"Messi's ability is incredible when you consider his age. I think it's fair to compare him to Diego Maradona."

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola on Lionel Messi:
"He was so decisive.

"Every great has a tendency to influence his team, like Michael Jordan with the Chicago Bulls. He's the best. We wouldn't trade him for anybody.

"To reach the quarterfinals is very important. We were very, very intense in all facets, very aggressive. We played a great game."

Stuttgart coach Christian Gross:
"Barcelona are strong individually and collectively and I think the elimination of Real Madrid gave them some extra motivation.

"Messi's ability is incredible when you consider his age. I think it's fair to compare him to Diego Maradona."

A brilliant new Pepsi advertisement for the World Cup 2010 in South Africa. This ad features many footballers, including Didier Drogba, Andrei Arshavin, Lionel Messi, Thierry Henry, Frank Lampard, ...

Peter Crouch - Maybe not the best but the Funniest Soccer Player in the World!

The lanky-legged striker, whose fiancee is lads' mag pin-up and lingerie model Abi Clancy (pictured above), topped a survey to find the best one liners and comedy football moments of all time.

The 6ft 7in beanpole responded to the question, "What would you be if you weren't a footballer?" by saying: "A virgin", winning him nearly a quarter of the votes in the poll.

His famous "robot dance" goal celebration - which he has promised to repeat if England win the World Cup in South Africa - also added to his appeal.

Manchester United legend George Best features at number two in the vote for his comment: "I spent a lot of my money on booze, birds and fast cars - the rest I just squandered."

England's David Beckham to miss World Cup with injury A rupture of the Achilles tendon