Top Football Stars

Manchester United Football Club

noreply@blogger.com (sunaryo kastawi) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 08:48:00 +0000

Manchester United football club are the most successful Premier League club having won the title 11 times. It all began in 1993 when manager Sir Alex Ferguson ended a 26-year wait to lift the Premier League crown.
The signing of Eric Cantona for £1.2m from Leeds United proved a masterstroke as the Frenchman was instrumental in the title victory, along with the likes of Gary Pallister, Denis Irwin, Ryan Giggs and Paul Ince.
United retained the trophy in the following campaign and romped to further titles in 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2003. More silverware was added to the Red Devils' burgeoning trophy cabinet with FA Cup success in 1994, 1996, 1999 and 2004, plus League Cup victories in 1992 and 2006.
Perhaps the most memorable time in the club's history was the treble-winning season of 1999 when they added the European Champions League trophy to the league title and FA Cup.
Chelsea briefly broke their league dominance with title wins in 2005 and 2006. But in the 2006/07 season, the Red Devils roared back to regain the Barclays Premiership.
They went one better in 2007/08, enjoying their most successful campaign since winning the treble. They saw off the challenge of Chelsea and Arsenal to win an exciting Barclays Premier League title race and defeated the Blues on penalties in the Champions League final after a 1-1 draw between the two sides in Moscow.

In 2008/09, United made it a hat-trick of titles, also winning the Carling Cup but narrowly missing out to Barcelona in the Champions League final.
They retained the Carling Cup in 2010 but finished a point behind Chelsea in the Barclays Premier League after a tense race which went to the final day of the campaign.
Club Heritage
Formed as Newton Heath L&YR F.C in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902. Six years later they clinched the Division One title, then the FA Cup in 1909, and another title triumph in 1911.

Matt Busby became manager in 1945 and steered United to championship victories in 1952, 1956 and 1957. They became the first English club to compete in the European Cup and reached the semi-final, before going out to Real Madrid. Tragedy struck in 1958 when the plane carrying the team home from a European match crashed, killing eight players.
Busby survived and led his rebuilt team to an FA Cup win in 1963, then league titles in 1965 and 1967. United won the European Cup in 1968 with victory over Benfica in the final - the first English club to do so. When Busby resigned in 1969, his successors failed to continue his glorious triumphs and United were relegated five years later.

They managed to regain their top-flight status at the first attempt and later won the FA Cup in 1977. More FA Cup success followed in 1983 and 1985. But it was United's 1990 FA Cup replay win over Crystal Palace that proved to be the springboard to becoming the force they are today.
It saved under-pressure manager Alex Ferguson from losing his job and he went on to win the European Cup Winners' Cup the season after and began their Premier League dominance with the 1993 title.

Premier League History
1992/93 - Inaugural members of the Premier League
1992/93 - Eric Cantona signs from Leeds United for £1.2m
1992/93 - Win FA Carling Premiership
1993/94 - Win FA Carling Premiership and FA Cup
1995/96 - Win FA Carling Premiership and FA Cup
1996/97 - Win FA Carling Premiership
1998/99 - Win FA Carling Premiership, European Cup, and FA Cup
1999/00 - Win FA Carling Premiership
2000/01 - Win FA Carling Premiership
2001/02 - Juan Sebastian Veron breaks the British transfer record with a £28m move from Lazio
2002/03 - Win Barclaycard Premiership
2003/04 - Win FA Cup
2005/06 - American Malcolm Glazer takes control of club
2005/06 - Win League Cup
2006/07 - Win Barclays Premiership
2007/08 - Win Barclays Premier League, win European Cup
2008/09 - Buy Dimitar Berbatov for club record £30.75m. Win Barclays Premier League, Carling Cup, World Club Championship.
2009/10 - Sell Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid for £80m. Win Carling Cup

FC Barcelona

noreply@blogger.com (sunaryo kastawi) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 08:03:00 +0000

On November 29, 1899, Hans Gamper founded Football Club Barcelona, along with eleven other enthusiasts of 'foot-ball', a game that was still largely unknown in this part of the world.
He could never have imagined the magnitude of what that initiative would eventually develop into. Over more than one hundred years of history, FC Barcelona has grown spectacularly in every area and has progressed into something much greater than a mere sports club, turning Barça’s ‘more than a club’ slogan into a reality.
FC Barcelona has become, for millions of people all around the world, a symbol of their identity, and not just in a sporting sense, but also in terms of society, politics and culture. Throughout the most difficult of times, Barça was the standard that represented Catalonia and the Catalan people's desire for freedom, a symbolism that has continued to be closely linked to the idiosyncrasy of the Club and its members to this day. Within the context of Spain, Barça is seen as an open and democratic club. And all around the world, Barça is identified with caring causes, and most especially children through its sponsorship agreement with Unicef.

For a whole century, FC Barcelona has passed through moments of glory and pain, periods of brilliance and other less successful ones, epic victories and humbling defeats. But all these different moments have helped define the personality of a Club that, due to its peculiar nature, is considered unique in the world.

With over one hundred years of history, there have naturally been many different periods, both in a social and a sporting sense. In the early years (1899-1922) , from the foundation of the club to the construction of Les Corts stadium, Barça was a club that had to distinguish itself from all the other football teams in Barcelona, to the point that it would come to be identified with the city as a whole. Barça soon became the leading club in Catalonia, and also associated itself with the increasingly growing sense of Catalan national identity.

Club Information

Full name: Fútbol Club Barcelona
Location: Barcelona
Ground: Camp Nou (capacity 98600, official name: Estadi del Futbol Club Barcelona, UEFA 5-star rated stadium)
Founded: 1899
Nickname: Barça, Culés, Blaugrana

Address: F.C. Barcelona Avda. Aristides Maillol s/n Barcelona 08028
Tel: 93 496 36 00
Fax: +34 934112219
Website: www.fcbarcelona.com

Rival clubs: Real Madrid, Espanyol, Valencia

Honours:
UEFA Champions League:
1992, 2006, 2009

UEFA Cup:
none

FIFA Club World Cup:
2009

Spanish Liga Primera:
1929, 1945, 1948, 1949, 1952, 1953, 1959, 1960, 1974, 1985, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2009

Spanish Copa del Rey:
1910, 1912, 1913, 1920, 1922, 1925, 1926, 1928, 1942, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1957, 1959, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1978, 1981, 1983, 1988, 1990, 1997, 1998, 2009

David Beckham Wins Lifetime Achievement Award

noreply@blogger.com (sunaryo kastawi) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 07:23:00 +0000

Victoria Beckham was reduced to tears last night as her husband David Beckham was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at BBC's Sports Personality of the Year.
The former Spice Girl struggled to contain herself as she sat with the couple's three sons Brooklyn, 11, Romeo, eight and four-year-old Cruz and Beckham's mother Sandra.
A clearly emotional David Beckham also found it difficult not to cry as he thanked Victoria and their sons for their support over the years.
He said: 'Of course, I want to thank my wife and my children. Not only has she given me three amazing boys but the support she's given me and she is truly and inspiration for me every single day. So Victoria, Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz - thank you.'
In the audience, a teary Victoria wiped her eyes as she watched her husband accept the prize along with her sons.

While Lineker gave David Beckham, 35, a couple of seconds to recover, Sir Bobby said: 'I would just like to say congratulations to David. He is a very very pleasant person and a good man and he deserves everything that has been said of him tonight.
'He's also never afraid to say his opinions on everything so I think I should pass it across to him now.'
David Beckham then continued: 'I'm obviously really humbled because to receive an award for something I love doing and have always loved doing is amazing. To receive it from Sir Bobby Charlton, I am truly honoured.
'Football is a team game and without the teams and the players' support I have had over the years, I wouldn't be here today. I wouldn't be here without the skill and support of those players.
'I've been lucky enough to play with some of the great teams over the years. Playing for England has been one of the highlights and biggest things of my career.
'I've been able to play under some of the best coaches in my career and obviously for me the best manager in football who I regard as a father figure still after so many years of knowing him - Sir Alex Ferguson.
'I'm sorry that I'm going on, but I really have to thank my parents, who have sacrificed so much over the years.
My sisters, my grandparents, my family, my friends, other people who work with me and for me, and
And lastly, if I've forgotten anyone I apologise.

'This year I went to Afghanistan and I saw the bravery of our troops out there. And what they do day in and day out, they risk their lives to save other people.
'I dedicate my award to the men and the women who are serving our country in Afghanistan. Be safe and have a great Christmas.'
Previous winners of the Lifetime Achievement award include his former manager Sir Alex Ferguson, George Best and Seve Ballesteros.
Leytonstone-born Beckham made his England debut in September 1996 against Moldova and has gone on to win 115 caps - captaining England 59 times.
He spent a decade at Manchester United, lifting nine major trophies with the club before moving to Real Madrid in 2003.
The father-of-three was also a key member of the England 2018 World Cup bid, which lost out to Russia in the vote earlier in December.
David Beckham is England's most capped outfield player and won six Premier League titles and the Champions League with Manchester United. In 2001 Beckham was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
He currently plays professional football for American team Los Angeles Galaxy.
Before the sportsman took to the stage to accept his Lifetime Achievement award from Sir Bobby Charlton and Ryan Giggs, a VT showed Prince William paying tribute to the footballer, saying: 'His contribution to football in 18 years has been exceptional.
'During his career he has had high and lows but has always remained determined. Most importantly, he is an example to young and aspiring footballers of how to play the game with skill, integrity and determination.'
Dressing up for the occasion, Victoria stayed warm in a chic camel coat over a tight dress, and David Beckham ensured he looked smart for the ceremony as well, opting for a dark three-piece suit with a monochrome tie, as well as slicking his newly-long hair back.

Beckham confronts fan, gets booed in 1st home game

noreply@blogger.com (sunaryo kastawi) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 08:45:00 +0000

CARSON, Calif. (AP)—Boos rained down and fans sent negative messages with their homemade signs. Things sure got ugly when David Beckham came back to town.
Beckham downplayed the rough reception in his first home game with the Los Angeles Galaxy, a 2-2 tie with AC Milan in which his corner kick set up his team’s second goal, although his halftime confrontation with a fan indicated otherwise Sunday night.
“I’m not disappointed. It doesn’t affect me,” he said. “You can’t be liked by everyone.”
Anti-Beckham sentiment ran high as the English star returned after missing half of the Major League Soccer season while on a five-month loan to the Italian club. He was the target of frequent booing and derisive banners held up in a corner of the stadium, where one of the team’s fan groups sits.
The signs all had messages directed at Beckham. “Go home fraud” read one, with a red slash through his No. 23 jersey number. Another said, “23: Repent,” while another read, “Hey Becks, Here Before You, Here After You, Here Despite You.” Another read, “Is evil something u are…or something u do.”
At halftime, Beckham walked toward the L.A. Riot Squad section and motioned to a fan to come closer. A man jumped down from the seats and was subdued by security before being taken away.
“One of the guys was saying things that wasn’t very nice. It was stepping over the line,” Beckham said. “I said, `You need to calm down and come shake my hand,’ and he jumped over.”
The man was arrested by Cal State Dominguez Hills police for trespassing because he left the seating area, a Home Depot Center spokeswoman said.
“I know there was some turmoil in the corner but I didn’t see it so I can’t comment,” Galaxy manager Bruce Arena said. “Obviously, there were some dissenters in the early going but I think he won over a lot of people by the end.”
David Beckham was the last player to take the field after halftime. He hugged several of his former AC Milan teammates and then turned toward the rowdy fan section and clapped his hands before making a gesture.
The banners weren’t displayed as often in the second half, when a line of yellow-jacketed security personnel stood below the fans.
“A lot of people predicted this kind of reaction,” Beckham said.
In the 65th minute, Beckham walked toward the fan section to take a corner kick. He sent a bending kick at Bryan Jordan, who headed the ball in from 7 feet to tie the game 2-2.
Beckham didn’t join in the play. Instead, he turned and faced the fans who had been riding him all game and spread both arms wide as if to say, “What do you want?” He then gestured before walking away.
“Sometimes the supporters don’t understand the situation,” AC Milan coach Leonardo said.
Beckham left the game in the 75th minute and clapped his hands as he walked off to a mix of boos and cheers. He waved to fans offering a smattering of cheers in an opposite corner before sitting on the bench.
“The cheers in the end drowned out the boos, which was nice,” he said.
It marked the end of a rough week for Beckham that began with him and team captain Landon Donovan accusing each other of being unprofessional. Donovan sparked the dispute with comments he made in a new book “The Beckham Experiment.”
Arena mediated the clash during a sit down with both players, who later said they had patched things up.
“That’s beyond my control,” Donovan said when asked about the crowd’s reaction to Beckham.
AC Milan dressed a half-strength lineup as it began a four-game preseason tour of the U.S. The seven-time European champions visited the Galaxy as part of the deal that allowed Beckham to remain on loan with Milan through the end of the Serie A season on May 31.
“You don’t want to look silly and we definitely didn’t look silly,” he said about the Galaxy’s play.
Beckham has said he again wants to return to Milan after the MLS season.
“We would be happy if he came back because he did really well. He’s incredible,” Leonardo said. “The precision he has is something very, very special. He never missed the ball. He controlled the ball. The way the Galaxy plays is very, very important. They see that every ball begins with him.”
Thiago Silva put AC Milan ahead 1-0 in the 16th minute. The Galaxy tied the game in the 30th minute on a goal by Alan Gordon, assisted by Donovan and Beckham.
The Rossoneri took a 2-1 lead in the 61st minute when Filippo Inzaghi scored against Galaxy backup goalie Josh Saunders off assists by Mathieu Flamini and Ronaldinho.
“He was integral in both goals,” Donovan said about Beckham. “There’s not another player on a team in this league that can make those plays. It was an exciting game.”
David Beckham will play six more regular-season home games.
Earlier this year, Beckham said he wanted to remain with the Italian club rather than return to the Galaxy because he believed the level of play was much better in Europe and would help him achieve his goal of playing for England in the 2010 World Cup.
“If it’s possible, I think it could be a very good thing for us,” Leonardo said about getting Beckham back. “He knows everyone. Everyone loves him in our club.”

Park Ji Sung

noreply@blogger.com (sunaryo kastawi) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 04:48:00 +0000

Personal Information

Squad Number: 13

Position: Midfield
Place of Birth: Seoul, South Korea
Date Of Birth: 25/ 02/ 1981
Height: 5'10
Weight: 11st 0lbs
Current Club: Manchester United
This Season Appearances: 26(6)
Goals: 2
Yellow Cards: 4
Red Cards: 0
Minutes on Pitch: 2141

On his arrival at Manchester United in July 2004, Ji-Sung Park became the first ever South Korean player to play in the Premiership.
A £4 million signing from Dutch side PSV Eindhoven, Park was initially denied a work permit but his appeal was successful and he made the move to Old Trafford in time for the 2004-2005 pre-season.
Starting his career at Japanese J-League side Kyoto Purple Sanga in 2000, he was initially used as a defensive midfielder but was converted to a winger by South Korean national team boss Guus Hiddink.
His energetic style of play and good work ethic won a host of admirers as he played an important role in South Korea's fourth-place finish at the 2002 World Cup. During the tournament, which the Koreans co-hosted with Japan, Park started in every game and scored the winning goal in the 1-0 win over Portugal in the group stage.
After the World Cup, Hiddink returned to Holland to takeover as boss of PSV Eindhoven and a year later brought Park with him. After a difficult start at the club, he went on to became a popular player at the Dutch side and scored the first goal in the club's 3-1 first-leg victory over AC Milan in the Champions League.
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson had been keeping a close eye on Park's performances towards the end of the 2004-2005 season and during the following pre-season had a bid accepted for the winger.
After overcoming the work-permit problems, Park made his debut for the club as a second-half substitute in the 3-0 Champions League qualifier win over Debreceni VSC. He then started in United's opening day 2-0 victory over Everton at Goodison Park and was a regular in the side through the season.
One criticism of Park's play was his lack of composure in front of goal. He finally found the net for Manchester United for the first time in the 3-1 win over Birmingham in the League Cup but his next goal would prove more important, the second in a 2-0 win over rivals Arsenal at Old Trafford in April.
His first season with the club resulted in a Carling Cup winners medal and he was again called up to South Korea's World Cup squad for Germany 2006. Despite being one of his country's most impressive performers, scoring as they drew 1-1 with eventual finalists France, he couldn't stop them from going out in the group stages.
Park's chances were rather limited in 2006/07 both by the form of Cristiano Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs but also a series of niggling injuries. When he did get on the pitch, he was impressive and scored five times in 12 appearances, but a bad knee injury towards the end of the campaign ruled him out for a long time.
He returned from this to become one of United's most consistant and reliable performers in 2007/08. However, despite this, he was left out of the line-up for the Champions League final, with Sir Alex Ferguson even apologising to him because the quality of his displays certainly justified a place in such an important game.
Ferguson made amends a year later when Park was given a standing place in the 2009 Champions League Final, but he was unable to influence proceedings as Barcelona swept to a 2-0 victory. However, the South Korean again played an important role in a successful season for United, helping them to another title.

Thierry Henry

noreply@blogger.com (sunaryo kastawi) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 04:40:00 +0000

Personal Information

Full name: Thierry Henry
Birthplace: Les Ulis, France
Date of Birth: 17th August 1977
Position: Forward
Height: 188cm
Weight: 83kg
Previous Teams: Arsenal, England; Juventus, Italy, Monaco, France.
Current Club: Barcelona
National Squad/Number of Appearances: France/90+

Henry joined Barça from Arsenal as a summer signing in 2007. He is generally held to be one of the best strikers in the world who combines a desire to win as a team with elegant and effective individual skills. Henry is a versatile and speedy forward who can play up front in the centre or on either wing equally effectively.
Facts:
• Henry broke nearly every Arsenal record during his time at the club. He became the club’s all-time top scorer (with 214 goals) and the top scorer ever in the English Premiership (with 164 goals).
• During his time in England, he was the top scorer in the Premiership in 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006.
• The player has won the Golden Boot twice in 2004-5 and 2003-4.
• As of 2007 Henry needs just 2 more goals to break Michel Platini’s record to become the all-time top scorer for France.
• The player won the FA Cup (2001-2, 2002-3, 2004-5), the Community Shield (2002-3, 2004-5) and the Premiership (2001-2, 2003-4) with Arsenal.
• Whilst at Monaco Henry won the League title in the 1996-7 season.
• Henry was a member of the French World Cup winning team in 1998 and a runner up in 2006. He has also won the Confederations Cup in 2003 and the European Championship in 2000 with his country.
• He is the only player to have ever won the UK’s Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year three times (2003, 2004, 2006) and the only player to have been named French Player of the Year four years in a row.
• Henry was asked to sign for Monaco without a trial after a scout saw him score all 6 goals in a 6-0 win.
• The player had a disappointing spell at Juventus where he played on the wing and - uncharacteristically - only managed to score 3 goals in 16 appearances.
• Whilst in the UK, Henry appeared in a series of TV adverts for Renault Clio cars. His catchphrase in the ads (Va va voom) has since been entered into the Oxford Concise English Dictionary.
• Henry is contracted to Barcelona on a four-year deal.

Samuel Eto'o

noreply@blogger.com (sunaryo kastawi) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 04:30:00 +0000

Personal Information

Full name: Samuel Eto’o
Birthplace: Nkon, Cameroon
Date of Birth: 10th March 1981
Position: Striker
Height: 180cm
Weight: 75kg
Previous Teams: Real Madrid, Leganes, RCD Espanyol, RCD Mallorca
Current Club: Barcelona
National Squad/Number of Appearances: Cameroon/60+

Eto’o burst on to the European football scene at the age of 16 when he was signed to Real Madrid. He moved to Barcelona in 2004 and made an immediate impact by scoring 25 goals in his first season. He is a potential goal-scoring machine every time he sets foot on a pitch but is also well respected for his commitment to the team as a whole. Facts:
• Eto’o was the youngest player at the 1998 World Cup aged just 17 years and 3 months. He was also the only player at the tournament born in the 1980s.
• Eto’o had a complex relationship with Real Madrid. He signed for the club at 15 but they forgot to collect him at the airport when he arrived and he had to wait for hours without being able to speak any Spanish. He never really broke into the Madrid team and spent two periods on loan to other clubs before moving to Mallorca in a split ownership deal.
• His relationship with Mallorca was far better – he paid 30,000 Euros to treat Mallorca supporters to a meal at Mallorca’s Spanish Cup final against Recreativo Huelva.
• He became the highest league goal scorer ever at Mallorca with a total of 54 goals.
• When he signed for Barcelona Eto’o became the first Cameroonian player at the club.
• Eto’o’s goal against Levante won Barcelona the league title in the 2004-5 season.
• Eto’o was named African Player of the Year in 2004, 2005 and 2006 – a record three consecutive times.
• He has won two Spanish Supercups (2005-6/2006-7), two League Titles (2004-5/2005-6) and the Champions League (2005-6) with Barcelona. In addition, he won the Champions League (1999-00) and the Intercontinental Cup (1997-98) with Real Madrid and the Spanish Cup with Mallorca (2002-3).
• During his time playing for Cameroon the national squad has won the African Cup twice (2000, 2002) and he also won a Gold Medal at the Sydney Olympics.
• In 2006 Eto’o opened a football academy in Cameroon to help promising footballers in his country.

The Red Devils have called off their Indonesian adventure as chaos reigns in the capital

noreply@blogger.com (sunaryo kastawi) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 07:49:00 +0000

Manchester United have cancelled their friendly game against an Indonesian Super League All-Star team after news broke of bomb explosions in Jakarta today.

The match was due to take place on July 20 as part of United's pre-season tour of the Far East.

But the Red Devils have pulled the plug on the opening leg of their trip, after learning of the terrorist attacks upon arrival in Kuala Lumpur this morning.

The bomb blasts hit two hotels in Jakarta, one of which, the Ritz Carlton, would have been the squad's resting stop after the game took place.

An official club statement read, "Following the explosions in Jakarta - one of which was at the hotel the team were due to stay in - and based on advice received, the directors have informed the Indonesian FA that the club cannot fulfil the fixture in Jakarta on the 2009 Asia tour."

Early reports across the world's press indicate at least nine people to be dead following the attacks, with as many as 50 others injured at both the Ritz and Marriott hotels.

Jamie Dunn, Goal.com

David Beckham didn’t save American soccer, he orphaned it

noreply@blogger.com (sunaryo kastawi) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:33:00 +0000

HOBOKEN, N.J. — Instead of walking into a news conference wearing his Allen Iverson [stats] tattoos and outdated Miami Vice stubble, David Beckham would have looked better in polka-dot pajamas, floppy shoes and a big red nose.
The guy is a clown of the first order. He arrived two years ago pledging to change the culture of American soccer, and he’s had the same impact on the sport that Brian Bosworth had on the American film industry.
Beckham has run nothing more than a shell game, appointing himself an ambassador for U.S. soccer in one breath, and booking his reservations across the pond in the next. He’ll play for the Los Angeles Galaxy in Giants Stadium on Thursday night, provided he doesn’t loan himself out to a European superpower between now and then.
And if you’re a Red Bulls ticket holder in the habit of jeering the villains of the day, the A-Rods and Mannys and the like, then you would be well within your rights to let ol’ Becks have it.
The Englishman swears he wants to be here.
He wants to be here as much as Ed Whitson wanted to be in the Bronx.
"I am here to play for this team," Beckham said. "I am contracted to play for this team, and at the moment, that’s the most important thing to me."
At the moment. It’s Beckham’s favorite expression, his default position when the subject turns to his commitment, or lack thereof.
"I’m an honest person," he said. "If I didn’t want to be here, I wouldn’t."
His nose keeps growing longer than the list of perks in his contract.
Beckham signed a deal with the Galaxy reportedly worth up to a quarter-billion dollars, much of it invested in his "It" factor and smile. He was introduced as this generation’s Pele, the priceless import who was going to make Americans love their corner kicks as much as they love their monstrous home runs and alley-oop dunks.
Only Pele’s generosity of spirit, his pure eagerness to spread the sport’s gospel, left him a beloved figure in the States. His Cosmos practically made a home locker room out of Studio 54, but they never lost sight of the mission.
They needed to win games. They needed to fill Giants Stadium.
They needed to convince a baseball-football-basketball public that soccer was worthy of its affection and time.
Beckham? It’s clear he always was more interested in growing his brand rather than growing the game. He wanted to go Hollywood, hang with his buddy, Tom Cruise, and get his handsome face on the "Today" show and "Entertainment Tonight."
"If he didn’t have this look," Andranik Eskandarian, the former Cosmo, once told me, "maybe nobody would care."

Cristiano Ronaldo welcomed to Madrid by 80,000 fans

noreply@blogger.com (sunaryo kastawi) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 08:30:00 +0000

Real Madrid winger Cristiano Ronaldo, the record 80 million-pound ($130 million) signing the club hope will help restore them to former glories, was welcomed by 80,000 jubilant fans at the Bernabeu on Monday.

After 50,000 turned out for the presentation of Brazilian playmaker Kaka last week, the club faithful began converging on the stadium around lunchtime to welcome the Portuguese international.

The huge arena in the centre of the Spanish capital again reverberated to the beat of rock music as a selection of Ronaldo's goals were replayed on a giant screen in the centre of the pitch.

Shortly after 9pm local time, the World Player of the Year emerged to a rapturous reception and was welcomed on stage by club legend Alfredo di Stefano, compatriot Eusebio and club president Florentino Perez.
“I am very happy to be here,” Ronaldo, clad in Real's all-white strip and his new number nine shirt, told fans.

“A childhood dream has come true for me, to come to Real Madrid. It's incredible that the stadium is full just for me,” he added, before showing off his skills with the ball and greeting fans around the stadium.

The 24-year-old, who joined Real from English champions Manchester United, is the jewel in the crown of Perez's self-styled “spectacular sporting project”.

After bringing “galacticos” David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane and Luis Figo to the club during his previous term, Perez has spent around 215 million euros ($300.5 million) on Ronaldo, Kaka, French striker Karim Benzema and defender Raul Albiol.

He is hoping the signing of such high-profile players will help Real take the Spanish and European Champions League crowns from arch-rivals Barcelona and boost revenue via the sale of replica merchandise and marketing rights.

Manchester United Asia Tour

noreply@blogger.com (sunaryo kastawi) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 07:52:00 +0000

Asia ready for Reds' arrival

Around 50,000 fans are expected to watch United's first open training session of the 2009 Asia Tour in Malaysia on Friday.
Supporters with special passes will see the Reds being put through their pre-season paces at Kuala Lumpur's Bukit Jalil Stadium from 10:30 BST (17.30 local), though this time is subject to change.
Julian Kam, chief executive of tour organisers ProEvents International Sdn Bhd, said: "We would like to encourage fans to come early, to ensure they get to the stadium on time to catch the training."
United play a Malaysia XI at the Bukit Jalil Stadium on Saturday, kick-off 10:30 BST (17.30 local). Fans can still buy tickets by calling the Ticketpro hotline on 03-78807999. Only 15,000 tickets are left, priced at RM58 (GBP11), and the match is expected to be a sell-out. Fans are advised to use public transport.
The Reds fly out to Kuala Lumpur on Thursday afternoon and ManUtd.com will have comprehensive coverage of the tour, starting with the travelling party and the latest pre-season photos of the squad.
The Far East trip also takes in Indonesia (July 20), Korea (July 24) and China (July 26). Read all the latest news and features in our dedicated Asia Tour 2009 section.

Asia Tour ticket news

United are returning to Asia in July for a pre-season tour of Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea and China.
For the dedicated Reds who are planning to watch the team in the Far East, here's the ticket news we have for the four games:

Malaysia XI v United
18 July 2009, Bukit Jalil Stadium, kick-off 10:30 BST
The only remaining match tickets are those priced at RM 58 (GBP 11), which can be bought from Ticketpro’s 13 sales outlets across Malaysia, online at www.ticketpro.com.my or by calling 03-7880-7999.

Indonesia: Indonesia All Star v United
20 July 2009, Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, kick-off 14:00 BST
All tickets for the game have now been sold.

Korea: FC Seoul v United
24 July 2009, Seoul World Cup Stadium, kick-off 12:00 BST
All tickets for the game have now been sold. In case of cancellations, tickets will be resold on http://www.ticket.interpark.com. Fans are advised to keep checking this website for updates.

China: Hangzhou Greentown FC v United
26 July 2009, Dragon Stadium, kick-off 13:00 BST

Carles Puyol

noreply@blogger.com (sunaryo kastawi) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 08:20:00 +0000

Personal Information

Name: Carles Puyol
Position: Defender
Club: FC Barcelona (Spain)
Birthdate: 13/04/1978
Birthplace: Lerida (Spain)
Height: 178 cm
Weight: 78 kg

Carles Puyol Saforcada (born April 13, 1978 in La Pobla de Segur, Lleida) is a Spanish footballer who is the current captain of FC Barcelona. He has established himself as one of the best defenders in Spain and is a regular in the Spanish national team. He is set to be the Spainsh team's corner-stone at the World Cup Finals, and will be marshalling the likes of Raul, Torres and Reyes to make sure they do their fair share of the tackling!

Puyol is a tough, aggressive defender who has the versatility to play both as a full-back and in the centre. His whole-hearted approach makes him a favourite at his club side, Barcelona. Puyol is a vital member of Rijkaard's team and his tactical ability and know-how also means he is not a man to pick up many yellow cards or, indeed, injuries, both of which factors have meant that he is an ever present in both Europe and domestic competition.

Puyol played for Spain at the 2000 Olympics, 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 and has been capped over 30 times. His attacking mentality is a result of his playing as a striker in the early years in his boyhood club La Pobla de Segur, after injury problems with his shoulders forced him from his original position of goalkeeper.

He has also played for the Catalan football team in one unofficial friendly.

He went to Barca B at age 17 in 1996 and in 1999 Coach Louis Van Gaal put him into the first team and his debut came on 2 November 1999 against Valladolid, a game FC Barcelona won 0-2. He started as a regular for Barcelona in the right back position but has very successfully converted to center-back and is now regarded as one of the top center-backs in the world.

He was first chosen as the captain for Barcelona in the 2003-04 season. In the absence of Raúl due to injury, Puyol has also been called upon to captain the Spanish national team.

Wayne Rooney

noreply@blogger.com (sunaryo kastawi) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 08:04:00 +0000

Personal Information

Full Name: Wayne Rooney
Birth Date: October 24, 1985
Birth Place: Liverpool
Height: 1.78m
Weight: 79.4 kg
Age: 23
Position: Forward
Squad No: 10

Manchester United unveiled Everton striker Wayne Rooney as their biggest signing of 2004 just before the transfer window was due to close in August. The Red Devils signed the 18-year-old in a deal that could eventually be worth £30million.
Rooney signed a six-year contract and Everton will receive 25 per cent of any transfer fee if he leaves Old Trafford. Contingent payments, dependent on club success, the player renewing his contract and his appearances at international level, could see the transfer fee rise to almost £30million.
Manchester United beat off competition from Newcastle United for Rooney's signature. A naturally gifted striker, Rooney scored 15 goals in 67 Premiership appearances for Everton since making his debut for the club in August 2002 in the 2-2 draw with Southampton.
The teenager's record for England is outstanding - his excellent Euro 2004 displays brought his tally to nine goals in just 17 appearances for his country. It was these performances which really instigated the bidding war between United and Newcastle for the teenager's signature.
But Rooney chosing of United was vindicated by a superb debut season at Old Trafford. Since his move he has flourished under the close guidence of Sir Alex Ferguson who has an excellent track record with youngsters.
In his debut - a baptism of fire in a Champions League group game against the tough to beat Fenerbahce - he scored a sensational hat-trick as United went on to trounce their Tukish opponents 6-2.
Since then he continued his fine form. He added 14 further goals (including a vollyed wonder-strike in United 2-1 home win against Newcastle) to his tally and has clocked up 43 appearances, justifying his high price tag. He was an undoutbed highlight in United's otherwise lacklustre season. He was also named the PFA Young Player of the Year beating off stern competition from Jermain Defoe, Arjen Robben, Cristiano Ronaldo, Stewart Downing and Shaun Wright-Phillips.
However, he sometimes let his tempremental nature get the better of him. His frequent on-field swearing encouraged the English Schools' Football Association (ESFA) to drop him from a guest appearance claiming he was "not a good role model". FIFA president Sepp Blatter made further comment, saying that Rooney needed "a clip round the ear".
Rooney's antics off the pitch did little to dispel these criticisms when a student accused him of assaulting him in a Manchester club. Rooney denied this and was later vindicated as the claim was dropped. As his second season for Manchester United emerges the only thing, it seems, that can stop Rooney is if the media interest surrounding him and celebrity girlfriend Coleen McCloughlin distracts him from his football.
He continued to impress in the 2005/06 season for United, often seeming like the only thing keeping them going in some tricky spells, and was rewarded with his first major medal in the Carling Cup final, where he scored twice against Wigan and received the Man of the Match award.
However, his season ended in heartbreak as he suffered a metatarsal injury against Chelsea, putting his hopes of playing in the World Cup in jeopardy. He did manage to recover in time, though he probably wished he hadn't bothered, as he was forced to play up front on his own, failed to score and was sent off against Portugal.
A dubious pre-season red card lead to Rooney having to serve a three-match ban early on in the 2006/07 campaign and it took him some time to regain his match fitness and sharpness after such a chaotic time. However, when he did come into form his goals played a hugely important role in winning his first ever Premiership title.
This fine form continued in 2007/08 as he once again scored a handful of vital goals to steer United to Premier League and Champions League glory.

Lionel Messi

noreply@blogger.com (sunaryo kastawi) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 07:59:00 +0000

Personal Information

Full name: Lionel Andres Messi
Date of Birth: 24 June 1987
Birth place: Rosario (Argentina)
Height: 5'6 and a half" (1.69 metres)
Club: FC Barcelona
National team: Argentina
Shirt number: 19
Position: Attacking midfielder (right/centre)
Previous club(s): Newell's Old Boys (Argentina)
Nickname/other names: Leo, La Pulga (The Flea), La Messiah

Lionel Andrés Messi (born June 24, 1987 in Rosario) is an Argentine football (soccer) player.

Lionel Messi started playing football at a very early age in his hometown's Newell's Old Boys. From the age of 11, he suffered from a hormone deficiency and as Lionel's parents were unable to pay for the treatment in Argentina, they decided to move to Barcelona, Spain.
In the 2003-2004 season, when he was still only 16, Messi made his first team debut in a friendly with Porto that marked the opening of the new Dragao stadium. The following championship-winning season, Messi made his first appearance in an official match on October 16, 2004, in Barcelona's derby win against Espanyol at the Olympic Stadium (0-1).

With several first team players seriously injured, the services of several reserve team players were called upon, and Messi became a regular feature of Barça squads. On May 1, 2005, he became the youngest player ever to score a league goal for FC Barcelona - against Albacete when Messi was only 17 years, 10 months and 7 days old.
He was offered the chance to play for the Spain national football team, but declined, prefering to wait for the opportunity to play for the country of his birth. In June 2004 he got his chance, playing in a U-20 friendly match against Paraguay.

Lionel Messi wearing FC Barcelona's colorsIn June 2005 he starred for the Argentina U-20 team that won the Football World Youth Championship played in The Netherlands.
Messi picked up the Golden Boot as top scorer with 6 goals, and the Golden Ball for the best player of the tournament. Despite his youth, Lionel has already drawn comparisons with Diego Maradona, arguably the best football player of all time.

On September 25, 2005 Messi obtained a Spanish citizenship and was finally able to make his debut in this season's Spanish First Division. He had previously been unable to play because FC Barcelona had filled up all of their quota of non-EU players.

Messi's first outing in the UEFA Champions League at the Nou Camp was on Sept 28 against Italian club Udinese. He impressed with some great passing and a seemingly telepathic relationship with Ronaldinho that earned him a standing ovation from the 70,000-odd Nou Camp faithful. On December of that year, the Italian newspaper Tuttosport awarded him the Golden Boy 2005 title for the best under-21 player in Europe, over Wayne Rooney and Lukas Podolski

In September 2005, Messi was given an improved and extended contract until 2014.

John Terry

noreply@blogger.com (sunaryo kastawi) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 07:54:00 +0000

Personal Information

Name: John Terry
Squad Number: 26
Position: Defence
Place of Birth: London, England
Date Of Birth: 07/ 12/ 1980
Height: 6'1
Weight: 12st 12lbs

Terry is a powerful, domineering centre-half who underlined his magnificent ability by winning the 1998/99 Chelsea Young Player of the Year award. Such has been his meteoric progress that he made his debut for Chelsea in a Worthingtons Cup tie against Aston Villa in the 1998/99 season and went on to appear in several games, even getting on the scoresheet. In 2000/01, he won Chelsea's Player of the Year award.
2001/02 was a big season for John Terry. On the pitch, it was a big success, as he established himself as a first team regular, making 49 appearances. He scored the winning goals in the FA Cup quarter and semi finals. He made a number of appearances for England Under-21s and was captain for a few games.
However, with his meteoric rise through the football ranks, came increased pressure and responsibility, and Terry did not deal with this as well he dealt with opposing strikers. He was arrested in January after an incident outside a club. He had broken club curfew and the arrest did little to enhance footballers' reputation in the wake of the Bowyer/Woodgate trial. Because of his off-pitch troubles, Terry was not considered for England's World Cup squad.
That meant that 2002/03 was to be a make-or-break season for one of England's brightest young stars. Fortunately, he made sure that it was the making of him, despite injury keeping him out until October. Six goals and numerous starring performances followed as he worked to clean up his image.
A successful season finished with plenty of speculation linking him with a move away from Chelsea and an England debut against Serbia and Montenegro in June 2003.
Terry went from strength to strength during the 2003/04 season, being one of the Blues' only players to escape Claudio Ranieri's tinkering. Not only did he have a starring role in Chelsea's success that season, but he also helped England reach the quarter-finals of Euro 2004.
It was touch and go whether he would play at all when he picked up an injury during training. However, he recovered in time to knock Ledley King out of the starting line-up and ensure that England kept a clean sheet in their group game with Switzerland.
Terry was rewarded for some fine performances by being made Chelsea skipper following the departure of Marcel Desailly in the 2003/04 season and has held the position ever since.
His ascent up the ranks of the Chelsea squad was confirmed last season as he inspired his team to Carling Cup and Barclays Premiership victory. Meanwhile, on the international front, he remained integral to the England set-up, helping his country build up a head of steam in Group 6 of the European World Cup Qualifiers.
His fine season was capped off by being named PFA Player of the Year 2004/05, beating off competition from team-mates Frank Lampard and Petr Cech. Terry's incredible success on both international and domestic fronts inspired Mourinho to dub him "the best centre-back in the world".
2005/06 was another great season for Terry as he secured his place in the England team at the expense of Sol Campbell, as well as captaining Chelsea to yet another Barclays Premiership title. He was named in FIFA's squad of the 2006 World Cup and in August 2006 was named as new England captain by Steve McClaren.
Despite this the 2006/07 season was an ultimately disappointing one for Terry. Although he played well over forty games, a serious injury kept him out during the winter months and his absence was keenly felt by the Chelsea defence.
More injury issues followed in 2007/08, but when he played he was once more one of Chelsea's best players.

Diego Forlan

noreply@blogger.com (sunaryo kastawi) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 07:47:00 +0000

Personal Information

Full Name: Diego Forlan
Birth Date: May 19, 1979
Birth Place: Uruguay
Height: 1.73m
Weight: 75 kg
Age: 30
Position: Forward
Squad No: 7

A Sir Alex Ferguson investment that many have called into question, Forlan is a player of undoubted talent, though that talent is unquestionably raw.
A fallow half-season in front of goal has led to a rather unfair nickname of Diego 'Birtles', after the United disaster signing of the early 1980s, Garry Birtles.
With the loss of Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke from the United ranks, Forlan became the first reserve striker after Ruud van Nistelrooy and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer though in truth his pace and drive make him better suited to playing on the wing.
If only his last-minute volley in the Champions League against Bayer Leverkusen had gone in, then he'd be a United favourite but he remains a player with plenty to prove.
A Uruguayan international, he featured as a sub in his country's momentous final group game against Senegal at the 2002 World Cup. He and Richard Morales were introduced to a team losing 3-0 to the Africans and both scored to take the game to 3-3.
Sadly, both missed glorious chances to take Uruguay through, though Forlan's was a goal which showed just what he can do - a dipping right-foot volley that screamed into the back of the Senegal net from the edge of the area..
Some dead-ball magic in United's pre-season also showed that David Beckham has another rival in the free-kick stakes, if not hairstyles.
When Martin Ferguson, brother of Sir Alex and chief scout of Manchester United, went to see Independiente play, Diego Forlan was not among the players he had been detailed to watch - River Plate's Andres D'Alessandro is believed to have been the targeted player.
But Forlan's pace, two footedness, strength and explosive finishing soon caught the eye. United had Forlan watched a number of times before their interest was publicised in the tabloid newspapers.
At this point several other potential suitors came in for the young Uruguayan. Middlesbrough chief executive Keith Lamb flew to South America to tie up a deal with his club, who, like most other Argentinian clubs, had been hit very hard by the country's economic down turn.
Middlesbrough boss Steve McClaren looked to have put one over on Ferguson, his mentor, but it was not to be. Hurried along by Boro's interest, United representatives met the player when he arrived in London to win his signature and paid the money in full to Independiente. Boro had only been prepared to pay in installments.
After a wait in Gatwick Airport of length usually reserved for those on a cheap holiday charter flight, it became clear that Forlan was headed for Manchester and not Newcastle airport.
Having agreed terms and passed a medical he was unveiled to United's fans before their game with Liverpool on January 22nd 2002.
'The Witch' joined Juan Sebastian Veron, himself known as 'The Little Witch' at Old Trafford. Like Veron, he comes from a footballing family of some pedigree.
Father Pablo played for Sao Paulo and Uruguayan giants Penarol and played for his country in the 1974 World Cup finals, while his grandfather, Juan Carlos Corazzo, was an Independiente midfield star of the 1930s. Uncles Jose Pastoriza and Ricardo Bochini are also idols of the Argentinian club.
Forlan was a tennis prodigy as a youngster but decided to follow the family way and started his career at Penarol. After a brief spell at Danubio he made the trip across the River Plate to Independiente, where initially his pace saw him deployed as a winger.
In his first full season, 1999/2000, he still scored six goals in 22 matches - from the wing.
In Argentina's complicated league season, now playing as a striker, he scored nine goals in a 19-game Clausura competition.
The entire season saw him score 18 goals in 36 games including 12 in 18 in his last Apertura for Independiente and he was acclaimed as one of the best prospects in South American soccer, despite a lack of Uruguayan international caps.
His playing style has been compared to both Alen Boksic, his playing idol, and Jurgen Klinsmann.
United eventually paid £6.9million for his talents as they sought to add to a strike-force which had lost Andy Cole to Blackburn and while he is yet to match the latter's goalscoring record he is certainly a player of whom more must surely come.
He finally netted his first goal in September 2002 in a 5-2 Champions League victory over Maccabi Haifa. That goal, however, came from the penalty spot.
It would be another six weeks before he finally scored from open play, a late equaliser at home to Aston Villa. And he struck again a week later, firing home a superb shot from distance to win the game against Southampton.
But as United opted to play one up front, with Solskjaer the second choice striker, Forlan found games hard to come by, but he still grabbed nine goals for the club in his first full season.
He started only 15 games in 2003/04, although he did net eight goals - however, the number of glaring misses was far greater.
If the signing of Louis Saha pushed him down the pecking order in January, the purchase of Alan Smith at the end of the campaign almost left him out of sight.
Forlan's future at Old Trafford is now bleak after failing to find top form in England.
He continues to be prolific for Uruguay - but that's no good to United.

Karim Benzema

noreply@blogger.com (sunaryo kastawi) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 05:21:00 +0000

Personal Information

Name: Karim Benzema
Date of Birth: 19 December 1987
Birthplace: Lyon
Nationality: French
Current club: Real Madrid (Spain)

Karim Benzema was born on the 19th December 1987 in Lyon, France. Benzema's parents are of Algerian origin. Benzema played youth football with Bron Terraillon, the 9 year old Benzema was spotted by the Olympique Lyonnais' scouts and was quickly signed into the Olympique Lyonnais' youth academy. Benzema was hugely successful in the underage system, scoring considerable amounts of goals for Lyon youths. Benzema was also capped internationally for France's U-16's,U-17's and U-18's. Benzema's underage national scoring record was an impressive 20 goals from 35 starts. Benzema also won honours with the national team when France won the Uefa U-17 European Championships in 2004. Benzema played alongside his current Lyon team-mate Hatem Ben Arfa.
Benzema made his breakthrough to the senior Lyon team in 2005, aged 17, in a French Ligue 1 match against Metz, providing the assist for the winning goal by Bryan Bergougnoux. Benzema featured six times for the senior team in that league campaign, while still playing for Lyon's U-18's. The 2005-6 season saw Benzema earning more senior experience, making 13 French Ligue 1 appearances and scoring on his Champions League debut against the Norwegian team, Rosenberg. 2005 also saw Benzema signing a 5-year contract with Lyon. Benzema made even more appearances in the 2006-7 season, scoring 5 goals from his 21 appearances, scoring again in the Champions League, this time against Dynamo Kiev.
In 2006, the Algerian F.A. asked Benzema if he would play for Algeria, qualifying through his parents. Benzema, politely rejected the offer stating that he would prefer to play for French national team. Benzema was called up to the senior French squad in November 2006 to play a friendly against Greece. Benzema was forced out of the squad through injury, but was called up again in March 2007 for a home friendly against Austria. Benzema made his debut and dutifully scored the winning goal.
As of the start of the 2007-8 French Ligue 1, Benzema has been a permanent fixture in Lyon's starting team, playing up front in Lyon 4-3-3 formation. Benzema's star has risen with outstanding performances in the first have of the season, scoring 12 goals from 16 matches. Comparisons have been made between Benzema and that other French-Algerian footballing genius Zinedine Zidane. Benzema is now attracting the interests of some of the biggest clubs in Europe. There have been rumours linking Benzema to giants like Real Madrid, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus, Liverpool and Arsenal.
Benzema has cited Ronaldo as a major influence on his desire to play football.

Fernando Torres

noreply@blogger.com (sunaryo kastawi) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 05:01:00 +0000

Personal Imformation

Full name: Fernando José Torres Sanz
Date of birth: March 20, 1984 (age 23)
Place of birth: Madrid, Spain
Height: 1,86 m (6'2")
Nickname: El Niño (The Kid), The Eagle
Position: Striker
Current club: Liverpool
Number: 9

Early Career
Even before Fernando had made a first-team appearance for Atletico, people were expecting great things from him. His ability was first recognised internationally after success in the Nike Cup, which pitted the youth teams of all the big clubs of Europe against each other. Atletico won the Cup, beating Juventus on the way to the trophy, and Torres was named as top goal-scorer and the best player in the tournament. Every European club took note.

A win with the Spanish U-16 team, and another ‘Player of the Tournament’ trophy followed, and Fernando was soon called up to train with the first team, making his debut in May 2001, and scoring his first goal a week later. It wasn’t enough to get Atletico promoted to the Primera Liga, and Fernando suffered his first disappointment.

With Torres in the first team the following season, Atletico did get promoted, with Torres’ guile and goals helped the Madrid club to win the second division. Torres adapted to playing in La Liga easily, with some important goals against the likes of Barcelona and Deportivo ensuring he was fast becoming the crowd’s favourite player. His never-say-die attitude enabled him to become a leader on the pitch, and he took over the Atletico captaincy when he was just 19 years old (some said in a bid to ensure Torres stayed at the club!)

More goals in more important matches followed, although Atletico were struggling to build a tam around Torres who matched his ambition. UEFA Cup runs and top-table finishes were all they could hope for. A good World Cup in 2006 led to bids from Chelsea and Newcastle, but Torres decided to stay for at least one more season – he was playing for the club of his dreams. With Atletico again failing to win a place in European competition, Atletico started accepting bids.

Current Club
Fernando Torres arrived on Merseyside in early July 2007, for a fee of around £20m. The Spanish core of the Liverpool team (Xabi Alonso, Garcia, manager Rafa Benitez) made it easy for Fernando to settle in, and he was soon banging the goals in! He made his debut on August the 11th, but had to wait until his third appearance before he scored the first of what would be 24 league goals, an impressive tally in just 29 matches. He finished second to Cristiano Ronaldo in both the Golden Boot and the PFA Player of the Year Awards.

Victory in Euro 2008 should have been the spring-board for more goals, but Torres had an injury-ravaged first half of the 08/09 season. Liverpool remained in contention for the big prizes, and were glad he returned to action for the business end of the season.
International
Fernando Torres has been playing internationally for Spain since the age of 15. He has won various U-16 and U-18 tournaments, but had such talent and potential that he was called up to the national first-team when he was just 19. He was a fringe player in Spain’s Euro 2004 campaign, but was in the first-team (ahead of Real Madrid legend Raul) by the time World Cup 2006 came around.

He propelled Spain to victory at Euro 2008, scoring the only goal against Germany in the Final to win Spain’s first ever major trophy. He has a massive part to play in Spain’s future.

Michael Owen

noreply@blogger.com (sunaryo kastawi) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 04:48:00 +0000

Personal Information

Name: Michael Owen
Date of Birth: 14/12/1979
Born: Chester, England
Nationality: England
Position: Forward
Previous Club: Newcastle United
Club: Manchester United

Owen has been the mainstay of England`s attack since bursting on to the biggest stage at the 1998 World Cup with a wonder strike against Argentina, having already become the youngest player of the last century to play for England.

He played his part in Liverpool`s victorious League, FA and UEFA cup campaigns in the 2001 treble year and followed up months later with a hat-trick in England`s memorable 5-1 win over Germany in a 2002 World Cup qualifier in Munich.
That feat in September was followed three months later by Owen being voted European Footballer of the Year in recognition of his many achievements.

However, bad luck with injuries, which have been another hallmark of his career, followed him to the 2002 World Cup finals, where he was not fully fit but still managed to score twice. [Trevor Huggins - Reuters, May 2004]

In the summer of 2004, Michael Owen joins English teammate David Beckham at Real Madrid for a sum of 8 million pounds. However, many months of being on the substitute's bench, despite scoring goals when required, and the acquisition of Robinho up front, only pushed Owen to play for another club.
After two final offers from both, Liverpool (7 million pounds) and Newcastle United (17 million pounds), Owen had no choice but to join Newcastle.

Honours

1998
English League Top Scorer
English League Young Footballer of the Year
English Sports Personality of the Yea
1999
English League Top Scorer
2001
English League Cup
English Cup
UEFA Cup
European Footballer of the Year
World Soccer Player of the Year

Andrea Pirlo

noreply@blogger.com (sunaryo kastawi) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 04:35:00 +0000

Personal Information

Full name: Andrea Pirlo
Date of birth: May 19, 1979
Birthplace: Flero, Italy
Nationality: Italian
EU passport: Yes
Height: 177 cms
Weight: 68 kgs
Club: Milan
Position: Midfielder/Attacking Midfielder [C]
Squad Number: 21
Contract expires: June 2011
Previous clubs: Brescia > Inter Milan > Reggina (loan) > Inter Milan > Brescia (loan) > Milan
International debut: September 2002, v Azerbaijan
International Caps: 45
International Goals: 7
World Cups: Germany 2006 (1st)

Honours

FIFA World Cup (2006)
UEFA Champions League (2003, 2007)
UEFA Super Cup (2003, 2007)
FIFA Club World Cup (2007)

Italian Cup (2003)
Italian Serie A (2004)
Italian Super Cup (2004)

Robinho

noreply@blogger.com (sunaryo kastawi) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 09:05:00 +0000

Personal Information

Full name: Robson (Robinho) de Souza
Date of birth: January 25, 1984
Birthplace: São Vicente, São Paulo, Brazil
Nationality: Brazilian
EU passport: No
Height: 172 cms
Weight: 60 kgs
Club: Manchester City
Position: Forward [C]
Squad Number: 10
Contract expires: June 2012
Previous clubs: Santos > (€25m) Real Madrid > (£32.5m) Manchester City
International debut: July 2003, v Mexico
International Caps: 69
International Goals: 19
World Cups: Germany 2006

Honours

FIFA Confederations Cup (2005, 2009)
Copa America (2007)

Campeonato Brasileiro Série A (2002, 2004)
Spanish La Liga (2007, 2008)

Campeonato Brasileiro Série A Player of the Year (2004)Copa America Best Player (2007)
Copa America Top Scorer (2007)

Steven Gerrard

noreply@blogger.com (sunaryo kastawi) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:59:00 +0000

Personal Information

Name: Steven Gerrard
Club: Liverpool (Eng)
Shirt Number: 8
Personal Position: CM
Nationality: England
Date of Birth: 30/05/1980
Place of Birth: Whiston, England
Height: 188 cm
Weight: 79 kg
International honours: Under-21 and full international caps
Goals: 104
International caps: 70 I
nternational goals: 14
Contract Date Signed: 01/08/1998
Contract Expiry: 06/2009
Speculated wage: £60,000 per week

Steven Gerrard has grown used to the plaudits that have rained down on him since his Premiership debut in December 1998. 'The future of England's success' is a strong claim to make about one player, but where Gerrard is concerned it is not an exaggeration. Having graduated from the Liverpool Youth Academy, Gerrard is one of the most exciting talents in the English game. He is a midfielder that combines commitment, aggression, attacking instincts and the ability to create as well as score goals. In short, the complete player.
2000/01 was a season of achievements for Gerrard. Having starred in England's Euro 2000 victory over rivals Germany, the young midfielder went on to collect Worthington Cup, FA Cup and Uefa Cup winners medals as Liverpool completed a tremendous treble. As if to prove his personal progress, he also picked up individual honours in the form of the prestigious PFA Young Player of the Year award and the Liverpool supporters' vote as Player of the Season.
He struggled to find his form early in 2001/02, but he was instrumental in England's 5-1 demolition of Germany in Munich, scoring the first goal. Injury problems once again meant that he was unable to make a regular impression on Liverpool's season, but when he was available, he was vital to their push for trophies. However, his season ended in disappointment as the Reds failed to emulate their previous glittering season and ended the season empty-handed. Dissapointment hit once more as a groin injury deprived him of a place in England's 2002 World Cup squad.
After overcoming that groin problem, Gerrard went on to perform brilliantly during the Reds' 2002/03 campaign, making 54 appearances in all competitions, and scoring 7 goals. He also featured heavily in Sven Goran Eriksson's England plans, playing in 6 international games and scored his second international goal.
However, the 2003/04 season was dissapointing for Gerrard as Liverpool could only finish fourth in the Barclays Premiership. Euro 2004 was to prove equally dissapointing for the hungry Gerrard. After a bad start losing a 1-0 lead to France in the last few minutes, England recovered briefly, escaping their group before eventually losing on penalties to hosts Portugal at the Quarter-Final stage.
2005/06 was a season that lasted almost 12 months for Gerrard with Liverpool kicking off their defence of the Champions League trophy in July 2005, while he was representing his country at the World Cup until early July 2006. It ended in despair for him as he missed a penalty in their shoot-out defeat to Portugal.Things didn't improve much for Gerrard in 2007/08. Although he was as talismanic as ever in the heart of the Liverpool midfield, he ended the season trophyless and was left frustrated as England failed to qualify for Euro 2008.
In the 2008/09 season he was once again the heartbeat of Liverpool as they pushed harder than ever to win the Premier League. They came up empty-handed but Gerrard won the Football Writers' Player Of The Year. In March 2009 he scored his first hat-trick in a 5-0 win over Aston Villa, as well as playing his part in a famous 4-1 win at Old Trafford.

Zinedine Zidane

noreply@blogger.com (sunaryo kastawi) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:41:00 +0000

Personal Information

Full name: Zinedine Yazid Zidane
Date of birth: June 23, 1972
Birthplace: Marseille, France
Nationality: French
2nd nationality: Algerian
EU passport: Yes
Height: 185 cms
Position: Attacking Midfielder [C]
Squad Number: 5
Previous clubs: Cannes > Bordeaux > Juventus > (£45.62m) Real Madrid > retired in 2006
International debut: August 1994, v Czech Republic
International Caps: 106
International Goals: 29

Honours

World Cups: France 1998 (1st), Korea/Japan 2002, Germany 2006 (2nd)
FIFA World Cup (1998)
UEFA European Football Championship (2000)

Intercontinental Cup (1996, 2002)
UEFA Super Cup (1996, 2002)
Italian Super Cup (1997)
Italian Serie A (1997, 1998)
UEFA Champions League (2002)
Spanish La Liga (2003)
Spanish Super Cup (2003)

French Young Footballer of the Year (1994)
Italian Serie A Foreign Footballer of the Year (1997, 2001)
European Footballer of the Year (1998)
FIFA World Player of the Year (1998, 2000, 2003)
World Soccer Player of the Year (1998)
French Footballer of the Year (1998, 2002)
UEFA European Football Championship MVP (2000)
UEFA Club Footballer of the Year (2002)
FIFA World Cup MVP (2006)

Franck Ribery

noreply@blogger.com (sunaryo kastawi) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:30:00 +0000

Personal Information

Full Name: Franck Ribery
Birth Date: April 7, 1983
Birth Place: Boulogne-sur-Mer, France
Height: 1.70m
Weight: 62 kg
Age: 26
Position: Midfielder
Squad: 7

Honours

• 2005 Turkish Cup Winner (Galatasaray)
• 2006 French Cup Runner-up (Marseille)
• 2006 World Cup Final Runner-up (France)
• 2007 French Cup Runner-up (Marseille)

Ronaldo

noreply@blogger.com (sunaryo kastawi) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:22:00 +0000

Personal Information

Full name: Luiz Nazario de Lima, Ronaldo
Nicknames: Ronaldinho, Dadado.
Date of Birth: 22 September 1976
Birth Place: Bento Ribeiro, Rio de Janeiro (Brasil)
Height: 1,83 m.
Weight:79 kg.

AWARDS

CONMEBOL championship- Sub-16
Mineiro Championship '94 - Cruzeiro
USA World Cup'94 - Brazil
Holanda goalscorer '95 - PSV
Holanda Cup '95 - PSV
Espaol goalscorer '96 - Barcelona
Espaol Supercup'96 - Barcelona
Spanish league best foreigner player '96/'97 - Barcelona
Recopa Europea '97 - Barcelona
King Cup '97 - Barcelona
American Cup '97 - Brazil
UEFA Cup'97 - Inter
Best player of the world- FIFA'96
Silver ball '96
Best player of the world- FIFA '97
Golden ball '97
Italian league best foreigner player '97/'98 - Inter
Italian best foreigner player '97/'98 - Inter
American Cup '99 - Brazil
FIFA World Cup 2002 goalscorer- Brazil