Amid the sort-of joy and sort-of pain that comes with the wins and losses of international friendlies (barring of course, the big rivalries that were played out on Wednesday — Argentina/Brazil, Spain/Portugal, England/France, etc.), FIFA managed to slip in an innocuous report on their website, complete with a link to a 23-page PDF evaluating the candidates for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup.

And, shockingly early as it seems, “on 2 December 2010, the FIFA Executive Committee will announce its verdict and award the hosting rights to the two best candidates.”

Personally I’m still in a state of semi-exhaustion from the recent World Cup and the seemingly immediate uptake of the club season with all the drama of a suddenly competitive Premier League (do we have Manchester City’s money to thank?), a Real Madrid team that looks set to challenge Barcelona after two years of impossibly meek performances from Los Blancos, and the slide of Inter that coincided with the arrival of Rafa Benitez.  And now all of a sudden FIFA will make or break the hearts of hundreds of millions on Dec. 2.

So what does the longish report tell us?  What is buried in those 23-pages?

As it turns out, a whole lot of OK news for pretty much everybody.

The big question pertains to England and the reality TV worthy spat between the FA and the Russian Football union that resulted in some jingoistic nation bashing and not a whole lot else.  FIFA remained silent on the well publicized issue in this report, which isn’t terribly surprising given the ultra technical nature of the thing.  As an example from FIFA about Russia’s transportation issues:

“The country’s vastness and its remoteness from other countries, coupled with the fact that the high-speed railway network is limited and would only link six candidate Host Cities by 2018, would put pressure on the air traffic infrastructure, potentially causing transfer challenges in view of the lack of alternative means of long-distance transport. The current air traffic situation is to be improved throughmajor upgrades and capacity increases to the majority of the airports.”

If you braved that FIFA-always-attempting-to-be-neutral paragraph and are hoping for England for 2018, then you’re probably happy.  In short, the paragraph stated that transportation is an important feature of the World Cup and Russia’s infrastructure is currently inadequate.

But every nation was given a finger wag by FIFA.  It’s just hard to tell precisely which finger wag is a big deal.  For instance, FIFA raised concerns over legal issues regarding the United States’ bid, citing a lack of government guarantees.  This would seem to be a major issue, although FIFA noted that the USA has hosted a great deal of international events and the government has always complied in the past.

Similarly, the Iberian bid was questioned for not having a clear enough security plan, although again FIFA conceded that they would likely have solved such details in time to host the tournament.

In fact, the biggest criticisms that cannot be foreseeable altered to satisfaction in the next 8 or 12 years pertains to location and bid type.  For Spain/Portugal and Holland/Belgium, FIFA expressly notes that double bids are more challenging due to the “administrative, logistical and financial challenges” of two nations.

The other serious problem for FIFA seems  to be money.  In Australia, Korea and Japan, FIFA has noted that due to the time differences, “the income from Asia/Oceania would need to be increased substantially to offset the likelihood of loss of revenue in Europe.”

A last concern was the devastating heat of Qatar during June and July, which was essentially cited as a health risk to most people at the tournament, although such sentiment was phrased in far more polite language.

I would assume these three concerns would be FIFA’s greatest since they cannot be easily altered the way hotels, and even stadia and transport infrastructure can be, but FIFA’s history of making political decisions ahead of football ones suggest these obstacles aren’t insurmountable.

In conclusion, I sense England has come out of this evaluation slightly ahead of their rivals for 2018.  The criticisms against the bid seemed less severe than against the others, although again, in FIFA’s arid and conscientious tone, it is difficult to tell.

As for 2022, I feel the USA is an attractive option because of the very high potential for revenue (the highest ticketing revenue of all the bids) and its history in hosting.  Qatar has novelty but lacks the draw of all the other host countries in my lifetime.

With a UEFA winner guaranteed from 2018, the bids from Spain/Portugal and Holland/Belgium for 2022 have been rendered void due to consecutive hosting rules from FIFA.  With the remaining options, I feel that the winner will either be USA or Qatar (advantage US), based on the simple assumption that revenue loss will deter FIFA from the Asia/Oceania time zone.

Note 20/11/10: This article has been edited in light of an error regarding FIFA policy.

It was hardly a spectacle to behold and failed to embody what some of us call “the beautiful game”, but it was a finale to the World Cup nonetheless and happily served up talking points. The resounding feeling from football fans worldwide must be a sense of loss, regardless of the final outcome. Before a World Cup final, or any cup final for that matter, it is almost a curse to wish for an exciting match that will provide some attractive football. This game between Holland and Spain definitely had a cursed aspect to it, and was painful to watch at stages.

They may not have flown like Dutchmen, but they did fight like pirates, as the tone for the match was set as early as the 2^nd minute when a rash challenge from Robin van Persie on Pedro saw the Dutch striker given a yellow card. A flurry of yellow cards ensued and by the 23^rd minute, three other players had paved their way into the referee’s notebook for cynical fouls. During the opening stages, Spanish players were drawn into this back and forward sequence of cynical play, collecting two yellow cards for their actions. However, as the game wore on, they comfortably grew out of this and were outplayed in the area of tactical fouls by the Dutch.

It was disappointing to see the Dutch performance degenerate to this level on a collective basis. Before the final, certain players, namely Mark van Bommel and Nigel de Jong, had been principally charged with stifling opponents’ play through fouling, but on a whole, Holland seemed to happily adopt this responsibility as a team for the final.

Their intentions are commonplace in World football. Specific players on all teams are in charge of marking key opposing player out of the game or fouling opponents while counter attacks still brew a safe distance from their goal, and in Holland’s case they started off with understandable intentions. From the start, the Netherlands’ holding midfielders Mark van Bommel and Nigel de Jong pursued Xavi and Iniesta higher up the pitch so as to prevent any flow or momentum building in Spanish attacks. Their execution, however, was mostly distasteful, with execution being the appropriate word.

Van Bommel’s actions quickly got him a yellow card after a late challenge on the aforementioned Xavi. His midfield counterpart, de Jong, soon after got himself a yellow card to his name for a ridiculous, bordering on intentional, kick to the chest of Xabi Alonso. One would have hoped that being reprimanded for their individual offenses would have seen these two players back away from the borderline of the law, but the excessive tackles continued and ruined the spectacle.

Trying to focus on more positive aspects of the game, the Spanish continued their habitual dominance of the game from the off and were deserved winners in the end. The first tactical victory went to their way as great off the ball movement from right-winger Pedro to a more central position dragged Netherlands left-back Giovanni van Bronckhorst infield and created space for attacking Spanish right-back Sergio Ramos. This move nearly led to the opening goal for Spain as Ramos was able to attack Dirk Kuyt and unleash a vicious cross across the face of goal that was luckily deflected away by Dutch defender John Heitinga.

The right wing offered a lot of joy for Spain as on the hour mark the introduction of touchline winger Jesús Navas gave Spain more width to their play, this time dragging van Bronckhorst right out to the touchline. Eventually the pace of Navas forced Holland coach Bert van Marwijk into changing his reliant captain for Edson Braafheid to deal with the this speed.

Another key battle on the field was fought out between Arjen Robben and Iker Casillas. Robben was talked of as a possible match winner for the Netherlands, and admittedly he could have been. On two seperate occasions, the flying Dutchman found himself one on one with Spanish goalkeeper Casillas. His first chance after latching onto Wesley Sneijder’s through ball was the clear cut opportunity, while the second nearly five minutes later which saw Robben fend off Puyol excellently was another great chance for Holland to take the lead.

Credit must be given to Casillas for the authority he showed over the two seperate situations. In the first incident, Casillas delayed his dive and forced Robben to take the initiative to shoot at goal, while for the second opportunity he prevented Robben from dribbling around him in what is usually second nature to the winger. The second chance for Robben also portrayed Casillas for the great keeper that he is as he anticipated the movement of Robben to calmly smother the ball.

After being so tactically astute in the first half with his application of Pedro, and then managing to change that system so effectively in the second half to wreak even more havoc, Vicente del Bosque made yet another inspired substitution in the 87^th minute. His decision to bring on Fabregas for Alonso can be hailed as a match winning substitution that tipped the favour of the game towards the Spanish in extra time.

With Fabregas now on the pitch, Holland had an entirely new type of dynamic player to deal with. His late runs into the box and willingness to take the ball on around the penalty area offered something different to Alonso who stands off play. Having Fabregas higher up the pitch, he was able to pick up a stray clearance from van der Vaart to set up Iniesta for the winning goal.

It would be hard to end without lamenting Spain for being wasteful with their chances for the seventh game in a row. However, they are World champions now, and although they may leave a bit too much to chance, every champions goes through their fair share of luck.

Soccer City on Sunday evening will see the showdown of two of the most in form teams in World Football over the past two years. The Netherlands boast the superior form record that stretches back to September 2008 and sees them unbeaten in 25 matches. The Spanish are not far behind, and all but for two losses against the United States at last years Confederations Cup and against Switzerland at this years World Cup respectively, they would be unbeaten like their Dutch counterparts.

Still Spain’s record cannot be lamented. Suffering two losses over a 31 games measures up to Holland’s record and makes it even harder to decide between these two sides on the form guide alone.

In the lead up to the final, and even the third place playoff between Uruguay and Germany, it was refreshing how the Golden Boot race has been kept alive so deep into the competition. Nearly a forgone conclusion in the 2006 World Cup after the quarter-final stage, this years tournament has four players vying for the title. Albeit Thomas Müller and Diego Forlán were only able to level with the forerunners David Villa and Wesley Sneijder after their goals in the third place playoff, but the general race for top goalscorer in South Africa has been a welcome addition to the overall plot of the World Cup.

Referring back to Villa and Sneijder, this duel between these two key players for their respective countries only highlights the significance of them both to their teams. Goals win matches, and the fact that they are in a showdown for not only the Golden Boot, Golden Ball and World Cup itself also speaks volumes for their individual abilities.

In the lead up to the final, Sneijder has come in for some criticism in relation to his performances and whether his goal scoring tally is merely casting a shadow over his true form. He has admittedly assisted few goals throughout the tournament, but positioning is a key asset for any footballer and his habit for being in the right place at the right time has rewarded him with goals.

There is, however, no question over the contributions of David Villa. In a misfiring Spanish frontline, he has been the standout performer and made passage to this stage of the competition that bit easier for Spain with his five goals.

Other key performers that have been an ever-present for their teams throughout the tournament will also be expected to carry on into the final. At right back for Spain, Sergio Ramos has been one of their most consistent players. He and Dutch left back Giovanni van Bronckhorst will be in a constant battle throughout regardless which team is attacking or defending.

Although he may not be everyone’s favourite player at the moment after being shown up for his particular style of play, but he and his holding midfield counterpart Nigel de Jong will be the chief instigators required to stifle the Spanish midfield out of the game, thus cutting their passing flow.

Meanwhile all this focus has been on players coming into this final with form on their side, focus has been principally taken away from those who are struggling. Two Premier League stars such as Robin van Persie and Fernando Torres could yet find their feet in this World Cup and surprise viewers by being the decisive factor between these two sides.

Repeating key players for each country could be endless when referencing these two teams. The main battle will be fought in the opening few minutes of play. This stage of the game will see the Spanish attempt to dictate the pace of the game and put in place their own game plan. If they manage to gain the initiative during this early part of the game, it will be the true mark of Holland as world champions to reverse the influence over the game in their favour.

We are now deep into the business end of the World Cup. A stage of the tournament that harshly punishes mistakes and greatly rewards teams that can bridge a gap towards success. Whether this path to success is paved by individual greatness or well-crafted team displays of tactical supremacy, the winner of this competition will be those who fail to make a sufficient amount of mistakes to lose.

So far, Holland have been by nature advantageous and lucky in the manner of their progression to the final. They have failed to live up to people’s unrealistic expectations of playing what is perceived to be “total football” and are a bit more rough and ready than people foresaw.

Those who would fill their appetite for international football with a major championship every two years would cast fond memories back to a Netherlands team not so long ago that demolished opponents with fluent and flowing attacking football. Unfortunately, the streak of flair in Dutch play has been slowly dying out and been replaced with a more aggressive element which takes a more direct approach towards the game, while also carrying an outlet of speed merchants on the wings for fast counter attacks.

The new way of Dutch football that has diverged from the path of ‘total football’ has been building up to this moment where their team has taken on a more black and white appearance. Total football by nature allowed for the interchange of positions between different players on the pitch, giving the team diversity. Nowadays, Holland have a very rigid outlook to their team that sees little variety in the positions taken by their players. Admittedly Dirk Kuyt and Arjen Robben can switch wings and striker Robin van Persie cane drift across the forward positions, but this hardly aspires to the similar variation seen in total football.

Throughout this World Cup, the Netherlands have been set up on a strict foundation of a back four with attacking full-backs Gregory van der Wiel and Giovanni van Bronckhorst. Sitting ahead of this are the holding midfielders Mark van Bommel and Nigel de Jong or Demy de Zeeuw, charged with breaking up the attacking play of their opposition. Sitting ahead of this defensive precursor lie a potent attack force with a range of abilities. Until now this system has gotten them through to the World Cup final, but the next step may be that bit too far.

Their set up is solid, they have a system that can be executed by the players available to Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk and have a winning mentality in place, though this team leave far too much to chance and have been aided through to this stage of the tournament. Their semi final victory over Uruguay was far from convincing. A lucky offside decision going in their favour and the inability of Diego Perez to stick to his allocated position gave Holland two clear goals and the lead in a tightly contested semi final on two separate occasions.

Although their first goal was a marvelous piece of technique by stalwart captain Giovanni van Bronckhorst, the full back would not have had ample opportunity to release his shot if tough tackling Diego Perez was defending his territory adequately. Build up to that play also saw a somewhat vicious body check from van Bommel. The midfielder clashed with Walter Gargano while leading with his studs and this should have resulted in a free kick to the Uruguayans in the lead up to the opening goal.

Admittedly Holland’s second goal required exquisite eyesight from the assistant referee to spot, but there is no doubt that van Persie was interfering with play when Sneijder unleashed his shot. These two incidents show that Holland may not be a team that make many mistakes, but they do live off errors by others and cannot continue along that line.

For large parts, Uruguay passed the ball better than Holland and generally bossed the game. The Netherlands star outlets were marked out of the game with apparent ease and most Dutch efforts on goal were reduced to shots from outside the box. Uruguay firmly had their opponents stifled only for a 50-50 decision which saw Holland take the lead for the second time on the night.

Although this semi final win can be added to yet another unconvincing Dutch victory at the World Cup in South Africa, some positives can be taken into the final. The introduction of Rafael van der Vaart for Demy de Zeeuw at half time brought Dutch play more central and gave a purpose to their wing play. With the added figure of van der Vaart in attack, other attackers were forced to vary their positioning and seek space in other areas of the pitch. This was particularly evident in the third goal that saw Arjen Robben move more central and score an unlikely goal with his head.

They have gotten this far and now only need to muster up one exquisite performance to etch their name onto the World Cup for the very first time. On the other hand, if they expect to be helped along to a World Cup victory through a lucky deflection or favorable decision, they may find that their luck has run out on the biggest stage.

The Netherlands shocked the world Friday when they overcame an early goal by Brazil to beat the South American team 2-1 in regulation. Dutch supporters around the world will be partying long into the night.

After Brazil scored the early goal through Robinho, it seemed as if it was going to be one of those days for Brazil. When Brazil goes ahead, they’re often unstoppable. But when luck fell Holland’s way after Felipe Melo scored an own goal, the Dutch looked like a different team entirely and deservedly grabbed a second goal from a corner that met Wesley Sneijder’s head and into the back of the goal. Poor defending by Brazil, but surprisingly rather than trying to win the game, Brazil seemed more focused on chasing the referee than chasing goals.

But here are just some of the pictures from a historic day for Dutch football in the 2010 World Cup.

It’s the game that everyone has been waiting for. Brazil against Holland. But the big question is whether Holland will turn up on the day. Judging by their first half performance, they’ve been unable to penetrate Brazil’s defense.

During and after the game, share your thoughts, observations and opinions in the comment section below.

Let’s hope this game is a great one.

The group stages have concluded and now we can all look forward to good old fashioned knockout Football. What this World Cup has provided us so far has been, well, a bit baffling really, it has provided little in the way of genuine thrills and excitement but a huge amount of intrigue. It has been engrossing and most importantly it has provided some genuine surprises.

Group A was the setting for the demise of the French, no heart, no passion, no cohesion, spats, rows and fallouts equalled one point for Les Bleus and a shameful early flight home. Henry should’vedone the world a favour and kept his hand by his side. Uruguay and Mexico qualified from the group with relative ease, both sides have shown through some assured displays that they are more than capable of having a successful run in this World Cup. It was such a disappointment not to see the South Africans get through, maybe naivety, nerves and a little bit of expectation got the better of them, particularly against the Uruguayans, yet their performances either side of that game were impressive and it was a shame not to see the host nation progress. The South African squad, unlike the French, can hold their heads high.

Argentina somewhat strolled through Group B, winning all three games, as impressive as that looks on paper there do appear to be a few cracks in the Argentinean side, particularly at the back. As yet you couldn’t really put them down as nailed on finalists. South Korea qualified as runners up, they are a well organised outfit and create plenty of openings going forward, they make for a tricky opposition. Elsewhere in Group B Greece were Greece and Nigeria were bitterly disappointing, their campaign will only be remembered for Yakubu’s astonishing miss against the Koreans.

The USA claimed top spot in Group C with virtually the last kick of the group, securing a berth in arguably the easier side of the draw. It was no less than the Americans deserved, particularly after clawing their way back from two nil down in their previous match to claim a vital point. England finished runners up, after being vilified for their part in two drab draws they secured qualification with a One nil victory over Slovenia, England may live to regret not converting more of their chances, they now face a tricky route through the knockouts. Far from being spectacular Algeria and Slovenia ensured that qualification for the US and England was not as comfortable as many imagined it would be.

The ever efficient Germans got their World Cup off to a flying start, breezing past an awful Australian side in a four nil rout. That German efficiency went missing in game two when they fell to a one nil defeat at the hands of Serbia. Group D   like most groups was wide open going into the final round of matches. A one goal victory against the Ghanaians clinched top spot for Joachim Low’s men. Ghana finished second, salvaging some pride for what has been a poor World Cup for the African nations. To be fair there wasn’t much between the three sides that finished below the Germans, the Australians were vastly improved after their first display and the Serbs looked well organised and difficult to beat. It was Ghana’s win in their first game which proved how crucial it is to get points on the board as early as possible.

The Dutch waltzed to 9 points in Group E without even having to get out of second gear. Japan finished a thoroughly deserving second. Denmark and Cameroon were quite frankly awful in what was possibly the dullest group of the tournament. The Indomitable Lions, for me, have been the let down of 2010 so far.

Group F was home to the shock of the Tournament, Italy not only failed to qualify but finished bottom of their group. On the back of two lacklustre draws no one expected the Italians to fall short again in their last match. You have to credit the Slovakians for playing with such belief, it has to be the game of the tournament so far, and in contrast to the French, despite their shocking start the Italians fought all the way in their final game and very nearly pulled off a great escape in the dying seconds. Special mention must go to New Zealand, to finish undefeated in a group containing the Azzurri, Paraguay and Slovakia is some achievement for the All Whites and it is a shame three sides could not progress from Group F because no one would begrudge them 90 more minutes of World Cup Football.

Brazil finished top of the pile in Group G with Portugal qualifying as runners up. The Ivory Coast were another African disappointment and the North Koreans went from terrific to terrible in three games. Brazil look strong, their two defensive midfielders play a priceless role and have so far been fantastic, if their more creative colleagues hit form then the boys from Brazil will be the team to beat.

In the final group Chile continued to wave the South American flag proudly. They played with the freedom and expression expected from Group favourites Spain. The Spanish did not buck the trend of struggling European sides, leaving qualification to the last game after a less than convincing start, but they did manage to turn things around and claim top spot. Switzerland were their normal no nonsense selves, set up not to lose and not to be pleasing on the eye. I would like to say the Hondurans did more than just make up the numbers, sadly I can’t.

As the World Cup heads into stage two a lot of teams will try to forget their struggles in the group stages. This is the business end of the tournament and it’s game one as far as they are concerned, if you slip up now you don’t get another chance to set things right. There is still no real favourite, results wise it has been one of the most unpredictable World Cups so far, one thing we know is that every side is beatable. The form book was thrown out of the window during the group stages, and there’s no indication that will change in the knockouts.

Can The Dutch Do It This Summer?

The Netherlands have had some of the greatest players to ever grace the beautiful game: the likes of Cruyff, Bergkamp, Gullit, Seedorf, De Boer, Kluivert and so on. Yet the one thing that has always eluded the creators of ‘Total Football’ is the biggest trophy of them all – the World Cup. All the previously mentioned, and many more world class players, never got a chance to lift the famous title and much like Spain, they’ve often been called the ‘so nearly’ side that may never be able to win a World Cup. The fact is though that the Dutch are lethal at any international tournament and there presence at South Africa is not one to be ignored – they really can win the World Cup.

The problem with the Dutch in Euro 2008 was that they ran out of gas at the wrong moment and despite destroying teams in the group stage (that lead them to be considered favourites once qualified), they succumbed to a Russian side led by former coach Guus Hiddink. Two years previous in the 2006 World Cup, they narrowly lost in the second round to Portugal; the same team that broke their hearts in the 2004 European Championship semi-finals. But it’s hard to pin down what this problem has been for the Oranje, as despite always being considered a nation that continually produces high quality players, they’ve never seem like a team that will go all the way.

However, while many go on about the likes of Spain and Brazil being favourites, Netherlands players are looking the part and many are playing some amazing form. Wesley Sneijder has been passing the ball freely around the park, while Arjen Robben is heavily underrated and deserves to be mentioned in the same breathe as the likes of Rooney, Kaka or Ronaldo (I do think Messi is probably the greatest player of this generation). Van Der Vaart has won his way into the Real Madrid starting line up in recent weeks with a number of impressive and passionate displays and has often been the difference between one and three points for his club this season. These three players alone are dangerous against any team and Holland will be entering the World Cup with a lot of attacking options.

The one worry for the Dutch, however, is injuries. Robin Van Persie and Arjen Robben can be game changers on any day, but both really struggle with their fitness. But then I feel it’s much the same situation England are in, if Rooney gets injured then England’s chances of winning the World Cup are diminished, and the same could be said for Robben getting injured and Holland’s chances. He’s a huge player to have and if he can link up with high team mates around him who all have real quality as he has the ability to frighten defences and get players on the back foot.

Holland are in form. They won every game in their qualifying group and only conceded two goals. Albeit, it is qualifying, but the likes of Norway, Scotland, Macedonia and Iceland will always be up for a game against the Oranje, and they over came the task with flying colours. Their group in the World Cup is one they’ll expect to finish top of, as Denmark, Cameroon and Japan will all come up against the Netherlands and the Dutch will feel confident they can beat all those teams, as outside Samuel Eto’o, these nations don’t boast some of the quality Holland have. Where they go from there is anyone’s guess, as their ability to overcome the second round will show their true credentials and they will need to ignore all the shouts from people that they are a ‘nearly side’.

The Dutch have signalled a new era, as national favourite Ruud Van Nistlerooy has been dropped and it would appear his involvement in national football is over. But they have strength and depth and if the question is can the Netherlands win the World Cup, then the answer is truly yes. They stand just as much chance as anyone else but they need to come together as a group and realise they have the potential to win it. They were so close in ’74 and ’78 when they had some of the stars of the past and now there is an opportunity for more Dutch players to become national heroes and guide their country into jubilation this summer.

Photos of the Holland away football shirt for the 2010 World Cup have been leaked. The new shirt design for the Netherlands is white in color with blue trim and features a red and white chevron design on the front of the shirt.

Designed and manufactured by Nike, the Dutch away football shirt features a blue v-neck collar and has the Holland flag sewn in to the back of the collar.

Here are more close-up images to show what the Holland away shirt for the 2010 World Cup looks like:

and…

Based on these photos, what do you think of the new Holland away jersey? Click the comments link below to share your opinion.

And for the widest selection of World Cup shirts for all 32 participating teams, be sure to visit the World Cup shirts page for your official World Cup soccer shirts.

Who will advance from Group E of the 2010 World Cup? This group may be harder than it looks like with the unpredictable Cameroon, the industrious Japan, as well as Netherlands and Denmark. This group could create quite a few surprises. Cast your vote and click the comments link below to share your opinions.