They were industrious and gritty, led by Antić and Simeone, and they surprised all of Spain to lift LaLiga and the Copa del Rey. Sounds familiar?
Tag: atletico
How the underrated Jan Oblak became one of the world’s leading goalkeepers
It took long bike rides, a shot of chance and a manager with complete confidence in him, but Jan Oblak now stands as one of the world’s best keepers
The grit and the big-game goals of Mario Mandžukić, one of the football’s most underrated forwards
From humble beginnings and a career of doubters, Mario Mandžukić has risen to become one of the most underrated big-game players in football
The stunning Falcao hat-trick that blew Chelsea away in 2012
This feature is part of Virtuoso For all of the guile and trickery that wingers and creative midfielders possess, there may be nothing more entertaining than a centre-forward at their absolute best.…
Radomir Antić: the Luton defender who later managed Real Madrid, Atlético and Barcelona to distinction
Spanish rivalries transcend sport and are built on political and logistical foundations, and have been a matter of life and death in the past. As a result, many reputations are based on…
Sergio Agüero: the early years and Atlético Madrid diaries
May 13, 2012, 4.53pm: the score at the Etihad Stadium is 2-2 between Manchester City and Queens Park Rangers, with the game heading into the last minute of injury time. Roberto Mancini’s City…
Diego Ribas: the other half of a double act once destined for greatness
Illustration by Emir Can Seviindik Every generation has players that didn’t quite live up to the potential that everyone thought they had. For one reason or another, some just miss the grade…
How the Air Force, a slice of a luck and a playoff match saved Atlético Madrid after the Spanish Civil War
Football stadiums always seem to fall foul to the perverse nature of war and its cruel ability to turn something designed to bring joy and entertainment into a monstrous monument of death…
Investigating the origins of Diego Simeone’s Cholismo
The path was clear for Antoine Griezmann. Bayern Munich’s defence had opened up before him and, courtesy of a nicely weighted through ball from Fernando Torres, he was clean through on goal.…
How the 1974 European Cup final set Bayern Munich and Atlético Madrid on different paths for decades
A small event, like a goal scored, can have a profound effect on the future. The butterfly effect, while a theory in physics, has come to stand as a metaphor for life…
Filipe Luís: the astrophysics-loving movie buff bucking the Brazilian stereotype
HAVE YOU HEARD the story of Sir Michael Caine and the Brazilian footballer? Understandably, it sounds ludicrous. Can you really picture Neymar hanging out with Alfred or Dani Alves dancing with Harry…
Spanish stadia: the icons and the white elephants
From the Camp Nou to the Santiago Bernabéu, Spain boasts some of the most iconic stadiums in history, but the country hasn’t hosted a major tournament since 1982 and some grounds are…
Juninho Paulista: the little magician
“I still think about Middlesbrough and the times I had there all the time,” said Juninho Paulista. Ask any Boro fan and they’ll tell you the same
How the understated Gabi rose to help Diego Simeone take Atlético Madrid to new heights
THE CURRENT ERA WILL GO DOWN alongside some of the greatest in Atlético Madrid’s storied history. A La Liga title has been won, as have two Europa Leagues – and they have…
Exploring the Atlético Madrid conveyor belt of world-class strikers
WHEN YOU THINK OF THE FINEST LA LIGA STRIKERS over the past 20 years, you would include the Real Madrid trio of Raúl, Ronaldo and Morientes. Then Kluivert, Eto’o and Suárez from…
In defence of Diego Costa, the master of war
Illustration by Federico Manasse. View more of his great work here “YOU EITHER DIE A HERO or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.” Harvey Dent’s renowned one-liner from…
How Atlético Madrid broke the La Liga duopoly
Jim Hart and Jon Townsend speak to Euan McTear, author of Eibar The Brave, about Atlético Madrid and their penetration of the Real Madrid-Barcelona strangehold in Spanish football, which forms the basis…
The curious case of Portuguese sensation Dani
Portuguese, devilishly handsome, full of himself and self-centred. A product of the Sporting Clube de Portugal academy, fond of a step-over or two and a footballer who made his name in the…