Australia's slog of a World Cup qualifying campaign came to a halt on March 24 after a 2-0 defeat to Japan in the driving Sydney rain meant that after the grind of 18 games over two years, the Socceroos would still need to beat the United Arab Emirates and then Peru in the June playoffs to qualify for Qatar.
There comes a time when every footballer experiences defeat on a totally embarrassing level. Lionel Messi has lost 8-2; Cristiano Ronaldo has twice been defeated 5-0. Fortuna's wheel is always turning.
But the great wisdom imparted by this game is to "meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those two impostors just the same." One must be gracious in victory and defeat, but this old cliché is always put to the test when you're on the receiving end of a thrashing.
Manchester City worked tirelessly on Tuesday to break through Atlético Madrid’s defense to earn a 1-0 victory in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal. The game was advertised as an unstoppable force meets immovable object, and Atlético Madrid delivered in terms of dropping everyone into defense.
While everyone's been wasting their time arguing over the tactical masterplans of Pep Guardiola and Diego Simeone in the build-up to Manchester City and Atlético in the Champions League, a better philosophical discourse has been raging in the bottom half of the Premier League table, where Brighton manager Graham Potter is urging supporters to stop yelling "shoot" at his players while Burnley boss Sean Dyche is playing the devil's advocate by instructing his men to "kick it in the net."
When it comes to the most underrated players in the English-speaking world, you could certainly make a case for Brazil's Rivellino — a fantasy footballer with pioneering dribbling skills, an outrageous free kick arsenal and a left foot like a field howitzer. Rivellino was hugely admired by Pelé and inspired both Diego Maradona and Ronaldinho, but these names have largely superseded Rivellino's own in football lore.
Earlier this year, I watched part of the NCAA football title game on an alternate ESPN2 broadcast featuring coaches from Texas A&M talking about the game. It was garbage television, and I’m an Aggie. When I saw the NCAA women’s basketball title game Sunday night had an alternate broadcast on ESPN2, I was initially skeptical, but I’m so glad I watched.
Ghana — respected eternal rival of the USMNT and leader in the nations' all-time World Cup series — has secured its place in Qatar, where the Black Stars will undoubtedly meet the Americans, after a heroic elimination of favored Nigeria in Abuja.
Over the weekend, Lionel Messi made headlines by hinting at his international retirement following the World Cup.
When the yin speaks then the yang must respond.
On Monday, Cristiano Ronaldo addressed the press ahead of Portugal's decisive World Cup playoff against North Macedonia, and Ronaldo also made headlines by hinting at an international career that could go on forever and ever.
Christian Pulisic has the USMNT on the verge of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup. With his first career international hat trick, Pulisic helped the Americans thrash Panama 5-1 on Sunday in Orlando, Florida. But that Pulisic celebration after his second goal shows he still has a lot of work to do before he heads to Qatar in November.