It Started With a Kick Episode 68 : Miguel Pereira Miguel is a Portuguese writer /historian, whose most recent book is ‘Pasion’, is a journey to the soul of Spanish football and having also written books about Portuguese football he is an expert on Iberian football. Unsurprisingly, Miguel’s first match was in Portugal at theContinue reading “‘It Started With a Kick’ Episode 68 Miguel Pereira”
Category Archives: Portugal
Euros Own Goals and Episode 13 of It Started With a Kick
This piece on the proliferation of own goals at Euros appeared in The Guardian on 4th July When Jan Vertonghen deflected Randal Kolo Muani’s shot past Koen Casteels in the 85th minute of Belgium’s Last 16 match, he became the ninth player to register an own goal at Euros 2024. That was France’s third goalContinue reading “Euros Own Goals and Episode 13 of It Started With a Kick”
Euros Nuggets Group matches ‘It Started With a Kick’ episode 12 – John Bennett
EUROS NUGGETS II Group matches The Group of Dearth England’s group turned out to be about as much fun as having root canal without an anaesthetic. One win, five draws, seven goals was the grim total. There have only been three goalless draws in 36 matches so far and group C provided two of them. Continue reading “Euros Nuggets Group matches ‘It Started With a Kick’ episode 12 – John Bennett”
From playing ‘Football Manager’ to improving Guinea-Bissau’s squad – the story of Jack C. 2.0
In the late 1980s and early 1990s Jack Charlton oversaw the Republic of Ireland’s status as a football nation shift dramatically from also-rans to a top 10 FIFA ranking, taking them to a World Cup quarter-final along the way. Charlton was responsible for casting the net for potential players far and wide, searching through theContinue reading “From playing ‘Football Manager’ to improving Guinea-Bissau’s squad – the story of Jack C. 2.0”
World Cup Nuggets – The quarter-finals Part II
So we already know one semi-final after both quarter-finals went the distance to be decided on penalties as Luka Modric’s Croatia take on Lionel Messi’s Argentina and what an absolute cracker that is going to be. The massive question is who is going to join them in the last four. MOROCCO – PORTUGAL Surely MoroccoContinue reading “World Cup Nuggets – The quarter-finals Part II”
World Cup Nuggets – Day 9
Only Canada and Qatar are out of the tournament while Brazil and Portugal joined France having confirmed their qualification. So there’s all to play for in the third round of Group matches. As 32 of the 64 matches have now been completed look out for HALF-TIME NUGGETS coming out at lunchtime – they are aContinue reading “World Cup Nuggets – Day 9”
World Cup Nuggets – Day 5
The first round of Group game now complete World Cup Nuggets are about to get a lot tastier. Keep coming back for your daily dose. You can pick up a copy of the World Cup Nuggets book directly from the publishers, Halcyon https://bit.ly/3eXfV2y or via Amazon https://amzn.to/3TKD1J0 24 November GOALLESS DRAWS GALORE Uruguay and South Korea served up the fourthContinue reading “World Cup Nuggets – Day 5”
World Cup Nuggets podcast
Welcome to the World Cup Nuggets podcast, with a host of fascinating facts and startling stats about each of the 32 countries competing in Qatar. The next six episodes cover mighty Morocco, nearly Netherlands, punchy Poland, pugilistic Portugal, querulous Qatar and secretive Saudi. Listen out for the question that is set about every country at theContinue reading “World Cup Nuggets podcast”
World Cup Nuggets Daily
Welcome to the World Cup Nuggets Daily podcast that features choice facts and stats about each of 32 countries competing in Qatar. There is also a question set about each country and a competition in which you can win a bundle of brilliant books from Halcyon Publishing. To get hold of the book that spawnedContinue reading “World Cup Nuggets Daily”
Euros 2020 – Group F’s fantastic finish, Ronaldo’s record and a gaggle of own goals .
As final rounds of games go the fluctuations of Group F on Wednesday night provided a classic of the genre. At the start, only France were guaranteed to move on to the last 16 while the other three teams were in with a chance of qualifying. Hungary were discounted as no-hopers by the cognoscenti, beatingContinue reading “Euros 2020 – Group F’s fantastic finish, Ronaldo’s record and a gaggle of own goals .”
The Football Mine 