The world of soccer/football is full of misbehaviour which often stems from gritty competitive spirit. In the midst of rough tackles, high elbows, and diving, there's a lengthy recorded history of spitting, headbutts, punches, along with an even longer list of insults which have been been thrown and received on the field. Now, with Luis Suarez's contribution biting is joining that list of misdemeanours which are not only recorded, but punished.
After his now infamous bite, Luis Suarez has been banned by FIFA for nine matches along with an additional four month ban "from taking part in any kind of football-related activity" (you can read FIFA's full statement here). Suarez is also prohibited from entering the confines of any stadiums, and to top it all off the Uruguayan received a fine of 100,000 Swiss Francs.
FIFA retains that the ban is rightfully harsh, and that, "such behaviour cannot be tolerated on any football pitch, and in particular not at a FIFA World Cup when the eyes of millions of people are on the stars on the field." however, Suarez has his protectors. Diego Maradona has sided with the Liverpool player, and Giorgio Chiellini (the Italian defender who was bitten) also put out a statement on his website saying that the ban is excessive. Furthermore, the Uruguayan FA has said that they will be appealing FIFA's decision, but it is unlikely that they will manage to change the outcome before Uruguay's next match against Colombia.
Aside from his official sentence, Suarez has also lost his sponsorship deal with 888poker after his bite. The betting website terminated its relationship with Suarez immediately after the incident. Suarez's current club, Liverpool FC, are also looking to end their relationship with him, but in the form of selling the striker to FC Barcelona, who apparently will be making an 80 million Pound bid. However, there could be difficulties with the move because it has been reported that FIFA's sentence extends to the point of disallowing a possible transfer of Suarez.
While Liverpool, Barcelona, and FIFA will decide where Suarez might play next year, Uruguay still have a World Cup to play. Their round of 16 match against Colombia will be difficult, and finding a proper system to play without Suarez in the lineup gives coach Oscar Tabarez an additional challenge to overcome. Perhaps the exclusion of Suarez will finally give PSG striker Edinson Cavani the space to shine, and allow Uruguay to push on in the tournament.
Just like I wrote about Pele's 70th birthday some time ago, I decided that it would be only fair to write about another legend of the game's 50th birthday. That legend is Diego Armando Maradona.
I thought that I'd start with a quote, one by probably our generation's best player, Lionel Messi who was inspired by Maradona. Here's what the Barcelona winger said about El Diego,
“Even if I played for a million years, I’d never come close to Maradona. Not that I’d want to anyway. He’s the greatest there’s ever been.”
- Lionel Messi
Big words for a big man, Maradona practically achieved everything a man could want in his career. Diego started his career off at Argentinos Juniors, where he played 167 games and scored 115 goals for the club. From there he went to Argentina's big boys, Boca Juniors where he became well-known around the world for his speed, trickery, and goalscoring talent.
Diego was snapped up by Barcelona for 5 million Pounds, which at the time was a record setting transfer fee. In Spain, although Maradona scored goals, he didn't have the best of times mainly because of getting his leg broken, which jeopardized his career. So Maradona moved again, and this time he went to where he'll be remembered best, Naples.
“To my generation he was the greatest we’d ever seen.”
- Pep Guardiola
Maradona was transferred to Napoli for 6.9 million Pounds, again setting the record for the highest transfer fee paid for a soccer player at the time. It was in Italy where he reached the peak of his career, and he was the driving force which won Napoli their two and only scudetto's in the club's history in 1987 and 1990.
There isn't much more to tell about Maradona's club career, after Napoli he went to Sevilla, but didn't do very well with them, and so he returned to Argentina where he finished off his career. But Maradona did also did great things with the Argentinean national team, and some say that he was truly at his peak when he played in the 1986 World Cup for Argentina where he scored five goals and gave five assists. He scored probably two of the best remembered goals in the world, the hand of god, and the goal of the century, both against England in the quarter-finals.
“What Zidane could do with a ball, Maradona could do with an orange.”
- Michel Platini
Maradona led Argentina to the nation's second World Cup victory having played every minute of every game of the 1986 World Cup, and today he is regarded as the best soccer player of all time by many. He inspired generations of players which are legends today like Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho, Raul, Paolo Maldini, and Figo.
I hope you've enjoyed this little article about Maradona and his 50th birthday. Considering that it's the birthday of a legend, go ahead an indulge today: start a random game of soccer in a local park, buy yourself a new jersey, or watch a match on TV. Just make sure you remember about the man who gave us so many emotions, a man of humble origins who became a legend of the beautiful game.
This has been an international break which has provided us with plenty of new info, and after this break, the return to the domestic seasons are very much welcomed. While there are so many small story-lines zipping around like Cassano being back, France losing to Belarus at home, Cypress getting a 4-4 draw against Portugal, Portugal losing to Norway, England getting into their groove, and Scotland first in their qualifying group, above Spain!
Yes, so much to talk about, and there will be so much which I'll probably miss, but let's start with this amazing goal by Hamit Altintop. A wonder-volley which helped Turkey win 3-0 against Kazakhistan, and right now their group has Germany first, Turkey second (both at six points), Austria third with three points, and Belgium, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan all at zero points.
Here's the goal below, I certainly think that it's the best I've ever seen: so much power and precision, just to shoot a ball like that from the corner boggles my mind, but to place it where he placed it, absolutely wonderful.
I hope you liked that...
Now, moving on to other matters, Italy have finally found their form again with a 2-1 comeback win against Estonia and a 5-0 demolition job against the Faroe Islands. Cassano was instrumental in both games, getting two goals (one of which a fantastic powerful shot), and a sublime back-heel assist. It seems like not only has Cassano found his form again, but so has Italy, and the 2006 World Cup champions now find themselves comfortably in first place with six points, two points ahead of second placed Serbia.
Probably the other big disappointment at the World Cup found a way to make us laugh again, I'm talking about France. Les Bleus found a way to lose 1-0 to Belarus at the Stade de France in Paris, a goal by Kislyak in the 86th minute made every Frenchman hold his head in his hands, realizing that the Domenech might still be looming over the team. Luckily enough, the French team did find a way to win away against Bosnia-Herzegovina, with Benzema smiling for the first time in about two years after scoring. Malouda scored the other goal as France now find themselves fourth in their group a point behind first placed Albania.
Sweden have returned to winning, a 6-0 win against San Marino with Zibra's return to the National team helps them move up to first in their group E. They're ahead of the Netherlands by goal difference, who only thrashed San Marino 5-0, shame on the Oranjes who will also be interestingly be missing Robin van Persie (aka weakling), and Dirk Kuyt (aka clueless). The Arsenal man will be missing about 6 weeks, and the Liverpool forward could miss around 4 weeks. Two big losses for their clubs, Arsenal will lose their main striker yet again, and although I called him clueless, Kuyt does cover a lot of ground as he sprints around the field chasing the ball better than most dogs would do.
These Arsenal boys go down like fleas
Fabio Capello seems to have found the perfect formula for England, no Terry and no Lampard, the midfield has been free for Gerrard, and the entire team is just happy that Terry is gone. First England waltzed to a 4-0 win over Bulgaria at Wembley Stadium, with Defoe scoring a hat-trick thanks to Rooney who set up all of the goals, and newcomer Adam Johnson also scoring. Then England defeated Switzerland 3-1 away from home, with Rooney getting on the scoresheet, along with Adam Johnson yet again, and Darren Bent near the dying minutes. Sadly there were some casualties Walcott and Defoe were stretchered off, Walcott will miss two weeks, but Defoe will miss six. There's also the injury of Michael Dawson to be taken into account, who has been ruled out for up to six months, good thing Spurs picked up Gallas, a smart move by Harry Redknapp.
Not much else to say in context to the European Championship qualifying of 2012, although it should be mentioned that Portugal have decided to be the new France as they drew 4-4 against Cyprus at home, and then lost 1-0 to Norway. They find themselves bottom last in their group with one point, a great start for Cristiano Ronaldo and the rest of his Portuguese buddies.
I have to mention that Argentina defeated the World Champions Spain in a friendly, the final result was 4-1. The Spanish team were tired from travelling, and the result really flattered the Argentineans as Spain hit the woodwork about three times and Pepe Reina probably had his worst game ever, and I mean like ever since he started playing. But it shows that maybe, just maybe Maradona wasn't the right guy, and while all of us love him a little bit inside, maybe the Argentinean FA should stick to sane coaches. If you want to read more about Argentina winning against Spain and see the highlights, check out Livin La Liga.
Share your thoughts below if you'd like by commenting, I can't wait for domestic leagues to restart, what about you? BTW Remember to vote in the poll at the top of the sidebar on who you think will win the Champions League, the group stages start soon! Cheers.
For the second time today, we see a situation where technology could've helped, it didn't help because FIFA doesn't allow it. It's funny, because back in 1986 when Maradona scored with his hand, video technology would've solved that enigma; so you'd expect that 24 years later the governing body of football around the world would add video technology, but I guess not...
Argentina - Mexico
Another match that started a bit tightly, but once it got going we saw some fantastic attacking play from both sides. Mexico started the better side, with an effort way far out from Salcido in the 8th minute which dipped and struck the crossbar, Mexico put Argentina on the back foot. But with time Argentina grew, they found a controversial goal in the 26th with Tevez who rarely scores at international level. Messi threads Tevez in with a through ball, Mexico goal-keeper Perez gets to it first but has it bounce up out of his hands, then Messi follows up to chip the ball to Tevez who is in front of the goal and clearly offside by about a meter. From that position the Manchester City striker nods in Messi's chip for the opening goal.
Messi still unable to score this match
Referee Roberto Rosetti decides to talk the goal over with his assistant after a barrage of incessant Mexican protests all telling him to look at the screen. Rosetti talks it over and the assistant tells him that he didn't see the offside, but Rosettie knows that it's clearly offside by looking at the screen, but can't disallow it because of FIFA's rules against use of video technology. The Mexican players were not happy, some rough play from them as they tried to deal with Maradona's Argentina.
But El Tri just couldn't deal with Argentina, in the 33rd minute Osorio receives a back pass which he can't control and lays into the path of oncoming Higuain. Higuain has no defenders on him, he rounds the keeper and slots the ball into the back of the open net for Argentina's second. After halftime tempers were cooled and in the 52nd minute, we see a magical piece of skill from Carlos Tevez. From outside the box, Tevez makes space for himself and sends a rocket into the top right corner for what will be a contender for goal of the tournament.
Mexico got a consolation goal in the 71st minute with future Manchester United striker Hernandez who turns well to get into a position to blast the ball into the top of Romero's net to make the final score 3-1.
Our poll just closed today, and after the voting 70% voted that Maradona's side does not qualify, and 30% said, Yes, Argentina will qualify.
In other news, Maradona has gained weight and is attending a spa in Italy and had his earrings taken away because of unpaid taxes while playing for Napoli.
In international news, Brazil beat Argentina at home in the Rosario stadium 1-3, Argentina dominated the game for 20 minutes but soon after Luisao headed it into the back of the net with a beautiful free kick by Elano. Several minutes later Luis Fabiano scores, making it 0-2 for Brazil. Napoli's winger Datolo scores for Argentina in the 65' minute, but Luis Fabiano put the game away three minutes later, making the score 1-3.
Here are the South American qualifying stage table
Brazil 30
Chile 27
Paraguay 27
Argentina 22
Colombia 20
Ecuador 20
Uruguay 18
Venezuela 18
Bolivia 12
Peru 10
The first four qualify automatically, and the 5th plays against a Concacaf team to qualify, with this loss, and only three more games to go, Brazil has qualified mathematically, and Argentina might not even be able to get the 5th spot. Many Argentinean sport magazines and newspapers say that Argentina will not qualify.
What do you think, do you think Argentina will qualify? And if they don't, would the 2010 World Cup be the same without Messi, Aguero, and Tevez? Have your say in our poll, and leave comments below!
Aside from his official sentence, Suarez has also lost his sponsorship deal with 888poker after his bite. The betting website terminated its relationship with Suarez immediately after the incident. Suarez's current club, Liverpool FC, are also looking to end their relationship with him, but in the form of selling the striker to FC Barcelona, who apparently will be making an 80 million Pound bid. However, there could be difficulties with the move because it has been reported that FIFA's sentence extends to the point of disallowing a possible transfer of Suarez.
