France manager Didier Deschamps claims Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe possesses a remarkable range of abilities, adapting his game depending on the system, though he thrives most in a central role. The 26-year-old has recently become France’s second-highest goal scorer, surpassing national legend Thierry Henry, and continues to lead Les Bleus in their World Cup qualifiers.
Barcelona are reportedly planning to block Lamine Yamal from being called up by Spain for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Bulgaria as the fallout from the forward’s recent groin injury continues. The Blaugrana were incensed after discovering the 18-year-old aggravated the issue by taking painkillers to play in his country’s international double header earlier this month.
Lamine Yamal was given an injection by the doctors and physiotherapists of the Spanish national team ahead of their World Cup qualifying clash against Turkey as he was experiencing acute lower back pain. The 18-year-old had sustained a minor injury in the sacroiliac region before joining up with the national team but was trusted to play in the international games, sparking fury at Barcelona.
The Spanish football federation has hit back at Barcelona after Hansi Flick accused the national team of ignoring the possibility of Lamine Yamal suffering a potential injury. The teenager will not be available for the game against Valencia, which made Flick furious. However, the Spanish FA has clarified that they conducted all medical checks on Yamal.
Barcelona boss Hansi Flick has slammed Spain’s handling of Lamine Yamal after confirming the winger will miss his side’s La Liga clash with Valencia at Camp Nou on Sunday. Flick has said Spain were aware that Yamal was already nursing an injury when they decided to start the teenager in both their World Cup qualifiers against Bulgaria and Turkey this week.
Former England international James Beattie has described how unwelcoming the Three Lions’ squad was during its famous golden generation, revealing just four players introduced themselves following his first call-up. Beattie was in the prime of his club career with Southampton when he received the news that he had been called up for England in 2003.
Harry Kane is closing in on more England history as the Bayern Munich star eclipsed the great Bobby Moore during the Three Lions' victory over Serbia. Kane’s appearance was his 109th in an England shirt, nudging him past World Cup-winning skipper Moore (108) and into fifth place on the list of all-time most-capped players.
Former Germany star Michael Ballack has backed Florian Wirtz to show his quality at Liverpool, insisting the midfielder's slow start is nothing to worry about.
Thomas Tuchel has warned England’s star players that their reputations will not guarantee them a place in his squad for the 2026 World Cup. After a 5-0 qualifying win over Serbia, the German coach praised the emerging talent in the nation and vowed to make “brave decisions” to keep competition high and ensure balance in the Three Lions squad.
Kylian Mbappe has climbed another rung on French football’s ladder of greatness as the Real Madrid sensation etched his name above Thierry Henry by netting his 52nd international goal, becoming France’s second-highest scorer of all time. Only Olivier Giroud now stands between him and the ultimate record.
Erling Haaland gave a classy pep talk to Moldova goalkeeper Cristian Avram after Norway scored 11 goals past him in a World Cup qualifying game. The Manchester City star scored five and provided an assist as Norway took a step closer to qualifying for the 2026 tournament. The Norwegian bagged his fifth international hat-trick and took his goals tally to 48 in 45 matches for Norway.
Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi was hailed as the "best team-mate" by Thomas Tuchel after his heroics for England following his failed transfer to Liverpool last week. Guehi was on the verge of securing a move to Anfield on deadline day but Palace pulled the plug on the deal in the 11th hour. Despite the disappointment, Guehi gave his best for the Three Lions and scored in their thumping 5-0 win over Serbia.
Erling Haaland turned World Cup qualifying into his personal showcase on Tuesday night, scoring five times in Norway's 11-1 demolition of Moldova in Oslo. The Manchester City striker was unplayable, ensuring Stale Solbakken's side maintained their flawless start to the campaign and stayed firmly perched at the top of Group I with 15 points from five matches.
Thomas Tuchel has surprisingly axed Arsenal star Myles Lewis-Skelly from the England squad that will face Serbia on Tuesday. Lewis-Skelly played the full 90 minutes of England's World Cup qualifying clash with Andorra on Saturday as Tuchel's side ground out an unconvincing 2-0 victory.
Liverpool new boy Alexander Isak has claimed that "not everyone has the whole picture" on his controversial Newcastle exit. Isak forced through a British-record transfer to Anfield on deadline day after accusing Newcastle of "broken promises" and essentially going on strike. The striker is currently on national team duty with Sweden and played his first competitive match since May against Kosovo.
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