Whether he is still playing for England or enjoying a few pints and watching from the stands, Harry Maguire cannot wait for the European Championship to return to home soil in 2028.
UEFA confirmed on Tuesday that the UK and Ireland’s bid to host the tournament had been approved, having gone into decision day unopposed following the withdrawal of Turkey.
Six of the 10 venues at the five-nation event will be in England, just seven years on from Glasgow and London hosting matches at the pan-European edition.
Gareth Southgate’s men went all the way to the Wembley final at rearranged Euro 2020 and defender Maguire cannot wait to experience another special summer in 2028.
“Hopefully, I will be in the squad but, either way, I am sure I will be at the tourn…
Dries Mertens said it was tough to pull that shirt on after Napoli wore the famous number 10 shirt in honour of Diego Maradona prior to their Europa League win over Rijeka.
Argentina and Napoli great Maradona – arguably football s greatest ever player – died of natural causes at the age of 60 on Wednesday.
Napoli s first match since the passing of their most iconic star this week was played out to the noise of songs and fireworks despite the empty stands at the Stadio San Paolo, where Maradona guided the Italian team to unprecedented Scudetto success in 1987 and 1990.
Captain Lorenzo Insigne laid a wreath before kick-off on Thursday, while the Napoli team lined up in Maradona 10 shirts – a jersey that was retired long before Maradona s death. The World Cup …
From the slums of Buenos Aires to the face of football. Former England midfielder Peter Reid hailed Diego Maradona following his death.
Maradona – arguably football s greatest ever player – died at the age of 60 after a suspected heart attack, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) confirmed on Wednesday.
Argentina and Napoli great Maradona was discharged from hospital a fortnight ago following brain surgery, having undergone a routine operation for a subdural haematoma after the World Cup winner was admitted to hospital due to concerns over anaemia and dehydration.
Reid came up against Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata head coach Maradona on the international stage and he told Stats Perform News: He is like, in Argentina and Napoli – Naples – he is like Go…
The Football Association stood alone in showing the red card to changes in UEFA’s rules which will allow Aleksander Ceferin the option of standing for a further four-year term as president from 2027.
FA chief executive Mark Bullingham was the sole national federation delegate to hold up a red card rejecting the amendments at the UEFA Congress in Paris, but the motion passed with 49 of the 55 associations holding up a green card in support.
The amendment would mean Ceferin’s partial first term, which began in September 2016, would not count towards the three-term limit, allowing him the possibility of a further term between 2027 and 2031.
UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin kicks off his speech in Paris:
This year, UEFA is celebrating its 70th birthda…
Having previously triumphed at the Wanda Metropolitano, Liverpool emerged victorious from their second clash with Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday at Anfield and clinched the top spot in Group B with two matches to spare. Diogo Jota (13 ) and Sadio Mane (21 ) scored for the home side, both unsurprisingly assisted by Trent Alexander-Arnold. Atletico defender Felipe picked up a straight red card after taking out Mane in the 36th minute.
The Atletico approach
It seemed early on that the La Liga champions had come to Liverpool to try and outplay the hosts as they came closer to Alisson Becker than Liverpool did to Jan Oblak, but that lasted only a few minutes before Liverpool took full control of the flow and pushed them back. It may seem harsh to say that At…
Luis Enrique welcomed the imminent appointment of Xavi as head coach of Barcelona but doubts he can offer any worthy advice to the Camp Nou legend.
The long-awaited return of Xavi now appears a formality after Al Sadd announced Barcelona had agreed to buy the 41-year-old out of his contract.
Spanish newspaper Sport has reported Barcelona and Xavi are planning to split the cost of buying the coach out of that deal with the Qatar Stars League team.
Barcelona have encountered major financial problems but are optimistic Xavi will be the man who leads a turnaround of their fortunes on the pitch.
Heading into this weekend, they sit ninth in LaLiga after 11 games, having won just four times in the competition. A trip to face Celta Vigo in their test on Saturda…
A leading Saudi Arabian human rights activist says Newcastle are being used as a “tool” to legitimise Mohammed bin Salman’s regime and urged supporters not to underestimate the power of protest.
Members of the NUFC Fans Against Sportswashing group are set to stage a demonstration outside St James’s Park on Friday night, prior to the first of two international friendlies set to be staged by the Saudis at the venue this month.
Lina al-Hathloul, whose sister Loujain was imprisoned and tortured after leading a campaign to allow women to drive in her homeland, was on Tyneside this week to stress that shows of dissent can still have a significant impact on the actions of the regime.
NUFC Fans Against Sportswashing (NUFCFAS) – staunch critics of Saudi Arabia�…
Jude Bellingham struck at the death to salvage England a deserved draw against Belgium on a night of impressive auditions in the final match before Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 selection.
Three days on from the late loss to Brazil, the absentee-hit Euro 2020 runners-up faced another high-level test as the side third in FIFA’s world rankings hosted the team in fourth.
England were heading for another Wembley defeat after Youri Tielemans punished first-half errors either side of Ivan Toney’s penalty, only for Bellingham to secure a 2-2 draw in stoppage time.
Toney did well on his first start, as did fellow full debutants Ezri Konsa and, in particular, 18-year-old Kobbie Mainoo in the final friendly before Southgate names an expanded Euros squad on May 21.
…
England continue their quest for European Championship qualification against Malta on Friday evening.
Ahead of the Group C clash at Ta’ Qali National Stadium, the PA news agency has taken a look at some of the talking points.
Yes, there really is more football…
You didn’t think the season was over, did you?
Made it to Malta
— England (@England)
The curtain may have come down on the mammoth domestic campaign with Manchester City’s Champions League triumph against Inter Milan, but now attention turns to international matters. Some players have had to pause their post-season break and others have yet to have any break before the straightforward Euro 2024 qualification doubleheader against Malta and North Macedonia.
Rashford to make …
One story is dominating the sporting agenda in Spain on Saturday: Xavi s potential return to Barcelona.
The Catalan giants have reportedly earmarked the club great to take over from the under-pressure Ernesto Valverde at the end of the season, and held informal discussions with him on Friday in Doha.
Xavi, 39, is currently coach at Al Sadd but would likely relish a return to Camp Nou, where he won eight LaLiga titles and four Champions League trophies during a glittering playing career.
A strong affinity with a club is not a guarantee of success, however, and we have taken a look at eight other examples of players returning to manage teams they starred for.
HITS
Pep Guardiola
After leaving Barcelona as a player in 2001, Guard…