Europe's 55 football nations in one season
It had been forty years and two civil wars since Ivory Coast had last hosted the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). It was instantly clear how much it meant to the country. Félix Houphouët-Boigny International Airport, snappily named after Ivory Coast’s post-independence … Continued
Ivory Coast was my third AFCON. Logistically, it was the most difficult. Not a single hotel outside commercial hub Abidjan was listed on booking sites. I used my dubious French, and used up my patience, to eventually secure reservations and found … Continued
“Maradona or Messi?” was a question I was frequently asked in Argentina. It was hard to answer, but Buenos Aires was undeniably the greatest city I had yet to visit. And Argentina was something of an incongruous name on my list … Continued
Marco skipped into my Milan hotel lobby sporting dark glasses, jeans and stubble. He gave me a hug. It had been five years since television director Marco had covered my visit to Crotone for Quelli che … il Calcio. We … Continued
Bats swooped through the airy rooms of the clapboard plantation house I was staying in. Elemental rain hammered the lush undergrowth and large fruits thudded to the ground. I walked down the middle of the road in near total darkness … Continued
It all started with an Ecuadorian fish stew on the damp Holloway Road. Perhaps every World Cup should. My stew had depth and colour and blew away the dark night. On the pitch, hosts Qatar were overwhelmed by an energetic Ecuador and the enormity of the occasion. I … Continued
I’ve watched the 2022 World Cup in London restaurants and bars from all 32 participating countries. The Eat the World Cup foodline details the locations, dishes and drinks sampled on this epic culinary football challenge. Number – Date – Country – Restaurant / … Continued
Eat the World Cup is a mission to watch the 2022 World Cup in London restaurants and bars that represent all of the 32 participating countries. It involves experiencing Argentina with a steak, Germany with a stein and Saudi Arabia with a special … Continued
I had blasted around Oman in a white saloon. I had trekked mountains, clambered desert dunes and seen green turtles lay their eggs on the corner of the Arabian peninsula. I was now in Muscat’s fish market with a serious … Continued
