Latest news with #BeautifulGame
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Inside the strangest football stadiums in Europe including one beside Hitler's bunker and another with a STEAM TRAIN
FANCY WATCHING a game of football on the side of an active volcano? Or maybe you would prefer the 90-minute experience of sitting high up a mountain pass, perched on a slender goat trail? 25 Amazing football stadium in Henningsvaer in Norway Credit: Getty - Contributor 25 Mountains rise about the Reine Stadion in Norway Credit: Leon Gladwell The thing about new grounds these days is that while they cost billions of pounds to build, more often than not they all look the same and lack uniqueness or character. There is something thrilling and wonderful about watching a match played in bizarre or strange surroundings – locations far removed from the pristine, copycat comfort of the Premier League. Author Leon Gladwell went on a two-year voyage to discover and photograph 100 of Europe's wackiest and strangest venues, travelling more than 130,000 miles across 71 trips. He has collected them all into a glossy new book European Football's Greatest Grounds. And SunSport has put together 10 of the most remarkable, bucket-list places on the continent where you can go and watch the Beautiful Game. Campo di Calcio Zuel (Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy) The Trampolino Olimpico, a ski jumping hill in the Dolomites, was opened in 1923 and was used as a venue during the 1956 Winter Olympics. The faded Olympic Rings are still visible from the bottom of the 49-metre high launch ramp. Yet there is no chance of Eddie 'The Eagle' flying over the goalposts because the jump has been closed for 35 years. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK During the summer months, when the snow has melted, the area below is used for junior football, thanks to the installation of a football pitch by Serie A giants AC Milan. It also has a key place in movie history – it was the scene of a famous ski jump by James Bond in the 1981 film For Your Eyes Only. 25 The ski jump at Cortina d'Ampezzo at the 1956 Winter Olympics Credit: Hulton Archive - Getty 25 The ski jump now has a summer football pitch at the landing area Credit: Leon Gladwell 25 AC Milan were behind installing the pitch in the beautiful Dolomite mountains Credit: Leon Gladwell Campo Gerini (Rome, Italy) Italian stadiums might look old and rundown but that is part of their charm and romanticism. Anyone who grew up watching the Italia '90 World Cup on TV will instantly recognise some of the famous yet tired arenas that hosted the world's best footballers 35 years ago. One of the nation's quirkiest grounds can be located in its capital Rome, eleven kilometres south-east of the Colosseum, in the second-largest urban park in Europe. Campo Gerini hosts various football factions seven days a week, from junior sides right through to senior matches in Italy's ninth tier. Some of the pitches are located next to a decaying aqueduct built in 50 BC during the reign of Emperor Claudius. Yet the future of the area is in doubt after 40 hectares of land (the equivalent of 60 football pitches) were sold to private individuals, including a supermarket entrepreneur, in 2023. 25 Footballers play in the shadow of an ancient aqueduct Credit: Leon Gladwell 25 The historic ruins were built in 50BC Credit: Leon Gladwell Eriskay (Scotland) Eriskay is a remote island in the Outer Hebrides and is barely four kilometres in length. With a population of just 143, it is one of the smallest regions to support a football club. And Barnet's old uphill slope is nothing compared to this imperfect playing surface. The bumpy, bobbly Cnoc Na Monadh pitch, with his wobbly touchlines, has a 'wee hill in the corner' and as such, one of the corner flags is as high as the crossbar. Occasionally, stray sheep might make a beeline for the centre circle and after every winter, groundstaff have to painstakingly remove all the local wildlife's POO. Fifa's World Football Museum gave Eriskay worldwide recognition in 2015, branding it as one of the eight most remarkable places in the world to play football. Post-match drinks can be enjoyed in the island's only pub, Am Politician, which is named after the celebrated shipwreck. 25 The bumpy, bobbly Cnoc Na Monadh pitch Credit: Leon Gladwell 25 The remote island is a remarkable spot for a football ground Credit: Leon Gladwell Feldstrasse (Hamburg, Germany) Hamburg's historic SC Hansa 11 club has a unique claim to fame – it is next door to a gargantuan Nazi-built Second World War BUNKER. Two artificial pitches in this inner-city sports ground are flanked by the astonishing Flakturm IV. This air raid shelter was built in the 1940s under orders from Adolf Hitler to protect the country from Allied air attack. An anti-aircraft gun has long gone from the imposing concrete blockhouse tower and it has since been converted into a public rooftop terrace, which doubles up as a live music venue. On the other side of the ground is the Millerntor-Stadion, which is home to Bundesliga side, FC St. Pauli, a must-see destination for all football hipsters. 25 The stadium is overshadowed by a Nazi-built anti-aircraft fortress Credit: Leon Gladwell 25 The bunker is now a a public rooftop terrace Credit: Alamy Grigoris Lambrakis Municipal Stadium (Athens, Greece) The best stadiums are not really the ones located off a motorway, far out of town, next to a shopping centre, with ample parking spots. The most interesting ones exist within a deprived community, perhaps next to a housing estate, in a hustling, bustling city, which has been dwarfed by the skyward creep of urbanisation. Athens Kallithea FC's ground, known locally as El Paso, is one such neighbourhood spot and some lucky fans can watch action in Greece's top division from their apartment block windows. Otherwise punters can perch on limestone cliffs that roll around half the pitch, standing behind coils of barbed wire and iron railings. In the mid-1960s, Sergio Leone's spaghetti-western classic For a Few Dollars More, starring Clint Eastwood, was released in Greece under the name Duel in El Paso. Kallithea used that nickname and to this day, they run on to the pitch to the dustbowl strains of Ennio Morricone's haunting score. 25 Athens Kallithea FC's ground is overlooked by appartments and cliffs Credit: Leon Gladwell 25 It was built in 1970 on the site of a former quarry Credit: Leon Gladwell Gryluvollur (Hveragerdi, Iceland) There is no danger of flooding or soggy pitches for Iceland lower-league side FC Hamar. That is because underneath their hillside ground are boiling underground rivers hot enough to cook an EGG. Situated on the slopes of the Grændalur volcano, fumarole vents near the touchline and in neighbouring backyards belch plumes of sulphuric steam into the air. A Gryla geyser lies dormant just 70 metres from the pitch and until the late 1990s, it would often shoot boiling jets of water up to 12 metres high during matches. At least for those who live in this alien landscape in the little village of Hverageroi (which translates as 'hot spring garden'), players can use the gases to steam-dry their match-day kits. 25 A geyser erupts spectacularly in Iceland Credit: Getty 25 The scenic pitch is situated on an active volcano Credit: Leon Gladwell 25 Hot steam rises above the pitch of FC Hamar Credit: Leon Gladwell Janosovka (Cierny Balog, Slovakia) Ideally, a football ground needs to have good, reliable transport links – but there is one in Slovakia which takes that concept to its extreme. One slumberous village in Cierny Balog actually has a STEAM TRAIN that passes directly by, just metres from the pitch and only a few feet from one of the grandstands. A busy logging railway used to haul timber up and down the valley for more than 80 miles of narrow gauge track for almost 75 years. These days, it is a heritage railway for tourists but the line goes straight through the ground of this semi-professional club. There are no confirmed accidents involving trains at the ground but the chairman often jokes that a few of his wingers should hop on and off to get them up the line a bit quicker. Yet anyone planning a Rory Delap-style long run-up for their throw-ins might think again… 25 Janosovka's ground has a vintage train line running alongside Credit: Leon Gladwell 25 The train line runs between the pitch and the main stand Credit: Leon Gladwell Kvarlis Tsentraluri Stadioni (Kvareli, Georgia) Kvareli Duruji FC in Georgia's fifth division play football inside the walls of a medieval CASTLE. The rural 17th-century fortress, which has an iron-studded entrance gate, has wooden grandstands and can house up to 2,500 fans. Legend has it that a player once went down headfirst into a sinkhole that emerged during one match in 1978. That has since been filled in and bricked over but underneath the pitch are tunnels and rooms that were built to store earthenware vessels used for the fermentation and ageing of local wine. When Gladwell went there, a special friendly match was arranged in his honour and his son Noah was allowed to play – even though he ended up missing a key penalty. 25 The pitch is inside an 17th Century castle in Georgia Credit: Leon Gladwell 25 Legend has it a player once fell down a pot hole into a tunnel Credit: Leon Gladwell 25 The castle is in the centre of the city of Kvareli Credit: Leon Gladwell Valloyran (Sandavagur, Faroe Islands) Those who live in the Faroe Islands can get to church on time on a Sunday – and then, after their prayers, have a little kickabout next door. One of the country's 26 grounds – in the seaside fishing village of Sandavagur – is overlooked by a beautiful red-roofed wooden church and cemetery. There are so few seats that it is essentially standing room only around this tiny football field – but you could choose to watch from your car given how close you can park behind one of the goals. The artificial pitch ensures few games are called off but spectators have to wrap up warm in the face of the fierce Faroese weather. 25 The picturesque ground is overlooked by a red-roofed church Credit: Leon Gladwell Yenisehir Stadyumu (Gumushane, Turkey) The city of Gumushane, which is 3,970ft above sea level, lies on the ancient Silk Road, the historic trade route from China to Turkey. To reach their football club, you have to endure a hair-raising zig-zagging journey along the Zigana Pass in the Pontic Mountains. Fans can either watch from the grandstands or, to avoid buying a ticket, find a spot up on the uphill goat paths. Pity the poor groundsman who has to work with a pitch that sees little sunlight due to the towering walls of red rock that encircle the ground. It is one of the most remote places to visit in Europe, several hours outside of Black Sea resort Trabzon, but also one of the most special. 25 The Yenisehir Stadyumu is 3,970ft above sea level Credit: Leon Gladwell 25 It is cut into the mountains alongside the ancient Silk Road, the historic trade route from China to Turkey Credit: Leon Gladwell
IOL News
a day ago
- Sport
- IOL News
How Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu's football skills will help him steer Springboks' ship in the wet against Barbarians
Springboks captain for the Barbarians match, Jesse Kriel, has a word with flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu at the captain's practice on Friday at the DHL Stadium. Image: Ayanda Ndamane / Independent Media South African rugby fans probably have Bishops' massive rugby culture to thank for Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu's decision to take up oval-ball sport instead of football. Last year, during an unbelievable debut season for the Springboks, where he went toe-to-toe with the All Blacks at Ellis Park and came out with the win, his father, Nick Feinberg, mentioned that he was quite the soccer player. This statement is backed up by various videos on social media, where the young flyhalf does some pretty nifty tricks with his feet. 'I maintain Sacha was as good if not a better footballer than a rugby player,' Feinberg told the Daily Voice last year. 'In my opinion, he could have made it in the 'Beautiful Game'. You can check him on TikTok doing stuff with a rugby ball that most footballers can't do with a football'. He does it on a rugby field as well, as his juggling act with the ball at his feet before scoring against the Lions in a United Rugby Championship match still fresh in everybody's memory. But that football background is noticeable in his kicking game, as he has a variety of kicking options, whether it is a very high bomb, a flat kick to find a '50-22' or just a little dink to collect himself. His kicking game is really an underrated part of his game because of the other special skills in his armoury, such as his passing and running games, which has already been compared to the All Black great and flyhalf GOAT Dan Carter. 'Some people don't understand how strong his kicking game is. He is a natural footballer. He can do things with a ball that I, coming from the township, can't do!' assistant coach Mzwandile Stick said with a smile at the Springboks' captain's press conference on Friday. Feinberg-Mngomezulu's kicking game and game management will certainly be in the spotlight in the Boks' first outing of 2025 when they take on the Barbarians at the DHL Stadium in his hometown of Cape Town on Saturday. Heavy rains continue to lash the Mother City and Saturday is expected to only clear up shortly before the match starts at 5.10pm. So the plan may be to kick a lot more in behind the dangerous Barbarians' backline. But Feinberg-Mngomezulu is the type of player that loves to go off-script and chance his arm when he sees an opportunity to run. Most times it works out for the best, which makes him such a joy to watch. But sometimes he tends to overplay a bit, like in the Stormers' URC quarter-final against Glasgow Warriors, where he tried to force the issue on his own and not bring other players into the game. One thing about Feinberg-Mngomezulu is that he doesn't sulk when he makes a mistake and tends to brush off quite quickly. Another mark of a champion. 'One thing about him, he has got a very big heart for such a young man. That is one thing I enjoy about him,' Stick said. 'Even if he makes mistakes he can bounce back and still back himself to make the decisions. We always want our attacking players to keep asking questions. 'He is young and he is going to make mistakes, but we enjoy watching him try. The impact that he makes for the team is the most important thing for us. 'I have never seen a youngster mature like he has, how he conducts himself around the team. His leadership skills … he is definitely one for the future.'
Fashion Network
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Fashion Network
It's promising to be big! Umbro and designer Throup announce statement collab
A 14-year gap in an important collaboration requires a statement launch. Which is why Umbro 's regroup with designer Aitor Throup is being hailed by the UK sportswear brand as 'revolutionary'. It isn't happening until next April but it will be 'cutting-edge' with their third association 'seek[ing] to challenge and disrupt conventional football training apparel through forward-thinking product innovation'. Also expect the collection 'to rewrite the design rulebook not only in football, but the world of performance apparel as a category'. Umbro first partnered with Throup on its 2009 England football home kit, when he first brought his 'signature progressive yet minimalist design aesthetic to the 'Beautiful Game'.' Following the success of this collaboration, Umbro developed its partnership with Throup in 2011 through the launch of Archive Research Project, reimagining a capsule of iconic Umbro styles and defining a new football-specific language of apparel design. The third chapter of Umbro and Aitor Throup will launch in time for SS26 in partnership with Italian sports and streetwear pioneer Slam Jam to spearhead international distribution. As they say, watch this space…
Fashion Network
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Fashion Network
It's promising to be big! Umbro and designer Throup announce statement collab
A 14-year gap in an important collaboration requires a statement launch. Which is why Umbro 's regroup with designer Aitor Throup is being hailed by the UK sportswear brand as 'revolutionary'. It isn't happening until next April but it will be 'cutting-edge' with their third association 'seek[ing] to challenge and disrupt conventional football training apparel through forward-thinking product innovation'. Also expect the collection 'to rewrite the design rulebook not only in football, but the world of performance apparel as a category'. Umbro first partnered with Throup on its 2009 England football home kit, when he first brought his 'signature progressive yet minimalist design aesthetic to the 'Beautiful Game'.' Following the success of this collaboration, Umbro developed its partnership with Throup in 2011 through the launch of Archive Research Project, reimagining a capsule of iconic Umbro styles and defining a new football-specific language of apparel design. The third chapter of Umbro and Aitor Throup will launch in time for SS26 in partnership with Italian sports and streetwear pioneer Slam Jam to spearhead international distribution. As they say, watch this space…
CNN
11-06-2025
- Sport
- CNN
Sarina Wiegman and England women starting from ‘zero' heading into Euro 2025
Less than a month away from the start of the Women's Euros in Switzerland, England heads into the tournament as defending champion, ranked No. 4 in the world and with memories of success lingering. Sitting in the Wembley Stadium dressing room where those Euro 2022 celebrations took place, Lionesses head coach Sarina Wiegman remembered seeing a group of players and a nation that were not only ready to win, but desperate to lift some silverware. However, she recalled being keen to extinguish that sentiment pre-Euros. 'I've talked to many people before the tournament even started then, and many players said they were desperate to win a tournament. So, I asked them to take off the word 'desperate' and just do everything to get prepared and be at your best,' Wiegman recently told CNN Sports. That mentality change got them over the long-awaited finish line at Wembley in 2022, but the 2025 tournament in Switzerland brings with it a new cycle and fresh challenges. The landscape of women's and girls' football has changed dramatically in England, and globally, since the Lionesses' landmark victory. The FA reports a 56% increase in women and girls playing the Beautiful Game since 2020. After meeting the goal of 75% of schools offering equal access to soccer in England a year ahead of schedule, the governing body has set a new goal of 90% of schools that offer boys' football to offer girls' football by 2028. Additionally, investment and revenues continue to grow at the professional level, according to Deloitte. With rapid growth come challenges, however. Chelsea defender Millie Bright talked openly about the sport's impact on mental health, posting about fan abuse in February on her Instagram Stories saying, 'Please may I remind you that as players we are not collectables, we are not robots, we are humans the same as you.' Wiegman touched on a similar point in her interview, emphasizing the importance of helping players adapt to changes in competitive demands on and off the pitch. Demanding better facilities, improving scheduling and access are all part of the growing pains. 'So many good things happened. Also, lots of challenges with the growth of the game. You know, we talk about the calendar, we talk about the outside world that has changed too, players are now household names. Which is great but also brings challenges because their life has changed,' the Dutch-born coach said. 'There's still a connection between players from different countries and in different environments and trying to support each other to make facilities better, or to make structures better, and to address things. And I think that goes beyond football. 'I think that helps women in football, women in sports, and women in society, and that's, I think, a deeper purpose,' Wiegman added. Wiegman's teams – formerly Netherlands and now England – have won the last two editions of the Women's European Championship with two consecutive trips to World Cup finals on either side of those victories. No other manager has won the Women's Euros since 2013. Yet, she's not thinking about the upcoming tournament as a chance at a personal three-peat, nor does she feel her team is the outright favorite because of its win three years ago. 'There are lots of countries I think that are favorite to win it (the Euros),' Wiegman admitted. 'This is a new situation. Of course, I cherish the moments. I'll never forget it. It was incredible, but we're in a new situation now, going into a new Euros. Everything starts again. I would say at zero,' the Lionesses head coach said. 'We're moving on, so we cherish the moment, we never forget it, but you have to move on. If you stand still, people will just pass you and then you're done.' The build-up, though, to the title defense has been far from plain sailing. On the pitch, England has won three, drawn one, and lost two matches in 2025. Off it, unexpected news kept dropping in the lead-up to Wiegman's squad announcement earlier this month as both former number one goalkeeper Mary Earps and veteran midfielder Fran Kirby announced their retirements from international duty. Additionally, 2023 World Cup captain Bright made herself unavailable for selection. The Chelsea defender posted on Instagram saying, 'Right now I'm not able to give 100% mentally or physically' and has since undergone knee surgery. Adding to that potential headache for Wiegman, a handful of key players are only just coming back from lengthy injury spells. Lauren Hemp and Alex Greenwood both returned for the final three games of the WSL season. Bayern Munich midfielder Georgia Stanway has only played 60 minutes since December after an operation on a lateral collateral ligament (LCL) tear in her right knee. And forward Lauren James hasn't played a minute for club or country since sustaining a hamstring injury in England's 5-0 victory over Belgium in early April. Despite a chaotic week in the lead-up to the team announcement, 13 players from that 2022 victory are in the squad. The chosen group has an average of 40 caps per player, only two less than the average for the previous edition's roster. The team has a lot of experience at its core, while seven players are heading to their first major tournament. 'I think we have a new England team now and we have been in transition, new players coming in. Some very experienced players still. That's where we stand right now,' the two-time Euros-winning coach told CNN Sports. 'I think we have a lot of quality. But bringing individuals together and let them collaborate in the best possible way, that brings us to the highest level.' England did reach new heights in 2023 by reaching its first ever World Cup final. The Lionesses, though, lost 1-0 to Spain with some seeing it as power shift in momentum in the women's European game. La Roja continues to compete at the highest level in spite of larger on-the-pitch and societal issues tainting the successes and will likely be the team to beat this summer. 'I think, in the World Cup, they had a deeper purpose, a higher purpose. They have a very specific style of play which is really good, which is attractive to watch,' Wiegman lauded. 'But we also showed that they have some vulnerabilities too, and that's what you see in the game too. The level's going up, and countries are developing, teams are developing and trying to figure out and taking up super strengths and trying to find weaknesses.' The Lionesses begin their UEFA Women's Euro 2025 campaign against world No. 11 France. And it doesn't get any easier as their next Group D opponent is 2017 European champion the Netherlands. The 55-year-old England coach knows anyone can win on any given day; the competition has never been stiffer. 'We have to be on it on the Fifth of July. We play France. They're a very good team, and that's the same for them. Our group is really tough, but we also know if you want to win a tournament, you have to be at your best. And we need every single player to contribute to the team performance.' England Euro 2025 squad: Hannah Hampton, Khiara Keating, Anna Moorhouse; Lucy Bronze, Jess Carter, Niamh Charles, Alex Greenwood, Maya Le Tissier, Esme Morgan, Leah Williamson, Lotte Wubben-Moy; Grace Clinton, Jess Park, Georgia Stanway, Ella Toone, Keira Walsh; Michelle Agyemang, Aggie Beever-Jones, Lauren Hemp, Lauren James, Chloe Kelly, Beth Mead, Alessia Russo
