The Queen of Soccer - Mia Hamm Biography

Women's soccer never would have been the same if Mia Hamm hadn't started up soccer when she was little. She had such an impact in the women's soccer world that she is often thought to mean as much for it as Pele or Cruyff meant for men's soccer. But before being a great soccer player and athlete that broke down almost every possible record at her level, Mia Hamm is a great person and I'd like you to meet the human behind the soccer god in this Mia Hamm biography.

Mia Hamm as a Child

If you're like me, you're probably wondering how and when did Mia Hamm start playing soccer and what events drove her to become a super star of women's soccer. Mia Hamm's childhood circled around sports and athleticism and as her brother recalled, she was faster and more athletic than most of the boys on the block, so she was able to play competitively with and against them.

After taking up youth soccer training at her school's football team when she was only 12 years old, she learned the basics of soccer and started enjoying the sport more and more. Little did she know that three years later, when she was just 15, she would be called up for the United States national women's soccer team, becoming the youngest player ever to play for her country at that level (one of her first broken records).

That was kind of a weird situation, since Mia Hamm was a soccer player for her national squad but didn't have a fully professional playing contract with a club. But after seeing her performances, the North Carolina Tar Heels quickly signed her and they made quite a deal, since Mia Hamm stayed with the club for 4 seasons, scoring over 100 goals during her time here.

Mia Hamm's Accomplishments

Probably one of Mia Hamm's most important accomplishments is that she managed to bring women's soccer to a level close to what men are playing. She is one of the two women named in Pele's "List of 125 Best Soccer Players of All Times" and she is a symbol of women's sports throughout the World.

She also holds two FIFA World Player of the Year awards, which she got in 2001 (the first year the trophy was given) and 2002. Unfortunately, she would have gotten a lot more of these awards, but with the World Player of the Year awards being granted for women when Mia Hamm was already nearing the end of her career, she didn't really have a chance to widen her trophy room.

In numbers, Mia Hamm was the United States top goal scorer, with 158 goals in 275 matches, a remarkable record that will probably dust and rust before it is beaten. She scored more goals than any man or woman for her national team, although many soccer specialists will agree that the level of women's soccer is still in an early grade and cannot be compared to men's soccer yet.

She won the Women's World Cup twice, in 1991 and 1999 and also put the US national team through a Gold Medal at the Olympic Games in 1996. All these titles, records and awards make Mia Hamm one of the most important players in women's soccer and the fact that Pele considered to put her on the same list as legendary male players such as Maradona, Cruyff, Platini or Beckenbauer says a lot about the influence she had in the game.

Niv Orlian is the author and the owner of a Soccer Fans website that provides information on various topics related to soccer such as the history of soccer, rules, famous soccer players real time news, statistics, and training guides.

6 Reasons Why Pele Was Better Than Maradona

Prelude

The Pele versus Maradona debate has been on for some time. The intensity of the debate is such that it generates at least 50,000 online search queries per month.

Acting as the backdrop for what in all actuality is an over - hyped debate is the apparent rivalry that has developed between the two legends concerned, who now seem to be aiming at proving their superiority one over the other long after they might still have had a genuine opportunity to do so where it matters most, on the field of play.

The exaggerated profile of Pele vs Maradona stems to a large extent from the unwillingness of soccer opinion leaders (both real and self deluded) to kill the matter naturally by respecting facts that would give each of these two tremendous athletes their due respect without calling for unavoidably subjective comparisons.

In a field comprising only the likes of Di Stefano, George Best, Cruyff, Platini and so on, to be considered one of the best 2 of all time one has effectively become immortal in history of the sport. Indeed, the physical and tactical barriers that today's, and surely tomorrow's football puts in the way of attempts at super - exceptional individual football performances means that probably no player will come close to appearing as individually outstanding as Edson Arantes De Nascimento and Diego Armando Maradona were each able to. Today's football makes it so near impossible for an exceptional individual playing for an ordinary team to overcome an exceptional team made up of ordinary individuals. The experience of Lionel Messi, currently recognized by FIFA as the best footballer in the world, playing against a Jose Mourinho inspired Inter Milan, is the nearest example to note. It appears that for even the very talented footballers to shine in today's football, they must be playing for above average teams. That neither Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo has so far been able to achieve great success with their national teams is another pointer.

The subject of this article must be served with facts known to those who really know football. The facts that make Pele a more prominent super legend than Maradona must be pointed out, not to fan the flames of controversy, but because they equip soccer with the values that are necessary for it's continued dominance as the world's number one sport.

The facts now follow:

1. UNLIKE MARADONA, PELE WAS EXCELLENT BOTH OFFENSIVELY AND DEFENSIVELY!

It is confirmed that Pele was the unofficial second goalkeeper for his Club Santos whenever the first choice keeper was unavailable. In addition, those who know Pele assert that he could have excelled in any football position he chose. Pele was gifted with exceptional tackling skills for an attacking player. Pele's super fitness, particularly reflected in astounding aerial performances, certainly made him more adaptable to a defensive role than Maradona was.

Of particular note is that Pele excelled in EVERY attacking football department: Shooting (powerful, with both legs), dribbling, heading, passing, feinting.

Diego Maradona, on the other hand, was best known for his super sublime dribbling and passing skills. In is in these departments that he could lay some claim to superiority over Pele, that is, if we ignore the reality that Pele would have done a lot more dribbling if he felt that was what he needed to win matches. Pele was certainly also fantastic at dribbling and passing, but only to the extent of what was necessary to score goals.

That Pele was a two legged player would also naturally give him an edge over Maradona in the dribbling department. Pele's dribbling style was unique in that he seemed to beat players not just with his legs but with his arms which moved in a unique style by his side whenever he was trying to beat an opponent.

The facts show that Pele was a far more versatile player than Diego Maradona was.

2. PELE'S ASTONISHING GOAL SCORING STATS MARK HIM OUT AS THE GREATEST ATTACKING PLAYER OF ALL TIME.

According to FIFA.Com, Pele scored 1281 goals in 1,363 games. If, as some say, this statistic is overrated due to what they consider the low quality of some teams he played against, it should be pointed out that the amazing stats is not just about the goals scored, but the scoring rate over a high number of games. He scored at least 5 goals on at least 6 occasions, 4 goals on 30 occasions, and hat tricks on 92 occasions. If his goals statistics in the world cup matches he played are anything to go by, it is reasonable to suggest that Pele would be the all time leading world cup goal scorer were it not for the matches he missed due to injuries he sustained during the 1962 and 1966 world cups.

Diego Maradona's goal scoring stats per match simply don't match up to Pele's.

Pele is clearly the greatest goal scorer and attacking player of all time, and the stats only confirm this. An examination of his athleticism, skill, versatility, mental strength and focus could be the only rational explanation for his goal scoring rate. Indeed, a lower scoring record would simply have done him no justice whatsoever.

3. PELE WON 3 WORLD CUPS WITHOUT CONTROVERSY, UNLIKE MARADONA.

A large part of Diego Maradona's legend derives from his tremendous achievements at the 1986 world cup, where he was without doubt the leading star, both for the right and wrong reasons. Maradona's dribble run against England in 1986 in Mexico is rightly considered probably the best world cup goal of all time. His goal against Belgium in the following match is considered one of the best 5 goals ever.

All the above noted, however, and soccer being the cruel sport it sometimes is for the unlucky, Maradona came reasonably close to not having a world cup to his name.

For those who watched Argentina's quarter final match against England at that tournament, they may recall that the English team was of significant quality, possessing Gary Lineker (eventual tournament highest scorer), Peter Shilton, John Barnes, Glen Hoddle, and managed by the legendary Bobby Robson. Indeed, save for Maradona, the Argentine team were at least slightly inferior to the English. After pulling a goal back in the 80th minute through Lineker to make the score 1-2, the English were somewhat on the ascendancy.

Had Maradona's clear handball goal not been awarded earlier, the scoreline would in all probability have been 1 -1 by the end of regulation time. Afterall, in the previous match, with Maradona playing, Argentina had only been able to score one legitimate goal against Uruguay.

Had this particular England - Argentina match extended to extra time, anything could have happened. Argentina could have been unlucky not to score a second legitimate goal, while England, showing great character, which often decides matches, could have scored an odd decisive second goal or even gone on to win the tie by penalties.

In comparison, Pele's world cup victories were devoid of controversy. Though he only played two matches in the 1962 tournament, Brazil's eventual victory could hardly have been hampered by him since he had already scored once before being injured.

4. MARADONA FAILED AT 1 WORLD CUP, UNLIKE PELE.

At the 1982 World Cup, Maradona, already considered the best player in the world at the time, was unable to prove himself a Champion. While it is true that he was harshly marked throughout the tournament, he played in all the 5 games of Argentina, yet Argentina, despite being defending champions, won 2 games and lost 3. This Argentine team contained many of the players who won the previous tournament.

Maradona ended the tournament with a Red Card against Brazil. Pele, on the other hand, was clearly one of the best 3 players in the 2 world cups in which he got to play 3 matches or more.

5. AGE OF MATURITY

Whereas Maradona was not considered mature enough for the Argentine National Team at the age of 17 in 1978, Pele was considered good enough for the Brazilian team at the same age in 1958, and more than justified the chance he was given. Maradona did not actually mature as a top level player until 1986, when he was already 25 years old.

6. PELE WAS A BETTER TACTICAL OPTION

In today's football, managers prefer players who can fit into varying roles as the need of the team and the manager's strategy may require. Surely, an offensively brilliant player who can safely be deployed in a defensive role will be extremely valuable when the team needs to avoid conceding, particularly when the team is a man down.

From every indication, Pele was more of a player who could fit into the game plan of a modern tactician.

To conclude, it is obvious that many of today's younger soccer fans never watched Pele play. This is why Maradona won FIFA's internet poll for player of the century. The Internet is a medium that cannot prevent double or multiple votes by the same person. Pele, however, won a poll for Athlete of the Century by the IOC, custodian of the mighty Olympics, a competition he never participated in. The difference between the significance of the 2 awards should be quite clear to the unbiased.

Seyi Gabriel is a commentator on several topics,especially Soccer. He owns the soccer blog soccersportslife.blogspot.com

Famous Soccer Players of Brazil

In countries where soccer game is so popular, you can't deny that one big reason is because of the famous soccer players they have that made it to stardom. When we talk about soccer, Brazil is always on top of everybody's answers. Many are really wondering how this country made it and how come they seemed not running out of good players.

Now, let's take a look at the Brazilian's famous soccer players and what makes them star. If you are one avid fan of soccer, you've probably heard their names so often.

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, or Pele
His popularity started from early age of 17. He had innumerable records and achievements to be considered as the best soccer player of all time. He used to be a striker and along with other players, he gained to win three times the World Cup one in 1958, 1962 and 1970.

Manoel Francisco dos Santos, Garrincha
He is a forward in his team and known at Garrincha, which means "little bird" maybe due to his behavior brought by his difficulties in life. However, his shortcomings never really stopped him from being Brazil's second-best. He is a quick winger and a crucial passer and known by his good assists skill and controlling free kicks. He won World Cup twice, 1958 and 1962.

Ronaldo de Assis Moreira, Ronaldinho
Who wouldn't have known this "World Class Superstar", Ronaldinho of the soccer world? Yes, he is the most prominent player on today's soccer. He is known for his grace in passing and dribbling plus his total control for goal. He is now still in his mid 20s and already won twice the FIFA World Player of the Year award on 2005 and 2006.

Like in other said, it looks like soccer is the Brazilian's second's religion. You ask Brazilian kids about soccer and you find them very well knowledgeable and enthusiastic and that most of them wanted to become their favorite soccer players when they grow up rather than become a doctor or engineer.

Learn more about famous soccer players.

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Where Did Soccer Originate?

Where did soccer originate? Soccer has originated in England as early as 1800. It was originally played by the aristocrats from the high society. Since the game does not require a lot of money to play, it slowly became the game of the ordinary people.

The standard rules of the sport had been formulated by the London Football Association and it was implemented all throughout Europe. The London Football Association was founded in 1863.

In the later years different soccer teams had been organized and joined the tournaments. In line with this, more and more European countries had adopted the sport. As the number of people interested in the sport grew, tournaments had been formalized so it was accepted as a sport and was played in the 1900 Olympics.

In 1904 the Federation International de Football Association or FIFA was founded. The FIFA is governing body for international soccer tournaments. In 1930 the 1st World Cup international competition was held.

In 1913, the Americans formed their own soccer team dubbed United States Soccer Federation (USSF). American football is much preferred by the Americans than soccer. This has been one of their famous sports for a long time. They have less interest in the sport soccer.

The mindset of the Americans about the sport has changed with the inclusion of Pele the great Brazilian soccer player with the New York Cosmos team. This didn't take long because of the early retirement of Pele. Later on the Soccer League was dissolved because of its unpopularity among fans.

When the men's world cup was held in the United States in 1994, the Americans became interested in soccer. Today, Americans love soccer so much. It even leads to the formation of the Major League Soccer (MLS).

John is an avid soccer fan. Learn more about where did soccer originate.

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Soccer Statistics - Importance of Soccer Statistics

Soccer statistics are data gathered on previous to present results of the favorite sport in the world. It consists of game results, team rankings, player rankings, scores and many statistical data related to the sport.

The information gathered are archived and posted in various sports websites, RSS feed, newsgroups forums and also published with various sports magazines to update sports fans on the latest happenings and standings. Usually, these statistics are regularly updated every month or every year.

There are a lot of companies and organizations responsible in gathering these soccer statistics for publication. The International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) were able to gather data and produced the Club World Ranking on a monthly basis. The rankings consist of one year events from continental and intercontinental from national leagues including the national cup results. Results of continental competitions are carefully evaluated depending on the importance. Only those organized competitions that are duly recognized by FIFA are included in the results of the statistics of IFFHS.

Gathering of statistics is of great importance in the sport in order to have a strong basis in identifying who among the leagues have made it on top. Leagues that were able to reach the ranks are given due recognition. The statistic results are also used by different leagues to provide them basis of their performance from the past to present so as to give them opportunities in planning and preparing for future events. These types of data become part of historical archived for the sport.

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Soccer - The Metaphor of Life

Introduction: As the FIFA 2010 has kicked off on June 11, 2010 at South Africa, there is a great feeling of euphoria and excitement all over the world about the games that encompasses the planet earth through media, news channels, news papers and Television sets. We all love football and in India too there is a great fervor among the populace to watch the game even though Indian football team has never qualified for the biggest football event of the World. We all adore our heroes, the demi-gods like Pele, Maradona, Beckham, Ronaldo, Kaka, Wayne Rooney and many others. Looking closely at the game and how the players are positioned, their role on the football stadium and the way the game proceeds, one cannot help but find a great metaphor of Life in it. That's what this article is all about. It is a humble dedication and salutation to the greatest and most popular games of the world.

The Field: Soccer game is played on a field of 90 to 120 meters length and 45 to 90 meters of width. On both sides we see the goal posts. Your team which includes 11 players will be aiming to score a goal in the opposite goal post. The opposite team would be trying to defend that and rather counter attacking your goal post to score a goal. In life to you have to have goals. Your aim is to score goals. You cannot sit passively and watch while the outside circumstances counter attack you and make one goal after the other pushing you on the back foot. You got to be proactive. You got defend sometimes but also attack. You got to know where you have to reach, where you have to score a goal. Your goals are like the lighthouse for the ship which helps them to steer on the right path. Remember we are all placed on the soccer field by the Lord Almighty. We all are players on the field, we have to play our part, and we have to be proactive and know our aims and do everything to reach our goals. Then our life becomes exciting, and then we find meaning to this life. So that's the first metaphorical lesson we glean from the soccer game. We are all players on the field of life and we have to score goals. We have to be proactive about our goals.

Positions: As the soccer games kicks off, the 11 players of a team are positioned on the field according to the various roles they play. We can learn a lot of things from the different positions they take and the various roles they play on the soccer field.

Goalie: Near the goal post is placed the goalie, who plays one of the most important role in a soccer game. He is there to defend the goals that opponent team hits in the net. Usually he has developed the special ability, alacrity and alertness to prevent the opposite team from hitting a goal in the net. He is like the compound wall around our houses that prevents trespassers. In life we have to play the role of a goalie when it comes to guarding ourselves from being hit by negative thoughts. Our minds are like the goal post. The outer circumstances, people and events can try to impregnate our minds with negative thoughts. We should play the role of a Goalie at such times and see that our minds are not invaded by the thoughts that can pull us down and demoralize us. What happens to a team whose Goalie is not able to defend the goals being put in the net. The team is weakened and its focus from scoring goals is switched to defending goals. It is demoralized and is rapidly moving toward defeat. That's exactly the picture of a person who does defend himself or herself from negative thoughts. He or she will be weakened and will divert from his or her goals of pursuing excellence and succumb to defeat in life. So playing the role of a goalie in life is very important, we should know to defend ourselves from negative thoughts.

Back positioned Players: In the game of Soccer, the Goalie is not the only one who defends the goals. There are some players positioned at the back like the Centre Fullback, Left-Right Fullback and the Wingback who also help in defending and marking and attacking the Forward players from the opposite team. The roles that these players positioned at the back play, is the role that reminds us that in life many times it is important to be on the back foot and whenever the tide is against us we should be able to keep our calm. We should not be surprised that many times there are people, circumstances and events that will seem to pressurize us and put us behind. When you venture out in the sea in a ship, you are bound to encounter storms. That's life! "Ships in the harbor are safe; but that's not what Ships are meant for." says William Shedd. Ships are supposed to go out and venture into the deep sea and fight it out against the storms that come against it. Many times we have to be players at the back, defending ourselves, our principles, our values, our faith, and our lives from being pushed behind, from getting bogged down. Many times there are people or circumstances that can force us to quit. Many students encounter failures, so do many professionals and businesspeople at such times we are tempted to give up but here the role of the players positioned at the back comes forth. We have to mark what is that is troubling us, go to the source of the trouble and defend ourselves. Many times we may have to defend ourselves from the wrong company who pulls us down, wrong habits that corrode our lives and wrong actions that reap the harvest of bad fruits. The Bible says, "When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will raise up a standard against him." That standard is the players who play the game of Soccer positioned at the back.

Midfielders: Now there are players also positioned at the Middle of the football pitch. Some of them are the Left and Right Midfielders, Defensive Midfielders and the Central Midfielder. These players have the duty of game-making. They sometimes defend as well as make the game and then pass it out to players positioned forward. In our lives also there is a time when we have to sit and make out a strategy so that it becomes convenient for us to reach and achieve our goals. At such times we have to be the game makers, the Midfielders. There is a lot of scope in our lives to sit and plan and organize our lives. We have to resort to things like Time Management Planning, Goal Setting and writing the mission of our lives. Many times we have to prepare ourselves by learning different skills and techniques so that it is convenient for us to move ahead to reach our goals. At such times we are playing the roles of the game-makers, we are playing the role of Midfielders. Midfielders play an important role on the field for their team, without them the players that play forward who have to score goals against the opposition would be rendered helpless. They won't have anything at their disposal to go ahead and shoot or score.

Players positioned as Forwards: Finally let us look at the players who are positioned forward on the soccer field. When the Goalie defends goals for the team, the players positioned behind defend from attackers and the midfielders make the game, the Forwards carry the ball into the opposition's net. The players who are positioned forward are Deep Lying Forward, Centre Forward and the Winger. The main role of these players is to strike. They are always on the attacking mode. Once they have the ball in their possession, they seek to put it across the Goalie of the opposition team into the net. When we also defend our lives from negative attitude and thinking, when we defend ourselves from wrong practices, principles and people, when we prepare ourselves for the opportunities that lie before us then there will come a time where our goals, our aims would be as clear as the Football goalpost and we would be in the position to hit and score. So in life we would see opportunities before us lying wide awake that would help us to hit at our goals. It is possible that you would miss many hits, you may hit and miss by a mile but you got to keep hitting back till you put the ball across the Goalie into the net. In life we encounter failures, many times we miss read opportunities, many times we commit errors but we got to get up, dust ourselves and hit again. A Japanese Proverb says, "Fall down seven times; get up eight." Scoring a goal into the net comes through immense practice and patience and we should also inculcate these two qualities when we want to reach our aims and goals in life. So it is important role that the strikers positioned forward play, for they give finishing touch to the game.

Conclusion: Friends, in the end I would like to encourage all of you to go ahead and enjoy the FIFA 2010. But I would also encourage you to look at the philosophical side of the game, the metaphor that the game of Soccer presents. May it excite and enthuse you with courage, confidence and capacity to enjoy, explore and elevate your life to the next level. May you hit and reach your goals in life, may you emerge winners and even when you feel that you have lost remember there's always next time. The next FIFA in 2014 at Brazil.

Joy be all yours.
Sohan.

Pro Evolution Soccer Vs FIFA

I have always been a massive Pro Evolution Soccer (Pro Ev) fan. Ever since the old days of ISS Evolution of the Sony Playstation. When I was younger though before I experienced ISS, FIFA was always the football game that mattered. FIFA 98: Road to the World Cup was fantastic, but the next couple of installments were pretty similar without evolving.

Then ISS came into my world. It was so different, you could feel the weight of a pass, the power of a shot, dribbling was more fluent and sensitive. The only downside was the fact that there wasn't any licenses and all the players had fake names..but this soon changed over the years as the popularity increased.

After many years of improvement and the further installments on next-generation consoles such as the PS2. Pro Evolution Soccer was amazing. From PES 3 to PES 6 they were unrivaled. The gameplay was fantastic, the licenses were better, the players faces and movement was uncanny...and it made my life that little bit sweeter!

However, when the PS3 and XBOX 360 came out, Konami had trouble progressing to the next generation and FIFA reclaimed the crown of the best football sim, however I stayed true to PES and always purchased it and played it religiously despite the massive errors and poor gameplay - not to mention the terrible online mode.

But this year, PES 2010 has started to climb back onto its feet - not quite to where it was on the PS2 but it is clearly making improvements which make me look forward to the next installment in autumn this year!

FIFA will have a fight on their hands I think!

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A Short Biography of Famous Soccer Player - Wayne Rooney

His full name is Wayne Mark Rooney. He was born Croxteth, Liverpool, England on 24 October 1985. He is a professional soccer player who plays for his national team of England and for Premier League club Manchester United. His playing position in the field is as a striker. From his early age, his aptitude on the arena was hard to overlook. In his age of 9, Rooney caught the consideration of a scout with the Everton Football Club.

During his soccer career with some clubs, Rooney played for Everton (2002-2004) with 67 appearances, and for Manchester United (2004- ) with 189 appearances. Alex Ferguson ever said about him: "I am very excited, I think we have got the best young player this country has seen in the past 30 years".

With his national team, he made his first appearance in 2003. And at UEFA Euro 2004, Rooney became the competition's youngest goals corer for a short time. Rooney is regularly chosen for the England side and also attributed at the 2006 FIFA World Cup and the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Some of his honors with club of Manchester United are Premier League (2006-2007, 2007-2008, 2008-2009), League Cup (2005-2006, 2009-2010), FA Community Shield (2007, 2010), UEFA Champions League (2007-2008), FIFA Club World Cup (2008). And as individual player, he won BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year (2002), Bravo Award (2003), UEFA Euro 2004, FIFPro World Young Player of the Year (2004-2005), Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year (2005-2006, 2009-2010), FWA Footballer of the Year (2009-2010), PFA Players' Player of the Year (2009-2010), PFA Young Player of the Year (2004-2005, 2005-2006), PFA Fans' Player of the Year (2005-2006, 2009-2010), PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2005-2006, 2009-2010), FA Premier League Player of the Month (2005, 2006, 2007, 2010), Barclays Player of the Season (2009-2010), FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball (2008), and England Player of the Year (2008, 2009).

To know about famous soccer players of French, you can visit http://french-soccer-players.blogspot.com/

10 Players Who Failed To Reach Their Full Potential

Playing football in today's game is incredibly demanding. Yes, they may get paid millions and millions playing their favourite sport week in, week out, which most of us would happily do for free, yet many would argue it doesn't come without difficulty. The constant media surrounding players can take its toll, where even the smallest step out of line can be blown way up in a player's face. With the constant temptation that must surround them, be it wanting to live a 'normal' life (wanting to have a drink and go out clubbing) or the 'perks' of being rich and famous (the women, lads... ?) a God given talent is not enough to secure your place in history as a top player. Of course, it helps, but it is also necessary to work incredibly hard at training, stay out of the headlines for the wrong reasons, and have a bit of luck.

Yet sometimes, a player who seems to show so much promise fails to reach his potential. Could it be the pitfalls of living the footballer lifestyle that takes them off the rails? Were they unlucky with injuries that blighted their career? Or was it just too much, too soon; being built too high up a pedestal they were never going to reach. Of course, the saying goes that the bigger they are, the harder they fall. So why do some players fade so much, when their star seemed destined to shine so bright? The Football Writer has picked his top 10 players who have failed to truly fulfil their potential...

10. Kerlon, 24, Brazil (currently playing for Brazilian side Nacional-NS).
Brazilians are famed for their flashy technique and dribbling ability, something which certainly wasn't lacked by Kerlon. An incredible natural talent, he became famous all across the world as millions watched on Youtube his unbelievable 'seal dribble'; bouncing the ball on his head repeatedly while running down the pitch. This would often force opposition players to foul him and become frustrated, which although must have been difficult for himself, could only be of benefit to the team.

Perhaps inevitably due to his trademark dribble he picked up a serious knee injury which limited his appearances. A transfer to Inter Milan via Chievo had Kerlon seemingly destined for a career at the top, yet he continued to suffer from knee injuries which prevented him from making an impact. A loan move to Ajax to gain first team fitness and experience in Europe was tarnished by another knee injury, before he escaped his Italian hell with successive loans and an eventual permanent move back to Brazil. He ended four years in Serie A with only four appearances, all for Chievo. Now featuring for Brazilian side Nacional-NS, one can only wonder just how good he could have been had he been able to replicate his early natural ability onto the European stage, yet this is a tale of injuries really getting the better of a player before he'd been given the chance to start.

9. Michael Owen, 32, England (currently a free agent having been released by Manchester United).
Having successfully graduated through their youth system and making his debut for Liverpool (in which he scored) on the penultimate game of the 96-97 season, Owen's first season in the Premier League saw him named the PFA Young Player of the Year, finishing joint top goalscorer in the league with 18 goals. Enthusiastic, pacy and a knack for hitting the back of the net, Owen announced himself as a world class 'wonderkid' with a brilliant solo goal against Argentina at the 1998 World Cup.

Owen continued this excellence by being Liverpool's top scorer for every season that followed until leaving for Real Madrid, and thus began his downfall. Failing to start with a bang meant he regularly had to settle for a place on the bench, and so he ended his single season with a move to Newcastle in order to gain match fitness in time for the World Cup in 2006. While he began to get back on track, a serious knee injury at said World Cup gave him a huge setback. It seems that since that injury he has lost some of his pace that was so devastating and such a huge part of the way he plays. Several other injuries and setbacks began to blight his career and so it was a surprise when he was signed by Sir Alex at Manchester United. Yet just five league goals in his three seasons at the club before his release show just how far he has fallen since his Liverpool days. Not only has he lost some of his brilliance he had as a youngster, he is now far too unreliable due to injuries (this was indicative from his pay-as-you-play deal he signed for the Red Devils). In a time when England could really have done with a world class striker to win their first tournament since 1966, Owen's ill fated career is a sorry sight to behold, and shows just how much of a difference a few unlucky years can have on a whole life.

8. Denilson, 34, Brazil (retired).
When a club really breaks the bank to sign a player, you expect something in return. So when a club smashes the world transfer fee? Despite the extortionate amounts paid, Cristiano Ronaldo's £80m transfer to Real Madrid can be classed as value for money, while I doubt there is a Newcastle fan who would regret Alan Shearer's 1995 cost of £15m. Zidane, Ronaldo (the Brazilian one), Maradona and Cruyff are also amongst those who hold a world transfer record. And while these players all lived up to their pricetag, Denilson will surely go down in history as the most expensive flop ever signed.

After impressing at club level, Denilson enjoyed a successful start to his national career, winning both the Copa America and Confederations Cup in 1997, before playing in every game for the 1998 World Cup runners up. This prompted Real Betis to surprisingly smash the world record transfer fee, overtaking the previous record holder (his international compatriot Ronaldo) and becoming the first player to surpass the £20m mark. Unfortunately for Betis fans, that is as high as it got with regards to Denilson's career. After two uninspired seasons which saw the club relegated, Denilson, after a brief return to his homeland on loan, became a bit part player in his remaining five years, never shining even close to how bright he was supposed to. Following a solitary season in France, Denilson continued this disappointment as he travelled the globe, unimpressively it must be said, before his retirement in 2010.

If you can look past his 'record fee failure' nametag he will forever live with, Denilson does boast the unbelievable strike rate of a goal every 45 minutes for Vietnamese side Xi Mang Hai Phong. It's just as shame he only ever played one half of football for the club...

7. Gianluigi Lentini, 43, Italy (retired).
From one world record transfer to another yet upon slightly different circumstances in the shape of Gianluigi Lentini. Lentini was an up and coming winger, whose talented displays whilst playing for Torino earned him his Italy debut at the age of 21. His efforts caught the eye of the prestigious AC Milan, who were somewhat in the process of undergoing a new era and saw this enthusiastic youngster as part of their rebuilding process. A £13m transfer ensued, giving him the highest transfer fee the world had seen. Despite playing well and picking up a Serie A title in his first season he was unable to truly break out as a star player and justify his hefty price tag, yet unlike other failed stars, there became a vital moment in his life that prevented him from doing

so. At the age of 24, Lentini was involved in a car crash which left him not only battling to save his career, but his life. 2 days in a coma ensued having suffered a fractured skull and a damaged eye socket and, although he did make a full recovery off the field, he never quite did on it. Despite picking up two more Scudetto's and a Champions League, Lentini was never able to make out on his young promise and, after four years in Milan, was sold for just £2m.Lentini's career continued with relative personal success wherever he went, despite not being at the same level he would've hoped to be at. Credit must be given to the fact that he continued playing until the age of 40; it shows that he just wanted to play the sport he loves, regardless of 'what-might-have-beens'. But you can't help but wonder what might have been.

6. Javier Saviola, 30, Argentina (currently playing for Portuguese side Benfica).
It's not that Saviola has been a flop, or even a bad player. In fact, he's pretty good, in which his career has seen him play at Barcelona, Monaco, Sevilla, Real Madrid and now Benfica since leaving River Plate as a youngster. It was just that he was supposed to be so damn amazing that it is frustrating he is not currently partnering his compatriot Messi for the 'best in the world' tag, and that is what puts him on this list.

My earliest memory of Saviola is from the 2000-2001 edition of the Championship Manager series in which this 18 year old was easily one of the most talented players in the game, with incredible potential. This genuine ability led to a £15m transfer to Spanish giants Barcelona, where he scored 17 goals in his first La Liga season, becoming their top scorer and the league's third. Yet perhaps Saviola was a victim of circumstance. Despite scoring nearly a goal every two games for the club, he was deemed surplus to requirements with the recent arrivals of Ronaldinho, Larsson, Eto'o and an up and coming Messi and subsequently shipped out on loan to Monaco and Sevilla.

Continued effective displays eventually saw Real Madrid snap him up, but he struggled to fit into the team and left for Portugal after two seasons, where he is enjoying a successful time with Benfica. Yet like I said at the beginning, although he has always played well whichever club he has turned out for, he was supposed to be one of the best ever. After all, Pelé named him on his FIFA 100 list at the age of 22. Perhaps the gods decided it wasn't fair for Argentina to have two 'out of this world' players at the same time and, after flipping a coin, decided to wait for Messi instead.

5. Paul Gascoigne, 45, England (retired).
'Gazza', as he is affectionately known, is one of the greatest players to pull on a shirt for England. A technically brilliant midfielder, Gascoigne was something different who played with amazing results. He played his best football in his early years at Newcastle and Tottenham, with the great Sir Alex admitting that failure to capture the '88 Young Player of the Year has been his biggest disappointment of his managerial career; high praise indeed. Yet never being far from controversy, his career was marred and overshadowed by some infamous incidents; driving a tractor into the dressing room, the Euro '96 dentist chair, and 'f*ck off, Norway' amongst many.

Gazza was unfortunate with injuries meaning that his only real success after leaving Tottenham was in the SPL with Rangers; certainly not as high a standard that he should've been playing at. But these injuries did take their toll on him, as personal problems with alcoholism further disrupted his career until he retired in 2004 (some personal problems have continued past his footballing career).

I don't really feel like I have written all that much about Gascoigne on the pitch as I have with the other players in this list, but for anyone who has watched him in his early career will know just how good he was. Along with his undoubted passion; the image of Gascoigne crying after his booking in the 1990 World Cup semi final which would've ruled him out of the final is iconic (perhaps second only to that Vinnie Jones picture) - Gazza was one of the most technically brilliant players England has ever produced and should've been so much more, but injuries on the field and personal problems off of it got the better of him.

4. Ronaldinho, 32, Brazil (currently playing for Brazilian side Atlético Mineiro)
'A Champions League and World Cup winner? A multiple time member of the FIFPro World XI? A two time FIFA World Player of the Year? Why oh why have you included Ronaldinho in this list!?' Let me explain before jumping to criticism. I agree that Ronaldinho was an absolutely class act, and one of the most talented footballers the world has ever seen, but this is an article not about bad footballers, but about those who failed to fulfil their full potential, and I believe that is the case.

Ronaldinho first came to media attention at the age of 13, when his local team won 23-0; he scored all 23 goals. After a successful start to his career at Gremio, he was able to translate his ability into the French league and on the European stage with Paris Saint-Germain, yet his first announcement to the world for many will be that goal past David Seaman in the World Cup and his subsequent sending off. Albeit with a little controversy off the pitch with his passion for the Parisian nightlife, Ronaldinho was fast becoming one of the most sought after players in the world.

Then Barcelona president Joan Laporta has fierce rivals to thank for being able to bring Ronaldinho to the Nou Camp (he had originally promised to sign David Beckham, but following his move to the Bernabeu, targeted Ronaldinho instead) and he quickly turned into a magnificent capture for the club. Scoring regularly was a bonus to his dazzling skills, such as his patented 'elastico', he displayed week in, week out; at times he was almost unplayable. Renowned as the world's best, perhaps the highlight of his career was receiving a standing ovation at the Bernabeu after his incredible display in a 3-0 victory; not something that happens to just anyone. Yet this really is where this 'unbelievable' Ronaldinho's story ends.
In his fifth season at Barcelona, where playing time was unfortunately plagued by injuries, he announced he wanted a new challenge and, at the end of the season, was shipped to Milan. Many will praise Guardiola that selling the talisman was the reason behind Lionel Messi's emergence as a legend, avoiding him the temptation for the party lifestyle. Yet although Ronaldinho continued to play well at Milan, and since back home in Brazil, he has never reached the dizzy heights he achieved during his five years in Spain. Is it because of his party lifestyle, or did he get lazy? Or did he simply, as he said, fancy a change, and that he for some reason hasn't been able to produce in his later years elsewhere? We'll never know, but you can't help but wonder what Ronaldinho would be like today if he had stayed at Barcelona. Placed in today's Barcelona side with Messi, Xavi and Iniesta, you can't help but believe the same gradual downfall would have happened. Ronaldinho's career, for me, began to unravel at the age of 28. Four years on, for a man with all his talent, he should still be playing at the top.

3. Adriano, 30, Brazil (currently a free agent having been released by Corinthians).
What ever happened to Adriano? Let's go back to the beginning of his career, where after just a season and a half in the first team for Flamengo, Inter Milan picked up the promising striker and brought him to Serie A. After a brief loan stint with Fiorentina, Adriano began lighting up the league playing for Parma (who had agreed a co-ownership deal with Inter) scoring over a goal every two games. Inter Milan, seeing a world class player in the making, brought him back to the San Siro in 2004, and the 22 year old became their star striker. The gold Nike boots he wore emphasised that he was joining the elite, with comparisons being made to a young Ronaldo thanks to his power, pace, incredible technique and ability to find the back of the net with ease. Adriano was set to become the best of his generation, and Inter tied him down to a new, bumper contract in September 2005. And this is where we can now ask; what ever happened to Adriano?

Seemingly content that his talent alone would get him by, sweetened with his hefty contract, Adriano began to disappoint on the field with a string of poor performances. Questions were raised about his personal life, where he seemed partial to the nightlife, concerns about his weight and his work ethic; skipping training was one of the final straws at Inter. He was sent back to Brazil to regain fitness and form, and while this idea started promisingly, it ended in a return to Italy to avoid unsettling the Sao Paulo team, according to the sporting director.

Eventually leaving Inter Milan saw Adriano begin to get his career back on track at his first club, Flamengo, where he did enough to convince Roma to give him a second chance in Serie A. Unfortunately for Roma, the only noticeable thing he did in his seven months stint was to pick up his third Bidone d'Oro (the 'Golden Bin' awarded to the worst player in Serie A). Bear in mind no other player has won it more than once; that takes some beating. Admittedly he suffered injuries at both Roma and then Corinthians, whom he joined from Roma, yet the same concerns from his Inter Milan days arose and left no option but for the latter to terminate his contract after a year.

A 30 year old, over weight footballer who shows little effort for the clubs he plays for as he enjoys the party lifestyle. Who would want to sign him now? And yet he so easily could still be on top of the world, in his prime, after an illustrious career wherever in the world he wanted to play.

2. Freddy Adu, 23, USA (currently playing for Philadelphia Union).
It's quite hard to believe that Freddy Adu, who first shot to worldwide fame over eight years ago, is still only 23 years old. And thus of all the players on this list, he still has the greatest chance to fulfil that early promise he showed during the remainder of his career. Whether or not he will is another question.

Adu is most definitely the victim of too much, too soon. Hugely impressive as a youngster, he became the youngest American athlete in over 100 years to sign a professional contract in any team sport, was the number one draft pick in the 2004 MLS Draft and made his MLS debut; all at the tender age of 14. In any European league in the world this would not happen, but it can be argued that the bosses of the MLS saw an opportunity to exploit a youngster as a marketing gimmick; boost the popularity of the league by getting him to perform rather than to learn how to play.

Appearing in an advert with Pelé aside, while Adu performed considerably for a child amongst men, the hype that had surrounded him meant that nothing less than excellence would be considered good enough, and thus he didn't make quite the impact that was expected of him. Yet a move to Real Salt Lake at 17 showed that, although he wasn't yet at the standard of the Brazilian icon, he was nonetheless an exciting talent. This was proved after an impressive showing at the under-20 World Cup, before he was eventually taken to Europe with Portuguese giants Benfica. With his first start for the national team following shortly after, Adu looked back on track to become that much heralded star. Unfortunately, things didn't quite turn out that way.

After failing to take Europe by storm as was hoped, his misery was compounded with a series of loan spells at increasingly obscure clubs, trying to find some form to add to his undoubted talent; but he never did. Yet a surprise call up to the national side for the 2011 Gold Cup saw Adu perform admirably, and he soon after returned to his country to sign for Philadelphia Union.

For the first time in several years, he seems to be getting fairly regular game time at a respectable level, along with some enjoyable performances, and people are beginning to talk about him again in the States. And so as I said at the beginning, perhaps he can still make a name for himself; time is on his side. But for now he will still be known as one of the youngest 'wonderkids' who had it all far too soon. Expected for greatness, but nearly washed up before he left his teens.

1. Nii Lamptey, 37, Ghana (retired).
Uhm, who? Many of you might have said this when reading that Nii Lamptey is number one on this list of players who failed to reach their full potential, so I guess that response justifies this position. Indeed, I had never heard of him until reading an article several years ago about his unfortunate career. Before Adu was a 13 year old sensation, there was Lamptey, who looked destined for greatness.

With undoubted quality, he came to the world's attention in 1989 at the under-16 World Championship with some mesmerising displays. Making the step up to the under-17 World Championship in 1991, he won the player of the tournament ahead of a young Juan Sebastian Veron and Alessandro del Piero, of Argentina and Italy respectively. But perhaps the highlight over these achievements was to be named as the successor to the great Pelé, by none other than the man himself. Pelé naming his own successor who was non-Brazilian? That just confirmed the height of his ability.
After being sought after by many clubs, he signed his first professional contract with Anderlecht after leaving Ghana, and began to sparkle in the league. Despite an injury, his incredible performances convinced PSV to take him for a season on loan as a replacement for Barcelona bound Romario. Some big boots to fill, but fill them he did as he continued expertly and became their joint top scorer for the season. However, after PSV failed to match Anderlecht's asking price, Aston Villa swooped in and signed the talented Ghanaian, who was still only 19 at the time. Yet this unfortunately became the beginning of his downfall. Along with the demands from the national team, who saw Lamptey as their future but were still unhappy about him leaving the country at such a young age, he struggled to adapt to the physical nature of the English game before failing to renew his work permit at Coventry, having played just 16 games during his two years in England. Travelling around the globe, he plied his trade in Italy, Argentina, Turkey, Portugal, Germany, China and Dubai before returning to Ghana, a broken man with a broken career.

What is so sad about Nii Lamptey's career however is the battles that he had to deal with alongside the pressures of expectation from being named Pelé's successor. Abusive parents who divorced at eight, he was beaten by his alcoholic father and moved to Muslim accommodation, converting from Christianity. He then had to sneak out of the country to obtain his first professional contract after his passport was confiscated by the Ghanaian FA in a bid to keep the squad together, who then made it difficult for him when he was selected for the national team (Lamptey believes witch doctors were punishing him for deserting the country). His agent cheated him out of thousands, if not millions, from contracts and signing on fees, while his marriage was frowned upon by his parents. The death of his father, an incident at the 1996 African Cup of Nations after his semi final sending off that all but sealed his exile from the national team, and the death of not one but two of his children all sums up a heartbreaking life Lamptey has had to suffer.

Nii Lamptey should have been a star. Individually he could have been up there with Pelé, Maradona, Di Stefano, Cruyff. And from a wider view, he could have helped spark African football. But unfortunately with all the difficulties he faced, it all crumbled down before him. From the man himself: "I know if people had left me alone, the way God created me and wanted me to be, for sure I should have been playing for Madrid... Sometimes I will be in my room and I will cry... that thing has been taken away from you. It's really, really painful."

So there you have it, the Football Writer's top 10 unfulfilled talents in world football. Do you agree with the selections, or is there anyone in particular you feel I have missed out on?

I hope you have enjoyed reading this and, if you have done, please share this article with others who you also think will enjoy it. My Facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/thefootballwriter where I will post before here, so get yourself onto the page and have a look! If I can get more likes on the page, I can spend more time working on articles so that they are more regular (have spent a good few days perfecting this piece!) Thank you!

World Cup Soccer: Uniting the World

Soccer is a unique Game celebrated by the whole World. Soccer Fans are all over the World. They don't mind whether their County is participating in the Game or not. They love Football. They celebrate it and for them the Football is their Religion.

The FIFA World Cup is unique, in that, every Country can qualify. The only Tournament that unites the World with its common passion for the sport is FIFA World Cup. It is a Tournament where everyone celebrates, dances, and rejoices in the Streets of their Capitals, exulting in the spectacular feats of their Players, their Teams and their Nation. The first time qualifiers are inspired by the extraordinary National pride that the World Cup gives them.

The World cup has its History on all sides of the Game. That is taking from the Players, Venue, Organizers, the Trophy etc It has a story of its own since the first Tournament played in Uruguay in the year 1930. It is not only about the winners or the winning Team. Thus the whole World is united by this Game Soccer.

At 2006 FIFA World Cup, every one expects their favorites from the European continents to the South American country. Winning is everything for these Giants. It is in every player's spirit to win the Game, so they work with Team spirit.

They start to the thrilling showdowns, individual talents, their brilliance, the quest for the World's most coveted prize in Football. At 2006 FIFA World Cup, the heavy favorites were from the European Continent and all the way to the South American Continent.

For these Giants, winning is everything. In their spirit is held the promise of thrilling showdowns, individual feats of brilliance and the majestic harmony in motion of a Team united in its quest for the World's most coveted prize in Football. The War on the Football Pitch was fought for the highest Crown to become the Emperor of the World in Football by the European Countries, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Netherlands, France, and England South American power forces from Brazil and Argentina..

The whole World is thrilled as the Opening day of the World Cup comes nearer
and the Commercial implications of the World Cup is so widespread that it almost touches each and every Citizen of the World in one way or another. The Live Television coverage and other Communication and Technological advancements take the Game second by second to the whole World increasing the interest about the World Cup in every locality far and away from the Venue of the World Cup.

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What is Soccer?

The way to play the game is to pass the ball through a marked area known as the goal which is a net supported by two poles. The ball used in the game is spherical in shape and is not too big neither too small in size.

In the 11 players there is also a goal keeper whose job is to defend their side of the team by not allowing the ball to pass through the goal posts. The game rules does not specify any positions of the players else than the goalkeeper.

The teams can make their own strategies by positioning the remaining 10 players at any point of the ground boundaries. The ball can only be touched by the feet, the head or sometimes the chest of the body.

If the ball touches the hand, it is considered a foul and suitable advantage is given to the opponent team for the foul. The game is won by the team which is able to score the most goals at the end of the time limits. The time limit for the game is divided into two parts for a total of 90 minutes and each of 45 minutes.

In between there is a small break for the refreshment and relaxation of players. In one half one, team is awarded the ball in their possession and in the next round the ball is awarded to the other team so that the justice is maintained to some extent through this procedure.

The football game is administered by an international body known as Fédération Internationale de Football Association but is more commonly recognized by its short form FIFA. The football has a very famous event which is held every four years known as the FIFA world cup.

Hundreds of thousands of people come to see this event and many times the attendance for the world cup matches is more than the number of people attending the Olympic Games.

The game of soccer/football is played by passing the ball inside the team while trying to approach the opponent's goal post and score one for the team.

As the game requires continuous running and other agility maneuvers during the 45 min single break less game play, the players need to have a very fit and agile body. Their stamina level also needs to be high so that they may not get tired during the 45 min period.

If a player gets injured during the game, there is an option to substitute the player for another one. There are about 5 players in reserve thus making the whole team of 16 people out of which 5 can be substituted.

There is also a choice of changing a player without a reason. If a player is not playing well, the coach can choose to substitute that player with another one. But substitution occurs after a foul and not in between the normal game.

If at the end of the time limit, each team has the same number of goals, the game can then be decided by the penalty shootouts. There are 5 chances given to each team and only the goalkeeper and a single player from the team can come at a time.

The player hits the ball and the goalkeeper tries to defend the goal. The team at the end to have the most goals wins the match.

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Short Biography of Famous Soccer Player - Lionel Messi

His full name is Lionel Andrés Messi. Messi who was born 24 June 1987 is an Argentine soccer player and now participates for La Liga's Barcelona and the Argentine national team. Messi is regarded as one of the best and famous soccer players of his generation, by the age of 21, has received several Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations.

Messi started playing soccer at very early age and his latent was rapidly acclaimed by Barcelona. Making his first appearance in the 2004-2005 season, he broke the La Liga record for the youngest soccer player to take part in a league game, and the youngest to make a league goal as well.

In 2005 he became the latest teen superstar of Argentine soccer. Lionel Messi was chosen as the player of the tournament at under-20 World Cup on the year; played his first game for the Argentine national team; and made his first goal with the professional team FC Barcelona.

Messi was almost immediately being compared to an earlier hero of Argentine soccer, Diego Maradona. He was a member of Argentina's 2006 World Cup team. He assisted Barcelona win an uncommon triple in 2009: the Copa del Rey, Spain's La Liga championship, and also the Champions League.

Lionel Messi has been given countless praised from Argentinean coach Diego Maradona in spite of their defeat to Spain. Maradona stated that he was pleased with the Barcelona striker performance on the field.

On the occasion, Maradona asserted, "The match wasn't brilliant but the team responded well against the champions of Europe. It works for me because the team reacted very well. "Messi played marvelously well, and little by little he is becoming the leader of the team. It is what I want and it is what I hope for."

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A Short Biography of French Soccer Player - Raymond Kopa

His full name is Raymond Kopaszewski. Raymond Kopa was on October 13, 1931 in Nœux-les-Mines, Pas-de-Calais France. He is an ex-French soccer player. Kopa's playing position in the field is as Attacking midfielder, striker. He was at the core of the national squad of French in the 1950s. Kopa was a notable and flexible playmaker who made many goals as well.

In club level he played for senior clubs of Angers SCO in 1949-1951, Stade Reims in 1951-1956, Real Madrid in 1956-1959, and Stade Reims in 1959-1967.

Raymond Kopa was just five feet six tall (169 cms). But his skillfulness of creative attacking midfield rapidly proved him as one of the most talented and flexible soccer players of France. Kopa's goal scoring from midfield will be always extraordinary.

Kopa made 18 goals in 45 matches between 1952 and 1962 along with the national soccer side of France. Kopa was chosen as the Best Player of the 1958 FIFA World Cup in Sweden and retroactively as the 1954 Best Young Player of the Tournament became the solitary football player to collect both credits. In March 2004 Pelé included him as one of the top 125 greatest living soccer players.

For his career as a professional soccer player, Raymond Kopa collected many honors and achievements. And some of them include French League (1953, 1955, 1960 and 1962 with Stade Reims), Spanish League (1957 and 1958 with Real Madrid), French second division (1966 with Stade Reims), European Cup (1957, 1958 and 1959 with Real Madrid), Latin Cup (1953 with Stade Reims and 1957 with Real Madrid), FIFA World Cup (third place 1958 with France), Golden Ball (1958, and Légion d'honneur (30 November 1970).

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Short Biography of Soccer Player - Pele

His full name is Edison Arantes do Nascimento. He was born 23 October 1940, in Três Corações, Minas Gerais, best known by his nickname as Pelé a Brazilian soccer player. Pelé named as one of the 100 Most Important People of the 20th Century in 1999 by Time Magazine. Pelé is recognized as a legend and the best football player to ever play the game.

Pelé began playing professional football while in his teens. He assisted Brazil win its first World Cup victory in 1958. His performance that he has shown in the finals, including scoring two goals, made Pele an international impression. He participated for the professional Brazilian team Santos too from 1956 to 1974 and made contribution scoring more than 1,000 goals as long as his time with the club. Pele was the greatest football player ever, making score over 1200 goals in a glittering career that brought World Cup and World Club Championships as well.

When fans of soccer have a discussion concerning the greatest player of all time you will think over the skills of Pele, Maradona, Best and a number of other soccer legends but can anyone match the remarkable biography of Pele? Pele made score an astonishing 1281 goals in a career that covered 1360 games. That is almost an average of one goal per game. Pelé's statistics are incredible.

Pelé was named second for the "Sportsman of the Century" award in 2000. And the legendary Muhammad Ali got the honors.

What mentioned below are some of his great Awards he achieved:
1977: North American Soccer League Champion
1978: International Peace Award
1993: National Soccer Hall of Fame
1999: Athlete of the Century
2000: Footballer of the Century
2000: Laureus World Sports Awards Lifetime Acheivement Award
2000: Sportsman of the Century
2005: BBC Sports Personality of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Award
2007: FIFA Presidential Award

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Greatest Football Games Of All Time

After a long and arduous wait for FIFA 12 to arrive I have compiled and review the greatest football (or soccer if you prefer) games of all time. The games chosen have been selected for various reasons, you may agree with my choices, you may not, but chances are that every ones list will be different in some way shape or form.

1. FIFA series

Way back in 1993 when the first FIFA game was released the graphics and player animation was a million miles away from the slick player movements and facial details we now expect. You simply moved a blob around a green blocky pitch. Looking back and comparing to our games we have now, you say to yourself what were we thinking. But knowing we had hours on hours of fun that's what made FIFA for me! Over the years what's got better? Off the pitch, the face and the appearance of the menu gets better every year, and much faster than its sluggish old self. FIFA introduced a manager mode and ultimate team mode lately and that seems to be having a great impact on FIFA.On the pitch, graphics and the game engine has improved a massive amount. What's got worse? My opinion nothing has got worse just needs tweaking and updating, for example wind control and ball control is not that realistic yet but I'm sure they will soon. Over the years you can tell they have jumped a big gap, you can actually tell who you're playing as and it seems you're watching TV.

2. Championship manager

Championship Manager is a series of international football management Games and was first released in 1992. The release of the first version of the game was not an outstanding success due to people's ignorance of this sort of game, and sales were steady rather than astronomical. However, this soon changed and today the renamed Football Manager franchise now boasts an army of dedicated fans, myself included, whom literally live, breathe and sleep Championship Manager (much to the chagrin of close family members, friends and generally anyone who knows you!). For me, it was Championship Manager 99/00 which really kick-started my passion. The simplicity of managing your favourite team was a breath of fresh air; being able to bring in those star players that you wish your manager would sign whilst nurturing your favourite academy players was a big part of my growing up. Nowadays the series has reached an incredible depth of detail, with the in-game scouting network being that detailed and accurate it's used by professional clubs with lower budgets to scout potential transfer targets as well as opposition players and staff. With the game of football constantly evolving, and the Championship Manager series evolving with it, I can see only a golden era for this type of football strategy game- And I love it!

3. PES Series

Pro Evolution soccer is a brilliant game but has always been behind FIFA, except for one year, Pro Evolution Soccer 3, i was blown away with the improvements and you could see the creators put all their effort in to this game to make it bigger and better. Pro Ev 3 made full use of everything the PlayStation had to offer with graphics and player movements that we realistic and smooth. You no longer felt like you were in an arcade playing on a joystick, you had more enjoyment you got from FIFA, I had so much enjoyment from this game i spent my life on it when it was released. But in my own opinion this was the highest point in the series and declined from PES5 onwards.

4. Sensible Soccer

Sensible Soccer was one of the first football games to really hit the mark. Whilst the graphics don't look to have come on that far since pong when compared against the likes of FIFA 12, back in the early nineties those small blobs were cutting edge. The main attraction of Sensible Soccer however was not in the graphics; it was the outstanding game play. The fact that anyone could pick up a controller and play the game to a reasonable standard, but the game still left room for serious gamers to develop and become masters. But best of all, you even had the proper player names. No need to cheer for Bryan Goggs on Sensible Soccer.

Summary

In the opinion of this writer, despite the outstanding qualities of all the games, FIFA stand head and shoulders above the rest. First released in 1993, it has continually evolved and whilst Pro Evolution may have overtaken it in some gamers hearts for a couple of years in the late 2000's, it is now firmly back on top. The new FIFA 12 game is set to smash all records and leave its rivals desperately trying to mimic.

Jake Heath

Short Biography of Famous Soccer Player - Lothar Matthaus

His full name is Lothar Herbert Matthaus. He was born in Erlangen, West Germany on 21 March 1961. He is a German ex- soccer player and at this time manager, last managing Israeli club Maccabi Netanya. His playing position in the field is as an Attacking Midfielder or Defensive Midfielder.

Lothar Matthaus is one of the most successful players ever in world football. He began his career in a local club called FC Herzogenaurach. Matthaus made his World Cup first appearance in the 1982 tournament. He played the role as a midfield support player, appearing in a few games.

Lothar Matthaus was labeled European Footballer of the Year and World Soccer Player of the Year In 1990, after captaining West Germany to triumph in the 1990 World Cup. One year later, he was also entitled the first ever FIFA World Player of the Year.

He has played in five World Cups (1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, and 1998) and holds the record for the most World Cup matches played (25 games). He won Euro 1980, and played in Euro 1984, Euro 1988, and Euro 2000. In 1999, he was again chosen German Footballer of the Year.

Matthaus is a member of the FIFA 100 - a list of 125 of the greatest living soccer players selected by Pelé.

In December 2002 Matthaus was signed by Partizan Belgrade. Matthaus attained the essential success and his bright moments came in August 2003 when Partizan beat Newcastle United in the 3rd qualifying round to get to the 2003/04 Champions League. Matthaus left his post at Partizan in December 2003 and signed becoming a coach for Hungarianry national team. Afterward, on 11 January 2006 Matthaus signed a one-year agreement to be a coach of Atletico Paranaense of Brazil. Matthaus was signed as coach of Red Bull Salzburg on May 19, 2006 in common with Trapatonni for the 2006/2007 season.

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Russian Soccer - The Russian National Team

Russian soccer has been played as early as 1887 during the time of Tsars of Russia. The soccer team was formed at the Morozov mill near Moscow. Record shows that there are more local leagues which were organized and mostly coming from Moscow and St. Petersburg.

In 1912, the Football Union of

Russian soccer has been played as early as 1887 during the time of Tsars of Russia. The soccer team was formed at the Morozov mill near Moscow. Record shows that there are more local leagues which were organized and mostly coming from Moscow and St. Petersburg.

In 1912, the Football Union of Russia joined the Olympics however they were defeated by Finland with 2-1 score. But even with their defeat, the Russian players still continues to play soccer and even encourage more athletes to participate which led the growth of the population of soccer players in the country.

Although the Soviets didn't join FIFA in 1946, they were able to officially compete during the 1952 Olympic which they were able to defeat Bulgaria. It was a breakthrough for the Soviet's team and continues on through numerous championship games.

When the Soviet Union had gained its independence, the Russians competed being part of the Confederation of Independent States during the 1992 European Championship. In later years, they competed as the national team of Russia.

Even with the dark clouds of memories of the cold war which affected the success of its athletes, the Russian team managed to uphold its social morals and successfully gained international recognition with their continues wins.

With the national team's hardships and success, they have proved to the world that they are one of the best of professional soccer team. This team aims to continuously strive hard and make their national team stronger and will help build the respect of their nation.

Russia joined the Olympics however they were defeated by Finland with 2-1 score. But even with their defeat, the Russian players still continues to play soccer and even encourage more athletes to participate which led the growth of the population of soccer players in the country.

Although the Soviets didn't join FIFA in 1946, they were able to officially compete during the 1952 Olympic which they were able to defeat Bulgaria. It was a breakthrough for the Soviet's team and continues on through numerous championship games.

When the Soviet Union had gained its independence, the Russians competed being part of the Confederation of Independent States during the 1992 European Championship. In later years, they competed as the national team of Russia.

Even with the dark clouds of memories of the cold war which affected the success of its athletes, the Russian team managed to uphold its social morals and successfully gained international recognition with their continues wins.

With the national team's success, they have proved to the world that they are one of the best of professional soccer team. This team aims to continuously strive hard and make their national team stronger and will help build the respect of their nation.

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How Mexico Soccer History Started

Mexico soccer history does not have the same initial launch as many other South and Central American countries like Argentina and Brazil to name a few. The total impact it had to the Mexicans started a few years before the First World Cup in 1930, just with a professional championship which was formed plus the first national selection in the Mexican Soccer history which happened in 1927.

The History of Soccer in Mexico had a poor start. The first international match was played on January 1 against Guatemala on their home ground, which was the first international match in the history of soccer for Mexico. Although the Mexican team won 3-2 over Guatemala, they thought it was a good start. Unfortunately, this thought did not take effect. Mexico had the last place in the group stage in the World Cup during 1930, the poorest World Cup in the entire Mexican soccer history.

With more investments in soccer, Mexican built several state-of-the-art stadiums which could host national soccer team's matches. This is why FIFA consider Mexico to host the 1970 World Cup. This event boosts the Mexican spirit to uplift and play well. Since then soccer became popular throughout Mexico.

Following the success of 1970 World Cup, the Mexicans are given another chance by FIFA to host again the 1986 World Cup. This time Mexican soccer culture is already well established and defined.

Despite not getting international trophies, Mexico soccer is continuously rising and with great soccer players like Rafa Marquez and Luis Garcia working in the highest level, victory for the Mexicans may be achieved sooner and the long wait for success may look closer than before.

John is an avid soccer fan. Learn more about Mexico soccer.

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A Short Biography of Famous Soccer Players - David Trezeguet

His complete name is David Sergio Trezeguet. He is recognized amongst Juventus fans as "Trezegol." He was born on 15 October 1977 in Rouen, France. Trezeguet's playing position in the field is as a striker. His father is Jorge Trezeguet. He is a World Cup winning striker for French national football. Currently, when this biography note is being written, he plays in the Italian Serie A for Juventus club. Although Trezeguet is an Argentine ancestry but he participated for the French national side, his countryside.

David Trezeguet has taken part in any club with different country. For example in 1994 he played in Argentina for for Club Atlético Platense. Then since 1995-2000 he played in French for AS Monaco club. Subsequently, he joined in Italy playing for Juventus club since 2000 till now.

With France He acquired the 1998 FIFA World Cup, and European Championship achieved the golden goal in the 2000. In the 2002 Trezeguet participated for France and 2006 FIFA World Cups and Euro 2004 as well. In March 2004, He was christened one of the top 125 greatest living football players. In credit of 125 career goals, on 16 September 2006 David Trezeguet was rewarded a commemorative plate. He took part in 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship as well.

To list his honors, some of his achievements for international level including FIFA World Cup (1998) and UEFA European Championship (2000). And for club level, with Monaco he gained French Ligue 1 (1996-1997), and (1999-2000); for Juventuz club are Italian Serie A (2001-2002) and (2002-2003), Italian Serie B (2006-2007), Italian Super Cup (2002, 2003). As an individual player some of is honors are Serie A Footballer of the Year (2002), Serie A Foreign Footballer of the Year (2002), Serie A Top Goalscorer, (2001-2002), and FIFA 100.

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The Brazilian Soccer and the Crazy Brazilians

Brazilian soccer has been described that has the most unique technique in the field of soccer. Brazilian players are unmatched when it comes to handling the ball with so much agility. They are very fast and can maneuver the ball with outstanding quick passes and unpredictable by their opponents. Their movement has rhythms and graceful which is like natural to them. Their skills had been noticed and admired by professional soccer players around the world.

Brazil is considered a soccer crazy nation with more than 200 million soccer fans. Because of the Brazilian's passion for soccer, it helped in the development of their players. They enjoy the game so much that they exert a lot of effort in their training and during tournaments. Their passion drives them to achieve excellence in the sport.

The FIFA World Cup considers the Brazil Soccer Team as one of the most successful team in history. They have defended their title five times and they are ranked number one.

Brazil was able to hold the 1st Place in the World FIFA Rankings when they defeated France, Spain, Holland, Italy, Portugal, Germany and Argentina in the 2004 tournament. In line with their winning, Ronaldinho, a Brazilian star was elected as 2004 FIFA Player of the Year.

Because of a good performance by the Brazilian soccer players, they will surely continue to dominate the field of soccer. With their strong and extraordinary techniques in game play, they will definitely win more tournaments which the millions of Brazilian fans are awaiting.

John is an avid soccer fan. Learn more about Brazilian Soccer.

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Official Soccer Ball - The History of the Official Soccer Ball

The official soccer ball is a primary need in order to play soccer. In history, we humans love to kick balls. According to historians and legendary stories, in early times balls are made of human heads stitched with animal skins.

During the Han Dynasty as early as 255 BC-220 AD, the Chinese use balls made of animal skin to play Tsu Chu. In the Medieval tradition, they use inflated pig bladders to make a ball would play soccer by kicking the ball in the air.

In 1855, the first vulcanized soccer ball was made by Charles Goodyear and eventually mass produced due to the consequence of the English Football League which was founded in 1888. Mitre and Thomlison's were the first companies responsible in the mass production of the soccer balls.

A lot of variations and types of balls have been made through the years without any standards. This lead to violence and injuries and caused so much controversy. To address the problems involving the soccer ball, the FIFA formulated the rules and standardized the size, weight and type of soccer balls with the introduction of an international board.

Adidas was the first company to produce the first official soccer ball in 1970 and was used during the FIFA World Cup. The ball which was called Telstar is made up of leather and features 32 hand stitched panels and was created with the roundest sphere during that time.

Since then, there are other developments with the quality and design of the ball for soccer. Soccer balls at this time are design based on specific tournaments.

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The Result of Super Soccer Skills: Romario Scores Over 1000 Goals

Romário de Souza Faria was born January 29, 1966 in Jacarezinho, Brazil. The former striker is currently running for a mayor like position in his hometown. He had a big part in Brazil winning the World Cup in 1994 and was one of the most prolific strikers in the world. That year, he was selected the FIFA World Player of the Year and won the World Cup Golden Ball and chosen as forward on FIFA Dream Team.

Romário scored his 1000th goal on May 20, 2007. This was a penalty kick against Sport Recife while playing for Vasco da Gama. This was the fourth time he was contracted by the club that gave him his first professional contract. The interest from Europe grew after his performance in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South-Korea. Brazil won the silver medal. He played for the Brazilian squad from 1987 to 2005.

Here is an overview of the clubs Romario played for:

1985-1988 Vasco da Gama

1988-1993 PSV

1993-1995 Barcelona

1995-1996 Flamengo

1996 Valencia

1996-1997 Flamengo

1997 Valencia

1998-1999 Flamengo

2000-2002 Vasco da Gama

2002-2003 Fluminense

2003 Al-Sadd

2003-2004 Fluminense

2005-2006 Vasco da Gama

2006 Miami FC

2006 Adelaide United

2007 Vasco da Gama

2009 America

His 1000th goal drew much attention from Brazilian and international press. They actually stopped the game for over 20 minutes. This was to allow Romario to celebrate with his fans. There is some controversy over the validity of the 1000 goals, however. Its claim is somewhat inaccurate, because the research team appointed with this task also counted his goals in junior, friendly and non-official games. The World Football Federation FIFA congratulated him on his milestone goal but stated he is still officially on 929 goals. 77 of the goals counted by the research team were scored while he played youth football, with others being scored in friendlies.

The Brazilian press claims him as one of few players in professional football history to score at least 1000 goals, just like the great Pelé and Puskás. He did not only get recognition from the press, but also from great (former) soccer players. Johan Cruyff defined him as "genius of the goal area". In his autobiography Diego Maradona described Romário as an "incredible finisher" adding that he had not seen a striker like him, and that Romário would be in his all-time "dream team" without any hesitation. Roberto Baggio said: "Romário is one of the greatest players of all time. He has good technique and personality. He is a master of art in the penalty area." Michael Laudrup stated Romario was his favorite striking partner throughout his career. "No one else could utilize my passes the way he did."

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The Evolution of Soccer Games

With the confirmation that EA Sports are releasing "2010 FIFA World Cup" on April 27th, franchises like "Sensible Soccer" and "International Superstar Soccer" are all but forgotten about. This article and the accompanying video were done in pure appreciation and to let you relive some of those defining games of the genre. So far in terms of advancement in football games FIFA 10 is arguably the best football title around although a number of Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) fans would have something to say about that. There have been a number of ground-breaking titles in the past and others that are better forgotten about.

Sensible Soccer, Ultimate Soccer, Super Soccer & Italia 90 were some of the early titles that encapsulated football fans across the world. For me it was Italia 90 that started it despite a number of horrific glitches such as being able to score a cross from the edge of the box every time with ease, but this was only a minor hitch in a game which started competitive gaming for me at the tender age of five with my older brother. Brazil and Italy were inevitably the best teams on the game that was played from a birds eye view. But on the whole, amongst my friends and the consensus among the wider gaming community, Sensible Soccer was the king of the early days and created an undeniable dynasty in gaming. "Sensi" topped charts such as Amiga Power.

FIFA International Soccer was released July 1993 and moved football games into the 16 bit era, and famously the player could run away from the referee when being given a yellow card, however play would not resume until the referee caught up with him, and this would lead to a direct red card due to the incident. Sensible World of Soccer released in 1994 became a first in video games when it attempted to include the entire professional footballing world into a single title featuring career modes which included both player and management roles as well as numerous club and country teams, many of which were a bit odd. Take nothing away from it though, this even made a list of the top ten most important video games of all time by New York Times.

FIFA 96 represented undoubtedly the biggest advances in the genre in the 90s; Silicon Graphics, modeled players utilizing MotionDesign animation technology. New moves included 1-2 passing, fast dribble, volleys, dummies, fakes, and nutmegs - the beginnings of the modern day game. The game incorporated real players with real attributes. FIFA 97 offered very little in the way of novelty apart from the indoor arena, something I've been hoping to surface again for the past 13 years or so. FIFA Road to World Cup 98 was next and created a benchmark in graphics and gameplay for football games to follow, but it would be a long while before EA Sports would resurface as the top franchise as it is today.

Personally speaking, International Superstar Soccer 64 (ISS 64) was the best football game of all time, and it's important to mention the N64 controller. It brought an authentic arcade feel to your sofa and an unexplainable competitive streak amongst your friends, everyone had to be the best. Realism was not why this game was so good, the fact that it lacked licenses didn't matter, David Beckham was called Decham, Alan Shearer was Shoarer, none of this was an issue, merely something amusing. The fluid gameplay and the element of tangible skill amongst gamers made it a huge success. Anyone remember the "Z" button for curling? You could zig-zag left to right. ISS 98 soon followed and was equally highly rated although unfortunately there were still no official licenses.

This is Football (TIF) 2003 represented an alternative to more FIFA like gameplay and had potential, but in truth you would have been mad to have chosen this or its successor TIF 2005 over any PES titles, for me I would rather play the original PES over either of these. The franchise died abruptly.

Pro Evolution Soccer 1,2,3,4,5 or 6, take a pick, they were all magnificent in their own right. A strong continuation of what ISS 98 left behind, they controlled the majority of the fans of the genre for almost a decade. Even though it was still lacking in almost all the licenses, FIFA struggled to match the freedom and fluidity of the Pro Evolution series. Sure PES had it's flaws as a realistic game, but why should it have to be realistic? What also made it so great was the condition of the players prior to a game, the smiley faces indicating what percentage of his potential a player could perform at, this could affect your game! My style was all dribbling with very little passing; highly unrealistic when I would walk it past 10 players but everyone had their own style of playing. Some were tentative and patient, others more full on and attacking minded, others would sit back and play on the break, but the great thing is that all styles worked. I may be sticking my neck on the line, but I believe the PES franchise has created the most intense competition amongst friends than any other game in history, or if you don't agree, surely in football gaming, and a lot of that was down to how diverse it was.

The re-emergence of EA Sports was most apparent with FIFA 09, a game that made a lot of Pro Evo heads turn. PES 6 and 2009 didn't improve enough bearing in mind the next gen opportunities presented. The simple reality was that EA Sports had finally cracked enjoyable, smooth and sophisticated gameplay and with that making it hard to be good which is another thing that Konami did so well. The release of PES 2010 all but confirmed this shift for me, yes there are improvements in the game, but I've been turned, something I never thought I would say. The introduction of 360 dribbling, new usable skills, formations, the licenses, the graphics, ultimate team, and most of all, what is all important in this day and age, the strength of online play which PES severely lacks in.

There you have it, the evolution of football gaming, and it would have to be said Konami were the Charles Darwin, but EA Sports are the scientists who will make the biggest advances on this genre.

If you disagree in any way, if there is any game that deserves a mention or you want a game, feel free to comment.

Thomas Rodwell

Why is Football Called Soccer?

Football has long been a game played in England by the feet and head, hence the term Foot ball, as one would kick a ball with the foot. However in the most of the World it is called soccer. It has often be a bug bare of mine as why a game would be called differently in various parts of the world. So having done some research I figured I would share this gem with you.

The English created a game played using feet and named it Football. To give its full name it is called Association Football. Then one fine day in some posh school in England some one had the clever idea of picking up the football and running with it, and thereby creating the game of Rugby Football. To stop the confusion between the Rugby and Football Fan the people in England started to called it soccer.

When the game was exported to different parts of the planet all countries in Africa refer to it as Football, however in the United States of America and in Australia they had their own variants of football played using the hands. Go figure, imagine calling a game played with your hands Football. There is a World Governing Body Called FIFA and a European Association called UEFA. In both terms the word football is prominent to emphasise that it is the only game that is played with the feet. In South Africa the World Cup of Football will be played this Summer, hosting teams from all over the world. It it truly the only global game.

So the name Soccer was actually created in England and not by the Yanks I had thought, And to boot it was from the word Association.

Rob Sheep is a Liverpool football fan and a telecommunications guru with over 10 years experience in the telecoms business. His latest post on call Spain reviews the cheapest way to call Africa. He also advices on how make free international calls.