If the early history of the European Championships can be seen as explicitly wrapped up in the politics of the time, then Spain's victory on home ground in 1964 European Nations Cup could be regarded as one of international football's ultimate flashes in the pan.
This was a victory that was simultaneously the last gasp of one of the greatest club sides that European football has ever seen and the beginning of a lull that would last for more than twenty years, a brief victory for the ultra-nationalism that blighted Spanish political life for the most of the four decades that followed the Spanish Civil War of 1936 to 1939.

Barcelona looked like they were headed for a draw before Alexis Sanchez and Messi scored in the span of 10 minutes to hand the Catalans a much needed 4-2 win over Real Betis that reduced their deficit on Leaders Real Madrid to 5 points.

World Player of the year Lionel Messi scored a brace to bring his tally for the season to 19 goals, just 2 short of leading goal scorer Cristiano Ronaldo.

By Chris Wright

Saturday evening sees Real Madrid welcoming Barcelona to the Santiago Bernabeu for the first league El Clasico derby of the season, and to whet your appetite we've put together a bumper gallery of some of the finest still images the game has produced down through the years.

We all know that Real Madrid have a history of respected Portuguese legends within their ranks, but none of them dared to wear a Bath Robe onto the pitch like Atletico's Paulo Futre (above) did in the 80′s! You can only imagine the look on Alfredo di Stefano's face if Fabio Coentrao were to try something like this in after the match today.

Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo is giving fellow La Liga rival Lionel Messi a run for his money for the 2011 FIFA Ballon d'Or award as the Portuguese striker capped a fantastic few days his had with Los Merengues by not only bagging a hat trick in last night's fixture against Osasuna, but also by winning his second Golden Boot award.

Popular Colombian soccer team Club Deportivo Los Millonarios has launched its adidas 2011/12 away jersey. Like the Millonarios adidas 2011 home jersey, the new shirt the new jersey pays homage to period of the club's history called El Dorado (1949-1954) when Alfredo Di Stefano and Nestor Raúl Rossi led the team to four league and [.

Had he headed for Spain he might have become one of the world's soccer immortals. As Alfredo di Stefano reflected later "Ah, Charlee Meeten, numero uno. If we have heem we never need Francisco Gento....
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River Plate's chances of promotion took a huge hit after they were beaten by Belgrano in the first of the two legged race. Just after River concede the second goal a group of addled fans storm the pitch and start an altercation with the players and push and shove one of them. They take off and scale the sky high barricades as the stadium reverberates to barracking supporters.

Following their fourth UEFA Champions League triumph on Saturday virtually every superlative has been used to describe Pep Guardiola's current crop of FC Barcelona stars. The Catalans' 3-1 triumph over Manchester United meant that Guardiola, in only his third full season in charge at the Camp Nou, has won ten major trophies including the amazing Sextuple triumph from the 2008-09 season.

The latest installment of the Super Clásico delivered a widespread sense around the world that amid the tackling, the fouling, the diving and the brawling a splendid exponent of true talent and pure soccer had risen above it all; the enduring image was that of Lionel Messi's two goals, and perhaps more poignantly his second solo slalom executed to perfection.

Real Madrid great Alfredo Di Stefano ripped into Jose Mourinho for his tactics in the 1-1 draw against Barcelona, saying the team played like a mouse against a lion of a Catalan side.

Di Stefano, Madrid's honorary president, wrote in his weekly column in sports newspaper Marca on Monday that the Portuguese coach's team showed no "personality" after a result Saturday that practically clinches Barcelona's third straight league trophy.

MADRID, Spain — Real Madrid responded in style to Barcelona's record breaking 16th consecutive victory with Cristiano Ronaldo leading the way in a 4-1 win over Real Sociedad on Sunday. Ronaldo was charged up for the game after receiving criticism for not scoring in four games and having seen Leo Messi hit a hat-trick in [.

MADRID, Spain — Sevilla were held to a 0-0 draw in the Andalusian derby with bottom side Malaga on Sunday and lost further ground in the hunt for a European place. It has been a disappointing campaign for Sevilla who have just one win from their last four matches and are six points off a [...]

Barcelona earned a record 16th straight win in the Spanish league by beating Atletico Madrid 3-0 with a Lionel Messi hat trick on Saturday. The historic win provisionally lifted Barcelona 10 points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the table ahead of its fierce rival's match against Real Sociedad on Sunday.

Barcelona earned a record 16th straight win in the Spanish league by beating Atletico Madrid 3-0 with a Lionel Messi hat trick on Saturday. The historic win provisionally lifted Barcelona 10 points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the table ahead of its fierce rival's match against Real Sociedad on Sunday.

BARCELONA, Spain — Barcelona earned a record 16th straight win in the Spanish league by beating Atletico Madrid 3-0 with a Lionel Messi hat-trick on Saturday. The historic win provisionally lifted Barcelona 10 points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the table ahead of its fierce rival's match against Real Sociedad on Sunday.

Real Madrid's famous Alfredo di Stefano team was the last one to chalk up 15 consecutive victories on the trot.Now - 50 years later - Pep Guardiola's team equalled that record when they beat Hercules 3 - 0.

"It's an immense honour to have 15 consecutive victories and to equal the record achieved by the Real Madrid of Di Stefano.

We at In The Stands almost spat out our cups of tea upon reading quotes from renowed football agent Jorge Mendes claiming that Cristiano Ronaldo is: "the greatest player in the history of football".

Yes, the ever-humble and down-to-earth agent of CR7 has gone on record and suggested that, in addition to being the best player in the world at present, Portuguese and Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is also the greatest player of all time!

We at In The Stands almost spat out our cups of tea upon reading quotes from renowed football agent Jorge Mendes claiming that Cristiano Ronaldo is: "the greatest player in the history of football".

Yes, the ever-humble and down-to-earth agent of CR7 has gone on record and suggested that, in addition to being the best player in the world at present, Portuguese and Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is also the greatest player of all time!