On March 20th, the head coach of England national soccer team Fabio Capello annouced the newest 30-name-list of England. David Beckham who is now a footballer in Los Angeles in Major League Soccer of America was on the list again. As the captain of the team, probably he will receive his 100th international game for England next Wednesday in the friendly against France. This list will be cut into 23-name on Saturday.

David Beckham’s first appearance in England national team can be dated back to 1996. Last November, England lost against Crotia at Wembly Stadium, and that was the last time till now that David represented his nation for the 99th time. But last month, Capello’s crew doesn’t include this 32-year-old midfielder and fans predict that he won’t have the chance to play for England anymore. But now, David Beckham’s back.
It is very queer for a player that when people mention him, they say:” Oh, he’s handsome.” but tell nothing about his football skill. David Beckham is the typical one. He and his family are always under the flash lights. But what I want to say is that Beckham is great, if you remember how he helped England to get qualified for 2002’s World Cup at the last minutes against Greece, if you remember how he kicked the hundreds freekicks in opponents’ nets, if you remember how he devoted his possessions to the people in hunger and disasters, if you remember how his tears fell after England was defeated in that summer in 2006.

Welcome back, David. We don’t expect to see a new you. We all understand that how times fly and change a young promising boy into a experienced mature man. Just be there, and be square. Keep using your charm to influence players and people around you.

    A Italian reporter named Boltorotti released a rank for the very best 20 soccer goalkeepers throughout the past half century in the world. Of course, so many excellent goalies who had made amazing and unbelievable contributions to their teams such as Lev Jascin from Former Soviet Union, Dino Zoff from Italy, Iker Casillas from Spain and Peter Schmeichel. They are all on the board. But all of them should pay their respects to one person, who is now the goalkeeper of Juventus and Team Italy. This man is Gianluigi.Buffon.

    To keep the goal save is the special role that a goalkeeper plays. On the field, some brilliant goalies would act as a coach because they have a sight of the whole pitch. This position is actually exciting and challenging. The performance of the goalie would directly affect on the team’s result so the pressure set upon them is incredible.

    It’s hard to be a keeper not only for saving the team on the goalline but also for getting a good score given by critics after a match. If a striker missed 3 great oppotunities to put his team on the leading position, he would be scored as 7 points after the match; while if a goalie made the commentator shouted “What a save by the goalkeeper!” for 5 times but just hesitate for one time, he might probably receive a score of “unacceptable” 4 points which is really a poor ending.

    As the technique in soccer is developing rapidly, the requirements for a good keeper becomes more and more strict.

    He should have a wide-view of the pitch; he should lead the whole defending line to guard their goal;

    he should be skillful for conteracting some emergencies;

    he should be capable for making pre-decisions to cut enemies’ attacks;

    he should react faster;     

    sometimes, he should be sober to face the one-and-one situation or even a penalty kick…

    Anyway, these splendid goalkeepers made it. Gianluigi Buffon, abviously, is the best one from the very best 20.

    I don’t know who to evaluate this goalkeeper. Gifts? Luck? … Gigi possesses all of these. His career life can make any goalkeeper feel jealous.  He competed for Parma in Italian Seria A for his first time when he was only 17. He helped Italy to win the qualification for 1998’s France World Cup in Russia’s cold and icy field when he was 19. He had been called “genius youth” for several years and as approaching to his age of 30, he is at the summit of his power. His performance in 2006’s Germany World Cup was perfect. Nobody could beat this keeper except for teammate Zaccardo with an own-goal and Zinedine Zidane with a penalty kick. And the most respectable one aspect is that it seems Gigi has never been in downturn from a teenager to a mature man. Maybe Gigi’s achievements currently are not as remarkable as Jacsin’s or Zoff’s, but he has 10 more years to perform. The best goalkeeper in this century, may will be the title of Gianluigi Buffon in the future, right?

    Congratulations, Gigi~~~I support you, all the time.

I found that this world is hard to survive.

I was chasing the football. I was knocked down by someone’s miserable push. I fell on to the ground. My elbow hit the ground. Then, I got injured.

Yesterday I couldn’t move my right arm. Today I finally can use my right hand to hold chopsticks. A Chinese proverb says that injuries on the joints or bones need at least 105 days for recovery. Depression.

Actually this semester I’ve been trying very hard to work, to study, and to pursue my dreams. I study throughout weeks. I’ve been holding an aim for a post-graduate degree. That’s all for myself and for my family. Sometimes I got tired. The nervous system of mine used to reach the limit for several times. I couldn’t fall asleep at night and I could’t be myself at daytime. What’s wrong? Mentle torture, maybe. Is there any way out?

I love soccer. I devote my spare time into the field, searching for a way to release. Then what’s the result? I got injured.

I lost something last night, which was… I would say, somehow, precious to me. I used to love. But now, I don’t. I need to recover. I need to pick up the bravery and courage. I need to fight for my future as what I did a few days ago.

No one can stop me. That’s for sure.

On March 5th, Chinese women soccer team received a defeat against its old revil, United States, with an unacceptable score as 0-4 in 2008’s Algarve Cup in Portugal. Although the head coach of China, 46-year-old Frenchwoman Elisabeth, set a strategy of defense, after 90 minutes’ fierce competition Chinese women soccer team was wiped out by 4 goals as well.

While being interviewed after this poor failure, Elisabeth expressed her own opinion about the match. She believed that the misplays between players corporations led to this defeat. As a head coach, she should not be put any blame on. In other words, this failure was all “her girls” fault, but not her.

Here I will say:” Be responsible for the failure, Elisabeth.”

Elisabeth-Loisel was a famous player and coach in the soccer world of females. As a professional soccer player when she was young, she used to be the champion of French League for 7 times and played for France national team for 41 times, leaving 3 goals-in and 7 years experience of being the captain.  She took the position of the head coach of French women team from 1997 and led the team to compete in European Cup in 1997 and 2001 and World Cup in 2003. She has been the manager of Chinese women soccer team since last year, 2007.

For qualifications, she is certainly fit for the job. For the courage to take the responsiblity of failure and save the team from depression, she is obviously incompetent.

We can find it from her following words .

She said:” I told my team beforehand that America is very strong. So we need to concentrate and avoid making any mistakes in every single minute. I set several useful and pratical tactics before the match… For this lost, I don’t need to take any responsibilities. What the team did led to the failure. They made dozens of mistakes. I couldn’t create miracles. They are more powerful than us. I need more time.”

On March 4th, 2008, the F1 team Williams represent its new racing car– FW30. There are only less than 2 weeks before the new season’s opening race in Albert Park, Melborne, Australia.

In the winter’s tests, Williams performed fairly well and left fans great impression. The assistant manager Patrick Head said that it might be possible for Williams to challenge Ferrari and McLaren in several races.

“Actually our aim is not pointing to one certain team or two. What we are trying is to make ourselves better. Ferrari was the champion of last season so it was the aim for all the other teams, naturely.” said Head,” But it’s obvious if our team couldn’t challenge Ferrari and McLaren successfully, even not in only few races, I will feel disappointed. Probably these two teams will in great form in the starting point of the season.”

While Williams is busy preparing for the new season, other teams are in actions too. For BMW, the start of the last season was terrible, but possibly it will be faster this year with new techinical accessories.

Red Bull is also in good form but there is still a long way for it to go.

Renault did many possitive work to improve, but it seems that this team won’t challenge Ferrari and McLaren’s position in the coming season.

Many people confirmed that Toyota had completely out of race now. But it’s Italian driver Noya Trulli got a very good result in Barcelona’s test in winter. Toyota can’t be ignored.

The position of Williams is vague. It will be clear after the race in Sepang, Malaysia. It’s for sure that Williams received a great racing car. The improvements made by other teams are also remarkable.

Let’s looking forward to the new season!!

Christoph Metzelder is a German soccer player. He was born in November 5th, 1980. His position in the field is center defender or right back. Now his team is Real Madrid in Spain. He is my favourite player for several years. Why he is my favourite one?

Because of…

His Peaceful Life : As a world class center defender, Christoph lives in a 40-squarmeters room by himself while other football stars buy mass lands and build luxurious houses all around the whole earth.

Firmly in Love: Christoph wants to find a girl who can stay beside him for a whole life. Currently he is single, because he hasn’t found the right one.

Artistic Flavor: As a professional soccer player, what Christoph has in not only ambitious and power, but also the extraordinary artistic flavor. He is good at playing clarinet and cello while other footballers can do nothing with their legs.

Never Retreat: In his former club Dortmund in Germany which he stayed for 7 years, he tasted the happiness and bitterness of life. A whole year’s injury pushed him to the depression that Dortmund was ready to stop his contract right away. But he never surrender. Now he was the first choice in German national team as a center defender. His great form paid tributes to the success in 2006’s Germany World Cup.

the Taste of Man: Although Christoph’s life seems to be tedious as his entertainment is serving the Internet every single day, he uses his own way to enjoy his own life. It seems that he is really good at dressing, because all the suits of him fit him so well, so perfectly.

the Beauty of Mature, Simple but Significant, the Model of all the Defenders, the Charming Charater.

This is Christoph Metzelder in my eyes. I like him, not only because his soccering skills and his is handsome, but also that he made me know some rules for success. I supported you silently when you were depress, Christoph. And I am very pleased to see that you are so great now. I believe that I also can overcome all the obstacles in front of me, and reach the next peak of my life. Thx, Christoph.

Losing the game against a Selvia’s young tennis player Novac Djokovic in the semi-final of Australia Open, receiving a defeat against a British youngster Andy Murray in the first round of Dubai Championship Cup, Roger Federer, the empiror in tennis throughout the world in the past few years, lost 2 games continuously to the young players born in 1987 at the starting point of the new year. Now his result for this year was 5 wins and 2 losts.

For a mediocre player, this might be an OK score; but for “King Federer”, it means bitterness.

Hoping to gain some achievements in the year of Olympics, Federer is really facing some problems now. And the whole “Federer’s Empire” built by several years hard working is currently shaking in front of the power of genius young  boys.

When coronated on Feburary 2nd, 2004, Roger Federer has been keeping in the first place in the WTP ranking for 4 years.

Although Rafael Nadal won’t threaten Federer’s first place before this year’s Wimbledon Games, the following games in red clay courts are the trump cards of the Spainish player. Obviously he will try to lessen the gap in points between him and Roger Federer. Meanwhile, the self-confident Selvian genius Novac Djokovic is also ambitious to the first place of WTA. All these factors tell Federer that he cannot afford any lost in the following games, if he wants his empire to survive.

To be or not to be, for Roger Federer, is a quesiton.

“My goal for the new season? The top place in the ranking board.” said Nico Rosberg.

Nico Rosberg, son of a former F1 world champion Keke Rosberg, is the driver of  Williams in Formula One and this year he will be the junior in F1. Because of his incredible result last year, the boss of Benz-Mecedes wants him to be his driver and provides him a contract of 2o million European dollars.To save his promising future super star, Frank William, who is the boss of William, adds Nico’s salary 8 million. He wants nobody to disturb the resolution of his driver and probably money is the best way out.

Rosberg is 22-year-old now. He lives in Monte-Carlo in Monaco which lays in the southeast of France. Monte-Carlo is a world famous place for living and toursim. One can appreciate the beauty of Cote de Azur from his window. He was born in Germany and he loves Monaco very much because he was brought up there. Now he is representing the new era of German F1 circle.

The family worry him most because Nico is competing with other drivers and time. Speed is pursuing in car racing event. Nico’s mother Sina Rosberg always worries about her son. Nico said:” She is familiar with anxiety… Worried about my father, now worries about me. Everytime I go out to race, she always tell me don’t drive too fast…” That’s a mother’s heart. 

When being asked whether he wants to be a world champion like his father, he replied directily:” Of course. Being the champion is the one aim and one single since I turned to pro in F1. I am very ambitious. All the defeats proved that I am not strong enough. I need to learn more. ” Great detemination, great sense of humble. “Well, if I couldn’t get any world champion in my career life, I can still keep alive.” He jokes.

In March 2nd, 2008, Juventus lost the match against Fiorentina at Olympico Stadium at Turin in Italian Seria A. The final score was 2-3 which was a combination of doubts and thoughts.

Throughout the match, two teams were both in great form. As they were competing against each other for the qualification of the next season’s European Championship League and they were listing 2nd and 3rd in the board, they kept challenging from the first minute to the last one.

Fiorentina went one up with Gobbi and then Sissoko equalized in the first half. In the second half, Juventus scored with Camoranesi before Papa Waigo made it 2-2. Before Osvaldo’s winner in the stoppage time, there were many doubts about a possible foul on Juventus’s striker Iaquinta just a few yards from Fiorentina’s goalkeeper Frey.

It’s a doubtful match. Juventus find themselves regretting a not entirely deserved defeat at the hands of Fiorentina. Losing one goal in the last minutes and missing a possible penalty kick paid tributes to this lost. Actually Juventus controlled the whole match very well. It’s sure that Fiorentina represented their best condition, but after all, Juventus deserved at least a draw.

It’s also a thoughtful match. Gianluigi Buffon, the goalkeeper of Juventus and Italy national team, said after this defeat:” I would’ve been angry if we’d drawn, let alone after losing. Unfortunately we lacked that cynicism to make Fiorentina feel like the match was over, instead we allowed them to believe they could get back into it. And this had never happened in the past.”

The dispointment was obvious but useless, he thought about the team’s future:”We’re living an important period, I wouldn’t define it as delicate. In the last few games we’ve reaped very little, sometimes it was other people’s fault, sometimes it was ours. But anyway, we weren’t born yesterday, we’ve already gotten through more delicate and difficult situations in the past, so we know what we need to do in order to come out of it and what corrections we have to make. The only medicine is to keep training, and to keep having faith in what we’re doing.”

The contest for Europe becomes even more of a battle now. Juventus still have one point over the Fiorentina and five over AC Milan, who drew at home against Lazio yesterday. Next Sunday evening, Juventus  faces a difficult away game at Genoa.