Articles
-
![]()
Can Ecuador Navigate a Tricky Group A and Qualify for the Round of 16 For The First Time Since 2006?
Located in the northwest of South America, Ecuador is the second-smallest country in the continent behind Guyana with a total area of 283, 561 square kilometers, roughly the size of Colorado, and it has the seventh-biggest population. Home to roughly 18 million people, the country gained independence from Spain in 1822 and draws its name…
-
![]()
Why a Divided Brazil Needs Its Beloved Football Team to Succeed More Than Ever
The Seleção is arguably the strongest it has been since the great World Cup-winning side of 2002. The triple threat of Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho ran riot that summer in South Korea and Japan. R9’s distinguished, semi-shaved hairdo inspired millions of Brazilians, including a young Neymar, to disappoint their mothers and imitate their footballing idol.…
-
![]()
Potential Difference Makers for the Leading Nations at the World Cup
The FIFA World Cup in Qatar gets underway this month, with many of the top nations harbouring hopes of lifting the trophy in December. Argentina’s hopes are underpinned by Lionel Messi, while Brazil are reliant on Neymar Jr to build a World Cup legacy likened to stars of the past in order to guide his country…
-
![]()
Cody Gakpo: The Key to the Netherlands’ Hopes in Qatar?
At 23 years old, Cody Gakpo has solidified himself as one of the hottest prospects in the Eredivisie and emerged as the captain and attacking talisman for PSV Eindhoven. Born in Eindhoven, Gakpo spent 11 years at PSV’s academy before making his first-team debut on February 25, 2018 as an injury-time substitute in a 3-1…
-
![]()
The Greatest XI in World Cup History
Putting together ‘The Greatest XI in World Cup History’ is both one of the most daunting tasks and dicey propositions in football for obvious reasons: Recency bias can skew jurors’ judgment to lead them to favor the players they saw in action over the ones they never had the chance to witness. Cultural bias…
-
![]()
Takehiro Tomiyasu: Arsenal’s Jack-of-all-trades in Defense
Arsenal began their major rebuild in the 2021/22 summer window, which was desperately necessary after finishing 8th the previous season and not qualifying for Europe for the first time in 25 years. £150m spent, the most of any of PL side; 20 departures, permanently or on loan, with only 7 of those still on the…
-
![]()
Life After Nathan Jones: Who Next for The Luton Town Hot-Seat?
The last time Nathan Jones departed Luton Town, it was an acrimonious exit. Leaving in January 2019 for Stoke City, a second consecutive promotion was on the cards with The Hatters enjoying unparalleled success under their Welsh head coach. His subsequent failure at Stoke City – a 38-game spell mustering up an abject 15.8%…
-
![]()
How Christian Streich Rebuilt SC Freiburg
Despite a 3-1 loss on Wednesday night against RB Leipzig at the Red Bull Arena, Christian Streich’s Sport-Club Freiburg side have enjoyed a sensational start to the campaign which sees them sitting joint-second in the Bundesliga at the time of writing, only behind Union Berlin on goal difference. The “Breisgau Brazilians” finished 6th last…
-
![]()
Iliman Ndiaye – One of the Most Exciting Players in the Championship Right Now
Iliman Ndiaye has been something of a bright spark for Sheffield United since he broke through into the first team in 2021. The 22-year-old enjoyed a productive season during the previous campaign, breaking through into the first team during a 6-2 victory against Peterborough where he grabbed two goals and an assist to ensure everyone…
-
![]()
Michael Olise: Crystal Palace’s Orchestrator on the Flanks
Michael Olise may have been famed for his blunt post-match interview last weekend, but the 20-year-old certainly doesn’t lack character on the pitch. One of the brightest young wingers in the Premier League. It seems only a matter of time before Olise becomes the latest Championship prospect to take his club form to the country.…
