Despite being 1-0 up, as the teams entered the tunnel at half-time Erik Ten Hag would have been worried. Midfielder Edson Alvarez had been sent off just a few minutes before the break. Yet, as Ajax and Vitesse returned to the second half of their Eredivisie clash, the youngest and
Player Profiles
Scout reports, Player reviews and more
Iván de la Peña – The misunderstood genius with a revered status in Barcelona
Looking back at the career & life of one Africa’s most divisive players – Emmanuel Adebayor
For many, Emmanuel Adebayor represents the epitome of a modern-day mercenary in the world of football. And maybe that is understandable, considering the Togolese 36-year old has represented 11 different clubs since the beginning of the 2000s, three of them alone within the borders of London. Always with an exceptionally
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – Le Professeur’s last impactful signing
Ronaldo – The story of a starry-eyed boy from Madeira
In 2004, a devastating Tsunami destroyed millions of homes and killed innumerable people all-over South-East Asia. World Television footage of the tsunami focused on the image of a seven-year-old survivor named Martunis wearing 'Rui Costa' 'Number 10' Portuguese football jersey. He had been stranded for 19 days after watching his
An overview of Karim Benzema’s most impactful season with Madrid
Real Madrid have done it. After two years of settling for second best in La Liga, Los Blancos have finally restored their position as Champions of Spain, following a scintillating title race with their perennial rivals Barcelona. After the loss of talisman Cristiano Ronaldo, arguably the best player in the
Arrivederci Daniel De Rossi – An ode to the Prince of Rome
By Andrea Agostinelli | This article was first published on Football Chronicle on January 23, 2020 It’s the summer of 2012 in Rome, Italy. Late one night, Roberto Mancini and Daniele De Rossi have discussed something that will send shockwaves in the footballing world. The Italian coach has convinced the midfielder
Never say die – The inspiring tale of Danny Ings
The making of Ronaldo – Leaving School, Impressing in Portugal and the 1994 World Cup
Potential bargain of the summer – Malang Sarr
The unfullfilled potential of Rodrigo Possebon
By James Young | This article was first published on Football Chronicle on February 20, 2020 Manchester United’s Brazil-based scout, John Calvert-Toulmin is best known for bringing Fábio and Rafael da Silva to Old Trafford. The twins made a combined total of 131 appearances for United and have both gone on
Arturo Vidal – Powerhouse of the Catalan midfield
FC Barcelona have been known for having a plethora of quality midfielders over the years. Having produced elite players like Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez, Sergio Busquets etc, quality and strength in the centre has never been an issue for the azulgranas. But since the departure of Xavi and Iniesta in
Who will replace Leroy Sane?
Dani Olmo – Following the footsteps of great Spanish playmakers
In the modern-day football world, teenagers and youth players seeking to deviate from their academies to foreign leagues for first-team chances seem to be the path trodden, as opposed to breaking into the home-grown club's first team. Although Jadon Sancho is the first name that comes to mind seeing that
Bastian Schweinsteiger – A career drenched in glory
By Karan Tejwani | This article was first published on Football Chronicle on November 7, 2019. 19 May 2012. Munich, Germany. Bayern Munich, playing at their prestigious home, the Allianz Arena, were aiming to beat Chelsea and win the Champions League for the first time since 2001. After a one-sided affair that
[EADF Shorts] Michael Owen – English Football’s Most Underappreciated Superstar?
Contrary to belief, at the peak of his career, Owen was a once-in-a-lifetime player. Moreover, throughout the modern era of English football, few players have been able to generate as much excitement as the Chester-born striker. So, why is he underappreciated by English football fans? The Prolific Poacher Reached the Very
Aritz Aduriz – The lion retires without the swansong he deserved
Florian Niederlechner – FC Augsburg’s late-blooming talisman
With the return of the first and second tiers of German football injecting a breath of fresh air in these extraordinary yet unprecedented circumstances, we take a look at a late-blooming yet dependable centre forward Florian Niederlechner who is commandeering the steer of a rattled ship in FC Augsburg away from
Michael Ballack – The unluckiest player to ever grace the field?
Wes Brown – More Than A Mere Passenger
Eden Hazard – The journey so far
The making of Leroy Sané – The German speedster coming of age
Christopher Nkunku – Encouraging signs for RB Leipzig’s rising star
In the Bundesliga, Jadon Sancho, Erling Håland, Kai Havertz and Timo Werner are the most talked about youngsters. However, another French youngster is quietly making a name for himself - Christopher Nkunku, a French midfielder of Congolese descent, who plays for RB Leipzig. He has registered 12 assists in the
The rise and rise of Sheffield United’s cult icon John Lundstram
Odsonne Edouard – A prodigious talent at just 22
“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again” – How Adama Traoré finally made it
Lautaro Martínez – The Argentine Predator Wanted by Europe’s Elite
"Lautaro Martínez is already a champion. He scores in all sorts of ways and helps out his teammates" - Gabriel Batistuta. One of Europe's hottest striking prospects, 'El Toro' (The Bull) has been devastating for Inter Milan this season, living up to his nickname by rampaging and ripping apart defenses, forming
Dominic Calvert-Lewin – Laying the foundations for a special future
Riding a timeless wave- Looking back at Daniel Sturridge’s extraordinary 13/14 season’
From a mining village in Chile to conquering South America and beyond – The Alexis Sánchez story
Bruno Fernandes’ discernible impact on United hinges on more than just direct goal contributions
Mateo Kovačić – Taking Chelsea FC forward in every way possible
In spite of their Europa League success, Chelsea’s 18/19 campaign under Maurizio Sarri was widely acknowledged to be below average amongst their fan base. After a good start to life under the then newly appointed Italian, Chelsea soon found themselves struggling to get results as teams had figured out how
Brandon Williams – A lion rising through the ranks
Martin Ødegaard- Proving his doubters wrong one through ball at a time
"It's not possible to predict anything in football, you just have to work hard and develop and in the end you see.” - Martin Ødegaard Catapulted into global stardom as a 16-year-old prodigy signed by Real Madrid in 2015, Martin Ødegaard seems to have been around forever. The Norwegian attacking-midfielder, who
Robert Lewandowski – On top of the world
Can Dean Henderson push his way into becoming England’s Number 1 stopper ahead of the Euros?
When Dean Henderson made his Premier League debut with Sheffield United, nobody could have envisaged the heights he’d reach in such a short space of time. While his heroics in the Championship were well accounted for, a clear disparity among the top-two tiers of English football meant everyone presumed his
Kalidou Koulibaly – Profiling the most sought after central defender in the world
Written by Hammad Kalidou Koulibaly has built an incredible reputation as one of the most complete defenders in the game. There are a host of reasons why he is one of the most in-demand centre-backs in Europe right now. The man nicknamed "K2" will bring solidity, enthusiasm and defensive stability to whichever clubs he
Emre Can – Turning his blues to Black and Yellow
[EADF Shorts] – The numbers behind Timo Werner’s astonishing season
[Interview] – “A football career is a marathon and not a sprint.” – 17 year old teen sensation Marco John is geared up for the challenges ahead
Ah, Germany! Forever, a hotbed for talented youngsters from across Europe to make a mark. Today, we speak to a 17-year-old Marco John. A forward-thinking midfielder who loves to operate in tight spaces and play those killers through balls, the German is fast making waves on Hoffenheim's youth scene. Marco started
Barcelona youngsters to watch out for in the future
Despite being criticised in recent times, FC Barcelona’s youth academy, La Masia is responsible for producing some of football’s greatest talents including the likes of Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets, Pique and Thiago Alcantara. The list just goes on and on. Even though the talents produced in recent years are not
Fede Valverde – The Engine
There are many things that Madrid fans should be grateful to Santiago Solari for accomplishing during his time at the Bernabeu. His youth-oriented management resulted in him giving hot Castilla prospects such as Fran Garcia, Sergio Reguilón, Franchu Feuillaser, Javi Sánchez and many more including whom we consider as one
Ciro Immobile – Ripping apart Serie A like its nobody’s business
Today, we dig deeper into the career of a Lazio striker who is ripping apart Serie A. We will analyze Ciro Immobile's playing style, highlight his strengths while also looking at the possibility of a big transfer for the Italian. Introduction Ciro Immobile is a 29-year-old striker, currently playing in Serie A.
Life after Luis – Potential replacements for Suárez at the Camp Nou
Mason Mount – Finding his feet in the big league
Patrick Roberts – Still hope for a player once lost in the ruthless loan system
Zlatan Ibrahimović- Hard work pays off, dreams come true, bad times don’t last, but bad guys do
Every sport needs a bad guy, Someone you love to hate. A figure that embodies the antithesis of the beautiful game. That man was Zlatan Ibrahimović. For the better part of the last twenty years, the Swede’s nefarious attitude, narcissism, and moxie were justified by his performance on the pitch. With
Evaluating Jadon Sancho’s Potential Destinations
Dele Alli – Back to his best, or still more to come?
What fuels Jamie Vardy?
Takumi Minamino – Where does the new signing fit in at Liverpool?
When the dust settled on Liverpool’s crazy seven-goal thriller, in which they just about emerged unscathed, against Red Bull Salzburg in October, their fans were able to appreciate the fight brought to Anfield by their opposition that night, led by a diminutive Japanese in attack - Takumi Minamino. A man
Rodrygo Goes – Building an era
Caglar Söyüncü – The Meteoric Rise of Leicester’s New Backline Marshal
Andreas Pereira – A compulsion, more than choice.
Scott McTominay – Here to stay
John McGinn – The only way is up
Ansu Fati – Making an impression
Billy Sharp – The Blades’ own Forged Talisman
Bits and pieces of sheer brilliance – The Robert Lewandowski story
Kieran Tierney – Worth the wait
Several summer signings have already made an impact at their new clubs, with the likes of Sebastian Haller, Daniel James, and Tyrone Mings already more than proving their worth in the Premier League this season, while Chelsea’s returning youngster Mason Mount almost represents a brand new recruit for the Blues.
Wesley Moraes – The latest Brazilian warrior to embrace the Premier League
Written by Uttiyo Sarkar The summer of 2019 in the Premier League will fondly be remembered as one in which Aston Villa truly proved their financial might. Following their memorable Championship playoff victory, they made over ten summer signings in preparation for life in the big leagues- twelve, to be exact. Dean
Ebbs & Flows – The life and career of Mario Balotelli
The American Wunderkind – Christian Pulisic’s rise to stardom
Junior Firpo – The missing piece in the Blaugrana puzzle
“A choice that came from the heart” – Why Radja Nainggolan chose to come back to Cagliari
In a summer of hits, was selling Abdou Diallo a miss?
Written by Srinivas Sadhanand Borussia Dortmund’s perennial underdog status has managed to soften even the most stone-hearted skeptics into falling head over heels for football’s resident hipster club. Be it their rise from the ashes of bankruptcy to ultimately reach a Champions League final or their unmatched atmosphere at the Westfalenstadion
Another Brick in the Wall – What will Harry Maguire bring to this United side?
From a defensive liability to United’s rock at the back – Victor Lindelof has matured leaps and bounds
By Utkarsh Gokhale Heading into the 2017/2018 season, United were desperate to strengthen the backline with some quality additions. Their CEO, Ed Woodward had assured fans that he would be spending heavily to combat the growing dominance of the top teams in the country. The revenues were steady, sponsors were happy
Where Virgil van Dijk first made a real impression
The feint that changed everything – Manchester City, Aguero and that Goal
Written by Ayushnav Sarker Background In the complex and often murky world of financial markets, there are what is called ‘Black Swan’ events every few years. Events that change the relationship of the market with its participants, and drag the rest of the economy with them too. Right from the time of
Petr Cech – The Czech with gloves of gold
By Ninad Barbadikar The Premier League is an ever-changing landscape and out of all the clubs, Chelsea is probably the one club that has enjoyed considerable success despite significant changes at the helm. Earlier this summer window, The Blues of London welcomed back an old favourite amidst their ranks in the
Matthijs de Ligt’s incredible journey to Juventus
Juventus have pulled off the transfer coup of the summer by signing Dutch wunderkind Matthijs de Ligt from Ajax in a €75million deal. The 19-year-old was the hottest property in world football and they saw off ferocious competition from Barcelona, PSG and Manchester United to capture his signature. It came
Jordan Henderson – Captain. Leader of Men. Liverpool Legend?
Looking back at Luis Suárez’s time at the Kop
Gareth Bale; how has it come to this?
The partnership we couldn’t get enough of – Roberto Carlos y Zinedine Zidane
Ruud Gullit: The Dutchman for the Blues
Adel Taarabt – The One That Got Away
By Peter Lynch Another immensely talented footballer, another wasted career. Every now and then a maverick comes along and upsets the status quo. But instead of lighting up stadiums year after year, these wonderfully gifted players often fall short, and disappointingly fail to live up to expectations. Adel Taarabt is one
Robbie Fowler – When God descended in Liverpool red
The Wayne Rooney effect at DC United – Form is temporary, class is permanent
By Yusuf Rehman Wayne Rooney. The name in itself unleashes a torrent of emotions both amongst fans and pundits. Over the years the top goalscorer for both Manchester United and England has received a fair amount of criticism from fans, pundits and keyboard warriors. Some say he never reached his full