Confidence in another triumph for Spain’s women’s team was dashed, but the swell of support was a win in itself Chloe Kelly the hero again as England beat Spain in Euro 2025 final shootout Despite the air-fryer temperature outside and the imminent, annual August exodus, the people of Madrid weren’t going to miss out on another opportunity to watch their national football team prove its mettle against the country that had given the world the beautiful game. After all, recent international fixtures had not gone all that badly for them. Continue reading...

Series of last minute victories have kept the never-say-die team in action, but La Roja may be their toughest challenge The Lionesses, as England’s women’s football team is known, will defend their Euros crown on Sunday, after Sarina Wiegman’s side snatched victory from the jaws of defeat against Italy in the semi-final, scoring the latest of late goals to win 2-1 at the Stade de Genève in Lancy. It is the team’s third successive major tournament final. They won Euro 2022 against Germany at Wembley, and reached the World Cup final a year later, where they lost to Spain. On Sunday they will have the opportunity to rectify two years of hurt when they face La Roja again. Continue reading...

Midfielder has shown with Real Sociedad and Spain that he combines calm and control with a capacity to tackle The way Martín Zubimendi remembers it, the day he was given the chance to be a ballboy for Real Sociedad against Manchester United he was more nervous than when he had to play. Standing at the side of the pitch, he found himself transfixed, the game flying by. So transfixed, in fact, that he forgot it was his job to pass the ball to the players and at one point Claudio Bravo, in goal that night at Anoeta, had to come over and take it off him because he was standing there watching. It was the first time it had happened to him; it would also be the last. If there is anything that defines Arsenal’s new midfielder, it is that he is so calm, so in control. “He oozes assuredness from every pore,” says the Spain coach, Luis de la Fuente. “He doesn’t get nervous walking a tightrope with no safety net.” When he’s out there, games don’t just go by; they usually go where he wants them to. And as for passes, what he forgot to do that night defines him now: there were 1,752 of them in La Liga last season. No midfielder outside Real Madrid or Barcelona played more. Continue reading...

It was difficult to put a price on this victory for Sheffield United. Chris Wilder’s side had surprisingly lost their last three games in a hugely damaging blow to their automatic promotion hopes. But Gustavo Hamer’s typically impish first-half opener and Ben Brereton Díaz’s late strike were enough to revive home spirits on a soggy evening at Bramall Lane. Crucially, victory lifted United back to within five points of Burnley, who won 2-1 at Watford earlier in the day, ahead of the Blades’ important trip to Turf Moor on Easter Monday. Continue reading...

Burnley romp past 10-man Luton 4-0; Blades 1-0 LutonCoventry beat Stoke 3-2 in thriller; West Brom 1-0 QPR Burnley and Sheffield United had contrasting days but both came up with victories to put pressure on the Championship leaders, Leeds, who visit Portsmouth at lunchtime on Sunday. The Blades were made to work for their 1-0 victory over Preston at Bramall Lane, with Tyrese Campbell scoring the only goal 11 minute after half-time. Campbell had a huge chance within the first 90 seconds when Harrison Burrows’ low cross fell to Campbell at the far post but he somehow missed the target, albeit from a tight angle. Moments later, Ryan Porteous nearly turned Ben Brereton Díaz’s cross into his own net before Gustavo Hamer had a go from distance but his curling shot sailed harmlessly over the bar. Continue reading...

Ben Brereton Diaz changed his name as he made his international debut for Chile, although the story behind it is different to how Formula 1 icon Lewis Hamilton came to make a similar decision

David de Gea, Alexis Sanchez and Kaka were among the players who saw their prospective moves collapse in the dying embers of transfer deadline day

Sheffield United sign Southampton striker Ben Brereton Diaz on loan until the end of the season.

Manchester United make the trip to Arsenal on Sunday as two English giants revive their FA Cup rivalry - and Alexis Sanchez has already made it clear who he'll be supporting

Alexis Sanchez rejoined former club Udinese back in August but had to wait four months to make his second league debut for the Italian side, and it came during Sunday's 2-2 draw with Torino

Natalie Henderson’s side meet La Roja in Thursday’s semi-final after a shootout victory over Japan in the last eight Character, grit, resilience – a few words that could be used to describe the England Under-17s ahead of their eagerly anticipated World Cup semi-final against Spain on Thursday night in the Dominican Republic. Natalie Henderson’s Young Lionesses have navigated a path to the final four. It has been far from plain sailing but their bravery and courage has shone, underpinned by talent and potential. A core value of this team is to “find a way”. It is a motto that courses through the squad – a belief that no matter what is thrown at them, they will dig in, adapt and come out the other side. Continue reading...

Tactics and team news for Spain v Germany, Portugal v France, England v Switzerland and Netherlands v Turkey By Ben McAleer for WhoScored An absolute blockbuster showdown to kick off the quarter-finals of Euro 2024. Spain were excellent in setting up a meeting with Germany as they put four past Georgia, though they perhaps should have scored more. La Roja managed 35 shots and 75% possession in the 4-1 win. Rodri returned from a one-game ban in that victory to score a fine equaliser after Spain went behind in the 18th minute. Continue reading...

La Roja midfielder magisterially dictated tempo and alleviated emotions in comeback win against Georgia Rodri Hernández stopped, which was when Spain started again. “Sometimes,” the Manchester City midfielder said, “20 or 30 seconds of saying to people ‘Calm down’ is more productive than going on the attack” – and this was one of those times. The selección were half an hour into their last-16 tie with Georgia and they had taken nine shots to their opponents none but to everyone’s shock, especially their own, they were losing through a Robin Le Normand own goal. Worse, they were losing control. Continue reading...

Lautaro Martínez scores in 88th minute for championsCanada break down 10-man Peru in sweltering heat Lautaro Martínez scored from a rebound in the 88th minute, giving defending champion Argentina and Lionel Messi a 1-0 victory over Chile on Tuesday night that guaranteed a berth in the Copa América quarter-finals. Messi’s corner led to a shot that was blocked by Chile goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, and Martínez was on hand to score his second goal of the tournament from Argentina’s 21st shot of the match. Players stood and waited for three minutes while the goal, Martínez’s 26th for his country, was confirmed by video review. Continue reading...