Ronaldo Credits Father Figure Ferguson For Preparing Him For His Boyhood Dream:

"It's obvious that I'm a less egotistical footballer now,'' he told Spanish sports daily AS.

"Without a doubt. I know for sure that four years ago I always played to try to end up scoring myself."But experience makes you understand that you achieve better things playing as a team and being united. At Madrid they will see a better Cristiano.''

"Ferguson is a maestro,'' added Ronaldo. "For me he was my father in football. He was crucial in my career and, outside football, was a great human being with me. Talent isn't everything. You can have it from the cradle, but it is necessary to learn the trade to be the best.

"When I arrived in England I was an 18-year-old kid and had established stars by my side. Ferguson taught me to clean up my faults, to know to give the pass at the last moment, to take the right decision in the area.

"I spent six years at United and I owe them everything that I am today. I made history at United and won many trophies. It was a pleasure to play at Old Trafford but now a new stage in my life is beginning at the Bernabeu with new challenges.

"I wanted to play at this club and for that reason I'm here.''"I'm used to living with speculation,'' he said.

"I could have signed for Madrid in 2008, but there wasn't an agreement between the clubs and I owed myself to United. I wanted to respect that and I did. I took the best decision.''

"Since I've been able to think I've known what this club means. In Madeira they talked about Madrid as the most famous club with the best history in the world, with great international stars.

"The kids in Portugal at my time, we were all for Madrid. For that reason it is a privilege to be here. That kid's dream has been achieved.

"What happened on Monday in the Bernabeu was incredible. I couldn't have imagined what I was experiencing. It was impressive, incredible. I get goosebumps just by remembering it. I wasn't expecting something like it.'' (Source)

Robinho on sons and footballs

For a guy who makes strange career decisions, Robinho sure does seem to have a lot of footie wisdom. Must be the Brazilian in him:

'It's true I didn't have the opportunity to watch Ronaldo's goals against Arsenal on television. I was playing football with Robson Junior. Robson likes to play football and I love to see my family happy. So I played with him. My son is only 18 months but already he likes to try and kick the football. We will have to wait and see if the ball likes him as well, but we had fun while the United game was on!' (Source)

Robinho kind of twists this kernel of wisdom around to make us think about it: Of course it's not about the ball liking you but about you making the ball seem to like you. In other words, the ball will be your friend and help you and perhaps even obey you, if you have a desirable approach to the ball and the game.

The question is how do you become a desirable footballer? What do you need to have in you to be accepted by the ball, the coaches, the fans and the beautiful game?

(See also: bestplayerintheworld.com)

Pepe has no Desire to Return to Football

After his violent attack on Getafe opponent Javier Casquero, Real Madrid centreback Pepe says:

“These are the worst days of my life. I do not have any desire to return to playing football...I have seen the replays of the incident, but I do not recognize myself. I lost my cool and I went crazy, but that is not me...The worst punishment is going through what I’m experiencing now. If I see that there’s no chance of me returning to football again, then I will try something else.” (Source)

Adriano Losses the Joy

"Striker Adriano has left Inter Milan for his native Brazil before season's end, claiming that he has lost the joy of playing football:

"I have stopped my career for a while because I have lost the joy of playing," he said. "It could be one, two or three months. There is big pressure in Italy. I don't want to return to Italy. I want to live in peace here in Brazil."

Adriano said he will use the time to consider his future, dropping a strong hint that he does not see himself returning to Milan.

"I was not satisfied," he said. "Everybody has the right to be happy in his job and I was unhappy in Italy. I will re-think my career. I am happy in Brazil alongside my friends and my family."

The former Sao Paulo forward insisted he was healthy. "I am not ill," he said. "Adriano is not dead. I am not going to any hospital. I will try to restart, try to rediscover the joy of playing. The situation has arisen because I was not happy."

> Info Source

The Joy of Football: Scoring The Winning Goal On Your Debut For Manchester United At Old Trafford When You Are Just Seventeen Years Old

Federico Macheda:



See also: The Joys Of Being A 17-Year-Old Phenom

When I see players like him I feel like a small boy again

Everybody is talking about Yoann Gourcuff's goal against PSG:



John Lichfield of The Independent:

"Yoann Gourcuff, a young man with the film-star looks of a Cristiano Ronaldo, the passing skills of a Cesc Fabregas and the unstoppable engine of a Roy Keane, received the ball just inside the Paris St-Germain penalty area. PSG defenders surrounded him. He pirouetted, juggled the ball from foot to foot, slaloming through four defenders, and sent a thunderous toe-poke into the net."

Dugarry:

"That goal was no accident...It showed there was something magical about him. I felt ill when Zidane retired. Watching Gourcuff has cured me. When I see players like him, I feel like a small boy again."

> Info Source

Pele: Football Needs Children's Love

"There aren't many these days like Kaka and myself. I really dislike seeing players constantly changing clubs and always kissing their new shirts...With things like this, children don't know whether to support a team or a player and we have to remember one thing: without children's love, football will die."

> Info Source

Drogba Lost the Joy

"For several weeks this summer, I no longer had a head for football. I had completely lost the fire. I no longer wanted to hear talk of targets or ambition,"

"I had absolutely no excitement or adrenaline. I felt completely extinguished. For the first time in my career, I had lost the passion for football. I was lost."

He said that the big factor was the death of his grandmother:

"I felt as if all of my childhood memories were flying away. I felt I had aged brutally."

> Info Source

Ronaldo overcome by joy

"Cristiano Ronaldo was overcome by joy as he finally got his hands on the prestigious Ballon d'Or trophy in Paris."

''I was 18 when I came to Manchester, very young. I always had great hopes of becoming a great footballer, in Europe and the world and that's what I've always tried to do - to improve year by year...Of course it's not been easy but I don't regret anything that I've done to get here...I always dreamed of lifting this trophy and it's thanks to God that I have it now.''

> Info Source

Robinho happy to stay home and teach son how to play football

According to Man City's new Brazilian star, Robinho, his 11-month-old boy, Robson junior is...

...the inspiration behind his thumb-sucking goal celebration. They spend their time, says Robinho, "going to the cinema, the theatre, normal things". He has become a regular at the Pau Brasil restaurant in Manchester's Northern District, along with City's other Brazilians, Elano and Jo. Mostly, however, he is happy to "stay at home teaching my son how to play football".

> Info Source

For Ronaldo the ball is still a toy

Cristiano Ronaldo is on the verge of officially being named The Best Player in the World by France Football (Ballon d'Or) and FIFA (World Player of the Year). In a lengthy interview with Sports Illustrated he reveals how he continues to experience football with the joy of a boy:

"World Soccer: What do you think you would have done if you had not become a footballer? Did you have a "Plan B" as a child?

Ronaldo: That's a difficult question. My ambition, my focus, has always been on football. When I was 5, 6, 7, I always asked my mum for a football as a present. It was never a bike or computers or Game Boys. I never asked for any of that. It was always a football, just a football. So my ambition was always to be a professional footballer. This is why I think I am like that. I don't know what I will do in the future. My focus has always been football.

World Soccer: Is the ball still a toy? Or has it become a working tool?

Ronaldo: No -- it's still a toy!"

Torres feels Joy

Immediately after winning Euro 2008 with Spain, Fernando Torres spoke of the joy he felt on winning:

"I feel a tremendous joy. It still hasn't sunk in what we've achieved with this victory...The team that played the best football at Euro 2008 won the title and we have a place in European football history."

Info Source / Image Source

Something my dad taught me

Manchester United's Owen Hargreaves stoically endured a season of injury rehabilitation before capturing his second Champions League trophy:

"I didn't want to complain - that is something my dad taught me...But I think people can now see the difference physically and what I'm able to do...Don't get me wrong, I'm a professional and I want to play, but I just wasn't physically capable of doing so...The boss was just waiting for the right time. They put me in the right games and now I feel good. My knees have improved a lot."

Hargreaves' Dad was in the stands in Moscow and able to enjoy the fruits of his teachings when he watched his boy slot home one of United's penalties:

"He's the most nervous man ever in the stadium, so I'm sure he's pleased it went the right way..He was in a right state but I didn't think for one minute I'd miss. If you have doubts in your mind you can miss, so you have to be positive.'

Info Source / Image Source

Ferguson: The players have that joy

United manager Alex Ferguson says that he wants his talented players to express themselves:

"The players have that joy of being at a club with a lot of ambition...It is good to see young players having the energy and the commitment to try and enjoy themselves...We work hard at making sure that they are relaxed in that respect with a responsibility to use their talents all the time to express themselves...We are fortunate in that it is easier for them than a lot of other players because they are exceptional talents."

Source > 28.02.2008

Di Stefano: Crying With Joy

On this day, Sunday February 17, 2008, Alfredo Di Stefano was honoured at Real Madrid's Bernabeau with UEFA's President's Award. At the age of 81. While he was still alive.

Here is a description of one of the most beautiful players of all time:

"Those who were privileged enough to see him play say that Di Stefano could be seen covering in defence, charging forward through the midfield, laying on goals for the forwards and smashing shots into the net all in the same game."

Said Di Stefano of the honour:

"I am deeply moved and I laugh to avoid crying with joy...The UEFA award is very special for me because I have received it from [UEFA president] Michel Platini, who has been able to be equally successful behind a desk as he was on the pitch."

Source 1 > 17.02.2008
Source 2 >

The explosion of joy after a goal

West Ham's French recruit, Julien Faubert, on coming to play in England:

"For me, England is Cantona, the respect of the fans, the explosion of joy after a goal. In France I loved playing in Marseille or Saint-Etienne in front of passionate fans. That lifted me. When I discovered Upton Park for the first time, against Sunderland (3-1, October 21), I was amazed. It was crazy. They also play football for this kind of emotion."

Source > 13.02.2008

England Player Finds Joy

"Gerrard was finding plenty of joy playing down the left as the game advanced and he went close with a fierce drive that only just flew over the bar."

Source > 08.02.2008

Africans bring joy home

Cameroon's André Bikey, who plays for Reading, talked about why players could not resist leaving the Premiership mid-season to play in the African Cup of Nations:

"To Africans this is as big as the World Cup...It's a chance to give some joy to our people. Our people don't care what we do at our clubs - only what we do for our countries is important."

Source > 01.02.2008

Ronaldinho Brings Joy

Barcelona captain Carlos Puyol is eager to see Brazilian Ronaldinho return to the team after a six-week lay-off due to a knee injury:

"He is really keen to get back, he's no longer got any pain and I'm sure he will bring a lot to the team...He can help bring back that joy we are lacking in our play at the moment. He's a reference point for the team and one of the best players in the world."

Source > 31.01.2008

"My Father Used To Take Me To The Big Stadium"

Carlos Hernandez is an ex-Costa Rica World Cupper who now lives and plays in Australia. He reflects on family and boyhood:

"For me, there is nothing more beautiful than family. Life in Costa Rica was very good, but I know as a football player there are career opportunities outside of the country...So that means not being with my family, but it's a sacrifice I have been willing to make to support my wife and child and their future."

"In Costa Rica we have a saying that football is in your blood...Ever since I was a little kid, my father used to take me to the big stadium to watch the matches and I always grew up playing football...I always found football absolutely fascinating...I find myself in a wonderful position to be able to do something that I have been fascinated with all my life."


Source > 11.01.2008

"Free Soccer Balls Bring Great Joy"

A story from the Western Cape about the simple joy that football can bring:

"UNDERPRIVILEGED kids in Nyanga last Sunday had the time of their lives after soccer balls had been handed out to them....The project Soccer Balls from Santa was started in December under the leadership of Annelise Le-Breton, a producer at Jan Malan Umzingeli Productions."

“Giving the children soccer balls was a good idea, as no infrastructure, apart from a piece of open land, is needed for the children to play..."

Source > 25.01.2008

What do you think of the book?

The Joy of Football is a little book based on the many conversations I've had with my son about football / soccer. My son is nine years old now. From the moment he could walk, talk and kick a ball he taught me many beautiful things about the game - and life.

I hope to have this story illustrated in the near future.

I'd appreciate any comments or suggestions you might have.


Thanks,

John Vidovich