The story arcs that football provides us with are both fascinating and absurd. Who could’ve guessed that, come 2016, Brad Guzan would be doing battle with Victor Valdes to be named the starting goalkeeper for Middlesbrough?
Guzan, the 31-year-old Illinois native with 50 USA appearances to his name, is expected to join the newly promoted Premier League club on a free transfer following Aston Villa’s relegation.
Pro Evolution Soccer, Konami’s rival to the EA Sports FIFA franchise, will be celebrating its 16th edition this year, and PES 2017 looks set to give FIFA a run for its money.
After watching the official launch trailer, I can confirm that I close my eyes and see Andres Iniesta’s 3D photo scanned face. I’m equal parts impressed and horrified.
By January of 2004, Barcelona was a club in deep crisis. Since the 1999-00 season, they’d finished further and further down the LaLiga table — second in 2000, fourth in 2001, fourth in 2002 and a disastrous sixth in 2003.
The 2003-04 season looked to be even worse yet. Club president Joan Gaspart had been forced to resign because of the decline, and his young replacement, Joan Laporta, had begun his presidency in farce after promising Barcelona supporters David Beckham only to see him land at Real Madrid.
How much do you love Lionel Messi? A little? A lot? Possibly too much? Not even a little bit? A decidedly unhealthy amount? You have a Messi shrine in your closet that features his picture in a heart-shaped frame, surrounded by candles?
However much (or not much) your love for Messi, you still don't love him as much as this dude, who swam to Messi's yacht in hopes of meeting Messi and getting a picture.
Gerard Pique is Catalan, born and bred. He came up through Barcelona's famed "La Masia" academy and his grandfather was a vice president of Barcelona. Now, Pique occupies an arguably more important role at Barca: central defender. This has worked to his advantage in many ways. It granted him access to pop star Shakira, his romantic partner. It also made him a lot of money. But just how much? How much is Gerard Pique's net worth?
Neymar scored 31 goals in 49 appearances for Barcelona last season, helping ensure a La Liga and Copa del Rey double for the club, but the Brazilian captain hasn’t cracked UEFA’s list for the top 10 players in Europe.
Well this is awkward. Barcelona and Real Madrid have gone and turned up in the same shirt.
The La Liga winners and the Champions League winners both unveiled their away kits for the upcoming season last week, and it looks like they got the same person to design them and he didn't feel like making two jerseys so he just made one and gave it to both teams.
Nike (Barcelona) and Adidas (Real Madrid) really should have checked with each other before making the new kits.
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.
Such has been the ease with which Neymar’s transitioned to life in Barcelona that it’s difficult to imagine the Brazilian captain ever struggling following his move from Santos in June 2013.
However, Neymar has revealed to TV Globo that his first days at the Camp Nou were riddled with fright and nerves.
Between now and August 31st, expect to hear an incredible amount of noise regarding speculative transfers, rumors spun by players’ agents and utter nonsense from tabloids trying to sell papers. It's the summer transfer window!
It’s the best of times, it’s the worst of times. Primarily, it’s the absolute worst. Especially if, like me, you’re a supporter of Newcastle United and seemingly about to lose every player in your squad.