It seems that the new Argentina coach Diego Maradona wants Liverpool’s midfielder Javier Mascherano to captain the country. Maradona is a long-time admire of the hard-working player and according to FIFA.com had once mentioned “The only player that can’t be replaced in the national team is Javier Mascherano. In Argentina, it’s Mascherano plus ten.”

Spain coach Vicente del Bosque has called Barcelona striker Bojan Krkic for the upcoming World Cup 2010 qualifiers against Bosnia-Herzegovina and Armenia following this weekend’s injury to Liverpool’s Fernando Torres. Last week the highly-rated striker was courted by new Serbia coach Radomir Antic as he is also entitled to play for the Balkan nation, but both Bojan and Del Bosque insisted the player’s future was with Spain.

[via Soccernet]

Wales manager John Toshack and West Ham manager Alan Curbishley have agreed to let striker Craig Bellamy remain in London during the upcoming international break to continue his recovery from hamstring problem. After managing only a handful appearances last season, Bellamy returned to action for the Hammers when he came off the bench to score during the 4-1 win over Blackburn last Saturday.

[via Soccernet]

Brazilian Football Confederation confirmed that Sao Paulo’s midfielder Hernanes has been called up to replace his midfield counterpart Anderson in Dunga’s World Cup 2010 qualifiers squad against Chile and Bolivia. The Manchester United midfielder has been ruled out  with an undisclosed injury. Hernanes was part of the Brazil under-23 squad that took bronze at the Beijing Olympics last month.

[via Soccernet]

Five England-based players including striker Carlos Tevez (Manchester United) has been named in the Argentina squad for the upcoming World Cup 2010 Qualifiers against Paraguay and Peru. The others are Javier Mascherano (Liverpool), Fabricio Coloccini (Newcastle United), Jonas Gutierrez (Newcastle United) and Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City). Olypic heroes Juan Roman Riquelme (Boca Juniors) and Lionel Messi (Barcelona) are also included.

Argentina squad for World Cup 2010 qualifiers against Paraguay and Peru: Roberto Abbondanzieri (Getafe), Juan Pablo Carrizo (Lazio), Sergio Romero (AZ Alkmaar); Javier Zanetti (Internazionale), Daniel Diaz (Getafe), Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City), Gonzalo Rodriguez (Villarreal), Martin Demichelis (Bayern Munich), Fabricio Coloccini (Newcastle), Gabriel Heinze (Real Madrid); Juan Roman Riquelme, Sebastian Battaglia (both Boca Juniors), Jonas Gutierrez (Newcastle), Javier Mascherano (Liverpool), Fernando Gago (Real Madrid), Esteban Cambiasso (Internazionale), Angel Di Maria (Benfica), Andres D’Alessandro (Internacional); Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Carlos Tevez (Manchester United), Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid), German Denis (Napoli), Lisandro Lopez, (Porto).

[via Soccernet]

Despite the veterans disappointed performance during Euro 2008, Italy coach Marcello Lippi resists on calling young blood for the Azzuri’s upcoming 2010 World Cup qualifiers away to Cyprus on September 6 and at home to Georgia four days later. Instead he recalled almost the same core players as the one used by former coach Roberto Donadoni that includes players such as Fabio Cannavaro, Gianluca Zambrotta, Gennaro Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo and Alessandro Del Piero.

Goalkeepers: Marco Amelia (Palermo), Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Morgan De Sanctis (Galatasaray)

Defenders: Andrea Barzagli (VfL Wolfsburg), Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid), Marco Cassetti (AS Roma), Andrea Dossena (Liverpool), Alessandro Gamberini (Fiorentina), Fabio Grosso (Olympique Lyon), Nicola Legrottaglie (Juventus), Gianluca Zambrotta (AC Milan) Midfielders: Alberto Aquilani (AS Roma), Mauro Camoranesi (Juventus), Daniele De Rossi (AS Roma), Gennaro Gattuso (AC Milan), Angelo Palombo (Sampdoria), Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan) Forwards: Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus), Antonio Di Natale (Udinese), Alberto Gilardino (Fiorentina), Vincenzo Iaquinta (Juventus), Luca Toni (Bayern Munich)

[via Reuters and Soccernet]

New Serbia coach Radomir Antic calls off earlier attempt to persuade Barcelona striker Bojan Krkic to join his squad to avoid any problems. Last Monday Antic hinted that he may attempt to persuade the uncapped teenager, who was born in Spain to a Serbian father and a Catalan mother and has represented Spain at both Under-17 and Under-21 level, to play for Serbia. However, both Spain coach Vicente del Bosque and Bojan himself have since insisted the player’s future lies with the European champions, even though the 18-year-old was omitted from their latest squad on Friday.

After naming predictable squads in the past, England coach Fabio Capello spring a surprise as he names uncapped Wigan midfielder Jimmy Bullard for upcoming World Cup 2010 qualifying games against Andorra and Croatia. Bullard’s joy will contrast sharply with the dejection of striker Michael Owen, who has been left out despite making his first full appearance of the season for Newcastle at Arsenal yesterday.

England World Cup qualifying squad against Andorra and Croatia: Robinson (Blackburn), James (Portsmouth), Green (West Ham); Lescott (Everton), Bridge (Chelsea), A Cole (Chelsea), Terry (Chelsea), Brown (Manchester United), Ferdinand (Manchester United), Johnson (Portsmouth), Upson (West Ham); Barry (Aston Villa), J Cole (Chelsea), Lampard (Chelsea), Bullard (Fulham), Beckham (Los Angeles Galaxy), Downing (Middlesbrough), Bentley (Tottenham), Jenas (Tottenham); Walcott (Arsenal), Rooney (Manchester United), Defoe (Portsmouth), Heskey (Wigan).

[via Soccernet]

Germany captain Michael Ballack is a doubt for his country’s upcoming two World Cup qualifiers against Liechtenstein in Vaduz on September 6 and Finland in Helsinki four days later as he is still struggling with a foot injury. The Chelsea midfielder picked up his injury during the Blues opening game of the Premier League season against Portsmouth.

[via Soccernet]

France coach Raymond Domenech has recalled playmaker Samir Nasri (Arsenal), centre-back Sebastien Squillaci (Sevilla) and left-back Eric Abidal (FC Barcelona) to the Les Bleus squad for next week’s double-header against Austria and Serbia. All three were missing from last week’s friendly against Sweden. The Serbia match will be France’s first World Cup 2010 qualifying match.

Hugo Lloris (Lyon), Steve Mandanda (Marseille); Eric Abidal (Barcelona), Gael Clichy (Arsenal), Patrice Evra (Manchester United), Rod Fanni (Rennes), William Gallas (Arsenal), Philippe Mexes (Roma), Bacary Sagna (Arsenal), Sebastien Squillaci (Sevilla); Alou Diarra (Bordeaux), Lassana Diarra (Portsmouth), Mathieu Flamini (AC Milan), Jeremy Toulalan (Lyon); Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea), Hatem Ben Arfa (Marseille), Karim Benzema (Lyon), Yoann Gourcuff (Bordeaux), Sidney Govou (Lyon), Thierry Henry (Barcelona), Florent Malouda (Chelsea), Samir Nasri (Arsenal).

[via Soccernet]