Every once in not-so-long a while, I hear or read fans describe Chelsea as ‘a plastic club supported by plastic fans, waving plastic flags’. Although I can’t necessarily disagree with the non-eco-friendly flags, I couldn’t help but question the rest of the statement. Maybe it’s slightly inspired because of the fact that I’ve been a Chelsea fan for close to a decade. Or maybe not. Anyway, below is one of the better definitions I’ve come across for a plastic fan:

 A plastic fan is that fan who will make the most noise if your team wins the league title, pledging unfailing allegiance to the team……

…but if your team loses a match or fails to win something, they will vilify the club, players, manager and even the ground.

With new financial superpowers like Manchester City, Paris Saint Germain and Anzhi cropping up, any fledgling fan’s allegiance to them is deemed to be plastic. I must admit that the reason I started supporting Chelsea all those years ago is because I saw a certain Hernan Crespo, a Frank Lampard and an Eidur Gudjohnsen stand up and match an Arsenal side who were made up mostly of the legendary Invincibles. It’s probably moments or matches like these that have created the 20-odd million Indian Manchester United fan base.

At the outset, it seems difficult to stack up us Asian fans with those owning season tickets and hollering their hearts out week after week for the entire ninety. As passionately as we do follow our football clubs, it is a little far-fetched to compare the all- knowing Indian Arsenal fan with a true gooner, who, brought up in a family of Arsenal fans, has it in his DNA to compulsively despise Spurs. That being said, there are scores of fans here back home and across Asia for whom the difference between a great and crappy day is the outcome of ninety minutes in front of the tele.

So, back to the plastic fan. Who is one? Going by popular definition, is it a supporter of cash rich clubs like Chelsea or City? Or is it one who supports an always winning team like United or Barcelona? Can we categorise fans as plastic depending on the football club they support? Surely, that wouldn’t seem right.

Perhaps a plastic fan is one who’s more interested in squabbles off the field than skills on it. Maybe it’s one who blames the referee for a loss while failing to acknowledge the more intricate details. Maybe it’s one who’s forced to follow and like the sport just due to peer pressure and in order to look cool. Maybe, just maybe, it’s one who doesn’t show enough respect when due.

When Barcelona take to the field against Celta de Vigo after the international break, all eyes would invariably be on one little magician, who’s on the brink of yet another amazing feat. Lionel Messi, with his brace against Rayo Vallecano, has now scored in 18 consecutive La Liga games, and in the process has set a new world record, overhauling Teodor Pewterek’s 1937-38 record of scoring in 16 straight games for Ruch Chorzow.

Should he find the net against Celta, he will have emulated Cristiano Ronaldo’s feat from last season, when the Madrid star scored against all nineteen other La Liga sides, but will have incredibly done so, in consecutive games. Scoring in nineteen consecutive games would also mean that he’s scored in games stretching for half a season non-stop, a ludicrous record to even think about, and one that could match his insane 91-goal tally for last season for sheer lunacy.

Let’s have a look at his exploits that started on the 11^th of November, and as millions of football fans hope, will culminate in yet another near unbreakable record.

Round 11: Mallorca (a) Won 4-2 (Messi 2 goals)
Round 12: Real Zaragoza (h) Won 3-1 (Messi 2 goals)
Round 13: Levante (a) Won 4-0 (Messi 2 goals)
Round 14: Athletic Bilbao (h) Won 5-1 (Messi 2 goals)
Round 15: Real Betis (a) Won 2-1 (Messi 2 goals)
Round 16: Atletico Madrid (h) Won 4-1 (Messi 2 goals)
Round 17: Real Valladolid (a) Won 3-1 (Messi 1 goal)
Round 18: Espanyol (h) Won 4-0 (Messi 1 goal)
Round 19: Malaga (a) Won 3-1 (Messi 1 goal)
Round 20: Real Sociedad (a) Lost 3-2 (Messi 1 goal)
Round 21: Osasuna (h) Won 5-1 (Messi 4 goals)
Round 22: Valencia (a) Drew 1-1 (Messi 1 goal)
Round 23: Getafe (h) Won 6-1 (Messi 1 goal)
Round 24: Granada (a) Won 2-1 (Messi 2 goals)
Round 25: Sevilla (h) Won 2-1 (Messi 1 goal)
Round 26: Real Madrid (a) Lost 2-1 (Messi 1 goal)
Round 27: Deportivo (h) Won 2-0 (Messi 1 goal)
Round 28: Rayo Vallecano (h) Won 3-1 (Messi 2 goals)
Round 29: Celta de Vigo (a) ??

With 9 rounds of action to go, the race for next year’s Champions League qualification is warming up, and with the top two spots all but taken, there is a real fight for spots 3 and 4. Let’s have a look at the contenders, their chances and a few of their potential banana skins:

Rounds Played: 30, Points: 54, Position: 4

With one of the hottest assets in world football called Gareth Bale in their ranks, the mood in the Spurs’ camp was nothing less than buoyant. That was until last week. A disastrous seven days, when they were defeated by Liverpool, Inter Milan and Fulham, sees Spurs in fourth place, four points clear of Arsenal and one behind Chelsea, although having played a game more. Noting that they kind of slipped up last year, and with a tough round of fixtures to go, one really can’t help but raise questions about the certainty of AVB’s men finishing in the top 4.

Potential make or break clashes:

Round 32: Everton (H)

Round 33: Chelsea (A)

Round 34: Manchester City (H)

Rounds Played: 29, Points: 55, Position: 3

Let’s face it; it’s been a sad, sad year for the blues. Post their Champions League win and big money signings, things haven’t gone right for them either in the league or in any of the cups. The fight for fourth place seems like a real face saving target for Chelsea, and I definitely wouldn’t expect them to slip up, although they might have a few very tricky fixtures up ahead, besides the distraction of the Europa League.

Potential make or break clashes:

Round 33: Spurs (H)

Round 34: Liverpool (A)

Round 36: Manchester United (A)

Round 38: Everton (A)

Rounds Played: 29, Points: 50, Position: 5

If Chelsea’s season has been sad, Arsenal’s campaign has just been plain deflating. Although not far off the pace in the race for the top 4, inconsistency has plagued the Gunners, and defeats against really weak opponents in the cups has all but confirmed an eighth trophy-less campaign. However, things looks reasonably bright as they have arguably the easiest round of fixtures left, and the fact that they have been eliminated from Europe altogether, might well prove to be a boon for Wenger’s men.

Potential make or break clashes:

Round 29: Everton (H)

Round 34: Manchester United (H)

Things are delicately poised with Spurs and Chelsea having a few extra points, and Arsenal looking ahead at a few easy fixtures. It remains to be seen as to which one of these London giants will have to be content with Europa League football. My picks would probably have to be Spurs and Chelsea, with Arsenal just falling short and Everton and Liverpool rounding off the top 7.

Daniel Agger: Tattooist and Hotelier

The heavily tattooed Liverpool center back might have done his own ink job if it were physically possible. What you may find a shock is that the Dane owns two restaurants- Italian and Mexican – in Merseyside. What a businessman!

Ryan Giggs: Yoga

The Manchester United star has become renowned over the past few seasons for being an advocate of yoga as it apparently keeps him fit. Being the explosive player he is, Giggs has been victim of the odd muscle pull over the years and now has the answer.

Theo Walcott: Children’s books

The Arsenal star has penned a deal to become a children’s story writer, of sorts. Working with a secret author, Walcott revealed he has already drafted two tales, both about the adventures of a ‘fictional’ hero schoolboy called TJ. How cute!

Paul Scharner: Parachuting, Bungee Jumping, Water Skiing

Unsatisfied with the pedestrian thrills of football, West Brom defender Paul Scharner garners his excitement elsewhere in the form of bungee jumping, parachuting, skiing, water skiing and skydiving.

The Austrian center back participates in such extreme activities in an effort to challenge himself and help bolster his mentality on the pitch. He also by the way, has a degree in Electrical Engineering.

 Manuel Almunia: World War II aficionado

Former Arsenal goalie Almunia got hooked on WWII sites after watching the epic film, Saving Private Ryan. He says: “I read history books, watch documentaries and I like to visit museums when I can.”

Andrei Arshavin: Female Fashion Designer

The Russian playmaker has a penchant for ladies’ fashion, and he’s not afraid to admit it. The Arsenal star admits he took up fashion at university because “there were lots of girls among the students” – genius! He added: “I’m different. But I’m not trying to be eccentric. I always do what my inner voice tells me.”

Cristiano Ronaldo: Bingo 

Bingo!

Cristiano Ronaldo apparently is a closeted bingo nerd.

Yes, you read that sentence right. The Real Madrid striker picked up that interesting hobby whilst playing for Manchester United back in 2008.

Once thought as a game solely for senile retirees and young children, Ronaldo has made the game of random numbers and squares cool again for a new generation.

 David James: Computer games

A standout keeper in his day, at one time he blamed a stretch of poor performances on his excessive computer game play. James’ addiction went so far as to sideline him from a game due to a repeated stress injury.

5. Milan vs Inter: 

Derby della Madonnina, or the Milan Derby, is a hotly contested local derby and is one of the most followed derbies in the football world, so much so that only select referees may officiate whenever these teams meet. It is the only derby in Europe played by two teams which have been champions of Europe and the world. In addition to the fact that they share a city (and since 1947, a stadium), there is also the baggage of AC Milan representing the working class, and Inter having more support from the bourgeoisie (the wealthier strata).

Overall Stats: AC Milan – 111 wins, Draws – 77, Inter Milan – 105 wins

4. Galatasaray vs Fenerbahce: 

Sparks are bound to fly when football clubs are added to a city separated by a mass of water. Istanbul’s dominant sides were founded two years apart, and a social rift soon added spice to the rift already created by geography.

Hooliganism is a very common phenomenon between their fans in recent years, featuring anything from breaking seats, cursing, fighting, fireworks and street rioting. The hatred is so intense that many violent incidents have taken place in several regions of Istanbul as well as in rest of Turkey, especially before or after a derby.

Galatasaray’s home stadium is nicknamed “Hell” by their supporters because of its intimidating atmosphere and the enthusiastic support of the fans, who often make mass use of torches, smoke, drums, flags and giant posters to create visual grandeur and apply psychological pressure on visiting teams.

3. Real Madrid vs Barcelona: 

El Clasico, the rivalry between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, in Spain, is generally considered to be the most popular in football. From the start, the clubs were seen as representatives of two rival regions in Spain, Catalonia and Castille respectively, as well as the two cities themselves. Other than the UEFA Champions League Final, it is the most followed club football match in the world, watched by hundreds of millions of people.

The Clasico clearly began as a political divide, and politics still play a big part in the Madrid-Barcelona rivalry. But the football division really got going in the 1950′s, with Alfredo Dí Stefano’s ultimate snubbing of Barca in favor of Madrid.

Overall Stats: Real Madrid – 92 wins, Draws – 57, Barcelona – 105 wins

2. Celtic vs Rangers:

The religious undercurrent to the Old Firm derby makes it unlike any other fixture in the world. Away from the obvious antipathy that exists between two dominant clubs in the same city (Glasgow), there is a long and passionate rivalry that goes beyond the confines of the stadium, dating back to 1888. Celtic are the Catholic club with routes entrenched in Ireland, while the Protestant faction of the city are linked strongly with Rangers.

Opposing fans fought an on-pitch battle in the aftermath of Celtic’s 1–0 victory in the 1980 Scottish Cup Final at Hampden. This remains one of the worst invasions onto a football pitch ever reported, and was instrumental in alcohol being banned from football grounds in Scotland.

Overall Stats: Celtic – 144 wins, Draws – 96, Rangers – 159 wins

1. Boca Juniors vs River Plate:

The Superclásico is known worldwide as one of the fiercest and most important derbies. The English newspaper, The Observer, put the Superclásico at the top of their list of “50 sporting things you must do before you die”, saying that “Derby day in Buenos Aires makes the Old Firm game look like a primary school kick-about.”

Buenos Aires has the largest concentration of football clubs in the world. However, the two most famous ones in the city, Boca and River, are only 7km away from each other, and it’s estimated that 73 percent of the Argentine population are either a River Plate or Boca Junior fan. While the two clubs share the same city, they could not be more opposite.

To many fans and players in Argentina, it’s not just another derby. It’s a symbolic battle between the rich and poor. The hierarchy and the lower class. Games between River, who are traditionally supported by the city’s wealthy, and Boca, the club of the working class, create a fever-pitched atmosphere throughout Argentina in the build-up to the game.

Overall Stats: Boca -126 wins, Draws-107, River- 109 wins

Special Mention:

Although the Krakow derby (between Wisla Krakow and MKS Cracovia), may not be one of the most high-profile derbies in football, clashes between these two Polish giants in the rather dramatically entitled “Holy War” are always an intense and brutal occasion.

Tragically, “The Holy War” has claimed a number of lives of the years. In a city defined by such a strong rivalry, simply saying or wearing the wrong thing in the wrong part of town can lead to deadly consequences. Between 2004 and 2006, eight fans lost their lives as a direct result of football violence in what has become known amongst football firms as “The City of Knives”.

And let’s not forget the greatest rivalry in India; the one between crosstown rivals East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, which is played  in one of the largest stadiums in the world — the Salt Lake Stadium — and brings the football crazy city of Kolkata to a standstill.

However, over the last few years the rivalry between the clubs has mellowed down as they are both backed by the Vijay Mallya owned, UB Group. But the rivalry among fans remains the same, and only recently, Bagan were banned (later revoked) and fined for abandoning the game after their midfielder, Syed Rahim Nabi, was attacked by the crowd.

You can find part 1 of the article here.

Disclaimer: This article is based on the views of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Sportskeeda.

Rivalries in football are nothing new, some have been going on for ages, and some are just for bragging rights. Cultural, as well as regional, differences contribute to the fierceness of these clashes and performances of players in such matches decide whether they will be eternally loved or hated.

The following are rivalries that are intense, fierce and border on the insanity, with fans churning up a riot of colour, noise and energy. It is therefore unassumingly advisable that if you’re a crazy football fan and if you’ve got loads of cash to spare, that you visit either of these mega-events in your lifetime.

10. Borussia Dortmund vs Schalke 04:

They may not be as intense as the local derbies in South America, or as glamorous as the El Clasico in Spain, but Germany’s grudge matches are also steeped in tradition and intensity. The rivalry between the clubs is rooted in the similarity of their fan bases.  Both clubs are supported mainly by fans of a working-class background within close geographical proximity.

Overall Stats: Dortmund – 47 wins, Draws – 33, Schalke – 56 wins

9. Sporting Lisbon vs Benfica:

The Derby de Lisboa is the most important football derby match in Portugal. Sporting fans used to represent the wealthier society from Lisbon, while Benfica fans represented the working class. The rivalry originated back in 1907 when eight Benfica players switched to the Sporting side in search of better working conditions.

8. Roma vs Lazio:

The Derby della Capitale is considered to be the fiercest inter-city derby in the country. The derby has been historically marked by massive crowds, excitement, violence and, more recently, racist banners in the crowd. Both teams hate the arrogance from the Northern teams (Milan, Turin) but they hate each other more. The political differences between the fans is another one of the reasons of this rivalry.

Overall Stats: Roma – 63 wins, Draws – 60, Lazio – 47 wins

7. Club Nacional de football vs Atletico Penarol:

One of football’s classic derbies, since the late 19th century, the Uruguayan Clásico is the confrontation between the two greatest teams of Montevideo: Nacional and Peñarol. The 0-0 draw of 14 April, 1990, deserves a mention, and was not for lacking a good fight, with 22 red cards: 11 each side, (Nacional-9 field players and 2 bench players). The match ended at 85′ for the rule of less than 7 players.

6. Liverpool vs Manchester United:

Considered to be one of the biggest rivalry matches in England, the rivalry has extended to the players as well: United striker Wayne Rooney, a product of Liverpool’s city rivals Everton, described how he grew up hating the Reds, while Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard took a film crew on tour of his home where he showed off a collection of football shirts he had swapped with opposing players; he pointed out that there were no Manchester United shirts in there and that he would never have one of them in his house. The Evra- Suarez incident can be considered just a tip of the iceberg.

Overall Stats: Manchester United – 74 wins, Draws – 51, Liverpool – 62 wins

Stay tuned for the next article describing the top 5 soccer rivalries you must  watch before you die!

Disclaimer: This article is based on the views of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Sportskeeda.

No. 11 – Paolo Maldini

Yes, football often gets downright cruel – there are times one can’t help but curse luck. After a career filled with innumerable close finishes, Michael Ballack, quite ironically the number 13, would perhaps be foremost on the unlucky list. But there are times when the sport’s cruelty transcends acceptable borders. Andreas Escobar’s tragic murder after scoring an own goal is one that the whole world mourned together. But another such moment, although not very well-documented, came when Paolo Cesar Maldini, after calling it curtains at the ripe footballing age of 40 on an absolutely glittering career that spanned nearly a quarter of a century in the famous red and black of Milan, was inexplicably jeered by a section of the Curva Sud.

“Thank you, Skipper. On the pitch you were an infinite champion, but you failed to show respect towards those who made you rich,” was the message; the chants going around the stadium were, “There is only one captain”, referring to Franco Baresi, another legend in his own right. What does Maldini do? He just smiles, and does a lap of honour around the stadium he gallantly fought in through the ages. Professionality of the highest order, nay?

Paolo’s first appearance came in the 1984-85 season as a fragile 16-year-old. This was the start of a journey that would that would help Milan claim seven league titles and five Champions League medals. The domination began with the Arrigo Sacchi era, where Maldini, along with Baresi, Costacurta and Tassotti, formed a backline that was just to die for, and is still considered the best back four ever. Sacchi’s Milan would win two Europeans cups, and Capello’s Milan, also constituting the same defence, would humiliate Cruyff’s Barcelona in the final in 1994. As part of a team that would be consistent challengers for domestic honours from then on, Maldini would add to his Champions League medals in 2003, and vengefully, in 2007, against Liverpool.

Maldini, to put it clichédly, made defending look easy. Effortless, to be more precise. Since he relied on nothing extravagant other than a few customary slide tackles, one failed to notice his brilliance in reading the game and his positional sense when defending. These are qualities that come with age and experience. Maldini was a master at recognizing his growing weaknesses and, when he ultimately slowed down in his later 30’s, he moved from a lung-bursting left back’s role to become a more tactical centre back. Something that a certain Ryan Giggs is currently doing, albeit slightly up the pitch.

On the international front, there was considerable heartbreak for Maldini, as Italy were a penalty kick short of the World Cup in 1994, and were a few minutes away from winning the Euros in 2000. Maldini’s last major tournament was the 2002 World Cup in Asia, where a controversial loss to hosts Korea signaled the end. He knew he wouldn’t play for the national team again, and the picture of Maldini pulling out his headband while nearly in tears is still, for me, a vivid memory. His relative lack of international success is probably the reason why no major individual honour has ever come his way, except for finishing as the second best player in the world in 1995, after George Weah.

The Desailly’s, the Cafu’s , and the Nesta’s have all come and gone, but the number 3 Rossoneri jersey always had a familiar tone to it, and has currently been retired in Maldini’s honour, and will remain so, until one of his two kids, Daniel or Christian, make the Milan first team.

Almost a personification of the word ‘professionalism’, Maldini had the looks, but was never crazy about fame or being a poster-boy. He had emotions, but even on the largest of stages, was as cool as an ice-pack. An ageless enigma, Maldini will always be remembered as one of those gladiators you can tell your grandchildren about. ‘Legend’, although a slightly abused word, fails to adequately describe him.

Sir Alex Fergusson, another synonym to longevity, had this to say upon Maldini’s farewell – “When I think of the current generation, Lionel Messi is top-level. And, although he has never taken my breath away, Kaka has impressed, Zinedine Zidane was brilliant but without a doubt, Paolo Maldini has been my favourite. He has a wonderful presence, competitive spirit, athleticism, and although not the world’s greatest technically, he has influenced all the Milan teams during his wonderfully successful era.” Enough said.

And now, here’s a video compilation of some of Maldini’s greatest moments:

Here are the other players who have made it so far:

No. 20 – David Beckham; No. 19 – Oliver Kahn; No. 18 – Jurgen Klinsmann; No. 17 – Luis Figo; No. 16 – Romario; No. 15 – Marco van Basten; No. 14 – Eusebio; No. 13 – Lionel Messi; No. 12 – Zico

Read the detailed write-ups on all the players in this list here:

The greatest footballers of all time

No. 17 – Andre Agassi

The year is 1999. The man is down 2 sets to love. And he’s been totally outplayed in both of them, losing 1-6, 2-6. He’s staring down the barrel in the third set, serving at break point. To top it all off, he is facing a 6’4” giant, in the final of the French Open. The things that must be going on inside his head – embarrassment, humiliation, respectability in defeat perhaps.

Fast-forward a couple of hours. There stands Andre Agassi, serving at match point in the fifth set against Andriy Medvedev. A point later, history is made, as Agassi becomes only the fifth male tennis player and second in the Open Era to lift all four Slams. And the biggest factor that helped him win (other than the rain delay) might well have been the immense reserves of mental toughness under that thinning hair.

The Agassi story began way back in the late 80’s, when the teenager strode out in his famous pigeon-toed style, and made a string of semi-final and final appearances. Being supremely talented, and also having been put to the sword by his dad from a very young age, a good technique as well as supreme mental toughness had been injected into his blood. But it wasn’t until 1992 that he would win a Slam. The 1992 Wimbledon, where Agassi beat Goran Ivanisevic (another legend in his own right), would come to be among the first few times a baseliner had triumphed at the Championships.

His professional ride was a topsy-turvy one to say the least. Winning the ’94 US Open made him the first unseeded player to conquer Flushing Meadows. 1995 proved to be a consistent year, with the Aussie Open title and the #1 ranking in his bag by the end of the season. After another lull, he won at Paris, and then resumed his romance with Melbourne, winning it four times in all. At the end of it all, he stood at eight Slams, and became the first player ever to complete a Career Golden Slam (winner of all four Majors and an Olympic gold medal). Rafael Nadal is the only other player to match this feat.

When it came to tennis ability, Agassi’s was perhaps born as much out of long practice hours as out of sheer skill or talent. If there was one thing Agassi was head and shoulders above the rest at, it was his ability to return serve. Agassi was one of the first players to show to the world that the return of serve can be as big a weapon as the first serve. With a good return of serve you can stun your opponent and control the point. But the return, unlike the serve, is generally not practiced enough, and the hours Agassi put in to master the basic rule of hitting the return deep against baseliners and short against serve-and-volleyers went a long way towards him being recognised worldwide as the best returner in the business.

Although his return would have helped immensely when facing the likes of Ivanisevic or a Phillippoussis, Agassi also put the pace he could generate with that crisp forehand and two-handed backhand to good use. Agassi was also known to be extremely mentally tough, and with coach Brad Gilbert on his side no situation was ever irretrievable for him until the last shot had been played.

The one statistic of his career Agassi might want to change could well be his rivalry against Pete Sampras. It was always a Sampras-Agassi match, not vice versa. Although Andre had his set of staunch supporters, Pete was the average tennis fans’ favourite; Agassi was always considered an obstacle along Pete’s path towards perfection. Almost like Federer v Nadal, one might say. And just like Federer-Nadal, the Sampras-Agassi rivalry too conjured up some amazing matches between a man whose prime strength was his pin-point serve against another who was a lethal returner. Their epic match in the 2001 US Open quarters saw them cancel each other’s strengths out, with not a single break of serve for either player during the entire match. Sampras won that game in 4 sets, and also led Agassi in the overall rivalry 20-14.

No description of Agassi can be complete without a mention of his autobiography, ‘Open’. If you’ve read it, that’s great. If you haven’t, please please get a copy right away. Open is, for me, the most honest description ever of a man’s life. Agassi writes about a multitude of things – some extremely personal, some even humiliating, ranging from his glory days as a mullet-sporting teenager to his dangerous dance with crystal meth, which, had it been exposed during his playing days, would have ended his career.

The most intriguing fact about the book is Agassi’s natural aversion to tennis (something he shared with wife Steffi Graf). Yes, tennis got him money, fame and an everlasting legacy, but on more occasions than one, he’d gladly have thrown his racquet away in exchange for a normal life. Although he was smiling happily and posing in front of the cameras, what went on inside his head was a whole other story. Agassi’s book is actually an accurate description of how most people in general feel about their professions. It’s something that we can all connect to; maybe we’re all programmed to hate what we do for a living? That might be a discussion too philosophical for a tennis-following populace, but it’s something that Agassi compels you to believe through his autobiography.

Besides being a great champion, Agassi was also a thorough entertainer. Whether it was the famous kiss-and-bow celebration at the end of a match, the rebellious denim shorts he wore on court in his younger days, or his rollercoaster affairs with the likes of Barbra Streisand and Brooke Shields, Agassi was the quintessential showman. But he scored mightily over the other entertainers in the sport by backing up his shenanigans with a brilliant all-round game, giving players of all kinds more than a run for their money on the court. And yes, he did it for 20 long years. From where I’m looking, a strong case can be made for Agassi being the ultimate combination of style and substance.

And now for a video reminder of Agassi’s greatness. Here’s a clip that showcases his two biggest strengths – his return of serve and his passing shots.

Here are the other players who have made it so far:

No. 20 – Venus Williams

No. 19 – Justine Henin

No. 18 – Ken Rosewall

Read the detailed write-ups on all the players in this list here:

The greatest tennis players of all time

Fast-forward a couple of hours. There stands Andre Agassi, serving at match point in the fifth set against Andriy Medvedev. A point later, history is made when Agassi became only the fifth male tennis player to lift all four slam trophies. The major difference other than a rain delay might well be the immense reserves of mental toughness under those thinning hair.

In every sport, after a certain level, the battles tend to transcend physical barriers and revolve around that of the mind. There’s a quote that goes, “Once you’re physically capable of winning a gold medal, the rest is 90 percent mental.” And it makes perfect sense.

Let’s leave out of the equation a few extraordinarily (and extra terrestrially) skilled players like Lionel Messi, and consider the rest of the pack that have a more or less the similar skill set. Everyone’s got a good technique. Everyone’s got a left foot and a right foot and can head the ball. What sets them apart from the rest in a 90 minute duel would be their mental toughness, character and the confidence to believe that they can win.

Reggie Crist, a skier sums it up perfectly “It’s amazing how much of this is mental. Everybody’s in good shape. Everybody knows how to ski. Everybody has good equipment. When it really boils down to it, it’s who wants it the most and who’s the most confident.”

Ronaldo: One of his main attributes is confidence

Confidence is an extremely important term for any individual. Cristiano Ronaldo in the world of soccer can at once be identified with the word confidence, or perhaps even bordering arrogance. Although his overly extroverted behavior on the field has bought him a lot of flak, it’s also something that’s responsible for him banging in another 40 plus goals this year.

Over to Fernando Torres now. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Unstoppable one season, appalling the next. From being the league’s most potent striker, people now see him as a benchmark for trolling. The pace, control, strength and dribbling ability, are all still there. The only factor missing would have to be that ten lettered word. Without it, and carrying the burden of a million taunts, Fernando Torres now seems reluctant to even shoot. Presently at least, it looks like people have moved on and even a few Liverpool fans are willing to spare the rod since they want to see the old Torres back and replace the current shadow that wears the Chelsea No.9.

Navratilova: The epitome of consistency and longevity

Sport is cruel, make no mistake about it. In fact it’s littered with cases of the ‘almost’. There are those (be it individuals or teams) who’ve done it once or on the odd occasion. And then there are those who do it as a way of life. For instance, not a lot of us can rewind and remember that a certain Gaston Gaudio once won the French Open, being two sets down to Guillermo Coria in 2004. All because of the fact that he has gradually faded into oblivion ever since. However, someone like a David Nalbandian, who hasn’t won a slam yet, will be more remembered because of his consistency at the top. That’s the word in getting to. Consistency. It doesn’t matter how skilled you are. Over a period of time, people will forget you. It’s upto you to make sure you stay around long enough to leave your mark. Of course, there’s always a huge ingredient called luck that you need on your side, to become either a Paolo Maldini or a Martina Navratilova.

Tendulkar and Kambli : The worshipped and the forgotten

If there was one other attribute that is imperative along the long journey to success,  that would have to be discipline. Prime example here could be the likes of Joey Barton. Closer home, we have the example of the talented, yet hot headed Vinod Kambli who threw away his career due to multiple controversies, while fellow childhood prodigy (we all know who), went on to attain the status of a demi god in our cricket crazy nation. And yes, things do not look good for Mario Balotelli.

At the end of it all one has to agree that it’s a world sick with competition and to be right up there with the best, skill alone will not do, and only a mixture of all the blah blah stated above will!

You might also like to read:

http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/03/29/sport-irradiates-the-beauty-of-players/

http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/04/13/why-is-team-india-not-the-best-yet/

Every great footballer has to have a certain number of ‘that moment’s’ which stand out in his career. True, he might not have scored a majestic volley in a cup final like Zizou did, or inspired his team to victory like Stevie Gerrard did at Istanbul, but Drogba have his own collection that he has built up over the years. ‘That’ goal against United in the FA Cup final, ‘that’ brilliant swivel and volley against Liverpool  at the bridge in a league game, ‘that’ brilliant dipping volley against Everton and ‘that’ equally brilliant turn and shot against Barcelona along with ‘those’ wondrous free-kicks against many a premier league sides are testimony to his quality and impact.

A combination of power, pace and skill.

Perhaps the most noticeable transition in Didier Drogba over the years has been his attitude. Having arrived as a brash and fiery 25-year old, Drogba now looks more mature and responsible. The player infamous for his spontaneous dives is long gone, and is now replaced by a player who would always apologise for a mistimed tackle and inspire those around him to play the game in it’s highest spirit. Having grown in terms of his persona, he now commands the respect of not only his fellow professional colleagues, but also from all sets of fans as he’s become a true ambassador of the game.

All in all, Didier has been a thorough entertainer. From his famous knee sliding goal celebrations to his attempts at rapping, he’s never shied away from trying the outrageous. So what next for the Drog? Has he had a satisfactory Chelsea career? Most definitely. Is there a way of laying the icing over the cake? Sure, and the answer to this, would be winning the Champions league.

The Drog in his typical celebratory style.

Having reached the twilight of his Chelsea career, and having seen Torres put in a few consistent performances; Drogba’s role would most likely be restricted to that of a second choice striker. But with important games coming up for Chelsea in their bid to finish fourth, and with Di Matteo’s rotation policy, we might just see Didier lighting up Munich with one of his trademark finishes past Iker Casillas. Yes this is coming from an optimistic Chelsea and a closeted Madrid fan. Surely, it would take more than that to become an all-time club legend (something like a Maldini or a Xavi), but Didier Drogba has made sure that, it would take a really special player to live up to its predecessor’s worth.

Every sport basically, can be cascaded down to the same components. They all portray an elementary rule which goes: all you need to do in any sport is better your opponent on a given day. That’s how simply it can be put. Now, would this also mean every sport can be assumed as more or less the same physically and mentally? Would a Viswanathan Anand or a Hector Soto (one of the best volleyball players) put in as much effort as a Cristiano Ronaldo to get to the top of the world? Is it even right to compare different sports?

One thing’s certain: things basically boil down to the level of competition in each sport. While Cristiano Ronaldo would have to do better than a few tens of millions of people on this earth, the same cannot be said of an Anand or a Manny Pacquiao. Add to the competition, the ever present gaze of countless watchful, critical and cynical eyes, and if you were to triumph under such conditions, you deserve all the attention you get.

Ronaldo getting the stick

Let us now, spare a moment and consider a thought for a more humble sport, like Kabaddi for instance, where the level of competition is restricted to a world-wide representation of about ten countries. The reason for such abysmal numbers is difficult to zero down to. It’s not a sport that has just been discovered, being in fact introduced way back during the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Following this, the AKFI(All India Kabaddi Federation) came into existence. However, more than 70 years down the line, all we witness is a mismanaged board, a dying sport and some very unfortunate players. For those who haven’t seen pictures of the Indian women’s kabaddi team post their achievement of winning the World cup, they had to carry their winner’s cheques and stop autorickshaws to find their way home.

It’s difficult to investigate and pin point the exact problem here. Firstly, there’s nothing the players can do about it except hope that more pictures like this go viral and some sympathy is garnered from a few quarters. Typical front-runners in the firing line would be the authorities. You can’t blame them much either, for they’ve been blessed with an organisation nowhere close to well established and money minting bodies like the BCCI. The same goes with the International Kabaddi Federation (Yes it does exist). A look at their alarmingly amateurish website will vanquish any hope you have for the sport. So, the biggest problem for sports like Kabaddi is the fact that they just have not been generating enough revenue. All this points to the unassuming idea that this is a sport that either just isn’t famous enough or good enough to have sufficient followers.

And we’re back having completed a full circle. Are we, as people to blame for not taking interest in a sport? Or is it the fault of the sport for not being easy enough on the eye? More importantly, what can be done to change the state of such sports? And what of those poor players, who wear national colours and walk about like ghosts on the street, hoping to seek even the least possible attention? Is there a solution to all this? Can it be, in some way changed? You hope it can, but you know that the answer is a resounding NO. In all probability, you feel like someone’s going to have to pull down the shutters on kabaddi. Currently an unsure career option, a sport will have takers only if a lot of money is involved. You see where I’m going with this. It’s pretty much a case of the rich getting richer and the poor poorer. Sad but true.

Speaking of sad, there is then the eternal discussion about Indian sports, and whether or not cricket can even be toppled over. Popularity wise, its only contender seems to be football, which draws more and more fans from the urban cities. However true this might be, it is still going to take ages for India, as a nation, to match up to the level of European teams. There’s no doubt qualifying for the AFC Asian cup at Doha 2011 was a big step, but what after that? The national team is still in tatters after the resignation of Bob Houghton. Fund generation is still a massive problem. The only way out is to wait and hope. Or the other way, for all you Fight Club fans (the best movie ever!!), would be to organise and launch a ‘Project Mayhem’ and bring things back to square one. Meanwhile, all we can do is admire Cristiano’s back-heels and Roger’s one handed backhands.

In every sport there are, and always have been rivalries. These rivalries, however, become a wee bit legendary when it comes to sports like soccer and tennis. Although being completely different in the sense that one is a team game and the other is not, there is an intriguing similarity between masters who are at the zenith of these particular sports.

The human mind, given any two quantities, is one that always strives to compare, draw similarities and arrive at conclusions. This is pretty much the reason I couldn’t stop myself from comparing sports’ current and most well documented rivalries. The first concerning a certain Roger Federer and a Rafael Nadal. And the second between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

It would be less than amateurish to state obvious facts and gasp in awe at the humongous number of records these four individuals share among them. As the cliché goes, records speak for themselves. There lies a deeper, much less apparent congruence here, which deals more with the persona of these famous protagonists.

Both the rivalries in a certain sense portray a battle between two very different warriors. On the one hand you’ve got the calm and graceful artwork of Federer, which in a lot of ways, is comparable to the magical runs Messi time and again conjures up. There is an aura of effortlessness with which a one handed Federer backhand seems to just catch the line from an improbable angle, much the same way as Messi leaves six defenders in the wake, without apparently doing anything moderately extravagant except gliding through the air. At times, they look like they have a gift from up above and nothing can stand in their way. Inhuman, alien and extra-terrestrial: such are the words that befit them. To top it all off, they also happen to be the most likeable and nicest gentlemen on and off the field, preferring to lay low and live whatever privacy are given with a great sense of dignity.

Let’s move on to the other pair now, two individuals, although being highly talented, somehow they give you the impression that they’ve had to work much harder. Two men, seemingly without any special gifts from above, although filled excessively with fighting spirit and determination. They appear mortal, more human, being more prone to errors, inconsistency and definitely sport louder attitudes. An analysis comparing Cristiano Ronaldo and Rafael Nadal reveals that they share a similar somewhat cocky nature, a bull like aggression, apart from a well chiselled and jealousy inducing physique.

Perhaps favourable personalities are the main reason it’s easy to start respecting and backing a Federer, a Messi or a Tendulkar rather than acknowledging Nadal’s brute power or Cristiano’s bullet freekicks and eccentric temperament. The same goes with criticism too. A blip from Roger or Lionel would mean nothing more than an off day and that the Gods were taking a break, but when Cristiano would miss a sitter and squat on the surface in disbelief, over confidence would be the most popular hashtag on twitter.

Now the purpose of this exercise, if summed up rashly and insensitively in a couple of words, would point to the age old hero v/s villain rivalry. And this is something really unfair. For, Nadal and Ronaldo should be heralded as heroes themselves, standing up to the best and sometimes even bettering them. Nadal is widely regarded as Federer’s nemesis, and although the same cannot be said of Cristiano, he deserves his fair share of the spoils for beating Messi to the Pichichi and in the process, scoring an astounding 40 goals last season.

All said and done, at the end of the day, although comparisons are good and a part of human nature, one shouldn’t dwell excessively on the findings here. One must understand the fact that all four of these modern day marvels are well and truly head, shoulders and torso above the rest of the pack. Yup, that was the case until a couple of years ago. A joker then came along and altered a few things.

For the Dutch National football team, there is the FIFA World Cup. For Pete Sampras, there was the French Open. Drawing a similar analogy, for Chelsea football club, it has to be the UEFA Champions league.

Chelsea, over the past decade, have been really close on a number of occasions to claim Europe’s top footballing honour. But on most attempts, they’ve fallen agonisingly short, mainly due to the absence of a lady called luck.

Let’s start off by looking at Chelsea’s solid at first, but gradually stuttering campaigns over the years:

Season 2003-2004 (The Ibarra handball ):

This was the first real crack Chelsea had at the Champions league under Roman Abramovich. And it probably was the best chance they had. In a final four line up including Porto, Deportivo La Coruna and AS Monaco, Chelsea were clear favourites.

However, in the semi-final first leg against Monaco, they went down 3-1 away, courtesy two late Monaco goals. Although, they made up the deficit in the return leg, leading 2-0 in 45 minutes, an unpenalised, illegal goal scored off Hugo Ibarra’s hand, made it 2-1. Chelsea pressed for an equaliser, but were hit on the counter by Monaco’s Fernando Morientes, who put the tie beyond Chelsea’s reach.

Monaco however lost the final 3-0.

Season 2004-2005 (The ghost goal ):

It had arguably been Chelsea’s best ever season in terms of Premier League records set. Upon the arrival of Jose “the special one” Mourinho, Chelsea started playing conservative, yet effective football, as they won both the Premier league and the Carling Cup.

In the Champions league semi-finals, they were expected to sweep Liverpool away. Liverpool however, were on the path of scripting their own improbable stories. They held on for a 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge.

In the return leg, an early ‘goal’ from Luis Garcia, that didn’t seem to cross the line, gave Liverpool the victory. Replays are still inconclusive, and this incident was one that convinced FIFA to start looking at goal line technology more seriously.

The goal, according to Mourinho, was “a ghost goal” and “a goal that came from the moon”.

Luis Garcia's ghost goal

Season 2006-2007 (The shootout):

Chelsea were in their third semi-final in four years. And they were up against a strong Liverpool side who had history on their side. Chelsea were also stronger on paper compared to previous years, with a few high profile signings, including arrivals of Michael Ballack and Andriy Shevchenko.

Chelsea beat Liverpool 1-0 in the first leg, courtesy a Joe Cole strike, but Liverpool won their home leg 1-0 and the game went to penalties. Chelsea were really poor in the shootout, losing 4-1.

Season 2007-2008 (The slip):

Definitely the most painful occasion to revisit as a Chelsea fan, the blues this time had reached the finals of the Champions league, by overcoming their nemesis, Liverpool, in the semis.

It was an All-English affair with Manchester United being the opponents. After a topsy-turvy encounter, where both teams had enough chances and more to finish each other off, a shootout was to decide the winner, after the score read 1-1 at full time.

Chelsea’s inspirational skipper John Terry had the opportunity to win the match with the last spot-kick before sudden death. With the weight of the world on his shoulders, he took a modest run-up and sent United’s keeper the wrong way. I thought Chelsea had won. I think the whole world was fooled into believing it for about a millisecond. The next instant, Terry was on the pitch, in tears, after the ball had agonisingly hit the post, following a slip and a skewed shot. And just like that, the chance had vapourised. United later went on to win the shootout in sudden death.

Surely not Terry, not our JT, every Chelsea fan cried; they knew he would take a miss like this harder and more personally than anyone else. Yes, Anelka went on to blow the decisive one but the skipper had spurned the one which should have brought the cup to London.

Naturally, not a soul would blame a man who, as Avram Grant said afterwards “is the main reason we are here”, a soldier who has battled through six injuries this season, from a smashed cheekbone to a broken foot, to pilot Chelsea to Moscow.

Still, that wasn’t the point; Terry was going to scold himself anyway. For ever and ever. Frank Lampard, whose mum’s recent death had put sport into a new perspective for him, tried to remind JT out there that “there are more important things than football” but knew that his mate was deaf to consolation.

John Terry slips as he shoots from the spot

Season 2008-2009 (The controversial referee):

Chelsea had secured their usual place as one of the last four teams in the Champions league. They faced an extremely strong and favoured Barcelona side but held on for a 0-0 draw in the first leg. In the second leg at Stamford Bridge, a Michael Essien screamer put Chelsea in control. The blues then went in search of a second goal that would give them a great cushion, and pave their way into the final.

It was then that the referee Tom Henning Øvrebø, inexplicably, turned down at least four penalty appeals by the Chelsea team, including a shirt pull on Didier Drogba by Éric Abidal, handballs by Piqué and Eto’o, and grab on Malouda by Alves in the penalty area.

Chelsea could have still made it through, had it not been for a special Andres Iniesta goal deep into stoppage time, which left the blues feeling cheated, robbed and once again dejected.

Emotions poured out after the game, with several Chelsea players confronting Øvrebø on the field including substituted Didier Drogba, who was recorded shouting “It’s a f**king disgrace!” into live television cameras.

Drogba having a go at the referee post the UCL semifinals in 2009

All said and done being a Chelsea fan for a good nine years, it’s really hard to see them come so close each time and crash out. Sometimes I wonder if it’s a good thing, since a victory tastes sweetest after a number of painful losses. Every season begins with hope, as did the current season, with the appointment of the youthful and energetic Andre Villas Boas at the helm. But all that looks far from possible, as Chelsea currently trail Napoli by a 3-1 margin going into the second leg. And with the ouster of AVB currently making headlines at the bridge, it looks like the wait for Chelsea’s golden generation of the Terry’s, the Lampard’s and the Drogba’s to get their hands on the elusive European silverware will continue.

3) Goran Ivanisevic vs Patrick Rafter – Wimbledon (2001)

It is extremely risky to bet on someone who is a wildcard entry to go past the first round at Wimbledon. Goran, however, ranked 125 that year, went all the way, and in doing so, became the first and only wildcard entrant to win at Wimbledon.  He beat Patrick Rafter in an emotional final in five sets, and thus finished a tale of heartbreak with the sweet success of victory.

Losing a final is never easy. Losing the final more than once at the same event is even harder. Goran had lost Wimbledon thrice. In 1992, to Andre Agassi, and in 1994 and 1998 to Pete Sampras. Blessed with a bazooka of a serve, the lanky (and cranky) Ivanisevic always came with a self-destruct button. In a game like tennis, which perennially requires the highest amounts of mental strength, patience and calm, Goran would give examples of how you could snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Breaking racquets, abusing himself, following odd superstitions, looking like a bunch of nerves when under pressure – none of these habits helped. They cost him 3 Wimbledon titles.

Which is why, during that final in Wimbledon, even though Goran had taken out Britain’s own son Tim Henman (who never made a final), most of the neutrals rooted for him. They couldn’t bear to see him heartbroken again. They just wanted him to win it this time. I’m sure somewhere deep down, Pat Rafter too shared the same emotion.

And when Ivanisevic went down on his knees after finally winning it, there were just two emotions the whole of Wimbledon was going through – joy and relief.

2) Roger Federer’s record equalling 14^th title – French Open 2009

Roger Federer was already, arguably, the best tennis player ever. But after the French Open in 2009, there was no argument. He had conquered clay, and in doing so, become just the sixth man in history to complete a career Grand Slam. He also equalled Pete Sampras’ record of 14 slams, and Ivan Lendl’s record of 19 slam finals.

Statistics aside, all of Federer’s impressive skills – his flawless, mesmerising groundstrokes, the elegance of his movement, the cool-headed way in which he handles crucial points – were on display that afternoon in Paris. For more than a couple of years, between 2004 and 2008 Federer was a record-breaking machine, the epitome of consistency, and the pinnacle of excellence. The only thorn in his way was Rafael Nadal and that conspicuously missing Roland Garros trophy. This time, the Federer script did a full circle, and he won that elusive clay title at Paris. By doing so, he had accomplished something that the Sampras story didn’t have (Sampras never reached the final of the French).

1)      Liverpool v/s AC Milan – Istanbul (2005)

It was the mother (and baap) of all comebacks. Liverpool and AC Milan squared off on that historic night in Istanbul in what was decidedly the biggest match in Europe that season, and played their parts perfectly to whip up a classic.

Destiny said it would be Liverpool’s year. They had barely managed to get past the group stage, courtesy of a Steven Gerrard wonder goal against Olympiakos in the dying seconds of the match. Then came the semi-final, where they pipped Chelsea (who under the charismatic Jose Mourinho, were firm favourites to progress) by virtue of the infamous Luis Garcia ghost goal. And now they were within touching distance. However, they had to overhaul a strong Milan side containing the terrific trio of Kaka, Crespo and Shevchenko, and as with all the legendary Milan sides, this one was as mean in defence as ever.

Right from the word go, Liverpool was put to the sword. Milan were 3-0 up at half-time. It was getting embarrassing. All the Kop hoped for at that stage was damage limitation. Fans were already planning the long trip home.

Enter Steven Gerrard. The man, who time and again had resurrected lost causes, popped up with a brilliant header in the 54^th minute to restore same parity. Then came the turnaround. In a span of 6 crazy minutes, the scoreline was 3-3. Suddenly, as it happens so often, the tide had turned. Liverpool genuinely started to believe that this was going to be their year. Perhaps Milan thought so too. After the otherwise erratic Liverpool keeper Jerzy Dudek miraculously denied Andriy Shevchenko twice in extra time (and people still don’t know how Shevchenko didn’t score), the game went to penalties.

Luckily for the faint of heart, there wasn’t the drama of a sudden death and Liverpool won the shootout 3-2.

It was one of those moments when everyone wished he was a Liverpool fan. The lucky ones said they didn’t have words to describe the feeling. To win is one thing, but to win when the chips (and everything else possible) are down, when you have no hope whatsoever, on the biggest stage of them all, is obviously a whole other thing. Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez summed it up well by saying “My problem is that I don’t have words to express the things that I feel at this moment”.

As for Milan, the loss knocked the stuffing out of them. It must have taken them a long time to recover. Defeats like this can be extremely painful. And to perhaps ease some of that pain, this story once again did the full circle.

Two years later, in the Champions league final, Milan faced Liverpool. They went on to win the far less dramatic match 2-1.

Here are a few more scripts that just missed the cut:

Usain Bolt took the world by storm, sprinting his way to the world record for the 100m race, clocking in at 9.69 seconds, and thus becoming the fastest man on the planet. He subsequently bettered his feat, and his record time stands unmatched at a staggering 9.58 seconds.

The Sampras- Agassi rivalry – One of tennis’ greatest rivalries until a certain Swiss maestro and a ruthless warrior from Spain came along concluded in an epic match at the 2002 US Open, where Sampras defeated Agassi and put paid to the long lasting rivalry by bowing out of tennis and having had the last laugh. Sampras leads Agassi in their 34 meetings, 20-14.

P.S. If and when Sachin Tendulkar makes it to a hundred centuries, most of the occupants of the list would move down a rung.

Part One

Part Two

7) Sir Lancelot – Lance Armstrong

I’m pretty sure every sports fan would know this guy. Even if they don’t know him for the sport he played, or for the number of astounding records he has set, people would know him because of his reputation as a fighter, a warrior, a true epitome of the never-say-die spirit – qualities that we all admire, and wish we had. Lance Armstrong was a professional cyclist who won the gruelling, energy-sapping Tour de France a remarkable seven consecutive times, and all this after he nearly lost his life to the dreaded disease of cancer.

He was diagnosed with stage 3 testicular cancer in October 1996. The cancer, by then, had spread to his lungs, abdomen and brain. He was given a 40% survival chance.  He survived, and against all odds, went on to write one of the most awe-inspiring stories ever. His haul of seven Tour de France wins still stands as a record. Back home, our own cricketing hero Yuvraj Singh took inspiration from Armstrong’s autobiography “Its not about the bike”, in his own personal battle against lung cancer. As have millions of others.

Lance may not be the most well-known personality identified with his surname (that might still be a certain Neil), but he has left his indelible mark on cycling, sports, and humanity in general.

6) Bob Beamon – Mexico Games (1968)

Most of the moments in this list had a certain build-up. People were never sure, but somehow they had a strange feeling of what was coming. They would want to admit that they never saw it coming, that it was completely unexpected, but somehow, in the remotest corner of their minds, there always was a spoiler alert.

But nobody thought they would see Bob Beamon fly. It was the ’68 summer Olympics at Mexico City. Bob Beamon was an American long jumper who was among the favourites to clinch gold. But when he did the run up and leapt, it seemed as if the world had stopped moving. It looked as though time was taking a break. It was all in slow mo. The world saw as he leapt a distance of 8.90 meters (29.5 feet), and in doing so, breaking, no, shattering the then existing world record by nearly 2 feet. In a sport where records took a tumble more often than Manchester United’s Nani (a skillful player nonetheless), Beamon’s behemoth number stood for no less than 22 years.

After the leap, a few of the comments he received were, “You have destroyed this event”, “you’re the man who saw lightning”, and there’s even a book dedicated to the moment named, “The perfect jump”.

See the amazing feat for yourself:

5) South Africa vs Australia (Johannesburg 2006)

As Mark Boucher smashed Brett Lee for a four down the ground, the cricketing world erupted; they had witnessed a match the like of which had never been seen, heard or expected. Neither team deserved to lose that night.

Perhaps the greatest tragedy about sport is the significance of the word ‘better’. However brilliant you are on a certain day (you might even be at your best), the only thing that matters is that you have to better your opponents. The Australians were good. Heck, they were brilliant. Ricky Ponting was outstanding in his innings of 164. Batting first, they blew away the record for the highest score in an innings. They amassed 434 runs, and in doing so, became the first team to break the 400 run barrier. But the script had yet to be completed. It had to come full circle. South Africa, unbelievably, chased it down, and appropriately enough, as the world’s most entertaining commentator, Tony Grieg, put it, “The South Africans at the Bullring today have seen the best one day international ever played.”

4) Wilt Chamberlain

On a cold, rainy Friday night in 1962, only 4,124 spectators paid to see the basketball game in Pennsylvania. The 8000-capacity stadium was half empty (yes, I’m a pessimist). There was no video coverage of the game. The world would miss something truly remarkable.

The game was between Philadelphia Warriors and New York Knicks. The Warriors’ fans were expecting a lot from their star center, Chamberlain. Little did they know that he would go on to become the first and only person to score 100 points in a single NBA game. Considering that in modern day  basketball, teams as a whole find it difficult to notch up three figures, the record set by Wilt Chamberlain truly proves what an extraordinary night that was.

After 3 quarters, Chamberlain had scored 69 points and thought he was in line to overhaul his previous record of 78 in a single game. He did that with nearly 8 minutes left on the clock. This sent the crowd into a frenzy and they bore down with chants saying “Give it to Wilt!” and “100! 100!”. The moment came with 46 seconds left. Chamberlain got free from the five Knicks, jumped high and put the ball into the basket to hit the century mark. At that moment the arena then went nuts and over 200 spectators stormed the floor, wanting to touch the hero of the night. The closest he ever came again was at 73 points the next season.

The overall score on the night was Warriors 169-147 Knicks, but yeah, who cares?

Part One

Part Three

10) Diego Maradona -  FIFA World Cup, Mexico (1986)

It was a story waiting to happen. He had been the golden boy of Argentine soccer for a couple of years prior to his inspiring exploits. Diego Maradona was Argentina’s captain at the tournament in Mexico, where they were one of the pre-tournament favourites.

Maradona scripted his own fairytale as he almost single-handedly carried his team past the finish line. His breath-taking goal against England in the quarterfinals where he left six opposition players in a heap, was aptly named the “Goal of the Century” by FIFA, and is still viewed by millions across the world in awe. However, being the bad boy of football that he always has been, he is also credited to have scored the infamous “Hand of God” goal, in the same match, a goal which was scored by an illegal but unpenalised handball. Maradona notched up a total of five goals and five assists in the tournament to walk away with the World Cup and the Golden Ball.

People to this day, even in nations as tiny and distant as Bangladesh, hold him in the highest regard, and even reverence, for his contributions to sport.

Check out the famous goal for yourself:

9) Brian Lara’s 400 not out – Antigua, 2004

The same venue. The same opposition. Exactly ten years apart. It was a classic case of deja vu. Brian Charles Lara (as Tony Grieg likes to call him), batting on 374, lifted the ball high into the skies, and over the stands, to tie the record for the highest individual score in a Test match. The 34-year-old then went on to reclaim the record that he had set a decade earlier by becoming the first ever batsman to score a quadruple century in Test matches. It’s one of those moments you look back upon and wonder – Gee, destiny, is that stuff really true?

Lara, incidentally is also the only batsman ever to have scored a quintuple century (501) in first class cricket, which beyond doubt puts the West Indian legend in the category of absolute, unadulterated genius.

Some of the highlights from that innings, including a couple of his majestic, patented sixes against spinners.

8) Michael Phelps – Beijing Olympics  (2008)

Upon being asked about his chances, all he had to say was, “I am going to prepare for that meet just like I do every other meet”. We didn’t see it coming. We wonder if he saw it coming. But it came. In fact they all came. 8 of them came. The American swimmer did the unthinkable by winning 8 gold medals out of a possible 8. At the world’s biggest and most competitive stage. They tested him for steroids, they couldn’t find a thing. They said he was a freak of nature with a unique body constitution. He didn’t care. By the end of it all, Michael Phelps had recorded a truly great story in the history of sports.

He swept opponents away and collected heaps of golds along the way, a process wherein records tumbled all around, and when that eighth and final medal came his way in the men’s 4×100 m medley relay, he had not only broken Mark Spitz’s jaw-dropping record of seven golds at Munich ’72, but also ensured that his 100 % record could only be matched at best, but never surpassed.

Part Two

Part Three