El Clasico - Barcelona vs. Real Madrid - La Liga BBVA

The biggest game in club football is back...

El Clasico!

The eyes of the footballing world will be firmly fixed on the Camp Nou this Saturday, on one side is Gerardo Martino’s Catalans, a side full of youth academy players, turned superstars, brought up on the doctrine of tika-taka football.

Opposite them stands Carlo Ancelotti and his Madrid (Galacticos), a team who’ve never been afraid to spend big on the world’s best players to achieve on-field and commercial success.


The Managers 

We've become used to seeing either Mourinho, Pep or Tito at the helm when these two battle, but this season it will be a clash between two new managers.

Carlo Ancelotti 

So far its been a effective start for the Real Madrid manager, but the fans will always want more. Considering Los Blancos are 3 points behind Barcelona, he will understand that he cannot lose this massive game.

Experience - Carlos has manged at clubs like Juve, Milan, Chelsea and PSG and will know about those big derby's. El Clasico is obviously in a league of its own, but the 'eye-brow' man will be confident of winning this weekend.


Gerardo Martino

Many pundits had suggested that the appointment of Mr Martino was because of his close links with Lionel Messi, but as far as results have gone the man certainly knows what he is doing.

Experience - Gerardo's managing experience is definitely nothing like Ancelotti's, El Clasico is a massive game and as much as his players are veterans of the game, the manager will need to be ready as well. Of course 'Tata' is in charge of a fantastic Barcelona team and they playing at home so a win should be achievable for the Argentinian.


Who Wins?

Between the two managers, I believe tactically Ancelotti will have his team set up to beat Barca on the counter attack...much like Mourinho's Madrid. Ancelotti has tried to play more possession football with Madrid this season but against Barcelona that will never work.

 Martino will worry about his defense, this is a problem that still hasn't been addressed by the club, but their attacking threat at home should be good enough to get the goals.

 If Martino can get his players sharp and ready for the battle I believe they can do well, in terms of which coach will win the battle on the day?. Experience points to Ancelotti to win, but home form says it will be 'Tata's' day...I have to go with a draw.


The Big Boys

Ronaldo (CR7)

Messi (King Leo)

The main men Ronaldo & Messi are both fresh from scoring goals midweek, these two are always ready for such an occasion. They are the best in the world, nothing really frightens them.

Ronaldo & Messi are level in terms of their goals in the league, tied with 8. This weekend is another chance for them to battle it out, whoever scores more will be the winner but not the top goal scorer in the league. Oddly enough Diego Costa tops the list with 10, but that can all change if one of these men get a hatrick.


The New Boys

Gareth Bale

It hasn't been the best start for the young Welshman, apart from the his one goal and a few assists he has struggled with injuries, as well as Di Maria being in exceptional form since Bale joined.

 Ancelotti and Ronaldo have had to come out and protect him from the early criticism, whether Bale starts or not he will need to do a lot to impress the fans. He will obviously be itching to play in his first El Clasico, but he will have to do so coming off the bench probably.

Neymar

As for the Brazil maestro, so far so good. Neymar has put in some decent displays for the Catalans. Some good skill, pace and assisting Messi whenever the two have played together. Some may argue Neymar doesn't do enough to stamp his authority on the side but this is a team built around Messi. With El Clasico it will interesting to see how Neymar does, he isn't one to buckle under pressure but this is a game like no other. Playing at home, Barca will have no excuse and their fans will demand a win. 

How Will The Two Teams Line Up?

Real Madrid

Ancelotti has not been overly predictable with his Madrid team selections though, so nothing would be completely expected when the lineups are revealed for this season's first El Clasico on Saturday.

The most pressing ones persist over his midfield, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale. It has become increasingly obvious how much Madrid are missing Xabi Alonso as the season has developed.

Sami Khedira and Asier Illarramendi recently to fill the Alonso gap, but on Wednesday night against Juventus in the Champions League he opted to place Luka Modric alongside them—Isco missed out as a result.

Arguably apart from Ronldo, Isco has been Madrid's main man so it will be interesting if he decides to leave him out again.

Predicted Real Madrid XI: Diego Lopez; Alvaro Arbeloa, Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Marcelo; Asier Illarramendi, Sami Khedira, Luka Modric; Angel di Maria, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema

Barcelona

It's a refreshing change to see a manager prepared to utilise different strategies given the strengths and weaknesses of their opponent, rather than ploughing a singular furrow because it's the "Barca way."

Tiki-taka will still be very much in evidence in this game of course, but don't be surprised to see the long ball from the back as Barca look to take advantage of Madrid's high defensive line.

Does he throw the Argentine in alongside Bartra to combat the speed of the Madrid attack, or will Gerard Pique get the nod because of the height he offers in both a defensive and attacking sense?

Given the various permutations, a Pique-Bartra pairing is the most likely to begin this game. Dani Alves is again an easy pick for the right side, and Adriano Correia continues with his run of games in the absence of the injured Jordi Alba.

Sergio Busquets will continue to frustrate all comers in the defensive midfield role he plays so well. Don't be surprised to see "Busi" in the thick of the action, getting under the skin of the Madrid players.

Andres Iniesta can have no bigger stage on which to find his best form again. 'Don Andres' can have a big say in the outcome of this match. Madrid's defence will be fighting fires with the twin threat of Neymar and Lionel Messi, so Iniesta's roving role alongside Xavi Hernandez could prove pivotal for the Blaugrana.

Predicted Barcelona XI: Victor Valdes; Carlos Puyol; Gerard Pique; Dni Alves, Adriano Correira; Sergio Busquets, Xavi Hernandez; Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas; Neymar Jr, Lionel Messi


What Does FIFA14 Say?

I decided to simulate the game with these predicted line-ups twice, on both occasions the result was a Barcelona win. 2-1 & 3-2, FIFA seemed to predict a lot of goals so I am hoping the same thing happens this Saturday.

Television Broadcast Worry!!

Unfortunately, television viewers in the United Kingdom will not see this spectacular display until half-time. 

An anachronistic television regulation that prohibits televised football between 2.45pm and 5.15pm will mean Sky Sports Two are forced to join the match 15 minutes after the 5pm start.

Surely an exception can be made for the greatest club match in the world?

If you get your feed from Sky this could be a worry, but hopefully this does not apply for us all.

Either way this is going to be a wonderful game of football, I sincerely hope you all enjoy the game and may the best team win. 

Thanks for reading, peace & love.

Boot Battle Showdown - 'Marathon Not A Sprint' - Nike vs. Adidas

League football is back, after what seemed like an eternity of a wait. The biggest league's around the world are all kicking off, the German League sprinted out last weekend, with the Premier League starting tomorrow and La Liga and Seria A beginning the week after and so on. The excitement is back and football fans around the globe are on the edge of their seats, many battles will be on show, but who will win the boot battle?.

During the off-season and pre-season #TeamCrosstrainersa were testing out an array of boots, from the Nike Hypervenom to the new Messi F50 boot. Gathering all the data needed, we have put together a boot-battle special for you to see.

  

We start off with the most talked about boots of the year, these two boots have been growing in popularity over the off-season & pre-season. We first saw the boots in proper action during the CONFED Cup in Brazil, both boots have their positives and negatives. 

Nike Hypervenom

Without a doubt the marketing of the boot was tremendous, jetting us all into Rio for the boot presentation. The distribution of the boot to the selected professional Nike players, was immaculate. Each player had been hand picked or switched from one silo to the next. Replacing the T90 boot was always in Nike's planning seeing as it was the worst performing boot in the family. Nike went all out and delivered, the playing squad they have signed to 'Team Hypervenom' is large and strong. For the professionals its a dream, the selected professionals I mean. For the consumer, its a bit of a disappointment. Why do I say this?...well, the boots come in a original orange Nike box, with a Hypervenom carry bag...that's about it. To some it may not matter at all, but I would have thought Nike would have gone for something a little more flashy, a Hypervenom packing box...something to make the price tag a little more worth it.

Performance wise the boot is of a very good standard, comfort wise too. The feeling of boot to ball feels authentic and right. Some professionals have disliked certain things about the boots, the durability and protection when it comes to boot on boot challenges. Looking away from those negatives I believe its a decent boot, perhaps its in the name...the boot was really about (HYPE) and not so much venom. I suppose time will tell how successful the boot will be when the hype cools down, in my opinion I was a little disappointed but it still earns a 7/10

Adidas Nitrocharge

The Nitrocharge was also a highly anticipated boot this summer (European Dates) the Adidas team took us to Barcelona for the revealing presentation. Adidas didn't put as much into the marketing as perhaps Nike did but it was still very potent. a Nitrocharge player is not as flash as a Hypervenom player, Adidas wanted to appeal to the hard working player's society. The Nitrocharge also came in a normal black and white Adidas box, perhaps they could have delivered a bit more as well. Now this isn't me trying to poke holes in Adidas' or Nike's plans, all I'm saying is give the customers a little more, for what they pay for. I mean the Nitrocharge doesn't even come with a carry bag, and that's the top of the range version. (Come on guys)

 Ranting aside, this is a very good football boot. The comfort, performance and touch is 100% spot on...Adidas have always been able to deliver quality engineered boots (Its a German thing). This is a boot that will last you a long time, of course if you take proper care of it. The professionals have been very complimentary of this boot as well, personally I feel its the best boot I've tested this year. A reminder that this review is coming from a avid Nike fan, so it should tell you how good this boot is. If you are a midfielder or a defender this boot is for you, protection from challenges, bad surfaces and weather you'll be fine. I believe its going to be a major hit this season, perhaps bigger than the Predator and F50...I give this boot a 9/10

CTR vs. Predator

These two boots were the 'star boys' of last season, arguably the best boots, both brands have made. Last season they both performed very well but who won?

According to stats (Last Season) in terms of goals in the top 4 European Leagues, this is how it went.

Nike CTR

• Premier League (11 Goals)
• La Liga (14 Goals)
• Seria A (8 Goals)
• Bundesliga (1 Goal)

Total = 34 Goals

Adidas Predator 

• Premier League (20 Goals)
• La Liga (18 Goals)
• Seria A (20 Goals) 
• Bundesliga (35 Goals)

Total = 93 Goals

According to the stats the Adidas Predator wins hands down, Nike may argue that this boot is more about assists than scoring goals, but Adidas can argue the same. In the end the numbers don't lie. 

Mercurial vs. F50

The age old speed battle that's divided players for over a decade. It's been another busy summer for the Adidas F50 adizero and the Nike Mercurial Vapor IX.

How did the numbers look last season?

Nike Mercurial Vapor IX

• Premier League (24 Goals)
• La Liga (21 Goals) 
• Seria A (15 Goals)
• Bundesliga (16 Goals)

Total = 76 Goals

Adidas F50

• Premier League (29 Goals)
• La Liga (47 Goals) 
• Seria A (27 Goals)
• Bundesliga (2 Goals)

Total = 105 Goals

Considering this battle includes the likes of CR7 and King Leo, it was always going to produce the most goals but yet again it looks like Adidas have run away with the victory. 

Speaking on the Adidas F50, I was fortunate enough to check out the new Messi F50. I tested the first edition of this boot last season and it was a big hit!. 

Adidas Messi F50 adizero

Old

New

Just like the first time, I was blown away by the packaging...the box is beautiful and immediately feel like you've received something important. The new colorway is quality and captures the Adidas theme of 'lighting up the pitch'. 

In terms of performance, the boot hasn't changed...still very light and responsive to all rapid movements. The connection from boot to ball still feels decent, it takes time to adjust to the boot to ball physics. I was able to try out the new Adidas snapshot app as well, I recorded a faster shot in the F50's than I did in the heavier Nitrocharge boot. Although the Nitrocharge personally feels better in terms of boot to ball connection, the lighter F50 was able to connect sweeter with the ball. I previously gave the boot a 9/10 in my last review and I would stick with that rating, I genuinely enjoy playing in these boots and if your a speedster, you will love them too. Adidas are pushing the Messi brand to the next level and rumor has it the boot that will be released for next year's World Cup is outstanding!, possibly changing the way we look and view football boots.

Tiempo vs. Adipure

  

Elegance and touch, these are the two more mature boot silos from Nike and Adidas. They might not be well known for goals but here are the stats anyway...

Nike Tiempo Legend IV

• Premier League (9 Goals)
• La Liga (4 Goals)
• Bundesliga (2 Goals)
• Seria A (5 Goals)

Total = 20 Goals 

Adidas Adipure 

• Premier League (15 Goals)
• La Liga (6 Goals)
• Bundesliga (9 Goals)
• Seria A ( 5 Goals)

Total = 35 Goals

Again Adidas wins the battle...this is turning into a white-wash...

Adidas Copa Mundial vs Nike Premier

Nike recently re-introduced the Nike Premier to battle the Copa Mundial range that Adidas have. These boots will only be popular with a few of the players and market, its very old school and more for collection than performance. Seeing as we couldn't get stats for these boots, we will call it a draw. 

There we have it, overall Adidas walked away with the victory in terms of goals scored across the major leagues. A new battle is underway, so who will win this season? like we said the race is not a sprint it's a marathon. Watch the leagues closely and maybe your favored brand or boot will win. 

I hope you enjoyed this special #XTBootBattle blog, many thanks to Soccer Bible for the stats and a few pics. If you would like to follow Boot Bible on Twitter or on the web, you can do so here.

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• Twitter : @Denisao4
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Thanks for reading! 

Blessings & Love!

Footballs Middle Men

Agents: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly 

For every Jorge Mendez, Mino Raiola(Zlatan Ibrahimovic) and other 'Super Agents' out there, who've  made it their life's work to give their clients the best that's on offer for their talents, theirs many more who go about their business the wrong way. Whether that be from the clubs point of view, or the players differed from case-to-case. For many footballers, young and old, an agent is not only their voice in the Directors office, but also and more importantly a father figure/family away from family and often confidant. A person that they feel they can trust completely with their affairs. Especially for those taken from their home countries from a young age. After being approached by agent, many players put thief faith in these people, buying into a vision of a better life that will help them improve their lives as well as their families.

  

Unfortunately for many this dream turns into a nightmare. Agents pluck young talent from the local fields, making all sorts of promises. Meanwhile their only intention is to make a quick buck off the player. In some cases agents have taken players to foreign countries, hoping their client will secure a contract. When that fails to materialse, players are often left alone in that country, never to hear from the agent again. Such cases are littered throughout the world, mainly in Africa and South Africa where players are desparate to escape poverty. Having almost been a victim myself to an agents mind game, being told that opportunities will come, all the while declining concrete offers with the promise of recieving better offers (for him). I ,fortunately, figured out what was going on and decided to part ways with the agent.

     

It's easy to see why players can get caught up in this trap, as having an agent can open doors and lead to opportunities that would otherwise be impossible to come by. I have nothing against agents, Infact they play a hugely important role in a players success on and off the field, when they go about it the right way. Part of  an agents role is to help the player focus all their efforts on the field, and not get mixed up in the stresses tha negotitiating new contracts can sometimes lead to. They are the clubs go to guy when dealing with a player.      

Clubs themselves have agent that help to attract the right kind of player for the manager. Working alone or sometimes with scouts, they travel to games to identify talents that fit a certain criteria and try lure the player to the respective club. For a small fee ofcourse ;) 

Agents are quick to recieve a lot of bad press, especially in recent times with clubs complaining about their strangle hold on players, as well as demands for insane agents fees when negotiations for their clients. But in greater scheme, many footballers are glad agents exist. Ofcourse many General Managers think contrary about Footballs Middle Men and would rather deal with the players directly.  The truth is; agents are here to stay and their roles seem to be getting bigger and more influential in the football market. And doesn't seem like that will change anytime soon

Off The Field - Transfer Window Special - 'The Super Agent'

When the transfer window opens, its usually a time that most fans dread or are excited for. If one word could sum up the window, I think it would be 'SPECULATION'...pretty much that's all that happens at this time. Rather than throw more transfer rumors and so forth at you...we have decided to switch things up a bit. Instead of focusing on the players, we shall focus on the men & women that represent the modern day footballer.

An agents job is crucial but even more so during the transfer window, its usually a game of cat and mouse and the best in the business play it masterfully. When you represent the best footballers in the wold, you have to ensure you keep them happy and get them what they want. If your player is not happy, how can you turn that around?...the best agents have many tactics they use.

 

The Press Game

The modern day fan has grown to hate the agent, why?...because they have freedom to say basically what they want to the press. The press eats it up and its causes a ripple which later becomes a giant wave, the best in the business use the press to their advantage. Perhaps their client is not happy with the current contract negotiations, the agent can simply come out and tell the press their client is wanted by many clubs. 

The story is played into the public and it creates heat, the clubs have to respond or it just keeps filtering in the papers. The agent can also come out and say their player wishes to leave, he is 'unhappy' or feeling 'unloved'. To the man on the street it is infuriating but it works most of the time.

The Waiting Game

Depending on how much time is left on a footballer's contract, negotiations for a new contract will often take place.If the agent is not happy with whats being offered they may choose to wait, this puts more pressure on the club to either increase the wages or add other incentives within the contract. Sometimes the club's respond and sometimes they play hard-ball and let the player's contract run out, but it depends on the time. 

There are many tactics that an agent can play during this time of the season, manipulation, propaganda and so on. With social media available now as well, rumors can fly by a tweet a second, clubs have had to learn to deal with these often egotistical power heads.

The Candy Game

A top agent always has to have the ability to make those around them feel good, when you want to convince or persuade your player to buy into something you feel is right. As well as negotiations with clubs, you don't want to create any hostilities between parties because they pay the bills. Sugar coating stories, relationships and meetings will work in a 'super agents' favor.  

 

As an agent, you are only as strong as the clients you represent. Mr Jorge Mendes, the Portuguese man richer than his own president. He is one of the most influential agents in world football, he dominates the industry. 

Cristiano Ronaldo__€100 000 000 (Market Value) 

Fabio Coentrao___€18 000 000

Anderson___€9000 000  

Falcao___€60 000 000

Pepe___€20 000 000 

Thiago Silva___€40 000 000  

Angel Di Maria____€34 000 000

These are just a few of the big names that are all represented by one man, Jorge Mendes. Sitting pretty in his office you will see shirts signed by his many famous footballers, plus other gifts. 2/3 mobile phones will be by his side, on stand by for any calls or texts from either his players or regarding his boys. Flat screen televisions with the sport channels on, catching up on any rumors that might be floating around. Jorge is highly respected because of his business mind and caring mindset. He has been successful because of his early scouting days, watching the likes of Ronaldo in high-school. He will always try his best to make time for his clients, obviously some will be treated with more care than others i.e Ronaldo.

During this window Jorge has had to deal with the on and off speculation of F.C Barcelona wanting to sign Thiago Silva, although he may have seemed like he wanted to go...Thiago ended up signing a good looking contract extension which made him and his agent a little richer. Whether the talk of Thiago wanting to leave was true/false we will never know, but perhaps both parties got what they wanted. Another one of Jorge's clients may soon be on the way, Fabio Coentrao is reportedly on the way to North London to sign for Tottenham. Its still not confirmed whether this may be a deal to get Gareth Bale to Madrid or that the new Madrid manager doesn't fancy Coentrao...Jorge will be having anxious moments trying to work out a deal.

Another one of Jorge's clients has already left the capital of Spain, after a roller coaster season with Real Madrid, Jose Mourinho returned back to his beloved Chelsea. Having one of the most successful managers, in world football signed to you isn't a bad deal at all. Considering that Mourinho is a manager who likes to wonder around, every time an opportunity to leave to a bigger club presents itself, its sure to be a mega-contract. 

More money in the bank for Mr Mendes this window came when Falcao signed with Monaco, a deal which shocked many. Financially its a deal that makes sense to Mendes and his client, a beautiful country, tax free, big wages and massive signing fee. It ticked all the boxes and the player would be playing week in and week out, another one of Jorge's clients Ricardo Carvalho also tagged along which helped with negotiations. Reports suggest that Monaco offered Mendes a €10 million cut, if he can convince Cristiano Ronaldo to sign in the future.

            

Ronaldo is obviously the main client for Jorge, the partnership has worked extremely well and he has gone to see him rise to extreme heights in world football. At this moment it is unclear exactly where Ronaldo's future lies, the man himself has said so. Recently reports from Spain's Marca said that Ronaldo is close to agreeing a £75 million 5 year deal with Real Madrid, the contract negotiations between both parties have been on-going. So far nothing concrete has been reached, stories have been out that Ronaldo could be returning to Man United or going to France. This could all be mind-games from the Mendes camp, the contract supposedly hinges on Ronaldo earning more than his rival in Barcelona. This could see CR7 earning £1000 more than Messi, which could be in the region of £300 000+ a week. The talks are still on-going and we will only know the full details in time...

The window is still open with a few more week left, you can be sure that Mr Mendes will be working his socks off during this busy time. It will all be worth it the end and he will be smiling all the way to the bank. 

Jorge Mendes 'The Super Agent'

Hope you enjoyed part 1 of our 'Transfer Window Special', don't miss out on part 2.

As always thanks for reading, if you would like to follow me on Twitter you can do so here

• Twitter - Denisao4

 

Thanks again, peace & love!. 

    

Off The Field - (Part 2) Messi vs. Neymar - 'All Hail The King'

The best sportsmen and women will always thrill us, their supreme performances in their particular frame are watched and admired by millions. One question will always come into our heads as fans, what would it be like to live one day as our sporting heroes.

 Some superstars make it easy for you to see, others not so much. To tune in and watch the great Lionel Messi play football isn't hard, lets be honest. All you have to do is sit comfortably on your couch and watch him play, either on a Saturday or Sunday night. To see what Messi does off the field is where the difficulty comes in. 

Messi is a shy, humble and non-flashy man, yes his style of play on the field is incredibly difficult to overlook but off it...does Leo have the 'swagger'?. Why is Messi still considered 'The King'?, the truth is because he deserves it. Ring the bell and let me show you...

INTRODUCING THE UNDISPUTED CHAMPION OF THE NOU CAMP...

THE CHAMP

Undisputed 

From Roseria Sante Fe Argentina

26 Years Old

'The Flea' 'King Leo'

Lionel Andres 'Leo' Messi

Messi Messi Messi, the silent assassin should be his name. Perhaps because this man isn't as flash as CR7 or as sharp as DB, we assume he has no chance against these big hitters. That's where we are all wrong, Messi in his own charming way, sets trends for many to follow. 

Lets start with the hair, now when a young Messi made his debut for Barcelona the first thing that struck the world was his hair. The long silky black/brown locks, without even thinking about how good he might be on the field, we were drawn to his hair.

Messi started with the the young teenage scruffy look, which captured the young target market. From then Messi transformed, looking more and more elegant with his locks. Without Messi knowing, the style spread to the masses and more kids started growing their hair. They were all hoping to replicate their hero, look like Messi maybe you will play like him. 

Now Messi has transformed his looks, to a more conservative and elegant short cut. Showing his transition from youthful dazzler, to mature royalty. 

Change is always a good thing and it didn't take the public long to warm to Messi's new look, it didn't bother anyone because his performances on the pitch just kept getting better. Perhaps parents around the world were happier too, suddenly their kids didn't want the long 'Spartan' look anymore.

Messi has not only grown well on the pitch, but off it too. In his early playing career Messi was a Nike based player. He was involved in a few projects but never really was seen as a major contributor to the brand. Messi wore a selection of boots, T90's, Tiempo's and Mercurial Vapors...perhaps Nike will see their lack of capturing Messi early on as major mistake, but Adidas were spot on to sign him up. 

As seen in the picture above, Messi was part of the 'Joga Bonito' campaign. Messi's off the field team has been able to turn this boy wonder into a marketing machine, money makes the world go round.

Lionel Messi is the 10th wealthiest athlete in the world, the 26 year old footballer has a net worth of $41 million (According to Forbes). Considering that he is still only 26 and his source of wealth is generated predominantly from football, is staggering. Messi earns a cool £251 000 a week, (Including bonuses) Messi gets an extra 1.7 million. Nike offered Messi £120 000 a year to try persuade him to stay, but Messi and his team refused. Adidas came along and smashed out a £400 000 a year dea. Messi accepted and became the face of the famous F50 speed Adidas boot. The rest is history and now Messi gets a £2 million yearly salary from Adidas. 

The Messi marketing ship doesn't anchor there, Messi has also been on the covers of Pro Evolution Soccer, but in 2011 the superstar moved to EA's world famous FIFA. There is no recorded fee of how much EA pay the star, but they are a major contributor  to his off field endorsement deals which add up to a hefty $19 million (According to Forbes). Messi's other endorsements include Pepsi, Dolce & Gabanna, Turkish Airlines, Cherry, Audemars Piguet and more. 

In 2013 Adidas launched his icon signature line in 2013. It is only the second time they have done so for one of their brand ambassadors (the first was with David Beckham).

Messi has not only transformed himself in the financial ranks, he has moved up in the fashion scene. In our fist glimpses of Messi fashion wise, he started off with the baggy jeans, t-shirt and a sport jacket. Messi now has a stylist and he/she is working their magic, Messi has now become more dapper and buying high end fashion threads. 

Leo has become a style icon, many thanks  goes to his endorsement from Dolce & Gabanna. The Italians saw potential in Messi, when others couldn't. The little Argentinian does surprise those who don't see what he can do, Messi enjoys wearing his Dolce, Armani, Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent. He is certainly a well rounded style icon, he has grown in stature and become one of the top. 

Messi's upgrade in style has landed him in a few major style & fashion magazines across the globe. 

King Leo is a marketable figure, he sets the right examples on the field and off it. To be a true 'Off The Field' king you must set the best standards...always, Messi is one who does that. Marketability comes from good credibility and integrity. The big business's want to ensure their 'brand faces' are setting the right example. 

Messi is ambassador for Unicef and contributes his time and finances to different charities and projects around the world.

 

He is a family man, still getting used to life as a father but genuinely seems to be enjoying it. 

These are all the things that allows Messi to be so marketable. Of course a lot people will say its boring, they want someone like Ronaldo, flashy and in your face. Yes true this does sell, but a true king is watched on the thrown...not parading in the streets. 

Now with the world in his hands, what does Leo spend all this money on?.

Messi is a fan of white cars, most of his vehicles have a white paint job. His favorite is the Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale, he also has a Audi R8, Range Rover Evoque, Ferrari F430 Spider and others.

King Leo is what you would call the 'Secret Agent' of celebrities, he is hardly ever seen. When the little maestro is off the football field, he escapes the world's eye and enjoys his private time. His mason in Barcelona is incredibly difficult to see from ground level, well protected too. 

The Argentine's other assets include several properties in his hometown of Rosario in 

Argentina including the house he grew up in, an exclusive apartment, holiday homes and a massive compound for his family.

Messi isn't known for being a party man, but those close to him say that he is the life of a party.

On holiday Messi enjoys spending time with family as much as possible, but when he is able to get some down time, he often spends it with friends.

As the saying goes, ''Behind every successful man, lies a extremely gorgeous woman''. Meet Messi's childhood sweetheart  Antonella Roccuzzo, a Argentinian model. The two have been happily together for a long time and as mentioned previously, she gave birth to their first child, Thiago.  

Messi is certainly one lucky guy, the two spend as much time together as possible. Reports say Messi will be tying the note with his sweetheart very soon. 

Most athletes these days have seen the power of social netowrks, Messi and his team have also jumped on the ship. For someone who enjoys to keep his private life quiet, it must have taken a lot of convincing to get him to agree. If you would like to follow 'King Leo' on his various social media platforms, you can here. 

• Facebook LeoMessi
• Instagram leo10messi 

Well there you have it, the world's best player...'The King' of Barcelona, as we saw in the last edition Neymar put up a good fight, but Messi rules at the end of the day. Yes he may not be as flashy, but he makes it count where it matters. #OffTheFieldXT salutes you Leo, you do what you do well.

 

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed this series, as today is a special day in South Africa (The 18th of July) I would like to use this opportunity to wish Mr. Nelson Mandela a very happy 95th birthday and a speedy recovery. Thank you Tata! God bless you.

If you would like to follow me on Twitter you can do so here Denisao4 

Thank you! Peace & Love