Rory Smith
Posts
M.L.S. Cup and the Joy of the Open Field
A final in Los Angeles offers a welcome clash of styles, while a Copa Libertadores crown shows Brazilian teams may have cracked the code in...
World Cup Dreams, Gone in an Instant
For hundreds of the world’s best players, injury is the fear shadowing every step, every turn, every tackle as the World Cup looms.
Cristiano Ronaldo and the Long Walk
Soccer’s biggest stars used to have places to wind down their careers with dignity. The sport’s economics now require their humiliations be public.
Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema Wins Ballon d’Or
The Real Madrid forward won the voting after a season when Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were nowhere in sight. Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas repeated as...
The Enduring Appeal of Ronaldo, Soccer’s Original Phenomenon
The Brazilian striker’s lasting power lies not so much in a deep trove of highlight clips, but in what he showed was possible.
England Beats U.S. Women’s Soccer Team, Ending a Win Streak
The U.S. and England can be expected to enter next year’s World Cup as favorite and challenger. Friday’s friendly was a chance to establish which...
The Yates Report Isn’t the End. It’s Just the Start.
Women’s soccer players tried to raise the alarm about abuse for years. When they say there’s more, people should listen.
Death Is Rare at Soccer Games, but Aggressive Policing Can Light a Match
This is not the first time this year that the sport has had to confront the reality that tragedies often result from failures of policing,...
How Do You Stop Man City’s Erling Haaland? You Don’t.
The Manchester City striker is too big, too fast, too strong, too good. If there’s a secret to keeping him from getting a goal, Manchester...
Juventus Learns That Progress Requires a Plan
Its coach rejects any sort of rigid style, preferring to mold his teams to their talent. But when things go bad, as they have in...