T H A R O FOO B A L B E A U M O M F R T B E A U G A DEAD HORSE PRINT
E T F T L
T I F U L E N T S O M H E T I F U L M E
1
EDITORS Football. It’s the sport that can break hearts as well as make them sing. The passion coming from every possible direction makes it an addictive substance, but one forwhich none would seek rehabilitation. I first fell in love with the game in 2001, I was 5 years old. Since then, I have witnessed some of the most incredible moments and players the beautiful game has to offer. That is what I am curating for you. The greatest moments, and the greatest players I have witnessed. This is the first in a trilogy. The sport is too saturated with goosebump-inducing moments for just one edition. Join me, as we take a look at the players, goals and triumphs which make football what it is.... ....the beautiful game. Sam Revivo - Dead Horse Print
LETTER
C O N T E N T S BEST XI OF THE 21ST CENTURY
4 GIANLUIGI BUFFON 10 CAFU 12 PAOLO MALDINI CARLES PUYOL 14 16 ROBERTO CARLOS KAKA 22 24 ZINEDINE ZIDANE 26 ANDRES INIESTA LIONEL MESSI 32 34 THIERRY HENRY 36 CRISTIANO RONALDO 42 SIR ALEX FERGUSON
BEAUTIFUL MOMENTS OF THE 21ST CENTURY ROBERTO V PSG
6
MESSI V REAL MADRID
8 18
UCL ROUND OF 16, 2017 EL CLASSICO, 2017
MANOLAS V BARCELONA
UCL QUARTER FINAL, 2018
LIVERPOOL V AC MILAN
UCL FINAL, 2005
GOTZE V ARGENTINA
WORLD CUP FINAL, 2014
20 28
30 DEENEY V LEICESTER 38 MESSI V BAYERN 40 BECKHAM V GREECE 44
LOVREN V DORTMUND
EUROPA LEAGUE QUARTER FINAL, 2016
PLAY-OFF SEMI FINAL, 2013
UCL SEMI FINAL, 2015
WORLD CUP QUALIFIER, 2001
AGUERO V QPR
PREMIERSHIP FINAL DAY, 2013
46
GIANLUIGI BUFFON
629
APPEARANCES
288
CLEAN SHEETS
27
TROPHY’S WON
One the longest serving and most consistently brilliant goalkeepers around. Gianluigi Buffon has been playing his trade since the mid 90s. Having broken through at Parma, Buffon joined Juventus in 2001, where he established himself as one of the finest goalkeepers of all time. His stayed with Juventus through success and scandal, glory and relegation. Buffon left to join PSG in 2018 in search of an elusive Champions League title, after spending a year in the French capital, he returned to Turin to join a Juventus side looking the strongest they ever have. This season is possibly his last season in the professional game, and if the gods of football have a sense of narrative, this year will be the one Buffon lifts a Champions League.
IT’S A STRETCH
AND IT’S IN AND I CAN’T REMEMBER THE LAST TIME
I SAW SOMETHING LIKE THIS EXTRAORDINARY SCENES AT THE
NOU CAMP
SERGI ROBERTO
UCL
ROUND OF 16
2017 There’s nothing in football quite like a comeback, especially when the comeback sealed with a last gasp winner. Even though Barcelona are giants of the game, on and off the field, the magic of the comeback was not lost. Seldom does the first round of the Champions League knockout stage present such an exciting fixture as this, with two financial powerhouses doing battle, Round one went to PSG, with the French outfiit runnng out 4-0 winners in Paris. Yet, Barcelona are never truly beaten, and raced into a 3-0 lead, with a fourth and equalising goal seeming inevitale. There was a sting in the tail, as Edinson Cavani scored a seemingly tie-winning goal. The away goals rule meant that Barca had to score three goals unanswered, enter two young men; Neymar and Sergi Roberto. With two minutes of normal time remaining, Neymar scored a fantastically taken free kick, before converting a penalty three minutes later. The scores were equal, but Barca were still staring down the barrel of elimination due to the aforementioned away goals rule. In the death throws of the game, Barcelona win a free kick, taken short to Neymar, the Brazil international ran foward before dinking a perfectly weighted ball over the Paris back line, and into the path of youngster Sergi Roberto. Roberto had timed his run to absolute perfection, beating the offside trap and in sight of goal unopposed. All he needed to do was make adqeuate contact with the ball, which he did, knocking the ball into the roof of the net with 10 seconds left to play.
LIONEL MESSIIIIIIIIII
OH MY GOODNESS
LIONEL MESSI DOES IT AGAIN
HE’S SUPERHUMAN
LIONEL MESSI
EXPLODES
LA LIGA
INTO LIFE
El Classico is one of those fixtures, a footballing event which the world looks forward to twice a season. It is a game made up of dichotomy; Nike vs Adidas, Tiki Taka vs possession football, mainland Spain vs a rebellious Catalonia, and between 2009 and 2018, Messi vs Ronaldo. The two have exhanged blows as the premier talents in world football ever since Ronaldo’s move from Manchester United to Real Madrid. This was one such case where Lionel Messi had the last laugh. To put it frankly, Real Madrid kicked the shit out of Messi over the 90 minutes, even going as far as to draw blood from the Argentines lip in the first half. Yet they were powerless to stop the magic man. Messi scored his first of the game late in the first half, with one hand on his cut lip, but it was in the final minute when Messi truly showed Real Madrid that their underhanded tactics could not stop him. By the time added time rolled around, Real Madrid had levelled the scores at 2-2, despite only having 10 players are Sergio Ramos two-footed Messi, in classic Ramos style. There was enough time on the clock for one more Barcelona counter attack, and it was carried out to perfection. Sergi Roberto picked up the ball just outside his own penalty area, and surged forward. Roberto carried the ball deep into Madrid territory, before laying the ball on to Andre Gomes, who picked out the overlapping run of left-back Jordi Alba. Alba took one look up and saw what no one else in the stadium did, the run of Lionel Messi. Messi had made himself scarce in the last 10 minutes of the game, but he knew exactly where to be and when to be there. Messi ran onto the ball, and without even breaking his stride, curled the ball low and hard into the net, sealing a dramatic late win for Barca as the Real Madrid squad collapsed in despair. Real Madrid did eventually go on to win the league, yet this goal proved that Lionel Messi is at his most dangerous when you can’t see him.
LA LIGA
EL CLASSICO
2017
C
A
F
U
525
APPEARANCES
95
ASSISTS
25
TROPHY’S WON
Cafu was everything a full back should be. A tenacious worker, great tackler and prone to overlapping runs and crosses into the box for strikers to feast on. A natural leader, Cafu exhibited superlative discipline, work ethic and a love of the game that radiated every time he stepped onto a football pitch. Like many of his countrymen, Cafu grew up in the street football culture rife in Brazilian cities, Fusbal was a big part of his induction to the game. After several spells at Brazilian clubs, and a brief excursion to Spain with Zaragoz, Cafu got his break in 1997 when he signed for Roma. He spent six years in the Italian capital before AC Milan came calling. Milan is where Cafu played his best football, in arguably the best team in the world at the time. In Milan he won both Serie A and the UEFA Champions League. Internationally, he was part of a golden age in Brazilian football. In a team that consisted of Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Kaka and Dida, Cafu came agonisingly second in the 1998 FIFA World Cup, either side of lifting the trophy in 1994 and 2002. During this time Brazil also won back-to-back Copa America titles and the FIFA Confederations Cup in 1997. Cafu retired from the game in 2008, surprisingly not going into management, instead acting as an ambassador for the sport.
PAOLO MALDINI
902
APPEARANCES
389
CLEAN SHEETS
26
TROPHY’S WON
Paolo Maldini is symptomatic of the Italian game; defensive by nature, yet graceful and dignified on the pitch, like a Pavarotti opera in motion. Maldini gave his entire career to the service of AC Milan, earning the nickname Il Capitano (the Captain). In his service of the Rossoneri, Maldini made more league appearances than any other player with 647. He joined the Milan academy in 1978, making his club debut 6 years later, his international debut came four years after. He was a central part of the Milan team who dominated the league in the 1990s, winning Serie A five times that decade alone. Internationally, Paolo Maldini represented his country 126 times. He was appointed the captain of the national team, holding this position until his retirement from the international game in 2002, following a controversial World Cup exit to co-hosts South Korea. By this point he was the most-capped player in the Italian team. As his career dwindled. Maldini made it clear that he had no interest in the precarious career of football management, he even turned down the chance to join Carlo Ancelotti in the coaching staff at Chelsea. He is currently serving as technical director for Milan, as well as being co-owner of American side Miami FC.
CARLES PUYOL
682
APPEARANCES
211
CLEAN SHEETS
20
TROPHY’S WON
Coming in next to Maldini is another one-club man. Carles Puyol was a commanding presence in every aspect of the game, his leadership and discipline was pivotal in the development of his defensive partner Gerard Pique. Puyol’s natural strength, agility and intelligence complimented his hard work and dedication to create a perfectly rounded defender, destined to captain Barcelona. Puyol was known to train alone after the end of a team practice session or on days off. He served as the clubs captain from 2004 until his retirement in 2014. The Barcelona faithful adored Puyol, giving him the moniker of “the Wall”. It almost didn’t go the way it did for Puyol. Firstly, he struggled to convince his parents that football was a viable career for him, and had to juggle football and studies while developing his game. In 1998, Barcelona accepted an offer from Malaga, with Puyol behind several established defenders in the Barcelona pecking order. However, thankfully for us, Puyol was galvanised by the debut of fellow La Masia graduate and Barca legend Xavi. Puyol represented both Catalonia and Spain at international level. He played for Spain 100 times, and was a core pillar of the Spanish team that dominated world football, winning a European Champonship and a World Cup, he missed Spains victorious 2012 Euros with a knee injury. Puyol’s playing time slowly dwindled, and after two major operations, he announced his retirement from football at the end of the 2013/14 season. He briefly worked with the clubs director of football, before turning down the opportunity to become Barcelona’s sporting director.
ROBERTO CARLOS
820
APPEARANCES
182 GOALS
24
TROPHY’S WON
Very few could hit them like Roberto Carlos. The little Brazilian had an utter cannon of a left foot. Yet, there was infinitely more to his game than the mere ability to hit them from distance. He was a massive influence, alongside compatriate Cafu, on the role and footballing temperament of full backs. Carlos would surge forward with his team, providing an extra man and a straw to break the backs of opponents. Roberto Carlos played for several clubs in Brazil, before making his European break with Inter Milan. After a single season with Inter, Carlos embarked on the spell his career is known for, with Real Madrid. This was an era of glamour in the Spanish capital, the Galacticos, a series of superheroes in all white. Carlos shared the field with Ronaldo, Zidane, Raul,Casillas, Beckham, Figo. Roberto Carlos won four La Liga titles and three Champions Leagues while playing the best football of his career. In his career, he represented his country 125 times, winning two Copa America, a Confederations Cup and the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Post Real Madrid, Carlos played for Turkish outfit Fenerbace, before returning to South America with Corinthians. He wound down his career with Anzhi Makhachkala in Russia, he became part of the Anzhi coaching staff, before two spells in Turkey annd a brief return to playing in 2015 with Indian side Delhi Dynamos. He confirmed his retirement that same year.
ROMA HAVE RISEN FROM THEIR RUINS
MANOLAS
THE GREEK GOD IN ROME THE UNTHINKABLE UNFOLDS BEFORE OUR EYES
THIS WAS NOT MEANT TO HAPPEN
THIS COULD NOT HAPPEN
THIS IS HAPPENING
IT IS A GREEK GOD
FROM MOUNT OLYMPUS WHO HAS COME TO THE SEVEN HILLS OF ROME
AND PULLED OFF
A MIRACLE
Something about the commentary of Peter Drury can make any great football moment that much better. The poet of the game was at his very best when Roma snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in the 2017/18 Champions League. Barcelona seemed to be strolling into the semi final with a convincing 4-1 win at the Nou Camp, but gravely underestimated the heart and fight of their Italian foe. Former Manchester City man Edin Dzeko got the ball rolling, controlling a lofted ball into the box before slotting past Ter Stegen in the Barca goal, before the Bosnian was brought down in the box later in the game, earniing a penalty which was dispatched by club legend Daniele De Rossi. Roma needed just one more goal to level the tie, taking them through on away goals rule and into uncharted territory. A spirited and disciplined Barca defense had kept Roma frustrated up to the final 10 minutes, as La Lupa surged forward in increasingly desperate attempts to snatch the win. The moment came in the 82nd minute, as an in-swinging corner met the head of Manolas and shot like a bullet into the bottom left corner, as the Stadio Olimpico erupted. Roma were forced to fight to hold onto their lead, but as the clock ticked down to zero, the hum of anticipation continued to rise and rise, hitting a fever pitch as the full time whistle was blown and Roma secured their first UEFA Champions League semi final since 1984. Roma would almost pull off an identical comeback in the semi final, but ultimately fell short to the eventual runners up, Liverpool, after two scintilating matches in Liverpool and Rome.
UCL QUARTER FINAL
2018
HE’S SAVED IT!
THE EUROPEAN CUP IS RETURNING TO ENGLAND
AND TO ANFIELD
LIVERPOOL
AGAIN
ARE CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE
It was the fairytale final to end all fairytale finals. Liverpool, Benitez’ plucky team of misfits (with Gerrard and Alonso) stumbled their way to the final, barely escaping their group and advancing past Chelsea somewhat controversially. One more challenge awaited them, and it was big. For context, this AC Milan side was clearly the best club team in world football at this point. The team consisted of the likes of Shevchenko, Crespo, Maldini, Nesta, Pirlo, Gatusso and Dida. Milan started with a bite, scoring a well-executed free kick inside the first minute, followed by a stellar Hernan Crespo brace. Liverpool went into half time looking like a team more than beaten. However, the Anfield faithful weren’t so easily discouraged. During the break, a roaring chorus of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ could be heard inside the Liverpool dressing room, and it worked. Milan seemed completely shaken from the restart. The captain Steven Gerrard got the first, heading the ball beautifully from a John Arne Riise cross, before Vladmir Smicer drilled a second from the edge of the Milan penalty area. Gerrard surged into the box in search of a third, but was brought down by Gatusso, earning Liverpool a penalty and a shot at the incredible. Xabi Alonso’s effort was parried by Dida, however the Spaniard was on hand to bury the equaliser, sending the travelling scousers into pandemonium. However, the heroics weren’t over, as Polish goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek made a near-impossible double save to deny Milan the winner in extra time. Dudek carried on his phenomenal saves into the shootout, denying both Pirlo and Shevchenko to give the Reds a remarkable fifth European Cup.
UCL
FINAL
2005
K
A
K
A
654
APPEARANCES
237 GOALS
18
TROPHY’S WON
Possibly the most underrated player of the early 21st century golden age in Brazilian football. Kaka was a no-nonsense attacking midfielder who did everything asked of him exceptionally, becoming the standard of what was expected from a playmaker. Kaka was so good that he won the Ballon D’or in 2007, and is still considered to be an underrated talent. His ascension to the highest individual honour in the sport was the end of an era in world football, it was the last time a Ballon D’or was won by neither Messi nor Ronaldo for 11 years. Kaka signed his first senior contract wiith boyhood club Sao Paolo in 2001, two years later he made his most iconic move, to AC Milan. In his 6 years in Italy, Kaka won the Serie A title, Italian Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and the aforementioned Ballon D’or. For Brazil, he won a World Cup and two Confederations Cups in 92 caps. After AC Milan, Kaka moved to Real Madrid in 2009, for what would have been a world record fee had Real not signed Cristiano Ronaldo in the same summer. Kaka did not enjoy the same level of performance in Madrid, and was often played out of position in a much deeper role. He returned to Milan for the 2013/14 season, before following in the footsteps of Adrea Pirlo, Frank Lampard and David Villa by moving to the American MLS with Orlando City. Kaka played in the MLS and was one of its top players until 2017, when he turned down chances to join two of his old clubs, Sao Paolo and AC Milan, in favour of retirement. Since retiring, Kaka has yet to take a post-career job in football, instead choosing to enjoy his hard-earned retirement in peace.
ZINEDINE ZIDANE
684
APPEARANCES
92
ASSISTS
16
TROPHY’S WON
Zinedine Zidane, a player so good that he inspired utter silent admiration from all who witnessed him. During a senior career spanning 27 years, he exhibited the grace and decorum of a Casper Friedrich painting, with the flair and temper of a Jackson Pollock. After starting out in his native France with Cannes, Zidane spent 4 years at Bordeaux before getting snapped up by Juventus. It was at Juve that Zidane really made a name for himself, acting out the starring role in France’s successful World Cup and Euro runs in 1998 and 2000 respectively, scoring a hat-trick in the World Cup final. It was this form that earned Zidane a move to Real Madrid, as a part of the Galactico Era. Zidane would spend the rest of his career with Madrid, winning both La Liga and the UEFA Champions League. He retired in 2006, after the FIFA World Cup in Germany. During his final game, he scored an outrageous panenka before being shown a red card for an equally outrageous headbutt to the chest of Italian midfielder Marco Materazzi. As Zidane walked off the field for the final time, few knew how much he would go on to do. Eight years after retirement, Zidane enterred management, originally coaching the Real Madrid B team before taking the reigns of the first team following the dismissal of Rafael Benitez in 2016. What followed was truly remarkable, as Real Madrid won the UEFA Champions League three years in a row, defeating Atletico Madrid, Juventus and Liverpool respectively. He abruptly left Real after the third Champions League success, however he returned to Los Blancos in 2019, and remains at the helm to this day.
ANDRES INIESTA
762
APPEARANCES
74
ASSISTS
35
TROPHY’S WON
One of the true gems home grown by Barcelona, Andres Iniesta joins a long list of footballing greats produced at La Masia. Iniesta had it all, he could pass the ball 40 yards or thread a delicate through ball, he could score, tackle, run for 90 minutes straight and seemingly had the ability to always be a passing option. A core member of two dynastic squads, he was integral to the Barcelona which won everything under the sun with Pep Guardiola, as well as the Spain team which dominated the internationa stage between 2008 and 2012, Iniesta scored the winning goal deep into extra time of the 2010 World Cup final against the Netherlands. He made 442 league appearances for Barca and 131 caps for Spain. Iniesta formed a deadly trio with Xavi and Lionel Messi, which culminated with Barcelona’s lethal form during the 2011/12 season, as Iniesta and Xavi fed Messi to the tune of 91 club goals in one calendar year. Iniesta left Barcelona in 2018, after an emotional send off in front of the adoring Barca fans. He has since signed for Vissel Kobe in the Japanese league, where he has turned back the clock and is one of the highest performig players in the league. At the age of 35, retirement cannot be far away. Given his in-game intelligence and eye for the bigger picture, a career in management seems inevitable for Iniesta.
IN IT GOES TOWARDS
GOTZE
ITS MARIO GOTZE
SUPER MARIO HE MAY JUST HAVE WON
THE WORLD CUP FOR
GERMANY
It’s the goal that epitomises the inspired substitution. Mario Gotze wasn’t named in the starting 11 for Germany’s World Cup final against Argentina, but he would go on to decide its fate. Brought on in the dying moments of the game, Gotze saw his team dragged into extra time by a stubborn Argentina. In the 113th minuute, with both teams weary and exhausted, the freshest legs on the field struck. The ball was played out to Andre Shurrle on the left flank, who looks up and plays a sumptuous left-footed cross into the path of Gotze, Gotze tee’d himself up with a chest of the ball and used the momentum of him falling backwards to swing his left foot at the ball, making enough contact to drift it beyond Sergio Romero and into the back of the net. The goal was met with absolute scenes in the Maracana Stadium, as German players, fans, and heads of state knew that their country now had one hand on the World Cup trophy. At one point, veteran midfielder Thomas Muller, with both hands on Gotze’s face, frantically talks the 22-year old through what he’s just done. As if he needed reminding that he’d just won the World Cup for his nation. Whatever Mario Gotze goes on to do next in his career, good or bad, he will go down in the crypt of football history as the man who won the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The stuff of dreams.
WORLD CUP
FINAL
2014
IN IT GOES TOWARDS
LOVREN OOOOOOOOOOH
HE’S DONE IT
LIVERPOOL HAVE COME BACK FROM
THE DEAD
EUROPA LEAGUE
QUARTER FINAL This was the game that introduced the football world to the heart and never-say-die attitude of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, a sentiment which has permeated in every level of the club, from the dressing room to the fan base. As Liverpool progressed through their first attempt at European silverware under Klopp, the biggest challenge came in the form of Klopp’s old side, Borussia Dortmund. The two had played out an entertaining but ultimately stalemated 1-1 draw in Germany, as as Anfield awaited the return leg, few knew what was the come. Dortmund raced into an early 2-0 lead, and Liverpool were agaist the ropes and seemingly out of the competition by half time. Cult hero Divock Origi pulled one back before Marco Reus restored Dortmunds lead with a brilliantly taken goal. Despite the fact that Liverpool had yet to be
2016
moulded into a true Jurgen Klopp side, the heart that would later bring the Reds back from the brink against Barcelona 3 years later would make itself known. Brazillian playmaker Philippe Coutinho got Liverpool back into it with a drilled effort from outside the box, before Mamodou Sakho levelled the tie from a corner. Yet, Liverpool needed one more to avoid away goals heartbreak. The moment came from a free kick just as the game enterred injury tiime. Daniel Sturridge thought on his feet and collected a short free kick, who slid in James Milner. Milner’s lofted cross was met at the back post by Dejan Lovren, who headed powerfully into the net, right in front of a jubilant Kop. Liverpool survived one more fright in the form of a last-second Dortmund free kick. The Reds did lose their final against Sevilla, but this night showed us what the club would become in the following years
LIONEL MESSI
727
APPEARANCES
687 GOALS
34
TROPHY’S WON
(AS OF OCTOBER 2019)
Well. What can I say about Lionel Messi? Seriously, what else is there possibly to say about Lionel Messi? Simply put, he is the best there is, the best there ever has been, and very much within reason the best there ever will be. He can score poachers goals, 30-yard worldies, free kicks, penalties, runs from the halfway line to the goal line. He can tackle, pass , score, lead a team, vanish until he’s needed, everything that makes attacking football so beautiful and thrilling to watch can be seen primarily and at its best in Lionel Messi. The Argentine started out humbly with boyhood club Newells Old Boys, where he scored just shy of 500 goals for the youth team. At age 10, Messi was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency, treatment for which was unaffordable for both his family and tean. However, one team offered to help, Barcelona. Messi would go on to repay this debt, skyrocketing through the club ranks and earning a debut at the age of 16. He wouldn’t solidify his name until the 2005/06 season. And the rest, they say, is history. Despite being a deity in Catalonia, internationally Messi never reached the same heights. Perhaps unfairly, he is contrasted with fellow Argentinian great Diego Maradonna, who himself lifted the World Cup in 1986. While at times carrying the national team single-handedly, Messi never lifted an international trophy, despite a World Cup and two Copa America finals. His legendary rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo brought the best ouf of Messi, and he was a core figure in two treble winning seasons. He simply has to go down as the best player in the history of the game,
THIERRY HENRY
792
APPEARANCES
411 GOALS
18
TROPHY’S WON
One of the most prolific and naturally gifted Forwards in modern football, Thierry Henry could score from absolutely nothing. He played with the grace, confidence and swagger that made him the best striker in the world for a solid chunk of the 00s. Henry was often mis-used and played out of position in his early career stints at Monaco and Juventus. It wasn’t until he reunited with Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, that his raw goalscoring prowess was shown bare. Henry formed lethal partnerships with likes of Ian Wright, Dennis Bergkamp and Robin Van Perisie. His time at Arsenal peaked during the 2003/04 season, the year Arsenal were invincible, ending the season undefeated in the Premier League. Eventually the big offers came in, and Henry signed for Barcelona in 2007, where he won two La Liga, a Copa Del Rey and the Champions League as part of a treble season. Slightly ahead of the curve, Henry moved to MLS in 2010 with the New York Red Bulls. He briefly returned to Arsenal for a loan in 2012, scoring a couple of throwback goals in the process. He also made over 100 appearances for France, picking up a World Cup and a European Championship before he retired from football in 2014. After retiring, Henry dabbled in punditry, before going into management via a gig on the Belgium coaching staff. He took over at Monaco, but was ousted amid dreadful form. Since 2019, he has managed Montreal Impact in the MLS.
CRISTIANO RONALDO
978
APPEARANCES
701 GOALS
29
TROPHY’S WON
(AS OF OCTOBER 2019)
If there’s one player who can mae an honest claim to Messi’s title as the greatest player on the planet, it’s Cristiano Ronaldo. Deceptively tall and devestatingly quick, good in the air and an expert at finding the back of the net, Ronaldo may just be the finest goalscorer of his generation. Ronaldo was born on the island of Madeira, where he was snapped up by Sporting Lisbon at age 12. In the Portuguese capital, Ronaldo honed his skill until one fateful friendly match in 2003. Ronaldo impressed during an exhibition match between Manchester United an Sporting Lisbon. Almost immediately after the match, rumours started flying that the Red Devils were interested in the tricky winger. Ronaldo was signed that very summer as a replacement for Madrid-bound David Beckham. During his six years in England, Ronaldo and Manchester United dominated the Premier League, winning three league titles, a Champions League and an FA Cup. Ronaldo departed for Real Madrid in the summer of 2009, where further dominance ensued. Despite winning only two league titles in 9 years, Real won the Champions League four times, three of which came in a row. Following the 2018 Champions League triumph, Ronaldo seeked pastures new, and made a remarkable transfer to Italian titans Juventus. He won the Serie A in his first season, and while his career seems to be winding down, with injuries becoming more common, Ronaldo still bangs them in for fun week-in week-out. Success on the field isn’t limited to club football, and unlike Messi, Ronaldo has managed to lift international silverware. He was a core part of the Portugal team which won the 2016 European Championships and the 2019 UEFA Nations League.
FORESTIERI...HERE’S HULK
DEENEY DO NOT SCRATCH YOUR EYES YOU ARE REALLY SEEING THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY FINISH HERE
IT ALMOST MIRRORS THE FINAL DAY
WITH THE VERY LAST KICK OF THIS PLAY-OFF SEMI FINAL
TROY DEENEY WINS IT FOR WATFORD
AND SENDS THEM TO
WEMBLEY
If any moment effectively puts to bed the notion that sub-Premiership football is not as entertaining it is this. Seldom has a game changed so much in such a short period of time. With 96 minutes on the clock, Leicester had a penalty, and the situation was simple, score and Leicester go to Wembley. Anthony Knockaert stepped up, saved by Almunia, who was somehow able to save the point-blank rebound. Blink and you would have missed the rapid Watford counter attack, as the ball found itself on the right wing, Fernando Forrestieri lifted a deep cross toward the back post of the Leicester goal, which was headed back across goal into the path of Watford captain Troy Deeney, who hit the ball with enough ferocity to nearly burst the net. Chaos ensued as Deeney ripped his shirt off and lept into the front row of the crowd to celebrate with the fans who sing his name every week. It is a moment so pure and raw, that it could get near enough anyone into the beautiful game, it is counter attacking football at its finest and the true epitome of the emotional, and passionate relationship between fans and players. Although Watford lost the play-off final to Crystal Palace, The Hornets have since found themselves playing regular Premier League football, as have Leicester City, who miraculously won the league three years later (more on that another time).
CHAMPIONSHIP
PLAY-OFF SEMI FINAL
2013
HERE HE IS AGAIN HERE HE IS AGAIN THAT’S ASTONISHING
IT’S ABSOLUTELY
WORLD
CLASS MESSI HAS TAKEN THEM APART
ONLY FOOTBALL CAN MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE THIS
To me, this goal sums up everything beautiful about football, and everything brilliant about Lionel Messi. The simple elegance of his movement, the grace of his touch, and the schaudenfreude of seeing both Jerome Boateng and Manuel Neuer, two of the greatest defensive players in the world at the time, humbled at the feet of the greatest of all time. This was the first season of the deadly trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez. The three had worked perfectly in unison earlier in the knockout stages, dispatching of Manchester City and Paris Saint Germain with relative ease, but tonight, Messi was the star of the show. German giants Bayern Munich were in form and ready to rain on the parade. Mere moments after he opened the scoring with a drilled shot from outside the box, Messi picked the ball up again, and ran at the Bayern Munich back four. Boateng stepped up the challenge Messi, and probably still regrets that decision to this day. The Barca number 10 moved to the left, and just as Boateng matched his movement, he shifted back to the right, forcing Boateng to spin involuntarily, landimg face-down on the turf as Messi strolled past with ease. Drawing Neuer forward, Messi dropped his soldier and dinked the ball delicately over the German keeper as the Nou Camp looked on in amazement. The goal brought grown men to tears as Barca went on to lift the trophy by beating Juventus in the final. Only football can make you feel like this.
UCL SEMI FINAL
2015
SIR ALEX FERGUSON
2,155 GAMES MANAGED
1,253 GAMES WON
48
TROPHY’S WON
Alas, we have reached the man who will pull the team together. The players have been chosen, and their selections justified, now for the tactical element. I feel this selection needs no justification for two simple reasons. He turned Manchester United into the most dominant force in English football, and he did it with only a handful of world class players. Ask yourself, what other manager could turn Luke Chadwick, Anderson, Quentin Fortune and Alex Butner into Premier League winning players? What Sir Alex did at Manchester United is nothing short of remarkable, and while myself and any other football fan growing up in the early 00s may hate the man for robbing our childhoods of footballing glory, one has to acknowledge the firm hand and wise mind that led United to such success. Ferguson had no time for off-pitch dramatics, and was notoriously unforgiving to what he saw as insolence towards the team and the game, a certain fracas with David Beckham springs to mind. This attitude is much needed in the modern game, a game of player-power, benevolent agents and a ruthless press. He did not make a habit of speaking to the press, leaving press conferences up to his coaching staff, but more than enough talking was done on the field. Under Ferguson, United played a fearless, flowing and aesthetically pleasing brand of football, one which is truly missed in his absence, as Manchester United have since fallen well out of the title race, and now find themselves competing for the last Champions League spots. So, with the ego of players in check, minimal public scandals and an attractive playing style, this may be the best modern football team ever assembled.
BECKHAM COULD RAISE THE ROOF HERE WITH A GOAL...
I DON’T BELIEVE IT
DAVID BECKHAM SCORES THE GOAL TO TAKE
ENGLAND ALL THE WAY TO THE
WORLD CUP FINALS
David Beckham wasn’t always a beloved icon of the English game. Three years prior, he had caught the ire and anger of the English fans and press after getting himself sent off against Argentina at the 1998 World Cup, in a game that the Three Lions would go on to lose. The response was unforgiving and brutal, nearly forcing golden balls to play his football away from British shores, and it was to be a long and arduous journey back to the hearts of the English public. Fast forward to 2001, England’s World Cup qualification hangs on by a thread, a tricky fixture against an unassuming but dangerous Greece. England found themselves trailing 2-1 as the clock wound down, and were looking at a humiliating failure to qualify for the world’s grandest footballing stage. Almost as if a usurper had enterred the writing room of the footballing gods and set Beckham up for a moment that he, or anyone for that matter, wouldn’t forget. England won a free kick in the perfect spot for a free kick maestro like David Beckham. Beckham still had a lot to do though, his only chance at goal was to lift the ball up and around the Greek wall and past the goalkeeper. In the seconds leading up to the kick, England fell silent, awaiting a fate that was in the hands of one man and one man only. The second the ball left his foot, there was only one place it possibly could have ended up, with the keeper rooted to the spot, the ball curved poetically into the top corner, as Beckham won back the adoration of his country by sending them to the 2002 finals. His road to redemption was completed in the group stage, when he scored the winning goal against, as if by benevolent design, Argentina.
WORLD CUP
QUALIFYING
2001
AGUEROOOOOOO O0OOOOOOOOOO I SWEAR YOU’LL
NEVER SEE ANYTHING LIKE THIS EVER AGAIN
SO WATCH IT
DRINK IT IN
EPL FINAL DAY
2012
The Premier League is everything that is beautiful and poetic about this sport. La Liga may have El Classico, Lionel Messi, (formerly) Cristiano Ronaldo and the odd upset in the form of Atletico Madrid or Valencia, but it will never have a moment like this. In the seven years since Manchester City lifted the Premiership, they’ve gone on to become one of the worlds top teams with Pep Guardiola at the helm, but when they hosted Queens Park Rangers on the final day of the 2011/12 season, this was their chance to make history. In the decades since their previous league trophy, Manchester City had fallen far behind their city rivals Manchester United, even spending some time in the second tier of the English system, yet an unlikely takeover from oil-rich emirati’s in 2008 set the Citizens on the path to English dominance. Over four years, the club cultivated a winning squad, with the likes of Yaya Toure, Sergio Aguero, Vicent Kompany and Joe Hart. One challenge stood in their way, a stubborn QPR side, who themselves needed to win to ensure that they would not be relegated. All Manchester City needed to do was win. City took the lead through Pablo Zabaleta, however Queens Park Rangers fought back and managed to find themselves 2-1 up going into the dying moments. To make matters worse, bitter rivals Manchester United were winning away at Sunderland, and were minutes away from extending their dominance over the English game for another season. Edin Dzeko equalisied for City in the 91st minute, and seconds later, jubilant celebrations from the Rangers away end signalled that no matter the outcome, they were safe from relegation. Step up Sergio Aguero. With mere seconds on the clock, he picks up a desperate pass from Mario Balotelli, his first touch takes the ball past the sliding QPR defender, before the Argentine leathers the ball past Rob Green into the back of the net as the Etihad Stadium exploded. In one moment, Manchester City cemented themselves as a force in European football and gave us one of the games most remarkable and goosebump-inducing moments. So watch it, and drink it in.
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