Cultured Football #224
Power of Subs. Segunda Division. Most Exciting League. Best Football Song. Scandinavians in Portugal.
What Substitution Data Tells Us About Squad Depth and Managerial Impact
By for
Matches are often decided not by tactics but by the quality available on the team sheet. Historical data shows high substitution impact can be a mirage, while low scores often mask resilience in the face of weaker resources. Substitutions may seem like a manager’s big chance to change a game, yet their real impact depends less on tactical wizardry and more on the depth of the squad.
La Liga Hypermotion Season Preview
By for
They may lack the quality of the main leagues but, across Europe, nothing beats the excitement and unpredictability of second tier football. That was the case last season in the Spanish Segunda División, where Mirandes almost pulled off a surprise for the ages by getting promoted. And it should be the case this season with a number of historically big sides competing for a place higher up. Could this be the year of Deportivo La Coruna to claw their way out?
The Most Exciting League in Europe? Why You Should be Watching the Championship in 2025-26
By Matt Furniss for The Analyst
With a heading like that, do I really need to say more?
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The most beautiful football song in the world. No, it's not YNWA.
By for
Now this is a controversial pick. Personally, I thought Misha was going to go for Sunshine on Leith.
Why Nordic footballers are becoming all the rage in Portuguese football
By Zach Lowy for PortuGoal
It used to be that Portuguese clubs looked largely to South America in their search for talent. That is still the case. But, of late, they have also begun looking to Scandinavia.
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: Out of Time
By Rory Smith for The Raven
Some players aren’t just undone by form or injury but by timing. João Félix’s decline isn’t just a story of unmet potential but of a game that no longer makes space for his kind. Like Riquelme before him, he needed a coach and a club willing to let him be himself. But football’s middle tier has vanished, leaving no room for flawed artists, only systems.
Bonus Read: The Death of the Playground
[Will Cromack x The Art of Football]
We scream for Messi, but stifle the next one at under 8s. In a world obsessed with control, can we still make space for genius?
Great links
Thank you, Paul. Nice pick :)