History
These 5 Worst World Cup Hosts Set The Bar For Russia And Qatar
FIFA doesn’t have a good record of awarding World Cups to the best countries, instead opting to award the world’s premier sporting event to nations with questionable backgrounds, from Mussolini’s fascist Italy to Argentina’s military junta.
Barring nuclear war, the 2018 World Cup will be hosted by Russia, a nation that has in the last decade invaded multiple countries, illegally annexed territory, led insurrections in border nations, murdered opposition journalists and denied rights of the LGBT community. Oh and that whole U.S. election thing that has yet to be sorted out.
Before Andrea Pirlo, There Was Demetrio Albertini, The Human Embodiment Of Silk
Demetrio Albertini enjoys a legendary status amongst those who watched AC Milan and the Italian national team in the 90s, but the midfielder’s remarkable talent isn’t widely recognized outside of that sphere. As a ball-winning midfielder that orchestrated play from deep, Albertini doesn’t have a massive highlight reel with regards to goals, although he did score a number of long-range screamers and some gorgeous free kicks.
¿Por qué a un caño o túnel se le llama “Nutmeg” en inglés?
Si alguna vez has sido víctima de un túnel o caño, sabrás que es lo más humillante que te puede pasar. Por otro lado, para aquellos que han sido objeto de este truco, eres consciente de lo sorprendentemente rápido que puedes sentirte como Neymar e imaginar fácilmente la ( a menudo inexistente) multitud enloquecida.
You’ll Be Infuriated By These 20 Shocking Refereeing Decisions
Some referees will let you get away with murder. Others will send you off for bad breath. Getting a grasp on what a ref will and will not allow is vital in every match for those who like to push the line, but getting a grasp on what the following refs were thinking is beyond our abilities.
We’ve compiled a list of the players who've been least deserving of being sent off, juxtaposed against players who were most deserving of seeing red but were allowed to stay on the pitch.
13 Years Ago Today, Zlatan Scored His Most Iconic Goal For Ajax
22 Incredible Changes To Soccer Rules Since 1863
Soccer is an evolving game. From the original codification in 1863 to the modern institution of video replay, football’s lawmakers are constantly tweaking the rules.
The following is a timeline of the major changes made to the game.
How Would Modern Teams Line Up In Century-Old Formations?
When the first international football match was played in 1872, the tactics and formations used were completely foreign to what modern soccer coaches employ. Seven forwards, one defender? Not even a team of 5-year-olds would consider a lineup like that these days.
But how would modern teams look if they decided to turn back the clock and utilize ancient tactics?
Who Invented Penalties And Were They Sick In The Head?
There's perhaps no other refereeing decision, in any sport, that causes the deep emotional reaction of the awarding of a penalty kick. When the call is made for a spot kick from 12 yards out, the response is typically either a flurry of expletives and impending sense of doom or the feeling of utter joy derived from receiving a blessing, depending on which side of the call you are.
And it seems these feelings are warranted — stats show that there’s a 75-80% chance of the penalty being converted.
The Greatest Footballer You’ve Never Heard Of Scored 900 Goals And Was Paid In Cigarettes
The greatest footballer you’ve never heard of was an absolute beast on the pitch, scoring more than 900 goals in the first half of the 20th century. The towering chain-smoker once broke a man’s arm with a penalty kick and was unafraid of defying social norms.
Lily Parr of is a legend of the game forgotten to time and ignored by many after England banned women’s football in 1921.