UEFA Euro 2008

The 2008 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as Euro 2008, will take place in Austria and Switzerland, from 7 to 29 June 2008. It is the second in a series of three successful joint bids in the competition's history, alongside the UEFA Euro 2000, hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands and the 2012 competition in Poland and Ukraine.

A total of 16 teams will participate in the tournament. Austria and Switzerland will automatically qualify as hosts; The remaining 14 teams have been determined through qualifying matches which started in August 2006. Austria and Poland will be making their first appearance in the tournament. The winner of Euro 2008 will represent the UEFA at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup.

UEFA Euro 2008
Tournament details
Host nations	Austria / Switzerland
Dates	7 June – 29 June
Teams	16 (from 52 associations)
Venues	8 (in 8 host cities)
Tournament statistics
Matches	31

Eto'o poised for scoring record

Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o will have history in his sights as he lines up against Zambia in Kumasi on Saturday.

The three-time African Footballer of the Year is just one goal away from equalling the Africa Cup of Nations' all-time scoring record.

The 26-year-old's opening Group C double against Egypt has taken him to 13 goals in the finals, just one off Laurent Pokou's tally.

The Ivorian striker struck his 14 goals in just two tournaments.

Pokou netted six in Ethiopia in 1968 before following with eight more in Sudan two years later.

Should Eto'o equal or break the long-standing record, either against Zambia or in Wednesday's final Group C match against the Sudanese, he will have needed many more finals than the Ivorian.

There would also be a neat symmetry to the Barca marksman's feat since it was in Ghana that he opened his Nations Cup account eight years ago.

Ironically, the Indomitable Lion struck his first goal against Ivory Coast in a 3-0 group win - as though he were hunting down Pokou's record from the start.

As Cameroon marched to the title, the then 18-year-old claimed a full house of goals with strikes in the group stages, the quarters, semis and the final against Nigeria as well.

Cameroon successfully defended their trophy at Mali 2002, yet Eto'o was a more peripheral figure as he scored just once - against Togo in the group stages.

The slow crawl to Pokou's 38-year record continued at Tunisia 2004 where the Cameroonian had to rely on a sole strike in the 2-1 quarter-final defeat to Nigeria.

Yet the Indomitable Lion has been on fire in the last two tournaments, scoring seven times in just five matches.

At Egypt 2006, he opened with a hat-trick against Angola, followed by strikes against both Togo and DR Congo prior to another quarter-final exit for his nation.

On Tuesday, his fine individual Nations Cup form continued with his brace against Egypt despite the four-time champions' comprehensive 4-2 defeat.

Setting a new Nations Cup record would be an illustrious honour for a man who already has one Champions League, two Spanish titles, an Olympic medal and two African crowns in his locker.

And since he is just 26, there is no reason why one of the world's most feared hitmen cannot create an unsurpassable Nations Cup tally in the years to come.

Giggs set for new contract

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has promised Ryan Giggs a new contract with the Premier League champions.

The 33-year-old's existing deal runs out at the end of the current campaign but Ferguson is sure the life-long United servant will still be at the club come the start of next season.

And the United boss also revealed Giggs could even break Bobby Charlton's all-time appearance record of 759 games for United before the end of this term.

"He will not play every game for us this season but he will be here next season, that is for certain," Ferguson told the News of the World. "He could even catch Bobby before the end of May.

"We have plenty of Premier League games left and, hopefully, another 10 European ties. There is also the FA Cup, so it is possible."

Giggs joined United as a schoolboy and has been a feature in Ferguson's side since 1991, accumulating an astounding haul of trophies in over 16 years of service so far, including nine Premier League titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups and a Champions League trophy.

And Ferguson is in no doubt that the Welshman can continue to perform at the highest level for some time to come.

"With the way Giggs looks after himself, he could go on until infinity. You just don't know," Ferguson said.

"It's impossible to see any marked deterioration in the lad. When a player gets towards his 34th birthday he loses bits of his game, particularly when he's a forward.

"But there is no downside in his performances and that is amazing.

"That's down to his constitution and how he looks after himself with his lifestyle, he's quite a passive, laid back person.

"These are the qualities which have allowed him to continue to compete at the competition level we are in. It's quite unique."

Van Persie keeps Arsenal on top

Robin van Persie's first half header gave Arsenal all three points in a hard-fought encounter with West Ham on Saturday, ensuring the Gunners stay top of the Premier League table for at least another week.

The Dutchman swooped with a header on 13 minutes to preserve Arsene Wenger's unbeaten run this season, which now stretches to eight games.

It took Arsenal barely 60 seconds to show just why they are sitting pretty on top of the table. Almost inevitably, it was Cesc Fabregas - the smoothly running cog in Arsenal's engine room once again - who started off a flowing rapid-fire passing move from which Emmanuel Adebayor nearly opening the scoring, his shot going narrowly wide of Robert Green's upright.

But the Gunners did not have to wait for much longer before a breakthrough was made, Van Persie getting in front of Hammers skipper Lucas Neill to head home an Aleksandr Hleb cross.

In fairness, the goal was harsh on West Ham, who had until that point largely matched Arsenal and even created several chances of their own in an open start to the game.

Dean Ashton looked busy up front for the hosts, and it was his superbly executed flick to former Arsenal man Freddie Ljungberg that nearly carved open the Gunners's back line. But Manuel Almunia - still deputising for the injured Jens Lehmann - was off his line quickly to save at the Swede's feet on five minutes.

Minutes later, Ashton threatened once again, this time letting fly from distance; his shot flew over the bar, but the signs were encouraging for the east Londoners.

Van Persie's third goal of the season served to dent the Hammers' confidence somewhat, but nonetheless, they did enough during the opening 45 minutes to go in slightly aggrieved at being a goal down, even if the opening period ended with Arsenal on the front foot.

Van Persie saw a free kick turned round the corner by Green on 41 minutes before Mathieu Flamini brought the keeper into action once again with a stinging drive from outside the box before the whistle brough an end to proceedings.