One of the most calm and cool heads under pressure, Lionel Messi steps up to take Argentina’s first penalty of the shootout in the Copa America Final. He is expected to tuck away the penalty, but to the dismay of his supporters he balloons his spot kick over the crossbar. It frantically leads to a catapult of mistakes from the Argentinians, culminating in their loss to Chile in the Copa America Final - again. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Chille stun Argentina to win the Copa America final for the second consecutive time.
Photo: Reuters[/caption] As if losing a final wasn’t bad enough, Lionel Messi puts the entire world in a quandary by announcing his imminent retirement from international football by saying,

“For me the national team is over. I’ve done all I can, it hurts not to be a champion. It’s been four finals, it’s not meant for me.”

Being a hard-core Liverpool (LFC) fan, hating Manchester United (Man Utd) and anything associated with it is part of my soccer DNA – Football tribalism at its fanatical best! So unsurprisingly, when it comes to rating David Robert Joseph Beckham, I always thought the ex Man Utd player was an overrated footballer. It’s not just his on-field abilities that underwhelmed me, I also could never wrap my head around the media circus that David Beckham’s supposedly off-the-field iconic status attracted. [poll id="633"] So when a couple of days back I found myself liking a ‘shared’ Facebook status of his, it naturally was an awkward feeling. I will even candidly admit to being a little disgusted! But the million dollar question is, what could it possibly be that forced me into concurring with David ‘the former Red Devil’ Beckham? The 41-year-old was voting for Britain to remain in the European Union and posted regarding the referendum on the social media site.

“I played my best years at my boyhood club, Manchester United. I grew up with a core group of young British players that included Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and the Neville Brothers. Added to that was an experienced group of older British players such as Gary Pallister, Steve Bruce and Paul Ince. Now that team might have gone on to win trophies but we were a better and more successful team because of a Danish goalkeeper, Peter Schmeichel, the leadership of an Irishman Roy Keane and the skill of a Frenchman in Eric Cantona.”

“We should be facing the problems of the world together and not alone. For these reasons I am voting to Remain.”

FIFA World Cup..  Nah! UEFA Euro.. Meh!! Copa America.. Not a chance!!! Africa Cup of Nations.. Are you frikkin kidding me??? We are a strange lot, we club football fans. Even while there’s a major international football tournament going on, someone like me is more interested in something as insignificant to an outsider as, well, Liverpool (LFC)’s pre-season training. [poll id="636"] That in no way should mean that I am not fully aware of what is going in any of the aforementioned ‘country versus country’ tourney, but putting it mildly let’s just say...

‘Frankly my dear I don’t give a damn!’

“Germany are the best side, there’s no doubt about that,” Deschamps said. “We’re going to really go for it against the best side in the world.”

The final of the European Championships took place in Paris, France, with Ronaldo’s Portugal against a resolute French team that had thumped Iceland in the quarter finals and edged past Germany in the semis. France were the absolute favourites to win the cup; indeed, it hadn’t been expected that Portugal would even reach the final. History was on Didier Deschamp’s side as Portugal had never beaten France in a major tournament and had only beaten France five times in 24 meetings, with a massive defeats-total of 19 games. However, the Portuguese were slightly more rested than the hosts, and would have the edge if it came to extra time. Earlier on, it looked like it would be a sad night for the visitors as their captain Cristiano Ronaldo went off in the first half due to a rash challenge from Dimitri Payet, which dimmed the occasion considerably. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Dimitri Payet's tackle on the Real Madrid man was forceful but the Frenchman won the ball.
Photo: BPI Kieran McManus[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Cristiano Ronaldo departed the Euro 2016 final with knee injury, shedding tears after suffering the knock.
Photo: BPI Kieran McManus[/caption] It was a powerful moment, as the tears of one of the best players in the world fell on the Parisian pitch. Cristiano found himself being stretchered off, his team mates watching in despair and disbelief. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] The former Manchester United man screamed in agony after the challenge from Payet that ended his night
Photo: AFP/ Getty[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Ronaldo was distraught as the Portugal medical team helped him off the pitch and out of the game
Photo: Getty[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] The Portugal captain was carried off on a stretcher in the 24th minute, his Euro 2016 final over
Photo: EPA[/caption] Strangely, France, having dominated for the first 30 minutes, lost their rhythm after Ronaldo went off. The unity of Portugal showed through as they defended with all their might, surviving some early scares in the form of Antoine Griezmann and Moussa Sissoko. Portuguese goalkeeper Rui Patricio was also in excellent form, saving some long range shots. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] France's Moussa Sissoko, center, challenges for the ball with Portugal's Cedric, right and Portugal's William Carvalho, during the Euro 2016 final soccer match between Portugal and France at the Stade de France.
Photo: AP / Thanassis Stavrakis[/caption] Portugal had had an extra day of rest than the hosts and this showed as the game went on 0-0 to extra time. Fatigue was visible and the French midfield seemed to have lost their will to push forward.  Portuguese captain Nani rallied his team around him as it seemed the match would go on to penalties. With an injured Cristiano on the side-lines acting as assistant manager, Portugal struck the passes together with relative ease. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] A rueful Ronaldo puts the captain's armband on Nani as it becomes clear the Real man can't go on.
Photo: Reuters[/caption] A heart-stopping moment for Portugal occurred when French substitute Gignac struck the goalpost. Portugal were on the edge of the cliff with a bit of luck on their side. Soon afterwards Portuguese left back and Raphael stood over a wrongly given free kick. He muttered a prayer, hoped that this was his moment, and struck the goalpost with a thunderous free kick. Both sides had come as close as they could without hitting the net. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] France's Andre Pierre Gignac shoots past Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio, second from right, to hit the goal post during the Euro 2016 final soccer match.
Photo: AP / Michael Sohn[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Raphael Guerreiro hit the crossbar with a free-kick in extra-time, but it was Eder who finally struck the decisive blow, arrowing a low shot beyond Lloris.
Photo: goal.com[/caption] Ronaldo, with his leg in bandages, stood alongside his manager and shouted instructions and moral support to the Portuguese players. The tension was visible on his face. He was limping and it was obviously causing him pain to walk but he seemed to ignore it, looking dedicated to the cause. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] The knee injury did not stop the skipper from getting up off his seat to encourage the Portugal team
Photo: Reuters[/caption] Midfielder Eder collected the ball and galloped infield to take a shot. From 25 yards out, few could believe that he could beat the giant of a keeper, Hugo Lloris; however, his low drive did just that. Portugal went on to win their first major international trophy, and this was an even bigger feat as they did it away from home and partially without their captain, as he was injured. The French side had to swallow another defeat in front of their home fans. Portugal hadn’t outplayed the French. They had used the right tactics at the right times, not panicking when their star forward left the pitch.  Playing on the counter attack was a bold move by their manager, Fernando Santos, and it was this that led to the opening goal. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Fernando Santos
Photo: vavel.com[/caption] He trusted in his young midfield, Fernando Santos, and Sanches, and the pair was sound defensively and looked dangerous on the attack. However, it’s undeniable that Portugal could not have won without their solid goalkeeper, Rui Patricio, who produced some amazing saves against French. In the final, Portugal proved that the whole is greater than the one. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] After the final whistle Ronaldo's knee injury seemed to slip into insignificance as he celebrated the win.
Photo: EPA[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] By the end of the night the agony had been exchanged for ecstasy as Portugal won 1-0 in extra time
Photo: Reuters[/caption] As a football fan watching this final, I have to add that the inner strength of Portugal was amazing. When their captain went off with the tears falling off and sobs racking his body, the inner urge to give up, to lose hope would have been colossal. However, they did not panic; they stuck together and more they stayed disciplined, especially towards France’s Dimitri Payet, whose tackle resulted in the injury. Not a single player was sent off and this was commendable. Furthermore, as they were playing in France’s own backyard, the hostility from the French fans was also present. A strong team kept their heads and their wits, believed and eventually triumphed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7spDZakwiGs Even though Portugal hadn’t lost a single match in the tournament, they hadn’t been favourites, due to the unattractive brand of football they played. They never looked like winning, though they always managed it in the end. As their manager used to say after matches, ‘it wasn’t always pretty but they got the job done’.

Unanticipated, unpredictable and unexpected are a few of many analogous adjectives that have been used to describe the recently concluded football spectacle, Euro 2016. It was indeed a tournament which saw several unheralded outcomes: - The spirited Icelandic ‘sons’ stomped over a perplexed and dumbfounded English 11 in the round-of-16. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Iceland celebrates a goal during Euro 2016.
Photo: Twitter[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] England suffered 2-1 upset loss to Iceland in Euro 2016 round.
Photo: Headline News[/caption] - A united Welsh outfit sailed through to the semi-finals in what was their first major tournament since the 1958 World Cup in Sweden. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Wales striker Clifford Jones and Hungary`s Sandor Matray in action during the World Cup 1958 in Sweden.
Photo: PA[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Pele knocks Wales out of the 1958 World Cup.
Photo:PA[/caption] - A squad dubbed as ‘the worst Italian team ever’ silenced their critics by ousting defending champions Spain in the round of 16, under the tactical umbrella of the genius that is Antonio Conte. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Italy were too good for a lifeless Spain.
Photo: EPA[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Antonio Conte.
Photo: Twitter[/caption] - World champions Germany knocked their Italian counterparts out of a major tournament for the first time in their competitive history [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="620"] They have played some great football but its the end for Italy.
Photo: Christian Hartmann / Reuters[/caption] - Fashionable hosts France triumphed over a battered and bruised German side in the semi-final, for the first time in a competitive fixture since 1958. However, the most astonishing result of all was one which holds utmost relevance, and will be etched in the golden pages of football history for all times to come. Labelled by numerous football pundits as a ‘sub-par’ team, Portugal, led by none other than Madrid and Lisbon’s favourite son Cristiano Ronaldo, went on to lift the coveted Henri Delaunay trophy in front of a packed audience at the Stade de France in Paris. Looking back at Portugal’s road to glory, one wonders which aspect of their journey was most fortuitous: - The fact that they progressed to the knockout stage without having won a single game in their group, which consisted of far less favoured teams; Austria, Hungary and Iceland? - Or was it their luck of finding themselves on the weaker side of the knockout bracket, devoid of European giants such as Germany, Italy, Spain and France (all of whom found themselves on the same side of the bracket)? - Perhaps it is the fact that Portugal only won a single game (against Wales) in 90 minutes across the entire competition? [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Portuguese players and fans celebrate their victory at the end of the Euro 2016 semi-final football match against Wales.
Photo: Paul Ellis/ AFP / Getty Images[/caption] - Surely it has to be a victory over tournament hosts France in the final, in their own backyard, that too in the absence of talisman and leader Cristiano Ronaldo, who found himself injured shortly after the kick-off whistle. Right? [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] The former Manchester United man screamed in agony after the challenge from Payet that ended his night
Photo: AFP/ Getty[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] The Portugal captain was carried off on a stretcher in the 24th minute, his Euro 2016 final over
Photo: EPA[/caption] All of the arguments mentioned above have done their respective rounds in news articles, podcasts, television shows and across various social media platforms in the past few weeks. However, the bottom-line remains: Portugal overcame the French challenge in fine fashion, a team which they had failed to beat in their last 10 encounters (spanning 38 years), without Cristiano Ronaldo on the field, in the French capital, in front of thousands of French supporters. For this feat, the men in red and green deserve ultimate credit, for they finish the tournament as champions, in addition to being the only team to remain unbeaten throughout the competition. Having started their Euro campaign poorly against Iceland and Austria, captain Ronaldo bailed Portugal out against Hungary with a dramatic brace, earning his nation a place in the round of 16. In their first knockout game, the Portuguese battalion faced a promising Croatian team, in what was arguably their second hardest fixture (first being the final) of the entire competition. By virtue of a resolute defensive performance and a lucky break in the dying moments of the game, an unappealing game of football was sealed. Dark horses Portugal had secured an improbable quarterfinal berth as Ricardo Quaresma rebounded a save from the keeper into goal, seizing, what can conceived to be the greatest moment of his career. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Ricardo Quaresma[/caption] Against all odds, Portugal found themselves in the business end of the tournament, three matches away from giving their nation a memory that would last till eternity. A unit which had not performed up to its true potential, started showing signs of belief in the quarterfinal against Poland, as a new star was born in Renato Sanches, who equalised after an early Robert Lewandowski strike. Another tight defensive battle followed, as the game went to penalties where Ricardo Quaresma was once again the hero, scoring the winning penalty for Portugal. There was a lot of hype surrounding the semi-final, as two compatriots were set to duel each other for a ticket to the final in Paris. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Renato Sanches (Portugal) & Arkadiusz Milik (Poland) Poland and Portugal (UEFA EURO 2016 Quarter Final)
Photo: Twitter[/caption] Teammates at Real Madrid, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo saw themselves on opposite ends of the bout, after having won their second UEFA Champions League medal together less than two months ago. There was an obvious winner at the end of 90 minutes, as Bale’s spirited attempt fell short to a Ronaldo special, who scored a signature headed goal to put Portugal in the lead in the 50^th minute, following it up with a pinpoint assist to Nani three minutes later. The fixture was done and dusted, as Portugal’s greatest legend was now one victory away from pulling off the greatest heist in his career. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo
Photo: Getty Images[/caption] Unfortunately for Ronaldo, he found himself in great despair as he suffered a gruesome tackle at the hands of Dimitri Payet in the early moments of the final. Probably in disbelief, the footballing heavyweight tried to play through the pain but eventually realised that he could not carry on, and asked to be substituted 25 minutes after the start of the game. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Dimitri Payet’s tackle on the Real Madrid man was forceful but the Frenchman won the ball.
Photo: BPI Kieran McManus[/caption] In the aftermath of this unfortunate event, Ronaldo’s teammates showed immense character, as they put in a solid performance to come up trumps in a massive upset, which shocked and silenced an army of French supporters. This magnanimous accomplishment was courtesy of a fantastic defensive effort, and thanks to regular benchwarmer Éder, who shrugged off a seemingly tired Laurent Koscielny to beat French captain Hugo Lloris in goal, with a sublime drive from outside the box in extra time. A greater sense of responsibility was evident in Portugal’s display, as the likes of Pepe and Nani stepped up their game and demonstrated fantastic leadership to lead Portugal to their first ever International trophy. The blues of Euro 2004 where Portugal, the home team then, lost 1-0 against tournament minnows Greece, were washed away in a classic act of redemption. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] A rueful Ronaldo puts the captain’s armband on Nani as it becomes clear the Real man can’t go on.
Photo: Reuters[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Greek team celebrates victory in Euro 2004.
Photo: Twitter[/caption] Therefore, while it could be argued that Portugal might not be the strongest team to lift the European championship, it is wrong to call them ‘un-deserving’ champions of Europe. Having overcome every challenge presented to them by the draw, Portugal hung on when it mattered, delivered in key moments and grinded away on their path to European glory. If there is in fact anything that needs to be debated, it is the new format that has been implemented in this tournament; one which UEFA intends to stick with for Euro 2020. With eight teams (from 16 to 24) and 20 fixtures (from 31 to 51) added to the mix, this format is significantly different from the one that preceded it. Out of 24 teams in the group stages, 16 had the opportunity to progress to the next round (the top four third-placed teams proceeded to the round of 16), due to which competition for knockout spots was not as intense as previous tournaments. Portugal were one of the beneficiaries of this format, as they finished third in their group, with a miserly three points, behind Hungary and Iceland. While this new format featured the addition of an entire knockout round (the round of 16), it is safe to say that the group stage lacked vigour and emotion, in comparison to global football tournaments of the past. From a commercial point of view, Euro 2016 was 34% more profitable than Euro 2012, which is no surprise due to the addition of more teams and matches to the competition. So how should UEFA continue to increase its revenue without compromising on the flavour and fervour of the tournament? More importantly, how should UEFA ensure that Europe’s best teams should be pitted against each other in the quest of continental championship? The answer is simple. With a minor tweak to the current format, I believe UEFA can get the best of both worlds. The tournament should continue to feature 24 teams, but instead of having six groups of four teams, the format should be rectified to have four groups of six teams. Each team in a group would play every other team once and the top two teams from each group would qualify for the quarter-final stage. If this change is implemented, the total number of fixtures in the tournament would increase from 51 to 67, without compromising on the level of intensity, as the competition in the group stages will be considerably stiffer. This could result in a win-win situation for UEFA, as an increased number of matches would result in a steeper surge in profits. Also, there will be absolutely no questions raised over the legitimacy of the eventual winners of such a tournament. However, time will tell how UEFA intend to carry the Euro franchise forward; whether they stick to the current format, revert back to the old one or come up with an entirely new one. For now, let us all rejoice Portugal’s unlikely yet commendable triumph, in what would be remembered as the year of Cristiano Ronaldo; Champion of Europe for both club and country.

UEFA Euro 2016 signed off with numerous lasting memories. It is now time that we bid farewell to a tournament that brought a number of awe-inspiring moments and left the game with a healthy prospect. This year has been full of surprises in the world of football with underdogs breaking through the dominion of strong teams to claim prizes they previously never dared to dream of. Let’s look back at the tournament. Best moment: Of all the outfield players, Hal Robson-Kanu makes a Johan Cruyff turn During 55 minutes of flogging through a tied score-line against Belgium, Aaron Ramsey charges down the right flank, finds Robson-Kanu, who swiftly finds the ball onto his foot and manages to stay in control. With a neat “Johan Cruyff signature move,” Robson-Kanu turns into a space in between Meunier and Denayer and slots a neat finish beyond Thibaut Courtois’s control. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYtzf7YD8oY The emergence of Kanu into this memorable and highly significant forward for Wales is a reflection of their promising campaign. A goal that captivates viewers around the world is certainly a moment to look back on again and again as this tournament’s best. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] With the game against Belgium in the balance, Hal Robson-Kanu produced a moment of individual brilliance.
Photo: AP[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Robson-Kanu revealed he learned the Cruyff turn from watching France legend Zinedine Zidane.
Photo: Getty[/caption] Worst moment of the tournament: Cristiano Ronaldo falling out of the finale in Paris Portugal’s remarkable run in the tournament was mostly due to their captain Ronaldo. Saving his side from an early exit – scoring two goals against Hungary – in what was deemed another poor show from Portugal. The finale brought the limelight on Ronaldo and expectations surged only to find the 31-year-old seeing the dugout as early as it could be. This shattering moment forced the Real Madrid star to exit the game. Fans around the world assumed silence and Portugal’s chances considerably narrowed with this massive blow at the Stade de France. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] The former Manchester United man screamed in agony after the challenge from Payet that ended his night
Photo: AFP/ Getty[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] The Portugal captain was carried off on a stretcher in the 24th minute, his Euro 2016 final over
Photo: EPA[/caption] Surprise package? Iceland! You heard it right. Of all the underdogs, Iceland had the best run. They defied all expectations, from making into the group to blowing England’s chances out of the water. With a population of only 323,002 people, there came off a number of players who stole the show a couple of times. Not only did the national side create fond memories for themselves, their superb fanfare left other spectators inspired by their enthusiasm. It is only a matter of time that we see the “Viking chant,” originally introduced by Iceland, to be sung in other iconic stadiums. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Iceland celebrates a goal during Euro 2016.
Photo: Metro News[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Iceland supporters celebrate a goal for their team against the odds during a public viewing in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Photo: AP[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Iceland players acknowledge the crowd as they celebrate their 2-1 win over England in the Euro 2016 knockout match.
Photo: AFP / Getty Images[/caption] Most overrated player in the tournament: There’s already a rumour of his imminent £100 million move Paul Pogba may not yet be taken off for an inconsistent performance, but he should have been whisked away for not making an impact when it was needed. Indeed, Pogba has grown into a unique talent and it’s a dream to have him in your team. But after failing to make an impact on the field, where it actually matters, many popular pundits have regarded him as an extremely overrated player. In spite of this, he has been heavily linked with his former side, Manchester United, who are willing to break the transfer record this summer. Most underrated player: Portugal goalie Perhaps the man of the match of the finale, after Pepe, Rui Patrício cannot be ignored for his services to the team. He is not the greatest of goalkeepers, yet he stood firm each time he was needed for his country. Patrício has left a permanent mark with a remarkable performance in the toughest games. He was half the reason why Portugal denied France a chance every time they charged forward. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] The goalkeeper Rui Patrício and defender Pepe were both outstanding for Portugal in the Euro 2016 final against France.
Photo: Patrik Stollarz / AFP/ Getty Images[/caption] Shock moment: England’s embarrassing defeat at the hands of Iceland Iceland, of all names, wrote history when they overturned the table on the side, fancied as dark horses for the tournament. England was on the receiving end of this humiliation. Goals from Ragnar Sigurðsson and Kolbeinn Sigþórsson inflicted England with their most humiliating defeat ever. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] England suffered 2-1 upset loss to Iceland in Euro 2016 round.
Photo: Headline News[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Humiliation England players collapse after losing 1-2 to Iceland and crashing out of Euro 2016 - the country's worst defeat in its history.
Photo: Getty[/caption] England Manager Roy Hodgson decided to resign after failing to deliver the success that he promised. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4sdHbrGRF0 [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] England manager Roy Hodgson who resigned minutes after his team's dismal performance against the minnows of Iceland.
Photo: Mark Large[/caption] Match of the tournament: Portugal 3-3 Hungary Lyon hosted the best match of the European Championship. It was a game with twists and turns throughout its course. Ronaldo came to the party and Hungary reassured their tenacity again and again. In a contest where you could not think of resting your eyes even for a tad bit, goals one after another, uplifted those who saw this nail-biter unfold. Within 19 minutes, Gera opened the scoring and provided Hungary with a key lead, only for Nani to then equalise right before half time. Right after the break, Hungary scored again, courtesy of a Dzsudzsak’s free kick that saw them back with a lead. They only managed to relish this for three odd minutes, when Ronaldo scored with a staggering back heel flick. Dzsudzsak scored again, owing to a free-kick! But Ronaldo had the last laugh scoring his second free-kick to bring Portugal head to head with Hungary. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates with Nani and Joao Mario after scoring their second goal.
Photo: Twitter[/caption] Best goal: Xherdan Shaqiri’s bicycle kick A unique thing about bicycle kicks is that they seem to leave you speechless. Switzerland versus Poland; nerves thumping heavily and each side needed to strike. It just took one decisive second by Xherdan Shaqiri to leave every single spectator gobsmacked. A cross swirling from the left flank takes a bounce right at the edge of the 18-yard box where the Stoke City superstar leaped above the ground, threw his feet in the air and kicked the ball overhead into the bottom right corner. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJbGCSTiIdk Shaqiri’s equaliser set the momentum for Switzerland and remained the best goal scored in France this summer. Even Shakira feels the same. https://twitter.com/shakira/status/746759746003345408 Team of the tournament: I picked my best players and formed this starting eleven. Formation: 3-5-2 Best young player of the tournament: Renato Sanches The European Championship was buzzing with names of young stars. These names were backed by expectations; some already landed lucrative contracts and some are already playing for top flight clubs. Portugal’s young talent, Renato Sanches emerged as the most promising one on the pitch. Not considerably known for scoring goals or bagging assists, Sanches changed the course of the game every time he was brought on. Naturally an attack-minded CM, he overturned the style into a more offensive one and consistently lodged a threat from the middle. This year has been a treat for him as he won the Euros and sealed a contract with German giants FC Bayern Munchen. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Renato Sanches
Photo: AFP[/caption] Flop of the tournament: Thomas Müller in the most unexpected portrayal of him Who could have thought? It was rather believed if Germany led a great campaign, as they did in the past, it’ll be by courtesy of Thomas Müller and his strikes. Germany did lead a great run till the semi-finals, but Müller failed to see the ball past the line. Not once the forward came close; he emerged as a dead weed and almost a liability for the national coach. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Muller found the net in the second half for Germany against Hungary.
Photo: Twitter[/caption] Player of the tournament: Antoine Griezmann Superman, Batman, Ironman, and then there’s Griezmann. France remained the side with the most perfect team. From a world class keeper to world class forwards; the French had it all. But yet Griezmann remained their best player, scoring six goals. He was a constant threat in attack, found space, forced defenders and drew some epic saves out of world class goal keepers. It was Griezmann who ended the hopes of many teams, including World Champions Germany. The Atletico Madrid forward remains the top-scorer, thus winning the golden boot. He was also officially named the EURO 2016 Player of the Tournament by UEFA [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Antoine Griezmann
Photo: Sportsreviews[/caption] It’s a four year wait till we see European Giants lock horns. Congratulations to Portugal once again!

Even with a summer full of riveting international soccer contests with the Euro and the Olympics, being a Liverpool fan, nothing beats the good old start to the English Premier League (EPL). And if EPL is the cake then UEFA Champions League is surely the cherry atop this delicious offering. Unfortunately for me, this year is yet another in the long list of seasons this past decade that I would have to do without this particular footballing condiment. But hey, counting your blessings and all that shizz, I still get to cheer on former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez and his band of merry men at Barca. And cheer I did when La Blaugrana thrashed Celtic 7-0 at Camp Nou. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Lionel Messi celebrates one of his three goals as Barcelona recorded its largest Champions League victory when thrashing Celtic 7-0 at Camp Nou.
Photo: Getty[/caption] The lethal trio of Messi and Neymar combined with El Pistolero to wreak havoc on the Scottish champions. Lionel Messi bagged a hat-trick while his partners in crime, Suarez and Neymar got a brace and a goal respectively. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] The Argentinian forward broke another Champions League record with his sixth hat-trick.
Photo: BPI[/caption] Most astonishingly, ever since Suarez joined from the Mighty Reds in July 2014, the holy trinity of MSN have scored 266 competitive goals for Barca. Their arch-rivals on the other hand didn’t have it all their way. Holders Real Madrid were two minutes from losing at The Bernabeu to Sporting Lisbon in their opening group game before staging a later than late comeback to win 2-1. And it was none other than a former sporting forward who spoiled the visitor’s party. Yes, you guessed it right! Cristiano Ronaldo finally scored a free-kick for a late leveller before Alvaro Morata snatched a winner deep into injury time. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Álvaro Morata finds space between two Sporting Lisbon defenders to head Real Madrid’s winner.
Photo: Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images[/caption] The English quadruple had a mix matchday one, with Manchester City and defending champions Leicester City coasting to easy victories over rivals. While Kevin De Bruyne was scintillating in the Manchester derby at the weekend, it was Sergio Aguero who stole the plaudits on Wednesday against Borussia Mönchengladbach as he scored his second hat-trick of the season to help The Citizens emerge 4-0 victorious in their delayed Champions League Group C opener. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Manchester City’s Sergio Agüero celebrates his hat-trick against Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Photo: Martin Rickett / PA[/caption] Kelechi Iheanacho also got in on the act as City served up a sumptuous footballing treat to their supporters in order to make up for the lost time after torrential rain washed out the first attempt to play the fixture on Tuesday. It was yet another fascinating performance by the Blues, as they grabbed their seventh successive win under new manager Pep Guardiola. Defending English League champion Leicester City’s maiden voyage in Champions League took them to “Venice of the North” and they made a huge splash by sinking Club Brugge in a 0-3 score line. Marc Albrighton scored with the Foxes’ first shot and Riyad Mahrez curled in an exquisite free kick, to double their lead in the first half. The English player of the year was at it again when he smashed in a third from the penalty spot to add another chapter to the Leicester City fairy tale. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3MX6lUoIpA Things however weren’t that great as far as the two North London clubs were concerned with both Arsenal and Tottenham failing to achieve maximum from their fixtures. Spurs’ European crusade began in disappointment as even an English club-record home crowd at Wembley failed to prevent them falling 2-1 at the hands of Monaco. The 85,011 crowd was the largest home attendance in any English club’s history, beating the 84,467 that saw Manchester City play Stoke in the FA Cup in 1934. Their North London didn’t fare too well either as they failed to beat a lacklustre Paris Saint-Germain side and ending up drawing the contest 1-1. While it’s early days in the competition there is no escaping the fact that this season again would be roller coaster as far as the supreme European club contest is concerned. [poll id="682"]

The stage was set, popcorn ready and the browser switched to the right streaming website. This after all was supposed to be a momentous night, a date when I would watch history being re-written, and a day when arguably the greatest football club on planet earth would add another feather to the cap. But sixth placed Villareal clearly failed to read the script. The Yellow Submarine came to the Bernabeu with ‘Mission: Damage Limitation’ against the leaders but left the capital with Real Madrid’s dreams sunk. Zinedine Zidane’s men had equalled the previous best of 16 – a feat achieved by Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona in 2010-11 – in their previous match against Espanyol, but a 1-1 draw on Wednesday completely extinguished the hopes of surpassing the league record and extending that run. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Ronaldo was largely starved of service and was penalised for a foul when getting on the end of a Marcelo centre before firing an ambitious long-range effort off target in the 32nd minute.
Photo: Twitter[/caption] Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale were back in the starting XI for their tilt at history, but the pair had little joy during the first half that saw Bruno Soriano scoring from the spot to put the visitors ahead. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Ronaldo upset again
Photo: Twitter[/caption] Skipper Sergio Ramos was both the villain and the hero for the home side. It was he who gave away the penalty when he used his hand to block a shot from the opponents, although he redeemed himself immediately after the break by powering a header through to the back of the net to level the score. From here on out the onus was on the triumvirate of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema to make magic happen, but Los Blancos failed to find a winner, despite a late onslaught. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Ramos salvages draw for Zidane's men
Photo: Getty[/caption] Post-match coach Zinedine Zidane refused to blame the players for the heartbreak.

“I am happy with my players,” he said. “I’m not going to talk about records. We are going to rest and think about the next match.”

“We can’t always play well from the first minute. It can happen and, in fact, it did happen the first 45 minutes.”

A 30-man shortlist for the Ballon d’Or was announced this week by ‘France Football’, one of Europe’s most reputable sports magazines, after the world football governing body, FIFA, ended its association with the Ballon d’Or earlier this year. The footballing magazine spent an entire day unveiling the 30-man shortlist for this year’s prize, ahead of the gala awards ceremony in January, with the venue for the occasion yet to be decided. Since 1956, the prestigious award has annually been given out by the French publication and it was awarded to the best European player of the previous footballing season – until 1994, after which it was given to the best player (from any continent) who played for a European club. In 2010, however, FIFA and France Football struck a multi-million-dollar deal, thought to be worth around $1.7million per year, for six years, and merged the award – the FIFA Ballon d’Or – replacing the FIFA World Player of the Year. Following the completion of the deal, it was mutually decided that the deal would not be renewed and the Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards will be separate from 2016 onwards – which means that there could well be two different winners of the ‘best player of the world’ awards. The 30-man shortlist for this year’s award is dominated by players from the Spanish La Liga, with a total of 13 players. There are seven players from the English Premier League, including Englishman Jamie Vardy and Algerian wizard Riyad Mahrez, who both played instrumental roles in Leicester City’s historic title triumph. Swede superstar, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the world’s most expensive footballer, Paul Pogba, who both play for Manchester United now, are on the shortlist as well for their brilliant campaigns with Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus respectively. The complete 30-man shortlist is as follows: Goalkeepers Rui Patricio (Sporting Lisbon & Portugal), Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus & Italy), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur & France), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich & Germany) Defenders Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid & Uruguay), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid & Spain), Pepe (Real Madrid & Portugal) Midfielders Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City & Belgium), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona & Spain), Koke (Atletico Madrid & Spain), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid & Germany), Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City & Algeria), Luka Modric (Real Madrid & Croatia), Dimitri Payet (West Ham United & France), Paul Pogba (Juventus & France) – now plays for Manchester United, Arturo Vidal (Bayern Munich & Chile), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich & Germany) Forwards Sergio Aguero (Manchester City & Argentina), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund & Gabon), Gareth Bale (Real Madrid & Wales), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid & Portugal), Paulo Dybala (Juventus & Argentina), Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid & France), Gonzalo Higuain (Napoli & Argentina) – [now plays for Juventus], Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Paris Saint-Germaine & Sweden) – [now plays for Manchester United], Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich & Poland), Lionel Messi (Barcelona & Argentina), Luis Suarez (Barcelona & Uruguay), Neymar Jr. (Barcelona & Brazil), Jamie Vardy (Leicester City & England) There seem to be quite a lot of obvious choices in this list. However, some eyebrows were raised when the names of Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane, Arsenal’s mercurial attacker Alexis Sanchez, or Leicester City’s midfield rock N’Golo Kante were missing from the list, who each had remarkable campaigns. Kane was the Premier League’s top-scorer, whereas Sanchez won the Copa America with Chile, and Kante helped France reach the final of the Euro 2016. Although the race for the top-prize is well and truly on, the five most-likely winners of the prize, in no particular order, are as follows: Gareth Bale (Real Madrid & Wales) The flying Welsh-wizard had a remarkable year with both club and country, scoring 19 goals for Real Madrid in all competitions, winning the ‘Undecima’ – or 11^th Champions League crown – and scored three for Wales at the European Championships, taking the dark horses of the tournament to an almost-magical run to the semi-finals – where they were eventually beaten by the would-be champions Portugal. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Gareth Bale, who plays a key role in Wales journey in Euro 2016, has scored in every game till now.
Photo: Reuters[/caption] Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid & France) The quick, left-footed French dynamite was in scintillating form throughout the year, scoring a remarkable 32 goals for Atletico Madrid – taking them to the Champions League final – and was the top-scorer at the Euro 2016, with six goals in six games for France – taking his nation to the final. His goal against Iceland, specially, was a thing of immense beauty! He was awarded the Best Player of La Liga 2015-16, and was chosen as the Best Player of Euro 2016 as well. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] France's Antoine Griezmann celebrates at the end of the match.
Photo: Reuters[/caption] Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid & Portugal) The Portuguese super-human had a phenomenal year for club and country, winning the unprecedented 11^th Champions League crown with Real Madrid, scoring 51 goals and assisting a further 15 goals in all competitions, becoming the record-holder for the most goals in a single Champions League campaign with 16 goals – and scoring the winning penalty against cross-city archrivals Atletico Madrid in the final. Ronaldo also scored three goals at the European Championship, getting injured in the final, but still vocally-rallied his troops as their leader from the sideline, winning the championship and deservingly lifting the trophy for Portugal as its captain. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during Portugals match against Wales in Euro 2016.
Photo: Reuters[/caption] Luis Suarez (Barcelona & Uruguay) One-third of the world’s most lethal striking trio, Luis Suarez scored an astonishing 53 goals for Barcelona in 49 appearances, laying on a further 21 assists for his teammates, and took Barcelona to the top of the La Liga summit for the year 2015-2016. He finished the season with a league-high 34 goals and 15 assists, was the top scorer in the top-five European leagues, and the second top-assist provider. He is the only player in the 21^st century to have a hand in seven goals in a single match (four goals, three assists vs. Deportivo La Coruna) at the backend of last season. Lethal! [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Barcelona's Luis Suarez celebrates his second goal against Granada on 14 May.
Photo: Reuters[/caption] Lionel Messi (Barcelona & Argentina) Arguably the greatest player of his generation and one of the most watchable footballers of all time, the little Argentine magician is the current holder of the Ballon d’Or, had a somewhat subdued season by his own ultra-high standards, scoring ‘just’ 41 goals and making 26 assists in Barcelona’s title-winning season. He suffered heartache in Argentina’s final loss to Chile at the Copa America 2016, where he scored a total of five goals in three starts. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates after he scored a goal.
Photo: Reuters[/caption] Ronaldo the favourite for the prize? In terms of determining who the most influential player was in leading his club and country to unprecedented glories, all fingers point to the achievements of the Portuguese superhuman, the three-time winner – Cristiano Ronaldo. Having scored a remarkable 51 goals and assisting a further 15 in just 47 appearances for Real Madrid – compared to closest competitors Barcelona’s Louis Suarez’s 53 goals and 21 assists in 49 appearances, and Lionel Messi’s 41 goals and 21 assists in 48 appearances – he leads the list because of his exploits with his national team – giving him an unfamiliar edge of the Barcelona duo of Suarez and Messi – having won Euro 2016 as the team’s captain. Ronaldo scored two vital goals – both equalizers – against Hungary in the group stages in a game that finished 3-3, and allowed Portugal to progress through to the knockout round. His goal with a back-heel flick was one of the best goals scored at the championship. Ronaldo then scored a mighty captain’s goal against Wales in the semi-final, a game which ended 2-0 in Portugal’s favour. Portugal then went onto win the final against hosts France, after extra time, in a match that saw the Portuguese captain become a leader off the pitch after he got injured in the early stages of the match. The sight of an injured Ronaldo leading his team’s charge and chanting instructions from the dugout made for some of the most memorable moments of Euro 2016. Ronaldo’s achievements for Portugal came only after the Portuguese scored 16 goals for Real Madrid in the Champions League – one goal less than the record 17, which Ronaldo himself set two seasons ago. He scored a hat trick in the second-leg of the quarter-final versus Germany’s Wolfsburg, having been trailing 2-0 from the first-leg, which allowed Real Madrid to progress through to the semi-final with an aggregate score of 3-2. Having been mildly anonymous in the final versus Atletico Madrid – a game that went to penalties after a 1-1 score line after 120 minutes – Ronaldo stepped up to take the last penalty for Real Madrid, and calmly dispatched it before running away in jubilation and solidifying his place in Real Madrid folklore. The question still remains as to who would win the prize this year – Ronaldo? Messi? Suarez? The race to win the Ballon d’Or is well and truly on, with journalists from all over Europe getting to choose who they think is the rightful winner to this year’s prestigious award. For us football lovers, January 2017 cannot come sooner!

With the business end of the season approaching fast, Spanish football giant Real Madrid have their eyes set on two major trophies, but the nerve-wracking month of April will decide their fate. The Los Blancos will be playing a series of tough matches in both La Liga and the UEFA Champions League. Real Madrid will have to face a stern test in the shape of the Bundesliga champions and Bayern Munich as both teams look to steal a spot in the UEFA semi-final. Furthermore, arch rivals Barcelona and city rivals Atletico Madrid await their presence in the Spanish league. With all these matches taking place in April, the Whites will have to be on top of their game if they want to secure any major trophies this season. Real Madrid have to face the Bavarians and Bayern Munich in a crucial UEFA Champions League quarter-final, which will no doubt be a tough tie for the Spanish side. The players have fond memories from the last time they met the German side at the semi-final of the competition in 2013-14, where they ran victorious by a margin of 5-0 on aggregate, and went on to win the Champions League that year. The fans hope that the players can replicate a similar sight when they meet again on the field. An interesting factor in this tie will be the managerial bench – the last time these two teams met, Carlo Ancelotti was in charge of Real Madrid, but this time, he will be coaching from the other side of the field. This will surely spice up things as the Italian maestro will try to prove his mettle over his former club. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Real Madrid's coach Carlo Ancelotti gestures during their friendly soccer match against Paris St Germain at Khalifa stadium in Doha January 2, 2014.
Photo: Reuters[/caption] Currently, Real Madrid sits comfortably at the top of the table with a lead of two points and a game in hand in La Liga. But this does not mean that Real Madrid can afford any further slipups as they cannot allow Barcelona to get a sniff of the title. The upcoming matches with Atletico Madrid and Barcelona are perhaps their final hurdles in the race towards the coveted Spanish League crown, a title which has eluded them since 2012. Moreover, the Whites will also face other Spanish teams such as Deportivo Alavés, Deportivo Leganés, Sporting Clube de Portugal, Deportivo La Coruña, and Valencia. These matches are very important as any upset in any one of these matches could possibly give their rivals a chance to win. Making matters worse, the injuries have further haunted Real Madrid throughout this season. But the good news for the team is that most of its players are fit and rearing to go. Although the team is missing a couple of its defenders such as French national Raphael Varane and Portuguese player Pepe, the players are expected to return and re-join the team soon. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Soccer Football - Atletico Madrid v Real Madrid - UEFA Champions League Final - San Siro Stadium, Milan, Italy - 28/5/16 Real Madrid's Pepe
Photo: Reuters[/caption] Real Madrid would want their key players, especially Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo, to fire in all cylinders and use every opportunity that comes their way during these stiff run of fixtures. In the past, Real Madrid failed to convert opportunities into something substantial, despite creating a lot of chances to do so. This is the sort of mistake that can cost them matches against quality sides such as Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Soccer Football - Club America v Real Madrid - FIFA Club World Cup Semi Final - International Stadium Yokohama - 15/12/16 Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo in action with Luka Modric
Photo: Reuters[/caption] Real Madrid’s stellar midfield, led by Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, has been in red hot form throughout this season, which is evident from the numerous chances they have created for their star strikers. The Los Blancos would hope that they continue doing so in the upcoming fixtures as well. Moving our focus from offence to defence, a worrying factor for the Whites has been their goalkeeper Keylor Navas's poor run of from between the sticks. The Costa Rican had a near perfect last season but the current season has been an unforgiving one for him. The pressure has been mounting on him with possible reports emerging about finding a replacement for him in the next transfer window. Navas will be in the thick of things in the upcoming matches, which is why he has to make sure that no more blunders occur from his side. This will be vital if he wants to regain the trust of his fans and team management. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Keylor Navas covers his face in shame after he made a blunder for Real Betis' opener
Photo: Reuters[/caption] If Real Madrid wants to break Barcelona’s foothold over La Liga and become the first team to retain the crown in the open era, it is imperative that Zinedine Zidane and company get through the month of April unscathed.

Real Madrid must prepare for a life beyond Cristiano Ronaldo, and one step in that particular direction could be to sign the Chelsea star, Eden Hazard. The Belgian international was Real Madrid’s target last summer too but instead he opted to stay at Chelsea and has enjoyed another fine season with the blues nearing their second English Premier League (EPL) title in three years. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Football Soccer - Chelsea v Newcastle United - Barclays Premier League - Stamford Bridge - 13/2/16Chelsea's Eden Hazard applauds fans after the game.
Photo: Reuters[/caption] Hazard has featured in 237 matches for Chelsea, scoring 66 goals and providing 50 assists. Since his arrival at the club in 2012, he has bagged the Professional Footballers’ Association’s (PFA) Young Player of the Year award in 2014 and 2015 along with Chelsea Player of the Year award in 2014 and 2015 respectively. Although Hazard had a torrid 2015-16 season under Jose Mourinho, since the arrival of Antonio Conte, the Belgian has recovered his old form and flare. He has recorded 11 goals and five assists for Chelsea this season in 31 appearances, which portrays the kind of form he is in right now. It is expected that Real Madrid will break the £100 million barrier in order to sign Hazard, making him the world’s most expensive player. This means he will take over Manchester United’s Paul Pogba, who was bought by the Reds for a record fee of £89.3 million. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Football Soccer - AC Milan v Juventus - San Siro stadium, Milan, Italy- 9/04/16 - Juventus' Paul Pogba celebrates after scoring.
Photo: Reuters[/caption] For those who think that the Los Blancos are spending too much for Hazard, it must be noted that the former Real Madrid chief, Ramon Calderon, stated that the financial position of the club is healthy and hence can afford it. He further added that the bar has been set by earlier transfers and Chelsea would not agree to anything less than £100 million. Hence, Madrid will not hold back in making the bid. According to Calderon,

“That bar has been set by those transfers, so I think that’s how much a club like Chelsea would be asking for and the economy at Real Madrid is healthy. I don’t think that wouldn’t be a problem for them.”

The immensely talented Spanish giants, Real Madrid, have finally gotten their hands on the coveted La Liga trophy, which is a title they have cherished the most over the past few years. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Real Madrid feel 'broken' after losing late lead in Dortmund. Photo: Reuters[/caption] From the very beginning of this season, it was absolutely clear that Real Madrid were very keen on tasting some domestic league glory as the La Liga title had eluded them since 2012 and this is precisely what Zinedine Zidane and his boys have achieved after a stellar season. Zidane’s influence After Real Madrid sacked Rafa Benitez earlier last season, the club was in utter shambles and lacked direction. The induction of Zidane as team manager has turned out to be a revelation for the Los Blancos. Zidane may not be the best coach in the world, but he has what it takes to bring out the best from this side. Throughout the season, Zidane managed the squad in a fine manner which ensured that, despite the lack of minutes for some very talented players, he kept everyone happy and moved forward as a well-knit unit. This is something managers at the helm of Spanish football have not been able to achieve over the past few years. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Deportivo's Gael Kakuta (right) and Real Madrid's Danilo in La Liga action. Photo: Reuters[/caption] Real Madrid currently possess the best squad in the world which can be seen from the fact that nearly every player can be a part of the final 11 on any given day. This is a blessing in disguise, but not for the manager, as it makes it incredibly difficult to manage such a fine squad. But to Zidane’s credit, he has done extremely well in order to keep grievances arising at a bare minimum, and his side is hence bearing the fruits in shape of some trophies. The sublime Cristiano Ronaldo In the middle of the season, many considered Ronaldo to be a declining force and talks of life beyond CR7 at Real Madrid intensified, but then again, it is just impossible to count out a player of his calibre. Towards the end of the season, be it La Liga or the knockout stages of the Champions League, the Real Madrid talisman has once again proved that he is a force to reckon with by being consistent on the score sheet. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema back for Real Madrid. Photo:Reuters[/caption] Some part of the credit of Ronaldo’s stellar form goes to Zidane, who rotated the player efficiently and took good care of his fitness, which in turn has ensured that he is in perfect shape for the pinnacle of the season. He may have scored fewer goals as compared to some of his counterparts, but he definitely brought out the goods when it mattered most. Only a catastrophe towards the latter part of the year will strip Ronaldo of another Ballon d’or title and he is most likely to level things up with Barcelona’s Lionel Messi with five such honours to his name. A win in the UCL final against Juventus in early June will put a stamp on this issue. Alarcón Suárez (Isco) and the deadly midfield The Welshman, Gareth Bale, missed the majority of the campaign due to an injury. Being an integral part of the BBC (Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano), this was quite a blow. However, Isco’s amazing form ensured that there was nothing to worry about. Isco’s creativity in the midfield, breathtaking touches, and the ability to not let go of the ball easily has surely been one of the reasons why Real Madrid have been crowned champions. With Isco moving freely behind the strikers, the Real Madrid side looked far more balanced and threatening moving forward. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Isco of Real Madrid duels for the ball with Emre colak. Photo: Reuters[/caption] With the likes of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric in the flanks and Casemiro in a holding position, the midfield looks deadly with a startling accuracy to find the right pass almost certainly. Kroos and Modric hardly ever misplace a pass and are tactically extraordinary, especially when the side is under pressure. They keep the side composed and move the ball around in the midfield in an expert fashion. Keylor Navas back in the groove A couple of months ago, Navas was in all sorts of trouble with nothing going the Costa Rican way. His form considerably dipped and he made some rather embarrassing and fatal errors, which brought the reserve goal keeper Kiko Casilla in the mix and also increased talks of bringing Manchester United star David De Gea to the Spanish capital as his replacement for future games. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Keylor Navas could make his first start of the season for Real Madrid. Photo: Reuters[/caption] With the odds stacked against Navas, it was extremely satisfying to see that he regrouped himself and got back into the groove right at the opportune moment. Especially during the last month, with Real Madrid eager to win the title, he has been in his best form the entire season and made some truly incredible saves to deny rivals breaking through. He might still be replaced for the next season, but it was great to see that this notion has not shattered his focus and motivation. The pairing of Marcelo and Carvajal Real Madrid is truly blessed to have two of Europe’s finest full backs in the shape of Dani Carvajal and Brazilian Marcelo. The duo has been one of the reasons why Real Madrid has been so consistent this season. Their pairing has been super clinical all season long and has converted attack into defence on various occasions which has resulted in numerous goals for the Whites. The bursting runs from both Marcelo, down the left, and Carvajal on the right, has made life so much more difficult for opponents who find it ever so difficult to defend against a side with defenders who have such an aggressive advancing nature. The B-Team? With Zidane’s rotation policy in play, it was seen that Real Madrid went with two radically different line-ups in the league and UCL on numerous occasions. Although some might call this their B-team, it was pleasant to see that the quality hardly ever dropped, and on occasions this side played even better than the perceived starting 11. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Marco Asensio (centre) is joined by Alvaro Morata (left) and Marcelo. Photo: Reuters[/caption] The likes of Alvaro Morata, James Rodriguez and Marco Asensio etc ensured that there were no let downs whenever they were called upon to spur their magic. Morata scored 15 goals in La Liga this season and had the best goal scored per minute ratio in the squad, which is a staggering achievement considering he made such less starts. Here it is interesting to mention that the more regular striker, Benzema, had just 11 strikes to his name. What’s next? Now that La Liga is in the bag, Real Madrid will look forward to defending their UEFA Champions League crown against Juventus. Although no side has ever been able to win the UCL twice in a row in the open era, but Real Madrid has the ability and is on track to defy all odds to be crowned champions once again.

Okay, I have been fighting this for quite a few years now but it simply cannot go on like this anymore. Being a Liverpool fan, I didn’t really have any vested interest in the relentlessly incessant Lionel Messi versus Cristiano Ronaldo debate. But like every other football fanatic, I had to take a side and, probably owing to Ronaldo’s former allegiance with our hated rivals Manchester United, ‘Team Messi’ it was for me. Over the years, like a proverbial ostrich, I have been burying my head in the sand while Ronaldo – like a true force of nature – kept blowing away every record that came in his way:

• Scored more than any player in the Champions League history with 105 goals, while Messi is second with 94 goals
• The only player in the history of football to score more than 50 goals in a season on six consecutive occasions
• The only player to have scored in every minute of an official football game
• The top goal scorer in the entire history of Europe’s top six leagues with 372 goals

“This is one of the best moments of my career but it seems I am able to say that every year,” Ronaldo said, further adding, “People won’t be able to criticise me because the numbers don’t lie.”

The English Premier League is arguably the best football league in the world. But considering their wretched record in international tournaments, it seems that England’s national side never got the memo. Every single stakeholder from England’s football governing body ‘The Football Association’ all the way down to the kit man could potentially be blamed for this malaise. One particular person, for the best part of the last decade, has had to bear the major brunt of it. And by the looks of it, this particular individual has had enough. Wayne Mark Rooney announced his retirement last week. By doing so, he put an end to all the debate surrounding his negative influence of the England national side along with his patchy international football career. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney celebrates his opening goal against West Ham United at Old Trafford. He was later sent off a for a lunging tackle. PHOTO: AFP[/caption] It all started oh-so-brightly. Making his England debut on February 12, 2003, at the tender age of just 17, Rooney was the youngest footballer ever to wear the hallowed ‘Three Lions’ badge on his chest. Five months later, he scored the first of his 53 goals with England, against Former Yugoslav Republic (FYR) Macedonia, and in the process became England’s youngest ever scorer as well. Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Euro 2004 in Portugal was when Rooney truly came of age. The continental tournament, or ‘Eu-roo 2004’ as the English media still likes to recall it, was the true making of ‘Wazza’ as he lit up the international stage by scoring four goals. This might sound a tad too bizarre now, but at that particular point in time, Rooney was rated far more highly than Cristiano Ronaldo. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] England’s striker Wayne Rooney. Photo: AFP[/caption] Had it not been for one of Ronaldo’s team mate’s challenge on Rooney that broke his metatarsal bone during the quarter final encounter between their respective sides, a lot of critics still believe that England would have gone on to lift the continental trophy led by the teenage prodigy. It has, however, gone downhill on the international scene ever since then, with Rooney failing to live up to his potential as a once-a-generation talent. He has won 16 trophies with Manchester United, including five Premier League titles and a solitary Champions League Cup. But on the international stage, his poor performance can be summed up by the fact that ever since his four goals in Euro 2004 alone, Rooney has only scored three more goals in all of the subsequent tournaments he has played with England. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Manchester United's Wayne Rooney with Marouane Fellaini before the match. Photo: Reuters[/caption] You might argue that his record as England's all-time leading goal-scorer with 53 goals earns him a legendary status within the game. But the sad reality is that none of those goals contributed anything more than mere participation in international tournaments for his country. Despite his weak impact on the international stage, he was trusted by five different England managers. But the penny finally dropped under the sixth one when Gareth Southgate first dropped him from the national squad last autumn. Later, Rooney was omitted from the side in March 2017 for a friendly against arch-rivals Germany and thus started an individual thought process that ended last week with the former skipper officially retiring from international football. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Manager England, Gareth Southgate and Wayne Rooney during the Three Lions squad session. Photo: Reuters[/caption] The 31-year-old in an official statement claims that he was asked by England’s Southgate to be involved in the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers against Malta and Slovakia.

“It was great Gareth Southgate called me this week to tell me he wanted me back in the England squad for the upcoming matches. I really appreciated that. However, having already thought long and hard, I told Gareth that I had now decided to retire for good from international football.”

“I will always remain a passionate England fan. One of my very few regrets is not to have been part of a successful England tournament side. Hopefully, the exciting players Gareth is bringing through can take that ambition further and I hope everyone will get behind the team.”

Heading into a fresh season, football fans had little doubt about the impervious Real Madrid side. Such was their dominance last season which was carried into the pre-season matches as well, including their thumping win over FC Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Real Madrid won the Spanish Super Cup on Wednesday after a 5-1 aggregate win over bitter rivals FC Barcelona over two legs. Photo: AFP[/caption] But things have not gone according to plan for the Spanish powerhouse since then. Their performance at the beginning of the season has raised questions over whether the team can sustain its commanding run of form, evident from last season, in the long run or not. Uncharacteristic beginning in a new season One would not have expected that Real Madrid would be off to such a lacklustre start in the new season, especially after the amount of success they tasted last season and with an incredible squad at their disposal. The reigning Spanish champions are already seven points behind arch rivals FC Barcelona. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Benzema and Ronaldo celebrate. Photo: Getty[/caption] Criticism towards Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema Surprisingly, a team which is never short of scoring goals has been guilty of missing quite a few chances and has also displayed a lack of a clinical finishing in the final third half of the pitch. This was partly due to the Cristiano Ronaldo’s absence due to a five-match ban and the below par performance in front of the goalpost from Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Benzema and Bale celebrate against Las Palmas, but prematurely. Photo: AFP[/caption] Before moving on, it is important to point out the fact that although Bale and Benzema have not been able to convert the chances they have been presented with, it does not negate the fact that they have been instrumental in creating those chances. Benzema’s link-up play and Bale’s off-the-ball runs and positioning go unnoticed at times. A team which has so much quality going forward, needs players in a facilitating role and both these players have done pretty well in that department. With so many attacking options, Benzema’s role in the side is not just of a traditional striker and his output should not just be measured in terms of goals scored. Judging by the surge in his performance against Real Sociedad and Real Betis, Bale is quickly getting back to his original form after a long injury layoff last season. It is also interesting to mention here that many players can’t get as close to the headers as Bale, due to his great aerial ability in the box. I don’t have a problem with fans criticising them for not finishing off those chances, but booing them, especially Bale, and repeated arguments about selling the duo are a tad bit premature as these players are still a formidable part of Real Madrid’s plans. Zinedine Zidane’s managerial aptitude put to test Although there were a variety of reasons which contributed to Real Madrid’s defeat against Real Betis, one of them was Zidane’s panicking substitutions. Already a left-back short, Zidane brought in Borja Mayoral in place of Luka Modric to go on the offensive. That tactic backfired since Toni Kroos was the only player left to link up a fragile defence and there were too many attacking players. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Real Madrid's French coach Zinedine Zidane. Photo: AFP[/caption] This eventually led to Real Madrid conceding a goal during the dying stages of the match. Although Zidane has done quite well tactically, but with just two years at the helm of Spanish football, he still has to make some progress in learning the tricks of the trade. It goes without saying that one of the major reasons behind Real Madrid’s success in both Spain and Europe was Zidane’s rotation policy and man management. This kept the side fresh and firing towards the crucial backend of the season. But this season, his job is slightly tougher. Zidane no longer has the services of Alvaro Morata, who scored 20 goals in the last season, and Columbian James Rodriguez, who had the most assists in the entire squad in the previous season. They were a regular part of Real Madrid’s so called ‘B’ team, hence ensuring that Real Madrid were not dropping points, even without their main guns sitting out the matches. Having said that, Mayoral and Dani Ceballos’s performances against Real Sociedad and Alaves should be a breath of fresh air for Zidane. With many players sitting out due to injuries, including Marcelo Vieira, Theo Hernández, Mateo Kovacic and Benzema, Zidane has got his work cut out as Real Madrid look to retain their Spanish title. Cristiano Ronaldo If there is one thing the first few matches have highlighted, it is that Ronaldo is still Real Madrid’s decisive man in the box. His positioning in front of the goal and getting at the end of chances is second to none and Real Madrid has missed him dearly. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Cristiano Ronaldo controls a ball during the Spanish League football match at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid. Photo: AFP[/caption] Although he has not been able to get on the score sheet against Real Betis and Alaves, it is certain that the Los Blancos will need their talisman back and firing if they are to remain in contention for La Liga. He has shown signs of rustiness since his return, but his performance against Alaves showed signs that he is quickly getting back into the thick of things. Real Madrid cannot afford more slip-ups in La Liga, especially at such an early stage of the season, and Ronaldo will be critical to Real Madrid for ending the game on a victorious note. With his fierce rival Lionel Messi going all out, you can be rest assured that Ronaldo won’t be short of motivation to perform well. Although this has been a turbulent start to the season for the Los Blancos, but if there is one team that turn things around quickly, it is Real Madrid itself. The Whites have fallen short in few key areas at the start of the season, but once they find their groove, they will be a tough side to beat.

Brazil is the go-to team for an overwhelming majority of my countrymen when it comes to the FIFA World Cup. But Argentina is arguably the second most widely supported international team, as far as Pakistani football fans are concerned. So with a very heavy heart, I am sad to announce that La Albiceleste, after a goalless drawn match against Peru, are at risk of missing the World Cup for the first time since 1970. Come to think of it, that was even before than most of us were born. Moreover, their failed qualification would be the first time in our lifetime that we would not be able to watch the ‘blue and white stripes’ gracing a world cup stage. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Lucas Biglia and Sergio Pena during the Argentina-Peru FIFA 2018 World Cup qualifier ar La Bombonera on October 5, 2017 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Photo: AFP[/caption] If the aforementioned information has still failed to make an impact, how about the fact that Lionel Messi, the most iconic player of his generation and quite possibly of all time, would be a no-show for this event. And at 30, you also need to absorb the cold hard stat that Russia 2018 may be his last FIFA World Cup. It is almost unthinkable but it could very well happen. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Argentina's Lionel Messi gestures at the end of the goalless 2018 World Cup qualifier football match against Peru in Buenos Aires on Thursday. Photo: AFP[/caption] Only the top four teams from the South American Football Confederation are guaranteed a place at the 2018 event and with just one game left, Argentina are ranking sixth with 25 points in the 10-team CONMEBOL group. The fifth placed side, currently Peru, qualify for a play-off against Oceania champions, New Zealand. The match against Peru was typical of so many Argentina matches in the Messi era. Despite a dominating possession in front of a boisterous 49,000 capacity home crowd at Boca Juniors’ fabled La Bombonera stadium, La Albiceleste failed to find a way through Los Incas’ resolute defence. In hindsight, Argentina’s coach Jorge Sampaoli’s bold decision to play debutante Dario Benedetto and Alejandro Gómez in front of Paulo Dybala and Mauro Icardi turned out to be a total disaster. And that was after Messi had one of his better games for the country. The diminutive playmaker took two shots, with one of them hitting the post. He succeeded in seven of his 12 dribble attempts and created six shots for his teammates. Sampaoli tried to sound upbeat following the stalemate and said,

“Our situation is not very comfortable, but it depends on us. I remain confident we’ll be in the World Cup. It would really be unfair if a group that put it all out there like they did does not advance. Throughout the game, we had a marked advantage against them but we could not break through.”

I had never been much of a sports fan. My father loves cricket and whenever he watched it, I either watched it half-heartedly with him or just left the room. It never interested me like it interested many of my friends. I thought maybe I am not into sports; maybe the extent of me liking sports is restricted to playing basketball. I was introduced to football back in school. It seemed so new to me, I had never explored this game. People at school talked about it and apparently watching it was cooler than watching cricket. I tried watching it and I realised that I actually love it. The game, the players, the fans and the loyalty one possessed for their club, fascinated me. Everything that I experienced while watching a football game was new and real, and for the first time in my life, I felt connected to something. However, what bothered me was the way men in my life responded to my interest in football. Yes, I am a girl and yes I love watching football. How does that make me better than every other girl who doesn’t? And how does that make me an ‘ideal girl to date’? I never understood why being a girl and watching football was such news flash to men. I remember back in university, I was talking to a guy and we ended up discussing El Clásico (Real Madrid versus Barcelona) as it was coming up; he told me that he couldn’t believe that I watched football. He said that for him, a girl who watched football was an ideal girl, a date-worthy girl. He proceeded to explain how he does not know a girl who did watch it and told me that he was really interested in me because I knew so much about football. Also, he was pretty excited that I was a Madridista, same as him. There couldn’t be any more red flags there, so I tried to explain and reason with him, but his fascination of me, a girl watching football, did not go away. He said,

“If you keep talking to me about football, I’ll fall in love with you!”

“You’re not like other girls!”

“Tum toh football bi dekhti ho, aadhay ladkay toh wesey hi pasand karlengay!” (You also like football, half of the men will already like you because of that!)

“Nai yaar, mujhay kahan pata. (Of course I don’t, how would I now?) I only know Ronaldo because you know, he is hot!” I replied, to which he smirked.

“Tumhain bara pata hai na football ka (you know so much about football, right), then tell me, do you even know who is the highest goal-scorer of your club after Ronaldo?”

Watching the match this past Sunday, I had no doubt that Real Madrid would win this one and add points to their La Liga ranking. I was even more sure when Isco put the ball inside the net at the 12^th minute. This game was supposed to be ours, this game we shouldn’t have lost. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Isco scored for Real Madrid in the defeat to Girona. Photo: Reuters[/caption] After half time though, everything changed. By the 58^th minute, we were down by two. It still did not occur to me that we can lose this game since Girona was a La Liga debutante. The last game we lost to a debutante in the league was 27 years ago; funnily enough, it was exactly 27 years and a day ago. Real Madrid lost to Real Burgos on October 28, 1990, the last time they lost to a newbie. It is an achievement for any club to beat the best team in the world, but for a club like Girona to achieve it, is nothing less than a dream. It isn’t the loss that saddens me; it is the way that we lost that does. Girona played well, yes, but Real Madrid gave away those sloppy goals. The loss cost us those three crucial points in La Liga, making us fall eight points below Barcelona. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Soccer Football - Liga Santander - Girona vs Real Madrid - Estadi Montilivi, Girona, Spain - October 29, 2017 Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos looks dejected. Photo: Reuters[/caption] Girona seemed like the team to beat and gave Real Madrid a hard time from the get-go. In a span of 45 minutes, they had hit the goal post twice, leading Casilla to thank and kiss the goal post for saving it for him. Their luck, however, did not last long because in the second half, Girona scored twice in just four minutes. Pere Pons zoomed into the Real area and even though Nacho managed to deflect the ball, it landed in the path of Cristhian Stuani who did not fumble at the opportunity and swiped a perfect goal past Casilla, equalising the score to 1-1. After four minutes, Stuani attempted a shot, which was blocked and fell right at the path of Maffeo who kicked it towards the goal, and thanks to Portu’s alertness, was back heeled into a second goal. At this point, everyone was left dumbfounded and Zidane decided it was time to go all in. He subbed Marcelo with Lucas Vázquez and Achraf Hakimi with Marco Asensio, putting all his eggs in one basket, the attacking side. It did not help, Girona was on fire and Stuani attempted another goal shot albeit wide, but the pressure was on. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Soccer Football - Liga Santander - Girona vs Real Madrid - Estadi Montilivi, Girona, Spain - October 29, 2017 Girona's Portu celebrates scoring their second goal. Photo: Reuters[/caption] Their energy did not falter and every chance and shot taken by Real Madrid was blocked and deflected by Girona. It probably would not have mattered much if it weren’t for the fact that Real Madrid had a weak start to the season. Watching the previous matches, it seemed like they may be able to catch up, but an eight-point difference is hard to recover from. Even if we win back-to-back matches, including both Clasicos, we might still lose if Barcelona keeps performing relentlessly. The only hope for us now is that Barcelona drops some points as well so that we have a chance to catch up and a shot at winning the league. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Real Madrid's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (L) and Real Madrid's French forward Karim Benzema stand on the field after Girona's goal during the Spanish league football match Girona FC vs Real Madrid CF at the Municipal de Montilivi stadium in Girona on October 29, 2017. Photo: AFP[/caption] Real Madrid is off to a very disappointing season. The Meringues have managed to tie two games, Valencia and Levante, and lose two of the 10 games, Real Betis and Girona, played this season in La Liga. Moreover, Cristiano Ronaldo has had a disappointing start with only one goal to his name. Yes, he was banned from the initial four games, but one goal in six matches is his lowest since he joined Real Madrid. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Soccer Football - Liga Santander - Girona vs Real Madrid - Estadi Montilivi, Girona, Spain - October 29, 2017 Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo looks dejected. Photo: Reuters[/caption] It seems that Real Madrid is facing the brunt of letting experienced players like James Rodriguez, Alvaro Morata and Pepe leave. All of them made the official team B and helped Madrid keep the score up against important teams last season in La Liga. Furthermore, 20 points out of 30 is the worst score since Jose Mourinho’s 2012-2013 season. And it does not help when you see that arch-rivals Barcelona are off to an amazing start, winning nine out of the 10 games played. If someone looks at this team now, they would not believe that this team won three Champions League titles in four years. This team was deemed the best team in Europe and yet seem out of sorts this season. On the contrary, Real Madrid is doing well in the UCL games. They won two games, against Dortmund and Apoel Nicosia, and tied their game with Tottenham. They have to win the game today with Tottenham to be in the lead in UCL Group H since both teams are tied at seven points in first place. Real has not lost a group stage match since 2012, but considering they just did what they hadn't in 27 years, I am scared. I haven’t given up hope, probably because I have witnessed this team do the impossible. Whether it is Ramos’s 93^rd minute header that wins us the game or winning two Champions League titles consecutively, Los Blancos have never failed to surprise me. The time for sloppy games and mistakes is over, and if we don’t get it together now, we’d be saying good bye to La Liga even before the first Clasico this season.

It was the final of the 2014 Copa del Rey  when Gareth Bale’s magical run past Barcelona’s Marc Bartra and the subsequent goal, helped the Los Blancos lift the title. With a jubilant Cristiano Ronaldo watching from the stands, it seemed as if the former Spurs player was ready to be in the centre of Real Madrid’s plans for the future. Unfortunately, however, things did not materialise the way the fans and Bale himself expected them to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWVrolNQ4RU If you are a Real Madrid fan, one of the constants in your life would be the amount of injury updates you get to hear about the Welshman, frustrating right? Honestly speaking, I have lost count of the amount of times he has gotten injured since joining Real Madrid and that should tell you something. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Real Madrid's forward Gareth Bale gets injury during the UEFA Champions League Group F football match Sporting CP vs Real Madrid at the Alvalade stadium in Lisbon, Portugal on November 22, 2016. Photo: Getty[/caption] When Bale moved from Tottenham to Real Madrid for around €100 million, a lot was expected of him, and to be fair, he did produce some magical moments during his on-going tenure at the club. However, there has always been lack of consistency largely because of the recurring injuries which have diminished his flare. In a short span of time, Bale’s bag of silverware includes three Champions League titles, one Spanish League cup and a Copa del Rey crown. Although his trophy cabinet is something most of the other footballers can only dream about, spending such a large chunk of time off the pitch during campaigns takes the essence out of these triumphs. Having the fastest footballer on the planet in your squad surely sounds great, but one instantly has second thoughts about it when that player misses majority of the season due to injury. Real Madrid’s patience must be wearing thin and the speculations about putting him up for sale are not surprising at all. Bale has missed 40 of the last 60 Real Madrid games, which is a statistic he must not be proud of. According to another statistic, he has only been available for 50% of the minutes since his arrival at the Spanish powerhouse. His injuries during the first two seasons were manageable to an extent but over the past couple of seasons, the situation has gone from bad to worse. Although the club has stuck by him on previous occasions, his latest injury could mean that Florentino Perez and the board might start looking towards possible future options. Real Madrid’s stuttering start to the new season and poor form of Ronaldo and Karim Benzema is also not helping his cause. With the club needing him fit and firing, Bale is sitting out on the side-lines most of the time, which isn’t a sight the fans want to see. While it is hard to imagine Real Madrid selling him mid-season during the winter transfer window, the next summer transfer window could signal the end of his time with the current European Champions. However, it is also true that replacing a player like Bale won’t be easy on the transfer market; all the suitable replacements are at clubs who will fight to the bitter end to keep hold of their players, and the Whites are no longer in a position to dictate the market through their financial power. Some people are also of the opinion that Real Madrid should persist with Bale by comparing his case to that of Arjen Robben. The current Bayern star also suffered from various injuries during his time at Real Madrid before he was eventually sold to Bayern Munich, where Robben has been a massive success. So should Real Madrid risk selling another player and see him succeed at another club? But in this case, what they fail to realise is that Robben was 25, with quite a few peak years left in him, when he made the move to Bayern. Bale is already 28 and it is difficult to see him go full throttle for, say, three straight seasons at another club, which is why the risks involved in selling him are lesser than that of Robben. Bearing in mind that both Ronaldo and Benzema are 32 and 29 respectively, Real Madrid need someone to lead their attack in the coming years. It is about time they decide whether to keep faith with Bale or look for other viable options in the market. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] MADRID, SPAIN - JANUARY 17: Gareth Bale of Real Madrid lies injured beside Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema during the La Liga match between Real Madrid CF and Sporting Gijon at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on January 17, 2016 in Madrid, Spain. Photo: Getty[/caption] It goes without saying that there is no doubt about the Welsh winger’s abilities. Whenever he is fit and in form, he is an unstoppable force on the field and even showed us glimpses of that this season in matches against Real Sociedad in La Liga and Dortmund in UEFA Champions League. But when you have spent such a hefty amount on acquiring his services, you can’t blame the club to show Bale the door when he is no longer effective as a squad member. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] The Welshman delicately chipped the ball over the keeper to score his second of the season. Photo: AP[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Gareth Bale of Real Madrid celebrates is goal during the UEFA Champions League group H match between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid. Photo: Getty[/caption] On a personal note, I am hoping against hope that when he returns after his latest injury, Bale resurrects his career at Real Madrid and stays healthy for the rest of the season. In an ideal case scenario, the El Clasico would be a good time for him to hit back and steal the limelight. Fingers crossed!

One of the greatest spectacles of the football world is the age-old rivalry between Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona, and once again that time has dawned upon us. Get ready for some exhilarating and gut-wrenching moments! Lionel Messi versus Cristiano Ronaldo For obvious reasons, the biggest talking point of the El Clasico once again would be the never-ending Messi and Ronaldo comparisons. Ronaldo had a frustrating time at the start of the season and it took him quite a while to net his first La Liga goal, but things have taken a good turn for the Portuguese in the past couple of weeks or so. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has looked more confident on the field recently with visible improvement in decision-making inside the box. The Santiago Bernabeu would love to see a fired up Ronaldo take on the Catalans, similar to the last occasion he faced Barca in the Spanish super cup, but maybe not shove the referee in the back this time? [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid reacts after a red card during the Supercopa de Espana Supercopa Final 1st Leg match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at Camp Nou on August 13, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Photo: Getty[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Cristiano Ronaldo (L) of Real Madrid reacts after a red card during the Supercopa de Espana Supercopa Final 1st Leg match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at Camp Nou on August 13, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Photo: Getty[/caption] Messi's individual brilliance along with the ability to drag the side to victory with him will leave you astounded more often than not. Like the majority of the season so far, a lot will rely on the little Argentinian to turn up the heat on the home side. If he is able to pull something out of his bag of tricks, chances of a meltdown in the heart of Madrid is likely. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona (R) in action against Carlos Casemiro of Real Madrid (L) during the Supercopa de Espana Final 1st Leg match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at Camp Nou on August 13, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Photo: Getty[/caption] Word of advice: Don’t get dragged into the Messi/Ronaldo greatest of all time (GOAT) debate because you will hear a lot of ridiculous opinions. Enjoy the fact that you are alive in this era. Other stars of the show It is unfortunate to see Gareth Bale miss so many games due to injury especially because he adds more dynamism to Real Madrid's attacks. Whenever he has played this season, he has had instant impact on the game, but the final decision on whether he replaces and starts over Isco is an interesting dilemma for Zinedine Zidane because it is hard to see Karim Benzema getting dropped. Although Benzema has complete trust of Zidane, the French duo could come under some serious criticism if the striker continues to be sub-par in front of the goal while also offering little in a facilitating and linking up play role on the pitch. Got to pull up your socks, Benz! Looking for hot takes? Here is one: Luis Suarez should be watching the Clasico from the sidelines! But as it is quite often the case in La Liga, that won’t be happening after another poor decision by the referee. Suarez got away unscathed with a rather nasty elbow on Deportivo player’s neck, which should have resulted in marching orders for the Uruguayan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sYROLMSdNs Fascinating midfield battle Both teams not only have potent forward lines but also some great names in the midfield, which should mean a fascinating battle in the middle of the park. Real Madrid has the services of the Croatian maestro, Luka Modric, whose formidable presence in the midfield has a calming effect on the entire side. When Modric is on top of his game, his movement, positioning and vision is a glory to behold as it makes the entire team tick. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Lionel Messi (L) of FC Barcelona conducts the ball next to Luka Modric (R) of Real Madrid CF during the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at Camp Nou stadium on December 3, 2016 in Barcelona, Spain. Photo: Getty[/caption] Alongside Modric, the current La Liga champions also have Toni Kroos and Casemiro in their ranks. Kroos is extremely efficient in exploiting spaces and bypassing defensive structure of opponents, while Carlos Casemiro has grown into a very reliable defensive midfielder. Barca’s key men in the midfield include Andres Iniesta, Ivan Rakitic and Sergio Busquets who are really good at playing off each other. Spanish midfielder Iniesta, despite aging and losing some of his edge, has shown that he has enough left in the tank to add vibrancy to Barca's attacks. Busquets is a crucial part of Barca’s midfield as he plays a key role in building from the back. Plus the surprisingly good form of Paulinho must be heartening for the club after the initial question marks surrounding his signing. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Andres Iniesta of FC Barcelona (R) plays against Toni Kroos of Real Madrid (L) during the Supercopa de Espana Final 1st Leg match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at Camp Nou on August 13, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Photo: Getty[/caption] The middle field battle between these two sides will have a major bearing on the result of the match. Quality in defence The defensive aspect does not normally make the headlines at Barca but this season they have the joint best defensive record in La Liga. Ter Stegen has been top notch between the sticks, however, it is unfortunate that they will miss Samuel Umtiti, who has been outrageously good at the back before he was injured. Although the Whites conceded a few sloppy goals due to poor marking and defensive transition during the earlier games of the season, they have done reasonably well off late with Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane forming a solid centre-back pairing. The full backs of both teams have been vital in providing width on the pitch while also being solid at the back. Real Madrid has two of the world’s finest players, Marcelo Vieira and Dani Carvajal, for that role. Their attacking nature makes the Los Blancos a constant threat on the flanks. On the other hand, Barcelona is also sufficiently equipped in that regard with Jordi Alba and Sergi Roberto. Alba's chemistry with Messi on the left flank has worked to good effect while Roberto has effectively kept out Nelson Semedo with good performances on the right. Tactical matters Real Madrid's 4-4-2 diamond formation with Isco at the tip of the diamond worked to great effect last season but it has not been that productive so far. If the home side goes with the same formation today, Zidane should ensure that Isco's roaming is restricted to the final third and other players complement him efficiently by covering spaces he leaves behind. Barca’s coach Ernesto Valverde, who has lost all five meetings against Zidane, has some interesting calls in terms of what combination to unfold bearing in mind the injury concerns. Like Zidane, he could also opt for the 4-4-2 formation with Paulinho in line for a start while Thomas Varmaelen should partner Gerard Pique in centre of defence in the absence of Umtiti. Talking about players coming off the bench, Real Madrid is comparatively stronger as compared to their rivals. The home side’s young star Marco Asensio, in all probability, will start on the bench despite having scored in the previous two Clasicos; a fair reflection of Real Madrid’s bench strength. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Marco Asensio of Real Madrid celebrates after scoring his team's third goal during the Supercopa de Espana Final first leg match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at Camp Nou on August 13, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Photo: Getty[/caption] I am not going to go into predicting the outcome of this game but what one can safely assume is that at the end of the 90 minutes at the Bernabeu, the highlights reel will most definitely indicate a memorable encounter.