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When the governance of futsal was taken over by football's international governing body FIFA in 1989, it marked a significant turning point for the sport. The first FIFA Futsal World Championship took place that year, and in the decades that have followed the game has continued becoming more closely aligned with soccer, while also growing in popularity across the globe. However, many people who don't play the sport are still unfamiliar with...
For England fans watching at home, there were some nervy moments in the recent European Championship quarter-final match against Switzerland. However, there weren't many Swiss chances that got pulses racing more than the moment Xherdan Shaqiri tried to swing the ball into the back of the net direct from a corner during extra time. The audacious effort impressed England's goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, who was relieved not to concede from the set...
When you watch elite-level soccer on the TV, every touch taken by the players on the field seems like second nature. Professional soccer players can bring down high, looping balls with the deftest of touches, they can control and pass it with speed and precision, and they can kill the ball dead when it's blasted into their feet from close range. Pros might make these skills look easy, but completing such manoeuvres in fast-moving, intense...
Legendary Dutch footballer and coach Johan Cruyff — the architect of Total Football  — once said "Playing football is very simple, but playing simple football is the hardest thing there is.” It's a nice quote that sums up both his philosophy, which revolved around short, simple pass-and-move football, and the broader accessibility of the sport, which can be played by pretty much anyone in the world with next to no equipment, other than a...
For people who don't possess an in-depth knowledge of the sport, having a conversation with a bunch of football fanatics can be like trying to understand a different language. The spread of the beautiful game into every corner of the globe has led to a wide variety of words, phrases and concepts developing, relating to every aspect of the sport. Every year, multiple new terms will enter the public sphere and become adopted by fans looking for...
Given that association football — otherwise known as soccer — is the world's most popular sport, it's no surprise that the beautiful game is the subject of near-constant debate from global fans of the game. And it's not just teams, managers, and players whose performances and skills get dissected by the masses, it's also the specific tactical roles they are supposed to be occupying on the soccer field. Football divides people (often in the...
The standard of information and knowledge surrounding sports science, fitness and nutrition in soccer has grown exponentially in recent years. Every professional club now has a dedicated team of experts whose job it is to ensure that each player steps onto the soccer field in tip-top physical condition, ready to compete at the highest level. A variety of different factors play into this, from strength and conditioning work done in the gym,...
Eventually, all soccer players must come to the end of their playing careers. Some pros will reach this moment with regret and sadness, worried about how they will replace this defining feature of their lives, which for former Academy prospects will have shaped everything they do since they were a young child. On the other hand, some players may reach the end of their career feeling more than ready to take a step away from the beautiful...
In various countries across the globe, people have been playing different forms of football for centuries. However, it wasn't until the Victorian age that the formalised sport of association football was created by the inaugural English Football Association. In the early days of the sport, friendlies were the most common way for people to enjoy soccer; however, it wasn't long before demand for some kind of organised competition began to grow,...
In recent years, the popularity of soccer in the US has increased dramatically. But watching soccer is a very different experience from watching US sports like baseball, basketball and NFL. The game plays out in a continuous, often relentless flow, with far fewer stoppages and breaks than these sports, and sometimes the ball won't go out of play for minutes at a time. However, stoppages are still common within football; in fact, a typical...
The Champions League has a special place in the hearts of many football fans across Europe (and beyond). The competition arguably represents the pinnacle of world football in terms of elite-level quality, and every season this illustrious tournament showcases the majority of the best players, coaches, and teams on the planet to millions of viewers.  Over the years, the knockout European tournament has produced some wonderful moments that...
Soccer is the most popular sport in the entire world. Not only are top competitions such as the World Cup, the Premier League and La Liga watched by fans all over the globe, association football is also played by a larger amount of people than any other sport. According to estimates , there are over 240 million registered football players across the world, as well as many casual players who simply enjoy a kickabout with friends at the park...