Soccer 1

Ronaldo a Brazilian, born in a poor and humble circumstances in the outskirts of Rio de janerio,the best player among the present lot, a high class attacker and striker, the backbone of Brazilian team, had been considerably influenced by Zicco,another fellow Brazilian. He turned to playing soccer when normally children are attending their primary education, but how could heas he was to become a legendry soccer star. Playing in the outfields and in the small clubs, he was tipped to play with a small sized ball. That proved to be a boon, in learning the necessary footskills.Later on when he resorted to original football, his foot rarely got separated from the ball.

Deigo Maradona This famous footballer came to international scene in 1975,a god gifted player and coaches,fellow players and telley watchers immediately realised that this guy meant business. He rose to the dizzy heights and in a short time, he was regarded a fearsome attacker and striker. He was always in the news game or no game. A regular cocaine taker,he was unceremoniously sacked from the soccer world on drug addiction charges. The highest celebrities took him as a personal friend. Even after his retirement from the game,his friendship with cuban president is known to all. Recently he was his personal guest . But he enthrilled with his foot skills all over the world. A controversial character.

Zidane An Algerian expatriot,the poor parents migrated to France. He did not have much academic time as destiny would have it,he turned to play soccer with his young lot of freinds and he got absorbed in the game. Some scout recruited him to Czecslovakia,where he spenta year playing some club and important game and was noticed by important people .Asked to come back he was signed by Bordeaux area of france from where he began to play international matches. His best time so far in the game was in 1998 world cup final where he scored twice against Brazil with two headers.

Pele The doyen of soccer,the magician as the footballer know of him. Perhaps he was born for the game,a true brazilian. The foot never separated from the ball,so rythemic was his still of playing,his fan say, another Pele just cannot be born. Though belongs to yesteryears,even today he commands immense respect in soccer world. With tremendous poverty and no backing his phenomnenal rise has been a motto to the younger generations.

Beckham At the very tender age in mid teens this britisher turned to football,noticed that a valuable player is around,the leading club of Britain,Manchester united recruited him in the so called young squad,where he worked hard and got lot of praise and attention. So often,Manchestar united loaned this player to others. Later he joined England world cup squad. Despite that he has not been in the news because of his magical wand ,but his atheletism,the robust physique and sex appeal to the females. he has more of female fans than the males His recent visit to Japan is enough proof of thi.

STOCHKOV The famous Bulgarian who has recently retired and has turned to coach. Bulgarians just cannot forget him. In 1992 he upset the german applecart when he scored very early and his fellow player Leichkov finished the German chances of qualifying further. It was a sensation in those times. A true spirited footballer,a complete athelete,now training young Bulgarians. East european heo in the true sense of the word.,

Roberto Baggio

(Italy)

Robe Roberto Baggio , born in Caldogno, north Vicenza in February 1967, has been one of the best players in the world through out the 1990s. He started his career in Vicenza back in the 1982/83 season, and stayed there for three seasons until he was picked up by Fiorentina in 1985. It was from there he started to show his true potential. In the 1988/89 he won his first cap for Italy after having a very good season scoring 24 goals in 40 games in Italian football (league/cup). The following season was even better, Baggio knocked in goals for fun and Fiorentina couldn't afford to keep him. The big clubs in the north were prepared to put the big money on the table.

It was Juventus who finally got him for a world record fee of £7.700.000 in the summer of 1990, just before the World Cup on homesoil. Baggio scored two goals as Italy went on to get bronze, after losing on penalties in the semifinals to Argentina. He spent five seasons in Juventus. Five great years for him, as he won the Seria A, Italian Cup and UEAF Cup as well as been voted "World and European Player of the Year" in 1993.

Baggio's best World Cup was in 1994 in the United States. After a slow start he woke up in the second round, scoring twice against Nigeria, then once against Spain in the quarterfinal, and two more in the semifinal against Bulgaria. In the final against Brazil he missed a penalty in the shoot-out which saw Brazil win the World Cup for the fourth time.

Since then, Baggio has been in and out of the Italian squad. He was dropped from the EURO 96 squad by Arrigo Sacchi. He has played for AC Milan winning the Seria A once, and also in Bologna and is now (Oct 1998) playing for Inter Milan.

Alfredo Di Stefan (Argentina)

Alfredo Di Stefano was born on 4th July 1926 in Argentina. He is considered as one of the most complete player of soccer ever. He was so fit that he played professional soccer till the age of 40. Stefano turned Real Madrid into the biggest club on the planet. He led them to five consecutive European Champions' Cups, scoring in each final.

Frants Beckenbauer (Germany)

Frants Beckenbauer was born in West Germany on 11th September, 1945. "Emperor Frants", as he was called by his team mates, was known for precise passes and cool playmaking with rare violations. He helped Germany win the World Cup in 1974. After retiring from the game he became the coach of the German National Team that won the 1990 World Cup in Italy.