Malik: FIFA Series a chance to show Pakistan can compete
When Zahmena Malik’s older brother wanted to get in some shooting practice, cones or mini-goals weren’t always enough. Instead of stationary objects, more often than not he roped in his sister, seven years his junior, to act as a goalkeeper. The goal ratio may have been heavily weighted in favour of the older sibling in […]
65 days to go: El Pibe and the Questra-keepers
It was one of the most earth-shaking results in football history. Colombia destroyed Argentina 5-0 at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. Diego Maradona was among the 75,000 who gave Oscar Cordoba, Freddy Rincon, Carlos Valderrama, Faustino Asprilla and Adolfo Valencia a standing ovation at full-time. “It’s one of the best performances I’ve ever witnessed,” […]
Essien: Kudus is Ghana’s star
When Ghana touch down at FIFA World Cup 2026™, their squad is likely to have a distinct FC Nordsjaelland feel to it. The Danish club were acquired by the Accra-based Right to Dream Academy in 2015, a move which created a pathway for Ghanaian talents to develop in Europe. The likes of Mohammed Kudus, Ibrahim […]
World Cup wonder goals: Quagliarella’s magical chip
66 days to go… We’re counting down to the FIFA World Cup 2026™ by showcasing a golazo from the global finals each day. Fabio Quagliarella Slovakia v Italy South Africa 2010 | Group F Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg It was an unforgettable end to a forgettable Nazionale campaign. Italy, the defending champions, had drawn 1-1 […]
66 days to go: Thuram makes amends
France trailed for only 66 seconds en route to lifting the trophy in 1998. Thereafter, no team has been behind for less time during a World Cup-winning campaign, with the Brazil the closest having been down to Türkiye for five minutes at Korea/Japan 2002. Davor Suker, following excellent work from Aljosa Asanovic, fired Croatia ahead […]
Bosnia and Herzegovina at the FIFA World Cup: Team profile and history
“I am from Bosnia, take me to America,” sang the fans in Zenica during the play-off final against Italy. Their prayers were swiftly answered, as Bosnia and Herzegovina will indeed be at the FIFA World Cup 2026™ in Canada, Mexico and the United States. After overcoming Wales on penalties in the semi-finals, they repeated the […]
Essien: Kudus is Ghana’s star
When Ghana touch down at FIFA World Cup 2026™, their squad is likely to have a distinct FC Nordsjaelland feel to it. The Danish club were acquired by the Accra-based Right to Dream Academy in 2015, a move which created a pathway for Ghanaian talents to develop in Europe. The likes of Mohammed Kudus, Ibrahim […]
Lopez: Chile are full of momentum
Born in Manises, Valencia, Nayadet Lopez Opazo came through the ranks of Spanish football, but was eligible to represent Chile through her mother. She started the naturalisation process with the hopes of representing the South American country at the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™, but missed the deadline by just a matter of days. […]
Stewart on Pochettino, Pepi and USA on home soil
Earnie Stewart has always been one of the leading lights for American soccer. He was one of the few European-based players on the squad that played on home soil at the 1994 FIFA World Cup USA™, and still blazes a trail today as the director of football at Dutch giants and UEFA Champions League regulars […]
67 days to go: Rivera wins the relay for Italy
The men’s 4×100 metres was, along with Bob Beamon’s ‘Leap of the Century’, the talk of the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. Jamaica had improved their own world record in the semi-finals. Cuba had beaten the United States comfortably in the heats and the semis. In the final, however, a supersonic last leg from […]