's contract with Sporting Kansas City expires at the end of December and he had informed coach Peter Vermes in November of his intention to leave the club and join the Latics. 

A delegation from Wigan - which included manager Roberto Martinez - travelled to London on Monday to attend a hearing in which the 26-year-old was given clearance to sign for the club. 

Speaking to the official Wigan website, Martinez said: “We prepared an excellent case for Roger and it is great news for us that he can now join up in January. He is a player we have been following closely since 16th of June 2010, when he made his debut in the World Cup versus Chile.

“In that game, he showed tremendous potential and slowly, he has been developing into an exciting footballer over the last three seasons in the MLS and has enjoyed terrific experiences at international level, specifically his role with Honduras in the Olympic games.

“The games versus Spain and Brazil in that tournament showed the winning and strong mentality that he possesses which will be an important asset to our squad.” 

Espinoza, who is a close friend of current Latics defender Maynor Figueroa, described the move as a dream. 

“This has been a dream for me to play in England and I am so grateful for the club who have worked so hard to make this happen. I just can’t wait now to join up with Maynor and all the guys and get to work,” he said. 

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Ajaccio boss Alex Dupont fired

Alex Dupont has been axed from his position as manager of French side Ajaccio, the club confirmed on Monday..

Dupont only joined Ajaccio from Brest this year, but was given his marching orders with L'Ours currently sitting just three points away from the relegation zone.

Ajaccio have managed just three wins in their last 15 games and management identified that Dupont is not the man to help the club rise above last season's 16th-place finish.

"I met with each player and I concluded that there is a clear breakdown between the team and the coach," Ajaccio president Alain Orsoni told the club's official website. "So I finally decided Alex Dupont will no longer be our trainer.

"The situation we have today is totally unacceptable. I am particularly worried by the state of mind of the team, I cannot find the values from which we have traditionally derived our strength.

"I do not sense solidarity, selflessness, commitment and readiness to fight. Those are crucial qualities if we want to stay in the top division."

It is believed Ajaccio will look to replace Dupont immediately.

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Anelka on way out of Shanghai

Former Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka appears set for an imminent exit from Shanghai Shenhua after the club said talks over the cancellation of his contract were ongoing..

Anelka, 33, joined the Chinese club in the January transfer window but has struggled to settle in the Chinese game, scoring only three goals since his move.

He was joined at Shanghai by fellow ex-Stamford Bridge forward Didier Drogba, who arrived in the summer and has been linked with a loan move to Juventus following the end of the Chinese season.

Shanghai confirmed that discussions about ending Anelka’s contract were in progress.

"The discussion is between the club and himself, I don't know about the specific details, but so far we haven't got the final result," spokesman Ma Yue said.

Reports in China say Anelka could be prepared to forego the final year of his contract on the understanding that he would then be given a free transfer.

Speculation has linked him with a return to England, with Queens Park Rangers reported to be interested in securing his signature.

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South African FA in match-fixing scandal

Five top officials including president Kirsten Nematandani and newly appointed chief executive Dennis Mumble have been suspended from the South African Football Association (SAFA) following a match-fixing report..

The investigation found four Bafana Bafana matches played in the lead up to the 2010 World Cup were fixed. SAFA will establish a commission of enquiry and the five members of staff who will give evidence have been put on special administrative leave until the probe is complete.

"This action in no way implies that these individuals were involved in match-fixing. It is again simply for good governance that this measure is being implemented," SAFA explained in a press release.

A FIFA investigation into the pre-World Cup friendlies and the activities of convicted Singaporean match-fixer Wilson Raj Perumal revealed that his fake organisation, Football 4U, was also involved in South Africa. Perumal is under house arrest in Hungary after being handed a two-year jail term for fixing matches in Finland in July 2011. He was also fingered in Zimbabwe's notorious Asia-gate scandal in which 98 players were given varying bans from the game in 2012.

The enquiry began at the behest of SAFA, who asked FIFA to look into speculative claims that matches were fixed in the lead up to the World Cup. Former head of security, Chris Eaton found "compelling evidence," to suggest they were.

He unveiled that Football 4U offered to assist with referee development in South Africa and to provide officials, at their own cost, to officiate in the matches. Eaton identified various SAFA officials who had interacted with Football 4U, although SAFA's national executive committee was never informed of the involvement of the company in South Africa.

The fixtures in question were all played in May 2010 at home against Thailand, Bulgaria, Colombia and Guatemala. South Africa won three of the four, with the draw coming against Bulgaria. The victories over Thailand (4-0) and Guatemala (5-0) were achieved with record margins, the first equalling South Africa's best ever win and the second surpassing it.

Although no penalties were awarded against Thailand or Bulgaria, all the goals in the Colombia game came through spot kicks and two of the ones in the Guatemala match were scored the same way. In the Colombia match, a handball resulted in a penalty being awarded to Bafana Bafana but when Teko Modise missed, the referee ruled that the goalkeeper had moved too early in his effort to save it, and the penalty was retaken.

The first penalty against Guatemala was also called controversially. It was awarded despite contact being made outside the box. The second penalty was given for a hand-ball and appeared more clear-cut.

South Africa went into the World Cup on a 12-match unbeaten streak which went back to November 2009. Although they would not have competed in the tournament if they were not hosting it, the form they were in led to country-wide expectation that they may advance out of the group stage. A draw with Mexico was followed by a loss to Uruguay. Despite beating France, South Africa became the first hosts to be knocked out of the competition in the opening round.

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Balotelli fights fine

Mario Balotelli will take Manchester City to a Premier League tribunal on Wednesday in a bid to overturn a fine for continued ill-discipline..

Balotelli, 22, missed about a fifth of City's games last season due to suspensions from red and yellow cards and was fined two weeks' wages, about £350,000, by the club as a consequence. His appeal against the fine was rejected by the club.

The Italian striker has fallen out of favour at City, and didn't travel to Newcastle for Saturday's 3-1 Premier League win, instead staying in Manchester to train alone. He started the 3-2 defeat to Manchester United six days earlier but was substituted early in the second half.

Rumours have persisted about his long-term future with the Premier League champions following a series of indiscretions, but Mancini, who signed Balotelli for £24m from Inter Milan in 2010, insists he still figures heavily in his plans.

"Mario still has a big part to play this season," he said. "To get back into the team he needs to work in training and, when he plays, he needs to play well."

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Lampard urges Blues to revive season

Chelsea's Capital One Cup clash with Leeds united could be one of the most important games for the Blues this season, according to midfielder Frank Lampard..

Lampard, 34, returned from Chelsea's unsuccessful Club World Cup campaign on Monday urging his team-mates to quickly recover from the loss to Corinthians and focus on getting the club's season back on track.

After a convincing start to the Premier League season, Chelsea now find themselves 13 points behind leaders Manchester United and Lampard believes a quarter final win over Leeds on Wednesday could be a turning point.

"We have to pick it up for Leeds and then get our form back at home," Lampard said. "We got a result against Sunderland before we went out to Japan and it's very important that we do our stuff, not just with Leeds but the Premier League games over Christmas.

"If we win at Leeds we'll be in the semi-final and with the possibility of a decent draw, but we've got to win the games. It's tough to go to Elland Road. There's a rivalry.

"We're aware of it and we have to play with passion and do the physical side of things because they're going to be right at it. We can't expect to go up there and tap it around and get a result. We have to do both sides."

Chelsea's defeat in Japan left them with only three more chances of winning a trophy this season after disappointment in the Community Shield, UEFA Super Cup and Champions League.

But Lampard, who played a full 90 minutes on Sunday, acknowledges that the changes at Stamford Bridge have made success more difficult.

"You can't go and win every tournament every year," he said. "We've never done that. No one does it. We worked very hard to get to the final.

"The fact is we've changed the personnel a bit this year. There's been a bedding-in process and we've changed the manager, so there's been quite a few circumstances this year. We just have to try to improve and play better, simple as that.

"It was good for me to get 90 minutes in against Corinthians. It's been seven or eight weeks and I felt good. I felt fit enough, I've been training hard. I'd be very happy to play at Leeds."

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VIDIC is the Best Defender in The World Check The Top Ten of the Best Defenders in the World

A look at 10 of the best defenders in the world.

1. Nemanja Vidic (Serbia & Man United)

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The Manchester United defender may not be playing in one of the most prominent national teams, but he helps form a defense that has been particularly stingy over the years. In qualifying for the 2006 World Cup, Vidic and his comrades conceded just one goal in 10 matches, a record that helped them top the group ahead of Spain. A commanding presence who can also pop up with headed goals from time to time..

2. Thiago Silva (Brazil & Paris Saint-Germain)

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The Brazilian has almost everything. Strong in the tackle and commanding in the air, the former AC Milan center back was outstanding in the 2010-11 season as the Rossoneri won their first Italian title since 2004. Silva is so comfortable on the ball, that he was even deployed in midfield by coach Massimiliano Allegri when injuries hit the squad. His performances prompted PSG to pay 46 million euros for the player in July 2012.

3. Vincent Kompany (Belgium & Manchester City)

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The Belgium defender was heralded as one of the most exciting defensive prospects in the game in his early years at Anderlecht. He has duly delivered on that promise, and is now regarded as one of the best in the world. The unflappable Manchester City defender is quick, strong and dominant in the air. In a team chock full of egos, he grabs few headlines but goes about his business with the professionalism that some of his teammates lack.

4. Gerard Pique (Spain & Barcelona)

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Many at Barcelona believe this product of the club's La Masia youth system will go on to captain the club. He was a key protagonist as Spain won the World Cup in South Africa. A composed defender who is strong in the air and the tackle, Pique is also adept at launching his team's attacks. And he even claims to know all of Cristiano Ronaldo's tricks from their time together at Manchester United.

5. Philipp Lahm (Germany & Bayern Munich)

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One of the mainstays of the Germany team for several years, Lahm's marauding runs from full-back are a good avenue of attack for Germany. The versatile Lahm is capable of shooting and passing with either foot, and enjoyed a fine 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

6. Maicon (Brazil & Manchester City)

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The Brazil defender's forceful runs down the right provide a great avenue of attack, not only for him to cross the ball, but for his teammates who can occupy the space vacated by opposition players trying to arrest Maicon's attacking sorties. A solid defender now entering the autumn of his career, Maicon completed a move from Inter Milan to Manchester City on deadline day of the 2012 summer transfer window.

7. Daniel Alves (Brazil & Barcelona)

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Alves can consider himself unlucky that he has a player of Maicon's caliber ahead of him in the Brazil team. In any other national team in the world, Alves would be an undisputed first-choice at right-back. Supporters at Camp Nou see Alves dominate the right-side on a regular basis, his pace, crossing ability and free-kick taking prowess helping him score at least four or five goals a season. Sevilla signed him for less than $1 million from Bahia in 2002 and sold him at a huge profit in 2008. A double Champions League winner with Barca.

8. Ashley Cole (England & Chelsea)

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Cole is one of the few players over the years to have got to grips with Cristiano Ronaldo. At Euro 2004 he had one of his best games in an England shirt, matching the Portuguese star in a captivating battle. Since then, Cole has developed into arguably the best left-back in the world. He can get forward, score goals, cross the ball, and is Mr Reliable when on the back foot.

9. Giorgio Chiellini (Italy & Juventus)

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Fabio Cannavaro was famous for being an exponent of the classic style of rugged Italian defending, and in Chiellini Italy have a player to carry the baton forwards now that the great man has retired. The Juventusdefender takes few prisoners, is strong in the air and firm in the tackle.

10. Patrice Evra (France & Man United)

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Rivals Cole as the best left-back in world soccer. Evra is a tough customer who is reliable defensively and outstanding going forward as he regularly overlaps the midfielder before either crossing or passing the ball inside to a team-mate. A regular for Manchester United and France where he keeps Manchester City's Gael Clichy out of the team

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Ten of the Best Goalkeepers in the World

A good goalkeeper can mean the difference between success and failure for a team. Here is a look at 10 of the best goalkeepers in the world.

1. Iker Casillas (Spain & Real Madrid)

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'Saint Iker,' as he is known at Real Madrid, has been his club's first-choice goalkeeper since he was a teenager, having come through the youth set-up. Casillas has often had the misfortune of having an inadequate defense in front of him as Real have focused assembling a fearsome attack, only to neglect the backline. But this simply meant he was able to showcase his skills to an even greater extent, bailing out his defense time and time again, putting his body on the line and making spectacular saves when the opposition looked odds-on to score. One of a kind..

2. Gianluigi Buffon (Italy & Juventus)

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A World Cup winner in 2006, Buffon is considered by many observers as the best goalkeeper of the last decade alongside Casillas. The Juventuscustodian has few weaknesses and remains the most expensive goalkeeper in the world following his 2001 move from Parma to Juve. Now well into his 30s, injuries may be taking their toll on Buffon, but he remains an important presence for club and country.

3. Victor Valdes (Spain & Barcelona)

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There is a case for arguing that if the Barcelona custodian was any other nationality, he would be his country’s number one. But Valdes has had the misfortune of being in his prime at the same time as Iker Casillas, who has held the Spain jersey for over a decade. Valdes is Barca’s most successful goalkeeper, having won five La Liga titles and three Champions Leagues with the club. The former Tenerife youth player is terrific in one-on-one situations. He only earned his first cap for the national team in 2010.

4. Petr Cech (Czech Republic & Chelsea)

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Since arriving at Chelsea from Rennes in 2004, Cech has been a model of consistency, rarely making errors and helping the club to three Premier League titles and a Champions League. He recovered from a fractured skull sustained in a controversial challenge by Reading's Stephen Hunt in 2006. Cech instils confidence in what is a solid Chelsea defense, and although he may have fewer saves to make than many goalkeepers, it is a sign of his class and extreme concentration that he is rarely found wanting when called upon. A busier figure on the international stage.

5. Joe Hart (England & Manchester City)

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The least experienced goalkeeper on the list, but Hart has made very few mistakes in his time at Birmingham City and Manchester City. His excellent form on loan at St Andrews in the 2009-10 season led to Shay Given losing his place in the Man City side, and Hart is now England's number one goalkeeper. A superb shot-stopper possessed with calmness and authority.

6. Manuel Neuer (Germany & Bayern Munich)

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An excellent 2010/11 season for Schalke prompted Bayern Munich to splurge a reported US$26 million on the player, with another $10 million dependant on performances. Many Bayern supporters felt that the club had overspent on a player whose contract was due to expire in 2012, when he would have been available for free. Neuer, though, is Germany's number one and a dominant presence between the posts.

7. Julio Cesar (Brazil & Queens Park Rangers)

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Emerged as Brazil's first-choice goalkeeper for the 2010 World Cup qualifiers and the former Inter Milan stalwart did not let his country down. Has come back strongly from several high-profile mistakes that blighted him earlier in his career, but was deemed surplus to requirements at the San Siro in 2012 and completed a move to Queens Park Rangers.

8. Pepe Reina (Spain & Liverpool)

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Like Valdes, Reina has been a victim of Casillas' phenomenal performances at international level. But Liverpool know his worth and persuaded the Spaniard to sign a new contract with the club in 2010. Reina has hinted at his frustrations about a lack of silverware in recent seasons and the Reds may have to break the winless cycle if they are to keep the Barcelona youth product. Prone to the odd clanger like most goalkeepers, but still one of the most consistent in the premier League.

9. Hugo Lloris (France & Tottenham Hotspur)

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Lloris looks to have a promising career ahead of him for club and country. Boasting a long reach and superb reflexes, France captain Lloris is capable of keeping strikers at bay when his team are firmly under the cosh. Previously at Nice and Lyon, he was signed by Tottenham in August 2012 as they looked for a long-term option between the posts. Must improve his decision making.

10. Samir Handanovic (Slovenia & Inter Milan)

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The 6ft 5in stopper left Udinese for Inter Milan in July 2012 after establishing himself as one of the best goalkeepers in Serie A. Conceding just four goals in 10 2010 World Cup qualifying matches, Handanovic helps form the spine of the Slovenia team, with his agility and penalty-saving prowess both valuable assets.

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