As leagues prepare to pause for the tournament in Qatar, it’s a chance to reflect on the first half’s surprise stories and surprise leaders, and their potential staying power.
A Brazilian supermarket magnate saw promise in the soccer star long before he became a household name. Now, believing he was cheated, he’s going to court for the payday that never arrived.
One of the world’s biggest soccer teams needed to close a $700 million shortfall. Its president, Joan Laporta, may have done it. But the club’s problems are not over.