Soccer Latest Highlights

Arsenal vs West Ham HIGHLIGHTS 2-0
Dec 5, 2009 4:00 PM GMT
Stadium: Emirates Stadium
Scorer: (Arsenal) 26' Arshavin A., 79' Ramsey A.
Referee: Mark Clattenburg
Top of the match: Ramsey A. (Arsenal)

Arsenal 2 VS. Stoke City in the Preimer League 09\10 - For more funny movies, click here

West Ham vs Manchester United HIGHLIGHTS 1-4
Dec 5, 2009 4:00 PM GMT
Stadium: Upton Park
Scorer: (Manchester United) 45+1' Scholes P., 61' Gibson D., 71' Valencia L., 72' Rooney W.
Top of the match: Valencia L. (Man Utd)

West Ham Vs Manchester United 0 4 Goals & Highlights 5 12 09 - Click here for this week’s top video clips

Manchester City vs Chelsea HIGHLIGHTS 2-1
Dec 5, 2009 6:30 PM GMT
Stadium: The City of Manchester
Scorer: (Manchester City) 37' Adebayor S., 56' Tevez C. (Chelsea) 8' Adebayor
Referee: Rocchi di Firenze
Top of the match: Given S. (Man City)

Argentine international defender Fernando Gago wants to leave Real Madrid because he has been little used this season but the Spanish giants do not want to let him go, sports daily Marca reported Friday.

The 23-year-old, who joined Real at the end of 2006 from Argentine side Boca Juniors, needs more time on the pitch to be be considered for Argentina’s 2010 World Cup squad and has asked his agent to negotiate his move to another club in the winter transfer window, it said.

But Real is counting on the player to make up for the absence of its midfielder and Mali captain Mahamadou Diarra who is scheduled to play for his national team during the 2010 African Cup of Nations between January 10-31.

Gago started for Real during all but two of the club’s 26 Spanish league matches in the 2008-09 season but his time on the pitch has been sharply reduced since Chile’s Manuel Pellegrini took over as coach in July 2009.

Italy’s AC Milan and Fiorentina have reportedly shown interest in signing the midfielder, who joined Real for 21 million euros (31.7 million dollars).
Argentina’s national coach Diego Maradona has described Gago as one of the best defensive midfielders in the world and said that “he should never be left off an Argentina squad list”.

David Beckham will rejoin AC Milan in the January transfer window. It will of course be his second loan spell at the San Siro.

Good move for Beckham

His return to Europe is in aid of him making it into Fabio Capello’s England squad for next years World Cup in South Africa.

You can understand the logic in Beckham’s mind. Its a good move for the 34 year-old. Not only is he moving back to Europe, hes moving to a club that Fabio Capello will always have one eye on, having played for and managed the Rossoneri twice.

Still useful

The England midfielder is still a useful player with his vision and his ability to produce fantastic crosses. He is also a good leader and a good personality to have in the dressing room. He still has a quick thinking football brain, even if the legs are getting older. He is also incredibly fit for a player of his age.

American dream turned sour

Beckham’s move to America has turned a bit sour in recent months as the fans don’t seem to have forgiven him for joining Milan the first time around. Even one of his teammates at LA Galaxy Landon Donovan has had a pop at the former Madrid and United star, accusing Beckham of being unprofessional and not really caring about the Galaxy. Beckham has shrugged off the abuse and unhappiness of the Galaxy fans and has helped the franchise to the MLS Cup play-offs.

Fourth World Cup appearance?

Beckham has already been to three World Cups with England and will be hoping to be on the plane to South Africa next year. Its not a certainty that he will make it to his fourth World Cup with lots of competition for places on the right side of the England midfield. The likes of Aaron Lennon, Ashley Young, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Theo Walcott are all able to play that role and have youth on their side.

Advantage

However the former United star has the advantage of great experience both at international level and club level. He also has another advantage over the young wingers. He has the ability to produce the end product. His crossing ability is far superior to any of the aforementioned midfielders. Lennon’s crossing ability has slightly improved in recent months but all too often his crosses go astray.
If Lennon could perfect his crossing ability I think he would be undisputed first choice but at the moment its still up for debate. Beckham is a really good player to have on the bench to come on for Lennon with 15 or 20 minutes to go and create a goal.

Should he go to the World Cup?

This has been discussed and discussed in the English press and also by nearly every football fan in England. However there’s only one man who can decide if he goes or not and that’s England boss Fabio Capello. If he has a good few months in Milan and stays injury free I think he will go to South Africa.

Capello likes Beckham and hes a good player to have in your squad. I would take Beckham just because of his will to win for his country and his vital experience. If England are to win next years competition then we will need to use every asset we have at our disposal and Beckham to me is a good asset to have.

The win against Jerez marked Barca's best ever start to a league campaign. The team have taken 33 points, one more than last season's title wining treble winners.

As Pep Guardiola warned at the start of the season it 's going to be difficult to better last year's historic achievements, but the team have made a great start and won more points in the first 13 games than they managed last year.

The team had already equalled the record for the longest winning start to a season and they have maintained their great form in the last few games to break the record for the most points after 13 games, maintaining their unbeaten record by wining 10 games and drawing 3.

It's the first time Barca have gone 13 games undefeated at the start of a season since Bobby Robson's 1996/97 team, although they could only boast 9 wins, having drawn 4 times.

Arsène Wenger had mixed injury news to report when he spoke to Arsenal TV Online on Thursday afternoon.

Bacary Sagna has recovered from his ankle injury and should be fit for the visit of Stoke on Saturday. However, Theo Walcott has a collected a short-term hamstring problem and will miss out.

Alex Song is suspended after receiving his fifth booking of the season on Wednesday at Manchester City. But, on the upside, the manager revealed that Robin Van Persie (ankle) and Kieran Gibbs (foot) are both recovering well from recent surgery.

"We had Sagna out injured [before] but, normally, he will be available," said Wenger.

"However, Theo Walcott will not be available. He has a hamstring injury.

"As for the other players we had injured, the long-term ones I do not even speak about. But the players who looked to be shorter - like Clichy, Diaby and Bendtner - will not be available. And, of course, Song is suspended for the weekend."

Gibbs and Van Persie are in the longer-term bracket but thankfully both are on the mend after surgery.

"Kieran is doing very well," said Wenger. "I had him on the phone and it looked to be completely fine. I have not talked to Robin yet but there again the news I got from the surgery was it went very, very well. There was a lot of disturbance on our side recently [about his injury] but the surgery went well."

Darron Gibson fired holders Manchester United through to the last four of the English League Cup on Tuesday with a 2-0 win at Old Trafford that ended Tottenham Hotspur’s hopes of a third successive final. United, who beat Spurs on penalties in last season’s Wembley final, were joined in the semi-finals by Aston Villa after the five-time winners beat Premier League stragglers Portsmouth 4-2 at Fratton Park.

Big-spending Manchester City welcomed Arsenal while league leaders Chelsea travelled to Blackburn Rovers for yesterday’s quarter-finals.

With the rain sweeping down, young Irish midfielder Gibson opened the scoring for United against the run of play in the 16th minute and doubled his tally 22 minutes later with a powerful shot to the top corner from 18 metres.

The scoreline flattered United’s youthful-looking team, however, with Tottenham playing the better football for much of the first half as they sought their first win at Old Trafford in 20 years.

“We’ve scored against the run of play, Tottenham were I thought dominating the first 30 minutes of the match anyway,” United manager Sir Alex Ferguson told Sky Sports television. “They could have been in front by two or three opportunities.

“The second half, in fairness, we were much better. We are two games away from Wembley, so that’s good…we will enjoy the semi-final and these lads will play again.”

Jermain Defoe tested United goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak in the seventh minute and had a great chance in the 21st when he found space at the back post only to be denied by the rock-steady Nemanja Vidic in defence.

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp was stunned by his side’s lack of passion.

“We were never going to get a better opportunity than we had tonight,” he said. “The first half really, they (United) had two shots on goal and scored twice. There was no atmosphere, it was like a practice match.

“It was played at a lethargic pace, we didn’t make a tackle in the first half. I’ve never been to Old Trafford and sensed there was no atmosphere. The thing never really got going, there was nothing happening.”

Villa made a woeful start at Portsmouth, going behind in the 10th minute when Stilian Petrov tried to clear at the near post but sliced the ball into his own net.

Portsmouth, who lost 4-1 to United at the weekend, had little time to enjoy their lead with Emile Heskey equalising two minutes later. Villa made it 2-1 in the 27th through James Milner and went 3-1 ahead in the 74th when England winger Stewart Downing headed in at the far post to score on his first start for the club.

Kanu pulled a goal back with a low shot in the 87th but Ashley Young restored Villa’s lead two minutes later with a deflected shot high into the net.

“It was the sort of start that we didn’t want,” said Villa manager Martin O’Neill.

"We were hoping that we could come out strongly and conceding an early goal was not part of the plan. But, if anything, it got us going.”

Arsenal ace striker Robin van Persie has had successful surgery to the ankle injury, however, that will keep him off the fields for a minimum of four months, confirms coach Arsene Wenger.

Van Persie suffered the injury while on international duty during a friendly with Italy and his absence has proved a major setback for the Gunners, with two back to back defeats with no goal in the Premier league clash against Chelsea and League Cup clash against Manchester City.

Wenger was furious with the Dutch FA after discovering that the Van Persie who was injured in a friendly international with Italy, had suffered more extensive damage than first diagnosed.

Van Persie was initially sent for controversial horse placenta treatment in Serbia after the misdiagnosis, which the North London club said they would have managed differently had they known the full extent of the injury.

However, the Wenger annonced on the club’s official website that the surgery was a complete success and said; “I have not talked to Robin yet but there again the news I got from the surgery was it went very, very well.

“There was a lot of disturbance on our side recently (about his injury) but the surgery went well.”

The Hammers youngster will get his chance on Saturday due to the injury of fellow front man Carlton Cole who faces a number of weeks on the sidelines with a knee ligament injury.

Cole suffered the knee problem in last weekend's 5-3 win over Burnley but fortunately he will not require surgery.

It will give Cole's understudy an opportunity to show his worth to manager Gianfranco Zola and the England U21 star cannot wait.

"I would love to score against Manchester United," he said. "It's a big game, when Arsenal came here we were all up for it. Every time I come on I feel happy to be honest because not a lot of people are in my position. Obviously I work hard and work on being more confident and trying to play my best for the team."

The 20-year-old has played 14 times in his breakthrough season with West Ham, scoring a winning goal against Aston Villa, and is always looking to improve his game.

"It's good learning from Carlton and Mark Noble, obviously they're different in a lot of ways but they're both good at what they do," he said. "Learning more from them obviously helps my game and helps me get better."

Chelsea have a five-point lead at the top of the Barclays Premier League table and are favourites to claim the crown.

Their impressive start has seen Carlo Ancelotti's men lose just two matches, conceding eight goals from their first 14 fixtures.

Jose Mourinho led the Blues to the title in 2005 with a side that lost just once in 38 outings and conceded only 15 goals.

But Carvalho, who was signed by Mourinho in 2004 and has gone on to make 196 appearances, thinks the present team has more quality.

"In this moment we are an improvement even from that first year here under Mourinho," said the 31-year-old defender, whose national side Portugal have qualified for the World Cup.

"Of course then we were compact and everyone was fighting, but now I think we have more quality in the squad maybe. Or at least different players, playing in a different system and style.

"We are playing well and not conceding goals, we are top, and also we have qualified for the World Cup, so everyone in my life is happy."

Chelsea face a tricky test when they visit Eastlands to play seventh-placed Manchester City on Saturday.

Carvalho added: "We are in a good moment, we have had some difficult games away, but if we can get the points on Saturday it will be good and then we are at home.

"We have had four games away, Porto, Arsenal, Blackburn and Man City and they are all hard games, with different styles, but what is important is to win. We have to be always a little worried because one bad result and things can change completely. Okay we are in a good moment now but we have to make sure we carry on with it."

LONDON: David Beckham's grandfather died on Wednesday, his agent said, but the England midfielder is expected to stay in South Africa where he is helping sell England's bid for the 2018 World Cup.
"His grandfather passed away this morning, but we ask everyone to respect the family's privacy at this time," his spokesman Simon Oliveira said.

Joseph West, 83, who died after battling a serious illness, was very close to Beckham and is credited with having had a formative influence on the star player's early career, reports said.

A friend of the player said that unless the funeral takes place in the next couple of days, Beckham is expected to continue his schedule in South Africa.

"His grandfather would have wanted him to continue to fulfil his duty to his country," the friend said.

Beckham is the key in selling England's struggling bid for the 2018 World Cup, Fifa president Sepp Blatter said on Wednesday.
Blatter met Beckham in Cape Town ahead of England's presentation this week of its bid credentials to the world's media and football's powerbrokers.

Beckham, who hopes to be in Fabio Capello's squad for the 2010 World Cup, has taken on the role of official ambassador for England's bid in an attempt to convince Fifa executives to award them a first World Cup since 1966.

Beckham, one of the few players to score in three World Cups, will take part in today's draw for next year's competition.

The Reds, who take on Blackburn Rovers on Saturday, have slipped 13 points behind Barclays Premier League leaders Chelsea after an indifferent run of results over the past two months.

They are out of the Champions League and must end up in the first four places if they want to play in Europe's elite competition again.
Victory over Everton in the Merseyside derby at the weekend will have boosted morale and that has moved Rafael Benitez's outfit to just two points behind fourth-placed Arsenal.

Reds skipper Gerrard said: "I think we have to be realistic. At the moment we're out of the title race, but we will keep trying to get back in it.

"There is still a lot of football to be played and it is possible to turn it around, but I think Chelsea are looking really strong at the moment.

"But our main target is to get back into the top four. We're coming off the back of a fantastic win at Everton and we want to continue that against Blackburn and try and go on a run of games where we can get closer to the teams above us."

But Reds' boss adamant Italian is nearing first team action...Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has been explaining his decisions regarding the lack of first team action that Alberto Aquilani has seen since his £20 million switch from Roma.

The midfielder joined the Reds in the summer already carrying an injury and has been striving for match fitness and a first team place ever since.

Benitez has so far reluctantly used Aquilani, and has been heavily criticised for failing to hand the Italian regular first team action although the Spaniard has hit back at his critics, claiming there have been unforeseen problems.

"He [Aquilani] has been out for longer than we expected and, because he has been injured during the summer, he couldn't train properly," he told the Liverpool Echo.

"Now it is much better and it is a case of improving his match fitness. We want to play him and we thought we might have been able to do that with the reserves at Wigan."

"That was called off, but we had some games at Melwood and he played 45 minutes against our reserves last week. We are trying to improve him as quickly as we can."

Many Liverpool fans have been left frustrated at Benitez’s cautious approach, particularly after seeing Aquilani impress during the 15 minute appearance he made in a League Cup tie against Arsenal.

The former Valencia coach seemingly shares those frustrations but believes his handling of the situation will pay dividends.

"It has not been easy to not play him, but we are giving him more encouragement in training sessions and he is getting much, much better," he added.

"We know he is a top-class player and we want to do the best for him and the team."

The Gunners confirmed last week that they will be without their main creative attacking threat until April after the Holland forward suffered ankle ligament damage while on international duty.

Asked if Van Persie's absence would now influence his thoughts for January, the Arsenal manager replied: "It has to."

Van Persie, who has scored eight goals this season, was missed on Sunday as Arsenal suffered a 3-0 home defeat to Chelsea in the Barclays Premier League as Arsenal needed some creativity up front.

And whoever Wenger lands in the transfer market, the 60-year-old is determined only to bring players in on the right terms.

He said: "I did not feel we were in need to buy anybody but we will be out on the market that is for sure - however, we will only make a decision if it suits us."

Arsenal face Stoke City at home on Saturday, and Wenger will have a selection headache with striker Nicklas Bendtner also ruled out until the end of the month.

Upon exiting the dressing rooms at the stadium in Cagliari, Fabio Cannavaro commented the performance of the team in this manner: “In the first half we played badly but in the second we pressed a lot and we would have deserved a draw”.

It is inevitable to try and understand what is not working: “It is not a formation problem, the problem is that we are not consistent and I am not speaking of results but of play. Unfortunately at the moment we are not managing to have this” stated Cannavaro.

Carling Cup 2010 HIGHLIGHTS Blackburn vs Chelsea 3-3
Dec 2, 2009 8:00 PM GMT
Stadium: Ewood Park, England
Attendance: 18,136
Referee: A Wiley
Score:

Blackburn
9' Kalinic N.
64' Emerton B.
93' McCarthy B.
0+121' McCarthy B.
0+123' Emerton B.
0+125' Grella V.
0+129' Hoilett D.

Chelsea
48' Drogba D.
52' Kalou S.
120' Ferreira P.
0+124' Drogba D.
0+126' Malouda F.
0+128' Zhirkov Y.

Top of the Match: Emerton B.

Blackburn had keeper Paul Robinson to thank for two penalty saves that sent them into the Carling Cup semi-finals at Chelsea's expense. Youngster Gael Kakuta was the unfortunate Chelsea player who's penalty miss finally gifted Blackburn the victory.

In normal time, Blackburn had taken an early lead through Kalinic but Chelsea hit back after the break, with quick-fire goals from Drogba and Salomon Kalou, before Emerton's cross deceived keeper Henrique Hilario.

Carlo Ancelotti went from hero to zero as his gamble to use all three substitutes at half-time first suceeded, then backfired. The Italian's changes made an instant impact as they came back from a goal down to lead 2-1, but a late injury in normal time to Soloman Kalou left the Blues with ten men, handing the momentum to Blackburn. Which they duly took, as Benni McCarthy thought he had won it in extra time from the penalty spot, but Chelsea incredibly struck level in the 120th minute to take the game to penalties through Paulo Ferreira.

Chelsea made the expected wholesale changes for this quarter-final, taking perhaps too much of a risk by resting seven players from the side that won at Arsenal on Saturday.

Ancelotti, who rested seven top players including John Terry and Frank Lampard, said: "We had priorities this week with league games against Arsenal and Chelsea. I felt we fielded a strong team. But in the first half they did not play well. That is why I used all three substitutes, it is not something I usually do.

"Then we were unlucky to have Salomon Kalou injured in the second half, and that meant we were left with 10 men. It was just unfortunate, but we still played well with 10 against 11.

"As for using Kakuta for that last penalty, it was my decision. I have seen him take good penalties during training, and I felt he could handle it.''

Blackburn assistant boss Neil McDonald, standing in for Sam Allardyce following the Ewood Park manager's heart surgery, was critical of Ancelotti's decisions.

He said: "I hope they regret making so many changes and not fielding a stronger team. Maybe they should have looked at our home record and realised that we are a decent side here.

"They should have played a stronger side. But I have to praise Paul Robinson for his shoot-out save after making a mistake to give them their equaliser.

"I have spoken to Sam and he is very pleased. He just told us to enjoy the moment and to get ourselves ready for Liverpool on Saturday.''

Manchester City reached their first cup semi-final since 1981 and maintained the dream of ending their 33-year trophy drought by beating Arsenal 3-0 at Eastlands. Carlos Tevez, man-of-the-match Shaun Wright-Phillips and youngster Vladimir Weiss did the damage, sending the Blues over the moon and into Carling Cup orbit, with genuine hopes of emulating their Wembley triumph in this competition under Tony Book in 1976.

Manchester City included former Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor, while Craig Bellamy came in for Robinho and Gareth Barry returned in placr of Nigel de Jong. Arsenal unsurprisingly field a youthful team, which included six players twenty years old or below, but had Tomas Rosicky, Emmanuel Eboue and Mikael Silvestre providing the experience.

It was the home side who had the first attempt at goal just five minutes in. A Gareth Barry corner was swung into the penalty box and with Arsenal lacking in height Emmanuel Adebayor rose highest, but his header was well held by Lukasz Fabianski in the Arsenal goal.

City continued to boss the game and Craig Bellamy missed a glorious opportunity to put the in front. Shaun Wright-Phillips hassled Silvestre out on the ball on the corner of the box and picked out Bellamy with yards of space just inside the box. Unfortunately the Welshman could only drag his shot wide of the left-hand post from 12 yards out.

Arsenal then threatened themselves for the first real time in the game. Jack Wilshere played a cracking pass with the outside of his foot into the path of Carlos Vela and, under pressure from Joleon Lescott, the Mexican striker could only put a left-foot drive over Shay Given's bar. Minutes later Carlos Tevez forced another good save out of Fabianski with a fierce shot at the near post.

Things started to heat-up before half-time, with City still pressing Armond Traoure brings down Wright-Phillips on the right flank and is booked. He is quickly followed into the book by Craig Eastmond who’s shown a yellow for unsporting behaviour. Arsene Wenger and Mark Hughes who have cross swords in the past also started to have some disagreements in their technical areas, but the two sides went into the break goalless.

Five minutes into the second half and Man City took the lead. Tomas Rosicky was robbed of possession by the touchline and Carlos Tevez picked up the ball, powered into the box, and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the top corner, giving Fabianksi no chance.

Arsenal responded to the goal well and tested the City defence when Aaron Ramsey was put through by Carlos Vela. But Ramsey blasted his shot high an wide. Up the other end Bellamy fired a ball across the box with Adebayor waiting, but Fabianski did enough to put the striker off and his touch went over.

Arsenal seemed to be pressing to get back into the game, but with twenty-two minutes remaining Man City all but sealed their semi-final place. Shaun Wright-Phillips drifted in off the right.

Wenger said: "The League Cup is a competition that is not one of our priorities, but we go to Manchester City to win a game. We'll play our young players and some of them will play in the Champions League as well because we are already qualified.

“But losing to Chelsea was a massive disappointment. We have to deal with it and respond by trying to win our next game. It is as simple as that”.

Wenger's comments were echoed by Czech midfielder Tomas Rosicky. "It will be very tough to win the title now, we know that, but to let the season fall apart now would be the biggest mistake we can make."

Marco Tardelli believes Inter are far stronger than Juventus, but is well aware that the Turin-based powerhouse are still in with a shout of Scudetto glory.

Juve welcome Jose Mourinho's men on Saturday night. Maximum points are vital for Ciro Ferrara's charges following their loss to Cagliari last week.

Anything less could see hopes of glory dampened. Inter come to town with the aim of scuppering chances of success at Vinovo, but Tardelli has offered his old side a source of hope.

"Jose Mourinho has the more complete and competitive squad, but the fight is still very open," Tardelli told Tuttosport.

"Juventus also have a team of champions and they can add value to the team. I am expecting a nice game on Saturday."

Noise surrounding the Mario Balotelli saga has been resonant this week, with fears the match could be abandoned should fans spark controversy by booing the Inter man. Tardelli believes the players should not worry.

"I think the teams should be calm. They most not make polemic statements or suggest things that will make the atmosphere even more tense," he concluded.

French football legend Zinedine Zidane has declared that both Kaka and Karim Benzema will succeed at Real Madrid despite failing to live up to expectations so far at the Bernabeu.

Like Zidane, Kaka arrived from Italian football during the summer with a huge weight of expectation but has so far failed to live up to his billing, while Zizou's fellow Frenchman Benzema has been hot and cold since arriving from Lyon.

But the former Madrid maestro says that the level of expectation at the club means criticism is never far away and he also pointed out that in the early stages of his time with Los Merengues, he received his own share of criticism.

"As always here [at Madrid], there is criticism. This is the way it is. After two months I also went through this time and it will happen. They're both talented players and talented players in Madrid will win," Zidane is quoted as saying by AS.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has affirmed his faith in the youngsters amongst his squad at Old Trafford after the criticism directed their way in the wake of last week's Champions League defeat to Besiktas.

Ferguson fielded a side containing the likes of Gabriel Obertan and Rafael Da Silva, amongst others, for the game, and he has reacted angrily to the negative attention their performance has attracted.

And the United manager reserved special mention for BBC Match of the Day pundit Alan Hansen, known for his often scathing assessment of defenders.

"Those lads [Obertan and Rafael] need to be challenged and I thought they did okay," the Scot said, according to Press Association Sport.

"They did not deserve that kind of criticism.

"Those same people will be going cap in hand to them, begging them for interviews in a few years' time, mark my words. It is so hypocritical.

"What is the difference between that and Alan Hansen doing it in front of millions? Yet one gets slaughtered for it and this guy gets off. Wonderful. What a world."
Ferguson seems likely to name a similarly youthful side when United face Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup on Tuesday evening, and he is confident that his players will not let him down.

"I don't need to motivate them with what has been said. Their future is well mapped out," he asserted.

"But the one thing we cannot give them is an old head, which is what we saw in the last third of the pitch last week.

"They got anxious. They created good chances and they hurried the thing. But that is not the biggest crime in the world.

"We are not talking about ability here. We are talking about experience and in that sense is starting to stack up. That is why we have to play them."

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi was announced today as the winner of the prestigious 2009 Ballon d'Or accolade with a record 473 points total, over double the tally of second placed Cristiano Ronaldo.

Since January the outstanding forward has demonstrated beyond doubt why he is considered the best player in European football. It doesn't matter whether it's Manchester United in the Champions League final or Numancia in La Liga in January, the Argentinian football mastermind is consistently on hand to deliver goals or assists and it is little wonder that Barcelona have won everything in sight with Messi leading the line and his selection for this award has been wholly justified.

The Argentine forward began the year in typically brilliant style with a hat-trick away to Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their fifth round of their Copa del Rey tie at the Vicente Calderon. It was to prove the beginning of a magnificent seven game winning streak for Barca, with the inspirational Messi contributing an amazing total of nine goals and four assists in an unrivalled display of individual endeavour.
Five days after the disposal of Atletico, the magicial Messi came to the Blaugrana's rescue in Pamplona with a late goal against Osasuna as the Catalan giants secured a vital 3-2 win in the Primera Liga and he followed that up with the opener against Deportivo La Coruna as a 5-0 rout at Camp Nou signalled the intent of the would-be champions.

Messi ended January with a brace against Numancia and at the beginning of February underpinned his status as Barca talisman at El Sardinero. With Racing Santander leading 1-0 the Argentine star came off the bench on the hour mark, equalised five minutes later and bagged an 80th minute winner as Barca maintained the winning rhythm. The goal run came to an end in the following game but Messi was still on hand to provide two assists as they overcame Sporting Gijon with a 3-1 win.

Having displayed his undeniable individual supremacy on the domestic scene Messi produced another masterclass for Barca in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final victory over Bayern Munich and ensured that they marched into the semi's with relative ease.



A rampant Barcelona put the Bavarian giants to the sword in 43 minutes of sheer footballing masterclass which cemented Pep Guardiola's team's place as the best side in Europe. Lionel Messi illuminated the contest with two superbly taken individual efforts and also assisted Samuel Eto'o to ensure that the tie was beyond all doubt long before the second leg in Germany.

May was to prove the crucial month for the Argentinian as the season-long display of graft, guile, craft and cunning from the Catalan's resulted in an historic season in Spanish football.

Firsty Messi and Barca went to the Bernabeu to face Real Madrid in the crucial Clasico. The young forward was nothing short of genius on the night, making Thierry Henry's equaliser before adding two himself in the infamous 6-2 rout of Los Merengues which virtually ensured that title number one in their three trophy triumph was complete.

Even when the Blaugrana looked dead and buried at Stamford Bridge in the dying minutes of their semi final against Chelsea it was the impudent Argentinian who laid the ball off to Andres Iniesta before he broke Blues hearts with that stunning leveller.

The Copa del Rey final against Athletic Bilbao cemented Barca's place in history. The mercurial Messi, inevitably, was on the scoresheet and also provided yet another assist in the 4-1 rout.



And the Champions League final in Rome was surely Messi's finest moment, tormenting the Manchester United rearguard before eventually leaping high to power Xavi's 70th cross past Edwin Van der Sar to cap a fine performance as the Blaugrana completed an unprecedented, glorious treble.

Messi contested 51 games for Barca last season, scoring 38 goals and assisting in 18 more, proving himself as the true team player as well as a superb individual.

So far this term, the 22-year-old has continued where he left off with 11 goals and five assists to his name already in just 18 appearances, including two goals in the Super Copa win over Athletic Bilbao and the assist for Pedro against Shakhtar Donetsk in the UEFA Super Cup in Monaco. At this rate who'd bet against him repeating this Ballon d'Or success in 12 months time?

Lionel Messi of Barcelona and Argentina has won the Ballon d'Or 2009 award, making him the first player from his country to be crowned World Footballer of the Year.

The 22-year-old has now occupied all of the top three places, having debuted in third in 2007 before rising to second last year.

Furthermore, Messi has won by the greatest margin ever recorded in the history of this venerable competition. Out of a possible 480 points, Lionel scored 473 - a new record, and far ahead of the man in second place, namely last year's winner Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese managed 233 points.

In winning the prize, awarded by France Football following voting by a panel of journalists from across the world, Messi becomes the youngest Ballon d'Or winner since Michael Owen's win as a 21-year-old in 2001.

In a year that Barcelona won an historic treble of the Liga, the Champions League, and the Copa del Rey, it seemed inconceivable that a player without the Blaugrana shirt would receive the award.

Barca midfielders Andres Iniesta and Xavi were also shortlised, but Messi was considered favourite by virtually every observer.

As such it was no surprise when he was confirmed as the winner late on Monday evening.

Teammate Xavi, meanwhile, is said to have ended up in third place.

From an initial shortlist of thirty, ten players were announced last week as the finalists, with Messi's name looming large among those of the likes of Dider Drogba and Wayne Rooney.

However, it was the former Newell's Old Boys youth who prevailed in the end.

Timing

Although the final result was not to be announced until 02:00 CET on Tuesday December 1st, reports of Messi's victory emerged in the French online press over an hour before the appointed time.

Furthermore, minutes after 01:00 CET, a message from the France Football profile on social networking website Facebook appeared announcing Messi as the winner, only to disappear seconds later.

Messi, who will be presented with his award on Sunday evening at a gala event in Paris, becomes the first registered Argentine to win the Ballon d'Or since its creation. Buenos Aires-born Juventus legend Omar Sivori triumphed in 1961, but at the time he was a registered Italian.