A Football Report

Welcoming Portugal’s Neo Conquistadores?

Lisbon is a beautiful city. It’s as vibrant with culture as they come. It’s a joy to walk along the Romanesque, Baroque, and modern architecture. Lisboa’s people ultimately make the city what it is, but let’s face it, Portugal is going through tough times. Unemployment is high. Job opportunities are low. It can’t stay like this forever though.

That’s why I think the Neo Conquistadores campaign surrounding the new Portugal kit for EURO 2012 provides such a great attitude for the youth in Lisbon (and beyond) to latch on to. The word ‘conquistadores’ is primarily associated with the idea of exploration, but clearly this time around the focus is on a very different level of exploration. Even in a recession, it’s great to see young Lisboetas being so proactive and latching on to their innate creativity. It’s wonderfully refreshing, so well done to José Cabral and everyone else involved. [More info/photos]

The Mönchengladbach way

Borussia Mönchengladbach are one of the biggest surprises in Europe this season. Facing relegation at the end of last year, manager Lucien Favre has done a remarkable job in instilling a brand new system in his players. The league table doesn’t lie, and Mönchengladbach sit in second place, above Bayern Munich and completely capable of snatching the Bundesliga title from Borussia Dortmund.

Favre’s new tactics have emulated Barcelona’s tiki-taka system full of triangular passing, with a more physical twist that adheres to the customs of German Fußball. Fans are fawning over the likes of Marco Reus and Marc-André ter Stegen, but ‘gladbach as a team have transformed into a real force that can compete with the very best, in Germany and beyond.

(Thanks to 3nil for sending this vid our way)

Kicks, Kicks, Kicks

No, they’re not for sale. *hint hint nudge nudge, Nike* Actually, Nike doesn’t even sponsor most of these clubs, but nevertheless the idea of owning such imposing FC Barcelona or Inter Milan Nike Dunks is far too mouthwatering.

[Submitted by Marry Van Jogo at WeHeartIt]

The past doesn’t count. Everything is starting again. Spain continues to strengthen.

With a friendly against England at Wembley on Saturday and the EUROs on the horizon, the time has come for Spain to refresh, and forget everything. Everything won. Everything created.

The Message:

Iker: “No one came to welcome us”
Silva: “We didn’t create a new way of playing football”
Xabi: “We weren’t admired by the whole world”
Iker: “We didn’t take a whole country to the streets”
Villa: “I wasn’t the top scorer”
Llorente: “We couldn’t bear the pressure”
Del Bosque: “We didn’t change the conception of football”
Xavi: “I wasn’t the best football player in the Euro 2008”
Llorente: “We are not a team”
Xavi: “We are not European Champions”
Villa: “We are not World Champions”

The shirt is new, the meaning of wearing it remains the same. Always.