How fast is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang? The FIFA video game ratings aren’t infallible, but when the fine folks at EA Sports say that Aubameyang is the fastest footballer on the planet with a pace rating of 96, well, they’re trying to tell us something — namely that he’s an excellent option to send a through ball towards and pray.
Penalty kick shootouts are a part of soccer that people love to hate. Rightfully so, most believe that a series of pressure-filled spot kicks to settle a game after 120 minutes of deadlocked, hard-fought play is both cruel and unusual. The drama of a penalty kick shootout is undeniable no matter the circumstance. However, tensions reached a mind-boggling level during a playoff between two Southern California high schools in February of 2012.
If you’re one of the thousands that’s typed “How does ref decide when to end soccer match” into Google, don’t worry, you’re in fine company. One former manager who's probably completed that inquiry himself is the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson. His famous quip regarding how refs decide to end the match is that the refs have absolutely no clue.
How fast is Raheem Sterling? Sterling has one of the more inimitable running styles in the game. It’s definitely a unique stride, so much so that it’s been captured in the FIFA 18 video game and replicated by Eden Hazard during warmups. However, as Pep Guardiola realized at Manchester City, deployed on the right wing of the attack, it’s absolutely devastating.
What's clear in Ken Bensinger's "Red Card" book is that corruption was ubiquitous in soccer long before news of the FIFA scandal made headlines. That won't surprise many fans, but the details of how U.S. law enforcement broke open its case against FIFA and the extent of the organization's corruption are incredibly revealing.
For too many years already, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have absolutely dominated the discussion surrounding who is the best soccer player in the world. The Argentinean and the Portuguese have formed a hegemonic dynasty that's lasted since at least 2008. To find a Ballon d'Or winner other than Messi and Ronaldo, one has to travel all the way to 2007 when Brazilian star Kaká won the prize, and he's now retired.
Who invented soccer or football or — the more diplomatic approach — association football (soccer for short)? It’s a history lesson that’s often summed up or bastardized with a simple answer: England invented it.
As recognized by his 2017 Golden Boy award and current standing as the second most expensive player ever, 19-year-old French phenom Kylian Mbappe is the most exciting talent in world football. He’s the youngest-ever French goalscorer at the World Cup and the second teenager to score two goals in a World Cup match, joining Pele in that regard.
Viewing a soccer match for your first time without knowing the rules and regulations may seem extremely daunting. Watching the clock run without stopping while players are on the ground or when the ball goes out of bounds seems unnatural compared to other sports. Because the clock counts up, you'd be right to ask: How long is a soccer game?