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The Importance of Marc Cucurella in Spain’s Euro Squad
After moving to Chelsea, Marc Cucurella endured a difficult few seasons. However, in the tail-end of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign, the Spaniard found his form after Mauricio Pochettino re-invented him as an inverted fullback. The momentum Cucurella gathered propelled him to earn a national team call-up for the Euros, and he was named…
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Riccardo Calafiori: Bologna’s Defensive Dynamo
Born and raised in Rome, Riccardo Calafiori started out in the youth academy of AS Roma, where he developed his skills and was a promising left-back prospect. Despite a significant knee injury early in his career, Calafiori’s determination and hard work saw him make a remarkable comeback. He made his professional debut for AS Roma…
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Francesco Camarda: Milan’s Teenage Phenom
Club: AC Milan Nationality: Italy Position: ST Preferred Foot: Right Height: 6’0”/184cm Age: 16 Strengths: finishing, movement, positioning, composure, athleticism, link-up play, weak-foot, instincts Areas for Development: physical maturity It has been quite the meteoric rise for Francesco Camarda. Having joined AC Milan’s academy in 2015, Camarda soared through the ranks with ease, scoring…
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Hidemasa Morita: The Japanese Midfielder Running the Show at Sporting
One of Europe’s hottest management prospects in Sporting Clube de Portugal manager Rúben Amorim once said: “I think every manager should train at least one Japanese player. A player who is always ready to help the team, apologises one thousand times a day, is very respectful, will play anywhere and just wants to learn…I only…
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From Brandsen To Antas: The Rise Of Alan Varela
Few nations on the planet have had a bigger impact on the footballing landscape than South American juggernaut Argentina. From Lionel Messi, to Gabriel Batistuta, Diego Maradona, Mario Kempes, and Alfredo Di Stéfano, La Albiceleste’s legendary pantheon of players and its three World Cup wins are woven into the beautiful game’s illustrious tapestry. As…
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Wilfried Singo: Monaco’s Ivorian Right Back
Club: AS Monaco Nationality: Ivory Coast Position: RCB, RWB, RB, Preferred Foot: Right/Left Height: 6’3”/190cm Age: 23 Strengths: Pace, power, tackling, dribbling, strength, dynamism, passing, stamina, aerial duels Areas for Development: weak-foot, decision-making It has been a stellar campaign for AS Monaco. One year after finishing sixth and missing out on European football, Monaco…
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Lee Kang-In: PSG’s Korean Playmaker
Talent development is a fascinating facet of football, one that feels a lot like a dice game with any possible outcomes regardless of the skillset and talent the player possesses. Many great talents have fallen by the wayside, not because they weren’t actually legitimately talented – even though some might reach that conclusion – but…
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Oumar Diakité: The Ivorian Winger Poised for Greatness
They say that modern football is losing something. “Recipes”, some on Twitter call it. The overwhelming sentiment being that the game no longer has enough players at the top level with flair, flamboyance, magic even. Players who have the ability to consistently come up with their own solutions, dribble past players and perform silky moves,…
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Exploring José Sá’s 2023/24 Comeback Journey
Excitement surrounded the Molineux when Wolverhampton Wanderers signed José Sá ahead of the 2021/22 season. The former Portuguese Primeira Liga and Greece Super League champion was set to replace fan-favorite Rui Patrício, who departed that summer to join AS Roma. A very successful debut season saw the Portuguese goalkeeper’s stock rise steeply, as he…
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Exequiel Palacios: Leverkusen’s Unsung Argentine Dynamo in Midfield
Exequiel Palacios was 20 years old when he starred for River Plate as they defeated crosstown rivals Boca Juniors in the Copa Libertadores Final. He was 21 when he departed his boyhood club and joined Bayer Leverkusen for €22 million. He was 22 when he came off the bench and led Argentina to victory against…
