MESSI WINS BALLON D' OR

Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona and Argentina has won the inaugural FIFA Ballon d'Or award for the best player of 2010.

This sees the Argentine retain the award for the footballer of the year: last year he was the undisputed winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year award and the Ballon d'Or prize, which have this year merged into one single title.

Messi thus becomes one of a rare few to win the award twice in a row, beating club teammates Xavi and Andres Iniesta, both of Spain, in the process. He obtained 22.65 per cent of the votes, overcoming Iniesta's 17.36 per cent and Xavi's 16.48 per cent.FIFA's voting panel judged Messi to be the best due to his astounding club form. In La Liga, Messi has spent the last twelve months scoring a goal a game. In those matches that he didn't score he often turned provider: in the 5-0 rout of Real Madrid, Messi set up two of the strikes for his teammates.

A disappointing World Cup for Argentina could have hampered Messi's chances - in World Cup years, it is often players from the winning team that win the Ballon d'Or. This year seems to be an exception to the rule.

Xavi, meanwhile, missed out despite a year in which he provided the most assists of all, and had a passing rate the likes of which is seldom seen. Andres Iniesta, another key assister who also scored the winning goal in the World Cup final, perhaps failed to win due to missing much of the year with injury.

Second In A RowBarcelona failed to win the Champions League in 2009-10, but this did not cost Messi due to his tremendous individual showings throughout the tournament.

He was the top scorer in Europe's premier club competition despite not reaching the final, with four of his eight tournament goals coming in one glorious performance against Arsenal in the quarter-finals.

His prowess in front of goal was no less in La Liga. En route to winning the La Liga Player of the Year award for the second time in a row, Messi became his club's and in fact the whole league's top goalscorer, netting 34 goals in 35 appearances. This also brought him the European Golden Shoe award for top continental striker.


Needless to say, he was also named Argentine Footballer of the Year for the fifth time in six years.

Against The Grain?Not everyone agreed with FIFA's decision that Messi should win. In a Goal.com poll run in the days leading up to the announcement, a majority tipped Xavi to win the award, with the Argentine in second and Iniesta a distant third.



Messi himself said in the lead-up to the award that he would be delighted no matter who won and that his two teammates deserve it, but in the end he left with the prize yet again.

Other Awards

As well as the men's Ballon d'Or there were other prizes given out in Zurich on Monday:

• FIFPro/FIFA World XI: Casillas; Maicon, Pique, Lucio, Puyol; Sneijder, Xavi, Iniesta; C. Ronaldo, Villa, Messi.
• Men's Coach of the Year: Jose Mourinho (Real Madrid / Inter)
• Women's Player of the Year: Marta (Santos - Brazil)
• Women's Coach of the Year: Silvia Neid (Germany)
• FIFA Puskas Award for Best Goal: Hamit Altintop (for Turkey versus Kazakhstan)

By Ewan Macdonald
http://www.goal.com/

Lionel MESSI Club: FC Barcelona Country: Argentina Position: Forward Date of Birth: 24 June 1987 (age 23) Defining moment of 2010: Scoring all four as the Blaugrana battered Arsenal 4-1 on April 6

Best Yet Again

HAPPY NEW YEARS EVERYONE

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE.

Wishing you a prosperous NEW YEAR. We go back in time to Cape Town Docksides New Years Eve 2000. This brings back memmories.
Dedicated to all the Marines who fought in that war.
Stay Safe see you in 2011

MERRY XMAS

Swoosh0018 would like to wish all our readers that are celebrating a MERRY XMAS. Have a great festive season.
Also The DEBONAIRS LENZ CBD LEAGUE CUP in our Fantasy League will have the semi finals played this GAMEWEEK due to the Snow. Happy Holidays Everyone.

WIN TICKETS TO ADVENTURES OF NODDY

WIN 4 Tickets per family to watch the Noddy Festival at JHB Theatre courtesy of Buzz Media
Simply email swoosh0018@gmail.com and answer the following question.
Who is the captain of Liverpool?
Send in your mail with your full Name and we will get back to you should you win tickets.

Thanks Swoosh

HAPPY DIWALI

Swoosh0018.com wishes all our readers  and friends that are celebrating Diwali "Happy Diwali".
Best wishes to all.

GIRLS SOCCER FESTIVAL 2010

Click on image for larger view

FC MAYFAIR KIDDIES TOURNAMENT

Time	Saturday, October 23 · 9:00am - 4:00pm
Location	LANGLAAGTE TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL
Created By	MAYFAIR FOOTBALL CLUB
More Info	IF U'VE BEEN THER BEFORE YOU KNOW NOT TO MISS IT .. AND IF YOU'VE NEVER BEEN -U DONT KNOW WHAT YOU MISSING. SO JOIN US FOR A DAY FILLED WITH FUN AND EXCITMENT.

ON SAFARI IN THE KRUGER

Bushman Bobby in the days when he new Henrick Wolharter

One week in the Bush...Fantastic.Perhaps I could call it Digital Detox or adventure.I arrived early this morning.It was a week of no technolgy.I get back to Liverpool in the perishans.Anyways the Safari was fantastic,Unbelievable.More on my diary of the Safari on http://www.travelxtreme.blogspot.com/. And from tomorow its back to the grind. As for the week it was Scorpians,Bushman Bobby,encounters with boomslangs,Spitting Cobras and a residen leopard in the Camp.......And of course amazing pictures courtesy of Awesome Kruger Tours.

SUN CITY 2010-THE WEEKEND OF THE EXPENDABLES

No Round Up this week.The lads were in Sun City.Swoosh0018 and Killa.co.za together.A star studded crew.Faaiz Oz,Moe...World Cup Reunion.It was too good. Killa entertained us and below is a you tube video tribute to him. As for the footie.Arsenal and Chelsea lost,Real Madrid,Mancs and Liverpool all drew.A good win for Juve.But for now......Rest after a sublime weekend

REST TIME

So the World Cup is over and I must admit depression has set in. We had a blast.To the crew that made the Swoosh0018 crew and assisted me throughout the tournament it was FANTASTIC. We had a blast.
Im gonna rest for two weeks.Update the World Cup Diaries and charge up for the next season.Its well needed.
Attending a World Cup tournament when your country is the host has been sensational.Ive attended a bit of Euro 96 when I was only 20.This has been something else.So many moments,brilliant fans and being part of the greatest football spectacle ever is truly unbelievable.Ive attended about 17 games and some of the lads more.
To see the tactics,skill and movement of some of the best players in the world has been a revelation.Im a true football fan.And I loved it from start to finish and yeah I f34ken miss it. But all good things come to an end and for now a good rest until the season starts again.

FLY THE FLAG FESTIVAL

TIGERS FC & RIYAD MOOSA

Its always good to see a community team prosper. Tigers under 11 led by Sadek Dhorat and Feroz Soni have been accepted to play in the Arsenal Youth Cup and they are raising support by hosting Riyad Moosa.

So anyone that wants to support this club and watch this hilarious comedy show. Please contact

Sadek : 082 553 1212

Moosa: 082 454 0309

Feroz: 082 414 1635

Date: 16th & 17th April 2010

Venue:  Patidar Hall & Linder Auditorium

Time: 7:30 for 8.30

Admission: R150

Seating Unreserved

BAYERN MUNICH VS MAN UTD

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FOOTBALL AT CAFE NESCAFE
IN FORDSBURG,
TUESDAY
We are with the German Killaas he wishes to avenge that night in 1999.When Samuel Koufor was hitting the ground and Effenburg couldnt touch the trophy.
Its Big but the luck of the MANCS and the ghosts of Munich are ever present as Robben is ruled out.The MANCS just have the luck. But can Bayern produce the goods.

In the other game on Wednesday its Barcelona vs Arsenal. Can the litys teach their elders a lesson and can Messy be stopped.
See you there

Once again I will insert this video.....The start of this video depicts what happens when the Ghosts of Munich descend.
To fully understand the passion of Europe I urge all to watch the start of the video. This is what its about...and this is the true definition of the Ghosts of Munich helping Man Utd.As the fan states..There were 22 players on the pitch. Tommy Taylor, Duncan Edwards and the Ghosts of Munich

WIN RCS SHOPPING VOUCHER

Well our Arsenal Man is really looking forward to the season. So he is offering readers a chance to win a RCS Shoping voucher with  R350.

All you have to do is Predict the scores for the Next three Arsenal Games.

Email: swoosh0018@gmail.com with your answers.Closest or winning mail wins

HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND SEE YOU IN 2010

Well,A bad weekend again. Im off to Cape Town. Back on the tenth of January. Cape Town should b sublime as always.Really looking forward to it.
It was a great weekend of Sport with the only poistive being Hash scoring a hundred....and the MANCS losing as well as Liverpool and Juve.The good thing is that RAFA Should Go.
But hows the MANCS losing 3-0 to Fullham.
And we f34ken lose to bottom of the log Portsmouth. Aquilani on the bench and Lucas plays.

ALSO BARCELONA ARE FIFA WORLD CLUB CHAMPIONS.Azee and Co were there and we will get some feedback from him
Maybe thats why Alex Ferguson says" I will never watch Liverpool even if they playing in my own backyard"
Well Happy Holidays everyone and Swoosh0018 wishes all our readers that are celebrating Christmas a "Merry Christmas" and a prosperous new Year.
We return in 2010 and the World Cup year.
I hope to have lots of pics of Cape Town as well as the 2010 BUILD UP in the Cape.
Have a blast in the Holidays.
DEBONAIRS LENASIA CBD LEAGUE CUP CHAMPION WILL BE ANOUNCED AS WELL.

Swoosh

ROBERT ENKE DIES

Swoosh0018 would like to pay tribute to Robert Enke who lost his life. Also our partner site http://www.killa.co.za/ of whom Killa is a devoted German Fan. So RIP Robert Enke

Germany goalkeeper Robert Enke dies at age 32; player hit by train, police suspect suicide



By Nesha Starcevic (CP) – 1 hour ago


FRANKFURT, Germany — A goalkeeper expected to play for Germany at the World Cup died after being hit by a train in what police suspect is a suicide. He was 32.


Robert Enke played for the German club Hannover. Team president Martin Kind confirmed his death, and German police later released a statement saying a man had been fatally injured after being struck by a train Tuesday night.


The statement said the victim was "apparently national team goalkeeper Robert Enke" and "first police indications are that it was a suicide."


"You expect many things, but not something like that," Kind said. "I do not know how and why it happened, but I do not think that it had anything to do with football."


The train crossing was not far from Enke's Hannover home and his car was found near the scene, police said. Hundreds of fans lit candles and placed flowers outside the Hannover stadium on Tuesday night.


Enke had been diagnosed with a bacterial stomach ailment and missed nine weeks before returning 11 days ago and playing two Bundesliga games.


He had not been selected for Germany's exhibition games against Chile on Saturday and Ivory Coast on Wednesday. But coach Joachim Loew had said Enke remained the leading candidate to be Germany's goalie at next year's World Cup in South Africa.


"We are speechless," German soccer federation president Theo Zwanziger said.


Enke and his wife lost their two-year-old daughter to a heart ailment in 2006. The couple adopted a girl in May, who is now eight months old.


"We are all shocked. We can't find the words," national team manager Oliver Bierhoff said from Bonn, where the national team assembled.


Enke played eight matches for Germany, making his debut in a 1-0 loss to Denmark in 2007. His last international game was a 2-0 win over Azerbaijan on Aug. 12.


After Jens Lehmann retired following the European Championship in 2008, Enke was promoted to No. 1 for Germany, but was set back by a broken hand.


Enke made 196 Bundesliga appearances and also played for Borussia Moenchengladbach after starting his career in East Germany at Jena. He also played for foreign clubs, among them CD Teneriffa, Fenerbahce, Barcelona and Benfica.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE BALL AT CAFE NESCAFE

Big One Tonite. Tonite we watch Liverpool in Ultimate Survival.
Cafe Nescafe: Kick off : 9:45

Liverpool vs Lyon

HAPPY DIWALI

Swoosh018.com wishes all our readers that are celebrating the festival of Diwali a joyous and happy Diwali

ICC BEST OF THE BEST FANTASY CHAMPIONS TROPHY

Sorry Im late on this one

ICC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE BEST OF THE BEST FANTASY
http://dreamteams.supersport.co.za/championstrophy/restricted/Dashboard.j

League Code:
14086192100435

join now

SAME RULES APPLY

FANTASY BEST OF THE BEST EUROPE

BEST OF THE BEST CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2009/2010

http://en.uclfantasy.uefa.com/M/selection2.mc

RULES ARE SIMPLE:
Entry Free, One team per player.

Grand Prize for the Winner

League Code: 7062-2027