Mundo Albiceleste Best of 2009

Wow! I find it hard to believe how time flies so fast that we have reached the pinnacle end of 2009. A year which started with plenty of optimism, suddenly we had to go through some trouble times but in the end, it was nevertheless a happy note.

Despite of being a rollercoaster year, there’s were some great things to look back in Mundo Albiceleste during the past 12 months which I would like to personally to highlight here.

Firstly, the Mundo team grew from two to three with the arrival of Roy from Canada as our new member. He gave us some great insight among which statistics, match preview and most importantly the Mundo Albiceleste Chat Room which has always served as a great place for fans of Argentina to interact with one another (especially during live matches).

Speaking of matches, lets not forget the contribution of Dave P (from New York) and GK (from Canada) on the player ratings which also been another regular post on the blog.

The biggest featured that we brought to you on Mundo has to got to be our very own Podcast Show. We’re glad that you love the idea and I must say thanks to all our friends for being our special guest and making it a great show.

Another new feature on the blog was our very own Twitter page, thanks to our friend P2BN. We also did promote the blog through facebook courtesy of Networked Blogs. Apart from this, we also did a collaboration with Sam Kelly from Hasta El Gol Siempre for the HEGS/MA Award for Best Argentine Abroad 2009.

I can assure you that we’re not done just yet. If there is anything that you feel can help to promote this blog (contribution, advertising etc.) please do let us know or write to us. We appreciate all the feedback coming in.

Now it is my pleasure to bring you our annual Mundo Albiceleste Best of 2009, counting down from Ten to One

10. Gonzalo HIGUAIN The Non-Galatico Madrid. This year was a breakout year for Pipita as he was the most outstanding performer in a Los Merengues side that is overwhelmed by a numbers of superstars; forcing a certain Diego to say “Welcome to the National Team”. Thank goodness for that. Sorry Les Blues, Pipita is here to stay with us.

9. Diego MILITO He was the best striker we had in 2009. At club level, whether he was playing with little Genoa or the giant of San Siro, the script always remains the same; just goals after goals (I believe the it was 25 in total, sorry incase if I’m wrong here). All I’m asking for in 2010 is that he gets a decent 90 minute football for the National Team.

8. Luis SCOLA

For once basketball was not about Manu GINOBILI as SCOLA took over the mantle and helped the Houston Rockets to win their first play off series in 12 years and captained an under strength Argentina at the FIBA Americas to qualify for next year’s World Championship; in which he was also named as the tournament’s MVP.

7. Marcelo BIELSA Step aside Diego. El Loco was the best Albiceleste that stood on the sideline. Of course he is coaching another National Team but lets not forget that he was the main architect behind Chile’s brand of attacking football thus helping them to qualify for their first World Cup in 12 years. Wish him luck in South Africa.

6. Javier ZANETTI
The evergreen Pupi is still going strong at the tender age of 36. A charismatic figure, he lead Inter to another Italian Serie A title, his fourth in a row. A remarkable achievement when you are playing in arguably the toughest league in the world. Now the real question is, will we ever see Ill Capitano in an Albiceleste shirt ever again?

5. Luciana AYMAR For the female category, surely it’s got to be non-other than “La Maga” AYMAR. She was instrumental in helping Las Leonas claiming the Champions Trophy and has already cemented her place as the games greatest ever player after winning her sixth (a record for both men and women!) FIH Player of the Year award.

4. Estudiantes de la Plata
La Brujita VERON & Co. truly deserves the honour as the best football team from Argentina. Compared with the National Team (at all levels), the Rat Stabbers carried the Argentine flag proudly by winning the Copa Libertadores against a club from Brazil and were just merely one minute away from being crown as the King of the World.

3. Angel CABRERA Another historical moment for the mighty duck of Cordoba. Just like the US Open two years ago, Pato CABRERA being the odd man out, with some luck came back strongly to ensure that for the first time, the famous Green Jacket of Augusta will come to Argentina. A true working class hero indeed.

2. Juan Martin DEL POTRO In the midst of darkness, then there was light everywhere. The hero from Tandil finally ended our drought at the Grand Slam by winning the US Open. All this despite playing against a familiar foe, Roger FEDERER. Apart from clinching two other ATP event, he ended the year by winning the Olimpia de Oro as the Best Sportsmen in Argentina.

1. Lionel MESSI This year was indeed that Year of the LION-el. What else there is that left to say about a young man whom at the tender age of 22, has already achieved almost everything there is available for a footballer. I’m sure you don’t need me to list them down because throughout the time of this blog’s existence, we have followed him closely. We’ve heard all the never ending critics and all the haters that never stops attacking him. In the end, it was just mere words to this genius Flea. It only makes him better and better. Now all that is left for him….well I’m sure you know what I’m referring too.

So what can we look forward to in the coming new year? Well definitely 2010 is going to be a real challenging one and we will do our best to bring the best coverage and the latest news on the Albiceleste.

Now to end this article, on behalf of the Mundo team I would like to take this opportunity to say Thank You to all our readers/friends for the comments and contributions on this blog. It was pleasure reading all of them even if sometime we tend to disagree on some of them. After all, this is what made Mundo a great place to be and you guys played a part of it.

With that said, its time for us to wish all of you a very Happy New Year and the best of luck in 2010.

VAMOS VAMOS ARGENTINA!!!