Cultured Football #268

Penalties. Home of Football. Norway. More Penalties. Fall from Grace.

William McCrum: The Irishman who invented the penalty kick

By BBC Bitesize

The penalty kick has become such a constant of football that we rarely stop to wonder where it came from. Yet, like so many parts of the game we now take for granted, it all began with one person's idea.

South London: Home of Football?

By Outside Write (Chris Lee) for Outside Write

Much of the modern game’s early story runs through South London. Is this the place football should call home?

No league tables, no trophies: how Norway made sport fun for kids – and built a football team that beat Brazil

By Jesse Gerritsen for The Guardian

Norway's victory over Brazil was remarkable, but perhaps not as surprising as many have interpreted it to be. Behind this generation lies a sporting philosophy that encouraging children to play, explore and choose their own path.

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Most people find Cultured Football through someone else. Be that link.

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62% Conversion: Why Are Defenders Still Taking Penalties At the World Cup?

By Oliver Hopkins for The Analyst

More on penalties. And the heading says it all for this one.

The Fall From Grace: Bundesliga clubs in the Regionalliga - Part One

By Benjamin Darby for The Bundesliga Chronicles

Football has always celebrated clubs that climb the pyramid, but the journey in the opposite direction can be just as fascinating. Germany’s lower leagues are home to a host of former Bundesliga sides whose glory days now feel a lifetime away, each carrying a different story of how quickly fortunes can change.

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Each week on Cultured Football we pick the five great football stories from the previous seven days.

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In Case You Missed It Here’s Last Week’s Most Read: The Calcio Brandemic

By Luke Taylor for FORZA CALCIO

Conscious that Italian football no longer carries the weight it once did, clubs are increasingly turning to modern rebrands in the hope of staying relevant. All they seem to be achieving, however, is alienating fans.