Colombia 3 Greece 0

Your guide to all the weekend’s World Cup action

SO how do you solve a problem like Messi? Happily for the rest of us, that’s one for Alex Ferguson to puzzle out tonight. Banning him is out of the question, I suppose, so that removes one of the manager’s favourite tactics for handling tricky customers.

ON A CRAZY, shocking, unforgettable night in Berlin, World Cup 2006 ended with all ifs and one butt.

THERE were actually two World Cups taking place over the past four weeks: the one in Germany and the one Germany were in.

SO FIFA’s technical experts bottled the decision to hand Cristiano Ronaldo the prize for the best young footballer at the World Cup.

Former Argentina coach Carlos Bilardo has made it clear he would like to succeed Jose Pekerman as coach of the national team.

Argentina remain hopeful Jose Pekerman will continue to be involved with the national side in some capacity.

FIFA’s disciplinary committee is set to investigate the scenes of violence which marred Germany's quarter-final victory over Argentina.

Jose Pekerman has resigned as Argentina coach following the penalty shoot-out defeat to Germany in the quarter-final of the World Cup.

Germany 1 Argentina 1 (aet, Germany win 4-2 on penalties)

MICHAEL BALLACK believes Germany have a “60-40” chance of beating Argentina in their World Cup quarter-final clash today.

HERNAN CRESPO insists Argentina are proud to be regarded as World Cup favourites and that they can now allow themselves to dream of glory.

Marco van Basten tonight described Argentina as playing “Top of the Pops” football.

HOLLAND coach Marco van Basten is keen to prove there is more than one potential World Cup winner in Group C.

HERE’S a scary thought: Despite Argentina’s 6-0 romp over Serbia-Montenegro, midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme figures the two-time champions need to get better.

Serbia and Montenegro coach Ilija Petkovic has put off any decision regarding his future until after his team’s final World Cup game against the Ivory Coast.

I WENT into this World Cup, like I go into every World Cup, as an honorary Brazilian. But after swooning to yesterday’s first tango in Gelsenkirchen, today I am happy to proclaim, “Ich bin ein Argentinian.”

Porto midfielder Luis Gonzalez made his World Cup bow for one of the tournament favourites in this Group C encounter.

LUIS GONZALEZ knows what is expected of him when he makes his World Cup bow for Argentina — a tough double shift.

ALEX FERGUSON’S motives over Wayne Rooney’s World Cup participation may have been questioned but Gabriel Heinze has no doubt he will owe the Manchester United manager a big debt when he runs out at the AOL Arena in Hamburg tonight.

Argentina defender Gabriel Heinze will be fit to face the Ivory Coast next Saturday at the World Cup despite sitting out the team’s latest training session in Herzogenaurach.

Diego Maradona believes he has a chance of coaching Argentina if Jose Pekerman does not lead them them to World Cup glory this summer in Germany.

ALEX FERGUSON has written off Gabriel Heinze’s chances of appearing in next summer’s World Cup Finals.

Hernan Crespo's future at Stamford Bridge is looking more troubled than ever after the striker reportedly ignored a request to return to Chelsea to get treatment on his injured calf.

BRAZIL and Argentina may have stumbled along the way but they eventually lived up to their star billing by making it through to this evening’s Confederations Cup final.

LOADED with glamour teams, the Confederations Cup has few friends outside FIFA. The tournament, a warm up for next year’s World Cup in Germany, prevents weary players from taking a summer break.

ARGENTINIAN striker Hernan Crespo scored two goals to inspire Argentina to a 3-1 victory over bitter rivals Brazil and guarantee them a place in the 2006 World Cup finals.

BOLIVIA and Venezuela will open a new round of the South American World Cup qualifiers tonight, while Argentina and Brazil will both be in action tomorrow looking to go a step closer to booking their place at Germany 2006.

Manchester United defender Gabriel Heinze is set for a transatlantic trip next month after being selected for Argentina’s World Cup qualifying games against Uruguay and Chile.

Carlos Bianchi has rejected an offer to take over as Argentina boss and Jose Pekerman is now the favourite to succeed Marcelo Bielsa.

Sunderland misfit Nicolas Medina has been farmed out to Spanish Second Division outfit Leganes on a year-long loan deal.

RIVALDO has warned that he could retire from international football if he is not part of the plans for the 2006 World Cup.