Given Brazil’s many footballing embarrassments in recent years, they really, really needed to win their first ever Olympic gold in the sport at the Olympics they are hosting. Neymar was held out of the Copa America Centenario earlier this summer just so he could be fresh for the Olympics and right about now that decision is looking like a good one.
Toulouse fans create Tinder tifo for manager Pascal Dupraz
Toulouse fans have taken a liking to manager Pascal Dupraz and to illustrate this, they created a special Tinder themed Tifo for the Ligue 1 match against Bordeaux that features his image within the app and the words “It’s a match!”
Man climbs tree to watch Stoke-Man City
Premier League tickets aren’t cheap, so when you want to witness Pep Guardiola’s first visit to Stoke, sometimes the best option is to climb a tree. That’s what one man did outside the Bet365 Stadium and his effort was rewarded by two early goals from Kun Aguero to give Man City a 2-0 first-half lead.
The ghost of Bastian Schweinsteiger refuses to leave Old Trafford
One might expect a player who has been frozen out and told to find a new club by his employer would retreat into the shadows of social media, but Bastian Schweinsteiger is doing the exact opposite. And it’s becoming uncomfortable for everyone.
Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic are already football’s greatest comedy duo
WATCH: @paulpogba impersonates @Ibra_official in his interview with @ThierryHenry: https://t.co/AmEPDn0OFk https://t.co/VCVYTg7gCS
— Sky Sports (@SkySports) August 19, 2016
When two superstars with giant personalities are brought together in a new team, there are always concerns about how they will get along both on and off the pitch. Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba have been quick to dispel these concerns at Man United, though. And they’ve already established themselves as football’s greatest comedy team.
Fans should become paid extras in the Premier League televsion show
With the Premier League expanding to Friday nights this season at the behest of Sky Sports and their £4.2 billion investment, further strain is being put on match-going fans in order to cater to the more lucrative home audience.
On the surface, this makes sense as a business decision. Optimizing the Premier League’s product for the TV money hose that’s funding an influx of talent and international business interest is a logical thing to do. But, as the Guardian points out, this addition of Friday fixtures adds to a growing list of challenges for match-going supporters.
Real Madrid president wanders streets offering strangers €200 million for any footballer they might own
Prior to Manchester United paying €105 million for Paul Pogba this month, Real Madrid proudly held the previous five world record transfers. Now desperate to reclaim the record, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has been spotted wandering the streets of major European cities offering random strangers large sums of money in a misguided bid to usurp Man United.
“It was quite strange,” said Daniel Freise of London. “This man I had never seen before came running up to me on my way to work and shouted, ‘I’m Florentino Perez, I’ll give you €200 million for any footballer you have!’ I told him that I don’t have any footballers. I’m an account executive for a kitchenware firm. Then he sighed and went up to someone else and said the same thing. It was unnerving for everyone.”
People in Munich, Paris, Milan, and Barcelona have all reported similar incidents and Real Madrid officials are beginning to worry.
“Mr. Perez disappeared shortly after Man United completed the Pogba signing and no one at the club has heard from him since,” said Real Madrid spokeswoman Mariana Silva. “We tried to reassure him that we would reclaim the world transfer record soon, but he began to hyperventilate and threw money around the office. Then he was gone. Mr. Perez, if you see this, please come back. Everyone is worried about you.”
Blond Messi wins first trophy
Proving that his terrible hair choices have not impacted his ability on the pitch, Blond Messi helped Barcelona win the Spanish Super Cup over Sevilla on a 5-0 aggregate score.
DT Exclusive: Jose Mourinho’s advice for Mario Balotelli
Jose Mourinho has reportedly met with Mario Balotelli in order to help the 26-year-old striker find a new club (that isn’t Man United). Mourinho coached the unwanted Liverpool playing during his initial rise at Inter and though the two butted heads during their time together, an affinity for each other has endured. The following is a transcript of their conversation.
Joe Hart hoping to shout in Etihad tunnel one last time before leaving Man City
Joe Hart is reportedly being forced out of Manchester City by new manager Pep Guardiola after 10 years with the club, but before he goes, the goalkeeper has a final wish he would like to have fulfilled.
“Most players would like to have a testimonial in their honor when they leave a club after this many years,” an emotional Hart told reporters. “But all I would want is to gather my teammates in the tunnel at the Etihad and shout inspirational sentence fragments at them.”
Hart has been a vocal leader for Man City, helping them to two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, and three League Cups while also winning the Premier League golden glove in four of the last six seasons.
“The thought of never again screaming the words ‘ALRIGHT BOYS — AGGRESSIVE!’ or ‘COME ON MANGA AND AGAIN MANGA AND AGAIN!’ in that tunnel even though my teammates are standing close enough to not require speaking that loudly, I…I just…I’m sorry,” Hart said before noisily weeping.
It remains unclear where Hart might end up, but any potential transfer could be complicated by interested clubs needing time to soundproof their home dressing room before his arrival.
“ORGANIZE THESE TEARS, JOE! ORGANIZE THESE TEARS!” he said to himself as journalists moved away from him.
Hart’s wailing set off the fire alarms at Man City’s training complex, but the Greater Manchester Fire Service was quick to respond.