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Articles on Soccer

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Donnell Wallam of the Diamonds scores the match-winning point during the netball match between the Australian Diamonds and the England Roses. Darren Pateman/AAP

What does it mean to play sport on First Nations land? Ellen van Neerven explores sovereignty and survival on the sporting field

Ellen van Neerven cleverly invites us to question what it means to play sport on a ‘Country that is rich in story’, on a playing field that’s almost always uneven for Blackfullas.
Argentina fans celebrating their team’s World Cup victory walk past a mural of Diego Maradona in Buenos Aires. While shared nationality is a factor, most fans typically think about players in terms of their club team. (AP Photo/Mario De Fina)

A study of close to half a million soccer fans shows how group identity shapes behaviour

Studying how shared identities like nationality and club affiliation impact fan support for soccer players can tell us how our group memberships affect our behaviour.
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland (l) and Chelsea’s Kalidou Koulibaly challenge for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match in London, January 5 2023. AP/Kirsty Wigglesworth

Fantasy football can negatively affect your wellbeing, but research shows it doesn’t have to

Participating in fantasy sports should be a fun hobby, and for the most part, it is. But when your virtual soccer team takes over your life, it might be time to reassess.
Pelé inspired millions with his exploits on the soccer pitch, but also had to confront power to extract himself from the sport’s social constraints. Pictorial Parade/Archive Photos/Getty Images

Pelé was ensnared by ‘Brazilian-style racism’ but stood firm as dictatorship tried to keep him playing

Pelé become a symbol of the Black diaspora, a pan-African reference point and cosmopolitan icon.
Argentina’s football players celebrate with the World Cup trophy after winning the final match with France at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Looking back on the 2022 FIFA World Cup: A tournament of surprises and controversy

During the 2022 FIFA World Cup, many highlighted the controversial and politicized climate of the tournament, but sport and politics are rarely, if ever, separable.
But who will go down as the greatest? Md Rafayat Haque Khan/ Eyepix Group/Future Publishing via Getty Images

A hat trick of essential reads to accompany the World Cup final

The World Cup is drawing to an end. Will the tournament be remembered for a Messi moment to rival that of Maradona’s? Or as a breakthrough yeah for African nations?
Youssef En-Nesyri (c) celebrates after scoring Morocco’s first goal against Portugal during quarterfinal match on December 10 2022. AP Photo/Martin Meissner

Morocco are the first-ever African semifinalists of the World Cup. Here’s what geographical data tell us about this result

Football is one of the hardest sports to predict – but there are some fascinating geographical clues when we look at the latitudes of past performers and their ultimate success.

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