Lionel Andrés Messi, popularly known to the world as Lionel Messi, is one of the most promising soccer players in today’s times. This football player from Argentina, playing as a forward or winger, who presently plays for FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team, has already been compared with the legendary Argentina football captain, Diego Maradona. Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola has also asserted that Messi is probably the best player he had ever seen after he helped Barcelona won the 2009 UEFA Super Cup.

Lionel Messi was born at Rosario (Argentina) on 24 June 1987 and adores the Number 10 jersey, which is so commonly associated with the best in a football team. Considered one of the best football players of his generation, Messi received several Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations by the age of 21 years and won both by the age of 22. Maradona, believed to be the best player ever to wear the No. 10 jersey, also considers Messi as his “successor”.

Messi made his full international debut on 17 August 2005 against Hungary at the age of 18 and wore the number 10 jersey for the first time with Argentina in a World Cup Qualifier against Venezuela on 28 March 2009. In the 2006 World Cup, Lionel Messi became the youngest player to represent Argentina at a World Cup when he came on as a substitute in a match against Serbia and Montenegro for Maxi Rodríguez in the 74th minute.

Touted as the greatest player of the recent generation, Lionel Messi has all what it takes to be a superstar footballer.

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Ramon Calderon, the Real Madrid president has announced his resignation. He has decided to quit following a vote-rigging scandal. The decision was announced by him on Friday. Calderon is a 57-year-old lawyer, who was elected in the summer of 2006. The main reason behind his stepping down is the allegations of assembly voting manipulation. A section started cross firing him of manipulation of a general assembly vote, effectively a vote of confidence in December. The replacement will be done soon. It is expected to be vice president Vicente Boluda, who will replace Calderon.

Calderon said at a news conference on Friday that he has decided to quit because of the opinion of all of the members of the board. He stressed that he has committed errors, but not irregularities. Boluda becomes Madrid’s 18th president and will be in charge until the next election that will be held at the end of the season.

Calderon’s turbulent tenure came to an abrupt end after a report by sports daily came out on Tuesday saying that his budget was only passed because his directors admitted non-members into the assembly and denied entry to about 200 members. The budget had got passed by 47 votes at the tense assembly.

Calderon after reading the six-minute statement denied the accusations. He was not prepared to take questions from the press. Calderon as an attempt of disaster management fired two of his close aides. Calderon was seen in agitating mood at the press conference, when he blasted the press for its “vulgarity” and lack of “moral code”. He also accused it of persecuting him since his election. Calderon said that he is leaving with clean hands clean, clear conscience and a lot less money and worsened health. Calderon also added that he is very proud to have served the most important football club in the world.

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