Ballack lets 2nd chance at Cup final slip

If heroism in football is about seizing the moment, Germany captain Michael Ballack could not quite live up to the role on Tuesday as he let a second chance of playing in a World Cup final slip through his grasp.

Grosso becomes Italy's unlikely hero

Defender Fabio Grosso, who was playing fourth division football only five years ago, was struggling to take in the fact that he had booked Italy into the World Cup final after Tuesday's 2-0 win over Germany.

Japan's Nakata retires from soccer

Japanese midfielder Hidetoshi Nakata, one of the most famous Asian players of his generation, has announced his retirement from professional football, his website has said.

Scolari reveals Chinese hand in his success story

The basis for the strategy that has won Luiz Felipe Scolari 12 straight games as a coach at the World Cup isn't some New Age philosophy - it's more than 2,400 years old.

Roberto Carlos quits Brazilian national team

Costa Rica coach quits after dismal World Cup

Costa Rica coach Alexandre Guimaraes resigned on Monday after his team's dismal performances at the World Cup in Germany where the Central American nation suffered three straight defeats.

Big players have to light up World Cup semifinals

Zinedine Zidane knows the best way to end his career will be by winning another World Cup.Luis Figo bids to help Portugal win its first title while Michael Ballack and Francesco Totti are pushing Germany and Italy to their fourth World Cup crowns.

Cry! You're at the World Cup

The football may not always be flowing at the World Cup but the tears are very much on show

Ballack becomes face of Germany

Three weeks of sparkling soccer has done what six decades of soul-searching could not: It's made Germans proud to be German again, and prouder still of national team captain Michael Ballack, the communist sports prodigy who left the East to become a capitalist star in the West.

Germany's Frings suspended for World Cup semifinal

Germany's Torsten Frings was banned from the World Cup semifinals after a disciplinary committee found he punched Argentina forward Julio Cruz in a post-match fracas in the quarterfinals.

Maradona says Germans are big but don't know how to play

Argentina soccer great Diego Maradona doesn't think much of the host team at the World Cup, saying the Germans don't have much going for them apart from brawn.

Portugal gets big moment instead of Brazil

A Portuguese-speaking team in the World Cup final four is almost always a given. Just not this one.