image: Beehance Football is the biggest game in the world and nearly every nation plays it. Hence making a name in football might be the toughest job. But, if you can make your name in football, you might be at the top of the world. However, many national football teams with great individual professional players have failed to make a name for themselves as a team. In that case, entering the longest unbeaten streaks in this competitive structure is very tough. However, teams like Italy National Football Team and Brazil National Football Team have made that possible with their game. Along with the Italy Football team, Algeria also going through their longest unbeaten streak in football. There have been a few unbeaten streaks in football. Brazil and Italy football teams are at the top of that list. Let’s take a look at the teams with 4 longest unbeaten streaks- 6 Longest Unbeaten Streaks in football #1 Italy Football Team | 37 matches (2018-2021) Roberto Mancini’s Italy was on the cusp of history after their 1-1 draw against Bulgaria in a 2022 World Cup qualifier. And, they did not disappoint their fans. They are the team to have the longest unbeaten streak in football history. With the loss against Spain in UEFA Nations League Semi-finals, their unbeaten run of 37 games came to an end. Italy football team under Mancini is considered as one of the strongest defending teams in recent history. With Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini, they have built their game on defence and clean sheets. The Italy Football Team broke their streak of 30 matches set in 1935-39. In that period, they won the World Cup title (1938) and won an Olympic gold medal in 1936. #2 Argentina | 36 games (2019-2022 ) Lionel Messi’s Argentina broke their own national record. Messi’s team last lost a game against Brazil in 2019 Copa America by a 2-0 margin. After that Scaloni’s team has been on a mission. They have not been defeated since then till now. Moreover, the team went on to win the Copa America 2021 and then went on to win the Finalissiam 2022 against Italy. They won two back-to-back international trophies within 11 months and won 32 games in between them. However, it was Saudi Arabia who got the better of the South American team as they defeated Argentina in the first match of the FIFA World Cup 2022 to stop Team Messi’s unbeaten run in world football. #3 Algeria | 35 games (2018-22) Algeria, the African powerhouse’s unbeaten run started on 15/11/19 with a 5-0 win against Zambia in the Africa Cup of Nations Qualification match. Then they went on to beat any team that came in front of them. They would only draw 7 games in their next 34 games, winning 27 of them. After 28 wins and 7 draws, the Algeria team suffered their first loss against Equatorial Guinea in the Africa Cup of Nations match. Algeria football team lost the match by 1-0 which ended the longest unbeaten run in their football history. #4 Brazil | 35 games (1993-96) The Brazilian team in 1993-96 has the longest unbeaten run in international football. Their 35-match-long unbeaten run was the glorious team of Dunga, Bebeto and Romario. Their last loss was against Germany in a friendly in November 1993. After that, they went on to win the World Cup the following summer in 1994. They had beaten Italy 3-2 on penalties in the 1994 World Cup final to continue their unbeaten streak. Their unbeaten streak ended in 35 matches in 1996. #5 Spain | 35 games (2007-2009) The 2007-09 Spain team was probably the best football team ever to play the game. They won everything there was to be won in football. Their unbeaten winning streak started in 2007, the first fixture a 1-0 win over England at Old Trafford. Then they went on to win the 2008 European Championship after beating Germany in the final. Fernando Torres was the star of the match in the final. Their unbeaten run ended with the United States in the semi-finals of the 2009 Confederations Cup. However, that team went on to win the 2010 World Cup and 2012 European Championship. Led by Iker Casials that team might be the greatest international team ever. #6 Argentina | 31 games (1991-1993) With a rich football history, the Latin American giants had their second-longest unbeaten streak in 1991-93. Their last loss before the streak was against West Germany in the 1990 World Cup final. Then, they came back like a champion team winning the Copa America title in 1991 and 1993. They went unbeaten throughout both tournaments. Gabriel Batistuta proved to be their main man during those times. He had scored 16 goals during that unbeaten period. Bautista finished his career with 54 international goals, the then-highest by any Argentine. Eventually, it was broken by Lionel Messi.
The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins Review
Book: THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN Author: Paula Hawkins Genre: Psychological Crime Thriller Date of Publication: 13th January, 2015 Paula Hawkins is a master story teller. She worked as a journalist for fifteen years before turning her hand to fiction. Hawkins wrote four romantic novels including Confessions of a Reluctant Recessionista under the name of Amy Silver around the year 2009. The Girl On The Train is a global bestseller, published in over forty languages and then adapted into a film in 2016. “YOU DON’T KNOW HER. BUT SHE KNOWS YOU.” When we think our life is a mess and are unable to pull ourselves up and move ahead, forgetting all the wounds from past, everybody around us seem to be more happy and living a perfect life. We start obsessing over things we cannot control and procrastinate our self-recovery. This is what happens with Rachel Watson, the central character of the book. Rachel is a struggling alcoholic who cannot get over her broken marriage with her former husband, Tom, who left her for another woman, Anna. Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning from Ashbury to go to London. On her way by the 8.04 train, she passes by Whitney her former residential area. That is where she sees an attractive couple everyday from the train, who happen to be her husband’s neighbour. Rachel does not know them personally, but for her they were the ideal couple. She names them Jess and Jacob and even creates regular scenarios about them in her head, wishing that she could live her dream life. Then one fine day, Rachel witnesses something shocking from the train which rips her perfectly framed imaginary scenarios apart in a moment. Eventually the story takes a different turn and many secrets, truths and hidden pasts come up one after another. Rachel’s “Jess”, whose actual name was Megan Hipwell goes missing. “THE HOLES IN YOUR LIFE ARE PERMANENT. YOU HAVE TO GROW AROUND THEM, LIKE TREE ROOTS AROUND CONCRETE; YOU MOULD YOURSELF THROUGH THE GAPS.” Hawkins chooses gender and the role of women as an important topic. Women are central to this novel beginning with the fact that the story has been written from the point of view of three women – Rachel, Megan and Anna. Megan is the character around whom the crime plot of the story revolves. Anna seems to be the most stable character out of the three women in the story. At some places Hawkins indirectly calls out to the society for setting certain standards and criteria for women to be considered as ideal. Another prominent theme is – things are not always what they seem. Alcohol is presented as a prime evil in The Girl On The Train, mainly through its capabilities to hamper proper decision-making and memory. Hawkins employs flawed characters as a part of the narrative. It demonstrates a bunch of dark human characteristics such as lie, betrayal, temptations, desire, anger, regret, addiction and fowl play to build her fictional figures. She puts into the characters insecurities, defects and presents them in a very raw manner without any plastic. The beginning of the story might seem to be a bit slow without much action, but things are meant to go that way, as it proceeds towards the ending, through several sharp and edgy turns. The author makes the readers play their own parts in their minds through the book. The lovers of psychological, suspense and crime thrillers would definitely enjoy the way this piece of art has been crafted. The dramatis personae not so perfect but simply blending in with the situations created in the story. The Girl On The Train occupied number one spot of the United Kingdom Hardback book chart for twenty weeks, the longest any book has ever held the top spot. The book also won the 2015 Goodreads Choice Award in the category of Mystery and Thriller. The story appeals to the mass because of its gripping plot and is definitely a must read.
