Football News, Predictions, Ratings, Records & FPL Tips
Football, lovingly known as the Beautiful Game, is the most played and followed sport in the world. The sport that originated in the British Isles in its modern avatar took over the world. The sport is extremely accessible and has easily become a crowd favourite. Its ability to form positive communities and connect cultures made it more popular than any sport. There is always discourse going on about football, its leagues, and all the games being played throughout the year. Football is primarily played in domestic circuits throughout the year. The leagues pause in the middle for international breaks, allowing games between national teams. These domestic seasons occupy 8 months of the season and provide unlimited entertainment.
Football has become a billion-dollar industry thanks to its worldwide consumers. The players became genuine superstars who are revered around the world. Clubs have fan bases thousands of miles away from their hometown. Football tourism is growing in stature and is becoming an industry in its own right. Events like the World Cup final and the Champions League football are some of the most-watched live events in the world. There is no shortage of thrill and drama in this sport, as a lot of first-time viewers get instantly attracted to the sport and become its fans.
There is always a lot to discuss about football, like how the games are going. What moves are being planned in the transfer market, and who are the record breakers and new superstars breaking out? With that said, let us look at the game's history. How did football originate, and what were its predecessors? Let us also glance through the game's key rules, including its technicalities. Let us also take a walk through some of the best teams in world football and where they play.
History of Football
Kicking a ball around has been part of human nature for aeons. From early cavemen to ancient civilisations that thrived, they all played football in some capacity. Of course, it wasn’t called football back then, but in essence, it was the same, as it involved kicking a ball around. The first historical evidence of playing around with a ball was found in China in 206 BCE- 220 CE. The Han dynasty in China played a game called Cuju that was recorded in their military history books. The game combined aspects of today’s football, basketball and volleyball.
The game travelled far and wide through the Silk Road. China’s neighbours, like Japan and Korea, developed their own version of Cuju. Cuju involved kicking a ball into the goal rings, 10-11 metres above the ground. They used to play the sport with an inflated ball, and later replaced it with a stuffed ball. During the same time period, Greeks were playing their version of football as well. The Greeks used to call it Phaininda and Episkyros. Many such instances were found throughout the world. In North America, it was called Pasuckuakohowog, and in the Roman Empire, it was called Harpastum.
There were no rules and regulations in these games as people used to gather in 10s and 20s to take part. It could easily be classified as a mob sport, as people went to extreme measures to win. Violence was a regular part of it, as people even resorted to hacking each other to make sure that they got their objectives done. These mob sports carried over into modern time periods as well. It was passed down from generation to generation and arrived in Europe. However, the sport needed some much-needed standardisation before it became the beautiful game we all love today.
Origin of Football
The versions we discussed before were folk games and mob soccer. It was a predominant part of Elizabethan England as well. They used to kick a ball around bogs and chase it for fun. However, the teachers and PE teachers in England wanted to standardise the game so that it could be practised in schools. They played a crucial role in laying down rules and guides as a mob sport turned into an amateur one. William Herman, headmaster of Eton and Winchester Colleges in 1519, made the first rules of football. His disciple, Richard Mulcaster, developed the concepts of team, positions, referee and coach.
David Wedderburn of Scotland wrote a Latin textbook called Vocabula in 1633 that changed football from a violent sport to a more moderate contact sport. He also made the first mention of goals and how the end result of football is to score goals. Francis Willughby of Sutton wrote the “Book of Games” and made the first laws of football. He mentioned goalkeepers, goalposts, goals and fouls for the first time. The offside rule was invented in the late 18th century to deny an unfair advantage to attackers. The game kept on picking up rules and took a huge leap in the 19th century when Ebenezer Cobb Morley, known as the “Father of Football”, decided to create the FA.
Who Invented Football?
Many claim that China was the birthplace of football. But it was a folk game more than anything else. Modern football, as we know took birth in the British Isles. Multiple schools in England practised football according to their own rule book. Morley wanted to unify it and create a standard sport that anyone could play. After multiple discussions with different schools, he managed to get them all under one roof and discuss the game. The heads of multiple schools and club associations met at the Freemasons’ Tavern in London on the morning of 26 October 1863. They all created the Football Association (FA) together, as Morley acted as its first president.
The FA released a set of rules called “Laws of the Game” and urged all clubs across the country to abide by them. Plenty of clubs were happy to be governed by the FA and accepted the rulebook. The rules were in the nascent stage and needed a lot of development. The helping hand in that aspect came from the north as the Scots made invaluable contributions to the game. They placed special emphasis on making football a team game by making passing a fundamental aspect of the game. Hence, they too claim that they are the inventors of football. Once these basics were set, the players started making minor changes to the rule book to give shape to modern football.
Why is Football the most popular sport?
Football is a simple sport. Its simplicity and accessibility made it resonate with billions around the world. The sport doesn’t require any special equipment except a ball. Anyone who could walk and kick could easily play football. They could play football anywhere in the world. From huge grounds to small cages to a simple closed room, it's down to the imagination of the players.
Football is a team sport and there is no other better thing that could bring a bunch of people together than football. Any random strangers could start playing together and quickly become the thickest of buddies as they strive for the success of the team. It encourages team bonding and builds communities with ease. The sport has been around for more than 2000 years and has great cultural significance all over the world. It creates a sense of belonging for any person who finds space in a football community easily.
The game also encourages physicality and athleticism. More importantly, the imagination of players is always appreciated. Players could have a lot of freedom to express themselves on the pitch and make their talking with the ball at their feet. The football industry today is a multi-billion-dollar industry and creates plenty of opportunities and jobs for enthusiasts. From an entertainment point of view, the possibilities are endless, as every year, a new team comes and tears down the script with drama and emotions. The players enjoy a global fandom and become positive role models for millions around the world. All these factors together make football an easily acceptable and lovable sport that raises its head and shoulders above any other sport.
How was FIFA Introduced?
The Federation Internationale de Football Association also known as FIFA, is the international governing body of football, beach soccer and futsal. It was founded on 21st May 1904 to oversee international football. When the game’s popularity was growing by leaps and bounds in the late 19th century, there was a need to regulate it.
The founding members met at the Rue Saint Honore in the rear of the headquarters of Union des Societes Francaises de Sports Athletiques on 21st May 1904 to create FIFA. The national associations of Belgium, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and Real Madrid CF (representing Spain) were the founding members. Germany too joined on the same day through a telegram. FIFA broadened its horizons by formally allowing South Africa, Argentina, Canada, Chile and the United States in the next ten years. FIFA’s survival was in doubt during World War I, as many players actively participated in the war. The organisation’s survival came at the cost of losing all the countries from the British Isles who refused to play with their war enemies.
FIFA plays a key role in governing the sport. They maintain the Laws of the Game along with the International Football Association Board (IFAB). They also take an active role in running the sport and developing the game around the world. They oversaw the football event at the 1908 Olympics and earned great reviews. This prompted them to create the first FIFA World Cup in 1930. Ever since then, the body regularly conducts World Cups for both men and women in all age groups. They also govern how all the domestic leagues take place and how the football associations must be run without any government interference.
Evolution of Football over the Years
The first traces of modern football were observed in Elizabethan England. William Shakespeare's plays often featured a version of football where people ran behind the ball. It was a very rough and unregulated sport where mobs of 100s of people were involved. There wasn’t a set field of play as the ball was kicked around from one end of the village to another. Once the standardisation of the sport started in the 16th century, football turned into an amateur sport first. Thanks to the work of great teachers in schools and universities, the game kept on defining its rules. A limit on players was set, the pitch was defined, and the concept of goal and goalkeeper came into effect. To strike a balance between attack and defence, offside was introduced.
The next step in the game’s journey was unifying these schools and clubs for a uniform sport across the world. The creation of FA served this purpose in the 1860s. Clubs in and around England loved this approach, but the game-changer in the sport’s growth was the formation of FIFA in 1904 as the game crossed continents. With the rise in technology, broadcasting came into effect, and billions around the world gathered to watch the games. It became a thing of pop culture, and superstars were born. The game kept evolving as well by incorporating technology such as goal-line technology, the Video Assistant Referee and the semi-automated offside. The success of leagues across the world made football a billion-dollar industry, which will always go on no matter what.
Early Developments in Football
England and its neighbours were the first pioneers of football. They started forming football clubs and associations that used to play exhibition matches in front of the crowd. The formation of the FA prompted them to form a national league that pitted all the clubs in the country against each other for the championship title.
The British traders and businessmen carried the sport across the world. They started playing it in their colonies and their business investments. Many clubs across the world, like AC Milan, Real Madrid and Inter Milan, have connections directly thanks to Englishmen. The sport gained immense popularity as these clubs started winning local tournaments. However, international recognition started pouring in when countries started playing against each other in international friendlies. South American and African countries enjoyed a rapid rise thanks to international football and started producing world-class players who ply their trade in Europe.
Rise of Modern Football
Again, the footballing world had to thank the FA for making football a professional sport. The FA recognised “Professionalism” in football in 1885 and converted it into a professional sport instead of an amateur one. It made playing football a proper career option and created a league system that would take place throughout the year. Many countries started playing a nomadic system of leagues starting in the late 19th century. After going through some turbulence during the world wars, the footballing league structure returned back to normalcy. Multiple leagues such as the Bundesliga, La Liga and the Premier League came into existence in the 20th century.
With the rise of broadcasting in the late 20th century, football became a global sport. The leagues with the best players opened up markets in far corners of the world. Fan bases for clubs thousands of miles away started popping up. Footballing culture became a global phenomenon as domestic leagues and international tournaments such as the Champions League became smash hits.
Technological and Tactical Advancements
Football faced the same common challenge as life. At a crossroads, it faced the question of evolve or perish, and smartly the sport chose to evolve. Right from tactical innovations to technological advancements, the game started incorporating all. Football was played in a tribal way in the 19th century. People used to kick the ball and run. Slowly, they started emphasising the importance of passing, dribbling and defending to develop a well-rounded game. The concepts of formations and tactics came into play.
Coaches started playing around with their lineups and tactics to get the better of their opposition. The game had a huge helping hand from masterminds like Vittorio Pozzo, Nereo Rocco and Johan Cruyff, who revolutionised the game. They kept on changing their tactics to make the game ever interesting. Technology wasn’t an alien to football, as it was welcomed warmly. Digital scoreboards and public announcements became a thing at the stadiums. Radio and TV Broadcasts made the teams global. With further advancements in technology in the early 21st century, two major aspects became a part of football.
The experimental Goal Line technology, which revealed whether all of the ball crossed all of the line was made available in 2012. The revolutionary Video Assistant Referee started in 2018 as it lent a helping hand to the on-field referees. Semi-automated offsides were introduced in 2024 to determine offsides to a millimetre accuracy by using modern technology. Plenty of technological advances, like sports science and psychological technological change,s were implemented behind the scenes to help improve the footballers and teams as well.
Football vs Soccer- The Biggest Myth
Football and soccer are basically the same thing and entirely different things depending on which side of the Atlantic you are on. The term football was coined by English speakers in the British Isles when they first founded the FA in 1863. They referred to it as Association Football when they wrote the laws of the game. The term association was added to differentiate between the different types of football being played in England. Rugby Football was also a popular sport back then. But as time passed, football only referred to the sport we know, and Rugby football became rugby. The word association was dropped in due time as football grew in popularity. This term was popularised, and over 90% of the planet called it football. But it was a different scenario in the United States and Canada.
American football was popular in North America and was popularly known as football over there. It was a sport played with hands and a ball and was governed by the NFL. When association football started spreading across the continent, it needed a new name to keep its identity. British students used to shorten names and words while working. They worked on a short form for association football as well. They coined the term socca in 1889 and finally soccer in 1895. Hence, when the game started crossing the Atlantic, it was widely known as Soccer to avoid confusion with football. The rules are the same in association football and soccer. They are just different in name. So to summarise, 90% of the world calls it football, whereas North Americans call it soccer.
Football Format & Rules
A game of football is usually played by 22 players on the pitch. Each team has 11 players, of which one is a goalkeeper. The other 10 players are known as outfielders and can be positioned in defence, midfield and attack according to the tactical acumen of the coach. The teams are allowed to name nine players on the bench.
Each team can make a total of five substitutions per game. A team’s coaching indicates the fourth official of the player coming in and the player going out during a stoppage in play, allowing the substitution to take place. Once a player leaves the field as a substitute, they can not enter the field again. There are three windows for all 5 subs to take place, excluding the half-time break. In case of a head injury or a concussion, a team is granted an extra sub along with their opponents. The game is usually played for 90 minutes, split into 45-minute halves. The aim of the teams is to outscore the other team to win the contest. The game also ends as a draw if the scoreline remains the same at the end of normal time.
There are some exceptions in knockout games, as a winner must be decided. Extra times and penalty kicks are used to determine the winner in that case. The game is played using a leather ball on the standard-sized pitches approved by FIFA. A referee, along with two linesmen and a fourth official, officiates the game on the pitch. They are assisted by the VAR team sitting in a remote location. These rules have evolved over the years as the game developed into our beautiful game.
Football Formats
Football has taken many forms over the last few centuries. It was loosely played in the streets with various rules of their own, but it was in the late 19th century, a structure to the sport appeared, and from there, many varieties of the sport took off. Apart from the global standard football, there are many varieties such as beach football, futsal (5-a-side indoor football), where the ball is heavier than the usual one. But, in the end, despite having different formats, the essence of each one is the same - put the ball into the back of the net.
Match Structure
A regulation football match is 90 minutes, split into two halves of 45 minutes. There is a 15-minute break between both halves, and sometimes, there is added time in both halves to cover lost time in between the game. The result of the match is decided based on the score after both halves end. However, if it is a knockout tournament, then the rules vary depending on the tournament. Some tournaments add 30 minutes of football, split into two halves of 15 minutes and if the score is still equal, they decide the result of the game via a penalty shoot out, where players from each team take turns to shoot the ball into the net from the penalty spot, with only the goalkeeper blocking the way. In some tournaments, if the score is level after full-time, they go straight to a shootout.
Rules & Regulations
The rules of the sport are set by the International Football Association Board. (IFAB) Some of the key rules of the sport include fouls, where the play stops if you try to win the ball back in a way not listed in the rules. If the extent of your offence is severe, you could get punished with a yellow card, which is a first warning. Repeating such an offence will get you another yellow card, which will turn into a red card, thus ejecting you from the game.
Sometimes, a foul can be committed so badly that one could get a direct red card. Another rule is the offside - a player is deemed offside if they are in an offside position and actively involved in the play by interfering with an opponent or gaining an advantage from their position. Other rules are throw-ins, where the opposing team gets to throw the ball into the field with their hands if the other team kicks it out of play. Similarly, a corner kick is the method of starting the match again when the ball goes out of play over the goal line, with a kick from the corner flag.
Match Field
The size of a football pitch varies from ground to ground. But it is usually rectangular in shape, with a length of 90-120 metres and a width of 45-90 metres. The lines marking the pitch must not exceed 12 centimetres in size. Each league body governs the size of the pitch. Some league grounds are longer and wider than others and will play according to the strengths of their home sides. The grass must be either natural or FIFA-approved artificial turf.
Match Duration
A football match is 90 minutes long. It is divided into two halves of 45 minutes each. These 45 minutes are called normal time, and based on the stoppages in the normal time, the fourth official awards extra time on top of the normal 45, called injury time. Usually, the two halves are separated by a 15-minute halftime breaks.
All the league matches around the world follow this format. It means a draw is also possible in football if there is no winner at the end of 90 minutes of normal time and injury time. If the game remains level in knockout games, an additional period of 30 minutes is played. These 30 minutes are again split into two halves of 15 minutes each. If there is no winner even after 120 minutes, the game goes to penalty shootouts.
Soccer Ball
The ball used in football was made of stuffed items and inflated ones during ancient times. The ball was also made of animal bladders, rubber and leather till the 1850s, as the process was unregulated. The FA stated that only leather must be used for making the ball, as it makes life easier for the players.
The size of a football is roughly 22cm in diameter. It has a circumference of 68-70cm and a weight of 410-450g. The ball should be inflated to a pressure of 0.6-1.1 bars at sea level. This is referred to as the “Size 5” ball and is used in all the official matches all over the world. The sizes differ for training and youth football purposes. Technology plays a crucial role in ball making as well as modern balls come with semiconductor chips that make ball tracking and movement tracking easy.
Rules in Football
Offside is one of the laws in football that distinguishes the sport from others. The law states that a player is in an offside position if any part of their body with which they can score is in the opponent's half of the pitch beyond the ball and the last defender or outfielder. A player in an offside position cannot interfere with the play, as it becomes an offence as soon as they touch the ball. A player in an offside position is expected to gain an advantage by being in that position beyond the defence.
Early mentions of the offside law were in the 1830s when Eton Public School published their journal. The law was revised multiple times, and its interpretations were changed over time. Two linesmen on either side of the pitch always keep track of the last player in defence to draw the offside line visually and make the call. In recent times, with the introduction of the VAR, lines were drawn parallel to the players to judge offside. Recently, semi-automated offside system uses motion sensors to catch players offside with millimetre accuracy.
Penalty Kicks
A penalty kick or a spot kick is an attacking set-piece in football where the player is allowed to take a single shot on goal with only the opposition goalkeeper between them and the goal. It is awarded when an infringement takes place in the penalty area on the attacking side. Various types of fouls, such as handballs, violent conduct, technical fouls or dangerous fouls, can lead to penalty kicks being awarded.
The penalty kick is taken from the penalty spot, which is 11 metres or 12 yards away from the centre of the goal. A penalty is always taken from the penalty spot, regardless of where the foul occurred in the penalty area. Once the kick is awarded, only the taker and the goalkeeper are allowed to stay in the penalty area. The taker is allowed to kick once the referee blows their whistle and must only touch or kick the ball once. The goalkeeper must stay on the line before diving to save it. Penalty shootouts are often the best way to decide the result in a match that ends in a draw, even after the normal and extra time. It is mainly used in knockout tournaments and matches when the teams are inseparable. It takes place in a best-of-five format before going into sudden death once the five kicks of each team are over and the winner isn't determined yet.
Football Player Positions
Football is a team sport which has 11 players on each side. These eleven players are primarily divided into four different roles - goalkeeper, defender, midfielder and forward and based on the preference of the manager, the number of players per role varies, except the goalkeeper, who is always singular. Each player has an individual role that he must stick to and based on the strengths and weaknesses of a player, the manager assigns them to a particular role
Goalkeepers are players who stand in between the sticks of the goal and are responsible to keep the ball from entering the goal. They are the only players who can use their hands whilst playing. Defenders are players who stand in front of the goalkeeper and guard him to make sure that they prevent the ball from entering the goal.
Midfielders connect the defenders to the attackers and are responsible for action on both ends of the football pitch. They are skillful in winning the ball back, circulating it around, controlling the tempo of the game and pushing other players forward. Forwards or attackers are players who are responsible for putting the ball in the back of the net by scoring goals. They try to deceive the opposition players and are known for their ball-hitting ability. There are many formations in this sport and based on the tactic that gets deployed, the roles of each player becomes varied.
Goalkeeper
A goalkeeper is responsible for protecting the goal. He can use his hands to stop the ball and also distribute it to other players. Goalkeepers play a vital role in football, often pulling some spectacular saves and sometimes, they win games on their own, especially during penalty shootouts. In modern football, a goalkeeper is not just supposed to be good with his hands but also should be comfortable with his feet. There are many roles in goalkeepers too like the Sweeper Keeper, who is known to come forward aggressively and “sweep” the dangers away.
Defenders
Defenders are players who are tasked with protecting the goal. There are two subdivisions in this, centre-backs and fullbacks. Centre-backs are players who reside in the centre of the defence, often marking the strikers of the opposition, clearing out dangers and assisting the team during build-up play. Full-backs are players who are on either flank of the pitch, often running up and down the wing to assist attackers ahead and protect the team’s defense by engaging in duels with the wide attackers of the opposition.
Midfielders
Midfielders are often the connectors between the back-line and the forward-line of the team. There are many roles for midfielders and it is one of the most unique positions in football. Defensive midfielders are known to screen the backline, winning the ball from opposition. Box to box midfielders run tirelessly from one box to another, often assisting the players on both ends of the pitch. Attacking midfielders are the creative ones, who create chances for the team and influence the game.
Forwards
Strikers are players who are responsible for scoring and creating goals. They stay in advanced positions and often get into positions to receive the ball and cleverly attempt to score goals from tricky positions. There are many roles for forwards, the central striker stays in the central areas whereas the wide forwards are on the either side of the flank, who either cut inside to score goals on their own or stay wide, provide width and assist the central players to score goals.
Major Football Tournaments
There are many football tournaments that take place around the globe regularly. But, there are only a few competitions that are considered prestigious and are followed by billions of people across the planet. Some of them are the FIFA World Cup, UEFA Champions League, English Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Copa America, UEFA Euro.
Some of the tournaments are round-robin based, like domestic leagues where each team plays with all the other teams twice and after all the rounds are ended, the team that finishes first will be crowned champions. Some of them are direct knockouts, like domestic cups where if you lose, you are knocked out of the tournament. Some of them are hybrid, like the UEFA Champions League, FIFA World Cup, where they have a group stage, followed by the knockouts where the winner progresses to the next round until he remains the only team left.
FIFA World Cup
Organised by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), a global governing body of football, it is seen as the most prestigious competition of the sport as well as the most widely viewed and followed sporting event in the world.
It began in 1930 and has been taking place once every four years. The competition has qualifiers where every country on the planet takes part and in the end only 48 teams are qualified to take part in the tournament. Brazil are the country who won it the most times and Argentina are currently the defending champions, who beat France in 2022. The next World Cup is set to be hosted jointly by the United States of America, Canada and Mexico.
UEFA Champions League
Organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), the UEFA Champions League is the most prestigious competition in club football. It began in 1955 as a direct knockout tournament and slowly started to expand to include more teams, thus becoming a hybrid format consisting both group stages and the knockouts.
While there were 32 teams since the rebranding took place in 1992, the recent edition, where a new update to the tournament was given, had 36 teams. These teams are selected based on the performances in their domestic league and the coefficient of the domestic league. The most successful team in the history of this tournament are Real Madrid, who won the competition a staggering 15 times.
English Premier League
The English Premier League is the top most division in England, which is regarded as the most followed domestic league on the planet. It is the home to some of the historic clubs like Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal etc.
While the top division in England has existed for centuries, it was in 1992 where a rebranding took place, naming it the Premier League. It has 20 teams and each team plays with the other 19 teams twice, home and away. After the 38 gameweeks get concluded, the winner of the league is determined by the most number of points accumulated. The three teams with the least number of points are relegated to the Championship, the second tier of English football. Manchester United are the most successful team in the Premier League era, winning the competition 13 times.
La Liga
La Liga is the top most division in Spain and is the home to some of the most successful clubs in the history of the entire sport like Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Atletico Madrid etc.
The league has 20 teams and each team plays with the other 19 teams twice, home and away. After the 38 gameweeks get concluded, the winner of the league is determined by the most number of points accumulated. The three teams with the least number of points are relegated to the La Liga 2, the second tier of Spanish football.
Serie A
Serie A is the top most division in Italy and is the home to some of the most successful clubs in the history of the entire sport like Juventus, Inter Milan, AC Milan etc. The league has 20 teams and each team plays with the other 19 teams twice, home and away. After the 38 gameweeks get concluded, the winner of the league is determined by the most number of points accumulated. The three teams with the least number of points are relegated to Serie B, the second tier of Italian football.
Copa America
Copa America is the continental tournament hosted by CONMEBOL of South America, where each country in South America takes part to claim the crown of champions of their continent. Sometimes, they invite countries from outside South America to make it competitive. It began in 1916 and is older than the FIFA World Cup. The tournament has a hybrid format where it consists of both group stages and knockout football. Argentina are the most successful team in the tournament, winning the competition 16 times.
UEFA Euro
The UEFA European Football Championship, informally called the Euros, is a tournament conducted by UEFA to determine the best country of Europe. It has an extensive qualification campaign where each country in the continent takes part to get to the final tournament. The Euros have always been expanding to include more teams and it currently has 24 countries taking part in it. The tournament has a hybrid format where it consists of both group stages and knockout football. Spain are the most successful team in the tournament, winning the competition 4 times.
Bundesliga
Bundesliga is the top most division in Germany and is the home to some of the most iconic clubs of the sport like FC Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund etc. The league has 18 teams and each team plays with the other 17 teams twice, home and away. After the 34 gameweeks get concluded, the winner of the league is determined by the most number of points accumulated. The two teams with the least number of points are relegated to the 2. Bundesliga, the second tier of German football and the third lowest team plays in a relegation playoff match with the third highest placed team in 2. Bundesliga. FC Bayern Munich are the most successful team in the country, winning the Bundesliga 32 times.
Most Successful Football Clubs of all Time
Just like every other sport, there are a few select teams who dominate it and hold multiple records. These are the teams who win the championships, play the big games, have the most fans and hold the best players of the sport. They are successful both on and off the pitch, generating millions of dollars in revenue from matchday receipts, endorsements, brands and many more. Some of the successful teams in the sport are Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Liverpool FC, Manchester United, FC Bayern Munich etc.
Real Madrid
Real Madrid are seen as the most successful team in the history of football. Founded in 1902, the club is located in Madrid, Spain. The club has had some historic players like Santiago Bernabeu, Raul, Iker Casillas, Cristiano Ronaldo, who are regarded as icons of the sport. Their trophy cabinet is staggering with silverware, winning the domestic league 36 times and the domestic cup 20 times. Their European exploits are astounding, winning the European Cup a record 15 times, more than any other team on the planet.
Liverpool
One of the most historic teams in England, Liverpool are located in the city of Liverpool. Founded in 1892, it is one of the most supported teams in the world and are regarded as the most successful team in the country alongside Manchester United. The club has been home to some of the most special players such as Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush, Steven Gerrard etc. Liverpool have won the domestic league title a record 20 times and the domestic cup 8 times. They are also the most successful British club in continental football with fourteen trophies, having won the European Cup six times, more than any other side in the country.
Manchester United
One of the most historic teams in England, Manchester United are located in the city of Manchester. Founded in 1902, they are regarded as the most followed team on the planet alongside Real Madrid. The club has been home to some incredible players like Denis Law, Eric Cantona, Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney etc. They are the most successful side domestically, winning 20 league titles, 13 FA Cups and 6 League Cups. Their European record is also impressive as they were the first English side to win the treble in 1999 and won the UEFA Champions League three times.
FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona is regarded as one of the most successful clubs of all-time. Founded in 1899, the Catalonian based club has seen some unprecedented success throughout the years and gave a platform to some special players like Johan Cryuff, Ronaldinho, Andres Iniesta, Lionel Messi etc. They are the most successful football club in Spain, having won a total of 78 domestic titles which includes 27 La Liga and a record 31 Copa del Rey. The club’s continental success is also splendid, winning 5 UEFA Champions Leagues, in which two times, they were part of a treble season.
Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich are a club who are located in Munich, Germany. Founded in 1900, the club is regarded as one of the biggest clubs in the history of the sport. The club has had some historic players like Gerd Muller, Franz Beckenbauer, Oliver Kahn, Manuel Neuer, who are regarded as icons of the sport. Their trophy cabinet is staggering with silverware, winning the domestic league 32 times and the domestic cup 20 times. Their European exploits are also historic, winning the European Cup six times and also completing the sextuple (six trophies in a season) in 2020.
Greatest Football Players of all time
Since football has been introduced as a professional game, it has produced a huge number of legendary players who have set new examples of the beautiful game with their intelligence, talent and charismatic appearances. These great footballers have not only entertained the world with their talent, but also have taken the level of the game to a whole new level with their individual brilliance, records and trophies. Based on these legendary footballers' career achievements like individual trophies like Ballon d'Ors and FIFA Best Player, numbers of goals and assists, World Cups, Euro Championships, Copa Americas and etc, the rankings of the greatest football players are curated.
Football has been immensely influenced by Cristiano Ronaldo's scoring prowess, Lionel Messi's magical displays, Diego Maradona's creative flairs and Pele's unimaginable impact on turf, and this list goes on. In their playing time, these talented stalwarts of the game have left a lasting impact on the game and its fans, setting their own trends in different eras for others to follow. The fans of these legendary footballers engage in fierce debates to establish the superiority of their beloved superstar over other legends. But, the greats of the game have already etched their names in the folklore of football, setting their legacies in epic. Without making much ado, let's talk about these greatest players who have inspired generations of millions of football fans.
Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi is a modern-day great, and many believe that he is the greatest player to have graced the beautiful game of football. The little magician from Argentina is one of the most successful players in the history of club and international football after winning almost every trophy out there with Barcelona and Argentina. In his sixteen-year stint with the Spanish club, Messi has won 10 La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues. In 2021, the Argentine maestro left Barcelona and joined PSG, and currently plays in the Major Soccer League (MLS) for Inter Miami. Messi has set a record of winning the most number of Ballon d'Ors (eight). He has won two Copa America titles with Argentina and led his country to the 2022 FIFA World Cup trophy in Qatar. Widely regarded as a magician, Lionel Messi is known for his exquisite dribbling and passing range.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo, the captain of Portugal national football team, is a serial winner and is probably the most decorated player in club football. Having begun his career with Sporting CP, the football icon has played a crucial role in shaping the history of several clubs like Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus before shifting to Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr. Ronaldo is the highest goal-scorer in the history of football with over 925 goals and has won five Ballon d'Or awards so far. He is also the highest scorer in UEFA Champions League history and has won the European club competition five times. Ronaldo has also won two major international trophies with Portugal - 2016 UEFA Euro Championship and 2019 UEFA Nations League. The Portuguese international has been an epitome of consistency, demonstrating physical strength, aerial dominance and clinical finish in his whole career.
Diego Maradona
Diego Maradona is considered the god of Argentina's football history for his longevity, creativity and skills. The former attacker of Barcelona, Boca Juniors, Napoli and Sevilla led his nation to the famous World Cup triumph in 1986, producing two iconic moments - Goal of the Century and Hand of God. Maradona reached the pinnacle of success in his club career with Napoli by lifting one Super Cup and two Serie A titles. The little magician will always be remembered as a legend for his artistic gameplay and unimaginable goals.
Pele
Pele is the epitome of footballing royalty and excellence. The king of Brazil, known for his agility, speed and flair, was a serial goal-scorer during his time. The legend of Santos Football Club played for New York Cosmos in the twilight of his career and netted over 1000 goals in official and friendly matches in his career. Pele still remains the only footballer to have won three FIFA World Cups (1958, 1962 & 1970) in history. He is the global icon and a true ambassador of football as his name alone has inspired generations after generations to follow the game. Pele died in 2022 at the age of 82, but his aura has made him a timeless entity in the game.
Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane is one of the greatest midfielders in the history of football. The Frenchman brought his own type of elegance to modern-day football. He began his career at Cannes before playing for Bordeaux, Juventus and Real Madrid. Zidane had been immensely successful for France as he led his nation to the 1998 World Cup trophy and the 2000 Euro Championship. He also lifted the 2002 UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid, outlining his success in European football. Known for his technicality, creative flairs, composure and vision, Zidane used to control the tempo of any game in the middle of the park. After retirement, he became a successful manager and led his former club Real Madrid to a record three consecutive Champions League titles.
How in-depth analysis is shaping the future of football?
(In modern times, football has become a data-driven sport and in-depth analysis of the game has changed the process of playing and managing massively. Unlike before, the managers now rely on their technical teams to collect statistics of their teams and opponents like expected goals (xG), passing maps and performance heatmaps to generate new tactics for opponents before games. With the help of this in-depth analysis in football, coaches can now find the spots of weakness and strengths more effectively.
The performance analysis of players helps teams to track the fitness level, movements on the pitch and workload management. This plays a great role in minimising the injury crisis in a team that reflects on their positive gameplay. Nowadays, teams go through video analysis of games to understand the weakness of their players and opponents, which helps them in ensuring rapid improvement in results. Even football clubs monitor the movements of their players through heatmap analysis during the game to find out where the players are failing to perform. Based on that data, coaches bring in substitutes who can offer what their managers demand from them. Introduction of in-depth analysis of football has also seen tactics rapidly taking new shapes in modern days.
One of the key areas in football is its transfer market, and for that scouting is very important. Over the years, due to technology scouting has evolved very much. Teams collect performance data of raw talents and their targets across the leagues around the world to sign them before other teams lure them in. Even the popular Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers also give importance to the stats and global trends to field their teams during every matchweek.
What will you find in our Sportsdunia’s Football Section?
At Sportsdunia, we bring you an ultimate football coverage built for football fans, FPL managers and betting fanatics. The football section of us delivers the pre-match analysis, tactical insights, post-match reactions and other important news. We cover almost all the top football leagues and tournaments in the world like the English Premier League, La Liga, MLS, Saudi Pro League, Serie A, Bundesliga, UEFA Champions League, Europa League and others.
Sportsdunia also offers dedicated content on match previews, match reports, player ratings and breaking news. In addition to that, we also provide you FPL gameweek tips to help the fantasy football fans before they make any decisions in their squad. We also deliver betting tips with informative data before almost every single match. Apart from these, we also provide contents on player biographies, club history and evergreen football stories, highlighting history, rivalries and achievements of clubs and players. If you are an ardent lover of football then Sportsdunia is the perfect spot for you to know everything about the game.
Football Analysis, Lists, and Tactical Breakdowns
At Sportsdunia, our most dedicated section is the football analysis where we deliver the most insightful contents in football. Everything that has happened or is happening in the football world, is brought to you with clarity by us. Before and after games, we write contents breaking down the formations, tactical changes and roles of the players to offer you engaging articles that will help you understand football with enhanced clarity.
There is also a dedicated category in it where we deliver feature stories, ranking the best defenders, midfielders or strikers in the world. Our expert writers and editors pick the best signings of the season and best emerging wonderkids, helping the bettors and fantasy football managers make their moves accordingly.
Football Live Scores and Fixtures
If you are an avid football lover, then never miss a moment with live scores and important football fixtures. At Sportsdunia, we offer you live scores with real-time data and in-game statistics of almost every important football competition in the world. Here, you will find everything you need to know about all domestic and international tournaments. Even you will get important goal alerts from us, getting a chance to live the moment with passion. In the football fixture section, you will also find the dates of all matches of every major league and Competition like Premier League, Champions League, Euro Championship, Saudi Pro League, MLS, FIFA World Cup and many more. Here we also give you previews, team news, player injury news, betting tips and FPL insights.
Latest Football Updates and Trending News
If you want to stay updated with the real-time trending news of football, then Sportsdunia is your go-to destination. Our Football news category offers a diversified platform of team news, player injury reports and transfer news and rumours. Whether an elite footballer will play in an important match or any big changes in clubs, we will get you covered with live news.
We also offer what is happening across social media regarding football. From viral social media memes on players and managers to hot dressing room stories, we bring everything under one roof for fans to know. From deals on transfer deadline days to social media debates, every big headline always features on our platform. We also provide expert opinions on every match, results and every decision that managers make in football. We cover every major news of premier domestic leagues and world tournaments like Premier League, Saudi Pro League, MLS and Champions League, and ensure that you never miss a big headline.
Football Previews and Predictions
At Sportsdunia, we have a dedicated section for football previews and predictions where you can get a full package of detailed analysis with stats and insights. Prior to every matchweek, we bring you team news, match fixtures, head-to-head stats, injury news, predicted line-ups and possible outcomes of the matches. If you want to know about the future of a game backed by data and information, our previews are perfect for you.
Apart from offering previews and predictions of football matches, we also provide detailed betting tips designed by our experts, outlining the possible results, over/under goals, possibility of both teams to score and many more. For Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers, our match preview and prediction includes suggestions for every matchweek, best captain and manager picks to help you gain points.
Football Entertainment
Football is not only limited to news, prediction and analysis as it has also been a place for the lighter side of life where you get to know what happens outside the pitch. Our football entertainment section brings you passionate and unforgettable moments of the game where you can experience everything like memorable goal celebrations, hilarious reactions of players and managers, which make football fun to watch.
Our trivia articles and articles on the lives of players and managers will help you connect with the game more directly. We also write stories that show the emotional and human side of football, different from the hard-core action of the game. If you are in a mood of nostalgia and emotion, then Sportsdunia's Football Entertainment category will offer you a moment of solace where you will get to know about the beautiful game of football excluding its analysis and stats.
Football Player Ratings
At Sportsdunia, we focus on the players' performance in matches seriously, and for that, we offer an in-depth analysis on the player ratings. After the conclusion of every game of every major league, we provide detailed articles on the player ratings that reflect a scale from 1 to 10. Here the main factors that determine the ratings are - rate of successful passes, shots on target, assists and defensive stats. Our experts monitor the performance of the players during live games and how they impact a game with their displays.
These player ratings help the bettors and FPL managers to know the standout performers of a game, which help them to pick the better teams in upcoming fixtures. We cover almost all major leagues including Premier League, La Liga, MLS, Saudi Pro League and Bundesliga, we provide a balanced and data driven ratings of players based on their brilliance on the pitch. If you have missed the live coverage of a game, then you can stay updated with the player ratings of Sportsdunia.
Latest Football Transfer News and Rumours
Transfer news and rumors are the hottest topics in football and here at Sportsdunia, we dedicatedly provide real-time and fact-checked transfer news and rumours. Clubs interested in signing a player, agents tracking raw talents, news of contract renewals, broken deals, done deals, whispers - every story related to the transfer market makes it to the headlines at Sportsdunia. From rumors to major done deals, nothing goes unnoticed here.
We also provide reliable updates on transfer details including transfer fee structure, salary, tenure of contract, add-ons and other perks. We collect information from credible sources active in the football network. Whether it’s a world class player making a surprise move or a club paying millions to sign a high-profile youngster, we make sure that you get to know everything that is going on in the transfer market. If you want to stay in loop during the busy summer, winter and mid-season transfer windows, then Sportsdunia must be your one and only destination.
Football Player Profiles
Football player profiles at Sportsdunia will help you get a detailed look inside the life of footballers beyond their stats and football career. We cover the detailed life story of the elite superstars and rising wonderkids where you will know the struggles they faced during the earlier stage of their career before they made it to the highest level of football and featured in international tournaments.
Each and every article in this section deeply goes through the biographies of the players, their family, wife, parents, career stats, early life, lifestyle, career achievements, transfer history and much more, highlighting the in-depth analysis we make at Sportsdunia. We also provide their current season stats, making it easier for the FPL managers and bettors to understand the potential of the players.
From superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Neymar Jr to the current stalwarts like Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, everyone's life story has been brought to life by us. With us, you just don't know the career of players, you also know their life.
Football Team Profiles
If you are a football fan, then you must also be a fan of a certain club or country. Here at Sportsdunia, you will get to know everything about your beloved football team or club in our football team profiles section. Almost every major club from across all big leagues such as Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, EFL, MLS and Saudi Pro League have been covered by us where you will get to know the compelling story behind the foundation and journey of those clubs.
Each and every team profile will take you to a mesmerising journey, helping you understand the founding story, management, net worth details, legendary players and managers and achievements of the clubs. Our articles also provide in-depth analysis of the formations, tactics, transfer news and vision of the teams.
