Mind blowing facts about Champions League

Spain has produced most winners in competition's 58 year history. 13 times. However, Real Madrid and Barcelona are the only teams to have won it. Whereas, England has produced 5 winners- Liverpool, Manchester United, Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa and Chelsea.

Spain 13 winners       9 runner ups          2 teams

Italy   12 winners       14 runner ups         3 teams

England 12 winners       7 runner ups          5 teams

Germany 6 winners       9 runner ups          3 teams

The team to have won the Champions League with the fewest games won isManchester United (1998–99), five wins. However, they went through the competition unbeaten.
Real Madrid have the record number of consecutive participations in the European Cup, taking part in the first 15 tournaments from 1955–56 to 1969–70. They won the first five editions of the competition, and they are the most successful team in the competition's history with 9 wins.
Manchester United have the record number of consecutive participations in the UEFA Champions League with 17 from 1996–97 to 2012–13, with Real Madrid having participated in 16 consecutive campaigns from 1997–98 to 2012–13 and Arsenal in 15 consecutive campaigns from 1998–99 to 2012–13.
The record for consecutive semifinals is six, held by Barcelona (2007–08 to 2012–13).
Only 3 clubs have won the UEFA Champions League fielding local players – Celtic (1967), Real Madrid (1966) and FC Steaua Bucarest (1986).
The fastest UEFA Champions League goal was scored 10.2 seconds after kick-off by Bayern Munich’s Roy Makaay against Real Madrid in 2007.
Nottingham Forest have an unusual feat of having won the UEFA Champions League more often than they have won their domestic league.
Celtic are the only club to have the distinction of completing a ‘quadruple’ winning both domestic cups, the domestic league and the UEFA Champions League in the 1966/1967 season.
In 2006 Arsenal produced the best defensive effort in the history of the UEFA Champions League, going 10 games without conceding a goal.
English teams were banned from the UEFA Champions League between 1986 and 1991 following a series of stadium disasters and hooliganism problems. The absence of English teams gave three teams the opportunity to win the tournament for the first time following a decade of English dominance – PSV Eindhoven, Red Star Belgrade and Steaua Bucarest all won the title before England returned to the UEFA Champions League fold in 1991.Juventus are the most unfortunate team in the champions league history, they dominated European football in 70's and 80's but only won 1 European cup in 85-86. And that victory was more bitter than sweet due to the Heysel stadium disaster tragedy, when 39 Juventus fans died due to fan hooliganism, mostly because of Liverpool supporters.Real Madrid, AC Milan, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Ajax, Liverpool, Manchester United, Internazionale, Juventus, Benfica, Porto, Nottingham Forest are considered traditional giants of European football. Between them they share 85% of European championships.Following matches are considered one of the greatest in competition's history:

31 random facts including Elmada football facts..

A random football fact, #1: (7/2/13)
The last time the Netherlands played an international match without a 'van' in their starting XI was against France during Euro 2000 (they won 3-2).
However, the last time they didn't have a 'van' in their entire match day squad (Peter van Vossen appeared as a late substitute against France) was way back in 1996 in a friendly 2-0 victory against China.

A random football fact, #2: (9/2/13)
The highest amount of goals scored by half time occurred in 1954, when Motherwell and Dumbarton played out a huge 6-6 draw; Motherwell were 6-4 up at the end of the first half - a huge 10 first half goals.

A random football fact, #3: (11/2/13)
Quite fittingly, Pelé is the youngest ever World Cup winner, picking up the gold in 1958 at just 17 years and 249 days.
Way up the other end of the scale is former Italian goalkeeper Dino Zoff, who in 1982 became the oldest player to lift the trophy at 40 years and 133 days.

A random football fact, #4: (updated 02/03/14)
Andy Selva hold the distinction of being the only man to ever score a winning goal for San Marino, having scored in their 1-0 victory against Liechtenstein in 2004 (in 121 games, San Marino's record is 1 win, 3 draws and 117 losses).
Selva is also the nation's all time top goalscorer, with 8 goals (in 64 appearances). Manuel Marani is the only other man to score on more than one occasion for San Marino, with 2 goals (34 appearances).

A random football fact, #5:
Forget about Messi; if you want to find a goalscorer, look no further than Fernando Peyroteo.
The Portuguese boasts the world's greatest goals to game ratio of 1.77, having found the net an incredible 331 times in just 187 games for Sporting Lisbon between 1937 and 1949 (compared to Messi's 0.82 for Barcelona).
Adding to that, he reportedly scored 4 or more goals in a game on more than 30 occasions, including a phenomenal nine in one game.
Deadly.

A random football fact, #6: (14/3/13)
No country has ever won the World Cup during the papacy (term) of a Pope from the same country.
Not that it should worry Argentina; Messi's broken enough records already, so what's one more?

A random football fact, #7: (18/3/13)
Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic is the only Premier League players whose last name is completely made up of roman numerals: V (5), I (1), D (500), I (1), C (100).
A gladiatorial name that perfectly suits his play?

A random football fact, #8: (updated 02/03/14)
The power house nations of Algeria, Ghana, South Korea and Saudi Arabia are part of an elite group; being the only countries in the world to boast an undefeated record against England.

A random football fact, #9: (29/3/13)
Arsenal are the only team to have received a gold version of the Premier League trophy, when it was specially made to commemorate their 2004 ‘Invincibles’ season, instead of the silver trophy that every other title winning team have lifted.

A random football fact, #10: (updated 02/03/14)
In the 2009-10 season, Barcelona's Pedro became the first man to score in 6 different, official club competitions in one season, scoring in La Liga, the Supercopa de España, the Copa del Rey, the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.
However, this has since been trumped by Spanish striker Fernando Torres, who scored in 7 official club competitions during the 2012-13 season. The Chelsea striker netted in the Premier League, Champions League, Europa League, FIFA Club World Cup, FA Community Shield, FA Cup and League Cup.

A random football fact, #11: (31/3/13)
Martin O'Neill's departure from Sunderland is the first time in his career that he has left a professional club because he has been sacked. He has previously managed Wycombe, Norwich, Leicester, Celtic and Aston Villa, but left them all on his own terms.

A random football fact, #12: (22/4/13)
Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola is the only player to be sent off in a World Cup finals... on his birthday! The Italian received a red in their second round victory against Nigeria on his 28th birthday.
On the bright side, at least he got a card from the referee.**
**I apologise for how rubbish a joke that was...

A random football fact, #13:
Less of a football fact and more pub quiz-y, but I think this is brilliant. As the question goes, ‘Sunderland did it in 1979, Villa did it in 1981. Who did it in 1980?’
The answer isn’t another team as you may expect, but is in fact ‘Trevor Brooking’. For Brooking scored the winning goal in the 1980 FA Cup Final for West Ham, much like Alan Sunderland did for Arsenal in 1979 and Ricky Villa did for Tottenham in 1981.

A random football fact, #14: (22/4/13)
Arguably Finland’s greatest ever player, Jari Litmanen holds an incredibly unique distinction: he is the only footballer to have played international football in four different decades.
‘Kuningas’ made his Finland debut in 1989 (the 80s), was a regular throughout the 90s and 00s, before making his final appearance in 2010 (the 10s). No surprise then that he is the nation’s most capped player, representing Finland a whopping 137 times.

A random football fact, #15: (28/5/13)
Welshman Robert Earnshaw boasts an impressive record as the only player to have scored hat tricks in: the top four domestic leagues in England (The Premiership and Divisions 1, 2 and 3 before they were rebranded) and both domestic cups in England (the League and FA Cups), along with netting a treble in an international for Wales.
Hat tricks in 7 different competitions doesn’t scream complacency now, does it..

A random football fact, #16: (23/7/13)
While teams fluctuate in the FIFA World Rankings, Malaysia holds the record for the greatest difference between their highest and lowest ever ranking. In August 1993, the nation held a respectable 75th position, yet in June 2008 they were 170th – a difference of 95 places between their best and worst ranking positions.

A random football fact, #17: (23/7/13)
PSV Eindhoven appear to claim an interesting sponsorship record. With the club originally founded by engineering and electronics giant Philips, PSV, standing for ‘Philips Sport Vereniging’ (translating as Philips Sports Union) have retained these close links. Thus since 1982, the first year Eredivisie clubs were permitted to have shirt sponsorships, ‘Philips’ has been imprinted on the players’ torsos as the primary shirt sponsor.
To show a comparison in the same time period, (not including different shirt logos within the same sponsorship) Chelsea and AC Milan have had 9 different shirt sponsorships, Real Madrid 8 and Manchester United 5 (including Chevrolet, agreed to commence 2014).

A random football fact, #18: (26/7/13)
Winning the Copa Libertadores with Atlético Mineiro has placed Ronaldinho into a very exclusive club, becoming one of only seven players to win both this and the UEFA Champions League, along with Cafu, Dida, Roque Júnior, Carlos Tevez, Juan Pablo Sorín and Walter Samuel.

A random football fact, #19: (1/8/13)
Sergio Batista (1986) and Gennaro Gattuso (2006) are apparently the only 2 players to have won the World Cup while sporting a full beard.

A random football fact, #20:
In the wake of the Munich Air Disaster, Real Madrid President Santiago Bernabeu’s respect for Sir Matt Busby and his Manchester United team led to attempts to help rebuild the club following such tragedy.
They offered holidays to Spain and allowed the use of their facilities for the bereaved, set up cut price annual friendlies to help raise funds, and even offered Argentine legend Alfredo Di Stéfano to the club on loan (the player also agreed but the move was blocked by the FA as it was considered a place that could instead be used by another British player).

A random football fact, #21: (29/8/13)
Miguel Muñoz, Giovanni Trapattoni, Johan Cruyff, Carlo Ancelotti, Franch Rijkaard and Josep Guardiola are the only 6 people to win the European Cup/Champions League crown as both a player and a manager, lifting the trophy a whopping 23 times between them.

A random football fact, #22:
Paul Merson stated in his book that during his time at Middlesbrough, himself and Paul Gascoigne, who he was living with, used to play a game after training. They would buy several bottles of red wine and a packet of sleeping pills, before betting thousands of pounds on who would fall asleep first.

A random football fact, #23:
Stefan Schwarz arguably had the most bizarre clause to have ever been inserted into a player's contract. When signing for Sunderland in 1999, the Swede was banned from travelling into space!

A random football fact, #24: (11/11/13)
Falkirk and River Plate are the only two football clubs outside of Italy, England and Spain to have broken the world record transfer fee. Sydney Puddlefoot joined the Scottish side for a then record £5,000 in 1922, whilst the Argentinians splashed out a record £23,000 on Bernabe Ferreyra ten years later.

A random football fact, #25:
Former Hammer Alvin Martin achieved quite a feat in 1986 when he scored a hat trick – against 3 different goalkeepers. He first scored past Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Thomas, who then came off at half time having been struggling with an injury coming in to the match. With no substitute goalkeeper, centre back Chris Hedworth went between the sticks and was beaten for Martin’s second before picking up an injury, at which point Geordie legend Peter Beardsley donned the gloves, being beaten for Martin’s third.
Not bad for a centre back.

A random football fact, #26:
The much loved Football Manager game was once banned in China because it 'threatened its content harmful to China's sovereignty and territorial integrity... (that) seriously violates Chinese law'. This was because the 2005 version included Taiwan and Tibet as separate countries and not as part of China.

A random football fact, #27: (14/1/14)
Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo recently scored his 400th career goal. However, out of all these goals, he has never scored in the 7th minute - the only minute he has failed to do so! Discounting injury time (where he has bagged 20 goals), Ronaldo's most prolific minutes are the 68th, when he has netted 11 times, followed by the 23rd minute, where he has 10!

A random football fact, #28:
Every player dreams of representing their nation, but as far as international careers go, surely there are none more strange than Guillermo Stábile’s.
Uncapped for Argentina, Stábile was selected for the first ever World Cup in 1930. After missing the first game, he was selected for his debut as a replacement for the unfit first choice – and bagged a hat trick. He then scored 2 goals in the final group game to secure qualification to the semi finals (as there were less teams competing). He bagged another brace in the semi final, before netting a single goal in their unsuccessful final versus winners Uruguay.
After this tournament, Stábile never played for Argentina again. This meant that in his international career, he could boast having scored a hat trick on his debut, scoring in every game he played for the national side, a goals per game ratio of two (four games, eight goals), and being the top scorer at the first ever FIFA World Cup.

A random football fact, #29:
Former Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham star David Ginola is very unfortunate: his name is an anagram for ‘vagina dildo’.

A random football fact, #30: (2/3/14)
This season has seen the Premier League be unusually tight, yet it is nothing on the final standings in the 1983-84 season in Romania’s third division, which consisted of 16 teams. Just 10 points separated Champions Muresul Deva (38 points), and bottom placed Minerul Aninoasa

A random football fact, #31: (9/9/15)
Nedu udechukwu has been recognised as the top leading goal scorer in elmada hostel Awka with over 108 goals to his name. Best defender goes to Nzube Uwakwe. Best midfielder goes to Fumblack. Best striker goes to Nwoko Franklin..Utility player of all time Toby. Most assist and chances created Buzzy. Upcoming stars warri and Desmond.

Premier league injuries and possible returns.

Premiership Injuries
Thursday 10th September 2015
Club Player return.. Compiled by nedu udechukwu..
CRYSTAL PALACE J Ward 3 wks
Y Cabaye 2 days
J Ledley 2 days
M Jedinak 2 days
F Campbell TBC
J Speroni 2 days
K Appiah TBC
M Chamakh 3 wks
ASTON VILLA I Gueye 3 days
J Grealish 3 days
G Agbonlahor 3 days
A Traore 3 days
J Crespo Ri'n 1 wk
G Gardner 2 wks
J Okore 6 wks
EVERTON B Oviedo 2 days
T Cleverley 8 wks
B Galloway 2 days
L Baines 2 mths
T Hibbert TBC
D Gibson 3 wks
S Pienaar TBC
MANCHESTER CITY F Delph TBC
B Sagna TBC
W Bony 2 days
P Zabaleta 2 wks
Fernando 1 wk
G Clichy 5 wks
BOURNEMOUTH C Daniels 2 days
M Gradel 7 mths
T Mings 12 mths
J King 2 days
H Arter 5 wks
LIVERPOOL A Lallana 2 days
J Henderson 2 days
J Allen 2 days
J Flanagan 3 mths
D Sturridge 1 wk
NEWCASTLE UNITED M Williamson 4 days
P Dummett TBC
C Good TBC
E Riviere TBC
S Marveaux 3 wks
SOUTHAMPTON J Clasie 3 wks
G Ramirez TBC
F Gardos TBC
R Bertrand 2 wks
F Forster 7 mths
STOKE CITY M Arnautovic 2 days
M Diouf 2 days
G Johnson 2 days
P Odemwingie 1 wk
R Shawcross TBC
WEST HAM UNITED A Song 7 wks
M Zarate 4 days
J O'Brien TBC
E Valencia 8 wks
A Carroll 4 days
ARSENAL J Wilshere TBC
T Rosicky 4 mths
D Welbeck 4 mths
CHELSEA T Courtois TBC
V Moses 2 days
E Oscar 2 days
SUNDERLAND A Matthews 6 wks
A Johnson 2 wks
J Gomez 1 wk
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR M Dembele 3 days
C Eriksen 3 days
A Townsend 3 days
LEICESTER CITY R Mahrez 3 days
M James 5 mths
MANCHESTER UNITED M Carrick 2 days
P Jones 2 days
NORWICH CITY Y Mulumbu 1 wk
M Olsson 2 days
WATFORD L Doyley TBC
J Ekstrand TBC
WEST BROMWICH ALBION J Chester 2 days
B Foster 3 wks
SWANSEA CITY J Montero 2 days
TBC = To Be Confirmed
Disclaimer: The above information is provided in good faith and every effort is taken to compile accurate and up to date information, despite the transient nature of player injuries. NEDUSPORTSFACTS accepts no liability for errors or omissions in the Injury League Table.

Nigeria sacks keshi

He had it coming
Stephen Keshi Sacked by Nigeria.
By nedu udechukwu on October 16, 2014
Nigeria have parted ways with manager Stephen Keshi
following a run of poor results in the Africa Cup of Nations
qualifiers.
SuperSport's Andrew Randa revealed on Thursday that
Keshi had been axed from the Super Eagles' helm, with
former team coach Shuaibu Amodu taking his place
and Gbenga Ogunbote as his assistant.
Nigeria are currently third in qualification Group A and have
just two matches to save their 2015 Africa Cup of Nations
hopes, where they will face Congo and South Africa, the two
outfits currently above them in the standings.
The executive committee of the Nigerian Football Federation
released a statement on Thursday regarding Keshi's
sacking, which reads: "In the interest of Nigeria football and
the desire to ensure qualification for the 2015 Africa Cup of
Nations finals, the Committee decided to relieve them of
their duties with immediate effect."
Keshi's dismissal may come as something of a surprise
given the timing, but the manager has been under pressure
for several weeks.
Earlier in October, Goal.com's Victor Abimbola reported that
back-to-back fixtures against Sudan would decide his fate.
Nigeria lost the away fixture 1-0, and despite winning the
return match 3-1 on Wednesday evening, Keshi was given
his marching orders.
SuperSport's Colin Udoh and broadcaster Paul Sarahs each
feel the decision was premature, however, voicing the
opinion that he deserved more of a chance to prove his
mettle:
But for the NFF crisis, Keshi would have been out
well before the qualifiers kicked off.
Keshi received 64 caps for Nigeria across a 14-year span,
retiring in 1995 before taking the first of three managerial
posts with Togo in 2004. He assumed the Super Eagles
helm in 2011, going on to win the 2013 Africa Cup of
Nations before taking charge of the team at the 2013
Confederations Cup and 2014 World Cup.
The manager had been working without a contract in recent
months, per BBC Sport , such was the uncertainty over his
future with the side.
Despite progressing to the knockout round of this year's
World Cup, the NFF clearly felt a change of direction was
needed, and recent results didn't inspire confidence in Keshi regime following his three years in this post.
The NFF goes on to state that a foreign coach will be
appointed after the qualifiers, but it remains unclear as to
whether that will include preparation for the 2015 Africa Cup
of Nations.
Wednesday's triumph was the Super Eagles' first win in
their last six matches, and Amodu knows he needs to spark
an instant improvement with his side facing two make-or-
break match-ups next.

Best players and pfa players for premier League

1947-48
1948-49 Johnny Carey (Manchester United) 1948-49
1949-50 Joe Mercer (Arsenal) 1949-50
1950-51 Harry Johnston (Blackpool) 1950-51
1951-52 Billy Wright (Wolverhampton Wanderers) 1951-52
1952-53 Nat Lofthouse (Bolton Wanderers) 1952-53
1953-54 Tom Finney (Preston North End) 1953-54
1954-55 Don Revie (Manchester City) 1954-55
1955-56 Bert Trautmann (Manchester City) Stanley Matthews (Blackpool) 1955-56
1956-57 Tom Finney (Preston North End) Alfredo Di Stefano (Real Madrid) 1956-57
1957-58 Danny Blanchflower (Tottenham Hotspur) Raymond Kopa (Real Madrid) 1957-58
1958-59 Syd Owen (Luton Town) Alfredo Di Stefano (Real Madrid) 1958-59
1959-60 Bill Slater (Wolverhampton Wanderers) Luis Suarez (Barcelona) 1959-60
1960-61 Danny Blanchflower (Tottenham Hotspur) Omar Sivori (Juventus) 1960-61
1961-62 Jimmy Adamson (Burnley) Josef Masopust (Dukla Prague) 1961-62
1962-63 Stanley Matthews (Stoke City) Lev Yashin (Moscow Dynamo) 1962-63
1963-64 Bobby Moore (West Ham United) Denis Law (Manchester United) 1963-64
1964-65 Bobby Collins (Leeds United) Eusébio (Benfica) 1964-65
1965-66 Bobby Charlton (Manchester United) Bobby Charlton (Manchester Utd) 1965-66
1966-67 Jackie Charlton (Leeds United) Florian Albert (Ferencvaros) 1966-67
1967-68 George Best (Manchester United) Georgie Best (Manchester United) 1967-68
1968-69 Tony Book (Manchester City) & Gianni Rivera (AC Milan) 1968-69 Dave Mackay (Derby County)
1969-70 Billy Bremner (Leeds United) Gerd Muller (Bayern Munich) 1969-70
1970-71 Frank McLintock (Arsenal) Johan Cryff (Ajax) 1970-71
1971-72 Gordon Banks (Stoke City) Franz Beckenbauer (Bayern Munich) 1971-72
1972-73 Pat Jennings (Tottenham Hotspur) Johan Cryff (Barcelona) 1972-73
1973-74 Ian Callaghan (Liverpool) Norman Hunter (Leeds United) Kevin Beattie (Ipswich Town) Johan Cryff (Barcelona) 1973-74
1974-75 Alan Mullery (Fulham) Colin Todd (Derby County) Mervyn Day (West Ham United) Oleg Blokhin (Dynamo Kiev) 1974-75
1975-76 Kevin Keegan (Liverpool) Pat Jennings (Tottenham Hotspur) Peter Barnes (Manchester City) Franz Beckenbauer (Bayern Munich) 1975-76
1976-77 Emlyn Hughes (Liverpool) Andy Gray (Aston Villa) Andy Gray (Aston Villa) Allan Simonsen (Borussia Moenchen) 1976-77
1977-78 Kenny Burns (Nottingham Forest) Peter Shilton (Nottingham Forest) Tony Woodcock (Nottingham For) Kevin Keegan (SV Hamburg) 1977-78
1978-79 Kenny Daglish (Liverpool) Liam Brady (Arsenal) Cyrille Regis (West Bromwich Albion) Kevin Keegan (SV Hamburg) 1978-79
1979-80 Terry McDermott (Liverpool) Terry McDermott (Liverpool) Glenn Hoddle (Tottenham Hotspur) Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (Bayern Munich) 1979-80
1980-81 Frans Thijssen (Ipswich Town) John Wark (Ipswich Town) Gary Shaw (Aston Villa) Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (Bayern Munich) 1980-81
1981-82 Steve Perryman (Tottenham Hotspur) Kevin Keegan (Southampton) Steve Moran (Southampton) Paulo Rossi (Juventus) 1981-82
1982-83 Kenny Daglish (Liverpool) Kenny Daglish (Liverpool) Ian Rush (Liverpool) Michel Platini (Juventus) 1982-83
1983-84 Ian Rush (Liverpool) Ian Rush (Liverpool) Paul Walsh (Luton Town) Michel Platini (Juventus) 1983-84
1984-85 Neville Southall (Everton) Peter Reid (Everton) Mark Hughes (Manchester United) Michel Platini (Juventus) 1984-85
1985-86 Gary Lineker (Everton) Gary Lineker (Everton) Tony Cottee (West Ham United) Igor Belanov (Dynamo Kiev) 1985-86
1986-87 Clive Allen (Tottenham Hotspur) Clive Allen (Tottenham Hotspur) Tony Adams (Arsenal) Jean-Marie Pfaff (Bayern Munich) Ruud Gullit (AC Milan) 1986-87
1987-88 John Barnes (Liverpool) John Barnes (Liverpool) Paul Gascoigne (Tottenham Hotspur) Rinat Dasayev (Spartak Moscow) Marco van Basten (AC Milan) 1987-88
1988-89 Steve Nichol (Liverpool) Mark Hughes (Manchester United) Paul Merson (Arsenal) Walter Zenga (Inter Milan) Marco van Basten (AC Milan) 1988-89
1989-90 John Barnes (Liverpool) David Platt (Aston Villa) Matthew Le Tissier (Southampton) Walter Zenga (Inter Milan) Lothar Matthaus (Inter Milan) 1989-90
1990-91 Gordon Strachan (Leeds United) Mark Hughes (Manchester United) Lee Sharpe (Manchester United) Walter Zenga (Inter Milan) Jean-Pierre Papin (Marseille) Lothar Matthaus (Inter Milan) 1991
1991-92 Gary Lineker (Tottenham Hotspur) Gary Pallister (Manchester United) Ryan Giggs (Manchester United) Peter Schmeichel (Manchester United) Marco van Basten (AC Milan) Marco van Basten (AC Milan) 1992
1992-93 Chris Waddle (Sheffield Wednesday) Paul McGrath (Aston Villa) Ryan Giggs (Manchester United) Peter Schmeichel (Manchester United) Roberto Baggio (Juventus) Roberto Baggio (Juventus) 1993
1993-94 Alan Shearer (Blackburn Rovers) Eric Cantona (Manchester United) Andy Cole (Newcastle United) Michel Preud'homme (Mechelen) Hristo Stoichkov (Barcelona) Romario (Barcelona) 1994
1994-95 Jurgen Klinsmann (Tottenham Hotspur) Alan Shearer (Blackburn Rovers) Robbie Fowler (Liverpool) José Luis Chilavert (Vélez Sársfield) George Weah (AC Milan) George Weah (AC Milan) 1995
1995-96 Eric Cantona (Manchester United) Les Ferdinand (Newcastle United) Robbie Fowler (Liverpool) Andreas Köpke (Marseilles) Matthias Sammer (Borussia Dortmund) Ronaldo (PSV Eindhoven & Barcelona) 1996
1996-97 Gianfranco Zola (Chelsea) Alan Shearer (Newcastle United) David Beckham (Manchester United) José Luis Chilavert (Vélez Sársfield) Ronaldo (Inter Milan) Ronaldo (Barcelona & Inter Milan) 1997
1997-98 Dennis Bergkamp (Arsenal) Dennis Bergkamp (Arsenal) Michael Owen (Liverpool) José Luis Chilavert (Vélez Sársfield) Zinadine Zidane (Juventus) Zinadine Zidane (Juventus) 1998
1998-99 David Ginola (Tottenham Hotspur) David Ginola (Tottenham Hotspur) Nicholas Anelka (Arsenal) Oliver Kahn (Bayern Munich) Rivaldo (Barcelona) Rivaldo (Barcelona) 1999
1999-00 Roy Keane (Manchester United) Roy Keane (Manchester United) Harry Kewell (Leeds United) Fabien Barthez (Manchester United) Luis Figo (Barcelona) Zinadine Zidane (Juventus) 2000
2000-01 Teddy Sheringham (Manchester United) Teddy Sheringham (Manchester United) Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Oliver Kahn (Bayern Munich) Michael Owen (Liverpool) Luis Figo (Real Madrid) 2001
2001-02 Robert Pires (Arsenal) Ruud van Nistelrooy (Manchester United) Craig Bellamy (Newcastle United) Oliver Kahn (Bayern Munich) Ronaldo (Inter Milan & Real Madrid) Ronaldo (Inter Milan & Real Madrid) 2002
2002-03 Thierry Henry (Arsenal) Thierry Henry (Arsenal) Jermaine Jenas (Newcastle United) Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Pavel Nedved (Juventus) Zinadine Zidane (Real Madrid) 2003
2003-04 Thierry Henry (Arsenal) Thierry Henry (Arsenal) Scott Parker (Chelsea) Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Andriy Shevchenko (AC Milan) Ronaldinho  (Barcelona) 2004
2004-05 Frank Lampard (Chelsea) John Terry (Chelsea) Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Petr Čech (Chelsea) Ronaldinho (Barcelona) Ronaldinho  (Barcelona) 2005
2005-06 Thierry Henry (Arsenal) Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Fabio Cannavaro (Juventus/Real Madrid)Fabio Cannavaro (Juventus/Real Madrid) 2006
2006-07 Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Kaka (AC Milan) Kaka (AC Milan) 2007
2007-08 Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal) Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester Utd) Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) 2008
2008-09 Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Ryan Giggs (Manchester United) Ashley Young (Aston Villa) Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Lionel Messi (Barcelona) Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 2009
2009-10 Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) James Milner (Aston Villa) Iker Casillas (Real Madrid)
(Merged with FIFA Award)
Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 2010
2010-11 Scott Parker (West Ham United) Gareth Bale (Tottenham Hotspur) Jack Wilshere (Arsenal) Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 2011
2011-12 Robin van Persie (Arsenal) Robin van Persie (Arsenal) Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur) Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 2012
2012-13 Gareth Bale (Tottenham Hotspur) Gareth Bale (Tottenham Hotspur) Gareth Bale (Tottenham Hotspur) Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) 2013
2013-14 Luis Suarez (Liverpool) Luis Suarez (Liverpool) Eden Hazard (Chelsea) 2014
Year FWA PFA PFA (Young - Under 23) IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper European (France Football) FIFA World Year

Premier League facts

Amazing Football Facts . If you haven’t read that yet,
it’s worth a few minutes of your time. Today I bring you 50 Random Yet Amazing Facts
about the English Premiership . I’m sure some you will
be familiar with, but I’m equally sure there will be some
that are sure to surprise. So, enough of a preamble,
let’s get to the list…
1. Sheffield Utd’s Brian Deane scored the first goal in
the English Premiership history.
2. No English manager has ever won the league title.
Seriously.
3. English premiership started on 15th august 1992
4. Ryan Giggs’ dad played rugby for Wales
5. The Premiership was formed on 20th Feb 1992
6. Since 94-95 season only Man Utd, City, Chelsea,
Arsenal have won league
7. Sir Alex Ferguson has won 12 premier league titles
8. Sponsors: Carling 1993-2001, Barclay Card
2001-2004 and Barclays 2004 to now
9. The first Sky television rights agreement was worth
304million over 5 years
10. Ryan Giggs has played in every Premier league
season
11. Kevin Keegan’s quote  “I would love it if we beat
them. Love it!”, still fondly remembered in football.
12. The highest scoring game was Man United  vs westbrom 5-5
13. Blackburn leads the red card charts with an
amazing 75 red cards
14. Chelsea lead yellow card charts with over 1200
bookings
15. 2003-2004 Arsenal went the whole season
unbeaten, thus earning the moniker “Invincibles”
16. Alan Shearer leads scoring charts with 260
premiership goals
17. Frank Lampard has 165 from midfield – an
unbelievable amount for a non-striker.
18. Chelsea scored a whooping 103 goals in the
2009-10 title win
19. Swindon let in 100goals in 1993-94 season
20. Alan Shearer scored 11 premiership hat tricks
21. Fernando Torres at 50million is the highest
transfer between English clubs
22. Ledley King scored fastest goal after just
10seconds
23. David Beckham scored that unreal halfway line
goal against Wimbledon on the opening day of 1996-97
season
24. Sunderland(05-06) and Derby(07-08) both only
won one home game in a season
25. Most away wins in a season was Chelsea
2004-2005
26. The most consecutive wins was 13 Liverpool.. Last season
27. Derby went an amazing 32games without a win in
2007-08 season
28. Highest attendance 76,398 Man Utd vs. Blackburn
2007
29. Lowest attendance 3,039 Wimbledon vs. Everton
1993
30. Most points in a season Chelsea with 95 points in
2004-05 season.
31. Most Premiership appearances Ryan Giggs 612
and counting
32. Oldest goal scorer was Teddy Sheringham at 40
years and 268 days
33. Most clean sheets 173 by David James
34. Most yellow cards Kevin Davies with 100 bookings
35. Earliest kick off 11-15 Man City vs. Everton 2005
36. Most assists Ryan Giggs with 127 and counting
37. Most red cards Patrick Viera,Duncan Ferguson and
Richard Dunne with 8
38. There wasn’t a single corner in the Chelsea vs.
Wigan 21st Aug 2013
39. Kevin Gillespie,Dave Kitson and Andreas
Johansson were all sent off without touching the ball
39. Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool,
Manchester United, and Tottenham are the only teams
to compete in every Premiership season
40. Around 63% of the league’s players are non-British
players.
41. Eric Cantona scored the Premiership’s first hatrick
playing for Leeds vs. Spurs
42. The first televised Premiership goal was scored by
Teddy Sheringham
43. First keeper to score a goal was Peter Schmeichel
in 2001 for Aston Villa
44. The first player to reach 100 Premiership goals
was Alan Shearer
45. The first Premiership goal of the season award
went to Dalian Atkinson for Villa against Wimbledon.
46. The first African player in Premiership was Peter
Ndlovu for Coventry City in Aug 1992
47. Man Utd won the first Premiership title with 84
points.
48. 2003-2004 was the Season Roman Abramovich
took over Chelsea
49. Sir Alex Ferguson is only manager to be in charge
ever since Premiership begun.
50. Wayne Rooney is the ugliest Premiership player
ever (just joking)

Stats which u must know

WC-stats World records Players of the year England national
National teams World record
First match England - Skottland 1872 (0-0)
Most games Ahmed Hassan - Egypt 184 games (Lst in May 2012)
Biggest win Australia - American Samoa 31-0 (2001) video
Oldest player Billy Meredith - Wales (45 year, 8 months)
World Cup World record
Most WC-titles Brazil - 5 wins -58,62,70,94,02
Most WC-games Brazil- 92 g (64-14-14), Germany 92 g (55,19,18)
Most WC-Goals Total Miroslav Klose (Germany) 16
Most Goals one WC Just Fontaine - France -13 in1958
Most meetings Brazil vs Sweden - 7 times ( incl. final in 1958 )
Goals in one match Team 12, Austria - Switzerland 7-5 i 1954
Goals in one match player Oleg Salenko - Russia - 5 goals vs Cameroon 94
Biggest WC-win Hungary - El Salvador: 10-1 i 1982
Youngest player Norman Whiteside - N.Ireland 17.year 41.days ( 82 )
Oldest player Faryd Mondragon - Colombia (43 y, 3 d in 2014)
First WC goals Lucien Laurent - For France vs Mexico 1930 (4-1)
Fastest goal Hakan Sükur - Turkey. 11.sec - WC 2002
First sending off Carlos Caszley - Chile (vs W.Germany in 1974 )
To finaler in a row Luis Monti - Argentina 1930 & Uruguay 1934
Scored in alle games Jarzinho - Brazil (Also scored in the final 1970)
World record - Most goals in a year: L.Messi 91 - FULL
LIST HERE
Lionel Messi, Barcelona & Argentina - Most goals in a year.
Players
Highest transfer fee Gareth Bale - Tottenham to Real Madrid (£85 mill)
Most WC-titles Pelè -3 titles - 58 , 62 , 70
Most WC-games Lotthar Matthäus - Germany - 25 games
Most World cups Matthäus -Germany, Antonio Carbajal - Mexico - 5 times
Most owngoals Staf Van den Buys - Germinal Ekeren  - 3 goals
(lost 2-3 to Anderlecht..)
Most goals Edson Do Nascimento (Pelè ) - Brazil 1279 goals
League-goals in one seas. Dixie Dean, Everton - 60 in 1927/28
Most goal in a year Lionel Messi - 91 goals - 2012, ALL GOALS HERE
Most hat-tricks in career Pelè - 92 hat tricks(1956-1977)
Hat-tricks in a row Nakayama Masashi - 4 games (1998)
without conceding (national) Dino Zoff Italia 1143.min
Without conceding (club) Geraldo Pereira Matos Filho 1816.m - Vasco de gama
Premier League/1.division - England
Most league titles Manchester United -20
Most F.A.-cups (team) Arsenal/Manchester United -11
Most F.A Cups (player) Ashley Cole - 7 (Chelsea 4, Arsenal 3)
Most League titles (player) 13 - Ryan Giggs Man.Utd
Most times in the PL (1.div) Everton - 109
Longest in the PL (1.div) Arsenal, 85 times. (Since 1920)
Goals in a season 103 - Chelsea 200/10
Most league goals Arthur Rowley - 4 clubs -434 goals
Goals in one season Dixie Dean, Everton - 60 in 1927/28
Most goals in one match Portsmouth - Reading 7-4  29.sept 2007
Fastest hat-trick R.Fowler (Lpool) - 4.m 33.sec vs Arsenal 28.08.94
Most consecutive wins Arsenal - 14 - in 2001/02
Most cupfinal goals 5, by Ian Rush, Liverpool (2 in 86, 2 in 89 1 in 92)
Youngest player Gary McSheffrey (16 y, 198 d) for Coventry vs Villa 1999
Oldest player (1.div) Stanley Matthews - 50 year, 5 days, Stoke -Fulham 1965
Most league games Peter Shilton - 1005
Most games in a row Brad Friedel - 310 (2004 - 2012)
Highest attendance - total 84,569 - Manch. City - Stoke 1946 F.A cup Maine Road
Highest attend. - League 83260 - Man.Utd vs Arsenal (Maine road 1948)
Longest unbeaten - total Arsenal - 49 games (7.May 2003 - 16.oct 2004)
Longest unbeaten home Chelsea - 86 games (10.Apr 2004 - 26.oct.2008)
Copa America
Most Copa-titles Uruguay 15
Most Copa-games 184 - Uruguay (40 times)
Most Copa-Goals Norberto Mendez (Argentina), Zizhino (Brazil) - 17
Biggest Copa-win Argentina vs Ecuador 12-0 in 1942
Stadiums
Biggest attendance 199.854 - Maracana - WC-final 1950
Most WC-finals Atzeka stadium - Mexico city: 2- (1970 & 1986)
European cups
Youngest winner Gary Mills - Nottingham (17 year 201 days) in 1980
Oldest winner Eur.cup (CL): Puskas R. Madrid - 39 year 39 d. ni 1966
UEFA cup: Amedeo Carboni Valencia - 39 y 43 d. in 2004
Most wins (team) Real Madrid 8 times
Most wins (player) Franseco Gento, Real Madrid - 6 times
Most finals (player) Franceso Gento, R.Madrid, P.Maldini AC Milan - 8
Most E-cup titles Real Madrid :9 (8 chmp league+1 UEFAcup)
Most CL-goals Raúl (R.Madrid, chalke) 71 (exluding qual.rounds)
Fastest goal Roy Makaay B.Münc -10.sec vs Real Madrid in 2007
Fastest goal in a final Paolo Maldini - 53.sec vs Liverpool in 2005
Oldest to score ina afinal Paolo Maldini 36Y, 333D in 2005
Oldest to score in CL F.Totti (Roma) 38y, 3d vs Man.City 30.sept 2014
Most goals in a CL-match L.Messi, Barcelona 5 vs Bay. Lev. 07th March 2012
Note:
Ten players have scored five goals in the same cup under
the name European cup
Misc.
Most olympic titles 3 - Hungary (52,64,68) & England (1900,1904,1912)
Balljongeling 24 hours by Dan Magness (30.April -1.June 2009)
Most wins in a row (clubs) Benfica - 27 (1971-73)
Most wins in a row (national) Spain - 15 (2006-2009)
Most penalties in a shoot out. 48 - in the match KK Palace -Civics*
*The final of the 2005 Namibian Cup had to be settled by a
record-breaking 48 penalty kicks, with KK Palace holding their
nerve to defeat the Civics 17–16 following a 2–2 draw in
normal time. A number of players on each side had to take three
spot kicks in the shootout, which lasted almost as long as the
game.

JAMIE CARRAGHER’S ULTIMATE ELEVEN

No 1. GK – Manuel Neuer
The German number one has formed quite a
reputation for himself in recent seasons. His honours
already include two Bundesliga’s, one Champions
League medal and a World Cup. The former Schalke
04 player is widely recognised as the best keeper in
the World. Known for his spectacular saves and
rushing out to thwart strikers, he is exciting to watch
and warrants being Carragher’s number one all time
goalkeeper.
2. RB – Cafu
Cafu is often regarded as the best right-back to play
the game, known for his time with AC Milan, Roma
and the Brazil national team his career expands over
18 years winning numerous honours. He played a big
part in winning two World Cups, one Champions
League and two Serie A titles. The former Sao Paulo
player was a rampaging full back that had incredible
fitness doing his defensive duties as well as his
attacking ones.
3. CB – Desially –
This one may come as a bit of a surprise with the
amount of supreme centre-backs that Carragher could
have chosen from. The Frenchman had a twenty year
career, racking up numerous appearances for the
likes of Nantes, AC Milan and Chelsea. He is
considered one of the most accomplished players of
his generation and one of the finest French defenders
ever. He won two Serie A titles, one Champions
League and one World Cup.

4. CB – Baresi –
Baresi is one of Carragher’s older selections for his
ultimate XI. The AC Milan legend spent his whole
career at the Italian side from 1977-1997. During this
spell he won 6 Serie A titles, 3 European Cups and one
World Cup with Italy. In all of football the Italian is
regarded as one of the greatest defenders of all time.
He had pace, power, technical ability and outstanding
mental attributes. It’s no surprise to see him in
Carra’s line up.
Paolo Maldini finishes off Carragher’s Serie A themed
back four. Like Baresi, Maldini spent his illustrious
career at AC Milan. He played at a World Class level
consistently over 25 years. He was known for being a
great leader, he captained Milan and Italy leading to
the nickname “Il Capitano” (the Captain). He made an
incredible 647 appearances for Milan and gained 126
caps for Italy. He won a whopping 7 Serie A titles and
5 European Cups/Champions Leagues. Maldini also
won various individual honours, including World
Soccer Player of the Year (1994) and the Serie A
Defender of the Year (2004).
6. DM – Matthaus
Carragher’s team suits a 4-4-3 formation where a
deep-lying midfielder was needed. There was no
better choice than Lothar Matthaus. The German had
a star-studded career playing for Borussia
Mönchengladbach, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan. He
won seven Bundesliga’s, one Serie A and one
European Championship with Germany. He scored
184 goals for club and country and was one of the
finest midfielders the game has ever seen.

7. CM – Xavi –
The Spanish maestro is well worth a spot in Carra’s
ultimate XI in centre midfield. He was another one
club wonder who made both his club and national side
tick from midfield. Xavi provided goals, assists,
defensive cover at the centre of both Spain and
Barcelona’s successes. The little genius won seven
La Liga’s, three Champions Leagues, one World Cup
and two European Championships.

8. CM – Zidane
The Frenchman needs no introduction. Regarded in
some quarters as the greatest player to play the
game. ‘Zizou’ was a truely world class midfielder
known for his elegance, vision and technique. Zidane
was named the best European footballer of the past
50 years in the UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll. He spent his
best years playing for Juventus and Real Madrid
winning two Serie A titles and one La Liga. He was
named Ballon D’or winner in 1998 and has World and
European Cup medals with France. His career may
have gone down with a headbutt, but he will always
be known for his sheer class with the ball.

9. WR – Maradona
Carragher chose Diego Maradonna to play on the right
of the front three in his dream team. Another
contender for the “greatest player of all time” in many
people’s eyes, Maradonna is a household name and
will always be remembered for his football genius. He
played for a variety of clubs, including Boca Juniors,
Barcelona, Napoli and Sevilla. He largely made his
name on the International stage, as most England
fans will remember! He scored 34 times for Argentina,
many of them were so dazzling they’re still replayed
all over the world today. His main honours include two
Serie A titles and one memorable World Cup victory.

10. ST – Van Basten
Van Basten is the lone dutchman in Carragher’s team.
Despite an injury forcing him into early retirement, he
is acknowledged as being one of the greatest strikers
of all time. Playing for Ajax and AC Milan, the deadly
forward scored 218 goals in 280 games. He won the
Eredivisie and Serie A three times as well as two
European Cups. Van Basten shone on the
International stage too, scoring 24 times and winning
the European Championship in 1988. In the same
tournment he scored possibly the most memorable
goal of all time, a stunning volley which football fans
still admire to this day.
11 – WL – Messi
On the left of the front three, Carragher opted for
Lionel Messi. The four time Ballon d’Or winner would
feature in most ultimate XI’s. He is arguably the
greatest footballer playing today with an incredible
goal scoring record for Barcelona. He has an
unbelievable 249 goals in 284 games, eclipsing all
rivals other than Cristiano Ronaldo. Despite only being
27, he’s won six La Liga’s, three Champions League’s
and whole host of individual honours. The Argentine’s
wizardry is often compared to fellow countryman
Maradonna due to the irresistable skill and talent they
both possess. Messi’s speed, trickery and intelligence
is second to none. It’s understandably well believed
that when he retires he’ll be known as the greatest
player of all time.

The Tiger of Sweden and top 6 euro clubs

Zlatan Ibrahimovic's records have come while dividing
opinions in the footballing world along the way. Inspite of
being infamous for his arrogance, Ibrahimovic is arguably
one of the finest strikers in the footballing world. The Swede
has impressed wherever he has decided to ply his trade,
winning 11 League titles along his career across various
clubs. Zlatan has also relived his magic in Sweden colours.
The Malmo-born striker is currently the captain of the
Blagult team, and many a time has singlehandedly turned
around games for his country with his skills.
Footballing Great or Arrogant Prima-donna?
Ibrahimovic was born in Malmo, Sweden on 3rd October,
1981 to a Bosniak father and a Crotian mother. At the age
of six, Zlatan was given his first pair of football boots, and
fell in love with the game. Born in a poverty-stricken home,
financial hardships was almost about to rob football of one
of its finest talents. In 1996, at the age of 15, he considered
quitting football due to his family's financial problems and
wanted to join the local dock at Malmo as a labourer. But
his Malmo Youth club manager persuaded the teenage Ibra
to not let his hardships decide his footballing fate.
Thankfully Ibrahimovic agreed to pursue football, or else the
beautiful game wouldn't have witnessed Zlatan magic.
Ibrahimovic was promoted to the Malmo senior side in 1999
and started to impress. In his three seasons at the Swedish
club, he netted 16 goals in 40 outings. His performances in
the Swedish League grabbed the attention of several
European heavyweights.  In 2001, Arsene Wenger tried his
best to sign this promising youngster for Arsenal.
According to an oft-repeated story, Wenger had even
handed the number 9 jersey to the towering Swede. When
asked by Wenger to attend a training session with the senior
players, a 19-year-old Ibra refused to do training, claiming
that 'Zlatan doesn't do training'. Glimpses of his attitude
was evident even at that early age. But Dutch giants Ajax
agreed to sign the striker for a reported 8.7 million Euros in
2001. After a promising debut season at Amsterdam, Zlatan
won his first league title, the Eredivisie in 2001-02, and the
rest is history. Winning league titles at every club he has
played for since then, Ibra has proven his worth on all the
big stages of football.
Here are listed few of the many records that the towering 6
foot 5 inch-striker from Malmo has achieved:
- Since making his Sweden debut on 31st January 2001, in
a goalless friendly against the Faroe Islands, Ibrahimovic
has made 98 appearances. He ranks 10th on the list of
most capped player for Sweden.
- The Sweden skipper has been really prolific in scoring on
national duty. Ibra is just one goal shy of claiming the
record of being Sweden's all-time top-scorer. With 48
goals, he needs one more strike to equal Sweden legend
Sven Rydall.
- Ibrahimovic has raked in big bucks throughout his career.
His move in 2011 to Serie A giants AC Milan made him one
of the highest-paid footballers. While with the Rossoneri,
Ibra collected 7.9 million Pounds a year, making him the
then 7th highest paid footballer in the world.
- In December 2013, The Guardian ranked him 3rd on the list
of the best footballers in the world, behind Cristiano
Ronaldo (Real Madrid) and Lionel Messi (Barcelona).
- In a friendly game against England in November 2012,
Ibrahimovic netted a breathtaking goal as the Swedes
routed the Three Lions 4-2. Zlatan netted an astonishing
'bicycle kick' goal that was awarded the FIFA Puskas Award
for Goal of the Year at the Ballon d'Or ceremony.
- The striker has an incredible record of winning eight
succesive domestic titles. From 2003-04 to 2010-11, Ibra
has won the domestic championship every year with
different clubs. He won in 2003-04 with Ajax, followed by
two titles at Juventus, three with Inter Milan, and one each
with Barcelona and AC Milan.
- Ibrahimovic is the only player to have scored in the
Champions League for six different clubs. The 32-year-old
has netted in Europe's prestigious tournament for Ajax,
Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, AC Milan and Paris Saint-
Germain.
- While with Inter Milan, Ibrahimovic was twice (in 2007 and
2009) named in the UEFA Team of the Year.
- With 41 goals in 103 appearances he ranks 12th on the list
of top goal-scorers in the UEFA Champions League. The list
is led by former Real Madrid and Schalke striker Raul with
71

Ronaldo is simply extraordinary

The full monty... Ronaldo's seventh
minute strike gives him a goal in
every minute of a game! Even Messi
can't match that
Cristiano Ronaldo is a record breaker and smasher.
And after scoring in the seventh minute of Real's win
against rivals Atletico Madrid, Portugal international
Ronaldo earned the bragging rights to a new record which
Messi can't yet lay claim to, he has now scored in every
minute of a 90 minute game.
The former Manchester United star is more prolific in some
minutes than others, having scored 22 goals in the 90th
minute and 12 goals in the 45th.
However, he has only netted once in the 1st, 7th, 15th,
17th, 31st, 40th, 43rd, 53rd, and 78th minutes . compiled by nedusportsfacts.blogspot.com..

Superstars under Jorge Mendes

Jorge Mendes' clients include
Radamel Falcao, Diego Costa and
James Rodriguez... but agent's
influence raises questions about who
really owns football’s stars
By Nick Harris for The Mail on Sunday
22:37 06 Sep 2014, updated 12:42 07 Sep 2014
'Super agent' Jorge Mendes boasts Angel Di Maria
and James Rodriguez among his clients
Diego Costa and Eliaquim Mangala also clients of
Portuguese
48-year-old earned £20million from transfer
negotiations with Man United this summer
Total transfers negotiated by Mendes total over
£1billion
Mendes carries four mobile phones and is fluent in
English, Spanish, French and Italian
Cristiano Ronaldo described Mendes as a 'fair and
honest man'
Jose Mourinho considers Mendes the best agent in
the world
Angel di Maria, James Rodriguez, Diego Costa and
Manchester City’s Eliaquim Mangala are among his clients,
moving clubs in the past two months alone in permanent
transfers worth £208.5million.
And that does not take into account the potential £51.3m
final transfer involved in Colombian striker Radamel
Falcao’s move from Monaco to Manchester United.
No wonder, the charming 48-year-old Portuguese ‘super
agent’ Jorge Mendes, friend and adviser to footballing stars
from Cristiano Ronaldo to Jose Mourinho, has been hailed
for ‘winning’ the transfer window. And not just one.
VIDEO Scroll down to see Falcao and Rodriguez practice
one-twos in Colombia training
The Mail on Sunday have calculated Mendes has negotiated
transfers totalling £1,068,370,548. So far.
With a typical ‘take’ of 10 per cent commission per deal, he
will have cleared some £20m-plus this summer, and
£100m-plus in commissions alone in his career. But his
earnings do not stop there. Via his company GestiFute he
also owns stakes in many players.
Mendes, married with five children, carries four mobile
phones, is fluent in English, Spanish, French and Italian, and
also acts as a consultant to other agencies who own and
trade in players.
Total of Mendes' transfer negotations
As such he represents what many fans see as the good, the
bad and the ugly of modern football. He is, simultaneously,
a key figure in a dynamic marketplace where you can rise
on hard work and talent; a major player in a parasitic
industry where hangers-on prosper; and a key figure in the
often murky waters of vested interests where just a few
people control many of the players and, arguably, the clubs.
That is not to traduce Mendes. Those who know him say he
is engaging and provides good pastoral care. ‘He’s with
players for the long haul, not the quick buck,’ says one
associate.
Ronaldo says Mendes is a ‘fair and honest man’ who he
trusts ‘completely’. Mourinho said of him in 2010: ‘When I
was told there was to be an award for the best agent in the
world, I was immediately convinced that the award had to
be Jorge Mendes.’ The Chelsea boss also says Mendes
encourages players to ‘respect their commitments’ to clubs.
Sir Alex Ferguson says Mendes is ‘the best agent I dealt
with, without a doubt’.
Also not in any doubt is Mendes’s increasing influence.
GestiFute’s client list contains 58 names, two of them
managers, Mourinho and Valencia’s Nuno Espirito Santo,
the former goalkeeper known as Nuno.
JAMES RODRIGUEZ
Club: Real Madrid
Age: 23
Nationality: Colombian
Position: Midfielder
Total move value: £101.50m
Last move: £63m to Madrid in 2014
Real Madrid’s Pepe and Fabio Coentrao are also on the list,
as are United’s David de Gea and Anderson, and Monaco’s
Ricardo Carvalho and Joao Moutinho.
Eighteen players are aged 23 or under, most of them in
Portugal and Spain. Spotting potential and following it
through is a hallmark of Mendes’s business.
He grew up in Lisbon, the son of a gas plant worker for
Portugal’s biggest petrol company, Petrogal. By 20 he was
playing semi-professional football as a left winger. He ran a
video store, then opened a bar and club in coastal town
Caminha. There he met Nuno, then 22, and helped him
move to Deportivo La Coruna.
Eighteen years later, Nuno has been handed three young
Mendes clients on loan this summer in a loan intake that
also includes (non-Mendes clients) Alvaro Negredo and
Bruno Zuculini, both from Manchster City.
By helping the young Nuno, Mendes was on his way, a
fledgling agent at 30. He next helped midfielder Costinha
get his break, from lowly Nacional to Monaco, then took
winger Capucho from little Vitoria Guimaraes to Porto. His
contacts grew, as did his rivalry with the then dominant
Portuguese agent Jose Veiga. The pair had a scuffle over
Luis Figo in Lisbon airport in 2002.
Falcao and Rodriguez practice one-twos in Colombia
training
CRISTIANO RONALDO
Club: Real Madrid
Age: 29
Nationality: Portuguese
Position: Forward
Total move value: £92.24m
Last move: £80m to Real Madrid in 2009
Mendes didn’t land that client from Veiga but he did bag
Hugo Viana, Ricardo Quaresma and Ronaldo. Crucially, he
charmed a client from another agent, Jose Baidek; the client
was Mourinho and the truly big time beckoned.
By Euro 2008, Mendes was representing every major
Portuguese footballer. He was agent to 16 of the 23-man
squad, and to Portugal’s manager Luiz Felipe Scolari, who
he then took to Chelsea.
In such a high-stakes environment it is inevitable Mendes
has upset people. He was accused of poaching Nani (in
2007) and Bebe (in 2011) from their respective former
agents Ana Almeida and Goncalo Reis, just before those
players made moves to United. They said he pinched their
players; he said they wanted his help to make progress.
Reis said of his muscling in on the Bebe deal: ‘When
Mendes arrived I was out of the transaction. It’s a sad thing
that the one who discovers a player is not able to stay with
him when big clubs are interested.’
Cristiano Ronaldo nets early goal Real Madrid 2-1 Fiorentina
ANGEL DI MARIA
Club: Manchester United
Age: 26
Nationality: Argentinian
Position: Midfielder
Total move value: £89.08m
Last move: £59.7m to Man United in 2014
The Bebe transfer also highlights another aspect of
Mendes’s business — owning players. His firm GestiFute
earned about £2.87m from the £7.4m United paid for Bebe
for their share of his ‘economic rights’.
Another of Mendes’s recent client moves took Spanish
striker Adrian Lopez from Atletico Madrid to Porto, with
Porto paying £8.7m for 60 per cent of the player and the
other shareholding an unspecified third party.
Another Mendes client, 21-year-old Portuguese midfielder
Andre Gomes, on loan at Nuno’s Valencia from Benfica, is
owned — entirely separately from his loan move — by
Valencia’s Singaporean billionaire owner, Peter Lim.
Third-party ownership (TPO) is a regulatory minefield. In
England it is prohibited by FA rules and opposed by the
Premier League, whose spokesman said: ‘It threatens the
integrity of competitions, reduces the flow of transfer
revenue contained within the game, and has the potential to
exert external influences on players’ transfer decisions.’
ELIAQUIM MANGALA
Club: Manchester City
Age: 23
Nationality: French
Position: Defender
Total move value: £42m
Last move: £42m to Man City in 2014
A report last year by auditors KPMG said there were about
1,100 TPO footballers at work around Europe, in total worth
about £1bn.
Sources say four — among them Mangala — and perhaps
more of the 100-plus players coming to the Premier League
this summer were third-party owned — before the English
clubs took 100 per cent ownership. Liverpool’s Lazar
Markovic and United’s Marcos Rojo were among them.
Chelsea’s parent company, via a subsidiary firm, is believed
to own a group of TPO players, but none in England, so no
rules are broken. Mendes has been linked to that fund as
consultant.
Mendes didn’t own Mangala, he is ‘just’ the player’s agent
and worked with several parties as City paid about £40m
for the player. The £40m was split between Porto, an
‘ownership fund’ called Doyen and another called Robi Plus,
with agency fees on top.
No wonder Mendes, pictured so often with his clients
recently, is always smiling.
MORE...
Cristiano Ronaldo, Radamel Falcao and Angel di Maria all
star in 'super agent' Jorge Mendes' XI... and Jose Mourinho
is the boss
Radamel Falcao celebrates £6m season-long loan move to
Manchester United with a glass of wine and a Chinese meal
FIFA 15 player ratings: Gareth Bale and Radamel Falcao
miss out on top 10 as EA Sports announce numbers 20-11
Monaco had to flog Radamel Falcao - their owner is going
through a £2.7bn divorce, has a £41.5m tax bill... and then
there's the financial fair play rules
DAVID BECKHAM: I've retired to be a taxi driver for my
boys, but I'd be proud if England asked me to help out... I
miss playing for my country more than anything
Marcos Rojo 'desperate' for his Manchester United debut
after getting his work permit
10 things to watch this weekend: Raheem Sterling on centre
stage for England, Scotland facing world champions
Germany, and Brazil kick off new era

The most influential football agent

Jorge Mendes: The rise and
rise of Portugal's super-agent
How a DJ and nightclub owner became one of
most powerful men in football and the agent of
José Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo
Jorge Mendes was named agent of the year last
December – he made his first deal in 1994. Photograph:
Paulo Esteves/ASF Paulo Esteves/ASF
Jorge Mendes may have proclaimed himself
"world's best businessman" after his agent of
the year accolade at the Globe Soccer event in
December, but accounts of his life story
describe him, like many agents, falling into the
work by chance, just as the money to be made
in football deals began ballooning. He is
reported to have struggled to build a career in
Portuguese semi-professional football, then
worked as a DJ, opened a video shop, bar and
nightclub in Caminha, northern Portugal. There,
in 1996, he happened to meet the goalkeeper,
Nuno Espírito Santo, who was then playing for
Vitória Guimarães – the same club from which
Mendes orchestrated Bébé's sale to Manchester
United 14 years later. Mendes negotiated Nuno
a move to Deportiva La Coruña, and after that,
he moved gradually into the agency business.
Known now for doing hugely lucrative deals
representing almost all Portugal's international
players, together with José Mourinho, and Luiz
Felipe Scolari and Carlos Queiroz – both former
Portugal national team coaches – Mendes's rise
has been hard-edged. It was marked, famously
in Portugal, by a fist fight at Lisbon airport with
José Veiga, Luis Figo's agent, whom Mendes was
gradually supplanting in the early 2000s as the
country's top football fixer. He has also been
accused by other agents of moving in on their
players shortly before agreeing major deals –
Nani's former agent, Ana Almeida, complained
that the player joined Mendes, then Manchester
United, in 2005, while she still had a contract
with him. Bébé's agent, Gonçalo Reis, has said
he was cut off mid-contract, before Mendes
suddenly began to represent Bébé then within
days agreed a €9m (£7.5m) deal with United.
Discussing the dispute with Almeida in an
interview in 2006, Mendes was quoted as
saying: "There are people that have signed
contracts with players and are there waiting for
a Jorge Mendes to show up and take him to a
big club. They want to be glued to the operation
without ever having done anything to promote
it."
Even Mourinho is always reported to have
dropped his own agent, Jorge Baidek, before
signing up with Mendes then moving from
Porto to manage Chelsea in 2004. In a video
message played at the award ceremony in
Dubai, Mourinho praised Mendes's skill in
building good relationships with clubs and
managers, and for motivating players to
"respect the commitments with the clubs".
Ronaldo described his agent as "a fair and
honest man" with whom he established
"immediate empathy" as a 17-year-old.
Accepting the award in Dubai, which he
dedicated to his mother and brother, who have
both died in the last year and a half, Mendes
said: "Portugal is a small country, where people
who do well are the target of envy, but you
have to struggle against the tide."

Arsenal’s history quiz... NSF Exclusive

1
When was Arsenal originally formed?
1890
1886
1875
None of the above
2
What was the club first known as?
Arsenal
North London
Highbury square
Dial square
3
What year did the club turn professional?
1891
1886
1900
1895
4
What league were Arsenal elected to?
Conference
First division
Third division
Second division
5
What year did they gain promotion to the league
above?
1904
1909
1906
1910
6
Arsenal got relegated in 1909
True
False
7
Arsenal's first major trophy was the league
True
False
8
Who scored the winning goal in extra time against
Liverpool in the FA cup final in 1969?
Charlie George
Frank Mac Clintock
Terry Neil
Don Howe
9
In 1989 who did Arsenal beat on goals scored in
the race for the title?
Chelsea
Man Utd
Tottenham
Liverpool
10
In the 1992-93 season who did Arsenal beat in the
FA cup final and the coca cola cup?
Sheffield UTD
Sheffield Wed
Liverpool
Man UTD
11
Who did Arsene Wnger take over from as the
manager of Arsenal?
Bruce Rioch
Stewert Houston
George Graham
None of the above
12
Who did Arsenal lose to in extra time in the FA cup
in 1998-99
Liverpool
Tottenham
Man UTD
Chelsea
13
Where did Arsenal finish in the 2000-01
2nd
1st
3rd
4th
14
In the Champions league in 2000-01 what score
was it in the arsenal, valencia match in highbury?
2-1 arsenal
1-0 arsenal
1-0 valencia
1-1
15
How much points did Arsenal finish with in the
2002-03
83
80
69
78
Submit Your Answers
Unanswered questions will be maked as wrong

D u know the gunners that much??

1
Which of these is not an Arsenal player?
Jens Lehmann
Aliadiere
Silvestre
Larsson
2
Who did Arsenal play against in the FA cup final in
2004?
Chelsea
Manchester United
Liverpool
Arsenal was not in the FA cup final in 2004
3
What was the score when Arsenal played
Manchester United in the FA cup final in 1979?
Arsenal 2 Manchester United 3
Arsenal 0 Manchester United 2
Arsenal 1 Manchester United 0
Arsenal 3 Manchester United 2
4
Arsenal are moving to a new stadium in 2006. It
will be called..?
Highbury Stadium
The Gooners Stand Up
Arsenal Stadium
Emirates Stadium
5
Which of these players has not played for
Arsenal?
Sean Wright Phillips
Ian Wright
Thomas Coakley
Tony Adams
6
Which of these people has managed Arsenal in the
past?
Walter Smith
Jimmy Gabriel
Frank Brettell
Bertie Mee
7
Which of these is an Arsenal Defender?
Kole Toure
Rio Ferdinand
Jens Lehmann
Robin Van Persie
8
Arsenal's current coach is (in 2005)...?
Arsene Wenger
Pat Rice
George Graham
Alan Hanson
9
Arsenal have appeared in the FA cup final how
many times?
12
5
22
16
10
In the 2003/2004 Premiership season, Arsenal
finished...?
2nd
3rd
1st
5th
11
Arsenal came first in division 1 in which season?
1998/1999 and 1991/1992
1990/1991 and 1983/1984
1989/1990 and 1990/1991
1990/1991 and 1988/1989
12
In the 1999/2000 season, Arsenal reached the
final in which cup(s)?
Cup-winners Cup
UEFA cup
Champions League and UEFA
Champions League and Cup-winners Cup
Submit Your Answers
Unanswered questions will be maked as wrong

Jhayben's soccer facts

Welcome to my fun facts about soccer where you can read
some soccer fun facts that most people don't know about
this beautiful game.
1. Soccer is called football in practically every country
except the US and Canada is the first cool soccer fact.
2. Soccer is distinguished from rugby and American/
Canadian football in that it is primarily played with the feet.
Touching the ball with hands is not allowed.
3. Soccer fun facts continue with Soccer being originally
called association football. "Soccer" is a corruption of
"assoc" which is derived in turn from "association" and the
English people tending to shorten their words :)
4. The University of North Carolina has won an incredible 16
national championships in women's soccer since the first
US college tournament in 1982 as facts about soccer
continue.
5. Cool soccer facts include the World Cup being the biggest
soccer tournament in the world. It is held every four years in
a different host country.
Billions of people watch the televised games as the national
teams from countries around the globe battle it out for
soccer supremacy.
6. Fun soccer fact is that United States Major League
Soccer made its debut in 1996, shortly after the wildly
successful 1994 World Cup was hosted by the United
States.
7. The Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) made
its debut in 2001.
Eight teams participated, and Brandi Chastain's Bay Area
CyberRays won the inaugural league championship over
Atlanta.
The league disbanded in 2003 as the fun facts about soccer
continue.
8. United States has more official soccer players than any
other nation in the world - almost 18 million.
Of these, 78 percent are under the age of 18. In the 1990s,
soccer was recognized as the fastest-growing college and
high school sport in the US which I find as one of the cool
soccer facts.
9. 20 red cards were shown during a 1993 game between
Sportivo Ameliano and General Caballero in Paraguay
making this a very funny soccer fact.
10. ASEC Abidjan of Cote D'Ivoire went unbeaten for 108
games between 1989 and 1994.
11. Carlos Caszely of Chile was the first red carded player in
a World Cup tournament on June 14, 1974 as the fun facts
about soccer continue.
12. Facts about soccer show that European Teams have
reached the final of every World Cup except in 1930 and
1950.
13. Goalkeeper Arthur Wharton was the first black
professional soccer player.
He was born in Ghana (then Gold Coast) and played for
English League team Rotherham United in 1889.
14. In 1950 India withdrew form the World Cup because
FIFA refused to let their team play barefoot making this
another very funny fact about soccer.
15. Another funny soccer fact is when Turkey knocked out
Spain during a 1954 World Cup qualifier by drawing straws.
Blindfolded Italian boy Luigi Franco Gemma picked the
straws to decide the winner.
16. In 1957 with only 30 minutes remaining, Charlton
Athletic game back from a 5-1 deficit to defeat Huddersfield
Town 7-6. Very cool soccer fact :)
17. Fun facts about soccer continue with Penarol of
Urugauy conceding only five goals in 18 games on the way
to an unbeaten 1968 season.
18. In 1996 George Weah paid for his teammates uniforms
and expenses so that Liberia could enter the African Nations
Cup.
19. In 1997 Nigerian international Celestine Babayaro broke
his leg while celebrating a goal in his Chelsea debut during a
preseason game. Cant say that this was a fun soccer fact
but it sure is funny in a sad way.
20. Funny fact about soccer is when English referee Martin
Sylvester sent himself off in 1998 after punching a player
during a game in the Andover and District Sunday League.
21. In the 1938 World Cup semifinal, Italian Guiseppe
Meazza's shorts fell down as he was taking a penalty shot.
He held his shorts up and calmly scored past Brazil's Valter
Zenga making this one of the funniest facts about soccer :D
22. Jean Langenus of Belgium wore a suit jacket, golfing
pants and a red striped tie when he refereed the 1930 World
Cup final.
23. Luigi Riva once broke the arm of a spectator with one of
his powerful shots. This is what you might call a cool
soccer fact :)
24. Madagascan team Stade Olympique L'Emryne scored
149 own goals against champions AS Adema in 2002.
They repeatedly scored own goals in protest of a refereeing
decision in their previous game.
This is one funny soccer fact, imagine watching a team
repeatedly score own goals lol
25. Fun facts about soccer continue with Michael Laudrup.
He appeared for Real Madrid in a 5-0 win over Barcelona
and also played for Barcelona when they beat Real Madrid
5-0.
26. Funny fact about soccer shows non flying Dutchman
Dennis Bergkamp's fear of flying causing him to miss many
international and European games for Arsenal.
27. Sir Alex Ferguson was fired by St. Mirren in 1978 for
swearing at a lady. Alex Ferguson swearing, what a funny
soccer fact hehe
28. One of the cool soccer facts is that Sir Stanley
Matthews never received a booking in his 33 year long
career.
29. Under Herbert Chapman, The Arsenal changed their
name to simply Arsenal in order to appear at the top of the
alphabetical list of old Division One clubs.
30. The first televised game was an Arsenal practice match
at the Highbury ground in 1937.
There you have some of the most fun facts about soccer as
well as few funny soccer facts and some very cool soccer
facts through the history of this beautiful game.
I hope you enjoyed reading and learning these fun facts
about soccer, feel free and check out more soccer
information here on soccer maniak.

Facts about soccer which u never knew

FACTS ABOUT FOOTBALL - HAVE A LOOK
SEE WHAT YOU DID OR DIDNT KNOW!
· Football originated generally in its present form in Britain.
· The world's oldest club formed in 1857 is Sheffield FC
(Metro FC was established in 1899, making it one of the
oldest clubs in NZ) it was founded by Colonel Nathaniel
Cresswick and Major William Priest, two British Army
officers
· Football is the most played and most watched sport on
Earth
· Football is called football in practically every country
except America, who call 'Grid Iron' football and football
soccer.
· Famous Football rivalries include the Old Firm ( Scotland),
Manchester derby, London derbies, Milan derby, Real vs
Barcelona, and many more.
· Some famous Football players: Pele, Maradonna,
Charlton, Eusebio, Cruyff, Dalglish, Ronaldo, Beckham,
Mattheus.
· The sport of Association Football (often referred to as
soccer or simply football) is the most popular team sport in
the world, in both number of spectators and number of
active participants.
· The largest attendance for a Football match ever was
199,854 people - Brazil v. Uruguay in the World Cup at the
Maracana Municipal Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, July 1950.
· In the largest Football tournament ever, no less than 5,098
teams competed in 1999 for the second Bangkok League
Seven-a-Side Competition. Over 35,000 players involved!
· The most goals scored by one player in a single Football
match was 16 by Stephan Stanis (France) playing for Racing
Club de Lens in December 1942.
· Based on video evidence, one of the fastest ever scored
was in 2.8 seconds by Ricardo Olivera ( Uruguay) in
December 1998.
· The international governing body of Football is the
Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA),
based in Zurich, Switzerland.
· Diego Maradona was only 16 when he made his debut for
Argentina.
· Football goalies didn't have to wear different coloured
shirts from their teammates until 1913.
· Eusebio scored 46 goals in the European Cup for Benfica.
· Chris Woods once went 1196 minutes without conceding a
goal while at Glasgow Rangers, from between November 26
1986 and January 31 1987.
· Ryan Giggs' (of Manchester United) dad was a
professional Rugby League player.
· In 1973, the entire Galilee team spent the night in jail for
kicking their opponents during an Israeli League game
Football players run an average of six miles during every
game.
Football is the most popular sport in the world. Over one
billion fans watch World Cup Football on television.
Every year except for two (1930 and 1950) European Teams
have reached every World Cup final.
India withdrew from the World Cup in 1950 because they
weren’t allowed to play barefoot.
Football facts reveal that only the United States and Canada
actually call soccer “soccer.”
Over 40 million watched on television as the U.S. Women’s
Team won the World Cup in 1999.
There are 1000 activity changes in every soccer match.
The World's First Football Club was the English Sheffield
Football Club, founded in 1857 by Colonel Nathaniel
Cresswick and Major William Priest, two British Army
officers.
Pele was the first to call Football “the beautiful game.”
The Football World Cup is played every four years.
The fewest number of fans to watch a World Cup Football
game was the 300 in Uruguay in 1930.
The very first game of basketball was played with a soccer
ball.
The most World Cups have been won by Brazil--5 with the
last in 2002.

50 INTERESTING AND UNKNOWN FACTS ABOUT LIONEL MESSI

Get the best and most interesting
50 interesting facts about Lionel
Lionel Messi is arguably the best footballer in the world
at the moment. He is often compared to football
legends like Pele and Maradona and it won't be a
surprise if he overtakes  Here are 50
interesting facts about Lionel Messi.
1. His
full
name
is
Luis
Lionel Andres Messi.
2. Messi was born on June 24, 1987 in Rosario,
Argentina.
3. Messi shares his birthplace with the Argentinian
revolutionary Che Guevera.
4. His family is of middle-class Italian origin. His
father, Jorge, was a steelworker, and he also
coached the local youth football team.
5. Messi was not very healthy and nutritious in his
childhood days like the other boys around. He was
diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency which
was stopping his normal growth rate at a tender
age of 11. His parents could not afford his
treatment, which was $900 a month.
6. At the age of 17, he made his league debut against
RCD Espanyol and became the third youngest
person ever to play on Barcelona. At that time he
was also the youngest player to ever score for
Barcelona.
7. Messi's first contract with Barcelona was detailed
out on a paper napkin! FC Barcelona sporting
director Carles Rexach was so impressed with
Messi's skills that he wanted to make a contract
immediately and there was no paper available at
that time.
8. Barcelona was so impressed with Messi's footskills
that they offered to pay his medical bills and move
the family to Spain just to sign him when he was
13. That probably explains why the contract was
first signed on a napkin.
9. During the 2005-2006 season, Messi began being
paid as a first team member.
10. Messi holds two passports - Argentina's and
Spain's. He became a Spanish citizen in September
2005.
11. Lionel Messi also made his debut in the Spanish
First Division league. Out of his seventeen League
appearances he scored six goals. He scored one
goal in six for the Champions League.
/moreawesomewithfootball
12. His 2005 international debut lasted 47 seconds
when he received a red card after coming on as a
substitute.
13. He won an Olympic gold medal, along with the
Argentinian football team, at the 2008 Olympic
games in Beijing.
14. Messi inherited the No. 10 Barca jersey from
another great footballer Ronaldinho in the summer
of 2008.
Source: Wikipedia / Christopher Johnson
15. In 2009, he won his first Ballon d'Or and FIFA World
Player of the Year awards. He followed this up by
winning the inaugural FIFA Ballon d'Or in 2010, and
then again in 2011 and 2012.
16. Messi has won six La Ligas, two Copas del Rey,
five Supercopas de España, three UEFA Champions
Leagues, two UEFA Super Cups and two Club World
Cups.
17. Along with England's Vivian Woodward (who
accomplished the feat in the early 1900s), Messi is
the only player to have scored 25 goals in a
calendar year during international competition with
both his club and his country.
Source: Tumblr / puyols
18. He was offered a place in the national team by
Spain which he did not accept.
19. Messi is the sixth youngest soccer player to score
a goal in a World Cup games.
20. One of Lionel's nicknames is "The Flea" due to his
speed and agility.
21. Clearly, impressive soccer skills runs in his family.
Lionel's cousins Emanuel and Maxi Biancucchi
both play for solid clubs in South America, although
neither had made the leap to a premier club or
senior national team.
Source: Wikipedia / Laia
22. If for whatever reason, Barcelona decides to cancel
their contract with Lionel Messi, they will have to
cough up over $330 million for a breach in
contract.
23. Two of the musical genres that Messi enjoys
listening to are Samba and Cumbi.
24. Lionel Messi is the second richest soccer player in
the world with a net worth of $180 million. The
most wealthiest is Cristiano Ronaldo who is worth
$230 million.
25. Between his contract and endorsements, he makes
about $128,000 per day.
Source: Tumblr / cescfabregs
26. Messi has been featured on the covers of the Pro
Evolution Soccer 2009 and Pro Evolution Soccer
2011 video games. He and Fernando Torres are the
faces of the Pro Evolution Soccer 2010 video game
and helped out with the trailer and motion
capturing.
27. Messi is not only a great soccer player, but he's a
really good person. Messi is the founder of the
organization, Leo Messi Foundation, which helps
give children the best opportunities for education
and health care. His foundation, with the help of
Herbalife, helps to pay for medical treatment,
transportation and recuperation for children
diagnosed with major medical problems.
28. Messi is also the Goodwill Ambassador for
UNICEF.
Source: Tumblr / cescfabregs
29. He also works for people suffering from Fragile X
Syndrome (a disease related to autism).
30. On March 2013, Lionel Messi donated €600,000
($812,000) towards the refurbishment of a
children's hospital in his hometown of Rosario,
Argentina. The money was used to renovate the
oncology unit at the Victor J Vilela Children's
Hospital, as well as paying for doctors to travel to
Barcelona for training
31. His playing style and stature have drawn
comparisons to compatriot Diego Maradona, who
himself declared Messi his "successor".
Source: Wikipedia/ Alexandr Mysyakin
32. Messi was was the first Argentinian ever to be
named FIFA World Player of the Year, not Diego
Maradona. However, this is due to a technicality
because the award was created in 1991, at which
point Maradona had begun his downward spiral
after he peaked in the 1986 World Cup.
33. Messi appeared in a 2012 television advert for
Japanese face wash Scalp-D.
34. In September 2012, Messi became the global brand
ambassador of Turkish Airlines. Messi shot a
commercial for the airline with NBA star Kobe
Bryant.
35. He has been dating his Argentine-born girlfriend
and mother of his child - Antonella Roccuzzo -
since 2009.
36. His son, Thiago, was born on November 2, 2012.
"Today I am the happiest man in the world, my son
was born and thanks to God for this gift!" he wrote
on his Facebook page.
Source: Tumblr / aaronjramseys
37. His infant son is already an official member of the
Newell's Old Boys' supporters club. When Messi's
son Thiago was just 72 hours old, Newell's Old
Boys which was Messi's original club, was first in
line and managed to sign the infant to a supporters
club contract.
38. Lionel Messi also had the boy's name and
handprints tattooed on his left calf.
39. Messi has also dated a hometown girl Macarena
Lemos and has also been linked to Luciana
Salazar, a model of Argentina.
Source: Tumblr / vamos-barcelona
40. Messi is a devout Roman Catholic and he met Pope
francis at the Vatican in 2013. "Without a doubt,
today was one of the most special days of my life.
We have to excel on and off the field," Messi said
about the meeting.
41. Lionel Messi is considered by most football experts
to be the best footballer of his generation.
Source: Tumblr / mandzukics
42. In September 2012, Messi became the global brand
ambassador of Turkish Airlines. Messi shot a
commercial for the airline with NBA star Kobe
Bryant.
43. Messi ranked second behind Neymar in SportsPro
magazine's 2013 list of the world's most
marketable athletes.
44. Messi is the first football player in history to win
four FIFA/Ballons d'Or, all of which he won
consecutively, as well as the first to win three
European Golden Shoe awards
Source: Tumblr / cescfabregs
45. Lionel Messi is 5′ 7″ tall (1.69 metres).
46. Messi has been a very shy person right from his
childhood and this trait continues to until even now.
Apparently, it is very difficult to make him talk on
the phone. Most the important messages that have
to be delivered to him and received from him take
place through SMS.
Source: Tumblr / aaronjramseys
47. After scoring a goal, Messi typically celebrates in a
calm and composed manner by simply raising both
hands in the air. This gesture is to thank and pay
tribute to his grandmother who was very close to
him and passed away when he was 10. Messi
believes she is up there and watching her from
above and this is his way of showing that he would
always be grateful to her.
48. His favorite pastimes include relaxing with his
girlfriend and playing with his son, Thiago. He is
also an avid PlayStation player.
Source: Wikipedia / Darz Mol
49. Lionel Messi does not like to watch highlights of
himself.
50. Japanese jeweller Ginza Takana used a cast of
Messi's left foot to create a solid gold replica,
weighing 25 kilograms (55 lb), which went on sale
in Japan in March 2013 to raise funds for victims
of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. It was
valued at $5.25 million.
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