Football's greatest

Laurie Cunningham

2012-09-15T02:36:00.000-07:00

Laurie Cunningham

Laurence Paul "Laurie" Cunningham (8 March 1956 – 15 July 1989) was an England international footballer. When he joined Real Madrid, he became the first English player in the club's history. He was also the first black player to represent England at any level (under 21), and the first to represent the full England side in a competitive match. Life Born in Archway, London, Cunningham started in schoolboy football and was turned down by Arsenal before joining Leyton Orient in 1974.[1] He joined West Bromwich Albion in 1977, where, under manager Johnny Giles, he teamed up with another black player, Cyrille Regis, and the following year (under Ron Atkinson) with Brendon Batson. This was the first time an English team simultaneously fielded three black players, and Atkinson collectively referred to Cunningham, Batson and Regis as 'The Three Degrees' after the legendary U.S. soul singing trio.[1] West Bromwich Albion became one of the most attractive and exciting English sides in the late 1970s and Cunningham soon attracted attention. He became the first black player to wear an England shirt at any level[2] in England under-21s' friendly against Scotland at Bramall Lane on 27 April 1977, scoring on his debut. He subsequently earned a full England cap, making his debut against Wales in a Home International on 23 May 1979. Although Viv Anderson had made his England debut in a friendly six months previously and thus was the first black player to play for the senior England team, Cunningham was the first black player to play in a competitive England match. In June 1979, Cunningham gained his 2nd and 3rd caps, against Sweden and Austria respectively. In the summer of 1979 he made a historic move as the first British player to transfer to Real Madrid, for £950,000.[1] According to legend, Real Madrid had first really become aware of Cunningham after his brilliant performance against Valencia in the UEFA Cup in 1979. Knowing this, Cunningham made his way to the Bernabeu in the off season, and asked if they would like to sign him, thus getting the ball rolling with the negotiations at Ron Atkinson's house. Playing for Real Madrid in the 1979/80 season, Cunningham started off well, scoring twice on his league debut against Valencia (and setting up the other goal in the 3–1 win), and also scoring against Barcelona at the Bernabeu. In one of his most memorable performances, he inspired a 2–0 victory for Real in the reverse fixture at Camp Nou, terrorising the Barcelona back line and even earning a standing ovation from the home fans. As well as his impressive league form, he was scoring important goals and performing well in Europe, as Real Madrid powered their way to the European Cup semi finals, where despite Cunningham's impressive goal in Hamburger SV, they lost 5–3 on aggregate to Kevin Keegan's side. Unfortunately, though he played against the Republic of Ireland in England's last Euro 1980 qualifier in February 1980, his performances often went unnoticed back in England, and he was regularly overlooked by Ron Greenwood – even in a March 1980 prestige friendly against his adopted country, Spain, he was only brought on as a substitute against the hosts in a 2–0 England win – but Cunningham had to shoulder some of the responsibility, as he failed to secure an International Release clause in his lucrative contract, and Real prevented him from joining the England squad on a number of occasions. At the end of a successful first season with Real Madrid, winning the double and becoming Real's 3rd highest scorer that season, Cunningham was surprisingly omitted from Greenwood's Euro 1980 squad. He seemed to be a pawn in a power struggle between England and Real Madrid, with Greenwood later explaining that he was unable to call up Cunningham due to the late scheduling of the Spanish Cup Final – although Tony Woodcock (then of 1. FC Köln) was also only up for release at the same time due to his own domestic cup final, yet he joined the Euro 1980 squad. Shrugging off this disappointment and back at Real Madrid, Cunningham began the 1980/1 season well, and was again called up for England (after bitter negotiations with Real Madrid) for the 1982 World Cup Qualifier against Norway, only to be an unused sub as England won 4–0. In the next qualifier against Romania, he came off the bench but was unable to help England avoid a 2–1 defeat. This was to be his last England cap. Back with Real Madrid, his early season form was good again scoring goals in the early rounds of the European Cup, but then he succumbed to injury, and required an operation on a broken toe. This toe saga was to sour his relations with Real, as he was heavily fined and ostracised for celebrating the success of the operation at a disco. His recovery was set back due to aggravating the injury at yet another disco, and also again due to a tough training ground challenge. Cunningham developed a playboy reputation, and was heavily criticised in the Spanish press, together with his long-time girlfriend Nicky Brown. Many speculated at this stage in his career, Cunningham was more interested in his hobbies of architecture, fashion, disco dancing and fast cars than he was in playing football for Real Madrid. Cunningham recovered just in time for the 1981 European Cup Final against Liverpool in Paris, and though he was clearly not match fit, played the whole match (with some exciting bursts of play), as Real Madrid lost 1–0. During pre season training for the 1981/2 season, Cunningham's injury jinx continued, as a thigh injury kept him out of the majority of the season (only 3 goalless appearances in the league), his only real noteworthy contribution was in the UEFA Cup quarter final tie against Kaiserslautern. In the first leg, Cunningham showed that he wasn't quite over the hill with a goal and great performance in Real Madrid's 3–1 win. In the 2nd leg, however, he was sent off shortly before half time for retaliation, as Kaiserslatern won 5–0 to inflict Real Madrid's worst ever result in European competition. Prior to this tie, a finally fit Cunningham had been summoned up for England duty again, but this would be the last time he made an England squad. Cunningham won a 2nd Spanish Cup medal as he played in the final when Real Madrid beat Gijón 2–1, but it was a depressing campaign for him. For the next season, with Real Madrid signing Johnny Metgod to join Uli Stielike as the 2 permitted foreigners, Cunningham spent most of the 1982/3 season on the sidelines, until joining Manchester United on loan in April 1983, reuniting with Ron Atkinson. The loan move wasn't a great success (5 appearances, 1 goal), and Cunningham returned to Real Madrid, where he was promptly loaned out to Sporting Gijón for the 1983/4 season. In Gijón (under his old real Madrid manager Vujadin Boškov), he got to play in the most number of league games since his West Brom days, but was clearly no longer the same player, his pace having deteriorated, as his injuries took their toll. On completion of his loan, Real Madrid decided to write him off and he went to Olympique Marseille in France on a free transfer. Cunningham was only to remain in France for one (semi impressive) season in 1984/5, before heading back to England to join Leicester City. Like his last sojourn in England, again this was an unimpressive stay, effectively playing only half a season due to yet more injury. At the end of this 1985/6 season, Cunningham went back to Spain to play in the 2nd tier for Rayo Vallecano, enjoying his best season since his hey day, managing 37 games in this 1986/7 season. Buoyed by this, he managed to secure a financially rewarding move to Charleroi in Belgium for the 1987/8 campaign, but was yet again struck down by injury, and in the new year was back in England on a short term deal with Wimbledon, where he managed to help the Dons beat Liverpool in the 1988 FA Cup Final, finally avenging his defeat against Liverpool in the European Cup Final 7 years earlier. After sharing in that glory, Cunningham again headed back to Spain and Rayo Vallecano for the 1988/9 season, enjoying an Indian summer and the season was topped off by scoring the goal that secured their promotion to the Primera Liga.[1] Laurie Cunningham was killed in a car crash in Madrid on the morning of 15 July 1989. He was 33. He left behind his Spanish wife and their one child, a son. In 2004 he was named as one of West Bromwich Albion's 16 greatest players, in a poll organised as part of the club's 125th anniversary celebrations. Honours Real Madrid La Liga winner – 1980 Copa del Rey winner – 1980 and 1981 Wimbledon FA Cup winner – 1988

Matt Le Tissier 'Le God'

2012-09-15T02:29:00.000-07:00

Matt Le Tissier Le God https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1nhUqJ7lm_Pjd4M9_CgvJTXenJtt_Oz3xquCQau4pueYsQ8iqCXb-0Z0aNwyO7avRDeEgp3M-rdzwmFSp25AeoVZMS-7wSSa6T5tGGqYqbqV-FgrehwgqSdOd9-LCHxQvtgvnYera6Tny/s400/letissier.JPG

Matt Le Tissier always did do things a bit differently. Why look for a pass when you can just smash it into the top corner from 35 yards out? The scorer of 102 Premier League goals for this season's newly promoted Southampton, and a player who won only eight England caps – the last of which was picked up against England's opponents tonight, Italy – now wants to break with coaching convention. He is sick of hearing that English lads are not as good as their counterparts on the continent. He is disenchanted by the way top professionals are patronised by boring coaching courses and sceptical about how smaller pitches and fewer players will really change anything if the attitudes of those training youngsters stay the same. Next week he launches his own "Natural Coaching" school in Southampton with trials for young players to take part in a season-long football education. "There are talented boys out there. They can go on for ever about how the lads on the continent are more talented than ours but if you coach them properly there is natural ability in this country. I just don't think it is harnessed properly," Le Tissier says. "They are trying to change things with smaller pitches and fewer players and hopefully it will make a difference but it's all very well to say 'right we are going to play on smaller pitches and with fewer players but I'm still going to pick the biggest boys so I can win the game', then nothing will change. Take out the winning and stick in the enjoyment and you will end up with far better players at the age of 15." Twenty or so lucky boys will be picked from each age bracket and train once a week throughout the season alongside Le Tissier. The Natural Coaching players will not make up teams or enter a league. Instead, they will be encouraged to express themselves, experiment and enjoy the sessions while continuing to play for their school or youth teams. Le Tissier says if the project goes on to produce a superstar then great; if it just means everyone improves and a couple of players from the group end up having enjoyable non-league careers, which they might not otherwise have had, then that's fine too. Not that he doesn't have his eye on higher things. Le Tissier says: "Kids have to be encouraged to learn how to play all over the pitch so that they improve their understanding of football. If you do that in youth football then later on you can play a formation that looks like a 4-6-0 on paper but dominates a game. If someone had said in England 20 years ago that you could win a tournament the way Spain did without a No 9 they would have been called crazy but their players are comfortable in lots of different positions, making it possible." Le Tissier believes the current set-up not only fails to properly harness talented players but also deters a certain type of former pro becoming a coach – flair players don't usually end up as managers. "Whenever I say this it sounds really arrogant and I don't mean it to but it is just that when you have had years of somebody who is not as good as you with the ball telling you what to do you lose the will to go and do what that guy is doing. And the biggest obstacles are the coaching badges. You have to go through so much rubbish to get qualified. "It's boring. I did level two and got halfway through it but I was so bored that I had to give it up. And there are four levels before you reach Uefa level A. It was so basic – like teaching someone to pass the ball 10 yards. I just thought: 'What am I doing here?' To be honest, I felt it was a bit patronising. After 17 years of playing professional football to then have to go through that and for them to say to me, 'OK but you've got to do this before you can qualify to coach anybody else.'" So should the FA fast-track top players? "Their idea of fast-tracking is that you miss level one," he says. "I swear to you if what I did was level two I dread to think what level one is like." And there is another problem with the current set-up: "If all coaches are taught the same things then they are going to end up coaching the same way. For me, the great coaches are the ones that do things a little bit differently. That's why with Roy [Hodgson] England will do all right, we'll get through qualifying but because we never do anything different we'll keep getting knocked out in the quarter-finals." Would the overlooked Harry Redknapp have had that something different? "I think so," Le Tissier says. "He's not afraid to play someone a little bit different to win a football match or differ the shape to alter the course of a game. I don't think we have got that with Roy." Long before he first pulled on the No 7 shirt for Southampton, Le Tissier won a best player award at a Southampton soccer school as an 11-year-old – the prize was having his picture taken with Kevin Keegan and then manager Lawrie McMenemy. Le Tissier went on to light up the Premier League that kicked off 20 years ago today and he still believes that it is the most exciting league in world football, although it could do its part to rejuvenate the national team by working harder to develop home-grown talent. "We have a brilliant product," he says. "It might not be the most technically gifted league in the world but it's the most exciting. What we have lost is a lot of English players. In the first year of the Premier League, there were about 12 foreign lads that played and when you look back at, say, the Euro '96 squad and the amount of forwards that Terry Venables had to pick from – Alan Shearer, Ian Wright, Les Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler, Stan Collymore, Teddy Sheringham, Peter Beardsley, with Gazza as well – of the strikers who went to the Euros [this year], Wayne Rooney would perhaps have been part of the squad then but none of the others would have got a sniff. "A lot of the foreign players have come in and done brilliant things – I've loved watching the Bergkamps, the Henrys and Zolas – but I think we have got too obsessed with relying on the foreign players instead of working on developing our own young players." While working on the Natural Coaching project, Le Tissier will not miss out on Southampton's return to the top flight. The club's current owner's reticence towards recognising the club's past means that Le Tissier is not exactly welcomed back to St Mary's on matchdays. But he says: "I've bought a season ticket, so they will have a job keeping me away!" He will be in Guernsey on Sunday and so will miss their return to top-flight action against champions Manchester City for whom Sergio Aguero won the title in the last seconds of last season supporting Le Tissier's theory that no league is as thrilling as the Premier League. "Kun" also reminds him of one of the big changes the League brought with it – names, and now even nicknames, on shirts. "It wasn't until the second season that we had our names on the back of our shirts. That was making a big statement about how they wanted things to be – an indication that it was going to be more showbiz from then on in." Would the man Southampton fans nicknamed Le God have followed Kun's lead and put one of his various monikers above his No 7? "I think I would probably have avoided Le God," he says. Tonight, England play Italy and the man Southampton fans worshipped will be reminded of his biggest regret in football. "That header I had against Italy at Wembley in '97; I'd just like for that to go the other side of the post. We lost 1-0. That might have made a difference to my England career." It was the last of his eight caps. Playing his part in coaching the next generation, he could still make a difference to the future of the national game.

Larbi Ben Barek

2012-09-15T02:20:00.000-07:00

Larbi Benbarek or Larbi Ben Barek (also known as the Black Pearl) (16 June 1914 – 16 September 1992) (Casablanca, Morocco) was a Moroccan football player. He was the first player to bear the nickname of Black Pearl. Career The first African star and the first to bear the nickname of "Black Pearl", Ben Barek blazed a trail to the European, and particularly French and Spanish, leagues. He arrived at Marseille, France at the age of 20, and became an instant favourite with the fans for his skills and technical abilities. Pele took the name of the "Black Pearl" after he made a famous statement about Larbi: "If I am the King of Soccer, then Larbi Ben Barek is the God of it". He is largely remembered as the first successful black footballer in Europe. His career was interrupted by the onset of World War II but he was soon back to his best with Stade Français FC and then in Spain, with Atlético Madrid, where he truly blossomed and where his international fame spread. His nickname with the fans in Spain was "The Foot of God". With the help of Benbarek, Atlético won La Liga in 1950 and 1951. He returned to Marseille in 1953. In 1955, he joined USM Bel-Abbès, where he ended his playing career. One of the finest players ever to represent France, his adopted country, he made 19 appearances for the French national team between 1938 and 1954. But his comeback in 1954 against Germany in Hanover was curtailed by an injury after half an hour and proved to be the end of his career. Later life He was the first coach of the Morocco national football team. Larbi Ben Barek died in his home town on 16 September 1992. Also, 6 years after his death, he was awarded the FIFA Order of Merit Award, which is the award of the highest honor in FIFA. 1938–1954France 19 games, 3 goals.

2012-09-15T02:11:00.000-07:00

Baggio, La Storia di una Stella

Roberto Baggio, born in Caldogno, north Vicenza in February 1967, has been one of the best players in the world through out the 1990s. He started his career in Vicenza back in the 1982/83 season, and stayed there for three seasons until he was picked up by Fiorentina in 1985. It was from there he started to show his true potential. In the 1988/89 he won his first cap for Italy after having a very good season scoring 24 goals in 40 games in Italian football (league/cup). The following season was even better, Baggio knocked in goals for fun and Fiorentina couldn't afford to keep him. The big clubs in the north were prepared to put the big money on the table. It was Juventus who finally got him for a world record fee of £7.700.000 in the summer of 1990, just before the World Cup on homesoil. Baggio scored two goals as Italy went on to get bronze, after losing on penalties in the semifinals to Argentina. He spent five seasons in Juventus. Five great years for him, as he won the Serie A, Italian Cup and UEFA Cup as well as been voted "World and European Player of the Year" in 1993. Baggio's best World Cup was in 1994 in the United States. After a slow start he woke up in the second round, scoring twice against Nigeria, then once against Spain in the quarterfinal, and two more in the semifinal against Bulgaria. In the final against Brazil he missed a penalty in the shoot-out which saw Brazil win the World Cup for the fourth time. Since then, Baggio has been in and out of the Italian squad. He was dropped from the EURO 96 squad by Arrigo Sacchi, but made Cesare Maldini's France 98 squad and played in several games although not with the same class as four years earlier. He has since played for AC Milan winning the Serie A once, and also in Bologna, Inter Milan and Brescia where he seems to end his career.

Carlos Valderama

2012-09-15T02:04:00.000-07:00

This colourful and talented midfielder has been regarded as one of the very best in his position in South America over the past decade or so. Valderrama made his debut for Colombia in October 1985 losing 3-0 to Paraguay, but established himself soon and won the captaincy at an early age. At clublevel, he started playing for Colombia’s first division side Union Magdalena in 1981. He also played for Millionarios and Deportivo Cali before he signed for French side Montpellier in 1988, a club he won a French Cup championship with two years later. Valderrama also played for Spanish team Valladolid before he returned home to his native Colombia to play for Atelitico Junior where he also won two league championships. Known as “El Pibe” (the kid), Carlos Valderrama is easy recognizable with his big curly blonde hair and all his jewelry. He was an accurate passer of the ball and a playmaker of finest caliber. He is also one of very few players to have captained his country in three World Cups. His biggest World Cup moment was when he dribbled past several players and delivered a pinpoint pass to teammate Rincon who scored the necessary equalizer three minutes into injurytime against eventual winners West Germany in 1990. That goal meant Colombia qualified to the second round. In 1994, Colombia were one of the hottest candidates to win the World Cup, much thanks to a 5-0 thrashing of Argentina in Buenos Aires in the qualifying rounds, and even though Valderrama was on top of his game, Colombia disappointed a lot and got knocked out already in the first round. Neither in France four years later, at the age of 37, could “El Pibe” and his teammate get past the first round. He joined Tampa Bay Mutiny in the MLS in 1996 where he has had success as one of the best players.

Djalma Santos

2011-12-17T06:54:00.000-08:00

BORN: FEB. 27, 1929
COUNTRY: Brazil
WORLD CUP APPEARANCES: 4 tournaments ('54, '58, '62, '66)
CLUBS: Portuguesa, Palmeiras, Atletico Curitiba

INTRODUCTION: Four-time World Cup player and the world's greatest right-back.

1954 World Cup - Switzerland
Djalma Santos made his World Cup debut in 1954. He started right from the first game in which Brazil thrashed Mexico 5-0. The muscular defender, a deadball specialist, was Brazil's designated penalty taker. The defender then played against Hungary in the "Battle of Berne", scoring one of the goals from the penalty spot in a 4-2 defeat. His namesake Nilton Santos was sent off and Brazil was eliminated.

1958 World Cup - Sweden Four year later, Djalma Santos lost his place to Di Sordi and only played one game, the final against Sweden. However, his intelligence and defensive skills were crucial in neutralizing the Hamrin and Liedholm. Djalma Santos also revealed his attacking skills, often venturing upfield to join the attack. Brazil beat Sweden easily by 5-2 and Djalma Santos became one of the outstanding members of the Brazilian side.

1962 World Cup - Chile
WORLD BEATER
Djalma Santos pictured before a 1962 World Cup match

Four years later, at the age of 33, Djalma Santos was better than ever. He reclaimed the right-back position. Djalma Santos played in every game of the series and was the best all-round defender of the tournament. The right-back also formed an intuitive understanding with Garrincha, the key player in the 1962 Brazilian team. And in the final against Czechoslovakia, Djalma Santos also setup the third and final goal. His outstanding displays and consistencies were awarded by the being named to the World Cup Dream Team and regular inclusion in the World Cup Eleven.

1966 World Cup - England
At the age of 37, Djalma Santos had past his best but was surprisingly selected for his fourth World Cup. Djalma Santos became one of the scapegoats after Brazil was defeated by an inspired Hungary. The veteran was then discarded in the final game against Portugal, which Brazil lost and sent them crashing out of the tournament.
HIS GOAL IN THE WORLD CUP - COMPLETE RECORD 1954
quarter-final v. Hungar
http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=44603/index.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djalma_Santos

Teofilio Cubillas

2011-12-17T06:45:00.000-08:00

Teofilio Cubillas played in two World Cups eight years apart and scored five goals in each, making him one of the most prolific scorers in World Cup history. A virtually unknown 20 year old in 1970, he was soon acknowledged after helping Peru to the quarter- finals. "Nene" Cubillas was born at Lima in March 1949 and began with local team, Alianza. He liked to run at defences, was fast and had good close control and a fine shot. South American Footballer Of The Year in 1972, the following year he joined FC Basle for £97.000. Six months later he signed for FC Porto, for £200.000, and settled into a midfield role.

Peru did not qualify for the 1974 World Cup, but 12 months later they were South American champions, Cubillas scoring twice in their 3-1 first leg semifinal win over Brazil. When he helped Peru reach the second phase of the 1978 World Cup, he was an Alianza player again. In 1979, Cubillas joined George Best at Fort auderdale and in five seasons in the NASL scored 65 goals, including three in seven minutes against Los Angeles Aztecs in 1981. The 1982 World Cup failed to produce any more goals for him and he bowed out after 81 caps and 26 goals for Peru.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teófilo_Cubillas

Jay Jay Okocha the black Maradona and the best african player of all time !

2011-09-19T04:37:00.000-07:00

Okocha is a Nigerian football legend. Okocha is a crafty attacking midfielder with lot of tricks. Okocha was a member of gold medal winning Nigerian football team in 1996 Atlanta Olympics. FIFA named him in the lift of best living footballers in 2004.Okocha is a master in taking free kicks. In Ogwasi-Uku, there is a football stadium named “Jay Jay Okocha Stadium.”

Agustine Azuka “Jay-Jay” Okocha was born on 14th August 1973 at Enugu in Nigeria. Okocha started his football journey with the youth team of Enugu Rangers. He played impressively for Enugu. Luck came in his way, when he went to Germany to meet his friend, but ended up joining Borussia Neunkirchen, after impressing in trials in 1990.Neunkirchen was then in the third tier of German football. He played 35 matches for Nuenkirchen and scored seven goals. In 1992, Okocha signed up for German Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt. He was impressive for Frankfurt. He scored a stunning goal against Karlsruhe after dribbling inside the penalty box and beating Oliver Kahn. Some football magazines in Germany voted it as goal of the season. Following a tussle with Frankfurt manager Jupp Heynckes, Okocha left Frankfurt in 1996.Frankfurt went down to second tier following a relegation. Okocha scored 16 goals for Frankfurt in 90 matches.

Okocha moved to Turkey to resurrect his career. He signed up for Fenerbahce. Okocha became prolific in scoring goals while playing for Fenerbahce. He scored 30 goals for them in sixty matches. In 1997/1998 season, he helped Fenerbahce to stun Manchester United at their home Old Trafford, in a UEFA Champions League match. He got Turkish citizen ship during his stint with Fenerbahce.

French Ligue 1 club Paris Saint Germain bought Okocha for $ 24 million, which was a record price for an African player. During his 4-year stint with PSG, he played 84 matches and scored 12 goals. Okocha moved to England and signed up for Bolton Wanderers. He became a cult hero among Bolton faithful. He along with Djorkaeff produced some stunning performances to steer Bolton to safety in premier league, from relegation Zone. He scored seven vital goals during that season. He became captain of Bolton following his heroics in 1993. Okocha led Bolton to League cup final. Okocha played 124 league matches for Bolton and scored 13 goals.

He moved to Qatar and joined Qatar SC in 2006.He scored six goals for them in 41 matches. He moved back to England and joined Championship side Hull city, in 2007.Hull city achieved promotion to premier league after winning play-off. However, Okocha played only 18 matches for them during that campaign.

Okocha played his first International match for Nigeria against Ivory Coast. He helped Nigeria to qualify for 1994 world cup. He won African cup of nations with Nigeria in 1994.Nigeria exited from 1994 world cup at knockout stage. In 1998 world cup also they exited the tournament in round of 16.However, his performances yielded him place in Team of the tournament. Okocha played in 2000 and 2002 African cup of nations in which Nigeria finished second and third respectively. He became Captain of Nigeria in 2002.He scored 1000th goal of African cup of nations. He scored four goals during 2004 African cup of nations. He retired from International football after the third place match in African Cup of nations in 2006, which Nigeria won. Okocha played 75 matches for Nigeria and scored 14 goals

Arthur Friedenreich: The Original "Black" Pearl .He scores 1000 goals before Pele !

2011-09-18T08:27:00.000-07:00

What do you get if you cross a German Footballer and a Brazilian Footballer? You get Arthur Friedenreich, the greatest goalscorer the world has ever seen. He scored more goals than Pele, furthered civil rights, had a 26 year career and got his teeth kicked in.

Arthur Friedenreich was born in 1892 on the corner of Vitoria (victory) and Triunfo (triumph) streets. After being born in such a symbolic place how could he fail? His father Oscar was a German businessman and his mother Mathilde an Afro-Brazillian.

His parentage was extremely important as 'blacks' were not allowed to play football in the early 1900's. Football was the dominion of the upper-class white establishment. Friedenreich was allowed to play because he had white features. As a mulatto he looked like he was tanned, he also had green eyes.

However, he had to straighten his hair before every match, often taking hours before kick-off to get the look right. This wasn't an uncommon practice in Brazil during these years. Some historians have Carlos Alberto of Fluminense whitening his face with flour or rice powder before matches.

Being raised in a European style family Arthur had contact with football from an early age. Most Brazillians were too poor to play the game as club membership was restricted. But Friedenreich first shows in our record books in 1909 playing aptly for Germania, a team made of German immigrants.

As a mere 17-year-old Friedenreich won many admirers with his skill, pace, power, dribbling skills and technique. And it wasn't long before suitors came looking for the young 'German' prodigy. Over the next four seasons he played for four different clubs, steadily progressing with each one until in 1912 he finished top scorer in the Sao Paulo League with 16 goals.

He would go on to be top scorer again in 1914, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1921, 1927 and 1929. Nobody has ever equaled this feat of being top scorer in the league over 17 years. Not even Pele.

But it wasn't just Friedenreich's awesome prowess in front of goal that marked him out as a special player. He was blessed with fabulous skill with tenacity to match. And although he stood at 5' 7" and weighed little more than eight stone he was nicknamed "El Tigre" by Uruguayan and Argentinian footballers because of his never say die attitude.

Early descriptions of him and his style of play have him as a "green eyed mulatto dancer" as his dribbling skills were so good he looked choreographed. He was also known as "Latin America's sweetheart" as he set many pulses racing and perhaps paved the way in more ways than one for another famous dribbler of the ball, Garrincha.

He made his debut for Brazil in 1914 against the mighty Exeter City! This match was historic for two reasons:

1. It was Friedenreich's first game for his country and more importantly...

2. This was Brazil's first ever International match, incidentally they won 2-0. One thing that would forever stay with Freidenreichwas losing his two front teeth in a heavy tackle with his marker but played on and finished the match.

Friedenreich was the first real superstar in Brazilian football, if not the world. And he was definitely the first to player to personify all that we expect when it comes to Brazilian football. In 1919, he scored the winning goal against Uruguay in the final of the Copa America, Brazil won 1-0. And after the match Sao Paulo football magazine Sports,

At this time Soccer had originated from Britain as Industrialist's spread through the world, with the game they also brought their tactics. Friedenreich was a pioneer of Joga Bonita and was pivotal in the change of tactics from British style football to Brazilian style football.

The article contrasted the British style "which dictates that the ball be brought by all the forwards right up to the oppositions goal" with Freidenreich's Brazilian approach "where shots were taken from any distance, and the collective whole of the forward line is not necessary, it's enough for two or three players to break away with the ball, which by it's devastating speed disorientates the defence".

This may seem like common sense nowadays but back in 1919 this was the equivalent of football on the moon. It also led to a move from traditional WM formations where five played up front (and where the long ball was king) to formations that utilised only one or two up front and where skill overcame physical size and strength.

If you look at this in another way, Brazil started to move away from the WM formation around 1920 while English football only moved from it after 1955. Putting Brazil 35 years ahead of England tactics wise.

This Copa America win in 1919 was probably the pinnacle of Friedenreich's career. After the final the streets of Rio were flooded with people as the celebrations began. And raised above them all was the boot that scored the winning goal on a flag pole and a huge banner proclaiming "The glorious foot of Friedenreich". The following week his boot did a tour of Rio as it was placed in jewellers windows for all to see.

His fame began to spread after this, and his club team Paulistano were invited to play friendlies all over South America as everybody wanted to see Friedenreich play. In 1927, 18 years after he made his debut Friedenreich wowed crowds in Europe as Paulistano became the first Brazilian side to tour Europe. And although he scored 11 goals in eight games and was heralded as "The King of Football" by the European media, the toll on his body from such a long career in the top flight had begun to tell.

By this stage in his career Friedenreich was so famous he couldn't leave his home without being mobbed and he was finding the pressures of being a celebrity too much. He was also 35 years of age and was beginning to find the strain on his body too much.

In 1921 Friedenreich was at the height of his powers and many believed he was the best player in the world. But the next Copa America was to be held in Argentina, a predominantly white country. And before the tournament commenced it was announced that only white players would be allowed participate.

Worried that black players would bring shame on his country President of Brazil Epitacio Pessoa decreed that only white players could represent their country in Argentina. Shamefully Friedenreich was left out of the squad.

This episode had a huge effect on Friedenreich and Brazillian football in general. And is widely regarded as the watershed incident that planted the seeds to end discrimination in the football community.

Apart from discrimination, Friedenreich had to contend with life as a celebrity, without any of the luxuries players take for granted now-a-days. Even though he was probably the most famous footballer on the planet he made a meagre existence. Brazilian Football was amateur until 1918. And players like Friedenreich made little or no money from official league matches so they played as many friendlies as possible to earn money.

He wasn't exactly saving for the great depression either. He was known to have owned over 120 suits. He drank expensive beer and imported French Brandy and was well known in the Rio nightclub scene. Just like his successor Garrincha.

He is reported to have scored 1329 goals in 1239 games. Although there is an argument from Pele fans saying he "only" scored 1239 in 1329 games. You will have noticed the same numbers used in the tallies. And in these lie one of football's great mysteries. No one really knows how many goals Friedenreich scored as records from the early 1900's are incomplete at best. Some historians believe the former figure and some the latter.

Only his father Oscar and his best friend and team mate Mario de Andrade really knew. They had together compiled Fridenreich's goal scoring record. But these records vanished mysteriously following Andrade's death in the mid-60's.

And by the time reporters realised they had a great story on their hands and had started to research Friedenreich's career he was an old man. As he was the only person alive who could verify his amazing feats, reporters sought him out. By the time they found him he couldn't answer any questions. He repeatedly rubbed his hands through his hair that had gone completely straight after years of using brilliantine. It was believed that he was suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

By the time Friedenreich passed away in 1969, he had forgotten not only his name but his amazing feats as a footballer.

Alberto Spencer

2011-09-18T02:14:00.000-07:00

Before Alex Aguinaga, there was Alberto Spencer. If there was a player that was a true ambassador to Ecuadorian football it was him as he was the keystone in one of the most dominant teams of the 1960′s in world football.

The Ecuadorian international can be considered among one of the greatest players to have never participated in a World Cup. His records haven’t been touched even after close to four decades. Known as one of the most dominant goalscorers of his era, Alberto Spencer terrified defenses during the late 50′s and throughout the 60′s.

A native of Ancón, whose parents were Jamaican of English descent, Spencer showed a great deal of promise as a youngster. He had all the gifts that any striker would dream of- ambidextrous, fast, and with the ability to finish. He was setting the local league on fire with his local club, Los Andes, and made a name for himself there. He quickly was picked up by Everest where he became the star and caught the eye of the Tricolor. Scoring at a blistering pace allowed him to earn a spot in the Ecuadorian side that participated in the 1959 South American tournament. His performance in his backyard caught the eye of Uruguayan side Peñarol, thus starting one of the great love affairs of South American football. He would earn a hat-trick in his first-ever match with the Carbonero against Argentine side Atlanta. He would follow that up with a brace against Tigre.

He played for Peñarol for almost a decade and scored 326 goals and would have one of the most illustious resumes in club history. He would pass the baton to a youngster on the bench that would continue the Peñarol successes and would eclipse Spencer to a certain level- Fernando Morena. He did play for Uruguay at Wembley Stadium in 1964 in a friendly between the Charrúas and England. and the home side won 2-1, with a goal by Spencer in the losing cause. If there was a year in which Spencer really stood out was in 1966. At this point, he was already being offered Uruguayan citizenship and would have had the chance to play with La Celeste in England that year; but declined the offer. He was also being considered for international duty by the English national team due to his ancestry. Still he would lead Peñarol to one of the most historic comebacks in Copa Libertadores history against Argentine side River Plate. The Argentine took a 2-0 lead in the third and final match of the series between the two sides, only to see Peñarol storm back and win the match 4-2 lead by a Spencer brace.

The aurinegros would also win the Intercontinental Cup after beating Real Madrid in both legs. Spencer would once again be the hero after he scored three of the four goals that the South Americans scored throughout both legs of that memorable final.

In 1970, Spencer left Peñarol to return to his native Ecuador and play his final two years with Barcelona. He would help them earn the title in the 1972 season as he would say goodbye to the game he loved so dearly. So 510 goals later, Spencer retired and decided to move back to Montevideo.

After retiring, he would work as a Ecuadorian diplomat in Uruguay. He was named the Consul of Ecuador in Uruguay in 1982 and was able to raising his family in Montevideo.

Spencer died in Cleveland Ohio on November 3rd, 2006 due to heart complications that had affected him for well over two decades. His body was taken to Guayaquil for a special wake that lasted a few hours. He was then transported on a military plane to Montevideo where he was given one final tribute by Uruguayan football fans, especially those of his beloved Peñarol and he would then be lied rest in his second country.

Resume

Titles
Seven Uruguayan titles (1960-62, 64-65, 67-68)
Three Copa Libertadores titles (1960-61, 66)
Two Intercontinental titles (1960, 66)
One Ecuadorian league title (1971)

Personal
Four-time leading scorer in Uruguayan league
Two-time leading scorer in Ecuadorian league
Ecuadorian Footballer of the Century
All-time leading scorer in Copa Libertadores history (54)
11 caps with Ecuadorian national team
5 caps with Uruguayan national team
Ranked 20th in All-Time South American Footballers of the 20th Century

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberto_Spencer