I joined because I wanted to give props to a cousin of mine who was trying out for the Tampa Bay MLS team, and through google I found the BigSoccer Tampa Bay fans site. I chose a very generic screen name, because I figured I was just coming in briefly to comment on his game and had no plans to stick around. My cousin made it through an open tryout and actually got a chance to play alongside Valderrama in a friendly, but was never signed. He played lower division football in Argentina and actually helped small club Almagro make it to first division. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay folded. I decided to stick around to talk soccer, discovered "The Beautiful Game" forum, the "Rivalries" forum, and as the site expanded I was able to get into the Argentina site, discuss Boca Juniors games with other fans, later also got into arguing politics and philosophy in P&CE and eventually became a mod.
And finally now,you get to discuss members nicknames and avatars! Most of the time usernames tells a lot about the members. Kind of a telltale game. I mean the nickname "greatstriker11" with the guy's own picture says much about me right?
Yes, plus your complete destruction of JamesBH's arguments in the Romario vs Ronaldo thread, it's clear who your favorite player is
i'm curious..... is riquelme the only player that been voted the best player of all time for 2 different club, boca juniors & villarreal?
there are quite a few ... like Pele for Santos & Cosmos NY, Zico for Flamengo and Udinese, Platini for Nancy and Juve (arguably) Maradona for Argentinos Jrs and Napoli ...
is pele had been voted as the ny cosmos best player of all time over giorgio chinaglia, beckenbauer, johan nesskens or carlos alberto?
here i show the prove: his villarreal: http://en.classora.com/reports/h147751/who-has-been-villarreals-best-all-time-player his boca juniors: http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/3297...oca-juniors-ideal-xi-the-best-of-the-bosteros
Juan Roman Riquelme, number 10 (1995-02, 2007-): Only in Boca, and only for this remarkable playmaker, could Diego Maradona be relegated to second fiddle. In the Bombonera however it is Roman who rules the roost over the best player ever to step on a football pitch. Blessed with incredible control and vision and a right foot that seems trained to find a teammate no matter how unlikely the pass, Riquelme was voted the greatest player of Boca’s history in a recent poll. http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/3297...oca-juniors-ideal-xi-the-best-of-the-bosteros
Well, to be fair, Maradona started his career in Argentinos Juniors, played only 40 matches for Boca Juniors in his prime, and 30 more at the end of his career, for a total of 70 matches. He won one league title with Boca. Riquelme on the other hand, started his professional career at Boca Juniors, played 151 games before going to Europe, another 15 while on loan from Villarreal, and another 115 since he returned to Boca, for a total of 281 matches and still counting. He's won with Boca five league titles, three copas libertadores, one copa intercontinental, one copa Argentina and one recopa Sudamericana. He is also the top scorer for Boca Juniors in Copa Libertadores. This Sunday Riquelme, if he plays, will tie the record held by the great Silvio Marzolini of 194 matches played at La Bombonera. The following week in the Superclasico against River, he could break it. So, Diego may be the all time greatest player in history -arguably second behind Pele- but as far as Boca Juniors is concerned, it's not even close. Riquelme is the man.
Pele had his number retired in 1977 at halftime of his final match. He played one half for the Cosmos and the other half for Santos. A couple of months back the Cosmos organization announced they were going to retire both Pele's #10 and Chinaglia's #9. How the hell did they forget that they already retired Pele's number?
This is very good description of Riquelme style .... by an Argentinian “If we have to travel from point A to point B, everyone would take the six-lane highway and get there as quickly as possible. Everyone, except Riquelme. He would would choose the winding mountain road, that takes six hours, but that fills your eyes with scenes of beautiful landscapes.” Jorge Valdano on Juan Roman Riquelme
I was a bit critical of Riquelme but he also has a better record in the European club competitions as Maradona.
Maradona, Baggio and Ronaldo shared the same "weakness in STATS" = srong in UEFA cup but much less in UCL ... well blame on the clubs they played for at time?
James with all due respect but I still cannot comprehend the mere thought that a player who fails to make an impact in UCL for almost an entire career lifespan is down to bad luck for signing with so-so performing Clubs. Missing two or three bad UCL seasons due to bad luck...yes. Blaming it on the Club is acceptable. But for almost their entire career...no! The player himself has to take some part of the responsibility as well. It's easy to blame the Clubs, but in the end it's in the players own interest to make good judgement at signing the right Club. Even if the Clubs are to be blamed, it's still the players own interest.
Look, how many seasons that Maradona and Roandlo got to play in UCL at their full fit? - Maradona only played a few seasons: 88,89 90 = 3 seasons in UCl with the rookie Napoli/ Even 90 he was half fit. - Ronaldo played full UCL from 03, 04, 05 and 06 = 3 seasons with a failure galacticos, only 03 was good but he was not fully fit - injured before 16, between QF and SF) - even 2005 and 2006 he was on/off with many nick injuries. with Inter he played on/off as a half fit player mostly as sub in half season 99 and 1/3 of 2000! So in overall they did not have a good team (in spirit and in corehent) and only played less than 3,4 seasons fully fit.
Here's tonight's two-touch assist from Riquelme to Gigliotti for Boca's first goal. Another great match for Number Ten as he ties the record for most appearances at La Bombonera.
How has that kid Leandro Paredes been developing for Boca? I recall many see him as Roman's successor and the potential #10 for the Argentine NT in the future.
ah ah ah ah ah ah ah these speeches are so incredibly childish and stupid. An idiot who tries to convince another idiot that a player is more overrated than another. lol I do not know much about Riquelme like a player, but he probably is not highly regarded by Europeans because it was not big enough in Europe, in the big leagues. Are you saying that Riquelme is in the same level or better than Pirlo? laughable Pirlo was in his carrer better player than Xavi, had more great performance than Xavi. I'm totally disagree that Xavi can do what he does Iniesta. Xavi not have the mobilità and dribbling skill of Iniesta. Zidane had some great performances, but in general Iniesta was more consistent.