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By Michael Lopez

It may not be a Guinness World Record, but Lionel “Leo” Messi's latest feat is still definitely worth mentioning. The legendary Barcelona striker scored his 200th goal for the team this week, all but confirming his status as the world's greatest fútbol player.

Perhaps the most amazing thing about Messi's accomplishment is that he did it at just 24-years-old. Leo's still got a long career ahead of him and should be right on track to take down the all-time goal record (which stands at 235) within the next two seasons.

Even Pelé couldn't help but praise Messi’s talents. Speaking with ESPN, the retired Brazilian soccer god shared some very kind words about Leo’s abilities.

"Today there is no doubt, Messi, he is the best player today," Pelé said. "I don’t see any player who is better."

So even though Cristiano Ronaldo has the Facebook fans and Zico has the social network, Messi is the dominant force where it counts!

Do you think Leo is the world's greatest futbol player? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Barcelona, Blogger: Michael Lopez, futbol, Lionel Messi, Pelé, Soccer, Sports

By Michael Lopez

Don't lie, you know you've clicked the "Like" button on Cristiano Ronaldo's Fan page. Or at least someone you know has. The Real Madrid soccer stud has nearly 35 million fans on the social network, making him the most popular fútbol player on Facebook.

Interestingly, Ronaldo's page is pretty bare bones for having that many followers. About roughly once a day, he'll post a picture or a YouTube link of himself on the field. But he's definitely doing something right. Cristiano has 10 million more "Likes" than his closest competitor.

And that would be Barcelona's Lionel Messi. Often regarded as a better player than Ronaldo, he definitely attracts the more die-hard fútbol fans. Right now, Messi's got 25 million "Likes" and some pretty cool graphics strewn across his front page.

Other well "Liked" players include David Beckham (with 14 million followers) and Cristiano's Real Madrid teammate Kaká (who's at 11.5 million). And in case you're wondering, little Leo Coira has his own page too, which is at 10,000 "Likes" and growing!

Which fútbol players do you “Like” on Facebook? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham, Facebook, futbol, Hot Stuff, Kaká, Lionel Messi, Sports

By Michael Lopez

With such a flurry of upcoming events, is it possible that Brazil may be overextending itself? They're on board to host the 2016 Olympics, they've got the Rock in Rio festival going on, and they were supposed to be the home of the 2014 World Cup. But according to the latest reports, FIFA may be moving its next epic fútbol battle to the U.S.

FIFA seems most troubled with sluggish construction at Brazil World Cup venues and infrastructure issues at the country's airports. Other possible red flags include poor sanitation services and a lack of good public hospitals for injured fútbol fans.

So far there are no definite details about where in the U.S. FIFA is considering moving the Cup, or even if it will happen at all. And if Brazil does get the green light, they better be prepared for some massive expenses. Some independent forecasters have predicted that the 2014 World Cup could cost as much as $60 billion.

Key Latin American economist Gustavo Grisa believes that Brazil will be able to pull it off, though it won't be easy.

"It is very ambitious to host the World Cup and the Olympic Games in such a short period of time," he said. "It won't be a crisis, but it can add to other problems during a time when the public deficit and the country's social security are in a crucial moment."

Would you like to see the next World Cup moved to the U.S.? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Brazil, FIFA, futbol, Gustavo Grisa, Sports, World Cup

By Michael Lopez

Just in case you felt there weren't enough social networks out there, here's another one that will suck hours of your life away. Pnera.com just launched and, to be honest, it's quite unique as far as interactive communities go. You see, this one was launched by fútbol legends Ronaldo and Zico and focuses solely on the sport of soccer.

As we all know, fútbol is massively popular throughout the world. Currently played by over 250 million athletes in over 200 countries, it does seem like a prime area for social networking.

Plus, Ronaldo and Zico are perfect poster boys to get the whole thing off the ground. Zico has a huge fan base among the older generation of fútbol fans, having been dubbed the "White Pelé" during his heyday in the 1980's. Ronaldo is a modern-day legend and a World Cup winner who dominated as a striker for Brazil’s Corinthians.

Together, they have got quite a hot commodity on their hands. Pnera is completely free and lets users upload photos from the field, submit videos of their fútbol skills, and even interact with professional coaches and players. Plus, it's a great place for soccer fanatics to "kick it" while browsing the web.

What’s your favorite social network? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, futbol, Pnera, Ronaldo, Soccer, Social Networks, Sports, Zico

By Michael Lopez

Is Cristiano Ronaldo truly a perfect human specimen? A new Spanish documentary called Tested to the Limit is ready to find out. Putting the Real Madrid striker through a series of intense physical challenges, the film promises some very interesting results.

Tested clips have already begun popping up online. Scenes include Cristiano kicking balls through solid plates of glass, scoring goals in the dark, and running at breakneck speeds across the fútbol field.

Ronaldo made a very public appearance promoting the movie earlier this week in Spain. Appearing alongside Dakar Rally champ Carlos Sainz and Real Madrid teammate Jerzy Dudek, Cristiano was all smiles and showing off some of his trademark muscles to the press.

Several months in the making, Ronaldo seemed to be very happy with the final cut of the film.

"To finally see [Tested to the Limit] on the big screen is very exciting," he said at the premiere. "I'm used to an audience when I’m on the pitch but this is the first time that people will see what goes on behind closed doors. They will see the strength it takes to perform at the highest level. This film is about what gives me the edge and I hope that my fans enjoy it."

What do you think about Ronaldo’s athletic abilities? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Cristiano Ronaldo, Documentaries, futbol, Movies & CineMás, Sports, Tested to the Limit

By Michael Lopez

Fútbol fans may be in for a quite a shock when peeking at Real Madrid’s latest team roster. Amongst killer strikers like Sergio Ramos and Cristiano Ronaldo, there will be a seven-year-old prodigy named Leonel Angel Coira. Nicknamed "Leo," he’s the youngest player ever to sign with the club.

Technically linked to a "youth development contract," Leo is fast becoming Spain’s newest celebrity. Pictures of the happy-go-lucky second grader have surfaced across all kinds of sports sites and turned the Argentine native into an international superstar.

Leo’s talents are so highly regarded, there was rumored to be a bidding war to nab the youngster. Clubs like Atletico Madrid were also reportedly after him and we imagine brands like Nike won’t be far behind.

When asked about who he idolized, Leo was quick to list off his #1 hero. That would be his namesake of course, Argentina’s Lionel "Leo" Messi. Perhaps they can even go head-to-head at World Cup 2022.

What do you about the hype behind 7-year-old Leo? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, futbol, Leo, Leonel Angel Coira, Real Madrid, Sports

By Michael Lopez

Feeling a little fútbol withdrawal today? After an intense three weeks, the 2011 Copa América battle has come to an end, with Uruguay clinching the top prize. Sunday's victory marked the 15th cup for the South American strikers and they fought hard to earn it.

Facing Paraguay in Buenos Aires' Estadio Monumental, they played a very aggressive match and defeated their rivals 3-0. But don't think it was just the star forwards who got all of the glory for the win. Uruguay's goalkeeper, Fernando Muslera, put up an impenetrable force field between the posts.

Luis Suarez also deserves a lot of credit for nabbing the Copa. Not just for his performance in the finals match, but for the entire series. He scored his first Sunday goal, 12 minutes into the match. Diego Forlán also drew huge cheers for kicking in two more points later in the game.

When it was all said and done, flashing cameras exploded, confetti dropped from the sky, and tons of jersey wearing fans erupted in cheers. Diego, in particular, seemed to get very emotional about the win.

"This title means a lot to me because my grandfather won, my father won and now I won," Forlán enthusiastically said. "Three generations who led this tournament, Forlán will be the last name in the history."

And scoring this Copa América victory has literally turned the La Celeste guys (as they're commonly called) into fútbol royalty. As you may recall, they earned a very respectable fourth place title in last year's World Cup standings and are now primed to compete for the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup.

Some writers have even gone so far to say that Uruguay is now the best team in South America, labeling the footwork of Forlán and Suarez as a "killer combination." As you may recall, Argentina's Lionel Messi has been getting a fair share of hype recently, but his fame may soon be eclipsed by La Celeste's dynamic duo.

All we're saying is, don't be surprised if you see Diego and Luis sporting big smiles on your Wheaties cereal box in the near future. Congrats to Uruguay on an incredible win!

Were you rooting for Uruguay in the finals? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Copa América, Diego Forlán, futbol, Hot Stuff, Luis Suarez, Sports, Uruguay

By Michael Lopez

Only one more game awaits before the Copa América crowns a new winner. And after a couple of dramatic matches this week, it looks like Uruguay and Paraguay will be the teams facing off in Sunday's Buenos Aires finale.

Penalty kicks seem to be the recurring theme in this year's Copa battles. As with Argentina and Brazil last week, the final shootout is what clinched Paraguay's victory over Venezuela.

Though many had hoped the Venezuelan underdogs would advance, Paraguay's strikers Lucas Barrios and Néstor Ortigoza kicked in essential goals.

"Today we played bad, we played good," Ortigoza said. "The important thing is we won."

Uruguay had a much easier time ousting Peru. Defeating their rivals with a 2-0 victory, the Uruguayan team now has the chance to claim their 15th Copa América title. Luis Suarez was definitely the "golden boy" of their last match, scoring both goals amid cheers, hoots, and hollars.

So what's next? The big showdown on Sunday afternoon. And if these past matches are any indicator of what's to come, expect massive crowds, intense standoffs, and quite a few penalty kicks.

Who are rooting for, Uruguay or Paraguay? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Copa América, futbol, Lucas Barrios, Luis Suarez, Néstor Ortigoza, Paraguay, Sports, Uruguay

By Michael Lopez

Forget CARmageddon, if you want a true sign of the apocalypse, just look at the latest results from the Copa América competition! In what can only be described as dumbfounding, fútbol faves Brazil, Argentina, and Chile were all defeated over the weekend.

Brazil has won an astounding eight Copa América titles thus far and has a killer squad of strikers. So what went wrong when they took on Paraguay? Most sports writers blame the loss on head coach Mano Menezes, calling out his positioning of the team's midfielders as the weakest link. Whatever the reason, Paraguay clinched the victory, mostly because Brazil missed all four of its penalty shots.

Argentina didn't fare much better against Uruguay on Saturday, losing in a 5-4 penalty shootout. Like Brazil, the Argentine team has a legendary Copa América reputation. They have won the cup a total of 14 times and have nearly always placed in the top four rankings.

Argentina's performance against Uruguay proved to be utterly disappointing for the fans. But sadly, it was that much of a surprise. The team had struggled in its last two matches with Colombia and Bolivia, barely coming out with a draw on both counts. Many fans blamed forward Lionel Messi for the loss, but truth be told, the entire team wasn't quite gelling on the field.

Now as for Chile, they got into some hot and heavy field work with Venezuela on Sunday. Going into overtime, the Venezulan underdogs scored a 2-1 victory, making this their first official visit to the Copa América semi-finals. 27-year-old defender Gabriel Chichero got a lot of credit for the team's win, particularly since he kicked in the final goal.

But before you can take a breath for air, keep in mind that two more dramatic matches are set to go down within the next three days. Peru will battle Uruguay on July 19 and Paraguay takes on Venezuela July 20!

Who are you rooting for in the Copa América semi finals? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Copa América, futbol, Gabriel Chichero, Hot Stuff, Lionel Messi, Mano Menezes, Sports

By Michael Lopez

Who needs South Africa? This past weekend, Frankfurt Germany was the site of a truly historic soccer event, as Japan narrowly beat the U.S. to take home the Women's World Cup!

Though it initially didn't get as much fanfare as its male counterpart, the Women's World Cup turned into quite a colossal affair, particularly in the twitterverse. The fútbol match up actually broke a Twitter record, garnering over 7,190 tweets per second at one point.

Looking at the final results, it's easy to see why there was so much interest. The match up was an intense battle from beginning to end, with the ultimate victory decided by a penalty kick.

Though we are definitely bummed for the U.S., Japan's win was much needed and well-deserved. After a tumultuous year of earthquakes and tsunamis, this victory has helped lift millions of spirits on the ladies' home turf.

And don't feel too bad for U.S. Latina Amy Rodriguez. She's still got a sweet endorsement deal from Puma and plenty of opportunities to take back the Cup in 2015.

Did you watch the Women's World Cup finals? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Amy Rodriguez, Blogger: Michael Lopez, futbol, Hot Stuff, japan, Soccer, Sports, Women's World Cup