Your weekly source of information and entertainment, Sports Journal #20 brought to you by our journalists, is here! 📖⚽

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1/ FOOTBALL QUIZ

2/ POTENTIAL TRANSFER OPTIONS FOR SUPER LEAGUE CLUBS

3/ IRRESPONSIBLE BORAT!

4/ FT'S TOP CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS

5/ ATALANTA - REAL MADRID. UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

6/ THE INTERCONTINENTAL CUP AND THE AMERICAS DERBY

7/ CHRISTMAS GIFT SURVEY!

FOOTBALL QUIZ

👑 The winners of the last edition are: (classic)

100 Keys 🔑 Premium - Blalson

10,000 ⚡ Energy - Dix & gekafu

Hello! I'm here with another part of the football quiz series. Of course, there are prizes in the form of 100 Keys 🔑 Premium for the first person to answer correctly and 10,000 ⚡ Energy for two random people with the correct answer. Let's start!

1/ Name and surname of the player:

One of the most promising young players in modern football. He was born on September 5, 2001 in London(Ealing), and his sports career is an example of talent, determination and hard work. The player, of Nigerian origin, has been associated with the Arsenal club from an early age, where he developed his skills and gained experience. He began his adventure with football at the Arsenal academy in 2018. From the very first days at the club, he stood out from his peers. His technical skills, speed and ability to play in different positions on the pitch attracted the attention of coaches. He made his debut in the Arsenal first team in 2019, which was a huge achievement for such a young player. Over the following seasons, he became a key player, regularly scoring goals and assisting. He quickly gained recognition not only at Arsenal but also with the England national team. His style of play, based on speed and technique, made him a fan favourite.

Euro 2020: He was part of the England team that reached the final. His performances at the tournament contributed to his growing popularity.

He is able to change the pace of the game in a flash, making him difficult for defenders to stop.

His dribbling ability and precise passing are of a high standard, allowing him to work effectively with other players.

From the perspective of his current achievements, his future seems very promising. His talent and determination could lead him to even greater successes both at club and country.

He is a player who will surely surprise the world of football many more times. His career, full of successes and challenges, is an inspiration to many young athletes. With each match, he proves that hard work and passion for football can lead to great achievements.

2/ Club Name:

The club was founded by soldiers of the 42nd Infantry Regiment, who founded the Reserve Battalion Sports Club. On May 30, 1920, it played its first match, defeating the Kresowiacy team from Białystok with a score of 5:1.

The club has undergone many changes over its history. In 1932, it merged with the football section of the Rural Youth Association and with the WKS 42nd Infantry Regiment, which resulted in the creation of a new name. This event was crucial for the further development of the club.

After World War II, the club struggled with many difficulties, but in 1957 the club was reactivated by merging Budowlani Białystok and Sparta Białystok. This was the moment that allowed the club's identity and ambitions to be redefined.

Today, it is not only a football club, but also an important element of the local community. The team regularly attracts crowds of fans to the stadium, and its matches are events that unite the residents of Białystok. The club focuses on developing young talents, which is crucial for its future.

Author: Wylewinho

POTENTIAL TRANSFER OPTIONS FOR SUPER LEAGUE CLUBS

Dear Readers,

Welcome to another edition of Dziennik Sportowy! My name is Andrzejek, and the topic I will be taking up today will concern potential transfer options for Super League clubs on the classic server. Will it be only forwards, or maybe we will find players for all positions? Let's get started!

At the very beginning, I would like to point out that the main criterion in choosing the players who will be mentioned in today's article will be the overall player level (OVR) due to the fact that the 3rd season of the game on this server has only just started, so it is very likely that we will return to this topic in a few weeks 🙂

My first choice will be Franz - the owner and player of the Super Sprawa FC team. As of the date of writing the article (i.e. 12.12.2024), Franz has overall 3491, placing him 26th in the overall ranking, which is an impressive result for a first league player. Due to the fact that this player plays as an offensive midfielder, his task is a bit more difficult, because in addition to offensive skills, his task is to additionally train playmaking, which is also what he is currently focusing on. Double medals won in the first two seasons - two individual awards for the second league and two for the first league make Franz the undisputed leader of the team. A player of this rank is without question a huge motivation for his teammates, as evidenced by the promotion from the second to the first league from first place and winning the first league and the National Cup. I think it is worth following the further actions of this player, and maybe in the near future we will be able to watch him play on the pitches of the Super League!

The next player is the central midfielder of the first league team Check Engine, and he is Leonard Skinner. Although this player has already had an episode in his career in the Super League, at the moment it was only one season. However, as of today, Leonard has decided to return to a league that is no stranger to him, because in his first season with the Inet Squad team he took second place in the English league. The overall level differs quite a lot from the previous player discussed in this article, because by as much as 1145 OVR. On the other hand, Leonard Skinner knows how to approach training, as evidenced by the skillful training of the central midfielder and in his skills he focused on playmaking and fitness. His team Check Engine is a well-known brand in the world of the FootballTeam game, so it is possible that Leonard may return to the highest level of the game.

The central defender, Leonard's friend and therefore also a Check Engine player Dżejms, because that is who we are talking about, is a player we will take a closer look at. The third in today's ranking this time, the defender, I presume, likes to feel a bit of gambling. In the second season he won the award for the Top Tipsters of the Week, but that is just a curiosity. The defender, who is only slightly behind his club colleague in OVR (172), started his adventure on the classic server in the Azzurri team, with which he unfortunately did not achieve any success, then moved to the Check Engine team, where his career gained momentum. After an empty cabinet for the first season, only memories remain in this player's career, because in the second season he managed to win two cups with the team, which is a really good result worthy of praise - second place in the English league and a win in the National Cup. Dżejms is certainly a player who would easily find a place even in a top Super League club. This player has similar skills in terms of defense and pressing, he also does not forget about set pieces, which are useful for a defender, especially in front of his own goal, and the skill he trained the most is fitness. 

My “airtime” is coming to an end, but I would like to add at the very end that there are more such players, e.g. Boolee, the central defender and leader of the defense of the Izba Wytrzeźwień team led by the very popular player  Byk z Pampeluny, ​​the central midfielder Мартин Иден from the Respect team playing in the English league on a daily basis, or the goalkeeper Toshivers Wpuszczalski from the Italian team Broski Wolfpack FC.

Thank you very much for taking the time to read my article and as usual, I invite you to the comments section!

With footballing greetings,Andrzejek

Author: Andrzejek

IRRESPONSIBLE BORAT!

The Blog of the Journalist Cat. Lapping up gossip, discussing fluffy updates, and purring over the week's results.

Good day, dear readers of the sports magazine!

Don’t be surprised by the opening line of today’s article – it’s my way of paying tribute to my colleague, Cat Bayun, who decided to end his journalistic career. Without a doubt, this is a loss for our Journal Team. It’s no secret that he is one of the best (and possibly the best) journalists in FootballTeam. His articles were almost always relevant, engaging, and bore a distinctive style that readers greatly appreciated. Of course, we should never say never, and perhaps one day we’ll enjoy his creativity again, but for now, this decision seems final.

Now, on to the main topic of this article, which is prompted by events in the Super League - or more precisely, the disbandment of Hakuna Matata. Many may say, “Well, they fell apart, so what? They’re not the first and won’t be the last. They weren’t exactly legendary anyway” (with all due respect to everyone associated with this team). The question here isn’t about the team itself, but rather the reasons for its dissolution.

Of course, I wasn’t there to witness everything firsthand, and perhaps there were multiple reasons. However, from several sources, I received the same story: those managing the team grew tired of doing so, and no one stepped up to replace or assist them.

It’s a familiar and banal story - one I personally relate to, and I’m sure many others do too. Not long ago, a similar situation happened to my previous club, ALL HULO. After server merging, the team lost its leaders (who, along with the strongest players, joined forces with another club to create a more competitive team for the new conditions). As a result, the drained club drifted aimlessly for several seasons. Discussions were held about who would manage the team, but, as in Hakuna Matata, there were no volunteers for the role.

It might seem like I’m blaming someone, but that’s not the case. This is merely stating the facts. I, like others, was also not ready to take on even minimal responsibilities. But perhaps this is just how things work. There are enthusiasts who take the reins, assemble teams, set goals, recruit and develop players to achieve these goals. It seems simple and straightforward, but that’s just the surface. Leaders have to oversee club extensions, recruit players who can strengthen the team, ensure top players don’t leave, study opponents, understand the game’s mechanics, motivate attendance at matches, push for training ahead of key games, and handle countless other invisible tasks without which a team cannot grow or even survive.

Of course, serious teams often have assistants who take on some of these responsibilities, but typically, the vision and direction come from one person.

FootballTeam has been around in the Russian-speaking regions for over four years, and maintaining motivation - not just to manage a team but to keep playing - is increasingly difficult for many. Over this time, many have grown accustomed to playing under someone else’s management and have no desire to change the status quo. After all, if you’re an average player (regardless of your OVR), you don’t dive deeply into nuances and simply fulfill your role by training and participating in matches. Now, imagine someone asks you to take on responsibilities you’re unfamiliar with while you’ve been coasting along for years. It’s natural to think, “I don’t want to.” I wasn’t the enthusiast creating and managing team during the early stages of the game, so why would I start now, especially when enthusiasm for the game is harder to come by? And by “I” and “me,” I don’t just mean myself but most players.

Team leaders leave to join other teams with more motivated leaders, often as assistants or even regular players.

So, why am I writing all this? I wanted to ask everyone to help those managing their teams whenever possible. If you can’t assist in management, at least attend matches without needing constant reminders, train when asked, and allocate your Energy and Euros wisely if you’re short on resources. Perhaps then teams will last longer, team owners won’t hang up their boots, and everyone will be happier. But this is not certain.

Author: Borat

FT'S TOP CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS

Hello everyone, welcome to issue #20 of the FootballTeam newspaper. We started a few weeks ago with the top goalkeepers, then with the central defenders, now it's time for the CMs. 

Guardians of the MIDFIELD, symbols, and leaders, participants in greatness. Let's start by highlighting the 3 best CMs in the game. The main characteristic of this position is that it has a decisive role in cutting off the rival's play. The central midfielders are decisive when trying to beat the opponent. 

They are often considered the most sought-after players on the field because they are a filter so that the ball does not pass the midfield without a single moment of hesitation. They have to be forceful and know how to anticipate, which is why they lead the entire team on certain occasions. 

This is the player who sets the style of play, who controls the temperature of the games, who can function as a conductor of a clean exit or as a defensive barrier for the rivals. Here are some of the most important players in the history of FootballTeam who occupy that position.

1. Maxiu69699, from Black Stars

This brilliant player from Black Stars is having a totally consecrating campaign with the team led by jestemurban. Although his characteristics are quite offensive, due to the tactics used by the team, they allow this player to be totally incisive in attack.

He has been with Valiance Crew since his debut on 10/07/2024 and finally moved to BLACK STARS on 10/14/2024. With 50 matches played, 12 goals, and 51 assists, he’s a beast in the midfield. His two cups (first place in the English League and first place in SL) justify it, Moreover, he is top 1 in the ranking (8059 OVR).

2. CREEP, another beast of Black Stars.

CREEP, with 7589 OVR, is in second place on this list (being also TOP 2 in the general ranking), which is not really surprising because he refuses to rest on his laurels. His energy, tenacity that tests the limits of his lungs and his agile ball repossession make him indispensable to the BLACK STARS cause. He also makes a good partnership with Maxiu69699 who in the team won the last SL championship.

3. ErforT AM, the Black Stars legend.

Where do we start? The talent of this world-class player is undoubtable. He has been the model of a midfielder for so long, being a foundation of Black Stars. This great player (who made his appearance on 07/10/2024) is in a unique class. 46 matches played, 48 assists, and 6 goals, 6848 OVR).

What do you think? As always, we like to ask. Do you agree with this list? Yes, we know there are names missing, but we have to limit ourselves to 3 players, and these are the ones we think should appear. Or should we add and remove some of the names? Remember, football is a matter of taste.

Author: Bufalo Funes (id 1183)

ATALANTA - REAL MADRID. UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Hello everyone. 

Last week, on December 10, 2024, matches from the group stage of the Champions League took place. As a Real Madrid fan, I couldn’t miss the match against Atalanta. Considering Real's current position, this game was of utmost importance, and dropping points could have worsened an already challenging situation for "Los Blancos." In this article, I’ll share my thoughts before and after the match.

Before the Match:

At the moment, the two teams are in completely different forms. Atalanta is at their peak, achieving results I haven’t seen from them in a long time. They are unbeaten in 14 consecutive matches, with 9 of those being victories.

Real, on the other hand, is highly unstable. They managed to beat Girona in La Liga, but the underlying issues remain: a lack of balance in gameplay, an uncoordinated attack, and Mbappé’s terrible form.

Atalanta currently looks like a more cohesive and fresher team across all lines (except for minor issues on the flanks). I’m confident that Atalanta’s intensity and aggression will put Real under pressure, giving them an advantage in midfield. I also expect their attacking play to be more dynamic than what we saw in the Super Cup.

One concern, however, is Atalanta's flanks. With Juan Cuadrado and Davide Zappacosta injured, and news suggesting that Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo might play for Real, the match-up on the wings promises to be intense.

Another factor favoring Atalanta is their strong home performance—they’ve only lost once at home this season.

I expect Real to take a cautious approach in this match since engaging in an end-to-end game against this version of Atalanta would likely benefit the hosts.

Much will depend on converting chances (especially for Real), but for now, it feels like Atalanta is significantly more stable and interesting. I believe the hosts will find ways to threaten Madrid’s goal and cause problems.

That said, intuition suggests Real might pull off an unexpectedly confident victory.

After the Match:

Phew, that was tough and nerve-wracking! Congratulations to all Real Madrid fans on the victory! A very important win and much-needed 3 points. It’s also great to see the team finally playing some decent football for a change.

Health to Mbappé, and thanks for a brilliant goal! Vinícius, despite not being in top form, was a great help to the team at such a crucial moment. And Jude Bellingham - what a star! He’s in monstrous form again, which is fantastic. Bellingham continues to carry the team, and let’s hope it stays that way!

Of course, there were a few downsides. Lucas Vázquez was a quiet disaster. We were lucky not to concede a third goal with all the mistakes he made. Rodrygo was completely invisible on the field, although it’s understandable given he’s just back from an injury—so is Vinícius, though, and he still made an impact.

Aurélien Tchouaméni - also deserves a mention. While he was decent for the most part, there were still many errors. Ancelotti seems unsure about which position to play him in without hurting the team. As a defensive midfielder, he’s just awful.

Raúl Asensio - should have been in the starting lineup. He has proven himself in recent matches, yet Ancelotti continues to raise questions with his choices regarding Asensio. He only debuted when there were no other options due to injuries to all central defenders. After delivering excellent performances, he was benched again at the first opportunity. Why did this happen? The question remains unanswered.

Brahim Díaz and Dani Ceballos - also deserve starting spots. Both have had a significant impact in recent games, providing much-needed creativity to help the team out of tough spots.

Once again, congratulations to everyone on the victory! Real Madrid is back in the game, and that’s what matters most.

Author: Zidane

THE INTERCONTINENTAL CUP AND THE AMERICAS DERBY

The 2024 FIFA Intercontinental Cup was held from September 22 to December 18, 2024, bringing together the best teams from each confederation in a single tournament.

A New Format

Unlike the old Club World Cup, the Intercontinental Cup adopted a more dynamic and exciting format, with direct clashes between the continental champions. This change provided greater balance and competitiveness to the tournament, ensuring electrifying matches from start to finish. The organizers highlighted that the new format also seeks to attract a larger global audience and create an unforgettable experience for fans.

The Participants

CONMEBOL: Botafogo (Brazil), representing South American football and bringing with it a rich history of titles and achievements.

CONCACAF: Pachuca (Mexico), with a strong and determined squad, seeks to consolidate its position among the giants of world football.

CAF: Al-Ahly (Egypt), one of the most successful clubs on the African continent, with a passionate fan base.

AFC: Al Ain (United Arab Emirates), which has already surprised the world in previous competitions and aims to repeat the feat.

OFC: Auckland City (New Zealand), dominating football in Oceania and ready for new challenges.

UEFA: Real Madrid (Spain), the biggest winner of European competitions, enters as favorites and with high expectations.

The Matches

The competition was divided into knockout stages. Check out the main results and highlights:

First stage:

The champions of Oceania, Africa and Asia faced off to define the semi-finalists.

22/09 - Al-Ain (AFC) 6 x 2 Auckland City (OFC)

In a match full of goals and beautiful plays, Al-Ain dominated Auckland City, showing its offensive strength.

28/10 - Al Ahly (CAF) 3 x 0 Al-Ain (AFC)

Al-Ahly confirmed their favoritism with a resounding victory, securing their place in the next phase.

Semifinals:

The winners of the first phase faced the representatives of CONMEBOL and CONCACAF.

14/12 - Pachuca x Al Ahly

The match promises to be one of the most balanced of the tournament, with two teams with different styles.

Final:

The grand final, played on December 18, will be played between the European champion and the winner of the semifinal.

18/12 - Real Madrid x Winner of the Semifinal With its history and star-studded squad, Real Madrid enters as the favorite, but surprises can never be ruled out.

2024 Americas Derby: A Continental Duel

The 2024 Americas Derby marked the official debut of the FIFA-sponsored competition, which pits the champions of the CONMEBOL Libertadores and the CONCACAF Champions' Cup against each other.

A Little History

New Era: Created in 2024, the Americas Derby aims to promote football in the Americas and strengthen the rivalry between the continents. With an exclusive trophy and a lot of prestige at stake, the competition promises to go down in the history of the sport.

Format: The competition is a single game, with the winner advancing to the next phase of the Intercontinental Cup. This format adds drama and intensity, making every minute decisive.

Host: The inaugural edition was held in Qatar, also the host country of the world tournament final, in a modern stadium with state-of-the-art infrastructure.

In its debut, the Americas Derby featured Botafogo, the Libertadores champion, and Pachuca, the Concacaf champion. The match was held at the 974 Stadium in Doha and was marked by Mexican superiority, with Pachuca winning 3-0. The game was a true show of tactics and skill, with individual highlights that delighted the audience.

And you, fan, what do you think of this new format of the competition? Leave your opinion in the comments.

See you next week!

Author: Fábio Muri

CHRISTMAS GIFT SURVEY!

It's already mid-December, probably for many of you a special month, in which our thoughts are only around Christmas time. Although the days are getting shorter, less light comes through our windows, there are still some things to do to experience the holidays in peace and contentment. For many of you, gifts for your loved ones, but also for yourselves, are certainly quite an important part.

Everyone probably has some dreams, which we may not necessarily write down on paper in the form of that famous letter to Santa, but we discuss these topics somewhere among ourselves. Since FootballTeam is also preparing its own surprises, which has already been announced on the game's Discord, I decided to do a survey today about the game itself and Christmas gifts.

Today, together, we will create the perfect package that players dream of, based more or less on what we have recently received in Weasel packages, although of course with extra content, after all, the best Santa Claus is rich.

At the top of our credits package there must certainly be the highest valuable amount of resources. I will not write here about the amounts of energy, because we know that each of you will select the highest value. Therefore, we have a choice between energy and golden balls.

Next, there should certainly be some packs, something that always gives us an additional thrill of adrenaline, because each of us counts on the best drop for our account. But what would be best for you right now, event packs, bull packs, or maybe card packs?

Another very useful thing that probably everyone would like to find in the package are balls that help us improve our items. In this case, the main question for you is what would be better in this case? The certainty of improvement, the quality of the ball of success, or their quantity?

Cards or fame points often appeared in packs. The question is, what do you consider more useful for account development? Points give us the opportunity to improve, cards can be maxed out or turn out to be the ones missing for a given collection, but we can always find duplicates here.

To enrich this unique package even more, it is worth adding some keys, which will certainly be useful for opening the packs waiting for us. However, what would you choose this time, quantity or quality?

After choosing all these prizes, we would also have to think about how much such a unique package should cost us. Traditional Weasel packs cost 500 credits, but this time, with such a list of prizes, even that would probably not be enough. The administrative Santa from FT probably won’t be so generous, although it would be nice of him. So the most important question is, how much would you be willing to pay for it, honestly according to your conscience?

I hope you enjoyed today's interaction. After all, surveys in the newspaper and on the subject of prizes are probably the perfect combination. Maybe the administration will use this survey to some extent and we will see something similar on December 23rd-24th as a special one-time gift from football Santa Ban!

Author: Carlos Moura