History

Why European Soccer Teams Don’t Play The National Anthem Before Matches

In the United States, it’s ubiquitous. Whether it’s the Super Bowl or a high school basketball game, the national anthem will be played before a sporting event. So why don’t European soccer teams play the national anthem before matches? The answer lies in the history of America’s own devotion to the Star-Spangled Banner.

Scorer Of One Of The Best World Cup Goals Ever Retires

Esteban Cambiasso was a box-to-box midfielder who did a bit of everything, a prototypical Jose Mourinho player. The legendary Argentine retired on Friday at the age of 37 after two decades of play, most of which he played with his iconic bald dome. 

These 5 Worst World Cup Hosts Set The Bar For Russia And Qatar

FIFA doesn’t have a good record of awarding World Cups to the best countries, instead opting to award the world’s premier sporting event to nations with questionable backgrounds, from Mussolini’s fascist Italy to Argentina’s military junta.

Barring nuclear war, the 2018 World Cup will be hosted by Russia, a nation that has in the last decade invaded multiple countries, illegally annexed territory, led insurrections in border nations, murdered opposition journalists and denied rights of the LGBT community. Oh and that whole U.S. election thing that has yet to be sorted out. 

Before Andrea Pirlo, There Was Demetrio Albertini, The Human Embodiment Of Silk

Demetrio Albertini enjoys a legendary status amongst those who watched AC Milan and the Italian national team in the 90s, but the midfielder’s remarkable talent isn’t widely recognized outside of that sphere. As a ball-winning midfielder that orchestrated play from deep, Albertini doesn’t have a massive highlight reel with regards to goals, although he did score a number of long-range screamers and some gorgeous free kicks.

Why Is A Nutmeg Called A Nutmeg?

If you’ve ever been the victim of a nutmeg, you'll know it’s the most humiliating thing that can happen to you. On the other hand, for those that've been the nutmegger, you're aware of how surprisingly fast you can feel like Neymar and easily imagine the (often non-existent) crowd going wild.

You’ll Be Infuriated By These 20 Shocking Refereeing Decisions

Some referees will let you get away with murder. Others will send you off for bad breath. Getting a grasp on what a ref will and will not allow is vital in every match for those who like to push the line, but getting a grasp on what the following refs were thinking is beyond our abilities. 

We’ve compiled a list of the players who've been least deserving of being sent off, juxtaposed against players who were most deserving of seeing red but were allowed to stay on the pitch. 

22 Incredible Changes To Soccer Rules Since 1863

Soccer is an evolving game. From the original codification in 1863 to the modern institution of video replay, football’s lawmakers are constantly tweaking the rules. 

The following is a timeline of the major changes made to the game. 

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