I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to forgive Barcelona for knocking the most interesting goalkeeper in the world out of the Copa del Rey on Wednesday. Barcelona defeated third-tier side Linares Deportivo 2-1. Between the sticks for Linares was Ghanaian Brimah Razak.
One year ago, Razak went viral for his choice of headwear during a Copa del Rey clash with Sevilla.
A ridiculous Tottenham own goal helped Chelsea to a 2-0 victory in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semifinal. Ben Davies is the unlucky fellow credited for the own goal. There wasn’t much he could do after his fellow defender Japhet Tanganga headed the ball directly into Davies before nestling into the Tottenham net.
A crazy own goal.
Tottenham fans, look away now ♂️ pic.twitter.com/Ix6I7wqfxj
Back on Dec. 28, news broke that Napoli captain and Italian international Lorenzo Insigne was seriously considering joining Toronto FC in the summer following the completion of the 2021-22 European season. The rumor had a lot of clout, especially the bit about Toronto making him Major League Soccer's highest-ever paid player.
Since the advent of the sport in the 1800s, England and football have been intrinsically linked. This bond started with schoolboys on muddy fields, with the objective to get the ball from one end of the field to the other by any means necessary — no rules, no limit on numbers, only brute force.
Football has now evolved into an organized game; manicured, well-lined pitches, tidy uniforms, and 11 players on each side. Kicking the opponent was outlawed and shinguards were installed should a stray boot make contact with the tibia.
It’s not easy being a single mother. It’s even harder when you’re a professional athlete. But Sydney Leroux sure makes it look easy, or at least fun.
Preseason NWSL camps are less than a month away. With that in mind, Sydney Leroux was in the backyard getting in some training this week with her 5-year-old son, Cassius, who was sporting a full Tottenham kit. Leroux, a 31-year-old Orlando Pride forward and prime Mom of the Year candidate, did what any self-respecting parent would do upon seeing their offspring wearing Spurs colors: kick a ball straight at the kid’s head.
Big news out of Copiapó, Chile today where the illegitimate love child of French football superstars Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappé was found after being born on New Year's Day at 9:09 p.m. local time. Three Wise Men followed a star to his birthplace, bearing gifts of a large buyout clause, CR7 fragrance and baby-sized adidas Copa Mundials.
Few footballers captivate the planet like Phil Jones.
It all began back in 2013, when, at the age of 21 and having recently arrived from Blackburn, Sir Alex Ferguson said that Jones had the potential to become the greatest player in Manchester United's history, and it continued over the years as the defender smashed his face into every orifice in which a face does not belong.
When not disrupted by big daddy Omicron, college football bowl season is one of the greatest times of the year. There’s something about your team playing hundreds of miles away against a random opponent with an even more random brand slapped on to the name that brings so much joy. Who doesn’t love the Dollar General Bowl?
What if this wonderful season of sport was transferred to European club soccer? We could see magnificent spectacles like this in Europe if we went through with this idea.
The annual All Japan High School Soccer Tournament is a big deal. It's like, well, you don't really need a metaphor, do you? It's not that hard to imagine another country also enjoying youth sports. It attracts large viewership at the stadiums and on television, and I have a sneaking suspicion that among those watching are all the set-piece coaches at Europe's major clubs.
The best moments in rec league aren't often unbelievable goals or incredible displays of skill. They're things like batshit crazy tackles that aren't even whistled, own goals scored from the top of your own area and that 24 pack of beer in the cooler.
But all the hoofing, chasing and getting blasted in the face combine to make those rare moments of technique stick out all the clearer, like a Monet in a wastewater treatment plant.