Chelsea’s ownership group has reportedly beaten Manchester United and Manchester City in the chase for Mohamed Zongo, one of Africa’s most exciting young footballers, with the Burkina Faso midfielder set to join Strasbourg in 2027 when he turns 18. The deal, agreed with Sporting Football des Cascades Tenakourou, marks the latest step in Chelsea’s long-term recruitment project, which has increasingly focused on identifying global talent years before they reach senior breakout status.
Portugal secured their first-ever Under-17 World Cup title courtesy of a 1-0 victory over Austria in the final in Qatar on Thursday and Cristiano Ronaldo, arguably the greatest Portuguese player of all time was first in line to offer his congratulations with a simple but very effective message to his huge audience of 668 million followers on Instagram.
Manchester City and Manchester United have entered a fierce battle to sign Burkina Faso sensation Mohamed Zongo, the 15-year-old attacking midfielder who dazzled at the U17 World Cup. Both clubs have already held talks with the Tenakourou Academy as Europe’s elite begin circling for a prodigy who produced goals, assists and man-of-the-match displays to lead Burkina Faso to the quarter-finals.
England have been eliminated from the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in spectacular fashion, losing 4-0 against Austria in the round of 16. Alejandro Gomes Rodriguez's red card shortly after the Young Lions fell behind early in the second half proved to be a crucial moment, with Austria eventually going on to run up the score-line in the latter stages of the knockout tie.
Reigan Heskey, the son of former Liverpool and England legend Emile, has overtaken Phil Foden and Jadon Sancho with his goals at the Under-17 World Cup. England secured their spot in the last 32 in Qatar as they finished second to Venezuela in Group E. The Young Lions then eased into the last 16 of the tournament as they got the better of South Korea on Saturday.
The United States saw their FIFA U17 World Cup run end in the Round of 32 after a dramatic 1-1 draw and a 4-3 penalty shootout defeat to Morocco. Jude Terry’s early strike had the Americans in control for much of the match, but Abdellah Ouazane’s 90th-minute equalizer forced the shootout that ultimately sealed their exit.
Barcelona are the most successful Copa del Rey side in history, winning the cup 31 times, seven more than Athletic Bilbao and 11 more than bitter rivals Real Madrid. Their first-ever Copa del Rey win came in the 1909-10 season. Since the start of the 2014-15 season, the Catalans have lifted this trophy six times.
How many teams are in the Copa del Rey?
Currently, as many as 126 teams participate in the Copa del Rey, starting at the top from La Liga and going all the way down to the Tercera Federacion, the fifth tier in Spanish football league system. In its inaugural edition in 1903, just three teams (Athletic Bilbao, Espanyol, and Madrid FC) took part.
Who has made the most Copa del Rey appearances ever?
Former Athletic Bilbao and Spain forward Piru Gainza is Copa del Rey's record-appearance maker ever, featuring in 99 games in the cup competition.
Who is the all-time top scorer of the Copa del Rey?
Iconic Spanish forward Telmo Zarra is Copa del Rey's all-time top scorer, finding the back of the net on 81 occasions between 1939 and 1957. All those goals came in an Athletic Bilbao shirt.
Who is the oldest player ever in the Copa del Rey and how old was he?
CD Bunol goalkeeper Paco is the oldest player to ever feature in a Copa del Rey game, achieving the feat against Real Sociedad in 2023 at the age of 44 years and 231 days.
Who is the youngest player ever in the Copa del Rey and how old was he?
Armando Sagi is the youngest player to ever feature in a Copa del Rey game. Playing for Barcelona, Sagi was just 15 years and 339 days old when he made his debut in the competition on April 2, 1922.
Which famous players have played in the Copa del Rey?
Antoine Griezmann, Luka Modric, Sergio Ramos, Neymar, Gareth Bale, James Rodriguez, Telmo Zarra, Sergio Busquets, Roberto Carlos, Luis Suarez, and Xavi are some of the most famous players to have played in the Copa del Rey.
Which famous managers have managed in the Copa del Rey?
Carlo Ancelotti, Luis Enrique, Juande Ramos, Claudio Ranieri, Louis van Gaal, Sir Bobby Robson, Cesar Menotti, Miguel Munoz, and Ferdinand Daucik are some of Copa del Rey's most famous mangers.