Classic Players

Why soccer players lie behind the wall during free kicks and how the tactic started

If you’re a casual soccer fan who tunes in for the World Cup and the occasional game, you probably noticed an odd tactic. “Why does a player lie down behind the wall in soccer?” you may have asked yourself.

Why does a player lie down behind the wall in soccer?

The tactic of having a player laying down behind the wall is simple. Having a player lay down behind the wall denies the free kick taker any chance at shooting the ball underneath the wall when the players jump.

Neymar ties Pelé’s record with sublime goal but Brazil eliminated on penalties

Neymar Jr. tied Pelé’s record for the most goals scored for Brazil’s national team on Friday during his side’s 4-2 defeat on penalties vs. Croatia. Neymar’s go-ahead goal in the 106th minute was a classic display of his silky footwork and his 77th for Brazil.

Croatia’s goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic put in a nearly flawless shift denying and frustrating the Brazilians all game. It was going to take something truly special to put the ball in Croatia’s net, and Neymar was just the man to do it.

‘Global ambassador’ Samuel Eto'o kicks man in the face at World Cup

DOHA - Samuel Eto'o, the former Cameroon striker and current president of the country's football federation, was involved in an altercation after Brazil's victory over South Korea on Monday, an American newspaper has reported.

La Opinion, a Spanish-language newspaper based in Los Angeles, posted a video on its Twitter feed in the early hours of Tuesday morning which it said showed Eto'o clashing with a man holding a video camera as he left Doha's Stadium 974.

Pelé is in 'stable condition' according to hospital amid concerns of soccer legend's health

SAO PAULO — Brazilian soccer great Pelé remains in stable condition after being hospitalized this week as he battles colon cancer, a hospital medical report said on Saturday.

Pelé, 82, has also responded well to treatment for a respiratory infection diagnosed this week and his condition has not worsened in the last 24 hours, medical staff at Sao Paulo's Albert Einstein Hospital said.

Pelé - one of the greatest footballers of all time if not the greatest - was admitted to hospital on Tuesday to re-evaluate his cancer treatment.

Not even Alexi Lalas’ biggest haters can dislike his emotional USA vs. England pregame speech

Alexi Lalas is a polarizing character in the U.S. Soccer sphere. Beloved as player but not so much as a pundit, Lalas can rub people the wrong way. Despite this, the Alexi Lalas England pregame speech on FOX before kickoff could make his most vehement haters feel something.

The USA is about to play arguably its biggest men’s soccer game in recent history. This could be a defining moment for the program and Lalas emphasized this before kickoff.

Wesley Sneijder lo admite: #NoEraPenal

A la espera del proximo enfrentamiento del Tri ante Argentina, los mexicanos presentes en Catar han encontrado diferentes maneras de entretenerse.

Entre partidos, varios se han tomado el tiempo de conocer más sobre el país anfitrión, salir de fiesta, asistir a otros partidos y hasta aclarar cuentas con un viejo conocido no muy bien recordado del fútbol mexicano.

Óscar "Conejo" Pérez entrega la receta para que México pase a la segunda fase del Mundial

Óscar "Conejo" Pérez representó a México en diversas ocasiones, incluyendo tres mundiales. Esa experiencia lo hace voz autorizada para opinar de la actualidad del Tri y la aventura que tendrá en Catar.

David Beckham and Peyton Manning end the ‘football or soccer’ debate in star-studded Lays commercial

With the 2022 FIFA World Cup set to begin the commercials are beginning to appear. The title for best 2022 World Cup commercial is up for grabs and right now Lays is a leading candidate. On Tuesday the chip (or crisp) giant released a two and a half minute Peyton Manning vs. David Beckham, soccer vs. football commercial.

There are so many cameos in this ad it’s hard to keep track.

Peyton Manning vs David Beckham Commercial

David Luiz se suma a la exclusiva lista de futbolistas campeones en Champions League y Copa Libertadores

Dentro de la lista de cosas que hacer antes de morir de cualquier futbolista sudamericano, seguro que hay una línea en que dice ser "campeón de una Copa Libertadores y campeón de una Champions League". Sin embargo, en la historia son pocos los jugadores que pueden presumir haber ganado los trofeos de los torneos continentales más importantes del planeta.

Pero de vez en cuando pasa y el central brasileño David Luiz es testimonio vivo de que ese deseo puede ser realidad.

Alisson's excellence: The best (and worst) penalty stoppers in Premier League history

When Jarrod Bowen stepped up to take a penalty kick in the 45th minute of West Ham's match against Liverpool on Wednesday, he was already at a disadvantage. While the odds of converting a penalty are between 75 and 80 percent, just 58 percent of penalties faced by Liverpool keeper Alisson in the EPL had found the back of the net.

Despite a solid 75 percent conversion rate in his professional career, the English winger's spot kick was saved by the man in black in the Liverpool goal as the Brazilian preserved a 1-0 advantage for the Reds.

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