Lionel Messi has once again won the Ballon d’Or and in doing so, has become only the second player ever to capture the award three times.  Messi’s triumph has provoked much debate as to where he now ranks in the pantheon of the worlds greatest ever players.

Michelle Platini is the only other player to have won the award three times, but to gauge who might be ‘the best ever’ we must obviously look beyond the Ballon d’Or.  Until 1995 the award was only applicable to European players at European clubs, so the likes of Pele and Maradona are often brought into comparison by highlighting their success with regards international trophies.

For some pundits, lifting the World Cup is the benchmark of greatness; Maradona drove Argentina to World Cup success in ’86 through sheer force of character and skill.  Messi is still to achieve this honour but he is only 24 years old (potentially 3 or 4 years away from his peak).  Brazil 2014 could be the event to cement his place in history.

It nearly goes without saying that football has changed since the ‘80s.  The World Cup is still the most prestigious tournament in the world but the Champions League offers the highest standard of football; Messi has won 3 Champions League titles already.

In the past a first class striker might have scored around 1 goal every 1.5 games.  Messi’s goal-scoring record for Barcelona speaks volumes: 2009-10, 47 goals in 53 appearances; 2010-11, 53 goals in 55 appearances; 2011-12, 31 goals in 28 appearances so far…

This means Messi has developed a pretty solid ‘goal per game’ ratio as a player who isn’t an out-and-out striker.

Messi bears an uncanny resemblance to Maradona when on the ball, probing the ball forward with the outside of his foot, ready to go either way, gliding through defences with the ball practically under his shins, making him near impossible to dispossess.  He may not be as flamboyant as a Ronaldinho or even a Cristiano Ronaldo but this isn’t to his detriment.

This extends to his personal life, of which we know relatively little.  He is a footballer who isn’t necessarily a celebrity in the modern sense – the mark of a man who puts perfecting his trade above seeking the limelight.

In Lionel Messi we have the rare opportunity to witness a legend in our times, a once in a generation talent whose legacy will become ever more apparent in coming years.

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With both Man City and Man United both knocked out of the Champions League, the title race has taken on added importance.

Both teams suffered the relative humiliation of going out of Europe’s premier competition in the group stage following an underwhelming first round of games. Now their focus will turn to the Premier League and the Europa League where both teams look like near joint favourites to succeed. Money will pour in for both sides on the Europa League.

Man City started the Premier League campaign with purpose and style. They play a brand of football similar to that played on the continent with a set of small but creative forwards interchanging passes in a Total Football style. They score more freely than any team in the Premier League’s history and look like genuine contenders to Man United’s crown.

The Premier League has been ruled by Alex Ferguson’s various teams since 1992, and although he has been beaten to the title before, he’s always fought his way back to supremacy. Arsenal were England’s star side for a couple of years but did eventually succumb to Man United, as were Chelsea.

Man City looks to be a different prospect. They have the financial backing, a stable manager and most importantly, they have amassed a host of the world’s most exciting players in one squad. Chelsea compete from a similar standpoint but their team appears to be in transition – the old guard is under pressure to give way to a more fluid European style and a new set of younger players.

The fact that City are United’s local rivals adds a poignant spice to the battle for supremacy. United don’t appear to have as string a team as in recent years, but their winning psychology and battle hardened outlook give them a vital edge.

This Premier League season threatens to be the most significant in the league’s history with Man City in the ascendancy and Man United looking short of personnel – especially in midfield. If players like Michael Carrick and the impressive Phil Jones can rise to the challenge, their battle on the European and domestic fronts will be completely absorbing.

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We discovered recently that Wayne Rooney’s impending ban at Euro 2012 will be cut to two matches instead of the three that England had initially feared.

The threat of a three match ban left England manager Fabio Capello openly questioning the wisdom of taking Rooney as part of England’s squad. Many fans and pundits considered this an extreme view and it opened a debate as to who will fire England to success at the coming tournament.

Most people saw Capello’s threats of leaving Rooney behind as a warning to UEFA – either reduce the ban or lose one of your most marketable players. Some whole heartedly agreed with Capello’s ambiguous sentiments about leaving their star man behind and wondered how a revamp of the squad may take shape.

Many of England’s current crop of players have been tarnished by failure, and the chance to start afresh seemed appealing to some. Players like Phil Jones at Man United are already showing world class ability and if the likes of Jones, Wilshere, Sturridge and Rodwell can come of age within the next few months then England could have a bigger chance than many might suspect.
Phil Jones has been a revelation at the heart of the Man United defence.

He represents a modern breed of centre half that can play football as much as he can dominate in the air and exude raw physicality. Daniel Sturridge has proved to be a player who can pick the ball up in deep positions and run at the opposition with pace and skill – a real weapon in the modern game. Chelsea’s policy of settling him down into a wide position could be to England’s gain.

The sense of expectation surrounding England at these major tournaments seems like it’s beginning to diminish. Spain are outright favourites for any international silverware at the moment and this could play to England’s favour. England have already notched up a win over the best team in the world in their build up for next summer, and whether they were fortunate or otherwise, they showed Spain can be beaten.

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The World Cup isn’t far away and if you are planning on making a little money out of it then look no further than Betfair. The online gaming site is a great venue for sports betting and football is most certainly big in the betting industry!

The 2012 up and coming FA Cup is definitely starting to heat up and in order to make sure you are prepared, make sure to learn of all of the tips available now!

Do this by checking out all the latest football news, new players, matches lost and matches won! Reading up on these odds will allow you to see which teams are in with a good chance of winning.

Betfair offer their members with regular news features, allowing them to see all the latest gossip when it comes to any sport, especially football.

Simply visit the website in order to be in with a chance of viewing any of this news. As well as news and tips, they also house some great strategies. These strategies are intended to help players with their choice when it comes to placing a bet.

They also house a feature entitled ‘Best Bets’. This gives members an insight into who is hot at the moment, which in turn allows newbies and pros to see who is the best bet!

Other features include recent posts, which again reveals the latest news on both football games and football players. These include information on market movers and tips on how to follow the money! Gaming fans can also view premier league results here.

These tips and features are not only great for professionals; they are also very helpful to newbies that are a little unsure of who to place a bet on.

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Of all the players making headlines this Premier League season, Mario Balotelli is consistently one of the most intriguing. He has incurred the wrath of everyone from pundits and journalists to colleagues and management, whilst at the same time capturing the hearts of many fans who enjoy a bit of charisma in the game.                   

Mario Balotelli is much more than just a pantomime villain or a football sideshow – his £24m price tag and regular flashes of brilliance show that he can become one of the games greatest players, but at what cost to the current Man City side?

Alex Ferguson has built generations of Man United sides around a strong team ethic and a ‘no player is bigger than the club’ ethos, where every signing is made aware of his duty as a Man United player and imbued with a sense of accountability. Even when it seems United have a weakened squad they still manage to maintain their dominion over the Premier League – largely due to Fergusons mastery of sports psychology. Man City appear to have dealt with Tevez upsetting the applecart, but Balotelli could be trickier.

Many would argue that football needs characters. Some pundits seem to forget that sport is ultimately a form of theatre and the there is a danger of over-sanitising the game. The game has no place for the thuggish and morally misguided behaviour displayed by some of Balotelli’s Premier League counterparts, but Balotelli’s misdemeanours seem to lack any real nastiness and may simply be the exuberant acts of a young man coming to terms with wealth and fame.

Balotelli’s recent shouldered goal against Norwich City had many pundits crying disrespect, but to others it was a nonchalant piece of brilliance from a man who knows the game is about more than just putting the ball in the net.

Those who want to rid the game of its controversies and drama are often those who rally for the introduction of video evidence and extra officials. Without contentious decisions and human error, would the game not be diminished? But that may be beside the point.

In an age when sports stars are becoming more and mechanical, it’s refreshing to see sportsmen who add character to the game. With the recent death of wily Brazilian legend Socrates, we were lead to remember a player known as much for his charm and character, as his ability. Balotelli is no Socrates and may never have the cerebral qualities endowed upon the much respected Brazilian, but as long as his actions remain largely innocent, we shouldn’t be too quick to cast judgement, and who knows, in time we may come to accept Balotelli in the same way that we took the likes of Mourinho and Cantona to our hearts.

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The Bernabeau is place of football legend and the home of the Real Madrid, the world’s most prestigious football club with revenue of nearly 440million Euros. Madrid has dominated Spanish football for long periods of time throughout their history and is the most successful club to have been involved in European competition.

Madrid tickets give you access to the majestic Bernabeau Stadium; an 85,454 seat arena that has witnessed some of the greatest players ever to have played the beautiful game.

It was in the 50s, under the guardianship of Santiago Bernabeu, when Real stamped their mark on the Spanish and European game. It was Real who effectively invented the Champions League as a showpiece European tournament, and subsequently went on to be the most successful team ever to have played in it with an unparalleled nine victories. Even the mighty Barcelona ticket sales have some way to go before getting close to that record. Madrid tickets allow you to bask in this legacy. Barcelona football tickets holders are still given a real spectacle by the talents of Lionel Messi and the captain Xavi.

Alfredo Di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas are genuine football legends. In an era before big TV rights and the commercial game their names and skills became the stuff of folklore. We see grainy footage of the two stars, but are generally left to imagine just what kind of breathtaking ability lead to their names being revered throughout the football world. They are the kind of stars that propelled the team to an incredible 5 consecutive Champions League wins between 1956 and 1960.

That kind of achievement seems impossible in the modern game and only adds to the mythology and folklore that surrounds this magical club. Madrid tickets let you taste the atmosphere and ambience of this hallowed turf.

Madrid tickets allow you to become entwined in the theatre and stage show of the mighty Bernabeau. See players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka attempt to reclaim the power stolen by Barcelona. If Madrid are to recall past glories, they could well do it under the watch of tactical genius and football icon Jose Mourinho.

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The international break has given us the first real opportunity to reflect and take stock of what has happened so far this Premier League season.  The title race is in danger of descending into a two horse race of the Mancunian variety.  Chelsea are a team in transition -ageing players and the lack of a creative genius in the form of a Rooney or an Aguero could leave them short of attacking edge: Chelsea’s vastly inferior goal difference illustrates this point.  Nevertheless, these teams will constitute the top three.  Given the predictability at the summit of the table, the race for the fourth Champions League spot takes on added significance.  Arsenal’s temporary demise has somewhat chipped away a natural contender, throwing the door open for a place in Footballs most lucrative competition.

With every season there emerges a new dark horse; this year, it’s Newcastle’s turn to surpass expectations.  The sale of all their top players in Barton, Enrique, Nolan and Carroll within months and the obvious tension between boardroom and playing staff has had fans lowering their sights.

Newcastle have bought wisely on the advice of chief scout Graham Carr; Tiote is as good a defensive midfielder as there is in the league; Cabaye has made an immediate impact with his passing range and comfort on the ball; Obertan is scintillatingly quick and what he may lack in footballing nous, he makes up for in pace.  The players Mike Ashley sold were all fairly laboured by modern standards.   Pardew seems to have fashioned a modern team based on first touch, pace and incisiveness.  Add to that the fact that Newcastle has the leanest defence of all 92 league clubs.

They play, in the main, with two centre forwards.  This may seem outdated but it allows them to chase the ball down in numbers when they lose it and focus on keeping possession.  It may seem naive to project Newcastle as Champions League contenders but they deserve special mention; the team in fourth position after seven games has held that spot for the last four years.

Mike Ashley is still not forgiven by the fans due to the prolonged mismanagement of the club during the relegation season and the ongoing silence from board level regarding the clubs actions.  Many see Newcastle’s early surge as a false dawn and expect to see them slide down the table come Christmas.

Tottenham have a wealth of creative talent in Van der Vaart and Modric.  The acquisition of Scott Parker adds steel to the midfield, and the two wingers – Bale and Lennon – make Spurs a finely balanced side.  Adebayor has settled in well up front and this looks to be Tottenham’s best side in recent history.  They could well capitalise on the demise of their North London rivals. 

Liverpool have signed a raft of ‘English type’ players for big money.  The question is can Henderson, Carroll, Downing and Adam match their continental counterparts.

The superiority of the top three is undoubted, due to thier economic status and ability to pool all the best talent.  The teams below this represent a mêlée of mediocrity, where anyone from Tottenham to Stoke could prevail. 

PH

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Manchester City have handed striker Carlos Tevez a two-week suspension, following his apparent refusal to take part in the club’s Champions League Group match against Bayern Munich. A statement issued by the club announced that the player is suspended from participation in training and competitive action, but will continue to receive full pay during this period. However, it is believed that the club may be ready to cancel his contract, if the results of an internal investigation into the matter support manager Roberto Mancini’s account.

Mancini stated in the press conference after the match that the Argentinian striker had refused to enter the field of play as a second half substitute and that he considered the player’s career with the club to be “finished” as a result. The swift action taken by the club indicates a determination to support the manager, despite the player’s goalscoring record.

However, Manchester City will be aware that Tevez’s agent Kia Joorabchian will vigorously contest any attempt to sack the player, ensuring that they need to be absolutely certain that he was in breach of his contract before pursuing that course of action. The early indications, both from FIFA and the Premier League, suggest that both governing bodies would be supportive of the Club’s Abu Dhabi owners if the case against Tevez were proven by the investigation. Furthermore legal professionals, including Daniel Geey of the lawyers Field Fisher Waterhouse, have stated that Tevez has a legal obligation to participate in matches when asked, under the terms of his contract, but that Manchester City would need to reach a decision within weeks in order to meet employment law.

This dispute between Tevez and Manchester City is the latest incident in a slow breakdown of the relationship, which has led to a series of transfer requests from the player, and the club attempting to offload him during the summer transfer window.

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Association football, or soccer as it is known in America, is gaining popularity in the USA. It has long been a popular sport in the country but as a spectator sport it has long been overshadowed by the “big four” major-league team sports of baseball, American football, basketball and hockey. However, in recent years the sport has gained in popularity – probably helped by stars such as David Beckham and Thierry Henry playing over there as well as the country hosting the World Cup in 1994.

Professional soccer may not have enjoyed the same popularity as it has in other parts of the world but interest in the game has grown rapidly since the 1990s. Major League Soccer, the professional first-division in the USA, is starting to see gaining attendance figures. In fact even though the MLS is one of the youngest first divisions in the world and has 18 teams it is the 12th most attended premier division in the world.

History

Some people claim that the Oneida Football club in Boston Massachusetts, which was founded in 1862, was the first club outside of the UK to play soccer. However, this cannot have been playing soccer due to the fact that they were formed before the Football Association formulated the rules in England and the club folded a few years later.

The first US match which was inspired by FA rules was played between Princeton and Rutgers universities in 1869 and other colleges followed suit but the eventually converted to rugby and later American football.

At first soccer leagues in the US mainly used the term football and soccer wasn’t used by the governing body of the sport until 1945 when the United States Soccer Football Association was born. It was in 1974 that the football was dropped and the United States Soccer Federation was created.

Today

Since the FIFA world cup in 1994 which was the first time the tournament was held in the country.

However, it is the growth of the women’s game that has helped increase interest in the game in the USA. In fact the USA’s women’s soccer team is one of the best in the world.

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FC Barcelona dates back to 1899 and the since then the club has experienced both the ultimate of glories and the deepest of failures. It has survived through many different epochs and has ultimately grown to be arguably the finest football club in Spain and one of the finest in the world.

Barcelona is the most successful football club in La Liga, as measured by the total number of trophies both domestic and international that it has won. The domestic trophies include 21 La Liga cups; 25 trophies from the Copa del Ray, which is the Spanish Annual Football Cup; 10 Super Spanish Cups (Supercopa de Espana); 3 Eva Duarte cups; and 2 Copa de la Liga.

In terms of international football trophies, Barcelona has won four UEFA Champions League trophies, the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup on four occasions, the UEFA Super Cup four times plus the FIFA Club World Cup.

The only other Spanish football club that can claim to be of a similar standard to Barcelona is Real Madrid and the competition between that team and the Catalonian Barcelona is immense. When Barcelona plays Real Madrid it is the derby to beat all other derbys.

On the last meeting between Barcelona and Real Madrid which was played in mid-August 201, Barcelona won with a score line of 3-2 which gave them a win on aggregate of 5-4 in the Spanish Supercopa. The hero of the day was Lionel Messi who scored two goals, though the event was marred to some extent by a scuffle between the coaches of both sides.

There are nine FC Barcelona players in the Spanish national squad.

If you wish to experience the best of live Spanish football there is, then FC Barcelona football tickets are available from a number of ticket agencies. If you have never watched a top class Spanish football match, then it is certainly something you should add to your bucket list.

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