Category Archives: World football

Barcelona To Wear Black Away Kit Next Season?

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This is supposedly a first look at Barcelona’s next away shirt (source: El Mundo Deportivo), made by Nike and complete with Qatar Foundation sponsor’s logo on the chest. You might think it’s for goalkeeper Victor Valdes, who has been the man in the black in recent seasons, but no, it’s for the outfield players: Messi, Xavi and co.

It’s the first time Barcelona will have worn a black shirt and whilst it’s a cynical move by Nike (there’s no reason for Barca to wear black), at least it’s an improvement on Barca’s recent away kits

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On this day – 4 January 1909

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On 4 January 1909, representatives of several clubs met in Madrid to form the Spanish football federation. The meeting was held at the offices of Real Madrid, with club president Adolfo Meléndez serving as the federation’s first secretary.

Originally named the Federación Española de Clubs de Football, the new organization followed the model of England’s FA, with the express purpose of creating a Spanish national team. After 11 years, they finally accomplished that mission when Spain played their first full international, a 1-0 win over Denmark in the 1920 Summer Olympics, where they took the silver medal. It took them another 44 years to win their first major honor, the 1964 European Championship, which they followed with an Olympic gold medal in 1992.

In February 2007, they began a record-tying unbeaten run of 35 unbeaten matches that included the 2008 European Championship. Despite those successes, critics labeled Spain as underachievers for failing to advance farther in the World Cup than their fourth-place finish in 1950. That ended in 2010, when Spain lifted the Cup over the Netherlands in a dramatic extra-time Final.

Now known as the Real Federación Española de Fútbol, or RFEF, the federation oversees the top four levels of the Spanish football pyramid, as well as both men’s and women’s national teams and the national futsal team.

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England, the World and the Premier League: Is This the Solution?

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Everyone seems to have have their own idea of where England National Teams go wrong. The are always new accusations and FA directives to try and address an issue where the country with arguably the best league, and on balance, as good a player as the best of them, where is it all going wrong?

I don’t think it’s too many foreign players in the Premier League. The France team that won World Cup ’98, out of a 22 man squad, had only 9 based in the LFP, and they included Henry, Barthez, Trezeguet, Dugarry, Pires and Blanc who all moved on soon after. In fact, if we’re splitting hairs, you could argue some of their players weren’t even from France, Thuram for example.

It’s not Infrastructure as much as people think. Infrastructure has seen coutries like Belgium and USA crop up as emerging teams thanks to their investment in youth. We all know how the USA approaches sport, but not many people realise the potential that Belgium has with a team that is now developing with the likes of Marouaine Fellaini, Steven Defour, Romelu Lukaku, Axel Witsel, the future looks exciting for Belgian football, but will they ever challenge Spain or Brazil?

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Biggest Winners Of 2010: Barca, Bale, An Octopus And… John O’Shea?

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Its that time of year again when thoughts invariably turn to the ‘new’ and stock is taken of the twelve months that played out hence – and we are no different.

As we yet again slide effortlessly over the cusp of a footballing decade and into 2011, we thought it high time to bestow the deserving (and, conversely, shame the contemptible – the ‘Biggest Losers’ list is imminent!) who have curried our favour during the last 8,765.81277 hours.

Anyway, enough of this idle chatter. Lets get down to brass tacks shall we? Here we go peeps, the Soccerlens ‘Biggest Winners’ of 2010 (in no particular order)…

1. Gareth Bale:

Rightly or wrongly, Tottenham winger Bale has seen his global stock rise astronomically after coming of age during the latter half of this calendar year – chiefly due to his double-decimation of reigning European champions Inter Milan earlier on in this season’s Champions League proceedings.

In a direct parallel with Spurs’ oft-wavering form, the 21-year-old Welsh flyer has fluctuated from ‘nigh-on unplayable’ to ‘there to make up the numbers’ and back again at domestic level this term. However, it is an indisputable fact that, when the Lilywhites are on song, it’s usually Bale that’s providing the lion’s share of the Londoners’ dynamism.

By association, Tottenham themselves also get a special mention for their efforts in bringing Champions League football to ‘The Lane’ for the first time, then making it though to the knock-out stages without a hitch in their maiden campaign.

2. Inter Milan:

The Nerazzurri‘s trophy haul for 2010 reads thusly: One Scudetto, one Coppa Italia, one Super Coppa Italia, one Champions League and there’s still a potential fifth title on it’s way (they face Congolese upstarts in the FIFA World Club Cup final tomorrow) – which, all-in-all, makes it pretty difficult to dispute their inclusion on a list of ‘winners’ really.

To save a bit of room later in the list, I’m also going to lump the individual performances of Dutch schemer Wesley Sneijder, goal hero Diego Milito and the coach responsible for germinating Inter’s all-conquering siege mentality, Jose Mourinho, in for good measure.

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Who Wouldnt Want Giggs In Their Team?

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Since being unveiled as the new Wales manager yesterday, Gary Speed has wasted no time in re-opening the lines of communication with the veterans that former incumbent John Toshack systematically put out to pasture – insisting that the door is open should ageing stalwarts like Ryan Giggs, Simon Davies and Robbie Savage wish to overturn their respective international retirements.

Speed is well aware that his crop of burgeoning youngsters may benefit from playing alongside some experienced heads, and is already planning to hold talks with Giggs over returning to the national side:

“I am sure I will be ringing around. There are a couple who have already rung me to be honest. ‘Sav’ (Savage) has rang me. I’m not sure about Ryan yet, but who wouldn’t want him in a team? I’m sure others will be in touch.”

36-year-old Savage has already publicly declared himself available for selection after being alienated by Toshack – declaring in his Mirror column:

“I’m available to play for Wales again and if Gary Speed thinks it’s the right thing for me to come back then I will do. I think I’m playing well enough to be part of Wales again.

“But I know Gary and he won’t pick people for the sake of giving his old mates a last hurrah. If he says, ‘Sav, it’s over’ then I’ll respect that and I’ll still be a big advocate of him.”

If a Wales call-up will help reduce the amount of ‘screen time’ that Savage is currently enjoying, then I’m all bloody for it.Tweet

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