Juan Bernat (Munich)

Hello, today we're going to talk about a Spanish player who is succeeding outside his country, scoring goals away from home, we refer to Juan Bernat Velasco (Valencia, 01/03/1993), better known as Bernat.

His story starts in 2000 when he joined the ranks at Valencia FC participating on each category’s matches until 2011, taking part of the first team’s preseason. Officially debuting on August 27th, 2011 against Racing Santander, with coach Unai Emery. His progress was so extraordinary, on the season 2013-2014 in which, with only 20 years, the coach Miroslav Djukic decided to have him, holding his natural position from left end and making him left side. 

His feature made ​​him undisputed starter, fast player and agile, who sacrifices himself for his team in every game and with a dangerous lefty in middle-distance shots. Adding this to the great season he made, ​​caused many teams across Europe to be attracted on him. Finally, on August 7th, 2014, was ​​officially made his move to FC Bayern Munich, a German team led by Pep Guardiola. The hiring contract for 5 seasons cost the Bavarians EUR 11 millions, which caused controversy in the German media sports, saying that he was a young player in order to play for one of the best teams in Europe.

However, nowadays Bernat is the only outfield player that has played in every game, being substitute only three times in all competitions contested by his team, the Bundesliga, Champions League, DFB-Pokal (German Cup) and DFL-Supercup (German Supercup).

According to his career in the national team, Bernat has played in each of the lower categories since 2008 when he debuted with the senior team on October 12th, 2014 , scoring a goal against Luxembourg.

From our blog we wanted to give you the knowledge of this great player, that certainly will be talking about in the coming years and will feature prominently in both the triumphs of his team and the national team.

Argentina - Germany FR (1986)

When Argentina’s Jorge Luis Burruchaga appeared to knock the ball a touch too far ahead of him, having made a lung-bursting 40-yard run to get on the end of a sublime first-time pass from Diego Armando Maradona, West Germany custodian Harald Schumacher could not be seen in the TV shot. And while fans of La Albiceleste were surely cursing that “the keeper is going to cut it out”, their Die Nationalmannschaft counterparts must have been wondering “where’s Schumacher?”

There were only six minutes remaining of normal time in the Final of the 1986 FIFA World Cup Mexico, and just three minutes earlier the Germans had underlined their trademark resilience by levelling the match at 2-2 – having been two goals down.

Diego Maradona in Mexico '86

“It's incredible how many things people have told me about that goal. They said I knocked the ball on too far in front of me; that I ignored [Jorge] Valdano shouting for it to my left; that [defender Hans-Peter] Briegel almost caught me. But all I was focusing on was the goal in the distance,” recalled Burruchaga. “I didn't see Valdano running alongside me through the middle, and nor did I hear Briegel behind me. It felt like the longest, most exhilarating run of my life.”

Fortunately for Burru, luck was on his side when it came to the aforementioned heavy touch. Having initially decided to clip the ball over the onrushing Schumacher, he ended up sliding a low shot through the legs of the then Cologne No1. The score now 3-2, the strike finally knocked all the fight out of Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Co and secured a yearned-for second World Cup crown for Argentina.

An unexpected Final 

Pre-tournament, La Albiceleste had touched down on Mexican soil earlier than any other side. Renowned for his attention to detail, coach Carlos Bilardo’s determination to ensure his squad were fully acclimatised to conditions in Mexico City – 2,200m above sea level – meant his charges found themselves at CF America’s training complex 30 days before the competition began. What's more, their shaky performances in qualifying and in warm-up matches had left Argentina supporters with scant hope of a repeat of their 1978 world title.

“The team arrived in Mexico low on confidence and nobody gave us much of a chance. On top of which there was a great deal of tension within the camp,” said Valdano. “But, as the World Cup went on, the squad grew stronger and showed a great deal of character. I'd say that it was the biggest turnaround I've seen in my life. Before the first game we weren't even sure we'd beat Korea [Republic], but by the last game we had no doubts whatsoever that we were going to beat Germany.”

Meanwhile, opponents West Germany boasted a squad packed with talented performers, including the likes of Rummenigge, Rudi Voller, Felix Magath, Pierre Littbarski, Andreas Brehme and Lothar Matthaus, though they too did not arrive at the World Cup in promising form. Indeed, Rummenigge, Voller and Klaus Allofs were all carrying injuries, “Our whole attack was crumbling,” summed up Matthaus, years later.

Nor did the oppressive heat aid the Europeans’ cause, with their opening three group games in Queretaro still remembered for cases of heat stroke suffered by their players. Even so, coach Franz Beckenbauer’s team gradually began to grow in strength and spirit, leading to victory over tournament sensations and then European champions France in the semi-finals. “The atmosphere was incredible and, in a way, that World Cup was ‘a summer fairy tale’ too” said Schumacher.

Highlights of this World Cup Final:

Full match: Argentina - Germany FR




Information from: Eurosport.es, YouTube, Losmundialesdefútbol.com

Arsenal 2003-04

This post will discuss the incredible season that Arsenal made ​​in Premier League in 2003 and 2004. Dubbed “the invincible”.

Arsenal in Highbury win the Premier League Cup, 2004.

That season, the 38 Premier League matches, the Gunners won 26 games, 12 draws and no defeats. For a total of 90 points, 11 ahead of Chelsea team, that curiously eliminated them in Europe in quarter-finals at UEFA Champions League.

That team entered football history, not only for its record but for his excellent play and ball control.

From that incredible team, we emphasize fantastic players like:

Thierry Henry: 27 goals in this league top scorer of the French team and leading scorer in the history of Arsenal.

Dennis Bergkamp: third top scorer in the Netherlands national team, with great technique and a experience that did wonders in Highbury. His last game for Arsenal was the Paris final against FC Barcelona.

In order: Vieira, Pires, Henry and Ashley Cole.

Jens Lehmann: German goalkeeper who made ​​an insurance goal gunner.

Patrick Vieira: French midfielder world champion and Europe. Great strength andSilva.

Gilberto Silva: Brazilian midfielder. That season he played 32 games and was instrumental in winning the title

Fredy Ljungberg: Swedish runner, got 4 goals that season and displayed great football in midfield gunner. 

Robert Pires: Also French player, 14 goals and 7 assists this season. He made ​​an extraordinary season. Later he went to Villareal.

José Antonio Reyes: The Seville joined Arsenal as a rising star, he did not play bad season but gunners expected more from him.

Diego Capel (Lisboa)

In this new post is our pleasure to introduce to Diego Capel, former Sevilla FC player in the most glorious time of the club. A player who came to debut in the selection and be present at the biggest clubs in Europe.

Diego Capel Trinidad born in Albox, Almería on 16 February 1988. He was 12 years when FC Barcelona is fixed in this player Selection of Almeria and decided to give it a try in La Masia. However, it did not last an entire season because of their poor acclimatization. 

Diego Capel scoring goal with Sporting Lisboan (www.sofoot.com)

A season later, Capel signed for Sevilla FC, club which highlights the quarry and became the second youngest player of the club debut in La Liga, behind Jose Antonio Reyes.

After his debut in First, figure Capel in Sevilla grows into stagnation, which occurs when the young winger fails to give more of themselves. In 2011, after several campaigns still not outstanding, Almeria fly to Lisbon to play for Sporting Lisbon.

Diego Capel continues militating in the Portuguese side last season rang for several Russian Spanish teams and a team like Granada. Currently the team is eliminated in continental competition after playing the group stage of UEFA Champions League and Europa League. Portuguese Liga, Sporting ranks third and is 11 points behind the leader.

From "Gol fuera de casa" we believe this was overrated player in his day, even said it was a future world crack. Capel is now a more complete player and no longer lives with his speed and cross. Wishing you all the luck in this player in its Portuguese and possible new phase in another club stage.

Diego Costa (London)

It is said of the Spanish people we are very affable and tried to anyone coming from outside as if our own house out why we lead by example and in this post we will talk about Diego Costa, footballer born and raised in Brazil but after spending several years in Spain decided to play with the Spanish senior team, leaving out the almighty Brazil, so for all Spanish is already one more of us.

Diego Costa along with Sergio Ramos in Brazil FIFA Worl Cup

Diego Costa was born in Brazil in 1988 where he played in an amateur way until he signed for Sporting de Braga (Portugal). After a couple of seasons in Portugal, was signed by the Club Atlético de Madrid, but yielded to Albacete and Celta de Vigo. The following season, he was traded to Valladolid, but the club of Manzanares what re-sign for a million euros.

Already at Atletico, the first season did not play much longer before him to the likes of Diego Forlan and Kun Agüero. So the following season he went on loan to Rayo Vallecano, which was unveiled for the public to form a lethal strike partnership with Michu.

Because of the goals he scored, he returned to Atletico Madrid, where this time if they had many minutes resulted in goals that earned him win a Super Cup being a starter against Chelsea.

It was precisely the English team in London that would provide his services in August 2014 after paying 38 million euros to Madrid side. The blue team is still very important for Mourinho scoring important goals in the Premier League that will assert to win this prestigious tournament.

Diego Costa has great potential and we are sure you will finish showing in the Spanish, because so far, not being adapted to the style of play and he has not made good games.

To say goodbye, we´ll leave to you this video with his 10 best goals.

Information taken of: transfermarkt.com

Picture taken of: rtve.es

Javi Martínez (München)

This time, we'll talk about Javi Martínez, spanish footballer who currently plays for Bayern Munich and FC Barcelona will face in the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League to fight for a place in the final.

Javi is a midfielder defense, tall and good ball, which caught the attention of the leaders of the German club did not hesitate to spend a lot of money to secure his services.

Before that, he was one of the best players of Athletic Bilbao Marcelo Bielsa who managed to get both the final of Cup of the King and the UEFA Europa League in the 2011/2012 season.

He has been capped in almost all the lower echelons of the Spanish team and made ​​his debut with the national team in 2010 against Saudi Arabia and is now a regular fixture in calls for Vicente del Bosque.

Unfortunately, last season had a serious knee injury, so it has been away from the pitch many months. Luckily, this week has been incorporated into training under the command of Pep Guardiola.

In his resume boasts two Bundesliga titles, two German Cups, one Champions League, one Eurocup and one FIFA World Cup.

Information from: Footballtop.es

Image taken from: Javimartinez8.com

United States

Today we talked about how football is lived in the US, a country that increasingly pays more attention to the most popular sport in the world.

After the Brazilian was they who bought more tickets to watch the World 196 838 according to FIFA. More than triple the Argentine and German, who bought tickets 61,477 and 58,983, respectively.

For a country with over 300 million people and a huge population of Latino and immigrant, seemed a matter of time that the US embraced once the soccer. To the extent that the audience the game against Ghana's World Cup in Brazil managed to exceed the average viewer of an NFL game in New York. Some 16 million Americans watched the match, a million more than the average of the last final of the League of Professional Baseball and more than triple the end of ice hockey.

And people start to realize how amazing which is a World Cup and is currently the fastest growing in the US, and that this has only just begun

The Major League Soccer, still a young tournament, contesting his 19th season, has to compete for support, respect, holders Press and care in a traditionally dominated by baseball, basketball and rugby country and wants to prolong the wave of support that are experiencing this summer beyond, over the coming years, when the league expands.

The Orlando City, which has joined this season, has already caused a sensation by signing Kaka, while the New York City FC, who also entered this 2015, has become in turn the services of David Villa and Frank Lampard, which has aroused great interest in a club that will not play his first match for another six months.

And with David Beckham after a club based in Miami who wants to join the league in 2017, success and support experienced by the soccer in the United States this summer 2014 could be just the tip of the iceberg.

The men's team has won 5 Gold Cups and participated 9 times in the World Cup. While the women's team is the best in the world in its category, and has won 2 World Cups and 4 gold medals at the Olympics Games.

The women´s team US

We hope you have been able to bring as living and growing the sport in the greatest world power .

Information from: futbol.as.com and es.fifa.com

Photo taken from: futbol.univision.com