Seen from above, the man in the golden shirt is caught in mid-flight, high in the air, as if vaulting some invisible obstacle, writes David Shonfield

That was some weekend for sport, no matter what game you prefer. September weekends, especially the first and third Sundays, take the sting out of theworkday routine.

UEFA president Michel Platini’s vision of a European Championship spread across the continent came to fruition in Geneva yesterday, as Wembley Stadium was chosen to host the climax of Euro 2020 with 12 other cities — including Dublin — joining the party.

Considering his face is plastered on every other billboard and features in all manner of television adverts, it may seem strange to call Pele ‘the invisible man’.

Sir Bobby Charlton hailed Eusebio as a “true sportsman” and one of the finest players he ever played against following the former Portugal forward’s death at the age of 71 yesterday.

Portuguese forward Eusebio died of a heart attack in Lisbon at the age of 71 yesterday leaving behind a legacy that marks the Benfica legend out as one of the greatest players in soccer history.

Former Portugal forward Eusebio has died at the age of 71, his former club Benfica have confirmed.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s thrilling hat-trick in Tuesday’s play-off second-leg in Sweden confirmed Portugal’s place at next summer’s World Cup finals, and may have secured the Real Madrid attacker the 2013 Ballon d’Or award.

Following his death at the age of 86, numerous tributes have been paid to Malcolm Brodie, the veteran Belfast Telegraph football writer who covered every World Cup from 1954 to 2006.

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Former Portugal and Benfica striker Eusebio has been discharged from hospital after falling ill over the weekend.

Former Portugal and Benfica striker Eusebio is set to be released from a Polish hospital later this week after falling ill earlier this week.

Former Portugal and Benfica striker Eusebio has been taken to hospital in Poznan after falling ill last night.

Roy Hodgson left Wembley this evening after a “positive” four-hour meeting with the Football Association, thrashing out the contract that is set to confirm him as England’s new manager.

Benfica have wished a speedy recovery to Eusebio after the Portugal legend was admitted to hospital suffering from bronchial pneumonia.

AS a player, he had the unfortunate experience of being on the losing side in All-Ireland football and hurling finals in the space of six years.

Hello? Excuse me? Sorry to butt in but …WILL YOU ALL STOP BANGING ON ABOUT BLOODY CRICKET FOR A MINUTE?!

OUR football correspondent LIAM MACKEY is back in top form and full of energy. He casts his eye over your comments and gives his own critical analysis of the goings on throughout the world of football. You may agrewith him or then again you may not.

RAYMOND WILLIAMS, the Marxist scholar, had an interesting take, not on sport per se, but on people’s attitudes – one that could easily be applied to the non-stop erotic cabaret on offer across the water in the Premier League.

SOME of Washington’s most influential political figures have backed ambitious plans to invite US President Barack Obama to Cork.

Germany legend Franz Beckenbauer has accused England of playing “kick and rush” football and believes they are suffering for the lack of domestic players in the Premier League.

BRAZIL coach Dunga urged journalists to stop “hitting and attacking” him as he prepares for his first World Cup finals match in the dugout against North Korea at Ellis Park tonight.

THE British government hoped North Korea would fail to qualify for the 1966 World Cup finals as they believed the state’s presence in the competition could cause political “headaches”, documents have revealed.

STUART PEARCE has told his England Under-21s that heroic failure counts for nothing – and they must create a new chapter of history when they face Germany in the European Championship final in Malmo tonight (7.45pm).

England legend George Cohen has described the withdrawal of several senior players ahead of tonight’s friendly with Germany as “too much of a coincidence”.

Diego Maradona has told England they have no right to continue complaining about his ’Hand of God’ goal which knocked them out at the quarter-final stages of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

Belarus 1 England 3

SVEN-GORAN ERIKSSON saluted England captain David Beckham after he had played through sickness to rescue England’s World Cup dreams against Ecuador.

SWITZERLAND coach Kobi Kuhn has already created a wave of World Cup euphoria in the Alpine nation by qualifying them for the last 16of the World Cup but is confident the team can keep their run going by beating Ukraine in Cologne tonight.

Switzerland coach Kobi Kuhn has already created a wave of World Cup euphoria in the Alpine nation by qualifying them for the last 16 of the World Cup but is confident the team can keep their run going by beating Ukraine in Cologne tomorrow.

POLAND coach Pawel Janas is refusing to draw comparisons between his current squad and the team who finished third the last time the World Cup was staged in Germany.

Bobby Charlton has warned it would be “disastrous” if Wayne Rooney was rushed back into the England team before he is ready.

HERE’S one to while away an idle year or two in the pub: select a first eleven from the ranks of Republic of Ireland internationals who have gone on to earn a crust as pundits and analysts on radio and television.

The Football Association intend to announce plans in the near future to mark England’s 1966 World Cup uccess.

BRAZIL’S 1970 World Cup-winning team are the greatest side in sport, according to BBC Radio Five Live listeners.

Former Manchester United and Republic of Ireland captain Noel Cantwell has died aged 73.

The Olympic spotlight shone today on the most famous sports star to have walked the Earth: Muhammad Ali.

Three of England’s 1966 World Cup-winning team are up against Live Aid and Billy the White Horse in a poll to decide the name of a state-of-the-art footbridge at the new Wembley stadium - but Roy Keane has not made the shortlist.

Former Bolton striker and France international Youri Djorkaeff is joining Major League Soccer outfit New York/New Jersey Metrostars.

The latest news from Portugal…

Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has tried to reduce the pressure on his team ahead of tonight’s Euro 2004 semi-final by insisting it would not be a failure if they did not lift the trophy.

John Terry has revealed the determination in the England dressing room to bounce back from their Euro 2004 penalty shoot-out despair and claimed: “We are capable of winning the next World Cup.”