Daily Archives: September 14, 2025

How West Germany won the 1974 World Cup: Beckenbauer as leader and tactician, and their own brand of Total Football

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“… In a tournament compromised by wet weather and therefore boggy pitches, hosts West Germany were not overwhelmingly popular winners. Their 1972 European Championship-winning side had played open, expansive football, but that approach gave way to a more cautious, less spectacular approach here. A key difference was the decline of star midfielder Gunter Netzer, who had controversially left Borussia Monchengladbach for Real Madrid a year earlier, but endured a disastrous first season in La Liga, failing to score a single goal. …”
NY Times/The Athletic (Video) – Michael Cox

Burnley 0 Liverpool 1: Why did Salah’s goal make Premier League history? How many late winners have they had?

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“Liverpool sealed a late, late victory at Burnley after a stoppage-time penalty for handball was converted by Mohamed Salah. It leaves Liverpool top with 12 points from four games, but fans were made to sweat for that winning moment. … Liverpool’s attack in general were frustrated, while there was an early exit for left-back Milos Kerkez. Slot replaced him with Andy Robertson in the first half after Kerkez picked up a yellow card for diving. Burnley were reduced to 10 men towards the end after Lesley Ugochukwu was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Florian Wirtz. …”
NY Times/The Athletic

2026 FIFA World Cup ticket lottery opens, plagued by long waits and frustrated fans

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“The first of several 2026 World Cup ticket sales ‘phases’ opened Wednesday with a lottery exclusive to customers of a top-tier FIFA sponsor, Visa — and, for some eager fans, with a lengthy wait or error messages. After years of anticipation and confusion, beginning at 11 a.m. ET, fans could finally log on to FIFA’s website and apply for access to tickets to the tournament, which begins next June in the United States, Canada and Mexico. There was, in theory, no urgency — no preference in the random draw will be given to the earliest applicants, FIFA has said. …”
NY Times/The Athletic

Best of the Rest XI: Picking the strongest team outside the ‘Big Six’

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“This summer, the traditional ‘Big Six’ clubs signed more players from the rest of the Premier League than in any of the previous 15 seasons. As Oliver Kay explained, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur bought a combined 11 players from the ‘other’ 14 clubs. As recently as the 2021-22 season, those six clubs only signed three from the other Premier League teams. A big reason for this is the purchasing power advantage these clubs enjoy, especially since the Premier League introduced its profit and sustainability rules (PSR). The ‘Big Six’ clubs do not always occupy the top-six spots in the league — Tottenham and Manchester United actually finished in the bottom six last season — but their commercial and matchday revenues are on a different level. …”
NY Times/The Athletic