Pelé is often thought to be the greatest soccer player of all time. But how good was he? How do his records compare to other modern game greats, and what made this striker so special? Who Was The Greatest Soccer Player Of All Time? Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento in 1940, Pelé was a Brazilian … Read more
Goalscoring in the Chinese Super League during the 2000s followed a familiar theme: foreigners dominated it. The media and fans were not immune to reminiscing about Hao Haidong, who finished in the top three on the scoring chart year after year. For when the Qingdao native was in his prime, it was a different story. … Read more
Goalkeeper Rene Higuita was an inspired, eccentric, and trailblazing player who played for several South American club teams and the Colombian national team. Although he is considered one of the greatest goalkeepers to wear the gloves in Colombia, he is best known for one thing and one thing only: his scorpion kick. The Scorpion Kick … Read more
There are many professions where the proverbial baton is passed from generation to generation, and soccer is no exception. And when it comes to sons emulating their fathers’ success, the case of the Chapuisat family is as fine an example as any. Pierre-Albert Chapuisat won 34 caps for Switzerland in the late 1970s and early … Read more
Dino Zoff, the former goalkeeper made 570 appearances in Italy’s Serie A from his debut on 24 September 1961 up until his retirement on 2 June 1983. An unassuming man, he enjoyed a hugely successful career at both club and international level. Zoff also made 332 consecutive Italian top-flight appearances for Juventus, without a single … Read more
Brazilian soccer player Claudio Taffarel played as a goalkeeper. He played professional soccer for five clubs in Brazil and Europe during an 18-year career. His senior career began with Internacional in 1985, while his later clubs were Parma, Reggiana, Atlético Mineiro, and Galatasaray. After a second stint with Parma in Italy, his career ended in … Read more
Algerian soccer fans had their own Zidane, long before Zinedine Zidane burst onto the scene in France. Djamel Zidane was an inspiration to the illustrious Frenchman in his formative years. His Kabyle ancestry explains his two-footed appearance. A great deal like his French namesake, he is equally dangerous with the ball and equally comfortable in … Read more
The 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy was a tournament remembered more for tactical and defensive discipline than attacking flair. Yet, there was one side that managed to add some much-needed color to proceedings. Given little chance by the experts of making an impression on their first appearance in the competition, unfancied Costa Rica surprised … Read more
Having played in three World Cups over the course of his 16-year career, Marc Wilmots epitomizes the fine crop of Belgian talent that succeeded the legendary Mexico 1986 squad. Although he proved to be a divisive figure before retiring at the age of 34, he was an icon of Belgian football during the 1990s. Following … Read more
Ioan Lupescu was and remains one of Romania’s best-known and most successful soccer players. The attacking midfielder represented his country at two FIFA World Cup finals (1990 and 1994) and two UEFA European championships (1996 and 2000). In addition to playing for Dinamo Bucharest and Bayer Leverkusen, Ioan Lupescu played for the likes of Borussia … Read more