The Footy Section

Ronaldo Nazário: "Sometimes I forget I'm not a footballer and that I'm the president of Valladolid. During a game, our striker had a one-on-one with the goalkeeper but missed the chance. In the dressing room, I gave him some advice. "'When you're face-to-face with the goalkeeper, all you need to do is stay calm. The defenders have little chance of catching you. You need to stay focused. Just one body movement, and the goalkeeper will fall. It's very easy,' I told him. "'Yeah, it's easy for you — you're Ronaldo,' he replied."

Man City must win tonight, I think they’ll get the job done ✅

More than just a goalkeeper... Alireza Beiranvand grew up in a nomadic family with no place to call home. Football was his dream, and he was prepared to do whatever it took to chase it — including sleeping on the streets. When he had no job and nowhere to live, a teammate at Naft Tehran offered him work at his father's dressmaking factory. He took it without hesitation. His career stalled. It looked like the dream might be slipping away. Then came a call-up to the Iranian Under-23 side, then a promotion to the Naft senior squad as first-choice goalkeeper. From sleeping rough to becoming Iran's number one. And in the 2018 World Cup group stage against Portugal, he saved a penalty from Cristiano Ronaldo. Some stories you could not make up.

Eduardo Camavinga was born in Miconge, Cabinda, Angola, to Congolese parents who had fled their country during the war in 2002 to escape armed conflict. The family spent almost two years as refugees in Angola before eventually settling in Fougères, France, where Eduardo grew up. In 2013, what little they had was taken from them when their house burned down. It was at that point that he committed himself entirely to football. By 2019 he had acquired French citizenship. Two years later, Real Madrid came calling and he has not looked back since.

Atlético Madrid gained promotion to La Liga in 2002. For the next nine seasons, they finished: 11th, 7th, 11th, 10th, 7th, 4th, 4th, 9th, 7th. Simeone joined in 2011/12 and has finished: 3rd, 1st, 3rd, 3rd, 3rd, 2nd, 2nd, 3rd, 1st, 3rd, 3rd, 4th, 4th, 2nd.

Götze made Messi cry with the decisive goal in the 2014 World Cup final. Afterwards, he approached him and respectfully asked for a photo. Messi agreed. Eight years later, Götze celebrated Argentina's World Cup triumph just like any other fan would. Football has a funny way of writing its stories.

Javier Zanetti revealing an unbelievable story about the day Ronaldo stopped a flight so his South American teammates could spend Christmas with their families: "We were playing on December 22 and after the game it was impossible to return to Argentina for Christmas. I was worried and told Ronaldo about it. He told me that we were all going to fly on the plane to São Paulo. It didn't make sense because the plane was leaving at 10pm and our match ended at 10.30pm. It was impossible to get there. 'Calm down,' he replied. I didn't understand anything. Hopelessly, we had a quick shower and arrived at the airport at midnight. And the plane was waiting for us! There were people who had been sitting for 2 hours without taking off. In a hurry, we got on, Ronaldo greeted everyone and we took off. I arrived perfectly."

Perhaps you had not noticed, but there is a deeply personal reason why Memphis Depay does not wear his surname on his shirt. When he was four years old, his Ghanaian father walked out on the family. His Dutch mother later moved in with another man, and life at home with his stepbrothers was far from easy. He has never gone back to that name, and he has been open about why. "There is no turning back. He has tried to establish contact with me, but I have no relationship with him nor his family. I don't want to explain exactly what happened at home because I don't want to give people grief. I have already turned the page."

Patrice Evra on PSG: "In the VIP stands, you don't see Bernard Lama, instead it's Kim Kardashian and the like. It's a show business club, football isn't the priority. Dani Alves at the time told me, 'But Pat, they will never win the Champions League. You're coming, we're rockstars.'"

Karim Benzema: "Why do the players argue with referees' decisions? It drives me crazy when a player on my team does that. He whistled, it's over. What do you want him to do? He can't go back to it. For penalties, there is VAR. So there's no point in complaining." Respect Karim. Not one red card in 836 career games.

Wesley Sneijder on his most vivid memory from the 2010 World Cup final: "When his entire team was celebrating, Sergio Ramos came with me to my dressing room. He sat next to me on the floor and had a beer with me. He stayed with me for almost 45 minutes and I never forget that. We talked about everything, he knew how sad I felt at that moment. When they ask me about this World Cup, it's the first thing I remember."

Football. No matter what.

José Mourinho after beating Manchester City 3-2 in 2018 with Manchester United: Journalist: "Manchester City had the ball for 90 minutes, more than 80%." Mourinho: "You can take the ball home, I'll take the 3 points."

January 2015: Real Madrid show the awards their players got at FIFA’s gala. Cristiano Ronaldo, the Ballon d’Or. Kross and Ramos, the World XI. James, the Puskas award. Behind them is Benzema showing himself happy for the achievement of his teammates. Seven years later, Karim finally got his first Ballon d’Or.

Antoine Griezmann has 3 children. Their birthdays: - 8th April 2016 - 8th April 2019 - 8th April 2021 One big birthday party every year to save time 😂

Throwback to when, during a match against Sampdoria, a section of Roma fans directed racist chants at opposing manager Dejan Stanković, targeting him with slurs about his background. Mourinho did not hesitate. He immediately turned to the crowd and ordered them to stop. Afterwards, he explained why: "I did it for a great man and a great friend. He has kids and a family. Our fans are great but my friends aren't being touched."

Kai Havertz: "We had a cook in London at the beginning, who came every day and cooked for us. And I have to say, I did not feel good at all. This had the complete opposite effect on me. He said to me because I'm a total sugar freak. "And then we got a nutritionist at Chelsea and he completely went the other policy and said Kai you need the Fanta, you need the Coke, drink one a day. At half-time I get gummy bears, Skittles or something. And he has completely followed the other policy and then I said OK, I'll do it again and that moved the push in my body and I was full of energy again."

As a child, Paulo Dybala spent hours in front of the television watching Gladiator. When he arrived in Europe at 18, he had a tattoo done on his arm referencing the bracelets worn by ancient warriors, and began celebrating goals by forming a gladiator mask with his hand. Today, he is the standout figure at Roma — the club of the city where the Colosseum stands, one of the wonders of the modern world, and a place he had admired since childhood. Some stories write themselves.

22 April 2013. The last time Manchester United lifted the Premier League trophy. Look at Sir Alex Ferguson's face. Almost like he knew.

Never forget that Cristiano Ronaldo, at 37 years old, put up these numbers at Manchester United. And still got mistreated.

The transfer that ruined football forever...