While playing for Dynamo Moscow, the Brazilian was diagnosed with a near-fatal case of tuberculosis. He spent five months in the hospital, receiving 3-4 injections a day and taking over 10-15 pills, barely able to move. Doctors suggested removing part of his lung — a surgery that would’ve ended his football career. But his family refused.
The most chilling part? He would’ve died if admitted just two weeks later. Just when it seemed like Thiago’s football journey was ending in a Russian hospital, his former coach Ivo Wortmann stepped in, arranging treatment in Portugal that saved his life. After his recovery, the Brazilian, still not sure, was hesitant to pull on his football boots again. But his mother convinced him to return to football, and the rest is history.
Captain of Brazil, a Champions League winner with Chelsea, and now, at 40, he just captained his boyhood club Fluminense to the semi-finals of the first-ever FIFA Club World Cup.
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The FIFA Club World Cup is the worst idea ever implemented in football, Jurgen Klopp said recently. The manager of PSG, Luis Enrique, said the ball bounces like a rabbit. There has been a lot of criticism and negative PR against the FIFA World Cup. Hot weather, players not getting enough rest before the next season, empty stadiums, awful pitches, poor viewership numbers, and worst of all, Donald Trump asking transphobic questions to Juventus players in the White House. However, there has been one bright silver lining to it. Let me explain to you with an example. Auckland City FC, a team of part-time footballers, played one of the biggest clubs in the world, Bayern Munich, in an official FIFA tournament. Yes, the club got a handsome amount of money for participation, but there is something bigger than money. That’s hope. Because of the FIFA Club World Cup, now more and more football clubs and footballers can dream of playing in a major football tournament alongside the star footballers and famous football teams. In my opinion, this is a huge boost to football development across the world for both footballers and clubs. Now, more and more footballers can dream of playing at the international stage, which makes the sport more democratic, accessible and beautiful.
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How to Defend Like a Pro ⚽ Southampton’s Masterclass vs Man City 🙌
What’s the difference between defending like an amateur and defending like a professional? Last week, Southampton — bottom of the Premier League — showed us exactly that. Heading into the match, they were on track to match Derby County’s infamous record of just 11 points in a season. But a stunning 0-0 draw against Manchester City, the champions, helped them avoid that unwanted history.
City dominated the game — 72% possession, 26 shots, 15 corners — yet they couldn’t find the back of the net. Why? Because Southampton finally did what they hadn’t done all season: they stuck to the basics. They didn't panic, didn't chase the ball blindly, and most importantly, they played as a unit. It wasn’t flashy, but it was effective.
When amateur teams lose possession, they immediately press. Professionals? They drop back into position, stay compact, get behind the ball, and make sure every defender knows their man. It’s not about individual brilliance — it’s about tactical discipline and awareness. Remember – Defend in discipline, Attack in surprise. ⚔
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The 2024–25 season is almost over… but it’s not done yet! 👀
Here are 3 HUGE matches you absolutely need to watch:
🏆 FA Cup Final – Manchester City vs Crystal Palace on 17 May
🇩🇪 DFB Pokal Final – Stuttgart vs 3rd-tier Arminia on 24 May
🇪🇪🇺 Europa League Final – Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur on 22 May
From underdog stories to trophy droughts and redemption arcs — this is what football is all about. 💯
Which match are you most hyped for? Let us know in the comments! 👇
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As we step into Mental Health Awareness Week, let’s talk about one thing we often ignore in football: The impact of being picked last. This small change can protect young minds and talents.
One big mistake football coaches should stop making right now. Tell me, how are teams divided before training matches? Two captains pick players one by one after a toss. Right? While this method creates balanced teams, it has two major flaws.
First, captains often choose individuals based on friendships, not just skill—causing groups within the squad. But worse, it’s demoralising for players who are constantly picked last. Whether they’re new, still learning, or living with a disability, standing there unchosen in front of everyone can damage confidence and even make them quit the sport altogether.
As a player, coach, and club owner, I’ve seen this far too often.
But what's the solution? Use fun, inclusive ways to split teams—like odd vs. even birth dates or even Messi fans vs. Ronaldo fans. It builds team spirit and helps everyone feel valued. Yes, football should be competitive, but never at the cost of someone's mental well-being. Never.
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Footballers born in December are least likely to turn pro. Yes, you heard it right.
Here you can see the birth distribution by month across 27 European nations from 2000 to 2010. And here's the birth distribution of over 4000 players that participated in the UEFA youth tournaments in 2010-11.
Interestingly, most of them were born in January. And it just drops month by month until December — where the numbers are shockingly low. But this isn’t random. It’s called the relative age effect.
In football, kids born in January and December often compete in the same age group — even though they could be almost a year apart! And at younger ages, a few months can mean huge differences in size, strength, and maturity. So, players born earlier in the year have a built-in advantage... while late-born talent often gets overlooked.
It's strange that we are still following this old flawed system. FIFA and national federations need to address this immediately, as we could be missing out on some serious ballers.
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"All I know is—supporting Real Madrid has been one of the best decisions of my life."
Watch Ananya's story from falling in love with Madrid to watching the legends live. Dreams do come true. ✨
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This is Jose Mourinho's most surprising achievement… and it’s NOT what you think!
José Mourinho is one of the most decorated and iconic managers in football history. Widely regarded as one of the greatest ever, he has conquered league titles in four different countries, lifted the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League twice, among countless other honours.
He’s also part of an elite group — one of only six managers to win the UEFA Champions League with two different clubs. He is the only manager in history to win all three UEFA competitions: the Champions League, Europa League, and the Conference League.
Despite 26 club trophies as manager, in an interview, Mourinho admitted that finishing second with Manchester United in the 2017/18 season was one of his biggest achievements. Yes, that's correct! Because of all the chaos behind the scenes and the lack of squad quality, Jose believed that it was a masterclass in management. Do you agree? Let us know in the comments.
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Dan Burn’s journey to the England call-up is one of football’s most inspiring underdog stories. Released by Newcastle as an 11-year-old boy, pushing trolleys at the supermarket, and rising through non-league football, Burn showed resilience and grit.
From washing kits at Darlington to playing in the Premier League with Newcastle, his story is about perseverance. From scoring at Wembley to ending the Magpies' 70-year trophy drought, his story is about desire.
At 32, Burn finally played his first match for England, becoming one of the oldest debutants in recent history. A player once doubted; Burn now proudly wears the Three Lions, proving that belief and determination can defy the odds.
Hope you liked this story! Don’t forget to share it with a friend who needs to see this.
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Stop Wasting Goal Kicks! Try This Simple Trick Instead!
I’ve seen so many teams, especially grassroots and amateur teams, waste their goal kicks—just launching hopeful long balls that usually lead to losing possession. Sound familiar? Right?
But smart teams do this instead! Watch closely. Here, the goalkeeper waits while the team groups up in a small area. Why? Because it creates two big advantages!
First, it gives the keeper a better chance to find a teammate.
Second, it increases the chance of winning second balls, keeping possession, and building the attack.
Teams that use this simple strategy see a big improvement in their game! Try it and let me know how it works for your team!
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“Rolls Royce” - This is what Zinchenko said when asked about William Saliba. Quite often we have seen fans and commentators referring to some players as Rolls-Royce. But this got us thinking: what if footballers were cars? Which car would best represent some popular footballers? We asked ChatGPT, and this is what we got.
Harry Kane—BMW 7 Series
Raphinha—Nissan GT-R R35
Robert Lewandowski—Audi RS7 Sportback
Vinícius Júnior—Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Erling Haaland—Dodge Challenger SRT Demon
Lamine Yamal—Porsche 911 Turbo S
Mohamed Salah—McLaren 765LT
Kylian Mbappé—Tesla Roadster (2nd Gen)
Neymar—Lamborghini Huracán Performante
Lionel Messi—Ferrari SF90 Stradale
Cristiano Ronaldo—Bugatti Chiron
But wait! When asked who is the true Rolls-Royce, ChatGPT gave honourable mentions to Jude Bellingham & Virgil van Dijk before revealing the most appropriate match. This is what it said: If we’re talking Rolls-Royce—the symbol of luxury, class, dominance, and effortless excellence—then the perfect footballer match is Rodri. Interesting! Do you agree? Or do you think ChatGPT is a Man City fan? Let us know in the comments.
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Become a KILLER STRIKER with this simple trick! 💀⚽
Watch Haaland’s movement in this clip. As soon as he senses an opportunity, he starts moving towards the far post. And that’s exactly what elite strikers do! Why? Because moving to the far post gives you three major advantages!
First, it improves your scoring angle! You don’t have to open your body awkwardly to take the shot.
Second, it puts you on the blind side of the defender. Now they have a big problem—the ball is in front of them, but you are behind them. Now tracking you is a nightmare for them!
Third, it’s all about body mechanics! Moving forward is easy, but moving backwards? Much harder! If you're at the far post, you can adjust to the near post easily—but the opposite is way tough!
So next time you play as a striker, remember this golden rule—move to the far post!
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Last year, we visited Wembley Stadium, home to the England national team and the second-largest football stadium in Europe. While the tour was packed with football history, this detail amazed us the most!
In 2020, Wembley completed a £9 million upgrade, including a brand-new England men's first-team dressing room—designed with two crucial features requested by then-Three Lions manager Gareth Southgate himself.
First, the usual rectangular shape with sharp corners was replaced with an oval design, ensuring that every player could see their teammates without any obstruction.
Second, a new rule—no two players from the same club could sit next to each other. Why? Because for years, club rivalries created divides in the squad.
And guess what? These small changes made a huge impact! Since then, England has won 42 out of 67 games, lost only 10, and reached back-to-back Euro finals in 2020 and 2024!
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One mistake footballers should stop making right now!
I have met several footballers complaining of pain in their shins, knees, ankles, and hip joints. In fact, I suffered from pain in my joints for years. After spending months and a lot of money on physiotherapy and medication, I found out that I had been making one big mistake. It has nothing to do with diet. It has nothing to do with training either. The real problem was football studs. Most footballers (excluding professionals) play and train on hard grounds without any grass and high-quality turfs. Football studs don't provide any cushion, putting a lot of stress on their joints, which causes pain. Now here's the solution: Football trainers. Trainers not only provide cushion but also give you a better grip on hard ground. As soon as I replaced studs with trainers, my joint pain was gone. Now here's a pro tip. If the budget allows, I recommend you buy a set of football studs and trainers of the same brand, same model, and same size. This will allow you the flexibility to switch your footwear seamlessly according to the surface. You can wear trainers for training and studs for matchdays. This worked for me, and I am sure this will work for you as well.
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There is a saying by Confucius, "The man who chases two rabbits catches neither.". But here is an exception. Today, I will tell you about a sportsperson who played in both the ICC and FIFA World Cups. In a world where breaking into one sport is a lifetime challenge, Ellyse Perry mastered two. Born in 1990, Perry was exposed to multiple sports during her childhood. At just 16, she made history by representing Australia in both football and cricket. The 2009 Women's World Cup held in Australia was her first major ICC tournament. Two years later, she was also selected for Australia's national team for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany. By coming on as a substitute in Australia's first group match against Norway, she became the first Australian athlete to have played in both FIFA and ICC World Cups. And that's not all; playing as a defender, she also scored in the second group encounter against Sweden. As far as cricket is concerned, she is regarded as one of the greatest of all time. Her major trophies include 2 World Cups, 6 T20 World Cups, a Commonwealth Games Gold medal, and a Women's Premier League Title representing Royal Challengers Bengaluru. When the world says you can only chase one dream, Ellyse Perry shows you can rewrite the rules.
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One skill that made Frank Lampard one of the greatest Premier League midfielders of all time!
Watch this small clip.
In this 10-second clip, Lampard scanned the pitch 7 times. It may look like a very easy skill, but let me tell you it is not. No matter how much you tell yourself that you will check your shoulder during the game, you tend to forget it as soon as the match kicks off. But how did Frank develop this skill? The answer is his father, Frank Lampard Senior, who himself was a West Ham legend. During Lampard's early days in football, his father used to shout, "Pictures, pictures, pictures" from the sidelines, reminding him to scan the pitch all the time. What started as a constant reminder from his father became his habit. And this very habit made Lampard one of the greatest midfielders of his generation.
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This small clip shows an important skill that makes Messi one of the greatest footballers of all time. On 20th February 2025, Inter Miami played against Sporting Kansas City in negative temperatures, making it one of the coldest matches ever. Interestingly, even such frigid conditions could not stop Messi from showing his class. He scored the game's only goal, that too with his right foot, putting an end to the 15-year-old question, "Can he do it on a cold, rainy night in Stoke?"
However, this particular clip was even more impressive. Here, you can see that as soon as Suarez lines up his shot, all the players were either moving towards him or standing still, except one: Messi. Just imagine if there was a rebound. Who would have been in the best position to react?
Some skills like awareness and anticipation are really underrated in football. These skills may not be as attractive as body feints or step-overs, but these are the ones that separate top players from the others.
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The French captain who killed for Adolf Hitler! ⚽️☠️
Alex Villaplane was the captain of the French national team in the first FIFA World Cup in 1930. He was a promising player, and earned a boatload of money before football was even professionalised in the country. However, his interest and skill in football lasted only a few years.
But in 1935, his name came up again, this time for fixing horse races in Paris, and he was put in prison.
During World War II, he teamed up with local criminal Henri Lafont, and they set up a gang called the French Gestapo. The gang wanted to get rich, and so they provided the Nazis with whatever they wanted. In June 1944, for example, they shot 11 resistance fighters dead.
While this went on for a while, in August 1944, the French Army got hold of the gang, and they were put on trial and sentenced to death. In December the same year, the gang members, including Villaplane, were taken to the outskirts of Paris and shot to death.
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After Kaoru Mitoma's sensational goal against Chelsea, Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher said, "The touch is as good as any you will see in the Premier League this season. Wow! Messi-like. And I don't say that lightly.". But this got us thinking. Which are the top three Premier League players with the greatest touches?
At number 3, it has to be Riyad Mahrez. Generally, when an aerial ball comes to a player, they tend to trap it in the air and take another touch to direct it. But Mahrez was different. He used to trap aerial balls on a bounce, which allowed him to control and direct the ball with a single touch. By saving an additional touch, he was able to put his head up and look for the next move. Simply amazing!
At number 2, we have Dimitar Berbatov. Anyone who has played football even once in their life can tell how amazing touches Berbatov had. He used to trap aerial balls coming from 50-60 yards so easily as if it was a game of kids. Interestingly, when you used to watch Berbatov, he looked very slow and lazy. But that's the quality of great players. They make the game look easy and effortless.
At number 1, we have Arsenal legend Dennis Bergkamp. If you don't know him, go and watch his highlight videos. During the time when grounds were not that great and footballs were not that scientifically made, he did everything that players of today cannot even imagine. If you have less time and want to see how great he was, just watch his pirouette goal against Newcastle United.
Did we miss anyone? Let us know in the comments!
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What is a Trequartista in Football?
Trequartistas are creative players who slot in just behind the striker and are the fulcrum of the attack. They assume the number 10 role, playing between the opposition's midfield and defence. Roberto Mancini once succinctly said: "The magic of the number ten comes from the trequartista’s feet; the player of inventiveness, the one who is capable of wrong-footing everyone with a piece of skill perhaps even he is not fully aware of."
"Trequartista" is an Italian word, meaning "three quarters." Essentially, these playmakers come to life in the final third with their supremacy on the ball and are not expected to contribute much defensively. As an example of a Trequartista in modern football, one cannot look past the sublime Lionel Messi, who's assumed a few different attacking positions over the years, but in his prime years at Barcelona, this is the role that suited him perfectly.Another example, perhaps the first of the most popular players in this position, is the great Johan Cruyff in the great Ajax and Dutch national team. Who are your favourite Trequartistas? Let us know in the comments!
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