Arthur Renard

Arthur Renard has been writing for FourFourTwo since 2013, when Ronald Koeman hosted him for a Readers interview in a small room in stadium De Kuip. Two years later Arthur moved to London, where he still lives and from where he covers English football, while he has also been travelling the world to cover events like the World Cup and Copa America.

Latest articles by Arthur Renard

Christian Vieri of Italy, 1998 World Cup
‘Viv Richards was my favourite cricketer, together with Ian Botham. During the coronavirus period I thought about trying to train with the Italian national team’ Christian Vieri on his love for cricket

By Joe Mewis Published

EXCLUSIVE The legendary Italian forward wasn't just handy with a football when he was growing up

EXCLUSIVE
Christian Vieri playing for Inter, 2002
‘I nearly signed for Spurs, but decided on Monaco. A guy also called to ask me if I wanted to join Chelsea, but I said no. I wanted to stay at Inter at the time’ Christian Vieri reveals his Premier League snubs

By Joe Mewis Published

EXCLUSIVE The much-travelled Italian forward never made it to British shores

EXCLUSIVE
Ronaldo replaces Christian Vieri in an Inter game against Fiorentina in 2001.
“Ronaldo was from another planet, like a gift from God, but sometimes you’d see a piece of metal coming out of his knee. I was like, ‘What the f**k is that?!’” Christian Vieri on his best-ever team-mate

By Joe Mewis Published

EXCLUSIVE Christian Vieri played alongside the Brazilian icon for three years at Inter Milan

EXCLUSIVE
Italian footballers Christian Panucci and Christian Vieri in action for Real Madrid and Atletico in a derby match in 1998.
“Atletico’s president once bet me a Ferrari if I scored a hat-trick. I’d left for Lazio by the time it was finally delivered, so said, ‘It’s OK, you can keep it’.” Christian Vieri recalls his La Liga spell

By Joe Mewis Published

EXCLUSIVE The journeyman Italy striker spent a year at Atletico Madrid

EXCLUSIVE
LIVERPOOL - APRIL 12: Michael Owen and Steven Gerrard of Liverpool applaud the fans after the FA Barclaycard Premiership match between Liverpool and Fulham on April 12, 2003 at Anfield in Liverpool, England. Liverpool won the match 2-0. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
'I called my agent after one training session with Owen and Gerrard and said, "There are two boys you should sign if you’re not silly". But he didn’t come!': Ex-Liverpool striker recalls first encounter with star duo in 1997

By Ryan Dabbs Published

EXCLUSIVE Liverpool produced two greats in Steven Gerrard and Michael Owen, but one agent failed to take advantage of their situations

EXCLUSIVE
4 July 1990 - West Germany v England - FIFA World Cup Semi-Final - Stadio delle Alpi - The West Germany team before the match. (Back Row L-R: Thomas Berthold, Bodo Illgner, Jurgen Kohler, Rudi Voller, Guido Buchwald, Klaus Augenthaler. Front Row L-R: Olaf Thon, Thomas Hassler, Andreas Brehme, Jurgen Klinsmann, Lothar Matthaus.) - (Photo by Mark Leech/Offside/Getty Images)
‘I’d never taken a penalty before the Italia 90 semi-final against England, but Peter Shilton was in goal and wasn’t the quickest – it was quite easy to score’: West Germany hero reflects on beating Three Lions in World Cup clash

By Ryan Dabbs Published

EXCLUSIVE West Germany defeated England on penalties at the 1990 World Cup, with one player taking his first ever spot-kick in the shootout

EXCLUSIVE
9 Aug 1997: Karl-Heinz Riedle of Liverpool jumps above Dean Blackwell of Wimbledon during the FA Carling Premiership match at Selhurst Park in London, England. The match was drawn 1-1. \ Mandatory Credit: Shaun Botterill /Allsport
‘It was an incredible experience to go to Liverpool. I sang a Bavarian song for my initiation but it didn’t last long – after 30 seconds I got beer over my head’: German star reveals unruly welcome at Anfield from his team-mates

By Ryan Dabbs Published

EXCLUSIVE Liverpool players didn't enjoy one German players' initiation song...

EXCLUSIVE
Steve McManaman in action for Liverpool, January 1995
'I fell on the floor and shouted for a penalty. Someone pulled me up and said, "Don’t cheat to win penalties". It was Steve McManaman. I never did it again!' Ex-Liverpool forward reveals harsh lesson he learnt from his team-mate on Reds debut

By Ryan Dabbs Published

EXCLUSIVE One Liverpool signing learnt from team-mate Steve McManaman that cheating wasn't tolerated in the Premier League

EXCLUSIVE
Paul Gascoigne Lazio
‘I only played with Gazza for a year, but could still write a book about it! People remember him for his behaviour, which is a shame because he was incredible’ Paul Gascoigne's former team-mate reveals what playing alongside the Englishman was really like

By Joe Mewis Published

EXCLUSIVE Former Germany and Liverpool forward Riedle spent a year with Gazza at Lazio

EXCLUSIVE
Virgil van Dijk feels the manner of Liverpool's defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup was 'unnecessary'

By Arthur Renard Published

Liverpool's captain admits his team's performance in the League Cup semi-final was below their usual standards

Interviews
“I got knocked down by a big Irish striker after the first touch on my debut – I was lying on the floor, then Gus Poyet said, ‘Hey, welcome to British football!’”: Ex-Chelsea star recalls first Premier League encounter

By Ryan Dabbs Published

A former Chelsea player had to learn about the British style of football the hard way...

Stories
LONDON - MAY 11: Jesper Gronkjaer of Chelsea celebrates scoring the winning goal during the FA Barclaycard Premiership match between Chelsea and Liverpool held on May 11, 2003 at Stamford Bridge, in London. Chelsea won the match 2-1. (Photo by Ben Radford/Getty Images)
‘It was without a doubt one of the most important matches that I played in my career. It wasn’t just Champions League football – it was a whole club at stake’: Ex-Chelsea star opens up on key game which changed the Blues' fortunes forever

By Ryan Dabbs Published

EXCLUSIVE Chelsea became a completely new club overnight, following one key victory

EXCLUSIVE
‘Sven asked if I’d like to play for England – even to be considered made me proud, but I don’t think they really wanted a foreign player in the national team’: Former Premier League star reveals conversations over converting nationality

By Ryan Dabbs Published

Sven Goran-Eriksson wanted an Italian star playing in the Premier League to turn out for England two decades ago

Stories
The stats behind Lamine Yamal’s Golden Boy award, as reports surface of a 'logistical dispute' as the reason Barcelona didn't attend

By Arthur Renard Published

FourFourTwo were at the awards to see the Spanish youngster win with record points tally

Stories
'They are lowest, and we are fifth or sixth in the league' Oliver Glasner on the weakness he spotted in Manchester City

By Arthur Renard Published

Crystal Palace were unlucky not to take all three points from the reigning Premier League champions

Analysis
'Loves football, humble, no strange things' Enzo Maresca reminisces about coaching Cole Palmer at Manchester City AND Chelsea

By Arthur Renard Published

The Chelsea manager knows his star player extremely well, having first coached him four years ago

Stories
Enzo Maresca offers surprising appraisal of Chelsea's Premier League title chances

By Arthur Renard Published

Chelsea are heading in the right direction, with people are starting to assess their title chances

Stories
Manchester City's Spanish midfielder Rodri kisses the trophy as he receives the Ballon d'Or award during the 2024 Ballon d'Or France Football award ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on October 28, 2024.
'I had to do better in the last third': Rodri explains how evolving his game helped him land Ballon d’Or

By Arthur Renard Published

Spanish midfielder Rodri is the first Manchester City player to win the Ballon d'Or and the first Premier League footballer since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008

Manchester City's Spanish midfielder Rodri receives the Ballon d'Or award during the 2024 Ballon d'Or France Football award ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on October 28, 2024.
Ballon d'Or 2024: The full standings

By Mark White Published

The full standings of the Ballon d'Or begun this afternoon, with the winner announced tonight

Stories
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - AUGUST 24: Unai Emery of Aston Villa in action during the Premier League match between Aston Villa FC and Arsenal FC at Villa Park on August 24, 2024 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Neville Williams/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images)
'He is a genius - everyone knows to a T what we are going to do and what we need to do. And when we do it, we pull up performances like that': Aston Villa star highlights key influence of Unai Emery

By Arthur Renard Published

Aston Villa have been transformed under Unai Emery - and of the side's key players has been speaking glowingly about the Spaniard

Stories
Fans in the 'Yellow Wall' at Borussia Dortmund's Westfalenstadion, 2019
"Winning the Champions League was like Denmark in 1992 – nobody put a lot of money on us, but when it's only one game, anything can happen': Former Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool forward on his European heroics

By Chris Flanagan Published

Striking great tells FFT how he's now trying to help boost his old club's profile around the world

Stories
Best Dutch players ever
Ranked! The 10 best Dutch players ever

By Alasdair Mackenzie Last updated

The best Dutch players ever have style, grace and intelligence – and these are the best of the lot

Lists
Ryan Gravenberch of Liverpool celebrates at full time following the team's victory during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace FC and Liverpool FC at Selhurst Park on October 05, 2024 in London, England.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot: Why I KNEW Ryan Gravenberch would excel at No.6

By Arthur Renard Published

Liverpool star Ryan Gravenberch has excelled under Arne Slot: now the Reds boss has explained why

Interviews
Exterior shot of Metlife Stadium, New Jersey, in the sunshine with a FIFA sign in shot and an inset picture of New Jersey governor Phil Murphy
'New Jersey hosting a Premier League game? I would absolutely love that!' US Governor Phil Murphy wants a game that counts to come to America

By Arthur Renard Published

INTERVIEW In less than two years’ the World Cup final will kick off in New Jersey and Governor Phil Murphy believes the tournament will be gasoline on a soccer fire that is already burning across the country

INTERVIEW
LINCOLN, ENGLAND - APRIL 27: Portsmouth head coach John Mousinho prior to the Sky Bet League One match between Lincoln City and Portsmouth at LNER Stadium on April 27, 2024 in Lincoln, England. (Photo by Chris Vaughan - CameraSport via Getty Images)
“The Championship will be tough for us at Portsmouth, but we want to be looking up to the Premier League. Everybody is inspired by Ipswich Town”: Key Fratton Park figure outlines ambitions

By Arthur Renard Published

Portsmouth return to the top two tiers this season, for the first time since 2012

Stories
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