Knihy - Šport strana 16 z 31

The man who can't stop scoring goals for fun Norwegian striker Erling Haaland is only in his first season at Manchester City and yet he has taken the Premier League - and world football stage - by storm. At the halfway point in the season, in just 20 games, the distinctive star has scored 25 goals, beating last year's PL golden boot winners Son Heung-Min and Mo Salah. He is well on his way to beating the record of 34 goals in a single season - a record no one has beaten in 27 years. Known for his speed, strength and goal scoring, Haaland is a fascinating character who doesn't fit the mould of a modern-day professional footballer. Lars Sivertsen's biography will follow Haaland from his early life in Norway as the son of former City player Alife, and his incredible track-record as a scoring sensation, becoming his hometown club's top scorer at only 18 and shortly after becoming regarded as one of Europe's best strikers. Sivertsen provides an insight into where Haaland has come from and gets to the heart of what makes him tick.

A definitive and intriguing biography of Max Verstappen, Formula 1’s superstar, Lewis Hamilton’s great rival and the winner of the 2021 and 2022 World Drivers’ Championships. No Hollywood scriptwriter could possibly have envisioned the breathless, adrenaline-pumping climax to the 2021 Formula 1 season. On the very last lap of the final race of an unbelievably arduous and controversial season, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen nervelessly overtook the seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes to clinch the first place that thrust the young prodigy to the narrowest of victories and to his first World Drivers’ title. He followed up by taking the 2022 title as well. Verstappen may only be 25 years of age, but the Dutch motorsport sensation has an incredible record in F1. This young man has already left an indelible mark on the sport. The son of F1 driver Jos, Verstappen junior quickly stepped out of his father’s shadow: his youthful charisma, ferocious speed, fearless driving style and refusal to back down mark him out as a true champion. And the phenomenal success of Netflix’s Drive to Survive documentary series has elevated his worldwide popularity still further. Widely respected motorsport writer and F1 insider Mark Hughes is perfectly placed to write the most authoritative narrative on Verstappen’s incredible rise through the ranks to F1 glory. Hughes’ immaculate credentials and first-rate access enable him to generate fresh and fascinating insights, and to paint a fully-rounded and richly-textured portrait of one of the most exciting young sportsmen on the planet.

What does it take to make it to the top of your game? As a chess champion, Jennifer Shahade has travelled the world playing major tournaments. At the top, she finds rivalry and friendship; sexism and feminism; ecstatic highs and excruciating losses. Chess Queens invites us behind the scenes of this ultra male-dominated sport. We meet today's elite, as well as the pioneering female players in history who fought against the odds to get to the top. An essential guide for all aspiring chess queens, Jennifer's story reveals what it takes to break through the glass ceiling.

The remarkable untold story of the mercurial cycling prodigy Frank Vandenbroucke, written by William Hill award-winning author Andy McGrath. They called him God. For his grace on a bicycle, for his divine talent, for his heavenly looks. Frank Vandenbroucke had it all, and in the late Nineties he raced with dazzling speed and lived even faster. The Belgian won several of cycling's most illustrious races, including Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Paris-Nice and Ghent-Wevelgem. He was a mix of poise and panache who enthralled a generation of cycling fans. Off the bike, he only had one enemy - himself. Vandenbroucke dabbled in nocturnal party sessions mixing sleeping pills and alcohol and regularly fell out with team managers. By 1999 his team had suspended him and this proved to be the start of a long, eventful fall from grace. Depression, a drug ban, addiction, car crashes, divorce and countless court appearances subsumed his life. He threatened his wife with a gun. He tried to commit suicide twice. And when police found performance-enhancing drugs at his house, Vandenbroucke said they were for his dog. It seemed he had finally learned from his mistakes. Then, on 12 October 2009, aged just 34, Vandenbroucke was found dead in a hotel room in Senegal. Guided by exclusive contributions from his family, friends and team-mates, William Hill award-winning author Andy McGrath lays bare Vandenbroucke's chaotic, complicated life and times. God is Dead is the remarkable biography of this mercurial cycling prodigy.

The first definitive biography of basketball legend LeBron James, by the acclaimed author of Tiger Woods. LeBron is unquestionably the greatest basketball player of the 21st century. Off the court, LeBron's political activism, outspoken stance on racism and social injustice have helped build a social media presence that includes 117 million followers on Instagram and 51 million followers on Twitter. He is an international brand worth billions of dollars. He doesn't just have huge endorsement deals with some of the biggest corporations in the world; LeBron sits on boards of directors and has an equity stake in the companies he sponsors. He has forged a close friendship with President Barack Obama and clashed publicly with President Donald Trump. As a child, LeBron was a lost little boy living in a public housing project in Akron, Ohio. His mother, who had LeBron when she was just sixteen, would disappear for days at a time. Scared and alone, LeBron rarely attended school. He was dirt poor and fatherless. And he had never played organised basketball. Yet he would become the most successful and most popular athlete that the United States has produced this century, bringing success to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers. To tell this epic story, Benedict has done exhaustive research, digging through thousands of pages of primary source documents, articles, books and hundreds of hours of video footage. He's also conducted hundreds of interviews with the people who were intimately involved with LeBron from the beginning of his life to the present. He shows the initial slow rise of a star that suddenly transformed into a speeding comet during his senior year of high school. It is a unique and unmissable insight into one of the world's greatest athletes.

Kobe Bryant is a legend – The Rise is a fascinating look at his early life and how he became regarded as one of basketball’s greatest-ever players. Kobe Bryant’s death in January 2020 did more than rattle the worlds of sports and celebrity. It took the tragedy of that helicopter crash to reveal the full breadth and depth of Kobe’s influence. By tracing and telling the oft-forgotten and lesser-known story of his early life, The Rise promises to provide an unparalleled insight into Kobe. In The Rise, readers travel from the cracked concrete basketball courts of Philadelphia in the 1960s and 70s – where Kobe’s father, Joe, became a playground, college and professional stand-out – to the majesty and isolation of Europe, where Kobe spent his formative years, and to the leafy suburbs of Lower Merion, where Kobe’s legend was born. The story ends with his leading Lower Merion to the 1995–96 Pennsylvania state championship – a true underdog run for a team with just one star player, Kobe – and with the 1996 NBA draft, where Kobe’s dream of playing pro basketball culminated with his acquisition by the Los Angeles Lakers. With exclusive access to a series of never-before-released interviews during Bryant’s senior season and early days in the NBA, and tapes and transcripts which have preserved Kobe’s thoughts, dreams and goals from his teenage years for a quarter-century, Mike Sielski’s The Rise uncovers insights and stories that have never been revealed before. This is an exploration of the making of an icon and the effect of his development on those around him – the essence of the man before he truly became a man.

Lauren Fleshman has grown up in the world of running. One of the most decorated collegiate athletes of all time and a national champion as a pro, she was a major face of women's running for Nike before leaving to shake up the industry with feminist running brand Oiselle and coach elite young female runners. Every step of the way, she has seen how our sports systems - originally designed by men, for men and boys - fail young women and girls as much as empower them. Girls drop out of sports at alarming rates once they hit puberty, and female collegiate athletes routinely fall victim to injury, eating disorders or mental health struggles as they try to force their way past a natural dip in performance for women of their age. Part memoir, part manifesto, Good for a Girl is Fleshman's story of falling in love with running as a girl, battling devastating injuries and self-doubt, and daring to fight for a better way for female athletes. Long gone are the days when women and girls felt lucky just to participate; Fleshman and women everywhere are waking up to the reality that they're running, playing and competing in a world that wasn't made for them. Drawing not only on her own story but also on emerging research on the physiology and psychology of young athletes of any gender, Fleshman gives voice to the often-silent experience of the female athlete and argues that the time has come to rebuild our systems of competitive sport with women at their centre. Written with heart and verve, Good for a Girl is a joyful love letter to the running life, a raw personal narrative of growth and change, and a vital call to reimagine sports for young women.

„Prehry ma naučili, nikdy sa nevzdávať svojich snov! Hral som prvé finále, bol som blízko... a nevyšlo to. Pri druhom finále som mal pocit, že som ešte bližšie... Začali o mne hovoriť, že som prekliaty, nevšímal som si to! Keď prišlo tretie finále v rade a ďalšia šanca, bol som skúsenejší, lepšie pripravený a odhodlaný dokázať že mám na to vyhrať Stanley Cup.“ Marián Hossa je trojnásobný víťaz Stanley Cupu, člen Sieni Slávy a jeho číslo 81 už nikdy neoblečie žiadny hráč v klube Chicago Blackhawks, kde je jeho dres vyvesený pod strechou slávnej United Centre. Dostala ho tam pracovitosť, skromnosť, hokejová elegancia a mimoriadne herné schopnosti. V tejto knihe prehovoril o svojom živote na ľade, aj mimo neho. Berie fanúšikov na cestu začínajúcu v jeho detstve strávenom na Slovensku. Prevedie ich 19. hviezdnymi sezónami v NHL so Senators, Thrashers, Pengiuns, Red Wings a Blackhawks, ktoré zdôrazňujú tri zisky Stanley Cupu s Chicagom. Čitateľ sa dozvie o ambicióznych Mariánových plánoch pomôcť rodnému Trenčínu, o kožnom ochorení, ktoré ukončilo jeho kariéru, ale aj o jeho rodinnom živote. Kniha je doplnená o desiatky fotografií z Mariánovej osobnej zbierky, ktoré skvelo dotvárajú čítanie nie len pre hokejového fanúšika.

„Prehry ma naučili, nikdy sa nevzdávať svojich snov! Hral som prvé finále, bol som blízko... a nevyšlo to. Pri druhom finále som mal pocit, že som ešte bližšie... Začali o mne hovoriť, že som prekliaty, nevšímal som si to! Keď prišlo tretie finále v rade a ďalšia šanca, bol som skúsenejší, lepšie pripravený a odhodlaný dokázať že mám na to vyhrať Stanley Cup.“ Marián Hossa je trojnásobný víťaz Stanley Cupu, člen Sieni Slávy a jeho číslo 81 už nikdy neoblečie žiadny hráč v klube Chicago Blackhawks, kde je jeho dres vyvesený pod strechou slávnej United Centre. Dostala ho tam pracovitosť, skromnosť, hokejová elegancia a mimoriadne herné schopnosti. V tejto knihe prehovoril o svojom živote na ľade, aj mimo neho. Berie fanúšikov na cestu začínajúcu v jeho detstve strávenom na Slovensku. Prevedie ich 19. hviezdnymi sezónami v NHL so Senators, Thrashers, Pengiuns, Red Wings a Blackhawks, ktoré zdôrazňujú tri zisky Stanley Cupu s Chicagom. Čitateľ sa dozvie o ambicióznych Mariánových plánoch pomôcť rodnému Trenčínu, o kožnom ochorení, ktoré ukončilo jeho kariéru, ale aj o jeho rodinnom živote. Kniha je doplnená o desiatky fotografií z Mariánovej osobnej zbierky, ktoré skvelo dotvárajú čítanie nie len pre hokejového fanúšika.

„Prehry ma naučili, nikdy sa nevzdávať svojich snov! Hral som prvé finále, bol som blízko... a nevyšlo to. Pri druhom finále som mal pocit, že som ešte bližšie... Začali o mne hovoriť, že som prekliaty, nevšímal som si to! Keď prišlo tretie finále v rade a ďalšia šanca, bol som skúsenejší, lepšie pripravený a odhodlaný dokázať že mám na to vyhrať Stanley Cup.“ Marián Hossa je trojnásobný víťaz Stanley Cupu, člen Sieni Slávy a jeho číslo 81 už nikdy neoblečie žiadny hráč v klube Chicago Blackhawks, kde je jeho dres vyvesený pod strechou slávnej United Centre. Dostala ho tam pracovitosť, skromnosť, hokejová elegancia a mimoriadne herné schopnosti. V tejto knihe prehovoril o svojom živote na ľade, aj mimo neho. Berie fanúšikov na cestu začínajúcu v jeho detstve strávenom na Slovensku. Prevedie ich 19. hviezdnymi sezónami v NHL so Senators, Thrashers, Pengiuns, Red Wings a Blackhawks, ktoré zdôrazňujú tri zisky Stanley Cupu s Chicagom. Čitateľ sa dozvie o ambicióznych Mariánových plánoch pomôcť rodnému Trenčínu, o kožnom ochorení, ktoré ukončilo jeho kariéru, ale aj o jeho rodinnom živote. Kniha je doplnená o desiatky fotografií z Mariánovej osobnej zbierky, ktoré skvelo dotvárajú čítanie nie len pre hokejového fanúšika.

The No-Holds-Barred Autobiography - including the full story behind Tyson's record-breaking victory against Dillian Whyte at Wembley stadium in front of 94,000 people Tyson pulls no punches in his most candid, comprehensive and entertaining book yet, which chronicles for the first time in full his inspirational story - the rise, the fall, and the rise again, which saw him come back from the brink of suicide to reclaim his heavyweight crown. Access-all-areas and full of never-before-told stories, Tyson looks back on his life and career to examine what's really defined him: his Travelling upbringing, his fighting family (including his dad John and his half-brother Tommy), his beloved wife Paris, his 6 beautiful children, his mental health battles, his faith, his boxing rivalries and the fights, pitfalls and challenges along the way. Tyson shares fascinating blow-by-blow accounts of his inspiring victories against Deontay Wilder and Dillian Whyte, his recovery from the depths of depression, and his journey to reclaiming his world heavyweight title. With revealing intimacy, Tyson also shares new sides to his character: in the weeks before the biggest fight of his career in 2021 the devoted father was sleeping on a hospital floor in intensive care tending to his new-born daughter Athena who was born premature and fighting for her life.

Award-winning writer Paul Hayward delivers a compelling and unmissable account of the story of the England men's football team, published as they prepare for the World Cup in Qatar. On 30 November 1872, England took on Scotland at Hamilton Crescent in Glasgow, a match that is regarded as the first international fixture. More than 5,000 fans watched the two sides play out a 0-0 draw. It was the first of more than a thousand games played by the side, and the beginning of a national love affair that unites the country in a way that few other events can match. In Hayward's brilliant new biography of the team, based on interviews with dozens of past and present players and coaches, including Viv Anderson, Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and current coach Gareth Southgate, we get a vivid portrait of all aspects of the team's story, reliving highlights such as the World Cup victory in 1966 and the time when football came home in Euro 96, as well as the low points when the players were obliged to give the Nazi salute in 1938 and the era when England's hooligan fans brought shame on the nation. From Stanley Matthews and Bobby Moore through to more modern heroes such as Paul Gascoigne, David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and Harry Kane, Hayward brings a large cast of characters to life. For anyone who wants to understand England football, and why it means so much to so many, England Football: The Biography is an essential and vital read.

Captain. Father. Leader. Fearless ambassador. World-class midfielder. Jordan Henderson is all of these things, and it is why he is one of the most widely respected players of his generation. In this tell-all autobiography, Jordan reveals how his early love for the game as a kid became an all-consuming passion that led him to follow his dream - to play for his home club of Sunderland. Transferred to Liverpool in June 2011, Jordan's early years at the club saw him struggle to settle under Sir Kenny Dalglish then Brendan Rodgers before eventually establishing himself at Anfield as a force of nature in midfield. In 2015, Jordan took the reins from Steven Gerrard. Under his captaincy, Liverpool have reached monumental heights - winning six trophies headed by the Champions League and the Premier League, bringing the club its first league title in 30 years. In this book, Jordan charts his decade-long journey with the Reds, and a behind-the-scenes look at his life both on and off the pitch. A must-read not only for Liverpool fans but for football lovers everywhere, this is the candid behind-the-scenes look into the lire of a top-flight footballer as you've never seen it before.

The beautiful game is under threat. The greed and selfishness of the biggest clubs is harming the sport, with smaller clubs struggling for financial survival and supporters being left behind. It's time to fix football. Football is the people's game. A sport accessible to everyone and enjoyed by millions around the world. But football is broken. Beneath the glamourous sheen of the Premier League, it's a game that's rusting and rotten. The growing influence and wealth of the biggest teams is harming the game, leaving fans out of pocket and smaller clubs clinging to survival. The European Super League, which looked to eradicate competition in favour of guaranteed profits, was just the beginning. This isn't what football is about. Something's got to change. Enough is enough. Gary Neville has had a front-row seat in football for over 30 years, witnessing the sport at every level - as a player, a coach, a pundit and an owner. Most of all, he's a fan. Shocked by the state of the game, Gary looks to find out how we got into this mess, who's responsible, and what we can do about it. The People's Game is Gary's vision for a brighter future. Drawing on interviews with those at the epicentre of the sport's biggest issues - from the role of ownership to the lack of funding in the football league, the rise in racism, ownership models and the future of the women's game - he explains how football has sleepwalked into this mess and offers a new path forward. With stories from his own playing career, as well as insight into some of the biggest footballing decisions in recent history, this is a total look at the game today. This is a passionate, personal and critical account of how football lost its soul, and what we can do to get it back.

Autor knihy nejdříve pátrá ve Funchalu, hlavním městě Madeiry, ‚Zeleného ostrova‘, po prvních krůčcích chlapce s velkým snem, aby se s ním pak osobně setkal v Madridu. Psal se 20. leden 2011 a bylo po zápase Španělského poháru Atlétiko vs. Real. Tenkrát netušil, že právě stojí tváří v tvář mladému muži, tehdy šestadvacetiletému, který se za deset let stane nejlepším střelcem fotbalové historie. I proto může psát a vyprávět strhující příběh o obyčejném, a dokonce chudém, chlapci z ostrova v Atlantiku. Právě ve Funchalu a jeho čtvrti Santo António a ulici Quinta do Falcao se rodil veliký sen a Cristiano za ním odmalička neúprosně jde a probudí se z něj až ve chvíli, když později vysloví: „Chci se zapsat do historie fotbalu. Mám fantastické zaměstnání. Je požehnáním, protože můžu dělat to, co mám nejraději.“ Ano, Ronaldo skutečně postupně stoupá k fotbalovému Olympu, kde vládnou Pelé, Maradona, Di Stéfano, Cruijff, ale nepochybně také sám Cristiano s Lionelem Messim. Základem naplnění takového snu je zázemí v rodině. Oporou mu je fotbalová máma Mária Dolores a Cristiano má pak jako osmnáctiletý hráč Sportingu Lisabon nevýslovné štěstí. Do Manchesteru United si ho vybere sám Sir Alex Ferguson. S velkým učitelem a druhým otcem, jak sám říká, vyhrají Ligu mistrů a tři anglické tituly. Ronaldo jako hráč Rudých ďáblů získá v roce 2008 svůj první Zlatý míč. Druhý a třetí obdrží už jako nejzářivější hvězda Realu Madrid, mistr Španělska a opět vítěz Champions League 2014. V lednu 2015 při třetí celebraci v curyšské opeře s dojetím – ale už bez slz – řekne: „Chci být jedním z nejlepších hráčů všech dob.“ A on se jím už skutečně stal stejně jako je nejlepším střelcem fotbalové historie. V kariéře nastřílel 817 soutěžních gólů, z nich 119 za Portugalsko, dalších 139 v Lize mistrů a je tak rovněž nejlepším reprezentačním střelcem i kanonýrem nejprestižnější klubové soutěže. Ronaldo je – jednoduše a výstižně vyjádřeno – rekordmanem fotbalových rekordů, jeho vlastní výčet nám připadá nekonečný. Druhému fotbalovému králi současnosti, Messimu, pak předává vládu pouze na dvanáct měsíců, po nichž slaví svůj čtvrtý Zlatý míč a jakýsi vlastní “Rok Ronalda”. Cristiano totiž fotbalový rok 2016 zcela ovládne. Nejprve se těší z třetího vítězství v Lize mistrů a jen o půldruhého měsíce později slaví na EURO 2016 ve Francii titul s Portugalskem právě po vítězství nad hráči galského kohouta. “Jsem strašně šťastný. Prosil jsem Boha, aby mi dal šanci, protože jsme si ji zasloužili,” vysloví muž, který přesvědčil svět, že dokáže být rovněž lídrem národním. “Prožívám jeden z nejkrásnějších okamžiků v kariéře, neuvěřitelnou chvíli pro mě a celou naši zemi.” Velká žeň jednoho ze dvou panovníků současného fotbalu nekončí. Za rok 2017 získává Zlatý míč popáté. Tajemství úspěchu chlapce, pokřtěném v kostele Santo António, který s výjimkou Světového poháru vyhrál vše, je prosté: neobyčejný talent a úžasná pracovitost, neutuchající touha být nejlepší a vyhrávat trofeje a také tlukot vítězného srdce. Cristiano navíc dnes společně s Lionelem Messim není jen nejlepším fotbalistou prvního dvacetiletí našeho věku, pro mladé generace představuje také obrovský vzor a symbol životního stylu. Lze bez nadsázky říci, že je současnou nejvýznamnější sportovní celebritou světa, jako třetí sportovec světa a první fotbalista dokázal vydělat přes miliardu amerických dolarů. A tak se společně s autorem v aktualizovaném a výpravném vydání, obohaceném plakátem, začtěme do příběhu chlapce a dnes muže, který žije svůj splněný sen a stoupá k ‚LEGENDĚ jménem CRISTIANO RONALDO‘.

'How doping killed cycling's 'golden boy'. A shocking, clear-sighted and sympathetic account of a talent destroyed by drugs.' The Times 'Sensitive yet compelling.' The Observer They called him God. For his grace on a bicycle, for his divine talent, for his heavenly looks. Frank Vandenbroucke had it all, and in the late nineties he raced with dazzling speed and lived even faster. The Belgian won most of cycling's most prestigious races, including Liege-Bastogne-Liege and Paris-Nice, enthralling a generation of cycling fans. Off the bike, he only had one enemy - himself. His rise to prominence coincided with a rampant period of doping and Vandenbroucke had a wayward streak. He regularly fell out with team managers and had all-night party sessions mixing sleeping pills and alcohol. A drugs scandal started a long fall from grace, leading to addiction, car crashes, court appearances, marital problems and suicide bids, punctuated by sporting comebacks. His life was like a soap opera and its premature ending shocked many. In October 2009, aged thirty-four, Vandenbroucke was found dead in a Senegalese hotel room - in mysterious circumstances. Led by candid contributions from his closest family, friends and associates, William Hill award-winning author Andy McGrath lays bare Vandenbroucke's turbulent life story. God is Dead is the compelling biography of this mercurial cycling prodigy.

MARADONA is the definitive new biography of a true global icon, from world-renowned football writer and journalist Guillem Balague. Diego Armando Maradona was widely acclaimed as a genius. One of the greatest footballers of all time, he was also one of the most controversial. In an international career with Argentina he earned 91 caps and scored 34 goals and played in four FIFA World Cups. With his unforgettable 'hand of God' goal and unsurpassed second one in the 1986 quarter-final against England, he captained his nation and led them to victory over West Germany in the final in Mexico. His vision, passing, ball control and dribbling skills, and his presence and leadership on the field, often electrified his own team's overall performance. Maradona's club career included dazzling spells in his own country at Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors and Newell's Old Boys, and in Europe with Barcelona, Napoli and Sevilla. Yet his life was one of relentless media attention, including tales of drug abuse and constant health issues. Based on in-depth interviews and first-hand stories, Guillem Balague's masterly biography represents a psychological and sociological approach to the legend. This journey of exploration takes Guillem to Argentina, Spain, Italy and Dubai. Along the way, he asks what fosters such adulation, and how this adoration engendered a self-destructive personality. Even after his untimely death in 2020, Maradona continues to fascinate: his divine status seemingly preserved for ever.

Much attention has been paid to so-called late style - but what about last style? When does last begin? How early is late? When does the end set in? In this endlessly stimulating investigation, Geoff Dyer sets his own encounter with late middle age against the last days and last achievements of writers, painters, athletes and musicians who've mattered to him throughout his life. With a playful charm and penetrating intelligence, he examines Friedrich Nietzsche's breakdown in Turin, Bob Dylan's reinventions of old songs, J.M.W. Turner's paintings of abstracted light, John Coltrane's cosmic melodies, Jean Rhys's return from the dead (while still alive) and Beethoven's final quartets - and considers the intensifications and modifications of experience that come when an ending is within sight. Oh, and there's stuff about Roger Federer and tennis too. This book on last things - written while life as we know it seemed to be coming to an end - is also about how to go on living with art and beauty, on the entrancing effect and sudden illumination that an Art Pepper solo or an Annie Dillard reflection can engender in even the most jaded sensibilities. Blending criticism, memoir and repartee into something entirely new, The Last Days of Roger Federer is a summation of Dyer's passions and the perfect introduction to his sly and joyous work.

Fotbalový svět i jeho samotný fanoušek se poměrně často ptají: Kdo že je skutečně nejlepším jedincem v historii fenomenální hry, která se před půldruhým stoletím narodila v Anglii a postupně začala ovládat planetu Zemi? PELÉ – vysloví jméno fotbalového poloboha téměř polovina fanoušků, vždyť třikrát přivedl Brazílii ke Zlaté Niké (1958, 1962, 1970), dobrá čtvrtina doslova vynese do nebe fantoma MARADONU, kapitána argentinského triumfu v roce 1986. Současně vyslechneme názory, že tihle dva zcela výjimeční plejeři dominovali fotbalu zejména ve svém období, ale že od jejich času se hra a výkonnost a umění hráčů neporovnatelně posunuly. Nejlepšími z nejlepších jsou přece ti, kteří jsou nejlepší právě dnes. A těmi vyvolenými jsou bezpochyby CRISTIANO RONALDO a LIONEL MESSI, pětinásobný resp. sedminásobný držitel Zlatého míče. Myslí si to také Iker Casillas, který se ve volném čase intenzivně zabývá filozofií. „Ti dva jsou z jiné planety. Přemohli, co bylo, a předběhli to, co bude. Mají vlastní úroveň, společný level přístupný jen jim, o spoustu pater výš, než jsou všichni ostatní,“ zní výrok mistra světa a dvojnásobného evropského šampiona. Má hloubku a sílu a vyjadřuje realitu prvních dvou desetiletí nového tisíciletí. Gólmanská ikona potvrzuje, že je dnes při veškeré úctě k legendám zpochybnitelným názor, že nejlepšími fotbalisty historie jsou právě Pelé či Maradona. Ano, se stali legendami. Ve své éře, podobně jako Alfredo di Stéfano či Johan Cruijff, vyčnívají vysoko nad ostatními, ale k současným géniům, Cristianovi a Lionelovi, je těžko můžeme přirovnávat, a vůbec – takové měření, které dělí tři desítky let až půlstoletí, je velmi obtížné. Alespoň je ale zřejmé, že Pelé, Maradona, Ronaldo a Messi jsou ikonami fotbalu. Až po nich následující výjimeční muži, které můžeme pojmenovat vládci desetiletí. V padesátých letech udivuje svět Alfredo di Stéfano, po boku Pelého pak září černá perla z Mosambiku, Eusébio. Sedmdesátá léta zase patří Johanu Cruijffovi a Franzi Beckenbauerovi. V „osmdesátkách“ vynikají společně s Maradonou Michel Platini a Marco van Basten, o desetiletí později udivují Italové, Paolo Maldini s Robertem Baggiem, na počátku nového věku jsou skvělí držitelé Světového poháru Zinedine Zidane a Brazilec Ronaldo. A my můžeme být hrdí, že mezi nejlepší fotbalisty historie náleží také dva čeští držitelé Zlatého míče JOSEF MASOPUST, velký „Chilan“ z MS 1962 a souputník Pelého, a PAVEL NEDVĚD, jakýsi fotbalový gladiátor a srdce bronzového Česka z EURO 2004, a s nimi samozřejmě JOSEF BICAN, autor rekordních 821 soutěžních gólů. Slavného Pepiho právě překonává úžasný Cristiano Ronaldo, rekordman bez limitů. Tři Čechoslováci či Češi v první stovce fotbalistů historie! Už nám je nikdo nevezme! A nesmíme zapomenout ani na ANTONÍNA PANENKU, jednoho ze strůjců našeho evropského titulu z roku 1976. Právě zakladatel “penaltového oblouku”, slavný muž s číslem 7, je ambassadorem knihy fotbalových osobností historie. A tak se s našimi novodobými hrdiny Cristianem a Lionelem vydejme za jejich slavnými předchůdci a rovněž poznejme jejich možné nástupce Kyliana Mbappého, Roberta Lewandowského, Karima Benzemu či Neymara. Interesantní a speciální otázka zní: zvedne někdo z nich po šampionátu v Kataru nad hlavu pro každého fotbalistu snový Světový pohár?