Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, Bugatti. The prestigious names embody performance and luxury across the automotive world.

But with the advent of soulless self-driving cars, are they fated to be locked away in the stables like the horses they replaced a century ago?

An Asian Cup victory gave war-weary Iraq a reason to smile in 2007 but if they are to win in Australia, they will have to do it without a full-time boss and with a talisman who cannot find a club.

The Lions of Mesopotamia stunned three-time winners Saudi Arabia in the 2007 final to win the tournament for the first time, providing some rare good news for the Iraqi public.

Former Tottenham Hotspur and PSV Eindhoven star Lee Young-Pyo Thursday told Agence France Presse that South Korea's Asian Cup would be considered a "failure" if they don't reach the semi-finals.

The retired full-back, who is one of South Korea's most capped players of all time, said the squad were under pressure to perform after a disappointing World Cup in Brazil last summer.

Steven Gerrard would have stayed at Liverpool if he had been offered a new contract during the close season, he said in a British newspaper interview published on Wednesday.

Gerrard, 34, announced last Friday that he will leave Anfield at the end of the season, ending a 25-year association with the club that has seen him make 696 appearances and score 182 goals.

Asia's powerful Olympic chief Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah Wednesday underlined his support for Sepp Blatter to remain as FIFA president despite a challenge by Jordan's Prince Ali bin Al Hussein.

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) president said it was "too early" for Prince Ali, 39, to take over from Blatter, 78, who will stand for a fifth term in charge of the world football body.

Poland are on the verge of reaching their second successive Hopman Cup final after beating Great Britain 2-1 at the Perth Arena on Wednesday.

The Polish pairing of Agnieszka Radwanska and Jerzy Janowicz remained unbeaten in the mixed teams tournament by claiming the deciding mixed doubles rubber against Heather Watson and Andy Murray in the Group B tie.

India have offered Englishman Stephen Constantine the job of coaching their national team coach for a second time, as they look to shed their reputation as football's sleeping giant.

Celtic closed to within one point of Aberdeen at the top of the Scottish Premiership with a comfortable 2-0 win over Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.

The score didn't reflect the dominance of the Hoops who twice hit the crossbar through Kris Commons before Emilio Izaguirre volleyed the Glasgow giants ahead with only his third goal for the club.

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce claims New Zealand defender Winston Reid has already decided to leave the Premier League club at the end of the season.

Reid is out of contract with the Hammers in the close-season and has so far failed to agree new terms at Upton Park.

Football was once sneered at in Australia as a game played mainly by immigrants but it will cement its rise from a minority sport to an established pastime when the Asian Cup starts this week.

In times past, lovers of football could find themselves insulted and attacked in a country where the rugby codes, Australian rules and cricket dominate the sporting landscape.