“Rafael Marquez is the best-known player in the Mexico team. The captain of El Tricolor for the last six years, the central defender is also a mainstay of Spanish league leaders Barcelona and is regarded as one of the finest players in his position in the game today.” (FIFA)

World Cup chase back on across Europe (UEFA)
“The first full set of FIFA World Cup qualifiers in 2009 are played out next Saturday and Wednesday, including several double-headers between teams at the top of their groups. The nine group winners, together with the victors of four two-legged play-offs involving the eight best runners-up, will travel to the 32-team finals in South Africa from June to July 2010.”

Saudi fail to get past Iraq (AFC)
“New Saudi Arabia coach Jorge Peseiro got a good look at his team after a goalless draw against Asian champions Iraq in a friendly international here on Sunday.”

Can the Hand of God make a good fist of management? (BBC – Tim Vickery)
“The countdown is on to Diego Maradona’s first competitive game in charge of Argentina. His team’s form in warm-up friendies has been impressive – a 1-0 win away to Scotland and especially a 2-0 win away to France. But that will quickly be forgotten if Maradona is unable to steer his side confidently through World Cup qualification.”

Happy coaches thrilled to reach Hungary (UEFA)
“UEFA European Futsal Championship qualifying finished on Sunday with holders Spain, former winners Italy and Russia, Ukraine, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Serbia, Belgium, Slovenia and first-time finalists Belarus and Azerbaijan earning berths alongside hosts Hungary in Budapest and Debrecen from 19-30 January, in a showpiece expanded from eight to 12 nations.”

Dunga Announces Ecuador and Peru Squads (WorldCupBlog)
“There are only a few real surprises here. Kaka has not played for Milan in about a month but still got the call. São Paulo’s central defender Miranda was a bit of a surprise as well, especially with Chelsea’s Alex being in great form at the moment.”

World Cup/CAN 2010: The race for qualification is already on (CAF)
“Sixty matches and 90 hours of play are remaining for matches of the qualifiers of the upcoming World Cup. And fans will have to wait till the evening of November 14 to know the African five representatives joining hosts South Africa in the World Cup.”

Ecuador already has its 26 players called for the encounters before Brazil and Paraguay (CONMEBOL)
“Diego Forlán, forward of the National Team of Uruguay, assured that the next matches against Paraguay and Chile are ‘fundamental’ and ‘key’ in the South American Qualifiers for South Africa 2010, in which he says that his team has ‘good possibilities’ to be qualified for the World Cup.”

Soccer Is an Oasis From Mexico’s Drug War (NYT)
“More than half a dozen soccer players refused to join the professional team in this border city, where so many tortured and beheaded bodies put fear in visitors and locals alike. Those who do play for the team live in gated areas, with high walls and fences topped with razor wire, to protect them from the turf war between the drug cartels that has left nearly 2,000 people dead over the past 14 months.”