the football pink
Calling Mr. Vain: In Search of the Ultimate Spice Boy
In the mid to late nineties, English football was awash with new money, and the ‘Spice Boys’ stereotype was born. Here, we go in search of the Liverpool star who most epitomised this phenomenon.
Robert Prosinecki and the Improbable Portsmouth Years
Robert Prosinečki was so talented that the Championship was simply child's play to him. It is a wonder how this mercurial, overweight, cigarette-puffing 32-year-old even wound up on the south coast – but Fratton Park was a richer place for it.
Soccer On Iceland's Volcanic Island Of Heimaey
It's easy to see why David James was sold on the idea of coming to finish his career on this picturesque island.
Soccer on Iceland's Volcanic Island of Heimaey
The island town of Heimaey is home to Icelandic top-tier side IBV Vestmannaeyjar, a club that feels a world away from the bright lights of England's Premier League. It's this sense of seclusion that lends the team its unique charm.
Ali Al-Habsi: The Desert Fireman
The first footballer of Gulf Arab origin to play in the Premier League, Ali Al-Habsi is an icon to many. Against all odds, the former fireman has made a legacy for himself on English shores.
How Liverpool Reject Gabriel Paletta Became AC Milan's Working-Class Hero
Though he never fulfilled his potential at Liverpool, Gabriel Paletta has made a fine career for himself elsewhere. Amongst his fellow Italo-Argentinos, he is a symbol of working-class perseverance.
The Myth and Magic of Jose Leandro Andrade, Soccer's First Black Icon
At times, the story of Jose Leandro Andrade sounds semi-fictional – and aspects of it probably are. But, rather than diminish his incredible legacy, this uncertainty strengthens the intrigue surrounding one of football's first truly global icons.
Javier Zanetti, Inter Milan and The Rebel Football Match That Never Took Place
Considering his background, Javier Zanetti’s affinity with the impoverished people of Mexico was unsurprising. So he forged a bond with the Zapatista rebel movement, and Inter Milan followed his lead.
Total Footballer, Total Rebel: Johan Cruyff and The Resurgence of Catalonian Pride
Several months on from the passing of one of the game's greatest icons, Shirsho Dasgupta examines how Johan Cruyff's upbringing in sixties Amsterdam prepared him for hero status among the Catalan people.
Whisper it Softly, But Are Leeds United on the Way Back?
While it's not nearly time for Leeds fans to start thinking about promotion parties, the vast improvement in the team's form under Garry Monk cannot go unmentioned. Could the Yorkshire side finally be headed back to the Premier League?