Managers

Chile is the best team in all of the Americas, of that there is no doubt. What Chile have accomplished over the last year is nothing short of remarkable, but just how did they do it? How did they survive and thrive in the tumultuous CONMEBOL and best the likes of Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina, twice? The answers are management, teamwork and spirit. This generation of Chilean footballers embodies everything you would want in a team, and it all started with Marcelo Bielsa.

Messi has come out and said he plans to retire from the Argentina National Team. Is he serious?

I don't think he is. Not even a little bit. This is an empty threat by Lionel Messi and his teammates. Despite speculation being that Sergio Aguero, Javier Mascherano and others could follow Messi’s lead and retire from Albiceleste duty, this comes, not only after another final defeat, but during a time when Argentine Football is undergoing a massive organizational transition.

First there was this from Germany manager Jogi Low.

Then there was this.

And now there's another one.

Not again you weirdo.. pic.twitter.com/TwhXyXlrHr

There was a point, after the USMNT had been destroyed by Brazil, lost to Mexico, drew Trinidad and Tobago and lost against Guatemala, that Jurgen Klinsmann's job seemed very much on the line. 

The dizzying heights of the 2014 World Cup seemed an eternity ago. The constant cut-and-paste approach that Klinsmann seemed to take resembled a six-year-old playing FIFA. The USMNT was at its lowest point in years. 

In case you missed it, a video surfaced earlier this week of Germany coach Jogi Low scratching his crotch then sniffing his hand during Germany's 2-0 win against Ukraine. It was very funny and led to some content for some websites for which we are very grateful. But there's more.

Apparently, this was not an isolated incident.

Jogi Low can celebrate the fact that his Germany squad opened up Euro 2016 by taking care of business against Ukraine, 2-0, but, instead of doing that, maybe he shouldn't appear in public for a bit.

Low got caught by a camera on the sidelines doing . . . well he . . . just watch the video, which may or may not be safe for work (it probably is unless your company is run by Puritans).

As the final whistle blew on Saturday's 0-0 draw between the Brazil National Team and Ecuador, boos began to ring down from fans all around the Rose Bowl. Brazil had been largely unimpressive and ineffective, punctuated only by occasional moments of magic that failed to produce anything of substance. For anyone hoping that Brazil could shake off the shackles of the 2014 World Cup and regain their spot at the top of world football, it was a depressing dose of reality. 

I’ve got to imagine that being a retired legend is a frustrating thing. As soon as you leave the game people probably think you are washed up. Your legacy immediately starts to diminish. People forget just how great you were, and it has got to be incredibly tempting to come back to the game just to shut all those idiots up. That’s what I am imagining was going through Clarence Seedorf’s head when he lit up a charity match with a hat trick bad in 2014.

Security at Euro 2016 is of the utmost importance to France and the tournament’s organizers, but the reality of today’s age means that the risk of a terrorist threat at the competition remains very real. Portugal, because of the global stature of Cristiano Ronaldo, have been identified as one of the more high-risk teams, and their coach Fernando Santos acknowledged the threat after his side’s friendly defeat to England on Thursday.