“You’re here from Australia to watch Brescia?” It wasn’t the first time I was asked that question that day, but I didn’t have the heart to tell them I...
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Diego Armando Maradona: Six for 60
“Thank you to my sources of inspiration: Federico Fellini, Talking Heads, Martin Scorsese and Diego Armando Maradona,” professed director Paolo Sorrentino on stage at the 86th Academy Awards. It’s...
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The San Siro’s Significance: Amphitheatre of Calcio’s Heroes
The San Siro stadium, named after the district around five kilometres north-west of Milan city centre, opened in 1926. In its earliest days, the stadium consisted of four separate...
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Vines of Glory: Andrea Pirlo’s greatest moments re-imagined as fine wines
The Maestro exhales, his wooden chair creaking back and forth as he finally takes a seat. The sun begins to set over the hills of Fiero, illuminating the vineyard...
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The superstitious mind of Massimo Cellino
The Cambridge English dictionary defines ‘superstition’ as a “belief that is not based on human reason or scientific knowledge, but is connected with old ideas about magic, etc.” If...
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Goal O’ The Times: Alvaro Recoba vs. Brescia (1997)
A young son sits with his father at a restaurant. Suddenly he notices Real Madrid left-back Marcelo at another table across the room. The boy knows all of the...
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Goal O’ The Times: Roberto Baggio vs. Juventus (2001)
“During my career I won the World Cup, was top scorer in Serie A, won the golden boot and was the top scorer in the Bundesliga. But the real...
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When Calcio Ruled the World: Dario Hubner
Thierry Henry (aged 24), Arsenal, 24 Goals, English Premier League Champions Raul (aged 24) Real Madrid, 24 Goals, La Liga Champions Marcio Amoruso (aged 27) Borussia Dortmund, 18 Goals,...
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When Calcio Ruled the World: Gheorghe Hagi
It is hard to name many players who have sandwiched a quick jaunt at Italian club Brescia, between spells at Real Madrid and Barcelona. It is even more bizarre...
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Arturo Lupoli: The forgotten prodigy
In the early years of the new millennium, two prodigious young attacking talents were blazing a trail through the Parma and Italian youth system. One would go on to...
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