When sports journalism fantasizes about Kobbie Mainoo: Lessons from a false article

I received a link from a colleague: 'Kobbie Mainoo breaks Michael Carrick's Champions League record'. I opened it, skimmed through, then stopped. Something felt off. Carrick as manager? Who is Sabah? Names like Cunha, Sesko – they never wore Man United's shirt. I sat still, staring at the screen. Modern football – even the truth needs verification. The article on Goal.com praised Mainoo, quoted Carrick, described a 4-0 win. But in reality, no such match exists. The manager's identity is wrong, the goal scorers are non-existent, the opponent is a fictional team. How could a reputable sports outlet be so wrong? I wondered: do readers have enough knowledge to notice? Or will they believe the beautiful story of a 'prodigy' surpassing a legend? These errors create false expectations for Mainoo, misleading the audience. 81 passes – if real – are just hollow numbers against a weak opponent. In Vietnam, we have seen young players 'deified' by the press, only to crumble under pressure. 'The ball rolls on the grass, but it truly rolls through people's lives.' Every false article hurts not just a player, but erodes the trust of those who love football. But perhaps it is not Goal.com's fault alone. We – the readers – have become accustomed to beautiful narratives. We love stories of 'prodigies', of 'records', so the press delivers. Dry truth does not sell. Therefore, responsibility lies on both sides. Journalists must stay sharp; readers must remain skeptical. Maybe it is time for a different kind of sports journalism: slower, deeper, and brave enough to speak the truth, even when it is not glamorous. Because every fabricated article not only hurts a player, but erodes the very trust of those who live and breathe football.