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RORY SMITH
Posts
M.L.S. Cup and the Joy of the Open Field
A final in Los Angeles offers a welcome clash of styles, while a Copa Libertadores crown shows Brazilian teams may have cracked the code in…
World Cup Dreams, Gone in an Instant
For hundreds of the world’s best players, injury is the fear shadowing every step, every turn, every tackle as the World Cup looms.
The Enduring Appeal of Ronaldo, Soccer’s Original Phenomenon
The Brazilian striker’s lasting power lies not so much in a deep trove of highlight clips, but in what he showed was possible.
The Yates Report Isn’t the End. It’s Just the Start.
Women’s soccer players tried to raise the alarm about abuse for years. When they say there’s more, people should listen.
Soccer’s Policing Problem
This is not the first time this year that the sport has had to confront the reality that tragedies often result from failures of security…
Juventus Learns That Progress Requires a Plan
Its coach rejects any sort of rigid style, preferring to mold his teams to their talent. But when things go bad, as they have in…
The World Cup Is a Feeling, One That Money Can’t Buy
The tournament is, at heart, a feeling, and FIFA and Qatar may be forgetting that no amount of spending is a substitute.
Welcome to Wrexham: It’s the Future
Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds seem sincere about their investment, emotionally and financially, in a Welsh soccer team. But they are not mere observers in…
The Hollywood Merger That Could Reshape Soccer’s Transfer Market
As two behemoths join forces against boutique agencies in the fight for control and commissions, some fear profits could come before players.
In Premier League, Crisis Is a Constant
Change at Chelsea. A loss at Liverpool. Chaos is part and parcel of the Premier League story line. But it doesn’t have to be that…