Donny Afroni

Former Liverpool and Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has fully embraced life in the Middle East, appearing in a striking promotional video to celebrate Saudi Arabia’s Founding Day. The Northern Irishman, who took the reins at Al-Qadsiah in December, was filmed wearing full traditional Saudi dress and holding a rifle as part of the festivities. The holiday, which commemorates the establishment of the first Saudi state in 1727, saw the veteran tactician praising the kingdom’s heritage and its burgeoning role in the global football landscape.

Jamie Vardy has long been established as one of the most unique characters in English football history, but new revelations from a former teammate have shed light on the sheer scale of his unconventional lifestyle. The Leicester City legend has never made a secret of his affinity for energy drinks. However, current Strasbourg defender Ben Chilwell has now detailed just how extreme the striker's habits became during their shared time at the King Power Stadium.

Kylian Mbappe has emerged victorious in his lengthy legal dispute with Paris Saint-Germain after the Ligue 1 champions officially decided not to appeal a court ruling ordering them to pay their former star €61 million. The Real Madrid forward had been locked in a bitter stalemate with his former employers over unpaid wages and various contractual bonuses that were withheld during his final months at the Parc des Princes. The conclusion of the case marks the end of a saga that shadowed Mbappe’s blockbuster move to the Spanish capital last summer.

Real Madrid find themselves at the centre of a brewing storm regarding the management of teenage sensation Franco Mastantuono. Despite arriving at the Santiago Bernabeu with a massive reputation and a €45 million price tag last summer, the 18-year-old has suddenly become a forgotten man in the Spanish capital. The situation reached a boiling point following Los Blancos' disappointing 2-1 defeat to Osasuna. head coach Alvaro Arbeloa opted not to use the youngster even as his side chased an equaliser in the dying stages of the match.

The magic of the Clasico travelled across the Atlantic at the weekend as Los Angeles played host to a star-studded exhibition between Barca and Real Madrid Legends. While the competitive fires may have dimmed since their professional heydays, the technical quality on display at the BMO Stadium proved that class is indeed permanent. In a contest that balanced high-level nostalgia with genuine entertainment, the two Spanish giants fought out a 1-1 draw in front of a captivated American audience.

Mexican football has been plunged into a state of uncertainty following the news that several high-profile fixtures have been postponed due to a major security crisis. The decision to call off the matches came swiftly after the Mexican army killed the leader of one of the country's most powerful drug cartels in a town situated just two hours from Guadalajara, a key host city for the upcoming 2026 World Cup. The death of the high-ranking figure has sparked immediate concerns over public safety across multiple states.