Few Italian defenders rank higher than Picchi and Scirea, the all-conquering liberos whose triumphs were overshadowed by their early deaths
This feature is a part of RETEUROSPECTIVE As this tournament progresses, so the decision by the English broadcasting authorities looks ever more foolish. England may well be on a tour of South…
This feature is a part of RETEUROSPECTIVE It felt like it was never going to arrive. From the moment the two protagonists of international football’s oldest fixture were drawn in the same…
Gary Lineker learnt the language, integrated himself into Barcelona, understood the politics, and went about proving himself a world-class goalscorer
At his best, Enzo Francescoli was as good as any 10 in the world, blending sublime grace with technical prowess. It’s why a young Zidane fell for him
Unfortunately, Kaká never really belonged to us mere mortal. Nevertheless, so great were his gifts, football could not help but praise him on high
For a decade at the top, no referee in world football compared to the intensity and integrity with which Pierluigi Collina went about his business
A natural leader and calm presence, while Gareth Southgate may be unfairly remembered for Euro 96, he was, in fact, one of England’s finest defenders
This feature is part of Virtuoso “The most emphatic display of selflessness I have seen on a football field,” Sir Alex Ferguson ventured. “Pounding over every blade of grass, competing as if…
This feature is part of Duology The heavy touch. The realisation flickers across the face; disbelief mixed with desperation to rectify the mistake. The decision to commit to winning the ball back…
As another World Cup pushes on, the thirst for nostalgia is ramped up to an unquenchable level. Doe-eyed fans of the game seek every possible outlet to satiate their thirst for the…
The tradition within English football has always been to value hard work, physicality and determination over skill, technique and flair. It is a conundrum to me that, when football is known as…
Brazil, boasting the world’s best playmaker in Zico, the enigmatic Sócrates, Éder, Falcão and Toninho Cerezo – there may never be a greater midfield
This feature is a part of Hot Bovril and Cold Terraces, a series looking at first-hand memories of football before the flash. I love football. I always have and I always will…
They say art is a subjective matter. What one person finds majestic another can find abhorrent. Tracey Emin’s Unmade Bed, Michelangelo’s statue of David and Banksy’s Raise the Drawbridge are all works of…
From 1978 to 1988, I adopted a similar tactic to Her Majesty the Queen and afforded myself two birthdays. One was my actual date of birth, and the other was a slightly…
Illustration by Federico Manasse There are certain footballers that transcend the beautiful game; mere mortals who watch football see them as ethereal beings. These are the players who elevate the game to…
Illustration by Federico Manasse If you didn’t know who he was, you would perhaps take one look at Nwankwo Kanu and think he was anything but a footballer. His appendicular skeleton looks…