Showing posts with label Wayne Rooney. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wayne Rooney. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Ten Sizzling Football Sex Scandals!


1/ Oliver Kahn

Oliver Kahn is considered as one of the best German goalkeepers of all-time, but his actions off the field did not always go down well with the public.

He received plenty of negative publicity when in 2003 he ditched his pregnant wife Simone to be with night club hostess Verena Kerth, who was referred to as the 'Pierced Party Chicken' by some tabloids.

Bayern Munich commercial manager Uli Hoeness said at the time that the incident made him "vomit," and Kahn got plenty of criticism for his actions.

Kahn and Kerth's relationship lasted intermittently for five years.


2/ Malcolm Allison

The late Malcolm Allison's larger than life image was a mixed blessing.
In 1976, when Malcom Allison was managing Crystal Palace he took the Third Division side to the FA Cup semi-finals and despite his flamboyant nature Allison's managerial career was taking off, but he trashed it!

Allison's outspoken nature and womanising were of great interest to the tabloids and it was reputed that Allison had relationships with Christine Keeler of the Profumo scandal, singer Dorothy Squires and two Miss UK's.

In 1976, Allison received a Football Association disrepute charge after a News of the World photograph appeared showing him in the Crystal Palace players' bath with porn star Fiona Richmond whom he had invited to a training session. Ruining his career, Allison can take heart in knowing Richmond's biography "Tell Tale Tits" was more than likely dedicated to him!


3/ Tommy Docherty

After winning the FA Cup with Manchester United in 1977, then manager Tommy Docherty had the football world at his feet as he made plans to challenge Liverpool for domestic glory - until he was sacked for having an affair with the physio's wife Mary Brown, a woman 18 years younger than himself. And how many acres of newsprint would be expended on the story today had a contemporary Old Trafford boss left his wife and four children for the physio's missus?

Docherty told the press he was being punished for falling in love, but the United board were having none of it, sacking him for being in breach of his contract.

The Doc himself started ultimately unsuccessful legal proceedings against the board for defamation and wrongful dismissal, announcing his decision while sporting a black eye given to him by cuckolded magic-sponge man Laurie Brown.

The affair also resulted in the end of his marriage to Agnes, who had been his wife since December 1949. Tommy later married Mary Brown and they are still together after more than 30 years.

United fans mourned their loss with this creative reworking of Knees Up Mother Brown:
"Who's up Mary Brown? Who's up Mary Brown? Tommy, Tommy Docherty."


4/ Dwight Yorke and Mark Bosnich   

No player has made a more impressive entrance to Manchester United than Dwight Yorke.

Having arrived from Aston Villa for £12.6million in August 1998, he managed to make both the back and front pages of a Sunday tabloid a month later when it printed stills from a video found in the player's rubbish, which showed he and former Villa colleague Mark Bosnich involved in an orgy with four women and a transvestite, the keeper being whipped by one leather-clad blonde while Yorke had sex with her friend.

Former Villa ace Yorke and Australian keeper Bosnich secretly filmed themselves with the four women, and this was capped off with the fact that, during the orgy, Bosnich was curiously seen to be wearing a skirt.

Yorke is then said to have thrown the sordid video tape in the bin where a tabloid reader found it and exposed the story to the world.

It ushered in a golden age of Yorke shagging stories, of which his former landlady and friend Sheila Dudley memorably said: "If some girl comes to his house with her knickers in her handbag, it's up to him, isn't it?"

Best among them was the conquest Yorke had convinced that he was a local postman named Brian. She said of their trip to a nightclub: "People were coming past and saying 'hello' to him and he said it was because he delivered their letters. I believed him. He seemed a lovely bloke."

Hailed by the Old Trafford crowd with the song, "Dwight Yorke, wherever you may be, You are the king of pornography," the striker harumphed that the chant "set a bad example to kids," shortly before Sir Alex Ferguson sold him to Blackburn Rovers.


5/ Garrincha

Garrincha, also known as the 'little bird' became infamous for his off-field conquests.

After lighting up the 1958 World Cup with Brazil, Garrincha returned to Sweden on tour where he got a local girl pregnant. On his return home he was greeted by angry supporters. He then ran over his father and was found drunk at the wheel with no recollection of the events.

Things didn't stop there as seven years later Garrincha walked out on his wife
and eight daughters for a samba singer. The late Brazilian is alleged to have lost his virginity when he was 12 with wait for it........a goat and fathered at least 14 children in his bed hopping career.


6/ Ashley Young

In 2007 Ashley Young brought a whole new meaning to a pre-match routine, showing a lot more skin than required when he was caught exposing himself on the internet.

The scandal was revealed in British tabloid The News of the World and told how the then Aston Villa star and 'serial diver' had stripped and performed a sex act for a girl he had just met on the internet hours before he made his England international debut.


7/ Ronaldo

In 2008 Brazilian World Cup winner Ronaldo caused a stir while recovering from injury in Brazil when it was revealed he had picked up three prostitutes after dropping his fiancee at home.

But to the three times World Player of the Year's surprised he discovered the women he was about to do the dirty with were actually men.

Ronaldo, who was reported to be "very excited and wanted to go out and have fun," is said to have offered money to buy the prostitutes' silence, but one of the transvestites demanded more money before exposing the whole lurid tale to the media.


8/ Wayne Rooney

Before he became a Manchester United star, Wayne Rooney was finding his way in the world playing for Everton and having sex with aging prostitutes.

In 2004 Rooney, who was at the time dating his future wife, 16-year-old Coleen, was caught out visiting a brothel in the backstreets of Liverpool and then became known as the footballer who liked to visit grannys, after his conquest with a prostitute dubbed by her fellow compatriots the 'Auld Slapper' was revealed.

Rooney is alleged to have paid £45 per visit and this included one time when he slept with a 52 year-old granny and mother of seven.

Wayne even signed an autograph for one of the strippers Charlotte Glover, a prostitute who spoke up after the story unfolded revealing that Rooney paid her £140 for sex in a bathroom in a shabby flat and left her a signed note which read: "To Charlotte, I sh*gged u on 28 Dec. Loads of Love. Wayne Rooney."


9/ Franck Ribery, Karim Benzema and Sidney Govou

A sex scandal back in 2010 involving French footballers Franck Ribery, Karim Benzema and Sidney Govou resulted in them being questioned by the police following allegations they had been using the services of an under-aged prostitute. Ribery winger even admitted of having sex with a 17-year-old prostitute called Zahia, although he said he had thought the girl was over 18.

Sidney Govou and Karim Benzema were also linked to the scandal, although the pair denied any wrongdoing. The scandal was only a tip of the iceberg as far as the France national team are concerned, with all their dirty laundry revealed at the World Cup 2010.


10/ John Terry

Football fans were also in for a shock in 2010 as John Terry, one of England and Chelsea's most influential players, was caught cheating on his wife with Vanessa Perroncel, an underwear model and ex-partner of former Stamford Bridge teammate Wayne Bridge - rumours also suggested he had got her pregnant and paid for her abortion.

Although his wife may have decided to give him "one more chance" the revelations did cost Terry the chance to lead England at the 2010 World Cup. The 29-year-old also lost the respect of many fans as they declared they were with "Team Bridge".

Terry also got his comeuppance live on TV when Bridge refused to shake his hand, or even acknowledge him, when Chelsea met Manchester City in a Premier League clash a few weeks later.



Monday, October 08, 2012

The Best Selling Replica Club Shirts in the World


A German sport market research company, has released a very interesting survey on the world’s best selling club football shirts.

Dr Rohlmann’s and his PR Marketing team focused on the sales period 2007/8 to 2011/12 inclusive, in order to have the most accurate overview.

Not suprisingly the survey found that Manchester United and Real Madrid are the two clubs selling the most replica shirts with both United and Madrid averaging 1.4million shirts sales globally each year in the past five years !

As the graphic below shows, Barcelona are No.3 on the sales list (Nike, average 1.15m sales a year) followed by Chelsea in fourth place (adidas, 910,000). The top ten also includes Bayern Munich (adidas), Liverpool (adidas during the research period, now Warrior), Arsenal (Nike), Juventus (Nike), Inter Milan (Nike) and AC Milan (adidas).

Chelsea are the most significant ‘climbers’ since detailed market statistics were last published by this site two years ago. They were adidas’s joint-second best sellers with Liverpool and Bayern Munich two years ago, but have moved clear into second place for adidas – and fourth overall – now!

Dr Rohlmann pointed out that "Oscillations are normal because any sporting success or lack of success drives shirt sales, sometimes up, sometimes down, as does the acquisition or sale of particular stars."
For example, in the case of Chelsea, there was a 2011/12 uplift, undoubtedly as a result of their success in the UEFA Champions League. A second example of this would be at Bayern Munich. Bayern sold between 1million and 1.5million replica kit shirts in 2011/12, when Bayern reached the Champions League final (against Chelsea), which was played in their own stadium in their home city of Munich. A third and final example of success increasing shirt sales could be allied to Olympique Marseille. Their average replica shirt sales over the last five seasons is about 350,000 per year. But if you refer exclusively to the 2009/10 season, when they won the French championship, adidas sold nearly 500,000 replica shirts."

Premier League winners Manchester City sold somewhere just over 250,000, but their five-year average is 175,000 per year – sufficient only to place them 17th in Europe.

However, it is important to remember the results of the survey are based solely on the the volume of replica shirts sold and does not include other official club merchandise, such as training kit, jackets, bags, caps, towels, calenders e.t.c.

If the survey were to include all licensed merchandise sold by football clubs, then Liverpool would be ahead of Real Madrid. Liverpool are adidas’s top-selling team in terms of sales of overall merchandise.

The official Manchester United Investor Relations website says that "over five million items of Manchester United (Nike) branded licensed products were sold in the last year, including over two million Manchester United jerseys." Dr Rohlmann says that for 40 per cent of all United merchandise to be shirts "is extremely high compared to other top European football clubs."

The market research looked in particular at the major European leagues (La Liga, Barclays Premier League, Serie A TIM, Ligue 1 Orange, Bundesliga). However the PR marketing team also looked into big clubs in "less powerful leagues" to assess their value. The conclusion was that no other club in any other European league came close to matching the sales of the top ten listed clubs.

First and foremost, the richest football clubs have the marketing power to create, market and sell their football shirts. Secondly, the power of the domestic league is also a crucial element.

Out of the top 10 teams, four came from the English Premier League: Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea, three from Seria A: Inter Milan, AC Milan and Juventus, two from La Liga: FC Barcelona and Real Madrid and one from the Bundesliga: Bayern Munich.

Galatasaray and Fenerbahce, 'the big hitters' of the Turkish Super Lig, both adidas teams, have a huge amount of local and global fans. However their replica shirts sales would amount to a lesser number than the 10th highest ranked club. Another element to consider is the amount of counterfeit clothing products coming out of from Asia and Turkey. This has a very damaging effect on club sales of official merchandise in the less glamorous and affluent leagues.

A 'big' club like Ajax Amsterdam, an adidas club, in a 'small' league like the Dutch Eredivisie league might expect to sell 100,000 shirts and probably fewer in most seasons. Glasgow Celtic, a Nike club are believed to be the biggest sellers among Scotland’s clubs, with 'good year' sales at the lower end of the top 10, ie: several hundred thousand per year, many of them overseas in North America, Canada and Australia. This is still somewhat less than the likes of AC Milan or Inter which sell an average of 350,000 to 425,000 units per calender year.

Source: Dr Peter Rohlmann, www.pr-marketing.org/  and http://www.sportingintelligence.com


When it comes to sporting the name of their favourite Premier League player on the back of a replica shirt, Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney is officially the most popular choice of fans around the world.

Global sales data from Sporting iD, who determined the top five by the number of player names sold for official replica shirts, said it was a close race for the top three positions.

Rooney edged out Liverpool's Steven Gerrard and Chelsea frontman Fernando Torres, Cristiano Ronaldo, formerly with Manchester United and now with Real Madrid, is the fourth most popular over the 20 seasons of the Premier League, with Chelsea's Frank Lampard fifth.

Sporting iD global sales and marketing director Rob Thayne said: "We first started producing Rooney's official player identity in 2002, after he made his professional debut with Everton at the age of 16. We then had to expand that production greatly following his move to Manchester United in the summer of 2004. But Rooney truly went into a league of his own in 2007 when Ruud van Nistelrooy vacated the Manchester United number 10 shirt, and there is a global demand that shows no sign of abating."


Rooney is the first United player to lead the list since Cristiano Ronaldo in the 2007/08 season. But one name could have beaten Rooney to the award. "Had David Beckham remained in the Premier League then the list might have looked different. Certainly his move to Real Madrid in the summer of 2003 triggered record sales of 'Beckham 23' shirts, and before him Eric Cantona was a best seller in the 1990's," said Rob Thayne.

Source: Data supplied by www.sporting-id.com

Sunday, July 08, 2012

The Biggest Football Boot Sponsorship Deals & which boots the stars wear!


Football boot sponsorship deals provide lucrative ‘additional’ income to those at the top of the game. Becoming the face of a brand’s footwear also opens up other avenues for big name players, such as money-spinning contracts in other associated domains such as clothing, men’s grooming, television and billboard advertising as well as promotional events.

Here I take a look at which football superstars earn the most for sporting a particular brand's boot.
These are the Biggest Football Boot Sponsorship Deals in the game today – read it and weep!

Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) - Nike - £1 million per season

At £1m a season, Wayne Rooney has one of the biggest deals with arguably the biggest sports brand on the planet. Despite the controversial England striker having a far from squeaky-clean image, the Manchester United star is the face of the Nike T90 Laser IV boot. Only last April he lost his £600,000 a year endorsement with Coca-Cola after a foul-mouthed outburst was seen by millions on television, as he screamed the F-word into a camera after scoring a dramatic hat-trick against West Ham. Despite this Nike have stood by their man and Rooney is relied upon by the company to shift their boots by the bucket-load!


The Nike T90 Laser IV (above) has been designed to offer ultimate precision and power. Its adaptive shot shield technology is divided into 'Power' and 'Swerve' zones. The upper region, or the strike zone, is designed to flex naturally with the fit as you contact the ball while giving you some added power. The lower region, or swerve zone, features fins that are strategically positioned and sized to allow for closer feel on the ball while supplying added bend when you need it. Both zones are designed to flex naturally with ball contact, allowing natural movement of the foot.


Sergio Agüero (Manchester City) – Puma – £1.25 million per season

Since landing in Manchester from Madrid in the summer of 2011 Agüero became an instant hit in the English Premier League, scoring goals regularly and helping Manchester City to win the Premier League title in May in dramatic fashion, scoring the winning goal in the final minute on the last day of the season. Last September Aguero became a landmark signing for Puma’s rapidly expanding stable of football stars, on a massive four-season deal, after persuading him to quit Nike. The Argentine international will become a 'central' figure in Puma's forthcoming global marketing campaigns over the coming years, wearing Puma's line of football boots for a long-term period, beginning with the Speed v1.11.

The Speed v1.11 boot (above) does exactly what it was designed to do when on the pitch, that is, it makes you quicker. However, speed isn’t the only advantage you gain by wearing a pair of these. There is a noticeable increase in power during shooting, which is made possible by the large lace cover. This piece of fabric helps focus all the strength and speed of the player into the centre of the ball, allowing for maximum shot power. The lace cover is held down by an elastic strap and a TriHook fastener to ensure a snug fit. The curved instep of the shoe also helps for a curved shot from both long and close range - an ideal factor for any striker.



Lionel Messi (Barcelona) – adidas – £2 million per season

The best player in the world is only fourth on this list – how does that work? Thankfully for adidas, the contract with the two-time FIFA Balon D'or winner arranged his football boots deal back in March 2006, before his ascent to mega-superstardom, so adidas have been paying relatively little to have Messi in their wildly-popular adidas F50 adiZero range.


The adidas F50 adiZero miCoach boot (above) has taken footwear in the sport to a new level. Last November it was revealed that the Barcelona superstar had spent months developing the world’s first intelligent football boot with manufacturers adidas. It records player-specific data with an innovative miCoach Speed Cell chip placed in the cavity of the outsole. The boots – which store data including: speed, average speed, maximum speed, number of sprints, distance, distance at high intensity levels and active time for up to seven hours after a match or training – transmit on-pitch information to tablets, PCs and Macs using a wireless link.

Visit the adidas Football Bootroom

Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) – Puma – £3.2 million per season 


Another one of big-spending Puma's massive recent signings is Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas, who has has turned his back on Nike in order to sign a lucrative £16 million boot deal with sportswear giant Puma. After rigorous testing, Fabregas decided last September that he will be sporting the brand-new Puma PowerCat 1.12 boots (below). The 25-year-old former Arsenal captain put pen to paper on a five-year contract and Fabregas will be the flagship player for the PowerCats. As a result the midfield maestro - a member of Spain's double UEFA European Championship and FIFA World Cup winning team, jumps into the top three on the list of the Biggest Football Boots Sponsorship Deals.


The PowerCat 1.12 features the new PUMA 3D DUO Power Shooting Technology, applied to the kicking area on the inside of the boot. Made from an innovative thermoplastic material with two different degrees of hardness, the boot has the advantage of being both highly responsive with extremely high rebound properties. The newly created PUMA 3D PST DUO technology enables improved grip on the ball through its exposed elements, and instead of absorbing the energy it increases the kicking power of the player. The kicking area employs a soft K-Leather while the lightweight microfiber material in the lateral quarter supports the midfoot and helps to keep the weight of the boot to a minimum.


Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) – Nike – £5 million per season

Cristiano Ronaldo signed a whopping £20 million deal with Nike and stands to rake in £5 million-a-year. The deal negotiated in 2010 (the same year the first Nike CR Mercurial was launched) instantly rocketed Ronaldo into the upper echelon of sponsored athletes in any sport. As well as the face of their Mercurial line of Football Boots, for their money Nike are also getting a player with power, tricks, a signature style of free-kick and model good-looks. Despite technically being less successful at Madrid than at Manchester United, Nike will be banking on the Portugal international to constantly be challenging for titles with Los Blancos before his contract expires.

The Real Madrid forward is an advocate of Nike's Mercurial range and netted an incredible 53 times last season - including 25 times with his right boot and nine with his left. Designed for global icon Cristiano Ronaldo, the Nike Mercurial range of boots are the pinnacle of one of the most technically advanced, innovatively designed football boots ever created. Ronaldo is the heartbeat of every football boot Nike Mecurial produce.

On 24 February 2010 at a Nike Football event in London, Cristiano Ronaldo launched the second release of the Mecurial Vapour Superfly series.

On 16 March 2011 Nike unveiled the third incarnation of the Superfly series – the Mercurial Vapor Superfly III. The Mercurial Vapor Superfly III received its official on-pitch debut on 19 March 2011, when Cristiano Ronaldo and Mesut Özil played in the Madrid derby.

On 14 April 2011, Nike revealed the Nike CR Mercurial Vapor Superfly III (below), a version of the Mercurial Vapor Superfly III to be worn 'exclusively' by Cristiano Ronaldo. Whilst not featuring any technical updates to the standard Superfly III, the Nike CR Mercurial Vapor Superfly III featured an all-over 'Safari' print, that was designed specifically for Ronaldo, an all-over leopard-skin print in black and white, with contrasting safety-vest orange Nike Branding. The concept being that it set the man and the boot apart from the competition! The major innovation for the Superfly II soccer shoes was the development of the Nike Sense adaptive traction technology. A revolution in boot technology, Nike engineered a boot that combines a unique one-piece upper with a traction configuration sole-plate. Designers created an adaptive stud that can extend and retract by up to 3mm, based on ground conditions and pressure exerted by the player. Next-generation Nike Flywire technology was incorporated into the boot’s streamlined upper to provide a unique lightweight, strong and more dynamic fit.


On March 19, 2012 the Nike Mecurial Vapour VIII boot (below) was released. The special features of the boot is that Nike no longer uses the sense studs and 4 studs for the heel counter now Nike uses a whole new stud design for traction and 2 studs for the heel counter. This implant of the Mercurials do not include a carbon fibre soleplate, but instead uses the fibreglass soleplate Nike has been using for 2 years for the standard Vapors. Nike no longer uses Flywire but uses a thin layer of microfibre that has a suede finish, which is said to be for control. Ronaldo currently wears The Vapor VIII, but it was not designed and marketed exclusively for him. Other players that wear the boot include Juan Mata, Neymar, Andrey Arshavin and Mesut Özil.




David Beckham (LA Galaxy) – adidas – £7 million per season

You just cannot keep this man down. David Beckham will forever by synonymous with Adidas, having signed his first deal with the sportswear manufacturers early on in his playing career. The former England captain still wears adidas predators and has a unique deal in which he gets a cut of every boot sold. Beckham's deal with adidas is the result of some shrewd negotiation by 'team Beckham.'


Currently he can be seen wearing adidas Predator LZ DB (above and below), in a white, pink and black colour combination. The Predator LZ marks the first time that adidas have been able to incorporate so many Predator elements into a single boot, thanks to the new Hypertouch synthetic material used for the upper. Soft rubber ribs on the forefoot vamp use a recessed surface to create a ‘vacuum’ effect for a great first touch. SL Rubber on the instep toe area for a ‘high risk/high reward’ combination of spin and power when striking the ball. Finally rubber ‘Ribs’ on the medial out-step provides a precise ‘second skin’ feel when dribbling. The LZ is also the first adidas Predator to feature miCoach technology, with the latest Predator compatible with the same Speed Cell as the F50 adiZero and adiPure 11pro, thanks to it’s modified SprintFrame design.


The LA Galaxy midfielder pockets a percentage of every pair of Beckham-branded adidas football boots or piece of training apparel he personally endorses.

Given the desirable designs often reserved for these items, it’s no surprise to see Beckham pocketing more than any other footballer with his Football Boots Sponsorship Deal.



# Figures correct up to the end of 2011/12 domestic football season.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

The World's Highest Paid Footballers


At the beginning of April I posted an article on 'The World's Highest Paid Football Managers.'
Today I am going to focus on 'The World's Highest Paid Football Players.'

The last couple of years have been massive in the world of football sponsorships, with high profile players understandably benefiting the most, as brands from both inside and outside the world of football bankroll the top stars in the run up to the European Championships and the London Olympics this summer.

Mega-bucks clubs like Manchester City and Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala are doing multi-million pound deals in the pursuit of glory. Some ten years or so ago the average footballers pay in the UK was about five times that of the average weekly wage of the man in the street. Today however the football world is giving millions of pounds to the elite players, and their wages are literally going off the richter scale!

While some saw the abolition of football's maximum wage, which had capped players' pay at £20 a week, as a defining moment in the game's history, others view the 18th January 1961, as the day football - and, more importantly, footballers - began to lose touch with reality. The wages spiral did not immediately follow the abolition of the maximum wage. It was only when stars such as Denis Law and Jimmy Greaves left to play in Italy for bigger salaries in the summer of 1961 that the clubs realised they were going to have to pay out for top talent.

By the end of the decade, George Best was earning £1,000 a week at United The real explosion in players' pay came about in 1992 when the Premier League was founded and Sky TV coverage was launched. Liverpool's John Barnes was then the highest-paid player in the country at the time - on £10,000 a week. A decade later, wages escalated dramatically, partly as a result of the introduction of the Bosman ruling, which allowed players to move for free at the end of their contracts. It was at this time that we saw the first £100,000 a week footballer.

Some say it has gone way too far now, with players in 90 per cent of football clubs being paid far more than their clubs can afford.

In 1980 the average weekly wage in the UK was: £124.
In 1980 the average weekly pay for a player in the top flight was: £550.

In 1990 the average weekly wage in the UK was: £295.
In 1990 the average weekly pay for a player in the top flight was: £1500.

In 2000 the average weekly wage in the UK was: £473.
In 2000 the average weekly pay for a player in the top flight was: £11,184.

In 2010 the average weekly wage in the UK was: £656.
In 2010 the average weekly pay for a player in the top flight was: £33,868.

While Bill Shankly built a Liverpool team in 1960 on a total wage bill of £517 a week, Manchester City have committed £500million to salaries in their bid for Premier League glory.

There is a staggering gap between what top players earn and what the average person gets and the relationship between players and the public really isn't that great any more.

The fans aren't stupid and they see too many 'average millionaires.' They will forgive players and the money if they feel that they really earn it, both on and off the pitch, but too many of them don't. Some players can't even be bothered to take their headphones off or give the fans an autograph when they're getting off the team coach.

Here is an up-to-date list of: 'The Top 10 Highest-Paid Footballers in the World.'

10/ Philip Lahm - FC Bayern Munich and Germany, £11.9m per annum.

Born: 11th November 1983 (age 28)
Previous clubs: Bayern Munich II, VfB Stuttgart (loan)
Honours won:
Bayern Munich:
Bundesliga: 2002–03, 2005–06, 2007–08, 2009–10, DFB-Pokal: 2002–03, 2005–06, 2007–08, 2009–10,
Germany:
FIFA World Cup Third Place: 2006, 2010,  UEFA European Football Championship Runner-up: 2008, UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship Runner-up: 2002.
Individual:
UEFA Team of the Year: 2006, 2008, FIFA Team of the Year: 2008

Captain of the German national side, Lahm’s renewed deal with his Bavarian club has had a year to mature, putting him amongst the world’s highest earners for the first time. He has also inked a lucrative deal to wear adidas football boots.

9/ Kaká - Real Madrid and Brazil, £12.9m per annum.

Born: 22nd April 1982 (age 30)
Previous clubs: São Paulo, AC Milan
Honours won:
AC Milan:
Serie A: 2003–04, UEFA Champions League: 2006–07, UEFA Super Cup: 2003, 2007, FIFA Club World Cup: 2007.
Real Madrid:
Copa del Rey: 2010–11
Brazil:
FIFA World Cup: 2002, FIFA Confederations Cup: 2005, 2009
Individual:
FIFA World Player of the Year: 2007, World Soccer Player of the Year: 2007, Serie A Footballer of the Year: 2004, 2007, UEFA Champions League Top Scorer: 2006–07,

As well as a 'healthy' contract with Spanish giants Real Madrid, Kaka’s clean cut image have helped him keep his finances among the highest in world football, as deals with adidas and EA Sports supplement his Los Blancos paycheque. It's interesting to note that the 30 year-old's 'on-field performances' have been a little inconsistent of late, which has meant that the Brazilian midfielder is actually earning around £2m less than this time last year.

8/ Fernando Torres - Chelsea and Spain, £13.9m per annum.

Born: 20th March 1984 (age 28)
Previous clubs: Atlético Madrid, Liverpool
Honours won:
Atlético Madrid:
Segunda División: 2001-02
Spain:
FIFA World Cup Winner: 2010, UEFA European Championship: 2008, UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship (1): 2001, UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship: 2002

Despite his well-documented troubles since his move to Stamford Bridge, Spanish striker Torres’ deal that took him from Merseyside to London with Chelsea has propelled him into the Top 10 highest-paid footballers for the first time in his career.
Addition spending money comes from the likes of Pepsi and Nike, who will hope that their investment can force his way back into the Spain squad in time for Euro 2012.

7/ Yaya Touré - Manchester City and Ivory Coast, £14.7m per annum.

Born: 13th May 1983 (age 28)
Previous clubs: Beveren, Metalurh Donetsk, Olympiacos, Monaco, Barcelona
Honours won:
Olympiacos:
Super League Greece: 2005–06, Greek Cup: 2005–06
Barcelona:
La Liga: 2008–09, 2009–10, Copa del Rey: 2008–09, Supercopa de España: 2009, UEFA Champions League: 2008–09, UEFA Super Cup: 2009, FIFA Club World Cup: 2009
Manchester City:
FA Cup: 2010–11
Individual:
African Footballer of the Year: 2011

Another player to benefit from a new deal at a new club is Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure. The 2011 African footballer of the year has become a key member of the City squad since his move from Barcelona, and it’s worth noting he donates his sponsorship money from his Puma boot deal to charity.

6/ Sergio Agüero - Manchester City and Argentina, £15.7m per annum.

Born: 2nd June 1988 (age 23)
Previous clubs: Club Atlético Independiente, Atlético Madrid
Honours won:
Atlético Madrid:
UEFA Europa League: 2009–10, UEFA Super Cup: 2010
Argentina:
FIFA U-20 World Cup winner: 2005, 2007, Summer Olympics: 2008
Individual:
FIFA Young Player of the Year: 2007, FIFA U-20 World Cup Top Scorer (1): 2007, FIFA U-20 World Cup Player of the Tournament: 2007, La Liga Ibero-American Player of the Year: 2008, Don Balón Award: 2007–08

It’s a similar story for Toure’s team-mate and fellow Puma sponsor-ee Sergio Aguero. The Argentine striker has quickly proven his worth at the Etihad Stadium – with 29 goals to date in all competitions this season, for the blue half of Manchester. He has switched his boot supplier to Puma following a protracted move from Nike.

5/ Wayne Rooney - Manchester United and England, £17.2m per annum.

Born: 24th October 1985 (age 26)
Previous clubs: Everton
Honours won:
Manchester United:
Premier League: 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, Football League Cup: 2005–06, 2009–10, UEFA Champions League: 2007–08, FIFA Club World Cup: 2008
Individual:
PFA Players' Player of the Year: 2009–10, PFA Young Player of the Year: 2004–05, 2005–06, FWA Footballer of the Year: 2009–10, Goal of the Season: 2004–05, 2006–07, 2010–11, Barclays Player of the Year: 2009–10, England Player of the Year: 2008, 2009

Despite often being at the centre of controversy, Manchester United hitman Wayne Rooney has boosted his earnings by nearly £5m over the past 12 months to enter the top 5 highest-paid footballers for the first time in his career. Rooney's ban for the opening two group games of Euro 2012 will have no doubt  upset his sponsors somewhat, but the likes of Nike and EA Sports will be thrilled with his performances on the field for the Red Devils this season. He has netted 36 goals to date in all competitions.

4/ Samuel Eto’o - FC Anzhi Makhachkala and Cameroon, £19.4m per annum.

Born: 10th March 1981 (age 31)
Previous clubs: Real Madrid, Leganés (loan), Espanyol (loan), RCD Mallorca, Barcelona, Internazionale Milano
Honours won:
RCD Mallorca:
Copa del Rey: 2003
Barcelona:
La Liga: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, Copa del Rey: 2009, UEFA Champions League: 2005–06, 2008–09
Internazionale: Serie A: 2009–10, Coppa Italia: 2010, 2011, Supercoppa Italiana: 2010, UEFA Champions League: 2009–10, FIFA Club World Cup: 2010
Cameroon:
African Cup of Nations: 2000, 2002, Olympic Gold Medal: 2000
Individual:
Young African Player of the Year: 2000, African Player of the Year: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2010, African Cup of Nations Top Scorer: 2006, 2008, African Cup of Nations All-Time Top Scorer, La Liga Top Scorer: 2006, 2005 FIFA World Player of the Year- Third, UEFA Champions League Final Man of the Match 2006

The most decorated African player of all time,Samuel Eto’o has won the African player of the year four times. With a move last year to Russian club FC Anzhi Makhachkala, Eto’o became the highest paid footballer of all time. Adding to that the Cameroon international can boast Ford and Puma to his sponsorship list in the last 12 months.

3/ Cristiano Ronaldo - Real Madrid and Portugal, £24.3m per annum.

Born: 5th February 1985 (age 27)
Previous clubs: Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United
Honours won:
Manchester United:
Premier League: 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, FA Cup: 2003–04, League Cup: 2005–06, 2008–09, UEFA Champions League: 2007–08, FIFA Club World Cup: 2008
Real Madrid:
Copa del Rey: 2010–11
Individual:
Portuguese Footballer of the Year: 2006–07, PFA Young Player of the Year: 2006–07, PFA Players' Player of the Year: 2006–07, 2007–08, FWA Footballer of the Year: 2006–07, 2007–08, Barclays Player of the Year: 2006–07, 2007–08, Premier League Golden Boot: 2007–08, UEFA Champions League Top scorer: 2007–08, UEFA Club Footballer of the Year: 2007–08, FIFA Club World Cup Silver Ball: 2008, Ballon d'Or (1): 2008 FIFA World Player of the Year: 2008, World Soccer Player of the Year: 2008 FIFA Puskás Award: 2009, Copa del Rey top goalscorer: 2010–11, La Liga top scorer: 2010–11

The Portuguese playmaker and national squad captain Cristiano Ronaldo has bolstered his annual earnings by over £1.5m since this time last year. As well as being officially the most expensive player in the world, the superstar’s deal to keep him in Nike Mercurial football boots is reportedly one of the biggest in sport. Throw in his status as the most socially-networked athlete in the world, and due to this popularity Ronaldo has also secured sponsorship deals from brands like Armani, Coca-Cola and Castrol. He is a priceless face for any company!

2/ David Beckham - Los Angeles Galaxy and England, £26.2m per annum.

Born: 2nd May 1975 (age 36)
Previous clubs: Manchester United, Preston North End (loan), Real Madrid, AC Milan (loan)
Honours won:
Manchester United:
Premier League: 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03, FA Cup: 1995–96, 1998–99, UEFA Champions League: 1998–99
Real Madrid:
La Liga: 2006–07, Supercopa de España: 2003
Los Angeles Galaxy:
MLS Supporters' Shield: 2010, 2011, MLS Cup: 2011
Individual:
PFA Young Player of the Year: 1996–97, UEFA Club Footballer of the Year: 1998–99, Premier League Goal of the Decade, England Player of the Year: 2003, Real Madrid Player of the Year: 2005-2006, English Football Hall of Fame: 2008, Officer in the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II: 2003

After much pontification over the MLS off-season, Beckham turned down a potentially massive move to top French side Paris Saint-Germain, in favour of staying with the LA Galaxy for at least one more season. The former England captain’s new deal with the Galaxy and his hugely-marketed underwear deal with highstreet fashion label H&M, saw him earn over £2m more per annum than in the previous financial year.
Also his deal with adidas is the biggest deal in the footballing world, and part of that deal sees him earn 'bonus' money for every signed boot that the company sells. Adding to that his sponsorship deals with Samsung, who made him their company brand ambassador, and Pepsi make Becks the 2nd highest paid footballer on the list.

1/ Lionel Messi - Barcelona and Argentina, £27.5m per annum.

Born: 24th June 1987 (age 24)
Previous clubs: Club Atlético Newell's Old Boys
Honours won:
Barcelona:
La Liga: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, Copa del Rey: 2008–09, Supercopa de España: 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, UEFA Champions League: 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11, UEFA Super Cup: 2009, 2011, FIFA Club World Cup: 2009, 2011
Argentina:
FIFA U-20 World Cup: 2005, Olympic Gold Medal: 2008
Individual:
FIFA Ballon d'Or: 2010, 2011, World's Top Goal Scorer of the Year 2011, Ballon d'Or: 2009, FIFA World Player of the Year: 2009, World Soccer Player of the Year: 2009, 2011, World Soccer Young Player of the Year: 2006, 2007, 2008, La Liga top goalscorer: 2010, Copa del Rey top goalscorer: 2011, La Liga Player of the Year: 2009, 2010, 2011, La Liga Foreign Player of the Year: 2007, 2009, 2010, UEFA Champions League top goalscorer: 2009, 2010, 2011, European Golden Shoe 2010, UEFA Best Player in Europe Award: 2011, UEFA Club Footballer of the Year: 2009, FIFA U-20 World Cup Player of the Tournament: 2005, FIFA U-20 World Cup top goalscorer: 2005, Copa América Young Player of the Tournament: 2007

After a record-breaking last 12 months, the mercurial Messi’s earnings are now as superfluous as the words used to describe him. A signature clothing range with adidas and a deal to see him become the cover star for EA Sports games from this season onward has seen the Barca ace add nearly £8m to his earnings over the past 12 months. He also boasts sponsorship deals with adidas, Konami, PepsiCo, Lay’s, Air Europa and Chery. Should his history-making form continue, it’s likely that we’ll see that figure continue to rise – over the next 12 months.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Back Wayne Rooney to crush Algeria - World Cup Betting News with Betfred












VERSUS










Following England's horror show against the USA, someone needs to step up and carry the flag for the Three Lions and could that man be Wayne Rooney.
Fabio Capello's men face a crucial match against Algeria in Cape Town on Friday.

The World Cup odds make them 2/9 to win the game, while the draw is 11/2 with Betfred and, according to team-mate Matthew Upson, Rooney is the man to fire England to victory.

Upson, who hopes to replace the injured Ledley King in the heart of England's defence, has seen Rooney in training over recent weeks and is confident the goals will come for the Manchester United forward.

Rooney has scored only once in eight internationals over the past year, but remains a 12/1 shot in the World Cup 2010 betting to win the Golden Boot. However, if he wants to be top scorer he will need to start finding the back of the net, starting on Friday.

Upson claimed that despite Rooney's recent disappointing international scoring record, there is no need for the striker to panic and "start thinking" about the problem.

"It will happen. Wayne's movement is great. He is a class player and he is totally gifted," the West Ham defender said.

"He just needs to relax, play his game and the goals will come because he is top draw."

England fans could have received a great boost with the confirmation from Capello that Gareth Barry is back from injury and will start the Algeria clash.

The balance of the England side had looked a little off during the draw with the USA, but the return of Barry could give Frank Lampard more chance to push forward which means 7/4 for him to score at anytime could be a good bet.

My Tip of the Weekend:

England should rediscover their goalscoring boots against a sloppy looking Algeria side, so the 3-0 at 13/2 with Betfred is my pick. Over 2.5 goals also looks attractive at 4/5.

Remaining Group C games:

Slovenia v USA - Friday 18th June, kick-off 3pm, live on the BBC.
England v Algeria - Friday 18th June, kick-off 7.30pm, live on ITV.
England v Slovenia - Wednesday 23rd June, kick-off 3pm, live on the BBC.
USA v Algeria - Wednesday 23rd June, kick-off 3pm, live on the BBC.

By Drew Swainston
(Guest writer from Betfred on behalf of Beer Footy and Birds!)


Monday, June 07, 2010

Should England Fans Really Be Dreaming of World Cup Glory? - World Cup Betting News with Betfred


The World Cup adverts are already proclaiming a possible England win, the songs, good and bad, are flooding the charts and the kick off is drawing ever nearer.

A singing Terry Venables, advertising a leading tabloid newspaper, is claiming England fans should be dreaming of a possible World Cup win this summer. This hype seems to have gone to people's heads and is probably part of the reason why the World Cup football odds make England third favourites at 6/1 to win the World Cup. England are just 3/1 to reach the Final.

Rio Ferdinand, who had been named as England skipper (following John Terry's much publicised unsavoury off-field antics) has been ruled out of the entire tournament, following a knee injury picked up in training. Steven Gerrard has been handed the captain's armband in his absence, with Frank Lampard being appointed the new vice-captain. Gerrard however still believes the side can win the World Cup this summer, despite the loss of Ferdinand and the rather abject England performances in their recent warm-up games against Mexico and Japan.

Speaking to Prince William via a video link, the Liverpool midfielder claimed the team are focused on the task in hand.

"We're very disappointed about Rio, but by the time that first game comes around I'm sure the team will be fit and ready to win," he said.

Prior to his injury, Ferdinand stated that star striker Wayne Rooney will be crucial to England's hopes this summer and the Manchester United forward is 10/1 with Betfred to be top scorer in the World Cup.

England fans will be hoping the rest of the squad remain injury free and it is Gerrard who lifts the trophy in Johannesburg on July 11th.


My England Tip for the Tournament:

I expect England to carry on their recent tradition and exit at the quarter-final stage, an eventuality which is 10/3 with Betfred and possibly a more realistic World Cup bet than them actually winning the tournament.

Group C games:
England v United States - Saturday 12th June, kick-off 7.30pm, live on the ITV.
England v Algeria - Friday 18th June, kick-off 7.30pm, live on the ITV.
England v Slovenia - Wednesday 23rd June, kick-off 3pm, live on the BBC.

By Drew Swainston
(Guest writer from Betfred on behalf of Beer Footy and Birds!)


Thursday, January 28, 2010

Rooney: ' Top Dog' At United - Betting News with Betfred






















Wayne Rooney continues to develop as a footballer and according to his manager Sir Alex Ferguson, he is the man who can fire the goals that will bring silverware to Old Trafford this season.

The England striker has scored 20 goals in 28 games this season and his manager is convinced that no forward in the country can currently match his number 10.

Ferguson claims Rooney is highly likely to break the 30-goal barrier this season and he is "happy" with the player's form.

"The main reason he is scoring more goals is because he is in the right place at the right time. That's what goalscorers do," said the Scotsman.

"Wayne has become more aware of the penalty box, too. Playing him in that direct role gives him an appetite."

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti recently claimed that Manchester United would be a completely different team without Rooney, and the The Blues' gaffer added the England striker is carrying his side.

United travel to rivals Arsenal on Sunday knowing the result could have a huge impact on their Premier League title odds.

The Red Devils are 19/10 to win at The Emirates this Sunday.

Rooney is certainly on fire for United at the moment, and is priced at 6/1 to be the outright first goalscorer on Sunday.
However their defence has looked leaky in recent weeks and punters may see this and home advantage as the reason why an Arsenal win at 7/5 might represent the value bet.

However, given that neither side will want to lose, the tip of the weekend is the 1-1 draw which is currently at 11/2 in the football betting.


My Tip Of The Weekend:
A 1-1 draw priced @ 11/2 with Betfred - Sunday 31st January, kick-off at 4pm, live on Sky.

By Drew Swainston
(Guest writer from Betfred on behalf of Beer Footy and Birds!)