Two major finals brought the 2008/09 season to a close but soccer fans need not worry too much as the European qualification campaign for the 2009/10 Europa League is just about to get away. Yes, the triumphant squads from Brazil and the German Under 21 side will barely have had their winning soccer kits cleaned and stored away to preserve the memory of their win but soccer continues. It seems as though the close season break gets shorter and shorter and with the summer of 2010 being a World Cup summer, there is an obvious desire to get the new season underway to allow proper preparation time for the biggest show on earth.
At half-time in the Confederations Cup final, it looked as though USA were going to pull off the shock of the season, if not the millennium as they roared into a two goal lead over Brazil. This may have been the result that finally kick-started life into soccer in America but you know when you are playing that famous golden soccer kit, nothing can be taken for granted. A goal seconds into the second half brought Brazil back into the game and the rest of the half was one way traffic as the samba loving soccer stars swamped all over their opponents. It was a tough way to lose for the Americans but no one can deny that Brazil were worthy champions. Hopefully the US public will be able to take comfort in what their team achieved in the tournament and wear their own US soccer jersey with pride over the next few months.
The final game of the season was the Under 21 European Championships final between Germany and England and many were predicting a close tie. Many were wrong though as Germany, wearing their unfamiliar change soccer top of red, humiliated England by a score line of 4-0. This result means that the Germans are now European Champions at Under 17, Under 19 and Under 21 level which is some record and possibly indicates a strong future for the German national side. The English team may have looked smart in their tailored Umbro soccer shirts but their performance and blunders made them look amateur at best.
So with the past season behind us, its time to look forward to the new season and this is always an exciting time for soccer fans. Your team is yet to lose a game and there is always the hope of new signings and the launch of a new soccer kit and equipment to raise your spirits. Mind you, if you support any team but Real Madrid, and maybe Manchester City, it is likely that you will be casting envious glances at the money that is being spent. Real Madrid may have a world famous all white soccer kit but the real stars next season will be Kaka and Ronaldo and you just know millions of children all over the world will be wearing replica jerseys with they names emblazoned on the back.
It also seems as though Manchester City mean business and are seriously courting Samuel Eto’o from Barcelona. Barcelona have just had the best season a Spanish club has ever achieved but a busload of money may be enough to convince Eto’o to swap the blue and red stripes of Barcelona for the sky blue soccer jersey of Manchester City and the English Premier League.
Read More!
Soccer Superstitions!
Our soccer heroes gave us the most exhilarating matches with their deft dribbling and breathtaking goals. These professionals worked hard at their game, trained to perfection and when all the work was done, they left the rest to superstition to get the job done! Some players and coaches followed the most bizarre pre-match rituals on and off the pitch and swore by their efficacy. Idiosyncrasies that worked for them once and became rituals, to be followed without question or logic. Here are some superstitions our soccer greats took recourse to in the hope that lady luck would smile their way…
Les Bleus were superstitious about goalkeeper Fabien Barthez’s bald pate! During the 1998 World Cup, captain Laurent Blanc kissed the keeper on the head and France went on the win! And with that a ritual was born, with Barthez offering up his head for the habitual kiss before each match, often to the tune of Gloria Gaynor’s ‘I Will Survive’, which was blasted in the locker room to get them into winning mode! And then, there’s coach Raymond Domenech’s controversial reliance on astrology. He is said to have chosen players and put his team together based on their sun signs! This won Domenech his fair share of criticism from the players’ who’d been left out simply because they were born on the ‘wrong’ date or time of the month!
A rather common practice among soccer players is to wear the same underwear for games! Colombian Rene Higuita admits that his underwear had to be blue during match days. It all started in the 80s, when his team couldn’t beat their rival team, no matter what they did. So, a fortune teller was consulted, who announced a curse had been placed on them and could be remedied if all players wore blue underpants while playing! They did and it worked, winning them the Copa Libertadores! Since then, blue undergarments became a must for Higuita!
Brazilian player and coach Mario Zagallo is known for his unshakable faith in the number 13. Since Saint Anthony’s Day is celebrated on the 13th of June, all things 13 were preferred by Zagallo. He married on his patron saint’s day, lived on the 13th floor, saw Brazil through 13 World Cup victories and aided his post-op recovery from stomach cancer by visiting the saint’s shrine all of 13 times!
Personal preferences are one thing, but on-pitch peculiarities sometimes bordered on vulgarity! Argentinean goalkeeper Sergio Goycochea is a case in point. While defending penalty shots, he was known to urinate on the pitch! Now that could easily qualify as a ‘pe(t)e peeve’!
Moving on to England’s squad, striker Gary Lineker refused to shoot at the goal while warming up. He was convinced that he was saving up goals for the match! And if he failed to score in the first half of the game, he would promptly trot to the dressing room at halftime and wear a fresh soccer shirt. If goals evaded him for a lengthy period of time, it meant a trip to the hairdresser! Another legend, Paul Ince, always made sure he was the last player to leave the dressing room and only wore his soccer shirt while running onto the pitch!
These are some superstitions and there are plenty more… Some extremely funny, others seriously unbelievable! Read More!
Les Bleus were superstitious about goalkeeper Fabien Barthez’s bald pate! During the 1998 World Cup, captain Laurent Blanc kissed the keeper on the head and France went on the win! And with that a ritual was born, with Barthez offering up his head for the habitual kiss before each match, often to the tune of Gloria Gaynor’s ‘I Will Survive’, which was blasted in the locker room to get them into winning mode! And then, there’s coach Raymond Domenech’s controversial reliance on astrology. He is said to have chosen players and put his team together based on their sun signs! This won Domenech his fair share of criticism from the players’ who’d been left out simply because they were born on the ‘wrong’ date or time of the month!
A rather common practice among soccer players is to wear the same underwear for games! Colombian Rene Higuita admits that his underwear had to be blue during match days. It all started in the 80s, when his team couldn’t beat their rival team, no matter what they did. So, a fortune teller was consulted, who announced a curse had been placed on them and could be remedied if all players wore blue underpants while playing! They did and it worked, winning them the Copa Libertadores! Since then, blue undergarments became a must for Higuita!
Brazilian player and coach Mario Zagallo is known for his unshakable faith in the number 13. Since Saint Anthony’s Day is celebrated on the 13th of June, all things 13 were preferred by Zagallo. He married on his patron saint’s day, lived on the 13th floor, saw Brazil through 13 World Cup victories and aided his post-op recovery from stomach cancer by visiting the saint’s shrine all of 13 times!
Personal preferences are one thing, but on-pitch peculiarities sometimes bordered on vulgarity! Argentinean goalkeeper Sergio Goycochea is a case in point. While defending penalty shots, he was known to urinate on the pitch! Now that could easily qualify as a ‘pe(t)e peeve’!
Moving on to England’s squad, striker Gary Lineker refused to shoot at the goal while warming up. He was convinced that he was saving up goals for the match! And if he failed to score in the first half of the game, he would promptly trot to the dressing room at halftime and wear a fresh soccer shirt. If goals evaded him for a lengthy period of time, it meant a trip to the hairdresser! Another legend, Paul Ince, always made sure he was the last player to leave the dressing room and only wore his soccer shirt while running onto the pitch!
These are some superstitions and there are plenty more… Some extremely funny, others seriously unbelievable! Read More!
When Soccer Came to Brazil
Brazil and Futebol are ‘hand in glove’ (pardon the pun)! But it’s the British who invented this much loved game. The history of Brazilian soccer is a disorganized one and it comes as no surprise that its origins has many a version! This British sport is said to have arrived in Brazil during the end of the nineteenth century.
One version of the advent of soccer in Brazil claims it all started with the arrival of British and Dutch sailors to the country. The locals learned the ropes of the game from these sailors on the beaches of the north eastern coastline. Another version gives credit to a certain Mr. Hugh as the ‘father of Brazilian soccer’. It seems Mr. Hugh was the first person to teach the game to the workers of the São Paulo Railway back in 1882. Yet another version prefers a Mr. John as the first coach of soccer, who taught the skills to a team of Leopoldina Railway workers sometime in 1875.
Now, if that’s not confusing, what is?! Well, there’s one more version that most people espouse as the ‘true story’. According to this popular version, Brazilian soccer owes Charles William Miller for bringing the game to the country. Born in Brazil in the year 1874, Charles left for England for his studies at the age of 10. It was there that he was first came in contact with the sport. Charlie was a natural and soon became a deft dribbler and a free kick and header specialist. An accomplished striker, he won school honors that gave him entry into Southampton Club, and later, the Hampshire County team.
On his return to Brazil in 1894, he brought with him some soccer gear, a rule book and his skill. He formed the first Brazilian football club, the Sao Paolo Athletic Club (SPAC), and even came up with a few new rules! SPAC went on to win the first three championships with Mr. Miller at the helm. His football skills were far superior than his team mates and the ‘Chaleira’ - a football move invented by him saw him flick the ball with his heel - was named in honor of him. This move is still used by the legends of Brazilian football! The greatest names of the game, Pele, Socrates and Rivelino owe a lot to this pioneer of Brazilian football…
The first official match in Brazil was played in São Paulo back in 1894. Charles Miller had invited the English football teams from Southampton and the Corinthians Club to play against SPAC and other local teams. Charles had so much respect for the Corinthians sense of fair play, he even named a local team after them! And with that, one of Brazil’s most popular club was born… It went on to become Brazilian Champion in the year 2005 and had some of the best players Brazil has seen on its roster.
In 1988, SPAC commemorated its centenary with a match against the English Corinthians! The final match had legends like Socrates and Rivelino on the local Corinthian side playing against their English counterpart. The local team was leading 1:0, when Socrates, in the spirit of Corinthian fairness, agreed to change his soccer jersey to play for the English team!
Well, those were the early years of Brazil’s love affair with football. It went on to make history as five time World Cup champion and is the only country to have qualified for all 17 World Cups in the tournament’s history! Until 2002, Brazil had lost only one World Cup qualifier in 70 years of playing! With its elegant dribbling, lightening speed passes and precision scoring, Brazilian Futebol has been likened to ballet dancing, and more recently, to the rhythmic samba! Read More!
One version of the advent of soccer in Brazil claims it all started with the arrival of British and Dutch sailors to the country. The locals learned the ropes of the game from these sailors on the beaches of the north eastern coastline. Another version gives credit to a certain Mr. Hugh as the ‘father of Brazilian soccer’. It seems Mr. Hugh was the first person to teach the game to the workers of the São Paulo Railway back in 1882. Yet another version prefers a Mr. John as the first coach of soccer, who taught the skills to a team of Leopoldina Railway workers sometime in 1875.
Now, if that’s not confusing, what is?! Well, there’s one more version that most people espouse as the ‘true story’. According to this popular version, Brazilian soccer owes Charles William Miller for bringing the game to the country. Born in Brazil in the year 1874, Charles left for England for his studies at the age of 10. It was there that he was first came in contact with the sport. Charlie was a natural and soon became a deft dribbler and a free kick and header specialist. An accomplished striker, he won school honors that gave him entry into Southampton Club, and later, the Hampshire County team.
On his return to Brazil in 1894, he brought with him some soccer gear, a rule book and his skill. He formed the first Brazilian football club, the Sao Paolo Athletic Club (SPAC), and even came up with a few new rules! SPAC went on to win the first three championships with Mr. Miller at the helm. His football skills were far superior than his team mates and the ‘Chaleira’ - a football move invented by him saw him flick the ball with his heel - was named in honor of him. This move is still used by the legends of Brazilian football! The greatest names of the game, Pele, Socrates and Rivelino owe a lot to this pioneer of Brazilian football…
The first official match in Brazil was played in São Paulo back in 1894. Charles Miller had invited the English football teams from Southampton and the Corinthians Club to play against SPAC and other local teams. Charles had so much respect for the Corinthians sense of fair play, he even named a local team after them! And with that, one of Brazil’s most popular club was born… It went on to become Brazilian Champion in the year 2005 and had some of the best players Brazil has seen on its roster.
In 1988, SPAC commemorated its centenary with a match against the English Corinthians! The final match had legends like Socrates and Rivelino on the local Corinthian side playing against their English counterpart. The local team was leading 1:0, when Socrates, in the spirit of Corinthian fairness, agreed to change his soccer jersey to play for the English team!
Well, those were the early years of Brazil’s love affair with football. It went on to make history as five time World Cup champion and is the only country to have qualified for all 17 World Cups in the tournament’s history! Until 2002, Brazil had lost only one World Cup qualifier in 70 years of playing! With its elegant dribbling, lightening speed passes and precision scoring, Brazilian Futebol has been likened to ballet dancing, and more recently, to the rhythmic samba! Read More!
The Many Colors of the Soccer Uniforms
A team’s soccer gear defines its character. It is a symbol of unity that etches out a national or club identity. And its serious business with specialists designing custom fit, durable, comfortable, easy to breath fabrics and cuts. As you can imagine, colors play a huge role in the scheme of things. After all, each color has a distinct effect on the players behavior and emotions. Let’s take a quick peek at the various shades that bring soccer to life. Soothing, flashy, subtle, pristine, modern, classic, they all make their presence felt on the green of the pitch…
Color me up!
Soccer uniforms come in a variety of designs and color combinations, but the colors usually aren’t coincidental to the teams. They are deliberate, usually well thought out selections meant to make the team stand out. At times, the color choice is decided through a consensus of the players. Though often, team colors originate from a particular association with the country or city that the team represents. Soccer team uniforms first made an appearance in the 1870s, and even then, the team’s colors were often linked to a sports club, university or school. Since the early days of the game, team colors had an emotional connotation.
Dressed for Success
The color and design of a team’s soccer shirt has to match with the shorts and socks. It should all come together seamlessly as an ensemble assembled for success! Since referees need to stand apart from the players, their uniforms are traditionally black. As a color, black is usually associated with power, mystery, sophistication, formality and conventionality, not to forget, its inherent quality of making people look slim!
Fire Brand
If the color red is associated with passion, intensity, energy, ambition, masculinity, strength, courage and excitement, it is also intrinsically linked with the club Manchester United. The team adopted its red and white team colors as far back as 1902! It’s latest home kit is again a red soccer shirt with white shorts that have red stripes on the sides. Other teams inspired by the color and identified with it, are the Reds of Liverpool and the Rojas of Chile.
Blue By Design
Think blue and peace, loyalty, constancy, reliability, confidence, unity, harmony, trust, coolness and wisdom come to mind. The legendary teams behind the ‘bluing’ of the pitch are Argentina in its famous sky blue and white stripes, France’s Les Bleus and Italy’s Azzurri. Looks like the club FC Barcelona has ensured it gets the best of both worlds with a return to vertical stripes of red and blue on its soccer jersey! And it sure has worked for them!
It’s White, Yellow and Blue!
Representing purity and radiance, the color white has always been associated with the clubs Leeds and Real Madrid. On a national level, the English and German squads usually mark their presence in pristine white soccer uniforms. Yellow stands for warmth and joy, while green recalls the hues of Nature in terms of freshness, calmness, rejuvenation, energy, growth and balance. No wonder the national team of Brazil took inspiration from their national flag and embraced these colors as their own!
Orange Works!
But it’s the Dutch Oranje who contrast the green pitch the most in their striking orange soccer shirts! This color represents energy, enthusiasm, flamboyance, playfulness and a ‘let’s-do-it’ attitude, which the team seems to have assimilated!
As you can see, team colors are related to team identity, as much as football is related to dribbling! Read More!
Color me up!
Soccer uniforms come in a variety of designs and color combinations, but the colors usually aren’t coincidental to the teams. They are deliberate, usually well thought out selections meant to make the team stand out. At times, the color choice is decided through a consensus of the players. Though often, team colors originate from a particular association with the country or city that the team represents. Soccer team uniforms first made an appearance in the 1870s, and even then, the team’s colors were often linked to a sports club, university or school. Since the early days of the game, team colors had an emotional connotation.
Dressed for Success
The color and design of a team’s soccer shirt has to match with the shorts and socks. It should all come together seamlessly as an ensemble assembled for success! Since referees need to stand apart from the players, their uniforms are traditionally black. As a color, black is usually associated with power, mystery, sophistication, formality and conventionality, not to forget, its inherent quality of making people look slim!
Fire Brand
If the color red is associated with passion, intensity, energy, ambition, masculinity, strength, courage and excitement, it is also intrinsically linked with the club Manchester United. The team adopted its red and white team colors as far back as 1902! It’s latest home kit is again a red soccer shirt with white shorts that have red stripes on the sides. Other teams inspired by the color and identified with it, are the Reds of Liverpool and the Rojas of Chile.
Blue By Design
Think blue and peace, loyalty, constancy, reliability, confidence, unity, harmony, trust, coolness and wisdom come to mind. The legendary teams behind the ‘bluing’ of the pitch are Argentina in its famous sky blue and white stripes, France’s Les Bleus and Italy’s Azzurri. Looks like the club FC Barcelona has ensured it gets the best of both worlds with a return to vertical stripes of red and blue on its soccer jersey! And it sure has worked for them!
It’s White, Yellow and Blue!
Representing purity and radiance, the color white has always been associated with the clubs Leeds and Real Madrid. On a national level, the English and German squads usually mark their presence in pristine white soccer uniforms. Yellow stands for warmth and joy, while green recalls the hues of Nature in terms of freshness, calmness, rejuvenation, energy, growth and balance. No wonder the national team of Brazil took inspiration from their national flag and embraced these colors as their own!
Orange Works!
But it’s the Dutch Oranje who contrast the green pitch the most in their striking orange soccer shirts! This color represents energy, enthusiasm, flamboyance, playfulness and a ‘let’s-do-it’ attitude, which the team seems to have assimilated!
As you can see, team colors are related to team identity, as much as football is related to dribbling! Read More!
Famous Soccer Players and their Nicknames!
Football players are usually known by their nicknames. Whether, christened by doting fans, team mates or coaches, these short forms encapsulate some of the biggest football giants in a few words! Dipping into the animal world, dabbling with titles of royalty, or simply dripping with emotion, these players are here to stay and be remembered by these names even though they span across generations…
Perhaps the most popular of all football monikers is Pele or the Black Pearl, as the greatest footballer of all times, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, is known. Winner of three FIFA World Cups, he was latter dubbed O Rei (The King) for this outstanding achievements. Pele was a name the legend picked up in school, though even he wasn’t too clear as to how he got the name! Whatever you call him, he will always be remembered as the ultimate when it comes to football.
If Pele was The King, Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer was The Emperor (Der Kaiser). He dominated world football wearing the number 5 soccer shirt in 1974 and later went on to become the national team’s coach. His teammate was another legend, Gerd Muller, who gained a formidable reputation as The Bomber for his goal scoring capacity - 365 in 427 Bundesliga matches and 68 in 62 international matches!
Carrying on with titles both royal and military, Hungarian Ferenc Puskas, was referred to as The Galloping Major! It was the player’s actual rank as well as his nickname in the Hungarian army team. This three time UEFA Cup winner with Real Madrid was also dubbed the Cañoncito (Little Cannon) by adoring fans. And then, of course, there was Eric ‘The King’ Cantona and ‘Guv’nor’ Paul Ince, who became the first black player to captain England’s national team. Brazilian Adriano Leite Ribeiro, was fondly called L’Imperatore (The Emperor) and even ‘The Bulldozer’ at different points of his prolific career!
Moving on to names more ‘beastly’, who can forget Brazil’s Edmundo, who came to be known as ‘O Animal’ after his exploits on the pitch! Years before him, the dazzling dribbler Garrincha was dubbed Little Bird, and ended his career as The Joy of the People or Alegria do Povo.
Argentinean legend, Maradona, who made the number 10 soccer shirt a much sought after inheritance, began with the nickname Fluffy due to his untidy mop! Thankfully, he didn’t get stuck with the sobriquet, and moved on to an extremely flattering one – The Golden Child or El Pibe de Oro. But when it comes to Diego Maradona can that be enough! He became the only player in the world whose body part has been given a nickname – The Hand of God – after his infamous goal during the 1986 FIFA World Cup!
One of the most interesting pet names by far has to be The Baby Faced Assassin! Norwegian footballer Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, spent his best years at Manchester United, where he scored 126 goals, earning him a reputation as The Baby Faced Assassin for his lethal goal scoring skills, matched with his misleading ‘babe in the woods’ look!
These diminutives have become so popular, that most fans don’t even know their favorite players actual names! Actually, their real names are nothing short of confusing. As a diehard football fan would you know Ricardo Leite is our very own Kaka? Didn’t think so! Guess that’s why these nicknames have stuck on the players soccer team shirts… Thank God for that! Read More!
Perhaps the most popular of all football monikers is Pele or the Black Pearl, as the greatest footballer of all times, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, is known. Winner of three FIFA World Cups, he was latter dubbed O Rei (The King) for this outstanding achievements. Pele was a name the legend picked up in school, though even he wasn’t too clear as to how he got the name! Whatever you call him, he will always be remembered as the ultimate when it comes to football.
If Pele was The King, Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer was The Emperor (Der Kaiser). He dominated world football wearing the number 5 soccer shirt in 1974 and later went on to become the national team’s coach. His teammate was another legend, Gerd Muller, who gained a formidable reputation as The Bomber for his goal scoring capacity - 365 in 427 Bundesliga matches and 68 in 62 international matches!
Carrying on with titles both royal and military, Hungarian Ferenc Puskas, was referred to as The Galloping Major! It was the player’s actual rank as well as his nickname in the Hungarian army team. This three time UEFA Cup winner with Real Madrid was also dubbed the Cañoncito (Little Cannon) by adoring fans. And then, of course, there was Eric ‘The King’ Cantona and ‘Guv’nor’ Paul Ince, who became the first black player to captain England’s national team. Brazilian Adriano Leite Ribeiro, was fondly called L’Imperatore (The Emperor) and even ‘The Bulldozer’ at different points of his prolific career!
Moving on to names more ‘beastly’, who can forget Brazil’s Edmundo, who came to be known as ‘O Animal’ after his exploits on the pitch! Years before him, the dazzling dribbler Garrincha was dubbed Little Bird, and ended his career as The Joy of the People or Alegria do Povo.
Argentinean legend, Maradona, who made the number 10 soccer shirt a much sought after inheritance, began with the nickname Fluffy due to his untidy mop! Thankfully, he didn’t get stuck with the sobriquet, and moved on to an extremely flattering one – The Golden Child or El Pibe de Oro. But when it comes to Diego Maradona can that be enough! He became the only player in the world whose body part has been given a nickname – The Hand of God – after his infamous goal during the 1986 FIFA World Cup!
One of the most interesting pet names by far has to be The Baby Faced Assassin! Norwegian footballer Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, spent his best years at Manchester United, where he scored 126 goals, earning him a reputation as The Baby Faced Assassin for his lethal goal scoring skills, matched with his misleading ‘babe in the woods’ look!
These diminutives have become so popular, that most fans don’t even know their favorite players actual names! Actually, their real names are nothing short of confusing. As a diehard football fan would you know Ricardo Leite is our very own Kaka? Didn’t think so! Guess that’s why these nicknames have stuck on the players soccer team shirts… Thank God for that! Read More!
Football and the Name Game
There’s many a story behind a football team’s name. As years go by, the name becomes synonymous with the team and evokes high emotions among fans! Some names represent the area of origin, others take inspiration from Nature, yet others are based on colors… Let’s take a look at some names with interesting backgrounds.
England is where the game of football began and the practice of naming teams after factories, since many prestigious clubs started out as in-house factory squads. Arsenal had a humble birth in an arms factory at Woolwich that went by the name Royal Arsenal. That’s why the pet name Gunners and the cannon on their crest! Likewise, four time African champions, the Ghanian Black Stars, get their name from the stars on the national flag, which is a reminder of the Black Star Line shipping corporation that brought Africans back home.
Tint Hint
When it comes to the Whites of Leeds and the Reds of Liverpool, the colors of the football jerseys were the defining factor behind the sobriquets. Real Madrid has always been linked with the color white. The ‘Merengues’ boast of football giants like Ronaldo, Zidane, Raul, Ronaldinho, Figo and Beckham who have proudly worn the club’s white soccer shirt. The national team of Brazil is sometimes referred to as the Auriverdes or the Green and Gold, after the national flag and the soccer gear colors. Legends such as Pele, Zico, Eder, Didi, Garrincha, Tostão, Cafu, Socrates, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho have worn the green and yellow Brazilian soccer shirts with national pride. After all, they’re not called ‘the selected ones’ or Seleçao for nothing! And then, of course, vibrant colors hold a prominent place in Latin American football. There are the El Tricolor of Mexico and the Rojas or Reds of Chile.
True Blue
If red is sprinkled all over the soccer landscape, blue dominates in all its hues! You’ve got the famous sky blue and whites, the Albicelestes of Argentina, the Blue Samurais of Japan, the Celeste from Uruguay, Les Bleus of France and the Italian Azzurri. Though the first Azzurri team played in white soccer shirts, they later adopted a blue strip representing the royal House of Savoy in 1911.
The Dutch team, nicknamed the Oranje, also took up the color orange in honor of the noble House of Orange. In the 1970s when the team became known for its ‘precision passing’, it earned the name Clockwork Orange. It is also referred to as the Dutch Eleven by some.
Straight jacketed!
German’s, known for their straightforward approach, have assimilated it in their name – die Nationalmannschaft or the national team. It really doesn’t get more specific than this! But fans prefer to cheer them on as Deutschland or Germany. England’s national team are the Three Lions, named after their crest. Not very creative these names, but let’s move on to the cool, whacky and goofy!
It’s Different!
Greece’s team, the Pirate Ship, is by far the most creative name! Referring to the floating ship used during the Euro 2004 Championship’s opening ceremony, sportscasters started calling them by that name during their opening match against Portugal. Australia’s national team, the Socceroos, couldn’t be more representative of the country – marrying soccer with kangaroos! But when it comes to sheer sweetness, fans of the local Everton club win hands down. They call their players ‘the Toffees’ after two toffee shops that were once there!
So, that’s the weird and colored, literal and creative, local and national, world of football team names! Read More!
England is where the game of football began and the practice of naming teams after factories, since many prestigious clubs started out as in-house factory squads. Arsenal had a humble birth in an arms factory at Woolwich that went by the name Royal Arsenal. That’s why the pet name Gunners and the cannon on their crest! Likewise, four time African champions, the Ghanian Black Stars, get their name from the stars on the national flag, which is a reminder of the Black Star Line shipping corporation that brought Africans back home.
Tint Hint
When it comes to the Whites of Leeds and the Reds of Liverpool, the colors of the football jerseys were the defining factor behind the sobriquets. Real Madrid has always been linked with the color white. The ‘Merengues’ boast of football giants like Ronaldo, Zidane, Raul, Ronaldinho, Figo and Beckham who have proudly worn the club’s white soccer shirt. The national team of Brazil is sometimes referred to as the Auriverdes or the Green and Gold, after the national flag and the soccer gear colors. Legends such as Pele, Zico, Eder, Didi, Garrincha, Tostão, Cafu, Socrates, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho have worn the green and yellow Brazilian soccer shirts with national pride. After all, they’re not called ‘the selected ones’ or Seleçao for nothing! And then, of course, vibrant colors hold a prominent place in Latin American football. There are the El Tricolor of Mexico and the Rojas or Reds of Chile.
True Blue
If red is sprinkled all over the soccer landscape, blue dominates in all its hues! You’ve got the famous sky blue and whites, the Albicelestes of Argentina, the Blue Samurais of Japan, the Celeste from Uruguay, Les Bleus of France and the Italian Azzurri. Though the first Azzurri team played in white soccer shirts, they later adopted a blue strip representing the royal House of Savoy in 1911.
The Dutch team, nicknamed the Oranje, also took up the color orange in honor of the noble House of Orange. In the 1970s when the team became known for its ‘precision passing’, it earned the name Clockwork Orange. It is also referred to as the Dutch Eleven by some.
Straight jacketed!
German’s, known for their straightforward approach, have assimilated it in their name – die Nationalmannschaft or the national team. It really doesn’t get more specific than this! But fans prefer to cheer them on as Deutschland or Germany. England’s national team are the Three Lions, named after their crest. Not very creative these names, but let’s move on to the cool, whacky and goofy!
It’s Different!
Greece’s team, the Pirate Ship, is by far the most creative name! Referring to the floating ship used during the Euro 2004 Championship’s opening ceremony, sportscasters started calling them by that name during their opening match against Portugal. Australia’s national team, the Socceroos, couldn’t be more representative of the country – marrying soccer with kangaroos! But when it comes to sheer sweetness, fans of the local Everton club win hands down. They call their players ‘the Toffees’ after two toffee shops that were once there!
So, that’s the weird and colored, literal and creative, local and national, world of football team names! Read More!
USA pull off a major shock!
The United States soccer team may have a limited number of famous moments throughout their history with the Ladies team outshining them but you can bet the US fans wore their soccer jerseys with pride on Monday. Going into the final group game on Sunday night, America sat bottom of the table and requiring a six goal swing to leapfrog the Italians and Egypt to gain second place in Confederations Cup Group B. Brazil were guaranteed their place at the top of the table but the final qualification place was up for grabs between all three sides but most people believed the tussle to be between the Italians and Egypt.
Italy, wearing a one off soccer uniforms for the tournament which commemorated the 1930s Italian side which triumphed at World Cups (and forgetting anything else which is associated Italy and the 1930s), looked strongly out of date and were swiftly swept aside by a rampant Brazil side. The magic of the Brazilian soccer outfit still catches the breath and as they raced into a 3-0 half-time lead, news started to filter through to the US team. The Americans were already one goal up and knew that if the Brazil Italy game remained as it was, they needed to add two more goals to take second place. Egypt’s goalkeeper may have performed miracles in shutting out Italy in his previous match but he was floundering here as the Americans got their two goals and sealed an amazing comeback that very few would have predicted beforehand.
Hopefully the US fans will savour their triumph because the semi-final match they have secured is going to be very tough. Spain are looking to be the form team at the moment and are currently ranked as the top international side in the world. The Spanish are another unit wearing a new soccer kit for this tournament and if they continue to play they way they have been doing, they are likely to sell a lot of shirts as fans everywhere rush to get names like Villa, Torres, Puyol, Xavi and Piquet on the back of their kit. In all likelihood, Spain will triumph against their American opponents to book a final spot but its already shown how dangerous it is to write off this American team. They will be the underdogs but if the Spaniards attitude isn’t right, they may just find themselves on the wrong side of another upset.
The other semi-final also provides a match up where one team begins as heavy favourite but host nation South Africa, and their noisy fans, will be delighted to have made it through the group stages. The players may be more focussed on swapping their soccer uniforms with the famous Brazilian players at the end of the match but hopefully they will be able to give a good account of themselves and maybe give their fans something else to cheer.
It’s looking like a Brazil versus Spain final, allowing the iconic red and gold soccer jerseys to take their place in the final but the Confederations Cup has already pulled out a number of shocks so far and they may not have finished yet. Read More!
Italy, wearing a one off soccer uniforms for the tournament which commemorated the 1930s Italian side which triumphed at World Cups (and forgetting anything else which is associated Italy and the 1930s), looked strongly out of date and were swiftly swept aside by a rampant Brazil side. The magic of the Brazilian soccer outfit still catches the breath and as they raced into a 3-0 half-time lead, news started to filter through to the US team. The Americans were already one goal up and knew that if the Brazil Italy game remained as it was, they needed to add two more goals to take second place. Egypt’s goalkeeper may have performed miracles in shutting out Italy in his previous match but he was floundering here as the Americans got their two goals and sealed an amazing comeback that very few would have predicted beforehand.
Hopefully the US fans will savour their triumph because the semi-final match they have secured is going to be very tough. Spain are looking to be the form team at the moment and are currently ranked as the top international side in the world. The Spanish are another unit wearing a new soccer kit for this tournament and if they continue to play they way they have been doing, they are likely to sell a lot of shirts as fans everywhere rush to get names like Villa, Torres, Puyol, Xavi and Piquet on the back of their kit. In all likelihood, Spain will triumph against their American opponents to book a final spot but its already shown how dangerous it is to write off this American team. They will be the underdogs but if the Spaniards attitude isn’t right, they may just find themselves on the wrong side of another upset.
The other semi-final also provides a match up where one team begins as heavy favourite but host nation South Africa, and their noisy fans, will be delighted to have made it through the group stages. The players may be more focussed on swapping their soccer uniforms with the famous Brazilian players at the end of the match but hopefully they will be able to give a good account of themselves and maybe give their fans something else to cheer.
It’s looking like a Brazil versus Spain final, allowing the iconic red and gold soccer jerseys to take their place in the final but the Confederations Cup has already pulled out a number of shocks so far and they may not have finished yet. Read More!
Guts & Glory - The 2009 Confederations Cup Has It All!
The excitement has begun with the FIFA Confederations Cup halfway through in South Africa. Call it a dress rehearsal for the 2010 World Cup or a recce for national teams, either way it sure has thrown up some dazzling soccer, and its fair share of upsets! Into its eighth edition, the Confederations Cup is sometimes not clearly understood? What exactly is it? How and when did it start? And what are the stakes? Let’s find out…
It began as the King Fahd Cup in 1992, with the four continental cup winning teams of Saudi Arabia, Argentina, USA and Ivory Coast playing each other. When FIFA took over in 1997, it was renamed the Confederations Cup and was held every two years. But in 2005, FIFA declared that it would now take place once in four years, that too, a year before the final of the World Cup in the host country. And so, with less than 365 days to go for the 2010 World Cup, this year’s eight team Confederations Cup is well underway in South Africa.
Though its roots are rather humble, it has grown in importance over the years. Now, countries send their national teams at almost full strength making for an impressive line up! This year the only biggies missing are Ronaldinho (Brazil), who was dropped by coach Dunga, and Andres Iniesta (Spain), who has been kept out due to an injury. South Africa gains an automatic entry as hosts of the 2010 World Cup along with Italy as the 2006 World Cup winners. The other participating teams are Brazil, Spain, Egypt, USA, Iraq and New Zealand.
So what makes the Confederations Cup so special? Well, for starters it gives host South Africa a chance to test its operational readiness in terms of stadia, infrastructure and transportation prior to the 2010 World Cup. It is also an opportunity for the players to make their mark and teams to go through the drill on the pitch in this precursor to the World Cup. The opening match held on the 14th of June saw host team South Africa, proudly wearing its national team uniforms, draw against Iraq in front of an almost packed to capacity stadium. Out of the total 640,000 tournament tickets, 453,218 have already been sold. FIFA is likely to dedicate one of the Confederations Cup matches in honor of Marc-Vivien Foe, the Cameroon midfielder who tragically died of cardiac arrest on the pitch during the 2003 Confederations Cup in France…
After much controversy surrounding the choice of South Africa as host to the World Cup, the success of the Confederations Cup is a shot in the arm for the nation. As FIFA president, Sepp Blatter, assured the world during the opening ceremony at Ellis Park, “FIFA is committed to Africa… The world of football trusts you, and the confidence is in you. It is in Africa, it is in South Africa today.” Yes! This is where the action is, so get your old faithful soccer jersey out of your cupboard and wear it even if your favorite team is not playing! There’s no better way to get into the spirit of the game!
Football is Fashion, Fashion is Football
Fashion and football are so intrinsically linked, one can’t imagine one without the other. Some football icons create their own trends, others are simply très chic, following fashion’s dictates to a tee! As a result, football is being passionately followed by fans as much for the game as their favorite players style statements on and off the pitch. Let’s take a quick peek at some fashionable footballers and some bizarre trendsetters!
How do fans connect with their favorite teams and players? Well, for starters there are loads of soccer merchandise they can pick up from a soccer store or website. Football jerseys, scarves, hair bands, jackets and lots more are available for the asking. One can even get custom soccer jerseys with one’s favorite players name and number on them.
That’s one way of connecting. Another way is to fashion oneself after ones heroes, which is what millions of young people are doing. The first footballer that comes to mind when one thinks of fashion has to be David Beckham. This idol gave his fans a field day with countless hairstyles to copy – plaits, pony tails, fringes, Mohican, hair bands, streaks. The man’s tried just about every look there is!
It was Becks who popularized the trend of footballers becoming fashion models as cosmetic, apparel and accessory companies lined up to sign him for their campaigns. Soon, other players were being wooed by advertisers and the fashion industry. After all, these footballers had it all – the looks, money, success, youth, fitness and fame. Cristiano Ronaldo, Thierry Henry and Kaka, amongst others, became regulars at photo shoots and fashion shows. Some stars even began their own designer collections! These are the pretty boys of fashion.
On the other side of the spectrum are the unusual and sometimes weird trendsetters! Carlos Valderrama with his ‘perm gone wild’ look is the first player that comes to mind! And who can forget Fredrik Ljungberg with that red stripe running across his head? The year 2002 saw the shaven-headed Ronaldo sport a clump of hair right on top of his forehead that looked straight out of Mars! Rumor has it that he did this because his infant son kept mistaking him for Roberto Carlos!
Footballers have permed, crimped and pony tailed their hair since the 1970s. There was Kevin Keegan with his famous perm and, years later, Gabriel Batistuta who started the trend of hair bands to keep his long hair in place. And then, of course, there’s the Japanese midfielder Kazuyuki Toda with his red hair; Abel Xavier with his bleached hairdo that can be spotted anywhere on the pitch and Nigerian defender Taribo West’s strange double tufts! It doesn’t get more bizarre than this, does it?!
Edgar Davids is remembered for his don’t mess with me look - dreadlocks and dark glasses. Though in his case the glasses weren’t driven by fashion dictates but by the medical condition glaucoma. Goalkeeper Petr Cech’s black rugby helmet that makes him stand out is again a practical consideration. He actually suffered a skull injury and now wears the helmet as protection.
There’s lots of unique styles on and off the pitch as footballers simply do their own thing or join the league of models! As you know, endorsements mean more fame, more money and more exposure…
2010 FIFA World Cup Scramble of Soccer Uniforms
With less than a year to go for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, football fans around the world are restless and can’t wait to hear the first whistle blow! After all, it’s a four year wait before one gets to see world class football that’s pure magic! And the countdown has begun. This World Cup will be the 19th tournament and it’s all set to take place in South Africa. So, keep the 11th of June to the 11th of July aside for some adrenalin pumping action!
It will be the first time that the World Cup is being hosted by South Africa. Nine cities across the country are being readied in terms of infrastructure and operations. Thousands of fans and tourists are expected to descend on South Africa to watch their favorite teams take centre stage in their national team uniforms. Overall, an estimated six billion people will watch the matches worldwide.
The CEO of the World Cup Organizing Committee, Dr Danny Jordaan admits that it’s been a tough road at times, but he finds inspiration in the men and women who have worked tirelessly to ensure they go from the planning to the playing stage. “When you look at them and you look in their eyes you get a sense they’ve all decided, ‘we won’t let you down, we won’t let the country down’, and that they’re going to make this work,” says Jordaan. He hopes that when the final whistle has blown, Nelson Mandela and the many other freedom fighters will be smiling in the realization that the World Cup was delivered by both black and white coming together, that all their efforts and sacrifices were not in vain…
This World Cup’s mascot is Zakumi, a cute leopard with green hair! He was born on the 16th of June 1994, the year that apartheid ended. The ‘Za’ in Zakumi is the international abbreviation for South Africa and ‘kumi’ means ten in many African languages. It also means ‘come here’ in some southern African languages. The green and yellow colors of the mascot stand for the host nation’s flag and playing strip. Zakumi’s designer, Andries Odendaal, explains that the animal’s green hair was designed to provide camouflage on the football pitch.
With the qualifiers taking place, the heat is already on! There’s been a global rush to apply for tickets to the 2010 World Cup. Bets are on as to who’ll make it and who’ll be left out. Some traditional favorites are already facing a tough challenge to qualify!
Putting aside relocation rumors, resettling controversies and preparation deadlines, the first FIFA World Cup in the African continent is all set to take your breath away! So, get your custom soccer jerseys out and get into the spirit of things! If you don’t you’re your favorite teams soccer jersey, it’s high time you picked one up or you might not get any later! After all, we’re talking about the World Cup here and fans are seriously loyal when it comes to supporting their favorite team!
2010 FIFA World Cup: South Africa Calling!
With the World Cup Qualifiers on, there’s no turning back! Forget about any talk of a Plan B. South Africa is ready to welcome the world with open arms, modern infrastructure, breathtaking venues and efficient security. More than 630,000 tickets have already been picked up by fans form 188 countries and they can’t wait to put on their football jerseys and cheer their favorite teams!
With an expected fan base of 430,000 arriving at South Africa next June, the country is abuzz with activity. Ten world class stadia are being readied for the tournament, of which five are spanking new. Port Elizabeth’s Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, located in an area of immaculate beaches, has been declared opened. The stunning Moses Mabhida in Durban with its towering arch that resembles Wembley Stadium even has a cable car that takes you right to the beach front!
Polkwane, the land of the upside down baobab tree and the cradle of ancient civilisations, is to be ready with its stadium by October. As will Nelspruit, South Africa’s very own Garden of Eden. The fifth stadium, Green Point, in the cosmopolitan city of Cape Town is being prepared for a February opening. Green Point is the only stadium in the world with a roof made of glass!
Soccer City, the showpiece venue on the outskirts of Soweto in Johannesburg, has been upgraded with a design that’s takes inspiration from African pottery. With so much of renovation gone into it, it can be called a brand new stadium for all purposes! The 2010 FIFA World Cup opening match is scheduled to be played at this 94,000 capacity stadium. The four other venues of Ellis Park, Free State, Loftus Versfeld and Royal Bafokeng have been upgraded to host the Confederations Cup matches this month.
Jozi, as locals affectionately call Johannesburg, is the financial hub of the African continent. It’s got energy, culture, excitement, as well as, peace and tranquility with 2328 parks forming a large and much appreciated greenbelt. Joberg is also the birthplace of South Africa’s rich football heritage. Professional football began right here in the offices of the old Rand Daily Mail newspaper back in 1958!
It is home to champions Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates and Jomo Cosmos. When Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates play each other, it is one of the most fiercely contested matches in the world! Johannesburg has also produced famous players like Jomo Sono and Kaizer Motaung, founders of the above clubs. Sono has even had the honor of playing with legends like Pele and Franz Beckenbauer! Ace or Patrick Ntsoelengoe holds pride of place as one of South Africa’s greatest football players ever.
Besides setting the stage for a brilliant 2010 World Cup, great hopes ride on the tournament. With so much spent on infrastructure, roads, airports, security, hotels and soccer merchandise, South Africans want the World Cup to showcase the best their country has to offer in a bid to rebrand it, increase its prestige, benefit its people and act as a catalyst for economic growth. As of now, let the vuvuzelas blow as soccer greats arrive proudly wearing their World Cup soccer jerseys for the Confederation Cup, a precursor to the biggest festival of football in the world!
Change of Soccer Uniforms for 2 of the top players
It’s finally official. Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo and Brazilian Kaka are to don the Real Madrid jersey for a whopping 200 million dollars! With the return of Florentino Perez as Real Madrid’s president it was just a matter of time before big monies exchanged hands to sign up the world's most marketable soccer stars. This is all with a view to bring back Real’s glory days by becoming champions in Spain and Europe once again…
Perez hopes to repeat his earlier success of building a formidable Real team comprising of soccer greats such as Zidane, Luis Figo, Ronaldo and David Beckham. The beginning of 2000 saw this man go on a shopping spree that ended with these four stars in Madrid’s bag for a cost of £132 million.
It seems Real paid AC Milan $94.90 million for Kaka, while Ronaldo was bought from Manchester United for $131.2 million, finally bringing to an end to months of speculation. Kaka seemed to be a ‘reluctant hero’ though, with his heart still set on his club AC Milan. But with the reality of global recession and the realization that at the end of the day clubs are businesses, he agreed to the move. It’s his way of helping Milan get over its financial crisis. The 27 year old Brazilian went through a medical check up at the Brazilian national team's training camp in Recife and with that transfer was complete. Speaking at a press conference, Kaka clarified: "I can officially say I'm a Real Madrid player. My professional link with AC Milan finishes now, but my sentimental link will never end."
But you’ll have to wait until the end of June to see Kaka in the famous Real Madrid soccer uniform since he has to fulfill his duty towards national team Brazil, who are all set to play in South Africa for the Confederations Cup. Whether he wears the famous number five soccer jersey is not clear. Though Perez would like him to wear the soccer shirt, Kaka has expressed his reservations. The Brazilian star felt: "Wearing the number five would be a great responsibility. Zidane was a great player, both for Real Madrid and for France, and I wouldn't like to wear the same number as he did."
Another record breaking deal saw Man U forward Ronaldo move to Real for a whopping $131.2million! In this case, it seems Ronaldo was keen to join Real since he had always dreamt of playing for the club as a young boy. After much denial, Manchester United re
leased an official statement saying that they have received an offer to sell Ronaldo to Real for a price of £80 million. This makes it the highest price ever paid for a player in the history of football!Ronaldo’s leaving Man U means the celebrated number 7 soccer jersey, worn by soccer greats like George Best, Eric Cantona David Beckham, will now become available. And coach Sir Alex Ferguson will be left with the formidable to find a player worthy of its ancestry…
Now that Ronaldo and Kaka have been won over, rumors are flying thick that Franck Ribéry is next on Perez's much talked about shopping list… Read More!
Spain are superb at the Confederations Cup
The first round of matches in the Confederations Cup have been played and the favourites have already shown that they mean business if not exsaclyt showing a gulf in class between themselves and the smaller nations. Okay, in saying that, it would be wise to exempt Spain from that who looked as though they hardly broke a sweat in their new soccer kit as they demloished a poor New Zealand side 5-0.
The game was less than 18 minutes old by the time Fernando Torres had nothced three goals which gave further proof that he is a clinical finisher and that he is a player Liverpool need to keep a hold of. The summer transfer window usually leads to some crazy stories being made public but surely there cant be any truth in the rumour that Manchester United are seriously thinking of launching a bid for the Spanish hit-man. Liverpool may be in debt but they would see their fans rioting and Rafa Benitez moaning (more than usual) if Torres swapped the red soccer top of Liverpool for the same shade of kit of Manchester United.
That may be a concern for Liverpool fans but the Spanish fans would have been delighted at how quic kly their team got the3 game sewn up but the same couldnt be said for Brazil who needed an injury time penalty to overcome the powerful Egyptian side. There is something special about the Brazil side and anyone who loves soccer usually feels emotion when they see the famous yellow tops and blue shorts and their 3-1 half time lead was no surprise. However, teh Egyptians showed why they are highky regarded in Africa and levelled the match at 3-3 with both sides pushing for a winner.
There was controversy over the late penalty award, not because it wasnt a penalty, there was a definite handball on the line but because the catastrophic English referee Howard Webb initially gave a corner kick. The man in the black kit has made a habit of getting big decisions wrong recently and one got this one right when he was informed in his ear piece that it was a penalty. Kaka stepped up to secure the three points for Brazil and the Egyptians were rightfully aggrieved about who actually awarded the poenalty. If the assistant referee spotted it, fair enough but if teh shout came from the forurth official watching on a monitor, then the spirit of the game was not applied.
The spirit of the game was also not applied by the US team who seemed intent on beating the Italians at their own game. Already reduced to ten men, the US won a soft penalty on
the stroke of half-time to grab a 1-0 lead but the Italians, in an unfamiliar sky blue soccer uniforms, came roaring back in the second half, firing three goals past Tim Howard to give the game a realistic scoreline near the end, even if the third and final strike was deep into injury time.
If the big teams carry their winning form into their next set of matches, there is every chance the semi-finals are going to feature all the teams that soccer fans all over the world dream about seeing. Read More!
The game was less than 18 minutes old by the time Fernando Torres had nothced three goals which gave further proof that he is a clinical finisher and that he is a player Liverpool need to keep a hold of. The summer transfer window usually leads to some crazy stories being made public but surely there cant be any truth in the rumour that Manchester United are seriously thinking of launching a bid for the Spanish hit-man. Liverpool may be in debt but they would see their fans rioting and Rafa Benitez moaning (more than usual) if Torres swapped the red soccer top of Liverpool for the same shade of kit of Manchester United.
That may be a concern for Liverpool fans but the Spanish fans would have been delighted at how quic kly their team got the3 game sewn up but the same couldnt be said for Brazil who needed an injury time penalty to overcome the powerful Egyptian side. There is something special about the Brazil side and anyone who loves soccer usually feels emotion when they see the famous yellow tops and blue shorts and their 3-1 half time lead was no surprise. However, teh Egyptians showed why they are highky regarded in Africa and levelled the match at 3-3 with both sides pushing for a winner.
There was controversy over the late penalty award, not because it wasnt a penalty, there was a definite handball on the line but because the catastrophic English referee Howard Webb initially gave a corner kick. The man in the black kit has made a habit of getting big decisions wrong recently and one got this one right when he was informed in his ear piece that it was a penalty. Kaka stepped up to secure the three points for Brazil and the Egyptians were rightfully aggrieved about who actually awarded the poenalty. If the assistant referee spotted it, fair enough but if teh shout came from the forurth official watching on a monitor, then the spirit of the game was not applied.
The spirit of the game was also not applied by the US team who seemed intent on beating the Italians at their own game. Already reduced to ten men, the US won a soft penalty on
the stroke of half-time to grab a 1-0 lead but the Italians, in an unfamiliar sky blue soccer uniforms, came roaring back in the second half, firing three goals past Tim Howard to give the game a realistic scoreline near the end, even if the third and final strike was deep into injury time.If the big teams carry their winning form into their next set of matches, there is every chance the semi-finals are going to feature all the teams that soccer fans all over the world dream about seeing. Read More!
The History of Soccer Uniforms.
The origin of soccer is a hotly contested topic but the game took a professionalshape in the United Kingdom in the late 18th century but a team uniform was not of the early innovations of the new sport. A similar colored shirt or cap or scarf was worn to differentiate teams but around the 1870s, steps were taken to move soccer uniforms to what they are commonly known as today.Even then, matching shorts and socks were not considered part of the team uniform until the early 1900s. Long trousers or pantaloons were common features of early soccer games and the earliest version of shin guards made an appearance before shorts and socks were properly introduced.
However, as soon as the traditional top, shorts and socks uniform was established, its popularity spread like wildfire and soccer teams around the world were noted by their particular uniform. As soccer spread around the world with travellers and former UK citizens introducing the game to new countries, a similarity in kits grew.
This has led to the familiarity between strips of teams around the world. One example would be Juventus from Italy wearing the sae strip as Notts County, black and white stripes. As time has moved on, Juventus have become far more famous around the world but at the start of the 20th century, Notts County were one of the biggest clubs in English soccer and therefore the world of soccer at the time.
With two world wars spanning the next few decades, any developments in soccer fashion was mainly cosmetic with the few changes focusing on moving away from a proper shirt to the style of top that is more commonly associated with the modern era of the game.
As the advent of European Cup and the rise of television, soccer fans around the world became more aware of teams from other nations and the different styles of kit started to create new influences. One of the most important influences came from Real Madrid, European Cup winners for the first five years.
Real Madrid wore a striking all white kit, most notably copied by Leeds United who changed their blue and yellow kit, and sported a smaller pair of shorts than the baggy efforts that were common in Britain. The 1960s not only brought about a revolution in the world of music, there was a fashion change in the world of soccer as button collars and long shorts went out of style and circle and v-neck collars with smaller shorts.
The 1970s saw even further fashionable changes but the next revolution in soccer uniforms came with the selling of replica shirts and then the addition of sponsors’ logos on the kit. Soccer clubs realised they could make money by selling copies of their strips to fans and as televised soccer grew more popular, companies were eager to have their name positioned on the team kit.
original soccer uniform Although the 1980s were memorable as the era when soccer shorts were at their smallest and tightest, the most important changes in soccer uniforms since then have revolved around the technology. Sportswear technology has allowed kit manufacturers to make uniforms that are lighter, cooler and draw sweat
away from players’ bodies.
All of these innovations are designed to give an edge to the top players in a sport where the slightest advantage can make all the difference.
Fashion trends and styles come and go but the demand for soccer uniforms has never been higher than it is today. With new technologies making the kit even lighter and more suitable to the quickening pace of the game, soccer uniforms will continue to keep evolving and fascinating fans the world over.
Fifa World Cup The Goalscorers
here are many things about soccer that make fans all over the world go crazy supporting it but the most important thing for most soccer fans is goals. Goals win matches and winning matches is what the Fifa World Cup is all about. There have been many great goals scored at World Cups throughout the years but the importance of being the top goal scorer in a tournament is an extremely prestigious award and Fifa recognises this by offering the Golden Boot to the tournaments highest goal grabber. No footballer has won this award twice but some of the most famous in world soccer have walked away from the tournament as the top marksmen. It is also interesting to note that the top goal scorer usually doesn’t play for the nation that wins the World Cup. Mario Kempes in 1978 and Ronaldo in 2002 bucked this trend but personal glory is obviously no guarantee of team success at the World Cup.The top goal scorer at any individual World Cup is Just Fontaine from France, who in 1958 at the World Cup in Sweden scored 13 goals in six games. It is easy to work out the mathematics that this is an average of more than two goals per game and Fontaine scored 3 in his first match against Paraguay and then four in his last match, the third and fourth play off against Germany. Scoring in every match that France played at the tournament, Fontaine and his French team mates were unfortunate to come up against Brazil in the semi finals that were coming to the peak of their powers. Fontaine scored in the 9th minute to level the game at 1-1 but Brazil triumphed 5-2 with an emerging starlet scoring a hat-trick in 23 second half minutes. Fontaine was outshone by a player who would go onto eclipse virtually every other football who ever lived, Pele. The 1958 World Cup is probably most remembered for the debut of Pele on the world soccer scene but the 13 goals sees Fontaine standing third in the list of all time World Cup goal scorers, no mean feat for just one tournament.
Second top goal scorer was the West German goal grabber supreme Gerd Muller, who bagged 14 goals in two tournaments. Muller, otherwise known as ‘Der Bomber’ was the top scorer in Mexico 1970 when 10 goals, including two hat tricks saw Germany take third place after an agonising extra time Semi-final defeat to Italy. Muller bounced back in 1974 when West Germany hosted the tournament and won the trophy for the second time. Football had changed in the four years and goals were notably tighter to come by at the 1974 World Cup. Muller had to settle for four strikes this time around but given that the fourth strike was the one which gave West Germany a 2-1 victory over Netherlands, Muller would not have been upset about not being top goal scorer.
The only soccer player who has scored more goals at World Cups that Gerd Muller is Ronaldo from Brazil, who was top scorer when Brazil triumphed in 2002. Ronaldo has scored fifteen goals in a total of four World Cups but his tally of 8 in Japan and South Korea, with a goal in every game apart from the quarter final has been most impressive. There were major doubts about Ronaldo’s fitness and health amidst the controversy over his appearance at the France 1998 World Cup final but the two goals that defeated Germany 2-0 gave Ronaldo his place at the forefront of world soccer once again.
The road to the 2010 World Cup is well underway and you can guarantee that many players around the world will be carrying dreams of finishing the top goal scorer at South Africa. Winning the Golden Boot for World Cup goals is a tremendous achievement but most players would swap it all for their nation to life the World Cup.
Read More!Great Soccer Players who never won the World Cup
If you are a winner the World Cup is a beautiful tournament but if you are a loser, sometimes you can be airbrushed out of history and this is a shame as some of the world’s greatest soccer players have never won a World Cup. Some, like George Best or Ryan Giggs, have never even made it to the World Cup finals with their nation but others have managed to light up the stage without ever walking away with the big prize. So whilst the winners celebrate with the golden trophy knowing the next time they play, their international soccer jerseys will be adorned with an extra star, the losers have to trudge away thinking of what might have been.One such great player is Michel Platini of France, who in 1982 and 1986 came so close to achieving something really memorable at the World Cup. In between these tournaments, Platini led France to success in the 1984 European Champions where the classic attacking play was as iconic as the soccer kit and small soccer shorts that France wore whilst impressing the world. In 1982 in Spain, France were defeated in the semi-final stage on penalties, in a match overshadowed by the brutal challenge by West German goalkeeper Harold Schumacher which left Battiston needing serious medical attention. The sight of the German keeper launching himself and the red goalkeeping jersey flying at the French player has lived long n the memory of those who witnessed it and France were knocked off their stride after that moment.
In 1986, Platini was on fire in Mexico helping his nation defeat Italy and Brazil in the knock-out stages and again, wowing the crowd with an exciting attacking style. Sadly, West Germany once again stood in the way of France and again, the French and Platini lost out at the semi-final stages leaving Platini with not even a World Cup final appearance at the end of his career.
Another world class player who lit up a World Cup was Johann Cruyff who was part of the 1974 Holland team who lost to West Germany. Cruyff stood out because of his modified soccer kit , where he had removed one stripe from the Dutch national kit due to a personal sportswear deal he had but he was soon to be noticed for pure footballing reasons. One of the most iconic pieces of footage you will see about Cruyff is the Cruyff turn and he executed this at the World Cup, leaving a defender for dead and a world of children and adults imitating his move whenever they could. Cruyff appeared in the 1974 World Cup final and within a minute had earned his team a penalty. Holland took a very early lead in the final but West Germany bounced back and triumphed 2-1 leaving Cruyff and Holland disappointed.
Holland again made it to the final of the 1978 World Cup, giving soccer fans all over the world further reason to fall in love with the iconic national soccer strips of the country but did so without Cruyff. The star had played a major part in the qualifying campaign but a number of reasons caused him to pull out of the squad and the world was denied the pleasure of seeing Cruyff torment defences in Argentina.
Some of the other great names without a World Cup winners medal include Eusebio, Dalglish, Socrates, Raul and Larsson but all of these players are still adored by their fans for what they did. Soccer fans the world over will proudly wear their soccer kits with these names emblazoned on the back but none of them knew the joy of winning the World Cup.
Read More!Fifa World Cup – Brazil
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ts hard to think of the soccer world cup without thinking of Brazil and the samba soccer they have brought to the world. With five victories, Brazil are the nation with the most triumphs in the tournament but for Brazilians of a certain vintage, the World Cup they remember the most ended in heartbreak.
ts hard to think of the soccer world cup without thinking of Brazil and the samba soccer they have brought to the world. With five victories, Brazil are the nation with the most triumphs in the tournament but for Brazilians of a certain vintage, the World Cup they remember the most ended in heartbreak.In 1950, Brazil hosted the World Cup and the soccer loving nation were fully behind their heroes, who at the time played in a white shirt with blue collar. Going into the final match, which was decided by a league format as opposed to a stand-alone match, Brazil only needed a draw to clinch the trophy whilst rivals Uruguay had to win. As so often happen in football, the team that needs to win invariably finds that extra level of desire and hunger as Uruguay shocked the Maracana stadium by snatching a 2-1 victory. It is said that some part of the Brazilian psyche has never recovered from this crushing defeat and even though they have tasted glory on the world stage five times since, there are still more Brazil soccer books about this tournament than any of the tournaments they won.
In an attempt to put this tragedy behind them, Brazil set about finding a new soccer uniform and it was then they took to wearing the world famous strip they wear today. Brazil burst back onto the world stage in 1958 when inspired by the 18 year old Pele, Brazil lifted the World Cup in Sweden. Four years later, they triumphed again but their biggest triumph was to come in 1970.
There are very few soccer historians who will argue with quality and strength of the Brazil 1970 World Cup squad. Perhapses it is helped by the color television footage of the tournament but some of the goals they scored on their way to winning the final 4-1 against Italy were phenomenal. Pele had his third World Cup winners medal and all of the world fell in love with Brazilian soccer.
The following decades were a low point for the national team at the World Cup although the 1982 team could have won the trophy if they knew how to defend. The 1982 team took the style of attacking football to the extreme and although they were eventually outdone by Italy and Paulo Rossi, many soccer fans fell in love with Brazil once again.
The 1994 World Cup wasn’t too exciting and the final was largely forgettable but for the Brazilian fans who witnessed the team clinch their fourth world title in a penalty shoot-out couldn’t have cared less. Brazil also made it to the final in 1998 but were limp and insipid against France as the host nation ran out 3-0 victors and there were serious doubts placed over whether Ronaldo would return to his best.
These doubts were blown away four years later when the striker was the top scorer in the 2002 World Cup, scoring both goals in a 2-0 victory over Germany which saw the South American nation take their fifth World Cup. There obviously has to be a number of teams at the World Cup to make it worth watching but for many people, it wouldn’t be a World Cup without Brazil.
Read More!Road to World Cup 2010
It is not too often when a weekend of international football is overshadowed by a soccer uniform but that is exactly what happened at Wembley on Saturday. England were lining up for the national anthems when the player unzipped their training gear to unveil their new soccer kit, which was making its debut on that day. This guaranteed the launch of the new soccer jersey got the most publicity possible but England manager Fabio Capello will be counting the cost of the on-field action. England won 4-0 but three forwards limped off and Heskey, Carlton Cole and Peter Crouch may all be forced out of action for England’s World Cup qualifier against Slovakia. England are looking good to make it to the World Cup in South Africa where no doubt their high tec soccer kit will be vital in giving their team the edge in warm conditions.
The other major European forces look like making up the usual numbers with Spain, Germany and Holland all striding towards the event with a great sense of purpose. France followed up their terrible Euro 2008 campaign with a poor start but look to be getting back on the tracks and Italy received a boost in their qualification hopes when Republic of Ireland dropped two points at home against Bulgaria. The big names in soccer are what help makes the World Cup and the star players, as well as the well known soccer kits, are certain to be involved when the next world cup rolls around.
Elsewhere, even though there is over a year until the next big World Cup, many teams are drawing close to booking their place at the world’s biggest soccer event. By the end of the week, Australia could have booked their spot in South Africa, a turn-around from the 2006 event where the Socceroos were the last team to qualify for the event. They may have a soccer top that is reminiscent of the famous soccer uniform of Brazil but for once, Australia appear to be the team in form between they two.
As much as the Brazilian gold soccer kit is legendary, the way that the team struggles at high altitude is equally well known and this was again the case away to Ecuador. The Brazilian football federation have long been critics of the medical effect of playing at such an altitude but yet again, Brazil dropped points and slipped further behind in the South American qualification campaign. The blue change soccer strip worn by Brazil may have saw the team look slightly unfamiliar but a home tie against bottom nation Peru should see the 5 times World Cup winners return to winning ways.
Brazil may be struggling but Argentina bounced back in Diego Maradona’s first competitive game in charge but the game was the latest example of the brilliance of Lionel Messi. Maradona knows a thing or two about scintillating soccer and how to wow a crowd and he was fulsome in his praise for the performance of the Barcelona superstar. The number 10 Argentina soccer jersey has had some star players in it but Lionel Messi is definitely up there with the best of them. You want to see the best players at the World Cup and Lionel Messi may be one of the greatest on show in South Africa.
World Cup – Stars and strips
When people think of great World Cups, some of the things that spring to mind are the goals, the star players and the soccer uniforms. Yes, the soccer kits help to make the World Cup a memorable event as so many people cannot imagine soccer’s premier tournament taking place without the iconic yellow, green and blue soccer kit of Brazil. Brazil only turned to these soccer shirts after their disastrous 1950 campaign but since then, it has been glory nearly all the way and there will be some opponents who are mesmerised by the famous soccer kit facing them.
Of course, Brazil are not the only nation with a famous range of soccer clothing. One of the most iconic soccer team uniforms is used by Argentina, and their light blue and white stripe top bringing to mind triumph in Argentina in 1978 and in Mexico in 1986. These tops are not only worn by the highest level of international players but the youth soccer uniforms soccer merchandise are also based around the style of the top teams soccer uniform.
England may commonly wear white in international matches but due to a clash of strips with their opponents West Germany, their only triumph came whilst wearing a red kit which remains the nations favourite choice of away kit. Of course, Germany have had a great deal of success in their traditional white shirt and black shorts kit, with players such as Muller, Beckenbauer, Rummenigge, Mattheus and Kilnsmann all helping to make the German custom soccer jerseys one of the most recognisable on the planet.
One of the more famous player styled soccer kits relates to Johan Cruyff of Holland, who refused to wear the national team kit in its intended form because he had a boot deal with another firm. This led to Cruyff removing a stripe from the sleeves of his Holland kit to ensure his soccer uniform did not cause him any concerns with his contractual duties.
Goalkeepers may have traditionally worn basic kits with Sepp Maier large gloves being one of the major talking points about the goalkeepers’ soccer equipment, but that all changed when Mexican goalkeeper, Jorge Campos, came to the world stage in 1994. It is said that Campos helped design his own kit and it was certainly one of the most memorable goalkeeping soccer gear of all time.
Some of the more memorable kits at World Cup have included the United States of America with their stars and stripes kits of the 1994 World Cup, Peru with their iconic diagonal red stripe kit of 1978 or even the Cameroon kit with no sleeves. With soccer kits being big business, it is no surprise that so many have captured the mood of soccer fans all around the world with most nations releasing a new kit to coincide with the tournament.
There is still over a year to go to South Africa with so many places up for grabs in the 2010 World Cup but the designers and producers of soccer kits at the major manufacturers will all be compiling designs to ensure their World Cup soccer jerseys is amongst the most talked about at next summers big event. Any soccer store may sell the soccer apparel that makes you look like your heroes and the worlds top players but if you want to see the real soccer tea, jerseys that capture the worlds imagination, the World cup is the place to be.
Read More!World cup winners medals
The size of a squad at the 2010 World Cup is likely to feature at least 23 players, which means an awful lot of soccer jerseys to wash but it is also more than the amount of players who have won more than one World Cup. At the current count, 21 players have been part of more than one world cup winning squad which only goes to show how difficult it is to achieve. Unsurprisingly, Pele leads the way with three world cup winners medals, although his role in Brazil’s 1962 triumph is massively over-stated. Injury robbed Pele from gracing that tournament but history records his performance in Mexico in 1970 as one of the best. There is no doubt that the Brazil 1970 squad, in their iconic soccer tops and free flowing spirit is one of the most memorable teams of all time and Brazil make up the majority of players who have won the cup more than once.
Aside from Pele, special mention must go to Mario Zagallo, who was part of the Brazil squad that won in 1958 and 1962. Many players from that era did not make it along to the 1970 World Cup but Zagallo can claim to have a key role in that team seeing as he was the manager. Yes, a mere 8 years after lifting his second world cup winners medal, Zagallo returned to the biggest stage in world soccer and led Brazil to their third triumph. Zagallo wasn’t done there as he returned in 1994 when he was assistant manager as Brazil triumphed in the United States of America. Being part of four world cup winning teams is an achievement that will take some beating and Mario Zagallo is rightly afforded a high level of respect.
Whilst most of the Brazil players with more than one winners medal date back to the late 50s and early 60s triumphs, two players of the modern era have been a winner on two occasions as well. Cafu and Ronaldo were both involved in the 1994 and 2002 winning teams but Ronaldo never got his soccer kit dirty at the 1994 event being an unused squad player. He changed all that at the 2002 world cup when his goals, including two in the final were a key inspiration behind Brazil winning the trophy. Cafu therefore had a lot more game time that Ronaldo in achieving this feat but both definitely played their part in ensuring the modern era of Brazilian soccer players had their own tales of glory to match the stories from history.
Four Italian players from their 1934 and 1938 triumphs played in both squads with one name standing out from the rest. You may not know much about the classic Italian sides but if you know about modern Italian soccer, you should recognise the name of Giuseppe Meazza. As a star for both Inter and AC Milan, gracing the world famous soccer tops for both teams, he was th
e perfect choice for the official name of the San Siro stadium and the name of the stadium will depend on who you are talking to. Meazza is more fondly remembered by the Inter fans who are happy to refer to the ground as the Giuseppe Meazza but if you come across an AC Milan fan, do not be surprised to see them refer to the ground as the San Siro.
The last player to have two world cup medals is Daniel Passarella who played for Argentina in their 1978 and 1986 triumph, meaning he has more international glory than even the great Maradona.
Read More!World Cup history – The early years
Every four years the World Cup takes place and each passing World Cup seems to be bigger and better than the one before but they are far removed from the early World Cups. The first event took place in 1930 in an attempt to bring the soccer world closer together but few would have predicted what a success the event would become.
The honour of hosting the first ever World Cup was bestowed upon Uruguay, in recognition of the fact that they were Olympic soccer champions. They showed that their Olympic glory was no fluke and added the feat of being first ever World Cup champions to their gold medals. Italy then took the next two World Cups before the tournament was halted by the Second World War.
The landscape in Europe and relationships between rival nations had changed dramatically since the War but the World Cup was an opportunity to put national problems aside and concentrate on other matters. The 1950 World Cup was held in Brazil but the host nation and the footballing world was shocked when Uruguay triumphed 2-1 in the Maracana Stadium to top the group and win the World Cup.
This tournament was notable for being the only one which did not feature a one-off match as the final but coincidentally the four team group stage was decided by a clash between the top two. If the game ended in a tie, Brazil would have won the World Cup for the first time and the final score was a major shock for Brazil and their fanatical fans. Ever since 1950, Brazil have been attempting to right the wrongs of letting their home fans down but those present at the time still recall the sadness and anger that was felt in Brazil at the time.
This was the last time Uruguay made a large impression on the world soccer stage but their position was being filled by emerging soccer strength. Although the favourites for the 1954 World Cup were Hungary, a team of immense skill and talent, Germany provided a classic underdog performance to snatch a victory which sounded the death knell for one of the worlds most highly respected teams although controversy reigns about the final to this date. In Germany, the match has been christened The Miracle of Bern but doping rumours and extremely poor officiating benefiting the Germans played a strong influence on the outcome of the match and the Hungarians finished heartbroken. Germany were soon to become a regular fixture in the finals of the World Cup and in all the tournaments since 1954, one two have taken place which did not feature Brazil or Germany. The 1978 final between Argentina and Holland and the 2006 final between Italy and France being the occasions when either of the tw
o powerhouses in World soccer failed to make the showpiece occasion.
With improved television coverage and players like Pele, Eusebio and Beckenbaur the stories of the World Cups since 1958 are widely known and most people are aware of what took place. The original World Cup tournaments may not have been captured in cinematic quality like the current tournaments but without these landmark triumphs and the emergence and disappearance of some major names in World soccer, the greatest sporting event in the world would be a vastly different place.
Read More!FA Cup final preview
This Saturday sees the FA Cup final, one of the most traditional games of the soccer season. Last season the final was a rather tame and damp affair featuring Portsmouth and Cardiff but this year promises to be a much more exciting proposition with Chelsea taking on Everton. In the stands, there will be a sea of blue everywhere but as both clubs have a similar color of kit, there will be a need for one team to wear a change of soccer jersey. A coin toss was taken to decide which team would be wearing their change soccer kit and Chelsea lost which means that the Londoners will take the field in a yellow top. This allows Everton to wear their renowned soccer colors and the blue top was what they wore when they last triumphed in the FA Cup final against Manchester United. The color of the jerseys shouldn’t have any impact on the match but the managers might.The FA Cup final is scheduled to be Guus Hiddink’s last match in charge of Chelsea as he returns to manage Russia and the rumours suggest his place in the Stamford Bridge hotseat will be taken by Carlos Ancellotti. Ancellotti has been in charge of AC Milan for a number of year but with local rivals Inter firmly ruling the roost in Italy, it may well be time for the ex cultured midfielder to move on and see if he can help Roman Abramovich to achieve his dream of European glory. This is the main aim for next season but the Dutchman in current charge of the club will be hoping to bow out with some silverware and leave the Chelsea fans wanting more.
In the other dugout will be Davie Moyes, a man who would greatly benefit from winning a trophy. Outside of the top 4 clubs, Everton have been the most consistent team and have been the only club to split the top four with regards to Champions League qualification. Therefore, Moyes is deserving of adding a trophy to his CV and if he does, it may give him a great opportunity of moving onto the next level. It would also allow the long suffering Everton fans to have some time in the spotlight away from Liverpool and would probably look back on the season with great pride.
The FA Cup final is usually the place where the big name players shine and there is ample opportunity for someone to steal the headlines after this weekends match. There is a lot of speculation where Didier Drogba will be playing his football next season and the winning goal in the Cup final could well be the perfect way to sign off and leave Chelsea fans remembering him with a happy time. Equally, Anelka finished the season as England’s top goal-scorer and this would be a fitting way to end his season.
Everton may not have the strikers with such hot form at the moment but their season has been shaped by the strength and skill of two midfielders. Tim Cahill has already played in an FA Cup final for Millwall and he will be assisted by Marouane Fellaini, a big game player with big hair. There will be no hiding place for the midfielder and if he can win the battle between himself and Frank Lampard then Everton may just be able to steal the glory in the FA Cup final.
It's not holiday time yet
The majority of English soccerers are probably on holiday, chasing the girls and keeping the barmen busy in Ibiza or Aya Napa but some still have work to do. The domestic season may be over but there are still international fixtures to be concluded before all the players can take a well earned rest.
However, with World Cup places up for grabs, don’t expect there to be any lack of motivation for the players pulling on their international soccer jerseys this weekend. Some countries may find that they can all but virtually guarantee their spot in South Africa next summer whereas some big names may be looking at an embarrassing exit unless they record some victories.
It’s already been said that many soccer stars have jetted off to warmer climes but England’s top players will be flying into the unknown when they play Kazakhstan. In England, Kazakhstan is probably best known for being the home of Borat, the comedy character created by Sasha Baron Cohen but it will be no laughing matter for Fabio Capello if anything but a handsome away win occurs.
Striker Peter Crouch has been quoted as saying that England cannot take three points for granted but it would be the shock result of the season if the lowly minnows can derail the Capello express. England follow this with a home tie against Andorra, which should bring the English season to a close on a satisfactory manner.
Victory in these games should see England all but qualified for the World Cup in South Africa and no doubt the English media can start the hype about winning the cup again. A solitary star on the famous soccer kit is all England have to show for a history of great players but they are always tipped to do strongly.
English fans may be happy to know that the nation who halted their progress in the last World Cup are struggling to qualify this time around which could be good news for some fans. Portugal are facing two crunch ties to keep their World Cup dream alive and if they fail to win both, it could be looking grim for some of the worlds biggest stars. Cristiano Ronaldo may have other things on his mind with the Real Madrid saga coming to life again but he will need to perform at his very best to keep his country in the hunt for glory.
The Manchester United star barely got his soccer kit dirty in Rome when United meekly surrendered their Champions League crown to Barcelona and the jury is currently out on the players ability when it is needed the most. Ronaldo’s presence has definitely dipped in the past year but he should not be relied upon for everything and the rest of his team mates will need to perform to a higher standard to keep their campaign on track.
The current set of international fixtures may ensures that holidays are delayed for some players but a failure to win these games could see some players having the whole of summer in 2010 to have a holiday.
2010 Fifa World Cup Fashion Kick-Off!
Soccer is not just a game that is watched and played around the world! Soccer is a passion. Soccer is a religion. It is also a strong fashion statement with its own set of rules, accessories and memorabilia. An entire industry has sprung up catering to the ever growing demand for soccer merchandise.
Read More!
Blow your own trumpet!
Get ready for some unique fashion statement at the 2010 FIFA World Cup to be held in South Africa for the first time. It won’t just be your favorite players in their World Cup soccer jerseys vying for your attention! Soccer World Cup fans are all set to up the temperature with their traditional vuvuzelas – those trumpets that sound like busy bumbling bees every time the ball enters the net!
A hat for every head
You can expect vuvuzelas to mingle with makarabas making for a complete riot of sound and color! Makaraba hats were first worn in South Africa in the 70s as protection against bottles or other flying objects! Later, all kinds of designs and add-ons were fixed onto these hard builder hats making them a must have fashion statement. They’ve become so popular that no hard core football fan can be seen without one! Makarabas representing the participating teams in the 2010 World Cup are being designed on a war footing. Each hat is painstakingly prepared by hand and cut into a unique shape and design, so it takes anywhere between 8 to 14 hours to make one! These colorful works of art make for great souvenirs of the much awaited World Cup.
Soccer Sells!
Besides this, there are all kinds of merchandise you can pick up to declare your loyalty for your team from custom-made soccer apparel to watches, mugs, scarves, wallets, bedspreads and DVDs. And you can find something to suit your pocket. Replica team jerseys are probably the most common and popular choice with fans. After all, nothing beats wearing your team colors during a match while you’re at the stadium in front of the TV! It’s a heady experience of loyalty, pride and togetherness.
Sports Collection
Puma made sure it wasn’t left behind in this football frenzy! It joined hands with fashion expert Neil Barrett to launch an athletic lifestyle collection that covers everything from hooded sweatshirts to tees, cargoes to blouson jackets. The focus is on functional fibers, distressed washes and embellished applications giving it a fashionable yet comfortable look. Barrett, a giant in the fashion industry with names like Prada and Gucci under his belt, was inspired by the protective armor worn by Roman gladiators! He added his own layered signature to it. And voila!
Beckham Mayhem
Britain’s star player David Beckham has made soccer super fashionable! It’s no longer just about the game; it’s about cash rich sponsorships, global sports brands and celebrity endorsements. LA Galaxy roped in Beckham to wear their new soccer shirt making it the fastest selling shirt ever! More than a quarter million were ordered even before the design was revealed thanks to Becks! The home shirt is similar to Real Madrid’s, while the away shirt comes in a three dimensional design in navy blue with hints of yellow. The good thing is this soccer shirt has been designed to be worn outside the stadium as well.
With so much going on in the world of soccer fashion, the choices are plenty and increasing by the day. So, take your pick and make your own style statement!
Soccer: A Number’s Game
When it comes to soccer, shirt numbers give away a player’s stature and importance in the team. Everything is determined by the number, even mindset and performance! After all, there’s a legacy, an inheritance attached to shirt numbers that cannot be denied. This tradition is so deeply etched in every soccer fan and player’s mind that wearing a number associated with past legends comes with its own set of expectations.
Soccer shirt numbers were once closely associated with the position one played. To the extent that positions were actually referred to by shirt number! This meant that a player’s number changed with each match, depending on which position was assigned to him on that particular day. The numbers 1 and 12 were usually kept for goalkeepers, 5 for a center midfielder, 9 for a striker, 11 for a left winger and number 10 for an attacking midfielder.
Things changed during the 1954 World Cup when FIFA laid down the rule that teams had to use a numbering system. A specific shirt number was to be given to each player for the entire tournament. But that was then and this is now…
With the numbering system of 1 to 11 relegated to the past, on the world stage, teams usually stick to the numbers 1 to 23, though there are a few exceptions. And at the club level, any number from 1 to 99 can be worn. So, you have random numbers at play - numbers that players consider lucky or their favorite player’s numbers worn as a mark of respect.
Players now lay claim to certain numbers and jealously guard them. Only players that seem worthy of continuing a legacy are allocated the much coveted numbers 7, 9 and 10. They have history to back them up and have become synonymous with soccer legends. But the biggest honor goes to the number 10, given to the most creative playmaker on the field who scores the maximum goals. The number 10 soccer jersey has graced the shoulders of Pele, Diego Maradona, Michel Platini, Zico, Lothar Matthäus, Gary Lineker, Roberto Baggio, Zinedine Zidane, Michael Owen, Juan Román Riquelme, Francesco Totti, Alessandro Del Piero, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, Van der Vaart, Wayne Rooney, Kaka and Lionel Messi.
Bobby Charlton, Ian Rush, Fornando Torres and Alan Shearer are famous number 9’s. More recently, the lethal Brazilian forward Ronaldo did full justice to the number 9. Iconic number 7’s are David Villa, Raul Gonzalez, Franck Ribery, Luis Figo, George Best, Eric Cantona, Juanito, Amaro, David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Andriy Schevchenko.
And then, of course, you’ve got certain players who adopted their own unique numbers and made them their trademark. The legend Johan Cruyff took a liking to number 14 and wore it instead of the number 1 that should’ve been assigned to him. David Beckham chose 23 and made it the most sought out for number on the field! Recently, Ronaldinho selected number 80 based on the year of his birth.
There’s no doubt that generations to come will associate these numbers with soccer greats. They’ll be worn with a sense of pride, driving each player to deliver an inspired performance that does the number on his back proud…
Soccer Jerseys: It’s Love All!
Soccer matches are all about team spirit and energy whether you’re a player on the field or a spectator on the stands. And what better way to show your support and loyalty than to wear your soccer team jerseys. It’s a much sought after fashion statement and a stamp of patriotism - prerequisites for any fan worthy of his/her team…
Come one, come all!
The FIFA World Cup and UEFA Champions Cup have made soccer one of the most popularly followed sports today. And this craze cuts across all demographics. It doesn’t matter if you’re male or female, young or old, rich or poor, employed or unemployed. Soccer is a great leveler. And a fan is a fan is a fan… That’s your only identity. A direct result of this mania is a huge demand for soccer jerseys – replicas, originals, retro, home and away kits.
Wear your heart on your sleeve
Fashion and sport brands have jumped in to meet this demand. The soccer jersey has evolved over the years and today the choices are endless, the styles are modern as personal preferences are catered to. Fans don their local club colors as well as their national team’s soccer gear. They’re available both online and offline, but when confronted with so many options it can get a little confusing to decide on a specific soccer jersey that also suits your budget. After all, a soccer jersey reflects your personality; it unites you with your team and other fans and it’s your identity that can be spotted from a distance!
United we stand
Some fans collect retro soccer jerseys that are usually vintage designs worn by soccer greats like Pele or Maradona. Plus, they also have the added advantage of being a cut above the rest, making you standout in a swarm of fans. You can either wear a player or team jersey as a mark of loyalty. But original soccer jerseys are expensive. If you can’t afford $100, you can opt for replicas that’ are available at much lower prices. When it comes to players, Ronaldo, Beckham, Zidane and Ronaldinho are favorites. In terms of World Cup soccer jerseys, Brazil, Argentina, Italy, France, Germany and England rule. And let’s not forget local soccer club wear such as FC Barcelona, Manchester United, Arsenal, AC Milan, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Chelsea!
Custom fit
To please one and all, customization is the name of the game. Ask and you shall get. A name here, a logo there, a number elsewhere and a splash of color everywhere! Custom soccer jerseys as well as youth soccer jerseys are also gaining in popularity. But nothing sells or gets more attention than World Cup gear! After all, it’s a symbol of national pride and a team’s rich heritage made up of soccer greats and historic moments.
Optimal innovations
Well known brands like Adidas, Nike, Puma, Diadora and Lotto constantly manufacture and market new soccer apparel with special limited edition jerseys and moisture control innovations like Dri-Fit or Clima Cool. These days, genuine soccer uniforms are made of polyester. Cotton or nylon blends are not considered optimal for playing the game. With more and more pro’s specializing in soccer gear, the intention is to keep improving on design and technology so the players can achieve optimal performance. And you can pick up your favorite’s jersey to cheer them on in style!
Kaka will steal the spotlight at the Confederations Cup
We may be a year away from the 2010 World Cup in South Africa but the soccer fans there don’t need to wait too long to get some exciting action. The Confederations Cup is now the preclude to World Cups with FIFA keen for the host nation to get a proper dress rehearsal. Having some of the worlds biggest stars and the crowds that flock to see the will be a great way to start planning for next summer and with no other soccer action on the horizon, its a tremendous chance for fans to pass the time whilst watching some of their heroes.
With eight of the biggest teams in the world on show, there’s no shortage of top stars in South Africa but the most talked about star on the planet at the moment is Kaka, and he will be on show. The Brazilian star has already grabbed most of the attention without even kicking a ball by having his Real Madrid medical whilst on Brazil duty in preparation for their World Cup qualifier. Kaka will be swapping the famous red and black striped soccer jersey of AC Milan for the all white soccer kit of Real Madrid which means millions of fans the world over will be upgrading their replica kits to show their support for the player. Back in January, the focus was on Kaka and would he go to Manchester City but he pledged his support to Milan and their supporters. Obviously, something changed but the fact that Real Madrid have paid a lot less money than City were prepared to play indicates the allure of playing for La Liga’s runner ups.
It won’t be easy in Group B for Brazil where they have been paired with World Cup holders Italy and Egypt and America. Group A features host nation South Africa, European Championship winners Spain alongside Iraq and New Zealand. The opening game takes place on June 14th with South Africa welcoming Iraq to the Confederations Cup which means that Spain will be commencing their campaign against New Zealand. There is a very famous sports kit for the New Zealand rugby team who are known as the All Blacks but in a neat twist, the New Zealand soccer team plays in a white soccer kit which stands them out from their rugby friends but maybe loses some marketing possibilities.
Brazil, with Kaka no doubt counting his money and dreaming of who else will be playing alongside him in the new wave of the Galacticos, take to the stage on the 15th with a tie against Egypt in the Vodacom Stadium in Blomfontein. It will be interesting to see if FIFA allow such blatant sponsorship during the World Cup where they usually limit the sponsors to the main backers either. With Kaka on show, there is further proof that money is driving everything in the soccer world these days but when the top class players take to the field, all the complaints about the commercialism of soccer fades away.
The Confederations Cup may not be the most exciting international tournament but as a way of whetting the appetite for the World Cup, it’s a great tournament to take notice of.
