When Federico Bonazzoli emerged from the Inter youth academy, he was considered to be another Italian forward with a bright future.   The former Italy youth international has not established himself as a prolific striker but he has produced moments of quality that can convince coaches and football fans that he is a complete forward…

Modern football fans have been able to see some of the stars of recent play well into their ’30s. Players that launched themselves into stardom in the 2000’s are still playing a prominent part in Europe’s major leagues. Serie A in particular has a few veterans who are making an impact well into their 30s…

A drop of a shoulder and well-timed flicked passes around the corner; a trademark Mshishi move. It is simply hard to visualise a Mamelodi Sundowns performance without Themba Zwane’s silk movement and supreme relationship with the football.   The 2019/20 PSL Footballer of the Season, Player’s Player of the Season, and Midfielder of the PSL…

As John Stones and Rúben Dias high-fived and fist-bumped on the half-way line at Southampton on Saturday, there was an immense feeling of satisfaction throughout the Manchester City camp. Dias, a sturdy, rugged man, with adrenaline coursing through his veins, was celebrating a hard-fought victory, and yet another clean sheet, with his sensational centre back…

Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa has been a standout player for Scott Parker’s Fulham, who are enjoying a mid-season revival following a difficult start. In short, Anguissa is a powerful operator; he is tenth in the league for dribbles completed and eight in the league for attacking duels won. His primary strengths include ball carrying and intelligence…

It was 2007. The coats were piled up on the touchline in the south-eastern outskirts of Utrecht as Mohamed Amine Ihattaren’s mother watched on, wearing a proud smile. Her son had started his footballing journey at SV Houten and would soon move to Eindhoven, 85 kilometres south. Just over 12 years later, he would make…

More and more young players are beginning to forge their way in England’s top flight, with the days of starting XI’s with an average age of 30+ becoming a thing of the past. This season has seen the trend of youthfulness in the Premier League continue, with managers forced to use the full depth of…

When looking for destinations to visit in south-western France, you would be forgiven for overlooking Alès. With the greatest respect to this town of 40,000, nothing much happens here. Biologist Louis Pasteur performed research on silkworm diseases in the town in the 1860s. World Cup-winning defender Laurent Blanc was born here in 1965. It is…

Since arriving from Manchester United for a club-record fee of €80 million, Romelu Lukaku has enjoyed a new lease of life at Antonio Conte’s Inter Milan, scoring 47 goals and 8 assists in 67 appearances. More than his goals, Lukaku himself provides a direct route of ball progression, allowing Inter to escape pressure and launch…

Fifty-seven percent. That’s the amount of his lifetime Rıdvan Yılmaz has spent at Beşiktaş.   The 19-year-old left back joined the club in 2009, at the age of eight. He was born in the working class Gaziosmanpaşa district of Istanbul and grew up in nearby Sultangazi. Like so many kids in the area, Rıdvan honed…