During his decade-long stay at West Ham, Michail Antonio chipped in with plenty of memorable goals among the 83 strikes he netted for the Hammers.

But often his celebrations would generate as much attention as his finishes ever did, whether it was the Jamaican international jumping on the latest trend, or producing elaborate props.

For Hammers fans, there were two celebrations that really stood out.

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Antonio on his most famous celebrations

Antonio did his homework when it came to celebrations, even if it meant not all of his team-mates were on the same wavelength.

A point in case comes when he is asked to name his favourite goal celebration from his West Ham days.

“It would have to be the first one, Homer Simpson – that was quality,” Antonio recalls to FourFourTwo. “The night before, I think The Simpsons Movie came on, and I saw Homer doing it, spinning in circles on the ground.

“I thought, ‘If I score tomorrow, I’m going to do that’. I told the boys, and they went, “Shut up, you’ll never do it! But I managed to put it into the bottom corner, ran over and started doing it!

“Aaron Cresswell had no clue what I was doing, he managed to kick me in the back of the head. He was looking at me, so confused!”

Antonio would go on to become West Ham’s record Premier League goalscorer when he bagged a brace in the Hammers’ 4-1 win over Leicester City in August 2021, using this as an opportunity to pull out another classic celebration.

This time it involved him running to the sub’s bench and hoisting up a cardboard cutout of himself above his head in the style of Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing.

“In lockdown, I had an idea and thought, ‘Because there are no fans, I’m going to make two cardboard cut-outs of myself, put them in the crowd and when I score, I’ll jump into the stand, sit next to them and applaud myself.’ On the day of the game, I was told I wasn’t allowed to go into the stand, it would be an automatic red card, so the cut-outs were just sat in my house for two years. I was thinking, ‘What am I going to do when I break the record?’ Then I thought of that. I’ve got a very imaginative mind!”

Antonio’s creativity was curbed in recent seasons however, as football’s most controversial modern development gave the nay-sayers another reason to rally against it.

“When VAR came in, it ruined my celebrations,” he adds. “I couldn’t run off and do the worm or something, knowing the goal could then be ruled out…”

Michail Antonio’s autobiography 'Humans Not Robots', published by HarperCollins, is available now

During his two-decade-long career, Youri Djorkaeff played with some of his generation’s greatest talents.

At club level, he counts the Brazilian striker Ronaldo, who he played with at Inter Milan as his greatest-ever team-mate, while on the international front it, most neutrals would rank his midfield partner Zinedine Zidane as another of that era’s greats.

Less than four years after he assisted Zidane’s crucial second goal in the 1998 World Cup final, Djorkaeff’s career took an eye-raising handbrake turn, when he found himself playing alongside the likes of Dean Holden and Michael Ricketts at Bolton Wanderers.

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Djorkaeff on his Bolton team-mates

Djorkaeff wasn’t the only exciting foreign import that was intreguied by boss Sam Allardyce’s ambition, as the likes of Jay-Jay Okocha and Ivan Campo joined the 82-time France international in the north-west.

“We were all in the same boat,” Djorkaeff recalls to FourFourTwo. “If you play for Liverpool or United, the boat is huge. Ours was more like a little rowing boat!” he laughs.

“If one of us leaned too far left, we’d all fall in the water.”

The Trotters quickly built up a reputation as a team who were intent on upsetting the status quo and the ‘little rowing boat’ Djorkaeff speaks of underlines that group’s underdog mentality.

While Bolton were not able to spend in the same manner as their illustrious neighbours in Manchester, or further away in Liverpool, the character and experience of the veterans brought in by Allardyce excelled in leadership roles.

“Campo and Okocha had more experience than most, so they helped me to lead that project,” Djorkaeff adds.

But while Djorkaeff has previously been happy to compare the likes of Zidane and Ronaldo, he believes that to do that with his former Bolton team-mates missed the point.

“You can’t compare them – it wouldn’t be fair,” he replied when asked if there were any areas where Kevin Nolan was better than Zidane.

“Maybe he was the better warrior? But then again, so was Zidane. Bolton was like Asterix and Obelix in their small village standing up to the Roman Empire.

“All of us were great fighters, battling against the rest.”

The 1998 World Cup winner did not hold back in his assessment of Mbappe in that semi-final tussle with La Roja, and believes the 27-year-old failed to step up to the plate.

Speaking exclusively to Freebets.com, Leboeuf said: "I'm not a big fan of the Ballon d'Or - I don't like individual awards in a collective sport. But Mbappe is a great individual player with great skill and incredible confidence.

“If he doesn't understand that he has to work for the team, he will never get the Ballon d'Or because his team will never win anything.

'Mbappe will never win a Ballon d'Or if he doesn't work for the team'

“You win competitions like the World Cup and Champions League through team effort - everybody sweats for each other.

“During this World Cup, Mbappe was coming back into position, winning the ball - everything was perfect. But in that game against Spain, there was individual failure.

“Maybe he has changed his attitude and maybe it will work out the way he wants to for Real Madrid. But if he wants the Ballon d'Or, he needs to help his teammates and that's what will make Real Madrid better."

Leboeuf then reflected generally on a France side which ultimately fell short at this year’s finals, but believes many of these players are still young enough to make an impact in 2030.

When asked whether this France team ranked amongst sides that failed to win the World Cup, he replied: "Mbappe answered that question just before the loss against Spain. He said: 'We have a great team, but so far, we've won nothing. It's only when we win the World Cup that maybe you can say we're the greatest.'

“I put it to my colleagues at ESPN - watching them play, I said this may be the best team ever. But they have to win. We talked about England's and Belgium’s golden generations — they won nothing and won't be remembered. That's sad, but they won't be remembered.

“I really hope this France team will take over. They have some very good young players on the bench. That team will keep on growing and will be a very big threat for the 2030 World Cup."

It was a sad end to an otherwise glittering spell in charge of Les Bleus for Didier Deschamps, but Leboeuf spoke glowingly about his 14 years at the helm.

"I will never criticise somebody who played two World Cups, won one, and won a European Championship. Since '98 we've played four World Cup finals — that's insane for a small country like us,” he explained.

“Since Deschamps took over in 2014, the worst position he was in was the quarter-final. It says a lot about what he brought. He was helped by a great generation of football players, with so many progressing through French academies.

“Deschamps made sure that players understood a national team is not just a selection - you have to behave like you're in a club. That is what Aime Jacquet did with us, and that is Deschamps' legacy. If he'd won this World Cup, he would have been named the greatest of the greatest."

Deschamps’ final match in charge will be the third-place play-off against England on Saturday, and it is fair to say that Leboeuf is hardly looking forward to the game.

"I never understood the third-place game in football,” he added.

“The players who lost are devastated - they wanted the final. They don't have any thoughts whatsoever for a game like that. You can get injured and you're fed up with football.

“You just want 10 days before thinking about your club again. I don't understand that game. I have sympathy for the players on both sides."

As Argentina get set for their third World Cup final out of the past four tournaments, Lionel Scaloni only has to look back to the 2022 final for inspiration.

That clash between La Albiceleste and France was perhaps the best final in the tournament’s history, a pulsating 3-3 draw which was settled when Argentina won on penalties.

While Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe’s personal duel took the headlines, there was one key moment in which neither of the modern-day icons were involved on which the entire match rested

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Javier Zanetti on the key moment in the 2022 World Cup final

Argentina looked to be closing in on their second ever World Cup title after goals from Messi and Angel Di Maria had put them in a commanding position, deep into the second half.

But with just ten minutes of normal time remaining, Mbappe would net twice in two minutes to force the extra period, where the French striker would complete his hat-trick in the 118th minute to cancel out Messi’s extra-time goal.

Yet there was still time for more drama, including a chance that Argentina legend Javier Zanetti, who was watching inside the Lusail Stadium in Qatar, will never forget.

“Life stopped in that moment,” the 145-time Argentina international tells FourFourTwo.

The incident Zanetti refers to came deep in stoppage time of the second period of extra time, when goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez made a stunning save from Randal Kolo Muani, stretching out his leg to prevent what looked to be a last-gasp late winner.

“It’s a moment we’ll remember for the rest of our lives,” former Inter Milan stalwart Zanetti continues.

“In a second, everything could have changed. France were inches from the World Cup.”

The save was a classic example of the final margains on which tournaments can be settled at this level and a reminder of how careers and even lives can be shaped in the blink of an eye.

While Zanetti will no doubt be watching on Sunday evening when Argentina look to become the third side to win back-to-back World Cup titles, the clash against Spain will do well to compete with the 2022 classic.

“It was a wonderful final – a rollercoaster of emotions,” he continues. “Of all the finals I’ve seen and experienced, it was undoubtedly the best.”

Few international teams in modern football history have been able to capture the imagination like Jack Charlton’s Republic of Ireland side of the early 1990s.

Under the former Leeds United lynchpin, Ireland qualified for their first ever World Cup in 1990, reaching the quarter-finals in Italy, and soon proved that not to be a one-off, as they again reached the last-eight in the USA four years later.

Striker Tony Cascarino was a key member of Charlton’s team, and his memories of these two tournaments are dominated by his former boss’s larger-than-life personality.

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Cascarino on Big Jack

Cascarino looks back at his time at the 1990 and 1994 World Cups with enormous affection and credits the squad’s camaraderie to Charlton.

“The lads were phenomenal and the manager, Big Jack, was hilarious,” the former striker recalls to FourFourTwo.

As a player, Charlton was known for his uncompromising style of play and his infamous ‘little black book’ and his managerial style could be equally as old-school.

“If you were having a Coke at dinner the night before a match he’d say, ‘What are you doing with that s**t? I’d rather you had a beer’,” Cascarino adds.

For Charlton, there was logic in going against the sports scientists and nutritionists.

“He felt it’d help you sleep better,” Cascarino explains.

Even when the stakes were at their highest on the eve of the biggest match in Irish football history, Charlton stuck to his guns.

“He used that tactic with us against Italy in the quarter-finals of Italia 90,” Cascarino continues.

“His line was, 'Look, you’re playing Italy in Rome. The referee won’t give you a thing, and you’ll be going home the next day, you may as well have a drink.' He wanted to take the pressure off us.”

During his decade-long tenure at West Ham United, Michail Antonio’s time at the club was defined by versatility, resilience and a willingness to do whatever was required for the team.

The Jamaica international would eventually settle up top, but for all his shifting around the pitch, there was one position that he never embraced.

That came when Antonio was required to fill in at right-back, a spell which was followed by a dressing room row, a managerial change and the eventual move up front.

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Antonio on his ill-fated right-back stint

“All the right-backs had got injured, it was just me,” Antonio recalls to FourFourTwo. “I did well, I think I got seven goals from right-back and a few assists, I had a couple of clubs looking at me. Antonio Conte wanted me at Chelsea, he was looking at me as a wing-back, the same as Victor Moses, but nothing came to fruition."

But despite these early successes in defence, it was not a role he enjoyed.

“I hated playing there, though,” he admits. “Coming back for pre-season at West Ham, I was thinking, ‘All right, we’re going to sign some right-backs’, but Slaven Bilic did the opposite – he sold the right-backs, thinking I was going to play there!

“He told me, “I’m going to make you the best right-back in Europe”, but I was like, “I don’t want to be, I’d rather be an average Premier League winger. He said, “Trust me”, but there was a game at Chelsea, I tried to lift the ball over Eden Hazard to pass it out wide, they blocked it and I gave up a penalty.

“Slaven pulled me up about it – after the game, I went in and he was saying, 'If I need you to play somewhere, you play there!' I said, “'’ll never play there again, I don’t want to play in that position ever again!' Mark Noble started arguing with me, so I stormed out of the changing room and got a taxi home.”

Antonio soon began to move into a more advanced role, as he went from a classic right winger to a traditional centre-forward role.

“That was Manuel Pellegrini,” he continues. “We were struggling, and I think I’d just come back from injury. The manager went from 4-5-1 to 4-4-2, with me and Seb Haller up top. Then, when Seb wasn’t playing the best because we weren’t playing to his style, he threw me up there.

“I played four games up front and did well. When Pellegrini got sacked, David Moyes came in and that was me, I was the number nine from then on.”

During this time West Ham had a habit of signing underwhelming big-name strikers, only for Antonio to see them off, amid talk of a curse on the number nine shirt.

“That’s exactly what it was before I moved up front,” he adds. “Every striker came in and didn’t score much, then I went from winger to striker. I think because I was already at the club, the curse didn’t get me!”

Michail Antonio’s autobiography 'Humans Not Robots', published by HarperCollins, is available now

Jude Bellingham was visibly dejected at full-time after England’s 2-1 loss to Argentina in the World Cup semi-final.

The Real Madrid midfielder’s heroics had helped the Three Lions to the brink of a first final since 1966, but Lionel Messi and co. had other ideas.

Bellingham was unable to impact the game as he had against Mexico and Norway in previous knockout rounds, and there were some unsavoury scenes on the pitch after the final whistle.

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Why did Bellingham clash with Barco?

Bellingham had an altercation with Argentina substitute Valentin Barco, who was celebrating with team-mates near the England star.

The 23-year-old walked over and confronted Barco, before slapping the Argentina full-back and sparking a melee.

It is not clear what caused the incident, but Barco was seen running onto the pitch and celebrating his team’s 85th-minute equaliser in front of England’s players.

That clearly provoked some England players, with John Stones pushing him away, but it could be that Bellingham is now punished for his slap on Barco.

He could yet face action from FIFA’s disciplinary committee for violent conduct, which would mean a ban and a fine. Bellingham would, as a result, miss Saturday’s third-place play-off against France - a game that feels inconsequential anyway.

The concern would be that Bellingham faces a longer, more significant ban, one that could potentially impact future tournaments.

FIFA may also consider the incident petulant rather than violent because of the lack of any real force in the slap, meaning Bellingham would escape any punishment at all.

The football governing body has previously been lenient with star names, notably the controversial decision to suspend USA striker Folarin Balogun’s ban for a red card so that he could play in the last 16 against Belgium, after a call from President Donald Trump to Gianni Infantino.

Cristiano Ronaldo also had a ban overturned to ensure he would play the first two matches for Portugal at the World Cup.

It remains to be seen how FIFA will view Bellingham’s clash with Barco, but England will hope there is no more bad news to come from a disappointing night in Atlanta.

England could not quite make it to extra time in their World Cup semi-final against Argentina, conceding twice late on to fall short in the most disappointing way.

The inquest is well underway as to why Thomas Tuchel opted to instruct his team to sit deep and attempt to soak up wave after wave of Argentina pressure.

After Enzo Fernandez’s equaliser, it seemed England hoped simply to survive until full-time, and then perhaps make it to a penalty shootout, given the plethora of defenders on the pitch.

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Pickford's water bottle picture emerges

If England had made it to penalties, they would, as expected, have been fully prepared.

Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has experienced plenty of shootout success at major tournaments during his Three Lions career.

And he was, it seems, ready for another one had Lautaro Martinez not met Lionel Messi’s inch-perfect cross in added time.

A picture of Pickford’s water bottle emerged on social media after Argentina’s players spotted it on the pitch following the full-time whistle.

Attached to the water bottle was an instruction on how and where to dive for each of Argentina’s potential penalty takers.

Messi, who has missed two penalties at this World Cup, was the first name on the list, with the instruction “fake left - dive right”.

For Chelsea midfielder Fernandez, Pickford’s note simply read: “stand central”.

While for most of the penalty takers Pickford was given a clear direction to dive, Thiago Almada’s name came with the instruction to “feel on the day”.

Messi and a couple of his team-mates were seen looking at the bottle, perhaps trying to garner some insight ahead of a potential shootout against Spain in Sunday’s World Cup final.

For England and Pickford, meanwhile, the preparation proved fruitless - unless, of course, they meet La Albiceleste in the knockout stages again four years from now…

The reason Newcastle United and England defender Dan Burn has nine fingers is due to a traumatic childhood accident that occurred when he was 13 years old.

For years, many Premier League fans have watched the 6ft 7in defender without ever noticing that he is missing the ring finger on his right hand.

Burn opened up in detail about the gruesome incident in an interview with Sky Sports last year, explaining exactly how it happened.

Dan Burn is missing a finger on his right hand

According to Burn, the injury occurred while hanging out with friends as a teenager.

"I'd been out with some friends, and I was showing off in front of a group of girls," he said. "I think a rabbit had got out and got into a community centre. So, I jumped the fence, not knowing there was a gate around the corner, and I was wearing a ring.

"It was a ring I was given off my grandad, so it was made of an old shilling, sort of solid. Then the spike got caught in the ring, and when I jumped off, it ripped me."

At first, Burn didn't realise the severity of his injury. It was only when he pulled back his sleeve that he saw the extent of the damage. He was rushed to the hospital, but his finger couldn't be saved.

While the injury hasn't hindered his football career in the Premier League or the journey to representing the England national team, Burn admits it has led to some funny and awkward situations in day-to-day life.

"I remember when I first started going out with my girlfriend, we used to go to McDonald's, you go through the drive-thru, hand over your money and when they give [the change] back, I'd put my hand out - the coins would fall between the gap of the car and the window.

"I'd open the door but I couldn't get the money back, so I would just have to leave it and just drive off. So contactless [payment] was the best thing that ever happened to me."

Burn made his World Cup debut as a second half substitute in the Round of 16, making six clearances and two blocks to help ten-man England hold onto a 3-2 lead against co-hosts Mexico.

The 34-year-old was also introduced off the bench deep in extra-time against Norway, leveraging his towering aerial presence to help England defend their slender advantage and secure a place in the semi-final.

Argentina's World Cup semi-final with England will be a meeting of familiar foes.

Reigning champions Argentina are aiming to reach back-to-back World Cup finals, where Spain lie in wait, by overcoming England in their last-four encounter.

The Atlanta showdown marks the first competitive meeting with the teams since the 2002 tournament and remarkably, Lionel Messi's first against the Three Lions.

Emi Martinez's Argentina penalty record revealed

But Thomas Tuchel's side will also come up against well-known faces with several in the Albicelete's squad boasting either past or current Premier League experience.

No fewer than eight of England's next opponents have plied their trade in the top flight with Emi Martinez chief among them and set to be a focal point in the clash.

The Aston Villa goalkeeper stole the headlines when Argentina won the 2022 World Cup final against France for his heroics in extra time as well as the penalty shootout.

Martinez saved one of the four efforts he faced from the spot to ensure that Lionel Scaloni's men were crowned world champions for a third time in their history.

He was also awarded the tournament's Golden Glove after recording three clean sheets during his country's route to their most recent international glory in Qatar.

Martinez's record in shootouts with Argentina is 10 saves from 24 attempts faced which were key against France as well as the Netherlands in the 2022 quarter-final.

For club as well as country, the 33-year-old boasts an impressive record with four combined victories and his last defeat coming in the Carabao Cup with Arsenal in 2019.

However Martinez's record from penalties in open play with Argentina is less inspiring, having conceded five of six penalties he has faced in all competitions.

England captain Harry Kane is among those to have the better of Martinez after converting both of his efforts from 12 yards while still a Tottenham player.

The Bayern Munich forward has already converted his two penalties at this World Cup, beating Mexico's Raul Rangel and Dominik Livakovic of Croatia.

Until now, Lionel Messi and England had appeared destined to remain star-crossed.

The prospect of the greatest player in a generation, if not all time, and the birthplace of football never tangling threatened to go down as one of the game's biggest unknowns before they were finally brought together for Wednesday's World Cup semi-final.

Fate, or rather foolishness, conspired against Messi and England doing battle over two decades earlier as he missed their balmy 2005 friendly through suspension after picking up a red card just two minutes into his international debut.

But while good things come to those who wait, this long-awaited and much-sought contest may feel like a potentially unfair fight with the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner facing a resurgent Three Lions while hurtling towards the wrong side of 40.

The Inter Miami star, however, is in the form of his international life as the prospect of immortality as the first successive World Cup-winning captain since 1962 stands tantalisingly close - if he can overcome the might of Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham.

He is football's very own Benjamin Button; defying the sands of Father Time to break records which will outlast even some of the bona fide greats of the 'beautiful game'.

This summer has been no exception with eight goals and two assists putting him clear of Kylian Mbappe as the World Cup's new all-time top scorer even before the France captain bowed out against Spain.

Messi, unlike his longstanding nemesis and fellow World Cup elder statesman Cristiano Ronaldo, has disproved the theory that a 'Last Dance' automatically equates to slowing his role despite walking 47% of his distances covered at the tournament.

Less is officially more where the 39-year-old is concerned as evidenced by a combined 54 chances created to date - matching Diego Maradona's exploits in 1986, when the Albiceleste put England to the sword en route to glory at Mexico's Estadio Azteca.

Since the 2014 World Cup, his attacking prowess has risen incrementally with his current touches in the opposition's box now averaging 6.28 touches per 90 minutes.

Thomas Tuchel's side will also have their work cut out shackling a player who has 16 goals and seven assists in his last 15 World Cup outings while forewarned is not necessarily forearmed for the Premier League players he has routinely tormented.

He may not have realised the oft-quoted cliche of hacking it on cold and rainy night in Stoke but Messi has been the bête noire of the English top flight's traditional 'big six' clubs with 33 goal involvements - 27 goals and six assists - in 36 meetings overall.

Only those capable of suffocating the spaces which Argentina's talisman looks to exploit in games were able to cut off his supply, as Liverpool successfully did in Barcelona's infamous Champions League semi-final capitulation back in 2019.

Yet Messi's ability to lull opponents into a false sense of security before flicking a switch means he can never truly be counted out of any game, as Egypt discovered to their peril.

It evokes a memorable line from The Simpsons about the little guy who hasn't done anything yet but he's going to do something and you know it's gonna be good.

Atlanta's air-conditioned stadium may not be the Potteries but Messi can finally show England why their date with destiny was more than two decades in the making.

The 2026 World Cup's 'Bronze Final' - otherwise known as the third-place play-off - will see Golden Boot nominee Kylian Mbappe vie to remain top of the goalscoring standings at this tournament.

France were eliminated at the semi-final stage on Tuesday by an organised and ruthless Spain outfit who nullified the French threat with efficiency.

Mbappe has scored 20 goals at the World Cup, including eight at the 2026 edition, putting him in pole position to be crowned top scorer - but if he nets in the third-place play-off, will they count towards his tournament total?

Do goals scored in the third place play-off count towards the Golden Boot?

While many write off the third-place play-off as the match nobody wants to be in, it remains a fully sanctioned World Cup fixture.

That means any goals scored in the bronze-medal game absolutely count toward the Golden Boot race. After all, a goal is a goal. But not if it's scored in a shootout.

Race for the Golden Boot 2026

• Kylian Mbappe (8 goals)
• Lionel Messi (8 goals)
• Erling Haaland (7 goals)
• Jude Bellingham (6 goals)
• Harry Kane (6 goals)

Who was the first Golden Boot winner to score in the third place play-off?

Brazil's Leonidas was the first Golden Boot winner to score in the World Cup third place play-off.

The man who was said to have invented the bicycle kick bagged a brace as the Selecao beat Sweden 4-2 to finish third at the 1938 tournament.

Davor Suker remains the last Golden Boot winner to find the net in a World Cup third-place play-off, scoring Croatia's winner against the Netherlands in 1998.

Since then, only two other Golden Boot recipients have featured in the bronze-medal match have been Germany’s Miroslav Klose in 2006 and England’s Harry Kane in 2018, but neither finished the game by adding to their tournament tallies.

Diego Forlan and Thomas Muller both struck in the 2010 third-place match, but did so as part of a four-way draw for the tournament's top scorer prize, with Muller ultimately claiming the official Golden Boot trophy thanks to his superior assist tally.

France's World Cup semi-final against Spain has gone from bad to worse.

Two-time world champions France fell behind to Spain midway through the first half of Tuesday's World Cup semi-final in Dallas after Lucas Digne conceded a penalty.

Mikel Oyarzabal handed La Roja the upper hand from the spot in the 22nd minute before Didier Deschamps' side suffered another setback after the hydration break.

William Saliba suffers World Cup semi-final blow

Les Bleus were forced into an early change as William Saliba had to be withdrawn on the half-hour mark with Crystal Palace's Maxence Lacroix replacing him.

The Arsenal defender had been among his country's best performers as they aim to reach a third successive World Cup final in this summer's 48-team tournament.

He was integral in France joining Spain as the only nations not to fall behind at any stage of their respective journeys in this year's competition prior to Tuesday night.

But Saliba's World Cup involvement was brought to a premature end as he slumped on the turf with no one near him and began to signal a back injury to the bench.

The 25-year-old has endured back issues throughout the tournament with France reportedly modifying his training schedule in between games as a consequence.

Despite the problem, Saliba was a near ever-present for his country and was able to complete 90 minutes in five of their opening six matches at the tournament.

He also featured 50 times in all competitions last season as Arsenal ended a 22-year wait to win the Premier League and reached the Champions League final.

Fans of Mikel Arteta's side will be hoping Saliba's setback does not keep him out of France's potential World Cup final involvement as well as their upcoming campaign.

The English champions are set to face Manchester City in the Community Shield on 16 August before beginning their title defence against Coventry City on 21 August.

Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo is yet to make an appearance at World Cup 2026 and stands out as the only England midfielder not to have played a single minute.

Mainoo revived his season in the Premier League after the hiring of Michael Carrick as United’s interim head coach, an appointment since made permanent. The 21-year-old had experienced stagnation under Ruben Amorim but played his way back into the England picture.

Despite having 14 senior caps to his name and being a central midfield specialist, Mainoo has not been deployed as a fix for any of the multitude of midfield puzzles faced by England boss Thomas Tuchel in the United States and Mexico this summer.

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Tuchel has overlooked Mainoo at the World Cup

England have an established first-choice midfield pairing in the form of Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson but Tuchel has had to use his squad in an extended tournament, in which England have reached the semi-finals and will therefore play eight games in total, and because of Rice’s illness.

The Arsenal midfielder had to be substituted at half time during England’s quarter-final win over Norway and was replaced by clubmate Eberechi Eze. When Anthony Gordon was withdrawn after 71 minutes, Reece James came on to slot into the midfield, rather than Mainoo, with Eze moving out wide.

Jude Bellingham has joined the ranks of players who’ve appeared in the middle for England at the World Cup as Mainoo looks on from the bench.

36-year-old Jordan Henderson played a handful of minutes as a substitute against Panama at the end of the group stage. Even risking Rice himself against Norway was an indication that Mainoo isn’t seen as a viable option.

Exacerbated by the idea that England might have benefited from having another right-back in the squad – Trent Alexander-Arnold is the most frequently cited candidate but has also played in midfield for the Three Lions, albeit without success – Mainoo’s inclusion with no apparent prospect of playing has been criticised.

Nevertheless, former United and England midfielder Paul Scholes doesn’t want Mainoo’s fortunes to change as Rice races to be available for the semi-final against Argentina on Wednesday.

“It seems like it’s anybody but Kobbie Mainoo for Thomas Tuchel,” Scholes said on The Good, The Bad & The Football.

“Only Tuchel will know why. I can’t imagine Kobbie being a problem in the camp. Every manager has their favourites.

“I actually hope Kobbie Mainoo doesn’t come on now because he’s probably so down, he’s not played and he’s not kicked a football in a real game. He’s been training, obviously, but if he goes in now the only thing he can do is bad.”

For all the discussion about Mainoo’s World Cup role, England are still standing and have an opportunity to reach the final on foreign soil for the first time in their 76-year history with the competition.

In that sense, it’s certainly true that Tuchel is thus far meeting his brief and could yet achieve his objective in delivering a second World Cup for England. Mainoo’s lack of involvement is neither here nor there.

It is a curious situation, however. Tuchel hasn’t inherited a player he doesn’t rate or wouldn’t have chosen. The England manager alone is responsible for selecting the World Cup squad and brought Mainoo back into the fold.

As you might imagine, a lot of work has gone into FourFourTwo's Top 100 footballers of all-time list over the years. It's a labour of love that needs regular attention.

The standard of the modern game gets nudged higher every passing year, and that means new candidates for a coveted spot in our Top 100 list to be considered.

Any player with presence in this list is rubbing shoulders with the greatest humans to ever kick a football. It will be given a fresh review after the 2026 World Cup, but for the time being, it's set in stone, and that's given us the opportunity to have some fun and test you, our readers.

Create the Ultimate 4-4-2 formation

Above we've arranged all 100 players that feature in our list into their positions: GK, DEF, MID and ST. Pick your line-up, and it will generate a percentage score.

The higher your individual picks rank in our top 100 list, the higher your percentage.

Can you score 100? No cheating!

Lionel Messi will face England for the first time ever in the 2026 World Cup semi-final.

The 39-year-old has a storied international career, playing 205 times for Argentina, with not a single one of them coming against the Three Lions. If Argentina lose on Wednesday, it's highly likely England will be the nation who end the great man's international career.

He has, however, played against English teams several times in the Champions League during his time at Barcelona and PSG, and quite frankly has an absurd record against some of the Premier League’s best.

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Arsenal

• Games: 6
• Wins: 4
• Draws: 1
• Losses: 1
• Goals: 9
• Assists: 1

Lionel Messi has played against Arsenal six times in the Champions League.

Across those games he has scored nine times, including one four goal haul in the 2009/10 quarter-finals.

He was only on the losing side once in 2011, winning four of his clashes with the Gunners and drawing one.

Chelsea

• Games: 10
• Wins: 2
• Draws: 6
• Losses: 2
• Goals: 3
• Assists: 3

Arsenal’s London rivals are one of Messi’s least favourite English clubs to face. Across 10 games, he only won twice, his first game against them in 2006 and his last game against them in 2018. Whilst he did not lose much, he drew six of the 10 games.

The game in 2018 was a last 16 clash in the Champions League, with the first leg at Stamford Bridge being the first time that he had scored against the Blues in his career.

Of course Messi was on the pitch for Fernando Torres’ famous goal which coincided with the birth of Gary Neville’s “ooooohhhh”’s.

Liverpool

• Games: 4
• Wins: 2
• Draws: 0
• Losses: 2
• Goals: 2
• Assists: 0

Messi will have some of his best footballing memories, and some his worst against Liverpool.

When they faced off in the 2018/19 Champions League semi-final, Messi scored a brace in the first leg, with his second being a stunning free-kick that brought up his 600th career goal.

However, the return leg saw Liverpool overturn the three goal deficit and advance to the final in Madrid, with Messi being involved in several altercations with Andy Robertson throughout the match.

Manchester City

• Games: 8
• Wins: 6
• Draws: 0
• Losses: 2
• Goals: 7
• Assists: 2

Messi first played Man City in 2014 in the knockout stage of the Champions League, where he scored home and away.

In 2017, the first time he faced off against Pep Guardiola, he scored a hat-trick as Barcelona ran out 4-0 winners.

Then in 2021, he scored his first PSG goal against Man City in a group game at the Parc des Prince.

Manchester United

• Games: 6
• Wins: 4
• Draws: 1
• Losses: 1
• Goals: 4
• Assists: 0

Perhaps one of Messi's most memorable performances was against Manchester United in the 2011 Champions League final.

At the home of English football, he ran the show from minute one, making a very good defender in Rio Ferdinand look very average.

He had also done so in Rome in 2009, where he scored what is probably his most famous header to help Barcelona win the Champions League.

Tottenham

• Games: 2
• Wins: 1
• Draws: 1
• Losses: 0
• Goals: 2
• Assists: 0

When Messi faced Tottenham for the first time, they were playing out of Wembley Stadium while they waited for their new stadium to be built.

Of course he had previous there, with a stunning performance in the 2011 Champions League final against Man United, but he once again made the home of English football his own with a fine display, capped off with two goals.

When Tottenham visited the Camp Nou, they held out for a draw, which was enough to send them through second in the group.

Which members of the current England squad have played against Messi?

Several members of England’s squad have played against Messi during his career.

John Stones has played against him the most, making four appearances for Man City against Messi.

Harry Kane played in both games as Tottenham faced Barcelona in the group stages of the 2018/19 Champions League.

Marcus Rashford played for Manchester United as they took on Barcelona in the quarter-finals of the competition that year.

Jordan Henderson was Liverpool captain the night they overturned the 4-0 deficit in the semi-finals.

Then in 2023 whilst on loan at Rennes, Djed Spence featured in a famous away win against PSG. Spence himself only played 78 minutes before being subbed off. He played at right-back behind Desire Doue, who now plays, and stars in PSG’s attack.

Michail Antonio has opened up about his move to Qatar following leaving West Ham in 2025.

The striker was involved in a devastating car crash which saw him suffer a gruesome leg break and ultimately led to him leaving the London Stadium.

He trained with several clubs in England before moving overseas, but signed for Al Sailiya in March 2026 only to arrive in Qatar just as the conflict between the US and Iran started.

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"Seeing rockets fly past... that was scary!" Antonio opens up on first few days in Qatar

Antonio had continued to train with West Ham to aid his rehabilitation from the injury which he suffered in December 2024, playing for their under-21 side in August, but ultimately had to wait until March 2026 before signing for a new team.

Speaking exclusively to FourFourTwo he said: “Every club I trained with wanted to sign me – I knew I still had the quality. The first club I trained with was Brentford – they offered me a contract, but I got injured. Leicester offered me a contract, but I got injured.

“Charlton also offered me a contract, but I ended up going out to Qatar because that was something I needed, and I really enjoyed it out there. It was a great lifestyle, a good way to build myself back into football.”

It didn’t start how he would have wished, however, with the US and Iran entering a conflict that plunged the Middle East into uncertainty for several months.

“On the very first day of the war, I was looking out of my hotel room, seeing rockets fly past,” he told FourFourTwo.

“The hotel would shake when they were getting blocked. That was scary, but it was completely fine other than that day. Later in life, after I do my presenting and stuff like that, I’ll probably end up retiring out there.”

Whilst not officially retired, Antonio has been making plans for what to do when time does come to hang up his boots.

“I have a kinetics business that works on people’s movements, which we’re trying to grow and get into football clubs.

"I’ve also got a tequila company I have shares in, and the Samba Stars Academy out in Ghana – one of our players [Listowell Lord Hinneh] signed for Middlesbrough recently.

"My agent and I have partnered up on a couple of things, and there’s another business I’m starting too, plus the pundit and presenting side of things.”

He was part of the TNT Sports team for the 2025/26 season, helping on domestic and European coverage.

Michail Antonio had admitted that he felt abandoned by West Ham after suffering a devastating car crash in December 2024.

The forward was entering the final months of his contract with the Hammers when he suffered the accident which saw him suffer a gruesome leg break.

The aftermath of the incident saw a complete breakdown in his relationship with West Ham’s then-boss Graham Potter, as Antonio’s ten-year tenure in east London came to an end.

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Antonio on his West Ham rejection

Potter had replaced Julen Lopetegui as Hammers boss during Antonio’s recovery, and while he clearly did not see eye to eye with the now-Sweden coach, his first blow came when the club’s former chairman Karren Brady made an initial contract offer.

“Karren Brady told me that she’d offer me a £5,000-a-week contract, but with the under-21s, not the first team,” Antonio tells FourFourTwo. “I said, “How can you offer £5,000 a week and tell me to play for the under-21s, when the under-21s are on more than that and I’ve been at this club for 10 years?” Her response was, “Well, they haven’t been in a car crash and shattered their leg.” I was like, “Oof, OK…” I didn’t sign the contract.”

It was soon clear that Potter did not see the 36-year-old as part of his plans.

“Graham Potter tried to stop me coming to the training ground for the rest of my contract because I made a comment during something I did with TNT, the same comment that I’d been making for years, about how clubs treat players like meat. As soon as a player starts getting stale, the club want to release them. I said that on TNT, went in the next day and Graham pulled me into his office.

“He said, 'I think it’s best that you don’t come back in here.' I told him, 'Well I will be, because you guys have a duty of care to me and I know I’m allowed to be here, so I’ll see you tomorrow.' It was an argument and, from that day, we never even said hello to each other, and never spoke again.”

With Antonio having played more than 300 times for the club over the past decade, it upset him that Potter viewed him as being negative and not wanting West Ham to succeed.

“Exactly,” he agrees. “I was in there, making jokes with the boys and he could see that. My character is always to try to make people happy. Boys were messaging me when I didn’t have a club, saying, “It would be good for you to be back here.”

“He just had a problem with me, he never actually knew me – he came in after my car crash and during that period I wasn’t really in the club, I was doing rehab in Dubai or Manchester, I might have been at the club maybe once a month for a week, so he never got to know me.”

It is perhaps little surprise that Antonio agrees that Potter was the reason that West Ham were sliding to their eventual relegation.

“Definitely,” he continues. “He made the decision to get rid of all of the senior players. Me, Aaron Cresswell, Vladi Coufal, Edson Alvarez – he got rid of all of the players who were leaders. And then within a month of the season starting, he said, “We’ve got no leaders.” How does that even make any sense? How can you get rid of all the leaders, then go, “We have no leaders in the changing room.” It was your doing!”

Michail Antonio’s autobiography 'Humans Not Robots', published by HarperCollins, is available now

Guus Hiddink’s place in South Korean history is assured after the Dutchman guided the nation to a remarkable fourth-place finish at the 2002 World Cup.

Hiddink took over a Taegeuk Warriors side that had never progressed past the group stage at a World Cup and transformed them into one of the greatest underdog stories in the tournament’s history, defeating the likes of Italy and Spain along the way.

More than two decades on, Hiddink has opened up on just how extraordinary the reaction was back in South Korea, culminating in the offer of a villa on a volcanic island.

How Hiddink became South Korea’s favourite adopted son

This collective affection shown towards Hiddink went far beyond football, as the former Chelsea and PSV boss admits that he was sometimes overawed by the level of adoration he received.

“Sometimes, I found it a bit awkward how people in South Korea looked at me and how happy they were with me,” he tells FourFourTwo. “They called me in Korean the ‘Boss of Bosses’. I thought, ‘Yes, now it’s really enough.’

“A newspaper also suggested a Korean name for me, and there were banners put up in the stadiums saying “Hie Dung-gu for president”. Some people said that I would have made a good presidential candidate if I’d become naturalised. All nonsense.

“I was also made an honorary citizen of Seoul and offered all sorts of things. It’s not polite to refuse, but I couldn’t accept everything. I was offered a villa on the volcanic island of Jeju, but didn’t see myself going there for a weekend if I returned to Europe.”

Despite these jokes and attention, Hiddink is happy to maintain a close relationship with the country.

“I return to South Korea once or twice a year,” he continues. “Each time, I’m welcomed with open arms. With the initiative of my partner, we set up the Guus Hiddink Foundation. We’ve had several football pitches built in South Korea, including ones for blind children. They can play on specially adapted fields that have padded walls and balls with bells inside them. I once tried it myself, blindfolded, but I didn’t move an inch.

“We also hoped to do something with our foundation in North Korea. I’ve been there, too, and trucks with materials were already waiting, but for political reasons it didn’t happen. After the 2002 World Cup, by the way, we even played a friendly against North Korea in Seoul.

“That was a special moment. The night before, there was a dinner with both the South Korean and North Korean teams. There was a lot of supervision on their side – or rather, security. They didn’t want any of their players to run away. The game ended as a diplomatic 0-0!”

Hiddink’s impact was not limited to just South Korea, as his quiet Dutch hometown has become an unlikely tourist destination.

“My birthplace, Varsseveld, in the Dutch countryside, also attracted many South Korean tourists because of the 2002 World Cup. My oldest brother, who sadly has passed away, was very commercially savvy – he came up with the idea of selling little jars of soil that I’d walked on.

“That actually went quite well. My family – I grew up with five brothers – followed all of my adventures closely.”

The play alongside one generational talent is something, but to be team-mates with two is stuff of dreams.

But former France international Youri Djorkaeff was able to play alongside two modern-day legends for both club and country.

With Les Bleus, Djorkaeff was able to forge a devastating partnership with Zinedine Zidane, but despite everything the pair achieved together, even Zizou does not match up to one of his club team-mates.

Djorkaeff on Ronaldo vs Zidane

Djorkaeff and Zidane lined up together 49 times for France, during which time the team won successive international tournaments, as they followed up their historic 1998 World Cup victory on home soil with their European Championship two summers later.

He believes that the pair of them were following on from a long French tradition of producing world-class midfield talents, with Zidane’s emergence being the final ingredient that turned a talented squad into world champions.

“It was extremely easy playing next to Zidane,” he tells FourFourTwo. “France has always had a tradition of producing elite midfielders.

“I grew up watching the 1982 generation with Jean Tigana, and then 1986 with Platini and Luis Fernandez. Zidane was the missing piece – the organiser the team needed.”

Djorkaeff also believes that their partnership flourished because both players understood their respective roles.

“With his talent and vision, he was the link between the defence and frontline. I was more a final-third player – I scored many goals from his assists, he scored quite a few from mine.

“Our connection was one of the most important partnerships of that era.”

But for all the success that Djorkaeff had playing alongside Zidane, he does not hesitate when asked to select between his international partner and his former club team-mate at Inter Milan, Ronaldo.

Djorkaeff turned out alongside the Brazilian forward 53 times for Inter between 1997 and 1999 and insists that there is a clear winner when it comes to the debate over which player was better.

“It may sound hard to believe, but the answer is simple: Ronaldo,” he claims. “He was the best in the world. Even if you ask Zidane, I’m sure he’d say the same.”

Jeremy Doku step up from being a promising youngster at Anderlecht to a key player for both Manchester City and Belgium has been largely built on the strongest part of his game: his ability to beat defenders with the ball at his feet.

Right from his days playing on the streets of Antwerp, it quickly became clear that the winger had a dribbling style that set him apart from his contemporaries.

Doku himself believes that this natural gift has been shaped by family influences and his idols within the game.

Doku on his childhood dribbling ability

“It’s a gift, I didn’t train it,” the Manchester City winger admits to FourFourTwo. “I realised that football was the purpose that the Lord has put on my life. It’s a talent that has been given to me.”

Sometimes, when he was growing up, that talent manifested itself in humorous ways. “At a young age, I liked to dribble, and I got a lot of criticism from other parents because I didn’t pass the ball to their children!” he smiles.

“That was sometimes frustrating for my parents as well, on the side watching the game, because the other parents were always complaining. But then they saw that I was helping the team, that I was just using the talent that’s been given to me, and that it was working out.”

Doku is the biggest star of Belgium’s next generation and continues to play with the same passion and joy that he’s had since childhood.

“I used to play a lot on the street with my brother – I played futsal too, and it all contributed to who you see now,” he explains. “Now I try to reproduce that on the pitch. With my soul.”

Doku is of Ghanaian descent, and it was during a family trip to the West African country that his love for football began. “I think I was five years old, we were in Ghana and my brother was playing with some people,” he explains.

“I wanted to play, but they said that I was too young and I’d hurt myself, so I was crying and angry. But my dad told me, ‘Don’t worry, when we’re back in Belgium, I’ll put you in a team.’

“The neighbourhood I grew up in was a bit rough – he didn’t want me to go onto the streets and do bad stuff. But he saw I was quite good, and I started to love playing.”

Doku’s heroes were two of the best dribblers of the past couple of decades. “My favourite was always Messi – to this day, I love the way he plays,” he tells us.

“In Belgium, Eden Hazard was the guy I could see some of myself in – I wanted to have that role in the national team.”

When you're 39 years old and the end of your playing days are in sight, there is always a chance you wake up and realise the spark has gone out.

That is a question Lionel Messi will need to consider over this final week of the World Cup - whether Argentina successfully defend their title or not.

Whether it's going out on a high or feeling he simply has nothing left to prove, the question is: will Messi decide to retire after the World Cup?

Lionel Messi's Inter Miami contract complicates retirement picture

The decision may not come down to purely footballing considerations, however.

Messi is the third highest-paid athlete in the world, according to Forbes, and while only some of that comes from his actual playing contract at Inter Miami, he is clearly worth a lot more while he is still active than he will be after he retires.

There's a potential bit of future-proofing at play, too. Messi's previous contract with Inter Miami was set to expire at the end of 2025, but he signed a new three-year deal to extend his stay instead.

That new contract will not run out until he is 41 years old, and in the absence of any other evidence in either direction, is the strongest suggestion that he sees himself playing beyond the World Cup.

However, that situation could be complicated by the actual terms of his deal, which contains a couple of out-of-the-ordinary clauses.

It was reported when he made the move to Florida that Messi would receive a share of the revenue brought in from MLS media partner Apple.

Crucially, Messi is also believed to be in line to receive ownership stake in the club upon his retirement under the terms of his initial move.

However, it is not clear what the exact terms of that arrangement are, or whether the extension he signed in 2025 changes any part of it.

For instance, it is not known what percentage Messi is due to receive; whether he would get it automatically, or merely an option to take up a share of the club; whether he must pay for it; or whether ending his contract early by choosing to retire would affect his standing.

For now, then, only Messi himself may know what his intentions are - and even those may be subject to change.

Erling Haaland has came a long way: now tearing defenders to shreds in the Premier League with Manchester City, and international giants on the largest of stages with Norway at the 2026 World Cup.

The hulking Norwegian, who seemingly bodies defenders with ease, is the son of Alf-Inge Haaland, who played for Leeds United, Nottingham Forest, Manchester City and Bryne.

As a result, Erling grew up a supporter of Leeds, and began his own footballing career with Bryne at youth level.

Who is Erling Haaland? Inside story of Norway and Manchester City striker hoping to dump England out of the 2026 World Cup

Haaland came through the Norwegian side's youth system from 2005 to 2016, before breaking into their first team in 2017. He moved to Molde, also in Norway, and repeated the process in 2019.

From there, the Norwegian alerted the wider world to his existence while playing with Red Bull Salzburg in the Bundesliga, where he bagged 29 goals in just 27 appearances.

Premier League fans might recall a certain game, against Liverpool in the 2019/20 season, when Haaland scored the third in a near comeback from 3-0 down against the title-winning Reds.

Jurgen Klopp's men scored via Mohamed Salah in the second half to win 4-3, but Haaland stamped his mark on the Champions League stage.

Shortly after, not before winning Footballer of the Year with Salzburg, Haaland packed his bags and moved to Borussia Dortmund, scoring an astounding 86 goals in 89 games, with England's Jude Bellingham his partner in crime for much of his stint.

Despite his physically imposing nature, and his scary goalscoring ability, his youth coach from Norway recently described him as a 'skinny little thing' as a child.

Espen Undheim revealed: "He loves the moments. He still thinks [like] a boy, and acts like a boy. That's very important to keep the hunger... he loved to score goals, as a young boy.

Haaland made the move to the Premier League, winning PFA Players' Player of the Year in his debut season with the Cityzens, and breaking the English top-flight's goal record in a 38-game season, previously held by Salah.

The Norwegian led City to a treble, and broke their Champions League title curse, then followed it up in 2023/24 with another Golden Boot and Premier League trophy.

For Norway, Haaland's still astonishing output has gone under the radar across his international career, but it has been present in droves.

At the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2019, the bagsman hit nine goals in one game, during a 12-0 victory over Honduras.

In World Cup qualifying ahead of the 2026 edition, Haaland found the back of the 16 times in eight matches, scoring five versus Moldova.

Among other career highlights was his screamer of a finish against PSG in the Champions League with Dortmund, which created a sound unlike any other as the ball hit net.

Haaland also bagged five in one Champions League game for City, in a 7-0 victory against RB Leipzig, en-route to an elusive European trophy lift with Pep Guardiola's men.

The Norwegian is one of the most prolific goal-scorers of all time, and it is almost certain he will end his career as the greatest, purest bagsman in football history.

For England fans of a certain age, Euro 2004 remains one of the Three Lions’ most memorable tournaments of the modern era.

This was largely down to the performances of a teenage Wayne Rooney, who announced himself to an international audience with a string of fearless, breathtaking showings, as what would soon be dubbed the ‘golden generation’ began to dream of ending England’s long wait for a major trophy.

Joe Cole and Ashley Cole were both part of Sven-Goran Eriksson’s squad in Portugal for a campaign that ended in familiar fashion, as the Three Lions went out on penalties to the hosts in the quarter-finals.

Joe Cole and Ashley Cole on Euro 2004

For the two former team-mates, that summer remains a tantalising tournament defined by fine margains and can serve up lessons for England’s current generation.

For Joe Cole, the defining memory of Euro 2004 was Rooney’s emergence, as the then-Everton striker became the youngest player to score at a European Championship and looked capable of dragging his country deep into the tournament.

"The emergence of Wayne Rooney – he was amazing,” Joe recalls.

Ashley Cole’s first thought is not Rooney, but England’s blockbuster opening match of the tournament, when they were pitted against holders France, when Eriksson’s side were on course for a famous victory before a stoppage-time brace from the irressitable Zinedine Zidane turned the game on its head.

“Against France…,” is Ashley’s response, before Joe chrips in: “Zidane’s free-kick.”

“And penalty…,” Ashley continues, before Joe jokes that: “We ran into some decent teams!”

Despite the manner of England’s exit, Ashley realises how special it was to represent England at such a tournament.

“But it was still an amazing experience,” he continues. “We’re lucky that we’ve been around England setups – the hotels we went to were unbelievable. They give you every chance to win, but as Joe said, we played against some tough teams.

“Firstly an unbelievable French side. You go 1-0 up, the emergence of Rooney – it was only a matter of time before he burst on to the scene – but we couldn’t get it over the line. Then the next game, he gets injured? Or sent off?”

Joe “is there to correct his former team-mate before looking ahead: “No, in the quarter-final he got injured, didn’t he? It changed the game – one of those sliding doors moments.

“If England are going to win the World Cup this year, they’re going to need those moments to go for them – your best player who’s in the form of his life staying fit, or a referee deciding to give you something that could have gone against you.

“The margins are so small. People get a lot of criticism for not winning the World Cup, but it’s very difficult to do. There are some great teams who haven’t done it.”

Could It Be Coming Home? with Joe Cole and Ashley Cole is brought to you by Carling, official sponsor of the Emirates FA Cup and Adobe Women’s FA Cup. Watch the show on YouTube and Spotify, or listen to it wherever you get your podcasts

Joe Cole was at the centre of England’s hopes during the 2006 World Cup.

The playmaker went to the tournament with a freshly minted Premier League winners’ medal after he helped Chelsea seal their second consecutive league title, with Cole earning a place in the PFA Team of the Year.

Boss Sven-Goran Eriksson selected Cole for every match in Germany, with a spectacular goal against Sweden being the midfielder’s personal high-point before England’s tournament ended in a familiar fashion when they crashed out to Portugal on penalties in the quarter-finals.

Joe Cole on England’s World Cup 2006 campaign

“The 2006 World Cup was when I played most,” Cole tells FourFourTwo when asked which was his favourite international tournament as a player. "I played every game, scored a really good goal [against Sweden] and I loved it.

“They’re all good memories, but moments changed games at important times. If we could have come through those moments or won a penalty shootout, we could have gone even further. The sliding doors didn’t go for us. A different pass here, a better refereeing decision there.”

Cole was again named in the starting XI for the quarter-final against Portugal, but was sacrificed following Wayne Rooney’s red card shortly after the hour mark.

“Yeah, it was frustrating,” he admits. “I was probably playing at my peak around that time of my career. I was feeling really good in that game, playing against Miguel, the right-back, thinking, ‘I’m just getting the better of him here.’

“We were coming into it, then the sending-off happened, and when you’re the type of player I was, I knew that substitution was coming, because we needed to consolidate.

“I just thought, ‘Please get us through, don’t let this be the end.’ The boys did unbelievably well to keep it at 0-0, but it wasn’t meant to be.”

Cole was also a part of Eriksson’s 2002 squad, another tournament in which the Three Lions of that era were unable to get past the same quarter-final ceiling.

“I only came off the bench once in that tournament, but I remember us going 1-0 up against Brazil,” he recalls. “Michael Owen ended up with a hamstring injury and I thought that might have been the time to take him off and get some more legs in midfield because of the heat.

“We weren’t having a lot of domination and Michael had done his job, he’d put the ball in the net. I think if he had the time again, maybe Sven would have done that.

“But it was a great Brazil team we lost to – one of the all-time great teams.”

Could It Be Coming Home? with Joe Cole and Ashley Cole is brought to you by Carling, official sponsor of the Emirates FA Cup and Adobe Women’s FA Cup. Watch the show on YouTube and Spotify, or listen to it wherever you get your podcasts

Freddy Adu has revealed his thoughts on Max Dowman's ability, as the Arsenal youngster looks to break into the England squad over the coming years.

Dowman is widely renowned as one of the nation's finest talents, and is being carefully managed in London by title-winning coach Mikel Arteta.

As England look to seal their place in the semi-finals at the 2026 World Cup alongside Spain, Adu has revealed the similarities he sees between Dowman and Spanish starboy Lamine Yamal.

'I think he can become to England what Yamal is to Spain' - Freddy Adu on Arsenal wonderkid's Three Lions prospects

Dowman enjoyed a breakout season with Arsenal, this year, winning the Premier League under Arteta.

The 16-year-old, who at the time of his debut became the youngest to ever play in the Premier League, was electric against Everton at the Emirates in the early stages of the run-in, scoring a dagger against the Toffees with a late solo run.

Adu, who was once described as 'the next Pele' and saw out his playing career in America, Turkey and France, has described Dowman's quality as being similar to that of Yamal.

The 37-year-old said: "I do see the similarity between Dowman and Yamal. He's good at taking people on, he comes in and creates chances. He's dangerous.

"Dowman has got a way to go but, if he has the opportunity, I think he can become to England what Yamal is to Spain.

"That's the type of player you want out there. You want players that are always dangerous, no matter where they are on the field. They constantly create a threat, that puts fear in defenders.

"I really hope [England] encourage his way of playing, encourage him and let the kid play, let him be and let him do what he does best. If they do that, he's going to be a world-class player for England."

Adu also described Dowman's body feint and dribbling ability as akin to that of Lionel Messi, stating: "You [either] have it, or you don’t. You can’t just pick it up later on in your career."

The Arsenal wonderkid will look to build on his breakout season in 2026/27 with the London side, as Arteta looks to retain his team's Premier League title.

Dowman did not get a call-up to Thomas Tuchel's 2026 World Cup squad, but his career ahead of the next major tournament will be fascinating to follow.

Adu spoke with FourFourTwo via Caesars Sportsbook Promo ahead of England’s World Cup clash with Norway.

England’s 2010 World Cup last-16 defeat to Germany remains one of the Three Lions’ most disappointing exits in recent memory.

The post-mortem of the 4-1 thrashing by England’s fierce rivals suggested that there was a lack of harmony in the squad, but former Three Lions midfielder Joe Cole believes that this is far too simple an explanation as to what went wrong in Bloemfontein.

Instead, Cole points to an unfortunate cocktail of injuries, misfortune and refereeing mistakes as the real reasons that Fabio Capello’s side fell short.

Joe Cole on England’s 2010 struggles

Asked if morale was a factor in the defeat to Germany, Cole insists that the outcome was dictated more by footballing factors than dressing room dynamics.

“No,” he tells FourFourTwo. “The Germany game turned out that way because they were a great side and I think we had some players playing who weren’t quite fit.

The build-up to the 2010 World Cup was indeed dominated by injury doubts to key players, leaving Capello to shuffle his pack in South Africa.

“Becks was injured, Rio was injured – you had Matty Upson and JT [John Terry] in defence, but JT was playing on the right, so there were a lot of things,” Cole adds, before turning to another point of contention.

The last-16 tie against Germany had seen England concede in the 20th and 32nd minutes as Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski respectively put Joachim Löw’s side in control.

Upson had given England a lifeline when he scored seven minutes before the break, with Frank Lampard following this up a minute later with a long-range strike that hit the crossbar, bounced over the goalline before spinning back onto the field of play - only for the referee not to award the goal.

“Then a bad decision by the officials, because Frank Lampard scored and it should have been 2-2,” the former West Ham, Chelsea and Liverpool man laments.

With England currently looking to end 60 years of hurt during this summer’s tournament in North America, Cole insists that the Three Lions also need fate to go their way.

“It’s never just one thing,” he goes on. “That’s why in this World Cup, everything needs to work. If the big man upstairs says it’s England’s time, then it’s England’s time.”

This is a view shared by his former club and country team-mate Ashley Cole, who also believes that luck is among the attributes that England need this summer.

"I think England can win it,” the former Three Lions left-back adds. “We showed the level we can get to by reaching finals, semi-finals. It’s just the next part – luck, weather, players staying fit, the bits you can’t control. We’ve certainly got the players to do it, they’ve just got to have the belief.

Could It Be Coming Home? with Joe Cole and Ashley Cole is brought to you by Carling, official sponsor of the Emirates FA Cup and Adobe Women’s FA Cup. Watch the show on YouTube and Spotify, or listen to it wherever you get your podcasts

Paul Gascoigne knows a thing or two about starring at a World Cup for England.

The legendary midfielder’s iconic performances at Italia 90 have gone down in football folklore, from his dominant display against European champions the Netherlands to the semi-final tears that became a defining image of that summer.

Gascoigne never played at another World Cup, as the Three Lions failed to qualify in 1994 and he was left out of Glenn Hoddle’s squad for France 98, but he is nonetheless ranked no.2 on FourFourTwo's list of the best English midfielders ever.

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‘To do what he does…’ Paul Gascoigne gives England star seal of approval

The former Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Lazio star was also central to England’s run to the semi-finals of Euro 96 on home soil.

Until 2018, those two tournaments were the closest the Three Lions had come to winning a trophy since the 1960s, but they stand three wins away from ending 60 years of hurt - starting with Saturday’s World Cup 2026 quarter-final against Norway.

One of Thomas Tuchel’s star performers in North America has been Jude Bellingham, with the Real Madrid midfielder scoring four goals and providing an assist - including two goals to cap an outstanding performance against Mexico in the last 16.

Gascoigne sang the praises of his successor in England’s midfield as he promoted Sports Stars Stories: An Evening with Paul Gascoigne, a two-hour show at the Watford Palace Theatre on Saturday, September 26 in which Gazza will discuss the defining moments of his career and extraordinary life in the spotlight.

“He’s definitely caught my eye at the World Cup. Does he get my seal of approval? I think he absolutely does, yeah,” the 59-year-old said.

“To do what he does, you’ve got to have some good players around you; you cannot do it all on your own, and he’s got that. I was lucky, I had some great players around me that allowed me to express myself, players like Bryan Robson.

“Jude’s got my approval. I think he’s a good player."

Bellingham’s quickfire double in England’s thrilling 3-2 win over Mexico took him to 10 goals for his country, the same number that Gascoigne scored. The 23-year-old is also close to surpassing Gascoigne's tally of caps - ahead of the clash with Norway he is four behind, on 53.

Gascoigne's status in English football goes beyond statistics, but if Bellingham continues to star for the Three Lions it won’t be long until he is talked about with the same reverence as his legendary predecessor.

Sports Stars Stories: An Evening with Paul Gascoigne takes place on Saturday 26^th September at the Watford Palace Theatre. Tickets are priced from £35 and are on sale now. https://watfordpalacetheatre.co.uk/events/an-evening-with-paul-gascoigne/

Jeremy Doku’s displays at Euro 2020 saw the young winger announce himself on the world stage.

Aged just 19, the Belgian produced one of the tournament’s breakout displays during his side’s quarter-final defeat to eventual champions Italy.

Fast forward to the present day and Doku have matured into one of Europe’s most exciting attackers, but he still reflects on just how important that night was for his career.

Doku on his performance against Italy

After easing through the group stage with three wins out of three as Denmark, Finland and Russia were all put to the sword, Belgium saw off Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in the last-16 to set up a quarter-final against Italy.

Following his start against Finland, the teenage Doku was named in Roberto Martínez’s XI for the clash against the Azzurri and quickly repaid his manager’s faith.

Doku, then at Anderlecht, was a constant thorn in the side of the eventual tournament winners, winning a penalty which Romelu Lukaku dispatched just before the interval, while also setting the record for duels won in the tournament.

“That game changed my life,” he admits to FourFourTwo. “After that, people would come up to me on the street, they recognised me and I became more popular.”

Sixteen months after the delayed Euros, Doku would only play a few minutes at the World Cup in Qatar, when he came on as a substitute in Belgium’s final group stage match against Croatia, but was unable to help his side find the goal that would have seen them usurp the 2018 finalist in their group and make it through to the knockouts.

Doku was, however, grateful for Martinez for selecting him at all.

“Following the Euros, I was injured for much of the season,” he continues.

“I didn’t play for the national team for a year, so for the coach to call me up after I’d been injured and other players had played well, I was happy I was there.

“I didn’t play a lot, as I would have liked – only the last 15 minutes in the final game against Croatia, when I thought I did quite well.

“But he could have not taken me at all.”

Harry Kane has revealed he played golf with the President of the United States, days after Donald Trump waxed poetic about his performance versus Mexico.

The England striker scored and assisted in a 3-2 victory against the co-hosts, and gave away a penalty shortly after his goal, in an eventful evening at the Azteca.

As Kane and the Three Lions prepare for a quarter-final battle versus Norway, the Bayern Munich bagsman has opened up about another battle: on the green, with the President of the United States.

Harry Kane and Donald Trump's golfing escapades revealed

Kane has enjoyed his change of scenery since leaving Tottenham Hotspur, embarking on a new journey overseas in Germany.

The Three Lions striker has delivered his career-best season for goals, and won both the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal with Bayern Munich.

According to a report from The Athletic, Kane has enjoyed the rise in international fame he has experienced since trading in the Premier League for the German top-flight, which led to him playing golf alongside President Trump.

Speaking in a pre-match press conference before the Norway game, the 32-year-old said revealed that the round of golf was played 18 months ago in Florida.

Kane said: "He invited me to play when I was down in Palm Beach. So when the President invites you somewhere…

"It was a pretty surreal experience just to meet him, and to play golf with him. His golf is pretty good, to be honest... I played alright.

"I hope I can play golf as well as him when I’m his age, that’s for sure. So, [it was] a unique experience. I’m just grateful he invited me down to play," he concluded.

Trump praised Kane for his showing versus Mexico in a social media post on Sunday, writing: "Harry Kane of England is a GREAT player!"

The President had positive words for Kane the day after, where he revealed the existence of their, until now, secret golf round.

“I think Kane is a great player,” said Trump. “See, I played golf with him and I like him a lot. He’s a good golfer. He’s really great.”

Lamine Yamal's performance against Belgium in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup has been questioned by former Spain international Cesar Azpilicueta.

The Spanish starboy took home the Man of the Match award in a 2-1 victory against the Belgians, despite failing to contribute a goal involvement in the match.

Azpilicueta gave his verdict on Yamal's performance as pundit on the BBC, as Spain look ahead to a semi-final showdown versus France.

'Lamal has more to give' - Cesar Azpilicueta

Yamal ended the match without a goal involvement, but with a somewhat strong dribbling and chance creation performance.

The Barcelona youngster registered four successful dribbles, and created 0.33xA for his side in a 2-1 victory.

Azpilicueta noted Yamal's failure in translating his game to goals and assists, stating "I think he has more to give."

The former Spain international said: "I think when Joaquin Seys came on in the second half he defended Lamine Yamal really well.

"He was very strong and he was defending 1v1 in a lot of situations. Lamine Yamal wants the ball and he wants to take defenders on.

"It is true that his game has not transferred into goals or assists, but he is very influential in Spain's game. He wants to create the difference.

"He is always moving, so I think he has more to give to the team and now is the right time," he concluded, before expressing excitement ahead of Spain's semi-final face-off versus France.

In FourFourTwo's opinion, Azpilicueta is keeping the morale of his countryman high, but hinting that more will be required of him should the Spaniards expect to get through France.

Yamal is one of the only superstars present in North America to have had a poor tournament, by his standards, and it is not feasible for Spain to proceed without their game-breaker at his best.

Now is not the time for Yamal's clinical finishing ability, or supreme chance creation, to leave his body, and he must do more.

A showdown against Didier Deschamps' France is the ultimate stage for him to prove that he belongs in the same tier as other high-performing players at this tournament.

Yamal is one of the world's best, but to become a World Champion, he will need to play like one against his French opposition.

Marc Guehi has formed one half of England’s first-choice centre-back pairing at the World Cup.

The Manchester City defender has played every minute of the Three Lions’ past four matches alongside Ezri Konsa, after John Stones was preferred for the Group L opener against Croatia.

Guehi is now hoping to face City team-mate Erling Haaland when England take on Norway in the World Cup 2026 quarter-final in Miami on Saturday (10pm BST).

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Marc Guehi injury update ahead of England vs Norway

England’s defence has caused Thomas Tuchel plenty of headaches during the tournament, with the Three Lions manager yet to name the same back four in two successive matches.

Right-back has been the main concern, with Reece James missing the past three games through injury and Jarell Quansah and Djed Spence alternating in his place, but Guehi could now present the German with a new problem.

The former Crystal Palace captain is a doubt for the clash with Norway after suffering a hamstring strain in the last-16 victory over Mexico, according to BBC Sport.

The issue is not viewed as serious and Guehi is said to be optimistic about his chances of playing on Saturday, but if he is unable to take part in today’s training session it will leave Tuchel with a decision to make.

England’s medical team will assess the defender today, knowing that he will need to be at his best to cope with Norwegian goal machine Haaland.

If Guehi is unavailable, it is likely that Stones - another team-mate of Haaland’s at City - would partner Konsa at centre-back.

The news will be incredibly frustrating for Tuchel, who has already lost Quansah to suspension following his red card against Mexico, although first-choice right-back James could return against Norway.

Guehi is one of four England players who would be suspended for the semi-final if he is booked against Norway and the Three Lions progress. Midfielders Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice, as well as left-back Nico O’Reilly, are also in danger.

If Guehi is not 100 per cent fit, the centre-back's increased risk of picking up a ban could also play into Tuchel's thinking.

The Chelsea academy graduate, who turns 26 on Sunday, has made 34 appearances for England and was one of their top performers during their run to the Euro 2024 final.

Declan Rice has been carrying an injury for England’s entire World Cup campaign.

The Arsenal midfielder has been troubled by a neural issue affecting his hamstring and lower back, while he missed the Three Lions’ group-stage win over Panama with a calf knock.

Rice returned for the knockout wins over DR Congo and Mexico, but a separate problem has put his involvement in Saturday’s World Cup 2026 quarter-final against Norway in doubt.

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Declan Rice injury update ahead of England vs Norway

England vice-captain Rice managed 89 minutes against Congo and played the entirety of the epic last-16 win over Mexico, as Thomas Tuchel’s side held on for a 3-2 victory despite being a man down for almost 50 minutes following Jarell Quansah’s red card.

It set up a last-eight clash with Norway, captained by Rice’s Arsenal team-mate and fellow midfielder Martin Odegaard, but the 27-year-old faces a race to be fit.

According to BBC Sport, Rice missed training on Wednesday and Thursday with a sickness bug that has exacerbated his neural issue.

The report adds that England have taken steps to ensure the illness does not spread, with several members of Tuchel’s squad already sidelined or doubtful for the quarter-final.

Midfielder Jordan Henderson will miss the rest of the tournament after breaking his arm when he fell over an advertising hoarding during the post-match celebrations against Mexico, while Quansah is suspended following his dismissal at the Azteca.

If Rice cannot face Norway, it would likely leave Elliot Anderson and Kobbie Mainoo, who is yet to feature at the World Cup, as England’s two midfielders in Tuchel’s preferred 4-2-3-1 system.

Jude Bellingham can also play in a deeper role; however, the Real Madrid star has been excellent as a No.10, scoring four times and providing one assist.

Rice is one of four England players who would be suspended for the semi-final if he is booked against Norway. Bellingham, centre-back Marc Guehi and left-back Nico O’Reilly are also at risk, with the quartet having each picked up one yellow card in the knockout stage.

The former West Ham United star is one of England's most influential players and was appointed vice-captain by Tuchel before the tournament. He has made 77 appearances for his country, scoring seven goals.

Norway have also been affected by a sickness bug during the tournament, with Crystal Palace striker Jorgen Strand Larsen missing their opening game against Iraq as a result of the illness.

Reece James has been forced to watch most of England’s World Cup campaign from the sidelines.

The Chelsea right-back played the full 90 minutes of the Three Lions’ opening two group fixtures, against Croatia and Ghana, but suffered a hamstring injury in the latter game.

James has missed England’s past three matches as a result, leading to fears he could be absent for Saturday’s World Cup 2026 quarter-final against Norway (10pm BST).

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Reece James injury update for England vs Norway

Three Lions head coach Thomas Tuchel faces a dilemma at right-back, with Jarell Quansah suspended following his red card in the last-16 win over Mexico and Djed Spence struggling in that position against DR Congo in the last 32 with the manager visibly angry at his player.

It would be a massive boost for Tuchel to have James available to face Erling Haaland and Co., and there appears to be optimism within the England camp.

According to BBC Sport, the 26-year-old returned to full training on Thursday for the first time since he sustained the injury against Ghana.

James did not complete the whole session, but he is expected to be included in England’s squad for the quarter-final in Miami, as long as he does not suffer any setbacks in the next 36 hours.

Tuchel will be desperate to have his first-choice right-back available, especially considering that Antonio Nusa, one of Norway’s most dangerous players, is likely to start on the left wing.

The Three Lions boss does have options in that position if James is unable to complete the full match, including Spence, Ezri Konsa and Trevoh Chalobah.

But with news emerging on Thursday that Quansah’s suspension has been extended to two games, England cannot afford more absences in a position that has caused Tuchel a headache at this tournament.

James’ career has been blighted by a string of injuries, restricting him to just 26 England caps since his debut in October 2020.

But he will hope to play some part on Saturday as the Three Lions aim to reach the World Cup semi-finals for just the fourth time.

If they beat Norway, England would set up a last-four clash in Atlanta next Wednesday against the winner of Argentina’s game against Switzerland, which kicks-off at 2am BST on Sunday.

Jarell Quansah has been suspended for England's next two matches after receiving a red card in his side's World Cup round-of-16 win over Mexico.

A FIFA statement on Thursday confirmed that Quansah will miss the upcoming quarter-final against Norway and then a potential semi-final against Argentina or Switzerland should England make it through in Miami.

Days after Donald Trump intervened to give US striker Folarin Balogun a lifeline, no such mercy has been granted for England defender Quansah, who was dismissed following a reckless challenge during the Three Lions' 3-2 win at the Azteca.

Red cards automatically lead to a one-match suspension at the World Cup, but FIFA can extend bans as they sees fit.

The England defender was sent off for serious foul play after a high and late tackle on Jesus Gallardo shortly after half time in England’s 3-2 win at the Azteca on Sunday.

The news will be a blow to Thomas Tuchel and England, especially after the US president controversially intervened in USMNT striker Balogun’s Round of 16 suspension with a phone call to FIFA chief Gianni Infantino, managing to get the one-match ban suspended for 12 months utilising a clause never before used at the World Cup.

It drew much criticism globally – including from UEFA and the Belgian FA, with the Red Devils winning the following match in any case – but it also opened the floodgates to further such appeals.

Based on various reports, the Football Association (FA) were considering an appeal to Quansah’s red card.

England midfielder Jordan Henderson has provided an update from his hospital bed after picking up a freak injury after the Round of 16 clash against Mexico.

Despite not playing in the match, Henderson broke his left arm on the pitch after he slipped and fell awkwardly while hopping over an advertising board.

While the rest of his teammates flew on to Miami in high spirits following the hard-fought win over Mexico, Henderson remained in Mexico City in hospital.

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Henderson out of surgery in American hospital

The midfielder has since been relocated to Kansas City orthopaedic institute, where he has undergone surgery.

That operation was a success, with Henderson now recovering and ready to cheer on his teammates for the rest of the tournament.

In a post on his Instagram account, he posed with a big thumbs up beside the three surgeons who carried out the procedure, Dr. Kenneth P. Unruh, Dr. Mark J Winston and Dr. Kirk McCullough.

He wrote: "Surgery done! Let's get ready for the big one Saturday.

"Thank you to all the staff that looked after me at Kansas city orthopaedic institute. Especially the 3 surgeons who carried out the operation."

Henderson will now have a watching brief for the remainder of the competition, having been ruled out for the quarter-finals and beyond, should England get past Norway.

While he will be undoubtedly gutted not to be able to finish the tournament, his appearance in England's 2-0 Group L victory against Panama meant he became the only England men's player to represent the Three Lions at seven different major tournaments.

He made his first tournament appearance for his nation at Euro 2012 but didn't score his first England goal until Euro 2020, when he contributed to the 4-0 quarter-final victory over Ukraine.

Henderson will join up with the squad again once he's out of hospital, with his father Brian telling the Daily Mail: "He won't be leaving his team-mates. He'll be there until it's finished.”

Brian also revealed that the injury was worse than the broken wrist, which was first reported, stating: "It's his left forearm - he's just completely smashed it."

At 7.05pm on July 11, 2018 moisture filled the air across England, and it wasn’t low pressure from the North Atlantic sweeping in to ruin yet another English summer.

No, Kieran Trippier had just scored a freekick to put England in front vs Croatia in the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and large portions of the 26.6 million people watching indulged in a new craze sweeping the nation: pint chucking.

I was watching in Central London at Flat Iron Square, arguably the birthplace of the football pint chuck. The casual food and drink venue was transformed into a World Cup bearpit during the summer of 2018, and it was absolutely fantastic.

The setup was perfect: space, food stalls, transport links, multiple bars, multiple screens, including a giant one in front of an open-air space that allowed for maximum orbit when launching your pint.

But why would anyone launch a full pint? Especially in London, where the price continues to creep worryingly away from £5, and closer to 10.

Read on for my theory...

The day before England played Panama in their second group game at World Cup 2018 a heatwave hit Britain. Average temperatures were the highest on record.

Technology was advancing at breakneck speed: the concept of high definition had leapt from the living room to the outdoor screen, meaning you could visit a fan park and watch football on a giant screen, with audible commentary, and the picture didn’t resemble EA Sports FIFA ‘98 Road To The World Cup.

Promoters and venues took advantage of this. Little did they know they would hit upon a business model where people would pay in, pay for drinks, throw them in the air, then promptly order more.

Plastic glasses have always been a thing, but they play an important role in the phenomenon of England game pint chucking. Watching football en masse necessitates the plastic glass, for obvious reasons.

Still with me? Just a few more factors to run through.

Social media. Images and footage of fans throwing pints during Russia 2018 went viral. They were in the news, on Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp groups were full of them. The England team's official social media account shared them. England players in Russia were shown them.

Fans around the country who were gathered in similar Fan Parks wanted in on the fun. When England scored at the 2018 World Cup and you were watching at a busy Fan Park, the thought crossed your mind: “Harry Kane could see this”. Before you knew it, you were drenched in Heineken.

To recap the formula: hot weather, high definition big screens, the safety net of plastic glass, social media. Now for the secret ingredient: euphoria.

Prior to England’s 2018 World Cup run, there hadn’t been anything worth chucking a pint in the air for when watching the Three Lions at a major tournament.

Maybe Daniel Sturridge’s injury-time winner vs Wales at Euro 2016 (but Gareth Bale and co very much had the last laugh that summer), Raheem Sterling ‘scoring’ at Brazil 2014? (Replays showed he hit the side netting). There was nothing good to pint lob over at Euro 2012, or South Africa 2010. In 2008, England didn’t qualify; Germany 2006 was a huge let-down. You have to go back to a pre-social media era to find a moment at a summer football tournament worth losing a pint over.

Not much can match the euphoria of celebrating an important England goal, knowing most of the country is doing the same thing. Add in friends, family and balding strangers, and you can really lose control. When it happens, you hold on until the tremors stop. You need both hands. A cup of liquid is the last thing you need. It had to go, and in the summer of 2018, it did. High, with pride.

Kieran Trippier, over the wall

By the 2018 semi-final, people were showing up to fan parks in those disposable waterproof ponchos, such was the volume of aerial lager. Looking back at footage of fans celebrating Kieran Trippier’s early semi-final goal, it doesn't look real. It feels staged.

But it was very real. It's comical how many plastic cups fill the air. But that was the new norm, the cameras were ready, pointing at the crowd for that exact moment. It was wet and wild – a new craze was born.

No other fan base chucks fans like England. A strange thing to type. But like it or not, pint chucking is officially ‘a thing’.

Read more England stories

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England are currently set to be a man light in the upcoming World Cup quarter-final meeting with Norway.

That’s because in the dramatic clash at the Azteca with Mexico, Jarell Quansah was sent off for a high challenge against Jesus Gallardo.

The Three Lions went on to win the game 3-2 and progressed to the next round, but have lost yet another full-back.

Could Jarell Quansah’s red card be overturned?

That’s a problem for Thomas Tuchel, who opted to leave Trent Alexander-Arnold at home, and lost Reece James and Tino Livramento to injury, which leaves just Djed Spence and Ezri Konsa at his disposal with any significant right-back experience, the latter likely needed in central defence.

But could Donald Trump have opened the way to a solution?

The US president controversially intervened in USMNT striker Folarin Balogun’s Round of 16 suspension with a phone call to FIFA supremo Gianni Infantino, managing to get the one-match ban suspended for 12 months utilising a clause never before used at the World Cup.

It drew much criticism globally – including from UEFA and the Belgian FA, with the Red Devils winning the following match in any case – but it also opened the floodgates to further such appeals.

Based on various reports, the Football Association (FA) are considering an appeal to Quansah’s red card.

Whether such an appeal would be successful, and whether it would go through in time to allow Quansah to play against Norway, seems questionable.

France are also said to be considering an appeal for Michael Olise’s yellow card in their game against Paraguay, which is likely to fix FIFA’s gaze upon the can of worms they’ve opened.

In FourFourTwo’s opinion, the most likely course of action seems to be that the governing body will do all they can to close those floodgates, to avoid post-match headaches after every game.

They will no doubt take flak for that call, but it will likely be short-term pain for long-term gain, and the best route out of the sticky situation they’ve got themselves into.

Clearly, a la Balogun, having the ban overturned is not impossible, but Quansah’s challenge was probably a little heavier. Additionally, England don’t have the pulling power of hosts the United States, and FIFA will likely be keen to curtail what they started.

Kylian Mbappe has issued a classy response to a vile, racist rant from a Paraguayan politician.

The Frenchman, who is the among greatest World Cup players to ever perform on the stage, scored his side's only goal in a 1-0 victory against Paraguay.

That strike came in the form of a penalty, sending France to the quarter-finals where they will face Morocco, but Mbappe has been forced to respond to a racist tirade from a Paraguayan politician in the aftermath of his country's victory.

Kylian Mbappe calls Paraguyan politician "despicable" for racist rant, after France defeat Paraguay 1-0

Mbappe scored his 19th career World Cup goal against Paraguay, and should have had his 20th if not for an astonishing double save from the opposition goalkeeper Orlando Gill.

Paraguayan politician Madame Celeste Amarilla posted a racist tirade against Mbappe on social media, describing the France legend as a "colonised Cameroonian, desperately trying to pass himself off as French."

The politician also described him as a "brute who had not learned to write", prompting a response from the France legend.

Mbappe responded: "You are a despicable woman and unworthy of your position. You do not represent Paraguay.

"Through your... brazen racism, the entire world has already forgotten the journey and the historic effort that your players accomplished.

"[You are] an incompetent woman who gives the worst possible image of her country.

"I will never allow people like her the freedom to spread their hatred and racism across the world," he concluded.

Amarilla's remarks were described by the French Football Federation (FFF) as "utterly abhorrent and unacceptable", and announced their intentions to file criminal charges against the politician.

"These remarks are criminal and reprehensible. They must be prosecuted here as elsewhere," said the FFF.

The FFF is reporting the matter to the public prosecutor's office with a view to legal proceedings", they continued.

Amarilla is a senator from Paraguay's Liberal Radical party, and replied to the threat of prosecution earlier today in a press conference.

The politician stated that she could also file charges against the FFF, warning the federation "don't underestimate me."

Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal exited the 2026 World Cup after a heartbreaking exit to Spain in the Round of 16.

The Portuguese icon confirmed it would be his last ever World Cup appearance, however, an international retirement isn't guaranteed.

Now, the iconic CR7 will look forward to another Saudi Pro League season with 1000 career goals in reach, but when will he get there?

When will Cristiano Ronaldo reach 1000 goals?

Cristiano Ronaldo ended a 20-year-long heartbreak with Portugal last week en-route to an historic 1000th-goal milestone.

The Portuguese striker bagged his first and only World Cup knockout goal with an equalising penalty versus Croatia.

Ronaldo now has struck 976 career goals, a staggering figure that leaves him well within reach of 1000.

In his most recent season for club and country, the No. 7 bagged 33 of those 976, meaning it is possible he achieves the milestone this next campaign.

In the Saudi Pro League, Ronaldo bagged 28 strikes in 30 appearances, six of which were penalties.

He hit his 24th league goal of the season in Round 28 of the Saudi top-flight season, back in April of this year.

If the 41-year-old could score at the same rate this upcoming league season, he would hit 1000 goals by the same month of 2027.

Ronaldo, finally, has a Saudi Pro League title to defend, having fell from contention in each of his seasons prior to last.

The 41-year-old also proved to the world that he still possesses the ability to score goals on the biggest of stages, with three strikes in North America at the 2026 World Cup.

That made this tournament, his final ever, the second best of his career, behind 2018 in which he scored four.

Over the past two decades, Spain have inflicted plenty of trauma and heartbreak on the Portuguese national team. La Roja beat Portugal 1-0 in the Round of 16 of the 2010 FIFA World Cup en route to their maiden title.

Two years later, Spain edged past their Iberian neighbours on penalties to secure their spot in the European Championship Final, where the team secured a third-consecutive major trophy after Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup.

Portugal might have expected that pattern to change after beating Spain on penalties in the 2025 UEFA Nations League Final — the last time Spain suffered a defeat.

But at the 2026 World Cup in Dallas, Spain put an end to Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup dreams, perhaps once and for all.

“I leave with a clear conscience,” Ronaldo said after the match.

“I’ve done everything I could. Portugal had never won a cup before me and they’ve won three now. We won Euro 2016, which I think is as big as the World Cup.

"We gave everything…we played a good game, but Spain are among the best. They will get to the final or come close.”

Whilst Spain had demolished Austria 3-0 in the Round of 32, Portugal had only narrowly snuck past Croatia via a late goal from Gonçalo Ramos. Despite the super-sub heroics, Ramos didn’t see a single minute in Texas. It was far from Roberto Martinez’s only head-scratching decision.

Spain and Portugal traded blows in the first half, with Mikel Oyarzabal coming close to opening the scoring only to spurn his chance. And Diogo Costa once again demonstrated why he was Portugal’s best performer of the tournament with a shot-stopping clinic.

After a rollercoaster first half, both teams begun to take fewer risks in the second half. But just when it seemed the two sides were on level pegging, catastrophe struck for Portugal. Nuno Mendes, perhaps the sole left back in the world who consistently shuts down Lamine Yamal, went off with an injury in the 56th minute - Nelson Semedo replaced him.

Spain smelled blood and wrestled back control of the match, pinning Portugal into their own half. Spain grew into the game via their substitutions and eventually, in the 91st minute, Ferran Torres teed up fellow substitute Mikel Merino for the game-winning goal to secure Spain’s spot in the quarter-final.

And just as Brazil's World Cup exit marked the end of the Neymar era at international level, Portugal's defeat marked the end of Ronaldo's.

"It was my last World Cup, yes,” he added. “But as for the rest, there's time to think, to be with my family, and not say things in the heat of the moment."

Portugal manager Roberto Martinez will step down, with Ronaldo’s former coach Jorge Jesus likely to replace him. The Spaniard was able to bring home a minor trophy in the form of the UEFA Nations League, but ultimately, his spell will be regarded as a failure. One that was determined by the finer details, like the Euro 2024 penalty shootout defeat to France, and the last-gasp loss to Spain at this tournament.

Ronaldo, having reached the semi-final in his first World Cup, has since been eliminated in the Round of 16 in 2010 and group stage in 2014, followed by three straight Round of 16 eliminations. He will end his World Cup career with just one knockout goal – a penalty versus Croatia in the previous round.

Spain return to Los Angeles to face either the USA or Belgium, but as for Portugal, they will leave empty-handed, with far more question marks, regrets and what-ifs than anything else.

And Ronaldo will head back home with the sensation that, unlike the Euros, Champions League, LaLiga, and Premier League, the World Cup was the one competition he never quite managed to master.

Matheus Cunha has spoken in emotional detail about Brazil's World Cup exit.

Brazil suffered another early World Cup knockout departure as they bowed out to Norway in Sunday's round-of-16 tie that marked something of an end of an era.

Neymar scored a consolation goal for Carlo Ancelotti's side deep in added time as the world's most expensive footballer confirmed his international retirement.

Matheus Cunha lifts the lid on Brazil's World Cup hurt

It marked a difficult end for the Selecao at this summer's tournament as they entered a 12th year without successfully reclaiming their five-time world champions' crown.

Manchester United forward Matheus Cunha was one of the rare lights for his country with three goals in as many games before the surprise defeat at MetLife Stadium.

He netted twice against Haiti in their second group encounter before following it up with another to cap off a resounding 3-0 victory over Scotland in the finale.

But the 27-year-old could not hide his pain in the wake of their tournament exit.

"Without a doubt, today must be the most difficult day of my life, professionally speaking," he told Globo.

"We had chances we didn't convert, while they had chances and converted them. "It's difficult to try to understand everything but, unfortunately, that's part of football.

"There is a lot of sadness in the dressing room. A lot of crying. A lot of pain. The worst thing is that we frustrated a lot of people and that is what hurts most."

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England's World Cup win over Mexico proved to be a bittersweet experience for their players, manager and staff.

Thomas Tuchel inspired England to a 3-2 win over Mexico in their World Cup round-of-16 encounter at the Estadio Azteca as history was made on multiple fronts.

Not only did the Three Lions dent their hosts' formidable record at the stadium with only their third defeat in the past 50 games, but also exorcised the ghosts of 1986.

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England's options to replace Jordan Henderson revealed

However, their joy was somewhat punctured shortly after the final whistle when popular squad member Jordan Henderson suffered a freak injury while vaulting over an advertising board.

The Brentford midfielder, who had also received a booking despite being an unused substitute in the tie, was given oxygen and had to be carried off on a stretcher.

Henderson was transported to hospital for assessment on a suspected wrist injury while his teammates returned to their Kansas City base ahead of facing Norway.

It has been confirmed by The Athletic that the 36-year-old will now require surgery on his hand, which is guaranteed to end his involvement in this summer's tournament.

Although Henderson has only played a small part in England's campaign with a solitary appearance off the bench, he is a key man behind the scenes and is seen as a unifying figure, but he is unable to be replaced despite the injury.

FIFA rules prevent teams from covering absences in their squad unless submitted before their opening group match, which would have been the Croatia game on 17 June.

Tuchel already had to make one enforced change ahead of the tournament's start as Tino Livramento was replaced with Trevoh Chalobah after suffering a calf injury.

Tuchel could have more absences for the crucial quarter final encounter with Norway as Jarell Quansah, was sent off against Mexico, and Reece James was sidelined early in the World Cup campaign and is managing an injury.

The only exception to the rule by world football's governing body is goalkeepers, who can be replaced at any time in the tournament should a medical issue arise.

It means England will have to go into their quarter-final showdown in Miami, and potentially beyond, with one less available option in their current 25-man squad.

Jordan Henderson's World Cup is over following a freak injury after England's World Cup win over Mexico.

England set up a World Cup quarter-final meeting against Norway in the early hours of Monday thanks to a memorable 3-2 victory over Mexico in the round of 16.

Thomas Tuchel's side made history at the Estadio Azteca by inflicting only a third defeat on the tournament co-hosts during a balmy encounter in Mexico City.

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Jordan Henderson injury latest confirmed

Henderson was among the headline makers for the Three Lions despite not playing any actual on-field involvement in the historic knockout encounter against El Tri.

The Brentford midfielder received a booking as an unused substitute for getting into an altercation while warming up on the touchline during the game's latter stages.

But Henderson's night took a dramatic turn shortly after the final as he fell over an advertising board while joining in the celebrations with his England teammates.

He was given oxygen and carried off on a stretcher with a suspected wrist injury in an incident that sparked memories of Steve Morrow's collarbone injury sustained when celebrating Arsenal's League Cup final win on the pitch in 1993.

It has now been confirmed by The Athletic that he will need a surgical procedure on the injury and won't play again at the tournament.

Match-winners Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane gave contrasting information on whether the former Liverpool captain had suffered a serious injury to BBC Sport.

Bellingham described Henderson's prognosis as 'a bit of bother' while captain Kane said: "Hendo just fell over there. I think he's ok. Something to do with his arm".

However Tuchel admitted post-match that the 36-year-old had been taken to hospital to undergo assessment on his wrist following the freak accident. He has stayed in Mexico City with a member of England’s medical staff rather than return to Kansas City with the rest of the squad.

“Jordan injured his wrist, it just doesn’t fit to the evening that Jordan is not with us," said the England manager. I don’t know the procedure, the doctor told me he is in the hospital.”

Henderson has featured just once for England at this World Cup with a late substitute appearance in their final group stage victory over Panama.

The England media team are yet to release an official update on Henderson, but it appears likely he will be unable to contribute any more to England's 2026 World Cup campaign in a playing capacity.

Neymar has announced his retirement from international football.

Brazil's World Cup journey ended at the round-of-16 stage in a shock defeat to Norway that proved to be the last game of Neymar's career with his homeland.

The forward scored a very late consolation strike for Carlo Ancelotti's side deep in stoppage time from the penalty spot to salvage a more flattering 2-1 score line.

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Neymar confirms Brazil retirement

That strike proved to be Neymar's first goal for the Selecao since 2023 and extended his record as the country's all-time record men's goal scorer with 80.

It also brought his journey full-circle after scoring on his 2010 international debut at the same MetLife Stadium that saw his fourth consecutive World Cup.

The world's most expensive footballer was a surprise inclusion in Ancelotti's squad for his fourth consecutive World Cup but only managed two substitute appearances.

He was unavailable for Brazil's opening two group matches against Morocco and Haiti due to a calf injury which also ruled him out of the warm-up friendlies.

Neymar found himself as an unused substitute as the four-time world champions dramatically edged past Japan in the round-of-32 at Houston Stadium.

This summer's tournament was widely expected to be the 34-year-old's final one in the iconic yellow shirt and fuelled by his social media post hinting at a 'last dance'.

But after losing to an Erling Haaland-inspired display, Neymar was visibly distraught as he fought back tears and waved to his supporters in the wake of their elimination.

He later confirmed to Brazilian media that he had played his last international game.

"I tried, I tried. Now it's over," he told Globo TV. "I started here, I finished here."

Despite his heartache, Neymar made history for Brazil by becoming only their second player after the legendary Pele to score in four World Cup tournaments.

Folarin Balogun has been cleared to play in USA's World Cup clash with Belgium.

The USA were set to be without Folarin Balogun for their World Cup round-of-16 meeting with Belgium after being sent off in the win over Bosnia and Herzegovina.

However the Monaco forward will now be available as Mauricio Pochettino's side aim to reach the tournament's quarter-final stage for the first time since 2002.

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FIFA suspend Folarin Balogun's World Cup ban

Balogun has been the Stars and Stripes' most potent player in their first World Cup hosted on home soil since 1994, scoring three goals in as many starts.

But his hopes of leading his country into the last eight appeared to be dashed by a red card for planting his foot into Tarik Muharemovic's ankle during a collision.

Under FIFA rules, Balgoun's sending-off incurred an automatic one-match suspension that would have ruled him out of the showdown at Seattle Stadium.

Yet world football's governing body has again exercised an unusual rule from its Disciplinary Code that means the 25-year-old's ban is suspended for one year.

The probationary period covered by Article 27 allows bans to be paused provided they are not followed up with 'another infringement of a similar nature and gravity'.

It was previously used to clear Cristiano Ronaldo's red card to participate in the start of Portugal's group campaign after his sending-off in the World Cup play-offs.

Ronaldo's waived ban also opened the door for Ecuador's Moises Caicedo and Nicolas Otamendi of Argentina, who were both sent off in the same game, to play.

Balogun's case also received a helping hand from US President Donald Trump, who reportedly lobbied his FIFA counterpart Gianni Infantino to review the case.

The leader of the free world and the head of the global game have enjoyed a warm relationship that led to Trump receiving the first-ever FIFA Peace Prize last year.

Trump reacted to Balogun's overturned ban on his Truth Social social media platform by hailing FIFA for 'doing what was right and reversing a great injustice'.

The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) have since released a strong statement in response to the suspension of Balogun's ban.

"The RBFA is astonished by FIFA's decision to declare suspended United States player Folarin Balogun eligible to play in the USA–Belgium match," it reads.

"FIFA bases its decision on Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. This provision states that the FIFA Disciplinary Committee may decide to suspend the enforcement of a previously imposed disciplinary sanction.

"However, Article 66.4 of the same FIFA Disciplinary Code clearly provides that a red card (sending-off) automatically results in a suspension for the team's next match, as has been the case for all previous red cards issued during this FIFA World Cup.

"Furthermore, and irrespective of the above, the decision is in direct contradiction with the provisions of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Competition Regulations, as set out in Article 10.5: 'If a player or team official is sent off as a result of a direct or indirect red card (second caution), they will automatically be suspended from their team's subsequent match. In addition, further sanctions may be imposed.'

"The automatic nature of such a suspension was also explicitly reaffirmed in FIFA World Cup 2026 Circular No. 16, which was distributed to all participating member associations on 12 May 2026.

"The same rule is reiterated at every FIFA World Cup 2026 Match Coordination Meeting prior to each match and is included in all FIFA World Cup 2026 workshop presentations. In order to safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and to protect the fundamental principles of fair play in our sport, both at this FIFA World Cup and at future editions of the tournament, the RBFA is investigating all potential options."

England’s 2006 World Cup campaign in Germany was not short on subplots.

From the lofty pre-tournament expectations placed on the so-called Golden Generation to Wayne Rooney’s recovery from a metatarsal injury, the competition would ultimately end in another quarter-final exit, again on spot kicks.

But away from the pitch, a new phenomenon was born, as the word ‘WAG’ entered the nation’s collective consciousness.

Joe Cole on the media and their WAG obession

England were based in Baden-Baden for the tournament and as the squad settled into life at their base, the red-top media’s focus seemed to shift away from what was happening on the pitch and towards the activities of the squad’s wives and girlfriends.

As Joe Cole and Ashley Cole look back two decades on, the pair of former England team-mates believe that the squad themselves were unaffected by the growing media clamour.

“It was irrelevant to the players,” Joe tells FourFourTwo. “It gets talked about a lot. The girls were just doing what they’d usually do, having a nice time with the families. They’d go out for dinner, but the press made it what it was.”

Other members of that squad have suggested that the situation became a distraction, but Joe did not experience it in that way.

“It didn’t bother me one bit,” he adds. “I’ve heard other players say it was a distraction, I was just happy that all of my family were having a great time, and so they should have been, because they were on a journey with you.”

For Ashley Cole, it was the logistical set-up that was the cause of any issues.

“Maybe the press shouldn’t have been in their hotel,” he argues. “It wasn’t the fault of the press, whoever arranged it shouldn’t have put both in the same hotel.”

Joe agrees that these circumstances made it easy for stories to emerge: “They’d be listening to get stories,” he says, with Ashley also chipping in: “Yeah, it was crazy…”

Former West Ham and Liverpool star Joe adds that the media landscape of the mid-2000s played a huge role in fuelling the WAG culture.

“Social media has changed things now – back then, the media needed to be fed with pictures of the girls going for a run or something like that, and it was going on the front page,” he continues. “I find it incredible that people are interested in that celebrity world. I just think it’s mental, but it sells, doesn’t it?”

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Ashley Cole would enjoy plenty of high points during his 107-cap England career, but one of his lows came at the end of the Three Lions’ Euro 2012 quarter-final clash against Italy.

England had held the Azzurri to 120 goalless minutes in Kyiv, meaning that their dreams of ending international football’s most famous trophy drought rested on a penalty shootout.

The Three Lions had lost their last four shootouts, and when Cole missed from the spot, it meant their wretched record continued.

Ashley Cole on his Euro 2012 penalty shootout miss

For Cole, the misery of his decisive miss was heightened by the fact that he had faced a similiar high-pressure spot kick just weeks earlier and duly converted. That came in Moscow, where Chelsea won their first-ever Champions League title by defeating Bayern Munich on spot-kicks, with Cole stepping up to score the Blues’ fourth penalty.

“I was disappointed because two or three weeks beforehand, I’d scored in the shootout against Bayern Munich in the Champions League final,” Cole recalls to FourFourTwo. “So missing killed me.”

While Cole was never a regular penalty taker for his club, he never shied away from the responsibility in shootouts.

“I was confident taking penalties,” he continues. “I thought, ‘OK, it’s just another penalty.’”

But as he stood over the ball against Italy and looked to legendary Azzurri goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, a seed of doubt was sewn.

“In the Italy game, I changed my mind,” he admits. “I knew that Buffon would have watched the Champions League final – he told me afterwards that he had watched it.

“I should have gone down the middle, but I tried to whip it and go the same way again.”

Buffon would duly make the save, leaving West Ham midfielder Alessandro Diamanti free to slot home the winning penalty.

“It was devastating,” Cole adds, almost a decade and a half on. “But it is what it is – you can’t score them all, I’m not the only one who’s missed a penalty.

“I’m saying that flippantly, but I held a lot on my shoulders for not helping the team to get through.”

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When a World Cup winner gives up Champions League football to move to a newly promoted Premier League side situated among the game’s giants in the north west of England, eyebrows are always going to be raised.

And that was exactly the case when former France and Inter Milan great Youri Djorkeaff was wooed by Sam Allardyce’s project at Bolton Wanderers in 2002.

Djorkaeff would go on to be one of the defining signings of Allardyce’s tenure at the club, helping establish the Trotters as one of the hardest teams to beat in the top flight.

Djorkaeff on working with Big Sam

“He was the best manager Bolton could have had at that time,” he tells FourFourTwo as he is asked to reflect on his time working under Allardyce.

“He didn’t have an elaborate tactical strategy, but he had a clear vision of what the team needed to stay in the Premier League.”

Rather than overloading his players with information and overcomplicating his approach, Allardyce worked to create belief in a squad that was one of the favourites to drop back down to the second tier.

“He gave us confidence and lifted the dressing room,” Djorkaeff continues. “Nobody wanted to play against us.

“We were tough on the pitch and we had a bit of magic with certain players – the perfect formula.”

Allardyce was a Marmite figure in the Premier League at the timer, with his direct style of play often criticised, with Djorkaeff admitting that there was more than a grain of truth to the long-ball label attached to the side by the media at the time.

“But it was true!” he says with a smile. “At first I argued with him.

“I told him he couldn’t keep asking us to constantly play long balls, just hoping Kevin Nolan or I would get a decent touch.

“He replied: “That’s how we play at Bolton.” It was tough, but little by little we improved and started playing better football. Without a doubt, his greatest strength was his personality and ability to convince the players.

“I adapted my game to what we needed.”

The United States are hoping to make history at this tournament.

Beyond co-hosting its first World Cup since 1994, the United States national team are potentially 90 minutes away from a fourth round-of-16 appearance in 20 years.

Goalkeeper Matt Freese has been key as Mauricio Pochettino's side prepare to face Belgium but his route to the tournament was a slightly unconventional one.

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Matt Freese's incredible World Cup journey

Freese is currently first-choice stopper at MLS franchise New York City, who are part of the City Football Group's network of clubs which also includes Manchester City.

In another universe, however, the 27-year-old could have been in direct opposition to Enzo Maresca's side after being offered an apprenticeship at Manchester United.

Instead he rejected most players' dream of a Premier League move in favour of studying economics at Harvard while playing for the university's Crimson team.

Turning down Carrington for Cambridge, Massachusetts paid off for Freese as he led the Ivy League's saves per game statistics for 2018, averaging six per game.

He also managed to combine both passions in an academic paper on penalty kick analytics which he has refused to publicly disclose the details of when asked about it.

The reason for closely guarding that thesis is obvious after Freese's spot kick heroics against the likes of Wayne Rooney, Luis Suarez and Christian Benteke.

But his crowning moment from 12 yards came in last year's CONCACAF Gold Cup quarter-final against Costa Rica when he saved three efforts in the shootout.

USA's last-16 showdown with Belgium invariably evokes memories of their previous knockout game back in 2014 which set a new World Cup goalkeeping record.

Tim Howard produced 16 saves- a feat which still stands to this day - but was still powerless to prevent the Stars and Stripes' extra-time exit to the Red Devils.

The 'Secretary of Defense' title lauded on the ex-United and Everton man could soon be passed on to Freese - with the incumbent's blessing - if the moment arises.