The student becomes the puppet master
It was there, in the way he bestrode the playing field, that everything began. With those short bursts, often heralding the imminent approach of a marker, and neat passing when simplicity was called for, the first seeds were sown. It was also the uncomplicated way he invariably picked out team-mates and would rather go backwards […]
Seven days to go: Ronnie puts on a magic show
The FIFA U-20 World Cup Chile 2025™ is now just 7 days away! 7 A few months before making his senior international debut, Ronaldinho (by that point already nicknamed O Bruxo, or “The Wizard”) put on several magical displays for Brazil at the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship™ in Nigeria. His look was unrecognisable back then – he was yet to […]
Expectant Morocco looking forward to Chile 2025
In what has been a glittering period of recent success at all levels for Morocco, the nation’s U-20 side is out to emulate the positivity that has been garnered by their U-17 and U-23 sides, both of whom won their respective CAF Africa Cup of Nations tournaments. Although the U-20s reached the final of this […]
Lambert: Jamaica need to seize opportunity
Jamaica’s first two games of the final round of Concacaf qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 26™ could not have gone any better. With back-to-back victories over Bermuda and Trinidad and Tobago, the Reggae Boyz are riding high in Group B ahead of their crunch clash with second-placed Curaçao on 10 October. As regional rivals […]
Neuer still soaring amid calls for Germany return
Germany made a surprisingly slow start to their World Cup qualifiers two weeks ago, losing 2-0 in Slovakia. Meanwhile, former national team goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was able to enjoy a few relaxing days away from the pitch. Even though Neuer didn’t play in Bratislava or in the subsequent home win against Northern Ireland in Cologne, […]
Chile captain Torres targeting deep U-17 World Cup run
Sometimes the fitness coach has to pull him aside, concerned he is overdoing it, but Bruno Torres shrugs off any such worries. The Chilean skipper is always keen to do that little bit more. With all eyes on the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025™, which takes place from 3 to 27 November, the imposing centre-back […]
8 days to go: The student becomes the puppet master
The FIFA U-20 World Cup Chile 2025™ is now just 8 days away! 8 It was there, in the way he bestrode the playing field, that everything began. With those short bursts, often heralding the imminent approach of a marker, and neat passing when simplicity was called for, the first seeds were sown. It was […]
Kamara: My inspiration is Roger Milla
Of all the goals scored in the September FIFA World Cup 26™ qualifying window, arguably the greatest — and most audacious of them all — was scored by 41-year-old Sierra Leone striker Kei Kamara. On the stroke of half-time during the 4 September clash with Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone defender Sallieu Tarawallie sent a hopeful free-kick […]
More than 4.5 million fans enter draw for first FIFA World Cup 26™ ticket sales phase
During the ten-day FIFA World Cup 26™ Visa Presale Draw entry period, more than four and a half million fans worldwide applied for the first opportunity to purchase tickets for the biggest-ever FIFA World Cup™, scheduled to take place across North America next June and July. Fans from 216 countries and territories entered the Visa […]
Colombia’s centre-forward conundrum
Nestor Lorenzo wasted no time in ringing the changes when he was appointed Colombia coach in June 2022, replacing Reinaldo Rueda, whose stint in charge never really got off the ground and ended with the Tricolor missing out on the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™. Having spent almost nine years working under former coach Jose […]