Armed with an old Boca Juniors jersey, photographer Pancho Monti celebrated the club in the image of the fans that make it what it is
Alvaro Recoba’s 19 minutes of perfection on debut for Inter
This feature is part of Virtuoso There are three prevailing schools of thought when it comes to Álvaro Recoba. The first is that he was a brilliant talent whose two Scudetti at…
How Antonio Cassano’s extraordinary goal aged 17 turned him into calcio’s darling
This feature is part of Virtuoso He burst onto the scene with the sort of gusto that only the greats have ever been capable of. He was quick, intelligent, two-footed and oh-so…
Juan Román Riquelme: the dream comes first
Illustration by Matt Steven The number 10 was an important part of Juan Román Riquelme’s life. It would be the defining number on the back of his shirt – perhaps the last number…
The forgotten gifts of Márcio Amoroso, once one of the world’s most potent forwards
It’s a tournament forgotten to time, sandwiched between France’s epic glories in 1998 and 2000, and just three years before Brazil won the 2002 World Cup, but the 1999 Copa América was…
Unfit, awkward and inconsistent: the unbridled genius of Georgi Kinkladze
Long before Aguero, Silva and De Bruyne called the Etihad Stadium home, there was Maine Road. Far from the glory of Premier League titles and Middle Eastern riches, it was a beautiful…
In remembrance of Jim Hart
As I sit and write this, tears rolling down my cheeks, I remember Jim Hart, who sadly passed away on 13 August 2018 aged 56. For those unaware of who Jim was,…
Pablo Aimar: the elegant magician who inspired a generation
“You’re too young to be playing that much football and moving from home – focus on your studies.” Ricardo Aimar wasn’t in any mood to allow his son’s life to be caught…
How Iván Zamorano and Marcelo Salas became Chile’s immortal striking duo
Few partnerships in football history have been as devastating, consistent and uplifting to an entire nation as Zamorano and Salas for Chile
Arrigo Sacchi: the greatest nobody of all time
This feature is part of The Masterminds He came as a former shoe salesman, left as a legend, and rewrote calcio’s tactical rulebook along the way. He coined some of the greatest quotes…
The disputed genius of Arsène Wenger
This feature is part of The Masterminds To talk of Arsène Wenger’s effect on Arsenal Football Club would be to talk of man who led the club into the brave new world…
Ronaldinho and the eternal journey to joy
IN THE LONG ANNALS OF FOOTBALL, two Ronaldos stand out. The first – the original to many – was O Fenômeno, the Brazilian striker capable of the most audacious burst of pace at his…
The Soccer Patterns project by Matthieu Teyssandier
Illustrator Matthieu Teyssandier is on a mission to create something new in the world of football illustration. The Frenchman has created an excellent series of the most iconic football kits in the…
Henrikh Mkhitaryan, the tragedy of Hamlet and an unlikely ascent to superstardom
Armenia, like so many of the former Soviet states, was a difficult place to live in the 1980s. As the end of communist rule appeared on the horizon, hopes of a better…
Roberto Mancini: the rare genius who led Sampdoria and Lazio to unprecedented heights
I have this memory from my childhood that’s still vivid in my mind. It’s some time in the 1990s and I’m sitting on the sofa watching Channel 4’s Football Italia. I had…
Louis van Gaal: a divisive success story
TO SOME, HE’S ONE OF THE BEST MANAGERS OF THE PAST TWO DECADES, willing to sacrifice style for substance and flair for formality. To others, he’s an unnerving disciplinarian, an expert at…
Belgium: twenty years for overnight success
IT WASN’T LONG AGO that the only Belgian name mentioned in relation to a transfer deal in the Premier League was Bosman. It’s easy to forget that prior to the Belgian revolution in…
Carlos Bianchi and the art of winning the Copa Libertadores
This feature is part of The Masterminds For Carlos Bianchi, the choice was easy: “Lionel Messi is the best of all time. He has now surpassed Pelé and Maradona.” At face value…