Fifa boss Blatter presents himself as a champion of developing nations to deflect from shady, most likely criminal dealings, writes Ian Buruma.

No matter what else the television sports year offers up, we think we saw its most delightful touch last Saturday night.

The police came at a frantic space in vans, cars and motorbikes, all with sirens blaring and blue lights flashing.

UEFA president Michel Platini has said he is fed up with politicians calling for a boycott of the 2018 World Cup in Russia over Moscow’s actions towards Ukraine.

Former soccer World Cup star Ossie Ardiles is in hospital after a car crash in the Falkland Islands.

In his Ranelagh home, Eamon Dunphy is immersed in work on his autobiography. Chuckling, he confides he plans to call it Wrong About Everything, the perfect title, he reckons, for heading his critics off at the pass. He rises at 5am every day to begin the work, a revelation which will surprise those who would find it much easier to imagine Eamon Dunphy rolling into rather than out of bed at that hour of the morning.

IT was the tournament that launched a million footballing passions on this side of the world, as Mario Kempes, Daniel Passarella and Leopoldo Luque stole our hearts en route to their first World Cup triumph in 1978.

Drumcondra’s Don Patricio became Barcelona’s manager just before the city was taken over by anarchists, the club’s president was shot and liquidation loomed. Richard Fitzpatrick unravels a club legend’s story

WELL, Emerson said the best period to be born in is when the old and the new stand side by side (Ralph Emerson, by the way; not Hughie).

ITALY’S 1982 World Cup-winning coach, Enzo Bearzot, died in Milan yesterday.

Robbie Keane, Richard Dunne and Kevin Doyle will battle it out for the title of senior international player of the year at the 2010 FAI International Football Awards, it was announced today.

THIS has been a record-breaking World Cup for Miroslav Klose whichever way you look at it: he earned his first red card in a Germany shirt against Serbia, his 50th international goal against England, his 100th appearance against Argentina and now, before the semi-final against Spain, he is one goal away from equalling Brazil legend Ronaldo’s all-time record of 15 goals in World Cup matches.

THE old cricket verse, At Lord’s, puts it better than we ever could: O my Hornby and my Barlow long ago.

THE biggest surprise about Eamon Dunphy’s hatchet job on Ireland’s performance against Italy last week was that anyone was surprised.

Austria 0 Germany 1

WITH the volatile group stages having already achieved knock-out status and the quarter-finals proper hoving into view, we find ourselves with just about enough time to pause, take a deep breath, and declare that, all in all, Euro 2008 has been a bit of a cracker — so far.

Holland 3 Italy 0

SCOTLAND manager Alex McLeish claims his players have every right to be confident ahead of tonight’s crunch qualifier in Georgia and insists they will not be caught up in the sort of hysteria which surrounded the ill-fated 1978 World Cup campaign under Ally MacLeod.

Scotland legend Archie Gemmill threw his weight behind the idea of a revamped home international series – and claimed “Utopia” would be the eventual inclusion of England.

Rowdy fans trying to enter a Rolling Stones concert without tickets fought running battles with Argentine police, leaving at least 20 people injured.

Rangers manager Alex McLeish (pictured) has paid a glowing tribute to former Scotland boss Ally MacLeod, who died yesterday.

FORMER Aberdeen and Scotland manager Ally McLeod has died at the age of 72.

Scottish football today united to mourn the death of former Scotland manager Ally McLeod, who died this morning.

SCOTLAND were landed with the draw they dreaded after being paired with Holland in the Euro 2004 play-offs while Wales have high hopes of making the finals following their draw with Russia.