Opinion

Coaches Coming To An Unemployment Line Near You

The vast majority of leagues around the world right now are on the home stretch for the end of the season. Relegation battles are heating up, the Champions League and Europa League are at the pointy end of things and some leagues (Premier League and La Liga, we’re looking at you) are pretty much wrapped up at the top of the table.

Despite some owners and managers settling for mid-table mediocrity or a respectable top-half finish, others will not. Here are some managers that you can bet your bottom dollar will be coming to an unemployment line near you.

Mario Melchiot’s Facebook Live Champions League Experience Is Utter Hell

Mario Melchiot knows more about football than you or I. He knows more about football than the both of us combined. A native of Amsterdam, Melchiot was a product of the legendary Ajax youth system, making his debut for the first team as a 20-year-old before transferring to Chelsea at just 22.

He played extensively in the Premier League for the Blues, Birmingham City and Wigan Athletic, as well as amassing 22 international caps for the Netherlands over an eight-year international spell.

Written Off By The Entire Planet, Roma's Plotting Its Revenge Against Barcelona

When Barcelona drew Roma in the Champions League quarterfinals back on March 16, many penciled the LaLiga leaders straight through to the semis. This is, after all, Barcelona’s 11th consecutive appearance at the quarterfinal stage. For Roma, it’s their first in 10 years. If you want to place a bet on Roma winning the first leg at the Camp Nou, you’ll get 14-1 odds on that punt.

Messi Was Faster To 100, But Ronaldo’s UCL Knockout Stage Record Is Untouchable

A few weeks ago, Lionel Messi reached the landmark of 100 goals in the UEFA Champions League, joining Cristiano Ronaldo as the only footballer to achieve the feat. The following comparisons between the two were inevitable, because for the last 10 years, it’s just been Ronaldo and Messi at the top of the world’s premier club competition.

In fact, you’d have to go back to the 2006-07 season and AC Milan’s Kaká to find the last Champions League top scorer by season not named Ronaldo or Messi. 

Landon Donovan Is Right, American Talent Is Being Ruined By Club Negligence

At first there was the phenomenon of the Hollywood player, when the likes of David Beckham and Thierry Henry migrated to the world of American soccer. No need to mention Zlatan here, that’s just sad, isn’t it? These larger-than-life players spending their final playing days on MLS pitches was entertaining, but not alarming. They didn’t barricade entry to other players — namely young, talented American players. The clubs did. 

10 Players Destined To Become Cult Icons At The 2018 FIFA World Cup

Due to the dawning of the internet, increased globalization and the heavy concentration of players plying their trade in European club football, there are hardly any unknown quantities at the World Cup now. Years back, nations like Panama, Iceland and Peru would’ve left opposing managers scrambling for information, but in 2018, that’s hardly the case.

The 6 Types Of World Cup Fans That Inhabit Our Planet

The World Cup is drawing closer and closer (79 days!). With that in mind, we have devoted ourselves to a sociological effort: defining the different kinds of World Cup fans out there. 

The World Cup Favorites 

These fans are outright obnoxious.

Not many countries can honestly say they are serious candidates to win the World Cup. Fans from countries with an actual chance of winning the trophy exude confidence and often, arrogance. The only consolation the rest of us have is watching one of these nations fail.

Can South America Finally Break Its European World Cup Curse?

Historically speaking, things look pretty bleak for the five South American nations set to compete in Russia this summer. Over the history of the World Cup, the event has taken place in Europe 10 times. Collectively, if you break those tournaments down by how things finished, European nations have accounted for 34 of the 40 top four finishes (85%), leaving South America with only six success stories:

13 Epic Stadium Moments And Chants That’ll Blow You Away

Step into the coliseum of humankind’s definitive sport, where the gladiators are not always the players but the awesome fans as well. Whether you’re rooting for West Ham United, Barcelona or Juventus, it doesn’t take a Luciano Pavarotti to turn your ordinary stadium into an extraordinary opera house of fans roaring out their love.  

Here are The18’s most epic terrace moments. Feel free to chant along, just don’t wake up your neighbors.

The Most Amazing Soccer Crowd Chants

Can Ronaldo Really Catch Messi At The Top Of La Liga's Scoring Chart?

Two months ago we would have said this wasn't possible. In fact, we specifically remember thinking a few months ago that it wouldn't be possible, but here we are: Cristiano Ronaldo absolutely has a chance to overtake Messi for La Liga top scorer.

Despite suffering through a suspension and the worst form of his career, Ronaldo is on fire and finds himself just three goals behind Messi at the top of the Spanish goal-scoring charts (Messi also leads La Liga in assists).

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