Long Read Features

Screenshot of football match from Ted Lasso — Why the football in Ted Lasso looks better than in other shows FourFourTwo speaks to Kasali Casal, the man behind the football choreography on the Emmy Award-winning Ted Lasso

Keira Walsh posing after signing for Barcelona — Lionesses star Keira Walsh won the Euros, broke the world transfer record and had a bus named after her – but would have quit the game if she hadn't seen a psychologist Kiera Walsh grew up watching Pep Guardiola's Barça, so when the chance to make a world record move to Barcelona and challenge for the Champions League, she jumped at the chance

Lenny Pidgeley Chelsea — Former Chelsea goalkeeper Lenny Pidgeley tried to play through depression until someone else announced his retirement Farnborough released a statement saying Lenny Pidgeley retired from football in 2018, against his wishes. Here, he explains to FourFourTwo what playing professionally with depression was like, and his feelings towards the club after that statement

Grid List

Latest Long read features

What REALLY happened to Ali Dia? On the trail of the Premier League's worst player

By Richard Edwards last updated 12 October 21

Southampton What the hell happened to Dia, who earned infamy on this day in 1996? FourFourTwo hits the trail of football’s most unlikely cult hero

Southampton

How Brighton went from the brink of extinction to the Premier League – told by their heroes

By Chris Flanagan published 27 September 21

Almost 25 years ago, Brighton were on the edge of oblivion. After two decades of hard work and heartbreak, they're now a Premier League staple – and they could go top with a win over Crystal Palace...

Manchester United can’t rely on Cristiano Ronaldo – and his last stint proves why

By Gary Parkinson published 14 September 21

Cristiano Ronaldo will continue to score goals. But, worries Gary Parkinson, will enough of his team-mates still do so in a system retooled around the main man?

"Why didn't you just belt it?" How Gareth Southgate's Euro 96 miss helped him as England manager

By Ryan Herman published 9 July 21

Gareth Southgate once feared the Euro 96 penalty would overshadow everything – before he realised he could use it to his advantage. Now, Euro 2020 will define him

When Greece won Euro 2004: Angelos Charisteas on the “miracle” shock victory

By Angelos Charisteas published 5 July 21

Angelos Charisteas scored the winning goal for Greece in the Euro 2004 final against Denmark. This is the story of that unlikely success

Rafa Benitez: “Protest banners? There weren’t too many, and they were only A4”

By Chris Flanagan published 30 June 21

FFT spoke to new Everton manager Rafa Benitez back in 2019 after he left Newcastle for a new challenge in China – about a potential Premier League return and protests from unhappy fans in blue. It’s funny how things turn out…

Belgium manager Robert Martinez interview: "The opportunity to manage De Bruyne and Hazard is a challenge you sacrifice anything for"

By Richard Edwards published 27 June 21

Roberto Martinez's Belgium came third at the World Cup, sit atop the FIFA world rankings and have a golden generation the likes of which the country has never seen. But can they make it count at Euro 2020?

Marco van Basten's volley, Euro 88: The story behind the Netherlands' most famous goal

By Gary Parkinson published 25 June 21

Marco van Basten led the Netherlands to a Euro 88 win courtesy of a brilliant strike in the final against the Soviet Union. Not bad for their third-choice forward...

The downfall of Michel Platini, the man behind Euro 2020

By Paul Simpson published 19 June 21

Michel Platini is an undisputable European Championship legend and, as UEFA president, was behind the plan for a Europe-wide Euro 2020. But you won't see him at any games this summer

Karel Poborsky Czech Republic Portgal Euro 96

"I didn't mean to hit it so high, I thought it was going over!" Karel Poborsky on Euro 96, the goal that changed his life – and his brush with death

By Karel Poborsky published 14 June 21

EXCLUSIVE The former Manchester United and Czech Republic midfielder explains how he scored one of the most iconic goals of Euro 96 in the quarter-final against Portugal

EXCLUSIVE

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