Long Read Features

Three match officials in black uniforms stand on a football pitch, preparing to officiate an under-19s fixture at the University of Warwick. — 'Have you ever played the game, ref?' FourFourTwo travels to Warwick to meet the 10 former footballers aiming to make it as match officials They have, if you must know – via a World Cup and a stint as a US Open golf caddy…

A panoramic view of the Basque Country showcasing a cityscape with mountains in the background, illuminated by rays of sunlight. — 'Antoine Griezmann was considered too small but we saw something in him' Real Sociedad, Athletic Club and Basque Country 'quarries' defy transfer-obsessed modern football Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad have gone deep in Europe in recent times, by mining fertile local talent pools. In a four-day trip to the region, FFT visits those clubs and more, to find out how quarries in Euskal Herria have thrived

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele talks to FourFourTwo about his journey towards lifting the award Ousmane Dembele has won the Ballon d'Or: in an exclusive interview with FourFourTwo, the PSG star opens up to Guillem Ballague about his journey

Latest Long read features

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele talks to FourFourTwo about his journey towards lifting the award

By Guillem Balague published 22 September 25

Ousmane Dembele has won the Ballon d'Or: in an exclusive interview with FourFourTwo, the PSG star opens up to Guillem Ballague about his journey

Interviews

Sam Surridge Exclusive: Henry Winter meets the English striker set to pip Lionel Messi to the MLS Golden Boot

By Henry Winter published 18 September 25

EXCLUSIVE The former Bournemouth, Stoke and Nottingham Forest man stands on the verge of a heck of a story to tell the grandkids

EXCLUSIVE

PSV, Ajax, Feyenoord or someone new... Why Eredivisie 2025-26 is set up to be the most unpredictable yet

By Joe Baker published 11 September 25

LONG READ The big three have their strengths, but intriguingly, each has nearly as many weaknesses

LONG READ

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'It was like being in Big Brother, you never felt comfortable, it was a bit of an issue for us': The inside story of Sunderland, Netflix and the streaming drama that ended happily ever after

By Ed McCambridge published 5 September 25

LONG READ After a fall captured in all its miserable detail by Sunderland ’Til I Die, the Black Cats are back in the top tier – FFT looks back on an epic journey, aided by the documentary’s stars

LONG READ

'To be stabbed in the back by your own chairman is unbelievable' Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank's little-known journey to the top revealed

By Ed McCambridge published 2 September 25

EXCLUSIVE Tottenham Hotspur's new boss Thomas Frank almost quit football as a youth coach, then left Brondby when his chairman criticised him online under a pseudonym. Now he’s a Champions League manager…

EXCLUSIVE

Ranked! The best stadiums in MLS

By Zach Lowy published 28 August 25

RANKED! North America is home to amazing stadiums, but some are way better to watch soccer in than others

RANKED!

Welcome to Kairat Almaty: the Champions League's easternmost fixture

By Chris Flanagan published 27 August 25

LONG READ As Central Asia prepares to be represented at the World Cup for the first time by Uzbekistan, FFT visited the region to witness a European match near the Chinese border

LONG READ

Chelsea braced for further injury upheaval as Manchester City look on with Rodri repeat concern

By Joe Donnohue published 8 August 25

Chelsea and Manchester City could face a disproportionate number of injuries in the Premier League this season

Stories

Newcastle United's Aaron Ramsdale pursuit means one thing as Eddie Howe calls time on three-year absence

By Joe Donnohue published 29 July 25

Newcastle United are reportedly close to adding Aaron Ramsdale to Eddie Howe's squad after missing out on the signing of James Trafford

Longform

Jose Mourinho and Kieran McKenna student aiming to end Huddersfield Town's miserable six-year decline from Premier League to League One mid-table

By Steven Chicken published 5 July 25

Lee Grant took on his first managerial role at Huddersfield Town in May and is hoping to oversee a complete change of fortunes

Stories

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