Lionel Messi,Cristiano Ronaldo are "selfish" footballers? Pogba

Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has discussed the notion that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are "selfish" footballers.


The Frenchman has refuted claims that the Argentine superstar and the Portuguese talisman are greedy players, suggesting that their ability helps their teams score goals and win games.

"If Messi scores, does that make him selfish?" Pogba asked during an interview with La Repubblica.

"No, being strong lets you help the team. Take Cristiano Ronaldo. He sets himself some incredibly high objectives, he's ambitious, he wants to beat every record, and he wants the Ballon d'Or. That's not selfishness.

Champions League: Chelsea, Roma stay alive; Bayern humiliates Arsenal

The late goals by Chelsea and Roma earn both crucial victories in the Champions League on Wednesday, improving their chances of advancing to the knockout stage. Chelsea defeated Dynamo Kiev 2-1 in London thanks to an 83rd-minute free kick by Willian, while Miralem Pjanic’s 80th-minute penalty gave Roma a 3-2 home win over Bayer Leverkusen.

Zenit St. Petersburg secured its place in the round of 16 with a win at Lyon, while Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Porto and Olympiakos also won on Wednesday, staying on track to advance.

Arsenal remains in trouble and is on the brink of elimination after losing 5-1 to Bayern Munich in Germany.

World Cup 2014: James Rodríguez Leads Colombia Over Uruguay

RIO DE JANEIRO — His name is James, but he pronounces it Hahm-ez, and that was the way the Colombian fans shouted it on Saturday night. They have been singing James Rodríguez’s praises all along, in fact, but in the flurry of goals and teams and story lines in this World Cup, there was a chance a few people had not yet noticed Rodríguez. Everyone knows him now.

Rodríguez scored two more goals — giving him five at this World Cup — in a 2-0 victory over Uruguay that sent Colombia to the quarterfinals for the first time. Things become tougher now, to be sure, with a matchup against host Brazil on Friday in Fortaleza. But with Rodríguez having scored in each of Colombia’s games, and with Brazil struggling past Chile on penalty kicks earlier Saturday, anything seems possible.

“We’re very happy because we’re making history,” Rodríguez said. “We want to do even more.”

Ahmed Musa Impresses Reds Scout

According to British Tabloid, The Metro, Ahmed Musa's two goals against Argentina might earn him a move to Liverpool after impressing the Merseyside outfit scout who watched the Super Eagles lose 3-2 to Argentina.

Aside from the team's scout watching Reds boss Brendan Rodgers is reportedly a fan of Musa, and he’ll definitely be an even bigger admirer when he sees the manner in which Musa took his goals. Liverpool Scouts Fernando Troiani and Stephen Aptroot watched Musa draw Nigeria level twice with two well taken strike in the fourth minute and 47th minute respectively to match Lionel Messi before Marcos Rojo scored what ended up being Argentina's winner three minutes later.

Jay Jay Okocha frowns at Enyeama’s positioning

Former Super Eagles midfielder Austine Okocha says Vincent Enyeama’s poor positioning led to Messi’s brilliant curling free-kick that caught him napping for Argentina’s second goal.

Okocha, who was a guest in SuperSports World Cup studio for the match between Nigeria and Argentina believed Enyeama could have done better if he had positioned himself properly.

The former Bolton and PSG midfield maestro, however, hailed Enyeama for his wonderful saves to deny Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria from scoring more goals against the Super Eagles.

Despite losing this encounter 3-2 against Argentina, Nigeria is guaranteed of a place in the last 16 of the FIFA World Cup thanks to Bosnia 3-1 win over Iran.

Independent

'Messi is from Jupiter,' says Keshi

The defeat to Argentina was one of the most entertaining and hard-fought games of the World Cup so far, but also a pleasingly fair clash with players joking on the field. The fact both sides progressed
to the Last 16 regardless of the result certainly helped the atmosphere. 

After the game, Super eagle's coach Stephen Keshi described Lionel Messi as an outstanding player saying "Messi is one heck of a player. You can't take that away from him."He's blessed. I think there are other players in the Argentina squad who are very strong, but Messi is from Jupiter." Keshi said.

FT: Messi produces late magic to lead #ARG to 1-0 win over #IRN

Full Time: Messi produces late magic to lead #ARGENTINA to 1-0 win over #IRAN. Lionel Messi scores late winner to put Argentina into World Cup knockout stages

Messi scored the goal that provided the eventual margin of victory for Argentina against Bosnia, and he should be at the center of everything again here. He'll want to improve his interactions with attackmate Sergio Aguero, though. Iran barely hung on to a 0-0 draw with Nigeria. Now it must face Messi and company.

Super Eagles will Break Records in Brazil - Kenneth Omeruo

Super Eagles' defender Kenneth Omeruo sees no reason why the Eagles cannot become the first African side to progress to the semi-finals of the World Cup.

Speaking during an exclusive chat with FIFA.com said: "I'm hoping we'll get to the final. But I think at least the semi-finals."

Nigeria Eagles are the current African Champions. That continental win means Nigeria will head into a World Cup as champions of Africa, just as they did 20 years ago. As at USA 1994, and 2002 and 2010, they were drawn in a group with South American heavyweights Argentina, along with Iran and debutants Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Omeruo Told FIFA.COM : “I remember watching the World Cup in South Africa,  it was disappointing that we didn't come out of the group in 2010. We’ll have to play for the Nigerian fans because it was a massive welcome when we won the African Cup of Nations. They showed us how much they love football and how much they are behind us, so we have to play for them.

Bosnia-Herzegovina, Honduras announce their Brazil squads

 Bosnia-Herzegovina coach Safet Susic

Bosnia-Herzegovina squad

Goalkeepers: Asmir Begovic (Stoke City/ENG), Asmir Avdukic (Borac Banja Luka), Jasmin Fejzic (VFR Aalen/GER)

Defenders: Emir Spahic (Bayer Leverkusen/GER), Toni Sunjic (Zorya Lugansk/UKR), Sead Kolasinac (Schalke/GER), Ognjen Vranjes (Elazigspor/TUR), Ervin Zukanovic (Gent/BEL), Ermin Bicakcic (Eintracht Braunschweig/GER), Muhamed Besic (Ferencvaros/HUN)

Midfielders: Miralem Pjanic (Roma/ITA), Izet Hajrovic (Galatasaray/TUR), Mensur Mujdza (Freiburg/GER), Haris Medunjanin (Gaziantepspor/TUR), Senad Lulic (Lazio/ITA), Anel Hadzic (Sturm/AUT), Tino Susic (Hajduk/CRO), Sejad Salihovic (Hoffenheim/GER), Zvjezdan Misimovic (Guizhour Renhe/CHN), Senijad Ibricic (Erciyesspor/TUR), Avdija Vrsaljevic (Hajduk/CRO)

Forwards: Vedad Ibisevic (VfB Stuttgart/GER), Edin Dzeko (Manchester City/ENG), Edin Visca (Istanbul BB/TUR)

Cristiano Ronaldo Emerges Highest Goal Scorer ever in Champions League

Real Madrid Star and World football best, Cristiano Ronaldo has broken Lionel Messi's goals record for a single Champions League season following his double in Real Madrid's 4-0 win over Bayern Munich on Tuesday.

The 29-year-old's two goals in his side's superb second-leg victory at the Allianz Arena took his tally for the 2013-14 season to 16. He has now netted one more than Messi's previous record, with the Argentine registering 14 times in 11 games during the 2011-12 tournament.

How Bale Destroyes Lionel Messi To Settle Copa del Rey final

It may have cost a reported $134 million to bring Gareth Bale to Spain, but on Wednesday he scored a priceless goal as Real Madrid beat archrivals Barcelona 2-1 to win the Copa del Rey. The Welshman, who was signed from Tottenham Hotspur in September 2013, produced a stunning solo strike to give Real their first trophy under Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti.
Real's triumph condemned Barca to three successive defeats for the first time since January 2003 and crushed the Catalan team's final realistic chance of winning silverware this season.

Brazil 2014: Argentina coach says Nigeria, Iran will fear us

As The FIFA 2014 World Cup kickoff in Brazil, this year  in June,  the Argentine coach Alejandro Sabella is full of confident that his final squad for the World Cup will intimidate opponents as he reveals a combination of Lionel Messi and a strong defence will do the job.

The Group F favourites,  Argentina play Nigeria, Iran and Bosnia-Herzegovina at the group state and their coach has said the opponents like Nigeria and Iran will have them to fear in the group games. “Our rivals will fear us. Argentina has an amazing front line,” he says on the national team’s official website.

He said; “It’s very hard to be World champions. We don’t have to believe that we are the best. In fact, we know we’re not the best, but we are a candidate. We can’t go into the tournament thinking we’ve won it. I don’t know if I’ll take seven or eight defenders. Depends on whether I include another midfielder. The best thing is to try and cover all the areas. Almost certainly those who are here now will be making it.”

Mourinho: Hazard can be on par with Messi & Ronaldo, but must build his 'political entourage' in order to win the Ballon d'Or

The Chelsea boss says the midfielder can become one of the world's greatest players but admits the Belgian must build his 'political entourage' in order to win the Ballon d'Or

Jose Mourinho believes Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard has the ability to match the levels of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The Belgium international has been a key figure in Chelsea’s title pursuit this season, scoring nine goals in 22 Premier League games.

And while Mourinho claims the 23-year-old possesses the determination required to become one of the best players in the world, he admits Hazard’s position as a winger will restrict his opportunities in front of goal.

"Does he have the capacity to reach the level of a Messi or Cristiano? Now I say yes, because his evolution is great,” Mourinho told reporters. 

“He has time to become a great, great player and arrive where they are – he's 23, and Cristiano is 28, Messi 26 – so there is space for further evolution, and there's a great ambition in him. 

“They are also top goalscorers, of course, and that makes them even more special. Eden is a winger, a pure winger, so I don't think it's possible for Eden to be top scorer in the league. That normally affects people's judgement.

"But if he can be a match-winner, a player with high performances during a season, what I feel now in him is responsibility in every aspect. 

“Against Manchester United he made a fantastic tackle in our own box. 

“Against Stoke, he tried to kill the game, have initiative, dribbling at people, trying to make things happen. The kid is going in a fantastic direction."

But despite his praise, the Chelsea manager warns that Hazard may have to do more off the pitch in order to stand a realistic chance of winning the Ballon d’Or.

"If he wants the Ballon d'Or, he must build the entourage politically for that," Mourinho said. 

"Without the entourage and the politics, he doesn't get the Ballon d'Or. That's a different story."