World Cup News

Although Chelsea are not reluctant to move on players that they deem surplus to requirements, 19- year old Josh Acheampong is not one of them. The 19-year old English defender has struggled for game time, especially since Liam Rosenior became head coach. Nor is he without his suitors. Bayern Munich tested the waters with a... The post Chelsea want to keep Acheampong appeared first on Footie Central.

Welcome back to It Was What It Was. In today's episode, co-hosts Rob Draper and Jonathan Wilson continue Graham Taylor’s England story as the 1994 World Cup qualifying begins to wobble, with Paul Gascoigne’s talent and volatility dominating the narrative. They examine how Taylor’s pragmatic, direct style—shaped by lower-league realities and later linked (often unfairly) to FA long-ball doctrine—collided with more technical European approaches, and how internal battles involving Charles Hughes and data pioneer Charles Reap poisoned the backdrop. England’s campaign lurches through a Norway draw at Wembley after a late stunner, a Gascoigne-inspired win over Turkey, and a damaging 2–2 draw with the Netherlands featuring an undetected elbow and a late penalty. With Gascoigne returning in a mask, England then stumble in a hostile Poland away match and escape with a late equaliser, before Taylor’s brutal “headless chickens” verdict leaves his team heading to Oslo under growing pressure. 00:24 Setting the Scene 03:08 Taylor’s Pragmatic Roots 06:50 Pressing vs Possession 10:04 Charles Hughes and the Winning Formula 13:55 Reap vs Hughes Fallout 19:31 Norway’s Long Ball Irony 21:59 Back to Qualifying Hopes 24:10 Gazza’s Norway Controversy 26:50 Taylor’s Gaza Dilemma 28:22 Norway Opener Heartbreak 30:53 Turkey Win and Dependence 32:53 Too Honest With Press 40:12 Dutch Clash at Wembley 44:13 Mask Return and Mania 45:52 Poland Chaos and Critique 49:03 Headless Chickens Finale Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

By: Ben Dixon AC Milan Primavera were hoping to continue their winning ways after the win against Lecce last week. However, they were unable to beat Atalanta. After the magnitude of last week’s victory, Milan Primavera had a fantastic chance to continue rising up the table. However, they could not get past Atalanta, who made the trip to […] The post Milan Primavera 0-0 Atalanta: Renna’s youngsters left disappointed with goalless draw appeared first on SempreMilan.

By: Rohit Rajeev AC Milan fell to their worst defeat of the season at San Siro on Saturday evening as they were beaten 3-0 by Udinese. After a positive start by Milan, they found themselves two goals down at the break as they failed to contain Udinese’s transitions. Davide Bartesaghi deflected in a cross and Jurgen Ekkelenkamp scored […] The post How Allegri’s 4-3-3 was ruthlessly exposed: Tactical analysis of AC Milan 0-3 Udinese appeared first on SempreMilan.

Denzel Dumfries’ journey at Inter Milan has never been short of drama, drive, and decisive moments. Since arriving in 2021, the Dutch right wing-back has faced scrutiny and praise in equal measure. But the 2024–25 season was arguably his most complete and defining campaign yet — a year that combined physical dominance, tactical maturity, and… The post Denzel Dumfries: The Relentless Engine Powering Inter’s Right Flank first appeared on Breaking The Lines.

By: Oliver Fisher An appeal has been lodged against yet another move to block AC Milan fans travelling from Lombardy to an away game, this time against Verona. At present, Milan fans residing in Lombardy – the region that the Rossoneri call home – cannot buy tickets for nor attend the game against Hellas Verona on Saturday. The […] The post MN: Lombardy-based Milan fans set to be banned again vs. Verona – AIMC appeal ready appeared first on SempreMilan.

By Martin Graham Luciano Spalletti has officially extended his stay at Juventus by signing a new two-year agreement, putting an end to any possibility of him taking over the Italy national team. The experienced coach had been mentioned as a candidate for the role after Gennaro Gattuso stepped down last week, following Italy’s failure […]

Motoring Manchester City ruthlessly capitalised on Arsenal’s capitulation at home to Bournemouth to move within six points of the top of the table. But Pep Guardiola’s treble-chasers could hardly h…

Martin Odegaard remains part of Mikel Arteta's plans despite the injury problems that have restricted him to a bit-part role this season.

By: Isak Möller Manuel Ugarte has been offered to several Italian clubs, including AC Milan, by his agent amid a potential summer move, a report claims. Ugarte is a name that has been mentioned in the Milan environment before. Back when he played for Sporting Lisbon, the Rossoneri were monitoring his growth and also held talks with his […] The post Schira: Man Utd midfielder Ugarte offered to Milan amid interest in the past appeared first on SempreMilan.

Match report – Player ratings – Arteta reaction – Video The morning after and the cold light of day have made little difference to me with regards yesterday’s 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth. We turned what was a big opportunity to take a significant step towards the title into something far more damaging. My gut feeling, […] The post Arsenal 1-2 Bournemouth: A miserable performance at the worst possible time appeared first on Arseblog ... an Arsenal blog.

LIVING in Norway, former striker Trevor Morley has recently passed on his business setting up shelters and working with recovering drug addicts. Now 65, the former Manchester City and West Ham frontman said: “I had been running the shelters for 25 years. “It’s been great and very rewarding but it was 24/7. You never knew if...

By: Oliver Fisher Adrien Rabiot has admitted that AC Milan did not keep a level head during their loss to Udinese, but hit back at the boos towards Rafael Leao. Udinese ran out 3-0 winners at San Siro as a result of an unfortunate own-goal from Davide Bartesaghi, a header from Ekkelenkamp and a final blow in the […] The post Rabiot admits Milan are suffering ‘decline’ but was ‘disappointed’ by Leao jeers: “Need to help him” appeared first on SempreMilan.

Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber, Riccardo Calafiori and Martin Odegaard miss out for Arsenal today in their Premier League clash with Bournemouth.

Arsenal suffered their third defeat in four matches as Mikel Arteta's side were deservedly beaten 2-1 at home by Bournemouth.

Linus Güther made history on Matchday 29 of 2025/26 as he became Union Berlin's youngest-ever Bundesliga player. That only put him second on the all-time list behind ex-Dortmund man Youssoufa Moukoko, though. But who else joins them in the top 10? Read on to find out...

Norway star Jens Petter Hauge discusses his journey from AC Milan to Bodø/Glimt and his confidence heading into the World Cup 2026 as Norway returns to the global stage. We are just two months away from the FIFA World Cup, which will see Norway return to a major tournament for the first time since Euro 2000, and one man who will be looking to play a crucial role for them is Jens Petter Hauge. Born on October 12, 1999, Hauge was raised in Bodø and started off in Bodø/Glimt’s academy at 12 years old, ascending through the ranks before signing a professional contract on April 12, 2016. One day later, he came off the bench in the 64th minute and scored a hat-trick on his senior debut in a 6-0 cup win against IK Start. Following in the footsteps of his idol Eden Hazard, Hauge quickly made a name for himself thanks to his fleet feet and change of direction, becoming the club’s youngest-ever goalscorer in the Eliteserien. Whilst he wasn’t able to prevent them from suffering relegation, he nevertheless excelled in the second division and helped them achieve promotion with 2 goals and 13 assists in 2017. “When I got a little bit older, I started understanding more about football. Eden Hazard was my favorite player when he moved to Chelsea, and the way he was having fun while dribbling and scoring against the best teams in England,” stated Hauge in an exclusive World Soccer Talk interview. “It was special for me, and I wanted to be a player like him, so I would describe myself as an offensive player, good one-on-one, creating chances for my teammates and also myself.” After being loaned out to second-tier Aalesunds FK, Hauge returned with a vengeance and racked up 9 goals and 3 assists in 29 appearances across all competitions. 2020 was even better, with Hauge coming out of the pandemic a stronger player and scoring 14 goals and 10 assists in 18 league appearances, prompting him to be named the Eliteserien Young Player of the Year. Whilst he put them on track to win their maiden league title, he wasn’t able to enjoy the trophy: instead, after scoring a goal and an assist in a Europa League qualifier vs. Milan, he joined Milan for €5 million, signing a five-year contract. Hauge enjoyed a promising start to his Milan tenure, racking up 5 goals and 1 assist in 24 appearances, but he wasn’t able to lock down a starting spot during his time in Italy before eventually deciding to make the move to Eintracht Frankfurt in 2021. Hauge quickly adapted to life in Germany, scoring in two of his first three Bundesliga matches and emerging as a vital cog under Oliver Glasner as Eintracht knocked out Real Betis, Barcelona, and West Ham before defeating Rangers on penalties to win the UEFA Europa League, their first continental trophy in 42 years. But rather than stay put and take part in the UEFA Champions League, Hauge was loaned out to Belgian side Gent shortly after being purchased by Eintracht. He provided five assists in 29 appearances before heading back to Die Adler, where he struggled for regular minutes. Having scored 3 goals and 5 assists in 55 appearances for Die Adler, Hauge decided to head back to Bodø/Glimt on loan in January 2024, where he got off to a sensational start by assisting in his first two matches vs. Ajax and scoring 8 goals and 5 assists in 28 appearances en route to the championship. It was only a matter of time before Bodø decided to finalize the transfer for an initial €3.5 million, signing him to a contract through December 31, 2028. “It was a great start for me. Of course, it was a bit of a punch in the face that we didn’t beat Ajax and go through, but still, I was feeling like my fitness level was good. I also contributed with assists and scoring goals later on, so it was good to get that good start and feel that I’m still a good player, and just kept on working from there.” Hauge continued to build on his momentum in 2024/25, kicking off his UEFA Europa League campaign with a brace and an assist vs. Porto before registering an assist against Olympiacos and Lazio, but he was unable to come up with the goods as the Norwegians lost to eventual winners Tottenham Hotspur in the semifinals. After scoring 11 goals and 11 assists in 52 appearances, Hauge has taken things up a notch this season and established himself as one of the top Scandinavian players in Europe alongside the likes of Jesper Karlström, racking up 7 goals and 7 assists in 18 appearances, including 6 goals and 2 assists in 12 Champions League appearances. This form earned him a recall to the national team after a year out, making his 14th Norway appearance in a friendly against the Netherlands on March 27. And maybe, just maybe, he’ll have a role to play in this summer’s World Cup as Norway take on Iraq, France, and Senegal in Group I. “I can promise you that myself and the rest of the national team and the coaching staff did everything we could to make sure that Norway went to a major tournament again, and now, it’s time for the World Cup in North America. It’s going to be amazing; it’s going to be one of the coolest tournaments. I think everything is up for grabs for us, because the team is so talented, and the young Norwegian players now are playing at the best leagues and in the best teams. We will try our best, but personally, I’m confident.”

Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber, Riccardo Calafiori and Martin Odegaard miss out for Arsenal today in their Premier League clash with Bournemouth.

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has suffered a small setback after his recent return from injury.

Despite being defeated by Atlético Madrid, Barcelona remain hopeful of overturning the result. In fact, Lamine Yamal has sent a message of encouragement to the Culers, issuing a strong warning to the Colchoneros. Even though Barcelona arrived as clear favorites, Atlético Madrid managed to defeat them 2–0 in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals. Hansi Flick’s team failed to convert the numerous chances they created, leaving Marcus Rashford exposed. Nevertheless, Lamine Yamal has sent a positive message to the Culers, while also issuing a clear warning to the Colchoneros ahead the second leg. After the defeat against the Colchoneros, Lamine Yamal sent a message of encouragement to Barcelona, issuing a warning for the second leg. “This isn’t over, Culers. We’ll give everything in the return match. All united, always,” he posted, via Instagram. With this, the Spaniard prepares himself for an anticipated comeback of a two-goal difference at Riyadh Air Metropolitano in the Champions League. Despite not scoring against Atlético Madrid, Lamine dominated on the pitch, being Barcelona’s most decisive player. He not only shone in dribbling but also constantly created space for his teammates. Nevertheless, Marcus Rashford and Dani Olmo were unable to convert all the opportunities generated by the 18-year-old star, cutting off any offensive possibilities. With Pau Cubarsí’s sending off, the Blaugrana lost full control of the game, conceding a free-kick goal from Julián Álvarez. Despite this, they dominated offensively, having more shots on goal and being the brighter team. For this reason, Hansi Flick’s Barcelona could be aiming for a comeback, relying on greater accuracy in front of goal, which could see the Dani Olmo–Fermín López duo deployed again. Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona is tackled by Julian Alvarez of Atletico Madrid. Lamine Yamal may need to take a scoring role in Barcelona’s offense Throughout the season, Lamine Yamal has proven to be the key axis of Barcelona’s offense. He is not only decisive in dribbling but also opens up space for his teammates. Nevertheless, the Blaugrana are not at their best in scoring, suffering from dips in form from their forwards, as neither Robert Lewandowski nor Ferran Torres are shining. For this reason, the 18-year-old star will need to take on a more goal-oriented role. Needing to overturn a two-goal deficit, the Blaugrana require scoring power more than ever. For this reason, Fermín López and Dani Olmo could take center stage creatively, while Lamine will need to excel in front of goal. As the team’s top scorer, the 18-year-old star has already shown his scoring ability, so he will need to step up at the forefront on this occasion. Frenkie de Jong’s comeback may prove differential for Barcelona Ahead of the first leg in the Champions League quarterfinals, Hansi Flick had to cope with the difficult absence of Frenkie de Jong in midfield. While Eric García emerged as a decent solution, he was unable to shine offensively, limiting the team’s progression. The Dutchman is set to get playing time against Espanyol, creating significant opportunities to start in the second leg against Atlético Madrid. If Frenkie manages to start in the second leg, the Blaugrana would gain consistency in midfield, as well as an ideal partner for playmaking. This would allow Lamine Yamal and Rashford to receive the ball further up the pitch, creating more opportunities to score and push for a comeback. Nevertheless, Fermín López might need to step up, shining once again offensively, breaking Atlético Madrid’s defense.

Martin Odegaard suffered a knee problem against Sporting CP and missed Arsenal training on Thursday, but Norway boss Stale Solbakken does not believe the injury is serious. Arsenal received a major boost with Eberechi Eze returning to training ahead of the Bournemouth clash.

World Cup 2026 will be full of prolific goal-getters but who will win the Golden Boot?

In “The Lion Grown Old”, one of Aesop’s fables, an elderly, feeble lion lies at the mouth of his cave. Once feared and revered by all, the dying lion is visited by his old enemies. A bull comes along and gores him with its horns. A boar drives at him with its tusks. Even a… The post The Lion Grown Old: The Plight of José Mourinho first appeared on Breaking The Lines.

MANCHESTER UNITED have announced five pre-season fixtures in preparation for the summer - although one could be cancelled. The Red Devils will play in Finland, Norway, Sweden and Dublin ahead of the 2026-27 campaign. They will first take on Wrexham in Helsinki on July 18 before travelling to Trondheim for a match against Rosenborg the...

Showing their full form, PSG defeated Liverpool in an imposing manner, dominating the entire match. Alongside this, Désiré Doué and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia delivered an offensive masterclass, controlling the first leg of the 2025–26 Champions League quarterfinals. PSG managed to overcome Liverpool in the 2025-26 Champions League quarterfinals first leg, showcasing all their offensive firepower. Throughout the match, the French side imposed a high press and ball dominance that neutralized their opponent. While the Reds looked to break on the counterattack, they were unable to get out of their own area, losing rhythm. In addition, Désiré Doué and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia led the scoring side of the game. The Reds did not arrive in their best form to face the French side, as they were coming off two consecutive defeats. In addition, coach Arne Slot opted for a defensive strategy with five defenders, looking to attack on the counter. Nevertheless, Luis Enrique’s team managed to apply immense pressure that left them completely blocked. Even Jeremy Frimpong and Hugo Ekitke were isolated in attack, as their teammates remained in their own area. Unlike in previous Champions League matches, Liverpool failed to dominate the midfield throughout the game. Although Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister possess exceptional talent, they were pressured by PSG the entire match, which neutralized their offensive contributions. As a result, Ekitike and Florian Wirtz received neither support nor clear-cut chances, ending the game without shots on goal. Taking advantage of his tactical versatility, PSG head coach Luis Enrique opted for a highly mobile front line. As a result, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Desiré Doué, and Ousmane Dembélé constantly switched positions, throwing the Reds off balance. Following this, the French side managed to dominate the game, creating openings in the opponent’s crowded defense. Furthermore, they capitalized on their chances, scoring two goals to secure the victory. Desire Doue of Paris Saint-Germain celebrates scoring a goal with Ousmane Dembele. Desiré Doue and Kvicha Kvaratskhelia dominated PSG’s offense Taking advantage of Liverpool’s defensive mindset, PSG managed to gain confidence on offense, their greatest strength. Following a brilliant team play, Desire Doue received the ball on the left wing and dribbled past all his opponents. After driving toward the goal, the Frenchman unleashed a powerful shot to score the team’s first goal, beating Giorgi Mamardashvili within just 10 minutes. Désiré Doué's deflected effort gives PSG the early lead vs. Liverpool 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/NP8RCL7usU — CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) April 8, 2026 In the second half, the French side continued to press forward against Liverpool. After receiving the ball in midfield, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia found Joao Neves, who controlled the ball and played it back to the Georgian as he ran into space. Upon receiving the ball, he produced a magnificent individual play, dribbling past Liverpool’s defenders to find himself one-on-one and score the second goal of the game. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia that is brilliant 🔥 The Georgian forward coolly rounds the goalkeeper to double PSG's lead 🇬🇪 pic.twitter.com/ZIEF5idt0K — CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) April 8, 2026

Denzel Dumfries’ journey at Inter Milan has never been short of drama, drive, and decisive moments. Since arriving in 2021, the Dutch right wing-back has faced scrutiny and praise in equal measure. But the 2024–25 season was arguably his most complete and defining campaign yet — a year that combined physical dominance, tactical maturity, and… The post Denzel Dumfries: The Relentless Engine Powering Inter’s Right Flank first appeared on Breaking The Lines.

LIVERPOOL have been urged to sign Michael Olise this summer as the club seek to replace all-timer Mo Salah. Reds icon Steven Gerrard sees Bayern Munich star Olise, 24, as being an ideal candidate to line-up on the right-wing. But Gerrard, 45, knows the Frenchman will not come easily, nor will finding anyone to step...

There are two huge Champions League quarter-final first-leg ties on Tuesday night, with Real Madrid hosting Bayern Munich and Arsenal heading for Portugal to take on Sporting. We have a trio of sel…

Good morning from Lisbon. Arsenal and Mikel Arteta arrived yesterday evening, and the team news is mixed. Declan Rice, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel have all travelled, but Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber have stayed behind in London, not quite ready for this one. With a huge game on Saturday against Bournemouth, you have to imagine […] The post Arteta looks for Arsenal identity ahead of Sporting clash appeared first on Arseblog ... an Arsenal blog.

The Sweden striker’s goals had inspired Sporting for two years but in Colombian Luis Suárez they have found an equally prolific target man In Portugal, two of the most familiar sayings claim that “green is the colour of hope” and that “hope is the last thing to die”. For Sporting, a club draped in green, those proverbs are not merely poetic – they are operational. After a humiliating 3–0 defeat in Norway by Bodø/Glimt in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, logic suggested it was all over. Sporting disagreed. Backed by about 50,000 supporters, the team surged with belief and delivered a 5–0 victory that carried the club to their first quarter-final in the tournament in 43 years. Arsenal come next, as does an old question: is hope a cultural relic or Sporting’s most powerful ally?

Neither player nor club have ever won the top European competition and with Griezmann’s departure set for the end of the season this campaign represents one last chance to end this era on a high

Mikel Arteta has confirmed three of his Arsenal stars will miss this weekend’s FA quarter-final clash with Southampton.

Roberto Mancini is one of three candidates drawn up to replace Gennaro Gattuso as Italy boss, talkSPORT understands. Gattuso has officially stepped down from his role following their failure to qua…

Denzel Dumfries’ journey at Inter Milan has never been short of drama, drive, and decisive moments. Since arriving in 2021, the Dutch right wing-back has faced scrutiny and praise in equal measure. But the 2024–25 season was arguably his most complete and defining campaign yet — a year that combined physical dominance, tactical maturity, and… The post Denzel Dumfries: The Relentless Engine Powering Inter’s Right Flank first appeared on Breaking The Lines.

Gianluigi Buffon has resigned as the head of Italian national team delegation. It comes just two days after the four-time World Cup winners failed to qualify for this summer’s tournament. Ita…

Concerns have been raised in Norway over Martin Odegaard's fitness, but coach Stale Solbakken insists the Arsenal captain is improving.

When Barnsley publish a statement like Jon Flatman’s, supporters tend to do one of two things. Some switch off the moment words like sustainable, efficient and long-term start appearing. Others brace themselves for the bit where they are politely asked to lower expectations again. This update had a bit of both about it. On the surface, it was calm, sensible and measured. The club says Neerav Parekh remains committed, no money is being taken out, and Barnsley must make sure every part of the budget is used effectively. In isolation, none of that is outrageous. In fact, some of it is plainly true. Because when you look at the latest accounts, the financial picture is not exactly one of a club cruising along in rude health. Barnsley’s turnover rose to £10.28 million for the year ending 30 June 2025, up from £8.97 million the previous period. That sounds positive enough. But the overall loss also ballooned to £6.58 million, compared with £2.84 million before. Cash at bank stood at just £882,480 by the year end, while shareholders’ funds remained negative at around £2.68 million. The strategic report also states that £5.4 million of operating cash was required from the owners during the year. So let’s be fair from the start. The club are not inventing a problem that does not exist. The need for financial restraint, or at least financial realism, is there in black and white. But that is not the whole story, and it is certainly not the whole feeling around the place. What the statement is really saying Flatman’s message is essentially this: Barnsley want to remain competitive, but they also need to be smarter, leaner and less reliant on owners endlessly plugging the gap. He points to rising costs across League One, the fragility of the football model, and the need to create a club that is attractive to future partners and investors. Again, taken at face value, that is hard to argue with. Most clubs at this level are balancing on a tightrope, and Barnsley are hardly unique in that regard. But football supporters do not read statements in a vacuum. They read them through the lens of what they have watched, paid for and put up with. That is where the unease starts creeping in. What the accounts actually show The accounts reveal something quite awkward. Revenue improved. Matchday and commercial income improved. The club benefited from a decent cup run and increased central EFL distributions. Yet the losses still worsened dramatically. The strategic report says the playing budget available for the first team was sufficient for a top-six finish, but the final league position in that accounting period was 11th. That matters. Because if Barnsley were skint and scraping the bottom of the barrel, the argument would be straightforward. Tighten belts, accept pain, hope for better days. But that is not really what the club’s own report says. It says the budget was there to compete. It says revenues rose. It says the club invested. And still, the end result was another season that fell short. That is why supporters are unlikely to simply nod along when the language of sustainability comes out again. It is not that fans do not understand the figures. It is that they have heard enough versions of “steady as she goes” to know it often arrives after another campaign that has gone nowhere near as well as planned. Sustainability is fair. Stagnation is not. This is the balance Barnsley have to get right now. Nobody sensible is asking the owners to chuck money into a bonfire forever. The accounts make it obvious that the current situation depends heavily on that support. There was also a further share allotment after the year end, underlining that shareholder backing has continued to be part of the picture. So yes, the club are right to talk about sustainability. But supporters are equally right to ask what exactly they are being asked to sustain. A club with rising revenues but worsening losses. A club that talks about recruitment and long-term planning, yet still feels stuck between ambition and caution. A club that keeps sounding like it is preparing for the future while the present remains stubbornly underwhelming. That is the problem. Not the use of the word sustainability itself. The problem is that Barnsley supporters have seen too little evidence that the pain of patience is actually building towards something. The table tells its own story That mood is sharpened by where Barnsley sit now. They are not staring into a relegation fight, but nor are they anywhere near where supporters believe this club should be. Mid-table is the worst kind of football existence. Not disastrous enough to force major change. Not good enough to build real belief. Just a slow, dragging trudge through a season that always seems to promise more than it delivers. That is why statements like Flatman’s land the way they do. Fans do not hear careful stewardship. They hear another warning that expectation needs trimming while the football side continues to flatter to deceive. Sometimes unfairly, perhaps. But not irrationally. The real question Barnsley have not answered The accounts show the model is under strain. Fine. What they do not answer is why Barnsley still seem so far from the stable, competitive, smartly run club they keep describing. If the budget was built for the top six and the club finished 11th, that is not just a financial story. It is a football story. If turnover rises and losses still worsen, that is not just bad luck. It raises questions about efficiency, judgement and return on investment. And if supporters are being asked to buy into another period of prudence, they are entitled to want more than warm words about infrastructure, opportunities and long-term thinking. They are entitled to ask when all that starts looking like progress. Final Whistle Jon Flatman’s update was not outrageous, and it was not baseless. The latest Barnsley accounts show a club still heavily reliant on owner support, still losing serious money, and still in no position to act like the financial rules of gravity do not apply. But the numbers also show something else. Barnsley are not merely battling harsh realities. They are also dealing with the consequences of another season in which the spend, the planning and the ambition did not produce enough on the pitch. That is why supporters will not just swallow the message whole. The warning is fair. The frustration is too.

Welcome back to It Was What It Was, the football history podcast. Today co-hosts Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper are joined by a very special returning guest - Jan Fjørtoft! In this episode, we will explore Norway’s remarkable rise in the early 1990s and their famous 2–0 win over Graham Taylor’s England in 1993. Fjørtoft explains how Egil “Drillo” Olsen took a previously struggling national team and built belief through a disciplined, direct style, carefully defined roles, and detailed match analysis using hand-written stats and video. The episode breaks down the key tactical choices that unsettled England, revisits both Norway goals, and follows the qualifier run that took Norway to their first World Cup since 1938. Norway will return to the World Cup this summer for the first time since 1998. This episode will be followed by a three part special on Graham Taylor. 01:12 Norway before the rise 04:09 Olsen arrives and stirs 06:47 Direct football philosophy 14:31 Stats and analysis 20:05 Defined roles and system 23:40 Beating England 28:12 Tactical switch 31:33 Gascoigne fitness factor 32:50 Olsen’s Selection Mind Games 37:20 Two Goals Breakdown 42:41 Road to USA 94 Sealed 45:45 Poland Night and Wild Celebrations 48:46 Heroes Welcome in Norway 52:04 World Cup Heat Prep Fiasco 59:59 Egil Olsen Legacy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are many teams in Premier League history that gained fame for their defense, and the reason they achieved this is, of course, a defensive line that functions perfectly. #premierleague #defensiveline #best #terry #ferreira #carvalho #gallas #chelsea #teambus #bankofsport

The expansion of this summer’s 48-team tournament mean Tuesday’s games will be the best we see until the round of 16 Sign up for Soccer with Jonathan Wilson here Live in a World Cup host city? Tell us your stories There is always a slightly odd rhythm to the World Cup. The final round of qualifying games is almost invariably more exciting than the early games at the tournament itself, and now with 32 teams making it through the group stage and into the knockout rounds, that is likely to be even more true for the 2026 edition. Those final qualifiers in November were thrilling and meaningful – Troy Parrott’s hat-trick! Scotland scoring two absurdly good goals in the same game! DR Congo beating Nigeria on penalties as bottles rained down from the stands! Honduras failing to score against Costa Rica! – and Tuesday will be too as 12 teams battle for the six remaining slots. But for those not involved in World Cup playoffs, there is an unsatisfying phoniness to the friendlies they must play instead, with experimental line-ups and weary players going through glorified training exercises. While it’s never good to be letting in five goals, neither the USA nor Ghana should be too concerned about the defeats to Belgium or Austria.

Analysis over why Norway's national team is one to watch at the 2026 World Cup in North America. The post Why Norway Are Ones To Watch At The 2026 World Cup appeared first on Attacking Football.

- SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PODCAST: http://cornerofthegalaxy.com/subscribe/ - COG LA GALAXY DISCORD: https://discord.gg/drr9HFZY2P - COG ANTHEM MUSIC BY RAY PLAZA: https://linktr.ee/munditoplaza - COG ANTHEM MUSIC DOWNLOAD: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3asiasldwKyoCRm1Vzx2h7?si=_LmXI9otT9y9j0ChMGMt2w COG STUDIOS, Calif. -- It's just never easy for this LA Galaxy team. And yes, they technically did exactly what they wanted to do -- take a three-goal lead back to Jamaica. But anyone who was there will tell you that the game was a struggle. And it's not because the Galaxy didn't dominate defensively, nor because they didn't create chances. They just couldn't put high-quality shots on target until they did. On today's show, host Josh Guesman gives you his view on the 3-0 win over Mount Pleasant and why the game against Sporting KC is going to be similar. Can the Galaxy walk away with another multi-goal victory? But more importantly, can they get all the points on Saturday? -- Corner of the Galaxy is kicking off Season 18, just a few shows past number 1,275! And we can't wait to show you everything we've got in store for 2026! This is a reminder that we go live twice a week — on Mondays and Thursdays at 8 PM on YouTube — and that you can find us conveniently on your preferred podcast platform (Apple, Spotify, SoundCloud, YouTube, Google Play, etc.). We're making it easy for you to stay connected! So tell a friend that you've been listening to the longest-running team-specific podcast in Major League Soccer and that 2025 is a great time to start listening!

Join Matthew Brennan, Ben Symes and David Wilson as they delve into the biggest stories this week in the world of Irish football. On this week's episode, the trio chat about a potential World Cup playoff squad, who could be the bolters, and should we be worried about our attacking options? Heimir Hallgrimsson meets with Sammie Szmodics ahead of a potential recall and what is the latest on Chiedozie Ogbene. There is the great left-wing debate, Robbie Brady or Ryan Manning? And should Alex Murphy be in with a shout? David McGoldrick rolls back the years with a hat-trick and Johnny Kenny also puts in a positive showing. Irish players again on the move to the continent, this time Trent Kone Doherty who has gone to Molde in Norway. And the lads get into what are the things they are most looking forward to ahead of this summer's World Cup. And as ever, we are looking for your inspiration to help us, fancy getting in touch? You can do so by emailing [email protected] Contact us on socials @offtheball across all our platforms. Or if you want to contact us directly message the @offtheball.football account on Instagram. And as ever, we are on WhatsApp on 087 9 180 180. Become a member and sign up at offtheball.com/join

John Murray, Ian Dennis & Ali Bruce-Ball talk football, travel & language. There’s breaking news on how to pronounce Taty Castellanos, hear from the voice of the 'corpsing classifieds' and TCV goes musical. Plus ‘Unintended Pub Names’ maybe reaches its peak; Clash of the Commentators goes to Scandinavia and how you can use the pod to impress your mates. Messages and voicenotes on WhatsApp to 08000 289 369 & emails to [email protected] 00:30 Chocolate is good for you? 02:00 John recovered from Newcastle- Qarabağ, 03:40 5 Live commentaries this weekend, 08:50 Castellanos pronunciation news, 11:50 The voice of the corpsing classifieds! 17:10 Lawn mowers & palm trees, 21:40 TCV goes musical, 25:20 Unintended pub names, 35:30 Clash of the Commentators, 44:45 Great Glossary of Football Commentary, 49:40 A final message from Luke in Norway. 5 Live / BBC Sounds commentaries: Sat 1500 Liverpool v West Ham with Ian Dennis & Stephen Warnock, Sat 1500 Newcastle v Everton on Sports Extra with Eilidh Barbour & James McFadden, Sat 1730 Leeds v Man City with John Murray & Paul Robinson, Sun 1200 Rangers v Celtic with Alasdair Lamond & Pat Nevin, Sun 1400 Man Utd v Crystal Palace with John Murray & Dion Dublin, Sun 1400 Fulham v Tottenham on Sports Extra with John Acres & Mark Schwarzer, Sun 1400 Brighton v Forest on Sports Extra 2 with Chris Wise & Luke Chambers, Sun 1630 Arsenal v Chelsea with Ali Bruce-Ball & Matt Upson. Great Glossary of Football Commentary: DIVISION ONE Agricultural challenge, Back of the net, Back to square one, Booked, Bosman, Bullet header, Coupon buster, Cruyff Turn, Cultured/educated left foot, Dead-ball specialist, Draught excluder, Elastico/flip-flap, False nine, Fox in the box, Giving the goalkeeper the eyes, Grub hunter, Head tennis, Hibs it, In a good moment, In behind, Magic of the FA Cup, The Maradona, Off their line, Olimpico, Onion bag, Panenka, Park the bus, Perfect hat-trick, Rabona, Roy of the Rovers stuff, Schmeichel-style, Scorpion kick, Spursy, Stick it in the mixer, Sweeper keeper, Target man, Tiki-taka, Towering header, Trivela, Where the kookaburra sleeps, Where the owl sleeps, Where the spiders sleep. DIVISION TWO 2-0 can be a dangerous score, Back on the grass, Ball stays hit, Beaten all ends up, Blaze over the bar, Business end, Came down with snow on it, Catching practice, Camped in the opposition half, Cauldron atmosphere Coat is on a shoogly peg, Come back to haunt them, Corridor of uncertainty, Couldn’t sort their feet out, Easy tap-in, Daisy-cutter, First cab off the rank, Giant-killing, Good leave, Good touch for a big man, Half-turn, Has that in his locker, High wide and not very handsome, Hospital pass, Howler, In the dugout, In the hat, In their pocket, Johnny on the spot, Leading the line, Leather a shot, Middle of the park, Needed no second invitation, Nice headache to have, Nutmeg, On their bike, One for the cameras, One for the purists, Played us off the park, Points to the spot, Prawn sandwich brigade, Purple patch, Put their laces through it, Reaches for their pocket, Rolls Royce, Root and branch review, Row Z, Screamer, Seats on the plane, Show across the bows, Slide-rule pass, Steal a march, Straight in the bread basket, Stramash, Taking one for the team, Telegraphed that pass, Tired legs, That’s great… (football), Thunderous strike, Turns on a sixpence, Walk it in, We’ve got a cup tie on our hands. UNSORTED After you Claude, All-Premier League affair, Aplomb, Bag/box of tricks, Brace, Brandished, Bread and butter, Breaking the deadlock, Bundled over the line, Champions elect / champions apparent, Clinical finish, Commentator’s curse, Denied by the woodwork, Draught excluder, Elimination line, Fellow countryman, Foot race, Formerly of this parish, Free hit, Goalkeepers’ Union, Goalmouth scramble, Honeymoon Period, In and around, In the shop window, Keeping ball under their spell, Keystone Cops defending, Languishing, Loitering with intent, Marching orders, Nestle in the bottom corner, Numbered derbies, Opposite number, PK for penalty-kick, Postage stamp, Rasping shot, Red wine not white wine, Relegation six-pointer, Rooted at the bottom, Route One, Sending the goalkeeper the wrong way, Shooting boots, Sleeping giants, Slide rule pass, Small matter of, Spiders web, Stayed hit, Steepling, Stinging the palms, Stonewall penalty, Straight off the training ground, Taking one for the team, Team that likes to play football, Throw their cap on it, Thruppenny bit head / 50p head, Two good feet, Turning into a basketball match, Turning into a cricket score, Usher/Shepherd the ball out of play, Walking a disciplinary tightrope, Wand of a left foot, Wrap foot around it, Your De Bruynes, your Gundogans etc.

Tracing Leeds United’s place in the tradition of Northern Realism This piece was written by Anthony Clavane for issue 9 At the beginning of 2013, several announcements were made which caused me to reflect on the connection between football and art. First, Radio 4 announced they would broadcast the complete text of Tony Harrison’s poem […] The post That Grandish Pile of Swank appeared first on The Blizzard.

Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, Philippe Auclair and Paul Watson as Arsenal feel the heat and Inter are caught cold in Norway. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/footballweeklypod. Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FootballWeeklyPodcast

How tiny Eibar have taken their place in the Spanish top flight. This piece was written by Will Unwin for issue 15 Eibar’s home league meeting with Villarreal this September was a meeting of two tiny clubs. You could fit the population of both towns into the Nou Camp and still have room for another […] The post Defying the Odds appeared first on The Blizzard.

The Norwegians impress against two top European teams and draw attention to themselves. We take a look at the two matches. Translations of German match analyses on spielverlagerung.de Bodø/Glimt v Manchester City (3:1) Bodø/Glimt have been regarded as a hidden gem within the analysis community for several years now, but at the latest since Tuesday’s […]

On the latest edition of Caught Offside, we discuss the most recent set of Champions League results including City stumbling in Norway, Salah returning to Liverpool's 11 and Madrid dropping 6 on Monaco. Plus, how can Spurs be so bad at home in the Premier League and so good at home in the Champions League? We also discuss Weston McKennie grabbing another goal in Europe, Jack Grealish going down with a stress fracture and Brooklyn Beckham's public falling out with his parents. For even more Caught Offside content, get on over to Caught Offside Plus right now! In our most recent episode, we discuss some of our favorite footballing meme's, their unique origin stories and how they're used in soccer's online culture. To sign up, just go to https://caughtoffside.supercast.com! Once you have access to the premium feed, be sure to go back and check out our special "welcome episode" from June 24th, 2024 (we don't think you'll be disappointed)! And for all the latest merch, get over to https://caughtoffsidepod.com/ - IT'S COLD OUT! GET A WINTER HAT! --- Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/CaughtOffsidePod/ X: https://twitter.com/COsoccerpod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caughtoffsidepod/ Email: [email protected] Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@caughtoffsidepod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alexi Lalas and David Mosse are back with a new episode of State of the Union! Today we break down all the action from this week’s Champions League slate, including Weston McKennie finding the back of the net for Juventus AGAIN and Manchester City suffering a shocking defeat in Norway. After, we discuss Patrick Agyemang and Haji Wright scoring once more for their clubs in the Championship and a potential $20M move to the Premier League for Agyemang. In #AskAlexi, we debate if Christian Pulisic is in a slump or not for Milan and get to the bottom of Mosse’s amazing mind. To finish up in One for the Road, Alexi reacts to a stunning story about the kidnapping of a former MLS manager. Use my code for $30 off your next order of World Cup Tickets on SeatGeek*:https://seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/SOTU Sponsored by SeatGeek. *Restrictions apply. Max $30discount, Min. $200 Purchase Intro (0:00)Best Turnaround in Sports: Indiana vs Leicester City (2:50)UCL Recap: McKennie Scores, City falls in major upset (5:38)U.S. in Championship: Agyemang & Wright keep scoring (20:19)#AskAlexi: Pulisic slump? (30:22)One For The Road: The Athletic details former MLS coaches kidnapping (42:22) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices