All About The Beautiful Game
Until recently, Sassuolo had, in terms of Serie A appeal, very little going for them. A small town in Italy, Sassuolo’s population is dwarfed by that of many of Italy’s top-flight clubs. Their spending paled in comparison, too. In fact, until the 2013-14 season, Sassuolo had never even been in the Serie A. So how … Read more
In recent years, Schalke have struggled to find a consistent striker. Last season aside, that is: Simon Terodde scored 30 times to finish as the top scorer of the Bundesliga 2 and help Schalke earn promotion back to the Bundesliga. Terodde is the leading scorer in Bundesliga 2 history, has led the league in goals … Read more
Few clubs are more well-known for their youth development than Ajax. Many of the best players in the Netherlands came through Ajax’s famous academy, widely regarded as one of the world’s finest. Ajax also recruits foreign players at young ages — including many from neighboring Belgium. Three of Belgium’s most capped defenders — Toby Alderweireld, … Read more
In 2015, Georgia was one of the worst teams in Europe. They sat at 122nd in the world, one of their worst finishes in history. At the worst point, Georgia was ranked 154th, with just three nations in Europe ranked lower. Above them in the rankings were Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, and Kazakhstan, among others. Seven years … Read more
Although many may not notice, there’s something of a football revolution occurring in Malaysia right now. The Malaysian national team is historically unsuccessful — zero World Cup appearances, none in the Asian Cup since 2007 (even then, no knockout stage appearances), and rarely any trophies in regional tournaments. This is all starting to change, however, … Read more
In recent years, many English clubs have turned to their academies less and less. Brentford closed their academy altogether, deciding that the cost wasn’t worth it — although they are being forced to reopen it. A big reason for this is that many of the country’s top talents are being poached by bigger clubs at … Read more
Peru is a nation with a history of talented forwards. Claudio Pizarro, for example, scored nearly 200 times in the Bundesliga with Bremen and Bayern. Jefferson Farfan made over 200 appearances for Schalke and picked up a lot of silverware in the Netherlands with PSV. Peru’s all-time leading goalscorer, Paulo Guerrero, has had a prolific … Read more
Historically, Finland has not been a country that focuses on soccer. Due to the country’s long and unforgiving winters, many of Finland’s elite athletes focus on indoor sports. Ice hockey is the major sport, while NBA fans will recognize Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen. Motorsport is another big sport for Finland, while other sports remain … Read more
For years, the Argentine Primera Division has been dominated by a handful of elite clubs. Boca Juniors, one of the world’s most successful clubs, have won three of the league’s last five titles, with rivals River Plate also getting their hands on the trophy. Both clubs are located in Argentina’s capital, Buenos Aires, as are … Read more
South Korea is, without a doubt, one of Asia’s best footballing nations. In fact, they are one of the world’s most consistent footballing nations. South Korea has been to every World Cup since 1986 and will be in Qatar this year, too. That will be their tenth consecutive appearance at the tournament, giving them the … Read more