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Rory Smith
Posts
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M.L.S. Cup and the Joy of the Open Field
A final in Los Angeles offers a welcome clash of styles, while a Copa Libertadores crown shows Brazilian teams may have cracked the code in...
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World Cup Dreams, Gone in an Instant
For hundreds of the world’s best players, injury is the fear shadowing every step, every turn, every tackle as the World Cup looms.
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Cristiano Ronaldo and the Long Walk
Soccer’s biggest stars used to have places to wind down their careers with dignity. The sport’s economics now require their humiliations be public.
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Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema Wins Ballon d’Or
The Real Madrid forward won the voting after a season when Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were nowhere in sight. Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas repeated as...
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The Enduring Appeal of Ronaldo, Soccer’s Original Phenomenon
The Brazilian striker’s lasting power lies not so much in a deep trove of highlight clips, but in what he showed was possible.