“Jairzinho, birth name Jair Ventura Filho, (born December 25, 1944) is a former Brazilian footballer. A quick, powerful winger, he was a member of the legendary Brazilian national team that won the 1970 FIFA World Cup, during which he scored in every game Brazil played.” Wikipedia, picsearch, YouTube, (1), (2)

Argentine club Independiente in race row (Reuters)
“Argentine first division club Independiente have landed in the middle of a race row after their supporters used flags of Bolivia and Paraguay as an insult to fans of rivals Boca Juniors during a match.”

Little change in African rankings (BBC)
“Cameroon remain the highest-placed African team in the latest set of Fifa world rankings.”

S.Africa needs more funds for 2010 – official (ESPN)
“South Africa needs to allocate more funds and boost marketing to promote the 2010 World Cup among South Africans, a senior government official said on Wednesday.”

Coach puts faith in Matar and Co (AFC)
“The cream always rises to the top. That’s why United Arab Emirates national coach Dominique Bathenay is putting his trust in Ismail Matar and five other Al Wahda players despite their indifferent club form.”

Futbols Best Magic 3gp (metacafe)

“Zambia are one of just two countries in the southern African region still left with a chance of qualifying for the first-ever FIFA World Cup finals in their own backyard.” (Zambianfootball), Zambia call on forgotten men(FIFA)

Spain stay top of world rankings for ninth month (Reuters)
“European champions Spain remained top of FIFA’s world rankings published on Wednesday while their Iberian neighbours Portugal climbed back into the top 10.”

Milan join race to sign Brazil hot-shot Keirrison (FourFourTwo)
“AC Milan have joined the the race to sign Brazilian striking sensation Keirrison, with both Liverpool and Barcelona reportedly keen on landing the talented youngster.”

African football’s integrity is undermined (WorldSoccer)
“With a population of just over 500,000 and a landmass of less than 30,000 sq km, Equatorial Guinea is among Africa’s smallest countries. Decades of tyrannical rule have also made it among the most isolated – until the recent discovery of oil and a sudden cash injection.”

Bagheri warns of Saudi backlash (AFC)
“Iran must be wary of a Saudi team who will be fighting for their World Cup lives, Team Melli skipper Karim Bagheri said. Iran face Saudi Arabia at home in a Group B clash on March 28 that is crucial for both teams, more so for the visitors who are battling to salvage their qualifying campaign for the FIFA World Cup 2010 finals.”

“Javier Adelmar Zanetti (born August 10, 1973 in Buenos Aires) is an Argentine football defender who plays for Serie A club Internazionale, of which he has been part since 1995 and the captain since 1999. He is the most capped player in the history of the Argentine national team and has played in the 1996 Olympic tournament and in two World Cups, in 1998 and 2002.” Wikipedia, YouTube, (1)

Iron fist coaches consigned to history (Tim Vickery blog)
“I came across a wonderful story this week in an interview in the magazine Brasileiros with Sao Paulo coach and former player Muricy Ramalho. He recalled the start of his career in the early 70s when the club’s coach was Jose Poy, an Argentine who had spent over a decade as Sao Paulo’s goalkeeper.”

Capello gets the message across (FIFA)
“Fabio Capello seems to have made a smooth transition into the role of England coach since his appointment in December 2007. Eleven games into his reign, the Italian has won eight of them, with defeat only coming away to France and Spain.”

Johan Cruyff: facts support my vision! (WorldCupBlog)
“The first one will be at home, because his coach preferred a destroyer over a goal machine. The other two warm the bench or the stands and will doubt the choices they made. And they’re not the only ones. Johan Cruyff is worried…”

Dunga believes Ronaldo still has international future (WorldSoccer)
“Asked if he would consider recalling the 32-year-old, Dunga told TV Cultura: ‘If he can be the same Ronaldo he was before.’ Ronaldo has scored a record 15 goals at three World Cups, including eight in 2002 when he helped Brazil win a record fifth title.”

“Paraguay can stage their remaining home World Cup qualifiers in the country after governing body FIFA approved an alternative stadium to the Defensores del Chaco which is closed for safety reasons.” (FourFourTwo)

AFC calms South Korean anger over remark (FOX)
“The Asian Football Confederation has moved to calm South Korean anger over perceived threatening comments by president Mohammed Bin Hammam toward a top Korean football official.”

Villa: Spain can still improve (FIFA)
“Fiercely competitive, hard-working and lethal in front of goal, Valencia’s David Villa has developed into one of the hottest properties in world football. Yet despite finishing top scorer when Spain won UEFA EURO 2008, the Asturias-born hitman has not let his achievements go to his head.”

Sweden – 1958 (World Cup Years)
“In the previous two World Cups of 1950, and 1954, the preceding British Championships had doubled as qualifiers. This practise was brought to an end as a result of widespread protests. Amusingly, all four British Home Nations (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) qualified, thereby providing exactly one quarter of the finalists in the 1958 World Cup.”

Bill. South Africa 2010, FIFA