Have you ever watched three pre-season friendlies in a row? I have. I don't recommend it. You come away from them with conclusions like "Ben Woodburn is the best footballer there is, has ever been and ever will be. That's what happened when I watched Liverpool vs. Wigan on Sunday. Like I said, I don't recommend it.
You can keep your Dele Allis, your Ross Barkleys, your Raheem Sterlings and Adam Lallanas and James Milners and Jack Wilsheres. I want Joe Cole.
Cole, formerly of Chelsea, Aston Villa, Liverpool and West Ham, is one of the few English footballers having a summer you wouldn't describe as "underwhelming." Look at this goal he scored for the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the NASL (the USA's second division for those of you reading this somewhere besides the good ol' USA).
Cristiano Ronaldo made his Manchester United debut on August 16th, 2003. He came on as a substitute for Nicky Butt in the 60th minute of United’s Premier League encounter with Bolton Wanderers.
What a week it’s been for 20-year-old Hirving “Chucky” Lozano. First, the Mexican winger was included in Mexico’s 18-man squad for the Rio 2016 Olympics. Then, Pachuca’s rising star was linked with a massive transfer to Manchester United in the Premier League. Finally, Lozano began the 2016 Liga MX Apertura with two goals and an assist in Pachuca’s 5-1 demolition of Leon.
The rabona kick is football’s version of a motorcycle. Yes, it’s cool and looks good, but you’re probably only going to hurt yourself. Wrapping your kicking leg around the back of your standing leg in order to strike the ball isn’t going to increase the accuracy of your service, but everyone’s going to know you’re a boss and that your hamstrings are in fine working order.
FC Dallas’ Fabian Castillo has just showed the world that a rabona pass isn’t just a clever bit of showmanship, it’s also the filthiest way to setup a goal imaginable. His rabona assist was beyond beautiful.
The legend himself, Ronaldinho, returned to action in the Premier Futsal 2016 tournament in India, and we're glad to say that he's still got it. Ronaldinho's Goa team may have lost 4-2 to Hernan Crespo and Kolkata to start the tournament, but there was still plenty to smile about as Dinho provided some moments of pure class.
AS Roma’s preseason has gotten off to a flyer after they comprehensively defeated Italian semi-pro side AC Pinzolo 16-0. Edin Dzeko, Mohamed Salah, Diego Perotti and Juan Iturbe were among those who got in on the scoring action.
If you didn’t score in this match, AS Roma have most likely put you up for sale in the transfer window. Seriously though, it’s not often that you see a 16-0 scoreline pop up on your Twitter feed. Sixteen!
The Unai Emery era is underway at PSG after the Parisians played their first friendly of the season, against West Brom. The first goal of Emery's tenure came from a very appropriate source, the consensus best offensive center back in the world: David Luiz. Bang.
Fair play to David Luiz for not changing his ways. Here he is scoring an OG vs West Brom yesterday. pic.twitter.com/y8PNlrLOdW
Some great players are simply synonymous with their actions on the pitch. Andrea Pirlo is heralded as the world’s greatest direct free kick taker, Lionel Messi is unsurpassed when it comes to dribbling and Cristiano Ronaldo’s right foot is a bonafide deity.
For Luis Suarez, his reigning domain is certainly more niche but no less impressive. No one hits a side volley quite like the Uruguayan number nine.
It wasn’t pretty, but Portugal have defeated France in the Euro 2016 final. The hosts were more threatening throughout, but Eder struck in the 109th minute of extra time to defeat France 1-0 at the Stade de France.
Portugal were the first team to advance to the knockout rounds of a major international tournament without winning a game, but they’re the final team standing after a month of engrossing football in France.