Here are some things we learnt while making this issue:
- Steve McClaren is happy sharing a cup of tea with us, less so a cocktail with oversized cocktail umbrella. Sorry Steve – we had to ask.
- Luka Modric has a sunglasses-wearing porcelain dog in his living room – a minor distraction when talking Champions League glory in his ultra-modern Madrid pad.
- Mo Salah loves the chant Liverpool fans are serenading him with. It’s just as well, as we were worried he wouldn’t be snapped with a crown, but the ‘Egyptian King’ was happy to oblige.
- It’s not easy carrying a whole onion bag’s worth of balls – not that it stopped us from asking Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson to do just that.
- Son Heung-min didn’t know he had an official Spurs bobblehead. He does now.
All hail the new King of the Kop
Mohamed Salah has been making up for lost time since returning to England's top flight – and now Liverpool’s scoring sensation is busy making sure that Reds fans won’t miss Philippe Coutinho.
On me bobble-head, Son
Hand-shaking, history-making Son Heung-min certainly knows how to have a good time – and his terrific form for Tottenham this season has left more than just the merchandise smiling.
Catch!
A shot-stopper that can play out from the back: it’s the bedrock on which every great Pep Guardiola team is built. In new goalkeeper Ederson, Manchester City have found just the man. And as you can see below, the Brazilian's handling isn't too shabby either. He's even willing to play in midfield...
Champions League previews
Will Jose Mourinho find something to smile about? Is Liverpool’s defence likely to let them down again? Can Chelsea defy logic and keep Leo Messi in check? Are Basel set to spring another surprise against an English club? We address these, and more pertinent posers, as the last 16 kicks off.
Man v Fat
It's the six-a-side league in which losing weight is the secret to winning matches. FFT visits east London to find out how the programme is helping portly players to enjoy a new lease of life.
At home with Luka Modric
From playing under Zinedine Zidane and inspiring Harry Winks to winning it all at Real Madrid, the Croatian is uncharacteristically talkative as we pop round for a cuppa and gawp at his trophies.
A week with Nigel Pearson
His tenure at Leicester may be remembered for touchline scraps and press room spats, but when FFT met the manager of OH Leuven in Belgium, we found a man who’s calm. Eerily calm...
Between The Lines
Gennaro Gattuso made a career from harnessing his inner rage. But, as he admits, every now and then ‘the animal inside would come out’ – with dire consequences for anyone in striking distance...
One-on-One
Former England manager Steve McClaren answers your questions, including: what was it like being No.2 to Sven and Fergie? Does he have a future in management? And what happened to that brolly?
Upfront
In our fun-packed front section, Dean Windass answers some silly questions, Ashley Cole reveals the games that changed his life, Pierre van Hooijdonk recalls one of his greatest ever goals and Michael Laudrup tells us about life in Qatar. Plus our columnist Lothar Matthaus reveals what makes a great coach, and why Pep Guardiola has the knack of helping young players to achieve their highest level.
Action Replay
Just Fontaine lit up the World Cup 60 years ago with a 13-goal spree that's unlikely to be surpassed, yet he waited nearly three decades to get a Golden Boot. We look back at his incredible 1958 finals, unearth some classic Watford programmes, and pay tribute to George Plimpton – the journalist who tried his hand at a series of sports but never wrote about the game that was closest to his heart.
Performance
Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata talks to FourFourTwo Performance about his speed of thought, scoring with both feet and playing as a lone striker. We also give some Normatec Recovery Trousers a spin, and discover why Wolfsburg’s players are cleaning their teeth after training sessions...
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The March 2018 issue of FourFourTwo magazine was brought to you by Steve McClaren, Ashley Cole, Dean Windass, Michael Laudrup, Pierre van Hooijdonk, Lothar Matthaus, Mo Salah, Son Heung-min, Ederson, Luka Modric, Nigel Pearson, Gennaro Gattuso, Alvaro Morata, Sofiane Boufal and David May.
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