Liverpool vs Borussia Dortmund - What Just happened?

European nights at Anfield are some of the greatest moment in the history of Liverpool Football Club. The late Steven Gerrard strike against Olympiacos which kept the reds on the way to Istanbul, Luis Garcia's 'ghost goal' against Chelsea in the Semi - Finals of the same competition, Emile Heskey's bullet header against Roma in 2002 to secure the 2-0 needed to see his side through to the next round. Steven Gerrard keeping his cool to slot in a late penalty against Arsenal in the 2008 Champions League Quarter Finals, followed by a late Ryan Babel goal to seal the game, rolling over the most successful side in the elite European competition, Real Madrid, 4-0 in 2009. You can go as far back as 1977, where a win against Saint Etienne kept Liverpool on the road to their first European Cup, but last night another famous European night was written into the record books. 

In recent years the UEFA Europa league has been seen as a competition to avoid, it simply doesn't have the same attraction of its older brother, the UEFA Champions League. However, this season the Europa League has undergone a resurrection! With sides such as Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund, Seville and of course Liverpool in the knock out stages, the draw of the competition for the fans was par with the Champions league. The first competitive European meeting between two of footballs biggest clubs, in rivals Liverpool and Manchester United the tournament was creating history! A 3-1 aggregate win for the Merseyside club saw Liverpool progress, and another dream game was thrown up for the Quarter Finals with German side Borussia Dortmund, who had easily dispatched of Spurs in the round of 16, being drawn to face Liverpool. Not only was it a meeting of two of Europe's biggest sides, but the newest Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was set to take on the club he managed to consecutive Bundesliga titles and a Champions League final! 

Dortmund where seen as the favorites to win the competition, so inevitably they came into the first leg at the famous Signal Iduna Park as favorites. So when Belgian striker Divock Origi scored the opener, the under dogs had a unexpected advantage. Mats Hummels bullet header in the second half tied the first leg up and thats how it finished, 1-1, Liverpool would take an away goal advantage back to Anfield, but that is where things got... unbelievable! 

In Germany, Liverpool's center back pairing of Mamadou Sahko and Dejan Lovren had managed to keep Dortmund's attack under wraps, but within 10 minutes of last nights game they showed their class, with a fifth minute goal from Henrikh Mkhitaryan silencing the Kop, and a ninth minute goal from Pierre- Emerick Aubameyang wipping out all of the good work done in the first leg by Klopp's side. Liverpool tried to fight back but the attacking power of the German's was just too much, and Marco Reus was running rampant, nearly creating a third goal just past the half hour. As the half time whistle went, Dortmund looked like they could have gone on to score more in the second half, Jurgen Klopp had the task of his career to motivate his side at half time And he did just that. The German manager has confirmed he used perhaps the greatest night in Liverpool's history to motivate his team, reminding them about Istanbul and that Liverpool never give up! 

It appeared to have worked, when it took just two minutes of the second half for Divock Origi to continue his current vain of form and get Liverpool back into the game. But it appeared to all be in vain when Marco Reus again showed his class, scoring the away sides third goal just before the hour mark, seemingly ending the tie with Liverpool needing three goals in thirty minutes. But who do Liverpool turn to in times of need, well it was Steven Gerrard, but now its the new fans favorite, the 'little magician' as he has been dubbed by the fans, Philippe Coutinho. The Brazilian hit a majestic curling effort which beat the keeper and flew into the bottom corner. There's one.

Dortmund still looked capable of scoring any time, but Liverpool looked revitalized and they started to pile on the pressure. Frustration grew around Anfield when two corners where wasted within a few minutes of each other and when another was won in the 77th minute the fans weren't happy when Coutinho's corner didn't beat the near post. But this time it didn't matter! Daniel Sturridge charged towards the ball, and despite failing to make contact the ball traveled into the middle of the box where French center back Mamadou Sahko was waiting to knock the ball in, 3-3 on the night, Dortmund where still going through on away goals, but Liverpool only needed one more! 

With 10 minutes plus added time left Liverpool where throwing everything they had into Dortmund's box, but the Germans managed to deal with it well. As the clock ticked on Liverpool became more desperate and passes where wasted. As the clock reached 90 minutes and 4 minutes added time where announced, Liverpool won a free kick just inside Dortmund's half. Liverpool unexpectedly played the ball to the edge of the box, where Sturridge collected the ball, he managed to hold it up and play a brilliant pass through the defenders legs to the overlapping James Milner who had continued his run from the free kick. Milner then went on to lift the ball to the back post, as the clock ticked on, this was the best chance the reds would have to score the decisive goal. And thats when, the man whos missed penalty saw Liverpool fall out of the Europa League last season, Dejan Lovren climed highest and with a bullet header, scored Liverpool's fourth and for the first time on the night, gave Liverpool the lead! 5-4 on aggregate, 3 minutes to go, Liverpool had done it! 

A late free kick flashed just past Liverpool's post and then the final whistle went, Liverpool had came back from the dead to pull off another European miracle, they where going through! 

With Dortmund out Liverpool are now the bookies favorites to win the competition and they have been drawn against Spanish side Villarreal for the semi finals, with the second leg once again being under the lights at Anfield. Once again this tournament has created history as these sides will meet in a competitive fixture for the first time in history. With the new rule being implemented recently stating that the Eurpoa League winners earning qualification to the Champions League for next season, we could see the five time European Cup winners in Europe's elite competition next season for only the second time in five years. Under Jurgen Klopp, could we be seeing the rebirth of a sleeping European giant! 

The World's Richest 'Guests' - Can Manchester City win England's first Champions League in 4 Years?

Thanks to Kevin de Bruyne's late strike against PSG in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter final, Manchester City have progressed to the semi finals for the first time in the history of the club. After a 2-2 draw in the first leg in Paris, the two away goals gave Manchester City a great opportunity to progress past the French champions. The Manchester club faithful had the England number one Joe Hart to thank for producing some incredible saves throughout the game, namely keeping out a thunderous Zlatan Ibrahimovic free kick. The luck appeared to be against City however when top goal scorer and one of the world's top strikers Sergio Aguero missed from the spot in the first half. But with fifthteen minute left on the clock, the Belgian de Bruyne scored the goal which would secure the progression to the last four, with Manchester City's only shot on target over the 90 minutes of football at the Etihad! Paris Saint Germain coach and former French center back Laurent Blanc came out after the game and congratulated Manchester City for becoming the 'guests in the semi final draw' alongside Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich. Now although the holders Barcelona and five time winners Bayern are yet to guarantee their progression to the semi final, with both teams playing their quarter final second legs tonight! The final four in Europe's elite competition has been subject to very little change in the last 5 years, with 2014 being the only year since 2011 where either Real Madrid, Bayern Munich or Barcelona did not appear in the bracket for the semi final. In 2012 the eventual winners Chelsea joined the elite group, only to fall in the group stages in the next season. In 2013, Borussia Dortmund progressed all the way to the final, knocking out Real Madrid in the semi finals! However they fell to fellow Germans Bayern Munich in the final. During the 2014 season, Athletico Madird knocked out Barcelona on their road to the final, to be toppled by cross town rivals Real Madrid late on. And finally, Italian giants Juventus progressed to the final last year after knocking off Real Madrid in the semi Finals, however they couldn't handle the 'MSN' strike force of the Catalan giants and they lost 3-1 in Berlin. History is not on the side of Manchester City, with the big guns of European football dominating the champions league in recent years, but can Manuel Pellegrini's side bring the giant trophy back to England for the first time in four years?

Well when you look at the Manchester City side, in terms of star power, they aren't too out gunned by the sides they'll have to beat if they wish to win their first Champions League. With the likes of Yaya Toure, who can be unplayable on his day! Vincent Kompany, a man who's importance to the City team is so evident by defensive performances when he is absent costing his side. David Silva, a player who is no doubt one of the most gifted play makers on the planet. But with a very impressive record of 96 goals in only 127 league starts, the Argentine front man Sergio Aguero may be the key to City's victory! Despite missing a fair period of the last couple of seasons with injury, his goal scoring rate has not diminished, and despite missing a penalty in the win over PSG 'Kun' could go toe to toe with any player the other three semi finalists have to offer. Manchester City's number 10 has certainly got the pedigree to perform against the biggest sides, with a hat-trick against Bayern Munich last season for City and goals against Real Madrid and Barcelona in his Atletico Madrid days there is no doubt he is the man to watch out for.

Sergio Aguero will certainly have the chances to make an impact, especially playing along side club record signing Kevin de Bruyne. The Belgian has made a huge splash since returning to the Barclays Premier league and has been one of the stand out performers for City this season. Now while Aguero is Manchester City's top goal scorer, when it comes to having a hand in the goal, the £55million man is neck and neck with his Argentine team mate, with de Bruyne being involved in 27 goals this term in all competitions (15 goals and 12 assists) a figure level with that of 'Kun' Aguero. Now the Belgian has been the subject of plenty of ridicule during his career, and he was written off by many after his move to Werder Bremen was made official in 2014 but he proved himself to be every bit the player he was rumored to be and in just over a years time, he had returned to England and he hasn't looked back. The incredible talent of the young midfielder could have a big impact on Manchester City's dreams!

If the remaining fixtures in the Quarter finals go as expected it is no doubt that Manchester City will be the underdogs to reach the finals and then to win it. However their potential opponents aren't invincible! A Cristiano Ronalso inspired Real Madrid progressed past Wolfsberg last night, but a 2-0 defeat in the first leg shows if a team comes at Madird, they really can be made to look poor at the back! Despite eventually rolling over Juventus 4-2 in the second leg of their round of 16 tie, Bayern Munich appeared to be asleep at the start of the game, going 2-0 down to the Italian side, and if Juventus had shown some more 'Italian like' defending, they would have knocked the German's out! Those crazy minutes against Juventus show Manchester City that when Bayern Munich aren't at 100% they can be made to look vulnerable. Now the holders Barcelona are the closest you can get to a perfect side right now. At the start of April the Catalan giants where 39 games unbeaten! However, they have followed that historic run by losing two games in a row in the league. If there's ever a chance for Manchester City to turn over Barcelona and their unstoppable front three of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar, this is that time!

But if i'm realistic for one moment, Manchester City would need a miracle to walk away from Milan in May with the famous trophy! No matter how many points I, or anyone else make about City's chances, you can make so many more saying their going to lose their semi-final 6-0 and get dumped out of Europe! Between Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich the most elite trophy in European football has been lifted 20 times, making them three of the four most successful teams in the competitions history (Only A.C Milan winning more then Bayern and Barcelona with 7). These sides have all the history and pedigree to back up either of them securing yet another title and in all likelihood one of them will win in Milan. However it's been done before and who's the say Manchester City wont upset the odds and turn over the biggest sides in Europe and, much like Chelsea in 2012, shock the world by winning their first Champions League title!

The Not So Special One - What Caused The Fall Of Portugal's Favourite Son?

"Please don't call me arrogant, but I'm European champion and I think I'm a special one." During his first interview with the English media, Jose Mourinho went from a newly established young Portuguese man looking to cement his legacy, to a must see commodity of the English game. When Jose, who still to this day is dubbed as the special one, won the Champions League with FC Porto, he caught the eye of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, which led to Mourinho being appointed by the Russian as the new manager of London club Chelsea in 2004. What followed was Chelsea’s first league title in fifty years, capped off with records for the least goal conceded in history for the English top flight and the most points ever recorded in a thirty eight game season. When you pair these records with a Carling Cup victory and an impressive run in the UEFA Champions League, the football fans of England and around the world, where instantly in awe of the special one. His tenure at Chelsea lasted until 2007 when he departed the club, under mutual consent with the owner. 

However this did not harm his stance as perhaps the best manager in the world and before long was the new boss of Italian giants Inter Milan. Here he continued his eye catching personality, in Italian! Speaking the language fluently in his first interview, claiming to have learnt it in less than three weeks. It was acts like this which kept the world media attracted, and it didn’t take long for the Italians to fall for Jose just as the English media had in the years prior. By the end of 2010 Jose had won all there was to with the Italians, securing a historic treble in his final game! His players had truly came to love their boss, with long standing Inter defender Marco Materazzi sobbing on camera when told of Mourinho’s departure to perhaps the biggest club side in the world. Real Madrid.

Real Madrid, Los Blancos, the galacticos, the team from the Spanish capital are perhaps the biggest in the world, but over the years there is one position where they have struggled to fill with a name deserving of the title, the manager of Real Madrid. During his first season at the Santiago Bernebeau (Real Madrid’s home stadium) Jose led his new side to a points record for the club, however despite this he could only manage his side to second place, with Catalan giants Barcelona winning the Spanish Premier Division title. For the first time in his career, the media did not instantly swoon to the special one upon his arrival in Spain, and instead they questioned his methods. However those methods next season led to Los Blancos secured the league title, finishing 9 points clear of last season’s winners Barcelona. This results led to the Madrid players actually bowing to Jose in the celebrations, showing just how strong Jose’s bond is with his players! Just as much as a group of his players adored him, the media in Spain came to hate the Portuguese manager. In the following season, the relationship between Jose and his captain Iker Casillas soured, which caused major backlash in the media.  "I am loved by some clubs, especially one. In Spain it is different; some people hate me, many of you in this (press) room." This quote was not long before Mourinho said how this season, which turned out to be his last with the club, was the worst of his career!

In the summer of 2013, Mourinho returned to Chelsea, the move the world of football had been expecting since his departure 6 years prior.  He returned to where he was adored by both the fans and the media, and all of the controversial language he had used in his first tenor came with him upon his return to the Premier League.  In his first season back in London, he moulded the current team into one which appeared to be as will to play for him as any before, and by the end of his second year back, his Chelsea team had effectively walked to the title, losing only three games all season and winning manager of the year in the process. Mourinho was as indestructible as ever, which is why what happened next makes no sense.

Just seven months after Chelsea secured the title in impressive fashion, they were placed 16^th and in the midst of a potential relegation battle! This incredible decline lead to Jose Mourinho being released from his contract, the question is what caused this?

Many miniature incidents during the beginning of their season could be the fault of Chelsea’s downfall, the poor form of star men Eden Hazard, Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas? The spine of José’s title winning team looked a shadow of their former selves. The Portuguese manager has always been controversial but the many derogatory comments made about FA representatives during his final season point to a man under pressure, and lacking support. This backlash from the English media can be pointed to something other than Chelsea’s form. The handling of Eva Carnerio, the former Chelsea physio who has since been fired.  Carnerio rushed onto the pitch during the first game of Jose’s final season at Chelsea to attend to an injury for Eden Hazard after twice being summoned by the referee. Mourinho slammed her actions as unprofessional and banned her from the dugout for the remainder of his tenor as manager.

The actions of the manager appeared to be the actions of a man trying to make an example, and this opinion of his actions where broadcast in the media, meaning for the first time since his first interview in England, Jose did not have the backing of the media.  The backlash was extraordinary and even the players, who has spent the last 24 months falling in love with their boss, had appeared to turn their back on his.  This lead to a side of Mourinho we haven’t seen before in England, a nervous, under pressure man trying to shift the attention from himself. This side of Mourinho drove his players further away from him and before long they players did not appear to want to play for the man. A combination of a barrage from the media and his own players turning a cold shoulder led to Mourinho losing his job in December of 2015.

 If you ask me, it wasn’t Chelsea’s form which led to the changing attitude of the special one. It was the changing attitude of Mourinho, the insistence on shifting the blame, the determination to make himself seem indestructible which eventually led to his destruction and to Chelsea’s incredible fall from grace. 

Chinese Super league - What Just Happened?

It's been threatening to for a while, but it appears the Chinese Super league is finally making its claim to become a new power house of world football. As another rather uneventful January transfer window in England has drawn to a close, the window in China is still open, and the incredible list of player who have taken the journey to China is continuing to grow. After Didier Drogba signed for Shanghai Shenhua in 2012, the Chinese league appeared to calm down for a period, with only a few top name players moving to the country, and much like the MLS, these players where heading towards the back end on their career, which makes this January's transfer spectacular even more incredible!

With still two weeks to go in their winter transfer window, the top tier of Chinese football has seen a staggering £105,445,598.18 spend on incoming players so far, comfortably topping the English Premier Leagues spending for this window and making it the highest spending league in the world for the winter window. As well as this, four of the top five spending individual clubs in this window have been Chinese, with only Norwich City bucking the trend. Now, we have seen obscure leagues spend incredible money on a lot of big name players in the past, the most recent examples being the MLS, bringing in the likes of Kaka, David Villa, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Andrea Pirlo all in a short space of time, the reason why this Chinese spending spree is so different and is making the whole football world take note is that, these players are not only big names, but still in the prime of their career and could force their way into some of the top teams in world football. Former Arsenal winger Gervinho made the jump this window, as did Colombian midfielder Fredy Guarin and the ever present, now former Chelsea deep lying midfielder Ramires. However, the two biggest deal of the window both broke the record transfer fee for Chinese football, and both 100% made the world of football stand back and watch, especially those in England!

The 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil saw a lot of players showcase their talents on the biggest stage of them all, and one striker who certainly took advantage of this was Jackson Martinez, despite stiff competition from team mates restricting his time on the pitch, when he started the group game against Japan, Martinez scored a very impressive brace, and showed the world what he could do! Alongside an incredible goal scoring record of 67 goal in 89 games for FC Porto in Portugal, in the summer of 2015 Jackson made a 35 million Euro move to Atletico Madrid, turning down long term suitors Arsenal in the process. Martinez has been on the radar for the London based club for quite a while, so when things failed to click at Atletico for Jackson, it was widely rumored that Arsenal would make another attempt to sign the front man. However, almost out of no where, 3rd February 2016 saw a Asian transfer record fee of 42 Million Euros agreed to bring Jackson to Chinese Super League side Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao. This deal shook the world of football, seeing such a big name, coming from one of the worlds elite in Athletico, moving to China, however this wasn't the biggest deal of the window. 

Liverpool Football Club, the five time champions of Europe, 18 times champions of England, one of the world recognised super powers of the beautiful game, so who'd of thought they'd ever lose out in signing their number one target to a side from China? Well that's what happened. Brazilian attacking midfielder Alex Teixeria has spend the last few seasons letting the world of football know about his ability! With 46 goals in 62 games over the last two season for Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine, it appeared the Brazilian was to follow in the footsteps of fellow former Shakhtar stars such as Douglas Costa, Willian and Fernandiniho to make a big money move away from the club. When Liverpool approached the Donetsk based side about signing Teixeira in January of this year, they where turned down, and told they would have to offer upwards of 50 Million Euros to sign the Brazilian, despite trying to lower the price for most on the month, the English transfer window closed with the deal dead in the water. Alex Teixeira came out and said he wished for the deal to go threw to increase his chances of representing his national team. When the deal didn't happen, it appeared as if Teixeira was very disappointing with this decision and his comments hinted at a move to the club the following summer. However, no more then three days later, the 50 Million Euro price tag set on the Brazilian by Shakhtar had been met, not by Liverpool, but by Jiangsu Suning for a record Chinese transfer fee, meaning the record fee had been broken twice in two days! This deal ran riot in the English media, and made many people who has tried to ignore the Chinese Super League's spending stand up and take notice! A player with such high potential, has moved to the league, after failing to secure a deal to a traditional giant of the game! 

The back to back record transfers saw the Chinese Super League burst into the spot light, with many people questioning how and why this had happened! And then, days later it was revealed that Chelsea had declined a 60 Million Euro bid for Brazilian midfielder Oscar, which would have made him the third most expensive transfer in English football history (After Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid, and Fernando Torres to Chelsea). When this offer came to light, you certainly have to wonder what has caused this sudden influx of talent and this, almost obsession with the game which hasn't been seen before from the Chinese league. Chinese president Xi Jinping announced a goal to create a domestic sport economy worth $850bn by 2025. At the heart of this goal and the accompanying plan is the aim of hosting and winning the World Cup. The influx of money being pumped into Chinese football is of course going to attract many players to get involved in this country wide push, as well as top players coming to China, former England and Manchester City boss Sven Goran-Eriksson, and World Cup winning manager Luiz Felipe Scolari have started managing in the top tier of Chinese football. The increase in both playing and managing staff will see the standard of the league grow drastically, now the overall goal of the Chinese national side winning the World Cup may be very, very, very far in the future but the increase in talent in their top flight can only lead to good things for Chinese football. 


Well the Leicester City owner said he would invest to ensure a top five finish for the foxes, and now they're six points clear at the top of the table, so you never know, in 2026 we may be seeing China win their first ever World Cup! 

The next generation - Which teenage stars will set the world alight.

Lionel Messi replaced Ronaldinho. Cristiano Ronaldo replaced Luis Figo. Garath Bale replaced Ryan Giggs. Neymar replaced Ronaldo. Paul Pogba replaced Patrick Viera. Manuel Neuer replaced Oliver Kahn. Over the last decade we have seen some of the world best players hang up their boots, and standing in wait was the next batch of players ready to set the world of football alight! Whether the batch of talent showed promise from a young age, or worked harder then everyone in the club day in day out, the current crop of world beaters could compete with any that has graced a football pitch. No one thought Barcelona could follow Ronaldinho's success, and then a young Argentine forward came and revolutionized modern football. No one though Portugal would ever produce a better player the Figo, and the Cristiano Ronaldo followed in his footsteps and because one of the greatest players of this generation, surpassing Figo and inheriting the captains armband and the iconic number seven shirt. Ryan Giggs looked to be a once in a lifetime player produced on the British Isles, then Garath Bale showed the world what he could do before a world record transfer to the Santiago Bernabeu. When a top player passes their prime there is always a young talent itching to call themselves the best, but the question is. Who's next?

One of the most talked about talents in world football now is Martin Ødegaard, so it only seems fitting to start with him. In January of 2015 the Norwegian international signed for Real Madrid, less than a month after his SIXTEENTH BIRTHDAY! Yes, this wonder kid is 17, turning 17 on the 17th December last year. At the age of 15 Ødegaard made his international debut, becoming the youngest player to play for Norway at senior level, at 15 years and 253 days. This is just one of the incredible records the youngster set before his move to Madrid. Martin became both the youngest player ever to feature in the Tippeligaen, the Norwegian top tier, and then just over a month later became the youngest goal scorer in the leagues history. These remarkable accomplishments have lead to the young midfielder attracting the interest of some of Europe's top teams, which lead to Ødegaard training with Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Manchester United and the Norwegian also visited Arsenal, this was all before he eventually signed with Los Blancos. Upon arrival the 16 year old was moved into the second team, managed by Zinadine Zidane, to continue his development by gaining more game time. However Ødegaard trained with the first team, and top stars such as Ronaldo and Bale have commented on how impressed they are with the youngster! On 23 May, in the final fixture of the first teams season, he made his debut for Real Madrid, coming-on as a 58th-minute substitute for hat-trick scorer Cristiano Ronaldo in an eventual 7–3 home win over Getafe CF. He became the youngest debutant in the history of the club at 16 years and 157 days old. Martin Ødegaard has showed during his time at Madrid that he has what it takes to be a big star in the future, if he continue to sky rocket to the top at the speed he has so far, it’s almost inevitable that he will be seen as one of the best in the world in the coming years. 

The second player I back to be a future world beater is one who has came in and out of popular media in the last few years, due to some of the incredible goals he scored during youth teams games for AC Milan and Italy. Hachim Mastour. Much less is known about the 17 year old compared to Martin Ødegaard, but this could be a good thing, as it could avoid over confidence and arrogance developing which tends to be common in young super stars. Mastour signed for AC Milan for £400,000 at the young age of 14 after showing incredible potential. Hachim appeared for Italy under 16's 6 times, scoring one goal, making his debut in 2013 at the age of 15. He has since decided to play his full international football with Morrocco after being eligable for both nations. He made his full international debut in a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification Group F match against Libya at the Stade Adrar in Agadir, replacing Nordin Amrabat for the final two minutes of the 1–0 victory. In doing so, he became Morocco's youngest ever senior international player, aged 16 years old and 363 days. Mastour has appeared for AC Milan's first team only in friendly matches, and is currently on loan to Spanish side Malaga, where he made his first team professional debut on the 7th November 2015 against Real Betis. Hachim's style of play has earned him early comparisons to Cristiano Ronaldo, which is big praise for such a raw talent. Unlike Martin Ødegaard, not much is known of Mastour, which makes him a much more interesting prospect for the future. One thing that is certain is that Mastour has bags of potential and if handled correctly, we could be witnesses of the development of a future star in the making. 


The third and final player I will be looking at as the future of world football has caused a lot of debate recently, a player with obvious talent and potential, but the question is if he can handle it. Im talking about the Belgian, Adnan Januzaj. Adnan is the eldest out of the three players I have looked at today, after turning 20 last year, however the young winger has been performing to a very high standard in the Premier League since the age of 18. Januzaj made his competitive debut for Manchester United against Wigan Athletic on 11 August 2013 in the Community Shield, he then made his Premier League debut a month later, coming on as a 68th-minute substitute in a 2–0 home win over Crystal Palace on 14 September. On 5 October 2013, in what was his first start for the club, Januzaj scored twice as United came from behind to claim a 2–1 victory away to Sunderland. Despite showing signs of class in every performance up into this point, Adnan's brace against Sunderland really did shot the young Belgian into the spot light, particularly the technique shown in the volley he scored for his second. Januzaj continued to show class throughout the season but also started to receive some criticism regarding simulation, and he picked up several yellow cards throughout the rest of the campaign which hindered the growth he made that season in the eyes of the media and the footballing world. As well as diving, Adnan Januzaj has had his personal life questioned, with suggestions that he has been letting his success get to his head, something which has stopped the growth of so many top young players. In the following season at United the winger struggled under Van Gaal and despite several top performances, has been loaded out the German giants Borissia Dortmund where he has struggled for starts behind German star Marco Reus. Unlike Mastour and Odergaard, Januzaj has showed his class on the big stage and now has to prove to the world that he has the ability to get to the top and stay there! 

The currently generation of footballing giants will be a tough one to top, with the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo ruling the football world you have to wonder if the newest bacth of young stars can ever reach those levels. Odergaard, Mastour and Januzaj may be the best chance football has to continue to level of quality at the top, and despite all three players having their weaknesses, they all have the potential to do it. 

England - When is the real 'golden generation' going to begin?

As qualifying for thist years European Championship draws to a close, England boast the only perfect record in qualifying, with 10 wins from 10. A strong qualifying campaign is, for most teams, a sign of intent for the major tournament, however for England, its been quite the opposite on more occasions then most. The best example of this in recent years is perhaps the 2010 World Cup in south Africa, despite a very strong qualifying campaign and a new manager in Fabio Capello who had appeared to rejuvenate the three lions. However, just one win in the tournament and a 4-1 humbling by the Germans showed how far behind we appear to be compared to the rest of the top sides and that our strong qualifying counted for nothing! This underachievement at major tournaments has because a far too common occurrence for the nation which invented the sport, and is even worse when you consider the players who have pulled on the famous white shirt in the last 20+ years!

Since the turn of the millennium, the national team haven't progressed past the quarter finals in a single major competition, with many of those eliminations coming against side which we Englishmen compare ourselves to, but seems to be years ahead of England in terms of ability and progression.  One other thing that happened at the start of the 2000's was perhaps the worst thing that could have happened to the current crop of talent, that certain English side was declared as the 'golden generation' this put much unneeded pressure on the players, and made the poor performances at major tournaments an even more bitter pill to swallow. Players such as Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, David Beckham, Michael Owen, John Terry and many many more players where tipped to lead the 1966 World Champions to glory, but under performed when it mattered most!

With countries such as Germany, Spain and France in the last 2 decades taking advantage of a generation of amazing talent to push themselves to the top of the footballing world, you have to wonder if the three lions are capable of achieving a similar task. When you consider the caliber of players to have played at Wembley and failed to deliver on the big stage in recent years, you have to wonder if our current crop of talent, who are seen as being not even half the side we had 10 years ago, have the slightest chance at competing next year in France or in future tournaments.

Lets not rule out the current squad without taking a look at the key members. Of course the highest goal scorer in the history of the national side is the current captain, Wayne Rooney, with 50 international goals. With Daniel Sturridge (when he's fit), Harry Kane and inform Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy adding more options to the England attack, the three lions certainly still have their bite! When you add in the attacking threat from the wings, with Raheem Sterling and Theo Walcott being the stand outs for those roles, England have got pace in abundance. The worry for this English side comes from the back, I would personally not put a single midfielder in the current England squad, into the side we fielded ten years ago, with the stand out player on form at the moment being Ross Barkley, who has been incredibly inconsistent in the past few seasons. With defenders such as Gary Cahill, Chris Smalling, Ryan Bertrand and Nathaniel Clyne, Roy Hodgson can field a strong back four, but one which pales in comparison to English defenses of the past! One final positive is the strength between the sticks, Joe Hart has been a stand our goal keeper in the Premier League for years, and number two Jack Butland looks destined for greatness.

Despite not losing a single competitive game in 2015, I can't see our current crop of talent getting anywhere near the top spots in world football. In the future, a new generation may come along and push England towards greater heights but right now... It looks like we might be waiting a while for the true 'Golden Generation'.

Brazil - Whats next for the five time champions of the world?

Football may have been invented in England, but it was given a soul on the sunny shores of Brazil. The Brazilian people changed the way everyone on the planet looks at the beautiful game, and it developed into the most successful national side in the world. 1958, 1962,1970,1994 and 2002, these dates are the five times Canarinho 'the little canary' have been crowned world champions, more then any other side in history. From Pele to Ronaldo, from Zico to Ronaldinho, from Garincha to Rivaldo, from Carlos Alberto to Cafu, the five time world champions have always produced some of the very best the world of football can offer, which has lead to the unmatched success the Brazilians have had over the years. The team from 1970, lead by the genius Pele, is seen as perhaps the best football team in history, club or national side, considering the time period and how much the game has developed since those years, the fact the side is still seen in the same light today only begins to explain how far ahead of their time the national team was. The selecao is also the most successful national team in the FIFA confederations cup, with four titles, 1997, 2005, 2009 and 2013. They are also the holders of the current title. Brazil have won a total of 62 official international titles from professional to grassroots level, which is an unparalleled world record. 

However, since their last title in 2002, the worlds most successful side seems to have struggled on the world stage, which includes being humbled on their own turf by Germany in the 2014 World Cup semi-finals, losing 7-1, the biggest defeat in Brazil's history.
So the question is... what's next for the five time champions of the world? Will we see a Brazilian resurrection, or will the most successful side on the planet plummet into almost insignificance on the big stage.


Heading into last summers World Cup, the hosts Brazil where strong favorites to end their drought on home soil. And despite mainly average performances, they topped their group and overcame Chile in the second round on penalties. The home side then took on another fellow South American side in Columbia, a team many had backed to be the dark horses for the tournament, and with the eventual golden boot winner James Rodriguez, it was possible Columbia could surprise Brazil. However for the first time in the tournament we appeared to be seeing the side many backed to win a sixth world title, with goal from David Luiz and Thiago Silva, the hosts overcame Columbia. However this performance did not come without its prices. Thiago Silva earned a suspension, meaning Brazil would be without their captain for the semi-finals. And even worse, the star of the show, Neymar was stretchered off late on and would miss the rest of the tournament. These absences played a big part in the Brazilians collapse in the semi-final, without their captain or top scorer, they looked out of sync at the back and no threat in attack, eventually being turned over with an incredible 7-1 score line! The aftermath of the crushing at the hands of the eventual champions Germany shows that the five time champions rely far to heavily on a select group of players, and no longer have to depth of class like we're use to seeing come from the country. A loss of just two players had an evidently massive effect on the side, and the Brazilian players did not look capable of competing with the Germans. This correlation continued into the third place play off, still without top scorer Neymar, the hosts had no creativity and no threat, eventually falling out 3-0 losers, ending their tournament by conceding 10 goals in two games, and ending the competition with the worst defensive record out of all 32 nations that competed.

The famous Brazilian teams of old make this newest crop of players seem mediocre, and despite a few stand out stars, such as Neymar and Thiago Silva, it is getting much more evident that this side needs a drastic change if it is to return to where it should be, at the summit of world football.

However it isn't all doom and gloom for the natives of the most successful side in world football history.One player in particular looks set to become one of the most iconic players in Brazilian football history, and perhaps one of the best in the world. This is the man currently holding the famous Brazil number 10, their current highest goal scorer, and a player who has the chance to become the national sides all time leading goal scorer. he may just be 23, but he's been turning heads for years and he could be the player they need to help push the five time champions back to the very top. I'm talking of course about Barcelona striker Neymar! The Barcelona star has really showed the world what he can do, but he has been a prospect on the shores of Brazil for years! Between 2009 - 2013, while playing for Santos in the Liga do Brazil, Neymar scorer 54 goals in 103 games, averaging 0.52 goals a game, an incredible record for someone who started at the age of 16. Neymar also had brilliant success at youth level, especially for the national side. Working his way from the under 17's side to the first team in the space of a year! And his success internationally hasn't stopped in the first team, the current number 10 has scored 46 goals in 67 games which is 0.67 goals a game, another incredible record especially on the national stage. This record makes Neymar the fifth all time goal scorer in the countries history, and gives him the fourth best goal to game ratio, an incredible feat considering the Barcelona front man could have up to 10 years left representing the national side. Neymar is also currently setting the world alight for Barcelona, with 34 goals in 64 games, a amazing record considering he plays out wide, mainly providing for Lionel Messi. There is no doubt that Neymar is a world beater, a future Brazilian footballing legend, and the man to help save the national side.

For the last decade, the Brazilian national side have mainly been relying on the same group of players who, despite their class, have ages and became unable to perform at the level needed for the South American's to compete with the world's elite at the level they should be. However recently the new manager, former player Dunga, has started to integrate a handful of new players into the squad, players who have the potential to help grow the national side and possibly see the Brazilian squad get back to the  pool of exceptional talent we have became accustom to in the last 70 years. Liverpool midfielder Philipe Coutinho is a player who has really gained a lot of attention in the football world recently. With a combination of incredible goals, amazing assists, jaw dropping pieces of skill and an exceptional show of passion, the Liverpool number 10 has earned the majority of his 13 international caps in the last couple of seasons, and the increase in attention has even earned him a nomination for the European golden boy award (eventually won by Paul Pogba). Throughout his career, Coutinho has earned much acclaim from top figures in Brazilian football and has been spotlighted as a future world beater, and at the young age of 23 the Liverpool play maker looks set to represent his country for many years and perhaps help get Brazil back to the glory days in a big way!

One thing Brazil have always had is a ball playing defender, you can go as far back as world cup winning captain Carlos Alberto, scoring one of the best goals in world cup history in 1970 to show how Brazilian defenders play a big part in the sides offence! The most recent member of the squad to adapt this role is David Luiz, but although the PSG defender is loved in his homeland, to fans who aren't natives of Brazil can see he really doesn't fit the bill. One up and coming defender who could fill those shoes is another PSG man, Marquinhos. The former Roma centre back was the most expensive teenager in the world until this summer just gone, and it is easy to see why. He looks incredibly comfortable on the ball, and is able to put in a very strong challenge and fill certain old fashioned defender responsibilities. Marquinhos is a player with tons of potential, and former Brazil captain Thiago captain has taken him under his wing, saying he may be the national teams future captain. This young defender could go a long way to helping the current Brazil side get back to the top.

Recent history makes mostly grim reading for fans of Brazilian football. With their sides consistently struggling to compete with the worlds elite it looked like Brazil could be right in the middle of a baron period for the five time champions. But signs of improvement have started to show recently, Barcelona star Neymar is improving every day and is looking like a possible future Balon D'or is on the cards. The squad is finally getting an injection of life that its needed for years, with players such as Philipe Coutinho leading the new look national team. And the famous ball playing Brazilian centre back looks to have finally returned in younger Marquinhos. Now no one can tell for sure if we will see the same sort of side that Pele lead to immortality in the 1950's,60's and 70's ever again, but one thing we do know is the potential is certainly there. The five time world champions are on their way back to the top table of world football!