World Cup 2014: Alejandro Sabella - Bramall Lane to Brazil

By David Ornstein BBC Sport in Brazil

Until Alejandro Sabella was pictured last week being squirted with water by one of his players, there is a good chance many people outside his homeland did not even know who he was.

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“He was definitely a trailblazer. He was one of the first players to come here from that side of the world and he was brilliant”

Former Sheffield United defender Tony Kenworthy

That it took a piece of cheek from striker Ezequiel Lavezzi during the Nigeria game to bring his manager to worldwide attention indicates how low a profile the current Argentina coach holds - relative, at least, to the man who led them in South Africa four years ago.

Sabella is attempting to succeed where Diego Maradona failed by guiding the Albiceleste to a first World Cup triumph since Maradona himself captained them to victory at the 1986 tournament in Mexico.

He may not be a national icon, wear diamond earrings, smoke cigars, clutch rosary beads, sport a watch on each wrist, unleash expletive-laden tirades, orchestrate celebrations, exhibit emotions or attract more attention than most of his players combined.

But Sabella carries no less weight of expectation in the eyes of a country desperate to see their 28-year wait for a third title at this level brought to a glorious end, especially on enemy territory.

Argentina won all three of their group games and face Switzerland in Sao Paulo on Tuesday for a place in the quarter-finals, where Belgium or the USA await, before a semi-final, potentially against the Netherlands, and then a possible final against hosts, neighbours and arch-rivals Brazil.

Their dream is alive and the 59-year-old Sabella looks to be coping well, which is not entirely surprising given he has stepped into Maradona's shoes before.

Sabella won eight caps for Argentina during his playing days

The previous occasion was in 1978, when then Sheffield United manager Harry Haslam travelled to Argentina on a scouting mission: he wanted to sign Maradona but returned with Sabella.

The story goes that Haslam got Sabella from River Plate for £160,000 after refusing to pay an extra £40,000 for Maradona - but it later emerged that Argentinos Juniors had wanted £600,000 for the still unproven 17-year-old.

"It was like an army following me about - 'are you signing this player, that player?'" Haslam said at the time. "In fact, I'd signed 22 at one game according to their local paper.

"The deal was done but even then I get to the airport and the man looking at the passports doesn't want to let us out because we've got Sabella with us!"

Sabella's Argentina record, August 2011-present
Played	37
Won	24
Draw	9
Lost	4

Haslam may have returned without future world-beater Maradona, but when a talented 23-year-old was lured from South America to South Yorkshire, and to a club in the second division of English football, it was not only a coup but a culture shock.

Sabella, or Alex as he was known, arrived in the same year that compatriots Ossie Ardiles, Ricky Villa joined Tottenham, fresh from World Cup glory in their homeland, and Alberto Tarantini signed for Birmingham - a sign of things to come for English football.

"He was definitely a trailblazer," former Sheffield United defender Tony Kenworthy told BBC Sport. "He was one of the first players to come from that side of the world and he was brilliant. You get some bad foreign signings, but we couldn't have landed a better one - as a player and a person."

World Cup 2014: Nigeria 2-3 Argentina highlights

There is some amusing footage of Sabella and his team-mates on the Bramall Lane pitch in pre-season, the Argentine trying unsuccessfully to communicate verbally with confused-looking Blades captain Mick Speight as Kenworthy appears similarly perplexed in the background.

They resort to a form of sign language before Haslam's Spanish-speaking assistant, Uruguayan Danny Bergara, assumes the role of interpreter between Sabella and the baffled British players.

"Alex is telling you, 'backheel, backheel'. In his language, 'tacon, tacon'," Bergara explains to the bulk of the squad before turning to Sabella: "Alex, 'backheel'"

"Buh?" replies Sabella. Bergara, who went on to enjoy success managing Stockport, repeats "Backheel". Sabella's final attempt: "Buck-hill."

Despite that season ending in relegation, Sabella seemed to enjoy his spell with the Blades.

"I think over here we play more honestly and without bad intentions," he said during an interview with local television. "In Argentina, the marking is tighter and they will do anything to stop you."

His wife was less enthusiastic about swapping Buenos Aires for Mosborough, adding: "It seems to be a very quiet life here. In the evenings in Sheffield there doesn't appear to be a lot of nightlife."

Sabella spent a season at Elland Road with Leeds after signing from Sheffield United

Kenworthy recalls there being "quite a buzz about the place" as Sabella rapidly became "one of the lads" and happily socialised with his colleagues despite the fact he "wasn't a big drinker".

"Alex was very intelligent and soon picked up a bit of English to understand what we were trying to convey," said Kenworthy. "On the pitch it was easy - a little shout, a nod, a hand gesture.

"He was a maverick, a luxury player. When Alex got the ball he did his own thing. We would fit in with him when he picked up the ball because he was very skilful and wanted to take people on.

"Despite being quiet and laid back, he was very serious about football and tactically astute. He knew exactly how he wanted to play and exactly how he expected the team to play.

Highlights: Argentina 2-1 Bosnia-Hercegovina

"He was quite single-minded and stubborn. For instance, he wouldn't train on Friday. I don't know why - maybe he didn't want to get injured - but if Alex said he wasn't doing it, he wouldn't do it."

Sabella moved to Leeds for a season in 1980, but it is the Blades who remember him most fondly.

"When Alex signed, I wagged school and went to Bramall Lane to welcome him on to the pitch with about 4,000 others," said Steve Cowens, manager of Sheffield-based rock band Sabella.

"His silky skills set him aside from the rest. The fans loved him and he became a cult hero.

"The band are all young Blades fans and when they were looking for a name in 2012, one of their dads said he thought 'Sabella' was a great choice and they all agreed.

"We've since had a lot of emails and messages on social media from Argentines asking about our band and its name. We're hoping to tour Argentina later this year."

Sabella the footballer returned home in 1981 and had success with Estudiantes under the guidance of Carlos Bilardo, who would lead Argentina to their 1986 triumph and is now their general manager.

Inspired by Bilardo and Osvaldo Zubeldia, another respected Argentine boss, Sabella moved into coaching and assisted Daniel Passarella for almost 20 years, including at the 1998 World Cup.

In 2009 he took over at Estudiantes, winning the league and Copa Libertadores, before accepting a lucrative offer to manage United Arab Emirates side Al Jazira. But when Argentina suffered a quarter-final exit at the 2011 Copa America, the call came and Sabella opted against moving to the Middle East.

"We saw him as a pragmatic choice, a steady hand, following the chaotic reigns of Maradona and Sergio Batista," said Beto Duec, an Argentina supporter taking in his sixth World Cup in Brazil.

Sabella has shown he is not afraid to make tough calls, but has built his side around Messi

"Maradona is our favourite son and he took a lot of pressure away from the players, but he was not a great coach - too emotional. He was more a motivator, a cheerleader, thinking with his heart.

"Sabella thinks with his head and has more experience, he's more controlled, he admits mistakes and rectifies problems. We adore Maradona, but Sabella is a more appropriate choice as coach."

Sabella's first decision was to install Lionel Messi as captain but qualifying for the World Cup started poorly, with Argentina collecting only four points from their first three matches.

Trailing 1-0 in Colombia, Sabella made a crucial tactical intervention by replacing a defensive midfielder with a forward and switching from 5-3-2 to 4-3-3. His side did not look back.

History repeated itself in their opening World Cup match against Bosnia-Hercegovina for which Sabella had reverted to 5-3-2. Again he changed to 4-3-3 during the game and again it worked.

Messi expressed displeasure at the use of 5-3-2 and Sabella admitted his mistake, but any suggestion of a rift was dispelled when Messi scored a last-gasp winner against Iran - his second of four goals that propelled Argentina into the second phase as Group F winners.

Messi curls a free-kick past Nigeria

"He is a coach who transmits tranquillity to the team," said former Argentina captain Juan Sebastian Veron, who worked under Sabella on the national team and at Estudiantes.

"He is very concerned with detail, preparing for each match by going over everything that could happen on the pitch. From a strategic point of view, he is really intelligent during the game.

"Most importantly, he forms extremely good groups. He has finally managed to get Messi operating to his full potential after the highs and lows before, but it has not come at the group's expense."

Sabella showed he was not afraid to make tough calls with the controversial omission of fans' favourite Carlos Tevez, but Argentina seem a happier camp without the Juventus forward and it has allowed the coach to build a team around Messi as Bilardo did with Maradona in 1986.

Argentina are craving a similar ending and if it happens, there will be smiles at Bramall Lane.

"I would never have imagined that Alex would be in the position he is today," said Kenworthy. "But you could see there was something in him and this couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.

"He's one of these people who make you think: 'Whatever comes your way, I hope you enjoy it because you deserve it.'"

Source : bbc[dot]com

15 Best Useful JQuery Parallax Scrolling Tutorials

 

Jquery parallax scrolling helps to create a effective websites. These jquery tutorials are properly explained so you can learn jquery parallax effect easily.

Jquery parallax scrolling is very popular in the modern web design trends. Jquery parallax gives special effects to a website which helps to attract visitors. Jquery parallax scrolling refers to a smooth animation effect between foreground and background images or texts.  To apply parallax scrolling in your website, you need basic knowledge of jquery & javascipts. If you already have a good knowledge of jquery & javascripts then you can use parallax scrolling effect at your will. Jquery parallax scrolling effects give an outstanding visual experience. So visitors stay for a longer period of time and helps in decreasing bounce rate, which result in getting better result in google search engine. If you are facing difficulty in finding some cool parallax scrolling tutorials then here is the end of your problem because here I collected some best parallax scrolling tutorials 2014.

Best Useful Jquery Parallax Scrolling Tutorials 2014

In this article, we’d like to showcase you a list of some amazing and best jquery parallax scrolling tutorials 2014 to create some beautiful parallax scrolling websites.

Parallax Effect

Tutorial || Demo

Parallax Content Slider With CSS3 And jQuery

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Create a Parallax Scrolling Website Using Stellar.js

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A Simple Parallax Scrolling Technique

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The Parallax Effects With jQuery

Tutorial || Demo

One Page Website, Vertical Parallax

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Jazz up a Static Webpage with Subtle Parallax

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Scrolling Parallax: A jQuery Plugin With Tutorial

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Build a parallax scrolling website interface with jQuery and CSS

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Create a Parallax Website Header

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Super Easy Parallax Effect with jQuery

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Orginal : webdesigncube.com

World Cup 2014: James Rodriguez joins the perfect 10s

 

From Rio

The Maracana's iconic sweep of concrete stands may have been replaced by an identikit modern arena - but Colombia's James Rodriguez produced a moment to stir all of the old place's ghosts.

If there is one stadium in this sport that is the natural home to great goals by number 10s in yellow, it is the Maracana, arguably more soulless now but still the scene of glorious memories provided by Pele, Zico and now Brazil's great hope of this World Cup, Neymar.

And 28 minutes into the last-16 game between Colombia and Uruguay, the new poster boy of South American football - and this tournament - put himself alongside Neymar and Argentina's Lionel Messi with a goal to treasure, and one fit for the Maracana.

World Cup 2014: Colombia 2-0 Uruguay highlights

The 22-year-old showed great awareness to glance over his shoulder to check the positioning of both himself and Uruguay keeper Fernando Muslera even before Abel Aguilar's header came in his direction.

Then came the technique, cushioning the header on his chest while twisting to set up a glorious 25-yard left-foot volley that lost nothing aesthetically by crashing down into the net off the bar.

If Rodriguez had hinted at his potential greatness with goals against Greece, Ivory Coast and Japan in the group stage, this was the moment he joined those other perfect 10s in the World Cup - Messi and Neymar.

He had a Colombian legend to live up to when he took on the mantle of the number 10 - the flamboyant Carlos 'El Pibe' Valderrama, he of the wild hair and glorious talent.

No matter. 'El Nueve Pibe' - 'The New Kid' - had arrived.

Carlos Valderrama made 111 appearances for Colombia between 1985 and 1998

And his arrival made the Maracana forget the man who was not here - Uruguay's Luis Suarez - and his lamentable explanation of how he came to bite Giorgio Chiellini, with both him and his teeth apparently stumbling accidentally into the Italian's shoulder after a loss of balance.

Suarez was present in spirit as Uruguay's fans rose to the siege mentality created by coach Oscar Tabarez with masks, flags and a noisy show of support. The bottom line, however, is after their questionable defence of Suarez in recent days, Uruguay's departure may not be mourned by too many in Brazil outside their own camp.

In some ways, the evidence presented here showed why they were prepared to erect such a dubious apologist shield around Suarez. Without him, they are a shadow of the side they are with him.

Instead, and of a far more savoury nature, the Maracana was the playground of a new world star - and someone who presents a real danger to Brazil when they meet Colombia in their quarter-final in Fortaleza on Friday.

James Rodriguez facts
Born on 12 July 1991 in Cucuta, Colombia
Began career at Envigado, joined Argentine club Banfield in 2009 and moved to Europe with Porto the following year
Won the Portuguese Golden Ball in 2012 aged 20 - the youngest player to do so
Had won three successive league titles with Porto by the age of 21
Moved to Monaco for £38.5m in 2013, making him the second-most expensive Colombian in history, after Radamel Falcao

Rodriguez is now the World Cup's top scorer with five goals. While Suarez is back in Uruguay in shame, the smiling Colombian is the fresh and acceptable face of this tournament - and with power to add to his reputation.

Rodriguez could pass for Cristiano Ronaldo's younger brother. He is clean-cut, respectful and was quietly spoken as he dealt with Colombia's adulation after the game.

In the absence of the great goalscorer Radamel Falcao, cruelly deprived of this World Cup by injury, Monaco team-mate Rodriguez was left with a burden he has so far carried with ease.

Jose Luis Alarcon Rojas, of Colombia's RCNR Radio, said: "Once Falcao was injured, James Rodriguez was the first name in coach Jose Pekerman's selection. He is a young boy who is loved in Colombia, a star.

"No Falcao meant he was more important to Colombia and he has responded to the responsibility. He was always popular but this will make him more popular."

And what of his meeting with Neymar in Fortaleza?

"Neymar is the young champion of Brazil while James is the young champion of Colombia, but he is our star and he is playing like our star."

The boy from Cucuta started his career with Envigado in Colombia before, at the tender age of 17, his talent took him to Argentina and Banfield.

Rodriguez at the 2014 World Cup
Rodriguez is the first player to score in the first four games of a World Cup since Brazil's Ronaldo and Rivaldo in 2002.	Rodriguez is also the first player to score in each of his first four World Cup games since Italy's Christian Vieri in 1998.

After winning the Primera Division, he moved to Porto, helping them secure three titles and the Europa League.

Last summer he joined Monaco for £38.5m, but goals like those against Uruguay, and his second was also a thing of beauty in a team context, will be attracting the attention of others who may wish to prise him away from the Principality.

When he was told Tabarez had mentioned his name in a list that included Argentina great Diego Maradona, Messi and Suarez, he said: "It is always a matter of great pride that someone like him has said these things. All I want to do is help the team."

A player of balance, nurtured by the wise Pekerman, who has placed great trust in him, he has the ability to contribute to the team ethic, as proved by his second goal, while demonstrating great individual virtuosity.

As his goal was replayed on the Maracana's big screens, gasps of appreciation swirled around the stadium. It was his shirt and his name that could be seen and heard as elated Colombians celebrated in the streets snaking away from the Copacabana on Saturday night.

Colombia may have lived in the shadow of the South American superpowers such as Brazil and Argentina in the past. In Rodriguez they have a player who can help them step into the light - starting in Fortaleza on Friday.

James Rodriguez celebrates his goal against Uruguay

 

Source : bbc[dot]com

World Cup 2014: Julio Cesar the hero of Brazil after penalty heroics

By David Ornstein BBC Sport in Belo Horizonte

There were pivotal twists and dramatic turns, moments of boundless ecstasy and crushing agony, tears of frenzied joy and unthinkable despair - but in the end, it came down to a man who could not get a game in the second tier of English football last season.

While Julio Cesar probably intends to forget about the past 12 months as quickly as possible, what happened at Estadio Mineirao on Saturday will stay with him forever.

The events will also remain with all who witnessed this remarkable World Cup last-16 tie - as hosts Brazil eliminated Chile 3-2 on penalties in Belo Horizonte to keep their dreams alive and destroy those of La Roja.

The tension was simply unbearable: 1-1 after 90 minutes of football, the Brazil crossbar rattled in the final minute of extra time, the hopes of 200 million people resting on a set of spot-kicks.

QPR goalkeeper Julio Cesar saved penalties from Mauricio Pinilla and Alexis Sanchez before Gonzalo Jara hit the post

Suddenly there was no singing from the stands; the carnival atmosphere replaced by a collective mumbling. Was this really happening? Were Brazil actually on the verge of losing early at their own tournament? The nation came to a standstill.

The scenes on the pitch were replicated off it: some hugged, others prayed, many debated. Who should take the penalties? In what order? What happens if...? Anxiety reigned.

Luiz - scores. What noise! Pinilla - saved. Even louder! Willian - wide. Stunned silence. Sanchez - saved. Huge eruption! Marcelo - scores. Almost there! Aranguiz - scores. Surely irrelevant! Hulk - saved. Oh no! Diaz - scores. Trouble! Neymar - scores. Back on track! Jara - post. Paradise!

From the park to penalty hero

• Julio Cesar won his 84th Brazil cap in the game against Chile
• However, the man who made over 200 appearances for Italian giants Inter found himself third-choice goalkeeper at QPR in the Championship last season
• He made just one appearance for the club he joined in 2012 following their relegation from the Premier League - a 4-0 FA Cup defeat to Everton
• He would train by himself at a local park, buying a new pair of gloves to keep it a secret, before he joined Toronto on loan in February
• His penalty heroics against Chile helped banish the memory of his error in the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup, as his hesitancy allowed Netherlands to equalise, before they went on to win 2-1

As the Brazil players found energy in their weary legs to race across the pitch and mob Cesar, the goalkeeper's journey had come full circle. The villain of 2010 was the hero of 2014.

Four years ago in South Africa it was Cesar's mistake in failing to deal with a long ball into the penalty box that led to Brazil's unexpected quarter-final defeat by the Netherlands.

This time, his intervention averted a national disaster.

Jose Maria Marin, head of the Brazilian Football Confederation, has compared winning or losing this title to "heaven or hell", while the squad and coaching staff have repeatedly promised to triumph in the Maracana on 13 July. An alternative outcome is not even being contemplated.

Cesar had already rescued his team in normal time, a magnificent reaction stop preventing Charles Aranguiz from putting Chile 2-1 ahead with only 15 minutes remaining.

But a bigger role was still to be performed. Television cameras followed his every move as the teams prepared for their decisive exchange. His shot at redemption had arrived - and he delivered.

Following QPR's relegation from the Premier League in May 2013, Cesar slipped down the pecking order to become manager Harry Redknapp's third choice between the posts.

He helped Brazil win the Confederations Cup but went nine months without a club game until he started Rangers' 4-0 FA Cup defeat by Everton in January.

After buying new gloves and training alone in a local park, the former Inter Milan number one eventually left on loan, joining Toronto FC in Major League Soccer, but made just seven appearances.

Not ideal preparation for the biggest competition of your career, then, but it did not show as Brazil qualified for the knockout phase as Group A winners, nor as he excelled again in Belo Horizonte.

"This shows I was well trained for the World Cup," said the man of the match. "The staff created a calm and secure environment for me and I felt great joy, strength and affection.

"Being labelled a villain after South Africa was very hard, but this proves that if you have a dream you go after it and never give up. What will crown this will be to kiss and lift the trophy."

Cesar even managed to overshadow poster-boy Neymar, whose contribution was also significant. He supplied the corner for David Luiz to open the scoring and slotted the winning penalty.

Analysis

Tim Vickery South American football expert

"There's no job in sport with the pressure of being a goalkeeper for Brazil during a World Cup. Often you don't have much to do for long periods but then you have to come up good.

"Julio Cesar made a vital mistake in 2010 when Brazil were knocked out by the Netherlands but he came up trumps."

"Neymar needs to be valued for what he did," said coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, referencing the forward's high-quality display produced despite being on the receiving end of some heavy challenges.

"He may only be 22 but he is experienced and mature. He is very good psychologically, mentally, and the details in his life show he has been ready since he was 17 or 18.

"He went to take that penalty as if he was playing with his friends at Santos."

Despite Brazil's inconsistent level of performance against Croatia, Mexico and Cameroon, their supporters arrived in confident mood. The Selecao had never lost to Chile on home soil and beat them by three-goal margins at the same stage of the 1998 and 2010 World Cups.

A Brazil newspaper printed flight times back to Chile on the front page.

Such was the confidence - or refusal to countenance defeat - the front page of one Brazilian newspaper even listed flight times back to Chile and La Roja were referred to as "fregues", meaning client or regular customer. In other words, they always give Brazil what they want.

But on this occasion the effervescent Jorge Sampaoli and his richly talented, meticulously organised and ferociously competitive players had other ideas.

They accounted for reigning champions Spain in the first week and the pockets of boisterous, red-clad fans were desperate to make history with another stunning upset.

Star man Alexis Sanchez drew them level, but their greatest opportunity came in the dying minutes of extra time, when substitute Mauricio Panilla saw a spectacular strike come back off the woodwork.

The whole of Brazil must have breathed one enormous sigh of relief.

Julio Cesar's error of judgement in the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup gifted the Netherlands an equaliser, before they went on to win 2-1

"The atmosphere on the bench was very, very tense," said Scolari. "For the nation, this was important. We were tense - it's not easy to play in the World Cup, at home, with the pressure of needing to win. It would be easy to say: 'Well, if we qualify from the first stage that's fine'.

"But no, we took upon ourselves this mission that we must be champions. We passed it on to the players and the people embraced the idea and are now demanding it from us.

"If you make a promise, you must deliver it. You go until the end and do whatever is possible to deliver what you promised and this is what the players are doing.

"This is the fourth step - there are three more to reach heaven."

The effects of this match were felt far and wide; social media site Twitter has never tracked more posts per minute than the 389,000 that were sent when Gonzalo Jara missed the decisive penalty. That eclipsed the 382,000 peak during Superbowl 48. It was also the most discussed match of the World Cup so far, attracting 16.4 million tweets.

But few in Brazil will care about statistics; all that matters is that they are getting closer to an achievement they view as their birthright.

Next up, Colombia in Fortaleza on Friday.

It was a nervy 120 minutes of football for Brazil fans in Belo Horizonte

Alexis Sanchez cancelled out David Luiz's opener in the first half after capitalising on defensive errors

A country's joy quickly turned to despair when Hulk's goal was disallowed for handball

Away from the stadium, Brazil fans looked on nervously as the penalty shootout unfolded

Players from both sides watched on as Chile's Gonzalo Jara stepped up, needing to convert his penalty to keep the contest going

Jara's penalty hit the post, confirming Brazil's passage into the quarter-finals, and home players danced with delight

For the best of BBC Sport's in-depth content and analysis, go to our features and video page.

Source : bbc[dot]com

World Cup 2014: Joel Campbell leads Costa Rica's rapid rise

By Ben Smith BBC Sport in Recife

As Costa Rica's players tie their laces and the team's coaches shout final instructions before Sunday's World Cup last-16 tie with Greece, Arsenal striker Joel Campbell will pause, take a breath and begin whispering to himself.

"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"

He recites the words to give him strength, words that make him think of his mother, Roxana, his father, Humberto, and three siblings in Costa Rica. Family is the second pillar in his life. God is the first.

Campbell (left) scored for Olympiakos in a Champions League first-leg victory over Manchester United in March

If Psalm 27 has given Campbell the conviction to play without fear, whoever the opposition, that fearlessness has also become a feature of the way Costa Rica have played in this World Cup.

The Central Americans have already upset the odds by topping a group containing three former World Cup winners in England, Italy and Uruguay - and it has been Campbell who has provided the stand-out performances, notably in the 3-1 win over Uruguay.

Highlights: Italy 0-1 Costa Rica

But for all the plaudits the 22-year-old has received in Brazil, he remains something of an unknown quantity to fans of his parent club.

It was back in 2011 that a teenage Campbell signed for Arsenal from Costa Rican side Deportivo Saprissa - but he has still to play a game for them. Having been denied a work permit when he first joined the Premier League side, Campbell was loaned to Lorient in France and Real Betis in Spain before a spell at Olympiakos in Greece.

In fact, his only appearance in England to date came for the Greek side last season, when he took on Manchester United in a Champions League last-16 tie in March. Three weeks earlier, he had announced himself with a 25-yard strike in the first leg.

But Arsenal fans may grow more familiar with him soon - on the strength of his performances for Costa Rica, he has now been granted the right to work in the UK.

Who is Joel Campbell?

• Born in the Costa Rican capital San Jose, Campbell played for the country's most successful team Deportivo Saprissa for two seasons
• Appeared for Costa Rica in the Concacaf Gold Cup, Copa America and the Fifa Under-20 World Cup
• Scored his first international goal for his country in the Gold Cup against Cuba, as Costa Rica reached the quarter-finals
• On 19 August 2011, Arsenal confirmed they had signed Campbell, but he had failed to obtain a work permit to enable him to play in England

Paulo Wanchope, Costa Rica's assistant manager, says the young striker is desperate to play for the Gunners, where he has two years remaining on his contract.

"Joel really wants to go back to Arsenal and play," the former Derby, West Ham and Manchester City striker said.

"I told him that the only way to do that was by performing well on the pitch at this World Cup. He has done well, but he can perform even better. Arsene Wenger is watching him."

Indeed he is. The Arsenal manager has already said he wants Campbell at pre-season training, having been impressed by his direct running and willingness to shoot on sight against Uruguay.

So what can Gunners fans expect if Campbell lines up at Emirates Stadium next season?

There is a steel behind the raw talent that marks Campbell out as a force to be reckoned with. He was born in San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, but his family is from the English-speaking area of Limon, which explains the Scottish surname. The third of four children, he grew up surrounded by football, fighting to be noticed.

Campbell has been granted a UK work visa on the strength of his performances for Costa Rica

As a youngster, he would juggle empty cans on the street. On one such occasion he was spotted by then Costa Rica manager Ricardo La Volpe. The national side were playing friendlies close by and, while his friends bought tickets to go to the games, Campbell told them all he wanted to go, but as a player. A few weeks later, La Volpe called him up to the Costa Rica national team.

"Who is Messi? Who is Neymar?" the manager said at the time. "Gentlemen of the press - I present to you: Campbell. I discovered him playing with cans."

Those who have worked with him talk about his dedication in training, his work ethic, his desire to get better and better. They also talk of a confident, calm young man - a winner.

Did you know?

Campbell bought 100 packets of World Cup stickers trying to find one of himself. None of the 500 was of him.

"I've always said you have to think about winning," his father Humberto said. "I've always said that success goes hand in hand with sacrifice. We get him to set goals."

His immediate goal is to take Costa Rica to further success at this World Cup,

"We always believed we could do this," Campbell said. "Football is not decided by the shirt you are wearing. With work and effort, you can win against anyone. We are very satisfied, very happy with what we have achieved but we will keep working to do more."

His life is changing on and off the field. He celebrated his goal against Uruguay was by tucking the ball up his shirt, a nod to Maria Fernanda Cascante, his pregnant girlfriend.

"I dedicated my goal to my family, my girlfriend and our child. Was it the most important goal of my life? I hope that is still to come," he said.

"This is unforgettable. We are part of history. Nobody would have put a dollar on this team qualifying but there you go. It can change football in Costa Rica.

"These are the best days of my career."

So far. Better days may yet lie ahead.

Source : bbc[dot]com

World Cup 2014: Statistical XI versus your tournament XI

 

Goals, controversy, hat-tricks and first-round shocks - the 2014 World Cup has been box-office and record-breaking.

A total of 136 goals is the highest since the group stages took on a 32-team format in 1998, bettering the 130 plundered in 2002.

Goals in the group stages since a 32-team format was introduced
France 1998	Japan and South Korea 2002	Germany 2006	South Africa 2010	Brazil 2014
126	130	117	100	136

That's an average of 2.83 goals per game, but aside from the goal-getters, who else has shone?

Alongside statisticians Opta, BBC Sport presents the statistical team of the World Cup group stages, with each player in the tournament rated on over 250 on-the-ball actions, including goals, assists and clean sheets.

BBC Sport also conducted a vote based on a selected shortlist to ask for your World Cup XI so far and the results are:

The stats XI: Enyeama (Nigeria), Chiellini (Italy), Van Buyten (Belgium), Medel (Chile), Alves (Brazil), Rodriguez (Colombia), Robben (Netherlands), Cuadrado (Colombia), Neymar (Brazil), Benzema (France), Messi (Argentina)

Your votes XI: Ochoa (Mexico), Aurier (Ivory Coast), Silva (Brazil), Marquez (Mexico), Blind (Netherlands), Valbuena (France), Vidal (Chile), Kroos (Germany), Robben (Netherlands), Muller (Germany), Messi (Argentina)

LEFT: Opta's team of the tournament so far based on stats RIGHT: World Cup XI voted by you

GOALKEEPER - Vincent Enyeama (Nigeria)

Nigeria's goalkeeper has helped the Super Eagles out of the group stage and into a second-round match against France on Monday. The Lille goalkeeper, 31, kept clean sheets against Iran and Bosnia-Hercegovina and made 18 saves in the three matches, more than any other goalkeeper in the tournament. Joe Hart made just the one save in his two matches for England, while Ben Foster made two saves as his replacement against Costa Rica.

Your choice: Guillermo Ochoa (Mexico)

How you voted: Guillermo Ochoa 56%, Thibaut Courtois (Belgium) 12%, Vincent Enyeama (Nigeria) 10%, Tim Howard (USA) 10%, Keylor Navas (Costa Rica) 10%, Sergio Romero (Argentina) 1%

Opta's other best keepers of the group stage
Player	Team	Goals conceded	Saves	Catches
Guillermo Ochoa	Mexico	1	8	4
Claudio Bravo	Chile	3	11	4
Diego Benaglio	Switzerland	6	13	5
Tim Howard	USA	4	12	7

DEFENDERS

Left-back - Giorgio Chiellini (Italy)

Italy may have exited the tournament at the group stage but that didn't stop the 29-year-old Juventus defender from making 10 tackles, 14 clearances and nine interceptions. Italy only conceded three goals but at the other end only managed to find the net twice, both against England.

Your vote: Daley Blind (The Netherlands)

How you voted: Daley Blind 57%, Junior Diaz (Costa Rica) 14%, Marcos Rojo (Argentina) 10%, Ricardo Rodriguez (Switzerland) 9%, Patrice Evra (France) 6%, Jose Holebas Greece) 4%

Centre-back - Gary Medel (Chile)

The Cardiff City defender made 28 clearances during the group stage as Chile won two of their matches to finish in second and qualify for the last 16. The 26-year-old's pass completion rate was 93% from 207 passes.

Your vote: Thiago Silva (Brazil)

Centre-back - Daniel van Buyten (Belgium)

No-one made more than his five blocks in the group stage as Belgium eased into the second round with a 100% winning record. The 36-year-old Bayern Munich defender played in every minute of the three matches. In comparison, Phil Jagielka made England's highest amount of blocks - two from his two matches.

Your vote: Rafael Marquez (Mexico)

How you voted: Rafael Marquez 26% , Thiago Silva 15%, Ron Vlaar (The Netherlands) 14%, Diego Godin (Uruguay) 13%, Gary Medel (Chile) 13%, Vincent Kompany (Belgium) 10%, Raphael Varane, (France) 10%

Right-back - Daniel Alves (Brazil)

Of all defenders only Spain's Jordi Alba made more passes in the opposition half than 31-year-old Alves. The Barcelona man played every minute as Brazil topped Group A with two wins and a draw.

Your vote: Serge Aurier (Ivory Coast)

How you voted: Serge Aurier 23.3%, Fabian Johnson (USA) 22.8%, Mathieu Debuchy (France) 19%, Pablo Zabaleta (Argentina) 16%, Dani Alves (Brazil) 11%, Toby Alderweireld (Belgium) 7%

Opta's other best defenders of the group stages
Player	Team	Tackles	Clearances	Blocks
Rafael Marquez	Mexico	6	11	3
Per Mertesacker	Germany	1	17	2
Mats Hummels	Germany	8	11	1
Benedikt Howedes	Germany	4	12	1

MIDFIELD

Midfield - Juan Cuadrado (Colombia)

The 26-year-old Fiorentina winger has impressed with his speed, pace and dribbling ability. He has provided three assists as Colombia topped Group C, the joint-most with the Netherlands's Daley Blind.

Your vote: Toni Kroos (Germany)

Midfield - Arjen Robben (Netherlands)

After scoring once in 2006 and twice in 2010, the Bayern Munich midfielder has already netted three times in this tournament. The 30-year-old has also made one assist as the Netherlands progressed to the second round as one of only four teams with a 100% record.

Your vote: Mathieu Valbuena (France)

Midfield - James Rodriguez (Colombia)

Monaco's £38.5m man has scored or assisted a goal every 45 minutes on average, the best rate of any player to have played more than 100 minutes at the tournament. Rodriguez, 22, has scored in all three games and has also created two other goals as Colombia won all of their games. Wayne Rooney was England's joint-highest goal scorer and assist maker with one each.

Your vote: Arturo Vidal (Chile)

How you voted: Arturo Vidal 20%, Toni Kroos 14%, Mathieu Valbuena 13%, Angel Di Maria (Argentina) 12%, Paul Pogba (France) 10%, Bryan Ruiz (Costa Rica) 9%, Ivan Perisic (Croatia) 5%, Charles Aranguiz (Chile) 4%, Andre Ayew (Ghana) 4%, Andres Guardado (Mexico) 4%, Miralem Pjanic (Bosnia) 4%, Yacine Brahimi (Algeria) 2%

Opta's other best midfielders of the group stage
Player	Team	Goals	Chances created	Assists
Miralem Pjanic	Bosnia-Hercegovina	1	12	1
Javier Mascherano	Argentina	0	5	0
Blaise Matuidi	France	1	3	0
Mathieu Valbuena	France	1	6	1

ATTACK

Forward - Neymar (Brazil)

The host nation's golden boy has not disappointed as he tops the goal-scoring charts on four with Argentina's Lionel Messi and Germany's Thomas Muller. Barcelona's 22-year-old has the best conversion rate (44%) of any player to have attempted at least eight shots. England's Daniel Sturridge had a conversion rate of 9.09% with one goal from his 11 shots.

Your vote: Thomas Muller (Germany)

Forward - Karim Benzema (France)

The 26-year-old has created 12 goal-scoring chances, the joint-most with Bosnia's Miralem Pjanic, to help France top Group E and reach the second round. The Real Madrid striker also scored three times in three matches.

Your vote: Arjen Robben (The Netherlands)

Forward - Lionel Messi (Argentina)

Joint-top scorer in the tournament with four goals, Messi has scored three of his four goals from outside the penalty area, two more than any other player. Barcelona's 27-year-old forward has scored two thirds of Argentina's goals in the tournament.

Your vote: Lionel Messi

How you voted: Lionel Messi 21%, Thomas Muller 16%, Arjen Robben 15%, James Rodriguez (Colombia) 14%, Neymar (Brazil) 11%, Karim Benzema (France) 7%, Robin van Persie (The Netherlands) 7%, Luis Suarez (Uruguay) 3%, Tim Cahill (Australia) 2%, Alexis Sanchez (Chile) 1%, Xherdan Shaqiri (Switzerland) 1%, Eduardo Vargas (Chile) 0%, Wilfried Bony (Ivory Coast) 0%

Opta's other best forwards of the group stage
Player	Team	Goals	Shots	Assists
Cristiano Ronaldo	Portugal	1	22	1
Asamoah Gyan	Ghana	2	17	1
Alexis Sanchez	Chile	1	5	1
Robin van Persie	Netherlands	3	8	0

The Opta scoring system is devised by working out an overall score based on over 250 statistical events, with each event having a positive/negative score awarded based on its outcome. More important stat categories are weighted heavier than others, so crucial stats during games make a difference (goals, assists, clean sheets, etc).

For the best of BBC Sport's in-depth content and analysis, go to our features and video page.

 

Source : bbc[dot]com

World Cup 2014: Might Brazil be the next victims of Chile?

By David Ornstein BBC Sport in Belo Horizonte

Shortly after the World Cup draw was made in December, Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari named the opposition he wished to avoid should his men reach the last 16.

"I hope Chile don't qualify," said Scolari. "I'd rather play any of the others. They're a pain to play against. They're well organised and intelligent. It's better to face a European team."

The 65-year-old was tempting fate and it came to pass when Chile finished second in Group B and Brazil won Group A, setting up a mouthwatering contest in Belo Horizonte on Saturday.

It is the coming together of two attacking powerhouses and, while Brazil cannot contemplate defeat as they pursue a title viewed by the host nation as a birthright, Chile intend to spoil the party.

Team	Chance conversion rate %	Possession %	Passes	Passing accuracy %	Goals per game %	Tackles won %
Brazil	21.21	56.3	1,222	84.2	2.33	85.71
Chile	22.73	55.7	1,483	81.5	1.67	80.49

Jorge Sampaoli's side have already caught the eye with their entertaining style and stunned the competition by eliminating holders Spain. Now their sights are set on the biggest scalp of the summer.

"To be champions we must face them all," said midfielder Arturo Vidal, an integral part of the Serie A-winning Juventus side. "This is the best generation in the history of Chilean football. Beating Brazil? That's our dream. Chile can create a surprise.

"We've beaten the champions, so we can beat Brazil. We're good enough to win the World Cup."

Easier said than done

Chile will have to hope the past counts for nothing, as each of their three previous World Cup encounters with Brazil have ended in heavy defeats.

In both 1998 and 2010, they lost by three-goal margins at this stage of the tournament after second-place finishes in their group. The other reverse was a 4-2 semi-final loss on home soil in 1962.

There may be a desire for revenge, then, but Chile have only managed two draws from 12 meetings since they last overcame the Brazilians in 2000.

Sampaoli lost his first match as Chile coach in December 2012 but then guided his side to 16 points from a possible 18 to qualify for the World Cup

Ominously, La Roja have never got the better of the Selecao on Brazilian turf. In fact, Brazil are unbeaten in 40 home matches stretching back to August 2002 and have won their last five World Cup second-round matches, scoring 13 goals and keeping four clean sheets in the process.

"Brazil have been Chile's nemesis but football changes, new generations come and new players appear," argued Vidal, whose team also beat Australia in the group stages but lost to the Netherlands.

Why the optimism?

Having showcased their talent under coach Marcelo Bielsa in South Africa four years ago, Chile are not exactly a surprise package. Yet few expected them to dispatch Spain quite so emphatically.

Who is Jorge Sampaoli?

Martin Keown Football Analyst

"The 54-year-old is confrontational with his tactics, wants to win every game and is very proactive.

"His playing career was ended by a broken leg at 19 and you can see his enthusiasm on the touchline. He runs the match from the technical area; reading the play, knowing exactly what's happening, what needs to happen and delivering instructions. The story of him being denied entry to a club match and climbing a tree to overlooking the ground to bark orders sums him up and I think a lot of teams in Europe will be looking at him.

"He gets that little bit extra out of every player. He beats the drum they have to work to - he's very serious, professional and demanding - and clearly they don't want to let him down. The way they execute the transition from being in possession to losing it is probably as good as I've seen."

There are 11 survivors from the 2010 squad in Brazil, with the likes of Vidal, Alexis Sanchez, Gary Medel, Gonzalo Jara, Jean Beausejour, Mauricio Isla, Jorge Valdivia and captain Claudio Bravo all making prominent contributions in both that tournament and this.

Vidal, Sanchez and Medel were earlier among six members of the current set-up who helped their country to a third-place finish at the 2007 Under-20 World Cup in Canada, which is viewed in Chile as the starting point for a golden generation now packed with quality and experience.

Despite having an average age of 27.60 - a mark which drops to 27 when only the 16 players who featured in the group stage are counted - the squad share 863 caps, with Sanchez, Medel, Beausejour, Jara and Bravo each above 60.

Furthermore, Sampaoli selected his players from leagues in eight different countries - Chile (6), Italy (5), Spain (4), Brazil (2), England (2), Netherlands (1), Switzerland (1), Sweden (1), unattached (1) - and such global exposure appears to have significantly aided their development.

Sanchez believes his time at Barcelona has made him "feel important, like a beautiful Ferrari", while Vidal explains that moving to Juventus has enabled him to "learn a lot from everyone, especially people such as Andrea Pirlo and Gianluigi Buffon, who have won everything in their careers".

Netherlands beat Chile to top Group B

Sampaoli lost his first match in December 2012 but then collected 16 points from a possible 18, his side playing with a dynamic, high-tempo philosophy as they qualified for these finals. Further encouragement was taken from a draw with Brazil, a win against England at Wembley and a dominant performance despite defeat in Germany.

Once in Brazil, the Chileans hit the ground against Australia, outclassed Spain and, despite losing to the Netherlands, enjoyed 64% possession and completed 282 more passes than the Dutch.

"It was an unfair result because we made a huge effort to attack," said Sampaoli. "We wanted to play and the Netherlands didn't. They had nine or 10 players behind the ball all the time.

"The intensity of my players was outstanding and we go to the next round with our heads held high. Hopefully if we will play like that we will achieve the result we want."

Humbling the hosts

Chile's hopes of usurping Brazil in 1998 were undermined by the suspensions of Moises Villarroel, Nelson Parraguez and Francisco Rojas. In 2010, Medel, Waldo Ponce and Marco Estrada missed out for the same reason. But this time they are at full strength and determined to succeed.

"As in every game, we will attack from the start," insisted Jara. "You don't negotiate your style."

Sampaoli added: "We will not keep anything back. Our idea brought us to here and we are not going to modify it."

Chile's victory over Spain was their first competitive victory over La Furia Roja in 11 matches

Chile are so fluid and offensively-minded that formations are almost irrelevant.

When faced with tougher opposition, Sampaoli tends to deploy three centre-backs; Medel, Jara and Francisco Silva played against Spain and the Netherlands, with the latter left out against Australia. Isla and Eugenio Mena work the flanks, with Diaz and Charles Aranguiz notionally holding midfielders.

If that group can contain Neymar, Oscar, Fred and Hulk as capably as they did Andres Iniesta, David Silva, Pedro and Diego Costa, they will stand a fine chance.

In attack, Vidal, Sanchez, Eduardo Vargas and possibly Valdivia will press high up the pitch, breaking at pace, switching positions and attempting to wreak the sort of havoc that has yielded four first-half goals thus far.

Highlights: Spain 0-2 Chile

They may be particularly keen to get at Brazil full-backs Dani Alves and Marcelo, neither of whom have looked convincing in a sporadically shaky back four.

"Chile only have one way of playing," explained the BBC's South American football correspondent Tim Vickery. "They know no fear and will try to get into space behind Brazil's attacking full-backs. Both of Chile's full-backs will attack at the same time."

Defending the indefensible

The problem with Chile's style is the difficulty maintaining it for a substantial length of time, particularly with temperatures in the high 20s and the possibility of extra time and penalties.

It can be also be stifled by a stubborn rearguard action and is prone to leaving them exposed to the counter-attack, which was a Neymar-inspired Brazil's greatest strength in the group stages.

Height of starting outfield players in the last group game
Chile defence	Height	Brazil defence	Height
Francisco Silva	5ft 10in	Alves	5ft 9in
Jara	5ft 10in	Marcelo	5ft 9in
Medel	5ft 7in	Thiago Silva	6ft
		Luiz	6ft 2in
Chile midfield
Isla	5ft 10in	Brazil midfield
Aranguiz	5ft 7in	Gustavo	6ft 2in
Diaz	5ft 6in	Paulinho	5ft 11in
Gutierrez	5ft 9in	Oscar	5ft 11in
Mena	5ft 9in
		Brazil attack
Chile attack		Hulk	5ft 10in
Sanchez	5ft 7in	Fred	6ft 1in
Vargas	5ft 9in	Neymar	5ft 9in

Chile struggled for rhythm in warm-up games against Egypt and Northern Ireland; the Australia blitz lasted no more than 30 minutes; and Spain recorded just one shot on target against the Dutch.

They were the second-top scorers in South American qualifying but, of the five teams who reached the finals, not one conceded more.

The high pressing worked effectively against Spain. If Chile won the ball they were away, and if they failed they often got a second chance because the Spanish approach play was slow. But the Dutch hounded them into mistakes and then broke at pace.

"Some say we take a suicidal approach," Vidal conceded. "We press very high up the pitch."

The noise levels rocketed in the Maracana as Jorge Sampaoli's team made an encouraging start in their group game encounter with Spain

Another area of concern for Chile is a lack of height. Indeed, two of the three goals they have conceded in this tournament could be attributed to the absence of an outfield player over 6ft tall.

Chilean journalist Antonio Loma-Osorio acknowledged: "That is a worry but Sampaoli always trusts his teams to score more goals than their opponents and they have it in them to do that, which is why Scolari is worried about us. Chile truly believe they are ready to make history."

Source : bbc[dot]com