ARJEN ROBBEN

Post by Suresh Iyer

Lionel Messi, the star striker for Barcelona and Argentina, will celebrate his 23rd birthday, on June 24, while the FIFA Earth Cup 2010 is on. Wayne Rooney, his counterpart at Manchester United and England, will flip 25, in October.

Mention either of these gamers, and odds are, you will also mention the other, since these are arguably the two finest players in the world. Equally are geniuses on the football subject who can transform the fortunes of their respective teams, if they are completely match and taking part in to potential.

Therefore the question: who is much more likely to set the Globe Cup 2010 ablaze with his efficiency, Rooney or Messi?

They have had incredible similarities in their careers. The two players had been signed by clubs at age 11, Messi by Barcelona, Rooney by Everton. Rooney held the file for the youngest player to represent a staff in the EPL Messi was the team’s youngest ever before player, when he debuted in the Spanish League (La Liga). Messi was the youngest to score a target in La Liga Rooney held the report for currently being the youngest actually scorer in the EPL. Both gamers achieved the feat before they turned 17. Rooney who obtained a debut hat-trick for Man U also went to turn into the youngest international for England, in 2003.

The coincidences really don’t finish there. Equally gamers completed a hundred objectives for their respective club teams, in January 2010. Equally players selected the 2010 time to score four objectives in a single match. Messi did it against Arsenal in the Champions League, although Rooney’s four targets came in a match in opposition to Hull.

There are some distinctions, too: To start off with, Messi is somewhat developed and 5’7″ tall Rooney is three inches taller, and built like a bull.

Championships Won:

Messi has been a part of championship winning Barcelona on 12 occasions, including the Champions League twice, and the FIFA Club World Cup, as soon as. He has also served Argentina win two titles, the FIFA U-twenty Planet Cup, and an Olympic Gold at Beijing.

Rooney has won eight titles, all for Manchester United, such as the Champions League, and the FIFA Club World Cup, the moment every single.

Equally gamers have a host of specific awards. Messi would have specifically relished winning the Earth Soccer Player of The 12 months award, 2009. Rooney, on his component, would have enjoyed becoming named the 2010 PFA Players’ Player of the Yr.

Fittingly, each gamers are amid the greatest compensated in their respective leagues. Rooney has many commercial endorsements, apart from a profitable guide deal with Harper and Collins.

Individual Endorsements:

Each players have gushing endorsements from players and managers. Manchester Metropolis manager Roberto Mancini, England player, Steven Gerrard, Chelsea boss, Ancellotti, Mark Lorenson, Argentina player, Tevez, Rooney’s Guy U teammate, Wes Brown, David Beckham, and ex-England strikers, Shearer and Lineker, are all unanimous in their view that Rooney is the greatest player in the world.

Brazilian midfielder Kaka, his Argentina teammates, Deco and Riquelme, Barcelona boss Laporta, Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola, Arsenal FC Ahead and Denmark international Nicklas Bendtner, Genuine Madrid striker Arjen Robben, and Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger are amon Messi’s abiding supporters. In fact, La Porta claims that Messi is the best player of all time. Maradona has anointed Messi as his successor, even though Pele who predicted that Messi would get the FIFA greatest player award in 2009, says Messi should first set up as the very best actually Argentina player, and also score one,000 objectives just before he can change the Brazilian legend as the finest ever.

Strengths:

Rooney is quick and strongly created and employs his physical strength to get previous defenders. He is cozy enjoying via the middle, and can operate on his personal, up front. He is naturally gifted, and really opportunistic, and inventive. He revels in unleashing strong volleys from the top rated of the box. Rooney owes his physical strength to 4 many years spent in amateur boxing. Despite the fact that a striker, he excels from deep, and capitalizes on his near management and power even though running at defenders even as he uses vision to create openings for other individuals.

Messi is arguably the finest dribbler in the planet, and can dance his way past defences. He has, in a club game replicated Maradona’s goal versus England in the `1986 quarter last, dribbling previous six gamers and running the exact same distance as the Argentina legend did on that occasion. Messi displays quintessential South American flair, and his targets arrive from shut range, inside the box, and rely not so a lot on electrical power, as on guile and precision.

Weaknesses:

Rooney has been injuries inclined. He has also shown a penchant for being hot headed. Messi has also had injury troubles. There are no perceptible weaknesses in his game, but nitpickers could claim that he has not been as successful for Barcelona, in absent games, as he has been in residence video games. Also, Messi is nevertheless to play to prospective for Argentina – the crew had a mediocre exhibiting in the qualifiers. Could it be that he doesn’t have as excellent a supporting cast in the national team, as in Barcelona, which has the likes of Xavi, Pedro and Pichichi combining well with Messi?

In contrast, Rooney has been prolific for England, with 25 strikes in just more than twice as several matches. There are critics who claim that Rooney is about-rated and is probable to meet his comeuppance every time he meets a strong South American team. The best way to dispel this kind of doubts is for Rooney to perform on the subject. To his credit, Rooney scored a target in a 3-two win in a friendly, versus Argentina, in 2005.

Recent type:

Each gamers have been in huge sort in 2010. Rooney has had 34 targets from 44 appearances for Man U, and Messi 47 goals in 53 appearances.

Prospects in Earth Cup 2010:

Even though Messi’s fairly unimpressive record for Argentina is an argument utilised from him, he had a objective in opposition to Croatia in Planet Cup 2006. In contrast, Rooney had a lacklustre aim-less outing, in Germany, in 2006, enjoying in the shadow of damage right up until his ignominious red-card exit in the quarter-last. But all that will be historical past, when the tournament kicks off in South Africa, arrive June 11.

About the Writer

For the newest sports activities gossip and news you will not locate anywhere else on the Net, and to download a Free Ebook on the 2010 FIFA Globe Cup, 2010, click on http://www.cricinfosite.com

Suresh Iyer is an avid sports activities fan and blogger.