Author: Snehasis Mukherjee

Players like Sir Vivian Richards (West Indies), Sir Ian Botham (England), and Ellyse Perry (Australia) have excelled in both cricket and football. Sir Viv (Antigua and Barbuda) and Perry represented their countries in football, while Sir Ian played professional football for Scunthorpe United in England. In Indian cricket, one of the finest leaders of all time, Sourav Ganguly, also has a deep connection with Indian football. Sourav Ganguly’s record-breaking performances, leadership qualities, and legacy as a cricketer are well-known. However, there is an aspect of his life that many fans around the world are unaware of — his profound love…

Marco Bielsa has done it. For the first time in his managerial career, he has defeated Brazil in the Copa America as Uruguay triumphed 0-0 (4-2) on penalties in the quarterfinals of the ongoing tournament. In the 1999 Copa quarterfinal, the Selecao defeated Bielsa’s Argentina 2-1. The most heartbreaking loss of his career came in the 2004 Copa America final, where Adriano scored a goal in injury time to take the game to a shootout, leading to Brazil’s victory. But today, Bielsa’s redemption is complete; his Brazil curse at Copa America is broken. His Uruguay team held their nerve and…

Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay have been playing outstanding football in the ongoing Copa America. On July 7, they are set to face Brazil in the quarter-finals at Allegiant Stadium. Bielsa’s team has demonstrated their strength, both offensively and defensively, scoring nine goals and conceding only two in three matches. In contrast, Brazil remains unbeaten but they have struggled to score, netting only five goals, with four of those coming against Paraguay. Defensively, they have also been strong, conceding only two goals so far. In a recent exclusive interview with Stake.com, former Argentine striker Kun Aguero remarked that Uruguay has a lot…

Cristiano Ronaldo and his team faced a devastating defeat in the second quarter-final of the Euro 2024 as France emerged victorious, defeating Portugal 0-0 (5-4) in a penalty shootout. Joao Felix’s crucial penalty attempt struck the post, sealing Portugal’s fate. This defeat marked a tragic end of Ronaldo and Pepe’s last Euro campaign, with France set to face Spain in the semi-final. France played with high pressure and possession, while Portugal maintained a solid defensive, strategy. Throughout the first half, neither team managed to create significant chances. Raphael Leao stood out as the lone bright spot, making several attacking threats…

Brazil’s final Group D match in the ongoing 2024 Copa America ended in a 1-1 draw against Colombia. James Rodriguez and his team topped the group with 7 points (2 wins, 1 draw), while Brazil secured the second position with 5 points (1 win, 2 draws). Consequently, in the quarterfinals, Colombia will face the second-placed team from Group C, Panama, while Brazil will confront one of the tournament’s most formidable contenders, Uruguay. Colombia have been in exceptional form, coming into this match with a 25-game unbeaten streak and 10 consecutive wins. Their last defeat was against the current world champions,…

Brazil triumphed over Paraguay with a stylish 4-1 victory in their second group game of the ongoing Copa America tournament. Vinicius Jr. scored twice, while Savio and Lucas Paqueta also found the back of the net. Historically, Paraguay have often posed challenges for the ‘Selecao’ in Copa America, particularly in recent encounters. Between 2011 and 2015, Paraguay eliminated the five-time World Champions twice in consecutive tournaments via penalties. Even in the 2019 Copa America quarterfinal, Brazil narrowly defeated Paraguay in a penalty shootout (4-3). Aware of Paraguay’s reputation as a tough opponent, coach Dorival Jr. and his team faced significant…

Georgia created history and in style. In their last group game, which was a must-win for them, they, defeated Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal 2-0, sending the travelling Georgian fans into a frenzy at the Veltins-Arena. With this win, they secured third position in the group in Euro 2024, which was enough to qualify for the knockout stage. Georgia’s performance in all three games in their maiden appearance in this prestigious tournament has been commendable. Against Turkey, they lost 1-3 but the scoreline does not reflect the quality and intensity of their play throughout the 90 minutes. It was, arguably, one of…

Before their Copa America 2024 opener against Costa Rica, Brazil head coach Dorival Junior acknowledged that his team had yet to find the right balance and consistency, but he hoped to discover the right mix against Los Ticos. This concern proved accurate after a disappointing 0-0 draw at SoFi Stadium in California. Despite showcasing skill and creating numerous attacking threats, the Seleção seemed lost in the final third. Notably, Brazil started without a traditional No. 9 striker in their lineup. Vinicius Junior led the attack alongside Rodrygo and Raphinha, while Endrick came on in the second half but failed to…

Team India fans are still in disbelief that a controversial goal from Qatar put an end to their dream of making it to the third round of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers for the first time in their history. The ball clearly looked to be out of play before it was dragged back and put into the goal by Qatar’s players in the 73rd minute. The Indian players protested but the referee and linesman stood by their decision, and the goal stood. Regarding that controversial call, we reached out to Pritam Kotal, current Kerala Blasters and Team India defender, and…

Day 2 of Team India’s training at the National Centre of Excellence (NCE), Kolkata got done and dusted on Friday as it was another intense session for both players and staff. From Sunil Chhetri and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu to Sahal Abdul Samad, all were seen in full cry but the veteran goalkeeper got involved in a media interaction. Ahead of the important FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier match against Kuwait on June 6, Gurpreet shared his special memories with Sunil Chhetri as the skipper is set to hang up his boots for the nation after this game. On Chhetri’s decision,…