Human Interest

Another match, another flag controversy for the UEFA Champions League — and this time Celtic supporters were innocent bystanders.

It’s not a pretty sight when off-field issues drive players away from their clubs. From threats made by supporters to financial troubles within the club, we’ve seen all kinds of reasons for players to push for moves away from their current teams. 

However, in the past few years, we’ve seen a rise in the number of players who’ve left in fear because of political unrest threatening their own personal safety.

We saw that happen during the Ukrainian crisis not too long ago, and, unfortunately, we are watching a similar scenario unfold in Turkey. 

The Homeless World Cup, which took place in Glasgow this year, finished up on Saturday. Mexico won both the men's final and the women's final, as the men coasted by Brazil 6-1 while the women beat Kyrgyzstan 5-0. 

At this point, you might be asking yourself: "Wait. What's a Homeless World Cup?" Allow us to enlighten you. 

The mistakes of the past are an integral part of our composition. Our future will be determined by a wide breadth of experiences and backgrounds — a collection of dissenting narratives that don’t necessarily follow the status quo. Either we allow the perspectives of the minority to illuminate the harsh truths hindering our game, or we remain insular, weakened and stagnant.

When I was told to write a profile of Dutch footballer Anouk Hoogendijk, a defender for Ajax’s women's team, that emphasized why people would like her, I thought: impossible.

She doesn’t know her place. She has won the Dutch women’s league twice with Saestum, the Dutch cup once with FC Utrecht, and the FA cup once with the Arsenal Ladies.