Coming off the back of an impressive 2017/18 season both with Sampdoria and the Uruguayan national team, the hype surrounding Lucas Torreira was astronomical. After a decade, Arsenal fans finally thought they had a Gilberto Silva replacement. A fellow South American, embodying the Garra Charrúa mentality, with the heart, desire, energy and determination to rejuvenate…

At a young age, Alphonso Davies learned all about making adjustments. Life was going to throw some unexpected challenges his way and still does, yet he handles them with aplomb.   Signed to Bayern Munich and viewed as being equipped with the requisite skill to replace the departed goal-scoring exploits of Arjen Robben and Franck…

After 5 seasons at Ajax Cape Town, where he made his professional debut at the age of 17. Rivaldo Coetzee, a product of the Ajax Cape Town academy, signed for Mamelodi Sundowns in August 2017, after a failed move to Celtic – it was found that he has an underlying problem with his right-foot during…

The biggest surprise of the 2019/20 Serie A campaign was undoubtedly Ivan Jurić’s Hellas Verona. After going down 2-0 in the first leg of the promotion playoffs to Cittadella, Hellas Verona launched a remarkable comeback in the second leg to seal promotion after a sole season in Serie B. Jurić replaced caretaker manager Alfredo Aglietti…

At 33 years old, Ricardo Nascimento has proved to be one of the best ball-playing central defenders in PSL, playing most of his matches on the left side of the Mamelodi Sundowns’ central defence. The Brazilian joined Sundowns in July 2016 from Académica in the Primeira Liga (Portugal) and seems to be getting better with…

Atalanta has constantly defied expectations since Gian Piero Gasperini was appointed as its coach in 2016 and La Dea have done so playing entertaining football.   Their attacking philosophy has also exposed some deficiencies in defense though but the Orobici have acquired a defender that could play a crucial part in rectifying those problems.    …

In the beautiful Basque city of San Sebastián, the locals expect only the highest quality.    Its lazy, winding streets are dotted with some of the world’s finest restaurants, with its acclaimed pintxo bars racking up more Michelin stars for the city than you’ll find anywhere else on the planet. Its three beaches, Zurriola, Ondarreta…

The unveiling of the FIFA 100 on 4 March 2004 was always going to generate an enormous amount of discussion. As part of the organisation’s centenary celebrations, FIFA had called upon Pelé to pick what he regarded as the one hundred greatest living footballers. The criteria were fifty active and fifty retired, although the latter…

From Aymeric Laporte to Raphaël Varane, from Presnel Kimpembe to Dayot Upamecano, there isn’t a single nation in the world that can hold a candle to France’s center back depth, and the next name in France’s laundry list of elite center backs is 21-year-old Jules Koundé.   After rising up Bordeaux’s academy and breaking into…

After 10 years and 323 appearances, it appears that Chris Smalling’s time at Manchester United is set to come to an end in the coming days. The 30-year-old center back, who was shipped out on loan to Roma last summer following the purchase of Harry Maguire and Axel Tuanzebe’s return from his loan spell at…