There was a time when James Rodríguez had the world at his feet. After a sublime 2014 World Cup, his name was everywhere. Then, Real Madrid decided to sign him, and his global recognition and fame levels went wild.
James was a hot item and had enough sauce to become a king.
But suddenly, he did not. Circa 2017, the Colombian entered into a weird downward spiral that currently has him looking for a new gig.
It was billed as the biggest game in National League history, and Monday's top-of-the-table clash between Wrexham and Notts County — with both clubs entering on 100 points, having scored 106 goals each and directly battling for the only automatic birth into the EFL — didn't disappoint.
With Wrexham's Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney both in attendance, a five-goal thriller played out at the Racecourse Ground that left the Red Dragons in complete control of their promotion destiny.
Al-Nassr suffered a huge blow to their hopes of winning the Saudi Professional League after a goalless draw with lowly Al-Feiha, and Cristiano Ronaldo left the pitch in anger after a frustrating performance on Sunday.
Leaders Al-Ittihad did not waste the opportunity to widen the gap with Al-Nassr to three points with the last seven games remaining, with a victory 2-1 against Al-Wehda. Al-Ittihad had an advantage also in a head-to-head result with Al-Nassr.
Sweden is only just emerging from winter's deathly grip with the 2023 Allsvenskan season beginning last weekend. Some players are evidently still working off the rust.
On Matchday 2, Häcken welcomed Hammarby to Gothenburg and stormed to a 3-1 victory with forward Bénie Traoré scoring a first-half hat trick.
Traoré, a 20-year-old who has represented the Ivory Coast's U-23 side, opened the scoring in the fifth-minute after a howler from Hammarby goalkeeper Oliver Dovin.
Pepis rule.
Last Friday, Ricardo Pepi (age 20) made his triumphant return to the USMNT by scoring a brace against Grenada — his first international goals dating back to October 2021, a drought that ultimately cost him a place on the World Cup roster.
Dragisa Gudelj is in stable condition.
A picture of Gudelj on Instagram, with two thumbs up and a big wide smile in his hospital room, is proof of his speedy recovery after the cardiac arrest he suffered on Saturday during a game between Córdoba and Racing Ferrol in the Spanish third division.
The 25-year-old defender collapsed on the pitch in the 11th minute at El Arcángel Stadium.
We all love goals. We love them so much that FIFA created an award – The Puskás – to celebrate and crown the best of all, season after season.
But, hey! Breaking news: scoring goals is not the only thing you need to beat an opponent. There are other elements of the game that are crucial, can be even beautiful and surely can be award-worthy, too.
Like a sublime goalkeeper save.
Cobresal goalkeeper Leandro Requena is over the moon not only because he scored a rare coast-to-coast goal against Chilean giants Colo Colo in a 3-1 win last Saturday, but also because his feat might have broken the record for the longest goal ever scored in professional soccer.
The funny thing is he wasn't even trying.
If you think Emiliano Martinez is the most despicable goalkeeper out there, just wait to meet Zsombor Senkó, the man between the sticks for Hungarian second-division side DVTK. He's being rightly booed worldwide after denying a goal and crushing the dreams of a seven-year-old boy on his birthday!
Boooo! And another boooo!
Stoppage time in soccer is getting out of control. At the World Cup in Qatar, we saw how the customary three to five added minutes went right to the 10+ zone, while FIFA — through the International Football Association Board (IFAB) — recently suggested leagues worldwide follow suit as a way to "increase the net playing time and reduce time-wasting."