Amazing

After a long footballing period consisting of nothing but transfer market hell and the Gold Cup, it’s permissible that you’d forgotten the real meaning of the beautiful game. It’s totally normal to have watched an inning or two of MLB on the TV, to have spent an inordinate amount of time discussing which Game of Thrones characters and story arcs you vaguely remember. 

Gerard Pique is a defender, not a poet. Mino Raiola is a sideshow, not the main attraction. The football’s since returned, but MLS would argue that it never really left. 

Everton held a narrow 2-0 advantage heading into their second leg Europa League qualifying playoff against Hajduk Split in Croatia. After Josip Radosevic narrowed the advantage to 2-1 with a 30-yard rocket in the 43rd minute, Everton came out for the second half knowing that their Europa League participation was well and truly in the balance. 

But less than a minute after the restart, the 35,000 packed into the Stadion Poljud in Split were silenced by what could be the best goal in the competition all season. 

A glamour friendly between Real Madrid and Fiorentina (who knows) turned out to be a great training exercise for Cristiano Ronaldo on Wednesday. Ronaldo is currently serving a five-match ban for shoving the referee during the Spanish Super Cup, but his wonder goal helped Real defeat their Italian opposition 2-1 at the Bernabeu.

At 33 years of age, Bayern Munich must surely be contemplating how they’ll ever manage to replace Arjen Robben on the right wing. Robben gives the impression of having been around this game forever, and with good reason. The 2017-18 campaign will mark his 18th as a professional. The fact that he’s been bald for the majority of them and is permanently recovering from/suffering a muscle injury only adds to his distinguished agedness.

Lyon captain Nabil Fekir scored a legitimate contender for Ligue 1’s Goal of the Season on Saturday. The 24-year-old attacker intercepted a Bordeaux pass in his own half, took one touch and laced an effort from the halfway line for the game’s opening goal.

The quick-thinking and perfect execution left Bordeaux goalkeeper Benoit Costil absolutely no chance — Fekir’s effort was struck with an incredible amount of pace and accuracy from almost 60 yards out.

When you’re the son of a player considered by many to be the most composed and technically gifted in a country’s footballing history, you’re going to garner some attention out on the pitch. But Giovanni Reyna, son of USMNT legend Claudio, is clearly an exceptionally gifted 14-year-old.

A match between FK Pohronie and Spisska Nova Ves in the Slovakian second division has thrown up one of the greatest match-winning goals of all time. The hit was provided by Pohronie’s Lukas Pelegrini at the death after his side had been unable to breakdown the opposition, who had a man sent off in the 43rd minute.

Based on the levels of dejectedness here, you can assume that the 10-man side had defended like lions for an entire half. Based on the levels of pure ecstasy for the goalscoring side here, you can assume that this howitzer was greatly appreciated.

When it comes to football advertisements, few have come close to matching Nike’s “Take It To The Next Level” commercials from 2008. The first-hand perspective ads put you directly in the shoes of an up-and-coming footballer, brushing shoulders with the likes of Arsene Wenger, Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ronaldinho.

With 19 league assists in 30 matches, no player in Europe’s big five leagues had more than RB Leipzig’s Emil Forsberg last season. The 25-year-old Swedish midfielder was one of the breakthrough players in Europe in 2016-17, firing his club to an unexpected second place finish in the Bundesliga.

For a bit of context, Luis Suarez provided the second most assists in Europe’s big five leagues last season. His total was 13.