The Holy Trinity

If you're expecting a biblical reference, then you've come to the wrong place.

La Albiçeleste have the best player in the world in the shape of Messi, the most inspiring manager in Maradona and now they have the master tactitian in Mourinho. This unlikely alliance (one likes to play football, the other likes to stop football being played) displays Maradona's willingness to do whatever is necessary to ensure he fulfils his promise to streak in Buenos Aires should his team hoist the Jules Rimet trophy on 11th July.

Vamos Espagña!!

20 years ago, the defending champions lost their opening fixture to an unheralded side, but the genius of Diego, once again inspired the Albiçeleste (who can forget that 2nd round match against the Seleçao  where they were effectively outplayed for 89 minutes, but Diego unlocks the Brazilian defence as only he can, fashions a pass to Caniggia who dispatches the ball with aplomb) to the final where De Mannschaft fashioned a win.

So to Ilker, Piqué, Puyol, Busquets, Xabi, Xavi, David Villa, David Silva, Cesc (if you play), Nando et al, please don't despair - just play the beautiful game that so enchanted us in Euro 2008.

Vamos Espagña!!

1 down, 6 to go

And so the little magician who captivated most of the world 24 years ago has let his little flea orchestrate the play, to the glorious benefit of the Albiçeleste - he and they can only get better.

It really IS this simple

In the never ending debate about the greatest football player EVER, it's normally whittled down to shootout between Diego Armando Maradona and Edson Arantes do Nascimento aka Pelé. It's time to settle this debate once and for all by answering the following questions:

If Pelé had replaced Maradona in the 1986 and 1990 World Cups, would he have been able to inspire Argentina to win the first and finish runner-up in the second? Also, would Pelé have been able to inspire Napoli to their first Scudetto win in 1987 and their second in 1990?

The 1970 Brazilian team is widely acknowledged to be the best ever team so one could reasonably suppose they would have won the World Cup whether Pelé was present or not - Pelé was the icing on the joga bonito cake. Without Maradona, Argentina and Napoli would not have won the prizes they did.