The fight to ensure fairness in football is doomed to failure, but more importantly, it would risk ruining the sport. Football isn’t fair. It never has been and in a way it never will be. A team can dominate a match for 89 minutes and still lose. We’ve seen it happen so many times, including in Cup Finals. Everyone is
Read more
Not too long ago, Luka Modric lifted the 2018 Ballon d’Or — the prize awarded to the best player on the planet over the preceding 12 months. Few football experts would have predicted in January 2018 that the classy Croatian would win the award, dominated by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the past decade. As we embark on another
Read more
Luka Modric ended the Cristiano Ronaldo-Lionel Messi domination of the Ballon d’Or, but what questions the point of individual awards in a team sport… In January, Real Madrid and Croatia midfielder Luka Modric was awarded the Ballon d’Or, the first player not named Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo to be given the award since 2007. The 33-year-old is also the
Read more
From a lack of thought for match-going fans to more excitement at the end of the season, We suggest how Spanish football can improve in 2019. Fewer Monday and Friday night matches A standard La Liga weekend round of games includes matches which are not technically on weekends – 20% of them, if not more. These games are often poorly-attended
Read more
Liverpool and Arsenal have played out some of English football’s most thrilling fixtures. Yousef Teclab looks back at one particular goal-fest… Liverpool 4-4 Arsenal (Premier League, 2008-09) Liverpool vs. Arsenal is a fixture that has several memorable moments – from the 1989 title decider to the 2001 FA Cup Final. But many remember the madness that occurred in April 2009.
Read more
The new kids have won it! In December Atlanta United FC reached the top of the mountain in Major League Soccer, winning the 2018 MLS Cup in a 2-0 result over the Portland Timbers. In just two years time they have risen through the ranks of MLS and become one of the fastest growing clubs not just in the U.S.,
Read more
Graduation day is supposed to be a big day. It is a chance for people to celebrate their success, to say goodbye to old friends, and get ready for the road ahead. For some graduation day takes the form of a cap and gown. For soccer players looking to join Major League Soccer it involves a suit and tie and
Read more
In the summer of 2017, Jean Michael Seri seemed set to join Barcelona. The Ivorian had been a standout player for Nice, and the two clubs had agreed on a deal worth around €40m. Depending on who you believe, Les Aiglons either raised the price or Barca pulled out, but either way the deal collapsed. Seri was disappointed, but his
Read more
At a time where the sport of soccer is immensely growing among the American and Canadian public, the 2026 FIFA World Cup was awarded to the United bid between the United States, Canada and Mexico a day before the inception of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. All three countries sustain growing grassroots to professional structure that will only become even more
Read more
It is often said that sport and politics should never mix. One only has to look at the recent furore over NFL players ‘taking a knee,’ with some backing the players, others backing their right to protest but asking that they keep it out of their sport, and others telling the athletes: “stay in your lane”. In truth though sport
Read more