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A signed shirt from Robin van Persie, Lionel Messi, Maradona or Paul Scholes?

Ahmed Umair — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:49:02 +0000

A signed shirt from Robin van Persie, Lionel Messi, Maradona or Paul Scholes? - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

In the past and the present, football players have enjoyed a special place in a football fan’s life. People from all over the world take time out of their busy lives to watch them play or get a glimpse of them in training.

Reasons could vary from personal to strictly football. For the vast variety of football fans, Soccerlens has hand-picked personally signed items from Icons. You can use them to satisfy your personal hunger or add to your collection of memorabilia.

Signed Robin van Persie Arsenal Shirt

Robin van Persie is as lethal a striker as you could want for your team. And he is surely proving his mettle at Arsenal as he lights up the Emirates with his extravagant displays.

This shirt is personally signed by the Holland striker in an exclusive signing session organised by Icons in November 2011. It is the official Nike shirt with the Arsenal logo on the front. It comes in presentation packaging and an image of van Persie signing the shirts.

This is a perfect Christmas 2011 gift for any Gunners fan, specially since Persie is leading Arsenal’s resurrection, order the signed Robin van Persie shirt online.

Signed Lio Messi 2010-11 Champions League Final Shirt

Lionel Messi is a nightmare for the toughest defenses around the world. He is definitely a class above the rest and he has proven it time and time again. Those who think differently are just in denial.

Commemorating Barcelona’s victory over Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League final in Wembley in May 2011, this unique printed shirt was personally signed by Messi in August 2011. The Barcelona 2010/11 shirts are specifically printed with the details of the Wembley final and are not available for retail anywhere else.

For your loved ones who are Barcelona or Lio Messi fans, this framed and signed shirt will prove a great present this Christmas. It will also make them feel better as their fierce rivals Real Madrid are three points ahead with a game in hand. Order the signed Messi 2010-11 CL final shirt online.

Paul Scholes signed Man Utd Shirt

The legendary Manchester United midfielder, Paul Scholes has won nine English Premier League titles, three FA Cup and two Champions League medals in the course of a hard-fought 16-year career with his only club.

This United shirt was signed by Scholes at a private signing session in Manchester on October 5, 2010. The shirt comes with a numbered hologram and an identical hologram is fixed to the certificate of authenticity, which features an image of the England international signing a shirt.

If your loved one is a Man United fan then I can assure you that he is still hurting from the 6-1 thrashing by local rivals Manchester City – on top of that, the penalty against Newcastle United and a shock loss to Crystal Palace only made it worse. As a heart-warming Christmas gift, remind him of the elegant passes of good ol’ Scholes by ordering a signed Paul Scholes Man Utd shirt online.

Signed Pele Photo: Embrace with Bobby Moore

Brazil defeated England 1-0 in the quarterfinal of the 1970 FIFA World Cup. Jairzinho scored the only goal of the game but it was the duel between Bobby Moore and Pele. The two embraced after the game and Pele went on to say that Bobby Moore was the best defender he played against.

Pele and Moore were exchanging shirt after the game when this photo was taken. It was signed in London on September 19, 2006 by Pele in an exclusive signing session.

The most enduring image of sportsmanship at the highest level. If you don’t know much about football but your significant other loves it, this is like the most basic of football presents. He might not love it but he won’t throw it away either. Guaranteed! Order signed and framed Pele photo with Bobby Moore online. This is a limited edition product

Maradona And Messi Signed Number 10 Shirt

Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi are two of the most iconic footballers of their times. Both originated from Argentina and both wear the coveted number 10 jersey. Icons decided to put both of their signatures down on one Argentina number 10 shirt.

This is probably the most iconic shirt. It’s an authentic 1986 Argentina shirt originally signed by Maradona in 2010. In the spring of 2011, Messi added his signature to the shirt. The two greatest Argentinean players ever are now on one shirt!

This is an unforgettable piece of signed merchandise and any football fan that gets his hands on one of these will cherish it for years to come as Messi and Maradona are two names that won’t be forgotten easily. With the holiday season just around the corner, order the Maradona and Messi signed number 10 shirt online ASAP.

Visit ICONS.com and browse their full range of signed memorabilia.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Top Christmas Football Deals

Ahmed Umair — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 07:46:15 +0000

Top Christmas Football Deals - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

The best part about holiday shopping is the amount of discounts you can find. It is very important to go around the market before buying something because you never know, you might find it for cheaper elsewhere.

Keeping that in mind, I looked around for quality presents with good discounts and picked, what I thought, were really good bargains.

Real Madrid 2011-12 Third kit

adidas have made a red third kit for Real Madrid’s 2011-12 UEFA Champions League campaign. The red shirt has white adidas stripes on the shoulder.

The original price of this red Galacticos shirt is £41.24 but you can buy the 11-12 Real Madrid Champions League third shirt for £35.05.

Nike Total90 Strike IV

The Strike IV by Nike is the ideal football boot for powerful shooting and accuracy. Strike IV is designed to provide you assistance in touch, control, optimal precision and uniform striking surface.

The T90 Strike IV is available for £58.66 and that’s after a 26% discount – from the actual price of £79.99.

V. Persie 9 – Holland 2010 World Cup Home Shirt

Nike manufactures the sports goods for the Holland national team and the number 9 orange home shirt of the sensational Arsenal skipper, Robin van Persie, is available on the Soccerlens Store.

The original price of this shirt was £59.99 and it is on a 5% discount. You can buy the 10-11 Holland home shirt for £56.99.

Zidane 10 – France 2010 World Cup Home Shirt

It was a disappointing trip to South Africa for the 1998 champions. Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema were already trapped in a lot of controversy and to add to the tension, there were disagreements in the dressing room. It was clearly a different France than we last saw in 2006 under the captaincy of the great Zinedine Zidane.

The original price of this adidas manufactured shirt was £54.99 but with a 45% discount, you can buy the 10-11 France home shirt for £30.

Drogba 11 – Ivory Coast 2010 World Home Shirt

Didier Drogba’s injury to the forearm kept him from performing a hundred percent. On top of that, it would have been quite a task to beat Brazil and Portugal. North Korea was the fourth team in their group. They still managed a goalless draw with Portugal and a three goal win over Korea but Brazil was just too strong for them.

That was probably Drogba’s last World Cup as a top class striker. The Chelsea ace wore the number 11 for his national team.

The original price of the shirt was £59.99 but we’re offering a 42% discount. You can now buy the 10-11 Ivory Coast home shirt for £35.

Beckham 7 – England Euro 2012 Home Shirt

David Beckham was the most influential footballer in recent times and his experience and skills were unmatched across England. His presence will be missed but there is a lot of promising young blood coming through.

The original price of the Euro 2012 home shirt was £59.99. After a massive 42% discount, you can buy the 11-12 England home shirt for £35.

Eto’o 9 – Cameroon 2010 World cup Away Shirt

Samuel Eto’o is as clinical as a striker can get. If his successful spells at Barcelona and Inter Milan don’t convince you enough, his larger than life pay-check with Russian Premier League club Anzhi Makhachkala should leave you dumbfounded.

The original price of this shirt was £59.99 but after a 42% discount, you can buy the 10-11 Cameroon away shirt for £35.

adidas adiPower Predator

The adidas Predator was formerly worn by players like Xavi, Lionel Messi and many others in top competitions around the world. It’s built for speed, power and swerve.

The original price of the boot was £154.99. Kitbag is offering a 29% discount and you can buy the adidas Predator for £109.99.

Robbie Fowler Signed Liverpool Shirt

The Liverpool born striker came through the youth ranks of the Reds and played through his prime at Liverpool. He left his childhood club and moved the Leeds United and went on to impress fans across England. He also made appearances for Manchester City and had another stint at Liverpool.

To honor the Reds legend, here’s a personally signed Liverpool numbed 9 shirt of Robbie Fowler:

The original price of this framed shirt was £366.67. Kitbag is offering a 15% discount and you can buy the Fowler signed Liverpool home shirt for £311.67.

Pele & Maradona Signed Shirts

This duo of the shirts of the South American legends, Pele and Diego Maradona, is a set of a Brazil 1970 World Cup number 10 shirt and an Argentina 1986 World Cup number 10 shirt. Pele and Maradona have signed their respective shirts and their both framed together side-by-side.

This one frame features the best of the 20th century football.

This magnificent collector’s item was originally priced at £916.67. Kitbag if offering a 15% discount and the Pele and Maradona dual framed and signed shirts for £779.17.

For more Christmas deals, visit the Specials section on SL Store or the Christmas Store 2011 on Kitbag.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Retro Football Kits

Ahmed Umair — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 07:45:07 +0000

Retro Football Kits - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Throughout history, people have been kicking a ball but the earliest scientific evidence suggest that it was an exercise from a military manual in the second and third BC in China – it was called Cuju. Modern football took years in the making after the Chinese forgot about cuju.

In 1872, the first ever international football game took place when England faced Scotland. I don’t know if that was a great match or not but since then, there have been many teams, players and matches that have redefined football history.

From 1930, when the first World Cup took place in Uruguay, to Spain lifting the trophy in 2010, a lot has happened. Many heroes emerged and took center stage as fans sat in awe of them and cheered them on.

To commemorate all that is now past, here are some of the items from the retro section of the Soccerlens Store.

Maradona 1986 World Cup Jersey

A thrilling 3-2 victory over West Germany in the extra time of the final marked the end of a tournament that was completely dominated by Diego Maradona. It was Argentina’s 2nd title.

The blue and white striped Argentina shirt comes with the name and number of Maradona printed on the back of the shirt.

Click here to buy Maradona 1986 World Cup jersey online.

Juventus 1977 UEFA Cup Jersey

The significance of this triumph for Juventus fans is the fact that this is the only triumph for an Italian side in an official European tournament without foreigner players in its first team squad.

It was a two-legged final against Athletic Bilbao and Marco Tardelli had given Juve a slender 1-0 lead in the home leg. Juve traveled to Spain and striker Roberto Bettega doubled the lead. Bilbao won the game 2-1 after Jose Churruca and Carlos Ruiz scored but Juventus won the title on away goals.

Juve wore this blue away shirt in the second leg of the final:

Click here to buy Juventus 1977 UEFA Cup jersey online.

Cruyff 1974 World Cup Jersey

A lot can be said about Johan Cruyff, he has almost single-handedly revolutionized modern football with the help of the Catalan giants Barcelona – both as a player and a coach.

The first Dutch international to receive a red card, Cruyff, was unlucky to have collected the runners up medal in 1974 and 1978. However, he was the chosen the best player in the 1974 World Cup.

His managerial expertise indirectly resulted in Spaniards winning the Euro 2008 and the World Cup 2010.

Here is Cruyff’s famous shirt with two stripes:

Click here to buy Cruyff 1974 World Cup jersey online.

Brazil 1971 Three Star Jersey

When Brazil beat Italy in the final of the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, it was their third world title. They have gone on to make it five titles now but that was their third in four attempts.

1970 also marked the end of the Pele era, and this three star away jersey from 1971 is how he left Brazil. It took Brazil 24 years to win another World Cup.

Click here to buy Brazil 1971 three star jersey online.

Man City 1969 FA Cup Winners Track-top

The 1969 FA Cup was the last major English trophy that Manchester City had won until their recent 2011 triumph. The ’69 final was played between Man City and Leicester City at the Wembley Stadium.

Neil Young scored the only goal of the game as the cup win earned them the right to compete in the 1969-70 European Cup Winners’ Cup – which City went on to win as well.

Here is the track-top that was worn by the players after they have won the FA Cup:

Click here to buy Man City 1969 FA Cup winners track-top online.

AC Milan 1963 European Cup Jersey

Wembley stadium witnessed AC Milan and Benfica go head-to-head for the 1963 European Cup final. Two goals from Jose Altafini in the second half over-turned the first half strike of the legendary Portugal midfielder Eusebio and Milan clinched the their first European Cup title.

This is the white shirt Milan wore in the final that day:

Click here to buy AC Milan 1963 European Cup jersey online.

Puskas 1954 World Cup Jersey

Hungary was in top form prior to the 1954 World Cup, winning everything that came their way. They were unbeaten in 32 games. They became the first non-UK team to beat England at Wembley – they thrashed them 6-3 and then later 7-1 in Budapest.

In the group stage, Hungary violently defeated West Germany 8-3 and now the Germans were their last hurdle. Ferenc Puskas and Zoltan Czibor gave them a two goal cushion but they failed to capitalize on that. The efficient Germans won the final 3-2 (Max Morlock and Helmut Rahn were the goal-scorers).

Here is the number 10 jersey that Puskas wore in the final:

Click here to buy Puskas 1954 World Cup jersey online.

John Charles 1950s Leeds Utd Jersey

Rated by many as the greatest all-round footballer ever to come from Wales, he was equally adept at center forward or center back. In the peak of his career, he plied his trade at Leeds United and Juventus. He made a return to Leeds at the age of 31 but was soon sent back to Italy as he joined Roma for a season.

Towards the end of his career, he could be seen at Cardiff City and as a player-manager at Hereford United and Merthyr Tydfil.

To commemorate this great all-rounder of football, here’s a shirt from one of Leeds’ dressing rooms of the 1950s (not literally):

Click here to buy John Charles 1950s Leeds Utd jersey online.

Italy 1934/1938 World Cup Winners Jersey

In 1934, Italy hosted the World Cup tournament themselves and defeated Czechoslovakia. In 1938, France hosted the World Cup but Italy managed to defend their title successfully as they defeated Hungary 4-2.

Inter Milan legend Giuseppe Meazza played both the World Cups and he played instrumental parts in their triumphs.

Click here to buy Italy 1934/1938 World Cup winners jersey online.

Uruguay 1930 World Cup Final Jersey

Uruguay hosted the inaugural FIFA World Cup in 1930. Uruguay faced Argentina in the final which was a repeat of the match-up in the 1928 Olympic final – which Uruguay had won 2-1. The final was won with the same ratio of goals but the scoreline was 4-2.

93,000 fans watched the final where different balls were used in each half but those are just details. This is the shirt Uruguay wore in the first-ever FIFA World Cup final:

Click here to buy Uruguay 1930 World Cup final jersey online.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Argentina WAGs here

Soccerlens — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 17:07:41 +0000

Argentina WAGs here - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Diego Maradona’s 2010 World Cup antics are still pretty fresh. Cruising through the group stages and the Round of 16 without even firing all their guns.

They were thought to be a real contender for the trophy until the Germans ran rampant all over them in the Quarterfinal.

Argentina are now preparing to play in the 2011 Copa America starting from July 1st. They are placed in Group A alongside Bolivia, Colombia and the non-American guest nation Japan.

Their form has been fine since the World Cup where they managed to beat Brazil and Portugal and managed a draw against USA.

Undoubtedly, Argentineans have some of the best football players in the world and also some of the hottest football WAGs in the world. Lets take a look at who the recent Argentina national football team call-ups are dating. The Argentina WAGs:

Sergio Romero (AZ) – married to Eliana Guercio

Romero and his wife Eliana Guercio

Oscar Ustari (Getafe) – married the daughter of 1986 World Cup winning midfielder Ricardo Giusti
Javier Zanetti (Inter) – was engaged to Francesca Lodo, married to Paula Zanetti

Zanetti's former fiancée Francesca Lodo

Walter Samuel (Inter) – married to Cecilia
Esteban Cambiasso (Inter) – no longer has contact with his ex-wife, Claudia
Diego Milito (Inter) – married to Sofia

(L-R) Claudia Cambiasso, Cecilia Samuel, Sofia Milito & Paula Zanetti

Fernando Belluschi (Porto) – married to Florencia

Fernando & Florencia Belluschi

Fernando Gago (Real Madrid) – dated Luli Fernandez, married tennis player Gisela Dulko in July 2011

Gago's ex-girlfriend - Luli Fernandez

Lionel Messi (Barcelona) – was linked to Macarena Lemos & Luciana Salazar, dating Antonella Roccuzzo

Messi with Antonella Roccuzzo

Carlos Tevez (Manchester City) – married to Vanesa, linked with Mariana Paesani, Natalia Fassi, Vanessa Carbone & Brenda Asnicar

Tevez is said to have cheated on his wife with Natalia Fassi

Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid) – married to Maradona’s youngest daughter Giannina Maradona

Aguero, Giannina Maradona and their little one

Former coach Diego Maradona – linked to Wanda Nara & Natalia Rosas Muniz, dating Veronica Ojeda

Maradona denied any relations with Wanda Nara

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Footballers and Guns

Ross Mackiewicz — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 08:40:49 +0000

Footballers and Guns - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Ex-Wimbledon star Vinnie Jones infamously launched his movie career in the film ‘Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels’ where his prized assets were two double barrel shotguns rather than the FA Cup he won as a player the decade prior. Ashley Cole’s latest mishap has caused a media stir as he brought in an air rifle into Chelsea’s Cobham training base and inadvertently shot a young intern carrying out his work placement.

Despite it being a complete accident, England’s number one left-back scored a monumental own goal with his actions, bringing embarrassment to himself and the club. However, he isn’t the first professional footballer to behold a fire arm.

Soccerlens takes a look at some familiar faces that have carried out their best John Wayne impressions.

Vinnie Jones

The footballer turned film-star used to own a fire-arms license up until 2003. The FA Cup winner was involved in an air-rage incident where he screamed at passengers; “I can get you murdered, I can get the whole crew murdered for £3,000″ and also telling a passenger he will “eat their face”.

This lead to Hertfordshire police stepping in and revoking his fire arms license as well as confiscating a number of his shotguns.

Jack Charlton

The 1966 World-Cup winner and Leeds United legend is a renown fan of game-shooting. He released a number of VHS cassettes on grouse shooting where he and a team of his buddies would wander around the countryside of Britain shooting wildlife.

Not exactly everybody’s cup of tea and even led to a parody by Baddiel and Skinner on their Fantasy Football show on ITV. Click for video.

Diego Maradona

The undisputed king of Argentinean football was seemingly portraying Scarface’s Tony Montana when he fired his air-rifle at a group of photographers and journalists outside his Buenos Aires home in 1994. The incident happened just prior to his ejection from USA 94 after he tested positive for a banned stimulant. All in all it was a torrid year for El Diego and he was sentenced in 1998 for the gun incident where he was handed a suspended jail sentence of two years and 10 months.

Faustino Asprilla

The Colombian became a cult hero on Tyneside in the mid-nineties as he aided Newcastle United’s contention at the top of the Premier League. His shooting in front of goal gave him the reputation of being a dangerous marksman. However a decade or so later in 2008 he was arrested for allegedly shooting at a security checkpoint back in his homeland. The incident apparently occurred after security guards denied ‘Tino’ and his friends access. He denied the charges and made a bemusing comparison with a Hollywood film:

“Seven people who were with me have not yet testified, and so I think it’s a bit bit premature for me to be convicted. In fact, it reminds me of a movie I saw called Minority Report, in which people end up in jail even before you’ve committed the crime or even been tried.”

Luciano Re Cecconi

At what was meant to be a practical joke by the former Lazio man, ended in his tragic death. In 1977 Luciano staged a robbery of a friend’s jewellery store on the outskirts of Rome. When he was confronted by the owner his stance made the aforementioned uneasy who believed the Aquile star was indeed armed. Unfortunately this led to the owner taking no chances and opened fire on the midfielder resulting in his death. Allegedly Re Cecconi’s last words were “it’s a joke”.

Darren Bent

Aston Villa’s record signing received a caution back in 2004 whilst on the books of Ipswich Town after a 12-year old boy was shot in the back with a pellet gun. Thankfully the youngster didn’t require any medical attention and therefore Bent was released without charge.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The Rise, The Fall and Resurgence Of Napoli

Ross Mackiewicz — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 08:30:21 +0000

The Rise, The Fall and Resurgence Of Napoli - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Società Sportiva Calcio Napoli is currently undergoing a renaissance that is relating to those glorious days in the eighties when under the spell of Diego Maradona’s magic that glorified a small unfashionable club into Scudetto winners.

The club now under the stewardship of Coach Walter Mazzarri is currently sitting in second-place, three points behind leaders Milan. Could one of Calcio’s most stunning comebacks be on the cards? A club who has endured so many traumas in the last fifteen years has a realistic opportunity to clinch its first league title in 21 years.

The club had a monumental fall from grace like no other as relegation soon followed following Diego’s departure. Many were left to turn to hindsight and ponder at what might have been had scenarios worked out differently. The club was dragged through the mire with bankruptcy as well as being on the verge of extinction until Naples native Aurelio De Laurentiis put his foot through the door and injected the club with the finances it needed to live. SSCN was reborn.

It was August 2004 and the club was declared bankrupt. The future of the Neapolitan’s beloved institution faced an uncertain future with the distinct possibility of it being liquidated. It was a far cry from the summer months in 1984 when they shook the football empire by luring Diego Maradona to southern Italy.

Diego Maradona was more than just a footballer to the Neapolitan people

The greatest player on the planet had fell deeply in love with the Neapolitans and found his spiritual home. He ended an inconsistent two year stint with Barcelona that was shrouded with injuries and political differences with the then president Josep Nunez who continuously demanded the life and soul of the Argentine superstar. The pressure pot in Catalonia was too much for El Diego and his decision to move to a mid-table side that seemed to have little aspirations of challenging for honours was questioned. His presence was greeted by 60,000 strong Neapolitans who turned out to see his first training session. He captivated the city and gave the locals strength and hope. The political and cultural diversities between the clubs in the north and south had seen clubs like Napoli ridiculed for its poverty. Maradona’s heart, belief and desire gave the city new life as they began to contest with the giants of Calcio such as Juventus and Milan. Nobody could ever have dreamed of Napoli breaking into a monopoly with funded empires such as Silvio Berlusconi’s Rossoneri – it seemed to be a pipe dream.

Maradona’s debut season saw him bag 17 goals in 36 appearances but that wasn’t enough to make up for a mediocre season where relegation had been a distinct possibility – even with Diego’s name on the team sheet. The Argentine has admitted that he pondered his future on the odd occasion believing he should – and rightfully so – be contesting at the summit of football’s elite. However, he was perceived as a messiah by the Neapolitans, they believed in him and the feeling was more than mutual. Diego made his presence known and demanded the club to make changes and bring in acquisitions that were going to propel the Azzurri from a mid-table outfit to Scudetto contenders.

Fernando de Napoli (a fitting namesake), Ciro Ferrera, Salvatore Bagni and of course Careca were just a few of the acquisitions who aided in the development of the team in the mid to late eighties. Along with Maradona there was another significant arrival that turned the Calcio landscape on its head, the instalment of Ottavio Bianchi as coach in 1985 replacing Rino Marchesi. He brought an efficient nature to the club and gave them impetus to play an attractive brand of football. He drilled his players with duties and tactics that would engineer wins. He was an Italian tactician who had an affiliation to the club as a former player. Therefore it was fitting that he brought the club its most glorious period of success in its existence.

He along with his players instigated the progress of the club in the 1985/86 season where they astonishingly finished in third place. Their northern counterparts were disgruntled by their progression and were even served a piece of humble pie as Napoli ended a 13 year hoodoo against Juventus by beating them 1-0 via a Maradona curler at the Stadio San Paolo. That without a doubt was a defining moment in the club’s history. Juventus were the heavyweights of Italian football and the unfashionable southerners stamped their mark at the expense of their northern counterparts – thus announcing themselves to the world. It can be argued that victory was more of a statement than the acquisition of El Diego, but of course had it not been for his arrival then history may never have been written.

Napoli's 1987 Scudetto winning squad

The 1986/87 campaign is where football in southern Italy witnessed its most impeccable period in its history. Napoli – a club that was not supposed to be taken seriously – became Scudetto winners. Partenopei had faced adversity on so many occasions and overcome it with the sweet taste of victory as the Neapolitans took to the streets of Naples in mass jubilation. The Azzurri became the first southern club to snatch the title away from the clutches of the northern giants. Not only that, they done the double by winning the Coppa Italia. It was three years of hard work and belief that culminated into the most beautiful year in the club’s history. More success was to follow on the European scene with the UEFA Cup but the realisation and the inaugural bow of becoming national champions was as sweet as it could get. The Neapolitan people could never have envisaged what transpired over the course of those three years which was seemingly sprinkled with magic stardust by El Diego. He became more than just a footballer in Naples, he became an adopted local, an ambassador, a messiah. Napoli’s name was etched into Calcio history. They were champions.

The Brazilian Careca and Maradona conjured up a telepathic understanding that was seemingly unbreakable. They were a delight on the pitch as they worked in tandem with one another orchestrating the play in the final third. Careca arrived in the summer of 87 and the club pushed on by clinching European glory with the UEFA Cup and another Serie A title in 1990 with Alberto Bigon as coach.

However the club gradually began to fall from grace. The departure of Maradona and the likes culminated into a domino effect as Napoli began to languish in mid-table throughout the nineties as they did prior to 1984. Financial constraints saw a lack of investment which resulted in the club being relegated to Serie B in 1998, having only won two games all season. They did gain promotion two years later but ended up going straight back down. This heaped more misery on the club as financial turmoil threatened to diminish its existence. Upon its bankruptcy the FIGC relegated the club to Serie C1 despite achieving safety in Serie B. If that wasn’t bad enough the club was robbed of its history. Società Sportiva Calcio Napoli was seemingly no more.

Aurelio De Laurentiis has revived the football club in just under seven years

That was until Aurelio De Laurentiis arrived, a successful businessman and a Neapolitan who funded a new club in Naples under the name of Napoli Soccer. He wanted his beloved city to behold a football club and even under its new name the club still drew in 50,000 fans into the Stadio San Paolo, shattering Serie C1 records. Amazingly the club had the highest average attendance in the whole of Italian football. Just behind the two Milanese clubs in Milan and Inter.

Aurelio De Laurentiis reacquired Napoli’s history in 2006 as he succeeded in getting the club’s name restored to Società Sportiva Calcio Napoli. The club was well and truly back on track under his ownership and the Azzurri got promoted to Serie B in 2006 before finally returning to the dizzy heights of Serie A in 2007 where they have gradually progressed in the last four years -now being on the verge of something special.

As we approach the month of March the club currently sits in second spot. A genuine Scudetto challenge is on the cards and with the president making investments into his squad, Napoli look more than likely to prosper. Upon their arrival back to Serie A in 2007, De Laurentiis made two of the shrewdest and prosperous transfers in recent times as he signed Marek Hamsik and Ezequiel Lavezzi who have both blossomed into integral figures in the club’s resurgence. Lavezzi has been likened to Maradona with the characteristics of his play mirroring that of his compatriot. As for Hamsik his prowess with the ball is exceptional and has the ability to conjure up a match winning moment. It can be argued that last summer’s acquisition of Edison Cavani has been the Serie A transfer of the season. He has already bagged 27 goals in 36 appearances for the club.

The current Napoli side are well in contention for a third Scudetto

The coach Walter Mazzarri, with the backing of his employer, is assembling a real talented group of players who have technical ability in abundance. The signing of Victor Ruiz from Espanyol last month underlines the club’s ambition to contest at the top of Serie A. Not only are they presenting a worthy title challenge, it is becoming more realistic that they will qualify for next seasons UEFA Champions League. That would present a lucrative chest that could be used to take the club to that next level. Something Maradona felt they didn’t do upon their Scudetto success in 1987 and therefore missing a chance to clinch the European Cup.

The resurgence of one of Italy’s most renowned football clubs has been nothing short of miraculous. It was only seven years ago that the club seemed to have been suffocated by the stranglehold of debt around its neck. Now the infamous Naples outfit is on the verge of something quite special.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

10 Great Football Player Rivalries

Daryl — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 09:30:35 +0000

10 Great Football Player Rivalries - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Pele vs. Diego Maradona

Brazil’s #10 vs. Argentina’s #10. The man who won three World Cups versus the man who won the World Cup almost single-handedly (pun intended). The man who became a football ambassador and businessman versus the man who became a drug-taking, journalist-shooting controversy. It’s the classic player vs. player rivalry.

Which is weird. Because for all the debate about who was better and all the harsh words exchanged (and there have definitely been some harsh words) these men never met on the field, and their careers only overlapped at the very edges. In 1977, a 37-year-old Pele was finishing his playing career with the New York Cosmos while a 16-year-old Diego Maradona was just starting out with Argentinos Juniors. They didn’t even play the same position.

The only reason this rivalry exists is that Pele and Diego Maradona are recognized as the two greatest players of all time. But rather than leave it at that, both men seem possessed by a powerful need to be recognized as THE greatest player of all time, and each seems unable to escape the shadow of the other.

Cristiano Ronaldo vs. Leo Messi

The Pele vs. Maradona argument may be impossible to solve, but Cristiano Ronaldo vs. Leo Messi is different. The two players are similar in age, somewhat similar in style and – most importantly – are in direct competition with one another. When Real Madrid play Barcelona in La Liga, it’s Cristiano Ronaldo vs. Leo Messi.

They will come face to face (injury and suspension permitting) at least twice a year, and in between those games they’re already engaged is a sort of endless shootout, registering almost comical numbers of goals against La Liga’s lesser lights.

You could argue they represent different things. Ronaldo the arrogant big money signing always looking to do something flash, Messi the humble homegrown talent happy to submit himself to the team ethic. But why bother creating a false mythology when over the coming seasons we’re hopefully going to witness two players inspire each other to greatness, taking it in turns to raise the bar and then raise it again. When it’s all over, we could be looking back on the greatest player vs. player rivalry of all time.

Steven Gerrard vs. Frank Lampard

Two attacking midfielders, both of whom score goals from long range, neither of whom likes to defend. They can’t play together. They can play together. They can’t play together. They can play together. Gerrard and/or Lampard was and is the eternal question of the England midfield. In hindsight, they clearly couldn’t, at least if you use the functionality of England’s midfield at major tournaments as a yardstick.

But the question that still remains unanswered is: If England can only pick one, who should it be?

Gerd Müller vs. Jupp Heynckes vs. Klaus Fischer

The three highest scorers in Bundesliga history are Gerd Müller with 365, Klaus Fischer with 268 and Jupp Heynckes with 220. Great stats, but what makes it all the more amazing is that Müller, Fischer and Heynckes all played in the Bundesliga at the same time, specifically from the late 1960s through to the end of the 1970s. That’s what you call a shootout.

Bayern Munich striker Müller was the clear victor in this three-way rivalry, finishing as Bundesliga top scorer a remarkable four times and sharing the honour three times. But throughout that period Fischer was scoring constantly for 1860 München and Schalke 04, as was Heynckes for Hannover 96 and Borrusia Mönchengladbach, either breathing down Müller’s neck or even outscoring him, as Heynckes did in 1975 and Fischer did in 1976.

Roy Keane vs. Patrick Vieira

The Premier League in the late 1990s and early 2000s was all about Manchester United vs. Arsenal. And Manchester United vs. Arsenal was all about Roy Keane vs. Patrick Vieira. Two warrior-like leaders, but also two men who could play a bit as well put a nasty tackle in.

When two competitors like this square-up, you know it’s going to get tasty, with battles on the pitch, fights in the tunnel, and Keane’s legendary line of pre-match questioning: “If you love Senegal so much, why don’t you go play for them?”

Ruud van Nistelrooy vs. Thierry Henry

While Keane and Vieira were seeing who could shout the loudest and who could kick each other the hardest, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Thierry Henry were busy scoring goals. The first few seasons of the new millennium were all about which of these two strikers could fire their team to victory. RvN with his positioning, power and ruthless finishing, or TH14 with his lightning pace and ability to beat a keeper one one one.

Both men won titles and both scored ridiculous numbers of goals, each pushed a little harder by the other. Van Nistelrooy scored 44 in all competitions in 2002/3, while Henry replied with 39 the next season as Arsenal won the Premier League unbeaten. In a nice little parallel, the two moved to Spain within a season of each other, van Nistelrooy to Real Madrid in 2006 followed by Henry to Barcelona in 2007.

Gigi Buffon vs Iker Casillas

With all due respect to Petr Cech and others, these are the two great goalkeepers of the modern era. Men who’ve maintained the highest standards for club and country, and produced save after save after save.

How do we decide between them? Buffon is arguably better at organizing his defence and commanding his box. Casillas is arguably better at making those seemingly impossible game-changing saves. But that’s not to say that either is weak in any department.

Casillas now has the superior medal collection after equaling Buffon’s World Cup win in 2010, but also having two Champions League and a European Championship winners medal to polish as well. But Buffon is still a Serie A and World Cup winner, and may have even more medals had he not shown impeccable loyalty to Juventus after their court-ordered relegation in 2006.

So how do we choose? How about we don’t, and just honour Buffon and Casillas as the two greatest goalkeepers of the modern era instead.

Oliver Kahn vs. Jens Lehmann

Though similar in age (Kahn is just five months older) Lehmann was long Kahn’s understudy for the German national team. And this was fine with everyone because Kahn was outstanding, especially at the 2002 World Cup, where he captained the team to second place. But when Juergen Klinsmann took over as Germany coach in 2004, he relieved Kahn of the armband and announced that Kahn and Lehmann would be competing for the #1 jersey when Germany hosted World Cup 2006. Kahn was not amused.

The two men sniped as they passed the jersey back and forth, with Lehmann eventually emerging victorious by a narrow margin. There was brief harmony during the World Cup when Lehmann famously won a penalty shootout for Germany, and praise from Kahn, and a nice moment when Kahn played for the final time and captained the team in the third place playoff. But verbal hostilities resumed soon after World Cup 2006 with Lehmann saying Kahn takes himself far too seriously and Kahn mocking Lehmann for losing his Arsenal shirt to Manuel Almunia. Long may it continue.

Ronaldinho vs. Zinedine Zidane

The Messi and Ronaldo of their day. Around the middle of the 2000s, Ronaldinho and Zidane were the playmakers for Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively. Both were masters of the unexpected, but there was never any animosity between the two, mostly because Zidane was an old bald man nearing retirement while Ronaldinho was a smiling buck-toothed innocent who liked to dance.

But this rivalry makes the list because in early 2005 someone invented YouTube, which meant that everyone in the internet-connected world was legally obliged to make a Ronaldinho vs. Zidane compilation video (preferably set to music) so that we could all compare the two men’s audacious flicks and tricks side by side in a series of pixelated showcases. Who was better? Who cares! Just click play and enjoy.

Alessandro Del Piero vs. Francesco Totti

The two grand old #10s of Italian football. Two men who have become symbols of the teams they’ve served for nearly two decades. Del Piero at Juventus and Francesco Totti at Roma. Both men hold the records for appearances and goals scored for their respective teams. Fans of those two clubs will argue about which player is better until the end of time, but the players themselves seem content to bask in some mutual appreciation. Here’s what Del Piero had to say about Totti before a game in early 2010:

With Francesco we have been teammates on the national team. I emphasize teammates and not rivals. We are very different, but we have many things in common. We won the World Cup together and those memories will bind us forever. But above all with our clubs we have been, and will be, adversaries. I think that a champion becomes great due to the great opponents he faces. For this I will be happy, tomorrow night (Saturday), to shake the hand of Francesco.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Soccerlens Top 10 Fighting Footballers

Chris Wright — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 08:00:28 +0000

Soccerlens Top 10 Fighting Footballers - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

There’s a particular line of thinking which suggests that ‘everybody likes a dust-up’ once in a while, no more so than this decuplet of scrappers, snarlers, biters, scratchers and degenerate ne’er-do-wells.

Soccerlens presents: The top 10 fighting footballers (in no particular order…)

1. Luis Suarez:

In late November, Ajax forward Suarez was handed a weighty seven-match ban by the KNVB for leaving an imprint of his rather equine dentistry on PSV defender Otman Bakkal‘s clavicle fleshy when the two clubs met the week previous.

The Uruguayan scoundrel had already accepted a two-match suspension from Ajax after the club reviewed video footage of the incident, but the Dutch disciplinary authorities deemed the ‘unneccesarily violent’ incident to be serious enough to warrant additional sanctioning.

Suarez then blamed ‘tiredness’ for the assault.

2. Joey Barton:

Where to start? When not lashing out petulantly at Norwegian wingers, delivering ‘frenzied’ training-ground attacks to the backs of his teammates’ heads, doing time at her Majesties’ pleasure, stubbing cigars out in youth-team players’ eyes, grabbing his balls and calling opposing strikers ‘poofs’… etc… etc, Barton can be found (using CCTV) thrashing the living daylights out of teenagers in Liverpool city centre.

Will he ever clean up his act? Will he b*ll*cks.

Gobby git: Rijkaard spits in Voller's hair

3. Frank Rijkaard:

He’s a gobber, is our Frank. After 20 minutes of the second-round Italia ’90 game between Holland and Germany, the tousled Dutchman went in rather industriously on German striker Rudi Voller and the spat – if you’ll excuse the pun – escalated from there.

Having already seen an unsuccessful phlegm missile sail wide of the mark, Rijkaard took umbrage at Voller’s lunge at Dutch ‘keeper Hans van Breukelen and, after a heated confrontation which saw both players sent-off, let fly with a sneaky second globule that arched through the ether before nestling sweetly within Voller’s dense mullet.

4. Eric Cantona:

The Manchester United pseud karate-kicked a goading spectator in the face. What more needs to be said?

Defoe sinks his teeth into Mascherano's fleshy bits

5. Jermain Defoe:

Nurse, we have another biter. Having been unscrupulously felled by West Ham midfielder Javier Mascherano in 2006, Tottenham striker Defoe vented his frustration in the only way his tiny brain could fathom – by having a piqued nibble on the Argentine’s bicep.

After Mascherano have finished his ‘shark-attack’ charade, the Spurs hotshot was booked – but only for ‘aggressive behaviour’, leaving the FA powerless to administer any post-game discipline.

6. Roy Keane:

It was Keane’s relentless commitment that got him to the top, but it was his malevolent, distant and utterly myopic anger that constantly threatened to undermine him at every turn – perhaps the best example of which being his horrific, pre-meditated ‘revenge assault’ on Man City midfielder Alfe-Inge Haaland in 2001.

Back in 1997, Haaland (then of Leeds) spent an entire match trying to incite Keane into picking up a booking or two. In his attempts to trip the Norwegian, Keane caught his studs in the Elland Road turf and severed his cruciate ligament.

In his now-infamous autobiography, Keane remembers the incident with vivid intensity:

“I actually heard my cruciate ligament snap. The pain was instant and agonising. Haaland stood over me shouting, ‘Get up, stop faking it’. Few days passed when I didn’t think about Alfie Haaland.”

Four long years later, Keane saw his chance for revenge:

“Now he had the ball on the far touchline. Alfie was taking the p*ss. I’d waited long enough. I hit him hard….Take that. And don’t ever stand over me again sneering about fake injuries.

I didn’t wait for [David] Elleray to show the card. I turned and walked to the dressing room.”

If that’s not serial killer thinking, then I don’t know what is.

Bowyer and Dyer come to blows on the pitch

7. Lee Bowyer:

The seemingly reformed/matured Birmingham midfielder’s early-career rap sheet is chock full with a myriad of offences of varying magnitude.

Bowyer has tested positive for cannabis, been fined for throwing a chair in McDonald’s, fined for a ‘breach of club discipline’ whilst at Leeds, accused (and later acquitted) of grievous bodily harm relating to a fight with an Asian student, charged with affray and banned for six matches on two separate occasions but his crowning glory was to come in 2005.

With Newcastle already down to ten men and 3-0 down to Aston Villa in front of a baying home crowd, Bowyer attacked teammate Kieron Dyer in the middle of the St James’ pitch before the sparring pair were separated by team-mates.

Bowyer received one of the aforementioned ‘six week’ fines, then both players were forced to appear at a humiliating press conference in order to apologise to the Toon support.

8. David Navarro:

During Valencia’s knock-out Champions League tie with Inter Milan in 2007, unused substitute Navarro emerged during an on-pitch brawl brought on by Nicola Burdisso‘s swipe at Los Che defender Claudio Marchena – and swiftly belted the Argentinian centre-back in the face, breaking his nose in the process.

Cue a ‘Benny Hill-style’ chase down the tunnel.

Bellamy practises his swing after attacking Riise

9. Craig Bellamy:

Since 2000, lippy Welsh forward Bellamy has moved between eight different clubs, failing to convincingly settle at any – which should come as no surprise, considering he is one of the most fractious and intrinsically unlikeable characters to grace the modern game.

In 2007, during his 12-month stint at Liverpool, Bellamy was so irked by teammates John Aarne Riise’s refusal to partake in a round of pre-season karaoke, that the incensed striker took the logical step of bursting into the left-back’s hotel room in the middle of the night and setting about him with a golf club – an assault he then replicated whilst celebrating his goal against Barcelona in the very next game.

10. Diego Maradona:

Back in May of 1984, El Diego Loco (who was playing for Barcelona at the time) took it upon himself to exact justice on the entire Athletic Bilbao squad during the Spanish Cup final for the heinous injury he had sustained nearly six months earlier, thanks to Basque defender Andoni ‘The Butcher’ Goikoetxea – who shattered the diminutive Argentinian’s ankle with a vicious, pre-meditated foul during September of the previous year.

The fight really erupted when the irate Maradona swung his knee into the neck of Miguel Sola, leaving the Bilbao midfielder unconscious, which duly precipitated all manner of hellish scenes – which left the Bernabeu pitch smeared in blood.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Do you want to get into Maradona’s underpants?

Ahmed Umair — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 13:19:06 +0000

Do you want to get into Maradona’s underpants? - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

If you’re one of his mistresses then I suppose you already have. If you’re one of those potential Diego Maradona mistresses, then I suppose you’re in the wrong place. Everyone else, pay attention:

So you’ve secretly wanted to get into the Diego Maradona’s underpants? Well, today’s your lucky day!

Our friends over at Subside Sports bring for all your Hand of God lovers white and blue underpants with a number 10 on them. FC Loco calls them Diego.

From Diego, With Love.

Buy FC Loco Diego Maradona Underpants

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Blackburn Target Madcap Maradona To Replace ‘Big Sam’

Chris Wright — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 10:56:23 +0000

Blackburn Target Madcap Maradona To Replace ‘Big Sam’ - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Strange as it may seem to us on the outside, but the latest fad sweeping through the boardrooms of the Premier League appears to be the practice of unexpectedly sacking otherwise comfortable managers that have done absolutely nothing wrong then, to put the icing on the proverbial dog turd, you publicly cite ‘shifting club ambitions’ for the given individual’s dismissal.

This executive-level pastime probably already has a cliquey name (‘flash canning’?) that we unilluminati are not privy to just yet, but what is clear is that both Newcastle United and Blackburn Rovers are suddenly world beaters at something for the first time in a long time.

Yesterday Blackburn’s new owners, Indian poultry magnates Venkys, indulged themselves with a textbook spot of ‘flash-canning’ and systematically freed up former incumbent Sam Allardyce‘s Christmas for him in the process.

Whilst the decision to sack Allardyce seemingly came screaming from the clear blue ether, it would appear that a long(ish)-standing disagreement with Venkys’ chairwoman Anurahda J Desia over the club’s restructured transfer policy may have played a considerable role in his recent demise.

The Indian conglomerate were apparently determined that Blackburn are to employ leading European sports agency Kentaro (the firm that effectively purchased Elano, Martin Petrov, Vedran Corluka and Geovanni on behalf of ex-Manchester City president Thaskin Shinawatra a few years back) as ‘middle-men’ to assist in the recruitment of new players, whereas Allardyce – being a stickler for football’s golden yesteryear – was adamant that any transfer dealings should be precipitated on his say-so.

Allardyce was hoping to bring in household Premier League names such as former Rovers’ target man Roque Santa Cruz, Villa’s unmotivated powerhouse John Carew and unsettled Spurs wastrel Robbie Keane but unfortunately, and rather critically for him, their respective fees and wages were far beyond Venkys’ pre-agreed January budget of £5 million.

To the outsider looking in, it looks like ‘Big Sam’ may have been sacked for showing too much darned ambition after restoring Blackburn to mid-table obscurity from the Paul Ince-instigated relegation-flirting doldrums of two years ago.

Shady character: Will Diego Maradona be sworn in at Ewood?

Any road up, Venkys are now charged with the task of finding a replacement for the outgoing Allardyce and naturally the national press are busy churning out reams of potential candidates to step into the big man’s considerable void.

This morning’s Daily Mirror is running with a report that is carrying word on the aftermath of Allardyce’s sacking, claiming that ‘Big Sam’ now stands to receive a hefty £1.5 million windfall as a result of his untimely dismissal – with £1 million’s worth of contract left to pay up, and a £500,000 ‘survival bonus’ also heading his way if Rovers avoid the drop come the end of the season.

Should the prospective payments materialise, Allardyce will have earned just over £6 million in just under two years using the tried and trusted ‘Sven Technique’, i.e. getting yourself repeatedly fired and living comfortably on the hefty contractual reimbursements that duly head your way.

Anyway, I digress. Everything is simmering along rather prosaically in the Mirror’s report, that is until things suddenly take an unexpected turn for the completely stark-raving insane!

The paper’s idiosyncratic twist on the goings-on at Ewood Park is an insistence that Venkys are now squirreling away behind the scenes, busying themselves by making the necessary arrangements that will see haywire Argentinian madcap Diego Maradona step into the club’s vacant hotseat.

There are even direct quotes from a genuine ‘Indian insider’:

“Maradona is seen as the right profile for the VH Group. He could be offered the manager’s job, the general manager’s job or even technical director.”

Can you just imagine? Stoic Mick McCarthy getting his backside goosed twice a season; the parochial Ian Holloway getting ‘out-crazied’ at every turn; Sir Alex Ferguson being offered a line of Colombia’s finest marching dust in return for his customary bottle of vintage Chataeuneuf du Pape? ‘El Diego’ offering to swap trousers with the fourth official for absolutely no reason other than to seal their everlasting friendship?

It may just be weapons-grade tabloid baloney, but please, please, please dearest Jesus, Allah and Buddha combined – let this happen!

From Soccerlens.com - Football News