#Saudi Arabia World Cup squad

[calciopics]

Saudi Arabia Portraits - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

[alexbkrieger13]

https://www.dr.dk/sporten/fodbold/kvindelandsholdet/harder-skriver-under-paa-omdiskuteret-protestbrev-det-foeles-godt

Literally in her words :)

Harder signs controversial protest letter: 'It feels good'

Denmark's biggest female football star has now also chosen to join the protest against Fifa's engagement with a state-owned oil company from Saudi Arabia.

A significant voice has joined the debate on Fifa's new major sponsor Aramco on Tuesday.

For Denmark's biggest female soccer star, Pernille Harder, has now also chosen to sign the protest letter that over 100 female professional soccer players, led by Danish Sofie Junge Pedersen, sent to the International Football Association on Monday.

Read also : Dansker's club has Qatar sponsorship, but Saudi Fifa agreement exceeds her limit: 'Not an either or'

This is what the Danish national team captain tells DR Sporten on Tuesday at the Danish national team camp in Aalborg.

- I just needed to familiarize myself with the whole situation before I signed anything. But I have done that now, and it feels good, says Pernille Harder.

In the letter, the players criticize Fifa's decision to enter into a global partnership agreement with Saudi Aramco, a state-owned oil company from Saudi Arabia. Among other things, Aramco will be a major sponsor of the women's World Cup finals in 2027.

It is both considerations of the climate, but not least Saudi Arabia's human rights violations, that have caused the players to shout. Now with Pernille Harder as part of the choir.

They are particularly unhappy about having to act as a publicity pillar for a regime that has a lax attitude towards equality, women's rights and the rights of LGBTQ+ people.

- It's a special situation, but I don't think it's the perfect match , since this sponsor is owned by Saudi Arabia. And Saudi Arabia doesn't have the best human rights record. It just doesn't fit very well in relation to the values ​​we have in women's football. So in that way it is not a very good match, says the Danish Bayern Munich star.

Important to show the flag

When the letter was initially published on Monday morning, well over 100 players from around the world had signed the campaign. But over the past 24 hours, that number has grown to a total of 120 players.

Now with Pernille Harder as the biggest international football name of all.

- In the end, it is not us who make the decision about who becomes sponsors, but I think it is fine that we players are critical of it, says Pernille Harder to DR Sporten.

So far, however, she is the only one from the Danish national team, who have just gathered in Aalborg these days ahead of two test matches, who has signed the letter.

Sofie Junge Pedersen, one of the initiators of the campaign and the letter, has 88 international matches under her belt, but is not part of the current squad.

- It is up to each individual player whether they want to. But for my part, I can at least say that I feel good about showing that I am critical of it if it ends up that I still have to play with this sponsor. So at least I have expressed where I stand on it, says Pernille Harder.

DBU welcomes the commitment of the players

The Danish Football Association, which is a member of Fifa, has also taken note of the players' open letter and criticism of Fifa's cooperation with Aramco.

- In general, we support that all Danish national team players have freedom of expression and their individual right to have opinions on everything that happens both in and outside of football. The players have every right to express themselves as they wish. We recognize and respect that. And in fact it is strong that they have opinions, says DBU director Erik Brøgger to DR Sporten.

However, the Danish Football Association will not say what it thinks about Fifa's agreement with Aramco.

- We simply do not deal with single partners. It is an agreement made between Fifa and Aramco, and Fifa makes lots of agreements with different parties. They have always done that, because it is an incredibly important part of the income base for football.

- They create the foundation for us to develop football into the great sport it is. Now we hope that more money can come into women's football. Because it is an important prerequisite for us to develop that part of the sport, says Erik Brøgger.

And with the concrete funds from Aramco, Erik Brøgger believes that Fifa can reach the goal of a big wish.

- This gives Fifa some opportunities in connection with the World Cup in 2027 in Brazil. Fifa has a goal that the women's tournaments must be the same size as the men's tournaments, both in terms of turnover and prize money. They are going after that now, he says.

DR Sport has received a written comment from the International Football Association, Fifa. In this, it is stated that the association appreciates its cooperation with Aramco, just as it applies to agreements with other commercial partners.

Fifa also writes, as Erik Brøgger from DBU points out, that sponsorship income is reinvested to continue the development of women's football on an international level.

[the-last-rat-standing]

What a cautionary tale Jordan Henderson has turned out to be.

Liverpool captain and legend who, by his own and Klopp's admission, was not the greatest guy to have in the dressing room if he wasn't getting regular playing time, decides to leave the club to get regular playing time so he could still get chosen to play for his country. Okay, can't really fault him for that.

Then we find out the team he decides to go to, to get regular playing time, is in Saudi Arabia. Oh, did I mention Jordan Henderson built his reputation on his supposed support of the LGBTQ+ community? Then tried to backpedal out of how hypocritical it looked by saying he was going to try to grow the game but also not say anything about the gay thing because it wasn't his place to go into Saudi Arabia and change things.

Then, for reasons really yet to be explained*, he leaves Saudi Arabia to go to Ajax. Which is when we find out he deferred his salary to avoid paying British taxes (remember when he was all about supporting the NHS during COVID?), and because of that deferment, ended up getting paid NOTHING for his time in Saudi Arabia.

*Here's my theory: Despite being chosen for friendlies and qualifications, I think Gareth Southgate privately took Henderson aside and told him he needed to have regular playing time against professional football players if he was going to get chosen for the Euro squad. Too bad for Jordan that he went to one of the worst Ajax sides in decades.

So let's recap: He leaves a legendary team to go to Saudi Arabia, which not only demolishes his standing as a Liverpool legend but also as an ally, stays there for 6 months and doesn't get paid, which reveals him to be a tax-dodger, goes to Ajax who finishes 5th and 35 pts off the top, then, to top it all off, doesn't get chosen for the England squad.

I'd almost feel sorry for him, considering this was his last chance to play for England (and it's England's best chance in decades to win anything). He's 33 now and will be 35 when the next WC rolls around. If he can't make the Euro squad, he's certainly not going to make the World Cup squad, and you know, that would be sad if he hadn't shown himself to be an absolute plank of a human being.

This should be studied in every PR class and used as a 'what not to do' for every up and coming agent. What a fall from grace.

[holdmyhopeinyourhands]

I’ve been you anon for years watching PSG and we do better when we are underdogs. We somehow pull something out of our fat asses. So yes, it might be delusional to still think we can pull a miracle in Munich but I’ve also seen Argentina win a world cup after getting their asses beat by Saudi Arabia. I feel like this defeat is the perfect kind of defeat. I know that sounds wild but listen. It’s 0-1 right? So it’s not an unsurmountable lead. It’s not the kind of defeat that deflates you. It’s the kind of defeat that makes you go, “You know what, we can still do this. We have a chance. We just need to grab it.” It’s the kind of defeat that wakes you up. Our locker room has been going through a shake up and Presko said that they are fixing the team inside. I believe h. Also it’s impossible to not hope when you watch Kylian play and his interview afterwards is the perfect mentality we needed after this match.

I always say this. Winning football matches is not always about who has the better squad or who plays better. It’s about who wants it more and who takes their chances and go for it big. I hope the following weeks will bring our players closer together. They just need to play together and TRUST each other. Trust that their teammate has their back. And when we play together and have each other’s back, even if we are not the best team, we can make anything happen. A moment of magic. A lighting of luck. A glorious chance taken. Cause when we play together, we can at least be present and alert on the pitch when THAT moment arrives and we can make something out of it.

Stop it. You're going to make me cry. This is so inspirational. I feel like lately I've kind of lost this. I remember being so sure before. Being so happy with every little achievement. Now, I'm just jaded and sad and maybe a little bit bitter. Guess I've been trying to mask it with humour. But i love you. I love your faith in them and honestly you're right. It's when their backs are against the wall that PSG shines so I will endeavour to be a little less of a pessimist and try harder to remember why I fell in love with this club in the first place.

[mariacallous]

Of the 20 games Australia played on its journey to qualify for this year’s FIFA World Cup in Qatar, 16 games were held abroad. Australia has been a member of the Asian Football Confederation since 2005, and its players’ passports include stamps from Kuwait, Taiwan, Jordan, Vietnam, Japan, United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. But several members of the Australian team can claim an even longer journey to the tournament.

“Pressure is me as an 18-month-old baby fleeing a war. Pressure is me as a 6-year-old being in the middle of a war. Pressure isn’t a must-win football game because you can win or lose, but I don’t think anyone’s going to die,” defender Milos Degenek told ESPN before Australia’s Nov. 26 group-stage game against Tunisia.

Degenek was born in Knin, Croatia, in 1994. The city was the self-declared capital of the unrecognized Republic of Serbian Krajina during the 1991 to 1995 conflict that led to the breakup of Yugoslavia and was taken by the Croatian military in 1995. Degenek’s family fled to Belgrade, Serbia, in 1995 to avoid the worst of the war before immigrating to Australia as refugees when he was 7 years old.

“I can remember pretty much everything from that time,” Degenek said in a 2017 interview with FIFA.com. “Not knowing if you are going to wake up tomorrow because of the bombings. You would see a lot of crazy things the next morning when you woke up. A lot of things in flames. And a lot of things that a normal human mind can’t comprehend. You just have to deal with it at a young age.”

Australia’s national soccer team has long revealed the country’s migrant history. Its teams of the 1960s and 1970s featured mostly first-generation migrants from Europe. At the 1974 World Cup in West Germany, Australia’s squad included a roll call of immigrants from England, Scotland, Germany, and then-Yugoslavia—with Australian-born players a minority. Decades later, Australia’s 2006 “golden generation”—who reached the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time ever—included just one player born outside Australia, New Zealand-born Archie Thompson. But the team nevertheless championed its multicultural origins. Soccer was a constant presence in migrant families, and Australian-born children and grandchildren played soccer rather than rugby or Australian rules football. Media coverage at the time celebrated how this particular team reflected Australia’s makeup rather than the cricket or rugby teams.

Australia’s 2022 squad is diverse once again. And if the results of today’s group stage matchups hold, the team may also advance to the knockout rounds. Four players were born in Africa, and three of those were refugees. Forward Awer Mabil was born in 1995 in the United Nations-run Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya after his family fled war in Sudan. Mabil lived at Kakuma until the age of 10, when his family received asylum in Australia. Defender Thomas Deng was similarly born in Kenya in 1997 to parents who had fled Sudan and moved to Australia in 2003.

Garang Kuol is the third Australian player with Sudanese heritage. Kuol was born in Egypt to South Sudanese parents in 2004 before moving to Australia with his family at the age of 6. Twelve years later, during the closing minutes of Australia’s 4-1 loss to France last week, he took the field to become the youngest player to represent the Socceroos at a World Cup. After Australia qualified for the tournament in June 2022, Mabil said the country had given him and his family “a chance of life.” In January, he will join the English Premier League Newcastle United.

“On the journey my mum and her parents went through to reach the camp, many people died,” Mabil told the Guardian in an interview. “They were captured by the rebels trying to leave. The way they escaped, we could talk about it all night. It sounds like something from a movie, but it’s something they actually went through. The war, the journey, what they faced. For me, hearing it, it’s like: ‘Woah.’ What people do to keep their kids safe, what they sacrifice to give them a better life. They didn’t know how long they would be in the refugee camp; they thought they would return home. But there’s no returning home.”

The racial makeup of Australia’s 2022 team reveals an uncomfortable truth about the country’s immigration history. In 1901, the Immigration Restriction Act became one of the first laws of the new Australian federation. Alfred Deakin, then attorney-general and soon-to-be prime minister, said the new law “means the prohibition of all alien colored immigration … the policy of securing a ‘white Australia.’” It was not until 1975 that the Gough Whitlam government formally ended the policy with the introduction of the Racial Discrimination Act. Local Black faces are rarely seen in mainstream media in Australia, and while Australians with Indigenous or Pacific Islander heritage have played prominent roles in the sport, it is only in recent years that African Australians have stepped into the spotlight.

Australia’s more recent policies toward refugees and asylum-seekers have also been mired in controversy. Players like Mabil entered Australia through formal offshore refugee application programs, but informal arrivals to Australia face huge hurdles that have often proved insurmountable. The government began detaining asylum-seekers who arrived on the country’s shores by boat in 1992. The policy was politicized and hardened by then-Prime Minister John Howard, who governed from 1996 to 2007, and had a no-compromise approach to asylum-seekers who arrived in Australia by boat.

In 2001, in the run-up to the federal election, Howard’s government refused to grant permission to the MV Tampa, a Norwegian cargo ship, to enter Australian waters. The Tampa had rescued more than 400 mostly Afghan refugees from a fishing vessel stranded in the Indian Ocean. Australia’s stance sparked a diplomatic incident among Australia, Norway, and Indonesia over which country had responsibility for the initial rescue and subsequent destination of the asylum-seekers. Ultimately, New Zealand accepted many of the refugees with the remainder detained by Australia on the Pacific island of Nauru. In another incident in 2001, top officials in the Howard government claimed refugees had thrown “children overboard” when a Royal Australian Navy ship intercepted another boat carrying asylum-seekers. An Australian Senate inquiry later found the story to be untrue.

“We will decide who comes to this country and the circumstances in which they come,” Howard said in 2001, announcing what would become known as Australia’s Pacific Solution. It included establishing an Australian-run offshore detention center on Nauru, the third-smallest country in the world, and on Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island. The Manus Island facility became infamous for its brutality—in 2014, an asylum-seeker was murdered by facility workers during a riot protesting living conditions, and in 2015, detainees held a hunger strike by sewing their lips together—and was briefly shuttered between 2008 and 2012. In 2021, the Australian government handed control of the Manus Island facility to the government of Papua New Guinea. Nauru’s detention center remains open.

The Pacific Solution has remained popular with the Australian electorate even as asylum-seekers are held indefinitely without charge and criticism that conditions are inhumane remain. Detention centers on Australian soil have also been criticized for being dangerous; asylum claims take an average of 761 days to process, and asylum-seekers are held in what are effectively jails for that time. The new prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has said he’s investigating alternatives.

Australia’s soccer players put a positive face on the refugee experience in Australia, and Mabil acknowledges that his story is alluring to the media.

“I’ve got that title now of ‘oh, refugee kid,’” he told the Guardian. “It’s more for the headlines, for people to try to feel sorry for me, but they never try to understand who I am. … I want to tell that story too, inspire people from my country, my mother’s country, around the world.”

Mabil, Deng, and Kuol are prominent positive examples of African Australian success. Since the mid-1990s, approximately 30,000 people identifying as South Sudanese have immigrated to Australia. The community has produced top athletes in multiple sports, fashion models, musicians, and prominent lawyers. It has also been marginalized, associated with crime and violence in the media, and subjected to racism.

“There were times where I’d play for [Melbourne] Victory [his local team] on the weekend, then I’d be walking through the shops and there will be security guards looking at me strangely or following me around, thinking that I’m going to steal something,” Deng said in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. “I’ve had that multiple times in my life, but I’ve just learned to ignore it. … I’ve tried to block it out.”

[news365timesindia]

[ad_1] IPL Trophy (Source: X) The 2025 IPL mega auction, set for November 24th and 25th in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, promises to be one of the largest in league history. A total of 1,574 cricketers—1,165 Indians and 409 from overseas—are up for grabs, including 320 capped players, 1,224 uncapped players, and 30 from Associate Nations. With 46 players already retained by their respective franchises, teams are gearing up to enhance their squads with strategic picks that will give them an edge in the upcoming season. Attending my first live IPL auction has me thrilled. Watching team owners and strategists carefully construct their squads over those two important days will be fascinating. There’s so much to anticipate: which franchises will target which players, how many might try to rebuild a familiar core by buying back former players, and which teams will aim for a complete overhaul. The excitement around surprise picks, franchise strategies, and the competition for the biggest buy of the auction will make this an unforgettable experience. Some of the Indian players I’m most excited to watch in this mega auction are Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, and Arshdeep Singh—all game-changers who are likely to attract high bids. Delhi Capitals’ decision to release Pant was a shock, and he could potentially set a new IPL bid record, possibly surpassing 20 crores. Although Rahul has faced recent form challenges, franchises will still see value in his potential once he’s back in rhythm. As a former IPL-winning captain, Iyer is likely to be a prime target for teams seeking a leader, especially with his strong showing in the Ranji Trophy. Lastly, Arshdeep Singh, considered India’s second most reliable T20 bowler after Jasprit Bumrah, is expected to command significant interest following his T20 World Cup heroics. Some of the top international stars to watch in this mega auction include Jos Buttler, Rachin Ravindra, Jake Fraser-McGurk, and Mitchell Starc. Each is likely to attract hefty bids. Buttler, the backbone of Rajasthan Royals, has shown exceptional consistency at the top order, making him a big target. Rachin, a rising talent who understands Indian conditions well, impressed with a solid stint for CSK and is expected to draw significant interest. McGurk, another young powerhouse, left a mark with his explosive IPL debut for the Capitals, making him a strong contender in a bidding war. Lastly, veteran Starc, who commanded the highest bid in tournament history last year, is expected to secure another major contract this season.  Also read:  Sanjay Manjrekar did not need to bait coach Gautam Gambhir on social media.#GautamGambhir @BoriaMajumdar https://t.co/F3o9NsmBXj — RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) November 12, 2024 For more sports content follow: RevSportz  The post Countdown to Jeddah: Franchises Eye Top Stars at 2025 IPL Auction appeared first on Sports News Portal | Latest Sports Articles | Revsports. [ad_2] Source link

[news365times]

[ad_1] IPL Trophy (Source: X) The 2025 IPL mega auction, set for November 24th and 25th in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, promises to be one of the largest in league history. A total of 1,574 cricketers—1,165 Indians and 409 from overseas—are up for grabs, including 320 capped players, 1,224 uncapped players, and 30 from Associate Nations. With 46 players already retained by their respective franchises, teams are gearing up to enhance their squads with strategic picks that will give them an edge in the upcoming season. Attending my first live IPL auction has me thrilled. Watching team owners and strategists carefully construct their squads over those two important days will be fascinating. There’s so much to anticipate: which franchises will target which players, how many might try to rebuild a familiar core by buying back former players, and which teams will aim for a complete overhaul. The excitement around surprise picks, franchise strategies, and the competition for the biggest buy of the auction will make this an unforgettable experience. Some of the Indian players I’m most excited to watch in this mega auction are Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, and Arshdeep Singh—all game-changers who are likely to attract high bids. Delhi Capitals’ decision to release Pant was a shock, and he could potentially set a new IPL bid record, possibly surpassing 20 crores. Although Rahul has faced recent form challenges, franchises will still see value in his potential once he’s back in rhythm. As a former IPL-winning captain, Iyer is likely to be a prime target for teams seeking a leader, especially with his strong showing in the Ranji Trophy. Lastly, Arshdeep Singh, considered India’s second most reliable T20 bowler after Jasprit Bumrah, is expected to command significant interest following his T20 World Cup heroics. Some of the top international stars to watch in this mega auction include Jos Buttler, Rachin Ravindra, Jake Fraser-McGurk, and Mitchell Starc. Each is likely to attract hefty bids. Buttler, the backbone of Rajasthan Royals, has shown exceptional consistency at the top order, making him a big target. Rachin, a rising talent who understands Indian conditions well, impressed with a solid stint for CSK and is expected to draw significant interest. McGurk, another young powerhouse, left a mark with his explosive IPL debut for the Capitals, making him a strong contender in a bidding war. Lastly, veteran Starc, who commanded the highest bid in tournament history last year, is expected to secure another major contract this season.  Also read:  Sanjay Manjrekar did not need to bait coach Gautam Gambhir on social media.#GautamGambhir @BoriaMajumdar https://t.co/F3o9NsmBXj — RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) November 12, 2024 For more sports content follow: RevSportz  The post Countdown to Jeddah: Franchises Eye Top Stars at 2025 IPL Auction appeared first on Sports News Portal | Latest Sports Articles | Revsports. [ad_2] Source link

[sportsloverguide]

Cristiano Ronaldo Aims for World Cup 2026: Can the Legend Defy Time?

Want to see Ronaldo at the next World Cup? The superstar striker revealed he's eyeing a spot in Portugal's 2026 team, even suggesting a contract extension with Al-Nassr to keep him in top shape. Here's the breakdown:

Goal: Fifth World Cup: Ronaldo wants to join the elite club of players who've competed in five World Cups, currently occupied by legends like Buffon and Matthaus.

Staying Sharp: At 38, Ronaldo's fitness is crucial. He's reportedly requested a contract extension at Al-Nassr until 2027 to maintain his competitive edge.

Goal-Scoring Machine: Even in Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo's on fire! He's bagged 11 goals and 6 assists in just 11 games.

Back in the National Team: Ronaldo just joined Portugal's squad for upcoming Euro qualifiers against Slovakia and Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Still Portugal's Top Gun: With 123 goals, Ronaldo remains Portugal's all-time leading scorer and a national treasure.

Will Ronaldo defy time and make it to the 2026 World Cup? Only time will tell, but his dedication and incredible form are hard to ignore. This isn't just about another tournament; it's about a legend chasing history.

Keep your eyes peeled, football fans! Ronaldo's story isn't over yet.

[ezzybrownmedia]

Messi and Argentina Experience First Qualifying Defeat

Uruguay put an end to Argentina's impressive 14-match unbeaten streak with a commanding 2-0 triumph over the reigning world champions in the World Cup qualifiers at Buenos Aires' Alberto J. Armando Stadium on Friday.ALSO CHECK: Affordable productsRonald Araújo found the net in the 41st minute, and Darwin Núñez secured the victory with a goal in the 86th minute. This win not only propelled Uruguay to success but also marked the end of Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez's remarkable shutout streak, which spanned an impressive 751 minutes. Lionel Messi and the Argentine squad experienced their first defeat in the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, ending a streak that began after their surprising 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in the 2022 finals in Qatar.ALSO READ: Interesting storiesReflecting on the outcome, Messi acknowledged, "We had to lose someday; this happens." Despite the setback, Argentina remains at the top of the standings with 12 points from five matches, having won all four of their initial qualifiers. Uruguay's well-deserved victory positions them in second place with 10 points. LEARN MORE… Read the full article

[soccerdailyuk]

Man City's stance on big-money Kylian Mbappe transfer bid after Pep Guardiola admission 

Man City's stance on big-money Kylian Mbappe transfer bid after Pep Guardiola admission  Manchester City has no plans to join the competition for Kylian Mbappe from PSG this summer. PSG is determined to sell the forward, who will become a free agent in a year, during this transfer window.  There have been disputes between PSG and Mbappe regarding his future, but the French club is not willing to let him go without compensation. PSG has accepted a record-breaking offer from Saudi club Al-Hilal, but Mbappe has shown no interest in engaging in talks with them.  Despite believing that the French striker has already agreed to join Real Madrid next summer, the Ligue 1 champions are still open to receiving other offers for him. According to The Athletic, Manchester City has the financial capacity to pursue Kylian Mbappe, but they have chosen not to participate in the competition for the 24-year-old forward.  Despite City's recent achievement of winning the treble and being an appealing destination, their recruitment priorities lie elsewhere, particularly with Erling Haaland already being a part of their squad. Correspondent David Ornstein said on Rio Ferdinand's FIVE YouTube channel: "Many have raised that possibility, whether it’s realistic or not, I’m pretty doubtful. You’ve got an enormous salary there which, not many Premier League clubs, if any, could finance and comply with financial fair play rules. There have been suggestions that maybe only Man City could do this deal, especially if it was a transfer fee involved. "Of course, they all like him, who wouldn’t like him? There’ll be interest from every club, there’d be admiration from Chelsea, from Manchester United, from Arsenal, from Man City, from Liverpool, but that doesn’t mean they’re going to be able to do this deal." After securing his third Champions League title of his managerial career earlier in the summer, Guardiola has been asked about the possibility of pursuing Kylian Mbappe.  In response, he playfully joked with reporters, stating that everyone is aware of Mbappe's ideal destination, hinting at Real Madrid, the club that has been strongly linked with the French star. "You know which team he wants to go to," said the City boss. Mbappe has frequently expressed interest in joining Los Blancos, and they were interested in signing him back when he was a teenager at Monaco. However, PSG won the race for his signature at that time.  Now, the Spanish giants have recently made a significant investment to acquire Jude Bellingham, which could complicate their pursuit of Mbappe during this summer transfer window. In 12 months, Los Blancos will have the opportunity to sign Mbappe without any transfer fee, although he is expected to demand substantial wages. Despite Karim Benzema's departure for Saudi Arabia during this summer, Real Madrid has brought in Joselu as a replacement and seems willing to be patient in their pursuit of the French World Cup winner. Man City's stance on big-money Kylian Mbappe transfer bid after Pep Guardiola admission  Read the full article

[nbmsports]

Lionel Messi, Soccer’s Most Coveted Free Agent, Picks Inter Miami

Lionel Messi, who has captivated and to a large extent dominated global soccer for a generation, declared on Wednesday that the next stop in his glittering playing career would be the United States.In an interview with two Spanish sports news outlets, Messi confirmed that he planned to sign a contract with Inter Miami, the M.L.S. team partially owned by David Beckham. He declined an offer to play in Saudi Arabia, which pays him to promote tourism in the kingdom and is seeking to build its national league by signing international stars.“I made the decision that I am going to go to Miami,” Messi told Sport and Mundo Deportivo. “I still haven’t closed it 100 percent. I’m missing some things, but we decided to continue the path.”M.L.S. acknowledged Messi’s decision in a statement, saying, “We look forward to welcoming one of the greatest soccer players of all time to our league,” but noted no deal had been completed. The league’s social media channels, meanwhile, were far less equivocating: The official M.L.S. account declared flatly that Messi was coming.The finest player of his generation, and quite possibly the best of all time, Messi would arrive in M.L.S. having received every conceivable honor at the club and international levels: league titles in Spain and France; four Champions League trophies with Barcelona; and the Copa América and, last December, the World Cup with Argentina.His status as the world’s best player made him an extremely valuable prospect as his contract with his current employer, Paris St.-Germain, ran down. Miami was far from his only option: Messi, 35, eschewed both a putative return to Barcelona and a monumental offer, said to be worth as much as $500 million, to move to Saudi Arabia, which has set out to lure a dozen of the finest players on the planet to the Gulf this summer.Should the deal be completed, it would be the biggest coup for M.L.S. since it lured Beckham in 2007, when he joined the Los Angeles Galaxy. That deal shifted perceptions of the league’s quality and ambitions around the world; capturing Messi would, if anything, deliver even more attention to the league in the run-up to the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.Messi admitted, in his interview, that Miami had perhaps not been his first choice of destination. Speaking to outlets that dedicate much of their coverage to Barcelona, the club where he became the finest player of his generation, Messi made plain that in an ideal world, he would have returned to Catalonia. He “obviously really wanted to return,” he said, and had discussed the idea with Xavi Hernández, the club’s manager, and Joan Laporta, its president.Ultimately, though, Barcelona’s financial turmoil forced his hand. “I heard they had to sell players or lower salaries, and the truth is that I did not want to go through that,” he said, suggesting that he did not want to be held responsible for forcing Barcelona to adjust its squad simply to accommodate him.“I wanted to make my own decision, thinking about myself and my family,” he said, describing a move away from Europe entirely as a chance to “look for something else, and find a little peace of mind.”After 20 years as one of the finest players on the planet and seven months after leading Argentina to the World Cup, the one trophy that had previously eluded him, he said he wanted to “get out of focus a bit, think about my family.”That led him to reject the chance to stay in Paris. He never truly settled into an attack featuring his fellow superstars Neymar and Kylian Mbappé, and his expected exit from P.S.G. was finally confirmed by the club on Saturday, hours before the team’s final game of the season.“I would like to thank the club, the city of Paris and its people for these two years,” he said in a statement released by the club hours before he played, and lost, his final match with P.S.G. “I wish you all the best for the future.”The club reciprocated by sending its “warmest regards” and thanking Messi for his service, but P.S.G.’s fans were less sentimental: They booed his name in warm-ups, did the same during the game and continued to show their displeasure during a celebration for the club’s latest French championship that followed.Because he was out of contract, Messi’s options were the talk of soccer. Would he find a way to return to the club that had made him, Barcelona? Would he take his game, and his family, to a new adventure in the United States? Or would his salary demands so limit his options that he would have little choice but to accept the almost unfathomable offer he received from the Saudi club Al Hilal?Saudi Arabia’s pitch was perhaps the most transactional: It could offer Messi a salary no other suitor could match, and he already had a relationship with the kingdom through a multimillion-dollar deal in which Messi had become a spokesman for the Saudi Tourism Authority.“If it had been a question of money, I would have gone to Arabia or somewhere,” Messi said. Instead, though, he insisted his decision had been made for reasons other than the purely economic.Barcelona, on the other hand, offered familiarity and a return to the club and city he never wanted to leave. Messi departed Catalonia for Paris St.-Germain in 2021 only when Barcelona found itself caught in a financial vise and unable, under the rules of the Spanish league, to sign him to a new contract.But while the lure of returning to a club that revered him was strong, Messi explained that he did not want to find himself at the mercy of La Liga’s accountants. Though reports had emerged that Barcelona had struck a deal with La Liga to allow the club to complete his signature without breaking the competition’s salary rules, he was not prepared to take that risk.“The time I had to leave, La Liga had also accepted that the club would sign me, and in the end it couldn’t be done,” he said. “Well, I was afraid the same thing would happen again.” He confirmed that his priority, in making his choice, had been the appeal of “not having to wait again.”That gave Miami its chance, but — as was the case with previous stars — there was still a need for M.L.S. to get creative. It, too, offered Messi a bit of comfort: He owns at least one home in Miami, and basing himself there — and closer to Argentina — will make it easier for him to cultivate rich, new sponsorship opportunities in a huge commercial market.But a base in the United States would also have appealed to him for competitive reasons, potentially making it easier for Messi as he prepares to help Argentina defend its World Cup title in 2026.To make the numbers work, Inter Miami’s owners, which include Beckham, and Messi’s representatives cobbled together a layered offer: a roster spot free from the limits of M.L.S. salary rules; an ownership stake in Inter Miami once his playing career ends; and revenue-sharing agreements with Apple and Adidas, two companies with which Messi has long and lucrative relationships.Those deals would be linked to increased sales for Adidas, which had previously signed Messi to a lifetime sponsorship deal, and to increased subscription sales for the Apple TV+ streaming service. Apple, which this year acquired the rights to broadcast M.L.S. games on the service, on Tuesday announced that it also would produce a multipart documentary series about Messi.Any first look at Messi on the streaming platform in an M.L.S. game, however, will have to wait until the contracts are signed, and until the league reaches the start of its midseason transfer window on July 5. Source link Read the full article

[hardynwa]

Al-Ittihad offer Liverpool £40m offer for midfielder Fabinho

Fabinho has been left out of Liverpool's squad for a training camp in Germany following a £40m bid for him from Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad. Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has also been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia but has travelled to Germany. The Reds received the offer for Brazil midfielder Fabinho on Friday night. A decision between the club and player was then taken to remove the 29-year-old from the 32-man touring party, which left on Saturday. Fabinho has been at Liverpool since July 2018 after the Reds signed him from Monaco for a fee in the region of £39m. He has since helped the club win the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup and Fifa Club World Cup. There are reports Henderson is a target for Al-Ettifaq, who recently appointed former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard as their new manager. Liverpool have not set an asking price for the 33-year-old but the £10m offer being speculated about falls well below the club's valuation for a player with two years left on his contract and who has been an integral part of their side. The Reds have already been rebuilding their midfield following the departures of James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. They have signed Argentina international Alexis Mac Allister, 24, from Brighton and Hungary captain Dominik Szoboszlai, 22, from RB Leipzig and were looking at long term successor to Fabinho. Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia, 19, was one of those under consideration but if they lose the experience of Fabinho, and possibly Henderson, it is expected to see the club shift their transfer strategy. A number of potential targets are believed to be under consideration but Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo, who is expected to join Chelsea, is not one of them. Read the full article

[wingedchildtiger]

Benzema will leave Real Madrid

Karim Benzema will leave Real Madrid this summer, the club announced on Sunday, and he is now expected to sign for Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad.

ESPN reported on Thursday that Benzema had decided to leave the LaLiga giants after 14 years, to accept a lucrative offer from a club in Saudi Arabia.

Benzema is Real Madrid's second-highest goal scorer of all time and has won a joint-record 25 trophies with the club -- including five Champions Leagues and four LaLiga titles -- as well as the 2022 Ballon d'Or.

Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

"Real Madrid C.F. and our captain Karim Benzema have agreed to put an end to his brilliant and unforgettable time as a player for our club," Madrid said in a statement. "Real Madrid wants to show its gratitude and all its affection for a player who is already one of our greatest legends.

"Karim Benzema's career at Real Madrid has been an example of behaviour and professionalism, and he has represented the values of our club. Karim Benzema has earned the right to decide his future … Real Madrid is and will always be his home, and we wish him and his entire family all the best in this new phase of his life."

The club said an event would be held at its training ground on Tuesday to pay tribute to Benzema.

ESPN reported earlier in the week that Benzema had been offered a two-year contract worth €400 million to move to Saudi Arabia in January, the same deal as Cristiano Ronaldo, who joined Al Nassr after leaving Manchester United.

The centre-forward had been expected to stay at Madrid for one more season until June 2024 but is opting instead to accept a new challenge.

Benzema joined Madrid from Lyon in 2009 and, after a difficult start, found a place alongside Ronaldo and Gareth Bale as one of the club's most successful forward lines.

He took on the mantle of Madrid's lead goal scorer when Ronaldo left in 2018 and had a career-best season last year, scoring 27 times in LaLiga and 15 times in the Champions League as the club won both trophies. That form was recognised when Benzema was awarded the Ballon d'Or in October.

The Madrid captain has struggled with injuries this season, missing the World Cup, but still scored 18 goals in 23 LaLiga games.

His 25 trophies at the club -- a record shared with Marcelo -- consist of four LaLiga titles, five Champions Leagues, three Copas del Rey, four Spanish Supercopas, four UEFA Super Cups and five FIFA Club World Cups.

The Hard Tackle lists three strikers Real Madrid can sign following the departure of Karim Benzema this summer. The end of an era at Real Madrid is near. In a way, one phase has already culminated, with no player signed before 2010 left in the squad when the transfer window reopens this summer. And when Toni Kroos and Luka Modric exit, the dominant team will have ridden into the sunset. But the latest Real Madrid legend to depart is Karim Benzema, who should soon move to Saudi Arabia.

For a third successive summer transfer window, Real Madrid will lose the club captain after Sergio Ramos and Marcelo’s departures in 2021 and 2022, respectively. But Benzema’s exit has the potential to hurt Los Blancos more as they do not have an alternative to the Frenchman in the first-team squad.

While Eder Militao, David Alaba, and Antonio Rudiger have filled Ramos’s void, Alaba and Ferland Mendy are solid left-back options. But Carlo Ancelotti does not have a single recognised striker in the Real Madrid squad to replace Benzema when he calls it a day in the coming weeks.

The 35-year-old is the most successful player in Real Madrid’s history, winning a whopping 25 titles with them. On top of that, the veteran striker is Los Blancos’ second-highest scorer ever. So whoever replaces Benzema at Real Madrid following his departure will have big shoes to fill at the Santiago Bernabeu. With that in mind, The Hard Tackle lists three candidates to succeed the French attacker this summer.

Our list begins with a player at the peak of his powers who has carried his team throughout this season. And with Tottenham Hotspur not playing any European football next season, he might be ripe for the taking. We are, of course, talking about Harry Kane.

The English international has been a goalscoring extraordinaire for Tottenham for nearly a decade. And come rain or shine, he has been a prolific scorer for the North London club. That has never been truer than the 2022/23 season, as he netted 32 goals as Tottenham struggled throughout the season.

Recent reports have suggested that Kane has become the priority target for Real Madrid to replace Benzema. But Los Blancos will compete with Manchester United for the 29-year-old’s signature in the summer transfer window. That said, they will have an advantage in the chase as Tottenham will not sell to another English club.

But Kane has Alan Shearer’s all-time Premier League record in his sights. So that gives Manchester United a slight advantage, albeit a minor one. But trophy-winning pedigree gives Real Madrid enough ammo to turn Kane’s head. And there is no doubting his quality and how he is the perfect candidate to fill Benzema’s void at the Bernabeu.

Our list continues with a player closer to the twilight of his career instead of his peak years. But he will not cost Real Madrid anything, enabling them to focus the budget on other big-money arrivals ahead of an expensive rebuild. We are talking about Roberto Firmino.

The Brazilian international has been a legendary performer for Liverpool for nearly a decade. But his stint at Anfield is ending this summer. And like Benzema at Real Madrid, the 31-year-old is leaving Liverpool as a free agent in July.

But Firmino is 31 years old, four years younger than Benzema. And his style of play resonates closely with what the Frenchman has brought to the table throughout his Real Madrid career. The only drawback is the gulf of output, with the Brazilian nowhere near as prolific as Benzema.

Meanwhile, Firmino is also a target for Barcelona, apart from several Serie A clubs. But widespread reports have suggested that the Merengues are the front-runners to sign the Liverpool veteran. In addition, with Endrick arriving next year, landing a short-term solution like Firmino makes a world of sense.

The last name on our shortlist is a bit of a left-of-centre option, considering there have been no reports linking him with Real Madrid. But the potential this teenage prospect has shown in his young career makes him an enticing prospect. We are talking about Vitor Roque.

The 18-year-old recently made his debut for the Brazilian national side and is the talk of the town in his homeland. And Vitor Roque’s progress has captured the attention of several high-profile clubs, including Barcelona, Chelsea, and Arsenal.

But Barcelona cannot afford his high price tag and might push to secure his services next year. That will give Real Madrid a window of opportunity to launch the offensive and beat the Blaugrana to the teenage sensation. As for what Vitor Roque will bring to the table, he is still rough around the edges.

But there is a physical nature to the 18-year-old’s game, and he also runs the hard yards off the ball. That trait, in particular, might make him an ideal successor to Benzema at Real Madrid. But with Endrick arriving as the long-term solution next year, signing another teenager might not be the most sensible decision.

[championmindsethq]

Roosevelt Adams Pays More Attention to the Gilas Than the PBA

When Roosevelt Adams finally returned to the hardcourt after an extended absence (eight months), he was ecstatic to get back to work.

Saudi Gilas of Roosevelt Adams

And what better way to return to action than by making his national team debut for Gilas Pilipinas in their 84-46 rout of Saudi Arabia in the 2023 Fiba World Cup Asian qualifications on Monday? Gilas Pilipinas won their 2023 Fiba World Cup Asian qualifier game against Saudi Arabia.

Dwight says only "minimum tweaks" need to be made to the Gilas lineup before they can play at the World Cup.

Adams played 11 minutes in the blowout and did not score a point, but he did grab five rebounds and have a steal. The first time the Filipino-American striker played in front of a crowded house at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay, he was overcome with joy.

A huge grin spread across Adams' face as he took in the 19,829 national team fans who had made their way to the arena to cheer them on.

There were six of our players on the court. As I was saying, there is an incredible amount of excitement.

Adams, who had taken a chance by auditioning for the squad, was overtaken with emotion on the night he got to wear the national tricolors for the first time. According to Adams, "This is a dream come true for my family."

He said, "I'm getting nervous and excited about playing in front of all these people and wearing this shirt." Excitement and nervousness are overwhelming him, he declared.

I've always wanted to carry the banner. I came out here on a whim and battled against 24 other players; after putting in a lot of effort, I finished in the top 13. You can't put a price on doing a good job. If the chance came up, I wouldn't think twice about doing it again.

While Adams mulls over his prospects, all he can do is live in the here and now.

Since he admitted that he is still in contact with his old club, a comeback to Terrafirma is not completely out of the question. He also quipped that there is still a chance he could play in the PBA.

While he is keeping his options open, he revealed that no overseas offers have been made to him as of yet. However, after getting this first game under his belt, representing Gilas is at the top of his to-do list.

Keeping options open is all he was doing, he added. My current focus is primarily on Gilas. I'm hoping they'll need me again during the next period, but we'll see. After discussing it, we'll wait a few months to see what happens. But right now, I'm willing to consider any option for my future move, including online sports betting.

[worldspotlightnews]

Lionel Messi edges Ronaldo, becomes all-time Europe club goalscorer - SUCH TV

As Cristiano Ronaldo now plays in Saudi Arabia for Al-Nassr, Lionel Messi continues to play in one of Europe’s top-5 leagues like the Ligue 1, with Paris Saint Germain and this Saturday he scored his 702nd goal in Europe following his stint at FC Barcelona before arriving to the French squad a couple of seasons ago. With this goal, Messi edges Cristiano Ronaldo once again after his World Cup win…