Blog (Page 157)

[ad_1] Phil Foden has revealed that he copied a training technique he saw Lionel Messi undertaking in order to improve his own game. Foden has gained a reputation as one of English football’s most technically gifted players and has played a major role in Manchester City’s most recent Premier League title wins. He was touted for greatness at a young age, and speaking to the media ahead of England’s World Cup quarter-final with France, Foden opened up on how an experience watching Messi train a two-touch drill up close was crucial to his development. “I remember back in the academy and City played Barcelona [inRead More →

[ad_1] The scout who took a 12-year-old Kylian Mbappe for a trial with Chelsea has revealed how the Blues missed out on a deal to sign the future superstar. Then an unknown youngster at Bondy, Mbappe spent four days in London in May 2011 on a well-known trial with Chelsea, where he posed for a photo with Didier Drogba and played in a game against Charlton. Obviously, nothing came of the trial and Mbappe returned to Bondy, before moves to Monaco and PSG helped him blossom into one of the best players on the planet. It could have all worked out so differently, however, hadRead More →

[ad_1] Manuel Neuer has confirmed that he will not play again in the 2022/23 season after breaking his leg during a post-World Cup holiday. The Bayern Munich goalkeeper started all three group stage games for Germany but failed to keep a clean sheet as Die Mannschaft were surprisingly dumped out at the first hurdle. Following the elimination, Neuer was granted some time off and he went on a skiing holiday, where he unfortunately broke his leg, and he has now confirmed that his season is over as a result. “What can I say, the end of the year could have definitely gone better,” he wroteRead More →

[ad_1] Lionel Messi has admitted that he felt disrespected by Netherlands manager Louis van Gaal in the build-up to Argentina’s World Cup quarter-final victory. The match turned into a hot-tempered affair, with numerous on-field brawls throughout the 120 minutes and even after the penalty shoot-out, with referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz dishing out yellow cards left, right and centre. After winning the shoot-out, a number of Argentina players openly celebrated in front of the Dutch squad, while Messi himself even directed a taunt towards Van Gaal who, in the build-up to the game, accused the Paris Saint-Germain forward of failing to help his team when theyRead More →

[ad_1] Renowned journalist Grant Wahl has passed away in Qatar while covering the 2022 World Cup. Wahl was one of the most prominent and recognisable media members in the history of US soccer. He was at the Lusail Iconic Stadium covering the quarter-final between Argentina and the Netherlands on Friday when he is said to have collapsed in the press box. But after being transported by emergency services, he was later pronounced dead. The World Cup organising committee said in a statement: “He received immediate emergency medical treatment on site, which continued as he was transferred by ambulance to Hamad General Hospital. We are inRead More →

[ad_1] Lionel Messi still has a chance of bowing out of what will be his final World Cup with the trophy in his hands after Argentina knocked out the Netherlands in a pulsating quarter-final tie. La Albiceleste had the game wrapped up with under 20 minutes of the initial 90 left to play when Messi, who had produced one of the best passes you’re ever likely to see to assist the opening goal for Nahuel Molina, converted from the penalty spot. It needn’t have been as difficult as it turned out to be after Argentina let it slip in the closing stages of the game,Read More →

[ad_1] Argentina edged past the Netherlands to reach the World Cup semi-finals and keep Lionel Messi’s hopes of a crowning glory alive, but only after throwing away a 2-0 lead and winning a penalty shootout. Messi got the ball rolling in the shootout, while Emiliano Martinez saved the first two Dutch penalties. Enzo Fernandez missed the chance to win it with his effort but that opportunity came back around for Lautaro Martinez to send La Albiceleste through. Messi and Nahuel Molina had given Argentina their lead in normal time, only to see a remarkable late Netherlands comeback spearheaded by Wout Weghorst off the bench. AlthoughRead More →

[ad_1] As the 2023 Major League Soccer season fast approaches, several teams are looking to sign a Designated Player. Per league rules, a team can only hold three DPs at a time. The Designated Player Rule allows clubs to acquire up to three players whose total compensation and acquisition costs exceed the Maximum Salary Budget Charge, with the club bearing financial responsibility for the amount of compensation above each player’s Salary Budget Charge. Designated Players may be new players signed to MLS via the Allocation Ranking List or the Discovery Process, or they may be re-signed existing players on a club’s roster. Here are theRead More →

[ad_1] Tite has confirmed that he will leave his post as Brazil manager following the Selecao’s elimination from the World Cup upon the expiry of his contract. Brazil were one of the pre-tournament favourites heading to Qatar but were stunned by Croatia in the quarter-final, slumping out on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Following the game, Tite confirmed his intention to walk away from the Brazil national team. “A painful defeat, but I’m at peace with myself. It’s the end of my cycle,” he told a press conference. “I already decided this over a year and a half ago. I’m not a two-faced guy. IRead More →

[ad_1] Brazil were one of the favourites to win the World Cup but they won’t even feature in the semi-final after being dumped out by Croatia on penalties. The Selecao thought they had it won when Neymar’s glorious solo goal put them ahead late in extra time, but Bruno Petkovic scored with Croatia’s first shot on target with just a few minutes to go and sent the game to penalties. From the spot, Rodrygo’s effort was saved by the excellent Dominik Livakovic, before Marquinhos struck the post and sealed Croatia’s place in the semi-final. Those two paragraphs make it seem as though Brazil were theRead More →