Messi

Ronaldo, Messi, Spotify And Mozart

... Only this week both columnists and mailers on this site were decrying again how deadening it becomes to have to listen to it, that special mix of impermeable arrogance and utter incompetence that ex-footballers spout from the gantry. I’m slightly obsessed by how, in America, given the fact that the majority of them have a college degree, yer basketballers and yer footballers there can apply a degree of polish to what is the same essential lack of insight; but in the UK, cradle-snatched from education as soon as possible, we are dealing with professional sport’s peak levels of inarticulacy. As always, being nice – and you know how important it is to be nice – dictates one recognises the exceptions to this: Troy Deeney, Peter Crouch, off the top of my head. Nice to be nice. For the vast majority of footballers though, and this column has done this one to death – if your brain and not your body is wired for ...

How Lionel Messi Brilliantly Owned Paul Scholes In 2008

... and Lionel Messi went over. This was at Old Trafford in 2008 in the second leg of our Champions League semi-final against Barcelona and, with the score 1-0 to us, I had fouled him in our area. “When I think about our win over Barcelona in that game, on our way to the second Champions League title of the Sir Alex Ferguson era, I always remember that tackle. Yes, I scored the only goal of the tie, and it was one of my better ones. But I will never forget that couple of seconds when the best footballer in the world deceived me into fouling him and I waited for the world to fall in. “It should have been a penalty to Barcelona, and an away goal would have won them the tie. But for some reason the referee didn’t give it, the game moved on and even Messi did not make much of a fuss. The relief was overwhelming for a few ...

Why The Socceroos Don't Need To Fear 'arabian Messi' Abdulrahman

... coach Mahdi Ali are all under pressure. The UAE currently sit four points behind Saudi Arabia and Japan and face a tough task against an equally desperate Australia in Sydney on Tuesday. Anything but a win would all but end the UAE's hopes of qualifying for just their second ever FIFA World Cup. That Mahdi Ali is still in charge is a surprise to some. Speculation swirled that he would be shown the door after their qualifier against Iraq in November. But the red baseball cap-wearing tactician will surely know he is skating on thin ice after their insipid display against Japan last week. A loss to Australia will likely end his long tenure in charge of this talented generation, who he has coached from under 19 level. Ali insists, however, he is not giving any consideration to his future and is worried only about Tuesday’s match. "I am a professional coach, so I am not thinking about [resigning]," Ali said after their loss to Japan last week. "We have another game coming. We lost only three points here. We have not lost our chances to qualify.". Socceroos trapped by Australia's great expectations. One of the ...

Messi-less Argentina Loses Another World Cup Qualifier

... "I am a little surprised with the time they gave me to make the change.". Argentina's next games will be in August at Uruguay and in Buenos Aires against Venezuela. In October, the World Cup finalists will face Peru at home and Ecuador in Quito. Midfielder James Rodriguez, the best player of the match in Quito, was only 5-years old the last time Colombia had an away win at Ecuador. He started to break the Colombian drought at 20 minutes. Almost accidentally, Rodriguez touched the ball with his back after a low cross from Borja and it slowly went inside. At 32 minutes he started a play that finished in a similar goal scored by striker Juan Cuadrado - with his feet, though. In the second half, Rodriguez helped Colombia control a match that could have ended with an even bigger goal difference in favour of the visitors. Ecuador's chances of a comeback were diminished when defender Luis Caicedo was sent off after a rough challenge on the hour. That means Ecuador won't have one of their best defenders against Brazil in August. Colombia now has 24 points and could end the round in second or third, depending on Uruguay's result in Peru. In ...

What Is Lionel Messi's Net Worth And How Much Does The Barcelona Star Earn

... businesses does Messi have. Part of Messi's appeal, of course, is his image as a pure footballer who takes little interest in the lavish lifestyle available to him off the field. His apparent lack of desire to branch out into other ventures and create a personal brand has in some ways become a brand in itself, and is attractive to sponsors. But while Messi does not push lines of underwear, shoes and fragrances like Ronaldo, he has invested in property. Around his birthplace of Rosario in Argentina, for example, he has put money into the Azahares del Parana project (a set of gated communities out of the city) as well as an apartment building in the city centre. There's almost certainly much more than that, but - as tends to be the case with Messi - it is kept pretty private. What charity work does Messi do. As is the case with his business interests, Messi's charity work is considerable but tends to be focused through sources and ventures he trusts. He has his own organisation, the Leo Messi Foundation, which recently ...

Fifa Suspends Lionel Messi For Four World Cup Qualifiers For Insulting A Referee

... three World Cup qualifiers in August, September and October, returning for the team’s final qualifying match against Ecuador on Oct. 10. In 2018 World Cup qualifiers played without Messi, Argentina has amassed just seven of a possible 21 points. According to ESPNFC , Messi shouted profane insults at assistant referee Emerson Carvalho after he was whistled for a foul late in Thursday’s match against Chile. He then refused to shake hands with Carvalho after the game. The incident was not initially reported by the main referee on the official match report. “I did not hear any offensive language from Messi or anyone else towards myself. … If I had heard any offensive word, I would have acted in according the rules of the game,” the head referee, Brazilian Sandro Ricci, said in documents from the FIFA inquiry that were obtained by the Argentine newspaper Ole. Nevertheless, it was judged a red-card offense. An Argentine soccer official said the team will appeal the ruling — saying there is a precedent that suggests the penalty could be reduced — and described Messi as “beaten and sad” ...

Early Lionel Messi Comparisons Were 'detrimental

... 365. Bet Now ». Live football odds with bet 365. Bet Now ». South Korea. Live football odds with bet 365. Bet Now ». Gerard Deulofeu: Early Lionel Messi comparisons were 'detrimental'. Gerard Deulofeu is currently on loan at AC Milan from Everton. AC Milan winger Gerard Deulofeu believes early career comparisons with Lionel Messi at Barcelona created too much expectation among the club's supporters. Deulofeu, on loan at Milan from Everton, came through the youth academy at Barcelona, where he was often compared to Messi. However, having been tipped to break into the first team at the Camp Nou, he was eventually forced to leave in 2015 in search of regular football. "In the end, [the comparisons] were more detrimental than beneficial," Deulofeu told Forza Milan. "Normally I don't read newspapers, but that headline I remember well. It created too much expectation among Barcelona fans. There's only one Messi.". With both teams fighting for a Europa League spot, Gab Marcotti explains the importance of AC Milan's win over Fiorentina. Deulofeu had ...

I'm Good But Don't Call Me The Female Lionel Messi

... City's new mega-signing, has won back-to-back FIFA World Player of the Year awards and captained the USA to win the 2015 World Cup. She has two Olympic gold medals and has scored 96 goals for her country from midfield. She once scored from the halfway line. It is, then, little surprise Lloyd took offence at being asked to play on an artificial pitch littered with sharp rocks during what was labelled a 10-match 'victory tour' following the success in 2015. Carli Lloyd is sparking Manchester City's bid for Champions League glory. Lloyd in action during her team's training session in Manchester on Tuesday morning. Central midfielder Lloyd is regarded as the leading player in the women's game. 'We'd just come home as world champions, but playing on that surface? The men never do,' she remarks. But then Lloyd, 34, has tended to do things her own way. She was asked to move out of the family home in New Jersey in 2008 after a breakdown in the relationship with her parents. Recently bridges have started to be rebuilt, but none of her ...