Passionate Fan on Fifa World Cup 2010

For a morale boosting media speech, Sven-Goran Eriksson told his young players Theo Walcott, Aaron Lennon and Stewart Downing they deserve to be on the plane and should remain relax. Well, for one that’s the best he could do to ensure his players come out with the best performance ever because he will be under fire that he himself will ask why he ever put such players when they suck come tournament games.

To add to his speech, celebrity player David Beckham has this to say:

“Players like that excite us in the squad and I’m sure they have given the supporters a lift too,” said Beckham.

“Team morale is vital during a tournament and I have been really happy at how the new lads have fitted in and been made to feel welcome.

“I remember when I won my first England cap, back in 1996 against Moldova, and when I played my first game at a World Cup finals against Romania in 1998.

“The older, more experienced players went out of their way to help me fit in and I learned a lot just from watching the way they conducted themselves in training, in the dressing room and around the team hotel.

“It’s a big learning curve for the younger players but they have already shown they are more than up to it.”

With Rooney out during the first few games, these youngsters better keep their hearts and heads intact and be the man on the field.

Anyways, Sven has less than two weeks to prove how good or mediocre he is.

[tags]FIFA World Cup, FIFA World Cup 2006, World Cup Germany, Soccer, Football[/tags]

Who is Luckott? It’s a term I coined for Theo Walcott on playing for England and making the history books.

Being chosen by Sven-Goran Eriksson is already a big winner for this kid let alone enter the history books and get past Wayne Rooney’s record of 17 years and 111 days when he appeared against Australia in February of 2003.

Theo Walcott luckily became the youngest player in England’s history on the 65th minute of their friendly against Hungary at Old Trafford to play at 17 years and 75 days.

Rooney’s status was already cemented when he entered the record books by playing in the English Premiership unlike Walcott who have been the invisible man of Arsenal all this time.

What more could Walcott ask?

Luckott is going to get luckier since he might just become the second youngest player in FIFA World Cup Finals behind only to Norman Whiteside of Northern Ireland whose record sits at 17 years and 41 days.

I can’t figure out how luck could bite players in the World Cup Finals. Luck does happen but to the best players on this planet especially at a level like the World Cup Finals. But a young kid who has not proven anything yet?

Luckott he is…

[tags]FIFA World Cup, FIFA World Cup 2006, Soccer, Football[/tags]

I stumbled upon this software that will track the happenings on all the team in the upcoming World Cup. I have not been able to test it just yet but will do so and make a review.

Football fans is an exceptionally different breed of people.

I find it quite unique in the way fans love, defend and stand by their teams. The football forums and communities I have joined always had violent people who behaved like barbarians. Their love is unquestionable to the extent that they put their education, integrity, credibility, etc. on the line just to defend their heart’s desire.

I always wanted it addressed differently—with respect and love; but I know deep inside that it just isn’t going to happen for a culture deeply embedded in the core of the sport.

Lyth, one of the scouts, told Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet how important it was to see their opponents play live.

England, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago will be followed by Sweden’s three man team—Lyth, Goransson and Lenartsson.

What’s new?

All teams have scouts and that cancels everything else. Well, at least you get to do your homework. Who knows who among the scouts are enjoying their vacation and miss the important aspects of the game played?

In this series of posts we shall look at each country’s profile that will see action during the games. We continue with Tunisia (player profile). The full archive is found here.

Only winning one game against Mexico in the last 28 years does not speak well of this team. Being the first African country to win a finals has put them in the record books though. Below is their world cup record:

1978: (lost) Poland; (draw) Germany
1998: (lost) England, Columbia; (draw) Romania
1998: (lost) Russia, Japan; (draw) Belgium

Former French national coach Roger Lemerre has led the team to lift the trophy at the Rades stadium during the CAF African Cup of Nations in February 2004.

Their six wins, three draws and only one loss ensured them a place in World Cup Germany.

Their solid combination of players makes Tunisian fans hopeful about their chances.

In this series of posts we shall look at each country’s profile that will see action during the games. We continue with Saudi Arabia (player profile). The full archive is found here.

Saudi Arabia’s team is fortunate to receive great amounts of financial backing since their performance in World Cup 94; though their recent slump in the next two World Cup competitions is disappointing. They are looking to redeem themselves with their triple threat player combination.

They have been Asian champions three times, in 1984, 1988 and 1996. The 1984 and 1988 performance has prompted the country’s authorities to introduce full professionalism on the sport that resulted in their FIFA World Cup finals appearance at USA 94. They lost to Sweden in the second round after beating Morocco and Belgium in the first round.

Dwight Yorke, team captain of Trinidad & Tobago, will have his final game as a Sydney FC player on Sunday against Central Coast Mariners in Australia’s Grand Final.

Yorke said he has two-and-a-half months without a club and without playing competitive football ahead of him.

At 34 years old this year’s event is most likely his first and last World Cup so he cannot afford to keep low in the months ahead and would want his Country to remember their first World Cup appearance.

In lieu of Yorke’s void in competitive games; Alex Ferguson has offered him to train with United. Yorke insists that he need games more than anything else to prepare him as the leader of their country. Besides, the Soca Warriors will be facing England in the second game of the World Cup and Alex’s offer may have an ulterior motive.

I think Alex’s offer is genuine but there is still a conflict of interest and may get back at both Yorke and Alex once Yorke performs well in World Cup games and gets checked against England. Unless the Soca Warriors end up in the cellar, the worst thing that could happen is to be slightly beaten out by England which will surely get their people up and roaring.

The best thing to do is get training and play some games with teams that have the least chance of World Cup encounter. Any takers?

Believed to be the greatest striker in the world, Ronaldo Luiz Nazario da Lima, was born on September 22, 1976 at Bento Ribero (Rio de Janeiro,Brasil).

The deadliest striker is a combination of both skill and unmatched speed that makes him the last person you want to give a sight at goal; for it shall hit the back of the net more often than you can imagine. His technical soundness for the game has torched so many goalies including extraordinaire Oliver Khan in World Cup 2002 where he scored two goals.

He is a classic example of someone from the remote region and of remote possibilities of success that rose to world elite status.

He is so poor while growing up that he could not even afford the bus fare to play for Flamengo who did not actually pay for the expense. Below is the list of team he played for as taken from About.com.

1988 – Aged 12 years Ronaldo signs for Social Ramos
1990 – Signs Professional Contract, Social Ramos
1991 – Sao Cristovoa – 2nd. Division, Brazil
1993 – Cruzeiro – 1st. Division, Brazil
1994 – PSV Eindhoven – Netherlands
1996 – Barcelona – Spain
1997 – Inter Milan – Italy
2002 – Real Madrid – Current Club

His career is decorated with lots of glory as well as setbacks, which has a lot to do with the injuries he suffered. Being the warrior he is, he kept on coming back from one injury to another to get more goals and more glory.

His finals convulsion in 1998 against France followed by career threatening injury did not stop him from reclaiming glory during the 2002 World Cup that made him the only player to score two goals against the formidable Oliver Kahn.

Some of the most notable awards he has received are found below:

Dutch Cup – 1996
FIFA World Player of the Year – ‘96, ‘97, ‘02
European Footballer of the Year – ‘97
European Player of the Year – ‘02
World Cup 2002 Top Scorer – 8 goals

Who would not want to be the guy growing from rags to riches like Ronaldo. A dream come true. Not to mention his exotic girlfriend despite his not-so-handsome appearance. Ooop!

Nevertheless, the world needs someone like you!

Goal

England captain David Beckham wants the focus to be back to the World Cup and put aside whatever distraction coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has brought because of his departure after the World Cup.

‘The most important thing is we move on from this. For two weeks it’s been a circus and the focus has been taken away from the team and what we want to accomplish in the World Cup finals. We need to stick together and forget what has happened,’ Beckham told The Sun.

I believe England doesn’t have much of a chance this year in winning the World Cup. Beckham is hopeful still.

‘I didn’t know Sven was going, I had no clue whatsoever. It’s sad but, hopefully, in the end it might not be sad at all. If we go all the way in the competition, it would be a great ending for him.’

‘Yes, there’s a new manager coming in, but Sven’s the one who will be taking us to Germany. People ask if it will affect morale but it won’t. It’s the biggest competition in the game and we want to win it.

Beckham knows the kind of loyalty they have between each other.

‘Every one of the players has a great relationship with this manager. We will stick by him and he will stick by us.’

Beckham as the team captain of England is doing his job in encouraging his teammates to be one unit looking at one common goal. I may not be a big fan of them winning the World Cup finals but moments like this builds the character of the team. The question lies on how strong it is for the competition. What do you think?

Beckham : Both Feet on the Ground: An Autobiography

The deadliest striker in the world and Brazilian legend says about his injury:

“These things happen in football,” he said. “If I was a lawyer, this sort of thing wouldn’t occur. What I need now is a change of luck.”

Ronaldo has a torn right calf muscle, which he suffered in the first half match against Villarreal on Jan. 8. He is now undergoing treatment and would sideline the 29 year old legend for three weeks. This is something familiar to him already.

Remember the injuries he suffered prior to World Cup 2002 where he led Brazil to the Promised Land? This guy is mentally strong and he would definitely be good in time for the World Cup.

I just hope that luck would be there for him and all his fans alike though.