Category: Stories
-
32 Sides to Every Story: Group B – Spain, Portugal, Morocco & Iran
Welcome to the second part of our epic tale of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, told through the eyes of those on the ground. I spoke to a fan from all 32 nations to get a taste for how they had travelled to Russia, their impressions of the tournament and the enduring emotions…
-
32 Sides to Every Story: Group A – Russia, Uruguay, Egypt & Saudi Arabia
Welcome to our epic tale of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, told through the eyes of those on the ground. I spoke to a fan from all 32 nations to get a taste for how they had travelled to Russia, their impressions of the tournament and the enduring emotions they were left with.…
-
32 Sides to Every Story: the inside view on the 2018 World Cup
The 2018 World Cup was a phenomenal tournament – exactly what you would hope for in the world’s biggest and best sporting competition. There were tight heavyweight games, fallen giants, late drama and goals aplenty. There is no way to define what the best World Cup of all time is. It is not a measurable…
-
Canadian Premier League profiles: FC Edmonton
Edmonton evolves. The provincial capital city of Alberta, Canada, has developed over the years from its founding in 1795 as a major trading post for the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) to the amalgamation and absorption of several neighbouring towns and districts, to its current form as a national and international hub for business, transport, retail…
-
Paraguay: Eclipsed by its neighbours, but with a footballing ‘heart’ as big as any
José Luis Chilavert. Roque Santa Cruz. Óscar Cardozo. Save for a short list of cult heroes who captured the hearts of many for different reasons – and Ronaldinho with his newfound Paraguayan ‘identity’ – South America’s landlocked corazón is not blessed with the biggest names in the game; well, not to the same extent as…
-
Four Minutes in May: Remembering Schalke 04’s Champion of Hearts 20 years on
Football stadiums are many a person’s place to be on a weekend. Since March 2020 onwards with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, however, venues across nearly all of Europe’s leagues have fallen silent with games being played behind closed doors. Whilst games have continued in this eerie fashion, many have stated that the ‘new normal’ of…
-
Canadian Premier League profiles: Cavalry FC
When I think of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, I traditionally think of three things – ice hockey, rodeo & professional wrestling. But now a new aspect has entered the public consciousness and perhaps it has overtaken the likes of the Calgary Flames, the Stampede and the Hart Foundation: Football. In 2019, the Canadian Premier League launched…
-
Au Revoir Coupe de la Ligue
French football’s main domestic cup competition is the Coupe de France, a competition famous for its upsets and extraordinary tales. There is a second cup competition in France, the Coupe de la Ligue, but not for much longer. On 31 July 2020, the 2019/20 edition will conclude with its final between Olympique Lyonnais and Paris…
-
Trek to Tannadice
Football is nothing without fans. This is one of the most tiresome phrases that we have heard since lockdown hit the UK in March. It is up there with “the new normal” and “these are unprecedented times”, as a truly used-to-death phrase. It is tiresome because it feels like everyone, absolutely everyone, has uttered this…
-
Canadian Premier League profiles: Atlético Ottawa
Ottawa – the federal capital and political hub of Canada. Sure, other parts of the country get more attention and for their own good reasons. The breathtaking scenery in the west with the Rocky Mountains; the impressive falls of Lake Niagara; the cultural epicentre that is Toronto and others besides. However, if you want quintessential…
Heart of Football 