Photo Stories

The World Cup: one team wins and becomes legend, 31 other squads face the most harrowing defeats of their careers. To the winner goes the spoils, to the loser goes tears, infamy and the lifelong question of “What if?” 

As a quadrennial event, the stakes couldn’t be higher. The sporting drama is simply unmatched at a World Cup, and sometimes, the losers are as immediately recallable as the victors (think Zinedine Zidane’s headbutt in the 2006 final). 

Here are 19 iconic photos (dating back to 1986) that showcase the agony and heartache of the World Cup. 

Weeds and dirt and worms and flowers. Soon enough, every sinew of our being will be overloaded with the stuff. There’s no escaping it in our mortal flesh, and the corroding effect of time even conspires to destroy man’s most hallowed creations. 

Here are 20 once-great footballing grounds that have since been decimated by the ravages of old age.

In August 1985, a little late to the party, the U.S. debuted its first full women’s national team in international competition. The first USWNT played in a tournament in Italy, losing three of four matches, drawing once. 

Among the players on the inaugural squad was Michelle Akers, who would go on to become a two-time World Cup winner and be named FIFA Female Player of the Century in 2002, a couple years after her retirement. 

The USWNT’s latest January training camp had players aged 19 through 35 in attendance, and that blend of youth and experience will hold true at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France (qualification secured, God willing). It only follows that these footballers were at very different stages in their respective careers back in the heady days of 2008.

Here’s 18 USWNT players as they were 10 years ago in 2008 versus now. It’s been a wild ride for some, and a measurement of resolute consistency for others.

The Boston Celtics defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 114-103 at The 02 Arena in London Thursday night, but the real story was the myriad of footballing talent taking it all in. 19,078 fans watched the Celtic’s Jaylen Brown best handle jet lag (he probably slept on the plane while everybody else watched Annabelle: Creation and celebrated all the free sweet berry wine), but one in every three of those spectators was seemingly a Premier League footballer.

Also, Antoine Griezmann was there, hopefully getting a little taste of England before joining Newcastle United.

Adidas has been the official match ball sponsor for the World Cup since 1970. Below is a complete guide to every World Cup ball.

As you can see, Adidas didn’t really start branching out in design until 2002. Which ball is your favorite?

From a young age, every fan's dream is to attend a match at the club they support. Last week, I was lucky enough to travel across the pond to visit Anfield for a stadium tour and then see Liverpool cruise to a much-needed victory over Huddersfield Town the next day. 

I am in no way a trained photographer, so bear with me as I try to portray the beauty of Anfield.