Cultured Football #12
I've said on other occasions that I don't really like international football so I haven't really seen too many games over these past couple of weeks. Yet even I enjoyed by the celebrations on the pitch that followed North Macedonia's win over Germany. This, coupled with Armenia's brilliant start to their World Cup qualification campaign as well as a couple other impressive results by so-called minnows, are among the most enjoyable stories of the year so far.
And, perhaps, it is worth giving some credit to UEFA. There have been many critics of the Nations League but its format of grouping teams of a similar level arguably helped countries like these gain a bit of confidence in their abilities.
Türkgücü Munich: The football club founded by Turkish immigrants looks to connect cultures
There is something inherently appealing in the story of a club that has built itself up from its amateur origins to make it into professional football. Yet there is much more than that to the story of Türkgücü Munich, a club founded by the Turkish community in Munich and which plays under the motto of ‘preserving traditions, connecting cultures’
Football's final frontier
During these months of COVID imposed ban on travelling, I’ve been ruminating on the idea of a trek across Europe to visit some of the most iconic football stadia as well as some of the more fascinating footballing corners of the continent. Perhaps that is why I’m more attracted than ever before to articles like this one on football in Greenland. Another destination added to the itinerary.
The Basque Country’s special relationship with the Copa del Rey
Speaking of places where I'd love to go and see some football, the Basque region is very high in that list. The top two sides from that region will be facing each other in the (2020) final of the Copa del Rey but as this piece highlights there is a fascinating affinity with this competition throughout way beyond Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad.
China's soccer dream
Inadvertently a globetrotter theme seems to have developed in this edition of Cultured Football so let's continue with a trip to China. A few years back the country seemed to have big ambitions for football and incredible amounts of money where being pumped into building both the league as well as the national team. All of that seems to have died down quite drastically but that does not mean that the dream of football in China is over but, perhaps, the realisation that it will take more than a quick fix.
Winning Vs Not Losing: The difference in approach that could make or break a football team
There is the belief that a team that goes into games looking to win and play on the front foot is bound to come out on top. There is also the conviction that defensive football played out with the primary aim of avoiding defeat is doomed to fail. And yet, there is much more to success than the definitions of how a team chooses to approach a game. Full disclosure: I am the author of this piece.
Last Week’s Most Read
The story of River Plate and how they re-invented the way football was seen and played in Argentina clearly hit a not last week as it was the most read piece. If you missed it then, check it out now.
See you all next week and, till then, happy reading!