This Vietnamese goalkeeper had it all under control. A long ball played forward, he thought he’d just stroll 30 yards from his goal and clear the ball a la Manuel Neuer. Simple, right?
Or not.
FK Sloboda is a football club and not in the construction business. This was apparent Sunday when building a wall to defend a free kick against HŠK Zrinjski in the Premier League of Bosnia & Herzegovina.
Thanks to state-of-the-art microphone technology, we were able to pick up on the conversation that went on as Sloboda planned out its strategy.
“Everybody listen up. I have the best plan, the greatest plan, a better plan than any of the tacticians in Italy or England could think up.”
“OK skipper, what have you got in mind for defending this free kick?”
For those of you wondering whether or not Christian Pulisic is rational and capable of completing basic mental exercises, an unnamed ESPN FC source has confirmed that in about 365 days, Pulisic will have been provided with an additional 365 days of experience from which to reminisce and reflect on, and he will do that.
On Tuesday, Swiss club Young Boys scored an excruciating last-minute own goal to lose 1-0 to CSKA Moscow in a Champions League playoff. On Thursday, Turkish club Fenerbahce showed the Europa League's standard of own goal is just as high as the Champions League's.
Warning: This video is heartbreaking for everyone but CSKA Moscow fans. In the 91st minute of a scoreless Champions League playoff first leg between CSKA and Swiss club Young Boys, defender Kasim Adams Nuhu attempted to head the ball back to his keeper. Only his keeper was already coming out to receive the ball.
You can guess what happened next.
Is this the worst way to lose a game in stoppage time you've ever seen?
There’s no sight in football quite like that of a marauding center half. These moments invariably begin with the blundering oaf picking his head up and trying to spot a midfielder or defensive partner to lay the ball off to. Seeing all these options closed down, he’ll realize that he’s got about 15 yards of open real estate in front of him and those gangly legs will start churning.
In a World Cup year, it’s only natural that national team regulars are put under the microscope every week. With only 23 spots available on the final World Cup roster, each and every week during the club season is a personal battle and test of merit. In that sense, no USMNT player has been failing as spectacularly as Los Angeles Galaxy forward Gyasi Zardes.
The average age of players in the English Premier League is 26.8, meaning the vast majority of footballers weren’t playing 25 years ago when the most dramatic change to the game in recent times was instituted. Many weren’t even alive in 1992 when FIFA decided to prevent goalkeepers from picking up passes intentionally kicked to them by teammates.
Leg day is important. Sure, maybe you think the ladies will love you for your huge biceps or washboard abs, but don’t forget about the lower half of your body.
André Luis appears to have made that mistake. The Brazilian soccer player scored a simple goal on Tuesday but failed miserably on the celebration.
Let’s hope that celebration makes it into FIFA 18.