Already up 3-0 in the 89th minute against Bayern Munich, Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo scored his second goal with a mind game.
Ronaldo, the FIFA player of the year, knew the wall of Bayern players would jump as he took a free kick from just outside the penalty box, so he blasted it under them into the corner of the net.
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With the 4-0 victory, Real advances to the finals of the Champions League where it will face the winner of Atletico Madrid-Chelsea.
Real Madrid kept its La Liga title hopes alive thanks to an incredible stoppage time goal by Cristiano Ronaldo against Valencia on Sunday.
Down 2-1 in the 92nd minute, Angel Di Maria crossed it from the edge of the box. Ronaldo twisted his body away from goal and back-heeled a shot into the back of the net to make it 2-2.
For the unfamiliar, Cristiano Ronaldo will probably be the one rampaging through the U.S. defense when Portugal plays the U.S. at this summer's World Cup.
The Real Madrid forward is the best player in the world right now.
He scored about once every 72 minutes for Real this year. He broke the record for goals scored in a single Champions League campaign with 16. He has 251 goals in all competitions since his $100 million transfer to Madrid in 2009 — a pace that should see him set the club's goalscoring record by 2016.
In an exceptional era of Spanish soccer — where the national team won three straight major competitions, Barcelona won two Champions League titles, and two transcendent players have shattered goal-scoring records for the country's two biggest clubs — Ronaldo has, for now, emerged as the best player in Spain, and thus the world.
Ronaldo's brilliance comes from his ability to do everything an attacking player can possibly do on a soccer field.
There are no holes in his game. The same way LeBron James can shoot, dribble, post up, drive, and pass, Ronaldo can finish with both feet, bury free kicks, beat defenders one on one, win headers, and thread perfect passes.
"Cristiano is a massive loss. I have nothing but praise for the boy. He is easily the best player in the world. He is better than Kaka and better than Messi. He is streets ahead of them all.
"His contribution as a goal threat is unbelievable. His stats are incredible. Strikes at goal, attempts on goal, raids into the penalty box, headers. It is all there. Absolutely astounding."
He can score goals in every way it's possible to score goals.
If you could combine all the different types of attacking players — goal poachers, speedy wingers, target men, free-kick specialists, and so forth — you'd get Ronaldo.
1. On a free kick:
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2. With ridiculous speed:
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3. In front of goal:
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4. With his head:
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There are very few athletes who can do everything. Even Lionel Messi, who might be one of the best players ever, isn't a threat on headers.
Ronaldo is one of those rare players, which is what makes him so spectacular and terrifying.
The World Cup kicks off in less than a month and everyone is getting in on the action. Even Vogue España, which featured Portuguese star Christiano Ronaldo with his model girlfriend Irina Shayk on its cover.
The famous foward, if you'll notice, is completely nude.
Portugal and the United States are both in Group G. The two teams will play on June 22 in Manaus, which is in the middle of the Amazon. The U.S. team's greatest weakness right now is at left-back, the player who will attempt to defend Ronaldo.
Ladies and gentlemen, one of the best soccer players in the world. Naked:
Evans played a vital role in World Cup qualifying, starting a majority of the team's games at right back and scoring a key goal to beat Jamaica on the road.
The World Cup snub had to be particularly disappointing for him.
Yet hours after being sent home, he made light of the decision by calling out Cristiano Ronaldo in an excellent tweet.
If he had made the World Cup team and played in Brazil, Evans would have had to mark Ronaldo — the best player in the world right now— on the right side in the USA-Portugal group game.
Luckily for Ronaldo, Evans didn't make the team. Supreme confidence:
After Cristiano Ronaldo scored Real Madrid's fourth goal on a penalty kick in their 4-1 win over over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League final, he ran to the sideline, pulled off his shirt revealing his sculpted body, and flexed for the crowd.
It was an over-the-top celebration, even by Ronaldo's standards and seemed out of place considering the match was already decided.
Well, now it turns out it may have been scripted ahead of time to be filmed for an upcoming movie about Ronaldo.
According to the report, Ronaldo knew where the camera was located and went to that spot to celebrate the goal which angered some on the Atletico Madrid side.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.The 2014 World Cup kicks off on June 12 when the host Brazil takes on Croatia.
There's just one week until the opening whistle, and if you haven't been paying attention it's time to get up to speed on all the big names you'll be hearing about over the next month.
There are 736 players headed to Brazil. Here are the six best.
1. Lionel Messi
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Team: Argentina
Why he's so good: His feet are lightning quick and he slips around defenders more seamlessly than anyone in the world. Add supreme vision and an even better nose for goal and you start to get a sense of all Messi's capable of. He's also the only player ever to win the FIFA Ballon d'Or — the award for world player of the year — four times.
Messi dribbles through three defenders and finishes:
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2. Cristiano Ronaldo
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Team: Portugal
Why he's so good: Nobody explodes down the wing on a counter-attack quite like Ronaldo, and his dribbling ability isn't half bad, either. And then there's his knuckleballing free kick, which is, in a word, nasty.
A trademark Ronaldo free kick:
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3. Luis Suarez
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Team: Uruguay
Why he's so good: He's one of the world's most polarizing players (with a penchant for biting his opponents), but there's no denying he's a world class striker and lethal finisher from anywhere on the field. He scored 31 goals in 38 matches for Liverpool this season, tying the English Premier League record.
Suarez's volley from 40-yards:
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4. Yaya Toure
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Team: Ivory Coast
Why he's so good: He's the best holding midfielder in the world, meaning he distributes the ball all over the pitch as well as anyone and does the dirty work defensively, too. He's known for the occasional bombing run forward, and he's deadly from long-range, helping Manchester City capture its second Premier League title in three years in 2013-14.
Toure's stunner from outside the box:
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5. Andres Iniesta
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Team: Spain
Why He's So Good:Iniesta, nicknamed The Illusionist, may very well be the best passer in the world, threading the ball through the smallest of openings for some dazzling assists. He also scored the game-winning goal in the 2010 World Cup Final, which Spain won 1-0 over the Netherlands in South Africa.
Iniesta dances his way through traffic and keeps possession:
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6. Franck Ribery
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Team: France
Why he's so good: Ribery's a true winger, beating defenders one-on-one down the line and usually playing on the left side so he can cut inside and onto his left foot for a shot on goal. He finished third in Ballon d'Or voting last season (behind Ronaldo and Messi), helping Bayern Munich win five trophies.
With just a few days until the start of the 2014 World Cup, build-up to the tournament is crazier than ever. Last week, Beats by Dre released a wild 5-minute commercial featuring a ton of celebrities (Lebron, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne), and pro soccer players preparing for the World Cup in Beats headphones.
Today, Nike released its own 5-minute commercial, "The Last Game." The ad features animated versions of Cristiano Ronaldo, Tim Howard, Wayne Rooney, and many other soccer stars facing off against indestructible soccer-playing clones, all of whom are donning bowl-cuts. If Beats by Dre's commercial felt inspired by Beyoncé and Jay Z's "Run," Nike's feels more like Despicable Me.
The commercial begins with a villain scientist unveiling clone versions of the best soccer players alive. The only difference is the clones — unlike their human counterparts — take no risks, supposedly making them better players.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Because the clones are so much better, the human players quickly lose their fame and fortune.
We see Cristiano Ronaldo employed as a manikin:
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Neymar as a hairdresser:
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And Wayne Rooney as a fisherman:
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With such a high unemployment rate in Spain, Andres Iniesta can't seem to find any work at all:
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Luckily, former Brazilian striker Ronaldo sets out on a mission to save the sport of soccer. He assembles the whole team in an underground lair/museum and prepares them for a golden goal showdown against the clones in Brazil:
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The greatest soccer players in the world take on the clones, and win, because they take risks:
In a reminder that throwing a football is a highly specialized skill that takes time to master, Cristiano Ronaldo tried to throw a football while training with Portugal at the New York Jets practicing facility on Monday.
Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the most athletic players in world soccer, showed off his vertical leap ability during a Portugal training session in New York City before the World Cup.
He nearly hit his head on the goal post, which is 10 feet high.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.The 2014 World Cup begins Thursday when Brazil takes on Croatia in São Paolo.
In honor of the summer's best sporting event, Wealth-X determined the 10 richest soccer players that will be lacing up their boots in Brazil.
Although the two wealthiest players in the world play in La Liga, six of the 10 players play in the English Premier League.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo — $230 million
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National team: Portugal
Club team: Real Madrid
Why he's so rich: Ronaldo earned $44 million last year and will make $23 million per year with Real Madrid until 2018. Off the field, Ronaldo cashes in $21 million per year in endorsements from Nike ($8 million per year), Herbalife, Samsung, Catrol, and others.
Why he's so rich: Messi cashed in $41.3 million last year and just signed a new deal with his club that will guarantee him $27 million a year. He also earns $23 million per year in endorsements and sponsorships with Gillette, Samsung, Gatorade, and Adidas.
Why he's so rich: Rooney recently signed a new contract with Manchester United for $26 million a year. He also earns $4 million a year from deals with Nike, Samsung, and Harper Collins.
One of soccer's most respected knee surgeons told Cristiano Ronaldo that continuing to play on his injured knee is career-threatening, according to El Confidential.
Dr. Jose Carlos Noronha, the go-to doctor for top players, reportedly told Ronaldo before the Germany game that the patellar tendinitis in his knee needed rest "or your future is in danger."
Ronaldo defied his orders and played the full 90 minutes in his team's 4-0 loss to Germany. Portugal desperately needs a win against the United States on Sunday.
Ronaldo "limped" out of training early on Wednesday, adding to injury fears. This doesn't necessarily mean anything. He also left a training session early before the Germany game, but it didn't affect his status that time. Before the tournament, he sat out a few training sessions in New York before playing well in a friendly against Ireland.
According to Five Thirty Eight's Nate Silver, there's a 36% chance Portugal wins, a 35% the U.S. wins, and a 29% chance of a tie on Sunday. The U.S. is banged up, with Jozy Altidore likely out and Clint Dempsey with a broken nose. But a Ronaldo injury would change things dramatically.
Business Insider asked soccer experts, some who have played in World Cups past, how the U.S. can stop Ronaldo, here's what they had to say.
Jimmy Conrad (@JimmyConrad), KICKTV host, and former World Cup defender for the USMNT :
"They can’t because he’s just too good. And because he knows, at age 29, that this will be his last chance to have a legitimate opportunity to win a World Cup before he’s on the wrong side of 30. So he’ll be incredibly motivated, but they can do these two things to slow him down:
"1. Suffocate, stifle, and hound the players that provide him the ball in dangerous areas, specifically João Moutinho, who is an incredible passer of the ball for both club (Monaco) and country (Portugal) and if the U.S. gives him the time and space to pick up his head and make passes to Ronaldo, we’re toast.
"2. Similar to how the U.S. contained Portugal’s Luis Figo, the World Player Of The Year in 2000, in the 2002 World Cup by having U.S. defender Frankie Hejduk just follow him around the field for 90 minutes, they could elect to put someone solely on Ronaldo, the 2013 World Player Of The Year, like a Timmy Chandler, for example, to play the role of pest and hope for the best."
Jeff Agoos (@JeffAgoos), Vice President of Competition for MLS, and former World Cup defender for the USMNT:
"Every player has his own set of strengths and weaknesses. Some players have fewer weaknesses than others and Ronaldo is certainly a player with a limited number of discernible weaknesses.
"There are two ways to limit Ronaldo. Either reduce his strengths, expose his weakness or a combination of the two. Much easier said than done. Ronaldo is a player that is strongest when he has the ball and has space to run at players. Atletico Madrid did a fantastic job in the UEFA Champions League final of shutting down Ronaldo by playing a physical game with tight marking so he was unable to make runs at players. The few times Ronaldo was able to find these opportunities, Atletico Madrid brought over a second and sometimes third defender to force him to pass.
"For any talented attacking player, the key is to make the player pass the ball as much as possible and keep him as far from the goal as possible. Again, easier said than done."
Cobi Jones (@cobijones), soccer analyst, and former World Cup midfielder for the USMNT:
“With the U.S. playing with a diamond midfield and using three defensive-minded players in that formation, whatever side Ronaldo goes to, the defensive midfielder on that side will have to drift over and help double team him. It will be very important that the U.S. doesn’t give up silly fouls around the box so that no one gives him the opportunity to do his famous ‘Cristiano Ronaldo set pieces’”
Liviu Bird (@liviubird), Freelance contributor for Planet Fútbol and Sports Illustrated:
"Stopping Ronaldo will have to come by committee. Germany had a lot of success both limiting service to him and ensuring he had to go through multiple defenders anytime he was on the ball, effectively negating his dribbling ability.
"Ronaldo usually plays on the left, meaning it will come down to Fabian Johnson and Alejandro Bedoya to ensure he never gets one-on-one isolation in a dangerous area. It's something the U.S. has done well to skilled opponents in the last couple games, so it's just a matter of ensuring the fullback, winger and possibly a central midfielder are around to stymie his creativity."
"I asked United States midfielder Kyle Beckerman that exact question Tuesday night in Natal, Brazil, a few minutes after the Americans defeated arch-rival Ghana, 2-1.
"His eyes got a bit wide. He exhaled theatrically. His face broke into a grin. And then he said, "I don't know. It's going to take all 11 of us."
"Fortunately, the team seems to be leaning in that direction anyway. After exploring more offensive postures over the last three years under coach Jurgen Klinsmann—mostly against weaker teams—the World Cup version of the Yanks now seem willing to hold back, defend in numbers, and try to score on quick counterattacks. In other words, this U.S. squad is doing the exact same thing past U.S. squads did in previous World Cups.
"Since Cristiano Ronaldo can score anytime and anywhere, the bunkered Americans will need to protect converted left back DaMarcus Beasley, who struggled at times against Ghana and prefers to play in a more forward position. If the defenders can overload on the left and try to nudge the well-coiffed Portuguese attacker over to the right side of the U.S. defense, the speedy and talented Fabian Johnson is much better suited to closing down Ronaldo."
But, like Beckerman said, Johnson can't be left on his own. Look for double- and triple-teaming for 90 solid minutes."
"The original idea I had - which was anything but original - was to man mark Cristiano Ronaldo. It's a regressive, relic of a soccer tactic, one that belongs back in the days of short shorts and black & white TVs. Man marking these days is almost a gimmick.
"But against Cristiano - who is the ultimate x-factor - a gimmick may be just the thing. Both Manchester United (vs. Real Madrid) and Sweden (vs. Portugal) have specifically man marked him in recent months, to good effect. and it's especially appealing to the US, since we have trouble keeping wingers out of the gaps - i.e. the goal we gave up to Ghana.
"That's where Cristiano lives. And if we let him get comfortable, this one will be over quick."
Four months ago Real Madrid won the Champions League.
Two months later the club began rebuilding the squad that made it the best in Europe. In came James Rodriguez, Toni Kroos, and Keylor Navas for a combined price of ~$148 million. Out went Angel Di Maria, Xabi Alonso, Nuri Sahin, and Alvaro Morata.
Those moves left Real full of attacking star power but lacking in midfield muscle. Almost every current midfielder and forward in the Real squad would be the attacking focal point on another team. When taken together, though, the result is a team severely lacking balance.
The 2014-2015 campaign is off to a rough start. The team has lost two straight games in the league, letting in six goals in the process.
James doesn't have a position in the team's formation. He played as a central attacking midfielder at the World Cup, where he led the tournament in goals scored, but Real's 4-3-3 isn't conducive to that role. He played on the wing at Monaco in 2013, but the wide positions in Madrid are already occupied by Ronaldo and Bale.
In an interview with ESPNFC, Real president Florentino Perez had this strange defense of signing James: "I do not know how James plays. But he had a great World Cup, and we wanted him here."
After a $148 million summer, it already looks as if the club will have to dip into the transfer market to get someone who can win the ball in the midfield.
Things are equally shaky off the field. There's a conspiracy theory that Perez signed James only because another one of his companies won a nearly $1 billion contract to build roads in Colombia. Elsewhere, club legend Zinedine Zidane might be in trouble for coaching Real's B team without the proper credentials.
Real has too much talent and money to stay down long. The question is whether it can get things together before it's too late to meet the team's own stratospheric expectations.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who is scoring goals at a blistering pace this season, outdid himself with a gorgeous finish against Liverpool in the Champions League on Wednesday.
The Real Madrid forward ran onto a chipped pass from James Rodriguez, managed to get one foot around the defender Martin Skrtel, and lobbed it across Skrtel's body and into the far corner.
Pinch, punch, first of the month. Here are all the important stories in advertising on December 1.
1. Take a look at Business Insider’s 10 favorite ads of 2014. We won’t ruin the surprise, but the theme linking all our rankings is that marketers this year are starting to harness social media to improve the reach and effectiveness of their campaigns.
Using the not-very-scientific method of counting Facebook "likes," Cristiano Ronaldo is the most popular athlete in the world, easily outpacing his La Liga rival, Lionel Messi.
The chart below also gives us a glimpse at just how far soccer is ahead of other sports in terms of popularity as the six most popular athletes are all soccer players and combined (342.8 million) they have 100 million more likes than the next 12 athletes combined (238.7 million).
Interestingly, the most popular American athlete is Michael Jordan, who hasn't played in the NBA since the 2002-03 season.
Cristiano Ronaldo lost his cool and received a red card when he slapped an opposing player late in Real Madrid's match against Córdoba.
The play came when the world's most popular athlete was attempting to play a free kick in the penalty area and got tangled up with another player. It's not clear if Ronaldo was just trying to slap the player away or if he intended to slap the face, but the hand did make contact, and the player went down.
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Here is another view that shows the hand did make contact (via SBNation.com).
The ref was quick to give Ronaldo a straight red card.
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Ronaldo didn't appear to be too bothered by the ejection, even though it was a 1-1 match in the 82nd minute.
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He even appeared to have a little message, rubbing his FIFA patch as he walked off the field.
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Luckily for Real Madrid, they drew a late penalty and Christian Bale scored for the 2-1 win.
