Amazing

Nothing says Christmas like an awkwardly animated claymation holiday story. While Season 2 of “Ted Lasso” gave us the series’ first Christmas episode, the creators of the beloved comedy surprised fans with a one-off Ted Lasso Christmas episode this week.

Love him, hate him or simply appreciate the dazzling array of skills and laugh at the ability to turn into Simone Biles on the floor, Neymar is one of only a handful of footballers that completely captivate when taking the pitch. Of course there's also the lifestyle off it: the numerous love interests, the Gatsby-esque parties fueled by an annual income of $95 million, the ever-present entourage and everything he means to a football-mad country like Brazil.

There are few power couples in sports more accomplished than Pernille Harder and Magdalena Eriksson. There’s Megan and Sue and Mia and Nomar, and after that it’s pretty debatable (sorry Mal and Dansby, you’ve got some catching up to do).

Anyone who came of age in the 80s and 90s knows the name: Gheorghe Hagi. Nicknamed “Maradona of the Carpathians,” the Romanian icon was good enough to play for both Real Madrid and Barcelona while retiring as his country’s all-time leading goal scorer. His son has been on the soccer radar since joining Fiorentina at the age of 17, and on Friday the Ianis Hagi goal vs Germany showed this youngster has a touch of his father’s abilities in him.

More famous than our smartest minds, richer than our most corrupt politicians, footballers are the pinnacle of cultural relevance in today’s society, especially in Europe. All the best footballers have, at one time or another, been paid to appear in an advertisement to promote a product. So what is the best soccer commercial of all time? I submit for your viewing pleasure, Peter Schmeichel’s bacon promo.