In the section Video Ronaldinho I launched in my blog a few days ago, as I explained the purpose of this section is sharing with you some of the best plays of Ronaldinho, so you can witness for yourself his magic with the soccer ball, dribbles and tricks.
This time I will share with you one of the greatest moments I think Ronaldinho has ever had in his career, he has had many great moments, but this one in particular is sort of an icon, at least that's my point of view. The ocasion was very special, it was a very important game, FC Barcelona was playing against Real Madrid in Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. That day I can say that most soccer fans in the world were expecting this particular game, I don't know how many people watched on TV that game, but it must have been millions all over the world. I was one of them, and I was thinking about what a great season FC Barcelona was having, and what a great season for Ronaldinho as well. I was like expecting a great game from Ronaldinho that day, but I never could imagine how big performance he was going to have.
FC Barcelona won that game 3-0, the 1st goal was made by Eto'o in the first half. The 2nd and 3rd goals do you know or do you remember who scored them?. I'm sure you already know the answer..........Ronaldinho of course!. But these were no usual or simple goals, they really were spectacular.
After the last goal from Ronaldinho, he received and oustanding ovation and applauses from Real Madrid fans. Well, if you want to take a look at these great moments that day in Madrid, you are invited to watch this video, just press the play button, it's the one with the little triangle. I hope you enjoy......
Aug 7, 2006
Ronaldinho professional career
I've been doing some research about Ronaldinho's professional career in soccer, since his early beginnings in Brazil, up until now with FC Barcelona. I would like to share with you his chronological history, with his participations in the soccer teams where he has made a terrific history. This is a briefing, mainly just for a quick review.
The Gremio years
Ronaldinho's career began in the youth team Gremio from Porto Alegre. Do you know who was his coach in Gremio?. Well, his coach was Luiz Felipe Scolari, who would some years later coach the Brazilian national team to win in the 2002 World Cup. His first senior appearance was in the 1998 Libertadores Cup, and his ability for goalscoring was quickly displayed, his career soon generating interest due to his phenomenal ball control and ability to score. This was followed by his introduction into the Brazilian national team in 1999.
Towards the end of his career at Gremio, in 2001, many clubs from all over the world, particularly teams from the Premier Soccer League in England, were eager to sign him as an attempt to attain a player who was both a "big name" and was also performing well. Despite several generous bids from Premiership teams (who would not have been able to sign him due to work permit restrictions) and several requests from Gremio, Ronaldinho signed a five-year contract with PSG, a popular French soccer team, to which he moved at the beginning of the following season.
In 2001 Ronaldinho left Gremio to play European soccer. Despite bids from much larger clubs, he opted to play for PSG. During his time at PSG, the manager, Luis Fernandez, claimed that Ronaldinho was too focused on the Parisian nightlife rather than on his soccer, and complained that his holidays in Brazil would always drag on and never end at the scheduled times.
After the 2002 World Cup, having shown his worth on the international scene, there was no shortage of interest from bigger clubs. In 2003, Ronaldinho made it clear he wanted to leave PSG after they failed to qualify for any European competitions. Ronaldinho's desire to leave set off a bidding war among the top European clubs (Manchester United and FC Barcelona the notable examples) for his services. The club that ended up winning the battle for his services was FC Barcelona.
The Barcelona years
Ronaldinho in 2004.
On July 19, 2003, FC Barcelona acquired Ronaldinho for about 30 million US$. Originally, Barcelona was trying to bring David Beckham to the club, but following his transfer to Real Madrid, Barcelona entered the running for Ronaldinho and beat Manchester United to his signature. It was thought that a failure on the part of the English and French clubs to agree on a fee was the reason Manchester United's deal fell through. Ronaldinho is also said to have signed with Barcelona instead of Manchester United because of his friendship with former Nike executive in Brazil and Barcelona's then vice-president in charge of sports, someone by the name of Sandro Rosell. Ronaldinho's signing with Barcelona follows in the footsteps of a number of other famous brazilian soccer players with the club, including Romario, Ronaldo and Rivaldo.
Barcelona quickly showcased the talents of their new striker in an exhibition match against AC Milan. The match took place in front of a crowd of 45,000 in Washington, D.C. Barcelona had a 1-0 lead through most of the first half, and they increased their lead to 2-0 when Ronaldinho scored in the 51st minute. Having received a short pass from Xavi, Ronaldinho fired a shot that spun around Fernando Redondo and into the net, landing him his first goal for the club.
After returning from injury in the first half of the campaign, Ronaldinho continued to justify his price tag by leading Barcelona to a second-place finish in Spanish soccer championship La Liga during the 2003/04 season. Along with several other great players like Samuel Eto'o, Deco, Xavi, Ludovic Giuly and Henrik Larsson, Ronaldinho comprises part of a strike force which helped bring the 2004/05 La Liga title for FC Barcelona. On December 20, 2004, Ronaldinho was named FIFA World Player of the Year ahead of Arsenal's Thierry Henry and AC Milan's Andriy Shevchenko. It was then that Barcelona rejected a US$ 114 million bid made for him by Chelsea F.C., according to Sandro Rosell.
In March 2005, Barcelona were knocked out of the Champions League by Chelsea in the first knockout round. Ronaldinho scored a penalty kick and an impressive solo goal in the 4-2 loss at Stamford Bridge.
In June 2005, Rosell resigned from the Barcelona administration following a bust-up with Joan Laporta, and it was feared that his resignation would spell the end for Ronaldinho and Barcelona's association as well. With Ronaldinho's contract running only into 2008, he was offered a contract until 2014 that would net him US$ 160 million over those 9 years, which he rejected. Later that year in September, he signed a two-year extension of his original contract on with FC Barcelona. The new contract contains a minimum fee release clause that allows him to leave should a club make an offer to Barcelona of at least US$ 160 million for him.
On November 19, 2005, he scored two solo goals to help FC Barcelona to a 3–0 win over arch-rivals Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid. After he scored his second goal of the night, his team's third, a large part of the Madrid faithful gave him a standing ovation, a rare feat which had not occurred since Diego Maradona played for Barcelona in 1985. By the way, I remember very well this particular game against Real Madrid, I think it has been one of the best games and performances Ronaldinho has ever had in his career. All the soccer world was watching that game, all eyes were in Ronaldinho, and what a performance he made!
In September 2005, Ronaldinho was crowned FifPro Player of the year, an award voted for by his fellow professionals. He was also named in the FifPro team of the year alongside the likes of Zidane and Maldini. In November 2005 Ronaldinho was named as both the European Footballer of the Year and the best striker in the 2004-05 Champions League. In 2005, Ronaldinho became the third Brazilian to win the Ballon d'Or. On December 19, 2005, he was again named FIFA World Player of the Year with 956 points, more than three times the 306 points of Chelsea's Frank Lampard, who finished second in the poll, and the 190 points of Barcelona teammate Samuel Eto'o who finished third. He was chosen for the UEFA team of 2005 for the third time running in January 2006.
Ronaldinho celebrating the victory in 2005/2006 La Liga
On March 7, 2006, in the 2nd leg of the Champions League first knockout round at Nou Camp, Ronaldinho avenged Barcelona's defeat to Chelsea in the same competition the previous year, running past the Chelsea defence to score. Although the game ended 1-1, Barcelona progressed to the Champions League quarterfinal, in which they beat SL Benfica 2-0 at Nou Camp (Ronaldinho having scored the first goal by a penalty kick) after a 0-0 draw at the Estádio da Luz in Lisboa. In the first semi-final leg, against AC Milan in San Siro stadium, Ronaldinho once again proved his worth with a superb pass for the goal volleyed in by Ludovic Giuly, which brought Barcelona a 1-0 victory. The second leg game ended in a goalless draw despite a disallowed goal from Andriy Shevchenko in the 70th minute. The 0-0 result with AC Milan brought Barcelona to the 2006 Champions League Final in Paris against Arsenal F.C., who had not conceded a goal in ten Champions League matches, a competition record.
On May 3, 2006, Barcelona were crowned 2005/2006 La Liga champions after they beat Celta Vigo 1-0.
On May 17, 2006, Barcelona became European champions after defeating Arsenal 2-1 in the Champions League final. In this match Ronaldinho was kept relatively subdued and the goals came from Samuel Eto'o and Juliano Belletti, who were both assisted by Henrik Larsson. Ronaldinho finished the season with 25 goals in all competitions, his best goalscoring tally ever. It was rumoured on the 3rd of August, just a few days ago, that Ronaldinho might move to AC Milan, but Ronaldinho denied it.
It seems we will watch Ronaldinho playing with FC Barcelona over the next few years. However, you never know what could happen, everything is possible in this soccer world.
Well, I hope you could enjoy this quick overview of Ronaldinho's career, at least so far. I'm sure we will have to update this history in the next few years with more championships and great moments.
The Gremio years
Ronaldinho's career began in the youth team Gremio from Porto Alegre. Do you know who was his coach in Gremio?. Well, his coach was Luiz Felipe Scolari, who would some years later coach the Brazilian national team to win in the 2002 World Cup. His first senior appearance was in the 1998 Libertadores Cup, and his ability for goalscoring was quickly displayed, his career soon generating interest due to his phenomenal ball control and ability to score. This was followed by his introduction into the Brazilian national team in 1999.
Towards the end of his career at Gremio, in 2001, many clubs from all over the world, particularly teams from the Premier Soccer League in England, were eager to sign him as an attempt to attain a player who was both a "big name" and was also performing well. Despite several generous bids from Premiership teams (who would not have been able to sign him due to work permit restrictions) and several requests from Gremio, Ronaldinho signed a five-year contract with PSG, a popular French soccer team, to which he moved at the beginning of the following season.
In 2001 Ronaldinho left Gremio to play European soccer. Despite bids from much larger clubs, he opted to play for PSG. During his time at PSG, the manager, Luis Fernandez, claimed that Ronaldinho was too focused on the Parisian nightlife rather than on his soccer, and complained that his holidays in Brazil would always drag on and never end at the scheduled times.
After the 2002 World Cup, having shown his worth on the international scene, there was no shortage of interest from bigger clubs. In 2003, Ronaldinho made it clear he wanted to leave PSG after they failed to qualify for any European competitions. Ronaldinho's desire to leave set off a bidding war among the top European clubs (Manchester United and FC Barcelona the notable examples) for his services. The club that ended up winning the battle for his services was FC Barcelona.
The Barcelona years
Ronaldinho in 2004.
On July 19, 2003, FC Barcelona acquired Ronaldinho for about 30 million US$. Originally, Barcelona was trying to bring David Beckham to the club, but following his transfer to Real Madrid, Barcelona entered the running for Ronaldinho and beat Manchester United to his signature. It was thought that a failure on the part of the English and French clubs to agree on a fee was the reason Manchester United's deal fell through. Ronaldinho is also said to have signed with Barcelona instead of Manchester United because of his friendship with former Nike executive in Brazil and Barcelona's then vice-president in charge of sports, someone by the name of Sandro Rosell. Ronaldinho's signing with Barcelona follows in the footsteps of a number of other famous brazilian soccer players with the club, including Romario, Ronaldo and Rivaldo.
Barcelona quickly showcased the talents of their new striker in an exhibition match against AC Milan. The match took place in front of a crowd of 45,000 in Washington, D.C. Barcelona had a 1-0 lead through most of the first half, and they increased their lead to 2-0 when Ronaldinho scored in the 51st minute. Having received a short pass from Xavi, Ronaldinho fired a shot that spun around Fernando Redondo and into the net, landing him his first goal for the club.
After returning from injury in the first half of the campaign, Ronaldinho continued to justify his price tag by leading Barcelona to a second-place finish in Spanish soccer championship La Liga during the 2003/04 season. Along with several other great players like Samuel Eto'o, Deco, Xavi, Ludovic Giuly and Henrik Larsson, Ronaldinho comprises part of a strike force which helped bring the 2004/05 La Liga title for FC Barcelona. On December 20, 2004, Ronaldinho was named FIFA World Player of the Year ahead of Arsenal's Thierry Henry and AC Milan's Andriy Shevchenko. It was then that Barcelona rejected a US$ 114 million bid made for him by Chelsea F.C., according to Sandro Rosell.
In March 2005, Barcelona were knocked out of the Champions League by Chelsea in the first knockout round. Ronaldinho scored a penalty kick and an impressive solo goal in the 4-2 loss at Stamford Bridge.
In June 2005, Rosell resigned from the Barcelona administration following a bust-up with Joan Laporta, and it was feared that his resignation would spell the end for Ronaldinho and Barcelona's association as well. With Ronaldinho's contract running only into 2008, he was offered a contract until 2014 that would net him US$ 160 million over those 9 years, which he rejected. Later that year in September, he signed a two-year extension of his original contract on with FC Barcelona. The new contract contains a minimum fee release clause that allows him to leave should a club make an offer to Barcelona of at least US$ 160 million for him.
On November 19, 2005, he scored two solo goals to help FC Barcelona to a 3–0 win over arch-rivals Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid. After he scored his second goal of the night, his team's third, a large part of the Madrid faithful gave him a standing ovation, a rare feat which had not occurred since Diego Maradona played for Barcelona in 1985. By the way, I remember very well this particular game against Real Madrid, I think it has been one of the best games and performances Ronaldinho has ever had in his career. All the soccer world was watching that game, all eyes were in Ronaldinho, and what a performance he made!
In September 2005, Ronaldinho was crowned FifPro Player of the year, an award voted for by his fellow professionals. He was also named in the FifPro team of the year alongside the likes of Zidane and Maldini. In November 2005 Ronaldinho was named as both the European Footballer of the Year and the best striker in the 2004-05 Champions League. In 2005, Ronaldinho became the third Brazilian to win the Ballon d'Or. On December 19, 2005, he was again named FIFA World Player of the Year with 956 points, more than three times the 306 points of Chelsea's Frank Lampard, who finished second in the poll, and the 190 points of Barcelona teammate Samuel Eto'o who finished third. He was chosen for the UEFA team of 2005 for the third time running in January 2006.
Ronaldinho celebrating the victory in 2005/2006 La Liga
On March 7, 2006, in the 2nd leg of the Champions League first knockout round at Nou Camp, Ronaldinho avenged Barcelona's defeat to Chelsea in the same competition the previous year, running past the Chelsea defence to score. Although the game ended 1-1, Barcelona progressed to the Champions League quarterfinal, in which they beat SL Benfica 2-0 at Nou Camp (Ronaldinho having scored the first goal by a penalty kick) after a 0-0 draw at the Estádio da Luz in Lisboa. In the first semi-final leg, against AC Milan in San Siro stadium, Ronaldinho once again proved his worth with a superb pass for the goal volleyed in by Ludovic Giuly, which brought Barcelona a 1-0 victory. The second leg game ended in a goalless draw despite a disallowed goal from Andriy Shevchenko in the 70th minute. The 0-0 result with AC Milan brought Barcelona to the 2006 Champions League Final in Paris against Arsenal F.C., who had not conceded a goal in ten Champions League matches, a competition record.
On May 3, 2006, Barcelona were crowned 2005/2006 La Liga champions after they beat Celta Vigo 1-0.
On May 17, 2006, Barcelona became European champions after defeating Arsenal 2-1 in the Champions League final. In this match Ronaldinho was kept relatively subdued and the goals came from Samuel Eto'o and Juliano Belletti, who were both assisted by Henrik Larsson. Ronaldinho finished the season with 25 goals in all competitions, his best goalscoring tally ever. It was rumoured on the 3rd of August, just a few days ago, that Ronaldinho might move to AC Milan, but Ronaldinho denied it.
It seems we will watch Ronaldinho playing with FC Barcelona over the next few years. However, you never know what could happen, everything is possible in this soccer world.
Well, I hope you could enjoy this quick overview of Ronaldinho's career, at least so far. I'm sure we will have to update this history in the next few years with more championships and great moments.
Aug 5, 2006
Ronaldinho hast not seen Zidane head butt!
I was taking a look at the latest news on FC Barcelona US Tour. If you are into the latest news I guess you already know that FC Barcelona will have 3 matches in the US in the next few days, beginning this Sunday. I wrote a post about this a few days ago, if you're interested you can take a look at it in this same website.
Ronaldinho is one of the most seeked players by the journalists of course, that's logic. Everyone seems to be very interested to interview Ronaldinho, everybody is looking forward to hear from him many things, specially after the World Cup, and many other things.
In a recent interview, did you know that Ronaldinho said that he is yet to see Zidane head butt?. Can you believe that?. It's been almost 1 month after the final game in Germany between France and Italy, and Zidane's head butt to Materazzi has been one of the most famous recent events in the World, and that's no joke. I wonder how many millions or even billions of people all over the world have seen this head butt on TV, I bet you already have. Chances of some person who has a little interest in sports or soccer in general are that has already seen this head butt somewhere in the news or TV.
Well, our friend Ronaldinho says he hasn't!. He knows about it of course, but he is yet to see it by himself. He even said I haven't seen anything. Wow, that is incredible, I just can't believe it. But if you think about it for a while, maybe Ronaldinho is telling the truth, it seems that after the World Cup he disconnected himself completely from the Soccer world, he wanted to forget as quickly as possible all about it, and it is not until now that we are watching him again in the news, he was like missing in the last few weeks.
I guess it won't take a long time for him to see by himself this famous head butt. I'm even thinking about sending him to his website or email the head butt video so he can watch. By the way, I found a video of this head butt with different angles, in this one you can almost read Materazzi's leaps, maybe you could even figure out by yourself what he exactly said to Zidane.
Ronaldinho is one of the most seeked players by the journalists of course, that's logic. Everyone seems to be very interested to interview Ronaldinho, everybody is looking forward to hear from him many things, specially after the World Cup, and many other things.
In a recent interview, did you know that Ronaldinho said that he is yet to see Zidane head butt?. Can you believe that?. It's been almost 1 month after the final game in Germany between France and Italy, and Zidane's head butt to Materazzi has been one of the most famous recent events in the World, and that's no joke. I wonder how many millions or even billions of people all over the world have seen this head butt on TV, I bet you already have. Chances of some person who has a little interest in sports or soccer in general are that has already seen this head butt somewhere in the news or TV.
Well, our friend Ronaldinho says he hasn't!. He knows about it of course, but he is yet to see it by himself. He even said I haven't seen anything. Wow, that is incredible, I just can't believe it. But if you think about it for a while, maybe Ronaldinho is telling the truth, it seems that after the World Cup he disconnected himself completely from the Soccer world, he wanted to forget as quickly as possible all about it, and it is not until now that we are watching him again in the news, he was like missing in the last few weeks.
I guess it won't take a long time for him to see by himself this famous head butt. I'm even thinking about sending him to his website or email the head butt video so he can watch. By the way, I found a video of this head butt with different angles, in this one you can almost read Materazzi's leaps, maybe you could even figure out by yourself what he exactly said to Zidane.
Video Ronaldinho
A new section in my blog will be Video Ronaldinho. Since this site is about soccer, with a lot of emphasis on Ronaldinho, the best soccer player in the World, I thought I should include this new section in my blog. Every once in a while I will share with you videos about Ronaldinho, showing of course some very great plays. I hope you can enjoy some of his magic, tricks, dribbles, he is really incredible with the soccer ball.
This video in particular is about some of his best plays with FC Barcelona in 2005. Many of these plays had to do with being nominated player of the year in 2005. I guess everybody was expecting Ronaldinho to make similar plays in the World Cup, but he just couldn't make it this time. However, he is back with FC Barcelona and I'm sure we will witness similar plays in the near future. In the meantime, enjoy yourself these great plays. To watch this video just press the play button, is the one with the little triangle.
This video in particular is about some of his best plays with FC Barcelona in 2005. Many of these plays had to do with being nominated player of the year in 2005. I guess everybody was expecting Ronaldinho to make similar plays in the World Cup, but he just couldn't make it this time. However, he is back with FC Barcelona and I'm sure we will witness similar plays in the near future. In the meantime, enjoy yourself these great plays. To watch this video just press the play button, is the one with the little triangle.
Aug 3, 2006
Ronaldinho and Barcelona ready to play again
It's been many weeks without having soccer games, after the World Cup last month, there has been like a break for soccer fans all over the world. However, all of us soccer fans are looking forward to upcoming games in the next few days. I guess it's been enough for a break, I even have a feeling like I'm starving or something like that.......do you have that feeling too?. Just kidding!. We're all ready to move on.
And do you know who is ready to play in the next few days?. Maybe you already know, but in case you don't, I will tell you...............it is FC Barcelona and Ronaldinho who are ready!. Yes, FC Barcelona is ready to play 3 matches in the next few days, it's a tour they have in USA. The first game will be next Sunday in Los Angeles, they will be playing against a Mexican team, Chivas from Guadalajara, which is the most popular soccer team in Mexico. Next game will be on Wednesday, in Houston, against another Mexican team, this time is America. And by the end of next week, on Saturday Aug/12, they will be playing in New York, against the Red Bulls, it's a team from the Major League Soccer in the USA, their coach is Bruce Arena, former US team coach, this will be his debut with the Red Bulls, and what a rival he will have!
I guess everybody is ready and really eager to see Barcelona and Ronaldinho playing again. I bet we're all asking ourselves how Ronaldinho will perform..........will he be back and perform great as he is used to? ........will he make his famous soccer tricks and dribbles again?. Or the bad performance he had in the World Cup will affect him?............will his famous girlfriend Alexandra Paressant go with him to USA on this tour? (I don't think so, but you never know!). All eyes will be on Ronaldinho. And that's not all, we will see many other soccer super stars in action. Let's not forget that many other famous players are with Barcelona: Messi (Argentina, many people say he is supposed to be the best soccer player of the World in the next few years), Eto'o (best African player), Thuram (France), Zambrotta (World Champion with Italy), Rafael Marquez (best Mexican player), and many others................what a team!.
Make sure to turn on your TVs this weekend and see those games, remember, beginning next Sunday, or if you live near these cities (Los Angeles, Houston, New York) maybe you can go to the stadium and enjoy in person!
And do you know who is ready to play in the next few days?. Maybe you already know, but in case you don't, I will tell you...............it is FC Barcelona and Ronaldinho who are ready!. Yes, FC Barcelona is ready to play 3 matches in the next few days, it's a tour they have in USA. The first game will be next Sunday in Los Angeles, they will be playing against a Mexican team, Chivas from Guadalajara, which is the most popular soccer team in Mexico. Next game will be on Wednesday, in Houston, against another Mexican team, this time is America. And by the end of next week, on Saturday Aug/12, they will be playing in New York, against the Red Bulls, it's a team from the Major League Soccer in the USA, their coach is Bruce Arena, former US team coach, this will be his debut with the Red Bulls, and what a rival he will have!
I guess everybody is ready and really eager to see Barcelona and Ronaldinho playing again. I bet we're all asking ourselves how Ronaldinho will perform..........will he be back and perform great as he is used to? ........will he make his famous soccer tricks and dribbles again?. Or the bad performance he had in the World Cup will affect him?............will his famous girlfriend Alexandra Paressant go with him to USA on this tour? (I don't think so, but you never know!). All eyes will be on Ronaldinho. And that's not all, we will see many other soccer super stars in action. Let's not forget that many other famous players are with Barcelona: Messi (Argentina, many people say he is supposed to be the best soccer player of the World in the next few years), Eto'o (best African player), Thuram (France), Zambrotta (World Champion with Italy), Rafael Marquez (best Mexican player), and many others................what a team!.
Make sure to turn on your TVs this weekend and see those games, remember, beginning next Sunday, or if you live near these cities (Los Angeles, Houston, New York) maybe you can go to the stadium and enjoy in person!
Aug 1, 2006
Is Ronaldinho's girlfriend for real?
I've been looking at the latest news on this topic over the last few days, many people is talking about it. A few days ago there were some news about Ronaldinho's girlfriend making some statements and confessions about things she did with Ronaldinho during the World Cup, I even wrote a post in this blog about this a few days ago. Ronaldinho and his girlfriend were supposed to be spending long nights at the Hotel in Germany not necessarilly sleeping and resting, and that became like an explanation and justification of why Ronaldinho didn't perform as expected in the World Cup.
Well, it seems that this story is only the start of many rumors. Some journalists have taken the time to investigate further about this, and some of them have come up with the question if this Ronaldinho girlfriend is for real? .........does she even exists?. Up until now, all we've heard about this story is only in the news, but so far we have not listened what Ronaldinho has to say about it in his own words.
These investigative journalists even have the doubt about Alexandra Paressant even exists with that name..........is that name a real name?...........is she a real super model?. With all these questions and investigations, I guess we are having so many rumors, and I'm not sure what is true or what is a fiction anymore.
Maybe in the next few days we will have Ronaldinho speak for himself and clearing things out. If you think about it, it seems not logical that Ronaldinho didn´t take care of himself during the most important soccer tournament in the World spending sleepless hours with his girlfriend, and also playing video games at the same time, it's really not logical, is it?
Anyway, so far I guess is up to each one of us to believe or not in what whe hear about this. In the meantime, let's stay tuned to see what happens.
Jul 31, 2006
Ronaldinho scores in the web
What is Ronaldinho's official website?. The first thing a normal person would think about would be www.Ronaldinho.com, following simple logics. However, did you know that this is NOT Ronaldinho's official website?. A few years back when Ronaldinho tried to take this name for his official website, the name was already taken by someone else. Yes, someone in Spain took that name for his own website.
A few days ago I heard that Ronaldinho finally has been able to take his own name on the web for using it as his official website. It seems that Ronaldinho began a legal battle to take this name for himself and it took a long time, but finally he made it. Some court of law ruled that he is entitled to take his name back, they say that the name Ronaldinho is like a trademark with copyrights or something like that. It seems that the name Ronaldinho has not been registered as a trademark, but a World Intellectual Property Organization arbitration panel said it considered the player's name a trademark because it identifies him and his professional activity.
Ronaldinho filed a complaint over the use of his name in the Internet address of a site registered by Eladio Garcia Quintas of Gran Canaria, Spain, who was using the page to direct unwitting surfers to online advertisers. This Intellectual Organization statement noted that the panel didn't consider the use of the disputed domain name to constitute a "bona fide offering of services." The arbitration panel, which was set up in 1999, allows those who think they have the right to a domain to gain control of it without having to fight a costly legal battle or pay large sums of money.
The ruling is the second time Ronaldinho has successfully defended the right to control the use of his name in website addresses. The player, whose real name is Ronaldo de Asis Moreira, has his official website at www.ronaldinhogaucho.com, which he was awarded after a similar ruling in December 2004. So-called "cybersquatters" register domain names for a small fee in order to sell them back to companies and individuals with a claim to the name.
In this case, the panel noted that Quintas, who has been named in a number of earlier disputes, had attempted to take "unfair advantage" of Ronaldinho's famous name and trademark to attract Internet users to a website devoted to promoting third-party products and services.
Other soccer stars who have recently won rulings in domain name disputes include Italian international Francesco Totti, England midfielder Joe Cole and Dutch soccer manager and former player Frank Rijkaard.
In my Soccer & Ronaldinho Blog I have a link to Ronaldinho´s official website, you can take a look at it if you look down & right into this site. I guess I will have to change that in the next few days.
A few days ago I heard that Ronaldinho finally has been able to take his own name on the web for using it as his official website. It seems that Ronaldinho began a legal battle to take this name for himself and it took a long time, but finally he made it. Some court of law ruled that he is entitled to take his name back, they say that the name Ronaldinho is like a trademark with copyrights or something like that. It seems that the name Ronaldinho has not been registered as a trademark, but a World Intellectual Property Organization arbitration panel said it considered the player's name a trademark because it identifies him and his professional activity.
Ronaldinho filed a complaint over the use of his name in the Internet address of a site registered by Eladio Garcia Quintas of Gran Canaria, Spain, who was using the page to direct unwitting surfers to online advertisers. This Intellectual Organization statement noted that the panel didn't consider the use of the disputed domain name to constitute a "bona fide offering of services." The arbitration panel, which was set up in 1999, allows those who think they have the right to a domain to gain control of it without having to fight a costly legal battle or pay large sums of money.
The ruling is the second time Ronaldinho has successfully defended the right to control the use of his name in website addresses. The player, whose real name is Ronaldo de Asis Moreira, has his official website at www.ronaldinhogaucho.com, which he was awarded after a similar ruling in December 2004. So-called "cybersquatters" register domain names for a small fee in order to sell them back to companies and individuals with a claim to the name.
In this case, the panel noted that Quintas, who has been named in a number of earlier disputes, had attempted to take "unfair advantage" of Ronaldinho's famous name and trademark to attract Internet users to a website devoted to promoting third-party products and services.
Other soccer stars who have recently won rulings in domain name disputes include Italian international Francesco Totti, England midfielder Joe Cole and Dutch soccer manager and former player Frank Rijkaard.
In my Soccer & Ronaldinho Blog I have a link to Ronaldinho´s official website, you can take a look at it if you look down & right into this site. I guess I will have to change that in the next few days.
Jul 26, 2006
Ronaldinho's girlfriend speaks out!
I heard in the news that Ronaldinho's girlfriend has just made some confessions about "things" she did with him during the World Cup. It seems that she distracted him many nights in the hotel, took a lot of time from him during long nights, and not necessarily talking or discussing soccer tactics. They were making some kind of physical activities that required an exhausting effort from Ronaldinho.
This happened not only one night but several nights. No wonder why Ronaldinho didn't show his famous skills at the soccer fields during the World Cup matches, he was very tired, he was not sleeping well. By the time of every soccer game in the World Cup, he was already tired before the beginning of every game.
Did you know that this Ronaldinho's girlfriend is a french woman?. Yes, she seems to be a famous super model, her name is Alexandra Paressant. They even say that the night before Brazil-France game (let's remember this was the final game for Brazil, they were beaten by France in quarterfinals), she took every possible physical effort from Ronaldinho in the Hotel room. That night they barely got to sleep, they were busy all night. I guess she was being patriotic with her country (France), she was working out this unknown tactic to weaken a key player from the rival team. By the time of the game next day, French soccer players didn't have to work that hard on Ronaldinho, he had a sleepless night and was exhausted.
That's why Ronaldinho didn't perform as expected in the World Cup. By the way, this "unknown physical activities" were not revealed, I guess the world will never know what they were, it's a mistery, it's all left to the imagination. Maybe in the future Alexandra will explain with more details.
If you want to read more about these confessions and what she literally said, you can read the following which I've extracted from a news article....
Brazilian football ace Ronaldinho broke the curfew rules imposed on the national team during the World Cup 2006 to have sexual romps with his French girlfriend Alexandra Paressant.
According to The Sun, Ronaldinho visited Alex almost every night at her hotel during the World Cup, made love to her, and then played the World Cup on Playstation, missing out on much needed rest and recuperation.
Alexandra said: “The Brazilian coach had banned WAGS from the team’s hotel but we couldn’t bear to be apart. So, nearly every night he would come to my hotel room and we would make love all night. Sometimes we didn’t even make it into the room, we would make love there and then in the corridor. We are mad for each other."
Describing the football star as a very passionate person, Alex said: “He is as much a performer in the bedroom as he is on the football pitch."
“One night he made me scream with such pleasure, the people on the hotel terrace below heard us because my window was open,” she added.
Recalling her first meeting with Ronaldinho, Alex said that at first she thought he was a playboy like any other football star, but she later found out that he was a caring and sensitive individual.
“He is very cute, very polite. He treats me like a lady. He likes to take me for romantic meals and buy me little presents. We spend all our time together when we can. We spend a lot of time making love, a lot of time in the bedroom. He is the best lover I have ever had. I love him. I love him,” she said.
This happened not only one night but several nights. No wonder why Ronaldinho didn't show his famous skills at the soccer fields during the World Cup matches, he was very tired, he was not sleeping well. By the time of every soccer game in the World Cup, he was already tired before the beginning of every game.Did you know that this Ronaldinho's girlfriend is a french woman?. Yes, she seems to be a famous super model, her name is Alexandra Paressant. They even say that the night before Brazil-France game (let's remember this was the final game for Brazil, they were beaten by France in quarterfinals), she took every possible physical effort from Ronaldinho in the Hotel room. That night they barely got to sleep, they were busy all night. I guess she was being patriotic with her country (France), she was working out this unknown tactic to weaken a key player from the rival team. By the time of the game next day, French soccer players didn't have to work that hard on Ronaldinho, he had a sleepless night and was exhausted.
That's why Ronaldinho didn't perform as expected in the World Cup. By the way, this "unknown physical activities" were not revealed, I guess the world will never know what they were, it's a mistery, it's all left to the imagination. Maybe in the future Alexandra will explain with more details.
If you want to read more about these confessions and what she literally said, you can read the following which I've extracted from a news article....
Brazilian football ace Ronaldinho broke the curfew rules imposed on the national team during the World Cup 2006 to have sexual romps with his French girlfriend Alexandra Paressant.
According to The Sun, Ronaldinho visited Alex almost every night at her hotel during the World Cup, made love to her, and then played the World Cup on Playstation, missing out on much needed rest and recuperation.
Alexandra said: “The Brazilian coach had banned WAGS from the team’s hotel but we couldn’t bear to be apart. So, nearly every night he would come to my hotel room and we would make love all night. Sometimes we didn’t even make it into the room, we would make love there and then in the corridor. We are mad for each other."
Describing the football star as a very passionate person, Alex said: “He is as much a performer in the bedroom as he is on the football pitch."
“One night he made me scream with such pleasure, the people on the hotel terrace below heard us because my window was open,” she added.
Recalling her first meeting with Ronaldinho, Alex said that at first she thought he was a playboy like any other football star, but she later found out that he was a caring and sensitive individual.
“He is very cute, very polite. He treats me like a lady. He likes to take me for romantic meals and buy me little presents. We spend all our time together when we can. We spend a lot of time making love, a lot of time in the bedroom. He is the best lover I have ever had. I love him. I love him,” she said.
Jul 21, 2006
How Brazilian soccer players get their names?
Have you ever wondered why Brazilian soccer players seem to have only nicknames but no formal names?. Why Ronaldinho doesn't have a last name? ......is his name really Ronaldinho? ........why sometimes we call him Ronaldinho Gaucho?. What about Ronaldo, Kaka, Dida, Cafu, Robinho, etc, etc?. This has been the story of Brazilians all the time, let's not forget about Pele, Zico, Garrincha, Tostao, Socrates, Rivelino, Gerson, Jairzinho, and the list goes on and on. It's interesting, isn't it?. If you think about it, this thing with the nicknames is not exclusive for soccer, let's take for example the name of the President: Lula. The only one with his real name that I think of is Roberto Carlos, that is his real name........did you know that?
This has to do definitely with the Portuguese culture, if you think about the Portuguese soccer players, the same thing happens with most of their names: Figo, Pauleta, Costinha, Maniche, etc
I was looking around some articles related to this matter, and found some interesting explanations. It seems that it has something to do with the Portuguese culture from many centuries ago, since times of slavery.
If you're interested in the whole explanation on this Brazilian nicknames thing, click the following link: www.slate.com/id/2143404/
This has to do definitely with the Portuguese culture, if you think about the Portuguese soccer players, the same thing happens with most of their names: Figo, Pauleta, Costinha, Maniche, etc
I was looking around some articles related to this matter, and found some interesting explanations. It seems that it has something to do with the Portuguese culture from many centuries ago, since times of slavery.
If you're interested in the whole explanation on this Brazilian nicknames thing, click the following link: www.slate.com/id/2143404/
Zidane & Materazzi punished!
Did you know that Fifa has just punished Zidane for this headbutt attack on Materazzi?. Yes, it's all over the news. Zidane was banned by FIFA for three games for attacking Marco Materazzi in the World Cup final game. He was also fined US$ 6,000. But everybody knows that Zidane has already retired from Soccer, so how this punishement will be executed? ......how is he going to miss his next 3 games?. Well, they figured that since he is already retired, Zidane will serve his punishment by doing community work or something like that.
Fifa also suspended Materazzi for two matches and fined him us$4,000 after a disciplinary committee heard Zidane's account of the provocation that led to the incident. As for Materazzi, he will miss his next 2 matches, I guess the next matches for Italy are in the upcoming Eurocope qualifying games in a couple of months.
I also heard that French soccer federation was satisified with this verdict, since Materazzi was also punished. This "headbutt" definitely has been really famous, and I guess it will become legendary and many of us will remember for several years. I'm sure many soccer fans will remember Zidane for being a great player, World Champion 1998 and many more victories, definitely one of the greatest players of all times. But I also believe that we will remember him for his headbutt on Materazzi..........soccer fans won't forget this famous "play"
Jul 19, 2006
Ronaldinho playing with Barcelona until 2010?
Did you know that Ronaldinho has contract with Barcelona until 2010?. That's a fact, however, in recent days there have been rumors that he will extend his contract a few years ahead of 2010, it seems Ronaldinho will finish his succesfull career in Barcelona.
There are some highlights and intereting facts on Ronaldinho playing with Barcelona that I would like to share with you. Ronaldinho signed for Barca in the 2003-04 season following in the footsteps of a number of great brazilian soccer players: Evaristo, Ronaldo, Romario and Rivaldo. Ronaldinho began his soccer career with Gremio de Porto Alegre, where his amazing talent soon brought him to the attention of the international soccer world. During the four seasons he spent there, from 1997 to 2001, Ronaldinho also started to claim a place in the Brazilian international side. He won the Copa America in 1999 scoring six goals. In 2001, Ronaldinho decided to try his luck in European football and signed for French league outfit PSG though his debut was delayed due to a financial dispute between the two clubs. Although his time with PSG was not as successful as he would have hoped, Ronaldinho continue to prosper with the international team, winning a World Cup winners' medal at the 2002 Japan-Korea championships. Right from his very first match in a Barca shirt, the fans were seduced by Ronaldinho's spectacular brand of soccer magic. His ability to change the course of a match with a brilliant solo effort made him the reference point of the Barca attack and one of the truly great soccer icons of the opening decade of the new millennium. In his first season, the team strung together a sensation run of seventeen consecutive matches without defeat and finished in second place in La Liga, thereby achieving direct qualification for the Champions League. This impetus carried on to the 2004-05 season and Ronaldinho and the rest of the Barca squad soon established a lead at the top of the table that would take them to the league title. In addition, the Brazilian's tremendous talent has received public recognition with individual awards such as the FIFA World Player 2004 and 2005 and the Ballon d'Or 2005. Since then, Ronaldinho has become the leader of the mighty Brazil side, with which he won a Confederations Cup winners' medal in Germany 2005.
This is a briefing and quick overview of Ronaldinho's career in Barcelona, I guess we still will be watching him for several years playing great soccer as usual, wearing Barcelona's shirt, and hopefully he can make a great World Cup in 2010 with Brazil.
Jul 18, 2006
Barcelona FC rivalry with Real Madrid
This rivalry is historical, it comes a long way from last century. There is often a fierce rivalry between the two strongest teams in a national league and this is particularly the case in Spain, between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. From the start the clubs were seen as representatives of the two rival regions of Spain, Catalonia and Castile, as well as the two cities themselves. However the rivalry reached a new level during the Franco years when Real Madrid was considered to be the "regime team" while FC Barcelona was regarded as the team of the opposition.
Although following the Spanish Civil War Real Madrid received considerable institutional assistance from the Franco regime, as he saw the club as the sporting embodiment of the Spain he wanted to create, during the war itself members of both clubs suffered at the hands of Franco supporters. The rivalry with Real Madrid intensified further after the 1943 Copa del Generalísimo semi-final between the two clubs. The first leg ended in a 3-0 victory to Barça, but the return leg saw them defeated 11-1. It has been alleged by some that the FC Barcelona players were pressured into losing the game and even Pineyro resigned in protest. The rivalry with Real also surfaced again in the 1950s after the dispute over Alfredo Di Stefano.
Really interesting facts...........aren't they?. Up to now, every time there is a match between these 2 teams, it is a real clasic, we can say that Soccer fans all over the world are following very close. The last couple of years have been pretty good for Barcelona FC..........what will happen this coming season 2006-2007?..........will Ronaldinho & Barcelona perform excelent as last season? ......will Real Madrid be able to stop this winning streak and get away with the championship this coming year?. I guess we will have to wait and see what happens.
Ronaldinho's Personal history and Facts
There are some interesting facts about Ronaldinho and his personal history that many people just don't know.........Ronaldinho was born in Vila Nova, a poor suburb of Porto Alegre, Brazil. He was the youngest of three children. Ronaldinho's mother Miguelina is a former salesperson who later studied to become a nurse. His father João was a shipyard worker and footballer for Cruzeiro. The family moved to a more affluent district of Porto Alegre when Ronaldinho's older brother Roberto signed to play professional football for Grêmio. João died when Ronaldinho was 8, after suffering a heart attack while swimming in the family's pool. Injuries ended Roberto's career prematurely, and he now manages Ronaldinho. Ronaldinho's sister Deisi works as his press coordinator. Ronaldinho's son, named João after his father, was born on 25 February, 2005. João's mother is Janaína Nattielle Viana Mendes, a former dancer on the Brazilian television show Domingão do Faustão
In his childhood, Ronaldinho's skill in football began to blossom due to his particular interest in futsal and beach football, which later developed into a fondness for more standardised football. His first brush with the media came after a 23 goal flurry against a local team, at just 13 years of age. His reputation as a soccer player was built up through his childhood, particularly since he was identified as a rising star at the Egypt 1997 under-17 world championship. He scored two goals in the tournament, both penalty kicks.
He is a huge fan of Brazilian music, and occasionally plays the drums and sings with friends in Barcelona.
I bet you didn't know all these facts, maybe some of them but probably not all
In his childhood, Ronaldinho's skill in football began to blossom due to his particular interest in futsal and beach football, which later developed into a fondness for more standardised football. His first brush with the media came after a 23 goal flurry against a local team, at just 13 years of age. His reputation as a soccer player was built up through his childhood, particularly since he was identified as a rising star at the Egypt 1997 under-17 world championship. He scored two goals in the tournament, both penalty kicks.
He is a huge fan of Brazilian music, and occasionally plays the drums and sings with friends in Barcelona.
I bet you didn't know all these facts, maybe some of them but probably not all
Jul 17, 2006
History of Ronaldinho with Brazil national team
Ronaldinho debuted for the Brazilian national team on June 26, 1999 against Latvia, which is a country located in north-eastern Europe. In his first tournament participation he scored against Venezuela in the 1999 Copa America, a game that the Brazilian team won.
Ronaldinho played a part in Brazil's successful campaign to win the World Cup 2002 in Korea-Japan, forming the famed "3 R's" with Ronaldo and Rivaldo. One of the highlights of the tournament was a 35-meter free kick he scored against England in the quarter-finals game.....do you remember that goal?. It was a great goal, I don't know if he was lucky or he was really looking for that goal, it was great anyway. He was sent off soon after for a foul on an English player. Following the sending-off, he was suspended for the semifinal, but returned to Brazil's starting line-up for the 2-0 victory over Germany in the final.
On June 2005, he played a pivotal role as the captain of the Brazilian squad that won its second FIFA Confederations Cup title, and was named Man of the Match in a 4–1 victory over Argentina in the final.
In the recent 2006 World Cup, Ronaldinho was a starting player for all of Brazil's five matches, but his performances were considered disappointing by both fans and commentators. He scored no goals and made only one assist (for Gilberto's goal in a 4-1 victory over Japan). When Brazil was eliminated by France 1-0 in the quarterfinal, he failed to make an impression.
Immediately after the World Cup disappointment, the team was criticized by many Brazilians, and vandals immolated and destroyed a 7.5-meter (23-foot) tall statue of Ronaldinho in a Brazilian city. The statue had been erected in 2004 to celebrate his first election as FIFA World Player of the Year.
Two days after the loss, Ronaldinho, joined by Adriano, returned to Barcelona and held a party at his home, which was continued into the early morning hours at a nightclub. This increased the feeling of Brazilian fans that they were betrayed by the lack of effort from their national team. This reaction contrasted with other players such as Rogerio Ceni, who was ashamed of the game and said "some defeats are marked by struggle, but we lost in an infelicitous way, that wasn't what we had hoped for" and Zé Roberto, who cried and said that "the unity that we had outside the pitch, lacked inside it".
As you can see, Ronaldinho has had some good and bad times with the Brazilian team. This World Cup 2006 was not good for him, but maybe he can make it in the next one in SouthAfrica 2010...........what do you think?
Ronaldinho played a part in Brazil's successful campaign to win the World Cup 2002 in Korea-Japan, forming the famed "3 R's" with Ronaldo and Rivaldo. One of the highlights of the tournament was a 35-meter free kick he scored against England in the quarter-finals game.....do you remember that goal?. It was a great goal, I don't know if he was lucky or he was really looking for that goal, it was great anyway. He was sent off soon after for a foul on an English player. Following the sending-off, he was suspended for the semifinal, but returned to Brazil's starting line-up for the 2-0 victory over Germany in the final.
On June 2005, he played a pivotal role as the captain of the Brazilian squad that won its second FIFA Confederations Cup title, and was named Man of the Match in a 4–1 victory over Argentina in the final.
In the recent 2006 World Cup, Ronaldinho was a starting player for all of Brazil's five matches, but his performances were considered disappointing by both fans and commentators. He scored no goals and made only one assist (for Gilberto's goal in a 4-1 victory over Japan). When Brazil was eliminated by France 1-0 in the quarterfinal, he failed to make an impression.
Immediately after the World Cup disappointment, the team was criticized by many Brazilians, and vandals immolated and destroyed a 7.5-meter (23-foot) tall statue of Ronaldinho in a Brazilian city. The statue had been erected in 2004 to celebrate his first election as FIFA World Player of the Year.
Two days after the loss, Ronaldinho, joined by Adriano, returned to Barcelona and held a party at his home, which was continued into the early morning hours at a nightclub. This increased the feeling of Brazilian fans that they were betrayed by the lack of effort from their national team. This reaction contrasted with other players such as Rogerio Ceni, who was ashamed of the game and said "some defeats are marked by struggle, but we lost in an infelicitous way, that wasn't what we had hoped for" and Zé Roberto, who cried and said that "the unity that we had outside the pitch, lacked inside it".
As you can see, Ronaldinho has had some good and bad times with the Brazilian team. This World Cup 2006 was not good for him, but maybe he can make it in the next one in SouthAfrica 2010...........what do you think?
Jul 13, 2006
Ronaldinho issues apology to fans
Ronaldinho has apologised to Brazil fans for failing to guide his country to World Cup success.
The Barcelona playmaker used his official website, www.ronaldinhogaucho.com, to send a message to Brazil fans.
"I would like to thank you for the words of affection that you have sent me in messages to my official website and the MSN blog. Friends' support is always important," Ronaldinho wrote.
"Many people expected a brilliant performance from the national team, and especially from me. But this was not the case.
"I am sorry we left the World Cup without being able to show our qualities and what we are capable of.
"I am sad because we put everything into it and wanted a different end to my dream of once more winning the World Cup.
"Nothing I can say will change what happened. This is why I want to apologise along with my team-mates for not winning the trophy in Brazil.
"I now have a month's holiday and I am going to rest my body and mind in order to be ready for next season with the Brazilian team."
Brazil were eliminated in quarter-finals after losing 1-0 to France.
Jul 11, 2006
Materazzi admits insulting Zidane
Marco Materazzi admits he insulted Zinedine Zidane before the France captain head-butted him in the Soccer World Cup final. Materazzi denies calling him a "terrorist."
"I did insult him, it's true," Materazzi said in Tuesday's Gazzetta dello Sport. "But I categorically did not call him a terrorist. I'm not cultured and I don't even know what an Islamic terrorist is."
Zidane and Materazzi exchanged words after Italy broke up a French attack in extra-time of Sunday's final in Berlin. Seconds later, Zidane lowered his head and rammed Materazzi in the chest, knocking him to the ground.
Zidane was sent off, reducing France to 10 men. Italy won the game in a penalty shootout. More......
Jul 10, 2006
Italy is Soccer World Champion 2006!
Italy are world champions for the fourth time after beating ten-man France 5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Berlin's Olympiastadion on Sunday, 9 July 2006.
Twelve years after losing to Brazil in the first shoot-out in a FIFA World Cup Final, Italy made up for that heartbreak as all five men in blue converted their kicks to claim world football's greatest prize for the first time since 1982. For France the pain of defeat was compounded by the sight of Zinedine Zidane, on his last appearance as a professional, leaving the field having been sent off in extra time for butting Marco Materazzi off the ball. More.......
Jul 7, 2006
No-one wants to be favourites, says Valdano
Twenty years after winning the FIFA World Cup with Argentina, Jorge Valdano remains a prominent figure in world soccer. A straight talker widely respected within the game, the erudite 50-year-old ex-striker has influenced an entire generation of soccer fans around the globe with a stream of thought-provoking books and articles.
Valdano took time to give his impressions on Germany 2006 and voice disappointment in the conservative approach favoured by three of the four remaining teams.
Among other things he says "As for Ronaldinho, I think he started slipping out of the role he normally occupies with Barcelona, and then he started losing the ball, and he's at his best when he is in possession ...." More.....
How to plan a Soccer World Cup Final Match
Few people are aware of the amount of logistical preparation that precedes every FIFA World Cup match, much less the intense scrutiny associated with the Final, which will be the focus of millions of eyes across the world. To get an idea of what goes into getting everything just right for soccer's biggest match, FIFAworldcup.com went straight to the source.
FIFA General Coordinator Windsor John is the man in charge in Berlin, and he will shoulder the immense responsibility associated with making sure the Final goes off without a hitch. Having joined FIFA from the Football Association of Malaysia and served as a FIFA Development Officer, John's experience with FIFA competitions runs back nine years to the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship. More...............
Tostao calls for change
Legendary Cruzeiro front man Tostao was one of the superstars of arguably the greatest team to grace the FIFA World Cup, the Brazil side that took home the Jules Rimet Trophy in 1970. The deep-lying centre-forward, renowned for his intelligence and acute positional sense, played a crucial part in that mythical forward line alongside Pele, Jairzinho and the rest.
Eduardo Goncalves de Andrade, to give him his full name, is still the all-time leading scorer in the history of Cruzeiro although a glittering career was cut short after the 1970 triumph, when eye problems caused by a detached retina suffered in 1969 stopped him from helping the Seleção defend their title in 1974.
In an exclusive interview the Brazilian great gave his perspective on his country’s display at 2006 FIFA World Cup, and told us what he would do to bring the Trophy back to Brazil in the near future. More......
Brazil left leaking their wounds
The history of the FIFA World Cup is littered with disappointments, as any number of great teams have been left wondering what might have been. On paper at least, the Verdeamarelos promised a great deal. A superstar strikeforce, christened the ‘Fab Four’, was forged from the red-hot talents of Kaka, Ronaldinho, Adriano and Ronaldo. With such a potent attack, how could the boys from Brazil fail? The world sat back, in anticipation of a barrage of goals, and a footballing show of a kind that only the Brazilians can put on.
More...
World Cup 2006 analysis: The tactics
From the goalkeepers to the forwards via the defenders and midfielders, FIFAworldcup.com assesses the tactics employed at Germany 2006 with insights from the FIFA Technical Study Group. Germany 2006 has been a FIFA World Cup as notable for its covering tackles and clean sheets as for its glittering goals. FIFAworldcup.com talked to several members of the FIFA Technical Study Group (TSG) to get their thoughts on the tournament and bring you an unofficial look at the tactics employed during the tournament. More...
Ronaldinho statue destroyed!
Brazilian football fans have destroyed a seven-meter tall statue of world player of the year Ronaldinho. Rio De Janeiro - Angry Brazilian football fans have destroyed a seven-meter tall statue of world player of the year Ronaldinho after the team's World Cup quarter-final exit at the hands of France. For more information click the link below
www.mweb.co.za/news/sport/?p=article&i=189587
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