The German team has blocked calls to their top striker Miroslav Klose's hotel room after the World Cup finals' leading scorer was disturbed by a series of crank calls overnight, Bild daily reported yesterday.
Bild said the calls came from someone claiming to be a Spanish-speaking reporter and speculated it could have been a fan from Paraguay, who Germany face in the World Cup's second round today, trying to unsettle the player.
"First at one o'clock in the morning, then at six o'clock, then at seven o'clock - Miroslav could barely sleep. Was it fans from Paraguay?" Bild said.
Bernd Pfaff, an official of the German Football Association (DFB), said: "It was mostly Spanish speaking callers, pretending to be reporters. We have to do something about this."
Despite the interruption, German confidence is riding high ahead of the Paraguay game. "Tomorrow we eat Paraguay for breakfast!" said Bild.
I share blame, says Maradona
Diego Maradona says he accepts some of the blame for Argentina's shock first-round exit from the World Cup.
"I blame myself. Yes, I, too, am to blame for the failure," he said after the South Americans crashed out.
"During the match against Sweden I kept having the same thought: Why did you not fly to Japan to support your team? Players like Batistuta would have wanted me to be there."
Maradona watched on television from his new home in Cuba rather than attend the games.
He decided not to travel despite being given belated permission to attend the event after Japan initially barred him because of his history of drug abuse.
Iranians try to slit wrists
Two Iranians who sought to enter South Korea on false Spanish passports tried to slit their wrists when officials told them they were being deported.
South Korea and Japan are co-hosting the World Cup finals and have tightened security and immigration checks. An airport official said by telephone the two men arrived at South Korea's main Inchon international airport from Bangkok on Wednesday.
The Iranians tried to cut their wrists with a small metal object, possibly a key, and were given medical treatment before being put on a flight back to Bangkok the same day. The injuries were slight, the official said.
Since the tournament started on May 31, some 300 foreigners - including Chinese, Nigerians and Bangladeshis - have been denied entry to South Korea on various grounds, officials say.
Power demand slump during games
Electricity demand in South Korea has been plunging every time the national team plays as the World Cup co-hosts down tools to catch the games.
The budget and planning ministry said yesterday electricity demand during Monday's match between South Korea and the United States fell 13.9 per cent to 34,600 megawatts (MW) compared with normal demand.
The demand during South Korea's opening match with Poland fell 5.7 per cent, the ministry said, in a statement based upon a report by Korea Electricity Exchange.
Maldini breaks Seeler record
Italy captain Paolo Maldini has broken the record for the most full 90 minute appearances in World Cup finals games.
Maldini played his 22nd consecutive World Cup match in Italy's 1-1 draw with Mexico on Thursday, breaking Uwe Seeler's record of 21 games set in the 1960's and 70's for West Germany.
Should Italy reach the last four and Maldini feature in all games, including either the final or the third-place play-off, he would also break the record for World Cup finals appearances set by Germany's Lothar Matthaeus who played in 25 games.
Maldini is already Italy's most capped player with 125 appearances for his country.
Italy open hotel to families
Families and friends of Italy's World Cup squad will be allowed to stay in the team hotel... for one night only!
Coach Giovanni Trapattoni has refused to allow players' wives and other family members access to the team hotel during the first round, but relented after Italy scraped a 1-1 draw with Mexico to reach the second phase.
Italy play in the South Korean city of Taejon on Tuesday in the second round.
Korean fan in World Cup suicide
A South Korea man in his mid-20s died yesterday after setting himself on fire and leaving a chilling suicide note saying he wanted to be "a ghost and the 12th player" for his team in the World Cup, police said.
"I'm choosing death because South Korea has to go far to compete with the Latin American and European teams. I will be a ghost and the 12th player on the pitch and do my best for our team," police in the southeastern city of Pusan quoted the note as saying.
The man was found badly burned at a beach resort in Pusan yesterday and died en route to hospital.
The suicide note starts with "Dear Red Devils in the world" and ends with "From a Red Devil in the next life", he said.
Srecko Katanec stands by decision
Slovenia's coach Srecko Katanec is sticking to his decision to quit after their disappointing World Cup despite attempts by the national football association to change his mind. Slovenia FA president, Franc Zavrl, told reporters in Korea: "I'll still try to convince him to change his mind. If I fail, well, we will have to get another coach."