Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has urged that Lionel Messi should not be pressured regarding his participation in the 2026 World Cup. The world champions secured their spot in next year’s tournament with a 4-1 victory over Brazil earlier this week, prompting fans to wonder if Messi, at 37, will play in his sixth World Cup. “We’ll see what happens; there’s plenty of time,” Scaloni said. “We must take it one game at a time. Otherwise, we’ll be talking about the same thing for the rest of the year. We need to leave him alone and let him decide when…
Author: Oluwaseun samuel
England manager Thomas Tuchel has explained that Manchester United defender Harry Maguire’s omission from his first Three Lions squad was due to a combination of poor form and fitness concerns. Tuchel began his tenure as England boss during the March international break, leading the team to comfortable victories over Albania and Latvia in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. His first squad selection faced scrutiny, with surprising recalls for Marcus Rashford and Jordan Henderson, while high-profile players like Ollie Watkins missed out. Maguire was another notable absentee for the Wembley matches, with many assuming his exclusion was related to the calf…
The Super Eagles’ World Cup qualification hopes may have suffered a setback after Lesotho reportedly withdrew their complaint to FIFA regarding South Africa’s use of an ineligible player in their World Cup qualifier. Lesotho had previously filed a petition with FIFA, claiming South Africa fielded Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Teboho Mokoena in their match against Lesotho while he was meant to be serving a one-match suspension due to accumulating yellow cards. There were suggestions that Nigeria’s football federation (NFF) might also file a complaint, as a three-point deduction for South Africa would benefit Nigeria’s qualification chances. However, according to African journalist…
According to a report from sports journalist Fabrizio Romano, Argentina delivered a stunning performance, crushing Brazil 4-1 in a World Cup qualifier. Impressively, they achieved this victory without their star player, Lionel Messi. The match started with high intensity as Argentina netted two goals in the first 12 minutes. While Brazil managed to score once, Argentina’s relentless attack kept them in control throughout the game. A second-half goal sealed the 4-1 triumph, marking a historic win over their arch-rivals. This result not only highlighted Argentina’s strength in depth but also secured their spot in the 2026 World Cup. With this…
The Premier League has confirmed that the summer transfer window will open earlier than usual to accommodate the FIFA Club World Cup. Typically starting in mid-June, the transfer window will instead open between Sunday, June 1, and Tuesday, June 10, ahead of the Club World Cup, which kicks off around the same time. FIFA proposed this earlier window to help clubs adjust their squads for the tournament. In a statement, the Premier League confirmed that the window would open for all clubs, not just those involved in the Club World Cup. However, due to FIFA regulations that limit the window…
England manager Thomas Tuchel has become the latest figure to question Enzo Maresca’s decision to deploy Reece James in midfield. James, who thrived as a right-back under Tuchel at Chelsea, scored a stunning free kick to help secure a 3-0 victory over Latvia on Monday, impressing in a hybrid role that allowed him to move across the pitch. However, playing in his preferred right-back position has been a rarity for James recently, as Maresca has publicly stated that he views the Chelsea captain more as a midfielder than a right-back. This assessment has been challenged by Chelsea legend John Terry.…
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool’s right-back, has reportedly reached a full agreement to join Real Madrid when his contract expires this summer. Madrid has been pursuing Alexander-Arnold for over a year, waiting for him to become available on a free transfer, and they’ve remained confident about securing a deal for the 26-year-old English defender. Recent reports indicated that Alexander-Arnold turned down another offer to extend his contract with Liverpool, and now Sky Sport Switzerland claims that a move to Madrid has been finalized. The 26-year-old is set to sign a five-year deal with Madrid, which will include a significant signing-on fee that…
Jadon Sancho has reportedly instructed his representatives to seek a return to Borussia Dortmund, regardless of what happens with his loan at Chelsea. Chelsea have an obligation to sign Sancho permanently this summer, but they can opt out of this clause by paying a £5m penalty to send him back to his parent club, Manchester United, who have no intention of reintegrating the winger into their squad. While it remains unclear whether Chelsea will exercise their option to sign him permanently, Sancho’s underwhelming performances—two goals and four assists in 23 Premier League appearances this season—mean that the Blues are not…
Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle acknowledged that his team made some mistakes but maintained they were the better side on the pitch. Nigeria’s hopes of World Cup qualification suffered another blow as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Zimbabwe, leaving them in fourth place in Group C with just seven points—six behind leaders South Africa. “We made some mistakes, but we were the best team on the pitch. This is football. It’s difficult for me to analyze the game right now; we will review it later,” Chelle said during the post-match press conference. Although Nigeria had taken the…
Real Madrid striker Endrick has expressed concern that his lack of playing time at the club could cost him a spot in the Brazil national team. The 18-year-old, who joined Madrid for €60 million last summer, has struggled to secure a regular place in a forward line featuring stars like Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Rodrygo. Despite making 28 appearances across all competitions, Endrick has only played 496 minutes since the start of the season. While he has previously emphasized his excitement about learning from top players and understands the competition, Endrick has now shared his worries about missing out…