skip to main |
skip to sidebar
lionel messi
An outstanding Lionel Messi saved the El-Classico for the catalans and most importantly made sure that the difference between Sevilla and the defending champions will be only 3 points. Don't be surprised if yesterday's El-Classico will be remembered as Lionel Messi's ElClassico. At last Messi started giving justification to El Diego's comments of making his successor. He has been showing flashes of his brilliance till yesterday, but yesterday he just released the first part of a hopefully long film called "Messi Unleashed". Yesterday's match was a battle between the collective determinations of the mardid players and individual brilliance of Barcelona players. As usual Barcelona defense played havoc and was responsible for their entire problems. But Barca players were not helped properly by a team management which was as confused as the players. First of all I never understood the formation played by Barca yesterday, but I am lucky that I am not the only one. It looked like the players also never had any idea and moreover they were not at all confident with the defense. Otherwise its not easy to explain the number of reckless challenges thrown by players.
lionel messi
The first Goal came from a defensive lapse from the most unlikely player, Thuram. But this has been the story of Barcelona this season. The faults are coming from the most unlikely players of all. Last season Edmillson looked like one of the best defensive midfielder, this season it gives me nightmares thinking about he playing in the side. So is the case with Marquez. Hopefully there are some good news coming and most probably we will sign Abidal and Frings this summer. These two guys surely should solve our aerial defense problem. But then when Thuram and Zam came everyone said this, you cannot guess anything in Barcelona.
lionel messi
The Goals scored by Barca were brilliant. Beautiful teamwork and individual skills. Iniesta looked like he was playing Polo when he was put in the Back. But the moment he came forward he was back to his best. Gudjonsen looks like he will give us a more physical option in front of the goal. The defense........mmmmmmmmmm... Did we have one? I don't know... deco didn't look at his best. Ronnie showed flashes of brilliance. But the real stars of night were Messi, Iker Cassilas and Victor Valdes. They were just simply awesome.
lionel messi
Is he the greatest contemporary footballer in the game today? Many might argue that yes, Lionel Messi is the greatest. After all, fans and foes have often drawn lines of comparison between Messi and his hero, the legendary Deigo Maradona. Add to that the ultimate compliment offered up by Maradona himself, who stated Messi would be his "successor", and it's kind of hard not to at least notice that Lionel Messi is one amazing footballer.
lionel messi
As a striker/winger for Barcelona and a member of the Argentine Senior International Team, Messi made his debut with Barcelona during the 2004/05 Season and broke La Liga's record for being the youngest player to ever score a league goal. The young striker's aggressive play and sheer athleticism powered him to a spot as a first team regular in Barcelona in 2006/07, when he scored 14 goals in only 26 league games. Then, as if to raise the bar for himself, he went on to score 38 goals in Barcelona's incredible 2008/2009 Season.
lionel messi
As a top scorer in the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship, he soon became an established player in the Argentine Senior International Team. As part of that squad, Messi became the youngest Argentine player ever to participate in a World Cup match in 2006. Later, in 2008, he was part of the Argentine Olympic squad and was honored with a gold medal for his efforts in the Beijing Games.
lionel messi
Beloved of fans on the field, he also deserves kudos for his charitable efforts off the field, too. In 2007, Messi establish the Fundacion Leo Messi (Leo Messi Foundation). The charity supports access to both education and health care for children in at risk situations. Likely a response to his own childhood illness, Messi makes sure the foundation supports assistance for Argentine children diagnosed with difficult medical conditions by offering them advanced treatments in Spain and covering their expenses including transportation, hospital stay and rehabilitation. He is partnered with the company Herbalife in this endeavor. In March of this year, Messi became a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF, at least partially due to his personal efforts on behalf of children's rights.
lionel messi
While many FC Barcelona football tickets are bought by those wanting to see the marvels of Ronaldinho and Eto'o at the Nou Camp, one of the most exciting young players to regularly grace the line up of FC Barcelona is the Argentinean player Lionel Messi.
lionel messi
While highly regarded in the Nou Camp, his profile has been lower than the two previously mentioned players until now; but perhaps the beginning of the end of his relative low-profile happened last week when he scored an amazing goal in a match against Getafe in the Copa del Rey - the King's Cup.
lionel messi
The match - in which Barcelona beat Getafe 5-2 - saw two goals from Messi, as well as Xavi, Eto'o and Gudjohnsen, but it is the Messi's first goal in particular that people are talking about nearly a week after the event.
lionel messi
In an almost move for move reproduction of Maradona's "goal of the century" against England in the 1986 World Cup semi-final - English fans will never forgive Maradona scoring off a handball in the same match, dubbed by Maradona himself as "the hand of God" - Leo Messi received the ball from Xavi, beat a total of five Getafe players and then knocked the ball past the goalkeeper into the net, running a distance of 63 metres in doing so.
lionel messi
Naturally Messi is being compared with Diego Maradona, to whom he dedicated the goal, and if you watch the two goals side by side the similarities are eerie.
lionel messi
Although Messi's star is currently shining bright, the future for the young player was at one time looking bleak. Diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency when he was eleven years old, a time when the Argentinean economy was in meltdown, neither his family nor the club that had expressed an interest in him, Club Atletico River Plate, were unable to afford the treatment.
lionel messi
However, his family jumped at the chance of starting a new life in Spain when Catalan giants FC Barcelona stepped in with an offer that included all medical expenses and he quickly flourished in Barcelona's youth team. Since becoming a first team regular he has become a firm favourite and puts his talent to good use against some of the top teams in the league, including arch-rivals Real Madrid.
lionel messi
Although the comparison with Maradona unfair at this early stage in his career, providing Lionel Messi can remain motivated and injury free then he could easily join the ranks of the football greats.
lionel messi
From his very early youth it was obvious that Lionel Messi had a gift for soccer. His early gaming skills are still engraved in public memory at La Bajada, a poor neighborhood in Rosario, an Argentine city, where his family still resides. Messi is the star of the World Cup 2010 but no one is really surprised about that.
lionel messi
Everyone in his hometown, including his mother suggest that Messi was different from all the rest. He was a different kind of soccer player. Messi played for years in the youth scheme of Rosario Club Old Boys. It was from that team that Messi moved to Barcelona in 2000, at the age of 13. His coach in Rosario suggests that one day he saw a lefty taking the ball and the boy seemed to be like a weaver, with a great shot, a short sprint and a particular method of pulling away. His dribbling was also exceptional. It came as no surprise that Messi is the star of the World Cup 2010.
lionel messi
A house in Rosario still bears the evidence of Messi's game. One day the young boy was practicing his penalty shots, playing with friends on the street. He hit the ball and the ball hit the wall of the house. That goal is still painted red in that house, and its owner says proudly that Messi used to practice there before he became a worldwide known player. He also said that the power of his shots made the pictures shake on the walls, so he will never forget about this little boy that was playing and practicing outside his house. Especially, now, he is the huge star of the World Cup 2010.
lionel messi
Messi was still young when discovered by a man named Salvador Aparicio, who needed one more player to field his team, so he asked if Leo could play. That was the first time that this kid, five years old at the time, much younger than all the rest of the players would wear a soccer jersey and play in a normal football club. No one at that time could have thought that Messi was about to be a key player and star of the World Cup 2010.
lionel messi
All coaches said that it was impossible to keep Messi on the bench for more than five minutes, because the team always needed him. There were some moments though that he was not asked to play and these were the worst moments for the young player.
lionel messi
Messi is a player who knows what he wants in the field and he knows how to get it. He also knows that he is not supposed to break, that he is the one to take a step further when needed, taking his squad a step further as well. Messi is also the type of guy who doesn't want to be the star or the sparkle of the team, but he wants to be the player, without whom the team cannot play, keeping a low profile and a calm attitude. This is why he is for everyone who watches soccer, the star of the World Cup 2010.
lionel messi
Lionel Messi's emergence as the world's footballer of the year 2009 was no surprise to so many soccer enthusiasts who have followed the progress of this young soccer icon. This young man came into the limelight during the World Youth Championship (FIFA-20) in the Netherlands in 2005 where he dazzled the world with his dribbling and scoring skills; he eventually emerged the most valuable player of the championship.
lionel messi
Lionel Messi has improved tremendously. Ever since he led his country Argentina to win the FIFA U-20 championship in 2005, he has added more medals to his coffer, including the Olympics gold medal in 2008, the UEFA champions league trophies in 2006 and 2009, the Spanish league trophies, the Spanish F.A. cup, the world clubs cup, the European footballer of the year 2009, and now the FIFA world footballer of the 2009 award.Still in his twenties, he has age on his side and also has a very good club side where contribution of others would help improve his skills further.
lionel messi
One word for Messi 'keep your head cool and the sky will be your limit'. He should remember he is a role model who has a lot of influence on children and lovers of the game of football; he should therefore avoid anything capable of tarnishing his reputation on and off the pitch of play.
lionel messi
This young, talented, amiable, humble and respectable footballer has achieved in a space of four years what so many footballers could not achieve in their entire soccer careers. This soccer maestro has little or nothing more to prove to the soccer world. His award as world footballer of the year has now put him on the same level with soccer heroes like Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, Paulo Madini, Canavalho, George Weah, Kaka, etc.
lionel messi
The year 2009 was certainly the best year in the life of Lionel Messi and remains a year he would always remember because of the achievements he had - league trophy, F.A. Cup, World Clubs Cup, European footballer of the year award and FIFA world footballer of the year award. This is certainly no mean achievement.
lionel messi
Football history would never be complete without the inclusion of this soccer icon - Lionel Messi. Barcelona FC expects to reap more gains from the investment they made on this young talent. And now that he has helped Argentina to qualify for the world cup in South Africa what shall we expect from him? The world certainly expects nothing less than a dazzling performance.
lionel messi
Argentine national and FC Barcelona midfielder Lionel Messi has once again been voted FIFA World footballer of the year for the second consecutive year following his exploits in both his club side and national team.
.jpg "lionel messi")
lionel messi
The mercurial attacking midfielder has been instrumental to Barca's superlative runs in both the La Liga and the UEFA Champions' league in the past 5 years. His speed, dribbling skills and brilliant passes have no doubt contributed in great measures to the success stories of FC Barcelona.
lionel messi
He assisted the former champions to the semi final stage of the UEFA Champions' league last season; and also played a significant role in their emergence as the La Liga champions. He also played a significant part in his country getting to the quarter final stage of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
lionel messi
This wonder kid has kept improving since he made his mark at the World Youth Championship in the Netherlands in 2005: he has not looked back ever since. Now he is beginning to rub shoulders with the great names in soccer history - Arantes De Nacimento (Pele), Zinedine Zidane, Louis Nazario DeLima (Ronaldo), Manco Van Basten, Ronaldinho, etc.
lionel messi
When he took the world by surprise in 2005, a lot of people had concluded that his performance then was a flash in the pan; but today he has proved all his critics wrong by adding titles upon titles to his coffers.
lionel messi
Winning the World Footballer award back to back is no mean feat: only few footballers have actually been able to achieve that. Messi has been able to get to this enviable level as a result of his discipline and cool-headedness. He has not allowed pride to come into him; he has not allowed his achievements to go into his head.
lionel messi
This is no doubt a deserved victory. That the world voted overwhelmingly for him in preference to Cristiano Ronaldo shows that his success was truly great and convincing. He proved himself in the field of play; he made an impact as a player and as a team member.
lionel messi
With age on his side, Lionel Messi may go ahead to surpass the records of Pele, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Diego Maradona, Manco Van Basten, etc. He has already surpassed some of the records of these soccer greats by winning the Olympics soccer medal and the FIFA Club World Cup.
lionel messi
The way he is playing this season, he may just end up winning the award for the 3rd consecutive year. He has scored several goals already and provided about 15 assists in the La Liga. He has remained consistent in both the league and the Champions' league as well.
lionel messi
The world celebrates with you on your achievement as the current World Footballer of the year. We wish you many more years of soccer achievements. More kudos to you, Lionel Messi.
lionel messi
Lionel Messi was born in Rosario city on June 24, 1987. He started playing football at the age of five for Grandoli, a club coached by his father. Messi switched to Newell's Old Boys in 1995. At the age of 11, he was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency. Every month Messi required treatment for the illness that cost over 500 Pounds. River Plate showed interest in Messi's progress, but did not have enough money to pay for his treatment. FC Barcelona was made aware of Messi talent. After watching him play, Barcelona signed him and offer to pay for the medical bills if he was willing to move to Spain.
lionel messi
Messi is a player with exceptional quality. He is highly creative, and has the skills to take on defenders with ease. He is a versatile left-footed player who can play either in the middle or on either wing, or even as a centre forward. Messi makes up for the lack of height with his speed and agility. His sudden changes in pace make him a true problem for the defenders. In addition, his accurate powerful shot make him truly unique in free kick and corner situations. He has drawn comparisons to Diego Maradona, and indeed Maradona himself named Messi his "successor".
lionel messi
In club football, Messi made his debut against Espanyol on October 16, 2004, becoming the third-youngest player ever to play for FC Barcelona and youngest club player who played in La Liga at that that time (a record broken by team mate Bojan Krkic in September 2007). He scored his first senior goal against Albacete Balompié on May 1, 2005. Messi was 17 years, 10 months and 7 days old at that time, becoming the youngest player to ever score in a La Liga game for FC Barcelona until 2007 when Bojan Krkic broke this record.
lionel messi
Messi won the Under 20 World Cup in Holland with Argentina. He was crowned the leading goalscorer and voted best player in the tournament. Aged 18 years, he had become one of the hottest properties in the world game. Shortly after, he made his first full international appearance in a friendly against Hungary. In 2005, José Pekerman called Messi up to the senior Argentine national team. He made his debut on August 17, 2005 against Hungary. He was sent off in the 63rd minute, just 40 seconds after he came in as a substitute. The referee found Messi to have elbowed defender Vilmos Vanczák, who was tugging Messi's shirt. He left the pitch disappointed and in tears.
lionel messi
South Africa World Cup 2010 is around the corner and fans from all over the world can't wait to watch current soccer stars go head-to-head during the much anticipated tournament. On June 11th 2010, South Africa the host country will kick-off the tournament against Mexico which will be the first game of group A which is composed by South Africa, Mexico, Uruguay, and France. Although millions of fans are expected to watch the opening ceremony, many more are expected to be glued to the TV on June 12th which is the day Argentina will play its first game of the tournament against Nigeria. The reason for the increase in viewers is not because this is a classic, but because of Argentina's young star Lionel Messi.
lionel messi
At merely 22 years old, Lionel Messi has been named the best soccer player in the planet already and has won championships with his current team Barcelona FC.
lionel messi
Lionel Messi is a small mid-fielder with heart of a lion. He is only 5 feet 7 inches making his ball handling skills and noticeable lower body strength a sight for sore eyes for the hard-core soccer fans. His soccer skills are so impressive that has been compared to the Argentinean legend Diego Maradona. Messi moved to Europe with his family at an early age, and his soccer skills were developed by Barcelona FC. In the 2004-2005 Spanish soccer league (La Liga) Messi was the youngest player to debut in a team in La Liga and the youngest to score a goal in an official game in La Liga.
lionel messi
Although the Argentinean national soccer team struggled to qualify for this summers World Cup, all eyes will be on this team because its heart and soul is named Lionel Messi.
lionel messi
Lionel is only 24 years old and currently plays for fc Barcelona. Born in Rosario, Messi started playing football at the age of 5, under his father's wings, at a local club. He then rolled into the Barca youth team where he worked his way up from C-B teams to the main squad in rapid pace. His debut in the highest class of football began at the age of 16, during a friendly against FC Porto.
lionel messi
Now in 2011 it's time to analyse his style of play and it becomes crystal clear that he's a master with the ball. Thanks to his short length and fast legs, any opponent will have a hard time keeping up with him. However unlike most magicians, he's also a terrific team player.
lionel messi
Cristiano is 26 years old and is a Real Madrid player. Ronaldo started his career at Sporting (2002) and in 2003 he guided his team to a win against the big Manchester United. The players of Man U knew that they would rather play with him than against him, so they contracted Ronaldo for the start of the 2003 season. After countless of successes, he became the most expensive player ever when he transferred to Real Madrid in June of 2009, the price: 94 million euro.
lionel messi
Ronaldo is a very fast and strong player. He took sprint lessons from the Olympics champion and is clearly a player "from the streets", pulling more tricks with a ball than any party clown could ever aim for. This quality is further emphasised by a great shooting technique that makes him an excellent asset during set pieces.
lionel messi
Now it's time to compare the two players and pinpoint a winner, in my respectful opinion. First it's clear that both players are terrific assets to any team, and both share a lot of qualities. For one they can both outplay several opponents and make a difference when the opposition is tight.
lionel messi
However a winner has to be chosen and in my opinion that winner is Cristiano Ronaldo. At this point Messi might have the edge on the field, but Ronaldo has great free kicks and is clearly stronger physically. The trade off being that Messi is the better team player. I remember Ronaldo when he played for Manchester United and back then he was, without a doubt, the best player in the world. His way of attacking suited the wing-play of Manchester United perfectly, and while less obvious in Madrid's style of play, his past years are to be considered. Also in Ronaldo's favour is his great charisma off the pitch. Messi is a pure footballer and doesn't have that same level of personality away from the field, something past greats (Cruijff, Maradona) did have.
lionel messi
And that's it for this comparison. Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi share a lot of qualities; especially the ball technique of both is ground breaking. And while Messi currently has the edge, in my opinion Ronaldo is the more complete footballer in the long haul, not partly thanks to his great charisma both on and off the pitch. However they're both very young so in the coming years this slight favour can definitely swing both ways.
lionel messi
Another off the Argentine assembly line of "New Maradonas", Lionel Messi may be the first to live up to that unfair comparison. Where Javier Saviola, Juan Roman Riquelme and Pablo Aimar have unsurprisingly failed to match HIS high standards despite initial promise, Messi has shown that even at a young age he is able to carry the weight of expectant teammates and a nation on his shoulders.
lionel messi
Credit must also be given to his Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard for not rushing him into a starting place at Barcelona he is more than ready to hold.
lionel messi
It is clear Messi is a talent, a future player, but I ask that everyone continues supporting him when he is out of the team because he is still very young." Rijkaard said in a recent interview. He continued:
.jpg "lionel messi")
lionel messi
I'm convinced about him because I know he isn't paying attention to all the speculation in the media."He prefers to do his talking on the pitch."
lionel messi
I want to keep on learning and I hope things go well for me. The thing is to help the team as much as possible."
lionel messi
These are the words of a young man with a focused head on his shoulders and more importantly good advisors around him. How many times have we seen the vultures swoop in on young prodigies sweet talking them and their parents into committing career suicide by sulking and demanding more playing time only to become no more than a trivia question five years down the road.
lionel messi
With the World Cup in Germany swiftly approaching Lionel Messi will definitely be one to watch if selected for national duty.
lionel messi
Enrique Domínguez, Messi's former coach said "He could do things with the ball that defied the laws of physics. The only other person I have ever seen do that was Diego Maradona".
lionel messi
Let us all recall that Maradona himself did not come into his own until the 1986 World Cup in Mexico despite being tipped for great things in Spain four years prior. That World Cup was a general disappointment for Maradona as well as Argentina. Messi will be three years younger than Maradona was in his first World Cup appearance and it is important that we all allow Lionel to continue developing at his current pace without placing on him too much pressure for a teenager to handle. For his part Messi must maintain his enthusiasm and work ethic that has so far impressed his coaches and peers. If he can do that then the sky is indeed his limit.
.jpg "lionel messi")
.jpg "lionel messi")