New York Red Bulls forward, Thierry Henry has signed the forms to not claim his World Cup bonus. The former French captain told L’Equipe, “It was only on Tuesday that my agent received an e-mail from the FFF (the French Football Federation).

“In order to sign a document you have to be aware of it first. It will be signed and approved.

“In view of how we performed in South Africa I find it more than normal that we forfeit our bonuses.”

Our opinion is that we doubt any of the players would argue about giving up the bonus, but clearly Henry is having another dig at the FFF, and it makes us wonder if they are actually on the ball as a federation.

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Germany legend and current member of the FIFA Executive Committee, Franz Beckenbauer, has been rather vocal about his lack of faith in FIFA after the latest World Cup voting.

Beckenbauer was one of 22 men who decided where the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments should be played.  Since announcing where the competitions would be played, Beckenbauer has admitted he is blown away that FIFA opted to reveal that England received two votes and Australia received one.

“The Executive Committee was told that neither we nor the public would get to know the precise voting figures,” he told Germany’s Bild newspaper.

“After each round of voting, we were only told which candidate had been knocked out.

“And then a few hours later, I hear on the radio who had received how many votes.

“My faith in Fifa is limited.”

Beckenbauer has stated he feels FIFA should spend their time praising the bid winners rather than focusing on those countries who failed to host the World Cup.

“I am disappointed with the way FIFA have dealt with the results after the vote,” he added.

“They have made a disgrace of the seven defeated nations, particularly England and Australia.”

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Forget the negatives, and be impressed with what you could find yourself sitting in.

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Beckham is hoping to be an influence on the FIFA delegates and help persuade them that World Cup 2018 would be best suited in England.

England face competition from Russia, Spain/Portugal, and Belgium/Holland, and the decision is expected to be a close-run affair.

Beckham told Skysports, “Hopefully I will make a difference. There are many people, like Prince William, who have been involved and working hard for the bid and to get it to this final point.

“We are going to FIFA and a lot of delegates because we need to tell those people about why we feel it is the right thing for us to get the World Cup.

“I feel that at the end of the day it is down to what the bid team have done. England have a history and tradition (in football) and it is about the benefits that can be generated by having the World Cup in England.

“Obviously it is something that people have worked hard for and quite a long time for, and now it is up to the next few days.

“We are confident that we have put in the best bid that we can do.”

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Remember that octopus that was straight butter when it came to predicting World Cup match results in South Africa this summer?  Well, he died on Tuesday.

The 2 1/2 year-old octopus died in his tank on Tuesday morning in Oberhausen, germany.

Spokeswoman Ariane Vieregge reported that Paul seemed to be alive and well before dying of natural causes.

Stefan Porwoll, manager of the Oberhausen Sea Life Center in Germany that housed Paul stated, “We are consoled by the knowledge that he enjoyed a good life here and that the care provided him by our dedicated displays team could not have been bettered.

“His success made him almost a bigger story than the World Cup itself. We may decide to give Paul his own small burial plot within our grounds and erect a modest permanent shrine.

“While this may seem a curious thing to do for a sea creature, Paul achieved such popularity during his short life that it may be deemed the most appropriate course of action.”

Was is it a bit creepy to anyone else that this octopus essentially had the power to jinx a national soccer team competing in the world’s biggest tournament.  I know a couple of Germans who have wanted Paul dead for a while now, actually.

“He won’t give any more oracle predictions — either in football, nor in politics, lifestyle or economy,” Vieregge said. “Paul will get back to his former job, namely making children laugh.”

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It’s official… Russia has officially pulled out of the running to host the 2022 World Cup finals.

After the United States pulled out of the 2018 bidding last week, a four-way race is on between European bidders.

Because FIFA rules state that the World Cup tournament cannot be played in the same continents for two tournaments in a row, no South American country can play host in 2018.

Russia are now competing with England and joint bids from Belgium-Netherlands as well as Spain-Portugal to host the World Cup finals in 2018.

“Russia is setting its sights exclusively on being awarded the right to host the 2018 Fifa World Cup and has formally withdrawn its bid for the 2022 edition of the world’s biggest and most important single sports event,” read a statement.

Potential hosts battling it out to host the 2022 World Cup include the United States, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and Qatar.

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USA opting to go for 2022 makes sense to us. Although the sport still growing massively in the USA, and by 2022 it will obviously be more popular, England and Russia are massive footballing nations right now, with bigger football (soccer) specific stadia, let alone the rumored joint bids from Belgium/Holland and Spain/Portugal.

The other runners for 2022, not so much, and we think that the USA almost jumps to the top of the list in hosting the World Cup, going up against the likes of  Australia, Japan, Korea Republic, and Qatar.

We’re confident that North America will host another massive World Cup in 2022.

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Just when you thought that the USA national team had seen the last of South Africa, they’re now headed back to Cape Town for an exhibition on November 17th.

This match marks the U.S.’s fourth trip to South Africa in three years.  The Americans will be missing any players competing in the MLS Cup final which is set to be played on November 21st in Toronto.  Also, any Americans playing in the Mexican playoffs will also miss the trip to South Africa.

On October 9th, the USA national squad will host Poland at Chicago and then Colombia just three days later in Chester, Pennsylvania.

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After it seemed as though Mourinho was headed to take the reins of Portugal, it now seems less likely than once thought.

Former Portugal boss Carlos Queiroz was canned last week, and the Portuguese Football Federation has now labeled Mourinho as their prime target to step in and take charge.  Portugal is set to take on Denmark on October 8 and Iceland four days later.

Mourinho, however, has stated that it is unlikely he will take charge temporarily.

“If it were not for Real Madrid I would do it for free. But if you ask me right now if I can go, I think not. I have a contract with Real Madrid. I do not say no, but in the natural way of things, I do not think this is the time,” Mourinho stated in a press conference.

“Real Madrid have every right in the world to put an obstacle in the way. And if you put the slightest obstacle there, I can’t go. To say no to Portugal is impossible because of my personal pride and my passion for Portugal, but at the moment I cannot say yes.”

Span national team goalkeeper Iker Casillas has also stated he believes Mourinho already has all of the work load he can handle without taking on further responsibilities.

Casillas said, “I think it would give him too much. I am sure he would like to coach Portugal but his head only thinks of Madrid. I don’t think he will go. I have talked to him and his mind is set on Madrid.”

Mourinho went onto say “The FPF have not contacted Real and what the club knows is through me. Portugal wants me for those two games.

“They know I will not have any players to train, with the exception of three, during the international break, while if I went, I would be coaching three Real players in Cristiano Ronaldo, Pepe and Carvalho.

“They thought that Real would not lose out with my absence and that is why they want me for the national team.

“If I was a free agent, I would go tomorrow but I’m at Real and I cannot say yes because my duty is with them, but neither can I say openly no because that would be impossible.”

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Germany national team coach Joachim Low has suggested that Borusia Dortmund’s 18 year-old Mario Gotze may very well see some international play sooner than later.

The young attacking midfielder competed for the U-21 Germany national squad, and has already kicked this season off as Low was hoping he would.

Low will bring up any talent to the national team level that deserves to be there.  In Low’s eyes, age and number of caps doesn’t matter if you can play football.

“I definitely want to introduce young players to the (Germany) squad. I am impressed by Mario Gotze,” he told Bild am Sonntag weekly.

“In the medium term I expect the player to have a breakthrough season. Mario Gotze is an extremely talented player.

“I do not find any use in the reasoning that a player needs to have at least 50 matches in the top-flight until he is getting on any radar for the A-international squad. This does not apply to me.”

Germany made their run at the World Cup this past summer in South Africa, and will bring their young team back to Brazil in four years with more experience and further developed talent to try and capture another World Cup title.

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