After decades reporting on soccer, three months helping to coach a team of children under age 7 came as a revelation.
Author: RORY SMITH
A Whole New Ballgame
What soccer, a recent foray into coaching and years of writing this newsletter taught our columnist about the game, and himself.
Playing Out a Dream, a Long, Long Way From Home
An academy of a team in England’s lower leagues offers Americans at the end of their collegiate eligibility a chance to continue their soccer careers.
Rúben Amorim, Manchester United and the Burden of History
Winning at Manchester United will be tough enough for the club’s new manager. Unfair comparisons with the past won’t help.
Arsenal-Liverpool: Can Trent Alexander-Arnold Defend?
Is the Liverpool star a good defender? It depends on your evidence.
Appointment of Thomas Tuchel, a German, Is Met With Pushback From England Soccer Fans
The appointment of Thomas Tuchel to coach the England men’s national soccer team has provoked, well, some strong feelings.
The Premier League’s Fight With Manchester City Won’t End Well for Anyone
A decision about rules that left both sides claiming victory revealed the broken reality of the world’s richest competition.
Champions League’s New Format Creates a New Reality
This year more than ever is showing that the competition means different things to different clubs. And that’s a good thing.
Can Rugby League and Drag Queens Coexist? A U.K. Mill Town Finds Out.
A gay couple embraced inclusion after buying an English rugby team. To their surprise, the fans bought in, too.
The Sudden Appeal of the Bulldog Spirit
Such is the hold the Premier League has on the popular consciousness that enticing a player away from it is seen as a coup.