If you count the Nations League, five major tournaments take place on four continents this summer. The Women's World Cup, Copa America, Gold Cup and the AFCON are the other four. Each raises questions. Perhaps the most compelling is whether…

Barcelona had one of the biggest capitulations in recent Champions League history when losing 4-0 away at Liverpool. It was a game which needed Blaugrana's most high-profile players to step up. Lionel Messi usually shows…

The 2018/2019 season was another prolific campaign for Lionel Messi as the Argentine finished as top scorer in La Liga and the Champions League. His return of 36 goals in 34 domestic league appearances has earned the Barcelona…

A transfer window works on three levels. First, it allows clubs to improve. Second, it keeps the game fresh by allowing freer player movement between clubs. Third, it aids orthopaedists in their valuable research on the durability of thumbs…

Chile stunned South America by winning back-to-back Copa Americas over Argentina in 2015 and 16, keeping Lionel Messi off the scoresheet for four hours in the process. While Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal are world-class in their…

The recent appointment of Xavi Hernandez as the head coach of Qatari champions Al-Sadd only underscores how much things have changed since his days at FC Barcelona. The club's former captain moved to the Middle East in 2015 as a player…

It has been a season to forget for Real Madrid after the tremendous success from twelve months ago. Zinedine Zidane capped off a third campaign with the club by leading, the team to an unexpected treble of Champions League trophy wins.…

When Barcelona threw away a three-goal lead to be dumped out of the Champions League by AS Roma last season, it took the football world by surprise. Boasting some of the best players in the world, led by arguably the greatest of all…

The scripture gave a hint about the Neymar-Barcelona saga. The Prodigal son's greed brought the idea of leaving his father's mansion to his mind. In the end, he came back begging because there were no greener pastures outside. To his…

It was a night of champions, a night when people make their names heard across the globe and their worth proven at a larger scale. After Virgil Van Dijk's announcement as the PFA Player of the Year last weekend, the Champions League match…

It's the business end of the season. Clubs are poised for trophies. Top players are set to be recognised for excellent campaigns. Although the Champions League hangs in the balance, it's self-evident that Lionel Messi deserves a sixth…

Paris Saint-Germain experienced their worst nightmare in their embarrassing French Cup final loss to Rennes recently. If the defeat to Manchester United felt horrific, losing after taking a quick two-goal lead had Neymar and co fuming. Among…

The stage is set for the final four in both the Champions and Europa League. Four of the Premier League's top six reached this level. The two Manchester sides fell in the Champions League quarterfinal. Among Arsenal, Chelsea,…

First, let me apologise to Erik ten Hag. I intended to write about the wonderful work he’s doing at Ajax today but Barcelona interfered. He’ll understand. Frenkie de Jong remains his player only until June and possibly Matthijs…

In the beginning, there was a vast sporting void. Then the English created Football. They ventured out from their Albion Garden of Eden to spread the game to the world while taking everything else in return. When the rest of the world…