American sports can be tacky at times (see cheerleaders, singing the national anthem and extensive commercial breaks), but one positive that has arisen from the heartland of this fine country is the extensive use of trophies.
In soccer, rivalries are an important part because playing a “Derby” or “Clásico” is a privilege. However, a special flavor to these duels is tasted when remembering those players who, without any remorse, put on the shirt of the hated rival and played for both teams. These are the authentic "Judases" of soccer that will remain in history for their controversial passage from one team to another.
Here we bring you the biggest players who played for the hated rival.
Weston McKennie’s path to become the greatest USMNT midfielder of all time took a giant leap on Wednesday when Juventus announced it’s cashing in on the American.
McKennie has been on loan from Schalke this season with the option for the Italian giants to buy the 22-year-old. After choosing to buy, the final bill for McKennie was $22 million, with his contract running until June 2025.
Cristiano Ronaldo, like every other footballer on the planet, is underrated when it comes to headers.
Internazionale claimed the most important Milan Derby in 10 years by a resounding 3-0 scoreline on Sunday with Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martínez combining for all the goals while Zlatan Ibrahimović was brilliantly denied by Samir Handanović on multiple occasions.
The top-of-the-table derby was played without supporters inside the San Siro, but emotions ran high outside as the Rossoneri and Nerazzurri faithful gathered at opposite sides of the historic ground.
ROME - Ten years have come and gone since a Milan Derby in Serie A mattered this much.
When the two storied Italian clubs go head to head at San Siro on Sunday, it will be the first time since April 2, 2011 that the fixture represents a clash between the league’s top two teams. The 2010-11 season proved to be the end of an era for football in the city. Milan lifted the title to halt Inter’s five-year Scudetto stranglehold, but Inter were consoled with a Coppa Italia triumph. Neither club has won either competition since.
The sacrifice made by Hirving Lozano in the game between Napoli and Juventus had serious consequences for Chucky and will possibly affect the Mexico national team.
The Mexican forward played the last minutes of the game against the Old Lady injured, due to the fact that there were no more substitutions available.
CHUCKY IS INJURED
With soccer tactics constantly changing, certain types of players are not always accommodated.
Roles like the libero, trequartista, striker partnerships and burly center backs have become, or are quickly becoming, outdated in modern football. Other roles like ball-playing goalkeepers, false nines and wingers that cut inside onto their stronger foot have become very trendy.
This often leaves current players wishing they had played in a previous decade and former players wishing their career had started a little later. Ah, what could have been.
AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli insists he is not surprised by Zlatan Ibrahimović's remarkable longevity and hinted that he would like the Swede to extend his contract with the Serie A club.
The 39-year-old striker scored the 500th club goal of his career in a 4-0 Serie A win over Crotone on Sunday to send Milan two points clear at the top of the table.
The Swede fired the opening goal into the top corner to hit the landmark before adding a second after the break, taking his seasonal tally to 16 goals in 17 games in all competitions.
The cliché suggests Cristiano Ronaldo is aging like a fine wine. But we might have to rethink that aphorism to say fine wines age like Cristiano Ronaldo. No matter how old he gets, he just seems to keep getting better. Before turning 30 he scored 0.64 goals per game; since turning 30 he’s scoring better than 0.92 goals per game.