To some it's a game, to others, a religion. Soccer is the world's most-watched sport, with fans around the globe cheering on their favorite stars from local clubs to World Cup teams. Read the stories of the greatest players on the field today: * David Beckham is a celebrity who continues to catch the world's attention on and off the pitch * Ronaldinho was named FIFA World Player in 2004 and 2005 and FIFPro World Player in 2005 * Pavel Nedved, the great Czech midfielder, is now winning games for Juventus in Italy * Wayne Rooney, working-class Liverpool teen, is well on his way to superstardom * Thierry Henry came from a Parisian ghetto to become one of the fastest strikers to ever play the game * Djibril Cisse, known for his speed, acceleration and distinctive hairstyles, is making a comeback from an injury that almost cost him his leg * Zinedine Zidane, the French midfielder, scored the winning goal in the 1998 World Cup * Francesco Totti is the Italian star forward whose great talent is often overshadowed by his turbulent personality * Frank Lampard, who came from a great soccer family, was voted England's 2004/2005 Player of the Year * And many more…

Arpon Basu had said since the age of eight that he would one day make the National Hockey League. Any chance of that happening, came to a crashing halt when, at 15 when he realized he was completely devoid of any talent. He earned a graduate journalism degree from Concordia University and went straight to a sports-writing job with the Canadian Press. The first time he walked into the Montréal Canadiens dressing room as a giddy cub reporter, Basu nearly fell over as it dawned on him that, despite his ineptitude on the ice, he had in fact been telling the truth as a dreamy-eyed eight-year-old.Basu covers sports for the Canadian Press in Montréal and writes a weekly sports column for the Montréal Gazette. He is also editor of Montréal’s South Shore, The St-Lambert Journal.

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