Brazil Ronaldo Retires At The Age Of 34

Ronaldo has confirmed that he will announce his retirement on Monday, calling time on a rich and unforgettable career in football. 

The legendary striker, currently with Corinthians, has cited injury and fitness concerns as the reason for his bowing out months before his final contract was due to expire. 

"My body aches. In my head I want to continue, but this body can't take much more," Ronaldo told Fantastico online magazine. "In recent days I have cried like a baby."

The forward has spent the last two years at Corinthians after a glorious spell in Europe with PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona,Inter, Real Madrid and AC Milan.

His one season at Camp Nou is frequently cited as one of the greatest individual campaigns in footballing history, while his spells at San Siro and the Bernabeu were no less eventful.


Meanwhile Ronaldo is also widely regarded as one of Brazil's greatest ever players. He is the World Cup's all-time leading goalscorer, with 15 goals in four tournament appearances - two of which the Selecao would win.

Nonetheless, with Corinthians being eliminated from the Copa Libertadores early, and his physical condition preventing a consistent run in the Timao line-up, Ronaldo has now called it a day.

He will formally end his career at a press conference at Corinthians headquarters at 12:40pm local time.
source: Goal.com

Argentina vs Portugal 2-1Goals & Highlights

Neville retirement no laughing matter

Gary Neville's announcement that he has retired from football will not be mourned on Merseyside. It will not be met with sadness by supporters all across the country who came to greet the mention of his name with a smirk or a sneer; this was a footballer who divided opinion like few others. However, it marks the end of a great career, and one that demonstrated just what can be achieved through application and determination. It should be met with sadness.

Neville's decision was timely, certainly. This is not a retirement that induces bemusement, as Eric Cantona's did when he walked away from Old Trafford at the age of just 30. Anyone who watched Neville performance against Stoke in October, his 600th appearance for the club, would have seen a player who had become a shadow of his former self, and a liability to his team.

After an error-strewn performance he was removed at half-time by Sir Alex Ferguson. Now, in order to protect the image United fans have of him, he has removed himself from the first-team squad with less than half of the season remaining.

But an inglorious end should not mask what has been one of the great United careers, and from a man who frequented the Stretford End as a child. Of his fellow 'Fergie Fledglings', the remarkable clutch of young talent that emerged at the start of the 1990s, Neville never had the star quality of David Beckham, the innate genius of Paul Scholes or the explosive skill of Ryan Giggs. Rather, his was a career founded on other qualities: sheer professionalism, bloody-minded determination and a desire to make the absolute most of his ability.

So why the mixed feelings towards this dedicated servant of the national side? Well, for one, as United fans sung with gusto so often, "Gary Neville is a red, he hates scousers". He made no secret of the fact, once admitting: "I can't stand Liverpool, I can't stand Liverpool people, I can't stand anything to do with them." These were sentiments that obviously appealed to his adoring Mancunian public.

Neville's feelings of antipathy for Liverpool's natives was mutual, of course. A relationship based on hatred was cemented in February 2006 when he was fined £5,000 for baiting Reds fans following a stoppage-time winner from Rio Ferdinand at Old Trafford. Neville's reaction to the FA punishment was to state, with tongue lodged in cheek, that: "being a robot, devoid of passion and spirit, is obviously the way forward for the modern-day footballer."

No one would accuse Neville of being a robot. Indeed, Carlos Tevez coined a far more colourful expression when describing his former team-mate as a "sock sucker" and a "moron" during another public dispute in January 2010. His animosity not restricted to Merseyside, Neville indulged in a spat with Manchester City, his middle-finger gesture to Tevez during a subsequent derby clash seeing his passion for Manchester United again rise to the surface.


Yes his moustache is comical, yes his father is called Neville Neville, and yes, plenty of humour has been derived from this most serious of characters. But Neville's retirement is no laughing matter. It marks the end of the career of a great one-club man, and a consummate professional who fulfilled his potential to the absolute fullest.

Would it be asking for too much for Neville to unite opinion for once, and for all to agree that he will be missed, if only just a little?

source: Tom Adam, Goal.com 

Madrid have dismissed reports that Mourinho made any remark about returning to England...

Real Madrid have made it clear that coach Jose Mourinho did not make any comments about returning to England at the end of the season to the British tabloid The Sun.

The Sun published an interview with Mourinho earlier on Thursday in which the Portuguese was quoted as saying that he was unhappy in Spain and that he wanted to return to England.

However, Madrid have now stated that this interview was a compete fabrication and told Goal.com Spain that Mourinho didn't speak to The Sun and never made those comments.


source: Goal.com

Man Utd's Edwin van der Sar to retire at end of season

Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar will retire from football at the end of this season.

The 40-year-old former Netherlands international moved to Old Trafford from Fulham in 2005.

Van der Sar has made 245 appearances for the Red Devils and helped them to win three Premier League titles and the 2008 Champions League.

"It is now time to pay attention to my family," he told the website of his management agency.

Van der Sar admitted he had been contemplating quitting the game since his wife, Annemarie, collapsed with a brain haemorrhage in December 2009.

"I cannot really identify a time when it [the decision] happened," said the former Ajax and Juventus player. "Let's just say that it was playing on my mind from the moment Annemarie had her stroke.

"She has fought back from it. We decided on another year in England and thus to stay at Manchester United.

"But, once engaged in the season, the thought of saying goodbye started to gnaw a bit more emphatically."

Van der Sar admitted it had been a difficult decision to make, but ultimately the correct one.

It is a difficult process. After a defeat, I thought differently than after playing a few good games in a row.

"My age played no role. I am 40 years old but I still feel fit.

"And then the decision came suddenly. Do not ask me how or why, but suddenly you know. That was sufficient.

"The time has come to devote greater attention to my family - although they have never complained. Everyone in the family has indeed always had to focus on me, but we have also had a lot in return."

United goalkeeping coach Eric Steele commented that Van der Sar will go down alongside Peter Schmeichel as one of the club's greats following his decisive penalty save from Nicolas Anelka in the Champions League shootout against Chelsea in 2008.

During the 2009/10 season, he set a new Premier League record by going 1,311 minutes without conceding a goal.

He has twice been named Europe's best goalkeeper by Uefa, has made the Premier League team of the year on two occasions and was named in the team of the tournament for Euro 2008.

He began his career with Ajax in his native Netherlands and enjoyed nearly a decade of success, winning four Eredivisie titles and three Dutch cups in addition to winning the Uefa Cup in 1992 and the Champions League in 1995.

He then spent two years at Italian club Juventus before moving to Fulham in 2001, and then to United four years later.

Van der Sar called time on his international career after Euro 2008 before returning briefly to help out Oranje coach Bert van Marwijk in two 2010 World Cup qualifiers a few months later, before retiring for good with a Dutch record 130 caps to his name.

United's Polish keeper Tomasz Kuszczak, who has been at the club since 2007, recently declared his desire to succeed Van der Sar as the club's number one.

However, United have been linked to several keepers and the club signed Denmark international Anders Lindegaard from Norwegian club Aalesund in November last year while Ben Amos, 20, went on loan to Oldham until the end of the season.

source: BBC Sports

FIFA Ballon D'Or Candidate in 2010

Will Lionel Messi retain his crown? Will Xavi be recognised as the world's best for his midfield exploits? Or will the quiet genius Andres Iniesta be rewarded for his World Cup-winning strike? We'll find out on Monday 10 January (today)

Andres INIESTA
Club:  FC Barcelona
Country:  Spain
Position: Midfielder
Defining moment of 2010: Scoring the winning goal in the World Cup final on July 11

Ballon d'Or Last Year: Fourth place with 149 points - a personal best.

FIFA Award Last Year: Fifth place with 190 points, behind Kaka, Xavi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

2010 Lowdown: World Cup winner, La Liga winner, Spanish Super Cup winner; FIFA World Cup All-Star Team placement.

2010 Story: A player who grows more consistent year on year, Iniesta defied fitness worries to once again wow the world in 2010. His World Cup-winning goal was just a small part of a superb tournament, and his play in the blue and red of Barcelona was, while punctuated by rest periods, a joy to watch. The fact that he so often came off the bench to make a difference is testament to how much his teammates need him.

Lionel MESSI

Club: FC Barcelona
Country:  Argentina
Position: Forward
Defining moment of 2010: Scoring all four as the Blaugrana battered Arsenal 4-1 on April 6

Ballon d'Or Last Year: Won the award for the first time with 473 points, over double that of second-placed Cristiano Ronaldo.

FIFA Award Last Year: First place with 1073 points, a record total for any player and over three times the total of second-placed Cristiano Ronaldo on 352.

2010 Lowdown: La Liga winner, Spanish Super Cup winner; La Liga Player of the Year; La Liga top goalscorer; European Golden Shoe winner; Champions League top goalscorer; Argentine Footballer of the Year.

2010 Story: In La Liga, Messi has spent the last twelve months scoring a goal a game, and setting up a goodly amount, too: in the 5-0 rout at the Clasico he showed that even when he's not hitting the net he's helping others to do so. At 23 his natural genius is becoming more tempered by maturity, and the results are there for all to see. Certainly the most exciting of goalscorers...

XAVI

Club:  FC Barcelona
Country:  Spain
Position: Midfielder
Date of Birth: 25 January 1980 (age 30)
Defining moment of 2010: Setting up both goals in the decisive 2-0 win at the Bernabeu on April 10

Ballon d'Or Last Year: Third place with 170 points for Xavi's best-ever finish.

FIFA Award Last Year: Third place with a total of 196 points, up from 155 the previous year.

2010 Lowdown: World Cup winner, La Liga winner, Spanish Super Cup winner; FIFA World Cup All-Star Team placement, Premi Catalunya de l'Esport award.

2010 Story: Last year's third-ranked player enjoyed an awesome but exhausting 2010 in which his passing was once again marked out as the world's most accurate and most likely to result in goals for his club side. At international level he was the heart of Spain, playing more vital a supporting role than even Iniesta, completing over 500 passes in South Africa.

source: goal.com

City land Dzeko for £27m

Manchester City have reportedly agreed a £27 million deal to sign Edin Dzeko from Wolfsburg and the sought-after Bosnian striker expected to arrive in England by the end of the week.

Dzeko has long been a target for City but it is believed Wolfburg boss Steve McClaren's need for funds to strengthen his squad has helped bring down their asking price.

City just need to agree personal terms with Dzeko, who has reportedly asked for £175,000 in wages. The club is expected to negotiate a lower figure than that but Dzeko will still become one of the world's highest paid players.

Dzeko, who has been a goal-machine for Wolfsburg, has also been a target for Bayern Munich and Juventus but cash-rich City are near certain they will get the man they hope could make the difference in the Premier League title race.

The move is likely to have a flow-on effect at the club with 24-year-old Dzeko joining Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli among the preferred striking stocks, meaning Emmanuel Adebayor and Roque Santa Cruz will have to look elsewhere to find regular football.

Jerome Boateng is convinced Manchester City will be signing a star performer if they can lure Dzeko to the club. From his own meetings with the striker, the German international acknowledges what a threat he can be.

"Dzeko is a very good striker,'' Boateng told the Manchester Evening News. "Of course, we would love to see him at City because he is a quality player. He played against Hamburg a few times whilst I was there - and he scored.

source: Soccernet.com