How Denmark’s 1986 World Cup Shirt Became the World’s Best
1986 was a prolific year for pop-culture: The Oprah Winfrey show aired on national tv, Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns hit the newsstands, and Denmark launched the most futuristic kit in…
Alan Dzagoev’s Glass Ceiling – Rise and Fall of Russia’s Original Wonderkid
Four years ago, there were very few Football Manager saved games without Alan Dzagoev in it. In 2018, in what should have been his breakthrough year, the wonderkid is struggling to catch…
Wembley ’73: When a Socialist Poland Clowned Sir Alf Ramsey’s England
1973 was a good time to be an Englishman in London, until Poland and Jan Tomaszewski came over to play the last qualifying game for the World Cup the following year. The…
March of the Lions of Teranga: Senegal’s David and Goliath Story
Senegal are back after a sixteen-year-long wait and with them have brought a hope of a brighter future to put Africa back on the map with a squad far more adept than…
Here Comes the Cavalry – Mexico and the Breaking of Psychological Barriers
In a time when Trump’s politics has reduced Mexican citizens to an inhumane narrative focused on removing them from USA; Mexico’s football is building their foundation of national pride. Mexico City is…
The Curious Case of Xherdan Shaqiri – A Career in Reverse
If you read Xherdan Shaqiri’s career, it’s upside down. It’s easy to imagine stepping from a mid-table team to a Champions League team, but he’s doing it backwards like Benjamin Button. On…
Nigerian football: A Love of the Game in the Face of Corruption
Nigeria have failed to impress in Russia, but we should hardly be worried about their on-field exploits. The country’s systemic issues are much more pressing. “Nigerians on Sunday expressed optimism that the…
Serbia’s Coming of Age: Giant-killing in Port Elizabeth
Serbia played its first ever World Cup as an independent nation in 2010 in South Africa. Unflattering and unimpressive, the Serbians were written off before a ball was kicked, only to produce…
Costa Rica’s Long Way to the Top – Legacy of the 2014 World Cup
Costa Rica’s 2014 World Cup campaign was a result of years of work and determination, combined with the struggles that the nation itself faced. We look back at their coming of age.…
The Class of 1970: Peru and Teofilo Cubillas Against the Ancash Earthquake
An undersea earthquake off the coast of Peru kills 70,000 people and leaves nearly a million people homeless. Two days later Peru is scheduled to play their 1970 FIFA World Cup opener.…
Of Dazed Dreams: Account of France’s Youthful Confusion
With a potentially world-beating juvenile squad that holds the cards to trump the best, France have arrived in Russia with the aim to conquer it. This is an account of the confusion…
A New Order – Why England Shouldn’t Expect to Win the World Cup
England expects? Evidence shows that it is in fact best to expect the worst from England’s World Cup campaigns. Tom Bogert writes about tempering expectations and the need for setting the bar…
Football, the Product of Culture – A Californian’s Observations About Russia
Issues of corruption, violence, and racism hang like ominous storm clouds in the lead up to the Russia 2018, but beauty persists. Joel Slagle writes about Russian football and its place in…
Football Beyond the Veil – Saudi Arabian Women’s Silent Revolution
Our editor Anushree Nande talks to Sarah Algashgari, a female football fan in Saudi Arabia. She investigates the state of women’s rights, and how women’s football there is quietly leading the way…
Cloak and Dagger of Sergio Ramos – The Glitch in the System
We believe in this holistic notion; we have to. But there are players like Sergio Ramos who are there to remind us about the glitch in the system. The beauty of football…
Don’t panic: The story of Juventus and mastering transition
In their journey to reclaim a place amongst Europe’s elite, Juventus have crossed many hurdles without breaking stride, and in that lies a great lesson for clubs across the world. Even in…
Hope, expectation and the weight of legacy: Brazil at the World Cup
The weight of legacy can either propel you or crush you down. The people of Brazil will hope Neymar and co. can ride the tide at Russia this summer. The World Cup…
Loris Karius, Dazed and Confused: Depression, Sabotage, Toxic Masculinity
The reprehensible reaction to Loris Karius’s howlers highlights the need for not only empathy and perspective but better diagnosis and policy changes in high-performance sports like football, where head injuries are rampant.…
Zlatan and the law of Jante: Sweden’s dilemma or triumph?
No Zlatan, no party? The opposite seems to be true for Sweden, as the structured squad looks set on upsetting their opponents in Russia. When Jay-Z joined long-time musical partner and pupil…
Blood, sweat and toil: The foundations for the legacy of Cristiano Ronaldo
In his relentless quest for personal improvement, Cristiano Ronaldo has given fans a most important life-lesson. There can always be someone more gifted around the corner, but if you work your backside…
Sunil Chhetri’s Appeal – The Uncomfortable Truth about Indian Football
When the captain of a national football team has to come on social media and request attendance at stadiums, the problem is much bigger than what meets the eye. The response to…
‘The Only Thing That Unites Us’ – Origin Story of Colombian Football: Part 1
The formative years of Colombian football have seen the national sport leap through some of the most eclectic set of hurdles imaginable. Peter J. Watson writes an origin story unlike any other…
Witnessing Liverpool’s Reclamation of Shankly’s Vision – A front-row view
“For Liverpool it’s been the season of Peter Gabriel, Beautiful South and James; Channel 4 News celebrating our chants and we’ve had James Milner as the best midfielder in Europe. And losing…
The partnership with Benitez that could shape Steven Gerrard as a manager
In their time together, Steven Gerrard and Rafa Benitez shaped Liverpool’s best years in the 21st century yet. Even if he wasn’t the best of friends with Benitez, Gerrard would do well…
La Garra Charua: Uruguay, tenacity, and team-work
The tenacity of the Charrúa, Uruguay’s indigenous people, epitomises the nation’s constant struggle and is a key element to understanding the genesis of the country’s often times stunning role as underdogs on the world…
When football reached its pinnacle: The story of Brazil at Mexico ’70
At Mexico 1970, Brazil, as indeed world football, reached its peak. It was the first World Cup to be broadcasted across the world in color, and the men in canary yellow performed…
Brazil and the birth of a footballing culture
Mexico 1970 was Brazil’s coronation as a footballing culture, coming 20 years since the tragedy of the Maracanazo. But the wheels were set in motion in Sweden, when a 17-year-old Pele helped…
Love Me Do: A recap of Liverpool’s 2017-18 season through Beatles music
Liverpool, a wonderful city replete with beauty and history, is known most to the outside world by two things: Liverpool FC and The Beatles. In a season of ups and downs, there’s…
Iran at Russia 2018: A dream 20 years in the making
It is tough to profile Iran without thinking about the summer of ’98, when they played USA in a World Cup match against the backdrop of the Gulf War. The Iranians chose…
Diaries from the streets of Bogota: Tickets, Taxis and Millonarios
Santokie Nagulendran roams through the streets of Bogota, talking race, lineage and rivalries before entering the El Campin to watch Millonarios, the biggest team from the city, play football. It’s a cold,…