Amazing

It is pretty safe to say Luka Modric is living his best life right now.

Whether we like it or not, time passes by for everyone — even for the greatest footballer of the XXI century, Lionel Messi. Being aware of this, he's changed his playing style, adapted to new tactics, new rivals, and mostly to his own physical changes. 

The NFL and footy came together in holy matrimony this past week thanks to the crossover appeal of ties and people not kicking well, and, let’s be honest, NFL fans were not happy about it. We hold these truths to be self-evident: Draws in places like the Premier League and the World Cup group stage are a fitting outcome that usually serves to highlight the flow of 90 minutes and heightens further drama down the road; ties in the NFL are an absolute nonsense after three hours of start-stop pointgasms. 

There is a lot of soccer played around the globe every week and every day. It’s hard to keep track of it all. But we here at The18 always have you covered for all the happenings around the world. With that in mind, we present to you the obscure goals of the week.

From the halls of Old Trafford to the shores of Brazil, what soccer players wear transcends cleats, trademarked jerseys and sometimes helmets like our friend Petr Cech. Thanks to the David Beckham era, my personal favorite metrosexual after Prince, we soccer and football lovers across the world know that swagger is just as important as skill.

Hector Bellerin is one striking figure. 

Not quite tall, not quite dark and not quite handsome, the Arsenal right back has nonetheless become one of the most notable footballers in the world for his appearance. 

It’s not his man-bun that perfectly holds his floppy brown hair or the pencil mustache that looks like it belongs in a 1970s porno — for Hector Bellerin, it’s all about style.

His tattoos sit on the surface, superficial representations of the inner thoughts of a man praised and vilified in near equal measure. 

For the outside world, the tattoos are the only insight into the mind of someone who has reached the pinnacle of his craft by the age of 26. 

For the world of “Inked,” they are so much more.

Brazil plays the second match of its post-World Cup tour on Tuesday after recording a solid 2-0 win over the USMNT in New Jersey last Friday. The Seleção will be looking to turn on the style against El Salvador — ranked 72nd in the FIFA World Rankings — at FedExField in Landover, Maryland after encountering an organized American side that was anchored by the stellar play of center back Matt Miazga.