Football stories
The history behind the moments in our quizzes, one competition at a time. Read a story, then see what you remember.
How the World Cup became the world's game
In 1930 just thirteen teams made the trip to Uruguay for a tournament many doubted would last. Nearly a century later, the World Cup stops the football world every four years. This is how it grew, era by era.
23 October 2026 · 4 min read
From the European Cup to the Champions League
It began with a newspaper's argument about which club was really the best in Europe. Seven decades later, the Champions League is the prize every great club measures itself against. This is how a knockout cup for champions became the competition it is today.
23 October 2026 · 4 min read
The European Championship in six tournaments
The Euros have given European football some of its most surprising summers. Six tournaments tell the story: a modest beginning, a penalty that became a word, a team called up at the last minute, an outsider that beat everyone, a final won without its star and a record-breaking champion.
23 October 2026 · 4 min read
The Premier League era
In 1992 England's top clubs broke away to form a new league, paid for by satellite television. More than three decades later, the Premier League is watched all over the world. These are the clubs, managers, players and title races that made it.
23 October 2026 · 4 min read
El Clásico and the story of La Liga
Spain's league has been shaped by one rivalry above all others: Real Madrid against Barcelona. But La Liga's story is bigger than two clubs, and its other champions have written some of its best chapters.
23 October 2026 · 4 min read
How to remember football
Every fan knows the feeling: you can see the goal and remember where you watched it, but the year has gone. A good football memory is not a gift that some people have and others lack. It is a skill, and like any skill it can be trained.
23 October 2026 · 4 min read
