Author: Joe Soriano

Joe Soriano is the editor of The Trivela Effect and a FanSided Hall of Famer who has covered world football since 2010. He’s led top digital communities like The Real Champs (Real Madrid) and has run sites covering Tottenham, Liverpool, Juventus, and Schalke. He also helped manage NFL Spin Zone and Daily DDT, covering the NFL and pro wrestling.

Fantasy La Liga 2026: Ranking the 10 best midfielders to own for maximum points
7Feb By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Analysis

Fantasy La Liga 2026: Ranking the 10 best midfielders to own for maximum points

Choosing the best midfielders in La Liga Fantasy is a lot more difficult than just going with the best overall players, the stars on the best teams, or even who is actually playing the best because the scoring system favors midfielders who score goals, dribble incisively, and make decisive defensive actions as part of a successful team defense. Negotiating all of these variables is often difficult. Here are the best La Liga midfielders to own in fantasy for the remainder of the 2025/26 season based on their ability to give you maximum points, regardless of their cost. 10. Luis Milla, Getafe With seven assists this season, Luis Milla is one of the best table setters in La Liga, and he is also a quality defender in the middle of the park. But he isn't going to get you many points anyw...
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The 10 best Premier League midfielders on the summer 2026 transfer market
7Feb By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Analysis

The 10 best Premier League midfielders on the summer 2026 transfer market

The 2026 summer transfer window is still several months away, but it is never too early to start thinking about the future when it comes to the transfer market. Teams cannot get enough depth in the middle of the park, so here are 10 midfield transfer targets worth keeping an eye on in the Premier League circles as possible strong buys come June. Curtis Jones, Liverpool Tottenham Hotspur have already been linked, and while Liverpool have shown no interest in selling away such a valuable up and coming young midfielder, Curtis Jones may want to spread his wings out of being second fiddle in the Liverpool midfield and become THE guy (potentially) at another prestigious club. Spurs don't seem prestigious now amidst another difficult season under a new, overmatched manager, but Jones should...
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Full Premier League Summer 2026 Transfer Window Predictions: Where Sandro Tonali, Elliot Anderson will land
7Feb By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Analysis

Full Premier League Summer 2026 Transfer Window Predictions: Where Sandro Tonali, Elliot Anderson will land

The January 2026 transfer window just ended, but it is never too early to keep one eye peeled on the upcoming summer transfer window, especially since a lot of the moves that were not made and the rumors that were started in the winter tend to carry over into the summer. Here is a complete look at all the big moves that could be completed in the summer 2026 transfer window around the Premier League. Let's predict each big name that could move and where they could go. CM Sandro Tonali from Newcastle to Arsenal Bruno Guimaraes is the biggest fish on Newcastle United who could potentially move teams this summer 2026 transfer window, but the most likely Newcastle stars to exit are Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali. Once one of the finest young center midfielders in European football, th...
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Ranking the 15 best goalkeepers in world football in 2026
25Jan By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Rankings

Ranking the 15 best goalkeepers in world football in 2026

You would think the goalkeeper position would be the easiest to evaluate on the football pitch, because, well, goalkeepers are more stationary than other players and can be largely evaluated on how successful they are at stopping the other team from scoring. But it isn't really that simple. Although goalkeepers are primarily asked to make saves, ask any Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur fan how much having a goalkeeper who does not command the box well or makes basic errors in possession can totally destroy your team's sense of stability. There is also the matter of reputation. Many goalkeepers can skate by on a reputation built up over the years of greatness, whereas some younger goalkeepers find it more difficult to gain a foothold for this reason. Finally, there is the mat...
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5 forgotten world football stars still playing in the 2026 Bundesliga
24Jan By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Analysis

5 forgotten world football stars still playing in the 2026 Bundesliga

Even though the Bundesliga is known for producing up and coming talents in world football, there are a number of veterans of yesteryear who are still employed in one of European football's biggest league and finding a home in the German top flight. Not all of them are exactly lighting it up, but a few of them are quietly important players for some of the top clubs in the Bundesliga. Here are five icons of world football you have probably heard of who are currently flying under the radar in the Bundesliga. Bayer Leverkusen RM Lucas Vazquez Although Lucas Vazquez may not come to your mind as a superstar player, he won a whopping five Champions League titles and an additional four La Liga crowns for Real Madrid as one of the most decorated players in the history of European football. ...
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Is Jude Bellingham overrated?
24Jan By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Analysis

Is Jude Bellingham overrated?

It has been a topsy turvy 2025/26 season for Real Madrid in La Liga, and while they are still in the league title race, they have already lost out on two major trophies in the Spanish Supercup and Copa del Rey. For any other club, the situation would not have been a sackable offense for manager Xabi Alonso, but the players had already turned on the new manager mere months - or even less - into his reign. One of those players pinpointed by fans as part of the mutiny against Alonso was Jude Bellingham, who is no stranger to being a target of media criticism. A lot of the personal dislike has bled into Bellingham being called "overrated". So let's analyze how true that is. Is Jude Bellingham overrated? Why do people say that? And how good is Jude actually? Why people say Jude Bellin...
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Ballon d’Or Power Rankings after Real Madrid trounce Barcelona in El Clasico
28Oct By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Rankings

Ballon d’Or Power Rankings after Real Madrid trounce Barcelona in El Clasico

Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe were the heroes again, as Real Madrid got their revenge on Barcelona for four straight Clasico defeats in 2024/25 to remain top dogs in the 2025/26 La Liga table with a 2-1 win over the Blaugrana. Here are the latest Ballon d'Or power rankings after the narrative-turning El Clasico. 5. Manchester City ST Erling Haaland Erling Haaland has been the biggest star in the Premier League again this season, and you really have to wonder where Manchester City would be at this point in the campaign and in the table without the Norwegian sensation bagging 11 goals in 9 games. 4. Barcelona RW Lamine Yamal While Lamine Yamal was a bit disappointing in El Clasico, we are still talking about the most electrifying winger in the world with a whopping five dribbles c...
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Ranking the 5 best Liverpool players of the season so far
28Oct By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Rankings

Ranking the 5 best Liverpool players of the season so far

Liverpool have dropped all the way down to seventh in the Premier League after suffering another terrible defeat over the weekend, falling 3-2 to Brentford in what can only be described as a shoddy defensive performance. But as much negativity as there is surrounding the Reds, let's try to focus on the positive and rank the five best players of the 2025/26 season so far. 5. ST Hugo Ekitike New transfer Hugo Ekitike has easily been the best of the new crop, even though Florian Wirtz has been nowhere near as bad as some people would like you to think. The Frenchman just squeezes super sub Federico Chiesa off the list, as the young striker has scored a trio of goals and shown a lot of quality on the ball in terms of creating his own chances off the dribble. 4. LW Cody Gakpo A favori...
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La Liga Player of the Season Rankings after Kylian Mbappe and Arda Guler hook up again
19Oct By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Rankings

La Liga Player of the Season Rankings after Kylian Mbappe and Arda Guler hook up again

Real Madrid watched Barcelona outlast their local rivals Girona on Saturday night in La Liga action, and they were able to find the same late goal in order to edge past a consistently stingy Getafe. And lo and behold, it was, once again, the pairing of Arda Guler and Kylian Mbappe to hook up and give Real Madrid the late goal they needed for a 1-0 win, maintaining their slight lead in the table over Barcelona heading into next weekend's Clasico. With all due respect to the Real Betis attacking duo of Abde and Antony, the top five La Liga Player of the Season rankings list thus far is dominated by the Clasico rivals. But who is first? And which team has more candidates in the top five? Let's take a look. 5. Barcelona LW Raphinha Raphinha has been playing just as much on the right...
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Ballon d’Or Rankings after Harry Kane conquers Der Klassiker
18Oct By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Rankings

Ballon d’Or Rankings after Harry Kane conquers Der Klassiker

Harry Kane scored the opener at the near post from a corner kick for Bayern Munich in the first half of Der Klassiker vs. Borussia Dortmund, but he saved his best moment for last with a David Beckham-esque long ball to the left for Luis Diaz, which eventually led to Jobe Bellingham's comedy of an error and Michael Olise's sliding winner. Bayern's 2-1 win over Dortmund came as a result of a team effort, but, once again, Kane was a star performer, drawing six fouls and even making a crunching slide tackle near his own penalty box in the waning minutes of the match. After Kane stepped up again for the Bavarian giants in their biggest home game of the Bundesliga season, let's take stock of where the England international ranks among the Ballon d'Or candidates. 5. Barcelona RW Lamine Yam...
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