Lucas Pezzini Leiva – The Man in the Arena, Um Tributo
Lucas Leiva’s journey from a boy to a man coincided with many Liverpool fans’. Here’s one writing his farewell and thanks fit for a man in the arena. It is not…
Bournemouth AFC: Forever Fighting the Right Battle
Football Paradise dives deep into the story of Bournemouth AFC, charting their incredible rise from near-extinction to a strong force in the Premier League. In October 2000, a gangling 18-year-old Jermain Defoe…
Alexis Sanchez: Arsenal’s Greatest Challenge This Transfer Window
It’s a summer of reckoning for Arsene Wenger, as he enters the battle to keep his biggest star at the club, with Manchester City lurking dangerously close. Known to the locals as…
Bricklayer Who Built the Bastion – Bob Paisley’s Liverpool Legacy Through Anecdotes
A legacy can only be built brick by brick and no one knew it better than Liverpool’s Bob Paisley. Here’s his through anecdotes. “You’re having one on me, aren’t you?” The city…
Introducing, Omar Abdulrahman – The Fresh Prince of Asian Football
Will Omar Abdulrahman finally become the player that bridges the gap between Asian football and Europe? Football Paradise charts his course for greatness. January 2015, it’s the AFC Asian Cup quarter-finals and…
Fear and Loathing at the Theatre of Dreams
This is war for the soul of Manchester United at the theatre of Dreams, and if putting up with the persona of a psycho-anarchist at the helm, then so be it. (United…
One Season Wonder – Swiveling the double-edged sword of nurturing wonderkids
There are stories aplenty of stars shining bright and then fading away. We delve deep into how European football handles the one season wonder phenomenon. “At first I was afraid, I was…
Wayne Rooney: Manchester United’s Little Engine That Could
While Wayne Rooney has to stoke the dying embers in his belly for Everton, we look back at what made him a runaway train for Manchester. Poof! He’s gone! Just like that.…
Steven Gerrard Won the Battles, Frank Lampard Won the War
A Tribute to Frank Lampard through a tribute to Steven Gerrard. This is a bit impromptu. To say this was last minute wouldn’t be inaccurate. But this was a tribute-through-gritted teeth that…
Poetry: The Rhyme of the Katwijk Mariner – An Ode to the Dauntless Dirk Kuyt
This is an Ode to the Dauntless Dirk Kuyt. Prologue. To the right is the North Sea: its rippled skin is broken by a whale carrying its speared pride like a medal,…
Hoffenheim and Nagelsmann: Charting the course of an extraordinary duo
We dive deep into the story of TSG Hoffenheim and Julian Nagelsmann, in an effort to understand what makes them so special. You’re in a 14 metre square cage, feet firmly planted…
Juventus in 2017: Retracing the lost voice of La Veccia Signora
The story of how Juve recovered from the depths of Serie B to emerge again as one of Europe’s heavyweights, as they gear up for the Champions’ League final. Just 80 kilometres…
Sergio Ramos: A Remarkable Story of Light and Dark
We look into the fascinating story of Sergio Ramos, one that is filled with success, leadership and bizarre tendencies to lose his head. The scene is set. The first El Clasico of…
The Black Swan, Frank Rijkaard – The Legacy of Football’s Streetfighting Ballerino
Join us as we follow the steps of Frank Rijkaard, the man whose choreography culminated into the careers of Vieira to Busquets. “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for…
In defence of Arsene Wenger
We speak in defence of Arsene Wenger, and why Arsenal Football Club would do better to stick with him in turbulent times. I am planting my flag. I am drawing my line…
The Modern Football Manager – World’s Most Mindbending Rollercoaster Ride
What is modern football if not a roller-coaster? We analyse why it is so for the football managers, and whether it’s fair for them to take all the blame. Vincerà! Vincerò! The…
From Ajax to Curaçao: The legacy of Patrick Kluivert
Patrick Kluivert. The talented, ill-fated enigma seemingly searching for belonging. Did he find it as the head coach of Curacao? “I keep going back as if I’m looking for something I have…
Il Gladiatore, Francesco Totti: A Tribute to The Last of Football’s Titans
A tribute to Italian legend Francesco Totti, the last of football’s gladiators. Supernova (noun): An astronomical event that occurs during the last stellar evolutionary phase of a massive star’s life, whose dramatic…
Fair play: What exactly is it?
We take an anecdotal ride into one of football’s murkiest matters today: diving and fair play. Does it exist at all, or is it part hope part idealism? Marcus Rashford can do…
Luis Suarez: Story of the world’s most ruthless footballer
We explore the story of present-day football’s enfant terrible, Luis Suarez, and chart his path from harshest poverty to feared hitman. As humanity orchestrates its own downfall, wages wars on the basis…
Basque to Beyond – Could Xabi Alonso Be Football’s New Renaissance Man?
A paen to the one, the only Xabi Alonso and what lies ahead for the suave gent. April 18, 2017. It’s a quarter past ten over at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid.…
Claudio Ranieri’s Leicester City: Why Things Have Changed So Quickly
Claudio Ranieri and Leicester City’s fairy tale ended on a sour note – we examine the factors which impacted Claudio’s exit from Leicester City. Leicester City’s title triumph was by all terms…
The Life and Times of An Indian Gooner in ‘Murica
Follow Football Paradise as it tags along with an Indian Gooner debunking the myth of the life as a “soccer” fan in the United States of America. America, The United States of.…
From the Theatre of Dreams to the Stadium of Light – How David Moyes is recreating his lost Evertonian image
David Moyes – how did it all go wrong for him, and can he resurrect his career? On New Year’s Eve, Sunderland were hosted by Burnley at Turf Moor. After some hustle…