Football Club News, Analysis, History, Schedule, Rumours
The 2014 semi-final between Brazil and Germany is still undoubtedly one of the most shocking results in World Cup history. I watched the game at 10-years-old and before the game, I was expecting Brazil to go through. I was lying on the sofa watching the goals fly in, one after the other. It was something […] READ MORE
Brazilian, Dutch, Portuguese, and English fans can console themselves with the fact that the only thing worse than losing in a World Cup quarter-final is losing in a World Cup semi-final. To be so close to the biggest game of all and not make it is harrowing. However, that is also the reason why teams […] READ MORE
Although England’s players and fans enjoy advancing to the second round in the World Cup, they are also entering the territory of their arch enemy: the penalty shoot-outs (PSO). To show the danger sneaking around better, we calculate that almost 20 percent of the elimination games in previous World Cups were decided by a PSO. […] READ MORE
It is fitting that the first post-pandemic World Cup is showing that resilience or, to use the marvellous term coined by Iain Dowie, bounce-backability is the most important attribute that any team can have. Several countries have now bounced back from first-match thrashings to triumph in their second match, including Costa Rica, Iran and Australia. […] READ MORE
Worst opening World Cup game ever? Almost certainly. Worst host side ever? Quite possibly. Worst World Cup host ever? That’s a lot more questionable. There is an argument that Qatar is not even in the top three when it comes to the worst World Cup hosts. For all the entirely legitimate criticism of Qatar 2022, […] READ MORE
FIFA has once again stood firm on its plans to reform how often the World Cup is played. At a meeting of its 211 members, where they discussed the future of football, delegates were told of the striking benefit of introducing a biennial World Cup. FIFA Stands Firm on Biennial World Cup Reform Revenue Jump […] READ MORE
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has continued a war of words against those opposing a biennial World Cup. The former UEFA general secretary placed a jab at his former organisation, and the South American federation, by stating they are ‘afraid’ of relinquishing power despite the need for reform. FIFA President Says Biennial World Cup Opposers Are […] READ MORE
Earlier this week, FIFA president Gianni Infantino was making more noise. This time it was not focused on the biennial World Cup. Instead, he announced his latest dream: Isreal co-hosting the World Cup with their Arab neighbours, including Palestine. Such an event would be poignant. Is it realistic? Far from it. What the statement shows […] READ MORE
Sweden were an early world power of international football, consistently achieving solid results at the Olympics and even finishing third in 1924. This alone is perhaps not enough to warrant the label “world power”, but more was to come. Sweden’sWorld Cup History: The Nearly Men Sweden’s 1934 World Cup Debut After abstaining from the inaugural […] READ MORE
Manchester United striker Edinson Cavani has had his call-up to the Uruguay national team cancelled and the striker is set to remain in the UK for the international break. Cavani was called up for the World Cup qualifiers against Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador, but Premier League clubs have agreed to not release players for World […] READ MORE
Nat has been writing at LWOS since August 2015. He has served in all positions from writer up to managing editor across a seven-year spell. Currently, he is a writer and editor with a keen focus on EFL content.