Portugal manager Fernando Santos was undoubtedly the big winner of Euro 2016. It’s an almost certainty that his name has entered the conversations of many top European clubs looking for their next coach.
Euro 2016 did not provide many spectacular moments, unforgettable games or tactical innovations that’ll redefine 21st century soccer, but it did bring back the necessity of having a fantastic manager in international play.
It’s a question that has divided football fans for years now, and we’ve finally been provided a definitive, solid answer. Regardless of where your allegiances previously held court, either with the diminutive, technically gifted Argentine or the more robust, 18-yard box dwelling Portuguese, we now know once and for all who’s the better player.
This has been the year of the underdog in soccer. From Leicester City in the Premier League to Wales and Iceland in Euro 2016, upsets have come to the fore.
Soccer is the most democratic sport in the world. Once the players enter the pitch, there’s little the coach can do to upset the proceedings. The nature of the game lends itself to unpredictability — 90 minutes of continuous action where a single mistake or moment of genius can decide the game’s outcome.
This past Monday marked another disappointing loss for the England National Football Team as they fell to Iceland in the round of 16 in UEFA Euro 2016. For fans of England soccer, this is going to be a hard pill to swallow for years to come. However, when you look at the recent history of the club, it may be time to lower expectations a bit. Perhaps England's so-called "early exits" aren't as disappointing or unexpected as fans make them seem.
Every week, The18 takes the world's most frequently asked soccer questions and attempts to answer them. That way, when that clone of yours turns evil and tries to convince everyone that you're the evil one, your football knowledge will allow your friend to put a slug in his head, not yours. You know. Like in Star Trek. Or The Island. Man, Hollywood has used that plot device a lot. Anyways, this week: Why do soccer players dive?
We're going to preface this article by saying this: Diego Maradona was a great player and is one of the legends of the game. Good, now that that's out of the way, Diego Maradona is a huge hypocrite.
In many ways, the Copa America Centenario resembled an A-Plus B-movie; an event so bizarre that it couldn’t help but capture the imagination.
From Brazil’s decision to essentially forfeit before the matches had even kicked off, to the final drama of Lionel Messi retiring from international football after missing a decisive penalty kick, the 2016 Copa America was camp to the extreme — it had a certain self-acknowledged theatricality.
On Sunday, spectators were given an unconstrained glimpse into the mind of Lionel Messi, a footballer whose cryptic statements and enigmatic private life only add to his magical legend.
Messi’s a consummate professional, dedicated to the game on an otherworldly level. Argentina’s crushing defeat to Chile in the 2016 Copa America Centenario final gave proof to his wholehearted devotion to the cause.
The Russia 2018 World Cup may be a somewhat sad and empty affair. Lionel Messi announced his retirement from the Argentina National Team (whether he means it or not remains to be seen), Zlatan Ibrahimovic has officially retired from Sweden, Cristiano Ronaldo will be 33 and Wayne Rooney will be 32. The traditional stars of the world's game are fading away, and Russia will probably be the first tournament where that truly sinks in.
The Euro 2016 group stage is done and dusted, providing its fair share of heroes and villains. Players like Gareth Bale, Dimitri Payet and, just recently, Cristiano Ronaldo have enlivened the proceedings, but which five supposed stars have flopped at one of the world’s most prestigious events?
Thanks to the forgiving nature of the expanded tournament format, a few players on this list still have time to make amends for their performances. For a couple of them, it’s off to the beach and an early summer break.