In our house, football has always been a family affair. But going into the new football season will be another painful reminder that my father isn’t with us anymore.
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Women’s football is gaining popularity in Indonesia with the introduction of its own premier league last year, but some players and fans feel it is still not taken seriously.
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A Twitter user recently asked me: “Why is a woman writing about football? Disgusting…” Here, I’m trying to answer his question, although I still think he could have asked more politely.
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Germany head coach Joachim Loew announced on Tuesday that Jerome Boateng, Mats Hummels and Thomas Mueller will no longer be playing for the national team. Regardless of his reasons, the dismissal of Jerome Boateng is extremely painful for me - here is why.
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The farewell game for Bastian Schweinsteiger reminded me of those years when my football world was still whole. In that sense, it was a double Goodbye: I bid farewell to my favorite player of all time and to the football that I knew and loved for so many years.
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Football, in the view of many, speaks a universal language and can unite people from all over the world. But this World Cup has shown me that football is also capable to create a huge divide – and this, to me, is a heartbreaking realization; one that has spoiled my mood and curbed my enthusiasm over the past few weeks.
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The stage is set for the big showdown on Sunday, also known as this year's World Cup final: France vs. Croatia. There are many football fans who didn't expect Croatia going all the way, but when taking a closer look at the four teams that made it to the semifinals and those who went home early, it shouldn't come as a surprise.
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Dear Mesut Özil, I think you should retire from the national team. Not because you don’t play well enough anymore, not because you should give in to the voices in Germany that demand it. Do it for your sake.
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I must admit, this World Cup has been quite a rollercoaster ride. Almost nothing is going the way I expected – or wanted – it to. Are we suddenly living in some alternate universe? Or is this what it looks like when hell freezes over? Did the god of football decide that it is time for a new master plan?
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I woke up this morning feeling hungover but despite Germany’s historic defeat, the group stage of this World Cup also presented me with lots of memorable and heartwarming moments.
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“I can’t believe that it’s already over before it actually began,” I say in disbelief, shaking my head. My sister doesn’t respond, and I look at her, searching her face for reassurance, a sign of hope – after all, she has always been my rock in times like this, a steady source of comfort. But the expression on her face now is just as blank as mine.
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When I root for a team, I do so whole-heartedly. It comes with a lot of enthusiasm, passion, sweaty palms, a high pulse, frustration, anger and tears, sometimes tears of joy, but even more often, tears out of pain.
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Football is one of the most popular sports worldwide. Legions of fans, including in Asia, religiously follow their favorite teams over the course of a season and during major tournaments. But how are German football and the Bundesliga perceived in Asia? Can the German league keep up with its European counterparts?
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