Personal Life of Football Stars
Raúl González
Raúl grew up in a modest neighbourhood of Madrid, in the suburb Marconi de San Cristóbal de los Ángeles. His father, don Pedro, was a fan of Atlético Madrid, the club where he started playing after a short period in San Cristóbal’s team. Atletico Madrid coach didn’t notice anything special about him because he was very thin and weak. Raul later turned to Real Madrid’s C team and quickly made it to the first team in 1994/1995 season. Raúl possesses a distinctive celebration, with each goal acclaimed by a kiss of his wedding ring, an acknowledgement to his wife Mamen Sanz. They have four sons: Jorge (February 25, 2000), who is named after Jorge Valdano, Hugo (November 20, 2002) and twins Héctor and Mateo (November 17, 2005). He likes reading, especially the books of Arturo Pérez Reverte, and listening to all sorts of Spanish music. He also enjoys hunting and watching bullfighting.
Luís Nazário de Lima ‘Ronaldo’
Ronaldo was born in Bento Ribeiro, a neighbourhood in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Like many of his contemporaries, he began to play football in the streets of his neighbourhood.
In April 1999, Ronaldo married Milene Domingues. The marriage lasted four years and ended in divorce. The couple had a son, Ronald (born 2000). In 2005 he got engaged and married Brazilian model and MTV VJ Daniella Cicarelli, who became pregnant but suffered a miscarriage, their relationship lasted only 3 months. He is currently dating brazilian model Raica Oliveira. Besides being of interest to tabloid journalists, Ronaldo’s relationships with women apparently have a deep effect on his performances on the pitch. A soccernet.com article by Andrew Downie assessing Ronaldo’s fitness ahead of the 2006 World Cup pointed out a correlation between the striker’s form and the happiness of his love life, noting that his most prolific periods of goalscoring have coincided with the times when he was happily married In 2005 Ronaldo became co-owner of A1 Team Brazil, alongside Brazilian motorsports legend Emerson Fittipaldi. The team participates in the newly launched A1 Grand Prix series, with Nelson Piquet, Jr., Tony Kanaan and João Paulo Oliveira as drivers.
It is rumored that Ronaldo is considering leaving Real Madrid, expressing discomfort with their fans at the stadium. He has been linked with a return to former club F.C Internazionale, where he has often spoke of his desire to one day return. AC Milan could also show some interest in his name, especially after Andriy Shevchenko has left for chelsea F.C.
Major League Soccer has also expressed interest in signing him. According to reports, Ronaldo turned down a ten-year, $120 million contract from the New York Red Bulls of MLS, saying
Right now I have a contract with Real Madrid and I’m only thinking about the World Cup, but without a doubt, the American market is one of my goals for the future.
(It was reported on ESPN during the broadcast of the Brazil-Croatia match on June 13 that the Red Bulls actually denied making Ronaldo an offer.)
Michael Ballack
Ballack is 6′ 2 ½” (189 cm) tall and weighs 179 lbs (80 kg). He and his girlfriend Simone have three children – Louis, Emilio and Jordi.
Ronaldo de Assis Moreira ‘Ronaldinho Gaúcho’
Ronaldinho was born on March 21, 1980 in Vila Nova, a poor suburb of Porto Alegre, Brazil. He was the youngest of three children. Ronaldinho’s mother Miguelina is a former salesperson who later studied to become a nurse. His father João was a shipyard worker and amateur footballer for Cruzeiro. The family moved to a more affluent district of Porto Alegre when Ronaldinho’s older brother Roberto signed to play professional football for Grêmio. João died when Ronaldinho was 8, after suffering a heart attack while swimming in the family’s pool. Injuries ended Roberto’s career prematurely, and he now manages Ronaldinho. Ronaldinho’s sister Deisi works as his press coordinator. Ronaldinho’s son, named João after his father, was born on 25 February, 2005. João’s mother is Janaína Nattielle Viana Mendes, a former dancer on the Brazilian television show Domingão do Faustão.
In his childhood, Ronaldinho’s skill in football began to blossom due to his particular interest in futsal and beach football, which later developed into a fondness for more standardised football. His first brush with the media came after a 23 goal flurry against a local team, at just 13 years of age. His reputation as a footballer was built up through his childhood, particularly since he was a prolific goalscorer in the Egypt 1997 under-17 world championship. His stylish play at the tournament also caught the eye of many. He is a huge fan of Brazilian music, and occasionally plays the drums and sings with friends in Barcelona.
David Beckham
In 1997, Beckham started dating the Spice Girl Victoria Adams and their relationship attracted a great deal of media interest.
He married Adams at Luttrellstown Castle, Ireland on 4 July 1999. The wedding attracted tremendous media coverage. Beckham’s teammate Gary Neville was the best man, and the couple’s son Brooklyn was the ring bearer. The media were kept away from the ceremony as the Beckhams had an exclusive deal with OK! Magazine, but newspapers were still able to obtain photographs showing them sitting on golden thrones. 437 staff were employed for the wedding reception, which was estimated to have cost £500,000.
The Beckhams have three sons: Brooklyn Joseph Beckham (born 4 March 1999), Romeo James Beckham (1 September 2002) and Cruz David Beckham (20 February 2005).
Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite ‘Kaká’
Kaká married Caroline Celico on 23 December 2005 in São Paulo, Brazil. The wedding was attended by fellow players from his national team, as well as other well known international players. Guests included Ronaldo, Adriano, Cafu, Dida, Júlio Baptista and Brazilian national coach Carlos Alberto Parreira. Kaká first met Celico in 2002, and they started dating soon after. The relationship survived Kaká’s move from São Paulo to Italy in 2003, while she was still at school. It is likely that Celico will stay in Brazil in the short-run, but the couple plan to live together in Italy soon. Against the stereotypical trend of football stars, Kaká is proud he was a virgin when he married. Celico’s mother, Rosangela Lyra, is the director of Dior in Brazil.
Zinedine Yazid Zidane
His wife, Veronique, is a former dancer and model of French-Spanish ancestry. They married in 1993 and have four sons named Enzo, Luca, Théo and Elyaz.
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Cristiano Ronaldo Videos – How Global Football Fans Revere Their Manchester United Idol
Cristiano Ronaldo videos are currently proving very popular with football afficionados the world over. But just who is Cristiano Ronaldo?
Cristiano Ronaldo burst onto the world scene in the highly regarded English Premier League in 2003. Just a few days earlier, manchester united lost whilst playing an overseas match against Sporting Clube de Portugal. During this match, Sir Alex Ferguson’s eye was drawn to this “wonderkid” of a player.
Fergie had not previously viewed any Cristiano Ronaldo videos, nor did he know much about this player. However, on the plane home after the match, several of United’s players encouraged Fergie to quickly put in a bid for the youngster, lest any other teams find out about this unique talent and start a bidding war.
As manchester united were in the market for a new winger (David Beckham had recently left), a quick bid of around £12 million was tabled and the deal quickly wrapped up.
The “other Ronaldo” was unveiled shortly thereafter at Old Trafford and introduced within days as a substitute against Bolton Wanderers. That day is recalled with fond memories by manchester united supporters who remember how he completely baffled the other team with his perfectly timed feints and elaborate stepovers, often beating and going past up to three players at a time.
Since then, Ronaldo has shown that he is one of the world’s most feared attackers. He can play on either wing and even as a supporting striker. As a midfielder, he scores many more goals than is the average for that position which is appreciated greatly by United as they have seen lean goalscoring periods in the past few years from some of their midfielders, whose contribution to goals is considered an important supplement to the regular staple produced by the orthodox strikers.
With the advent of user uploaded video content sites such as YouTube and DailyMotion, many people the world over have created their own collages of this youngster’s career in the form of Cristiano Ronaldo videos. Typically these are edited scenes of his most famous goals and deft flicks with accompanying music.
Want to see just how good this wonderkid is? See Cristiano Ronaldo videos [http://www.mufcvideos.com/cristiano-ronaldo-videos] and more at Manchester United Videos [http://www.mufcvideos.com].
Football Popularity
Football is the most popular sport in the world; in South America, Brasilia, France, U.K people play football, visit football matches, watch football games on TV and discuss them with friends and read updated football news. The games of elite football groups attract thousands of people. For instance, the capacity of Salt Lake Stadium in India is 120,000 people, and of Beaver Stadium in U.S.A – 107,282 people. In World Championship the stadiums are often full, and many people don’t manage to get tickets in time.
FIFA includes 208 different national federations. Many countries consider football a part of their national heritage, and refer to football games as to representative of the country’s national ideas. Football fans create special magazine, which presents latest football news and events, such as transfers of the players, and of season, changing of managers and coaches et cetera. Publishers and editors of fanzines often receive no financial compensation; fanzines are often distributed free of charge or for nominal cost only.
Football popularity often leads to rivalry, which sometimes develops into hooliganism. Fights between supporters of different teams usually occur after football matches. Sometimes football rivalry brings to tragedy on stadiums. At the mass brawl in May 2007, hundred liverpool fans fought each other in Athens, hoping to get a ticket for the game. Another tragic event took place at the Hillsborough stadium on April 15, 1989, causing the death of 96 people. The unprecedented influx of fans through a narrow tunnel leading to the stadium has caused a major crush.
Football has always maintained a foothold in the fans’ enthusiasm. Most of the largest stadiums in the world are used for football, because of its enormous popularity. One of the main interest in this sport is the football transfer rumours part. Raising awareness of the violence among football fans might help to reduce the danger of tragedies and save the rightfully owned popularity of the game.
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English Premiership Football Prospects for 2007-08
Can manchester united repeat their success this year after their unexpected win last time? Many people think they can and they start favourites. They have boosted their squad by signing Owen Hargreaves from Bayern Munich plus Nani and Anderson and have now picked up Carlos Tevez as well from West Ham. They have looked good in pre-season and will be there or thereabouts.
Their biggest challenger will probably again be chelsea, though liverpool arsenal and Spurs will all have a say in that. chelsea would dearly love to recover the title they lost last season, but then again they seem more interested in the Champions league. No London club has ever won the Champions league and chelsea would dearly love to smash that unwanted record.
arsenal on paper don’t look as strong, with Henri gone to Barcelona, and continuing rumours that the manager himself Arsene Wenger could be on his way out of the club. Leagues are not won on paper. I have a feeling arsenal will confound the critics and put in a strong performance this year. Their younger players will be one year older and wiser and anyone who writes them off could be standing on dangerous ground.
liverpool have not won the league for an incredible 18 years. Before that they were regularly winning it more than all the others put together. Despite two Champions league finals in the last three seasons it is the English Premier league their fans are so desperate to win. They have spent big money this time too under their new American owners, a reported 22 million pounds on Torres alone from Athletico Madrid. Whether he really is the final piece in the jigsaw, or even an important piece, remains to be seen. Some of the manager’s Spanish signings have been moderate successes at best, like Morientes, now back in La Liga, and the pressure will be on Torres to perform. He will too, but whether it will be enough only time will tell. The tempestuous Bellamy has gone to West Ham, and Cisse to Marseilles. Last year I tipped liverpool to win the league and I was wrong. They could do it this time, but will have to get past chelsea, arsenal and manchester united to do so.
As in the past two seasons Spurs remain the most likely to break into the top four. They have spent big on Southampton’s young Welsh full back Gareth Bale, and perhaps more importantly 16.5 million pounds on relegated Charlton’s striker Darren Bent. Darren has scored goals wherever he has been and now in a better team like Spurs he will be expected to score even more, though whether he will get enough starts is another matter. Spurs have four other top strikers, and Martin Jol has shown he likes to rotate his players. Spurs insistence on signing and promoting home grown talent, a direct opposite of Arsenal’s policy across the road, is to be applauded. They could improve, and break into the top four, but for that to happen, one of the top clubs would need to suffer a poor season.
And what of the rest? Newcastle have a new owner, new chairman, and new manager in Sam Allardyce, and some tasty new players too. They have signed former Middlesbrough striker Mark Viduka, they should have the fit again Michael Owen available at last, plus the signing of the tempestuous Barton from Manchester City and Alan Smith from manchester united. The manager has been quick in attempting to sort out the leaky defence too; something that has plagued the Toon for almost as long as most of us can remember. Expectations on Tyneside are huge. A vitally important season for the manager, and many of the players who are at a crossroads. I expect them to succeed.
Manchester City is another club under new ownership and managership. Former England boss Sven Goran Eriksson has taken over and with lots of Thai money to invest he will now be looking for some top players to build a decent side. He has quickly bought scattergun style on relatively unknown players, but the manager has a proven track record at club level. He will need them too as the City squad still looks lightweight and weak. It will all depend on Sven’s buys. If he can get good people in, City will certainly stay up, and may well do better than that. If he cannot, City could struggle, and Sven may turn out to be a one-season wonder in English football. I suspect not, because Sven is a good manager.
Aston Villa have begun to spend some cash under their new American owners too. England Under 21 skipper Reo-Coker has just been signed from West Ham for £8 million though they will need more than him if they are to worry the top teams. Martin O’Neill’s side started last season on fire but drifted away alarmingly. The Villa fans will be hoping for better, but I cannot see beyond mid table for them.
Everton had a good season last time and qualified for this years Uefa cup but the last time they were in Europe it seemed to distract them, and they had a terrible year. I don’t see David Moyes allowing that to happen again. They have signed Jagielka from relegated Sheffield United though that is hardly going to set the world on fire, plus the promising Baines from Wigan. Johnson should be fit again to supply some goals but they will need more than that if they are to worry the top clubs. Top eight could be their best hope.
Reading, who enjoyed a super season last year in their first ever year in the top flight, have picked up a terrible starting pair of fixtures. Unsurprisingly they are favourites to be bottom of the premiership by the end of August, but under their quietly spoken astute manager Steve Coppell, they might surprise a few people. The loss of Sidwell to Chelsea is a big blow, though they have signed several of the club’s more promising players on long-term contracts. This will be their difficult second season, something that so nearly sank Wigan last time. Reading only just missed a European place last year, anything above the dreaded bottom three this time will be considered another success by all but the most enthusiastic of Royals’ fans.
Middlesbrough have lost talisman striker Viduka, and stories abound that Yakubu could follow him out the door. If that happened I would worry who is going to score the goals to keep them up. Fulham are another club who went into freefall last time and only stayed up through a last minute change of managers. The newly installed former Northern Ireland boss Lawrie Sanchez has already been busy in the markets signing Davis from Aston Villa and Healey from Leeds. A good start could be crucial for them as well.
The fact that West Ham stayed up at all last year was due to their new Manager Alan Curbishley, and the courts deciding not to dock them points over the decidedly odd Carlos Tevez affair. The manager has strengthened by signing Parker from Newcastle and Bellamy from liverpool and should have the talented and much missed Ashton back from injury. He missed the whole of the last campaign after injuring himself in the warm up for an England match. The Icelandic owners seem determined to take West Ham on to another level. Many fans will be watching their progress this time round, some no doubt hoping they trip up due to that protracted court case, but I cannot see West Ham struggling. Mind you no one imagined they would last time out, and they did. Mid table I suspect for the Irons and a good cup run too.
Of the three promoted clubs, perhaps the most fascinating one will be to see Roy Keane’s Sunderland back as Championship champions, especially when he confronts his old boss Sir Alex Ferguson back at Old Trafford where the legions of fans still chant his name. Sunderland have been busy building up a big squad backed by Irish money and they would seem to have the financial clout to keep out of trouble. A good start might be important for them too. One feels Mister Keane’s determination and charisma all by itself will be enough to see them safely into mid table.
Birmingham look vulnerable. They did not have a great season last year despite finishing second, and took a long time to convince their own stay at home fans to turn out. They have bought players but whether they are good enough to keep the blues up remains to be seen. Currently they are second favourites to finish last, and though that might be a tad pessimistic, it does seem likely they will flirt with relegation again. Anything else would be major achievement for their yo-yo manager Steven Bruce. By the way you can still land a free $30 bet at betfair.com by inputting the code 6CHE3VPWJ when prompted.
The third newcomers are Derby Country. Diminutive Scottish boss, known as mini-Fergie wasted no time in signing former Norwich striker Robert Earnshaw who has scored goals wherever he has been and in partnership with Steve Howard, they could trouble some defences. Whether they have sufficient class and firepower would be a worry for Rams’ fans. They are expected to be relegated, and I think so too, and anything else would be a huge achievement for the board, manager, players and most of all, for the supporters who have bought season tickets in their thousands. They will be looking to emulate Reading last year and Wigan the year before that, but it will be a tall order to do so.
The Lancashire twins of Blackburn and Bolton both had good seasons again last term and with small crowds and little money to spend, that is a huge testament to their managers. But with Allardyce gone from the Reebok, Bolton under new manager, former Liverpool player, the diminutive Sammy Lee, could be in for a hard year. A good start would be most important for the Trotters and they do have players like Anelka, if they can hold on to him, who can score goals. Bolton will rely on him, but if he doesn’t do the business, they could be in trouble. Blackburn still have their super manager in Mark Hughes and with players of the growing stature of the likes of Bentley, Derbyshire and Pederson they should be fine again.
They only just missed out on Europe last time and made the semi finals of the FA Cup. On their day they are quite capable of beating anyone, and that is a huge achievement for this likeable Lancashire town club. The third Lancashire town club Wigan stayed up last time by a single point and have since lost their talismanic manager. That is not a great start and though they have signed a handful of new players, their new manager Chris Hutchings is unproven in this league. They are many people’s pick to go down this time and they could well go close to that, but something tells me they might just survive again. It will be close.
Portsmouth only just missed a Uefa Cup place by a whisker last season and they have been busy again in the market buying Nugent, the England under 21 striker from Preston, plus signing Kanu for another year. There is a much-needed new stadium on the horizon, and they should have another good season, but they are a yo-yo club, and sometimes when expected to do well, they don’t, and vice versa. Mid table again for me.
Last year two of my four predictions came up, so what about this season? Could this really be Liverpool’s year? They will go a lot closer, I am sure of that, but I suspect that Chelsea will still have something in hand to regain the crown and they can always spend more cash if they need to. manchester united would dearly love to do better in Europe and I suspect they will put everything into trying to win the Champions league again, something that the manager and fans would dearly like to see.
As for relegation, sorry Birmingham and Derby, but I just don’t think either have the firepower or class to stay up, though I would be happy to eat my words in both cases. The third downer place is a much harder one to call with City, Fulham, Reading, Wigan, Bolton, Pompey, Boro, and Sunderland, all flirting with a bottom three place during the year. For these teams, their future will be decided on the results between these clubs, where points will take on added significance. I have to pick one though, and somewhat surprisingly I feel that Boro might the ones to go, though Fulham and Wigan could also be in for another hair-raising time.
My predictions then: Champions: Chelsea. European Champions: Manchester United. Relegated: Derby, Birmingham, and Middlesbrough. Sorry chaps! Whoever you support, I wish you and your team well. Let’s have another cracking year with all issues going down to the last week. That would be the ideal for everyone. As Stuart Pearce was fond of saying: Come On!
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