Category: Sports

Ever since it was introduced in the early 1990s, the English Premier League has almost always been the top professional football league in the world. The best players typically want to make their way to England and thus have created a level of competition that’s essentially unmatched. Because of this, it can be difficult for one club to truly stand out among the rest, but it has been done.

We’ve seen a few seasons in which one club was able to dominate, setting records for points and goals. Who has put together the most dominant seasons, though? Here are the top five single-season performances by English Premier League teams, with just three different clubs taking those five spots.

Chelsea (2016-17)

The first two seasons on the list both come from Chelsea, with the first being in the 2016-17 season. Tottenham Hotspur had one of their best campaigns that season but still finished seven points out of the EPL title. That’s because Chelsea was on a tear that year, winning 30 of its 38 matches. Just five of those were losses, as well, finishing the season with 93 points and a +52 goal differential (Tottenham was actually first with +60).

After six matches, Chelsea had won just three while losing to Liverpool and Arsenal. The rest of the way, though, Chelsea barely stuttered. Diego Costa was the top goal-scorer with 20 during the EPL season while Eden Hazard added another 16.

Chelsea (2004-05)

The other Chelsea season which made the list came more than a decade prior to their dominating 93-point performance. Chelsea finished with two more points in this season, but it was actually far more impressive. Not only did they have a goal differential that was five better than the 2016-17 season, but they lost just one match. There were eight draws and 29 wins for Chelsea, finishing with 95 points, which was 12 ahead of second-place Arsenal.

The one loss for Chelsea came in the ninth match day with a 1-0 defeat to Manchester City. The goals were spread fairly evenly amongst the Chelsea players, with 13 for Frank Lampard, 12 for Eiour Guojohnsen, and 10 for Didier Drogba.

Manchester City (2018-19)

Many people who watch the English Premier League felt bad for Liverpool in the 2018-19 season. That’s because they posted one of the best campaigns in league history with 97 points, but it was only good enough for second place. That’s because Manchester City was just one point better, finishing with a whopping 32 wins compared to just two draws and four losses. The goal differential was also absurd for Man City, finishing at +72. No other club besides those two finished with more than 72 points.

What made things interesting was that Manchester City’s struggles came toward the middle of the season. At one point, the club had lost three out of four matches, dropping decisions to Chelsea, Crystal Palace, and Leicester City. However, after the 19th match day, Man City lost just one match while winning the rest. Sergio Aguero had the most goals, scoring 21 in the season.

Liverpool (2019-20)

The following season, things were made right for Liverpool as this time they finished ahead of Manchester City in the top two of the standings. Liverpool didn’t just win the league by one point, however, as they thoroughly dominated with 99 points, which was 18 points ahead of Man City and 33 points ahead of third-place Manchester United. Liverpool finished with 32 wins, three losses, and three draws during the season.

Liverpool had just one draw in its first 27 matches while the rest of them were victories. By then, Liverpool had already set itself ahead of the rest of the group and was able to coast to a title. Most of the losses and draws came at the end of the season, with the leading scorers being Mohamed Salah (19) and Sadio Mane (18).

Manchester City (2017-18)

Only one club has ever been able to achieve 100 points in an English Premier League season, and it came at the height of Manchester City’s run at the top of the table. In the 2017-18 season, Man City got 100 points on the dot thanks to a record of 32 wins, four draws, and just two losses. The club’s +79 goal differential was also a record, and they finished 19 points ahead of runner-up Manchester United.

The two losses came by one goal each, with the first one coming in the 23rd match against Liverpool (4-3) and the other coming in the 32nd week against Manchester United (3-2). Sergio Aguero led all scorers with 21, while Raheem Sterling added 18 and Gabriel Jesus scored 13.

Perhaps more than any other sport in North America, hockey gives its franchises more of a palette to create a unique uniform. The uniforms consist of large sweaters that allow for a lot of room to use, and there are only a handful of teams that are really handcuffed to one design that won’t be changed (Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, etc.).

Some of the newer teams in the National Hockey League have toyed around with a lot of different designs in hopes of finding something different and cool that will catch on with fans. Sometimes it works, and other times it misses badly enough that they get worn once or twice. Here are five of those uniforms that really stood out, with some being beloved while others were panned.

Vegas Reverse Retro

When the NHL launched the Reverse Retro uniform program, many were left wondering what the newer teams like the Seattle Kraken and Vegas Golden Knights were going to do. The Knights answered that question by not using any throwback uniforms, but instead creating one from scratch. They paid tribute to the resorts of early Las Vegas, with font taken straight from the signs of the Excalibur and Stardust casinos.

That wasn’t the part that made the Vegas uniforms really stand out, though. The numbers were given special stitching, allowing them to glow in the dark. Anyone that has been to a Knights game knows that it’s a spectacle, and seeing the lights go out and the team entering with their lit-up uniforms while “John Wick Mode” plays gets the blood pumping.

Tampa Bay Alternate (Late-1990s)

During the later part of the 2000s, the Tampa Bay Lightning switched to a very simplistic format that many graphic designers absolutely loved. The colors combined well and the minimalist logo really stuck out. However, that wasn’t the case in the late 1990s when the Lightning revealed an alternate uniform.

The alternate took the basic layout of the standard home uniform but added a lot of new bells and whistles. The unis were supposed to show lightning striking down the sleeves while it rained into an ocean that was starting to get a bit choppy. Many said the uniform was much too busy, and it was scrapped for the 21st century, only to return during the Reverse Retro era.

Dallas Stars Alternate (Mid-2000s)

The Dallas Stars had a pretty memorable uniform during the late 1990s and early 2000s when they were one of the premier franchises in the NHL. When they wore their alternate uniforms, however, it was sort of hard to take them seriously. On the black alternate, the star pattern was ditched and instead the only reference to stars was in the form of a constellation on the chest.

The constellation was supposed to represent Taurus, but not many saw it that way. Instead, it looked like a cow and many people referred to the logo as “Mooterus” due to its shape. Was it unique? Absolutely, but they were almost immediately panned by fans around the league. After the 2005-06 season, Mooterus was left behind as the Stars went years without another alternate.

Los Angeles Kings Alternate (1995-96)

While the Los Angeles Kings had the best player in hockey history (Wayne Gretzky), they had one of the most bizarre uniforms. For the 1995-96 season, the team used an alternate uniform that featured two oddly placed grey stripes, but the icing on the unique cake was the logo of a king’s head that hadn’t been used before.

Many came to know this uniform as the “Burger King” jersey due to its resemblance to the fast food mascot. They left almost as quickly as they arrived as the uniforms were only worn a handful of times before disappearing after the season.

Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1995-96)

The Kings weren’t the only Southern California team that has a really unique jersey for the 1995-96 NHL season. Back when they were known as the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and were heavily involved with the Walt Disney Company, the Ducks featured their mascot Wild Wing prominently on their uniform. It looked incredibly busy as they didn’t just use the mascot’s mask, but rather his whole body.

Wild Wing can be shown bursting through a frozen pond on the jersey, carrying a large goalie stick and padded up with the exception of his feet. The logo was simply too large to look natural for their uniform, which is why it was scrapped after just one season. However, nostalgia has put the Wild Wing unis in a better light, and the Ducks chose to use it for their Reverse Retro nights.

Liverpool has one of the richest traditions of any European professional football team, and they have been a mainstay of the upper half of the English Premier League standings since the league started in the early 1990s. Throughout Liverpool history, there have been many players to make their way through the ranks, but only a handful of managers.

With just over 20 managers in a history that dates back well over a century, the Liverpool managers have had varying success. Of these men, which ones have proved themselves as the best? Here are our picks for the top five managers in Liverpool history. Before we begin, some of the managers who just missed the cut include Rafael Benitez, Joe Fagan, Tom Watson, and Roy Evans.

Gerard Houllier

French native Gerard Houllier had a lengthy playing career, spending most of his time with Le Touquet in the 1970s. Houllier would then go on to manage the club, and then spent time with several other clubs including Lens and Paris Saint-Germain. After managing the French national team and U18/U20 squads, Houllier made his way to Liverpool in 1998, sticking around for six years.

The one thing that Houiller is truly missing from his resume is winning the top league title in England. However, there were many other accomplishments, including a winning percentage of 52.12%. Houllier was also able to win the FA Cup and EFL Cup, finishing his career with six total club honours.

Bill Shankly

Like Houllier, Bill Shankly had a long playing career, with almost all of his time spent with Preston North End. The right-half had nearly 300 appearances with the club and immediately went into managing after his 1949 retirement. Shankly had short stints with Carlisle United, Grimsby Town, Workington, and Huddersfield Town before taking over in Liverpool, which would be his final stop that lasted for 15 years.

Shankly didn’t have the extremely high winning percentage like the other managers on the list had, but he did have absurd longevity compared to the rest. Shankly managed 783 matches during his career, winning 407 of them and drawing another 198. Shankly finished with three top league titles and a pair of FA Cups.

Jurgen Klopp

We now turn our attention to by far the youngest man on the list, Jurgen Klopp. The German native spent more than a decade playing for Mainz 05, scoring more than 50 goals in 325 appearances. After retiring in 2001, he took over as the club’s manager where he spent seven years before spending another seven managing Borussia Dortmund. In 2015, Klopp became the 21st manager of Liverpool after the club offered a lucrative contract based on advanced analytics.

After his first seven years, Klopp had the third-highest winning percentage in Liverpool history at over 60 percent. Klopp is the only German manager that Liverpool has had, and he helped guide the team to an English Premier League title to go along with an FA Cup and UEFA Champions League title, making him one of just four managers to do that.

Kenny Dalglish

Kenny Dalglish began his senior playing career with Celtic, making more than 200 appearances and scoring 111 goals. The forward then joined Liverpool in 1977 and played in 355 matches between then and 1990. Beginning in 1985, Dalglish served as a player-manager for the rest of his playing career, slightly extending into his retirement from the pitch. Dalglish resigned in 1991, then went on to manage Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United in the 1990s before returning for one more stint in 2011-12 with Liverpool.

Dalglish holds the Liverpool record for win percentage at 60.91%, putting him slightly ahead of coaching pair William Edward Barclay and John McKenna in the late 19th century. Dalglish won three First Division titles as manager and four FA Charity/Community Shields. 

Bob Paisley

The top spot belongs to Liverpool legend Bob Paisley, who began his playing career with Bishop Auckland for two years before joining Liverpool as a player for 15 years. After 253 appearances, Paisley retired and took some time away from football before coming back as an assistant manager for more than a decade. Paisley then became the primary manager, spending another decade in charge before ultimately retiring.

Paisley was the manager for 535 matches, and the club won 308 of them while only dropping 96. His 57.57% win percentage is good enough for fourth all-time in Liverpool history, but what really helped Paisley stand out was his league trophies. Nobody has more top league titles in England than Paisley, winning six of them in his career. Bill Shankly is second all-time in Liverpool club trophies with 11 while Paisley is far ahead of anyone with 20.

Whether it be the Summer or Winter Olympics, the International Olympic Committee has often chosen some of the largest and most-visited cities in the world to host the games. However, there have been some notable cities that have been left off ever since the Olympics started moving to different cities at the start of the 20th century.

Which cities are the most egregious omissions to the list of hosts, though? Here are our picks for five cities that should host an Olympics. Some cities that just missed the cut include Chicago (United States), Auckland (New Zealand), Brussels (Belgium), and Cairo (Egypt).

Toronto, Canada

Canada has been the host to the Olympics three times, with the first coming in 1976 when Montreal hosted the summer games. 12 years later, Calgary hosted the country’s first-ever Winter Olympics, and Vancouver became the second in 2010. However, the largest city in the entire country hasn’t hosted the Olympics in any season. That doesn’t mean that Toronto hasn’t at least tried, though.

The first time that Toronto tried to host the games came in 1960, but the city ultimately lost out to Rome. Toronto then tried again in 1964, 1976, 1996, and 2008, and each time was passed over. At this point, it doesn’t seem that Toronto is even all that interested in hosting the Olympics. The city has said that putting together a full bid and playing into the hands of the IOC isn’t at the top of their list.

New York City, United States

Just like Canada, the United States has never hosted the Olympics in its largest city. This comes as a huge surprise to many as the country has hosted the games more than any other country, and New York City certainly has the infrastructure to pull it off. However, the closest that the Big Apple has gotten to hosting an Olympics was when the 1980 Winter Olympics were held in Lake Placid.

The bid for the 2012 Olympics nearly went to New York City, but the IOC ultimately decided to have the games in London. Some speculate that the city is simply too packed for the Olympics as it is, but cities with high population density have hosted before. There are still plenty of chances for New York, though, as the city ramps up for a 2036 bid.

Madrid, Spain

Spain is one of the most beautiful and visited countries in the world, but throughout the long history of the Olympics, it has been host to only one Olympiad. That came in 1992 when Spain hosted the summer games, but it wasn’t held in Spain’s largest city, but rather in Barcelona. The games proved that Spain was more than capable of hosting, so it should only be a matter of time before Madrid gets its chance.

Madrid has certainly been trying over the years, too. The city started bidding for the 2012 games and has continued to place a bid in for every Summer Olympics ever since then. Due to being passed over, city officials have talked about taking some time off and then preparing an all-in bid to finally land an Olympiad.

Delhi, India

The largest city in the world (Tokyo) has hosted multiple Olympics, but the second-largest city has not even come close. Delhi, India has a population of more than 28.5 million, which is nearly 3 million more than third-place Shanghai and 7 million more than fourth-place Sao Paulo. What has kept Delhi from hosting the Olympics is simply infrastructure.

Delhi city officials have been making improvements with hopes of one day hosting the Olympics, though. They know that stadiums need to be up-to-date and the city has to be easily accessible to visitors. Because of this, Delhi has high hopes that it will be the host of the 2048 Olympics, which would be the first in India.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Argentina has a rich history of soccer, but the country has never played host to the Olympics. In fact, South America has only had one ever Olympics, and that came in 2016 when Rio de Janeiro, Brazil played host. The natural next step for the Olympics in the continent would be to come to Argentina.

When you come to Argentina, it makes sense to come to Buenos Aires. The city hasn’t really put in a serious bid for the Olympics just yet, but is working with other countries to possibly have a joint bid. However, Argentina is more focused on hosting another World Cup for now, so it could be a while for Buenos Aires.

Some people say that newer is always better, especially when it comes to sporting venues. However, some of the stadiums that have been tossed aside and demolished over the years had a certain kind of charm that a lot of us miss. Whether it’s live animals serving as mascots or an unmatched home-field environment, we wish some stadiums were never abandoned.

Out of all of the past NFL stadiums, though, which ones do we miss the most? These five were memorable for decades and offered great fan experiences, only to be replaced by more cookie-cutter mega stadiums that lack a certain charm.

Miami Orange Bowl

Maybe it was the fact that it was such a historic college football venue that makes people miss it, but there was something intangible about the Orange Bowl that made it the signature football stadium in Florida. Located within the city limits of Miami, the Orange Bowl was home to the University of Miami Hurricanes from 1937 until 2007, while the NFL’s Miami Dolphins played there from their inaugural 1966 season until the end of the 1986 campaign.

During the middle years of the Dolphins playing at the Orange Bowl, an actual live dolphin was situated in the end zone for home games. Even when the Dolphins weren’t at the top of their game, the Orange Bowl was home to five Super Bowls, including three of the first five and four of the first 10. Sadly, the Orange Bowl was demolished in 2008 after the Hurricanes rejoined the Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium.

RFK Stadium

Now known as the Washington Commanders, the franchise hasn’t performed well since making the move to FedEx Field in 1997. When they were still known as the Washington Redskins and playing at RFK Stadium in actual Washington, D.C., however, the team was one of the premier franchises of the NFL.

Teams were legitimately afraid of coming to play games at RFK as the fans would get so rowdy that the stadium would literally shake. While the ‘Skins called RFK their home from 1961 until 1996, the team won three Super Bowl titles and five NFC Championships. After the team moved to FedEx Field, RFK was home to the Washington Nationals for three seasons when they relocated from Montreal, and it took years for demolition plans to come to fruition.

Giants Stadium

Sticking with the NFC East theme, the New York Giants and Jets now play in the massive MetLife Stadium, but for many years called Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey their home. The Giants moved into the stadium when it opened in 1976, which shouldn’t come as a surprise due to being the stadium’s namesake. It took a few years for the Jets to join, though, as they finally came over in 1984.

Due to playing host to two different franchises for decades, Giants Stadium hosted more NFL games than any other stadium by a wide margin when it was shut down after the final game of the 2009 NFL season. It only took a few months for the stadium to go from hosting its final game to not standing at all, as it was demolished in August 2010.

Mile High Stadium

Fans of the Denver Broncos will always remember the glory days of the 1990s and the Elway-led teams that did the Mile High Salute after each touchdown. Mile High Stadium originally opened up in 1948 and was actually a baseball venue with 18,000 seats that was built where a landfill once was. When the Broncos entered the AFL/NFL in 1960, though, the stadium expanded and was home to the franchise through the 2000 season.

Mile High Stadium felt like a huge home-field advantage for the Broncos, especially as expansion continued throughout the 1970s and 1980s. When the Broncos became one of the top teams in the league, the capacity increased all the way to over 76,000. The Broncos moved to a new stadium in 2001 that has switched names several times while the old Mile High was demolished in 2002.

Pontiac Silverdome

For many years, the Pontiac Silverdome was the largest venue in the NFL. Though not really close to downtown Detroit itself, the Silverdome was still the sports hub for the metro area for decades, opening up in 1975 and becoming the home of the Detroit Lions. The Silverdome was known for hosting other events, as well, including WrestleMania III, the 1994 World Cup, and even the 1979 NBA All-Star Game.

When the Lions left the Silverdome for Ford Field in downtown Detroit, they moved to a much smaller venue and the Silverdome stood empty. After many fumbled demolition attempts, the Silverdome finally (and sadly) came down in March 2018.

Almost every nation around the world has a professional football league, with a wide range of talent and prestige among them. There are some major countries that have professional leagues that don’t really stack up in terms of talent with the best, and that includes places like the United States, Norway, and Japan.

Then there are countries, which, despite being smaller in size, have brought in the most money and the best players. Obviously, many of these prestigious leagues are in Europe where football is king. Which ones rank as the best in the world, though? Here are our picks for the top five in order. Some of the leagues that just missed the cut include Dutch Eredivisie, Portuguese Liga, Brasileiro Serie A, and Mexican Primera Division Torneo Clausura. 

French Ligue 1

At the start of the 1930s, there was no professional football in France, but the country’s leaders in the sport decided that it should change, with French Ligue 1 starting in 1932. There had been plenty of clubs throughout France, and those that had an exemplary history both on the field and in terms of revenue were invited to join the newly founded league. Olympique Lillois won the first championship but went defunct in 1944.

Since then, some of the premier clubs include Paris Saint-Germain, Saint-Etienne, and Marseille. The three clubs have dozens of titles between them, and Marseilles leads all clubs in terms of most seasons with the top league. Some of the top players in French Ligue 1 history include Jean Pierre Papin, Zinedine Zidane, Raymond Kopa, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Italy Serie A

No other league on the list is as old as Italy Serie A, which was founded in 1898 with the clubs being separated by region. A quarter-century later, all of the league’s clubs began playing each other and the format has stuck ever since. The age of the league has helped it become so prestigious, with many considering it the top league in the world for some stretches of the 20th century.

Serie A has a few “big boys” with Inter Milan, Juventus, Roma, and AC Milan being the premier clubs. Juventus is the biggest dog in that yard, with nearly as many titles as the next two teams (Inter and AC Milan) combined. There have been a lot of legendary players throughout Serie A history, including Paolo Maldini, Francesco Totti, Diego Maradona, and Gianluigi Buffon. In fact, when the top 100 footballers in history list was assembled in 2017, Serie A was the most represented league on the list.

Spanish Primera Division

The Spanish Primera Division is officially known as The Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Primera Division, but most everyone simply calls it La Liga. The league was founded in 1929, making it the second oldest on the list, and like Serie A, has had stretches where it was the top league in the world.

While Athletic Bilbao and Valencia are long-time members of the league, Barcelona and Real Madrid are the dominant forces, combining to win over 60 of the La Liga titles. Some of the best players in football history have made their way through La Liga. The best players in league history include Lionel Messi, Alfredo di Stefano, Cristiano Ronaldo, Xavi, and Iniesta.

German Bundesliga

The German Bundesliga is the second-youngest on the list and second-most prestigious, and for a time in the late 1970s and early 1980s, it was the top league. There are a lot of clubs that have had modest success in the Bundesliga, but nobody has matched what Bayern Munich has been able to do.

No other club has more than five titles besides Munich, who has more than 30 in their trophy case. Other premier clubs include Borussia Dortmun, Bayer Leverkusen, and VfL Wolfsburg. The Bundesliga’s top players in league history include Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Robert Lewandowski, and Oliver Kahn.

English Premier League

The most prestigious league on the list is also the youngest one on the list by a longshot. The English Premier League was founded in 1992, with Manchester United taking the first title. The league was founded because English football was on the downswing, and a new league with more revenue could prove a shot in the arm, which ended up being a fantastic decision.

Manchester United, Manchester City, and Chelsea are the top teams in league history, collecting more than two dozen titles, while clubs like Everton and Tottenham Hotspur have been staples. Though the EPL doesn’t have a long history, there is already a history of some all-time great players. Some of the names that come to mind include Thierry Henry, Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Cristiano Ronaldo, and many more.

Despite many believing that the NHL’s Original Six franchises all started at the same time, the Toronto Maple Leafs are actually the second-oldest active franchise in the league, with only the Montreal Canadiens having a longer history. Over the years, the Maple Leafs have had some incredible seasons, 13 of which have ended with the team hoisting the Stanley Cup.

That’s second on the list only to, again, Montreal. However, you don’t have to have a championship season to ultimately have a great season. There have been times in which the Maple Leafs have had dominating regular seasons which were memorable, even if they didn’t end with a Cup. Let’s take a look at the five greatest Maple Leaf seasons regardless of playoff finish (in no particular order).

2021-22

While history might end up forgetting just how good the Maple Leafs were in 2021-22 for various reasons, it was the best regular season performance in franchise history based on points percentage. The Maple Leafs finished with 115 points and a record of 54-21-7. Somehow, that was only good enough for second place in the Atlantic as the Florida Panthers had a historic season with 122 points.

The reason why so many want to forget the season was because of the first-round result in the playoffs. As the two-seed, the Maple Leafs had to face a tough Tampa Bay Lightning team. Toronto held a 3-2 series advantage but lost 4-3 in overtime in game six, then at home lost 2-1 in game seven.

1950-51

There were six teams that laced their skates for the 1950-51 NHL season, but two of them were head and shoulders above the rest of the pack. To put things into context, the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins made the playoffs with 65 and 62 points each, respectively. The Maple Leafs finished with a whopping 95, and that was only good enough for second place.

The Detroit Red Wings took home the honor of having the most points with 101, but the Maple Leafs still had a 41-16-13 record, winning their final seven regular season games. After Montreal upset Detroit in the semis, though, it made for one of the most memorable Stanley Cup Finals ever. Toronto defeated Montreal in five games to win the Cup, with all five of those games going to overtime.

1934-35

The legendary Conn Smythe was the general manager for the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 1934-35 season that saw them put up one of their most dominant performances. The Leafs finished with a record of 30-14-4, putting them 11 points ahead of the second-place Montreal Maroons in a five-team league.

Charlie Conacher led the way for all Maple Leafs scorers, putting up an impressive 57 points in just 47 games. Busher Jackson (44) and Joe Primeau (30) were also big contributors as the Maple Leafs made the Stanley Cup Finals. However, the season ended with a 3-1 series loss to the second-place Maroons. 

2020-21

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2019-2020 season was pushed back to the point where the 2020-21 season was abbreviated. There were only 56 games played that season, but the Maple Leafs were dominant during that time. Toronto finished with a record of 35-14-7, earning 77 points to put them on the top of the North Division standings which was comprised exclusively of Canadian teams.

Being named the best in Canada was a big deal, even if it didn’t lead to playoff success. The Maple Leafs squared off against the Canadiens in the first round of the playoffs and built a 3-1 series lead before losing in seven games. Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews had big seasons for the Leafs, putting up 67 and 66 points, respectively. 

1947-48

During the 1947-48 NHL season, there were only six teams in the league as the NHL focused on rebuilding following World War II. The Red Wings and Maple Leafs duked it out through the entire season, finishing with a record of 6-2-4 against Detroit. Overall, the Leafs had the best record at 32-15-13, finishing five points ahead of the Red Wings in the standings.

Toronto had the best defense in the league and it came through clutch when they played Detroit in the 1948 Stanley Cup. Toronto took the first two games at home 5-3 and 4-2, then dominated in Detroit with 2-0 and 7-2 wins to claim the Stanley Cup, sweeping the Red Wings in their home stadium. Syl Apps was the top player of the season, putting up 53 points in 55 games during his final year.

It should come as no surprise that some of the highest-paid athletes in the world are football players. Not only do the top performers around the world elevate their clubs to higher levels of play and more revenue, but they also have global followings that allow sponsors to pump in endless amounts of money. In sports, you essentially get what you’re worth, especially when it’s a sport without a salary cap like football.

What about a country where a different type of ‘football’ is considered the top sport, though? The United States is home to the top leagues in several major sports, but how do those league salaries compare to some of the top-paid football stars? Let’s take a look at those leagues and how much the athletes are making.

National Football League

The National Football League is the king of all sports in the United States, and each offseason brings a slew of new contracts where players are given tens of millions per year to join new teams. This is especially true at the quarterback position where they are far and away the highest-paid players on the roster. These players are the only ones who can compare, really, to the top-paid international football players.

Just after his Super Bowl-winning season with the Los Angeles Rams, quarterback Matthew Stafford earned $61.5 million in cash. This would still put him behind the likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Cristiano Ronaldo in yearly salary. If you were to compare the average salary in the NFL to the English Premier League, though, it’s quite close with both around $3 million per year.

National Basketball Association

The National Basketball Association is set up in almost the same way as the NFL in terms of how much the top players are making. However, there are a lot more players in the NBA who are in that upper echelon of salary compared to the NFL. Players like Devin Booker, Nikola Jokic, and Karl-Anthony Towns all average well over $55 million per year, which would make them among the highest-paid soccer players.

The NBA also offers a lot of opportunities for sponsorship deals. Unlike American football, the players’ faces are prominently displayed, allowing people to recognize their favorite athletes away from the court. Because of this, some of the richest athletes in American history have come from the NBA like LeBron James and Michael Jordan.

Major League Baseball

There was a time when Major League Baseball players were the highest-paid athletes in the United States, and some of them are still in that upper level of athlete salaries. However, the highest-paid players aren’t quite matching the levels of the NFL or NBA anymore despite playing at least 162 games per year. Anything above $40 million per year is considered other-worldly in baseball.

To make this kind of money, you also have to have been in the MLB for several years. Even after amazing rookie seasons, baseball teams tend to be very stingy with salaries. You typically don’t see someone making top dollar until they’re in their late 20s at the earliest, with some of the biggest contracts given to those in their mid-30s.

National Hockey League

While the other three major sports leagues in the United States have athletes making tens of millions, the National Hockey League operates with a much smaller salary cap. Because of this, even generational players like Connor McDavid are only paid a fraction of some of the above-average players in baseball.

Only a handful of NHL players are making over $10 million per year, though the NHL is hoping that changes as the sport becomes more popular. For now, though, the NHL is far down on the totem pole of American sports, but at least the minimum salary for players is comparable to the other major sports. This has helped drive interest in younger athletes.

Major League Soccer

The United States wanted a professional football league that could hopefully compete with the likes of the English Premier League or German Bundesliga. Because of this, Major League Soccer was created in the 1990s but hasn’t been quite the hit that some were hoping for. The result has been much lower salaries than the other sports leagues.

While there are many players in the NHL who are paid around or above $10 million, it’s a very rare occurrence for that to happen in the MLS. Typically, the top players in the league can expect to make around $5 million per year, and the average MLS player salary is under $400,000. This makes it 10 times more lucrative to play in the English Premier League on average.

Since it started in 1930, the World Cup has selected some hosts who have a rich history of football that definitely make sense like England, Brazil, and Argentina. There have also been some countries that aren’t quite as well-known for their programs, including South Africa, Russia, and Qatar. It seems that FIFA is more willing to host the World Cup in countries that have never hosted before, and there are some who should be putting in bids.

Out of the many countries that have yet to host the World Cup, which ones are the most deserving and are best suited to host millions of visitors? Here are our picks for the five nations that FIFA needs to look at for future considerations (in no particular order). Note: Canada and Mexico would have been on the list, but were selected for the 2026 World Cup.

Netherlands

The Netherlands has a great track record at the World Cup and has advanced to the finals on three occasions. Unlike many of the other nations who have reached multiple finals, though, the country has never hosted the World Cup. The infrastructure of the Netherlands is more than capable of handling the World Cup, especially since Amsterdam is host to so many global events.

However, there aren’t many large stadiums compared to places like the United States or the United Kingdom. Johan Cruijff ArenA is able to hold 55,600 people, making it the nation’s largest. De Kuip is the only other venue that can hold over 35,000, and two stadiums isn’t enough for a World Cup for now.

Paraguay

You can’t think about Paraguay without thinking about Uruguay, and the latter nation hosted the very first World Cup in 1930. Since then, however, all of the World Cup events in South America have been held in Brazil, Chile, and Argentina. Paraguay would likely have to engage in a joint effort with another nation like Argentina, Uruguay, or Chile to host the World Cup.

Paraguay simply isn’t large enough to host the entire event on its own, especially with the lack of venues. Only two stadiums hold over 24,000 people, and even those are small by FIFA standards. Estadio General Pablo Rojas holds just over 51,000 while Estadio Defensores del Chaco holds over 42,000.

Morocco

Morocco has shown that they are taking their football program very seriously, and had their best showing at the 2022 World Cup by reaching the semifinals. The nation has also gone all-in on hosting a World Cup, which would put them toward the bottom of the list in terms of overall appearances for a nation that hosted the event.

The country already has more large venues than you might think. Stade Mohamed V, which opened in Casablanca in 1955, holds 67,000 while the much newer Ibn Batouta Stadium in Tanger holds 65,000. A third large stadium is located in Rabat, with Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium holding 60,000 people.

Portugal

Most people think exclusively of Cristiano Ronaldo when they think about Portuguese football, but the nation has become a major player in football ever since he became a professional. Portugal has yet to host a World Cup despite several strong finishes in competition and the fact that their neighbor Spain has hosted before (1982). Portugal is an obvious tourist destination but would need work to host the World Cup.

The only real drawback for Portugal is that the country doesn’t really have many stadiums for World Cup play. Estadio da Luz is the largest in the country, and even that holds just 64,000 people. No other stadium in Portugal has a capacity higher than 50,000, so there would have to be at least a couple of new venues built for the World Cup.

Australia

Australia doesn’t have a long history with the World Cup, and they weren’t even a member of FIFA until the 1960s and qualified just once between 1966 (their first year of eligibility) and 2006. Since 2006, though, the Socceroos have reached the World Cup every time, including a couple of times when they advanced past the group stage. Because of this, Australia has been considered as a potential World Cup host.

Australia has shown that the nation is more than capable of hosting an international event. There is plenty of infrastructure in the nation and space for everyone, as showcased in the 2000 Summer Olympics. Several stadiums are already standing in Australia which would be able to host matches, including Melbourne Cricket Ground which can house 88,000 people, as well as Stadium Australia and Perth Stadium.

Every four years, the greatest winter sports athletes from around the world gather to participate in the Olympics. The Winter Olympics aren’t as old as the summer games, with the first taking place in 1924 (Chamonix, France). Despite not having a long list of Olympic Games being held in the winter, there have still been some incredible moments.

Whether it be hockey, downhill skiing or anything in between, the Winter Olympics have become a must-watch for people around the world who don’t want to miss something amazing. Let’s take a look back at the Winter Olympics throughout history and find out which five moments made the games the most memorable.

Kerrigan vs. Harding

On January 6, 1994, American figure skaters Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding were both fighting for a spot on the United States Olympic team in Detroit at the US Figure Skating Championships. Kerrigan was a lock to make the Olympic team, and anyway that she was knocked out of the competition would assure Harding her spot.

Shortly before competing, Kerrigan was attacked by a then-unknown assailant, and all of the fingers immediately pointed toward Harding. Harding maintained her innocence and went on to win the gold, securing her spot. Kerrigan was still selected for the team, and at the 1994 Olympics, all eyes were on the two as they competed. Harding would finish 8th overall while Kerrigan, who almost everyone was rooting for, took home the silver medal.

Crosby’s Golden Goal

Hockey means everything in Canada, and it’s seen as a disappointment when the country doesn’t win gold at the Olympics. This was especially true in 2010 as Canada played host to the winter games, with Vancouver being the chosen city. In group play, the United States and Canada were put together, and the Americans went undefeated as they topped Canada 5-3.

The two teams then met again in the gold medal game, and it was the most-watched broadcast in Canadian history. The intensity was high as there were many American fans in attendance due to proximity, as well, and the game needed overtime to decide a winner. Captain Sidney Crosby snuck in the game-winner, and the response from Canada in that moment seemed straight out of a movie.

Cool Runnings

Speaking of movies, the Crosby goal is the only one on the list that hasn’t been the focus of a feature film. Many remember the 1993 Disney film “Cool Runnings”, which was a feel-good comedy that became a staple for millennials and younger members of Generation X. In Jamaica, it obviously does not snow, so it seemed strange that the country would be able to field a bobsled team.

Jamaica did just that, though, debuting at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. Millions tuned in to see the Jamaican team at work even though they were expected to finish last. The Jamaicans were able to finish 30th overall, with their best heat coming in 22nd. Overall, it was an inspiring performance and one of the best Olympic stories.

Eddie the Eagle

The Jamaican bobsled team isn’t the only underdog to not medal but still, get an entire film dedicated to their story. Michael Edwards represented Great Britain in the very same 1988 Olympics, but there was just one caveat: Great Britain hadn’t had a ski jumping competitor in 60 years, making it easy for “Eddie the Eagle” to qualify.

As many expected, Edwards finished dead last at the Olympics, but he certainly had his time in the spotlight and had a lot of fun with it. Edwards’ path to the Olympics was pretty much a loophole that he exploited for fun, and many had a great time following his story. After the 1988 games, the International Olympic Committee made it more difficult for underrepresented countries to make it to the Olympics, keeping Edwards out of the 1992 games.

The Miracle on Ice

Heading into the 1980 Winter Olympics, pretty much every expert predicted that the Soviet hockey team would coast to a gold medal with no real competition. After all, the Soviets had won the previous four Olympic gold medals and were using professional players whereas most other countries were using legitimate amateurs.

The Soviets won all five of their initial group-stage games, entering the final group that contained the United States, Sweden, and Finland. In this round-robin tournament, the team that had the most points would win. The United States was projected to lose badly to the Soviets, but pulled off the massive 4-3 upset, paving the way to the gold medal as they beat the undermanned Finland to take home the title.