After it emerged that match 102, a World Cup semi-final, would pair England with Argentina, the 1982 Falklands/Malvinas war came up during Lionel Scaloni’s media briefing. “No, no, no,” the Argentina head coach said with firm dismissal. “This is purely a football contest. Let’s not search for anything beyond that. It’s a game against a […]
Continue ReadingIt was an evening when, in Didier Deschamps’ words, the spark had vanished by the interval. A revamped French team had been easily defeated by Italy in their Nations League opener, and the Parisian supporters left no doubt about their discontent at the final whistle. Three days later, the traveling show of Les Bleus headed […]
Continue ReadingAvailable for 29 days Following a respectable yet unremarkable seventh-place league position, Dundee United are setting their sights on greater achievements in the upcoming campaign. Andrew Petrie hosts a discussion with Courier columnist Jim Spence and Ronny Costello from The Dode Fox Podcast, exploring a transformative close season at Tannadice. The group examines Jim Goodwin’s […]
Continue ReadingAccessible for 29 days Hearts experienced a crushing near-miss in their pursuit of glory, falling devastatingly short as the previous campaign concluded. Now, a fresh era unfolds at Tynecastle. Andrew Petrie hosts Heart Standard editor Joel Sked and former Hearts defender Ryan McGowan to explore one of the most turbulent close seasons in the club’s […]
Continue ReadingCoverage of Scottish football updates, featuring Falkirk manager John McGlynn and the latest World Cup developments.
Continue ReadingCould this have been the point when a true footballing feud was forged between these two nations? Perhaps. Most likely. The sides faced off in the quarter-finals, a match Argentina still claim they were cheated in, arguing that Geoff Hurst’s decisive goal should not have stood due to an offside position. That disagreement was merely […]
Continue ReadingRules around heading have been implemented in youth soccer across England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, while specific restrictions on heading during practice sessions have been introduced in the professional men’s and women’s leagues in England and Scotland. Research from 2019, backed by the Football Association and the Professional Footballers’ Association, indicated that professional players faced […]
Continue ReadingMorocco’s next challenge is to produce a greater number of full internationals from their own domestic system. The governing body must also continue to reinforce facilities at both the club and academy levels. Chris van Puyvelde, who served as the RMFF’s technical director from 2022 to 2025, stated the ambition for the next World Cup […]
Continue ReadingEuropean football’s governing body is ready to prevent Russian teams from rejoining international competition, despite the recent decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to conditionally end the nation’s exclusion from global sports. The global football authority has suggested it will reassess its stance after enforcing a prohibition on Russian sides following the comprehensive invasion […]
Continue ReadingWhen the match ended, the numbers seemed almost surreal. A nation of just 5.5 million inhabitants, returning to the global stage after nearly three decades away, had just overcome the five-time titleholders to secure a maiden quarter-final berth. During Norway’s triumph over Brazil on Sunday, there was barely a sliver separating the nimble footwork of […]
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