Bayern Munich against Arsenal has become a Champions League hardy perennial. Tomorrow night’s match takes on added significance following Philipp Lahm’s announcement that he will retire at the end of the season.

Fifa will allow the public to vote in a rebranded version of its player of the year of the award, world soccer’s governing body said yesterday.

West Ham 2 Newcastle 0: Slaven Bilic gave Steve McClaren another miserable evening as West Ham finally got their home campaign up and running with a 2-0 win over Newcastle last night.

With Gibraltar v Ireland on September 4 regarded by many – if not Martin O’Neill – as a foregone conclusion, there will almost be as much interest from Irish supporters in the Georgia v Scotland and Germany v Poland games which also take place in European Championship Group D on the same day.

Soccer writer, Ger McCarthy, highlights the three Georgian players he feels will deserve some special attention from the Irish players.

England’s top referee Howard Webb has announced his retirement - and not a moment too soon for a lot of football fans.

For Belgium the penny dropped in 2000 while Germany’s nadir arrived four years later but both have shown Ireland there’s plenty to be gained by recognising the inherent faults of their football systems.

Bastian Schweinsteiger is targeting further glory with Germany after finally winning his first major trophy with the national side.

Spain manager Vicente del Bosque will make a decision on his future in the next week but revealed when he substituted goalscorer David Villa in the 3-0 win over Australia, he was unaware it was his last international.

AUSTRALIA 0 SPAIN 3

Spain must trust in their philosophy but trust their youth to enact it

Spain striker David Villa has announced he plans to retire from international football after the World Cup.

Uncapped duo Ander Iturraspe and Daniel Carvajal have both included in Spain’s 30-man provisional World Cup squad, along with Fernando Torres, but Real Madrid pair Alvaro Arbeloa and Isco have been omitted.

Martin O’Neill will have five friendly games in which to fine-tune Ireland’s preparations for the start of their European Championship qualifying campaign in September.

Barcelona captain Carles Puyol has announced he will be leaving the Spanish champions at the end of the season.

Garth Brooks’ grip on Ireland’s disposable income led the FAI to abandon plans for a second home summer friendly.

WORLD CUP QUALIFIER GROUP C:

In Iceland, they’re suddenly attempting to play down expectations.

England manager Roy Hodgson accepts Joe Hart has to tackle the criticism of his recent poor displays head on to again show why he was hailed by Wayne Rooney as the best goalkeeper in the world.

Former Republic of Ireland manager Steve Staunton has said he is "not surprised" at Giovanni Trapattoni's exit.

THE conventional wisdom has it that the last time the Republic of Ireland beat a higher-ranked nation in a competitive international was on that memorable occasion in September 2001 when Jason McAteer’s celebrated strike was enough to see off Holland in a World Cup qualifier at Lansdowne Road.

It is too easy to be cynical about The Lions. But if I have learned anything in life, it is that; if an easy option presents itself, your search for options is over.

For the vast majority, Sunday evening’s friendly against Georgia was a forgettable outing, shorn of any competitive edge, but you’d be hard pushed to convey such a sense of insignificance to Stephen Quinn.

Germany boss Joachim Loew is in the frame to be Arsenal’s next manager, with Arsene Wenger’s current deal expiring next summer, according to reports.

Two early goals helped the Czech Republic heap more problems on struggling Turkey with a 2-0 friendly win at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium tonight.

Controversial former France coach Raymond Domenech has labelled Bayern Munich star Franck Ribery a ‘‘diva’’ who he “would have gladly strung him up’’ and revealed the depth of his hatred for several of his other former players.

At any other point in the last four years, it would have been ridiculous. On Friday though, it will be entirely relevant: Giovanni Trapattoni could do with following Steve Staunton’s example.

What might happen if football’s top referees, across the continent, walked away?

Jonathan Wilson examines what lies in store for Trap and his team in Astana tomorrow night

FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke has defended the organisation’s rankings which has placed England fourth in the world and Brazil 11th – but admitted the system can sometimes appear to be “not very logical”.

At the very least, Euro 2012 will properly go down in history.

Spain had to win, and to win in style.

Four wonderful goals and all the debates about Spain’s style suddenly seemed rather academic.

Italy have already held off the future. Tomorrow, they must stop the march of history.

William Gallas has re-ignited his rivalry with Samir Nasri and insisted that the Manchester City midfielder’s poor behaviour at Euro 2012 proves he was not the bad guy during their long-running dispute.

France’s ‘1987 Generation’, so-called after the year of their birth, had been tipped to lead Les Bleus to a repeat of the team’s success at Euro 2000.

Fewer than than 24 hours have passed since Italy’s dramatic penalty shootout victory over England sealed their placed in the Euro 2012 semi-finals, but coach Cesare Prandelli has told his players to “turn the page”.

Are France the new Netherlands?

Germany forward Marco Reus believes the destiny of the Euro 2012 title is in his team’s hands after their 4-2 demolition of Greece in last night’s quarter-final.

Italy captain Gianluigi Buffon has claimed he would have been “carted off” if he suggested he could lead his country to European Championship glory before they reached the quarter-finals.

Spain may have wowed the world over the last four years with their stylish passing football, but they would not be defending European, or World Cup, champions without [the interventions of keeper Iker Casillas.