Messi, Ronaldo, Neuer shortlisted for FIFA Ballon d’Or

 Enyeama, Musa among five nominees for CAF Awards

CRISTIANO Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Manuel Neuer make up the final shortlist for the 2014 FIFA Ballon d’Or award.

  The 23-man shortlist was reduced by experts from the FIFA Football Committee and France Football on 30th, November 2014.
 Ronaldo, the 2013 winner, remains on course to retain the title after a sparkling year in which he celebrated Champions League success with Real Madrid.

  Four-time winner, Messi, continues his duel with the Portugal captain, with the duo almost exclusively battling for football’s biggest individual accolade for the last six years.

  Bayern Munich shot-stopper, Neuer, is looking to crash the party and become the first goalkeeper to win the award since Lev Yashin in 1963 after his integral role in Germany’s World
Cup success and another sublime league-winning season with the Bavarian giants.

  Carlo Ancelotti, Diego Simeone and Joachim Low make up the three-man shortlist for the coach of the year award after their respective Champions League, La Liga and World Cup triumphs.

  Ireland’s Stephanie Roche, James Rodriguez and Robin van Persie have seen their brilliant efforts nominated for the Puskas Award for the best goal of 2014.

  For the CAF African Footballer of the Year Awards, Nigeria’s Vincent Enyeama and Ahmed Musa, are among the five shortlisted for the trophy currently held by Cote d’Ivoire’s Yaya Toure.
 The other players in the five-man short list are Toure, Asamoah Gyan of Ghana and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Gabon.

 Enyeama and Musa enjoyed a fine run at the World Cup in Brazil, but Manchester City star, Toure, has won the prestigious award for the past three years.

  There are also two Nigerian stars for the women’s version of the award – Asisat Oshoala and Desire Oparanozie. They will battle Annette Ngo Ndom of Cameroun,
 Portia Modise of South Africa and Zenatha Coleman of Namibia for Woman Player of the Year.

The Youth Player of the Year has Oshoala and Uchechi Sunday from Nigeria, Fabrice Ondoa of Cameroun and Kader Bidimbou of Congo Brazzaville as nominees.

 In the African Player of the Year (Based in Africa) category, the five shortlisted players are the duo of Akram Djahnit   and El Hedi Belamieri of Algeria and ES Setif, Firmin Mubel Ndombe of Congo and AS Vita,
 Fakhereddine Ben Youssef of Tunisia and CS Sfaxien and late Senso Meyiwa of South Africa and Orlando Pirates.

  For Most promising Talent Award, the shortlisted players are Clinton N’jie of Cameroon and Olympic Lyon, Mubele Ndombe of Congo DR and AS VIta, Vincent Aboubakar of Cameroon and FC Porto and Yacini Brahimi of Algeria and also FC Porto

 Florent Mbenge, Kherireddine Madoui of Algeria, Rigo Gervais of Cote D’Ivoire, Stephen Keshi of Nigeria and Vahid Halilhdzich of Bosnia and Algeria were nominated for Coach of the Year.

  Other nominees are the trio of Nigeria, Algeria and Libya listed for National Team of the Year, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria and Nigeria U-20 for Women’s National Team of the Year and Club of the Year with Al-Ahly of Egypt, AS Vita of Congo,
 ES Setif of Algeria and Sewe Sports of Cote d’Ivoire as nominees.

  The winners will be decided by votes from the head coaches and technical directors of the national associations affiliated to CAF.

 The Glo-CAF Awards Gala night will take place on Thursday January 8, 2015 in Lagos, Nigeria.

The Footballer Rhyming The Waka-Waka Star- Pique and Shakira

It has been speculated that there’s something between Gerard Pique and Shakira more than friendship and have staged dozens of headlines recently, especially since the Colombian announced a break with Antonio de la Rua, her representative and partner since the year 2000.

Top sexy Colombian singer Shakira announced a split with her boyfriend after they had been together for the past 11 years. According to many Spanish newspapers, the story of Shakira and Antonio De la Rua was terminated because of the special closeness between the singer and the FC Barcelona player Gerard Pique.

Suspicions arouse from the fact that the two had met several times during the last summer, when they were seen together in an exclusive hotel in Ibiza. Also, this break-up came almost at the same time as the central FC Barcelona ended his relationship with the interior Nuria Tomás.

Gerard Pique, on his return from Switzerland, where he was at the prize ceremony for the FIFA Ballon d'Or, denied the relationship with Shakira. Upon questioning whether it was possible because of the rupture between Shakira and boyfriend Antonio de la Rua, the Barcelona star said, "Shakira and I are just friends, nothing more."

According to news reports, not long after working in a Music Video World Cup 2010 Anthem "Waka Waka”, inSouth Africa, the local media captured both passionately on a walk at the beach.

The singer also claimed that she visited the family of his sister living in this city on a regular basis already. The news seemed to be silently lost but the breakup with her boyfriend Antonio De la Rua was like oil to fire, and the news was back to the head-lines.

This was not the first time the two have been rumoured together but Shakira had dismissed the claims a few months ago also saying, "Pique and I together? What is true is that it is a 'waka-rumour!"

Among the football fans, there is a "concern" because an alleged affair certainly could affect the sports performance as happened to Barca center back Rafa Marquez, when he began his romance with model Jaydy Mitchell.

KARIM BENZEMA WITH GIRLFRIEND SARAH ON SUMMER HOLIDAY

Apparently Karim Benzema is now back with his former girlfriend, who happens to be his cousin , Sarah.  As usual, sea and the beach are the most favorite spot for summer holiday, where they can return home with a nice tan.

CESC FABREGAS SHOPPING TIME WITH DANIELA SEMAAN AND HER KID AT SARDINIA

Cesc Fabregas has to accept that by dating Daniela Semaan, it means he’s now becoming a father of Daniela’s 2 kids as well. (Hmm….25 yrs old with a teenage daughter seems a bit too much, maybe ?)

On summer holiday, the couple went to Sardinia along with Daniela’s kids. They were spotted spending time shopping in a mall. And while “mom” shopped, Fabregas was playing dad with Dani’s teenage daughter.

CRISTIANO RONALDO AND BENZEMA AT PLAZA MERANO ITALY

After the visit to Thailand, Cristiano Ronaldo and girlfriend Irina flew to Italy where they stayed at Plaza Merano, South Tyrol for a few days. During the stay, Irina was having a series of body and beauty treatment at Henry Chenot Espace.Besides Ronaldo, another striker that also went there was Karim Benzema. The two met in the hotel, since they stayed in the same place.

Too bad the hotel gives a guarantee privacy for the guests, so it’s impossible to get their pictures.

Shakira and Gererd Pique Sex Tape Rumour

We already heard about Shakira’s pregnant news and that she will (probably) have a baby boy at January next year. But recently, bigger news spread in Spanish and South American about the “Hips dont lie” singer. It has been reported that the Spanish and South American stores are having Shakira and Gerard Pique sex tape on sale.

Shakira’s spoke persons quickly denied the tape existence, but according to Spanish magazine, Pique’s agent has being offered to buy the tape.

The magazine wrote about the video, which has duration of 15 minutes, and filmed with a cellphone. The images are not too focus, and it was known to be filmed by one of Shakira’s employee who catched them at the “love boat” moment.

It has been said that the employees was using the video for blackmailing the Colombian singer.

This is not the first sex tape rumor for Shakira, since she has been in a subject while she still with her former beaus, Antonia de la Rua and Alejandro Sans.

RYAN Giggs sparked a bitter family bust-up by trying to seduce his alleged lover’s mum, it was claimed last night

RYAN GIGGS, THE EMBATTLED MANCHESTER UNITED STAR, HAD A TWO-YEAR AFFAIR WITH A THIRD WOMAN, IT HAS BEEN REPORTED, AMID CLAIMS FROM HIS FAMILY THAT HE IS A "SEX ADDICT". THE 37 YEAR-OLD, BRITAIN’S 20TH-RICHEST SPORTSMAN, IS IN DESPERATE NEED OF HELP AFTER “BETRAYING” FAMILY AMID INCREASINGLY TAWDRY HEADLINES ABOUT HIS PRIVATE LIFE.THE MARRIED, FATHER-OF-TWO HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF INTENSE SPECULATION IN RECENT WEEKS AFTER CLAIMS OF EXTRAMARITAL AFFAIRS WITH TWO DIFFERENT WOMEN, INCLUDING HIS SISTER-IN-LAW, AND HIS USE OF THE CONTROVERSIAL PRIVACY INJUNCTION.ON WEDNESDAY IT WAS FURTHER CLAIMED THE WINGER HAD TWO YEAR AFFAIR WITH A THIRD UNNAMED WOMAN, WHICH OCCURRED DURING HIS ENGAGEMENT AND BIRTH OF HIS FIRST BORN CHILD.THE THIRD ALLEGED WOMAN GIGGS IS ACCUSED OF HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH IS SAID TO HAVE FIRST PARTICIPATED IN A ONE-NIGHT STAND WITH THE FOOTBALLER AFTER MEETING AT THE LIVING ROOM BAR, IN MANCHESTER, BEFORE CONTINUING THE TRYSTS FOR A FURTHER TWO YEARS.“THIS WAS NO ONE-NIGHT STAND,’ A SOURCE CLOSE TO THE WOMAN, WHO IS SAID TO BE had a lasting relationship which went on for two years. It only came to an end when he phoned her on his wedding day to say it was all over.” Giggs, and his wife, Stacey, 32, were said to have fled to an undisclosed Mediterranean holiday hideaway in a desperate bid to repair their marriage. Despite his alleged infidelity, it has been reported that Giggs’ wife is standing by her husband. It remains unclear if she was aware of the latest claims. At the weekend, Giggs’ injunction, taken out earlier this year, came under renewed scrutiny after allegations emerged that the married father of two, conducted an extramarital affair with his sister-in-law, Natasha Giggs. Mrs Giggs, 28, is married to the former Welsh international's younger brother, Rhodri. A Sunday newspaper claimed that she met the footballer in a nightclub in March 2003, before she married his brother, and that the affair had continued until April this year. She announced the alleged affair through Mr Clifford, the publicist, after learning of Giggs' relationship with Imogen Thomas, a former Big Brother reality television star. He had not told his wife, Stacey about that affair. But his aunt Joanna Wilson, 49, of Cardiff, accused him of preying on woman, by using his star status as a high-profile footballer. “I can’t believe the mess Ryan’s made of his life. He’s a predator," she told the Daily Star. “I’m disgusted by his behaviour. “One thing’s for sure, he can’t keep his trousers up and he needs help for it.” Mrs Wilson, who is the sister of Ryan and his Rhodri’s father, Danny Wilson, a 55 year-old former rugby star, added: “He might have a sex addiction. Who knows? “Why do I think he did it? Just because he could. Because he’s Ryan Giggs and there will always be foolish women who throw themselves at him. “He had the perfect family but he still wasn’t satisfied.” Giggs, who earns more than £80,000 a week, and his brother were reported to have had a furious telephone row over claims that the soccer star had an affair with his sister-in-law. Mrs Wilson added: “He’s betrayed his beautiful wife and his beautiful children. I’m sorry to say it about my nephew but he’s a ruined man. “Everyone thought he was Mr Nice Guy, but not now. They can see how cold he is the way he’s treated his wife and brother. “It’s beyond belief what he’s done. It’s the ultimate betrayal. The whole family is gutted for Rhodri.” She told the newspaper that his brother will “never forgive” him despite becoming so close. “Their mother is totally devastated. Her family has been torn apart,” she added. “If Stacey has any self-respect she will show him the door and take him to the cleaners. “All our thoughts are (also) with Rhodri. (Ryan) has made his bed and he’s going to lie in it alone, for the time being anyway.” The further claims of another affair came a day after marketing experts claimed he could become Britain’s version of Tiger Woods.Giggs was awarded an OBE in 2007 and is one of the Premier League's most successful footballers. Woods divorced from his wife, Elin Nordegren, after it emerged he had slept with several women, which also battered his clean-cut image and caused some sponsors to abandon him. But while Woods’ career is still expected to continue, marketing experts warned Giggs’ £34 million fortune was under threat as he was in the twilight of his career. Meanwhile In an interview with a Russian newspaper in spring 2003, Andrei Kanchelskis said Giggs had reported that he was struggling to "change his bachelor’s life". “I go out with three girls but just can’t choose which one is the best”,’ the Russian said Giggs went public with his relationship with Stacey in January 2003 when she was expecting their first child. An eight-year affair with his future sister-in-law is said to have begun that March. Marketing experts said firms would now be hesitant to become involved with him after building his reputation over a glittering career as being a happily married family man. He is sponsored by Reebok, reportedly for £20m, Swiss watch firms Patek Philippe, Cyma, car manufacturer Citroen and phone company Saudi Telecom. Giggs is set to sue social networking site Twitter after users leaked his identity of being behind one of the injunctions. His identity only become came out after John Hemming, a Liberal Democrat MP, named him in Parliament, and his words could be reported under the rules of Parliamentary privilege. The courts have refused appeals to lift the injunction, despite the footballer's identity circulating on the internet. 

'I hate my social life,' says Mourinho

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho, the only coach to win European football's top three leagues, has told CNN in an exclusive interview that his remarkable track record of success and very public profile has had a devastating impact on his personal life.

After winning league titles with Chelsea, Inter, Real as well as Porto in his homeland. Mourinho says it has got to the stage where even his 12-year-old son is taunted when he plays a football match.

"I hate my social life," Mourinho told CNN. "I hate not to be a normal father who goes with his son to the son's football match and being there with the other 20 fathers there watching the game.

"I'm at a football match of kids and I have to be there. The people have to come for photos; the people have to come for autographs; the people have to come to insult me; the people have to go behind the goal of my kid and insult my kid of 12."

As well as his uncanny ability to guide teams to trophy after trophy, Mourinho's very public profile has also been accompanied by an ability to attract headlines -- sometimes unwanted -- where his media conference theatrics have journalists drooling over his every utterance.

At times the Portuguese coach, who is courted by numerous sponsors, has also tarnished his reputation -- no more so than in last season's altercation with the now Barcelona manager Tito Vilanova, when Mourinho poked his opponent in the eye.

"I think it's quite normal because people think they know me, but they don't," added Mourinho, who is bidding to become the first coach to win the Champions League with three different clubs following his triumphs with Porto in 2004 and Inter Milan in 2010.

"People know the manager, especially the manager during 90 minutes. And during 90 minutes, I'm not there to have fun.

"Fun is a consequence. I'm there to do my job, I'm there to win. I'm there with my team to try to win. I'm there and I live the game, I live the match as if it was the last match of my career.

"So people look at me and they see what they see. After that, in press conferences, it's the other place where people know me.

"In press conferences, there is still a match to play. Before the match, press conference is pre-match and after the match, press conference is post-match, but it's a match."

But Mourinho insisted he was a very different person one from the portrayed by the media.

"People don't know me as a friend, as a family man, as a manager inside of my group, the relationship I have with the people that work in the club.

"So I don't complain and say people are wrong, people are looking at me with the wrong eye. No, these people see what they see."

And despite the cost to his personal life, Mourinho insisted he wanted to be a coach for at least another two decades.

"So, you know, I would love to be with my family in the street as a normal person and I can't, so I am a completely different person in my private life," added Mourinho, who will turn 50 in January.

If I could bring one player back to Anfield it would be Xabi, Gerrard tells fans on Twitter

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard revealed the one former team-mate he would bring back to the club, given the chance, would be Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso.

The England skipper also believes Luis Suarez is the best striker he has played alongside.

Gerrard, in a Twitter question and answer session for sponsors adidas, picked Suarez ahead of the likes of Robbie Fowler, Michael Owen and Fernando Torres - all great goal scorers at Anfield - and England team-mate Wayne Rooney.

Asked who is the greatest striker he had played with Gerrard opted for Suarez, who has scored seven of Liverpool's 13 Barclays Premier League goals this season and produced a wonder strike against Newcastle on Sunday.

Top track: Gerrard revealed his favourite pre-match anthem is Dakota, by the Stereophonics

Gerrard also singled out the Uruguay international as the player who messes about most in training - 'He's a nuisance!' wrote the 32-year-old.

The Reds captain also revealed, given the opportunity, he would jump at the chance to bring Alonso back to the club.

'Xabi Alonso - best midfielder I've played with, I miss playing with him,' he wrote.

The feeling appears to be mutual with the Madrid midfielder confident Gerrard, who marked his 600th match for Liverpool at the weekend, would slot seamlessly into Spain's World Cup and European Championship-winning side.

'Absolutely, there's no doubt,' said Alonso.

'He could play in any national team in the world because he has so many great qualities.

'He is flexible. He can play at the English pace or he can associate with the ball very well.

'He is a very intelligent player, so he could play anywhere - not just any national team but any club in the world.

'But he has been a one-club man and that's something I really admire.'

Alonso believe Gerrard had a significant impact on his career, having moved to Merseyside from Real Sociedad in 2004.

'He was a great influence to me,' he told Real Madrid TV in an interview on behalf of Liverpool's official website.

'When I arrived at Liverpool I was 22 and he was the captain, he was the main man at the club.

'For me he was a reference, the way he behaved with his team-mates and with the supporters as well.

'I learned a lot from him. We are great friends and we still keep in touch.

'He is so inspirational. In the key moments he has that different  thing that sparks, that is difficult to define.

He'll absolutely be remembered as one of the greats. For me he is already one of the greats.'

Gerrard and Suarez seem unlikely to make this week's Europa League trip to face big-spending Anzi Makhachkala in Moscow.

Although victory in the Russian capital would strengthen the Reds' position at the top of Group A manager Brendan Rodgers has one eye on Sunday's trip to Chelsea and with Suarez as his only fit senior striker he does not want to risk him.

It means he is likely to field a much changed side from the one which drew with Newcastle.

SOCIAL ADVANTAGES OF PLAYING SOCCER

Soccer offers an obvious fitness benefit, as the game requires walking, jogging and sprinting for an hour indoors or 90 minutes outdoors. As a team sport that requires six players on the field in indoor and 11 outdoor, as well as substitutes, soccer also has built-in social advantages. As you get to know your teammates, you can make new friends outside of your family, school and work spheres and grow in unexpected directions.

Group Acceptance

At the youth level, being good at classroom activities may not enhance a child's acceptance and may even hinder a child's status. Competence in soccer and similar activities, on the other hand, is strongly and positively related to social acceptance, writes kinesiology professor Jane Watkinson in "Let's Play! Promoting Active Playgrounds." This may be a hard fact of life, but it exists, and social acceptance accrues to a child not only for playing soccer, but especially for being good at it, Watkinson observes.

mazing Capital Growth on Luxury Apartments $400,000. Great Retu

As with other adult team sports, you meet people, but in soccer, "you meet people from around the world," says Wes Harvey, former men's soccer coach at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland. More than other widely practiced recreation sports in the U.S., such as basketball, football, softball and baseball, foreign players from all over the globe enjoy and excel at soccer, and look for recreational and competitive league teams to continue their passion for the game. If you have an interest in finding international friends, soccer can deliver on this interest. Co-ed teams also offer opportunities for single players to meet and begin friendships and dating.

Interaction with Friends

Although soccer has rules and scorekeeping and requires a competitive focus, at heart it is play. First-graders on a soccer field know for example that their purpose is to attempt to win. Yet they enjoy the activity simply as an end to itself, as an excuse to play and interact with friends, writes University of Wisconsin-Green Bay psychology professor Fergus P. Hughes in "Children, Play and Development." The young player may even lose sight of the fact of his intended purpose -- athletics and exercise -- in playing soccer. Similarly, adults may love not only playing soccer itself but also driving to the game together; catching up by chitchatting about new jobs, children and pets; and conversing on the sidelines about their favorite professional teams or plans for a pub or sports bar outing.

Transition for Immigrants

Players with English-speaking ability or who are bilingual may join a club of primarily English speakers. Other immigrants to Europe, North America and Australia often struggle at first with the local language and a lack of social ties, especially if they don't speak English. Playing soccer with an ethnically based club offers them a avenue to develop ties and network with compatriots, notes contributing author and sports development writer Daniel Lock and colleagues in a chapter on "Soccer and Social Networks in Australia" in "Sport Policy: A Comparative Analysis of Stability and Change." The club can offer a chance to assist in their settlement while pursuing an activity they already know well, as well as chances to find employment and stay fit.

Lionel Messi: No Cristiano Ronaldo rift

Barcelona star Lionel Messi played down suggestions of a personal rift with Real Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo as the two prepare for another battle on the pitch this season.

Barcelona hosts Real Sociedad and Real Madrid tackles Valencia as La Liga gets under way this weekend, with the Catalans out to recapture the crown they lost to Madrid last season after three straight titles.

The battle to be named the best player on the planet between Messi and Ronaldo continues as a long-running sideshow, but Messi insists there is nothing personal in it as far as he is concerned.

"I respect him, but I have no relationship with him, as I don't with a lot of other footballers," he told Spanish newspaper Marca.

"I have relationships with my Barcelona clubmates, and with the international squad, Argentinian players who I've got to know well over the years.

"There's never been any kind of anger toward Cristiano.

"It's all made up by the press who want to believe there's a constant duel between the two of us, but I don't compete with Cristiano, nor does he with me."

Barcelona begins life in the post-Pep Guardiola age with new manager Tito Vilanova taking charge of his first league game.

But there have been few other changes at the club, with Jordi Alba the only high profile signing.

On Sunday, Barca will take on a Real Sociedad team that finished six points from relegation last season but was among several clubs to take a point off Barcelona in the early stages of the campaign -- a run Guardiola's team never recovered from as it tried to catch Madrid.

Madrid kicks off, also on Sunday, against a Valencia side that has done much rebuilding this summer, with its six new signings including two midfielders -- Sergio Canales and Fernando Gago -- who have arrived from the Bernabeu.

Valencia finished third last season, but were 30 points adrift of Barcelona.

The action begins on Saturday with a match between newly promoted Celta Vigo and a Malaga team that finished fourth last season but is now downgrading expectations after the scaling back of Sheikh Al Thani's spending and the departure of Santi Cazorla to Arsenal.

Sevilla tackles Getafe and Real Mallorca hosts Espanyol in Saturday's other matches.

Copa del Rey holder Athletic Bilbao faces Real Betis on Sunday before two Europa League-bound teams, Levante and Atletico Madrid, face off.

The two other promoted teams, Deportivo La Coruna and Valladolid, must wait until Monday to get their campaigns started.

Deportivo hosts Osasuna while Valladolid travels to Real Zaragoza. Rayo Vallecano hosts Granada, also on Monday.

Footballer Mario Balotelli expecting baby with ex-girlfriend

The 21 year old footballer is expecting a child with his 24 year old ex-girlfriend Raffaella Fico who is a model. Raffaella revealed this week that she found out she was pregnant in May a month after they broke up. Raffaella and Mario dated for over a year but broke up in April this year because of the footballer's alleged affairs with other women. Raffaella herself once dated Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo.
Raffaella told reporters that Mario is excited about being a dad and they might reconcile for the sake of their child. 

Nigerian Footballer Dies While Playing on the Pitch

A 21 year old Nigeria footballer Henry Chinonso Ihelewere playing football in Romania died today (Sunday) while on the pitch. Ihelewere plays for CS Delta Tulcea,Romania second division club.His team was playing against a local team known as FC Balotești when the incident happened.

How did the footballer died? Soccer lounge gathered that Chinoso was already active on the pitch but after about 15 minutes, he collapsed and an ambulance had to be called in.He could not be resucicated for close to an hour.The medical team later pronounced him dead. The actual cause of the death is still unknown as at the time of going to the press.

Just few months back, Fabrice Muamba a midfielder for Bolton Wanderers in UK collapsed on the football pitch in a match against Tottenham. Muamba stopped breathing and many thought he was dead but his heart ‘re-started’ again after 78 minutes at the London Chest Hospital.

Ashley Cole 'choc ice' tweet: Police probe racism allegations

A possible racist comment made against Chelsea footballer Ashley Cole is being investigated by Derbyshire Police.

A Twitter user, believed to be from Derbyshire, referred to Mr Cole as a "choc ice" on the social networking site over the weekend.

Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand then replied: "I hear you fella! Choc ice is classic hahahahahaha!!"

A Derbyshire Police spokeswoman said the force had received complaints "regarding alleged racist comments".

"These concerns will be fully investigated to establish whether any criminal offences have been committed," the spokeswoman added.

Derbyshire Police confirmed the original "choc ice" tweet was being investigated, not Mr Ferdinand's reply.

'Type of slang'

The allegation comes days after Chelsea captain John Terry was cleared of a racially aggravated public order offence at Westminster Magistrates Court.

Mr Terry was accused of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand, Rio's brother, during a game in October 2011.

Mr Cole, 31, told the court that his captain was not racist.The term "choc ice" is understood to mean "black on the outside, white on the inside".

In a statement, issued through his lawyers, Mr Cole said: "Ashley Cole wishes to make it clear that he and Rio Ferdinand are good friends and Ashley has no intention of making any sort of complaint.

"Ashley appreciates that tweeting is so quick it often results in off-hand and stray comments."

Mr Ferdinand later tweeted: "What I said yesterday is not a racist term. It's a type of slang used by many for someone who is being fake."

A Greater Manchester Police spokeswoman said the force would not be investigating Mr Ferdinand's comments.

Ronaldinho Loses $750k Coca-Cola Sponsorship For Being In Same Room As Pepsi Can

Pepsi and Coca-Cola are still at each other’s throats after all these years. Who knew? Word is coming in from Brazil this morning that Coke have pulled the plug on Ronaldinho’s $750,000-a-year sponsorship deal after he gave a press conference for his latest club, Atletico Mineiro, from behind a couple of cans of Pepsi - Pepsi being an official sponsor of Mineiro and all.

Ronaldinho also took a brief swig from the Pepsi (horror beyond horror!) which proved to be the final straw, with Coca-Cola issuing the following brief statement: “Coca-Cola recognises the career and the value of Ronaldinho. However, due to recent developments it has become impossible to continue the partnership.”

It is also being reported that Coke were just about ready to tear up the contract anyway, with a string of lackadaisical performances for Flamengo and a sprinkling of webcam-based debaucheries, etc, leading the company to believe that they perhaps weren’t quite getting their money’s worth out of ‘Brand Ronaldinho’.

Oh well, we imagine it won’t be too long until Pepsi come calling.

Rio Ferdinand Should Quit Twitter and Focus on Playing for Manchester United

Rio Ferdinand used to just be a footballer. Now he's the footballer we follow on Twitter—and the one whose increasingly loose use of the social media site is the primary reason you read about him these days.

Ferdinand's latest ill-advised move came in the wake of the John Terry trial, a sorry affair that concluded with Terry found not guilty of racially abusing Ferdinand's younger brother, Anton. If ever there was a time for dignified silence this was it, but Ferdinand senior couldn't help himself.

Following the magistrates' verdict, Ferdinand received a Tweet from a user that read: "Looks like Ashley Cole’s going to be their choc ice. Then again he’s always been a sellout. Shame on him." (Guardian)

The suggestion—certainly as most of us read it—was that Cole had in some way betrayed his heritage as a black man by giving evidence in defense of his Chelsea teammate Terry. Ferdinand has since claimed he doesn't believe the term "choc ice" to be racist, but regardless of his understanding he should have known better.

"I hear you fella! Choc ice is classic! hahahahahahha!!," Ferdinand tweeted back in validation—thus bringing the initial message to the attention of his 3 million followers and dragging football's already sullied reputation through yet another mile of mud.

Ferdinand quickly deleted the Tweet from his timeline, but not before the world's media had jumped all over it and he'd succeeded in exacerbating the fallout from the Terry racism affair. According to the Telegraph, the FA may yet decide to take action against the Manchester United defender.

It's remarkable to me that his manager Sir Alex Ferguson hasn't already done so. This is not the first time Ferdinand's Twitter account has propelled the news agenda, and it's hard to believe Ferguson hasn't confronted his player to challenge his use of the site.

When Ferdinand was left out of Roy Hodgson's England squad for Euro 2012, he made his feelings abundantly clear though Twitter. "'What reasons?????!!!," he wrote, in reference to Hodgson's assertion his decision was made purely for footballing ones.

Justified or not, it surely wasn't the right medium for his grievances. It betrayed a lack of class and put Ferdinand on the same level as rabid fans who troll the internet screaming opinions to anyone who'll read them.

Free speech is all well and good, but if Ferdinand continues to engage his fingers before his brain he runs the risk of undermining not just his own reputation, but that of the club Ferguson has built a dynasty at these past 25 years.

If I were Ferguson I'd advise Ferdinand strongly to step away from Twitter. At 33, his playing days are numbered and there have already been signs in recent season that his decline is beginning to quicken. The last thing he needs are the kind of distractions that come Joey Barton's way every time he takes his outspoken views to social media

Ferdinand only need look at the careers of Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes for examples. Their respective longevity has been earned through complete focus, and the respect in which they're both held is a result of letting their feet do the talking. Neither will be taking to Twitter anytime soon, that's for sure.

Maybe Ferdinand is all too aware of his fading prowess on the field. Perhaps harnessing a strong presence on Twitter is part of his preparation for what comes next? He already has a restaurant in Manchester and a magazine to run, and a strong media profile certainly would suggest the offers will come flooding in off the pitch when they dry up on it.

If Twitter is vital to his evolution, then so be it. But at least show the club who pays your wages—and the fans who continue to sing your name—that you appreciate the power of your position and deserve their respect.

Time is running out for Rio Ferdinand the footballer, and he'd be well advised to spend what's left of it enthralling his 3 million followers with his defending—rather than defending his latest post on Twitter.

Drogba Wants Terry and Lampard to Join Him at Shanghai Shenhua

Didier Drogba was greeted by hundreds of ecstatic fans as he arrived in Shanghai to join his new club on Saturday and immediately called for a couple of his Chelsea team-mates to join him.

Drogba, whose switch to the Chinese Super League side Shanghai Shenhua has transformed him into one of the highest-paid footballers on earth, said he wanted to see John Terry and Frank Lampard at the club.

“I need to speak to my president,” Drogba said. “Because I want them in my team.”

Drogba was met at Pudong international airport with deafening chants of “Drogba-la-la-la-la-la”. Fans clad in the club’s blue and red strip paraded through the airport waving Ivory Coast flags and photographs of Drogba.

The welcome party then relocated to Shanghai’s glitzy Ritz-Carlton hotel where the former Chelsea striker was officially unveiled.

“Believe me, it’s not about money. I’m really happy to be here,” said Drogba, whose two-and-a-half year contract at Shanghai Shenhua is reputedly worth nearly £200,000 a week. “I am opening a new chapter and the new chapter is Shanghai Shenhua.”

Cameron Wilson, from Wild East Football, an English-language blog on Chinese football, suggested money may have been a factor in the move.

“He obviously enjoys basking in the glory. I think it’s not purely about football - that is pretty clear. There’s obviously a commercial aspect, sponsors want to be associated with these big names.”

As China’s economy has boomed, a growing number of top-flight foreign players have been lured to the Chinese Super League but Drogba is the country’s biggest catch to date.

His arrival comes after French striker Nicolas Anelka signed for Shanghai Shenhua in January and Argentina’s former coach Sergio Batista was installed as the club’s manager in May.

Drogba vowed to fight for “better results” for his new side who are in 13th place in the 16-club league and compared his new boss, the Chinese videogame tycoon Zhu Jun, to Chelsea’s billionaire owner Roman Abramovich.

“Mr Abramovich wanted to win major trophies in Europe and he built the team to achieve this and I think that is what my new owner is doing.”

Lagos State-GTBank Principals Cup 2011-2012 Finals

Hearty congratulations to the winners of the 2011-2012 Lagos State-GTBank Principals Cup: Dairy Farm Senior Secondary School (Male) & Kuje Senior Secondary School (Female).

We wish the champions all the best in their endeavours!

Listening device found at footballer's home

A recording device that looks like a small piece of cardboard was planted at the home of a Premiership footballer to record details about his private life, MPs were told during an inquiry into the murky world of private investigators.

The transmitter was picked up during a security sweep of the player's house after he became suspicious about stories in the media, said Gerry Hall, managing director of security company IPS. He declined to name the footballer, who is still playing in the league.

Mr Hall said the small square of cardboard had a transmitter embedded in it that worked at a range of up to 100 yards. "It could easily be dropped into a wastepaper basket and transmit for 30 hours," he told MPs on the Home Affairs Select Committee.

He highlighted the sophisticated nature of surveillance devices available at low cost to private investigators operating in the unregulated industry.

He demonstrated one device resembling a memory stick that could be plugged into a computer to record conversations in the room. Ten years ago, it would have cost about £20,000, now it was available for around £10.

Mr Hall said an investigator could easily persuade a company receptionist to let them in and would need just seconds to plant the device. He said his company had just found one in a chairman's office.

The chairman of the committee, Keith Vaz, said: "Recent high-profile events, such as the phone hacking scandal, have thrown light on the sometimes shady world of private investigators. Despite this, the industry still remains entirely unregulated.