The Three Lions had their shot at reaching the first ever Nations League final, but were once again punished by costly errors.

Photo by Jan Kruger

Eleven months on from Moscow, England lose another semi-final, in extra-time, after going 1-0 up.

This time the opposition was the Netherlands and not Croatia and the competition the UEFA Nations League instead of the World Cup.

But the outcome is the same.

Gareth Southgate and this group of players have got to be asking themselves how this can continue to happen and also asking how they might overcome it and see things through.

It’s easy to look at the incidents in question – those conceded goals – and deduce that they were individual errors.

But England were mastered in possession throughout – with the Dutch creating the best chances in open play – and always looking like they had enough in the tank to get the job done.

Jesse Lingard might well have won it at the end of 90 minutes for England but a fine team goal was annulled after consultation with the VAR.

Aside from that it was Marcus Rashford’s penalty which put England ahead in the first half. However bad England were in conceding their goals, Matthijs de Ligt matched it.

He is regarded as the coming force in world football at centre back for good reason but his casualness in possession caused the foul on Rashford.

If things appear a little too easy for the 19-year-old currently then this came as a reminder that there is plenty of hard work still ahead of him in his promising young career.

But once ahead, England couldn’t stay there. Jordan Pickford fielded decent if tame efforts from the likes of Memphis Depay and Steven Bergwijn and for all their emerging talent elsewhere, there is a sense that Ronald Koeman’s side currently lack a bona fide front man.

Memphis was lively and provoked mistakes in the England defence but should have bagged at least a goal for himself.

Instead the goalscoring was left to De Ligt and substitute Quincy Promes. But how England handed it to them.

De Ligt came in like a steam train to level from a corner. John Stones simply could not hang with his power and he finished inside the near post.

The second, which killed the contest, Stones won’t want to see again either. He has been guilty of overplaying his entire career and has had the occasional reprieve, but no such luck this evening.

Pickford tried his best, making a fine save from Memphis after Stones was punished for his indecision but Kyle Walker could not prevent Promes’s effort rebounding off him and finding the net.

Stones was involved again in the third. Ross Barkley won’t be thanking his former Everton team-mate for the pass but Promes’s pressure, combined with Memphis’s cool head inside the box, put the Dutch out of sight.

This was a good opportunity to learn and to get some match practice against testing opposition and they blew it.

There was a lack of assuredness on the ball throughout, even more so when Fabian Delph was exchanged for Jordan Henderson.

That’s not to say that Henderson played badly, but when faced with the talent and organisation of Frenkie De Jong and Gini Wijnaldum – who last Saturday won the Champions League – England’s inability to hold the ball was brought to light.

They will have the third-place playoff against Switzerland on Sunday, but the meaningful stuff is over. They depart Portugal with nothing to show. Their unloved supporters go too. Plenty among that group will not be missed.

They tore up streets in Porto, they launched bottles at police and at cars belonging to locals. It was another shameful episode in the story, one that is occurring now with wearying regularity.

Quite what the solution is remains another matter.

The Nations League final goes on without them. We may not have had Germany, France, Spain or Belgium here, but it’s still got a decent final, with the two best teams on show so far shaping up for a decent fight.

For England – who have been battering Euro 2020 qualification – another reminder that they are too good for the bad teams, still not good enough for the good ones.

Source – Goal.com

The PSG forward suffered yet another setback when he injured his ankle just days before the competition kicked off in Brazil.

Photo by Buda Mendes

It took just 21 minutes for Neymar’s dreams of lifting the Copa America on home soil to go up in smoke.

The Paris Saint-Germain star embarked on a trademark mazy run in the middle of the field as Brazil sharpened up against fellow Copa challengers Qatar. But he was not alone. Assim Madibo was in close pursuit, and when the two players tangled Neymar landed heavily on his left ankle and was forced to seek medical attention.

It was his final contribution to a routine 2-0 victory for the hosts in Brasilia, and after leaving the stadium on crutches the inevitable was confirmed. Brazil’s medics subsequently revealed a torn ankle ligament, an injury which will leave him laid up for the duration of the competition and ended his participation before it had even begun.

It is the latest blow for a player who, thanks in part to injuries and in part to his own failures in judgement, has seen his career threaten to tailspin since the start of 2018, when he appeared to have the football world at his feet.

While Neymar’s star remains undimmed, practically every major story to break around the 27-year-old over the last 18 months has taken on a negative slant. Following his messy disengagement from Barcelona to join PSG – a world record transfer designed to make the French club challengers in the Champions League– two almost identical foot injuries in 2018 and 2019 mean that he is yet to play a part in the final stages of the much-desired European competition.

The scandals, meanwhile, have not let up in the slightest due to his injury woes. In last year’s World Cup Neymar hit the headlines more for his theatrics than his talents, going down time and time again under the most minimum contact to become a figure of fun, a pantomime villain mocked by fans and media alike.

Fast forward to March and he was once again facing censure after inviting referees to “Go f*** yourselves” following a contentious late VAR decision that sent PSG out of the Champions League against Manchester United. Even when back on the field, Neymar seemed unable to control himself, culminating in a shocking episode where he aimed a punch at a fan in the aftermath of his side’s Coupe de France final defeat.

A pattern is emerging of a world famous, immensely wealthy young man who seems unable to properly channel natural feelings of frustration within football in a mature, healthy manner. While Tite stopped short of confirming as much, the coach’s decision to strip his charge of the captaincy speaks volumes of his doubts over Neymar’s ability to handle responsibility.

“I spoke to Neymar, I explained it to him and then to Dani, first by phone and then in person,” the coach explained to reporters.

“Neymar is an extraordinary player and we have a very personal relationship. Our relationship is very open and truthful. I’m not going to judge in this case because Neymar has always been very loyal to me.”

Off the pitch, Neymar is currently being investigated following the publication of rape allegations against him. The player has categorically denied the accusation, which are currently being investigated in Sao Paulo after an official complaint was filed with police concerning an alleged incident in Paris.

Brazil have stood by their former captain from the moment the allegations first broke, never placing in doubt his presence at this Copa America. That decision has ultimately been taken out of their hands by Neymar’s hurt ankle.

And while there are clearly more important things in Neymar’s life right now, from a footballing point of view it has been a nightmare past 18 months for the Brazil star. As Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo – fresh from a stunning hat-trick on Tuesday for Portugal – continue to set the standard, the man labelled their natural heir is failing to live up to his sky-high potential.

Source – Goal.com

Gianni Infantino has been re-elected as president of football’s world governing body Fifa for a second term.

Gianni Infantino is from Brig in Switzerland, less than six miles from his predecessor Sepp Blatter’s home town Visp

The Swiss-Italian, 49, was re-elected until 2023 without opposition at Fifa’s annual congress in Paris.

He succeeded Sepp Blatter in 2016 and has increased the number of teams at the 2026 World Cup and proposed key changes to the Club World Cup.

Ex-president Blatter was in charge for 17 years until he was banned amid a corruption scandal in 2015.

Infantino’s re-election was marked by a round of applause, after rules were changed earlier in the day to no longer require a vote from Fifa’s 211 members if only one candidate was standing.

In a lengthy speech at the congress, Infantino focussed on the relative calm of his first term in charge compared to the situation he inherited.

“Nobody talks about crisis at Fifa any more or rebuilding it from scratch,” he said.

“Nobody talks about scandals or corruption, we talk about football. We can say that we’ve turned the situation around.

“This organisation has gone from being toxic, almost criminal, to being what it should be – an organisation that develops football and is now synonymous with transparency, integrity.”

Former Uefa secretary general Infantino was behind the expansion of the World Cup from 32 teams to 48 for the 2026 tournament, which will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Plans to bring the expansion forward to the 2022 World Cup were however abandoned last month.

In March, Fifa approved Infantino’s plans for a 24-team Club World Cup starting in 2021, despite top European clubs saying they would boycott the tournament.

Source – BBC News

Liverpool and Manchester United are set to be the only Premier League clubs unable to show Video Assistant Referee (VAR) replays in their stadiums next season. 

The Premier League confirmed on Wednesday that, along with graphics, clubs will be able to display “definitive” clips to help explain VAR decisions when the system is implemented for the 2019/20 season.

Liverpool and United have the only two Premier League stadiums that currently do not possess a big screen, meaning that, as things stand, fans at Anfield and Old Trafford will be unable to benefit from the access being provided.

Manchester United do not currently have a giant screen at Old Trafford

“The Premier League has created graphics which will be displayed on giant screens to explain any VAR-related delay to a match, and any over-turned decision,” said a Premier League statement.

“Additionally, if the VAR believes there is a definitive video-clip which helps explain an over-turned decision to fans, it will be broadcast on giant screens. In addition, the Premier League is investigating the possibility of messages and video-clips being viewed on handheld devices via an app.

“For clubs which do not have giant screens in their stadium, VAR communications will be made via a combination of PA announcements and messages on scoreboards.”

Liverpool’s Anfield stadium also currently only possesses a scoreboard

VAR will be allowed to intervene on “clear and obvious errors” or “serious missed incidents” relating to goals, penalties, straight red cards and cases of mistaken identity.

The system was used at the 2018 World Cup and also in last season’s Champions League knockout stages, with the technology making dramatic interventions during Tottenham’s semi-final victory over Manchester City.

However, in each of its previous uses, replays of incidents were not permitted to be shown in the stadium, often creating confusion among watching fans.

Source – Sky Sports

The captain scored a glorious hat-trick as Portugal set up a mouth-watering UEFA Nations League final clash against either England or the Netherlands.

Photo by Getty

If you’re wondering what these UEFA Nations League Finals are all about, well, wonder no more. They are about Cristiano Ronaldo.

That might well be an exaggeration but it’s only a slight one.

A Portugal side struggling for inspiration from open play have their talisman to thank for their place in the final back here in the Estadio do Dragao on Sunday.

It was a hat-trick of the highest order for Ronaldo which settled things, featuring all kinds of goals. There was a deadly free-kick, a one-touch finish from inside the box and, finally, the one they thought he didn’t have in his locker any more.

Manuel Akanji might well have been just a boy the first time Ronaldo galloped down the left channel, stepped over the ball and found the far corner. But tonight the young Switzerland centre-back got the 3D view and he didn’t need a VR headset.

Portugal will now play either England or the Netherlands in the first-ever Nations League final.

It had been a quiet year in the international realm for Ronaldo, having taken six matches off following the World Cup before returning for two goalless Euro 2020 qualification matches against Ukraine and Serbia.

In truth, Portugal are struggling there, with only two points from two matches, but Ronaldo is in resurgent form now in international colours.  There won’t be many backing against him to add to his international honours list with a maiden Nations League win on Sunday.

It’s a shame that Ronaldo hasn’t had – relatively speaking – many games alongside Bernardo Silva with Portugal. Now that he has moved to a full-time forward position, he enjoys impeccable service from the Manchester Cityplaymaker, who operates as one of a small number of genuine No.10s in world football.

He was given the slot in the team just behind Ronaldo and young Benficasensation Joao Felix. The 19-year-old might as well play this tournament as a kind of work experience, and just learn from the man in the strike line beside him.

Ronaldo fluffed one early chance off a Bernardo through ball but that dud effort would not be repeated. He jinked past two Swiss challenges before being upended by Kevin Mbabu at the edge of the area.

The Juventus man may well have been getting jealous of watching Lionel Messi fire in free-kick after free-kick this season and took it upon himself to even things up.

Yann Sommer’s positioning was suspect, but the finish was world class.

He then threw in a glorious nutmeg on Mbabu before rounding off the first half with a sumptuous no-look through ball that Ronaldinho would be proud of. Alas, Joao Felix just couldn’t finish.

If there is a downside for Portugal it is the number of chances they are giving up. Xherdan Shaqiri and Haris Seferovic – no popular figure in these parts due to his association with Benfica – both had good opportunities and Switzerland repeatedly found ways to put the back four under pressure.

They were level in the second half following the exact kind of VAR incident that FIFA must have hoped would never happen. Up one end, Nelson Semedo and Steven Zuber came together inside the area, which had the Swiss bench calling for a penalty.

Felix Brych told them to get on with it and down the other end, Bernardo Silva was cleaned out by Fabian Schar. That penalty was awarded but while Ronaldo had the ball in his hands – waiting to slot home number two – Brych reviewed the Swiss penalty incident and decided to give it.

The home fans whistled through the review and chanted Ronaldo’s name but to no avail. Ricardo Rodriguez stood up to level.

But Ronaldo was not done. The game seemed to be meandering towards extra time before Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves spotted Bernardo Silva wide on the right and found him with a top-quality pass. In came the cross and Ronaldo didn’t need any more than a single touch to rifle the ball inside Sommer’s near post.

Before the big screens inside the stadium had done with the replays, Ronaldo had netted again in vintage fashion.

Switzerland’s Nations League Finals are over before they begin while Ronaldo goes in search of a second international title.

And then? Who knows.

Ronaldo is a known target setter and there are still a couple in the international arena in his sights. He and Messi have obliterated almost every record at club level between them but there is still room for improvement on the international front.

The Nations League semi-final against Switzerland marked game 157 for Portugal and goals 86, 87 and 88. Those numbers are incredible and with each appearance and each goal he edges towards more immortality.

For one, there is the all-time international appearance record of Ahmed Hassan of Egypt. He retired in 2012 on 184 caps. If Ronaldo can stay fit through the rest of Euro qualification, the finals themselves – assuming Portugal qualify – plus the qualification phase for the 2022 World Cup finals as well as the games in Qatar then he should easily get there. And the way he looks after himself, staying fit shouldn’t be an issue.

From those matches he would require 12 goals to hit the landmark of 100. He’s already in second place behind Iran’s Ali Daei, whose 109 might appear just out of reach.

But Ronaldo’s been averaging around a goal a game at international level for the past three seasons.

You wouldn’t back against him.

Source – Goal.com

Daniel Sturridge and Alberto Moreno will leave Liverpool this summer at the end of their contracts.

Alberto Moreno and Daniel Sturridge made more than 300 appearance for Liverpool between them

Former Arsenal and Spain forward Jose Antonio Reyes was driving at more than 135 miles per hour when his car crashed, Spanish police have confirmed.

Jose Antonio Reyes died in a car accident on Saturday

Reyes’ funeral took place in his hometown of Utrera on Monday following the fatal accident on Saturday.

The 35-year-old was registered with Segunda Division outfit Extremadura at the time of his death, having signed a short-term deal earlier this year.

A statement from former club Sevilla which announced Reyes’ death said his cousin, Jonathan Reyes, also died in the crash on the A-376

The Guardia Civil confirmed to the Press Association on Tuesday evening that an investigation into the incident was continuing, with speeding the “main cause” if not yet ruled the only factor. They said the former Arsenal man had been the driver of the car.

“The speed limit in the area is 120kph. We can confirm it (the speed of the vehicle) was the main cause of the accident,” a Guardia Civil spokesman said.

“Our investigation remains open, we do not know if there are more causes of the accident. But right now we can confirm that the main (cause) was the speeding, it was more than 220kmph.”

At Reyes’ funeral, his coffin was draped in the flag of Sevilla, where the forward came through the ranks before returning in 2012 to win three Europa League titles under current Arsenal boss Unai Emery.

Source – Sky Sports

The former Argentina star says he could bring the club back to glory if given the chance.

Diego Maradona says he is the man to fix Manchester United, with the Argentine legend claiming that he could lead the club back to its former glory.

Maradona is currently managing Dorados in Mexico‘s second division, having fallen just short of promotion in two successive campaigns.

Manchester United, meanwhile, are currently managed by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who replaced Jose Mourinho on an interim basis mid-season before being given the job permanently.

But Maradona says he believes that he is the one who could bring trophies back to Old Trafford if given the chance to manage Manchester United.

“If Manchester [United] need a coach, I’m the man to do it,” he told FourFourTwo.

“I know they sell lots of shirts around the world, but they need to win trophies, too. I can do that for them.”

Prior to taking over at Dorados, Maradona managed Argentina from 2008-10 before taking charge at Al Wasl and Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates.

He also served as chairman at Dynamo Brest and an assistant at Deportivo Riestra.

The former Napoli star was quick to explain one player that would be vital to his efforts to restore the club as well as one that would not.

“With United I liked Ander Herrera. Paul Pogba? Doesn’t work hard enough,” he said.

“I played at Old Trafford [in the 1983/84 Cup Winners’ Cup quarter-final]. What noise, like La Bombonera.”

While he’s angling for the Man Utd job, Maradona did admit that he has become a fan of Manchester City, a club led by his former son-in-law.

Sergio Aguero was married to Gianinna Maradona, the youngest daughter of the former Argentina star, and Maradona admitted that he remains a fan of Manchester City.

“Manchester United used to be my favourite English team for so long. So many great players and a great team under Alex Ferguson.

“But now I have to say Man City. I know you shouldn’t change like that but it’s because of Kun [Aguero]. We speak a lot and he plays in a very good team.”

Source – Goal.com

The Rangers boss has heaped praise on his former team-mate following the Reds’ European success.

Photo by Getty Images

Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has labelled Jordan Henderson ‘the ultimate professional’ after the Reds midfielder captained his side to Champions Leaguevictory.

The former Sunderland midfielder captained the Reds to European glory in Madrid as they beat Tottenham 2-0 in the final, whilst also pulling off the biggest semi-final comeback ever in the competition in overturning a 3-0 deficit against Barcelona.

And former Liverpool captain Gerrard thinks the current skipper deserves his success for the way he conducts himself.

“When Jordan [Henderson] lifted the trophy above his head, my first feeling was one of pride,” Gerrard told The Times.

“Proud that Liverpool were back at the top of European football and especially proud of Jordan because I know how hard he works. I know the sacrifices he has made, the pressure and scrutiny he has been under.

“If I had to name someone I regarded as the ultimate professional, Jordan would be right at the top of the list. He is immaculate in the way he lives his life. Some people don’t see the stuff behind the scenes, the gym work, the way he eats, but he is someone who is an incredible role model.

“He is selfless. He is someone who puts himself at the back of the queue because he looks after everyone else first. He puts Jordan Henderson last.”

Gerrard also made sure to make mention of Henderson’s quality as a player as well, insisting that the midfielder is a much better footballer than he is often given credit for.

“All of that is important but, of course, he is a top player as well. He has running power, you can trust him with the ball, a good range of passing and, over the last few months, has risen to the challenge of pushing Liverpool forward and come right into top form. That is the key. You don’t last at Liverpool just by being a top guy,” Gerrard said.

“Jordan has had his fair share [of criticism], but he handles it well and the best thing to do is let your football do the talking. That is what he has done. That is what he will continue to do.”

The Rangers manager admitted that he hoped his old side’s first trophy under manager Jurgen Klopp would spur them on to win more silverware over the next few seasons.

“I am hoping this will become the catalyst for him to lift more trophies above his head. I know that is what he wants, the manager wants, and the supporters want. I am sure Jurgen will have the team fired up to go again from the moment they are back in pre-season training.”

Source – Goal.com

Louis van Gaal has advised Ajax’s Matthijs de Ligt to join either Manchester City or Barcelona, if he leaves the Dutch club this summer.

Matthijs de Ligt captained Ajax to the Champions League semi-final this season

De Ligt, who has been linked with Van Gaal’s former club Manchester United, has said that he does not know where his future lies after an impressive season in Holland.

And, when agreeing with ex-Ajax boss Peter Bosz’s claims that De Ligt should join Manchester City, Van Gaal said that the central defender would be a good fit in either England or Spain.

“I think exactly the same,” Van Gaal told Fox Sports. “Although De Ligt can go to Barcelona too, because their central defenders are not too good either.

The 18-year-old partners Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk in defence for the Netherlands

“He could play at Barcelona, but he could play for Manchester City also, and in that case I would choose Pep Guardiola over Lionel Messi.”

Van Gaal also had his say on midfielder Frenkie de Jong, after he agreed a deal to join Barcelona from Ajax.

Barcelona signed Frenkie De Jong for €75m in January, with the player joining the club this summer

“I think it’s going to be very difficult for him there,” he said. “Not only because he might get a different role, but he also has to play those other players from the starting line-up.

“He is also lucky that Barcelona has been eliminated in the semi-final [of the Champions League], because then their status will be different.

“I think that as a player you should also choose a club where you can always play. The question is whether that is justified in Barcelona.

“I hope so, because at that age you have to play every game. I think he could have made better choices because I think the whole world is waiting for De Jong. I am so positive about him.”

Source – Sky Sports