It’s safe to say American Football and Soccer are very different sports, with the two pitted as the opposites of each other. This idea starts at one sports dependence on hands, and the others dependence on feet. You’d never guess which one was which from the description alone. But one similarity that can anchor them … Read more
In a sport where late challenges and most physical contact are penalised, it’s hard to tell whether soccer is a true contact sport or not. “It’s a contact sport ref!” Whether you play at an amateur or professional level, you’ll have heard the above exclamation levied at referees after being penalised for a foul. While … Read more
Football is an incredibly demanding, physical sport, requiring players to be at the absolute peak level of fitness possible. It’s always been this way, but in the modern fast-paced, high-pressing game, a huge emphasis is placed on stamina. Players play faster-tempo games than ever and face the Herculean effort of playing close to a hundred … Read more
Football is a fiercely competitive sport. Any little win a country or club can get over a compatriot is celebrated wildly, and these small victories can sometimes enter the truly pedantic. While for the most part fans take pride and celebrate club and nation’s performances over their rivals, in a world of constant coverage and … Read more
Blades or studs? It’s a modern conundrum featuring discourse full of opinion and personal preference. For more than a century, studs ruled supreme, boasting a total monopoly over the underside of boots, but as of 2005 and the release of the iconic Addidas Predator boots, a war of the cleats broke out. When we buy … Read more
The influence of star athletes, especially soccer stars, on various areas of culture is undeniable. The casino industry caught on fairly quickly, too, and allied itself with some of the top-notch players in the game, using celebrity endorsements to get ahead. Meanwhile, smaller gambling sites aim to attract players through appealing offers and deals. It’s … Read more
When a successful footballer’s son manages to make it as a player at a high level, interest spikes in what that player’s whole family tree is up to. As a result, it’s no surprise that such an interest has been taken in Erling Haaland’s relatives. Following in father Alf Inge Haaland’s footsteps in playing for … Read more
It was the year that Ruud Gullit finally gained ultimate recognition as Europe’s finest talent. He became only the second Dutchman to win the accolade following Johan Cruyff’s trio of prizes in 1971, 1973 and 1974. Gullit’s rise was initially slow and steady. But within the space of two years leading up to his award, … 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