IT’S BEEN a big year in English futsal. On the resurgent international scene and domestically. But there was also a huge missed opportunity in a year of significant victories for the sport

JORGE BRAZ’S Portugal retained their futsal Euros title. Here are my five main observations – including the potent new winning formula –from witnessing history being made up close in the Netherlands.

EVEN MANCHESTER United are at it now. “It’s intercepting,” explains Ian Parkes. The lead FA tutor on the futsal Uefa B course tells coaches at St George’s Park it’s “the first priority when defending”.

“THIS IS where the magic happens,” declares Mike Skubala. “Individual techniques plus 2v2 and 3v3 game tactics,” he explains. It’s day one of the futsal Uefa B coaching course …

JORGE BRAZ hailed Ricardinho’s “huge sacrifice” to inspire the seleção to an historic first World Cup final in Lithuania and declares: “We are ready to face Argentina.”

THE DISTANT echo of playful crooning came first. A crescendo of shuffling, squeaking footsteps added a beguiling soundtrack to the occasion. Brazil’s samba spirit is alive and well…

CRISTIANO RONALDO and futsal’s Ricardinho are both 36-year-old captains of Portugal’s national teams. But how do they match up? And should they simply be enjoyed instead of compared?

HISTORY HAS a habit of repeating itself. Nearly a century ago, in the aftermath of the Wall Street crash, three things…

SO BELGIUM is leading the way again. With Roberto Martínez’s men’s national team No 1 in the world and…

“EXCUSE ME mate, can we have our ball back…” That was the formal way. Alternatively, we’d just hop over the garden fence…