It has been a long time
since i had written here. I had forgotten how much i liked doing this in the
past. With that said, let me jot down a few words on my favorite topic
"Football" or lets be more specific "Soccer".
I have been a devoted
follower of the game for 15 years or so, i have enjoyed playing the sport as
much as i enjoy watching the game till date. Football today has evolved and it
has had some big names who will forever be remembered by fans across the globe.
Lets look at some of these big names who have revolutionized the sport.
Alfredo Di Stéfano
I have never seen him
play live, but when i heard about how great he was from other football
legends, i couldn't help myself from checking out some of his videos on
YouTube.I must say that he was a complete footballer. He can dribble, has a
foot made out of silk and combined with an outstanding ability to read the game, he
can burst into space with tremendous power to score goals.
Di Stefanos success had notably come while
wearing the all white of the spanish giants
Real Madrid, where he has won back to back European
Championhip Cup for a remarkable 5 consecutive years.
In the Pic Alfredo Di Stefano with the 5 European Championship Cups
Pelé
The undisputed King of
Kings, Pele has been the brightest gem of the game. Whether it may be his
contribution to the national team or for the short but influential spell that
he had at New York Cosmos, this legend has seen it all and done it all. The
only player to win 3 World Cups has had an eye for spectacular goals. One among
those was that incredible over head kick which he scored for the New York Cosmos after he had been kicked, stamped and punched on the chest by the
opposition players. This video is still played world wide as a motivational
video. Pele has been a fighter since he was 15 and till date his record as
highest scorer for the national is still to be breached.
In the pic Pele
celebrates while on duty for Brazil
Johan Cruyff
The inventor of “Total
Football” in many ways, Johan Cruyff has influenced the world of football
unlike no other. Whether it may be the mighty Ajax of early 90s to present
Barcelona so renowned in playing the “tiki-taka” , Cruyff has his legacy
flowing on football pitches across the globe.
The “Cruyff turn” is a
famous trick invented by this legend and is taught as a textbook move in famous
soccer schools in the world. On the field Cruyff has been known for his time
with Ajax and Barcelona. Most notably was his performance at the 1974 FIFA
world cup for The Netherlands where they put up quite a show with Total
Football on their way to the finals against West Germany. Johan Cruyff has won
the Ballon d’Or three times to cap of his fine career on the field.
In the pic Johan Cruyff in the famous Oranje jersey
Diego Maradona
The first thing which would come into your mind when
you mention Diego Maradona will be that stunning solo goal that he had scored
against England in the 1986 FIFA World Cup weaving past the three lions defense
like a kite set afloat. The world had not seen anything like that before ..
then! Diego almost single handedly won the world cup for Argentina and is
idolized in his home country. Not to mention was the infamous ‘hand of god’
incident against England in the same match. Maradona has represented Barcelona
of Spain and Napoli of Italy at club level and was loved by football fans for
his exceptional vision on the field combined with exquisite passing and
dribbling skills.
In the Pic Diego Maradona exults after scoring for Argentina
Zinedine Zidane
Arguably one of the greatest footballers to grace
the football field, Zidane had such elegant touch on the football which made it
look all so easy. It was just a mere treat to watch him on the football with
his short passes, long passes, ball control, trickeries, goals you name it,
this legend had it all. He has represented two of the biggest clubs in world
football namely Juventus and Real Madrid FC winning all the major trophies at
club level. Representing France, Zidane had played in two World Cup Finals in
1998 and 2006 winning the former for his country against a talented Brazil
side. He has also won the Euro 2000 with France.
In the pic Zidane sets himself to blast one for France
Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi in modern football terms is a player
from a different planet. The all time leading scorer in La Liga and the all
time leading scorer in Europe's elite competition, the UEFA champions league at
just 27 years of age signifies his relevance in the history of the game. Not to
mention is his collection of individual honor’s including the record of
winning Ballon d’Ors. Keeping his awards and accolades aside, Leo has this
knack of playing football with such grace on the field that it is just so
mesmerizing to see him run with the ball glued to his feet. Messi is known for
his meticulous ball control, dribbling and goal scoring abilities. He
represents the Argentinian national team and Barcelona of Spain at club level
In the pic Messi wheels away after scoring for Barcelona
