Liverpool youngster Daniel Pacheco was awarded the  Golden Boot´ at the UEFA Under-19 Championships, despite Spain losing out to France in the final of the tournament.

Although Spanish striker Pacheco finished as a runner-up after a 2-0 defeat, the promising Red´s attacker managed to rack up five goals during the competition – one more than that mustered by Croatian Zvonko Pamic.

Pacheco also beat off the likes of French stars Antoine Griezmann and Gael Kakuta, Croatia midfielder Franko Andrijasevic and team-mate Rodrigo to claim the gong – previously won by Aston Villa´s Nathan Delfouneso in 2008-09 with four goals.

England Under-19 international Frank Nouble was also a contender for the top-scorer award after striking twice against Austria in the opening match, but Pacheco´s efforts against Portugal, Italy and England earned him the title.

via Liverpool & Spain youngster Daniel Pacheco crowned top-scorer at UEFA Under-19 Championships – Goal.com.

Spain´s Alberto Contador won his third Tour de France in four years today, heralding the arrival of a new cycling superstar as seven-time champion Lance Armstrong competed in the race for the last time.

Mark Cavendish of Britain claimed his fifth stage victory this Tour and the 15th in his career in a sprint at the end of the 20th and final stage — a largely ceremonial 102.5-kilometre course from Longjumeau to the Champs-Elysees in Paris.

The 27-year-old Contador sealed his third title by holding off a dramatic challenge from his main rival, Andy Schleck of Luxembourg, in Saturday’s individual time trial.

Schleck finished second, 39 seconds back, and Denis Menchov of Russia was third overall.

Canadian Ryder Hesjedal finished seventh.

Contador exchanged hugs with his Astana teammates, who began chanting “Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole” on the famed Paris thoroughfare as thousands of fans lining the route cheered.

Contador joins Greg LeMond, Louison Bobet and Philippe Thys as a three-time Tour champion. Armstrong is the most successful Tour rider with seven consecutive wins, between 1999 and 2005.

Armstrong completed his last Tour in 23rd place, 39:20 after Contador, his former teammate and rival. It was a far cry from the American’s third-place finish in 2009 on his return from a four-year retirement.

Armstrong’s last ride in his most beloved race began in controversy.

His RadioShack team was temporarily delayed from starting on Sunday for wearing improper jerseys, the race beginning about 15 minutes late as a result.

TV images showed Armstrong and his teammates putting on normal jerseys with their correct race numbers after they had tried to wear black jerseys with “28” on the back. The figure was chosen to honour the 28 million people fighting cancer, one of the themes of Armstrong’s Livestrong Foundation.

But International Cycling Union officials said they had to change their jerseys and wear the official race numbers.

Contador sipped champagne during the leisurely ride and held up three fingers to signal his third Tour win. His Astana team was always likely to quash any attempt by Schleck to break away Sunday.

Also during the ride, Contador, who is known as “El Pistolero” for his trademark finger-firing gesture, took a blue plastic squirt gun and sprayed photographers.

via Spain’s Alberto Contador wins third Tour De France, Andy Schleck second – 570News.

Real Madrid have announced they will hold a press conference at midday on Sunday in which midfielder Guti and general manager Jorge Valdano will be present.

Guti has been linked with a move to Turkish club Besiktas, with media reports in Spain claiming that a two-year contract is in the offing.

The 33-year-old Bernabeu icon has so far refused to confirm anything in public, but during Sunday´s press conference the Spain midfielder is expected to announce his departure from the club.

Guti has been with Madrid his entire career, having rose through the club´s youth ranks. He made his debut for los Blancos against Sevilla in December 1995, and interestingly Valdano was then coach. The 54-year-old will be by Guti´s side during Sunday´s press conference.

Spanish sports daily Marca reports that another Real Madrid player, Raul, will also announce his departure from the Bernabeu at a separate event on Monday.

via Real Madrid star Guti to hold farewell press conference – Goal.com.

World Cup winners Spain will meet quarter-finalists Argentina in a high-profile friendly in Buenos Aires on September 7.

The Argentinian Football Association confirmed they would play host to the world and European champions as part of the Bicentenary celebrations of the May Revolution of 1810. The match will take place at River Plate´s El Monumental stadium.

It will be the first match for Spain since they became world champions for the first time after beating the Netherlands 1-0 in the World Cup final in South Africa.

Diego Maradona´s Argentina impressed many with their attacking football at the tournament but they were undone tactically by a ruthless German side, who beat them 4-0 before succuming to Spain in the semi-finals.

The last meeting between Spain and Argentina ended in a 2-1 victory for the Spanish, in a friendly in Madrid last year.

via Spain to meet Argentina in September friendly – Global – ESPN Soccernet.

The Jabulani ball was one of those used in Sunday´s final between Spain and the Netherlands.

All proceeds from the sale on eBay will go to 46664, Nelson Mandela´s HIV/Aids education and prevention campaign.

There was no immediate indication who had bought the ball.

According to eBay, the controversy around the adidas ball – with complaints about its movement through the air – has fuelled interest.

Ruth Szyszkowski, of eBay, said: “Unique pieces of sporting memorabilia have always been extremely popular on eBay.

“The interest in this particular piece seems not only heightened by the controversy surrounding it, but also the proceeds benefiting such a great cause.”

Adidas said the World Cup ball´ “radical grip ´n´ groove” technology, tested by scientists at Loughborough University, allowed “exceptionally stable flight and perfect grip under all conditions”.

But the ball, named “Jabulani” from the Zulu word for “to celebrate”, was criticised by some players.

The gold version used in the final was given the name “Jo´bulani”.

Adidas said later that a group of Spanish fans made the highest bid.

Some 133 bids were placed from 55 international bidders, a spokesman said.

via World Cup 2010: ball used in Johannesburg final sold for £48,000 – Telegraph.

Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson is set to fly out to Spain today to see Fernando Torres with a view to getting a definitive answer from the player regarding his future.

The Spain striker is yet to commit definitively to the Reds, with several of Europe´s leading clubs rumoured to be interested in taking him away from Anfield.

Chelsea, Manchester City and Barcelona are all rumoured to be monitoring the World Cup winner´s situation.

Now injured with a torn muscle in his left thigh, the striker is believed to want clarification as to Liverpool´s aims and plans for next season before he makes a definitive decision on his future.

The Reds, who are likely to demand a £50 million fee for Torres should he opt to leave, also want the situation clarified so that they can buy a replacement forward if necessary and have him registered in time for the Europa League.

Meanwhile, the Reds´ head of medicine and sports science, Peter Brukner, believes that the thigh injury should not keep Torres on the sidelines for too long.

“The initial assessment was he had a mild adductor tear and the Spanish medical staff didn´t consider it to be too serious at the time,” he said.

“He had an MRI scan yesterday, which confirmed a small tear. He should be able to resume training within two to three weeks and be able to play again within three to four weeks.”

via Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson to fly to Spain for showdown talks with Fernando Torres – report – Goal.com.

If the ratings for the World Cup were huge in the U.S., they paled compared to those racked up in many overseas markets.

FIFA, the organization that stages the contests, said that altogether 700 million viewers watched the final game in which Spain defeated the Netherlands 1-0, but the breakdown in some European countries was astounding. In Spain, 91 percent of the TV audience viewed the game at its peak while the entire game averaged an 86 percent share (15.6 million viewers).

In the Netherlands as well 91 percent of the audience took in the match (8.5 million viewers). In both countries — as elsewhere — millions more watched outside their homes in bars, restaurants, theaters, parks, etc. Spain´s population stands at 46 million; the Netherlands, at 17 million. In every Western European country, 60 percent or more TV viewers caught the final game.

via The Game – Total Worldwide Audience For World Cup 700 Million – Contactmusic News.

World Cup winner Carles Puyol appears to have called time on his international career. The Barcelona centre-back had pin-pointed this moment back in last November as the end if Spain were to be crowned world champions, becoming the first European team to lift the cup outside of their own continent.

Spanish sports daily Marca claims that the 32-year-old now believes that after a fairytale ending it is the perfect time to make his decision to end his international career. After 90 caps, Puyol believes his time come, and coincidentally, he has finished his international career against the same team he played in his first international ten years ago; however, this time the meeting with the Netherlands was by no means a friendly and the outcome was quite the opposite.

Carles Puyol has now reportedly asked not to be included in the squad for the game against Mexico on the August 11. The decision of the Barcelona captain was pending a meeting with Spain coach Vicente del Bosque and sporting director of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) Fernando Hierro, which took place five hours before presenting his plans to the Spanish football federation.

Despite Del Bosque wanting Puyol to continue towards the 100-cap milestone, Puyol has fixed his mind on concentrating on the rigors of club football.

via World Cup Winner Carles Puyol To Retire From Spain Duty – Report – Goal.com.

Spain is enjoying the party of a lifetime, savouring the moment that its football team became world champions.

On Monday morning the crowd began to build again along Madrid´s riverside in front of a giant stage – ready to greet the winning team.

“We didn´t sleep all night, we´ve been out celebrating!” one man admitted, before his flag-clad friends surrounded him, and burst into yet another raucous chorus of Viva Espana.

“We´ve been partying in the streets and in the fountains.”

Another screwed the top off a huge plastic replica world cup to reveal the frothy beer inside.

“We´ve been drinking through the night!” he laughed.

It is hardly surprising. This was Spain´s first World Cup final, and they won it.

The headline in El Mundo newspaper captured the mood: “We´re Champions, and it&´s not a dream!”

So across the city, fans have been snapping up replica shirts, scarves, hats and banners from stalls – souvenirs of a moment of sporting history.

It is the first sign that perhaps the huge feel-good factor provided by this win can help Spain´s struggling economy.

The team´s victory has certainly lifted the nation, at least briefly. With mass unemployment and recession, Spaniards have not had much to smile about recently. So for many, this is a welcome respite.

World Cup fever also appears to have united this diverse country, like never before. Across Spain, including in autonomous Catalonia, fans have poured onto the streets wrapped in the national flag. Their proud, common chant: “I am Spanish!”

And as the champions themselves landed from South Africa, the pilot thrust the flag from the cockpit windows.

Then, there was the first glimpse of the World Cup itself – as team captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas emerged from the plane.

King Juan Carlos was the first to pass on the nation´s praise. Next, the squad visited Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. He has already hailed “an epic win”.

People here are crazy about football. Last night, I partied until seven o´clock in the morning. I was just hugging everyone I met!

And finally, the highlight came – a lap of honour through the main streets of Madrid.

The World Cup winners have taken an open-top bus around the Spanish capital. As the bus slowly edged through streets packed with cheering supporters, the players on board passed their trophy from hand to hand in triumph.

In a park near the royal palace, many thousands more fans have packed the riverbank, to greet the team. Firemen have been hosing them down in the baking heat, but that has not damped their spirits.

“I had to come to see the people, feel the atmosphere, soak up the love,” Lucas Vidal laughed, a Spanish flag knotted like a cape over his shoulders. He travelled back from Los Angeles to be here for the final.

“People here are crazy about football. Last night, I partied until seven o´clock in the morning. I was just hugging everyone I met!”

As the fans waited to greet their new national heroes, dancing and singing, jet planes roared overhead, painting the entire sky in the red-and-yellow of the flag.

Hours after it began, Spains´ World Cup party is still in full swing.

via BBC News – Spain’s party of lifetime after World Cup triumph.

The city of Alicante has been confirmed as the port of departure for the next three editions of the Volvo Ocean Race, the round-the-world regatta, for the years 2011, 2014 and 2017. The President of the Valencian Regional Government, Francisco Camps, officially opened the new administrative headquarters for the race in the capital of Alicante province and signed the contract for the port of Alicante to host the departure of the next three editions of this transoceanic race, making official the agreement reached in Boston in May 2009 for the Volvo Ocean Race to remain in the Region of Valencia.

The setting up of the Volvo Ocean Race headquarters and the designation of Alicante as the port of departure for the next three editions have positioned Alicante as the world capital for sailing and the Region of Valencia as the ideal setting for the organisation of major sporting events.

This milestone will generate major benefits and create employment in the city of Alicante and the Region of Valencia, bearing in mind the figures registered for the departure of the last edition of the competition from the port of Alicante.

The last edition, “Alicante 2008-2009 Round-the-World Race” generated direct income of close to 90 million euros, over 1,500 direct and indirect jobs, and a media impact valued at 180 million euros.

So, the agreement signed to host the next three race departures guarantees years of investment and projection for the city and province of Alicante all over the world, whilst at the same time attracting regatta sailors, sponsors, boat construction companies and constant promotion for the city and for the Region of Valencia, among other things.

Region of Valencia, the setting for major events

The organisation of the race departure, therefore, entails a specific promotion project that highlights the Region of Valencia´s organisational capacity to host major sporting events. This is confirmed by the success achieved in the organisation of other competitions this year, such as the Formula 1 European Grand Prix, held on 27th June, and the 33rd America´s Cup, which took place last February.

Furthermore, the dates of two important events that will bring together the world´s best golf and tennis players have also been confirmed. From 21st to 24th October, the Mediterráneo Country Club in Borriol (Castellón) will be hosting the Castelló Masters Costa Azahar and, from 30th October to 7th November, the world´s top tennis players will be competing to claim victory at the second edition of the Valencia Open 500.

via Travelturisme. Region of Valencia tourism news.