Analysis

After finishing sixth in LaLiga and missing out on the Champions League, Real Sociedad will head into the 2024/25 without their top-performing player of the previous campaign, center midfielder Mikel Merino. Despite that, there are still plenty of great Real Sociedad players worth knowing and watching closely next season - and not just because a couple of them could be headed to "bigger" European clubs. Before the 2024/25 LaLiga season gets under way, let's take a look at a handful of the best Real Sociedad players every world football fan needs to know. AM Takefusa Kubo Takefusa Kubo has to be the most recognizable name in the Real Sociedad squad, as he is legitimately one of the most exciting players to watch in world football because of his acceleration, close control, and emerg...

Before Schalke nearly became the worst team in the history of German football, they were literally the third-biggest club in the country behind Bayern Munich and arch rivals Borussia Dortmund. In fact, just two years before the bottom started to fall out, Schalke finished the season second behind Bayern. Heck, that very 2019/20 season during which they collapsed in the second half of the campaign, the Royal Blues were second at the end of the Hinrunde. Schalke are a proud club, and their "Knappenschmiede" academy has literally produced some of the greatest players in the history of German football. So let's honor Schalke and some of its legends of the recent past by looking at the 10 best players the Royal Blues ever developed from the ground up. GK Manuel Neuer We have to begin wi...

Inter Milan have one of the most enviable midfields in European football, and this group of players have brought the Nerazzurri a great deal of success under manager Simone Inzaghi. Just two seasons ago, Inter were in the Champions League Final against the mighty Manchester City and the most expensive squad ever made, and if it weren't for some finishing woes, Inter may have added the Champions League trophy to the Coppa Italia that year. Inter's excellence in the second half of the 2023/24 season was a sign of things to come, as the most overlooked of the powerhouse clubs in Italy won the Scudetto for a second time in four seasons. Lautaro Martinez received Ballon d'Or love and new signings Yann Sommer and Marcus Thuram were both tremendous, but Hakan Calhanoglu stole a lot of he...

In all honesty, Sevilla have been pretty terrible lately, so you'd be forgiven if you forgot that they are legitimately one of the biggest clubs in Spanish football and were in the LaLiga title discussion with Real Madrid as recently as the first half of the 2021/22 season. But since then, Sevilla have been a step above Spain's Schalke or Bordeaux, finishing 12th and 14th in LaLiga in the last two seasons. They were even flirting with relegation in the 2022/23 season before winning the Europa League and charging up the table under miracle-worker Jose Luis Mendilibar. Right now, Sevilla are so bereft of talent that Valencia's Peter Lim is probably feeling pretty good about himself in comparison. They just sold their only legitimate goal-scoring threat, Youssef En-Nesyri, to Fenerbahce...

All football fans have dreamed of becoming a professional football player and having the experience of playing at the top level. Despite the many perks of becoming a professional, it's not all fun and games for every player. While all players suffer setbacks in their careers, some experience tremendous bad fortune. Whether it was due to injury or always being on the wrong team at the wrong time, some could simply not catch a break. Let's delve into the top 3 footballers who, despite their talent and dedication, encountered remarkable adversity and misfortune throughout their careers. Iñigo Martínez Iñigo Martínez has had a mixed career, often finding himself in difficult situations. While he helped Real Sociedad reach the Champions League in 2013 and the Copa del Rey semifinals in ...

While it was an amazing experience to watch Euro 2024 and Copa America simultaneously, questions have been raised about the lack of quality displayed in both tournaments. Copa America might have a bit of an excuse due to the competition's poor organization, which included adverse field conditions, extensive travel demands, and inadequate security protocols. However, Euro 2024 was generally underwhelming, especially from the teams considered favorites. Historically, teams have often started slowly and progressively improved throughout the tournament, but on this occasion, neither France, England, nor Germany (apart from their opening group game against Scotland) performed at their best. Interestingly, it was teams like Turkey, Austria, and even Romania who made more of an impact on the ...

The Women's Champions League is set to explode with the news of Lucy Bronze returning to England and joining Chelsea! Bronze, a Five-time Champions League winner with Lyon and Barcelona, brings a wealth of experience and leadership to a Blues side hungry for European glory. But with the FA WSL retaining Bronze, how will the landscape of the UWCL be affected? We examine the contenders: 5. PSG (France): PSG is a team on the rise. Last year's semi-finalists added firepower with Kika joining their already impressive attack featuring Marie-Antoinette Katoto (league-leading 35 goals in 2023/24). Building a cohesive squad and maintaining their defensive form will be key for PSG's title aspirations. 4. Bayern Munich (Germany): Don't underestimate the Bavarians. Boasting a strong domestic lea...

Spain capped off the Euro 2024 tournament with a 2-1 win over England on Sunday. La Roja became the first team to ever win four Euros, while England became the first team to lose back-to-back European Championships.  Now that it’s all over, let’s look at the best players from Euro 2024. Here is our Euro 2024 Team of the Tournament. Defense GK: Giorgi Mamardashvili (Georgia) As much as Georgia dazzled fans with their swashbuckling attacking play, their defense is why they made it to the Round of 16. Goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili had an unbelievable 30 saves in just four matches. This was almost twice as many as the next-best player, Jordan Pickford.  Mamardashvili also allowed more goals than any keeper at the tournament, but it could have been much, much worse for Georgia withou...