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Berger stars in shootout as Germany overcome early red card to fell France at Euro 2025

The goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger produced one of the all-time great European Championship saves as a courageous performance from 10-player Germany stunned France to progress to the Euro 2025 semi-finals on a night of compelling drama in Basel.In an absorbing affair packed with unpredictable moments, including a shocking, early red card offence, video assistant referee drama, two penalties and two disallowed France goals, ultimately it was the more familiar conclusion of Germany’s mental strength excelling in a penalty shootout that led to the elimination of a France side who had struck the cro..

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 22:10:37 GMT

In the crazed transfer trolley dash, the next glossy off-the-shelf solution is all the rage | Jonathan Wilson

Early moves in the market are revealing about the state of the Premier League title contenders and their prioritiesThe transfer window at this stage is essentially fan fiction. What if Dr Frankenstein had turned up at Pemberley and conducted a waspish romance with Elizabeth Bennet? What if Akela was not just a wolf but a werewolf? What if famous and attractive Tennis Player X were having a fling with famous and attractive Tennis Player Y? And what if Arsenal actually signed a centre-forward?There hasn’t yet been time for reality to intervene. It’s like the day after the World Cup draw when eve..

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 19:00:28 GMT

Howe confident Isak will stay at Newcastle after striker left out of thrashing by Celtic

Howe: ‘I’m confident he’ll be here at start of the season’Celtic canter to 4-0 win in friendly on SaturdayEddie Howe is confident Alexander Isak will stay at Newcastle this summer despite omitting the striker from a pre-season thrashing by Celtic because of speculation over his future.Isak was left out of the 4-0 defeat at Celtic Park on Saturday despite being fit to play. The Newcastle manager claimed the decision was taken to manage the striker’s minutes in pre-season, but also as a consequence of recent transfer speculation. Continue reading.....

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 17:44:41 GMT

Marcus Rashford in talks with Barcelona after Manchester United agree loan

Barcelona offer includes an option to buy the strikerRashford has ruled out a cut to his £325,000-a-week wageMarcus Rashford is closing in on a move to Barcelona after Manchester United agreed in principle to loan the striker to the Spanish champions.Barcelona’s offer, which has been made through intermediaries, includes an option to buy the 27-year-old next summer and has been sanctioned by their head coach, Hansi Flick. Rashford has held talks with Flick while his brother and representative, Dwaine Maynard, met Barcelona officials in Catalonia last month. Continue reading.....

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 15:03:09 GMT

Frank and open: early observations as Dane’s Spurs tenure begins with friendly win

Tottenham beat Reading thanks to fine outings for Thomas Frank’s new signings Mohammed Kudus and Luka VuskovicIt is rarely wise to read deeply into pre-season fixtures. Especially the opening one. Yet when it is the first game for a manager at a club, the temptation is there. How can it not be? The initial glimpses offer the outline of the plan.Thomas Frank got his Tottenham tenure under way with a 2-0 win over Reading at the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Saturday afternoon. He played different XIs in each half and the goals came early in the second period from Will Lankshear and Luka Vuskovic..

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 18:53:47 GMT

‘We’re never beaten’: Esme Morgan talks up England’s mental toughness at Euros

Centre-back came off bench in quarter-final winMorgan says: ‘I always had faith,’ despite Sweden’s leadEsme Morgan says her faith in the Lionesses’ unwavering belief that they would overturn a two-goal deficit in their dramatic last-eight triumph over Sweden was built on the quality of England’s substitutes’ bench.The Lionesses defender, who came on as one of three changes in the 70th minute, insists that at no point did she think the holders would be knocked out of the tournament despite being 2-0 down. Continue reading.....

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 14:14:54 GMT

Are Arsenal finally signing Viktor Gyökeres? It’s already real in the digital hive mind | Barney Ronay

The Swedish striker has become more meme than man but he is the very good thing fans asked for, on a tray, ready to goThe current edition of France Football magazine has a photo of Viktor Gyökeres on the cover. Not that I’ve looked at it much, or pored over its details searching for meaning, but the photo shows Gyökeres half in shade, half in sun, displaying his famously shredded physique, not so much the standard male musculature, more a selection of lines and bulges, like he’s made entirely from giant walnuts, like a perfect human challah loaf designed by a robot.In the photo Gyökeres is smi..

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 07:00:15 GMT

Ann-Katrin Berger follows up biblical miracle with penalty heroics for Germany | Jonathan Liew

The astonishing save to prevent an own goal against France is the prelude to the match-winning shootout show from a two-time cancer survivorAnn-Katrin Berger is flying. The ball is flying. A few yards away, near the penalty spot, Clara Mateo of France already has her arms raised in celebration. A heroic German defensive rearguard is about to end in a misdirected defensive header, a looping own goal and a heartbreaking defeat. But a 34-year-old double cancer survivor, largely written off by her own country’s media before this quarter-final, has other ideas.The mechanics of the save itself are e..

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 23:21:50 GMT

‘Literature has completely changed my life’: footballer Héctor Bellerín’s reading list

Former Arsenal player wins admiration for his taste in books, but admits one novel defeated himHéctor Bellerín’s summer holidays look a little different from your typical footballer. Rather than pictures from a recent jaunt to Ibiza clubs such as Ushuaia or questionable birthday parties, his Instagram is dominated by books.Images of paperbacks he’s read are all over his feed, a mix of classics and contemporary novels, with a majority from Spain and South America. Continue reading.....

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 11:01:18 GMT

Your Guardian sport weekend: Tour de France, the Open and Women’s Euro 2025

The first Lions Test, a golf major at Royal Portrush, a Euro 2025 quarter-final and heavyweight boxing are just some of our offerings this weekend Continue reading.....

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 16:23:30 GMT

England’s Hannah Hampton hits the headlines in latest act of unlikely career

Bloodied-nose penalty heroine against Sweden was born with a serious eye condition that still affects her visionThe image of Terry Butcher’s blood-stained shirt during an England draw against Sweden in 1989 is immortalised in the country’s football history. Now another English player’s stoic display against Sweden – this time with a bloodied nose – will be etched into the annals after Hannah Hampton’s heroics during the Lionesses’ remarkable shootout victory over Sweden in Zurich.Hampton, with an absorbent shoved up her right nostril after an extra-time collision in the penalty area caused a n..

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 07:00:13 GMT

From penalty taker to physio: Lucy Bronze is England’s Swiss army knife

When the chips were down against Sweden, the right-back scored, scrapped and strapped her way to a semi-final spotLucy Bronze pinned up a picture of herself after the 2019 Women’s World Cup bronze-medal match against Sweden, which England lost 2-1, for her teammates to see on a wall in the team hotel where players and staff share inspirational images. She was, in her words, “absolutely exhausted” in it, hairband round her neck, shirt crumpled, hair awry, the physical, emotional and mental pain of the preceding 90 minutes visible.That photo represents so much to Bronze, England’s stalwart right..

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 16:00:58 GMT

Women’s Euro 2025: top goalscorers, game by game

There is no shortage of contenders but who will finish as the tournament’s top scorer in Switzerland?The race to be top scorer at the Women’s Euros 2025 in Switzerland is a fascinating one. Spain, the world champions, have several players who can top the list: Esther González, Clàudia Pina and Salma Paralluelo. The beaten finalists in Australia and New Zealand – England – count Alessia Russo as their main threat but also have Beth Mead, Chloe Kelly, Lauren James and Lauren Hemp who can chip in with goals.Germany and France also have high hopes of going all the way this summer and have, among t..

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 11:02:17 GMT

Women’s Euro 2025: your guide to all 368 players

Get to know every single squad member at the tournament. Click on the player pictures for a full profile and ratings Continue reading.....

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 11:08:52 GMT

Men’s transfer window summer 2025: all deals from Europe’s top five leagues

All the latest Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Serie A deals and a club-by-club guideWomen’s transfers summer 2025: all the moves Continue reading.....

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 14:36:47 GMT

Women’s transfer window summer 2025: all deals from world’s top six leagues

Every deal in the NWSL, WSL, Liga F, Frauen-Bundesliga, Première Ligue and Serie A Femminile as well as a club-by-club guideMen’s transfers summer 2025: all the moves Continue reading.....

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 14:42:40 GMT

Thomas Frank hints it may be goodbye to Tottenham for Son Heung-min

No guarantees from new manager over captain staying‘We’re probably not favourites to win Premier League’Thomas Frank has said he is yet to decide whether to keep Son Heung-min as his captain at Tottenham and the new manager did not offer any guarantees that the club’s marquee player would stay beyond the closure of the summer transfer window.Frank addressed a host of subjects at his official presentation on Friday before his first Spurs game – the friendly at Reading on Saturday – taking in his targets, how he intends to play and the desire to guard against the level of injuries that undermine..

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 21:30:02 GMT

Noni Madueke will be unfazed by new Arsenal challenge and fans’ scepticism

Mikel Arteta’s latest signing from Chelsea is a driven individual, confident in his ability, according to his fitness coachIf Noni Madueke finds time to head to Marbella for his annual personal pre-season training camp this summer, you probably won’t find Arsenal’s new signing frequenting any of the Spanish seaside city’s glamorous hangouts. “His peers are all partying – they’re at the beach clubs and stuff like that,” says the winger’s individual skills coach, Saul Isaksson-Hurst. “But he’s turning up every day. Even I’m telling him: ‘You need one rest day, a couple of days.’ But Noni is so d..

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 16:11:51 GMT

Manchester United agree deal to buy Bryan Mbeumo for initial £65m

Fee for forward could reach £71m with add-onsMbeumo wanted United despite Spurs interestManchester United have agreed a deal worth more than £70m to sign Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford. A fee of £65m will be paid up front and a further £6m could follow in add-ons.The Cameroonian, who scored 20 Premier League goals last season, has been a key target for Ruben Amorim. United first made an offer for Mbeumo six weeks ago and had a number of bids rejected. Mbeumo made clear he wanted to move to Old Trafford despite interest at Tottenham from his former head coach Thomas Frank, and personal terms are n..

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 12:09:58 GMT

Socceroos star Nestory Irankunda signs five-year deal with Watford in move to Championship

Winger secures switch from Bayern Munich to WatfordMove should delight Australia coach Tony Popovic ahead of 2026 World CupEnglish soccer fans can brace themselves for plenty of dazzling backflips after the young Socceroos star Nestory Irankunda secured a five-year deal with the Championship outfit Watford.The Hornets announced the signing on their website late Friday, with the club’s sporting director Gian Luca Nani taking great pride in welcoming Irankunda. Continue reading.....

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 04:11:23 GMT

Former England footballer Paul Ince given 12-month drink-driving ban

Ince was also fined £5,000 and ordered to pay £2,000 statutory surcharge and £85 costs over incident in JuneThe former England footballer Paul Ince has been banned from driving and ordered to pay £7,085 for drink-driving.The 57-year-old appeared at Chester magistrates court on Friday where he admitted driving his Range Rover while over the limit on 28 June in Neston, Cheshire. Continue reading.....

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 09:53:07 GMT

Wafcon offers spectacular songs and goals – but where is the next generation?

The tournament in Morocco has produced some fine football but has yet to win over the general publicFrom deep inside the Stade d’Honneur came a beautiful sound as 26 voices united in song. The loudspeaker quietened in respect. The few dozen people at the ground braved the summer swelter to crowd near the players’ tunnels. Ghanaian players walked out in no noticeable combination with slightly puzzled looks on their faces. The noise grew louder and more distinctive as one voice called and the others responded. There was definitely the beating of a drum.Then, they emerged. Defending champions Sou..

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 10:55:36 GMT

Trump’s presence at Chelsea’s trophy lift was a fitting coda to a misguided tournament | Jonathan Wilson

The football was at times intriguing, but the true meaning of the first expanded Club World Cup will be debated for yearsSign up for Soccer with Jonathan Wilson hereFor the first four weeks of the 2025 Club World Cup, there had been the danger that the tournament would soon be largely forgotten. There is no danger of that after the final. There had been unease after the 2022 World Cup final at the way Qatar inserted itself into the trophy presentation by draping a bisht over Lionel Messi, but at least the Emir kept his distance. Donald Trump, by contrast, placed himself front and centre of the..

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 14:50:42 GMT

An abomination or a lot of fun? Our readers review the Club World Cup

We asked readers if they enjoyed the tournament, how it could be improved and if they will watch in four years’ timeIt is a senseless attempt to line Fifa’s already gilded pockets and increase the demands on already exhausted players who must be close to breaking point. The idea of the world’s top clubs playing each other is dull because of the mismatch in resources between Europe and the rest. No one needs more games in an already crowded calendar. Playing it in the heat of the American summer is another mistake. I suspect the clubs that participated will pay for it next season. Scrap it. Max..

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 11:15:00 GMT

From Palmer and domes to Musiala and turf: Club World Cup winners and losers

A tournament won by Chelsea exposed international divides and sparked questions about workload and weatherFifa: The world’s governing body had hoped to gain more of a foothold in the club game with the expanded version of this tournament. Now that it has taken place without major disruption or mass protest, chances are it won’t go away any time soon. In many respects, that alone is mission accomplished – Fifa now runs a property that will allow it to control the global profile of some of the world’s biggest soccer properties, which had been mostly out of its reach. There are also plenty of pos..

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 13:12:39 GMT

Cole Palmer’s Chelsea finally believe they are Premier League contenders | Jacob Steinberg

Aggressive, motivated, extremely talented and now champions of the world, Enzo Maresca’s squad have the confidence and real depthWhen Chelsea won the Conference League in May, a victory secured by the standard ice‑cold Cole Palmer performance in a final, the reaction was restrained and there was no internal talk of an impending title challenge. Now the vibe is different. It is hard not to dream when Chelsea perform as they did against Paris Saint‑Germain in the final of the Club World Cup.Nobody is getting carried away. Chelsea know what the rest of us know, which is that they are not the best..

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 16:46:28 GMT

Luka Modric’s Milan move proves that a slower Serie A still has plenty of cachet | Jonathan Wilson

The midfielder’s switch to Italy reaffirms the league’s undisputed status as home of the gifted senior citizenLuka Modric will turn 40 in September. He has played 930 games over the course of a career and has won seven league titles and six Champions Leagues. He even broke the Messi-Ronaldo duopoly to claim the Ballon d’Or after inspiring Croatia to the World Cup final in 2018.He rarely lasts a full 90 minutes these days, didn’t start a game during the Club World Cup and suffered the indignity of coming on for his Madrid farewell with the semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain long since lost...

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 07:00:36 GMT

Athletic Bilbao’s Álvarez blames hair loss medicine for provisional doping suspension

Footballer revealed details in social media postTest failure after match against Manchester UnitedAthletic Bilbao’s Yeray Álvarez has been provisionally suspended because of a failed doping test after a Europa League game against Manchester United, with the defender saying he unintentionally ingested a banned substance in medicine used to treat hair loss.Álvarez said he had tested positive after Bilbao’s 3-0 home defeat in the semi-finals of Uefa’s second-tier club competition in May. The Spanish side also lost the return leg 4-1. Continue reading.....

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 09:37:30 GMT

Tobin Heath announces retirement from soccer after lengthy injury absence

Announcement disappoints her legions of fans who hoped she might one day retake the fieldUS international and two-time World Cup winner Tobin Heath announced her retirement on Thursday, after years away from the sport due to injury, disappointing her legions of fans who hoped she might one day retake the field.Famed for her cool demeanour and extraordinary intelligence on the pitch, Heath picked up two Olympic golds and won the NWSL championship twice with the Portland Thorns. Continue reading.....

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 19:02:01 GMT

Carlo Ancelotti fined €386,000 and given one-year prison sentence over tax fraud

Former Real manager will not spend any time in jailAncelotti convicted of failing to pay tax on image rightsThe Brazil coach and former Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has been given a one-year prison sentence and a fine of almost €400,000 (£345,000) after a Spanish court found him guilty of one count of tax fraud.Ancelotti, who managed Real Madrid from 2013 to 2015 and between 2021 and 2025, appeared in court in Madrid in April to stand trial on charges of defrauding Spain’s tax office of more than €1m (£836,857) in undeclared earnings from image rights in 2014 and 2015. Continue reading...

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 16:40:13 GMT

The US national team lost regional superiority, but gained some World Cup hope

The US lost a final but gained competitive options at multiple positions, which should make some entrenched yet absent stars nervous. Sign up for Soccer with Jonathan Wilson hereIn the end, the status quo went unchanged. Mexico won its second consecutive Concacaf Gold Cup trophy in a heated final with the United States in Houston’s NRG Stadium on Sunday. The oddly angular cup will be tucked into Mexico’s federation trophy case next to El Tri’s first Concacaf Nations League title, lifted in March. The program was unquestionably on top of Concacaf before the Gold Cup – now that it’s over, they s..

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 14:44:31 GMT

US set to be host to biggest sporting events with guests it doesn’t want | Emma John

Donald Trump is closing the borders even though the World Cup and 2028 Olympics will take place in the USCall it big, beautiful timing. On Tuesday, Fifa announced it had taken an office in Trump Tower. On Wednesday, Donald Trump announced he would attend the Club World Cup final. And who could begrudge the US president a little sporting entertainment after the week he has had? Those Nobel peace prize applications don’t write themselves.Trump’s attendance at a tournament we can be 95% sure he doesn’t understand is, doubtless, a huge coup and political victory for football. This is a sport that ..

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 08:03:25 GMT

Football governance bill’s passage can create a fairer game at every level | Jason Stockwood

Despite objections from the Premier League, a regulator tasked with protecting the whole of the sport has moved a significant step closer to realityIt seems like a lifetime ago that the fan-led review into football governance emerged from the wreckage of the failed European Super League. The ideas that underpin the independent regulator were born out of that crisis: an attempt to stop the drift of our national game toward private greed, corporate overreach and ownership disconnect from local communities. Years later, we are probably on the verge of finally seeing those ideas enshrined in law.T..

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 07:00:35 GMT

In the stands with my son, the Club World Cup was as human as it could possibly be

Unexpectedly cheap tickets gave my boy an overwhelming soccer experience, and me a jolt of faith in a flawed tournamentMy son had never been to a professional soccer game.Soccer is, shall we say, not really his thing. It’s also never been particularly important to me that he likes soccer, that he likes what I like. Our sons will be their own men, come what may. Continue reading.....

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 09:00:16 GMT

Transfer news has lost its sense of wonder and surprise in era of ‘my sources tell me …’ | Max Rushden

Spurs signing Klinsmann or selling Waddle were bolts from the blue. Now, transfer influencers track private jets and almost nothing is unknownWhich transfer fee blew your mind? It was probably Spurs signing Gazza for £2m in the summer of 1988. TWO MILLION. No one is worth that kind of money. The following year, I distinctly remember running into the living room – Spurs had just signed Gary Lineker. I was preparing for the season ahead, invisible football at my feet, commentating to myself: “Gascoigne, to Waddle, in for LINEKERRRR.” The next moment I switched on the TV and someone (let’s say Ra..

Sun, 06 Jul 2025 07:00:31 GMT

David Squires on … trophy-loving Trump crashing Chelsea’s Club World Cup party

Our cartoonist on the US president’s central role in the final of a tournament that seemed like it would never endBuy one of David’s cartoon in our Print ShopDavid’s new book, Chaos in the Box: buy it now Continue reading.....

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 11:29:16 GMT

Premier League fans in Asia want to feel valued – and not just as a source of revenue

Pre-season trips to Asia may not be new for English clubs, but they remain a huge global engagement opportunityFifty years ago, Arsenal lost 2-0 to Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur, with jet-lagged players struggling to deal with frogs bouncing around the Merdeka Stadium pitch as well as the legendary local striker Mokhtar Dahari.Since then, however, many aspects of Asian tours by English clubs have changed. They have become, mostly, slick affairs. This summer, Arsenal will visit neighbouring Singapore for games against Newcastle and Milan. Then to Hong Kong for an unusual north London derby against a..

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 07:00:51 GMT

Coffees, cabin fever and social media: the dos and don’ts of a tournament bubble | Emma Hayes

Win over the Netherlands shows Sarina Wiegman has kept spirits high in the Lionesses’ camp as decisive matches loomEngland are back on track. They really needed that display against the Netherlands and it was a pivotal moment for them. It was a very, very commanding performance.Physically, they showed their dominance and exposed the Netherlands’ weaknesses at the back. With Lauren James, in what I think is her best position, playing from the right and being able to drift in, you can maintain your midfield structure. Her performance showed why Sarina Wiegman has selected her and the team perfor..

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 12:22:14 GMT

Arda Turan: ‘When Real and Barça went on tours Atlético ran in the mountains’

Shakhtar Donetsk coach on staying calm on the touchline and learning from Diego Simeone and Luis EnriqueArda Turan knows the question is coming. How has the firebrand who thrilled and exasperated during a successful, sometimes wildly controversial, playing career become a manager with the temperament to take on one of Europe’s most delicate jobs? It comes down to taking a breath. “When there is something going on, right now the first thing that comes into my mind is thinking rather than reacting,” he says with a grin.There will be plenty to occupy that fizzing brain at Shakhtar Donetsk, where ..

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 07:00:15 GMT

The most aggressive set-piece team in the world plays in Minnesota

Under the guidance of a former Manchester United assistant, Minnesota United are finding MLS success with a surprising tacticNot many soccer players are as passionate about dead balls as Anthony Markanich. Then again Minnesota United, under the 33-year-old first-time head coach Eric Ramsay, don’t play soccer like most teams.“All the guys get really excited about set pieces, especially myself,” Markanich gushed last Friday after scoring a goal off a long throw-in by the center back Michael Boxall for the second time in a week. “I told Boxy I love when he has the ball for throw-ins and stuff – I..

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 09:00:46 GMT

Football Daily | England and Sweden get into spot of bother with an unmissable shootout

Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!The strongest contender that Football Daily could find for the worst penalty shootout of all time was predictably held between two English teams. In January 1998, under-10 pair Mickleover Lightning Blue Sox and Chellaston Boys faced off in the Derby Community Cup. After the regular game finished 1-1, a total of 56 penalties failed to break the deadlock, with referee Peter Shieff even moving the spot two yards closer and offering a coin toss to decide the result (which the sides declined). Despite saving 31 consecutive spot-kicks in the sudden-..

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 13:55:53 GMT

Football Daily | Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest and Uefa sermons on integrity

Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!Football Daily has long believed that no good can come from the prefix “multi”. Multi-storey car parks have been causing spikes in blood pressure ever since City & Suburban Electric Carriage Company opened the first anxiety maze at 6 Denman Street, London, in May 1901. Multiplexes are for watching films that have been dubbed over by some gobby ne’er-do-well crunching on a never-ending bucket of popcorn. Multiperspectivalism looks an interesting concept, sure, but we’re too thick to understand it properly and now we’ve got a headache. And t..

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 14:26:39 GMT

Spain have looked unstoppable at Euros but there are ways to beat them

Montse Tomé’s side have scored 11 goals in two games with Aitana Bonmatí on the bench – but all is not lost for rivalsOne week of Euro 2025 has passed and already there is unquestionably a frontrunner. Spain with their glittering array of talent have already shown the levels that they can reach in their opening two matches.Even though two-time Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmatí is yet to return to the starting XI after suffering from a brief bout of viral meningitis, they have caught the eye with their goalscoring prowess and command of the ball. In among the goals and dominant play, however, a..

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 11:35:26 GMT

Football Daily | Paris mismatch at Club World Cup as Real Madrid fail to turn up again

Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!When Real Madrid refused en masse to turn up for last year’s Ballon d’Or ceremony because they knew their man on the shortlist hadn’t won the main award, their snub was widely and correctly perceived to have been an act of the most extreme petulance. And while their players and coaching staff did deign to attend last night’s Copa Gianni semi-final at the MetLife EnormoDome, they certainly didn’t turn up in any meaningful sense of the word and were duly humiliated by Paris Saint-Germain, the Bigger Cup holders Kylian Mbappé famously abandoned l..

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 15:35:58 GMT

Football transfer rumours: West Ham and Everton move for Jack Grealish?

Today’s rumours were up all nightGiven Victor Osimhen is one of the world’s best No 9s, definitely available for transfer and with a £64m release clause is a cheaper option than both Viktor Gyökeres (who is older) and Hugo Ekitike (who is relatively unproven), it seems a little bit wild that Arsenal, Liverpool or any other elite European team are not in for the Nigerian striker. Having impressed last season on loan at Galatasaray, winning the Golden Boot in Turkey on the way to a Süper Lig title, Osimhen could complete a remarkable permanent move to Istanbul in lieu of any other interest. Napo..

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 08:44:19 GMT

England victorious after shootout chaos and Italy stun Norway – Women’s Football Weekly

Faye Carruthers is joined by Tom Garry, Marva Kreel and Jonathan Liew to relive England’s dramatic win on penalties and Italy’s late heroicsOn the podcast today: England reach the Euro 2025 semi-finals after an astonishing 3-2 penalty shootout win over Sweden in Zurich. The panel discusses the game in detail, from Sarina Wiegman’s super subs and Michelle Agyemang’s breakout moment to secret notes, Hannah Hampton’s heroics, and Lucy Bronze’s nerveless strike. They also weigh up the Lionesses’ chances against their semi-final opponents, Italy.Elsewhere, Italy knocked out Norway with a dramatic C..

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 13:07:19 GMT

Wing, Back, Utaka: a brief history of footballers with names similar to their position | The Knowledge

Plus: most champions-in-waiting beaten en route to Champions League glory and the hottest English match on recordMail us with your questions and answers“Arsenal have signed a new keeper, Kepa,” noted John Marsden last week. “Are there any other examples of players with a name so similar to their position?”While we can’t find a player named Left Back, there is a former Anderlecht defender by the name of Mark De Man (which, admittedly, is an on-pitch instruction not a role). The Belgium international earned five caps for his country and retired in 2012 with a spell at third-division KSK Hasselt,..

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 07:00:41 GMT

Chelsea champions of the world while England send Wales packing at Euros – Football Weekly

Max Rushden is joined by John Brewin, Robyn Cowen and Dan Bardell as Chelsea win the Club World Cup and rampant England book a Euro 2025 quarter-final against Sweden Rate, review, share on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Audioboom, Mixcloud, Acast and Stitcher, and join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and email.On the podcast today; Chelsea stun PSG in the Club World Cup final. A 3-0 win courtesy of a relentless press and high-quality finishing from Cole Palmer and João Pedro. The panel try to work out if the last month has been at all worthwhile. Continue reading.....

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 10:47:19 GMT

Premier League 2024-25 review: our writers’ best and worst of the season

Best players, best managers, best matches, best goals, biggest flops and biggest gripes: our writers have their sayMohamed Salah. The numbers don’t lie – 47 goal contributions in the Premier League was an outstanding return from the Egyptian, who seems to be getting better with age. Ed Aarons Continue reading.....

Tue, 27 May 2025 07:00:20 GMT

Premier League 2024-25 review: managers of the season

Arne Slot’s first season could not have gone any better while Wolves fans drank to Vítor Pereira’s arrivalBy winning the league, the Dutchman surprised pretty much everyone. He faced the daunting task of succeeding Jürgen Klopp and inherited the German’s squad, adding only Federico Chiesa, who barely kicked a ball in anger. Not much changed from the previous year, except Ryan Gravenberch became the designated defensive midfielder as Slot’s Liverpool looked to get on the ball as much as possible. Slot was never going to be a personality who generated headlines like Klopp did, keeping his cards ..

Mon, 26 May 2025 08:00:51 GMT

Premier League 2024-25 review: flops of the season

Managers, teams and players who have disappointed over the campaign – including the reigning footballer of the yearRuben Amorim’s average points tally of a point per league game since arriving at Manchester United in early November puts him just above Malky Mackay’s record at Cardiff and Paul Jewell’s Premier League record with Bradford, Wigan and Derby. While Sporting won the Primeira Liga title without Amorim, United have fallen down the table to 15th since the Portuguese took the reins from the interim coach, Ruud van Nistelrooy. Much of the ire towards United has been directed at the owner..

Mon, 26 May 2025 09:00:53 GMT

Premier League 2024-25 review: players of the season

Eberechi Eze has come into his own at Crystal Palace while Villa’s Morgan Rogers has shown what he is really capable ofPedants may protest that Eze’s sublime FA Cup form (quarter-final and semi-final screamers before a winner at Wembley) is inadmissable evidence in a Premier League review. But he was already one of the players of the season long before helping Crystal Palace win their first major trophy. Always capable of the spectacular, Eze’s stay at Selhurst Park had been characterised by inconsistency, but his finest season has come after he finished 2023-24 in red-hot form and earned a pl..

Mon, 26 May 2025 07:00:52 GMT