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Unsung Heroes in World Cups: Didi | 1958 Sweden
The 1958 FIFA World Cup in Sweden was the first time that video technology in the World Cup seemed good enough to match the spectacle. And a spectacle it was. From Fontaine’s record goal-scoring spree to Garrincha and Pele’s self-exposition…
A look back at Sunderland’s six top-flight titles | Part II
After a weak season by their standards in 1893/94 when they finished second, six points behind Aston Villa, Sunderland returned strongly for the 1894/95 season. Their first game of the season against Derby County at home is a famous one in…
Unsung Heroes in World Cups: Zizinho | 1950 Brazil
After a 12-year-long hiatus due to the Second World War, the FIFA World Cup reconvened in Brazil in 1950 for its fourth staging. Coming after two World Cups using a straight knock-out format, this was the only World Cup that did not have…
Unsung Heroes in World Cups: Gyorgy Sarosi | 1938 France
The 1938 FIFA World Cup was staged in France as Europe was driving headlong into a history-defining war without remotely acknowledging the possibility of such. The crisis-riddled backdrop cast a shadow over the proceedings. In a…
Unsung Heroes of World Cups: Attilio Ferraris | 1934 Italy
The 1934 FIFA World Cup was held under the auspices of the Fascist regime in Mussolini’s Italy. I would love to point out the differences which the 1934 World Cup and the recent ones, but I can't help but be inundated by the similarities.…
Unsung Heroes of World Cups: Pedro Cea | 1930 Uruguay
The first ever World Cup staged in Montevideo, Uruguay, feels today like a dreamt-up patchwork of events and/or myths ranging from ridiculous to profound. A tournament held 95 years ago was almost nothing like the behemoth World Cup has…
An Ode to Paco Gento and his 9 European finals | Part 2
Barcelona halted Madrid's undefeated run in the round of 16 in the 1960/61 European Cup, but Madrid were back playing their sixth final in the seventh iteration of the tournament. A 28-year-old Paco Gento was captaining Los Blancos against…
An Ode to Paco Gento and his 9 European finals | Part 1
Paco Gento maintained that he was “a dissatisfied player”. Such a suggestion would feel outlandish because Gento won 12 league titles and 6 European Cups and etched himself deeply into the folklore of the game. Still, it is a testament to…
A spotlight on Mjallby AIF: Fairytale in Sweden
The Swedish top division, Allsvenskan, has been operational for more than a century now. Never in its history has Sweden been considered a powerhouse of the club game. Among its clubs, only Malmö FF has been sporadically present at European…
What does qualifying for a World Cup mean today?
The magical day on which Cape Verde achieved their first FIFA World Cup qualification will be remembered for a really long time. Cape Verde had been under Portuguese rule up until 1975. Its football team played the first ever match in 1978.…