Friendlies

Friendlies news

Manchester United v Aston Villa - Premier League

Slovenia boss warns Man Utd over Sesko

Slovenia head coach Bostjan Cesar has sent a clear message to Manchester United, insisting he will not be "pushed around" regarding Benjamin Sesko’s international availability. The highly-rated striker has withdrawn from the current squad to manage a fitness issue, but his national team boss is demanding more respect from the Old Trafford giants.

FBL-FRIENDLY-ENG-ISL-EURO 2024

Trent won't make England return under Tuchel - Rooney

Wayne Rooney has expressed grave concerns over Trent Alexander-Arnold's international future following his omission from Thomas Tuchel’s latest England squad. The former Manchester United captain believes the Real Madrid defender might have already been permanently discarded from the German manager's plans ahead of the World Cup.

Real Madrid CF v Rayo Vallecano de Madrid - LaLiga EA Sports

'I've never felt so much pain!' – Bellingham admits surgery delay was a mistake

Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham has opened up about the agonising pain he endured after dislocating his shoulder, admitting that delaying corrective surgery was a significant mistake. The England international revealed that the persistent fear of re-injury severely hindered his ability to perform at his world-class best. Despite being advised to undergo an operation during his time at Dortmund, Bellingham opted to play through the discomfort to avoid letting his team down.

Brazil v France - International Friendly

Barca fear the worst as Ancelotti confirms Raphinha muscle issue

Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that Raphinha was withdrawn at half-time during Thursday’s 2-1 defeat to France due to a muscle issue. The Barcelona winger, a vital component of the Selecao’s attacking trident, was replaced by Luiz Henrique after a promising opening 45 minutes in the United States. With the 2026 World Cup fast approaching, his fitness remains a primary concern for the technical staff.

Advertisement
Brazil v France - International Friendly

Tchouameni reveals Tom Brady message ahead of France's Brazil clash

Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni revealed he reached out to NFL icon Tom Brady before France’s 2-1 friendly victory over Brazil. Playing at Gillette Stadium, the legendary home of the New England Patriots, Les Bleus secured their first win over the Selecao since 2011. Despite being reduced to 10 men, the French side channelled a "clutch" mentality in front of a heavily pro-Brazilian crowd in Foxborough.

Marcelo Bielsa Uruguay chaos GFX

Bielsa's Uruguay are in complete chaos ahead of England meeting

Wherever Marcelo Bielsa has gone in his managerial career, he has left a trail of wonder. It's not always wonder in a positive sense, but it's whimsical and mystifying all the same. From revolutionising Newell's Old Boys to the Argentine national team, from Athletic Club and the Basque Country to Leeds United in West Yorkshire, you will find people deeply touched by the impact of 'El Loco' to differing, extreme degrees.

Everton v Leeds United - Premier League

Bielsa explains why he has stayed away from Leeds

Marcelo Bielsa has finally opened up about his four-year absence from Elland Road, citing a powerful sense of nostalgia as the reason he has not returned to Leeds United since his emotional 2022 departure. Now leading Uruguay, the 70-year-old tactical pioneer is back on English soil for a high-profile friendly against the Three Lions at Wembley. Despite his unceremonious sacking, Bielsa remains a cult hero in West Yorkshire for his transformative tenure.

England v IR Iran: Group B - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

Tuchel tells White to 'clear the air' with England squad

Thomas Tuchel has handed Ben White a long-awaited England recall, ending the defender's self-imposed four-year international exile. The Arsenal star, who has not featured for the Three Lions since March 2022, returned to the fold following a late injury to Jarell Quansah. While Tuchel is eager to turn a new page, he has insisted that White must reconcile with squad members who witnessed his abrupt departure from the 2022 World Cup camp.

Brazil France GFX

Brazil's main men flop in dire friendly loss to ten-man France

Brazil's main men fell flat as the Selecao turned in an underwhelming performance against France in a forgettable 2-1 loss. The Selecao were poor at both ends of the pitch, and languid in between, and only really showed attacking intent when it was too late. A late goal from Bremer was rather flattering as Carlo Ancelotti's men were easily dealt with by Les Bleus, who played most of the second half with ten men.

England Training & Press Conference

Tuchel sends blunt 'pressure' warning to Palmer

Thomas Tuchel has issued a blunt "pressure" warning to Cole Palmer, warning the Chelsea superstar that his place in the England starting XI for the World Cup is far from guaranteed. The German coach insists that the playmaker must prove his worth in the international setup following an injury-hit campaign.

Real Madrid CF v Atletico de Madrid - LaLiga EA Sports

Tuchel tells Trent 'he just has to accept' England squad snub

Thomas Tuchel has delivered a blunt verdict on Trent Alexander-Arnold's international future, insisting the Real Madrid defender "just has to accept" his latest exclusion from the England setup. Despite the former Chelsea boss admitting the decision could be viewed as "unfair", he has prioritised other defensive options for the upcoming World Cup preparation.

Foden-Littler

Foden scores darts 180 on day Littler visits England squad

The England squad received a unique masterclass this week as double world champion Luke Littler visited St. George’s Park to host the 'Three Lions Darts Championship'. While Littler was expected to provide the fireworks, it was Manchester City’s Phil Foden who stole the show by landing a maximum 180 during the informal tournament.

Cagliari Calcio v SSC Napoli - Serie A

Napoli 'furious' as Lukaku refuses to return to training base

Romelu Lukaku has sparked a major rift at Napoli after reportedly refusing to return to the club's Castel Volturno training base. The veteran striker had recently withdrawn from international duty to focus on regaining full fitness, but has opted to stay in Belgium against the wishes of club officials and manager Antonio Conte.

England Training & Media Activity

Man Utd bench regular called up to England training by Tuchel

Manchester United youngster Ayden Heaven has been handed a surprise opportunity to impress Thomas Tuchel after being drafted into England senior training. The teenage defender was originally selected for the Under-20 squad but has now found himself rubbing shoulders with the nation's elite at St George's Park.

TOPSHOT-FBL-FRA-CUP-PAYS DE CASSEL-PSG

Mbappe makes big Neymar World Cup claim

Kylian Mbappe has joined the growing debate surrounding Neymar’s international future, insisting that he cannot imagine a World Cup without the Brazilian superstar. As pressure mounts on Selecao boss Carlo Ancelotti to recall the veteran forward, Mbappe has backed his former team-mate to prove his fitness in time for the 2026 tournament.

Neymar World Cup dream GFX

Is Neymar's World Cup dream already over?

Neymar found himself back in headlines across Europe last week after he was brought up as a topic of debate on The Overlap. Gary Neville introduced a new 'Unpopular Opinions' segment, and kicked it off with the following statement: "No Premier League player in history is better than a prime Neymar."

Frequently asked questions

Bayern Munich are the most decorated team in the history of Bundesliga with 32 top-flight titles to their name. Their most recent title came in the 2022-23 season, which was their 11th straight league title.

There are 18 teams in the current format of the Bundesliga. Bundesliga, as we know it today, was formed in 1962 with the 1963-64 season being the first-ever season. It began with 16 teams, but was expanded to 18 teams ahead of the 1965-66 season.

Karl-Heinz 'Charly' Korbel, with 602 appearances to his name, holds the record for making the most appearances in Bundesliga history. The defender achieved this feat with just one club: Eintracht Frankfurt.

Gerd Muller, inarguably the greatest German forward of all-time, is Bundesliga's all-time leading goalscorer with 365 goals to his name in 427 appearances. All his goals came in a Bayern Munich jersey.

Bayern Munich legend Thomas Muller has registered the most assists in Bundesliga history, with 207 and counting.

Former German defender Klaus Fitchel is the oldest player ever to play in the Bundesliga. Fitchel was aged 43 years and 184 days when he played for Schalke on the final matchday of the 1987-88 campaign.

Borussia Dortmund wonderkid Youssoufa Moukoko, at 16 years and one day, became the youngest player in Bundesliga history to play in the league, when he came on for Erling Haaland in the 2020-21 season in a game against Hertha Berlin.

Robert Lewandowski, Marco Reus, Ilkay Gundogan, Stefan Effenberg, Toni Kroos, Gerd Muller, Franz Beckenbauer, Manuel Neuer, Antonio Rudiger, and Arjen Robben are some of the most famous players to have played in the Bundesliga.

Xabi Alonso, Pep Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti, Jurgen Klopp, Julian Nagelsmann, Jupp Heynckes, Ralf Rangnick, Thomas Tuchel, Otto Rehhagel, Matthias Sammer, and Giovanni Trapattoni are some of the most famous managers to have managed a Bundesliga club.

Borussia Dortmund's electrifying stadium Signal Iduna Park is the biggest stadium in the Bundesliga with a capacity of 81.365.

Harry Kane's €95 million move from Tottenham Hotspur to Bayern Munich in 2023 is Bundesliga's most expensive transfer of all-time.