Are We Ever Going to Look Beyond the Skin?
The opening sequence of Inglorious Basterds is a masterclass on how to write a lede. There is much to rave about its aesthetic treatment, but Christoph Waltz as Colonel Hans Landa really…
When the Bubble Bursts: Football’s Post-Apocalypse
Football has a money problem. Rather than being shaded by money trees, the health of the modern game is being antagonised by the very fabric of its ecosystem. Footballers, fans and clubs…
From Wolfsburg misfit to immortality in Naples: the rise, blip, and rise of Victor Osimhen
In Naples, football is more than a sport. This southern city, famous for its natural beauties and rich history, is a place where men who become heroes are immortalized. They are worshipped.…
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia: Naples’ Immortalised Son
Napoli’s first Serie A title in over three decades was won in spectacular fashion, with the Partenopei dominating rivals all over the pitch. One player, the Georgian Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, has managed to…
Untapped Markets: How Celtic Provide an Example for All of Scottish Football
Ange Postecoglou was appointed Celtic manager in 2021. Almost immediately after his unveiling, the Australian alluded to his desire to tap into markets that had otherwise been untouched by Scottish clubs prior…
Barca: The Albatross Around FC Barcelona’s Neck
The smoke signals have been fired. Barcelona lead the La Liga table by thirteen points. With just five games left, they are overwhelming favourites to win their first league title in four…
Football, Mental Health, and Belonging
I like to think that everything in life is a metaphor. Things can be broken down into comparisons, and when it comes to the game of football, we can spend entire lives…
Football Twitter, Arsenal, and Coming Back to Myself
Getting older is a peculiar experience, particularly hitting 40. There are highs—a new decade, the chance for over the top and extended celebrations—and then there are lows— your mortality suddenly hits you…
The Europa Conference League: an unlikely stroke of genius?
When UEFA announced the introduction of a tertiary continental club competition, it’s fair to say that the idea received a lukewarm reception at best. While some, for various reasons, did instantly herald…
Carlo Ancelotti: Football’s Greatest Unsung Coach?
The stare. The brow. The outfit. Everything about Carlo Ancelotti is iconic to its core. He is a man that exemplifies class, and his accolades as both player and coach take him…
What Rivalry? Arsenal vs Chelsea in the Wake of Jorginho’s Transfer
Deadline day in January is always fun, as clubs scramble to complete last-minute transfers that will make or break their season. This year was no different, with Nottingham Forest further expanding their…
FC Start and the Legend of ‘The Death Match’
The 1981 sports war movie Escape to Victory, starring Hollywood icons like Sylvester Stallone and Michael Caine alongside footballing legend Pele is based on a true event which took place in Ukraine…
Marcus Rashford is Back to His Devastating and Effervescent Best
“In this mood and this spirit, I think he is unstoppable.” Erik ten Hag eulogised over the growing influence of Marcus Rashford, who picked up the ball in his own half at…
Towerin’ Thompson: Part I
“Ah want me name printed on the back o’ me shirt!” Thompson leaned his spindly, tall frame into the wind and rain that blew directly into his red, cadaverous face. The hissing…
January Transfer Window: Three Sides That Need to Act Quickly
We are well and truly into the January transfer window, and football fans worldwide probably feel a combination of emotions ranging from disappointment to delight. Ideally, many clubs wouldn’t intend to do…
Croatia and the Safety First Approach: With Respect Comes Expectation
Since gaining independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991, Croatia’s national football team qualified for six World Cups and finished on the podium in three. That in itself is a major accomplishment…
Messi, Lusail, and closing a personal chapter
“Everyone remembers their firsts. The memory of my first taste of football is tangled up with shin-deep monsoon water, a drenched school uniform I refused to take off until half-time because I…
The Rise of Georgian Football
Georgian football hasn’t been the most recognisable location on the footballing map. Still, the recent performances from Giorgi Mamardashvili, Giorgi Chakvetadze and specifically Khvicha Kvaratskhelia have had the footballing world sit up…
Give it to Messi and Pray: Netherlands vs Argentina
Give it to Messi and pray. Now. Tomorrow. The day after. Tonight, especially tonight. Give it to him and pray. As you’ve done for the last 18 years, touching on two decades.…
Luka Modrić and Croatia’s Hopes against Brazil
It was June 18th 2006. The occasion was a mostly dull, scoreless match between Croatia and Japan on Match Day 2 in Group F of that year’s World Cup in Germany. Both…
Five Iconic Moments from the Group Stage
On the pitch, the 2022 World Cup has already thrown up a plethora of entertainment for the average viewer. Shocks courtesy of Saudi Arabia and Japan as well as enthralling encounters involving…
What’s Next for the USMNT? Group Stage in Review
Through to the next round. Advancing out of the group stage at the World Cup is always a success, but for the United States getting to that last 16 is a valuable…
Five iconic matches from the 2006 World Cup
The World Cup generates an entirely different feeling to club football. All the animosity that fuels and creates the excitement of the domestic leagues is forgotten for a month of national unity.…
Do Aesthetics Matter? Levante and Alavés’ La Liga Relegation Answers a Persistent Question
To suggest that the neutral fan in La Liga will mourn the loss of Alavés and Levante is a little hyperbolic, but there might be a fleeting pang of regret that Los Granotas are no longer in the first division.