Barcelona's Lionel Messi agrees new contract, to become world's best paid footballer.
Barcelona star, Lionel Messi has signed a new contract that would make him the best paid footballer in the world. He will only overtake his Real Madrid nemesis, Cristiano Ronaldo by a very small fraction. While Ronaldo’s salary is put at €20 million per year, Messi will earn
€20.5 million. Despite the new package, Ronaldo will earn more from image rights.
Below is a statement on the club’s site
“FC Barcelona has reached an agreement to adjust the terms in the contract binding Leo Messi to the club as a professional first team player. The revised and updated contract will be signed over the next few days.”
This will also end the rumours making rounds for the past few weeks linking him with one club or the other. In actual fact, over 15 clubs reportedly approached him this season. The Argentine is 8 goals away from becoming the highest goalscorer in the history of the Spanish first division. The new contract will expire in 2019.
Yaya Toure makes a case for undervalued African players
Three-time African player of the year, Yaya Toure during an interview on Football Focus segment on BBC World News made a case for undervalued footballers in Africa. Toure who has netted a total of 22 goals this season for his club, Manchester City says African footballers deserve to be celebrated like their European counterparts. The 30 year-old UN ambassador believes the media has a major role to play in the recognition/celebration of African players.
“To be honest, proper recognition has only come from the fans, I don’t want to be hard and I don’t want to be negative, but I want to be honest. If we play well and we don’t have the recognition from the media, we are not going to be where we want to be. If you go to any part of Africa now, people will say, ‘yes, we know Messi, but when you come to Europe and say ‘Yaya Toure’ people will say, ‘who is that?’ Some will say they know my name but not know my face. But they will know Messi’s face.” He stated
Citing the likes of Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto’o who are un-appreciated despite their significant contributions at their various clubs. The Ivorian believes they also deserve to win the Ballon d’Or award, adding that there has only been one African winner of the award, which is former AC Milan and Liberia striker George Weah who won in 1995.
“Those players are more than legends for me and Africa. I am very proud to be African, I want to defend African people and I want to show to the world that African players can be as good as the Europeans and South Americans.”
2014 World Cup: Has Argentina coach written Nigeria off already?
Manchester United player becomes world's fastest footballer. (See top ten list)
FIFA has released it’s list of the fastest footballers in the world. A Manchester United player came tops! Not Wayne Rooney, Van Persie, Evra or other big names in the Red Devils’ squad. Its Antonio Valencia. I’m sure no one was really looking towards his direction.
FIFA determined this based on the highest recorded speed of a player in a game whilst in possession of the ball. With a speed of 35.1 km/h, Valencia beat the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Franck Ribery and co.
TOP TEN WORLD’S FASTEST FOOTBALLERS
(1.) Antonio Valencia – 35.1 km/h
(2.) Gareth Bale – 34.7 km/h
(3.) Aaron Lennon – 33.8 km/h
(4.) Cristiano Ronaldo – 33.6 km/h
(5.) Theo Walcott – 32.7 km/h
(6.) Lionel Messi – 32.5 km/h
(7.) Wayne Rooney – 31.2 km/h
(8.) Franck Ribery – 30.7 km/h
(9.) Arjen Robben – 30.4 km/h
(10.) Alexis Sanchez – 30.1 km/h
Conversation between Messi and Pepe in the last el-clasico revealed.
Adidas celebrates Lionel Messi's latest milestone
Love or Loathe them: Messi and Ronaldo break new records
Lionel Messi breaks UEFA Champions League goal-scoring record
Phenomenal Barcelona Forward, Lionel Messi has broken UEFA Champions League goal-scoring record for the most goals for a single club. The 26 year-old Argentine took advantage of an error by Joleon Lescott and netted in his 67th career Champions League goal in the 67th minute of Wednesday’s 2-1 victory over Manchester City. The 4-time Ballon d’Or winner has now surpassed former Real Madrid star, Raul’s 66-goal tally for the spanish club.