Didier Deschamps' men were held to a 2-2 draw by a brave Iceland side in Reykjavik, as an experimental XI floundered under the pressure of their bold opponents, who belied their pre-match underdogs tag. France did score twice, coming from behind in the process, but a lack of concentration allowed the hosts to take a well-deserved point from a breathless encounter.

Within three minutes, Christopher Nkunku had a glaring chance to give France the lead, as the ball fell to him at the back post, but his effort was well-saved.

Iceland enjoyed a fine spell midway through the first half but Michael Olise caused panic in the backline with a wicked free-kick delivery just past the half-hour point, as goalkeeper Elias Olafsson flapped at the delivery and conceded a corner. 

But it was a wicked delivery from the home side that proved decisive, as France failed to deal with a free-kick conceded by William Saliba – the ball appeared to get caught under Eduardo Camavinga's foot – and Victor Palsson was alert enough to poke the ball beyond Mike Maignan, prompting a remarkable reaction in Reykjavik. 

Before half-time, Jean-Philippe Mateta's shot from point-blank range was cleared off the line, after Olafsson saved a fine header from Michael Olise. 

On the hour mark, Nkunku had another huge chance, again at the back post, again from a set-piece, but his effort was wild, and flew high into the Icelandic night. He would not be denied, and within minutes, he equalised, as he cut in from the left flank and fired into the bottom corner. 

France completed their comeback in the 68th minute, as substitute Maghnes Akliouche found Mateta, who finished from close-range, scoring his first France goal. 

Amazingly, within 60 seconds, Iceland were level again, as Albert Gudmundsson sprang beyond the offside trap and fed Kristian Hlynsson, who powered a finish high into the roof of the net. 

Both sides felt they could win the game, but neither were able to do so, as Iceland held out to earn a valuable point. 

GOAL rates France's players from Laugardalsvöllur…

AFPGoalkeeper & Defence

Mike Maignan (4/10):

Beaten all ends up by Palsson's finish but he should have been more proactive at the set-piece, as he appeared glued to his line. Didn't do well enough to close the space before Hlynsson's goal, and then slipped on the ball, almost gifting the hosts a third. A heart-in-mouth night. 

Jules Kounde (4/10):

Abandoned his position and was made to pay for it, as Iceland capitalised to score their equaliser. 

Dayot Upamecano (4/10):

As useless as the rest of his team-mates at clearing the low free-kick that saw France fall behind. Flat-footed as Iceland broke through to score their second, too, and committed a very clumsy foul in the second half which could easily have seen him carded. Careless. 

William Saliba (5/10):

Needlessly conceded the free-kick that led to Palsson's goal and was nowhere to be seen as Iceland scored their second. So assured in the Premier League, but he looked nervous here. 

Lucas Digne (6/10):

Shot at goal from the halfway line and only narrowly missed. Had a couple of good opportunities in the final third but was less effective defensively. 

AdvertisementAFPMidfield

Eduardo Camavinga (5/10):

Couldn't clear Iceland's corner, and was directly at fault for Iceland's lead. Booked for stopping a promising counter-attack. Good on the ball, as ever, but out of possession, there was much to be desired. 

Manu Kone  (6/10):

Got on the ball when he could but played a more defensive role. Did so effectively throughout, and was perhaps France's best defence-minded player on a topsy-turvy evening. 

AFPAttack

Florian Thauvin (6/10):

Put in a brilliant cross at the end of the first half but Olise was unable to convert. Almost scored with an overhead kick. A busy display, but not everything came off. Subbed for Akliouche. 

Michael Olise (7/10):

Forced an excellent save before half-time with a fine header. Always dangerous, always trying to make something happen. 

Jean-Philippe Mateta (6/10):

Spurned a good early opportunity and allowed Palsson's finish to roll past him, despite him being positioned on the correct side to clear. Shot at the end of the first-half was cleared off the line but finally scored in the second half to finally give Les Bleus the lead. He's not Mbappe, though, is he?

Christopher Nkunku (7/10):

Should have scored within a minute but his effort was straight at the goalkeeper. Missed a sitter at the back post on the hour mark but dusted himself down to cut inside from the left and fire a world-class equaliser into the bottom corner. Subbed.

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AFPSubs & Manager

Maghnes Akliouche (7/10):

Off the bench and found Mateta with a brilliant cross to give France the lead.

Khephren Thuram (6/10):

Replaced Camavinga. Slotted into midfield as France began to wrestle back control. 

Kingsley Coman (6/10):

On for Nkunku. A couple of promising dribbles down the flank came to nothing. 

Hugo Ekitike (N/A):

On for Mateta on 88 minutes. Bizarre that it took so long for him to be introduced. 

Didier Deschamps (4/10):

This wasn't a vintage France performance by any means. The attack looked largely toothless at times – France created five big chances but only scored two – and the defence looked jittery against Iceland's brave press. He will surely claim that France win this game nine times out of ten, but this was the outlier, and a weakened team selection feels like the main culprit. 

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has become the first national governing body to invest directly in an overseas T20 league after joining forces with Major League Cricket (MLC) to launch one of the competition’s new teams in 2027.As reported by ESPNcricinfo, MLC will increase from its current six teams to eight in 2027, and there are ambitions to grow further by 2031, with the possibility a franchise could be based in Canada.The terms have been agreed, and NZC has become investors, with US-based True North Sports (TNS), which will be run by MLC co-founders Sameer Mehta and Vijay Srinivasan, to operate one of the new franchises. A NZC statement said that among the private equity investors in TNS are 49ers Enterprises, the investment arm of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers.Related

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NZC will therefore part-own the team – with an option to invest in a second franchise at a later date – while also providing high-performance and operational support, including coaching, management and support staff, which it will be paid for, as well as integrating the franchise into New Zealand’s domestic high-performance system. In a second phase of development, NZC will provide expertise in cricket infrastructure and turf management.New South Wales and Victoria partnered with Washington Freedom and San Francisco Unicorns respectively at the initial launch of MLC in 2023, but the depth of NZC’s deal goes significantly further.Scott Weenink, the NZC chief executive, said it was vital that the sport looked beyond traditional sources of income amid the rapidly changing landscape.”We put in place a five-year strategic plan in the middle of last year and one of the things that came clearly out of that was the need to try and diversify away from a reliance on just broadcast revenue and ICC distributions,” Weenink told ESPNcricinfo. “New Zealand Cricket, like most member boards, is heavily reliant on those two aspects.”At the moment, we don’t have our own franchise cricket tournament. We have the Super Smash, which we own, and is seen more as a tournament to help develop Black Caps and White Ferns. And we’re currently looking at what we do with that, but also part of our strategic plan was looking to diversify our revenue streams to pay for and invest in our high-performance community and pathways. One of which was looking at what we did with overseas domestic franchises.”Weenink added that growing the NZC and players’ brand in India remained vital, but that the potential growth of the game in the US – including the hosting of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles where cricket will return – made MLC an attractive proposition. There is also a timezone advantage with evening games from the US being broadcast in the middle of day in New Zealand rather than during the night.He expected the new franchise to have a “heavy New Zealand influence” but the country’s players would be free to join any team in the competition. For centrally contracted players, international duty would continue to take precedence.Weenink also said that the move did not mean the governing body was taking any of its focus away from the game in New Zealand.”It’s additional funding and revenue, which we will then be able to invest in our high-performance community and pathways game in New Zealand,” he said. “We don’t see by making this investment in an overseas league as meaning we’re not going to invest further in our own Super Smash, or other leagues. We see this as complementary because we see it as an opportunity to generate revenue, to enable us to actually invest in our network, and in particular, our leagues.”In terms of the Super Smash, which is usually played from late December to early February, Weenink said various options remained on the table including private investment. There is also the potential for providing a team in the BBL should the tournament in Australia expand. The BBL is set to undergo a review, led by Boston Consulting Group, to assess its future options.1:50

Cummins: MLC is giving cricketers a platform in the US

“We have had informal talks with Cricket Australia about potentially putting a team in the Big Bash,” Weenink said. “And that’s certainly, if we’re both in agreement, something that we would consider. But as well as looking at that and considering some options there, we are actively considering what we should do with our Super Smash. Because we’ve actually been able to generate good revenue from broadcasting and also ICC distributions, we haven’t necessarily needed to do anything like privatise the Super Smash.”But there is obviously a recognition that broadcasting and ICC distributions will potentially come under pressure. So we need to look at alternative things, including do we privatise our own Super Smash? Certainly all those things are being considered as part of our longer-term strategic thinking.”Further details of the NZC-backed franchise, including its name, are expected to be announced later this year.”TNS is delighted to partner with NZC, an organisation admired for its sustained success despite limited financial and playing resources compared to other international cricketing bodies,” Mehta said. “As founders of start-ups that have rapidly grown to established businesses, we see NZC as a perfect fit for our new franchise. With NZC’s expertise, our expansion franchise will elevate MLC’s world-class T20 product and support cricket’s rapid growth in our region.”The 2025 edition of MLC will be played from June 13 to July 14 with Oakland’s Coliseum to host matches for the first time. Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Rachin Ravindra and Finn Allen are among the current New Zealand players set to take part.

Thomas Zilliacus, a former interested party when it comes to takeovers at Manchester United, claims that he would be happy to return to the negotiating table if the Glazer family opened themselves up to a sale. He is prepared to work alongside another investor, be that Sir Jim Ratcliffe or somebody else, with the Finnish entrepreneur stating that he wants to look after the best interests of Premier League heavyweights.

• Man Utd takeover: Confirmation of interest after talks claim

  Zilliacus formed part of the process in 2023 that eventually led to Ratcliffe and his INEOS group acquiring a 25 per cent stake at Old Trafford and taking control of football operations. Little progress has been made since then, particularly on the field, with a disgruntled fan base continuing to ask uncomfortable questions of those pulling strings behind the scenes.

  There has been fresh talk of new owners being sounded out, with Turki Al-Sheikh – a man helping to take major sporting events to Saudi Arabia – claiming that discussions have been held. He posted on social media: "The best news I heard today is that Manchester United is now in an advanced stage of completing a deal to sell to a new investor… I hope he’s better than the previous owners."

  He went on to say: "Yesterday’s post about Manchester United's potential sale meant one thing: the club is in an advanced negotiation phase with a new investor. Just to clarify, I am not the investor, nor are they from my nation. I'm posting this as a fan who wishes the deal to happen, though it might not necessarily happen."

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  Man Utd valuation: How much it would take to buy Red Devils

  It is reported that United are currently valued at around £2 billion ($2.7bn), but a bid in the region of £5.2bn ($6.9bn) would be required in order to tempt the Glazers into a sale – taking into account future increases in value, with the Red Devils piecing together plans for a new 100,000-seater stadium.

  Zilliacus says he is prepared to enter into talks, telling the : "Last week, I was sitting and thinking through all the possibilities of investing in Manchester United and drafting a basic plan on how I could approach certain parties to see if something could be done. This is about joining forces with the right parties with the sole aim of bringing Manchester United back to where it should be as the number one club in the world.

  "I mean, my love for the club has gone nowhere and I think the opportunity is still there. So I would really welcome an opportunity to talk to the key players and see what can be done. The key players, of course, today, Ratcliffe, then if other parties would be keen to join as well, then that would be great. Some of the investors, I think it's almost everything or nothing, meaning either they own the club alone or they are not interested. So you would have to find the investors who are willing to look at what is best for the club and not what is best for the investor."

• Zilliacus willing to work with Ratcliffe & Sheikh Jassim

  Zilliacus added on putting supporters at the heart of his project, with the Glazers having vehemently opposed any fan-led initiatives: "I think the Glazers, unfortunately, are a good example of somebody who is not really looking out for the club, but rather using it as a cash cow. But in any case, they are not doing what should be done.

  "I have a program that involves the fans who are overseas, who cannot come to watch a game. And my program can evolve in a way that can bring significant new revenues to the club. So with that money the club could do all the things it needs to do to be truly the best football club in the world, where all the best players, the best managers, everybody wants to be there."

  He went on to say of potentially working alongside Ratcliffe or fellow former bidder Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani: “"I actually have nothing against working with people like Jim Ratcliffe or any investor, whoever that may be. Because I'm not in this to have a trophy that I can show off to other people. I'm in this to make a club that I've been a fan of since I was 12 years old the best club in the world. My heart cries when I see how things are going today. Manchester United are so far below where the club should be and could be if things were managed the right way.

  "When I had made my bid I realised that the Glazers were playing a game where Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim and myself were just trying to outbid each other. So the price was just going higher and higher and higher. I publicly said that this is madness, that this is money that should be used for the club and not to further enrich the Glazers. So I said, 'Why don't we join forces and take over the club together?' I'm still completely open to that, and I would be more than happy to speak to Sheikh Jassim or to Jim Ratcliffe or any other investor about how we could work together."

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  When did the Glazer family complete Man Utd takeover?

  The Glazer family completed their takeover of United in 2005. Their reign has faced plenty of opposition down the years, but nobody has been able to put a proposal in place that has convinced the American ownership group to sell up and walk away. That situation has contributed to regression on the pitch, despite big spending in the transfer market, with the Red Devils currently without European competition in 2025-26 as Ruben Amorim sees inevitable questions asked of his future as head coach.

It keeps on getting worse for West Ham United this season.

The Hammers kick-started their Premier League campaign with a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Sunderland last month, and instead of it being an aberration, it was, in fact, a sign of things to come.

The East Londoners have since lost the EFL Cup Second Round tie against Wolverhampton Wanderers and three of their four league games.

It’s undoubtedly time for Graham Potter to be replaced, and the good news is that West Ham are being linked with a host of candidates, including one manager who could be even better than Tottenham Hotspur’s Thomas Frank.

West Ham target a new manager

West Ham have been linked with plenty of potential Potter replacements since the start of the season, with Gary O’Neil being a recent name to pop up.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

The former Wolves boss would undoubtedly be an interesting appointment, and one that may help to stabilise things, but it’s hardly one that’ll get the fans excited.

Likewise, while there is certainly some romanticism surrounding the links to bring Slaven Bilic back to the club, there should be concerns over the fact that he has not managed in the top flight for five years.

Fortunately, there is another manager the Hammers are keen to hire, someone who could be better than Frank.

At least that is according to a recent report from journalist Alan Nixon, who has claimed West Ham are still keen on Nuno Espírito Santo.

In fact, Nixon goes further than that, revealing that the club are now “getting closer” to the former Nottingham Forest boss.

It could be a complicated deal to get over the line, but Nuno would be worth the hassle, especially as he could be an even better manager than Frank.

How Nuno compares to Frank

So the first thing to say is that Frank is clearly a great manager, as he wouldn’t have been at Brentford for so long or got the job at Spurs if he wasn’t.

However, there are some who argue that Nuno is the superior coach, with talkSPORT’s Rory Jennings boldly stating that the former Wolves manager is simply “better than Thomas Frank.”

Now, we know that the content creator isn’t exactly the bastion of good takes, but when you take a look at the stats and achievements, he may well be right.

For example, the Portuguese manager has now overseen 184 Premier League matches during his time with Wolves, Spurs and Forest.

Of those 184 games, 72 have been wins, 45 have been draws and 67 have been losses, which gives him an average of 1.42 points per game.

Games

184

157

Wins

72

57

Draws

45

39

Losses

67

61

Points per Game

1.42

1.34

During his time in the top flight, the Danish coach has managed 157 games, of which 57 have ended in wins, 39 have been draws, and 61 have been defeats, resulting in a worse points per game average of 1.34.

Moreover, unlike with other managers, this comparison feels quite fair, as both of them brought a team up from the Championship, so it’s not like the São Tomé-born tactician has had an easier time of things.

On top of that, while the former Bees boss turned the West Londoners into a mid-table side, Nuno did even better.

During his time with the Old Gold, he took them into Europe, and then, to prove he could do it again, he took the Tricky Trees from relegation candidates to European football within a season and a half.

Ultimately, Frank is a great coach, but from their raw numbers to what we have seen them do with Premier League teams, it looks like Nuno is simply better.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 24, 2025

كسر فينيسيوس جونيور، نجم نادي ريال مدريد، صمته بعد الأحداث التي شهدتها مواجهة الكلاسيكو بين فريقه وبرشلونة، ووجه رسالة كذلك إلى جماهير الفريق الملكي.

ريال مدريد حسم قمة الجولة العاشرة من بطولة الدوري الإسباني للدرجة الأولى وحقق الانتصار على حساب نظيره برشلونة بهدفين مقابل هدف واحد يوم أمس الأحد.

وجعل هذا الانتصار ريال مدريد يعزز صدارته في ترتيب الدوري الإسباني وبفارق خمس نقاط عن برشلونة صاحب المركز الثاني.

لكن فينيسيوس أثار الجدل عقب اعتراضه على استبداله في شوط المباراة الثاني، حيث حل محله رودريجو جوس.

اقرأ أيضًا .. ريال مدريد يدرس قرارًا هامًا بشأن لاعبه بعد أحداث الكلاسيكو

ولم يقم فينيسيوس بمصافحة مدرب ريال مدريد، تشابي ألونسو، وذهب على الفور إلى خارج الملعب قبل أن يعود بعدها ببضع دقائق إلى مقاعد البدلاء.

وقال فينيسيوس في تصريحات نقلها ”bolavip” : “رسالة إلى جميع المدريديستا، وخاصةً من حضروا إلى البرنابيو وساندونا بحماس، هكذا هو الكلاسيكو، هناك الكثير من الأحداث داخل الملعب وخارجه”.

وأضاف فينيسيوس في حديثه: ”نحاول الحفاظ على التوازن لكن هذا ليس ممكنًا دائمًا. لا نريد أن نسيء إلى أحد، لا اللاعبين الشباب ولا الجماهير، نعلم أنه عندما ندخل الملعب علينا أن نؤدي دورنا، وهذا ما كان عليه الحال اليوم. هلا مدريد”.

وعن الفوز على برشلونة اختتم فينيسيوس: ”قدمنا مباراة رائعة حقًا، الفوز بالكلاسيكو دائمًا ما يكون مميزًا وكنا نتطلع للعب هذه المباراة ، المشجعون كذلك قدموا كل شئ من أجل أن نحقق الفوز اليوم”.

 

كشف سالم محمد سالم، وكيل اللاعبين، عن عرض من بيتسو موسيماني، المدير الفني السابق للأهلي وصن دوانز، لعلاج لاعب الزمالك بعد إصابته وطلب ضمه إلى الفريق الجنوب إفريقي.

وقال سالم محمد سالم عبر قناة “أون سبورت”: “بدأت العمل مع محمد إبراهيم منذ عودته من نادي ماريتيمو البرتغالي، حيث عاد في عام 2015، ولعب مع الزمالك تحت قيادة المدير الفني جوسفالدو فيريرا وقدم موسمًا جيدًا للغاية حتى عام 2016، إلى أن تعرض للإصابة الشهيرة خلال مباراة صن داونز”.

وأضاف: “بعد عودته، لم يُكمل محمد إبراهيم عامًا واحدًا قبل أن يتعرض لتلك الإصابة القوية، التي كنا جميعًا ندعو الله أن يتمكن بعدها من العودة للعب كرة القدم مجددًا، واستغرقت فترة علاجه ما يقرب من عام ونصف حتى تعافى تمامًا، ثم احتاج فترة مماثلة تقريبًا ليستعيد قدرته على المشي واللعب بصورة طبيعية”.

واستكمل: “تلك الإصابة أثرت عليه بشكل كبير وأبعدته قليلًا عن مستواه، وعندما عاد إلى الملاعب كان من الصعب عليه استعادة نفس الأداء، وكان في أعلى فورمة أمام صن دوانز في مباراة العودة وهو سجل هدف الزمالك الأول وقتها وكانت النتيجة قبلها 2-0 لـ صن دوانز”.

طالع.. خاص | الزمالك ينهي أزمة المستخقات المتأخرة

وتابع: “كان الكابتن محمد حلمي هو المدير الفني في ذلك الوقت، وقدم محمد إبراهيم أداءً استثنائيًا، لدرجة أن بيتسو موسيماني، مدرب صن داونز آنذاك، صرّح بعد المباراة قائلًا أريد اللاعب رقم 20 معي في صن داونز”.

واستمر: “موسيماني عرض التكفل بعلاج اللاعب بعد إصابته في تلك المباراة، لكن الزمالك رفض، وتكفل بجميع تكاليف العلاج”.

واستطرد: “نحن نتحدث عن فترة إصابة استمرت قرابة عامين، حتى تمكن من استعادة لياقته مرة أخرى، محمد إبراهيم بذل جهدًا كبيرًا في العودة، وما زال يواصل العطاء في الملاعب”.

وأتم:”صحيح أنه لعب سبع مباريات فقط مع ماريتيمو قبل العودة لأسباب عائلية وشخصية، لكن فترة الإصابة كانت السبب الأكبر في تراجع مستواه، لأنها استنزفت منه جهدًا ووقتًا كبيرين”.

The powers that be at West Bromwich Albion would have been very aware that appointing Ryan Mason this summer was an almighty gamble.

After all, away from the odd caretaker game in charge of Tottenham Hotspur, the 34-year-old had never been a fully-fledged manager in North London. Rather, he was seen as a highly-regarded coach, attempting to get even more out of an exciting pool of youngsters at the Premier League club.

However, the early signs of his Baggies tenure show that he is cut out for the pressures of a main gig in the Championship, with three victories collected from his four clashes in the tough division sticking out.

Mason should be commended for this largely positive start, even if some defeats have started to pile up in recent games, having had to navigate his new side through a choppy summer in the transfer window.

West Brom's bumpy summer

Indeed, late on into the window, West Brom had to wave goodbye to homegrown favourite Tom Fellows, as a move to Southampton beckoned.

With Fellows tallying up a stunning 14 assists last season in Championship action, it was an obvious knock to the Baggies’ confidence losing their star-man to a second-tier promotion rival, with other notable departures only opening up the West Brom wound even more.

Notable West Brom summer sales

Player

Games last season

Sold for

Torbjørn Heggem

45

£10m

Darnell Furlong

43

£3.5m

Semi Ajayi

15

Free transfer

John Swift

37

Free transfer

Grady Diangana

35

Free transfer

Sourced by Transfermarkt

At least West Brom managed to get a considerable £8m out of the Saints to then part ways with their homegrown prodigy, with the second-tier giants unfortunately saying farewell to Semi Ajayi, John Swift, and Grady Diangana for nothing, alongside further seeing the back of Torbjorn Heggem to Bologna.

They have recovered, though, with the signing of Nathaniel Phillips from Liverpool boosting their depleted numbers in the heart of defence, alongside Isaac Price immediately stepping up in the absence of Fellows.

The ex-Everton starlet would chip in with two strikes in West Brom’s early-season victory on the road at Wrexham, with scout Jacek Kulig even going as far as to describe the Northern Ireland international as “outstanding.”

With Mason being well-known for working with some top youngsters at Spurs, there is one rising ace at the Hawthorns who could well fancy their chances now of being the next Price.

The "outstanding" youngster who could be another Price

After all, it appears that the 21-year-old just needed an appropriate platform to express himself, having been previously labelled as “tremendous” by journalist Joe Thomas when he was still just a youngster attempting to cut his teeth on Merseyside.

Despite such glowing praise, Price would never go on to make a first-team appearance for the Toffees, with Harry Whitwell hoping he’s not in danger of being forgotten about in a similar dismissive manner in the current youth set-up in the West Midlands.

Thankfully, he already trumps his midfield counterpart in terms of senior chances, with Whitwell even handed a run-out towards the tail-end of last season in the bread and butter of the Championship.

Having shone on the youth pitches at the Baggies for some time now, on top of being handed more first-team experience this campaign on loan with Robbie Savage’s Forest Green Rovers in non-league, it does feel as if the building blocks are all slowly falling into place for the 19-year-old to be a success under Mason very shortly.

Whitwell’s career numbers

Stat

Whitwell

Games played

90

First team appearances

3

Age

19

Goals scored

14

Assists

9

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Savage has even gone out of his way to label the teenager as “outstanding” for his early efforts at the New Lawn, with his overall career goal contribution numbers coming in at a weighty 23, further reinforcing the argument that he could be a Price-level talent.

The promotion-chasing Baggies will have to play the long game here, however, with Whitwell out on loan in the National League for the remainder of the season.

But, if the unthinkable were to occur and Price moved on, alongside other damaging sales happening again, the time might finally be right for the Oxford-born youngster to leave his mark.

Related Value has dropped by £13m: West Brom sold a bigger talent than Isaac Price

West Bromwich Albion sold a bigger talent than Isaac Price when they offloaded this former dud.

Posts 1 ByKelan Sarson Sep 23, 2025

Pep Guardiola longed to see Jack Grealish return to being the player he was when he helped Manchester City sweep to the treble. He waited and waited, and now has finally got his wish, albeit not in the way he would have hoped. Grealish feels like a brand new player away from City on loan at Everton, even more influential than in 2023, a talisman for his new club rather than just one of many stars.

Grealish will be limited to the role of spectator when Everton visit City on Saturday, but he will be fondly welcomed back by the Etihad Stadium faithful, who loved him for his happy persona and the way he revelled in the club's many triumphs. Grealish reached cult hero status when he became the focal point of the debauched treble celebrations, from blasting out music in the Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul, continuing the party in Ibiza and then taking things to a whole new level during the parade back in Manchester.

For Guardiola, though, Grealish was never quite the same player as in that season, his second after joining in Premier League record, £100 million move from Aston Villa. After curbing his usual sensibilities to suit Guardiola's demands, becoming a ball-hogging tactical chess piece known among team-mates and staff as a 'rest station' as he allowed others to take a breather while he kept possession or drew fouls, City signed Jeremy Doku to compete with Grealish. 

Phil Foden, who had been injured or ill for key chunks of the treble season, was another player who competed with Grealish for a place in City's midfield, and his role in the team subsequently faded amid a number of niggling injuries. At the end of a disappointing 2023-24 campaign for Grealish – but a record-breaking, fourth-successive title for City – Guardiola vowed: "He will be back. He’s struggled this ­season. Jeremy has made an incredi­ble step forward as everyone has seen in the last games, but Jack will be back at the level of last season – I’m pretty sure." 

Guardiola was not correct. Having made 10 Premier League starts the previous season and contributed to four goals, Grealish made only seven starts while scoring once and assisting once in the Premier League. Amid increased competition from Savinho and Omar Marmoush, Grealish was an unused substitute in the FA Cup final despite City chasing the game against Crystal Palace.

Halfway through the season, Guardiola admitted that he had effectively given up on Grealish: "Do I want the Jack that won the treble? Yeah I want it, but I try to be honest with myself for that." Grealish, however, is that player once more – he just had to leave City and Guardiola behind to rediscover himself.

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  Something to prove

  When Grealish was looking for a new club in the summer, he had various conversations with David Moyes. The Scot, who has been a Premier League coach for more than two decades, knew exactly how to push Grealish's buttons. Moyes saw a player who had fallen in the estimation of football fans, just as he had done after his nightmarish 10-month spell managing Manchester United immediately after Sir Alex Ferguson's departure. 

  And just as Moyes emerged from that harrowing time at Old Trafford to win a European trophy with West Ham and oversee an incredible resurgence at Everton, who were in danger of relegation when he returned at the start of 2025, he believed Grealish could turn it around.

  "The knowledge that he thinks he’s got a little bit to prove and to stand up," Moyes explained after signing Grealish on loan on the eve of the new season. "I’ve had to do that myself. I’ve had to come back from being knocked down. Sometimes you have to have that resilience to bounce back, to fight back and to show everybody. I just sense Jack is carrying that with him now. I hope it shows through this season because, if it does, then we’ll get a lot of good things from Jack."

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  Feeling loved

  It did not take long for Everton to get the best out of Grealish. In his first start for the club, he inspired them to a 2-0 win over Brighton in their first-ever competitive game at the brand new Hill Dickinson Stadium, setting up both goals. In that full debut, Grealish equalled the number of goals he had contributed to in his final season with City.

  In his next game at Wolves, Grealish provided two more assists in a 3-2 win. No player created more Premier League goals in August, and Grealish was deservedly named the English top-flight's Player of the Month. Just over a month on, Grealish snatched victory over previously unbeaten Crystal Palace by scoring in added time to seal a 2-1 win. It was his first goal for the Toffees, and it was a scrappy one at that, but it also spoke of his desire as he blocked an attempted clearance from Daniel Munoz in the six-yard box to divert the ball in. Grealish had been urging himself to score a late goal in Everton's previous two games, and it proved to be third time lucky.

  "It was an unbelievable feeling," he said. "Do you know what’s mad? In the last few games when we’ve been here, we’ve been drawing and I keep saying to myself in the 85th minute: ‘Come on Jack, imagine if you scored now’. I did it against Villa and West Ham and didn’t score, so today I said the same thing again and scored."

  Grealish also dedicated his goal to "all the Evertonians who’ve made me so welcome". He added: "The way they've made me feel since I've come here when I see them, not even at the stadium but just around the place, it's so nice. There's no better feeling in life than to feel loved."

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  Symbol of 'iconic' stadium

  Moyes could see that Grealish needed more care and attention than he was getting at City under Guardiola. "He probably needs a bit of love and attention," he said after the Palace game. "He is making a big difference. Whether it is his assists, his presence, lots of things. So all credit to him. He is playing the minutes he may not have had in recent years. You know, he's so good. What Jack gives us is something just on the edge, which, hopefully it's on the edge of creativeness and maybe scoring goals.

  "It's nothing to do with me, let me tell you – it's all to do with Jack and his own mentality to be better," Moyes added. "There's a wee bit to prove, I'm sure – I think we all have. I think in life, you've always got something you have to strive to do. And I think Jack wants to show that he's a good player. I think he's showing it at the moment."

  And while the Everton boss hasn't tried to take credit for Grealish's revival, he is clearly doing something right. Grealish seems to fit at Everton much better than he did at City, precisely because he is the main man, just as he was at boyhood club Villa. Only Iliman Ndiaye can come close to him in the the Everton squad in terms of talent, but in terms of status, Grealish is by far and away the most famous player.  He is the centre of attention for fans and his shirt has proven to be the biggest selling one at the club shop.

  Grealish has become a symbol of the club's spectacular new 52,000 capacity stadium which sits on the River Mersey. "It's incredible, it feels iconic," he said of the new arena. And he is its icon.

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  'Warrior in training'

  Despite his rock-star status, Grealish does not strut around like he owns the place. His attention to fans looking for photos and autographs has been noted, as indeed it was at City. But his work ethic is also being talked about in a way that it was not necessarily praised in Manchester.

  "The thing I’ve noticed is that Jack’s one of the first in and one of the last out every day (at training)," midfielder Kieran Dewsbury-Hall told . "He’s always doing the recovery, ice baths, massages, putting himself in the best possible position to perform. He’s kept himself in the right shape. Everyone knows Jack’s at his best when he’s got a smile on his face, playing confidently. He wants to play every week and show people what he’s about."

  Carlos Alcaraz added: "What I have been really impressed about is that he has been a real warrior in training. We want that attitude. We are at a club where we are all in it together. He is a great guy. In the short time he has been here, he has chatted to everyone and tried to get to know everyone."

First Test meeting in more than two decades looms at Trent Bridge as England warm up for big summer

Andrew Miller21-May-2025

Sean Williams fields the ball during Zimbabwe’s training session•Getty Images

Big picture: The end of a two-decade hiatusIt puts it into context somewhat. Five months between Test matches feels like an eternity in England’s ultra-jampacked cycle, but how about 22 years between contests for this week’s lesser-heralded visitors to Trent Bridge?June 7, 2003 at Chester-le-Street was the last time England and Zimbabwe came together for a Test match, when Richard Johnson – now Middlesex’s grizzled head coach – claimed five lbws in a debut haul of 6 for 33, only days after a certain James Anderson had picked up 5 for 73 at Lord’s in the first of his eventual 188 Test appearances.And it’s saying something when not even Anderson’s gargantuan career was quite long enough to span the two decades of bilateral silence that ensued. This encompassed Zimbabwe’s self-imposed exile from top-tier cricket, and England’s nose-holding attitude to the late stages of Robert Mugabe’s regime, all wrapped up in a sense that the challenge would no longer be worthy, even if it was entertained.Now at least, that latter aspect has been agreed upon, although the precise worthiness of Zimbabwe’s modern Test team remains to be ascertained, given that last week they lost their only warm-up to a bunch of county fringe players and Under-19 starlets at Grace Road.Nevertheless, they are here as part of a bumper year of Test ambition from Zimbabwe Cricket, who have scheduled a remarkable 11 Tests for 2025 – the joint-most they have ever contested in a calendar year, and more than they had managed in the preceding five.Already they’ve won one of their four to date this year, against Bangladesh in Sylhet last month, in which Blessing Muzarabani made history with his third six-wicket haul in as many matches. The IPL has since come calling for his services, which just goes to show that this ancient art-form remains a shop-window for high performers. Zimbabwe might not need extra motivation to produce their best against such illustrious opponents, but it doesn’t hurt to be reminded that the world is still invested in their exploits.Bigging up the old format, of course, has been much of the mission for Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum throughout their three-year alliance. However, as McCullum admitted in his pre-match comments on Tuesday, there’s been a curious disconnect between the team’s perceived entertainment value and the actual output of a side that, since that first heady year of 2022, has now won 13 and lost 11 of its 25 subsequent contests.In all likelihood, that ratio will have widened by Sunday evening, but nevertheless, the signs are already there that this is the year in which the England team gets serious about winning and losing, having previously insisted (with some initial justification) that the process was all that really mattered when it came to extracting the best from one’s players.Much as was the case when Ireland came to visit in 2023, right on the eve of that summer’s Ashes, the week ahead offers a curious preamble that is unlikely to prove much for the hosts, beyond the smooth running (or otherwise) of the Bazball bandwagon.Certainly, it seems unlikely that individual success or failure will have much bearing on the squad selection for the India series next month. Zak Crawley, in the midst of a horrendous run of form for club and country alike, will surely retain the management’s backing as their likeliest source of momentum in the bigger engagements to come. Ollie Pope – a centurion in his last home Test against Sri Lanka last summer – likewise will remain in the mix come what may, even with the likely return of Jacob Bethell to the squad after the IPL.And on the bowling front, Shoaib Bashir remains England’s first-choice spinner, irrespective of a ghastly loan stint with Glamorgan in which he claimed fewer wickets (two) than he played matches (three). Sam Cook’s long-awaited debut implies a summer-long role is there to be grasped, given the impact that Chris Woakes (set to return to action for England Lions next week) had previously had after taking over from Anderson as the skills-savvy attack leader. Meanwhile, Josh Tongue’s third Test appearance – after two fraught years of injury – reinforces the sense that England have found a good’un with his energetic length-hitting approach.All such minutiae can take a back seat in the short term, however. On Thursday morning, eleven representatives of a nation that might have believed this day would never return will line up for their national anthem in front of the Trent Bridge pavilion. It will be a moment that seems a lifetime removed from the political angst that overshadowed their first coming as a Test nation. And regardless of whether their current Test enthusiasm is a passing fad, or the start of a genuine push to regain the recognition that was first conferred on them more than 30 years ago, it’s a vote of confidence in the old format that a few other Full Member nations would do well to replicate.Related

Switch Hit: Zim bunnies?

Brendon McCullum wants England Test team to reconnect with fans

Ben Curran on his journey with Zimbabwe: 'Everyone's got their own path'

Sam Cook confirmed for Test debut as England name XI to face Zimbabwe

Form guide England LWWLW
Zimbabwe LWLLDIn the spotlight: Ben Stokes and Blessing MuzarabaniSam Cook may feel he has the most to prove on Thursday, when he takes the field for a Test debut that sometimes never seemed likely to come to pass. But those who’ve seen him in action for Essex can second-guess what he’s going to bring to the occasion – namely, zippy, stump-threatening new-ball energy, with an intelligent command of seam and swing, and the nous to adapt his methods when the shine comes off the ball.Quite what version of Ben Stokes turns up is another matter, however. By all accounts, he’s fighting fit and ready to play a full and committed role with bat and ball – he’s looking noticeably lean, having not touched alcohol since January 2. However, this will also be his first competitive outing since tearing his hamstring in December, which means all bets are off as to how his form stacks up. For what it’s worth, he’s averaged 28.66 with the bat since the start of 2024, and hasn’t made a Test century since his Lord’s onslaught in the Ashes. As for his bowling, it looked handy enough in New Zealand, where he claimed seven wickets in the final two Tests. But the effort that entailed was precisely what set him back.Blessing Muzarabani is enjoying his moment in the sun. At a towering 6’8″, he has natural attributes aplenty, and when allied to a whippy action that is reminiscent of Kagiso Rabada, he can be a match for any batter … as shown in his surge to 51 Test wickets at 21.84 in just 12 Tests. If he can resist the temptation to bang the ball down too short, and attack the splice with the natural lift that his beanpole frame can generate, he could be the ideal weapon to halt one or two Bazballers in their tracks. Crawley, whose dreadful winter was epitomized by his six consecutive dismissals to New Zealand’s tall seamer Matt Henry will make for an obvious first target.England’s squad assembles for the pre-match photo•Getty Images

Team news: Cook, Tongue confirmed, Zimbabwe waitSam Cook’s England debut was earmarked from the moment he was rested by Essex for their County Championship match with Worcestershire in April, and sure enough he will be the newest recruit to a notably inexperienced seam attack led by the one-season veteran Gus Atkinson (11 caps). Josh Tongue impressed in two Lord’s Tests against Ireland and Australia in 2023 before a series of injuries, but his early-season form for Nottinghamshire has been ominously good. Ollie Pope returns to No.3 after his middle-order / wicketkeeping flirtations in New Zealand, with Jamie Smith restored to the gloves after missing that tour on paternity leave.England: 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Jamie Smith (wk), 7 Ben Stokes (capt), 8 Gus Atkinson, 9 Sam Cook, 10 Josh Tongue, 11 Shoaib BashirZimbabwe have chosen to name their XI on the morning of the match, but the spine of the side is likely to be provided by the team that took on, and lost to, a County Select XI in Leicester last week. Sikandar Raza missed that warm-up match because he was on duty for Lahore Qalandars in the PSL.Zimbabwe: 1 Brian Bennett, 2 Ben Curran, 3 Nick Welch, 4 Sean Williams, 5 Craig Ervine (capt), 6 Wessly Madhevere, 7 Tafadzwa Tsiga (wk), 8 Clive Madande, 9 Wellington Masakadza, 10 Richard Ngarava, 11 Blessing MuzarabaniZimbabwe’s squad are all smiles ahead of the Trent Bridge Test•Getty Images

Pitch and conditions: A typical Trent Bridge wicket is anticipated across the four days: dry, flat, with good carry and plenty of runs, not least on the invariably short boundary on the Bridgford Road side of the ground. The weather could yet be a factor. After an improbably glorious month, there is rain threatening for the weekend.Stats and trivia This will be the seventh Test between England and Zimbabwe, and the first in almost 22 years. England have won three of those games, all by an innings, with three further draws. Joe Root needs 28 runs to become only the fifth batter – behind Tendulkar, Ponting, Kallis and Dravid – to reach 13,000 in Tests. Shoaib Bashir is one short of 50 Test wickets. This will be his 17th match for England. Sean Williams, who made his ODI debut for Zimbabwe in February 2005, has passed 20 years as an international cricketerQuotes”You want to test yourself against the best. And England’s right up there with the best. So to have this opportunity, you really want to put Zimbabwe on the map. You want to come in with the right mindset that you’re coming in to win. You’re not just coming to fulfil a fixture. I think you want to turn up here and hopefully cause an upset.”
Zimbabwe’s captain, Craig Ervine is confident of a good showing from his team.“We have Zimbabwe coming up tomorrow. That’s our sole focus at the moment. We know what we have coming up, but we will deal with the challenge of Zimbabwe then, as we get closer to India starting, turn our focus to that.”

MatériaMais Notícias

Após as convocações de Raphael Veiga e Richard Ríos, para Brasil e Colômbia, respectivamente, o Palmeiras teve mais um convocado para as Eliminatórias sulamericanas nesta segunda-feira (4).

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasAbel Ferreira quebra recorde na defesa, mas precisa reinventar ataque do Palmeiras sem DuduPalmeiras04/09/2023Palmeiras‘Você…’: O que Murilo falou para ser expulso no clássico entre Palmeiras e CorinthiansPalmeiras04/09/2023Fora de CampoJornalista diz que Corinthians ‘ficou no lucro’ contra o Palmeiras: ‘Elenco mal montado’Fora de Campo03/09/2023

+ CONFIRA A TABELA DO CAMPEONATO BRASILEIRO

Titular no empate diante do Corinthians por 0 a 0 neste último domingo, o lateral-esquerdo Joaquin Piquerez foi convocado por Marcelo Bielsa e vai defender o Uruguai nos dois primeiros compromissos da Celeste em busca de uma vaga na Copa de 2026.

A lista do Uruguai ainda conta com três nomes conhecidos do torcedor brasileiro: Sergio Rochet (goleiro do Internacional), Bruno Mendez (Corinthians) e Cannobio (Athletico-PR).

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Lista de jugadores citados por Marcelo Bielsa para las dos primeras fechas de las Eliminatorias rumbo a la Copa Mundial de la FIFA 26™#ElEquipoQueNosUne pic.twitter.com/vFDeaJTeQ4

— Selección Uruguaya (@Uruguay) September 4, 2023

Piquerez fez parte da campanha do Uruguai nas últimas Eliminatórias, mas acabou ficando de fora da lista final da Celeste para a última Copa do Mundo, disputada no Catar.

Com uma disputa pesadíssima por posição no time de Bielsa, Piquerez vai concorrer por uma vaga de titular com um grande conhecido do torcedor palmeirense, o lateral Matías Viña, campeão da Libertadores de 2020 pelo Verdão.

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+ Copo Stanley a partir de R$120,00. Bebida gelada nos 90′ de jogo do Verdão!

O Uruguai estreia nas Eliminatórias diante do Chile, em Montevidéu, nesta próxima sexta-feira (8) e depois encara a Colômbia, na outra terça-feira (12).