“What you want in the grassroots pyramid is to be as fat as possible, as strong as possible, and as tall as possible,” stated consultant Geoff Wilson in an exclusive R.org interview. “Organizations, leagues, clubs, federations, and countries want their grassroots to be as fat as possible and as high as possible in order to benefit both the elite side as well as that community sense of belonging. You want as many kids at 6/7/8/9/10 in the funnel playing your sport, and playing it right until they’re 70. In many countries, the pyramid is actually the other way, and that’s why they struggle in terms of their elite side.”

“What is the importance of grassroots? 1) Grassroots is what brings participation. 2) That participation, especially from the good kids, can then go into the elite, which strengthens the elite pyramid. 3) Having more people play sports is good for the country. It’s good for the community, and good for the region.

You’ve got health, you’ve got that area of community hubs, creating a sense of belonging, identity, pride, all of those bits and pieces. It gives the opportunity for future coaches, future referees, and future administrators, let alone future elite athletes. I work on the professional side of sport with federations, leagues, and elite clubs, but my passion is in the grassroots side.”

Laying Down Roots in Belfast

Born and raised in Northern Ireland, Wilson graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree from Queen’s University Belfast before completing a Master’s Degree in Marketing from Ulster University. Wilson worked in various marketing roles for British Telecom (BT), from market research and proposition development to database management and integrated and consumer campaigns, before eventually deciding to branch out into the sports industry in 2005. He spent the next 8.5 years as the Head of Marketing and Communications for the Irish Football Association, where he focused on building the IFA brand/marketing, merchandising, sponsorship, database management, public affairs, and public relations.

This would snowball into other roles, such as a marketing role with UEFA and Ulster Grand Prix (UGP), with Wilson leading UGP’s rebranding project, the cultivation of Bike Week and new digital assets, PR strategy, the sponsorship program, and a TV/Media and Merchandising strategy. Deep down, Wilson always knew he wanted to make a positive impact on both sports and society, something his father had instilled in him decades earlier.

“My father started my local club called Crumlin United with some friends, and back in the 1960s, they had to wash themselves in the stream. Fast-forward to today, and we have got two pitches, a big clubhouse, and 28 teams from kids to adults. We have a cooking class, a stitching class, we’ve got a church, we’ve got an after-school education program, we’ve got a female fitness program…it is a proper community club where people are coming in, and we’re going back out. We own the whole facility, and we are making a difference in our little community.

It is what sport should be all about: going out to the community, and the community coming to you. We share the learnings with lots of other clubs, and we have affected thousands of kids’ lives and thousands of adults’ lives because of belonging and playing for a club that started out really small and now owns its own land. The amount of effort we’ve put into it – we secure £100,000 to £200,000 worth of grants every year – it is seen as a leading grassroots club.”

It wasn’t long before some of the leading sporting organizations across the nation, and soon, the world, were calling for Wilson to lend his knowledge. The Belfast native served as a member of the CIM Ireland board, the governing body for marketing professionals, and sat on the boards of Sport Northern Ireland, the leading public body for the development of sport in Northern Ireland, and Tourism Northern Ireland. Moreover, he also returned to his alma mater and worked as a part-time lecturer for Marketing Masters students at Queen’s University. Wilson has emerged as one of the most prominent consultants in the sports industry, but unlike many of his counterparts, he hasn’t limited himself to a single sport.

“I’m passionate about any sport. I see the benefits of sport: the more people that play, you’ve got not only the physical side of being fit, but you have the mental side, being out, working with people. You’ve also got the teamwork, you’ve got the relationships…sport carries a lot of areas on benefits. What I found very quickly when I started to do a lot of work in football is that you can take the same learnings and move them into other sports, be that governance, strategy, marketing communications, club development, or league development.”

“You can move that into a variety of different sports, and what these other sports are saying is, ‘Well, football has developed so much because they were getting investment, so can we follow football? And then you get other sports that have moved equally as fast, like basketball, and what you find is that these sports, because of different leaders, are then moving and progressing at great strength. I work in football, basketball, netball, motorsport, badminton, golf, and martial arts, but the principles are the same: good governance, having a plan, generating money, having strong clubs and strong members. It’s good to share the learning: where basketball is really good in one or two things, football can learn from it. Where football is really good, basketball can learn. It’s the same with any sport.”

Spanning the Entire Sport Industry

It’s a warm spring afternoon as Wilson forms a pyramid with his hands, citing the importance of a grassroots framework, whilst sitting in front of a number of sporting items. There are photographs of Joe Montana, Roger Federer, Usain Bolt, Joey Dunlop, George Best, Rory McIlroy, Pelé, Diego Maradona, Dan Carter, and Lewis Hamilton, as well as an array of basketballs that were painted gold and bequeathed to him by FIBA (the International Basketball Federation). Wilson has worked as a consultant for FIBA since 2016, whilst he’s also worked as a consultant for UEFA since 2017 and AFC since 2018, as well as working as an expert advisor for Barcelona Innovation Hub since 2020.

“These golden basketballs were on the back of a program that I developed for athletes who were coming to the end of their pro basketball careers. It didn’t matter if they were in the NBA or Europe, or elsewhere; we put them through an educational program on what life was like after basketball. The idea is to equip them with the skills and the abilities so that they can go and do something after the court. It’s a nice memento to remember the people that we have met and the impact that we have made.

I think basketball has just totally transformed over the last 10 years, and they’ve got a really strong upward trend. What you find between smaller sports and a bigger sport is the number of countries involved, then the culture that that brings with it, and then also the development of those countries. What we’ve really moved well in basketball is looking at what we call FIBA+, a program where we go in and we develop the member federations.”

“We help them develop strategic marketing plans, and we’re giving that support that strengthens basketball in that country. Now we’re looking at FIBA Academy, an educational program that can really learn, educate, and strengthen future leaders as well as current leaders in the sport. But a lot of it is down to the different cultures that are involved, and the numbers involved, and then that also brings different areas, such as development, coach education, referee development, and different leadership that needs to be really driven.

But for me, I think basketball is doing an amazing job, both on the competition side, the development side, and the promotional side of the sport. Whether you’re in football or basketball, the principles are the same. What is different is just the scalability and then what comes with it, regional differences, regional scales, and regional confederations, and how you make sure that the pyramid remains strong is absolutely fundamental, be that grassroots or the elite pyramid.”

At 52 years of age, Wilson has carved out a reputation as a globetrotter. Last week, he was in Croatia; next week, he’ll be in Trinidad & Tobago. He has visited 104 different countries, balancing his time between a litany of different roles, such as the Chair of Netball Northern Ireland, a consultant for FIFA and EFL, the Chair of the Sports Council Trust Company (subsidiary of Sport England), and the owner of his consultancy group and a conference speaker. A UEFA A-licensed coach, Wilson also volunteers as the head coach of his son’s football team. And this year, he published his first-ever book: Leading a Grassroots Sports Club: A Practical Guide to Managing and Developing Your Club.

“I want grassroots clubs to be around for the future. That’s what I want. There are thousands of grassroots clubs in the UK, but if they’re no longer around, that will have an impact on that country. Not only in terms of health, mental health, physical, togetherness, identity, but also the elite side that will be wiped out. What I really want from this book is that there’s a legacy, and that these clubs will be around for the future.

Number two is that the clubs, in essence, will have a strong foundation. Good governance, having a plan, being a welcoming club, sorting out, and having a great experience from a coaching or coach education point of view. Generating money, facility development, opening up for inclusivity, so everyone is welcome, no matter what the sport is. I wrote it so that grassroots clubs would be around for the future. I would love to see more grassroots clubs being stronger because of the process to follow, the templates to use, and the content that’s contained in this book. Is my number one thing to sell books? Surprisingly, no. This is about leaving a legacy that people can have strong grassroots clubs and have them for the future.”

And then there is Junior Olaitan, who wasted no time in announcing himself to Turkish football.

From a local pitch in Benin to Istanbul’s Vodafone Park, the 24-year-old attacking midfielder is living an extraordinary story of determination.

When Olaitan departed French Ligue 2 side Grenoble in July 2025 for newly-promoted Goztepe on a four-year deal, Turkish football was an unfamiliar frontier.

Within six months, the Super Lig became his stage.

After making 17 Super Lig appearances for Goztepe in the first half of the season and scoring twice, the Benin international’s performances were eye-catching enough to attract serious transfer interest during the January window, a clear sign of his immediate impact.

Besiktas came calling, and Olaitan answered to become part of a sweeping winter rebuild at the Istanbul giants that also brought in Kristjan Asllani, Emmanuel Agbadou, Amir Murillo, and Hyeon-gyu Oh.

Since joining Besiktas, Olaitan has scored three goals in 13 games across all competitions, helping secure their spot in European football next season.

With Besiktas set to finish the 2025-26 Super Lig season in fourth place, Olaitan stated that the campaign has been about integration following the team’s massive transfer activities last summer and in January.

“My first season with Besiktas has been very good,” he told R.org. “I came in with a lot of new players in February and I am happy with everyone I’ve met here – the players, staff, management and the fans.

“We are still trying to rebuild the team because a lot of players left in January and I am still adapting to the system.

“Next season will be great and we will try to achieve a lot.”

Olaitan Dreams of Europe’s Top-Five Leagues

Long before any of Europe’s lights came into view, there was Olaitan on the pitches of Ayema Adjarra, a municipality in southern Benin, where footballers dream big, and the path to professional football is anything but straightforward.

Benin is not a country that has historically exported top-level professional footballers in large numbers.

For a player from a local club to reach the Turkish Super Lig and attract the attention of a club of Besiktas’ stature is a significant achievement on its own.

Olaitan recalled his humble beginnings in West Africa and did not take his strides for granted.

“I thank God every minute for my career because I know where I am coming from,” he said.

“I still remember all the players I started with and some are not even playing football anymore. I know the challenges I faced and all I can say today is thank God.”

On his next hallmark, Olaitan is clear about where he currently stands and where he intends to go.

“I can say I’m at the peak of my career but not 100 percent because my dream is to play in the top five leagues in Europe,” he said.

The Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, and Serie A are the arenas Olaitan is targeting.

He believes age is on his side, and his performances in Turkey at Goztepe and Besiktas have improved his individual qualities.

He added: “I’m just 24 and I’m still trying to understand football more and I’m not panicking because I know with my consistency, I will achieve my dreams one day.”

Olaitan Hopes for Ronaldo’s World Cup Glory With Portugal

However, he knows exactly who he will be cheering on.

“I want Portugal to win the World Cup because of Cristiano Ronaldo,” Olaitan said.

“He is my favourite footballer and he is someone I love so much. I can’t wait to see him lift that trophy.”

Ronaldo, aged 41, is set to play in his final World Cup this summer, 20 years after he made his debut appearance on the global stage in 2006.

The Al Nassr superstar holds the record for the most international goals scored in men’s football history with 143 goals and has won virtually everything football has to offer, but the World Cup is the one trophy missing in his extraordinary career.

Portugal will open their 2026 World Cup campaign against the Democratic Republic of Congo on June 17 in Houston, before taking on Colombia and Uzbekistan in Group K.

After a sensational career at Henry E. Lackey High School that saw him be named all-state twice, all-county four times, and all-conference four times, DeLaGarza made the move to one of the biggest powerhouses in collegiate soccer: the University of Maryland, College Park. It didn’t take long for him to make an impact for the Terrapins, with the teenager being named College Soccer News Second Team All-Freshman after helping Maryland win the National Championship in 2005, starting in the final vs. New Mexico and prevailing 1-0. It was here where he made the transition from an attacking to a defensive player, culminating in a prestigious senior year that saw him make the College Cup All-Tournament Team, Second Team All-ACC selection, and be named his team’s Co-Most Valuable Defensive Player en route to the 2008 National Championship and 2008 ACC Championship.

“I won two national championships with Casa Mia’s when I was 15/16, and we had a lot of guys end up going to Maryland or top D1 schools like Wake Forest and Duke,” stated DeLaGarza in an exclusive R.org interview. “Getting to Maryland, that was the biggest jump in terms of quality that I’d ever seen, and I remember being a freshman and watching these guys pass the ball in one touch, and I was like, ‘Holy cow, like, that looks so clean.’ I had to quickly adjust and get to that level.”

“I remember my first collegiate game, I was in uniform, we’re in Cal State Fullerton, and we’re winning 5-0 already, and it’s late in the game, and I remember Sasho Cirovski came over to me, and he says, ‘I think I want to redshirt you for the year,’ and I didn’t know what that meant at the time. I just knew it meant you’re not gonna play all year. I was like, ‘I don’t want to do that.’ Fast-forward a couple of weeks, and I was starting for the team in the Final Four and the National Championship. I look at that moment and think, ‘What could have happened if I just agreed to what Sasho wanted to do? How would my college career have turned out, but also my professional career?”

Dominating MLS with LA Galaxy

He departed the Old Line State in 2009 after being selected in the second round (19th overall) of the MLS SuperDraft by LA Galaxy. Despite entering the league as an unheralded, undersized fullback, DeLaGarza would emerge as a revelation in Southern California, making 24 appearances and helping the Galaxy reach the MLS Cup Final, where they lost on penalties to Real Salt Lake. Bolstered by DeLaGarza’s defensive intuition and shrewd anticipation in defense, the Galaxy would continue to dominate the league and win the MLS Cup in 2011 and 2012. Fast-forward 14 years, and no team has managed to match their feat of winning back-to-back MLS Cups.

DeLaGarza didn’t just make his mark at the club level but also at the international level, playing two friendlies for the USMNT in January 2012 before switching to Guam and registering 11 caps – including 8 World Cup qualifiers – leading them to their first two World Cup qualifying wins vs. Turkmenistan and India. Whilst he never quite stole the spotlight, DeLaGarza emerged as an ever-present across the Galaxy’s backline.

“He’s been a rock now for years, and he makes plays,” stated Landon Donovan. “He’s always in the right spot; he’s always dependable. You know if something goes wrong, then he’s going to be in the right spot.”

Capable of deputizing at right back, center back, or left back, DeLaGarza flourished into one of the top defenders in Major League Soccer, and he delivered his magnum opus in 2014, a campaign that was marked with tragedy.

One week after welcoming their first child into the world, A.J. and his high school sweetheart, Megan, watched their son, Luca Wyatt DeLaGarza, pass away due to a congenital heart defect. Rather than stifle him, though, this merely served as the fuel to A.J.’s fire. On the pitch, DeLaGarza proved essential alongside fellow ex-Terp Omar Gonzalez as the Galaxy took home another MLS Cup. Off the pitch, he joined the likes of Jimmy Conrad as one of the few players to win the MLS Humanitarian of the Year Award, with MLS awarding him $5,000 to donate to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) and spcaLA. DeLaGarza took an active role in shaping his community, whether that meant visiting patients at CHLA or launching a public soccer field for youth in Los Angeles, or buying tickets for military veterans or taking part in events like the LA Galaxy Foundation’s Annual Golf Tournament and the LA Galaxy 5K & Cozmo Family Run, or raising $25,000 to fund heart care and research.

“Out of my three MLS Cups, the third one was the sweetest for sure. It was 2014, and during that year. Landon Donovan was cut from the World Cup roster. I had been going through personal problems with our son, who ended up passing away that same year, and then just a couple of months after putting him to rest, we won an MLS Cup. I think that was the most special one, obviously, for the year that we had endured as a team, and we came together, and it was a real brotherhood there. I think the game actually saved me from depression, because it was a place where I could go for 90 minutes, or however long training was, and focus on what I was good at, and that was playing soccer.

Whereas in the outside world, I couldn’t control what was going on while my son was in my wife’s belly developing, and when he came out, he passed away a week after he was born, after having open-heart surgery. I remember that week going to one of our home games just to watch and get out of the hospital…soccer was kind of my safe space, where I could actually control what happened rather than worrying and the stress of all the outside factors that were actually going on in my life at that time.”

Building a Legacy Off the Pitch

DeLaGarza would join Cobi Jones, Kevin Hartman, Mauricio Cienfuegos, and Donovan as the only Galaxy players to make over 200 regular-season appearances. All things considered, he scored three goals and tallied six assists in 250 appearances before being traded to the Houston Dynamo in 2017. DeLaGarza helped restore the Dynamo’s defensive solidity and led them to their first playoff berth in three years, but on the final game of the regular season, he tore his ACL and missed the next 11 months. Whilst he denied his former team a playoff spot with a 3-2 win on the final day, he nevertheless missed out on the playoffs for the first time in his career. DeLaGarza reestablished himself as Houston’s starting right back but nevertheless failed to qualify them for the playoffs, departing on the back of five assists in 61 appearances and making the move to expansion side Inter Miami.

He managed just five appearances over the course of the COVID-shortened season before taking his talents to the New England Revolution, where he played 15 times across the course of two seasons. On November 17, 2022, DeLaGarza signed a ceremonial one-day contract with LA Galaxy and retired from playing professional soccer. And although he has played for Des Moines Menace in the 2024 and 2025 U.S. Open Cup, DeLaGarza has spent the past few years raising his three children in the Carolinas and bouncing around from various startup companies like ZALA and Photon Sports, as well as working as a Match Director for MLS.

Right now, though, he’s focused on his latest project: The GoalDen, a “gateway to top-level training in Charlotte’s premier indoor soccer facility, designed for dedicated players, with state-of-the-art technology and expert programming.”

“We moved here in the summer of 2023, and it’s been good. I unfortunately joined a couple of startup companies that had problems, and I had to make adjustments. When that kept happening, it was like, ‘Alright, it’s just time to focus on my own career in business, and that’s when I opened up a training facility here in the Charlotte area. Just last week, we actually broke ground on an outdoor field, so we’re trying to expand it and do some really cool things for the community here. I think just the impact that I’ve been able to have with the kids is the biggest thing. They come there, and they have fun, and they want to be there, and I think that is the best thing I could ask for as a business owner.”

“As a part-time coach, I wasn’t earning a lot of money. There was a lot of responsibility on my partner, because when you’re a part-time coach, you’re also coaching unsociable hours as well; it’s not a 9-to-5. The work starts literally when the kids come out of school and then continues until whatever time in the evening,” stated Townsend in an exclusive R.org Interview. “Because of my involvement in the game, I could see that there was a love of the game as well through my sons, and I developed my love of the game. But the sacrifice was that I probably wasn’t as involved in my own children’s development as I should have been, and would have liked to have been.”

“That’s because I was finding my way, and when I was at home, they were at school. The trade-off was that I would go and coach later on, starting with after-school clubs, and then getting involved myself in developing my own structure around the game. But I’ve got to be honest here: I think a lot of the younger coaches of my period will realize that it was a neglect of my own family, missing out on quite a lot that they would have done after school, and quite a lot of genuine family time when everyone should be at home. And yet, obviously, I’m out coaching and hoping that I can develop into someone who actually would benefit their future as well.”

Townsend pursued a career in coaching, overseeing all the university teams at Middlesex University and taking charge of youth outfit Redwood FC. As a result, he often wasn’t able to commit his full attention to his six children – the eldest of which, Kurtis, had come from his previous relationship. As a result of their break-up, Troy wasn’t able to spend much time with Kurtis until his teenage years, when he finally reconnected with a football-crazed young boy. At the time, Troy was running his own company ‘Ultimate Sports’ alongside his business partner Steve Browne, providing East London schools with Physical Education teachers and after-school programming as well as managing non-league side Cheshunt FC. So when Kurtis was released from Wimbledon’s academy, Troy had no reservations about bringing him to his club. Every matchday, Kurtis would drive to his father’s house before making the journey to a local cafe for a pre-match meal and then heading to Cheshunt’s stadium.

Recovering from Tragedy

Cheshunt’s players would usually congregate on a bus for away matches, but on December 15, 2001, they were so certain that their trip to Barton Rovers in Bedfordshire would be called off due to freezing temperatures that they didn’t arrange transportation. Instead, when the pitch inspectors announced at the 11th hour that the match would indeed take place, every player would drive to the ground. Every single player showed up, everyone but Kurtis. When the final whistle blew, Troy entered the changing room and was told he needed to go to the hospital. It was here that he was greeted by a police officer, who told him the words that have haunted him for the past quarter-century: Kurtis was involved in a car accident on the way to the match. Out of the four players in the car, two of them suffered career-ending injuries. But as for Kurtis, he lost his life at 18 years of age.

“I don’t think I’ve ever gotten out of that deep hole. I’ll be honest with you, the impact of it was that I thought that I was finished with football, because it was football that took his life away. I wasn’t sure about whether I was strong enough mentally and emotionally to get back into the game and deal with the struggles of that day.

He was only 18, he was a beautiful boy and a great footballer who had fallen on a little bit of hard times after being released from Wimbledon. He came into my environment at Cheshunt with the purpose of getting his confidence back and understanding the ability that he had, for the reason why he was in an academy, and to get himself back up the ladder.”

“As such, the emotion around it is that every time I was looking at a football pitch or a football game, I wanted to see Kurt, you know? Every time I was out there coaching, I couldn’t get the images out of my mind. The reason why I say I never got out of it is that I still have dark periods now, I still have the periods where he’s my first thought, and being involved in the game, somehow I know that Kurt would have developed from a player to a coach himself.

He was already working for me as well; he was teaching in schools, and I think he just had that kind of mannerism and character to follow the pathway. But unfortunately, it didn’t materialize. I struggled with my mental health, I struggled to forge connections with other people, and it took a really long time. If it wasn’t for my business partner and my family around me, I don’t know where I would be, to be totally honest. I have to be grateful, although I’ll obviously never forget that period of time and the period of time since.”

Somehow, someway, Townsend found the strength to fall back in love with coaching. He bounced around from various teams like Slough Town, Boreham Wood, Dover Athletic, and Leyton FC. But deep down, he always knew that he didn’t just want to develop his coaching methodology; he also wanted to make a positive impact in society. It’s why, in 2011, he joined Kick It Out, British football’s anti-racism campaign, where he tirelessly strived to promote inclusion and challenge discrimination across the game and beyond. Whilst his son Andros Townsend established himself as a key player for Premier League sides like Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace in addition to representing the England national team, Troy would make his mark in a different manner by going from a part-time volunteer to one of Kick It Out’s most important figures.

In addition to working as a freelance sports analyst as well as ushering in the next crop of East London footballers with S&T Academy (later incorporated into Redbridge FC’s U17s), Townsend was able to make a genuine impact at Kick It Out. He delivered educational workshops to Premier League Academy players and Football League Scholars ranging from 9-23 years, as well as coaching staff and parents, where he raised awareness of equality and diversity with football club environments, changing room culture, and the effects of banter. Such was the impact of his anti-racism work that in 2013, he was selected as one of The FA’s 150 Grassroots Heroes. Townsend visited Buckingham Palace to receive his award from Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, whilst also receiving two awards from The Football Blacklist, which celebrates the contributions of black people working in football.

Blazing the Trail at Kick It Out

Townsend enjoyed considerable success as Kick It Out’s Head of Player Engagement, pioneering the Raise Your Game program to help young people from diverse backgrounds get their break in the football industry, and working directly with victims of racist abuse, from superstars like Romelu Lukaku to completely unknown kids. He also served as a patron of Football Beyond Borders in addition to launching “It Was All A Dream, the Football Academy Journey,” audio documentary into the English Academy system, which was shortlisted at the SJA Awards. And at the end of 2023, Townsend was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2024 New Year Honors for services to diversity and inclusion in association football. Six months later, Townsend decided to call it quits on Kick It Out after 13 years with the anti-discrimination charity.

“First of all, I left because the work was draining. And I’ll be honest with you, when I say draining, I mean personally having an impact on me and my well-being. I was at everyone else’s beck and call at any stage of the night or day, and I’m not quite sure the same was bestowed on me. I think I had served my time, and the organization was changing as well.

We’d lost our founder, Lord Herman Ouseley, who was one of the pivotal persons in the fight against racism. I felt over the last year that maybe it was my time. I had done so much for other people, maybe it’s time to look after myself, maybe it’s time to do things slightly differently, or do something slightly different. I didn’t know what that was, I didn’t know what I was going to do, but one of the things I did want to keep doing was educating young people in the sport, and I’m still managing to do that.”

“There were many things that I weighed up in my mind, but 13 years in this business and doing what I do is a hard slog. There were many nights when you thought, ‘Oh, it’s time to go home, you shut the door at home, and then the phone rings. How do you ignore a call when you’re a support system?’ I think the organization was changing and moving away from what I knew when I started in the organization for a long period of time. They were going down a different direction, and that’s perfectly fine for me, but it was a direction that I wasn’t prepared to follow.”

Townsend has spent the past two years working as a freelance consultant for Middlesbrough Academy and Liverpool FC Foundation in addition to serving as a guest contributor for The Guardian, as well as working as a special advisor to Nujum Sports, a non-profit organization that describes itself as the representative body for Muslim athletes in the United Kingdom. But while he is undoubtedly proud of his impact with Kick It Out, he acknowledges that as far as a potential reunion is concerned, that ship has sailed.

“I can’t see it happening. I’ve done my time, I’ve served my purpose, I’m not really au fait with the way that the organization deals with things, so I would be running into a structure that I actually don’t agree with. I prefer the downtime, I prefer to work at my leisure, I prefer to organize my diary in the way that I like it. I’m not getting any younger, and the work, as far as I’m concerned, is getting harder. That’s not me running away from the work, that’s just saying that I’ve had an extended period of time in the system. I don’t need to be going back unless… we should always leave the door half-cracked open…unless football decides that, ‘Yeah, this is it now, we’re going to really tackle and challenge what we’re seeing, what we’re hearing, what we’re reading. If football really is going to tackle it in a way that sends messages that are strong and powerful, I’m all down for that, I’ll be the first in line. I’d want to be a part of this because it would seem like, ‘Finally, you’re acting, not reacting, you know? I’m not sure that will happen in my lifetime, but you never know, so we always leave that crack in the door.”

In an exclusive interview with R.org, the 26-year-old right-back, who is on a season-long loan from AS Roma, spoke about Lens’ title challenge, his personal growth and his excitement ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

It has been a remarkable season for Abdulhamid at Lens with Pierre Sage’s team currently sitting second in the French Ligue 1 with 62 points from 29 games, just four behind table-toppers Paris Saint-Germain.

They also marched into the French Cup final after a dominating 4-1 victory over Toulouse on April 21, a game in which the Saudi player provided two assists to set up a final clash with OGC Nice on May 17.

According to Abdulhamid, Lens’ strides are not accidental, and he highlighted the crucial elements powering the Blood and Gold in their title quest.

“This season we have shown that we are united and focused to achieve as a team and to make our fans happy,” Abdulhamid told R.org.

“It is not coincidental because our target since August is to win a silverware this year, but at this point, we won’t mind lifting two titles.”

With 20 wins, two draws and seven losses in Ligue 1 this season, Lens have assembled their best title challenge in years.

In addition, they are on the cusp of making history by winning their maiden French Cup in May.

He added: “We have shown consistency when it mattered this season and will not give up.

“The coach has been there for everyone, especially me and I’m grateful for his support. Our performances have been a reflection of the hard work we put into training.”

With expectations for silverware now higher and the atmosphere around the Stade Bollaert-Delelis more electric than ever, the Saudi Arabian defender encouraged Lens fans to dream while assuring them that the team will not give up on their title challenge.

“At this stage, our fans can dream because the battle for the French Cup and Ligue 1 will go down to the wire until the final whistle,” he said.

Abdulhamid Is Not Distracted By Transfer Talks

Abdulhamid arrived at Lens on loan in August 2025, his second European club after leaving Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal in 2024.

The move to northern France has proven to be a watershed moment in the 26-year-old’s career, from his cameo appearances at Roma to being a key contributor in Lens’ title charge.

He continued: “I feel at home in Lens because I am surrounded by amazing people who have contributed to my game.

“It was a bit tough upon my arrival in August but I can say my best is still yet to come.”

The defender’s loan at Lens is set to expire in June, but the French club holds the option to make it permanent, which is yet to be activated.

His contract at parent club Roma runs until June 2028, and his value is now firmly re-established in France.

Amid the growing speculations around his future, Abdulhamid has his sights set on the title chase, describing the transfer rumors as a distraction.

“I am Lens this month, and I’m focused on achieving the goals ahead of us,” he said. “I can say talks about my future are a distraction.”

2026 World Cup Aspirations With Saudi Arabia

After the title run-in in May, Abdulhamid’s eyes are also fixed on the biggest stage of all this summer, in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Saudi Arabia is drawn in Group H of the 2026 World Cup alongside Spain, Uruguay, and Cape Verde, and they are aiming to make a statement in North America.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the upcoming tournament will be Abdulhamid’s second appearance at the World Cup, and he is optimistic about the quality of the Saudi national team.

“It will be a great feeling to play in my second World Cup in the United States and I believe in the quality of players in our national team,” he added.

“It will be a better outing for Saudi Arabia than Qatar 2022, we have grown and you notice there is a form of consistency in the team selection.

“We have grown as a family in the national team and we are improving game by game as a team.”

The Green Falcons’ best finish at the World Cup was a round of 16 exit at the USA 1994, which was their first outing on the global stage.

However, the country’s preparations for the tournament suffered a setback with the sacking of head coach Hervé Renard on April 17, just two months before the World Cup begins in the United States.

Renard’s dismissal was confirmed following a string of poor results with Saudi Arabia losing their two friendly matches in March against Egypt and Serbia.

Abdulhamid described the Frenchman as a “great” coach and also backed the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) in steering the national team in the right direction.

“It was sad news to hear about the departure of a great man,” he said.

“Hervé Renard is a good coach who breaks down tactics in simple, clear terms. Everyone could see his efforts in the development of our national team.

“I believe the Saudi FA in making the best decision for our country’s football.”

“We’ve still got so much work to do, but I think my proudest achievement in my year and a half in charge has been reframing how the Las Vegas Lights are viewed,” stated McIntosh in an exclusive R.Org interview. “I think we’ve been able to refresh our brand without having to necessarily go through a comprehensive rebrand. We haven’t changed the logo, but I think we’ve changed how we are viewed by really leaning into some exciting storytelling and refreshing our brand through world-class visuals, great graphic design work and kits now that are both of quality and design work that are much more, fashion-forward and modern.

I think just revitalizing the brand where, I take a ton of pride in football fans that I’m connected with globally, seeing the change in how the Lights operated then versus how they are perceived now. It’s much more professional, and a ton of credit goes to José Bautista and ownership to our Sporting Director Gianleonardo Neglia, who have just operated in a much more professional manner in investing in better players and investing in better resources for our players and staff. I think these have been some of the things that I’m most proud of.”

Shawn is the progeny of an Italian mother and an American father, who met her whilst he was stationed overseas in the military. He grew up in places like Napoli, La Maddalena, Gaeta – where his mother is from – and quickly became hooked on football and S.S. Lazio, but he never drifted too far away from his American roots. And after graduating from high school in Catania, he traded Sicily for West Virginia in 2003, spending four years at Wheeling University and earning a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Political Science, before heading to Pennsylvania and graduating with a Master of Science in Sports Management from Penn West California.

McIntosh got his first opportunity shortly with American Hockey League side Norfolk Admirals (then the Tampa Bay Lightning’s affiliate) after completing his higher education, going from an intern to a Group Sales Representative to the Group Sales Manager & Director of Game Entertainment, where he oversaw the programming and execution of all in-arena announcements, scoreboard graphics, videos, music, and in-game promotions.

Cutting his Teeth in Sales

After four years in Virginia, McIntosh made the move to Arizona shortly after the 161-day NBA lockout came to an end, transitioning from hockey to basketball and working with both the NBA team Phoenix Suns as well as the WNBA team Phoenix Mercury as the Account Executive of Group Sales. He was tasked with driving new business across multiple properties through prospecting, cold calling, and face-to-face meetings, and he proved his mettle by finishing 2013 as a top-three group seller in the WNBA, before departing in 2014 as the top group seller in the WNBA.

McIntosh traded one Southern metropolis for another, joining MLS side Houston Dynamo and ascending the ranks from a senior account executive all the way to the Director of Ticket Sales. He oversaw all ticket sales and marketing strategies, setting attendance and revenue records, including the club’s single-game attendance and revenue records, as well as increasing partial plan revenue by 97%.

During his time in the Space City, McIntosh launched the Dynamo’s first Inside Sales Program, overseeing a team of 6-10 inside sales representatives responsible for selling season tickets, partial plans, and group tickets. McIntosh departed for the Las Vegas Aces in 2018, where he administered all ticket sales strategies, including pricing, marketing, paid media, and single-game ticket campaigns, whilst he also displayed his tech savviness by implementing Microsoft Dynamics CRM and KORE and enhancing segmentation and targeted marketing.

As the Director of Ticket Sales & Service, McIntosh worked with marketing and MGM leadership to build campaigns that drove brand awareness and produced historic ticketing growth, exceeding overall revenue goals by 120%+ in each season and steering the Aces to the league’s top ranking in new season ticket revenue in back-to-back years. He left in 2021 and went back to where it all started: Norfolk. It didn’t take long for him to make an impact as the club’s Chief Revenue Officer, increasing new season tickets by 216% and cash sponsorships by 112%, as well as securing the first official outfitter deal in club history. And after eight months in Norfolk, McIntosh headed south for North Carolina, becoming Charlotte FC’s Chief Fan Officer.

“Charlotte FC were coming in as an expansion club, they were supposed to launch in 2021, then COVID happens and they’ve got to delay their launch until 2022. They got a ton of hype about this new expansion team, and then COVID hits, and all of this hype went flat. They were looking for ways to reinvigorate the community and build out their fan experience, and so the president at the time (Nick Kelly) created this role of Chief Fan Officer. I went through a pretty extensive interview process with internal leadership, sponsors, and supporters. I landed that role and spent three years with the club, and it was a really incredible opportunity to build that club up. It was great being a part of crafting all of their traditions, working with supporters, working with every department, everything from how we marketed to our fans to building out that actual fan experience once a fan came into the building.”

“My first couple months were really unique, and honestly, some of the most fun I’ve had in my career. I did a lot of travel: I was going to not just other MLS teams, I went out to check out teams like the Portland Timbers and the Seattle Sounders, who all have great experiences, but I was also taking a small group with me to places like the Las Vegas Golden Knights, who are known for having an incredible fan experience, seeing exactly how they executed and what were some of the things that they did. I took a team out to Rome to go check out my club Lazio and just understand how football is consumed in Europe, and what were some of those things that we could kind of pick from. That was a lot of fun, because we built this fan experience from scratch. Charlotte is a really diverse city – not a lot of people know a ton about Charlotte – and so we were trying to build this fan experience that kind of was a compilation of the different groups you find in Charlotte.”

Running the Show at Las Vegas

With McIntosh at the helm, Charlotte was able to establish campaigns that ameliorated fan sentiment, driving a 71% NPS score, and consistently ranked amongst the top two teams in terms of MLS attendance, with Charlotte achieving the MLS’ single-match attendance record (74,479) on March 5, 2022. But after three years with Charlotte, he decided it was time for a change.

It’s why, on August 20, 2024, McIntosh was formally announced as the Chief Executive Officer of USL club Las Vegas Lights FC, reporting directly to MLB legend and team chairman José Bautista. After an impressive 2024 season that saw them finish fourth in the Western Conference and reach the Western Conference Finals, Las Vegas took a step back in their eighth season, placing 12th in the West (24th overall) and missing out on the USL Championship Playoffs.

They kicked off the 2026 season with a 1-1 draw at Orange City SC before losing 3-2 at Switbacks FC and FC Tulsa, but they nevertheless managed to bounce back as Johnny Rodriguez’s penalty saw them prevail 1-0 against Monterey Bay. And after commencing April with a 3-2 defeat at El Paso Locomotive FC, Las Vegas raced to an early lead courtesy of Aaron Guillén’s opener, only for Canada international Mark-Anthony Kaye to level proceedings for Sacramento Republic FC in a 1-1 draw. Las Vegas sits ninth in the Western Conference table (eight teams qualify for the postseason), and they’ll be looking to get back to winning ways at Oakland Roots before taking on AC Boise in the USL Cup.

“We’ve shown no hesitation about wanting to be competitive on the football pitch…that has been a change in the José Bautista era. We want to be a competitive football club, and that is a priority. This city is a city that demands winners: you’ve got the Las Vegas Aces, who have won multiple championships, and the Vegas Golden Knights, who have won a Stanley Cup. It is an incredibly competitive market, and so we understand that we need to be competitive in terms of results. We want to be in the playoffs, and once you’re in the playoffs in this sport, we know that anything can happen. We’re putting ourselves in a position to win championships. Above everything, that’s really, really important and critical for us.”

“We want to continue growing our fan base, and that’s really important for us, ensuring that we continue to grow our fan base and deliver on a fan experience. We survey our fans after every match, and we take those surveys very seriously. We are listening to our fans, we are adjusting, and we want to ensure that our fan experience is the best in the league. I think those things are two very clear signals that we’re being successful, right? If we’re winning on the football pitch, and fans are attending our matches and feeling great about the experience, then we’ve done our part.”

Iseni is a left-footed centre-back playing for KF Dukagjini in the Kosovan top tier, and the former U21 Macedonian international is on an expiring contract until the end of the season after joining the Klina-based club in 2023.

R.org understands from sources that Hibernian are interested in signing the 25-year-old on a free transfer after Iseni impressed in KF Dukagjini’s shirt this campaign, making 25 appearances across all competitions to date. However, R understands that Hibs are not alone in the race to sign the centre-back, with at least a couple of other Scottish clubs also interested in the versatile defender, who can operate as a left-back too, with pace, build-up play, and composure among his qualities.

With Iseni’s contract due to expire at the end of June, the defender is free to negotiate his future and talk to the interested clubs, which makes him an attractive option for many clubs around Europe.

Rejecting HNK Gorica in Favour of Free Summer Move

The Croatian top-tier club, HNK Gorica, was interested in signing Besir Iseni from KF Dukagjini in the winter transfer window, but R understands that the player turned down the chance to move to the Hrvatska Nogometna Liga (HNL), in order to pursue a free transfer during the upcoming summer transfer window. Also, the Skopje-born centre-back wanted to see out his contract with KF Dukagjini and help them finish the season as high as possible in the Kosovan league.

Iseni is eligible to represent the Macedonian national team, but the defender is yet to be called up for a senior debut after making a few appearances for their U21s.

“We’re trying not to focus on our history against Milan. It’s a new game, and we feel confident because of the last games we’ve had,” stated Karlström in an exclusive R.Org interview. “Okay, we lost against Juventus last month – where we played quite well in that game – but other than that, we’ve been playing well in these past five games, and we feel like we’re in good shape. The message from the coach is that we can go there and do something, and tomorrow we will go through more tactical things. But I think the most important thing for us is to keep this confidence that we have, and to be ready to do something great on Saturday.”

Refining his Skills in Stockholm

Born on June 21, 1995, Jesper Kewe Karlström grew up in the Swedish capital of Stockholm and commenced his footballing development at Hammarby IF at the age of six. After turning nine years old, his coach moved to IF Brommapojkarna and brought him and his entire youth team to the club. Karlström plied his trade at one of the best academies in Scandinavia, one that has produced Champions League stars like Viktor Gyökeres, Dejan Kulusevski, Daniel Svensson, and Lucas Bergvall, eventually making his first-team debut on July 27, 2013.

After balancing his time between the seniors and the U-19s, Karlström made the complete step up to the first team in 2014, scoring the game-winning goal in the last game of the Svenska Cupen group stage and qualifying them for the knockout round as well as playing in six UEFA Europa League qualifiers. And whilst he was unable to save his team from suffering relegation, he nevertheless made enough of a mark to justify a transfer to a top-flight side.

After scoring five goals and tallying three assists in 55 appearances for the Bromma boys, Karlström departed his boyhood club and made the move across Stockholm, joining Djurgårdens IF on a four-year deal. He quickly became an integral figure in midfield thanks to his selfless running and steady work in possession, but his minutes would dwindle in 2016 in part due to a torn thigh muscle that saw him miss the start of the campaign.

Karlström decided to change his number from 22 to 6 ahead of the 2017 season, where, after starting on the bench, he became one of the first names on the team sheet during the final two months. This earned him an international debut on January 10, 2018, a friendly in Abu Dhabi that featured the strongest players from Sweden and Denmark’s respective leagues rather than the established figures who were competing for their clubs elsewhere in Europe.

Karlström continued to solidify his credentials as one of the best midfielders in Sweden, bagging an assist as Djurgårdens defeated Malmö FF 3–0 in the 2018 Svenska Cupen final. With Karlström pulling the strings, Djurgårdens ascended to the top of the Allsvenskan table and made a genuine push for their first league title in 14 years. Going into the final day, Djurgårdens had 65 points, and Malmö had 64. Whereas Malmö would draw 0-0 at Örebro, Djurgårdens found themselves trailing 2-0 within a quarter-hour at IFK Norrköping, only to halve the deficit via Karlström, whilst Mohamed Buya Turay would equalize 15 minutes later to secure a stalemate and Djurgårdens’ 12th championship. Having amassed 12 goals and 11 assists in 172 appearances for the Iron Stoves and won the two biggest countries in the nation, Karlström decided to leave Stockholm for the first time and join Polish outfit Lech Poznań in December 2020.

“It was an amazing experience going abroad for the first time, and to win the league there as well with a club with a lot of history and a lot of fans, it of course made everything more special. I think the club and the league there, and the level developed me a lot as a player. It’s a physical league with a lot of quality. I think I developed all of my skills there, and had amazing memories there, which obviously brought me to where I am today, and to the national team and everything. I’m really happy that I took that step.”

It didn’t take Karlström to cement himself as one of the club’s most instrumental figures, spearheading them to the 2022 Polish Cup Final as well as their first title in seven years. The following season, meanwhile, would see him lead Duma Wielkopolski to their best-ever European campaign, pulling off famous wins against Austria Wien, Villarreal, Bodø/Glimt, and Djurgårdens before losing to Fiorentina in the UEFA Europa Conference League quarter-finals.

Karlström emerged as a fan favorite during his time in Poland, registering 4 goals and nine assists in 144 appearances, before eventually deciding to start a new chapter in Italy and join Serie A club Udinese on a two-year deal for a reported fee of €2 million with potential bonuses in August 2024.

New Beginnings in Udinese

He enjoyed a seamless transition to Italian football, bagging three assists in 41 appearances and helping the Zebrette go from a miraculous final-day escape in 2023/24 to a steady 12th-placed finish. Having worn the captain’s armband in his final season with Djurgårdens, Karlström was bequeathed with the captaincy following Florian Thauvin’s summer move to Lens, and he’s managed to handle the pressure and lead by example both on and off the ball.

He ranks third in the squad for interceptions per game (1.1) and tackles per game (1.6), while he also ranks third with 29.9 accurate passes per game (80% accuracy). After opening his goal-scoring account against Lecce in October, Karlström has continued to raise his game and deliver alongside the likes of Keinan Davis for an Udinese side that sits 11th in the Serie A table. He’s worn the armband in each of his 33 appearances thus far, and all signs point to that continuing on Saturday.

At nearly 31 years of age, Jesper Karlström is hitting the best form of his entire career and emerging as an integral figure for not just Udinese, but Sweden as well. He made his competitive Sweden debut on March 24, 2022, coming on for the final minutes of an extra-time win against Czechia, before starting in another World Cup qualifier against Poland. Whilst Poland secured their ticket to Qatar with a 2-0 victory, Sweden went home empty-handed. After being included in seven out of eight international squads, Karlström spent a year out of the side before returning in October 2024 after Sweden’s unsuccessful Euro qualification.

He’s been involved in every single international window since then, and last month, he helped Sweden return to the biggest tournament in sports after starting in their matches against Ukraine and Poland. Sweden will face Tunisia in Monterrey before facing the Netherlands in Houston, followed by a match-up with Group F rivals Japan in Arlington.

“I think that my path wasn’t that clear, but I never gave up, and I always kept on working. I always kept believing in myself, and then I was lucky that I had a few people in Poland, in Udinese, and also in the national team who also believed in me. You could say that I’m kind of a late bloomer, and I never gave up. It also shows that you can take many different roads to reach the top, to arrive at the national team, and that it’s never too late to play in big leagues. I’m really happy to be here at Udinese and to have a World Cup to look forward to.”

Revenge is a dish best served cold, as proven in Sweden’s cathartic win against Poland last week. But now, can Karlström help the Zebrette avenge a run of four consecutive losses to Milan? Can he hold his own against a midfield featuring Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modrić, World Cup winner Adrien Rabiot, and World Cup finalist Youssouf Fofana? And with just seven matches remaining, can he steer Udinese to their first top-half finish in 13 years?

“Modrić is one of the toughest opponents that I’ve faced, but I also like Juventus’ Manuel Locatelli and Inter’s Piotr Zieliński very much. But honestly, I don’t think so much about the individual battle against Modrić. Of course, I know we’re facing him as well as a lot of good players in Milan, so I think my focus is to perform well myself, and then as a team, for us to be ready. That’s the main target. I need to be on my best day, and also as a team, we need to be on a good day to stop him and to stop Milan in general.”

The son of Washington Poyet, who played basketball in the 1960 and 1964 Summer Olympics, and the brother of Marcelo, who played the sport professionally in South America, Gustavo took a liking to a different sport: football. Born on November 15, 1967, Poyet started at the academy of Club Atlético River Plate before making the move across the Atlantic and joining Ligue 2 outfit Grenoble Foot 38 in 1988.

Making His Mark in Zaragoza

Poyet racked up eight goals in 39 appearances during his time in France before heading back home. But after just a few months in Montevideo, Poyet made the move to LaLiga outfit Real Zaragoza in 1990, where he continued to make his mark as a goal-scoring midfielder with nine goals in 33 appearances across his debut season. However, he would save the best for last, scoring a brace in the second leg of the promotion/relegation playoffs to secure Zaragoza’s top-flight status and thwart Real Murcia’s dreams of going up.

“I have to be honest, I was very lucky because when I was in Uruguay, before I went to France, I made my name and became recognized as an offensive player who scored a lot of goals. Then I lost contact with Uruguay because I went to France, and it didn’t work out very well,” stated Poyet in an exclusive R.Org interview. “I went back to Uruguay, and in the month they followed up, I was a free agent looking for a club, and I had a couple of opportunities. It came from out of nowhere, this unique chance to go to Zaragoza, because they were looking for a specific type of player. The team was quite small, so they wanted a tall player who was good in the air.”

“There was an Uruguayan coach (Ildo Maneiro) who was going with another Uruguayan player (Edison Suárez), so I basically went in a package…I was the one whose qualities were below. The quality of the coach was very well-known; [Suárez] was playing for the national team of Uruguay, so I was the lesser-known player. I practically had to start from zero: my first season in Zaragoza was a very difficult one to adapt, to start playing in midfield, to start getting better physically. That year, the team didn’t perform well: we nearly went down. We got saved in the promotion/relegation playoff, where I scored the first two goals of the game. I was very cheap, so I suppose the team said, ‘Let’s keep him around.’ Then I started growing up and becoming the player that maybe people remember.”

It wouldn’t take long for Poyet to make Zaragoza fans remember him, with the Uruguayan steering them to a sixth-place finish in 1991/92, before impressing on all three fronts the following season and helping them reach the third round of the UEFA Cup (now the UEFA Europa League) as well as the Copa del Rey Final, where they lost 2-0 to Real Madrid.

Poyet did even better in 1993/94, reaching double figures in the league for the first time in his career as well as spearheading Zaragoza to a second-straight Copa del Rey Final. After scoring against Sevilla and Real Betis in the semifinal and quarterfinal, Poyet provided essential as Los Maños overcame Celta de Vigo on penalties to secure the trophy. It was more of the same in 1994/95, with Poyet steering them to famous wins against Feyenoord and Chelsea before meeting Arsenal in the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup Final, where Nayim’s 40-yard screamer saw Zaragoza prevail at the final second in Paris.

After helping Zaragoza win their first European trophy in 31 years, Poyet returned to Uruguay, where he competed in his only major tournament for Los Charrúas. He kicked off the 1995 Copa América with a goal against Venezuela, before registering an assist in the semifinal against Colombia. They met newly crowned world champions Brazil in the final, where, after a 1-1 draw in regular time, La Celeste won 5-3 on penalties to secure a record-tying 14th time. All things considered, Poyet scored three goals in 21 appearances for Uruguay between 1993 and 2000, the highlight of which came on that momentous night in Montevideo.

Testing His Skills in English Football

Midway through the 1995/96 season, the course of football history changed forever. The European Court of Justice ruled in favor of Jean-Marc Bosman in his lawsuit against Union Royale Belge des Sociétés de Football Association ASBL. This decision allowed players in the European Union to move to another club at the end of a contract (free agency) without a transfer fee being paid and without the approval of the previous club, and it also banned quota restrictions on foreign players within EU national leagues. Freed from the shackles of the previous legal framework, Poyet decided to call it quits on his time in Aragon following an impressive 74 goals and two assists in 276 appearances, and join Chelsea on a free transfer in the summer of 1997.

“I made two very, very important decisions in my career. One was a little bit by luck. When I arrived in Zaragoza in 1990, I signed a 4-year contract. I was a player who liked to go towards the end, who accepted that I’d finish my contract. It didn’t work out at Grenoble, but I finished my Zaragoza contract in 1994. I was earning very little money, I went to renew my contract, and I thought I would have the power to have a proper contract that I deserved. Zaragoza, at that time, was not paying big money, and they offered me something that I didn’t like. I was very disappointed, and I was very, very close to not renewing the contract.”

“That was super important, because as you know, 1994-95 was my best year in football, winning the Cup Winners’ Cup and Copa América. It was a key decision to renew, and then I finished my new, three-year contract. I was 29 years old, and after seven years in Zaragoza, I was a free agent. I had everything in Zaragoza, my two sons Diego and Matias were born in Zaragoza, but something inside me said, ‘Football in England is perfect for you. When I saw the team of Chelsea, with Ruud Gullit, Frank Leboeuf, Roberto di Matteo, Gianfranco Zola, Dennis White, Mark Hughes, I said, ‘That’s perfect for me. My wife was happy, and we moved to London, which was maybe the best decision I ever made. I’m still in London, so I imagine that it changed my life.”

Having become Zaragoza’s longest-serving foreign player and a domestic and international champion with The Tilefishes, expectations were high for Poyet upon his arrival at Stamford Bridge. He got off to a flying start in England, finding the back of the net against Barnsley, Arsenal, Newcastle, and Liverpool, before tearing his cruciate ligaments and missing the next six months.

However, he returned in time for the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup semifinals, scoring in London and helping Chelsea overturn a first-leg deficit against Vicenza, before spearheading them to victory against VfB Stuttgart in the final. Poyet was able to build on his momentum and register 14 goals and four assists in 38 appearances in 1998/99, including the sole goal in the 1998 UEFA Super Cup against Real Madrid.

He entered the new millennium in style, racking up 18 goals and three assists in 53 appearances, including a scissors-kick volley and both of Chelsea’s goals in the FA Cup semifinal against Newcastle United. In addition to leading Chelsea to FA Cup success against Aston Villa, Poyet was also able to compete in Europe’s premier competition for the first team as Chelsea reached the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals.

However, the arrival of new manager Claudio Ranieri saw Poyet fall out of favor and join Tottenham Hotspur in May 2001 for £2.2 million. After racking up 14 goals and six assists in 43 appearances and leading Spurs to the League Cup Final in his debut campaign, Poyet struggled with injuries throughout his time in North London before eventually departing in 2004. Nevertheless, he stuck around in England and joined Swindon Town in July 2006 as a player/assistant coach alongside ex-Chelsea teammate Dennis Wise. Three months later, they departed Swindon for Leeds United.

Making the Transition to Coaching

Poyet remained at Elland Road for a year before rejoining Tottenham as an assistant coach to Juande Ramos, helping them win the 2007/08 League Cup against Chelsea – the club’s final trophy until last summer’s Europa League triumph – before being axed after a year. Desperate to make his mark as a head coach, Poyet joined League One side Brighton & Hove Albion and saved them from the drop, and he solidified his credentials by taking home the LMA League One Manager of the Year award and masterminding the club’s promotion to the EFL Championship the following season. Brighton would finish 10th and 4th in the second tier, only to lose in the promotion playoffs to Crystal Palace, where, after coming to blows with the club’s ownership, he was suspended from his duties. And whilst working as a pundit for BBC Three’s coverage of Spain vs. Nigeria in the FIFA Confederations Cup, Poyet was handed a news printout from a BBC colleague: he had been sacked by Brighton.

“Brighton was my best managerial job by far because I was the manager, I was not a coach. I had a stupendous, tremendous relationship with the owner Tony Bloom, we were on fire together, we were explosive, and that’s why we had so much success. Every year, it was better: I went there to save them from relegation in the third division, and then the next year, we won the league, we went up to the 24-team championship, and finished 10th and fourth. If I had stayed there, it would’ve only been a matter of time before we reached the Premier League.

The club grew up dramatically, and new people arrived in the club. Everybody wants to have the power and be part of the decision-making, and that kind of separated myself from the managerial role, which was working very well. But in terms of achieving incredible things with a group of players, Brighton was spectacular. I mean, the way we played football in Brighton was not seen in the lower divisions for many years. It was the beginning of the Brighton that everybody now wants to see.”

He then became the first Uruguayan to coach in the Premier League after taking charge of Sunderland in October 2013, leading them to the EFL Cup Final and achieving a miraculous escape from relegation, before being sacked in March 2015. He then made the move to AEK Athens, overseeing a third-place finish and a Greek Cup semifinal, before returning to Spain and taking charge of Real Betis.

Poyet lasted a couple of months before being axed, taking his talents to Chinese Super League side Shanghai Shenhua, followed by a spell at Ligue 1 outfit Girondins de Bordeaux. After 2.5 years out of the game, Poyet took the reins at Universidad Católica, winning the delayed 2020 Supercopa de Chile against rivals Colo-Colo, before exiting his post after six months.

Next up, Poyet decided to step into international management and become the manager of the Greek national team, taking four wins from his first four fixtures in League C of the 2022 UEFA Nations League and helping Greece earn promotion to League B for the following campaign. But after losing to Georgia on penalties and narrowly missing out on a spot in UEFA Euro 2024, Poyet’s time in charge of the Ethniki came to an end.

He would have to wait nine months before finding a new role, taking charge of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and leading them to the two biggest trophies in South Korea – the K League 1 and the Korea Cup – before stepping down after a year. He’s spent the past four months in London, refining his tactical methodology and recharging his batteries in Battersea, and whilst he’s enjoyed his brief hiatus, he’s eager to get back out in the game and continue establishing himself as one of the greatest Uruguayan coaches of all time.

Marlon Santos is holding it down in central defense alongside vice captain Valeriy Bondar, whilst Pedro Henrique has established himself as the team’s starting left back. Pedrinho has filled Georgiy Sudakov’s void as the team’s creative attacking talisman following the Ukrainian’s departure to Benfica, whilst Alisson and Newerton have cemented themselves as Shakhtar’s starting wing duo. Kauã Elias is challenging Lassina Traoré for the starting center forward position, whilst others like Marlon Gomes, Eguinaldo, Pedro Henrique, Luca Meirelles, Isaque, and Lucas Ferreira have emerged as creditable squad figures. And over on the right side of defense, Vinicius Tobias is chomping at the bit for the starting right back position.

Early Beginnings in Brazil

Born on February 23, 2004, Vinícius Augusto Tobías da Silva grew up in the Jardim Matarazzo quarter of São Paulo, where he quickly became obsessed with football. In 2016, Vinícius left his family at the age of 12 and made the move to Porto Alegre, joining Internacional’s academy and rising through the youth ranks. It wasn’t long before he was garnering international hype, with The Guardian picking him in their annual “Next Generation 2021: 60 of the best young talents in world football” alongside future stars like Gavi, Cristhian Mosquera, and Savinho.

“I think that our country, Brazil, produces many very talented players that we see emerging over the years. So, of course, being in this country helped me a lot, and learning from these great players who came from our country was also a great experience,” stated Tobias in an exclusive R.org interview. “I think, for me, it’s a privilege to have been born in Brazil and to have this gift that all Brazilians have. Of course, remembering where I came from and my roots has always helped me and continues to help me to this day. I think it has always helped me, and it always will.”

Raised in Buraco Quente Favela with five brothers, Tobias grew up in poverty and would sometimes pass out in training due to not having eaten any food. But when he joined Internacional, he started enjoying an elite football trajectory and quickly absorbed the same top-level conditions that furnished other Champions League ballers like Alisson Becker and Johnny Cardoso; within a year, he had already put on eight kilos.

Tobias didn’t just make his mark for Internacional’s youth sides, but Brazil’s youth sides as well. After playing seven and six times for Brazil’s U-15s and U-16s in 2019, respectively, Tobias played twice for their U-17s in 2021 before graduating to the U-20 side and registering three appearances for the Canarinha in 2022. And in 2023, he played a quarter-hour in a 1-0 friendly defeat against Morocco’s U-23s.

Such was his obvious potential that even though he didn’t play a single match for Internacional’s senior team, Shakhtar nevertheless saw fit to pay €6 million for him in July 2021, with Tobias eventually making the move to Europe in February 2022 after turning 18 years old. Six years after making the move to the Clube do Povo, Tobias was headed to Türkiye to undergo preseason preparations with Ukraine’s most successful team. Little did he know it, however, but his life was about to change even more than he expected. Immediately after setting foot in his new country, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation” to “demilitarize and denazify” Ukraine, with Russia launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and starting the biggest conflict in Europe since World War II.

Testing his Skills in Madrid

As a result, FIFA allowed foreign players and coaches the right to unilaterally suspend their employment contracts with clubs affiliated to the Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF) or the Football Union of Russia (FUR) until June 30, 2024, while they also allowed players to depart on loan despite the winter transfer window already being closed. Rather than stick around in war-torn Ukraine, Tobias was one of the many foreign stars who departed the Ukrainian Premier League and moved overseas to a new club. But not just any random club. Vinícius was going to be plying his trade in the most successful club in European football: Real Madrid.

“Honestly, my reaction when I found out that I was going to Real…I didn’t even believe it. I had just left Shakhtar because of the war, so, when I heard the news that Real Madrid Castilla wanted me on loan, I couldn’t believe it, because I was taking a huge step forward in my career. I didn’t make my debut for Shakhtar when I arrived, and suddenly I ended up at Real Madrid Castilla. Actually, I was a little shaken at first, but it finally clicked after I got there and did my first workouts. I was very happy and very fulfilled because of that.”

Having made four appearances across his first few months in Iberia, Tobias took his game to a new level in 2022/23 under the watchful eye of Real Madrid legend Raúl González. Operating alongside a number of future stars like Nico Paz, Álex Jiménez, Rafa Marín, and 2025 FIFA Club World Cup Golden Boot winner Gonzalo García, Tobias made his mark in the Spanish capital and eked out a starting spot as the club’s main right back. In addition to providing an assist in five UEFA Youth League appearances, Tobias also registered four assists in 36 league appearances as Real Madrid Castilla came within inches of achieving promotion to the Spanish second tier, only to end up losing to Eldense in the finals. It was more of the same in 2023/24, with Tobias providing four assists in 21 appearances, albeit with one major difference. On January 6, 2024, Tobias made his first and only appearance for Real Madrid’s first team, playing 88 minutes in a 3-1 Copa del Rey win against lower-tier outfit Arandina.

Back to Business in Shakhtar

After Real declined their €15 million purchase option, Tobias returned to Shakhtar and signed a new contract through June 30, 2029. The Brazilian made his long-awaited debut for Shakhtar and delivered some much-needed attacking impetus down the right flank, registering six assists in 26 appearances – three of those coming in the UEFA Champions League – and helping Shakhtar win the Ukrainian Cup. He’s been continuing his impressive form in 2025/26 for Shakhtar, who, having missed out on a third-straight league title after finishing third in the table, are getting back to their best under Arda Turan. Shakhtar sit atop the Ukrainian Premier League standings, three points above second-placed LNZ, and with 10 matches remaining, the odds are in their favor as they seek a record-extending 16th championship.

“This year, I intend to achieve all my dreams, which is to win titles with Shakhtar, win the league, especially the Conference League where we’ve been playing great games…everyone can see that. I think my goal today at Shakhtar is winning all the tournaments we play in, making a name for myself within this club, and fulfilling all our possible dreams.”

Having already chipped in two goals and three assists in 30 appearances, Tobias has solidified himself as an indispensable figure in Shakhtar’s backline. And on Thursday, he’ll be looking to help Shakhtar defend their 3-1 lead against Polish side Lech Poznán – a match that, despite being a “home match,” will be played in Kraków, far closer to Lech’s home stadium than Shakhtar’s. Can Tobias lead Shakhtar to the UEFA Conference League quarterfinals? Stay tuned for what promises to be a spicy encounter in Poland.