Mikel Oyarzabal Scores Late Winner to Lead Spain to History-Making European Championship Title

Posted on July 14, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Mikel Oyarzabal is being heralded a hero after helping lead Spain to a historic title.

The 27-year-old Spanish professional footballer, who came into the game as a substitute, struck in the 87th minute to give Spain a dramatic 2-1 victory over England on Sunday in the European Championship final at Berlin’s Olympiastadion, helping lead his country to a record fourth Euro crown.

“Losing in a final is as tough as it gets,” said England captain Harry Kane. “We did really well to get back into the game but we didn’t quite keep the same intensity and pressure I guess. We couldn’t quite keep the ball and we got punished for it.”

After an extremely cautious first half in which Spain had more possession and their opponents got the only shot on target, it only took two minutes after the restart for the Spaniards to break the deadlock.

Yamal found space down the right and crossed for fellow winger Williams to slot home as England fell behind for the fourth successive match.

Spain then enjoyed a purple patch with a series of sharp attacks as England’s previously watertight defense fell apart and Dani Olmo, Morata and Williams all had good chances.

England boss Gareth Southgate reacted by sending on Ollie Watkins, the goal-scoring substitute hero of the semifinal, for an ineffective Kane after an hour, with Palmer, their most creative player for the past month, joining him 10 minutes later.

It paid off almost immediately when Jude Bellingham laid the ball back into Palmer’s path and the substitute curled home a precise low 20-meter shot in the 73rd minute.

The massed ranks of England fans, who vastly outnumbered their rivals, exploded, and the whole feel of the night changed.

Spain weathered the storm and a lapse of concentration saw England undone as Oyarzabal poked the ball home.

There was still time for more drama at the other end as Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón parried a Declan Rice header from a corner and Olmo blocked Marc Guehi’s follow up on the line.

Spain survived to add a fourth title to those won in 1964, 2008 and 2012 and became only the third team in the last nine Euros to win the trophy without coming through a shootout at some point in the tournament following France (2000) and Greece (2004).

Aitana Bonmatí Named Best Sportswoman at Laureus World Sports Awards

Posted on April 22, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Aitana Bonmatí has earned a special recognition…

Winners of the Laureus World Sports Awards have been revealed, with the 26-year-old Spanish professional footballer – a midfielder for the Spanish national women’s soccer team and Liga F club Barcelona – named best sportswoman.

Bonmati and her Spanish teammates, who won Spain’s first-ever Women’s World Cup last year, were chosen as world team of the year for 2023.

Novak Djokovic received the sportsman of the year at the ceremony in Madrid, and American gymnast Simone Biles was given the comeback of the year award.

Real Madrid forward Jude Bellingham earned the breakthrough prize, and Rafael Nadal won the sport for good award thanks to his foundation.

The Spanish women’s World Cup breakthrough last August in New Zealand and Australia was tarnished in the following weeks because of an unwanted kiss of forward Jenni Hermoso by then-federation president Luis Rubiales after the final.

Laureus rewarded Spain as the first all-female team to win the team award.

Before the World Cup, Bonmatí also helped Barcelona win a second Women’s Champions League.

She’s the first female soccer player to win the Laureus, after also receiving the Ballon d’Or and FIFA best player award.

“I want to thank all my teammates and the staff of my club and national team who have helped me a lot, and because of them I am here today,” Bonmati said.

Djokovic won his record-equaling fifth Laureus sportsman award — tying Roger Federer — after titles at the Australian Open, French Open and U.S. Open to reach a record 24 Grand Slam singles triumphs. NFL great Tom Brady presented Djokovic the award.

Biles made a record-breaking return to competition last year when she won four gold medals at the world championships, including a record sixth all-around title.

Nadal’s foundation was rewarded for helping more than “1,000 vulnerable young people in Spain and India,” according to Laureus.

Teenager Arisa Trew won the action sportsperson award after becoming the first female skateboarder to land a 720 in competition.

Dutch wheelchair player Diede de Groot was selected as the sportsperson of the year with a disability after winning her third straight calendar tennis Grand Slam.

Lionel Messi Earns Record-Extending Eighth Ballon d’Or

Posted on October 30, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Lionel Messi has extended his record…

The 36-year-old Argentine soccer star, who currently plays for Inter Miami CF, has won the Ballon d’Or for a record eighth time, after leading Argentina to the FIFA World Cup title last year.

Messi, who beat out Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, becomes the first Major League Soccer-based player to claim the coveted prize, although the triumph comes largely on the back of his exploits with his country in Qatar.

Former Manchester United player and Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham handed his prize-signing Messi the award in Paris.

Haaland, who scored 52 goals last season as Manchester City won the Treble in 2022-23, finished second in the voting and won the Gerd Muller Trophy given to the best striker of the year.

“I couldn’t imagine having the career that I’ve had. Everything that I’ve achieved,” Messi said after getting his award. “The fortune I’ve had playing for the best team in the world, the best team in history. It’s nice to win these individual trophies.

“To win the Copa America and then the World Cup, to get it done is amazing. All of them [Ballon d’Or awards] are special for different reasons.”

Prior to Messi receiving his award, Barcelona and Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmatí won the Ballon d’Or Féminin after a record-breaking year with club and country. She helped Barça win Liga F and the Champions League last season, before leading Spain to World Cup glory in the summer.

In other awards handed out on Monday, Messi’s Argentina teammate Emiliano Martinez won the Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper and England and Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham was handed the Kopa Trophy as the world’s top player under the age of 21.

During his acceptance speech, Messi made a point of wishing Argentina countryman Diego Maradona happy birthday. The 1986 World Cup winner, who died on November 22, 2020, would have been 63 on Monday.

“My last mention is for Diego [Maradona],” Messi said. “Today is his birthday. So I would like to remember him from here, surrounded by the best players, coaches and people who love football like he did.

“Wherever you are, Diego, happy birthday. This goes also to you.”

Even prior to Monday’s ceremony in Paris, no player had won the Ballon d’Or more times than Messi, who first won it in 2009 and then again in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019 and 2021.

Cristiano Ronaldo has won it five times, while Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff and Marco van Basten are all three-time winners.

Messi scored 21 goals in 41 appearances last season as Paris Saint-Germain retained the Ligue 1 title before moving to Inter Miami earlier this year.

Since moving to the U.S., he has scored 11 goals in 14 games for Miami, helping the franchise win its first-ever piece of silverware, the Leagues Cup.

However, he missed several matches through injury at the end of the regular MLS season as Gerardo “Tata” Martino‘s side came up short in their late push for a playoff spot.

It is Messi’s performances at the World Cup at the end of 2022 which have earned him an eighth Ballon d’Or, though, as Argentina ended a 36-year wait to be crowned world champions for the third time.

Messi, as captain, was instrumental to Argentina’s success in Qatar, scoring seven goals and assisting three more as he was named as the Player of the Tournament.

He scored twice in the final and again in the penalty shootout against France as Lionel Scaloni‘s team edged one of the most memorable showpieces in the competition’s history.

Having come up short with Argentina at four previous World Cups, including losing the 2014 final to Germany, it was deemed by many to be his last chance to get his hands on football’s biggest prize.

At 36 years and four months old, he also becomes the second oldest player to ever win the Ballon d’Or, replacing last year’s winner Karim Benzema. Only the inaugural winner, Stanley Matthews in 1956, was older when he won it aged 41.

Messi’s first six Ballons d’Or were won while he played for Barcelona, where he is the club’s record goalscorer and appearance holder, while he won it for a seventh time shortly after joining PSG in 2021 following Copa America success with Argentina.

Gavi Named World’s Best Under-21 Footballer

Posted on October 17, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Gavi is celebrating his Kopa moment…

The 18-year-old Spanish professional footballer has won the Kopa Trophy, the award presented to the best player under age 21, prior to the 2022 Ballon d’Or presentation.

The Barca midfielder, who turned 18 in August, claimed the prize ahead of Borussia Dortmund‘s Jude Bellingham and Bayern Munich‘s Jamal Musiala.

He succeeds Barcelona teammate Pedri, last year’s winner.

After breaking into the first-team setup at age 16 last year, Gavi went on to make 47 appearances for Barca in all competitions in 2021-22, scoring two goals.

His performances for the Catalan club earned him a call-up to the Spain national team and he became the youngest player to ever represent La Roja, at the age of 17 years and 62 days.

Gavi has since won 12 caps for Spain and is a regular for club and country heading into next month’s FIFA World Cup.

Pedri Wins Golden Boy Award, the Prize Given to Best Young Player in Europe

Posted on November 21, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Pedri is having a golden moment…

The 18-year-old Spanish soccer player, a Barcelona midfielder, has been named the winner of the 2021 Golden Boy award, seeing off competition from Borussia Dortmund and England‘s Jude Bellingham.

Pedri becomes the first Barca player since Lionel Messi in 2005 to win the prize given to the best young player in Europe.

He succeeds Erling Haaland, who won it last year, with Joao Felix, Matthijs de Ligt and Kylian Mbappe also listed among the recent winners.

Italian newspaper Tuttosport, which hands out the award, revealed that Pedri’s winning margin was the biggest ever.

The Spain international collected 318 points from 40 voting journalists, 199 more than second-placed Bellingham.

“I want to thank Tuttosport for this trophy which makes me so proud,” he told the newspaper. “Thanks also to the members of my team and the fans who have always supported me throughout a 2021 which for me has been simply incredible.

“Of course, I want to thank Barcelona, the national side, my family, my friends and everyone who has been with me day-in-day-out without whose help I would not have been able to win the Golden Boy award.”

Pedri has enjoyed a remarkable year. He joined Barca as a 17-year-old from Las Palmas in the summer of 2020 but quickly established himself as a key fixture in the Catalan club’s midfield.

He made 52 appearances in his first season at Camp Nou, winning the Copa del Rey, and playing a major role in Spain’s run to the semifinals at Euro 2020, where he was named Young Player of the Tournament. He made his international debut in March.

A month after the Euros, he was also part of the Spain under-23 team that reached the final of the 2020 Tokyo Games, losing to Brazil after extra time.

Injuries have delayed his progress this season, though. He has made just four appearances for Barca thanks to a thigh problem and is expected to remain sidelined for the next few weeks.

Giovanni Reyna Scores First Bundesliga Goal in Borussia Dortmund’s 3-0 Win Against Borussia Monchengladbach

Posted on September 20, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a big first for Giovanni Reyna…

The 17-year-old part-Argentine American soccer player scored his first Bundesliga goal in Borussia Dortmund‘s 3-0 victory over Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday.

The U.S. youth international, who scored on his season debut in the DFB-Pokal at Duisburg on Monday, got the start in his side’s league opener at the Signal Iduna Park and marked the occasion with a strike in the 35th minute to open the scoring.

Reyna, who’s the youngest American to appear in a Bundesliga game, raced onto a diagonal pass from Jude Bellingham inside the box and fired across goalkeeper Yann Sommer and inside the far post for the milestone goal.

Speaking after the game, Reyna, who also won a penalty for the second Dortmund goal, said he was pleased to help secure a win and said scoring and assisting goals was what he expects of himself this season.

“To try and help the team in any way possible,” he said of his role. “I think that I am ready to take on a bigger role and I think you’ve seen that in the first few games I started. It’s gonna be a tough season with a lot of games. It’s really about how I can help the team and score goals and give assists.”

At 17 years, 311 days old, Reyna is the second-youngest American scorer in the German top flight, trailing only Christian Pulisic, who scored aged 17 years and 211 days in 2016.

The former NYCFC youth product now has two goals and two assists in all competitions since joining Dortmund in July 2019.

Hispanically Yours

Celebrating the Latino Influence

Tag Archives: Jude Bellingham