Soccer Team of the Year 2008-2009

To all soccer fans' dismay, the 2008-2009 soccer season has come to an end.

The transfer season has just begun and teams are looking all over the world to add to their squads, so that they could be named the winners of the league.

This is obviously a great achievement and for teams live Barcelona, Manchester United, and Rangers, the glory of winning the league title has arrived once more.

So the reason I wrote this article is to comment on the best players of the year, from all the leagues.

I hope that I will have comments on who you believe are the best players in the league in the 4-1-2-1-2 (diamond formation).

Goalkeeper: Petr Čech

Petr Čech was born on May 20, 1982, in Plzeň, Czechoslovakia. He is a Czech international football goalkeeper who is currently contracted to English Premier League football club Chelsea, for whom he has played since July 2004.

On Oct. 14, 2006, Čech and Reading midfielder Stephen Hunt both challenged for the ball inside Chelsea's penalty area in the first minute of a league match at the Madejski Stadium.

Hunt’s knee hit Čech's head, leaving the keeper dazed. Čech was immediately taken off and replaced by Carlo Cudicini, who himself was knocked unconscious later in the same game.

Captain John Terry ended up going in goal for the remaining minutes. Čech underwent surgery for a depressed skull fracture.

Initially unaware of the seriousness of the injury, the doctors later reported that it nearly cost Čech his life, and as a result of the collision, he suffered intense headaches and was warned by his doctor that returning too early could be fatal.

Čech made his comeback against Liverpool on Jan. 20, 2007, wearing a rugby style headguard, which he continues to wear.

Although this year has been a little shaky, the the impressive Edwin Van der Sar was also a possible candidate, Cech definately deserves goalkeeper of the year.

Right Back: Daniel Alves

Daniel Alves da Silva born May 6, 1983, in Juazeiro. The Brazilian footballer plays as an attacking right back for FC Barcelona in the Spanish La Liga.

Alves joined FC Barcelona on July 2, 2008. The official price of the transfer stands at €29 million up front, with €6 million more to pay depending on a number of performance related factors over the next few seasons of Alves' Barcelona career.

This makes Alves the world's most expensive right-back and the third most expensive player bought by Barça.

Alves signed a four-year contract with Barcelona, that includes a buy-out clause of €90 million.

As of Aug. 8, Alves was the most expensive player in the Summer 2008 transfer window, but this record was then broken when Real Madrid forward Robinho opted to go to Manchester City on deadline day, for a fee of around €40 million.

Alves missed the 2009 UEFA Champions League Final due to suspension; Barcelona beat Manchester United 2-0 and thus completed The Treble.

Center Back: Per Mertesacker

Per Mertesacker, born on Sept. 29, 1984, in Hannover is a German footballer who plays as a defender for Werder Bremen and Germany.

In August 2006, he moved to Werder Bremen in a €5 million transfer deal after a highly impressive performance in the 2006 World Cup, in which Germany finished third.

He is an outstanding player and he is a promising youngster.

Center Back: John Terry

John George Terry, born Dec. 7, 1980, in Barking, Greater London is an English professional footballer. Terry plays in a centre back position and is the captain of Chelsea in the Premier League. Terry is also captain of the England national football team.

Terry was voted best defender in the UEFA Champions League in both 2005 and 2008, the PFA Players' Player of the Year in 2005, and was included in the FIFPro World XI for four consecutive seasons, from 2005 to 2008.

He was also named in the all-star squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, the only English player to make the team.

He wears the No. 26 shirt for Chelsea. He is a great defensive player and deserves the center back of the year.

Left Back: Gaël Clichy

Gaël Clichy born July 26, 1985, in Toulouse is a French football player, who currently plays for Arsenal of the Premier League.

He is Arsenal's first-choice left back. He is one of the players you see running back and forth on the pitch. He is a very outstanding defender and can take the role of a midfielder.

Central Defensive Midfielder: Cesc Fàbregas

Francesc "Cesc" Fàbregas Soler, born May 4, 1987, is a Spanish central midfielder who captains the English Premier League club Arsenal and plays for the Spanish national team.

Fàbregas started his career as a trainee with Barcelona but was signed by Arsenal in September 2003 at age 16.

His wonderful passing skills, coupled with great through balls, makes him a great player.

Right Wing Midfielder: Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, OIH born Feb. 5, 1985, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a winger for English Premier League club Manchester United and as the Portuguese national team captain.

Ronaldo began his career as a youth player at C.D. Nacional and his successes with the team led to a move to Sporting Clube de Portugal two seasons afterwards.

Ronaldo's precocious talent caught the attention of Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson and he signed the 18-year-old for £12.24 million in 2003.

The following season, Ronaldo won his first club honour, the FA Cup, and reached the UEFA Euro 2004 final with Portugal, in which he scored his first international goal.

Sky Sports reported on June 5, 2008, that Ronaldo had expressed an interest in moving to Real Madrid if they offered him the same amount of money the team had allegedly promised him earlier in the year.

Manchester United filed a tampering complaint with FIFA one day later over Madrid's alleged pursuit of Ronaldo, but FIFA declined to take any action.

Speculation that a transfer would happen continued until Aug. 6 of that year, when Ronaldo confirmed that he would stay at Manchester for at least another year.

Hopefully this will not occur because the English Premier League needs a step over king like C. Ronaldo.

Left Wing Midfielder: Leo Messi

Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi, born June 24, 1987, in Rosario is an Argentine footballer who plays for Spanish La Liga club FC Barcelona and the Argentine national team.

Messi is considered to be one of the best football players of his generation, having received several Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations by the age of 21.

His awesome skills and his speed make him a great player.

Central Attacking Midfielder: Samir Nasri

Samir Nasri (Arabic: سمير نصري.‎), born June 26, 1987, in Marseilles is a French international footballer of Algerian descent who currently plays his club football for the English Premier League side Arsenal.

A naturally right-footed player, he generally plays on the left side of midfield for Arsenal. On July 11, 2008, Nasri signed for Arsenal from Olympique de Marseille on a long-term contract for about £12.7 million (€16 million).

Forward: Alexandre Pato

Alexandre Rodrigues da Silva, born Sept. 2, 1989, in Pato Branco, Paraná, better known as Alexandre Pato, is a Brazilian striker currently playing for Italian Serie A club A.C. Milan.

The nickname 'Pato' is in honour of his place of birth but has led to commentators calling him 'The Duck' following the English translation.

He is a great youth player. His ability has given him a place in the starting team of AC Milan which is a big achievement.

Forward: Lukas Podolski

Lukas Podolski, born as Łukasz Podolski on June 4, 1985, in Gliwice is a German footballer who plays as a striker for Köln and is a member of the German national team.

On June 1, 2006, Podolski announced that a transfer agreement had been reached with Bayern Munich from FC Köln, allowing him to join the Bavarian side for the 2006–07 season.

Financial details of the deal were not immediately available, but the transfer fee was speculated to be around €10 million.
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