Cleats
Welcome to the world of soccer and association football. From FIFA, to the Premier League, women’s soccer and more. Cleats is all about soccer.
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Stories in Cleats that you’ll love, handpicked by our team.
Why Did I Care?
The 2022 UEFA Women’s EURO competition has set attendance and viewing records. It’s been accompanied by a commendable and long-needed rise in campaigning against misogyny and online abuse, including Not Her Problem and Her Game Too. These are fantastic strides in the right direction, and send an overwhelmingly positive message to future generations of players and fans, of any gender, that they are welcome participants in the world’s most popular sport. It’s wonderful to see how far we’ve come in respecting women as athletes. But this progress also serves as a stark reminder to me of my participation in a shameful culture of holding women back.
By Madeleine Norton3 years ago in Cleats
Charlotte FC is Ready to Party
When Major League Soccer became the prominent professional soccer league in the US in 1996, no one could have imagined it would grow into the multi-billion-dollar league it is today. At the start average attendance numbers rarely exceeded 15,000, eight of the ten teams were renting stadiums from NFL teams, and the league lost an estimated 250 million dollars in its first five years of existence. A stark contrast to the 28-team league we have today.
By Connor Jaramillo4 years ago in Cleats
Why Maradona Is God , And Messi Isn't
Somewhere around 2013, I was at the gym, finishing my workout on the treadmill, when I glanced at the door and saw a short, chubby man walk in the door, followed by a bleach-blond woman 30 years younger and a personal trainer three times his size. His attitude was that of someone who owned not just the gym, but the whole city.
By Taru Anniina Liikanen4 years ago in Cleats
Reconciling With Mistakes: A Football Point of View
2021 had a lot of football moments. The 2020 Euro Cup alone saw more own goals than the whole history of the tournament. And, in most cases, these own goals led to the defeat of the team. This made me think about the mental health issues faced by the players and the ways in which they deal with their mistakes on the ground.
By A Elizabeth4 years ago in Cleats
The Life and Times of Romelu Lukaku
Romelu Menama Lukaku Bolingoli, aka Romelu Lukaku, was born in 1993 in Antwerp, Belgium to parents of Congolese descent, and when he played his first game for a senior club for Anderlecht at age 16 in the Belgian Pro League there was little sign that he would one day move to Chelsea Football Club in Kensington, London for a club-record £97.5 million ($135m USD).
By Hamish Alexander5 years ago in Cleats
At Long, Long Last, the Champions League Final
The Champions League final between Manchester City and Chelsea to crown the best soccer team in Europe — even though the two sides both hail from the UK — was always going to be hyped as one of those games where both sides overthink things.
By Hamish Alexander5 years ago in Cleats
Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Cleats.
The Cleats That Carried Cristiano Ronaldo
In the narrow, bustling streets of Funchal, Portugal, a young boy named Cristiano Ronaldo would often be seen running barefoot or in old, worn cleats, sprinting past alleys, dodging obstacles, and imagining himself scoring decisive goals in stadiums packed with cheering crowds that seemed far beyond his small island world, and although his shoes were far from perfect—often too small, scuffed, or slippery—they molded to his feet in a way that felt natural, carrying him through countless hours of practice, endless dribbles, and intense footwork drills, teaching him balance, agility, and coordination long before he would receive formal coaching, and in those early cleats, Ronaldo discovered a lesson that would guide his entire career: that persistence, discipline, and a refusal to accept limitations mattered far more than luxury, talent, or comfort.
By The Curious Writerabout 5 hours ago in Cleats
The Cleats That Carried Messi
In the dusty streets of Rosario, Argentina, a young boy named Lionel Messi spent countless hours kicking a tattered ball with friends, wearing scuffed and worn-out cleats that had been handed down from older cousins, and although the shoes were small, fragile, and often ripped at the seams, they molded perfectly to his feet, becoming more than footwear; they became extensions of his body, allowing him to dribble past defenders with an uncanny fluidity, turn sharply without losing balance, and strike the ball with precision that astonished everyone who watched him, and as he ran barefoot on certain occasions when the cleats failed, he realized that skill and determination were more important than perfect equipment, because greatness was built on effort, perseverance, and the will to excel even when conditions were far from ideal.
By The Curious Writerabout 5 hours ago in Cleats
The Final Game: More Than Just Cleats
From the moment sixteen-year-old Jason slipped on his first pair of football cleats at the local high school, he felt a connection that went beyond ordinary sports equipment; the cleats were scuffed, old, and slightly too large for him, but somehow they seemed to carry the history of countless athletes who had pushed themselves to the limit before him, and as he laced them tightly and stepped onto the field under the fading autumn sun, he imagined that their worn soles would guide him toward success just as they had guided every foot that had ever worn them.
By The Curious Writerabout 5 hours ago in Cleats
Living on Just a Few Spoonfuls a Day: The Woman Who Still Traveled to 28 Countries
For most people, traveling the world requires energy, stamina, and the ability to keep up with the physical demands of long journeys. But for one remarkable woman, even eating a normal meal is impossible. She can consume only three to four spoonfuls of food in an entire day. Yet despite this severe limitation, she has managed to travel to 28 countries, inspiring thousands with her determination and courage.
By Irshad Abbasi 5 days ago in Cleats
Shadow Fist: A Gritty Independent MMA Drama From Andreas Szakacs Productions. AI-Generated.
At first glance, Shadow Fist appears to be a gritty mixed martial arts drama set in the underground fight scene of Mexico City. But beneath the punches, bruises, and adrenaline of the ring lies a deeper story—one about resilience, identity, and the difficult journey toward redemption.
By Andreas Szakacs7 days ago in Cleats
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