The World Cup playoff game between the United States and Costa Rica on March 22, 2013 was especially memorable. Played in the middle of a storm in Colorado, the game was the closest thing to blizzard soccer fans had seen in awhile.
For 90 minutes, players had to contend with an increasingly torrential downpour of wet, white flakes. Afterwards, the severity of the conditions had millions of soccer enthusiasts wondering: should play in such treacherous conditions really be allowed?
Why Continue?
World Cup games are obviously the most important in the sport and can be difficult to reschedule. When a team and its fans have already traveled thousands of miles for the game, canceling is something to avoid at all costs. In addition, postponing the game may mean players won’t get enough rest before their next round.
In this particular game, it didn’t look like the weather would cooperate any time soon. If the game hadn’t been played that night, it wouldn’t have been for quite awhile.
Is It Safe?
In spite of tight tournament schedules and pending forecasts, the safety of the players should be the number one consideration when choosing to continue a game. Looking back, was it really safe to continue a game in the middle of a blizzard?
In defending their decision to continue play, refs saidthe players hadn’t been sliding on the snow very much. While this may be true, any soccer player will tell you injuries don’t necessarily happen during slides.
These players were cold, wet, and covered in so much snow that they could run it through an EDI water purification system and use it to hydrate themselves. In these conditions, even the slightest misstep can cause an injury. If nothing else, the players’ immune systems were lowered by the weather.
Who Should Make the Call?
If the game has already started, refs make the final call as to whether it will continue. However, is this fair? Shouldn’t the league, coaches and players have more of a say in whether conditions are safe?
The argument over how much footballers are paid in the modern era has been going on for years now and shows no sign of stopping. Some of the world’s biggest names are now playing with wage packets that let them take home more in a week than many of us will make in our lifetimes, and all for kicking a ball around – if they even get on the pitch of course!
It hasn’t always been the case that players earned hundreds of thousands each week, however. In actual fact, some players were earning the equivalent of £228 each week back in the 1900s, the same as what many full-time workers in the “real world” earn today.
This infographic, created by equipment retailer The Soccer Store, shows just how times have changed, from the early days of £4 per week right up to the £200,000-a-week contract signed by Carlos Tevez in 2009.
Every year, upon the start of the European football calendar after each Summer, names are touted around of suggestions and hot tips for the new campaign’s “breakout stars”. 8 months ago, few people would’ve paid any attention to the name – Marcos Aoás Corrêa – on Italian outfit AS Roma’s “Transfer Ins” list.
Signed on a loan deal with a permanent option, the young Brazilian with his moniker – Marquinhos – is now an in-demand starlet and highly tipped to be a future Seleção star.
Background:
Marquinhos joined Cornthians in 2002, at the age of 8, and proceeded to move up the youth ranks of the Timão over the next 10 years. Marquinhos impressed so much during his time in Corinthians’ youth ranks that he was called-up by and made captain of Brazil’s U17s in the 2011 South American Under-17 championship. With Brazil winning the South American U17 title, they qualified for the U17 FIFA World Cup that year, with Marquinhos again being handed the captaincy.
In Mexico, Brazil finished 4th, with Marquinhos playing 6 of their 7 matches and earning only 1 yellow card. After a stellar 2011, Marquinhos continued to shine in 2012. In the 2012 edition of the prestigious Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior (São Paulo Youth Football Cup), the young Brazilian added more impressive displays to his CV, culminating in a 2-1 win over Fluminense in the Final. Marquinhos was clearly banging on Corinthians’ 1st-team door.
With his maturity and leadership qualities, and not forgetting his on-pitch quality, it was of no surprise that Marquinhos eventually broke into Corinthians’ 1st-team.
Breakthrough at Corinthians:
With his impressive performances at youth level, Marquinhos’ form in the aforementioned prestigious Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior proved to be the final piece in the jigsaw of proving to Corinthians 1st-team Head Coach Tite that he was ready for a shot in the 1st-team. A 1st-team debutant at the age of 18, Marquinhos went on to make 6 1st-team appearances in the 2012 Brasileirão, playing the full 90 minutes on 5 occasions, and providing 1 assist.
While impressive when given the chance, the youngster also showed some versatility – playing in central defence in 2 full matches and as a defensive midfielder in 3 full matches. Coach Tite was so impressed with Marquinhos that the young Brazilian, then aged 17, was on the 1st-team bench for each and every one of the knockout stage matches of Corinthians’ victorious 2012 Copa Libertadores triumph.
Just look at that, within the span of 6 months, Marquinhos had become a Copa Libertadores champion and also turned 18 along the way.
Into the big time – AS Roma:
After catching the eye of Roma’s South American scouts, they took the gamble of signing the then 18-year-old in the summer of 2012, despite him having just 6 months of 1st-team experience in Brazil. The deal was a loan (€1.5m fee) with a €3m permanent option – with the trigger being Marquinhos making 8 1st-team appearances of 45 minutes a piece.
Barely a few weeks after his signing was formalised, Marquinhos made his 1st-team debut on 16 September 2012, playing the last 16 minutes of a 3-2 loss to Bologna. A fortnight later, the young centreback came off the bench to play an hour of a catastrophic 4-1 thrashing at the hands of defending Italian champions Juventus.
Slowly but surely cementing his spot in the Giallorossi Starting XI, Marquinhos has gone on to make 23 Serie A appearances(all but 3 as a starter) and 3 in the Coppa Italia. The only thing that broke his string of 12 consecutive 1st-team appearances is a suspension from being sent off, following a late handball, in a 3-1 win over Milan just before the winter break.
Roma’s summer signing became such as crucial 1st-teamer that the club withdrew him from international duty at the South American Under-20 championship, held in January 2013.
Overview – Majestic debut season in Calcio:
An 18-year-old holding a starting spot Serie A is most rare, let alone at a team as big as La Maggica. Marquinhos is a rare breed, such is the unforgiving nature of Calcio, what with the intense scrutiny of TV pundits on the various well-followed match review shows.
Leandro Castan, Marquinhos’ former Corinthians team-mate, has been left to fight for the other starting spot in central defence with Nicolas Burdisso. Ironically, 2012 summer signing Leandro Castan had insisted upon Roma signing Marquinhos.
In light of Roma’s much-talked-about defensive problems – a negative of Zdenek Zeman’s gung-ho offensive tactics – this season, Marquinhos has more-or-less escaped criticism, a result of the 18-year-old consistently delivering impressive performances every week. Despite still being only 18, Marquinhos has been Roma’s most important defender since cementing his starting spot in the middle of the Giallorossi defence.
(All stats are from WhoScored.com)
At first glance, standing at 1.83 metres, the lean Marquinhos is not the most intimidating of central defenders. That said, he does win his share of aerial duels, at 2.3 per game. That figure is the best at Roma and, league-wise, is better than that of bigger names like Philippe Mexes.
Being still only 18, the Brazilian still has room for more physical growth, which can only be a good thing. However, his natural athleticism does more-or-less cover for that, as they enhance his key attributes – his maturity and game-reading ability. Marquinhos evidently has, as the saying goes, “an old head on young shoulders”.
He is currently 18th in the Serie A interceptions chart, on par with veteran Andrea Barzagli, and better than the highly-rated Facundo Roncaglia and Napoli captain Paolo Cannavaro. With only 19 fouls (0.8 per game) at the time of writing, Marquinhos is currently 352nd on the “Most Fouls” chart. As with all modern day central defenders, Marquinhos is good on the ball and playing it out of defence, with an impressive 88.8% passing accuracy.
Almost every Serie A centreback would like to have Marquinhos’ statistics, which makes the fact he’s still a teenager all the more staggering.
“No Serie A player has made more last man tackles this season than the teenager (10), who leads his side for both interceptions (2.9) and aerial duels won (2.2) per game, proving that his reading of the game is at the level of a far more seasoned pro.” – Martin Laurence of WhoScored.
A look to the future:
Marquinhos has thus far shone, not just adapted, whenever he’s been pushed to the next level – youth team to 1st-team, Corinthians to Roma. This bodes well for the young Brazilian’s career prospects, as football has seen all too many a promising youngster fail to make that “next step”, rendering him unable to realise his full potential.
I’m confident that Marquinhos will not fall under the “what could’ve been” category. With his leadership qualities, maturity and talent, and not forgetting his current high performance level in such a prestigious league, long story short – the sky’s the limit for Marquinhos.
Roma are currently looking to upgrade the youngster’s current €0.8m (per year) wage to fend off interest from elsewhere. With his impressive and mature displays in his debut season in Italy, some of the Football’s biggest clubs are looking to sign him. Among others, FC Barcelona and Manchester City have been linked as potential new employers.
However, the Roma stopper is unlikely to leave the Stadio Olimpico anytime soon. There is still much room for improvement and staying at Roma for at least the next few years will provide the stable environment that promising youngsters like Marquinhos need to develop and, eventually, realise their potential.
Considering the ambitions of this AS Roma “project”, Marquinhos could possibly play out his peak years in the capital club.
Marquinhos told La Gazzetta dello Sport: “I am not thinking about a transfer. I owe Roma a lot for the chance they gave me.”
Whether Marquinhos eventually leaves Roma or stays for the long haul, one thing’s are for sure – Marquinhos will become a Seleção star sooner rather than later. Furthermore, with his past as Brazil U17 captain, Marquinhos could eventually captain Brazil at senior level.
Over the course of this 2012/13 season, Marquinhos has proved his worth enough to be justly rated as the best young central defender in the world at the moment, alongside Real Madrid’s Raphaël Varane.
Of all the possible “breakout stars” that had been tipped to emerge in the 2012/13 Serie A season, few would’ve bet on an 18-year-old Brazilian centreback being on that list.
Marcos Aoás Corrêa is indeed a rare breed in Calcio.
Anyone who plays some kind of sport knows that to succeed takes burning passion and enthusiasm. Applying these elements into a game, and also having the mental determination to succeed is a vital factor in coming out top.
Poker can also be seen as somewhat of a sport so it’s not surprising that many football players are regular visitors of well-known poker rooms like Fulltiltpoker. Let’s take a look at the top football players who have decided to inject some of that passion into becoming credible and successful names and faces in the world that is Poker.
1. Teddy Sheringham
Teddy Sheringham, a former England, Tottenham and West Ham player decided to take his hand a poker a few years before ending his 25 years career as a well-respected player. However, Unlike many football players who take interest in a managing or training position in the football world, Teddy decided to take a different route.
He has made a name for himself in the poker world and has played in various tournaments around the world including one of the biggest, the World Series Of Poker Main Event where he managed to finish 14th out of around 3000.
Teddy’s winnings over the past years have amounted to around $298,000.
2. Jan Van Soresen
One of the most successful football players to have made an impact in the Poker world is Scandinavian player Jan Van Soresen, who has won a range of tournaments including the WSOP (twice) and the Masters Classics of Poker tournament in 2008.
He is expected to have won himself around $2 million, making him one of the most successful football players to have come out of Poker.
3. Tony Cascarino
Former international football star Tony Cascarino who spent a large amount of his career with the Republic of Ireland, has always had a gambling passion and put his eagerness and passion into place when he first started playing in around 2006.
Tony went on to win his first major tournament 3 years later in the Grosvenor UK Poker Tour, scooping himself a nice $283,000. Overall within his six years of playing in tournaments, Cascarino has expected to have won around $589,000.
4. Christian Vieri
Christan Vieri is a former Inter Milan forward who has never hidden his passion for card games especially Texa’s Hold’Em. In 2009 and without a club after quitting with Atalanta, Vieri went on to play in two tournaments in LA.
Whilst Vieri is not set to leave his football career just yet, he has hinted that he could be looking at a profession poker career after his retirement.
5. Tomas Brolin
Former Swedish football player and manager Brolin is another example of how passion can weave its way through football and poker. Brolin decided to first try his luck at Poker in 2006 and has made himself credible at many various poker tables.
In 2006 he fluttered in the Football and Poker Legends club which was organised by the well know and very popular site Party Poker.
In 2007 he then went on to play at the World Series of Poker, whilst not having won 1st place in the tournaments, he has however scooped a nice slice of the pot.
6. Gianluigi Buffon
Whilst if not being the greatest goalkeeper to have come out of football, it also seems that Buffon is adding a touch of his football passion into his Poker passion. Buffon learned of his passion whilst playing for a charity event a good few years back and is said to have completely fell in love with the game.
From then, Buffon continued to enhance his skills and played in numerous online tournaments, finally being noticed by online giant Poker Stars after successfully scooping the pot numerous times.
He went on to act as an ambassador for the site and hopes that one day, when his football career ends, he can work on becoming a professional player.
7. Poli Rincon
Spanish player Poli Rincon is well loved amongst the Spanish, with a successful career in football including stints with Real Madrid and Real Betis, he went on to win the Spanish league and cup in the 70’s and 80’s.
Rincon also has a burning passion for poker and is also said to regularly play with online giant Poker Stars favouring tournaments such as Poker Stars Caribbean Adventure and others such as Estrellas Poker Tour.
8. Vikash Dhorasoo
French player Vikash Dhorasoo is again another example of a budding Poker star. In 2007, Dhorasoo found his path and began playing in major poker tournaments, mainly in France. One of his most successful stories is taking the pot at the No Limit Hold’em $2.200 Barrier Poker Tour in 2010 scooping the main prize of $187,887.
This however is not his only cash in. He has also managed to come out top in two European Poker tournament events and also fluttered in several other tournaments.
9. Francesco Totti
Italian football star Francesco Totti who has spent his career dedicated to the Series A club Roma, is a top goal scorer and most capped player in the clubs history. Francesco has maintained a steady career with the club for the past 20 years, however football is not the only game he is passionate about.
Totti has recently been knighted as Poker Ambassador for Party Poker. Francesco Totti states that he has a real passion for poker and being a successful player requires the same abilities of that of playing football.
10. David Levi
Last, but by no means least, David Levi has had a major impact in the Poker world. Not only has his passion for football seen him excel in his years but when after a crippling knee injury Levi decided to take his chances by dabbling in Poker and he certainly knows how to play a hand.
He has said to have one over a huge total of $2,600,000 as of 2009. One of his favourite and most successful events has seen him scoop $360,229 from the WOSP tournaments.
Professional football players celebrate their goals in a lot of unusual and sometimes distasteful ways. For Giorgos Katidis, who plays with the Greek club AEK Athens, his celebration included a Nazi salute.
This proved to be so distasteful for those who witnessed it that the midfielder was immediately banned for life from playing for the national team. Katidis made the salute after scoring the game-winning goal for AEK against Veria on March 16.
The incident took place in a Super League game at the famous Olympic Stadium in Athens and a video of it quickly went viral and spread around the world. While Katidis is just 20 years old, he’s a star with the national junior team and was expected to break into the senior national side in the near future. In his defense, Katidis said he didn’t know what the gesture meant and it was just done at the spur of the moment in celebration of his goal.
Katidis claimed that he hates fascism and didn’t realize what the salute meant and what he was doing. The football federation in Greece said that the player’s actions deeply insulted the millions of people who were affected by the brutality of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime in the 20th Century.
Ironically the day that Katidis made the unfortunate gesture was the very same day that Greece was marking the 70th anniversary of the start of deportation of Greek Jews to extermination camps which were operated by the Nazis during the Second World War.
Katidis changed his story slightly, or simply forget to mention it, but later on he said he made the salute because he was actually pointing to one of his injured AEK teammates who was sitting in the stadium’s stands. He claimed that he’s certainly not a racist and doesn’t have any strong political views.
He said if he knew the salute had any deep historical meaning that he never would have done it in a million years. Ewald Lienen, the manager of AEK Athens, stuck up for his players by saying that the youngster is guilty of being ignorant of the past and nothing more.
Lienen, who hails from Germany, said Katidis is just a young man who is out of his teenage years and doesn’t have any political ties or beliefs. He added that the player probably saw a Nazi salute on television or the internet and didn’t know that it symbolized hatred or anything else.
However, fans of the soccer club don’t necessarily the manager’s views and many of them are insisting that AEK gets rid of Katidis from the roster. It’s expected that officials of the club will get together in the next few days to decide what to do with Katidis.
Due to his age, it’s certainly possible that Katidis didn’t have a clue what the salute meant. The Nazi regime was decades ago now. If youngsters don’t learn about such things in school it’s entirely possible they could live their lives without knowing the historical meaning of certain things.
Check out www.bet365.com for the latest lines on world football.
Live football is enjoyed all around the world, and as much is done as possible to keep these events safe. Unfortunately, disaster can strike, and over the years there have been a few tragic disasters that have led to fans being seriously injured or even killed.
These events and the people lost are still strongly remembered by everyone in the football world. In no particular order, here is a countdown of 5 of the most shocking disasters to have struck.
1. Hillsborough, Sheffield, 1989
The match was a semi final cup tie against Nottingham Forest. Perhaps the most high profile disaster, this saw 96 Liverpool fans die in a horrific crush at the start of the game. This notorious disaster is thought to have occurred due to poor crowd management with too many fans entering in the same pens.
2. Burnden Park, Bolton, 1946
This disaster is another crowd management issue which saw roughly 85,000 fans try to get into the stadium to see Bolton v Stoke in the FA Cup. This was over capacity and the resulting crush caused two metal barriers to break, subsequently killing 33 fans and injuring a further 400 people.
3. Valley Parade, Bradford, 1985
A wooden stand structure in the Bradford Stadium was set alight when a fan supposedly dropped a match or lit cigarette. A fire started below the stand when the rubbish beneath caught fire. Extinguishers could not be found and the fire brigade was called but, terribly, 56 fans were killed and a further 265 suffered wounds.
4. Estadio Nacional, Lima, 1964
This may be the worst recorded stadium disaster in history. A disallowed goal saw an angered fan chase the referee and take him down, which is said to have upset other supporters that then retaliated. It caused 300 people to die amongst stampedes, crushes and an ensuing battle between police and football supporters.
5. Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow, 1971
When a fan tried to leave towards the end of an Old Firm match and accidentally fell down a stand, there was a domino effect. This caused multiple fans to fall as a result, causing a crush and build up of bodies. 66 people were killed and 200 more were injured.
These tragic events are still remembered strongly by everyone in the football community as well as in history. Now as much is done as possible to ensure that similar tragedies do not happen again and full support is given to those left behind.
John Greenberg has been writing about sport since his interest started when he was 15 years old. He likes to write about current affairs but also like to go back to the past and write about various things, including the safety of the football crowds.
Sports fans are a mad bunch, some spend hundreds of thousands a year following their team all over the world. From football teams on a tour to the Far East, to American franchises flying from coast to coast, sport is booming business across the globe.
As a result we’ve put together a list of some the best sports stadiums in the world, be sure to experience the atmosphere of at least one of these incredible venues on your travels.
Yankee Stadium – The Bronx – New York
Steeped in history and with some of the most passionate fans in Baseball the New York Yankees are icons of the sport and it’s only right they have a stadium to match.
The New Yankee stadium first opened in 2009, replacing its predecessor which had stood tall since 1923. With a capacity of over 52,000 and at a construction cost of $1.6bn the stadium is testament to The New York Yankees standing as giants of the game.
To really make the most of your visit stay in The Crowne Plaza, Times Square Not only is it a short hop to the stadium but you’ll also be perfectly positioned in the heart of New York.
Soccer City – Johannesburg – South Africa
Having undergone a major redevelopment programme for the 2010 Soccer World Cup Soccer City is an easy addition to our list.
Tasked with hosting the both the opening ceremony and the first match of the World Cup the stadium shone in the spotlight of one of the most successful Soccer tournaments of all time.
With a capacity of 95,000 the stadium cost $440 million and today hosts South African league soccer, rugby and music concerts.
A visit to Soccer City is not to be missed, stay at the Holiday Inn Sandton and enjoy enviable views from the 9th floor Skye bar or simply relax in the cigar lounge with one of Cuba’s finest.
Madison Square Garden – New York
Home of Basketball, Ice Hockey, Tennis, and even WWE Wrestling Madison square garden is a multi purpose venue situated in Midtown Manhattan.
A recent renovation costing $1.16 billion has ensured The Garden keeps its crown as one of the worlds most famous and frequently visited venues.
However with a maximum capacity of only 22,000 people seats for events are scarce and frequently reach into the thousands of dollars for the most popular shows, testament to the allure of this incredible venue.
Stay at The Marmara Manhattan and enjoy apartment facilities with the luxuries of a hotel suite.
Sports City – Dubai
Currently under construction Dubai’s sports city is a behemoth, boasting four stadiums the centre piece of which is a 60,000 seater multi purpose venue capable of hosting Soccer, Cricket, Rugby, Athletics and music festivals.
Costing an estimated $4 billion and covering a total of 4,600,000m2 Sports City promises to be at the heart of Dubai’s sporting future.
Once the venue opens I recommend you stay at the Burj Al Arab. The grandest hotel in the world offers the ultimate in luxury including a private beach, chauffer driven Rolls Royce and the very best in gourmet dining.
The Staples Centre – Los Angeles – California
Home to no less than four professional sports teams The Staples Centre in downtown Los Angeles is a haven for fans of Hockey and Basketball alike with the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers as well as WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks and the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings all calling the centre home.
With a maximum capacity of 21,000 and at a construction cost of $523 million, The Staples Centre is one of the most popular sports and music venues within the United States.
Stay at the Beverly Wilshire, a decadent Five Star hotel designed to make the most of your Los Angeles Holiday. Enjoy fine dining, a luxury spa or just relax in the comfort of your extravagant room.
Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex – Oman
Situated in the Ghala district of Oman the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex makes the list due to its impressive list of facilities.
Renovated for the 2009 African Cup of Nations the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex has a capacity of 39,000 and is equipped with a Football pitch, Athletics Facilities, an Olympic sized swimming pool, Tennis Courts and Gymnasium.
For your holiday in Oman I recommend staying at Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort. This five star resort offers a private beach, infinity pool, luxury spa and lavishly appointed rooms.
There’s nothing quite like the excitement of laying a bet on the football on a Saturday afternoon to really get your adrenaline pumping.
A few small bets here and there can turn a game you may have had little interest in into one of the games of the season but where to start? Football is a notoriously unpredictable game with surprise results coming every week. Here’s our guide to the fundamentals, to get you started:
Do your homework
Picking out a team from the match day schedule can be a tricky business. All you have, until you do your homework, is a name. What do we mean by ‘homework’? Well, a team’s form is crucial in making your betting decision, so you should be asking yourself questions like; ‘what was their last game like? Did they win?’; ‘who scored and how many?’
By asking yourself questions like this, you’ll be able to work out the ‘in-form’ teams of the moment. Conversely, you’ll be able to work out the weakest selections in the league and bet against them.
What bet works best for you?
Defining what you want out of your bet is a good place to start. The most obvious factors are how much you’re willing to stake as well as how much you’d like to win- after all, putting ten pounds on a thousand to one bet may sound tempting but you’re more likely to lose that ten pounds than make ten thousand.
Online gaming websites often have an instant bet calculator which shows you exactly how much you’re likely to win from your proposed bets and here are two types of bet to consider laying:
Accumulator
Instead of betting a large amount on one fixture, betting on an accumulator is a great way to increase your odds at the same time as decreasing your stake. On any given day there are likely to be large favourites to win, so by putting a bet on more than one result you can massively increase your potential pay out.
Look for teams called ‘bankers’, these usually consist of three or four favourites which are there to ‘bulk out’ your accumulator- adding riskier teams at the end will increase your potential pay out further.
Of course, if you’re looking for something a little more skilful that doesn’t rely completely on others’ luck then try a few hands of poker but remembering first to read a decent poker blog.
Scorecast
Perhaps one of the more challenging bets to lay, the scorecast can simply be described as picking the correct final score. If you’ve done your homework as described above, you’ll quickly see how many goals a team is likely to score in a given match and how many another are likely to let in.
Of course, this is sometimes a lot easier said than done as football results vary massively- so you may not be correct in your prediction but you may have the comfort of an excellent afternoon’s football.
Adding the first or last goalscorer to your scorecast is a sure-fire way of massively increasing your odds- and if your team tends to rely on a single striker for their goals, it may not be a bad addition to your bet.
Jack Linsel is a freelance copy writer in London. He enjoys writing about football, sports and exercise.
Romania have been unlucky in recent years – poor results in tournaments and qualifications or just missing out due to stupid mistakes made by the manager and players have cost them. Despite beating the likes of England, Spain, Netherlands, Germany (Romania beat them 5-1 in 2005) on several occasions in recent years.
There’s always been something – or in fact, many things – stopping them from reaching their potential. Player’s mentalities, awful selections and tactics made by managers, and the most talented players wasting their potential for various reasons are all part of the reason Romania are now seen as just a somewhat average side nowadays.
As this article is meant to be about Romanian youth, let’s not go into too much detail over those issues. While the 80s and 90s were a special time for Romanian football (both club-wise and for the national team), it’s possible that this upcoming generation could bring Romania back to being the world class side it used to be.
That is, if those involved don’t screw it up the way they have in the last decade or so. The good news is, loads of young Romanian players are popping up directly in top leagues like the Serie A, La Liga, and Bundesliga.
It’s much better for players to start their youth careers in these top leagues immediately as in Romania they are likely to be held back by managers or owners and their potential wasted (although some of the clubs in the league seem to be improving their mentality).
Now, let’s get on to business. Here are some of the top U23 Romanian prospects at the moment. Of course, this isn’t intended to give you the full view of future Romanian stars, only a sample. There are many players I won’t list with loads of potential that could become top players anyway.
Goalkeepers
Laurentiu Branescu
The 18 year old Juventus keeper has been dubbed “the next Buffon” by the Italian media and is being held in high regard by club’s staff. Before signing with Juve, clubs like Liverpool, Chelsea, and Manchester United were extremely interested in him but were not able to secure his services in time.
He doesn’t have very many weaknesses, his handling and reflexes are top notch and he’s a great young keeper overall. He is currently the main keeper for Romania’s U19 national team.
Potential rating: 5/5
Valentin Cojocaru
The 16 year old Steaua Bucharest stopper is widely regarded as one of the brightest young talents to come out of eastern Europe. He’s been attracting a lot of interest from clubs such as Liverpool in recent times and despite his young age, could find himself at a top club very soon.
Potential rating: 5/5
Silviu Lung Jr
The 23 year old keeper currently plays for Astra Giurgiu, who are currently second place in the Romanian Liga I. Russian giants Zenit St. Petersburg were close to signing him during the January transfer window but unfortunately the deal didn’t go through.
He has loads of ability and can pull off amazing saves but sometimes can make stupid blunders, which have cost him. But he is very talented and still has his whole career ahead of him.
Potential rating: 4/5
Defenders
Chiriches
Dubbed the “Romanian version of Thiago Silva,” Vlad Chiriches is one of the most hyped Romanian youngsters at the moment. The 23 year old Steaua Bucharest is truly a phenomenal young defender.
He is not only great at the back, but he is very technical for a defender. He dribbles well and often adds to his side’s attacks and has scored a handful of beautiful goals this season (both in the EL and the league).
Several big clubs are after him, including Barca, Milan, Chelsea, Inter, and Lyon. Some have made offers of up to 7 million euros but the crazy owner has refused them asking for a minimum of 10 million euros.
He will most likely leave to one of these big clubs in the summer. I don’t see them backing down after his most recent performances in the Europa League. He certainly has a bright future ahead of him.
Potential rating: 5/5
Valerica Gaman
Gaman currently plays for Astra Giurgiu, who currently lie in second place in the Liga I, and is a very good CB prospect. Although he is 24, I will make an exception as he just turned yesterday.
Like Silviu Lung Jr, he was also close to signing with Zenit but it didn’t happen. He is a talented defender, great in the tackle and also great at heading the ball.
Potential rating: 3.5/5
Alexandru Matel
23 year old RB at Astra Giurgiu. Despite having a slight injury problem, his performances for both club and national team have been impressive recently. He definitely has a lot of potential.
Potential rating: 4/5
Paul Papp
The 23 year old Chievo Verona central defender joined in the summer from FC Vaslui. He scored on his debut for the club and while he isn’t yet a regular (for some reason), he still has made an impact in the games he’s played in the Serie A and for the national team.
Potential rating: 4/5
Cornel Rapa
The recently turned 23 year old promising right-back signed for Steaua Bucharest from Otelul Galati in the January transfer window.
After Matel, he is the biggest Romanian RB prospect at the moment and has been a solid performer this season and the last.
Potential rating: 3.5/5
Constantin Nica
The 19 year old Dinamo Bucharest right-back has three U21 caps to his name and looks to have a bright future.
Potential rating: 4/5
Alin Tosca
The 20 year old versatile defender and midfielder can play as a right-back, left-back, and as a right midfielder. He is one of the top young defenders in the Liga I at the moment and plays for Viitorul Constanta (Hagi’s club & academy). One to look out for.
Potential rating: 3.5/5
Deian Boldor
18 year old CB currently playing for AS Roma U19. Potential to develop to a very good Serie A and Romania defender in the future.
Potential rating: 2.5/5
Bogdan Tiru
18 year old Viitorul Constanta central defender who’s been on trial at Ajax and has good potential.
Potential rating: 2/5
Midfielders
Gabriel Torje
Nicknamed “the Romanian Messi,” Torje is probably the best prospect of all. His technical, dribbling, and finishing ability is phenomenal. He has lots of pace and likes has a very similar style to Messi (and a similar stature), therefore the comparison.
He has been on fire for the national team this season and although he scored a couple of goals, racked up some assists and played well in his debut season at Udinese, he is currently on loan at Granada in the La Liga. Fiorentina made an offer for him but he had already agreed to go on loan.
The 23 year old winger has aroused interest from Arsenal and Real Madrid in recent times. With his natural talent, he should have a great career and has the potential to be a star at any club.
Potential rating: 5/5
Claudiu Bumba
Bumba just turned 19 in January and has been playing for Roma’s primavera team since the summer of 2012, after the Italian giants paid 600,000 euros to secure his services. He is probably the best young Romanian player at the moment after Torje (although Torje is older) and maybe Stanciu.
His most notable achievements so far this season include scoring a goal in the Supercoppa Primavera final to help his team win the trophy, scoring 4 goals in 16 matches (making him the club’s third top scorer, with the other two having played more matches) in the league and, more recently, scoring two goals against Spartak Moscow in the Viareggio Cup.
He also has several assists and is the captain of the Romanian U19 national team.
Potential rating: 5/5
Nicolae (or “Nicusor”) Stanciu
The 19 year old FC Vaslui youngster has been widely sought by big clubs across Europe. He is definitely the best teenage talent in the Liga I at the moment, and probably the best Romanian prospect in midfield after Gabriel Torje and Claudiu Bumba.
He is generally regarded as a creative CM but also plays well on the wings and has great speed, technical ability, and finishing. He has scored several beauties this season and in the past both in the league and in Europe.
He also captains the Romanian U21 national team and made his Liga II debut at the age of 15 years and 18 days coming on as a substitute. During his spell for Unirea Alba Iulia, Stanciu was tracked by various European clubs, including Hoffenheim, Celtic, Brescia, and VfB Stuttgart.
Potential rating: 5/5
Alexandru Maxim
The 22 year old attacking midfielder is yet another young Romanian star in midfield – he’s one of the best dribblers on the Romanian national team and has impressed in the 5 matches he’s played for Romania (in which he managed to score 2 goals).
He recently joined German Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart.
Potential rating: 4.5/5
Adrian Stoian
It’s incredible how many creative, young midfielders Romania has begun to produce. Here’s yet another one. Adrian Marius Stoian, a 22-year old winger, is a product of the famed Gheorghe Popescu (former Real and Spurs defender) Academy and joined Roma in 2008.
Between 2008 and 2012, he’s only made one first team appearance, coming on as a substitute against Juventus in a Serie A match in March of 2009. While it may seem odd that he only played in once first team match, one should take into consideration his age at the time – he was only 18 when he made his Serie A debut.
Since then, he’s gone on loan to Pescara and Bari, where he had an excellent season. In the summer of 2012, he joined Chievo in a co-ownership deal of 500,000 euros which involved Michael Bradley going the other way.
Since joining Chievo, he’s played in 11 matches and scored 2 goals, and putting in some fine performances. With a little more time and faith from his manager, he could develop into one of their best players and Roma may very well buy back the other half of his deal!
Potential rating: 4/5
Vlad Nicolae Marin
The 17 year old left winger was involved in a controversial move last summer. He was playing for Lazio’s youth side until Manchester City decided to offer him a contract without Lazio’s permission and sign him for free. This of course angered the higher-ups at Lazio and City were forced to compensate them with 300,000 pounds.
While I haven’t seen much of him, it seems like he could be an extremely good player if City snatched him up like that and Lazio reacted the way they did. Oddly, though, he hasn’t been capped at any youth level for Romania yet.
Potential rating: 5/5
Alexandru Chipciu
Chipciu (pronounced ‘Keep-choo’) is a 23 year old attacking midfielder and winger currently playing for Steaua Bucharest. He’s played 7 matches for Romania and has scored one goal (in a friendly match against Greece).
His performances at Steaua this season, both in the Europa League and the Liga I, have attracted a lot of attention from bigger clubs and have gotten him call-ups to the national team. He may not be Romania’s #1 midfield prospect, but he’s certainly a great option and
I’m looking forward to see where he ends up in the future. His main strengths are dribbling, crossing, passing, and a good first touch.
Potential rating: 4.5/5
Liviu Antal
23 year old right midfielder, Liviu Antal, had his first taste of the UEFA Champions League experience last season with Otelul Galati. He put in some thrilling performances against the likes of Manchester United, SL Benfica, and FC Basel.
In the 2012/2013 season, he joined FC Vaslui and scored his first goal for the club in a 1-1 draw against Fenerbahce in the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round. He made his debut for Romania (and his single appearance to date) in a friendly match against Paraguay in 2011.
He’s not at the top of the picking order but he’s still one of the better young wingers in Romania.
Potential rating: 2.5/5
Chitu
The 21 year old left winger is a rising star at the Romanian club owned by Hagi, Viitorul Constanta. He’s scored 3 goals and racked up 3 assists in 20 matches in the Liga I. His value has been steadily rising in recent months and it looks as though he may find a new club in the summer.
Potential rating: 2.5/5
Gabriel Iancu
The 18 year old Gheorghe Hagi Academy product and former Viitorul Constanta player (both owned by Hagi) midfielder is one of my favourite youth players at the moment. Ajax and Galatasaray have been in close contact with Viitorul for several months, however he’s now at Steaua Bucharest after joining in the January 2013 transfer window.
He is a very reliable and mature player for his age and should turn out to be a top player.
Potential rating: 4.5/5
Dan Nistor
Nistor is 24, however I will make an exception as he fully deserves to be mentioned here. He is the best young Romanian DM at the moment, despite only having one cap for Romania, and has put in stunning performances at Pandurii this season (who are currently third in the league).
He’s a good passer of the ball and can set up attacks with ease. He is also solid at the back when needed, and is an ideal DM for a lot of clubs.
Potential rating: 4/5
Mihai Radut
The 22 year old DM has the potential to surpass Nistor, although at the moment the latter is probably better. He spent part of his youth career at Sporting CP in Portugal and now plays for Liga I leaders Steaua Bucharest and is currently on loan at Pandurii.
He has been capped by Romania three times, which is quite an achievement for a DM of his age (Nistor only has one, surprisingly).
Will be an important national team player in the future and asset to most clubs who would be interested in buying him.
Potential rating: 4/5
Raphael Stanescu
Born in Germany, 19 year old attacking midfielder Andrei Raphael Stanescu is one of the best products of Dinamo Bucharest’s academy and has been capped for Romania U19 4 times, scoring one goal. He has played 5 first team matches in the Liga I for Dinamo and scored one goal.
Potential rating: 3/5
Andrei Tugui
Andrei Ionut Tugui is a 17 year old midfielder and the captain of the Romanian U16 national team. He joined Roma on loan (with an option to buy) in the January transfer window and has impressed the coaches there.
He is just one of the many Romanian youngsters at Roma but is probably one of the brightest talents after Claudiu Bumba.
Potential rating: 4.5/5
Strikers
Dragos Iacob
This 16 year old striker, currently playing for Frosinone’s youth, is considered one of the most valuable teenagers in Italy. His family moved to Italy in 2001 so he is eligible to play for Italy. However, he has already been asked to play for their national team but he declined as he states that his dream is to play for Romania.
He was the club’s top scorer year after year and was nicknamed “The Cannibal” by the Italian media because of his aggressiveness and determination on the pitch. He also helped his team win the “Manchester United Premier Cup” last season and won both his youth league and the Italian Super Cup for his age group.
According to reports, stats, and videos, he seems to have loads of potential and could very well be a super star in the future.
Potential rating: 5/5
Rusescu
I have to make another exception – Raul Rusescu is 24 years old, but is the top scorer in the Romanian league and has scored several beautiful goals this season, both in the EL and Liga I. He is just unbelievable and will probably move to a bigger club in the summer.
He has scored 31 goals in 51 matches since joining Steaua in 2011. He’s made a single appearance for Romania but will surely be capped again soon.
The 21 year old Standard Liege striker is the best U21 Romanian striker at the moment. He has scored 3 goals in 5 matches for the U21 national team and 9 goals in 12 matches while on loan at UTA Arad in 2010.
After joining Standard from Dinamo Bucharest this January transfer window, he’s played two matches for the Belgian club without scoring, however has had several great opportunities and looks certain to score soon.
Potential rating: 3.5/5
Denis Alibec
The 22 year old striker is currently on loan at Viitorul Constanta from Inter Milan. While at Inter, Alibec scored 8 goals in 9 appearances in the Campionato Primavera Girone B and won the Viareggio Cup in 2011.
He is a left-footed player and is known for his composure, balance, and relaxed way of playing. He has scored 3 goals in 5 appearances for Romania’s U21 national team and has been capped once for Romania’s senior team in a friendly match with Poland in February 2013.
Potential rating: 4.5/5
Gheorghe Grozav
The 22 year old winger, who has also been employed as a striker with good results, is currently playing for Petrolul Ploiesti who are in fifth place in the Romanian Liga I at the moment. He’s also played 15 matches for Standard Liege before coming back to Romania and has scored 5 goals in 19 matches for Petrolul this season.
He’s been capped for the senior national team 9 times and scored 3 goals.
Potential rating: 3.5/5
Fabian Himcinschi
Himcinschi is an 18 year old striker currently playing for Empoli’s youth team. He’s played 6 matches for Romania’s U17 NT, scoring an incredible tally of 9 goals.
Potential rating: 4.5/5
Marius Alexe
Alexe is turned 23 years old on February 22nd 2013 and is a left winger and second striker for Dinamo Bucharest. He has played in 95 matches for the Liga I club, scoring 24 goals. He’s also played for Romania’s senior team 7 times. He is best employed as a left winger as he isn’t a ‘poaching’ type of striker.
Potential rating: 2.5/5
George Puscas
The 16 year old striker currently plays for second division club FC Bihor Oradea, but has been on trial at Arsenal recently after he impressed the Gunners’ scouts in a Romania U17 match.
He seems to have a good deal of potential however he may not fulfill it if he doesn’t actually end up signing with a big club like Arsenal.
Potential rating: 4.5/5
Cristian Gavra
The 19 year old Viitorul Constanta striker went on trial with Ajax recently and the club seem interested in securing his services over the summer. He’s scored 5 goals in 8 matches for the Romanian U19 national team and is regarded highly by Hagi himself.
Getting the nation fit and active is a huge challenge. Sports leagues are a great way to do this, and one of the most popular sports is, unsurprisingly, football. Football is the worlds most popular sport with an enormous worldwide audience, as a result there’s a huge amount of money in the beautiful game.
But one of the negative factors associated with the game is the astronomical wages demanded by the top players. With wages continuing to increase, the question of whether these overpaid players encourage or discourage participation is an important one.
Household Names
David Beckham, Wayne Rooney, Lionel Messi – these football players, and others superstars of the sport, are household names around the world. But not only do they have exceptional talents – they also earn huge amounts of money.
Messi’s base salary is currently $15.44 million after agreeing to a new deal with Barcelona in December 2012. However, with all of the added bonuses, he will be paid a massive $44.68 million in 2013 – and that’s not even counting his sponsorship deals.
The money is staggering – but is it a good thing?
The Youth Effect
Young boys have always dreamed of being star football players. However, whereas in the past this was mainly driven by a love of the game and the idea of being a hero, these days there is another incentive: money.
Soccer players are very wealthy celebrities, and many lead lifestyles that most people can only dream of. As a result, it is not hard to assume that many young people are drawn to the game by their desire for the fame and riches that go with being a top player.
There are fears that if young boys are dreaming of the lifestyles that go with being rich, and who are regularly influenced by the antics of various high-profile football players in the media, they will go into the game for all the wrong reasons.
However, whatever the fears that young people will be attracted to the sport for the wrong reasons, it seems that something altogether different is happening: participation in the sport is actually falling.
Falling Participation
Back in 2011, the BBC reported on the falling numbers of participation in grassroots football in England. The amount of people participating in soccer was falling, and the drop was especially significant in the 16-to-19 year group.
The FA was threatened by Sport England with the withdrawal of funding to the tune of £25 million, and it was so concerned that it launched the Just Play initiative.
So what is this fall in participation linked to?
There are a number of possible reasons, including fewer referees, the growing popularity of computer games and busier lifestyles. However, whatever the cause, it is clear that the rising amount of money being paid to the superstars of the sport is not exactly boosting participation in the game.
Disconnected Fans
Most people participating in a football league will not be encouraged or discouraged by the wages of professional players – after all, they are not trying to make a career out of it. However, the danger is that the average fan can start to feel disconnected with football.
When fans start to see players who care more about money than football, this could have an adverse impact on fans – especially if higher wages are funded by higher-priced tickets on match day.
Authorities Need to Invest at a Grassroots Level
Whether or not overpaid football players are having a positive or negative effect on participation, one argument is clear: more needs to be done to put money into grassroots facilities to encourage greater participation in the sport from schools through to casual local leagues.
Youngsters will look up to the top players, and they may even want to emulate their lifestyles. But it is a love of the game that should be promoted more than anything, and this is where promoting local leagues and investing in local facilities is really going to pay off.
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