By Nick Harris 23 December 2019 Lionel Messi’s  Barcelona have retained their status as the best paid team in all of global sport, measured by average basic pay in their first-team squad, according to Sportingintelligence’s Global Sports Salaries Survey (GSSS) for 2019, published today. Barca’s average pay is just over £9.8m, with Real Madrid in second place […]

By Nick Harris 26 November 2018 La Liga giants Barcelona, home to Lionel Messi, are the best paid team in global sport and the first sports team in history to have average basic annual pay of more than £10m according to Sportingintelligence’s Global Sports Salaries Survey (GSSS) for 2018, published today. Download the GSSS 2018 This year’s […]

By Joel Oberstone 11 January 2016 We are terribly spoiled, having the two greatest footballers of the modern era playing at the same time in the same league. As fans this allows us to marvel at the immense talents of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, the only two genuine contenders to Pele and Maradona for […]

By Sportingintelligence 20 November 2015 Few figures in world football are as widely respected as the late England manager, Bobby Robson, and testament to his enduring popularity is the fact that so many stars of the modern game continue to contribute to fund-raising in his memory. This year’s edition of the Sir Bobby Auction provides […]

By Sportingintelligence 15 October 2014 Spanish giants Barcelona are among the sporting organisations contributing to a charity auction in aid of the late, great Bobby Robson, a former manager of the Catalan club as well as a former manager of the England football team. As Barca have detailed on their own website, the club have […]

By Nick Harris 17 June 2013 There are 60 footballers in the ‘Big 5’ leagues of Europe who each carry a market value of £20m-plus this summer. The world’s best and most expensive player is Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, whose ‘guide price’ is between €217m and €253m (£185m-£215m). Next comes Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo (£87m-£101m), then […]

By Nick Harris SJA Internet Sports Writer of the Year 8 January 2013   So Lionel Messi yesterday won the Ballon D’Or for the fourth time in a row, having had a stellar year in which he won the Copa del Rey. And scored 91 goals. The brilliant Argentinean, 25, collected the award – deservedly […]

By Nick Harris SJA Internet Sports Writer of the Year 22 April 2012 AS the Premier League title race comes to the boil, Rio Ferdinand has spoken about the culture of success at Manchester United, ‘the desire’ for glory that pervades Old Trafford, and why he hopes that United’s blend of experienced winners and fearless […]

By Nick Harris SJA Internet Sports Writer of the Year  21 March 2012 Lionel Messi became Barcelona’s leading all-time goalscorer last night when he took his Barca tally to 234 goals. (In non-friendly games). You can see a video including EVERY goal here. A Sportingintelligence analysis of the Argentinean genius’s scoring for Barcelona shows: 185 […]

By Sportingintelligence  21 March 2012 Lionel Messi scored his 232nd, 233rd and 234th goals for Barcelona last night, making him the club’s all-time top scorer in official matches. For a COMPREHENSIVE statistical analysis, click here. (Breakdown of goals by foot, opponent etcetera).  Four other players have scored more for Barca including in friendlies: Paulino Alcántara (369 goals); Josep […]