At some point in every superstar’s life they were normal. It’s hard to imagine that someone so perfect, so often worshipped by society as an example of what we should be, could ever be normal. With being normal comes doubts and insecurities, timidity and apprehension. Maybe that’s why people so often dream about their own ascension into stardom, because it’s so hard to believe.
As if I needed another reminder of why I was never going to make it as a professional footballer, US Youth Soccer has just released the best youth soccer goals of 2015. It features 8-year-olds dribbling past entire teams in ways I never could, and 15 year-olds slotting long shots as effortlessly as I would play a wall pass. Watching it is a humbling experience.
It appears that Liverpool's youth academy in India, DSK Shivajians Liverpool International Football Academy, is turning out world-class talent. On Sunday, Chhangte Lallianzuala – a product of DSK – scored a brace in only his second-ever international cap for India.
Talk about a good end to the year. On Christmas, Lallianzuala became the youngest player ever to appear on the senior national team for India. Two days later, during India's match against Nepal in the SAFF Championships, he scored this gem:
Ajax weren’t in crisis during Jairo Riedewald’s debut, just in danger of stumbling at a critical point. They had botched some critical games at the beginning of the season, but had turned things around with a 5-game winning streak that had seen them move from 6th to 2nd. Finally within striking distance of first place Vitesse – an Ajax win and Vitesse loss would see Ajax clear into first place, while a win and a tie would have Ajax in first place on goal differential – Ajax found itself down 1-0 to 14th place Roda JC. They were in danger of missing out on first place yet again.
There is no mistaking it, Charlotte Soccer Academy is a powerhouse. From the moment you enter onto their website’s landing page to the time when Brad Wylde, the academy’s executive director and one of its founders, explains the doubts that the club faced as it grew: none.
Lionel Messi is one of the most soft-spoken players in the world. If he wasn’t constantly one of the two best — if instead he was a middling player taking the field for Stoke City every weekend, then there is every reason to believe that only hardcore fans would know who he is. It is incredibly ironic, then, that he has risen to fame at the dawn of the age of social media, at a time when everyone is making a name for themselves through their personalities. Likes and clicks matter more than news and facts, and Messi has risen above it all. The irony of Messi’s success is not lost on him.
Jesus “Tecatito” Corona and Jurgen Damm have been on our radar for quite some time. They are 22 and 23 respectively, and are the future of the Mexican national team; it’s hard to not get excited about them, especially Corona. Against Honduras in a World Cup Qualifier, the young Mexican stars justified our excitement.
Rayane Bounida is ridiculously good at soccer. It’s comical. He’s 9-years-old and makes you wonder if he is even aware of the level of embarrassment he puts defenders through on what seems to be a daily basis. Honestly if someone told me that this kid jumps out of bed in the moring and nutmegs his teddy bear I would believe them. He’s the most amazing youth soccer player I’ve ever seen.
The FIFA Golden Boy award shortlist was announced and, surprisingly, it foretells of a European continent dominated by England, Belgium and, more traditionally, Spain.
With a whopping five nominations from each of these countries - the award is given to the U-21 player who displays the highest footballing prowess - the tides appear to be turning in Europe.
Vlad Dragomir arrived at Arsenal in June, signed from ACS Poli Timisoara in Romania for £71,000 ($107,000). The 16-year-old Arsenal phenom was largely an unknown at the time, a central midfielder who liked to get forward on the ball and whom Wenger thought had a bright future. The only other thing we could tell was that young Vlad was a fan of posting copious selfies to his Instagram account (to be fair, what 16-year-old isn't).