Football Blog (Page 185)

[ad_1] Wales captain Gareth Bale has declared himself ‘100% fit’ for the World Cup after a minor injury limited him to just a substitute appearance in the recent MLS Cup final win for LAFC. Bale came off the bench in that triumph over Philadelphia Union and scored an equaliser in the eighth minute of stoppage time in extra time to force a penalty shootout that LAFC then won 3-0. It also continued Bale’s incredible run of scoring vital goals in finals or big games. But the Welshman, who turned 33 during the summer, had missed early playoff games against LA Galaxy and Austin FC. HeRead More →

[ad_1] Paris Saint-Germain forward Lionel Messi has opened up on the difficulties he faced adjusting to life at Barcelona earlier in his career. Messi joined the Blaugrana at 13 back in 2000 and, after being promoted to the senior side four years later, went on to become the greatest player in the club’s history, racking up 672 goals in 778 games before his eventual departure in 2021. Barcelona are interested in re-signing Messi this summer – 90min understands the Argentine is prepared to take his time to decide his next move – and if they do manage to bring Messi back, they’ll hope his secondRead More →

[ad_1] Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk has revealed he would rather start for Arsenal than sit on the bench for Real Madrid, while also labelling the Gunners a ‘dynamic’ side and highlighting style of play as a key factor that will help him choose his next club. Mudryk, still only 21, was identified as a talent after making his breakthrough at Shakhtar last season. But after a proposed summer transfer to Brentford, Nice or Bayer Leverkusen didn’t happen, he has hit new heights in orange and black so far in 2022/23. The Ukraine international has managed 16 goal involvements in 16 appearances, including five inRead More →

[ad_1] Not many players choose to leave Barcelona on multiple occasions. Vicky Losada has done just that – three times to be precise – with each of her exits marking a symbolic step in the growth of Barcelona’s women’s team. After progressing through the club’s esteemed La Masia academy, Losada first left Barcelona in 2007 following their relegation to the second tier. They bounced straight back and Losada returned the following season. However, with the club not becoming a professional outfit until summer 2015, Losada left to join Arsenal in March of that year. She came back for her third bite of the Barca cherryRead More →

[ad_1] After a 32-year absence from the World Cup following their maiden qualification in 1974, Australia are now a permanent fixture on the biggest stage, marking a fifth consecutive appearance in Qatar. The Aussies, however, have only progressed past the group stage once in their history (in 2006) and have bowed out at the group stage for the past three editions, winning just one World Cup game in that time. With the hope of seeing their nation make the last 16 for just a second time, here’s how Australian fans can follow the Socceroos’ journey this winter. The Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) is a hybrid-fundedRead More →

[ad_1] Cristiano Ronaldo has taken aim at former Manchester United teammate Gary Neville as comments from his TalkTV interview continue to emerge. Ronaldo and Neville played together at Man Utd for six years. However, Neville has become a critic of Ronaldo since his return to Old Trafford last season. The Portugal star stressed that he and Neville are ‘not friends,’ but what he sees as constant criticism of him is ‘disappointing.’ “People can have their own opinion, but they don’t really know what’s going on, for example, inside the training ground, or even my life. “They should listen to not only one point of view,Read More →

[ad_1] Former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has become the first major footballing figure to fall foul of the post-Brexit visa laws in the UK, with him now forced to leave the country. Tuchel was sacked by Chelsea in September despite delivering the Champions League title to the Blues in 2021. Following his sacking, new Chelsea owner Todd Boehly claimed a ‘lack of a shared vision for the club’ was the reason behind it and replaced him with Graham Potter. That has had some serious implications for Tuchel personally now, and he will now have to leave England in December despite his family being settled inRead More →

[ad_1] Donning your country’s colours; walking onto the immaculate green pitch of your national stadium; scoring the winning goal in the World Cup final – those are things children dream of when kicking around a battered old football in the street. The international stage is the pinnacle of footballing recognition, it’s an exclusive arena reserved for the best of the best; and, over time, the beautiful game’s greats have done special things for their countries. As we look forward to the upcoming World Cup in Qatar, we’ve taken a look at each participating nation’s all-time greatest player… One of two available Mansour Muftah pictures onRead More →

[ad_1] Eden Hazard says he may be forced to leave Real Madrid in January after admitting he is growing frustrated at the Bernabeu. The Belgian has failed to show his best for Madrid since joining in a €100m deal from Chelsea in 2019. He has battled injury problems and the wrath of the press, particularly after he was caught by the TV cameras celebrating with Chelsea players after the Blues knocked Madrid out of the 2021 Champions League. Hazard is yet to start a La Liga game this season and has been an unused substitute in 11 of their last 12 fixtures, and he saysRead More →

[ad_1] You can score all the goals you want, but without a good defence, you won’t win anything in Football Manager 2023. Regardless of the sort of money you’ve got to play with, there are plenty of smart signings out there which could make the difference for your side. Here are the best centre-backs to sign in FM23. Mateo MusacchioFree Agent If money is tight, turn to Musacchio. The 31-year-old is still a good option and won’t cost you a penny. Luis RomoMonterrey Romo was a real gem last year. He’s more expensive this time around at £3.6m but that’s about right for a playerRead More →