Soccer

Subterms

    More stories

    • 250 Shares139 Views

      in Soccer

      Legendary former Man Utd striker’s son wins first international call-up… only a year after dad quit the game aged 42

      by

      THE son of legendary striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has earned his first international call-up for Sweden.Maximilian Ibrahimovic, 18, will make his debut for Sweden’s U18s in the upcoming international break.Maximilian Ibrahimovic has been handed his first professional call-upCredit: GettyHe will be following in the footsteps of his dad, Zlatan IbrahimovicCredit: GettyThe team is set to face Japan twice next week before taking on the United States in a third friendly.Youth coach Andreas Pettersson this week revealed that he and his colleagues have been monitoring Ibrahimovic’s progress for some time.He told Swedish newspaper Expressen: “I’ve been following him for a year now.”He started to play more and more with Milan’s under-18 team. Then he progressed and did well.”Read More in FootballIbrahimovic followed in the footsteps of his father by signing his first professional contract earlier this year.He signed a three-year deal with Serie A giants AC Milan.Ibrahimovic Snr retired from professional football last year following a final three-season spell with the Rossoneri.He scored 93 goals and provided 34 assists in 163 appearances for the Italian giants.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSThe 42-year-old also spent two years at Manchester United, scoring 29 goals in 53 appearances.He established himself as one of Sweden’s all-time greats on the international stage, netting 62 goals in 122 outings.Ibrahimovic decided to hang up his boots last summer after suffering an injury.Fans love Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s hilarious Hot Ones appearance as football legend reveals why Man Utd fans are ‘crazy’ More

    • 200 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Pep Guardiola claims rival manager must be drinking after bizarre comparison in Man City press conference

      by

      PEP GUARDIOLA has been lavished with praise by Slovan Bratislava boss Vladimir Weiss – who compared him to an ARCHITECT. The Man City boss was baffled by the comparison ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash with the Slovak side.Pep Guardiola is preparing his side to face Slovan Bratislava on TuesdayCredit: AFPSlovan boss Vladimir Weiss had a bizarre comparison for Pep ahead of the Champions League clashCredit: ReutersBratislava host the Premier League champions at the 22,500-capacity Tehelné pole looking to bounce back from a 5-1 loss to Celtic in Gameweek 1.Weiss was full of praise for Guardiola – and his impact on world football – ahead of arguably his team’s toughest test in their history.And the 60-year-old had a bizarre comparison with another Catalan “genius” up his sleeve.Weiss said: “I would compare Pep to [Catalan architect] Antoni Gaudi. READ MORE ON FOOTBALL NEWS”He’s been building something nobody could understand – just like Gaudi had his idea for a cathedral – and he is a genius and now he’s achieved what he wanted to do.“He’s selected players who fit his philosophy. I love [Carlo] Ancelotti and Jurgen Klopp, but Pep has changed football with his attitude and creativity and stubbornness — in a good way.”A flummoxed but flattered Guardiola replied: “I think maybe he had a glass of wine before the press conference, but thank you.”Guardiola was pressed further on the Gaudi comparison by reporters.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSBut he refocused minds on the game, claiming the light-hearted questioning suggested his team were playing a “friendly.”He continued: “I’m a little bit concerned about that in terms of the questions about Gaudi and this kind of thing.Furious Pep Guardiola lashes out and kicks chair with Man City stars fuming at Arsenal’s stunning equaliser”It’s a competition and we need to perform well.”With this new format, I don’t know exactly how you handle it and how many points you need. “Maybe you can finish 13th, 14th or 15th – not qualify in the first eight – and you can win the Champions League.What will happen to Man City?MAN CITY are favourites to win the Premier League title yet again – but there is one elephant in the room that threatens to put the skids under the Etihad giants.Sunsport’s MARTIN LIPTON discusses what the next few months could hold with Head of Sport SHAUN CUSTIS….Custis: So the big question – will there be a resolution this season?Lipton: Yes…. probably! We know the case will start to be dealt with in October or November.It will take at least a month to go through the evidence. So I suspect around March, April time, we will get a result. But that’s where it starts to get tricky.Custis: Why is that?Lipton: If the result is in City’s favour, that’s the end of the matter. They will be cleared. They will have no punishment to face.But if City are found guilty, these will be the heaviest penalties ever imposed by the Premier League.I suspect if they are found guilty, they will be expelled from the league or given a massive points deduction and a huge fine so that they’re not in the Premier League next season.Check out the full discussion on Man City’s future.”Tomorrow is an opportunity to make a step.”City come into the game on the back of a 1-1 draw with Newcastle on Sunday.READ MORE SUN STORIESIt was their first game since losing influential midfielder Rodri to a long-term ACL injury.Pep’s men are also looking for their first point in the new-look Champions League after a 0-0 stalemate with Inter Milan last time out. More

    • 213 Shares109 Views

      in Soccer

      Premier League stadium’s stunning rebuild could cost £1BILLION as plans to boost capacity by 10,000 drawn up

      by

      PLANS drawn up to rebuild St. James’ Park have revealed that it could cost Newcastle United a billion quid.The Magpies are exploring all avenues with regards to a new home.Newcastle are planning to boost St James’ Park in a major developmentCredit: GettyAnd that includes improving their existing ground or building a brand new one outside of the current city centre location.The club is still undecided but architectural plans for a St. James’ expansion have been drawn up.That would see both the Gallowgate End and East Stand redeveloped to take the capacity from 52,000 to over 60,000.They also show that the Leazes End and Milburn Stand could also both be modernised.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLBut the total cost of the work is estimated to be between £800m and £1billion.The club also only has a leasehold on St. James’ Park for another 70 years.And that would also need extending should they opt for the rebuild.Alternative options include building an entirely new stadium on Leazes Park, which is next to SJP.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSWhile another is to potentially knock one up elsewhere from scratch.Toon’s Saudi owners are still considering all options.Gary Neville tells Eddie Howe clear reason why he should QUIT Newcastle for ‘next step up’ in his careerBut the latter option could potentially cost them £2bn.Newcastle continue to reiterate that a fan advisory board will be consulted before a decision is made. More

    • 138 Shares199 Views

      in Soccer

      How Nicolas Jackson converted Dream Team managers from doubters into believers

      by

      NICOLAS JACKSON (£4.5m) is a somewhat curious footballer.The Senegal international has been the punchline of many jokes since his transfer to Chelsea, with even a few of his own fans running low on patience at times.Last season, he was guilty of several glaring misses and his erratic decision-making made him a frustrating player to watch when things weren’t gelling for the Blues.While those who regularly watched Jackson would have been baffled from time to time, his first campaign in England was by no means a disaster, far from it.Jackson’s stock is increasing every weekCredit: Dream TeamWhen all was said and done, he scored 17 goals in all competitions; for comparison, Didier Drogba scored more goals in just two of his nine seasons at Chelsea.Nobody is sincerely comparing Jackson to Drogba but the point is the former’s output in 2023/24 was well above what one would expect of a flop signing, as many fans of other clubs portrayed him.And the 23-year-old has improved further at the start of this season, with four goals and three assists from just six outings.He’s still guilty of the odd brain fade but more and more supporters are viewing the forward as an influential net positive; his understanding with Cole Palmer (£6.2m) is proving particularly fruitful and he disorganises defenders.And there’s evidence that Dream Team managers are steadily being converted from mocking doubters into believers too.Jackson and Palmer have combined several times already this seasonCredit: ReutersAt the time of writing, Jackson is the third-most recruited player ahead of Gameweek 7.Most read in FootballHis ownership has risen to 13.1%, which makes him the fifth-most popular asset in his position.Jackson’s popularity spike is entirely justified as only Dominic Solanke (£4.2m) has banked more points from his last three outings among forwards.More broadly, he’s racked up 56 points overall and ranks fourth in his position, just two points shy of third-placed Ollie Watkins (£5.9m).Score PredictorPlay Score Predictor with Dream Team this season!FREE to play£250 weekly prizePredict scores of five selected Premier League fixtures and earn points for accuracyMost points wins weekly cash prizePLAY NOWIt will be interesting to see to what extent Jackson features against Gent on Thursday as he played just 27 minutes across Chelsea’s two Conference League play-off legs.Enzo Maresca has already discussed workload management in relation to European commitments when he explained why Palmer, the club’s talisman, was omitted from the continental squad.It may be the case that Christopher Nkunku (£4.5m) leads the line from the get-go on Thursday nights – the Frenchman has also scored four goals this season.Nkunku is pushing for a place in Chelsea’s starting line-upCredit: APAnother potential hurdle for Jackson to negotiate in pursuit of more Dream Team points is a testing league schedule across the next six weeks or so.Chelsea are due to face Nottingham Forest, Liverpool, Newcastle, Manchester United and Arsenal in their next five outings in the top flight.READ MORE SUN STORIESThat being said, Maresca’s side are the Premier League’s top scorers at present and Jackson has been a key contributor so far.Who’s laughing now?BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 in free bets — HERE**New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply.Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org More

    • 263 Shares159 Views

      in Soccer

      Premier League fans can buy pints of beer for £4 or under at six stadiums in the UK as prices revealed

      by

      SIX Premier League clubs are offering a pint of beer for £4 or less at their stadiums… while others do not sell any for under £6.As the cost of attending matches continues to increase, fans are also combating the rise in prices of merchandise, food and drink.No club sells moreCredit: GettyLiverpool and West Ham fans recently protested the change in concession pricing.And Hammers supporters are one of two sets of fans who are also unable to buy pints of beer for under £6 at their home ground.The London Stadium’s cheapest beer is £6.30 – and it is the same at Arsenal.West Ham are also the only top-flight English club to charge £5 for a pie.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLData collected by Flashscore shows there are a number of Premier League sides putting them to shame with their lower prices.Surprisingly, Manchester United offer the cheapest beer in the Premier League at just £3.That is 50p less than the next best at newly-promoted Ipswich who provide pints for as little as £3.50.And there are four other clubs who have kept their beer prices at the £4 mark.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSThey are Brighton, Bournemouth, Brentford and Wolves.Champions Manchester City sit 11th on the list as they offer a pint for £4.60.Man Utd reveal first pics of redeveloped 100,000-capacity Old Trafford in ‘biggest regeneration scheme ever seen’Liverpool are also down in 14th at £4.40.But fans will be shocked to learn Leicester are as high as third at £5.80 despite spending last season in the Championship.Price of a pint of beer at Premier League clubsWest Ham – £6.30Arsenal – £6.30Leicester – £5.80Chelsea – £5.70Fulham – £5.50Aston Villa – £5.20Nottingham Forest – £5.20Tottenham – £5.10Crystal Palace – £5Newcastle – £4.90Manchester City – £4.60Southampton – £4.55Everton – £4.55Liverpool – £4.40Brighton – £4Bournemouth – £4Brentford – £4Wolves – £4Ipswich – £3.50Manchester United – £3 More

    • 250 Shares149 Views

      in Soccer

      Meet the lifelong Man Utd fan and Welshman, 31, set to face David De Gea in Uefa Conference League tie

      by

      MAN UTD fan Connor Roberts is set to face his hero David De Gea – as The New Saints begin their European adventure in Florence. TNS have become the first domestic Welsh side to reach the group stage of European competition.Man Utd fan Connor Roberts of TNS can’t wait to face David De GeaCredit: GettyDe Gea spent more than a decade between the sticks at Old Trafford.Credit: GettyThey start the six-game Uefa Conference League phase at last year’s finalists Fiorentina on Thursday.For keeper Roberts, 31, it is a dream come true, with former United star De Gea set to don the Viola gloves after ending his year-long absence from football to sign for the Italian giants.Robert, who expects to be the busiest man on the night at Stadio Artemio Franchi, said: “I’m a lifelong Man United fan and it would be extra special to play against De Gea.”He’s arguably one of the best shot-stoppers the Premier League has ever had. READ MORE ON MAN UTD”He was the best goalkeeper in the Premier League by a country mile and I’d say he probably saved United from a couple of bottom-half finishes.”Unfortunately it didn’t finish too well for him because [Erik ten Hag] came in and wanted to go down a different direction, but football’s all about opinions.”Roberts counts former United first-team coach Eric Ramsey – now in charge of MLS outfit Minnesota – as a good friend.And he even considered asking him to contact De Gea before the Florence tie.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSHe continued: “Eric’s brother Alex is one of my closest mates and is also involved at TNS as part-time goalkeeping coach.”I’ve also got a good relationship with Eric and I was thinking of asking him to drop De Gea a line and say ‘Listen, can you give the TNS goalkeeper five minutes at the end’?Manchester United vs Tottenham Player Ratings”But I’ll definitely go and ask for his shirt at the end and maybe have a quick chat then.”Wrexham-born Roberts’ own career has not hit the heights he dreamed of after signing for Everton aged 15 when he faced the likes of Marouane Fellaini, Tim Cahill and Yakubu in first-team training sessions.The Wales Under-21 international had various loan stays before spells at Cheltenham and Chester and a move into the Welsh Premiership.The highlight was a call-up to Chris Coleman’s senior Wales squad for a friendly against the Netherlands in June 2014.Why NOBODY is the right man to replace Erik ten Hag at Man UtdSunSport’s DAVE KIDD says Erik ten Hag’s time at Man Utd is up… and explains what’s wrong with all the potential candidates to replace him.THIS is a mid-table squad at an underachieving club, with a lot of unwanted players on big money.And Ratcliffe is an instinctive cost-cutter who may not pay top dollar to the next manager.If this club wasn’t called ‘Manchester United’, it wouldn’t be an especially desirable job.The good news for United is that their new sporting director, Dan Ashworth, is a very decent judge of a manager.He has been instrumental in three previous managerial appointments — Gareth Southgate for England, Graham Potter for Brighton and Eddie Howe for Newcastle.None were wildly popular at the time, all were conspicuous successes.Interestingly, Ashworth’s No 1 choice for the Newcastle job was Unai Emery, who turned him down to stay at Villarreal but has since proved that judgment right by excelling at Aston Villa.Emery may well deliver the coup de grace to Ten Hag on Sunday — especially with Bruno Fernandes suspended and Kobbie Mainoo an injury doubt.And the Spaniard would be an excellent fit for United — yet there is next to no chance that he would abandon Villa’s Champions League campaign to take the Old Trafford job, not least because he isn’t a stark raving madman.Howe would be another good candidate to succeed Ten Hag but, although he has become frustrated on Tyneside, the Saudis would surely not allow Ratcliffe to poach Howe, as they reluctantly did with Ashworth.Potter is available but his Chelsea experience and lack of charisma would make him a tough sell.Which brings us to Southgate, who remains close with Ashworth and is an excellent man-manager who was seriously considered by United last spring.Yet, despite having led England to two of their three major finals, Southgate’s reputation for over-caution was only enhanced during the Euros.Mauricio Pochettino, passed over twice by United, is out of the equation having taken the United States job.Thomas Tuchel would be a popular and gettable option but, despite being a fine coach and a very engaging man, he is considered something of a loose cannon.Likewise, Roberto De Zerbi, now at Marseille after his brief Brighton stint sparkled then fizzled out.Kieran McKenna — a gifted former United coach who has won back-to-back promotions with Ipswich Town — is an intriguing candidate but the imminent vacancy may come a year or so too soon.Marco Silva, the extremely under-rated Fulham boss, has been on United’s radar and should not be discounted.Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim, last season’s ‘next big thing’, was passed over by West Ham as well as Liverpool this summer and is not an easy man to pin down.Zinedine Zidane, who has taken over from Alan Curbishley as a 20-1 shot for every Premier League job, is a ‘figurehead’ manager and not an Ashworth type.Ruud van Nistelrooy, the former United goal machine who joined Ten Hag’s coaching team in the summer is the bookies’ favourite. Simply because he’s in the building and he’s Dutch.So, yes, getting rid of Ten Hag is the easy part.Roberts remembers: “I couldn’t catch a ball in the warm-up, I was that nervous. “I went from Wales Under-21s where I was starter over Danny Ward – who has gone on to have a fantastic career – to not being able to get a club for love or money and that was a really tough period.”I always thought I would climb back up the ladder, but in the end it didn’t turn out that way.”TNS have already played eight European matches this season.And Roberts accepts facing Italy striker Moise Kean will be a far sterner test than anything experienced before.READ MORE SUN STORIESHe added: “We’ve managed to attract a bit more attention to the Welsh Premiership with our run in Europe and it’s fantastic to play a team like Fiorentina.”Hopefully we can keep that solidity we’ve had in the European campaign. It’s a big ask, but giving the best version of ourselves is what counts.” More

    • 213 Shares119 Views

      in Soccer

      Borussia Dortmund’s outrageous player fine list ‘leaked’ with £2k hit for snubbing autographs and huge lateness penalty

      by

      IF Borussia Dortmund players step out of line, they quickly find themselves out of pocket.The club’s brutal punishments for any breaches of discipline have been revealed after an incredible list of player fines was leaked on social media this week.Borussia Dortmund’s player fine list has been leakedCredit: TiktokThe list was put in place last seasonCredit: GettyIt includes some penalties rising to over £4,000.According to German outlet Bild, players can be fined £83 (€100) for every minute they are late to scheduled events.Those include training, physio appointments, and meetings with coaching staff.If a player is late on a match day, that rises to a whopping £2,499 (€3,000) and if they miss a scheduled club event entirely they have to fork out £4,166 (€5,000).Read More in FootballFocus and engagement has clearly been made a priority by Dortmund officials, with some significant penalties in place for things such as failing to sign autographs.Stars are allegedly fined £1,666 (€2,000) if they fail to sign autograph cards before a set time.And if they do not sign a shirt, they could be set back £416 (€500).Players can also be punished £83 (€100) for using their phones at the dinner table or while with the physios.Most read in Champions LeagueFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSThey face the same penalty if they leave their training area messy.And a £208 (€250) punishment is in place if somebody wears incorrect gear.Borussia Dortmund fans release flares during half-time of Champions League final in second Wembley security breachThe list of fines was introduced last season by then-manager Edin Terzic.It clearly helped to maintain high standards at Signal Iduna Park as Borussia Dortmund reached the Champions League final.Terzic left Dortmund in June and was replaced by Nuri Sahin.The new boss is believed to be in favour of maintaining existing penalties.  More

    • 200 Shares199 Views

      in Soccer

      Cristiano Ronaldo smashes his own record with Al-Nassr goal before making emotional dedication to late father

      by

      CRISTIANO RONALDO smashed his own unique goalscoring record after bagging his 904th career goal in Al-Nassr’s 2-1 win.Ronaldo pointed to the sky and dedicated the goal to his late father Jose Dinis Aveiro on what would have been his 71st birthday.Cristiano Ronaldo’s late finish means he’s scored 441 goals in his 30sRonaldo dedicated his latest Al-Nassr goal to his late dad’s birthdayThe Portugal star has now officially scored more goals in his 30s than he did during his 20s.Ronaldo scored 440 goals in 596 games throughout his 20s.And after Monday’s heroics, the 39-year-old has now bagged 441 goals in 593 matches during his 30s.Speaking after the game, he said: “Today’s goal has a different flavour… I wish my father was alive because today is his birthday.”READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSOne fan wrote on X: “Keep breaking records. We love you Ronaldo❤.”Another said: “He would be proud to produce one of the best footballers of all time.”Ronaldo’s deadly left-footed effort put Al-Nassr 2-0 up in the 76th minute after former Liverpool winger Sadio Mane opened the scoring.Al Rayyan pulled themselves back into the contest via Roger Guedes’ 87th minute close range strike – but could not find another.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSAl-Nassr full-back Salem Al-Nadji reportedly knocked himself unconscious on the bench while celebrating Ronaldo’s goal.Ronaldo turned 30 in February 2015 when he was at Real Madrid, before he had spells at Juventus and Manchester United. Cristiano Ronaldo ‘agreed to rejoin Man Utd with Real Madrid star in £200m deal’ Cristiano Ronaldo’s goalscoring recordSporting Lisbon: 5Manchester United: 145Real Madrid: 450Juventus: 101Al-Nassr: 68Portugal: 131His dad tragically passed away from liver failure aged 51 in September 2005 – two years after Ronaldo first joined United.Ronaldo rarely discusses his father but previously revealed that he finds it difficult that his dad couldn’t witness his astonishing career.The five-time Ballon d’Or said in a previous interview: “I really don’t know my father 100 per cent. He was a drunk person. “I never spoke with him, like a normal conversation. It was hard. “To be the number one and he don’t see nothing, and he don’t see to receive awards, to see what I became.”Ronaldo’s latest goal was his seventh in eight appearances this term, after he missed the previous two games through illness.Since leaving European football he has scored 65 times in 72 outings for Al-Nassr.He recently became the first player to exceed 900 career goals.READ MORE SUN STORIESRonaldo has already signalled his intent to eventually hit four figures before he retires.He told Rio Ferdinand: “I want to reach 1,000 goals. “f I don’t have any injuries, this for me is the most important thing. I want that.” More