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THE WORLD CUP In Pictures
Qatar 2022 cannot be separated from justifiable off-field scrutiny, but the first Arabic World Cup did at least deliver on the pitch, as Kylian Mbappe tore it up again and England burned brightly, only for King Leo to finally rule the world…
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“INTENSE, CRAZY AND UNFORGETTABLE”
FFT’s senior staff writer Chris Flanagan explains what it was like to be in Qatar for the World Cup – inflatable kangaroos, roof-surfing Argentina fans and all…
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KEVIN-PRINCE BOATENG
“I left Portsmouth to join Milan – do you know what I thought? ‘You f**king idiot. If you hadn’t been so lazy as a youngster…’”
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MEANWHILE IN…
…Saint Petersburg, Russia’s suspension from the Champions League looks like it’s making players pretty angry
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THE ULTIMATE QUIZ
Have a go at this collection of posers, featuring the Ballon d’Or, rappers and the world’s strongest footballer
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HANG IT IN THE LOUVRE LOWRY
Move over, Mona Lisa. Go whistle, Whistler’s Mum. FourFourTwo is in an art gallery!
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MY FOOTBALL
The Blossoms frontman recalls beers with Dickov and odd photos with Mancini
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A GERMAN SIDE IN SERIE A?
No, but that’s the dominant language at promotion-chasing FC Südtirol…
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FROZEN OUT WELCOME TO THE SVALBARD DERBY
Football isn’t for the faint-hearted when Svalbard Turn and Barentsburg go head-to-head near the North Pole
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LUKAS PODOLSKI
The 37-year-old former Germany forward grew up in the Polish city of Zabrze – then headed home to sign for Gornik in the summer of 2021
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BACK TO WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
Podolski isn’t the only player who went home to finish his career…
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WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?
Roy Keane was the beating heart of a Manchester United side that ruled the Premier League, before he dominated the dugout and TV studio too. When he’s around, though, confrontation follows…
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“THE ORIGINAL MENTALITY MONSTER”
Republik of Mancunia’s Scott Patterson (@R_o_M) hails a Manchester United great
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DOWN, BUT NOT OUT
Few players have made PFA Team of the Year in a relegation season – not even 2011 Footballer of the Year Scott Parker – but Keane did, along with these four…
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“HE RAN AROUND LIKE HE HAD FOUR LUNGS”
A host of players have paid tribute to Keane in FourFourTwo over the years
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THE ANGRIEST FOOTBALLERS EVER!
From burglar-busters and one-punch Chilean knock-out artists to an Australian honey badger and King Eric, we touch gloves with the players who just couldn’t help getting riled up in the name of the beautiful game
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TOUCHING THE HAND OF GOD
A club once trapped by the memory of Diego Maradona now feels inspired by it, and sat atop Serie A going into the New Year in the ground that bears his name. Can Napoli’s new order create their own legend by winning a first scudetto since 1990?
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THE JOY OF CESC
While Napoli are flying high in Serie A with all of Italy’s big hitters in pursuit, a Premier League legend is down in Serie B. Nearing retirement, Cesc Fabregas meets FFT to chat Arsenal, Barça, Chelsea… and Como
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IT’S NOT EASY BEING TWO
The assistant manager hasn’t been immune to football’s frantic growth spurt. A modern number two’s remit has evolved from fancy dress and banter to psychology, data, book deals and even subtle Machiavellianism
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A CERTAIN BROMANCE
These three manager-assistant relationships sadly went sour
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ASSISTANT PEP TALKS
Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders is the epitome of a modern number two. The Dutchman has an agent, a book out and the ambition to manage himself. But when it comes to assisting, it’s Klopp and Klopp only, he tells FFT…
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I BARELY LEFT MY HOUSE FOR SIX MONTHS AND I BEGAN HAVING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS. WHAT FOOTBALL MANAGER IS GOING TO WANT TO HIRE A DEPRESSED GOALKEEPER?
Former Chelsea, Millwall and Newport County gloveman Lenny Pidgeley fell out of love with football as he tried to keep up appearances while suffering with depression – then someone else announced his retirement
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SOUEY… LOVES BIG BALLS
And you needed them to play for Graeme Souness, especially when he took the reins at crisis club Benfica just over a quarter of a century ago. FFT recounts the Scot’s 18 turbulent months in Lisbon, which included fisticuffs, fallings out and some testicular admiration…
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THE OTHER BRITS IN BENFICA
Technically, they’re all English, but four other boys from Blighty have dared to manage the Eagles…
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AROUND THE GROUNDS EFL • NON-LEAGUE • SCOTLAND
MATT ETHERINGTON The 41-year-old’s first managerial role is at League Two strugglers Crawley, and he’s taking inspiration from ex-West Ham pal Lionel Scaloni
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25 YEARS AND COUNTING
Brent Peters became Bacup Borough boss down the boozer in September 1997 and is still going strong more than a quarter-century later. Nor is he done yet…
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BEST&WORST WREXHAM AFC
Rich Fay, host of Red Dragons podcast RobRyanRed, talks us through Porto, spiders and Xabi Alonso’s bestie
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THE GAME’S GONE CELTIC 1-3 INVERNESS, 2000
A stunning cup defeat to relative minnows spelled the end for John Barnes…
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“WE WERE IN THE ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS. KEVIN KEEGAN WAS VERY AWARE OF THAT”
The Belgian defender opens up about nights out on the Toon, loving spinach and that chip over Peter Schmeichel
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“ON ENGLAND DUTY I’D THINK, ‘OH GOD, I DON’T DESERVE TO BE PLAYING HERE’”
The former Saints and Stoke hitman on admiring Le Tiss, cleaning Shearer’s boots and almost becoming a swimmer
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“ENGLAND’S 2022 ACHIEVEMENT WAS AMAZING – I’D LOVE TO HAVE BEEN PART OF THIS SIDE”
The former Lioness talks amateur football, almost going pro in tennis, and how much the women’s game has changed
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“SEAN CONNERY WAS OFTEN IN THE DRESSING ROOM. HE SAID I COULD HAVE BEEN AN ACTOR!”
The Italian recalls hanging out with James Bond and seeing Gazza’s reckless side
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MY PERFECT XI STEWART DOWNING
The former wideman lifts the lid on what it was like to play alongside a future England gaffer, as well as his brother-in-law and the uncoachable Luis Suarez
