#Real Madrid Women results

[realmadridnews]

Olympics 2024 final and bronze medal match - results

Brazil Women (Antonia Silva) wins the silver medal and Spain Women (Misa, Abelleira, Oihane Hernandez, Athenea, Carmona, Navarro, Redondo) ends on the 4th place.

Spain Women - Germany Women 0:1 (Gwinn 65')

Teresa Abelleira - played 85 minutes. (6,7/10)

Oihane Hernandez - played 72 minutes. (6,6/10)

Athenea del Castillo - played 72 minutes. (5,8/10)

Olga Carmona - played 27 minutes. (7,1/10)

Misa Rodriguez - didn't play.

Eva Navarro - didn't play.

Alba Redondo - didn't play.

Brazil Women - USA Women 0:1 (Swanson 57')

Antonia Silva - didn't play.

[maarrgarr]

The Unexpected Move

Itoshi Sae x Suzuki Azumi (fem reader, y/n, as you like)

Synopsis: You and Sae were a couple a few years ago and as a result of that great love you had your son, but Sae decided to leave you just before you realized it, and you decided not to tell him.

Warnings: mentions of sex, English is not my first language, swearing, Sae being a jerk to you.

Azumi and Sae met in Madrid, Spain. She was Japanese like him and was there to study marketing and public relations. While he had already been living there for a few years, chasing his dream of becoming the best soccer player in the world by playing for Real Madrid.

Azumi was 18 and he was about to turn 19, they were both neighbors. At first, Sae was surprised because she was the only Japanese person in the building, but after that, he didn't pay much attention to her. Azumi, on the other hand, was happy to have a neighbor who spoke the same language as her, but that happiness faded when, after trying to start a conversation with him several times, he only responded with what was necessary.

The situation changed when Sae was very sick one night and left his apartment on the verge of fainting, and being who he is, he didn't want to ask anyone for help. Luckily for him, Azumi was also leaving her apartment to get something to eat and found him in such a weak situation.

She helped him, told him to go back to his apartment, went out to buy medicine, and also made him a very typical soup in Japan to cure colds.

That was the beginning of their relationship.

They started spending more time together to get to know each other better. Sae stopped being so cold to her and started opening up more.

Although they were nothing alike, they managed to complement each other. Azumi had the grace and kindness that Sae lacked. And Sae had the common sense and selfishness that Azumi lacked.

Sae put aside his typical coldness, and let out a side that only his little brother knew. He asked her out on dates, he started noticing the smallest things that Azumi liked, he started inviting her to come watch him play, he started giving her things, and one night he told her to stay and sleep.

With him.

The stolen kisses began to be more frequent, the caresses, the hugs. Until the night came when both of them got to know each other's bodies in depth.

They began to live together on a daily basis. Their faces were what they saw when they woke up and when they went to sleep.

Sae would take her to college and he would go to training. Azumi would usually come back early and make them lunch, they would eat together while they both talked about how their day had gone.

Everything was perfect.

They lasted two years until Sae started to feel like he wasn't concentrating on his game. He was in a match and he was always looking to see if Azumi was in the stands and how she was doing. At first it wasn't that big of a problem, until his coach noticed.

""Itoshi, come here, we need to talk," his coach told him one day during a training session after a match, in which Sae had not done very well.

Sae entered the office with his usual cold expression, guessing what this talk was about.

"I'll be blunt. What's going on with you lately? Your level has dropped, and it's not because of a lack of skill, but rather a lack of concentration. I notice you're distracted." said the coach looking at him seriously.

"It's okay, I'm just training as usual," Sae replied, not wanting to admit the real reason.

The coach sighed, "Don't give me excuses. I've been in this sport longer than you've been playing football. I know exactly when a player is distracted by something off the field. And in your case, it's not hard to guess."

Sae raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?" he asked.

"That girl. Your girlfriend, or whatever she is to you. Look, I'm not going to get into your personal life, but I'll make one thing clear: Women, for a footballer, are a hobby, not a priority. You're not here to fall in love, Itoshi. Are you here to be the best in the world, aren't you?.If you really want to be one, you have to let go of whatever takes you out of focus. And if you can't do that, I'll do it for you." The coach spoke in a serious tone.

Sae looked at the coach angrily, "What are you trying to tell me? Are you going to stop me from playing?"

"I'm saying that you have to decide what's more important to you. Football or a girlfriend who can be temporary. "Think about this, Sae: sacrifices are inevitable if you want to be the best. You decide which ones you're willing to make." The coach ended the talk.

Meanwhile, Sae stayed on the court longer than usual, thinking about what to do. He loved you, maybe he didn't say it often because it wasn't typical of him, but he liked to show it to you. And he knew that you loved him, he knew that with that decision he was going to hurt you, but he was in Spain for one goal, and he could not allow himself to deviate from that goal.

That night, Sae came home later than usual. His face was as impassive as ever, but with a weight on his heart that he had never felt before. He found Azumi preparing dinner, As always with a warm smile on his face, although lately he had noticed that his girlfriend had a new sparkle in her eyes, but he had not paid much attention to it.

He was going to miss her. He was going to miss that smile that, although he didn't admit it much, had given him peace in the last few years, he was going to miss her kisses, the warmth of her body, the pleasure that only the two of them could make each other feel.

However, his mind was already made up. He couldn't allow himself any distractions, even if it hurt.

Azumi didn't hear when Sae arrived, so she was surprised to find him standing there looking at her seriously. "You're here! Why didn't you say anything, love?" She approached to greet him with her usual kiss, but he moved his face away from her, which left her confused. "Sae, what's wrong? Is everything okay?" I asked a little worried.

Sae took an imperceptible breath before speaking, "This isn't going to work anymore, Azumi. We have to end it."

The redhead stopped suddenly, taken by surprise. "What are you saying? Why?" She thought it was probably a joke in bad taste, but it was Itoshi Sae, he didn't make jokes.

"Because I don't have time for this, Azumi. My goal was always clear and you're becoming a distraction." Sae spoke to her coldly, while avoiding her gaze.

His words managed to hurt her. "A distraction? Sae, do you really think that? I've never tried to take away your dream, I just want to be by your side. Is that a problem?"

Itoshi clenched his fists, trying his best not to let out any emotion. "You don't understand, football is everything to me, there's no room for anything else. Since we've been together, I can't concentrate. On the pitch, in training... I'm failing because I'm thinking about you."

Tears were already forming in Azumi's eyes, but she didn't want to give up just yet. 'Sae, you're so obsessed with being the best, that you forget about more important things, you're going to be left alone.'

He finally decided to look at her and Azumi noticed that Sae's eyes did not show the hardness that her voice wanted to appear, they showed sadness. "Yes, I prefer to be alone. Football is unforgiving, if I don't give my all, someone else will and surpass me. I don't plan on risking that, even if it hurts me, even if... I love you. I can't let that stop me."

"If you love me, then why are you doing this? Sae, we can find some way..." she tried to reach out and grab his hand, but he pulled away.

"There's no way. Loving isn't enough. I have to be the best, and that means sacrificing a lot of things, including you." Sae's mind was already made up, and Azumi decided to give in and accept it.

She looked at him with tears streaming down her face. While Sae tried her best to stand firm, even though internally she felt like she was breaking into pieces.

"If that's what you want, then I'm not going to stop you" She told him

Azumi wiped away her tears and began to gather all her things, which were a lot. She still had her apartment, she just practically lived with Sae. She tidied and packed as quickly as possible, He tried to help her but she didn't let him.

When she was leaving, she passed by him, looked at him and tried not to break down in front of him. "I hope you achieve what you want so much and be the best, Sae"

And so, just as one day she came in with a heart full of love, she left with a completely broken heart.

Azumi wasn't going to force him to stay with her. He was free to decide what he thought was best for his life, and if he thought he was better off without her. She wasn't going to beg him to stay with her.

A month passed when Azumi decided to move to another apartment complex. In that month she had done everything she could to not run into Sae and luckily she succeeded.

Three months later, when she was living in another apartment, she started to feel strange. She was hungry all the time, she was vomiting, her sleeping schedule had changed and she felt tired all the time.

A not so crazy idea began to emerge in her mind.

Sae and Azumi were quite the fiery couple. They were very active in that regard and as far as Azumi could remember, they hadn't been so careful the last few times. And considering that she was almost four months late, the idea of being pregnant began to become increasingly certain.

When she took the pregnancy test and it came out positive, she cried a lot. She was still studying, she didn't have anyone in that country apart from some friends she had made at university. The father of her child had decided that she was a nuisance to his career and he was surely going to consider her child a problem as well. On top of that, she didn't have a job and lived off the monthly payments her family sent her, and while she lived comfortably with that, having a child was a much bigger expense.

She didn't know what to do.

She decided to talk to her parents, she didn't know what to do and they were the ones who always advised her in difficult situations. At first, they didn't take it well, "Azumi, you were supposed to go to Spain to study, not to get involved with someone and get pregnant" her mother told her. But her father, who had always supported her, told her to stay calm. They would support her in whatever she decided and if they had to send her more money for the baby, they would do it. But the only rule was that she should not drop out of school.

The thought of abortion was on her mind more than she liked to admit. She knew it was going to be difficult to have the baby alone, but this baby had been made with the love she and Sae had for each other, It was the only thing left of her great love.

The months went by, and she found out that she was expecting a boy. Her belly wasn't that big, but she liked taking pictures.

Sometimes she would come across a Sae game on TV, Apparently he was doing very well, he was always a starter, and in the football news there was always talk about how Real Madrid won matches thanks to some goal from Sae.

Apparently he was right, she was just a distraction in his life. He was better off without her.

The thought of telling him never crossed her mind. He had been clear about his goals and she was sure that having children was not part of them.

The birth was natural, it was not easy. But when she held her little son in her arms, all the pain disappeared.

She named him Suzuki Souta, and as soon as he opened his eyes, he showed those blue-green eyes and long eyelashes, he looked just like Sae. He had also inherited her ex-boyfriend's reddish-brown hair color.

As he grew up, he showed that the only thing he had inherited from Azumi were her dimples. Other than that, including his personality, he was Sae in the mini version.

Azumi built her life around her son, Souta. She got a part-time job in marketing while continuing her studies. Her days were exhausting, balancing work, college and the demands of a young child, but every time Souta smiled or called her "Mom," she felt all the effort was worth it.

Souta, now six years old, was an energetic boy with an undeniable resemblance to his father. His striking blue-green eyes used to catch the attention of strangers, and his natural talent for sports began to show when he started playing soccer for a local club. Azumi couldn't help but see Sae in every shot at the ball, in every determined look on Souta's face when he was focused on scoring a goal.

One afternoon, as Azumi was walking home with Souta after soccer practice, they passed an electronics store. A live interview with Sae Itoshi, fresh off another spectacular victory with the Japan national team, was being broadcast on the big screen in the window.

"Mom, look!" Souta pointed excitedly toward the screen. "It's the poster boy my coach has in his office! He's super cool!"

Azumi froze, feeling her chest tighten. She didn't want Souta to acknowledge Sae, at least not yet. She knew that would only raise questions she didn't have answers for yet.

"Yes, it is," she said quickly, tugging on Souta's hand before he could say anything else. "But we're already late, let's go home."

As they continued walking, Azumi couldn't help but look back, seeing Sae's figure on the screen. Although her face was as cold as ever, her success and confidence were undeniable. Her heart shrank at the thought that Souta might grow up not knowing who his father was.

"Maybe someday," she murmured to herself, holding Souta's small hand tightly, "but not today."

However, fate had other plans.

[lucawrites11]

I am from Germany and I am not the biggest fan of the USA but I have to admire their teamwork during their equal pay. Many media portray them as arrogant and most of them are not. For me the way they support the LGBT rights and many causes has been one of my top moments. They had many controversies but this is something that I would love to know from them as how they got all the players to co-operate on one single topic unlike spain team (i hate rfef but sometimes think if the result would have been different if every player supported that 15 players)

But football sometimes gives good news too like denmark football team refusing hike in their pay and supporting their women team to get equal pay unlike us men who don't have anything to show for themselves and wearing the four star shirt which happened due to us women

But at the end of the day it all comes down to federation and well it is same in almost all countries especially for women... Do you know any federation who is less corrupt or had less controversies... Mine is Sweden i think .. what about you??

there's so many complexities to the case of spain and why not everyone supported las 15 but i am not the expert @didalexiabreakupwitholgayet is and i would recommend reading their navigation post and their posts on the las 15 and the complications with real madrid. unfortunately, some people are selfish and what their chance to play with the national team and others fear what will happen to young players without senior supervision

i love what the uswnt has done in the past but i feel as though that spirit has left a lot of the team honestly how they advertise the four star shirt as men's makes me wanna scream the men haven't done shit. i more dislike america as a national rivalry and not as what they've done for women's football. i have always loved the underdog so seeing the downfall of such a big team (as long as it's not my own) is something i enjoy to watch. i LOVE watching the uswnt old matches under jill, it's the perfect example of possession based play in a 4-3-3, tactical perfection

what denmark men have done is so good, i think that there needs to be so much more equality in pay and conditions. jamaica is one example at the moment

honestly i think football is all just dirty and corrupt, we've seen fifa, they are a fucking mess. money corrupts, it's that simple. i think some are just less corrupt than others. i think doing a good job with investment right now: Scottish and English FAs (the English FA is currently spending money to try and keep Reading women alive, they could let them fail), Sweden has always been good, Canada especially with the establishment of a national league (i think we'll see a lot more young talent and i'm excited about that) and i think norway and germany were good in the past but they have gone downhill recently. the bundesliga and toppeserien have so much potential but so much under investment

[nemolfc]

𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞, 𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 - 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐨 𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐬

・𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲: 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐲𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐬

( 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐨 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐨 𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 "𝐌𝐲 𝐨𝐡 𝐦𝐲" 𝐛𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐂𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨? )

𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐩*𝐫𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭.

𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞: 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐨, 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲.

Frustration seems to be something of the norm for her, her job was not facile by any means; to be surrounded by men yet have little to no love life, it wasn't as if she wanted a love life yet there were nights where she ached to be in the arms of someone, someone that can make her feel loved, even for one night - the notion had been weighing on her mind so much that it became to evident to those around her just how frustrated she had become, one person in particular had noticed more than others.

You see, she happened to live across none other than one of the individuals she spent half her day with, Sergio Ramos, Real Madrid's resident bad boy, the cautionary tale Spanish women would tell one another in order to stay away from him - you'd think he would be at least ashamed of such reputation yet it seemed to be quite the opposite, he seemed to thrive on being considered a 'red flag'; owning said reputation with sheer confidence that made him the one person she knew could help ease her frustration.

The only problem was, she had no clue how to tell him, until ...

That night, she had stuck around the training grounds to wrap up some last minute adjustments to the photos in preparation for the upcoming UCL fixture; for some reason, she doesn't feel the least bit satisfied about her work, resulting in her shutting the laptop in utter frustration, she took a moment, noting that it was quiet, a bit too quiet resulting in the most absurd idea to appear inside of her mind, it was ludicrous however she needed to relieve the tension somehow, carefully, she pulled her legging slightly followed by her panties, she halted her movements upon hearing a small noise; she waited for a mere minute before proceeding to tease her clit with her thumb eliciting a soft whine from her.

She repeats the exact same motion, again and again; using another digit to tease her swollen slick walls, just then she plunges it into her walls inciting a moan from her, " Fuck " she whispers, rubbing her clit with her thumb, " Oh fuck "

Her eyes fluttered shut, her movements growing rapid in pace eliciting soft moans and whines from her trembling lips, " Oh fuck yes ... " she whispers through labored breaths.

One digit soon became two, she leaned her head back attempting to relax her muscles to the best of her abilities while she attempted to get herself to her release, " Jesus " she groans, her chest rising and falling at a rapid pace. " Oh my god, Oh fuck " she says through gritted teeth, biting down on her lip as she reached her high, " Fuck "

Before she could even make her next move, a familiar voice causes her eyes to widen,

" What a sigh that was? "

Her eyes shoot up to meet none other than Sergio's who was standing near the doorway, his lips curled into a smirk. " Now I had my doubts but never did I think that the good girl was such a dirty slut "

His words sent shockwaves straight to her still sensitive pussy, " I ... I ... I - um- " it seemed as if all cohesive thoughts had disappeared from her mind.

He strides towards her with sheer confidence, the same confidence she saw each time she saw him, he took one look at her; his eyes darkened right then and there. " Tsk ... tsk .. now if you were so frustrated and angry, you could have told me " he cooed, walking around the office to lean against it, standing right next to her. " I mean, you were on open display for anyone to walk in and see you like this "

" Um, I didn't think anyone was still here " She said through shaky breaths.

" You know me amor, I'm always the last to leave " He tuts, sending her a broad smile. " And by god, I'm so glad I was able to witness such a sight "

Her eyes widened, her cheeks grew red in embarrassment. " Oh "

" Hop on your desk amor " He said with a commanding tone, walking towards her door to lock it shut before walking back to her, he stood between her legs, his lips curved into a wide smile. " Tell me amor, tell me what do you want " he whispers.

She swallowed the lump in her throat, her eyes darting all around to avoid looking at him; suddenly, he hooks his finger under her chin to get her to look at him, " Come on mariposa, you think I didn't notice the way you were looking at me, how you'd look away a minute too late, you want this " he murmurs, his lips touching hers. " You don't have to be shy, tell me what you need "

Her silence had gone on for what felt like an eternity, before her fingers clutched the collar of his shirt to pull him into a searing passionate kiss eliciting a low groan from him, he wrapped one arm around her waist while the other rested on the side of her neck, she swiped her tongue across his lower lip leading to him opening his mouth for her; groaning once again.

Suddenly, she pulls back, her lips swollen, her pupils dilated with pure lust, " All my life, I've followed the rules but now ... " she blew out a soft breath, " I can't deal with this image, I don't want to be the good girl, tonight I just want to be me, the real me "

" And who is the real you, hm? " He asked with a gentle tone, cradling her face in his hands.

" I guess you're going to have to pull her out of me " She giggled.

He laughs, pecking her lips. " I see .. " he whispers, placing his hands at the waistband of her leggings. " May I? "

She nods slowly, inhaling a sharp breath as he lowered the leggings down to her ankles followed by her panties, he then kneeled down; spreads her legs then looks up at her, " Are you sure amor? "

She nods, letting out a soft gasp upon feeling his tongue swipe up and down before his lips were fully attached over her slick walls, he closed his eyes, letting out a soft him, while his hands squeezed her thighs prompting another breathy moan to escape her lips, " Fuck "

" Don't grow quiet on me amor " He murmured against her pussy, darting his tongue to lick her clit. " Want to hear you scream, scream while I eat this delicious cunt "

Before she could formulate a response, she cried as he reattached his lips back on her pussy, his tongue lodged deep into her walls while his thumb caressed her clit in a circular motion, a bit more aggressive than her eliciting loud, borderline obscene cries from her lips. " Oh my god " she gasped.

His eyes shot up to relish in the sight of her contorted features, he applied further pressure to her thighs which in turn caused her to moan more, " Oh my god you're so good at this " she whispers, her digits thread through his hair, " Fuck don't stop Sergio, feels so good, fuck ... "

He situated himself comfortably to explore her walls from a different angle, suddenly; without so much of a warning, he pushed one digit inside with his tongue eliciting a moan from her, " Sergio " her eyes brimmed with tears, digits tugging at the ends of his hair, " More, please " she pleads.

He complied, adding another digits while his tongue drew imaginary shapes inside of her walls; he curled his digits to apply further pressure - edging her close to her orgasm, " Oh my god " she whines through gritted teeth, the pressure building inside of her lower abdomen until she threw her head back, releasing a loud cry. " Fuck, yes yes yes ... Oh Fuck "

He lapped up every bit of her arousal; then he pulled back, his chin glistening with remnants of her arousal, he stood up, his face mere inches from hers. " Is that what you wanted mariposa? " he whispered, pecking her lips.

She nods, a soft smile appears across her lips. " I still want more " she whispers.

He smirks, " Oh yeah? " his head tilts, lips planting soft kisses across the curvature of her neck. " What do you need baby? "

She inhaled a sharp breath, " I want ... " she whispered through labored breaths, " I want you to ... I want you to fuck me, fuck me like you fuck those girls every night "

Sergio stills at her requests, lifting his head up to look at her. " Are you sure? " he whispers.

" Please " She pleads, cradling his face in her hands. " Please " she murmurs.

" You're far too soft for me to taint you " He said, his tone showcasing a slight sense of hesitance.

" I'm not as innocent as you think " She leans in to whisper in his ear, placing a featherlight kiss behind his ear. " I've touched myself to the idea of you far more than I can count, but nothing compares to how your tongue feels or how I know your cock will feel inside of me, so you either fuck me like the man they all claim you are, or I'll be happy to take my services to someone else, maybe Asensio can help me "

A sudden rage bubbled inside of him, the notion of someone else much less a teammate touching her was a notion he certainly didn't accept, he grunted then kissed her with all the force he had buried in him, " Not a single man is going to touch you "

She giggled, " Prove it, prove to me why I should forget all men "

He kissed her once more, his hands reaching below to untie the knot of his sweatpants, lowering them along with his boxers to free his cock from the confinement, he lets out a loud hiss at the sudden sensation cool air hitting the sensitive skin. " Fuck "

Her eyes dart down, subconsciously licking her lips, he hooked his digit under chin to get her to look at him. " How much do you want this? " he whispers.

" So badly, so .. so ba- Oh my god! " She gasps the moment he pushed the entire length of his cock inside of her walls. " Fuck " she whispers.

" Oh, I had no idea " He groans, resting his forehead on hers. " Your pussy is so tight amor, so fucking tight " he whispered.

" Please " She cried. " Please move "

" Just a moment amor, just a moment " He lets out a ponderous breath before building up a rhythmic pattern, thrusting his hips against hers, one hand grips her waist while the other was wrapped around her throat. " You like it amor, you like the way I'm fucking you, I bet you do, your pussy is squeezing my cock "

" Please " She said through strangled breaths. " Oh god "

He applied gentle pressure around her throat, while he continued to thrust in and out of her pussy; suddenly he looks down, the sight of his cock disappearing inside of her caused him to groan, " Look at it baby, look at how you suck my cock in so easily, it's like you were made for me " he whispers, leaning in to capture her lips into a passionate kiss.

She wrapped her arms around his shoulder, deepening the kiss to match the rhythm of his thrusts which grew rapid in pace, " Fuck Sergio, touch my clit please " she whispers.

He chuckles against her lips, " You don't need to tell me twice amor " his thumbs rubs her clit in a rapid and circular motion, " You like how it feels, you like how good I'm fucking you "

She nods eagerly, whining. " I'm going to cum "

" Oh yeah " He cooed, pressing soft kisses against her neck, " cum for me amor, cum all over my cock "

The knot in her lower abdomen explodes, she lets out a soft cry. " Fuck, oh fuck " she whispers.

He suddenly pulls back then presses a kiss to her lips, “ On your knees amor "

She situated herself, then looked up at him.

He offers her a gentle smile, threading his digits through her hair, " Come on amor, clean your mess "

She tentatively wrapped her hand around the sensitive skin before her lips wrapped around the tip – her tongue licked soft stripes across the slit before she slowly took as much of him as she can.

He throws his head back, groaning deeply at the warm sensation of her lips wrapped around his cock, " That’s it amor, take my cock all the way in your mouth, such a good girl — Oh fuck " he lets out a strangled moan, " Such a good girl, use your tongue … yes " he lets out a soft sigh. " Good girl amor, good girl … I’m almost there "

He looks down, relishing in the sight of her, down on her knees, his cock buried deep into her mouth, the tip hitting the back of her throat, " Fuck amor, I’m cumming … yes, yes " he groans, tightening his hold on her hair.

She lapped up every bit of him before she pulled back then stood up, immediately being tugged into his embrace, the pair share a kiss before he whispered. " Round 2, my house? "

She nods with a soft smile, " Yeah "

[scotianostra]

On October 31st 1903 Hampden Park stadium opened in Glasgow as the home of Queen’s Park Football Club.

Sources differ some say October 25th but SFA state 31st

Hampden was the biggest stadium in the world, it would hold this record until 1950 when The Maracanã Stadium in Rio, it held and incredible 199,854 for the final.

Back to Hampden, it opened for a league game on this day in 1903, three years late it held it’s first international when Scotland played England in front of a crowd of 102,741 people, which established Hampden as the primary home of the Scotland team.

Attendances continued to increase during the remainder of the 1900s, as 121,452 saw the 1908 Scotland v England match. A new world record of 127,307 were in attendance to see Scotland play England in 1912.

World record crowds attended Scotland matches against England in 1931 and 1933 and it was 33 that saw the first team from mainland Europe, Austria visit the stadium. Further ground improvements increased the official capacity of the ground to 183,388 in 1937, but the SFA were only allowed to issue 150,000 tickets for games. The 1937 Scotland v England match had an official attendance of 149,415, but at least 20,000 more people entered the ground without tickets.

During WW2 a government official presented an order demanding that both the Hampden and Lesser Hampden pitches be ploughed and used to plant vegetables, but the Queen’s Park committee chose to ignore the order and the government did not pursue it.

Hampden hosted the 1960 European Cup Final; Real Madrid defeated 7–3 Eintracht Frankfurt with 130,000 people in attendance. By the time the next European cup final was held in 1976 between Bayern Munich of West Germany and Saint-Étienne of France the attendance had fallen to 54,670. The French complained about the goalposts stating that two of their efforts which hit the square crossbar and rebounded into play would have resulted in goals if it had been round!

Hampden was aging and the capacity was cut 81,000, redevelopment started in October 1981 and completed in 1986, reduced the capacity to 74,370 and cost £3 million. After the cancellation of the annual Scotland v England fixture in 1989, questions were raised as to whether Scottish football required a separate national stadium, other venues were mooted but the SFA and the stadium committee rejected these and after securing a grant of £3.5 million in 1992, work to begin on a £12 million project to convert Hampden into an all-seater stadium, Hampden was re-opened for a friendly match between Scotland and Netherlands on 23 March. The final stage of the renovation began in November 1997, costing £59 million, inevitably the price soared but Hampden was re-opened for the 1999 Scottish Cup Final. The ground now has a capacity of 51,866.

The stadium was again fit to host the top matches and Real Madrid were again victorious when Hampden Park hosted the 2002 UEFA Champions League Final, defeating Bayer Leverkusen, with Zinedine Zidane scoring the winning goal with a left-foot volley.

In 2012, a Scotland women’s national football team game was played at Hampden for the first time, when it hosted the first leg of a European Championship qualifying playoff against Spain and Hampden was temporarily converted into an athletics stadium for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the European Championship in 2020 the National stadium has been chosen by Uefa as on of 13 venues for the competition and I am sure the people of Scotland will welcome whoever is chosen to play in Glasgow.

With the advent of big stadium concerts Hampden has been used to host a wealth of worldwide acts Genesis and Paul Young performed in the first concert at Hampden, in 1987. The Rolling Stones played there in 1990, during their Urban Jungle Tour. Since the redevelopment of Hampden was completed in 1999, many acts have performed there, including The Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart, Tina Turner, Bon Jovi, Eagles, U2,Oasis, George Michael, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Neil Diamond, Take That, AC/DC, Bruce Springsteen, Coldplay, Pink, Paul McCartney, Rihanna, and Beyoncé.

The national stadium takes a lot of stick, but the cost of building a new one is way out of reach for the SFA, but if they somehow came up with funding I think it would be more suited to be somewhere around the Stirling area, I would also like to see a train station as near as damn it next to it, we can but dream though..........

[insidekatmind]

The game of us-Vinicius jr.

It was a warm, humid evening, the kind of night perfect for a rivalry match, and you sat on the bleachers with your arms crossed, a look of defiance on your face. Real Madrid against Atlético, a matchup that got your heart racing—not for the game, but for something far more complicated.

Vinicius Jr. was there, on the field, with that playboy smile of his that made every girl go crazy. But you hated him. You didn’t like the way he toyed with women as if nothing was serious to him. He could have anyone he wanted, but his gaze on you—one you tried hard to ignore—was different. Maybe it was the way he looked at you, as though he wanted to win you over just for the thrill of it.

"I see you're in top form tonight," came a familiar voice from behind you. It was Gavi, your best friend Valeria's boyfriend. You forced a tight smile.

"You know I don’t care about football, right?" you replied indifferently.

Gavi laughed. "I know, but you love seeing them lose, don't you?"

"Not really," you said, glancing quickly at Vinicius, who was chatting with his teammates. For a brief moment, his eyes locked with yours, but you quickly looked away, hoping he hadn’t noticed.

The match kicked off, but the tension between you and Vinicius was palpable. Every time he looked at you, you felt like you might lose control.

---

Real Madrid had just scored a goal, and the crowd erupted in cheers. Vinicius ran toward the sidelines, celebrating with an exaggerated grin, while you, on the other hand, locked eyes with him once more. It felt like a silent challenge.

"Don’t think you’ll always get lucky," you muttered under your breath as he ran past. He pretended not to hear, but there was a playful smile on his lips.

"Ah, are you really worried about me?" he teased, stopping just briefly. "Because I think you know I always have a trick up my sleeve."

You only smiled in response, trying your best to hide how much his words were affecting you.

The game continued, but your mind kept drifting back to him. His presence was undeniable, and the more you tried to ignore it, the stronger it became.

---

At the end of the game, Real Madrid had won, but it wasn’t just the result that lingered in your mind. As you were walking away from the stadium, Vinicius suddenly appeared beside you.

"I don’t understand why you seem so disgusted by me," he said, his voice dripping with challenge.

You turned to face him, doing your best to maintain composure. "I’m not disgusted, just... bored."

He chuckled, stepping closer. "Doesn't seem like boredom to me. Looks more like you're trying to convince yourself that you don’t want me."

"You're really confident, huh?" you replied, but inside, you could feel your heart begin to race. It was becoming harder to stay indifferent.

"When you’re used to being admired, it becomes a bit inevitable," he said, his smile turning even more mischievous. "And I think you’re trying to deny that I’m attracting you."

You crossed your arms, standing your ground. "I’m not like all the others, Vinicius. I couldn’t care less if you're a 'player' or not."

He closed the distance between you, his breath warm against your skin. "Oh, baby, we’ll see about that."

As you turned to walk away, you could feel his gaze burning into your back, the tension between you thickening like a storm waiting to break. The game had begun, but it wasn’t just the rivalry that was at play anymore. It was something far more dangerous—your heart.

In the days that followed, the tension between you and Vinicius grew immensely. Every time you crossed paths with him, there was that spark, that shiver you couldn’t ignore. You didn’t like the way he made you feel, as if he could always manipulate your emotions. And yet, you couldn’t help but be drawn to him. There was something in his eyes that captivated you every time, something that dared you to follow him.

It was an autumn evening when you found yourself at the stadium once again. Real Madrid was playing against a weaker team, but for you, that match was anything but boring. You had seen Vinicius step onto the field, his white jersey glowing under the artificial lights, and his gaze searching for you in the crowd. You couldn’t understand why you hated him so much, but at the same time, you desired him in a way that was driving you crazy.

"You're here to cheer against us, right?" his warm voice reached you from behind as you stood up to leave. You spun around quickly, finding him standing there, only a few steps away, with an expression you could no longer read.

"It doesn't matter," you replied, trying to keep your tone indifferent. "I'm not giving you satisfaction."

Vinicius stepped closer, his mischievous smile spreading across his face. "I’m putting pressure on you, I know," he said, his voice lower, almost a whisper. "But I can’t help thinking about you every time I see you."

You suddenly felt vulnerable. His gaze pierced you, and you didn’t know whether to hate him even more or give in. His game was tearing you apart.

A week later, you found yourself at a party with friends, and for some strange reason, Vinicius was there, as always surrounded by girls and admirers. But this time, instead of watching him from a distance, you found yourself walking over without thinking too much about it. You couldn’t stop yourself, even though you kept telling yourself you hated everything about him.

You approached the group, and Vinicius’s eyes immediately found you. "Ah, our favorite ‘enemy,’" he said with a smile, but there was nothing friendly in his tone. "Are you sure you want to be here?"

You moved even closer, showing him you weren’t afraid. "I’m not here for you," you replied with a firm tone, but your heart was beating fast.

He leaned in slightly, as if he was about to say something that would shake you. "But I’m here for you. Every time I look at you, I can’t help but think about how different you are from all the others."

Your heart skipped a beat. You turned away, trying to maintain control. "If you think I’ll fall for these little games, you’re wrong."

Vinicius laughed, but there was a different light in his eyes. "This isn’t a game, baby. It’s our destiny."

You didn’t know what to do. The struggle between hate and attraction grew every time you saw him, but this time, his closeness was testing you like never before. The truth was, he was breaking down all your defenses, and you could no longer ignore him.

The following week, the tension between you and Vinicius reached a breaking point. Every encounter, every word exchanged, seemed like one step closer to something neither of you could ignore. It was as if you were both trapped in a dance you didn’t want to dance, but couldn’t stop.

One evening, after a particularly intense training session for Real Madrid, Vinicius sent you a message: *“I’ll see you tonight, you know.”* There was no room for refusal, nor the courage to say no. It felt more like an invitation from fate.

You arrived at the meeting point, a small bar on the outskirts of the city, the place you had chosen to keep your distance. It wasn’t just a “game” anymore, like you had thought in the past. His gaze, growing more intense, had exposed the part of you that you’d tried to ignore for weeks.

When he entered the bar, the air changed immediately. He walked up to you without saying a word, his body stopping just inches from yours. There were no more provocations, just a silence that spoke for itself.

"You know," he began, his voice low and deep, "you’ve had me chasing something I didn’t understand. But now I do." He took a step closer, his breath almost in sync with yours.

"You don’t understand anything," you replied, trying to keep your indifference, but inside, you felt something else growing. "This isn’t a game, Vinicius."

He smiled, but it wasn’t the smile of a guy trying to win. There was something deeper, something real. "Then tell me what it is, if it’s not a game. Because at this point, all I can hope for is that it’s something more."

Your eyes met, and in that moment, you realized that words were no longer needed. The attraction you felt for him wasn’t just physical, it was something deeper. He had dug into your heart, and you could no longer maintain the barrier you had so carefully built.

"We’re so different," you whispered, but your voice betrayed your vulnerability. "This should never happen."

"But it is," he replied, lowering his gaze to your lips. "And I want it to happen."

Without another word, his lips found yours, in a kiss that was both an explosion and a sweetness that made you forget all reason. The hatred you had felt for him melted away, leaving only desire, passion, and the realization that maybe, just maybe, you had found something real, something beyond the masks and fake wars.

When he pulled away, he looked at you with an expression you had never seen before. "Now you understand," he said, with a smile that wasn’t one of challenge, but of understanding that overwhelmed you.

"Yes," you replied, without any more doubts. "Now I understand."

And so, in the silence of that night and the sound of your hearts beating as one, a new chapter began for both of you, where hatred no longer had a place, and love had finally taken its place.

[mesetacadre]

The arrival of the XI International Brigade in Madrid

The XI Brigade finished their very rushed training the 3rd of November. It was composed of three batallions: Edgar André (Austro-German), Paris Commune (Franco-Belgian), and Dombrowski (Polish-Balkan), under the command of general Kléber, a Ukranian Jew member of Soviet military intelligence, real name Manfred Stern. The three batallions in turn were led by Hans Kahle, Jules Dumont, and Boleslav Ulanovski, respectively. That very same day, president of the Republic Largo Caballero gave the order to the XI Brigade to go to Madrid. In the night from the 4th to the 5th, went by train from Albacete to Alcázar de San Juan, and from there were shuttled by truck to the towns of Vallecas and Vicálvaro, where they were posted for three days. Even there, to the west of Madrid, they experienced the bombs and planes of the fascistic side, they were looming over Madrid.

The 7th of November, as they had feared, general Valeria had launched an assault on Madrid with 5 columns. 2 advanced on the southern bridges, while the other 3 attempted to take the open spaces around Casa de Campo in the east, take the French Bridge and access Madrid through the new university campus, and the neighborhoods of Argüelles and Cuatro Caminos. That very same day, what came to be known as the miracle of the Defense of Madrid started.

1,900 international volunteers traveled from Vallecas to Atocha Station, in Madrid's southwest edge. When they took formation in the station's esplanade, they did not know the results of the previous day's fighting, not even if the city had already been accessed. While they had a warm coffee and it rained lightly but coldly, they were able to see Stalin's portrait hanging on the National Hotel's facade. After a rally by Kléber, and the rain had stopped, they began their march towards the northeast. As they marched through the streets, some people warned them not to slip on the wet streets. It was early in a Sunday morning, but as it moved to midday, more people began to populate the streets, and cheers began to be heard from windows. From Atocha, they marched through the Paseo del Prado to Cibeles fountain, they turned into Gran Vía up to Telefónica's building. From here, all foreign correspondents would transmit their reports, and its height served as an advantageous position to spot for the artillery. It also received numerous strikes from the fascist artillery.

Along the Gran Vía, New Zealander correspondent for the London Chronicle, Geoffrey Cox, heard shouts "Long live the Russians!". He saw women with teary cheeks from emotion, one of them raised her small daughter, who raised her fist. The Yugoslav Veljko Ribar (Karl Anger) would note "Those old ladies with closed fists filled us with bravery and determination". Cox, who heard orders being shouted in French, noticed they were not Russians.

Once at the city's east, the battalions distributed themselves as follows: The Paris Commune Battalion defended the sector between the San Fernando Bridge and the Faculty of Philosophy; the Dombrowski Battalion was in the center, between the Faculties of Philosophy and Medicine; the Edgar André defended the front between the Model Jail and Cisneros roundabout, with their main focus being the French Bridge and the East Park. The 11th of November, according to the diary of Kléber's helper, Gustavo Durán, the fascist artilleray began to batter their positions at 12:20 with 10'5" and 15'5" shells.

The official report for the night of the 8th says: "The columns that defend Madrid in the south and southwest have suffered a terrible attack, carried out by effective forces with air support and tanks. Our forces have valiantly weathered the clash, maintaining their positions along the entire front. At midday, the Republican troops made a counterattack, taking new positions and capturing a tank along with its occupants. Morale is excellent, and today has been a harsh trial, the enemy has ended it gravely broken". The arrival of the XI Brigade fortified this morale, and in the 9th it had to defend against the first charge: Valera's forces crossed the Manzanares river through the French bridge and made it all the way to the Model Jail (today the headquarters of the Air Force). Heavy fighting ensued, in which both Spanish and International forces participated, but by next morning, the remaining assailants were forced to retreat back across the river.

Translated, adapted, and expanded from the first volume of International Brigades' Sites in the Center of Madrid, Vol. 1, published by the Association of the International Brigades' Friends

[pedripics]

hi! may i ask you something about this Super League? im confused because im new here. and what about that 1 billion euros for? thank you

Hi, of course 🫶🏻

The Super League is a rather complex topic, so I'm gonna give you a short summary and a longer version with the history and stuff under the cut.

In short, the Super League is a proposed football competition for football clubs in Europe that is aimed to rival the UEFA competitions, such as the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League.

Format (this is the new version they just released):

It would include 64 men’s (spread across three leagues) and 32 women’s teams (spread across two leagues) playing midweek games in a league system across Europe. All clubs would play in groups of 8 – home and away – resulting in a guaranteed minimum of 14 matches per year. At the end of the season, a knockout stage of 8 clubs will be played in each league to determine the league champions. There would also be annual promotion and relegation between the three/ two leagues. The idea is that it would not interfere with domestic leagues.

History:

Proposals of Super Leagues in European football have been around for decades with the earliest ideas dating back to 1968. There were attempts to create a 'Super League' in 1987 and 1990 but they were abandoned after UEFA and FIFA threatened to sanction all involved clubs. In 2009, Florentino Pérez (president of Real Madrid) began planning a 'Super League' because the Champions League, in his words, was too "obsolete and problematic for the quality of the sport and an obstacle preventing clubs from growing their businesses and developing infrastructure." That idea resurfaced in 2020 when big clubs started suffering financially from the Covid-19 pandemic and ongoing debts. That got American investors interested who pledged US $5 billion towards its formation. In January 2021, FIFA and all six football's continental confederations (AFC, CAF, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, OFC, and UEFA) issued a statement that rejected the formation of any breakaway European Super League and that they would ban any club or player involved from any competitions organised by FIFA and its six confederations.

Current 'European Super League':

In April 2021, Pérez announced the formation of the 'European Super League' (ESL) via a press release signed by twelve clubs that signed up to be involved (Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspurs, Inter Milan, Juventus, AC Milan, Atlético Madrid, FC Barcelona, and Real Madrid). The aim was a new competition that "provides higher-quality matches and additional financial resources for the overall football pyramid, provides significantly greater economic growth and support for European football via a long-term commitment to uncapped solidarity payments, which will grow in line with league revenues, would appeal to a new younger generation of football fans, and also would improve VAR and refereeing." Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, and Juventus were the three leading clubs. There is much more to the financial aspect of it (like solidarity payments, welcome bonuses, participation payments, commercial revenue, etc.), but that's rather complicated and depends on what newspaper you wanna believe.

Reception:

The announcement led to a joint statement from the governing bodies of the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A condemning the formation, with all governing bodies declaring to prevent the ESL from proceeding any further. Football governing bodies from Germany, France and Russia released similar statements. UEFA reiterated their statements made in January 2021, warning that any clubs involved in the Super League would be banned from all other domestic, European and world football competitions and that players from the clubs involved would also be banned from representing their national teams in international matches. (The Premier League and their governing body FA ruled out barring the six clubs from domestic competitions and preferred to not take legal action.) Numerous politicians expressed their opposition to the proposal of the ESL. Amongst commentators, footballers and managers, the ESL sparked contrasting opinions. Media companies were mostly opposed to the idea (which does not come as a surprise as ESL promises free viewing of all live matches). Many football fans, including the fans of the involved clubs, were not in support of the idea of the ESL. The backlash led to nine clubs (all clubs, except FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Juventus) announcing their intention to withdraw from the project in April 2023. However, eight of these nine clubs remained involved as stakeholders. In June 2023, Juventus announced their decision to leave the Super League project after facing a rumoured 5-year ban from all European competitions if they went through with the project. (That only leaves FC Barcelona and Real Madrid)

Legal issues:

In May 2021, the Super League filed a complaint to the Court of Justice of the European Union against UEFA and FIFA for their proposals to stop the competition. UEFA had opened disciplinary proceedings against FC Barcelona, Juventus, and Real Madrid, which were threatened to be excluded from all UEFA competitions, in order to sanction them but these measures were stayed until further notice as a result of the rulings from the Spanish commercial court and Swiss authorities. In June 2021, the Swiss Department of Justice and Police and the Spanish Commercial Court referred the issue to the Court of Justice of the European Union to question whether UEFA and FIFA have violated two articles of the Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union. Article 101 prohibits cartels and other agreements that could disrupt free competition in the EEA and Article 102 aims to prevent businesses in an industry from abusing their position or taking action to prevent new businesses from gaining a foothold in the industry. On 21 December 2023, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that FIFA and UEFA's rules, which banned clubs from joining rival competitions, such as the Super League, are contrary to EU law. UEFA's and FIFA's rules making new football projects subject to their prior approval are also unlawful.

What does the ECJ's ruling mean:

The ECJ's ruling is binding and not subject to appeal. The ECJ's decision on UEFA's rules does however not rule on whether the Super League should (or is allowed) to exist. UEFA needs to change and clarify its rules now to comply with EU law. Once the regulations are updated, the Super League will still need to acquire authorisation to set the competition up. The ruling basically gives companies like A22 the right to pitch a new football competition and for their application to be judged on criteria which are "transparent, objective, non-discriminatory and proportionate".

Revival of the project:

In December 2023, A22 announced a new, updated proposal (which I already explained under format). However, many clubs have issued statements opposing the idea (including clubs, who were once involved in the ESL). As of right now, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and SSC Napoli have issued statements in support of the ESL. There are reports about various clubs from Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and other European leagues who are keen on joining (but no official statements from the clubs).

Why could Barça and Real Madrid receive €1 billion?

I believe this has not been confirmed by A22, but it has been reported by various newspapers. They would receive €1 billion as a reward for their loyalty, as they are the only two clubs who remained firm on their decision to take part in the Super League. That would obviously only happen if they find enough teams to set up the ESL.

[coochiequeens]

The victim has a kid for the next 18 years and "While the prosecution sought 12 years incarceration for the crime, Hilario received only 4 years in prison — the minimum possible sentence for the crime of child sexual abuse."

By Nuria Muíña García. October 24, 2023

A man serving a 4-year sentence for the repeat sexual abuse of an underage girl has been transferred to a mixed-sex penitentiary to serve his time with women. The predator, known only as “Hilario,” has also been formally re-classified as a “female” convict.

According to El Norte de Castilla, Hilario first requested a change of registered sex just a few weeks ago. After receiving a rapid approval, he informed the governing body for Spain’s correctional system that he wanted to be transferred to a women’s prison in accordance with Spain’s recently-adopted gender self-identification legislation. Law 4/2023 for the real and effective equality of trans people and for the guarantee of the rights of LGTBI people, colloquially referred to as “the Trans Law” came into effect in February despite widespread protests.

Hilario has now been transferred from the Segovia Penitentiary Centre in Torredondo, to the Madrid VII macro-prison, a mixed-sex prison built in 2008. It is believed he is being housed in the women’s wing of the facility.

The 48-year-old man was first sentenced in December of 2022 after being found guilty of the repeat sexual abuse of a teenage girl. The victim was the daughter of a female friend, whom Hilario frequently visited the home of and had briefly moved in with.

According to court records, Hilario developed a “sentimental relationship” with the girl, and sexually abused her on two occasions. As a result, the girl became pregnant and gave birth to a son.

The Social Services Department of the Junta de Castilla y León quickly became involved, and determined the girl had been living in a situation of neglect. Information provided to the court revealed that the minor and the adult man had been living together with the acquiescence of her mother. Men’s clothes were found in the house, as well as cigarette butts in ashtrays on the girl’s bedside tables. Social Services also discovered that the man had been taking the girl to childbirth preparation classes.

Despite being close to the girl’s mother, Hilario reportedly denied knowing the girl was underage, an assertion that was rejected by the court, which affirmed that there was “no doubt” that Hilario knew the girl was under the age of 16.

After the first effort failed, Hiario’s defense then successfully argued that Hilario did not know the age of consent because he “grew up in a marginalized environment” where minor-adult sexual relations were common.

While the prosecution sought 12 years incarceration for the crime, Hilario received only 4 years in prison — the minimum possible sentence for the crime of child sexual abuse.

In handing down the sentence, the court accepted that “when he committed the offense, he did not know that what he was doing constituted a criminal offense.” Hilario was also ordered to pay compensation of 3,000 Euros (approx. $3,100 USD) to the victim, but was not ordered to complete any sex offender treatment programs.

While Hilario never previously identified as transgender or expressed any concerns about his gender prior to his sentencing, he was rapidly approved to request a gender marker change following his incarceration.

His transfer to a low-security, mixed-sex penitentiary comes with a host of benefits, including that he will be entitled to take “days off” out of prison via leave permits.

According to the latest data available regarding the transgender prison population in Spain outside of Catalonia and the Basque Country, there are currently 83 inmates incarcerated who claim a transgender identity. Of them, 47 are male and 36 are female.

Of the 47 trans-identified male inmates, 23 are serving sentences in men’s facilities, 22 in women’s facilities, and 2 in mixed facilities. Of the 36 trans-identified females, 25 are serving sentences in women’s facilities, 8 in men’s facilities and 3 in mixed facilities.

[mariacallous]

The temptation to see the Hamas attack of Oct. 7 as a profoundly transformational event in the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Middle East is irresistible, and it’s easy to see why.

The attack—including the killing of 1,200 Israeli civilians and soldiers, the reported rape and torture of women and girls, and the taking of some 250 hostages, many of whom have been abused or died in captivity—demonstrated the group’s brutal sadism. Israel’s response—a siege of Gaza depriving an already impoverished population of basic necessities followed by weeks of airstrikes and months of ground combat—has killed nearly 30,000 Palestinians, around two-thirds of them women and children; Israel estimates that it has killed some 10,000 Hamas fighters.

As if these events weren’t potentially transformational enough, escalation by Hezbollah along the Israeli-Lebanese border; attacks by Houthis against international shipping in the Red Sea; and pro-Iranian militia strikes against U.S. forces in Syria, Iraq, and Jordan has raised the specter of something the modern Middle East has never experienced—a truly regional war. Apart from the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, the Israel-Hamas war is already the longest ever fought.

The transformative character of what Oct. 7 set in motion seemed to many brutally clear. “There’s no going back to the status quo as it stood on Oct. 6,” U.S. President Joe Biden said on Oct. 25. “Israel was one country on Oct. 6 and another on Oct. 7,” Michael Herzog, Israel’s ambassador to the United States, said in late October. Jordan’s King Abdullah warned darkly that the “whole region is on the brink of falling into the abyss.”

These predictions may or may not prove to be true. Six months into this crisis, we do not even know where we are on the conflict’s trajectory or where it’s headed. CIA Director Bill Burns, a friend and colleague of one of the authors, who’s not prone to exaggeration, deemed this the most dangerous and tangled conflict he’d witnessed in decades.

Yet the Middle East has often proved to be unpredictably predictable. It is true that crisis can scramble the playing field, often with horrific consequences—but sometimes with positive outcomes. Almost every breakthrough in the Arab-Israeli arena was preceded by intense violence. The 1973 war led to Egyptian-Israeli peace; Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait produced the Madrid peace conference; and the First Intifada resulted in the Oslo Accords.

But we may not be as fortunate this time around. Two deeply traumatized communities will emerge from this crisis, and at the moment both are lacking the kinds of leaders essential to transformational change. It’s worth asking whether the region’s legendary resistance to change and the absence of leaders willing to take real risks, including those in Washington, will yield a new status quo that’s much like the one so many hoped to leave behind.

Much remains to be sorted. But several looming factors suggest that the new, post-crisis Middle East may look strikingly like the old one.

Every State Department decision memo begins: “The United States has three broad options.” The joke, of course, is that these are “nuke them,” “surrender,” or whatever the drafter’s favored alternative was, aka “my option.” The poor addressee is inevitably herded toward that one. The first two have the virtues of finality; the third is just an uninspiring nudge to muddle through. ‘Twas ever thus, at least regarding Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Attempts to break the mold by Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama ended in scandal or swift reversal.

The options menu doesn’t look very different now, as Iran has seized on the Gaza crisis to use its axis of resistance—a jumble of groups including Hezbollah in Lebanon, Shiite militias in Iraq and Syria, and the Houthis in Yemen—to stir up trouble for Israel and the United States. The notable feature of the current confrontation, however, is the relative restraint exercised by these parties, except for the Houthis. The main players have too much to lose by an all-out fight and have signaled publicly and privately that they wish to avoid one. Instead, they have contented themselves with a sustained level of violence just below the threshold of escalation. But the threshold is in the eye of the beholder—hence the persistent risk of inadvertent escalation.

Since the crisis began, diplomatic efforts by the United States and France have laid the basis for a more durable, formal arrangement on the Blue Line between Israel and Lebanon. The deal would trade a withdrawal of Hezbollah’s Radwan storm troops from the line for territorial adjustments that favor Lebanese claims. Lebanese Army units would deploy to the south in lieu of Hezbollah forces. These talks have stalled but will likely resume.

In Iraq, the main Iran-aligned militia proposed a truce, and a mini-groundswell for the expulsion of U.S. forces has receded. Persian Gulf waters have been relatively calm. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have indicated that a U.S. war with Iran would be unwelcome. In Syria, Israeli air power continues to thwart Iranian maneuvering; Iran has withdrawn senior Revolutionary Guard personnel because it cannot protect them. In the Bab el-Mandeb strait, U.S. and U.K. strikes and the interdiction of Iranian resupply efforts are slowly chipping away at the Houthis’ coastal infrastructure, if not their stockpiles, and will eventually drive an end to the mayhem in the Red Sea, if an Israel-Hamas cease-fire doesn’t do so first.

Bottom line: An escalatory spiral that fundamentally alters pre-Oct. 7 geopolitical dynamics does not seem to be in the cards—though a new hand can always be dealt.

Even in Gaza, where Israel continues its grinding military campaign, a political change is hardly guaranteed. Perhaps the most candid assessment of the fate of Hamas comes from an Israeli intelligence document, widely circulated among the political echelon. The bottom line: “Hamas will survive this [Israel Defense Forces] campaign as a terror group and a guerrilla group.”

There’s no doubt that Hamas has been profoundly weakened as a military organization, and its capacity to pull off another Oct. 7 is greatly impaired. And while polls suggest that its popularity has surged in the West Bank, its standing in Gaza was compromised well before Oct. 7 as a result of its bad governance—but saw a minor surge afterward. Hamas benefits from being the only organized alternative to a bankrupt and sclerotic Palestinian Authority. Should its top leadership inside Gaza be eliminated, its viability will suffer.

None of this should suggest that Hamas’s capacity to influence Palestinian politics inside and outside Gaza has been fundamentally eroded and that it won’t be a factor in the proverbial day after. The most recent authoritative poll revealed that a majority of Palestinians in Gaza believe Hamas will win the war and resume its rule.

Why is Hamas still relevant when its policies have brought such suffering to Palestinians? First, Palestinians are more likely to blame Israel for their misfortunes rather than their own leadership. Polls show clearly that a majority of Palestinians believed the Hamas attack was justified by the Israeli occupation. Second, Hamas’s resilience is linked to the dysfunction of the PA and a sense that any post-conflict government must be based on a national consensus that would include all factions, including Hamas.

The awkward reality is that under current circumstances, there’s little chance of the PA—revitalized or otherwise—returning to govern Gaza without Hamas consent.

Then there’s the Israeli factor. It’s hard to imagine a better recruiting agency for Hamas’s extremism than the current Israeli government. Hamas is the organizational embodiment of an idea—the end of Israel and its replacement with an Islamic state. The majority of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza do not subscribe to this goal. But the fecklessness of the PA, combined with Israel’s annexationist policies, offers Hamas a pathway to dominion over the Palestinian national movement.

Throughout, one inconvenient truth remains: Without a Palestinian national movement committed to functional governance and in control of the West Bank and Gaza with a monopoly on the legitimate use of force, sovereignty and statehood are pretty much inconceivable.

It’s understandable that many would assume that the days of an Israeli leader who presided over the worst attack in the nation’s history and the bloodiest day for Jews since the Holocaust would be numbered. That assessment may well prove correct. But even if and when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leaves office, his successor may have less leeway to make key decisions. That a majority of Israelis are tired of Netanyahu does not mean they are drifting leftward, oppose his approach toward Hamas, or support Palestinian statehood. More than 90 percent of Israeli Jews believe that the government is using the right amount of force against Hamas or should use more. Nor is there any viable mechanism for removing Netanyahu from power. His right-wing government isn’t about to end itself, and his main rival, Benny Gantz, remains seated at Netanyahu’s side in the war cabinet. For the foreseeable future, Netanyahu remains in charge.

Indeed, if the past is prologue in Israeli politics, the trend lines after a major crisis suggest a strong tendency to move to the right. Israel is already a right-wing or right-center country. After almost every military and security crisis, rightist parties have gained support.

In some case, crises can produce surprises. Few would have predicted that in the wake of the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, Egypt’s Anwar Sadat would make a bid for peace or that Israel’s Menachem Begin would grasp it. But compared with the 1970s, today’s environment would not appear to favor bold decision-making on the Israeli side, Palestinian, or U.S. side. More than 100 hostages remain in Hamas hands; more than 200,000 Israelis have been temporarily relocated from the northern and southern border communities with little prospect of returning anytime soon. The threat of war with Hezbollah remains a constant concern—and for some Israelis, a necessity—and there’s little doubt that Israel will be operating in Gaza for months to come, as will Hamas insurgents. Even in the relatively quiet West Bank, attacks by Hamas and other groups, settler violence and vigilantism, and expanding Israeli settlements conspire to make any change of the situation unlikely.

Some point to the promise of a Saudi peace offer and with it reconciliation with the entire Arab world as a salve for the collective PTSD among Israelis induced by Oct. 7. But grand plans don’t necessarily produce grand results. The Biden administration’s scheme to transform the Middle East—a mix of low-income, high-population states and high-income, low-population states—by uniting the region’s richest country and its most technologically advanced one in a quest for intraregional trade, labor mobility, and infrastructure investment is certainly ambitious. But it’s also untethered from the realities of Middle Eastern governance and environmental conditions. That this vision is predicated on an enduring resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which is in turn premised on unlikely developments in Israeli and Palestinian domestic politics, confers a surreal quality to claims about transformation.

Not that it would be a bad thing for Saudi Arabia and Israel to make peace and money together, but given foreseeable realities, normalization is most likely to reinforce Netanyahu’s political position and deal yet another blow to Palestinian aspirations. Whether it makes sense for the United States to offer a binding security guarantee to Saudi Arabia depends entirely on the reliability of a mercurial Saudi leader like Mohammed bin Salman to radically shift the direction of Saudi policy. He would be expected to abandon Saudi support for Russia within OPEC+, moderate production cuts with U.S. economic needs in mind, and distance the country from China, its largest energy market. Given the crown prince’s track record, his willingness to abide by these obligations even in the short term seems unlikely.

All in all, if you’re anticipating transformation, an old Spanish proverb comes to mind: “Best to wait sitting down.”

If the Gaza crisis and its aftermath do represent a horrific glitch in an otherwise immutable matrix, there is not a great deal the United States can do. As always, the belligerents have a lot more agency than outside powers. For the most part, the Biden administration understands this, but the results have been, at best, bittersweet. Some of Biden’s measures have worked to avoid making an extremely dangerous situation worse. They include the swift deployment of naval power and its subsequent redeployment; patience in the face of attacks followed by a measured response; not increasing the U.S. ground presence in the region in response to provocation; creative diplomacy to reduce the risk of escalation in the north; avoiding a drastic response to Houthi shipping attacks while trying to keep communication going; and maintaining constant, if largely ineffectual, pressure on Israel to shift its operational approach in Gaza, facilitate humanitarian assistance, and not try to push Palestinians to Egyptian territory. The fact that a relatively coherent response could be fashioned given the state of party politics in the United States is in itself remarkable. Yet the ghastly reality of tens of thousands of Palestinians dead and a shattered landscape cannot in any sense be described as a ringing foreign-policy success. It will haunt us.

Going beyond these moves, however, won’t be possible without Israeli and Palestinian commitments. And that seems scarcely likely at this juncture or indeed in the absence of a sea change in Israel’s state and society. If there was a sea change, it happened on Oct. 7. A reversal of the tide seems unlikely given the massacre of Israelis. It will be used by the Israeli right to validate its worldview of beleaguerment and its message that the world is roiled by hypocrisy and antisemitism. And there are no regional Arab powers, especially Saudi Arabia, willing and able to serve as the deus ex machina on this bleak stage.

Finally, there is the question of U.S. domestic politics. The Gaza crisis has divided Democrats and unified Republicans in the face of a consequential election. In the region, Israel and the Gulf states would welcome a Trump presidency. Thus far, the Biden administration has been preoccupied by the region’s turmoil, while the Trump campaign has not yet focused on the crisis. The campaign season, however, will undoubtedly make its presence felt as the United States and regional parties plot their next moves.

[usaphilomaths]

The new habit of Real Madrid players - USAPhilomaths

Since last month of November, Football players of the first team in Real Madrid (plus women’s and basketball) Enjoy its brand new look BMW electricity. The agreement between both entities resulted in a fleet of emission-free vehicles For the private use of soccer stars, who had to get used to Both to drive and maintain this type of engine. BMW and Real Madrid want to take their agreement to a…

[realmadridnews]

Real Madrid Femenino - Chelsea London Women 1:2

Real Madrid Femenino secured a spot in the Women’s Champions League quarterfinals by finishing second in their group during the group stage.

scorers: 1:0, Weir 7'

1:1, Macario 51'

1:2, Macario 56'

Real Madrid Femenino: Misa; Sheila Garcia, Lakrar, Mendez, Carmona; Angeldahl, Toletti (73' Athenea), Leupolz; Weir, Bruun (60' Redondo), Caicedo (60' Feller)

Chelsea London Women: Hampton; Bronze, Bjorn, Bright, Charles (71' Baltimore); Cuthbert, Nusken (71' Lawrence), Beever-Jones, Kaptein, Reiten (50' Hamano); Ramirez (46' Macario)

[ejesgistnews]

Rodri and Bonmati Shine as Ballon d'Or 2024 Winners, Real Madrid Boycotts Ceremony Manchester City midfielder Rodri and Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati were the stars of the night at the 2024 Ballon d'Or ceremony, where they claimed the men’s and women’s Ballon d'Or trophies respectively. Rodri emerged victorious over Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior, who had been a favorite but narrowly missed out on the prestigious award. Rodri’s Road to Victory Rodri, whose performance was pivotal to Manchester City’s Premier League success and Spain’s Euro 2024 win, topped the men's list. The midfielder’s commanding presence on the field saw him edge past Vinicius Junior, Real Madrid's standout forward, in a close contest. Rodri’s victory was unexpected, given widespread predictions that Vinicius would take home the trophy. Real Madrid’s disappointment with the result led to a noticeable boycott, with none of their players or staff attending the event in Paris. Aitana Bonmati’s Continued Dominance Aitana Bonmati took home the Ballon d'Or Féminin for the second consecutive year, further cementing her position as a key player in women’s football. Her achievements with Barcelona, including their continued dominance in domestic and European competitions, made her a clear frontrunner. Ballon d'Or 2024 award winners The complete list of winners at the 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony, highlighting Spanish players’ strong presence: 1. Ballon d'Or (Men's Award) Winner: Rodri (Manchester City, Spain) Runners-Up: Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid, Brazil), Jude Bellingham, Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid, Brazil) Summary: Rodri’s achievements included leading Manchester City to another Premier League title and playing a crucial role in Spain’s Euro 2024 victory. Real Madrid boycotted the ceremony in protest after learning Vinicius would not win. 2. Ballon d'Or Féminin (Women's Award) Winner: Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona, Spain) Summary: Bonmati won her second consecutive Ballon d'Or Feminin after an outstanding season with Barcelona, further establishing herself as one of the leading players in women’s football. 3. Kopa Trophy (Best U-21 Player) Winner: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona, Spain) Summary: The young Barcelona talent took home the Kopa Trophy, awarded to the best under-21 player, after a breakout season. 4. Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper) Winner: Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa, Argentina) Summary: Martínez retained his Yashin Trophy title, solidifying his position as one of the world’s top goalkeepers. 5. Gerd Müller Trophy (Top Scorers) Winners: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich, England) and Kylian Mbappé (Paris Saint-Germain, France) Summary: Kane and Mbappé both scored 52 goals, earning them a shared title for top scorers. 6. Coach of the Year (Men’s Football) Winner: Carlo Ancelotti (Real Madrid, Italy) Honorable Mentions: Manchester City, Barcelona 7. Coach of the Year (Women’s Football) Winner: Emma Hayes (Chelsea, England) Runners-Up: Pep Guardiola (Manchester City), Xavi Hernandez (Barcelona) The event underscored the successes of Spanish players and coaches in both men’s and women’s football, along with standout performances across other major league Reaction from the Football Community The ceremony, marked by Real Madrid’s absence, underscored the ongoing rivalry between Europe’s top clubs. UN representatives and fans celebrated Spain’s rise in both men's and women’s football, with Rodri and Bonmati leading a new generation of Spanish talent on the global stage. The 2024 Ballon d'Or awards highlighted the achievements of both seasoned players and emerging stars, reflecting the intense competition and talent across leagues and nations this season.

[zara24smit]

NEWS: From ALLATRA Volunteers and the Creative Society Partner Project

ALLATRA volunteers and the “Creative Society” partner project operate globally, uniting the minds and hearts of people around the world. Our goal is to save the planet from destruction and create a better future for all of humanity.

It is worth noting that ALLATRA volunteers and the Creative Society are looking for and seeing opportunities for large-scale activities to save the planet!

##NEWS:

In Kazakhstan: Participants of the ALLATRA partner project - “Creative Society” - presented the Climate Report “On the Progression of Climate Cataclysms on Earth and Their Catastrophic Consequences” to the Department of Emergency Situations in Almaty. This report is the result of a thorough analysis by ALLATRA scientists and provides compelling evidence for the need for urgent action to overcome the climate crisis.

In Madrid: Volunteers of the “Creative Society” have launched an advertising campaign at the post office. People waiting in line can get information about the climate crisis and how to solve it. This is a good opportunity to inform a large number of people about the climate threat.

In Colombia: Volunteers of the “Creative Society” participated in an event organized by the “Women for Life” movement. They shared information about climate change with the guests, presented a climate report that describes not only the real reasons for climate change, but more importantly, the opportunities and real solutions to this climate collapse. Information about the Climate Report was passed on to the local mayor. 

In the evening, on the main square of the city, there was a broadcast of the documentary film “Water from the Air”, which demonstrates innovative technologies for solving the climate crisis. The Water from the Air film is available on the official channels and resources of both ALLATRA and the Creative Society.

In this film, advanced inventors spoke about the unique technology of water extraction from the atmosphere, the mass introduction of which will not only provide each person with an unlimited amount of clean drinking water but also partially stabilize and slow down the growth of cataclysms, which will allow scientists to buy time to stop cataclysms and save the Earth for future generations. 

What becomes clear after watching this movie is that taking water out of the atmosphere solves 70% of the problem of worsening climate change. This makes it possible to realize several UN Sustainable Development Goals at once. 

The movie presents a clear plan for the introduction of this advanced technology for detailed study and implementation by experts. This worldwide project is one of the main puzzles of saving the world.

ALLATRA also includes world-class leaders in its activities. The President of ALLATRA met with Pope Francis and discussed the problem of climate change with him. She presented him with the Climate Report and stressed that this is one of the most pressing problems facing humanity.

We cannot sit idly by while the planet dies. Each of us must take part in the fight against the climate crisis.

Let’s unite around the idea of ALLATRA and the “Creative Society”. This is our planet, and only together can we save it! 

Share this information on social media.

Like, repost, comment, and applaud. By doing so, you are saving people and the planet.

#ALLATRA #ClimateCrisis #creativesociety #technologies #unifiedscientificcenter

#GlobalCooperation 

[baga24]

Vladimir Putin, in whose hands lies the possibility of solving a global problem or… ALLATRA knows the causes and effects, and therefore - the TRUTH

ALLATRA volunteers and the “Creative Society” partner project operate globally, uniting the minds and hearts of people around the world. Our goal is to save the planet from destruction and create a better future for all of humanity.

It is worth noting that ALLATRA volunteers and the Creative Society are looking for and seeing opportunities for large-scale activities to save the planet!

##NEWS:

In Kazakhstan: Participants of the ALLATRA partner project - “Creative Society” - presented the Climate Report “On the Progression of Climate Cataclysms on Earth and Their Catastrophic Consequences” to the Department of Emergency Situations in Almaty. This report is the result of a thorough analysis by ALLATRA scientists and provides compelling evidence for the need for urgent action to overcome the climate crisis.

In Madrid: Volunteers of the “Creative Society” have launched an advertising campaign at the post office. People waiting in line can get information about the climate crisis and how to solve it. This is a good opportunity to inform a large number of people about the climate threat.

In Colombia: Volunteers of the “Creative Society” participated in an event organized by the “Women for Life” movement. They shared information about climate change with the guests, presented a climate report that describes not only the real reasons for climate change, but more importantly, the opportunities and real solutions to this climate collapse. Information about the Climate Report was passed on to the local mayor. 

In the evening, on the main square of the city, there was a broadcast of the documentary film “Water from the Air”, which demonstrates innovative technologies for solving the climate crisis. The Water from the Air film is available on the official channels and resources of both ALLATRA and the Creative Society.

In this film, advanced inventors spoke about the unique technology of water extraction from the atmosphere, the mass introduction of which will not only provide each person with an unlimited amount of clean drinking water but also partially stabilize and slow down the growth of cataclysms, which will allow scientists to buy time to stop cataclysms and save the Earth for future generations. 

What becomes clear after watching this movie is that taking water out of the atmosphere solves 70% of the problem of worsening climate change. This makes it possible to realize several UN Sustainable Development Goals at once. 

The movie presents a clear plan for the introduction of this advanced technology for detailed study and implementation by experts. This worldwide project is one of the main puzzles of saving the world.

ALLATRA also includes world-class leaders in its activities. The President of ALLATRA met with Pope Francis and discussed the problem of climate change with him. She presented him with the Climate Report and stressed that this is one of the most pressing problems facing humanity.

We cannot sit idly by while the planet dies. Each of us must take part in the fight against the climate crisis.

Let’s unite around the idea of ALLATRA and the “Creative Society”. This is our planet, and only together can we save it! 

Share this information on social media.

Like, repost, comment, and applaud. By doing so, you are saving people and the planet.

#ALLATRA #ClimateCrisis #creativesociety #technologies #unifiedscientificcenter

#GlobalCooperation 

[scotianostra]

On October 31st 1903 Hampden Park stadium opened in Glasgow as the home of Queen’s Park Football Club.

Sources differ some say October 25th but SFA state 31st, I think the confusion is that there ws a previous stadium called Hampden, it is now occupied by railway lines and a lawn bowling club named Hampden Bowling Club. It opened on 25th October 1873 and closed 10 years later. It was the first enclosed stadium with turnstiles in the country

Hampden was the biggest stadium in the world, it would hold this record until 1950 when The Maracanã Stadium in Rio, it held and incredible 199,854 for the final.

Back to Hampden, it opened for a league game on this day in 1903, three years late it held it’s first international when Scotland played England in front of a crowd of 102,741 people, which established Hampden as the primary home of the Scotland team.

Attendances continued to increase during the remainder of the 1900s, as 121,452 saw the 1908 Scotland v England match. A new world record of 127,307 were in attendance to see Scotland play England in 1912.

World record crowds attended Scotland matches against England in 1931 and 1933 and it was 33 that saw the first team from mainland Europe, Austria visit the stadium. Further ground improvements increased the official capacity of the ground to 183,388 in 1937, but the SFA were only allowed to issue 150,000 tickets for games. The 1937 Scotland v England match had an official attendance of 149,415, but at least 20,000 more people entered the ground without tickets.

During WW2 a government official presented an order demanding that both the Hampden and Lesser Hampden pitches be ploughed and used to plant vegetables, but the Queen’s Park committee chose to ignore the order and the government did not pursue it.

Hampden hosted the 1960 European Cup Final; Real Madrid defeated 7–3 Eintracht Frankfurt with 130,000 people in attendance. By the time the next European cup final was held in 1976 between Bayern Munich of West Germany and Saint-Étienne of France the attendance had fallen to 54,670. The French complained about the goalposts stating that two of their efforts which hit the square crossbar and rebounded into play would have resulted in goals if it had been round!

Hampden was aging and the capacity was cut 81,000, redevelopment started in October 1981 and completed in 1986, reduced the capacity to 74,370 and cost £3 million. After the cancellation of the annual Scotland v England fixture in 1989, questions were raised as to whether Scottish football required a separate national stadium, other venues were mooted but the SFA and the stadium committee rejected these and after securing a grant of £3.5 million in 1992, work to begin on a £12 million project to convert Hampden into an all-seater stadium, Hampden was re-opened for a friendly match between Scotland and Netherlands on 23 March. The final stage of the renovation began in November 1997, costing £59 million, inevitably the price soared but Hampden was re-opened for the 1999 Scottish Cup Final. The ground now has a capacity of 51,866.

The stadium was again fit to host the top matches and Real Madrid were again victorious when Hampden Park hosted the 2002 UEFA Champions League Final, defeating Bayer Leverkusen, with Zinedine Zidane scoring the winning goal with a left-foot volley.

In 2012, a Scotland women’s national football team game was played at Hampden for the first time, when it hosted the first leg of a European Championship qualifying playoff against Spain and Hampden was temporarily converted into an athletics stadium for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the European Championship in 2020 the National stadium has been chosen by Uefa as on of 13 venues for the competition and I am sure the people of Scotland will welcome whoever is chosen to play in Glasgow.

With the advent of big stadium concerts Hampden has been used to host a wealth of worldwide acts Genesis and Paul Young performed in the first concert at Hampden, in 1987. The Rolling Stones played there in 1990, during their Urban Jungle Tour. Since the redevelopment of Hampden was completed in 1999, many acts have performed there, including The Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart, Tina Turner, Bon Jovi, Eagles, U2,Oasis, George Michael, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Neil Diamond, Take That, AC/DC, Bruce Springsteen, Coldplay, Pink, Paul McCartney, Rihanna, and Beyoncé.

In 2018 the SFA )Scottish Football Association)agreed a £5m fee for the national stadium with Queen's Park, just this year it was used to host games in the delayed Euro 2020 matches. The stadium recently played host to the 15oth anniversary Scotland v England match, the lesssaid about that game the better! ;)

The pictures show the changes to the stadium over the past 118 years.