"We are not collecting the most talented players, we are trying to build a team. Teams win trophies, no-one else." If anyone was in any doubt as to whether England manager Thomas Tuchel planned to stick to his fairly unpopular selection policy with the World Cup fast approaching, those pointed words ahead of the friendly victory over Wales more or less confirmed it.
Thomas Tuchel has told English players they can’t expect special treatment and must earn the right to play for Premier League clubs. The number of homegrown players has dipped alarmingly in recent years, but the Three Lions boss believes domestic clubs aren’t to blame as players must fight harder to earn a place in their team.
Jude Bellingham has spoken candidly about the negativity and scrutiny that athletes face in the age of social media, admitting he’s had moments of self-doubt while trying to maintain a “macho image”. The Real Madrid and England star called for more openness about mental health in football and revealed why he no longer reads social media comments about himself.
Declan Rice has hit back at anybody questioning whether Jude Bellingham should be in the England squad, with the Arsenal star saying that the Three Lions "do miss" his fellow midfielder. Thomas Tuchel took to leaving the Real Madrid 'Galactico' out of his plans for a friendly date with Wales and a World Cup qualifier against Latvia, leading some to ponder when or if a recall will be earned.
England showed little mercy as they tore Wales apart in a 3-0 friendly win at Wembley on Thursday. The Three Lions destroyed Craig Bellamy's side in a frantic opening 20 minutes which all but put an end to any hope of the visitors securing an unlikely upset between World Cup qualifiers, even despite the hosts leaving some key players on the bench and out of the squad completely.
Morgan Rogers was delighted to make the most of his opportunity to impress for England against Wales, with the Aston Villa playmaker aware that "people will take your role" if the demands of head coach Thomas Tuchel are not met. Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham is among those to have missed out on a place in the latest Three Lions squad, with competition for places now fierce across all areas of the field.
As anticipation builds for the season’s first Clasico, Barcelona’s young defensive prodigy Pau Cubarsi has claimed that Kylian Mbappe is “harder to stop” than Jude Bellingham, praising the Frenchman’s blistering pace and lethal finishing. With Real Madrid sitting top of the table with 21 points and Barca just two behind, the Santiago Bernabeu clash promises to be a defining early chapter in La Liga's title race.
Anthony Gordon has suggested that some of the star names that have been overlooked for Thomas Tuchel's latest England squad, including Jude Bellingham, Jack Grealish and Phil Foden, shouldn't take their omission personally. The Newcastle United forward went on to insist that it needs to be a team effort if the Three Lions are going to win major international tournaments, and is under no illusions that his place in the team is guaranteed.
Thomas Tuchel has explained why Jude Bellingham was left out of the latest England squad, with the Three Lions boss speaking to the Real Madrid midfielder before making his selection. Many expected Bellingham to earn an immediate recall after returning to action at club level following shoulder surgery. He has, however, been overlooked alongside the likes of Manchester City playmaker Phil Foden and Everton winger Jack Grealish.
Jude Bellingham has been left out of the latest England squad despite recovering from injury, with the Real Madrid midfielder failing to make Thomas Tuchel’s plans for a friendly date with Wales and a 2026 World Cup qualifier against Latvia. Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka is absorbed back into the fold after overcoming fitness issues of his own, while Everton forward Jack Grealish remains in the international wilderness.
Real Madrid’s humiliating 5-2 defeat to city rivals Atletico Madrid has sent shockwaves through the Spanish capital, forcing key players to own up to their mistakes. Dean Huijsen publicly apologised to fans, Dani Carvajal urged the team to learn from failure, and Jude Bellingham admitted it was a “bad day” while vowing to refocus ahead of the Champions League outing against Kairat Almaty.
GOAL runs the rule over the British players earning a living away from their homeland, with plenty more stars deciding to leave the comforts of Great Britain in search of a better footballing life elsewhere. The Premier League is still obviously one of the world's most entertaining divisions and the Championship can prove fantastic for development, but there are more options out there.
Following the release of EA Sports FC 26, GOAL's Front Three have stepped in to amend some player ratings, with Casemiro, Cole Palmer and Harry Kane's numbers all adjusted.
Lamine Yamal won his second consecutive Kopa Trophy on Monday night, while at the same time finishing as runner up in the men's Ballon d'Or vote to Ousmane Dembele. This is not normal, of course. The kid is still only 18, which makes us think that we're witnessing the dawning of a new era of domination by a single player.
.png?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
