Most of the time when it’s a big player’s birthday their teams and fans will post cool photos of them and a best goals compilation. For example:
it's Coutinho's birthday! The Brazilian magician turns 26 today. pic.twitter.com/Bnjg3C16Jm
— (@Sakkax10) June 12, 2018
It doesn’t get any more iconic than the home shirts of both Real Madrid and Barcelona. As Los Blancos (The Whites), Real is synonymous with its all-white kit. For the Blaugrana (a Catalan reference to blue and garnet), it’s stripes of the aforementioned colors. But that hasn’t stopped both Adidas and Nike from trying to shake things up on an annual basis.
Barcelona put the finishing touches on its 2017-18 La Liga title with a 1-0 victory over Real Sociedad on Sunday. Philippe Coutinho scored the lone goal with a wonder strike in the 57th minute. The match also brought Andres Iniesta’s Barca career to a close.
Today, ESPN published a Lionel Messi story by Sam Borden that’s scheduled to appear in ESPN The Magazine’s June 8 World Fame issue. The long-form article mainly concerns Messi’s off-field demeanor — he’s quiet, reclusive and prefers to express himself on the pitch.
Another summer transfer season approaches. It’s another opportunity, yet again, for Antoine Griezmann to be linked with a move away from Atletico Madrid. Although, it seems Atletico won’t let Griezmann go without a fight.
The hype surrounding 20-year-old French winger Ousmane Dembele was largely quelled this season after a pair of injuries kept the kid sidelined for 27 games between September and February, but it was only a matter of fitness until the train’s wheels started rolling again.
Barcelona has already clinched the LaLiga title. Lionel Messi and his cohorts are unbeaten in league play and in the process of one of the greatest LaLiga campaigns ever. So it makes sense Barça opponents are paying homage to the Catalan club in the final matches of the season. The reverence shown in the Villarreal guard of honor on Wednesday was a fine example of sportsmanship at its best.