Tag Archives: Vicente Del Bosque

Roca Named New Bengaluru Football Club Head Coach

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It’s the start of an Indian summer for Albert Roca…

The 53-year-old Spanish futbol coach has been named the new head coach of the Bengaluru Football Club.

Albert Roca

He joins the Indian champions on a two-season deal after the departure of Englishman Ashley Westwood.

Roca was most recently in charge of the El Salvador national team. He’s perhaps best known as Frank Rijkaard‘s long-time assistant at Barcelona and Saudi Arabia.

As a player, the former central defender spent two seasons in La Liga and more than a decade in the Spanish second tier.

“I’m very satisfied to have signed with Bengaluru FC,” Roca told the AFC.

“They are the champions of India, have fantastic supporters and most importantly, have a great support system and a management that is always hands on and wants to stay at the top. I want to assure our supporters that we will always give it our best. I want the supporters to be happy about the way we play.”

Roca was in charge of El Salvador for two years from 2014 and faced up to Vicente Del Bosque‘s Spain, losing 2-0 in the United States.

He worked under Rijkaard at the Camp Nou between 2003-08 when Barcelona won two La Liga titles and the 2005-06 Champions League crown.

His first competitive matches for Bengaluru will be against Tampines Rovers on September 14 and 21 over two legs in the final eight of the AFC Cup.

Isco Declared “The Future” of Spain’s National Soccer Team

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Isco is being heralded as the future of Spanish soccer…

Spain’s national team manager Vicente del Bosque has placed the future of Spanish football in the hands of the 21-year-old midfielder, insisting the Real Madrid recruit “is the future” for La Roja.

Isco

Francisco Román Alarcón Suárez, commonly known as Isco, played for Spain’s Under-21 side as they claimed the European Championship title last month, scoring a penalty in the final win over Italy.

His bronze boot-winning performance in the tournament reaffirmed Real Madrid’s interest in Isco and his five-year contract at the Bernabeu is likely to allow him to become a regular in the national team over the coming years.

Isco has made one appearance in Del Bosque’s side, but he’s confident the young futbalista can comfortably succeed the likes of Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Xabi Alonso, alongside Real Madrid target Asier Illarramendi.

“We have a lot of hope pinned to Isco, he is the future of the national team,” Del Bosque told Radio Nacional de Espana. “Illarramendi is the complete midfielder. He has the personality to play for any team in the world.”

Del Bosque also responded to the criticism of Alvaro Arbeloa and Iker Casillas following the Confederations Cup final, claiming both players were crucial for Spain throughout the tournament.

“Alvaro played very well throughout the tournament,” he said. “It’s as if we are always looking for the weak link and we are all guilty of that. Casillas was magnificent.

“We played good football at times but the final wiped away everything we did up until then. We now have another year to try to make sure we have a good World Cup – if we qualify.”

Messi Wins Record Fourth Ballon d’Or

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Lionel Messi is officially in a league of his own…

The 25-year-old Argentine fútbol has become the first four-time winner of the Ballon d’Or, FIFA’s Player of the Year award, after breaking the world record for most goals in a year with 91 goals for Barcelona and Argentina.

Lionel Messi

Messi won for the fourth straight time, beating Real Madrid‘s Cristiano Ronaldo and his fellow Futbol Club Barcelona teammate Andres Iniesta in voting announced Monday. His 91 goals topped Gerd Mueller‘s mark of 85 for Bayern Munich and Germany back in 1972.

Messi received 41.60 percent of the points in votes by national team coaches and captains plus selected media. Ronaldo got 23.68 percent and Iniesta 10.91 percent.

“To tell the truth, this is really unbelievable to get the fourth award. I am so nervous,” Messi said in Spanish, wearing a black tuxedo jacket and bow tie, both with a white polka-dot pattern in an unexpectedly flamboyant touch.

U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann and captain Carlos Bocanegra both voted Messi first, as did Soccer America’s Paul Kennedy.

Zinedine Zidane of France and Ronaldo of Brazil were voted FIFA Player of the Year three times before the award merged in 2010 with France Football’s Golden Ball, given to the European player of the year. The Golden Ball, or Ballon d’Or, was won three times by Michel Platini of France and Johan Cruyff and Marco van Basten of the Netherlands.

Vicente del Bosque was voted top men’s coach after leading Spain to its third straight title in a major tournament, the 2012 European Championship. Del Bosque got 34.51 percent to win over Real Madrid’s Jose Mourinho (20.49), who won last year, and Pep Guardiola (12.91) who won in 2011 and retired from Barcelona last spring.

The three men’s Player of the Year candidates were on the World XI All-Star team chosen by the FIFPro group of players’ unions, comprising 50,000 members worldwide.

They selected a team composed entirely of players from Spanish clubs, with nine repeating their selection from one year ago.

Real Madrid captain Iker Casillas was selected as goalkeeper, joined on defense by teammates Sergio Ramos and Marcelo and by Barcelona’s Dani Alves and Gerard Pique. Iniesta was joined in midfield by Barcelona teammate Xavi Hernandez and Real Madrid’s Xabi Alonso. Messi led the attack with Ronaldo and Atletico Madrid‘s Radamel Falcao. Marcelo and Falcao replaced Manchester United’s Nemanja Vidic and Wayne Rooney from the 2011 team.

del Bosque Named National Soccer Team Coach of the Year

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Vicente del Bosque isn’t only the man of the hour… He’s the man of the year.

The 62-year-old Spanish soccer coach was named the 2012 national soccer team coach of the year in a vote organized by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS).

Vicente del Bosque
Del Bosque, who guided the Spanish men’s soccer team to victory in the 2008 and 2012 European Championships and the 2010 World Cup, garnered 231 votes from among the soccer insiders and sports journalists surveyed by the IFFHS.

It’s the third time del Bosque has picked up the IFFHS World’s Best National Coach award. He’d previously earned the title in 2009 and 2010.

The Salamanca native picked up almost three times as many votes as the 83 that went to runner-up Cesare Prandelli of Italy, who was followed by Mexico’s Luis Fernando Tena with 70 votes.

Next came German coach Joachim Löw, with 48 votes; Herve Renard of Zambia, 38; Argentina’s Alejandro Sabella, 21; Paulo Bento of Portugal, 16; Jose Pekerman of Colombia, 15; and England coach Fabio Capello, with 13 votes

Messi Gunning for History-Making Fourth Ballon d’Or

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Lionel Messi is one step closer to making serious soccer history this January…

The 25-year-old Argentine fútbol star has been named as a finalist for the 2012 Ballon d’Or, which honors the world’s best soccer player.

Lionel Messi

Messi, who claimed his second Golden Boot in October for being the top scorer in the European national leagues, will compete against Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Spain’s Andres Iniesta for the honor, FIFA and France Football announced  Thursday.

Messi has won the award for the last three years, while Ronaldo took the prize in 2008. First-time finalist Iniesta was the MVP of the 2012 European Championship. Should Messi earn his fourth consecutive award, he’d become the only player to win the award four times.

Iniesta and Messi are teammates at Futbol Club Barcelona, while Ronaldo plays for Real Madrid.

“We’re not at the level of the Oscars, but we’re not very far from that ceremony either,” Blatter said.

Nominated for Coach of the Year are Vicente Del Bosque of the Spanish national squad, Pep Guardiola – late of Barcelona – and Jose Mourinho, manager of Real Madrid.

Brazil’s Marta and two members of the U.S. team, Abby Wambach and Alex Morgan, will compete for the title of Women’s Player of the Year. The contenders for Coach of the Year in women’s soccer are Bruno Bini of France, Norio Sasaki of Japan and Sweden’s Pia Sundhage.

The Puskas trophy for goal of the year will go to either Colombian Radamel Falcao Garcia, Brazil’s Neymar or Slovak Miroslav Stoch.

The names of all the winners will be revealed at a January 7 gala in Switzerland.