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“In every football stadium, there are fans who really come to complain rather than to celebrate.”
—
Ronald Reng
WORDS: LAYTH YOUSIF
The start of the infrequently aired second verse of the Netherlands national anthem runs: “I am a Prince of Orange, fearless, ever free”. They should think about using those lines more frequently, in honour of Marco van Basten, the man whose name has become synonymous with the perfectly struck volley…
WORDS: DOMINIC BLISS
In 1998, Chelsea reached a major European final for the first time in 27 years when they sent Italian surprise package Vicenza packing in the Cup Winners’ Cup semi-final at Stamford Bridge. However, it took a comeback of epic proportions to secure a victory that Blues fans will never forget…
WORDS: BRYAN DAVIES
As we celebrate the immense durability of Ryan Giggs and Kevin Phillips, and the dash and daring of Gareth Bale, lest we forget it is 20 years since the man who inspired them hung up his boots. We recall the playing career of a man who helped footballers reevaluate what was physically possible…
WORDS: LAYTH YOUSIF
This is a story about a man who not only survived the Second World War, but who played the game of his life in order to save his life in a prisoner-of-war camp. Nine years after Fritz Walter’s ability had saved him from near-certain death in a Siberian gulag, he would go on to win the World Cup…
WORDS: JOHN HYNES
Twice in the Sixties, Bill Shankly’s Liverpool secured the league title and on both occasions the Football League trophy was absent on the day of triumph. With the Reds players waiting to celebrate, the fans in the Kop produced a makeshift cup of their own, which has gone down in Anfield folklore…
WORDS: CHRISTOPH WAGNER
The “Bundesliga 50″ series continues with the third part of our history of German football. After two strong decades, things couldn’t possibly get any better for German football fans in the Eighties, but they didn’t get much worse. However, a worrying trend for losing in major finals began to emerge…
WORDS: CHRISTOPH WAGNER
Part 2 of the “Bundesliga 50” anniversary series takes a look at the Seventies, arguably Germany’s most successful decade. Never before or since has Germany dominated the European football scene as it did between 1972 and 1980, but some scandalous revelations had to be shaken off first…
WORDS: CHRISTOPH WAGNER
Kicking off in 1963, the Bundesliga was something of a late starter, but it didn’t take much time to catch up with the big boys. Now, with the league celebrating its 50th season and in rude health, TheInsideLeft takes a look back at the early triumphs its initiation heralded for German football…
WORDS: MATTHEW RICHARDS
When Lyon splashed the cash to bring Sonny Anderson in from Barcelona in 1999, a few questions were asked about the striker’s form. By the time he left in 2003, the club were in the midst of a run of seven consecutive Ligue 1 titles. We look back at how the Brazilian’s arrival kick-started a dynasty…
WORDS: DOMINIC BLISS
Back in the Fifties and Sixties, the inside-left was king on the football grounds of Britain. A creative visionary, with genius in his left boot and eyes in the back of his head, Johnny Haynes was perhaps the best of all. We took a look at the enduring significance of the former Fulham and England captain…
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