As Celta de Vigo slumped to an uninspiring 4-1 defeat to Real Sociedad last November, there was an all too familiar feeling around the club. Their fourth defeat in five, the Galicians were in the relegation zone. Again. And, as the rain began to pour onto the bright blue, empty seats of Balaídos, it was…

The past decade has seen Real Madrid dominate European football, winning an unprecedented three Champions League trophies in a row as well as three league titles and two Copa del Rey trophies, but one area in which they have paled in comparison to other major European giants is their youth production rate.   Whilst Real…

José Campaña is a Spanish footballer who plays in the humble team of Levante UD, a team that usually fights near the middle of the table. He has the level to be in a bigger club but for one reason or another, he still has not made the move. His ability as a player is…

Sepp van den Berg was only 17 when Liverpool signed him for £1.3 million, rising to £4.6 million with clauses in his contract from his hometown club, PEC Zwolle. He joined the reigning Champions League holders at the time of the signing in 2019 with plenty of expectations. The pressure was already there with comparisons…

For most casual fans, African football is a mystery. Club competition is underfunded and marred by corruption, whilst international tournaments like the African Cup of Nations rarely receive the same exposure as their European or South American counterparts.   Whilst the Black Stars of Ghana stole the hearts of football fans with their inspiring performance…

The cradle of western civilisation has borne witness to countless legends, mythical or not. Men of distinction, character, and strength have long inhabited the lands of the Hellenes, from the stories of Achilles to the very real legacy of Alexander the Great. Though contemporary Greece appears to be on the ropes both in a footballing…

Football is constantly changing, and as time progresses, new concepts and ideas are brought to us. However, some of those ideas never disappear, they just get recycled. Since the ’90s, the football world has changed a lot and many different periods were established. Coaches and teams are able to define a generation and certainly, Pep…

Since Gian Piero Gasperini was appointed coach of Atalanta in the summer of 2016, the Italian club has developed a reputation as one of the most entertaining teams in Europe, and the former Genoa and Inter tactician has brought the best out of creative players like Alejandro “Papu” Gómez and Josip Iličić. Unfortunately, a reported…

It has been nothing short of a whirlwind year for Nuno Mendes. Since making his professional debut in a 1-0 victory against Paços de Ferreira, Mendes has solidified a starting spot in Rúben Amorim’s Sporting, played for the Portugal national team, and drawn attention from a host of top European clubs.   Born in Sintra,…

In Mike Newell’s 2010 action fantasy film Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, we follow a long-haired, tall, athletic, and dangerous Iranian who is respected by all and revered by most. Dastan’s footballing exploits are left unexplored; however, I like to think that if he were afforded the opportunity to have a ball between…