Star Brazilian striker Neymar said on Friday that he would never be better than Pele and insisted he was not interested in impressing his many European suitors at the Club World Cup.

The much-coveted Santos player, 19, has been touted as one of the planet's finest prospects and linked with a host of top European clubs, with Spanish giants Real Madrid understood to be leading the charge for his signature.

Four-time European champions Barcelona will take on the winners between Esperance and Al-Sadd in the semi-finals of the Club World Cup in Yokohama on December 15, according to a draw on Thursday.

South American champions Santos, the other semi-final seeds, will face the winners between CONCACAF champions Monterrey and the side who survive the only first-round match, in Toyota on December 14.

The United Arab Emirates soccer player who became an Internet sensation this year when he scored a backheeled penalty kick was killed in a car accident.

Theyab Awana died when a car he was in collided with a truck late Sunday while on the way back to Abu Dhabi after national team training in Al Ain. He was 21.

Spain and Italy sealed their places at Euro 2012 with two qualifying games to spare on Tuesday while England moved closer to next year's finals after beating Wales in a game at Wembley overshadowed by the death of a Wales fan.

David Villa and Alvaro Negredo scored twice as defending champion Spain thrashed Liechtenstein 6-0 to secure top spot in Group I, and substitute Giampaolo Pazzini's 85th-minute strike earned the Italians a narrow win in Florence that clinched them first place in Group C.

Coach Joachim Loew said Germany's last-minute 2-2 friendly draw with Poland has given his players a wake-up call as defensive problems loomed again, while the hosts were left to rue the win that got away.

A 94th-minute goal from Brazil-born striker Cacau spared Germany's blushes in Gdansk on Tuesday and denied Poland a historic first win over the Germans at the 17th attempt after the hosts took a dramatic 2-1 lead in the 91st minute.

Lebanon came from a goal down to beat the United Arab Emirates 3-1 on Tuesday in the third round of Asian qualifying for the 2014 World Cup.

Lebanon, which was routed 6-0 by South Korea in its opening match in Group B, trailed 1-0 after UAE defender Mahmoud Al Hammadi scored in the 15th minute.

A hat trick by new Arsenal signing Park Chu-young lifted South Korea to a 6-0 win over Lebanon in their World Cup qualifier on Friday.

Ji Dong-won of Sunderland also scored twice as Korea outclassed the visitors from start to finish to take an early lead at the top of Group B in the third round of Asian qualifying.

Portugal advanced to the semi-finals of the U20 World Cup with a dramatic 5-4 penalty shootout victory over favorites Argentina as Mexico also booked their berth by beating hosts Colombia 3-1.

In a tie with few real chances on goal and a scoreline 0-0 after 120 minutes in Cartagena the Portuguese came back from a 3-1 penalty deficit to send Argentina crashing out of the competition they have won six times.

Barcelona winger Pedro Rodriguez believes Real Madrid will be "even more dangerous" this season, ahead of Sunday's first 'clasico' between the bitter rivals.

"What we want is to win the SuperCup," for a third consecutive year, the 24-year-old told the Barcelona-based sports daily El Mundo Deportivo published Wednesday.

Chelsea on Thursday signed midfielder Oriol Romeu on a four-year contract from Barcelona for an undisclosed fee, the Premier League club announced.

The fee was agreed 11 days ago for the midfielder.