Bundesliga overtake English Premier League in shirt sponsorship value

Figures released today show that German football's top domestic league, the Bundesliga, has overtaken the Barclays Premier League as the league with the largest total income from shirt sponsorship.

According to figures from SPORT+MARKT's tenth annual European Jersey report,published in UK newspaper, The Times, Bayern Munich are ahead of Manchester United in having the single most valuable shirt sponsorship deal.

However, the move is attributed in part only as a consequence of German top-flight clubs becoming more attractive billboards for sponsors. The economic climate and the drop in the exchange rate of the pound against the Euro have been largely responsible for reducing the value of English sponsorship deals relative to those of the top European clubs - even though the contracts have not been renegotiated.

The Times, also reports that the overall level of shirt sponsorship across the six main European leagues has dropped for the first time, from €405.3million (about £344.2million) in 2007-08 to €393.2million this season.

“Due to the weak British pound, Bayern Munich beat Manchester United to the title of the most valuable jersey deal,” Hartmut Zastrow, the executive director of SPORT+MARKT, told the paper.

“The main reasons why the Bundesliga now generates higher income from jersey sponsorships than the Premier League lies in [clubs] lacking jersey partners and the current weakness of the British currency. The sponsor of West Ham United, XL airlines, went bankrupt, West Bromwich Albion have yet to find a partner and Aston Villa now bears the logo of a charity organisation on its jersey.

“The Bundesliga is the winning league in this jersey report after slipping behind the English FA Premier League last season. For the first time revenue from jersey sponsorship in the Bundesliga exceeds the €100million mark. No other league has reached such a consistency of sponsorship deals for all teams.”

Source: www.sportbusiness.com

Argentina 1 – Nigeria 0: Ángel Di María goal decided the gold medal in football

Argentina defeated Nigeria 1-0. This is the second football gold medal in a row for Argentina who reached 12 matches won in a row too.

Most consecutive wins – Olympic Men's Football
# NOC Start date Match which ended streak

12 Argentina 10 Aug 2004 Running
8 Uruguay 25 May 1924 Uruguay - Argentina 1-1 AET (10 Jun 1928)
8 Hungary 15 Jul 1952 Denmark – Hungary 2-0 (06 Sep 1960)
7 Soviet Union 01 Dec 1956 Soviet Union - Poland 1-2 (05 Sep 1972)
7 Hungary 09 Sep 1960 Hungary - Ghana 2-2 (15 Oct 1968)
7 Spain 24 Jul 1992 France - Spain 1-1 (22 Jul 1996)

Argentina's current winning streak
Year Phase Match Result

2008 Final Argentina – Nigeria 1-0
2008 Semifinal Argentina - Brazil 3-0
2008 Quarterfinal Argentina - Netherlands 2-1 AET
2008 1st Round Argentina - Serbia 2-0
2008 1st Round Argentina - Australia 1-0
2008 1st Round Ivory Coast - Argentina 1-2
2004 Final Argentina - Paraguay 1-0
2004 Semifinal Italy - Argentina 0-3
2004 Quarterfinal Argentina - Costa Rica 4-0
2004 1st Round Argentina - Australia 1-0
2004 1st Round Argentina - Tunisia 2-0
2004 1st Round Argentina - Serbia and Montenegro 6-0

Argentina – Nigeria preview: the football final; remembering Atlanta 1996

The end comes. Only one will win the gold medal. The other team will win a brilliant silver medal. At National Stadium, Beijing 2008 will have a new Olympic Champion on Sunday. Both teams want the second gold medal in the football history.


Probable line-ups:
Nigeria:
Vanzekin - Olubayo, Apam, Adeleye, Ambrose - Promise, Kaita, Ajilore, Obinna - Okoronkwo, Odemwingie.

Argentina: Romero - Garay, Monzón, Zabaleta, Gago – Riquelme,
Di María, Pareja, Messi – Mascherano, Agüero.

The following are key facts and figures for the Men's Olympic Football final between Argentina and Nigeria on Saturday, 23 August; according to Infostrada Sports.

Head-to-head
Argentina is looking to avenge their 3-2 defeat against Nigeria in the final of the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games.

The 1996 final is the only time Argentina and Nigeria have met at the Olympic Games.

Argentina

Javier Mascherano is the only player to return from the team that won Gold at Athens 2004.

Argentina has won one Gold and two Silver medals at the Olympics.

Argentina has won their last 11 matches at the Olympic Games.

The last time they did not win was against Nigeria in the final at Atlanta 1996 (3-2).

Argentina has scored 10 goals at Beijing 2008. Sergio Agüero, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Lionel Messi are shared top scorers with two goals each.

Nigeria

Nigeria has won one Gold medal at the Olympic Games.

Nigeria has scored 10 goals at Beijing 2008.

Victor Obinna is the top scorer with three goals.

Argentina 3 - Brazil 0: Aguero makes magic; Olympics football history

Argentina beats Brazil 3-0 (Aguero twice, Riquelme) and will face Nigeria in the final. At Atlanta 96 the African Team won the gold medal against Argentina U-23: they won 3-2.


Former Medal Winners


Gold / Silver / Bronze

1900 Great Britain France Belgium, Great Britain B
1904 Canada USA USA B
1906 Denmark Smiyrna (International Team) Greece
1908 Great Britain Denmark Netherlands
1912 Great Britain Denmark Netherlands
1920 Belgium Spain Netherlands
1924 Uruguay Switzerland Sweden
1928 Uruguay Argentina Italy
1932 no Olympic football tournament
1936 Italy Austria Norway
1948 Sweden Yugoslavia Denmark
1952 Hungary Yugoslavia Sweden
1956 Soviet Union Yugoslavia Bulgaria
1960 Yugoslavia Denmark Hungary
1964 Hungary Czechoslovakia East Germany
1968 Hungary Bulgaria Japan
1972 Poland Hungary Soviet Union, East Germany
1976 East Germany Poland Soviet Union
1980 Czechoslovakia East Germany Soviet Union
1984 France Brazil Yugoslavia
1988 Soviet Union Brazil West Germany
1992 Spain Poland Ghana
1996 Nigeria Argentina Brazil
2000 Cameroon Spain Chile
2004 Argentina Paraguay Italy

Nigeria 4- Belgium 1

Wanting to repeat Atlanta 1996 glory…

Argentina – Brazil: is this match the football final?

People say that this match will decide the gold medal. But be careful: during Atlanta 1996, Nigeria (will face Belgium) beats Brazil in semifinals and Argentina in the final.

Bonustrack: former partners Messi and Ronaldinho will be face to face…

The Lineups:
Brazil: Renan – Rafinha, Hernanes, Alex Silva, Marcelo – Anderson, Lucas,
Ronaldinho (cap.), Diego – Breno, Pato.
Coach: Dunga.

Argentina: Romero – Garay, Monzón, Zabaleta, Gago – Riquelme (cap.),
Di María, Pareja, Messi – Mascherano, Agüero.

Coach: Batista.

Chinese deception

Olympic host China’s performance in the Football tournament was similar to that of other hosts in recent Olympic Games. China, like five of the last six host nations were knocked out in the group phase.

Since 1920, only Spain (1992) have hosted the Olympic Games and won gold in Football.

Performance of host NOC in Olympic Men’s Football

Year Host Nation Finishing position
2008 China 3rd of 4 in Group phase
2004 Greece 4th of 4 in Group phase
2000 Australia 4th of 4 in Group phase
1996 USA 3rd of 4 in Group phase
1992 Spain Winners
1988 Korea 3rd of 4 in Group phase
1984 USA 3rd of 4 in Group phase
1980 Soviet Union Third place
1976 Canada 3rd of 3 in Group phase
1972 West-Germany Second round
1968 Mexico Fourth place
1964 Japan Quarterfinals
1960 Italy Fourth place
1956 Australia Second round
1952 Finland First round
1948 Great Britain Fourth place
1936 Germany Second round
1928 Netherlands First round
1924 France Third round
1920 Belgium Winners
1912 Sweden First round
1908 Great Britain Winners

Leni Larsen Kaurin: the Fastest goal in Women's Football at the Olympic Games

Leni Larsen Kaurin (NOR) scored the fastest ever goal in the Women's Olympic Football tournament when she opened the score against the USA after 61 seconds of their match.

The previous fastest goal in the Women's tournament was scored in 1996 when Pia Wunderlich (GER) scored in the fourth minute against Brazil.

Norway's second goal of the match against USA was also scored in the fourth minute, equalling the previous record.

Fastest goals in Women's Football at the Olympic Games

Time Match Player
61 secs Norway - USA (06 Aug 2008) 2-0 Leni Larsen Kaurin (NOR)
4th min Brazil - Germany (25 Jul 1996) 1-1 Pia Wunderlich (GER)
4th min Norway - USA (06 Aug 2008) 2-0 Melissa Wiik (NOR)
5th min Germany - Japan (21 Jul 1996) 3-2 Bettina Wiegmann (GER)
5th min China PR - Brazil (28 Jul 1996) 3-2 Sun Qingmei (CHN)
5th min Norway - USA (28 Sep 2000) 3-2 Tiffeny Milbrett (USA)
6th min Norway - Germany (23 Jul 1996) 3-2 Ann Kristin Aarones (NOR)
6th min China PR - Sweden (06 Aug 2008) 2-1 Xu Yuan (CHN)