Analysis
Rodri : the eternal metronome
When Rodri suffered a torn ACL in September 2024, many wondered whether he would ever return to the level that had made him the best player in the world. Ten…
The Fear of Winning: How Thomas Tuchel Handed Argentina a Place in the Final
For 75 minutes, Thomas Tuchel appeared to have found the perfect formula. England had smothered Argentina, neutralized Lionel Messi for long stretches of the match, taken the lead through Anthony…
Why Is Argentina the Most Hated National Team in World Soccer?
“No one ever hates teams that don’t win.” That single sentence may perfectly capture the Argentine paradox. Argentina is probably the most polarizing national team in world soccer. For many,…
How the Pelé Law and the Bosman Ruling Contributed to Brazil’s Decline
For much of the 20th century, Brazil dominated world soccer thanks to a unique model: players were developed in an extremely competitive domestic league before moving to Europe at the…
Senegal, Ivory Coast and Algeria: Three different stories, one shared sense of unfinished business
Africa’s historic 2026 FIFA World Cup will rightly be remembered for its unprecedented collective success. Nine of the continent’s ten representatives reached the knockout stages, shattering previous records and confirming…
How Dayot Upamecano became France’s boss of defence
There was a time when watching Dayot Upamecano meant expecting the unexpected. For 89 minutes, he could dominate one of Europe’s most dangerous strikers, step confidently into midfield to win…
Kylian Mbappe : keeping the legacy
Some players shine for their clubs. Others elevate their game when they wear their national team’s jersey. Kylian Mbappé belongs to an even rarer category: footballers who seem to have…
The favorites to win the 2026 World Cup after the group stage
France stand alone at the top of the 2026 World Cup odds board after a flawless group stage, but Argentina, Spain and England are all within striking distance. Here is…
Jude Bellingham at the World Cup, born to lead England
Jude Bellingham carried England through the 2026 World Cup group stage, scoring against Croatia and dominating Panama. At 22, he already looks like the soul of this team.
The four pairs of brothers playing for different nations at the 2026 World Cup
A look at the four sets of siblings who lined up on opposite sides at the 2026 World Cup, from the Williams brothers in Ghana and Spain to the history…