Camisetas de Fútbol Baratas 2021/2021

In the last four years, the richest football club in the world has had it really bad. It won no trophy at all. And this current season, hopes were really high that the team would win a major trophy, with the appointment of the former coach of Juventus, Fabio Capello to be in charge of the team. Capello, who had coached the team once in the nineties, had led Juventus to win two back-to-back Scudetto titles in Italy in 2004 and 2005. With such high qualifications, it was assumed that he was eminently qualified for the job and would lead the team back to winning ways. While he resumed as manager, Capello vowed that he would only lose five matches in the league (la liga) all season.

However, with just about twenty matches into the league, Capello has lost seven matches. And he has led the team to some of it’s worst performances in recent history. Real has lost some vital home games in the Bernabeu against lowly rated teams like Recreativo and Levante, who are at the bottom of the league.

In a run of ten matches, the team scored just three goals, a far cry from it’s high scoring nature in the past. Even the recruitment of new players in the January transfer window has not helped matters. The club now lies four points adrift of Barcelona on the league table.

Having being knocked out of the King’s cup by Real Betis, the only hope of winning any trophies this season are in the champion’s league or the Spanish league. On current form, the chances of the team winning in Europe are very slim. As such, the expectation is that the team is more likely to go empty handed again this season.

What could have led to the current crisis in Europe’s most successful football club?

For one, the coaching style of Capello has been much criticised by the players and fans. The new manager’s defensive style has not been popular with fans and neither has it produced the desired results.

Also, the sudden change in the club’s player recruitment policy from the era of buying «galacticos» or world famous players, to that of buying relatively unknown players seem to have affected the club internally. It is not uncommon to hear of wranglings and power play in the dressing room.

Also, the manager’s apparent dislike for some players has helped in polarising the club and dampening the team spirit. The recent comments by the club president, and the manager about some key players in the team, which was hyped by the media, served to show the extent of the animosity that exists within the club’s rank and file.

FIFA’s recent award of the Ballon d’Or 2014 (World Player of the Year) to Cristiano Ronaldo proves that the accolade is more about politics and personal popularity than about performance on the field.

Although players from several nationalities are nominated and win the award, they always all play for European clubs while those active in other leagues such as in South America and Mexico are generally overlooked. The best player is chosen by players and managers based on favoritism rather than merit which often creates unworthy winners. Thus the award has lost its recognition and become the object of amusement and ridicule.

The Ballon d’Or was established by a magazine called France Football in 1956 to recognize the history-makers of the game. But that is not what it has turned out to be.

LA LIGA

Between January 1 and December 31, 2014 in this competition Lionel Messi scored 35 goals in 36 matches (11 with the right foot, 23 with the left and the other with the head) while Cristiano Ronaldo scored 38 but with less versatility as only 4 were with his head and unfavorable left foot.

In addition Messi created 97 chances, 24 more than any other player and completed 164 dribbles, 63 more than the nearest rival Iker Muniain of Atletico Bilbao (MAILOnline – Why Lionel Messi should win Ballon d’Or after a record-breaking year with Barcelona; by Kieran Gill, January 12, 2015).

EUROPE

Messi conquered the continent on November 25 when he became the all-time top goal scorer in the Champions League in Nicosia, Cyprus. It was his 23rd European city, his 16th European country and recorded the 24th different stadium in which he had scored (MAILOnline etc.)

WORLD CUP 2014

At soccer’s most important competition Messi led Argentina to the final, was voted Man of the Match in 4 games (the most of any player in the competition) and won the Golden Boot as the best player of the tournament.

He had the most impact on the competition. His goals were all match-winning goals which propelled Argentina to the final. He was the third joint highest goal scorer with 4 goals and 1 assist, created the most chances, had the most successful dribbling runs, made the most deliveries into the box and produced the most through balls of any player.

In contrast, Ronaldo was a non-factor and only scored a late goal against minnow Ghana and had an assist against the USA.

HISTORY MAKER

Messi’s performance in 2014 was what the Ballon d’Or is all about, namely, history-making performances. On March 16, he became Barcelona’s all-time top goal scorer (371). One week later he became the El Clasico (matches between Real Madrid and Barcelona) top goal scorer (21) with a hat- trick.

He scored his 400th career goal on September 27 against Granada and surpassed a 59-year-old record to become La Liga’s all-time top goal scorer (253) on November 22. Three days later he overtook Raul by scoring a hat-trick to become the top goal scorer in the history of the Champions League (74).

Given all these achievements one would think that of the three nominees Messi was the most deserving to win the award. Instead he not only lost to Ronaldo but he and the other nominee Manuel Neuer got less votes combined (31.48 %) than Ronaldo (37.66%).

In 2013 Ronaldo won nothing and Franck Ribery won everything but nevertheless Ronaldo beat him.

How can all this be explained?

POLITICS BEHIND THE VOTING

FIFA’s criteria call for national managers, captains and media officials to vote for the most outstanding performer of the previous twelve months.

Not unexpectedly players vote for their team-mates and compatriots. In the 2014 contest for example, Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany) gave all three spots to Germans, Manuel Neuer, Phillip Lahm and Thomas Muller.

Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid) voted for his former team-mates Diego Costa and Thibaut Courtois.

Vincent Kompany (Belgium) voted for team-mates Thibaut Courtois and Eden Hazard as the world’s two best players with Arjen Robben third.

The best example of the politics in all of this is illustrated by Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich) who declared without giving a reason that he regretted voting for Ronaldo instead of his team-mate Neuer. This ‘change of heart’ can only be explained as coming from a player who wants to save face with team-mates in the dressing room rather than from a voter with any real conviction.

The same criticism applies to managers who only vote for national players. For example, Argentina’s manager Gerardo Martino gave all three places to his fellow countrymen namely, Lionel Messi, Angel di Maria and Javier Mascherano, Belgium coach Marc Wilmots voted for Belgian Thibaut Courtous for third place, Didier Deschamps (France) gave the final spot to French striker Benzema and Holland’s Guus Hiddink gave top honor to compatriot Arjen Robben.

Players will get a lot of votes if they are popular ‘with the boys’ and can play to the cameras to advertise commercial products. Those who defend the choice of Ronaldo as best player point to the fact that in the second half of 2014 he scored 32 goals. The problem is that 9 of those goals were penalties so his non-penalty goals were 23, the same amount as Messi who had no penalties. Ronaldo is nicknamed «Penaldo» because of his mastery of drawing and scoring penalties.

In a World Cup year such as 2014 your performance in that tournament is what defines you. On the world’s biggest stage Ronaldo was a nonfactor and his supporters excuse this by saying he was carrying an injury. If that is true that is unfortunate but injury is a misfortune, not a privilege and he can only be judged on actual performance and not on speculation as to what he might have achieved had he been fully fit.

The Player of the Year award has lost its authenticity. But it does not have to be so. It is not a personality or school prom contest. It is supposed to recognize performance on the field. Maybe the officials of FIFA should themselves become the judges, give more consideration to non-European clubs and use criteria like achievements and fair play to choose the winner. This would not be a perfect system but would be preferable to the present one which is deeply flawed and cannot be taken seriously.

Victor A. Dixon
January 18, 2015

On May 28th 2011 the World’s ‘best’ team, Barcelona, travel to Wembley Stadium in London to take on the power of Manchester United. After destroying Real Madrid and Schalke in their semi-finals, these two giants of World football will do battle for the premier prize in club football. On display will be some of the planet’s most talented players in Xavi, Iniesta, Pique, Villa, Bojan, Mascherano, Alves, Rooney, Vidic, Ferdinand, Hernandez, Berbatov, Van der Saar, Evra, and, of course, the very best of all in the Argentinean genius Lionel Messi.

Barcelona, given their comprehensive victory over United in 2009 and their awesome pedigree over the past few seasons, will go into the final as strong favorites to lift the trophy and conquer Europe for a second time in three years. Their La Liga form has again been outstanding this season as they have pulled away from the big spending Ronaldo / Kaka led Real Madrid at the top of the table. David Villa, after a slightly slow start by his very high standards, has started regularly find the net and shown the form he did for previous club Valencia. Add to that the masterful passing and possession of Iniesta and Xavi, the vision, skill and finishing of Messi and it’s easy to see why Barca score so many goals. Lionel Messi has scored 52 goals so far this season in all competitions – that, by anyone’s standards is amazing and will be giving Alex Ferguson and his players countless sleepless nights.

Manchester United’s form has gathered pace as the season has progressed. After a slow start, with a number of draws against lower table sides, they have established themselves at the summit of the Premier League table going into the remaining 3 games of the season. They face a massive test against title rivals Chelsea on Sunday 08th May at Old Trafford. Should they win or draw that match they will be highly likely to win the Premier League title, which would see them surpass Liverpool’s record for the most league titles.

In Wayne Rooney and Hernandez United have two strikers in red hot form. So much so that they are keeping top scorer Berbatov on the sidelines. It will be interesting to see how Alex Ferguson addresses Barcelona’s midfield masters in the final. I expect him to pack the midfield with five players, and play Rooney alone upfront. That may mean Hernandez is limited to a cameo role.

This game has all the ingredients to go down as one of the greatest ever Champions League Finals. Will Manchester United gain revenge for the mauling they received in the 2009 Final, or will Fergie mastermind a victory over the seemingly unplayable Messi and Co? Come the 28th May 2011 and all will be revealed on the magnificent Wembley pitch. I for one can’t wait!

Ronaldo de Assis Moreira is a famous Brazilian football player who is better known as Ronaldinho Gaúcho. His name Ronaldinho was used to distinguish him from a fellow Brazilian football celebrity whose name is also Ronaldo. Gaúcho was used when the existing Ronaldo was also known as Ronaldinho.

He was born on March 21, 1980 in Porto Alegre, Brazil. He is the youngest among the three siblings. Miguelina, his mother, was a sales woman who soon decided to take up nursing. João, his father was a worker in the shipyard and a football player for Cruzeiro. He died due to a heart attack when Ronaldinho was at the age of 8. Ronaldinho’s brother Roberto was also a professional football player for Grêmio. But his career ended too soon due to his injuries. And now he manages Ronaldinho. His sister, Deisi, is his press manager.

During Ronaldinho’s childhood days, his interest in football was already evident. He started playing futsal and beach football which later lead into his passion for a more established football game. His character as a football player developed in his early years.

His career as a skilled football player started when he joined the youth team in Porto Alegre club Grêmio. His extraordinary ball control and capability to score was rapidly displayed which lead him to fame. Many clubs from all over the world attempted to get him to be part of their teams. Eventually Ronaldinho signed a 5-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain which he joined at the start of the new season.

During his years with PSG, there were still much larger offers from different clubs, but he opted to stay with the team. But after some time he decided to leave the team after their many unsuccessful attempts to qualify for any European competitions. This caused a bidding war among the many clubs. Finally, the bidding ended up with FC Barcelona as the winning club for Ronaldinho’s services. They acquired him for £18 million. He was a very high paid player in Barcelona. He has had his terrible times in his career but his many achievements was far more overflowing than that. He had also joined the Brazilan National team.

Ronaldinho is one of the most successful football players in the world. He had so many achievements in his arena which includes the FIFA World Player of the Year wherein he was awarded in 2 consecutive years (2004-2005), the European Footballer of the Year award and the FIFPro World Player of the Year award which was also awarded to him in 2 successive years (2005-2006).