When the news broke in January 2016 that former Everton and Liverpool defender Abel Xavier had been announced as the new manager of the Mozambique national team, many football fans smiled at…
Tag: portugal
THERE IS NO doubting that FC Porto have been the most dominant Portuguese side of this century. Shrewd signings and high-profit sales fuelled a staggering 11-year period in which Porto won 26…
On any occasion that a player’s participation in a major tournament is cut short courtesy of an accumulation of yellows, the empathetic aftermath often unites the watching world in a way unlike…
All eyes were drawn to Cristiano Ronaldo when the final whistle blew after 120 gruelling minutes. The injured captain burst into tears on the touchline as the emotion hit him. Portugal had…
This feature is part of The Masterminds When one thinks of the Mighty Magyars, thoughts often run to The Galloping Major Ferenc Puskás, the powerful army side Honvéd and England’s first defeat…
It’s always hard if you’re seen as the sidekick in a successful partnership. Ricardo Carvalho has often had to play second fiddle to bigger names in the various teams he’s played for…
A bustling café looks out onto a marina harbouring luxurious yachts and boats exclusive to the affluent. The enclosed water is calm and tourists visiting this shrine to the rich are serene,…
Although there were still several hours left until the game would actually begin, thousands were already gathering outside Benfica’s home, the Estádio da Luz, by Eusébio’s bronze statue. There were people coming…
I have seen the future. Football’s future. It’s both exciting and tragic. Amidst the reliance on strength, pace and fitness, players have taken centre stage like never before. Long gone is the…
In sport, especially within the often wildly unpredictable world of football, there is rarely anything like a guaranteed winning bet. The Europa League final on May 14 2014, was, however, probably as close…
Portugal’s Primeira Liga is Europe’s breeding ground for top talent; a veritable goldmine of as yet unfulfilled promise and hidden gems. Each year, the continent’s top clubs scout extensively in the long, narrow…
This feature is part of The Academy Way THERE ARE FEW ACADEMIES IN WORLD FOOTBALL that can boast a history brimming with illustrious names quite like Sporting CP’s. The Academia Sporting, located…
This feature is part of A Tale of One City John O’Shea’s grimace said it all. As a wisp of bleached hair flicked past his sweat-lined brow, it was all he could do to manhandle…
We are fortunate to live in an age where the heroic talents who grace the many lands that pay homage to football will be – and have been – preserved by the pioneering…
After the passing of Eusébio, who takes his place in the sport’s hall of fame, here’s the tale of the Portuguese international’s incredible life, which spanned over seven decades. Eusébio da Silva…