Author: Joe Soriano

Ranking every Manchester United No. 9 of the Premier League era
8Jul By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Analysis

Ranking every Manchester United No. 9 of the Premier League era

Although Manchester United have a storied history, the No. 9 is synonymous with just one player, and that is the most important player of the club's past, Sir Bobby Charlton. In the Premier League era, the No. 9 kit has been given to some high-profile transfers, but, in many ways, it has bounced around since 1992, with even the likes of Paul Scholes and Roy Keane donning it. More recently, Manchester United have tried giving the iconic shirt to players like Anthony Martial and Romelu Lukaku after they were marquee signings, but neither ended up panning out. Big-name short-term signings like Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Radamel Falcao have worn the No. 9 kit, too, but they made even less of an impact at Old Trafford. Here are the five strikers who wore the No. 9 at Manchester United a...
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Ranking the 11 best young center midfielders in world football right now in 2024
7Jul By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Analysis

Ranking the 11 best young center midfielders in world football right now in 2024

It isn't easy for a young player under the age of 23 to make a major impact in the center midfield positions, because it's a position that requires a combination of technical quality, tactical intelligence, defensive grit, energy, work rate, veteran know-how, and all-around footballing quality. Here are 10 young players under the age of 23 who have been standouts for their clubs in midfield. To be considered one of the best young center midfielders in the world, a player must be a 6 or an 8 and cannot only play as a 10. Players who are No. 10 playmakers but have a past history of success as a 6 or 8 are able to qualify for this list, because they have shown a history of success in this role. 11. Johnny Cardoso, Real Betis Johnny Cardoso is the least-known name on this list outside ...
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Ranking the 10 best center backs in world football right now in 2024
7Jul By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Analysis

Ranking the 10 best center backs in world football right now in 2024

The center back position is becoming more of a premium position in world football these days with elite European clubs trying to lock down the world's best attacking players. Here are the 10 best center backs in the world right now in 2024. 10. Giorgio Scalvini, Atalanta Atalanta star Giorgio Scalvini gets overlooked because of all the top-class defensive talent in Serie A, and Atalanta tend to get a whole lot less press than, say, Juventus or Inter Milan. Furthermore, it doesn't help that Bologna star Riccardo Calafiori is the young Italian center back soaking up all the media attention and social media fanposts. That's for good reason, but before Euro 2024, Scalvini was seen as THE young center back to watch in Italian football after putting together a second excellent season ...
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Ranking the 10 best midfielders at Euro 2024
17Jun By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Analysis

Ranking the 10 best midfielders at Euro 2024

As Jorginho showed the world in the last European Championships, in addition to Luka Modric and Enzo Fernandez at previous World Cups, great midfielders can make a world of difference at the international stage. Here are the 10 best midfielders you need to know at Euro 2024, ranked in order. 10. Dominik Szoboszlai, Hungary Dominik Szoboszlai's match-winning performance against Montenegro will forever live in the lore of Hungarian football. The Liverpool star is the modern day hope of the country in football, carrying a legacy that includes some of the greatest players in history, most namely Ferenc Puskas A playmaker who has become a more robust midfielder by working on his physical strength, Szoboszlai can play virtually any position for Hungary but is currently being utilized as ...
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Ranking the 5 best managers at Euro 2024
17Jun By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Analysis

Ranking the 5 best managers at Euro 2024

As Euro 2024 gets underway and the storylines develop during this exciting tournament, it's time to take a look at the key decision-makers who can often make the difference between a team exceeding expectations and flopping. Here is a ranking of the five best managers at Euro 2024. Some of these managers are well-known and have acclaimed resumes from club coaching, while others are proven at an international level, too. French national team manager Didier Deschamps and England national team manager Gareth Southgate are big, polarizing names and have taken teams far in tournaments, but their track records at the club level are lacking and their achievements at the international level in comparison to expectations are also lukewarm. Both of those things count when assessing the best...
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The 20 best players in USWNT history
25Sep By Joe SorianoNo Comments
All-Time Lists

The 20 best players in USWNT history

No country has achieved greater success in women's football than the United States. Since winning their first World Cup in 1991, the USWNT has been a dominant force in the sport, taking home the crown four times with four additional "podium" finishes. With an emphasis on the collective and a style of play that prioritizes confidently controlling the pitch, the USWNT have always been on the front foot. They are never satisfied in matches, always looking to add more goals to their tally. So many wonderful footballers have represented the United States at the international level, and they've had world-class athletes at every single position in the XI. Let's take a look back at the 20 best players to ever suit up for the USWNT. Kristine Lilly From 1987 to 2010, Kristine Lilly made a...
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Ranking the 10 best Barcelona players of all time
30Aug By Joe SorianoNo Comments
All-Time Lists

Ranking the 10 best Barcelona players of all time

Barcelona stand tall as one of the most historic and respected clubs in world football. When a player dreams of making it big in this sport, Barcelona and Real Madrid tend to be the two clubs they choose between. Joining one of these two sides is the safest bet to become a true global phenomenon and a Ballon d'Or winner. La Blaugrana have a rich history, but their most impressive period came in the late 2000s and early 2010s when manager Pep Guardiola helped assemble the most unstoppable juggernaut in perhaps the entire history of football. With an aesthetic style of play adhering to Johan Cruyff's principles, Barcelona were in irresistible control of their opponents, while the best player the game has ever seen, Lionel Messi, put defenses on strings with his magic. It is, ther...
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Ranking the 10 best Juventus players of all time
29Aug By Joe SorianoNo Comments
All-Time Lists

Ranking the 10 best Juventus players of all time

Juventus may be in a difficult period in 2023 after years of mismanagement, but they remain the biggest club in Italian football and an institution of historic proportions. Many of the world's biggest legends have played for Juve, whether they were Ballon d'Or winners spending a few peak years in Turin or long-time legends who spent more than a decade with the Old Lady. To honor the absolute best Juventus players in the club's storied history, let's rank the top 10 of all time, focusing on those who had an extended spell with the Bianconeri. 10. David Trézéguet Equally adept at scoring and creating, David Trézéguet formed one of the most formidable partnerships in the history of world football with Alessandro Del Piero. Trézéguet was at the peak of his powers in French football ...
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Ranking the 10 best Bayern Munich players of all time
28Aug By Joe SorianoNo Comments
All-Time Lists

Ranking the 10 best Bayern Munich players of all time

Bayern Munich hold a hallowed level of respect in the lore of world football. They are one of the clubs players from around the world aspire to play for one day, and while the lack of success of other Bundesliga clubs has caused Die Roten to fall behind the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona in terms of popularity, their credibility and respect remain as high as ever. Winning in a dominant fashion is synonymous with this historic club, and so many wonderful footballers have created this winning tradition in Bavaria over the decades. Bayern always boast the best players in Germany and are Champions League contenders every single season. So let's honor Germany's richest and most powerful club by taking a look at the 10 best players to ever grace the pitch with a Bayern Munich kit...
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Ranking the 10 best Dortmund players of all time
27Aug By Joe SorianoNo Comments
All-Time Lists

Ranking the 10 best Dortmund players of all time

Although to many in the mainstream, Borussia Dortmund are the club that just can't help but keep coming short to Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga, fans of German football understand that Die Schwarzgelben are a powerhouse in their own right, even if they have been in another difficult period since losing Robert Lewandowski to their rivals for free. Dortmund produce some of the world's greatest footballers, with arguably the two best players on the planet right now, Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham, being BVB products. However, Dortmund's best teams have been about the collective rather than young superstars, with the sides from the late 90s and early 2010s standing out as some of the most special in European football over the last few decades. Stars of those teams will be represe...
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