Rafael van Der Vaart

Speedy recovery for Robben

Real Madrid winger Arjen Robben might return from injury sooner than expected. The Dutchman appeared in training after only two weeks, where it was assumed that four to five weeks would be needed to recover.

Schuster's life grows suddenly lonely.

Bernd Schuster is the loneliest man in soccer right now. His training camp, a vast, expensive enclave on the outskirts of Madrid, has 12 playing fields, and virtually none of the core players the coach needs to work with to...

Injury-plagued Netherlands takes on Sweden

Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt is hoping to take his Premiership scoring form into the Netherlands side that takes on Sweden in an international friendly on Wednesday. Kuyt, who has scored five goals in seven league appearances...

Dutch, Swedes must do without top front men

By Theo Ruizenaar AMSTERDAM, Nov 18 (Reuters) - First-choice strikers Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be absent when Netherlands and Sweden meet in a friendly on Wednesday (1945 GMT). Huntelaar is out for the...

Holland missing top strikers for Sweden friendly

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) -Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk will be without two of his best forwards in Wednesday's friendly against Sweden. Real Madrid's Arjen Robben was left out of the 19-man squad announced Friday...

Spain boss names newcomers/Dutch trio out

Juan Manuel Mata and Fernando Llorente called up for friendly against Chile Midfielder Mata and striker Llorente impressed with clubs Valencia and Bilbao Netherlands without Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Arjen Robben against Sweden...

Spain: Eto'o modest after goal blitz

Samuel Eto'o claims he was not man-of-the-match despite scoring four times in Barcelona's 6-0 rout of Real Valladolid. The Cameroon striker bagged a quartet of goals in the first half before being replaced in the 75th minute to...