The world’s oldest international tournament, it remains a contentious issue that teams like Japan and Qatar could ever compete in the Copa América
Between the heroics of Van Basten in 1988 and Shearer in 1996, when England faced Holland in the Euros, explosive games were the norm
They were labelled “boring” and derided even in victory, but Greece’s Euro 2004 triumphs stands out as one of the greatest in modern history
So sure of victory were West Germany over Algeria at the 1982 World Cup that they refused to prepare and suggested they’d score eight
Boasting a depleted squad against the might of Anderlecht, Tottenham – and young goalkeeper Tony Parks – would memorably lift the 1984 UEFA Cup
In qualifying for Italia 90, Nigeria faced Cameroon in a crunch game. Sadly, what followed would put the national sport very much into perspective
A staunch advocate of football remaining amateur, Nils Middelboe was one of the world’s best defenders in his time – and a lawyer and banker too
Through his staunchly Catholic beliefs, Jules Rimet conceived the idea of a football World Cup that would spread his values of integration
Prior to 1992, Japanese football registered on few radars. Glory in the Asian Cup would change all that, preceding the start of the J League a year later
Japan is an intoxicating blend of the traditional and the futuristic. It is a unique culture, with a prevailing attitude of respect and deference that underpins its society and shapes its values,…
When Cameroon announced the appointment this summer of Clarence Seedorf as the new head coach of the national team, the choice of such a high-profile name grabbed the attention. It was seemingly a…
“Thank you Croatia! Thank you Zagreb!” hailed Croatian captain Luka Modrić to the joyous crowd in Zagreb’s Jelačićsquare. “We have achieved our dream.” More than half a million had turned out to…
The national stadium in Dili, the capital city of Timor-Leste, is an unassuming place. Two small stands, one on either side of the pitch, offer the only seating, with grass banks providing the…
As settings go for the biggest match in a nation’s footballing history, the Azteca in Mexico City has to be one of the finest. For the Red Devils of Belgium, this would be…
“With so many great players in one team, you make art. You don’t mean to but you do.” These were the thoughts of one of the crucial cogs in the Dutch totaalvoetbal…
To taste the sweet, you must first have faced the pain. The joy of finally achieving your goals, of succeeding where you’d previously floundered, makes the ultimate attainment all the more satisfying. When dreams…
In arguably the worst foul in World Cup history, Cameroon’s Benjamin Massing took out Argentina’s Claudio Caniggia with all the force of a nation
IT IS ONE of the most iconic images of Italia 90, along with Paul Gascoigne’s tears and Claudio Caniggia being almost cut in two. The wild, staring eyes alive with an intense,…