In a simply wild 45 minutes, Japan and Spain made their way into the World Cup knockout stage. Meanwhile, Germany won on the day, but failed to advance due to a poor goal differential. At halftime of the games, both Germany and Spain were in a position to advance. By the time each game reached […]

This was arguably the game of the World Cup so far. With a respectful nod to Argentina–Mexico, the reason we love soccer is contests like this.  The World Cup is not the World Cup without the best facing the best. And Spain's draw with Germany was its nearest tie yet to a heavyweight classic. Both […]

Soccer fans in Germany and Norway appear to be boycotting the World Cup in Qatar. Viewership inside both of these more progressive European countries has been significantly down compared to previous tournaments. In Norway, soccer fans tuning in to NRK to watch the World Cup have fallen dramatically. In fact, the average number of viewers […]

It was clear prior to the 2022 World Cup that Luis Enrique had his Spain team organized. They had been progressing well since Euro 2020 and expected to reach the semi-finals in Qatar. Whilst it’s not always wise to draw conclusions from one match, the 7-0 dismantling of Costa Rica was eye-opening. So dominant was […]

Joshua Kimmich said before the game that Germany needed to avoid a poor one-goal loss at the World Cup. They have begun their last two major tournaments the same way. And then gone out in humiliation. But the tactical staleness that characterized Germany's decline under the latter reign of Joachim Löw remains under Hansi Flick. […]

The Germany national soccer team made a protest towards FIFA and the Qatar World Cup during their prematch team photo. Players covered their mouths, alluding to the lack of voice for the players. FIFA banned the use of OneLove captain armbands at the World Cup in Qatar and has asked teams to 'focus on football' […]

FIFA has imposed sanctions against any team that wears the OneLove captain armbands throughout the World Cup in Qatar, which Germany calls blackmail. Originally, Belgium, Denmark, England, Wales, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland were all set to wear the armband. However, the world's governing body of the sport changed their minds at the last minute […]

Japan’s national team navigated a mediocre group in 2018 (Colombia, Senegal, and Poland) to earn four points and a trip to the knockout rounds. How will they fare at World Cup 2022? Even with a better squad – their FIFA ranking has improved from 50 to 24 in four years – the draw provides a […]

The headlines were eight years in the making. Mario Götze, hero of the 2014 World Cup final and former golden boy of German soccer, is back. He’s had health problems, five years in the international wilderness, and was apparently buried as an elite performer. But, superb form since a return to Germany amidst the dynamic forward […]

Germany manager Hansi Flick named his 26-man roster for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Normally a heavyweight in international soccer, the Germans are currently 11th in the latest FIFA team rankings. Nevertheless, the four-time World Cup champions have named a star-studded squad for the upcoming tournament. Captain Manuel Neuer makes his fourth World Cup […]

About 100 people stormed and started a brawl at a London pub prior to the England and Germany match on Monday, according to Metropolitan Police. Although some of the group donned England gear, it is suspected that the attackers were German fans. "At 17:50 on Monday, 26 September, a group of approximately 100 males, many […]

England's 1-0 loss at Italy cemented its placement in the bottom of UEFA Nations League A Group 3. Next campaign, England falls back into the second tier of the competition. It was a brutal performance from much of the Three Lions. Despite going up against an Italy side that many believe is among the weaker […]