Selection of feature articles
A Combustible German Genius | The Times (2023)
Julian Nagelsmann has one main ambition: to be the best coach in Europe. It’s what has driven him from the day when, as a 20-year-old, his playing career was cut short by a knee injury. It’s what has been behind his careful path through the ranks in his native Germany. Read more…
***
How Kaiserslautern Are Trying to Become America’s Team | ESPN (2023)
The Ramstein Air Base, headquarters of the United States Air Force in Europe, is located in an area of Germany known not only for vineyards and historic architecture, but also for its football hotbed. The local powerhouse 1. FC Kaiserslautern, four-time German champions, have yet to fully embrace the local American community, but 2023 might be the year they start to become America’s team. Read more…
***
Why Women Are Missing from Top Jobs in German Soccer, and Those Fighting for Change | ESPN (2022)
Comparatively low ticket prices, combined with a largely friendly atmosphere inside the stadiums, make the Bundesliga, one of the major leagues in Europe, accessible to many. But German football is far from perfect. Although progress has been made in the past decade, the dominance of men within the sport’s institutions – sporting directors, heads of scouting, coaching roles and soccer’s executive branch – remains a notable barrier. Read more…
***
Path To Greatness Mapped Out for ‘Unstoppable’ Erling Haaland | The Times (2021)
Many in football expect Erling Haaland to rival Kylian Mbappe as the world’s greatest player in the coming decade. How did he progress during his time at Borussia Dortmund? Read more…
***
Meet the Worst Team in Europe’s Major Top Divisions | BBC (2021)
Greuther Fürth weren’t just breaking records in the 2021-22 Bundesliga season for all the wrong reasons, they also held the unwanted title of being the worst top-flight team in all of Europe’s major leagues for a while. Read more…
***
Hertha Berlin’s Windhorst Promised Bundesliga Glory. So What Went Wrong? | ESPN (2021)
In the past, Hertha’s fans have witnessed a bribery scandal, multiple relegations, a string of executives making false promises and dozens of managers who failed to implement a winning mentality. In 2019, one man decided he wanted to break that cycle: Lars Windhorst, a well-known investment guru in Germany. Read more…
***
China’s Communist Party Forcing Investors To Pull Money Out of European Football | DW (2021)
A few years ago, China was aiming to become a major player in world football. International stars were lured to the domestic Super League and investors acquired European clubs. This is all over. Read more…
***
Thirst for Knowledge Helps German Coaches To Stage Champions League Takeover | The Times (2020)
The coaches of three of the teams in the 2020 Champions League semifinals had more than nationality in common. They were forward-thinking and always looking for the next innovation in football. Read more…
***
Why Having the Best Players in the World Hasn’t Been Enough for Real Madrid | The Ringer (2018)
Zinedine Zidane was on track to become the greatest player-turned-manager in history. At 45, Zidane had already won over a dozen major trophies as a player and a coach, including one World Cup, one European Championship, and three UEFA Champions League titles. Failure had rarely even been something he had to consider – until 2018. Read more…