09/26/2006
RONALDINHO WARNS RIVALS
Ronaldinho - warning for Barcelona rivals.
RONALDINHO WARNS RIVALSBarcelona superstar Ronaldinho sounded an ominous warning to the rest of the primera Liga by insisting: "We can still get better."
Frank Rijkaard's side have started the domestic campaign with three wins out of three, scoring nine goals in the process, and thumped Levski Sofia 5-0 in their Champions League opener for good measure.
However, Brazil playmaker Ronaldinho is not getting too carried away just yet.
"This season has started well but we can still get better," he told club website www.fcbarcelona.com.
"There are many teams out there that can create many problems for us in the fight for the title - Sevilla, Valencia and Real Madrid among others."
It is Quique Sanchez Flores' Valencia side who on Sunday travel to the Nou Camp, where they have picked up points in each of the past five seasons.
Ronaldinho is keen to buck that trend.
"We are highly motivated towards getting all three vitally important points," said the 26-year-old.
"We must pay close attention to all their players for there to be no surprises.
"Valencia are an extremely difficult team to beat and they have immense quality in attack."
Ronaldinho insists he has not been distracted by talk of a possible new deal in Catalonia.
"I'm never worried about my contract," he said. "I only worry about playing.
"My brother deals with all the paperwork, the only time I worry is when I'm on the pitch.
"I am very happy with the way things are going at the moment. Since I have come to Barca, things have gone well for me. I hope things continue like this all season and for a long time to come."
The former Paris St German star is even happy to live with Rijkaard's famed rotation policy.
"No player likes to sit out of a game, (but) the boss makes his decisions and we respect them," he said.
"I do not consider myself untouchable."
Argentinian youngster Lionel Messi picked up a thigh problem during last weekend's victory over Racing Santander but resumed full training on Thursday and is in contention.
Santiago Ezquerro has been working in isolation after injuring his left quadriceps, and is unlikely to feature.
Valencia, along with Barca and Sevilla, are the only other Primera Liga team to have a 100% record after three games.
Spain striker David Villa is hopeful that record will be extended on Sunday, although the 24-year-old knows it will be far from easy.
"We are very optimistic about the match," Villa told club website www.valenciacf.es. "We know it will be a very difficult encounter against fantastic opposition.
"Their results speak for themselves - champions of Europe, champions of Spain... they are one of the strongest teams in the world.
"Like our team, theirs is full of quality players. If one does not perform then another will. We will have to be alert until the final whistle."
Villa will come face to face with international colleague Xavi on Sunday, and is relishing the task.
"(Xavi is) a great footballer, very important for the way Barcelona play.
"I have had the pleasure of playing in the same side as him and understand very well the way he plays."
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07/23/2006
Brazil ace's keepy-uppy
By ANTONELLA LAZZERI
RAGGED Ronaldinho turned into a World Cup flop because he spent his nights enjoying illicit romps with his French girlfriend, The Sun can reveal.Gorgeous model Alexandra Paressant said the Brazilian ace broke team rules to sneak off most evenings to bed her.
If that wasn’t tiring enough, she said he then liked to play World Cup football game FIFA 2006 on his PLAYSTATION.
Alexandra, 22, said: “The Brazilian coach had banned WAGS from the team’s hotel but we couldn’t bear to be apart.
“So nearly every night he would come to my hotel room and we would make love all night."
“Sometimes we didn’t even make it into the room, we would make love there and then in the corridor. We are mad for each other.
“He missed me too much and I don’t think it harmed him.”
World cup flop ... Ronaldinho
Ronaldinho is famed for his amazing keepy-uppy ball juggling — but is equally skilled OFF the pitch, said Alexandra. She added: “He cannot live without love, he is a very passionate person.
“He is as much a performer in the bedroom as he is on the football pitch."
“One night he made me scream with such pleasure the people on the hotel terrace below heard us because my window was open.”
Alexandra, who watched all Brazil’s games, added: “I know people say he didn’t play so well in the World Cup but I think he played well.
“I made him happy, and when he is happy he plays better football.”
Instead, she says, his habit of playing PlayStation after their romps may have knocked his form.
She said: “He likes to relax afterwards by playing his games. He was playing the FIFA 2006 football game during the World Cup.”
Alexandra also revealed she found it hard to know who to shout for when Brazil played France.
She said: “My heart was torn. I obviously wanted him to win but I am French so I also wanted them to win, it was hard for me.” Buck-toothed Ronaldinho, 26, met Alexandra at a hotel in Barcelona after his £21million move to Spain. She said: “I was with a modelling friend, we were working.
“I saw him but I didn’t approach him because I thought he had the image of a playboy and I don’t like that kind of man.
“But I left my room key on the table by mistake and he very sweetly brought it to me. We started talking and he is actually very shy. I found him cute and so different from what people think he is like.
“He is very cute, very polite. He treats me like a lady. He likes to take me for romantic meals and buy me little presents.”
“We spend all our time together when we can. We spend a lot of time making love, a lot of time in the bedroom. He is the best lover I have ever had. I love him. I love him!” They are planning to go on holiday in Brazil after she finishes her next assignment. Fashion model Alexandra added: “We have a lovely time there, we stay in a little tiny place.
“Sometimes he hires a helicopter so we can go to the capital to shop — he is very thoughtful.”
Brazil thrill ... Alex with Ron
Alexandra is due to come to Britain in September to star in an ITV programme about WAGS.
She said: “I met all the British WAGS and they were very nice. I am looking forward to seeing them again. I don’t think Victoria Beckham is taking part but I am hoping to star with her husband David in a film next year.
“I am filming ‘Asterix 3’ and either he or Zidane is supposed to be a guest star.
“I hope it is Beckham because I don’t like Zidane, he is arrogant.”
Alexandra’s revelations will be little comfort to England fans — still puzzled as to what made OUR BOYS fizzle out in Germany
http://www.thesun.co.uk
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Ronaldinho no factor in Brazil defeat
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) -- The Ronaldinho who left the World Cup on Saturday looked nothing like the two-time FIFA Player of the Year who attracted all the attention coming into the tournament.
The Brazilian playmaker failed to impress or to score, a streak that continued Saturday against France, which eliminated Brazil 1-0 in the quarterfinals.
Ronaldinho called the elimination one of the greatest disappointments of his career.
"The Olympics and [the World Cup] are competitions that are very important and every player would like to do well in them," he said. "It's very sad when we can't."
Ronaldinho played on Brazil's team that was eliminated by Cameroon in the 2000 Olympics.
He was a member of the squad that won Brazil's fifth title at the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan. He played five matches and scored two goals, including a spectacular free kick against England in the quarterfinals.
He also led Brazil to titles in the 1999 Copa America and the 2000 pre-Olympic tournament, as well as in last year's Confederations Cup in Germany.
But this World Cup he was far from the star who led FC Barcelona to the Spanish league and Champions League titles this season.
Ronaldinho's last goal came May 6 with Barcelona. The midfielder was held scoreless in three warmup matches in which Brazil outscored its opponents -- Swiss club FC Lucerne, Fluminense's under-20 squad and New Zealand -- 25-1.
Though he has 29 goals in 70 caps, Ronaldinho says his main role with the national team "is to help the other players score goals."
He did that twice in Brazil's 4-1 win over Japan last week.
On Saturday, he made no impact.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/
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06/23/2006
Brazil's Ronaldinho: Best in the World Keeps Getting Better
The childlike toothy grin and wavy black locks, harnessed in a tight ponytail, are ubiquitous worldwide. He is Ronaldinho, the brightest star of the best team in the biggest sporting event on the planet, and all signs point to this being his big year. He was voted the world's premier player -- again -- and was the engine that led Barcelona to another Spanish title as well as the Champions League title.
At times, Ronaldinho, whose nickname means "Little Ronaldo" in Portuguese to distinguish him from Real Madrid striker and Brazil teammate Ronaldo, can take over games with swashbuckling runs and can leave opponents dizzy with an ever-growing array of outlandish footwork. His joy on the field is obvious, and he is as adept at putting teammates into scoring position as he is at burying the ball himself. His free kicks are ever-dangerous. And he is only 26 years old. He might already be the greatest player his country has produced since Pele and, with another World Cup or two beyond this one, he could surpass that icon's status. Should he stand with the World Cup trophy hoisted over his head, and the Golden Boot (top scorer) and Golden Ball (most valuable player) awards tucked under the other arm, few would be surprised.
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World-Ronaldinho set to finally show his best for Brazil
By Brian Homewood
RIO DE JANEIRO, May 26 (Reuters) - Ronaldinho burst on to the international scene in a 1999 Copa America game against Venezuela when he scored a goal reminiscent of Pele's 1958 famous World Cup final effort.
Two minutes after coming on as a substitute for his second international appearance, the 19-year-old Ronaldinho flicked the ball over a defender, swept past another and fired the ball into the goal between goalkeeper Renny Vega and the near post.
It was clear that Brazil had unearthed another gem.
Seven years on, Ronaldinho is widely acclaimed as the world's best. No other player has such a wide range of tricks at his disposal and no other player seems to enjoy himself, as illustrated by Ronaldinho's trademark grin.
Yet there is still an underlying feeling in Brazil that something is missing from Ronaldinho's career.
Despite that spectacular goal in 1999 and his presence in the 2002 World Cup winning team, Ronaldinho has yet to perform at his very best for his country on a consistent basis.
There have been flashes of his brilliance but, as often as not, he has failed to meet expectations.
In 2002, for example, he played second fiddle to Rivaldo and Ronaldo and blotted his copybook by being sent off early in the second half of the quarter-final against England shortly after scoring the winning goal
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06/21/2006
Gilberto defends below-par Brazil
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Changes afoot as Ronaldinho says Brazil can do better
Changes afoot as Ronaldinho says Brazil can do better
Amid calls from Ronaldinho for improved form, Brazil coach Carlos Parreira will ring the changes for Friday's (AEST) Group F encounter with Japan with Gilberto Silva and Cicinho set for call-ups into the starting line-up.
With wins - though they were unimpressive - against Croatia and Australia under their belts Parreira will seek to use his opportunity to rest some regulars, on the basis of his training session Tuesday which saw Gilberto Silva link up in midfield with Kaka and Juninho with Ronaldinho.
Ronaldo is set to keep his place as "he needs to get his rhythm" and "is not ready for 90 minutes," according to Parreira, who will nonetheless likely give a portion of the match to Fred, scorer against Australia, or Real Madrid youngster Robinho.
Robinho is, in Parreira's words, "a very useful player and we will know when to deploy him".
Gilberto Silva could come in for either Ze Roberto or Emerson, the latter being on one yellow card.
And for the same reason, Cicinho, impressive at the Confederations Cup last year, could deputise for skipper Cafu.
Ronaldinho, who like many of his team-mates has not found his form in Germany as yet, said he was pleased to have notched up two victories, but said more progress was needed.
"I am very happy and Brazil are doing very well but I also think there is plenty of room for improvement," he told reporters.
Ronaldinho explained that "Brazil play differently to how we do at Barcelona and so I am more in the middle".
http://www.abc.net.au
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06/14/2006
World Cup 'keepers fight ball war
Croatia defender Robert Kovac (L) challenges Brazil midfielder Ronaldinho during their World Cup match in Berlin. Brazil won 1-0.(AFP/Odd Andersen)
Croatia defender Robert Kovac (L) challenges Brazil midfielder Ronaldinho during their World Cup match in Berlin. Brazil won 1-0.(AFP/Odd Andersen)
Ask any goalkeeper in Germany and they are minor irritations compared to those being caused by the Teamgeist ball and its revolutionary design has some of the world's best 'keepers bamboozled.
"You will see a lot of goals scored from 30m-35m at this World Cup," warned France's Fabien Barthez.
"And not just by those players who normally kick the ball the hardest. These balls are a catastrophe.
Germany's Torsten Frings was the first to show the ball's potential when he hit a screamer from around the 40m mark which veered away from its original trajectory and dipped right past a bemused Jose Porras in the Costa Rica goal last Friday.
The ball, designed by Adidas, has 14 panels instead of the 26 or 32 that traditionally create the hexagonal pattern and Ken Bray, a sports scientist at the University of Bath in England, believes that makes the ball behave more like a baseball.
"With a very low spin rate, which occasionally happens in football, the panel pattern can have a big influence on the trajectory of the ball and make it more unpredictable for a goalkeeper," Bray said.
"Watch the slow motion replays on television to spot the rare occasions where the ball produces little or no rotation and where goalkeepers will frantically attempt to keep up with the balls chaotic flight path."
United States keeper Kasey Keller feels slighted by the establishment. "Something is obviously going on with the ball. The rule changes in the last 20 years haven't been very goalkeeper-friendly. It might as well extend to the equipment as well. Fifa wants to see more goals," Keller said.
"It's a very light ball. The difference is only a fraction of a second but it's a big difference. This ball has a wobble. It's not an easy ball to catch. You are going to see times when a goalkeeper will overdive because it will come back across."
He has now had first-hand knowledge of the problem with Tomas Rosicky hitting a curler past him in his team's 3-1 defeat against the Czech Republic on Monday.
England's Paul Robinson says the ball is "goalkeeper-unfriendly".
"It's two pieces glued together. It moves a lot. It's light like a volleyball, and when it's wet it's even worse," he said.
Adidas, who supply the ball to the English, German and French leagues, have defended their product.
"It's also been used in the Champions League and no-one criticised it then," said company spokesperson Emmanuelle Gaye.
"Fifa asked for a ball which would favour a good game as well as goals. The ball is rounder and smoother. It conforms to all regulations.
"If there had been a problem for a tournament as important as the World Cup, Fifa would have immediately come back to us. We are not worried. On the contrary, it's a World Cup with a lot of goals."
Not surprisingly, the strikers here are licking their lips in anticipation.
"With long shots, it floats and moves a lot which makes it difficult to read," said Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho.
"It's perfect for attackers." - Sapa-AFP
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06/13/2006
Ronaldinho looking for protection
BERLIN, Germany -- Brazil open their campaign to win a sixth World Cup against Croatia on Tuesday with their Barcelona star Ronaldinho pleading for referees to protect them.
"All the teams are waiting for us," said the World Player of the Year. "It's vital the refereeing is rigorous because of the way we play."
Ronaldinho was, coincidentally, the last Brazilian to be shown a red card during a World Cup match, against England in 2002 after scoring what turned out to be the winning goal.
Brazil also face the ultra-competitive Australians and Japan in Group F.
Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has already said he will line up his 'magic quartet' of Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Adriano and Kaka.
If they beat Croatia they will improve the record for most consecutive wins in the finals.
Parreira is a cautious man, however, and he is concerned about the strength of opposition in Europe.
"It will be very difficult to win a sixth World Cup," Parreira said at a news conference at the stadium after taking training on Monday.
"The European teams are at home here. They just have to take a bike or a bus and they're here in Germany. They're in their own house."
Brazil, in fact, are the only non-European team to have won the World Cup in Europe, back in 1958 in Sweden.
"The competition will be very tough...but if there's one team that can break this (sequence) it's Brazil."
The coach, who led Brazil to their 1994 World Cup triumph, said the opening games of the 2006 tournament had shown how much work lies in store for the favorites.
"So far it's been what we were expecting," he said. "The teams are very healthy and even when playing at three o'clock the flow has been very good.
"There's been nothing to be scared of in the tactics but the speed of play has been very high."
Ronaldo, the 2002 top scorer with eight goals, needs two more to equal Gerd Muller's World Cup total of 14. He is currently tied in third place with Pele.
He also scored 10 goals in 15 qualifying matches, but has had a poor, injury-plagued season with his club Real Madrid and says he will be pleased when the action starts and he no longer has to answer questions about his weight.
Brazil equalled Italy's record of consecutive wins, set between 1934 and 1950, when they won all seven World Cup matches in 2002.
They have also won their last six opening fixtures at World Cups.
Parreira, criticised for his conservative tactics when he coached Brazil to their 1994 triumph in the United States, is taking a gamble by relying on only hard-working Emerson and Ze Roberto to provide a midfield base for his attacking quartet.
And Brazil could be exposed on the flanks where captain Cafu, looking for his third title at the age of 36, and 33-year-old Roberto Carlos might struggle.
Croatia have not been beaten in their last 10 competitive matches, losing for the last time 4-2 to England in Euro 2004.
But they will be without striker Ivica Olic because of a thigh strain, with Ivan Klasnic coming into the side to join Dado Prso in attack.
When the sides met in their only other match, in a 2005 friendly in Split, it finished 1-1.
http://www.cnn.com/
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Happy days for Ronaldinho as kick off looms for 'auriverde'
BERLIN (AFP) - World player of the year Ronaldinho said Monday he was raring to go ahead of Brazil's World Cup opener against Croatia in Berlin - but vowed the important thing was to win with a smile.
"That's the aim - things work out well for me if I am happy playing," the 26-year-old Barcelona star told reporters following a workout in the Olympic Stadium under the gaze of coach Carlos Alberto Parreira.
According to the star, Parreira has given his playmaker the green light to play with his trademark smile on his face - with the exception of planning a freekick routine.
Then, he says, he must adopt a serious mien as "that shows my powers of concentration."
Ronaldinho, whose long-range freekick sank England in the 2002 quarter-final, said he was sure that Brazil's much heralded attack of himself, Ronaldo, Adriano and Kaka, would fire on all cylinders once their tournament gets under way.
"Brazil's four attackers will be well marked but I'm confident we'll be able to get round that," he said.
Parreira meanwhile said he's no killjoy but wants his creative genius to apply himself with the utmost dedication with a sixth title at stake.
"We had a conversation and I told him not to lose the happiness he has playing football. He is free to do what he wants with the ball," Parreira stressed.
Just not show that toothy grin until after his freekicks have found their target.
http://news.yahoo.com
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06/11/2006
Ronaldinho: Brazil are a team
Ronaldinho: Brazil are a team
Ronaldinho insists Brazil are no one-man team as he looks to help the World Cup holders reclaim the trophy in style.
The Barcelona playmaker has been tipped as the man to guide the South Americans to their third victory in the last four tournaments.
But the 26-year-old maintains he cannot be expected to shoulder the burden of expectation when Brazil open their campaign against Croatia on Tuesday.
Ronaldinho told the Sunday Mail: "I played in the 2002 winning side but there wasn't the same expectation on me then as there is now.
"We had Rivaldo in our team four years ago and a lot was expected from him.
"The players had faith in him, the supporters had faith in him and the coach had faith in him. It was a lot to cope with and he delivered.
"Things have moved on. Rivaldo is no longer playing for Brazil, but we still have Ronaldo and many other good players.
"I'm fortunate to play with good players. We are not a one-man team - this is not all about Ronaldinho.
"I cannot win the World Cup on my own. When we won it in 2002, it was Brazil who were the victors.
"It does not say 'Rivaldo' or 'Ronaldo' on the trophy. It will be the same this time if we win. It will not say 'Ronaldinho'.
"It will say 'Brazil'."
http://www.teamtalk.com
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06/08/2006
soccer star Ronaldinho in Rio de Janeiro
A person rides by a painting of Brazil's soccer star Ronaldinho in Rio de Janeiro, Thursday, June 8, 2006. The Germany 2006 FIFA soccer World Cup will start on Friday, June 9. (AP Photo/Andre Luiz Mello)
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Ronaldinho expects to face tough defense at World Cup
Wednesday, June 7, 2006 (Koenigstein, Germany):
Ronaldinho knows being the best player in the world has its burdens. One of them will be to face defenders extra motivated trying to stop him at the World Cup.
"I've been facing tough defense for quite some time with Barcelona and the national team. It's not going to be any different in the World Cup," Ronaldinho said before one of Brazil's practice sessions in Koenigstein.
Ronaldinho, named FIFA player of the year for the last two consecutive times, will be leading Brazil on its quest to win its second straight World Cup title - and sixth overall.
"All nations try to set up the best defense in the world when they are facing Brazil. We know we will face a lot of difficulty because of that. Everybody plays very defensively against Brazil," he said.
The striker, who helped FC Barcelona win the Spanish title and the Champions League earlier this year, said he doesn't want extra pressure because of his status of best in the world.
"I think everybody in the team has the same responsibility. What I have is a lot of motivation to play my best. I'm going through a wonderful moment and I hope to get to the World Cup at the same level."
Ronaldinho, 26, also said he's not worried about his scoring drought during the team's pre-World Cup preparation. He netted no goals in the three warm-up matches in which Brazil outscored its opponents - Swiss club FC Lucerne, Fluminense's under-20 squad and New Zealand - by 25-1.
Ronaldinho said that his job in the national team was to help the forwards score.
Ronaldinho will be playing in his second World Cup. He was a member of the squad that won Brazil's fifth title at the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea.
Ronaldinho has 46 goals in 88 matches for Brazil. Ronaldinho on Tuesday proudly distributed to teammates the first issue of the Brazilian comic book in which he is a toothy, boyish character possessing the soccer wizardry of his namesake, the Brazilian Soccer Confederation said. The deal for the player's comic book series was closed last year in Brazil. (AP)
http://www.ndtv.com/
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06/06/2006
Danger Men of the World Cup
With the World Cup commencing this week, four players will be the shining lights at the premier event.
Ronaldinho – Attacking Midfielder – Brazil
His name means 'little Ronaldo' in Portuguese, and like his namesake stole the show four year ago, pundits believe this will be Ronaldinho's World Cup. And not many can disagree.
Since moving to Barcelona from PSG three years ago, he has been a class above the rest, winning the FIFA World Player of the Year twice and the European Player of the Year once.
His arrival at the Catalan giants has brought home two Spanish La Liga titles and the coveted European Champions League Trophy.
So what makes Ronaldinho so good? Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard once commented that a man with his talent cannot be coached, but you can only sit back and marvel at his magic.
The Brazilian is at the heart of most of Barcelona's attacks, and has fantastic footwork. Ronaldinho has magnificent close ball control and is very difficult to man mark, with an ability to skip past two or three markers without a sweat.
But despite his fantastic footwork, his link up play with team mates is deadly.
The attacking midfielder's deft touches, flicks and passes can release players around him, destroying even the most organised of defenders.
At the World Cup, Ronaldinho will be in a drooling attacking group that includes Kaka, Robinho, Ronaldo and Adriano.
Importantly for Australia, staving the current World Player of the Year of the ball may dry up most of Brazil's deadly attack. However, putting two or more players on Ronaldinho may be dangerous, freeing up space for his colleagues to make runs and the midfielder's uncanny ability to find them.
Steven Gerrard – Midfielder – England,
When Gerrard plays well, Liverpool plays well.
Since the midfielder's development from the Red's youth system to the first team, Liverpool's fans have witnessed a renaissance at the club.
Gerrard has brought glory back to Anfield, winning the FA Cup twice, the European Super Cup twice, the UEFA cup and the Champions League Trophy.
The Anfield man's best quality's is his ability to read the game, and command the midfield. Gerrard's both short and long passing game is one of his fantastic attributes, with his ability to either link up in small spaces, switch play, or send accurate long passes up forward to set up an attack.
The Red's man is also a leader on the field and is justifiably the team's captain. When his team is not in possession, Gerrard is a tireless worker in midfield, with his willingness to get back in defence, grab the ball, and get his team back on the attack.
When up forward, the talisman can find the back of the net from anywhere, with a freakish ability to score goals at the most crucial moments.
A recent example is the FA Cup final. With his side down 3-1 to West Ham, Gerrard's two goals levelled the contest, his second effort from 25 metres out with just seconds left to full time.
With England, his partnership with Frank Lampard, David Beckham and Joe Cole will make up what this writer believes is the most potent midfield at the World Cup.
Michael Ballack – Midfielder – Germany
As hosts of the football spectacle, Germany is one of the favourites to go all the way, and if that's the case, Michael Ballack will be central to that quest.
Michael Ballack has made his name at Bayern Munich, with his time at the German club bringing in three Bundesliga titles, and just as many German Cups.
He has also been voted the German Player of the year thrice, and the UEFA midfielder of the year.
Recently, Ballack's transfer to Chelsea will see him one of the highest paid players in the game.
In Korea and Japan, Ballack was a vital part to Germany's charge to the World Cup final before they fell to Brazil, and he will be just as important this time around to go one step further.
Just like Steven Gerrard, Ballack's vision and passing ability can either create space or put one of his players through a hole.
Like all good midfielders, Ballack has the ability to score goals, and at 189 cm tall, he is especially good in the air.
Complimented with the likes of Bastian Schweinsteiger, Torsten Frings, and Bernd Schneider in the midfield, Ballack should have a free roll up forward to weave his magic.
However, sadly for Germany their World Cup hopes do hinge heavily on the mood Ballack turns up with on match day.
Francesco Totti – Attacking Midfielder – Italy
Since Roberto Baggio left the international scene, Francesco Totti has been Italy's most important player in the past five years.
The attacking midfielder plies his trade with Serie A side AS Roma, and has been named Italy's Player of the Year twice.
His tenure at the club has seen them win the Serie A title once, finish runners-up another time, and compete in the world's most lucrative tournament, the Champions League.
However, success in the domestic scene has not transferred onto the world stage. His finest performance so far in the famous Azzuri jumper was at the turn of the century, where he was a vital part in Italy's charge to the Euro 2000 final, lost 2-1 to France.
Totti has fantastic footwork, with his ability to weave past markers one of his best traits. The attacking midfielder also has an eye for a good threw ball and can release his strikers at any moment.
However, Italy's strength traditionally lies with its defence and the ability for fast counter attacks. Totti's movement and decisions at these crucial moments may provide most of his country's goals.
The Roman will play just behind the strikers, with his link up play with forwards Alberto Gilardino, Luca Toni, Vincenzo Iaquinta or Filippo Inzagh, vital to success.
Special attention should also be payed to Lionel Messi from Argentina, Andrij Shevchenko of Ukraine, and Frenchman Zinedine Zidane, which will be his last World Cup.
http://www.theepochtimes.com
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06/05/2006
Members of Brazil's national soccer team arrive at the Frankfurt airport
Members of Brazil's national soccer team arrive at the Frankfurt airport June 4, 2006. WORLD CUP 2006 PREVIEW REUTERS/Tobias Schwarz (GERMANY)
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brazilian soccer forward Ronaldinho arrives at the Frankfurt airport
Brazil?s soccer forward Ronaldinho arrives at the Frankfurt airport June 4, 2006. WORLD CUP 2006 PREVIEW REUTERS/Tobias Schwarz (GERMANY)
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06/02/2006
Brazilian soccer coach Carlos Alberto Parreira (R) talks to Adriano and Ronaldinho during their training session
Brazilian soccer coach Carlos Alberto Parreira (R) talks to Adriano and Ronaldinho during their training session at Thermoplan Arena in the Swiss town of Weggis, Switzerland, June 2, 2006. WORLD CUP 2006 PREVIEW. REUTERS/Paulo Whitaker (SWITZERLAND)
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Ronaldinho feeling 100 percent fit again
"I'm fine now," Ronaldinho said Friday. "We had enough time to rest and practice. I already feel 100 percent."
The two-time FIFA World Player of the Year said last week he'd arrived for Brazil's training camp "feeling a bit tired" after helping FC Barcelona win the Spanish title and the Champions League.
"Everything (I was feeling) when we got here is gone now," Ronaldinho said.
Ronaldinho was one of the players rested by Brazilian doctors from training sessions last week. His last competitive match was the Champions League final on May 17, just five days before reporting to Brazil's two-week training camp.
Ronaldinho said everything about Brazil's preparation "has been perfect" so far, and that the team is on the right track to debut in top form against Croatia on June 13 in Berlin.
"Everyone in this group knows each other very well," he said. "We are always happy (to meet) for a competition."
Ronaldinho, known for his nifty skills and dazzling moves, also said there were very few moments these days he's not trying out new tricks with a soccer ball.
"It's my favorite pastime," Ronaldinho said. "I grew up doing that, copying other people's moves or inventing new things."
Ronaldinho was a member of the squad that won Brazil's fifth title at the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea. He played five matches and scored two goals, including a spectacular free kick against England in the quarterfinals.
He has 46 goals in 87 matches for Brazil. He led Brazil to titles in the 1999 Copa America and the 2000 pre-Olympic tournament, as well as in last year's Confederations Cup in Germany.
Brazil, which is in Group F along with Croatia, Australia and Japan, will play its last match before the World Cup on Sunday against New Zealand in Geneva.
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06/01/2006
Ronaldinho’s locks up for auction
ZURICH: Two locks of Brazil star Ronaldinho’s hair were put up for auction by a Swiss newspaper on Tuesday to raise funds for a cancer charity.
The hair was collected by a team of Swiss barbers who were called in to the Brazilian squad’s lakeside training base at Weggis in central Switzerland, the tabloid daily Blick said.
“They're very thick and strong with lots of natural curls. Not easy hair,” one of the hairdressers, Beat Fuchs, told the newspaper.
“Ronaldinho wants a comfortable cut that doesn’t hamper him during the game.” – AFP
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05/31/2006
World-Ronaldo's room tops Ronaldinho's in online auction
ZURICH, May 29 (Reuters) - Ronaldo's hotel room topped that of team mate Ronaldinho's in an online auction, fetching 1,010 Swiss francs ($825.8) for a one-night stay in the room of Brazil's leading striker after the team's stay in Switzerland.
"I was surprised that Ronaldo came out on top," said assistant manager Philipp Musshafen at the Park Hotel in Weggis, which launched the eBay auction.
The Brazilian team set up camp at the luxury hotel at the foot of the Swiss Alps last week to train for the World Cup in neighbouring Germany next month.
Ronaldinho's hotel room fetched 850 francs. In total the five rooms auctioned, including those of Kaka, Adriano and Roberto Carlos, reaped 3,200 francs.
"We will donate the amount to a Brazilian institution," Park Hotel's Musshafen said.
The winners will spend the night of June 3 at the hotel, just hours after the Brazilians move out at the end of their two-week stay.
They will also be given signed Brazilian football shirts. Normal rates for the five rooms on offer range from 480 to 780 Swiss francs each.
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05/28/2006
Pitch invader hugs Ronaldinho
A Brazilian woman ran onto the pitch and hugged striker Ronaldinho as the world champions finished a training session, watched by around 5,000 fans, on Friday.
At least four other fans followed her onto the field, raising worries about security and underlining the concerns about the carnival-like atmosphere which has been created around the world champions in the small Swiss village.
Brazil's players had finished an attack-versus-defence practice and were doing stretching exercises on the ground when the incidents happened.
The blonde-haired woman jumped the fence around the field and appeared to land a kiss on the World Player of the Year Brazil striker Robinho jokingly threw a mattress over the pair.
Ronaldinho appeared to take it as a joke and even waved goodbye to the woman as she was led away.
A security official said that five people were arrested and taken away by police for questioning. He said that one appeared to be drunk and bit a policeman.
Brazil have been in Weggis since Monday to prepare for the World Cup finals where they face Croatia, Australia and Japan in their first-round group.
But instead of peace and quiet, their training sessions have been watched by around 5,000 people a day in a purpose built arena where the crowd is less than two metres from the pitch.
Practices have also been televised live in Brazil and scrutinised by around 800 journalists.
Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira, who initially said that training would be closed off if the crowd became too boisterous, said on Thursday the players enjoyed the carnival atmosphere
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05/25/2006
Ronaldinho set to star on world's biggest sports stage
His hips and feet move so rhythmically around the soccer field that one would swear Ronaldinho has an iPod hidden underneath that long mane of curly, 1970s hair.
You can almost feel the samba beat and hear the tamborim and timbales as the smiling Brazilian midfielder maneuvers through tight spaces, taps no-look passes directly to teammates' insteps and bewitches defenders with a seemingly bottomless bag of tricks.
There's the "elastico" move, in which he dupes defenders by touching the ball with the outside of his shoe and immediately rolls it over to the inside when the defender shifts directions. There's the "sombrero," in which he lobs a ball over a defender's head. And there's the "espaldina," in which he flicks a little back pass with his shoulder blades.
"Those are not just coffeehouse tricks; they're tricks with pure malice that lead to the dismantling of the other team," said former Miami Fusion coach Ray Hudson, who will be calling the upcoming World Cup for GOL-TV. "He is the most exquisite of footballers, his touch, his vision, his creativity, a genius you can safely put on the same planet with the likes of Maradona, Pele, Johan Cruyff and Franz Beckenbauer. You don't even lump him with the merely great, wonderful players. What he does is not human."
Combine Magic Johnson, Fred Astaire and deep Brazilian roots, and you get Ronaldinho. In fact, Ronaldinho recently revealed that his trademark blind pass came from watching countless hours of videos of Johnson, his favorite basketball player. In Brazil, they started calling him Ronaldinho, which means "Little Ronaldo," to differentiate him from the older, balder World Cup star of the same first name, but really, there is no mistaking the two.
Ronaldo, the 29-year-old gap-toothed Brazilian, is sooooo 2002.
Ronaldinho, the 26-year-old buck-toothed Brazilian, is the current rage. He is the two-time FIFA World Player of the Year, the biggest star on a Brazil World Cup team full of them. He is said to be worth a $100million transfer fee and last week helped FC Barcelona - a team he almost single-handedly turned around - win the Champions League title.
His Nike commercial, which features footage of him as a boy, has been downloaded nearly 4 million times.
"Ronaldinho is not perfect, but he's 90 percent perfect," said Miami FC midfielder Zinho, a member of Brazil's 1994 World Cup championship team. "He has speed, amazing technique and balance, endurance, he can shoot and pass equally well, he's great on free kicks. He can take the long ball, short ball, everything. I still rate Ronaldo better as a scorer, but in terms of spectacular, entertaining play, Ronaldinho is the best in the world right now."
Ronaldinho says he thinks of melodies and drum beats in his mind while he plays.
"I grew up in a house that was always happy, and my family was always music, music," he told The Observer Sport Monthly last year. "I started playing percussion very young, because I had some uncles who were musicians, and all my aunts were singers. Music and football were my whole life, from when I was about 3 or 4. I have never imagined doing anything other than football, but now, thinking about it, if I hadn't been a footballer, I would have been a musician."
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05/23/2006
Ronaldinho up for world award
Ronaldinho is the reigning FIFA World Player of the Year
Ronaldinho up for world award
Barcelona and Brazilian footballer Ronaldinho has been nominated for a prestigious world sport award.
The 26-year-old is on a shortlist of six for the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year honour.
Ronaldinho's main rival for the award will be last year's winner Roger Federer.
The pair will be up against cyclist Lance Armstrong, Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso, Golf sensation Tiger Woods and Motor Cycling's Valentino Rossi.
"I am very happy. When I was told that I was selected among the nominees I felt very excited," said Ronaldinho.
"I already know the Laureus Awards because Ronaldo told me about them. He received an award after the last World Cup. It is a great honour to be present there."
Ronaldinho is only the third player to have been voted FIFA World Player of the Year more than once, following Ronaldo and France's Zinedine Zidane, who have both won the award three times
Swedish golfer Annika Sorenstam will be a strong contender for the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year award.
She will face competition from Kim Clijsters, Tirunesh Dibaba, Yelena Isinbayaeva, Carolina Kluft, Janica Kostelic and Paula Radcliffe for the accolade.
Nominated for the World Team of the Year are La Liga and Champions League winners Barcelona.
Also shortlisted are last year's Champions League winners Liverpool, the All Blacks rugby union team, the all-conquering Renault Formula 1 team, Croatia's Davis Cup team and NBA champions San Antonio Spurs.
Argentine international Lionel Messi is nominated in the best newcomer category along with Rafael Nadal, Andrew Murray, Paula Creamer, Danica Patrick and Ben Roethlisberger.
Ronaldinho: "I am very happy. When I was told that I was selected among the nominees I felt very excited."
The Laureus World Comeback of the Year nominees include Martina Hingis, Jonah Lomu and Colin Montgomerie.
The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Barcelona on May 22.
Laureus is a joint venture between DaimlerChrysler and Richemont, represented by the founding partner brands IWC and Mercedes-Benz.
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Ronaldinho: 'I Am Not The Best In The World'
Brazilian footballer Ronaldinho is widely considered the best footballer in the world - and he has the awards and trophies to prove it. World Footballer of the Year in 2004 and 2005, a World Cup winner with Brazil in 2002 and hot favourite to repeat that success in the June 9 - July 9 finals in Germany later this year, the 26-year-old added a Champions League medal to his collection last week when he played in Barcelona's 2-1 Champions League final victory against Arsenal.
But in an exclusive interview with Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa, Ronaldinho said that he does not consider himself the best footballer in the world.
"I think I am a player playing very good football, so I am happy. But I am aware of the fact that I have room for improvement. But in every country there are lots of great players."
Asked to name three, the soft-spoken striker rattles off names. "I could name more than three: Henry, Zidane, Ronaldo, Adriano, Robinho, Kaka, Shevchenko, Inzaghi...there are lots in every team."
Ronaldinho, who was born Ronaldo de Assis Moreira in Porte Alegre and is commonly known as Ronaldinho Gaucho due to his being from the Rio Grande do Sul state of Brazil, was given the nickname Ronaldinho to distinguish between himself and his compatriot Ronaldo.
He was born into a poor family. His mother sold cosmetics door to door as the salary from Ronaldinho's late father, who was a shipyard worker was not enough to support the family.
Although a lot has changed since then and his family remains the most important thing in his life, he is now firmly focussed on the World Cup ahead.
He says he is hoping that the Selecao can repeat their triumph of four years ago, but he is quick to point out that his main aim is not to be the superstar of the World Cup.
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05/21/2006
Ronaldinho: Star of the Brazilian team star of germany 2006
They call it the beautiful game back in his homeland, and Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho is one player who plays it as beautifully as many of his glorious predecessors, including the one and only Pele.
Skilful, dedicated, inspiring; Ronaldinho is the driving force behind Brazil's challenge for a sixth World Cup Trophy.
His place in the final eleven for Germany 2006 is guaranteed by the coach who has every confidence Ronaldinho can live up to the expectations that come with the title of 2005 FIFA Player Of The Year.
More than a dangerous and exciting player, the current custodian of Brazil's number 10 shirt is a master of improvisation with an attitude that has made Ronaldinho one of the most respected players today.
Unstoppable in qualifying and a star for FC Barcelona, Ronaldinho is capable of re-inventing the game any time he laces up his boots and World Cup 2006 is set to be his finest hour.
At the international level, Ronaldinho averages a goal every other game, having scored 27 in 60 appearances for the Samba Brigade since his debut in 1999.
Brazil's magical attacking quartet, with four players among Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Robinho, Kaka and Adriano in front steamrolled the opposition at the Confederations Cup last year. Brazil playing the daring 4-2-4 combination employed during the old, glorious days of Garrincha and Pele.
Described as "god's gift to football'' by club teammate Henrik Larsson, Ronaldinho's methods of tricking defenders include "la cola de vaca'', Spanish for cow's tail in which he flicks the ball from one shoe to another in quick succession.
Humble beginnings
What's not so well known is that his full name is actually Ronaldo de Assis Moreira. In fact, he was given the nickname Ronaldinho, which means Little Ronaldo, to help distinguish between him and his formerly more-famous strike partner.
Ronaldinho was raised by his mother in the southern Brazilian city of Porto Alegre after his father died, and joined the youth ranks of local first-division team Gremio as a seven- year-old.
Then followed a two-year-stint with French side Paris saint-Germain in the early years of the millennium, where his manager claimed he was more focussed on the nightlife of Paris than on his game.
But in 2003 Ronaldinho Gaucho arrived in Barcelona, and went from superhero to demi-god status. The 26-year-old has been the face of a resurgent Barca, scoring 24 goals from 68 games for the Catalan giants and being the driving force behind their two consecutive la liga titles.
As the superhero's fame spread worldwide, it was quite fitting when he got his own comic series as well which was inspired by the feats of the buck toothed wonder.
But it will be no laughing matter, least of all for his opponents, when the ponytailed genius takes the field in Germany. After all, no one can forget the way he mesmerised defences in this fashion in his only previous appearance at the last world cup.
From his harsh childhood to fighting his way into the formidable Brazil forwardline to becoming the star of the world's number one team, this is one player who's turned every obstacle into a stepping stone and goes into the World Cup as the biggest star on offer.
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ronaldinho child playing and scoring goals
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05/20/2006
England can deal with Ronaldinho
Chelsea captain John Terry believes that England will be able to "deal with" World Footballer of the Year Ronaldinho if they come up against the Brazilian in this summer's World Cup finals.
Depending on results, England and Brazil are on course to clash in the semi-finals in Germany in what would be a rematch of their meeting in the quarter-finals in Japan four years ago.
But Terry has has taken confidence from the way Chelsea have dealt with Ronaldinho in their meetings with Barcelona over the last two seasons in the Champions League.
And the 25-year-old Blues centre-back said: "Everyone says Ronaldinho is the best player in the world which I personally agree with. But going into any possible game I don't think we're going to show him too much respect or let him get away with things.
"Paulo Ferreira marked him really well and got really tight to him for Chelsea and against England he'd be up against the likes of Gary Neville who is a fantastic world class player and I'm sure he'll know how to deal with him.
"Ronaldinho is a great player and difficult to mark but I'm sure we'll do our best. He's a very strong player, he's got great feet, is a great finisher. He scores goals, he's quick. He's absolutely got everything."
There was a time when the Italian defenders were widely regarded as the best in the business.
But Terry believes that England should now be placed in the same bracket and he is a particular admirer of Manchester United right-back Gary Neville and his preparations.
He added: "I think we have certainly caught up with the Italians, if you want to put it that way, but I'm not saying there aren't world class defenders out there.
"There's (Alessandro) Nesta, (Carles) Puyol, etc. I've had the likes of Marcel Desailly and William Gallas with me at Chelsea and I've learned from Ricardo Carvalho.
"But which defenders in the world do I admire? I tend to think of the English lads really, the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Gary Neville. I see these people day in day out in the Premiership
"Certainly coming away with England and seeing Gary Neville and seeing how he works in training and after training is excellent. It's not just about games, it's about preparation and he is spot on all the time."
Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, meanwhile, believes, that the time has come for England to deliver at this summer's World Cup after insisting one major trophy in the national team's history is "not good enough".
Carragher said: "I talk to the other players about it. To have won only trophy in our history is unbelievable. It's not good enough with the players England have had down the years.
"Greece have done it but we've never won a European Championship. It's about time that England did do something on an international stage. Everyone else seems to do it and we always seem to fall short for whatever reason.
"But I think the group of players we have is one of the best probably since we last won the World Cup - and hopefully we can go and win it again this summer."
He added: "When you look at the favourites for the World Cup, Brazil are a stand-out team and people talk about the Italian and Dutch squads along with Argentina, whom we have beaten. But on paper, I'd say that we were as strong as any, if not stronger than the other nations alongside Brazil."
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