2009 Rumour-mania

Even though no European league is anywhere near from over this is the time of the year when the first speculations about possible transfer begin. Fifty percent of the rumours end up being just creations of the media so the can sell more newspapers in between games (remember there is no champions league for at least one more month) 40% happen to be very unlikely and only 10% of all rumours, maybe even less, end up happening.

Cristiano once again. Once again Cristiano Ronaldo makes the tabloids and once again it has to do with a new and “secret” plan that Real Madrid has to buy him. This time it involves an old yet familiar face for “los blancos”; Mr. Florentino Perez former president of club. Mr Perez is very well remembered or hated (depend on which club you follow) for his antics of buying the best players of the worlds or the galactic players as he used to called them. According to the “secret” plan Perez is going to bring Cristiano as his new Figo so he can get back to the power of the “white house”. A couple of weeks back some Spanish tabloid tried to input Messi into a similar rumour but unlike Figo, Messi will never play for Real Madrid. Cristiano is the perfect campaign flag for any candidate in Madrid and the best part is that at the end once Perez is chosen president he doesn’t even have to bring him; ask Calderon and what happened with the “If I win I’ll bring kaka”.

There are always the dreamers. Every player has a dream team; the one they imagine themselves playing when they are in junior high school and when money and contracts means nothing. So far we’ve heard Karim Benzema, the biggest French promise, saying “Playing for Real Madrid is my dream”. Real’s fan cannot ask for more because it just happen that Benzema is one of the dreams of the coaches at Barcelona and what better way to get some self-esteem as a club that having your rival’s hope cheering for you. But, at the end of the day this dreams that players have can mean so little and end up being just words without any meaning. We all remember hearing back in 2003 a young Robinho posing with a Barcelona jersey saying that it was his dream to play there; and then be also had Van Nistelroy, Robben, Sjneider also saying that Barcelona was a dream for them. Look where they all are. Also, every big team in Europe must be very happy to hear non other than Ribery saying yesterday that he was open to changing team in the near future.

FIFA World Player of 2008. Yes, this Monday we will finally know who it is. All logic indicates that Cristiano will be getting yet another trophy to his collection but in the last days, and thanks to the last 3 months of competition, the name of Messi is sounding strong especially after his last game against Atletico in the King’s Cup. I personally would be very surprise is Ronaldo doesn’t win it because his last season was just a dream; but just a Alexander Hleb said a week ago whoever thinks that right now Messi is not the best player in the world is simply blind. Either way both players, at their best, are a simply delight to any soccer fan and either one getting the title will be fair; if it comes to titles won then Ronaldo without any doubt will get the trophy, but if it comes to performance he lost a lot of points the last 4 months of the year.