Things to See: #SoccerSixes 2017 at the 02, London

As an odd number year, there hasn’t been a World Cup or European Championship this summer. While there has been a Confederations Cup and various youth competitions, there’s still been plenty of appetite for more football. And so the first Star Sixes competition was created. Hosted at the 02, it featured 12 countries, including half who come from a nation that have won the World Cup – Brazil, England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. In China, Denmark, Mexico, Nigeria, Portugal and Scotland there was mostly solid representation too. The even ran for four days, with three groups of four teams. The top two from each group and then the two best third placed teams went through to the quarter-finals. Each team had 11 players in their squad, with only 6 allowed on the field at the same time.

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Photography: Short Stories and Sports Books

I’ve always had a big interest in books. And amid my interest in the classic and the contemporary novels, I’ve had a big passion for short stories and sports books. I’ve quoted a few of them on my Literature and Sports pages but wanted to share them as pictorial form. You’ll find these two photos and plenty of others on my Instagram page of Raphaelalexx.

Line(s) of the day #KennethWolstenholme

It is only twelve inches high… It is solid gold… And it undeniably means England are the champions of the world.

After England were unceremoniously dumped out of Euro 2016 after their woeful, atrocious, dreadful, abysmal, dire, abominable, horrendous, wretched, rotten, terrible, shameful, shocking and, erm, poor 2-1 defeat to Iceland, a reminder of happier times. 50 years ago England beat Germany 4-2 in the final of the World Cup to be crowned football champions of the world. Bobby Moore, the late England captain, is seen picking up the Jules Rimet trophy, memorably described by commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme.

Gr8at: Memorably stupid football quotes

The latest TV rights for the Premier being sold for a record £5.136bn, a cool 71% above last time, show that the Premier League is bigger than ever. Filled with elite players, hugely competitive games and a fast-paced, entertaining style, it has delighted since its transformation from the First Division in 1992. It’s frenetic pace has also meant some hilarious gaffes when it comes to pundit and post-match analysis. Do you have a favourite from the eight below?

Line(s) of the Day #TheNowhereMen

I had invited myself into their world, a place of light and shadow. They were the Nowhere Men, ubiquitous yet anonymous, members of football’s hidden tribe.

Taken from the opening chapter of The Nowhere Men by Michael Calvin. Winner of The Times Sport Book of the Year, it tells the story of scouts in the football world.

Film Quizzes: Football/Soccer

With the UEFA Champions League just finished, it means the club level football calendar is over for the season. So why not do a quiz based on the so-called beautiful game? How well do you know how its big screen adaptations? As always feel free to let me know your score or any other films in the genre you’re a fan of.

 (1980s)

 (1980s)

 (1990s)

 (2000s)

 (2000s)

 (2000s)

Answers

Line(s) of the Day

If we played like that every week, we wouldn’t be so inconsistent.

Former footballer and football manager, and current Manchester United ambassador,  Bryan Robson, (1957 -)

Gr8at – Football Shirts

There are always some shockers out there, but amidst the horrors there are some fantastic designs. Below are eight of the great outfield football shirts.

Italian club side Inter Milan very neat away shirt (2010 -2011).

The funky current Sierra Leone home shirt.

The away shirt of Spanish club side Valencia (2008 – 2009).

The home shirt of the Ivory Coast national side, whose nickname is the elephants.

The current away shirt of legendary Dutch club side Ajax.

The neatly understated away shirt of English club side Man City from 2009.

The imaginative current home shirt of Zanzibar.

The home shirt of Cameroon side when they made the group stage of the 2002 World Cup.