Informational/Did You Know

Johan Cruyff, the most famous of all atheist footballers, once explained his beliefs succinctly.

“I don’t believe in God,” Cruyff said. “In Spain all 22 players make the sign of the cross before a game. If it worked, every game would end in a tie.”

And yet, soccer, and sports in general, is dominated by religious athletes, whether they're crossing him or herself before entering the field of play, praying after a touchdown or pointing to the sky following a match.

Nutrition in sports has fast become a vital component to any athlete’s life in recent years, with what soccer players eat becoming an increasing focus of the entire club. Despite former Sutton United goalkeeper Wayne Shaw eating a pie on live television, players are having their meals planned for them and some even employ their own personal chefs.

To be a professional athlete, it takes a lot more than just talent. Obviously talent is a big help, but it will only take you so far. This is where training becomes vitally important. Footballers train for hours a day both on the field and in the gym. But how do soccer players train?

It can differ between clubs, but across almost all clubs there are some consistent themes. Players will do plenty of training exercises on the field to begin a session. It could be working out a pattern of play before a game, working on set-pieces, doing a shooting drill or a small-sided game. 

Mascots — the oversized, creepy creatures controlled by people who can’t possibly have great relationships with their mothers — are widespread in American sports. But a lot of people wonder: do soccer teams have mascots?

For better or worse, they do. 

Soccer mascots range from the weird to the cute, but they’re always weird. Did we mention they’re weird? 

The international break is coming up, and depending on how your club team is going this season, it could be either a major help or a major hindrance. But fear not, fellow fans, because UEFA has decided to make the international breaks a little more interesting.

The UEFA Nations League is the latest big creation by the boffins at UEFA, and it is aimed at making international friendlies actually mean something.