David Beckham: England legend or a vain failure?

In his last of his 115 caps for England in October, David Beckham was given the man of the match award despite playing only 32 minutes of the game. As weird decisions go, it was a good way of embodying the strange, polarising effect that Beckham has had over 14 years in the national team.

For some he will be seen forever as the man who went to three World Cups finals and failed every time; a self-regarding fraud whose best days as a footballer were 10 years ago. For most of the Wembley crowd he remains an all-English hero, whose loyalty to that Football Association marketing concept "the Three Lions" puts him up there with the greats who have represented England.

The argument is self-perpetuating: the more he is lionised by some, the more he is resented by others and so it goes until the basic questions anyone should ask about a footballer - can he still play? Is he a good professional? - are lost in the debate about what he has come to represent.

Now that his England career has been ended so abruptly the chances of that debate ever being resolved sensibly, with him having one final hurrah from the bench at a World Cup, are gone.

It is a debate that is only likely to be intensified if he accepts the invitation to go with the squad to South Africa as a non-playing member of the party/monumental distraction.

Let's get the debate about him as a footballer out of the way first. At 34, he is long past his best but in the 21 caps since his comeback under Steve McClaren in August 2007, he has contributed. I make it nine assists in those games, including two crosses for goals against Estonia in June 2007; the ball for Peter Crouch's goal in the Wembley defeat to Croatia the same year and even a short corner for Shaun Wright-Phillips to score from in his last game against Belarus.

But it will not be the statistics upon which posterity judges Beckham's England career, it is the whole caravan: the deferential England managers, the spurious bookings, the tattoos, the pre-World Cup parties and the general impression some have of Beckham that he thinks the world orbits around him.

The problem many people who love to hate Beckham encounter is that as an individual he is hard to dislike. He is not a bon viveur full of witty put-downs when he faces the press - that is Steven Gerrard's job - but Beckham is polite, mild and, even now, sometimes stumbles over his words.

The supporters at Wembley cannot all be wrong. They feel a connection with him that transcends the usual suspicion of modern-day millionaire footballers. They like the fact that he is rich, famous and lives in Beverly Hills but, like them, makes a regular pilgrimage to the stadium by the North Circular in the vain hope that one day the England team will get their act together.

Champions League Final Defeat Inspires Manchester United Forward Wayne Rooney

Manchester United's tireless striker Wayne Rooney, who has added relentless goalscoring to his workmanlike engine this season, will use his past experiences in Champions League finals, both in Rome and in Moscow, as inspirational sources ahead of his side' s AC Milan test this week.

"It was a weird night," Rooney said, reminiscing with the Mirror. "It was obviously an achievement to get there, but then it was just a horrible, horrible feeling losing to Barcelona.

"The memory of that night has made me determined to get back there again," the Englishman revealed. "Actually, what motivates me even more is the previous season when we won the final in Moscow, the feeling after that game was something special, probably the best moment of my career so far, and I want to experience it again, but Barcelona hurt us all."

Much of the pre-match hype has focussed on former United golden boy David Beckham lacing up with Milan against Sir Alex Ferguson et al, however, Rooney insists he - and United - will be looking to avenge European defeats to the San Siro outfit both in 2005, and also in 2007.

"It is going to be a difficult game because they are a very experienced side. I’ve already played them twice in the Champions League and each time they knocked us out, so we know it will be tough, but hopefully this time we can come out on top.

"They’ve got quite a few [experienced] players like Clarence Seedorf, Andrea Pirlo, David Beckham from set pieces, and Alexandre Pato is a quality player too. All their players can produce something special, so we have to be careful.

"It is always difficult to play Italian opposition. At the beginning of the season I think they were struggling a bit, but over the last couple of months they found some good form and they are playing well, so it will be a difficult game for us.

"Personally I know how tough it is going to be, especially if Alessandro Nesta is playing for them. In the other games, his positional sense was brilliant, and it was difficult. Because he reads the game so well, it was difficult to play against him.

Beckham, Rooney feels, is comparable to current United veteran midfielder Ryan Giggs, both of whom can be regarded as an "inspiration".

"Just like Ryan Giggs, David is an inspiration for how he has played at the top for so long. David is a very professional lad, he’s done well, he’s still a player young lads look up to and want to emulate. He’s had a great career and is still going."

Article Source : goal.com

8 International Football Legends

Many have been called ‘great’; however, there are a few who can be called ‘legendary’. We have tried to compile such a list of football players. These men have astounded us; they captured our imagination and became the best at what they do. Most of them have of course gone beyond playing football: they elevated the sport.

Here is our list of 8 men who became legends:

Edison (Edson) Arantes do Nascimento aka Pelé

Pelé is one of the most well-known football stars and even those who do not know much about this sport, recognize his name. He once compared himself to Beethoven and the International Olympic Committee named him the Athlete of the Century in 1998. He became famous as 17 and led the Brazilians to victory in 1958, 1962 and 1970.

Diego Armando Maradona aka Maradona

Maradona and Pelé are the two greatest FIFA soccer players of the 20th century. Maradona was the South American Footballer of the Year in 1979 and 1980. He is a controversial figure in international football and has managed to capture the entire world’s attention. He played in 4 World Cups and is known for his Hand of God and Goal of the century.

Cristiano Ronaldo

He is still young but has captured international attention, especially when FIFPro named him their World Player of the Year 2008. He is the first United player to win the Golden Ball that the European Footballer of the Year receives since George Best in 1968.

Thierry Henry

Thierry Henry received the Légion d’Honneur, which is the highest decoration in France, for his role in the 1998 World Cup. He won the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year in 2003, 2004 and 2006, which is unrivalled. Arsenal fans call him their greatest player and Henry managed to popularise ‘Va va voom’ so much that it got included in the Concise Oxford English Dictionary.

Roberto Baggio

Baggio, or Il Divin Codino, scored 9 goals in 3 World Cup Finals and is one of the FIFA 100. Baggio was FIFA Player of the Year in 1993 but his fame could be mostly because he ‘lost’ Italy the 1994 World Cup. He made up for it with a penalty shot in 1998, though. A 2001 internet poll named him the Most Loved Player.

Paulo Roberto Falcão

Falcão, a FIFA 100 member, is one of the most talented midfielders ever. He played midfield for Brazil in the 1982 and 1986 World Cups. He won 3 Brazilian National Championships — 1975, 1976, and 1979 – and people called him ‘8th king of Rome’.

David Beckham

Beckham is one of ‘Britain’s Greatest Ambassadors’ and only the 21st player to score in 3 World Cups. He received entry into The English Football Hall of Fame in 2008 and is one of the most recognisable football stars. He and his wife have become somewhat of an industry.

Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite aka Kaká

This young football star is better known as Kaká and was FIFA World Player of the Year and European footballer of the year in 2007. He is the midfielder of AC Milan and also plays for the Brazilian national team.

Article Source : http://www.borntoredefine.com/8-international-football-legends/

Farewell Dwight Yorke

Dwight Yorke, the former Manchester United forward whose goals led the club to 1999 treble glory, has retired from football at the age of 37 and intends to become a coach. He is to take up the post of assistant manager of the Trinidad and Tobago national team as a first step into coaching. Yorke's contract with Sunderland - his final club - was not renewed at the end of last season.

"It's time to hang up my boots," said the striker who scored 64 goals in 151 appearances for United.

"While I'm still in great shape, I'm not getting any younger. I've had the time of my life. I hope people will say that I played the game in the right way with a smile on my face.

"I've been blessed really. I've played alongside some of the greatest players the Premier League has ever seen in Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Peter Schmeichel, and played for the greatest manager in Alex Ferguson."

Yorke eventually fell out with Sir Alex Ferguson over the player's excessive lifestyle, but the player contributed fully to one of the most successful periods in United's history between 1998 and 2002. In the player's first three seasons the club won an unprecedented three Premier League trophies in a row and the 1999 European Cup.

It was Yorke's partnership with Andy Cole that the Trinidad and Tobago international will be best remembered for. Yorke finished top scorer in the 1999 season and the combination proved devastating. Famously the pair one-two'ed its way through the Barcelona defence on way to United's 3-3 draw in the Noup Camp.

It was a great return for Yorke, the man from the tiny island, who arrived at Old Trafford after nearly 10 years at Aston Villa. Despite leaving the club for United in a contentious GBP12.6 million deal - and later playing for Birmingham City - Yorke is still held in high esteem at Villa Park as one of their greatest ever players. So he should be. Yorke has always been the player with a smile on his face. Talented but also very much a man of the people.

Yorke's off-the-field activities and the arrival of Ruud van Nistelrooy put paid to his United career after four seasons. The forward's relationship with 'model' Jordan, with whom he had a son, was played out in the public through the tabloids - a scenario that Ferguson is never happy with.

The player was eventually sold for GBP2 million to Blackburn in the summer of 2002 but it was a sad end to a wonderful, if short, United career. He played out his days with Blackburn, Birmingham, Sydney FC and then Sunderland - reinventing himself as a deep lying midfielder late in his career.

But for such patriotic man it is perhaps the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany that was Yorke's proudest moment. He captained the tiny Trinidad and Tobago to thier first tournament.

"I'll always count myself lucky," said Yorke.

"I was a boy on a beach from a little Caribbean island that got the chance to fulfil his dream of winning trophies at the highest level and captaining his country in their first ever World Cup Finals."

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ed_Barker

Man United legends back decision to sell Ronaldo

MANCHESTER: Manchester United's decision to sell Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid for a world record 80 million pounds (RM465 million) has been backed by some of the club's former idols.

Mark Hughes, currently in charge at local rivals Manchester City, enjoyed two successful spells as a player at Old Trafford and is adamant Sir Alex Ferguson has only agreed to let Ronaldo go because he believes it is in United's best interests in the long-term.

"Obviously Manchester United feel it is good business for them," Hughes said on Thursday. "Sir Alex Ferguson makes key decisions very quickly and I suspect he will have been very much involved in what has happened.

"He has made what he thinks is the right decision for the club and we have to respect that.

"It is a significant amount of money and I am sure Real Madrid will be very pleased with the business they have been able to do as well."

Meanwhile, Tommy Docherty, who was United's manager for five years in the 1970s, told Sky Sports News: "I think United should cut their hands off and run and don't even consider about it at all.

"I can only think Sir Alex has come to the conclusion - and I think he's quite right - to get rid of him because the same problem is going to arise next year again and the year after.

"I think he (Ronaldo) has fallen out with him (Ferguson) once or twice.

Not Sir Alex's fault I might add, I think the problem is between Ronaldo and his agent Mendes that leads to a fall-out.

"When you fall out with Sir Alex, whatever may be the reasons - (David) Beckham did it as well with the entourage he carried with him - they're on their way.

"You can't have this disharmony brought upon the players and the club every year and I think United can give Real Madrid the problem of handling Ronaldo from now on in.