There's no better way for Zinedine Zidane to end his career than winning another World Cup for France.
Germany's Torsten Frings was banned from the World Cup semifinals after a disciplinary committee found he punched Argentina forward Julio Cruz in a post-match fracas in the quarterfinals.
A Portuguese-speaking team in the World Cup final four is almost always a given. Just not this one.
Portugal isn't exactly George Mason, though its soccer pedigree isn't much stronger than what the Patriots brought to college basketball's Final Four. Then again, surprise teams in the World Cup semifinals are hardly a surprise.
FIFA is investigating the role of Germany midfielder Torsten Frings plus Argentina defender Leandro Cufre and forward Maxi Rodriguez for their part in the fracas that followed Friday's World Cup quarter-final.
Barely a month ago, France was booed by its own fans, Zinedine Zidane looked like he could hardly walk, let alone run, and Les Bleus seemed headed for another early World Cup exit.
A German motorist injured 21 people Sunday when he drove a Volkswagen Polo through a concrete barrier that protects Berlin's main World Cup public viewing area, police said.
Portugal and France have both advanced to the World Cup soccer semifinals. France upset Brazil 1-0; Portugal defeated England 3-1 in a shootout.
It would have been a classic World Cup final: Germany vs. Argentina in Berlin's 72,000-seat Olympic Stadium, a showdown between two soccer powers with five titles between them.
Anyone battling a mid-life crisis only needs to watch the World Cup. Plenty of people have been written off as washed up, only to play as if still in their prime. Zidane, Figo, Beckham — the list goes on. At the same time, many of those so-called prodigies are already watching the games on television.
English referee Graham Poll, who showed a Croatian player three yellow cards before sending him off in a World Cup match, is quitting international officiating.
The rivalry between Argentina and Germany is an old one, including two World Cup finals, with one victory each. And it's bubbling up again.
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