Dan Hartley
Soccer Analyst
Dan Hartley focuses on the global game — from the Premier League to MLS, CONCACAF and the World Cup cycle. His analysis is particularly strong on the tactical evolution of international football.
Articles by Dan Hartley
The World Cup Round of 16 is already a slaughterhouse waiting to happen
The World Cup Round of 16 is where the fairy tales die …
3 months, 3 weeks ago
Manchester United are filming a tragedy not a documentary
Manchester United's move to secure a record-breaking documentary deal signals a shift …
3 months, 3 weeks agoFIFA's expanded bracket is a bloated disaster waiting to happen
The World Cup expansion is a bloated nightmare for player fitness and …
3 months, 3 weeks agoReal Madrid buying Marc Cucurella is the biggest fever dream of 2026
Real Madrid paying over £50m for Marc Cucurella is a transfer disaster …
3 months, 3 weeks ago
Top 10: The Defining Moments of the 2026 World Cup Opening Stages
From FIFA's logisitical failures to the rise of the counter-attack, a breakdown …
3 months, 3 weeks ago
Cape Verde's secret weapon ahead of the clash with Spain
Cape Verde's unorthodox roster faces the giants of Spanish football. How the …
3 months, 3 weeks ago
Fenway Park is an absurd venue for football, but the Tartan Army makes it work
Fenway Park is hosting the Tartan Army in a clash that highlights …
3 months, 3 weeks ago
Jan Paul van Hecke injury complicates Tottenham's summer defensive plans
Jan Paul van Hecke's transfer prospects take a hit after a facial …
3 months, 3 weeks ago
Tactical naivety is costing Tunisia their tournament life
Tunisia's tactical setup proved insufficient against Sweden's diagonal progression, exposing structural gaps …
3 months, 3 weeks ago
Top 10: The Defining Moments of 2026 Football
Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers headline a tactical shift in modern football …
3 months, 3 weeks ago
Ivory Coast face a reality check after the Amad heroics
Amad Diallo’s 90th-minute winner saved Ivory Coast against Ecuador, but tactical cracks …
3 months, 3 weeks ago
Sweden's predictable ball-hogging will be their undoing
Sweden's sterile possession play against Tunisia masks a deeper tactical failure that …
3 months, 3 weeks ago
Iran is playing football under the shadow of a handshake
Iran’s arrival in the US for the 2026 World Cup is overshadowed …
3 months, 3 weeks ago
ITV is ruining your World Cup viewing experience
The World Cup in 2026 is already delivering on the pitch, but …
3 months, 3 weeks ago
Virgil van Dijk is tired of your Sunday night armchair analysis
Virgil van Dijk is fed up with pundits questioning Dutch heart after …
3 months, 3 weeks ago
Michael Oliver withdrawal leaves Group E officiating in flux
English referee Michael Oliver has withdrawn from the Ivory Coast vs Ecuador …
3 months, 3 weeks ago
Jose Mourinho pivots to Marc Cucurella in Real Madrid squad overhaul
Jose Mourinho has abandoned his pursuit of Riccardo Calafiori in favor of …
3 months, 3 weeks agoGermany’s 7-1 slaughter of Curacao was a fever dream of defensive chaos
Germany's 7-1 win over Curacao was entertaining, but beneath the scoreboard, the …
3 months, 3 weeks ago
Top 10: Iraola
Andoni Iraola is no longer just a manager; he is a transfer …
3 months, 3 weeks ago
Germany’s Houston clinic exposes the gaps in the Curacao dream
Germany’s clinical victory over Curacao in Houston serves as a tactical warning …
3 months, 3 weeks ago