Football Legends

Ronaldo Retired from Soccer International

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 09:28:00 +0000

Brazilian striker Ronaldo Luiz Nazario de Lima retired from professional Soccer International in tears on Monday. Due to back injury which is tricky to recover flawlessly and anguish him, as his body can no longer meet the hassle of the football game.

Ronaldo Luiz Nazario de Lima (34 years-old) announced his retirement from Soccer International on 14 Feb 2011 with a back injury, ending an outstanding profession in which he won 2 World Cups with Brazil, won his first Ballon d’Or as the European Footballer of the Year in 1997 and again in 2002.

Ronaldo was one of the most productive scorers in the world in the late 1990 – 2000. The three-time FIFA (world) player of the year award, along with French footballer Zinedine Zidane and thrived with some of Europe’s top teams.

Ronaldo began his calling as a professional soccer player at Cruzeiro in 1993, after that moved about to several foremost European clubs, choosing from Eindhoven PSV (1994-1996), Barcelona (1996-1997), Inter Milan (1997-2002), Real Madrid (2002-2007), and AC Milan (2007-2008). Later, in 2010 he joined the Corinthians with a new contract till now.

Ronaldo stated that it is very hard to depart from the football that made him so joyful in his life. He wants to continue his soccer career but he lost his body. His career was beautiful and wonderful with less defeat but more victories. At last he stated that it feels like it’s his first death.

Ronaldo, ending his 18-year professional career with a 62 goals in 97 internationals with Brazil due to his third knee injury cut short his stay.

However, as prayers have miracles. With god’s grace and prayers from his fan’s we hope him a speedy recovery.

Wayne Rooney Bicycle Kick_Man Utd vc Man City

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 23:40:00 +0000

Stunning shot of Rooney's bicycle-kick winner at Old Trafford

United buckle under Bayern strain

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 00:44:00 +0000

A magnificent volley from Arjen Robben capped a stunning Bayern recovery with the home side having taken a 3-0 lead before Rafael's dismissal.
FC Bayern München fought back from three goals down on the night to oust Manchester United FC from the UEFA Champions League on away goals.
On a pulsating evening, United stormed into a three-goal lead through Darron Gibson and a Nani double. Yet Ivica Olić's goal just before the break raised Bayern hopes and after Rafael's 50th-minute dismissal, the Bundesliga leaders capitalised on the extra man thanks to a stunning Arjen Robben volley 16 minutes from time.

It was a repeat of the Dutchman's decisive goal in the identical away-goals win against ACF Fiorentina in the last 16 and means Bayern can look forward to their first semi-final since 2001, the year of their last European crown when they also beat United at this stage.
The home fans had a lift before kick-off with the news that Wayne Rooney would be starting, just days after Sir Alex Ferguson had said he faced "two to three weeks" out with the ankle injury sustained in the first leg.
United then made a dream start with a third-minute goal involving two other surprise names on the team sheet. Rafael, in for Gary Neville, dispossessed Franck Ribéry and played the ball to Rooney, who laid it on to Gibson. The Northern Irishman, making only his second start of 2010, side-footed a low shot inside the near post from the edge of the box for his first UEFA Champions League goal.
By the seventh minute United were two up. Antonio Valencia teased Holger Badstuber out on the right before driving in a low cross that Nani, ghosting beyond the Bayern back line, turned in with a cute flick of his heel. Michael Carrick, with a shot, and Rooney, a header, then went close with Bayern struggling to live with the pace of United's play, even with Rooney now hobbling. They duly made it 3-0 as Valencia broke down the right and crossed for Nani to drive the ball high into the net.
Two minutes later, however, Bayern pulled a goal back through Olić, their first-leg matchwinner. Latching onto Thomas Müller's flicked header, the Croatian shrugged aside Michael Carrick and beat Edwin van der Sar from a tight angle. Louis van Gaal sent on Mario Gómez for Müller at the interval and within minutes Bayern found themselves with a man advantage when Rafael collected a second yellow for pulling back Ribéry.
With Rooney making way for John O'Shea, Bayern pressed for a second and Van der Sar punched clear a Ribéry drive just before the hour before Gómez skimmed the crossbar with a header. It was not all one-way traffic, not with United's counterattacking threat – twice Butt saved well from Nani, while Carrick and Gibson spurned half-chances.
With 16 minutes remaining, though, Robben broke United's resistance by levelling the aggregate scores at 4-4. Ribéry's corner found him on the edge of the box and the Dutchman drove the ball on the volley across a helpless Van der Sar and into the far corner. For United, the dream of a third successive final was over.

Article Source : UEFA.com

2009/10 UEFA Champions League draw

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 02:07:00 +0000

2009/10 UEFA Champions League draw
Quarter-finals: 30/31 March & 6/7 April
1: Olympique Lyonnais (FRA) v FC Girondins de Bordeaux (FRA)
2: FC Bayern München (GER) v Manchester United FC (ENG)
3: Arsenal FC (ENG) v FC Barcelona (ESP, holders)
4: FC Internazionale Milano (ITA) v PFC CSKA Moskva (RUS)
Semi-finals: 20/21 & 27/28 April
1: Winner quarter-final 2 v Winner quarter-final 1
2: Winner quarter-final 4 v Winner quarter-final 3
Final: Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid; 20.45CET, Saturday 22 May
Winner semi-final 1 v Winner semi-final 2

David Beckham: England legend or a vain failure?

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 03:51:00 +0000

In his last of his 115 caps for England in October, David Beckham was given the man of the match award despite playing only 32 minutes of the game. As weird decisions go, it was a good way of embodying the strange, polarising effect that Beckham has had over 14 years in the national team.

For some he will be seen forever as the man who went to three World Cups finals and failed every time; a self-regarding fraud whose best days as a footballer were 10 years ago. For most of the Wembley crowd he remains an all-English hero, whose loyalty to that Football Association marketing concept "the Three Lions" puts him up there with the greats who have represented England.

The argument is self-perpetuating: the more he is lionised by some, the more he is resented by others and so it goes until the basic questions anyone should ask about a footballer - can he still play? Is he a good professional? - are lost in the debate about what he has come to represent.

Now that his England career has been ended so abruptly the chances of that debate ever being resolved sensibly, with him having one final hurrah from the bench at a World Cup, are gone.

It is a debate that is only likely to be intensified if he accepts the invitation to go with the squad to South Africa as a non-playing member of the party/monumental distraction.

Let's get the debate about him as a footballer out of the way first. At 34, he is long past his best but in the 21 caps since his comeback under Steve McClaren in August 2007, he has contributed. I make it nine assists in those games, including two crosses for goals against Estonia in June 2007; the ball for Peter Crouch's goal in the Wembley defeat to Croatia the same year and even a short corner for Shaun Wright-Phillips to score from in his last game against Belarus.

But it will not be the statistics upon which posterity judges Beckham's England career, it is the whole caravan: the deferential England managers, the spurious bookings, the tattoos, the pre-World Cup parties and the general impression some have of Beckham that he thinks the world orbits around him.

The problem many people who love to hate Beckham encounter is that as an individual he is hard to dislike. He is not a bon viveur full of witty put-downs when he faces the press - that is Steven Gerrard's job - but Beckham is polite, mild and, even now, sometimes stumbles over his words.

The supporters at Wembley cannot all be wrong. They feel a connection with him that transcends the usual suspicion of modern-day millionaire footballers. They like the fact that he is rich, famous and lives in Beverly Hills but, like them, makes a regular pilgrimage to the stadium by the North Circular in the vain hope that one day the England team will get their act together.

On-song Rooney inspires United comeback

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 04:28:00 +0000

AC Milan 2-3 Manchester United FC
Wayne Rooney struck twice as Sir Alex Ferguson's side recovered from an early setback to take a decisive advantage in this tie.

Manchester United FC recovered from an early setback as two second-half headers from Wayne Rooney helped them to a first ever win at San Siro, though Clarence Seedorf's late effort leaves AC Milan with every hope in this UEFA Champions League first knockout round tie.

That United held on at all in the second half was an achievement in itself after Ronaldinho had given the hosts a third-minute lead. The Serie A side squandered chances to extend their advantage and Paul Scholes' fortuitous equaliser gave the visitors a foothold before Roooney's two headers put Sir Alex Ferguson's men in control. Substitute Seedorf's late strike made for an exciting climax, with Michael Carrick sent off for a second bookable offence, but United held on.

Leonardo had said his side needed a "flawless" performance and they got off to the perfect start when Ronaldinho struck in their very first attack. Playing against his former side, David Beckham was involved, swinging a free-kick into the box, but the chance arose more as a result of Patrice Evra's miscued clearance than any set-piece artistry. The ball fell to Ronaldinho on the edge of the area and the Brazilian fired in first time off Carrick's legs, before embarking on a festive samba.

The goal set the tone for a first half dominated by the hosts. Emboldened by their start, Pato created another opening for Ronaldinho though this time, without a deflection to contend with, Edwin van der Sar was equal to it. United were under pressure, and fortunate not to go two down when Thiago Silva threaded a pass into the area for Luca Antonini, who pulled his shot wide from 12 metres.

The visitors mustered a hopeful attempt from Scholes, and Rooney went closer with an angled drive but the Premier League champions were uncharacteristically ceding possession. Rio Ferdinand was a case in point, heading the ball into the path of Pato, whose shot was blocked by Evra. Another mix-up enabled Massimo Ambrosini to pick out Klaas Jan Huntelaar, who drove just wide.

For all the hosts' dominance, they were pegged back by United's first real attack on 36 minutes. Darren Fletcher found space on the right and his low centre was met by Scholes' standing foot, the ball going in off the far post. Milan reacted well, Ronaldinho testing Van der Sar either side of half-time and Pato powering Giuseppe Favalli's header over.

Rooney was beginning to show glimpses of his explosive power, forcing Dida into a save just after the hour. Yet when his first goal came on 66 minutes it was out of the blue as he headed Antonio Valencia's cross back across the goalkeeper just moments after the Ecuadorean's introduction. Milan were rocked, forced to defend ever deeper and eight minutes later Rooney inflicted further damage, beating the offside trap to glance in Fletcher's cross.

Home hopes rose five minutes from time when Ronaldinho created space for a left-wing centre which substitute Seedorf flicked in to make for a rousing finale. Filippo Inzaghi blazed over, Thiago Silva headed high from a metre out but the hosts could not find the equaliser and will head to Old Trafford on 10 March needing a win.

Article Source : uefa.com

Champions League Final Defeat Inspires Manchester United Forward Wayne Rooney

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 03:39:00 +0000

Manchester United's tireless striker Wayne Rooney, who has added relentless goalscoring to his workmanlike engine this season, will use his past experiences in Champions League finals, both in Rome and in Moscow, as inspirational sources ahead of his side' s AC Milan test this week.

"It was a weird night," Rooney said, reminiscing with the Mirror. "It was obviously an achievement to get there, but then it was just a horrible, horrible feeling losing to Barcelona.

"The memory of that night has made me determined to get back there again," the Englishman revealed. "Actually, what motivates me even more is the previous season when we won the final in Moscow, the feeling after that game was something special, probably the best moment of my career so far, and I want to experience it again, but Barcelona hurt us all."

Much of the pre-match hype has focussed on former United golden boy David Beckham lacing up with Milan against Sir Alex Ferguson et al, however, Rooney insists he - and United - will be looking to avenge European defeats to the San Siro outfit both in 2005, and also in 2007.

"It is going to be a difficult game because they are a very experienced side. I’ve already played them twice in the Champions League and each time they knocked us out, so we know it will be tough, but hopefully this time we can come out on top.

"They’ve got quite a few [experienced] players like Clarence Seedorf, Andrea Pirlo, David Beckham from set pieces, and Alexandre Pato is a quality player too. All their players can produce something special, so we have to be careful.

"It is always difficult to play Italian opposition. At the beginning of the season I think they were struggling a bit, but over the last couple of months they found some good form and they are playing well, so it will be a difficult game for us.

"Personally I know how tough it is going to be, especially if Alessandro Nesta is playing for them. In the other games, his positional sense was brilliant, and it was difficult. Because he reads the game so well, it was difficult to play against him.

Beckham, Rooney feels, is comparable to current United veteran midfielder Ryan Giggs, both of whom can be regarded as an "inspiration".

"Just like Ryan Giggs, David is an inspiration for how he has played at the top for so long. David is a very professional lad, he’s done well, he’s still a player young lads look up to and want to emulate. He’s had a great career and is still going."

Article Source : goal.com

Casillas names his top ten No1s

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:42:00 +0000

In the latest edition of Champions, the official magazine of the UEFA Champions League, Real Madrid CF's Iker Casillas discusses his goalkeeping heroes. Here are his top ten in his own words.

Peter Schmeichel
This list is not in any particular order, but if I were to choose my number-one all-time No1, then it would be Peter Schmeichel. Simply the best. I first saw him on television when I was just a kid and thought, 'Wow ... this lad is invincible!' I was eleven at the time and Schmeichel was playing for Denmark in the 1992 [UEFA] European Championship. He was just fantastic. The impression he left was of sheer perfection. From then on I knew I wanted to be just like him: he became my football hero. I followed him closely after that, watching him on the telly at every opportunity. I wanted to learn from him.

Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas

Gianluigi Buffon
It is hard to know where to begin when it comes to pinpointing his outstanding qualities, he has so many. And it's impossible to pick out a weakness. One of the most important qualities in a goalkeeper is calmness – an ability to stay cool under pressure is very important – and if he can transmit that quality to the defence and to his team-mates, it has a very positive effect on the way the team play. Buffon's presence reassures his colleagues. He is the contemporary keeper everyone playing in goal looks up to and aspires to emulate.

Oliver Kahn
King Kahn or the Titan, they called him – which says it all. He is certainly a very different character to me, and it's fair to say he was quite eccentric. I don't know if that helps a goalkeeper, but it certainly worked for Kahn. I've always said your mental approach to the game and state of mind is more important than physical preparation – and for me, the ideal presence in goal is one of stability and calm. Kahn was nothing like that, but at the end of the day he has won more trophies than any other keeper in history.

Sepp Maier
He was the Oliver Kahn of his day in the way he was an enormous presence in German football on and off the pitch. From what I've seen on video, he was very agile for a big man and was so flexible they called him the Cat. He's a name from the generation just before I was born, so I've always heard a lot about him from people my dad's age. They tell me he was very consistent, never made mistakes – which is such an important quality in a keeper because it transmits confidence throughout the team.

José Luis Chilavert
Paraguay's former No1 really was unique. He was a fantastic free-kick taker and scored more than 60 goals in his career. It would be a real shame if people only remembered his career because of his goalscoring statistics because he was a fantastic keeper as well. He was voted the best in the world three times in the 1990s. I have a very good memory of playing against him at the 2002 [FIFA] World Cup in Japan – a game Spain eventually won 3-1. He showed real agility when he tipped one shot from Raúl [González] over the bar. I had to face one of those famous free-kicks of his. Thankfully, I saved it.

Dino Zoff
Kahn and Maier were typical of goalkeepers with huge personalities, fire and passion; Zoff is the embodiment of the opposite. He was always a calm, reassuring presence on the pitch, a solid, dependable rock of confidence at the back. He had fantastic reflexes and is always worth watching on video because of his exemplary positioning. Certainly someone I'd like to emulate. I'm envious of a player who captains his country to World Cup victory at 40 years of age.

José Ángel Iribar
Iribar is one of the greatest keepers Spain has ever produced. He was a big presence in goal and had that ability to intimidate opponents. But it wasn't all about his size, which is useless on its own. He combined his physicality with terrific positioning. In a way, I feel a connection with him because he was the last Spanish keeper to lift the European Championship trophy [in 1964] before we repeated the feat at [UEFA] EURO 2008. This links us to the next keeper on my list.

Luis Arconada
Arconada was known as El Pulpo [or Octopus], which speaks for itself. He was tremendously brave with a big personality and was the automatic choice for Spain when I was a kid in the 1980s. A lot of people have said we have similar styles, particularly in how we use our feet. Unfortunately, unlike Iribar and me, Arconada never got to lift a major trophy with Spain and is often remembered for conceding a goal in the 1984 European Championship final against France. He had put in a terrific performance all tournament and Spain would not have been where they were without him. This goes to show how unfair life can be for a goalkeeper. People often remember just one mistake and forget the rest.

Ricardo Zamora
As a star of the 1920s he's not someone I have ever seen play – aside from glimpses on grainy old tapes. But he's an absolute icon of Spanish football, whose name has been immortalised in the trophy awarded every season to the keeper with the most clean sheets in the Liga. They say he was a great keeper with terrific reflexes and very brave. There's a story about him playing against England with a broken breastbone. He was a huge figure on and off the field – and a special case in Spain as he is a legend for both Real Madrid and [FC] Barcelona fans, having played for both.

Lev Yashin
Finally, I really have to mention another player I never saw with my own eyes. You can't argue with him being top of pretty much every list of all-time great keepers. I've seen those incredible acrobatic one-handed saves on video. I understand he developed his tremendous reflexes as a keeper in ice hockey. He's the only keeper to have won the Ballon d'Or [in 1963; Zoff and Buffon were runners-up in 1973 and 2006, Kahn third in 2001 and 2002]. He was called the Black Spider. Opponents were scared of him – a real asset to any team if you can gain a psychological advantage over opposition strikers before a ball has been kicked.

Article Source: UEFA.COM

The Goalkeeper-Legends

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:53:00 +0000

There has never been a better goalkeeper in the history of the Premiership than “The Great Dane.” Schmeichel had a pretty good career outside the Premiership, too, but it was his time at Manchester United where he became a legend. Schmeichel went to Old Trafford for the relatively paltry sum of £530,000, a price which Sir Alex Ferguson later teemed “The Bargain of the Century.” During his time in the Premiership, he kept clean sheets in 42% of his starts, the greatest ratio in league history. Schmeichel won 5 Premiership titles, 3 F.A. Cups, 1 League Cup, and, most notably, the 1998-1999 UEFA Champions League, where he served as skipper in place of suspended Roy Keane during the Finals and got to hold the trophy over his head on his last night as a United player. Schmeichel was voted UEFA Goalkeeper of the Year and World Goalkeeper of the Year in 1992 and 1993. He was recently voted “Greatest Goalkeeper of All-Time” in a Reuters poll, defeating the likes of Yashin and Banks.

Peter Schmeichel

DENMARK
1981-2003 Gladsaxe-Hero (1981-1984)
Hvidovre IF (1984-1987)
Brøndby (1987-1991)
Manchester United (1991-1999)
Sporting Portugal (1999-2001)
Aston Villa (2001-2002)
Manchester City (2002-2003)

Schmeichel had a successful international career as well. He remains the most-capped Danish player of all time with 129 appearances to his credit. He helped lead Denmark to the European Championship in 1992, and was the number one keeper for his country in the 1998 World Cup, where they fell to Brazil in the Quarterfinals.

Schmeichel wasn’t the nicest guy on the pitch. Indeed, the fiery keeper was accused of racism by Arsenal’s Ian Wright, and he was known for chewing out his own teammates for mistakes or errors. He was one of the few players to have survived a row with Sir Alex Ferguson, though. Evidently, the gaffer recognized his keeper’s worth and chose not to drive him away like he did with Keane, David Beckham, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Jaap Stam, and others.

In any case, his shadow at Old Trafford remains so large that many quality goalkeepers have tried to replace him, and all have failed to measure up. Even Edwin Van der Sar, who has done well at United and has a chance to surpass the Great Dane in terms of trophies won, is always described as “the best goalkeeper since Schmeichel.” That’s a legend.

Peter Schmeichel VIDEO:

Rooney committed to United

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 02:50:00 +0000

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney says his future lies at Old Trafford.

The 24-year-old has been in fine form this season, hitting 19 goals as United lead the Barclays Premier League table.

His scoring exploits have alerted European giants Real Madrid and Barcelona who have reportedly shown in an interest in signing the England player. But Rooney says he is enjoying his football with United and wants to win another Barclays Premier League title.

He said: "There's always speculation, and when other big teams are talking about you, it's nice that you're talked about.

"But as I've said many times before, I'm a United player and I'm very happy here.

"I hope we can win the title again this year. We've won the league the last three years and nobody has ever won it four times in a row. We want to create history.

"The title race is much tighter this year and it's probably more exciting for the neutrals or fans around the country. But we're hoping that now we are top we can go on and remain there for the rest of the season."

Article Source : http://www.premierleague.com/page/Headlines/0,,12306~1944391,00.html

Messi To Chelsea this summer ???

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 11:19:00 +0000

Barcelona has won all The cups this year 2010 ...(champions, spanish league , king´s cup(spain)...

Some rumors say that Lionel Messi will join Chelsea FC this summer (2010) for amazing price (£90 million) ...

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has shown his interest in Messi over the years ...

This will be the proof that the premier league is the best league in the world.

Article Source : http://footballegend.blogspot.com/2009/12/messi-to-chelsea-this-summer.html

Dirty Handball Goal by France !!

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 13:45:00 +0000

French footballer Thierry Henry has admitted handling a ball before a crucial goal that sent his team to the World Cup at the expense of Ireland.

The goal drew the tournament qualifier in Saint Denis, outside Paris, 1-1.

Before the goal, Ireland had been leading 1-0 and the match was level on aggregate.

But in the first period of extra time, Henry twice handled the ball - stopping it going out of play, then controlling it - to set up his teammate William Gallas.

After the match, Barcelona striker Henry said Swedish referee Martin Hansson was the main culprit for not spotting the infringement.

The player said: "I will be honest, it was a handball. But I'm not the ref. I played it. The ref allowed it."

Article Source : http://footballegend.blogspot.com/2009/11/dirty-handball-goal-by-france.html

Ryan Giggs – A True United Legend

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:15:00 +0000

What is there to say about Giggs but he’s simply the greatest premiership player of all time, having been discovered playing for his local side Deans FC he signed up to Manchester Citys school of Excellence. While playing for Deans he was watched regularly by local newsagent and Old Trafford steward Harold Wood who personally spoke to Sir Alex Ferguson about this young lad who duely sent a scout to have a look, the scout was impressed enough to offer Giggs a trail, The following November on Ryan’s 14th Birthday he signed schoolboy forms.

Giggs made his league debut in the 1991/92 season against Everton in March, the following season (also the first Premier League season) Giggs was firmly established as United’s first choice Left winger. He was afforded many opportunities which were not normally offered to footballers at his young age, such as hosting his own television show, Ryan Giggs’ Soccer Skills, which aired in 1994. A book based on the series was also released. Giggs was part of the league’s attempt to market itself globally, re-forging its image after the hooliganism-blighted years of the 1980’s and was featured in countless football and lad mags covers, becoming a household name. Despite his aversion to attention, Giggs had also become a teenage pin-up at the time and was once described as the “Premiership’s First Poster Boy”, and the “boy wonder”- where he was arguably the original footballer who catapaulted the term into the public lexicon. He was hailed as the first football star to capture the public imagination in such a popular way, unseen since the days of George Best, and the irony was that Best and Bobby Charlton used to describe Giggs as their favourite young player, specially turning up at The Cliff training ground to watch him, where Best once quipped, “One day they might even say that I was another Ryan Giggs.”

With his career coming to an end and age catching up on Giggs, he again started to shine in a new role within United, starring in central midfield, putting in some dazzling performances, defying people who were saying he should think of hanging up the boots. And there’s no saying Giggs is ready to stop with United pushing on another three trophies this season having already secured the Club World Cup and Carling Cup this season.

With all his achievements Giggs has become the most successful player in English Football, winning countless team and individual honours.

HONOURS

Manchester United

* Premier League (10): 92/93, 93/94, 95/96, 96/97, 98/99, 99/00, 00/01, 02/03, 06/07, 07/08
* FA Cup (4): 93/94, 95/96, 98/99, 03/04
* Football League Cup (3): 91/91, 05/06, 08/09
* FA Community Shield (7): 93, 94, 96, 97, 03, 07, 08
* Uefa Champions League(2): 98/99, 07/08
* Uefa Super Cup (1): 91
* Intercontinental Cup (1): 99
* FIFA Club World Cup (1): 08

Individual

* PFA Young Player of the Year: 1992, 1993
* Bravo Award: 1993
* BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year: 1996
* Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year Award: 1997–98
* Intercontinental Cup
* MOTM: 1999
* Premier League Team of the Decade: 2003
* English Football Hall of Fame: 2005
* Wales Player of the Year Award: 1996, 2006
* FA Premier League Player of the Month: September 1993, August 2006, February 2007
* PFA Team Of The Century: 2007
* PFA Team of the Year: 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2007
* Only Manchester United player to have played in all ten Premier League-winning teams and only player to win 10 league titles
* Only Manchester United player to have played in all three League Cup-winning teams
* Only player to have scored in eleven consecutive Champions League tournaments
* Only player to have scored in thirteen different Champions League tournaments
* Only player to have scored in every Premier League campaign since its inception

Orders and special awards
* OBE for services to football.
* Awarded an honorary Masters of Art degree from Salford University on 15 July 2008 for contributions to football and charity work in developing countries
Author: RED till i DIE

Article Source : manutd talk

Cristiano Ronaldo Will Never Be a Manchester United Legend

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 03:36:00 +0000

"You can argue as much a you like Miles but Ronaldo will never ever be a Man Utd legend!"

This was the scathing and agitated response I got from a mate who happens to be a Manchester United fan through and through. As a modest Charlton Athletic supporter it beggared belief that this thought could be the consensus amongst Reds fans, so here beings the investigation.

Firstly I refuse to patronize the footballing masses by trawling through the various achievements, trophies and accolades amassed by Cristiano Ronaldo under Sir Alex Ferguson.

What is fact is that the right winger scored 118 goals in 292 appearances and what is obvious is that he was United's most influential and important player, as well as being certified as officially the best player on the planet at the peak of his United career.

For a midfielder his scoring record was exceptional and his goals per game ratio eclipses that of any other midfielder let alone right winger to have ever played for Manchester Untied. A prolific dead ball specialist, an accomplished dribbler, a deft finisher from range, a predator in the box and in the air he scored all types of goals and in important matches too.

He netted several crucial goals in Premier League matches in three seasons of dominance for the north east team including goals in an FA Cup Final, a League Cup final and a Champions League final to boot. The talisman also topped the assists charts setting up his team mates as often as he found the back of the net himself.

The exclusive group of players that go down in folklore at Manchester United are never disputed and this is probably why Ronaldo rouses so much debate in this field. Many fans feel he treated the club that made him with disrespect by openly pursuing his dream move to Real Madrid in what would turn out to be a world record breaking £80 million fee.

Others point to some of his on field antics as a reason he may not be appreciated as much as he should be. Everyone bar opposing defenders enjoys the silky skills of the Portuguese superstar, playing his game with a cocky arrogance which in fact is an undeterred belief and confidence in himself to be the best he can possibly be.

But when things were not going so well United fans were exposed to a different Ronaldo. Diving to win free kicks or going down too easily, arguing with officials, sulking and moaning, choking when he needed his composure the most.

In the eyes of some United fans that alone restricts him from sitting side by side with the greats to have pulled on the red shirt but to me it washes as a senseless and weak argument typical of the modern football fans selective memory bank.

His ability is unquestionable but it's when you throw the likes of Bobby Chalrton, Mark Hughes, Roy Keane or George Best into the mixer that the debate intensifies. An 11 year old United fan would not try to pretend that Eric Cantona or Denis Law are they're favourite players to have donned their teams colours. So there is a great number that would feel Ronaldo would probably be the best player they have ever seen in United colours.

But for a 60 year old veteran supporter, opinion would surely differ. But that insight into the understanding of the clubs history should not distort the fact that Cristiano Ronaldo is amongst some of the best players to have played for that club in decades.

Article Source : bleacherreport.com

Football legends pay tribute to Sir Bobby

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 03:48:00 +0000

Some of the biggest names in football have come together to give thanks for the life of Sir Bobby Robson.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, England coach Fabio Capello and Sir Bobby Charlton were among the 1,000 guests who filled Durham Cathedral to pay tribute.

Former England players including Gary Lineker, Paul Gascoigne, Alan Shearer and Stuart Pearce also attended the memorial service, held seven weeks after Sir Bobby died aged 76 at home in nearby Langley Park.

Lineker, who played in Sir Bobby's Italia 90 England World Cup side, praised his "hugely supportive and fiercely loyal" former coach, telling the congregation: "Sir Bobby Robson, we will miss you but we will never, ever forget you." Everton manager David Moyes said: "All the Premier League managers look up to Sir Bobby."

Sir Bobby fought cancer five times and devoted his final years to helping others with the disease.

8 International Football Legends

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:10:00 +0000

Many have been called ‘great’; however, there are a few who can be called ‘legendary’. We have tried to compile such a list of football players. These men have astounded us; they captured our imagination and became the best at what they do. Most of them have of course gone beyond playing football: they elevated the sport.

Here is our list of 8 men who became legends:

Edison (Edson) Arantes do Nascimento aka PelÃ©

PelÃ© is one of the most well-known football stars and even those who do not know much about this sport, recognize his name. He once compared himself to Beethoven and the International Olympic Committee named him the Athlete of the Century in 1998. He became famous as 17 and led the Brazilians to victory in 1958, 1962 and 1970.

Diego Armando Maradona aka Maradona

Maradona and PelÃ© are the two greatest FIFA soccer players of the 20th century. Maradona was the South American Footballer of the Year in 1979 and 1980. He is a controversial figure in international football and has managed to capture the entire worldâ€™s attention. He played in 4 World Cups and is known for his Hand of God and Goal of the century.

Cristiano Ronaldo

He is still young but has captured international attention, especially when FIFPro named him their World Player of the Year 2008. He is the first United player to win the Golden Ball that the European Footballer of the Year receives since George Best in 1968.

Thierry Henry

Thierry Henry received the LÃ©gion d’Honneur, which is the highest decoration in France, for his role in the 1998 World Cup. He won the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year in 2003, 2004 and 2006, which is unrivalled. Arsenal fans call him their greatest player and Henry managed to popularise ‘Va va voom’ so much that it got included in the Concise Oxford English Dictionary.

Roberto Baggio

Baggio, or Il Divin Codino, scored 9 goals in 3 World Cup Finals and is one of the FIFA 100.Â Baggio was FIFA Player of the Year in 1993 but his fame could be mostly because he ‘lost’ Italy the 1994 World Cup. He made up for it with a penalty shot in 1998, though. A 2001 internet poll named him the Most Loved Player.

Paulo Roberto FalcÃ£o

FalcÃ£o, a FIFA 100 member, is one of the most talented midfielders ever. He played midfield for Brazil in the 1982 and 1986 World Cups. He won 3 Brazilian National Championships — 1975, 1976, and 1979 â€“ and people called him ‘8th king of Rome’.

David Beckham

Beckham is one of ‘Britain’s Greatest Ambassadors’ and only the 21st player to score in 3 World Cups. He received entry into The English Football Hall of Fame in 2008 and is one of the most recognisable football stars. He and his wife have become somewhat of an industry.

Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite aka KakÃ¡

This young football star is better known as KakÃ¡ and was FIFA World Player of the Year and European footballer of the year in 2007. He is the midfielder of AC Milan and also plays for the Brazilian national team.

Article Source : http://www.borntoredefine.com/8-international-football-legends/

Amri hailed alongside local football legends

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 04:58:00 +0000

PETALING JAYA: Mohd Amri Yahyah will become a legend and a folk hero of Malaysian football.

The 28-year-old from Tanjong Karang will be hailed alongside some of the former greats, among them the late Mokhtar Dahari and R. Arumugam, “Raja Bola” Datuk Abdul Ghani Minhat and Matlan Marjan, who scored two goals against the visiting England team in the 1980s.

Amri will be a household name and remembered for his double strike in the national team’s spirited showing against English Premier League giants Manchester United in the first match of the Red Devils’ pre-season Asian Tour, which Malaysia lost 2-3 in Kuala Lumpur on July 18.

More so, the classic volley when he surprised United No. 1 goalkeeper Edwin van dar Sar from 40 metres out. He also rounded United’s former England goalkeeper Ben Foster to put Malaysia on level terms.

“It feels like being in a different world now,” said Amri yesterday.

“Whoever I meet, they talk of the two goals and congratulate me. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I am happy to have left behind something for the fans to remember.

“In fact, I need to thank national coach K. Rajagopal for giving me the break to don national colours after a three-year break.”

The Selangor skipper has been going great guns and has been playing consistently well for the Red Giants this season.

Selangor have won the Charity Shield (defeating Kedah 4-1) and the FA Cup (defeating Kelantan 4-1 on penalties).

Last night, Selangor clinched the Super League title when they thrashed Police 6-1 at the Selayang Municipal Council Stadium.

Rajagopal should also be credited for taking a bold step in naming only four seniors in the national team, comprising Under-23 players preparing for the Laos SEA Games in December. Besides Amri, the other seniors in the team were Indra Putra Mahayuddin, skipper Norhafli Zamani Misbah and V. Thirumurugan.

“This is the team for the future and there is a lot of work to be done. These players need matches and having played against United would surely motivate them to raise their playing level,” said Rajagopal.

Although Malaysia went down 0-2 to United in the rematch on Monday, it was still a good effort by the team, who were assembled for barely 10 days.

Rookie goalkeeper Mohd Farizal Marlias from Perlis was also outstanding, pulling off several daring saves in the two matches.

Skipper Norhafiz again proved that he could still be counted on to hold the Malaysian fort.

Rajagopal has got to get cracking on the team for the SEA Games and work on the flaws, especially the finishing.

The national Under-23 strikers Mohd Zaquan Abdul Razak, Norsharul Idlan Talaha, Mohd Farderin Kadir, Stanley Bernard Samuel and S. Kunalan certainly need to sharpen up.

These Four (4) Exercises Will Increase Any Soccer Player's Speed

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 04:33:00 +0000

In order for a soccer player to increase their speed, there are several factors which will contribute to their speed increasing on the soccer field. Proper running mechanics is certainly one factor which will help increase speed, while another is lower body strength training. Learn four of the best lower body strength exercises a soccer can player can do to increase their speed.

Specifically, a soccer player will want to get their posterior chain of muscles stronger. The posterior chain of muscles are many of the muscles you can't see when you look at yourself in the mirror. Those muscles include the back, the glutes, the hamstrings and the calf. Getting the posterior chain of muscles stronger will absolutely get a soccer player faster and increase their speed.

Here are Four (4) excellent exercises for a soccer player to do to isolate these muscles and allow for their speed to be released:
# Tire Flip or Log Flip
# : Take an old tractor tire (or wooden log) and bend down into a squat with both hands cupped underneath the tire. In a powerful movement, lift the side of the tire where your hands are off the ground and then push the tire forward with both hands so that it now falls forward and is laying on the ground again. Quickly repeat this process for up to 10 flips. This movement is great for developing explosive power in the posterior chain of muscles.Sled Drags:
# Take a weighted sled and attach two "D-handle" cords to it. Place some weight on it and then grab the handles in such a way that you are facing forward and the sled is behind you. Keep your arms relatively straight and walk forward so that your cords or rope are tight through this resistance. Then march forward using a simple high knee, linear lunge walk. Work up to 20 -30 yards of dragging the sled in this manner. This exercise is a great way to get the lower body stronger explosively allowing the soccer player to gain valuable speed.Forward Broad Jumps:
# With both feet about shoulder width apart, jump out forward as high and as far as you can. Upon landing, bend the knees and drop your hips...in other words cushioning the jump. Have the soccer player gather themselves and repeat that jump. Continue repeating for up to 5 jumps in a row. Work up to 3-5 sets of 5 jumps. This exercise is a wonderful way to create loads of explosive, quick movements for the soccer player.Let Go's:
Let go's are simply resisted sprints. Have two players work together. One lines up behind the other player and grabs their waist with both hands. The player in the front gets into a good acceleration position and starts to run forward. The player in the back holds on and resists the player in the front from moving too quickly forward event though they are trying to do so. After about 5 yards of this resistance, the person in the back releases the person in the front. This person will feel like they have been shot out of a cannon. Remind the person in the front about that so that they are ready for that quick burst being released and they do not stumble and fall. This is a great exercise to add speed to any soccer player.

These four exercises will without a doubt add strength to the lower body of any soccer player which in turn will increase their speed.

I hoped you enjoyed reading about these four excellent exercises for enhancing speed on the soccer field.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gary_Christopher

Vidic is Happy Staying on at Man U

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 04:41:00 +0000

The 27-year-old joined Man U from Spartak Moscow in the year 2006 for a fee that was rumored to be £7million. Apparently, Vidic was the most expensive defender in the history of the Russian Premier League, before he shifted to Man U. Known for his aggressive defending style, he teamed up with Rio Ferdinand to form an impregnable defense for Man U. As a matter of fact, this duo is considered to have formed the best central defensive partnership in the Premier League, with Vidic standing as a solid rock at the back.

As far as Vidic is concerned, he proved his loyalty and commitment to Man U during the 5:0 win against Wigan. He clarified, ''I've never said anything about Barcelona or Real Madrid or AC Milan - or any club. I never speak about my future so I don't know why someone else does. I showed at Wigan on the pitch how happy I am at this club. Any fan of United only has to see how I played to know how committed I am." The 'someone else' Vidic referred to is his agent Paolo Fabbri, who claimed that he was considering a move to Barcelona. As of now, Vidic is under a two year contract extension that keeps him at Man U until 2012.

The Serb also forms an integral part of his national team's famous four defense line-up. Vidic made a strong impact during the Serbia and Montenegro effort to make their way to the 2006 World Cup finals. This year, Serbia tops Group Seven with 18 points from seven matches, putting it ahead of France, Lithuania, Austria and Romania. Earning a place in the 2010 World Cup finals is all the more poignant and special for the Serbians since it would be their first attempt to reach a major tournament as an independent nation. Their World Cup Group Seven qualifier against France on September 9th is being billed as the 'match of the decade' in Belgrade, with 55,000 tickets selling out in a couple of hours! The Serbian national team's coach, Radomir Antic, is ready to take on France with full force on home soil.

Victory against France would ensure Serbia's berth in next year's finals in South Africa, if France fails to defeat Romania. During a recent news conference, Coach Antic declared, "We've had a great run so far and we want to put the icing on the cake of our qualifying campaign against the French... We need to turn the national euphoria into positive energy on and off the pitch... Our strategy is to win every match and establish ourselves as a force to be reckoned with." He specially mentioned captain Dejan Stankovic and Nemanja Vidic as key players and recognized Vidic's role as the backbone of Serbia's defense.

Looks like we will be seeing a lot of Vidic in action in his Man U soccer shirt and the Serbian national team's World Cup soccer uniforms! After all, he has a reputation to uphold as one of the top defenders in the world of soccer.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brono_Pisino

Maradona to Coach Argentina For 2010

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 03:19:00 +0000

Now, 48 years of age, Maradona is a seasoned man with a look of having been through it all and survived it. Beset by addiction problems, he seems to have fought his demons hard and won over them. He's even cheated death on occasion! As Maradona himself admits, the worst has already happened... His daughter actually pulled him out from the bottom of the sea... His fans and countrymen have every reason to rejoice as he takes the field again to teach the younger lot. After all, who can forget this legend's on pitch skills?

Maradona enjoyed the years when he was playing for Argentine the most, but now duty calls, duty to his country, to his team and to himself. A confident Maradona is sure that Argentina will sail through the 2010 World Cup qualifications. He considers coaching his country a dream come true, though explains that he's only had the boys together for about 40 days since he joined. But Maradona being who he is, he plans to make the most of it. He should have all his players together for 20 days before the World Cup and that's when he plans to lay the foundation and work towards becoming world champions. So, if you're an Argentinean fan, get your world cup soccer jerseys ready for the big event in South Africa!

Coach Maradona's strategy for the team is to vigorously press up front, thereby decreasing the space between attack, midfield and defense. And he's quick to point out that when his team loses the ball, it should be on top of the other team right away without losing precious time. Considering Argentina has an enviable possession rate, it needs to make the most of it.

This soccer uniform number 10 is driven by a dream to win the World Cup once again and to meet Nelson Mandela while in South Africa! He fondly remembers the first time he held the World Cup Trophy... He touched it kissed it and wouldn't let go! That according to Maradona is the 'most beautiful thing'. And that's what he's been telling his players - 30 days of sacrifice to win the World Cup are nothing in a man's life... kissing that trophy is like touching the sky...

Which brings us to something else in Maradona's life that makes him feel like he's touching the sky - his grandson. Yes, this legend is a grandfather! And for him, nothing compares to watching his grandchild... Maybe, it's Maradona's turn to live a calm and smooth life after much struggle and adversity. We are with him... Go Diego!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brono_Pisino

Premier League 2009 and 10 Season Preview

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 09:49:00 +0000

The new English Premier League season is nearly upon us. Football fans have been waiting all summer long for the season to start, not just in England, but worldwide; with the English Premier League being the most popular and viewed football league in the world.

Manchester City have been the big spenders this summer, already bolstering their attack with the signings of Roque Santa Cruz, Carlos Tevez and Emmanuel Adebayor. Desperate to make an impact this season after failing to make much of an impression last season despite the big money signings that included Robinho and Shaun Wright-Phillips. Mark Hughes is facing pressure as he knows his team must perform this season otherwise he could be out of work by the end of the season.

Rivals Manchester United have seen their squad weakened by the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo for a world record fee to Real Madrid. Arguably the best player in the world, he seems irreplaceable and United fans will be wondering how much of an effect this will have on their team this season. Their new winger is Antonio Valencia from Wigan Athletic, a proven player in the Premier League who has impressed during his time at a smaller Premier League side. Can he handle the pressure of a top 4 side? While he doesn't have a very good goalscoring record, certainly not near Ronaldo's, Manchester United have brought in Michael Owen on a free transfer to replace Carlos Tevez who they were unable to sign when his loan expired. The England international has a proven record despite struggling over recent years with injury problems. If he can shake them off, expect him to make an impact in Manchester this season.

Down in London, Arsenal and Chelsea have been reluctant to sign many new players, with the Gunners biggest signing being Thomas Vermaelen from Ajax for a fee in the region of £10,000,000. They have however sold Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure for a combined price of over £40,000,000 that should leave manager Arsene Wenger with some cash to spend. Chelsea's biggest name signing under new manager Carlo Ancelotti has been Yuri Zhirkov for CSKA Moscow, while the Italian has also brought in two young Englishmen; Ross Turnbull and Daniel Sturridge.

Last season's runners up, Liverpool have brought in Glen Johnson for what many feel to be overpriced at £17,500,000. Alvaro Arbeloa has headed off to Real Madrid, and Sami Hyypia left for Bayer Leverkusen when his contract expired.

It seems once again it could be the same top 4 teams qualifying for Champions League next season, unless Manchester City transform into competitors after their summer spending spree. We'll have to wait and see how they get on, whilst Aston Villa and Everton may miss out again without strengthening their squads dramatically this summer.

The Premier League welcomes Wolverhampton Wanderers, Birmingham City and Burnley this season following their promotion from the Championship last season. All eyes will be on those and others down the bottom as they fear the drop and the big loss of earnings that relegation brings upon three unfortunate teams.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Barrie_Smith

Farewell Dwight Yorke

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 04:32:00 +0000

Dwight Yorke, the former Manchester United forward whose goals led the club to 1999 treble glory, has retired from football at the age of 37 and intends to become a coach. He is to take up the post of assistant manager of the Trinidad and Tobago national team as a first step into coaching. Yorke's contract with Sunderland - his final club - was not renewed at the end of last season.

"It's time to hang up my boots," said the striker who scored 64 goals in 151 appearances for United.

"While I'm still in great shape, I'm not getting any younger. I've had the time of my life. I hope people will say that I played the game in the right way with a smile on my face.

"I've been blessed really. I've played alongside some of the greatest players the Premier League has ever seen in Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Peter Schmeichel, and played for the greatest manager in Alex Ferguson."

Yorke eventually fell out with Sir Alex Ferguson over the player's excessive lifestyle, but the player contributed fully to one of the most successful periods in United's history between 1998 and 2002. In the player's first three seasons the club won an unprecedented three Premier League trophies in a row and the 1999 European Cup.

It was Yorke's partnership with Andy Cole that the Trinidad and Tobago international will be best remembered for. Yorke finished top scorer in the 1999 season and the combination proved devastating. Famously the pair one-two'ed its way through the Barcelona defence on way to United's 3-3 draw in the Noup Camp.

It was a great return for Yorke, the man from the tiny island, who arrived at Old Trafford after nearly 10 years at Aston Villa. Despite leaving the club for United in a contentious GBP12.6 million deal - and later playing for Birmingham City - Yorke is still held in high esteem at Villa Park as one of their greatest ever players. So he should be. Yorke has always been the player with a smile on his face. Talented but also very much a man of the people.

Yorke's off-the-field activities and the arrival of Ruud van Nistelrooy put paid to his United career after four seasons. The forward's relationship with 'model' Jordan, with whom he had a son, was played out in the public through the tabloids - a scenario that Ferguson is never happy with.

The player was eventually sold for GBP2 million to Blackburn in the summer of 2002 but it was a sad end to a wonderful, if short, United career. He played out his days with Blackburn, Birmingham, Sydney FC and then Sunderland - reinventing himself as a deep lying midfielder late in his career.

But for such patriotic man it is perhaps the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany that was Yorke's proudest moment. He captained the tiny Trinidad and Tobago to thier first tournament.

"I'll always count myself lucky," said Yorke.

"I was a boy on a beach from a little Caribbean island that got the chance to fulfil his dream of winning trophies at the highest level and captaining his country in their first ever World Cup Finals."

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ed_Barker

Famous Soccer Players and Their Nicknames!

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 01:51:00 +0000

Perhaps the most popular of all football monikers is Pele or the Black Pearl, as the greatest footballer of all times, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, is known. Winner of three FIFA World Cups, he was latter dubbed O Rei (The King) for this outstanding achievements. Pele was a name the legend picked up in school, though even he wasn't too clear as to how he got the name! Whatever you call him, he will always be remembered as the ultimate when it comes to football.

If Pele was The King, Germany's Franz Beckenbauer was The Emperor (Der Kaiser). He dominated world football wearing the number 5 soccer shirt in 1974 and later went on to become the national team's coach. His teammate was another legend, Gerd Muller, who gained a formidable reputation as The Bomber for his goal scoring capacity - 365 in 427 Bundesliga matches and 68 in 62 international matches!

Carrying on with titles both royal and military, Hungarian Ferenc Puskas, was referred to as The Galloping Major! It was the player's actual rank as well as his nickname in the Hungarian army team. This three time UEFA Cup winner with Real Madrid was also dubbed the Cañoncito (Little Cannon) by adoring fans. And then, of course, there was Eric 'The King' Cantona and 'Guv'nor' Paul Ince, who became the first black player to captain England's national team. Brazilian Adriano Leite Ribeiro, was fondly called L'Imperatore (The Emperor) and even 'The Bulldozer' at different points of his prolific career!

Moving on to names more 'beastly', who can forget Brazil's Edmundo, who came to be known as 'O Animal' after his exploits on the pitch! Years before him, the dazzling dribbler Garrincha was dubbed Little Bird, and ended his career as The Joy of the People or Alegria do Povo.

Argentinean legend, Maradona, who made the number 10 soccer shirt a much sought after inheritance, began with the nickname Fluffy due to his untidy mop! Thankfully, he didn't get stuck with the sobriquet, and moved on to an extremely flattering one - The Golden Child or El Pibe de Oro. But when it comes to Diego Maradona can that be enough! He became the only player in the world whose body part has been given a nickname - The Hand of God - after his infamous goal during the 1986 FIFA World Cup!

One of the most interesting pet names by far has to be The Baby Faced Assassin! Norwegian footballer Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, spent his best years at Manchester United, where he scored 126 goals, earning him a reputation as The Baby Faced Assassin for his lethal goal scoring skills, matched with his misleading 'babe in the woods' look!

These diminutives have become so popular, that most fans don't even know their favorite players actual names! Actually, their real names are nothing short of confusing. As a diehard football fan would you know Ricardo Leite is our very own Kaka? Didn't think so! Guess that's why these nicknames have stuck on the players soccer team shirts... Thank God for that!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=G_Pirelli

When Soccer Came to Brazil

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 07:33:00 +0000

The history of Brazilian soccer is a disorganized one and it comes as no surprise that its origins has many a version! This British sport is said to have arrived in Brazil during the end of the nineteenth century.

One version of the advent of soccer in Brazil claims it all started with the arrival of British and Dutch sailors to the country. The locals learned the ropes of the game from these sailors on the beaches of the north eastern coastline. Another version gives credit to a certain Mr. Hugh as the 'father of Brazilian soccer'. It seems Mr. Hugh was the first person to teach the game to the workers of the São Paulo Railway back in 1882. Yet another version prefers a Mr. John as the first coach of soccer, who taught the skills to a team of Leopoldina Railway workers sometime in 1875.

Now, if that's not confusing, what is? Well, there's one more version that most people espouse as the 'true story'. According to this popular version, Brazilian soccer owes Charles William Miller for bringing the game to the country. Born in Brazil in the year 1874, Charles left for England for his studies at the age of 10. It was there that he was first came in contact with the sport. Charlie was a natural and soon became a deft dribbler and a free kick and header specialist. An accomplished striker, he won school honors that gave him entry into Southampton Club, and later, the Hampshire County team.

On his return to Brazil in 1894, he brought with him some soccer gear, a rule book and his skill. He formed the first Brazilian football club, the Sao Paolo Athletic Club (SPAC), and even came up with a few new rules! SPAC went on to win the first three championships with Mr. Miller at the helm. His football skills were far superior than his team mates and the 'Chaleira' - a football move invented by him saw him flick the ball with his heel - was named in honor of him. This move is still used by the legends of Brazilian football! The greatest names of the game, Pele, Socrates and Rivelino owe a lot to this pioneer of Brazilian football...

The first official match in Brazil was played in São Paulo back in 1894. Charles Miller had invited the English football teams from Southampton and the Corinthians Club to play against SPAC and other local teams. Charles had so much respect for the Corinthians sense of fair play, he even named a local team after them! And with that, one of Brazil's most popular club was born... It went on to become Brazilian Champion in the year 2005 and had some of the best players Brazil has seen on its roster.

In 1988, SPAC commemorated its centenary with a match against the English Corinthians! The final match had legends like Socrates and Rivelino on the local Corinthian side playing against their English counterpart. The local team was leading 1:0, when Socrates, in the spirit of Corinthian fairness, agreed to change his soccer jersey to play for the English team!

Well, those were the early years of Brazil's love affair with football. It went on to make history as five time World Cup champion and is the only country to have qualified for all 17 World Cups in the tournament's history! Until 2002, Brazil had lost only one World Cup qualifier in 70 years of playing! With its elegant dribbling, lightening speed passes and precision scoring, Brazilian Futebol has been likened to ballet dancing, and more recently, to the rhythmic samba!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bruno_Pisano

John Barnes - the palyer who stunt Brazil

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 07:04:00 +0000

Former England International John Barnes looks back on his wonder goal against Brazil in 1984 ...

It was at 10 June 1984 when Barnes scored one of the most breathtaking individual goals ever seen, when he outpaced and out-thought several Brazilian defenders before rounding the goalkeeper and slotting the ball into an empty net.

The goal brought him worldwide fame .