Fifa world cup, simplified

The Fifa World Cup is underway and like many other nations, Pakistanis are enthusiastically watching matches, cheering for their favourite teams and organising football get togethers (GTs in urban elite lingo). Although we have come some way in embracing this sport from mere viewers to actual participants, both at home via domestic tourneys (Pakistan Premiere League), local city leagues to regional international matches like the SAFF Cup (South Asian Football Federation), we still have a long way to go before we can qualify for the main event. Currently, we rank at thirty-fifth among the teams in South Asia. Even so, the spirit and passion for this sport is growing and why wouldn’t it? Football is a poor man’s game and requires not much other than a football which we are adept at producing in the millions in Sialkot.

There seems to be a dearth of understanding as to what the world cup teams and their characteristics are about in Pakistan and so, I thought it would be pertinent to introduce them in reference to our cricketing gods so we know what the commentators on TV are always screaming about.

1. Brazil
They are the Wasim Akram of the football world. This team has done it all and achieved it all. They have unmatched skill with the ball, they can dance well both, on and off the field and have fans all over the world, but they yet have to grace Indian reality shows.
They are the favourites each time they play and have a tendency to not being able to defend a lot of unexpected movement in the air, focusing only on attack.

UN to slap fresh sanctions on Iran

UNITED NATIONS: For the fourth time in as many years, the UN Security Council readied fresh sanctions against Iran on Wednesday for refusing to come clean on its nuclear program, but Tehran remains defiant.

Adoption of a US-drafted sanctions resolution, co-sponsored by Britain and France with the backing of Russia and China, was a foregone conclusion despite efforts by Brazil and Turkey to head off the measures and promote a nuclear fuel swap deal they reached with Tehran last month.

Western powers say they were confident that they have more than the nine votes needed to adopt the text at a meeting scheduled to begin at 10:00 am (1400 GMT). Only Brazil, Turkey and Lebanon

Bollywood gets ready for the FIFA World Cup

NEW DEHLI: Shah Rukh Khan has some great vacation plans for his children – he is taking Aryan and Suhana to South Africa for the FIFA World Cup starting Friday.

“Taking kids for the matches (World Cup) in South Africa,” Shah Rukh posted on Twitter. “Soccer is beautiful … will play today if it rains. Rain and soccer more of a turn on than singing in the rain.”

Shah Rukh says he is nostalgic about the FIFA World Cup as he used to watch it with his mother.