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The European Elite Teams’ Banter Era in Modern Football

  Each of Europe's elite teams has their own 'banter era' in modern football, during which they failed to win any prestigious titles. The 'Banter Era' is defined as a period in which a football team goes through difficult years without winning a notable top title, such as a league title or a continental top flight championship. In this era, teams consistently underperform, producing disappointing results and campaigns. In Europe, almost all elite sides and the powerhouses in the top five league, have experienced such a ‘dark age’, except perhaps Bayern Munich. Some clubs managed to end it before deteriorating , whereas others had to struggle for years before finally putting an end to their misery. Recently, more than one elite clubs have found themselves in the midst of such an unwanted era. Italian giant, Juventus, French side, Olympique Marseille, the Dutch powerhouse, Ajax Amsterdam and last but not least, the once great side, Manchester United. Among those...

The Notable Short Goalkeepers at the Top Level in History

  A few short goalkeepers did manage to make their mark at the top level, but not anymore today. A goalkeeper has been a crucial position in football, and height has become a more and more important requirement to be a shot stopper, especially at the top level. In addition, goalkeepers have been pushed to have ball control and reading the game ability as they tend to be integrated in attacking build-up in the modern game. Regarding the height, it is almost impossible to find a man between the sticks who is below 175 cm tall. The shortest goalkeeper in the European top five is still 180 cm tall. He is the current Real Valladolid man, Jordi Masip. Nevertheless, there have been such notable short goalies at the top level in football history. Two of them even got a nod to feature in two FIFA World Cup finals. Here are those distinguished shot stoppers without the height advantage but still managed to be the first choice in his club and earn international caps. Juan Botasso (Argen...

How the Balkan Sides Won the Champions League Twice

  The Balkan clubs once stunned the world by snatching the European Cup title, the old UCL, twice before UEFA rebranded the competition . Winning the UEFA Champions League is probably the ultimate achievement for a European club, even more prestigious than the FIFA Club World Cup, at least in the current version. The prize and prestige of lifting the UCL trophy are simply incomparable. Today, it is highly unthinkable to see clubs outside the top five leagues snatch the title. Since its rebranding in 1992, Jose Mourinho’s FC Porto became the only club outside the major European league to win the competition back in 2004. Thus, hoping Turkish, Belgian, Swiss, or even the duo Old Firm rivals, Glasgow Celtic and Rangers , to clinch the title is rather preposterous in the modern era, let alone the Balkan sides such as those from Eastern Europe. However, things were different in the past. Having an unlikely champion was more plausible. Two Balkan clubs, Steaua Bucharest and Red Sta...