30-year-old wunderkind manager Julian Nagelsmann will earn the plaudits for masterminding Hoffenheim’s 2-0 victory over Bayern Munich on Saturday, but another precocious young individual has also made the headlines for his performance in the match: 13-year-old ball boy Umut Tohumcu, who was making his debut in the role.
Who’s the greatest left back of all time? For most, the argument is between Brazilian legend Roberto Carlos and Italian icon Paolo Maldini. The two approached the position with entirely different styles, greatly complicating the debate. However, the two former players are both in agreement over who’s the best left back on the planet today, and that’s Real Madrid and Brazilian international Marcelo.
Japan joined hosts Russia, Brazil and fellow AFC side Iran as the only countries to have booked their places at next summer’s World Cup finals after defeating Australia 2-0 in front of over 60,000 delirious supporters. This will be Japan’s sixth straight World Cup finals appearance.
Takuma Asano gave the Samurai Blue the lead in the 41st minute, and 21-year-old midfielder Yosuke Ideguchi secured the victory with this stunning goal in the 82nd. With only one matchday remaining in AFC qualifying, Australia’s road to Russia just got a lot more complicated.