Soccer - Then & Now

Cole Palmer then and now: Manchester City 2021 vs Chelsea 2026

Cole Palmer: Then and Now: From Manchester City’s Fringes to Chelsea’s Main Stage

This week, Cole Palmer became the subject of a very public tug-of-war between club and country. After Thomas Tuchel questioned the Chelsea attacker’s commitment to England, Blues boss Xabi Alonso hit back: Palmer, he insisted, is “committed” — he simply needs to be fully fit. It is the latest chapter in a career defined by […]

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Lamine Yamal Then and Now: From La Masia’s Prodigy to the Ballon d’Or Doorstep

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At 15, Lamine Yamal became the youngest player in Barcelona history. At 19, he is a World Cup winner, La Liga’s Player of the Season and a Ballon d’Or favourite. This is the story of the fastest rise in modern football — and a golden ball that may arrive on October 26.

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Harry Kane Then and Now

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From Arsenal reject and lower-league loanee to England’s record scorer and the Ballon d’Or favourite — the story of Harry Kane, who scored 73 goals in a single season and just equalled Peter Shilton’s 125-cap record.

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Warren Zaïre-Emery Then and Now: PSG’s Record-Breaker Grows Up

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At 16 he was PSG’s youngest-ever player. At 17 he scored on his France debut — and was stretchered off in the same match. Now 20, a Champions League winner and World Cup midfielder, Zaïre-Emery is no longer the prodigy. He’s the present.

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Endrick Then and Now: From Palmeiras’ Boy Wonder to Real Madrid’s Crossroads

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At 16, Endrick was the most wanted teenager in world football. At 20, after a brilliant Lyon loan and a World Cup with Brazil, he has played four minutes for Real Madrid all season. This is the story of a wonderkid learning that talent is only the start.

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Lionel Messi: Then & Now — From a 47-Second Debut to The Last Tango

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From a 47-second debut in Budapest to one last night at the Monumental: Messi’s Argentina career ended on the pitch, with a goal, two assists, a 3-0 win — and 85,000 people standing one last time.

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Kenan Yıldız Then and Now

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From Bayern Munich’s academy to Juventus’ No. 10 shirt in four years — the story of Kenan Yıldız, Serie A’s reigning Best Under-23 Player and the boy breaking Alessandro Del Piero’s records.

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Dean Huijsen Then and Now

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From the parks of Marbella to the number 4 shirt at Real Madrid — the story of Dean Huijsen, the Dutch-born, Spanish-raised centre-back who went from a £12.8 million bargain at Bournemouth to a €60 million Madrid starter under José Mourinho by the age of 21.

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Kobbie Mainoo Then and Now

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From FA Cup final hero to frozen out under one manager to indispensable under another — at 21, with a new contract until 2031, the Stockport midfielder is writing one of the most remarkable then-and-now stories in English football.

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Désiré Doué Then and Now

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From a five-year-old doing keepy-ups at his brother’s Rennes trial to rewriting Champions League final history at 19 — the story of Désiré Doué, PSG’s Golden Boy and France’s next great hope.

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