The Interplanetary Cup

What if there were beings similar to us in the rest of the planets within our solar system? Maybe they would vary in color and features but would have two arms and two legs like us humans here on Earth. It would be really fantastic to take off in a space ship to watch not the World Cup but instead the Interplanetary Cup.

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As crazy as this is I can assure you that I’m not smoking anything but sometimes I let my mind get loose a little. Imagine being able to watch our best team in the world compete against extraterrestrials beings. Though, those Martians could be a little bit aggressive I think our athletes would do just fine against them.

This Interplanetary Cup would be an expensive trip but an amazing experience as well. Imagine flying through the black sky, looking out the window to an endless outer space filled with beautiful stars. This mega space ship will have everything humans use here on Earth; from bars, restaurants, and swimming pools and of course a few indoor soccer fields would fit right in.

At this point it would be easier to travel to other planets because we would have shared technological advances with our neighbors. They would have visited us and we would have visited them. As our relationship with them has prospered we have decided to have some athletic competitions against each other. And inspired by the popularity of the Would Cup here on Earth we would have the Interplanetary Cup.

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Where could this tournament be held though? Pluto would make of our team ice cubes in seconds! Mercury would make them look like melted cheese! Our cousins from Mars would be good candidates for hosting such even. But since at this point in the future we would have mega structures floating around just about everywhere in the solar system.  Those floating rocks out there would have become sort of space courtyard hotels. And in collaboration from our planetary neighbors we would have built a mega stadium for sporting events.

Needless to say that the Interplanetary Cup would be just an amazing event! Too bad is just an imaginary one now. But the future is bright just like the stars out there and who knows maybe in the distance not too far from where we are now we might start by challenging the Martians. I’m still not smoking anything! I just enjoy the beautiful game as much as you do!

Dramatic End of Season in La Liga

La Liga is Set for Dramatic End of the Season

It is unbelievable that not too long ago Barca was seating in a nice cushion of ten points ahead of archenemy Real Madrid. After el clasico defeat things turned sour for Luis Enrique’s men that actually they must win their last game in order to clinch La Liga title.

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Real Madrid managed to close the gap and has now 87 points; only one point behind Barcelona. These results not only have put pressure on Messi and company but also the last game in La Liga has definitely been set for a dramatic end.

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Barca must win! And Real Madrid along with Ronaldo is hoping that their rivals draw or loses their last match. Fans of both sides will be watching how each game will unfold. This is just fantastic stuff brought courtesy of the beautiful game!

An English Premier League Cinderella Story

What’s so great about Leicester City? Well; not only are they a phenomenal team but also they have shown the world that the essence of the beautiful game still exists. We have been used to seeing every season that the teams with deep pockets take the trophies home from every competition. But this simply was not the case in the English Premier League this season.

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This year the English Premier League has its own Cinderella Story. There is no doubt that the rise of Leicester City Football Club and their inspirational story is one of those that only appear within 200 years. The fantastic run from the foxes who outfoxed and snatched the league title from the big boys like Manchester United, Chelsea among other top clubs has attracted fans and enthusiasts from all over the world.

In recent years there has not been an unlikely team winning the Championship in the EPL. This is something that could possibly change the layers of the clubs of how they go about building their teams. Should the focus be on buying expensive players or applying the right mindset of teamwork?  Leicester City a year ago was at the bottom of the table but on this year’s campaign they have shown the world that the odds can be beaten.

Fans of the beautiful game always have something special in their heart for the underdog. And this year there is no doubt that the world was rooting for the humble team to take the big prize home.

Congratulations Leicester City! Well-deserved triumph!

Soccer Is So Easy Even a Caveman Can Do It

Soccer is so easy! Everyone can play that game! Well; if it were so easy then I would be playing in the best team in the world and I would be earning millions of dollars or Euros as well as dating hot models.

Well! My country is not that good at soccer because our best athletes play others sports. Ahh! Right! Your best athletes are the ‘best’ at the sport they have dedicated their lives to. They have dedicated so much time and training to the sport they have mastered but that doesn’t mean that they could quickly switch to anther sport and be successful. Cough! Couch! I remember Michael Jordan trying to play baseball. That didn’t go too well. And he definitely was one of the best athletes out there.

But it’s so easy; all you do is kick that ball around! Well; there a zillion ways to kick that ball. On a free kick, you mean to tell me that it’s easy to curl it around the defenders with enough finesse and power so that the goalkeeper does not put a hand on it. A long range shot is certainly not easy at all, not only does require enough power but also accuracy so that it does not go high above the bar. Then, you have those long passes, the short passes and each requires certain touch. If the pass has too much power it could bounce off your teammate and the opponent player could easily intercept it. If it is too soft it could become a divided ball. It is certainly not easy to cross that ball among so many legs when passing around. Period!

How come those soccer players are always faking injuries? Some may fake injuries but for the most part the hits are real. Soccer players do not train to get hit! Hitting is not part of the game at all. There are some injuries in the joints because players often get clipped unexpectedly with the studs and those things are not soft at all.

Also, soccer players do not wear a metal bra at all. Shin guards are their ultimate protection.

I truly get a kick when someone not knowing the details of the sport thinks that the players are just kicking the ball around!

That Day I Traveled to Camp Nou

That Day I traveled to Camp Nou

As an aficionado of the beautiful game I wanted to travel across the Atlantic to watch a live match of arguable the best team in the world. Actually, FC Barcelona seems to be invincible at the moment and for that reason they possess the bragging rights as the world’s best.

It was a fascinating trip since the highlight of it would be to watch the match of Barca vs Atletico on the 30^th of January. It was really exciting to finally watch a live game in the stadium as well as certain players who I admire and have followed for some years.

I was arriving to Barcelona early on the day of the match so I wanted to stay strategically near the stadium. I planned the how far it would take in minutes from the hotel to Camp Nou. This was an easy task after typing a couple of addresses on Google maps.

Before departing from home I made sure I have printed a few tickets that I placed in different parts of my luggage. I was lucky I did; I didn’t want any chance of screwing this one up.

 I wanted to make sure I stepped inside Camp Nou for that game and that I was not going to be stopped at the gate for some weird reason.

But actually I was stopped at check in and this lady looked at my ticket carefully. Then she said that it was not valid. I was like wait! What! She said that the ticket needed to display the names of the teams on top of the ticket. I guess my printer played a prank on me and decided not to print that part on one of the tickets I pulled out. Luckily I had printed another ticket and on I went to find my seat. Phew!

See the slight difference in these tickets below.

 

good!

Not so good!

When I finally found my seat on Boca 36 seat number 1 of course; I was ready, I was eager to watch Barca’s number 10 everyone fan talks about at one point. He is indeed a fascinating player! There he was warming up with his teammates. I truly did not want to see Messi in an off-season game or one of those friendly games where he partially plays a bit.

At this game versus Atletico the little magician as he is sometimes called was all over the pitch. Messi was providing accurate passing, dribbling and playing the spaces. It was an important game since both teams would be fighting for standing on top of La Liga. Atletico stroke first but Barca came from behind to keep those three points.

It was an unforgettable experience to watch the masters of the beautiful game at their home turf. Memories of the fans, screaming and waving those flags, and those chants that will live in my mind for years to come.

Messi Five Times FIFA Ballon d'Or

Is Messi Greatest Ever?

The question will always hang around given the different aspects of today’s game. It’s tough to compare Messi to other great legends simply because the pace of the game was played differently. Some fans of the beautiful game will argue that the Barcelona talisman has not won a World Cup yet and some would retaliate saying that Messi is the only player to have won the FIFA  Ballon d’or five times.

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The comparison with Pele will always come up among fans of different generations. Undoubtedly Pele is stamped in the history of the game as the finest; however, it is a tough call when comparing different players who not only played in different eras but also in completely different tournaments.

Some will say that Pele did not play in today’s Champions League accelerated pace against the fastest and fittest opponents. Respectfully though, the Brazilian legend lifted the World Cup three times (1958, 1962, 1970) which arguably has no contest. Pele was great and he did not play against top club players every four years to beat them to the coveted prize as Copa Libertadores was and still is a very competitive tournament among South American teams.

Messi is definitely one of the greatest ever but it’s difficult to compare with Pele. They both have qualities that ‘at their best’ have been untouchable by their opponents but they played in distinctive tournaments at a completely different pace. Some would say that players back in the 70s and 80s were just walking around the pitch compared to today’s players. But some will say that defenders back then would tear a players knee apart and the referee would not call a foul.

To compare players of different generations and different tournaments is simply a tough argument. There always will be a great player in different generations fans will remember and compare them with the idol they grew up with.