#Football

@EASPORTSFIFA: World Cup champion @alexmorgan13 joins #Messi on the historic #FIFA16USCover! http://t.co/LeUM4cOo9s http://t.co/683etOpQjw

So Xavi, do you feel you’ve accomplished much while at Barcelona?

Arsenal, Nike, 1994/95 from David John 

The 90s were a great era for GK shirts and this is a great entry to our #firstfootballshirt comp from David John. “Not exactly my very first kit, but what childhood shirt collection is complete without their first keeper jersey? Never saw Seaman wear this, but sure didn’t stop me! Theres an image of a streaker doing pressups, with David in the back ground laughing, wearning this exact top somewhere out there-classic.

Wayne Rooney trying to peel a potato

As requested by Nick Travis

Canvas print available here

Good luck sleeping.

FOOTBALL GROUNDS

by jamie b edwards

“I have been creating pictures of football stadiums and football grounds for six years. As a football fan and landscape artist I was always disappointed by the lack of original ‘football art’. Imagery surrounding the game is increasingly produced under the guise of ‘merchandise’, normally cheaply, mass produced and with little regard for the aesthetic qualities of the modern home. In my football ground art I hope to address this by approaching each ground as if it were any other landscape. I look for fresh and appeasing aspects, features and colours in the ground and its surround environment.

My football stadium art is proving very popular as football gifts and football presents. I am continually adding to the series and already have over 50 different football ground prints and paintings already. If your team is missing, then please fill in the request page so I can let you know when it is ready.”

Pour davantage de cette foisonnante collection, veuillez cliquer ICI. Vous pouvez également suivre Jamie B Edwards sur ses comptes Twitter et Pinterest. 

Punk Football (2013) Deleted Scene - St Pauli Interview

Following on from my recent post of ‘Punk Football’ the documentary that focused around FC United Of Manchester, this was one of the first interviews conducted for the film. Originally there was going to be a section on St Pauli, but it was cut from the film later on in production. Pretty interesting.

Super Bowl XLIX, Guess Who edition. 

Robert Kraft : Peter :: Pete Carroll : Susan

Counting down to Spanish Cup action at the Vicente Calderón /Força Barça! Compte enrera per a la tornada de Copa al Vicente Calderon Força Barça! /Cuenta atrás para la vuelta de Copa en el Vicente Calderón … Força Barça!

Real lion style

KEMARI - COLLECTION

by various unknown artists

“Kemari is a ball game that is said to have come from China to Japan during the Yamato period approximately 1,400 years ago. There are no winners or losers in this game, the objective of the game being simply to pass the ball to fellow players.

In Japan, depending on the era of history, Kemari was enthusiastically played within the Imperial Palace, and written records of Kemari games can be seen in ancient texts and documents dating back to the mid-Heian period.

During the Kamakura period, in addition to the Imperial court, the warrior classes also engaged in the sport of Kemari, and through the Muromachi period to the Edo period, the game’s profile gradually increased, and it was mentioned in various places such as Noh theatre performances, Kyogen theatre, and Edo period novellas.

However, after the Meiji Restoration, Kemari declined in popularity and in 1903, with a donation from Emperor Meiji, a society to preserve the ancient game was established, resulting in the survival of Kemari to this day.

The performance of Kemari is shown to the public. On the occasion of the Kyoto Imperial Palace Public Open Day.”

Brilliant #GFOP signature for his #Warpig tie. 

Fans of Major League Soccer’s New York City FC say they are “outraged” by Frank Lampard’s decision to stay at Manchester City.

Hey MLS & Garber: stop bitching at Klinsmann and fix this. This does more damage to the league than the national team coach’s expressed preference for players to develop in Europe.

UEFA: shut this shit down for what it is: a way around Financial Fair Play.

King Abidal

By Zito Madu

Conquer the fear of death and you will know the death of fear.

A few days ago, the King —Thierry Henry— retired from football. Today, another French royal follows suit.

It would be superfluous to talk about Eric Abidal in the sense of awards won —though they are plenty— and victories in football. Though he has always been a dignified figure in not only his personal life and even his on-field performances carried an air of ease and quiet self-confidence; his biggest win is still in defeating an enemy that only Hercules and a few lucky others have managed to grapple with and walk away from the better.

Few moments in football, and only one in recent memory —Iniesta scoring the winning goal in the World Cup 2010 and then revealing a shirt underneath with the name of Dani Jarque, his deceased friend and former footballer who died from a heart attack at 26— could come close to the scene after Barcelona won the 2011 European Cup. In March of 2011, Abidal was diagnosed with a tumor in his liver. On the 28th of May, in that same year, Abidal played the full 90 minutes in the 3-1 Barcelona win against Manchester United in the Champions League final. If that is not remarkable, then I don’t know what is.

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At the trophy celebration, Carles Puyol wrapped the armband on Abidal and allowed him to lift the trophy as Captain in front of a crowd of 85,000. That gesture was the high point of months of support for the Frenchman from all over the world. Even Real Madrid, eternal rivals of Barcelona, wore shirts of support for the defender, even displaying a get well message on the scoreboard in their match against Lyon —who also wore the shirts and incidentally, Abidal played 76 games for Lyon. The general support was all across the globe, from fans, players, managers and even politicians was emotional enough to convince one that maybe, just maybe, the footballing community isn’t so bad.

And Abidal returned and played, and won with the same quiet dignity that he has always held. When it was announced in March of the following year that he needed a liver transplant because of issues from the previous operation, he took that on too with a powerful and gentle spirit.

Sidenote: As much as Dani Alves is hated for his on-pitch antics and behavior, he was one to offer part of his liver for Abidal’s operation and that’s pretty ******* cool.

When doctors discussed his future playing prospects, he determined that he would be grateful just to be at full health again.

During all of this, Barcelona had promised Abidal that they would extend his contract if he was to recover fully, a promise that they reneged on, leaving the defender to sign with Monaco for a year. Abidal had no words of hate or anger for his former bosses, instead he thanked them for all they had done for him and for the medical attention they had provided. Still, even to this day, many Barcelona officials are vocal about the regret in the way his situation was handled.

Nonetheless, he moved on and played for Monaco, helped them to secure a Champions League place which they rewarded him by extending his contract. He then moved on to Olympiacos before announcing his retirement.

Everything he’s won during his career: the awards, trophies, caps etc, are all dwarfed by the man himself. The way he played was unbothered, not effortless, but as a person who knows that regardless of the number of tricks that the forward has, the countless misfortunes that life seems to revel in, that he would win in the end. He was tidy, reserved and gentle and that’s more powerful than any disease could ever be. Those are the qualities of a king and football was lucky to have such a man.

This piece was written by Zito Madu. You can follow him on Twitter at @Phaetonv2. Comments below please.

Arsenal, Nike, 2000-02 from @jjhammersno2 Thierry Henry

Another Thierry Henry special.  As Thierry Henry retires from football what shirt most reminds you of the big man? Is it the;

New York Red Bulls, Adidas shirt

The sophisticated Arsenal, Nike shirt from the final year at Highbury

The Invincible shirt - Darren Byfield’s favourite

Let us know on twitter: 

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