Since the advent of the sport in the 1800s, England and football have been intrinsically linked. This bond started with schoolboys on muddy fields, with the objective to get the ball from one end of the field to the other by any means necessary — no rules, no limit on numbers, only brute force.

Football has now evolved into an organized game; manicured, well-lined pitches, tidy uniforms, and 11 players on each side. Kicking the opponent was outlawed and shinguards were installed should a stray boot make contact with the tibia.

Few footballers captivate the planet like Phil Jones.

It all began back in 2013, when, at the age of 21 and having recently arrived from Blackburn, Sir Alex Ferguson said that Jones had the potential to become the greatest player in Manchester United's history, and it continued over the years as the defender smashed his face into every orifice in which a face does not belong.

LONDON - Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku was left out of the squad to face Liverpool at home on Sunday after saying he was dissatisfied with his role at Stamford Bridge.

The 28-year-old, who signed from Inter Milan in the close season for a club-record $132 million, told Sky Italy recently that he was unhappy with manager Thomas Tuchel's system. Lukaku also said he would like to return to Italy at some point in his career.

Asked about the Belgian international's comments ahead of the Liverpool game, Tuchel said they were "not helpful."

While not quite as bad as 2020, 2021 was not exactly a great year. The Covid-19 pandemic still rages, providing daily disruptions to our lives, politics remained fucked as ever, preventing any real progress on issues of climate change or equity, and my favorite soccer teams all still suck. But an Instagram post featuring Christen Press and Tobin Heath may have just made the entire year worth it.

If the EFL Championship last year was a volcanic explosion, then this year is the spreading and settling of the lava flows.

No team this year will approach the 97 points earned by Norwich or the 91-point total of Watford last year. In fact, Brentford's 87-point, third-place finish from a year ago could be enough to win the league this year.

A controversial Harry Kane VAR decision in Tottenham’s 1-1 draw with Southampton on Tuesday has social media bickering. Kane thought he had scored Spurs’ go-ahead goal in the 53rd minute but was denied after a razor-thin offside call from the video official.

You’re the video referee and you’ve been notified to review the play. The center referee awaits your decision on if the goal should stand or not.

What do you say?

One year ago, Daryl Dike was just another young American striker showing promise in MLS. Then a surprise last-minute loan ended Dike's off-season and sent him across the pond to EFL Championship side Barnsley.

Dike took to the English second tier as a Minnesota ice-fisherman takes to a frozen lake.