#New Zealand Team Squad

[targetstudy]

T20 World Cup 2024 Australia Squad: Players List, Captain, Schedule, Venue

Australia T20 World Cup Squad 2024

Cricket Australia (CA) announced the T20 World Cup squad 2024 while paying tribute to legendary all-rounder Andrew Symonds. A special video was posted by CA, in which Symonds’ daughter Chloe and son Will were seen announcing the names of the players with the 2007 World Cup-winning Australia team.

The video featured Ponting, McGrath, Gilchrist, Hayden, Clarke, Hussey. Mitchell Marsh has been given the command of the team. Spinner Ashton Agar and all-rounder Cameron Green have returned to the team after almost 18 months.

The team is as follows: Mitchell Marsh (captain), Ashton Agar, Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wicketkeeper), Maxwell, Starc, Stoinis, Matthew Wade (wicketkeeper), David Warner, Adam Zampa.

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[kailashfan]

Hardik Pandya की कुंडली से India Vs New Zealand T20 2023 Series की भविष्...

[gunnerfc]

Replacement? | Steph Catley x Matildas!Reader (18+)

Summary: You get called up to the national team for the first time after making big waves in the women’s A-Leauge. After hearing just how good you are, Steph feels like her position on the team is threatened.

Warnings: age gap (R is early twenties/close friends with Kyra), fingering (r receiving), oral (steph receiving), pet names for R (“good girl”, “pretty girl”), Steph being called ‘captain’ during sex, Steph being kind of mean, thigh riding (Steph)

WC: 3.4K

AN: in honor of Arsenal's win in front of 60K! 🤪

Steph ignored the notifications from Instagram and Twitter, knowing it was the squad announcement for The Matildas’ upcoming friendlies against New Zealand. She knew her name was on the list without having to look. It was Kyra’s voice that pulled her from her thoughts as she was eating. 

“Y/N finally got a call-up! It’s about time,” the midfielder all but shouted. Steph’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion, Y/N? She hadn't heard your name before but you were seemingly close with her younger Arsenal teammate.

Before Steph could ask who you were, Caitlin beat her to it. “Who’s Y/N,” the forward asked in between bites. 

“Y/N Y/L/N, we played together in the youth teams! She’s a left back just like you Steffy,” Kyra explained, directing her last statement towards the defender. 

“Where is she playing now? Back Home,” Caitlin asked, more interested in knowing about you than Steph was. 

“Yeah, for Perth I think,” the midfielder responded as she picked up her phone again to text you ‘congrats’ on getting called up for The Matildas.

“She’s really good, I’m surprised it took this long for her to get called up,” Kyra added after sending her text. “Might have to watch out for her, Steph,” Kyra joked as she stood to go join Alessia and Vic at their table. 

Steph lightly chuckled at the younger girl’s words, trying to ignore how Kyra was singing your praises about how good you were. The thought of you, who she didn’t even know, plagued her thoughts the rest of the day. 

Steph would be lying if she said Kyra's words didn't affect her. She knew the young midfielder was just joking but her words sent her into a spiral. The Matildas’ captain spent the next few days before they had to leave for Sydney watching any and every video she could find of you playing. 

And Kyra was right, you are good. Normally she would be excited for new call-ups, wanting to see everyone get the chance to represent Australia and bask in that feeling of getting their first cap. But something was different with you, something Steph couldn't place her finger on. 

After a long flight from London to Sydney, the three Arsenal players were finally headed to the team hotel. They were some of the last to arrive, having a later game than some of the others. A staff member met them in the lobby with room assignments and keys for the stay and Steph thanked god when she was given a room to herself this camp. It meant she could be deep in thought about you without having someone question if she was okay. 

It was late when they arrived, most of the team had already eaten and retired to their rooms for the night knowing tomorrow would be full of nonstop training. It wasn’t until the next morning at the team breakfast that Steph saw you in person for the first time. The defender couldn’t spot you right away but she heard your voice that she immediately recognized from the numerous post-match interviews she watched of you.

Steph subtly looked around the room as she fixed her plate, following your voice to a table with Kyra and Mary. The three of you were deep in conversation about something Steph had no knowledge of and she had to force herself to look away from you to find her seat at a table with Caitlin, Hayley, and Alanna. 

“Why do you look so pissed this morning,” the Man City player questioned almost immediately after Steph sat down.

Steph’s eyes were wide at the accusation, having thought she was keeping her expressions under control. The defender went to answer but her Arsenal teammates beat her to it. “Her replacement is here,” Caitlin laughed, receiving a glare from Steph.

“Who? Y/N,” Hayley spoke, nodding her head in your direction. Caitlin answered, telling her she was correct which drew a laugh from both Alanna and Hayley. 

Steph ignored the trio making jokes about you taking her place, hoping to get on the field as quickly as possible. She was determined to show Tony that he didn’t need to consider someone else for the friendlies, that she had it covered.

Steph opted to sit by herself on the bus ride to the pitch, tuning out her teammates and thoughts about with music. During all the warm-ups the training staff had the team doing, Steph’s eyes never left you. You caught her eye a few times, sending her a friendly smile each time but only getting a glare in response. 

You weren't sure why Steph was seemingly annoyed with you, you hadn’t even officially met her yet. Tony had split the team into different groups based on positions to run through different drills and you took this opportunity to introduce yourself to Steph.

“Hi! I’m Y/N, you’re Steph right,” You had a bright smile on your face as you spoke to her while some of the other defenders ran through the drill. 

“That’s nice, but you should be focusing on what we’re doing,” Steph gave you a pointed look, nodding toward your teammates. Steph didn’t look at you long enough to see the confused look on your face and it didn’t help that you could hear Alanna snicker behind you.

You shook off Steph cold attitude and did exactly as she said. You focused on what the staff were saying and how your fellow defenders ran the drill. You noticed slight mistakes they made that allowed for a goal from the forwards and took it upon yourself to correct them when it was your turn. 

You did exactly that as you tackled the ball from Hayley, allowing Lydia to safely collect the ball. As your foot connected with the ball, you could hear encouraging shouts from Kyra and Mary on the sidelines, cheering you on. You were the only defender that kept one of the forwards from scoring.

“Good job, kid,” the Real Madrid player praised as she offered you her hand to help you up. You took her hand, sending a small smile as a thank you before joining the other defenders.

Steph had a scowl on her face as she watched you successfully tackle Hayley. She knew you were good, she spent the last few days analyzing everything about your style of play. What pissed her off was that you seemed to not realize how good you were, that everything you need always worked out in your favor without you really having to apply much effort. 

“Still think she’s going to take your place,” Alanna quipped from behind her, laughing at the captain’s face. 

For the rest of the training, Steph tried to ignore you. Each time you did something well, the staff and players were cheering you on and it was getting to her. Training finally came to an end a few hours later and everyone was ready to get back to the hotel for showers and to relax. Throughout training, you got closer with Alanna and Ellie, and from Steph’s point of view, she saw it as a connection forming that might translate on the field.

Steph found her seat on the bus but before she could get her headphones out, Caitlin joined her in the seat next to her. “Y’know, if you weren’t being so closed off, you would see just how nice she was,” the forward teased, earning a laugh from the two who sat with them at breakfast. 

“Fuck off, Caitlin,” the defender growled, hitting play on a song to tune everything out. Caitlin laughed at her before getting up to sit next to Alanna. Steph was pissed at the idea of you starting over in the first game and considering how well you did in practice, that seemed like a possibility. 

Returning to her hotel room, she quickly headed for the shower, needing to wash away every thought from training. You had gotten under her skin without meaning to and it was driving her crazy. Steph quickly got dressed before heading to the conference room for dinner, ignoring everyone who tried to speak to her. Though it wasn’t many given that they could see the anger on her face. 

She didn’t want anyone to question her so she bit the bullet and sat down at the same table from this morning, though this time Ellie had joined the group. This time she had to listen to the four of them talk about how good you were, which she knew they were just trying to mess with her.

From your table with Kyra, Mary, and Charli you kept looking in Steph's direction, hoping she would look up from her food and make eye contact with you. She might have brushed you off the entire day for no reason but for some reason, you felt drawn to her. You watched as she finished her food, not bothering to stay after she was done as she quickly stood up from the table to dispose of her plate. 

You watched her quickly leave to head back to her room and you took this as an opportunity to speak to her alone. You told your friends goodnight and were out the door just as quickly as Steph was. You found her room and stood outside, debating whether or not you should knock. 

The part of you that wanted to confront your captain won out as you lifted your hand to knock on the door. On the other side of the door, Steph groaned at the sound not wanting to face anyone again. Without looking through the peephole, Steph jerked the door open, coming face to face with the one person she couldn't stop thinking about.

“Hi,” you mumbled as you locked eyes with Steph. Her jaw was clenched and you'd be lying if you weren’t a little turned on at the sight of her pissed off, especially with you.

“What do you want,” the defender huffed, annoyance lacing her words as she spoke.

“Um, I just… I just wanted to say I was sorry if I did something during training to make you mad. It wasn’t my intention to do so,” you stuttered, finding the carpeted floor much more interesting. 

Steph watched you fiddle with your hands as your eyes stayed locked on the floor. Steph lightly scoffed at your words, of course, you came to apologize for something you weren't even sure you did. 

“Look at me when you’re talking to me. I’m your captain,” Steph had never pulled the captain card with anyone before, but something about this was different. 

You quickly looked up at the older woman, your face heating up from your slight embarrassment. You nodded your head, letting her know you understood. Steph’s eyes scanned up and down your body, before her eyes locked with yours again. Without saying anything, Steph pushed her door open further and stepped to the side, allowing you into her room.

You felt excitement fill your body at what might happen once you stepped through the threshold. The door was closed quickly behind you and you were roughly pushed against it. Lips were on yours before you could realize it, kissing you harshly. You moaned into the kiss, your hands coming to rest on Steph’s neck as hers kept your hips pressed against the door.

Your lips moved against each other roughly, lightly biting each other’s lip as you made out. Steph pulled away first, her eyes dilated as she took in your dazed state. Your breathing was heavy as you locked eyes, letting her dictate what happened between you.

Steph pulled you further into the room, stopping at the foot of the large bed. “Be a good girl and strip,” the older woman instructed, eyes never leaving yours.

You nodded as you quickly undressed, throwing your clothes off the side. Steph’s eyes took in your naked form, licking her lips as she did so. You could feel that you were already wet and Steph hadn't touched you yet. The defender took her time undressing herself and it was your turn to check her out. 

Steph pushed you onto the bed, nodding her head up to tell you to scoot up the bed. You listened as your breathing picked up, watching as Steph climbed up the bed before straddling one of your thighs. You both shuddered at the contact, the room growing warmer as the seconds ticked by.

You felt yourself growing wetter the longer Steph went without touching you, attempting to rub your thighs together out of instinct but failing as Steph’s thigh was in the way. “You listen well, pretty girl,” the defender teased watching your chest rise and fall rapidly. 

“Please,” you croaked out, needing her to touch you, to make you cum. The pet name makes you feel weak.

Steph smirked down at you, raising her pointer ringer to your lips, pushing in on the for you to suck. You did as she wanted, sucking on her finger as you held eye contact with her. Steph’s brain short-circuited as she watched you suck on her finger before adding her middle finger as well. Steph pulled her fingers from your mouth with a quiet “pop,” a string of saliva connecting your lips to her two fingers. 

She trailed her fingers down your torso, leaving a wet trail in their wake. When she reached your dripping cunt, she smirked to herself at how wet you already were. Tentatively, she pushed both fingers into you, groaning at the feeling of being inside you. You moaned at the feeling, your head falling back onto the pillows that were propped on the headboard. 

“Faster, p-please,” you whined below her, needing more from her. Steph loved hearing you beg her to fuck you and she listened to you, speeding up her fingers slightly. 

Steph watched from her place on your thigh as two of her fingers thrust into you, feeling herself grow wetter at the sight of her fingers glistening with your cum. You could feel how wet she was against your skin, wanting to make her feel the way she was making you feel but your mind was preoccupied with the pleasure she was giving you.

The wet sounds of her fingers fucking into you mixed with your low moans filled the room, driving the defender crazy. Her fingers sped up again, needing to hear you get louder, she needed to see you fall apart. Her two fingers that were pushing inside you hit that familiar spot, drawing a loud moan from your lips. Steph's fingers continued hitting that spot as a familiar coil tightened in your lower stomach, you were so close to cumming for the first time.

"P-please, Steph. I've been a good girl, please let me cum," you croaked out in between moans, your eyes welling up as the pleasure. Hearing you beg became one of Steph's favorite sounds in that moment and she was determined to make you beg again.

"Are you sure you deserve it, pretty girl, I don't know if you've been good enough," the defender husked, fingers curled inside you.

Steph took in the sight of you spread open for her as her fingers fucked into you. Your back arched as you threw your head back against the pillows, hands gripping the hotel sheets beneath you. Your hips bucked up to meet her thrusts, helping her fingers go deeper.

You locked eyes with your captain and she could see the desperate look in them. "I've been good, I promise! please let me cum, p-please" you choked out, eyes screwed shut as a few tears escaped from the sides. You weren't sure you could hold out for any longer. 

"Cum for me pretty girl," Steph instructed as she drilled her fingers into you.

You came on her fingers hard, your eyes tightly closed as your hips bucked. Steph watched as you fell apart, keeping her fingers moving inside you, helping to ride your high. You could feel a second orgasm quickly approaching.

Steph's hips were grinding against your thigh as she placed her free hand on your lower stomach, pressing down on your skin as she thrust her fingers. You came again around her fingers as you chanted her name, filling the hotel room with your moans.

Steph pulled her fingers out of you as her hips moved against your thigh, chasing her own high.  She brought her fingers to her mouth, tasting you on her fingers as she moved against you. You opened your eyes slightly and watched the defender fuck herself on your thigh as she sucked her fingers clean. You let go of the sheets to place your hands on her hips, guiding her to her first orgasm. Steph fell forward, catching herself with one hand beside your body, the other holding yours that rested on her hip.

The feeling of her clit hitting your flesh was almost enough to make her cum. You watched as she chased her high and flexed your thigh to help her. It was Steph's turn to moan loudly as she made a mess all over your thigh. 

Steph kept her hips moving slightly as she came down from her high, not wanting to lose contact just yet. You sat up so you were face to face with your captain, pulling her into a deep kiss. You moaned at the distant taste of yourself on her mouth as your tongues battled for dominance. Steph's hips came to a stop on your thigh as you broke the kiss, both of you breathing heavily.

"I think that's two to one, pretty girl. Care to make it even," your captain teased, a smirk on her face. You matched her smirk as you flipped the two of you over, leaning Steph against the pillows that rested against the headboard. 

You left harsh kisses down her torso leaving marks to form in your wake, pulling away as you reached her bellybutton. "Is that order from my captain," you looked up at her with hooded eyes, seeing a deep look of arousal in her eyes. 

"Yes," the older woman husked, watching as your smirk returned to your lips. You placed a quick kiss right below her belly button and a few nips on her hip bone before sliding further down the bed to face her still dripping core. 

With your right hand, you held her thigh open, stretching her out for easier access. Your left held her thigh that was now placed over your shoulder. You blew lightly against her, the cool sensation making her jolt and her jaw fell open with a quiet groan. 

Steph moved her hands to gather your hair in a makeshift ponytail, pushing your head closer to her. You gave small nips to clit before sucking the bud into your mouth drawing a loud moan from the woman above you. Her hips were moving again as she moved against your face in an effort to gain more pleasure. You pulled away from her clit with a loud noise before quickly thrusting your tongue inside her. 

With the way she was fucking herself on your face and holding your head against her cunt, you hardly had to do anything. The taste of her made you moan, sending vibrations through her that made her bite her lip to quiet herself. The sounds of you fucking her echoed off the hotel walls, driving you to go faster. 

Steph could feel herself getting closer to her orgasm and she fell over the edge when you looked up from between her thighs through hooded eyes. She could see the teasing glint in your eyes which was enough to let go. The defender came all over your face, soaking your mouth and chin.

You would have stayed there longer but the sensitive feeling was too much for the captain as she pulled your head back with the makeshift ponytail. The sight of you with her cum coating your mouth and chin drove her crazy as she sat up to pull you into a searing kiss. 

You both moaned at the taste of her, before pulling away when air became a problem. Both of your breathing was heavy as you stared into each other's eyes.

"Looks like we need a tiebreaker, captain," you teased with a playful smirk, knowing it would get under her skin. Her eyes darkened once more as she flipped your positions.

This was never how you pictured your first call-up to the national team would go. But as you and Steph went back and forth, pulling orgasm after orgasm from each other, you weren't complaining. You weren't sure what this meant for you and your captain but every part of you hoped that it was something that would continue whenever you saw her next.

[fiddleabout]

on the one hand the world is burning and everything is terrible, on the other hand the canadian olympic soccer team got caught spying on the new zealand squad with drones and it has provided me with endless spectacular joy and entertainment for the last eighteen hours

[trulyhblue]

Communication

Kyra Cooney-Cross x Dutch! Reader Blurb

Warnings: fluff, REALLY bad translated Dutch, language barrier.

Masterlist

___________________

Moving from your childhood club AFC Ajax was the hardest change of your life, but the easiest choice of your career.

You signed your first professional contract with them when you were fifteen, making your club debut in the same year. After six months of fitting into the squad, and having the opportunity to play in the Champions League as a substitute, you were asked to play for your first international camp against New Zealand, where you came away with a 2-1 win. From then, you have continued to be chosen for the National Team’s 23-player squad, continuously representing them as both a starter and a sub.

You were known for your agility, speed, and footwork, both on the ball and against both attacking and defending players. Being a midfielder, your job to maintain possession and create chances felt like a breeze to you, and your pure, sheer talent landed you with many of the most assists for the past three years.

Despite the friends you made at Ajax, you knew that opportunities to strengthen your player profile and widen your skills across the world were a dream of yours. You were a huge fan of Arsenal growing up, your parents taking you to games when they could.

When the opportunity arose to represent your country at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, you don't remember doing anything but crying for the days following your selection. You played your heart out that whole tournament. And while you didn't make it to the Semis, you walked away with a once-in-a-lifetime experience, with clubs worldwide wanting you as a part of their team.

Moving to Arsenal was a no-brainer. Not only were you a massive fan of the name itself, but they were among the best players in the world. You knew Victoria and Viv from the Oranje Leeuwinnens, and you had been told that you’d move in with Vic for the first couple of months upon your arrival, so the weight of the move felt lighter than many anticipated. You were roommates with Vic during Camps. But, in contrast to your Netherlands teammates, you didn't know an inch of English.

Well, other than the obvious words like Hello, Good Morning, and Goodbye, you were hopeless.

So, when you arrived on your first day of training alongside Victoria, you couldn't help but cringe at what was about to unfold.

“Ze weten dat je geen Engels spreekt, y/n.” They know you don't speak English. She spoke, wrapping a comforting arm around your shoulders, squeezing you into her chest. “Ze zijn allemaal erg aardig.” They are all very nice.

You didn't reply, choosing to keep your arm around Victoria’s waist, your eyes filtering over each of the girls.

“Ah, hier is ze!” Ah, here she is. Viv said, walking out from beside Beth Mead, jogging towards you, eloping you into a crushing hug.

“Ik heb je gemist, y/n, hoe gaat het met je?” I’ve missed you, y/n. How have you been? She asked, holding onto your shoulders as she kissed the top of your head. The London chill meant that you were wearing a black long-sleeve under your shirt, its hem being detained in your hands. The chill of the air nipped your cheeks. The Netherlands were cold, but so was London.

“Hetzelfde. Ik ben goed.” Same. I'm good. You let out meekly, noticing a bouncy Beth Mead waddle over to the three of you, holding her hand out for you to shake. You had played against Beth before, and of course, you knew her from Viv, so you made sure to look her in the eye when you shook her hand.

“Hi!” She sounded cheerfully, keeping a ball at her feet. “I’m Beth!”

“Y/n.” You replied, trying to reciprocate her delight with a small smile. “I'm Y/n.”

Your eyes widened slightly when a ball came flying at the four of you, causing you all to yelp out and duck before it hit anyone. Everyone looked in the direction the ball had come from, a strong, Irish and Australian accent on cue to yell out.

“Sorry!” The duo cringed, running over to retrieve the ball with a grimace.

“Katie kicked it.” The Australian one said, but you didn't understand. You saw the pained expression on her face, and how the Irish woman, who you knew as Katie, glared at her in shock.

“It was a joint effort, I’ll have you know.”

“Oh, fuck off, no it wasn't—”

“Ze vechten.” They’re fighting. Victoria muttered to you, making you laugh.

“Ik dacht.” I figured.

The two girls were silenced after another woman came marching up to the growing group, looking at you with a stern expression before softening the crease between her eyebrows. You knew she was Kim Little by her motherly stare.

Next to her was Jennifer Beattie, an Arsenal Defender. She had her arms crossed around her chest, shaking her head in false disapproval before strolling over to you, calling out to Jonas, whom you had met when you discussed your contract.

You felt like crawling into a hole and dying, the whole occasion of being introduced to everyone made your skin crawl. Of course, no one necessarily made you feel out of place, but you refused to let Victoria’s arm go throughout the whole ordeal. You knew most of the players due to their prominence in women’s football. Most of these women set the scene for how the sport is seen today, and the mere thought of them knowing who you were was surreal.

The two girls that were arguing before, Caitlin Foord and Katie McCabe were the first to come up to you. Victoria told you they were sorry, and you shook your head and brushed the apology off, not really knowing how to say the right words in English.

Steph Catley and Leah Williamson came up to you next, saying very few yet simple words before hugging you and wishing you luck. Alessia Russo was next, and you couldn't help but giggle as her cheeks went red as she started to speak.

“Erm— sorry, hold on.” The striker looked at Pelova, who prodded her on with her hands. Russo looked back at you, trying hard to remember what she wanted to say.

“Leuk… Leuk je te ontmoeten. Erm- sorry. Ik hoop… Ik hoop dat je geniet… van… Londen.” It’s nice to meet you. I hope you enjoy London. You knew from her strained expression that she was well aware of how much she butchered the language with her English accent, but you pursed your lips together and smiled gratefully. The thought was genuine.

“Thank you.” You muttered, your slim vocabulary in English coming in handy. “It’s… nice to meet you, too.”

Alessia looked to be most accomplished with herself, asking Victoria a question before she was cut off by Jonas’ booming voice.

You waited, trying your hardest to latch onto an idea of what he was saying, but gave up when you felt someone behind you pulling you away from Vic’s side, leading towards the other end of the pitch.

When you faced the girl in front of you, she must've realised that she had startled you, since her eyes widened at your expression.

She was short, but your height, with a scrunchie in her hair and a training jumper over her Jersey. You couldn't count the hundreds of freckles that patterned her face, her doe-like Brown eyes looking at you with a mix of shock and awe.

“Hello, my name’s Kyra. Steph told me your name is Y/n… Jonas said that we are partners, so you can start if you want.”

You didn't say anything. You wish you could, but the words that left her lips were foreign. You felt a flush run across your face, humiliation at your lack of words hitching your breath. You must've looked so stupid since the girl waited for you to reply. Everyone was set off into pairs, a ball adorned between each of them.

The girl in front of you had the ball, picking it up and fidgeting with it in her hands. You stared at each other in silence, neither of you particularly knowing what to do. It wasn't until the girl put the ball to her feet, kicking it towards you, that you communicated in some way.

Instead of talking, the girl showed you the drills, pretending to be Jonas by overexaggerating her actions by marching around, waving her hands vigorously, and using the ball to make you laugh at her ridiculous impression of your Manager.

Her number was thirty-two, yours was thirty-three, and somehow it made you feel more of a connection with her. She was very patient if you didn't understand what you were doing the first time around, and you began to wonder if number thirty-two was trying hard not to talk just for the fun of it.

She never made you feel as if you were annoying her with the lack of audible contact, in fact, she looked to find it a fun game between the pair of you.

No one chose to interrupt or try and sever the consecutive numbers, finding Kyra’s unusual silence amicable in contrast to her typical outgoing self. Both Viv and Vic were eyeing you from where they stood with their respective partners, hesitant about the choice of Kyra as your partner, as you two were very different personalities. But after a while, the two Dutch women stopped looking to see if you were okay, hearing your faint giggles from the view of a giddy Kyra enough to reassure them.

Because of this, training went by quickly for everyone. Today was a pretty easy session, similar to the ones you knew from back home. You knew you were wrapping up when Kyra started juggling the ball, singing a loud tune before passing it over to you.

You moved your feet up and down as you juggled the ball from one foot to the other. Kyra giggled when she missed the ball you passed to her, tripping over her own feet and rolling around on the floor, clutching her stomach in laughter. You did this for a while, before Kyra dragged you across the field and to the stack of drink bottles.

You didn't really know where you were going, so you let Kyra take your hand and lead the way, walking behind her as you passed the bike rack and towards the indoor fields.

You didn't begin to doubt Kyra until you had pretty much walked the length of the training centre, where you had long discarded the fields you were once training on.

“Kyra.” You ushered, making the Australian stop in her tracks at the sound of your voice. She pivoted on her heel, staring at you absolutely gobsmacked.

You looked around, trying to find the words to get across what you wanted to say.

“Say it in Dutch,” Kyra answered, catching a glimpse of your reticence.

You thought to yourself for a second before nodding. “Waar gaan we heen?”

Kyra’s eyes widened, obviously not comprehending a word you said. She looked around, trying to find a solution.

She grabbed your hand again and led you down another corridor, pushing past a few doors, weaving through the never-ending maze of rooms before finally making your way back to the locker rooms, where Vic had taken you to drop off your possessions before training.

Kyra rushed to pick up her phone, waddling over to you, typing away vigorously and smiling up at you when a voice rang from the device.

“Ik kom uit Australië.” I'm from Australia. The voice spoke.

You laughed, taking the phone from the girl’s hands and writing down a reply.

“I know. I can tell by your funny accent.”

Kyra gasped, snatching the phone off you and furiously writing down a retort. You couldn't help but gape at her fondly, biting your lip at the sight of her concentration.

“Mijn accent is niet grappig, mijn grappen wel.” My accent is not funny, my jokes are. The phone sounded.

Before you could type out your own reply, Kyra went back to typing, but instead of letting the audio play, she squinted down at the translated sentence.

“Ik zou je… veel grappen kunnen… vertellen, weet je? Zou je ze graag… willen… horen?” I could tell you heaps of jokes, you know? Would you like to hear them?

For some reason, the Dutch that left the Australian’s lips left you gushing, nodding your head up and down as you grabbed her phone.

When you translated the sentence you had written down, looking down at the words in utter confusion, you sighed. Kyra was definitely no expert in your language, but you were just downright pathetic in hers.

She must've noticed your dismay since she looked over your shoulder, pointing at the first word. “Yes… but do you… have time... to tell… them all?”

She waited for you to sound out each word, humming and nodding in recognition when you repeated the sounds.

She smiled at you, taking her phone. You waited for the audio to play back to you. Kyra’s smirk only grew when she handed her phone back to you, the Contact App up on her phone — your name typed in and phone number blank.

You laughed, and she did too.

You could get use to this communication.

(just pretend it's you)

arsenalwfc : Cooney-Cross showing Y/L/N the ropes before our big clash on Sunday!

Comments:

kyracooneyx — best partner‼️ Laten we gaan gunners (let's go)

^ yourusername — 💗💗

^ user2 — THE DUTCH 😭😭😭

^ user3 — sleeping on the highway tonight, they're so cute 💔

User7 — the eyes chica 😍😍

katie_mccabe11 — quietest training session yet LOVE YOU Y/N

^ kyracooneyx — um rude 😡

vivannemiedema — Where did you two go after training?!

^ kyracooneyx — um, home? 🥰

^ victoriapelova — HAHAHAHA

kimlittle10 — welcome Y/N ❤️

^ yourusername — 💗

User1 — the duo we never knew we needed 🙌🏼🙌🏼

*liked by kyracooneyx

bethmead_ — happy to have you here Y/n!!!!

^ yourusername — Thank you ❤️

^ kyracooneyx — what about me?

^ caitlinfoord — what about you? 🤣

^ user4 — HAVSJDVSJSHSJS I'm dying

User5 — Y/n doesn't speak English, how did they even talk? Lol

^ user6 — Viv and Vic are there. I'm sure she was fine.

User7 — she's not even that good, at this point they're just getting anyone.

^ kyracooneyx — womp womp

* liked by yourusername

_____________

Number Thirty-Three 💗

You : what does ‘womp womp’ mean?

Ky : Niets, net als het. Xx Nothing, just like it. Xx

__________

[cloned-eyes]

Bad Batch Pacific Rim AU!

(hc stuff under the cut)

AU Headcanons

two Jaeger Team originally based in New Zealand stationed in Wellington from 2017 - 2025 | in 2025 re-stationed to Hongkong

Jaegers

2017 - 2020 Blaster 99 Mark 1 (Wrecker & Crosshair) 2017 - 2025 Havoc Marauder Mark 3 (Hunter & Tech until 2020 | Wrecker & Crosshair since 2020) 2020 - 2025 Omega-1 Mark 5 (Hunter & Tech)

graduating top of their class the Bad Batch was a highly valued Pilot Squad due to their sturdyness, advanced tactical and combat skills as well as their Drift compatibility among themselves

up until 2020 they successfully protected New Zealands coastlines as well as aided the australian Team occasionally.

in 2020 a category III Kaju launched an attack on Oaro calling the Team into action

due to a technical malfunction the weapons system of the Blaster 99 went offline resulting in the destruction of the Jaeger and near death of it's pilots which was prevented due to the quick acting of the Havoc Marauder

At the end of the same year and the recovery of the second pilot team a new Jaeger was assigned to them - Omega-1

Wrecker and Crosshair are two of teh very few Pilots who survied losing a Jaeger.

While technically compatible with each other brother, the current Pilot teams profed to be the most effective

[avaf00rd]

With my best friend

Caitlin Foord x Reader

Warnings : slight mention of anxiety, break up

Summary : in which lifelong Best friends slowly come to senses about their close connection to their number one person.

————————————————————————

2011

“hi I’m y/n” you said to a shorter girl who looked just as nervous as you.

“Yeah I know. They said your name before”

“Oh yeah of course” you said pulling your hand away as you had it out to shake. Pretty formal for 17 year olds. She then grabbed your hand from my side back up again and shook it “Caitlin”

You smiled as you both focused you attention onto the information evening of the Matilda’s new squad members.

——————

2011

“Caitlin you did it I flipping knew it!” You squealed to your roommate. She was starting for Australia, for the first time of her career and you couldn’t have been prouder.

“And I get to start with you!” She squealed as you both jumped around your hotel room.

You two were both in New Zealand when you were called about you both starting together. You made your debut last week, coming on in the last 5 minutes. But Caitlin would make her debut starting.

The game the next day: you managed to receive a pass from Clare as you ran up the field. You felt no one too close on you but you spotted Caitlin completely open just close enough to the goal, possibly not even close enough to you. You still passed to her just near the goal, a pretty impressive pass, as she sent a header straight into the back of the net. Slipping just past the keepers hands. She yelled in excitement as you jumped straight into your best friends arms.

“You did it cait!” You screamed holding her face in your hands before the rest of your Australian teammates jumped onto the two of you, causing you to collapse.

——————

2020 (quite the time jump ngl)

“Hey you” you felt arms wrap around your sweaty neck. It was your girlfriend Ona. You had just beaten her Spanish team 2-1 in your match tonight. You celebrated with your respected team after your win while ona had a chat with hers. After signing shirts and posters and doing your laps around the stadium. You were standing around with Macca, Caitlin and Alanna before your girlfriend greeted all of you.

You turned around to give her a big hug, wrapping your arms tightly around her neck. “Proud of you” she whispered as she kissed your cheek.

“Even more proud of you”

She smiled at you before you both turned back around to your three best friends “hey guys” ona said before hugging all of them.

Caitlin’s POV

Ona seemed brilliant for y/n. I don’t see her smile that much than when she’s with her. But there’s just something about her, something sour that turns me off about when she’s with y/n.

I hugged her lightly, smiling. Knowing how much this meant for y/n. Seeing us get along with her. I’ve seen Ona put stress on y/n, it’s from the long distance. Some nights in our hotel room she has been teary about how difficult it gets. I think it’s that that is bugging me.

——————

2021

“So fucking stupid” y/n sobbed into Alannas arms as we were in her hotel room. At another camp.

The long distance no longer worked for ona and my best friend. “Like it’s like all that trying and effort for the long distance wasn’t even worth it!” She exclaimed into Alan as shoulder.

“Oh Sweet Girl it was I promise it was” alanna soothed to her.

I did feel terrible. The couple had been together since when they met at Barca in 2018. And everyone loved them together. My heart ached at y/ns state. Soaking Alannas top, while Mac ran her hands through her hair. I said some words to her as I sat close to her.

After about 4 hours of room service, and 2 marvel movies. Y/n and me saw the other two girls out. As I shut the door, y/n pulled me close into a bone crushing hug. I wrapped my arms around her torso.

“Thank you for that. Love you” she said before pulling away and hopping into the shower.

—————

July 2021

Y/n’s pov

I gripped tightly onto Caitlin’s hand as the plane went through multiple stages of turbulence over the last hour. For the past 10 years, you had always held her hands during bumpy travel together. It just soothed your plane anxiety.

———

The final whistle blew as you fell to your knees. Hands covering your face. It was the semi finals, you had made it. And you went down 1-0 to Sweden. Tears slowly tried to fall out of your eyes. As you quickly brushed them away. Once finding yourself again moments later and standing up. You hugged some of the Swedish girls and then embraced Sam in a tight hug. Both showing how proud of each other you were. When in Sam’s arms, you looked over her shoulder to find your best friend standing by herself looking up to the sky in disbelief. You let yourself out of Sam’s arms before smiling at her then jogging over to Caitlin. She didn’t notice you at first as you pulled her towards you to giver her a huge hugger. Her head hung low on your shoulder, “I’m proud of you. And for that goal” you whispered.

“Thanks” she said holding you tighter. It was slightly disappointing. You were so close to reaching that gold medal, but just slipped before the last step.

————

The very short plane back to London was soothing. A smooth trip with sleepy girls. So it was very relaxing. Caitlin very quickly fell asleep in her seat next to you. She slept with her mouth hung open which made you giggle. You quickly snapped a photo before posting it to your close friends instagram story. You found yourself in your camera roll looking at the photo just taken. Then the suggestions of Caitlin box came up under the photo. You clicked on it as the photos app took you to all of the photos of you and Caitlin. From as long as you remembered. You smiled remembering the memories. She really has been the glue to your whole life.

—————

A/N

Ok so there is no romance between Caitlin and reader in this. But there be part 2 super soon so hold your nickers.

Luv yall💗💗

[umseb]

Vettel Backs Schumacher For F1 Comeback With Williams

Mick Schumacher has been kinked with a return to the grid to replace a struggling Logan Sargeant at Williams.

Four-time F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel has asserted Mick Schumacher is deserving of an F1 comeback at Williams. Following Logan Sargeant's heavy crash during FP3 at Zandvoort, reports emerged that the American driver could be dropped ahead of the Italian Grand Prix this weekend. Sargeant's time with Williams was already confirmed to be numbered prior to the incident as the Grove-based squad announced during the summer break that he would be replaced in 2025 by Carlos Sainz. However, in the wake of his latest difficult weekend, his exit could come even sooner - with ex-Haas driver Schumacher emerging as a candidate. Vettel has backed the 25-year-old to step into the seat in place of Sargeant. "If it were my decision, I would tend to favour Mick," Vettel told Bild. "Of course, I'm a bit biased because he's my friend, but in my eyes he's the best solution. Mick has two years of experience in Formula 1 as a driver, has a very broad technical insight thanks to his current role [as Mercedes reserve driver]. He knows the Mercedes engine and has matured a lot as a person since leaving Haas."

Vettel states people have 'wrong image' of Schumacher

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has also voiced support for Schumacher in light of the possibility of a return to the grid; however, Red Bull reserve Liam Lawson has also emerged as a contender after Christian Horner confirmed the team would be open to loaning out the New Zealander. Vettel pinpointed that Schumacher's knowledge of the remaining tracks on the calendar (bar Las Vegas) should place him as the favourite. "Mick is a good racing driver," Vettel added. "He's won Formula 2 and Formula 3. That's no mean feat. Now he has matured even more. I'm sure that he could impress at Williams, especially as, unlike other candidates, he knows the Formula 1 driver line-up and the circuits. That's a big advantage. I hope he gets the chance and can show the world what he's capable of. Mick has been unfairly branded because of his two years at Haas. Of course, he made mistakes, but the car wasn't competitive. Many people have the wrong image of him."

[magicfootballstuff]

Divided (claudia pina x reader)

Summary: You and Claudia have had different approaches to the Spanish national team while the dispute with the federation is still ongoing but one thing you can both agree on is that Vilda is an asshole.

———

This is actually worse than if you’d never even been called up to the preliminary squad.

Your first thought, once you’ve got past the initial crushing disappointment of finding out that you haven’t been included in Spain’s final squad, is that you’ve got to somehow find it within you to tell Claudia that you won’t be going to the World Cup after all.

It’s been the source of quite a few arguments between you and your girlfriend over the last few months. Claudia, resolute in her decision not to return to the national team until actual change has been made, accusing you of putting your own career over your integrity. You, plagued by injuries over the last few years that saw you miss out on an under-20 World Cup and last year’s European Championships, desperate to get to a tournament, this an opportunity to be your first senior one. 

The arguments haven’t had any lasting damage on your relationship, but it’s reached the point where you both actively avoid talking about the federation or the national team, just to save yourselves the hassle of another fight. You told Claudia when you were selected for the preliminary squad and left it at that, keeping emotion out of it, telling her more for the logistical purpose of informing her that you might be away for most of the summer than because you were expecting any kind of congratulations from her. As it turned out, she did congratulate you, though somewhat half-heartedly, and told you that she was happy for you. Happy, you noted, but not proud.

So that’s where you left it. Both aware of the situation, you wishing that Claudia was going with you and her wishing for you to stay at home in defiance with her, not that either of you vocalised that, in case of another argument.

But it was all for nothing. You’ve sacrificed your integrity, or so Claudia would say, and you’re not even getting the reward of a place at the World Cup.

You wish you understood why.

You played seventy-five minutes of the friendly against Panama and though it wasn’t your best game, it was still a solid performance. You bagged an assist and didn’t make any major blunders, so you rather naively hoped that you’d done enough to earn your place in the squad. 

It was a bit of a shock, therefore, when Vilda called you into his office this morning to tell you that you wouldn’t be travelling to New Zealand. All he told you was that there were other players who better fit into his plans for the World Cup. No apology, not even an explanation for why you don’t fit into his squad or what you need to work on in your game to have a better chance of selection next time.

He’s an asshole, you can practically hear Claudia’s voice ringing through your head.

She’s been telling you as much for months, never shy about voicing her distaste for the man nor the many reasons why he’s unfit to lead a women’s national team full stop, least of all one of Spain’s calibre, to a World Cup.

You don’t like him either - what he lacks in compassion, he more than makes up for in unsubstantiated ego and toxic masculinity - but you were willing to try to put that aside, to be courteous and professional if it means finally getting to represent your country at a major tournament.

Now you might hate him more than Claudia does.

At least Claudia will probably be relieved. You knew that she would cheer for you if you went to the World Cup - you personally, rather than the team - but she’ll surely be happier that she doesn’t have a need to pay attention to the tournament anymore now that you’re not going.

Once you’ve processed it yourself, you FaceTime Claudia to tell her the news. Maybe slightly sadistically, you want to see her face when she finds out that she was right.

“I didn’t make it,” you admit, though you’re sure that Claudia must have known already from seeing your red-rimmed eyes that you weren’t calling her with good news. “I’m not going to New Zealand. I’m not going to play in a World Cup.”

Claudia’s eyes close, her head falls forward as she processes your words. To your surprise, she looks genuinely confused and disappointed by the news. Part of you had been expecting her to react more outwardly with an outburst of 'I told you so', to use this as proof that she had been right about Vilda and the federation this whole time. 

But as divided as you’ve been in your approach to the issues with the federation and their running of the national team, you and Claudia are always going to be united in your support for each other.

“Shit, baby,” she says, opening her eyes. Her eyebrows are knit together in a frown, but there is sympathy in her eyes. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what to say. I know how much you wanted this.”

“It is what it is,” you say, trying to pass off your disappointment with a shrug, if only to ward off a fresh wave of tears from spilling down your cheeks. “Vilda doesn’t think I’m good enough.”

“Do you want me to fly over there and punch him?” Claudia asks, with more of the emotion you expected from her. “Because I will. Right in his stupid face.”

You picture it in your head, little angry Pina marching up to Vilda with his smug smile and sending him halfway to New Zealand herself with a single punch. Maybe it would finally knock some humility into him.

“Yes please.”

“He’s an idiot,” Claudia continues her impassioned rant. “I mean, we’ve always known that, but he’s particularly stupid not to take you to the World Cup. Did he at least tell you why?”

“No,” you answer. “Just that I didn’t fit in with his plans.”

“He can shove his stupid plans up his stupid ass,” Claudia rants.

“Claudia,” you warn her, because while you agree wholeheartedly with her sentiment, your girlfriend does have a habit of getting carried away in her passion sometimes.

“What?” Claudia protests, feigning innocence as if she hasn’t threatened violence multiple times in the last few minutes. “His plans are stupid if they don’t involve you. Sure, you don’t score many goals but you got nearly as many assists as me in the league this year in half as many games after you came back from your injury. Plus, you’re fast, you’re versatile, you’re good under pressure. You’re an asset to any team.”

“You’re biased,” you counter.

“I am,” Claudia agrees. “But anybody else would say the same.”

“Not anybody,” you point out.

“Anybody but that egomaniac. You’re passionate and you’re Catalan - that’s what scares him. It’s never been about whether you’re good enough on the pitch, it’s about who you are off it.”

“I think that’s worse than if I just wasn’t a good enough footballer,” you say with a grimace. “I can always work on my game, but I can’t change who I am.”

“And the people who matter will never ask you to change. I never want you to change. I know we haven’t always agreed on this situation, but you inspire me every day. I was stubborn and I’ll continue to stand by my own decision, but you wanted to change things from the inside. You had a dream to represent Spain at a World Cup and you did everything you could to try to achieve that, even if it meant telling me to fuck off, which isn’t always an easy thing to do. I admire you for that.”

You smile at Claudia’s admission that she’s not the easiest person to come up against, something which you know all too well from the fights you’ve had during the course of your relationship.

“Now we can both tell him to fuck off.”

“I like that plan,” Claudia grins at you. “Now I can either make a voodoo doll of Vilda and we can set fire to it together when you get home, or I can start to look at vacations for just the two of us so we can forget about him and the World Cup completely.”

Claudia seems to know exactly what to say to make you feel slightly less shit. In your disappointment and heartbreak, you hadn’t considered that there is at least one benefit to not going to the World Cup - that you now get a proper summer break to enjoy with your girlfriend before pre-season starts.

“Remember when we talked about going to Greece?” you remind Claudia. 

“To Rhodes? I’ll look into it,” Claudia promises you immediately. “And I really am sorry you didn’t get your dream this time. It’ll happen one day, I promise. And I’ll be right there to support you, even if I’m still not on the team with you.”

“I love you Claudia,” you blurt out.

Her eyes soften in adoration as her lips curl upwards into a smile.

“I love you too.”

[45cementry-gates]

Thoughts on Ishan :

(and ict in general)

1. When he opted out of India's test squad before our series with S. Africa....I knew... I KNEW it will be a long time before we'll get to see him playing for India again.

And then few weeks later Rahul Dravid said in a press conference... He can come back... Just play domestic.... My heart sank.

Here's the thing, I don't blame him at all for taking a break due to mental fatigue.

I fully support his decision as well. He prioritised himself and that's good.

But my dude... If I was your friend, if I was there with you... I wouldn't have let you go.

I would have grabbed his trousers and refused to let go. This is team India. You take one step back and 10 other people are standing right behind you ready to take your place.

Shubhman gill was hyped up so much... Remember his 126 in 63 balls against New Zealand?

But he faltered.

And Today he's in reserve.

Jaiswal is going to be our new opener in all 3 formats very soon. And there's nothing wrong with that. The guy earned it.

Ishan left the South Africa Series and a month later during the india Vs England test Series Jurel was picked and he did an excellent job.

Now imagine... Imagine if Ishan was there instead... If ishan had scored those 90 runs.....he would have made his place permanent.

I'll repeat myself.... I don't blame him for leaving... But he should have thought this through. Especially when a guy like Rahul Dravid is your coach.

(he's the same guy who gave declaration during a test match when Sachin Tendulkar was about to score a century. He's not as innocent as he looks.)

Another thing which really hurts me is how so many people complain about him being benched and then dropped but Yaar....there are tons of players who have gone through this.

Even Ashwin was benched. He said in an interview that when his team would win he wouldn't even feel like going in the ground to congratulate them coz of how hurt he felt.

It happens.

.

.

.

Anyways My overall opinion on this drama is :

1. I support him for leaving.

2. But I hate that he left.

3. A block of ice would be a better coach than Rahul Dravid.

Anyways... Jo hogaya so hogaya.

What I want now is for him to focus on his future.

And He can start by leaving Mumbai Indians.

MI was the team who would pick young players, groom and invest in them and make them capable enough for team India.

The MI we have seen this year is no longer that team. It doesn't matter how many reels their insta page puts out, the atmosphere of that team is tense, awkward and a hot mess.

If Mumbai really cared about a future captain as they claimed.... They should have made Ishan their new captain...like how csk and gt did with ruturaj and gill.

But oh well.

Right now... The best he can do is keep himself fit, play domestic and leave MI at THE EARLIEST.

That team, it's atmosphere, the mismanagement and inner conflicts (believe me, they exist) will not help him at all.

Imo, he doesn't need a team to grow. He has developed a good skill set. What he needs now is a stage.

A team like Kkr, RR or Gt will be great for that because these teams don't drop Their players after 1 or 2 matches... Have good coaches, stable environment and a good atmosphere overall.

Ishan is an excellent wicket keeper + batsman and the type of cricket he plays is best suited for t20 format (one day and test also but especially t20).

Whether we win or lose this t20 world cup... This one is the last one for our senior players.

After that, our youngsters will take charge (at least they should).

Yashasvi and Abhishek should be our openers.

Gill, rutu and Riyan would perfect be for middle order.

Ishan, with his explosive batting style, would be the perfect finisher.

Also... This dumb culture of batters not learning bowling (encouraged by this stupid impact rule) that has developed in the Indian team needs to STOP.

Look at Australia and New Zealand's t20 squad. Look at how many all rounders they have.

Look at ours. We won the 2007 cup because of all rounders as well.

Also... We cage our players. We hold them back. A player like Travis head is playing with such ferocity because his style and mindset is supported by his captain, his team and his media.

Meanwhile... If an Indian player attempts to do the same and doesn't make a big score in 2 -3 matches... He'll be benched instantly.

Another thing... If we look up the stats of our players in this year's t20 wc squad...

Except virat, Bumrah and maybe kuldeep ...everyone else is on ram bharose.

When players like n. reddy, ishan, rutu, gill, Riyan, natrajan... will be groomed and given enough opportunities....their aggressive style will be supported instead of criticized.... that's when we will win trophies.

@fangirlingintellectual @roseromeroredranger @snowcloudsss

@ishuess @bimesskaira

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Brazilian civil servants granted time off to watch women's football World Cup

Brazil's government will allow federal public servants to take time off work to watch the women's national football team play the upcoming World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, Agencia Brasil reported. The tournament takes place between July 20 and August 20. The measure is already customary for the men's squad games.

On match days when play starts at 7:30 am, the workday will start at 11 am. On match days starting at 8 am, the workday will start at noon. The document also provides for the compensation of the hours not worked by December 29, the Ministry of Management and Innovation announced.

The resolution, which comes after a request from Sports Minister Ana Moser to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, is to be published next Tuesday in the Official Gazette.

Brazil play Panama at Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide on July 24, at 8 am (Brasília time), France on July 29, at 7 am at the Sydney Football Stadium, and Jamaica on August 2 at 7 am at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.

Continue reading.

[samkerrworshipper]

I'm from New Zealand, I started learning to swim around five too I think. That wasn't with school though, my parents put me in classes at the city pool and I was in the class called the 'Little Dippers' lol and the next class up was the 'Big Dippers'. I actually could've been a pretty good swimmer because I'm really tall but I was lazy and didn't see the point in swimming back and forth when I could already swim 😂

lol my girlfriend says that all the different groups up until you were in the squad team were named after animals purely because they didn't want kids to feel like they were being like sorted based on their abilities lol

[sixfoottwo0119]

Column Vivianne Miedema | Come back stronger, you won't hear those standard texts from me

Columnist Vivianne Miedema writes about her serious knee injury. "Three weeks earlier, my girlfriend and teammate Beth Mead had the exact same injury. Two torn cruciate ligaments in one house, that is unbelievable."

In this end-of-year column I would like to look back on a great year. But the reality is that I can't wait for the new year to start. Although 2023 will also be very heavy and emotional. Of course because of the serious knee injury I sustained. My anterior cruciate ligament has torn and that means nine months of rehabilitation. Right away I knew it was wrong. I heard it 'snap' and then unfortunately you know enough. Three weeks earlier, my girlfriend and teammate Beth Mead suffered the exact same injury. Two torn cruciate ligaments in one house, that's unbelievable. Sometimes we look at each other and burst into laughter. Sometimes we look at each other and start crying. It still shoots in all directions.

Outside of football, we also experience tough times together. Beth's mother is terminally ill and has a few weeks to live. That is very sad and a lot is coming at us during this period. It's almost unbelievable that it all comes together. We put all our energy into supporting each other. It is a time to realize what is really important in life.

"I know there are examples of top athletes like Memphis Depay who were back within six months after a similar injury."

Due to the World Cup next summer I have drawn a line. With pain in my heart, of course, because I would have loved to play a third World Cup in the Orange shirt. But it's not realistic. I will have surgery in early January and then the long and arduous recovery will begin. I know there are examples of top athletes like Memphis Depay who were back within six months after a similar injury. But it is difficult to compare individual cases with each other. It is my first serious injury and I have no idea how my body reacts to it.

That's why you won't hear me say that I will come back stronger. It's the standard texts that I don't really care for. I especially want to recover step by step and responsibly and then we will look further. If I had been 35 now and it was my last World Cup, I would have wanted to take some risks. But I want and have to go on for years and I'm not going to do crazy things. Nevertheless, I will hopefully still have my value towards the World Cup. I cannot score goals for the time being, but I have discussed with national coach Andries Jonker that I will remain involved with the team. I will probably not be present in Australia and New Zealand as I will be at the end of my rehabilitation, but I hope to support the team with my experience in the run-up.

"The year ends on a minor note and there have actually been few highlights."

I have just completed an online Business and Marketing degree, but in the coming weeks I will be thinking about how I can develop further outside football. That is also very important during such a heavy rehabilitation. That you have distractions. I can put Beth on a Dutch course, haha.

The year ends on a minor note and there have actually been few highlights. I was really looking forward to the European Championship in England last summer, playing for the Orange squad in my second home country. But I was locked up in my hotel room with corona for ten days. But life is also dealing with setbacks. And look forward to the beautiful moments. That's why I'm already thinking about my comeback in nine months. That's going to feel great.

[robinfrinjs]

Formula E title contender Nick Cassidy will become a Jaguar driver and partner fellow New Zealander Mitch Evans next season, with Sam Bird leaving after three seasons with the team.

The Race has learned that Cassidy recently agreed to a multi-year deal to join Jaguar from the customer Envision Racing squad Cassidy has raced for since 2020 and with whom he is currently fighting for the 2023 Formula E title.

[aus-wnt]

Back in 2006, long before Australia fell in love with the Matildas, Lydia Williams was in mad rush to finish an evening team meeting in Canberra. She wolfed down dinner and then her and her teammates bolted out the door as quickly as possible.

The reason? To catch a Pink concert at the AIS Arena.

Almost two decades later, they’re both still going strong – and on Saturday night, Williams got to meet one of her musical idols backstage before her show in Melbourne, presenting her with a little piece of history.

Relenting to intense public pressure after Mackenzie Arnold’s shootout heroics at the Women’s World Cup, Nike is now selling Matildas’ goalkeeper jerseys – something it has never done before for an Australian team, male or female. Pink and her daughter, Willow, were the first in the world to get their hands on the retail version, which goes on sale on Tuesday.

“She grabbed it right away. She was like, ‘These are sick’,” Williams said.

There aren’t many more famous people in Australia at the moment than the Matildas – aside, of course, from touring musicians Taylor Swift and Pink. The former’s tour wraps up on Monday night, but the latter is still going strong; so strong that Pink is basically an honorary Australian, given how often she seems to be performing here. She has sold more than three million career tickets here and in New Zealand, and her current show – the Summer Carnival tour, which runs through to the end of March – will be seen by more than 900,000 people.

“She loves Australia, and she loves Australians,” Williams, 35, said. “And supporting women’s sport, she’s a huge advocate. When she realised it was about the World Cup and the first release of the jerseys, her excitement and genuine curiosity ... she’s smiling big in the photo, so she’s definitely pumped about it.

“She’s like the Taylor Swift of our generation. If Pink had that level of social media back then she would be the equivalent to that.”

Nike is only selling the purple version of the jersey – not the black shirt Arnold actually wore during Australia’s dramatic penalty shootout victory over France in the quarter-final – but it’s a start.

England’s Mary Earps first put the issue on the table last year, saying it was “very hurtful” and an “injustice” that the apparel company didn’t produce goalkeeper jerseys for fans to buy, which she said stopped young people from aspiring to play in that position.

Williams, who was part of Australia’s World Cup squad as a back-up to Arnold, concurs.

“The amount of people who wanted to get a jersey was massive,” she said. “It’s so important for the visibility of females in sport and female goalkeepers. ‘Macca’ obviously had an amazing performance at the World Cup, and now for people who have her and myself and Teagan [Micah] and Jada [Whyman] as their heroes, it’s really exciting that they can have that opportunity.”

Williams will watch her teammates play the second leg of their Olympic qualifier against Uzbekistan on Wednesday night from the stands at Marvel Stadium, having recently undergone ankle surgery to give her a chance of making it to Paris 2024.

“Timing-wise, it wasn’t ideal, but if I had it later, it was even less ideal,” she said. “When you get over 30, it’s slow and steady wins the race. Hopefully, I’m not too far off now being able to join the team a little bit and be around the girls instead of being locked away in a pool or spa, in recovery mode.”

[ummick]

Schumacher and Lawson Main Options If Williams Replaces Sargeant For Monza

Williams is evaluating whether to stick with or replace Logan Sargeant after another big accident over Formula 1's Dutch GP weekend

Mick Schumacher and Liam Lawson have emerged as leading contenders for Williams if the Grove-based squad elects to make a driver change from this weekend's Italian Grand Prix. Williams team boss James Vowles is understood to be evaluating his options in the wake of another big accident for Logan Sargeant at Zandvoort last weekend. Sargeant, who is being dropped by the team at the end of this year in favour of Carlos Sainz, made a mistake in Saturday morning's wet final free practice session, dipping his right-hand wheels onto the grass at turn 4. That error meant he lost control of his car and spun at high speed into the barriers on the outside of the circuit, destroying many of the latest upgrades that Williams had brought to the Dutch GP weekend. Big accidents for Sargeant, including in Japan where he also made an error in practice, have triggered spare parts problems this season, and some have viewed the American's costly accident at Zandvoort as a potential last straw. Vowles told German publication Auto Motor Und Sport in Zandvoort that Williams needed to make a decision on what to do for the rest of the season, but did not want to rush it while emotions were high straight after the crash. It is understood that Vowles has sounded out rival team bosses to see who could be available should he decide that he wants someone else in alongside Alexander Albon for the rest of the season. One logical option is Schumacher, who is reserve driver for the Mercedes operation whose engines Williams run. Vowles is friends with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, and putting a deal together would be quite straightforward. However, one complication could be Schumacher's WEC commitments for Alpine, with the German currently scheduled to race in Austin this weekend. The other two remaining WEC events also clash with the Azerbaijan and Brazilian Grands Prix. Schumacher has said in the past that he would prioritise any F1 race chance over his sportscar efforts, but a call on a potential Monza chance would need to be taken before he traveled to the United States. Speaking at the Dutch GP, Wolff himself said he would like to see Schumacher get another opportunity in an F1 race cockpit, with the German's only hope of securing a 2025 seat now resting on Sauber. Wolff said: "I would very much hope that Mick gets the chance, because we haven't seen the real Mick. You know, winning F4, F3 and F2, and then you are underperforming in F1... I think he deserves a chance. The opportunity with Williams is something that we would be cheering for. But this is James Vowles' decision." Red Bull reserve Lawson is another option, with the New Zealander being lined up for a return to full-time F1 competition by his bosses for 2025, whether at the RB squad or its sister Red Bull operation. An opportunity to see out the season for Williams would give Red Bull more time to evaluate the performances of Sergio Perez and Daniel Ricciardo ahead of a decision about next year's pairings, while also helping get Lawson back up to speed after his run of appearances for AlphaTauri in 2023. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has said that if the deal was right for his team, then he would be open to an arrangement with Williams. "It would depend on which terms and if we needed him back that we could have him back quite quickly," he said. "But certainly, if they needed a driver next weekend [at Monza], we'd be open to that. But that's a Williams question rather than one for us to answer."