Bobby Moore: The First Gentleman of English Football

Robert Frederick Chelsea Moore (Bobby Moore) was born in Barnet in April 1941. He was recruited to West Ham’s junior team in 1956, making his debut for the senior team as a replacement for Malcolm Allison against Manchester United in September 1958.

In 1960, at the young age of 19, Bobby Moore was called up to the England under-23’s, and earned his debut cap in 1962 in Peru. Already in 1963 he was made captain of the squad, quickly earning the trust of his coach and manager. At first Moore was just filling in for more senior players, but the position was made permanent in 1964. That year Moore was treated for testicular cancer, but he did not let that stop him winning the FA Cup with West Ham United. He was also named Football Writer’s Association Football player of the Year. 

In 1966, the year of his famous victory, Bobby Moore was on the verge of arranging a transfer to Tottenham Hotspur when England manager Alf Ramsey intervened prior to the World Cup and urged a reconciliation with West Ham United, which was swiftly effected. 

England moved with little difficulty through the rounds in the World Cup, but the final itself was one of the most intense matches in the history of the game. England initially went 1-0 down to West Germany, before Geoff Hurst equalized, and Peters put them 2-1 up. Worryingly, however, Wolfgang Weber equalized just before full-time. The match went into extra time, and Hurst put England 3-2 up, but the goal was hotly contested, and it was not until the final minute when Hurst scored a third goal that England’s win was cemented. Many of the most famous images of that day centre around Moore as captain of his team.

After the World Cup, Bobby Moore continued to play for West Ham and England, as well as promoting the British pub industry and opening his own sports shop. In the second half of the decade, he received national recognition. In 1966 Moore was the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, and in 1967 he was awarded an OBE, and a punk band even recorded a song about him entitled ‘Viva Bobby Moore’. 

Bobby Moore was again named captain of England again for the 1970 World Cup. A rare controversial episode followed when he was arrested for the theft of a bracelet from the shop of the hotel that the squad was staying in in Columbia for a warm-up match. Although Moore was questioned on more than one occasion, and detained in Columbia when the rest of his team-mates travelled home, the charges were eventually dropped. The tournament was not a wild success for England, but it went down for one piece of genius from Moore when, during their match with Brazil, he performed a spectacular tackle on the advancing Jairzinho - still considered perhaps the finest (if not, the most iconic) tackle in history.

The later years of Moore’s English career passed with relative quiet. In 1970, he and two of his West Ham team-mates were fined for going out drinking heavily the night before a third-round FA Cup tie. Nonetheless, he continued to play well for them. Bobby Moore made his final appearance for England in 1973, when they failed to qualify for the World Cup. 

Bobby Moore led his country to its greatest footballing victory as captain of England’s winning team in the 1966 World Cup. Moore’s skill as a defender was matched by his generous and intelligent leadership, and by his mere personality, which earned him the nickname of ‘the first gentleman of English football’. He was famous for his grace and class, and for the apparently effortless tackles and passes that he seemed to perform in slow-motion. Moore was not a particularly fast nor a showy footballer - his composure and thoughtful approach to the defensive role marked him out as a highly gifted player and the natural leader that England needed. [source : Bobby Moore]

Bobby Moore Pictures and Wallpapers

Hong Myung-Bo

Hong Myung-Bo (born February 12, 1969 in Seoul) is a former South Korean footballer who, along with Cha Bum Kun, is often considered among the greatest Asian footballers ever. Hong was a member of the Korean national team in four World Cups, and was the first Asian player to play in four consecutive World Cup finals tournaments. He played as either a centre-back or at full-back. He retired from playing following the end of the 2004 Major League Soccer season, having finished his career with the Los Angeles Galaxy. He was chosen among the "FIFA 100", Pelé's selection of the 125 greatest living footballers in the world. He was also the recipient of the 2002 FIFA World Cup Bronze Ball. No other Asian player has yet achieved this feat.

Hong's first appearance at a World Cup final was at the 1990 World Cup in Italy. Hong played in all of Korea's matches against Belgium, Spain, and Uruguay, all three of which Korea lost.

Hong's individual talent was most notably showcased during the 1994 World Cup group stage. With Korea trailing 2–0 against Spain with only 5 minutes to go, Hong made the score 2–1 and shortly after he created the second for winger Seo Jung-Won to equalize the memorable match.

Hong's third appearance at World Cup was 1998 France World Cup. Hong played all three games of Korea against Mexico, Netherlands and Belgium. Korea got eliminated at the first round with 1 draw (Belgium) and 2 losses (Mexico and Netherlands).

Hong captained the Korean national team to a historic fourth place finish in the 2002 World Cup. He scored the winning penalty to secure a 5–3 shootout victory in the quarter final against Spain after a goalless draw. The Technical Study Group voted him as the third best player of the tournament (Bronze Ball award), the first ever Asian to be named in the top 3 players in a World Cup. Leader of the Korean defensive trio alongside Kim Tae-Young and Choi Jin-Cheul, he ended his international career after the 2002 World Cup as the all-time leader in appearances for the South Korean national team, with 135 caps.

On September 26, 2005, after retirement as a player, Hong returned to the national team as an assistant coach. Helping the manager Dick Advocaat, he took part in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and worked with the next manager Pim Verbeek in the Asian Cup 2007. After the resign of Pim Verbeek, he was one of the candidates to become the next manager. The Korea Football Association announced, on 19 February 2009, it had appointed him as the South Korea national under-20 football team. Under his guidance the team reached the quarter finals of the tournament, but were eliminated due to a 2–3 defeat to Ghana national under-20 football team. He also served an assistant coach for under-23 football team under Park Seong-Hwa. Following Park resigned as head coach in October 2009, he took over the coaching duties at under-23 football team. He led his team into third place in the 2010 Asian Games. [source : Hong Myung Bo]

Alessandro Nesta

Alessandro Nesta, Cavaliere Ufficiale OMRI (born March 19, 1976 in Rome), is an Italian World Cup-winning footballer who plays as a defender for Serie A club AC Milan. Considered by many as one of the best centre backs to have ever played the game, he is a four-time member of the annual UEFA Team of the Year.

Nesta was raised in the Cinecittà area of Rome. He attended the Margherita Bosco primary school where he first started playing football. His older brother, Fernando, was advised to play a sport because of a back problem and enrolled at the local football club. Alessandro threw a tantrum until his father gave in and enrolled him as well, thus marking the beginning of his career.

Nesta's talent was first discovered by Francesco Rocca, then a scout for Roma, but Nesta's father, a Lazio fan, turned down the offer. In 1985, he joined Lazio's youth academy, where he rose through the ranks playing in various positions, including playing as a striker and midfielder, before settling in defence. His international career first showed signs of growth when he played for Italy's under-15 and under-16 sides. He was promoted to Lazio's senior squad in 1993, and first came to the attention of fans for being involved in a training ground accident that broke teammate Paul Gascoigne's leg.

He assumed the team captaincy in 1997, and helped Lazio win the 1998 Coppa Italia after beating Milan in the final, in which he scored the winning goal. This was followed by a UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and European Super Cup in 1999, and a rare Scudetto and Coppa Italia double in the 1999–00 season, in addition to two Italian Super Cups.

Just before the 2002–03 Serie A campaign, financial woes forced Lazio to sell many of their best players. Nesta was transferred to Milan for approximately €30 million paid over three years, after being valued at over £50 million by Boudi just a year earlier. In his first season with the Rossoneri, Nesta won the 2002–03 UEFA Champions League and the third Coppa Italia of his career. The next season, he won his second European Super Cup and second career Scudetto. Despite missing most of the 2006–07 season due to a shoulder injury, Nesta nonetheless played a vital part in Milan's return to the 2006–07 Champions League final, where Milan defeated Liverpool 2–1. He (and Milan) also won another European SuperCup in August 2007. Nesta signed a contract extension that will keep him at Milan until 2011.

Nesta scored his first goal for Milan since April 2006 in a 1–1 draw with Siena on 15 September 2007. One of his most important goals for Milan came in the 4–2 victory over Boca Juniors in the final of the Club World Cup in December 2007.

Nesta was a member of the Under-21 squad that won the 1996 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, in which he was named the top defender of the competition. He earned his first cap for the Azzurri against Moldova on October 5, 1996. He has been capped 78 times for Italy, and participated in Euro 1996, the 1998 FIFA World Cup, Euro 2000, the 2002 World Cup, Euro 2004, and the 2006 World Cup. He usually partnered captain Fabio Cannavaro in the heart of the defense.

 During the 2006 World Cup, he suffered an injury in Italy's group match against the Czech Republic, and was forced to leave the match early. This made it three times unlucky for Nesta; he previously ruptured a knee ligament against Austria during the 1998 FIFA World Cup, and missed Italy's final game in the 2002 FIFA World Cup with an injured foot.

After the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Nesta's continuous injuries forced him to retire from the international team. Coach Roberto Donadoni unsuccessfully tried to persuade him to come out of retirement for Euro 2008.

More recently, a number of serious back injuries forced 33-year-old Nesta out of action for the whole 2008–09 season, raising concerns about his chance to make a comeback into active football. Fortunately he fully recovered from his injuries and came on as 77th minute substitute in Milan's final away game to Fiorentina on 31 May 2009 for his first competitive appearance of the season. On 25 October 2009 Nesta scored a brace to help Milan to a 2–1 victory over Chievo Verona in the Serie A. This was the first time he had ever scored two goals in a game. He became a starter and was one of Milan's most consistent players throughout the entire 2009-10 season without showing any signs of rust. [source : Alessandro Nesta]

Il Grande Capitano Paolo Maldini

Paolo Cesare Maldini (born 26 June 1968 in Milan, Italy) is a former Italian footballer who played as a centre back. He spent all 25 seasons of his career at Serie A club AC Milan, before retiring at the age of 40. During that period, Maldini won the Champions League five times, as well as seven Serie A titles, one Coppa Italia, five Supercoppa Italiana, five European Super Cups, two Intercontinental Cups. He played for 14 years for the Italian national team, making his debut in 1988 before retiring in 2002 with 126 caps and four World Cup participations.

Paolo Maldini is the son of Cesare Maldini, an ex-AC Milan player who captained his team to victory in the European Cup finals in 1963, and went on to manage the national team. Despite his father’s links to AC Milan, as a youngster, Paolo was a fan of Turin team Juventus, home of his hero Roberto Bettega. However, after showing promise in the left-wing position, he was able to secure a place in the AC Milan youth programme (possibly through the influence of his father).

In January 1985, the Milan first team was plagued with injury, and for a match against Udinese, then manager Nils Lidholm decided to give 16-year old Maldini a spot on the substitutes' bench. When Sergio Battistini got injured and came off at half-time, Maldini got the shout and made his first appearance for the club that was to become such a huge part of his life and identity. 

Although the teenager made no further appearances that season, he developed quickly, and found himself first choice in the left back position in the following 1985-86 season. England international, Ray Wilkins, was one of the club’s senior defenders at the time, and it was partly because of his injury that Maldini found himself on the pitch. The youngster made a very good first impression on Wilkins, who said of him; "You could have stuck him in any position. As soon as I saw him I thought, my God, this boy's got everything. He was 16 years old, 6ft 1in tall, quick and strong, with two good feet. And he was in love with football, which you can still see today. He's also stayed the same thoroughly decent bloke, a gentleman as well as an outstanding player."

His international career began with the Italian under-21 squad in the 1986-87 season, graduating to the main squad in 1988. His first game was under Azeglio Vicini in Split against Yugoslavia. He distinguished himself, and became a fixture in the ‘Azzuri’ defence until his retirement from international football in 2002. 

During his 16 year tenure as an international, he became Italy’s most capped player, representing his country 126 times. One of the big disappointments of Maldini’s otherwise extraordinarily high-achieving career, was the lack of major international silverware. Italy finished runner-up in the 1994 USA FIFA World Cup, and in third place in the 1990 competition. He was also in the side that finished second in Euro 2000. 

Italy’s post-Maldini triumph in the 2006 FIFA World Cup must have been a bittersweet experience for the retiree. Like the rest of Italy, he was surely ecstatic to see his countrymen lifting the Jules Rimet trophy, but we could forgive him for feeling slightly envious of some of his ex-team mates, basking in the glory of the most coveted trophy in football (perhaps sport), that had eluded him despite two near successes.

However, Maldini could console himself easily enough by glancing up at his mantelpiece and reminding himself of the incredible success he has had (and still enjoys) for his club. He has won the Serie A 7 times, and the Italian Super Cup 5 times between 1988 and 2005, making Milan the most successful team in the recent history of the Serie A. He also jointly holds the record for 8 appearances in Champions League (formerly European Cup) finals with Francesco Gento, although Maldini has 5 winner’s medals to Gento’s 6. 

In the 2005 final against Liverpool FC, Maldini scored the fastest ever goal in a European Cup final, after only 51 seconds. He also became the oldest player ever to score in the final. He also holds the record for most appearances in the Serie A, Italy’s premier league, with over 600 appearances and counting. His total for all competitions at the end of the 2006/07 season was 846. Although he has publicly stated his desire to achieve 1000 appearances in a red and black shirt, this seems unlikely as he currently plans to retire at the end of the 2007/08 season. 

Throughout his 23 seasons at Milan, Maldini has only missed a handful of matches, making more than 25 appearances every year except 2001-02, when he suffered knee problems. These have never completely disappeared, but by moving into a less movement intensive role in central defence and enjoying the attentions of the best physicians in Italy, he has managed to stay fit and competitive. 

A 38 year-old Maldini is now a serious contender for the greatest defender of all time. Dignified and hugely respected, he is the paragon of a professional sportsman. He is one of the rare breed of footballers that looks completely at home on a football pitch. His vision and ability to read the game are second to none, allowing him to position himself so well that despite his lack of pace and advanced years, attacking players still fear the prospect of facing a defence with Maldini at its centre. 

He also possesses an extraordinary capacity for inspiring and organising his team mates and co-defenders. His command of the game is such that opponents find themselves playing the game at the pace Maldini sets, which generally is very slow. The inability of faster English teams to cope with the Maldini Effect is well documented. 

Perhaps the best season of Maldini’s career was 93/94, when he played in the side winning the European Cup and was runner-up in the FIFA World Cup finals, losing out to Brazil on penalties. This season saw him winning the prestigious World Soccer player of the year award - the first defender to do so. He said of the award; "It's a great honour for me to know that so many people consider me so highly. It's a particular matter of pride because defenders generally receive so much less attention from fans and the media than goal scorers. We are more in the engine room rather than taking the glory.”

One wonders whether if a young Maldini had decided to apply his skills in the other half of the pitch rather than defensively, we would be calling him a contender for best player of all time rather than best defender of all time. [source : Maldini]

Paolo Maldini Pictures and Wallpapers

Fabio Cannavaro

Fabio Cannavaro (born 13 September 1973 in Naples, Italy) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a centre back for the UAE Football League club Al-Ahli Dubai. He spent the majority of his career in Italy. He started his career at Napoli, before spending seven years at Parma, with whom he won two Coppa Italia and the 1999 UEFA Cup. After spells at Internazionale and Juventus, Cannavaro transferred along with manager Fabio Capello from Juventus to Real Madrid, with whom he won consecutive La Liga titles in 2007 and 2008. After returning to Juventus for one season in 2009–10, he joined current club Al-Ahli.

Cannavaro has also achieved success with the Italian national team. He was part of the Italy team that won consecutive Under-21 European Championships in 1994 and 1996. After earning his first senior cap in 1997, he eventually became captain. Cannavaro led Italy to victory in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and in 2009 overtook Paolo Maldini as the most capped player in the country's history. He announced his retirement from international football on 25 June 2010 following Italy's failure to qualify for the knock-out stages of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, having amassed 136 and scored 2 goals for the national team.

He won the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 2006, making him the first, and so far, only defender to win the award, as well as the oldest recipient. Cannavaro's younger brother Paolo is also a professional footballer. [source : Cannavaro]

Fabio Cannavaro Pictures and Wallpapers