My all time favorite Spanish song (I know a few songs though but it will be hard to beat this one :D). It debuted a few years back but since I'm not into anything Spanish that time I only discovered it a few months back :P
Last night, I found myself watching CetM performances on YT, and I would like to share some of it. (disclaimer: I do not own these vids, I just found them on YT :P)
I like how naughty the song seems =P and also how Carlos and Marta's performances ranged from playful to flirty to steamy. JAJA
1. My ultimate favorite perf. Why? First is because it was sung live. Second is they were wearing white (looked so pure but then they were flirting, haha). Third - I love their chemistry and their facial expressions. Fourth: I love Carlos Baute's smile and the way his eyes spoke every time he smiled.
2. Even if this wasn't sung live, but the performance itself was RAWWWWWWRRRRRR (my emphasis on the errrrrrrrrre). Their hottest performance ever? LOLz. This would be my favorite if only they didn't lip-sync. WTV I think because it was lip synched, they got to focus more on their action :D And did anyone notice something about this vid? HAHA. BTW, Marta es muy bonita y muy seeexxxxxxxyyyyyy.
3. Just because Carlos said Hola Madrid. JK. They sang it live (I do love that) and the audience sang with them (plus a bigger stage too!).
4. Carlos looked mighty fine in his clothes plus you can see him smiling a lot :)
I'll stop here. There are a lot of vids out there you may want to check it out. I really love these two on screen. They are so fun to watch (especially Marta's aggressiveness xD).
Behind every great man, is a woman.Or so they say.I have always been fascinated about the women who captured the hearts of football’s greatest players.So I decided to do a little digging into the women who are collectively called WAGs (Wives and Girlfriends of Football Players).
this Spanish striker is known for kissing his wedding ring after scoring a goal, as a tribute to his wife
I know, I know… I said I’ll try not to feature WAGs that are models, but when I saw Raul score for Schalke in the 1st Leg of Champions League's Round of 16 and did his “kissing-of-his-wedding-ring” goal celebration, it made me curious about his wife.So my next WAG post will be about Raul Gonzales’ other half.
former Queen WAG in Real Madrid
Full Name: María del Carmen Redondo Sanz or simply known as Mamen Sanz
Married To: Raúl Gonzales (of Schalke and Spain, former captain of Real Madrid)
Date of Birth: June 23, 1976 (making her 34 years old now)
Date Married: July 1, 1999
Kids:
Their sons are all named after great football players.
Jorge bornFebruary 25, 2000, named after Jorge Valdano (former Real Madrid Coach)
Hugo born November 20, 2002, named after Hugo Sánchez
how the hell do you still look like that after five kids?!
Who she is:
This 5’ 10.5” Spanish model was born in Madrid.She is now semi-retired after she got married to Raul.Some articles say that she is the daughter of the former Real Madrid President, Lorenzo Sanz, maybe because they share the same family name, but this is apparently not true (Sanz’s daughter is actually Malula who is the wife of former Real Madrid and Spanish defender Míchel Salgado).
When she was still working, she modeled for Armani, Lexus and Pedro Duran (see? She’s a classy model, not the glamour type) and was signed with the agency, SS&M Model Management – Barcelona.
She joined in the 1997 'Supermodel of the World' contest and came second.
she is described as one the classiest WAGs
How they met:
She met Raul by end of 1997 while working in a bar (which Raul owned) in Madrid.She was working as a cocktail waitress in the bar while trying to pursue her modelling career.They kept in touch but weren’t dating yet as she wanted to focus on her modelling career.It was after she become Miss Madrid (sorry, I tried to find out what year she got the title but to no avail :P) and her modelling career taking off as she was working on several modelling jobs that Mamen and Raul began dating.
Although, I found articles that suggest that Real Madrid may have some influence on their players’ love life.When a Real player looks in danger of mixing with dangerously racy circles, the management would step in to find them more suitable escorts.When Raul and Guti (Jose Maria Gutierrez) were becoming party boys and spending more time in nightclubs and with models, the club began introducing them to girls of quality breeding - basically it found them wives, says one friend of a player.With Raul’s lifestyle becoming increasingly turbulent, the club politely told him to get a steady girlfriend and settle down. Which he then started dating Mamen Sanz.(hhhhmmmmm… isn’t this the same deal with Cristiano Ronaldo and his supermodel GF Irina Shaykh?? But I dunno though if it’s the club that pushed for it)
This cute couple has been married for a decade. They take their children to school whenever they can, usually holding hands as they leave the house.
Trivia and Other Interesting Tidbits:
When rumors swirled that his marriage was in trouble, Raul took to kissing his wedding ring after each goal to demonstrate his love for Mamen (so if he stops kissing his wedding ring when scoring a goal, could it mean they've split or that their marriage is on their rocks?? or... what if he forgets to kiss his wedding ring?? what will Mamen think?).
She was pregnant with their first child when they got married (not like it's unusual these days)
She is BFFs with Luis Figo’s wife, Helen Svedin, when Raul and Figo were still in Real (but I don’t know if they still keep in touch now that they're based in Germany)
When David Beckham transferred to Real Madrid in 2003, Mamen made a catty comment against Victoria Beckham when there were whispers in the fashion industry that Posh Spice would be working alongside her on the catwalk for the top British designer John Richmond.Mamen has been modelling the women's wear of the designer for a while then.
When Raul was still in Real, they lived out of town in an enormous estate, so huge that one of their children got lost for a whole day (ahhh.. the perils of being rich.. you're place is so big, you could get lost in it).They moved to a smaller place after the incident.
Mamen graduated from Madrid’s Universidad Camilo Jose Cela with a degree in early childhood education last year.
I’ve always been fascinated about who football players are outside the pitch.Finding out beyond their career and playing stats... what are the little known facts about them?
The first post for Footballer Focus will be Barcelona’s Captain, Carles Puyol.
the 32-year-old Spanish defender
He is a huge fan of death metal and the bands Cannibal Corpse and Napalm Death
He is an honorary member of the Fundación Altarriba, a Spanish animal protection group that cares for abandoned animals
He has a pet sheep named Queca
He prefers to read and does not like to go out very much
known for his long curly locks
On his hair: His then coach at Barca, Louis van Gaal, suggested that he get it cut when he was 19.To this day, he has kept his hair as it is.He has said he might cut it, but probably when he has retired.He admits that he sometimes hide behind his hair a little (like when he was in a towel and the Queen visited the locker room)
He waxes his hair (although it didn’t indicate if it’s only the chest part… hmmmmm…)
His superstitious belief/practice (this could be a great idea for a series):When he steps on the pitch, he always does it with his right foot and not touch the lines.
He has 5 tattoos.There is one on each arm, another beneath his watch and another on his lower chest.His tattoos are in places where he can hide them.(I wonder where the fifth one is…. o.O). He had theee of the tattoos on the same day, whichsays: “Power is in the mind,” “Only the strongest survive,” and “When there is a will, there is a way.”
He is addicted to his mobile phone and passionate about New York
He originally started as a goalie until he injured his shoulder.He also played as a striker in his youth days
He practices yoga and Pilates, and is very interested in Tibetan Buddhism and culture.He even met the Dalai Lama
According to him, his parents did not believe that he could become an accomplished footballer and instead encouraged him to study.
He has only played for Barca (professionally) and hopes to stay with the team as long as he can
Even if he is aggressive on defence, he is rarely yellow carded
Barcelona fans have nicknamed him “The Wall”
Puyol is often referred as Carlos by Spanish media, despite constantly stressing his name is indeed Carles
his friends call him Puyi
Read this cute Marie Claire interview of Puyol which gives you a peek of the dynamics of the Barca team and he talks about meeting the queen wearing a towel.
For career stats and details, click here and here.
After reading all the things about him and FC Barcelona, the more I love I fell in love with the club. They seem to be really goof friends and get along with each other.
I guess if Barca would lose in the 2nd leg of their match against Arsenal, I won’t feel too bad as long as I can stare at The Gunners’ captain all day long…
Arsenal captain, Cesc "Sex" Fabregas
he also plays for Spain..
in an interview, he says he likes nothing better than sitting around the house watching TV or playing on his X-Box wearing just his boxer shorts
locker room pics!
can't decide if he looks good with the beard or without it..
he sure does love changing in public :)
hot!!
nice view..
this hottie is BFFs with Gerard Pique, they go way back in their youth club days
not liking the long hair
this guy loves to tease...
But I think he really just wants to take off his shirt, but FIFA is pretty strict with goal celebrations.. so sadly, players can't take off their jersey :(
see, he takes it all off if he scores... damn rule!
one of my favorite parts in watching football matches... after the game shots...
Here’s my first post for the Blast from the Past series…It’s only fitting that I feature a Pinoy (it’s also in honor of his death anniversary).Of course, I’m talking about none other than Paulino Alcántara.Now that there is this sudden popularity of Philippine Football, let’s take a look at the person who already made a name International Football (but sadly did not have the same recognition here).
Full Name: Paulino Alcántara Riestrá
Birthday: October 7, 1986
Birthplace: Iloilo, Philippines
Date Died: February 13, 1964 (in Barcelona, Spain at 67 years old)(1964-02-13)
Position: Striker
Trivia from his FC Barcelona Days:
To this day, in the history of FC Barcelona, he is its all-time record goalscorer with a remarkable 357 goals in 357 matches (although some sites say 356 out of 357), that’s an average of one goal per game, a very rare feat, even in today’s standards.
He made his debut for Barcelona at the age of 15 in 1912 and scored a hat-trick in this match
He remains to be the club’s youngest player to play and score in a match at 15 years, 4 months and 18 days
After he and his parents returned to the Philippines in 1916, FC Barcelona begged his parents to let him come back to Spain and play for the team as it failed to win a major trophy in Alcántara’s absence.
In 1918, Alcántara returned to Barcelona, his coach (and former teammate), Jack Greenwell, experimented in putting him in defence.But eventually returned to his normal forward position and became one of its deadliest strikers
He was on the Director’s Board from 1931-34
He was the first superstar player of the club in its golden ages, alongside Samitier, Zamora, Sagi, Piera and many more.
Other Interesting Trivia:
He was the first Filipino and Asian to play for a European club.
He was one of the best players in the world during his time (in the pre-Second World War era), renowned for his deadly shot and prowess in front of the goal, a reputation that went well beyond Barcelona borders
He was called “el rompe redes” (the net breaker), because he literally did.On April 30, 1922, in an international match between Spain and France, he made a shot so hard that it ripped right through the net.For many years after, children from Barcelona would recall that moment and would try to emulate the shot “as the man from the Philippines did”
His parents wanted him to be a doctor.They were so hesitant to let him play football at 15 years old as they believe it will affect his studies.
Since his parents said no to him going back to Barca and play football, Alcántara protested, went on hunger strike and got sick (Although, some websites I checked said that, that he contracted Malaria in 1917, and apparently refused to take the prescribed medication until he was allowed to go back). They eventually let him return but in the condition that he will still pursue his medical studies and become a doctor.
He played for the Philippines in 1917 at the Far Eastern Championship Games in Tokyo, helping them defeat Japan with a score of 15-2, it was the Philippines' biggest ever win in international football.
He was selected to represent Spain at the Olympic Games but Alcántara chose to stay at home to take his final medical exams (He eventually made his debut for Spain on October 7, 1921 at the age of 25 against Belgium and scored both goals in a 2-0 win).
His international career was very short lived and retired as a player in 1927 at the age of 31 to become a doctor.
He also represented the Philippines at table tennis.
Background:
Alcántara was born in the Philippines to a Spanish military officer and an Ilongga mother.
When he was a teenager, his family moved to Spain and he to played for FC Galeno.It was there that he was discovered by FC Barcelona.
In 1916, Alcántara’s parents decide to return to the Philippines and took their son with them. There he continued studying medicine.It was also at this time that he played football for Bohemian Sporting Club of Manila.
National Team:
Catalonia
Philippines – 1917
Spain – 1921 to 1923 (6 goals for his 5 caps)
Club Career:
Galeno FC (Spain Youth Club)
Barcelona FC – 1912 to 1916
Bohemian Sporting Club – 1916 to 1918 (Philippines)
Barcelona FC – 1918 to 1927
Teams Managed: Spain – 1951
Titles Won:
Catalan Championships – 10 times (with Barcelona 1912-13, 1915-16, 1918-19, 1919-20, 1920-21, 1921-22, 1923-24, 1924-25, 1925-26, 1926-27)
Philippine Football Federation Men's Open Championship: 2
Retirement:
He hung up his studs on July 5, 1927 to become a doctor.He was on the Board of Directors for Barcelona FC between 1931 and 1934.He was also the coach Spanish national team for three matches (in 1915), in which the team was unbeaten.
As a fan of Philippine Football, I have heard of Paulino Alcántara before.I thought he was just one of those so-so players who got picked up (and probably warmed the benches instead of seeing action in the pitch) in one of those so-so football clubs in Europe.I only discovered now just how exceptional of a player he was.I mean, he played for Barca!And he was one of its greatest players in his time, one of the club’s legends.Before there was a Lionel Messi, a Ronaldinho, a Ronaldo or a Diego Maradona to don the blue and red jersey, there was Paulino Alcántara.One of football’s first legends was a Filipino, someone we can proudly say one of our own.
Hailed as one of the football legends in Europe, there are so many sites that attest too this.. here are just a few in case you want to check it out:
