Cultured Football #138
Flowers on Asphalt. Gentrification of Inter Miami. Stars of U17 World Cup. Aston Villa. St Pauli v Hamburg.
Flowers on asphalt: the inside story of Moisés Caicedo
By Ben Bocsack for Souted Notebook
The transfer of Moises Caicedo - and the resulting tug-of-war between Liverpool and Chelsea - was THE story of the past summer. Yet the real story is the one surrounding his origins and ability to find a path to European football where his talent could shine. And, in doing so, opening up a path for other young players being served up by his previous side Independiente del Valle for whom developing talent has become the norm.
‘I’m happy. I have friends who are not’: What Inter Miami lost with Messi
By Ryan Baldi for The Guardian
It is fair to say that the vast majority of football fans had no idea who Inter Miami were before they signed Lionel Messi last June. All that changed once that transfer was pushed through; Messi's arrival has led to a surge in attention and attendance for Inter Miami. Yet it isn’t all good with many longtime fans feel a disconnect from the previous "family atmosphere". Even worse, the biggest impact for supporters has been a significant increase in season ticket prices, leading to frustration and loss of fans who had been supporting the club from the start.
Barcelona starlets, Messinho and Mali’s magicians: The best players at the 2023 FIFA U17 World Cup
By Neel Shelat for FootballTransfers.com
Somehow the Under 17 World Cup has barely featured on my radar, with the only exception being when Uzbekistan caused a major upset in eliminating England. Even so, I’m invariably attracted to lists showcasing the best players who have impressed the most during this tournament. Will they prove to be a Toni Kroos (top scorer in 2007) or a Sani Emmanuel? Only time will tell.
Bonus Pick: Which players have impressed at the U-17 World Cup? Another list, with some overlap. [By Tor-Kristian Karlsen for ESPN]
Every Saturday, Cultured Football brings you five great football articles you should be reading.
What's fueling Aston Villa's run to Premier League top four?
By Ryan O'Hanlon for ESPN.com
There’s no denying that Aston Villa have been impressive ever since Unai Emery took over, transforming a team struggling against relegation to one of the hardest to beat. This season in particular is exceeding all expectations to the extent that there’s hushed talk of Champions League football. Impressively, they’ve achieved that without spending extraordinary amounts; as O’Hanlon says in the piece “they’re essentially acquiring all of the players who those [big six] teams don't want”.
St Pauli turn tables on Hamburger SV to become derby favourites
By Will Magee for The Guardian
The first derby of the season between St Pauli and Hamburger SV (a 2-2 draw) will probably be remembered for THE CRAZIEST OWN GOAL OF ALL TIME. Yet it should have all been about how table toppers St Pauli are showing up their more famous neighbours.
Bonus Pick: Whilst on the subject of lower league German football, here’s 5 U23 Wide Forwards to Follow in the 2023/24 3. Liga [By
for ]Last Week’s Most Read: How Norway have messed up qualifying for another major tournament
By Mark Doyle for Goal
If you’ve been reading Cultured Football for some time, you’ll probably be aware of my lack of enthusiasm for international football. Indeed, the past fifteen days have been virtually football free for me. Even I, however, found myself wondering how come Norway managed to miss out on Euro 2024 despite have two of the best attacking players of European and World football.