“[…] North versus south, developed versus developing, small versus big, rich versus poor, colonists versus colonised. Matches were pregnant with meaning and resonance outside of football. “[…] The World Cup, Olympics and sports in general are proxies for fights over politics, history and geographical hegemony… Caribbean people in the UK …
Read More »Qatar 2022: Hart on Mbappé vs Messi and the tactical options open to France and Argentina
“[…] Kylian Mbappé has shown that he can beat almost every player for pace, but to say that is all he possesses would be an insult. He has shown he is not only able to elude his opponent on the inside and outside, but in tight spaces—as he demonstrated against Morocco—where his …
Read More »Qatar 2022: Hart on Brazil and England’s elimination, Messi and Moroccan spoilers
“[…] Brazil’s substitutions were difficult to understand. Against Croatia’s compact block, surely the penetration of Gabriel Martinelli could have been an option. I also struggled with the question as to the role of Pedro. “[…] Argentina can be best described as pragmatic. In reality, they are a team based on …
Read More »Nakhid: On politics and football; why Manning was irrelevant and Deschamps is a failure
A year or two before former Prime Minister Patrick Manning passed away, I wrote an article stating—among many other things—that Manning no longer held any relevance for politics in Trinidad and Tobago. Of course multiple queries followed from readers. I did not explain myself then as I found the statement …
Read More »Unpacking the 2018 World Cup: Hart, Walkes, Hislop and Sheppard talk France, trends and lessons from Russia
“Teams that couldn’t adjust defensively and show patience and discipline to withstand those spells [of possession from opponents] found themselves chasing the game. France were without question the best at this…” “There was […] a return to what we would consider ‘outdated’ centre forwards like Mario Mandzukic, Olivier Giroud and, …
Read More »Sputnik 2018: Oh là là! France wins cracking final against Croatia; Downer rules on controversial penalty
Compelling, crazy, comic, controversial… France are now the World Cup champions and the greatest international team on the planet, after a 4-2 win over Croatia at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow today. The first own goal of a final, a controversial penalty, VAR, a teenaged goal scorer, stifling reactive tactics, …
Read More »Sputnik 2018: A flash of Umtiti stuns Belgium as France advance to World Cup final
In another topsy turvy duel, Belgium tried to continue their daring 2018 World Cup run in Saint Petersburg today; but, in the end, the “Red Devils” were left ashen-faced by a flash of Samuel Umtiti, as Les Bleus snatched a 1-0 win. Eh? If Mr Live Wire was a bit …
Read More »Sputnik 2018: Mbappe runs Argentina out of Russia, Cavani collars Portugal as Messi and Ronaldo take leave
So, farewell to the G.O.A.T and the Goatee. The Russia 2018 World Cup will make do without football’s MVP trophy-grabbing duopoly of Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, after the pair were eliminated on the first day of the Round of 16 today. Messi’s return ticket was booked at …
Read More »Ball is Life (Video): Glen on Weah’s inspiration and the big game Frenchman who could decide Russia 2018
Singing Les Bleus! Former T&T international Cornell Glen reveals how George Weah inspired him to become a football star, the elegant Frenchman that made him forget the “Samba Boys” and the big game player he thinks will take Russia 2018 by storm, in the first of Wired868’s five-part World Cup …
Read More »“Allez, les Bleus!” says Walcott, “mais attention aux Brésiliens!”
“”…talent alone does not make you the team to beat; it never has, it never will. And although I am very excited to see what Deschamps’ brigade of young attacking talent will do on the world’s biggest stage, when I look at France’s unpredictability at recent World Cups, I simply …
Read More »Moscow 2018 Countdown: Kings go forth as Champions League exits; Brazil to samba for the tsars
Now that Manchester City have officially sealed the title in England and Real Madrid have put Liverpool in their place and reasserted their dominance in Europe—with more than a little help from Judas Iscariot in the red goal—all eyes turn to Russia. It is time to crown the real kings. …
Read More »Exploring race and class at the 2014 World Cup
Am I my World Cup brother’s (goal)keeper? Earl Best tackles a delicate subject with all the tact and finesse of an elephant in the Serengeti…or a police raid Behind the Bridge: There is a very real resemblance between Paul Pogba and Blaise Matuidi, the tall, handsome, articulate, intelligent, talented, black, francophone pair of …
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