Argentina set to play Italy in front of Pope #Homage#

Coach Allejandro Sabella has released a 22 man list of player to face Italy in the August 14th friendly match to be played in Stadio Olympico which will have Pope Francis as audience.

Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, is the former Archbishop of Buenos Aires and a lifelong supporter of Argentinian top flight club San Lorenz.

 

Goalkeeper: Sergio Romero (Sampdoria/ITA), Oscar Ustari (Almería/ESP), Mariano Andujar (Catania/ITA)

Defenders: Hugo Campagnaro (Inter Milan/ITA), Federico Fernandez (Napoli/ITA), Ezequiel Garay (Benfica/POR), Marcos Rojo (Sporting Lisbon/POR), Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City/ENG), Fabricio Coloccini (Newcastle United/ENG), Cristian Ansaldi (Rubin Kazan/RUS), José Basanta (Monterrey/MEX)

Midfielders: Javier Mascherano (Barcelona/ESP), Ever Banega (Valencia/ESP), Augusto Fernandez (Celta Vigo/ESP), Ricardo Alvarez (Inter Milan/ITA), Lucas Biglia (Lazio/ITA), Erik Lamela (Roma/ITA).

Forwards: Lionel Messi (Barcelona/ESP), Angel Di María (Real Madrid/ESP), Rodrigo Palacio (Inter Milan/ITA), Gonzalo Higuain (Napoli/ITA), Ezequiel Lavezzi (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA)

 

Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, is the former Archbishop of Buenos Aires and a lifelong supporter of Argentinian top flight club San Lorenzo - See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/07/argentina-to-play-italy-in-front-of-pope/#sthash.MaPlhIKn.dpuf

Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, is the former Archbishop of Buenos Aires and a lifelong supporter of Argentinian top flight club San Lorenzo - See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/07/argentina-to-play-italy-in-front-of-pope/#sthash.MaPlhIKn.dpuf

Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, is the former Archbishop of Buenos Aires and a lifelong supporter of Argentinian top flight club San Lorenzo - See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/07/argentina-to-play-italy-in-front-of-pope/#sthash.MaPlhIKn.dpuf

Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, is the former Archbishop of Buenos Aires and a lifelong supporter of Argentinian top flight club San Lorenzo - See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/07/argentina-to-play-italy-in-front-of-pope/#sthash.MaPlhIKn.dpuf

Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, is the former Archbishop of Buenos Aires and a lifelong supporter of Argentinian top flight club San Lorenzo - See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/07/argentina-to-play-italy-in-front-of-pope/#sthash.MaPlhIKn.dpuf

Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, is the former Archbishop of Buenos Aires and a lifelong supporter of Argentinian top flight club San Lorenzo - See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/07/argentina-to-play-italy-in-front-of-pope/#sthash.MaPlhIKn.dpuf

Ronaldo donates blood to Spain rail crash victims

Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo travelled to Galicia to donate blood for victims of the rail disaster in Santiago de Compostela which claimed 80 lives and left many injured.

The former Manchester United winger expressed his sadness at the disaster through his Twitter profile and left Real’s pre-season training camp to travel to the Spanish city to donate blood for the victims.

Almost 200 people have been seriously injured from the crash which saw a number of carriages came off the railway track, smashing into a wall.

Surprised? Yes he's got no tatoo. Well done.

Former Birmingham City strike Christian Benitez dies of Heart attck

Former Premier League striker Christian Benitez died suddenly of suspected heart attack @ age 27.

According to a  statement on the Ecuadorian FA  website ''he died of heart failure after suffering 'stomach pains''

The Ecuadorian had only completed a £10m switch to Qatari side El Jaish from Birmingham where he made 36 appearances on loan in 2009/10 season.


Manchester United's Antonia Valencia led the tributes to his compatriot on twitter with tributes from footballers who called him 'Chucho' 

Christian is survived by his wife, children and his father, former Ecuador international footballer Ermen Benítez.


REST IN PEACE CHUCHO... Amen

ATHLETICS: All Hail Blessing Okagbare as she sets new African sprint record

No doubt football has taken the shy off other sports as the most reckoned with around the world especially in our clime, but the recent feat attained by our own in athletic must not go unnoticed.

Right before the world on Saturday, Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare broke the African women’s 100m record twice at the ongoing Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games in London.

The African Queen of the tracks first broke Gloria Alozie’s 14 -year old record of 10.90 record when she returned in 10.86 seconds in the heats. She further lowered that in the final to produce what is now the talk in town, a sensational feat of 10.79 seconds.

But Okagbare was not done yet as she put up another heroic performance in the final to break the African record she had set earlier in the heats to win in a time of 10.7secs ahead of second–placed Barbara Pierre of the United States – who clocked a joint personal best time of 10.85sec- and Trinidad’s Kelly-Ann Baptiste (third in 10.93secs).

After running a world leading 10.7 secs in the semi-finals, defending world champion and reigning Olympic 100m gold medalist, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, never recovered from a poor start in the final, finishing fourth in 10.94secs.

Okagbare is ranked fourth in the world this year both in 200 and long jump.

The 24-year-old Nigerian jumped 7.04m to win the women’s long jump event at the IAAF Diamond League Grand Prix event in Monaco and record her season’s personal best in the event.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s hope of winning a medal at next month’s 14^th IAAF World Championship in Moscow, Russia has been brightened.

This feat is worth commending, rewarding or permit ''awarding''.

Again! Bayern Munich beat Barcelona in Pre-season friendly

With former coach of Barcelona Pep Guardiola on the Bayern bench, his side emerged triumphant against his former team Barca in the Allianz Arena. Philipp Lahm struck early while Mario Mandzukic scored the second as the German side proved too strong.

A per-season friendly you'll say but it's another trashing.

TB Joshua tweets ''Arsenal won't win any trophy until Royal Baby becomes King'' #Prophecy or Joke#

This particular twitter handling is known for spiritual and inspirational quotes have dropped a shell, just as the tweet above shows.

The new Royal baby of Dukes and Duches of Cambridge was christened on Wednesday as  George Alexander Louis and has been connected to the trophy drought of Arsenal FC.

Could this be a joke or a prophecy? Is the twitter account even run by the Prophet himself?....

So Higuain is having his medical at Napoli...#Arsenal....#

So Arsenal will not sign Gonzalo Higuain afterall???

Report just coming in suggest that Real Madrid Gonzalo Higuain is in Rome and set to sign for Napoli after both clubs agreed £31m transfer fee.


This tweet says it all.

Newcastle ''Holy Cisse'' spotted in Casino

Seeing a footballer in a Casino is not meant to be news but A picture of Papis Demba Cisse is in circulation, where he was spotted in a Casino despite his claims of religious beliefs, that makes it news.

The Newcastle striker who is a devout Muslim, is at loggerhead with his club after refusing to wear the new ''Wonga''-sponsored United shirt, not wanting to promote the money-lending company on religious grounds.

The photo was taken back in November the night before Newcastle’s away game in Brugge by Toon fan, Andrew Mcnally. Having been put up and circulated on Twitter it has since attracted the attention of national papers, the Daily Mail and The Daily Mirror.

 

 Teammates Cheik Tioté  and Moussa Sissoko are also Muslim, they have had no issue with wearing the sponsor’s logo

According to Dailymail, some fans claimed they often see the Senegalese forward in the casino.

 

There's also speculation of a Big club in Russia in chase of the striker. 

Let the findings begin.

Top 10 Football clubs with highest fan-base around the the world

 Recent research shows the top ten most supported football club in the world.

1)      Manchester United: Manchester United have the most fans around the world, with an astonishing 659 million Red Devils (nearly a tenth of the world's population). This fan-base put them 1st in the list of most popular football club (According to Bleacherreport.coms)

2)      Barcelona: Barcelona might have won everything in recent five years, but they are only the second most popular football club, with approximately 260 million fans.

3)      Real Madrid: Real Madrid are 3rd in list of most popular football clubs with an estimated 180 million fans.

4)      Chelsea: Chelsea are another club to have a huge fan base at Asia which leads them to have 140 million supporters worldwide which puts them 4th in the list of most popular football clubs.

5)      Arsenal : Arsenal have a strong fan base at Asia and Africa that has led them to have 115 million fans worldwide.

6)      AC Milan : AC Milan are supported by 98 million fans around the world. AD: Sponsered Content from Google

7)      Liverpool : Despite of failing to seize Champions League spot in recent years, Liverpool are estimated to have 70 million global fans.

8)      Bayern Munich: Bayern Munich are estimated to have 50 million fans which makes them 8th in the list of most popular football clubs.

9)      Inter Milan: Inter Milan: Inter Milan are expected to have 24 million fans world-wide.

10)   Juventus: Juventus are currently placed at 10th in the list with 21 million fans across the world.