Category: Fans

Famous Fathers & Sons

Posted on by ISAFA in Fans, Teams

 

Paolo and Cesare Maldini

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Cesare Maldini is a former Italian centre half and captain of AC Milan. He later went on to coach the national U-21 team. Prior to that, he proudly wore the national soccer uniform for 14 years, making his debut in the year 1988. Cesare retired in 2002 with 126 caps and 7 goals to his credit. His son, Paolo Maldini, was one of the best defenders of all time. He shares the record for most caps in the Italian national team. Paolo spent 25 seasons of his career playing for AC Milan, during which he won seven Italian Serie A championships, five UEFA Champions League Cups and one FIFA World Cup. He is remembered for his lightning pace, precise tackling and strong influence, both on and off the pitch. Paolo captained Milan to the 2003 Champions League Title, a feat achieved by his father forty years ago…

Franz and Stephan Beckenbauer

Beckenbauer
Franz Beckenbauer or The Emperor, helped Germany win the World Cup back in 1974. Regarded as the greatest German footballer ever and one of the best footballers in the world, he was known for his precise passes and cool-headed play making. Beckenbauer’s pet name recalls the way he dominated the football pitch, much like an Emperor! After retiring, he took on the job of coaching the German national team, which went on to win the 1990 World Cup. Beckenbauer is said to have invented the role of the modern sweeper or libero. Having made 103 appearances for West Germany, he won the World Cup as captain in 1974, and again as manager in 1990! Beckenbauer found a place in the National Soccer Hall of Fame and was voted second, behind Johan Cruyff, in the European Player of the Century election in 1999. Beckenbauer continues to be an influential figure in German and international football. His son, Stephan Beckenbauer, began his career with Bayern Munich, before transferring to TSV 1860 Munich. He is now back with Bayern Munich, this time as coach, and that’s his soccer uniform.

Frank Lampard, Senior and Junior

Lampard
Frank Lampard Senior played left back at West Ham United for eighteen years. Thereafter, he became the assistant coach of the Hammers, while his son, Frank Lampard Junior, began playing for Upton Park. Frank Junior now plays for the Premier League club Chelsea and the England national team. He is Chelsea’s top goal scorer with 130 goals, the most by any midfielder in the club’s history! With more than 190 goals scored to date, Frank Lampard Junior is the highest scoring midfielder in Europe, and continues to make his mark…

Wlodzimierz and Ebi Smolarek

Smolarek
Wlodzimierz Smolarek, Poland’s greatest striker, played a key role in his country’s third place slot in the 1982 World Cup. His son, Euzebiusz aka Ebi, named after the great Portuguese soccer star Eusebio, trained under his father as coach. A regular in the Polish national team, Ebi has already played one World Cup. During the UEFA Euro Cup 2008, he rose to become Poland’s top scorer, as well as Group A’s, with nine goals to his credit, beating Cristiano Ronaldo! Ebi happens to be the first Pole to have scored a goal against Portugal in 20 years, the previous goal being scored by his father!

By: Giorgio Pirelli

Is Men’s Fashion Influenced By Football Stars?

Posted on by ISAFA in Fans, Teams, Youth

With the commercial appeal of football dominating, if not leading the football game in many ways (the industry in general is dominated by summer tours of countries with lucrative commercial Audiences, player endorsements and corporate sponsorships), football tends to buck most commercial trends. It is no small coincidence that over 60% of Premier League Teams are now foreign-owned by successful wealthy foreign owner who will tell you what you already know – that the game’s global commercial appeal is unquestionable. But how much influence do player yield off the field?

With the game having so much commercial involvement, the players have also enjoyed rocketing salaries, thanks to image rights whenever clubs use their photo or name, commercial endorsements with private sponsors and, the customary media attention that has come with it. With that comes the consumerism that is intrinsic to the proliferation of fashion websites, magazines and the attention surrounding football stars and their lifestyles – including, of course, what they are wearing.

messi ballon d or
How much then, if at all, do football stars influence men’s fashion? In the case of the most famous of all sport-related clothes horses, David Beckham, whose footballing success has been at the very least, matched by commercial appeal – quite a lot. Beckham has it seems been one of the few footballers to truly influence fashion in general – let alone men’s fashion.

From his Mohawk in 2002, adopted by millions around the world, to being the first men’s sports star to adorn the cover of leading women’s magazine, Marie Claire – how much of this is down to sporting prowess? How much is down to “just being a footballer?” There are dozens, if not hundreds of famous footballers, after all. Can you honestly say that many of those influence fashion as easily?

However, in general, for footballers with considerably less ability and commercial appeal than the David Beckhams and the Cristiano Ronaldos of this world, their influence on fashion isn’t very clear. Ergo, since not every footballer has the appeal as David Beckham, it can’t surely be said that all footballers in general have a positive influence on men fashion.

 

Author: Shannon Holland