Swedish study shows positive results after athletes aged 12-15 and their coaches are given more information and support online

The number of injuries in youth athletes is significantly reduced when coaches and parents have access to digital information on adolescent growth. That is one of the key findings of a study from Sweden which has been published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Jenny Jacobsson, physiotherapist and visiting researcher at the Athletics Research Center at Linköping University, has worked as a medical co-ordinator for the Swedish national athletics team for many years and has seen the impact of injuries on athletes.

A survey of injuries in Swedish athletics showed that one of the main causes of injury was prior injury. That is, the earlier an athlete is injured in their career, the higher the likelihood that they will be injured later and more frequently. But causes of injury in youth sports is a complex matter.

Together with her colleagues, Jacobsson has developed a digital health platform containing information for parents and youth coaches on adolescent growth and how this is affected by training, with a focus on athletes aged 12-15.

Researchers carried out a study where 21 athletics clubs with athletes aged 12-15 were randomised into two groups: an intervention group and a control group. For four months, the intervention group parents and coaches were given access to the digital information platform, which at the time was not open to outsiders (but is now open to anyone). They were also regularly encouraged to log in and explore its content.

The researchers noted that the clubs given access to the information showed significantly lower injury incidence and that it took twice as long for the first injury to occur. Moreover, the effect was greater in large clubs. 

Young endurance runner is racking up age-group titles as he goes from strength to strength

James Dargan has been on the radar for a few years now. When Covid hit, he had just earned his first international vest and was riding high. The lockdowns halted that progress but he has fought back with determination and in April won the TCS Mini London Marathon to add to the 3000m title he won at last year’s English Schools Championships. After receiving his medal from 1500m world champion Jake Wightman, he is now inspired to continue grafting and chase that Olympic dream.

The 17-year-old’s PBs are 3:44.47 for 1500m, 8:04.53 for 3000m and 14:03.10 for 5000m.

When did you first realise you wanted to pursue running?

It was after arguably one of the biggest wins of my career – my local cross-country league. I won it on a technicality because my main opponent was racing at the nationals which I hadn’t qualified for. This may sound irrelevant as a win but in terms of where it all started and what it meant to me (and my mum), it really kickstarted my love for running.

Was there ever another sport for you?

I started out playing football. That got me into running – going out with Mum to get my fitness up. I also swam a lot and it really helped with fitness and to appreciate the dedication it takes to improve and achieve in sport. Those early morning swimming sessions were no joke!

Middle or long distance running? Do you have a preference?

My cardio fitness has always been one of my strengths. I can’t say the same for my acceleration, which is notoriously non-existent! I’m progressing towards 5000m, as I feel that’s best for me when balancing my cardio with my ability to wind up races to fast closing laps. I ran my debut 5000m on the track recently with a 14:03 which was almost a British under-17 record so that’s where I’m looking to specialise.

What’s the ultimate dream?

If the Olympics isn’t the dream of every athlete my age I’d love to know what is! But it’s a big world and I’ve currently run very little of it. The next step is bigger international competitions and hopefully the US for university. 

How have you managed balancing school, training and having a social life?

Being totally honest, I haven’t managed it anywhere near well enough. My transition to sixth form, alongside a massively increased focus on athletics, has changed a lot in my life. It’s been tough mentally and physically, but I know if I want to achieve my goals, I’ve got a lot to do.

How did it feel to win the 3000m at the English Schools last summer?

That was a big moment for me. I’d never really run in a big track championship race, so to go in as the favourite and come out with a win was incredible. It also meant I qualified for England Schools in Belfast, where I met other athletes on the team who have become some of my closest friends. I’m hoping to replicate that run and defend my title in the senior field.

We’ve seen you take top spot at the under-17 race at the Mini Marathon. 

It’s one of my favourite events. I first qualified in 2022 but didn’t know the course and kicked too early so went from first to finishing fifth. It was satisfying to come back in a stacked field and take the win, which is one of the biggest of my career because of who was there and especially in front of the world champion Jake Wightman.

How inspiring was it being handed your medal by Jake? 

I met Jake the night before and promised him I would win in return for him signing my forehead, so that was an amusing reunion on the podium! He was such a nice guy and it’s inspiring to meet someone who’s come through the British cross-country circuit, running the same courses I am now and gone on to become world champion.

You now join an illustrious list of Mini Marathon winners which includes Mo Farah. How good does that sound?

I’m honoured to be on the list with such a strong history of British athletes. Now the next steps for me are to beat their times on the track, which I’ve already begun trying to do. I’ve beaten Mo’s 5km time as an U17, so that’s given me the motivation to chase more times and records, hopefully alongside qualifications and a first GB vest for the European Under-20 Champs in August.

Do you have another career highlight so far?

Coming fourth at the English Schools Cross Country Championships in 2020. I’d recently been welcomed into the Mick Woods army of AFD so was hoping for a strong performance – a top 30 finish. I had the race of my life, coming from nowhere to somehow running alongside the biggest talents of my age group, lads that had beaten me for years and who I had been working hard to try to get up to. That was the realisation for me that I may actually have a future in this whole running thing, so to get my first England vest from that was huge motivation.

What has been the hardest thing you’ve had to overcome?

Covid. I went into it with such high spirits after my success at English Schools, but to be confined in lockdown was extremely tough. My training went downhill as I lost motivation but, as the lockdowns began easing, I got back into some sessions and runs with my friend Dan who’d also got an England vest in Liverpool. Without him I doubt I would have come out of lockdown in anywhere near the form I was in. On reflection, I’m grateful for the chance Covid offered to reassess my situation and rediscover my love for the sport that I had begun to lose as one Covid run melted into another.

What would James now say to James who was just starting out?

The main thing is to not take it too seriously. Covid helped me realise my love for the sport didn’t come from success or the hard work but from the people around me. If we all work for each other and have a laugh while doing it, nothing can really go wrong.  

This article first appeared in the May issue of AW magazine, which you can buy here

Cameron Norrie marked his first appearance on the British grass courts since last year's Wimbledon semi-finals with a confident win at Queen's.

Compatriot Ryan Peniston, who reached the quarter-finals last year, earned an impressive win on his return after being given a wildcard.

The world number 265 shocked 37th-ranked Frenchman Ugo Humbert 6-4 6-2.

Dan Evans, Britain's second highest-ranked man, will aim to secure a hat-trick of home victories later on Monday when he plays American Sebastian Korda.

A busy day for the British contingent will be rounded off when 167th-ranked Jan Choinski - another player given a wildcard - takes on Italian sixth seed Lorenzo Musetti.

Former world number one Andy Murray, who won the ATP Challenger tournament in Nottingham on Sunday, plays his opening match on Tuesday.

Five-time singles champion Murray faces a step up in class when he takes on Australian seventh seed Alex de Minaur.

Norrie happy to be back on the grass

Two weeks after losing in the third round on the French Open clay, Norrie was back on home turf as he looks to replicate a thrilling run at Wimbledon 12 months ago.

In his first match on grass since losing to eventual champion Novak Djokovic at SW19, the fifth seed moved well in a solid victory.

The 27-year-old is only planning to compete at Queen's before Wimbledon begins on 3 July and his objective of playing as many matches as possible this week started positively.

Norrie edged a tight opening set by breaking to love in the 10th game and gained further control by taking 40th-ranked Kecmanovic's serve early in the second set.

While the Serb instantly broke back, Norrie had a chance to seal the match in the 12th game but had to be patient, ultimately taking his fifth match point when Kecmanovic hit a stretching forehand long.

"It feels good to be back on the grass and back playing in London," said Norrie, who had led 6-2 in the tie-break.

"It wasn't easy to get over the line, I had a couple of chances towards the end of the second set, I donated my serve at 3-1 and then he saved a number of match points.

"I was glad to see the forehand fly long at the end. It is always tricky in the first match on grass and there are a few things to work on, but I enjoyed that."

Norrie will face either Australian Jordan Thompson or 2016 Wimbledon runner-up Milos Raonic of Canada.

Peniston hungry for more Queen's success

Peniston, 27, reached a career-high of 123rd in the world last summer on the back of a superb run to the Queen's quarter-finals, which also brought his inspiring story of beating cancer as a child to a wider audience.

The left-hander from Essex was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma - a soft tissue tumour - at the age of one, needing chemotherapy and surgery over 18 months before recovering.

After registering eye-catching victories over Norwegian top seed Casper Ruud and Argentine world number 46 Francisco Cerundolo to reach the last eight last year, Peniston said he hoped his family would be "very proud" of his journey.

Since then he has dropped outside the top 250 and, after not playing in the main draw of a top-level event in 2023, was given a wildcard at the west London club this year.

Peniston justified that decision with another memorable performance against 24-year-old Humbert, who won the grass-court title in Halle two years ago but was out-of-sorts against the British number seven.

"I loved playing here last year so to come back feels pretty comfortable on the court," said Peniston, who also has the pressure of defending the ranking points he earned 12 months ago.

"It gave me a lot of confidence I can play at that level and gave me the hunger to do it more."

Peniston will face Danish second seed Holger Rune or American Maxime Cressy in the second round.

Scotland lock Alex Craig is joining Scarlets from Gloucester for the 2023-24 season.

Like their regional rivals, Scarlets are cutting costs and have lost lock options Lewis Rawlins, Tom Price and Aaron Shingler among 15 departures.

Scarlets boss Dwayne Peel says twice-capped Craig will add "international quality" to their pack.

For Gloucester academy product Craig, the move is a "fresh start playing in an exciting competition that is the URC [United Rugby Championship]".

He added: "Scarlets are a big club with a proud fan base and play a real exciting brand of rugby."

Peel said Craig is "a young athletic forward".

He added: "I'm looking forward to seeing him play and it's been great to welcome him to Parc y Scarlets for our first day back."

Versatile Wales back Ioan Lloyd, wing Tomi Lewis and Loughborough University students Teddy Leatherbarrow and Charlie Titcombe are also new Scarlets faces as they adjust following those 15 departures.

Forward Connor Bedard, the projected top pick in the upcoming NHL draft, was named the inaugural winner of the IIHF Male Player of the Year Award Monday.

"This is such a huge honour," Bedard said, per the International Ice Hockey Federation. "I'm not sure how to compare it to others I've received, but it's pretty incredible to receive this award with all the unbelievable players that have competed in the IIHF this season and the amazing players that were nominated for this award."

Bedard, 17, led Canada to the gold medal at the World Junior Championship with a tournament-best 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists) in January.

He swept the player of the year, top prospect and top scorer awards at the Canadian Hockey League awards this month after recording 143 points (71 goals, 72 assists) in 52 games for the Regina Pats.

Bedard, from North Vancouver, British Columbia, is widely expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft June 28-29 in Nashville.

The 123rd U.S. Open has wrapped and Wyndham Clark was the last man standing. In this Golf Channel Podcast with Rex & Lav, senior writers Rex Hoggard and Ryan Laver dig into all the storylines.

They start by dissecting how Clark won and what hold for his future. They then turn their attention to Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler. It was another bitter defeat for McIlroy and a disappointing finish for Fowler, but Rex and Lav say both have reason for optimism.

And they also weigh in on the site. Los Angeles Country Club received plenty of praise and criticism. Their thoughts?

Check out the podcast about and the highlighted bullet points below:

• (0:00)  Opening thoughts on Sunday at LACC ( and a missed redeye flight)
• (1:49) Wyndham Clark wins the U.S. Open; how did he do it?
• (7:27) The a one-off for Clark or the start of something big?
• (14:10) Another near miss for McIlroy; how does this compare?
• (24:30) Thoughts on LACC venue and the sparse crowds
• (33:24) Despite Sunday, a huge week for Fowler
• (40:38) Final thought from the 123rd U.S. Open

Here's how you can access live streams to Golf Channel's coverage this week. Click on the link for direct access to that event (all times ET). The times represent the live streams and the televised coverage. For events that are tape-delayed, the coverage times are also noted.

All events listed below will be broadcast on Golf Channel, unless otherwise noted. Those airing on NBC and simulcast on Peacock are highlighted. For this weekend's KPMG Women's PGA Championship coverage, you can stay on Peacock throughout the telecast or switch to NBC at the designated time.

You will also notice QR codes during Golf Channel and NBC Sports’ digital and TV coverage. If you see one pop up on your screen, open the camera app on your mobile device and hover over the code. The camera app will automatically read the code and take you to this page for the weekly rundown or directly to the stream being promoted on coverage.

Stream links will be updated as made available.

Thursday

6:30-Noon (GC): BMW International Open, Round 1 (DP World Tour)

• 10 a.m. - noon ET exclusively on live stream

11AM-3PM (GC/Peacock): KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Round 1 (PGAA/LPGA Tour)

3-6PM (GC/Peacock): Travelers Championship, Round 1 (PGA Tour)

5-7PM (Peacock): KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Round 1 (PGAA/LPGA Tour)

Friday

6:30-Noon (GC): BMW International Open, Round 2 (DP World Tour)

• 10 a.m. - noon ET exclusively on live stream

11AM-3PM (GC/Peacock): KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Round 2 (PGAA/LPGA Tour)

1-3PM (GC/Peacock): Dick’s Sporting Goods Open, Round 1 (PGA Tour Champions)

• Tape-delayed; will air 7-9 p.m. ET on Golf Channel

3-6PM (GC/Peacock): Travelers Championship, Round 2 (PGA Tour)

5-7PM (Peacock): KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Round 2 (PGAA/LPGA Tour)

Saturday

7:30-Noon (GC): BMW International Open, Round 3 (DP World Tour)

11AM-3PM (Peacock): KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Round 3 (PGAA/LPGA Tour)

1-3PM (GC/Peacock): Travelers Championship, Round 3 (PGA Tour)

3-6PM (CBS): Travelers Championship, Round 3 (PGA Tour)

3-6PM (GC/Peacock): Dick’s Sporting Goods Open, Round 2 (PGA Tour Champions)

3-6PM (NBC/Peacock): KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Round 3 (PGAA/LPGA Tour)

Sunday

7:30-Noon (GC): BMW International Open, Round 4 (DP World Tour)

11AM-2PM (Peacock): KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Round 4 (PGAA/LPGA Tour)

1-3PM (GC/Peacock): Travelers Championship, Round 4 (PGA Tour)

2-6PM (NBC/Peacock): KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Round 4 (PGAA/LPGA Tour)

3-6PM (CBS): Travelers Championship, Round 4 (PGA Tour)

3-6PM (GC/Peacock): Dick’s Sporting Goods Open, Round 3 (PGA Tour Champions)

A fan was banned from attending matches for four years Monday for wearing a shirt to this month's FA Cup final that made an offensive reference to the Hillsborough Stadium disaster where 97 Liverpool fans died.

James White smiled and chuckled after receiving his punishment, which also included a fine of 1,000 pounds ($1,280).

White, 33, pleaded guilty at Willesden Magistrates' Court in London to displaying threatening or abusive writing likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

White wore a Manchester United jersey with the number "97" and the words "Not Enough" on the back to the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium on June 3.

Manchester City won the match 2-1 against United, which is also a big rival of Liverpool.

The Football Association said that it spotted the offensive shirt on social media and security tracked down the man wearing it, leading to his arrest.

"It is hard to imagine a more ... offensive reference to the 1989 Hillsborough disaster," district judge Mark Jabbitt said.

The judge added that the shirt worn by White bore a "hateful expression,″"calling it an "abhorrent message," and that the impact of his actions are "profound and distressing."

According to testimony, White told police after he was arrested: "You haven't even asked me what the T-shirt means. My grandad died aged 97 and didn't have enough kids."

The prosecution said White had "many" previous convictions, dating most recently to 2021, but none were football-related.

The tragedy at Hillsborough in Sheffield, a city in northern England, occurred during an FA Cup semifinal match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest when thousands of Liverpool fans flooded a standing-room section behind a goal in the overcrowded arena.

Victims were crushed against metal fences, trampled or suffocated in Britain's worst sports disaster.

Fans were blamed for years for the disaster, but after an initial inquest concluded that it was an accident, a subsequent inquiry in 2016 blamed failures on police, the ambulance service, and the Sheffield Wednesday team that plays at the stadium.

The Hillsborough tragedy and other disasters in the sport continue to echo in football stadiums for the wrong reasons in what the Premier League has condemned as "tragedy chanting."

Two months ago, Chelsea apologised for their fans who taunted Liverpool visitors in chants that referred to Hillsborough. A few days earlier, City had apologised to Liverpool for similar choruses of cheers. In March, Liverpool and United jointly appealed to fans to end hateful chants before their match in Liverpool.

Diane Lynn, vice chair of Hillsborough Survivor Supporters Alliance, said it was "very personal" for people who were at Hillsborough that day and that survivors suffered with "guilt."

"How dare he make us feel like this," she said of White.

The Champions League final is over, and all of Europe's major leagues have finally finished their seasons. After a nearly 10-month campaign, the offseason is finally here.

Psych! There is no soccer offseason!

Soccer's best (and sometimes worst) quality is that it never, ever, ever stops. Once you're hooked, there's always something to track, and that's true even when the major European competitions have ended. For starters, we've had a number of international competitions going on (UEFA Nations League, Concacaf Nations League, Euro qualification, etc.), and somehow qualification for next year's UEFA Champions League begins in just a couple of weeks. But even beyond that, leagues in North and South America, Asia and Northern Europe are just hitting their respective strides.

- Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

With that in mind, consider this a hipster's guide to summer club soccer. The stakes may be lower -- if you're a Europe-first fan, anyway -- but there is still a lot of fun to be had. Here are 15 teams, from 10 different leagues, that you should check out on various streaming services if you're in the mood to continue enjoying the beautiful game.

USA

Columbus Crew and Atlanta United
Primary streaming option: AppleTV+

I'm writing this with an American soccer fan in mind, and I'm going to assume (or hope) that an American fan is already pretty familiar with the MLS landscape. You might already know how the season has thus far taken shape -- FC Cincinnati has burst out to a huge lead in the race for the Supporters Shield (despite merely solid stats), newcomer St. Louis City is slowly wafting back down to earth but still leads the West, LAFC and the Seattle Sounders seem to be the most statistically sound teams and Lionel Messi's future team, Inter Miami, absolutely stinks.

If you've got a geographic allegiance to a team, that's great, but if you don't and you're just looking for a team to entertain you on a Saturday evening, check out Columbus and/or Atlanta.

Columbus is your prototypical pressure-and-possession team. Their 58% possession rate is the highest in the league and they generate 34.0 high turnovers per game in open play, fifth in the league. They are also scoring two goals per game, thanks both to the style of play and some recent torrid finishing from veterans Lucas Zelarayan (eight goals from shots worth 5.0 xG) and Christian Ramirez (six goals from shots worth 3.4).

Even better from an entertainment perspective, Columbus has also been vulnerable to the type of counterattacks this style can allow, and they're giving up 1.4 goals per match. You're going to see transition opportunities in both directions.

The same goes for Atlanta, which plays a similar style with similar results. The primary differences: (1) The United aren't quite as good at it (they're scoring fewer goals, despite the best efforts of Georgios Giakoumakis, and they're allowing even more) and (2) their home games are absolute events. Their average attendance this season is 45,702, more than 13 Premier League teams averaged this past season, and the crowd noise and artificial turf make Atlanta games unique experiences.

Portland Thorns
Primary streaming option: Paramount+

The NWSL only has 12 teams, but you've got quite a bit of stylistic variety to take in. The league-leading San Diego Wave don't press much and build slowly in attack but create high-quality chances through the forward duo of 18-year old Jaedyn Shaw (16 chances created) and 33-year old Alex Morgan (five goals). The other leaders, the Washington Spirit, press a lot more, play well in transition and create even better shots, on average, than the Wave.

I'm partial to Portland, however. The Thorns, three-time NWSL champions, have the best underlying stats in the league (their +1.1 xG differential per match is nearly double that of anyone else), and they do it with absolute aggression. They create the second-most high turnovers and generate by far the most shots from it; in fact, they just take a lot of shots, period, and the duo of Sophia Smith (six goals) and Crystal Dunn (five) puts a lot of them in the net, too.

I mean, Smith and Dunn! And Morgan Weaver! And Christine Sinclair! You're watching that!

Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Primary streaming option: ESPN+

The USL Championship occupies the second division of the U.S. soccer pyramid. It offers similar styles to what you see in MLS, with the added bonus of particularly unique venues. There are lots of minor league baseball stadiums, and some of them are pretty full. New Mexico United plays at Isotopes Park (home of the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes), and they draw over 10,000 per game for a mid-table team. The ambiance is charming.

As tends to be common with lower-division leagues, however, the best teams tend to be the ones that make the fewest mistakes. Reigning champion San Antonio FC, for instance, defends the length of the pitch, prevents any and all shots and hopes to capture opponents out of position for strong transition attacks a couple of times per match. There aren't a ton of high turnovers overall, and, frankly, there aren't a ton of shots -- teams average just 11.4 shots per match. Pittsburgh personifies this league style well, averaging a paltry 9.3 shots.

Thanks primarily to the work of Cameroonian Albert Dikwa (27 shots, nine goals) and 35-year old Jamaican Kenardo Forbes (22 chances created, five assists), however, nearly every shot the Riverhounds take is of high quality, and a lot of them find the net. They have the fourth-most points in the league right now with this style, and combined with the general Pittsburgh aesthetic -- black and gold kits, a gorgeous and quaint home stadium that overlooks a river -- this is a pleasant team to take in on a Saturday evening.

Brazil

Atletico Mineiro
Primary streaming option: Paramount+

Brazil's Serie A has plenty of issues. Finances often oscillate between murky and dire, a lot of the league's best players are scooped up by European teams the moment they emerge, and of the last three Brazilian teams to reach the FIFA Club World Cup, two lost immediately -- Flamengo fell to Al-Hilal this past February, and Palmeiras lost to both Tigres and Al Ahly in 2021.

Still, I have found myself slowly falling in love with Brazil's Serie A all the same. First, the crowds are great. Eight of the league's 20 teams average at least 30,000 in attendance, and each stadium has a unique personality and layout. You get sucked into the atmosphere. Second, this is still the best club soccer South America has to offer. Brazilian teams have occupied both spots in the Copa Libertadores final for three years running and have produced three semifinalists and five quarterfinalists in each of the last two. These teams take lots of shots (not all of them good) and press with their forwards. There is plenty of drama in the fouls-and-cards department, too, if that's your thing.

To me, Atletico Mineiro personifies everything fun about Brazilian soccer, right down to their brilliantly frantic in-game tweets.

⚽GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL DOOOOOOOO GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

PAAAAAAAAAULIIIIIIIIINHOOOOOOOOOO MARCA PARA O GAAAALOOOO ABRIR O PLACAR!!!?#VamoGalo #CAMxRBB??️ pic.twitter.com/aSAn4nBSsq

— Atlético (@Atletico) June 10, 2023

The 2021 league champs draw over 30,000 per game and boast a recognizable squad featuring players like goal-scorer Hulk (who's approaching 400 career goals), on-loan Bayer Leverkusen forward Paulinho, one-time LA Galaxy winger Cristian Pavon and up-and-coming left back Rubens. They are both good and delightful, even if manager Eduardo Coudet just resigned.

Fluminense and Gremio

It can sometimes feel like almost every big, European soccer team plays in a similar way. You have to press. You have to dominate the ball. You need to space the field accordingly. Every team has its own unique variations, of course, and occasional exceptions apply, but positional play, as brought most to life by Manchester City and their coach Pep Guardiola, is certainly regarded as the style of the day.

Positional play assures that players fill certain zones of the pitch to assure proper spacing, passing options and, if established properly, passing options. But from the moment a dominant style is accepted, some teams and managers attempt to find ways to counter it. And some coaches -- Fluminense's Fernando Diniz and Gremio's Renato Gaucho, to name two, are tinkering with the idea of countering full-pitch spacing by overloading smaller areas. And if the positional system is based around concepts and roles first, a potential counter could be building systems around individuals and their relationship.

You can read plenty about this concept of relationism (this Medium piece is a good starting point), and if you want to see its nascent form, search out Fluminense and Gremio matches.

This isn't an anti-possession style by any means -- Fluminense leads Serie A with a 62% possession rate, though recently promoted Gremio is at only 44% (they were at 51% in Serie B last season). Instead, it's simply a different attempt at both possessing the ball and positioning yourself well to counter-press when you lose possession.

It is a work in progress. Fluminense and Gremio are currently fifth and sixth in Serie A, respectively, but they've been a bit fortunate -- they rank 20th and 19th in shots allowed per possession and 19th and 18th in xG allowed per match. When they can't establish control, they allow their opponents to do so comfortably. Still, if you're on the hunt for innovation, these two clubs are fun starting points.

Palmeiras

Sometimes you don't need to overthink things: Palmeiras is good, their crowds are big, and they've got Real Madrid-bound Endrick -- the 16-year old has scored six goals in his last 13 matches and twice in the last week. That's reason enough to check them out.

?⚽️ ¡Histórico, Endrick! Con 16 años y 322 días, se convirtió en el jugador más joven en marcar con @Palmeiras en la CONMEBOL #Libertadores.#GloriaEterna pic.twitter.com/AEEz6GlSVS

— CONMEBOL Libertadores (@Libertadores) June 8, 2023

Elsewhere in South America

Talleres de Cordoba
Primary streaming option: Paramount+

I'm going to be honest: Argentina's Primera Division is a bit of an acquired taste. Compared to Brazil's Serie A, there have been 13% fewer shots and 20% fewer goals this year; teams are barely averaging over one goal per match at the moment. Defensive pressure is constant, and nearly every team in the league plays a ridiculously direct style compared to what you're used to seeing in Europe's major leagues. Somehow, it's even more intense without the scoring (and as with LaLiga this past season, rarity means every goal is incredibly meaningful).

Thus far in 2023, however, Talleres has cracked the code, scoring 1.8 goals per match. While only 7.1% of the league's shots have been worth 0.3 xG or more (that number tends to be closer to 8-9% in Europe's major leagues), Talleres is at 13.2% this season. Their average of 0.14 xG per shot is easily the league's best, and they've achieved it without an inordinate number of penalties. Veteran forward Michael Santos has been a cheat code of sorts, averaging 0.23 xG per shot and scoring 12 times in 20 matches.

This is not historically one of Argentina's most successful clubs, but Talleres are currently second in the table behind only heavyweight River Plate. They're generating offense in an unfriendly climate, and they're not overextending themselves to do it.

Club Bolivar
Primary streaming option: Options are minimal, though the Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana are prominent on the beIN family of networks

Okay, you're probably not going to be able to regularly settle in to (legally) watch the Bolivian Primera Division on your streaming device of choice. But Club Bolivar has been an absolute delight to follow in the Copa Libertadores this season. They drew a pretty tough group -- Palmeiras, Ecuadorian heavyweight Barcelona SC and Paraguayan heavyweight Cerro Porteno -- but they've pulled 12 points from five matches to clinch advancement to the knockout rounds.

Their secret weapon: home field advantage. As in, their home field has an elevation of nearly 12,000 feet! They have jumped on opponents as they have tried to find their lungs, scoring in the fifth minute against Cerro Porteno and in the 20th in a 3-1 win over mighty Palmeiras. Their colors (sky blue on darker blue) are gorgeous, their style is fun and their opponents are sucking wind from the first minute of the match. What's not to like?

Palestino

Christopher Hylland's "Tears at La Bombonera" is one of the most delightful soccer books I've read in recent memory. The approximate premise: He lived in South America for six years and watched a lot of matches in a lot of places. That's it. And it works.

Throughout the book, Hylland shines light on clubs formed long ago by groups of immigrants, many from throughout Europe. Palestino, however, was formed by -- you guessed it -- members of Chile's Palestinian community, and its red, green and white colors remind you of that. Success has been marginal through the years (they've won two league titles, the last coming in 1978), but they're currently faring pretty well in the Copa Sudamericana, well positioned to make the knockout rounds.

Asia

Consadole Sapporo and Yokohama F. Marinos
Primary streaming option: YouTube

Within the U.S., the J. League broadcasts many weekly matches for free on its YouTube channel. This has been one of my favorite discoveries of the spring. I'm a Bundesliga admirer and J. League novice, and let's just say that it makes sense that so many Japanese players -- Ritsu Doan (Freiburg), Ko Itakura (Borussia Monchengladbach), Takuma Asano (Bochum), Daichi Kamada (Frankfurt, on his way to AC Milan) -- have thrived in Germany.

The styles of play overlap considerably.

High-pressing? Yes. Transition goals? Absolutely. Pedal-to-the-metal activity levels? Hell yeah. Solid crowds that sing and/or play music nonstop in the background? Yep. The J. League is an absolute blast. Immerse yourself early on some Saturday or Sunday morning, and watch your mood brighten immediately.

I'm listing two Japanese teams here: the best team at the moment and the most extreme team.

Yokohama FM is the former. The seven-time league champs are owned by the City Group, and they boast plenty of Manchester City-esque qualities -- heavy possession (58%), among the longest possessions in the league, etc. -- albeit without the extreme money advantages. The duo of Brazilian veterans Anderson Lopes and Elber has combined for 18 goals and nine assists in 17 matches. They're worth your time.

Consadole Sapporo, on the other hand, demands your time. They take aggressive soccer to its extreme. They've scored the most goals in the J. League and allowed the thirdmost. They rank third in average xG per shot and a distant last in xG allowed per shot. They are among the best teams in the league in transition attack and easily the worst in transition defense. They make things happen, for better and frequently worse. No lead is safe in either direction. No one should play like this, and I love that they do.

Ulsan Hyundai
Primary streaming option: KLeague.com

A constant presence in the K League's top three, the Tigers won the league last year and the Asian Champions League in 2020, and they're running away with the title this season -- they're up 13 points just past the midway point -- thanks in part to the ultimate late bloomer. Joo Min-kyu, 33, played for various second-division and low-rung first-division teams for years but led the K League in scoring for two years at Jeju United and has thrived since joining the league's big dogs in 2023. It's a couple of extra steps to watch the K League as opposed to the J League above, but the product is similarly entertaining.

Northern Europe

Bodo/Glimt
Primary streaming option: ElevenSports and One Football

There is still European action going on, but you have to head north to find it. And once you reach Norway, keep going north for a while longer to reach Bodo. It's pretty far up there, and man oh man, what a hipster find this club has become. Not a historical heavyweight in Norway, Glimt have surged in recent years, winning the Eliteserien in 2020 and 2021 and finishing second in 2019 and 2022.

Their success has come from a combination of strong continuity, chemistry and a relentless attack. They beat Roma twice and stomped Celtic on their way to the Conference League quarterfinals in 2022, and they narrowly missed out on their first Champions League bid last summer, falling in extra time to Dinamo Zagreb in the final playoff round.

Bigger clubs have taken away some of their better players in recent years -- Jens Petter Hauge went to AC Milan in 2020, Victor Boniface to Union St. Gilloise in 2022 -- but they keep plugging that money into scouting and acquisition and producing stronger rosters. They're 10 points ahead of the field after just 11 matches this season, and star scorer Amahl Pellegrino has outscored five league teams by himself. This might be the best version of what is quickly becoming Norway's best club.