Lionel Messi, World Football's Golden Boy

Lionel Messi, La Liga all time top-goal scorer, has secured his place as one of the all time world great’s.  His is one of, if not the very best, ever to play the game.

Is Lionel Messi the greatest player of all time..??

At the age of thirteen a young Lionel Messi moved from his home town club, Rosario Argentina, to the famous Barcelona FC. At a young age Messi had to get nightly growth hormone injections to make him grow. It was a few 100 dollars a month so it was hard for Lionel’ family to pay for it, however the club helped Messi’s family pay for the injections. 

Messi scored his first goal for Barcelona in May 2005 against Albacete.  In one of his first ever interviews Messi said his favourite player was the Brazilian Ronaldo, he was his hero because he was the best forward he has seen, he was so fast and could score from nothing.

Messi has won lots of silverwear and broken many records such as the most goals scored in Europe, and the most goals scored in a season.  He has won four ballon`dors in his career and has been a phenomenal player ever since the day he joined Barcelona at the early age of 13. This year Messi has already scored 8 goals in 6 appearances with two assists in the Champion’s League qualifiers helping Barcelona qualify with ease from the group stages.

Leo Messi, full name Luis Lionel Messi, was born on June 24^th 1987. His family are quoted as saying Messi was ‘born a talent and grew into a superstar’. On December 14th 2000 Barcelona's Sporting Director Carles Reach held a meeting with the 13 year old Messi and his father Jorge.  Interestingly the contract signed between the young Messi and Carles the Sporting Director was signed on a napkin as there was no paper to hand.  No one knew at the time that this napkin would turn out to be one of the most important sporting documents in sporting history.

Lionel Messi's remarkable Barcelona career started with a signed napkin

Messi competes against Cristiano Ronaldo nearly every year not only for domestic and European titles but also for individual honours, they are the two giants in world football today. Some people think Ronaldo is the best player in the world and others think it’s Messi, if I was to choose I would say Messi is the all-time player but for 2014-2015 I would say it has to be Ronaldo. Some of the stats for this year are…

Ronaldo                              Messi

36 goals                             37 goals

14 assists                          18 assists

33 appearances                 33 appearances

In one of the most lucrative leagues in the world, the Spanish la liga, giants Barcelona and Real Madrid are almost neck and neck in the table. Real Madrid are currently on 54 points and Barcelona on 53 points and both played the same amount of games. This year will be tough to decide who will win but with Messi playing a big part in Barcelona’s success they could possibly slip past real Madrid and be the league winners for the 23rd time in Barcelona’s history.

Last year in the World Cup Messi admitted he did not earn the golden ball award, despite the Argentinian superstar winning the award for the most outstanding player of the tournament.   Argentinian  legend Maradona was critical of Messi during the World Cup saying, ‘Messi, I would give him heaven if possible but it is not right when someone wins something he shouldn’t have won just because of some marketing plan’.

Messi is an outstanding player and at only 27 he can becme even better as the years’ progress. There are still many more trophies to win and records to break for Lionel Messi. 

by Alan McLagan

Alexis Sanchez has the Power

After a fantastic world cup playing for the Chilean national side Arsenal completed the signing of the summer sining Alexis Sanchez for £30million from Barcelona. 

Despite having won five trophies in his three seasons at the Nou Camp, having joined from Udinese in 2011, Sanchez often found himself out of the team for big games. He admitted that he found it difficult playing in the classic Barcelona style, his obvious energy and pace didn’t fit with the patient ‘tika-taka’ Barcelona passing game.

Alexis Sanchez, the most influential and successful signing of the summer

Sanchez is proving to be one of the best signings of the summer. He is Arsenal's Duracell battery who is currently powering them through the Champions League stages and into the Premiership’s top four. One of his team mates Oxlade Chamberlin commented that “he is non-stop and his desire to win the ball is unbelievable”.  In October Sanchez was voted Premiership player of the month. 

On the 19^th of December 1988 in Tocopilla Chile, Sanchez was born. It all started with Cobreloa based in Calma in north Chile. After a season he moved to Santiagho based Colo-Colo, where he won the Chilean Primera Division in 2007. His performances were suitably impressive for Italian side Udinese to make a move for the player where he spent three seasons. 

Barcelona came in for the player and after struggling to hold down a regular starting position he then moved onto play for arsenal. Alexis is quoted as saying that “from an early age I liked football and I started with my friends in the neighbourhood, before we even had grass pitches there were only dirt pitches.”

When he played with Corbela he received only £45 a month even when he got into the first team his wages remained low. Udinese who payed £1.7 million for the 17 year old promptly loaned him out for seasons in Chile and Argentina where he was on Championship winning sides with again Colo-Colo in Chilie and River Plate in Argentina. 

Alexi Sanchez is Arsenal's 'Duracell Battery'

Having made his international debut at the age of 18, on his debut Alexis played alongside Marcelo Salas; Chile’s all time record goal scorer in September 2007, and a hero of Alexis Sanchez. It was a tough decision for him to leave Barcelona last summer with offers from Liverpool and Arsenal. With Liverpool often struggling to get into the Champions League whereas Arsenal have been in the champions league 16 times every season since the competition’s conception, perhaps the decision was made easier.

It was clear last season that arsenal had to back up their main striker Olivier Giroud. Wenger believes that Sanchez will benefit by stepping out of Messi’s shadow. Sanchez’s ambition, hunger, and physical toughness have already impressed. “I came here to win the league the Champions league and much more” he quoted. Sanchez is proving to be one of the best of his generation.  Let’s hope he continues to improve and can inspire Arsenal to something special in the coming years. 

by Jack Donaldson

Eden Hazard, World Class

Chelsea forward Eden Hazard was quoted during an interview with FourFourTwo magazine “I love to use the nutmeg but I mustn’t use it in training, there would be a fight.” Even against the collection of great players at Chelsea Hazard has to be careful to reign in his talents, he's that good.  Put simply, 'Eden Hazard, World Class'.

Hazard won the 2011 PFA young player of the year award back in 2011, again his response to winning such an award was typical of the player, “It's good but it's not enough, I want to achieve perfection”  

Back in hazards early days he felt like he was born to play. His parents Corinne and Thierry both grew up as footballers so it was natural he would inherit the game they loved.  Eden was born in La Louviere and grew up in Braine le Comte, France. In 1995 when Eden was just 4 years old, his football career began when he went down to the Royal Stade Branois youth club.  He played with the youth club for 8 years until his 12th birthday.

Eden Hazard celebrates another goal for Chelsea, it's second nature for a player of his ability.

He then entered the Tubize football academy where he spent 2 years. In 2005, a 14 year old Eden Hazard was offered the perfect opportunity when Lillie scouts visited the academy. Eden grabbed the chance with both hands bagging a place with the great French club he moved there to begin his professional career.

In 2009 Hazard was invited to play for the Belgium national Under 17 & Under 19 squads where he earned 26 caps and bagged 10 goals in just one year.

Three years later Hazard moved to big spenders Chelsea and made an immediate impact on his debut. He made his competitive debut for the blues in a Community Shield match against Man City in August 2012. Chelsea won 2-0 that day and Hazard provided a goal with a great assist showing Chelsea fans what they could expect to see from the player in the coming seasons.

After impressing early on at the club Hazard ‘s energy and high octane performances for Chelsea have led some to describe him as Chelsea’s ‘duracel battery’ powering the midfield and lifting the team when they are flat.  There is no doubting his worth for the Chelsea team, he has been by far their most influencial player this season.

Hazard's scoring record for Belgium is equally as impressive.

In the 2013, Hazard was one of the 23 man shortlist nominated for the Ballon D’or, and it's a matter of time surely before Hazard bags adds this award to his Young Player of the Year Award.

In 2014 Jose Mourinho ,after Chelsea’s 5-3 defeat to Tottenham, stated;

“People are in love with football in this country, people must be in love with Eden Hazard. The way, match after match, he’s being punished by opponents and he’s not being protected by referees, maybe one day we won’t have Eden  Hazard. It’s one, two, three, four, five, 10 aggressive fouls against him. They kick and kick and kick and the kid resists. He’s a very honest guy in the way he plays, but that’s another problem.”

So, Hazard has had some great successes and as his manager says he is a simply excellent player. But there is still much to do for Eden Hazard, in his own words 'I want to achieve perfection'.

Eden Hazard, world class.

by Cammy Dick

Just Who is 'Zizou?'

Zinedine Zindance is perhaps most well know for his incredible headbut into the chest of Italian opponent Marco Materazzi during the 2006 World Cup Final.  It was a jaw-dropping moment that tainted the career of one of the world’s finest ever players.

Zinedine grew up in a quiet, rough town, in Marseille called La Castellane and learned how to play football on the streets in the neighbourhood. After playing for local clubs Zidane was discovered at a French Football training camp by AS Cannes recruiter Jean Varraud, and spent the next 3 years honing his skills in Cannes’ youth division.

Zidane and the moment  of madness that tainted his almost perfect  professional career

Zidane was born on June 23^rd 1972 in Marseille, France. He made his professional appearance at Cannes at the age of 17 scoring a goal on his debut. He played for the same club for another 3 years until he transferred to Bordeaux in 1992. At the club he was a master of controlling the ball. He could find a teammate with a pinpoint pass and knew instinctively when to have a shot at goal. 

Although he was a fantastic player, he still had quite a bad temper a result perhaps of his difficult upbringing in Marseille. A few years after his time at Bordeaux he later moved in 1996 to a fantastic Italian club with a tradition of signing talented French players, Juventus FC. Zinedine had an amazing start helping steer Juventus to two Seria A titles and two consecutive Champions League finals.

France hosted the 1998 World Cup during the peak of Zidane’s prowess. Zidane scored 2 goals in the World cup final against Brazil to win 3-0, cementing his place as a French national hero. Two years later, Zidane again held the French team together with a 2-1 win over Italy to win the European Championship. 

Zizou scores a bullet header against Brazil in the final of World Cup 98

Three years after that famous World Cup win Zidane was transferred to the mighty Real Madrid for £46 million, this transfer was a world-record transfer fee at the time.

It was money well spent.  After two previous Champions League final appearances Zidane finally won the competition with Real Madrid in 2002 with an absolute wonder goal at Scotland's national stadium Hampden Park in Glasgow.  Zidane had clearly made an impression that he was all worth the wait and the money. At the height of his success at Real he was 30 years old and showing no sign of losing his touch or sharpness.

Is Zidane's wonder strike in the 2002 final the greatest goal ever seen at Hampden..??

When the world cup in Germany 2006 came along Zidane had indicated that he would retire after the tournament. It had appeared his career was heading for a historic finish when France got through to the final against Italy. Instead of having a fantastic finish to his career with winning the World Cup, he bowed out in disgrace. Italian defender Marco Materazzi allegedly said something about Zidane’s mum, he reacted very violently and head butted Materazzi in the chest. Zidane got sent off straight away and sadly France lost on penalties just to rub salt in the wounds for Zidane and The French National team.

Although he lost the World Cup final on penalties, he still had a fantastic career with 125 goals in his whole career. In 2013, he was appointed assistant coach to Carlos Ancelotti at Real Madrid. Zidane is still helping out at Real Madrid coaching the reserve team now in 2015. Zidane has definitely got himself in the record books for France, Real Madrid and Juventus he was a real legend for these clubs and will surely go down as one of the greatest of all time.

by Owen Lake

Sergio Aguero, the Story so Far

“Balotelli….  Agueroooooooooo!!” screamed Martin Tyler as Manchester City’s number 16 scored the winning goal against Queens Park Rangers in the dying seconds of the match that would win them the 2011/12 Premiership Trophy.

It was a great moment for the whole City team, especially Aguero who scored the winning goal. At the end of that game when Aguero’s teammates were celebrating by wearing their countries flags around their necks Aguero wore a red flag which represented the club he played for as a youngster, ‘Independiente’ who are based just outside the Argentinian city of Buenas Aires. 

Independente, where Aguero learned his trade before becoming one of world football's superstars, is still a club very close to his heart

He grew up in Los Euacalipitos, a rough town in the south of Buenos Aires. His family was poor. They didn’t get much food relying on things like herbal tea and stale bread. Most of his friends from those days are now in jail.

During those tough times Aguero cannot remember a time when a ball was not at his feet, football surrounded him in Argentina. He would play in the sun or after dark. He would play for hours and sometimes he would come home late but he said that time was never a factor.

He was 9 years old when he joined Independiente, “at that age he was still very small , but when we took him to play indoor football on a smaller pitch you could see just what great natural ability and technique he had,” said Ricardo Bochini , the legend of Independiente who became a youth coach at the club. “He had great confidence on the ball and was excellent finisher”.

Aguero has forged an incredible career for himself establishing himself as Man City's best forward

He went from Independiente to Atletico Madrid for around 20 million euros then later moved to Manchester city in 2011. 

Aguero made his Manchester City debut in the second half of a game against Swansea, he started as he would mean to go on bagging an impressive brace against the Swans. Since then Aguero has won 2 Premier League Titles, a FA Cup, and a League Cup with Manchester City and scored the winning goal in the crucial last match of the season against Queens Park Rangers in 2012. 

He is arguably the best striker in the EPL right now and he is without doubt Manchester City’s most valuable player. When he is not on the pitch they don’t play the same football as they do with him, and if Manchester City are to retain this season’s title it is vitally important they keep him fit and scoring goals.

by Blair Malis