Showing posts with label Cristiano Ronaldo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cristiano Ronaldo. Show all posts
Monday, July 11, 2011
Cristiano Ronaldo Wallpaper
Cristiano Ronaldo WallpaperCristiano Ronaldo Football PosterCristiano Ronaldo and Football teamCristiano Ronaldo Images
Monday, July 5, 2010
Lesotho World Cup: Rooney, Ronaldo, now Messi - stars misfire in Cup
 |
| http://www.flickr.com/photos/34103436@N06 |
Lesotho Soccer World Cup 2010 News:
Rooney, Ronaldo, now Messi - stars misfire in Cup
By BRADLEY S. KLAPPER
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Rooney, then Ronaldo and now Messi.
They were supposed to light up the World Cup after scoring a total of 114 goals for their clubs this season, but left South Africa with only one goal in 13 matches.
Wayne Rooney huffed and puffed but failed to score before England was sent packing by Germany. Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo scored — once, in garbage time — but didn't run much at all before being eliminated by Spain. Argentina's Lionel Messi couldn't produce the magic when it counted, against the Germans in the quarterfinals.
All 25 or younger and considered three of the world's best players, they were the World Cup's biggest disappointments.
For Rooney, it seemed a case of fatigue or injury — he had knee, ankle and groin problems over the last two months of his club season. Whatever the cause, rarely did the 24-year-old Manchester United striker storm past defenders with a typically powerful run after a season in England in which he scored 34 goals to make up for Ronaldo's record transfer to Real Madrid.
Ronaldo's lone goal — against North Korea in a 7-0 rout — was little solace for a player hyped in a well-publicized commercial as Portugal's savior.
Even with the captain's armband, the 25-year-old forward did little to inspire his team. He rarely tracked back in defense, lost the ball when dribbling and looked a shadow of the player who was selected as the world's best in 2008.
That title went to Messi last year after he led Barcelona to an historic series of national, European and world club titles, and he continued his stellar performances with an astonishing 47 goals for his team in the 2009-10 season. The 23-year-old forward has often been accused of failing to reproduce his best form for Argentina, and will have done little to erase that charge in South Africa.
Diego Maradona has called Messi his heir apparent. But in his second World Cup, Messi failed to find the target and never conjured the magic of Maradona when his nation needed him, fading out of the match as Argentina was thrashed 4-0 by Germany.
"To see Messi cry in the dressing room, whoever says that he doesn't feel pride for his shirt is stupid," Maradona said.
Rooney, Ronaldo and Messi weren't alone.
From Brazil, there was Kaka. The 28-year-old playmaker was voted the world's best player three years ago, but was coming off a disappointing season after a lucrative move to Real Madrid, forced to play a deeper, more defensive role behind Ronaldo.
Back in his favored position just behind the strikers with Brazil, Kaka was sent off in the group match against Ivory Coast.
He came back for the round of 16 match as Brazil beat Chile 3-0, and nearly scored for a two-goal lead in the quarterfinal against the Netherlands. But when the Dutch came storming back in the second half to win 2-1, Kaka went quiet.
Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o and Ivory Coast's Didier Drogba have won five of the last seven African player of the year awards. With the weight of a continent on their shoulders, neither player could lift his team.
Eto'o, after moving from Barcelona to Inter Milan, was coming off a second straight season in which his club won everything possible — a triple crown of titles in the domestic league and cup, and the Champions League. He scored twice in three games in South Africa, but Cameroon was the first team eliminated.
Drogba broke a bone in his right arm just before the tournament and had to wear a soft cast to play. He missed a late chance to break a 0-0 draw against Portugal but scored a late consolation goal against Brazil. However, the damage was done — and even a solid 3-0 win over North Korea couldn't rescue a talented Ivorian team's tournament.
Read more at google.com/hostednews
Related Article(s) Lesotho Soccer World Cup:
Germany eliminates Argentina.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Villa's top of the world; Ronaldo out of World Cup
Lesotho Soccer World Cup News:
Villa's top of the world; Ronaldo out of World Cup
By RAF CASERT (AP)
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Move over Cristiano Ronaldo, and make room for David Villa as Iberia's biggest football star.
While 2008 world player of the year Ronaldo was again subdued as Portugal was eliminated from the World Cup, Villa scored his fourth goal of the competition for a 1-0 win that took Spain into the quarterfinals. Villa moved to the top of the tournament scoring charts with Gonzalo Higuain and Robert Vittek.
"David Villa is on fire, which is really good news for us," Spain defender Gerard Pique said.
Villa showed the sort of scoring touch against Portugal that Ronaldo has been lacking for his national team.
First shooting with his left foot to force goalkeeper Eduardo to make a save, he followed up by knocking in the rebound with his right foot for a 63rd-minute winner.
Ronaldo was billed as one of the top stars coming into the tournament in South Africa, but left much as England's Wayne Rooney did: with bitter disappointment. He did not speak to reporters after the match, but vented his frustration on his agent's website.
"I feel devastated, completely brokenhearted, frustrated and unimaginably sad," Ronaldo said. "I know I'm the captain, I have always faced up to my responsibilities, and I always will."
Villa has no such regrets. Everything is on the upswing for him.
Even before coming to South Africa, Villa already had made his big club move from Valencia to Barcelona. It allowed him to fully concentrate on what he does best: score goals.
And with seven World Cup goals overall, the 28-year old is Spain's best ever at the tournament.
There is only one key to Villa's success.
"To keep scoring," Villa said. "It was one of my best goals because it got us through to the next round. Keep scoring so we can keep going."
The score left Villa with 42 goals in 62 games, just two short of the 44 in 102 racked up by Raul Gonzalez, Spain's icon in the game.
On top of scoring, Villa was a constant threat on the left wing, continuing to threaten Portugal with surging runs and powerful shots.
Half an hour after the game at Green Point Stadium, hundreds of Spanish fans were still singing Villa's praises.
How different the fortunes of Ronaldo have been. Not that he lacked support among the 62,955 fans at the stadium.
One banner read "Marry me Ronaldo." Three girls each had a portion of a banner: "Ro" "Nal" and "Do." Others were Portuguese jerseys with Ronaldo's photo printed on the front.
It also displayed Ronaldo's predicament. When Villa has an off day, there is Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez or Fernando Torres to take charge.
Tuesday's loss showed that during the biggest games, Portugal still relies too heavily on Ronaldo. And the Real Madrid forward sometimes has trouble dealing with it.
Right before the opening whistle, Ronaldo pleaded to the heavens with outstretched arms, seemingly begging to make his mark on a huge game. It didn't work.
Villa turns it on when it matters — three goals at the 2006 World Cup, top scorer with four goals at Euro 2008, and four already here.
Ronaldo scored one penalty kick in 2006, one goal at Euro 2008 and one goal in South Africa.
When he came to Real Madrid from Manchester United as the world's most expensive player at $114 million, just showing up for the fan presentation filled Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
He was supposed to end a title drought for Real Madrid and get it into the Champions League final that his club hosted. He failed on those counts despite scoring 26 goals in 29 matches in his debut season.
And in the high-stakes rivalry with Barcelona, he will be facing a surging Villa next season. Perhaps Villa also will have a piece of the biggest soccer trophy of them all.
source: Google.com | AP
By RAF CASERT (AP)
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Move over Cristiano Ronaldo, and make room for David Villa as Iberia's biggest football star.
While 2008 world player of the year Ronaldo was again subdued as Portugal was eliminated from the World Cup, Villa scored his fourth goal of the competition for a 1-0 win that took Spain into the quarterfinals. Villa moved to the top of the tournament scoring charts with Gonzalo Higuain and Robert Vittek.
"David Villa is on fire, which is really good news for us," Spain defender Gerard Pique said.
Villa showed the sort of scoring touch against Portugal that Ronaldo has been lacking for his national team.
First shooting with his left foot to force goalkeeper Eduardo to make a save, he followed up by knocking in the rebound with his right foot for a 63rd-minute winner.
Ronaldo was billed as one of the top stars coming into the tournament in South Africa, but left much as England's Wayne Rooney did: with bitter disappointment. He did not speak to reporters after the match, but vented his frustration on his agent's website.
"I feel devastated, completely brokenhearted, frustrated and unimaginably sad," Ronaldo said. "I know I'm the captain, I have always faced up to my responsibilities, and I always will."
Villa has no such regrets. Everything is on the upswing for him.
Even before coming to South Africa, Villa already had made his big club move from Valencia to Barcelona. It allowed him to fully concentrate on what he does best: score goals.
And with seven World Cup goals overall, the 28-year old is Spain's best ever at the tournament.
There is only one key to Villa's success.
"To keep scoring," Villa said. "It was one of my best goals because it got us through to the next round. Keep scoring so we can keep going."
The score left Villa with 42 goals in 62 games, just two short of the 44 in 102 racked up by Raul Gonzalez, Spain's icon in the game.
On top of scoring, Villa was a constant threat on the left wing, continuing to threaten Portugal with surging runs and powerful shots.
Half an hour after the game at Green Point Stadium, hundreds of Spanish fans were still singing Villa's praises.
How different the fortunes of Ronaldo have been. Not that he lacked support among the 62,955 fans at the stadium.
One banner read "Marry me Ronaldo." Three girls each had a portion of a banner: "Ro" "Nal" and "Do." Others were Portuguese jerseys with Ronaldo's photo printed on the front.
It also displayed Ronaldo's predicament. When Villa has an off day, there is Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez or Fernando Torres to take charge.
Tuesday's loss showed that during the biggest games, Portugal still relies too heavily on Ronaldo. And the Real Madrid forward sometimes has trouble dealing with it.
Right before the opening whistle, Ronaldo pleaded to the heavens with outstretched arms, seemingly begging to make his mark on a huge game. It didn't work.
Villa turns it on when it matters — three goals at the 2006 World Cup, top scorer with four goals at Euro 2008, and four already here.
Ronaldo scored one penalty kick in 2006, one goal at Euro 2008 and one goal in South Africa.
When he came to Real Madrid from Manchester United as the world's most expensive player at $114 million, just showing up for the fan presentation filled Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
He was supposed to end a title drought for Real Madrid and get it into the Champions League final that his club hosted. He failed on those counts despite scoring 26 goals in 29 matches in his debut season.
And in the high-stakes rivalry with Barcelona, he will be facing a surging Villa next season. Perhaps Villa also will have a piece of the biggest soccer trophy of them all.
source: Google.com | AP
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)