All About The Beautiful Game
In 2011, a talented player from Uzbekistan joined Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala on loan. The 23-year-old midfielder had been one of the top players with Pakhtakor Tashkent for years, as well as impressing with the Uzbekistan national team as they reached the semifinals of the Asian Cup. This midfielder would go on to win countless … Read more
Until recently, Atlanta United was one of the most successful clubs in the MLS. Atlanta debuted in 2017, joining the league alongside Minnesota United. In their first season, Minnesota finished with the league’s fourth-worst record. Atlanta? They finished with the fourth-best record, reaching the playoffs, and the US Open Cup Round of 16. In their … Read more
The Turkish Süper Lig has recently become a league known for developing young talent. I’ve long been a big fan of the league, and recent sales and player developments have increased the potential of Turkey’s top flight. However, while things have been improving for the first tier, the lower tiers are slightly dicier. Finances for … Read more
Player development in Scandinavia has been improving over time. Just eight years ago, the future of Norwegian football was Mats Møller Dæhli, who now plays in the Bundesliga 2. Sweden looked to Muamer Tanković, who currently plays in Cyprus. Finland was optimistic about Joel Pohjanpalo, who has fallen to Italy’s second tier. Only Denmark had … Read more
Recently, Indonesian football has faced scrutiny. This year, a stampede following a match between Persebaya and Arema FC led to the deaths of more than 130 fans. This incident was worsened by the police, who fired tear gas into the crowds, and the fact that the exits were nowhere near wide enough for the fans … Read more
In 2010, South Africa was on top of the world. They had just become the first African nation to host the World Cup, displaying an electrifying atmosphere. They scored the tournament’s first goal, a great strike from Siphiwe Tshabalala. They even beat France, although the Bafana Bafana didn’t make it to the knockouts — the … Read more
The Turkish Süper Lig certainly has no shortage of elite goalkeepers. Trabzonspor won the league last year largely because of the heroics of Turkish international Uğurcan Çakır, who allowed just 33 goals in 36 games. Galatasaray has long depended on Uruguay’s shot-stopper Fernando Muslera, who has played nearly 500 games for the club. Rivals Besiktas … Read more
The Mexican national team is in a state of rebuild. Mexico has long dominated North American soccer, a fact its fans regularly enjoy touting. Now, however, things are changing. The US has started to improve its player development, with Mexico not winning a match against the Americans since 2019. Additionally, many of Mexico’s long-term stars … Read more
In 2006, Legia Warsaw made one of the biggest mistakes in football history. Unconvinced by a virtually unknown reserve team prospect, the Polish giants shipped off a 17-year-old striker to the third tier of Poland for virtually nothing. That striker was Robert Lewandowski, who has gone on to become one of the best strikers in … Read more
Across Europe, there are dozens of leagues that are famous for their development of young players. Portugal is one of the best, with Porto, Sporting, and Benfica selling top prospects for high costs every year. The Netherlands are as well, thanks mainly to Ajax and PSV. In Belgium, it’s Club Brugge, Genk, and Anderlecht. In … Read more