Famous Soccer Players 2011

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Very often Soccer is regarded as being synonymous with football. Whereas it is quite justifiable too to some extent, there is a subtle difference between football and soccer. Football is a wider term which entails many types of football known as foot ball codes and they include, Australian Rules football, Canadian football, American football, Gaelic football, Rugby Union, and Rugby League, in addition to some other types. While football includes soccer, the later does not necessarily include all football codes. Football refers to all football codes, played on a rectangular field with goals at two ends, wherein two teams exert effort to hit the ball into the goal. Soccer refers to the most popular type of football, played with two teams of eleven members each, and the ball is hit only with the feet or head. An estimated more than two million players play soccer throughout the world, and almost each part of the world has a famous soccer player.

1. Homare Sawa

Homare Sawa
Homare Sawa

Homare Sawa was born on September 6, 1978 in Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan. She started taking interest in soccer at the age of six years after seeing her brother train for it. She is short in stature, standing five feet, five inches tall and weighing only 55 kgs. As captain of the Japan women’s national football team, she led the team to win 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup. She was named 2011 FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year. After a 2-2 tie with one goal by Sawa in the 117th minute, the crowd in Frankfurt, Germany was stunned for moments when Japan won the penalty shoot out 3-1, and defeated the United States in the World Cup. She was awarded the Golden Boot for being the tournament’s lead scorer with five goals. Her friend, Abby Wambach, remarked that, ‘she literally scores with her eyes closed”.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo

 Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo, was born on February 5, 1985 in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal. He started his career at Andorinha, then moved to C.D. Nacional. In the 2010-2011 UEFA Best Player in Europe Award competition, Ronaldo secured the third position, and in the 2011 FIFA Ballon d’Or, he secured the second position. He plays forward for the Spanish La Liga club, Real Madrid, and is the captain of the Portuguese national team. When he moved from Manchester United to Real Madrid, he became the most expensive soccer player in the history of the game. He was awarded the European Golden Shoe in 2008 and 2011. Ronaldo is considered one of the best soccer players in history. A television film titled, Ronaldo: Tested to the Limit, concluded, after reviewing his physical and mental strengths in many fields, that Ronaldo was one of the all-time best athletes and soccer players.

3. Leo Messi

Leo Messi
Leo Messi

Lionel Andrés Messi, better known as Leo Messi, was born to Jorge Horacio Messi and Celia María Cuccittini, on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina. He started playing soccer at the age of years at a club where his father was a coach. After he was diagnosed with hormonal deficiency disease, he moved to Barcelona, along with his father and enrolled in the Club’s Youth Academy. At the age of 21, he was nominated for FIFA World Player of the Year and received Ballon d’Or. He won the 2010-2011UEFA Best Player in Europe Award. At the age of 24, he was Barcelona’s all-time best scorer in official competitions.

4. Xavier Hernández Creus

Xavier Hernández Creus
Xavier Hernández Creus

Xavier Hernandez Creus was born on January 25, 1980 in Terrassa, Spain. He started playing regularly at Camp Nousince at the age of eleven years. He debuted on August 18, 1998 against RCD Mallorca. Since then, he has played 673 matches and has scored 80 goals. He has played 150 international matches. In 2011, he finished in third place, receiving the Ballon d’Or nomination. He was also the recipient of the IFFHS World’s Best Playmaker in 2011. Including the year 2011, Xavi has been voted to UEFA Team of the Year five times.

5. Didier Yves Drogba Tebily

Didier Yves Drogba Tebily
Didier Yves Drogba Tebily

Didier Yves Drogba Tebily was born on March 11, 1978 in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. He is six feet, two and a half inches tall and is a striker. He plays forward for Galatasaray, in the Süper Lig. He is the captain of the Côte d’Ivoire national football team, and is best known for being its all time top scorer. He is known for his career at Chelsea, where he ranks as the fourth highest goal scorer of all time. He is especially known for his physical strength and for his capability of retaining the ball. He scored his 150th goal for Chelsea against Aston Villa on December 31, 2011. This raised him to the rank of Peter Osgood and Roy Bentley with respect to being the club’s all time top scorers.

6. Fernando Jose Torres Sanz

Fernando Jose Torres Sanz
Fernando Jose Torres Sanz

Fernando Jose Torres Sanz was born to Jose Torres and Flori Sanz, on March 20, 1984, in Fuenlabrada, Spain. He is nicknamed El Niño, which means The Kid in Spanish. He is six feet tall. He plays striker for Chelsea and for the Spanish National Team. He joined the youth system in 1995, at the age of eleven years. He debuted in 2001 and scored 75 goals in 174 La Liga appearances. He joined Chelsea in January 2000, in exchange for a record British transfer fee of £50 million, making him the most expensive Spanish Player. In his first season at Chelsea, he played a pivotal role in winning the FA Cup and the UEFA Champion’s League.

7. Ali Karimi

Ali Karimi
Ali Karimi

Mohammad-Ali Karimi Pashaki, commonly known as Ali Karimi, was born on November 8, 1978, in Karaj, Iran. He began his career with Fath Tehran Youth Club. In 1998, he Joined Percepolis. He debuted in October, 1998 and since then, has scored 38 goals. He made his debut against Malavan and scored his first goal for Percepolis against Shahrdari Tabriz. Habib Kashani, Chairman Percepolis announced on June 15, 2011 that he had entered into an agreement with Ali Karimi and he will play for his native club Percepolis and will also play for the 2011-12, Hafiz Cup. He is considered one of the greatest Asian Soccer players. He is sometimes referred to as Asian Maradona.

8. David Villa Sanchez

David Villa Sanchez
David Villa Sanchez

David Villa Sanchez, nicknamed Guaje, meaning The Kid in Asturian, was born on December 3, 1981 in Langreo, Spain. In his childhood, he suffered from the fracture of his femur and his chances of becoming a professional footballer were bleak. He made a full recovery, however, and his father gave special attention to strengthening his left leg to compensate the weakness in the right one. Consequently, he became an ambidextrous and could play with equal dexterity with both legs. Recalling his father’s support, he said: “He would be there throwing me the ball over and over, making me kick it with my left leg when my right was in plaster after breaking it, I was four… I have never been alone on a football pitch.’

9. Andres Iniesta Lujan

Andres Iniesta Lujan
Andres Iniesta Lujan

Andres Iniesta Lujan was born on May 11, 1984, in Fuentealbilla, Spain. He made his debut in 2002 at the age of eighteen years. He played an important role in the success of Barcelona in 2009.He played center midfielder for La Liga Club and the Spanish National Team. He played an important role in 2011 UEFA Championships League finals. In 2011, he received many honors including: Copa del Rey runner up, Supercopa de Espana runner up, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup 2009 and 2011, ESM Team of the Year 2011 and UEFA Champions League Best Player 2011’2012.

10. Franck Ribery

Franck Ribery
Franck Ribery

Franck Ribery was born on April 7, 1983 in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France. After his conversion to Islam, he adopted the Muslim name Bilal Yusuf Mohammad. At the age of two years he suffered serious injuries during a car accident, which resulted in more than one hundred stitches, leaving two long scars on the right side of his face. He plays for the German club Bayem Munich and for the French National Team. In addition to his energy and agility, he is known for his excellent passing skills, his control over the ball, and his excellent dribbling. He is considered one of the best soccer players of his generation. Zinedine Zidane commented that Ribery was the ‘jewel of French football.’

Conclusion

While cricket is considered the game of princes, soccer is considered the game of rough and tough people. In fact, though, all games require lot of energy, excellent physical fitness, and agility. There are also the elements of planning and the luck factor. Soccer is, perhaps, the game that is viewed by the largest number of spectators. Since sentiments often run too high among the fans, there is always a threat of a clash among fans. Special security measures are taken in soccer stadiums to ensure peaceful proceedings.

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