https://www.theguardian.com/football Latest Football news, comment and analysis from the Guardian, the world's leading liberal voice en-gb Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. 2026 Sun, 21 Jun 2026 20:32:31 GMT 2026-06-21T20:32:31Z en-gb Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. 2026 https://assets.guim.co.uk/images/guardian-logo-rss.c45beb1bafa34b347ac333af2e6fe23f.png https://www.theguardian.com https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2026/jun/21/belgium-v-iran-world-cup-2026-live <p>⚽️ Kick-off: 12pm local time/8pm BST/5am (Mon) AEST<br>⚽️ <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/jun/04/world-cup-2026-complete-player-guide">Player guide</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/jun/04/bracketology-predict-a-path-to-world-cup-victory">Bracketology</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/jun/04/golden-boot-world-cup-2026-top-goalscorers-winner">Golden Boot</a> | <a href="mailto:daniel.harris.casual@theguardian.com">Email Daniel</a></p><p><strong>Hayes is working tonight and so is Roy Keane – </strong>a happy chance, given the Father’s Day card my buddy Tinny received this morning.</p><p><strong>In the UK, the undoubted star has been the wonderful Emma Hayes. </strong>I remember the first time I heard her co-commentate, many years ago now on BBC radio. Her ability to identify what sets the pattern of a match, simplifying complex tactical plans without being patronising, but making clear she’s the expert and compelling us to listen, is unique.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2026/jun/21/belgium-v-iran-world-cup-2026-live">Continue reading...</a> World Cup 2026 World Cup Belgium Iran Football Sport Sun, 21 Jun 2026 20:30:33 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2026/jun/21/belgium-v-iran-world-cup-2026-live Photograph: Daniel Cole/Reuters Photograph: Daniel Cole/Reuters Photograph: Daniel Cole/Reuters Daniel Harris 2026-06-21T20:30:33Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2026/jun/21/uruguay-v-cape-verde-world-cup-2026-live <p>⚽️ Kick-off: 6pm local time/11pm BST/8am (Mon) AEST<br>⚽️ <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/jun/04/world-cup-2026-complete-player-guide">Player guide</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/jun/04/bracketology-predict-a-path-to-world-cup-victory">Bracketology</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/jun/04/golden-boot-world-cup-2026-top-goalscorers-winner">Golden Boot</a> | <a href="mailto:beau.dure.casual@theguardian.com">Email Beau</a></p><p>Beau will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s what to know about Uruguay and Cape Verde before they meet in a few hours in Miami.</p><p><strong>Uruguay</strong></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2026/jun/21/uruguay-v-cape-verde-world-cup-2026-live">Continue reading...</a> World Cup 2026 World Cup Football Uruguay Cape Verde Sport Sun, 21 Jun 2026 20:00:39 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2026/jun/21/uruguay-v-cape-verde-world-cup-2026-live Photograph: Paul Childs/Reuters Photograph: Paul Childs/Reuters Photograph: Paul Childs/Reuters Beau Dure 2026-06-21T20:00:39Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/spain-saudi-arabia-world-cup-group-h-match-report <p>Luis de la Fuente said he wanted a new jumper for his birthday but this was even better. On the day the Spain coach turned 65, his players gifted him the perfect afternoon in Atlanta, the doubts from their opener blown away. Unable to find a way through in 97 minutes here <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/15/spain-cape-verde-world-cup-2026-group-h-match-report">against Cape Verde</a>, this time they had celebrated putting three goals past Saudi Arabia before the first drinks break. Life is there to be enjoyed, Lamine Yamal had said, so they did. By the end it was four and it couldn’t have worked out any nicer.</p><p>This was exactly the way the coach would have wished it. Lamine Yamal scoring 10 minutes into his first start since suffering a hamstring injury in April. Mikel Oyarzabal adding two more in the first “quarter”, Marc Cucurella forcing the fourth on 49, victory secured so early that De la Fuente could withdraw those players who needed protecting and give minutes to those that needed them, Mikel Merino and Nico Williams invited to join the party too. Unai Simón was the last to arrive, not making a significant save until the 80th minute.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/spain-saudi-arabia-world-cup-group-h-match-report">Continue reading...</a> World Cup 2026 Spain Saudi Arabia World Cup Football Sport Sun, 21 Jun 2026 18:18:48 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/spain-saudi-arabia-world-cup-group-h-match-report Photograph: Brett Davis/IMAGN IMAGES/Reuters Photograph: Brett Davis/IMAGN IMAGES/Reuters Photograph: Brett Davis/IMAGN IMAGES/Reuters Sid Lowe at Atlanta Stadium 2026-06-21T18:18:48Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/from-times-square-to-england-squad-trevoh-chalobah-realises-world-cup-dream <p>Chelsea defender has mad scramble for boots and cuts short holiday after belatedly receiving the message of a lifetime from Thomas Tuchel</p><p>Trevoh Chalobah has always thought he would be part of an England World Cup squad. In July 2018, the Chelsea centre‑half even put it on the record. “One day … believe,” he posted on social media, alongside a picture of the World Cup trophy. He was 19 and had just joined Ipswich in the Championship on a season loan. The message has aged exceptionally well.</p><p>Despite his faith, Chalobah did not think it would be this summer. The chance had surely gone when Thomas Tuchel did not name him in his squad for the tournament in North America. He was close after a fine season at Chelsea, when he made a career-high 47 club appearances, but not close enough.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/from-times-square-to-england-squad-trevoh-chalobah-realises-world-cup-dream">Continue reading...</a> World Cup 2026 England World Cup Football Sport Thomas Tuchel Chelsea Sun, 21 Jun 2026 18:00:36 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/from-times-square-to-england-squad-trevoh-chalobah-realises-world-cup-dream Photograph: Richard Pelham/Getty Images Photograph: Richard Pelham/Getty Images Photograph: Richard Pelham/Getty Images David Hytner in Kansas City 2026-06-21T18:00:36Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/england-declan-rice-hamstring-nerve-pain-arsenal-schedule-world-cup <ul><li><p>Midfielder says schedule ‘obscene’ for club and country</p></li><li><p>But adds he is ‘ready and fit’ for England game v Ghana</p></li></ul><p>Declan Rice has revealed he has been managing nerve pain in a hamstring since Christmas as he reflected on the “obscene” number of matches he has&nbsp;played this season.</p><p>The England midfielder sparked concern <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/19/world-cup-england-rice-out-of-steam-tuchel-midfield-dilemma">when he was forced off</a> in the 72nd minute of the 4-2 World Cup win against Croatia last Wednesday. The problem relates to the upper hamstring, with the pain radiating into his lower back. But Rice described his substitution as “smart” and said he would be fighting fit for England’s second group game against Ghana in Boston on Tuesday.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/england-declan-rice-hamstring-nerve-pain-arsenal-schedule-world-cup">Continue reading...</a> England World Cup 2026 Arsenal Football World Cup Sport Sun, 21 Jun 2026 15:30:59 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/england-declan-rice-hamstring-nerve-pain-arsenal-schedule-world-cup Photograph: Eddie Keogh/The FA/Getty Images Photograph: Eddie Keogh/The FA/Getty Images Photograph: Eddie Keogh/The FA/Getty Images David Hytner and Ed Aarons in Kansas City 2026-06-21T15:30:59Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/thomas-partey-england-ghana-handshake <p>Ghana midfielder has denied all accusations as he prepares to begin his World Cup campaign in Boston on Tuesday</p><p>The Football Association has remained coy over what will happen when England line up for their next World Cup match, against Ghana on Tuesday, and come up against a familiar opponent in Thomas Partey. The former Arsenal midfielder <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/aug/04/thomas-partey-villarreal-court-appearance">played for Villarreal</a> this season, but will be released at the end of his contract this month.</p><p>In the pre-match ceremony, all players are expected to shake hands with opponents and the FA will leave England’s players to decide whether they wish to go through the ritual with Partey. The squad includes two of his former clubmates, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/thomas-partey-england-ghana-handshake">Continue reading...</a> Ghana football team World Cup 2026 World Cup England Football Sport The FA Sun, 21 Jun 2026 11:11:47 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/thomas-partey-england-ghana-handshake Photograph: Sportimage Ltd/Alamy Stock Photo/Alamy Live News. Photograph: Sportimage Ltd/Alamy Stock Photo/Alamy Live News. Photograph: Sportimage Ltd/Alamy Stock Photo/Alamy Live News. Rob Draper 2026-06-21T11:11:47Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/grimsby-town-death-alex-hughes-mark-hughes <ul><li><p>Hughes family heartbroken at unexpected loss</p></li><li><p>Father of two joined Mariners as recruitment lead in 2025</p></li></ul><p>Grimsby have paid tribute to Alex Hughes after his death at the age of 38. Hughes, the son of the former Manchester United and Wales striker Mark Hughes, was player recruitment lead at the League Two club.</p><p>The Hughes family said in a statement released via the League Managers Association that they were “heartbroken” at the “sudden and unexpected loss” of Alex and that he would be “deeply missed”.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/grimsby-town-death-alex-hughes-mark-hughes">Continue reading...</a> Grimsby Football Sport Mark Hughes League Two Sun, 21 Jun 2026 14:47:25 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/grimsby-town-death-alex-hughes-mark-hughes Photograph: Grimsby Town FC Photograph: Grimsby Town FC Photograph: Grimsby Town FC PA Media 2026-06-21T14:47:25Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/thierry-henry-alexi-lalas-fox-world-cup <p>Fox’s broadcast at the tournament has become a story of two contrasting styles. And there is one clear winner</p><p>We all know someone like Alexi Lalas. He’s the ranter whose rants never actually say anything, the life of the party at the party no one enjoys attending, the “big personality” who’s always misjudging the size of the room. He’s corporate America’s idea of a fun guy, the type of workplace “character” whose business trip hangover never stops him from being first at the hotel breakfast buffet, hair wet, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E31oX-a_5t8">Untuckit</a> shirt untucked. He would absolutely dominate karaoke night at a conference on infrastructure finance. If only this were the limit of Alexi Lalas’s actual impact on the world, our culture would live in blessed ignorance of his existence. But in the real world Alexi Lalas is not a small-time menace working the floor at an infrastructure conference. In the real world Alexi Lalas is American soccer’s brightest media star, and he is everywhere this World Cup.</p><p>When Lalas’s Roger Ramjet jaw thrust into frame on Fox at the start of this tournament, it’s fair to assume that many viewers felt a sense of dread similar to that expressed in the Grand Theft Auto <a href="https://en.meming.world/wiki/File:Ah_Shit,_Here_We_Go_Again.jpg/">meme</a>: “Ah shit, here we go again.” Lalas’s ubiquitousness every World Cup is American TV’s answer to the Iran war: no one wants it, everyone hates it, and as it drags on, it inevitably becomes a face-saving exercise in damage limitation. But there was also a glimmer of hope: for this tournament Fox has enlisted a pair of elite European strikers, Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimović, to terrorize Lalas and shake proceedings up. Steered by Rebecca Lowe, this new-look panel has promised a slightly more sophisticated approach to covering the tournament than the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/05/fox-sports-us-world-cup-coverage-tv-soccer">yahooing belligerence</a> that was Fox’s stock in trade at the last two World Cups.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/thierry-henry-alexi-lalas-fox-world-cup">Continue reading...</a> World Cup 2026 World Cup US television Fox Football Television Television & radio Media Culture Sport Thierry Henry US sports Sun, 21 Jun 2026 09:00:27 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/thierry-henry-alexi-lalas-fox-world-cup Photograph: Frank Micelotta/Fox Sports/Getty Images Photograph: Frank Micelotta/Fox Sports/Getty Images Photograph: Frank Micelotta/Fox Sports/Getty Images Aaron Timms 2026-06-21T09:00:27Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/the-2026-world-cup-team-of-the-tournament-so-far-without-the-superstars <p>We pick an XI of players who have impressed during the initial rounds of games in Canada, the US and Mexico</p><p>A star was born, at 40, when a player whose highest-profile employers were Portugal’s Gil Vicente denied Spain’s all-stars in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/15/spain-cape-verde-world-cup-2026-group-h-match-report">that historic 0-0 draw</a>. His Christian name being Josimar may well have pointed to his being a nascent World Cup cult hero. So huge was his impact that the US authorities, on the orders of the House Democratic leader, Hakeem Jeffries, waived the visa fee and $15,000 (£11,300) bond for his mother, now able to fly in for her boy’s continuing adventures. Seven saves from Spain have made him a global social media sensation, too.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/the-2026-world-cup-team-of-the-tournament-so-far-without-the-superstars">Continue reading...</a> World Cup 2026 World Cup Football Sport Sun, 21 Jun 2026 04:00:21 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/the-2026-world-cup-team-of-the-tournament-so-far-without-the-superstars Composite: Guardian Design; Getty Images; AP Composite: Guardian Design; Getty Images; AP Composite: Guardian Design; Getty Images; AP John Brewin, Billy Munday and Marcus Christenson 2026-06-21T04:00:21Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/gary-lineker-itv-presenting-cameo-world-cup-coverage <p>Gary Lineker in familiar territory as he kicked off his ITV appearance with a light-hearted cameo as a presenter</p><p>Gary Lineker was back in familiar territory on Saturday night as he returned to free-to-air TV and even kicked off his ITV appearance with a brief cameo as a presenter.</p><p>Lineker, who presented BBC’s Match of the Day for 26 years until he departed the corporation last May, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/19/gary-lineker-to-appear-as-special-guest-on-itv-during-world-cup-broadcast">was revealed on Friday</a> as a pundit for ITV’s World Cup coverage of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2026/jun/20/germany-v-cote-divoire-world-cup-2026-live">Germany against Côte d’Ivoire</a> in Group E.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/gary-lineker-itv-presenting-cameo-world-cup-coverage">Continue reading...</a> World Cup 2026 Gary Lineker World Cup ITV1 Sport TV Football Sport Media Television Television & radio Culture Sat, 20 Jun 2026 21:50:36 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/gary-lineker-itv-presenting-cameo-world-cup-coverage Photograph: ITV Photograph: ITV Photograph: ITV PA Media 2026-06-20T21:50:36Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/australias-jackson-irvine-has-no-sympathy-for-paraguay-after-historic-world-cup-red-card <ul><li><p>Miguel Almirón sent off against Turkey for covering mouth</p></li><li><p>Socceroos face South Americans in crucial last Group D match</p></li></ul><p>Socceroo Jackson Irvine has backed the decision by Fifa to send players off for covering their mouths when they speak, after Paraguay winger Miguel Almirón was given a historic red card against Turkey.</p><p>The Socceroos and Paraguay face a showdown for second place in the group at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium on Thursday (Friday AEST). If either team lose they will face a torturous wait to find out if they will progress as one of the eight third-placed teams across the 12 groups.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/australias-jackson-irvine-has-no-sympathy-for-paraguay-after-historic-world-cup-red-card">Continue reading...</a> World Cup 2026 World Cup Australia national football team – Socceroos Football Australia sport Sport Sun, 21 Jun 2026 04:50:24 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/australias-jackson-irvine-has-no-sympathy-for-paraguay-after-historic-world-cup-red-card Photograph: Melissa Levin/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock Photograph: Melissa Levin/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock Photograph: Melissa Levin/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock Jack Snape in Oakland 2026-06-21T04:50:24Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/michael-olise-france-world-cup-didier-deschamps <p>Unusually in the France side, he plays with a sense of freedom and has not yet submitted fully to Deschamps’s tactical yoke</p><p>Michael Olise is probably the best creative player in the world at the moment. He racked up 26 assists for Bayern Munich last season. It was his shift into a more central role that transformed <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/16/france-senegal-world-cup-group-i-match-report">France’s game against Senegal</a> from drab slog to impressive victory.</p><p>The confidence he always had at Crystal Place has evolved at Bayern into a graceful fluency. In a hugely talented France side, Olise is the standout, the player who&nbsp;may carry them to the World Cup. Yet he is something of an anomaly.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/michael-olise-france-world-cup-didier-deschamps">Continue reading...</a> World Cup 2026 World Cup Football Sport France Football tactics Sat, 20 Jun 2026 19:00:09 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/michael-olise-france-world-cup-didier-deschamps Photograph: William Volcov/Shutterstock Photograph: William Volcov/Shutterstock Photograph: William Volcov/Shutterstock Jonathan Wilson 2026-06-20T19:00:09Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/england-world-cup-training-intensity-peek-behind-curtain-thomas-tuchel <p>There was more insight at the World Cup training base than usual with intensity on the rise under Thomas Tuchel</p><p>The tall hooded figure kept barking instructions under a hot Missouri sun. Thomas Tuchel was looking for perfection as preparations for Ghana geared up. England’s head coach watched from a distance at first but it was not long before he was making sure the training drill was up his standards.</p><p>Tuchel, wearing a hoodie to protect himself from the UV rays, loomed over a group made up of Elliot Anderson, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon, Marcus Rashford, Djed Spence and Ollie Watkins. This was a rare peek behind the curtain. At international tournaments there are days when journalists are allowed to watch 15 minutes of open training. They are often anodyne experiences, limited to a bit of jogging around, maybe a glimpse of a rondo if you’re lucky, but there was more insight at England’s base in Kansas City on Saturday morning. Mannequins were carefully arranged in four zones and it soon became clear there is no hiding place when Tuchel is watching.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/england-world-cup-training-intensity-peek-behind-curtain-thomas-tuchel">Continue reading...</a> England Thomas Tuchel Football tactics World Cup 2026 World Cup Football Sport Sun, 21 Jun 2026 00:58:34 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/england-world-cup-training-intensity-peek-behind-curtain-thomas-tuchel Photograph: Eddie Keogh/The FA/Getty Images Photograph: Eddie Keogh/The FA/Getty Images Photograph: Eddie Keogh/The FA/Getty Images Jacob Steinberg in Kansas City 2026-06-21T00:58:34Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/jun/08/mens-transfer-window-summer-2026-all-deals-from-europes-top-five-leagues <p>All the latest Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Serie A deals and a club-by-club guide</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/jun/08/womens-transfer-window-summer-2026-all-deals-from-worlds-top-six-leagues">Women’s transfer window interactive guide</a></p></li></ul> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/jun/08/mens-transfer-window-summer-2026-all-deals-from-europes-top-five-leagues">Continue reading...</a> Transfer window Football Sport Mon, 08 Jun 2026 09:00:03 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/jun/08/mens-transfer-window-summer-2026-all-deals-from-europes-top-five-leagues Composite: PR handout Composite: PR handout Composite: PR handout Niall McVeigh, Will Magee, Billy Munday and Garry Blight 2026-06-08T09:00:03Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/jun/08/womens-transfer-window-summer-2026-all-deals-from-worlds-top-six-leagues <p>Every deal in the NWSL, WSL, Liga F, Frauen-Bundesliga, Première Ligue and Serie A Femminile as well as a club-by-club guide</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/jun/08/mens-transfer-window-summer-2026-all-deals-from-europes-top-five-leagues">Men’s transfer window interactive guide</a></p></li></ul> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/jun/08/womens-transfer-window-summer-2026-all-deals-from-worlds-top-six-leagues">Continue reading...</a> Transfer window Football Sport Mon, 08 Jun 2026 09:00:05 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/jun/08/womens-transfer-window-summer-2026-all-deals-from-worlds-top-six-leagues Composite: Getty Images, Guardian design Composite: Getty Images, Guardian design Composite: Getty Images, Guardian design Sarah Rendell and Garry Blight 2026-06-08T09:00:05Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/japan-tunisia-world-cup-group-f-match-report <p></p><p>Perhaps the manager was not the problem after all. Tunisia sacked Sabri Lamouchi after the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/15/sweden-tunisia-world-cup-match-report">5-1 defeat against Sweden</a> last week, appointing Hervé Renard as their seventh manager since qualifying began. But it turned out a diffident side lacking defensive conviction are a diffident side lacking defensive conviction whoever has to do the press conferences. Tunisia were well beaten by a Japan side inspired by the Feyenoord centre-forward Ayase Ueda, who scored twice and led the line with intelligence and imagination.</p><p>Renard had only three days with his players. He may have performed heroics to win the Africa Cup of Nations with Zambia in 2012 and three years later become the first manager to win a Cups of Nations with two different teams as he ended Côte d’Ivoire’s 23-year trophy drought. But he is not, as he has stressed, “a magician”.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/japan-tunisia-world-cup-group-f-match-report">Continue reading...</a> World Cup 2026 Japan Tunisia football team World Cup Football Sport Sun, 21 Jun 2026 06:22:47 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/japan-tunisia-world-cup-group-f-match-report Photograph: Héctor Vivas/FIFA/Getty Images Photograph: Héctor Vivas/FIFA/Getty Images Photograph: Héctor Vivas/FIFA/Getty Images Jonathan Wilson at the Estadio Monterrey 2026-06-21T06:22:47Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/curacao-ecuador-world-cup-group-e-match-report <p>It is doubtful whether many Ecuador supporters – or many others for that matter – had ever heard the name Eloy Room before this match. They will never forget it now.</p><p>Watched by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands – of which the island of Curaçao is a constituent country – in the stands, the goalkeeper etched his name into the pantheon of World Cup legends with what must rank as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2026/jun/20/ecuador-v-curacao-world-cup-2026-live">one of the most heroic performances</a> in the history of the competition.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/curacao-ecuador-world-cup-group-e-match-report">Continue reading...</a> World Cup 2026 World Cup Curaçao Ecuador Football Sport Sun, 21 Jun 2026 02:35:43 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/curacao-ecuador-world-cup-group-e-match-report Photograph: Hannah McKay/Reuters Photograph: Hannah McKay/Reuters Photograph: Hannah McKay/Reuters Ed Aarons at Kansas City Stadium 2026-06-21T02:35:43Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/netherlands-sweden-world-cup-group-f-match-report <p>It turns out Sweden do not have a monopoly on old-fashioned centre-forward play. They were schooled in it here by Brian Brobbey, who was brought in by Ronald Koeman to give the Netherlands’ attack a focal point and swiftly made his under-pressure manager resemble a genius. Brobbey scored twice in the opening 17 minutes to pave the way for a crushing win, proving impossible to handle with a cocktail of strength, touch and finishing.</p><p>Koeman had criticised his own decisions after <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/14/netherlands-japan-world-cup-match-report">Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Japan</a>, lamenting substitutions that failed to pay off. This time he could, if the mood took him, pat himself firmly on the back. There was yet more to enjoy in the contribution of Crysencio Summerville, who sparkled after his half-time introduction. Summerville finished unerringly late on to complete a rout that leaves Sweden dizzy from finishing on different ends of the same scoreline.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/netherlands-sweden-world-cup-group-f-match-report">Continue reading...</a> World Cup 2026 Netherlands Sweden Football Sport World Cup Sat, 20 Jun 2026 19:03:13 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/netherlands-sweden-world-cup-group-f-match-report Photograph: Molly Darlington/Getty Images Photograph: Molly Darlington/Getty Images Photograph: Molly Darlington/Getty Images Nick Ames at Houston Stadium 2026-06-20T19:03:13Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/scotland-morocco-world-cup-match-report <p>Scotland would have taken this outcome after 70 seconds. Ismael Saibiri had fired this highly rated Morocco team ahead. Men in kilts gulped under the blazing Massachusetts sun. Scotland may even privately have taken this outcome before a ball was kicked. Avoidance of a comprehensive defeat against Brazil will leave them with at least a fighting chance of becoming the first Scotland team to progress to the knockout phase of a major tournament.</p><p>Easier said than done, of course, but a scenario where history remains within the grasp of Steve Clarke and his players. Onwards to Miami, for what promises to be quite the spectacle. The value in beating Haiti by a goal or only losing this by the same will all be apparent by full time on Wednesday. The Tartan Army need calculators in hand.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/scotland-morocco-world-cup-match-report">Continue reading...</a> World Cup 2026 Scotland Morocco football team World Cup Football Sport Sat, 20 Jun 2026 00:07:10 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/scotland-morocco-world-cup-match-report Photograph: Daniela Porcelli/Getty Images Photograph: Daniela Porcelli/Getty Images Photograph: Daniela Porcelli/Getty Images Ewan Murray at Boston Stadium 2026-06-20T00:07:10Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/19/premier-league-fixtures-opening-arsenal-coventry-liverpool-newcastle-manchester-united-hull <ul><li><p>Manchester United travel to Hull on first weekend</p></li><li><p>Manchester City without Guardiola host Bournemouth </p></li></ul><p>Coventry will begin their first Premier League campaign in 25 years with a Friday night trip to the champions, Arsenal, on 21 August. Their fellow promoted club Hull begin at home to Manchester United on the Saturday and Ipswich entertain Sunderland that day.</p><p>Other eye-catching opening weekend fixtures include Andoni Iraola taking Liverpool to Newcastle on 23 August for his debut match and Manchester City starting life after Pep Guardiola at home to Bournemouth on the same day.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/19/premier-league-fixtures-opening-arsenal-coventry-liverpool-newcastle-manchester-united-hull">Continue reading...</a> Premier League Football Sport Fri, 19 Jun 2026 09:09:15 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/19/premier-league-fixtures-opening-arsenal-coventry-liverpool-newcastle-manchester-united-hull Photograph: Alex Pantling/Getty Images Photograph: Alex Pantling/Getty Images Photograph: Alex Pantling/Getty Images PA Media 2026-06-19T09:09:15Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/manchester-city-close-to-financial-settlement-with-chelsea-to-appoint-enzo-maresca <ul><li><p>Chelsea demand compensation for former coach</p></li><li><p>West London club insist Italian breached contract</p></li></ul><p>Manchester City are close to reaching a financial settlement with Chelsea that will enable them to appoint Enzo Maresca as their manager.</p><p>Chelsea are demanding compensation from City to release Maresca as they believe they have evidence the Italian breached his contract at Stamford Bridge by talking to the club’s Premier League rivals when he was still their manager last season.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/manchester-city-close-to-financial-settlement-with-chelsea-to-appoint-enzo-maresca">Continue reading...</a> Manchester City Football Sport Chelsea Sat, 20 Jun 2026 07:06:03 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/manchester-city-close-to-financial-settlement-with-chelsea-to-appoint-enzo-maresca Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian Matt Hughes 2026-06-20T07:06:03Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/19/itv-wins-world-cup-ratings-battle-bbc-first-week-england-croatia <ul><li><p>England v Croatia attracted year’s highest UK TV figures</p></li><li><p>BBC opted for more first-pick games in knockout stages</p></li></ul><p>ITV is winning the UK television ratings battle after the first week of the World Cup. Viewing figures from Barb (the Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board) show the channel had four of the five highest TV audiences, topped by <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/17/england-croatia-world-cup-2026-group-l-match-report">England’s 4-2 win</a> over Croatia on Wednesday.</p><p>England’s victory in Dallas attracted a peak audience of 15.4 million on ITV and an average of more than 10 million, the highest UK TV viewing figures of the year.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/19/itv-wins-world-cup-ratings-battle-bbc-first-week-england-croatia">Continue reading...</a> World Cup 2026 ITV BBC Football Media Sport World Cup Sports rights Sport TV Television Television & radio Culture Fri, 19 Jun 2026 10:53:56 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/19/itv-wins-world-cup-ratings-battle-bbc-first-week-england-croatia Photograph: MI News/NurPhoto/Shutterstock Photograph: MI News/NurPhoto/Shutterstock Photograph: MI News/NurPhoto/Shutterstock Exclusive by Matt Hughes 2026-06-19T10:53:56Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/18/lionel-messi-father-receives-medical-treatment-argentina-world-cup <ul><li><p>Jorge Messi, 68, ‘recovering and progressing favourably’</p></li><li><p>‘At times like these, we ask for responsibility,’ says family</p></li></ul><p>Lionel Messi’s father is undergoing medical treatment for an undisclosed illness and his family asked the media for “humanity” on Thursday amid rumours about Jorge Messi’s health while his son competes at the World Cup. “Jorge is going through a health situation,” the Messi family said in a statement.</p><p>The family did not specify the illness that the 68-year-old Jorge Messi is suffering from. “He is currently under medical observation, recovering and progressing favourably within his current condition,” the statement said.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/18/lionel-messi-father-receives-medical-treatment-argentina-world-cup">Continue reading...</a> Lionel Messi World Cup 2026 World Cup Argentina Football Sport Thu, 18 Jun 2026 19:04:00 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/18/lionel-messi-father-receives-medical-treatment-argentina-world-cup Photograph: Jean Catuffe/Getty Images Photograph: Jean Catuffe/Getty Images Photograph: Jean Catuffe/Getty Images Associated Press 2026-06-18T19:04:00Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/19/when-real-come-for-you-its-very-difficult-to-say-no-cucurella-explains-chelsea-exit <ul><li><p>Full-back moving back to Spain in £52m deal</p></li><li><p>Player reveals he had telephone call with Mourinho</p></li></ul><p>Marc Cucurella has admitted that he had not expected to leave Chelsea and that his £52m signing for Real Madrid was done in a day and a half. The Spain left-back also defended himself against the backlash from Barcelona fans, insisting that although he was born and raised in Catalonia and joined the Barça academy aged 14, he could not turn down Real Madrid. “I am very happy,” the 27-year-old said – if maybe not as happy as his wife, Claudia, whose entire family are Madrid supporters.</p><p>“It was all very fast,” Cucurella said from Spain’s training base in Chattanooga, Tennessee. “I got a phone call one morning. My people told me the two clubs had the terms mostly agreed and that I had to decide if I wanted to go there. I had no doubts. It is a big step for me, very important in my career. It all happened in roughly a day and a half. For me, that was the best thing, so it could be all done and I could keep my focus <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/15/spain-cape-verde-world-cup-2026-group-h-match-report">on the World Cup</a>.”</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/19/when-real-come-for-you-its-very-difficult-to-say-no-cucurella-explains-chelsea-exit">Continue reading...</a> Real Madrid Football Sport Transfer window Spain World Cup World Cup 2026 Thu, 18 Jun 2026 23:01:15 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/19/when-real-come-for-you-its-very-difficult-to-say-no-cucurella-explains-chelsea-exit Photograph: Karl Bridgeman/FIFA/Getty Images Photograph: Karl Bridgeman/FIFA/Getty Images Photograph: Karl Bridgeman/FIFA/Getty Images Sid Lowe in Chattanooga 2026-06-18T23:01:15Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/audio/2026/jun/21/brian-brobbey-netherlands-sweden-germany-deniz-undav-curacao-ecuador <p><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/maxrushden.bsky.social">Max Rushden</a> is joined by <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:i55lfvhkg573wfmby5sdnvq6">Barry Glendenning</a>, Dan Bardell and <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/leanderalphabet.bsky.social">Leander Schaerlaeckens</a> after the Netherlands thrash Sweden and Germany get a late winner against Côte d’Ivoire</p><p><strong>Rate, review, share on <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/football-weekly-the-guardian/id188674007?mt=2">Apple Podcasts</a> and join the conversation on <a href="mailto:footballweekly@theguardian.com">email</a>.</strong></p><p>On the podcast today: the Netherlands hammer Sweden 5-1 to top Group F. Brian Brobbey comes into the Dutch attack and transforms them with some classic centre-forward hold-up play.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/audio/2026/jun/21/brian-brobbey-netherlands-sweden-germany-deniz-undav-curacao-ecuador">Continue reading...</a> Football World Cup 2026 World Cup Sport Sun, 21 Jun 2026 05:15:02 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/audio/2026/jun/21/brian-brobbey-netherlands-sweden-germany-deniz-undav-curacao-ecuador Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters Presented by Max Rushden with Barry Glendenning, Dan Bardell and Leander Schaerlaeckens. Produced by Rory Symon and our executive producer is Joel Grove. 2026-06-21T05:15:02Z https://www.theguardian.com/info/2022/nov/14/football-daily-email-sign-up <p>Kick off your afternoon with the Guardian’s take on the world of football</p><p>Every weekday, we’ll deliver a roundup the football news and gossip in our own belligerent, sometimes intelligent and – very occasionally – funny way. Still not convinced? Find out what you’re missing <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/series/thefiver/latest/email">here</a>.</p><p>Try our other sports emails: there’s weekly catch-ups for cricket in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/18/sign-up-to-the-spin">The Spin</a> and rugby union in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/18/sign-up-to-the-breakdown">The Breakdown</a>, and our seven-day round-up of the best of our sports journalism in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/may/15/the-recap-sign-up-for-the-best-of-the-guardians-sport-coverage">The Recap</a>.</p><p>Living in Australia? Try the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/info/2015/jun/05/guardian-australia-sport-newsletter-subscribe-by-email">Guardian Australia’s daily sports newsletter</a></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/info/2022/nov/14/football-daily-email-sign-up">Continue reading...</a> Information Football Newsletter sign-up Mon, 14 Nov 2022 09:05:50 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/info/2022/nov/14/football-daily-email-sign-up Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Guardian Staff 2022-11-14T09:05:50Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/mar/22/sign-up-for-our-new-womens-football-newsletter-moving-the-goalposts <p>Get our roundup of women’s football for free twice a week, featuring the insights of experts such as Ada Hegerberg and Magdalena Eriksson</p><p>Join us as we delve deeper into the wonderful world of women’s football in our weekly newsletter. It is informative, entertaining, global, critical – when needed – and, above all, passionate. Written mainly by <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/profile/julia-belas-trindade">Júlia Belas Trindade</a> and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/profile/sophie-downey">Sophie Downey</a>, expect guest appearances from stars such as Anita Asante, Ada Hegerberg and many more.</p><p>Try our other sports emails: as well as the occasionally funny football email <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/info/2016/jan/05/the-fiver-email-sign-up">The Fiver </a>from Monday to Friday, there are weekly catch-ups for cricket in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/18/sign-up-to-the-spin">The Spin</a> and rugby union in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/18/sign-up-to-the-breakdown">The Breakdown</a>, and our seven-day roundup of the best of our sports journalism in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/may/15/the-recap-sign-up-for-the-best-of-the-guardians-sport-coverage">The Recap</a>.</p><p>Living in Australia? Try the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/info/2015/jun/05/guardian-australia-sport-newsletter-subscribe-by-email">Guardian Australia’s daily sports newsletter</a></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/mar/22/sign-up-for-our-new-womens-football-newsletter-moving-the-goalposts">Continue reading...</a> Football Women's football Sport Newsletter sign-up Tue, 22 Mar 2022 16:57:35 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/mar/22/sign-up-for-our-new-womens-football-newsletter-moving-the-goalposts Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Suzanne Wrack 2022-03-22T16:57:35Z https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/oct/01/sign-up-to-the-sport-in-focus-newsletter-the-sporting-week-in-photos <p>Our editors’ favourite sporting images from the past week, from the spectacular to the powerful, and with a little bit of fun thrown in</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/oct/01/sign-up-to-the-sport-in-focus-newsletter-the-sporting-week-in-photos">Continue reading...</a> Newsletter sign-up Wed, 01 Oct 2025 11:00:23 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/oct/01/sign-up-to-the-sport-in-focus-newsletter-the-sporting-week-in-photos Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Guardian Staff 2025-10-01T11:00:23Z https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/may/15/the-recap-sign-up-for-the-best-of-the-guardians-sport-coverage <p>The best of our sports journalism from the past seven days and a heads-up on the weekend’s action</p><p>Subscribe to get our editors’ pick of the Guardian’s award-winning sport coverage. We’ll email you the stand-out features and interviews, insightful analysis and highlights from the archive, plus films, podcasts, galleries and more – all arriving in your inbox at every Friday lunchtime. And we’ll set you up for the weekend and let you know our live coverage plans so you’ll be ahead of the game. <a href="https://uploads.guim.co.uk/2020/11/16/TheRecap.pdf">Here’s what you can expect from us.</a></p><p>Try our other sports emails: there’s daily football news and gossip in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/info/2016/jan/05/the-fiver-email-sign-up">The Fiver</a>, and weekly catch-ups for cricket in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/18/sign-up-to-the-spin">The Spin</a> and rugby union in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/18/sign-up-to-the-breakdown">The Breakdown</a>.</p><p>Living in Australia? Try the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/info/2015/jun/05/guardian-australia-sport-newsletter-subscribe-by-email">Guardian Australia’s daily sports newsletter</a></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/may/15/the-recap-sign-up-for-the-best-of-the-guardians-sport-coverage">Continue reading...</a> Sport Information Newsletter sign-up Mon, 15 May 2017 11:00:43 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/may/15/the-recap-sign-up-for-the-best-of-the-guardians-sport-coverage Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Guardian Staff 2017-05-15T11:00:43Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/video/2026/jun/19/era-of-spy-mauricio-pochettino-spotted-looking-for-spies-video <p>Guardian journalist Pablo Iglesias Maurer captured the US manager Mauricio Pochettino taking a video appearing to look for spies at his team's training ground.&nbsp;“I wanted to see, because you know, we're in an era of, how you say: spy,” he told reporters at his pre-match press conference before their second group-stage match against Australia.</p><p></p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/jul/20/sign-up-for-soccer-with-jonathan-wilson-his-free-weekly-newsletter-on-european-soccer"><strong>World Cup newsletter</strong></a><strong> | </strong><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/series/footballweekly"><strong>Daily podcast</strong></a><strong> | </strong><a href="https://app.adjust.com/1o65wsyj"><strong>Download the app</strong></a></p></li></ul> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/video/2026/jun/19/era-of-spy-mauricio-pochettino-spotted-looking-for-spies-video">Continue reading...</a> World Cup 2026 Mauricio Pochettino Fri, 19 Jun 2026 11:21:41 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/video/2026/jun/19/era-of-spy-mauricio-pochettino-spotted-looking-for-spies-video Photograph: Shutterstock Photograph: Shutterstock Photograph: Shutterstock 2026-06-19T11:21:41Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/video/2026/jun/16/from-brazil-to-haaland-four-must-watch-world-cup-group-stage-matches-video <p>With the World Cup expanding to a massive 104 matches, navigating the "morass of endless football" can feel a bit overwhelming. Thankfully, the Guardian’s&nbsp;chief sports writer, Barney Ronay, has done the heavy lifting. He breaks down the group stage fixtures you absolutely cannot miss - from historic David v Goliath battles to high-stakes political showdowns.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/video/2026/jun/16/from-brazil-to-haaland-four-must-watch-world-cup-group-stage-matches-video">Continue reading...</a> World Cup 2026 Brazil Haiti football team Norway Senegal football team Egypt football team Iran Ecuador Germany England Sport Tue, 16 Jun 2026 18:22:21 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/video/2026/jun/16/from-brazil-to-haaland-four-must-watch-world-cup-group-stage-matches-video Photograph: The Guardian Photograph: The Guardian Photograph: The Guardian Barney Ronay, David Verman, Francesca de Bassa, Elena Cresci and Nikhita Chulani 2026-06-16T18:22:21Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/antonin-panenka-penalty-50-years-on-czechoslovakia-west-germany-1976 <p>Czech’s audacious defiance of Sepp Maier in Belgrade has slipped into football folklore: ‘The only disadvantage is that I don’t get any royalties from it’</p><p>Antonin Panenka laughs like a bear might, a low rumble, suggesting mischief among the memories. He is sat in an office at Bohemians football club in Prague, recounting the story of his <a href="https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/video/025a-0eb0b5a588e0-4bf13b9a4a50-1000--watch-every-panenka-penalty-at-euro/">impudent, revolutionary penalty</a> that not only won the 1976 European Championship for Czechoslovakia against West Germany but soured his relationship with the goalkeeper his spot-kick humiliated, Sepp Maier. “He went 35 years without uttering a single word to me,” he smiles.</p><p>But the feud went much deeper. “I read some articles that he even had a shooting target in his garage with my face on it that he used to fire darts at. We get on well enough now though.”</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/antonin-panenka-penalty-50-years-on-czechoslovakia-west-germany-1976">Continue reading...</a> Czechia Czechoslovakia European Championship Football Sport Sat, 20 Jun 2026 04:00:53 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/antonin-panenka-penalty-50-years-on-czechoslovakia-west-germany-1976 Photograph: Björn Steinz/The Guardian Photograph: Björn Steinz/The Guardian Photograph: Björn Steinz/The Guardian Gavin Newsham 2026-06-20T04:00:53Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/stung-spain-have-digested-shock-start-but-know-repeat-is-not-an-option <p>European champions were frustrated by Cape Verde and know there is little margin for error against Saudi Arabia</p><p>Cape Verde are not the only ones to have kept Spain out at this World Cup. Turns out it was even harder to get past security on the gate of the team hotel in downtown Chattanooga. Two days after <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/15/spain-cape-verde-world-cup-2026-group-h-match-report">the 0-0 draw in their opener</a>, Luis de la Fuente gave his players the day off, a chance to clear their heads and leave the disappointment behind. Lamine Yamal went to Nashville, Dani Olmo headed for Hamilton Place mall and Rodri strolled the Tennessee river with his partner. When Borja Iglesias got back before the 9pm curfew, they didn’t recognise him and wouldn’t let him in.</p><p>“It was funny,” Iglesias said, standing at the side of the pitch at Kennesaw State University 30 miles north-west of Atlanta on Saturday, moments before the <em>selección</em>’s final session in preparation for their second game. “It happens to me in Spain, so how could it not happen here? I didn’t have the accreditation with me so I have to wait for someone to come and get me. Lamine laughed at me: ‘I love it, they didn’t let you in.’ The good thing is I told a couple of them and they said it had happened to them before too.”</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/stung-spain-have-digested-shock-start-but-know-repeat-is-not-an-option">Continue reading...</a> Spain World Cup 2026 Cape Verde World Cup Football Sport Sun, 21 Jun 2026 04:00:21 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/stung-spain-have-digested-shock-start-but-know-repeat-is-not-an-option Photograph: Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images Photograph: Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images Photograph: Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images Sid Lowe in Chattanooga 2026-06-21T04:00:21Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/scotland-2026-world-cup-destiny-morocco-brazil-steve-clarke <p>Questions remain before battle with Brazil after narrow defeat by Morocco leaves fans looking at last-32 permutations</p><p>The permutations Steve Clarke is so desperate to avoid are already dominating discussion among the Tartan Army. As Ismael Saibari smacked Morocco in front inside two minutes against Scotland, goal difference rose on the horizon of anyone wanting Clarke and his players to create history. Those in navy blue were clinging on in Boston.</p><p>What happened next can be considered a moral victory for Scotland. Morocco were wasteful for the remainder of the first half. Scotland improved markedly in the second period, even daring to control spells of the game. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/scotland-morocco-world-cup-match-report">The 1-0 defeat</a> returns their goal difference to zero rather than leaving them already staring at early elimination while on three points. The problem is, Brazil lie in wait next.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/scotland-2026-world-cup-destiny-morocco-brazil-steve-clarke">Continue reading...</a> Scotland World Cup 2026 World Cup Football Sport Sat, 20 Jun 2026 18:13:50 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/scotland-2026-world-cup-destiny-morocco-brazil-steve-clarke Photograph: Michael Zemanek/Shutterstock Photograph: Michael Zemanek/Shutterstock Photograph: Michael Zemanek/Shutterstock Ewan Murray in Miami 2026-06-20T18:13:50Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/spaceship-stadiums-and-ronaldo-mania-guardian-writers-first-impressions-of-the-world-cup <p>Tournament has completed its first week and while the logistics have sometimes been challenging, the people and the football have been good</p><p>It was quite a contrast touching down in sleepy Kansas City hours after having witnessed the bedlam on the streets of New York when <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/jun/13/new-york-knicks-win-nba-title-san-antonio-spurs">the Knicks won the NBA Finals </a>and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/14/brazil-morocco-world-cup-match-report">Brazil drew with Morocco</a>. But this is a World Cup full of contrasts, from Fifa’s never-ending quest to make a quick buck ($5 a pop for a bottle of water in the media centre) to the warmth shown by locals I’ve encountered in the Big Apple, Kansas City and Dallas. Then there’s the football. It’s been hard to keep up with the volume of matches, but the opening round served up some classics, with <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/17/portugal-dr-congo-world-cup-2026-group-k-match-report">DR Congo’s draw against Portugal </a>on the same day as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/17/england-croatia-world-cup-2026-group-l-match-report">England beat Croatia</a> capping a thrilling first week of action. Let’s hope it continues. <strong>Ed Aarons</strong></p><p>It took nearly the full opening round, but a US scene that is usually focused on other sports has fully turned its eyes to socc– sorry, I mean football, forgot to code-switch. Fitting, actually, because at times this state of affairs has been awkward, like when the standard “loud men yelling” sports talk shows are forced to reckon with international football being the No 1 talking point and employing nobody that knows the scene. But these are growing pains. The sport is on at bars and delis, it is being discussed at school pickups and on the rides home. It’s beautiful and exactly what so many of us here in the States have been fighting for. <strong>Alexander Abnos</strong></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/spaceship-stadiums-and-ronaldo-mania-guardian-writers-first-impressions-of-the-world-cup">Continue reading...</a> World Cup 2026 World Cup Football Sport US sports Sat, 20 Jun 2026 07:00:02 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/spaceship-stadiums-and-ronaldo-mania-guardian-writers-first-impressions-of-the-world-cup Composite: Getty Images, Reuters and Shutterstock Composite: Getty Images, Reuters and Shutterstock Composite: Getty Images, Reuters and Shutterstock Guardian sport 2026-06-20T07:00:02Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/david-raya-when-you-lose-a-champions-league-final-it-destroys-you-inside <p>The goalkeeper discusses being bullied by 35-year-olds in the English fifth tier, winning the Premier League and competition in the Spain squad</p><p>“No, no, there’s someone else,” David Raya says, leaping out of his chair at Spain’s training camp in Chattanooga, Tennessee, pulling his phone from the wash bag sitting on the floor and starting to scroll. Ah, look, here it is,” he says eventually, reading from the screen: “‘… the goalkeeper, who played in yesterday’s match, was at Southport on loan from Oxford United…’ Yeah, Max Crocombe. I <em>think</em> that is right”</p><p>And so then there were four, another name to add to the list. Peter Withe, Stan Mortensen, him, and now New Zealand’s No 1: the men who played for Southport and went to a World Cup.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/david-raya-when-you-lose-a-champions-league-final-it-destroys-you-inside">Continue reading...</a> Spain Football Sport World Cup Arsenal Sat, 20 Jun 2026 11:00:04 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/david-raya-when-you-lose-a-champions-league-final-it-destroys-you-inside Photograph: Pablo Garcia/The Guardian Photograph: Pablo Garcia/The Guardian Photograph: Pablo Garcia/The Guardian Sid Lowe in Chattanooga 2026-06-20T11:00:04Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/down-but-not-out-socceroos-take-heart-from-positives-in-defeat-to-usa <p>Australia’s fate will be set after their final group game against Paraguay but there were some reasons for cheer from the performance in Seattle</p><p>The Socceroos are down, but they are not out. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/19/usa-australia-world-cup-2026-group-d-match-report">The 2-0 defeat to the USA</a> was a sudden comedown after the glories of the previous week, a deflating diversion from a previously promising North American adventure.</p><p>Forty-five minutes, however, does not ruin a promising World Cup campaign. The second-half revival in Seattle, when the Socceroos matched and pressured the hosts – even if their opponents might have eased off the accelerator – provided a blueprint for the Socceroos ahead of their match against Paraguay in San Francisco on Thursday (Friday AEST).</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/down-but-not-out-socceroos-take-heart-from-positives-in-defeat-to-usa">Continue reading...</a> World Cup 2026 Australia national football team – Socceroos World Cup Australia sport Football Sport Sat, 20 Jun 2026 15:00:04 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/down-but-not-out-socceroos-take-heart-from-positives-in-defeat-to-usa Photograph: Lindsey Wasson/AP Photograph: Lindsey Wasson/AP Photograph: Lindsey Wasson/AP Jack Snape in Seattle 2026-06-20T15:00:04Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/15/ruben-amorim-agrees-become-milan-head-coach-boost-manchester-finances-compensation <ul><li><p>Portuguese will replace Massimiliano Allegri at San Siro</p></li><li><p>United will not need to pay full £16.7m compensation</p></li></ul><p>Ruben Amorim is poised to return to management after agreeing to become Milan’s head coach. The move will make Manchester United a significant saving on his compensation package, the club having <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jan/05/ruben-amorim-sacked-by-manchester-united-transfers-power-struggle">dismissed him in </a> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jan/05/ruben-amorim-sacked-by-manchester-united-transfers-power-struggle">January</a>.</p><p>Amorim will replace Massimiliano Allegri at Milan after accepting a two-year contract, with the option of a third, and will be tasked with turning things around after the club finished fifth in Serie A.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/15/ruben-amorim-agrees-become-milan-head-coach-boost-manchester-finances-compensation">Continue reading...</a> Ruben Amorim Milan Manchester United Football Sport Mon, 15 Jun 2026 12:25:37 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/15/ruben-amorim-agrees-become-milan-head-coach-boost-manchester-finances-compensation Photograph: Shaun Brooks/CameraSport/Getty Images Photograph: Shaun Brooks/CameraSport/Getty Images Photograph: Shaun Brooks/CameraSport/Getty Images Will Unwin 2026-06-15T12:25:37Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2026/jun/14/young-socceroos-inspiring-australians-world-cup <p>Irankunda and co have not yet earned golden generation status but they can revive Australia’s World Cup aspirations</p><p>There always was a familiar feeling to this youthful squad of Socceroos. That sense of deja vu. That you had seen something like this before. But it took Nestory Irankunda running to the corner flag to remember what it was.</p><p>By reviving Tim Cahill’s famous goal celebration, the new face of Australian football instantly connected this fearless crop of young footballers finding their way on the world stage to the greats wearing yellow that have gone before.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2026/jun/14/young-socceroos-inspiring-australians-world-cup">Continue reading...</a> World Cup 2026 Australia national football team – Socceroos Turkey Football World Cup Australia sport Sport Sun, 14 Jun 2026 15:00:48 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2026/jun/14/young-socceroos-inspiring-australians-world-cup Photograph: Lee Smith/Reuters Photograph: Lee Smith/Reuters Photograph: Lee Smith/Reuters Jack Snape at BC Place Vancouver 2026-06-14T15:00:48Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/13/why-football-does-not-remember-the-name-of-its-greatest-ever-jewish-player <p>Influential Jewish managers such as Bela Guttman survived the Holocaust. In his new book, David Bolchover explores the great players who did not</p><p>Who was the best Brazilian player of all time? Pelé comes the answer. Argentina? Maradona or Messi. Hungary? Puskas. Holland? Cruyff. Germany? Beckenbauer. Portugal? Eusébio or Ronaldo – take your pick. France? Zidane? England? Perhaps Bobby Charlton?</p><p>What about the best Jewish footballer ever? Gotcha! That’s one to send even a group of the most historically literate Jewish football nerds into a prolonged silence. Not even a semblance of a suggestion is likely to emanate from their lips. Maybe they will break into a smile to indicate that we Jews are not very good at football, so choosing the best is probably a pointless exercise anyway, because the best would be rather bad in the broader scheme of things.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/13/why-football-does-not-remember-the-name-of-its-greatest-ever-jewish-player">Continue reading...</a> Football Hungary Sport Sat, 13 Jun 2026 04:00:03 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/13/why-football-does-not-remember-the-name-of-its-greatest-ever-jewish-player Photograph: Popperfoto/Getty Images Photograph: Popperfoto/Getty Images Photograph: Popperfoto/Getty Images David Bolchover 2026-06-13T04:00:03Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/02/ligue-1-season-awards-hits-misses-shocks-flops-2025-26-vitinha-sage-paul-pogba-nice <p>It was a season to remember for Vitinha, Pierre Sage and Florian Thauvin but one to forget for Paul Pogba and Nice </p><p>By <a href="https://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/">Get French Football News</a></p><p>“I like feeling the match go through me,” said Vitinha at the end of December. It’s an apt way for the 26-year-old to interpret his role at PSG, given that everything the team produces on the pitch involves him in some way or another.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/02/ligue-1-season-awards-hits-misses-shocks-flops-2025-26-vitinha-sage-paul-pogba-nice">Continue reading...</a> Ligue 1 Paris Saint-Germain Football European club football Sport Lens Lyon Monaco Nice Paul Pogba Marseille Tue, 02 Jun 2026 14:14:55 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/02/ligue-1-season-awards-hits-misses-shocks-flops-2025-26-vitinha-sage-paul-pogba-nice Composite: Getty/Shutterstock Composite: Getty/Shutterstock Composite: Getty/Shutterstock Raphaël Jucobin and Luke Entwistle 2026-06-02T14:14:55Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/i-dont-like-the-world-cup-hydration-breaks-but-trust-me-they-help-the-coaches <p>Nobody wants more stoppages in the game but it allows us, whether on TV or the touchline, to analyse what we see</p><p>In the NFL or NBA, a head coach can sometimes affect momentum in the game during a timeout. Even as a head coach in American football you get three timeouts per half. In most cases in soccer, players have to problem-solve and think on their feet.</p><p>I’m not a fan of the hydration breaks that have been introduced at this World Cup, but they’re here for now and it is fascinating from a coaching perspective because the momentum has swung straight after several hydration breaks. That could suggest coach involvement has helped teams to tweak things.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/i-dont-like-the-world-cup-hydration-breaks-but-trust-me-they-help-the-coaches">Continue reading...</a> World Cup 2026 World Cup Football Sport Sat, 20 Jun 2026 04:00:53 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/i-dont-like-the-world-cup-hydration-breaks-but-trust-me-they-help-the-coaches Photograph: Alex Pantling/FIFA/Getty Images Photograph: Alex Pantling/FIFA/Getty Images Photograph: Alex Pantling/FIFA/Getty Images Emma Hayes 2026-06-20T04:00:53Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/19/players-are-human-beings-and-social-media-comments-reach-us-but-the-focus-has-to-be-on-the-pitch <p>The pressure of wearing the Brazil shirt can be heavy but also creates a positive kind of responsibility</p><p>Playing in a World Cup is a huge experience; when you’re with the national team, your entire focus is on the squad’s schedule – the hotel, the training centre, the stadium – basically, everything revolves around the matches.</p><p>I lived that routine daily at the 2022 World Cup and realised the immense dedication the tournament demands. In this 2026 edition, as fate would have it and as I am still recovering from my injury, I’m discovering a different side of the World Cup: a World Cup of reunions, with countless events happening simultaneously across the cities and countries, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/14/england-world-cup-training-base-kansas-city-swope">creating opportunities for conversations</a> and extraordinary experiences.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/19/players-are-human-beings-and-social-media-comments-reach-us-but-the-focus-has-to-be-on-the-pitch">Continue reading...</a> World Cup 2026 Brazil World Cup Football Sport Fri, 19 Jun 2026 07:00:26 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/19/players-are-human-beings-and-social-media-comments-reach-us-but-the-focus-has-to-be-on-the-pitch Photograph: Rob Newell/CameraSport/Getty Images Photograph: Rob Newell/CameraSport/Getty Images Photograph: Rob Newell/CameraSport/Getty Images Rodrygo 2026-06-19T07:00:26Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/17/lionel-messi-hat-trick-algeria-argentina-world-cup <p>A hat-trick against Algeria equalled Miroslav Klose’s World Cup scoring record, but Messi and his teammates insist the mark doesn’t matter to him</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/jul/20/sign-up-for-soccer-with-jonathan-wilson-his-free-weekly-newsletter-on-european-soccer">World Cup newsletter</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/series/footballweekly">Daily podcast</a> | <a href="https://app.adjust.com/1o65wsyj">Download the app</a></p></li></ul><p>Long after the dust had settled on Argentina’s 3-0 group-stage victory over Algeria on Tuesday night, Algeria and Bayern Munich midfielder Ibrahim Maza emerged wearily from behind a curtain and stepped up to the microphone.</p><p>Maza had played well, even assisting on Algeria’s disallowed first goal. He had also had a front-row seat to a Lionel Messi masterclass, just a few yards away from Argentina’s captain when he scored his third goal of the evening and tied Miroslav Klose as the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer. In short order, he was asked to expand on what made Messi unplayable on Tuesday evening.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/17/lionel-messi-hat-trick-algeria-argentina-world-cup">Continue reading...</a> World Cup 2026 Lionel Messi Argentina World Cup Football Sport Wed, 17 Jun 2026 05:59:04 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/17/lionel-messi-hat-trick-algeria-argentina-world-cup Photograph: Masashi Hara/Getty Images Photograph: Masashi Hara/Getty Images Photograph: Masashi Hara/Getty Images Pablo Iglesias Maurer at Kansas City Stadium 2026-06-17T05:59:04Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/15/could-asian-teams-be-catching-up-to-europe-at-this-world-cup <p>If there were a shift in world football power, it may look something like the impressive results from South Korea, Japan, Qatar and Australia</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/jun/04/bracketology-predict-a-path-to-world-cup-victory">Predict the winner</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/series/footballweekly">Daily podcast</a> | <a href="https://app.adjust.com/1o65wsyj">Download our app</a></p></li></ul><p>Daichi Kamada’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/14/netherlands-japan-world-cup-match-report">late equaliser for Japan</a> against the Netherlands on Sunday did not merely mean that the scoreline more accurately reflected the game. It also extended to four the unbeaten run of teams from the Asian confederation against Europe at this tournament. There is a degree of contingency to that record, and nobody should draw definitive conclusions from the first week of a World Cup, but equally if there were a shift in the power dynamics of world football, it might look a bit like this.</p><p>The tone was set on day one with <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/12/south-korea-czechia-world-cup-2026-group-a-match-report">South Korea’s victory over Czech Republic</a>. It perhaps shouldn’t have come as a surprise to anybody who saw their qualifying playoff semi-final against Ireland that the Czechs would be so ponderous and lumbering, a side that understood the value of dead balls and long throws and little else. But still, the ease with which South Korea passed their way around them was striking. If Son Heung-min had been the player he was three or four years ago, the Korean victory would have been far more emphatic.</p><p><em>This is an extract from Soccer Desk: World Cup edition, a newsletter from the Guardian US that will run regularly during the tournament. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/jul/20/sign-up-for-soccer-with-jonathan-wilson-his-free-weekly-newsletter-on-european-soccer">Subscribe for free here.</a></em></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/15/could-asian-teams-be-catching-up-to-europe-at-this-world-cup">Continue reading...</a> World Cup World Cup 2026 Football Sport Japan South Korea Australia national football team – Socceroos Qatar Australia sport Mon, 15 Jun 2026 14:47:35 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/15/could-asian-teams-be-catching-up-to-europe-at-this-world-cup Composite: Getty Composite: Getty Composite: Getty Jonathan Wilson 2026-06-15T14:47:35Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/picture/2026/jun/19/socceroos-world-cup-so-far-david-squires-cartoon <p>Our cartoonist looks at Australia’s involvement at the tournament, with a place in the knockout phase tantalisingly close</p><p>⚽️ <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/19/watch-2026-world-cup-australia-socceroos-vs-usa-game-kick-off-time-sbs-tv-guide">How to watch the Socceroos</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/jul/20/sign-up-for-soccer-with-jonathan-wilson-his-free-weekly-newsletter-on-european-soccer">World Cup newsletter</a><br>⚽️ <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/series/footballweekly">Daily podcast</a> | <a href="https://app.adjust.com/1o65wsyj">Download the app</a></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/picture/2026/jun/19/socceroos-world-cup-so-far-david-squires-cartoon">Continue reading...</a> World Cup 2026 Australia national football team – Socceroos World Cup Australia sport Football Sport Thu, 18 Jun 2026 15:00:08 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/picture/2026/jun/19/socceroos-world-cup-so-far-david-squires-cartoon Illustration: David Squires/The Guardian Illustration: David Squires/The Guardian Illustration: David Squires/The Guardian David Squires 2026-06-18T15:00:08Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/may/26/premier-league-2025-26-review-our-writers-best-and-worst-of-the-season <p>The Premier League season is over, but what did Guardian football writers enjoy, dislike or marvel at over the last nine months? </p><p>Goalkeepers never usually get a mention for this award but <strong>David Raya</strong> played an integral role in Arsenal finally getting over the line, winning the Premier League’s Golden Glove award for a third year in a row thanks to 19 clean sheets. Declan Rice and Bruno Fernandes were the outstanding outfield players. <strong>Ed Aarons</strong></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/may/26/premier-league-2025-26-review-our-writers-best-and-worst-of-the-season">Continue reading...</a> Premier League Football Sport Tue, 26 May 2026 07:00:47 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/may/26/premier-league-2025-26-review-our-writers-best-and-worst-of-the-season Composite: Guardian Picture Desk Composite: Guardian Picture Desk Composite: Guardian Picture Desk Guardian sport 2026-05-26T07:00:47Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/may/25/story-of-2025-26-premier-league-season-in-100-photos <p>A century of our favourite images from the season including wild celebrations, protesting fans and goalmouth scrambles</p><p>Reigning champions Liverpool left it late to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/aug/15/liverpool-bournemouth-premier-league-match-report">beat Bournemouth 4-2</a> on the opening day of the season in their first league game back at Anfield following the death of Diogo Jota. The Reds also <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/aug/25/newcastle-united-liverpool-premier-league-match-report">squeaked past Newcastle</a> thanks to Rio Ngumoha and then Arsenal, after <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/aug/31/liverpool-arsenal-premier-league-match-report">Dominik Szoboszlai’s stunning free-kick</a>, which won goal of the month. Meanwhile, Manchester City <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/aug/23/manchester-city-tottenham-premier-league-match-report">lost 2-0 at home to Tottenham</a> and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/aug/31/brighton-manchester-city-premier-league-match-report">2-1 away at Brighton</a>, Everton christened their new home, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/aug/20/everton-new-ground-hill-dickinson-stadium">Hill Dickinson Stadium</a>, with a win, and Sunderland made a strong start on their return to the top flight with two wins from three.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/may/25/story-of-2025-26-premier-league-season-in-100-photos">Continue reading...</a> Premier League Football Sport Arsenal Manchester City Manchester United Liverpool Aston Villa Bournemouth Chelsea Brentford Brighton & Hove Albion Fulham Everton Sunderland Newcastle United Leeds United Crystal Palace Nottingham Forest Tottenham Hotspur West Ham United Burnley Wolverhampton Wanderers Mon, 25 May 2026 19:00:33 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/may/25/story-of-2025-26-premier-league-season-in-100-photos Composite: Guardian Picture Desk Composite: Guardian Picture Desk Composite: Guardian Picture Desk Jonny Weeks 2026-05-25T19:00:33Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/may/26/premier-league-2025-26-season-review-predictions-reality-liverpool-chelsea-brentford-sunderland <p>We picked Liverpool as champions, Chelsea as challengers and tipped Brentford and Sunderland to go down. Oh dear</p><p><strong>What we predicted: </strong>Mikel Arteta vowed this would be a “big summer” after finishing as runners-up in the Premier League for a third season in succession and the new sporting director, Andrea Berta, has delivered on a number of signings in his first transfer window. The question now for Arsenal supporters is whether Martín Zubimendi, Christian Nørgaard, Noni Madueke, Viktor Gyökeres, Cristhian Mosquera and Kepa Arrizabalaga can help them take that elusive final step to becoming champions for the first time since the Invincibles in 2004.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/may/26/premier-league-2025-26-season-review-predictions-reality-liverpool-chelsea-brentford-sunderland">Continue reading...</a> Premier League Football Sport Tue, 26 May 2026 15:56:24 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/may/26/premier-league-2025-26-season-review-predictions-reality-liverpool-chelsea-brentford-sunderland Composite: Alamy, Getty Composite: Alamy, Getty Composite: Alamy, Getty Guardian sport 2026-05-26T15:56:24Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/may/25/premier-league-2025-26-review-gripes-of-the-season <p>The most infuriating things, including mayhem at set pieces, daft jerseys and a largely ignored video game</p><p>You will almost certainly be aware that there have been a load of set-piece goals this season, and an extraordinary proliferation of long throws. At times the self-styled greatest league in the world has drowned in a torrent of guileless ball-flinging.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/may/25/premier-league-2025-26-review-gripes-of-the-season">Continue reading...</a> Premier League Football Sport Mon, 25 May 2026 10:30:23 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/may/25/premier-league-2025-26-review-gripes-of-the-season Composite: Guardian Picture Desk Composite: Guardian Picture Desk Composite: Guardian Picture Desk Simon Burnton 2026-05-25T10:30:23Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/19/mary-earps-london-city-lionesses-signing-interview <p>Former England goalkeeper discusses why it was time to leave Paris, the lure of her new club and when she will know it is time to stop</p><p>When Mary Earps signed for Wolfsburg eight years ago, shortly after they had played in the Women’s Champions League final, there was no club photographer available for her unveiling, meaning her agent popped out to buy a scarf from the club shop before taking a makeshift announcement image. So when the former England goalkeeper’s latest club, London City Lionesses, announced her Women’s Super League return with a glamorous photoshoot on a boat on the Thames in front of landmarks such as Tower Bridge, she was struck not only by how much the women’s game and her life have been transformed, but by the bold scale of her new team’s ambitions.</p><p>“The energy and effort put into the shoot, I would never have imagined this even five years ago,” says Earps, whose move to London City from Paris Saint-Germain was confirmed on Friday. “All I keep saying is ‘I’m so excited,’ but that shoot just poured petrol on the excitement fire. Wow, if that’s what they do just to say ‘Hey, by the way, Mary’s arrived,’ then imagine hopefully what we can do [in the future].”</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/19/mary-earps-london-city-lionesses-signing-interview">Continue reading...</a> Mary Earps London City Lionesses Women's Super League Women's football Paris Saint-Germain Women Football Sport Fri, 19 Jun 2026 12:30:32 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/19/mary-earps-london-city-lionesses-signing-interview Photograph: Alicia Canter/The Guardian Photograph: Alicia Canter/The Guardian Photograph: Alicia Canter/The Guardian Tom Garry 2026-06-19T12:30:32Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/14/wedding-parties-hand-of-god-lineker-world-cup <p>Forget the Olympic and the rest. People across the planet remember where they were for their biggest World Cup matches</p><p>The connection between King Lear and the 1966 World Cup is little known, mainly because it affected very few people at a now defunct boarding school. I had been a surprise selection to act in the school’s production of Lear (yes, I played the Fool; yes, I was typecast). The day before one of the performances I fell and twisted something and was a doubtful starter for a part that required a lot of dashing&nbsp;about.</p><p>Matron prescribed sleeping pills. That night England were playing Mexico in that now-sanctified tournament – almost a must-win after a goalless start against Uruguay. I went to bed early, tucked my transistor under the pillow to hear the commentary, went spark out and only heard the result next morning: England 2 Mexico 0. The rest is national history.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/14/wedding-parties-hand-of-god-lineker-world-cup">Continue reading...</a> World Cup England Football Sport Sun, 14 Jun 2026 07:00:37 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/14/wedding-parties-hand-of-god-lineker-world-cup Illustration: Gary Neill Illustration: Gary Neill Illustration: Gary Neill Matthew Engel 2026-06-14T07:00:37Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/16/after-cape-verdes-heroics-against-spain-more-great-world-cup-underdog-stories <p>From Sparwasser being the toast of East Germany to Cameroon’s rumbling of Argentina, the finals are littered with upsets</p><p>Cape Verde’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/15/spain-cape-verde-world-cup-2026-group-h-match-report">stunning draw against Spain</a> produced some incredible statistics. The Spaniards had 27 attempts on the goal of the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/15/cape-verde-hero-vozinha-in-tears-after-spain-draw-as-cost-of-visa-stopped-his-mother-being-at-game">40-year-old Vozinha</a> and completed 734 passes compared with Cape Verde’s 205. It was an unbelievable rearguard action from a side ranked 61 places below their opponents, who had just named the oldest starting XI of the tournament with an average age north of 31 years.</p><p>It will no doubt enter World Cup lore as one of the greatest displays of dogged defending the competition has seen. To celebrate, here is a look back at some of those magic moments when underdogs truly had their day.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/16/after-cape-verdes-heroics-against-spain-more-great-world-cup-underdog-stories">Continue reading...</a> World Cup World Cup 2026 Sport Football France Spain Northern Ireland North Korea Italy Morocco football team Senegal football team Algeria football team USA England Saudi Arabia Argentina Cameroon football team Tue, 16 Jun 2026 15:00:08 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/16/after-cape-verdes-heroics-against-spain-more-great-world-cup-underdog-stories Photograph: AP Photograph: AP Photograph: AP Martin Belam 2026-06-16T15:00:08Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/16/the-perfect-job-meet-the-fans-being-paid-to-watch-all-104-world-cup-games-in-times-square <p>A Liverpool fan and an influencer explain what it’s like to be hired for a Truman Show-style experiment</p><p>When Kevin Akoto heard that he had been selected as one of Fox’s chief World Cup watchers he had no hesitation in accepting. What self-respecting football fan could turn down the opportunity to be paid $50,000 (£37,000) to take in all 104 games at this World Cup, after all?</p><p>The only issues were that he would have to watch every match in a custom-built viewing cube in the heart of Times Square and let his employers know that he wouldn’t be coming in for work the next day. “I quit my job,” admits Akoto, a Liverpool fan who is from Florida and was working as a waiter in a restaurant. “I found out on Thursday that I had won the competition and so I told them on Friday that would be my last day!”</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/16/the-perfect-job-meet-the-fans-being-paid-to-watch-all-104-world-cup-games-in-times-square">Continue reading...</a> World Cup 2026 World Cup Football Sport US sports New York US news Tue, 16 Jun 2026 10:00:07 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/16/the-perfect-job-meet-the-fans-being-paid-to-watch-all-104-world-cup-games-in-times-square Photograph: Fox Photograph: Fox Photograph: Fox Ed Aarons in New York 2026-06-16T10:00:07Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/football-daily-geopolitics-world-cup-maverick-managerial-matchups <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/info/2022/nov/14/football-daily-email-sign-up"><strong>Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!</strong></a></p><p>The awesome thing about a World Cup is that – unlike the Premier League where almost every elite-grade head coach comes from the same scenic Spanish town – we get to enjoy some wonderfully varied managerial match-ups. Where else can we see grizzled international specialists against Big Cup-winning club gurus? Or retired national team legends opposite some bloke who got sacked by Everton? Or Ronald Koeman, who is both?</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/football-daily-geopolitics-world-cup-maverick-managerial-matchups">Continue reading...</a> World Cup 2026 Football Sport Sun, 21 Jun 2026 13:26:56 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/football-daily-geopolitics-world-cup-maverick-managerial-matchups Photograph: Peter Aiken/IMAGN IMAGES/Reuters Photograph: Peter Aiken/IMAGN IMAGES/Reuters Photograph: Peter Aiken/IMAGN IMAGES/Reuters Alex Reid 2026-06-21T13:26:56Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/17/the-night-before-i-dreamt-about-my-acl-evertons-aurora-galli-on-the-long-way-back-from-injury <p>This week’s newsletter spends a day with the Italy midfielder as she continues to battle her way back to a peak physical condition</p><p>“It was accepting that I couldn’t play football because it was my life. It was everything that I knew.” For Everton’s Aurora Galli, the past 20 months have been anything but straightforward. Her return from a serious knee injury has been difficult, one beset with obstacles before, ultimately, a long-awaited comeback.</p><p>It was September 2024, 83 minutes and three seconds into the first game of the Women’s Super League season to be exact, when Galli went down in agony. Everton were losing 4-0 to Brighton and, in her eagerness to salvage something for her team, the midfielder attempted to challenge for the ball when her standing leg buckled. As expected, it was confirmed that she had ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament.</p><p><em><strong>This is an extract from our free email about women’s football, Moving the Goalposts. To get the full edition, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/mar/22/sign-up-for-our-new-womens-football-newsletter-moving-the-goalposts">visit this page and follow the instructions</a>. Moving the Goalposts will be sent out once a week, on Wednesdays, in the close season but will be back on Tuesdays and Thursdays from September.</strong></em></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/17/the-night-before-i-dreamt-about-my-acl-evertons-aurora-galli-on-the-long-way-back-from-injury">Continue reading...</a> Everton Women Football Sport Women's football Women's Super League Wed, 17 Jun 2026 10:40:59 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/17/the-night-before-i-dreamt-about-my-acl-evertons-aurora-galli-on-the-long-way-back-from-injury Photograph: Rachel O'Sullivan Photograph: Rachel O'Sullivan Photograph: Rachel O'Sullivan Sophie Downey 2026-06-17T10:40:59Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/10/exciting-transfer-window-will-only-exacerbate-womens-footballs-wealth-gap <p>Alexia Putellas leads a host of stars expected to arrive in the WSL but smaller clubs will still struggle to keep pace</p><p>The whistle has blown on the 2025-26 season for the vast majority of women’s teams around the world, and attention now turns to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/jun/08/womens-transfer-window-summer-2026-all-deals-from-worlds-top-six-leagues">the hullabaloo of the transfer window</a> and another summer of rising wages, transfer fees and agents fees.</p><p>This summer’s activity is likely to see the gap between the haves and the have-nots widen further. Last summer there was an 83.6% increase in global spending on transfer fees in women’s football year-on-year, according to Fifa. This included headline-grabbing moves such as London City Lionesses’ £1.43m purchase of Grace Geyoro from Paris Saint-Germain, albeit London City have denied the figure is that high, and Arsenal’s landmark first £1m deal – <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/jul/17/arsenal-complete-world-record-1m-olivia-smith-signing-liverpool-womens-football">the signing of Olivia Smith</a> from Liverpool.</p><p><em><strong>This is an extract from our free email about women’s football, Moving the Goalposts. To get the full edition, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/mar/22/sign-up-for-our-new-womens-football-newsletter-moving-the-goalposts">visit this page and follow the instructions</a>. Moving the Goalposts will be sent out once a week, on Wednesdays, in the close season but will be back on Tuesdays and Thursdays from September.</strong></em></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/10/exciting-transfer-window-will-only-exacerbate-womens-footballs-wealth-gap">Continue reading...</a> Women's Super League Women's Super League 2 Women's football Football Sport Wed, 10 Jun 2026 13:06:18 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/10/exciting-transfer-window-will-only-exacerbate-womens-footballs-wealth-gap Photograph: Urbanandsport/NurPhoto/Shutterstock Photograph: Urbanandsport/NurPhoto/Shutterstock Photograph: Urbanandsport/NurPhoto/Shutterstock Tom Garry 2026-06-10T13:06:18Z https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/jun/08/this-may-be-our-last-chance-rising-sea-levels-threaten-kiribatis-world-cup-dream <p>In today’s newsletter: the Pacific islands hoping to enter World Cup qualifying before ocean level increase wipes them from the map</p><p>“This is not just about football, it’s about building something from scratch,” Eriati Reebo, the Kiribati football president, explains. “A legacy, a story, that the world will always remember.”</p><p>Kiribati, a group of Pacific islands south of Hawaii with 138,000 inhabitants, is seeking entry into World Cup qualifying for the 2030 tournament. Becoming a recognised international football team would help to bring attention to the only nation on earth that sits within all four hemispheres, and one that is rapidly disappearing from the map. It could be the first, but certainly not the last, country to be engulfed by sea water, leaving it uninhabitable. And before that happens, it wants to professionalise the football setup and become a full member of the Oceania Football Confederation. This would both create a route to competing with bigger nations and help to keep the Kiribati spirit alive.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/jun/08/this-may-be-our-last-chance-rising-sea-levels-threaten-kiribatis-world-cup-dream">Continue reading...</a> Kiribati Asia Pacific World Cup Football Sport Mon, 08 Jun 2026 10:00:23 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/jun/08/this-may-be-our-last-chance-rising-sea-levels-threaten-kiribatis-world-cup-dream Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian Will Unwin 2026-06-08T10:00:23Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/17/which-player-has-scored-the-highest-percentage-of-their-teams-goals-at-a-world-cup <p>Plus: World Cup winners with no domestic honours, and why Australia are unofficial world champions</p><ul><li><p><a href="mailto:knowledge@theguardian.com"><strong>Mail us</strong></a><strong> with your all of your questions and answers</strong></p></li></ul><p><strong>“In 1986, Gary Lineker scored six of England’s seven World Cup goals,”</strong> writes Brendon O’Mahony. <strong>“Has anyone scored a higher proportion of their country’s goals at a World Cup? Let’s exclude teams who were knocked out in the group stage or who scored three goals or fewer</strong><strong>.”</strong></p><p>A number of you mentioned Oleg Salenko, the Russian striker who matched Lineker by scoring six of their seven goals at USA 94. That included five in one game against Cameroon, which turned out to be Salenko’s last in international football at the age of 24. Russia went out at the group stage despite Salenko’s romp, so he doesn’t meet the criteria laid out in Brendon’s question.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/17/which-player-has-scored-the-highest-percentage-of-their-teams-goals-at-a-world-cup">Continue reading...</a> World Cup Football Sport Wed, 17 Jun 2026 07:00:26 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/17/which-player-has-scored-the-highest-percentage-of-their-teams-goals-at-a-world-cup Photograph: Bongarts/Getty Images Photograph: Bongarts/Getty Images Photograph: Bongarts/Getty Images Guardian sport 2026-06-17T07:00:26Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/audio/2026/jun/16/history-for-cape-verde-spain-start-with-stutter-world-cup-daily-podcast <p><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/maxrushden.bsky.social">Max Rushden</a> is joined by <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:i55lfvhkg573wfmby5sdnvq6">Barry Glendenning</a>, <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/barneyronay.bsky.social">Barney Ronay</a>, Dan Bardell and <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/sidlowe.bsky.social">Sid Lowe</a> as debutants Cape Verde earn a draw against the favourites Spain</p><p><strong>Rate, review, share on <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/football-weekly-the-guardian/id188674007?mt=2">Apple Podcasts</a> and join the conversation on <a href="mailto:footballweekly@theguardian.com">email</a>.</strong></p><p>On the podcast today: their first ever game at a World Cup and Cape Verde hold Spain to a 0-0 draw after an utterly heroic defensive effort. Sid Lowe joins us to ask if this is just an early blip or if Spanish fans should be concerned.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/audio/2026/jun/16/history-for-cape-verde-spain-start-with-stutter-world-cup-daily-podcast">Continue reading...</a> Football World Cup 2026 World Cup Sport Tue, 16 Jun 2026 06:31:37 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/audio/2026/jun/16/history-for-cape-verde-spain-start-with-stutter-world-cup-daily-podcast Photograph: Buda Mendes/Getty Images Photograph: Buda Mendes/Getty Images Photograph: Buda Mendes/Getty Images Presented by Max Rushden with Barry Glendenning, Barney Ronay, Dan Bardell and Sid Lowe. Produced by Rory Symon and our executive producer is Joel Grove. 2026-06-16T06:31:37Z https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/jun/12/the-joy-of-six-forgotten-world-cup-goals <p>From Ogris’s Florentine charge to Quagliarella’s Ellis Park chip, half a dozen World Cup classics that deserve to be better remembered</p><p>The first six or seven World Cups certainly are not without their charms, but they are noticeably light on the kind of viscerally spectacular goals that we take for granted in the modern game. Hardly surprising when you contemplate what teams of the era had to endure: quagmire-like pitches, boots comprising 50% leather and 50% landfill, and balls so heavy that they basically constituted gym equipment.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/jun/12/the-joy-of-six-forgotten-world-cup-goals">Continue reading...</a> World Cup Football Sport Fri, 12 Jun 2026 04:00:35 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/jun/12/the-joy-of-six-forgotten-world-cup-goals Composite: Guardian Design, Getty Images Composite: Guardian Design, Getty Images Composite: Guardian Design, Getty Images Jonathan O'Brien 2026-06-12T04:00:35Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/audio/2026/jun/10/englands-world-cup-setback-and-durhams-fight-for-survival-womens-football-weekly <p><a href="https://x.com/FayeCarruthers">Faye Carruthers</a> is joined by <a href="https://x.com/SuzyWrack">Suzy Wrack</a>, <a href="https://x.com/TomJGarry">Tom Garry</a> and <a href="https://x.com/MarvaKreel">Marva Kreel</a> to discuss England’s failure to qualify automatically for the 2027 World Cup and the uncertain future facing Durham.</p><p>On today’s pod: The panel assess a frustrating end to England’s World Cup qualifying campaign, as the Lionesses miss out on automatic qualification for Brazil 2027 and must now navigate the play-offs.</p><p>The panel discuss the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/05/spain-england-world-cup-qualifying-match-report">Lionesses’ heaviest defeat in 17 years as Spain ran riot in Mallorca</a>, debate <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/05/wiegman-pays-price-for-lack-of-defensive-pragmatism-as-spain-expose-technical-gap">Sarina Wiegman’s tactical approach</a> and squad selection, and ask what England’s performances against Spain and Ukraine reveal about the team ahead of next year’s World Cup.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/audio/2026/jun/10/englands-world-cup-setback-and-durhams-fight-for-survival-womens-football-weekly">Continue reading...</a> Football Women's football Sport Durham Women England women's football team Wed, 10 Jun 2026 13:53:26 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/audio/2026/jun/10/englands-world-cup-setback-and-durhams-fight-for-survival-womens-football-weekly Photograph: Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock Photograph: Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock Photograph: Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock Presented by Faye Carruthers, with Suzanne Wrack, Tom Garry and Marva Kreel. Produced by Sophie Downey and Silas Gray. Executive produced by Danielle Stephens. Music composition by Laura Iredale. 2026-06-10T13:53:26Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2025/dec/16/the-100-best-male-footballers-in-the-world-2025 <p>Ousmane Dembélé becomes our seventh winner as he beats Lamine Yamal into second and Vitinha into third on our list of the best players on the planet</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/dec/19/the-premier-league-dominates-guardians-top-100-male-footballers-again-can-anyone-catch-up">Premier League dominates list</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/dec/19/see-how-every-judge-voted-for-the-100-best-male-footballers-in-2025">How every judge voted</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/dec/15/how-the-guardian-ranked-the-100-best-male-footballers-in-the-world-2025">Our methodology</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2025/dec/01/the-100-best-female-footballers-in-the-world-2025">The top 100 female players for 2025</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2024/dec/17/the-100-best-male-footballers-in-the-world-2024">2024 edition</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2023/dec/19/the-100-best-male-footballers-in-the-world-2023">2023</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2023/jan/24/the-100-best-male-footballers-in-the-world-2022">2022</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2021/dec/21/the-100-best-male-footballers-in-the-world-2021">2021</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2020/dec/21/the-100-best-male-footballers-in-the-world-2020">2020</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global/ng-interactive/2019/dec/17/the-100-best-male-footballers-in-the-world-2019">2019</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2018/dec/18/the-100-best-male-footballers-in-the-world-2018-nos-100-71">2018</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2017/dec/19/the-100-best-footballers-in-the-world-2017-interactive">2017</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2016/dec/20/the-100-best-footballers-in-the-world-2016-interactive">2016</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2015/dec/21/the-100-best-footballers-in-the-world-2015-interactive">2015</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2014/dec/21/the-top-100-footballers-2014-interactive">2014</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2013/dec/100-greatest-footballers-2013">2013</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/interactive/2012/dec/20/top-100-footballers-in-the-world-interactive">2012</a></p></li></ul> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2025/dec/16/the-100-best-male-footballers-in-the-world-2025">Continue reading...</a> Football Sport Fri, 19 Dec 2025 10:04:51 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2025/dec/16/the-100-best-male-footballers-in-the-world-2025 Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Marcus Christenson, Pamela Duncan, Steven Bloor and Garry Blight 2025-12-19T10:04:51Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/dec/20/ousmane-dembele-quietly-becomes-the-main-man-after-long-journey-to-the-top <p>The Frenchman, who has been named the best male footballer in the world by the Guardian, has benefitted from PSG’s focus on the team rather than individuals</p><p>What makes a good player great, and a great player the best? This question has been occupying me since 2014, when the Guardian first asked me to contribute to its <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/ng-interactive/2014/oct/14/next-generation-2014-40-of-the-best-young-talents-in-world-football">inaugural Next Generation feature</a>. My job was to look for a France-based talent born in 1997 who could go on to have a stellar career.</p><p>After a great deal of research, I narrowed it down from my shortlist&nbsp;of five by asking questions&nbsp;not about the players’ football ability, but about other attributes: resilience, adaptability, decision-making, creativity, work ethic, response to feedback and willingness to learn. Qualities we cannot see, and are harder to&nbsp;measure.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/dec/20/ousmane-dembele-quietly-becomes-the-main-man-after-long-journey-to-the-top">Continue reading...</a> Football Sport Sat, 20 Dec 2025 08:00:25 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/dec/20/ousmane-dembele-quietly-becomes-the-main-man-after-long-journey-to-the-top Photograph: Kristy Sparow/UEFA/Getty Images Photograph: Kristy Sparow/UEFA/Getty Images Photograph: Kristy Sparow/UEFA/Getty Images Ben Lyttleton 2025-12-20T08:00:25Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2025/dec/01/the-100-best-female-footballers-in-the-world-2025 <p>Aitana Bonmatí has been voted the best female player on the planet by our panel of 127 experts ahead of Mariona Caldentey and Alessia Russo</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2024/dec/03/the-100-best-female-footballers-in-the-world-2024">2024 list</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2024/jan/09/the-100-best-female-footballers-in-the-world-2023">2023</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2022/dec/21/the-100-best-female-footballers-in-the-world-2022">2022 </a>| <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2021/dec/07/the-100-best-female-footballers-in-the-world-2021">2021</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2020/dec/08/the-100-best-female-footballers-in-the-world-2020">2020</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2019/dec/03/the-100-best-female-footballers-in-the-world-2019">2019</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2018/dec/04/the-100-best-female-footballers-in-the-world-2018">2018</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/nov/30/how-the-guardian-ranked-the-100-best-female-footballers-in-the-world-2025">Meet the judges</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/dec/04/see-how-every-judge-voted-in-the-100-best-female-footballers-for-2025">See how every judge voted</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/mar/22/sign-up-for-our-new-womens-football-newsletter-moving-the-goalposts">Subscribe to Moving the Goalposts, our free newsletter</a></p></li></ul> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2025/dec/01/the-100-best-female-footballers-in-the-world-2025">Continue reading...</a> Football Women's football Sport Thu, 04 Dec 2025 10:00:22 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2025/dec/01/the-100-best-female-footballers-in-the-world-2025 Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Rich Laverty 2025-12-04T10:00:22Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/dec/05/aitana-bonmati-guardian-top-100-history-third-straight-title <p>The margin may have got smaller but the brilliant Spanish midfielder makes it a hat-trick of No 1 finishes</p><p>They say the best things come in threes, and Aitana Bonmatí has written herself into <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2025/dec/01/the-100-best-female-footballers-in-the-world-2025">the Guardian’s top 100</a> history as the first player to finish at the top of the tree for a third consecutive year.</p><p>Last year the majestic midfielder emulated her Barcelona and Spain teammate Alexia Putellas by <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2024/dec/03/the-100-best-female-footballers-in-the-world-2024">winning for a second year running</a>, but the 27-year-old has now gone one better, establishing herself once again at the top of the women’s game.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/dec/05/aitana-bonmati-guardian-top-100-history-third-straight-title">Continue reading...</a> Aitana Bonmatí Women's football Football Sport Fri, 05 Dec 2025 08:00:42 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/dec/05/aitana-bonmati-guardian-top-100-history-third-straight-title Photograph: Álex Caparrós/UEFA/Getty Images Photograph: Álex Caparrós/UEFA/Getty Images Photograph: Álex Caparrós/UEFA/Getty Images Rich Laverty 2025-12-05T08:00:42Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2025/oct/14/next-generation-2025-60-of-the-best-young-talents-in-world-football <p>From PSG’s Ibrahim Mbaye to Brazil’s next hope, we select some of the most talented players born in 2008. Check the progress of our classes of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2024/oct/15/next-generation-2024-60-of-the-best-young-talents-in-world-football">2024</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2023/oct/11/next-generation-2023-60-of-the-best-young-talents-in-world-football">2023</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2022/sep/28/next-generation-2022-60-of-the-best-young-talents-in-world-football">2022</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2021/oct/07/next-generation-2021-60-of-the-best-young-talents-in-world-football">2021</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2020/oct/08/next-generation-2020-60-of-the-best-young-talents-in-world-football">2020</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2019/oct/10/next-generation-2019-60-of-the-best-young-talents-in-world-football">2019</a> … <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/series/next-generation">and go even further back</a>. Here’s our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2025/oct/13/next-generation-2025-20-of-the-best-talents-at-premier-league-clubs">Premier League class of 2025</a></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2025/oct/14/next-generation-2025-60-of-the-best-young-talents-in-world-football">Continue reading...</a> Football Sport Tue, 14 Oct 2025 09:59:56 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2025/oct/14/next-generation-2025-60-of-the-best-young-talents-in-world-football Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Marcus Christenson, Steven Bloor and Garry Blight 2025-10-14T09:59:56Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2025/oct/13/next-generation-2025-20-of-the-best-talents-at-premier-league-clubs <p>We pick the best youngsters at each club born between 1 September 2008 and 31 August 2009, an age band known as first-year scholars. Check the progress of our classes of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2024/oct/14/next-generation-2024-20-of-the-best-talents-at-premier-league-clubs">2024</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2023/oct/10/next-generation-2023-20-of-the-best-talents-at-premier-league-clubs">2023</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2022/sep/27/next-generation-2022-20-of-the-best-talents-at-premier-league-clubs">2022</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2021/oct/06/next-generation-2021-20-of-the-best-talents-at-premier-league-clubs">2021</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2020/oct/07/next-generation-2020-20-of-the-best-talents-at-premier-league-clubs">2020</a> … <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/series/next-generation">and go even further back</a>. Here’s our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2025/oct/14/next-generation-2025-60-of-the-best-young-talents-in-world-football">2025 world picks</a></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2025/oct/13/next-generation-2025-20-of-the-best-talents-at-premier-league-clubs">Continue reading...</a> Football Sport Mon, 13 Oct 2025 09:10:16 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2025/oct/13/next-generation-2025-20-of-the-best-talents-at-premier-league-clubs Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Marcus Christenson, Steven Bloor and Garry Blight 2025-10-13T09:10:16Z