Page 96 - Soccer360 Issue 105

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Ferenc Puskas - April 02
Hungary, Budapest Honved, Real Madrid)
He scored 84 goals in 85 matches for Hungary. He became an Olympic champion in 1952 and played in the 1954 World Cup final. He won three European Cups (1959, 1960, 1966), ten national championships (five Hungarian and five Spanish Primera Division). Known as the “Galloping Major” in 1995, he was recognized as the greatest top division scorer of the 20th century by the IFFHS. Scoring 806 goals in
793 official games during his career, he is the seventh top goal scorer of all time.
Julie Ertz - April 06
USA, Chicago Red Stars
Ertz helped the US win their titles at the 2015 and 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. At 23, she was the second youngest member of
the 2015 team behind 22-year-old Morgan Brian, going on to the World Cup final. She was named to the FIFA Women’s World Cup All-Star Team. After the 2023 World Cup, Ertz retired from international soccer. Playing center midfield for club and country in 2017, Ertz was awarded U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year and was again nominated in 2018 she won the title again in 2019.
Franck Ribery - April 07
France, Bayern Munich, Fiorentina
In 2007, Ribery joined Bayern Munich for a then club-record fee of €25 million. With Bayern, he won nine Bundesliga titles, six DFB-Pokal, one UEFA Champions League
and one FIFA Club World Cup. In 2012–13 treble winning season he was nominated alongside Messi and Ronaldo for the 2013 FIFA Ballon d’Or. Ribery was also known for his fruitful partnership with fellow winger Arjen Robben—together they were referred to as Robbery. He left Bayern in summer 2019, and joined Italian side Fiorentina.
Rivaldo - April 19
Brazil, Barcelona, Olympiakos
One of the greatest, most skillful, and most creative players of all time. He was renowned for his bending free kicks, bicycle kicks, feints and powerful ball striking from distance. In 1999, he won the Ballon d’Or and was named FIFA World Player of the Year. In 2004, he was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of the world’s greatest living players. With success at club and international level, he is one of only nine players to have won the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA Champions League and the Ballon d’Or.
Kaka - April 22
Brazil, AC Milan, Real Madrid
In his prime as a playmaker at AC Milan, a period marked by his creative passing, pace, goal scoring and dribbles from midfield, Kaka was widely considered one of the best players in the world, and is regarded by pundits as one of the greatest footballers
of his generation. With success at club and international level, he is one of nine players to have won the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA Champions League, and the Ballon d’Or.
Johan Cruyff - April 25
Netherlands, Barcelona, Ajax
Johan Cruyff won the Ballon d’Or three times, in 1971, 1973, and 1974. The forward was a proponent of the football philosophy known as Total Football developed by Rinus Michels, which Cruyff also employed as a manager. Because of the far-reaching impact of his playing style and his coaching ideas, he is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in modern football. He is also viewed as one of the greatest managers of all time for his achievements as a manager.
birthday wishes
an Waterhouse
PENALTY CUT
Everton’s fight against a hefty 10-point deduction for breaking financial rules paid off, as their penalty was cut to six points after a successful appeal. This move not only bumped them up two spots to 15th in the Premier League
but also gave them a bit more breathing room above the dreaded relegation zone. Despite the financial struggles that triggered the penalty, with losses piling up over the years, Everton remains determined to tidy up their finances and stay on the right side of the league’s rules.
BLUE BOTTLES ?
Gary Neville branded Chelsea as “blue billion-pound bottlejobs” following their heart-wrenching 1-0 loss to Liverpool
in the cup final, a match decided by
a late goal from Virgil van Dijk in the
118th minute. Despite Chelsea’s massive
spending spree, exceeding $1 billion on
transfers in the past two years, they faced
their sixth straight domestic cup defeat.
Neville praised Liverpool’s young squad for their outstanding performance, underscoring the lack of sympathy for a Chelsea team that failed to rise to the occasion under Mauricio Pochettino.
A GOOD MOVE
A NEW POSITION ?
Rio Ferdinand stirred speculation on
the potential for Mikel Arteta to move
to Manchester United if Erik ten Hag departs, either due to being sacked or taking up a position at Bayern Munich. Despite Manchester United’s struggles this season, including ten losses and a fight to secure a Champions League berth, Ferdinand’s comments suggested that Arteta would “100 percent” switch from Arsenal to Manchester United under such conditions.
David Moyes has transformed
Jarrod Bowen’s career at
West Ham by moving him
to striker, resulting in Bowen
scoring 14 goals, including a
hat-trick against Brentford.
This shift not only proved
Moyes’ tactical acumen but
also positioned Bowen as a 6 standout performer, catching
the eye of England manager Gareth Southgate ahead of the European Championship. Amidst a challenging season, Bowen’s scoring spree, culminating in matching top Premier League scorers, demonstrates his adaptability and potential impact at Euro 2024, as he continues to refine his skills in this new role.
Victor Osimhen has scored six home goals in the UCL with Napoli (all in the last six home games), joining Lorenzo Insigne in terms of goals in home games with the Partenopei in the competition; only Dries Mertens (11) did better.
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