SPORT GUIDE

Fernando Torres,Spain

noreply@blogger.com (tutorial) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 03:26:00 +0000

Though he has come a long way since his early days as a teenage prodigy at his first club Atletico Madrid, for Spanish football fans Fernando Torres will always be El Niño (The Boy). It was his winner against Germany in the final of UEFA EURO 2008 that ensured the 26-year-old forward's name will forever go down in La Roja history while he continues to make strides at club level with Liverpool.
Torres joined the youth ranks at his beloved Atléti at the age of ten, and within seven years had made his first-team bow for Los Rojiblancos - becoming the supporters' great red-and-white hope in the process. Having cut his teeth during the club's two-season sojourn in Spain's second division, once back in the top flight for the 2003/04 campaign Torres's progress was nothing short of meteoric.
After firing 84 goals in 214 league encounters for Los Colchoneros, in 2007 the powerful front-runner opted for a move to English Premier League giants Liverpool in a bid for regular UEFA Champions League football. And despite the pressure of inheriting the No9 shirt from Reds' legend Robbie Fowler, Torres thrived in his first season at Rafael Benitez's "Spanish Liverpool", firing 34 goals in 47 appearances for the Anfield club.
Freed from the burden of expectation that had at times weighed heavy on his shoulders at Atletico, the move to English football has helped this natural-born goalscorer fulfil his enormous potential. Having already gone down in Reds' history when scoring the club's 1,000th Premier League goal, Torres's explosive bursts of pace, technique, aerial ability and lethal finishing continue to earn him admirers in his new home city and beyond.
His time in the red jersey of Spain has been hugely productive from the off, claiming a winners' medal, finishing top scorer and being voted best player at the UEFA European Under-16 Championship in 2001, before repeating the feat at the continental U-19 event two years' later. His debut for the full national team came in a friendly in September 2003, while he was also part of La Roja squad for their heart-breaking early exits at EURO 2004 and the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™, though he did hit three goals in four appearances at the latter event.
More than making up for these disappointments was the triumph at EURO 2008, Spain's first major trophy success in 44 years. And with Torres partnered by another world-class Spanish striker, David Villa, La Roja fans will be confident of more silverware in the years to come.

Soccer Web
Star Worldcup 2010 Guide
Lionel Messi
Wayne Rooney
Bastian Schweisteiger
Arjen Robben
Fabio Cannavaro
KAKA
Cristiano Ronaldo
Fernando Torres

Cristiano Ronaldo,Potugal

noreply@blogger.com (tutorial) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 02:51:00 +0000

Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo turns the beautiful game into child’s play. As Brazil’s legendary FIFA World Cup-winning midfielder Didi once said: “If we don’t treat the ball with love, she won’t do what we want her to do.” Perhaps more than any other player of the modern era, Real Madrid’s flying winger seems to maintain that wide-eyed innocence on the field that makes every dazzling dribble and every penetrating pass feel like the very first. And such is his artistry that, almost magnetically, the ball returns to his feet time and time again, ready for the next touch of genius.
There is something almost balletic about Cristiano Ronaldo’s play that transforms mere possession of the ball into a footballing pas-de-deux. Much as he is restless, almost jealous, whilst others enjoy the limelight, the graceful Ronaldo comes to life with the ball at his feet, pirouetting away from opposing defenders with poise, and gliding across the stage with an uncommon elegance.
From his early days with local club Andorinha, where his father was kit man, it was clear that the young Cristiano was destined for greatness. After a short stint with Nacional, he left Madeira to follow his dream and, as it has turned out, to become one of the greatest players in the world.
But in keeping with the finest artistic traditions, the young star’s rise to footballing pre-eminence came on the back of a series of life-changing choices. The first was to leave his family behind on the tiny Atlantic island in order to join Sporting Lisbon’s famous academy. Naturally, the winger found a home from home on a bigger stage, and success followed quickly. It was at the age of 15 that the talented teenager faced his greatest trial as a routine medical examination revealed an irregular heartbeat. Typically, Cristiano took the setback in his elegant stride, and a successful operation soon saw Madeira’s favourite son resume his career, from where he would go on to conquer the world.
Sporting’s fans were the first to bear witness to the young genius. He made his first team debut at the age of 17, scoring twice in the process. As it turned out, he would only wear the famous green-and-white hoops for one complete season; at the start of 2003/04, English giants Manchester United came to the Portuguese capital to play Sporting in a friendly to mark the opening of the new Jose Alvalade Stadium. It was love at first sight. The teenager bewitched his illustrious opponents, and Sir Alex Ferguson swooped to bring the youngster to Old Trafford, giving him the famous number 7 shirt, as worn by United legends George Best, Bryan Robson and Eric Cantona.
With the world at his feet, Cristiano Ronaldo blazed a trail through English football on his way to becoming a global superstar. Adulation and awards followed in equal measure: he was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 2008, and he managed to fill the Santiago Bernabeu single-handedly as Real Madrid’s fans turned out in force to welcome their latest acquisition in 2009. All that is missing is success on the game’s greatest stage. He suffered the bitter disappointment of just missing out on glory with Portugal in UEFA Euro 2004. When the hosts finished runners-up to Greece that year, the image of the youngster in tears flashed around the world. In South Africa, he will be wiser, stronger and hungrier than ever before to turn his country’s dreams into reality and lead them to FIFA World Cup™ glory.

Soccer Web
Star Worldcup 2010 Guide
Lionel Messi
Wayne Rooney
Bastian Schweisteiger
Arjen Robben
Fabio Cannavaro
KAKA
Cristiano Ronaldo
Fernando Torres

KAKA,Brazil

noreply@blogger.com (tutorial) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 02:43:00 +0000

Kaka is firmly established as one of the finest players in the world. With a capacity to glide almost effortlessly past opponents, provide defence-splitting passes and score consistently from distance, the attacking midfielder won the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 2007 and made the five-man shortlist for sport's most prestigious individual honour again the following year.
Born in Brasilia in 1982, his family relocated to Sao Paulo when Kaka was young and it was there that he excelled at football and tennis. He ultimately elected to pursue the former and, after recovering from a career-threatening injury he suffered as a 15-year-old, he joined Sao Paulo.
Kaka made his Tricolor Paulista debut in January 2001 and, after helping his club lift the Torneio Rio-Sao Paulo trophy, was named in Brazil's squad for the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan™. Although he was afforded little playing time in the Far East, he returned from the tournament with a winner's medal. Later that year he claimed Placar magazine's Bola de Ouro, awarded to the Campeonato Brasileiro's stand-out performer, and the following year he became the property of AC Milan.
There, with superstars Rivaldo and Manuel Rui Costa on the Rossoneri books, it was assumed the young Brazilian would be sent out on loan to gain experience. That move never materialised. Instead, Kaka, who got his first-team break due to injuries in the squad, rendered himself non-droppable and scored ten times in 30 outings as Milan roared to the Serie A title.
Kaka continued to excel over the following two seasons, illuminating the UEFA Champions League during the 2004/05 campaign, which culminated in his team's loss on penalties to Liverpool in an enthralling final, but his reputation accelerated to new heights in 2007; a year in which he played the leading role in Milan's capture of the Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup titles. Among the countless personal honours he received that year were a second Serie A Footballer of the Year award and the FIFA World Player gong. Injuries hindered Kaka in the 2008/09 season. However, when he started, he sparkled.
Kaka has been a fixture in the Brazil team since 2003, and by the end of 2008 had scored 23 goals in 62 internationals - interestingly, A Seleção have never lost a match in which he has found the target.
Kaka radiated as Brazil won the FIFA Confederations Cup Germany 2005, and his brilliant strike from distance earned them a 1-0 victory over Croatia in their 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™ opener. However, he and his fellow attacking geniuses were unable to find their rhythm for the remainder of the tournament, and the five-time world champions ultimately lost to France in the quarter-finals.

Kaka’s reputation as a leader and decisive playmaker were bolstered dramatically with some impressive showings in South Africa 2010 qualifying and also at the FIFA Confederations Cup South Africa 2009, where he scooped the adidas Golden Ball award and man of the match honours for the final against USA.

Soccer Web
Star Worldcup 2010 Guide
Lionel Messi
Wayne Rooney
Bastian Schweisteiger
Arjen Robben
Fabio Cannavaro
KAKA
Cristiano Ronaldo
Fernando Torres

Fabio Cannavaro,Italy

noreply@blogger.com (tutorial) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 02:35:00 +0000

Italy's FIFA World Cup™ winning captain Fabio Cannavaro is a worthy successor to the country's dynasty of great defenders, acquiring hero status in a land where making a perfect tackle is accorded the same importance as a spectacular volley.
Realising that the skills of dribbling and scoring goals were beyond him, Cannavaro honed his defensive attributes in the streets of the working-class Naples suburb of Fuorigrotta, overlooked by the Stadio San Paolo. Those makeshift games, played with dustbin bags for goals, served him well, and over the course of nearly 500 Serie A matches and 100 Liga outings, he has perfected the sliding tackle and the art of anticipation, dominating the penalty box with his sheer physical presence.
A ball boy during Napoli's glory years, Cannavaro was inspired by the exploits of Diego Maradona and his team-mates. His role model, however, was not the Argentinian magician but the dependable stopper Ciro Ferrara, who was seven years his elder but would quickly become a trusted team-mate and mentor.
The youngster took his Serie A bow against Juventus at the imposing Stadio delle Alpi on 7 March 1993. At the age of 22 he moved to Parma, where he formed a formidable rearguard with France's Lilian Thuram and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.
Having been an integral part of Cesare Maldini's U-21 team, under whom he won the UEFA European U-21 Championship in 1994 and 1996, he stepped up to the full national side in January 1997, appearing in a 2-0 defeat of Northern Ireland in Palermo. Yet his first major finals ended in disappointment when Italy were knocked out by the hosts at France 1998, with the French again thwarting Cannavaro and Co in the final of UEFA EURO 2000.
Another sad exit at Korea/Japan 2002 was followed by his departure to Inter Milan. A broken tibia cut short his season in 2003/04 but before he had made his recovery, the centre-half decided to jump ship to Juventus, where he teamed up once more with Thuram and Buffon. Before long, he had established himself as a leader of the Bianconeri pack.
Cannavaro arrived at the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany having taken over the captaincy from Paolo Maldini, who had just retired from the international scene. His calm approach set the tone for the team and his outstanding performances showed that he was a player at the peak of his powers.
Stylish and unflustered throughout, Cannavaro even had the pleasure of celebrating his 100th cap in the Final, an occasion made even sweeter by Italy's shootout win over the French.
In the wake of that triumph Cannavaro signed for Real Madrid. There he pulled on the prestigious No5 jersey, worn before him by a certain Zinedine Zidane. He later returned to Turin and rejoined Juventus, where he was expected to end his playing career.
But in 2010 Cannavaro announced that he would finish his career in the UAE, signing a two-year deal with league champions Al Ahli.

Soccer Web
Star Worldcup 2010 Guide
Lionel Messi
Wayne Rooney
Bastian Schweisteiger
Arjen Robben
Fabio Cannavaro
KAKA
Cristiano Ronaldo
Fernando Torres

Arjen Robben,Netherlands

noreply@blogger.com (tutorial) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 02:24:00 +0000

The brilliant but often fragile winger Arjen Robben travels to South Africa on the back of his most prolific campaign in club football, having fitted in superbly with the likes of Franck Ribery during his maiden season with Bayern Munich. He has quickly won himself a place in the hearts of the Bundesliga side’s fans, most notably earning rousing applause from the supporters present at training the day after his hat-trick against Hannover. Even the typically taciturn Bayern coach Louis van Gaal has singled out his compatriot for praise, acknowledging Robben’s huge impact on his team’s style. “I get pleasure from watching him play,” said the Dutchman earlier this year.
Now 26, the former Real Madrid player has lit up both Germany’s top division and the UEFA Champions League with goals that have proved as decisive as they have been spectacular, such as his stunning strike at Old Trafford in the quarter-final second leg of Europe’s most prestigious club tournament. “We have several major weapons, but he tries a lot of things and makes them work,” said Daniel Van Buyten. As for iconic former Bayern left-back Bixente Lizarazu, he was moved to compare the Oranje stalwart with Lionel Messi in mid-April. “He scores similar goals to Messi; he seems to float,” he explained. Taking up the theme, German television pundits have likewise delighted in pinpointing similarities between Robben’s strikes and those of Barcelona’s Argentinian wizard.
Signed from Real Madrid for €25m last summer, the pacy wide player has proved a scintillating success in Bavaria, despite having ended 2008/09 hoping to establish himself in the Spanish capital and finally justify his €36m price tag. Now enjoying perhaps the form of his career, he travels to South Africa as one part of an exciting quartet of talents – along with Wesley Sneijder, Robin van Persie and Rafael van der Vaart – that could lead the Netherlands to a historic first ever FIFA World Cup™ title.
That prospect must have seemed a long way off to the Bedum native when he took his first steps in the game with Groningen. After making his Eredivisie debut in 2000 he was voted the club’s player of the year at the end of the season. He hit the heights again in 2001/02 and secured a transfer to PSV Eindhoven at the age of 18 in summer 2002, instantly finding his feet at the Philips Stadion where he finished PSV’s joint top scorer for 2002/03 along with Serbian striker Mateja Kezman. Nicknamed ‘Batman and Robin’, the duo helped the club win the Dutch title that term, but trouble lay ahead for Robben as fitness problems threatened his progress for the first time the following year.
Despite some under-par displays in that campaign, Chelsea remained convinced of his potential and brought the then 20-year-old on board in 2004, but even before his new adventure could begin he was sidelined with a pre-season injury to his right foot. His Premier League introduction was delayed until November, yet Robben bounced back in style and went on to win a nomination for Young Player of the Year. Wayne Rooney collected that particular plaudit, but Robben could content himself with a league winner’s medal and six goals from 18 games. He also secured himself a starting place in Jose Mourinho’s favoured line-up the following year as the Blues clinched another championship crown, though the Dutchman was criticised in some quarters for his perceived penchant for simulation.
Similarly effective at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, the domestic season that followed was far less fulfilling, with Robben relegated to the Chelsea bench and held back by a series of niggling injuries. It was to prove his final campaign in west London as Real Madrid swooped for his services in summer 2007, marking the start of another tussle to win over new employers. Robben seduced the Santiago Bernabeu faithful with his early performances in Spain, but was never really able to demonstrate his worth on a consistent basis and plundered just two goals from 25 appearances in his first season. He then registered seven strikes in 2008/09 and failed to take the Champions League by the scruff of the neck, despite Los Merengues’ obvious desperation to succeed in Europe. Ultimately, though, it was injury that once again scuppered his best efforts, just as his talent was starting to shine and the Madrid press began citing a 'Robben dependence' at the club.
An international at Under-17, U-19 and U-20 level, Robben took part in the 2001 FIFA U-20 World Cup before being handed his first senior cap on 30 April 2003. He scored the Netherlands’ decisive penalty in their shoot-out with Sweden in the quarter-finals at UEFA EURO 2004 and won two Man of the Match awards, against Serbia-Montenegro and Côte d’Ivoire, in Germany two years later. Only seven players had achieved that feat before him.

Soccer Web
Star Worldcup 2010 Guide
Lionel Messi
Wayne Rooney
Bastian Schweisteiger
Arjen Robben
Fabio Cannavaro
KAKA
Cristiano Ronaldo
Fernando Torres

Bastian Schweinsteiger,Germany

noreply@blogger.com (tutorial) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 02:13:00 +0000

Bastian Schweinsteiger has long since shed the tag of the up-and-coming star of German football. Having rediscovered his best form just in time for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, the 25-year-old is out to prove that, despite moving position, he still belongs among the world elite. The Bayern Munich man switched from the left wing to a central role last season and Germany coach Joachim Low looks likely to keep him in his new midfield slot.
The Bavaria-born player appears destined to become Germany’s next playmaker. ‘Schweini’, as he is known affectionately, has all the right qualities to pull the strings of the three-time world champions and step into Ballack’s boots over the next few years. Technically gifted, he has an outstanding footballing brain and with more than 70 international appearances is already highly experienced. In recent months, Schweinsteiger has also dramatically improved his tackling, and having proven his midfield mettle alongside Mark van Bommel for Bayern, the 1.83m player is eager to do likewise in a German shirt.
Schweinsteiger joined Bayern as a 14-year-old and has made it his home. His full debut in November 2002 heralded a career blessed with numerous domestic titles inside his first few seasons, and in which he has became one of the few home-grown players to hold onto a first-team shirt with the record German championship winners. If he earned something of a reputation for lacking the right attitude in the early years of his senior career, Schweinsteiger has long since matured into a top performer for the Munich club.
His international debut came in June 2004 in a 2-0 friendly defeat to Hungary in Kaiserslautern. Just four years later in May 2008, he was making his 50th senior appearance for Germany aged 23, writing himself into the history books of the German Football Association (DFB). His breakthrough on the international stage came at the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup on home soil as he and Lukas Podolski stole the hearts of German fans with their outstanding performances and cavalier style. A year later at the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™, he was a creative force for then German coach Jurgen Klinsmann on the left wing and took the headlines in the match for third place against Portugal, scoring twice and setting up the third goal in a 3-1 victory.
Since then, Schweinsteiger has struggled to constantly live up to expectations. However, he was the matchwinner against Portugal again in the quarter-finals of UEFA EURO 2008, this time scoring once and creating the other two goals as Germany triumphed 3-2. And what was the most challenging phase of his career on the pitch must now be considered the most important, with the process of overcoming adversity instrumental in his new maturity. Now in his new role, he is more pivotal than ever before, something he will want to prove for posterity in South Africa.

Soccer Web
Star Worldcup 2010 Guide
Lionel Messi
Wayne Rooney
Bastian Schweisteiger
Arjen Robben
Fabio Cannavaro
KAKA
Cristiano Ronaldo
Fernando Torres

Wayne Rooney,England

noreply@blogger.com (tutorial) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 02:06:00 +0000

If Italia 90 is remembered in England as Gazza’s tournament, there are high hopes that South Africa 2010 will go down in history as ‘Wazza’s.’
Wayne Rooney, as he is better known, has already surpassed the achievements of the talented maverick Paul Gascoigne in all ways bar one – he has yet to light up a FIFA World Cup™ with his talent. The signs are that this could be the year for the 24-year-old Liverpudlian, who was England’s top scorer with nine goals in qualifying and arrives in South Africa after his best season yet in front of goal.
Handed a central striking role at Manchester United following Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure, Rooney has revelled in the responsibility, passing the 30-goal mark for the first time.
It is now eight years since Rooney burst on to the scene, thrilling the fans of his boyhood favourites Everton with his prodigious gifts. He was 16 but could do just about anything with his strength, pace, vision and dribbling ability. His first Premier League goal summed up his ‘let-me-at-’em’ attitude: a thumping 30-yard last-minute strike that ended champions Arsenal’s 30-game unbeaten run.
Rooney soon became his country’s youngest player when making his senior debut at 17 years and 111 days in a February 2003 friendly against Australia. He made international football look like child’s play, becoming England’s youngest scorer with a goal in a UEFA EURO 2004 qualifier against FYR Macedonia seven months later.
Utterly fearless, the 18-year-old Rooney took Europe by storm when unleashed at the ensuing finals in Portugal. He registered four goals and might have inflicted more damage but for the fractured metatarsal he sustained with England leading Portugal in a quarter-final they eventually lost on penalties.
By the time Rooney had recovered, he was a Manchester United player following his August 2004 switch to Old Trafford for a £27m fee. He rose to the occasion once more on his United debut, hitting a hat-trick against Fenerbahce in the UEFA Champions League. His talent was without question yet there were doubts over his temperament and they resurfaced to unhappy effect at the FIFA World Cup in Germany.
Rooney had rushed back from another metatarsal injury to take his place in England’s squad but he was not at his best and another quarter-final against Portugal ended prematurely for him – albeit this time with a red card for stamping on Ricardo Carvalho. Of course, Rooney is not the first talented tyro to overheat in the pressure cooker of a FIFA World Cup – Diego Maradona did the same first time around and there are England supporters hoping Rooney can make a similar impact as Argentina’s No10 managed on his second try.
Four years on from Gelsenkirchen, Rooney – who has won three Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League in the intervening period – has certainly matured impressively. He became a father last October and the following month captained England for the first time in a Dubai friendly against Brazil. For all his star quality, he still works tirelessly for his team and no defence will look forward to facing him in South Africa.

Soccer Web
Star Worldcup 2010 Guide
Lionel Messi
Wayne Rooney
Bastian Schweisteiger
Arjen Robben
Fabio Cannavaro
KAKA
Cristiano Ronaldo
Fernando Torres

Lionel Messi,Argentina

noreply@blogger.com (tutorial) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 01:55:00 +0000

There has been no shortage of players billed as Diego Maradona’s successor, yet few, if any, have borne that burden with the aplomb of Lionel Messi. Blessed with a wondrous left foot, outstanding vision, near-unstoppable dribbling skills and sublime technique, Messi is a sight to behold. Add in his explosive changes of pace, timing and nose for goal – a trait particularly in evidence in 2010 – and you have a player able to change any game in the blink of an eye.
The Rosario-born superstar took his first steps in the game at local club Newell's Old Boys, before joining Catalan giants Barcelona at the age of just 13 after a successful trial at the Camp Nou. Indeed, so impressed was Carles Rexach, then head of youth development at Can Barça, that “I made him sign for the club on the back of a napkin, as a symbolic gesture. He’d caught my eye immediately.”
An important factor in the move was the Azulgranas’ offer to pay for treatment to correct Messi’s growth-hormone deficiency, a condition that led to his nickname of La Pulga (The Flea), which had proved prohibitively expensive for his Argentinian suitors in the midst of the country’s economic collapse. Messi’s La Liga debut came in late 2004 and he definitively exploded onto the Spanish football scene the following year. His first goal, fired on 1 May 2005 against Albacete, made him the club’s youngest ever goalscorer, a record he held until beaten by Bojan Krkic in 2008.
The years 2008 through 2010 have cemented Messi’s rise to superstardom at Barcelona, where to date he has won three La Liga titles, the UEFA European Supercup, the Copa del Rey, three Spanish Supercups, two UEFA Champions Leagues and one FIFA Club World Cup crown. What is more, after scoring in the finals of the latter four competitions in 2009, the Argentinian was rewarded with that year’s FIFA World Player award. And after scoring 38 goals in all competitions in 2008/09, La Pulga surpassed that total in 2009/10.
At international level, Messi mirrored Maradona’s achievements at Japan 1979 by inspiring his country to victory at the 2005 edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in the Netherlands. A member of the Albiceleste squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™, he made three appearances, two as a substitute, but remained on the bench during the quarter-final exit against the host nation.
Part of the Argentina side beaten by arch-rivals Brazil in the final of the 2007 Copa America, the following year Messi was a key figure in the team which stormed to gold at the Olympic Football Tournament in Beijing. And though he is yet to hit the heights of his club form in the blue-and-white of Argentina, Messi is determined to do that come South Africa 2010: “In order to become a legend, I have to win the World Cup,” he says.

Soccer Web
Star Worldcup 2010 Guide
Lionel Messi
Wayne Rooney
Bastian Schweisteiger
Arjen Robben
Fabio Cannavaro
KAKA
Cristiano Ronaldo
Fernando Torres

The Free State Stadium

noreply@blogger.com (tutorial) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 02:49:00 +0000

Home to some of the country's most fanatical group of supporters, the Free State Stadium is likely to be the centre of attention during the FIFA World Cup™. The stadium was given a plush new look for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. It hosted the memorable semi-final match between Spain and USA where the latter secured one of the biggest surprises of the tournament by sending the European champions packing in front of a capacity crowd.

The Free State Stadium was upgraded from a capacity of 38,000 to 40,911 during the refurbishments. The stadium has hosted numerous major football and rugby union matches, and Bloemfontein's natives are renowned for their passion for sport. While the former played second fiddle to the latter for decades, football's popularity explosion - aided by the emergence of Bloemfontein Celtic - is changing this. The Celtic fans are known as Siwelele, a Sotho term.

Ellis Park Stadium

noreply@blogger.com (tutorial) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 01:24:00 +0000

Ellis Park Stadium is located in the centre of Johannesburg and has hosted many epic sporting events including the final of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup between Brazil and the United States. The ground was given a significant face-lift before the Confederations Cup finals and now seats 55,686.

Ellis Park was first built in 1928 as a rugby union stadium. It was demolished and rebuilt in 1982, again exclusively for rugby. It was named after JD Ellis, a Johannesburg city councilor who approved the use of the land for a stadium, setting aside a full 13 acres.

The ground will always occupy a special place in the hearts of the country's sporting fans after the South African rugby team shocked New Zealand to lift the 1995 Rugby World Cup trophy soon after being allowed back onto the world sporting stage. It was a moment that brought the people of South Africa together in celebration as the iconic scenes of Nelson Mandela holding aloft the trophy at Ellis Park were beamed around the world.

The largest piece of construction has been the new tier on the north stand which has increased the seating capacity to 62,000. With state-of-the-art media facilities, team whirlpools, top-class VIP areas for dignitaries, accessibility for disabled fans, a new pitch and a top-notch audio-visual setup to keep the fans informed during the game, no one will be left disappointed.

Soccer City Stadium

noreply@blogger.com (tutorial) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 01:15:00 +0000

One of the most artistic and awe-inspiring football venues on the African continent, the newly-reconstructed Soccer City Stadium will host the first and final matches of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™.

The ground's design is inspired by the iconic African pot known as the calabash, and its aesthetic appeal will be heightened when the stadium is lit at night. Soccer City is located in Johannesburg's southwest and is only a short distance from one of the country's football-crazy townships, Soweto. About 40 per cent of Johannesburg's population live in Soweto and this proximity is bound to make the stadium a hub of activity throughout the 2010 finals.

The stadium is widely regarded as the heart of football in South Africa as it has hosted many important matches through history. In the mid 1980s, officials came together to build the first international football stadium in the country and the construction was funded from the football fraternity's coffers. Soccer City hosted the first mass rally of Nelson Mandela after his release from prison in 1990. Thousands of mourners lamented Chris Hani's assassination at the stadium in 1993. It was also the venue for the 1996 CAF African Cup of Nations final, with South Africa eventually triumphing 2-0 over Tunisia.

The original stadium, which was known as the FNB Stadium, had a capacity of 80,000. Upgrades involved extending the upper tier to increase the capacity to 84,490; adding 99 more suites to bring the number to 184; constructing an encircling roof; adding new changing room facilities and installing new floodlighting.

Durban Stadium

noreply@blogger.com (tutorial) — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 06:31:00 +0000

The newly-built Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban will host one of the semi-finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. The ground epitomises the architectural innovation on display in South Africa and takes its design inspiration from the South African flag, with its grand arch representing the unity of this sport-loving nation. The two legs of the arch on the southern side of the stadium come together to form a single footing on the northern side, symbolising the new unity of a once-divided country.

The 70,000-seater has been specifically designed as a multi-purpose venue and an amphitheatre complete with a cable car which ascends to a viewing platform at the top of the expansive 350m arch, a staggering 106m above the pitch. From this vantage point, visitors can experience spectacular panoramic views of the nearby shoreline and the city. The roof is attached to the arch by 95mm-diameter steel cables. Each seat of the stadium is spacious and comfortable, providing a clear line of sight to the pitch.

It is a world-class and multifunctional arena located in the heart of the Kings Park Sporting Precinct. Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium will be the jewel in the crown of the Kings Park Sporting precinct. The entire area will feature additional sporting arenas and facilities as well as restaurants, shops, play areas for children and a pedestrian walkway linking the stadium complex to the beach.

The stadium was built on the site of the old Kings Park Stadium. Moses Mabhida, the ground's namesake, was born in Thornville near Pietermaritzburg on 14 October 1923 into a poor family who were later forced off their land. In 1963, Mabhida was asked by Oliver Tambo while working in Prague rallying support from the World Federation of Trade Unions, to come back to Africa to develop the ANC's armed wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK). He underwent military training and became the chief political instructor of new military recruits. He later served as the commander of MK.

Green Point Stadium

noreply@blogger.com (tutorial) — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 06:14:00 +0000

One of the most artistic football venues in South Africa, the newly-built Green Point Stadium is situated in one of the much sought-after areas in the city of Cape Town. Green Point Stadium is one of the two semi-final venues for the FIFA World Cup™.

This multi-purpose venue is also going to be used to stage major events and concerts. Fans will be a stone's throw from the ocean and the mountains of Cape Town will also provide the backdrop for matches. The location is ideal as it is a short walk from the transportation hub of the city. The new stadium has been partly built on land that was previously used as a golf course.

The stadium, which has an exterior that is covered with noise-reducing cladding has a capacity of 70,000 and is scheduled for completion in December 2009. The Green Point Common, on which the new 2010 stadium is being built, was originally much larger than what now remains, and included most of the land between the sea and Signal Hill, stretching from the city centre towards Sea Point.

Cape Town has another world-standard stadium, Newlands, but this is primarily used as a rugby union venue. Post FIFA World Cup, the Green Point Stadium is likely to be used by some of the Cape Town-based professional football outfits that include Ajax Cape Town and Santos.

Bobby Charlton

noreply@blogger.com (tutorial) — Wed, 26 May 2010 12:39:00 +0000

A survivor of the Munich air disaster, a FIFA World Cup™ winner, a Knight of the British Empire, but above all a great and an honest player: Bobby Charlton is one of football's true ambassadors.

'Sir Bobby', as he is now officially known, is one of a trio of England internationals who broke the 100-cap barrier while earning a reputation doing things the right way. Billy Wright, who wore the captain's armband 90 times, was the first to reach the century in the 1950s, and Charlton and Bobby Moore, who lifted the Jules Rimet trophy on home soil in 1966, were to follow. While Wright and Moore played similar roles in defence, Charlton was more of an attacking player who shone first on the flank and later as a deep-lying forward. All three, however, were respected the world over for their determination and tough tackling, which never overstepped the mark.

The young Charlton's greatest strengths were his speed and body swerve. As he flowered as a footballer, he moved inside and became the fulcrum of his team's attack. An outstanding distributor of the ball, he could spray inch-perfect passes around the park, picking out team-mates with astounding accuracy. He also had a fierce shot that belied his relatively small stature (1.73m) and scored almost a goal every other game in an England shirt - no mean feat over the course of 105 internationals. His 49 goals are still an England record, one more than that scored by out-and-out striker Gary Lineker, while only goalkeeper Peter Shilton collected more caps.

Triumph and tragedy
Playing for the East Northumberland Schoolboys side, Charlton's prodigious talents caught the eye of Manchester United's chief scout, Joe Armstrong. There was no shortage of suitors but it was Matt Busby, the United manager, who landed the teenager's highly-sought signature and Charlton left his native north-east for Manchester in July 1953. After a stint working in an engineering works close to Old Trafford, he signed professional forms aged 17. In October 1956, the month of his 19th birthday, he made his senior debut against Charlton Athletic - and marked the occasion with two goals.

United were league champions that season and Charlton, in an outside-left role, played his part with ten goals in 14 matches. Their youthful 'Busby Babes' team also reached the FA Cup final and European Cup semi-final and further glories beckoned, but fate was to intervene in tragic fashion. Busby's side was decimated by the Munich air disaster on 6 February 1958, in which eight players lost their lives. Charlton, just 20, was thrown from the plane still strapped to his seat but survived unscathed, though the mental scars from having lost so many contemporaries in such circumstances were evident.

Busby rebuilt his side as best he could and made Charlton the cornerstone. Success returned to Old Trafford in 1963 with an FA Cup triumph, followed by league titles in 1965 and 1967. The crowning glory for Charlton in a United shirt came the following season when, a decade after Munich, he scored twice as they beat Benfica 4-1 at Wembley in the final of the European Cup, becoming the first English winners of the trophy. For Charlton, Busby and goalkeeper Billy Foulkes, the other crash survivor still in the team, it was a deeply emotional moment.

The early days
Despite originally making his mark on the left wing, Charlton's international debut came as a right-half (defensive midfielder) on 19 April 1958, but as with his first match for Manchester United, he celebrated with a goal and a victory, Scotland falling victim to a 4-0 scoreline at Hampden Park. "I can still hear the sound of the ball lashing against the net," Charlton recalled. "After that, all you could hear was the silence."

His performance was enough to merit a call-up for the 1958 FIFA World Cup in Sweden, which England exited after a first round play-off defeat by the Soviet Union. Charlton did not make a single appearance and manager Walter Winterbottom regretted having selected him, believing he was still suffering from the after-effects of the Munich air disaster. By the time the next tournament came round in Chile in 1962, Charlton was firmly established in the team and he scored his first FIFA World Cup goal against Argentina to help England through to the quarter-finals, where they were beaten by eventual winners Brazil.

Finest hour
The year 1966 is one which lives in the memory of every Englishman and one which saw the 28-year-old Charlton at the height of his talent. Alongside his brother Jack, who had risen to become a stalwart of the England defence, Bobby was the focal point of the team which triumphed on home soil and received the Jules Rimet Trophy from Queen Elizabeth II on 30 July 1966. Alf Ramsey's side started badly, with a dour 0-0 draw against Uruguay. Their campaign needed a spark and Charlton was the man to provide it.

Thirty-seven minutes into their second group match against Mexico, he collected a loose ball on the halfway line. "I picked up the ball quite deep and I had no intention of shooting at goal," he said in a later interview. "I didn't really expect them to allow me to keep going... so I just banged it." The surging run was rounded off by a net-bursting shot into the top corner and England were up and running.

It was in the semi-final against Portugal that Charlton, subsequently voted European Footballer of the Year, gave his finest performance. His running kept the Portuguese defence on the back foot, his passing opened up gaps for team-mates to exploit, and when he found himself in front of goal, he let fly. A goal in each half was enough to see England through as narrow 2-1 winners and Charlton scored both of them. The second, in particular, was trademark Bobby Charlton: a first-time shot cannoned into the top corner, which even prompted one opponent to shake his hand.

In the final, West German manager Helmut Schon knew exactly who England's danger man was and assigned a young yet precociously talented Franz Beckenbauer to a man-marking role. When Charlton attacked, Beckenbauer defended, and when Beckenbauer strode forward, Charlton stuck to him. It was an epic struggle between two legendary players, with the final score of 4-2 after extra time indicating that Charlton eventually had the upper hand. As Beckenbauer himself pointed out: "England beat us in 1966 because Bobby Charlton was just a bit better than me."

A dramatic ending
When England travelled to Mexico four years later to defend their title, Charlton, now 32, remained a central figure. As an inside-right in a team which had evolved from a 2-3-5 at the outset of his international career through 4-4-2 to a 4-3-3 formation, his role had become more defensive, yet no less important. After the group stage had been safely negotiated, England faced West Germany in the quarter-final, in a rematch of the 1966 final.

With England 2-1 to the good 20 minutes from time, coach Ramsey substituted Charlton, preferring to rest him before the semi-final. But an Uwe Seeler equaliser took the game to extra time and Gerd Muller sealed the Germans' revenge with a late winner. It was to be Charlton's swansong in England colours as he announced his retirement after the final whistle in Leon, having overtaken Billy Wright's record with his 105th cap. He played another two seasons for Manchester United, appearing for the final time in April 1973.

A brief spell as player-manager of Preston North End followed but a coaching career was not for him. Instead, Charlton went into business, successfully, and also founded a number of football academies for youngsters. In 1984, he became a director of Manchester United and was also invited to sit on FIFA's football committee. Since then, he has worked unstintingly for the good of the game, in Manchester, England and much further afield, earning him recognition around the globe as a true ambassador of football.

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Bobby Charlton

EUSEBIO (Eusebio da Silva Ferreira)

noreply@blogger.com (tutorial) — Wed, 26 May 2010 12:29:00 +0000

Eusebio is the most famous name in the history of Portuguese football. Born in Mozambique, the legendary centre-forward was the first world-class striker to emerge from the African continent, striking nine goals for his adopted country at the 1966 FIFA World Cup ™ to win the Golden Shoe award. Along with his Benfica and Portugal team-mate Mario Coluna, who also hailed from Mozambique, he blazed a trail from Africa to European football.

Eusebio da Silva Ferreira began his playing career with his local club, Sporting Club Lourenco Marques, but by the age of 18, word of his prodigious talent had reached the big clubs in Portugal, provoking a fierce bidding war between Lisbon rivals Benfica and Sporting for his signature. So fierce, in fact, that as the wrangling went on, he was forced to flee Lisbon for a tiny Algarve village. When the dust settled, Eusebio was a Benfica player.
A powerful striker blessed with exceptional acceleration and ball-striking abilities, Eusebio was known for his slippery 'cat-like' dribbles, perfected in the street games of his childhood. In only his second outing for the Benfica senior side, in the final of a friendly tournament in Paris, he struck a hat-trick against a Santos side featuring another exalted youngster by the name of Pele.

They were the first in a long line of goals for the Eagles - in all he would score a phenomenal 320 in 313 Portuguese league matches. Such was Eusebio's impact that in 1962, at the age of 20, he proved the chief inspiration behind Benfica's European Cup triumph over Alfredo Di Stefano's imperious Real Madrid, scoring twice as the Portuguese champions prevailed 5-3.

Portugal unearth a phenomenon
Eusebio made his debut for the national team of his adopted country in October 1961 against Luxembourg in a FIFA World Cup qualifier, but it was during qualifying for England 1966 that he really made his mark, scoring seven goals to fire Portugal to a first-ever progression to the FIFA World Cup finals. Although named European Footballer of the Year in 1965, it was at the international game's showpiece event the following year that Eusebio became a truly global phenomenon - the sort the sport had seldom witnessed before.

In their opening first phase match, Portugal saw off Hungary 3-1, before Eusebio then found his scoring touch with Portugal's second goal in a 3-0 defeat of Bulgaria. Eusebio went one better in the final group game against Brazil, netting twice as Portugal eliminated the reigning world champions courtesy of a 3-1 victory.

The Benfica star was not finished there and in the quarter-final against Korea DPR he etched his name in the FIFA World Cup history books. Trailing the Asian underdogs 3-0 after just 25 minutes, Portugal staged a remarkable comeback at Goodison Park courtesy of four goals from the shimmering "Black Panther", eventually triumphing 5-3. The game earned Eusebio a place among the legends of international football and remains to this day one of the best-remembered matches in the history of the competition.

Portugal's run finally ended at the semi-final stage, succumbing 2-1 to hosts and eventual champions England in a game where Eusebio's 82nd minute penalty ensured a tense finish. That strike was Eusebio's eighth in five matches and there was time for one more as he provided Portugal's first goal in the 2-1 win over Russia that secured them third place on the podium. "The 1966 World Cup was the high point of my career," Eusebio said. "We may have lost the semi-final, but Portuguese football was a big winner."

Unchallenged
In retrospect, perhaps the sole cause for regret is that this exceptional player found himself hindered by the absence of enough other truly world class talents in the Portugal team. As a result, the 1966 FIFA World Cup was the only occasion on which this grand master, scorer of 41 goals in 64 internationals, graced the world stage.

An enduring icon and symbol of loyalty and pride in his adopted country, Eusebio served Benfica for a decade and a half, winning eleven league titles with the Eagles, before taking up the offer of a golden swansong in the USA. On returning to Portugal with Beira Mar, he then suffered a serious knee injury which finally brought the curtain down on his career.

Regarded today as the greatest ever Portuguese footballer, a bronze statue of the "Black Panther" occupies a proud place outside Benfica's Estadio da Luz. Forty years on, his exploits have lost little of their cache. Other heroes have emerged since - from Luis Figo to Cristiano Ronaldo - and his national scoring record been surpassed by Pauleta, but Eusebio remains almost unchallenged as Portuguese football's greatest name.

Johan Cruyff

noreply@blogger.com (tutorial) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 09:52:00 +0000

Fans of FC Barcelona remember Johan Cruyff fondly for both his time as a player for the club in the 1970s and then as the longest serving and most successful manager in the club's history.

Cruyff's footballing career began with Dutch club Ajax, who he had joined on his tenth birthday, debuting for the first team aged 17 in 1964 and the following season his 25 goals helped Ajax to win the league.

The 1966-67 season was even better for Johan Cruyff; not only did Ajax win the league again, but Cruyff ending the season as the leading goal scorer in the Dutch league. With a total of 33 goals to his credit he was named Dutch footballer of the year, an award he received for the two following seasons.

Cruyff's move to Barcelona came in 1973 and he quickly won favour with the Catalan supporters by saying that Real Madrid had never been an due to its association with Franco. His second season at FC Barcelona saw them win the league for first time since 1960 and humiliating Real Madrid in a 5-0 win at Santiago Bernabeu. While at Barcelona he was awarded the prestigious European Player of the Year twice in a row.

In 1979, aged 32, Johan Cruyff moved to America, where he first played for the Los Angeles Aztecs for just one season followed by Washington Diplomats. At the beginning of the 1981 season he returned to Spain, where he played for Levante, quickly followed by a move back to Ajax. However in 1983 Ajax failed to renew his contract and signing for Feyenoord, Ajax's arch-rival, he helped win the Dutch league.

Johan Cruyff also had a successful international career, appearing for Holland 48 times and scoring 33 goals, refusing to participate in the 1986 World Cup in Argentina because of the alleged used of torture and murder practised by the Junta then in power.

Retiring as a player, he Cruyff's career as a manager started with Ajax, but it was at Barcelona, which he rejoined in 1988, that was the highlight of his management career.

With 11 titles won between1988 and 1997, his time as manager is considered to be one of the golden eras for the club and the side he assembled, commonly referred to as "The Dream Team", won the Spanish league title for four successive years between 1991 and 1994.

Lev Ivanovich Yashin

noreply@blogger.com (tutorial) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 16:51:00 +0000

Lev Ivanovich Yashin (Russian: Лев Ива́нович Я́шин) (October 22, 1929 - March 20, 1990) was a Soviet soccer goalkeeper, arguably the best ever in the sport.

Life

He was born in Moscow in a family of industrial workers. Still twelve years old in summer of 1942, during the World War II, he started to work as the helper at metal workshops.

Yashin played his entire career for Dinamo Moscow sports club, from 1949 to 1971, winning the football (soccer) championship of the USSR five times and the Soviet Cup three times. He also won a USSR ice-hockey championship (1953) as a goalkeeper for his club after three disastrous trial-up attempts to get his place in the starting line-up of the main soccer team. Yashin's club team-mate, rival and mentor was 'Tiger' Khomich, the keeper of the Soviet national team, who had become famous for his role in Dinamo Moscow's British tour.

In 1954, Yashin was finally called up to the national team (78 caps for his country), with which he would win the titles at the 1956 Summer Olympics and the 1960 European Championships. As a member of the USSR team he played in three World Cup finals (1958, 1962 and 1966). Always ready to give a piece of advice to his comrades, he even made his fourth trip to the World Cup finals in 1970 as the third-choice back-up and an aide. Yashin is credited for four clean sheets out of 13 games played in WC finals. In 1971 in Moscow he played his last match for Dinamo Moscow against European stars.

One of his best performances was the 1963 FA Centenary match when he appeared in the 'Rest of the World XI' against England at Wembley Stadium and made a number of the breathtaking and almost unbelievable saves. Known all over the world as the 'Black Panther' for his distinctive all-black outfit, acrobatic saves and agility, he was feared by his opponents who also called him "Black Spider" and "Black Octopus" because of his very long hands. Sometimes Yashin was wearing a big flat-top-over-the-visor cloth cap of overburnt-red-brick color.

Lev Yashin is the only goalkeeper ever to win the European Footballer of the Year Award (1963).

For his outstanding service to the people and for his country he was awarded Order of Lenin (1967), the highest award of the USSR. Lev Yashin's FIFA testimonial match was held at the Lenin Stadium in Moscow with 100,000 fans attending, and a host galaxy of stars and superstars, including Pelé, Eusebio and Franz Beckenbauer. For some time he coached minor league and youth soccer teams in Finland. Bronze statue of Lev Yashin was erected at Dinamo Central Stadium in Moscow. 2000 FIFA polls placed Yashin in the "Century XI" team, and also named him 'World - Keeper of the Century' ahead of Gordon Banks.

Lev Yashin died in 1990 of complications caused by an earlier amputation of one of his legs following a knee injury.

He is remembered as a brilliant goalkeeper and a true sportsman. FIFA established Lev Yashin Award for the best goalkeeper of the World Cup finals.

Quotes

'"What kind of a goalkeeper is the one who is not tormented by the goal he has allowed? He must be tormented! And if he is calm, that means the end. No matter what he had in the past, he has no future."

Statistics

812 career games played,

326 games played for Dinamo Moscow main line-up (soccer team)

75 FIFA recognized caps for the USSR national team (70 goals conceded)

13 caps at the World Cup finals (4 clean sheets)

2 FIFA 'Rest of the World XI' appearances (1963-vs England,1968- vs Brazil)

FIFA testimonial match (1971)

270 career clean sheets (some Russian web sources put it at 207)

150 career penalty kick saves (the latter still not confirmed officially)

Awards

Domestic

1 gold medal for the USSR ice-hockey championship

5 gold, 5 silver, 1 bronze medals for the USSR championships (soccer)

3 times USSR Cup winner

International

1 Olympic gold medal

1 gold medal as the European Cup (Championship) winner

1 silver medal as the European Cup (Championship) runner-up

Other Achievements

The Best European Footballer of the Year "Golden Ball" Award (1963)

4th place in the World Cup finals (1966)

3 times The Best Goalkeeper of the USSR (1960,1963,1966)

22 official seasons with the same club (1950-1970)

Order of Lenin (1967)

Olympic Order (1986)

FIFA Golden Order for Merits (1988)

Golden medal of 'Hammer and Sickle' (star) of Hero of Socialist Labor with Order of Lenin (equals to military award of Hero of the USSR) (1989)

FIFA 'World-Keeper of the Century' title and FIFA 'Century XI' team membership (2000)

Franz Beckenbauer

noreply@blogger.com (tutorial) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 16:43:00 +0000

His full name is Franz Anton Beckenbauer. He was born 11 September 1945. He was born in Munich as the second son of Antonie Beckenbauer and began playing football with SC Munich `06. Now he is a German soccer player coach, manager, and ex-player. He has nickname Der Kaiser ("The Emperor").

Franz Beckenbauer is the best football player that Germany has ever produced. He is in general considered as the greatest German soccer player of all time and as one of the greatest players in the history of the game as well.

He joined the Bayern Munich youth team aged fourteen. He made his first appearance with Bayern in the Regionalliga (Regional League South) in June 1964 and advanced to the Bundesliga in 1965. Bayern rapidly became a force in the new German league, winning the German Cup in 1966-67 and attaining European victory in the Cup Winners` Cup in 1967. Beckenbauer became captain of the team for the 1968-69 season and led his club to their first league title.

He got many awards. But it is not only for the medals and trophies that Beckenbauer is remembered. Rather it is for the technique and the brilliance. All movement he made on the playing field bristled with stylishness. There was arrogance in his games that suggested he was always in command - "Emperor Franz" and "The Kaiser" they called him. But more than that, he was a great thinker in relation to the game and brought about a revolution in the way it is played by inventing the position of the attacking sweeper.

Diego Maradona

noreply@blogger.com (tutorial) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 16:36:00 +0000

Diego Maradona trivia will show that he was born in Buenos Aires in 1960 and is, along with Pele, considered one of the two greatest football (soccer) players of all time. In South America, no sport even comes close to soccer in terms of its overall popularity, and Diego Maradona has been for decades now one of the most important figures in that sport. He was only ten years old when professional scouts started to take notice of him and try to provide him with more opportunities to develop his talent, and a Diego Maradona quiz will show that he was just fifteen years old when he got his first professional playing opportunity with the Argentinos Juniors.

The number of teams that he has played for will likely be an interesting part of Diego Maradona trivia for anyone who has followed his career. After playing for the Argentinos Juniors, he was tranded to the Boca Juniors. He then became the most valuable player to ever be transferred to that date when he was sent to Barcelona. Barcelona was fraught with problems for Maradona though, and it was in Italy, in Napoli that he would have the most success. Other teams included Sevilla, Newells Old Boys, and then returned to the Boca Juniors.

In addition to playing professionally, Maradona would have success playing in the World Cup several times for the Argentinian team. A Diego Maradona quiz will show that he played in four back to back world cups. His team would win the championship in 1986, and would finish in second the cup after that.

Maradona has had a life that was surrounded by much controversy. During several of his professional tenures he has been in and out of trouble; including arrests, for various problems with drugs, most notably a cocaine habit which plagued him for many years. In addition, he is noted for having a temperamental personality and being difficult to get along with. When FIFA held a poll to select the world's all time greatest "Player of the Century" the first results were voting for Maradona, until FIFA decided to have a panel of experts make the selection, which concluded the award should go to Pele. Maradona raised such a fuss over the ordeal that the decision was eventually made to award each of the two with an award. He became the head coach in Argentina for the national team in 2008.

Park Tae Hwan

noreply@blogger.com (tutorial) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 16:32:00 +0000

He won the 400 meter swimming competition with a spectacular time of 3:41:86. Zhang Lin of China finished in second place while Larsen Jensen of the United States was the bronze medalist. The race was held at the National Aquatics Center in Beijing China on August 10, 2008As a biography, he was born September 27th, 1989. Park Hwan is only 18 years old with his whole life in front of him. The bubbly hot swimmer was aiming for Gold for the past couple of years and achieves his Olympic dream.

He stands 5′9″ tall and weighs 127 pounds of pure boyish hotness. See much more here.

Park Taehwan’s nickname is “Marine Boy” and now we know why. He began swimming at the age of 5 years old as a prescription for managing asthma as a child. He attended the 2004 Olympics as a teenage star when he was only 14 years old. But in his signature event, the 400 meter, he was disqualified for making a false start.

The 2006 Asian Games were a different story as Park won 7 metals and was named the top athlete of the competition. Everyone has been waiting since for his big Olympics glory, and he did not disappoint his fans in South Korea. He trained in Australia for two years just to prepare for the dream.

For a sex biography, Park Tae-hwan’s girlfriend is unknown but I am sure we will be seeing more of her soon. Give him time. He only just graduated from Gyeong-gi High School in February and has yet to start Dankook University in South Korea.

Congratulations to Park Tae-hwan and the people of South Korea for such a big win. Congratulations also to Zhang Lin and Larsen Jensen for their runner-up finishes.

Naomi Yotsumoto

noreply@blogger.com (tutorial) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 16:26:00 +0000

Naomi Yotsumoto is the most-talked about ping pong player in Japan right now, and it's not just because of her paddle-swatting skillz. The petite 29-year old Tokyo native is revolutionizing the sport by dressing provocatively and presenting herself as more than just an athlete. After creating plenty of buzz in local and international press because of her hot pink and rainbow-striped outfits (there is no dress code in professional ping pong), she now has her own TV show and a published autobiography. And as you can see in this video (from the national mixed doubles competition this year, where she placed second), she's really pretty good at what she does. And even when she doesn't win, the commentators never fail to spend a bunch of time fawning over her outfits and noticing how the crowd perks up when she walks in. Naomi Yotsumoto = the Asian Anna Kournikova = awesome at doubles, not so hot at singles, better known for her looks than for her athleticism.

Anna Kournikova

noreply@blogger.com (tutorial) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 16:16:00 +0000

Sports stars have always been sex symbols. This has been the case going back as far the Roman Empire. (Actually, the worship of sports stars probably is as old as human history itself) However, most sports sex symbols have almost unilaterally been men. While women athletes have long since been idolized and respected, very few female sports stars have claimed the mantel of being popular due to their looks. Much of this has changed with the arrival of Anna Kournikova on the professional tennis scene. Yes, she has many fans who love her for her performances on the tennis court. Then, there is the multitude of males who never watched tennis matches in their life; but, they become attentive spectators when an Anna Kournikova match is on television. They also show their fervor by searching for online Anna Kournikova pictures with great abandon as well!

Yes, Anna Kournikova's popularity and superstar status is deeply based on her looks and sex appeal far more than her accomplishments on the tennis court. Let the truth be told, Anna Kournikova is a solid yet not spectacular tennis star. Her overall ratings in singles tennis peaked at #8 and her main success has been primarily in doubles matches. Again, this is a decent career but no where near spectacular as other female greats. However, she has something more important than tennis prowess. She has a great look and this has translated into a huge fan base that has made her one of the most recognizable sports figures in the world.

So, who says you need a good backhand if you look great?

Yes, sexy Anna Kournikova is a solid pro but it was her understanding of the male audience that truly created her great fame. She also used her natural charisma to appeal to the male fans in the audience. In the past, most female tennis stars approached the game with an intense, single minded focus that yielded victory after victory. Such performances, however, had little to do with playing to the crowd. Anna Kournikova understood that playing to an audience would make her a far bigger international superstar than simply winning matches. Of course, her appeal would tumble if she experienced a major losing streak but as long as she remains competent and look goods doing so she will be a superstar.

The men's magazines understood this and played to the fervor by running many Anna Kournikova pics in MAXIM, FHM, and other publications. Anna Kournikova MAXIM layouts greatly aided in making her a modern pinup superstar and internet sensation since modern men's magazines are critical in establishing someone as a sex symbol. By publishing appealing pictures of Anna Kournikova, the tennis star's popularity reached a new apex. She also was introduced to a number of people who previously never watched tennis before and soon became new fans. Well, they became fans of watching Anna Kournikova as opposed to tennis but they are fans nonetheless. This has allowed the audience of professional tennis to grow and that makes the sport healthier as a result. While sexy Anna Kourinkova's original intentions may not have been altruistic, the intensions have yielded positive results for the sport of tennis nonetheless.

Leryn Franco

noreply@blogger.com (tutorial) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:38:00 +0000

Leryn Franco, a javelin thrower for the Paraguay Olympics team competing in her second Olympics, is unarguably one of the hottest Olympians ever!

26-year-old Franco is a professional model and was runner up in the 2006 Miss Paraguay competition and Miss Bikini Universe pageant. Runner up? Wait…what!?!

“Modeling is a way for me to continue with my sport, the hours are flexible, and you can earn good money through photographic modeling and the catwalk,” Leryn says.

Although her best mark in the javelin is 55.38 meters and she placed 42nd overall in the 2004 Summer Olympics, Leryn wins Gold for the hottest Olympian. Need proof? Just take a look at the photos below.

Allison Stokke

noreply@blogger.com (tutorial) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:57:00 +0000

Introduction

Alison Stokke, who normally rises over the pole-vaulting bar, rose to Internet Fame when a picture of her when she was 17 at a track meet was posted on the Internet.

Life Story

Soon, more pictures would surface, millions of new fans would stare at her pics, and this future California Bear Field Star, would find unexpected, and unwanted fame as one of the few Internet stars that have kept their clothes on.

She was the National Freshman Record holder in the pole-vault in 2004 going 12-08 and winning the California State Meet. In 2005 she was trying out a new pole during a practice session at Golden West College and unfortunately fell into the concrete box, breaking her tibia.

Athletic Career

At age 15, Stokke won a California state championship, and broke several national records in her age division. As a senior at Newport Harbor High School, she set the second best mark in the nation for that calender year with a 13'7" vault. In the CIF State Championship finals she finished 4th after a leg injury interfered with her ability to sprint down the runway. After being highly recruited, Stokke now vaults for the University of California at Berkeley.

Maria Sharapova

noreply@blogger.com (tutorial) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:44:00 +0000

Ever wondered what Avril Lavigne would look like with white hair and yellow lipstick or Maria Sharapova would appear in titan hair and black eye-shadow and lipstick. Well if you do want to see such a sight then Stardoll.com is the website for you to visit.

The creators of this website have seemingly gone overboard with providing visitors with close-ups of certain stars and allowing them to play with the colour of their hair, eye-shadow, lipstick and certain accessories in and around the area of their faces. The list of stars featured in this section runs a long list right from the likes of Pink and Brandy to the ever so gaudy Marilyn Manson.

Of course for the male stardolls like Manson and his ilk, there is a completely new level of virtual interaction because a face like Manson's has so many variables that there are a limitless number of colour combinations that one could incorporate into his look. For instance the very scar on his face can be interpreted in various shades of red and grey.

The wilder the character in real life, the more scope is given to you in the palette of colour that you may use on the avatar.

Nicole Richie's warm face features in this section as well but this time without her socialite partner Paris Hilton. She has a straight-on look with her longing eyes staring straight back at you from the screen. She wears a pair of large earrings, the colour of which can be changed and this little detail sets off the rest of her face.

But she can go from looking warm and affectionate to scary and intrepid in an instant, all you have to do is change the colour of her lips. Then again how much respect can one show to a virtual doll of such a stuck-up diva?