Soccer: Fifa launch probe into Germany's Frings

BERLIN - Fifa began a probe today into the role of Germany's Torsten Frings in a brawl after his team's World Cup win over Argentina, placing a question mark over his participation in the semifinal against Italy.

Italian media have shown pictures which they say prove Frings threw a punch in the fracas which followed the 4-2 win in a penalty shootout at the end of Saturday's quarterfinal. The midfielder has insisted he is innocent.

"Following new evidence coming to light, the disciplinary committee have opened a case against... Torsten Frings who they are considering played an active role in the incident at the end of the match," said Fifa spokesman Markus Siegler.

With the semifinal against Italy in Dortmund just two days away, officials from world soccer's governing body would make a decision on Frings tomorrow, Siegler said.

Germany or Italy, both three times champions, will face France or Portugal in next Monday's final at Berlin's Olympiastadion. France, the 1998 World Cup winners, take on the Portuguese in Munich on Thursday.

Any decision to ban Frings would be a blow to the Germans. He has been instrumental in the hosts' surprisingly strong performances which have made them favourites to win the title.

Frings said he had acted only in self-defence.

"I found myself in a crowd of people where everyone was hitting out wildly," he told German newspaper Kreiszeitung Syke.

"I took two punches myself. I put out my hands to protect myself, that was all."

Germany hope to field their strongest side against Italy, with both captain Michael Ballack and striker Miroslav Klose -- the tournament's top scorer with five goals -- expected to recover from minor injuries in time.

"They are getting daily treatment and the next few days will be a case of recuperation for them," assistant coach Joachim Loew told reporters.

Italy defender Alessandro Nesta is almost certain to miss Wednesday's match because of a groin injury which also kept him out of the side's two previous games, a team spokesman said.

Marco Materazzi, who missed Italy's quarterfinal win over Ukraine due to suspension, is likely to return to the starting lineup.

Andrea Barzagli, who deputised well in the Ukraine game, is another option open to coach Marcello Lippi.

Portugal, the only team in the last four not to have won the title, eliminated England in a penalty shootout on Sunday.

An emotional David Beckham quit today as England captain in the wake of the defeat.

"I feel the time is right to pass on the armband," Beckham, on the verge of tears, said at the team's base in Baden Baden.

Beckham, one of the world's best-known footballers, has been captain for almost six years.

The 31-year-old midfielder said he wanted to continue playing for England but it was right to pass on the captaincy as English football enters a new era with Steve McClaren taking over as coach from Sven-Goran Eriksson.

"Our performance during this World Cup has not been enough to progress further and both myself and all the players regret that -- and are hurt by that more than people realise," he said.

Champions Brazil were also coming to terms with elimination after a 1-0 quarterfinal defeat by France yesterday.

"We still haven't gone 24 hours and we're still licking our wounds," said coach Carlos Alberto Parreira, whose side had been hot favourites to win a sixth world title.

"We're very sad, we wanted to win but there's not going to be any witch-hunt. I'm not going to pick on any player," he said.

- REUTERS