So as Messi basks in the glory of winning a third straight FIFA world player of the year title, attention continues to be centred on the players who missed out.

One such Player is Neymar. According to Brazilian legend Ronaldo, Neymar not only has the potential to win the Ballon d'Or, but he can become better than Messi.

A balance sheet that reads hundreds of millions more Euros in expenses than income. A defender who is just returning from a suspension enforced because of his use of banned substances. A star striker, former captain, who is on strike and refusing to play for the club anymore. On the brink of an exit from the European Champions League after a defeat by Napoli in Italy.

On Wednesday night Milan will entertain Barcelona in the Champions League in a match that will decide which team will take pole position in Group H. In terms of stature and prestige it is the biggest game of the season so far, no doubt. However, with both teams' passage to the next phase already secured, [.

Lionel Messi is on course to equal Barcelon'a all time leading Goal scoring record of 235 set by Cesar Rodriguez during his 16 year stint with the club from 1939-1955.

Messi has scored an impressive 120 plus goals in the past two seasons and no matter how much people may try and hate on him, he is by far the world's best player at the moment.

Lionel Messi is on course to equal Barcelon'a all time leading Goal scoring record of 235 set by Cesar Rodriguez during his 16 year stint with the club from 1939-1955.

Messi has scored an impressive 120 plus goals in the past two seasons and no matter how much people may try and hate on him, he is by far the world's best player at the moment.

Luis Suarez doesn't suck any more, though if you follow his press clippings he's probably still a diving cheat or worse. And Liverpool can score again. Or at least Suarez can. Which will be important when the club faces off against you know who and some club or other that doesn't really matter except for the fact that he just happens to manage them on Saturday afternoon.

Keys and Gray won't be taking a bow as poor ticket sales see theatre shows cancelled

In case you missed it, Sunday was derby day in Manchester. And one pub celebrated with an interesting promotion. Spotted by @BlueM00NRising *** "Richard Keys and Andy Gray need no introduction," begins the advertising blurb for their theatre tour.

Suarez: Title is ‘Unreachable'

Liverpool's Luis Suarez has written off any prospective title charge this season, insisting the two Manchester clubs and Chelsea are ‘unreachable' at present. The Uruguayan, who has recently embarked on an intensive course of English lessons, gave a frank assessment to Gazzetta dello Sport , in which he also explains the simple reasoning behind his decision to take the number 7 shirt upon his arrival at Anfield.

Taking a page out of Major League Soccer's book by scheduling a mid-season "prestige friendly" to fill the downtime between games and put a few extra quid in the pocket, Liverpool have announced that they will travel to Glasgow to take on Rangers in a mid-week clash on Tuesday, October 18th. For those who haven't memorized this season's schedule, that would put the game three days after Manchester United's visit to Anfield on October 15th, with newcomers Norwich City set for the following Saturday.

Taking a page out of Major League Soccer's book by scheduling a mid-season "prestige friendly" to fill the downtime between games and put a few extra quid in the pocket, Liverpool have announced that they will travel to Glasgow to take on Rangers in a mid-week clash on Tuesday, October 18th. For those who haven't memorised this season's schedule, that would put the game three days after Manchester United's visit to Anfield on October 15th, with newcomers Norwich City set for the following Saturday.

Barcelona might be sitting pretty at the top of the La Liga standings but the real story of the weekend was another sterling performance by Los Merengues. Real squeezed 4 unanswered goals past Espanyol to take them to within 1 point of table toppers Barcelona and Levante.

It is still too early to tell but all signs point to a 2 horse for the league's top honor of the top scorer award.

Well that's what we are to believe if you read this headline from the article posted here which caught my attention last night.
I do not believe for one second that Roman Abramovich has "ordered" AVB to play the kids or has told him to do it in a way the press are making out at all.
For me it would be in his remit for when he took the job.

Well that's what we are to believe if you read this headline from the article posted here which caught my attention last night.
I do not believe for one second that Roman Abramovich has "ordered" AVB to play the kids or has told him to do it in a way the press are making out at all.
For me it would be in his remit for when he took the job.

Did he mean it, then, or was he merely to trying to cover his embarrassment? Neil Warnock is, of course, what is commonly referred to as a "character". He can, however, be a walking contradiction at times, and it often feels as if, just as you're in danger of warming to him, he will say something as if to remind you of why many supporters call him by an anagram if his name which is, well, fairly obscene.

Their Words I have to admit that when the offer first came in I was slightly taken aback.... However, given the historical relationship between our two clubs and the sheer prestige of the occasion, we were prepared to move heaven and earth to make this happen. Notts County chairman Ray Trew on an invitation to open the new Juventus Arena.

Manchester United's Alex Ferguson is the number one coach in the world, according to Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola.
Ferguson's Premier League champions were comprehensively outplayed in May by a rampant Barcelona, who had United chasing shadows for the majority of their 3-1 Champions League final victory at Wembley Stadium.

Singapore prides itself on being a slick, efficient country where everythng works on time and there are no surprises. Maybe, but not in football.
Two or three years ago the National Stadium was scheduled to close while they built a glorious new hub, Singapore as well as Malaysia and Thailand call everything a hub.

Their Words It's a trophy with a pretty significant purse and some history when it comes to our league. It's a chance for our players to earn money and win prestige and an opportunity to get back into the CONCACAF tournament. All those things made us want to take this seriously, and I think that was reflected by the team we put out there tonight.

Spanish Football Today is exactly 1 year ago when SPANISH FOOTBALL reached its highest level in World Football & Sports history, recognition, prestige & winning its first ever FIFA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. The SPAIN FOOTBALL NATIONAL TEAM defeated 1 - 0 HOLLAND in the FIFA WORLD CUP Final in SOUTH AFRICA thanks to the ANDRES INIESTA extra-time (116 min) goal the 11th of June 2010.

National team coach Alfred Riedl has accused bickering football officials of destroying Indonesian football.
Last year Indonesia finished second at the AFF Cup, losing to Malayisa in the final. What was needed then was a sustained programme to keep the momentum going but of course that never happened.

By NESTOR F. SEBASTIAN

The tournament that essentially inspired the World Cup had been watered down.

Little by little, Copa America had lost some of its prestige. CONMEBOL decided to implement a two-year cycle in the South American tournament in the mid-1980s to give each nation a chance to host the competition.

Some of us might be able to spend the day watching Raheem Sterling's wonder strike over and over again, but that doesn't mean there aren't other things out there to worry about from a Liverpool point of view. Besides, a quick break to catch up on the Monday news and notes could do you good...

* First off, God wants a job.

Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque insists his team must realise that prestige, if not points, is on the line when they face the United States in a friendly in Boston on Saturday.

The world and European champions have won all five of their Euro 2012 qualifiers to date but have noticeably taken their foot off the gas in friendlies since winning the World Cup last July.

Liverpool's failure to end their season in a high note after suffering two consecutive defeats in the league that cost them their fifth place spot along with a ticket to the Europa League doesn't seem to trouble their veteran defender Jammie Carragher.

The center back confessed that not playing in the second rate club competition in Europe is not a thing that the Reds should be crying over as not playing in the Europa League could actually help their course in getting the Champions League ticket next summer easier.

Another season draws to a close. A season that had begun with the fans believing anything was possible is ending with blatant dissatisfaction among many of the supporters and a vociferous angry minority demanding the departure of Wenger.

As a long-term supporter, it is difficult not to be amused by the appearance of the gathering anger clouds.

Tomorrow, Real Salt Lake can, and, I predict, will make history. More than simply bringing home victory in the CONCACAF Champions League, winning tomorrow would stamp RSL's ticket to the FIFA Club World Cup. They would be the first MLS team to win the CCL in a decade, and the first ever to qualify for the Club World Cup.

The weekend schedule is highlighted by a prestige friendly when the United States hosts Argentina at the New Meadowlands stadium on Saturday at 7pm ET on ESPN2. Saturday ESPN2 has England - Wales in Euro 2012 qualifying at 11am and the USA - Argentina game at 7pm. Ecuador - Colombia is on Fox Deportes at 1pm.

I get a lot of emails and comments from people that want help getting onto an MLS team.

I have no idea what to do.

but I did a tiny bit of research and found this:

Most teams will want you (or more likely your agent) to send them your soccer resume along with some video.

I get a lot of emails and comments from people that want help getting onto an MLS team.

I have no idea what to do.

but I did a tiny bit of research and found this:

Most teams will want you (or more likely your agent) to send them your soccer resume along with some video.

2010 was a year to remember for Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma. The team from just south of Seoul not only won the Asian Champions League but went on to finish third place at the FIFA Club World Cup after meeting European champions Inter Milan.
It was even better for Sasa Ognenovski, a man looking forward to his third K-League season.

A Woman's Game is a post from: Just Football

A decline in prestige in the women's game in the US has coincided neatly with an upturn in the women's game in Europe, writes Ryan Keaney:

Women's football in America is forced to live with a rather depressing notion.

By Jon Levy A week prior to the tipoff of college basketball's NCAA Tournament, the only American sports playoff which inspires anything near World Cup-level madness, The World's Most Famous Arena hosts a yearly five day competition that doesn't garner half the prestige of "the big dance." No one fills out brackets, and Sally the [.

Surviving the times: How the Bosman killed Ajax is a post from: Just Football

by Mohamed Moallim

When Johan Cruijff left Ajax in 1988, after a falling out with the board over Marco van Basten's departure to AC Milan, it would be easy to say that event overshadow the year a precocious left-full back made his debut for the club.

- Jason Davis
Within the American soccer bubble, the CONCACAF Champions League is a pretty big deal. Or rather, the idea that an MLS team needs to win the title in said lead is a pretty big deal. Don Garber talks about it constantly. American soccer fans, no matter which MLS team they support, bemoan the league's lack of success.

Big news for coverage of youth football in Scotland with the announcement that Youth Football Scotland (YFS) is joining forces with the Daily Record to produce a weekly insert covering the game's grassroots.
Appearing every Tuesday, the cunningly titled Grass Roots will offer a taster of the best of Youth Football Scotland's extensive coverage each week.

In a week that has seen the Christian festival of Epiphany come and pass, the world was reminded of the day that three very wise men from the East came and paid homage to an even more special baby boy.

Theology aside, the similarities bestowing the football world to this most sacred of Christian holidays can be drawn.