The World Cup 2018 should have proven one thing, beyond all doubt, to Kiwi football fans.

Population does not matter.

World Cup tournaments are often defined by those moments when a player creates something spectacular.

Xavi Hernandez made over 500 appearances for Barcelona and won 133 caps for Spain. Along the way he won 31 trophies including a World Cup, two European Championships, La Liga titles, and the Champions League.

So when he describes something that we see every weekend in Auckland junior football as a failure, we should probably question if we are coaching our kids the right way.

Liverpool’s dramatic 5-2 win over AS Roma in the first leg of the Champions League semifinal dominated global football headlines this week.

The Reds’ striker Mo Salah was the standout player with a wonderful two-goal/two assist performance.  The Egyptian is having a sensational season supported by a team that is designed to attack relentlessly for the full 90 minutes.

The Best Buy of the Season
There seems to be no stopping Mo Salah.

Liverpool’s Egyptian marksman has scored an astonishing 38 goals for the Reds since June.  His latest, against Manchester City in the Champions League quarterfinal yesterday morning, set the scene for an impressive 3-0 victory.

Rejection – the best thing that happened to Harry Kane
Arsenal fans must be sick of the sight of Tottenham striker Harry Kane.

Once again the England striker decided the north London derby result, heading home the match’s only goal.  But it is the fact that Arsenal released Kane as an 8 year old that must have many Arsenal supporters wondering what could have been if he had been playing for them.