Messi’s Hat-Trick Leads Barcelona to a 4-3 Win Over Real Madrid

Posted on March 24, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a clasico moment for Lionel Messi and his Barcelona teammates…

Futbol Club Barcelona is now within one point of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga as the team came from behind twice thanks to a hat-trick from the 26-year-old Argentine soccer star.

Messi miraculous play helped Barcelona to a thrilling El Clasico win at the Santiago Bernabeu by a final score of 4-3.

Both sides went in tied at 2-2 at halftime as a record 19th goal against Madrid from Messi cancelled out Karim Benzema‘s double after Andres Iniesta had put Barca in front.

Cristiano Ronaldo then put Madrid back in front from the penalty spot, but the hosts were reduced to 10-men when Sergio Ramos pulled down Neymar inside the box 10 minutes later and Messi leveled once more from the spot.

And the Argentine won the game with another penalty seven minutes from time after Iniesta had been felled by Xabi Alonso.

A first defeat for Real in 32 games means Atletico Madrid remains atop the standings thanks to their better head-to-head record against Los Blancos with Barca still in third.

“The league starts a new now,” said Barca boss Gerardo Martino. ”More than the mathematical distance we were behind, the impression was people wrote us off. Atletico Madrid were always in the fight and I think that after this result we are too. We knew if we didn’t win tonight it was over for us. We still don’t have matters in our own hands, but we’ll now fight till the end.”

Messi Scores Hat-Trick in First Post-Injury Training Session with His Barcelona Teammates

Posted on January 4, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a triumphant return for Lionel Messi…

Five weeks after being sidelined with a hamstring injury, the 26-year-old Argentine soccer superstar returned to the field with his FC Barcelona teammates on Friday for an open practice that drew more than 13,000 spectators to the club’s Miniestadi.

The four-time FIFA World Player of the Year spent about a month back in Argentina getting treatment to help speed up his recovery after missing several games before Spanish soccer’s winter break.

But now he’s back in near tip-top shape… Messi showed no signs of being rusty during Friday’s scrimmage, notching a hat trick and earning an assist on another goal in his first training match.

The team ended practice with a salute to the crowd before kicking soccer balls into the stands, signing autographs and posing for photos with a group of disabled fans.

Messi’s absence has not impacted Barça’s La Liga standings; the club is tied for first place with Atletico Madrid.

But in his absence Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up for Barca’s rival Real Madrid, and many believe Messi’s reign as the king of world soccer is about to come to an end when the Ballon d’Or trophy is awarded on January 13 due to his absence from the game from November 23 until December 22.

With Messi’s impressive return on Friday, there’s little doubt though that he’ll return to the top of the game for the rest of the 2013-14 campaign and the World Cup in Brazil this summer.

Messi Earns Third Consecutive Golden Boot Award…

Posted on November 20, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Lionel Messi is getting the boot yet again…

The 26-year-old Argentine soccer star, currently sidelined by persistent thigh muscle issues, has picked up his third European Golden Boot award.

Messi, who hopes to return for Barcelona’s first game of 2014, was presented with the award by former Blaugrana striker — and 1990 Golden Boot winner — Hristo Stoichkov at a ceremony in central Barcelona on Wednesday.

Asked by reporters at the event if he might be back to play at home on January 5 — Barca’s first game after the winter break — Messi said: “I hope so.

“The truth is I have not put a date on the return. If all goes well it will be that date, but we will see what happens. I will be back when it is supposed to happen.”

Messi, who will spend part of his recovery back at home in Argentina, said nobody wanted to rush things as the most important thing was to put an end to a frustrating last six months, during which he has suffered five similar thigh and hamstring problems.

“My objective is to return in good shape, to strengthen the body so that, God willing, I can play without injuries,” he said. “I am improving bit by bit — it does not hurt any more. I am starting to do things.”

Messi scored 46 goals in the 2012-13 season to take the European Golden Boot, which he also claimed in 2009-10, when he scored 34 goals, and in 2011-12, when he scored 50 goals.

He dedicated his latest personal trophy to teammates including Xavi Hernandez, Jordi Alba, Adriano, Gerard Pique, Cesc Fabregas, Carles Puyol, Gerard Pique and Jose Pinto, who were all present at the ceremony.

“It was a lot of goals, and I would not have scored them without my teammates,” he said. “Without them I would not have won this Golden Boot, nor the others. I appreciate them being here.”

Messi did not speak about the controversy surrounding the extension of this year’s Ballon d’Or voting, which some have suggested will favor Cristiano Ronaldo’s chances of winning the award.

Barca president Sandro Rosell, though, was on hand to push his club’s player’s chances.

“If people vote on what they have seen on the pitch this year, and do not put on political or media pressure, then Messi should win,” Rosell said in Mundo Deportivo. “I would vote first for Leo, second for Leo and third for Leo. Fourth, fifth and sixth would be Xavi, [Andres] Iniesta and [Sergio] Busquets.”

First-Time Director Cruz Helms Ad for Agent Provocateur

Posted on August 1, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Penélope Cruz’s latest project has her on the other side of the camera…

The 39-year-old Spanish actress, who gave birth to her second child last week, has directed her first project, an advertising video for Agent Provocateur.

The clip for the noted lingerie line features her husband, Javier Bardem, portraying a laborer.

The project was “a very interesting experience” because not only did it star family and friends, but it provided “much creative freedom” to tell the story with some highly charged erotic images, said Cruz in a statement released by the company.

The most steamy scene in the video features a man in a suit, played by Miguel Angel Silvestre, walking out onto the terrace of a mansion and spotting model Irina Shayk, the girlfriend of soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, dancing in the pool in black lingerie and a cap.

Cruz’s sister, Monica Cruz, also appears in the video along with actress Goya Toledo.

The story turns out to be a dream and Silvestre awakens to see the face of his boss, a laborer played by Bardem.

The video is the latest project between the Cruz sisters and Agent Provocateur.

The sisters designed a collection of lingerie for the company called L’Agent, which hit the market soon.

Cruz has been making a big push into the world of fashion and design, inking a three-year deal to be the face of Loewe.

Messi Wins Record Fourth Ballon d’Or

Posted on January 7, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Lionel Messi is officially in a league of his own…

The 25-year-old Argentine fútbol has become the first four-time winner of the Ballon d’Or, FIFA’s Player of the Year award, after breaking the world record for most goals in a year with 91 goals for Barcelona and Argentina.

Messi won for the fourth straight time, beating Real Madrid‘s Cristiano Ronaldo and his fellow Futbol Club Barcelona teammate Andres Iniesta in voting announced Monday. His 91 goals topped Gerd Mueller‘s mark of 85 for Bayern Munich and Germany back in 1972.

Messi received 41.60 percent of the points in votes by national team coaches and captains plus selected media. Ronaldo got 23.68 percent and Iniesta 10.91 percent.

“To tell the truth, this is really unbelievable to get the fourth award. I am so nervous,” Messi said in Spanish, wearing a black tuxedo jacket and bow tie, both with a white polka-dot pattern in an unexpectedly flamboyant touch.

U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann and captain Carlos Bocanegra both voted Messi first, as did Soccer America’s Paul Kennedy.

Zinedine Zidane of France and Ronaldo of Brazil were voted FIFA Player of the Year three times before the award merged in 2010 with France Football’s Golden Ball, given to the European player of the year. The Golden Ball, or Ballon d’Or, was won three times by Michel Platini of France and Johan Cruyff and Marco van Basten of the Netherlands.

Vicente del Bosque was voted top men’s coach after leading Spain to its third straight title in a major tournament, the 2012 European Championship. Del Bosque got 34.51 percent to win over Real Madrid’s Jose Mourinho (20.49), who won last year, and Pep Guardiola (12.91) who won in 2011 and retired from Barcelona last spring.

The three men’s Player of the Year candidates were on the World XI All-Star team chosen by the FIFPro group of players’ unions, comprising 50,000 members worldwide.

They selected a team composed entirely of players from Spanish clubs, with nine repeating their selection from one year ago.

Real Madrid captain Iker Casillas was selected as goalkeeper, joined on defense by teammates Sergio Ramos and Marcelo and by Barcelona’s Dani Alves and Gerard Pique. Iniesta was joined in midfield by Barcelona teammate Xavi Hernandez and Real Madrid’s Xabi Alonso. Messi led the attack with Ronaldo and Atletico Madrid‘s Radamel Falcao. Marcelo and Falcao replaced Manchester United’s Nemanja Vidic and Wayne Rooney from the 2011 team.

Messi Ends the Year as the Best Goal Scorer in the World

Posted on December 27, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

It should come as little surprise, especially following his record-breaking year, but Lionel Messi has the best scoring leg in the world…

The 25-year-old Argentine fútbol star for FC Barcelona was the best goal scorer of the 60 main leagues in the world this year, managing 50 goals in 37 games.

Messi was also the most effective, with an average of 1.35 goals per match, according to the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS).

Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo ranked No. 2 spot in both categories, scoring 46 goals in 38 games, giving him 1.21 goals per match.

In 2012, 83 players from the 60 leagues scored 20 or more goals, while only 64 achieved the feat in 2011 and just 57 did it in 2010.

The 83 top goal scorers are of 48 different nationalities, with nine Brazilians, six Argentines, four Dutchmen, four Uruguayans, four Frenchmen, four Belgians and three Colombians making the list, says the IFFHS.

The list includes 40 Europeans, 27 South Americans, seven Asians, five Africans and four players from the CONCACAF zone – Central America and North America – but no players from Oceania.

Messi Scores History-Making 86th Goal of 2012…

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

He’s already considered one of the greatest soccer players of all-time… And Lionel Messi has just shown the world another reason why…

The 25-year-old Argentine fútbol star broke German great Gerd Muller’s 40-year-old record for most goals in a year on Sunday by scoring for the 86th time in 2012.

Messi scored twice to lead FC Barcelona to a 2-1 win at Real Betis in the Spanish league match.

His first was an individual effort in the 16th minute to tie Muller’s mark, and he eclipsed the 1972 milestone with a left-footed finish nine minutes later.

“As I have said many times, the record is nice but the important thing is the victory that keeps us on the path we want to continue on,” said Messi. “As I always say, my objectives are on a team level: to win the league, the Champions League and the Copa del Rey again.”

Messi has scored 74 goals for Barcelona and 12 times for Argentina this year, and he still has three games left to add to his tally before the end of the year. Muller scored 85 for Bayern Munich and West Germany.

The 25-year-old Messi passed Brazil great Pele‘s single-season milestone of 75 goals for Brazil and Santos in 1958 with his 75th and 76th goals of the year on November 11 to move into second place behind Muller.

“We won’t see another player like (Messi),” said Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova. “Not just because of his ability to score. But also for his ability to pass, play defense, and his understandings of the game. He is a global star that helps us in so many ways.”

Messi is one of the three finalists for the FIFA world player of the year award along with teammate Andres Iniesta and Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo. He’s won the Ballon d’Or for the past three years in helping Barcelona win three Spanish league titles and two Champions League crowns, along with several other competitions. He ‘s seeking to become the only player to win the award for a fourth time when the winner is announced on January 7.

“Leo is supernatural,” said Barcelona defender Gerard Pique. “He doesn’t have limits. We’ll always have to remember everything he gave us. We have to enjoy every minute we have with him.”

Messi Could Pick Up a Fourth FIFA Ballon d’Or Award

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Lionel Messi has the chance to make soccer history…

The 25-year-old Argentine fútbol star, who just claimed his second Golden Boot award, is among the 23 players in the running for the 2012 FIFA Ballon d’Or award.

Should he come out on top, Messi, who made history by claiming the award the last three years in a row, would become the only player to claim the award four times.

But Messi will face stiff competition from several noted players, including Cristiano Ronaldo and Xavi Hernandez, this year’s runners-up for the world’s best player award.

Here’s a look at the nominees:

Real Madrid Players:
Cristiano Ronaldo
Iker Casillas
Mesut Ozil
Karim Benzema
Sergio Ramos
Xabi Alonso

Barcelona Players:
Lionel Messi
Andres Iniesta
Sergio Busquets
Gerard Pique
Xavi Hernandez

Atletico Madrid Player:
Radamel Falcao

Manchester City Players:
Mario Balotelli
Sergio Aguero
Yaya Toure

Manchester United Players:
Wayne Rooney
Robin van Persie

Juventus Players:
Andrea Pirlo
Gianluigi Buffon

Shanghai Shenhua Player:
Didier Drogba

PSG Player:
Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Bayern Munich Player:
Manuel Neuer

Santos Player:
Neymar

The final three candidates will be revealed on November 29 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place in Zurich on January 7, 2013, when the player who receives the most votes from coaches and captains of international teams, as well as reporters, will be announced.

Messi: Best Player in Europe Award Finalist

Posted on August 14, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

He’s already been named the best international athlete at the Espy Awards… And now Lionel Messi could be named the best fútbol player in Europe.

The 25-year-old Argentine soccer sensation, who has won FIFA’s Ballon d’Or for three years in a row, has been shortlisted for the 2011-12 UEFA Best Player in Europe Award. He’ll face-off against his Futbol Club Barcelona teammate Andrés Iniesta and Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo.

The three soccer stars gained the most points in a vote among 53 sports journalists representing each of the European soccer governing body’s member associations. The finalists are all being recognized for their great performance overall performance last season.

Juventus playmaker Andrea Pirlo came in fourth in the election, while Barcelona’s Xavi, who finished second in last year’s edition of the award, rounded out the top five.

The remaining three players will now go into a deciding vote in Monaco during the Champions League group stage draw on August 30.

Messi was the last year’s winner.

Shakira: A Social Networking Superstar

Posted on August 11, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Tweets don’t lie… Shakira is the Latina queen of social media.

The 35-year-old Colombian superstar has been named to Forbes magazine’s list of the Top 10 Social Networking Superstars, which ranks the celebrities with the most Twitter followers and Facebook fans.

Shakira—a golden vision in the video for “Get It Started,” her collaboration with Pitbull—comes in at No. 6 on the list with 17.6 million Twitter followers and 52.5 million Facebook fans.

The Colombiana, one of the most popular celebrities on Facebook, uses her page to promote her latest music and videos, as well as offer a look inside her private life. She posts vacation photos like the ones she recently took on a trip to the south of France. And to extend her reach, the bilingual pop star posts on Twitter and Facebook in Spanish and English.

But Shakira wasn’t the only Hispanic celebrity to make the list…

Cristiano Ronaldo—the only athlete on the list—comes in right behind Shaki at No. 7.

The 27-year-old Portuguese fútbol star has 12 million Twitter followers and has 47.5 million Facebook fans. Ronaldo, who plays for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid, often takes time to thank his fans for their continues support and offers his gratitude for being able to play soccer professionally.

Meanwhile, Selena Gomez ranks No. 10 on the list.

The 20-year-old half-Mexican American actress/singer has 12.3 million Twitter followers and 33 million Facebook friends.

The singer/actress uses the power of her social network to promote more than her movies and music. She uses Twitter and Facebook to call attention to her growing entrepreneurial ventures like Postcard On The Run, an app she invests in that lets you turn iPhone photos into snail-mail postcards. It’s nice for fans though because it means the young pop star posts photos from her vacations and tours including some with her boyfriend, Justin Bieber, who ranks No. 4 on the list.

Click here to check out the entire list, which is topped by Rihanna.

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