The Soccer Geek

The women’s soccer world cup 2011 is well underway, so I’ve compiled a concise online guide to the tournament featuring lists of fixtures, groups and squads, as well as records of past winners and other articles about women’s football.

This year’s tournament is hosted by Germany and is taking place across various cities including Berlin, Leverkusen, Wolfsburg, Monchengladbach, Sinsheim, Dresden, Frankfurt, Bochum and Augsberg. Being the home nation and one of the best ever women’s footballing countries (alongside the USA) Germany will certainly fancy their chances of taking home the trophy again!

Here’s are the areas included in this guide to the tournament:

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Squads

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Find out the names of the coaches for each country and the players they selected to represent Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, England, Equatorial Guinea, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Nigeria, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, and the USA. Click here to see the full list of squads from goalies right through to forwards.

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Groups

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Find out which countries belong to each group: A, B, C and D. Click here for a full list of the groups in this competition. My team, England, are in group B so that’s where my focus will be, but in which group is your country be found? Get ready to compare difficulty and assess their chances of progressing to the next round.

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Fixtures

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Keep your diary as free as possible between the 16th June and the 17th July. In that time 32 games of football will be played. By the time you’re reading this a number of matches will already have taken, please but click here to view the full list of remaining fixtures, dates and kick off times.

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Past Winners

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This will naturally be a very brief list, given that the tournament only began in 1991 and there have since been only 3 different winners. Click here to find out which countries won the competition at each date, and how many titles each nation has to its name.

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Famous Players: Past & Present

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Check out this list of some of the greatest and most famous female footballers of all time, including Sun Wen, Hannah Ljungberg, Marta, Kelly Smith, Michelle Akers and Ma Xiaoxu amongst others. Click here to see this article…

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Ladies’ Soccer Quotes

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Read up on some truly memorable quotes about women’s football, from notable figures such as Mia Hamm, Arsene Wenger, Sepp Blatter, Nadine Angerer, Oscar Wilde, and the Queen! Quotes are themed according to inspiration, humour, playing tips, controversy and the future of the women’s game. Click here to read more…

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Well I hope that provides a useful introduction to the competition this year. May the best side win…as long as that’s England!

Have fun,

Soccer Geek

P.s. Who do you think will win? Feel free to leave any thoughts in the comments section below

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Here’s a list of the women’s soccer World Cup 2011 squads for all the teams involved, from Germany to Equatorial Guinea. I hope you find these squad lists helpful and enjoy the tournament!

Australia (Coach: Tom Sermanni)

Goalkeepers: Melissa Barbieri, Lydia Williams, Casey Dumont

Defenders: Teigen Allen, Kim Carroll, Laura Alleway, Ellyse Perry, Elise Kelond-Knight, Servet Uzunlar

Midfielders: Clare Polkinghorne, Heather Garriock, Emily Van Egmond, Tameka Butt, Collette McCallum, Sally Shipard, Lauren Colthorpe

Forwards: Caitlin Foord, Lisa De Vanna, Kyah Simon, Leena Khamis, Samantha Kerr

Brazil (Coach: Kleiton Lima)

Goalkeepers: Andreia, Barbara, Thais

Defenders: Maurine, Daiane, Aline, Renata Costa, Rosana, Erika, Fabiana, Elaine, Roseane

Midfielders: Ester, Formiga, Beatriz, Francialle

Forwards: Marta, Cristiane, Daniele, Thais, Grazielle

Canada (Coach: Carolina Morace)

Goalkeepers: Karina LeBlanc, Erin McLeod, Stephanie Labbe

Defenders: Emily Zurrer, Carmelina Moscato, Robyn Gayle, Rhian Wilkinson, Candace Chapman, Brittany Timko, Marie-Eve Nault

Midfielders: Kelly Parker, Kaylyn Kyle, Diana Matheson, Desiree Scott, Sophie Schmidt, Chelsea Stewart

Forwards: Jodi-Ann Robinson, Christine Sinclair, Melissa Tancredi, Christina Julien, Jonelle Filigno

Colombia (Coach: Ricardo Rozo)

Goalkeepers: Yineth Varon, Sandra Sepulveda, Alejandra Velasco

Defenders: Yuli Munoz, Natalia Gaitan, Nataly Arias, Andrea Peralta, Kelis Peduzine, Fatima Montano

Midfielders: Diana Ospina, Daniela Montoya, Carmen Rodallega, Yoreli Rincon, Liana Salazar, Yulieht Dominguez, Tatiana Ariza, Orianica Velasquez

Forwards: Catalina Usme, Lady Andrade, Ingrid Vidal, Katerin Castro

England (Coach: Hope Powell)

Goalkeepers: Karen Bardsley, Rachel Brown, Siobhan Chamberlain

Defenders: Alex Scott, Rachel Unitt, Faye White, Kasey Stoney, Sophie Bradley, Dunia Susi, Claire Rafferty

Midfielders: Jill Scott, Fara Williams, Stephanie Houghton, Laura Bassett, Anita Asante

Forwards: Jessica Clarke, Ellen White, Kelly Smith, Rachel Yankey, Caren Carney, Eniola Aluko

Equatorial Guinea (Coach: Marcelo Frigerio)

Goalkeepers: Miriam, Yao, Maria Rosa

Defenders: Bruna, Dulcia, Carolina, Laetitia

Midfielders: Ana Cristina, Vania, Dorine, Anonman, Natalia, Sinforosa, Jumaria, Chinasa, Lucrecia, Christelle

Forwards: Diala, Emiliana, Adriana, Fatoumata

France (Coach: Bruno Bini)

Goalkeepers: Celine Deville, Berangere Sapowicz, Laetitia Philippe

Defenders: Wendie Renard, Laura Georges, Ophelie Meilleroux, Corine Franco, Sonia Bompastor, Laure Lepailleur, Sabrina Viguier

Midfielders: Laure Boulleau, Sandrine Soubeyrand, Camille Abily, Caroline Pizzala, Louisa Necib, Elise Bussaglia

Forwards: Eugenie le Sommer, Elodie Thomis, Gaetane Thiney, Marie-Laure Delie, Sandrine Bretigny

Germany (Coach: Silvia Neid)

Goalkeepers:  Nadine Angerer, Ursula Holl, Almuth Schult

Defenders:  Bianca Schmidt, Saskia Bartusiak, Babett Peter, Annike Krahn, Linda Bresonik, Verena Faisst, Lina Goessling

Midfielders: Simone Laudehr, Melanie Behringer, Celia Okoyino da Mbabi, Kim Kulig, Ariane Hingst, Kerstin Garefrekes, Fatmir Bajramaj

Forwards: Inka Grings, Birgit Prinz, Alexandra Popp, Martina Mueller

Japan (Coach: Norio Sasaki)

Goalkeepers: Nozomi Yamago, Miho Fukumoto, Ayumi Kaihori

Defenders: Yukari Kinga, Azusa Iwasimizu, Saki Kumagai, Kyoko Yano, Aya Sameshima

Midfielders: Mizuho Sakaguchi, Kozue Ando, Aya Miyama, Nahomi Kawasumi, Homare Suwa, Rumi Utsugi, Megumi Kamionobe, Asuna Tanaka

Forwards: Shinobu Ohno, Yuki Nagasato, Karina Maruyama, Megumi Takase, Mana Iwubuchi

Korea DPR (Coach: Kim Kwang Min)

Goalkeepers: Hong Myong Hui, Ri Jin Sim, Kim Chol Ok

Defenders: Jon Hong Yon, Ho Un Byol, Song Jong Sun, Paek Sol Hui, Yu Jong Hui, Jong Pok Sim, Ri Un Hyang

Midfielders: Kim Myong Gum, Kim Su Gyong, Jo Yun Mi, Ri Ye Gyong, Jon Myong Hwa, Kim Un Ju, Kim Chung Sim

Forwards: Yun Hyon Hi, Ra Un Sim, Choe Mi Gyong, Kwon Song Hwa

Mexico (Coach: Leonardo Cuellar)

Goalkeepers: Erika Vanegas, Pamela Tajonar, Cecilia Santiago

Defenders: Kenti Robles, Rubi Sandoval, Alina Garciamendez, Natalie Vinti, Natalie Garcia, Monica Alvarado, Luz del Rosario Saucedo

Midfielders: Juana Lopez, Guadalupe Worbis, Dinora Garza, Nayeli Rangel, Liliano Mercado, Teresa Noyola

Forwards: Maribel Dominguez, Charlyn Corral, Veronica Perez, Monica Ocampo, Stephany Mayor

New Zealand (Coach: John Herdman)

Goalkeepers: Jenny Bindon, Aroon Clansey, Erin Nayler

Defenders: Ria Percival, Anna Green, Abby Erceg, Rebecca Smith, Ali Riley, Kristy Hill

Midfielders: Katie Hoyle, Hayley Moorwood, Kirsty Yallop, Betsy Hassett, Annalie Longo, Katie Bowen

Forwards: Amber Hearn, Sarah Gregorius, Rosie White, Sarah McLaughlin, Emma Kete, Hannah Wilkinson

Nigeria (Coach: Uche Ngozi)

Goalkeepers: Precious Dede, Tochukwu Oluehi, Alaba Jonathan

Defenders: Osinachi Ohale, Onome Ebi, Helen Ukaono, Faith Ikidi, Josephine Chuckwunonye, Ulunma Jerome

Midfielders: Rebecca Kalu, Perpetua Nkwocha, Ebere Orji, Rita Chikwelu, Glory Iroka, Ogonna Chukwudi

Forwards: Stella Mbachu, Desire Oparanozie, Sarah Michael, Francisca Ordega, Uchechi Sunday, Amenze Eighewi

Norway (Coach: Eli Landsem)

Goalkeepers: Ingrid Hjelmseth, Erika Skarbo, Caroline Knutsen

Defenders: Nora Holstad Berge, Maren Mjelde, Marita Skammelsrud Lund, Trine Ronning, Runa Vikestad, Hedda Gardsjord, Guro Knutsen Mienna, Ingrid Ryland

Midfielders: Ingvild Stensland, Gry Tofte Ims, Lene Mykjaland, Emilie Haavi

Forwards: Kristine Wigdahl Hegland, Isabell Herlovsen, Cecilie Pedersen, Leni Larsen Kaurin, Madeleine Giske, Elise Thorsnes

Sweden (Coach: Thomas Dennerby)

Goalkeepers: Hedvig Lindahl, Kristin Hammarstrom, Sofia Lundgren

Defenders: Charlotte Rohlin, Linda Sembrant, Anicca Svensson, Sara Thunebro, Sara Larsson, Lina Nilsson

Midfielders: Caroline Seger, Sofia Jakobsson, Antonia Goransson, Therese Sjogran, Lisa Dahlkvist, Nilla Fischer, Marie Hammarstrom

Forwards: Lotta Schelin, Jessica Landstrom, Josefine Oqvist, Linda Forsberg, Madelaine Edlund

USA (Coach: Pia Sundhage)

Goalkeepers: Hope Solo, Nicole Barnhart, Jill Loyden

Defenders: Heather Mitts, Christie Rampone, Becky Sauerbrunn, Amy Le Peilbet, Alex Krieger, Stephanie Cox, Rachel Buehler

Midfielders: Kelly O’Hara, Shannon Boxx, Heather O’Reilly, Carli Lloyd, Megan Rapinoe, Lori Lindsey, Tobin Heath

Forwards: Amy Rodriguez, Lauren Cheney, Alex Morgan, Abby Wambach

So there they are, the women’s soccer World Cup 2011 squads for all the teams taking part. Good luck to your team!

Have fun,

Soccer Geek

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Here’s a complete run-down of all the women’s soccer World Cup 2011 groups and teams. As an Englishman my focus will definitely be on Group B. I hope you find your country’s group reasonably acceptable. Here goes:

Group A

Germany

France

Canada

Nigeria

Group B

Japan

England

Mexico

New Zealand

Group C

USA

North Korea

Colombia

Sweden

Group D

Brazil

Australia

Norway

Euatorial Guinea

So there are the teams in the women’s soccer World Cup 2011 groups. I hope your team is successful – unless of course they are in group B with England! Now you can take a look at the fixtures for the tournament.

Have fun,

Soccer Geek

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Hi there,

Here’s a full list of the women’s soccer World Cup 2011 fixtures including the dates, times, teams and stages of the tournament. I hope you find this useful and enjoy watching the competition!

Read the rest of this entry »

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Here’s a timeless post listing some of the top England football songs created for various World Cup campaigns. Below you’ll find a video together with some factual info about each track. Of all these, the classic is definitely 3 Lions, but Ant and Dec’s We’re On the Ball is certainly another great tune!

World in Motion – England and New Order

This cringeworthy number was co-written by Keith Allen (father of Lilly Allen), features John Barnes and was released in 1990.

3 Lions 98 – Baddiel and Skinner/The Lightening Seeds

This song was originally written for the 1996 European Championships and was then re-made for 1998. It has subsequently been re-done again, with the latest effort featuring Russell Brand and Robbie Williams.

Vindaloo – Fat Les

Again written by Keith Allen (father of Lilly Allen), this chant was the unofficial England anthem for the 1998 World Cup in France.

We’re On the Ball – Ant and Dec

This Georgie re-work of an old Arsenal anthem was released for the 2002 World Cup, the same year that saw Martin Bell and Jonathan Spurling writing “‘Sven, Sven, Sven’…Goran Erikssen, he’s a lovely geezer but don’t forget that he’s from Sweden!”

World at Your Feet – Embrace

This was the official tune for the 2006 World Cup, by Yorkshire band Embrace. It peaked at number 3 in the UK singles chart, marking commercial success, whilst also achieving critical acclaim.

Shout for England – Dizzee Rascal and James Cordon

This chart-topping, unofficial anthem for the 2010 World Cup is lots of fun, engineered by Simon Cowell and performed by one of the UK’s top comedy actors and one of England’s top rappers. Their first performance of the song was on Britain’s Got Talent, giving them excellent exposure before release.

So there we are, a handful of some of the top England football songs ever released. Which is your favourite of these songs? Which other England songs do you like which are not on this list?

Have fun,

Soccer Geek

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This is a list of the world’s greatest football stadiums, referring to association football or soccer rather than American football. The rankings have been made in order of stadium capacity, as opposed to the quality of facilities provided at the grounds. Interestingly as a result, some of the best and most famous stadiums (such as the Bernebeu) do not top the list.  Equally some of the most modern and high-level soccer venues with fantastic facilities – including Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium – don’t appear on the list at all as they do not have the greatest capacity.

One last thing to note is that many of the stadiums below also host other sporting fixtures, and for some soccer is only a side-event to the other main sports. Anyway, let’s get on with the list!

1. May Day Stadium: 150,000 (Pyongyang, North Korea)
2. Salt Lake Stadium: 120,000 (Kolkata, India)
3. Estadio Azteca: 105,000 (Mexico City, Mexico)
4. Melbourne Cricket Ground: 100,018 (Melbourne, Australia)
5. Azadi Stadium: 100,000 (Tehran, Iran)
6. Camp Nou: 99,354 (Barcelona, Spain)
7. FNB Stadium: 94,700 (Johannesburg, South Africa)
8. Wembley Stadium: 90,000 (London, England)
9. Gelora Bung Kano Stadium: 88,306 (Jakarta, Indonesia)
10. Bukit Jalil National Stadium: 87,411 (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
11. Borg el Arab Stadium: 86,000 (Alexandria, Egypt)
12. Olimpiyski National Sports Complex: 83,160 (Kiev, Ukraine)
13. New Meadowlands Stadium: 82,500 (New Jersey, USA)
14. Estadio do Maracana: 82,.238 (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
15. Stade de France: 81,338 (Paris, France)
16. Signal Iduna Park: 81,264 (Dortmund, Germany)
17. Estadio Santiago Bernabeu: 80,354 (Madrid, Spain)
18. Estadio Monumental: 80,093 (Lima, Peru)
19. San Siro: 80,065 (Milan, Italy)
20. Guangdong Olympic Stadium: 80,012 (Guangzhou, China)
21. Stade Mohamed V: 80,000 (Casablanca, Morocco)
22. Beijing National Stadium: 80,000 (Beijing, China)
23. Stade des Martyrs: 80,000 (Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo)
24. Shah Alam Stadium: 80,000 (Shah Alam, Malaysia)
25. Shanghai Stadium: 80,000 (Shanghai, China)
26. Yadegar-e-Emam Stadium: 80,000 (Tabriz, Iran)
27. Luzhniki Stadium: 78,360 (Moscow, Russia)
28. Old Trafford: 75,957 (Manchester, England)
29. Ataturk Olympic Stadium: 75,145 (Istanbul, Turkey)
30. Cairo International Stadium: 75,000 (Cairo, Egypt)
31. Millennium Stadium: 74,500 (Cardiff, Wales)
32. Olympiastadion: 74,228 (Berlin, Germany)
33. Stadio Olimpico: 72,698 (Rome, Italy)
34. Athens Olympic Stadium: 71,030 (Athens, Greece)
35. International Stadium Yokohama: 70,000 (Yokohama, Japan)
36. Castelao: 70,000 (Sao Luis, Brazil)
37. Seoul Olympic Stadium: 69,950 (Seoul, South Korea)
38. Mineirao: 69,950 (Belo Horizonte, Brazil)
39. Alianz Arena: 69,901 (Munich, Germany)
40. Gillette Stadium: 68,756 (Foxborough, USA)
41. Morumbi: 67,428 (Sao Paulo, Brazil)
42. Qwest Field: 67,000 (Seattle, USA)
43. King Fahd International Stadium: 67,000 (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)
44. Seoul World Cup Stadium: 66,806 (Seoul, South Korea)
45. Olympic Stadium: 66,308 (Montreal, Canada)
46. Stade 5 Juillet 1962: 66,000 (Algiers, Algeria)
47. Daegu World Cup Stadium: 65,754 (Daegu, South Korea)
48. Estadio da Luz: 65,647 (Lisbon, Portugal)
49. Centenario Stadium: 65,000 (Montevideo, Uruguay)
50. Stade 7 November: 65,000 (Rades, Tunisia)

Thanks for reading this list of the greatest football stadiums in the world, ordered according to soccer stadium capacities. Regardless of the number of fans the ground holds, and unfortunately it just missed out on this list at 60,355, I think an amazing venue is Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium: click here to see my photos of the place!

Have fun,

Soccer Geek

P.s. Which of these stadiums have you been to? Which do you think is the best?

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Here’s a compilation of quotes about Arsene Wenger. In the last 3 games of the 2010/11 season, the club drew with Fulham and lost to Aston Villa as well as losing to Stoke. As a result Arsenal slumped into 4th position behind Manchester City, to round off a 6th season without a trophy. There has therefore been a great deal of criticism of late about his performance as manager.

In fairness, however, he has built a brilliant young squad on a limited budget and helped Arsenal to become the world’s 3rd richest club (2010 rankings).  His achievements include the 2004 unbeaten season as well as 3 League titles, 4 FA Cups and 4 Community Shields. Plus he was named World Coach of the Decade by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics!

So this article looks at both aspects: the praise and the criticism.

Quotes Praising Wenger

“Arsene’s a miracle worker. He’s revolutionised the club. He’s turned players into world-class players. Nobody had heard of Patrick Vieira or Thierry Henry. Patrick has today won the French player of the year with Thierry second. Since he has been here, we have seen football from another planet” (David Dein)

“He is a second father to me, the most important person in my life after my father. He has been very supportive of me and has treated my like a son. I am part of his family” (Cesc Fabregas)

“The manager helped me a lot. He was like a second father” (Alex Song)

“Arsene Wenger is the best manager Arsenal have ever had, and one of the top three or four in top-flight British football history” (Piers Morgan)

“Arsene Wenger…is a very important person right there for that organisation” (Thierry Henry)

“I rate Wenger – he’s a very polite, well-mannered man” (Melvyn Bragg)

“Arsene has been tremendous for Arsenal football club. He’s done tremendously well” (Thierry Henry)

“I and the vast majority of Arsenal fans have an enormous amount of faith in Wenger” (Nick Hornby)

“Arsene’s highly intelligent, is a great tactician, is cool, calm and collected, knows a lot about medicine, knows when to bring players on and off, has an encyclopaedic knowledge of players” (David Dein)

“I’ll never forget the club or him… I don’t see Arsenal without Arsene Wenger” (Thierry Henry)

“Arsene made Arsenal what they are today, and the fans understand it perfectly” (Robert Pires)

“Arsene has undoubtedly been one of the biggest influences on the modern-day Premiership” (David Dein)

“”I want to thank him for the confidence he gave me and the titles we won” (Robert Pires)

“Arsenal was well known for being a boring team and he’s changed that as soon as he arrived with the style of play and trophies we won” (Thierry Henry)

Quotes Criticising Wenger

“I think he is one of these people who is a voyeur. He likes to watch other people. There are some guys who, when they are at home, they have a big telescope to see what happens in other families. He speaks and speaks and speaks about Chelsea” (Jose Mourinho)

“They say he’s an intelligent man, right? Speaks five languages! I’ve got a 15 year-old boy from the Ivory Coast  who speaks five languages!” (Sir Alex Ferguson)

“Wenger simply doesn’t like those who show a weakness. With him, you generally feel as if you were in the army – it’s only in public that he may appear to be some sort of man of liberal views. In reality, his belief is natural selection…so while I was being treated for the injury, they went out and found a different player for my position” (Freddie Ljubgerg)

“My biggest disappointment was playing only 18 minutes in the Champions League final. Wenger killed me when he took me off. For that reason, I could not stay at Arsenal” (Robert Pires)

“I was offended when all of a sudden I learned from the papers that Wenger was ready to consider offers for me from other clubs. No-one had talked to me about that” (Freddie Ljungberg)

“If you went to Spain and said to Pep Guardiola (the Barca manager), Jose Mourinho (Real Madrid) or Unai Emery (Valencia) they would have three years without a trophy, it would be obvious they would not continue” (Fabregas)

“I had a bit of an Arsene Wenger moment because I didn’t see the incident” (Paul Jewell)

I hope you enjoyed this list of quotes about Arsene Wenger. If you have any more, please feel free to add them in the comments section below?

Have fun,

Soccer Geek

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Here I’ve compiled my all-time Arsenal Dream Team including some of the best Arsenal players from different generations. I’ve also added a subs bench for those who narrowly missed out on the starting line up. This team does not necessarily show who I think are exactly the best 11 players, though, as unfortunately I am limited to one player per position!

No doubt you may have different ideas about who should make the Arsenal all-time 1st XI, so please feel free to leave your own line-up in the comments section below. Finally, many thanks go to Bedar for suggesting this excellent post idea – it was certainly very fun dreaming up this list! Here goes…

1st XI

David Seaman (Goalkeeper)

David Seaman played 564 games over 13 years for the club. When Arsenal signed him, the fee of £1.3 million was a British record for a goalkeeper. He established himself as number 1 for club and country and his undoubted quality became almost as legendary as his pony tail! In 2008 the fans voted him their 7th greatest ever player and best goalie.

Pat Rice (Right Back)

Pat Rice is well-known to young Arsenal fans as Wenger’s Assistant Manager. As a player he put in an impressive 528 performances between 1967 and 1980, scoring 13 goals in that time. He is ranked number 17 on the fans’ all-time players list, placing him amongst the leading defenders.

Ashley Cole (Left Back)

Despite the bitter atmosphere in which he left Arsenal for Chelsea, Cole is recognised as a talented and extremely speedy left-back. He made 228 appearances for the club, and came in at number 25 on the fans’ poll of top players. Even though he is not that popular now, he is still one of the best Arsenal players ever.

Tony Adams (Centre Back)

Dubbed a ‘professor of defence’ by Arsene Wenger, Tony Adams is an Arsenal legend who was 3rd on the greatest 50 ever Arsenal players ranking. He played 669 times for the club between 1983 and 2002, establishing himself as a true leader and captain. He won 10 major trophies with the club and even scored 48 goals during his career there.

David O’Leary (Centre Back)

David O’Leary set a club record with an astonishing 722 appearances between 1975 and 1993. He finished 14th in the official fans’ vote of the greatest 50 ever players, recorded in 2008.

Freddie Ljungberg (Right Wing)

If his red hair was not enough to set the pitch alite then his 72 goals in 328 games over 9 years certainly did the trick! This achievement was reflected in his number 11 ranking on the official greatest players list.

Cliff Bastin (Left Wing)

Of course Robert Pires and Marc Overmars are both serious contenders for this position, and it pains me not to have them included in the starting line-up, but Cliff Bastin’s record as an outside-left for Herbert Chapman’s legendary Arsenal side speaks for itself. From 1929-1946 he played 396 games and scored 178 goals. His fantastic ability is well reflected in his superb achievements: 5 league championships and 2 FA Cup victories.

Patrick Vieira (Centre Midfield)

The former skipper and legenday #4 played 406 games between 1996 and 2005, scoring 33 goals in that time. He won 3 FA Cups and 3 League titles with the club, before being ranked at number 5 on the official ‘greatest 50′ players list.

Liam Brady (Centre Midfield)

8th on the fans’ poll of best ever Arsenal players, he scored 59 goals in 307 games between 1973 and 1980. His list of honours is somewhat more limited, with 1 FA Cup to his name, but this sparkling playmaker did go on to win 2 league titles with Juventus.

Dennis Bergkamp (Forward)

Bergkamp finished 2nd on the official poll of the greatest 50 AFC players of all time. Over 11 years he scored 120 goals from 423 games, winning 3 League titles and 3 FA Cups. In 2007 he became the 1st ever Dutchman to enter the National Football Museum Hall of Fame, a fitting tribute to his sublime skill.

Thierry Henry (Forward)

Thierry Henry is the club’s highest ever goal scorer having netted 226 times in 380 games between 1999 and 2007. Unsurprisingly he finished 1st in the fans’ estimations. He won 2 league championships and 2 FA Cups with the team, rising to captaincy after Vieira’s departure. Before he left Arsenal, he was the subject of two £50 million bids: unfortunately we decided to hold out for £16 million though!

Subs Bench

Pat Jennings (Goalkeeper)

Seaman, Jennings and Bob Wilson are the club’s 3 greatest ever goalies. Jennings finished 10th on the all time players list, just a few spots behind Seaman. He played 327 games for the club over 7 years. He also played for arch rivals Tottenham for 13 years and earned a record 122 caps for Northern Ireland over a 22 year international career. It is a travesty to have to leave such a star on the subs bench: maybe he can come on at half time!

Sol Campbell (Centre Back)

Campbell is another who bridged the gap between the two north London clubs. His first period at Arsenal saw him put in 197 appearances over 5 years, scoring 11 goals, before he popped back for another short spell not so long ago. He has won 2 league titles and 1 FA Cup with the team. He finished in 15th place in the fans’ best players rankings.

Cesc Fabregas (Centre Midfield)

Not mentioned in the fans’ table of best players, which was created in 2008, Cesc would surely be right up there by now. This fantastic captain has proved a wonderfully creative and skilful presence, often holding the team together around him. Madrid and Barcelona will fight it out for his signature, with Arsenal quite rightly slapping a £50 million price tag to his name. His departure will surely be a great upset for the club, if indeed it occurs.

Robert Pires (Left Midfield)

Pires came very close to stealing Cliff Bastin’s place in this team! His tremendous ability is well reflected in his 6th place achievement on the fans’ best players poll. He scored 84 goals in 284 games between 2000 and 2006, expressing a beautiful partnership with Henry, in which time he won 2 FA Cups and 2 League titles.

Marc Overmars (Left Wing)

Marc Overmars is one of my personal favourite ever players, forming as he did a magical partnership with Bergkamp. At the very least he should come on as a super-sub for this team! Although he only stayed 3 years at the club, he scored 41 goals in 142 games and split defences with his blistering pace. His great value to the club was well demonstrated by his £25 million transfer total to Barcelona (the same fee Madrid paid for Beckham 3 years later).

Charlie George (Forward)

Charlie George scored 49 times in 179 games for the club between 1969 and 1975, earning him 9th place on the ‘greatest 50′ chart. In that time he won the League, the FA Cup and the European Fairs Cup.

Ian Wright (Forward)

Ian Wright definitely brings some fun to the dressing room and some goals on the pitch: 185 of them in fact – making him the club’s 2nd highest ever scorer. He played 288 games over 7 years, winning the League, the League Cup, and 2 FA Cups with the side. 4th on the fans’ list of the best ever players, it is just a shame that he is force out of my 1st XI by the brilliant Henry and Bergkamp who finished 1st and 2nd respectively in the rankings.

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Well that’s my Arsenal dream team and subs bench all rounded off. It is a crying shame that there wasn’t room for more players! Why not leave your own list of the best Arsenal players in the comments section below?

Have fun,

Soccer Geek

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Here’s a list of soccer quotes for girls. This compilation consists of statements by female soccer players (mainly Mia Hamm) themselves, and by others making observations about the women’s game. This post has been divided up into five sections of quotes: the first looks at the future of women’s football, the second lists some tips on improving your performance, the third provides some inspiration, the fourth offers some light-hearted, funny sayings from popular celebrities and movies, and the fifth addresses controversy regarding sexism in soccer.

Future of Women’s Soccer

“The future of football is feminine” (Sepp Blatter, FIFA Chief Executive)

“Women’s soccer has gone through an unbelievable development in recent years and that will continue, I am sure” (Nadine Angerer, German World-Cup winning goalkeeper, 2007)

“We have come a long way in developing the national teams – now the time has come to work even harder to develop the clubs” (Susanne Erlandsson, UEFA Women’s Football Committee)

“Nobody is against women in football…the game is changing everyday…life always moves forward” (Arsene Wenger, Arsenal manager)

Women’s Soccer Tips

“If a team wants to intimidate you physically and you let them, they’ve won” (Mia Hamm, US women’s soccer star)

“Every single day I wake up and commit myself to becoming a better player” (Mia Hamm, US women’s soccer star)

“I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion” (Mia Hamm, US women’s soccer star)

“You can’t just beat a team, you have to leave a lasting impression in their minds so they never want to see you again” (Mia Hamm, US women’s soccer star)

“You may get skinned knees and elbows, but it’s worth it if you score a spectacular goal” (Mia Hamm, US women’s soccer star)

“Many people say I’m the best women’s soccer player in the world. I don’t think so. And because of that, someday I just might be” (Mia Hamm, US women’s soccer star)

Inspirational Soccer Quotes for Girls

“True champions aren’t always the ones that win, but those with the most guts” (Mia Hamm, US women’s soccer star)

“I am building a fire, and everyday I train, I add more fuel. At just the right moment, I light the match” (Mia Hamm, US women’s soccer star)

“I’ve worked too hard and too long to let anything stand in the way of my goals. I will not let my teammates down and I will not let myself down” (Mia Hamm, US women’s soccer star)

“Take your victories, whatever they may be, cherish them, use them, but don’t settle for them” (Mia Hamm, US women’s soccer star)

“No one gets an iron-clad guarantee of success. Certainly, factors like opportunity, luck and timing are important. But the backbone of success is usually found in old-fashioned, basic concepts like hard work, determination, good planning and perseverence” (Mia Hamm, US women’s soccer star)

“Failure happens all the time. It happens everyday in practice. What makes you better is how you react to it” (Mia Hamm, US women’s soccer star)

Funny Female Football Quotes

“Football is all very well a good game for rough girls, but not for delicate boys” (Oscar Wilde, writer)

“Football’s a difficult business and aren’t they prima donnas. But it’s a wonderful game” (The Queen)

“You can’t plan who you fall for. It just happens. I mean, look at Posh and Becks’ (Tony, Bend it Like Beckham)

“I didn’t ask to be good at football, Gura Nanak must have blessed me” (Jess, Bend it Like Beckham)

“Sometimes, to follow your dreams…you’ve got to bend the rules!” (Tagline, Bend it Like Beckham)

Quoting Controversy

The quotes below relate to a debate between the FIFA President and women footballers about the nature of the kits. His remarks sparked understandable controversy, with many female players hitting back at his outburst

“Let the women play in more feminine clothes lik they do in volleyball. They could, for example, have tighter shorts. Female players are pretty, if you excuse me for saying so, and they already have some different rules to men – such as playing with a lighter ball. That decision was to create a more female aesthetic, so why not do it in fashion?” (Sepp Blatter, President of FIFA)

“He doesn’t know what he is talking about. We don’t use a lighter ball for one thing, and to say we should play football in hotpants is plain ridiculous. It’s completely irresponsible for a man in a powerful position to make comments like this” (Pauline Cope, England and Charlton goalie)

“It’s about skill and tactical ability first and how people look second” (Marieanne Spacey, Fulham ladies manager)

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I hope you enjoyed this list of soccer quotes for girls. I tried to include some quotes about women’s football generally as well as some playing tips from the professionals female players for improving your own game. If you would like to add any more quotes or any other thoughts, please feel free to do so in the comments section below.

Have fun,

Soccer Geek

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This is a list of some of the best Netherlands soccer players of all time. The players are ordered according to position rather than merit, and we go right through from goalkeepers to forwards. Johan Cruyff is generally accepted to be the greatest Dutch footballer ever, and the country has produced many other truly great talents such as Dennis Bergkamp and Marco van Basten. Holland were the self-proclaimed “Brazilians of Europe” (Kees Rijvers) so let’s now explore some of their players’ most significant achievements.

Edwin van der Sar

Van der Sar played a record 130 games for the Netherlands between 1995 and 2008. He was named European Goalkeeper of the Year in 1995, 2008, 2009 and 2010, and also in 2010 was awarded the Order of the Orange-Nassau (officer).

Marten Stekelenburg

He was a runner-up at the 2010 World Cup having, at the time, played 40 games for the country and almost 200 for Ajax. He was named Ajax player of the year in 2008 and 2011, and is four times winner of the Johann Cruyff shield.

Wim Suurbier

Suurbier was a wing back who made 392 appearances for Ajax over 13 years, together with 60 caps for his country. He won the Champions League 3 times, the European Super Cup twice, and the Intercontinental cup once.

Ruud Krol

As a defender he played 339 times for Ajax and 83 times for the Netherlands.  His honours include 8 league titles, 3 European Cups, 2 European Super Cups and 2 times runner-up at the World Cup.

Geovanni van Bronckhorst

The former captain of Holland, who has played for Arsenal and Barcelona, was awarded the Order of the Orange-Nassau in 2010 (knight). He was a World Cup runner-up in 2010, competing in a total of 3 of the tournaments, and played 106 games for the national side. At club level he made a total of 423 appearances.

Ronald Koeman

He played 533 games at club level, as both a midfielder and a defender, as well as 78 at international level. He was named Dutch footballer of the year twice. He played for Barcelona and Ajax amongst other teams.

Willem van Hanegem

He was a defensive midfielder who played almost 300 games for Feyenoord over 2 spells. He also earned 52 caps for his country, finishing as a runner-up in the 1974 World Cup (the year he was victorious in the UEFA Cup).

Ronald de Boer

At club level, this midfielder played for Ajax, Barcelona and Rangers amongst other teams. He won 67 international caps over 10 years. He is now a TV analyst in Qatar.

Frank de Boer

Frank de Boer made 112 appearances for Holland between 1990 and 2004, putting him in second place on the most-capped players list. He has won the Champions League, UEFA Cup and Intercontinental cup amongst other achievements such as as host of domestic titles.

Philip Cocu

Cocu earned 101 caps for the Netherlands from 1996 to 2006, giving him the 3rd most appearances ever. He made over 200 appearances for Barcelona and also won a series of domestic trophies with PSV.

Johan Neeskens

Part of the ‘Total Football’ side of the 1970s, playing a total of 49 games for the national side, he played played well over 100 games of football for both Ajax and Barcelona. He has since had a long coaching and managerial career.

Marc van Bommel

He has played over 100 games for 3 different clubs, including PSV and Bayern Munich, winning Dutch Footballer of the Year in 2001 and 2005. He was a World Cup runner-up in 2010, and is now captain of the national side.

Edgar Davids

He played 74 times for his country over a period of 11 years. This was in addition to a club career spanning 2 decades, involving Ajax, Spurs, Milan, Juventus and Barcelona. He was named in the All-Star Team of the 1998 World Cup and war part of the Team of the Tournament for Euro 2000.

Clarence Seedorf

Seedorf has won the Champions League with 3 different clubs: Ajax, Real Madrid and AC Milan. He played well over 100 times for Madrid and considerably more than 200 games for Milan. He was named in the FIFA 100 and Real Madrid team of the century in 2008. He has won the UEFA Best Midfielder award twice, the World Cup Silver Ball once, and in 2011 was made a Knight of the Order of the Orange-Nassau.

Arie Haan

Haan was a major part of the 1970s ‘Total Football’ Dutch team. His most famous international goal was the 40 yard strike against Italy in the group stages of the 1978 World Cup.

Rafael Van der Vaart

He played over 100 times for Ajax before moving onto other clubs including Real Madrid and Spurs. He has played for the Netherlands for 10 years, being names European Talent of the Year in 2002.

Bolo Zenden

This midfielder played 54 times for the national side, in addition to playing for the likes of PSV, Barcelona, Chelsea and Liverpool at club level. His a winner of the European Super Cup.

Marc Overmars

Between 1993 and 2004, Overmars played 86 games for his country, ranking him 4th on the most-capped players list at that time. In 2008 Arsenal fans ranked him the club’s 12th greatest ever player in an official vote, after he scored 41 goals in 142 appearances. When he moved to Barcelona in 2000, he became the most expensive Dutch soccer player of all time. He was known for his lightening pace on the wing, and for his legendary partnership with Bergkamp.

Arjen Robben

He has totalled more than 50 games for Groningen, PSV, Chelsea and Real Madrid and is nearly there for Bayern Munich (at the time of writing). He has also played more than 50 games for the Netherlands. In 2010 he was named Footballer of the Year in Germany.

Wesley Sneijder

He has played for Ajax, Real Madrid and Inter, reaching well over 100 caps for the former and over 50 for the latter two. He won the Silver Ball and Bronze Shoe at the 2010 World Cup, also being names in the FIFPro World XI and the UEFA Team of the Year for 2010.

Johan Cruyff

He was named European Footballer of the Year three times, as well as winning major honours with Ajax, Barcelona and Feyenoord. In 2003 the KNVB ranked him Holland’s best player of the previous 50 years. He was the pioneer of the ‘Cruyff turn’, and put in 33 performances for his country between 1966 and 1977. He is widely considered first amongst the best Netherlands soccer players of all time.

Ruud Gullit

Gullit was captain and goal scorer in the country’s Euro Championship victory of 1988, beating the USSR 2-0 in the final. He played 465 club games and 66 international matches. He was FIFA World Player of the Year in 1987 and has been named in the FIFA 100.

Johnny Rep

He was a right winger who played 42 times for the Netherlands in addition to 428 club games for teams including Ajax and Feyenoord. He is winner of 2 European Super Cups, 1 European Cup and 1 Intercontinental cup.

Dirk Kuyt

He has played over 100 games for Utrecht, Feyenoord and Liverpool, considerably more so for the first and third of these clubs. He is twice winner of the Dutch Golden Shoe and was a runner-up at the 2010 World Cup.

Dennis Bergkamp

Nicknamed the Iceman for his composure and calmness, he played for Ajax, Inter Milan and Arsenal. He was ranked 3rd in FIFA World Player of the Year in 1993 and 1997, and in 2008 Arsenal fans ranked him the club’s 2nd greatest ever player.  In September 2007 he became the 1st Dutchman to enter the National Football Museum Hall of Fame. Two of his most famous goals came against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup, and the classic for Arsenal against Newcastle. He scored 37 times for his country between 1990 and 2000.

Marco van Basten

In total he scored 276 goals for Ajax, AC Milan and Holland. He won the 1988 European Championship with the country, scoring a spectacular volley in the final. He was European Footballer of the Year in 1988, 1989 and 1992. He was World Player of the Year in 1992. He then went on to manage the national side.

Patrick Kluivert

He scored 40 goals for the national side across a 10 year stretch from 1994 until 2004, putting him top of the all time highest scorer list. He scored 90 goals in 182 games for Barcelona, as well as playing for Ajax, Milan and Newcastle.

Faas Wilkes

Wilkes netted 35 times in 38 performances between 1946 and 1961. He was a forward who played for Inter and Valencia amongst other clubs. He was the 4th ever Dutch player to move to play abroad.

Abe Lenstra

He scored 33 goals for his country between 1940 and 1959, equal to Johann Cruyff. His most notable club was Heerenveen. He played alongside the likes of Faas Wilkes for the Netherlands.

Robin van Persie

He won the UEFA Cup with Feyenoord and was a runner-up with the Netherlands at the 2010 World Cup. He won the Bronze Boot at Euro 2008. He is now a top striker for Arsenal, often captaining the side.

Ruud van Nistelrooy

He has played for the likes of Manchester United (putting in 150 performances over 5 years), PSV and Real Madrid. He was three times the Champions League top scorer and names in the FIFA 100. He was the most valuable striker in the Champions League in 2001/2.

I hope you enjoyed that list of the best Netherlands soccer players ever. For the comments section below, who do yiu think are the top 3 Dutch footballers of all time?

Have fun,

Soccer Geek

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