Shamik Das


Monday, February 14, 2011

Ronaldo retires; a tribute to the great man

Ronaldo-holds-the-World-Cup-aloft

RONALDO, Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima, the original, the one, the only, retired from football today, 34 years young.

He said simply:

“I wanted to continue, but I can’t. I think of an action, but I can’t do it the way I want to. It’s time.”

Two hundred and forty seven goals in 343 club appearances, 62 in 97 for his country, two World Cups, World Player of the Year three times, the only man ever to play for Barça and Real, Inter and AC, the World Cup’s leading goalscorer... the stats speak for themselves.

From Paris in the summer of ’98 to Yokohama four years later, he’s known the lowest lows and the highest highs, been coached by some of the greatest minds, from Bobby Robson to Fabio Capello to Carlo Ancelloti, and for Brazil, his coaches included the legendary Mario Zagallo and Big Phil.

So many great goals, so many gongs, the dribbles, the stepovers, the sheer, unadulterated skill; fat? Hardly. And always, he looked like a man who loved playing the beautiful game, always smiling, grinning goofily, never forgetting how lucky he was to have achieved all he did.

But words can’t justice to his 18-year playing career, so here’s a little something to remember his playing days by:


And so another player from USA ’94 bows out (probably the last one, albeit only a substitute), another star of France ’98 exits the field; a little part of our youth died today, but we’ll always have the memoriez...

RonaldoHome.com: Official Ronaldo website
January 2007: Ronaldo = no-lardo
December 2006: Quote of the year!

Wednesday, February 02, 2011

Rooney back to his best as United close in on title

Wayne-Rooney-goal-scoring-record-2009-10-2010-11

Old Trafford, Premier League: Manchester United 3-1 Aston Villa


WAYNE ROONEY returned to form with his first brace for 11 months to steer Man Utd to a comfortable win and maintain their five-point lead at the top of the table. The win equals a club record 29 league games without defeat.

Rooney’s double strike takes his tally for the season to six goals from 23 games, four from 15 in the league; at this stage last season, however, he had scored 23 goals in 35 games for club and country, and an incredible 20 in 23 Premier League games.

His first last night came after just 50 seconds, only his second from open play this term, controlling Edwin van der Sar’s goal kick with aplomb before smacking a dipping shot over Brad Friedel and into the Villa goal from the edge of the area...


szólj hozzá: Man 3-1 Aston

...his second came on the stroke of half-time, tapping in a teasing Nani cross that just begged to be slotted home. Though Darren Bent pulled one back for the visitors on 58, Rooney was back in the swing within minutes, teeing up Nemanja Vidic to secure a 12th win in 13 home league games this campaign.

After the game, Rooney said:

“I have been happy with my play but obviously I want to score. As a striker you want to score goals but I have been happy with my performances, apart from the Blackpool match last week. I am delighted to have scored and hopefully I can go on a run now and help the team to win games...

“I have had a few chances off Edwin. It is something we have been trying for the past few years. It was a great ball by him and thankfully I was able to put it away. It was also a great ball from Nani. That is something he can do really well and it would be great to see him do more of it.

“He has got great dribbling skills but he is also a great crosser of a ball. If he mixes that up he will be really difficult for defenders to mark... We know it’s up to us where the title goes and I hope we can win it.”

Elsewhere this midweek round of matches, Arsenal and Chelsea both won, while Manchester City could only draw, dropping further off the pace - they now lie eight points off the pace, having played a game more, and look all but out of the title race; their bitterest rivals, meanwhile, look peerless.

ESPN Soccernet: Wayne Rooney stats page
March 2010: Rooney and Messi zero in on South Africa