Latest articles by Chris Flanagan
FourFourTwo's guide to the Club World Cup
A new 32-team Club World Cup this weekend kicks off when Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami take on Al Ahly of Egypt. After a great deal of scepticism, can it establish itself as one of football’s most prestigious events?
Club World Cup 2025: Every group in focus
A guide to every group at the Club World Cup 2025, to get you up to speed with the tournament
‘Players are being flogged. If I were Manchester City, I’d declare my entire first team injured and send the youth team to the Club World Cup. I think it’s a joke’ David James warns FIFA over burnout risk
EXCLUSIVE The newly expanded Club World Cup will see 32 teams compete in the USA over the next month
‘Winning the Club World Cup would be massive for Chelsea, and not just for the trophy – £100m in prize money would help them against other Premier League clubs’ Former Blues star explains why tournament could turbo-charge their progress
In an exclusive interview with FFT, ex-Chelsea midfielder breaks down why this summer's event could be so important
‘Florian Wirtz’s arrival will allow Mo Salah to change his role as he gets older – it’ll be fascinating to see how Arne Slot uses him’ Former Liverpool forward discusses potential new boy’s place in starting line-up... and who he could oust from it
In an exclusive interview with FFT, ex-Anfield star assesses how German international could fit into the club's title-winning team
Gary Neville exclusive: Manchester United legend reveals ‘greatest thing I’ve ever done’... and it might not be what you expect
The Sky Sports pundit's proudest achievement had nothing to do with football – until now
“I never faced anybody that had what I call ‘disguised power’ as much as him. I saved his free-kicks in training and felt the ball almost forcing my hands open” David Seaman on David Beckham’s hidden attributes
EXCLUSIVE Davids Beckham and Seaman shared a pitch 37 times as England players
‘The abuse was disgusting. It was quite amazing how he came through that and became a better footballer. That period could have broken him, no doubt’ Teddy Sheringham on David Beckham’s redemption arc
EXCLUSIVE Beckham’s World Cup 1998 red card threatened to derail the career of the future England skipper
‘I respect Rafa as a coach for giving me my opportunity at Liverpool and what he did for the club, but there’s still a lack of respect as a man – it made me fall out of love with the club’: Ex-Liverpool man makes heartbreaking Istanbul admission
EXCLUSIVE One of Liverpool’s greatest nights proved to be a bittersweet occasion for one of their homegrown stars
“When he hit it, I thought, ‘You cheeky bastard’. The ball was in the air and I was thinking, ‘The gaffer’s going to kill him’. But it was floating and floating…” Gary Pallister’s reaction to David Beckham’s half-way line goal
EXCLUSIVE David Beckham cemented his place as one of the Premier League’s best youngsters at the start of the 1996/97 campaign with an audacious goal
“As captain, he wasn’t the loudest, he didn’t bark at you, but you’d watch him and think, ‘I need to work harder’. His energy against Greece was ridiculous” Emile Heskey on David Beckham’s leadership
EXCLUSIVE Beckham led by example as England skipper, with his iconic 2001 performance against Greece perfectly encapsulating his captaincy style
'I still love Sheffield United, but I’ve never seen the club score a goal in a play-off final – I hope it’s promotion this time, and my kids don’t have to experience what I did' Billy Sharp exclusive with FourFourTwo
Former Blades striker is praying that his boyhood team can finally end an unwanted record when they face Sunderland
'You wonder about Manchester United's decision to sell Scott McTominay – if you were picking a team to save your life, would you have him in it? I would. Some of the others, I wouldn't' Ex-Old Trafford star on why the Red Devils have missed Napoli ace
Speaking to FourFourTwo, a former Manchester United winger explained why letting McTominay leave has backfired
I interviewed Gary Lineker last month – he didn’t want his TV career to end like this, the World Cup was supposed to be his grand finale
After three decades, the former England striker still dreamed of finishing his career with a Three Lions triumph next summer
Football songs: The history of the beautiful game's relationship with music
LONG READ From El Tel to John Barnes, footballers once delivered a string of memorable tunes and even the odd No.1 - FFT salutes a lost tradition
‘I got invited to a World Cup party at Becks' house – white tie and diamonds was the dress code! I spent most of the time with my lad in the kids’ play tent!’Danny Mills recalls entering the orbit of David Beckham
EXCLUSIVE Danny Mills was present to witness David Beckham’s stunning free-kick against Greece and England’s subsequent 2002 World Cup campaign
‘It suited him better to play wide, to allow him to do his creative stuff. I don’t think he initially wanted to play there by choice, but his delivery was deadly’: David Beckham’s early Manchester United days recalled by former team-mate
EXCLUSIVE David Beckham had to change position in order to break through at Manchester United
‘I’d leave Liverpool’s right-back position with Conor Bradley next season, I’d only sign a back-up – at left-back, I’d still start Andy Robertson, even if they bought Milos Kerkez’ Former Anfield full-back has has say on club’s transfer business
Ex-Reds defender has faith in Northern Irishman to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold as a regular starter
‘No one gave us a chance, but we felt we could cause an upset. That game was the emergence of Jack Grealish – the bigger the stage, the more the kid grew’ Tim Sherwood on the moment a star was born
EXCLUSIVE The former Aston Villa boss on the moment that Jack Grealish announced his arrival
‘Jadon Sancho needs to leave Chelsea for his own sake – do you want to be a player who comes on sometimes, or one who plays every week? He’s good enough to play every week’ Former Blues star explains why loanee has been outshone by another wide man
In an exclusive interview, an ex-Stamford Bridge winger gives his view on whether Sancho should stay with the club
Ranked! The 50 Best Premier League players of the season
RANKED! From warhorses to Wor History-Makers, FourFourTwo ranks a half-century of talent from 2024/25 – has your man made the cut?
‘When we knew United had drawn at West Ham, it was just relief. It still gives me goosebumps talking about lifting the trophy, but my barnet was a regret!’ Tim Sherwood on what winning the Premier League meant
EXCLUSIVE Sherwood captained Blackburn Rovers to the Premier League title in the 1994/95 season
'I was trying to tell Nicole Scherzinger that Boro are a proper football club, but she asked, ‘Where are all of the trophies?’ I said, ‘Don’t worry about that…’' The celebrity Middlesbrough fan who attempted to recruit X Factor judge
EXCLUSIVE It’s fair to say Nicole Scherzinger has not been a Riverside regular in the years since
'Arsene Wenger came to watch a game on a Sunday morning, then told me, ‘From tomorrow, you’re training with us’. I never left the first team after that!' Emmanuel Petit recalls the moment Wenger took a gamble on him
EXCLUSIVE A teenage Petit was handed a senior debut by Wenger at Monaco
‘Things are better for mothers in football now. You take the time with people who do an ACL – why can’t you do that with a pregnant woman? It’s the same’ England great Katie Chapman on how women’s football has changed
EXCLUSIVE The former Arsenal and Chelsea star racked up 28 trophies during her career
