Football GoldMine

After leaving São Paulo, 39-year old Brazilian footballer Rivaldo joined Angolan club Kabuscorp on a one-year deal in January 2012.

Like Brazil, Portuguese is the official language of Angola- and Rivaldo revealed that language played a role in his decision, as he received offers from clubs from various countries.

Rivaldo scored 11 goals in 21 games, including a hattrick against Recreativo da Caala, as Kabuscorp finished fourth in the Angolan Girabola League.

The Brazilian also finished the third top scorer in the league.

Following their victory in the 2004 European Championship, Greece had six players nominated for the ballon d'Or that year.

Captain and midfielder Theodoros Zagorakis was ranked 5th.

Striker Angelos Charisteas was ranked 11th.

Defender Traianos Dellas was ranked 15th.

Goalkeeper Antonis Nikopolidis was ranked 24th.

Defenders Michalis Kapsis and Giourkas Seitaridis received no vote.

Orlando Pirates was leading 1-0 against Baroka in stoppage time during a South African Premier League game in November 2016.

Baroka was awarded a corner kick in the 95th minute and Baroka goalkeeper Oscarine Masuluke came up for the corner, to help his team find a late goal.

Masuluke ended up scoring the equalizer with an overhead kick.

The goal finished second, behind Olivier Giroud's scorpion kick goal, in the Puskas Award ranking.

Chelsea vs Liverpool holds the record for most consecutive meetings (5) in the UEFA Champions League.

In 2004-05, they met in the semi-finals and Liverpool won 1-0 on aggregate.

In 2005-06, they met in the group stages and played 0-0 on aggregate.

In 2006-07, they met in the semi-finals and Liverpool won 4-1 on penalties after a 1-1 aggregate draw.

In 2007-08, they met in the semi-finals and Chelsea won 4-3 on aggregate.

In 2008-09, they met in the quarter-finals and Chelsea won 7-5 on aggregate.

In the 2007-08 season, Derby County produced the worst ever performance in Premier League history with 1 win, 8 draws and 29 losses, finishing bottom of the table with 11 points.

Their only victory was a 1-0 home win against Newcastle United.

Alvin Martin scored his first career hattrick in an extraordinary way- against three different goalkeepers.

This happened in West Ham's 8-1 victory over Newcastle in a Football League First Division match in April 1986.

After Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Thomas got injured, outfield players Chris Hedworth (who subsequently got injured) and Peter Beardsley played in goal.

And all three "goalkeepers" conceded a goal each from the West Ham defender, the third goal being a penalty which Martin insisted on taking ahead of designated penalty taker Ray Stewart, in order to complete his hattrick.

That was the only penalty he ever took in his career.

Ndaye Mulamba holds the record for most goals scored in an AFCON tournament. He scored 9 goals for Zaire (now DR Congo) at AFCON 1974.

Mulamba scored twice in Zaire's 2-1 group stage win over Guinea.

He scored a goal in their 4-1 group stage win over Mauritius.

He scored twice in their 3-2 semi-final win over Egypt.

He scored twice in the final against Zambia, which ended in a 2-2 draw.

The replay took place two days later and he scored twice again in a 2-0 win over Zambia, to secure Zaire's second AFCON title.

He emerged both top scorer and best player of the tournament.

Aged 70, Mulamba passed away on 26 January 2019, after battling with kidney and heart problems.

Retired Brazilian right-back Juliano Belletti scored just once in 102 appearances for Barcelona and that goal came at the most crucial moment.

Having replaced Oleguer Presas in the 71st minute of the 2005-06 UCL final against Arsenal, the Brazilian scored the winner in the 80th minute, as Barcelona came from behind to win 2-1.

On their journey to winning the UCL in 1994-95, Ajax beat defending champions Milan thrice without conceding a goal.

In the group stage, Ajax won the first leg at Amsterdam 2-0, goals scored by Ronald de Boer and Jari Litmanen.

In the return leg in Italy, Ajax won 2-0 again, goals scored by Jari Litmanen and Franco Baresi (own goal).

Both teams made it to the final where Ajax beat Milan 1-0, courtesy of an 85th minute goal by Patrick Kluivert.

Frank Lampard joined West Ham academy when he was 14. At that time, his uncle Harry Redknapp was manager of the first team while his father Frank Lampard Snr was assistant manager of the first team. (His father was also a legend at the club, having played over 550 games in nearly 20 years).

When Lampard broke into the senior squad, aged 17, he faced accusations of nepotism. Many of the West Ham fans didn't like him, as they believed he was just a chubby kid who was only playing based on family connections.

The fans taunted him by calling him "Fat Frank" and Lampard claimed some of the fans even cheered when he was carried off the pitch with a broken leg in 1997.

Lampard scored 38 goals in 187 appearances for West Ham before leaving for Chelsea in 2001. His uncle Harry Redknapp and father Frank Lampard Snr also left that year, after falling out with the club.