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" Superb ball control , accurate passing and intelligent positional play "  Which team comes to you mind when you read these words ? Manchester City ? Barcelona ? Liverpool ?  These words were used by the media for the Indian Hockey team which defeated  Britain in the Olympic Final , 1948.  The Indian team played in wet weather and a muddy ground on August 12, 1948 - 3 days before the Independence Day. The captain of the team Kishan Lal and vice-captain K.D Singh Babu played the game barefoot to cope with the slippery surface.   The Great Balbir Singh scored a brace as India won the final 4-0 to bring home Independent India's first Olympic gold  medal 💜

2016 Olympic Games 2017 World Championship 2018 World Championship 2018 Commonwealth Games 2018 Asian Games PV Sindhu lost in the final of all these major tournaments before coming to the World Championship this year. With critics questioning her mental fortitude to take the final step , even her most ardent fans had started doubting her. PV Sindhu must have had these doubts herself , but she kept grinding out results and reaching these situations as many times as possible. She reached the final of the World Championship this year again defeating World No.3 Chen Yufei with relative ease and then went on to dismiss her opponent Okuhara in the final 21-7 , 21-7 to win the title. However, her real challenge was overcoming Tai Tzu-Ying in the Quarterfinals. Losing the first game 21-12, she held her nerves to make a stunning comeback and win the next two 23-21 , 21-19. PV Sindhu's consistency and perseverance has allowed her to get past the final hurdle and become a World...

Julian Brandt - The Baby Face Jewel Borrusia Dortmund signed the young German winger/attacking midfielder from Bayer Leverkusen , after having a breakthrough season under Peter Bosz . Peter Bosz changed his position from winger to being in the midfield alongside Kai Havertz to increase his involvement in the game. This partnership brought great success to Leverkusen as they finished 4th in the league and managed to secure a place in Champions League . Julian's main strength lies in his awareness of the space around him , and his verticality ( the tendency to find forward passes which create chances ). He is also gifted with the ability to deal with pressure allowing him to operate in tight spaces in the midfield without losing possession. The young midfielder also plays an important part in the build up by coming deep to help his teammates. He has the ability to transition the play from defence to attack in a matter of seconds by finding the right pass. Dortmun u...

"As long as we still have the possibility, we have to fight for it" - Xabi Alonso . Xabi Alonso recently won his first trophy as a manager after his Real Madrid U13 side won the league title. There is a strong belief in the club and the fans that Xabi Alonso will make a great manager. This belief stems from the fact that Alonso adapted to different tactical setups and managers seamlessly in his playing career. His ability to read the game , dictate the tempo and organize play will all be helpful in his managerial career. Xabi Alonso didn't just adapt to various systems but he also was a crucial cog in each one of them. He was present in the Liverpool team that made the Miracle of Istanbul possible , He was present in Mourinho's scintillating counter attacking side and also in Pep Guardiola's possesion oriented Bayern Munich which dominated Germany. He was also part of the Spanish side which won 2 Euros and a World Cup and was almost invincible. Xabi w...

Daniel Ceballos Fernández - Arsenal ( 1 year loan ) Flair. Spain’s star at the U-21 Euros and Real Madrid’s future midfield prospect Ceballos joined Arsenal for a year long loan to continue his development. While this is only a temporary signing for Arsenal, they’ve missed a player of this profile since Santi Cazorla’s exit. The midfielder who came to fame playing in Real Betis under Quique Setién is known for his ability to progress play in the final third using his excellent ball-carrying skills. He is also a relentless engine while pressing the opponent team which will help Unai Emery’s side in defence. Dani Ceballos is a midfielder who binds the entire team together by seamlessly transitioning from defence to attack and vice-versa In Ceballos, Emery will have a midfielder who is as press-resistant as it gets and can get out of difficult situations using his technical abilities. Granit Xhaka, Matteo Guendozi and Dani Ceballos in the midfield would compliment eac...

 Aaron Wan-Bissaka   – Manchester United YOUNG. DEFENSIVELY SOLID. ENGLISH. Ticking all three boxes, Wan-Bissaka was the obvious choice for the right-back position at Manchester United after having a breakthrough year for Crystal Palace under Roy Hodgson. Nicknamed as Spider while growing up, AWB used to play as a forward during his initial years at Crystal Palace academy. After transitioning to a full-back he got his chance to represent Crystal Palace first team in 2017/18 season due to an injury crisis. Impressing everyone with his pace and defensive abilities, he won the Crystal Palace young player of the season in just 3 months of his debut. Wan-Bissaka cemented his place in the Palace side last season and announced himself as one of the best young fullbacks in the league. He had the second highest interceptions in the league and was only behind Idrisa Gueye and Wilfred Ndidi in successful tackles. He was also one of the best 1v1 defenders in the l...

Rodri - Sergio Busquets 2.0  Rodrigo Hernández Cascante  a.k.a  Rodri - Manchester City  Playing under Diego Simeone last season for Atletico Madrid , Rodri shined in his position as a DM (Defensive Midfielder) and grabbed attention as he was named by many as ' Sergio Busquets 2.0' which prompted Manchester City to sign him for a fee of 70mn Euros by paying his release clause.  Pep Guardiola's sides revolve around having a DM who is technically well equipped and with Fernandinho turning 34 they were looking for a young replacement and Rodri ticks all boxes. Typical of a Spanish midfielder, Rodri also has the ability to retain posession under pressure using his body orientation and first touch. Under Guardiola, Rodri will also be allowed more freedom to bring his creative side into play and dictate play from the midfield.  He also has the defensive awareness required for a DM which helps him to break attacks from opposition and recover the ball to...