Goodbye 2009, Hi 2010

Goodbye 2009. Happy New Year 2010 to all!

For 2010, I had set several targets to achieve for myself.

First of all, I want to Live the book - How to win friends and influence people. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to improve his/her way of communication, behavior and live a better life.



To achieve my dream of becoming what I wanted to become. (WTF, what is ur dream? u must be wondering! Haha...Maybe I will announce once I achieve it.)


To be continued..

Barcelona is the King of World Football

Barcelona - The Phenomenal Team of 2008/2009

In what looks like a one-sided football match, Barcelona failed to capitalise on its attacking strength to beat Estudiantes by a big margin. Instead, Estudiantes scored a goal to take the lead from probably the only scoring chance for the underdog in the entire 90+15 minutes. That's football. Its not only superior team game that matters, but luck plays a part too. If not for the equaliser goal by Pedro in the last few minutes, Barca could have fly home greatly disappointed by the only loss in six finals.

The match ended 1-1 for the normal playing time. Barca again dominated the extra-time game with some good chances to score but suffered from poor finishing. In the second half of extra time, Barca finally takes the lead for the first time. Alves delivered a superb cross from the right and Messi surged forward and chested the ball into the net with the goalkeeper watching in awe!

It was once more a great goal scored by Messi. He had scored with the usual legs and head, plus the unusual hand and now chest. Next on would be his ass I jokingly guess. With the victory, Barca has set new record in the world football with six titles in all competitions they have competed for - King's Cup, Spanish Super Cup, La Liga, Champions League, European Super Cup and World Club Cup!

Guardiola burst into tears at the end. Its unbelievable for him, so as to Barcelona players as well as for many football fans around the world including me. To set the record straight after only in his first year managing Barcelona, the young coach deserved to get the highest accolade from his country and also his football club. And now I can proclaim that Barcelona is the "King of World Football"!

A little suggestion: Malaysia football team which won the gold medal in Laos - SEA Games - should be rewarded with a friendly football match with Barcelona next year. And I most probably wouldnt turn down the chance to watch the game.

Another thing: Lionel Messi is going to become a football legend in the next few hours. FIFA World Footballer of the Year 2009, probably the best ever, is...




Confirmed! FIFA World Footballer of the Year 2009 is Lionel Messi! - click to view

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News recap:
Messi the hero in Barca’s first Club W-Cup triumph

“We played formidably, it was a victory we deserved. Six titles in a year is unequalled,” coach Pep Guardiola told a news conference, referring to his team’s Champions League, La Liga, King’s Cup, Spanish Super Cup and European Super Cup wins.

Barcelona to win first World Club Cup?

Messi: pls put a nicer pic of me in the paper. girls are watching!


Its hard to update blog several times a week if you dont have the commitment to blog. Hence, hats off to those bloggers that can blog frequently, which means at least 3 times a week. I think if i am a fulltime blogger, maybe I can blog like em. LOL! Maybe I should find some longterm sponsors. Any idea? :) Dreaming...

Story of the day: Barcelona into Final of World Club Cup. Hopefully, they can win their first Cup of this type. Happy holidays and enjoy your 3-days holidays for 3 consecutive weeks. Cheers!

Quote of the day: "Passion is what drives you to succeed."
And laziness is what makes you fail?

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Barcelona into World Club Cup final
European champions Barcelona produced a masterclass to beat Mexican side Atlante 3-1 here on Wednesday and book their place in the World Club Cup final.

Guillermo Rojas shot Atlante into a surprise fifth-minute lead with Sergio Busquets dragging Barca back on level terms ten minutes from the break.

Second-half substitute Lionel Messi put the Spanish giants ahead in the 55th minute with Pedro wrapping up the semi-final in the 67th minute in front of 41,000 fans at the Zayed Sports City stadium.

Barcelona meet Argentine side Estudiantes, who beat South Korea's Pohang Steelers 2-1 in Tuesday's other semi-final, in Saturday's final, while Atlante will face Asian champions Pohang Steelers in the third place play-off.

"Im very pleased we won but it was very difficult," said Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola.

"As I said beforehand, Atlante are a quality side. They pass the ball well and have a lot of speed, especially with Rojas. But I think we were the better team and the result reflected that.

"The support we received was absolutely fantastic. With the Estudiantes fans and our followers, the final will be a wonderful spectacle."

The World Club Cup is the only international honour missing from Barcelona's well-stocked trophy cabinet after their previous attempt to win it, in 2006, ended in a 1-0 defeat to Brazilian side Internacional.

Victory in the tournament would crown a remarkable year for the current Spanish league leaders, who last season won the Champions League, Spanish league and King's Cup to claim an unprecedented treble.

Guardiola's side quickly settled into their familiar passing rhythm but they fell behind within five minutes when Rojas touched the ball past Barca goalkeeper Victor Valdes before finishing from a difficult angle.

Atlante goalkeeper Federico Vilar had to save from Busquets as the Catalans sought a quick response, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic had an effort cleared off the line.

Andres Iniesta and Ibrahimovic were both narrowly off-target with long-range efforts but 10 minutes before the interval Barca levelled when Busquets touched home from close range after Yaya Toure had flicked on Xavi's corner.

Messi made his entrance shortly after the break and within two minutes he had delighted the crowd by putting his side in front.

The recently crowned European Footballer of the Year collected a reverse pass from Ibrahimovic before slipping away from a defender, rounding the goalkeeper and tapping the ball into an empty net.

Barca's third arrived 23 minutes from time, with Iniesta slaloming through the Atlante defence before setting up Pedro, who provided a nerveless finish.

Messi Wins European Footballer of the Year 2009 Award

As expected! :)

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Messi wins Golden Ball award

PARIS (AP): Argentina's Lionel Messi has won the Golden Ball awarded to the European Footballer of the Year, becoming the sixth Barcelona player to take the award and the first since Brazilian Ronaldinho in 2005.

Messi beat last year's winner Cristiano Ronaldo into second place while Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez finished third in the poll results released by France Football magazine early Tuesday.

Hailed by Argentina great Diego Maradona as his successor, Messi won an unprecedented treble in Spain last season with Barcelona as the Catalan side swept the Champions League, the Spanish title and the Copa del Rey.

The 22-year-old Messi, the first Argentine to win the prestigious trophy, was the top scorer in last year's Champions League with nine goals, including his superb header in the 2-0 victory over Manchester United in the final.

Messi, who tallied 473 of a possible 480 points, largely dominated the voting and won with a record-margin of 240 points. Real Madrid winger Ronaldo had 233 and Xavi had 170.

"Honestly, I knew that I was among the favorites because Barcelona had a fruitful year in 2009," Messi was quoted as saying by the magazine. "But I didn't expect to win with such a margin. The Golden Ball is very important to me. All the players who won it were great players, and some great players never won it."

Barcelona had three players in the Top 5 with Andres Iniesta taking fourth ahead of former Barca player Samuel Eto'o.

In an outstanding season, Messi netted 38 goals in 51 games in all competitions, often leaving defenders in his wake with a combination of speed, exceptional dribbling abilities and his effective left-footed strike.

Messi, who leads Argentina to next year's World Cup in South Africa, recently signed a new contract with Barcelona through 2016 and has a buyout clause of 250 million euros ($368 million) included.

Messi had a good start to this season - already scoring nine goals - and put on a great display to help his club defeat archrival Real Madrid 1-0 last Sunday. "It won't be easy to confirm after a year like the one we just went through," Messi said. "I hope the next one will reach the same standards. But to win the Golden Ball two years in a row is not an easy thing."

After starting club football in 1995 at Argentina's Newell's Old Boys, Messi, who suffered from a growth hormone deficiency when he was a child, joined Barcelona's Under-14 team in 2000 after the Spanish club offered to pay for his treatment.

The diminutive forward - 1.69 meters and 67 kilograms (5-feet-7; 148 pounds) - was part of the Argentina team at the World Cup 2006 before claiming the Olympic gold in Beijing in 2008.

France Football's award was decided by an annual poll of football journalists from a shortlist of 30 players.

The 24-year-old Ronaldo won the Premier League title with Manchester United in 2009 before signing with Real Madrid for 93 million euros.

Named best player at the 2008 European championship, where Spain won its first major title in 44 years, midfielder Xavi was also a key element in Barcelona's treble in 2009, playing 35 Spanish league games and 14 of the 15 European matches of his club.

FIFA World Player of the Year 2009 - Lionel Messi?

Barcelona Beats Real Madrid 1-0.
Man of the Match - Carles Puyol! If you watch the match, you should know better. :)

Barcelona didnt play very well (but still worth the sleepless night coz they play well but not phenomenal), but still they managed to score a spectacular goal through Ibrahimovic, thanks to a superb cross by Dani Alves. Messi was well guarded throughout the match. Its amazing to watch him play, how easily he dribbles the ball past Real players. All in all, Messi is the very firm favorite to win Ballon D'Or 2009 today and next.. FIFA World Player of the Year 2009. Woohoo...

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Messi display worthy of Ballon d'Or
By Phil Seery (AFP) – 1 day ago

MADRID — Lionel Messi is poised to collect the Ballon D'Or accolade on Tuesday and the Argentine showed why with a mesmerising display to help Barcelona defeat Real Madrid 1-0 in a sizzling 'El Clasico' at Camp Nou on Sunday.

Substitute Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored the winning goal on 56 minutes but with the world watching on Messi stole the show with his his mazy runs, clever turns and incredible close control all the more impressive given that he was a doubt for the match with a thigh injury.

Messi, still only 22, scored in the previous two Clasicos - which finished 2-0 and 6-2 in Barca's favour - but could not cap his stellar display with a goal with Iker Casillas denying him with a wonder save in the closing stages.

"I came off against Athletic Bilbao as a precaution but came back tonight and fortunately we got the right result," said the softly-spoken Messi.

"We couldn't find space in the first half but in the second half we got better and the result we wanted.

"The win over Inter Milan (2-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday) was important for us to stay in the competition and now we have beaten Real Madrid who are a top side."

Champions Barca now lead Real by two points at the summit and can stretch that to five points with victory over Xerez on Wednesday in a match brought forward due to Barca's World Club Championship commitments in Abu Dhabi in mid-December.

Treble winners Barca are unbeaten in the league since the penultimate day of last season and lie top of the table but goalkeeper Victor Valdes, who produced a crucial save from Cristiano Ronaldo, said there was no room for complacency.

"Real played on the counter attack at times but with real quality," said Valdes.

"The Spanish league is the best in the world and complicated to win. It is not just Real Madrid there are other such as Sevilla."

Midfielder Xavi, one of four Barca players shortlisted for the Ballon D'Or, paid tribute to Real and saluted his team-mates for a determined defensive display.

"It was a physical game but a great spectacle," said Xavi. "Real have a great team as well and a lot of talent up front.

"Madrid are always a competitive team. In all my years in football they have always had a team that can compete at the highest level.

"It was a great defensive display from the whole team to keep them out and get a very important win."