Soccer mania

Copa America Quarter Final Line up

2011-07-14T09:48:00.001-07:00

Colombia

Peru

16/07/2011 - 16:00 (19:00 GMT) - Córdoba

Argentina

Uruguay

16/07/2011 - 19:15 (22:15 GMT) - Santa Fe

Brazil

Paraguay

17/07/2011 - 16:00 (19:00 GMT) - La Plata

Chile

Venezuela

17/07/2011 - 19:15 (22:15 GMT) - San Juan

EPL Standing as on Dec14th

2008-12-15T06:48:00.000-08:00

Liverpool leading the table with Chelsea just behind by 1 point. ManU is in third spot with 6 pts difference with one match less played. Chelsea had a good chance to come to top on sunday when they met WHU. But they were held for a draw by WHU. This is going to be a good close competition on the top. Next weekend match of Liverpool- Arsenal is going to be crutial.

THE SCORPION !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-12-14T10:20:00.000-08:00

The Scorpion, the kick invented by René Higuita, is without doubt an act of revolutionary sport.

Complete Name : Jose Rene Higuita
Nationality : Colombian
Place of Birth : Medellin, Colombia
Date of Birth : August 27, 1966
National team : Colombia
Positions : Goalkeeper

René Higuita (born August 28, 1966 in Medellin) is one of the most famous footballer and is a Colombian football goalkeeper. He played 69 international matches for the Colombian team, and in which he scored 3 goals.

Like many where he comes from, Higuita was born and raised in poverty. His talent saw him flourish in professional football at a time and place where the game was dominated by local business - only in Medellín the business was cocaine and related tugs for control of the market.

Higuita played majority of his club career with Colombian side Atletico Nacional, where he helped the team win the Colombian League on numerous occasions as well as the Copa Libertadores and Copa Interamericana, both in 1989.

René Higuita is famous for inventing the "scorpion kick", a clearance where the keeper jumps forward, places his hands on the pitch and then kicks the ball away with his heels. This save earned him wide admiration when he pulled it off in a friendly against England in 1995, blocking a shot by Jamie Redknapp. It is considered among one of the most famous sporting moments.

He also had troubles out of the ground. Higuita was imprisoned in 1993, after getting involved in a drug cartel kidnapping. Acting as a go-between for the drug barons Pablo Escobar and Carlos Molina, he was largely responsible for securing the release of the Molina's daughter by delivering the ransom money. He was incarcerated for 7 months before being released without charge.

On the pitch, Higuita is known for having an eccentric playing style, taking unnecessary risks, and he actively tries to score goals. He enjoys the game to the core. He is also prone to blunders, and it was a mistake by him that knocked Colombia out of the 1990 World Cup, where he seemingly dithered with the ball at his feet 35 yards from goal enabling Cameroon striker Roger Milla to dispossess him, and Milla then put his team through to the quarter-finals.

Higuita is great friend of Diego Maradona and played in the Argentinian's farewell match in 2001.

Higuita-A real entertainer on the field now wins the prestigious 2009 Golden foot award.

The God of Soccer !!!!!!!!!!

2008-12-14T05:27:00.000-08:00

“Soccer has a god. That god is Argentine, and his name is Diego Armando Maradona”.

Diego Maradona born on Oct’ 30th, 1960 at Villa fiorito, Argentina. From there he grown into a great footballer who almost single handedly led the Argentinean side to world cup victory in 1986. Then again took his team to the world cup finals after 4 years where they were beaten Germany.

His professional football career started with Argentinos Juniors in 1976. Them played with Boca juniors for a year and moved to Europe with Barcelona. In his professional career from 1976-1997 he scored more than 300 goals.

Club Career Appearances and Goals:

1976-1981 Argentinos Juniors - 166 appearances, 116 goals
1981-1982 Boca Juniors - 42 appearances, 28 goals
1982-1984 FC Barcelona - 58 appearances, 38 goals
1984-1991 SSC Napoli - 259 appearances, 115 goals
1992-1993 Sevilla FC - 29 appearances, 7 goals
1993 Newell's Old Boys - 5 appearances, 0 goals
1995-1997 Boca Juniors - 29 appearances, 7 goals

1976-1997 TOTAL: 588 appearances, 311 goals

International Career:
1977-94 Argentina - 91 appearances, 34 goals

He led the unfashionable Napoli to two Italian League titles and breaking the world record transfer fee when he joined Barcelona in 1982, Maradona went on to become regarded as perhaps the greatest footballer who ever played the game.

He was always accompanied with problems too. His sublime second goal against England in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico is often overlooked seeing as it followed his infamous “Hand of God” opener where Maradona blatantly punched the ball past Peter Shilton in the England goal and helped Argentina to a 2-1 victory on their way to winning the tournament.

15 month suspension from football in 1992 for cocaine led to his departure from his beloved Napoli and two years later he was sent home from the 1994 World Cup in the USA having tested positive in a drugs test for ephedrine doping. Diego claimed that he has been given the backing of FIFA to take the drug for weight loss purposes so that the World Cup wouldn't lose appeal without him in it only to see them renege on their promise and have him sent home in further disgrace. This claim has obviously been vigorously denied by FIFA.

Personal Honours - during his career:

1979–1981, 1986 Argentine Football Writers' Footballer of the Year
1979, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1992 South American Footballer of the Year (El Mundo, Caracas)
1986 Argentine Sports Writers' Sportsman of the Year
1986 Golden Ball for Best Player of the FIFA World Cup1986–1987 Best Footballer in the World (Once)
1986 World Player of the Year (World Soccer Magazine)

1997: Decides to retire from football on the day of his 37th birthday.

Personal Honours - after his retirement:

1996 Golden Ball for services to football (France Football)
1999 Argentine Sports Writers' Sportsman of the Century
2000 "FIFA best football player of the century", people's choice.
2002 "FIFA Goal of the Century" (1986 (2–1) v. England; second goal)
2005 Argentine Senate "Domingo Faustino Sarmiento" recognition for lifetime achievement Oct.30,

But now, Diego Maradona will try his hand at an all-too-earthly task: coaching Argentina’s men’s national soccer team, which has failed to reach the semifinals of the World Cup since “El Diego” himself starred for it in 1986 and 1990.

Given Argentina’s string of disappointing World Cup performances, the country certainly seems as if it could use a supernatural savior. The team was sent home by Romania in the round of 16 in 1994, by the Netherlands in the quarterfinals in 1998, and by Germany in the quarterfinals in 2006. In 2002, Argentina failed to qualify for the knockout stage.

Maradona’s career as a Coach is very thin and not so good. In 1994 and 1995, he piloted two Argentine club teams to just three wins in 23 games, and he was once forced to call the shots from the stands because a suspension for ephedrine use prevented him from sitting on the bench. Moreover, his personal track record hardly suggests he is fit to keep a 23-man team playing in lockstep.

Maradona responded to the questions about his readiness to coach the team noting that he spent two decades on the national team. “Soccer hasn’t changed, I don’t think anything will surprise me.”

Hope the magician with ball on field will bring more magic to the team with his new job. Let’s pray and wait for a magical performance in the next world cup.