Analysis
The curse of the defending champion at the World Cup
Since 2002, defending world champions have suffered shocking early exits at the World Cup. From France to Germany to Italy, no titleholder seems safe. Here is why the curse of…
The death of the classic number 10
The classic number 10 once ruled soccer with vision, elegance, and creative genius. From Zidane to Riquelme, these playmakers defined an era. So why has modern soccer abandoned the role…
Top 5 worst Champions League finals in history
The UEFA Champions League final is supposed to be the showpiece event of the European soccer calendar, the night when the two best clubs on the continent collide for the…
Manchester City’s centurions : Pep’s record breaking 2017 2018 season
When Pep Guardiola arrived at Manchester City in the summer of 2016, expectations were stratospheric. The Catalan manager had conquered Spain with Barcelona and Germany with Bayern Munich, and now…
USA at the World Cup : the long road to credibility
When the United States kicks off its home World Cup in June 2026, it will do so as a nation still negotiating its relationship with soccer. The tournament will be…
Can MLS become a top 5 league by 2030
Major League Soccer has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 1996. What started as a struggling experiment to bring professional soccer to American shores has transformed into…
Didier Deschamps : between light and shadow
For more than forty years, Didier Deschamps has stood at the center of almost every major turning point in French soccer history. From the brightest triumphs to the darkest controversies,…
World cup story : Why Raymond Domenech Is the Worst Manager in the History of the French National Team
For six years, France lived under Raymond Domenech, and his greatest achievement may have been uniting an entire country against him. Three failures explain why so many still call him…
Champions League preview : for a first crown
At first glance, the semifinal between Atlético and Arsenal in the Champions League looks like a clash of styles. On one side, the rugged, defense-first DNA shaped by Diego Simeone;…
FA Cup semi final preview : save a season vs elevate one
Chelsea are in free fall after five consecutive defeats and the dismissal of Liam Rosenior, facing a Leeds side on the rise and on the verge of a historic achievement.…