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Thursday, September 12, 2013

No. 4. Johan Cruyff (Netherlands)


Hendrik Johannes Cruijff (born 25 April, 1947). Who is also known as Johan Cruyff. He is a retired Dutch footballer and was until recently the manager of the Catalonia national football team. He played as an attacking midfielder for the Dutch national football team, Ajax, Barcelona, Levante, Ajax and Feyenoord. Cruyff won the Ballon d'Or three times, which was in 1971, 1973 and 1974. In his professional club career he scored 291 goals in 520 appearances. And for national team Cruyff scored 33 goals in 48 appearances. After his retirement from playing , Johan Cruyff became highly successful as manager of Ajax and later Barcelona. In 1999, he  was voted European Player of the Century in an election held by the (International Federation of Football History & Statistics) IFFHS.

Johan Cruyff joined Ajax youth system on his 10th birthday. And he made his first team debut against GVAV on 15 November 1964 in the Eredivisie. That year his club Ajax finished in their lowest position since the establishment of professional football, 13th. Johan Cruyff really started to make an impression in the 1965–66 season. He founded himself as a regular first team player after scoring two goals against Door Wilskracht Sterk on 24 October 1965 in the Olympic stadium. In the 1966–67 season, Ajax  won the league championship, and also won the Dutch Cup (KNVB), for Cruyff's first "double." Johan Cruyff ended the season as the leading goalscorer in the Eredivisie league with 33. He won the league for the third successive year in the 1967–68 season. Cruyff was also named Dutch footballer of the year for the second successive time, a feat he would repeat in 1969. Cruyff played in his first European Cup final against Milan on 28 May 1969. After his nine successive year In the summer of 1973, Johan Cruyff was sold to FC Barcelona for 6 million guilder. Cruyff scored 190 goals in 240 appearances for Ajax. He played his last match for Ajax on 19 August 1973. During his time at FC Barcelona, Johan Cruyff scored one of his most famous goals, The 'Phantom' Goal, against Atlético Madrid. He scored 48 goals in 143 appearances for FC Barcelona.

At the age of 32, Cruyff signed a lucrative deal with the FC Los Angeles Aztecs of the North American Soccer League. After playing one year Cruyff chose to sign with Spanish club Levante. Because of Injuries and disagreements with the administration of the club Cruyff returned to play in his homeland, rejoining Ajax on 30 November 1980.In his 10 appearances for Levante Cruyff scored just two goals.He played for Ajax two years (1981–1983). In the 1982–83 season, Ajax also won the Dutch Cup. At the end of the 1982–83 season, Ajax FC decided not to offer Johan Cruyff a new contract. This angered Johan Cruyff, who responded by signing for AFC Ajax's archrivals club Feyenoord. Cruyff's season at Feyenoord was a successful one in which the club won the Eredivisie for the first time in a decade, part of a league and Dutch Cup double. At the end of the season Cruyff announced his final retirement. He ended his Eredivisie playing career with a goal against PEC Zwolle on 13 May 1984. Johan Cruyff played his last game in Saudi Arabia against Al-Ahli SC, bringing his club Feyenoord back into the game with a goal and an assist.

Monday, September 2, 2013

No. 3. Zinedine Zidane (France)


Zinedine Yazid Zidane (born 23 June 1972).Who is a French former footballer. He played as an attacking midfielder for the French national football team, Real Madrid, Juventus and Bordeaux. Zinedine Zidane was named best European footballer of the past 50 years by The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). Many football experts and commentators consider him as a great football player in the history of the game. In his professional club career he scored 95 goals in 506 appearances. And for national team Zidane scored 31 goals in 108 appearances.

Zinedine Zidane exceeded his Youth career in Cannes. He made his professional debut with Cannes at the age of sixteen in a Ligue 1 match on 18 May,1989 against Nantes. He scored his first goal for the club also against Nantes on 8 February 1991. After the match during a party for all the Cannes football players, Zinedine Zidane was gifted a beautiful car by Cannes chairman Pedretti, who had promised him one the day he scored his first goal for Cannes. He scored 6 goals in 61 appearances for Cannes.

In the 1992–93 season, Zidane was transferred to Girondins de Bordeaux from Cannes. He scored 28 goals in 139 appearances for Girondins de Bordeaux. In 1996, Zinedine Zidane moved to UEFA League winners Juventus for a fee of £3.2 million. And won two Serie  A league championships and an Intercontinental Cup with Juventus. Zidane scored 24 goals in 151 appearances for Juventus. In 2001, he joined Real Madrid Fc for a then world record fee of €75 million. The next season, Zinedine Zidane helped Real Madrid to win the 2002–03 La Liga and was named the FIFA World Player of the Year for the third time in his football career. On 7 May 2006, Zidane, who had announced his plans to retire after the 2006 football World Cup, played his last home match with Villarreal. He scored 37 goals in 155 appearances for Real Madrid. In April 2013, Zidane was named by Marca as a member of the "Best foreign eleven in Real Madrid's history".

On 17 August 1994, Zinedine Zidane earned his first cap with France as a substitute in a friendly match against the Czech Republic. The 1998 FIFA World Cup was the first World Cup that Zinedine Zidane participated in. Which was held in his home country France.In that World cup Zidane helps his country to win first ever World Cup by scoring two identical goals against defending champions and favourites Brazil at the Stade de France in the 1998 FIFA World Cup Final.

In 2006 World Cup, France reached in final.In Which match Zidane was sent off in the 110th minute of the game after headbutting Materazzi in the chest. For this reason Zidane did not participate in the penalty shootout which Italy won 5–3. Zinedine Zidane currently holds the post of Real Madrid assistant coach.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

No. 2. Diego Maradona (Argentina)

Diego Armando Maradona (born 30 October 1960) also known as Diego Maradona.He is a Argentine former football player, coach as well as a manager. Many football experts,current players,former players and football fans consider him as a great football player of all time. During his club career Maradona played for Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Sevilla, Napoli and Newell's Old Boys. He was able to play in Attacking midfield and Second striker Position. In his professional club career he scored 258 goals in 492 appearances. And for national team Maradona scored 34 goals in 91 appearances 



He exceeded his Youth career in Estrella Roja, Los Cebollitas and Argentinos Juniors. Maradona began playing for Argentinos Juniors main team in 1976. He scored 116 goals in 166 appearances for Argentinos Juniors. Then he joined Boca Juniors in 1981.There he played one year and scored 28 goals in 40 appearances. In 1982 Diego Maradona joined Barcelona for a world record fee £5m. For Barcelona he scored 22 goals in 36  appearances. Diego Maradona is the only footballer to set world-record contract fees twice. First record was in 1982.And secondly, when transferred to Napoli in 1984 from Barcelona  for another record fee £6.9m.He scored 81 goals in 188 appearances for Napoli.After passing seven successful year in Napoli Maradona joined Spanish club Sevilla in 1992.He scored 5 goals in 26 appearances for Sevilla. In 1997 when he was in Boca Juniors he ends his legendary football career.In Boca Juniors he scored 7 goals in 30 appearances.



Diego Maradona made his international debut at age 16,in 1977 on 27 February against Hungary. And he played the World Youth Championship for Argentina at the age of 18. Maradona scored his first senior international goal against Scotland at Hampden Park On 2 June 1979. Maradona is the only football player who wins the Golden Ball at both the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 1979  and FIFA World Cup 1986.



Diego Maradona is considered one of the sport's most agitated and newsworthy figures. He was suspended from football in 1991 after failing a drug test in Italy for 15 months.And Maradona was sent home from the 1994 World Cup after testing positive for ephedrine in the USA. He lost extra weight and overcame his cocaine addiction In 2005.



Diego Maradona became head coach of the Argentina national football team in November 2008, and apprehended the job for eighteen months, until his contract ended after the 2010 Football World Cup.And In May 2011 he became manager of Al Wasl FC in the United Arab Emirates. Maradona was sacked in 10 July 2012 for his club’s bad performance.