No one can argue that 2020 has been an awful year that we all want to put behind us. But before we look ahead 2021, we have to take a minute to appreciate how sports have provided something resembling normality in recent months.
Considering the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been incredibly lucky to have soccer leagues playing regularly since June.
Paolo Rossi, Italy's goalscoring hero from their victorious 1982 World Cup campaign and scorer of a hat-trick against Brazil in one of the most famous matches in the competition's history, has died at the age of 64.
The celebrated striker's death comes with the soccer world still in mourning for Argentina icon Diego Maradona, who passed away late last month. Italian TV channel RAI Sport, where Rossi had been working as a pundit, said on Thursday "Pablito" had died of an "incurable disease.”
The draw for UEFA World Cup 2022 Qualifying took place Monday, December 7, leaving us with an enticing list of matchups to look forward to in 2021.
The 2022 World Cup qualifying groups have been drawn for European countries pic.twitter.com/rfziJTsq0j
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 7, 2020
The Brazilian national team, historically known for being the best team in the world (winning more World Cups than any other), is once again producing fantastic numbers, which are scaring everyone. After having a catastrophic era between 2010 and 2018 in which they failed in absolutely everything, they have been reborn since the arrival of their current coach, Tite.
Montevideo’s Estadio Centenario has been declared a National Historic Monument.
The stadium was also recognized in 1983 by FIFA as the only Historical Monument of World Football.
It was built in 1930 to host the first FIFA World Cup and to mark the 100th anniversary of Uruguayan independence.
Not only did Uruguay win the 1930 World Cup there, they have won each of the 4 Copa Américas hosted at the stadium.
The stadium will continue to be preserved as a center for soccer culture in Uruguay.
MONTEVIDEO — First half goals from Arthur and Richarlison gave Brazil a 2-0 win away at Uruguay on Tuesday and maintained their 100-percent record in the South American World Cup qualifiers for Qatar 2022.
Brazil were missing a host of players through COVID-19 and injury, including talismanic striker Neymar, but they were too strong for their opponents, who have not beaten them since 2001.
Atletico Madrid and Uruguay forward Luis Suarez has tested positive for COVID-19, the Uruguay national team said in a statement on Monday.
Uruguay's statement said top scorer Suarez and stand-in goalkeeper Rodrigo Munoz plus a staff member had tested positive. Other members of the squad had all tested negative ahead of Tuesday's World Cup qualifier at home to Brazil.
SAO PAULO — Brazil and Uruguay both recorded victories in the World Cup qualifiers on Friday, setting up a meeting in Montevideo next week that Brazilian defender Marquinhos predicted would be another “war” between the old rivals.
“We know that the games against Uruguay are always a war,” Marquinhos said after Brazil’s hard-fought 1-0 win over Venezuela.