BARCELONA, Spain — Barcelona has staunchly defended Lionel Messi over claims he racially abused a black Real Madrid player several seasons ago.Dutch midfielder Royston Drenthe, currently on loan to Everton, was quoted in a Dutch magazine as saying he was taunted by the Argentine forward and three-time FIFA player of the year during several of their Spanish League encounters.Barcelona said in a statement that the accusations "are well wide of the mark" and that Messi "has always shown maximum respect and sportsmanship towards his rivals."Drenthe, who is black, claims Messi used the word "negro" in a negative tone. Liverpool's Luis Suarez was banned for eight games for taunting Manchester United's Patrice Evra in a similar manner this season.
Showing posts with label Messi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Messi. Show all posts
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Pele says Messi not yet in his league
PARIS — Pele thinks Lionel Messi still needs to improve at international level before he can be considered the greatest soccer player ever and needs to score more goals to come close to matching the Brazilian great.The 24-year-old Messi already has won three straight FIFA Player of the Year awards."When Messi's scored 1,283 goals like me, when he's won three World Cups, we'll talk about it," Pele told Le Monde. "Football changes. Records are there to be broken, but it will be hard to break mine."People always ask me: 'When is the new Pele going to be born?' Never. My father and mother have closed the factory."Although many observers consider Pele or Diego Maradona to be the greatest ever, Messi's form for Barcelona has him being mentioned in the same group.Messi scored 55 goals in 2011 for Barcelona and already has 213 in 300 games for the club, 22 shy of Cesar Rodriguez's team record for goals. Messi is the club's leading scorer in the Champions League, scoring in victories over Manchester United in the 2009 and 2011 finals."I like Messi a lot, he's a great player," Pele replied when asked who his favorite current player is. "Technically, we're practically at the same level."
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Sawa, Messi named Players of Year
ZURICH — Homare Sawa, the 2011 Women's World Cup Golden Ball and Golden Boot winner, was named FIFA Women's World Player of the Year on a historic night for Japanese soccer Monday.
Athletic and elegant: Nadeshiko Japan star Homare Sawa reacts after being named the FIFA Women's World Player of the Year at an awards ceremony in Zurich on Monday night. APNorio Sasaki, who guided Nadeshiko Japan to an astonishing first ever World Cup triumph at last summer's finals in Germany, won the Women's Coach of the Year, while the Japan Football Association also won the Fair Play Award.Barcelona's mercurial Argentine forward Lionel Messi landed the men's Ballon d'Or award, becoming the first man since former France international Michel Platini to take the title three years in succession, while the Men's Coach of the Year award went to his club coach, Pep Guardiola.Messi was up against Barca teammate Xavi and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo, the 2008 winner, was unable to attend the awards ceremony as Real is in action on Tuesday night in the King's Cup against Malaga.The 24-year-old Messi won the award after polling 47.88 of the votes, ahead of Ronaldo (21.6 percent) and Xavi (9.23 percent)."It is a big pleasure to win the third, a big honor. I want to thank the teammates, players and coaches that voted for me," said Messi."I want to thank my Barcelona and Argentina teammates, without them this would have been impossible. But most of all, I want to share it with Xavi: you deserve this as much as I do."Messi, man of the match in the Champions League final in 2011, also won the Primera Division, Spanish Super Cup, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup last year.Dressed in a traditional kimono, Sawa, 33, and the 53-year-old Sasaki were the first Japanese recipients and first Asian winners of their respective awards, picking them up at the star-studded ceremony in Zurich with the cream of the soccer world in attendance."It hasn't sunk in yet," said Sawa. "When my name was read out I didn't know what was going on. This award feels so heavy. I wasn't at all confident that I had definitely won it and just wanted to give myself a pat on the back for making it among the three nominees.""I am so surprised and delighted with this award. I spoke with people at the JFA and came to the conclusion that the kimono represents Japan and was the most suitable attire for tonight," she smiled."As the JFA president I feel blessed," Junji Ogura said of the country's hat trick of awards. "Winning three awards doesn't happen very often. Sawa won and Sasaki won, something that no other Asians have done, and this is fantastic. Getting the Fair Play Award is an added bonus."Sawa beat out five-time winner Marta of Brazil and American Abby Wambach, while Sasaki was named from the coach's shortlist that included Pia Sundhage, whose U.S. team lost to Japan in a penalty shootout in the World Cup final, and France's Bruno Bini."I am so thrilled for Sawa," said Wambach. "I think the Japanese deserved all of the awards they received tonight. They were of course the World Cup champions, she was proven to be the best player and I am very proud of her."Said Platini: "It's good that there is a Japanese woman (winning the award). I think it is possible in the future that a Japanese man could win the award but they will have to win the World Cup first."Sasaki, who in an inspired piece of sports psychology showed his players footage of the March 11 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami's aftermath before their World Cup quarterfinal and semifinal wins over Germany and Sweden, said, "I am full of gratitude to everyone.""I was just overjoyed to be able to be here with my family. It was only for a moment but it really hit me emotionally when I got the award. Last year we suffered a disastrous earthquake in northeastern Japan and many, many people in the football family of the world provided such warm support and I would like to thank everyone for their support."These awards were decided after a poll in which the captains and head coaches of the men's (for the two men's soccer awards) and women's (for the two women's soccer awards) national teams, as well as international media representatives selected by French soccer magazine France Football, voted for candidates in each of the four categories. Each group's votes represented one third of the final result.LONDON — Thierry Henry made a fairy tale return in his second spell with Arsenal, coming off the bench to grab a late winner in a 1-0 victory over Leeds in the third round of the F.A. Cup on Monday.The former France striker took the first step in enhancing his already-legendary status at the north London club, side-footing home an angled finish in the 78th minute — 10 minutes after being introduced as a substitute.The goal, a trademark Henry finish from the left, extended his club-record tally to 227 goals in the first game of his two-month loan spell from the New York Red Bulls.
Athletic and elegant: Nadeshiko Japan star Homare Sawa reacts after being named the FIFA Women's World Player of the Year at an awards ceremony in Zurich on Monday night. APNorio Sasaki, who guided Nadeshiko Japan to an astonishing first ever World Cup triumph at last summer's finals in Germany, won the Women's Coach of the Year, while the Japan Football Association also won the Fair Play Award.Barcelona's mercurial Argentine forward Lionel Messi landed the men's Ballon d'Or award, becoming the first man since former France international Michel Platini to take the title three years in succession, while the Men's Coach of the Year award went to his club coach, Pep Guardiola.Messi was up against Barca teammate Xavi and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo, the 2008 winner, was unable to attend the awards ceremony as Real is in action on Tuesday night in the King's Cup against Malaga.The 24-year-old Messi won the award after polling 47.88 of the votes, ahead of Ronaldo (21.6 percent) and Xavi (9.23 percent)."It is a big pleasure to win the third, a big honor. I want to thank the teammates, players and coaches that voted for me," said Messi."I want to thank my Barcelona and Argentina teammates, without them this would have been impossible. But most of all, I want to share it with Xavi: you deserve this as much as I do."Messi, man of the match in the Champions League final in 2011, also won the Primera Division, Spanish Super Cup, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup last year.Dressed in a traditional kimono, Sawa, 33, and the 53-year-old Sasaki were the first Japanese recipients and first Asian winners of their respective awards, picking them up at the star-studded ceremony in Zurich with the cream of the soccer world in attendance."It hasn't sunk in yet," said Sawa. "When my name was read out I didn't know what was going on. This award feels so heavy. I wasn't at all confident that I had definitely won it and just wanted to give myself a pat on the back for making it among the three nominees.""I am so surprised and delighted with this award. I spoke with people at the JFA and came to the conclusion that the kimono represents Japan and was the most suitable attire for tonight," she smiled."As the JFA president I feel blessed," Junji Ogura said of the country's hat trick of awards. "Winning three awards doesn't happen very often. Sawa won and Sasaki won, something that no other Asians have done, and this is fantastic. Getting the Fair Play Award is an added bonus."Sawa beat out five-time winner Marta of Brazil and American Abby Wambach, while Sasaki was named from the coach's shortlist that included Pia Sundhage, whose U.S. team lost to Japan in a penalty shootout in the World Cup final, and France's Bruno Bini."I am so thrilled for Sawa," said Wambach. "I think the Japanese deserved all of the awards they received tonight. They were of course the World Cup champions, she was proven to be the best player and I am very proud of her."Said Platini: "It's good that there is a Japanese woman (winning the award). I think it is possible in the future that a Japanese man could win the award but they will have to win the World Cup first."Sasaki, who in an inspired piece of sports psychology showed his players footage of the March 11 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami's aftermath before their World Cup quarterfinal and semifinal wins over Germany and Sweden, said, "I am full of gratitude to everyone.""I was just overjoyed to be able to be here with my family. It was only for a moment but it really hit me emotionally when I got the award. Last year we suffered a disastrous earthquake in northeastern Japan and many, many people in the football family of the world provided such warm support and I would like to thank everyone for their support."These awards were decided after a poll in which the captains and head coaches of the men's (for the two men's soccer awards) and women's (for the two women's soccer awards) national teams, as well as international media representatives selected by French soccer magazine France Football, voted for candidates in each of the four categories. Each group's votes represented one third of the final result.LONDON — Thierry Henry made a fairy tale return in his second spell with Arsenal, coming off the bench to grab a late winner in a 1-0 victory over Leeds in the third round of the F.A. Cup on Monday.The former France striker took the first step in enhancing his already-legendary status at the north London club, side-footing home an angled finish in the 78th minute — 10 minutes after being introduced as a substitute.The goal, a trademark Henry finish from the left, extended his club-record tally to 227 goals in the first game of his two-month loan spell from the New York Red Bulls.Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Messi, Ronaldo, Xavi make shortlist
PARIS — Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi and Xavi Hernandez will be up against Real Madrid winger Cristiano Ronaldo for the FIFA world player of the year award.The three Ballon d'Or finalists were selected Monday from among 23 nominees. Messi beat Barcelona teammates Andres Iniesta and Xavi to win last year.Messi also won the award two years ago when France Football magazine chose the best player in Europe. The Ballon d'Or is now merged with FIFA's player of the year award to create one trophy.Messi and Ronaldo already have scored 17 league goals this season. They face each other in the Spanish League on Saturday.The winner will be announced Jan. 9 in Zurich, Switzerland.
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