All posts by n8rngtd.top

Portuguese tennis player Francisco Cabral wore a black ribbon on his tennis gear to pay tribute to Diogo Jota at Wimbledon on Friday.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Jota died in tragic circumstances on Thursday
• Wimbledon relaxed attire rules
• Countryman Cabral paid tribute

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Cabral played a doubles match alongside Austrian player Lucas Miedler, and the Portuguese wore a black ribbon on his arm to pay tribute to Jota, who died in a car crash, along with his younger brother, Andre, on Thursday. The Portuguese's tragic, sudden passing has led to an outpouring of grief both within football and from across the wider sporting world, with Cabral the latest to pay his respects.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  While Cabral and his partner lost their doubles match, he explained that he had to ask for special permission to wear the ribbon; he had asked to don a black armband, but that request was rejected. On Merseyside, thousands of fans have descended on Anfield to leave tributes, one of whom was former Reds captain Jordan Henderson, who laid flowers and signed Liverpool's book of remembrance.

• WHAT CABRAL SAID

  Cabral told reporters after his match: “Yesterday the idea of wearing a black strap came up – that was not allowed.

  “I asked for permission to use the black ribbon and they let me play with it.

  “It was an honour – it was not for the best reason. He was an inspiration not only for me but for the country in general.”

  He added: “He made so much in the sport and conquered so much in my life. It was an honour for me to try and help.

  “If I helped one per cent for the family I will be super happy.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Fans and other sportspeople will likely continue paying tribute to Jota and his brother across the coming weekend, and the months and years to come. He left an indelible mark on the people who both watched him, and who met him, and his legacy will live on.

Arsenal are concerned over the future of wonderkid Ethan Nwaneri, per a new report, with his contract set to expire at the end of the 2025-26 season.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Arsenal keen to keep Nwaneri
• Negotiating a new contract with teenager
• Worried about potential of foreign move

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Per The Athletic, the Gunners have concerns over Nwaneri's future as his contract continues to run down. His deal expires at the end of the season and the two parties are locked in talks over a renewal. While the England Under-21 international wants to stay, there are concerns over the fact he can speak to foreign clubs from January, and the Gunners want to resolve his future before then.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The 18-year-old has already made 39 first-team appearances for the club, and Arsenal have been forced to wait to open negotiations, because players under the age of 18 cannot sign deals that run for longer than three years. They are said to be hopeful of tying him down for five years, as they have with left-back Myles Lewis-Skelley. They are also aware of strong interest in Nwaneri from both the Premier League and abroad.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Nwaneri was involved in England's success at the European Under-21 Championships, playing 29 minutes in the final win over Germany, and talks could intensify now his international commitments are over this summer. The winger wants to ensure his development continues, and while the Gunners want him to stay and have no interest in selling him, they recognise that they cannot allow him to become a free agent, opening the door to a potential January exit if he refuses to commit.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Arsenal will hope to have Nwaneri's future sorted by the start of the 2025-26 season, particularly if he enjoys a strong opening to the campaign under boss Mikel Arteta.

Manchester United have officially confirmed the appointment of club legend Darren Fletcher as the head coach of the U-18 side. Fletcher, who was serving as a first-team coach under Ruben Amorim in United's senior side, will now move into a more prominent coaching job. The ex-Scotland star considers the role as a first step towards realising his dream of becoming a manager.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Fletcher takes charge of United's U-18 side
• Will take up new job with immediate effect
• Amorim loses assistant coach

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The official statement from the Red Devils on Fletcher's appointment read: "Manchester United are delighted to confirm the appointment of Darren Fletcher as lead coach of the Under-18s." The club further confirmed that the ex-United star has started his new role with immediate effect and has taken charge of the youth team's pre-season preparations which began with a training camp at the adidas global headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany, and a game against Queens Park Rangers in a friendly at Carrington.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  A Red Devils academy product, Fletcher began his professional career in 2003 at Old Trafford under Sir Alex Ferguson and went on to play until 2015. In his 12-year stint with the club, the midfielder won five Premier League titles, one FA Cup, a Carabao Cup and a Champions League trophy.

• WHAT FLETCHER SAID

  Speaking to the club's official website, the 41-year-old said: "I am really excited to take on this new role and increase my responsibility to directly develop our young players. I’m looking forward to working with such a talented age-group; supporting them to reach their potential and preparing them to enjoy careers at the highest level possible."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

  Ruben Amorim's side will travel to the U.S. for the second part of their pre-season training later this month. They will play their first friendly match against Leeds United on July 19 in Stockholm.

Beth Mead believes that England’s Euro 2025 opener defeat to France was 'the best thing that could have happened' to the Lionesses, as they prepare for a high-stakes quarter-final clash against Sweden. With momentum now on their side after back-to-back big wins, Sarina Wiegman’s team are looking to peak at just the right time as they look to defend their 2021 title.

• Mead says France defeat helped spark England’s revival
• Lionesses face Sweden in high-stakes Euro 2025 quarter-final
• England chasing back-to-back titles after shaky group stage

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  England began their Euro 2025 campaign with a disappointing loss to France, sparking doubts about their title defence. However, Sarina Wiegman’s side quickly regrouped, responding with dominant wins over the Netherlands and Wales to finish second in their group. That turnaround has set up a high-stakes quarter-final clash with Sweden, who topped their group and look determined to avenge their 2022 semi-final exit.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT MEAD SAID

  Speaking to the media, Mead said: “It didn’t seem it at the time, it probably was the best thing that could have happened to us as a team. I think it motivated us. We had conversations, we figured things out that we maybe needed to.

  "You don't win or lose a tournament in the first game, I think it's cliche to say it, but you don't, and we're now in a position where we're building quite nicely and hopefully we can continue that momentum now into the quarterfinals."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Sweden have looked like one of the tournament's most complete teams, capped by a stunning 4-1 win over Germany in their last group game. They have consistently reached the latter stages of major competitions and will be eager to end England's reign as champions. For the Lionesses, the rematch with Sweden is a chance to prove their recent resurgence is no fluke and that they remain serious contenders for the title.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR FOR ENGLAND?

  The Lionesses will face Sweden in Zurich with a place in the Euro 2025 semi-finals on the line. Wiegman is expected to name an unchanged side after the impressive wins in the last two group games, with Mead among those hitting form at the right time.

Pep Guardiola may already be preparing for life after Manchester City as the iconic manager launches a recovery clinic back in his native Barcelona.

• Guardiola launches Monarka Clinic
• Working alongside doctor and therapist
• Preparing for life outside management

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Reported by The Sun, Guardiola has put his 'cash and image' behind the Monarka Clinic, which was launched last month alongside a doctor and a therapist. While Guardiola will not be treating patients himself, he will look to make a positive impact in accompanying and supporting his colleagues Dr Mireia Illueca and Montse Escobar in their important work.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Guardiola was treated by Dr Illueca himself a few years ago following a back injury and has remained in contact with the doctor since, which led to her inviting him to collaborate on this project. Guardiola has been at City for nine years and the belief is that he may step away from his managerial role at the end of his contract to take a '15-year break', possibly back in Barcelona, so the beginning of this new project makes sense.

• WHAT GUARDIOLA SAID

  Guardiola said: “I had a back problem and she fixed it, and since then we’ve gotten to known each other and become very close. She told me about the clinic and her project, about the things she wants to do. As I’ve always believed that sport, health and wellness are all fundamental, she asked me: ‘Why don’t we work together?’

  “And I replied, ‘Why not?’ And here we are. I’m not going to cure anyone, but I’ll keep her company while she does. I’ve already been doing that for a while.

  “As I am now I’m 75 years old! I’m a wreck, everything hurts right now. So, if it's my biological age… maybe if I take the test, I'll come out younger. I hope to be better than I am now in a while. A friend of mine, who I think defined me very well, once told me that I have three states as a person: euphoric, depressed, and absent. Those are my three states. So the point is to try to stay in the middle of these three.

  "[People in football are] waiting for me to fail? Yes, yes, I’m sure that’s true. And I’m delighted to see them too. Delighted. That gives you energy. In competition, you need people to say to you: 'Really? We’ll see about that.' They were the ones who said: 'He won’t be able to do it in Germany, he was at Barcelona because of who he knew,' and 'In England, you’ll see, English football is different.' Well, no. We did it. And then we did it again and again. Do things sometimes go wrong? Of course they do."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR GUARDIOLA?

  Guardiola and City begin their Premier League campaign against Wolves at Molineux on August 16 as they aim to take back the league title from Arne Slot's Liverpool. After going trophyless last season and a busy summer transfer window to follow, Guardiola may find himself under pressure from sections of the media if recent struggles continue. How much longer the 54-year-old remains as the Sky Blues' manager beyond this season remains to be seen.

Every summer, GOAL publishes its exclusive list of the 25 players who have proven themselves truly elite

World-class… It's an invisible but important tag, one that separates the good from the great. But it's such a subjective term. Every football fan has their own definition, their own set of criterion, leading to endless but thoroughly enjoyable debates in stadiums, dressing rooms, TV studios, cafes, bars, pubs and clubs all across the world.

So, back in 2023, GOAL decided to get in on the fun by compiling a very exclusive list of the 25 players that we felt represented the game's elite, the best of the best, the guys that had been producing stellar performances over a sustained period of time.

In order to avoid focusing solely on attackers – which, let's face it, nearly always happens when it comes to individual awards and accolades – we stipulated that there must be at least three players from each position group (goalkeeper, defence, midfield and attack), and a maximum of nine from each.

Members are subject to an annual review, and now the time has once again come to decide who gets to stay in the World-Class Club – and who must be politely asked to leave.

So, who's made this year's 25-strong selection? Find out below, and be sure to express your approval – or outrage – in the comments…

• Getty/GOAL
  

  GK: Alisson Becker

  Alisson Becker's only flaw is his increasing susceptibility to niggling muscular injuries, which once again interrupted his 2024-25 season. Aside from that annoying habit, though, the Brazilian is the archetypal modern goalkeeper: brave and precise with the ball at his feet, but also a sensational shot-stopper, as he proved once again with an astounding performance against Paris Saint-Germain at Parc des Princes in March.

  Giorgi Mamardashvili is a fine goalkeeper in his own right, but he's going to have his work cut out usurping Alisson as Liverpool's No.1!

Advertisement

• Getty/GOAL
  

  GK: Thibaut Courtois

  Thibaut Courtois missed nearly the entire 2023-24 season with an ACL tear, but he offered an immediate reminder of his quality upon returning to action just before the close of the campaign, keeping a clean sheet in five consecutive games, including Real Madrid's Champions League final win over Borussia Dortmund.

  Last season wasn't quite so successful, but he remains one of the Blancos' standard-setters, an outspoken presence in between the sticks who is given free reign to flag the failings of those in front of him because he usually does his own job flawlessly.

• Getty/GOAL
  

  GK: Gianluigi Donnarumma 🆕

  You'd have been hard pressed to find anyone who didn't deem Gigi Donnarumma world-class after his Golden Ball-winning heroics at Euro 2021. At the time, the Italian giant really did look like Gigi Buffon's heir. However, Donnarumma endured a dramatic dip in form, and his time at Paris Saint-Germain was proving to be a real mixed bag – until this year.

  Donnarumma was absolutely sensational during PSG's Champions League campaign, particularly in the pivotal win over Liverpool at Anfield, and also kept more clean sheets than anyone else at the Club World Cup. Fair to say, then, that the Italy No.1 is well and truly back to his best.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty/GOAL
  

  DEF: Alessandro Bastoni 🆕

  An injury crisis left Inter without a left wing-back for their Champions League clash with Feyenoord in March, so then-coach Simone Inzaghi turned to Alessandro Bastoni, who played the role to perfection. Not that anyone was really surprised.

  Bastoni is widely regarded as the most complete centre-back in world football, a pacey and powerful man-marker with a wand of a left foot who was named the best defender in Serie A for the second consecutive season in 2024-25.

Eddie Hearn has explained how he and boxing champion Anthony Joshua are building a football agency that could attract interest from Cristiano Ronaldo.

• Initial idea floated by boxing superstar
• Meetings and talent scouting taking place
• Will handle all aspects of footballer's career

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Hearn, who is the head of Matchroom Sport, is buying into an exciting venture that was dreamt up by Olympic gold medal winner and former heavyweight title holder Joshua. They are planning to create a company that will help to manage every aspect of a professional footballer’s career.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  WHAT HEARN SAID

  Hearn has told the , with meetings and talent scouting already taking place: “We've been talking about this for years and fine-tuning the plans behind the scenes over the past couple of months. But, I hadn't planned to speak about it publicly just yet. AJ's gone and revealed the whole thing. I had no idea he was going to post about it (on Instagram) but once he did it went mental. Players, clubs, sponsors, media, everyone was coming to us.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The business model in question will handle sponsorships, brand deals, PR, endorsements, lifestyle, logistics, and long-term career strategy, with Hearn adding: “It will be a 360-degree service for players. From a commercial level, from a transfer level, from a concierge level, booking restaurants and sorting private jets – everything. We're not just talking about moving you from one club to another. It's about shaping your career and life on and off the pitch. We don't expect to be a nine-to-five business, they can use us as they please to benefit their careers.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  Joshua’s profile will help the new brand to gain access to players that others cannot reach, with Hearn saying of ambitious plans to get superstar clients on board: “I'm not interested in coming in, with all due respect, and representing a couple of lower league players. I want to enter at the highest level. I want to leverage all of our contacts globally – particularly, perhaps, in the Middle East – to represent the biggest names in the sport.

  “So we've definitely been keeping our ear to the ground when it comes to players who might be seeking new representation or looking for something different. Because again, when we launch, we want to do so with players already on board – not launch the agency and then, a year later, people are asking, ‘So who have you actually signed?’ So yeah, we believe we could move quite quickly when it comes to talent.”

As the England midfielder leaves the Etihad Stadium for Everton, GOAL counts down the worst deals of the Manchester City coach's career

Jack Grealish and Pep Guardiola often felt like an odd couple, a strange alliance between the ultimate individual and a coach who insists on structure and rehearsed patterns of play. Now, four years after their unlikely relationship began with the player's Premier League record transfer from Aston Villa to Manchester City, it has come to a sad end. 

Grealish is set to join Everton on loan after effectively agreeing to leave City at the start of the summer when he was left out of the squad for the Club World Cup. The departure follows two bitterly disappointing seasons for the England international after the high of winning the treble in 2023. Guardiola desperately wanted to help Grealish return to those heady days, but back in January he effectively admitted he had given up on that aim, remarking: "Do I want the Jack that won the treble? Yeah, I want it, but I try to be honest with myself."

City have already moved on from Grealish, signing Jeremy Doku in 2023, Savinho in 2024 and Rayan Cherki this summer to compete with him, and the £100-million man's disappointing career at the Etihad Stadium underlines that Guardiola does not always get it right in the transfer market. 

So where does Grealish rank among the worst signings Guardiola has ever made? GOAL runs down the top 10:

• Getty Images
  

  10Nolito (Man City, £14m)

  Guardiola had known Nolito since the forward's days in Barcelona's reserve team and had watched his progress closely before bringing him to City from Celta Vigo during his first summer in charge of the Blues.

  Nolito was a late bloomer, having only started to thrive in La Liga in his late 20s, and the move to City was simply to big of a step up for him. He scored twice against Stoke City in his second appearance, but could not build on his strong start and struggled to adapt to life in England, eventually making headlines by declaring that the lack of sunshine in Manchester had made his daughter's skin change colour and that she looked like she had been "living in a cave" as a doctor even advised him to give her vitamin D tablets.

  Nolito lasted just one season at City, making only nine Premier League starts while scoring four times, before returning to his natural habitat by joining Sevilla.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  9Martin Caceres (Barcelona, £14m)

  Martin Caceres was the first signing Guardiola ever made as a coach, but proved to be one of his worst. The centre-back joined Barca from Villarreal having spent the previous season on loan at Recreativo de Huelva, and despite arriving for what was a sizeable transfer fee at the time, Caceres barely got a look in as he quickly dropped down the pecking order to become fourth-choice centre-back.

  He made just eight La Liga starts all season and Barca won just four of them, a miserable ratio considering they stormed to the title that season. His standing was so low that even when Dani Alves and Rafael Marquez were injured for the Champions League final, he still didn't get in the team, with Guardiola opting to play Yaya Toure at centre-back instead.

  Caceres left for Juventus that summer, lasting just one season at Camp Nou.

• Getty
  

  8Medhi Benatia (Bayern Munich, £22m)

  Medhi Benatia had impressed as a goal-scoring centre-back for Roma, but suffered an acrimonious departure from Stadio Olimpico as he joined Bayern in the summer of 2015, ahead of Guardiola's second campaign in Munich. The coach, however, quickly lost trust in him, and over two seasons handed Benatia just 24 Bundesliga starts.

  The Morocco international also became notorious for producing high-profile errors, such as getting sent off against City in a Champions League group-stage game and making costly lapses in both legs of the semi-final tie against Barcelona, which Bayern lost 5-3 on aggregate.

  He subsequently had a reduced role in his second season, Guardiola's last, and then left for Juventus.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  7Joao Cancelo (Man City, £60m)

  Joao Cancelo can be filed alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the category of being a brilliant player but with a volcanic personality which ultimately ruined his relationship with Guardiola. The Portugal international had two fantastic seasons with City, but clashed too many times with the coach, and there was only ever going to be one winner.

  It has been revealed that Cancelo got off to a rocky start just weeks after completing his £60m ($76m) move from Juventus and threatened to leave after losing his place in the line-up to Kyle Walker. Urged to change his ways by sporting director Txiki Begiristain, Cancelo reinvented himself as an inverted left-back and was instrumental to City's successive title wins in 2020-21 and 2021-22.

  But he could not handle being dropped again after the 2022 World Cup and started disrespecting Guardiola, even wearing headphones during one of his team talks. The coach made it clear that Cancelo had to leave "for the good of the team" and was loaned out to Bayern Munich, where he also endured a disappointing spell.

  He continued to underwhelm during a subsequent loan at Barcelona before he was eventually sold to Saudi side Al-Hilal in 2024.

Bournemouth will turn to the Professional Footballers' Association to support Antoine Semenyo after he reported being racially abused at Anfield.

• Semenyo reports racial abuse at Anfield
• Culprit arrested & given stadium ban
• Bournemouth to get PFA support

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  During Liverpool's 4-2 win over Bournemouth last Friday, Semenyo complained to the referee that he had been racially abused by a fan. Days on from the incident, The Times state that the Cherries plan to bring in a PFA representative this week to support the 25-year-old; offering confidential assistance and more.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Soon after this occurred, a 47-year-old man from Liverpool was arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence. Since then, he has been banned from every football stadium in the UK. The authorities will hope this will send a message that this behaviour is completely unacceptable and a strong deterrent.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The report adds that the stadium ban is part of the man's bail conditions, which also includes "not to go within one mile" of a designated football ground. Semenyo is said to be "ok" after the Anfield incident.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Ghana international Semenyo, who scored twice in the thrilling game at Liverpool in their Premier League opener, will hope to add to his goal tally on Saturday against Wolves. After that, they begin their Carabao Cup campaign on August 26 at home to Brentford.

Manchester United have been brutally trolled by Grimsby as part of the “You’ve just been…” meme craze after their shock Carabao Cup defeat.

• Red Devils still waiting on first win of 2025-26
• Crashed out of cup to League Two opposition
• Another forgettable night for Amorim's troops

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Red Devils headed to Blundell Park aware that a giant-killing in Cleethorpes could be on the cards. Ruben Amorim’s side have stumbled out of the blocks in 2025-26, with just one point being picked up in Premier League action.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  With United struggling to get into the winning habit, they fluffed their lines again when facing League Two opposition. Said contest could have been over in 90 minutes, with Grimsby racing into a two-goal lead courtesy of some questionable goalkeeping from Andre Onana.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The Mariners also had efforts disallowed before seeing Bryan Mbeumo and Harry Maguire complete a late comeback for United that forced the tie into a penalty shootout. An epic battle of nerves from 12 yards eventually finished 12-11 in favour of the hosts – with Mbeumo crashing the decisive spot-kick against the crossbar.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• WHAT GRIMSBY SAID

  Wild scenes of celebration were sparked in North Lincolnshire, as fans invaded the pitch, while United were left to reflect on another humbling setback. Grimsby poked fun at the top-flight giants on social media by posting a “You’ve just been slapped by the fish” meme.