Former Liverpool Academy graduate Yan Dhanda expressed his desire to play for India recently. With his grandparents from Punjab, Yan is one of the most prolific foreign-born Indian-origin footballers, alongside Bayern’s attacking midfielder Sarpreet Singh. Interestingly, the push for Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) to improve the Indian national football team is not contemporary. Head Coach Bob Houghton tried to add ex-Newcastle United striker Michael Chopra to the Indian squad in 2006. Igor Stimac also showed interest in Iran’s Indian-origin player Omid Singh not so long ago. However, due to stern regulations, Japan-born Izumi Arata is the only PIO to obtain an Indian passport and represent the Blue Tigers so far. At the global stage, it is absolutely common to have foreign-born players in the national teams. 137 players from 28 nations were not born in the country they represented at the FIFA World Cup 2022.

Sources: Vox and Sportskeeda

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"Indian football calendar is adjusted according to IPL, this needs to stop", says Indian national team coach Igor Stimac. Unlike most countries, where a football league typically runs for nine months, the Indian Super League finishes in less than six months. Many, including Stimac, believe that the main reason behind the curtailed football season is IPL. Interestingly, Star Network owns the TV broadcasting rights of IPL and ISL, and having two separate windows minimises audience distribution and maximises revenue for the company. However, this is drastically impacting football development in India. International matches are not so frequent in football, and its popularity mainly relies on club competitions. As seen in European countries, the best way to promote football is by having a properly structured domestic season and creating a fan culture. "India is blessed to have a sport as popular as cricket, but football shouldn’t suffer because of it," the Croatian insisted.

Sources: The Indian Express and Hindustan Times

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Roberto Mancini surprised everyone by substituting goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma with veteran Salvatore Sirigu in the 89th minute of the final group stage encounter between Italy and Wales at the Euro 2020. With the Italians leading 1-0 and already qualified for the Round of 16, the Azzurri manager took the opportunity to ensure that 25 out of the 26 squad members have been on the pitch in the competition. The only player who remained without any playing time was third-choice goalkeeper Alex Meret. Interestingly, Mancini’s class act was inspired by the biggest regret of his life. At the 1990 FIFA World Cup, Roberto was the only member of the Italian team not to receive any playing time. What happened with him as a player, he didn’t let it happen as a manager. Italy eventually went on to lift the 2020 Euro trophy, with Mancini winning several hearts along the way.

Sources: Mirror and GiveMeSport

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Manchester City has been charged by the Premier League for breaching more than 100 financial rules since the Abu Dhabi takeover in 2008. According to the latest investigation, the money coming from the owners, which should count as equity, was used to artificially inflate the commercial revenue in the books, especially through the Etihad Airways sponsorship deal. Also, the managers were given contracts from other companies owned by the club owners to deflate the club’s operational costs. Apparently, the citizens manipulated the club's finances to abide by UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations. In 2020, UEFA handed Manchester City a 2-year ban from European competitions for breaching FFP regulations. However, the decision was later overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. If found guilty, the club could face punishments ranging from warnings and fines to points deduction, stripping of their titles, and possible expulsion from the Premier League.

Source: BBC

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Renowned for scoring outrageous goals and having an eccentric personality, Zlatan Ibrahimovic moved to the LA Galaxy in 2018. On his arrival, a full-page ad was published in the local newspaper saying "Dear Los Angeles, You’re welcome," with Zlatan's signature at the bottom. Whether it was his rivalry with Carlos Vela or criticising the MLS playoff system, Ibrahimovic was never far from making newspaper headlines. However, one particular instance during his time in America stands out. When basketball legend LeBron James joined the LA Lakers, Zlatan welcomed him by tweeting, "Now LA has a God and a King!" As a gesture of gratitude, LeBron sent Ibrahimovic his jersey. Guess what Zlatan did next? He signed the jersey and sent it back. Call it arrogance or confidence. Quite an acceptable attitude from a player who dominated the MLS in his late thirties by scoring 53 goals in 58 matches.

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The ballboy who once got ‘kicked’ by Eden Hazard is now a mega entrepreneur. Charlie Morgan, who became a social media sensation overnight after the incident in 2013, is the son of businessman and director of Swansea City FC, Martin Morgan. Like his father, Charlie always had the mind of a businessman. He observed a gap in the market for premium vodka, especially in bottle service, and founded Au Vodka with his friends in 2015. Today, Au Vodka is one of the most popular vodka brands on the internet. Famous for its golden bottles, the British ultra-premium brand is endorsed by celebrities like Ronaldinho, Jake Paul, and Floyd Mayweather. The company sold over 2 million bottles in more than 40 countries last year. Recently, The Times called Au "ones to watch out for in 2023" and listed Charlie on the "Young Rich List" with an estimated worth of £40 million.

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Wout Weghorst was scouted using data during the early days of his career. In the summer of 2014, the Eredivisie side Heracles Almelo approached sports analytics company Scisports to find a young centre forward who was good in the penalty box and could also play as a target man up top. Having two strikers already, the club could only afford a player on loan or a free transfer. After applying several filters to Scisports’ extensive player database, the reserve striker of Dutch second-division team FC Emmen stood out. His name was Wout Weghorst. Despite limited playing opportunities, Scisports’ scientific models suggested that the 6’6" striker was often in the right place at the right time and scored crucial goals for the team. Heracles eventually signed Weghorst for free. In the second season at Almelo, Weghorst returned 15 goals before he was sold to AZ Alkmaar for €1.5 million.

Source: SciSports

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Juventus have been docked 15 points for financial irregularities and false accounting in connection with player transfer deals. The club is accused of deliberately inflating player valuations on its balance sheet to boost capital gains. 11 former and current club executives are also charged with bans from holding office in Italian football by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC). The prime culprit, ex-Juventus Sporting Director and current Tottenham MD, Fabio Paratici, has been handed a 30-month ban. Former President Andrea Agnelli and Vice President Pavel Nedved also received 24-month and eight-month suspensions, respectively. Interestingly, this is not the first time Italy’s most successful club has been penalised for wrongdoing. In 2006, the Old Lady was stripped of their Serie A title and relegated to Serie B for match-fixing. The points deduction diminishes Juventus' chances of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League next season, which could lead to an exodus of talented players to cover financial losses.

Source: Al Jazeera

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How Kevin de Bruyne instigated an £83.2 million contract will blow your mind. Everyone knows that players have agents who do all the negotiations and handle the paperwork on their behalf. However, Kevin de Bruyne’s negotiations with Manchester City in 2021 were handled by the player himself. The Belgian hired a data analytics company, Analytics FC, to compile his numbers at City and draw a comparison with the world’s highest-paid midfielders. The report not only proved that Kevin was the club’s most influential player, but it also underlined that he was significantly underpaid for his on-pitch performances. Backed with data, it took him no time to convince the City’s management, and the 29-year-old penned a four-year contract for a staggering salary of £400,000 a week. With a stroke of genius, De Bruyne has introduced a whole new application of data analytics in football, just like he unlocks opposition defences through his vision and passes.

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One of the most underrated players of his generation, Michael Carrick, is now proving to be a coaching prodigy. In his 12 years at Manchester United, Carrick made more than 300 appearances and won 13 major trophies, including the Champions League, the Europa League, and five Premier League titles. However, his significance was often overshadowed by his superstar teammates.

After his retirement in 2018, Carrick joined the Red Devils’ coaching staff, where he served for over 3 years before being appointed as the interim manager. In his 3-match spell as United’s makeshift boss, the club remained unbeaten against Arsenal, Chelsea, and Villarreal.

Recently, Carrick took over a Middlesbrough side struggling at the 21st position in the Championship. Michael led the club to 10 wins in his first 15 games in charge, propelling them to 3rd place in the table. Though it's too early to draw any conclusions, the England international is definitely one to look out for.

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