One Manchester City stalwart has opened up about potentially losing titles he won at the Etihad Stadium, after an independent Commission found the club guilty of all charges related to breaches of the Premier League's financial rules.

The Sky Blues have been charged with over 100 breaches over a nine-year period and have lodged an appeal to fight back – but there is still a degree of uncertainty in the air over Eastlands.

While some have suggested that Manchester City could be punished with relegation or transfer bans, it seems more than possible that the six-time Premier League winners could be stripped of their trophies.

Manuel Akanji reveals he fears losing Manchester City medals

In a statement, Richard Masters, Chief Executive of the Premier League, said, “The club systematically broke Premier League Rules for nearly a decade,” adding that “it is a key responsibility of the Premier League to ensure that the Rules, approved by the clubs themselves, are upheld to protect the integrity of the competition”.

Now, Sport Witness have relayed comments that ex-City defender Manuel Akanji made to Nau, when he was asked about the situation at his former club.

“I’m still in touch with a few players, but I don’t know any more than you do,” the Swiss defender said.

“We were told to stay calm, that they had everything under control and nothing major had happened. I trust the people in charge at Man City that that’s the case.

“I hope I don’t lose my titles. That would be a bit of a shame. But I’m only seeing it all in the news, too,” he continued, before adding, “Who knows what else they might dig up.”

While Akanji won two Premier League championships at City, along with two FA Cups and a Champions League, the 31-year-old signed for Pep Guardiola's side in 2022.

City are accused of breaking rules between 2009 and 2018 – which could mean that Akanji himself escapes having his titles stripped, though plenty of his former team-mates would not be so lucky.

The club built a dynasty in English football during the accused timeline, establishing the City Football Group network around the world and laying the foundations of the outfit that Guardiola would go on to conquer Europe with.

It has already been discussed in Italy that Akanji's new club, Inter Milan, were direct victims of City's charges, given that they were beaten by the Citizens in the 2023 Champions League final.

City travel to Liverpool this weekend when Premier League action resumes after the international break.

World Cup 2034 hosts Saudi Arabia have scrapped plans to build the NEOM Stadium, a so-called stadium in the sky.

The proposed 46,000-seater ground was envisioned as one of a handful of new stadiums built by the Middle Eastern country, as they shape up to host the Greatest Show on Earth.

NEOM Stadium was planned to be 350 metres above the ground and integrated into the roof of the futuristic new city, The Line – but it now won't be built at all.

Manchester City have hope of getting off from charges - but perhaps not all of them

In 2021, Saudi ruler Mohammed bin Salman announced The Line: a sci-fi-esque city that would be built to be just 200 metres wide, 110 miles long, with no cars or streets and an entirely glass mirror exterior, with all basic services within a five-minute walking distance.

The NEOM Stadium was set to be the centrepiece of the project – though the proposed smart city has been widely panned by critics for unrealistic costs and timelines, environmental harm, and human rights violations, with thousands displaced and migrant workers expected to work “way beyond what the international minimum standards permit”, as per an ITV documentary.

According to Reuters, however, the construction intelligence platform MEED Projects indicates that the NEOM Stadium is currently categorised as ‘on hold’.

Saudi Arabia was awarded the rights to host the 25th World Cup in 2023 by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, to much controversy, with the governing body handing Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay games at the 2030 tournament – billed to be part of commemorations of the 100th anniversary – effectively ruling Europe, Africa, and South America out as potential bidders for the 2034 World Cup.

FIFA then announced they would only be giving 25 days for interested nations to express their intent to host the 2034 tournament – with Saudi Arabia announcing its bid within minutes.

Saudi Arabia's original bid featured 15 stadiums, with only four had been constructed at that point, with NEOM listed as a host city.

The original webside promised the city would be “a living laboratory,” “a new model for livability” and “a future global hub”.

Reports state that $50 billion has already been pumped into developing The Line – and with trillions expected to make the smart city a reality, the project could take decades to complete.

Saudi's other proposed stadiums include The King Abdullah Economic City Stadium, Jeddah Central Development Stadium, ROSHN Stadium, New Murabba Stadium, Qiddiya Coast Stadium, Aramco Stadium, Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium, South Riyadh Stadium, and King Salman International Stadium.

Manchester City still have significant hope in escaping from their recent Premier League charges with minimal punishment – based on a “core argument”.

Last month, an independent Commission found Manchester City guilty of all charges related to breaches of the Premier League's financial rules over nine seasons, with a plethora of charges in relation to failure to cooperate with the league's investigation.

In a statement, Richard Masters, Chief Executive of the Premier League, said, “The club systematically broke Premier League Rules for nearly a decade,” adding that “it is a key responsibility of the Premier League to ensure that the Rules, approved by the clubs themselves, are upheld to protect the integrity of the competition”.

Manchester City have hope of getting off from charges - but perhaps not all of them

Speaking on a recent edition of the Talking City podcast, Manchester Evening News' chief Manchester City writer Simon Bajkowski explained the club's stance following their appeal against the Premier League's charges, stating that City “don't need to overturn everything” – and that should they simply prove that they haven't broken the rules regarding their “funding scheme”, they could still escape some punishments.

“It seems like City have a mountain to overcome – and it is a mountain, but it's not a multitude of things: it's basically a core argument,” Bajkowski said of the appeal.

“And when City say they have irrefutable evidence, it is to show that: their evidence shows that the money did not come from Man City to the sponsors to then go back into Man City's books. It came from the Abu Dhabi government to the sponsors, which then paid Manchester City… so the money has come from the Abu Dhabi government rather than the club [which is] not against the rules.”

Bajkowski noted that the Sky Blues were “stunned” by the verdict, but notes that there is hope that “a different set of eyes” – a new three-person commission assembled to examine the original decision rather than rehear the case in its entirety, following the club's appeal – will see the situation differently.

“There was a mention that the club had a number of criticisms about the process and the way that the Premier League had brought everything against City, and you imagine that would be run again [in the appeal],” he said.

“City mentioned an unsafe verdict, and reading between the lines, it's that it has taken so long for a verdict, [that] how can you be so sure that witnesses were untrue, or whatever, if you are thinking back two years to when they were on the stand?

“City are appealing the guilty verdicts because they think they have cause and evidence, but also they have paid people very handsomely to be in the room for the 11 weeks when it actually took place.

“And the reason why it stunned people at City when they were found guilty of so many things is that these people are experienced in knowing how a case was going, and the feeling after those 11 weeks was certainly not, 'Well, we've lost on every count.'

“So there is a sense that a different set of eyes may have a different view.”

City travel to Liverpool this weekend when Premier League action resumes after the international break.

Arsenal star Mikel Merino is a shock target to revitalise the fortunes of Real Madrid.

Los Blancos have stuttered this season under the returning Jose Mourinho and are already chasing in La Liga, as the Special One looks for a way to get the best out of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr in attack, along with Jude Bellingham and Yan Diomande in supporting roles.

After yet another fruitful few weeks of international duty with Spain, Arsenal star Merino has emerged as the answer – and he could end up getting more game time at the Bernabeu than he currently enjoys in North London.

Mikel Merino wanted by Real Madrid, after Arsenal and Spain heroics in front of goal

Arsenal originally signed Merino as cover for Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice in midfield – but after an injury crisis in February 2025 saw Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz both suffer long-term injuries, the Basque midfielder filled in up front away to Leicester City and scored twice.

An extraordinary return followed with Merino netting against Real Madrid in the Champions League, registering five goals and assists during an injury to Viktor Gyokeres last term, and starring at the World Cup, with two goals in five-minute cameos in the knockout stage for eventual winners, Spain.

With Merino having recorded another four goals and assists during the recent international break, Spanish outlet Fichajes have noted that the star could become a major target for Real Madrid in future transfer windows.

“His potential fit at Real Madrid stems primarily from this lack of consistent playing time,” the report states, noting, “Mourinho would be bringing in a player accustomed to playing as an attacking midfielder or central midfielder, with the ability to compete physically and arrive in the box from deep.”

While Merino is primarily a midfielder – and even played as a centre-back for Thomas Tuchel at Borussia Dortmund – the interest almost certainly comes from the return of 13 goals in his last 24 internationals.

The 30-year-old has carved a niche as a target man for Gunners boss Mikel Arteta who can replicate the hard graft that Havertz gets through when Arsenal go long – but he clearly also has the movement and eye for goal to play up front, too.

With Havertz potentially injured for the return of domestic football this weekend, it remains to be seen as to whether Merino's playing time will increase.

Gyokeres has also enjoyed a strong couple of weeks with Sweden – and though he doesn't offer the same kind of hold-up play as his rivals in attack, Arteta has often preferred him to Merino in attack when the pair have both been fit.

Merino is valued at €25 million by Transfermarkt. Arsenal host Leeds United this weekend when Premier League action resumes after the international break.

"Can we play you every week?" is the rhetorically-phrased terrace chant you'll hear most Saturdays at at least one English football ground. It's a taunt from one set of fans, directed towards the opposing set of supporters whenever the former's side is usually two-or-more goals to the good.

Playing the same team every week would, of course, be complete nonsense, even if for some sides, it would effectively guarantee them three points - which is what the chant asks knowing full well, they can't.

But, what's the longest your team has gone without playing a particular opponent? You've faced them before, but the footballing Gods have conspired to keep you both apart. FourFourTwo have done the requisite digging.

It's 130 years since Arsenal last played this English league opponent

Two cup competitions (Carabao Cup and FA Cup) mean the likelihood of facing a team in another division each season is pretty common, but for some clubs, such as those who've never been relegated from the top flight, they can be chance encounters.

Take Arsenal for example, they've played Crewe Alexandra six times in their history, but each of those came when Queen Victoria sat on the throne. How they've never been drawn against each other in the cups, we'll never know.

🔘 PREMIER LEAGUE

Arsenal

Longest without playing: Woolwich Arsenal 7-0 Crewe Alexandra 1896 Division Two

Aston Villa

Longest without playing: Aston Villa 1-1 Lincoln City 1960 Division Two

AFC Bournemouth

Longest without playing: Newport County 0-1 AFC Bournemouth 1987 Division Three

Brentford

Longest without playing: York City 1-2 Brentford 2002 FA Cup

Brighton & Hove Albion

Longest without playing: Brighton & Hove Albion 1-1 York City 2001 Division 3

Chelsea

Longest without playing: Stockport County 0-0 Chelsea 1926 Division Two

Coventry City

Longest without playing: Coventry City 0-2 Liverpool 2001 Premier League

Crystal Palace

Longest without playing: Crystal Palace 2-1 Wrexham 1982 Division Two

Everton

Longest without playing: Northampton Town 0-2 Everton 1966 Division One

Fulham

Longest without playing: Fulham 2-0 Newport County 1987 Division Three

Hull City

Longest without playing: Newport County 0-1 Hull City 1985 Division Three

Ipswich Town

Longest without playing: Mansfield 2-3 Ipswich Town 1963 FA Cup

Leeds United

Longest without playing: York City 0-4 Leeds United 1987 League Cup

Liverpool

Longest without playing: Liverpool 2-0 Gillingham 1914 FA Cup

Manchester City

Longest without playing: Manchester City 4-1 Barnet 1994 League Cup

Manchester United

Longest without playing: Doncaster Rovers 0-0 Manchester United 1936 Division Two

Newcastle United

Longest without playing: Newcastle United 2-3 Chesterfield 1947 Division Two

Nottingham Forest

Longest without playing: Nottingham Forest 2-1 Newport County 1951 Division Three (South)

Sunderland

Longest without playing: Wrexham 0-1 Sunderland 1980 Division Two

Tottenham Hotspur

Longest without playing: Chesterfield 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur 1949 Division Two

🔘 CHAMPIONSHIP

Birmingham City

Longest without playing: Newport County 0-3 Birmingham City 1947 Division Two

Blackburn Rovers

Longest without playing: Chesterfield Town 0-1 Blackburn Rovers 1980 Division 3

Bolton Wanderers

Longest without playing: Bolton Wanderers 2-0 York City 2011 FA Cup

Bristol City

Longest without playing: Arsenal 0-0 Bristol City 1980 Division One

Burnley

Longest without playing: Burnley 2-0 Newport County 1988 Division Four

Cardiff City

Longest without playing: York City 3-3 Cardiff City 2001 Division Three

Charlton Athletic

Longest without playing: Charlton Athletic 3-2 York City 1976 Division Two

Derby County

Longest without playing: York City 1-3 Derby County 1986 Division Three

Lincoln City

Longest without playing: Lincoln City 8-1 Bromley 1938 FA Cup

Middlesbrough

Longest without playing: Leyton Orient 2-1 Middlesbrough 1978 FA Cup

Millwall

Longest without playing: Arsenal 0-2 Millwall 1995 FA Cup

Norwich City

Longest without playing: Norwich City 5-1 Mansfield Town 1959 Division Three

Portsmouth

Longest without playing: Huddersfield 4-1 Portsmouth 2001 Division One

Preston North End

Longest without playing: Newport County 3-3 Preston North End 1985 Division Three

Queens Park Rangers

Longest without playing: Queens Park Rangers 3-2 Newport County 1962 FA Cup

Sheffield United

Longest without playing: Sheffield United 2-0 Newport County 1984 Division 3

Southampton

Longest without playing: Barnet 1-4 Southampton 1954 FA Cup

Stoke City

Longest without playing: Stoke City 4-1 Barnet 1993 Autoglass Trophy

Swansea City

Longest without playing: Swansea City 0-0 Grimsby Town 2005 League Two

Watford

Longest without playing: Mansfield Town 0-3 Watford 1979 Division Three

West Bromwich Albion

Longest without playing: York City 0-1 West Bromwich Albion 1976 Division Two

West Ham United

Longest without playing: West Ham United 4-1 Exeter City 1915 Division Three

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Longest without playing: York City 2-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1986 Division Three

Wrexham

Longest without playing: Wrexham 1-3 Liverpool 1978 League Cup

🔘 LEAGUE ONE

AFC Wimbledon

Longest without playing: AFC Wimbledon 1-2 Liverpool 2015 FA Cup

Barnsley

Longest without playing: Barnsley 0-2 Arsenal 1998 Premier League

Blackpool

Longest without playing: York City 0-2 Blackpool 2004 LDV Vans Trophy

Bradford City

Longest without playing: Bradford City 0-0 Fulham 1994 Division Two

Bromley

Longest without playing: Lincoln City 8-1 Bromley 1938 FA Cup

Burton Albion

Longest without playing: York City 1-1 Burton Albion 2015 League Two

Cambridge United

Longest without playing: Everton 3-0 Cambridge United 1976 FA Cup

Doncaster Rovers

Longest without playing: Doncaster Rovers 0-0 Manchester United 1936 Division Two

Huddersfield Town

Longest without playing: Huddersfield Town 1-0 Newport County 1938 Division Three

Leicester City

Longest without playing: Cambridge United 1-3 Leicester City 1993 Division 1 (Scheduled to play each other again on 1st December 2026)

Leyton Orient

Longest without playing: Leyton Orient 2-1 Liverpool 1963 Division One

Luton Town

Longest without playing: Southampton 1-0 Luton Town 2010 FA Cup

Mansfield Town

Longest without playing: Norwich City 5-1 Mansfield Town 1959 Division Three

Milton Keynes Dons

Longest without playing: Milton Keynes Dons 0-5 Tottenham Hotspur 2006 League Cup

Notts County

Longest without playing: Notts County 1-1 Manchester United 1992 Division One

Oxford United

Longest without playing: Oxford United 0-3 Liverpool 1987 Division One

Peterborough United

Longest without playing: Peterborough United 2-1 Arsenal 1965 FA Cup

Plymouth Argyle

Longest without playing: Plymouth Argyle 1-5 Tottenham Hotspur 1962 FA Cup

Reading

Longest without playing: Barnet 4-1 Reading 2001 LDV Vans Trophy

Sheffield Wednesday

Longest without playing: Newport County 3-2 Sheffield Wednesday 1964 FA Cup

Stevenage

Longest without playing: Stevenage 3-1 Newcastle United 2011 FA Cup

Stockport County

Never played: Stockport County 0-0 Chelsea 1926 Division Two

Wigan Athletic

Longest without playing: Newport County 1-2 Wigan Athletic 1987 Division Three

Wycombe Wanderers

Longest without playing: Wycombe Wanderers 1-2 Liverpool 2001 FA Cup

🔘 LEAGUE TWO

Accrington Stanley

Longest without playing: Watford 0-0 Accrington Stanley 2006 League Cup (Accrington Stanley lost on penalties)

Barnet

Longest without playing: Barnet 1-4 Southampton 1954 FA Cup

Bristol Rovers

Longest without playing: Bristol Rovers 1-1 Manchester United 1975 Division Two

Cheltenham Town

Longest without playing: Wolverhampton Wanderers 5-1 Cheltenham Town 1987 FA Cup

Chesterfield

Longest without playing: Chesterfield 1-5 Arsenal 1937 FA Cup

Colchester United

Longest without playing: Arsenal 4-0 Colchester United 1959 FA Cup

Crawley Town

Longest without playing: Manchester United 1-0 Crawley Town 2011 FA Cup

Crewe Alexandra

Longest without playing: Woolwich Arsenal 7-0 Crewe Alexandra 1896 Division Two

Exeter City

Longest without playing: Chelsea 2-0 Exeter City 1951 FA Cup

Fleetwood Town

Longest without playing: Fleetwood Town 0-0 York City 2014 League Two Play Off Semi Final Second Leg

Gillingham

Longest without playing: Liverpool 2-0 Gillingham 1914 FA Cup

Grimsby Town

Longest without playing: Everton 0-1 Grimsby Town 1984 League Cup

Newport County

Longest without playing: Newport County 0-3 Birmingham City 1947 Division Two

Northampton Town

Longest without playing: Arsenal 1-1 Northampton Town 1965 Division One

Oldham Athletic

Longest without playing: Aston Villa 1-2 Oldham Athletic 1994 Premier League

Port Vale

Longest without playing: Port Vale 0-1 West Ham United 1991 Division Two

Rochdale

Longest without playing: Arsenal 4-2 Rochdale 1920 FA Cup

Rotherham United

Longest without playing: Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Rotherham United 1972 FA Cup

Salford City

Longest without playing: Everton 3-0 Salford City 2020 League Cup

Shrewsbury Town

Longest without playing: Newcastle United 2-1 Shrewsbury Town 1987 Simod Cup

Swindon Town

Longest without playing: Liverpool 2-2 Swindon Town 1993 Premier League

Tranmere Rovers

Longest without playing: Arsenal 0-1 Tranmere Rovers 1973 League Cup

Walsall

Longest without playing: Walsall 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur 1969 FA Cup

York City

Longest without playing: York City 3-1 Tottenham Hotspur 1955 FA Cup

Liverpool talks for Kylian Mbappe have resumed, with the Real Madrid star's future somewhat uncertain.

The Frenchman has been on a mammoth PR campaign ahead of next week's Ballon d'Or ceremony in London – but despite Mbappe's belief that he is deserving of the award, he is yet to win a major trophy at the Bernabeu since his move two years ago.

With Los Blancos in somewhat of a tactical rut and Liverpool having previously opened talks with Mbappe over moving to the Premier League, the Reds have emerged once more as a potential future destination, should the superstar leave Real Madrid.

Liverpool have opened Kylian Mbappe talks, with the star neither 'loved or supported' at Real Madrid

Real Madrid last won the Champions League in 2024 under Carlo Ancelotti, with Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo in a front two ahead of Jude Bellingham at No.10 – but the introduction of Mbappe has had an adverse effect on all three and Madrid as a whole.

Vinicius has looked a shadow of himself alongside the French forward, Bellingham has had to play a deeper role, while Rodrygo has dropped out of the side through injuries and form, leading Los Blancos to sign another left-winger in the summer, in Yan Diomande.

According to Spanish journalist Francois Gallardo, something has to give.

“Several Premier League teams are interested in Kylian Mbappe, but the player’s priority is Liverpool,” Gallardo told outlet Defensa Central, adding, “They have already contacted [Mbappe's mother and representative] Fayza Lamari in recent weeks.”

Defensa Central note that, “Real Madrid have no intention of letting go of one of the most important players in their squad, and any negotiation would have to reach extraordinary figures” – though Gallardo says that the fee would reach around €200-250 million.

“He has made the decision to leave the club in the summer of 2027, and Real Madrid is not going to stand in his way,” the Spaniard claimed in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

“His next destination is in the Premier League. And if not, prove me wrong.”

Liverpool have been previously linked with Mbappe throughout the course of his career – but given that the Merseysiders are well-stocked with plenty of left-sided attackers, it would be a bold move to sign another.

Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike, Bradley Barcola, Florian Wirtz, Cody Gakpo, Victor Munoz and Rio Ngumoha all favour that side of the pitch – though Mbappe may play up front – with FourFourTwo understanding that the deal could perhaps be a nonstarter for this reason alone.

Mbappe is valued at €200m by Transfermarkt. Liverpool face Manchester City in the first game back after the international break, as Premier League action resumes.

Arsenal are readying a midseason move to improve their attack, after defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion highlighted weaknesses in their squad.

Before leaving for international duty, the Gunners suffered their first defeat of the season at the Amex in emphatic style, losing 3-0 to a Seagulls side who outplayed them

With Arsenal looking to retain the Premier League title and go one further in the Champions League, plenty of pundits have questioned the club's reserves in attack – and it would appear that a new winger is the priority for manager, Mikel Arteta.

Arsenal looking to another forward to improve the squad

Arsenal don't often move for January signings, opting to keep their powder during their last two title races and enjoying bigger summer windows as a result.

But it wouldn't be unheard of for the North Londoners to bring in an attacker to bolster their attacking threat, with Leandro Trossard a standout example in 2023.

According to German outlet Fussball News, Antonio Nusa is on the radar for Arsenal this winter, with the Premier League champions working on formalising an offer.

Nusa enjoyed a breakout World Cup alongside Emirates Stadium captain Martin Odegaard for Norway, and has become one of the most exciting left-wingers in Europe over the last couple of years, having come close to a move to Brentford in January 2024.

The Bees reportedly flagged back and knee issues – with the forward suffering a knee injury that ruled him out for two months shortly after.

But since moving to RB Leipzig, Nusa has managed to put together a consistent run in the Saxony outfit's side, establishing himself as one of the Bundesliga's better attackers and courting the attention of top Premier League sides once more.

As a hard-working, intelligent winger who can hug the touchline or cut in to create or score, Nusa is exactly the type of forward that Arteta has made his name working with during his tenure in N5.

The 21-year-old has a contract until 2029, however, and FourFourTwo understands that Die Roten Bullen have no interest in letting one of their best players leave midseason.

Nusa has struck two goals and registered two assists in just four Bundesliga fixtures this term.

The Norwegian is valued at €45 million by Transfermarkt. Arsenal host Leeds United this weekend when Premier League action resumes after the international break.

You've probably seen Josh Pugh's sketches reminiscing about 'The Gaffer' - but you may know know that the comedian has dozens of England caps.

The Coventry City fan has represented his country over 60 times as part of the Three Lions' partially sighted team.

Pugh regularly trains with the rest of the team at St George's Park, with his picture there to be found in the corridor alongside that of men's captain Harry Kane.

Pugh told FourFourTwo: “When I was playing football growing up, I found it increasingly difficult as the pitches got bigger. It was hard seeing the ball, and my sense of distance and light were affected. I dropped out of the game for a bit.

“That changed when I was diagnosed as partially sighted, though I didn’t really know what it meant at the time.

"I met a guy called John McDougall at college playing a casual game of seven-a-side. He had full vision until he was 16 but was experiencing the same issues I’d been through.

"He introduced me to the concept of partially-sighted football, essentially the same as futsal, and with a national team, of which he was the captain. He really championed it, and me, and it went from there.

“The whole experience of travelling with England to competitions, all kitted out, training hard and living in hotels, it was amazing – a lovely escape from real life.

"The hardest bit about going away with England was being too scared to use your mobile phone abroad, because of the tariffs. We weren’t pros or millionaires, just normal lads terrified of how much it would cost to phone home from a foreign country. We’d use the head coach’s phone instead.

"And then you’d step back off the plane after a tournament and have to go back to being a comedian, a DJ or whatever it was we all did for money."

Pugh’s pinnacle was playing, and scoring, in the 2019 IBSA Partially Sighted Futsal World Championship final.

He said: “We were playing Ukraine, who are really good, and I put us ahead early on. I had a feeling all tournament I’d score a big goal, and it was an amazing moment, but it was also the very definition of scoring too early… Ukraine went on to beat us 6-2.”

“It’s mad to think what some players are capable of despite their visual impairment. Could some of them play professionally? It’s the ultimate hypothetical, really.

"There was Hugo Acosta who played for Benfica; Steve Daley, who has a hall named after him at St. George’s Park; Chris Holland, who played for Newcastle and Birmingham before he lost his sight.

"There was also this really special Ukrainian lad who Trabzonspor tried to sign. I don't think they'd understood what the tournament was when they were watching him. I mean, he’s good at futsal, but somebody probably needed to have a word with their head of recruitment…"

Pugh believes there are parallels between his football and comedy careers.

He said: “You have to work hard at both, and be totally invested in them and be honest with yourself about your performances.

"With football, that means training to a high level, consistently, regardless of whatever else is going on in your life. If I’m on tour, I have to plan my training diligently. I can’t just go out for a run, because of my vision, so I have to familiarise myself with hotel treadmills.

“Whether football or comedy, you have to keep exposing yourself to it...play loads of matches, do loads of gigs, make mistakes and learn.”

Is this the end of Cristiano Ronaldo’s love affair with Portugal? It certainly appears so after the latest drama in what has undoubtedly been the most earth-shattering international break ever.

For some, including his millions of worshippers, Ronaldo was right to walk out on his country after alleged provocation and broken promises from Jorge Jesus. For others, there was no excuse for his behaviour, especially given his age, and the 41-year-old’s departure long overdue.

As for the most famous sportsman on the planet, he has now revealed his own truth in a remarkable 1,740 word statement. It leaves us with a lot of questions with one being: how different might things have looked if Ronaldo had not left Real Madrid or retired in 2018?

Cristiano Ronaldo was on top of the world in 2018

Of course, that is not to diminish what he has achieved since. Any mere mortal would be beyond thrilled. But Ronaldo has never viewed himself as that, which has been a key component of his all-time career.

Anyway, let’s roll it back eight years to the summer of 2018. Portugal may have suffered yet another early World Cup exit - losing to Uruguay in the Round of 16 - but their star man was still on top of the world.

While his team struggled, Ronaldo did not, scoring a hat-trick against Spain in the opening game of the tournament, rescuing them with a stunning late free kick.

He had also captained his country to their first-ever major trophy two years earlier, part-coaching them in the final after an untimely injury. It saw him fully surpass the likes of Eusebio and Luis Figo and crowned the undisputed king of Portuguese football.

At club level, he was untouchable. Real Madrid had just won their third consecutive European Cup, the first side to do so since Bayern Munich in the mid-1970s.

While Gareth Bale took over in Kyiv, Ronaldo had already hit four in finals over the years, and was the driving force as per for Los Blancos.

His 15 goals - including that bicycle kick against Juventus - saw him take the top scorer award for a record seventh time, and for a ludicrous sixth consecutive season.

Five European Cups had been lifted, and with arguably the two most famous clubs in the world. He was, and is, Mr. Champions League, which has been sometimes forgotten or ignored in recent times.

The individual honours just kept rolling with Ronaldo then the two-time defending Ballon d’Or winner, having won four of his overall five from 2013 to 2017. It was safe to say he had enjoyed a perfect career outside of lifting the World Cup.

With Qatar over four years away, Ronaldo could have called it quits at this point with his status as possibly the best ever to do it already secured. Given what we know about him and his unparalleled drive, that was never a possibility though.

He could have stayed at the Bernabeu, though. A fall out with Florentino Perez over how the president viewed the No. 7 was the primary reason for his exit according to the man himself. What happened next is perhaps the longest goodbye tour since Elton John.

Nothing ever felt quite the same, which is summed up by the fact Ronaldo has not played in a Champions League semi-final since swapping Madrid for Turin in July 2018. That’s not to say it was all bad.

There were 101 goals for Juve, including the most clutch of hat-tricks to turn around a Round of 16 tie with, you guessed it, Atletico Madrid in his first season. Two Scudettos were won, along with a couple of Player of the Year awards and a golden boot. He is the only player to finish as top scorer in Serie A, La Liga and the Premier League.

However, he was brought to Italy to help the team finally get over the hump in Europe after two final losses, one of which saw Ronaldo put two past them in Cardiff. That did not come near to happening with the Old Lady by now an old team. His fee and wages have contributed to their ongoing decline.

That’s not on Ronaldo himself, nor was Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s sacking less than three months into his iconic return to Old Trafford that broke the internet on deadline day in August 2021.

He sped up an inevitable process but did give a new generation of fans moments to cherish with 24 goals in his one full comeback season. Ronaldo remains the oldest player to score 15 goals or more in a Premier League campaign.

His toxic final few months at the club, which ended with an embarrassing scorched earth interview with Piers Morgan, gave us an insight into a superhuman struggling with slowing down. It’s where the Homelander comparisons began, and partly mirrors his Portugal exit with Jesus playing Erik ten Hag.

He did still have good times with the national team post-2018 - winning two Nations League titles, scoring a boatload more goals and top scoring EURO 2020. Again though, there were no more semi-finals and several low points.

No Ronaldo discussion can be had without a mention of Lionel Messi, his greatest rival aside from father time. The GOAT debate is over for most but in 2018, it was very much up in the air. The Argentine had won nothing at international level while Barcelona were amid a disastrous run of Champions League humiliations.

A World Cup win, along with a pair of Copa Americas, ended the argument alongside three questionable Ballon d’Ors that moved Messi onto a record eight.

While his old foe turned out one last time for an emotional Argentina farewell appearance in Buenos Aires - against the might of Benin - Ronaldo is out in the cold with his famous number already being passed on to Rafael Leao due to UEFA rules.

He will surely be afforded a goodbye or two of his own at some point. It will be demanded. There is also so much to this story given Ronaldo’s undeniable devotion to Portugal and the fact Jesus and he worked together last season at Al Nassr.

But for now, his career will end in the backwaters of the Saudi Pro League as he continues to chase 1000 career goals. It would be the latest in a near-endless list of remarkable records, notably the most international caps (234), most international goals (146) and most Real Madrid goals (450).

His legacy will not be tainted by this final act in years to come - look at Maradona and Zidane - albeit it already is to many given a dismissed but highly-contentious legal case.

Maybe it could have been different. If he’d stayed with Real. If he’d shockingly retired in 2018. If he’d not left Jorge Mendes in 2023. While he has firmly outlined his own truth, the Shakespearean reality is that what made Ronaldo what he was is ultimately why it’s ending like this.

It's time for a new FourFourTwo Quickfire Quiz to find out whether you can match football trivia chops with speed of thought. 10 questions in 90 seconds. Go!

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

FourFourTwo has many more football quizzes, all courtesy of Kwizly. First, we'll ask you to name every one of the 108 teams competing in the league phase of this season's Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.

Manchester United have consistently been one of the wealthiest and most successful clubs in England, and powerful in the transfer market to boot. Can you name the 50 most expensive signings ever made by the Red Devils?

We haven't worked out which club has the biggest gap between the top few transfer fees they've paid out and the rest, but there's a good chance it's United's bitter rivals. Can you name Liverpool's 50 most expensive signings?

Football isn't really about transfers, of course. It's a phenomenon of community and social cohesion and tension, and it's geographically rooted. These are our cathedrals. Tackle our Big Quiz of English Football Grounds to find out how much you know about them.

Lastly for now, this is our biggest ever quiz. We'll take high scores on this one because you're not getting them all and you really shouldn't want to. Can you name every team ever to have played in the league phase, group stage or first round of the Champions League?

We have puzzles too. Our Weekend Crossword is a regular football teaser for your Sunday, and remember to sign up to the newsletter for more quizzes in your inbox. Don't forget to join The Club for free additional membership benefits!

For some footballers, playing in the Premier League is the pinnacle of their ambitions. For others, winning the World Cup is the ultimate dream. So, spare a thought for the select few who have to decide which achievement meant more, the poor sods. This FourFourTwo quiz is about them.

Your task is simple. We want you to think of a player who played in the Premier League and won the World Cup while he was there, and type in his name. Then we want you to do it again and again.

Just 21 Premier League players have won the World Cup while employed in England's top division. You have 10 minutes to name every single one of them.

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

FourFourTwo has a huge supply of football quizzes and they're all courtesy of Kwizly. England's League Cup, or EFL Cup, has been played under many different sponsorship names in its 66-year history. Can you name every League Cup title sponsor ever?

Next, we have a badge quiz with a twist. We've messed with some club and country badges, removed the team names and given them some very unflattering colour updates. All you need to do is tell us whose badges they are.

Finally, we want you to try your hand at some stadium trivia by tackling our Big Quiz of English football grounds. There are questions about their names, stands, histories and teams, and it'll take a true historian of the English game to answer them all correctly.

FourFourTwo's Weekend Crossword 72 features clues on Buccaneers, pirates and Vikings. Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter for your daily afternoon briefing of football trivia and analysis, and don't forget to join The Club: our free membership portal where you can secret hints and get on the leaderboard.

Watch Lionel Messi make his 208th and final appearance for Argentina as they face Benin at Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.

FourFourTwo has all the free live stream details and TV channels you need, wherever you are in the world.

Twenty-one years and 51 days ago, Messi made his debut for Argentina against Hungary and was sent off less than a minute later for an elbow — not exactly the debut that hinted at what was to come.

Since that day, he has gone on to make 207 appearances, score 125 goals, provide 68 assists, and win the World Cup once and Copa América twice. The fairytale ending didn't happen this summer, as Argentina were defeated 1-0 by Spain in the World Cup final, but he will now get a deserved send-off in front of a home crowd in Argentina.

Benin may not be the dream opponent to finish your career against, but the level of opposition certainly gives Argentina's No. 10 the chance to finish with a goal or two. He has been rested for both previous friendlies during this international break in a bid to prepare him for this game, and it is sure to be a tear-filled, but likely goal-filled, farewell for the greatest to ever do it.

Ranked 93rd in the world, Benin certainly won't be expected to put up much of a fight, and with the Argentine Football Association reportedly booking the Benin team onto commercial flights and putting them up in an under-equipped hotel, according to Romain Molina, they stand even less of a chance.

▶︎ SEE MORE: Argentina are doing everything to guarantee Lionel Messi a perfect send-off even if that means not playing fair

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information on how to watch Argentina vs Benin online, on TV, and from anywhere - including for FREE.

Watch Argentina vs Benin from anywhere with a VPN

What if you're away from home when Argentina vs Benin is on, and find access to your usual streaming service geo-blocked? The solution is a VPN, a piece of software that can unblock streaming services from wherever you're in the world.

FourFourTwo’s colleagues TechRadar are experts in this field, and they reckon NordVPN is the best VPN provider on the market.

How to watch Argentina vs Benin in the UK

In the UK can watch Argentina vs Benin will be broadcast on Premier Sports, with live coverage on Premier Sports 2.

How to watch Argentina vs Benin in the US

Argentina vs Benin will be broadcast on ViX in the US.

FourFourTwo's prediction

Argentina 6-0 Benin

Lionel Messi will net a few as Argentina ease to victory over Benin.

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Watch Switzerland vs North Macedonia for free from anywhere in the world as top and bottom meet in Group B1 of the Nations League. Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the live stream details and TV channels wherever you are in the world.

Murat Yakin and Switzerland welcome North Macedonia to the beautiful city of Lucerne with both eyes fixed on ending the international window with four wins from four.

Switzerland have won all three so far, including a 3-0 victory over today's opponents. North Macedonia have lost all three of their games.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information on how to watch Switzerland vs North Macedonia online, on TV, and from anywhere.

Watch Switzerland vs North Macedonia from anywhere

What if you're away from home when Switzerland vs North Macedonia is on, and find access to your usual streaming service geo-blocked? The solution is a VPN, a piece of software that sets your devices to appear to be in any country in the world.

FourFourTwo’s colleagues TechRadar are experts in this field, and they reckon NordVPN is the best VPN provider on the market.

Can I watch Switzerland vs North Macedonia in the UK?

Unfortunately, Switzerland vs North Macedonia has not been selected for broadcast coverage in the UK.

Visiting the UK at the moment? Unlock your stream with NordVPN.

Watch Switzerland vs North Macedonia in the US

In the US, Fubo is an official broadcast partner of the UEFA Nations League.

Switzerland vs North Macedonia will be available on Fubo Sports Network for free as well as via the standard Fubo platform if you already have a subscription.

Watch Switzerland vs North Macedonia in Australia

Fans in Australia can watch Switzerland vs North Macedonia live on beIN SPORTS. The game will be shown on beIN SPORTS Connect.

Switzerland vs North Macedonia: Nations League preview

Switzerland's win in Skopje was emphatic. Remo Freuler and Zeki Amdouni both scored in the first half and Amdouni grabbed a second with 15 minutes left on the clock to make sure.

Yakin has harnessed the momentum of what was a largely positive World Cup. His team won one knock-out match in 90 minutes and another on penalties before Argentina overpowered them in the quarter-finals.

Switzerland had to come from behind to beat Slovenia on Saturday but it took them next to no time to do so. Consequently another win in Lucerne would make them overwhelming favourites to clinch promotion to League A.

North Macedonia haven't scored in this Nations League campaign. In fact, they haven't scored in their last seven matches. Their last goal was scored by Rangers striker Bojan Miovski in a 7-1 loss to Wales nearly a year ago.

They're destined for League C, from which they were promoted in the last running of the Nations League having played the inaugural competition in League D.

FourFourTwo's prediction

Switzerland 3-0 North Macedonia

Yakin's boys are flying, so we're predicting a repeat of the recent meeting between these teams.

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Watch Croatia vs Spain for free from anywhere as the world champions aim to continue their seismic unbeaten run, with FourFourTwo bringing you live stream details and TV channels, wherever you are on the planet.

Croatia are back in action after their heavy 7-0 defeat against England on Saturday evening.

And the worst side you could wish to face next would be Spain, with La Roja coming into this game on a 42-game unbeaten run in all competitions, as world champions and with a 100% record in their three Nations League games so far.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information on how to watch Croatia vs Spain online, on TV, and from anywhere - including for FREE.

Watch Croatia vs Spain from anywhere with a VPN

What if you're away from home when Croatia vs Spain is on, and find access to your usual streaming service geo-blocked? The solution is a VPN, a piece of software that can unblock streaming services from wherever you're in the world.

FourFourTwo’s colleagues TechRadar are experts in this field, and they reckon NordVPN is the best VPN provider on the market.

Watch Croatia vs Spain in the UK

Prime Video will be broadcasting Croatia vs Spain in the UK with kick-off arriving at 7:45pm BST.

Watch Croatia vs Spain in the US

Fox Sports 1 are broadcasting Croatia vs Spain in the Nations League. The game will kick off at 2:45pm ET / 11:45am PT.

Watch Croatia vs Spain in Australia

In Australia, Croatia vs Spain is live on beIN SPORTS. The match will be broadcast on beIN SPORTS 2 and beIN SPORTS CONNECT, with kick-off at 4:45am AEST on Wednesday.

Croatia vs Spain: Nations League preview

Croatia welcome Spain to Split on Tuesday night knowing they need a response after a disastrous few days in the UEFA Nations League.

The hosts were beaten 4-1 by Spain in Seville last Tuesday before suffering an even heavier defeat on Saturday, when England produced a stunning 7-0 victory in Rijeka.

That result leaves Croatia with just three points from their opening three Group A3 matches. They began the campaign positively with a 2-1 victory away to Czechia, but back-to-back defeats against Spain and England have left Slaven Bilić’s side facing a huge challenge if they are to remain in contention for the top two.

Croatia’s team news will therefore be closely watched. Luka Modrić remains the obvious figurehead, but he and Mateo Kovačić looked short of their best against a youthful England midfield.

Spain arrive in considerably better spirits. Luis de la Fuente’s side have won all three of their Nations League matches and sit top of Group A3 with nine points. They opened with a dramatic 3-2 victory over England before producing an emphatic 4-1 win against Croatia.

They followed that up with a 3-1 victory over Czechia on Saturday, despite De la Fuente making nine changes to his starting XI. Lamine Yamal opened the scoring — as he has done in every Nations League game so far — before Rodri scored his first international goal in more than two years. Mikel Merino then completed the scoring late on.

Spain do have some injury concerns, however. Ferran Torres withdrew from the squad with an ankle problem, while Alejandro Grimaldo also left the camp after suffering a thigh injury. Fran García was subsequently called up as his replacement.

Croatia vs Spain: Team News

🇭🇷 Croatia Starting XI: Livakovic; Stanisic, Sutalo, Vuskovic, Gvardiol, Perisic; Modric, Jakic; Vlasic, Kovacic, Matanovic

🇪🇸 Spain Starting XI: Unai Simón; Pubill, Cubarsí, Laporte, Cucurella; Dani Olmo, Rodri, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Oyarzabal, Baena

FourFourTwo's prediction

Croatia 0-4 Spain

Croatia's ageing team will be no match for the current best international side. Yamal to score again.

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Watch Scotland vs Slovenia for free from anywhere in the world as Sebastien Pocognoli looks to follow up Scotland's win against North Macedonia. Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the live stream details and TV channels wherever you are in the world.

Tonight's game at Hampden Park has the potential to be the pivotal match in the group. If Scotland have designs on promotion, now's the time to make their case.

With top playing bottom in the other game, Scotland and Slovenia are locked together on four points apiece and have already played each other to a draw.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information on how to watch Scotland vs Slovenia online, on TV, and from anywhere.

How to watch Scotland vs Slovenia for free in the UK

UK viewers can watch Scotland vs Slovenia live and free on BBC Two, with coverage also available on BBC iPlayer.

Those away from the UK can access their free stream with a VPN such as NordVPN.

Watch Scotland vs Slovenia from anywhere

A good VPN can help you access your usual streaming services abroad. By changing your IP address to make your device appear to be in another country, a VPN can help bypass geo-restrictions and let you watch your subscriptions while travelling.

The tech experts at Tom's Guide review a lot of VPNs and right now they reckon NordVPN is the best VPN you can buy. And the good news is that NordVPN are currently offering an amazing deal on the service...

Watch Scotland vs Slovenia in the US

In the US, Fox Soccer Plus will broadcast Scotland vs Slovenia with kick-off at 2:45pm ET / 11:45am PT.

Watch Scotland vs Slovenia in Australia

Fans in Australia can watch Scotland vs Slovenia live on beIN SPORTS. The game will be shown on beIN SPORTS 1.

Scotland vs Slovenia: Nations League preview

A goalless draw in Ljubljana at the end of September will start to look like a very useful result if Scotland can back it up with a win in Glasgow, which would put three points between the sides with just two matches remaining.

Getting past North Macedonia was key, and Scotland did just that on Saturday thanks to Kieron Bowie’s goal and the safety net of John McGinn’s penalty. However, Scott McKenna’s red card provided an unwelcome ending.

Slovenia also secured a 2-0 victory when they faced the group’s bottom side. Zan Vipotnik gave them an early lead in Switzerland on Saturday, but an own goal pegged them back almost immediately before Dan Ndoye put the hosts ahead by half-time.

It was Slovenia’s first competitive win in more than a year and a half. Sixteen years on from reaching their highest-ever FIFA World Ranking of 15th, they now sit comfortably outside the top 50 and look set to remain there for the time being.

Scotland, meanwhile, will be hoping to end the year inside the top 40 and with their hopes of climbing to League A in the Nations League still alive. A win against Slovenia would boost their chances of achieving both objectives.

Scotland vs Slovenia: Team News

Scotland (3-5-1-1): Gunn, Binks, Hendry, Welsh, Robertson, Gilmour, Ferguson, McGinn, Gannon-Doak, Christie, McBurnie

Slovenia (4-4-2): Oblak, Janza, Zec, Bijol, Brekalo, Sturm, Zabukovnik, Gnezda Cerin, Karnicnik, Vipotnik, Matko

FourFourTwo's prediction

Scotland 2-0 Slovenia

FourFourTwo predicts that the Hampden crowd will play their part in a win.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Watch England vs Czechia for FREE from anywhere as the Three Lions head back to Wembley for their fourth Nations League fixture, with FourFourTwo bringing you all the live stream details and TV channels, wherever you are in the world.

England produced one of their best individual displays in years against Croatia on Saturday, winning 7-0 in a dominant outing.

Now they look to follow that up with another commanding performance against Czechia. Santi Denia's side are yet to pick up a point in their group and haven't won at Wembley in eight attempts.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information on how to watch England vs Czechia online, on TV, and from anywhere.

Watch England vs Czechia for FREE in the UK and Ireland

Viewers in the UK can watch England vs Czechia for free on ITV1 and ITVX. Kick-off is at 7:45pm BST.

In Ireland, you can also stream for Virgin Media Play with live coverage going out on Virgin Media Two.

Watch England vs Czechia from anywhere

Away from home and facing geo-restricted streaming? A VPN can help. It changes your IP address to make it appear you’re browsing from another country, letting you access your usual streams from anywhere.

Our expert office-mates over at Tom's Guide test hundreds of VPNs, and they say NordVPN is the best VPN you can get.

How to watch England vs Czechia in the US

Fans in the US can watch England vs Czechia on Fox Sports 2.

How to watch England vs Czechia in Australia

Viewers in Australia can watch England vs Czechia live on beIN SPORTS.

The game will be shown on beIN SPORTS 3 and beIN SPORTS CONNECT, with kick-off at 2:00am AEST on Sunday.

See also ► Should I use a VPN to watch football in 2026/27

England vs Czechia: Nations League Preview

England return to Wembley tonight looking to build on their extraordinary 7-0 victory over Croatia, as Czechia provide the opposition in another crucial Nations League Group A3 encounter.

Thomas Tuchel’s side produced a record-breaking performance in Rijeka on Saturday, sweeping Croatia aside with Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka both scoring twice, while Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon and Morgan Rogers also found the net. The result provided a major statement after the 2-3 defeat to Spain and leaves them firmly in the race at the top of the group.

England will, however, have to contend with some changes to their squad. Alex Scott and Ezri Konsa have both been ruled out of tonight’s game, while Nico O’Reilly has also returned to Manchester City after missing the previous meeting with Czechia. Rico Lewis has subsequently been added to the squad.

The Three Lions will take confidence from their most recent meeting with Czechia, having secured a 2-0 victory in Prague last Tuesday. Gordon opened the scoring shortly after half-time before captain Kane doubled the advantage in the 69th minute. England were helped by Czechia playing with ten men following Pavel Šulc’s first-half dismissal.

England vs Czechia: Team News

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England XI: Pickford, Alexander Arnold, Bellingham, Anderson, Eze, Guehi, Hall, Lewis Skelly, Quansah, Morgan Rogers, Harry Kane

🇨🇿 Czechia XI: Hornicek, Ambros, Coufal, Hranac, Kral, Lingr, Naderi, Sadilek, Slama, Vitik, Sulc

Squads

England

Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Jason Steele (Brighton & Hove Albion), James Trafford (Leeds United).

Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Real Madrid), Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Trevoh Chalobah (Como), Marc Guéhi (Manchester City), Lewis Hall (Newcastle United), Rico Lewis (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen).

Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Manchester City), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), James Garner (Everton), Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal)

Forwards: Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds United), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Anthony Gordon (Barcelona), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Rio Ngumoha (Liverpool), Morgan Rogers (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal).

Czechia

Goalkeepers: Lukas Hornicek (Newcastle United), Antonin Kinsky (Tottenham Hotspur), Matej Kovar (PSV Eindhoven).

Defenders: Vladimir Coufal, Robin Hranac (both Hoffenheim), Stepan Chaloupek (Slavia Prague), Ladislav Krejci (Wolves), Ondrej Kricfalusi (Union Saint-Gilloise), Michal Sacak, Ondrej Zmrzly (both Gornik Zabrze), Jiri Slama (Jablonec), Martin Vitik (Bologna).

Midfielders: Lukas Ambros (Anderlecht), Pavel Bucha (FC Cincinnati), Lukas Cerv ( Viktoria Plzen), Adam Karabec, Roman Macek (both Sparta Prague), Alex Kral (FC Copenhagen), Ondrej Lingr (Korona Kielce), Michal Sadiilek (Slavia Prague), Matej Radosta (Teplice), Martin Subert (Mlada Boleslav).

Forwards: Adam Hlozek (Hoffenheim), Vaclav Sejk (Sigma Olomouc), Pavel Sulc (Lyon).

FourFourTwo's prediction

England 4-0 Czechia

The Three Lions should get another win under their belts at Wembley after a superb display in Croatia. We think Bellingham will get a hat-trick here.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Cardiff City defender Krystian Bielik has been handed a two-match suspension and a £10,000 fine for misconduct after becoming embroiled in a physical altercation with a Portsmouth supporter last month.

The ugly scenes unfolded during Cardiff City’s Championship fixture against Portsmouth on Saturday, September 5.

The match had to be abruptly halted following an extraordinary touchline confrontation between the Polish international and a member of the crowd.

Bielik banned for TWO matches after throttling supporter

As the ball went out of play, at around the 71st minute mark Bielik rushed over to the advertising hoardings to retrieve it and quickly restart the game.

However, a Portsmouth supporter sitting in the front row deliberately threw the ball away to waste time. Bielik reacted by leaning over the advertising hoarding and appeared to grab the fan by the throat.

The supporter slapped the Cardiff defender in the face in retaliation before stewards, teammates, and match officials intervened.

Following a thorough review of the video evidence, the Football Association has taken decisive action against 28-year-old Bielik. The FA have confirmed the player's punishment in a statement released on Tuesday afternoon.

Bielik is formally charged with misconduct after it was alleged that he 'acted in an improper manner'. Bielik has subsequently admitted the charge.

The FA confirmed that an independent regulatory commission was responsible for imposing the sanctions following a hearing.

The player must now serve a two-match ban across all competitions and pay a fine totalling £10,000. Written reasons will be published in due course, as standard.

25 years ago to the day, David Beckham changed the world with just one swing of the right leg.

That's right: it was today in 2001 that Beckham sent England to the World Cup with one of the greatest performances of all time against Greece – culminating in that iconic free-kick – and Adidas have brought back those beautiful boots to celebrate.

Who says nothing ever happens over international break!?

A third-generation signature Predator boot, co-designed with Beckham, this drop celebrates the original Precision model that the then-Three Lions captain took to the Old Trafford pitch wearing in October 2001.

Becks always opted for the coloured options back then – with this white/light grey boot becoming a staple for future Preds.

“The boot draws inspiration from the colourway worn on that day, with clean white and red execution that blends football heritage with elevated craftsmanship,” Adidas tell us now.

There's a return for that classic Trefoil logo, too: no, the originals didn't feature the moniker but with these boots looking into the past, Adi have re-imagined the Precision boots for a second version of the boots – The Predator Precision Remade – that, somehow, feels even more retro. Yep, we're spoiled.

“A defining feature of the design is the inclusion of the Trefoil logo, appearing for only the second time in Predator history,” they say.

“Having first featured on Beckham’s debut special edition Predator release in 2024, which sold out within 24 hours, the Trefoil has quickly become synonymous with David Beckham Predator models, creating a distinctive bridge between adidas Originals heritage and one of football's most iconic boot franchises.”

As you can imagine, the boots are absolutely stunning, with very few differences from the ones that Goldenballs strutted about in during his pomp.

There are subtle touches, like the word ‘Beckham’ sewed into the tongue, and a No.7 emblazoned on the heel of the boot, just as the man himself used to customise his boots with.

The Remade pairs, meanwhile, have the classic Beckham Adidas logo on the heel instead, with the Trefoil appearing in the three stripes: they're classic, but with all the new technology you'd expect.

“Inspired by Adidas' latest Predator Elite FT L-Tech concept, pairing traditional leather craftsmanship with modern performance innovation, the boot features a premium leather forefoot that delivers the soft touch and comfort synonymous with the game's most beloved leather boots, while retaining the lightweight support and performance technologies of the modern Predator,” the German manufacturer tells us now.

“Few moments in football history capture the spirit of Predator quite like David Beckham's free kick against Greece,” says Sam Handy, General Manager of Adidas Football. “It showcased the precision, confidence and control that have defined both Beckham's legacy and the Predator franchise for more than three decades.

“With this special edition release, we wanted to honour that moment through a design that combines authentic football heritage, premium craftsmanship and modern performance innovation."

Yep, that's right: special edition. These are limited, so be fast or be last…

Tottenham Hotspur's relationship with a big-money star has broken down completely, with the player potentially never playing for the club ever again.

The Lilywhites have finished 17th in the last two seasons, and despite heavy investment over the summer, it seems as though they could be candidates for the drop once more, with manager Roberto De Zerbi overseeing an underperforming squad.

Tottenham are currently bottom of the Premier League after five matches, without a win on the board and with only two goals scored.

Tottenham Hotspur reach breaking point with star

Now, one striker has reached the point where his relationship is “completely broken” with his employers.

That's according to influencer Fabrizio Romano on the Here We Go podcast, who describes the standoff as a “crazy situation”.

“De Zerbi wasn’t lying and isn’t lying when he said that at the beginning of the new season [he] went to Richarlison [and] told him ‘let’s discuss a new contract, I want you here,’” Romano explained.

“Richarlison wanted to go and then in the final days of the window, Tottenham were not happy [that] Richarlison was not taking the opportunity to go back to Everton: Tottenham in that case were going to sign Iliman Ndiaye, so the two deals were linked, Ndiaye to Tottenham and at that point Richarlison to Everton.”

Ultimately, Manchester City signed Ndiaye, while Richarlison agreed terms with Trabzonspor – who Spurs rejected an offer late in the window.

“My expectation is absolutely for the parties to part ways as soon as possible, so it could be already in the next months,” Romano continued, adding, “I think around January we will see Richarlison leaving Tottenham: the intention of Tottenham is not to integrate Richarlison as part of their project.

Spurs signed Richarlison back in 2022 after pipping Arsenal to the Champions League, spending a whopping £60 million on the Brazilian – but after netting 10 times to save Everton from relegation in 2021/22, Richarlison scored just once in the league for his new club and was branded “selfish” by manager Antonio Conte.

The 29-year-old has managed to register double digits in two of his four Premier League seasons since, but Brazil omitted him from the World Cup 2026 squad over the summer in a huge blow, perhaps reflecting his diminishing reputation.

Richarlison is valued at €25m by Transfermarkt. Spurs face Manchester United in the first game back after the international break, as Premier League action resumes.

Amazon Prime Big Deal Days (6-7 October) has officially launched, delivering the first major price cuts on EA Sports FC 27 since its autumn release.

Football fans can save up to 20% on standalone physical copies across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch, along with huge savings on bundles and wireless controller packages.

Here, we've compiled what we think are two of the best deals for all the gamers out there.

1. EA Sports FC 27 Standard Edition (PS5 & Xbox Series X)

Current Price: £58.50 (Was £69.99)

Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

The standard edition of EA Sports FC 27 has dropped below £60 on Amazon.

Key Features: Full HyperMotionV animation updates, refreshed Ultimate Team chemistry options, updated 2026/27 squads and kits.

Why it's a great deal: Shaving £10 off a brand-new release just weeks after launch makes this the single best physical game deal of Prime Day.

2. EA Sports FC 27 Standard Edition (Nintendo Switch)

Current Price: £50.49 (Was £59.99)

Platform: Nintendo Switch 2

Get EA Sports FC 27 on Nintendo Switch 2 here.

Key Features: Full Frostbite Engine gameplay, portable PlayStyles+, local handheld multiplayer.

Why it's a great deal: £10 off the handheld version of the game offers great value for gamers who prefer playing on the move.

Which EAFC 27 Deal Should You Buy?

For existing console owners, the Standard Edition for PS5 or Xbox Series X at £58.50 is the easy standout choice for immediate value.

FIFA has been drawn into fresh controversy following revelations that the governing body allegedly permitted the Democratic Republic of Congo to compete in the 2026 World Cup, despite internal findings that goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi was ineligible during qualifying.

According to an investigation by the New York Times, internal FIFA reviews established that DR Congo breached eligibility rules regarding Mpasi, a former France youth international.

The dispute originated when the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) lodged a formal appeal after losing their continental play-off against DR Congo. Nigerian officials argued that the Congolese federation failed to complete the mandatory FIFA paperwork required to formally process Mpasi’s international switch of allegiance.

England's World Cup match versus DR Congo might never have taken place

Documents obtained during the investigation allege FIFA officials verified that Mpasi lacked the necessary administrative clearance when playing in the qualifiers. However, FIFA dismissed Nigeria's claim and chose not to issue sanctions or overturn the match results.

The decision enabled DR Congo, whose squad included Newcastle United striker Yoane Wissa, to advance to the intercontinental play-off. There, they beat Jamaica to secure their first World Cup appearance in 52 years.

During the tournament in North America, Mpasi remained DR Congo's starting goalkeeper while Wissa spearheaded the attack. The Leopards successfully navigated Group K alongside Portugal, Colombia, and Uzbekistan before being eliminated by England in the Round of 32.

The revelation that FIFA supposedly allowed DR Congo to participate despite acknowledging the eligibility breach will no doubt spark anger in Nigeria, where officials believe the national team was unfairly denied a place at the tournament.

Standard FIFA practice stipulates that fielding an ineligible player in an official match results in an automatic forfeit.

Previous precedents, such as Bolivia losing points during 2018 World Cup qualification for fielding an ineligible player, have added to the scrutiny surrounding FIFA's handling of the case. In an official statement responding to the New York Times, FIFA maintained that its judicial processes were followed correctly and denied any executive influence.

"FIFA's committees are autonomous and decide cases on the basis of the regulations in force and the specific facts under consideration," the statement read, adding that FIFA President Gianni Infantino was not involved in the proceedings.

Furthermore, a FIFA spokesperson commented: “FIFA can confirm that there were no eligibility issues for DR Congo’s matches against Jamaica and at the subsequent FIFA World Cup 2026.

"As outlined, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee dealt with a protest filed by the Nigeria Football Federation, which was ruled inadmissible."

Chelsea are rekindling their interest in Rayan Cherki, following Manchester City being charged by the Premier League for breaching financial rules.

Cherki has enjoyed a positive couple of weeks of international duty with new France national team manager Zinedine Zidane to distract him from his employers being found guilty for over 100 breaches of the Premier League's financial rules.

But with the Frenchman one of several Sky Blues who may well be of interest to rivals, Chelsea are starting to consider making a move, according to one report, as Manchester City prepare for an uncertain future.

Rayan Cherki of interest to Chelsea once more, as talks re-surface

Cherki has been one of City's standout performers in the early days of the Enzo Maresca era, with a call-up to the French squad seeing the 23-year-old deployed in a deeper role than he currently occupies at the Etihad Stadium.

According to Fichajes, this is the position that Blues boss Xabi Alonso envisions for the star, with Chelsea previously interested in bringing Cherki to West London during his time at Lyon.

“The deal fell through because the French club's management demanded the inclusion of Andrey Santos in the agreement, but the current situation at Stamford Bridge has reignited their interest,” the Spanish outlet explains.

Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, and Liverpool are said to be “monitoring the player's contract situation”, too, with his deal expiring in 2030.

Cherki became the youngest-ever scorer for home club Lyon in January 2020, at the age of 16 years and 140 days, but resisted temptation to move until the age of 21: now, FourFourTwo understands that the Olympic silver medalist is valued at over £80 million, with City originally spending less than half of that in 2025.

The French international could be one of a plethora of stars up for sale, should City be forcibly expelled from the Premier League, though there is no indication that the six-time Premier League winners are considering sales at this stage.

City have lodged an appeal over their charges, contesting what they refer to in a statement as an “opinion” issued by the independent commission that found them guilty of financial breaches.

“The club is innocent of the accusations made by the Premier League and a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence exists in support of all of its positions, relating to this case,” City say.

Cherki is valued at €90m by Transfermarkt. The Citizens face Liverpool in the first game back after the international break, as Premier League action resumes.

At 19, Josh King is the latest English kid on the block to be blooded at Craven Cottage and has already become the West London club’s talisman in a side that is sparse in quality. While it is early days, there is strong reason to believe King can break the chain.

The teenager became a first-team regular under the stewardship of Marco Silva last season, starting around half of his 32 Premier League appearances and at 18, there was a growing expectation that he could become something special.

That talent has not gone unnoticed under new boss Álvaro Arbeloa, with the academy graduate starting every one of the Cottagers’ league games, while he has been the West London club’s most threatening player with two goals, regularly opening up opposition defences with his intelligent attacking play.

Given that King is English, the hype around him is only going to accelerate, and before you know it, he will be linked with the biggest clubs in the country and possibly Europe. While a move to a Premier League giant will appeal and will ultimately be the ambition, King needs only take a look at the Fulham production line to know a premature move could bring it all crashing down.

Eight years ago, Harvey Elliott, aged 15 years and 174 days, made his senior debut for the Cottagers against Millwall in the third round of the Carabao Cup, becoming the club’s youngest-ever first-team player and the youngest player to ever appear in the competition.

Understandably, there was significant buzz around the attacking midfielder in West London, but after making just three senior appearances for the Whites, Liverpool seized their opportunity by signing the 16-year-old, who had not yet even turned professional.

Elliott’s early career took a different path to King’s as he benefited from a loan spell with Championship side Blackburn Rovers, where he flourished with 18 goal contributions before eventually becoming a squad player for the Reds. Jürgen Klopp was clearly an admirer, but trying to budge Liverpool’s world-class attacking talent was a mountainous task for the midfielder, who largely featured as a rotation player.

After winning the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in 2025, Elliott was named Player of the Tournament, suggesting he just needed the right club to reach his potential, but a nightmare stint with Aston Villa plummeted his reputation. Now on loan with struggling Valencia, the 23-year-old is enduring the worst period of his career, and he is hard-pressed to turn it around.

Indeed, there are other examples. Patrick Roberts dazzled for Fulham in the Championship before securing a dream move to Manchester City in 2015. However, he experienced loan after loan across Europe before reviving his career in League One with Sunderland. Now at Birmingham City in the second tier, it is fair to say he hasn’t lived up to his promise.

Then there is Ryan Sessegnon, who also tore apart the Championship in his teenage years before becoming a Premier League regular for the Cottagers. He was just 19 when he signed for Tottenham in 2019 and was barely given a sniff before eventually returning to the West London club in 2024. The left-back is still only 26 but is playing second fiddle to Antonee Robinson, not how he would have envisaged his career going.

Of course, King is of a different ilk with a different story, and he has arguably made more of a mark on the Fulham first team than any of the aforementioned players in the top flight. After Harry Wilson’s departure in the summer, there was genuine concern about who could be the club’s creative outlet, the player to get fans out of their seats, and King is that man.

If anything, the Cottagers would be wise to build a squad around the England under-21 international and hand him a bumper deal, even though he signed fresh terms in 2025. That would give him the chance to develop into the top attacking midfielder he was born to be and etch his name into Fulham history.

Worryingly for Arbeloa’s side, they already look like prime relegation candidates, and while performances have improved against Liverpool and Manchester United, there is a distinct lack of cutting edge in the final third. Relegation would not only be a dampener for the Cottagers, but it would also likely end King’s affiliation with his boyhood club, as he is far too good for the Championship.

If anyone can keep Fulham up, then it is King. Supporters will hope and pray that he has studied those that came before him, and mount his reign in West London before he inevitably moves on to bigger kingdoms.

Thomas Hitzlsperger does not want to lose sight of the progress that has been made in battling homophobia in football over the past few decades - but believes there is only so much the game can do while wider societal issues persist.

The former Aston Villa, Stuttgart and Germany midfielder came out as gay in 2014, just a few months after announcing his retirement from the game.

But Hitzlsperger says that far from it just being an issue within the game, ongoing hateful attitudes in some quarters will be on the minds of many footballers when deciding whether or not to make a similar announcement.

"In terms of homophobia, society is the biggest challenge. The world has become a tougher place and, in relation to discrimination, it’s quite sad. Racism, like homophobia, is also a big issue in society and of course football.

"Sometimes people will ask 'Why can’t we just watch football?' I get that, but we have a responsibility to speak out on societal issues, because the game is so influential.

"In terms of tackling homophobia, there have been great initiatives – clubs and federations have all participated.

"Unfortunately, in this debate people often say there’s no development, because hardly any [men's] player has come out. I’d disagree in the sense that the game has got involved in initiatives, such as rainbow armbands. During a week midway through the 2024-25 Premier League season, 19 of 20 captains wore them, which was the vast majority.

"There’s sometimes this media obsession on focusing on a couple who step out of line and cause friction, but I’d argue we’ve come a long way by seeing so many high-profile Premier League players wearing the armbands.

"That’s massive and we should really talk about that and the progress we’ve made, rather than always getting obsessed with the few who disagree with diversity and live a different life to what is mainstream.

"I’d like us to focus on telling more positive stories, rather than focusing on the negative ones. I know a lot of people who take the issue of homophobia in football very seriously and they’re constantly trying to make football a more inclusive environment.

"However, we also have to admit that the game is purely about money. There have been a number of initiatives that had been built up over the years that have since been reduced - and equality, diversity and inclusion isn’t so popular any more because various people think it’s become too much.

"I’ve met so many people within football who are still passionate about being in an inclusive environment, which is great, but that isn’t in the news every day.

"The primary reason we’re there is to play football and enjoy the game, but alongside it there are so many opportunities to really engage with people from all backgrounds and assure them that football is there for them, too.

"However, the reality is that there are very few openly gay male footballers. It’s rooted in toxic masculinity, but life is toxic and that’s the sad thing.

"We talk about players not wanting to come out during their playing days because the environment might be toxic but after their playing career has finished, some players don’t come out either, because they’re scared of society."

It's football's greatest individual rivalry of the modern era. Lionel Messi will look back on an incredible career as one of the greatest footballers there's ever been, while Cristiano Ronaldo has been a performance machine for more than two decades. This FourFourTwo quiz simply asks: Messi or Ronaldo?

Messi might have the edge when it comes to the World Cup and Ballon d'Or, but there are plenty of records and achievements that have been a close-run thing over the years. Ronaldo, presumably, takes great pride in the ones where he's come out on top.

There are 10 questions in this very straightforward multiple choice quiz. All you need to do is pick Messi or Ronaldo. There's no time limit, so don't rush it. There might be a few surprises.

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FourFourTwo has a big vault of football quizzes and they're all courtesy of Kwizly. First, we've got a crossover between international football and a league where Ronaldo played but Messi didn't. Can you name every player with 100+ international caps to have also played in the Premier League?

Supporter culture expertise is required for this next quiz, which asks which clubs were served by these fanzines. More about the playing side? Here's one about the nationalities of 20 players in the Premier League.

The rich global tapestry of football has a great many benefits, of course, and one of the most trivial but enjoyable is the weird and wonderful club names that have popped up around the world. Can you tell us which countries these brilliantly named football clubs are from?

FourFourTwo's Weekend Crossword 72 features clues on Buccaneers, pirates and Vikings. Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter for your daily afternoon briefing of football trivia and analysis, and don't forget to join The Club: our free membership portal where you can secret hints and get on the leaderboard.

It wasn’t even a winning goal. But still, in the euphoria of an equaliser, David Beckham resembled Leonardo Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man: limbs outstretched, embodying both the divine and the mortal.

It was a career always teetering between the two. From watching Beckham, you could be forgiven for thinking such talent was god-given, as was the effortless beauty of his passing.

Yet for every bolt from the heavens, there was always a simmering feeling that the boy wonder was only human: on the side of the angels, but never truly one of them. He’d grafted to get where he was, hours honed on his trademark ping and his heart worn proudly on that baggy long sleeve.

Beckham could have stood on top of the world in 1998, but fell in Saint-Etienne with a casual flick out at Diego Simeone. In the fallout, England’s titans toppled, too; Adams, Ince and Shearer retired, one by one, before Wembley was knocked down with defeat to Germany. A leadership void became an identity crisis.

Up stepped Beckham once more, met with the suspicion of a weary electorate offered a brave new world. Those four years between World Cups became his renaissance. England’s coiffed captain grew taller with the armband, netting three times in the qualification charge – including a looping free-kick in Greece – before captaining that 5-1 destruction of Germany.

Doubts were duly quelled by October 2001, Beckham’s boyband locks shaved off entirely, with England coming to his Old Trafford stomping ground for the first time post-Wembley. He looked every inch his nation’s mature new messiah. Qualification could coincide with redemption.

If only his team-mates had read the script. That afternoon, Beckham ran an astonishing 16km, burning the turf like a Delorean, moving infield to conduct. With both Paul Scholes and Steven Gerrard looking miles off the pace, England’s skipper was a one-man engine room, winning possession, and spraying with ethereal elegance.

But though it was far from faultless from Beckham, that was his charm: scruff-of-the-neck stuff, with brilliance baked in.

Greece went a goal up; Beckham doubled down. On 68 minutes, he swung a free-kick onto Teddy Sheringham’s head for England to level – but it lasted little more than 90 seconds.

Greek goalkeeper Antonis Nikopolidis was standing tall, too. Beckham’s deft dink over his head in Athens saw him dropped for the next two games – but as the free-kicks racked up, his breaths were deepening.

Eight dead balls in, inspiration struck for England’s captain, as Nikopolidis took half a step in the wrong direction: Beckham played the double bluff to perfection, the ball arrowing into the top left. “You practice something so much that at some point, it’s gonna happen when it needs to happen,” the midfielder later smiled.

Coincidentally, England didn’t know in this moment that a draw would be enough – yet Old Trafford erupted all the same, for Beckham, as much as England. For the goalscorer himself, three years of tension evaporated into the sunny October sky, his status restored in one swing of the peg. No, it wasn’t even at a major tournament – but even celtic hearts two decades later can empathise with such rapture.

And yes, it may be England’s greatest-ever individual performance. Hardly the most perfect, most important or even a hat-trick against Germany – but one with unmatched heart. It’s only after such lows that the highs mean this much: you’d never see the stars without the dark, after all.

10 miles run, Beckham finally collapsed in a sunbeam on the Old Trafford grass. When he stood up, he’d never be doubted again. It was only an equaliser – but it was otherworldly.

You know how the FourFourTwo Quickfire Quiz works by now. 10 questions at nine seconds apiece on average, and 90 seconds to snaffle the full decet.

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FourFourTwo has lots more football quizzes and they're all courtesy of Kwizly. First, let's tackle 15 questions about the 2016-17 season in the Premier League and try to name every player to have scored a hat-trick in the Premier League. Good luck getting into the high scores on that one.

Next, we want you to have a crack at identifying these pointlessly edited football club badges and answer some questions about the streets football won't forget.

If Gunners transfers are your niche area of expertise, you'll be able to name most, if not all, of Arsenal's 50 most expensive signings ever. If you get the lot, you might spot some spending patterns over time. What a bonus!

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We have puzzles too. Our Weekend Crossword is a regular football teaser for your Sunday, and remember to sign up to the newsletter for more quizzes in your inbox. Don't forget to join The Club for free additional membership benefits!

Following one of the most bad-tempered and politically-charged international windows in recent memory, the Republic of Ireland and Israel have finally concluded their UEFA Nations League double-header.

But in the wake of bad blood, anthem protests, and media confrontations, football fans and administrators alike are left asking: when can the two nations next face each other on the pitch?

The recent back-to-back fixtures between Ireland and Israel were fraught with controversy long before a ball was kicked, especially as Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu withdrew from the squad citing ethical issues. Both matches also had to be relocated to neutral venues in Hungary and Serbia due to security concerns.

Ireland and Israel could meet again in Euro 2028 qualifying

Prior to kick-off in Hungary, Irish players bowed their heads during the playing of the Israeli national anthem, while Irish captains Dara O'Shea (in Hungary) and Caoimhin Kelleher (in Serbia) refused to shake hands with their opposite number.

Following Ireland's victory in the opening game, Israel skipper Manor Solomon publicly voiced frustration over the Irish squad's perceived hostility.

The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) launched an investigation into allegations that Irish players, including striker Adam Idah, were subjected to racist abuse from Israeli supporters in the stands following their first match-up.

Tension reached a boiling point ahead of the return fixture when an Israeli journalist launched what manager Heimir Hallgrimsson termed a 'verbal attack', accusing Irish players of directing racist slurs toward Israel's squad.

FAI communications manager Kieran Crowley terminated the press conference, dismissing the accusations as 'completely untrue.'

The friction surrounding the fixture stems from the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Public sentiment in Ireland is uniquely supportive of the Palestinian cause - a stance deeply rooted in Ireland's own national history of foreign occupation, partition, and struggle for self-determination.

The matches sparked widespread domestic protests in Ireland, with political groups and fans demanding boycotts and questioning why Israel remains permitted to compete in UEFA tournaments.

Could Ireland and Israel meet in Euro 2028 qualifying?

The next potential competitive meeting between Ireland and Israel could arrive as early as next year. The group stage draw for UEFA Euro 2028 qualification takes place in December, with qualifying fixtures kicking off in March 2027.

Ireland and Israel could technically be drawn into the same qualifying group. However, following the turmoil of the Nations League window, Ireland manager Hallgrimsson has publicly requested that UEFA keep the two nations separate in future tournament draws to avoid further hostility.

UEFA already enforces strict rules preventing certain politically sensitive pairings from playing each other. The governing body currently prohibits several high-risk fixtures:

• Armenia vs Azerbaijan (Nagorno-Karabakh territorial conflict)
• Spain vs Gibraltar (disputed sovereignty over Gibraltar)
• Kosovo vs Serbia (diplomatic non-recognition of independence)
• Kosovo vs Bosnia & Herzegovina (diplomatic non-recognition)
• Russia vs Ukraine and Ukraine vs Belarus (ongoing war in Ukraine)

Whether UEFA will officially add Ireland vs Israel to its list of prohibited clashes ahead of December's Euro 2028 qualifying draw remains to be seen.

Should UEFA decline to intervene, the two sides could feasibly meet again as soon as spring 2027, though neither nation, nor European football's governing body, will be eager for a repeat of this past week's clashes.

Watch Ukraine vs Hungary today in the Nations League for free, with FourFourTwo bringing you all the details on live streams and TV channels, wherever you are in the world.

Ukraine and Hungary go head-to-head in the Nations League today, with both sides desperate for the win in Group B2.

Andrea Maldera’s side were torn apart by Northern Ireland last time out and will need a much-improved performance against a Hungary side who sit level on points with them heading into today’s clash.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Ukraine vs Hungary online and from anywhere in the world.

Can I watch Ukraine vs Hungary for free?

Yes! You can watch Ukraine vs Northern Ireland for free in France via L'Équipe Live Foot.

You can also watch for no cost in Hungary via M4 Sport Online.

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Watch Ukraine vs Hungary from anywhere

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How to watch Ukraine vs Hungary free in the UK

Viewers in the UK can watch Ukraine vs Hungary on Amazon Prime Video.

Kick-off is at 7:45pm BST on Monday 05 October.

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Ukraine vs Hungary: Preview

Ukraine and Hungary meet again on Monday night with both sides knowing that victory could be crucial in the race for the top two places in Nations League Group B2.

The two countries are level on four points after three matches, although their recent fortunes have differed. Ukraine began the campaign with a 1-0 victory over Hungary in Budapest, before drawing 0-0 with Georgia. However, Serhiy Rebrov's side suffered a major setback on Friday, losing 3-0 to Northern Ireland in Trnava.

SEE ALSO Find out why you should use a VPN to stream football

Hungary, meanwhile, bounced back from picking up just one point across their opening two games with a first victory of the campaign against Georgia, as Milos Kerkez headed in the winner midway through the first half.

Kerkez and his Liverpool teammate Dominik Szoboszlai will now be looking to lead their side to another crucial three points this evening.

Today's match will again take place at the Anton Malatinsky Stadium in Trnava, Slovakia, meaning Ukraine will not have genuine home advantage despite being the nominal hosts.

Squads

Ukraine

Goalkeepers: Anatolii Trubin («Benfica» Lisbon, Portugal), Dmytro Riznyk («Shakhtar» Donetsk), Georgii Yermakov («Kharkiv»).

Defenders: Illia Zabarnyi («Paris Saint-Germain», France), Mykola Matviyenko, Valeri Bondar (both — «Shakhtar» Donetsk), Eduard Sarapiy, Bohdan Mikhailichenko (both — «Polissya» Zhovkva), Vitalii Mykolenko («Everton» Liverpool, England), Taras Mykhalko («Dynamo» Kyiv), Illia Krups'kyi («Kharkiv»), Oleksandr Drambeyev («LNZ» Cherkasy).

Midfielders: Oleh Ocheret'ko, Yegor Nazarina (both — «Shakhtar» Donetsk), Volodymyr Brachko, Mykola Shaparenko, Andriy Yarmolenko (all — «Dynamo» Kyiv), Oleksandr Andrievskyi, Oleksandr Nazarenko (both — «Polissya» Zhovkva), Ivan Varfolomyiev («Lincoln», England), Georgii Sudakov («Benfica» Lisbon, Portugal), Maksym Khlyan («Gurnik» Zabrze, Poland), Oleksandr Zubkov («AEK» Athens, Greece), Viktor Tsygankov («Ajax» Amsterdam, Netherlands).

Forwards: Danylo Sikanchuk («Anderlecht» Brussels, Belgium), Artem Stepanov («Utrecht», Netherlands), Matvii Ponomarenko («Dynamo» Kyiv), Vladyslav Vanat («Girona», Spain), Roman Yaremchuk («Olympiacos» Piraeus, Greece), Artem Dovbyk («Bologna», Italy).

Hungary

Goalkeepers: Bence Gundel-Takács (ZTE), Ármin Pécsi (Hartberg), Balázs Tóth (Blackburn Rovers)

Defenders: Bendegúz Bolla (Rapid Wien), Márk Csinger (Groningen), Áron Doktorics (Vasas), Milos Kerkez (Liverpool), Ákos Markgráf (København), Willi Orbán (RB Leipzig)
Attila Osváth (Ferencváros), Callum Styles (West Bromwich Albion), Kornél Szűcs (Vojvodina), Bence Várkonyi (Qarabağ)

Midfielders: Áron Csongvai (Saint-Étienne), András Schäfer (Union Berlin), Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool), Tamás Szűcs (Famalicão), Alex Tóth (Bournemouth), Rajmund Tóth (Konyaspor), Milán Vitalis (AEK)

Forwards: Gábor Jurek (MTK Budapest), Dániel Lukács (Puskás Akadémia), Damir Redzic (RB Salzburg), Roland Sallai (Galatasaray), József Szalai (Paks), Barnabás Varga (AEK)

FourFourTwo's prediction

Ukraine 0-1 Northern Ireland

This could be a slow burner, but we think Northern Ireland just edge it with a late goal.

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Watch Northern Ireland vs Georgia today in the Nations League for free, with FourFourTwo bringing you all the details on live streams and TV channels, wherever you are in the world.

Northern Ireland will be looking to follow up Friday’s win over Ukraine with another against Georgia this evening.

A win today would move them closer to a historic promotion to League A of the Nations League.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Northern Ireland vs Georgia online and from anywhere in the world.

How to watch Northern Ireland vs Georgia free in the UK

You can watch Northern Ireland vs Georgia for free in the UK on BBC iPlayer.

Remember, you will need a TV licence and a UK postcode (SE1 7PB) to watch iPlayer.

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Northern Ireland vs Georgia: Preview

Northern Ireland will look to take another significant step towards Nations League promotion when they welcome Georgia to Windsor Park on Monday night.

Michael O’Neill’s side have been one of the surprise packages of the opening weeks of the competition. They began with a 1-0 victory over Georgia in Tbilisi, followed that with a goalless draw against Hungary and then produced their best performance yet by beating Ukraine 3-0 in Slovakia. That result leaves Northern Ireland top of Group B2 with seven points from three matches, and they are still yet to concede a goal.

SEE ALSO Find out why you should use a VPN to stream football

Georgia, meanwhile, have endured a difficult campaign. They have collected just one point from their opening three games and are yet to score, drawing 0-0 with Ukraine before suffering a 1-0 defeat to Hungary. Their loss to Northern Ireland also resulted in Willy Sagnol leaving his position, with Ramaz Svanadze subsequently taking charge.

The visitors nevertheless possess considerable attacking talent, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Georges Mikautadze among the players capable of causing problems.

Squads

Northern Ireland

Goalkeepers: Bailey Peacock-Farrell (Blackpool), Conor Hazard (Wycombe Wanderers), Pierce Charles (Queens Park Rangers, on loan from Manchester City).

Defenders: Daniel Ballard and Trai Hume (both Sunderland), Ciaron Brown and Brodie Spencer (both Oxford United), Paddy McNair (Hull City), Ruairi McConville (Norwich City), Terry Devlin (Portsmouth), Tom Atcheson (Blackburn Rovers), Eoin Toal (Bolton Wanderers), Michael Forbes (Dundee United).

Midfielders: Ethan Galbraith and Justin Devenny (both Stoke City), Shea Charles (Fulham), Isaac Price (West Bromwich Albion), Paul Smyth (Queens Park Rangers), Jordan Thompson (Preston North End), Jamie McDonnell (Oxford United), Patrick Kelly (Barnsley), Kieran Morrison (Sheffield Wednesday, on loan from Liverpool),

Forwards: Josh Magennis (Stevenage), Dion Charles (Blackpool, on loan from Huddersfield Town), Callum Marshall (Luton Town), Jamie Donley (Luton Town, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur), Braiden Graham (Everton), Ceadach O’Neill (Arsenal).

Georgia

Goalkeepers: Giorgi Mamardashvili (Liverpool, England), Luka Gugeshashvili (Göztepe, Türkiye), Davit Kereselidze (Dila Gori, Georgia)

Defenders: Luka Lochoshvili (1. FC Köln, Germany), Lasha Dvali (CSKA 1948, Bulgaria), Saba Goglichidze (Monza, Italy), Ilia Beriashvili (MTK Budapest, Hungary), Saba Sazonov (Getafe, Spain), Jemal Tabidze (Kayserispor, Türkiye), Otar Kakabadze (Cracovia, Poland), Irakli Azarovi (Shakhtar Donetsk, Ukraine)

Midfielders / Forwards: Otar Kiteishvili (Sturm Graz, Austria), Giorgi Kochorashvili (Sevilla, Spain), Gizi Mamageishvili (Sturm Graz, Austria), Giorgi Tsitaishvili (Rayo Vallecano, Spain), Anzor Mekvabishvili (Chicago Fire, USA), Otar Mamageishvili (Wolfsberger AC, Austria), Nodar Lominadze (Torpedo Kutaisi, Georgia), Irakli Egoyan (Excelsior, Netherlands), Giorgi Chakvetadze (Udinese, Italy), Zuriko Davitashvili (Saint-Étienne, France), Giorgi Kvernadze (Frosinone, Italy), Giorgi Abuashvili (Metz, France), Giorgi Gagua (DAC Dunajská Streda, Slovakia), Budu Zivzivadze (1. FC Heidenheim, Germany), Giorgi Mikautadze (Villarreal, Spain), Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Paris Saint-Germain, France)

FourFourTwo's prediction

Northern Ireland 2-0 Georgia

Northern Ireland got the job done last week and we are expecting the same again.

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Manchester City have been found guilty of 115 breaches of Premier League rules.

The Premier League accused Man City in their statement of arranging “‘Sham’ contracts (which misrepresented the true agreement between the parties) with a number of its commercial partners,” which helped “inflate the club’s revenues and reduce its costs”.

This, naturally, means that the six-time Prem champions were able to sign players that they wouldn't have otherwise been able to sign – so let's go through them all…

2009/10

2009: Stuart Taylor, free

Let's start off modestly.

Former Arsenal back-up keeper Stuart Taylor became the Scott Carson of his day, joining City on a free transfer and making just a single appearance in three years before chucking in life on the Etihad bench for Reading's.

2009: Gareth Barry, £12m

A signal of intent from City at the time, as England regular Gareth Barry was snared in midfield from Aston Villa, who had developed him from a teenager.

Barry spent five years in the Sky Blues engine room, winning the league and the FA Cup, en route to breaking the Premier League's all-time appearance record.

2009: Roque Santa Cruz, £18m

Who else misses when City used to sign Barclaysmen?

Former Bayern and Blackburn bagsman Santa Cruz played just 20 times in the league after swapping Ewood for Eastlands – even going back on loan to Rovers in 2011, before two more loan spells in Spain.

2009: Carlos Tevez, £25.5m

The biggest signing in the Premier League during the 2009 summer transfer window, and a major one in City's history.

A year after work-shy Robinho joined in a dramatic statement of intent, City upgraded on him with a ferocious forward who typified the drive and hunger they'd need to oust Manchester United from the top of the tree: signing him from down the road was a mere bonus.

City later had to apologise for the Argentine holding up a banner depicting Sir Alex Ferguson's tombstone. The rivalry was well and truly alive.

2009: Emmanuel Adebayor, £25m

While cash-strapped Arsenal made Thomas Vermaelen their only major signing of the summer – on top of re-signing a creaking Sol Campbell on a free – City helped themselves to their better players.

Emmanuel Adebayor came first: yes, we all remember what happened next.

2009: Kolo Toure, £16m

Kolo Toure was one of few older heads at the Emirates Stadium and one of the last Invincibles of the side: he asked to leave after a bust-up with William Gallas.

The Gunners were thankful for the money, needing to pay off costs for their new ground.

2009: Sylvinho, free

Another former Gunner to boot, Sylvinho added experience at full-back, having won major titles at Barcelona.

2009: Joleon Lescott, £22m

A major asquisition at the time, Joleon Lescott was seen as a successor to the Terry/Ferdinand axis for England – so just as with signing Barry, it felt like City would have a spine in the national team.

Lescott had five relatively fruitful years at the Etihad, even if Vincent Kompany was always the better of the two in defence, making this signing a success.

2009: Loris Karis, undisclosed

An early indicator that City were prepared to bring in future talent.

Loris Karius was never deemed good enough for City, but certainly deemed Liverpool level later down the line, even if it didn't work out.

2010: Patrick Vieira, free

Seriously, how many former Arsenal players do you want?

The signing of Patrick Vieira marked an interesting development for City: not only were they prepared to buy the best up-and-comers and world stars of the time, but were investing in future managers, with the World Cup winner taking on a youth development role with City's Elite Development Squad, before becoming manager of New York City FC in 2016, another City Football Group club.

2010: Adam Johnson, £11m

Another example of City looking to tie up the next generation of Three Lions stars, Adam Johnson was 22 when he made the switch to City, though he never really reached the next level that he was expected to while in Manchester.

A Sunderland move followed, before he was arrested for child grooming and sexual activity with a minor, before being sentenced to six years in prison.

2010/11

2010: Jerome Boateng, £10m

Following the Kompany playbook of signing a highly-rated Hamburg centre-back, City spent £10m on Jerome Boateng.

Boateng was fine at City, but as usually happens when you sign top Germans, Bayern Munich swooped in.

2010: Yaya Toure, £24m

One of two truly transformational signings of that summer – and the biggest of the summer in England, once again.

City were bullying the likes of Arsenal and Aston Villa to sign their better players – but Yaya Toure signing from Barcelona was the first real proof that City could throw their weight around on the European stage. It was money well spent, too.

The Ivorian became a legend in the legend, was the driving force behind that first trophy (the FA Cup in 2011) and scored 20 league goals in City's second Premier League title win.

2010: David Silva, £24m

David Silva was a huge success, too – but perhaps proved exactly what kind of team the City Football Group were building.

The Spaniard was silkier than most previous buys, with a feel for the control of a game and the ability to keep possession for Citizens. He would come to define Pep Guardiola's style when the Catalan was a mere pipe dream for fans.

2010: Aleksandar Kolarov, £16m

A major full-back buy from Serie A to bolster the backline, Kolarov was a sign of changing times: City were buying Wayne Bridges anymore.

Nearly 250 appearances across seven years made this transfer a sure success.

2010: Mario Balotelli, £24m

One of the brightest young talents in Italian football – and one that perhaps made neutrals root for City like never before.

Balotelli had the personality at a time when social media was just finding its feet: he only scored 30 times in 80 appearances for the club but did he help put them on the map? Perhaps…

2010: James Milner, £18m (plus Stephen Ireland)

Another stalwart England star who would break the Prem appearance record (and play in just about every appearance along the way).

City didn't make anything on Milner's exit to Liverpool, as the utility man went on a free.

2011: Edin Dzeko, £27m

Chelsea spent big on Fernando Torres, Liverpool on Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez… and City bought Edin Dzeko.

One of the more underrated Premier League strikers of his era, he managed almost a goal every other game while competing with several big names, returning 19, 15 and 26 goals in his first three seasons in English football. Money well spent.

2011/12

2011: Gael Clichy, £10m

Yet another Arsenal player joining, Clichy competed with Kolarov at left-back, giving City depth and experience in defence en route to their first title.

Again, Arsenal simply couldn't refuse the offer, finishing a distant 19 points behind the Citizens.

2011: Stefan Savic, £15m

Serious bite at the back, Savic was only at City for a single season and is perhaps better remembered by some Mancunians as the Atletico Madrid player that Jack Grealish called a c*** in 2022.

The Montenegro international provided cover 12 times in the title run.

2011: Sergio Aguero, £36m

Once again, the most expensive player in a Premier League transfer window – and one that would send City's fortunes soaring in one direction.

Sergio Aguero delivered the title in his first season, broke the club's all-time scoring record and became the face of a generation for the Etihad faithful. He surely ranks in the top five signings of the Abu Dhabi era.

2011: Samir Nasri, £24m

Arsenal plundered once more, as City little-bro'd the Gunners a couple of weeks after Barcelona had nabbed their captain, Cesc Fabregas.

Proof that City were operating in a different stratosphere, as they took a proven Premier League difference-maker at a time where Arsenal were repeating their formula of bringing in little-known Ligue 1 talent to develop. Gervinho didn't have the same effect.

2011: Owen Hargreaves, free

Just the one appearance after swapping the red half of Manchester for blue, but perhaps City were priming themselves for another Vieira-type signing.

Hargreaves' body was letting him down by 2011 but as one of the most intelligent English midfielders of a generation, perhaps he was signed with an eye to becoming a coach one day. If so, he unfortunately chose punditry instead.

2011: Denis Suarez, £900k

An early sign that City were priming themselves for Guardiola, as silky Spaniard Denis Suarez joined the academy – but was a little too lightweight for English football.

He went to Barcelona B after failing to make a league appearance for City.

2011: Angus Gunn, undisclosed

One of the first of City's nepo babies, preceding Jaden and Reigan Heskey, Floyd Samba, Devant Cole and… well, Erling Haaland.

City banked on Bryan Gunn's boy being a chip off the old block – and he's had a very successful career over the years. Just perhaps not Manchester City level.

2012: Costel Pantilimon, undisclosed

City really have tried to find a top goalkeeper early, haven't they?

6ft 8in Pantilimon was another familiar Premier League face – but only after leaving City's bench for a role at Sunderland.

2012/13

2012: Jack Rodwell, £12m

Snapping up the next generation of England's team began to run a little drier with the signing of Jack Rodwell, who never kicked on to assume a Lampardian role for his country.

16 league appearances in two years followed before an infamous Sunderland spell.

2012: Richard Wright, free

Another older head that City perhaps had plans for coaching: Richard Wright didn't make an appearance in four seasons, but is still a goalkeeping coach at the club.

Yet another former Arsenal player, by the way.

2012: Scott Sinclair, £6m

Another highly-rated young British talent who never quite reached City levels.

Sinclair played 15 times in his first at the Etihad, scored none and went on loan – before leaving for Villa permanently three years later.

2012: Maicon, £5m

Gareth Bale's tormentor was 31 by the time he signed for City – but he was only ever signed as cover.

The Brazilian played nine times as City failed to retain the title, before heading to Roma.

2012: Matija Nastasic, £12m (plus Stefan Savic)

Considered the next Nemanja Vidic to some, but it wasn't to be.

Natasaix was a squad player at best in his two seasons in England, never really threatening to become a first choice – but he did pick up a Premier League medal for his troubles in 2014.

2012: Javi Garcia, £17m

One-time Real Madrid talent and confirmation of City wanting to control possession a bit more – even if he never really made it in England.

Good money was spent on Garcia, though it was almost all recouped when he left for Zenit Saint Petersburg.

2013/14

2013: Fernandinho, £30m

A major acquisition in the history of City, Fernandinho was the destroyer in midfield that anchored the Centurions, allowing others to flourish ahead of him.

While rivals were shelling this kind of money for playmakers, it was intriguing for City to be doing the same for someone to protect the likes of Yaya Toure and David Silva going forward – and the Brazilian ended up being a masterstroke of a buy, eventually captaining the club.

2013: Jesus Navas, £15m

Either side of two Sevilla spells, Jesus Navas had an absolutely fine four years in Manchester, providing reliability up and down the right flank.

The introduction of Pep in 2016 somewhat changed his landscape, with the new boss wanting a little bit more than a linesman-like full-back – otherwise, he could've perhaps played a little longer in England.

2013: Alvaro Negredo, £20m

Manchester United signed Robin van Persie in 2012 to win the title – and he fulfilled the brief. So naturally, City signed two £20m+ centre-forwards to close the gap of 20 goals between the two Manchester clubs.

Negredo managed 23 goals in his sole season – though 14 of those came in the cups and Europe. They all count, mind.

2013: Stefan Jovetic, £22m

The other big-money striker of 2013, and the one who didn't do as well.

Jovetic scored just six times but did win the League Cup with City in his first season, bettering his league tally in his second term, and going out to Inter Milan on loan.

2014: Martin Demichelis, £4m

A runner-up with Argentina at the World Cup, Demichelis provided additional centre-back coverage en route to the title.

He spent three years as a fringe defender in Manchester.

2014/15

2014: Bacary Sagna, free

Another former Arsenal defender, Sagna was one of the best full-backs in the league but didn't want to extend his deal in N5.

He'd form a partnership with former team-mate Clichy on the opposite side.

2014: Fernando, £12m

Fernando was a regular in midfield, without threatening to disrupt the status quo.

The Brazilian only picked up the League Cup in English football and was shipped out after three years.

2014: Willy Caballero, £2m

Another older goalkeeper who became a coach at City, Willy Caballero only played 23 times for City in the Premier League but nudged Claudio Bravo from between the sticks to signal the Chilean as a failed experiment.

He's also remembered as a Chelsea back-up (and the guy that Maurizio Sarri wanted to bring on in place of Kepa Arrizabalaga in the League Cup final).

2014: Eliaquim Mangala, £42m

The second-most expensive signing in the Premier League that summer (Manchester United panicked and dropped a bomb on Angel Di Maria).

Mangala lasted four years at the club and enjoyed the first title under Guardiola, but as the fourth-choice centre-back: all in all, an irredeemable signing.

2014: Frank Lampard, free

Do you remember how controversial this was at the time?

When Chelsea waved goodbye to Frank Lampard, they assumed he was heading to New York City and they'd never see him again… until he rocked up on loan at the Etihad, thanks to the two clubs having an affiliation.

At least he didn't celebrate when he inevitably rescued a point against the Blues.

2015: Wilfried Bony, £25m

One of those rare Manchester United-type buys from City.

The Citizens were well off the pace in the league, with Chelsea leading the title race – so the Sky Blues reacting by paying huge money for a midtable hitman to bolster their attack. Bony scored just six times in the league before heading to Stoke on loan.

2015/16

2015: Raheem Sterling, £44m

The first transfer that really felt like priming the club for Guardiola's arrival.

A club-record buy at the time (and an English record), Sterling had caught the brunt of Liverpool fans' ire following their failure to go again after losing the title – and when he angled for a big move, he got his wish.

He'd become a defining player of City's new era.

2015: Fabian Delph, £8m

“I'm not leaving,” Aston Villa's Fabian Delph said when rumours emerged that he was having a medical at Manchester City. “I'm staying at the football club and I can't wait for the start of the season and captaining this great football club.”

Anyway, Delph left for City, never really established himself in midfield but became a decent left-back option in time under Pep, while Villa got relegated.

2015: Patrick Roberts, £12m

One of the brightest young talents in the country, plenty was expected of Fulham's Patrick Roberts – and a big move like this was seen as the logical next step in his career.

Roberts went on six separate loans in seven seasons – where he only scored more than one league goal in a season once, in Scotland – before leaving with just a single Premier League game at City under his belt.

2015: Nicolas Otamendi, £28m

Nicolas Otamendi was yet another big-money buy – and he only came good once Guardiola arrived.

The Argentina international looked particularly rash before Pep asserted his dominance in the league and stopped putting Otamendi in positions to lunge in.

2015: Kevin De Bruyne, £55m

The big one, really.

Kevin De Bruyne's signing was yet another that smashed the transfer record for City – it was England's most expensive deal of the summer – with the Belgian genius opting for a smaller-profile club in Pep Guardiola's Bayern Munich (did the Catalan put a phone call in? Fernandinho reckoned so…).

14 major trophies, 108 goals and dozens of assists later, he might just be the most influential footballer in City's entire history. Worth the staggering fee, and then some.

2015: Aleix Garcia, undisclosed

Yet another technically gifted Spaniard, as the club awaited the arrival in the dugout of formerly technically gifted Spaniard.

Garcia went on loan to Girona and was later signed by the CFG affiliate, as City went even more Barcelona-influenced.

2015: Ruben Sobrino, £400k

See above.

Don't remember Ruben Sobrino? He signed for City and immediately joined Girona, where things didn't quite work out. Worth the punt, though.

2015: Florian Lejeune, undisclosed

Yep, that one.

Lejeune was signed from – you guessed it – Girona, before heading back to Catalonia on loan. Never made the bar for the Citizens but did spend four years at Newcastle United.

2016/17

2016: Ilkay Gundogan, £20m

The first signing of the Guardiola era – a former Jurgen Klopp player – was one who would become a general in virtually every midfield role for his new boss.

One of the most underrated midfielders in Premier League history and one of the savviest buys of the Guardiola tenure: no wonder he signed him twice.

2016: Nolito, £14m

A relatively cheap Spaniard to offer threat in attack and on the wing, Nolito is the only player signed under Pep Guardiola who didn't win a trophy at Manchester City. Ouch.

Nolito lasted a year, scored four league goals and went to Sevilla.

2016: Oleksandr Zinchenko, £1.7m

When people think of City's success coming from the tens of millions spent on De Bruynes and Sterlings, they often overlook the Zinchenkos: rivals didn't plough nearly as much money into youth talent.

The Ukrainian was a modest attacking midfielder signed as part of an ever-maddening drive youngsters. He may never had made it at the club, if not for a crisis at left-back, either: yet he established himself in the role, and City flipped him for over £30m. A real success story.

2016: Leroy Sane, £37m

One of Germany's brightest talents, and one who City truly the saw the best of. Arguably the player of the season during the Centurion campaign, before injuries robbed him of that explosiveness.

Sane eventually moved onto Bayern, who were happy to come back in for him after a knee injury – but moving to Turkey before the age of 30 was a sad sight.

2016: Marlos Moreno, £4.75m

Signed as part of City's aforementioned ever-deepening youth drive, Colombian Marlos Moreno was signed at the age of 19 and sent straight to Spain on loan.

He then went to on a further six loans – including to CFG outfit Lommel – before joining another CFG club, Troyes.

2016: John Stones, £48m

A defining buy in English football history, John Stones became the nation's most expensive defender ever and signalled how Guardiola was planning to instil build-up into our footballing culture.

Stones left City arguably as his nation's most accomplished defender ever, with his display in the Champions League final en route to a Treble the most unique that any English centre-back has ever performed. He's been a rock for a decade for his country, too.

2016: Claudio Bravo, £15m

A controversial signing, as it meant the end of the beloved Joe Hart's Manchester City career, with the England No.1 unceremonially dumped in Torino before climbing back through the wilderness.

Claudio Bravo could play with his feet – but never recovered from a Manchester Derby mistake and was relegated to No.2 before the end of his first season in English football.

2016: Aaron Mooy, free

Aaron Mooy signed from CFG's Melbourne City, and though he never did play for Manchester City, he became a fan favourite at Huddersfield Town.

Further proof of an ever-expanding network: had he reached City levels, you'd better believe they'd have snatched him back.

2016: Geronimo Rulli, £4m

Another talented young goalkeeper snapped up as a youngster before heading out to Real Sociedad on loan – who liked him so much, they paid City to have him permanently.

Now… back at City as a No.2. Funny how things work out.

2016: Pablo Mari, undisclosed

Another talented young defender snapped up and shipped out to Girona to improve City's sister project.

Never made a single City appearance, going on loan three times before a leftfield move to Flamengo, before former City coach Mikel Arteta bought him for Arsenal.

2016: Rabbi Matondo, undisclosed

A bid for the next Bale, Rabbi Matondo was tearing things up in Cardiff's academy and for Wales' youth teams.

A year after Sancho had swapped Watford for Sky Blues, Matondo followed – and would follow his lead later, too: neither of them played for City's first team, but both would depart for the Bundesliga, where they'd make their names.

2017: Gabriel Jesus, £27m

It's easy to forget how exciting Gabriel Jesus was in Brazilian football, and £27m marked a significant outlay for a player straight from South America.

Had he not have suffered terrible injuries (both in Manchester and London), perhaps we could've been talking about Brazil's defining footballer post-Neymar – but City still made a healthy profit on a striker who never established himself as first-choice, yet still contributed to four titles. That's how you Moneyball.

2017/18

2017: Bernardo Silva, £43m

Paying over £40m for a player after his breakout season felt like a jump in terms of valuation: it was a sign of things to come.

Soon after Bernardo Silva moved, Neymar broke the transfer market, and the Portuguese made his fee look like an absolute bargain, becoming whatever Pep needed in midfield, on the right, or even at left-back on an occasion or two. It pays to slightly overpay when the market's about to inflate.

2017: Ederson, £35m

City got a lot of stick at the time for replacing Bravo just a year into his City career, spending a Premier League record on a goalkeeper in Ederson.

The Brazilian turned out to be worth every penny, however – and when Alisson and Kepa both moved for twice the money, no one even remembered how much City had spent.

2017: Kyle Walker, £45m

Tottenham Hotspur were always difficult to negotiate with, but City paid what was asked of them when they came in for Walker.

Once again, £45m became a bargain for a player who'd play over 300 times and win six Premier League titles at City. There's a lesson, here…

2017: Benjamin Mendy, £49m

City plundered recently-successful Monaco when looking for Walker equivalent on the opposite side – to a very different result.

Benjamin Mendy suffered an ACL injury a month into the season and eventually replaced by the likes of Delph and Zinchenko – before being charged with several counts of rape and sexual assault (which he was later found not guilty of).

2017: Danilo, £27m

The third big-money full-back that Guardiola invested in, Danilo ended up playing on both sides over two seasons before Juventus signed him.

City made their money back with the sale, in what was becoming a regular occurence.

2017: Eric Garcia, £1.5m

City's very own Gerard Pique, Eric Garcia moved from La Masia before making the return to Barcelona a few years later on a free transfer.

The relationship between the two clubs really deepened in this time, before the likes of Ferran Torres, Ilkay Gundogan and Joao Cancelo would all go to Camp Nou from Eastlands.

2017: Douglas Luiz, £10m

Eventually winding up in the Midlands, Douglas Luiz was another signing bought to help out Girona.

The Brazilian had established himself in his homeland and never actually made an appearance in sky blue – due to the UK Home Office denying him a work permit – before Aston Villa signed him.

2018: Aymeric Laporte, £57m

Once again, City paid a little over the going rate for a player before everyone else did.

Aymeric Laporte bedded in during the Centurion season before leading the club to another title a year later alongside Kompany. In five-and-a-half seasons in Manchester, he was one of the best defenders in the league.

2018: Jack Harrison, undisclosed

A Stoke-born former Liverpool and Man United youth player who wound up in the United States playing college soccer, Jack Harrison was signed by NYCFC before the flagship brought him to the Etihad.

Once again, never played a game for Man City: but Harrison had four loans (three at Leeds) before joining the Whites permanently for £11m.

Watch France vs Belgium for free from anywhere as the two teams meet in the Nations League at the Stade de France, with FourFourTwo bringing you live stream details and TV channels wherever you are in the world.

Group A1 leaders France host Belgium in their final Nations League group stage outing at the Stade de France today.

Belgium could leapfrog Les Bleus with a victory in Paris, but beating the French on their own patch will be a tough ask to say the least.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information on how to watch France vs Belgium online, on TV, and from anywhere - including for FREE.

Watch France vs Belgium from anywhere

What if you're away from home when France vs Belgium is on, and find access to your usual streaming service geo-blocked? The solution is a VPN, a piece of software that can unblock streaming services from wherever you're in the world.

FourFourTwo’s colleagues at TechRadar are experts in this field, and they reckon NordVPN is the best VPN provider on the market.

Watch France vs Belgium in the UK

Viewers in the UK can watch France vs Belgium on Amazon Prime Video, with coverage available on a pay-per-view basis. Kick-off is at 7:45pm BST.

Watch France vs Belgium in the US

Fubo will broadcast France vs Belgium in the US, with kick-off arriving at 2:45pm ET / 11:45am PT.

Watch France vs Belgium in Australia

In Australia, France vs Belgium is live on beIN SPORTS.

The match will be broadcast on beIN SPORTS 2, with kick-off at 4:45 am AEST on Tuesday.

France vs Belgium: Nations League preview

France welcome Belgium to the Stade de France on Monday night, knowing another victory will put them in a commanding position at the top of Nations League Group A1.

Zinedine Zidane’s side remain unbeaten since the former France midfielder took charge, although Friday’s 1-1 draw with Italy showed there is still work to do. Michael Olise gave France the lead with a superb free-kick before Alessandro Bastoni levelled, while Dayot Upamecano’s late red card means the defender will miss this encounter through suspension.

France have already beaten Belgium once during this Nations League campaign, securing a narrow 1-0 victory in Brussels last week. Olise was the hero on that occasion, producing a sensational late solo effort to settle a closely fought contest.

Belgium, however, arrive in Paris with renewed confidence following an impressive 3-0 victory over Türkiye. Kevin De Bruyne scored twice before Romelu Lukaku completed the scoring, but both De Bruyne and Youri Tielemans will be unavailable after accumulating suspensions.

That leaves Mark van Bommel facing a major selection dilemma in midfield, particularly against a France side boasting considerable attacking depth despite Kylian Mbappé’s continued absence.

With France holding a one-point advantage over Belgium in the group, Monday’s meeting could prove pivotal. Belgium need a result to keep pace with their hosts, while Zidane will be desperate to claim his first home victory as France boss.

FourFourTwo's prediction

France 2-0 Belgium

Belgium being without De Bruyne will have a big impact and Les Bleus will score one in each half to top the group.

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Watch Italy vs Turkey for free from anywhere in the world as the two nations meet again in the Nations League.

Just one week after their meeting in Bursa, Italy will look to condemn Turkey to the foot of Group A1.

It was a commanding display from the Azzurri on that occasion, as they ran out 4-1 winners, and they will be looking for a repeat performance on home soil.

Inter Milan centre-back Alessandro Bastoni will also be chasing some personal success, as he looks to find the net for a third consecutive game.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information on how to watch Italy vs Turkey online, on TV, and from anywhere.

Watch Italy vs Turkey from anywhere

What if you're away from home when Italy vs Turkey is on, and find access to your usual streaming service geo-blocked? The solution is a VPN, a piece of software that can unblock streaming services from wherever you're in the world.

FourFourTwo’s colleagues TechRadar are experts in this field, and they reckon NordVPN is the best VPN provider on the market.

Watch Italy vs Turkey in the UK

UK viewers can watch Italy vs Turkey live on Amazon Prime Video, with coverage available on a pay-per-view basis. Kick-off is scheduled for 7:45pm BST.

Watch Italy vs Turkey in the US

In the US, Fox Sports is the official broadcast partner of the UEFA Nations League and will show Italy vs Turkey on Fox Sports 2.

Watch Italy vs Turkey in Australia

Fans in Australia can watch Italy vs Turkey live on beIN SPORTS. The game will be shown on beIN SPORTS 3.

Italy vs Turkey: Nations League preview

Italy will look to build on a positive result in France when they welcome winless Turkey to Bologna on Monday night, with both sides facing very different challenges in Group A1.

Italy currently sit third in the group with four points from their opening three matches. After losing 2-0 to Belgium in their opening fixture, the Azzurri responded by beating Turkey 4-1 in Bursa before holding France to a 1-1 draw in Paris. Alessandro Bastoni's equaliser against France provided another encouraging result for new boss Roberto Mancini.

Turkey, meanwhile, remain without a point after three matches. Vincenzo Montella's side opened their campaign with a narrow 1-0 defeat against France, followed that with a 4-1 loss at home to Italy and were beaten 3-0 by Belgium last time out. They can’t stop conceding and just can’t find a way to score — a recipe for disaster.

For Italy, victory could take them into the top two and keep their hopes of progressing to the Nations League quarter-finals firmly alive. Turkey, meanwhile, desperately need points to prevent the gap to the rest of Group A1 from becoming insurmountable.

FourFourTwo's prediction

Italy 2-0 Turkey

Italy ran riot just last week, and a repeat, albeit with a lesser scoreline, should happen again.

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AS Roma's starting goalkeeper, Mile Svilar, finds himself in an international footballing limbo of sorts, despite being one of Europe's best goalkeepers.

The issue at hand is he effectively has no national team to play for.

Having won back-to-back Serie A Best Goalkeeper awards over the last two campaigns, the 27-year-old is excluded from international football due to a FIFA eligibility statute.

The Goalkeeper Without a Country

Svilar's predicament stems from a decision he made five years ago. Born in the Belgian city of Antwerp to former Yugoslav international goalkeeper Ratko Svilar, the player represented Belgium at youth level, from U16 up through U21.

However, in September 2021, Svilar accepted a senior call-up from Serbia and played 45 minutes in a friendly win over Qatar. In order to make that appearance, Svilar officially changed his national allegiance with FIFA from Belgium to Serbia.

That 45-minute outing proved to be a point of no return, though. Since then, his club career has flourished with Roma, and Svilar has sought to return to the Belgian setup.

When he declined a Serbian call-up in March 2024 from manager Dragan Stojkovic, the Serbian national team closed its doors to him once and for all.

Under FIFA's eligibility regulations, a player who has already completed one formal switch of association and subsequently played a senior match after turning 21 cannot switch back - and Svilar was 22 at the time of his Serbia debut.

Despite efforts by Svilar’s legal representatives to navigate the regulations, football’s governing body has maintained its stance, denying any exception for his situation.

Consequently, Svilar remains in an unprecedented international limbo as a star performer in one of Europe’s biggest domestic leagues, but without a country to represent on the international stage.

Tottenham Hotspur have suffered a nightmare scenario of both Micky van de Ven and Jan Paul van Hecke going off injured.

Tottenham are still winless in the Premier League – but according to reports relayed by Sport Witness, they have been given scares by the Dutch duo, who both featured heavily in new manager Xavi Hernandez's first few fixtures as manager.

Fortunately, it appears as if both of them could be fit to face Manchester United in their next fixture, though.

Tottenham Hotspur's Micky van de Ven and Jan Paul van Hecke have both suffered knocks

Van de Ven has been playing at left-back over the international break, with Xavi preferring the Spurs man there for his recovery pace and using Teun Koopmeiners centrally in his most recent fixture.

The Oranje had to finish their fixture against Serbia with 10 men, however, when their makeshift left-back was forced off with an arm injury, when former Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic landed awkwardly on the defender.

Xavi claimed it was “not a major injury” following the game, with a report from Voetbal International later backing that up, and adding, it was “less severe” than it first appeared.

Van Hecke's injury, meanwhile, has also been described as minor, too.

The summer signing withdrew from the squad after being stepped on away in Serbia last week – missing the draw against Greece in Thessaloniki and the return match against the Serbians in Eindhoven.

Spurs will be particularly grateful if both Dutchmen recover in time for the weekend, given the extent of their injury issues right now – which include another Netherlands star, in Xavi Simons, out until at least the New Year with an ACL injury.

In addition, Wilson Odobert, Mykhailo Mudryk, Pedro Porro and Dejan Kulusevski all look likely to miss the return of domestic football this weekend.

Tottenham play Manchester United this Saturday as Premier League action returns after the international break.

Cristiano Ronaldo appears to have quit the Portugal national team, on 146 goals and 234 caps.

Last week, Ronaldo took to his Instagram account last night to post a statement to his 679 million followers, explaining, “After the press conference of the National Team coach, and following a conversation with the President of the Portuguese Football Federation, I decided to leave the National Team camp.

“In due time, I will tell all the Portuguese about the reasons that motivated my departure from the national team, which I always dedicated myself to. Now it's time to wish good luck to Portugal and all my teammates, without exception.”

Has Cristiano Ronaldo gone for good?

There are currently no plans for Ronaldo to reconcile with the national team – even for a one-off fixture.

According to Spanish outlet Marca, the 41-year-old threw his toys out of the pram coach Jorge Jesus, who changed his mind about his selection plans during the recent international break.

The Portuguese, meanwhile, haven't appeared to have missed Ronaldo, beating Norway yesterday 2-1, with some stunning, free-flowing football on show in Porto.

More concerningly for Ronaldo, it was his replacement Goncalo Ramos who got the winning goal, just as it was in 2022 when CR7 was dropped for the young striker to net a hat-trick in the knockout rounds of the tournament.

While Lionel Messi is getting his ‘Last Tango’ there have been calls for his ideological opposite to have a similar final appearance, if he really is to retire from international duty.

However, influencer Fabrizio Romano has claimed in a post on Instagram that this isn't the case.

“Cristiano Ronaldo has left Europe and returned to Riyadh after tense discussions last Wednesday, waiting to clarify his future with Portuguese national team following tonight’s game,” Romano posted yesterday.

“Al Nassr plan to restart training with Cristiano this week.

“Ronaldo and Jorge Jesus will both clarify their positions [soon,] ahead of [a] final verdict on future chapters with Portugal.”

Bruno Fernandes has assumed the captaincy in Ronaldo's absence.

When Lionel Messi steps onto the turf at the Estadio Monumental on Tuesday night for his final appearance in an Argentina shirt, the 85,000 in attendance are expecting a fairytale goodbye.

The icon, who delivered his nation from a 36-year drought to lift the World Cup in 2022, is bringing down the curtain on an extraordinary international career. But, beneath the fireworks, emotion, and commemorative kits, there is a cynical reality seemingly at play.

The Argentinian Football Association (AFA) are leaving nothing to chance, carefully manufacturing the circumstances surrounding this international window to guarantee their captain receives an uncomplicated, risk-free send-off that does not deviate from the script.

Argentina are not playing fair with Lionel Messi farewell

The choice of opposition, and the chaos leading up to the fixture, tells its own story.

French investigative journalist Romain Molina has exposed an organisational shambles surrounding Argentina’s scheduled friendly opponents during this international window.

Visiting teams Burkina Faso and Benin have had to overcome less-than-ideal administrative hurdles to fulfil the fixtures. In recent days, travel chaos forced a makeshift Burkina Faso squad filled with unproven youngsters, some lacking senior caps, to step into the line of fire at short notice.

The AFA have invited lower-ranked opposition burdened with travel fatigue and depleted squads, effectively neutralising any possibility of a banana skin-style embarrassment.

Argentine supporters are paying premium ticket prices for what is billed as a competitive international test, but are instead receiving a carefully choreographed exhibition designed to ensure Messi glides through his final 90 minutes without proper resistance.

The disparity between the World Cup finalists and their visitors is plain to see. While Benin goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou insisted in the buildup that his side are 'not tourists' in Argentina and vowed to try to save a Messi penalty if required, their preparations have been hampered, probably needlessly.

Benin have been booked onto commercial flights by the AFA, which has seen a number of players arrive late into South America after 25-hour journeys, to a hotel with no hot water on one floor, an out-of-service sauna and an under-equipped gym, according to Molina.

Burkina Faso were beaten 7-0 by Argentina over the weekend, but were without some senior players due to the budget flight offering, covered by the AFA, and lack of remuneration for participation in the fixture. A significant portion of the squad, which allegedly arrived in Buenos Aires just hours before kick-off, were uncapped.

The AFA’s objective appears simple: to eliminate every variable that could ruin the script. In handpicking accommodating conditions, Argentina’s governing body has built a protective bubble around their departing talisman.

This will not to diminish Messi’s peerless contributions to Argentine football, though, but there is an argument that he would be better honoured with a fairer contest to mark his farewell.

Representing one's country is one of the highest honours football has to offer and going to a World Cup takes that to a whole different level. Some players have racked up the caps but haven't won one at a World Cup, for various reasons. This FourFourTwo quiz is all about the players who have.

International centurions are increasingly common, for obvious reasons, so we're setting the bar a little higher. We want you to name every player with 125 caps or more and World Cup experience to back them up.

There are 135 players to name and we're applying a time limit of 20 minutes for this one. Don't be shy about letting us know how you get on.

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

FourFourTwo has loads more football quizzes, all courtesy of Kwizly. Let's get started by asking you to name every team competing in the league phase of the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League this season and then to answer some fiendish questions about the streets football won't forget.

After that, we're heading to Spain's biggest clubs for a tasty bit of transfer quizzing. Can you name the 50 most expensive players ever signed by Barcelona or Real Madrid?

Finally, why don't you try out our Big Quiz of English Football Grounds? It goes east and west, north and south, and hitting 100 percent is evidence of elite quizzing. Have a go!

FourFourTwo's Weekend Crossword 72 features clues on Buccaneers, pirates and Vikings. Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter for your daily afternoon briefing of football trivia and analysis, and don't forget to join The Club: our free membership portal where you can secret hints and get on the leaderboard.

Here's a brand spanking new FourFourTwo Quickfire Quiz. We have 10 tricky trivia questions. You have 90 seconds to answer them all.

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FourFourTwo has lots more football quizzes and they're all courtesy of Kwizly. We'll start with a dive into football history. 80 years ago, the game was emerging from the interruption of war. We want you to name every club to have participated in the top division of English men's football since 1945.

Keeping it in England, we've got a selection of questions about the great Premier League's one-club wonders and a particularly devious Big Quiz of English Football Grounds for you to get stuck into.

For supporter culture enthusiasts, we've got a simple task that's difficult to achieve. Let's see how many of these football fanzines you can match to the clubs they serve or served.

We also want you to tell us which countries these fantastically named football clubs are from and the nationalities of all 20 of these Premier League footballers past and present.

Do you have 30 minutes to spend on the most frustrating experience of your life? We've got you covered, in the form of a football quiz with more than 1,000 correct answers. Can you name every team to have ever competed in the Champions League?

We have puzzles too. Our Weekend Crossword is a regular football teaser for your Sunday, and remember to sign up to the newsletter for more quizzes in your inbox. Don't forget to join The Club for free additional membership benefits!

Ezri Konsa and Alex Scott have pulled out of the England squad ahead of Tuesday’s UEFA Nations League fixture against Czechia at Wembley.

The pair have returned to their respective clubs for further assessment but the news comes at an inopportune time for Arsenal, given their lack of available defensive options.

The Football Association confirmed the update in an official statement, revealing that manager Thomas Tuchel will prepare for the last fixture of the current international window with a reduced 22-player squad.

Arsenal defender makes premature international break return

"Ezri Konsa and Alex Scott have been ruled out of Tuesday’s UEFA Nations League meeting with Czechia at Wembley," the England statement read. "Thomas Tuchel will continue his preparations for the final fixture of this international window with a squad of 22 players."

Konsa joined Arsenal in a £51 million summer move after a 48-game season with Aston Villa and a World Cup campaign for England.

The central defender had been working on an individual training plan throughout last week to manage his physical condition and was able to complete 90 minutes as England roared to a 7-0 win away in Croatia.

Despite missing the occasional group training session last week, Konsa initially remained in camp with the Three Lions before medical staff ultimately decided against risking him for Tuesday’s clash. The decision to release Konsa back to London is understood to be primarily a precautionary measure, aimed at preventing a minor issue from worsening.

Nevertheless, the news will be of some concern for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal. Konsa was brought to the Emirates Stadium to provide defensive reinforcement following a long-term back injury to star centre-back William Saliba.

With Saliba still sidelined for an extended period, Konsa has stepped straight into the starting lineup alongside Gabriel Magalhaes.

Given Saliba’s ongoing absence, any potential setback to Konsa, even as a precaution, leaves Arsenal in a fragile position in central defence. With a demanding schedule of Premier League and UEFA Champions League fixtures looming immediately after the international break, Arteta will be eager for swift reassurance from the club's medical team. The Gunners host Leeds United on Saturday lunchtime when the Premier League resumes.

In 1996, Arsenal were in a bit of disarray - and their iconic captain Tony Adams almost left the club as a result.

The highly-successful, if divisive, George Graham had been dismissed the year before following the bung scandal, in which the Gunners boss admitted of receiving an 'unsolicited gift' from an agent.

In finishing fifth the following season under Bruco Rioch, Arsenal did show some signs of bouncing back from a disappointing 12th-place finish and the heartbreak of defeat in the Cup Winners' Cup final as they failed to retain the trophy.

Tony Adams: "Fergie phoned me - I told Arsenal I was gone"

But Rioch was himself dismissed just before the beginning of the 1996/97 season, in part because of a dispute over transfers.

And Adams told FourFourTwo that prior to the appointment of the unknown Arsene Wenger, he got a phone call from ever-opportunistic Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson to try and lure him to Old Trafford.

Adams promptly had a sit-down meeting with the Arsenal chairman, explaining: “I went in to see Peter Hill-Wood. I said: ‘What’s your ambition for the club?’

"He said: ‘No problem, Tony, we’ve got a good man on the way, all’s good’.

"But Fergie had been on the phone saying: 'Come up here, you haven’t got a manager, you’re all over the place’.

"I said ‘Look, Peter... I’m gone’."

However, Arsenal ultimately pulled out the stops to show their captain just how ambitious they were - including holding onto him.

Adams said: "My wages got trebled, Arsene came in and the rest is history – I stayed put.

"I’m so grateful that it happened that way and I didn’t go to pastures new.

"I was able to lift more trophies for the Arsenal, do a couple more Doubles and retire as a one-club player. I’m very proud of that.”

Adams’ book 1996: Reflections On The Year That Changed My Life is available now

Cristiano Ronaldo is an incredibly proud individual – with a lot to be proud about. Five Ballons d’Or, five Champions Leagues, titles in England, Spain and Italy, a beautiful family and a billion in the bank. Rising from impoverished circumstances in Madeira, Ronaldo’s achievements in life and career give him every reason to glow with pride.

But pride can also come before a fall. The great Ronaldo, his once-celebrated powers inevitably fading at 41, needs to accept his Portugal days are over, whatever the rumblings of being poorly treated. He needs to leave Bruno Fernandes, Ruben Dias, Vitinha and Goncalo Ramos and the rest of the latest Golden Generation to chase glory without him. Psychologically and tactically, Ronaldo holds them back. It’s time for all parties to move on.

The team of all the talents and a strong-willed head coach, Jorge Jesus, look to have moved on. Last night’s defeat of Norway makes that three wins on the spin without Ronaldo. It secured qualification for the March quarter-finals from a difficult-looking Nations League group (Denmark and Wales as well as Norway). It vindicates Jesus’ selections. It surely confirms the curtain falling on Ronaldo’s international career after an astonishing, 146 goals in 234 internationals. The man himself is clearly not ready to leave the stage and the international limelight.

WINTER: Cristiano Ronaldo must accept the inevitable and bow out gracefully

A refusal to quit defines many sporting greats. They believe any situation can be turned around, however lost it seems. That strength was a quality that Sir Alex Ferguson appreciated early in Ronaldo when bringing the 18-year-old in from Sporting. Ronaldo had just bamboozled Manchester United defenders in a friendly to mark the official opening of Estadio Jose Alvalade in 2023.

Along with all the technical gifts, the one-on-one skewering of defenders, the speed, Ronaldo had this ferocious will to win that Ferguson admired deeply. That may have been partly ego and a desire for acclaim following that difficult upbringing that included laser heart surgery at 15 and an alcoholic father. The fire that burns within Ronaldo has also been fuelled by rivalry with Lionel Messi.

But he’s 41. The athleticism and supreme mobility are no longer there. The painful reality for Ronaldo is that he holds the team back. It is a story now about preserving a legacy, ensuring that the parting is done respectfully. Ronaldo is certainly owed that given his contribution to Portugal’s cause over two decades and his money-spinning value to the Portuguese Football Federation.

It is a debate that divides a nation. Respected media voices in Portugal put the split over Ronaldo at 50-50. A player who once united the whole country as he lifted them to great feats, including European glory and Nations League titles, now divides. Many can’t forget this summer’s World Cup campaign undermined by the focus on Ronaldo. Jesus’ predecessor, Roberto Martinez, was not decisive enough.

Commendably, the team’s leader Fernandes attempts to heal the divide with sensible words. “What I ask is that the country does not divide itself, does not make choices, that it respects all sides,” Fernandes said before the Norway game. “Cris [Ronaldo] is - and always will be - the biggest icon of our national team. He deserves everyone's respect, regardless of who likes him more or less.”

Portugal have another Golden Generation that must be allowed to shine. The list of luminaries is dazzling: Diogo Costa, Nuno Mendes, Joao Cancelo, Joao Palhinha, Joao Felix as well as Fernandes, Dias, Vitinha and Ramos were amongst those starting against Norway at Estadio do Dragao. Ruben Neves, Trincao and Bernardo Silva were amongst those who rose from the bench to apply more impetus.

The great unused included Pedro Neto, Rafael Leao and a back-to-back European champion, Paris St-Germain’s Joao Neves. Portugal’s got talent.

These players all grew up admiring Ronaldo. But few played with him at his peak, 2009-2018, when he absolutely shone at Man United and, even in some difficult moments for the club, at Real Madrid. He played his part in Portugal’s Euro 2016 success but did not last long in the final before injury intervened. Portugal can cope without him.

Now that Portugal have qualified for the quarter-finals, surely the obvious way to celebrate Ronaldo in a fitting farewell would be the home game against Denmark on November 14 in Braga. Or, more poignantly, in a home friendly – why not at Sporting’s Jose Alvalade? – next year when Ronaldo will surely have closed on the incredible landmark of 1,000 goals. He’s 21 short at the moment and can surely knock off most of those at Al-Nassr, resuming against Diriyah this Friday.

What a way to mark Ronaldo’s greatness than with a packed-out, impassioned throng at Estadio Jose Alvalade - the place where his career took off in that stadium-opening friendly with Man United. Ronaldo deserves an emotional send-off. And those who continue to wear Portugal’s vivid red deserve to be allowed to focus fully on the future.

Michael Carrick must be thankful for Manchester City taking all the attention in the club game during this international break.

The crisis club baton was handed from red to blue on a seismic day in the history of the sport. However, it doesn’t disguise the fact that Manchester United have had their joint-worst ever start to a Premier League season and are out of a domestic cup at the first time of asking yet again.

The longest-ever international break (excluding the 2022 World Cup), though, has surely given the Man United boss and his staff the chance to address multiple issues, and reset both side and season.

Amid Man United’s brutal start, there have been contradictory sets of data that suggest things are not quite as bad as it seems. You would certainly hope so given they have collected just five points from five games, all of which were very much winnable on paper. The only stat that actually matters is the league table, too.

The Groundhog Day feeling for the fanbase in the “post-Fergie Wilderness Years” set in with the harrowing opening day loss by two goals to nil against newly-promoted Hull City. It has only grown stronger since.

Victory was twice thrown away at Everton, a controversial but calamitous defeat came to 10 men in the derby, a heavily deflected goal saved them from the ignominy of defeat to winless Fulham, and Brighton ransacked Old Trafford as always. At least Ed Sheeran’s Ipswich Town were beaten, as well as the famous Sabah in Europe.

There have been myriad issues but nearly all of them appear very basic when assessed one-by-one. Together, they have seen Man United go away from much of what made them the in-form team of last season following Carrick’s arrival.

Of course, there was context with a game a week and the fabled new manager bounce, or interim legend bounce in Man United’s case, but it did come from Carrick knowing how to get the best out of his team and individual players.

The injury to Amad right before the season’s kick off threw a spanner in the works from the off. With Benjamin Sesko not playing in pre-season due to an ongoing shin issue, Bryan Mbeumo was set to start up front as he did for much of last season.

Instead, he played on the right with Matheus Cunha taking the role of the falsest of false 9s. It has been an abject failure with both the Brazilian and every other forward struggling as a result. His goal at Fulham came after he was restored to the left. It was rather symbolic.

Amad is set for a return following the break, leaving Carrick with the easiest of changes to make. The Ivorian will play off the right, where his natural speed and trickery make him an ideal touchline winger, and allow Mbeumo to operate in the inside forward spaces he thrives so well in.

Amad isn’t just an attacking outlet, though. He brings balance both to the team's attack and overall side, which was aided by his re-positioning as a wing-back under Ruben Amorim. The 24-year-old’s individual numbers were very poor last season but his role is so much more than that.

The re-jigging of the attack will undoubtedly help Bruno Fernandes, too. The skipper had been dealing with a “complicated injury” according to Portugal boss Jorge Jesus which may partly explain his iffy start to the season.

However, Fernandes hasn't had runners in behind and with Cunha dropping too deep, the spaces where he is at his absolute best have been somewhat clogged. Taking on the Portugal captaincy following Cristiano Ronaldo’s dramatic exit has surely boosted him, too.

One change to the attack could do so much for Man United and allow them to utilise their relatively strong depth. In saying that, Shea Lacey should have been handed more opportunities off the right.

A welcome injury return has already come in midfield with Carlos Baleba making his first matchday squad at Fulham. Youri Tielemans has not been a real issue but adding a bit more energy and bite in midfield - or at least having the option - is another change Carrick can make. It is likely to only further aid Kobbie Mainoo, who has been Man United’s best player this season.

Where else could changes come? Most fans were crying out for defensive reinforcements over the summer and a back four in 2026 that started the 7-0 loss at Anfield over three years ago only backs that up. With Matthijs de Ligt making a hugely welcomed return from a long-standing back injury in a friendly win over INEOS-owned Lausanne-Sport - alongside Baleba - he should come into the lineup again soon.

Leny Yoro played much of pre-season at right-back and surely deserves a shot given Diogo Dalot’s form. It would be a very modern Premier League move and add further energy and pace to United’s side.

Adding that energy and pace is perhaps the major change Carrick needs to make with a lack of urgency in the team's play evident from the opening day. Control might be the aim and change was guaranteed given his permanent appointment and Casemiro’s departure, but it has all felt too much too soon.

Making simple changes and going somewhat back to basics won’t see Man United make a very unlikely title tilt - although who knows with Man City’s case - but it will surely lead to improvements and keep Carrick’s head above water.

When the doom spiral kicks in at Old Trafford, it almost always leads to the sack. Carrick was there for the one who delayed the inevitable but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had both Fernandes joining and a pandemic to thank for that.

Barring even more extraordinary developments in this league season, internal changes must be immediately made ahead of a meeting with Carrick’s former club Spurs in what can be dubbed the first “El Sackico” clash of the season.