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A Goalkeeper occupies a seminal position in a football match. Well if we regard the significance of a Goalkeeper in terms of a football match, as an entity of sports, a Goalkeeper is the last limit of defense that a team can offer to the opponent team when it is striking a goal. The necessity and positioning of a goalkeeper evolved since the emergence of the basic rules of this foot game. The most spectacular dive of a goalkeeper is the extension dive where he pushes the ball off him launching his move at a horizontal position. Apart from the co-ordination of sight and dive and his communicative skill, the skill that would make him a distinguished player would be mastering the use of timings at angles. During the penalty kicks, the Goalkeeper is the only person upon who lays the entire responsibility of winning or losing a game.

There are several goalkeepers who had been the strongest pillar of their team and have proved to be of much capability playing a major role in the verdict of a football match.

The top ten goalkeepers of the last decade might be controversial, but an incomprehensive positioning may go as follows:

1. Julio Caesar de Espindola

He is a Brazilian footballer who is currently a player of Internationale of the Italian Serie A where he is appointed as a Goalkepper. In 2009 he was felicitated as the best goalkeeper by IFFHS and also as Serie A Goalkeeper of 2009. This prolific player started his career as an international footballer in 2003 and was included in 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup. He was often taken as a substitute of prolific, Dida.

2. Iker Casillas

He is a Spanish Goalkeeper who also plays for Real Madrid and Spanish La Liga. He led Spain to their first championship in 44 years, the European Championship. In 2010 too he did lead Spain to the FIFA World Cup. He is one of the best Goalkeepers of Europe who became the first capped Goalkeeper ever. In the UEFA Champions League.

3. Gianluigi Buffon

The Italian footballer is the hallmark of the Italian nation football team and also a player of the club Juventus of Serie A. He is considered to be a very successful yet a dominant Goalkeeper in the footballer’s circuit. He has a highest record of being called the Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year for eight times. He was named the Italian captain of football team for Euro 2008.

4. Edwin van der Sar

He is a Dutch footballer and also plays for the English club of Manchester United. Is has won the UEFA Champions League with different teams, with Ajax and Manchester United in 1995 and 2008 respectively. He has been titled the best European Goalkeeper in 1995.

5. Igor Akinfeev

He is a Russian footballer who played for CSKA Moscow, a Russian championship. He also established a favorable place in Euro 2008.

Football or soccer as the American love to refer to it is by no doubt the most loved and watched sport in the world today. From Nairobi, Kenya- Africa to Sao Palo in South America, it is a game that is enjoyed and revered by the young and old. Having recognized the interest that a majority of people have in football, the article seeks to highlight some of the best all time top ten football teams in the world. Showcased are teams from Spain, England, Germany and Italy amongst others.

1. Real Madrid

Coming at number one is Real Madrid, a Spanish football team. They have managed to hog the headlines due to the lavish spending on new players. Other than that, they have managed to win the La Liga six times since 1994 and Champion’s league three times.

2. Barcelona

Coming at number two for Spain is Barcelona. At the moment, there is no lingering doubt that Barcelona is the best team in the world at the moment. At the just concluded world cup, the Spanish international team boasted of fielding 8 first team players, literally meaning that they carried the hopes and joy for Spain as a country. The have won the La Liga back to back eight time from 1991 to 1994, two times from 2005 to 2006 and two times from 2008 to 2009. In addition, they have also won the Champion’s League and Fifa World Cup.

3. Manchester United

Finishing the list for England and making an entrance is Manchester United Football Club. There is no doubt that Manchester FC is the best English team at the moment having won multiple silver wares across Europe. Since 1992, they have won the English Premier League ten times and the FA cup four times. Other domestic trophies won include league cup and community shield. They have won the Champion’s League twice as well as the Fifa World Cup.

4. Juventus

Making the list and increasing the number of teams in the list is Juventus. Despite the turbulence times that the team has gone through, it still is one of the most decorative teams in Europe. They have won the Serie A five times, Serie B after being relegated over match fixing and won the UEFA Champions League.

5. AC Milan

Adding the list of Italian clubs in the list is AC Milan. A great threat to Inter Milan in the race for Serie A Championship has also won numerous awards over the years. Notable of all silver wares that they have bagged is Champion’s League that they have won three times since 1993. Since 1991, they have won the Serie A six times.

Whether it is a regional club team or a national team, each of them needs a coach. Though the players receive the fame from the game, one should not forget about the contribution of coaches. When it is a game of football, fans can never afford to miss the coaches. Well, the coaches not only deserve mention for their great job, but also for their great remunerations. Yes, whenever you list the name of the football coaches, you generally credit them for their defensive strategies, excellent attack or flawless team game. However, football coaches not only deserve mention for their training skills, but also their personality and their sense of styling. If you are a football enthusiast, you should also take keen interesting on listing the top ten coaches depending on their remuneration. Though the contract value of the new coaches and new players are always a highly discussed issue among the football fans, very few fans can hardly list the top ten coaches depending on their contract amount. If you want to be updated, you can check out the list of top ten most expensive football coaches today.

1. Felipe Scolari

When it comes to the most expensive football coaches of the world, Felipe Scolari, the coach of Bunyodkar football club, tops the list. The club team of Uzbekistan reportedly pays their coach a lump sum amount of 16.6 millions Euros every year. Coach Scolari deserves special mention for training the World Champion Brazil in 2002.

2. Jose Mourinho

The talented, controversial and obviously ambitious coach of Inter Milan, Jose Mourinho claims the second position in this list. He has signed a contract for eleven million Euro per year. The coach is known for his brilliant strategies that his team, FC Porto, represented during 2004 League games.

3. Fabio Capello

It is quite obvious that the most successful coaches deserve the best amount. And when it is about success, one cannot miss Fabio Capello. The coach trusts more the final score of the game than what the players did on the ground. He also charges eleven million Euro for one year.

4. Sir Alex Ferguson

When it is football clubs, Manchester United has to be there. Not only for their players but also for their coach Sir Alex Ferguson, who is paid a sum of seven million Euros a year. It is his excellent gaming strategies that put Manchester United become one of the top favorites worldwide.

5. Robert Mancini

Former coach of Inter Milan club, Robert Mancini is on the fifth position when it comes to most expensive football coaches. One of the most successful coaches and also one of the highly respected ones in the history of world football, Robert Mancini charges about six million Euros for one year.

Football, which was first played by the peasants and poor of England, now attracts million dollar sponsorship from businesses across the world. The game, which initially did not find any existence among the riches, has now become the game of the masses. People from different places across the world are not only interested in watching the game, but also are keen to participate in it. As a large number of people have taken interest in this sport, you can find multiple football clubs across the globe today. With the increasing popularity of the sports, many national teams have taken to this game. This, in turn, has fueled the need for proper grounds and infrastructure to practice the game. And that is the reason, you can find hundreds of football arenas in different parts of the world. If you are a football fan, and want to gather more knowledge about this sport, you can check out the list of top ten football stadiums. Selecting the top ten football stadiums is tricky as every arena has some specialty of its own.

1. Soccer City, Johannesburg, South Africa

FNB stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, popularly known as the Soccer City, was selected as the venue for the FIFA World Cup, opening ceremony. The largest stadium of the country and the continent has the holding capacity of about 94,700 people. Though football fans will remember this stadium for the World Cup matches, it has a deeper history. During Nelson Mandela’s first visit to Johannesburg after his release from jail, this ground was selected for his speech.

2. Estadio do Maracana, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Estadio de Maracana stadium in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil hosted the final match of FIFA World Cup 1950. The stadium, inaugurated for the 1950 World Cup, did not prove to be lucky for the home team, and they lost the final match against Uruguay. The stadium will be renovated for the 2014 FIFA World Cup matches, and is expected to host a crowd nearing 75,000.

3. International Stadium Yokohama, Japan

The International Stadium in Yokohama, Japan hosted 2002 FIFA World Cup’s matches for the first three rounds. This stadium is expected to be popular among the Brazilian fans as their team won 2002 World Cup in this stadium. With 72,327 seats, this stadium boasts of providing more seating capacity than any other stadium in Japan.

4. The Stadde de France, France

Used by the French rugby team and national football squad, the Stadde de France has a seating capacity of eighty thousand. Number five stadium of Europe, in terms of seating capacity, witnessed France’s glorious victory in the 1998 FIFA World Cup. The stadium has hosted different popular sports events, including the final match of Rugby World Cup.

5. San Siro, Milan, Italy

San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy is one of the oldest football stadiums in the world. The stadium, which has gone under multiple renovation works, provides seating capacity for 85,000 people. If you visit this stadium, you should not miss the memorabilia, and museum.

1. Lionel Messi

Country – Argentina

Club – FC Barcelona

Position – Foreward

Undoubtedly the God of Soccer today, Lionel Messi, all of 22 years, and labelled Diego Maradona’s successor, has made his club proud.  The top scorer in UEFA Champions League in 2008-09, he has the most goals to his credit for this season representing Barcelona. At 5 foot 7 inches, Messi is known for a magical control over the ball. Yet somehow his magic wanes a little when playing for Argentina which was quite evident in this years World Cup.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo

Country – Portugal

Club – Real Madrid

Position – Midfielder

At age 18, Ronaldo knocked the daylights out of Manchester United. Man U realised, ‘if u can’t beat him, join him!’ and he was taken into the Manchester United Club for $20 Million. Representing his team for a good 6 years, Ronaldo broke a majority of the records, and won himself the FIFA Footballer of the Year in 2008. In 2007-08 alone he had 42 goals to his name. Today at age 25, he is part of Real Madrid, an outstanding Dribbler, Shooter , free-kick taker and header.

3. Wayne Rooney

Country: England

Club Team: Manchester United

Position: Forward

An international face at just 17, Rooney is known for his goal taking abilities for his club. An unmatched striker, he brought pride to England. He is known for his abilities to take goals from just about anywhere. He can crash through any defence with his aggressive dribbling and attacking demeanour.

4. Kaka

Country: Brazil

Club Team: Real Madrid

Position: Midfielder

At age 27, Kaka has given his best for his game. He won all he could for his earlier Club, AC Milan, and then joined Real Madrid. Not buyable by money, Kaka is known for his principles. An ardent believer in Jesus, Kaka was known for dribbling the ball through the entire length of the field. Today though knee injuries have slowed him down, Kaka is the mastermind behind the Brazilian Team and a force to reckon with by the defence.

5. Xavi

Country: Spain

Club Team: Barcelona

Position: Midfielder

Known for his assists and his vision, Xavi Hernadez is an excellent organiser. Being that essential dribbler in between passes, Xavi has been with Barcelona since 1991. He will continue his contract with Barcelona till 2014. He is one of the most talented players today though not exceptional with speed or foot skills, yet he is the best at assists and passes. The successor to Pep Guardiola, he is precise and intelligent.

Here are some hilarious interviews. You can see what you SHOULDN’T do in case you are being questioned by some journalists. If not, you can get pretty embarrassed.

PR: wait… I: wait… L: wait… LD: wait… I: wait… C: wait…

What are the most stupid mistakes a goalkeeper can make? Some of them are hilarious, and some of them are just tragic. Don’t learn anything from these guys.

PR: wait… I: wait… L: wait… LD: wait… I: wait… C: wait…

Among the several recreational sports that exist today, Soccer and Football are two famous games that have received good acceptance from the people worldwide. Also, they have existed since several decades and have made an impact all over. Call it Soccer or Football, this sport is the world famous and is enjoyed by all age groups of people over the world. The nature of both the games is almost the same with a thin line of difference between them.
They both are literally the same. Soccer is more of a crude form of Football. Both the games involve the feet to play the ball around. Here, we shall see some reasons what makes Soccer differ from Football. American Football is something that is more formal to Soccer.

1. Soccer was invented first:

Soccer was the first kind of game that had involved kicking the ball around without touching it by any part of the body. In fact, the idea was to just kick the ball and make it reach the goal. This was the most primitive kind of a sport which comes with originality.

2. While the whole world plays Soccer, only America plays Football!!!

Every other country plays Soccer and holds it to be something very sacred and also consider that its dignity lies in the game. Soccer is less popular in the United States and Canada due to several reasons of which one may be that they did not invent this game!

3. Soccer players are very handsome compared to Football players:

For instance, David Beckham is the heartthrob of several women out there. After him, Christiano Ronaldo lives this quote.

4. Better game environment:

Football fans can be really amazing with their wonderful facial paints and also the huge flags of their teams. But soccer has another section of fans called the hooligans singing their team’s anthem and light up camp fires while cheering outrageously for their team make the game much more interesting and absolute fun.

5. Among the footballers and Soccer players, Soccer players are considered to be far more fit than their counterparts:

The time duration of a soccer game can go up to about 90+ minutes while football just lasts for 60 minutes. Thus, this explains why soccer players are at their peak fitness level all the time.

Both Rugby and American football are interesting and exciting games. In the case of Football, it is a game that consists of 11 players and played between 2 teams, with unlimited substitutions. American football involves complex strategy and intense physical play wherein points have to be scored by advancing the ball to the end zone of the opponent’s team. In the case of Rugby, the game is a blend of American football’s contact, soccer’s running and the transition of basketball. It is a game consisting of 15 players each and played between two teams on a rectangular field, with the aim of running across the opponent’s goal line with an oval ball or kicking it through the top portion of the goal posts. The following are the top differences between the 2 games.

1. Number of Players

In the case of American football, each team has 11 players on the field at one time, with unlimited substitutions. Three time-outs per half is given for each team. Play begins with a kickoff. The main object is to advance the pointed oval-shaped ball into the opponent’s end zone and score points in the process. On the other hand, a Rugby team consists of 15 players, divided into backs and forwards. Forwards are stronger players of the team who have to gain possession of the ball.

2. Origin of Rugby and Football

American football is said to have developed from Rugby. Rugby was introduced to the Americans by the British colonists from Canada. In 1871, The Rugby Football Union had been formed by representatives of 21 clubs, most of which were situated in southern England. The working class people were particularly attracted by Rugby over soccer. Most of the sports historians say that the game of American Football originated from Rugby.

3. Football Field vs Rugby Field

American football is a game played on a rectangular field measuring 120 yards in length and 49 meters wide. A goal line can be seen near each end of the field which is 100 yards apart. The size is almost similar to a rugby league field which is 120 meters long and about half that in width. Every ten meters there is a line across the field.

4. Contact Sport

Another notable difference between the two games is that in Rugby all players are allowed to handle the ball. Any type of forward passing, blocking and time-outs are not allowed. Obstruction to players and screening is not allowed in the case of Rugby which is possible in American Football. Hence Rugby is said to be a much safer game than American football.

5. Protective Equipment in Rugby and Football

Helmet, padding and other hard protective equipments is missing in Rugby. Hence players have to keep in mind their personal safety while playing the game. There is a lot of protective equipment that comes with American football.