Probably no other match this season has been as awaited as the clash between Manchester United and Manchester City: The clash of two of the greatest clubs in the world, from the same city. Two football philosophies clashing; Mourinho versus Guardiola.
It had every ingredient for a great match, and it did not disappoint, with a high level of drama and fantastic play.
In the ever-rainy week in Monrovia, I almost panicked when my TV at home had no signal to send the match, so I hurried into my car to find a place to watch it. I was disappointed that I had to go to a couple of places near my house in Sinkor, but finally, five minutes into the match, I found a place to watch it.
I had not seen the lineups, but it was only after 40 minutes I realized that Paul Pogba, the millionaire signing, was playing....
Manchester City were all over in the start, playing a high pressure football that one has come to connect with Pep Guardiola. An outstanding Kevin De Bruyne scored the first goal, while Sergio Aguero's replacement, the 19-year old Nigerian Kelechi Iheanacho, scoring the second goal on a ripost from a DeBruyne shot.
At this point it seemed like Manchester City could tear United apart.
But then two of the new players the clubs have invested in took over: the new goalkeeper Claudio Bravo could not reach a high ball, which went to the ever-threatening Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who scored a goal that looked easier than it really was.
The fantastic Zlatan has scored four goals in as many matches for Manchester United and is proving that at 34 years he is still on fire.
Claudio Bravo on the other hand looks like he has a mountain to climb. Coming in for the club's legendary goalkeeper Joe Hart, he looked insecure and tired throughout the match. Guardiola preferred Bravo to Hart due to Bravo's apparent better technique, but even there he looked extremely weak.
I do not understand why Guardiola preferred Bravo over Hart. Yes, technique is important, but more so it is to have a solid and popular guard on goal, who knows the club and enjoys the respect of fans and teammates alike. It seems to me Bravo will have a long way to achieve that, and he could cost more goals.
In the end it meant nothing today: Manchester United put excellent pressure on City in the second half, in particular when Marcus Rashford came on the pitch. There will surely be more pressure on Mourinho to have the youngster start the following matches.
In the end City came out victorious, but much closer than it had seemed at one point in the match. Be sure the next match will be as dramatic!
Showing posts with label Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Show all posts
Saturday, September 10, 2016
Thursday, June 23, 2016
Reflections on the Euro 2016 Group stages
- 24 teams are too many: all due respect to some of the surprise teams, but there were too many defensive and risk-free matches.
- Some groups in qualification were not very strong. Everyone from Austria's group (including Sweden and Russia), ended at the bottom of their qualifiers. Portugal's group included Albania and Denmark (the last of which was eliminated by Sweden in the play-off, another bottom team).
- The goal average has been 1.95 (47 goals in 24 matches), and if it continues below 2, it will be the lowest scoring tournament since 1980 (when 27 goals were scored in 14 matches). It is not surprising given the quality of defenses and lack of risk taking from many sides, and we are well below the averages of the last three tournaments, all above 2.4 goals per match.
- Despite few goals, some have been truly fantastic: Dimitri Payet's against Romania in the opening match stands out, but so does Luka Modric's against Turkey, Ronaldo's first goal against Hungary, and Axel Witsel's against Ireland (following 28 passes!)
- It is hard to say which has been the best team, but some stand out: Italy (following their brilliant performance against Belgium), Croatia (their fans stood in the way of making them the only team to go through with three victories), Spain (two strong easy victories and a defeat to a great team), France and Germany (both teams won their groups as expected, but more is expected of them).
- Some players have stood out: Andres Iniesta, Ivan Perisic, Dimitri Payet and Gareth Bale
- Iceland has been the biggest surprise of the tournament, with 8% of their population in the stands. Surely they are not a seeworthy team in the technical sense, but their organization and fighting spirit has carried them this far, and they are the darlings of the tournament.
- The other big surprise has been Hungary. It is refreshing to see a side that has meant so much in football history, but not participated in a major tournament for 30 years, back among the 16 best.
- Portugal has been the biggest disappointment. And they have not won many friends by being too full of themselves and looking down on opponents.
- We will all miss Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
- Hooliganism, nationalism and (in)security have rightfully been issues of concern, and have cast a shadow over the tournament. A pity for the many good fans, but it does not take away the disgrace of hooliganism again making such a return in 2016.
Thursday, December 31, 2015
Top 10 Best Players of 2015
This is my top 10 list of my favourite players of 2015. While making the list I was increasingly annoyed that these lists are getting too similar as best players play in the best clubs, reinforcing that the impression of players being better and better. The best example of this is undoubtedly the amazing trio of Barcelona, Messi-Suarez-Neymar, who not only are incredible to look at as they take apart defenses, but also make a strong Barcelona side stronger. So I am not going to hide that this list is subjective:
10) Cristiano Ronaldo: Surely an amazing football player; speed, skills, technique. The problem that I do not rate him as highly as other lists may do, is that he in my view continues to be less a team player than he should be. It all circles around him, and when it does in a weaker side, like the Portuguese national team, he does not carry the team on his shoulders. That said, an incredible player.
9) Zlatan Ibrahimovic: a top player and an individualist that also expects the team to play for him. He has been strong in Paris St. Germain, but more so in carrying, almost single-handedly, his native Sweden to the European Championships.
8) David Alaba: Although he was injured part of the year, he continues to amaze as one of the strongest all-round players in the world. He has been used in almost every position in Bayern Munich under Guardiola, playing normally defender, but showing his immense quality. The fact that he captains an Austrian national team that sailed its way to the European Championship.
7) Paul Pogba: He has only grown as a player this year both for Juventus and for the French national team (although automatically qualified for the European Championships, the French have not been overly under pressure).
6) Luka Modric: Although Real Madrid has struggled towards the end of the year, the absence of Luka Modric due to injury showed that they were missing one of their most important players for part of the year. Modric is not also core of the Real Madrid team, but also of the Croatian national team.
5) Thomas Muller: for a long time he has been one of the best, if not the best, in the world. Surely he is one the best all-round players with both creative, defensive and scoring abilities, both on the Bayern Munich side as well as on the German World Champions. Both teams continue to be among the best in the world, with Muller as one of the pillars.
4) Neymar: Has really grown as a footballer in 2015 as part of Barcelona's terrific attacking force, where he has also shown himself as a good team players, notwithstanding his amazing technique. It continues to be very annoying that he has too much temper, as he showed in the Copa America, and also dives and cries too much whenever someone touches him.
3) Robert Lewandovski: The Polish striker has been amazing this season. Who can forget his five goals against Wolfburg? But not only that, he has scored goals in the Bundesliga and Champions League for Bayern Munich, as well as for Poland, leading them to the European Championships.
2) Lionel Messi: Undoubtedly the Argentine continues to be amazing despite a period of injury where the Barcelona side did great anyway. That said, he continues to be unable to shine as brightly on the Argentine national team that only made it to the final of the Copa America, and has started World Cup qualifiers with terible results.
1) Ivan Rakitic: Rakitic is more often than not overseen on a team with Messi, Neymar and Suarez. But among these superstars anyone should be able to see that Rakitic is the one putting up the hard all-round work that keeps the team glued together. He is perhaps the best example of a modern all round player in 2015, both on Barcelona and on the Croatian national team.
Not an easy list! Other players I considered for the list: Andres Iniesta, Sergio Aguero, Manuel Neuer, Alexis Sanchez, Claudio Bravo, Arjen Robben, Diego Godin, Arturo Vidal, Angel DiMaria, Tibaut Courtois, Carly Lloyd and Luis Suarez.
10) Cristiano Ronaldo: Surely an amazing football player; speed, skills, technique. The problem that I do not rate him as highly as other lists may do, is that he in my view continues to be less a team player than he should be. It all circles around him, and when it does in a weaker side, like the Portuguese national team, he does not carry the team on his shoulders. That said, an incredible player.
9) Zlatan Ibrahimovic: a top player and an individualist that also expects the team to play for him. He has been strong in Paris St. Germain, but more so in carrying, almost single-handedly, his native Sweden to the European Championships.
8) David Alaba: Although he was injured part of the year, he continues to amaze as one of the strongest all-round players in the world. He has been used in almost every position in Bayern Munich under Guardiola, playing normally defender, but showing his immense quality. The fact that he captains an Austrian national team that sailed its way to the European Championship.
7) Paul Pogba: He has only grown as a player this year both for Juventus and for the French national team (although automatically qualified for the European Championships, the French have not been overly under pressure).
6) Luka Modric: Although Real Madrid has struggled towards the end of the year, the absence of Luka Modric due to injury showed that they were missing one of their most important players for part of the year. Modric is not also core of the Real Madrid team, but also of the Croatian national team.
5) Thomas Muller: for a long time he has been one of the best, if not the best, in the world. Surely he is one the best all-round players with both creative, defensive and scoring abilities, both on the Bayern Munich side as well as on the German World Champions. Both teams continue to be among the best in the world, with Muller as one of the pillars.
4) Neymar: Has really grown as a footballer in 2015 as part of Barcelona's terrific attacking force, where he has also shown himself as a good team players, notwithstanding his amazing technique. It continues to be very annoying that he has too much temper, as he showed in the Copa America, and also dives and cries too much whenever someone touches him.
3) Robert Lewandovski: The Polish striker has been amazing this season. Who can forget his five goals against Wolfburg? But not only that, he has scored goals in the Bundesliga and Champions League for Bayern Munich, as well as for Poland, leading them to the European Championships.
2) Lionel Messi: Undoubtedly the Argentine continues to be amazing despite a period of injury where the Barcelona side did great anyway. That said, he continues to be unable to shine as brightly on the Argentine national team that only made it to the final of the Copa America, and has started World Cup qualifiers with terible results.
1) Ivan Rakitic: Rakitic is more often than not overseen on a team with Messi, Neymar and Suarez. But among these superstars anyone should be able to see that Rakitic is the one putting up the hard all-round work that keeps the team glued together. He is perhaps the best example of a modern all round player in 2015, both on Barcelona and on the Croatian national team.
Not an easy list! Other players I considered for the list: Andres Iniesta, Sergio Aguero, Manuel Neuer, Alexis Sanchez, Claudio Bravo, Arjen Robben, Diego Godin, Arturo Vidal, Angel DiMaria, Tibaut Courtois, Carly Lloyd and Luis Suarez.
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Zlatan to the European Championship
When two teams that are not among the top 20 of European football clash in a play-off match to qualify for the European Championship, one is justified in not expecting much in terms of quality. Denmark and Sweden was one of these play-off matches: two former greats who have fallen low, but with one difference between these two mediocre sides: Zlatan Ibrahimovic is still one of the greatest players in the world, and the one to watch out for in France. He played around a Danish side that was better than the Swedish at times, but who have no striker of any quality whatsoever, justifying Denmark's awful scoring record in qualification.
While Sweden has Zlatan, they will have to improve significantly if they are to have any chance at the European Championship. In the meantime, Denmark will have to work from scratch: Morten Olsen, the manager since 2000, is stepping down. He has been leading Danish football for 15 years, and the transition will not be easy, in particular because Denmark lacks talent in its youth. So it is unlikely to see Denmark in any major tournament for the foreseeable future.
But big congratulations to Sweden and in particular to the fantastic Zlatan!
While Sweden has Zlatan, they will have to improve significantly if they are to have any chance at the European Championship. In the meantime, Denmark will have to work from scratch: Morten Olsen, the manager since 2000, is stepping down. He has been leading Danish football for 15 years, and the transition will not be easy, in particular because Denmark lacks talent in its youth. So it is unlikely to see Denmark in any major tournament for the foreseeable future.
But big congratulations to Sweden and in particular to the fantastic Zlatan!
Friday, January 03, 2014
Best players of 2013
My (very personal) top ten list of the best players of 2013 is as follows:
10. Mario Gotze: While in Borussia Dortmund the German youngster was one of the leading players in taking the Germans to the Champions League final. He was purchased for a record sum by Bayern Munich, where he remains struggling to become a steady player, but still has time.
9. Yaya Toure: Manchester City has many great players, but the best is Yaya Toure, who is solid, technically skilled and an incredible shot. He is also a core player of the Ivorian national team that qualified for the world cup, but could have done better in the Africa Cup of Nations.
8. David Alaba: The young Austrian has established himself as a star in the best team of the world and was named Austrian player of the year for the third year in a row at the tender age of 21. He is set to become one of the world's greatest and is surely the world's best left back.
7. Lionel Messi: Yes, he continued scoring goals like a Duracell battery until his injury, but at the end of the year he was immersed in a soap opera of "sadness", tax-evasion and gossip. He was ok for the Argentinean national team, but was not the one leading them to the World Cup, and it may seem that the most glorious days are over for the Argentinean.
6. Philipp Lahm: Lahm is the captain of the best team in the world, Bayern Munich, and captains the German national team, for whom he played his 100th game in 2013. As captain of the Germans he has been an inspiration, playing as one of the world's best.
5. Zlatan Ibrahimovic: If anything, Ibrahimovic is one of the most charismatic players in modern football, but is surely also a great striker. He is the top scoring player in the French league in a Paris St. Germain side that will do great things, and is surely the best player of Sweden.
10. Mario Gotze: While in Borussia Dortmund the German youngster was one of the leading players in taking the Germans to the Champions League final. He was purchased for a record sum by Bayern Munich, where he remains struggling to become a steady player, but still has time.
9. Yaya Toure: Manchester City has many great players, but the best is Yaya Toure, who is solid, technically skilled and an incredible shot. He is also a core player of the Ivorian national team that qualified for the world cup, but could have done better in the Africa Cup of Nations.
8. David Alaba: The young Austrian has established himself as a star in the best team of the world and was named Austrian player of the year for the third year in a row at the tender age of 21. He is set to become one of the world's greatest and is surely the world's best left back.
7. Lionel Messi: Yes, he continued scoring goals like a Duracell battery until his injury, but at the end of the year he was immersed in a soap opera of "sadness", tax-evasion and gossip. He was ok for the Argentinean national team, but was not the one leading them to the World Cup, and it may seem that the most glorious days are over for the Argentinean.
6. Philipp Lahm: Lahm is the captain of the best team in the world, Bayern Munich, and captains the German national team, for whom he played his 100th game in 2013. As captain of the Germans he has been an inspiration, playing as one of the world's best.
5. Zlatan Ibrahimovic: If anything, Ibrahimovic is one of the most charismatic players in modern football, but is surely also a great striker. He is the top scoring player in the French league in a Paris St. Germain side that will do great things, and is surely the best player of Sweden.
4. Neymar: For a long time I doubted whether Neymar was that good, but he has certainly won me over as a fan through hard work, humility, and skills that are out of this world. In Barcelona he has fought hard to prove himself but is now a certain starter, and in Brazil's side he was one of the leading players, a role that will also be expected of him in the World Cup.
3. Luis Suarez: As always, the Uruguayan was mired in controversy and drama, but in the fall he has managed to control himself and has become the best striker in the world for Liverpool FC, scoring many and beautiful goals. With Uruguay he has also been an important player in qualifying them to the World Cup, and if anything, the absence of Liverpool from European football in the spring, may end up with Suarez being fully fresh in Brazil...
2. Cristiano Ronaldo: Also immersed in controversy in the spring under Jose Mourinho in Real Madrid, the Portuguese has nevertheless grown to be the one player who carries a big part of Real Madrid on his shoulders. He is a complete players with extraordinary skill, and was also almost single-handedly responsible for qualifying his country to the World Cup.
1. Frank Ribery: With so many amazing players on Bayern Munich's amazing very complete side, it is almost impossible to see any one player independently of another. That said, Frank Ribery has come to show everything extraordinary about the German side, with skills, power, speed and intelligence, as well as taking responsibility when things are difficult. The last thing he also showed with France's qualification for the world cup, where he will indeed be crucial if France is to have any hopes of advancing.
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Ronaldo to Brazil
In a previous post I asked who I would rather see walking down Copacabana: a Portuguese or a Swede? This was partly because I was afraid of asking whether Ronaldo or Ibrahimovic would be best in te World Cup.
I am not afraid of comparing any more. While it will be a pity that Ibrahimovic (who scored two goals tonight), it would be a much greater pity to miss Cristiano Ronaldo, who at the moment, together with Frank Ribery, is the best player in the world, far better than the little Argetinean, who is becoming more of a boring soap opera star.
Who would have thought...?
With three goals tonight it was Cristiano Ronaldo who took Portugal to Brazil. Portugal often annoys me me because they become cocky, and lose matches against worse teams. They may do the same in Brazil, but if they keep their head cold and with a magical Ronaldo, Portugal could well conquer the world in their former colony...
Wednesday, April 03, 2013
Hope is alive
In the previous round of the Champions League FC Barcelona destroyed AC Milan 4-0 after having lost the first match in Italy 0-2. Today, in the first leg of the quarterfinal in Paris the Catalonians got 2-2. FC Barcelona was up 2-1 on goals by Messi and Xavi (on penalty) until the 93rd minute when Blaise Matuidi equalized for the French side to give them hope before the second leg in Barcelona.
In spite of Zlatan Ibrahimovic scoring and David Beckham becoming the first player to play Champions League in four different sides, hope is the best that Paris St. Germain has before what will be a very difficult second leg
In today's other quarterfinal Bayern Munich was superior to Juventus in a 2-0 home victory where David Alaba scored after only one minute and Thomas Muller made it 2-0 in the second half.
Juventus' hope is that their defeat was not large enough and that they can pull back on the two goals.
But hope seems really to be the best that Juventus can take away from the first leg. Bayern Munich are currently playing extraordinary football, and as Paris St. Germain, they have a difficult second leg to look forward to.
But one more thing should give Paris St. Germain and Juventus hope: anything can happen in football!
In spite of Zlatan Ibrahimovic scoring and David Beckham becoming the first player to play Champions League in four different sides, hope is the best that Paris St. Germain has before what will be a very difficult second leg
In today's other quarterfinal Bayern Munich was superior to Juventus in a 2-0 home victory where David Alaba scored after only one minute and Thomas Muller made it 2-0 in the second half.
Juventus' hope is that their defeat was not large enough and that they can pull back on the two goals.
But hope seems really to be the best that Juventus can take away from the first leg. Bayern Munich are currently playing extraordinary football, and as Paris St. Germain, they have a difficult second leg to look forward to.
But one more thing should give Paris St. Germain and Juventus hope: anything can happen in football!
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Best players of 2012
This is my personal list of favourite players of 2012:
- 10) Cristiano Ronaldo: Ronaldo is one of the most gifted players of our time, but that is also what makes him so frustrating. He had a marvelous season for Real Madrid when they took the Spanish title, but it seems he only glows when things go well for the team. Perhaps it is a personality or attitude problem, but he will not become one of the best in the world even though he could.
- 9) Miroslav Klose: At a time where you see more assholes than gentlemen in international football, Klose is a marvelous rarity. The veteran has done very well in Lazio, which is in second place in Serie A, but I mostly include him for a goal he scored against Napoli, where he got the referee to disallow it by pointing out to him that he had scored by hand! A true sportsman!
- 8) Robbie van Persie: One of the most noted transfers was when Arsenal captain van Persie changed to Manchester United this summer. Both in Arsenal and in Manchester the Dutchman has been a goal machine, and he has been a huge contribution to Manchester United's first spot in the Premier League in the fall.
- 7) Didier Drogba: One of the reasons that Chelsea has not been as good in the fall is the absence of Didier Drogba who retired to play in China after bringing glory to Chelsea by scoring both in the FA Cup final and in the Champions League final. He is not only missed by Chelsea fans but by any football fan who loved to see this absolutely brilliant striker!
- 6) Zlatan Ibrahimovic: Ibrahimovic is a unique player. Which other player has given birth to a verb, "Zlatanera"? He was scoring a lot of goals for AC Milan before his change to Paris St. Germain, where he is currently the top scoring player in the French League as Paris takes first spot. Also, he scored what is probably the most memorable goal of the year in a friendly match against England in November.
- 5) Xavi: Xavi continues to be the mid-field general of both FC Barcelona and Spain, two of the best teams in the world, not least for his impressive vision.
- 4) Radamel Falcao: The Colombian striker is perhaps the best striker in the world at the moment. In a revived Atletico Madrid side he has been a goal machine, leading them both to the Europa League title, the UEFA Supercup and a second place in the Spanish league, where his scoring record this season is only second to the mighty Messi.
- 3) Andrea Pirlo: When the Italian veteran changed from AC Milan to Juventus in 2011 it seemed as if he were reborn. He was the outstanding midfield general on a side that in 2012 went on to win their first Serie A title since 2003, and in the Euro 2012 he was simply superb in leading an Italian side that played a more offensive football than other Italian sides was playing. He would have been the best player of the tournament had he not been dwarfed by the mighty Spanish in the final.
- 2) Andres Iniesta: It is a pity that the brilliant and elegant Andres Iniesta still has often suffered from injuries during the year, as this prevents fans from admiring one of the greatest players of time. In FC Barcelona he still is outstanding and it was fully deserved when he was awarded the prize of best player of the tournament, as well as his award as UEFA best player of the year, ahead of his team-mate Lionel Messi!
- 1) Lionel Messi: There is no way around it. This has probably been the best year for Lionel Messi ever (in spite of an absence of titles, with only the Copa del Rey). He was simply unstoppable in scoring goals, making it to 91 goals in the year, breaking legendary Gerd Muller's record. These goals have not only come for Barcelona, but also for the Argentine national team, where he seems to have finally become good after many years of disappointing.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
For Zlatan!
Sweden inaugurated a new stadium in Stockholm, Friends Arena, with a friendly match against England tonight. But in this inauguration one man took all the attention: Sweden's superstar striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
There has never been doubt about his quality, although sometimes he can be petulant and lazy. But tonight his talent was extraordinary. With all four goals in their 4-2 victory, he almost singlehandedly gave Sweden the victory. His second goal, where he took the ball down with the best while running and hammered it in was a brilliant piece of skill, but surely everyone is talking about his fourth goal, where he did a spectacular bicycle kick from 30 meters out. Besides the skill, it was a bit lucky, you have to grant him that, but a great player is the one with the confidence to try such a kick!
Ibrahimovic is having a great season in Paris St. Germain as well, and one has to wonder if Zlatan is not, indeed, the best striker in the world at the moment!
Monday, March 22, 2010
The best: Lionel Messi
Today Barcelona defeated Zaragoza 4-2 in the Spanish League, and the small Argentinean super-star, Lionel Messi, scored three goals and got himself a penalty that he humbly let Ibrahimovic take and score. With these three goals Messi has scored eight goals in a week, and is far ahead in the top scoring list of the Spanish League. Messi is a one-man army, keeping a rather unstable Barcelona side fighting. And truly, the way Messi is playing, Barcelona can still win it all.
It is not only that he scores a lot of goals, but it is also the way he does it: they are gorgeous goals, and every moment he has the ball, one is expecting something great to happen. What Messi does is beyond football; it is art. There can be no doubt whatsoever that Messi is the best player in the world at the moment; that players like him only come once in a lifetime.
Besides this talent that all football fans are in awe about, the man is a model star: serious, hardworking, a team-player, as well as modest and humble, and these are all things where his greatness lies.
God has given all football fans a gift by letting us see Messi play football.
It is not only that he scores a lot of goals, but it is also the way he does it: they are gorgeous goals, and every moment he has the ball, one is expecting something great to happen. What Messi does is beyond football; it is art. There can be no doubt whatsoever that Messi is the best player in the world at the moment; that players like him only come once in a lifetime.
Besides this talent that all football fans are in awe about, the man is a model star: serious, hardworking, a team-player, as well as modest and humble, and these are all things where his greatness lies.
God has given all football fans a gift by letting us see Messi play football.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Barcelona World Champions
2009 has been the year where FC Barcelona has won absolutely everything, today adding the last title: Club World Champions, after winning the final of the FIFA Club World Championship in Dubai against the Argentinean club Estudiantes de La Plata.
While it was highly expected that the match would be kind of a walkover for the Catalonians, it proved much harder than that for FC Barcelona, who eager to add this title to their list, played with their absolute strongest line-up: Estudiantes de La Plata played an extraordinary first half, where the veteran Juán Sebastián Verón played an amazing match, and the Argentineans went ahead 1-0. In the second half FC Barcelona started putting pressure on Estudiantes, who defended bravely and was still dangerous on the counter-attacks. Although Messi and in particular Ibrahimovic were very dangerous, it was only two minutes before the end of the match when FC Barcelona managed to equalize by way of a header of the young Pedro. In extra time the saviour for FC Barcelona was yet again Messi, who has been instrumental in FC Barcelona's extraordinary year.
Estudiantes de La Plata, a defensive but well-playing and galant side, did not manage to equalize, but certainly showed that they are indeed one of the best teams in the world!
But congratulations to Barcelona, who have now won it all!
While it was highly expected that the match would be kind of a walkover for the Catalonians, it proved much harder than that for FC Barcelona, who eager to add this title to their list, played with their absolute strongest line-up: Estudiantes de La Plata played an extraordinary first half, where the veteran Juán Sebastián Verón played an amazing match, and the Argentineans went ahead 1-0. In the second half FC Barcelona started putting pressure on Estudiantes, who defended bravely and was still dangerous on the counter-attacks. Although Messi and in particular Ibrahimovic were very dangerous, it was only two minutes before the end of the match when FC Barcelona managed to equalize by way of a header of the young Pedro. In extra time the saviour for FC Barcelona was yet again Messi, who has been instrumental in FC Barcelona's extraordinary year.
Estudiantes de La Plata, a defensive but well-playing and galant side, did not manage to equalize, but certainly showed that they are indeed one of the best teams in the world!
But congratulations to Barcelona, who have now won it all!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Nationalities in football
It is kind of annoying to be a fan of a sport where old-fashioned nationalism thrives: football.
I was just reading an article about Arsenal's Spanish goalkeeper Manuel Almunia, who after many years in England, is planning to become an English citizen. Since he has never played for his native Spain, this would make him eligible for the English national team (who does have a goalkeeping problem).
Why does this seem to annoy so many people? Examples are so numerous, historically and in football, about the fluidity of nationality, as to make the arguments about football nationality irrelevant, particularly in Spain, who continues to sport non-Spanish born players on its national team, Senna, as well as having done it before: Di Stefano, Puzkas, Donato...
France has a long list of players born in Africa, and Germany has quite a number of players of mixed nationality. Turkey has players who were born, raised and live abroad, while even the Italian defending champions had one on their team, besides having Christian Vieri, whose brother in fact plays for Australia.
Portugal has many Brazilians, besides their big star Deco, as well as having had their greatest star, Eusebio.
In none of these teams, does anybody doubt the nationality of any of the players, and none of the players make any of these teams less "national". In fact, I would even argue that it makes them more so, as it opens up for the changing and evolving cultural structures in national societies, where it is constantly re-defined what it means to be "from somewhere". Football-players like these are important contributors to this.
For many people, and in some countries, nationality is something about the blood or whatever undefineable. I saw a thing on Danish TV3 not long ago about how Zlatan Ibrahimovic would never have had a chance to make it to the national team in Denmark, while in neighboring Sweden he did have the support to become a great Danish star. And this tells you more about Danish society than it does about the football players or the national football team!
Let us forget this, and enjoy football as it is: in truth, the best football is seen in the multi-national club teams of the Champions League, rather than in second-rate national teams that assemble but twice a year. Still, "normal" people (that is, not football-fans) tend to like the latter because it appeals to the lowest common denominators of national tribalism.
I was just reading an article about Arsenal's Spanish goalkeeper Manuel Almunia, who after many years in England, is planning to become an English citizen. Since he has never played for his native Spain, this would make him eligible for the English national team (who does have a goalkeeping problem).
Why does this seem to annoy so many people? Examples are so numerous, historically and in football, about the fluidity of nationality, as to make the arguments about football nationality irrelevant, particularly in Spain, who continues to sport non-Spanish born players on its national team, Senna, as well as having done it before: Di Stefano, Puzkas, Donato...
France has a long list of players born in Africa, and Germany has quite a number of players of mixed nationality. Turkey has players who were born, raised and live abroad, while even the Italian defending champions had one on their team, besides having Christian Vieri, whose brother in fact plays for Australia.
Portugal has many Brazilians, besides their big star Deco, as well as having had their greatest star, Eusebio.
In none of these teams, does anybody doubt the nationality of any of the players, and none of the players make any of these teams less "national". In fact, I would even argue that it makes them more so, as it opens up for the changing and evolving cultural structures in national societies, where it is constantly re-defined what it means to be "from somewhere". Football-players like these are important contributors to this.
For many people, and in some countries, nationality is something about the blood or whatever undefineable. I saw a thing on Danish TV3 not long ago about how Zlatan Ibrahimovic would never have had a chance to make it to the national team in Denmark, while in neighboring Sweden he did have the support to become a great Danish star. And this tells you more about Danish society than it does about the football players or the national football team!
Let us forget this, and enjoy football as it is: in truth, the best football is seen in the multi-national club teams of the Champions League, rather than in second-rate national teams that assemble but twice a year. Still, "normal" people (that is, not football-fans) tend to like the latter because it appeals to the lowest common denominators of national tribalism.
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