THERE ARE FOOTBALLERS THAT ARE FAN FAVOURITES for the world-class qualities that they exhibit on the world stage week in, week out. Then there are footballers who are remembered for other reasons,…
Tag: spain
THE BEST STORIES are frequently those which seem scarcely believable; full of paradoxes and contradictions, with little room for logic or genuine coherence. Add a sense of mystery and the account suddenly…
BEFORE FORMER SPANISH NATIONAL TEAM COACH LUIS ARAGONÉS noticed that his team could pass the ball faster than any player could run with or without it, Spain were far from a source…
It is a small tidbit that is often overlooked regarding clubs such as Swansea or Cardiff. We have become so used to them over the last number of years – Swansea City…
THERE IS A WELL-TOLD TALE, one shrouded in layers of conspiracy and confusion, of the saga that preceded Alfredo Di Stéfano’s transfer to Real Madrid. The details are different depending on who…
This feature is part of A Tale of One City SITUATED ON THE SOUTH-EASTERN COASTLINE OF SPAIN, Murcia is a city better known for its tourism industry than its football exploits. And is…
IN MOST NATIONAL LEAGUES, the name of the trophy given to the player who scores the most goals is simplistic and self-explanatory. England’s Golden Boot, Italy’s Capocannoniere – literally ‘Top Gunner’- Turkey’s Gol…
Illustration by Federico Manasse The headlines the morning after seemed hyperbolic, but those that witnessed it knew there was no exaggeration. “What a bully!” read Marca’s front page. “Sensational”, effused Mundo Deportivo.…
FANS ARE FALLING OUT OF LOVE WITH MODERN FOOTBALL. It’s an irony that seems especially bitter given the availability of every match in stunning HD and the constant deluge of coverage, but…
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…
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.…
There was a time when Francisco Pavón was considered a future leader at Real Madrid – sadly, Florentino Pérez’s Galacticos policy put an end to that
At the end of the 19th century, the sons of the British industrial revolution headed to the iron-rich Basque Country in their thousands. The northern city of Bilbao was rapidly emerging as the…
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 FOOTBALL IS A GAME of thrills and spills can someone pass Pedro León the mop bucket? For throughout his remarkable and, as yet, unfulfilled career, there have been plenty more of…
IT IS THE EIGHTH MINUTE and Athletic Club have just been awarded a free-kick after Mikel San José is fouled. Their number 10 takes the resultant set-piece, bending the ball around the…
WALK INTO ANY one of San Sebastián’s famed pintxo bars (tx is ch in Basque) and it is more than likely that you will find framed photos hanging from the walls containing…
When it comes to Spain versus England at club and international level, there is only one winner. The past decade has seen 11 Spanish clubs come out victorious in Europe’s top two…