Lionel Messi has been named by FIFA as the best player of 2011 for the third straight year. Messi equals Platini, Cruyff and Van Basten, the only players to ever win three Ballon d'Or titles.

Messi took almost 48% of the vote, with Ronaldo second with less than 22% and Xavi was a distant third with just over 9%.

Lionel Messi has been named by FIFA as the best player of 2011 for the third straight year. Messi equals Platini, Cruyff and Van Basten, the only players to ever win three Ballon d'Or titles.

Messi took almost 48% of the vote, with Ronaldo second with less than 22% and Xavi was a distant third with just over 9%.

Heather O'Reilly is competing against some of the best footballers of today for the FIFA's Puskas Award, which recognises the 'Best Goal of the Year'. Of course, everybody has their own interpretation of what constitutes a "great goal". Neymar, Lionel Messi, Rooney, Giovani dos Santos and Ibrahimovic have all scored some of the most beautiful ones this year, but so has Heather!

Cristiano Ronaldo: Tested To The Limit - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

In an innovative documentary, Castrol pushed Cristiano Ronaldo to the limit in a series of tests designed to measure Ronaldo's footballing skills, strength, agility and mental toughness.

It is arguably the most rigourous scientific examination of a football player ever taken as Ronaldo (a Castrol global ambassador) is literally tested to the limit our inside sources told us of how, after several hours of grueling tests, Ronaldo was almost ready to collapse from fatigue but still managed to put in 110% in every single test he was presented with.

Heskey, Gerrard, Ferdinand, Clark and more: Footballers who sit with the fans

Six of the best footballers who've sat with the fans

View the full story here: Talksport

A news article on 2011-09-06 10:24:02 from: Talksport

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Soccer superstar will be the subject of a soon to be released documentary from sponsors Castrol. The firm describes the piece as "showing what makes him one of the best footballers of his generation. The film takes an in-depth look at the skills and strength required for Ronaldo to perform at the very highest level.

A new club has started this season, playing in the Combined Counties League in front of four-figure crowds. Andy Ollerenshaw and David Bauckham found themselves on the mother of all away trips, to see Guernsey FC's first ever league match.

Saturday 6th August 2011 is a date that will forever grace the history books and non-league football records.

Laurence McKenna, Kartik Krishnaiyer, Richard Farley and The Gaffer team up to dissect the 2010-11 Premier League season that was from the best footballers, Manchester United's run in the Champions League, Swansea City's climb into the top tier and...
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The votes are in for the 2011 EPL Awards, the annual competition (now in its third year) that allows supporters from around the world to recognize the best of the Premier League season. And in the categories that recognize the best footballers and...
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Continuing our series of the world's best footballers, languagecaster.com takes a look at a player who would be in most people's top five best players ever Hendrik Johannes Cruijff. Check out previous posts on great footballers here.

The 'Impossible Goal'

Recently, a debate has started as to whether or not Messi is the best player ever, better than Pele or Maradona, the traditional choices of most people for that accolade.

(This entry is formulated based on and partly extracted from the press release issued by and pictures credited to Integrated Marketing Solutions Group [IMSG] - the PR agency for Nike Singapore)
The relationship between Singapore football and Nike break new frontiers with the signing of three players from last year's Singapore YOG squad by the sporting equipment giants.

Every once and a while a player comes along and changes the game. Their unique abilities combined with a great management team propels their career foward into the celebrity stratosphere. Using good looks, charm, and great athletic skill paired with an amazing agent, manager, publicist team is what I like to call the Beckham Effect.

The name Ronaldo has become synonym of great football in the past few years. Today, it is mostly associated with unfortunately Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo. The real legend behind the name, however, is Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima the real Ronaldo.

Ronaldo's list of accomplishments is absurd: two World Cups, two Copa Americas, one FIFA COnfederations Cup, three FIFA World Player of the Year awards (the only one to ever win it three times alongisde Zinedine Zidane).

England football superstar Steven Gerrard has taken on the job of mentoring Coventry teenager Conor Thomas since his move to Liverpool.
The Merseyside club's captain has taken the 17-year-old Coundon lad under his wing this week after he joined from Coventry City.
Staff at Coundon Court School has been told their former pupil is getting lifts to training and one-to-one sessions with one of the best footballers in the country.