A Real Madrid CF supporter holds a banner for Iker Casillas of Real Madrid CF during the La Liga match between RCD Espanyol and Real Madrid CF.

“Iker makes great saves between the posts, but I prefer a different type of keeper. As long as I am Real Madrid coach, Diego Lopez will always play.”

Jose Mourinho said that to the presser while defending his choice to start Diego Lopez ,whom the club signed last January, ahead of legendary Iker Casillas. Casillas has been at the centre of news in recent weeks because of his lack of game time after his recovery from injury. So what does that mean?

Positive Point: Even though chalking out anything positive for this scenario in favour of Iker Casillas looks inconvenient, the club could look at the recent performances by Diego Lopez, who has been averaging almost  3.17 saves per games in comparison to Iker’s 1.74 saves per game this season. The save percentage may not measure their performances accurately, considering the relative rarity of goals and shots targeted on goal, but it cannot be ignored. This also sends a message out to the players who had looked complacent at the beginning of the season.

Negative Point: If your club captain has been warming the bench for as long as Iker Casillas has been, it is a problem; an issue that affects both tactical and political sections of Real Madrid. As Pepe said, Iker is not just another player you could drop. Casillas is a player who is part of Madrid. He’s an institution, both in this club and in Spain. What worries me more is Casillas has yet to start a game since recovering from a broken hand. Maybe he isn’t training well, or maybe Mourinho thinks he is not ready yet and Diego Lopez is more suited to his style now. Yet, these are a lot of maybes. Casillas is still in his prime and dropping him week and week out is not justified just because Mourinho has personal issues with him. In addition, the last thing the clubs needs right now is ‘#TeamIker’ or ‘#TeamMourinho’ divisions. Pepe’s criticism of Jose Mourinho was rather surprising as he is one of the few players who scream ‘#TeamMourinho’.

“It is very easy to analyse what he says,” said Mourinho. “Pepe’s problem has a name – it’s called Raphael Varane. He was talking from frustration. It is not easy for a 30-year-old to be blown away by a kid of 19.” 

Is Pepe’s career as good as over? We saw that with Ricardo Carvalho this season but that was merely because of his growing age and the number of options the manager had at his fingertips. Pepe’s switch to the bench would be a big decision, but would it harm Madrid? That is debatable. We could see more of Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane which is justifiable as Varane has been nothing but impeccable this season. Varane is ready to make it big next season. Or is he?

Jose Mourinho has always sought to play down the significance of losing him. He is just 20 and has a lot to learn.  He surely has an intimidating physical presence and is tipped to be the world’s best defender by footballing greats, but a small injury could change the whole ‘getting-on-top-of-the-world’ plan. He suffered a knee injury in Saturday’s 1-1 La Liga draw at Espanyol and looks set to miss the rest of the season. Maybe it is premature to say anything about misusing Varane as of now, but just as Arsene Wenger repeatedly says that he wants to protect Jack Wilshere, he simply can’t resist playing him in the end. Both of them are that good. So sticking with Pepe would be a wiser decision in my opinion, as he could be beneficial for both Madrid and Varane.

Who will fill the right back position?

Teachers should ask questions as easy as this one. Because the answer is that simple. Get back Daniel Carvajal. Real Madrid have a buy-back option on Carvajal for the first three seasons of his contract, meaning that Real Madrid would pay an estimated €6.5 million if they want the youngster back after one season, €7 million after two seasons and approximately €8.5 million after his third season, as reported by BundesligaFanatic. Carvajal was sold to Bayer Leverkusen for around €5 million and took the Bundesliga by storm. After being named in the Team of the Week following his first league game, Carvajal has now become an integral part of the side that is now standing firm at the third position in the league table. I would say if anyone is to replace Alvaro Arbeloa, it should be one of Madrid’s own. Not that Real Madrid were ever shy of bringing big names to the team sheet, but this is a different scenario.

He is brilliant, check this video compilation out.

Who could pair up with Cristiano Ronaldo now?

Gonzalo Higuain has always struggled to retain a regular first team spot since Jose Mourinho took over at Real Madrid and has reportedly been made available for a transfer by the club management. Higuain has been handed just 16 league starts this season and has been a frustrated figure throughout the season, pondering over crucial chances in important matches.  Real Madrid general manager Jose Angel Sanchez said: “In a great club like Real, we believe we need two No 9s of a high level. We have Benzema and Higuain, Higuain will leave, Benzema will stay and two others will come.” With Gonzalo Higuain on his way out, three high-profile names stand out as replacements: Sergio Aguero of Manchester City, Falcao of Atletico Madrid and Edison Cavani of Napoli.

Who will replace Gonzalo Higuain?

Making a move to the Atletico Madrid rivals would be much more subtle at this moment for Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero who has always been eyeing a move to Real Madrid.

“If Real Madrid had shown interest in me then I would be here (Madrid), but I’m not,” he told Canal+. “If I’m at City, it’s because Madrid did not show any true interest in me.”

By virtue of being fast and good with the ball, Aguero would perfectly fit into the current team that focuses heavily on counter attacks. Manchester City’s recent interest in Gonzalo Higuain could also lead to the possibility of a swap deal between the two clubs. What makes the move more realistic is the player’s current situation. Aguero is not enjoying life in Manchester, following the breakup of his marriage to Diego Maradona’s daughter Giannina that has led to his son and ex-wife living in Madrid.

Where does Gareth Bale fit in?

Gareth Bale is already a fan favourite in some sections of the Real Madrid fans and a move in the next transfer window is very much likely. The burning question is different though. How would Mourinho fit in Bale?

Moving Cristiano Ronaldo from the left wing is definitely out of the question and doing the same with Angel Di Maria who plays on the right would be difficult. What Di Maria offers Madrid is a stable right wing which is not what Bale could do. Di Maria moves forward and deploys killer crosses and at the same time, he tracks back and helps the right back which has been clearly Madrid’s weak spot. Now, the worst case scenario would be Cristiano Ronaldo is sad and wants to leave, which is, again, just an assumption. This is when Bale’s role would be crucial. He might be a poor man’s Cristiano Ronaldo, but then again, with proper service, he would run like a horse for days, destroying the opponent’s right back. There are also some who say Bale could also play as a left back. That’s absurd. That would disrupt the whole Jose Mourinho system, the system which depends heavily on the coordination of Ronaldo-Marcelo or Ronaldo-Coentrao. Fitting in a player is fine, but buying him just to add some more firepower or sell more shirts is intellectually stupid. And Mourinho, of all people, isn’t one.

However, a player of Bale’s capability can surely evolve, especially if he continues to play the way he has been playing this season. He would stay wide and put in his crosses, but that’s not all he’s done. He has started cutting inside more often, thus playing as a makeshift striker. The switch to the number 10-player role allowed Bale to get on the ball more often. This was a big decision, but it paid off. Even if the move to the central role is not definitive as Villas-Boas says, it does give the manager the option of using him in different positions, something that Mourinho has always been looking for in players.

Gareth Bale’s statistics from Spurs’ 2-1 victory over Newcastle.

Other players who are supposedly leaving the club:

Antonio Adán: Madrid’s third choice goalkeeper will be allowed to leave the team after his contract runs out next month. A move to Levante has been mooted, as reported by certain newspapers.

Ricardo Carvalho: The Portuguese has not featured much for this season and will be looking for a move out as he had opted to stay at the club to fulfill his contract last season.

Disclaimer: The wall is a work of fiction but you can check Yusuf’s real Facebook wall here–> http://bit.ly/ZR3WDE

Ilkay Gundogan of Borussia Dortmund is challenged by Kaka of Real Madrid during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final Second Leg match between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on April 30, 2013 in Madrid, Spain.

The well anticipated match ended up in Borussia Dortmund‘s favour while the Blancos failed to chalk out anything productive even after scoring two goals and keeping a clean sheet. Borussia are on their way to Wembley now, waiting for their German counterparts, Bayern Munich, to join them.

The match had the perfect reception and even though a lot was expected from Real Madrid, things were still hazy. The biggest concern for Real Madrid was their fragile defensive line and their out-of-form strikers Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain. Jurgen Klopp was confident about his side as they were looking to go through to the finals with the hope of killing it in the early minutes, like they did in the last match.

Real Madrid started with a predictable and same line up as they did in the last Champions League fixture, only bringing in Angel Di Maria and Michael Essien instead of Sami Khedira and Pepe respectively. Borussia Dortmund had the same team sheet as they did last week. Luka Modric started in central midfield alongside Xabi Alonso, which was debatable at the start but turned out to be a great decision by the manager. The two teams played with the 4-2-3-1 formation.

The match started with Real Madrid breaking into an attack every two minutes. They held the ball exceptionally well and Dortmund had to break into a sweat just to get a touch on the ball. What let the whites down was their finishing, as they squandered the first three crucial chances of the game. The team had their first clear-cut chance when Higuian attempted a shot from a Luka Modric pass, but only falling to Borussia’ Weiddenfeller who stood tall in front of the goal. Cristiano Ronaldo joined in the party but only to blast his first chance wide; a first of his many misses. Ronaldo lacked his usual sharpness and swagger throughout the match.

Madrid had the upper hand and things were still looking good, especially after Mario Götze hobbled off with a reported hamstring trouble; Kevin Grosskreutz was brought on.

Ozil wasted Madrid’s best chance inside the first quarter of the game, and it would have been an easy tap-in for Ronaldo, who was  left unmarked on the left, had Ozil passed him the ball. Yet, the match was in it’s early minutes and Real Madrid had already created sufficient opportunities to believe that a comeback wasn’t out of their reach. But instead, the adrenaline started to cool off. Even though the Dortmund players were looking nervous in the first twenty minutes, they started to settle in and get a hold of the match.

The visitors were playing smartly. They tried their best to keep their opponents at bay and to protect the massive 3-0 lead they had. Madrid were playing with increasing urgency and things started to get ugly, especially with Lewandowski, who was constantly bullied by Sergio Ramos and Fabio Coentrao. Howard Webb tried his best to keep the number of cards shown at a minimal, letting the game flow without any interruption, but the drama on the pitch was way too much.

The second half started without any change of names on the team sheet. With the lack of creativity in the middle, Mourinho needed a change and so came in Karim Benzema and Kaka for Coentrao and Higuain. Błaszczykowski and Marcos Reus combined yet again to set up a clear cut chance for Gundogan and it took a stunning López stop from point-blank range to keep Madrid still in the contest.

Madrid were still with a three goal-deficit and the match was half an hour away from it’s climax. The clock was ticking and the Madrid players started to take their chances. They were so committed to their attack, that it almost left them vulnerable to yet another sucker punch from Dortmund. Modric was having the best game of his Madrid career as he was constantly running with the ball towards Dortmund’s half. With almost eight minutes remaining, Madrid pulled one back through Karim Benzema after a brilliant round-up play from Ozil and Kaka.

As a Real Madrid supporter, it was frustrating and reassuring at the same time for me. Was it just false hope, or were we actually going to comeback? The Bernabeu crowd was roaring and probably for the second time in the match, it looked like Madrid could still make it to the final. The “sí se puede” (“Yes we can” in English) chants echoing around the Bernabeu grew louder. After a string of passes and blocked shots, Karim Benzema regained the ball near the right-hand side of the post, and he squared it to Ramos, who smashed the ball into the roof of the net. It was a goal and Real only needed one more. They had an extra five minutes of stoppage time, but that fell too short for Real Madrid as Howard Webb brought the game to a close.

The tie was over and Dortmund were through on aggregate.

Man of the match Mats Hummels

Goals scored by Karim Benzema 83′, Sergio Ramos 88′

Attendance 76,000.

“Today we were a team with character and desire, we almost did it. In the first match we were very, very bad and we have been punished for that, not for tonight.”

— Jose Mourinho, Real Madrid Manager

“Obviously Real are a team capable of playing quality football. They had a lot to make up for after the first leg, but in the end we deserved to go through on aggregate. We deserve to be in the final.”

— Jürgen Klopp, Dortmund coach.

“I walked out at 2-0. I went to the toilet, locked myself in and covered my ears. For the first time in my life I had to stop watching, my heart couldn’t take it.’’

— Hans-Joachim Watzke, Dortmund Cheif Executive.

 

*Stats are updated up to 28th April, 2013

Pepe of Real Madrid celebrates their equalising goal during the La Liga match between Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid at Vicente Calderon Stadium on April 27, 2013 in Madrid, Spain.

1. Real Madrid is always a step ahead of Atletico.

There could have been perhaps no better chance for Atletico Madrid as Real Madrid started with a second-string line up with no Cristiano Ronaldo, Ozil, Casillas or Alonso. All was set for the Los Rojiblancos with Atletico in full control of the match with celebrated striker Falcao scoring an early goal within the first five minutes. But unfortunately, the joy lasted for few minutes as Real were quick to respond thanks to an own goal by Francisco Juanfran. Angel Di Maria then came up with the winner in the 63rd minute. It was Real’s tenth successive derby win.

Amusingly, the Real Madrid fans started a #WhenAtleticolastbeatMadrid trend last night where they would make a joke about how long it has been since Atletico had won against their arch rivals. (It has been 25 league games, just in case you are wondering. It was October 1999, I’m told.)

#WhenAtleticolastbeatMadrid Ronaldo was a Brazilian – nobody had heard of Cristiano. Falcao was also a Brazilian; Radamel just a young boy.

— Ben Hayward (@bghayward) April 27, 2013

#WhenAtleticolastbeatMadrid I was learning alphabets.

— OhMyRaúl (@mzshubham) April 27, 2013

2. Di Maria could be crucial against Borussia Dortmund.

Angel di Maria of Real Madrid scores Real’s 2nd goal during the La Liga match between Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid at estadio Vincente Calderon on April 27, 2013 in Madrid, Spain.

The Argentine winger was left out on the bench on Wednesday night following the birth of his child, and it was suggested that he wasn’t mentally stable as his wife had troubles during the surgery. But his impeccable finish last night ensured that Real Madrid reduced Barcelona‘s lead at the top of the table to 11 points after the Catalans could only manage a 2-2 draw at Athletic Bilbao. He was also involved in the own goal scored by Juanfran who turned Di Maria’s free kick into his own goal and gave Real Madrid the equalizer. Angel was smart in his movement, even though he had as little as 31 touches of the ball as compared to his team-mates. He was constantly a threat on the right wing and wasn’t shy of tracking back to help Raul Albiol while defending. He made a total of 18 passes with 72% of success.

3. Simeone lost the tactical battle.

You must be spontaneous and quick with your decisions when a match of this magnitude is being played. Diego Simeone failed to do so unlike Jose, who was quick to respond to the early goal his team had conceded. Mourinho’s side were struggling, but they stood firm and tight to deny them a single point. Real Madrid sat tight and defended well, especially from the left where Castilla captain Nacho combined well with newly promoted Alvaro Morata. Adrian was brought into the match pretty late, with only thirty minutes to spare when it was clear that Diego Costa was having a nightmare. The Brazilian was in the spotlight for his theatrics and was getting into trouble almost every minute.

4. The merits do matter, but the goals are what count.

Heat map powered by Squwka clearly depicts that Atletico had a large quantity of possession in Madrid’s half.

Not my words. This is what Diego Simeone had to say later at the presser. Although a tight and rather physical match, Atletico were always in the front seat with all the long balls and shots targeted at the goal. The team played with width and was constantly looming around Real Madrid’s 18-yard box. Real Madrid on the other hand, just sat back and favoured timely long shots. Their was hardly any creativity or stability seen until Xabi Alonso came in, who again wasn’t in the best of his colours. Real Madrid were missing Cristiano Ronaldo who was reportedly injured. Atletico had chances to score their second on the 55th minute through Gabi but his shot let him down. Diego Costa was constantly troubling the Whites with his quick feet but he never succeeded in making it count. This performance could certainly be counted as a big morale promoter for the Atletico players who will be hoping to be more composed and productive in the upcoming final of the Copa del Rey.

Watch the goals scored in the La Liga game between Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona

Full Time: Athletic-Barcelona 2-2. Susaeta (26) Herrera (90), Messi (67) Alexis (69)

Shots 7-15, on target 3-6, offsides 4-3, corners 2-1, fouls 17-11, possession 42-58

Susaeta 1-0

Lionel Messi 1-1

Alexis 2-1

Herrera 2-2

Ball-bending

Noun: One of the five elemental bending arts, ball bending is the aero kinetic ability to control a ball which involves manipulation of the ball’s curvature, circumference and velocity.

The year was 2006, and it seemed like the golden era of the last ball bender had come to an end. Materazzi had touched Zidane’s nerve quite enough to make sure that Zidane left the pitch without the prestigious World Cup.

Winding the clock backwards, a son of Algerian immigrant, Zinedine had just learned to play football unknown to the greatness that he was bound to achieve. Starring at local clubs, the 14-year old was discovered at a French Football Federation training camp by AS Cannes recruiter Jean Varraud, and spent the next three years honing his skills in Cannes’ youth division. And although he showed tremendous potential, he had a lot to learn before he was ready to rule Europe.

Making his first professional appearance at the age of seventeen, Zidane had scored a goal on his debut for Cannes.  Even at that age, he was always first on the ball. He would always be at the right place at the right time, but what was fascinating about him was his touch – it was so fluid and aerial.  It simply wasn’t regular or comparable to any other footballer.

After spending 4 successful years at Cannes, young Zinedine Zidane‘s quest for greatness took him to Girondins de Bordeaux, where he was transferred in the 1992-93 season. During the four years at the club, Zidane had won the 1995 Intertoto Cup and helped Bordeaux finish as runners-up in the 1995-96 UEFA Cup.

Great thoughts, like great deeds, need no trumpet. Yet Zidane had to move.

He was transferred to Juventus in Italy’s prestigious Serie A in 1996. Right upon his arrival, Zinedine helped Juventus secure the 1996 Scudetto and the Intercontinental cup. In the following years, Juventus reached the Champions League finals three times in a row but succumbed to defeats at the hands of Dortmund and Real Madrid.

Zidane was never known for his pace, yet he was always first on the ball. He had skills and technical potential that were just out of the ordinary. When it came to control and especially leading the team, he managed to see and analyze situations quicker than anyone else in the field. He made the difference count. You could often find him gazing at the ball with a desire to win it; you could see the eloquent respect in his eyes.

His record money move to Real Madrid may not have been as productive in terms of trophies won, but in a team where Raul played the role of a local hero-turned-captain, he was the guy who pulled the strings; he would be the example of true footballing perfection. He emerged as the marquee Galactico in the roster. And among all the superstars, he was one of the few players in Madrid’s transfer history who was actually worth that much. He was the quintessential playmaker in the team, and what he did on the pitch would leave all who witnessed in awe. He was a wizard, a magician and his sense of austerity, hard work, humility and honesty were an inspiration to all.

His half volley goal against German side Leverkusen would perhaps be remembered as one of the greatest sporting moments in modern history. It was a work of art, and only a few were lucky enough to witness a goal that would not just change a game, but define the grace and beauty Zizou walks with.

It was the 45th minute of the match when Brazilian left-back Roberto Carlos came in with a cross floating towards the 18-yard line. With almost three to four players closing in him, it seemed like perhaps Zidane had slowed everything down. It was like watching Bruce Lee in slow motion as the Frenchman produced the most exquisite left-footed volley the world had ever seen as the ball flew past Hans-Jorg Butt.

“Yes, of course, that volley was a great moment for me because I was missing that trophy. To score like that in the Champions League, if that happens to you once in your life that is good, and it happened to me that evening in the final of the Champions League.”

—Zinedine Zidane

Zidane never had a posh haircut like David Beckham, nor he was really into the idea of shooting commercials; all he had was his love for football. He might not have won as many trophies as he should have with the Los Blancos; but then again, the true mark of any great player isn’t assessed by the number of trophies he has won, but the mark he leaves on the beautiful game.

His skills weighed the same when he was wearing the national team shirt in the ’98 World Cup, which could be considered as his best-ever performance in any tournament. Amidst the media hoopla tipping France to not do so well, Zizou and Co. battled their way up to the final where they were facing Brazil. The night had started well for the Blues with Zidane scoring the first goal with a scorching header. Soon after, he added another to his tally, with Brazil losing 3-0 with another goal from Emmanuel Petit in the final minutes.

Later that year, Zidane was conferred with the European Player of the Year and World Player of the Year award as well. He would later end up being the second player to have won the prestigious World Footballer of the Year twice after he helped France win the European Championships in 2000.

His magnificence lived through his exceptional capacity to take control of the game, and manipulate it to his every whim. With an impeccable physique and athletic build, he was the heart of his team in the centre of the park. He had the graceful touches and selfless passing qualities which defined a true trequistera. He would in no way run past defenders, but simply glide through them.

Be it Real Madrid or France, Zinedine Zidane would always be remembered as the temperamental genius who showed the world a creative side to the sport of football.

Resetting the clock, we are back in the year 2006. Zinedine had already stated that he would retire after the World Cup tournament. It was the finale, and Zidane had already put France ahead in Berlin with one of the most cheekiest penalties you will ever see. Materazzi would go on to score an equalizer just after twenty minutes.

The stage was set. Les Blues were looking confident and so were their fans.

Marco Materazzi, nicknamed the Matrix, had touched the ball-bender’s nerve.

In the middle of the shirt-tugging and name-calling, Zinedine shunted his head into Marco’s chest and was thrown out of the game by Argentinean referee Horacio Marcelo Elizondo. Italy would go on to win the match 5-3 on penalties to win the Cup for the fourth time.

Zidane maintained he was goaded by Materazzi, who had made a slur about Zidane’s sister, provoking Zidane’s action.”You hear those things once and you try to walk away,” he said. “That’s what I wanted to do because I am retiring. You hear it a second time and then a third time…”

He certainly might have been a bit temperamental, but if Zizou had kept his temper, he would not be the genius that he is.

It was his swan song, and Zinedine had retired from professional football. The Last-Bender wouldn’t bend the ball anymore.

But does it end here?

The divine spiritual entity of the world suggests that the ball-bender would continuously be reborn and reincarnate in human form.

So is he here yet?

 

DISCLAIMER: Just like Nani, this Facebook wall is not supposed to be taken seriously.

The English media is well proficient with the WAG-gossip section, so why should we stay behind? This list particularly focuses on the greatest Spanish football team (don’t start a debate here!), Real Madrid, and the wives and girlfriends of our favourite players.

As part of a new series, here are the Top 10 Wags (Wives and Girlfriends) of Real Madrid CF.

#10: Mesut Ozil: Ex-girlfriend Anna Maria Lagerblom

Anna Maria Lagerblom, Mesut’s lost-love interest, had just moved into a house in Madrid with Anna Maria’s son, Montry, before the relation took a toll. Anna confirmed stating: “Yes, we broke up.” Özil himself just says: “I don’t comment on my private life.” The reason for the break up is unclear, though there are rumours suggesting that she didn’t like the lifestyle in Madrid which is why the relationship ultimately failed. Mesut, since then, has been linked with former Miss Venezuela, Aida Yespica, but those are just rumours.

#9 Alvaro Arbeloa: Carlota Ruiz

Alvaro Arbeloa married his childhood sweetheart Carlota Ruiz in 2009 and the couple is now parents to a two-year old Alba. Ruiz was part of the women’s football team at her high school and she met Arbeloa at the age of 17. From that point on, they’ve been inseparable. “I love football, I’ve watched all of Álvaro’s games since he played on the youth teams of Zaragoza, and we also watch games from other leagues, other teams from the Spanish league. Of course I would like to work, but it’s incompatible with the profession of my husband. What I don’t want is to be still, so as long as I can, I will continue learning. Right now my priority is him and my family.” — said the charming Carlota.

#8 Diego Lopez: Iria Otero Rodríguez

Diego Lopez decided to tie the knot with Iria Otero Rodríguez in a small village of Ponte Sampaio. In case you care, Iria and Diego met 7 years ago and they now have little baby girl, Zoe. Here is one photo of Iria sipping a coffee in a hot way.

#7 Sergio Ramos: Pilar Rubio

At 34 years of age, Pilar is a bit old, but hey, we are not judging. Cougars are hot. Recently, her show Todo el mundo es bueno was cancelled due to poor ratings. The brunette first came into attention with Real Madrid’s vice captain in a party where she was found dropping the K-bombs all over Ramos. Recently, Sergio Ramos and Pilar Rubio walked past the Ballon d’Or red carpet together, hand in hand.

#6 Alvaro Morata: Carla Garcia Barber

The kid scored. Scored pretty well. Both of them are young and successful individuals. Carla was Miss Las Palmas in 2009, first runner-up in Miss Spain 2010 and represented Spain in Miss World 2011.

#5 Xabi Alonso: Nagore Aranburu

The pair is as classy as it gets. The Jason Batemane look-a-like Xabi and Nagore share two children, Jontxu and Ane, and now are happy with the life in Madrid. Nagore says: “My daily beauty routine includes cleaning, hydration, and wrinkles and lines prevention. I stick to this routine, I do it every day in the morning and at night.  I try to take care of myself, although I don’t obsess over it.  I also practice yoga, because it makes me feel good…”  

#4 Ricardo Kaka: Caroline Celico

Caroline Celico was just about 15 when she met and fell in love with footballer Ricardo Kaká, who was at that moment playing for São Paulo. Kaka had to move to Milan, and thus the couple had to face a rather painful long-distance relationship. But the love never faded, and right now they are possibly the couple every one envies.

#3 Iker Casillas: Sara Carbonero

The famous woman, who became a sensation during the 2010 World Cup campaign when Spain Captain Iker Casillas kissed her during an interview, is apparently dating the Real Madrid goalkeeper now. At Madrid’s Universidad Complutense, she was often called ‘Tomb Raider’ because of her resemblance with a certain Angelina Jolie. She made her prime-time sport-covering mark as a sideline reporter at La Sexta, before she move to Telecinco, a Spanish TV Station where she functions as a deputy sports director. She has been rated as the sexiest sports reporter in the world by FHM.

#2 Cristiano Ronaldo: Irina Shayk

Portugal International Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the two best players in the world, and certainly he has one of the best looking WAGs in the world too, in Irina Shayk. Born in Yemanzhelinsk, Russia, to an ethnic Tatar father and a Russian mother, Shayk was voted “Sexiest Woman In The World” in the Hungarian magazine Periodika in 2011. Shayk was the cover model for the 2011 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. This is the fifth time she has been featured in the magazine, but the first time she has been on the cover.  In 2011, she covered magazines such as Tatler Russia, Cosmopolitan Spain, GQ Mexico, Glamour Spain, Amica Italy and appeared on the covered of Elle Spain, the special edition for Christmas. She also worked for many brands like Rampage, replacing Bar Refaeli. She currently ranks 13th in the “Top 20 Sexiest Models” list on Models.com.

#1 Sami Khedira: Lena Gercke

Lena Johanna Gercker, a German-born fashion model and television host, is been best known for dating Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira.  The German couple began dating in 2011, a short time after Khedira’s move from Bundesliga side Stuttgart to Real Madrid. FYI, she was the first winner of  Germany’s Next Top Model.