This is one of those too good to be true stories.

Apparently the crazy Brazilian proposed to a Swedish footballer named Johanna Almgren within hours of meeting her at the Olympics.

She was getting all star-struck and flirty, then hours later she got a call on behalf of 'dinho. Click to continue reading...

Anyone that knows me knows that I really aspire to be part of the ‘cool' crowd that goes to Faces and Movida more than I actually care about being a footballer, and this story underlines just exactly why. Not only do loads of Big Brother wasters frequent the clubs in the vain hope that someone of slight ethnicity might accidently trip and knock them up, page 3 models genuinely fight over you, even if you're a pint-sized loser like Jermain Defoe. Click to continue reading...

Rafa Benitez has revealed there is a new buzz around Melwood following the return of our Olympic trio – but neither Javier Mascherano nor Lucas will feature against Standard Liege.

The Champions League qualifier comes too soon for the pair following their Beijing exploits, though both are fighting for a place in the starting XI versus Aston Villa on Sunday. Click to continue reading...

Something to read while Charlie bites you... What will happen in Florence this season? (Fiorentina Offside) Reflections on a very short World Cup qualifying campaign (Panama WCB) Angry with Arsene (Arsenole) The end of Fulhamerica? (Soccer by Ives) Guinness really is good for you (Gear Crave) Tad Christie - intenational homeless footballer (Knowledgeplex) Eredivisie predictions (Netherlands WCB) Click to continue reading...

After the drudgery of two awful premiership performances in a row, it is clear that Liverpool need to sign at least one dedicated winger before the transfer deadline. Stewart Downing is once again in the frame but it seems that many fans just don't want him. However, in my view, Downing could be just the player Liverpool need to bring some much needed balance to the team. Click to continue reading...

For those of you not familiar with Martin Samuel - and I'm guessing that since most readers are Yanks, it's a high percentage - do yourselves a favor and read his musings on Steven Gerrard. Samuel is the best English soccer columnist at work today, and while the The Times sometimes makes it hard to find his articles, you should try to check him out as often as possible. Click to continue reading...

Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano has become the first Argentinian footballer in history to win two Olympic gold medals.

Javier Mascherano helped the Albiceleste beat Nigeria 1-0 in this morning's Olympic final in Beijing‘s Bird‘s Nest Stadium, the winning goal for the South Americans being scored by Angel Di Maria in the 58th minute. Click to continue reading...

Come to Wearside, my pretties These days Roy Keane and Sunderland seem to be taking a Panini sticker approach to the transfer market ("got, got, got, need, got"). Either that or they have drafted in Barry Fry to work behind the scenes because the Black Cats seem to be assembling a HUGE squad. Click to continue reading...

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard's wife claims that her superstar husband is so obsessed with being clean that he won't even walk barefoot on a beach.

Recalling their first wedding anniversary getaway to Miami in June, Alex, 25, told the Daily Mirror: 'We didn't leave the pool on holiday because Steven doesn't like to get his feet dirty in the sand. Click to continue reading...

At the time, somehow it slipped quite under the radar that back in June the FIFA powers-that-be ruled that Adrian Mutu owed Chelsea the princely sum of £9.6million for the whole cocaine debacle that led to the termination of his contract and subsequent free move abroad to Juventus. Now though, after a further two months of appeals, FIFA's pompously-titled Disputes Resolution Chamber has decided that close to £10million was clearly just a ridiculous sum for an individual to pay, even a footballer. Click to continue reading...

There's a line from the Simpsons when Principal Skinner and Groundskeeper Willie meet up after the summer holidays. Skinner asks Willie how his summer went to which he replies "I made millions in Software and blew it all on the track". Every time I think of Dietmar Hopp, I think of that line.

Hopp is the ex-footballer and software billionaire owner who bought TSG Hoffenheim and took them from non-league obscurity to the Bundesliga in a few years. Click to continue reading...

Following the squad announcement of the England national team for their friendly encounter with Czech Republic, the stunning re-emergence of Emile Heskey into the international setup is a decision which has to be looked at with considerable surprise. The Wigan striker has a worthy 45 caps to his name and it is clear that Capello is one of Heskey's leading supporters, but is it not time to give others a chance rather than reverting back to old tactics? Click to continue reading...

Football Liverpool: Alonso asks to leave as Anfield's dirty washing goes public

In the latest development in the ongoing transfer sagas at Anfield, Xabi Alonso has asked to leave Liverpool, reportedly requesting to be sold to AC Milan or Arsenal, fearing his football will be limited if he stays at Liverpool. Click to continue reading...

Martin O'Neil has been linked with another mediocre English footballer, this time Newcastle winger James Milner. Although Milner does show occasional bursts of promise, I don't really feel he is a top class player. However, at a club like Villa it may be different. O'Neil has a knack of bringing the best out of players, [. Click to continue reading...

He was supposed to change MLS and soccer in America forever. David Beckham's signing in January 2007 with the LA Galaxy was supposed to elevate his new club and by extension its league to heights never experienced before. Eighteen months later all parties (except AEG, the Galaxy's owners who have made a killing off the Beckham name) must ponder whether it was really worthwhile.

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Former France soccerstar Zinedine Zidane appointed as the newest ambassador of IWC Schaffhausen, The Swiss watch manufacturer. To dedicate Zidane, IWC Schaffhausen will launch a special model to him: the Ingenieur Automatic Edition Zinédine Zidane and will be available in a globally limited edition of 1,000 watches.

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There's just something about the name Jermaine that conjures up an instant image that the owner is a moron. I'm not being racist, or class-ist, it's just that all available empirical evidence confirms this. King of the Morons is obviously Jermain Defoe, but since he's been disappointingly quiet recently, I'd like to take some time now to talk about one of his old pals, Jermaine Pennant. Click to continue reading...

What the hell has happened to Freddie Ljungberg?!

Things seem to go from bad to worse for him. He has now been released from his contract at West Ham after one injury plagued season.

OK the "mutual departure" has left Freddie with a huge amount of money in his back burner but there is even talk of him now retiring. Click to continue reading...

England's record all-time goalscorer, is a player and man to be admired. He suffered great tragedy and scaled great heights during his career. Don't forget to check out Online Football Manager! Born in Ashington, County Durham, the centre of the old coal mining industry, Robert Charlton would become the finest footballer England . Click to continue reading...

The endless transfer rumors do my head in. Honestly, haven't they gotten out of hand the past few years? From Zinedine Zidane and David Beckham's hilarious annoyance of a few years ago to Cristiano Ronaldo's supposed slavery this summer, haven't we had enough? (Common thread here? Real Madrid ... hmm .

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Saturday was a great day out at Old Trafford, watching Ole Gunnar Solskjaer play on our pitch for the last time. He walked on to the pitch with two of his kids, carrying the European Cup. The applause and cheering was deafening. Peter Schmeichel spoke to the crowd about what a magnificent footballer and person Solskjaer was, [. Click to continue reading...

Joey Barton's story is tragic - a promising and talented footballer who has made bad decisions, decisions that have now brought him to a crossroads in his life. Where he goes on from here and what he does with his career will depend a lot on how he views the past (whether he perceives himself [...] Click to continue reading...

This morning's Champions League third qualifying round draw paired Liverpool with Belgians Standard Liege. Here's your essential guide:

1) Like Liverpool, Standard Liege are known as ‘The Reds' because of their home strip.

2) The club was formed in 1900 by a group of the College of Saint-Servais in Liege. Click to continue reading...

That idiot of a President! No Not George W. I'm talking about Sepp Blatter, the FIFA president, who claimed 3 weeks ago that the modern footballer is a slave. It was obvious he was talking about Cristiano Ronaldo, Cristiano later stated "I completely agree with the FIFA president," This caused an uproar in the football community. Click to continue reading...

That crept up. It's the Champions League draw this morning in Switzerland, starting at 11am. There'll be at least an hour's preamble made up largely of middle-aged men congratulating one another before we find out who Arsenal have drawn. Here's who we could get and crossed fingers it's not Atletico Madrid or Galatasaray.

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