a2zofthebeautifulgame

[a2zofthebeautifulgame]

"It's about 3.30 or 4 AM and I've got school in a few hours. The game’s ended Liverpool 4-4 Arshavin. I’m still there in front of my 14” inch Govt sponsored television in awe. He’s in a Liverpool kit trying to string together bunch of words and convince the world that he’s not an undercover Russian spy. But it doesn’t really matter. I just cry myself to sleep because I didn’t cap him in FPL"

[a2zofthebeautifulgame]

"You know that one time when you did something cool and pretended like it’s no fluke and you do it all the time? Now 100x that. The thing is, the entire world was witness to this but everyone goes “what’s that’s he done there? How’s that? What..wait a minute” And he just walking off back to the kick-off like it was nothing, barely celebrating with CR7. Berba is/was/always will be a goddamn mood"

[a2zofthebeautifulgame]

"You can sit on Youtube and be reminded of the countless clutch goals and inch perfect passes. But all that never really matters. He blurs the lines between Football and Life.You ask me “What’s the big deal about this man wearing his collar up?” and I look at you in disgust. For starters, he’s not a man. He’s Cantona."

[a2zofthebeautifulgame]

"My grandmother is up at 4 AM wondering what the big fuss is. She can’t comprehend why I’m on my knees with my hands on my head in disbelief. She slowly understands that something special down has gone down and makes her way back to the bed. The Cindrellas and the Sleeping beauties of the world can piss off. Didier Drogba had just written the world’s greatest fairytale."

[a2zofthebeautifulgame]

"You kick that sock lying on the floor into the bin and start wagging your finger. Like you’re from the streets of Brazil. Now you don’t rehearse that. You did it because Ronaldo did it. Poor Marchegani was on goal for Lazio that night and you feel sorry for him before it happens. Hindsight tells me he would have preferred being castrated live on tele than being treated like this. And you go around calling him the ‘fat’ one. It’s 'El Fenomeno' for you. And even that doesn't quite cut it."

[a2zofthebeautifulgame]

"The word ‘super’ is overused nowadays.Martin Tyler’s go-to word, prefixed to cheap buses looking for an excuse to ignore traffic rules, brothers who are supposed to be fixing pipes but killing turtles, saving princesses and what not. But it should really just be for him."

[a2zofthebeautifulgame]

"He’s that kinda guy ya know. The type who don’t do the things which you expect out of them. But Guti whipped out the “the heel of God” for Benz instead of scoring it himself. That’s why I’m sitting here doing this piece on him. What a legend and an asshole."

[a2zofthebeautifulgame]

"King Titi, his majesty issa vibe. ‘Quick’ story. Aware of Henry’s notoriety for taking quick free-kicks, the ref tells him "no quickies with me". Henry steps back, takes his time and curls it in from 35-40 yards.Turns to the ref and asks "is that enough?" Without context he'd come off as an arrogant bastard. But for those who watched him play, it was just a simple reflection of his ability at that time. He was that good...how can one not be obsessed with this man?"

[a2zofthebeautifulgame]

"I clearly remember the time when I became aware of The Great Andres. Man was liquid. They say time waits for no man, but have you seen Iniesta on the ball? Shimmying around, that unrehearsed dance, handful players lagging behind, and with an unworldly balance while he plays the time-perfect pass. It was paradise watching Iniesta play every week. I’m an addict and much like that guy begging when the bar’s closing up, just let me down with another one of your finest, Senor. Please and thank you."

[a2zofthebeautifulgame]

"The most fun I’ve ever had was playing football was with a plastic ball on the streets with iron gates for goal posts. Joga Bonito. The beautiful game. Ronaldinho lived that. Jester/ Genius, you tick what you fancy. You’d be right either way. Be it packed crowds at Camp Nou or some prison in Paraguay, doesn’t matter the smile’s there. Reminding you and me not to get bogged down by the restrictions put down by the man and relish the beauty in everything. Most importantly, to take the absolute piss."

[a2zofthebeautifulgame]

"Pre-game rituals are massive. Some people pray, some kiss their shin pads, some wear the same set of socks, mine was this video on YouTube titled- “Simply Kaka by MKB”, 9 minutes of Kaka slaloming his way through defenses set to some tasty techno music. Kaka was untouchable and every time I watched this mad video before my game, stupid me thought I’d be too."

[a2zofthebeautifulgame]

"Pope Francis thinks its sacrilege to call him a God and confirms he’s not a god. How else do we explain him? He has made insanity, a mere formality. Like you’re on your extended trip to the toilet, scrolling twitter, watch him demolish yet another defense and score his 5th or 7th goal in his last couple of games or 3? Well who’s keeping count eh? You’re numb. He’s made you numb. You continue to scroll.Wait what he’s scored again? Damn me to hell for all I care, Pope.This man is not from here. I’m just happy he has chosen to visit us amongst all the galaxies."

[a2zofthebeautifulgame]

"Within like 5 magical touches of the football Michael Owen had us in the palms of his hands. From picking up the ball along the halfway line and finishing it off emphatically..Owen was something else. He runs off celebrating with arms wide open for the entire world to embrace him. Neither Football nor Owen werent as quite as good since."

[a2zofthebeautifulgame]

"You think this isn’t the level to fuck aroundwith sombreros and rainbows. And if you do, you deserve to get the get the shit kicked out of you. Ergo, you get agricultural and leave your studs in. Neymar doesn’t like it one bit. He demands the ball again and runs straight up to you, flicks it over you and proceeds to make a simple pass to his teammate. Chad move. But mandatory to Neymar for a good night’s sleep and the pleasure to have taken the absolute piss out of ya! Hahahah!"

[a2zofthebeautifulgame]

"Like me, the man used to play with anything that merely resembled a football. And embodied everything I loved about the game growing up. Playing with a swagger that you rarely come across in the TV. The never-ending dummies, rainbows, andthe downright disrespectful celebrations. The first time I saw this goal, I didn’t completely grasp the gravity of it. Okacha dances with a party of 5-6 people in the box before pulling the pants down of the goalie to score. Only in the rewind, I realized the goalkeeper was Oliver Kahn. Oliver-fuckin-Kahn. Wunder-fuckin-bar!"

[a2zofthebeautifulgame]

"He’s that guy even the rivals admire.You look at him; you call him a freak. Then you look at the goals. Still call him a freak. Different connotation. You call him shite, he’d probably agree with you and take you out for a drink. Top Top man.And one of those few who’d had pulled off the robot. And don’t forget to #passthepod"

[a2zofthebeautifulgame]

"Ricardo Quaresma; The second you’re done reading that name, you’re thinking only one thing. “Outside of the boot” Shoot first/ think later fella. And by his own admission even at gunpoint, he will proceed with a trivela cross or shotover a boring pass every time. Even Mourinho couldn’t change him. Best to sit back and enjoy the madman."