Kaka was better than Messi & Cristiano Ronaldo

The former AC Milan star remains proud to have beaten the duo to the Ballon d'Or award in the past, while also voicing his admiration for Jose Mourinho Kaka has stressed he was a better player in his prime than Real Madrid ace Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona forward Lionel Messi. The Brazilian midfielder beat the illustrious duo to the Ballon d'Or and Fifa World Player of the Year awards in 2007 after an impressive season with AC Milan and he remains proud that he outdid both Messi and former team-mate Ronaldo. "I won the Ballon d'Or and World Player of Year against Cristiano and Messi," Kaka told The Daily Mail. "They win it every year now, but I could beat them back then. For me that's important because I had the best opponents. I'm proud when I see that." The 32-year-old played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo at Madrid between 2009 and 2013 and he feels they helped improve each other's game during their time together at the Santiago Bernabeu. "I definitely think we helped improve each other. It was great having him as a team-mate. I learnt a lot of things from him, every day I stuck with him and saw how he trained, how he played. It helped me a lot. "We had a great relationship off the pitch in Spain. We still have a very good one. I'm so happy that he could win the Ballon d'Or at Real Madrid. He really deserved that. He is a special player." Kaka endured a tough time under Jose Mourinho during his time at Madrid, as he was mainly warming the bench under the Portuguese, yet he has nothing but praise for the Chelsea manager. "I am so pleased to have had the opportunity to work with Mourinho, he is one of the best coaches in the world." The gifted midfielder recently joined Orlando City and he has insisted that he is not interested in a return to Europe, with friends like Oscar, Willian and Mesut Ozil trying to lure him to the Premier League. "They joke with me saying, 'Come and play for Chelsea or Arsenal' but I am so happy here in Orlando."

Barcelona Match Schedule for La Liga, 2014-15

Barcelona Match Fixtures for La Liga 2014-15 season are given below -

Ronaldo, Suarez, Bale and the most expensive XI in football World

Following a string of big-money moves this summer, Goal takes a look at how a team with the most priciest players in each position would look
Although the summer transfer window remains open for about two more weeks, there have already been plenty of high-profile moves across the continent.

Barcelona paid a hefty transfer fee for Luis Suarez, Paris Saint-Germain spent big on David Luiz, Manchester City splashed the cash on Eliaquim Mangala, while Manchester United made Luke Shaw the most-expensive left-back - and teenager - in history.

Elsewhere, Real Madrid lured Toni Kroos and James Rodriguez to their squad to further increase the value of their team after the record-breaking buys of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale in recent years.

The Santiago Bernabeu side's heavy spending in the past few seasons saw them field a starting XI which has cost them close to €500 million in transfer fees in the European Super Cup win over Sevilla.

With Bale, Ronaldo and James, Madrid have three creative players for whom they paid a transfer fee of at least €80m, yet they have spent relatively little on their defensive options - an area PSG have certainly not overlooked.

Here, Goal takes a look at the most expensive players in each position based on the transfer fees paid for them, with the total value of the most expensive current XI sitting at €668m.

Between the sticks, Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is the most expensive player following his €51m move from Parma in the summer of 2001.

At right-back, Barcelona's Dani Alves makes an appearance, having joined his current team from Sevilla for a reputed fee of €35m in 2008.

Paris Saint-Germain made David Luiz the most expensive defender in the world earlier this summer when they paid Chelsea €50m for the Brazil international, only for Manchester City to spend even more on Eliaquim Mangala last week, with Porto receiving €30.5m for 56.67 per cent of his rights, making for a total transfer fee of €53m.

England international Luke Shaw takes the left-back spot following his €37m transfer from Southampton to Manchester United this summer.

The two holding midfielders in our 4-2-1-3 are Bayern Munich's Javi Martinez, who left Athletic Bilbao for €40m in 2012, and Zenit St Petersburg's Belgium international Axel Witsel, who cost the Russians the same fee.

Colombia international James Rodriguez earned himself an €80m move from Monaco to Real Madrid following his sublime performances at the World Cup to become the most-expensive attacking midfielder in the world.

Up front, a trio of La Liga stars represent the attackers for whom the highest transfer fees were paid in the history of the game. Real Madrid splashed out €100m to lure Gareth Bale away from Tottenham last summer, having previously paid €94m for Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United. New Barcelona signing Luis Suarez completes the XI following his €88m move from Liverpool earlier this summer.

Players who miss out in the most expensive XI despite commanding impressive fees themselves include Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Kaka, Edinson Cavani, Radamel Falcao, Fernando Torres, Neymar, Hulk, Sergio Aguero, Juan Mata and Thiago Silva.

Courtesy: Goal.com

Zuniga escapes punishment for Neymar foul as Thiago Silva appeal rejected

There had been calls for the defender to be suspended for fracturing a verterbra in the forward's back but it has been confirmed that no retrospective action can be taken

Juan Camilo Zuniga has escaped punishment for his World Cup-ending challenge on Neymar during Colombia's World quarter-final loss to Brazil - but Thiago Silva's appeal against the yellow card he incurred in the same game has been rejected.

Fifa's disciplinary committee were called upon to investigate the incident that left Neymar with a fractured vertebra, while the Selecao also attempted to overturn the booking that has ruled team-mate Thiago Silva out of the last-four meeting with Germany in Belo Horizonte on Tuesday night.

However, it was confirmed on the eve of the semi-final that Zuniga will not face any sanction.

“In this specific case, no retrospective action can be taken by the Fifa Disciplinary Committee since the incident involving the Colombian player Juan Camilo Zuniga Mosquera did not escape the match officials’ attention," a statement read.

“First and foremost, though, the chairman of the Fifa Disciplinary Committee wishes to state that he deeply regrets the incident and the serious consequences on Neymar's health.

“Finally, as a general remark, Fifa and the Fifa Disciplinary Committee regret any incidents occurring on the pitch that in particular have a negative impact on the health of players.

“We wish Neymar a prompt and complete recovery as we wish the same for all players who have sadly been ruled out of the World Cup through injury.”

Addressing the decision to uphold the yellow card issued to Thiago Silva for preventing Colombia goalkeeper David Ospina from clearing the ball upfield.

“With regard to CBF’s request for the cancellation of the caution shown to the player Thiago Emiliano da Silva during the match played against Colombia, the chairman came to the conclusion that the FIFA Disciplinary Committee cannot consider the matter given the fact that there is no legal basis entitling it to grant such request," the statement concluded.


Courtesy: Ed Dove

Via: Goal

Diego Costa, Gerrard & the five biggest flops of the World Cup

Casillas, Higuain and Balotelli are among the other stars who have damaged their reputations with poor performances in Brazil. 

It has been one of the best World Cups ever, packed with goals, drama and quality.

Yet for all the entertainment, not everyone can be a star.

Spain, England and Italy are among the big hitters dumped out of the tournament early, and naturally there has been finger pointing and recriminations.

Some players have returned from Brazil with lower reputations than when they arrived.

Steven Gerrard is the Liverpool and England captain, Diego Costa has just cost Chelsea €44 million and Iker Casillas has 156 caps to his name.

Yet they are among the leading stars who have failed to produce in the World Cup.

DIEGO COSTA

Diego Costa dominated the build-up to Spain’s World Cup defence, from the moment he chose to play for the Europeans rather than his native Brazil to his selection for the opening game against the Netherlands amid fitness concerns.

In fact, he probably shouldn’t have gone to the World Cup because of the hamstring problem that affected him towards the end of his 36-goal season for Atletico Madrid. His introduction into the Spain squad coincided with the downfall of a team that won their previous three tournaments.

Costa never appeared to develop an understanding with his team-mates and was virtually anonymous in a clumsy competitive debut as Spain were smashed 5-1 by the Netherlands. In La Roja’s second group game, the new Chelsea man missed a golden opportunity early in the second-half to get his side back in the game.

STEVEN GERRARD

Steven Gerrard has a habit of digging his side out of trouble when they need him. He also has a habit of making costly mistakes.

The latter was the case during a disastrous World Cup campaign that is likely to prompt the Liverpool midfielder's retirement from international football.

Still reeling from the slip against Chelsea in May that may have cost his club the Premier League title, Gerrard's mistakes against Uruguay ensured that England's World Cup ended in the group stage for the first time since 1958.

After a poor display in the defeat to Italy in which he was outpassed and overrun, Gerrard's made errors in the build-up to both Uruguay goals in the 2-1 defeat in Sao Paulo.

He blundered on the halfway line with a weak challenge in the lead up to Luis Suarez's opener and then headed the ball straight to Suarez late on to allow his Liverpool team-mate to slam home the winner.

IKER CASILLAS

Vicente Del Bosque’s sentimentality damaged Spain when he chose to stick with Casillas as his captain and goalkeeper despite the fact he played second fiddle to Diego Lopez in La Liga.

Four years after lifting the World Cup in South Africa, Casillas was the embodiment of a shambolic tournament for the reigning champions.

Fresh from almost costing Real Madrid the Champions League final, he produced a horrible performance in the humiliating 5-1 defeat to the Netherlands. He was caught under the ball for Stefan de Vrij to put Holland 3-1 ahead before his heavy touch gifted Robin van Persie the fourth.

Casillas remains a World Cup-winning captain and a legend with 156 caps, but this tournament should signal the end of his international career.

GONZALO HIGUAIN

Much was made before the start of the World Cup of Argentina’s deadly front three of Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain.

While Messi has been doing his part, it certainly hasn’t panned out as expected for Higuain. The Napoli man came into the tournament on the back of an ankle problem and he has played as though he has six other injuries at the same time.

Higuain’s plodding movement and lack of sharpness has been a theme of Argentina’s matches, with the 26-year-old failing to get in dangerous positions and badly missing the few chances that have fallen his way. It says a lot that, when drawing 0-0 with Iran and struggling to break their opponents down, Higuain was substituted in the 76th minute.

He has been more of a hindrance than a help at times and the net effect is that, with Aguero out through injury, Messi must be feeling he has to do it all alone.

MARIO BALOTELLI

It started well enough for Balotelli when he headed home the winner in Italy’s 2-1 victory over England in their opener in Manaus.

Yet that was the last goal the Azzurri scored at the World Cup and Balotelli ended the tournament watching helplessly from the bench as they were eliminated following a 1-0 defeat to Uruguay.

Balotelli had been substituted at half-time in that game, having failed to do anything of note in the first 45 minutes other than pick up a booking to run the risk of a red card.

The Milan striker had been equally out of sorts in the 1-0 defeat to Costa Rica. Cesare Prandelli resigned as Italy coach after the tournament, and he may well reflect that he should have picked Ciro Immobile over a player with an attitude problem who offered virtually nothing.


Via: Goal