In my latest weekly opinion piece for The Bubble, I predictably took a look at Lionel Messi, who won the Ballon d'Or for the World Player of the Year for the fifth time on Monday. Individual awards are a bit daft in a team sport though, in my opinion, so rather than the achievement of winning the... Continue Reading →
Alfredo Di Stéfano’s forgotten story: an amateur neighbourhood club & the greatest ringer of all time
Tuesday night in the Copa Argentina saw two sides with proud achievements in Argentine football come together, as Primera División Quilmes beat Primera C side Ferrocarril Midland 3-1 to advance. Quilmes were the first criollo team (that is, a side made up of locals) to win the Argentine championship, back in 1912, after it had been dominated... Continue Reading →
Lanús end opening weekend with a goal glut, thrashing Colón 4-0 (video)
The first round of the Torneo Final came to an end on Monday night with the most impressive team performance of the weekend, as Lanús hosted Colón. Guillermo Barros Schelotto's side kept up their brilliant form from the second half of the Inicial, running out 4-0 winners with goals from Víctor Ayala, Silvio Romero, new... Continue Reading →
The Hand Of God turns 25
You've probably already seen elsewhere, but this is an Argentine football website, so I couldn't let it pass un-noticed. 25 years ago today, Argentina took on England in the quarter-finals of the 1986 World Cup in the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, and Diego Maradona scored two goals that have come to encapsulate Argentine football:... Continue Reading →
Clausura 2011: Palermo leaves La Bombonera, and ¡Vélez campeón! (Video)
A dramatic weekend's action ended in Argentina with Martín Palermo's final match at La Bombonera as Boca Juniors drew 1-1 with Banfield, but although that got more of the headlines and TV coverage, Vélez Sarsfield are the biggest winners of the day. Their 2-0 victory over Huracán and Lanús' 1-0 loss at home to Argentinos... Continue Reading →
In the 23rd episode of Hand Of Pod, Sam, Dan, Seba and Dan return to guide our listeners into the closing rounds of the Torneo Clausura. We cover the Nigeria v Argentina match last week which is being investigated by FIFA, Sam suggests Daniel Passarella might like to sell his body to help fund River... Continue Reading →
For the 20th episode of Hand Of Pod, Sam, Dan, Dan and Seba welcome special guest Asli Pelit to the show. Asli's a Turkish TV presenter who was at La Bombonera to see Boca Juniors beat River Plate 2-0 in Sunday's superclásico, and as well as giving us her impressions of that game, she also... Continue Reading →
Clausura: Boca see off River, & Lanús peg back Vélez (video)
Sunday's biggest match in Argentina saw Martín Palermo a goal from a brilliant header in his final superclásico, and Boca Juniors win 2-0 aided by an uncharacteristic error from River Plate goalkeeper Juan Pablo Carrizo in La Bombonera. Sunday's most important match for the title race saw Lanús come out on top of a five-goal... Continue Reading →
Boca Juniors vs River Plate: how to watch, & who to watch
The 2011 Torneo Clausura edition of one of the world's biggest football derbies kicks off in an hour and a bit, with River Plate traveling south to La Bombonera to take on Boca Juniors in the superclásico. Boca have been in better form in recent weeks but River, challenging for the title whilst also battling... Continue Reading →
Clausura: River slip up & Boca win in superclásico warm-ups
One week to the day before they meet in La Bombonera in the first competitive superclásico of the year, River Plate and Boca Juniors had very different weekends in the 2011 Torneo Clausura. River, needing a win to keep up the pressure on Vélez Sarsfield at the top of the Clausura, and also to gain a... Continue Reading →
Hasta El Gol Siempre 