We all love goals. We love them so much that FIFA created an award – The Puskás – to celebrate and crown the best of all, season after season.
But, hey! Breaking news: scoring goals is not the only thing you need to beat an opponent. There are other elements of the game that are crucial, can be even beautiful and surely can be award-worthy, too.
Like a sublime goalkeeper save.
Cobresal goalkeeper Leandro Requena is over the moon not only because he scored a rare coast-to-coast goal against Chilean giants Colo Colo in a 3-1 win last Saturday, but also because his feat might have broken the record for the longest goal ever scored in professional soccer.
The funny thing is he wasn't even trying.
If you think Emiliano Martinez is the most despicable goalkeeper out there, just wait to meet Zsombor Senkó, the man between the sticks for Hungarian second-division side DVTK. He's being rightly booed worldwide after denying a goal and crushing the dreams of a seven-year-old boy on his birthday!
Boooo! And another boooo!
Stoppage time in soccer is getting out of control. At the World Cup in Qatar, we saw how the customary three to five added minutes went right to the 10+ zone, while FIFA — through the International Football Association Board (IFAB) — recently suggested leagues worldwide follow suit as a way to "increase the net playing time and reduce time-wasting."
Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr beat Abha 3-1 in the King's Cup on Tuesday but it was a disappointing night for the Portuguese forward, who failed to score, received a yellow card and was substituted for the first time since his move to Saudi Arabia.
Ronaldo failed to score for the third consecutive game and is yet to open his account at Al-Nassr stadium.
El AEK Atenas de Orbelín Pineda se jugaba un partido crucial de la liga griega, al recibir este domingo al Olympiacos. Los blanquiamarillos entraban al campo del Opap Arena con la idea de mantenerse como líderes del torneo, defendiendo el punto de ventaja que tenían sobre el Panathinaikos.
Sin embargo, el equipo del mexicano no terminó por aparecer. La Union terminó siendo derrotada por los rojiblancos, perdiendo y cediendo el liderato de la Superliga de Grecia.
This summer, Minnesota is bringing together six different clubs from four different leagues to determine which shines brightest in the North Star State. Although in its inaugural infancy, this is a great concept that'll only get better with time — other states should follow suit.
There are and have been different variations of Minnesota's Super Cup, but this competition promises head-to-head action with a tournament structure similar to the World Cup.
El Real Oviedo Femenino no pierde las esperanzas de evitar el descenso en la Primera Federación (segunda categoría de España) y menos luego de la tónica remontada que lograron ante el CD Juan Grande, en la cual la mexicana Tatiana Flores resultó siendo fundamental, luego de convertir su primer gol como futbolista profesional.
Flores, seleccionada Sub-20 del Tri y actualmente a préstamo en el Oviedo desde las academias del Chelsea, ingresó de cambio en la segunda parte y le bastaron cinco minutos para demostrar que su oportunismo puede ser vital en el objetivo de la salvación.
For the game's great distributors of the ball, there's unfortunately no assist equivalent of the Puskás Award. But maybe we'd do well to highlight the year's best assist with the Pelé-to-Carlos Alberto Memorial Trophy or something. Basically I just think that Giannis Konstantelias needs some form of recognition for what he accomplished in PAOK Thessaloniki's recent Super League victory over AEK Athens.
Czech Republic international Jakub Jankto announced on Monday that he is gay, saying he wants to live his life “in freedom.”
Jankto, who plays for Sparta Prague on loan from LaLiga side Getafe, made his international debut in 2017.
The 27-year-old, who has 45 caps, is the highest profile current male footballer to publicly come out as gay.