Ryan Giggs, the Wales squad captain has confirmed he will retire from international football after Wales' Euro 2008 qualifier against the Czech Republic in Cardiff on Saturday. The Manchester United winger, 33, will earn his 64th and final cap against the Czechs but said his decision to end his international career had not been easy. Wales coach John Toshack paid tribute to Giggs' contribution in his 16 years with the international set-up. Ryan Joseph Wilson was born on Nov 29, 1973 in Cardiff. In 1990 he signed as a trainee with Man Utd and later as a professional by the end of the year. In 1991 Ryan Giggs, made his United debut, aged 17, as a substitute against Everton and United beat Red Star Belgrade to lift the Uefa Super Cup. He became the first player to be named PFA Young Player of the Year twice in 1993.
With Giggs retiring from international football, Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy, will take over the captain's place. Craig, the 27-year-old has 45 international caps, and has already captained his country in the absence of Giggs. Wales is in Group D with Germany, Czech Republic, Republic of Ireland, Cyprus, Slovakia and San Marino. Germany, Czech Republic and Republic of Ireland are the top rivals in the group with 13 points. Slovakia-9 points, Wales- 6 points and Cyprus -4 points.
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David Beckham's will play in England squad for the upcoming friendly against Brazil and qualifier against Estonia has been confirmed. Michael Owen, Alan Smith, Nicky Shorey, Blackburn's David Bentley, Tottenham's Michael Dawson, King, Downing, Dyer and Jenas were also included in the squad. But the focus is on Beckham's return after 10-and-a-half months. The last time he featured was during the World Cup exit at the hands of Portugal.
England Squad
Goalkeepers: Robinson, Carson, Green.
Defenders: P Neville, R Ferdinand, Terry, Bridge, Brown, Carragher, Dawson, King, Shorey.
Midfielders: Beckham, Gerrard, Jenas, J Cole, Lennon, Bentley, Carrick, Lampard, Downing, Dyer.
Forwards: Crouch, Owen, Smith, Defoe.JUMPTV together with SPORT FIVE – Europe's leading sports rights marketing company, is glad to present the long awaited European Championship second round qualifying matches (June 2 - Nov 21) for EURO 2008 to all the true soccer fans from all over the world! Subscribe to JumpTV and watch the upcoming exciting matches online............
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Martin Jiranek, the 28-year-old Spartak Moscow defender will miss the Czech Republic's Euro 2008 qualifier against Wales this week because of Achilles tendon problems. He suffers from chronic inflammation to both his Achilles tendons and was forced to leave the squad. Tomas Hubschman of Shakhtar Donetsk has been called up by Coach Karel Bruckner for the first time since August 2005 as a replacement for the June 2 match in Cardiff. The Czech Republic, Germany and Ireland all have 13 points in Group D, with Ireland having played seven matches, the Czechs six and Germany five.
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Bastian Schweinsteiger, 22-year-old Bayern Munich midfield maestro told German magazine Sports-Bild last week that he is still weeks away from playing again after picking up a knee infection from a tick bite. German coach Joachim Loew hoped their attacking midfielder, 43-time capped Schweinsteiger, one of Germany's top performers at last year's World Cup, will be fit for June's Euro 2008 games against San Marino and Solvakia.
Because of the persistent knee injury, Schweinsteiger will miss his country's Euro 2008 qualifiers. Germany are top of Group D, level on points with the Czech Republic and the Republic of Ireland. The second round of qualifying matches will begin from June 2 and end by November 21.JUMPTV together with SPORT FIVE – Europe's leading sports rights marketing company, is glad to present the long awaited European Championship second round qualifying matches (June 2 - Nov 21) for EURO 2008 to all the true soccer fans from all over the world! Subscribe to JumpTV and watch the upcoming exciting matches online............
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Four years ago Greece made a miracle by winning EURO cup. Otto Rehhagel's led an unheralded Greek side to triumph at UEFA Euro 2004 following a 1-0 win in the final against Portugal making his place in the nation's footballing history. The second season of qualifying matches will begin from 2nd June, 2007. Group C is topped by rivals Turkey and Greece with 13 and 12 points. The first match for Greece in the second round qualifiers will be with Hungary on June 2nd and the next with Moldova on June 6th. Greek look to take advantage of these two matches to overtake Turkey at the Group C summit. Would Greece be able to make it again? Watch the upcoming exciting matches online with JumpTV.
Greece Squad
Goalkeepers : Antonis Nikopolidis, Konstantinos Chalkias.
Defenders : Giorkas Seitaridis, Sotririos Kyrgiakos, Panagiotis Fyssas, Georgios Anatolakis, Loukas Vintra, Yannis Goumas, Vasilios Torosidis, Traianos Dellas, Nikolaos Spiropoulos.
Midfielders : Stelios Giannakopoulos, Angelos Basinas, Giorgos Karagounis, Konstantinos Katsouranis, Alexandros Tziolis.
Forwards : Ioannis Amanatidis, Angelos Charisteas, Theofanis Gekas, Georgios Samaras, Nikolaos Liberopoulos, Dimitrios Papadopoulos, Dimitrios Salpgidis.
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Zdenek Grygera, the 27-year-old defender will be left out of the Czech Republic squad to play the Euro 2008 qualifier against Wales next month due to left knee injury. Coach Karel Bruckner, has replaced Tomas Zapotocny from Udinese for Grygera in the 19-man squad. Captain Tomas Rosicky, goalkeeper Petr Cech, striker Lubos Pecka were also included the team. The first match for Czech Republic in the second round qualifiers will be the June 2 match with Cyprus in Cardiff .
Czech Republic Squad:
Goalkeepers: Petr Cech, Jaromir Blazek
Defenders: Marek Jankulovski, Martin Jiranek, Radoslav Kovac, David Rozehnal, Tomas Ujfalusi, Tomas Zapotocny.
Midfielders: Tomas Galasek, David Jarolim, Marek Matejovsky, Jaroslav Plasil, Jan Polak, Tomas Rosicky, Tomas Sivok.
Forwards: Milan Baros, Jan Koller, Marek Kulic, Lubos Pecka.JUMPTV together with SPORT FIVE – Europe's leading sports rights marketing company, is glad to present the long awaited European Championship second round qualifying matches (June 2 - Nov 21) for EURO 2008 to all the true soccer fans from all over the world! Subscribe to JumpTV and watch these exciting matches online.............
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EURO 2008 Qualifying Matches
The European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by the UEFA. The (Union of European Football Associations( UEFA ) is the administrative and controlling body for European football.The first ever Euro competition took place in 1960 under the name of European Nations' Cup and included four teams that won a qualifying phase held over 2 years. The name of the tournament was changed to UEFA European Championship in 1968, also the year when the actual qualifying format was adopted. Euro Championshp is held every 4 years, two years from the World cup. From an obscure football tournament, the euro became a very important competition, the most important national team tournament in Europe.
The Euro has a very challenging qualifying round that stretches over two years and in which 50 national teams are divided in seven groups, six of them consisting of seven countries and one of eight. The countries hosting the championship will be automatically qualified for the event. The end of the qualifying round see the winners of the groups go straight to the tournament and the runner's up have to participate in a knock out. The Euro 2008 will take place in Austria and Switzerland and will start on 7 June 2008 and will end with the final on 29 June.
Ten countries have clinched Europe's most valuable football trophies: Soviet Union 1960, Spain1964, Italy 1968, Germany 1972 & 1980 & 1996, Czechoslovakia 1976, France 1984 & 2000, Netherlands 1988, Denmark 1992 and Greece 2004.
JUMPTV together with SPORT FIVE – Europe's leading sports rights marketing company, is glad to present the long awaited European Championship second round qualifying matches (June 2 - Nov 21) for EURO 2008 to all the true soccer fans from all over the world! Subscribe to JumpTV and watch the upcoming exciting matches online...........
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