Twin Stories
Maya Cherubini and Emma Lombardi: Fiorentina's bet on youth is paying off
Although ACF Fiorentina ultimately missed out on a chance to compete in the Women's Champions League, the season still brought some positives. The most significant ones are undoubtedly the performances of Maya and Emma (members of the UEFA Women's U19 Championship runner-up team, both born in 2007) who broke into Fiorentina’s first team this year.
Football runs in the family: The ties connecting the Men's and Women's World Cups
The 2026 Men’s World Cup, currently underway in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, is undoubtedly the biggest sporting event of the year. Next year, it will be followed by the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027, which will be hosted by Brazil. Which male and female football  players are connected by family or other ties?
From football family to exactly where she belongs. The story of Julie Blakstad
Norway's women national team is full of young talents and Julie Blakstad is undoubtedly one of its brightest stars. Tottenham Hotspur recently unearthed a gem in the versatile left-sided player, but football has been part of her life long before north London came calling. Her father, Even Blakstad, enjoyed a professional career as a defender in Norway, making the sport a natural part of Julie's childhood.
Nellie and Elin Karlsson: Twins united by football and divided by injury
Although they say they are not alike, twins Nellie and Elin Karlsson share one passion. Unsurprisingly, a love for football.
Road to Oslo: For who is the Women's Champions League final more personal?
Winning the Champions League is probably the greatest achievement a player can experience with their club. But winning it in your home country? That is a feeling few things could ever surpass. This year’s UEFA Women’s Champions League final will take place in Oslo, Norway  and both finalists have Norwegian players as an important part of their squads.
Scandinavian queens in blaugrana shirts: Rolfö and Engen’s shared journey
In a football career, change is constant. Teams come and go. And with them, teammates. Moving to a new country only adds another layer, with a new culture, a new language, a new way of life. In moments like that, having someone familiar by your side can make all the difference.
Â
Not the next Lewandowski. But the first Ewa Pajor
She is Poland’s captain and Barcelona rely on her goalscoring instinct — but she is not Robert Lewandowski. Women’s football is on the rise in Poland, which celebrated its first-ever major tournament appearance in the summer of 2025 and set a league Ekstraliga attendance record the season before. Ewa Pajor has undoubtedly played a major part in that growth.
Â
When rivals deal: the transfer that shocked Manchester
Today’s Twin Story isn’t about players connected by family ties or close relationships, as in previous weeks. Jess Park and Grace Clinton may not share that kind of bond, but they are linked by something else — the trajectories of their careers.Each is thriving at a different Manchester rival, yet both are united by the national team
