Football is one of the most popular and widely followed sports in the world. With its rich history and global reach, and numerous memorable moments, it has generated countless fascinating facts over the years. In order to prepare for the jam-packed weekend of action that awaits, here are five interesting facts about European football.
Spurs is the first British team to win a European silverware
Tottenham Hotspur made history by becoming the first British team to win a European trophy when they clinched the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1963.
City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne has Burundian roots
Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne represents Belgium, the country he was born in. But he could have chosen to play for Burundi. His mother was born in the East African country, which technically means he was available for selection by their national team.
Gary Lineker’s disciplined career
Former England national team player and current popular television pundit Gary Lineker played his entire career without receiving any cards. The striker played over 400 matches in various tournaments but has yet to receive a warning or a red card.
Ronaldo’s UCL drought before making history
Cristiano Ronaldo, the all-time leading scorer in the history of the Champions League with 140 goals, surprisingly failed to score in his first 26 Champions League matches while playing for Manchester United.
Neymar’s first Ballon d’ Or nomination without featuring in Europe
In 2011, Lionel Messi won the Ballon d’Or, and Neymar made it to the top 10 candidates. What makes this remarkable is the fact that Neymar had not yet played in Europe at that time. The 19-year-old winger was still playing for Santos.
The iconic and multipurpose Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium features the world’s first dividing, retractable football pitch, which reveals a synthetic turf field underneath for NFL London Games, concerts and other events.
Amorim’s International playing career
New Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim won 14 senior international caps for Portugal and was part of their squads at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups in South Africa and Brazil respectively.
Italan club Parma’s history
Italian Serie A club Parma Calcio was founded in July 1913 as Verdi Foot Ball Club in honour of the centenary of famous opera composer Giuseppe Verdi, who was born in the province of Parma. It adopted yellow and blue as its colours.
Juventus v Parma – Serie A, Torino, Italy – 30 Oct 2024. PHOTO: Loris Roselli/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
Cagliari’s only Serie A title dates back to1970
Italian football legend Gigi Riva led Cagliari to their one and only Serie A title in 1969-70, top scoring with 21 goals. In all, Riva scored 207 goals for Cagliari in 374 appearances from 1963 to 1976.
The origin of Real Betis’ name
Real Betis’ name is derived from ‘Baetis’, the Roman name for the Guadalquivir river which passes through Seville and which the Roman province there was named after. Real (‘Royal’) was added in 1914 after the club received patronage from King Alfonso XIII.
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