Cultured Football #213
Twitter Football. Cricket Football Divide. Real Unraveled. Fans on ICE. Hamburger Are Back.
In preparing for this issue, I came across so many great pieces about Goodison Park that I was faced with a dilemma. I could either attempt the impossible by picking the best one or else try to shoehorn as many in as possible under the bonus reads. Neither option really felt right. So, instead, on Sunday there will be a special issue of Cultured Football that will focus completely on memories from the grand old stadium.
The Twitter Footballer - How Social Media is Changing the World of Transfers
By for Rich And Rob
Jake Tabor’s 127 goals for Amersham might have gone unnoticed; if not for Twitter. Now he’s playing Spurs U21s, turning heads with viral clips, and fielding offers without an agent in sight. He hates social media but knows it’s his best shot at the big time. A non-league striker selling gym gear by day, marketing himself by night: could he really be the next Vardy?
Why Can't India Produce Footballers Like It Does Cricketers?
By John Duerden for DW
While a 14-year-old cricketer smashes IPL records, India’s football team just recalled a 40-year-old to lead the line. It is a contrast that lays bare the gulf in talent pipelines between the two sports. Cricket thrives on icons, investment, and structure; football, by comparison, is lacking on all fronts. The system’s broken, but as one expert puts it, if just one Indian teenager dazzles the global game, it could spark a cultural shift. Could that spark be closer than many think?
Kylian Mbappe's Impact, Defensive Deficiencies and the Six Biggest Reasons Why Real Madrid's 'Best Squad in Europe' Managed to Finish the Season Without a Major Trophy
By Tom Hindle for Goal
Real Madrid packed their squad with stardust—Mbappe, Bellingham, Vinicius—but ended the season with no major silverware and a manager out the door. Mbappe scored plenty but unbalanced the attack, Vinicius lost his edge, and injuries exposed a wafer-thin defense. On paper they looked unstoppable; in practice, they unravelled. So how does Xabi Alonso fix a team that should’ve conquered Europe?
Bonus Read: AD Ceuta: the exclave club on the rise
[
x ]I get the interest in big clubs of any league, but I have to admit that I’m more fascinated by lesser known stories like this of AD Ceuta, the Spanish club based in Africa.
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What Happens to Your Club When ICE Comes to Town?
By for
La Brigada De Oro didn’t show up to party in Nashville last weekend—not out of protest, but out of fear. With ICE ramping up immigration-related traffic stops targeting the city’s Hispanic and Latino communities, the Latin American supporters’ group chose safety over celebration. Their silence before Nashville SC’s match sent a powerful message: that even the joy of matchday can’t shield some fans.
Extinction Over: The Bundesliga-Dino Returns
By for
Seven years after their dramatic fall from grace, Hamburger SV are finally back in the Bundesliga. Once mocked as football’s version of the reluctant dinosaur, clinging to status while chaos reigned, HSV have clawed their way back after a string of near-misses, meltdowns, and missed penalties. Now after seven years as dramatic as the comeback itself, promotion is sealed, and German football feels a bit more complete.
Bonus Read: Hamburger SV are back in Bundesliga. But their biggest wins have been off the pitch.
[ x ]
Hamburg can be criticised for many things but lack of loyalty is not one of them. Given how many clubs operate these days, that’s not a minor thing.
Every Saturday, Cultured Football brings you five great football articles you will enjoy reading. And you get a free copy of the book Master of the Azzurri when you join.
In Case You Missed It Here’s Last Week’s Most Read: Arrigo Sacchi on reinventing football in Italy, his bond with Silvio Berlusconi and knocking back Diego Maradona
By Emmet Gates for Destination Calcio
In a candid birthday interview, Arrigo Sacchi reflects on his transformative tenure at AC Milan, where his innovative 4-4-2 pressing system broke the mold of 1980s football, challenging the era's tactical stagnation. He also reveals he declined an offer from Diego Maradona to coach Napoli, underscoring his belief in team cohesion over individual brilliance.
Bonus Read: The Philosopher Who Coached with His Heart
[Will Cromack x The Maverick Code: From Systems to Soul]
César Luis Menotti didn’t just coach footballers, he coached human beings.
Really helpful getting all the great articles in one spot!