Soccer Hub

Goal 2 Trailer

2008-12-16T07:54:00.000-08:00

Ronaldinho: The One Man Show

2008-11-08T23:09:00.000-08:00

Profile
Ronaldo de Assis Moreira (born March 21, 1980 in Porto Alegre), commonly known as Ronaldinho or Ronaldinho Gaúcho,[3] is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Italian Serie A club A.C. Milan and the Brazil national team.

Ronaldinho, Portuguese for "little Ronaldo", is known in Brazil by the nickname Ronaldinho Gaúcho, in order to distinguish him from Ronaldo, who was already called "Ronaldinho" in Brazil. Ronaldo simply went by his first name upon his move to Europe, thereby allowing Ronaldinho to drop the "Gaúcho" and remain simply as Ronaldinho.

He has played for Paris Saint-Germain, and FC Barcelona, with whom he won his first Champions League in 2006. He became a Spanish citizen in January 2007.[4]

Career
Born into a footballing family (his late father Joao played for Cruzeiro and his brother, now his manager, Roberto played for Gremio), the young Ronaldinho found more enjoyment in futsal and beach football before graduating to playing the standard game.

He began his football career at his brother's old club Gremio in the youth team under future Brazil World Cup winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari and progressed to the first team aged 18 in 1998 and had made his Brazilian national team debut a year later in 1999.

His goalscoring exploits and sublime skill on the ball drew much attention from Europe and in 2001 Ronaldinho left Gremio to move to France and Paris St. Germain. His time in Paris was littered with fallings out with then PSG coach Luis Fernandez who disapproved of Ronaldinho's love of Parisian nightlife and after two mildly successful years in France he again packed his bags and headed for Barcelona.

In his first season at Barcelona Ronaldinho more than justified his reputed £18m price tag as he helped coax the Catalan giants into second place in La Liga and earnt himself the title of 2004 World Player of the Year.

Having caught the eye of big spending Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, Ronaldinho was the subject of a failed £60m bid from the West London club and despite the resignation of his friend Sandor Rosell as Barcelona's vice president of sports, he signed a new contract in late 2005 with the Catalan club.

As well as helping Barcelona to back to back La Liga titles in 2004/2005 and 2005/2006 and the European Champion's League in 2006, Ronaldinho has also won a host of personal awards including:

FIFA World Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005
FIFPro World Player of the Year in 2005 and 2006
European Footballer of the Year in 2005
UEFA Champions League Best Forward in 2004-05
World Soccer Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005
and UEFA Champions League Most Valuable Player in 2005-06.

Ronaldinho also became a World Cup winner with Brazil in 2002.

Goal 2 Moview Preview

2008-06-28T09:27:00.000-07:00

Having made a name for himself at Newcastle FC, gardener turned footballer Santiago Munez (Kuno Becker) is suddenly given the opportunity of a lifetime by being offered a contract with Real Madrid. But although the transition starts out successfully, Santiago soon finds it difficult juggling the pressure and fame of being a Galactico with maintaining a long-distance relationship with his fiance Roz (Anna Friel). Matters are complicated further by the possibility of a reunion with his long-distant mother (Elizabeth Pena).

What we say
The first Goal! movie struggled to find the net in terms of box office figures so it's hardly surprising that the makers have gone for broke with the second part of the proposed trilogy. But much like its predecessor, Goal! II: Living The Dream... struggles to find a consistent tone between the football and the drama.

When on the pitch or the training field it often feels like an extended Nike advert or a pop promo and comes backed with a suitably inspiring soundtrack. But away from the game it's hopelessly cliched and cumbersome, dragging its feet through endless melodrama.

Santiago's relationship difficulties with Roz are tiresome and predictable despite the best efforts of Anna Friel to make them seem otherwise, and the sub-plot involving Santiago's mother and new brother merely serve to drag things out to an unnecessarily long length.

Things work far better when offering viewers the unique opportunity of glimpsing behind-the-scenes at one of the world's biggest clubs, taking them inside the dressing room for pre-game kickabouts and the odd wind-up prank.

It's when the likes of David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, Roberto Carlos and goalkeeper Iker Casillas feature prominently without ever being called upon to act and when Alessandro Nivola's returning character, Gavin Harris, gets to inject some much-needed humour.

The football action relies on a slickly-produced mix of reality and fiction but, like the rest of the film, feels ludicrously contrived, especially since Santiago scores almost every time he comes off the bench. It's another own goal, particularly during the latter stages.

Had writer Mike Jefferies and director Jaume Collet-Serra opted to tackle things from a grittier perspective, Goal! 2 may have felt a bit more authentic. As things stand, it's a formulaic slice of tautology that strives too hard to keep things clean and Fifa-friendly. It ultimately pays a harsh penalty for such poor refereeing.

Star rating:
Certificate: 12A
Running time: 115mins

Lionel Messi Adidas Ad

2008-04-29T17:31:00.000-07:00

Impossible Is Nothing - adidas launches a new campaign focusing on athlete stories. The twist, adidas are focusing on personal challenges the athletes have overcome in their rise to fame.

David Beckham Condoms

2008-03-30T18:04:00.000-07:00

A brand of condoms named after football ace David Beckham has taken the Chinese contraceptive market under its sway. A Chinese company has plastered David Beckham’s name on condoms, claiming users will score with the ladies.

The packet bears the words ‘Bonk Like Beckham’, which recalls Victoria’s recent statements on David’s big and active sexual appetite.

It’s reported that the brand is now the biggest-selling condom brand in China. But sales of the condoms might be stopped. Apparently, this is not an official endorsement; the makers just slapped Beckham’s picture on there without asking for his permission.

Chinese fans of the LA Galaxy soccer star, however, want the marketing of these condoms banned.

“We do not want Beckham to think the Chinese people are disrespecting him. We love him here,” one said.

Real Madrid FC

2008-03-15T16:02:00.000-07:00

Real Madrid Club de Fútbol (also known as Real Madrid, Los Blancos, Los Merengues or in English Royal Madrid Football Club) is a professional Spanish football club based in Madrid. Founded in 1902, it plays in La Liga and is one of the most successful football clubs of the 20th century, having won thirty La Liga titles, seventeen Copa del Rey and a record nine UEFA Champions League titles. The team was a founding member of the now defunct G-14 group of leading European football clubs.[7]

The club plays its home games at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid. Real Madrid is unusual in that, unlike most football clubs, it has been owned and operated only by its members (socios) since 1902. On December 23, 2000, FIFA awarded the Spanish team the title of the "Best Club of the 20th Century".[8] Los Blancos is the most successful club in UEFA club football competitions history with nine European Cups and two UEFA Cups; more than any other European club.[9] The only European trophy it hasn't won is the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, in which it played two finals, losing both by 2 goals to 1, first to Chelsea 2-1 in 1971, after an initial 1-1 draw in the first leg, the team lost 1-0 in the return leg and Aberdeen 2-1 in 1983.

Real Madrid is the biggest and most popular football club in the world according to the case studies at Harvard University in 2007.[10] It is also the richest one in terms of revenue.[11]

Lionel Messi : Maradona Reborn

2008-02-23T05:13:00.000-08:00

Lionel Messi (born 24 June 1987 in Rosario) is an exciting Argentine soccer player, who currently plays as a second striker for FC Barcelona. He has shown remarkable ability for a player so young, and is often touted in the media as "the new Diego Maradona".

On December of that year, the Italian newspaper Tuttosport awarded him the Golden Boy 2005 title for the best under-21 player in Europe, ahead of Wayne Rooney and Lukas Podolski.

In this series of posts we shall look at the most promising young players who will soon capture our imagination and be the biggest stars of the game. As of this writing we are still awaiting Jose Pekerman’s decision and hopefully we get to see this kid play in the upcoming World Cup in Germany. We continue with Lionel Messi. (This is an advance posting.)

The guy who idolise Diego Maradona won the adidas Golden Shoe award as top scorer, and the adidas Golden Ball as best player in 2005 when he led his team during the FIFA World Youth Championship Netherlands.

Spotted at a very young age, Barcelona saved the dreams of this kid when they funded his medical treatment from a hormone deficiency illness at the age of 13. He returned the favor four years after by becoming the youngest league scorer in Barcelona’s history at the age of seventeen years, ten months and seven days.

This kid has the strength to play rough against veteran opponents and sees the playing field on an extraordinary vision.

People are clamoring for his inclusion in the Argentina side in the upcoming World Cup competition. Although he says that Brazil are the favorites, there is no indication that Argentina would give in easily.

Adriano Goals

2008-01-26T18:11:00.000-08:00

Adriano is a quick , strongattacker with a venomous shot.It was easy to make this video as he has many great goals.

Adriano Joins Sao Paulo on Loan

2007-12-22T02:54:00.000-08:00

Troubled Inter Milan striker Adriano is to join Sao Paulo on a six-month loan, the Brazilian champion said on Wednedsay.

"(Sao Paulo) concluded with Inter Milan the loan of striker Adriano until June 30, 2008," the club said on its website (www.saopaulofc.net).

The 25-year-old Brazilian, once the most feared striker in Serie A, has hardly featured for Inter in the last two seasons after battling fitness and reported alcohol problems.

The move came one month after the powerhouse striker began a fitness and psychological recovery program at Sao Paulo's training center.

He is the second big name to return to South American soccer looking to revive his career in the last month after Argentina's Boca Juniors re-signed Juan Roman Riquelme from Villarreal.

"I'm very happy with this deal," Adriano was quoted as saying. "Since my first day at the club, everyone has treated me very well.

"It will be an honor to win titles for this club. I'm going to work very hard for this and to return to the Brazil team."

Adriano has played only one international since his much-criticized performance at the 2006 World Cup. Previously, he was regarded as having a safe place in the national side along with Robinho and Kaka.

Adriano was linked with a move away in the European close season but refused to go out on loan despite interest from former club Parma and Premier League West Ham United.

If all goes well, Adriano will lead the Sao Paulo attack in the South American Libertadores Cup, the region's equivalent of the Champions League, which will be held in the first half of next year.

Sao Paulo has won the Brazilian championship for the last two years, was Libertadores winner in 2005 and runner-up last year.

Manchester United F.C

2007-12-09T13:23:00.000-08:00

Manchester United Football Club is an English football club, based at the Old Trafford stadium in Trafford, Greater Manchester, and is arguably the most popular football club in the world, with over 50 million supporters worldwide; average attendances at the club have been higher than any other team in English football for all but six seasons since 1964-65.

The club is also one of the most successful in English football; for over twenty years, since the 1986-87 season, they have won 18 major honours, which is more than any other Premier League club. They are the Premier League's reigning champions, and have won the Premier League/Football League 16 times. In 1968, they became the first English club to win the European Cup, beating S.L. Benfica 4–1, and they won a second European Cup in 1999. They also hold the record for the most FA Cup titles with 11.

Since the late 1990s, the club has been one of the richest in the world, and until recently had the highest revenue of any football club for several years running. As of 2007, the club has the fourth largest turnover in club football, but remains the most profitable club based on operating income. Manchester United also remains the most valuable club in the world. The club is a founding member of the G-14 group of Europe's leading football clubs.

Sir Alex Ferguson has been manager of the club since 6 November 1986. The captain is Gary Neville, who succeeded Roy Keane in November 2005.

Top 4 Goals World Forever

2007-11-20T19:06:00.000-08:00

Top 4 World Goals Forever. Who is the best player score goals? Watch this video... :D

Cesc Fabregas - Arsenal New Star

2007-11-18T08:37:00.000-08:00

Francesc"Cesc" Fa bregas Soler born May 4, 1987 in Arenys de Mar,Catalonia,Spain fabregas is a Catalan Spanish footballer who currently plays as a central midfielder for Arsenal in the English Premier League and for the Spanish national team . Fabregas started his career at FC Barcelona B but was signed by Arsenal in mid-2003 before he could sign a professional contract with FC Barcelona.

Fabregas is one of the best of Spain's next generation of footballers. He is able to play as an attack-minded midfielder, with the ability to play eye-of-the-needle passes. Additionally, at Arsenal he has occasionally been used out-of-position as a right-side midfielder.

Before joining Arsenal, Fabregas had made his way into the Barcelona B team and then taken part in the FIFA U-17 World Championship in 2003, winning both the Adidas Golden Shoe (for top goalscorer) and Golden Ball (for best player). Spain finished second in the tournament to Brazil.

Top Goals

2007-11-15T11:15:00.000-08:00

Some top goals in the world of soccer.

Didier Drogba

2007-10-24T12:47:00.000-07:00

Didier Drogba was one of the most important players that Cote d'Ivoire had. Without rejecting Laurent Pokou, Youssouf Fofana, Joël Tiehi and Ibrahima Bakayoko, since none of them had as much influence as Didier Drogba, at the moment captain and emblem of the team.

Didier was born in one of the places but poor from Abidjan, in fact in Yopougon. After turning the 5 years of age this boy it emigrated toward France to meet with their uncle Michel Goba, former player of coast of Ivory who had an important paper in the one on the way to Didier until transforming into a professional.

In 1997, he sign their first contract professional with the Le Mans, of the second French division in that moment, where he play for 5 years.

Bothered by some lesions, alone it was able to transform 12 goals in 64 games, reason for the one which the French club Avant of Guingamp that newly ascended to the first division was interested in acquiring the player.

Drogba in this team converted 17 goals and it was this way as the big teams they began to carry out offers for this tremendous one front that had a prodigious future.

It was Marseilles the team that was able to acquire the player where Drogba made a very quick adaptation and where the fans took himvery quick affection, and starting from this the forward transformed into a star of national and international category. By means of the contraction of Drogba Marseilles reaches the final of the UEFA champions league, and Drogba the best player in the year it was voted in France.

Thanks to the 19 goals of League and 11 in Europe stirred up the interest of Román Abramovich, proprietor in that moment of Chelsea F.C., Drogba accepted the great offer of 32 millions of euros of Chelsea F.C.

After all these roundtrips he had a great success with their country, in the 2003 it was their premiere against Sudrafica, although he could not score in their first left Drogba he is now a captain and relating of Cote d'Ivoire.

At the moment Didier Drogba is one of the most important players in the English club Chelsea F.C

Christiano Ronaldo

2007-10-14T16:16:00.000-07:00

Ronaldo was born in Madeira, Portugal, to Maria Dolores dos Santos Aveiro and the late José Dinis Aveiro (1954 – London, 5 September 2005). He has one older brother, Hugo (b. 1975), and two elder sisters, Elma (b. 1974) and Liliana Cátia (b. Madeira, 5 October 1976). Liliana Cátia works as a singer by the stage name "Ronalda" in Portugal. Cristiano's second name ("Ronaldo") is relatively rare in Portugal.

His parents named him after former U.S. President Ronald Reagan due to his father's respect for the man.

He began kicking a football when he was three, and when he started primary school at age six, his passion for the sport was obvious. His favourite boyhood team was SL Benfica even though he would later join their rival, Sporting. He first played for an amateur team, Andorinha, where his father was the kit man, when he was just eight years old. By 1995, at just ten years of age, Cristiano Ronaldo's reputation was growing in Portugal. Madeira's top two teams, CS Marítimo and CD Nacional were both interested in signing him. Marítimo, the bigger team, missed a crucial meeting with Rui Santos manager of Andorinha, and as a result Ronaldo signed for Nacional. After a title-winning campaign at Nacional, Ronaldo went on a three day trial with Sporting who subsequently signed him for an undisclosed sum.

Ryan Giggs Solo

2007-09-21T21:23:00.000-07:00

Watch Ryan Giggs solo goal against Arsenal in that now famous FA Cup semi-final.What a great season that proved to be...............

Arsenal FC

2007-09-08T13:38:00.000-07:00

Arsenal Football Club (also known as Arsenal, The Arsenal or The Gunners) are an English professional football club based in Holloway, north London. They play in the Premier League and are one of the most successful clubs in English football. Arsenal have won thirteen First Division and Premier League titles, ten FA Cups and in 2005–06 became the first London club to reach the UEFA Champions League final. Arsenal are also members of the G-14 group of leading European football clubs.

Arsenal were founded in 1886, in Woolwich, south-east London, but in 1913 they moved north across the city to Arsenal Stadium, Highbury. In May 2006 they left Highbury, moving to their current home, the Emirates Stadium in nearby Ashburton Grove, Holloway. Arsenal have a long-standing and fierce rivalry with neighbours Tottenham Hotspur, located four miles away in Tottenham, with whom they have contested the North London derby almost every season since 1913.

Full Name : Arsenal Football Club
Nicname : The Gunners
Found : 1886
Stadium : Emirates Stadium, Holloway, London, England.
Capacity : 60,432
Chairman : Peter Hillwood
Manager : Arsene Wenger
League : Premier League.

Info : Wikipedia, Arsenal.com

Ronaldo - Great Brazilian Player

2007-08-29T12:12:00.000-07:00

Name at birth: Ronaldo Luis Nazário de Lima

A brilliant and fluid forward, Ronaldo became one of international soccer's great stars of the 1990s and Brazil's biggest soccer hero since Pele. At age 17 he was a member of Brazil's 1994 World Cup-winning squad, though he did not play. The same year he joined the Dutch professional team PSV Eindhoven. His professional contract was purchased by Barcelona in 1996; the next year he moved again to Italy's F.C. Internazionale Milano, remaining until 2002 when he transferred to Real Madrid. He was named FIFA's World Footballer of the Year in 1996 and 1997, becoming both the youngest player to win the award and the only player to win the award in consecutive years. He also starred in the 1998 World Cup, scoring four goals in leading Brazil to the Cup finals, but he was criticized for their 3-0 loss to France in the championship game. Slowed by injuries in the 21st century, Ronaldo nonetheless made a triumphant return by leading Brazil to the World Cup championship in 2002. He won the Golden Boot as the tournament's top scorer (with eight goals) and scored both goals in Brazil's 2-0 final game win over Germany. Despite accusations that he had become overweight and less than energetic, Ronaldo scored three goals in the 2006 World Cup, giving him a total of 15 in World Cup play -- a new record. He transferred from Barcelona to A.C. Milan in January of 2007, signing an 18-month contract.

Ryan Gigg - Manchester United Forever

2007-08-24T14:15:00.000-07:00

Ryan Joseph Giggs OBE[1] (born Ryan Joseph Wilson on 29 November 1973 in Cardiff) is a Welsh footballer, currently playing for Manchester United in the English Premiership, and formerly for the Welsh national team prior to his retirement from international football on June 2, 2007. Giggs received an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List, alongside his former team mate Teddy Sheringham, who received an MBE.

Giggs' father was Danny Wilson, a noted Rugby League player, and his mother was Lynne Giggs. Although born in Cardiff, he was raised in Pendlebury, England and speaks with a Mancunian accent. His father was of mixed race (of Sierra Leonean ancestry) and Giggs has always expressed pride at his mixed heritage.[2]

Giggs is Manchester United's longest-serving current player, having made his first appearance for the club during the 1990-91 season and been a regular player since the 1991-92 season. He has played the second highest number of competitive games for the club (second only to Bobby Charlton), and holds the club record of team trophies won by a player (23).[3] Since 1992, he has collected nine Premier League winners' medals, four FA Cup winner's medals, two League Cup winner's medals and one Champions League winner's medal. He also has runners-up medals from two FA Cup finals and two League Cup finals, as well as being part of four United teams who have finished second in the league.

Giggs captained England Schoolboys (which all schoolboys in England are eligible to play for, regardless of nationality), but played for the Welsh national team as an adult. At the time of his début in 1991, Giggs (still only 17 at the time) was the youngest player to represent his country at the highest level. He was appointed captain of Wales in 2004.

He also won the PFA Young Player of the Year award twice (1992 and 1993), making him the first player to win the award in consecutive years - a feat matched only by Robbie Fowler and current team-mate Wayne Rooney. Giggs holds many other records, including that of the top all-time scorer in the FA Premier League not to play regularly in the position of striker, and holds the record for scoring Manchester United's fastest goal (15 seconds), set in November 1995 against Southampton, and is one of only two players to have scored in every Premiership campaign (Gary Speed being the other). Also, having scored his first European goal of the season in United’s 3-1 victory over Benfica, Giggs became the first player in Champions League history to score in 12 successive seasons.

Fans have also voted that Giggs scored Manchester United's greatest goal, in the semi-final of the 1999 FA Cup against Arsenal where he beat four defenders (Lee Dixon twice) to score. Giggs' squad number for Manchester United is 11.

Giggs is currently vice-captain to Gary Neville at Manchester United.

Steven Gerrard

2007-08-22T22:12:00.000-07:00

Steven George Gerrard MBE (IPA: ['stiːvn 'dʒɛɹɑːd]) (born 30 May 1980, Whiston, Merseyside) is an English football player. He is the captain of Liverpool, where he wears the number 8 shirt. He is the England vice captain, for which he usually wears the number 4. An inspirational and versatile midfielder known for his long-range shots and trademark defence-splitting passes, he is usually employed in the commanding "box-to-box" midfield role, although he has often been deployed as a right-sided midfielder, and occasionally as a second striker. Throughout his career he has won the PFA Young Player of the Year, PFA Player of the Year, European Midfielder of the year, Premier League Most Valuable Player (twice), and UEFA Most Valuable Player. He has also been awarded the MBE for his outstanding contributions in both the 2005 UEFA Champions League Final and the 2006 FA Cup Final in which he greatly inspired his team's comeback.[2][3][4][5] He has been nominated for the FIFA Player of the Year twice, once in 2005 and another in 2006.

Thierry Henry

2007-08-19T06:44:00.000-07:00

Thierry Daniel Henry, born 17 August 1977 in Paris, France, is a French football player. Renowned for his pace,[1][2] he plays as a striker for the France national team and FC Barcelona.

Henry was born and brought up in the tough neighbourhood of Les Ulis, Essonne, where as a youngster he played for an array of local sides and showed great promise as a goalscorer. AS Monaco spotted him in 1990 and signed him up instantly.[2] Handed his professional club debut in 1994, he stayed at Monaco until 1998, where good form earned him an international call-up. Henry then moved to Italian giants Juventus, but after a disappointing season playing on the wing,[3] he joined Arsenal for a fee of £10.5 million in 1999.[2]

It was at Arsenal that Henry made his name as a top footballer. Initially, he struggled in the Premiership, but he soon emerged as Arsenal's top goalscorer in almost his every season there. Long-time mentor and coach Arsene Wenger's conversion of Henry into a prolific striker made him Arsenal's all-time leading scorer with over 200 goals. With the Gunners, Henry won two league titles and three FA Cups. He was also twice nominated for the FIFA World Player of the Year[4] and twice received the Barclays Premiership player of the season award.[5][6] Henry spent his final two seasons with Arsenal as club captain, leading them to the UEFA Champions League final in 2006. In June 2007, after eight years in an Arsenal shirt, the French striker transferred to FC Barcelona for a fee of £16.1 million.

With the French national squad, Henry has also enjoyed success, having won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000. Given his accomplishments, he is today regarded by many as one of the best footballers in the world.[3][7][8][9] Off the pitch, as a result of his own experience, Henry is an active spokesperson against football racism.