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Soccer
June 20, 2014
Elizabeth Winkler
A Less Smooth Soccer Ball is Actually More Predictable When It's Kicked
Science explains pressure distribution shifts!
June 20, 2014
Geoffrey Wheatcroft
At This World Cup, England Fans Get Their Disillusionment in First
Low expectations, duly met
June 20, 2014
Leon Krauze
Luis Suarez Is a Beast
On the taxonomy of strikers, the Uruguay star is an apex predator
June 20, 2014
Sebastiano Tomada Piccolomini
Photos: Police on "Pacification Patrol" in a Rio Favela
June 20, 2014
Shaj Mathew
Why Did Borges Hate Soccer?
Mass culture was anathema to the Argentine writer
June 19, 2014
Elaine Teng
Wayne Rooney Not Scoring for England, in GIFs
Forty-one goals in international matches, 40 of which were not scored in the World Cup
June 19, 2014
Luke Dempsey
England's Loss to Uruguay, as Epic Poem
The doggerel of defeat
June 18, 2014
Laurent Dubois
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Cheer for Belgium
An American citizen, born in Belgium, with an affinity for Algeria, sorts out his allegiances
June 18, 2014
Elaine Teng
Yes, We Are Witnessing an Historic World Cup
¡Gooool! ¡Gooool! ¡Gooool!
June 18, 2014
Ilan Stavans
Guillermo Ochoa’s Hair, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Pecs, and the Russians’ Wine-Red Uniforms
There's a reason they call it the Beautiful Game
June 17, 2014
Noah Davis
How the National Team Coach Went from Patriotic Symbol to Globe-Trotting Mercenary
Whistles for hire
June 17, 2014
Lindsay Sarah Krasnoff
French Revival? Five Story Lines to Watch During Les Bleus' Next Matches
Plus one supposedly burning question you can safely disregard
June 17, 2014
Ilan Stavans
The U.S.-Ghana Match Was the Best Worst Game of the Tournament
Years of investment, for what?
June 17, 2014
Elaine Teng
The Improbable Goal-Scoring Prowess of Germany's Thomas Muller
Slouchy socks, impeccable timing
June 16, 2014
David Runciman
Why You Should (and Should Not) be Excited About Belgium’s New Golden Generation
A test for the unifying power of soccer
June 16, 2014
Alice Robb
Pepe's Headbutt Earned Him a Red Card. But Does Anger Sometimes Help Players, Too?
Whether or not it’s true, most athletes believe it does
June 16, 2014
Alex Massie
Nate Silver and His Equations Don't Understand the World Cup
The dubiousness of Big Data's soccer predictions
June 16, 2014
Kevin Alexander
This Was the Best World Cup Ball of All Time
Plus, a ranking of every official tournament ball since 1970
June 13, 2014
Shaj Mathew
Robots Might Be Smart, But They're Terrible at Soccer—and They Flop, Too
A report from an awkward, adorable robot-soccer match
June 13, 2014
Alice Robb
Soccer Ball Manufacture Is Inefficient. Here's Why.

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