Interesting Facts

According to a survey conducted by Mothercare, when British children were asked what they wanted to be when they grew up, more boys than girls dreamt of becoming dancers, the girls wanted to be footballers. (Children aged between two and 12,were asked what they wanted to be, and the following careers proved most popular:- Doctor (9%) Footballer (8%) Teacher (8%) Dancer (6%) Police officer (5%) Firefighter (4%) Scientist (4%) Musician (4%) Actor (2%) Nurse (2%) The top 5 jobs for boys:- Doctor (11%) Footballer (10%) Dancer (8%) Teacher (6%) Police officer (6%) The top 5 jobs for girls:- Doctor (8%) Teacher (8%) Footballer (7%) Dancer (5%) Police officer (5%) What? No lawyers? The future is looking bright.)

Bolivian President Evo Morales has snubbed Fifa's ban on high-altitude football matches by playing his own at 6,000m (19,700 ft) above sea level. (FIFA decided last month to prohibit international tournaments and World Cup qualifying matches above 2,500 metres (8,200 feet). Their reason was concern for players' health and an unfair home advantage for highland teams. But the ban means the capitals of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and the stadiums of leading teams in Peru, Chile and Mexico won't be able to host matches. Morales and the other players flew by helicopter up to a rocky saddle below the peak of Sajama, a dormant Andean volcano, that was after attending the obligatory llama sacrifice for good luck.)

The famous footballer Pele has always hated his nickname, which he says sounds like "baby-talk in Portuguese". (He should worry. My mum always called me "chicken".)