League Champions - Champions League ... season wrap up

The European football season came to a close on Saturday when Inter Milan (Italy) defeated Bayern Munich (Germany) for the UEFA Champions League title.

 Diego Milito score twice for the Italian side. With the European club season over, he furthers his chances as a starter for Argentina at this summer's World Cup.

Chelsea did well to win the double - the FA Cup and the Premier League in England. Frank Lampard (below) and Didier Drogba will star for England and the Ivory Coast respectively in South Africa 2010. 

The German power house Bayern Munich came up roses in the Bundasliga, but just short against Inter. Ribery was suspended for the Final but will surely be a factor for France in South Africa.

Inter Milan has to be the club of the season winning the "treble" - the Italian League, the Italian Cup and the Champions League.

Meanwhile, the heroics of Manchester United reject - Diego Floran propelled Atletico Madrid to the Europa League title over American Clint Dempsey's Fulham United. Floran will be a star to watch for Uruguay at the World Cup.

The flop of the season has to be Real Madrid which splashed out over $200 million dollars for just three players - Kaka', Cristiano Ronaldo and Karem Benzema - and won no trophies.

Season Winners:

Uefa Champions League: Inter Milan

Europa Cup : Atletico Madrid

England : Chelsea

FA Cup : Chelsea

France: Marseille

Fench Cup : Paris Saint-Germain

Germany : Bayern Munich

German Cup :  Bayern Munich

Scotland : Rangers

Scottish Cup : Dundee

Spain : Barcelona

Spanish Cup: Sevilla

The first ABA - International basketball cards

Long before the red, white and blue basketballs - way before the satin shorts and big afros were cool - the Argentina Basketball Association was playing hoops in South America back in 1965. The "other" ABA - American Basketball Association would peak in the 1970's.

Some of the Argentine basketball pioneers were pictured on gum card made by Tarjton - a subsidary of Topps in Argentina. A closer look at 1965 Tarjeton Sports set the design hints of the 1960 Topps football cards. WARNING - the following samples are not PSA material.

The set also includes boxers, track & field (world record runner Osvoldo Suarez- below), automobile sports and of course - soccer. About 75 % of the set is soccer teams from the Argentine 1st Division.

The highlites of the set include the top club players from River Plate, Independiente and Boca Juniors. However, included are members of the Italian Champions - Inter Milan (aka Internationale) with Spanish star Luis Suarez and Brazilian "Jair".

These cards are very rare compared to any American issues. They do not appear often and a complete set in mint condition would be priceless. As you can see from these samples above, condition is a major factor in foreign issues with binders, card holder and card savers a luxury.