Study in Motion is a living journal of what our members are thinking, making, and observing across the game. It gathers short reflections, works in progress, and cultural touchpoints—from experiments in photography to the music and matches shaping our days. This section celebrates curiosity in all its forms, giving space to thoughts that don’t need to be final to be meaningful.

STUDY IN MOTION

Willem de Kam, Giuseppe Romano, Andrea Vílchez, Nicolas Polo Sanchez, Alejandro Gutiérrez Mora, Akis Katsoudas, Matthew David Stith, Scott Groult, Ethan White, Anders Hviid, Jinane Ennasri, Susana Ferriera, Lorenzo Gargiulo, Marvin Heilbronn, Fay Harvey, Ili Hyseni de Brissac, Jack Califano, Noah Aryeh Weinbaum, Raffael Manders, Ousamma Hadidi

Editor’s Note
Ili Hyseni is the Editor in Chief of Football Case Study. Each month he’ll be sharing his unfiltered notes from behind the scenes of football culture.

In Defense of the International Break
I have a love/hate relationship with the international break. As a Bayern fan, it comes around way too quickly. We’re in great form right now, having the best start to a season by a top five club, ever, and I don’t want this momentum to stall. On the other hand, as a Kosovo fan, the international break is always full of anticipation and excitement. We joined UEFA and FIFA in 2016, so the novelty of seeing my country represented on the field still hasn’t rubbed off. Games against Slovenia or Azerbaijan fill me with as much excitement as Bayern’s champions league fixtures do.

In my opinion, international football remains the purest, most egalitarian form of the game. No transfer market, emergency loans or petrostate rescues. National federations play with the cards they’re dealt and persuade talent, at home and in the diaspora, to buy into something greater than themselves. Kosovo’s diaspora, for example, has been both a blessing and a curse. While we have missed out on players like Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka who have shaped a generation with Switzerland, we have had more success recently convincing talents like Leon Avdullahu and Fisnik Asllani to join the cause. Unlike club football, recruitment on the international stage isn’t powered by high leverage loans but belonging, emotion and identity.

The international window is also a chance for the smaller nations to be seen and heard on the global stage. The 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign has provided some amazing underdog storylines, with Cape Verde and Uzbekistan qualifying for the finals, while the Faroe Islands beat Czechia during the previous international break to put themselves within touching distance of 2026 — an unbelievable achievement for a nation of 70,000 inhabitants. Overall the underdogs are getting better. Andorra claimed a historic qualifying point against England recently and Kosovo have beaten Sweden twice, without conceding, in the past two months. These results don’t just represent tactical triumphs or moral victories. Each one is a self portrait of national cultural expression and a call to be taken seriously by the game.

For a state like Kosovo, international football is more than sport. Our admission into UEFA and FIFA gave us a platform for recognition and a new instrument for soft power. We went from playing out 0-0 draws with Haiti to being celebrated as the ‘Brazil of the Balkans’ by 2019.

18 years after declaring independence in 2008, Kosovo’s status within the international community is somewhat unclear. Yes, we’re recognized by the major democracies and 22 out of 27 EU member states but a lack of recognition by Russia and China is stalling our accession to multilateral institutions like the U.N. This is where football, and the international break, come into play. Our flag flies high before games, our anthem is broadcast live and non-recognizers have been beaten on the field. I often say, “if you don’t recognize us, you will see us, hear us and feel us.

No Room for Racism
Football Case Study for The Premier League

The Süper Lig Derby

On October 4, Member Giuseppe Romano took to the Istanbul streets to capture the moments before Galatasary S.K. and Betşiktaş J.K. faced off at RAMS Park, an always-anticipated, 1924-established Turkish derby that promises riveting scenes and lively crowds each time.

Romano’s photographs document the pre-match choreography as urban anthropology: vendors and transit flows, security perimeters, and supporter groups moving in organized waves toward RAMS Park. Together they map how football structures public space and civic identity in Istanbul, evidence that the derby’s meaning extends beyond the result.

Inside the stadium, 51,641 fans gathered to watch the two sides fight for their locality, and after an intense 90+ minutes, one red card, 5 yellows, and a Gündoğan goal — the match ended level at 1-1.

At Meteora, Home to Greek Monastic Heritage, Women’s Football is a New-Age Tradition

In this Football Case Study Snapshot, available in both Greek and English, Member Akis Katsoudas takes us to Panathinaikos Women’s fifth match of the season in Thessaly, Greece, set against the anicent Meteora. Head to the tabs on the left to read the full story and discover what it is about both this historic backdrop and football match in October that are so special.

Football Case Study on the 41 Magazine List

Football Case Study was named to Forty-One Magazine’s 2025 “41 List,” a curated roster of 41 people and organizations across the CONCACAF region shaping football culture through creative work and community impact.

Across four categories, Media, Entrepreneurs, Community Builders, and Creatives, the 41 List highlights individuals, brands, and organizations defining what the game looks, feels, and sounds like in this part of the world.

The recognition reflects our on-the-ground reporting and photography—stories built with fans, not just about them—and how those stories move from local pitches to a global audience. It’s both a marker of where we are and a push to keep raising the bar.

To Read More on the inclusion, click here

What We’re Into...

Album

Getting Killed - Geese

“On Halloween, I headed over to the Quartyard in San Diego, Calif. to see Brooklyn-based band Geese, a rising star in the current indie-rock zeitgeist, on their Getting Killed Tour. Since buying my $30 ticket in June before the project had even been released, I was pleased to enjoy not just the sonic experience of streaming the record, but also seeing the band live. They were loud, rambunctious and full of suprises, both digitally and in-person. There’s nothing like watching a band you love getting the recognition they deserve.”

- Fay Harvey

Single

Year of the Cat - Al Stewart

“The sun was setting in Greenpoint when this song started playing through the sound system at Achilles Heel. If there's one take away besides the spectacular menu, it’s how great the music always is. I always have my phone up in the air at this restarunt, I don’t care how it makes me look! It’s such an unassuming track, but it’s really a secret head bopper... It’s so infectious. That whole weekend, we drove around Park Slope listening to this in my car.

- Matthew David Stith

Documentary

The History of The New Yorker’s Vaunted Fact-Checking Department - Zach Helfand

“As an editorial platform, we are constantly learning from those in our field. This article in the New Yorker is deep-dive into how the magazine, which is one our weekly favorites, handles fact-checking. Structured by bits of humor, traces of advice and real historical accounts from iconic New Yorker Staff, this piece is worth the read for any writer, reader or magazine lover.”

- FCS Staff

Gallery

Atay Atelier Presents: Cross Lens

FCS member Jinane Ennasri was recently featured in a gallery curated by Atay Atelier in Marrakesh, Morocco, celebrating the intersections of identity, community, and football culture. The exhibition, titled Cross Lens, brought together a group of Moroccan and Moroccan-diaspora photographers to explore how themes of migration, belonging, and everyday life shape contemporary Moroccan identity.

Curated by Atay Atelier, in close collaboration with Hassan Hajjaj, the exhibitionrepresents a shared vision to make contemporary Moroccan art more visible, relatable,and accessible to wider audiences. Featuring works by Sarah Amrani, Sabrina Charehbili, Jinane Ennasri, Safaa Kotbi, Mounir Raji, Fatimazohra Serrie, Ismail Zaidy, and Dunya Zita.

Gallery on show during the month of November at 116 Rue Sidi Ghanem, Marrakesh, Morocco.

Restaurant

Rolo’s & Radio Bakery in Queens, NY

If you’re looking for some dope food in New York City, my boy Howard and his team got you covered. Gramercy Tavern vets Howard Kalachnikoff, Rafiq Salim, and Paul Wetzel teamed up to create one of the city’s most beloved neighborhood restaurants: Rolo’s. Located in Ridgewood, Queens, the restaurant is a vibe and a half that seamlessly brings the best out of every ingredient in dishes that feel simple yet layered with incredible depth.

Rolo’s was cooking so hard they decided to open up a bakery. Building on the amazing bread, desserts, and cakes that already lived on their menu, Radio Bakery, led by Rolo’s pastry chef Kelly Mencin, puts new devious pastries and savory snacks into the world on a daily basis. Blending classic viennoiserie techniques with playful and seasonal twists, one can find anything from passionfruit morning buns to spicy Italian croissants stuffed with ’nduja to enjoy on a walk up to-and-around Prospect Park.

- Marvin Heilbronn

On Road: Chile

On assignment in Chile for Football Case Study, Member Andrea Vílchez shared her football view as the Andes peaked behind.

UEL Nights with Lille
Member Scott Groult shows us what a UEFA Europa League night looks like as he travels with French Ligue 1 Club Losc Lille, alongside his perspective on the club’s campaign thus far.

After a great Champions League campaign last season, we’re back this year in the Europa League. And this time, our ambition is clear: to go as far as possible in this European competition.The campaign got off to a solid start, with two wins and one loss in our first three matches.

The highlight so far has to be the trip to Rome. It marked the return of those special European away days — exploring the city, discovering the stadium, and of course, when in Italy, enjoying pizza on a sunny terrace!

Then at 6:45 p.m., in front of 63,000 fans, it was game time.

After a wild match in which our goalkeeper saved three penalties in a row, LOSC earned a prestigious 1–0 victory. A win celebrated with our 700 traveling supporters in the Italian capital made for an unforgettable night.

Next came a tough home defeat against Greek league leaders PAOK. We were down 3–0 at halftime — a nightmare start — but the second half was a completely different story. Goals kept coming, we fought back to 4–3, and thought we’d equalized in stoppage time… only for the referee to rule it out for a narrow offside. Frustrating, but full of promise for what’s ahead.

The road is still long, with some great trips ahead to face the Young Boys in Bern this December, and Celta Vigo in January. The European journey continues… and it’s only just beginning.

İlkay Gündoğan celebrates his goal vs Betşiktaş on October 4, 2025. Photographed by Gisuppe Romano in Istanbul, Turkey.

No Room for Racism
Football Case Study for The Premier League

Times Square Football

Photographers: Matthew David Stith, Marvin Heilbronn

Clients: BVB + Veo Technologies

Date: October 11, 2025

Times Square, New York, better known for its cartoon mascots, flashing billboards, and spontaneous showtime performances, was transformed into an unlikely football ground as Street Soccer USA and Borussia Dortmund hosted a day-long tournament in the heart of Manhattan. Street Soccer USA’s mission to fight poverty and strengthen communities through soccer vividly came to life as young players from across the city, from Sunset Park to the South Bronx, took to the pitch in Dortmund’s iconic black and yellow kits beneath the neon glow of Times Square.

Captured by the Football Case Study team, the day was defined by raw emotion and love for the game. Kids left the field in tears after tough group matches, only to return and lift the trophy through those same tears, now transformed into joy. Moments like these cut through a sporting culture so often dominated by spectacle and commerce, giving rise to an event defined by rare sincerity and impact.

No Room for Racism
Football Case Study for The Premier League

Football on a Boat By Susana Ferreira

“Going to a game as a fan, with my camera, for me, that’s the magic! Photographing my own community and sharing moments with people who understand exactly what it means.

On the way to Fulham (A), I shared one of those moments. 200 Arsenal fans on a boat cruising down the Thames, chanting “you only came to see the Arsenal” at every ferry and passing boat. The DJ playing bangers inside, all whilst news broke that Ange Postecoglou had been fired. It was chaos, beautiful chaos.”

GRÆSSULT
By Anders Hviid

In a series of electronic postcards to a god he initially does not believe in, a man reaches out to grab something to hold on to. God's hand, his own. FCS Member Anders Hviid provided imagery for the book written by Jonas Villumsen.

»Grassult« is a microcosm of coffee cup rituals, divorce, fictional football reports, the life and death of houseplants, life and death in general, and the community of the stands.”

Purchase GRÆSSULT Here

Qatar Qualifies! By Jinane Ennasri

“I was at the stadium with my brother when the UAE–Qatar match kicked off. UAE fans arrived with roses but left in frustration as Qatar took the lead. Later, in Souq Waqif and Msheireb, young and old flooded the streets to celebrate — and I felt completely swept up in the city’s joy and energy.”

DON’T WASTE I: CAPSULE TALKS
EP 29: Willem de Kam on Human Behaviour, Football Culture, and Finding Freedom Behind the Lens

FCS Member Willem de Kam is a Rotterdam-based photographer whose work captures the tension between order and chaos in everyday life — from commercial campaigns and city streets to football stadiums and social rituals. His lens focuses on the spaces where people express identity, belonging, and emotion, from the terraces of Feyenoord to the quiet intimacy of personal moments.

Willem’s path began in graphic design before he found freedom in photography. Over the years, his work has grown into a study of human behaviour: how we organise chaos, how we perform in public, and how emotion becomes identity.

In this episode, Willem reflects on discipline, insecurity, and the balance between being a fan, an observer, and an artist, and touches on documenting football culture from the inside, the power of physical books in a digital world, and why empathy defines great photography.

Listen on Apple Music and Spotify

American Football: Continued

In pursuit of continuing to showcase the depth of soccer in America through his ongoing project American Football, Member Nicolas Polo attended a game that sits at the heart of American culture: the Army Navy game.

NP: [The Army - Navy] rivalry in American football (not soccer) spans over 120 years. While I haven’t served, my work with Veterans has given me a window into the camaraderie built by those who do, and how that bond deepens between each division: Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Marines. You can feel that same connection on display during this annual matchup, which draws around 65,000 people - from civilians and cadets to alumni, commanders, and even the President.

The soccer rivalry, though not as widely known, carries its own legacy dating back to 1938. In 2012, the Army Navy Cup was created to honor that tradition, mirroring the prestige of the football game.

This year’s match was unlike anything I’ve experienced while covering other soccer games. The patriotism, the rivalry, the traditions, all palpable. From letterman jackets covered in pins from past graduates to the Navy SEALs “Leap Frogs” parachuting from a helicopter, every detail carried history and pride.

The deeper I go into American Football, the more I fall in love with how the sport lives here - uniquely American, layered with traditions and meaning. Each story, each match, reveals another side of its beauty.

Fay Harvey: What made this game more special than ones in the past?

NP: In general, the Army Navy game carries immense weight, not only because of its century old rivalry, but because it’s played between future military leaders. Many of these athletes will go on to fly Black Hawks, lead combat units, or command tanks and engineering battalions. Yet, during these brief four years, while preparing for the front lines, they’re also just playing soccer.

This particular match feels especially important given the tensions in the world today - from wars abroad to divisions at home. For these players, the future doesn’t hold the promise of professional contracts or sponsorships, but the possibility of deployment to a conflict zone. And in that context, it feels like there’s more at stake than just a game.

FH: How was it shooting in a rivalry-rich, patriotic environment?

NP: It was truly special to be part of it all. Both Navy and Army carry deep traditions, and you see it all on display - the class rings, letterman jackets, chants, salutes, the Navy Seal Leap Frogs parachuting in from helicopters, and the sea of cadets and midshipmen standing in perfect formation. There’s also this overwhelming sense of pride, both in the stands and on the field. Serving in the armed forces creates a bond and a sense of honor that you can feel in the air, it adds a real emotional weight to the game.

FH: How did Black and White, both film and digital, suit this setting?

NP: I only had one roll of film with me, so most of the images ended up being digital black and white. But that choice of using black and white was intentional. I wanted the focus to stay on the people and the event itself, rather than letting color add another layer to the spectacle. Once night fell, the stadium lights created deep shadows and sharp contrasts that worked beautifully in black and white - it amplified the tension and gravity of the moment.

Fourth of July in Tijuana

Member Alejandro Gutierrez Mora recounts his experience at the Playas de Tijuana during American Independence Day.

Fay Harvey: Where exactly is this and what does the location mean to you?

AGM: This is Playas de Tijuana, right by the border wall (or fence) between Mexico and the US. This place means a lot to me and I am sure it means a lot to many people in the Latino community. For me, this place not only represents the symbol of a systematic and cultural barrier ("the wall of shame" was something I heard as a child). It's also the place where my homeland begins, and where dreams begin to take shape for many people who come to my city. Sometimes, even though I don't like it, this place is simply magical.

FH: What inspired you to take these photos?

AGM: Every now and then, I like to go to this place and see what I can find. That day was the 4th of July, U.S. Independence Day.

And something that happens on that day in this border town is that people, mostly people who lived in the U.S., gather with their families on the beach to watch the fireworks display from this side, behind that wall. Some others put on their own show from here, dine on the beach, drink alcohol, and reminisce about what their lives once were like from the other side. I've photographed this event every year for a long time. And I think the photos are similar, however, this year I decided to try to find a story that I could relate to the uniqueness of this place and football. I couldn't find anything unique other than this scene of a family who had come from La Paz, Baja California Sur, to spend their vacation and observe this event that occurs once a year. They were there, simply playing while all these people around, with mixed emotions, prepared to witness the fireworks in the distance.

FH: Can you describe what the photos embody?

AGM: For me, these photographs represent a very special date for this community, a historical record of what it's like to live on the border, a colorful snapshot of the daily life of a Tijuanese. May we one day look back and see the images of that wall of shame as something that once was and is no longer.

Cost of Living Classic

Photography by Jack Califano
Words by Marvin Heilbronn
Location: Maimonides Park, Brooklyn, New York
Date: October 19, 2025

“A lot of people have asked me what is the point of putting on this tournament today,” said Zohran Mamdani, Democratic nominee for New York City mayor and devout Arsenal fan, pausing for a minute as he scanned the crowd of players, press, and supporters that filled Maimonides Park in Coney Island. “And to them,” he continued, smiling, “I quote the great Ronaldinho: Football is about joy.”

That joy was on full display at the Cost of Living Classic, a day-long community tournament that felt less like a campaign event and more like a collective exhale. In a city weighed down by rising rents, political fatigue, and a sense that optimism is a luxury, within a country where faith in institutions has eroded into cynicism, Mamdani managed to summon something rare: a community that feels hopeful, motivated, and united.

From the first whistle at 2 p.m., the energy was high. But when Mamdani stepped onto the pitch before the final matches, the atmosphere lifted and the stands erupted. It was a moment that while brought together by the world’s most democratic sport, felt bigger than football. For the first time in a long time, New Yorkers weren’t just watching a politician; they were recognizing themselves in one.