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Six football players in a training drill called a Rondo

“Made famous by the likes of Ajax and Barcelona, ‘el rondo’ endorses pinball-style combinations of one or two-touch passes to hypnotise its opponents and excite its spectators.”

Who are we? What does “The Rondo” mean? And why am I here? These are some big philosophical questions that I may not be able to answer satisfactorily. What I can tell you though, is that you have found yourself browsing an online football magazine that two mates and a sister decided to set up in their spare time…

“What is The Rondo?”

Charlie Mills, General Editor (13 January 2020)

Have you ever felt like life is one big game of piggy in the middle?

At times, you are part of a circle – a tightly knit group of professionals simply winning at life. Everything runs smoothly, words and actions are exchanged with equal precision and purpose. Once accustomed to the rhythm, there is then room for flair and originality; you can start to truly express yourself on this wondrous planet that we call Home.

Inevitably though, there are times when you feel like the piggy. No longer comfortable in your day-to-day existence, you find yourself rushing between A and B drenched in sweat with heavy legs. You cannot work much harder, and yet, you must. Life is ceaselessly whizzing around you and has no intention of slowing down. When what you desire most comes within an inch you must reach out, stretch, and take the opportunity to be released from the exhaustion.

Strip away the metaphor and substitute the term “life” for “football”, and you have what is known as “a rondo”. This electrifying training system has now become a staple in the modern game. Made famous by the likes of Ajax and Barcelona, el rondo endorses pinball-style combinations of one or two-touch passes to hypnotise its opponents and excite its spectators. To be trapped inside a rondo can be dizzying, leaving one craving escape.

We at The Rondo are your free pass. We invite you to join our circle, our team, in reading and writing freely about the beautiful game.

Our ethos centres on the idea that football journalism ought to be simple, insightful, and sophisticated. But more importantly, discussing football should be a pleasurable experience. The modern game has transformed the majority of us into misanthropists. Whilst cynicism can be amusing, we ought to embrace life in this period of “Post-Blatterism” (credit must be given to a close friend of mine for this new mode of thought) and enjoy talking about football again – save your whining for the referee on Sunday morning! You do not need to have a degree in Sports Science or FA coaching badges to have an opinion on football either. We believe those best suited to deliberating the sport are those that play and watch it at any level, irrespective of whether you can use both feet or support Stevenage FC.

Essentially, The Rondo is a creative outlet for its readers and writers alike; it is football journalism for those stuck in the monotony of the working week, dreaming of the early kick-off.

Did You Know? Since 1912, Athletic Bilbao have adhered to a policy of allowing only players born in the Basque Country, or who trained at a Basque club, to sign for them.

Meet the Team

Oliver Smith, the Head of Development at the Rondo, playing football
Charlie Mills, General editor at the Rondo, holding a pair of predator football boots
Sophie Mills, Illustrator at the Rondo, making a piece of artwork