Five  wins on the trot and another expectant  routine victory awaited them at Old Trafford on the weekend.

The late Diego Armando Maradona is that man and his impact on the modern game is unprecedented.

What’s gone wrong, what’s the matter, why has African football failed to reach the highest pinnacle?

In a team full of superstars he stood head and shoulders above them all as France claimed the World Cup for the second time in their history.

To put things into context, this was no ordinary run of the mill match day, not any arbitrary Arsenal fixture and certainly no average derby match either.

The rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona has been a major part of both clubs’ existence since their inception.

The Benz was streets ahead in a year where his performances for Real Madrid ensured that no one else stood any realistic chance of winning the coveted prize.

I apologise for the Harry reference but Potter has quite literally walked into the most demanding arena in English football and waved his magic wand.

Spurs striking Son and Chelsea’s Ben Chilunwell were such casualties this week to add to a growing list.

On Sunday November 20, the most anticipated soccer World Cup in history finally kicks off in Qatar.

As for South Korea, they will be reflecting on a father who wishes he had more sons!

Shocks and surprises, twists and turns, interest and intrigue, ebbs and flows, VAR and often VARLESS, stars and even a few stripes and loads and loads of injury time!!

This has not been the typical, traditional, testing phase of a tournament that we are generally dished out.