Nick Lanier: Soccer Writer

In case you’ve been living under a rock over the past few days, the Champions League final last weekend was one for the record books. Real Madrid faced off against Liverpool in Kiev for European club soccer’s most prestigious prize. Madrid were victorious 3-1, largely thanks to a Gareth Bale masterclass, landing the club their third straight title in the competition, a feat last replicated in the 1970s.  Any unbiased soccer fan will tell you that Madrid definitely deserved to win on the day, however the match was marred by a nasty looking injury to Liverpool’s star man Mohamed Salah early in the game. Trying to control the ball to accelerate away from the defender, Salah and Madrid captain Sergio Ramos locked arms and the Spanish defender sent the Egyptian winger to the ground, landing on top of him. Whilst a somewhat clean tackle, the fall was particularly awkward, so much so that Salah actually sprained several muscles in his shoulder, dislocating it in the process. He was forced

Growing up in Europe, I quickly became fond of the game and its’ European stars. I loved watching the Premier League and Champions League, as well as the European Championship and qualification process for both that tournament, and the World Cup. Witnessing so much European play, and becoming familiar with various European teams, when it came time for the World Cup, I was excited to watch teams from other regions of the world play. In particular, Africa was always appealing to me. The tactics and style of play is so different, and the players often focus on stamina and speed just as much as technical footwork ability. There was always something special about watching these men, proudly representing their nation, face off against giants like Germany or France. They would always be placed as underdogs, however they were arguably no weaker than their opponents; they just had strengths in different areas. As always in soccer, giant-killings can occur on any given day, and there is plenty o

Coach Roberto Martinez announced a preliminary squad for the World Cup next month. As any soccer fan knows, Belgium have a plethora of talent all over the field, further posing the question as to why the national team hasn’t enjoyed more success at the top levels. In recent years, Belgium have most definitely had the blues. 2017-18 was a fruitful period for many Belgian players. Forward Dries Mertens had a career year at Napoli, and Premier League household names  Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku both enjoyed consistent, albeit slow, years in England. Hazard’s brother Thorgan had a good 2017-18 in Germany, finally getting to play quality first team soccer all season long.  Moving backwards on the field, Tottenham defenders Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen both had very solid seasons at the back of a Spurs team that allowed very few goals all year. Thomas Meunier had a fantastic season for PSG, arguably better than anyone was expecting. He truly rivaled players like Dani Alves

There has been a lot of talk since France released their roster for the World Cup next month, mostly in regard of those who will not be traveling with the team. Many argue that Coach Deschamps has not balanced the squad sufficiently with attack and defense, which could lead to disaster in such a competitive tournament. A list showing the players that will not be on the plane to Russia fully highlights just how much depth France has on the international scene. Forwards Karim Benzema, Anthony Martial, and Alexandre Lacazette all miss out, along with quality youngsters Aymeric Laporte and Kingsley Coman. Of these players, Laporte is thought of as the next big defensive superstar in the soccer world, and players like Coman and Martial are always a threat with their pace. While not having the best seasons of their careers, Lacazette and Benzema both are dangerous strikers who could add a new dimension to any forward line. It is because of omissions like these from Deschamps, that cause

The 2010 World Cup champions will be heading into the tournament in Russia with good odds to leave with silverware. Despite a shaky few years since South Africa, the Spaniards have improved greatly, and will hope to make the knockout stages with ease.  Spain have perhaps the best defense in the world. With new golden glove winner David De Gea in goal, and a back line including the two champions of Sergio Ramos and Gerard Pique, Spain will be very difficult to break down. They also have a player who, for me, is perhaps the most underrated athlete in the world: Jordi Alba. The Barcelona left back consistently plays to an outstanding level, and is easily the best left back in world soccer, and perhaps one of the best defenders period. Moving forward, the Spanish midfield is also full of talent and character. Players like Andres Iniesta, who have world class abilities but with aging legs, will be working together with the new starlets like Marco Asensio and Saul Niguez in hopes of cre

In continuation from the last article, it is apparent that the World Cup in Russia this year is going to be simply incredible. Each team has an opportunity to perhaps go the distance, and I for one am very excited to see some very competitive games. Peru are somewhat of an underdog in South American qualification. However, the team managed to qualify for Russia, beating arch rivals Chile to a playoff spot. Led by star man Jefferson Farfan, Peru are one of many dark horses for a late run in the tournament, with some even suggesting that they could take the trophy in July, especially with their incredible goalkeeper Pedro Gallesse between the sticks. It is evident that they can play with the big teams, out competing Brazil and Argentina to name a few during the last couple of years. I cannot wait to see how they fair in the group stages. Heading north, there are two teams that will be in attendance whom crowds have grown to love over the past couple of tournaments. Mexico and Cos

The 2018 World Cup will definitely be one of the closest, most competitive tournaments in recent history. It is more than possible to make a case for any of the 32 teams in attendance to win the trophy. This is a bold statement. Let’s analyze it a little closer. Clearly, the big nations all will be favorites for victory. Brazil will want to avenge for the last tournament’s failures, and Germany will want to retain the title. France and Spain have improved greatly over the past few years, and have incredibly deep player pools. Argentina and Portugal have talent in abundance, and both will be led by stars who will want to earn a World Cup winners medal as they come towards the later years in their professional careers. European giants England and Belgium, both with massive amounts of talent, are more than capable of besting everyone, assuming that they can get the balance of defense and attack, and youth and experience, correct. They, along with South American counterparts Uruguay an

Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta announced that he will be leaving the club at the end of the season. Just a few days later, Barcelona secured the La Liga title, and are on course for a potential unbeaten season. From back in 2002 when he made his debut at the Nou Camp, to now, Iniesta has been a constant in the Barcelona team. Quickly forming a rock solid partnership with Xavi in the middle of the field, Iniesta was able to allow his teammates to flourish everywhere by providing quality passes and crosses to them. Arguably one of the best passers and dribblers of all time, the Spaniard experienced success for years in Spain, at the same time as playing with greats like Ronaldinho, Eto’o, and Henry. Back in 2016, when his lifelong friend and teammate decided to leave the club, there was a noticeable hole in the Barcelona midfield. Iniesta was quick to fill this void by playing even harder. Despite aging, it seemed like Iniesta was still as agile as ever, continuing to show why h