Illustration by Federico Manasse These days the Austrian national team is more likely to be on the receiving end of a shock result – like the 2-1 loss to Iceland at Euro…
Tag: barcelona
Illustration by Federico Manasse The word ‘brilliant’ is overused in talking about football’s greats. But if ever there were a player that encapsulated shades of Johan Cruyff’s technique, the journeyman status of…
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…
Hristo Stoichkov was as good as any attacking player in the 90s, blending skill and vision with grit that helped Bulgaria shine at USA 94
Illustration by Federico Manasse The Maradona of the Carpathians, Gheorghe Hagi is a complex character. There is a dividing line between the hero of the masses he undoubtedly was in Romania, and…
Illustration by Federico Manasse The multifarious sphere of footballing history encompasses many greats. Some prove greatness via a trophy cabinet, some gain notoriety for a single goal or piece of skill, some…
Illustration by Federico Manasse Xavi Hernández departed the pitch for the final time as a Barcelona player, filled with emotion. It was bittersweet for the then-35-year-old, who departed for Qatar in 2015…
Illustration by Federico Manasse To be celebrated as the greatest and most successful footballer your home continent has ever produced would induce great pride in any individual. When that same individual places…
BODO ILGNER, Andreas Köpke, Oliver Kahn, Jens Lehmann, Manuel Neuer; the list of Germany’s first-choice goalkeepers over the past three decades reads off like a reel of dynastic succession. Not only is…
Confined to his hospital bed, all he could do was stare helplessly at the television. The faint sound of music was still audible, but the match encompassing his eyes had him transfixed.…
Nature or nurture? It’s a question psychologists have debated for centuries. In the context of sport, it’s interesting that so many gifted individuals have raised children who have also gone on to…
THE EXPERT, THE ARCHITECT, THE SCIENTIST; the heartbeat, the metronome, the brain. Endless adjectives, analogies and appellations have been summoned by fellow professionals in sincere yet scant attempts to describe exactly what…
IF YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF SÁNDOR KOCSIS, it’s likely that you’re not from Hungary or you’re not a die-hard Barcelona supporter. Held up as a cherished cult hero by both sets of fans,…
Teaming up with Hummel, we sent Will Sharp armed with a disposable camera to the Copa del Rey 2017 final between FC Barcelona and Hummel-sponsored Deportivo Alavés to capture the essence of…
In the early morning hours of 11 August 2015 a group of young men from Abkhazia – a breakaway region in north-western Georgia – crossed the de facto border and drove roughly 250…
Illustration by Federico Manasse “It’s going to need a bandage, love.” Brilliant, just what I was hoping for. It’s September 1986 and I was just about to start my second season with Hornsea…
Some pieces of commentary end up becoming part of football folklore. Fans of the Norway national team still remember with fondness Bjørge Lillelien’s hysterical “Maggie Thatcher … your boys took a hell…
In the footballing dictionary, ‘world-class’ is often defined by a player’s ability to prove decisive in a match of high-importance. While other members of the team may take a step back, those…