Author: Xoxo

 The 17-year-old bagged his first international goal to seal a win in Dorival Junior’s debut contest at the helm

The weight of expectation thrust upon 17-year-old Endrick, home and abroad, has been largely unfair for a player of his age. But for Brazil against England on Saturday, he showed exactly why it might be warranted. The Real Madrid-bound forward blew open a drab contest, and bagged the winning goal to hand the Selecao a 1-0 win at Wembley.

But he wasn’t alone in his impact, as Vinicius Jr, too, did the damage. He should have given the Selecao the lead after running through on goal in the first half, but his scuffed effort was easily swept away off the line by Kyle Walker. Lucas Paqueta had a chance of his own soon after, but lashed it off the post with the goal gaping.

Introduced with 20 minutes remaining, Endrick immediately caused problems for the Three Lions, and he was rewarded for his persistence by opening the scoring with a simple tap-in after Vinicius’ effort fell into his path off the palms of Jordan Pickford.

Meanwhile, England created little to speak of, as Brazil’s five debutants performed admirably to see off Gareth Southgate’s side. Still, the message from this contest was clear: the Selecao’s next great hope has arrived.

GOAL rates Brazil’s players from Wembley Stadium…

Goalkeeper & Defence

Bento (6/10):

Didn’t have loads to do, but was tidy when called upon. An agreeable debut.

Danilo (8/10):

Threw in some important tackles, and only improved as the game wore on. An experienced performance.

Fabricio Bruno (6/10):

Rather susceptible to the long ball, and couldn’t cope with Watkins at times, though did get a crucial toe on the ball just as the Aston Villa man looked set to open the scoring.

Lucas Beraldo (7/10):

A solid showing from Paris Saint-Germain’s latest recruit. Handled Watkins effectively.

Wendell (6/10):

Made sure that Foden never really got involved. Didn’t offer much going forward, but offered cover so that Vinicius could push up.

Goalkeeper & Defence

Bento (6/10):

Didn’t have loads to do, but was tidy when called upon. An agreeable debut.

Danilo (8/10):

Threw in some important tackles, and only improved as the game wore on. An experienced performance.

Fabricio Bruno (6/10):

Rather susceptible to the long ball, and couldn’t cope with Watkins at times, though did get a crucial toe on the ball just as the Aston Villa man looked set to open the scoring.

Lucas Beraldo (7/10):

A solid showing from Paris Saint-Germain’s latest recruit. Handled Watkins effectively.

Wendell (6/10):

Made sure that Foden never really got involved. Didn’t offer much going forward, but offered cover so that Vinicius could push up.

Attack

Raphinha (7/10):

Full of energy on the right. Could, and maybe should, have found the net after dispossessing Maguire.

Rodrygo (6/10):

A few nice moments, but didn’t offer a consistent threat.

Vinicius Jr (8/10):

Really should have scored with the Selecao’s first attack. Even so, gave England nightmares all night long. So impactful, even if he didn’t find the net himself.

Subs & Manager

Andreas Pereira (7/10):

Played a crucial pass in the run up to Brazil’s goal.

Endrick (8/10):

Came on, created chaos, and scored the winner. What a moment.

Savio (N/A):

No time to make an impact.

Douglas Luiz (N/A):

No time to make an impact.

Dorival Junior (8/10):

Handed five debuts in his first game as manager. A shaky start gave way to a promising showing. Not a bad way to get things going.

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 WHAT HAPPENED?

The new rules, set to take effect from the 2024-25 campaign, allow clubs under common ownership to participate in different UEFA competitions, even if they are typically prevented from playing in the same tournament.

This move marks a notable departure from previous restrictions and has far-reaching implications for clubs across Europe. Under the revised regulations, teams owned by the same entity can now compete in various UEFA club competitions, opening up opportunities for strategic planning and diversification in participation.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

For instance, clubs like Manchester United and Nice, both owned by Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s company INEOS, could potentially feature in different tournaments. Similarly, City Football Group’s Manchester City and Girona, Red Bull’s Leipzig and Salzburg sides, or Qatar Sports Investment’s Paris Saint-Germain and Braga could now find themselves participating in separate UEFA competitions without any legal hurdle.

DID YOU KNOW?

The changes are outlined in articles 5.04 and 5.05 of UEFA’s competition regulations, which will be enforced starting May 1. Article 5.04 stipulates that one club “may still be admitted to another UEFA club competition (i.e. in descending order: UEFA Europa League or UEFA Conference League) to which the relevant national association has access”. However, the slots allotted to a particular member association will still remain the same – unless one of the teams ends up winning a UEFA competition but finishes beyond the qualification places in their domestic league.

WHAT NEXT?

With the format of the UEFA competitions undergoing significant changes from next season – which would see a single-table round-robin stage – there will be concerns about the heightened challenges in ensuring fair play and preventing conflicts of interest. 

This decision is a clear shift to accommodate and adapt to the evolving landscape of football ownership and competition structures.

While UEFA has historically addressed instances of multi-club ownership on a case-by-case basis, the surge in such ownership structures necessitates a more comprehensive approach to safeguarding competition integrity. FIFA, which has also revamped its Club World Cup, faces similar challenges in regulating multi-club ownership. As the sport continues to evolve, ensuring fairness and transparency in club competitions remains paramount, prompting governing bodies to adapt and refine their regulations accordingly.

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 The midfielder could add vital control to a chaotic side looking to turn its major tournament woes around

It was June 23, 2018, and Germany’s World Cup defence seemed set to collapse. As Toni Kroos stood over a free-kick, a shade over from the left corner flag, in the 95th minute, with no apparent angle to hit the target, Die Mannschaft’s tournament appeared all but over. His side were level, 1-1, with Sweden, and after results elsewhere went against them, anything short of three points would effectively end their hopes in Russia after just 180 minutes of football.

Kroos, though, changed things. A perfectly executed set-piece – a roll to Marco Reus, followed by a whipped effort into the top corner – gave the Germans a 2-1 win, keeping their tournament alive – That would be Kroos’ last big moment in his national team’s colours. Germany would go on to dramatically lose to South Korea in their final group game, while their pandemic-delayed Euro 2020 campaign ended prematurely in a last-16 loss to England.

By that time, the midfield maestro was being hammered in the German press, and cast aside by veterans of the game. His nation had, in effect, turned against him, and Kroos showed little remorse in stepping away from the international game in 2021.

Fast-forward nearly three years, and that has all changed. Groovy, expansive manage

 Julian Nagelsmann has brought Kroos back into the side, and the midfielder, once disgraced, disregarded and discarded, is now poised to be a crucial part of a side that needs to perform as they host Euro 2024. He doesn’t return as a saviour, nor is it a particularly emotional return. Rather, Kroos has regained his spot in the team on merit, a player reborn and ready to inject quality into what seemed a struggling side.

The best player at the World Cup

In 2014, Kroos was simply a joy to watch. Joachim Low had assembled a wonderfully balanced midfield. Bastian Schweinsteiger operated as the No.6, all hard tackles and ball circulation, Sami Khedira and Mesut Ozil pushed forward, and Kroos did all of the bits in-between. This was the perfect example of an unathletic player made to look like a formidable one, covering ground and dominating it with the kind of subtlety of the great tempo-setting midfielders of the game.

The numbers confirmed what the eye could already tell: Kroos was the top performer at the 2014 World Cup. FIFA’s Castrol Index, a system that ranked every single player at the tournament, gave Kroos the highest rating in Brazil, pipping Arjen Robben for the top spot.

That tournament introduced Kroos on the global stage, and was enough to convince Real Madrid to snap him up for what now seems an absolute bargain €30 million (£26m/$33m).

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 Russia have called off their friendly international against Paraguay scheduled for Monday next week in Moscow, following Friday’s shooting rampage near the capital city.

This was confirmed today by the Russian Football Union, RFU.

At least 115 people died, after gunmen opened fire in a concert hall near Moscow, with Islamic State militant group claiming responsibility.

Russia defeated Serbia 4-0 on Thursday at Moscow’s VTB Arena, and were scheduled to play Paraguay at the same venue on Monday.

“In connection with the terrorist attack that occurred in Krasnogorsk, the Russian Football Union and the Paraguayan Football Association decided to cancel a friendly match between the national teams of Russia and Paraguay,” the RFU said in a statement.

The Russian Culture Ministry has also cancelled all entertainment and mass events in the country.

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 Antoine Griezmann, the Atletico Madrid forward, has clapped back at football pundits Mark Schwarzer and Jay Bothroyd who suggested on Optus Sport that he is not world-class and is merely a luxury player.

They also implied that his lacklustre performance with Barcelona demonstrated that he couldn’t perform at the highest level due to poor defensive work rate.

Griezmann took to social media to respond directly and firmly.

He wrote: “They know nothing about football!”

The Frenchman’s two-year stint at Barcelona is largely considered an unsuccessful one, in which he failed to make his mark on the team despite making 102 appearances, 35 goals and 17 assists.

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Chelsea full-back, Malo Gusto has been forced to withdraw from the France Under-23 squad ahead of the team’s friendly matches against the Ivory Coast and the United States after contracting an illness.

Gusto had been expected to start in both games as France prepares for the Paris Olympics this summer.

The 20-year-old defender made his senior international debut in France’s 2-1 win over the Netherlands in November.

He was later named in manager, Thierry Henry’s U23 squad for the forthcoming double-header but will now have to return to London after feeling unwell at the training base in Chateauroux, according to L’Equipe.

Gusto is expected to be replaced by either Kiliann Sildillia or Bafode Diakite in Henry’s defence.

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Portugal playmaker, Bruno Fernandes, has left the national camp.

According to Goal, the Manchester United captain was given permission to travel by head coach Roberto Martinez.

Fernandes had played 90 minutes in the 5-2 win over Sweden in a friendly on Wednesday.

He has now been given time off to rest ahead of United’s next Premier League clash.

The Red Devils, who beat Liverpool 4-3 in a thrilling FA Cup tie before the break, are away to Brentford next weekend.

Erik ten Hag’s men are making a late fight for a Champions League spot with 10 fixtures left.

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 Football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has listed three strikers Arsenal want to sign in the summer transfer window.

The Gunners have relied on Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard as the central attackers in their setup due to Gabriel Jesus’ injury layoffs this term.

Hence, Mikel Arteta’s side are said to be in the pursuit of first-choice number nine at the end of the season.

Arsenal were reportedly linked with the likes of Brentford’s Ivan Toney and Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic.

However, according to Romano, Arsenal’s striking targets have changed.

Speaking on Caught Offside’s YouTube channel, Romano said the likes of Victor Osimhen, Viktor Gyokeres, and Benjamin Sesko are the most likely transfer targets for the Premier League North London club.

“They will take their time to decide who is the right player based on the budget, and based on how much they want to invest,” Romano said.

“They have been in attendance many times in Portugal to follow Viktor Gyokeres.

“They are informed on the release clause situation with Victor Osimhen, but that price is much higher.

“Then another player who is now appreciated by multiple clubs is Benjamin Sesko.”

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 British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Friday waded into a row over a new England football shirt sold by Nike that changes the colours of the St George’s Cross, saying “we shouldn’t mess” with national flags.

The US sportswear firm revealed it had altered the cross, the flag of England, using purple and blue horizontal stripes in what it called a “playful update” ahead of Euro 2024, which starts in June.

Nike said the colours on the back of the collar — different from the traditional red cross — were inspired by the training kit worn by England’s 1966 World Cup winners.

But the decision has led to a furious backlash from some fans and former players, with leading politicians adding their voices.

Sunak — a fan of Championship side Southampton — said he “prefers the original” England shirt.

“My general view is that when it comes to our national flags, we shouldn’t mess with them,” he told reporters. “Because they are a source of pride, identity, who we are, and they’re perfect as they are.”

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer, whose remit includes sport, said the Football Association and its kit partner had failed to put supporters first.

“Fans should always come first, and it’s clear that this is not what fans want,” she said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“Our national heritage –- including St George’s Cross -– brings us together. Toying with it is pointless and unnecessary.”

unnecessary.”

– ‘Unifier’ –

Keir Starmer, the leader of Britain’s main opposition Labour party and an Arsenal supporter, called on Nike to “reconsider” its decision to modify the St George’s Cross.

“I’m a big football fan, I go to England games, men and women’s games, and the flag is used by everybody. It is a unifier. It doesn’t need to be changed. We just need to be proud of it,” Starmer told The Sun newspaper.

“So, I think they should just reconsider this and change it back. I’m not even sure they can properly explain why they thought they needed to change it in the first place.”

The debate over the new design comes with British politics in the grip of so-called “culture war” issues, pitting proponents of “traditionalist” values such as Sunak’s ruling Conservatives against those with more liberal, “progressive” views.

Former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton, who is England’s most-capped player, told the BBC that he does not agree with the changes, describing himself as a “traditionalist”.

“We have so many changes to kits these days so it really makes fans buy fresh kits to stay up to date and it is very expensive,” he told the BBC. “It is a colour difference and I think it is significant.

“Once you start changing colours there is no end to it. There is no need to change the colour of the flag.”

A Nike spokesman previously told media outlets: “The England 2024 home kit disrupts history with a modern take on a classic.

“The trim on the cuffs takes its cues from the training gear worn by England’s 1966 heroes, with a gradient of blues and reds topped with purple. The same colours also feature an interpretation of the flag of St George on the back of the collar.”

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 Gareth Southgate insists he won’t listen to job offers until after Euro 2024 as the England manager slammed speculation linking him to Manchester United as “completely disrespectful” to Erik ten Hag.

Southgate’s current England contract expires in December and he is yet to agree a new deal ahead of his fourth major tournament with the national team.

The 53-year-old is reportedly United’s top target to replace the under-fire Ten Hag if Old Trafford co-owner Jim Ratcliffe decided to sack the Dutchman.

Southgate on Friday said contract talks with the Football Association are on hold, with his full focus on leading England to their first men’s international trophy since the 1966 World Cup.

“I think there are two things from my point of view. One is that I’m the England manager. I’ve got one job, basically, to try and deliver a European Championship,” Southgate said ahead of Saturday’s friendly against Brazil at Wembley.

“And the second thing is Manchester United have a manager and I think it’s always completely disrespectful when there’s any speculation about a manager that’s in place.

“I’m president of the LMA (League Managers’ Association) so I don’t have any time for that sort of thing, really.”

Southgate is said to have a good relationship with Dave Brailsford, who is part of Ratcliffe’s football operations team at United.

He is also on good terms with Newcastle sporting director Dan Ashworth — another potential candidate to move to Old Trafford according to reports.

Southgate’s stock is high after leading England to the 2018 World Cup semi-finals, the European Championship final in 2021 and the World Cup quarter-finals in Qatar a year later.

Irrespective of whether the chance to join United eventually comes up, Southgate said he will not speak to anyone until after the Euros.

“I think I’ve answered this every time I’ve sat with you,” Southgate said. “Yeah, my focus is a European Championship.

“If we did something, a contract, here before everybody would be saying, ‘why are you signing a contract before a Euros where you’ve got to prove yourself?’.

“I’m certainly not going to speak to anybody else ahead of that. I never have.

“I’ve been eight years in the job. I wouldn’t entertain speaking to anybody else when I’m in the job.”

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