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Germany 4-0 Portugal: Muller hat-trick downs 10-man Seleccao
Thomas Muller scored a hat-trick as Germany thrashed 10-man Portugal 4-0 in their opening World Cup game.
Paulo Bento's side's chances of getting out of a tough Group G were placed in serious jeopardy as a Thomas Muller-inspired Germany put them to the sword in Salvador on Monday.
Muller - golden boot winner at the 2010 World Cup - continued his superb run at football's showpiece with a hat-trick, taking him to eight goals in seven appearances at the event.On his 50th Germany appearance, the Bayern Munich man fired his side in front from the penalty spot before Mats Hummels doubled their advantage with a towering 32nd-minute header.
Pepe then tangled with the forward and headbutted him as he sat on the floor, before their woes were compounded by Muller's second on the stroke of half-time.
If Bento thought things could not get worse for his side, he was wrong, as defender Fabio Coentrao was taken off on a stretcher with a suspected groin injury in the second half.And Muller sealed Germany's big win, capitalising on a Rui Patricio error to tap in with 12 minutes left.
And while the result was a serious statement of intent from Germany - who saw defender Hummels limp off with a late knee injury - Portugal were inexplicably bad, leaving them with an uphill battle to reach the last 16 with games against the USA and Ghana still to come.
Portugal's preparation was largely focused on Ronaldo, who has been plagued by thigh and knee problems in recent months, but he quickly proved his fitness with a sprint and strike at Germany goalkeeper Neuer after Miguel Veloso stripped Philipp Lahm of the ball.
Neuer's opposite number, Patricio, then gave Sami Khedira an excellent chance to open the scoring when he scuffed a horrendous clearance, but the midfielder saw his 40-yard snapshot curl agonisingly wide with the goalkeeper beaten.
Germany did not have to wait long to take the lead though, as Mario Gotze wriggled past Joao Pereira and was hauled down, allowing Muller to fire the resulting spot-kick into the bottom-left corner in the 12th minute.
Almeida limped off just before the half-hour mark, replaced by Eder, and they were soon two down when Hummels rose above Pepe and Bruno Alves to power a header past Patricio from Toni Kroos' outswinging corner.
There were still fleeting moments for Portugal fans to get excited about, as Nani broke well but missed Ronaldo with a pass, before Coentrao, perhaps surprised at finding himself on side, crossed for the talisman instead of shooting in a good position.
But Portugal's hopes quickly unravelled after Pepe's moment of madness.The centre-back put a hand in the face of Muller as the pair both battled for the ball and the German appeared to make the most of the contact.
But Pepe's decision to push his head into a sitting Muller left referee Milorad Mazic with no choice but to send him off.And there was still time for Germany to score again as Muller capped a truly miserable half for Bento's men.
Alves' attempted clearance hit Muller in second-half stoppage time, and the ball fell kindly for the forward, who pounced with a predatory left-foot finish that hit Patricio and went in.Muller nodded over in the second half after an Ozil effort was saved, while at the other end Portugal's plight was summed up when Nani and Coentrao ran into each other inside Germany's penalty area.
Muller then wrapped up the victory, finding himself in the right place to tap in after Patricio spilled a routine cross from substitute Andre Schurrle to seal his treble.
Thomas Muller scored a hat-trick as Germany thrashed 10-man Portugal 4-0 in their opening World Cup game.
Paulo Bento's side's chances of getting out of a tough Group G were placed in serious jeopardy as a Thomas Muller-inspired Germany put them to the sword in Salvador on Monday.
Muller - golden boot winner at the 2010 World Cup - continued his superb run at football's showpiece with a hat-trick, taking him to eight goals in seven appearances at the event.On his 50th Germany appearance, the Bayern Munich man fired his side in front from the penalty spot before Mats Hummels doubled their advantage with a towering 32nd-minute header.
Pepe then tangled with the forward and headbutted him as he sat on the floor, before their woes were compounded by Muller's second on the stroke of half-time.
If Bento thought things could not get worse for his side, he was wrong, as defender Fabio Coentrao was taken off on a stretcher with a suspected groin injury in the second half.And Muller sealed Germany's big win, capitalising on a Rui Patricio error to tap in with 12 minutes left.
And while the result was a serious statement of intent from Germany - who saw defender Hummels limp off with a late knee injury - Portugal were inexplicably bad, leaving them with an uphill battle to reach the last 16 with games against the USA and Ghana still to come.
Portugal's preparation was largely focused on Ronaldo, who has been plagued by thigh and knee problems in recent months, but he quickly proved his fitness with a sprint and strike at Germany goalkeeper Neuer after Miguel Veloso stripped Philipp Lahm of the ball.
Neuer's opposite number, Patricio, then gave Sami Khedira an excellent chance to open the scoring when he scuffed a horrendous clearance, but the midfielder saw his 40-yard snapshot curl agonisingly wide with the goalkeeper beaten.
Germany did not have to wait long to take the lead though, as Mario Gotze wriggled past Joao Pereira and was hauled down, allowing Muller to fire the resulting spot-kick into the bottom-left corner in the 12th minute.
Almeida limped off just before the half-hour mark, replaced by Eder, and they were soon two down when Hummels rose above Pepe and Bruno Alves to power a header past Patricio from Toni Kroos' outswinging corner.
There were still fleeting moments for Portugal fans to get excited about, as Nani broke well but missed Ronaldo with a pass, before Coentrao, perhaps surprised at finding himself on side, crossed for the talisman instead of shooting in a good position.
But Portugal's hopes quickly unravelled after Pepe's moment of madness.The centre-back put a hand in the face of Muller as the pair both battled for the ball and the German appeared to make the most of the contact.
But Pepe's decision to push his head into a sitting Muller left referee Milorad Mazic with no choice but to send him off.And there was still time for Germany to score again as Muller capped a truly miserable half for Bento's men.
Alves' attempted clearance hit Muller in second-half stoppage time, and the ball fell kindly for the forward, who pounced with a predatory left-foot finish that hit Patricio and went in.Muller nodded over in the second half after an Ozil effort was saved, while at the other end Portugal's plight was summed up when Nani and Coentrao ran into each other inside Germany's penalty area.
Muller then wrapped up the victory, finding himself in the right place to tap in after Patricio spilled a routine cross from substitute Andre Schurrle to seal his treble.
Iran 0-0 Nigeria: Super Eagles held in drab stalemate
Iran and Nigeria were forced to settle for the first draw of the 2014 World Cup on Monday as there were no goals in Curitiba.
Nigeria dominated possession in the Group F fixture at Arena da Baixada – particularly in the first half – but a disciplined defensive performance from the Iranians ensured the spoils were shared.After a handful of early chances, the African nation failed to make the most of their pressure, seeing attacking moves fail in the final third time and again.
And Iran, whose best chance to score came courtesy of a first-half header from Reza Ghoochannejad, saw their persistence pay off as they held on for a point.
Argentina now lead the group by two points after their 2-1 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Sunday.
Nigeria named Fenerbahce frontman Emmanuel Emenike as their sole striker, but it was winger Victor Moses who got the first sight of goal, drilling a tame effort comfortably into the arms of goalkeeper Alireza Haghighi.
The Africa Cup of Nations champions had the ball in the back of the net from a corner in the eighth minute, but the whistle had already blown as Haghighi was somewhat fortuitously awarded a free-kick after a coming together with John Obi Mikel.Iran were struggling to get a foothold in the match, and Ogenyi Onazi was next to fire a warning signal by sending the ball dribbling wide of the left-hand upright.
For all their possession, Nigeria were not working Haghighi hard enough in the Iranian goal, and Stephen Keshi was forced to bring Joseph Yobo on for Godfrey Oboabona on the half-hour mark after the defender had earlier landed awkwardly in an aerial challenge with Ghoochannejad.
Iran – growing in confidence as the half progressed - almost punished their opponents’ profligacy four minutes later when a Ghoochannejad header from a corner forced Vincent Enyeama into a reflex save.
Keshi threw on Shola Ameobi seven minutes into the second half in a bid to give Nigeria more cutting edge in the final third, but it continued to be a tale of frustration as clear-cut chances continued to elude his side.Iran had never previously kept a clean sheet at the World Cup finals, and their defensive approach drew whistles and heckles from fans in the green and white Nigeria.
Goalscoring chances became an increasingly rare occurrence and Nigeria will see this as a huge chance wasted with matches against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Argentina to follow.
Iran’s next fixture is against group leaders Argentina on Saturday.
Iran and Nigeria were forced to settle for the first draw of the 2014 World Cup on Monday as there were no goals in Curitiba.
Nigeria dominated possession in the Group F fixture at Arena da Baixada – particularly in the first half – but a disciplined defensive performance from the Iranians ensured the spoils were shared.After a handful of early chances, the African nation failed to make the most of their pressure, seeing attacking moves fail in the final third time and again.
And Iran, whose best chance to score came courtesy of a first-half header from Reza Ghoochannejad, saw their persistence pay off as they held on for a point.
Argentina now lead the group by two points after their 2-1 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Sunday.
Nigeria named Fenerbahce frontman Emmanuel Emenike as their sole striker, but it was winger Victor Moses who got the first sight of goal, drilling a tame effort comfortably into the arms of goalkeeper Alireza Haghighi.
The Africa Cup of Nations champions had the ball in the back of the net from a corner in the eighth minute, but the whistle had already blown as Haghighi was somewhat fortuitously awarded a free-kick after a coming together with John Obi Mikel.Iran were struggling to get a foothold in the match, and Ogenyi Onazi was next to fire a warning signal by sending the ball dribbling wide of the left-hand upright.
For all their possession, Nigeria were not working Haghighi hard enough in the Iranian goal, and Stephen Keshi was forced to bring Joseph Yobo on for Godfrey Oboabona on the half-hour mark after the defender had earlier landed awkwardly in an aerial challenge with Ghoochannejad.
Iran – growing in confidence as the half progressed - almost punished their opponents’ profligacy four minutes later when a Ghoochannejad header from a corner forced Vincent Enyeama into a reflex save.
Keshi threw on Shola Ameobi seven minutes into the second half in a bid to give Nigeria more cutting edge in the final third, but it continued to be a tale of frustration as clear-cut chances continued to elude his side.Iran had never previously kept a clean sheet at the World Cup finals, and their defensive approach drew whistles and heckles from fans in the green and white Nigeria.
Goalscoring chances became an increasingly rare occurrence and Nigeria will see this as a huge chance wasted with matches against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Argentina to follow.
Iran’s next fixture is against group leaders Argentina on Saturday.
Kovac promises attacking Croatia
Niko Kovac has promised to deliver an attacking Croatia when his nation take on Cameroon on Wednesday evening.
Croatia were beaten 3-1 by Brazil in their World Cup opener last Thursday but were unfortunate to concede a harsh penalty and have a goal of their own disallowed having troubled the Selecao throughout the 90 minutes.
Cameroon are next up in Group A at the Arena Amazon, Manaus on Wednesday evening, with both sides knowing that defeat could put them out of the tournament.
As a result, Kovac plans to set his side up in a more offensive system and take the game to the African nation in a bid to get back on track.
"Against Cameroon it will be a completely different game. It was difficult to attack Brazil, we had to look through counter-attacks, but against Cameroon we will have greater ball possession and seek dominance.
"The first goal will be an advantage, it would be good to go in to half-time with a positive result. We know all about Cameroon, we analysed them like Brazil and will set our tactics accordingly.
"Our goal is to take the three points, and this is a game with growing importance."
The coach also seemed unfazed by the testing conditions in Manaus, stating that his side have profited from more rest than their rivals: "I think a rest day is always useful. Everyone has recovered.”After the match against Cameroon, Croatia will face Mexico in Recife on June 23 in their final group game.
Niko Kovac has promised to deliver an attacking Croatia when his nation take on Cameroon on Wednesday evening.
Croatia were beaten 3-1 by Brazil in their World Cup opener last Thursday but were unfortunate to concede a harsh penalty and have a goal of their own disallowed having troubled the Selecao throughout the 90 minutes.
Cameroon are next up in Group A at the Arena Amazon, Manaus on Wednesday evening, with both sides knowing that defeat could put them out of the tournament.
As a result, Kovac plans to set his side up in a more offensive system and take the game to the African nation in a bid to get back on track.
"Against Cameroon it will be a completely different game. It was difficult to attack Brazil, we had to look through counter-attacks, but against Cameroon we will have greater ball possession and seek dominance.
"The first goal will be an advantage, it would be good to go in to half-time with a positive result. We know all about Cameroon, we analysed them like Brazil and will set our tactics accordingly.
"Our goal is to take the three points, and this is a game with growing importance."
The coach also seemed unfazed by the testing conditions in Manaus, stating that his side have profited from more rest than their rivals: "I think a rest day is always useful. Everyone has recovered.”After the match against Cameroon, Croatia will face Mexico in Recife on June 23 in their final group game.
Oxlade-Chamberlain hands England fitness boost
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has handed England a timely fitness boost after he trained with the rest of the squad ahead of Thursday's crucial World Cup clash with Uruguay.
The Arsenal midfielder joined the 23-man squad at the Three Lions’ training camp in Urca on Monday with heavy strapping around the knee injury sustained in the friendly against Ecuador on June 4.
England manager Roy Hodgson said last week he was hopeful that Oxlade-Chamberlain would be in contention to face Uruguay in Sao Paulo, and he appeared to move freely during a series of training exercises.
Back in contention | Oxlade-Chamberlain is put through his pace
There appear to be no other injury concerns for Hodgson, who held a lengthy conversation with captain Steven Gerrard at the start of the training session.
England lost their Group D opener 2-1 against Italy in Manaus on Saturday and are now preparing to face Uruguay in a game that will be pivotal to their hopes of qualifying for the second round.
"We won't panic," Hodgson said after the Italy defeat. "It was as positive performance as I have seen from us.
“It gives me great hope going forward, not just the next two games, but further than that because we have players here who will develop into very strong players."
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has handed England a timely fitness boost after he trained with the rest of the squad ahead of Thursday's crucial World Cup clash with Uruguay.
The Arsenal midfielder joined the 23-man squad at the Three Lions’ training camp in Urca on Monday with heavy strapping around the knee injury sustained in the friendly against Ecuador on June 4.
England manager Roy Hodgson said last week he was hopeful that Oxlade-Chamberlain would be in contention to face Uruguay in Sao Paulo, and he appeared to move freely during a series of training exercises.
Back in contention | Oxlade-Chamberlain is put through his pace
There appear to be no other injury concerns for Hodgson, who held a lengthy conversation with captain Steven Gerrard at the start of the training session.
England lost their Group D opener 2-1 against Italy in Manaus on Saturday and are now preparing to face Uruguay in a game that will be pivotal to their hopes of qualifying for the second round.
"We won't panic," Hodgson said after the Italy defeat. "It was as positive performance as I have seen from us.
“It gives me great hope going forward, not just the next two games, but further than that because we have players here who will develop into very strong players."
Southampton appoint Koeman
Southampton have confirmed the appointment of Ronaldo Koeman as the club's new first team manager.
The 51-year-old coach has agreed a three-year deal as successor to Mauricio Pochettino, who joined Tottenham last month.
A former Netherlands international, Koeman has won the Eredivisie three times as a manager and most recently finished second in the Dutch league with Feyenoord.
“I am thrilled to be the manager of Southampton football club,” Koeman said in a statement. “The opportunity to continue the development of this famous football club was simply too good to turn down.
“From my very first meeting with Les Reed, I could see clearly that this was the right club for me.
“We share the same philosophy of football, and the same belief in how to develop the club.”
Southampton have also appointed Koeman's brother, Erwin, as assistant manager, and Jan Kluitenberg as first team coach.
Southampton have confirmed the appointment of Ronaldo Koeman as the club's new first team manager.
The 51-year-old coach has agreed a three-year deal as successor to Mauricio Pochettino, who joined Tottenham last month.
A former Netherlands international, Koeman has won the Eredivisie three times as a manager and most recently finished second in the Dutch league with Feyenoord.
“I am thrilled to be the manager of Southampton football club,” Koeman said in a statement. “The opportunity to continue the development of this famous football club was simply too good to turn down.
“From my very first meeting with Les Reed, I could see clearly that this was the right club for me.
“We share the same philosophy of football, and the same belief in how to develop the club.”
Southampton have also appointed Koeman's brother, Erwin, as assistant manager, and Jan Kluitenberg as first team coach.
Cabaye: I understand Gerrard
France midfielder Yohan Cabaye says he understands Steven Gerrard’s complaints about Honduras following their opening World Cup match.
Didier Deschamps' men began their World Cup campaign in emphatic fashion with a 3-0 victory at the Estadio Beira-Rio in Porto Alegre on Sunday evening.
Sharp finishes from Karim Benzema came either side of a Noel Valladares own goal as France saw off their opponents in style to go top of Group E.
The game was notable for the regular fouling and occasional brutality of the Hondurans; as the central Americans picked up four yellows and one red card during the 90 minutes.
The influential Wilson Palacios was dismissed for two bookable offences, but could easily have been sent off moments earlier for a stamp on Paul Pogba.
The aggressive approach by Honduras was also experienced by England in a pre-tournament friendly, prompting Steven Gerrard, among others, to complain.
“We had seen some videos,” Cabaye said in an interview with L’Equipe. “Steven Gerrard complained. Now I understand better why.“We knew what style of game to adopt, it was necessary not to enter theirs. They were logically disabled by having one player less.”
Cabaye started the match and was influential, playing a key part in France’s opening goals.“It’s satisfying. We must continue, to think collectively and to play to win.
“Victories, these are what allow you to have a more positive vision for the future.”
The Paris Saint-Germain midfielder looked towards the future, but refused to be precise about France’s chances in the competition.
“Winning our first match like that, it’s good for morale, good for the future.“The competition has only just begun. The most important thing was to win the first match. We will see in time what we can do.
“There were good things, even at eleven against eleven when we twice hit the bar.”
France are next in action on Friday evening when they meet neighbours Switzerland in Salvador.
France midfielder Yohan Cabaye says he understands Steven Gerrard’s complaints about Honduras following their opening World Cup match.
Didier Deschamps' men began their World Cup campaign in emphatic fashion with a 3-0 victory at the Estadio Beira-Rio in Porto Alegre on Sunday evening.
Sharp finishes from Karim Benzema came either side of a Noel Valladares own goal as France saw off their opponents in style to go top of Group E.
The game was notable for the regular fouling and occasional brutality of the Hondurans; as the central Americans picked up four yellows and one red card during the 90 minutes.
The influential Wilson Palacios was dismissed for two bookable offences, but could easily have been sent off moments earlier for a stamp on Paul Pogba.
The aggressive approach by Honduras was also experienced by England in a pre-tournament friendly, prompting Steven Gerrard, among others, to complain.
“We had seen some videos,” Cabaye said in an interview with L’Equipe. “Steven Gerrard complained. Now I understand better why.“We knew what style of game to adopt, it was necessary not to enter theirs. They were logically disabled by having one player less.”
Cabaye started the match and was influential, playing a key part in France’s opening goals.“It’s satisfying. We must continue, to think collectively and to play to win.
“Victories, these are what allow you to have a more positive vision for the future.”
The Paris Saint-Germain midfielder looked towards the future, but refused to be precise about France’s chances in the competition.
“Winning our first match like that, it’s good for morale, good for the future.“The competition has only just begun. The most important thing was to win the first match. We will see in time what we can do.
“There were good things, even at eleven against eleven when we twice hit the bar.”
France are next in action on Friday evening when they meet neighbours Switzerland in Salvador.
Rooney: I don’t expect to start for England
Wayne Rooney insists he does not takes his place in the England team for granted and has never expected to start every match for the Three Lions.
The Manchester United man has yet to score a World Cup goal and was forced to play wide on the left against Italy, with Raheem Sterling preferred in the No.10 role.
There have been calls for Roy Hodgson to drop Rooney for England’s next clash against Uruguay on Thursday and the striker admits he is not certain of his place in the side.
“I’ve never felt that. I don’t know why you said that. Why would I feel my place in the team is guaranteed?” he told reporters.
“I work hard to try and get into that team. I have never said my place is guaranteed. I don’t expect to play, I work hard. I want to play.
“We have got a lot of good, young players so we will all work hard, all give the manager different options, different choices and whoever he picks, then I am sure we will all respect that.”
Rooney also insisted he was back to full fitness after recovering from a groin problem and said the heat in Brazil had not affected him.
“I know I have run a lot in games and I have no problem doing that. I felt no problems at all,” he added.
“To be honest, I can only speak on behalf of myself, I felt absolutely fine. The weather was not an issue, so that’s down to the manager [selection on Thursday].
“Obviously he will see over the next couple of days how the lads are and how they recover and will make his decision from there.”
Wayne Rooney insists he does not takes his place in the England team for granted and has never expected to start every match for the Three Lions.
The Manchester United man has yet to score a World Cup goal and was forced to play wide on the left against Italy, with Raheem Sterling preferred in the No.10 role.
There have been calls for Roy Hodgson to drop Rooney for England’s next clash against Uruguay on Thursday and the striker admits he is not certain of his place in the side.
“I’ve never felt that. I don’t know why you said that. Why would I feel my place in the team is guaranteed?” he told reporters.
“I work hard to try and get into that team. I have never said my place is guaranteed. I don’t expect to play, I work hard. I want to play.
“We have got a lot of good, young players so we will all work hard, all give the manager different options, different choices and whoever he picks, then I am sure we will all respect that.”
Rooney also insisted he was back to full fitness after recovering from a groin problem and said the heat in Brazil had not affected him.
“I know I have run a lot in games and I have no problem doing that. I felt no problems at all,” he added.
“To be honest, I can only speak on behalf of myself, I felt absolutely fine. The weather was not an issue, so that’s down to the manager [selection on Thursday].
“Obviously he will see over the next couple of days how the lads are and how they recover and will make his decision from there.”
Diego Costa: Why I'm joining Chelsea
Diego Costa's decision to leave new Spanish champions Atletico Madrid for English football was motivated by a desire to play for "one of the greatest clubs in the world", says the striker.
Jose Mourinho's Chelsea have agreed to meet the centre forward's release clause - in a deal that, including agents' fees, will cost them £35 million - and struck personal terms that will make him one of their best-paid players.
"Why would I have chosen to play for Chelsea? It is a thing that is about to happen," Costa told Goal. "Things are going in a direction and, if they keep going as they are going, it is the team I will play for in the next season.
"I've wanted to play in the Premier League for a while. Chelsea are one of the greatest clubs of the world so there are many factors that make you take a decision like this."
Part of the Brazilian's attraction for the Blues boss is his physically domineering and unconventional style - partially a product of spending his teenage years outside of the country's academy systems. He first represented a top-tier European side as an 18-year-old, having been signed by Sporting Braga's then-technical director Eladio Parames, a close friend of Mourinho.
He subsequently bounced around Portuguse and Spanish club football, joining Penafiel, Celta Vigo, Albacete, Valladolid, Rayo Vallecano and Atletico Madrid on either full transfers or loans. Only in his past two seasons in the Spanish capital did he reach double figures in goals scored, concluding with a spectacular haul of 36 from 52 appearances as Atleti won the title.
The 25-year-old is cautious about affirming expectations that his playing style is ideally suited to English football. "Every year is a different story, nothing is easy in life," he says. "I will have to work a lot to fit in with the style of the Premier League."
The striker was roundly booed by Brazilian spectators as he made his World Cup debut for Spain in Salvador, a city less than 300 kilometres from his birthplace, on Friday. He won Spain's penalty in the 5-1 defeat and declared himself unaffected by verbal abuse querying his sexuality.
"In Spain it happens to me in every stadium I play so I'm pretty much accustomed to it," Costa observed. "I had my right of choice so it's the same for the public, they have the right to choose to boo me. When you are on the pitch you don't think about those things. I saw it coming, I knew it was going to happen so I had my head ready for that."
The forward also countered suggestions that his Spanish team-mates had been affected by the continual name-calling. "From [last year's] Confederations Cup, they knew that here in Brazil the relationhip between Spain and the fans was a bit complicated," he argued. "They knew they wouldn't have the support of the public.
"It was a tough loss [but] a match like this happens now and then. There is a positive side which is that we still have a chance, so we have to keep our heads up because there are two finals to be played. There is nothing better than a next match to try to forget this one."
Diego Costa's decision to leave new Spanish champions Atletico Madrid for English football was motivated by a desire to play for "one of the greatest clubs in the world", says the striker.
Jose Mourinho's Chelsea have agreed to meet the centre forward's release clause - in a deal that, including agents' fees, will cost them £35 million - and struck personal terms that will make him one of their best-paid players.
"Why would I have chosen to play for Chelsea? It is a thing that is about to happen," Costa told Goal. "Things are going in a direction and, if they keep going as they are going, it is the team I will play for in the next season.
"I've wanted to play in the Premier League for a while. Chelsea are one of the greatest clubs of the world so there are many factors that make you take a decision like this."
Part of the Brazilian's attraction for the Blues boss is his physically domineering and unconventional style - partially a product of spending his teenage years outside of the country's academy systems. He first represented a top-tier European side as an 18-year-old, having been signed by Sporting Braga's then-technical director Eladio Parames, a close friend of Mourinho.
He subsequently bounced around Portuguse and Spanish club football, joining Penafiel, Celta Vigo, Albacete, Valladolid, Rayo Vallecano and Atletico Madrid on either full transfers or loans. Only in his past two seasons in the Spanish capital did he reach double figures in goals scored, concluding with a spectacular haul of 36 from 52 appearances as Atleti won the title.
The 25-year-old is cautious about affirming expectations that his playing style is ideally suited to English football. "Every year is a different story, nothing is easy in life," he says. "I will have to work a lot to fit in with the style of the Premier League."
The striker was roundly booed by Brazilian spectators as he made his World Cup debut for Spain in Salvador, a city less than 300 kilometres from his birthplace, on Friday. He won Spain's penalty in the 5-1 defeat and declared himself unaffected by verbal abuse querying his sexuality.
"In Spain it happens to me in every stadium I play so I'm pretty much accustomed to it," Costa observed. "I had my right of choice so it's the same for the public, they have the right to choose to boo me. When you are on the pitch you don't think about those things. I saw it coming, I knew it was going to happen so I had my head ready for that."
The forward also countered suggestions that his Spanish team-mates had been affected by the continual name-calling. "From [last year's] Confederations Cup, they knew that here in Brazil the relationhip between Spain and the fans was a bit complicated," he argued. "They knew they wouldn't have the support of the public.
"It was a tough loss [but] a match like this happens now and then. There is a positive side which is that we still have a chance, so we have to keep our heads up because there are two finals to be played. There is nothing better than a next match to try to forget this one."
I'm proud of Juventus interest, admits Lukaku
Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku admits he is proud to hear of reported interest from Juventus.
The 21-year-old is likely to leave Chelsea this summer following his return from a loan spell at Everton, with Wolfsburg among the clubs thought to be interested in his signature.
Italian champions Juve have emerged in recent days as reported frontrunners in the race for his signature and Lukaku concedes the rumours are welcome to hear.
"I'm proud of Juventus' interest in me, but I'm just thinking of Belgium for now," he is quoted as saying by Sky Italia.
Marc Wilmots' men have not been at a World Cup since South Korea/Japan in 2002, when they reached the round of 16.
The appearance was Belgium's sixth in succession, making their absence from the 2006 and 2010 finals all the more glaring, and Chelsea striker Lukaku said the European nation will be desperate to perform.
"It's been 12 years that we haven't played in a big tournament, so now we are here and hopefully we will show the people that we can play good football," Lukaku said.
"We don't feel much pressure, we are a young team, we are relaxed, everybody is confident in themselves.
"We have a good team, we have already played for four years together so we are ready now.
"We all started [our preparations] in Belgium before we left so we know how it is to play in Belgium but it's obviously a great moment to play for your country and especially at a World Cup.
"We are all very proud we are Belgian so now we have a chance to represent our country at the greatest competition in the world."
Lukaku, 21, said the feats of past heroes at World Cups makes playing at the event all the more special.
"The World Cup is a bigger dream because all the big players played at a World Cup like Ronaldo, Thierry Henry, [Zinedine] Zidane. They all played at a World Cup.
"So now we are here but it's not about me, it's about my team-mates.
"We are here as a team, it has been 12 years now so we want to perform well."
Belgium open their Group H campaign against Algeria in Belo Horizonte on Tuesday, and Lukaku said the challenge should be similar to that presented to them in their recent 1-0 friendly win over Tunisia.
"[It will be] the same [type of] game as against Tunisia but they (Algeria) have more qualities.
"But we are ready, we have a lot of confidence in ourselves and we are here to show our best football and hopefully we will do well," he added.
Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku admits he is proud to hear of reported interest from Juventus.
The 21-year-old is likely to leave Chelsea this summer following his return from a loan spell at Everton, with Wolfsburg among the clubs thought to be interested in his signature.
Italian champions Juve have emerged in recent days as reported frontrunners in the race for his signature and Lukaku concedes the rumours are welcome to hear.
"I'm proud of Juventus' interest in me, but I'm just thinking of Belgium for now," he is quoted as saying by Sky Italia.
Marc Wilmots' men have not been at a World Cup since South Korea/Japan in 2002, when they reached the round of 16.
The appearance was Belgium's sixth in succession, making their absence from the 2006 and 2010 finals all the more glaring, and Chelsea striker Lukaku said the European nation will be desperate to perform.
"It's been 12 years that we haven't played in a big tournament, so now we are here and hopefully we will show the people that we can play good football," Lukaku said.
"We don't feel much pressure, we are a young team, we are relaxed, everybody is confident in themselves.
"We have a good team, we have already played for four years together so we are ready now.
"We all started [our preparations] in Belgium before we left so we know how it is to play in Belgium but it's obviously a great moment to play for your country and especially at a World Cup.
"We are all very proud we are Belgian so now we have a chance to represent our country at the greatest competition in the world."
Lukaku, 21, said the feats of past heroes at World Cups makes playing at the event all the more special.
"The World Cup is a bigger dream because all the big players played at a World Cup like Ronaldo, Thierry Henry, [Zinedine] Zidane. They all played at a World Cup.
"So now we are here but it's not about me, it's about my team-mates.
"We are here as a team, it has been 12 years now so we want to perform well."
Belgium open their Group H campaign against Algeria in Belo Horizonte on Tuesday, and Lukaku said the challenge should be similar to that presented to them in their recent 1-0 friendly win over Tunisia.
"[It will be] the same [type of] game as against Tunisia but they (Algeria) have more qualities.
"But we are ready, we have a lot of confidence in ourselves and we are here to show our best football and hopefully we will do well," he added.
Ghana enjoy being World Cup underdogs, says Gyan
Ghana forward Asamoah Gyan says his side are embracing their underdog status in a difficult group at the World Cup.
Little is expected of the Black Stars in a Group G which features Germany, Portugal and the United States.
But that matters little to Gyan, who said his side would relish the tag ahead of their opening game against the USA at the Arena das Dunas in Natal on Monday.
''We know that's what everybody thinks about Ghana, rating Ghana as underdogs and the other teams as favourites which is statistically the right thing, but in football you can't win with names anymore," Al-Ain striker Gyan told a news conference.
"It depends what you're going to do on the field. I think so far we've had a lot of surprises in the tournament.
"I can't say that's what will happen tomorrow but we believe in ourselves and we know what we need to do on the field. We enjoy being the underdogs and we will be ourselves and do the right thing."
Gyan said his team had all the belief they needed to overcome the USA in a key game, given the two European sides in the group are favoured to progress.
"Most of our players are playing well at their clubs, they are in great shape," he said.
"Talking about the United States team, they are a good side, we have fought them a couple of times, they are a very dangerous team but we don't think of the opponents but of ourselves first.
"We have to just build our confidence. When we get onto the field you have to adapt to what style they bring onto the field and then we play together.
"I don't know what is going to happen tomorrow. We are Ghana and I am expecting a win for Ghana. They will also be expecting a win for them so I don't know. It's going to be very interesting."
Ghana forward Asamoah Gyan says his side are embracing their underdog status in a difficult group at the World Cup.
Little is expected of the Black Stars in a Group G which features Germany, Portugal and the United States.
But that matters little to Gyan, who said his side would relish the tag ahead of their opening game against the USA at the Arena das Dunas in Natal on Monday.
''We know that's what everybody thinks about Ghana, rating Ghana as underdogs and the other teams as favourites which is statistically the right thing, but in football you can't win with names anymore," Al-Ain striker Gyan told a news conference.
"It depends what you're going to do on the field. I think so far we've had a lot of surprises in the tournament.
"I can't say that's what will happen tomorrow but we believe in ourselves and we know what we need to do on the field. We enjoy being the underdogs and we will be ourselves and do the right thing."
Gyan said his team had all the belief they needed to overcome the USA in a key game, given the two European sides in the group are favoured to progress.
"Most of our players are playing well at their clubs, they are in great shape," he said.
"Talking about the United States team, they are a good side, we have fought them a couple of times, they are a very dangerous team but we don't think of the opponents but of ourselves first.
"We have to just build our confidence. When we get onto the field you have to adapt to what style they bring onto the field and then we play together.
"I don't know what is going to happen tomorrow. We are Ghana and I am expecting a win for Ghana. They will also be expecting a win for them so I don't know. It's going to be very interesting."
Rooney failed against Italy, says Maradona
Diego Maradona believes Wayne Rooney failed on the biggest stage as England fell to a 2-1 defeat to Italy on Saturday.
Roy Hodgson opted to start the Manchester United striker on the left wing in Manaus for his side's Group D opener, with Rooney coming in for criticism for his failure to adequately shield full-back Leighton Baines from the marauding threat of Antonio Candreva, who provided the cross for Mario Balotelli's winner.
And Maradona has joined the list of the 28-year-old's critics, writing in his Times of India column: “It was an entertaining encounter where both teams tried to attack. Italy had more possession, but the young England side was remarkably speedy when they had the ball.
“Rooney, who is yet to score a World Cup goal, failed to produce the magic that was expected of him.”
However, the Argentina legend – who famously dumped England out of the 1986 World Cup – praised Hodgson's decision to select Raheem Sterling, and backed the Three Lions to take their good form into their do-or-die clash with Uruguay on Thursday.
“Hodgson gambled with Sterling and his move paid off,” he added. “In Euro 2012 the Italy-England match was totally dominated by the Azzurri, but on Saturday it was different.
“England showed their intent and with Uruguay's surprise 3-1 defeat to Costa Rica, Hodgson's team will have to play for survival against [Oscar] Tabarez's Uruguay in Sao Paulo.”
Yet Maradona reserved his most effusive praise for Andrea Pirlo, who dominated the midfield at the age of 35 and almost scored for Italy with a gravity-defying free kick late on.
“Pirlo's late free kick had beaten Hart and hit the bar,” he added. “It could have increased the margin of victory. Pirlo played a near-perfect match in his role of regista - one who controls the flow of the team's offensive play.
“No matter how hard England tried to equalise, it was too much for them.”
Diego Maradona believes Wayne Rooney failed on the biggest stage as England fell to a 2-1 defeat to Italy on Saturday.
Roy Hodgson opted to start the Manchester United striker on the left wing in Manaus for his side's Group D opener, with Rooney coming in for criticism for his failure to adequately shield full-back Leighton Baines from the marauding threat of Antonio Candreva, who provided the cross for Mario Balotelli's winner.
And Maradona has joined the list of the 28-year-old's critics, writing in his Times of India column: “It was an entertaining encounter where both teams tried to attack. Italy had more possession, but the young England side was remarkably speedy when they had the ball.
“Rooney, who is yet to score a World Cup goal, failed to produce the magic that was expected of him.”
However, the Argentina legend – who famously dumped England out of the 1986 World Cup – praised Hodgson's decision to select Raheem Sterling, and backed the Three Lions to take their good form into their do-or-die clash with Uruguay on Thursday.
“Hodgson gambled with Sterling and his move paid off,” he added. “In Euro 2012 the Italy-England match was totally dominated by the Azzurri, but on Saturday it was different.
“England showed their intent and with Uruguay's surprise 3-1 defeat to Costa Rica, Hodgson's team will have to play for survival against [Oscar] Tabarez's Uruguay in Sao Paulo.”
Yet Maradona reserved his most effusive praise for Andrea Pirlo, who dominated the midfield at the age of 35 and almost scored for Italy with a gravity-defying free kick late on.
“Pirlo's late free kick had beaten Hart and hit the bar,” he added. “It could have increased the margin of victory. Pirlo played a near-perfect match in his role of regista - one who controls the flow of the team's offensive play.
“No matter how hard England tried to equalise, it was too much for them.”
Benzema: Don't judge me on goals alone
Karim Benzema says he is proud of his display in France's 3-0 win over Honduras on Sunday, but insists he should not be judged on his goalscoring record alone.
The Real Madrid striker opened the scoring from the penalty spot before forcing an own goal from goalkeeper Noel Valladares, which saw goal-line technology brought into play for the first time during the World Cup.
Benzema then completed the comfortable win with a rifled finish later in the second half to justify his selection ahead of Olivier Giroud in Didier Deschamps' starting XI.
The 26-year-old went more than 1,200 minutes without scoring for France before netting against Australia last October, yet despite having now scored eight times in seven appearances for Les Bleus, he maintains there is far more to his game than finding the net.
"Personally, my objectives have been met. I had it in my head to have a good game, to win, and to play my football without any pressure, which I did," he is quoted as saying by L'Equipe.
"With the second goal, the ball hit the post and the keeper, and I saw straight away that the ball went in.
"I'm very happy and very proud. But the victory is the most important [thing]. Some judge me on the number of goals I score but, for me, the way I play counts for more."
Mathieu Valbuena put in a superb performance in attack for France and the Olympique de Marseille star was quick to praise his coach for his trust.
"It went very well," Valbuena told FIFA.com afterwards.
"You get days like that, when you realise that everything's going to go your way, that every pass could lead to an opportunity.
"But it was the team performance that made me feel at ease.
"We've continued the good run we've been on over the past few months, and there's a positive feeling running through the camp.
"That trust that he placed in me, that I managed to earn, shows me that when you do things well you get your just rewards.
"I know I've got important responsibilities within the team now, and that my team-mates trust me. That changes everything. Tough times are a part of life. I probably wouldn't be where I am today if everything had been easy."
Karim Benzema says he is proud of his display in France's 3-0 win over Honduras on Sunday, but insists he should not be judged on his goalscoring record alone.
The Real Madrid striker opened the scoring from the penalty spot before forcing an own goal from goalkeeper Noel Valladares, which saw goal-line technology brought into play for the first time during the World Cup.
Benzema then completed the comfortable win with a rifled finish later in the second half to justify his selection ahead of Olivier Giroud in Didier Deschamps' starting XI.
The 26-year-old went more than 1,200 minutes without scoring for France before netting against Australia last October, yet despite having now scored eight times in seven appearances for Les Bleus, he maintains there is far more to his game than finding the net.
"Personally, my objectives have been met. I had it in my head to have a good game, to win, and to play my football without any pressure, which I did," he is quoted as saying by L'Equipe.
"With the second goal, the ball hit the post and the keeper, and I saw straight away that the ball went in.
"I'm very happy and very proud. But the victory is the most important [thing]. Some judge me on the number of goals I score but, for me, the way I play counts for more."
Mathieu Valbuena put in a superb performance in attack for France and the Olympique de Marseille star was quick to praise his coach for his trust.
"It went very well," Valbuena told FIFA.com afterwards.
"You get days like that, when you realise that everything's going to go your way, that every pass could lead to an opportunity.
"But it was the team performance that made me feel at ease.
"We've continued the good run we've been on over the past few months, and there's a positive feeling running through the camp.
"That trust that he placed in me, that I managed to earn, shows me that when you do things well you get your just rewards.
"I know I've got important responsibilities within the team now, and that my team-mates trust me. That changes everything. Tough times are a part of life. I probably wouldn't be where I am today if everything had been easy."
Giroud 'disappointed' not to start for France
Olivier Giroud says he was “disappointed” to have been left out of France's starting XI for the 3-0 win over Honduras at the World Cup on Sunday.
A Karim Benzema double plus an own goal gave Didier Deschamps' side a convincing victory in Group E, with Giroud introduced in the 78th minute in place of Mathieu Valbuena.
But the Arsenal striker admits he was upset by Deschamps' decision to overlook him in his starting XI, despite playing some part in the match.
“Yes, it was a disappointment, I will not say otherwise,” he told L'Equipe. “But my little case does not come before the group. I am disappointed, but I respect the choices of the coach.”
However, Giroud insists he is “really happy” and believes the win could kick-start a major tilt at World Cup glory.
"It leaves a lot of energy. The time doesn't pass quickly, but I'm really happy,” he added.
“I hope it is the beginning of a beautiful story.”
France face Switzerland next, on June 20, before rounding off their group fixtures against Ecuador.
Olivier Giroud says he was “disappointed” to have been left out of France's starting XI for the 3-0 win over Honduras at the World Cup on Sunday.
A Karim Benzema double plus an own goal gave Didier Deschamps' side a convincing victory in Group E, with Giroud introduced in the 78th minute in place of Mathieu Valbuena.
But the Arsenal striker admits he was upset by Deschamps' decision to overlook him in his starting XI, despite playing some part in the match.
“Yes, it was a disappointment, I will not say otherwise,” he told L'Equipe. “But my little case does not come before the group. I am disappointed, but I respect the choices of the coach.”
However, Giroud insists he is “really happy” and believes the win could kick-start a major tilt at World Cup glory.
"It leaves a lot of energy. The time doesn't pass quickly, but I'm really happy,” he added.
“I hope it is the beginning of a beautiful story.”
France face Switzerland next, on June 20, before rounding off their group fixtures against Ecuador.
Manchester United link easily made - Blind
Netherlands defender Daley Blind has acknowledged rumours linking him with a move to Manchester United but is refusing to read too much into the latest round of transfer talk.
The 24-year-old played a pivotal role in the Oranje’s 5-1 victory over World Cup holders Spain in their Group B opener after creating goals for Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie from left-back.His excellent showing has led to speculation that Netherlands boss Louis van Gaal could bid to sign him for United ahead of taking charge at Old Trafford after the tournament.
However, while Blind has acknowledged he is aware of the rumours surrounding his future, the Ajax star feels the link is perhaps just a convenient one engineered by the media.“All the attention is a very big thing now,” he said. “But I try not to think about it too much and will stay with my feet on the ground.
“The link with Man United is easily made, because Robin [van Persie] is playing there and van Gaal takes over next season.”
Blind's current deal at the Amsterdam Arena expires in June 2016.
Netherlands defender Daley Blind has acknowledged rumours linking him with a move to Manchester United but is refusing to read too much into the latest round of transfer talk.
The 24-year-old played a pivotal role in the Oranje’s 5-1 victory over World Cup holders Spain in their Group B opener after creating goals for Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie from left-back.His excellent showing has led to speculation that Netherlands boss Louis van Gaal could bid to sign him for United ahead of taking charge at Old Trafford after the tournament.
However, while Blind has acknowledged he is aware of the rumours surrounding his future, the Ajax star feels the link is perhaps just a convenient one engineered by the media.“All the attention is a very big thing now,” he said. “But I try not to think about it too much and will stay with my feet on the ground.
“The link with Man United is easily made, because Robin [van Persie] is playing there and van Gaal takes over next season.”
Blind's current deal at the Amsterdam Arena expires in June 2016.
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