Marco Reus

Marco Reus is a German footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for the German Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund and the German national team. Reus is known for his versatility, speed and technique.

Reus spent his youth career at Borussia Dortmund, prior to leaving for Rot Weiss Ahlen. He has played for three clubs in his senior career, most notably, and with most influence, in Borussia Mönchengladbach of the German Bundesliga. Reus primary plays as a left attacker for Dortmund; however, he is capable of playing on the right also and through the middle, due to his ability to control the ball with both feet and brilliant close control. 2012 was his most successful season when, scoring 18 and assisting 8, he helped Borussia Mönchengladbach secure a place in the following season's UEFA Champions League. Reus agreed a move to his home club Borussia Dortmund at the end of that season. Reus wears number 11, previously worn by Mario Götze, who left the shirt for Reus when he joined. Franz Beckenbauer spoke about Reus.

Radamel Falcao

Radamel Falcao García Zárate (10 February 1986), commonly known simply as Radamel Falcao or Falcao García in Latin America, is a Colombian football striker, who currently plays for AS Monaco in the French Ligue 1 and represents the Colombia national football team. He is sometimes nicknamed as El Tigre (Spanish for The Tiger) and King of the Europa League.

Falcao is considered by many experts to be the 'deadliest' striker in the world and among the best, having surpassed Jürgen Klinsmann's record of 15 goals in a single annual international club football European competition UEFA Champions League/UEFA Europa League campaign. He also played a key role in guiding F.C. Porto to a second UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League title, as well as finishing undefeated in the 2010–11 Primeira Liga season. In July 2011, Falcao was regarded as the fifth best player in Europe during the 2010–11 season through balloting by 53 sportswriters of the UEFA member associations. Falcao had also received the Portuguese Golden Ball award in 2011, becoming the first Colombian to do so. Falcao had won both the GQ Spain award for sportsman of the year and the Globe Best Footballer in 2012. In 2012, Falcao was listed 6th in The 100 best footballers in the world by The Guardian. Falcao was listed into the FIFA XI for 2012.

In just his first three seasons in European football, Falcao scored over 100 goals. Falcao had played a key role in Atlético Madrid's 12 match winning streak in a single Europa League season, making it the first team to do so.[19] He also became the top goal scorer in both tournaments. Falcao had another historical achievement winning his first UEFA Super Cup in 2012, becoming the first player in history to score a hat trick in the contest since its reform in 1998. Falcao's most noticeable trait aside from his ability to play well with both feet and a strong header despite his size would be his impressive goal ratio and goal by minutes ratio that even exceeds world top players Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. On 9 December 2012, Falcao became one of the few players in La Liga history to score five goals in one game after accomplishing this in a 6–0 home victory against Deportivo de La Coruña. In the 2013 Copa del Rey Final, Falcao played a very crucial part in Atlético Madrid's victory over Real Madrid, ending the 14 year unbeaten streak which Real Madrid had held in matches against Atlético prior to the final.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, OIH, (born 5 February 1985), commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a forward for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and who serves as captain of the Portuguese national team. He became the most expensive footballer in history after moving from Manchester United to Real Madrid in a transfer worth £80 million (€93.9 million/$131.6 million). In addition, his contract with Real Madrid, in which he is paid €12 million per year, makes him one of the highest-paid footballers in the world,[4] and his buyout clause is valued at €1 billion as per his contract.

Ronaldo began his career as a youth player for Andorinha, where he played for two years, before moving to C.D. Nacional. In 1997, he made a move to Portuguese giants Sporting Clube de Portugal. Ronaldo caught the attention of Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson, who signed him for £12.24 million (€15 million) in 2003. The following season, Ronaldo won his first club honour, the FA Cup.

Ronaldo was the first player to win all four main PFA and FWA awards, doing so in 2007. In 2008, Ronaldo won the Ballon d'Or. He placed second in the Ballon d'Or in 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2012. He was awarded the European Golden Shoe in both 2008 and 2011. In 2008, he won three of the four main PFA and FWA trophies and was named the FIFPro Player of the Year, World Soccer Player of the Year, Onze d'Or, and the FIFA World Player of the Year. In 2007 and 2008, Ronaldo was named FWA Footballer of the Year. Ronaldo was the inaugural winner of the FIFA Puskás Award in 2009.

Ronaldo is considered as one of the best footballers in the world and as one of the greatest players in the history of the game. He holds numerous former and current scoring records, including records for most goals scored in a season for Real Madrid, most goals scored per minute in La Liga, first top European league player to reach 40 goals in a single season in two consecutive years, fastest Real Madrid player to reach one hundred league goals, and the first player ever to score against every team in a single season in La Liga. In January 2013, Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 300th club goal.

Ronaldo is a Portuguese international and made his debut against Kazakhstan in August 2003. He has since participated in five major tournaments; UEFA Euro 2004, the 2006 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2008, the 2010 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2012. He scored his first international goal in the opening game of the Euro 2004 against Greece, in addition to helping Portugal reach the final. He took over the captaincy of the side in July 2008 and went on to captain Portugal to the semi finals at the Euro 2012 and finished the competition as the joint best scorer with three goals. On 16 October 2012, Ronaldo won his 100th cap against Northern Ireland, making him the third highest capped player for Portugal and became the third youngest European to reach a century of international appearances.

Neymar

Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior born 5 February 1992), commonly known as Neymar, is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a forward for La Liga club FC Barcelona and the Brazilian national team, mainly as a forward.

At the age of 19, Neymar won the 2011 South American Footballer of the Year award, after coming third in 2010. He followed this up by winning it again in 2012. In 2011 Neymar received nominations for the FIFA Ballon d'Or, where he came 10th, and the FIFA Puskás Award, which he won. He is known for his acceleration, speed, dribbling and finishing. His playing style has earned him critical acclaim, with fans, media and former players drawing comparisons to Argentine forward Lionel Messi and former Brazil player Pelé, who has called Neymar "an excellent player".

Neymar joined Santos in 2003 and, after rising through the ranks, was promoted to their first team squad. He made his debut for Santos in 2009, and was voted the Best Young Player of the 2009 Campeonato Paulista. Further honours followed, with Neymar being voted best player as Santos won the 2010 Campeonato Paulista, and also being top scorer in the 2010 Copa do Brasil with 11 goals. He finished the 2010 season with 42 goals in 60 games as his club achieved the Double. Neymar was again voted best player of the year in 2011 as his side retained the state title and Santos also winning the 2011 Copa Libertadores in which Neymar scored 6 goals in 13 appearances. He also played a key role in securing a Continental Double for his team, Santos' first since 1963. He received the Bronze Ball in the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup, with Santos making it to the final, where they were defeated by Barcelona, 4–0.

Neymar is a Brazilian international, having represented Brazil at Under-17, Under-20 and senior levels. On 10 August 2010, at the age of 18, he made his debut for the Seleção in a friendly match against the United States; he scored from a header in the 28th minute, contributing to Brazil's 2–0 win. He was the top scorer of the 2011 South American Youth Championship with nine goals, including two in the final, in the 6–0 win against Uruguay, helping Brazil to win their 11th title in the competition.

Best Players Football 2013

This is a list that seeks to predict who the best soccer players of 2013 will be by the end of the year. Some of these top athletes in soccer, like Cristiano Ronaldo, are already listed among the best athletes of all time and the best soccer players ever, so it's not a stretch that they would end up as some of the top soccer players of 2013.

Football History

Various forms of football can be identified in history, often as popular peasant games. Contemporary codes of football can be traced back to the codification of these games at English public schools in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. The influence and power of the British Empire allowed these rules of football to spread to areas of British influence outside of the directly controlled Empire, though by the end of the nineteenth century, distinct regional codes were already developing: Gaelic Football, for example, deliberately incorporated the rules of local traditional football games in order to maintain their heritage. In 1888, The Football League was founded in England, becoming the first of many professional football competitions. During the twentieth century, the various codes of football became among the most popular team sports in the world.

Football refers to a number of sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball with the foot to score a goal. The most popular of these sports worldwide is association football, more commonly known as just "football" or "soccer". Unqualified, the word football applies to whichever form of football is the most popular in the regional context in which the word appears, including association football, as well as American football, Australian rules football, Canadian football, Gaelic football, rugby league, rugby union, and other related games. These variations of football are known as football codes.

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, can be traced to as far back as the Medieval period in Britain (the patriots). The modern game of association football originates from the formation of The Football Association in London, England in 1863 based on multiple efforts to standardize the varying forms of the game. This allowed clubs to play each other without dispute and which specifically banned handling of the ball during open field play and hacking after the fifth meeting of the association (hence the division between association football and rugby football). At the time, football clubs had played by their own, individual codes and game-day rules had usually to be agreed upon before a match could commence. For example, the Sheffield Rules that applied to most matches played in the Sheffield area were a different code.

Football (as well as rugby and soccer) are believed to have descended from the ancient Greek game of harpaston.   Harpaston is mentioned frequently in classical literature, where it is often referred to as a “very rough and brutal game“.  The rules of this ancient sport were quite simple:  Points were awarded when a player would cross a goal line by either kicking the ball, running with it across the goal line, or throwing it across the line to another player. The other team’s objective was simply to stop them by any means possible.  There was no specific field length, no side line boundaries, no specified number of players per team, only a glaring lack of rules.

Brazil Football History

Pelé, arguably the greatest footballer ever, led Brazil to three of those championships and is the top scorer of all time in the sport. All of the leading players in the national teams are prominent in the football world, including Garrincha, Cafu, Roberto Carlos, Romário, Rivaldo, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, and Kaká in the men's game, and Marta in the women's game. Some of these players can be considered super stars, achieving celebrity status internationally and signing sports contracts, as well as advertisement and endorsement contracts, in the value of millions of euros.

Football is the most popular sport in Brazil. The Brazilian national football team has won the FIFA World Cup tournament a record five times, in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002, and is the only team to succeed in qualifying for every World Cup competition ever held. It is among the favourites to win the trophy every time the competition is scheduled. After Brazil won its 3rd World Cup in 1970, they were awarded the Jules Rimet Trophy permanently. But 365 days before World Cup 2014 begin, Brazil rank dropped to 22nd as all-time-low position ever.

Spain Football History

Between November 2006 and June 2009 Spain went undefeated for a record-equaling 35 consecutive matches before their loss to the United States, a record shared with Brazil, including a record 15 game winning streak and thus earning third place in the Confederations Cup. In the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Spain became the first European national team to lift the World Cup trophy outside of Europe; along with Argentina and Brazil, Spain is one of three national teams to have won the FIFA World Cup outside of its home continent.

Spain are the reigning World and European champions, having won the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012. The national team are currently ranked number 2 in the World Football Elo Ratings and 1 in the FIFA World Ranking. They also won Euro 2008, making them the only national team so far with three consecutive wins of either the applicable continental championship or the World Cup. These achievements have led many commentators, experts and former players to consider the current Spanish side among the best ever international sides in world football.

The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque. The Spanish side is commonly referred to as La Roja ("The Red [One]"), La Furia Roja ("The Red Fury"), La Furia Española ("The Spanish Fury") or simply La Furia ("The Fury"). Spain became a member of FIFA in 1904 even though the Spanish Football Federation was first established in 1909. Spain's national team debuted in 1920. Since then the Spanish national team have participated in a total of thirteen of nineteen FIFA World Cup and nine of fourteen European Championships. It has a total of 73 international titles in senior and youth teams.

Football is the most popular sport in Spain. The Royal Spanish Football Federation (Real Federación Española de Fútbol) is the national governing body and it organises La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spain national football team, current champion of the FIFA World Cup. Modern football was introduced to Spain in the late 19th century by a combination of mostly British immigrant workers, visiting sailors and Spanish students coming from Britain.

Barcelona and Real Madrid are the most successful Spanish clubs, in both the national league and continental competitions. They have won a combined 13 European Cups/Champions League titles and were runners-up 3 times each. Real Madrid is the most successful in Europe, having won it a record 9 times and the UEFA Cup twice, while FC Barcelona was the only team to achieve a Sextuple, in the year 2009. In La Liga's 80-year history (sans the 3 seasons that the league was suspended due to the civil war), Barça and Real Madrid have won 51 titles between them. Over the years, Spanish clubs have won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 7 times and UEFA Europa League 6 times.

In the Basque Country during the early 1890s, British shipyard workers and miners formed the Bilbao Football Club and Basque students returning from Britain founded the Athletic Club in 1898. This early British influence was reflected in the use of English names such as Recreation Club, Athletic Club and Football Club.

Liverpool

The history of Liverpool can be traced back to 1190 when the place was known as 'Liuerpul', possibly meaning a pool or creek with muddy water. Other origins of the name have been suggested, including 'elverpool', a reference to the large number of eels in the Mersey, but the definitive origin is open to debate and is probably lost to history. A likely derivation is connected with the Welsh word "Llif" meaning a flood, often used as the proper name for the Atlantic Ocean, whilst "pool" is in general in place names in England derived from the late British or Welsh "Pwll" meaning variously, a pool, an inlet or a pit.

With the formation of a market on the site of the later Town Hall, Liverpool became established as a small fishing and farming community, administered by burgesses and, slightly later, a mayor. There was probably some coastal trade around the Irish Sea, and there were occasional ferries across the Mersey. However, for several centuries it remained a small and relatively unimportant settlement, with a population of no more than 1,000 in the mid 14th century. By the early fifteenth century a period of economic decline set in, and the county gentry increased their power over the town, the Stanley family fortifying their house on Water Street. In the middle of the 16th century the population of Liverpool had fallen to around 600, and the port was regarded as subordinate to Chester until the 1650s.

Although a small motte and bailey castle had earlier been built by the Normans at West Derby, the origins of the city of Liverpool are usually dated from 28 August 1207, when letters patent were issued by King John advertising the establishment of a new borough, "Livpul", and inviting settlers to come and take up holdings there. It is thought that the King wanted a port in the district that was free from the control of the Earl of Chester. Initially it served as a dispatch point for troops sent to Ireland, soon after the building around 1235 of Liverpool Castle, which was removed in 1726. St Nicholas Church was built by 1257, originally as a chapel within the parish of Walton-on-the-Hill.

Manchester City

The club was born out of the need for social good in east Manchester. The Rector of St Mark's (West Gorton), Revd. Arthur Connell and his family witnessed suffering in industrial 19th century Manchester and believed unity would help to reduce crime and improve productivity in east Manchester. The values that saw Manchester City founded as a club for social good are still followed by Manchester City today; its City in the Community charity, for instance, engages with thousands of people in Greater Manchester and other areas on a yearly basis. The club settled on Manchester City as its name in 1894 as a club all Mancunians could follow proudly and support.

Once settling on their professional club name as Manchester City in 1894, they rose through the tiers of English football with aplomb and quickly won the FA Cup in 1904, becoming the first club from Manchester to win an honour while marginally missing on the league too by three points. However in the following years, the club was dogged by corruption allegations, and the Football Association, decided to punish the club after believing them to have paid wages. This was not uncommon and other clubs were known to do it, some believed City's magnitude resulted in them being "made an example of". Many of the Manchester City players had to be auctioned off, with many going to new local rivals, Manchester United and forming their first team who helped them win their first trophies, including the talismanic Billy Meredith.

The 1910s were mostly a period of indifference for the club particularly with World War I affecting the football calendar. Ernest Mangnall, who dramatically switched from Manchester United to City in 1912, at the helm for twelve years. After the 1920s, City started to assemble a team capable of challenging at the top. Players included Horace Barnes, Tommy Johnson, Max Woosnam with players such as Ernie Toseland, Eric Brook, Frank Swift, Matt Busby, Fred Tilson and Sam Cowan arriving in the late 1920s and early 30s.

In 1923, the club moved from Hyde Road to the Maine Road stadium, the largest football venue other than Wembley and this would be City's home for the next 80 years. The club were runners-up in the FA Cup in 1926 and, as in line with their inconsistent trait, the club were relegated before returning to the top flight in 1928. In 1930, the club finished third and had established itself as one of England's top young sides.

The years from 1932 to 1934 marked a key achievement which culminated in City winning the Cup in 1934. Semi-finalists in 1932, then runners-up in 1933, captain Sam Cowan proclaimed that City will "come back next year and win it". On the 1934 FA Cup run, a crowd of 84,569 packed Maine Road in a sixth round clash with Stoke City, a record English football home attendance that remains the to this day. City progressed to the 1934 Final, and beat Portsmouth 2-1 to lift the cup - Cowan's promise had come true. The victory was made all the more important to Mancunians as Manchester United had been floundering for over two decades by the 1930s.

Chelsea

History of Chelsea Football Club, an English association football team based in Fulham, West London. For a general overview of the club, see Chelsea F.C.

Founded in 1905, Chelsea quickly gained a reputation for signing big name players and for attracting large crowds, but failed to win a major trophy in their first fifty years. They spent thirty of their first forty seasons in the First Division, although often found themselves finishing in mid-table or battling relegation. The closest Chelsea came to success was in the FA Cup; they were runners up in 1915 and losing semi finalists in 1911, 1920, 1932, 1950 and 1952. The duck was finally broken by manager Ted Drake, who introduced a series of changes at the club and led Chelsea to the League Championship in 1955.

The period 1963–72 saw Chelsea regularly challenge for honours for the first time, although they often narrowly missed out. The League Cup was won in 1965, the FA Cup in 1970 and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1971; they were also FA Cup runners-up in 1967 and League Cup runners-up in 1972. Several problems over the next decade, principally the debt burden caused by an ambitious attempt to redevelop Stamford Bridge, brought the club to the brink of extinction, before a revival under John Neal in the mid-1980s saw the club win the Second Division title and ultimately re-establish itself in the top flight.

A further revival under managers Ruud Gullit and Gianluca Vialli from 1996 to 2000 saw Chelsea win the FA Cup in 1997 and 2000, the League Cup and UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1998, and qualify for the Champions League for the first time; the club have not finished outside of the top six in the Premier League since the 1995–96 season. In 2003, Chelsea were bought by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, ushering in the club's current phase of success. José Mourinho led them to two league titles, an FA Cup and two League Cups in three seasons. The club added a further FA Cup in 2009, and then their first League and FA Cup "Double" in 2010. Under the stewardship of former player Roberto Di Matteo, the club won a seventh FA Cup in 2012, before going on to win its first UEFA Champions League title.

Real Madrid

Football was introduced to Spain by students of the Institución Libre de Enseñanza. They included several Oxbridge graduates. In 1895 they founded the club Football goal, playing on Sunday mornings at Moncloa. In 1900 this club split into two different clubs New Foot-Ball de Madrid and Club Español de Madrid. The president of the latter club was Julián Palacios. In 1902 the latter club split again, resulting in the formation of Sociedad Madrid FC on March 6, 1902. The first president was Juan Padrós Rubió; the first secretary was Manuel Mendía; and the first treasurer was José de Gorostizaga. Juan Padrós Rubió would be later succeeded by his brother, Carlos Padrós from Spain. In 1905, only three years after its foundation, Madrid FC already won its first major title in the Estadio Chamartín stadium. The team won the first of four consecutive Copa del Rey - titles (at that time the only statewide competition). In 1912 they moved to their first ground called 'Campo de O'Donnell' after moving between some minor grounds.[1] In 1920 the club's name was changed into Real Madrid after King Alfonso XIII, a reputed football fan, granted the title of Real (Royal) to the club. However, when the Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed the club dropped both the word Real and the royal crown from the emblem, being known from then and until the end of the Spanish Civil War as Madrid C. F. only. The addition of the purple band to the emblem dates back to the Republican period and has remained there since then. In 1937, due to the stagnation of the ongoing civil war, all activity disappeared and the club virtually ceased to exist.

Barcelona

Barcelona is currently a city of 1,620,943, the second largest in Spain, and the capital of the autonomous community of Catalonia. Its wider urban region is home to three quarters of the population of Catalonia and one eighth of that of Spain.

The history of Barcelona stretches back well over 2000 years to its origins as an Iberian village, named Barkeno. Its easily defensible location on the coastal plain between the Collserola ridge (512 m) and the Mediterranean sea, on the coastal route between central Europe and the rest of the Iberian peninsula, has ensured its continued importance, if not always preeminence, throughout the ages.

The history of Futbol Club Barcelona goes from the football club's founding in 1899 and up to current time. FC Barcelona, also known simply as "Barcelona" and familiarly as "Barça", is based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The team was founded in 1899 by a group of Swiss, English and Spanish footballers led by Joan Gamper. The club played amateur football until 1910 in various regional competitions. In 1910, the club participated in their first of many European competitions, and has since amassed ten UEFA trophies and a sextuple. In 1928, Barcelona co founded La Liga, the top tier in Spanish football, along with a string of other clubs. As of 2010, Barcelona has never been relegated from La Liga, a record they share with Athletic Bilbao and arch-rival Real Madrid.

The history of Barcelona has often been political. Though it is a club created and run by foreigners, Barcelona gradually became a club associated with Catalan values. In Spain's transition to autocracy in 1925, Catalonia became increasingly hostile towards the central government in Madrid. The hostility enhanced FC Barcelona's image as a focal point for Catalonism, and when Francisco Franco banned the use of the Catalan language, the stadium of FC Barcelona became one of the few places the people could express their dissatisfaction. The Spanish transition to democracy in 1978 has not dampened the club's image of Catalan pride. In the 2000s with a period of sporting success in the club and an increased focus on Catalan players and club officials have openly called for Catalonia to become an independent state.

Football Soccer 2013

The newest edition of the hit soccer simulation is back to score another win for the franchise with a whole new set of moves, Take part in the most soccer simulation and show that you are the best on the pitch. Reinforce your team by developing your club Football 2013 , hiring new staff members, dealing with sponsors and more, Join soccer legends like our cover athlete, Falcao, on the pitch. YOU ARE SOCCER 2013 , YOU ARE REAL SOCCER!