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Alexandre Lacazette is set to be named in France's FIFA World Cup squad, according to Lyon head coach Remi Garde. The 22-year-old has been one of the stand-out performers for Lyon this season, notching 14 goals in 30 Ligue 1 appearances.

Good Evening and welcome to the LIVE blog for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Finals Draw. A team of LaNUBlog NEWS ARENA sports analysts would bring you commentaries and live updates of the draw taking place in Costa do Sauipe, Brazil. You can also follow and contribute to the coverage on our Twitter, Facebook and, comments here, below. The Official Matchball for Brazil 2014. 17:32 Ronaldo, highest goal scorer in FIFA World Cup with 15 goals and three times World Footballer of the Year, and two time World Cup winner addresses the draw crowd.

London - England manager Roy Hodgson believes that the Brazilian climate will make it easier for African teams to prosper at next year's World Cup than the traditional heavyweights from Europe. Writing in the programme notes for the friendly game between Italy and Fulham that is due to take place at his former club Fulham next week, he said: "I think (African teams) may have a stronger chance than any of the European teams, to be perfectly honest, because of the climate." No African team has ever made it to the semi-finals of a World Cup, but Cameroon, Ghana and Senegal have all reached the quarter-finals and Hodgson believes the continent's leading sides are equipped to make an impact at world football's showpiece event. "There are many African players out there of excellent quality now," he added. "They play in the top European leagues and that makes the African nations very strong. Nigeria have traditionally been one of the strongest, with so...

London - Manchester United pair Michael Carrick and Danny Welbeck have been ruled out of England's friendly games against Chile and Germany due to injury, the Football Association announced on Tuesday. Carrick played the entirety of United's 1-0 win over Arsenal on Sunday but has been carrying an Achilles injury, while Welbeck has not played since October 19 due to a knee complaint. England manager Roy Hodgson has not called up any replacements, leaving him with a 26-man squad for Friday's game against Chile at Wembley Stadium and the match against Germany at the same venue next Tuesday. England's preparations have been disrupted after they were prevented from convening at their St George's Park headquarters in central England due to a virus outbreak. The squad subsequently met up in Watford, north of London, and the FA has confirmed that they will train at Arsenal's London Colney training centre on Tuesday and Wednesday. Revised England squad: Goalkeepers...

Amsterdam - Robin van Persie and Jordy Clasie have withdrawn from the Netherlands squad for friendlies against Japan and Colombia, the Dutch FA (KNVB) said on Tuesday. Van Persie scored the winner for Manchester United against Premier League leaders Arsenal on Sunday but a KNVB statement said the Dutch captain was struggling with toe and groin injuries. Feyenoord midfielder Clasie has a foot injury and coach Louis van Gaal has called up Norwich City's Leroy Fer and Davy Propper from Vitesse Arnhem. The Dutch play Japan in Genk, Belgium, on Saturday and meet Colombia in Amsterdam on Tuesday.

Johannesburg - The World Cup could be targeted again next year for demonstrations in Brazil against graft and poor public services but FIFA should not be held responsible or made a scapegoat, general secretary Jerome Valcke warned on Tuesday. The presence of massed world media made the World Cup "an easy platform to express concern and organise demonstrations," he said. "I think it is too easy to put the blame of what happened in the streets in Brazil in June on FIFA or the World Cup saying why are spending so much money on a football tournament and not spending it somewhere else. June's Confederations Cup, a two-week test event before the 2014 finals, was overshadowed by a rapid and unexpected wave of discontent in Latin America's biggest country, catching both authorities and world football's governing body unawares. The marches, which drew over one million protesters in more than 100 cities at their peak, used the tournament as a stage from which to ve...

London - England manager Roy Hodgson believes that the Brazilian climate will make it easier for African teams to prosper at next year's World Cup than the traditional heavyweights from Europe. Writing in the programme notes for the friendly game between Italy and Fulham that is due to take place at his former club Fulham next week, he said: "I think (African teams) may have a stronger chance than any of the European teams, to be perfectly honest, because of the climate." No African team has ever made it to the semi-finals of a World Cup, but Cameroon, Ghana and Senegal have all reached the quarter-finals and Hodgson believes the continent's leading sides are equipped to make an impact at world football's showpiece event. "There are many African players out there of excellent quality now," he added. "They play in the top European leagues and that makes the African nations very strong. "Nigeria have traditionally been one of the strongest, ...

Abuja - Italy coach Cesare Prandelli has named a high profile 28-man squad to face Nigeria and Germany in upcoming international friendlies. Italy will host the Germans in Milan on Friday before travelling to London to face the Super Eagles at Craven Cottage in London on November 18, Kick Off Nigeria reports. Italy squad Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Federico Marchetti (Lazio), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris Saint-Germain). Defenders: Ignazio Abate (AC Milan), Federico Balzaretti (AS Roma), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Christian Maggio (Napoli), Angelo Ogbonna (Juventus), Manuel Pasqual (Fiorentina), Andrea Ranocchia (Inter), Domenico Criscito (Zenit St Petersbourg). Midfielders: Antonio Candreva (Lazio), Daniele De Rossi (AS Roma), Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna), Alessandro Florenzi (Roma), Emanuele Giaccherini (Sunderland), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (AC Milan), Thiago Motta (Paris Saint-Germain), Marco Parolo (Parma), Andrea Pirlo ...

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has confirmed he wants the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar to be held in November or December. General agreement has been reached among European football federations that hosting the competition in its usual June-July spot would not be viable, as this would involve it taking place during the height of summer time in the Middle Eastern state. Tournament organisers have given assurances that the event would not need to be move and planned to build air-conditioned stadia with environmentally friendly cooling systems. However, the promises have done little to appease fears over player safety, and Blatter wants to see the tournament brought forward, but ruled out a January or February start. "We are starting the consultations to bring it (the World Cup) to the winter time," he said. "It can only be done in November, December, not January, February. " A change to the scheduling is likely to be met with opposition from Europe's domestic l...

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has confirmed he wants the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar to be held in November or December. General agreement has been reached among European football federations that hosting the competition in its usual June-July spot would not be viable, as this would involve it taking place during the height of summer time in the Middle Eastern state. Tournament organisers have given assurances that the event would not need to be move and planned to build air-conditioned stadia with environmentally friendly cooling systems. However, the promises have done little to appease fears over player safety, and Blatter wants to see the tournament brought forward, but ruled out a January or February start. "We are starting the consultations to bring it (the World Cup) to the winter time," he said. "It can only be done in November, December, not January, February. " A change to the scheduling is likely to be met with opposition from Europe's domestic l...

Roman Weidenfeller has been handed a Germany call-up for the first time at the age of 33. The Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper has been rewarded for a series of fine performances in the Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League, with Jurgen Klopp's men occupying second spot in the German top flight. Weidenfeller will compete alongside regular number one Manuel Neuer and Rene Adler for a place in manager Joachim Low's staring XI when Germany hit the road for friendly fixtures against Italy and England this month. "Manuel Neuer is currently our number one and we know what we have with Rene Adler or the younger Ron-Robert Zieler or Marc-Andre ter Stegen," Low said. "We have watched Roman Weidenfeller closely and noted his strong performances in the league and in the Champions League. We are delighted to have him and get to know him more." Veteran striker Miroslav Klose returns to the squad after missing the FIFA World Cup qualifying fixtures versus Republic of Ir...

Alan Pardew believes that a strong Newcastle United side is beneficial for the whole of the Premier League. The St James' Park outfit recorded a shock 2-0 victory over Chelsea last Saturday, leaving them ninth in the top flight by the end of the weekend. And Pardew feels his squad's ability to cause the occasional upset can make for a more entertaining competition. "It's important that we are a strong Premiership side for the Premier League," he said. "It's important that Newcastle are tipping over some of the big guns." The 52-year-old is now eyeing the scalp of Tottenham, with a trip to White Hart Lane on Sunday, and is hopeful his players can build on their unexpected victory over Jose Mourinho's men. "It would be nice to take through to Spurs, that confidence, but it's going to be a tough game," he continued. "Two years ago (5-0 defeat), we really got caught in the headlights there. "It's an early start for ...

Western Sydney moved top of the A-League as they extended their unbeaten away streak to 12 matches with a 1-0 win over Melbourne Heart. Shannon Cole's first-half strike gave the visitors all three points, taking them two points clear of Brisbane Roar, who have a game in hand. Heart enjoyed plenty of posession, and they pushed hard for an equaliser, but they were ultimately left to rue missed chances, with substitute Mate Dugandzic seeing his late header come back off the crossbar. Cole struck the game's only goal in the 27th minute, as Adam D'Apuzzo's ball in from the left channel split Heart's defence. D'Apuzzo almost found the head of Aaron Mooy, but the partial clearance only went as far as former Sydney FC man Cole, who - at the second attempt - powered a strike past a hapless Andrew Redmayne. Heart had enjoyed plenty of possession in the opening quarter-hour, with Golgol Mebrahtu influential with a physical presence in the final third. Mebrahtu had tw...

Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale has been named in Wales' 23-man squad for the friendly encounter with Finland next week. The 24-year-old returns to the international set-up after being forced to withdraw from Chris Coleman's squad for the FIFA World Cup qualifying fixtures with Macedonia and Belgium in October due to a thigh problem. After struggling for fitness since his world record €100million move from Tottenham to Real in the close-season, Bale has begun to rediscover his form of late, including scoring the second goal in the Spanish giants' 2-2 UEFA Champions League draw with Juventus in midweek. The winger is joined in the squad by in-form Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey, whose superb run in front of goal continued in his club's 1-0 victory at Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League. Ramsey has already contributed six goals and three assists in his last seven Premier League appearances for Arsenal this season and will be hoping to transfer that form to the n...

Brendan Rodgers believes that Steven Gerrard could quit international football after the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The Liverpool midfielder is two appearances away from his 109th cap for his country, which would put him third in the all-time England list, surpassing Bobby Moore in the process. That milestone could be achieved in the next couple of weeks after the 33-year-old was named in Roy Hodgson's squad for the upcoming friendlies against Chile and Germany. However, Anfield boss Rodgers believes that his captain is reaching a stage in his career when he might consider stepping down from national-team duties. "I think it’s something he will assess and look at," said Rodgers. "If you go to a World Cup in Brazil at 34 years of age, you might not have many more championships left in you. "Very few players do. I can think of (Javier) Zanetti and (Paolo) Maldini who have played on late but it’s rare." Gerrard has played in three UEFA European Championships a...

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has no doubts that Cristiano Ronaldo should win this year's FIFA Ballon d'Or as the world's best player. The Portuguese forward has been in sensational form this season, scoring 13 times in 12 La Liga appearances, while also equalling the record for goals scored in the UEFA Champions League group stages with eight. Ronaldo is widely considered to be one of the two best players in the game, alongside Barcelona's Lionel Messi, and the former Manchester United forward was once again recognised when the shortlist for this year's Ballon d'Or was revealed. And Ancelotti believes that Ronaldo fully deserves the title, having also praised the 28-year-old for his attitude. Speaking toOnda Cero's'At First Touch' programme, he said: "It's simple. For me the best player right now is Cristiano. "He's the top scorer in the league, the top scorer in the Champions League and if we talk about technical quality ...

Southampton coach Mauricio Pochettino believes that his trio of England players are good enough to play at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Jay Rodriguez and Adam Lallana joined Rickie Lambert in the Three Lions set-up on Thursday as England boss Roy Hodgson announced his latest squad for the upcoming friendlies against Chile and Germany. With Southampton flying high in the Premier League, Pochettino feels that his charges merit their inclusion in the national team, and he sees no reason why they cannot book their place on the plane to Brazil for the World Cup finals next year. "Jay fully deserves his England call-up," the Southampton coach said. "He’s been on a really good run lately. "We're really proud of our three players in the England squad. Can they go to the World Cup? Why not? "Not only those three, but the squad has improved in the nine months that we've been here. "The players are the protagonists here – they deserve all of the credit, not...

Work on a Brazilian football stadium which is being refurbished for the 2014 World Cup has been suspended after a judge ruled there were safety concerns. The Arena da Baixada stadium in the city of Curitiba is due to stage four matches during the World Cup. Refurbishment work on the stadium is already lagging behind schedule. Judge Lorena Colnago said workers were at serious risk of accidents. She ordered a new inspection be carried out before work could resume. "Countless infractions have been committed, in various stages of the building process," the judge from Brazil's labour tribunal said. She said workers were in danger of "being buried, run over and of collision, falling from heights and being hit by construction material, among other serious risks". 'No plan B' The news comes a week after an investigation revealed that construction workers employed on another World Cup-related project faced what were termed "slave-like" conditions...

Construction workers employed on a project in Brazil ahead of next year's World Cup face "slave-like" conditions, officials say. An investigation into the expansion of Sao Paulo international airport found that 111 workers were living in poor accommodation near the building site. They were approached in poorer states and some had to pay more than $220 (£140) to secure a job, the Labour attorney general's office says. The promised wages were $625 a month. The workers, among them six ethnic Pankaruru indians, were reportedly lured in the country's north-east with promises of work in Sao Paulo. However, many were not immediately employed and had to stay in one of 11 makeshift camps near the airport which is being expanded in preparation for next year's World Cup. The Labour attorney general's office says it found the workers living in "conditions analogue to slaves" and has 30 days to present legal action against the contractors. According to...

European Clubs Association (ECA) senior vice-president Umberto Gandini says it is 'almost inevitable' Qatar's World Cup will be held in winter. With concerns over the temperatures in the Middle East country during June and July, FIFA have been pushing for a move to cooler months to avoid the searing summer heat during the 2022 World Cup, which was awarded to Qatar in 2010. While this would mean the competition taking place at the same time as the domestic football calendar in many countries, it increasingly appears this is the only option. FIFA president Sepp Blatter is expected to propose a vote over the issue when the FIFA executive board meets in early October. Milan director Gandini said the idea of the calendar remaining in permanent flux depending on where the World Cup is held is one that will alarm the leading European clubs. But the senior official in the ECA, a coalition of 207 of the biggest clubs in Europe, hinted they would likely accept the Qatar ...