Dec 30, 2022Golden Boys of Yesteryear: Kylian MbappéSeasons Watched: 2016–17 to 2020–21 (age 17–21 seasons according to FBref) I’ve been writing about football on the internet for nearly a decade, and seriously got into it around the 2014–15 season. A lot of those articles have been focused on individual players, figuring out what they can and can’t…Ligue 110 min readLigue 110 min read
Aug 19, 2022Golden Boys of Yesteryear: Ousmane DembéléSeasons watched: 2015–16 to 2018–19 (Ages 18–21 seasons according to FBref) Back in my early years of football writing, Ousmane Dembélé was someone I gushed over during his debut season for Stade Rennais. Even though some parts of the piece haven’t aged well, it’s still fair to defend the enthusiasm…La Liga10 min readLa Liga10 min read
Jul 21, 2022Golden Boys of Yesteryear: Dele AlliSeasons watched: 2015–16 to 2017–18 (Ages 19–21 according to FBref) For Tottenham fans and avid watchers of the Premier League, Dele Alli’s goal vs Crystal Palace from the 2015–16 season felt like one of those early “OMG” moments in the career arc of a burgeoning talent who’d later on became…Premier League8 min readPremier League8 min read
Jun 16, 2022Golden Boys of Yesteryear: Anthony MartialSeasons watched: 2014–15 to 2017–18 (Ages 18–21 according to FBref) It feels like a distant memory, but Anthony Martial’s debut with Manchester United was the kind of storybook beginning you’d want from a youngster who was British football’s most expensive teenager at the time. It happened against a bitter rival…Premier League9 min readPremier League9 min read
May 16, 2022Golden Boys of Yesteryear: Raheem SterlingSeasons watched: 2013–14 to 2016–17 (Age 18–21 seasons according to FBref) Of all the players analyzed in this series so far, one could make an argument that none dealt with as much constant change in their formative years as Raheem Sterling did. The 2013–14 season was his true arrival on…Premier League8 min readPremier League8 min read
Oct 7, 2021Golden Boys of Yesteryear: Alexandre PatoSeasons watched: 2008–09 to 2010–11 (Age 18–20 seasons according to FBref) Given how far he has fallen over the past decade, it can sometimes be forgotten how massive a star Alexandre Pato was during his formative years. The hype could be traced back to his performances in the 2006 Club…Soccer9 min readSoccer9 min read
Aug 24, 2021Golden Boys of Yesteryear: Karim BenzemaSeasons watched: 2007–2008 to 2009–10 (Age 19–21 seasons according to FBref) For the majority of the past 10 years, Ligue 1 has been dominated by Paris Saint-Germain. Through state-sponsorship as a form of soft power to improve its image worldwide (a trend that’s become all too familiar in football), PSG…Soccer10 min readSoccer10 min read
Jul 29, 2021Golden Boys of Yesteryear: Sergio AgüeroSeasons watched: 2006–07 to 2009–10 (Age 18–21 seasons according to FBref) When looking back at Sergio Agüero’s brilliant career to this point, many will gravitate towards his title clinching goal for Manchester City against QPR in May 2012, and it’s easy to see why. It’s the most iconic goal in…La Liga9 min readLa Liga9 min read
Jul 1, 2021Golden Boys of Yesteryear: Lionel MessiSeasons watched: 2006–07 to 2008–09 (Age 19–21 seasons according to FBref) The Greatest of All Time debate is a mainstay within sporting discourse in North America, especially in basketball given how much a singular player can impact winning. It has led to many forms of analysis, both interesting and nauseating…Analytics9 min readAnalytics9 min read
Jun 11, 2021Golden Boys of Yesteryear: Wayne RooneySeasons watched: 2004–05 to 2007–08 (Age 18–21 seasons according to FBref) For a player who reached the heights that Wayne Rooney did, there still remains a certain degree of “what if” which surrounds him. This is largely due to him having a career arc that was slightly atypical from what…Manchester United8 min readManchester United8 min read
