Gulf Cup

Gulf Cup Overview

Lionel Messi pitch invader Inter Miami Independiente del Valle 2026

📽️ | Messi tackled by pitch invader during chaotic friendly

Lionel Messi was tackled to the turf by a pitch-invading fan during Inter Miami’s chaotic friendly clash with Independiente del Valle. The MLS Cup winners had been due to face Ecuadorian opponents on February 13, but the contest had to be rearranged. It eventually took place in Puerto Rico on February 26, with Argentine GOAT Messi among the stars on show.

L. MessiInter Miami CF
Fenerbahce-vs-Aston-Villa-UEFA-Europa-League-2025-26-MD7

Duran booked five minutes into Zenit debut

Jhon Duran’s career continues to be a whirlwind of goals and controversy, with his latest chapter in Russia starting in explosive fashion. The former Aston Villa striker, who recently completed a loan move to Zenit St Petersburg, found himself in the referee's notebook just five minutes into his debut for the club. It was a baptism of fire for the Colombian international, whose reputation for high-intensity play and occasional loss of discipline preceded him to his new surroundings. The 22-year-old was named in the starting XI for a pre-season friendly against Shanghai Port, a match intended to integrate him into the squad. However, the "friendly" nature of the contest was quickly forgotten when Duran became embroiled in a physical altercation with an opposition defender while chasing a long ball. The forward appeared to lose his composure during a battle for possession, leading to a confrontation that left spectators and officials stunned by its intensity so early in the game.

J. DuranZenit St. Petersburg
Lionel Messi Inter Miami Barcelona SC 2026

📽️ | Messi turns the clock back with stunning solo goal

Lionel Messi turned the clock back when scoring a stunning solo goal for Inter Miami in their latest pre-season friendly. The Argentine GOAT found himself lining up against Barcelona. He was not reunited with former employers from Camp Nou, but was in action on Ecuadorian soil. The all-time great gave those in the stands what they came for when dancing past defenders and hitting the back of the net.

L. MessiMajor League Soccer
Lionel Messi Rene Higuita 2026

📽️ | Messi recreates iconic scorpion kick with keeping icon

Lionel Messi recreated an iconic scorpion kick with legendary goalkeeper Rene Higuita ahead of Inter Miami’s latest friendly outing. The Herons, fresh from their historic MLS Cup triumph in 2025, are readying themselves for the start of a new campaign. Javier Mascherano’s side are working their way through a pre-season programme in South America.

L. MessiInter Miami CF
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Gulf Cup, fixtures & results

Thursday 26 December
Kuwait badge
Kuwait
KUW
1
Qatar badge
Qatar
QAT
1
FT
Friday 27 December
Bahrain badge
Bahrain
BHR
1
Yemen badge
Yemen
YEM
2
FT
Iraq badge
Iraq
IRQ
1
Saudi Arabia badge
Saudi Arabia
KSA
3
FT
Monday 30 December
Oman badge
Oman
OMA
2
Saudi Arabia badge
Saudi Arabia
KSA
1
FT
Bahrain badge
Bahrain
BHR
1
Kuwait badge
Kuwait
KUW
0
FT
Friday 3 January
Oman badge
Oman
OMA
1
Bahrain badge
Bahrain
BHR
2
FT
More

Standings

Grp. A

PosTeamPWDLFA+/-PTSForm
1Oman crestOman31204315
D
W
D
2Kuwait crestKuwait31204315
D
W
D
3UAE crestUAE302134-12
D
L
D
4Qatar crestQatar302134-12
D
L
D

Grp. B

PosTeamPWDLFA+/-PTSForm
1Bahrain crestBahrain32016426
L
W
W
2Saudi Arabia crestSaudi Arabia32018626
W
L
L
3Iraq crestIraq310225-33
L
L
W
4Yemen crestYemen310245-13
W
W
L
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Betting spotlight

Manchester United vs Leeds Predictions: Red Devils hold onto third spot
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Frequently asked questions

Manchester United, with 20 titles to their name, are the most successful side in Premier League history. They haven't won a league title since the end of the 2012-13 campaign, though.

The Premier League in its current format has 20 teams. The first-ever season of in the Premier League era in 1992-93 featured 22 teams, which was then reduced to 20 teams ahead of the 1995-96 season.

Legendary English goalkeeper Peter Shilton holds the record of making the most appearances in the English top-flight (Premier League + First Division), appearing in 848 games for Derby County, Southampton, Stoke City, Nottingham Forest, and Leicester City. None of those 848 top-flight appearances came in the Premier League era, though!

Jimmy Greaves, widely regarded as the most prolific English goalscorer ever, leads the all-time goalscoring charts in the English top-flight (Premier League + First Division). Greaves scored an incredible 357 goals in 516 games. Greaves played his final top-flight game in the 1970-71, over two decades before the start of the Premier League era.

Manchester United icon Ryan Giggs holds the record for the most assists in Premier League history. Giggs spent his entire career at the Old Trafford, making 672 appearances and registering 162 assists between 1991 and 2014.

Sir Stanley Matthews is the oldest player to ever feature in the English top-flight, playing a game for Stoke City in 1965 at the age of 50 years and five days.

Arsenal wonderkid Ethan Nwaneri is the youngest player to ever play in the Premier League. Nwaneri was just 15 days and 181 days old when he made his debut for the Gunners against Brentford in the 2022-23 season.
Stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Thierry Henry, David Beckham, Alan Shearer, Wayne Rooney, Eric Cantona, Steven Gerrard, Dennis Bergkamp, Didier Drogba and Mohamed Salah have all played in the Premier League.

Jose Mourinho, Sir Alex Ferguson, Carlo Ancelotti, Pep Guardiola, Thomas Tuchel, Jurgen Klopp, and Arsene Wenger are among the most famous managers to have taken charge of a Premier League club.

Manchester United's Old Trafford is the biggest stadium in the league with a capacity of 74,310.

Enzo Fernandez is the most expensive player in Premier League history. Chelsea signed the Argentine international for £106.8 million from Benfica in January 2023.