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The Last Cinderella Stories in South and North American Top Leagues

  A number of football Cinderella stories in the South and North American top leagues just occurred not so long ago. 2024 marks a new Cinderella story in football with Bayer Leverkusen’s success in winning their first ever Bundesliga last weekend. Such similar tales also take place in America, both in the south and in the north. Here are some incredible stories from unknown teams in the CONMEBOL and CONCACAF major leagues, which also include Arsenal and Liverpool. Arsenal de Sarandi (Argentina) In Argentina, the last Cinderella story occurred in 2012, when Arsenal de Sarandi (nothing to do with the one from London) won their first ever league title. At that time, Argentina's top flight utilised the double-phase competition in its format: Apertura (first half) and Clausura (second half). Arsenal clinched their title in Clausura. They collected 38 points, two points ahead of Tigre in second place. They took advantage of Boca Juniors' inconsistent form and River Plate's

Remembering Bayer Leverkusen’s First Ever Major Title

  Bayer Leverkusen’s first major title was not actually a domestic trophy but a continental one. Bayer Leverkusen has reached a new important milestone in the club’s history this season by clinching their first ever Bundesliga title. However, their Cinderella story is not yet complete. They are still aiming for two more silverwares next month: the DFB Pokal and the Europa League. Their first ever title, as a matter of fact, was not a domestic one but a continental trophy, which came in the late 1980s. It was the 1988 UEFA Cup (the old version of the Europa League). At that time, Erich Ribbeck’s men snatched a victory over Espanyol on penalties in a stunning second-leg comeback. How did they win without a single famous name in the squad but a senior South Korean international? It may have seemed impossible, but 1987/88 remains their most successful European campaign to date, though that record could be broken this season as well. Xabi Alonso ’s men have the potential to replicate

The Second Fiddle Goalies who Stole the Show

Several reserve goalkeepers managed to step up well and stole the spotlight from time to time. Being the second choice in a team is always a disadvantage, especially for goalkeepers. They play fewer minutes on the pitch and spend more time in the dugout while their rival is in action. However, these second fiddles are expected to prove their worth once the opportunity arises, which can happen quickly if the number one is injured or sent off in the middle of a game or season. Some have to wait for their actual minutes because of such circumstances, while some others have been more fortunate due to the double-first goalkeeper policy. At least, they have more regular minutes in certain competitions, such as domestic league cups or continental tournaments. In the 2023/24 campaign, a number of teams have been forced to rely on their second man in the pecking order. Real Madrid has to count on Andrey Lunin and make a loan signing for Kepa Arrizabalaga due to Thibault Cortois’s long ter