In Brazil, another generation of France’s mix of ‘black, blanc, beur’ (black, white, Arab) will try to unite the country through football, writes Eoin O’Callaghan.

Celebrity Big Brother' star Ron Atkinson has come under fire for making a racist joke.

Footballer John Terry has been cleared of hurling a racist obscenity at Anton Ferdinand. Here are some of the highs and lows of his career.

“I stopped watching the Arsenal game when it was 2-2,” France coach Laurent Blanc confessed on Sunday evening, proving yet again that managers can be worse than fans when it comes to judging how a game is going.

EGYPT, winners of the last three tournaments, will not be there when the African Cup of Nations begins in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea in a fortnight. Neither will Cameroon, who won in 2000 and 2002.

MARCEL DESAILLY has launched a blistering attack on his former team Chelsea, claiming the club is disorganised and the squad is exploding because players have formed into cliques.

THE morning after Ron Atkinson racially abused Marcel Desailly in front of a mic he thought was closed, I knew the 30,000 words I’d already written for a book on Ron would never be used.

A FEW of us spent a most enjoyable and rewarding hour in the company of three Irish football heroes of yesteryear on Monday morning as Tony Cascarino, Frank Stapleton and Paul McGrath mixed some astute analysis of the Premier League and Trapattoni’s Ireland with a few entertaining detours down memory lane.

New France coach Laurent Blanc has taken the decision to suspend the entire 23-man squad which took part in this summer’s failed World Cup campaign for next month’s friendly against Norway.

MARCEL DESAILLY has called for France captain Patrice Evra to be suspended for at least two months for his part in Les Bleus’ controversial World Cup campaign.

FORMER France defender Marcel Desailly believes the mood in les Bleus’ camp is upbeat ahead of their World Cup opener against Uruguay tomorrow night.

Frank Lampard has thrown his weight behind John Terry’s bid to remain England skipper by insisting his Chelsea team-mate is the best captain he has ever played under.

The Professional Footballers Association have announced plans to host a game featuring a host of international and English legends at Eastlands Stadium on December 2.

MARCEL DESAILLY fears new Chelsea coach Avram Grant will struggle to build the love and respect that was afforded to Jose Mourinho by the current Blues stars.

Marcel Desailly fears new Chelsea coach Avram Grant will struggle to build the love and respect that was afforded to Jose Mourinho by the current Blues stars.

THE long-running saga over Real Madrid’s desire to sign Chelsea’s Dutch winger Arjen Robben took another twist yesterday when president Ramon Calderon claimed the deal now hinged on the London club’s willingness to do business.

The long-running saga over Real Madrid’s desire to sign Chelsea’s Dutch winger Arjen Robben took another twist today when president Ramon Calderon claimed the deal now hinged on the London club’s willingness to do business.

Tottenham have continued their summer spending spree by signing France U-21 defender Younes Kaboul from Auxerre.

Rising Formula One star Lewis Hamilton and the European Ryder Cup team have been nominated for prestigious awards.

Former France defender Marcel Desailly questioned Raymond Domenech’s decision to take off Thierry Henry during the World Cup final defeat to Italy.

Former France captain Marcel Desailly is confident Les Bleus can claim their second World Cup title on Sunday.

Robbie Williams’s charity football team had a promising start to their training for Soccer Aid when they beat an England Legends team by a single goal.

Former France captain Marcel Desailly has backed Thierry Henry to stay at Arsenal.

Pop star Robbie Williams and celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay today unveiled their line-ups for Soccer Aid.

LEAGUE Managers’ chief John Barnwell has backed Ron Atkinson’s return to the game — providing Swindon boss Iffy Onuora is happy with it too.

Ron Atkinson will make his football comeback tomorrow, working alongside Swindon’s black manager Iffy Onuora.

FORMER Chelsea centre-half Marcel Desailly is convinced Jose Mourinho’s side will wrap up the title should they beat London rivals Arsenal at Highbury on Sunday.

Former Chelsea defender Marcel Desailly has revealed he would like to return to the Barclays Premiership.

Thierry Henry warned fans not to expect too much from Arsenal’s youngsters in the Carling Cup clash at Sunderland tomorrow.

Zinedine Zidane, Lilian Thuram and Chelsea midfielder Claude Makelele have made their expected return to France duty after coach Raymond Domenech named his squad for next week’s friendly with the Ivory Coast in Montpellier.

IT’S the news Irish football fans have dreaded - Zinedine Zidane is back for France.

Bolton have dismissed suggestions that Jay-Jay Okocha could quit the club and accept a lucrative move to Qatar.

France captain Patrick Vieira believes his side should draw on the positives from last month’s 1-1 friendly draw against Sweden and use them for inspiration against Switzerland in tomorrow’s World Cup qualifying clash at the Stade de France.

SWISS defender Patrick Müller believes his side can inflict a long overdue defeat on France when they meet in Ireland’s World Cup qualifying Group 4 in Paris on Saturday.

TELEPHONE numbers of the world’s leading soccer stars as well as other famous people are being sold over the internet by a Romanian student after she found a mobile phone belonging to shamed ex-Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu.

HAVING already made an offensive remark about black people, Ron Atkinson has now insulted the Chinese.

Ron Atkinson was at the centre of new allegations of racism today after being accused of insulting Chinese women.

Former France playmaker Zinedine Zidane has revealed that one of the reasons he called time on his international career last summer is because he believes he lacks leadership skills.

John Barnes has handed Ron Atkinson a chance to resurrect his TV career eight months after he was forced to resign for an on-air racist remark.

Robert Pires “was expecting” to be dropped by France but he has no plans to retire from international football.

ARSENAL midfielder Robert Pires has delivered another stunning attack at France coach Raymond Domenech.

Arsenal midfielder Robert Pires has delivered a blistering broadside at France coach Raymond Domenech.