Perez Nominated for Kids’ Choice Sports Awards

Posted on May 19, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Salvador Perez has a golden glove… But does he have golden hands?

The 26-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball catcher for the Kansas City Royals has earned a nomination for this year’s Kids’ Choice Sports Awards.

Perez, a four-time MLB All-Star, three-time Gold Glove Award winner and the World Series Most Valuable Player in 2015, is nominated in the Hands of Gold category.

But Perez isn’t the only Latino athlete nominated…

Soccer star Lionel Messi is nominated in the Sickest Moves category.

Meanwhile, professional skateboarder Leticia Bufoni is nominated in the Queen of Swag category.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson will take the stage at UCLA‘s Pauley Pavilion to host the Kids’ Choice Sports Awards on Sunday, July 17.

Fans can vote for their favorite sports star through the use of online voting on both Nick.com and the Nick app starting Monday, May 23.

Tune in on July 17 at 8:00 pm ET, 9:30 pm PT on Nickelodeon to find out which sports star takes home the most orange, mohawked blimps.

Here are this year’s nominees:

Best Male Athlete
Bryce Harper (MLB, Washington Nationals)
Cam Newton (NFL, Carolina Panthers)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Soccer, Real Madrid C.F.)
Kyle Busch (NASCAR)
LeBron James (NBA, Cleveland Cavaliers)
Stephen Curry (NBA, Golden State Warriors)

Best Female Athlete
Alex Morgan (NWSL, Orlando Pride)
Elena Delle Donne (WNBA, Chicago Sky)
Jamie Anderson (Professional Snowboarder)
Katie Ledecky (Competitive Swimmer)
Lydia Ko (Professional Golfer)
Serena Williams (WTA)

Favorite Newcomer
Jewell Loyd (WNBA, Seattle Storm)
Karl-Anthony Towns (NBA, Minnesota Timberwolves)
Kristaps Porzingis (NBA, New York Knicks)
Simone Biles (Professional Artistic Gymnast)
Taylor Fritz (WTA)
Todd Gurley (NFL, Los Angeles Rams)

Hands of Gold   
Andrelton Simmons (MLB, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim)
Antonio Brown (NFL, Pittsburgh Steelers)
Corey Crawford (NHL, Chicago Blackhawks)
Odell Beckham Jr. (NFL, New York Giants)
Rob Gronkowski (NFL, New England Patriots)
Salvador Perez (MLB, Kansas City Royals)

Clutch Player of the Year   
Carli Lloyd (NWSL, Houston Dash)
James Harden (NBA, Houston Rockets)
Kevin Durant (NBA, Oklahoma City Thunder)
Patrick Kane (NHL, Chicago Blackhawks)
Peyton Manning (NFL, Denver Broncos)
Stephen Curry (NBA, Golden State Warriors)

Sickest Moves
Alexander Ovechkin (NHL, Washington Capitals)
Kyrie Irving (NBA, Cleveland Cavaliers)
Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona and the Argentina Men’s National Team)
Odell Beckham Jr. (NFL, New York Giants)
Russell Westbrook (NBA, Oklahoma City Thunder)
Stephen Curry (NBA, Golden State Warriors

Don’t Try This At Home Award   
Alise Post (Professional BMX Racer)
Ashley Caldwell (Professional Aerial Skier)
Danny Davis (Professional Snowboarder)
Nyjah Huston (Professional Skateboarder)
Ronda Rousey (UFC, MMA Fighter)
Satoko Miyahara (Professional Figure Skater)

King of Swag  
Andre Iguodala (NBA, Golden State Warriors)
Antonio Brown (NFL, Pittsburgh Steelers)
Cam Newton (NFL, Carolina Panthers)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Soccer, Real Madrid C.F.)
Russell Westbrook (NBA, Oklahoma City Thunder)
Von Miller (NFL, Denver Broncos)

Queen of Swag   
Caroline Wozniacki (WTA)
Elena Delle Donne (WNBA, Chicago Sky)
Leticia Bufoni (Professional Skateboarder)
Misty Copeland (Professional Ballet Dancer)
Skylar Diggins (WNBA, Dallas Wings)
Swintayla “Swin” Cash (WNBA, New York Liberty)

Best Cannon   
Aaron Rodgers (NFL, Green Bay Packers)
Bryce Harper (MLB, Washington Nationals)
Novak Djokovic (ATP)
Russell Wilson (NFL, Seattle Seahawks)
Serena Williams (WTA)
Tom Brady (NFL, New England Patriots)

  Biggest Powerhouse  
Draymond Green (NBA, Golden State Warriors)
Holly Holm (UFC, MMA Fighter)
J. Watt (NFL, Houston Texans)
Prince Fielder (MLB, Texas Rangers)
Rob Gronkowski (NFL, New England Patriots)
Von Miller (NFL, Denver Broncos)

Need for Speed
Usain Bolt (Professional Track and Field Athlete)
Candace Hill (Professional Track and Field Athlete)
Billy Hamilton (MLB, Cincinnati Reds)
Jimmie Johnson (NASCAR)
Ted Ligety (Alpine Ski Racer)
Chloe Kim (Professional Snowboarder)

Messi Nets 500th Career Goal in Barcelona Loss to Valencia

Posted on April 18, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

It’s another miraculous milestone for Lionel Messi…

The 28-year-old Argentine soccer superstar scored Barcelona‘s only goal in Sunday’s 2-1 loss to Valencia; it was his 500th career goal.

The milestone goal arrived after Messi had gone 515 minutes without netting one for his club, ending his five-game drought.

Messi slotted home Jordi Alba‘s cross to make it 2-1 Valencia for his 450th Barca goal in 525 appearances.

The five-time World Player of the Year has also scored 50 times in 108 caps for Argentina.

It’s the latest landmark in a remarkable career and comes less than 11 years after the then 17-year-old’s first senior goal against Albacete in May 2005.

“The figure is from another galaxy,” said Barca boss Luis Enrique when asked about the achievement.

Messi Remains the World’s Highest-Paid Soccer Player

Posted on April 12, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Lionel Messi could be called Mr. Money Bags…

The 28-year-old Argentine soccer star, a forward for Barcelona, is still the world’s highest-paid soccer player, according to a report to be published in Tuesday’s edition of France Football magazine.

Messi’s income stands at $84.3 million, according to the report.

His earnings in 2015 went up by $10.2 million compared to 2014, to surpass Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo at $76.9 million and Barcelona’s Neymar, who came third with $49.6 million.

Paris Saint-Germain’s Angel di Maria of Argentina was the top-earning player in France with $27.3 million, according to the report.

The report explained that the estimates took into account “players’ pre-tax salaries, sponsorship revenues and various bonuses.”

The report added that Jose Mourinho is still the highest-paid coach with $27.3 million, although he was fired from Chelsea last December.

Neymar Expresses Interest in Extending Contract with FC Barcelona

Posted on November 29, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Neymar doesn’t want to move…

The 23-year-old Brazilian soccer star said he wants to extend his contract with FC Barcelona after scoring more goals in Saturday’s 4-0 La Liga win against Real Sociedad at Camp Nou.

La Liga leaders Barcelona strolled to victory against the Basque side — with Neymar and Luis Suarez scoring in the first half, and the Brazilian netting his second after the break before Lionel Messi wrapped up the scoring late on.

The latest display from the Catalan side’s superstar attacking trio showed just how well they dove-tail on the pitch, and comes amid further speculation of behind-the-scenes negotiations about a new deal that would tie reported Manchester United target Neymar to Barca for a further three years until 2021.

Messi Nominated for FIFA Puskas Award for the Most Beautiful Goal of the Year

Posted on November 7, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Could the fourth time be the charm for Lionel Messi?

The 28-year-old Argentine soccer superstar is among the 10 nominees for FIFA‘s Puskas Award, which celebrates the “most beautiful” goal of the year.

The award is named after legendary Real Madrid and Hungary striker Ferenc Puskas and the period for this year’s prize is from September 27, 2014 to September 23, 2015.

Messi, who was previously nominated for the prize in 2010, 2011 and 2012, was shortlisted for the Puskas Award for beating four defenders before scoring Barcelona‘s first goal against Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final.

Here’s a look at this year’s Puskas Award nominees:

2015 Puskas Award nominations

David Ball – Fleetwood v Preston, League One

Gonzalo Castro – Real Sociedad v Deportivo, La Liga

Alessandro Florenzi – Roma v Barcelona, Champions League

Wendell Lira – Goianesia v Atletico, Brazil Football League

Carli Lloyd – USA v Japan, Women’s World Cup

Lionel Messi – Barcelona v Athletic Bilbao, Copa del Rey

Philippe Mexes – AC Milan v Inter Milan, friendly

Marcel Ndjeng – SC Paderborn v Bolton, friendly

Esteban Ramirez – Herediano v Deportivo Saprissa, Costa Rica

Carlos Tevez – Juventus v Parma Calcio, Serie A

The award was won by Colombia’s James Rodriguez last year for his goal against Uruguay in the World Cup.

Messi a Finalist for UEFA’s Best Player in Europe Award

Posted on August 13, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Lionel Messi is the among best of the best in Europe this year…

The 28-year-old Argentine soccer star was named one of the three finalists nominated for the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award of the 2014-2015 season, alongside Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Uruguay’s Luis Suarez.

Journalists from each of the 54 UEFA associations gave a list of their top five players, after which the top players were given five points, the second were given four, and so on.

The 10 players with the most points entered a second ballot, which on Wednesday pared down the list to three finalists: two players from Barcelona and one from Real Madrid.

Next, jury members will submit their selection from among the finalists, and will meet the winner during the draw for the group stage of the 2015-2016 Champions League in Monaco.

As of late, the UEFA prize was awarded to Messi in 2011, Andres Iniesta in 2012, Franck Ribery in 2013, and Cristiano Ronaldo in 2014.

Messi and Ronaldo are both looking to win the award for a second time, while Suarez is still aiming for his first.

The fourth favorite nominee was Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, and Brazil’s Neymar came in fifth.

The winner will be announced on August 27.

Messi Named Best International Athlete at This Year’s ESPY Awards

Posted on July 15, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Lionel Messi is the best of the best…

The 28-year-old Argentine soccer star picked up the Best International Athlete prize at this year’s ESPY Awards.

Messi, a forward for Spanish club FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team, beat Real Madrid‘s Cristiano Ronaldo, tennis player Novak Djokovic, golfer Lydia Ko and F1 driver Lewis Hamilton.

Messi became the all-time leading scorer in La Liga and the UEFA Champions League. He helped Barcelona claim the 2014-15 Champions League title as the joint top scorer (10) and the assists leader (6).

It’s Messi’s second Best International Athlete win. He previously took home the award in 2012.

But the soccer star wasn’t the only Latino athlete honored at this year’s awards show…

Victor Espinoza took home the award for Best Jockey…

The 43-year-old Mexican jockey won the Triple Crown in 2015 on American Pharoah. Espinoza helped end the longest streak without a Triple Crown winner in the history of American horse racing, with 13 horses losing in the Belmont Stakes after winning the first two races in the series.

Here’s a look at this year’s ESPY Award winners:

Best Team: U.S. Women’s Soccer – FIFA
Best Male Athlete: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Best Play (bracket-style): Odell Beckham catch vs. 16. Albany goalie lacrosse goal
Best Comeback Athlete: Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots
Best Female Athlete: Ronda Rousey, MMA
Best Moment: Lauren Hill
Jimmy V Award for Perseverance: Devon and Leah Still
Pat Tillman Award for Service: Danielle Green
Icon Award: Derek Jeter
Arthur Ashe Award for Courage: Caitlyn Jenner
Best Championship Performance: LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
Best Male College Athlete: Marcus Mariota, Oregon Football
Best Breakthrough Athlete: Mo’ne Davis, Little League Baseball
Best NBA Player: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Best Record-Breaking Performance: Peyton Manning throws record-509th touchdown pass
Best Upset: Mississippi over Alabama, FBS
Best Fighter: Ronda Rousey, MMA
Best Jockey: Victor Espinoza
Best Game: Patriots vs. Seahawks, Super Bowl
Best Coach/Manager: Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors
Best Comeback Athlete: Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots
Best International Athlete: Lionel Messi, Barcelona/Argentina
Best NFL Player: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
Best MLB Player: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
Best NHL Player: Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks
Best Driver: Kevin Harvick, NASCAR
Best WNBA Player: Skylar Diggins, Tulsa
Best Male Golfer: Jordan Spieth
Best Female Golfer: Lydia Ko
Best Male Tennis Player: Novak Djokovic
Best Female Tennis Player: Serena Williams
Best Female College Athlete: Missy Franklin, Cal Swimming
Best Male Action Sports Athlete: Ryan Dungey, Motocross
Best Female Action Sports Athlete: Kelly Clark, Snowboarding
Best Male Athlete with a Disability: Krige Schabort, Triathlon
Best Female Athlete with a Disability: Becca Meyers, Swimming
Best Bowler: Jason Belmonte
Best MLS Player: Robbie Keane, Los Angeles Galaxy

Sanchez Helps Propel Chile to Copa America Title Win Over Argentina

Posted on July 5, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Alexis Sanchez is kicking his way into the history books…

The 26-year-old Chilean soccer player, who plays for English club Arsenal and the Chilean national team, helped lead his country to its first Copa America title on Saturday.

Chile defeated Argentina 4-1 in the penalty shootout, which followed two hours of scoreless action on the field.

Sanchez gave his country the win after Argentines Gonzalo Higuain and Ever Banega failed to convert from 11 meters (36 feet), ending a drought of nearly 100 years for La Roja in the oldest international continental soccer competition.

The final at Santiago’s National Stadium was a clash of titans, an intense battle that was characterized more by the teams’ effort and hustle than artful play.

Chile won the possession battle from the outset, imposing its ball-control style against a side that also typically dominates in that facet of the game.

That led to a golden opportunity in the 11th minute for Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal, who received a ball that had been lobbed in the air on a deflection by an Argentine defender and nearly booted it past goalkeeper Sergio Romero, who was forced to make a diving save.

Fourteen-time Copa America champion Argentina also had some chances in the first half, including a header at point-blank range by Sergio “Kun” Agüero that Chilean Claudio Bravo was able to deflect out of play.

In the second half, Argentine midfielders Lucas Biglia and Javier Mascherano struggled to impose any order in their team’s attack, rendering super-striker Lionel Messi unable to work any playmaking magic.

With the Chilean crowd urging them on, Jorge Sampaoli’s squad aggressively sought out the winning goal and was nearly rewarded for their efforts when a shot by Sanchez barely missed the mark in the 82nd minute.

Then on the final play of regulation, Argentina had its best scoring opportunity of the match when Ezequiel Lavezzi received the ball on the left side from Messi and sent a pass that scooted past Bravo and found Higuain, but the Argentine forward received the ball too close to the goal line and could only slam a shot into the side of the net.

The extra period was mostly uneventful, with both teams wary of making a costly error, although a miscue by Mascherano nearly ended in a goal for Sanchez in the 15th minute.

Argentine’s offensive ineptness continued in the penalty shootout, with Higuain sending his shot far over the crossbar and Bravo denying Banega’s attempt, leaving Messi as the only member of the Albiceleste to score.

Sanchez put the finishing touch on the historic victory with a soft strike that slowly bounded into the left half of the goal after Romero had dived to the other side.

Chile finally won the Copa America title match in its fifth appearance to end nearly a century of frustration at this event, which was known as the South American Championship between 1916 and 1967.

La Roja finished runner-up in 1955 (when it was also the host nation), 1956, 1979 and 1987.

Messi: The Top-Ranking Latino on Forbes’ Celebrity 100 List

Posted on June 30, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Lionel Messi is a Latino at the top of the global earnings game…

The 28-year-old Argentine soccer star has earned the No. 13 spot on Forbes’ Celebrity 100, the list of the world’s highest-paid superstars of 2015.

Messi, the highest-ranking Latino on the list of the highest paid entertainers on the planet had earnings of $74 million during the reporting period.

In 2014, Spanish club Barcelona awarded Messi, a four-time FIFA player of the year, with a $9 million a year raise in his seventh contract since 2005, bringing his take home pay to $50 million a year through 2018. Messi holds records for most goals in Barca competitions, most goals in La Liga competitions, most goals scored in a calendar year and most hat tricks scored. That incredible talent is why sponsor Samsung cast him as superhero Iron Man in their ad to promote the Avengers film. It’s also why his main sponsor Adidas launched a Messi icon line of shoes and apparel, which has exceeded company sales expectations, including in the U.S.

He recently ranked as the top-ranking Latino on Forbes’ 2015 list of the World’s Highest-Paid Athletes, coming in at No. 4.

Meanwhile, Gisele Bündchen has earned the distinction of highest-ranking Latina on this year’s list.

The 34-year-old Brazilian supermodel, who has been the highest-paid model in the world since 2004, comes in at No. 46 with earnings of $44 million.

Bündchen, the world’s highest-paid model in 2014, continues to out-earn her younger counterparts. Despite rumors that she was retiring from the runway, Bündchen’s earnings have not suffered. She continues to land lucrative fragrance and beauty contracts with Carolina Herrera and Chanel, supplementing those deals with high fashion campaigns for Emilio Pucci and Balenciaga. Her Under Armour advertisement, which showed her attacking a punching bag while social media commentary blared in the background, was one of the most impactful this year. Bündchen has turned her name into a brand: she gets a cut of sales from the jelly sandals she designs for Brazilian shoemaker Grendene, while her line of Hope lingerie – Gisele Bündchen Intimates – also pumps up her paycheck.

Coming in at No. 52 is Bruno Mars, with earnings of $40 million.

The 29-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer-songwriter’s recent collaboration with Mark Ronson, “Uptown Funk,” spent 14 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard charts. It was only one of many reasons Mars solidified his place on the Celebrity 100. After being the featured musician in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Class of 2014, Mars continued to make a name for himself by completing his Moonshine Jungle tour. He’s currently working on his next album, and if it is anything like his previous studio effort, Mars can expect the awards and dollars to keep rolling in.

In all, 10 Latino/a celebrities made this year’s list, including tennis star Rafael Nadal, soccer phenom Neymar and multi-hyphenate extraordinaire Jennifer Lopez.

Here’s the complete list of Latino superstars on Forbes’ Celebrity 100 list:

No. 13 Lionel Messi, $74 million
No. 46 Gisele Bündchen, $44 million
No. 52 Bruno Mars, $40 million
No. 63 Fernando Alonso, $35.5 million
No. 76 Rafael Nadal, $32.5 million
No. 82 Neymar, $31 million
No. 86 Carmelo Anthony, $30.5 million
No. 89 James Rodriguez, $29 million
No. 95 Jennifer Lopez, $28.5 million
No. 95 Sofia Vergara, $28.5 million

Messi: The Highest-Ranking Latino on Forbes’ World’s Highest-Paid Athletes List

Posted on June 17, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Lionel Messi is rolling in the deep dough…

The 27-year-old Argentine soccer star is the highest-ranking Latino on Forbes magazine’s 2015 list of the World’s Highest-Paid Athletes with $73.8 million in salary/winnings and endorsements.

Last year, FC Barcelona awarded their record four-time Ballon d’Or, FIFA’s Player of the Year, winner with a $9 million a year raise in his seventh contract since 2005 to bring his take home pay to $50 million a year through 2018.

Messi now holds the records for all-time all-game goals for Barcelona, most goals in La Liga competitions, most goals scored in a calendar year and most hat tricks scored.

Messi’s superhuman talent is why sponsor Samsung cast him as superhero Iron Man in their ad to promote the Avengers film. It’s also why his main sponsor Adidas launched a Messi icon line of shoes and apparel, which has exceeded company sales expectations, including in the U.S. In all, he earned $22 million in endorsements.

But Messi isn’t the only Latino athlete to make the list.

Fernando Alonso ranks No. 17 on Forbes’ world’s highest-paid athletes roster with combined earnings of $35.5 million.

The 33-year-old Spanish Formula One driver and a two-time World Champion secured another massive payday when he negotiated a return to McLaren-Honda, where he raced during the 2007 season. The two-year deal is worth more than $30 million annually.

Alonso finished second in the F1 standings in 2012 and 2013, but dropped to sixth last year in his final year with Ferrari. Alonso failed to secure a single point in the first five races of the 2015 F1 season. Alonso partnered with UAE sport investment firm Novo last year to establish a professional cycling team in the future.

Next on the list, Rafael Nadal, who comes in at No. 22 with earnings of $32.5 million.

The 29-year-old Spanish tennis star, who has struggled with injuries after a colossal 2013 season, saw his prize money drop by $10 million to $4.5 million in the latest 12 months.

He was the No. 1 player in the world as recently as June 2014, but sits at No. 10 a year later. He even lost at the French Open in the semifinals after winning 66 of his previous 67 matches and nine titles at Roland Garros.

Nadal did sign two new endorsements deals, with Tommy Hilfiger and Spanish communications giant Telefonica. Kia Motors also renewed its contract with Nadal in May for five years through 2020. They first partnered in 2004.

Nadal’s $73 million in career prize money ranks third all-time behind Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

Other Latino athletes making the Top 30 on Forbes’ list are soccer phenom Neymar at No. 23, NBA star Carmelo Anthony at No. 25 and World Cup standout and Google god James Rodriguez at No. 27.

Here’s a look at the Latino athletes who made this year’s list:

No. 4 Lionel Messi, Soccer, Argentine, $73.8 Million
No. 17 Fernando Alonso, Racing, Spanish, $35.5 Million
No. 22 Rafael Nadal, Tennis, Spanish, #32.5 Million
No. 23 Neymar, Soccer, Brazilian, $31 Million
No. 25 Carmelo Anthony, Basketball, Half-Puerto Rican, $30.5 Million
No. 27 James Rodriguez, Soccer, Colombian, $29 Million
No. 30 Robinson Cano, Baseball, Dominican, $27.6 Million
No. 38 Radamel Falcao, Soccer, Colombian, $25.9 Million
No. 38 Albert Pujols, Baseball, Dominican, $25.9 Million
No. 43 Miguel Cabrera, Baseball, Venezuelan, $25.1 Million
No. 45 Sergio Aguero, Soccer, Argentine, $24.9 Million
No. 60 Felix Hernandez, Baseball, Venezuelan, $22.9 Million
No. 67 Tony Romo, Football, Mexican American, $22 Million
No. 69 Adrian Gonzalez, Baseball, Mexican American, $21.5 Million
No. 73 Luis Suarez, Soccer, Uruguayan, $21 Million
No. 79 Cesc Fabregas, Soccer, Spanish, $20.3 Million
No. 79 Hanley Ramirez, Baseball, Dominican, $20.3 Million
No. 87 David Ortiz, Baseball, Dominican, $19.7 Million

Click here for the complete list.

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