Make no mistake about it, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has created a buzz amongst Gooners that is only comparable with Charlie Sheen mangled on Tigerblood.
The boy has burst onto the scene in explosive fashion since making his first league start for Arsenal against Manchester United last month.

Premier League centurion Darren Bent has mimicked Pele to celebrate bagging his 100th top-flight goal. Alas, the Aston Villa striker is a nought short.

Brazilian club Santos on Friday turned down an €8 million bid from Portuguese club FC Porto for their midfield wizard Paulo Henrique Ganso. However, what seems to be rubbing people the wrong way is club president Luis Alvaro Ribeiro's comments where he labelled Porto's bid as comical and that it should have at least contained an extra zero for Santos to consider it.

It's hard to take Pele seriously these days with the quality of stories he's been sharing with the children at your local playground. The Brazilian legend who hates Maradona and would never give him a "lift on a rainy day" (thankfully Kun's got that problem sorted) has attempted to go back on the "Cuando Messi" saga.

Featured image: Bobby Moore, Gerry Francis and Pele before the Team America vs. England game at JFK

The news that PPL Park will be host the 2012 MLS All-Star Game means that Philadelphia will be the host of a major pro sport All-Star event for the first time since the NBA came to town in 2002.

.caligula

Feliz Sabado! If you haven't heard of 'Cuando Messi', you've gotta get with the program right away. Yesterday (for the most part), most of the football fraternity was up in arms over something Pele said :

"When Messi has scored 1,283 goals and won three World Cups, then we will talk.

El futbol como deporte de equipo siempre tendrá sus complicaciones al elegir al mejor jugador del mundo, de un equipo o hasta de un partido. El que tiene que lograr un resultado es el conjunto de futbolistas y no uno solo. Aunque por supuesto que en cada época hay uno que manda, que destaca por encima del resto por sus virtudes individuales para lograr que su equipo tenga los mayores éxitos.

Forget Lionel Messi, it was all about Homare Sawa's kimono (traditional Japanese costume) at the FIFA Ballon D'or awards in Zurich last night! The captain of the Japanese women's team and winner of the FIFA Women's Ballon d'Or lit up the stage with that outfit which should make her countrymen and women extremely proud today.

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%.

"It would be an amazing opportunity to be able to stay here at Rayo."

Freddy Adu has been in Spain for what seems like five minutes, but already he views it as his future if chances open to him. Therein lies the problem with Adu: his ambition to play in Europe will once again be detrimental to both his current team and to his soccer career.

One of the most pleasing moments to see in our game is a goal being scored from a dead ball situation, or primarily, a free kick. Over the course of history there have been numerous occasions where a player will simply make your jaw drop in striking a perfect shot past a flailing goalkeeper's hands from 20-35 yards out.

2011 has been incredibly hectic in the world of football, and who better to tell you this than the personalities themselves?! From Zlatan Ibrahimovic's infamous autobiography outburst to Pele's never ending self-praises (groans all around), Ronaldo taking a jab back at opposition fans to the rise of women's football in Japan, there was really no shortage of entertaining quotes this year.

Villa-Villa-Villa, Villa Maravilla! Road to recovery begins for Spain's kid is a post from: Just Football

David Villa is not the most controversial of footballers. If you're the type of fan that likes his players a little rough around the edges, or the type for whom players only register when they do something out of the ordinary the Barcelona striker may rarely even register.

Top 10 headers of a ball under 6ft tall: Hernandez, Luis Garcia, Tim Cahill, Pele, Messi and more

You don't have to be a giant to be good in the air

View the full story here: Talksport

A news article on 2011-12-23 12:14:42 from: Talksport

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

By Eric Beard

"Pelé doesn't know sh*t."

That was Sid Lowe's response to James Richardson's teasing statement on The Guardian's Football Weekly Podcast. Richardson, of course, was referencing Pelé's opinion that Neymar is better than Lionel Messi.

photo credit: prettyfriendshipThanks to Cesc Fabregas, Xavi and, of course, Lionel Messi Barcelona won the World Club Cup at a canter. Santos, arguably the best team in South America at the moment, were disposed of as though they were an irritant to Barcelona. This Barcelona side take no prisoners.

Fuente: ELTRAGICOWEB
"Neymar es más fuerte que Messi y el Santos es mejor que el Barcelona..."
"Lo he dicho siempre. En este momento, Neymar es el mejor del mundo, porque la pega bien con la derecha y con la izquierda y es fantástico en el desborde.

16.12.2011 - Mas de 40 años pasaron desde que Nesuhi y Ahmet Ertegun (dueños de Atlantic Records) fundaran la franquicia "Cosmos" (New York Cosmos) y pasaron 36 desde que Steve Ross firmara el ampuloso contrato de explotación (u$ 7 millones) en concepto de marketing y retransmisiones para (con la ayuda de Henry Kissinger) mostrar reunidos a Pelé, Beckenbauer, Chinaglia y Carlos Alberto en el mismo equipo.

An Arsenal Christmas gifts for Arsenal fans - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Holiday season is approaching and it's time to get presents for your loved ones. To get you a head-start in the decision to buy present for a Gunners fan, lets get you through some of the Arsenal merchandise:

Personally Signed Merchandise

Our friends at ICONS.

Sometimes I look at Nicolas Anelka and I just think what a waste.
Don't get me wrong, he has played for some of the biggest clubs in the world.
Arsenal, Real Madrid, Paris-Saint Germain, Liverpool and Bolton is quite an impressive list for any footballer.
But he has also undermined and stained his career by playing for smaller clubs like Chelsea and Manchester City.

Farewell then to Sócrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira de Oliveira. Better known throughout the world simply as Sócrates, captain of perhaps the best side not to win the World Cup. 60 caps and 20 goals for Brazil; drinker; smoker; political activist; humanitarian; surely one of the greatest, coolest players to grace the game.

Photo of Taylor Twellman at Union's 2011 home opener by Earl Gardner.

Philadelphia Union

Deportivo Saprissa president Juan Carlos Rojas has confirmed in an interview with a Costa Rican radio station that the Union has been in contact with the club about Josue Martinez, saying "I would not go into much detail but there has been interest from Philadelphia [in Martinez].

Or Pele v Argentina. Or Diego v Argentina. Or Brazil v Argentina. Or maybe Pele's mind v reason. Or maybe Diego v holding his tongue.

There are a lot of wars being waged that aren't due to end before one of both of these gentlemen perishes.

Pele thumped the world with his (unbiased) thinking that Neymar is a far superior player to that Messi fellow.

Or Pele v Argentina. Or Diego v Argentina. Or Brazil v Argentina. Or maybe Pele's mind v reason. Or maybe Diego v holding his tongue.

There are a lot of wars being waged that aren't due to end before one of both of these gentlemen perishes.

Pele thumped the world with his (unbiased) thinking that Neymar is a far superior player to that Messi fellow.

Brazil great Pele has labelled compatriot Neymar a far more complete player than Lionel Messi.

The Barcelona man is almost unanimously regarded as the finest talent in the game today but Pele is of the opinion that the diminutive Argentine is not as rounded as Santos striker Neymar.

"Making an individual comparison, I think Neymar is much better, more complete: [he] hits well with both feet, can dribble off either side, and scores goals," the three-time World Cup winner is quoted as saying by Globoesporte.

Brazil great Pele has labelled compatriot Neymar a far more complete player than Lionel Messi.

The Barcelona man is almost unanimously regarded as the finest talent in the game today but Pele is of the opinion that the diminutive Argentine is not as rounded as Santos striker Neymar.

"Making an individual comparison, I think Neymar is much better, more complete: [he] hits well with both feet, can dribble off either side, and scores goals," the three-time World Cup winner is quoted as saying by Globoesporte.

Bom dia amigos! And what do we have here today? Escândalo from the mouth of Brazil's most-loved grandpa, Pele, of course! The legend, the "best player in the last century", and the only man capable of talking about himself for a total of 2 hours and 40 minutes, has done it again!

The official FIFA website says 925 days to kickoff. This means 925 days of people requesting Pele's opinion. Opinions on such things as Lionel Messi and football and Lionel Messi and Brazil's hosting capabilities and Lionel Messi and quantum mechanics and Lionel Messi.

Posed Leo v Neymar (the Brazilian attacker playing at Santos), Pele offered his thoughts.

When it comes to players who played a defensive role in Arsenal's midfield, Arsenal fans will remember the likes of Patrick Vieira and Emmanuel Petit for their excellent ability in controlling the Arsenal midfield. The Romford Pele is fondly remembered too for his 'lungs of steel'. ... Alex Song, though, plays a rather different role [.

Occurs to me that anyone chancing across the blog might wonder what the Nora Batty is going on.
Well, I'm rambling on about football and a few mates are joining me here and there. But we're doing it to help out Alzheimer Scotland and the Homeless World Cup. If you can help please do. The links to do just that are all over this page.

I am a big fan of Brazilian legend Pele, however, his recent remarks about players from other nationalities is sad to say the least. Only a few weeks ago, Pele was in the news making similar comments regarding Barcelona and Argentina star Lionel Messi. This time, Pele has shifted his attention to England international Wayne Rooney.

Union

The Union has become well-known for its innovative use of social networking tools. The latest bit of cleverness is this: when their Facebook page gets 92,012 likes, they will unveil the new designs for the first and second kit. You can 'like' the Union by clicking here. As of this writing, there are only 6,500 'likes' to go.

Football Team of the Decade: 1960s - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

The 1960s just might be football's golden decade. George Best, Garrincha, Pele in his prime and much much more. Recently on the Total Soccer Show podcast, we picked our starting XI from the 1960s. None of of us were alive back then, but thanks to television, YouTube and brilliant books like Jonathan Wilson's Inverting the Pyramid, we were able to weigh the various options at each position and argue out the perfect starting XI to represent 10 of the most glorious years in the history of the beautiful game.

ESPNsoccernet is reporting that Brazilian stat Neymar has agreed to join Real Madrid next summer from Santos for around £53m.

At 19, Neymar is one of the brightest talents in world football having shone for his club Santos and also on the international stage for Brazil. Yesterday he was included on the shortlist for the World Footballer Of The Year.

Zizou was not the only one with Headbutt. Yes, Eto had one after him too, but, even a player like Pele got one, a very good one : )
However, he didn't get a red card,
I saw it when I was a kid, in a famous movie about Pele, but just could not find it anywhere in the net.

Zizou was not the only one with Headbutt. Yes, Eto had one after him too, but, even a player like Pele got one, a very good one : )
However, he didn't get a red card,
I saw it when I was a kid, in a famous movie about Pele, but just could not find it anywhere in the net.

Most of the people remember the great goals of the Ronaldo Nazario in WC 2002, or in CL with Real Madrid and some moves and goals with Inter Milan. These memories are mixed with the over-weight Ronaldo, with the lazy Ronaldo, with the Corinthians Ronaldo, where he will score once in a while, but he was not really that efficient.

Photo: Nicolae Stoian

Injury report

PHILADELPHIA UNION OUT: GK Thorne Holder (concussion); FW Levi Houapeu (L ankle strain); QUESTIONABLE: MF Michael Farfan (R foot contusion); FW Veljko Paunovic (R hamstring strain); PROBABLE: MF Justin Mapp (L quad strain)

HOUSTON DYNAMO OUT: FW Cam Weaver (R hip)

The Union are hopeful Paunovic will be ready to go on Thursday.