Georgia, a nation with a deep passion for football and a rich cultural heritage, is set to make its historic debut in a major international competition at the 2024 European Championship. This milestone represents a significant achievement for Georgian football and is a source of immense national pride.   The journey of the Georgian national…

Italy, one of the powerhouses of world football, has a storied history in the European Championship. The 2000 European Championship, held in Belgium and the Netherlands, is particularly memorable for the Italian national team due to the dramatic and curious sequence of events that unfolded in the final. This tournament encapsulated the highs and lows…

Albania, a nation with a deep love for football but limited success on the international stage, achieved a significant milestone with their historic debut in the 2016 European Championship. This debut was not only a monumental event for Albanian football but also a source of immense national pride. The 2016 tournament marked Albania’s first appearance…

Switzerland, known for its solid and disciplined approach to football, has often been a consistent presence in European tournaments. However, the 2008 European Championship, co-hosted by Switzerland and Austria, brought a dramatic and curious moment that remains etched in the memories of Swiss football fans. The tournament not only showcased the resilience of the Swiss…

With the onset of peace after the Great War, sport resumed throughout Europe in 1919. When the Football League met on the 10th March 1919 at the Grand Hotel in Manchester, it was decided to increase the top two divisions from 20 teams each to 22. Derby County and Preston North End were already promoted…

Since the coming of the Football League in 1888, the competition has seen many chairmen whose actions impacted their club for better or eventually worse. Yet none would have such an impact on several of London’s football clubs as Sir Henry George Norris.   Born in July 1865, Norris first made his name in property…

Two momentous events were about to unfold, which would change the course of the Argentina National team. The first was marked in 1977 when a 16-year-old Diego Armando Maradona made his debut for the national team. The second one was the 1978 World Cup. Argentina had been awarded hosting rights and the FA had turned…

A third star on the jersey of its national team is something most nations dream of. The third star went to Argentina this time, France being bitterly disappointed as they failed to make up some ground on the likes of Brazil, Germany and Italy.   With the tournament still being more or less fresh in…

A new transitional period followed that saw the French national team fail to qualify for the 1988 Euros and the 1990 World Cup. This period, however, saw developments behind the scenes that would impact world football to this day. The Clairefontaine academy, which cost 104 million francs to produce, was inaugurated in 1988 and a…

With Newcastle United being taken over by a consortium that includes the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF), it has transformed the spending power of the club, allowing them to dream of Champions League football after years of stagnation under the previous owner Mike Ashley.   These hopes of qualifying for the Champions League…