The Summer of Football | June 2026

Trailer Night Issue no: 007 (Digital Version)

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Issue Overview

The World Cup comes around just once every four years and locks the whole world to its screens — and now it is only hours away. The national teams that will contest the opening match of this tournament are the very same ones that opened the 2010 World Cup — the Spaniards’ favourite edition of them all. The only difference is that this time it is Mexico, rather than South Africa, who take to the pitch as hosts.

The very first World Cup was staged in Uruguay in 1930. From the moment the hosting was handed to Uruguay, the tournament was met with a sweeping boycott from the European nations. Yet, against all odds, it went ahead — and from that date the greatest event in sport was born. We’ve travelled back in time to that era, shining a light on the days leading up to that first-ever tournament; to read it, open page 12.

This issue’s cover article is dedicated to Pelé — the GOAT; the only player ever to win this tournament three times, and a man who, in his own day, did very nearly everything we now treat as the hallmark of a complete footballer. To read his World Cup story, turn to page 22.

Every World Cup is full of bittersweet moments for certain players — because it proves to be the last tournament they will ever contest. And if those same players have never once lifted the trophy, bidding the competition farewell turns more bitter still. In ‘The Last Dance’, we’ve gathered the players appearing at their final World Cup who have never been crowned world champions.

For all the extraordinary legends it has produced down the years, Italy has of late forgotten its old, dominant days. If you’d like to recall the Azzurri’s triumphs — and learn about the failures that have kept them out of the last three World Cups — read our article ‘Italy World Cup 2026’.

Some footballers, no matter what they do, are forever left in the shadows. Take Neymar: even after an extraordinary prime during his Barcelona years, he always remained in Messi’s shadow — which is part of why he left for PSG. Another such example would be Ángel Di María. Though he turned in legendary performances at very nearly every club he joined, and played a part in Argentina’s triumphs no less important than Messi’s own, he too has always been overlooked. To read his story, see our article ‘The Legend of Shadows’.

Some voices mean Christmas is near — Mariah Carey’s above all; and one voice, more than any other, means a World Cup is near: Shakira’s. To read about her recurring presence at the tournament — one that began back in 2006 — turn to page 56.

The old legends are slowly being forgotten. Today’s younger fans can’t quite grasp just how great these players truly were. Some, hailed as the GOAT in their day, have gradually slipped into the underrated category as the years have passed; others were underrated even at the very peak of their careers. We’ve assembled the most underrated XI of the 21st century — and, since the candidates were far too many, we’ve added a seven-man bench for good measure. To see it, turn to page 61.

Many people dislike the sound of the vuvuzela. Perhaps it makes life harder for the commentators, perhaps it deafens the supporters in the stadium. But to me it is an icon — the sound of nostalgia. To read the story of the vuvuzela, today silenced like some minority group, turn to page 66.

We used to think the 2022 World Cup — condemned by the entire secular crowd the moment it was handed to Qatar — was the most scandal-ridden hosting we would ever witness. But then, from across the ocean, a Great Nation stepped onto the stage and said: hold on, you haven’t seen our hosting yet. To read about the mind-boggling goings-on surrounding the 2026 World Cup — jointly hosted by Mexico, Canada and the USA, and leaving us all asking ‘What Sort of Hosting Is This?’ — simply read the article of that very name.

When you think of the great names of the World Cup, Diego Forlán may not be the first to come to mind — but he unquestionably belongs among them. When the 2010 tournament kicked off, nobody believed Uruguay could become champions. Yet from the very first whistle Forlán produced such performances that he had viewers wondering whether, just maybe, they could. Uruguay did not lift the trophy, but onthe strength of his football Forlán was named the player of the tournament. To relive that magnificent campaign, read our article ‘Diego Forlán: The Ruler of Jabulani’.

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