Aidan Russell The Ballon d’Or is widely considered the pinnacle of individual achievement in football, with the award the football world’s Oscars. To call yourself a Ballon d’Or winner is an incredible achievement, with some of football’s greatest ever-eligible players never winning one. The likes of Ferenc Puskas, Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Xavi and Paulo Maldini all … Read more
Gerd Muller was simply one of the best goal scorers of all time, scoring more than a goal a game for West Germany and holding the Bayern Munich record for goalscoring. Nicknamed ‘Der Bomber’ he also won the World Cup, the European Championship and the European Cup three seasons in a row. Contentsshow 1How It … Read more
Watched in over 212 territories and almost a billion homes, the English Premier League holds the record for the most popular sports league in the world. The EPL, legally known as the Football Association Premier League Limited, is the topmost tier of the English Football System. Currently, the league is contested by 20 teams, with … Read more
Over the past few decades, the bond between sports clubs and the casino industry has transformed remarkably. This transformation hasn’t been overnight. It has evolved in stages, each reflecting the changing landscape of sports sponsorships and the growing acceptance of the casino and betting sector. Contentsshow 1Casinos and Sports Clubs: Partnerships History 1.1Venturing into Sponsorship … Read more
There are a total of 34 games in a Ligue 1 season. Teams face each other twice during a campaign – once at home and the other away. After every side has played all 34 of their fixtures then the team which has amassed most points at the end of the season is named as … Read more
The Mexico national football team has historically experienced mixed fortunes in terms of success on the global stage. During South American competitions in particular they have enjoyed victories across the Confederations Cup, multiple triumphs in CONCACAF Gold Cups and even come close to glory in the Copa America. Yet they have never progressed further than … Read more
Stanley Matthews won the first ever Ballon d’Or in 1956, being one of only four Englishman to lift the iconic accolade ahead of Denis Law (1964), George Best (1968) along with Kevin Keegan twice in 1978 and 1979. At the age of 41 years and ten months, Matthews remains the oldest winner of the prize, … Read more
The 1972 Ballon d’Or saw a trio of Germans vying for football’s ultimate individual prize. In the process, Franz Beckenbauer became only the second West German national and Bayern Munich player to win the trophy following Gerd Müller in 1970. He was also the first defender to claim the Ballon d’Or since its inception in … Read more
In 1988, Netherlands forward Marco van Basten won the first of his three Ballon d’Or titles. He became only the third Dutch international to claim the award after Johan Cruyff in 1971, 1973 and 1974 along with Ruud Gullit the previous calendar year in 1987. Gullit claimed second place this time around with his international … Read more
When people think of underdog European runs resulting in unprecedented victories, the last and biggest shock for most would be Porto’s run in 2004. A run that propelled Jose Mourinho into the footballing stratosphere. For a team in a league outside the top 5, even if it was just outside in 6th, this victory was … Read more