Is Arkadag the world’s greatest football team?
What could possibly explain the success of a club founded by Turkmenistan’s dictator
ARKADAG ARE the undisputed champions of Turkmenistan. Founded in 2023, the football (soccer) team won every match in its first two domestic seasons, ending a hot streak of 61 straight wins only in November, with a loss to Kuwait’s Al-Arabi in an international game. The team came close to the all-time record set by Scotland’s Celtic FC just over a century ago, undefeated for 62 games. But some of Celtic’s matches were draws. Arkadag can still claim the longest winning streak.
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This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “61-0”
Asia January 18th 2025
From the January 18th 2025 edition
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