It is that time of the year again folks. Fans and players alike gather around their club to see which colours and configurations they will be adorning themselves in throughout the coming season. As Real Madrid launch their new kit for the 2013-2014 season, World Soccer Talk is lucky enough to have one brand new shirt to give away in a beautiful presentation box. Thanks to adidas for giving this prize to one lucky winner.

All you have to do it answer this question:

Question: In which year did Karim Benzema make his professional debut for Olympique Lyonnais? 

Answers must go in an email to laurencemckenna (@) epltalk.com in order to be counted for the competition. One winner will be drawn at random. The competition closes at 00:00 Wednesday morning (EST).

Finally, the shirt is a medium size, you do not have to be medium to enter though. As Real enter an exciting new season this would look just as good on your wall or mantle-piece (or games room).

Good luck! To inspire you, here are the prose which accompany the the shirt:

Win A Real Madrid Home Shirt in A Beautiful Presentation Box is a post from World Soccer Talk.

As Brazil continues to host the Confederations Cup, Premier League teams will have a number of their scouts in the country searching for new players to sign, while also keeping an eye on their own players. Ten years ago, there were hardly any Brazilians and Spaniards in the Premier League, but nowadays almost every team in the top four has at least a Spaniard in their ranks.

The hosts have called up the Chelsea duo of Oscar and David Luiz, but Big Phil has surprisingly omitted Ramires. Another player that should have been included based on his performances this year is Manchester United’s right back, Rafael. The young Brazilian has improved by leaps and bounds compared to his previous seasons and would be quite annoyed at his exclusion. Although relegated, QPR’s Julio Cesar made the final cut and is Brazil’s starting keeper. The perpetually Tottenham linked Leandro Damiao is also included and will be keen to follow Neymar to Europe, so expect some great displays from him. Currently employed by Internacional, he is exactly the type of player that Spurs have been looking for, someone that can combine Adebayor’s and Defoe’s skills into one.

The Spanish national team are World and European Champions, but are also the team with the most amount of Premier League players. As usual, Spain’s midfield includes a goldmine of talent. In Santi Cazorla, David Silva and Juan Mata, Del Bosque has included three of the Premier League’s best midfielders. Santi has unequivocally been Arsenal’s player of the season and with 12 goals and 13 assists, he will be a great addition to the Spanish team. Mata has for a second season been one of Chelsea’s best players and was voted by Chelsea’s fans as the player of the season. He has won the Champions League and Europa League with Chelsea and deserves a place in the Spanish team. Unlike the two other midfielders, Silva did not have a memorable season, but is one of the few midfielders that has had a standing place in the national team.

Surprisingly, Javi Garcia has been included in the squad and that is probably down to the fact that Spain lacks defensive midfielders. Cesar Azpilicueta and Nacho Monreal have both been called up and although Jordi Alba will most likely be Spain’s starting left back, it will most likely be that César Azpilicueta will feature as Spain’s right back ahead of the aging Arbeloa. Fernando Torres received a call up after his strong end to the season. Soldado is his real competition, since Villa has barely played all season and has fallen out of favor at Barcelona, but he is another player constantly rumored to be on the lookout for a Premier League team. And before we forget, Pepe Reina has been included but will remain the understudy to Casillas in the Spanish goal until one of them retires.

Japan come to the Confederations Cup as Asian Champions and they also have two Premier League players in their ranks, both having only spent one season England. Shinji Kagawa is certainly the best Japanese player at the moment and after impressing with Dortmund, winning back to back to Bundesliga titles, his transfer to United was not only seen as a coup but also a marketing scheme. The Japanese had a few injuries along the way, but overall scored 6 goals in 20 appearances for the club. More importantly, he combined well with Van Persie and was able to complement RVP by interchanging positions and runs into the box. The other player is Southampton’s Maya Yoshida, who had a good first season in the Premier League after transferring from Dutch side VVV-Venlo. Quite frankly, there have only been a total of 6 Japanese players that have played top flight English football so far.

The “love him or hate him” Luis Suarez will certainly be playing a big role in Uruguay’s attempt to advance to the final. He’s been the only member of the team that has been actually performing. Currently vying for a move away from the Premier League, he needs to impress his suitors on the world wide stage yet again. Gaston Ramirez has faired well, having arrived as Southampton’s record signing, scoring 6 and assisting in 3 goals. More will be expected from him the next season as Southampton battle to stay in the Premier League.

Uruguay has a pool of talent waiting to be tapped by Premier League teams. The first name on the list has been on the radar of all European top sides, and having guided Napoli to a second placed finish, Edinson Cavani is worthy of all the attention. Rumors are that he won’t be at Napoli next season with the most likely suitors coming from the Premier League and Juventus. Another top player, recently relegated with Palermo, is Abel Hernandez who has the ability to score and set up goals with ease.

With only two Premier League players in their squad, the Nigerian national team doesn’t look to English shores like they used to or rather, the Nigerian players aren’t as skilled as they used to be. The Chelsea duo of Victor Moses and Obi Mikel are both present, and were also the only two Premier League players to be present during Nigeria’s recent African Cup of Nations victory. Under Stephen Keshi, the team doesn’t include all the big names fans are used and he has selected from both African based players and European based players to build a well balanced team. While players will be showcasing their goods, there are few that will attract big Premier League teams.

The last team to include a Premier League based player is Mexico. Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez hasn’t had the best of seasons at Manchester United, but with the likelihood of Rooney’s departure, he may find more opportunities at the club. The Little Pea is Mexico’s star player and one of few European based players alongside Guardado and the Dos Santos. Arsenal reject Vela has been shunned by the national team after ironically rejecting recent call ups.

As for Tahiti, they have the same amount of Premier League based players as Italy, 0. Since Super Mario Balotelli’s departure, the Premier League lacks an Italian national team player, but constant speculations linking De Rossi to England may change that.

To sum it up there, Chelsea is the Premier League side with the most number of players represented at the FIFA Confederations Cup. Let’s hope all of the Chelsea players, and the national team players from other Premier League sides, make it through the entire tournament without getting injured.

Guide to Premier League Players at the Confederations Cup is a post from World Soccer Talk.

Tahiti, a tiny island in the South Pacific, battle African powerhouse Nigeria today in the third day of matches in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. Ranked number 138 in the world, and featuring a team of amateurs, not much is known about the Tahiti side, but it’s certainly a Cinderella story.

Here’a promotional video from Tahiti to give you an idea of how this side plays, as well as the field conditions they played on in their island:

Nigeria, meanwhile, have brought over a younger side than normal, so it’ll be a good test to see what depth the current Africa Cup Of Nations champions has.

For viewers in the United States, the game will be shown live on ESPN (and WatchESPN) at 2:30pm ET.

MORE — 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup Preview: Everything You Need To Know.

Before, during or after today’s Confederations Cup, join the conversation in the comments section below.

Tahiti vs Nigeria, Confederations Cup, Group Stage: Open Thread is a post from World Soccer Talk.

American winger/striker Jemal Johnson has a unique story. Born in New Jersey, he grew up in Macclesfield in Cheshire and spent time with Manchester United before becoming a professional with Blackburn Rovers. A veteran of all four divisions of English professional football, Johnson moved back to the United States and currently plays with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in the NASL, US’s second division. He has signed a pre-contract with the New York Cosmos and will join the legendary side after the Strikers current season concludes July 4th.

World Soccer Talk’s Kartik Krishnaiyer sat down with Johnson this past week in Fort Lauderdale to discuss his career in depth.  Among the topics covered was being an American growing up in the north of England, why Johnson supported a team from London while living in Macclesfield, his affinity for Milton Keynes and his move back to the US. Videography by Joshua Tomlinson.

Interview With Jemal Johnson, Former Blackburn and Wolves Winger [VIDEO] is a post from World Soccer Talk.

Photographs of Everton’s home shirt for the 2013-14 season have been leaked on the Internet.

Designed by Nike, the most striking characteristic of Everton’s new home shirt is their unusual sleeve design that looks far better on a long-sleeve shirt instead of the short-sleeve shirt. On the short sleeve version, they just look like big white cuffs.

The Everton home shirt features a traditional collar. The shirt design also features the new Everton club crest, which will be used for just one season before the club changes it at the end of 2013-14.

What’s your opinion about Everton’s new home shirt for 2013-14? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

Everton Home Shirt For 2013-14 Season: Leaked [PHOTOS] is a post from World Soccer Talk.

Even though the Champion’s League dream didn’t come to fruition in the end, and despite whatever Adrian Durham says, I think most Spurs fans would agree that Andre Villas-Boas’ first season at the Lane has been a success.  Although Gareth Bale was the obvious star of the team, AVB deserves credit beyond simply getting Bale to play at an outstanding level.

Here are the five reasons why AVB has been a success at Tottenham:

1. The passing game has made Spurs a more consistently dangerous team.  Under Harry Redknapp, the side’s passing game was essentially based around one man: Luka Modric.  He’s certainly not a bad player to base a team around, but what he did so well was moving the ball quickly from flank to flank.  AVB has installed a more patient, probing passing game based more around the system, and not on a player.

One issue under Redknapp was that if Modric was out, or getting marked out of the game, or just having an off day, everything would fall apart. This season’s team has been able to rotate players without losing the threat with the ball.

AVB’s system has also allowed Spurs to have more of the ball in nearly every game. The team’s possession stats show this: At home Spurs averaged 52 percent possession, while away from home they averaged 53 percent possession.  While those certainly aren’t dominating possession stats, they do show that team has an identity in the way in it wants to play with the ball, and it doesn’t change away from home.

2. AVB has been flexible both tactically and with personnel.  Throughout the season, Spurs have played any one of a 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, 4-4-2, 4-4-1-1, and 3-5-2.  This kind of tactical flexibility has shown AVB’s competence both on the training field and in-game.  He’s changed the way the team sets up based on the players available, the players in form, and the opposition.  An obvious example was the move of Bale to a second striker, but when Bale went out injured late in the season, AVB brought in Lewis Holtby and changed to a 4-3-3.  Or when Sandro went out injured, AVB changed the dynamic between Mousa Dembele and Scott Parker, allowing for both the break forward in support. He’s also changed midgame, as the Manchester City game proved with devastatingly good results.

Perhaps more important than his tactical flexibility, AVB has stuck with players in good form and dropped players who weren’t playing well.  The re-inclusions of Michael Dawson, Tom Huddlestone and Gylfi Sigurdsson have been a radical change from last season.

AVB has also remade players in an effort to keep form players in the team.  Bale here is the obvious example; but he also made Sigurdsson into a wide player willing to put in the defensive work, and played Holtby across a few positions in midfield.

3. He’s rotated throughout the season, allowing Spurs to fight on multiple fronts.  All season, AVB has changed his defense based on the opposition.  Against bigger, stronger teams, he would bring in Steven Caulker to play along Michael Dawson, and move Jan Vertonghen to left back.  Against quicker teams, Vertonghen would move back into the middle, and Benoit Assou-Ekotto or Kyle Naughton would come in at left back.  This kind of rotation happened throughout the team, and AVB was keen to not play too many players too much.

Smart rotation does two things: keeps players fit, and keeps players happy.  Resting players periodically throughout the year allowed Spurs to fight all season on two fronts.  And apart from a little wobble around the two Basel games (the only time the team looked genuinely tired), the team pushed until the last day of the season.

The Europa League has been key in keeping important players happy.  It offered players like Brad Friedel and William Gallas the chance to remain part of the team, while also giving younger players like Kyle Naughton, Steven Caulker, and Tom Carroll the chance to play more.

4. AVB has instilled a determination in the team.  How many important late goals have Spurs seen this year?  There have been late winners or levelers against United at home, Everton at home, Southampton at home, West Ham away, Chelsea away, Wigan away, Stoke away, and on the last day at home to Sunderland.  All of these games were in the second half of the season.  Just as some teams were beginning to fade late in the year, Spurs were fighting until the last moment of every game.

It’s not just about scoring goals though.  Since the Everton game in December, when Spurs conceded twice after the 90th minute to lose, Spurs have only conceded once past 80 minutes, and it was an avoidable penalty against Liverpool.  This was down to AVB’s coaching, as he changed training techniques to maintain concentration levels as fitness decreased.  But it’s also a result of his mentality; there is steeliness about AVB, and his team has taken on this image.

5. He won back favor from the English media.  When he was appointed last summer, I could remember the first press reactions to AVB were stories like “Spurs Players in Dressing Room Revolt.”  Needless to say, after his days at Chelsea, he wasn’t the most popular man with the English media.  But since he began at Spurs, AVB has shown a humility which has won them back.  He changed the way he interacted with the media, which was an admission of past mistakes in this arena.

It was always going to be difficult to follow the popular, ever quotable Redknapp.  But AVB has won back respect by not being Redknapp.  He’s always supported his players, never said anything questionable, and has generally been respectful to those in the media.

In turn the media recognized that he was a good coach; his focus on the Europa League and the aforementioned change in training following the Everton game receiving particular praise.  He has done exactly what was needed following his tumultuous time at Chelsea.

5 Reasons Why Andre Villas-Boas Has Succeeded at Tottenham Hotspur is a post from World Soccer Talk.

Long before Suarez decided that England and vegetarianism wasn’t for him. Long before Roberto Martinez was talking about Champion’s League, but was checking the parachute for the drop. And long before David Moyes found himself in a corporate management office instead of sharing a room with the cleaner. Long before all that, there was the 2012-2013 season. Here are some of the best bits through the skew-whiff eyes of FFS – the best animated footy show on the planet.

FFS: That Was The Season That Was – Best Of FFS 12/13, Part 3 is a post from World Soccer Talk.

Joe Kinnear has confirmed in an interview that he is set to become Director of Football on a three-year deal at Newcastle United. The controversial signing is thought, by some, to put Alan Pardew’s job in jeopardy by undermining Pardew’s authority on Tyneside.

Here’s what Kinnear said:

“I’ve been very fortunate in my life as a manager, I’ve been manager of the year three times and I’ve had a great football career, so I think I’m ideal for this situation.

“I’ve been waiting for the opportunity to come back. I have turned down managerial jobs in the lower leagues, because I felt I’d gone past that and I wanted to get my teeth into something in the Premier League. It’s an interesting role for myself and I don’t think I could be at a better club to do it. I signed it with Mike [Ashley, the Newcastle owner] today and that’s taken care of.

“I intend to meet Alan either tomorrow or within the coming week to discuss the future and go through the team itself. We will discuss where it’s glaringly clear we need to improve and that will be my job, to go and find those players.”

The former manager’s best work came in the ’90s when he managed Wimbledon. But more recently, Kinnear’s most memorable moment came when he went on a tirade against a Daily Mirror journalist in a press conference:

What’s your opinion about Kinnear being appointed at Newcastle United? And do you think Alan Pardew’s days are numbered as Newcastle boss? Post your opinions in the comments section below.

Here are tonight’s world soccer news headlines:

Premier League

• Newcastle appoint Joe Kinnear as director of football in surprise return to former club — Independent
• Joe Kinnear has knowledge but is it relevant in today’s game? — Telegraph
• PSG escalate their interest in Tottenham’s Villas-Boas — The Guardian
• Michu believes the Premier League is superior to La Liga — Sky Sports
• Aston Villa close to signing £1.5m Antonio Luna from Sevilla — The Mail
• Brendan Rodgers hopes to buy Shakhtar Donetsk’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan for £20 million — Telegraph
• Tottenham’s £17m bid for Fredy Guarin is rejected by Inter Milan — The Mail
• Leroy Fer believes Everton remain keen on bringing him in — Sky Sports

International soccer

• Video: Luis Suárez’s goal was probably better than Andrea Pirlo’s — Pro Soccer Talk
• Pirlo and Balotelli lead Italy to hard-earned 2-1 win over Mexico — 101GG
• Final was 2-1, but Spain-Uruguay was nowhere near that close — Pro Soccer Talk
• World Cup qualifying: Ethiopia progress, South Africa knocked out — BBC Sport
• Riot police use tear gas at Maracana with protests blighting Confed Cup — Independent
• Ivory Coast first African team into play-offs — BBC Sport

La Liga

• Malaga forward Isco to decide future in next week — Sky Sports

The Nightly Soccer Report is tomorrow’s news today. It’s often tomorrow morning’s worldwide newspaper headlines that are published the night before. We do all the work for you, combing the Internet and aggregating the news for you. Read The Nightly Soccer Report on World Soccer Talk every night before bed, so you can stay on top of all the news that matters.

Newcastle Appoint Joe Kinnear as Director of Football in Surprise Move: Nightly Soccer Report is a post from World Soccer Talk.

After Brazil’s impressive 3-0 victory against Japan yesterday, we have a double treat on hand today as Mexico plays Italy (2:30pm ET, ESPN/WatchESPN) and Spain faces Uruguay (5:45pm ET, ESPN/WatchESPN).

In the first match today, Mexico battles Italy at the Maracana, the rebuilt stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Andrea Pirlo will earn his 100th cap for Italy today, while Italy coach Cesare Prandelli says there’s “a good possibility” that striker Mario Balotelli will play despite recently suffering an injury. In the Mexico camp, the team is reeling from a poor run of form in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying, so El Tri will want to put on a good performance to help keep Jose Manuel “Chepo” de la Torre in his job.

Later today, current World and European champion Spain takes on Uruguay in Belo Horizonte. After beating Haiti and Ireland in warmup matches for the tournament, Spain will be in confident mood against a more unpredictable Uruguay side. This one could end up being an entertaining match especially if Uruguay are able to take the lead to force Spain to open up.

Before, during or after today’s matches, join the conversation in the comments section below with football supporters around the globe.

Mexico vs Italy and Spain vs Uruguay, Confederations Cup, Group Stage: Open Thread is a post from World Soccer Talk.

The worst-kept secret in football was finally revealed this week as Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini signed a three-year deal as Roberto Mancini’s replacement at Manchester City. With Sevilla midfielder Jesus Navas also arriving at the Etihad and striker Iago Aspas joining Liverpool from Celta Vigo, what can Premier League fans expect next season from the new arrivals from La Liga?

At 59 years of age, the man known as the Engineer will be the second oldest manager in England’s top flight, after Arsene Wenger.  Pellegrini is a vastly experienced coach but has never managed in England before.  After 450 games in a one-club career as a central defender with Universidad Chile, he cut his managerial teeth in Argentina before a five-year spell in Spain with Villarreal.

Moving to Real Madrid in 2009, Pellegrini brought Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Xabi Alonso to the Bernabeu at a combined cost of around €200m, but after his expensive team crashed out of the Champions League and came second to Barcelona in La Liga, the Chilean was fired.

Replacing Jesualdo Ferreira after Malaga’s disastrous start to 2010-11, Pellegrini steered the Costa del Sol outfit to an 11^th place finish before taking them to fourth in La Liga in his first full season in charge and securing a Champions League slot.  In addition to reaching the Champions League quarter-finals last season, Pellegrini guided Malaga to sixth, good enough for a Europa League place next term.

As a coach, Pellegrini is noted for his ability to mould successful teams playing attacking and entertaining football. While initial success at Malaga was built on significant investment in players, a financial crisis at the club meant last season’s achievements were achieved, contrary to the expectations of many, on a much-reduced budget. He will not face similar problems at City but, apart from handling a collection of highly-paid egos more effectively than Mancini did, Pellegrini will be expected to deliver success.

Spanish international winger Jesus Navas has joined City for a reported €17.5m. His signature was secured before Pellegrini’s arrival but the attack-minded player, who has 24 caps for his country, will fit the Chilean’s attacking style. With 336 appearances for Sevilla under his belt, he was a key figure in his club’s UEFA Cup winning run in 2005-06 and for a number of years was ever-present in the Andalusians’ line-up, scoring 31 goals and providing assists for many more.

The 27-year-old says he is excited at the prospect of linking up with Pellegrini, and believes the new coach will get the most out of his team and achieve great things at the Etihad. “Everything I know about him is positive. Every team he coaches plays well, and everyone in the city will support him,” Navas told City’s official website following the coach’s appointment. “He’s important because he will help the team and we all know the importance of a good manager and a good person who we trust.”

City fans will be looking forward to the prospect of Navas linking up with fellow Spanish international David Silva at City but, with Santi Cazorla, Nacho Monreal, Pepe Reina, Fernando Torres and Juan Mata all with Premier League sides, Navas himself is also relishing the chance to pitch his wits against his countrymen.

With 12 goals in 36 appearances last season for a struggling Celta Vigo side, and 50 in 153 games overall for the Galicians, striker Iago Aspas is no stranger to controversy, but denies his move to Liverpool is to either replace or replicate Luis Suarez. With the Anfield future of the brilliant but enigmatic Uruguayan still the subject of contention, coach Brendan Rodgers has moved quickly to bring in the lively front man from Celta, who only escaped relegation from La Liga with a 1-0 win over Espanyol on the final day of the season.  Liverpool are reported to have paid around €9m for the 25-year-old striker, who can play either in the centre or out wide.

Like Suarez, Galician-born Aspas wears his heart on his sleeve and has been known to allow his emotions to get the better of him. In March last season, in a lively and highly-charged encounter away to despised local rivals Deportivo La Coruna, and with both clubs mired in the relegation zone, the red mist descended for Aspas, who head-butted Carlos Marchena and received his marching orders. Celta were beaten and Aspas was banned for four games. No sooner had he returned, then he was booked for diving and was suspended once again.

With the English national team continuing to be exposed to criticism at senior and Under 21 levels, many will lament the arrival of yet more overseas talent, but the entertainment value of the latest batch of imports from La Liga is unlikely to be denied.

What Premier League Fans Can Expect From Manuel Pellegrini, Jesus Navas and Iago Aspas is a post from World Soccer Talk.

Liverpool are holding talks over a potential £9million deal to sign Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.

The Belgium goalkeeper would be a fine addition to the Anfield squad and would give Liverpool goalkeepers Pepe Reina and Brad Jones serious competition for the starting spot at the club.

Here’s what the Salut! Sunderland blog says about his pending departure:

“If Simon Mignolet does leave, I am sure it is with the best wishes of all true Sunderland fans. The penalty save at The Sports Direct Arena [against Newcastle], the string of brave saves against Manchester City and the way that he kept us in the derby game in April, will live long in the memory.

“He was thrown in at the deep end [when he joined Sunderland] as Craig Gordon was not fit and he did struggle at first. He was criticised for not building a good enough wall, thereby allowing Ryan Taylor to curl home the winning free kick for the Mags. He recovered from that and had a decent season – the odd mistake, a little bit of indecision and areas where his game could improve.

“Improve it did. The arrival of better central defenders in Wes Brown and John O’Shea helped him and, although injury ruled him out for two months, he came back for that epic win over Manchester City and had a blinder.”

What are your thoughts about Mignolet? Will he be a good transfer buy for Liverpool? And will he be able to unseat Pepe Reina from the starting spot? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Here are today’s world soccer news headlines:

Premier League

• Liverpool are holding talks over a potential £9m deal for Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet — Sky Sports
• Tottenham lead the chase for James McCarthy, Wigan want £20m [Sunday Times] — 101GG
• Fernando Torres’ Chelsea record rated ‘so-so’ by Jose Mourinho — Sky Sports
• Arsenal offer €30m in one single payment to Real Madrid for Gonzalo Higuain [Marca] — 101GG
• Di Canio will fine any players who return for training more than two kg overweight — Sky Sports
• Man City offer Napoli €40m + Dzeko or €55m straight to sign Edinson Cavani [Gazzetta] — 101GG
• Zinedine Zidane urges Gareth Bale to ask Tottenham for move — Sky Sports
• Wesley Sneijder insists he cannot leave Galatasaray this year — The Sun
• Rio Ferdinand rejected England over fitness worries — Sky Sports
• Allan McGregor’s agent says Hull City are in pole position to sign him — Sky Sports

International soccer

• Mexico and Italy both in unpredictable form — When Saturday Comes
• Brazil team of 2013 can be greats, says Luiz Felipe Scolari — BBC Sport

Argentine soccer

• Independiente drop from Argentina’s top flight for the 1st time in 100 years, everyone cries — 101GG

The Daily Soccer Report is your morning guide to the latest world soccer news headlines, so you don’t have to spend an hour or more scanning the Internet. We do all the work for you. Read The Daily Soccer Report on World Soccer Talk every morning to stay on top of all the news that matters.

Liverpool Close In On £9m Deal for Sunderland Goalkeeper Simon Mignolet: Daily Soccer Report is a post from World Soccer Talk.

Jose Mourinho has revealed that he had a secret pact with Sir Alex Ferguson where they both agreed to keep each other’s secrets quiet. Several months ago Ferguson told Mourinho that he was retiring at the end of the season. And, Mourinho confided with Ferguson that he longed to return to Stamford Bridge.

Here’s what Mourinho said:

“I knew that Ferguson was retiring many months ago and I was so happy to have his trust. It was big news for the world. I can imagine that just a very close circle around him knew that and it was a big responsibility for me to know that. Why do I know that? Because we are friends. If I am his friend to know he is going to retire, he is also my friend to know that the club I want to coach in England is Chelsea. Of course I told him. For Chelsea, I would turn down every job in the world.”

Some of you may recall the moment in the Manchester United against Real Madrid match in the UEFA Champions League this past February where, I believe it was the second leg, Mourinho walked over to Ferguson and whispered something in his ear shortly after Nani had been red carded. Presumably it was Mourinho telling Ferguson that Nani was harshly sent off. But perhaps it was Mourinho telling Fergie that he was going back to Chelsea. We can pretend that’s what he said. Right?!

Here are tonight’s world soccer news headlines:

Premier League

• José Mourinho reveals his secret pact with Sir Alex Ferguson — The Guardian
• Man City fear secret scouting database could have been hacked by employee of EPL rival — Mirror
• Crystal Palace bid to hijack Swansea move for West Brom striker Peter Odemwingie — The Mail
• Liverpool MD Ian Ayre cancels Rio trip to complete move for Henrikh Mkhitaryan — 101GG
• West Ham eye Chelsea cast-offs Florent Malouda and Salomon Kalou — Telegraph
• Isco denies agreement with new Man City boss Manuel Pellegrini after Norway Golazo — 101GG
• Sunderland target Scott Parker as Black Cats revamp continues under Paolo Di Canio — The Mirror

International soccer

• Spain tiki-taka their way to Euro U21 final with commanding 3-0 win over Norway — 101GG
• Liverpool striker Fabio Borini downs Dutch to set up Spain final — UEFA.com
• Trecker’s Brazilian Travels Day 4: Worth the fight — FOX Soccer

The Nightly Soccer Report is tomorrow’s news today. It’s often tomorrow morning’s worldwide newspaper headlines that are published the night before. We do all the work for you, combing the Internet and aggregating the news for you. Read The Nightly Soccer Report on World Soccer Talk every night before bed, so you can stay on top of all the news that matters.

José Mourinho Reveals His Secret Pact With Sir Alex Ferguson: Nightly Soccer Report is a post from World Soccer Talk.

The protracted transfer of Santos and Brazil’s flamboyant forward Neymar came to a closure recently when he formally joined Barcelona for a reported transfer fee of $75 million on a five-year contract. Even though Barcelona had made a down payment of $13 million a while back, with the view to completing the transfer after the 2014 World Cup, Real Madrid were lurking, and Barca decided not to take chances, completing the transfer a year early, and in the process stumping-up a further $22 million for the earlier-than-scheduled move. Reportedly, an eye watering $248 million buyout clause has been inserted into his contract, indicating Barcelona won’t suffer fools gladly.

The Hype:

So much has been said and written about Neymar in footballing terms, and there is huge expectation given his talent and potential. It’s almost forgotten he’s an upstart, and just 21 years old. Soccer has no mercy for talented youngsters, and Neymar will have to hit the ground running when he hooks up with Barcelona. Somehow I doubt the player will be phased by all the attention and cacophony. From his hairdo to his playing style, he cannot be classed as a sporting prude. Neymar has extraordinary talent, and the potential to rival the true greats of the game. A multi-functional forward, he can play as a striker, winger, false nine, and the fantasy number 10 position. I guess that makes him Cristiano Ronaldo, Johan Cruyff, Zinedine Zidane and Diego Maradona all rolled into one. His technical prowess and dribbling skills are outrageous.

Tension Or Vision:

Dutch Legend Cruyff said that having Messi and Neymar in the same team is like having “two captains on the same ship,” to which I beg to differ. Messi is the indisputable captain of the ship, and nerve center of the team. Neymar knows all too well, and would have been briefed for good measure. Here is what he said when he signed:

“Barca are more than a club and a great team and I want to help Messi continue to be the greatest player in the World.”

There are three reasons why Barcelona have pulled off a master stroke:

1. They pipped rivals Real Madrid to Neymar.

2. They have a player of direct similarity to wrestle with Ronaldo, and

3. From a tactical viewpoint, Neymar is a player to generate a lethal cutting edge to the team’s attack from the left, right, or through the middle, making Barcelona stronger in attack than they were last season.

References have been drawn to the 2009 signing of Zlatan Ibrahimovic; the tactical and personal issues that ensued in the dressing room owing to the presence of two primadonas. This is a different case. Neymar is playing the supporting role, and Messi has already cemented his place as a Barca legend. As Neymar would say, it’s “an honor” and Messi is the “best.”

Crown Prince

The optics on this incredible transfer is that Neymar would seek to bed-in to the Catalan culture and spirit, as well as assimilating the gist of Barcelona’s tactical and conceptual approach, which may mean altering his individualism to some degree, possessing the ball for shorter spells prior to a pass, and playing in tandem with Messi. His immediate brief will be about navigating these immediate challenges, and once done with the required hard work, humility and professionalism, would be a launching pad for a successful career at Barcelona.

Neymar has the potential to be talked about like Messi in the future. He scored 136 goals in 225 games for Santos in three years. It takes a special player to lead Brazil’s attack, like he’ll do in the 2013 Confederations Cup and FIFA 2014 World Cup. If all of these elements conflate for the young Brazilian, and Barcelona give him adequate protection and nurturing like they did with Messi, he will go on to emulate the greats of the club and his beloved nation Brazil.

Why The Fuss About Brazil’s Neymar Is Well-Deserved is a post from World Soccer Talk.

The 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup begins today with host Brazil facing Japan. For viewers in the United States, the match is being shown live on ESPN and WatchESPN. The kick-off is scheduled for 2:30pm ET.

Brazil opens the tournament at a brand-new stadium in Brasilia, a 68,000 capacity stadium named Estadio Nacional.

Don’t be surprised if Japan causes a shock today by either getting a win or draw against a Brazil side, who despite being buoyed by their home fans, have been playing poorly lately despite beating France 3-0 in a recent friendly.

FIFA will use goal-line technology in an international game for the first time today for Brazil-Japan. GoalControl is its name.

Brazil starting 11: Cesar, Alves, Silva, Luiz, Marcelo, Oscar, Dias, Paulinho, Fred, Neymar, Hulk.

Japan starting 11: Kawashima, Nagatomo, Uchida, Konno, Yohsida, Honda, Endo, Kiyotake, Kagawa, Hasebe, Okazaki.

Before, during or after today’s match, join the conversation in the comments section below.

Brazil vs Japan, Confederations Cup, Group Stage: Open Thread is a post from World Soccer Talk.