FOOTBALL 2008,SEPAK BOLA 2008

DAVID TREZEGUET

2008-08-22T07:21:00.000-07:00

Full Name: David Trezeguet
Date of Birth: October 15th, 1977
Place of Birth: Rouen, France

A member of France's 1996 UEFA European Under-18 Championship-winning side, he missed out on selection for the 1998 FIFA World Cup final, which France won, despite having played in all the previous rounds. More disappointment followed in Korea/Japan four years later, as he failed to find the target before France's first-round elimination.

Compared by Michel Platini to the great Paolo Rossi, 'Trezegol' had been spotted playing for CA Platense in Argentina by AS Monaco FC, who tempted him back to France in 1995. He emerged the following season and scored the goal that knocked Manchester United FC out of the UEFA Champions League in the quarter-finals. Monaco, though, were beaten by Juventus FC in the semis. In his final season at Stade Louis II, Trezeguet plundered 22 goals in 20 matches to clinch another French title.

In 2000 Trezeguet had a somewhat mixed start to his career at Juventus after joining them in the summer. On the downside, he struggled with injuries, but still managed to score 14 goals in 25 league appearances. The next year was even better as Trezeguet registered 24 times as Juventus landed the Scudetto on the last day of the campaign, and he won another title in 2003 despite a serious knee injury limiting his involvement. He later missed the opening penalty in the Champions League final shoot-out as AC Milan pipped Juve to the European title.

Career Record (Games / Goals)

Platense (5 / 0)
Monaco (116 / 60)
Juventus (106 / 60)

Honours

1997 French League Championship
1998 World Cup Winner
2000 French League Championship
2000 European Cup Winner
2002 Italian Seria A Championship
2002 Italian Supercup Winner
2003 Italian Seria A Championship
2003 Italian Supercup Winner

PAVEL NEDVED

2008-08-20T23:11:00.000-07:00

Pavel Nedved was born on the 30th of August 1972 in Cheb; his dad Vaclav was a labourer and his mum Ana a housewife. He married girlfriend Ivana when he was 21, and the couple have two children who carry their same names: Ivana and Pavel. He holds a qualified surveyor diploma.

Away from the playing fields, Pavel spends a lot of time concentrating on his physical condition: he runs regularly and partakes in many different sports. When he isn't playing sport, he turns into a caring and attentive father: he plays a lot with both his children.

When he wants to relax, he listens to some music – Laura Pausini, Eros Ramazzotti and Shakira – and watches movies, possibly featuring Robert De Niro, his favourite actor. Basically what any normal person would do.

He's a real gourmet who appreciates quality food. He loves rediscovering the typical dishes traditional to the area where he's living at any given time. He did this in Rome and he's doing it now in Turin also. He loves “poverela di Attilio” spaghetti, washed down by a good Piedmont red wine, such as Barbera, Barbaresco or Dolcetto d’Alba.

Pavel often varies his look. Like most sportsmen, he wears comfortable clothes when training, whereas he chooses more elegant and refined clothes when he goes out at night. He doesn't focus much on accessories but he's very particular about shoes, which always have to match the suit, and sunglasses.

Pavel loves his job deeply, and is very careful about maintaining his physical fitness, so much so that he trains even when his team mates rest. Indeed he goes out running each and every day, before going to the training ground.

He began playing at 5 years old for TJ Skalná, then he played for the RH Cheb, Škoda Plzen, VTJ Tábor and Dukla Praha youth teams and finally he joined Sparta Praha. He was often employed as a striker at the start of his career but eventually his coach at the time glimpsed his exceptional potential as an attacking midfielder, tried him in that role and from then on he became the player we all know now.

He's won a remarkable 4 League titles at Juventus. And even if the last two (seasons 2004/05 and 2005/06) were stripped away, he considers them won anyway. He also remembers fondly when he won the Cup Winners' Cup and the European Super Cup at Lazio.

His dream is to live in peace with his family and he hopes his children can one day do something worthwhile with their lives and be happy. As for football, he has but one short-term objective: to take Juventus back into the Champions League.

CESC FABREGAS

2008-08-18T23:19:00.000-07:00

From promising youngster to the heartbeat of the Arsenal side - Cesc has come a long way since joining the club as a 16-year-old in September 2003.

Likeable and level-headed off the pitch, Cesc is the complete midfielder on it. He has always been tigerish in the tackle and blessed with wonderful technique and vision, but Cesc added a new dimension to his game last season - goals, and plenty of them. He netted seven times in his first nine games and, although that scoring rate fell away, Cesc still ended up with 13 in all competitions. There were some belters too, including long-range efforts at Tottenham and Milan.

To nobody's surprise, the fulcrum of Arsène Wenger's side walked away with Arsenal.com's Player of the Season award for the second successive year. He has plenty of admirers outside Emirates Stadium too, not least among his peers - they voted him PFA Young Player of the Year.

The Spaniard first came to prominence at the Under-17s World Cup when he walked off with awards for best player and top scorer. Soon after arriving from Barcelona he became Arsenal's youngest ever player and scorer. By the time he had left his teenage years behind, Cesc had surpassed 150 appearances for the Club.

Of course, the 21-year-old is now also a fixture in Spain's national squad and played a major role in his country's Euro 2008 triumph. Cesc came off the bench to devastating effect in the group stage and netted a penalty shoot-out winner against Italy in the Quarter-Finals - his first spot-kick as a professional.

RONALDO

2008-08-17T22:27:00.000-07:00

It is one thing to be caught soliciting prostitution, but a whole different story as Ronaldo is going through after a story leaked that he solicited the services of 3 transvestites.

One of the he-she prostitutes is accusing Ronaldo of doing cocaine with them and then refusing to pay for the sexual services.

As expected the player has denied the accusation and noted that he abandoned his foursome experiment once he found no trace of vagina on any of the 3 prostitutes.

Yeah right, Ronaldo!

I mean what is the probability even in Vegas to pick up 3 transvestites on the same night, spend some time with them, then take them to a motel without the thought ‘is it just me or does at least ONE of these prostitute look like a DUDE!!” ever crossing your mind?
I am at odds trying to understand why anyone, let alone rich and famous people solicit prostitutes? Isn’t it much cheaper and dignified to stitch together a few lies and get sexual gratification from a willing partner?

Call me old school but I believe sex is best when served free.

Anyway I feel for Ronaldo who apparently has gone into hiding in his mom’s house. The girlfriend, who it turns out, is neither into foursomes nor into transvestites has reportedly dumped him.

Now Ronaldo has to hope that his reputation recovers simultaneously with the knee injury he is rehabbing.
What a story!

CLUB AC MILAN

2008-08-17T08:36:00.000-07:00

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players, and is widely considered to be the most popular sport in the world It is a football played on a rectangular grass or artifical surf, with a goal at each of the short ends. The object of the game is to score by manoeuvring the ball into the opposing goal. In general play, the goalkeeper are the only players allowed to use their hands or arms to propel the ball; the rest of the team usually use their feet to the ball into position, occasionally using their torso head to intercept a ball in midair. The team that scores the most goals by the end of the match wins. If the score is tied at the end of the game, either a is declared or the game goes into extra time and/or a penaltyshootout, depending on the format of the competition.

The modern game was codified in England following the formation of The Football assosiation, whose 1863 Laws is the game the foundations for the way the sport is played today. Football is governed internationally by the (International Federation of Association Football), commonly known by the acronym FIFA. The most prestigious international football competition is the , held every four years. This event, the most widely viewed in the world, boasts an audience twice that of the Summer Of The Game

REAL MADRID C.F

2008-08-16T09:38:00.000-07:00

Real Madrid Club de Fútbol (English: Madrid Royal Football Club, also known as Real Madrid, Los Blancos, Los Merengues) is a Spanish professional football club based in Madrid. Founded in 1902, the club plays in La Liga and has been voted the most successful football club of the 20th century, having won a record thirty-one La Liga titles, seventeen Copa del Rey and a record nine European Cup titles.^[7][8] On 21 May 1904, Real Madrid was a founding member of The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)^[9] and also of the now defunct G-14 group of Europe's leading football clubs and its replacement, the European Club Association.^[10]

The club plays its home professional games in the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid. Real Madrid is unusual in that, unlike most football clubs, it has been owned and operated only by its members (socios) since 1902. On 23 December 2000, FIFA awarded the Spanish team the title of the "Best Club of the 20th Century".^[11][12]

Real Madrid has a large fanbase, who hold a string of long-standing rivalries with several other clubs; the most notable of these is with FC Barcelona, with whom they regularly contest the El Clásico. The club is the 2^nd most valuable club in football (worth over €950m as of 2008) and the richest (€351m)

SIR ALEX FERGUSON

2008-08-15T16:17:00.001-07:00

DECO

2008-08-06T17:17:00.001-07:00

TERRY SIAP KEMBALI KE MOSKOW

2008-08-03T23:54:00.000-07:00

Kuala Lumpur,Moskow membawa kenangan buruk bagi kapten Chelsea,John Tery.Disanalah ia jadi kecundang saat terpeleset ketika hendak mengeksekusi penalty ke gawang Manchester Umited,21 Mei lalu.Chelsea pun kalah dan Terry menangis meratapi kegagalan memalukan itu.

Namun Terry,27 tahun mengaku sudah melupakan “tragedy” di final Liga Champions itu.Bahkan ia sudah siap kembali ke Ibukota Rusia itu untuk menghadapi Lokomotiv Moskow di ajang railways Cup,Jum’at (1/8) mendatang.”Kami sudah melupakan apa yang terjadi di moskow,’’ bek tengah tangguh itu menegaskan.

Teryy juga mengaku sangat antusias menghadapi musim baru bersama pelatih Luiz Felipe Scolari.”Sekarang kami berada ditangan pelatih yang bisa membawa tim ini melangkah maju.”kata Terry lagi .Bersama Scolari,saya punya kans,besar mengubah mimpi buruk di Moskow jadi kemenangan.”

Tak tanggung-tanggung Scolari sendiri bahkan mematok target empat gelar sekaligus pada musim depan.tak sekedar menjuarai Liga Champions dan Liga Primer,namun juga Piala FA dan Piala Liga.”Itu memang akan sulit tapi kami punya tim yang sanggup untuk itu.Chelsea telah memberi semua yang saya inginkan ,””Scolari menandaskan

Meski belum sebulan menangani “The Blues”,Scolari mengaku sudah punya bayangan kerangka tim intinya.”Setidaknya,75 persen pemain inti sudah ada di kantong saya,”katanya serius.”Sisanya ,akan saya dapatkan pada sisa tur ini dan saat menjalani latihan perdana lawan Portsmouth(17/8).”
Itu berarti,duel malam ini lawan Malaysia All-Stars XI di Kuala Lumpur tetap penting bagi para pemain Chelsea.
Khususnya bagi mereka yang belum aman masuk tim inti,seperti striker Nicolas Anelka,gelandang Florent Malouda,serta pemain belakang Paulo Ferreira.Sebelas gol dari dua pertandingan pertama adalah batu loncatan yang bagus.Tapi saya kira,pertandingan ini akan lebih sulit ,”” Lalu,kami harus mengahadapi klub Rusia yang sudah tahu segalanya tentang kami,Tapi,bagi saya,itu hal yang bagus,Dengan demikian ,saya jadi tahu sejauh mana kesiapan kami menghadapi musim baru.

GIANLUIGI

2008-07-22T00:27:00.001-07:00

WAYNE ROONEY

2008-07-21T05:40:00.000-07:00

RIO FERDINAND

2008-07-10T01:18:00.000-07:00

Birthdate : 07 Nov 1978

Birthplace : Peckham

Position : Defender

Appearances : 267

Goals : 7

Joined United : 22 Jul 2002

United Debut : 27 Aug 2003 v Zalaegerszeg (H)

International :England

RYAN GIGGS

2008-07-09T02:24:00.001-07:00

Birthdate: 29 Nov 1973
Birthplace: Cardiff, Wales
Position: Midfielder
Appearances: 759
Goals: 144
Joined United: 09 Jul 1990
United Debut: 02 Mar 1991 v Everton (H)
International Wales

DEL PIERO THAT GESTURE TOWARD DAVID CAME NATURALLY TO ME

2008-07-09T02:10:00.000-07:00

Alessandro Del Piero will have to wait 24 hours to learn if he'll be able to get another incredible record (top scorer in Serie A after being top scorer one year ago in Serie B): the time needed to watch Borriello play with his Genoa at Atalanta. Some things are already set in stone though: the record of goals with Trezeguet (41 goals between them!), but most of all his gesture of leaving the second penalty to his team mate.

The Captain is enjoying his umpteenth moment in the spotlight and while he awaits a deserved call-up for the 2008 European Championships, he commented this day, interviewed by Juventus Channel: «The gesture toward David came naturally to me. Over the years it happened many times to exchange roles, it's something that goes beyond this current season. The League top scorer award? It would confirm a positive season for me. So I take the chance to thank all my team mates for their commitment. We all know the

EDWIN VAN DER SAR

2008-07-08T01:50:00.000-07:00

Birthdate: 29 Oct 1970
Birthplace: Voorhout, Holland
Position: Goalkeeper
Appearances: 142 Goals: 0
Joined United: 01 Jun 2005
United Debut: 09 Aug 2005

THIERRY HENRY

2008-07-07T03:21:00.001-07:00

French footballer Thierry Henry plays with a ball during a press conference on July 6, 2008 in Mexico City, where he arrived to promote an important sportswear company. AFP PHOTO/Luis ACOSTA

KHALIL CHAMAM

2008-07-06T05:31:00.000-07:00

Esperance de Tunis player KHALIL CHAMAM (12) vies with Etoile du Sahel forward negerian Ogumbiyi (L) during the Tunisia Cup final football match at Olympic Rades Stadium in Tunis, on July 5, 2008. Esperance won 2-1. AFP PHOTO FETHI BELAID

VILLA

2008-07-04T23:58:00.000-07:00

Villarreal's new soccer player Damian Escudero of Argentina plays with the ball during his official media presentation in Villarreal

FERNANDO TORRES

2008-07-03T05:01:00.001-07:00

TEAM GERMANY ALREADY PREPARE

2008-06-25T07:22:00.000-07:00

Germany may have raised eyebrows by playing so impressively to eliminate fancied Portugal and reach the semi-finals, but not those of Ottmar Hitzfeld. The man who masterminded FC Bayern München's recent double-winning season believes the Mannschaft will also overcome Turkey tonight before lifting the UEFA European Championship trophy for a fourth time in Vienna on Sunday.

Maturity
"I expected them to reach the semis, as I always said that Germany had the chance to become European champions," said Hitzfeld, who takes over as Switzerland coach next month after ending a second successful spell as Bayern boss. "They finished third at the [FIFA] World Cup two years ago, and were a young team then which has evolved further. Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski have all matured, and Michael Ballack has become a great leader. Germany are a team which always gets better as a tournament progresses – they didn't convince in the group stage but came back impressively against Portugal. I predict they will be in the final and become champions."

Merkel advice
Having been sent off against Croatia, Schweinsteiger found himself sat next to German chancellor Angela Merkel for the Group B decider against Austria. Germany won 1-0 to advance to a meeting with Portugal in which the midfielder – who had been told "not to do anything stupid again" by Merkel – scored one goal and set up others for Miroslav Klose and Ballack. Hitzfeld, who watched Schweinsteiger develop through the Bayern youth ranks, said of the 23-year-old: "He had a break after the red card and then came back imposingly against Portugal. He's improved through the tournament but has not shown his full potential yet. He's a perfect player technically, and I'm happy he scored a nice goal against Portugal – especially as he sprinted forward like a striker which is not his game. He has great potential and can be a match-winner for Germany."

Impressed
Should Germany triumph at St. Jakob-Park tonight they would progress to Sunday's final where they would face either Spain or Russia, two teams to have caught Hitzfeld's eye: "Like every football fan, I've really enjoyed some great matches at EURO. Some teams like Russia and Spain have exceeded expectations during this tournament by playing some marvellous attacking football. [David] Villa from Spain has scored four times already and is a real talent. [Andrei] Arshavin is very strong as well, a world-class player, as we saw when [FC] Zenit St. Petersburg beat Bayern [in the UEFA Cup semi-finals]. There have been many great players, and Ballack has played a great tournament as Germany captain."

Tactical nous

One of only two men to have coached two clubs to success in the European Champion Clubs' Cup, the 59-year-old Hitzfeld is an ambassador for the Castrol Performance Index, which is helping euro2008.com present a new level of statistical analysis from these finals. He has been impressed by the tactical nous of his colleagues in Austria and Switzerland, reserving special praise for those preparing for last-four ties. "All the coaches in the semis have done a great job. 'Jogi' Löw has changed his 4-4-2 philosophy to the 4-2-3-1 that most other countries use. [Luis] Aragonés has performed really well to guide Spain to the semis for the first time in 24 years. [Guus] Hiddink's Russia's are the outsiders and then there is [Fatih] Terim, of course, who constantly gives passion to his Turkey side to drive them forward."

THE MAP OF EURO 2008 IN AUSTRIA-SWITZERLAND

2008-06-23T06:39:00.000-07:00

Doni Menace the ‘ I Gialirossi’

2008-06-21T21:16:00.000-07:00

Striker Atalanta , middle

Cristian Doni of on fire.Fi goal printed to gate of Livirno pecan lau make it as goal printer of many Atalanta during the time . He promise to to add the its goal purse when Atalanta visit to Stadium of Olimpico of opponent of ACE ROMA.

TEAM PORTUGAL MUST TO GIVE THELOST

2008-06-20T23:56:00.000-07:00

Drubbing 3-2 German really representing of heavy blow to Team Portugal. Not even all Portugal Suporrter, but also all punggawa Selecao das Quinas.

That thing also which is like felt by attacker of Cristiano Ronaldo. After its team is defeated by a Panther Team, Ronaldo lay open its sorrow.

X'Self struggle as long as 90 minute likely without effect its team moment fail to enter halffinal " We are all sorrowful," regret Ronaldo in room change the player after contest of like dilansir Field goal, Friday 20/6/2008.

sorrow of Star of Manchester United is also felt by its one team friend. is enunciated it the Just, Portugal which is from early exclusion of Grup A come up more superior compared to by a Germany, have to volunteer throw in the towel in quarterfinal.

: " We in fact wish to win the contest of because we know the a step again we will go to the final. We fail in both/ second act situation, but that's football," bold of Ronaldo.

: " Of course result of this disappoint the us of because we know this team is better. Better Portugal in fact, but its result can differ the. Germany win and competent them to halffinal," decompose the that 23 year player.

Sorrow Ronaldo do not only swallowing drubbing. In that contest, former that star Sporting Lisbon also experience of to injure. After The match in Euro 2008, x'self will experience the operation to cure its condition.

With the drubbing Portugal, automatically Germany ascertain the fast x'self to halffinal act of Euro 2008 after acting match inStadium Jakob-Park, Basel, Friday ( 20/6/2008) early morning WIB.

Three Germany goal printed, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Miroslav Klose and Michael Ballack. For a while goal of reciprocation Portugal printed by Nuno Gomes and Helder Postiga.

FRANSISCO TOTTI CAN PUNISHMENT SO DISCUALIFYING BE A PALYER INTHE CHAMPIONS EURO 2008

2008-06-19T00:24:00.000-07:00

Fransesco Totti harus membayar mahal atas ucapannya yang menilai Inter Milan menadapt pertolongan wasit.Ia dinyatakan bersalah atas tudingan miring yang dilontarkan wasit Roberto Rosetti yang memimpin pertandingan Roma melawan Inter Milan.akibat komentar miringnya itu Totti harus membayar denda sebesar 7.800 pound (sekitar Rp.140 juta).sekaligus Toti diskualifikasi tidak diikutkan dalam kejuaraan piala euro 2008 yang diselenggarakn di Austria –Swizterland pada bulan ini.

Ini berawal saat Totti mengecam keputusan Rosetti yang mengganjar Phillipe Mexes kartu merah,dan membiarkan Nicolas Burdisco melakukan tiga kali pelanggaran kepada Rodrgio Taddei.II Capitano Roma itu dinyatakan bersalah atas ucapannya yang dinilai mempertanyakn legitimasi kompetisi dan menjatuhkan kredibilitas wasit.

THE CHILD FROM SWISS IS CRYING

2008-06-12T15:00:00.000-07:00

MEMORIES RETURN FOR RUI COSTA

2008-06-11T07:54:00.000-07:00

ITALI DIPERMALUKAN OLEH BELANDA DENGAN SKOR 2-0

2008-06-10T21:20:00.000-07:00

CRISTIAN RONALDO GO THE BEST PLAYER FOOTBALL OF EURO 2008

2008-06-09T01:38:00.000-07:00

PEPE THE FIRST GOAL INTHE RING'S TURKI

2008-06-07T21:06:00.000-07:00

ALESSANDRO DEL PIERO

2008-05-23T03:26:00.000-07:00

Dia mencetak gol 21 dan merebut gelar capocannoniere.Dia juga berhasil dipanggil tim nasional Italia karena prestasinya.
Itulah yang dilakukan Alessandro Del Piero sepanjang musim.semua itu membuatnya layak dipilh sebagai Pemain Terbaik Serie a 2007/08.Semua pemain berusia 33 tahun tersebut diperkirakan tidak akan bias berbuat banyak.
Masuknya Vincenzo laquinta ke juventus membuat Alex diramalkan hanya akan menjadi pemain cadangan.Namun,Del Piero malah berbalik menyingkirkan laquinta.
Sejak April,Del Piero mencetak 11 gol.ia membawa Juventus finis di 4 besar dan meraih tiket ke liga champion .Alex sendiri menyudahi kompetisi sebagai pencetak gol terbanyak.Hebatnya,musim lalu ia juga top scorer serie b.Cuma dua orang yang bias melakukan prestasi itu:yaitu Paolo Rossi9Vicenza 1997 dan 1978)serta del Piero.
Bagusnya penampilan Alex memaksa pelatih tim nasional Italia.roberto Donadoni,mengubah pendiriannya.Ia sebetulnya tidak senang pada Del Piero karena pernah menolak instruksinya tampil sebagai pemain sayap.kini dona doni yang menyerah.Ia “terpaksa “memberikan tempat pada Alex di dalam skuad sementara Gli Azzuri untuk euro 2008.
“Kesuksesan ini untuk semua yang mendukung saya dan Juve.Saya bahagia untuk musim yang telah dijalani Juventus ,tapi tidak berhenti sampai disini.jangan bilang saya tidak memberi peringatan bahwa Juventus akan lebih baik musim depan,”kata Del Piero seperti dikutip Channel4.

Zanetti

2008-05-18T21:53:00.001-07:00

Zanetti Ingin Menyempurnakan Rekor

Saat Inter Milan bertanding ke Ennio Tardini menantang tuan rumah FC Parma,merupakan hasil istimewa bagi Javier Zanetti.Kapten Inter Milan asal Argentina itu akan menggenapkan rekor pribadinya musim ini,yaitu tampil dalam 50 pertandingan di semua kompetisi yang diikuti “ I Nerazzuri”.

Hebatnya lagi,Zanetti bakal tercatat sebagai pemain inter yang tak pernah absent dalam 38 pertandingan Seri A musim 2007-2008,dan hanya enam kali turun dari bangku cadangan.Fakta tersebut sekaligus menunjukkan bahwa Zanetti masih belum habis di usianya yang akan menginjak 35 tahun pada Agustus mendatang.

Hal lain Yang pantas Dijadikan teladan,Zanetti belum satu kali pun menerima kartu kuning atau merah dari wasit selama musim ini.Sungguh luar biasa untuk ukuran seorang pemain bertahan,yang biasanya rawan mendapatkan kartu.

Catatan rekor dan kehebatan Zanetti akan semakin sempurna bila ia mampu mengantarkan timnya menaklukkan Parma besok.Bila menang,Inter akan memastikan diri akan meraih scudetto ke-16 atau ketiga secara berturut-turut.

Wajarlah bila tekad Zanetti untuk meraih scudetto sudah terlihat ketika mengikuti latihan di Appiano Gentile,Kamis 15 Mei 2008 .” Kami menang,kami menang, dan bisa menangkan scudetto.”

Begitulah teriakan Zanetti bersama rekan-rekan setimnya saat masuk lapangan ketika berlatih.Teriakan Zanetti sontak disambut supporter Inter yang menyaksikan latihan tersebut.Para fans tersebut pastinya tak ingin tim kesayangan mereka mengulangi kesalahan seperti ketika ditahan imbang Siena 2-2 pada pecan sebelumnya.

Zanetti,yang sudah membela Inter sejak musim 1995/1996,kali ini bertekad untuk tidak lagi membuat kecewa para fans.” Kami memang harus memenangkan scudetto sebagai wujud rasa terima kasih kami kepada superter yang selalui setia mendukung kami,”Zanetti mencanangkan tekadnya.

THE ROKET CRISTIAN RONALDO

2008-05-18T04:00:00.000-07:00

Pada usia sepuluh tahun, bakat pemain kelahiran 5 Februari 1985 itu sudah tercium banyak klub profesional. Dua klub berebut mendapatkannya, yakni CS Maritimo dan CD Nacional. Maritimo adalah klub yang cukup besar, sayangnya mereka terlambat mendatangkan Ronaldo kecil yang keburu bergabung dengan CD Nacional.

Di klub junior itu, Ronaldo ikut mengantarkan klubnya memenangkan gelar kejuaraan nasional. Ia kemudian diberi kesempatan berlatih selama tiga hari di klub profesional, Sporting Lisbon. Sporting kemudian merekrutnya pada saat Ronaldo masih berusia 14 tahun. Ronaldo bergabung dengan klub yunior Sporting yang berlatih di Alcochete yang dikenal sebagai ‘pabrik sepkbola’ di Portugal.

Ronaldo kemudian terpilih sebagai pemain Timnas Portugal yang mengikuti kejuaraan UEFA U-17. Penampilannya di ajang itulah yang membuat namanya mulai dilirik klub-klub besar dunia. Orang yang pertama kali jatuh cinta pada Ronaldo adalah mantan pelatih Liverpool, Gerard Houllier. Houllier berniat mendatangkan Ronaldo ke Anfield. Tetapi karena usianya masih 16 tahun, manajemen klub memutuskan untuk memberi Ronaldo waktu. Tetapi, tahun 2003, Liverpool justru kalah cepat dari Manchester United yang berhasil memboyongnya ke Old Trafford dengan trnasfer sebesar 12,24 juta pound.

Sir Alex Ferguson, pelatih MU benar-benar terpikat dengan penampilan Ronaldo yang dinilainya sangat dinamis, bisa bermain sebagai gelandang serang, pemain sayap, bahkan, menjadi striker jika dibutuhkan. Kedatangan Ronaldo ke Old Trafford bersamaan dengan kepergian bintang mereka, David Beckham ke Real Madrid. Karena itu, kedatangan Ronaldo disambut gegap gempita, bahkan ia dianugerahi kaos nomor 7, nomor keramat milik Beckham. Dan Ronaldo membuktikan dirinya, bahwa ia pantas memakai nomor itu.

Di Timnas, Ronaldo memulai debutnya Agustus 2003 saat Portugal menghadapi Khazakstan. Ia menyumbang satu-satunya gol Portugal saat mereka dikalahkan Yunani 1-2 di partai pembuka Euro 2004 yang diadakan di negaranya. Ia juga menyumbang satu gol saat mereka mengalahkan Belanda di perempat final. Sayangya ia gagal menyumbang gol di partai final saat negaranya kembali dikalahkan Yunani.

Di babak kualifikasi Piala Dunia 2006 zona Eropa, ia menyumbang 7 gol untuk timnya. Di Jerman, ia menjadi pilihan utama pelatih Portugal Luis Felipe Scolari. Ronaldo mencetak gol pertamanya di Piala Dunia dari titik putih saat mereka mengalahkan Iran. Portugal kemudian bertemu Inggris di babak perempat final. Ia bertemu dengan teman-temannya sesama MU, terutama sahabatnya Wayne Rooney. Celakanya, Ronaldo malah berseteru dengan Rooney saat menjatuhkan teman setimnya, Ricardo Carvalho. Ronaldo dituduh memprovokasi wasit untuk memberi kartu merah kepada Rooney, hubungannya merenggang.

Ronaldo mencetak gol terakhir saat pertandingan itu harus diakhiri dengan adu penalti. Dan setelah itu, hubungannya dengan MU makin merenggang. Berkali-kali ia menyatakan keinginannya untuk hijrah ke Spanyol, apalagi ia mendapat tawaran dari calon Presiden Real Madrid, Villar Mir. Tetapi, hingga saat ini, MU tetap tak melepasnya, apalgi Ronaldo terikat kontrak di Old Trafford hingga tahun 2010.

Selain dikenal sebagai pesepakbola yang brilian, Ronaldo juga dikenal dengan sifat sosialnya. Publik sepakbola Indonesia mungkin takkan lupa atas kedatangannya untuk mengunjungi korban tsunami Aceh dan santunannya kepada salah seorang anak Aceh bernama Martunis yang dilihatnya di televisi menggunakan kaos Timnas Portugal.