EPA/Vassil Donev
The way we talk about football reinforces the idea that the men’s sport is the norm, and women’s the exception.
China’s professional men’s soccer team did not qualify for the 2018 World Cup.
Ibrahem Alomari/Reuters
China want to win the World Cup by 2050. This year, its team didn’t even qualify for the tournament. China has money, power and a dream – but that doesn’t add up to soccer brilliance.
EPA/MALASIG
Sporting success depends on strong squad bonds.
Harry Kane celebrating after scoring the winning goal against Tunisia in Volgograd, Russia.
EPA/FRANCIS R. MALASIG
Footballers came under attack from a swarm of flies on the Volgograd pitch. But there’s more to midges and gnats than meets the eye.
VAR is already proving controversial at this year’s World Cup.
EPA/ Yuri Kocketkov
VAR is part of a wider trend of digitalisation that threatens to make football less natural and spontaneous.
Morocco’s World Cup squad training in St.Petersburg, Russia.
Anatoly Maltsev/EPA
The football world cup offers a useful chance to consider the apparent division between North and sub-Saharan Africa.
Sexualised images of women persist in sport media, despite the changing demographics of fans.
Srdjan Suki/EPA
Women now make up a sizeable share of football audiences, but unless decked out in short shorts and cropped jerseys, they are barely visible in the media.
Can we predict who will win the trophy in this year’s World Cup held in Russia?
Shutterstock/fifg
Australia has won the soccer World Cup three times, in simulation games only. So what are the challenges to predicting the winner?
Sunderland AFC playing Spain in 1934.
Journal La Educacion Fisica
Losing to Sunderland in 1934 forced Spanish writers and commentators to look beyond football for answers.
Superstar Diego Maradona holds up the World Cup trophy in 1986. The World Cup tournament may prompt some people to get out and play themselves, leading to possible injuries.
(AP Photo/Carlo Fumagalli)
It’s easy to get caught up in World Cup fever. But if watching the beautiful game inspires you to get out and play, injury prevention is vital.
Liverpool goalkeeper, Loris Karius reacts after losing the UEFA Champions League final between Real Madrid and Liverpool FC.
ARMANDO BABANI/EPA
Football could take a leaf from rugby union’s book on how to treat head-injured players, pitch side.
One of the favourites to win the World Cup, Germany’s national football team, on their way to Russia.
Armando Babani/EPA
Can we trust expert football predictions? Perhaps, but it’s variable.
Fans hold banners and cheer, as the U.S. team takes the field for a World Cup qualifying soccer match against Panama, Oct. 6, 2017, in Orlando, Fla.
AP Photo/John Raoux
Sports fans are of two types: purists and partisans. The attitudes of both can affect the game. An expert explains which one you are and what that means.
Argentine striker Mario Kempes controlling the ball during his team’s win against the Netherlands in the 1978 World Cup.
El Grafico
FIFA has never been free of political interference and controversies since its inception in 1904.
Brazil, the 1958 World Cup winners: Vicente Feola (coach), Djalma Santos, Zito, Bellini, Nilton Santos, Orlando, Gylmar, Garrincha, Didi, Pelé, Vava, Zagallo.
fotbollsweden.se
The 17-year-old prodigy thrilled the world and set the scene for Brazil’s decades-long dominance of the World Game.
EPA/Guillaume Horcajuelo
The true bane of an organisation is a lack of engagement and job satisfaction among its employees. World Cup mania could actually help.
Emil Jeyaratnam/The Conversation; AAP images
Scandal-plagued FIFA says it’s committed to reform. Changing the way World Cup hosts are selected would be a start.
Tibet take on Northern Cyrus in Enfield, London.
Joel Rookwood
The tournament featured teams from Tibet, North Cyprus, the Isle of Man and many more.
Senegal’s starting 11 before a recent friendly against Luxembourg.
Julian Warnand/EPA
When Senegal face Poland in their first World Cup match in Russia, the whole nation will be roaring them on to victory.
At the 2014 World Cup African fans felt that Nigeria were on the receiving end of poor refereeing.
Peter Powell/EPA
Video Assistant Referees at the World Cup finals in Russia might help African teams to do better than they have done so far.