Wednesday, May 14, 2008
http://expertfootball.com/players/maradona/biography.php
Diego Armando Maradona is arguably the greatest footballer that has ever put on a pair of boots. He is born in the slums of Villa Fiorito near Buenos Aires as the fifth of eight children. Maradona enters professional football at the astonishing age of 15. By the time he turns 16, Diego is called in the senior national squad of Argentina. Regardless of his talent, Diego is considered too young by coach Cesar Menotti, who rejects him from his selection for the 1978 World Cup. Bitterly disappointed, Maradona watches the tournament from home as his country wins gold. In the following four years, Diego dominates his country's domestic league and is eventually added to the Argentine squad for Spain 1982.Argentina advances from the first stage of the tournament by losing to Belgium, but beating Hungary and Salvador. Maradona manages to leave his mark with two beautiful, yet not critical goals. In the the second stage of the tournament, Maradona is manhandled by his Italian marker Claudio Gentile. Diego's frustration gets him sent off. Argentina fails to advance and Diego is again suppressed from unleashing his full potential. Although unsuccessful, the brilliance of the Argentine footballer does not go unnoticed and after the World Cup, he is picked up by European powerhouse Barcelona. By 1984, Maradona had established himself in Barca and is picked up by the Italian club Napoli.
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iQVL-0GQnale-T-erE4xSjIw_DFQ
Russian president signs Champions League visa waiver
12 hours ago
MOSCOW (AFP) — Russian president Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday signed an order allowing fans to use match tickets as entry visas for next week's Champions League final in Moscow.
"In the period between 18 and 25 May, 2008, foreign citizens and persons without citizenship, who are coming to Moscow to attend the Champions' League final will be able to enter the Russian federation territory without entry visas," the order run.
"The supporters will have to show a valid match ticket, a valid passport and a completed immigration form upon entry to Russia."
The order came into force immediately after signing.
Manchester United and Chelsea clash in the Champions' League final on May 21 at Moscow's Luzhniki stadium.
12 hours ago
MOSCOW (AFP) — Russian president Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday signed an order allowing fans to use match tickets as entry visas for next week's Champions League final in Moscow.
"In the period between 18 and 25 May, 2008, foreign citizens and persons without citizenship, who are coming to Moscow to attend the Champions' League final will be able to enter the Russian federation territory without entry visas," the order run.
"The supporters will have to show a valid match ticket, a valid passport and a completed immigration form upon entry to Russia."
The order came into force immediately after signing.
Manchester United and Chelsea clash in the Champions' League final on May 21 at Moscow's Luzhniki stadium.
Friday, May 9, 2008
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FC_Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona (Spanish IPA: [ˈfutβol ˌkluβ baɾθeˈlona], Catalan IPA: [fuδˈβɔɫ ˌklup bəɾsəˈlonə]), known familiarly as Barça (Spanish IPA: [ˈbaɾsa], Catalan IPA: [ˈbaɾsə]), is a sports club based in Barcelona, Spain. It is best known for its football team, which was founded in 1899 by a group of Swiss, English, and Spanish men led by Joan Gamper. The club has become a Catalan institution, hence the motto Més que un club (More than a club).
They were founding members of La Liga in 1928, and, together with Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao, they have never been relegated from the top division. The club were also the first La Liga champions, winning a total of 18 La Liga, 24 Copa del Rey, 7 Supercopa de España, 2 UEFA Champions League, 4 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, 3 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and 2 European Super Cup trophies.
The club's main stadium is the Camp Nou and the fans of FC Barcelona are known as culers or culés. In Spain, about 25.7% of the population are said to be Barça supporters[1]. In June 2007, the number of socis (club members/owners) reached 156,366, while in June 2006 the number of penyes (officially-registered supporter clubs) reached 1782 worldwide.
The club also operates a reserve team, FC Barcelona B, and four other professional sports teams, AXA FC Barcelona, FC Barcelona, FC Barcelona Futsal and FC Barcelona Sorli Discau that compete at basketball, handball, futsal and rink hockey respectively. Until 2007 there was also a youth team, FC Barcelona C.
There are also a number of prominent amateur sports teams that compete at rugby union, women's football and wheelchair basketball. These include FCB Rugby and FC Barcelona-Institut Guttman. Other amateur teams represent the club at ice hockey, athletics, baseball, cycling, field hockey, figure skating, and volleyball.
During the 2006-07 season, FC Barcelona was the third richest club in the world with a revenue of €291.1 million.[2][3]
http://www.lionelmessi.com/biography/
Lionel Messi was born into the world on June 24, 1987 in Rosario, Sante Fe Province (Argentina). Football came very naturally to Lionel and he began playing for his local team coached by his father, Grandoli, at the tender age of 5. In 1995, at just 8 years of age, Messi moved up the career ladder fast and joined Newell's Old Boys. However, it was not all a fairytale for Lionel and at 11 years of age, he was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency, which would cast doubt over his entire career in the game. River Plate, Argentina's then most famous club, were interested in capturing Messi's signature, but could not afford the $800 per month treatment Lionel would require to treat his problem. Already on their radar, FC Barcelona intervened and offered Lionel the treatment if he was prepared to move overseas to Spain. Messi's family agreed to this and the beginning of his rise to stardom was quietly being etched.
Lionel Messi made an immediate impact at Barcelona playing in the youth teams, frequently the game's outstanding player. He soon forced his way into the Barcelona B team, notching a hugely impressive 37 goals in 30 games, a tally which was unheard of for an attacking midfielder.
In October 2004, Lionel was given his big opportunity in the FC Barcelona first team against Espanyol. Messi was the third ever youngest player to play for Barcelona. In May 2005, at the age of 17 years, 10 months and 7 days, Lionel scored his first ever senior goal against Albacete, making him Barcelona's youngest ever La Liga scorer.
Often referred to as an Argentinian-Spanish player, this crossover was brought into sharp focus when in 2004, Lionel was offered the chance to play for the Spanish national U20 team. He declined the offer given his Argentinian heritage and was given the opportunity to play for Argentina's U20 team against Paraguay in June 2004.
His international career did not take shape however until June 2005, during the U20 Football World Youth Championship in the Netherlands. Lionel Messi was a surprise substitute at the beginning of the tournament, being much younger than most of the other players on the team. However, he was given his opportunity, and since then, he never looked back. Messi was instrumental in guiding the Argentinian team to glory in the tournament, scoring six goals to earn himself both the Golden Boot award and the Golden Ball award (as the tournament's best player). His mazy, mesmerising runs had left the world in awe at such an outstanding young talent.
Following the display, Messi was hailed as Diego Maradona's true successor, even by the latter himself several months later. On June 27, 2005, to warn off other clubs, Barcelona offered Lionel Messi a contract extension which would contain a buyout clause of 150 Million Euros (30 Million more than the talismanic Ronaldinho), underlining how much the player meant to the club.
Messi's big international break came on August 4, 2005 when Argentina's then boss, Jose Pekerman, offered him the senior cap he had craved against Hungary. Messi lasted just 40 seconds in the match, being sent off for an elbow on Vilmos Vanczak. Messi left the pitch emotionally, a decision which was heavily criticised by many eminent figures, such as Maradona himself. Messi got another opportunity to make what he famously described as his "re-debut" in the country's next match against Paraguay.
The 2005-2006 season was delayed in a first team capacity of Messi until on September 25, 2005, he was awarded Spanish citizenship. This enabled Messi to play due to Barcelona's non-EU quota already being filled. Messi made his Champions League debut in Porto and played his first home Champions League match against Udinese on September 27, 2005. His dazzling skills and chemistry with Ronaldinho earned him a standing ovation, in front of a huge 70,000 plus home faithful. Later in the year, Messi was awarded the Golden Boy title by Italian newspaper Tuttosport as the best U21 player, ahead of prodigies such as Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lukas Podolski.
From:http://www.lionelmessi.com/biography/
Lionel Messi made an immediate impact at Barcelona playing in the youth teams, frequently the game's outstanding player. He soon forced his way into the Barcelona B team, notching a hugely impressive 37 goals in 30 games, a tally which was unheard of for an attacking midfielder.
In October 2004, Lionel was given his big opportunity in the FC Barcelona first team against Espanyol. Messi was the third ever youngest player to play for Barcelona. In May 2005, at the age of 17 years, 10 months and 7 days, Lionel scored his first ever senior goal against Albacete, making him Barcelona's youngest ever La Liga scorer.
Often referred to as an Argentinian-Spanish player, this crossover was brought into sharp focus when in 2004, Lionel was offered the chance to play for the Spanish national U20 team. He declined the offer given his Argentinian heritage and was given the opportunity to play for Argentina's U20 team against Paraguay in June 2004.
His international career did not take shape however until June 2005, during the U20 Football World Youth Championship in the Netherlands. Lionel Messi was a surprise substitute at the beginning of the tournament, being much younger than most of the other players on the team. However, he was given his opportunity, and since then, he never looked back. Messi was instrumental in guiding the Argentinian team to glory in the tournament, scoring six goals to earn himself both the Golden Boot award and the Golden Ball award (as the tournament's best player). His mazy, mesmerising runs had left the world in awe at such an outstanding young talent.
Following the display, Messi was hailed as Diego Maradona's true successor, even by the latter himself several months later. On June 27, 2005, to warn off other clubs, Barcelona offered Lionel Messi a contract extension which would contain a buyout clause of 150 Million Euros (30 Million more than the talismanic Ronaldinho), underlining how much the player meant to the club.
Messi's big international break came on August 4, 2005 when Argentina's then boss, Jose Pekerman, offered him the senior cap he had craved against Hungary. Messi lasted just 40 seconds in the match, being sent off for an elbow on Vilmos Vanczak. Messi left the pitch emotionally, a decision which was heavily criticised by many eminent figures, such as Maradona himself. Messi got another opportunity to make what he famously described as his "re-debut" in the country's next match against Paraguay.
The 2005-2006 season was delayed in a first team capacity of Messi until on September 25, 2005, he was awarded Spanish citizenship. This enabled Messi to play due to Barcelona's non-EU quota already being filled. Messi made his Champions League debut in Porto and played his first home Champions League match against Udinese on September 27, 2005. His dazzling skills and chemistry with Ronaldinho earned him a standing ovation, in front of a huge 70,000 plus home faithful. Later in the year, Messi was awarded the Golden Boy title by Italian newspaper Tuttosport as the best U21 player, ahead of prodigies such as Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lukas Podolski.
From:http://www.lionelmessi.com/biography/
Brazilian soccer star Ronaldinho was born Ronaldo de Assis Moreira on March 21, 1980, in Porto Alegre. He's named after fellow Brazilian soccer star Ronaldo. His career began with the youth team Gremio in Porto Algere, and his first senior appearance came in 1998 Libertadores Cup. In 2001, Ronaldinho left Gremio to play European football and signed a five-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain, but his manager Luis Fernandez claimed that he was too focused on the Paris nightlife rather than on his football.
On July 19, 2003, he was traded to F.C. Barcelona for 18 million pounds and on December 20, 2004, he was named FIFA World player of The Year. Ronaldinho also plays for the Brazilian National team, and made his debut on June 26, 1999, against Latvia, and won the 2002 World Cup with the team. He is married to dancer Janaina Nattielle Viana Mendes, and they have a son named Joao.
From:Brazilian soccer star Ronaldinho was born Ronaldo de Assis Moreira on March 21, 1980, in Porto Alegre. He's named after fellow Brazilian soccer star Ronaldo. His career began with the youth team Gremio in Porto Algere, and his first senior appearance came in 1998 Libertadores Cup. In 2001, Ronaldinho left Gremio to play European football and signed a five-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain, but his manager Luis Fernandez claimed that he was too focused on the Paris nightlife rather than on his football.
On July 19, 2003, he was traded to F.C. Barcelona for 18 million pounds and on December 20, 2004, he was named FIFA World player of The Year. Ronaldinho also plays for the Brazilian National team, and made his debut on June 26, 1999, against Latvia, and won the 2002 World Cup with the team. He is married to dancer Janaina Nattielle Viana Mendes, and they have a son named Joao.
On July 19, 2003, he was traded to F.C. Barcelona for 18 million pounds and on December 20, 2004, he was named FIFA World player of The Year. Ronaldinho also plays for the Brazilian National team, and made his debut on June 26, 1999, against Latvia, and won the 2002 World Cup with the team. He is married to dancer Janaina Nattielle Viana Mendes, and they have a son named Joao.
From:Brazilian soccer star Ronaldinho was born Ronaldo de Assis Moreira on March 21, 1980, in Porto Alegre. He's named after fellow Brazilian soccer star Ronaldo. His career began with the youth team Gremio in Porto Algere, and his first senior appearance came in 1998 Libertadores Cup. In 2001, Ronaldinho left Gremio to play European football and signed a five-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain, but his manager Luis Fernandez claimed that he was too focused on the Paris nightlife rather than on his football.
On July 19, 2003, he was traded to F.C. Barcelona for 18 million pounds and on December 20, 2004, he was named FIFA World player of The Year. Ronaldinho also plays for the Brazilian National team, and made his debut on June 26, 1999, against Latvia, and won the 2002 World Cup with the team. He is married to dancer Janaina Nattielle Viana Mendes, and they have a son named Joao.
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