Accusations of money-grabbing and an ageing body would be put on hold for Rivaldo as he shone in Greece at Olympiacos and AEK between 2004 and 2008
Ronaldo: the PSV diaries
Coming to Europe as a raw but otherwordly teenager, Ronaldo would make the Eredivisie home for two years, setting Europe alight with his talent
Ali Sami Yen: the iconic founding father of Galatasaray
Nobody in the history of Turkish football has done more to further the sport – especially at Galatasaray – as Ali Sami Yen
Marcelinho: the maverick Brazilian who lit up the Bundesliga
As Brazilian mavericks go, the Bundesliga probably hasn’t seen a more naturally gifted one than the wild and unpredictable Marcelinho Paraíba
RBC Roosendaal and the catastrophic journey from the Eredivisie to the tenth tier
It wasn’t that long ago that RBC Roosendaal were securing draws against Ajax and PSV. Then came a catastrophic fall. Now, however, they’re looking up again
The lies and the legacy of the 2004/05 Serie B season, the most chaotic in recent history
In what is arguably the most chaotic professional season in recent memory, Serie B in 2004/05 saw match-fixing and national scandal rock calcio
Roberto Baggio: the Brescia diaries
It is perhaps disrespectful to the career of Giuseppe Colucci to deem his most important moment being running onto the pitch as a substitute. A reliable central midfielder, he played a total…
Andrey Arshavin and the four goals at Anfield that had Arsenal fans purring
This feature is part of Virtuoso The Arsenal career of Nicklas Bendtner is a particularly foggy quagmire. Breaking on to the scene with the winner in a north London derby, he appeared…
The night Ronaldinho entered legend as the Bernabéu afforded him a standing ovation
This feature is part of Virtuoso Such is the money now found within football, it seems incomprehensible that Real Madrid’s Galácticos period will ever be replicated. Nowadays the presence of Manchester City,…
Why a European Super League would destroy the domestic game in a way we’ve already seen in Wales
In early November, the whistleblowing German newspaper Der Spiegel revealed talks had taken place amongst Europe’s top football clubs, with the topic of discussion the long-mooted formation of a breakaway European Super…
Why do so many renowned western European managers fail in Turkey?
As Moestafa El Kabir loops over Harun Tekin to make it 3-0 to Ankaragücü, on the touchline Philip Cocu surely knows. An audible wall of boos ring around the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium,…
How Juan Carlos Valerón became the most elegant Spanish playmaker of his generation
It is the opening day of the 2009/10 LaLiga season and all eyes are on Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu. In an all-white kit for the first time is Cristiano Ronaldo, the world’s…
How video games shaped a generation of modern football fans
Of all places for having a deep moment of thought, a field in Northamptonshire is perhaps an odd location. Yet it is here on a train from London bound for Chester where…
How Avi Nimni became the undisputed king of Maccabi Tel Aviv
The number eight is something considered immeasurably lucky in parts of Asia, viewed as a sign of immense prosperity. The city of Tel Aviv may lie on the same continent, but its…
Why the trailblazing Dida deserves to be remembered as one of his generation’s best goalkeepers
Zlatan Ibrahimović simply puts his hands on his head, while Andy van der Meyde drops to his knees in disbelief. It is the 94th minute of a Champions League group match between AC…
Anderson: the rise and rapid decline of a player once touted as the world’s best youngster
Blackpool’s solitary season in the Premier League was certainly an eventful one. Under the eccentric guidance of Ian Holloway, it started in the best possible fashion, with a 4-0 thrashing of Wigan…
How Bursaspor, against the odds, defied Turkey’s big three to lift the 2009/10 Süper Lig title
Football is an astonishingly straightforward game. Goals win matches, with those who score on a regular basis revered in the highest sense. The names of Frank Lampard, Ian Rush and Thierry Henry…
Javier Portillo: the man Real Madrid thought was Raúl’s heir
It is late March 2002 in Athens. Not far from the centre of town, at the Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium, a Champions League second group phase match is unfolding between Panathinaikos and Real…