Rishabh Pant shocked everyone by coming out to bat with a broken foot and extending his overnight retired-hurt score of 37 to 54.During this unexpected extension of his innings, he hit his 90th six in Test cricket to go level with Virender Sehwag, India’s highest six-hitter in Test cricket. It took Sehwag 103 Tests to do so; this was Pant’s only 47th Test. Pant went on to get to his fifty with a block with no follow-through that raced along the floor to the cover boundary.Pant injured his right foot during the final session of the first day when, while trying to reverse-sweep Chris Woakes, he ended up playing the full toss onto his boot. He went down in seemingly unbearable pain immediately, and when he removed his sock, it revealed an egg-sized lump.Pant had to be carted off the field in a golf-style buggy, and he went straight for scans. The BCCI is yet to confirm the results of the scans, but ESPNcricinfo understands that he has a fracture and that he is out of the final Test.Related
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Pant suffers foot fracture, set to miss remainder of series
Dhruv Jurel will keep wicket for the rest of the Manchester Test, but it was anticipated that Pant would bat only if India needed him desperately.However, Pant was seen in his whites as Shardul Thakur and Washington Sundar added 48 for the sixth wicket. Just before lunch on day two, with the score 314 for 6 in conditions where 350 is being seen as above par, Pant walked out to a big applause. He was still in pain, couldn’t do much more than hobble through for his runs, but he hung around for long enough to have 35 runs added while he was at the wicket.During his extended innings, Pant was involved in the running 14 of singles. Once he lost Washington, Pant picked up a slower ball from Jofra Archer and smacked a pull for six before bringing up his fifty. Archer had to produce the unplayable ball – angling in from round the wicket, seaming away, hitting top of off – to get rid of Pant.
Messi's message on MLS salary restrictions might be self-serving, but the larger point about change rings true
Lionel Messi doesn't do enough to promote Major League Soccer – or so we are told. The Argentina and Inter Miami star, since moving to the league, has drawn criticism in some corners for his reluctance to speak. He rarely grants interviews. He's never available to be quizzed by reporters after games.
Messi might have many thoughts. But few hear them, at least publicly.
In the last week, though, he has done two interviews. The timing makes sense. He just signed a contract extension with Inter Miami through 2028. And even if his mere existence in South Florida needs no publicity, these are the standard things you do after committing three more years of your life to America.
Messi is talking. A little. And most of his words seemed like excellent PR fodder. He said all of the right things about playing for Miami and American soccer. He teased the fact that he might or might not play at the World Cup (Lionel Messi is probably going to play at the World Cup).
But the one comment that has been picked up on repeatedly was in regard to MLS rules. He was asked by an interviewer if he would make any changes to the league. And he knew exactly what he wanted to say.
"Well, for starters, every team should have the opportunity to bring in players and sign whoever each team wants – without limitations or rules for players to bring them in," Messi said.
This is a tired point, to a large degree, and Messi isn't the first to make it. MLS probably should do something about its salary cap rules. But Messi's claim here doesn't read like a careful consideration of financial markets, or the general state of American soccer or flag-waving for the best interests of all 30 MLS teams.
Rather, this sounded an awful lot like a footballer who wants his own way, a player who doesn't talk, speaking up to push for the kind of signings he wants. The funny thing? Now might actually be the time for MLS to listen.
Getty Images Sport
The salary debate
Messi is not the first to bring up the fact that MLS's byzantine salary rules aren't the best thing in the world. They, more generally, split opinion. It's pretty clear, at this point, that capping spending in some way – as the league currently does – limits the league's capacity to improve in quality.
But how, exactly, that should be changed is up for debate. Some have said that restrictions should be loosened, that the league should raise the cap. Others have called for a floor, effectively forcing the teams that are loath to spend to raise the base level.
The most beneficial middle ground would perhaps be the option to open up more designated player spots – and allow for more quality signings. Don't want to spend? Fine, but don't prevent other teams from doing so.
Other stars have picked up on a similar point. Thierry Henry slammed the system more than a decade ago after the Red Bulls lost star player Kenny Cooper due to cap restrictions.
"If you’re in any other league in the world, you keep your good players. Not in this league,” Henry said in 2013. "That’s just the way it is and that’s why most of the time you see players [moving] and being traded. It is an American way of dealing with things, salary cap, draft, trade."
There is a fine lineage of complaining here. Messi is now part of it.
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What unrestricted spending could do
It's not hard to figure out what more flexibility would mean, in the context of Messi's words: better players for Miami. There was speculation that the Herons might sign Neymar before the 2025 season. It was a fun story. Neymar and Messi are friends. It would complete another Barcelona reunion in Miami.
The parties would surely be wonderful for the Brazilian legend. Miami manager Javier Mascherano was asked about it at MLS media day and ruled out the signing immediately on the grounds that the club simply didn't have the cap flexibility to make it happen.
"We cannot talk about Ney because we have nothing," Mascherano said. "Obviously, Ney is a great player. Every coach in the world wants him but at the moment, but you know the MLS rules around the salary cap. So for us in this moment, it's impossible to try to think about him."
At the time, it was a throwaway comment in a room full of reporters. Everyone there knew that Miami couldn't wedge Neymar in under the cap – not at a veteran minimum salary that he certainly would not accept. But Mascherano vocalized that fact: it was a non-starter.
That does not mean, though, that a removal of a salary cap would encourage Messi to reunite all of his old teammates in Miami. More likely, it would allow for the construction of deeper and more complete rosters – albeit with a clear Albiceleste lineage. In Miami's case that would surely mean the presence of a few Argentine stars.
It is no secret that Messi has wanted to play with Angel Di Maria again. He probably wouldn't mind having Nicolas Otamendi at centerback, either. And then, there are the others. A deluge of Argentine teenagers – highly rated or otherwise – head to Europe every year to fight for spots.
But Franco Mastantuono, unlikely to make the grade in the big games at Real Madrid, for example, would be an excellent addition to play on the right for Miami.
Getty Images Sport
Miami, cheaters?
But the more pertinent point here is the fact that Messi is the one saying these words. The rest of MLS has long resented Miami for the way they go about things financially. The Herons have a clear appeal due to would-be signings, and in the past couple of years have deliberately stretched MLS financial rules in order to construct a star-heavy roster.
The irony? Messi is the one who takes up most of the cash. According to this week's salary release, Messi makes north of $20 million, nearly double the next highest paid player in the league, and more than the total spend of 21 other teams in MLS.
Throw in the hefty $8.8M that they pay to soon-to-retire Sergio Busquets, and their spending only gets more extravagant. In order to piece together the pieces around them, Miami have been sneaky – though some might say clever.
Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba are both on team-friendly contracts that are well below players of their quality or prestige. Rodrigo De Paul, signed this summer, is technically on a loan deal that will be made permanent at the end of the season.
To complement them, the Herons have made a series of other loan signings that really should be outside their scope. Tadeo Allende, an excellent addition in midfield, is here on loan. No team should be able to spend that much money – and then get such good quality players on the cheap. Miami can.
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Player power and speaking out
Yet for all of the anger rival fans might have built up, it's hard to begrudge Messi. Not because he finallygave an interview. Rather, MLS is a league that seems fairly content to run in place. It needs its stars to bring about change. This is no longer a setup that needs the safety net of restrictions.
That change, of course, can come from within boardrooms. But loud voices, in any sport, are instrumental in instigating meaningful conversations. Footballers abroad, for example, have repeatedly talked about load management and the demands on their bodies. Complaints from players themselves, along with fan furor, were key in ensuring that the much-maligned La Liga game set to be held in Miami was abandoned.
And sure, Messi is acting out of self interest here. He wants his old friends to play football with him in Miami. He likely isn't particularly happy that the Herons struggled so much at the Club World Cup, either.
But it is also true that the league will find it difficult to improve without significant investment from owners. Does Messi have that top of mind when he gives a rare interview? It's unclear. There is little evidence to suggest that Messi has a deep empathy for the plight of Montreal fans, for example. But he is certainly aware of the weight that his words may carry.
Tommy Fleetwood has revealed that one Premier League manager is a “very good golfer” who “could be champion” if he was fully committed to the sport.
Team Europe on course to retain the Ryder Cup after dominant display
Team Europe are in a very strong position to retain the Ryder Cup, courtesy of a dominant performance over the past two days, which means they need just 2½ more points to secure a victory over the USA.
Fleetwood has been paramount to Europe’s success, cementing himself as the biggest points producer in the entire competition, having won all four of his matches in the team sessions, while also making headlines after clashing with Bryson DeChambeau on day two.
Away from golf, the Englishman is well-known to be a supporter of Everton, but the 34-year-old has also struck up a relationship with a manager of a different Premier League club, who he believes has the ability to be a professional golfer, if he was fully committed to the sport.
In an interview with Manchester City back in 2018, Fleetwood spoke fondly of Pep Guardiola, saying: “We were introduced through a mutual friend because I had always admired Pep and knew he liked a game of golf,
“I don’t think either of us expected to get on with each other as well as we did but we hit it off immediately; his sense of humour is very similar to mine!
Pep catches the eye at the Icons Series
While Guardiola will certainly have no complaints about his career path, having played for Barcelona, before going on to establish himself as one of the greatest managers of all time, the 54-year-old has proven he could’ve been a handy golf player.
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Pep Guardiola is a constant source of wisdom and entertainment.
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Barney Lane
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When competing at the Icons Series, the Man City boss chipped in twice from considerable distance, with the second shot from across the water particularly impressive.
Speaking about his love of the sport, Guardiola once said: “I love golf for many reasons. For the environment, the courses you play on. There are no referees there. The rules are for everybody. So when our games are being influenced by the decision of the referee, it is too much. In good ways and bad ways.”
That said, having put in such a dominant performance at Bethpage Black, Team Europe clearly aren’t short of top golfers, with captain Luke Donald almost certain to be lifting the Ryder Cup later today, courtesy of Fleetwood & co.
Kylian Mbappe, who needs just six goals to become his country's all-time top scorer, believes he "can score against anyone" ahead of France's World Cup qualifying clash against Azerbaijan on Friday. His participation in the game, however, remains uncertain, with the Frenchman picking up a minor ankle sprain in Real Madrid's 3-1 win over Villarreal in La Liga last weekend.
Mbappe eyeing Giroud's throne as France's all-time top scorer
Giroud retired from international football in 2024 after making 137 appearances and a record 57 goals for Les Bleus. Mbappe currently sits in second position, having scored 52 goals in 92 games. The Frenchman, who has been in breathtaking form at the start of the season, will be aiming to eclipse Giroud in France's next two games – two relatively easy fixtures against Azerbaijan on Friday and Iceland next Monday.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportGiroud record not on Mbappe's mind at the moment
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, the France captain said: "I'm not breaking any taboos when I say I can score goals against anyone. Every match has its own reality. [Azerbaijan] is a team that held Ukraine to a draw, where we didn't have it easy. The stakes are higher than just scoring goals, even if we're not going to deprive ourselves of that.
"I think I'll beat [Giroud], but when, I don't know. Maybe tomorrow, who knows? Maybe later. It's something that will come naturally and I'll move on from there."
Mbappe finally the player Real Madrid thought they signed in 2024
A record-breaking individual season was overshadowed by Real Madrid's failure to secure major silverware. The Frenchman often struggled, especially during the first half of the 2024-25 season, before finding his feet and finishing the season with the Pichichi and European Golden Shoe awards.
This season, though, Mbappe has been in transcendental form, scoring 14 goals in 10 games for Los Blancos and finally giving the impression that the version of Mbappe Madrid thought they signed in the summer of 2024 has arrived.
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GettyWill Mbappe feature for France on Friday?
In Madrid's most recent outing, a 3-1 win over Villarreal last weekend, Mbappe came off in the 82nd minute, just moments after he scored a goal. After the game, head coach Xabi Alonso confirmed that the 26-year-old had only suffered a minor ankle sprain.
Regardless, he was called up by France boss Didier Deschamps in hopes that he would recover from his knock in time for Friday's clash against Azerbaijan. The former Paris Saint-Germain player missed team training this week, but Mbappe confirmed he would participate in training with the rest of his squad on Thursday.
"I want to play, the coach wants me to play, I don't think there will be any problems," Mbappe said. "I feel good, we're talking to the coach. I'm going to train today, it's the last test but I'm not particularly worried."
Newcastle United will now be hoping, with a depressing transfer window thankfully out of the way, that they can kick into gear in the Premier League when the international break is over.
The expected departure of Alexander Isak to Liverpool was, unfortunately, confirmed at the final hour of an action-packed deadline day.
Yet, it’s not all doom and gloom at St James’ Park, as the Magpies did manage to finally welcome in Yoane Wissa from Brentford to bolster up top, away from also securing the services of Nick Woltemade for a whopping £64m.
On top of that, they did at least manage to get £125m out of Arne Slot’s Reds to part ways with their prized Swede, with Newcastle not always driving the hardest bargain when it comes to the many twists and turns of incomings and outgoings…
Newcastle's disastrous sale of Elliot Anderson
It’s hard to picture Elliot Anderson back in the famous black and white stripes of Newcastle, with the 22-year-old midfield engine now synonymous with Nottingham Forest, ever since clinching a move to the City Ground last year.
In another reality, the Toon would have surely kept a firmer grip on their homegrown gem, but to appropriately balance the books amid PSR concerns, the Tyneside outfit had to surrender and gift Forest the 5-foot-10 star for what looks like now to be a very cheap £35m.
He has since gone on to be a rip-roaring success for the Tricky Trees after lining up for 55 senior games for his boyhood employers, with two goals and seven assists falling into his lap from 45 clashes for Nuno Espirito Santo’s men, leading to an England call-up under Thomas Tuchel for the very first time.
It’s safe to say Anderson shone on debut against Andorra on Saturday evening, taking home the Man of the Match award.
Once dubbed a “phenomenal” talent by ex-Bristol Rovers teammate Alex Rodman when first making waves in the senior game, it’s safe to say the well-rounded midfielder has soared to some unbelievable heights ever since waving goodbye to Tyneside.
He isn’t the only exit from the Newcastle midfield ranks that feels premature with hindsight on side, with the previous regime guilty of selling their original version of Anderson for just £10m all the way back in 2018.
Newcastle's original Anderson sold too early
Thankfully, Howe does have a lot of quality brimming in his midfield department, with the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton, and Sandro Tonali the first names on the 47-year-old’s teamsheet.
Still, for even more depth and competition, having Anderson around would be a luxury he wouldn’t turn down, alongside the prospect of having Mikel Merino back on the Magpies’ books for a second chance at the club.
Mikel Merino
Before becoming a well-known goal threat back on English shores with Arsenal, Merino was a one-season flop at St James’ Park, with only 14 league starts handed to the adaptable Spaniard before he was shipped back off to La Liga with Real Sociedad for £10m.
This has proven to be a costly mistake in the same realm as Anderson’s disastrous departure, with the “exceptional” midfielder – as he has been previously labelled by Spain manager Luis de la Fuente – going on to prove himself as a Premier League-calibre talent under Mikel Arteta.
Merino vs Anderson in 24/25 PL
Stat (* = per 90 mins)
Merino
Anderson
Games played
28
37
Goals scored
7
2
Assists
2
6
Touches*
30.2
54.2
Accurate passes*
15.9 (80%)
28.7 (82%)
Ball recoveries*
3.1
5.6
Total duels won*
4.9
6.5
Stats by Sofascore
Away from his standout nine-goal contributions last season in the hustle and bustle of league action, Merino also stood out as a combative and energetic option for Arteta, much like Anderson at Forest, with 4.9 duels won per game, not too far off his counterpart’s heftier total.
To further add to the anguish, Merino has also managed to excel for his nation to bring more similarities into view, with a goal picked up for Spain on the same international break Anderson won his first Three Lions cap.
With the Pamplona-born warrior now worth around the £30m mark, according to Transfermarkt, this feels like another major blunder on Newcastle’s end, away from focusing on just the much-talked-about disappointment of Anderson leaving.
Newcastle hit the jackpot on “outstanding” star worth more than Anderson
While Elliot Anderson thrives at Forest after his £35m transfer, Newcastle have a rising star of their own
Mohammad Rizwan has accepted that Pakistan are all but out of their own Champions Trophy after a chastening six-wicket loss to India in Dubai to follow their 60-run loss in the opening game against New Zealand.The defending champions only have a game against Bangladesh left and are left relying on other results in the group to sneak them through to the last four. That is a situation Pakistan have found themselves in regularly in recent tournaments – though this one looks less likely to happen – and it is one Rizwan does not much care for.”We can say for now that it is over – that is the truth,” Rizwan said after the game. “We’ll see what Bangladesh does with New Zealand, then New Zealand with India, and then what we do. It’s a long road and it depends on other teams.Related
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“As a captain, I don’t like depending on others. If you are good enough, you show it by winning and keeping things in your hands. Waiting on other teams, I don’t like worrying about their results. What matters is that India and New Zealand beat us. They played strong cricket and we didn’t play well. If we get a chance [to sneak through] then so be it.”Rizwan acknowledged the side would have to face difficult questions about their performances here. Their exit is confirmed if New Zealand beat Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on Monday and, if so, will mark the third ICC white-ball tournament in a row in which Pakistan have exited before the knockouts.Rizwan, who took over as the white-ball captain late last year and led the side to bilateral ODI series wins in Australia and South Africa, was frustrated by his side making the same mistakes they have made in their recent losses – in a tri-series involving New Zealand and South Africa and then their opening game here.His own innings today – a 77-ball 46 – will come under scrutiny much in the way that Babar Azam’s innings in the opening loss did. It was far more inert until a late acceleration, but his dismissal was one of three quick wickets in the middle which robbed Pakistan of whatever momentum they had built.”When you lose, you’re obviously disappointed and it’s a difficult time, difficult questions come up,” he said. “We made mistakes in all three departments, that is why we lost today.”In our team meeting yesterday, we had said we’ll target 270-280 on this, given the outfield was slow, the pitch was slow. If we’d got 280, the result might have been different. Saud [Shakeel] and I started building up a partnership, over which we took some time, but after that our shot selection was poor. That gave them a chance to take wickets and put pressure on our middle order. They built on it, and we couldn’t stabilise ourselves.”We made mistakes we’ve been making in the last few matches. These aren’t new mistakes. We’ve been making them in the last four games. We work on them, but we are humans, our players are humans, these mistakes happen. We’re trying to work on those, we’re trying to put the effort in to resolve those. What I believe is that India’s effort was greater than us, they were braver than us. That is why they got the result. We made mistakes, maybe because when we had to show bravery in some moments we didn’t show enough. In our fielding we needed to show more energy, but maybe we were lacking in that, and so made mistakes.”Mohammad Rizwan: ‘We made mistakes in all three departments, that is why we lost today’•ICC/Getty Images
In one sense, the limitations of Pakistan’s batting had been impacted twice over before the tournament had even begun in earnest. Saim Ayub’s fractured ankle robbed them of a young, modern and in-form opener and then, two balls into their opening game, they effectively lost Fakhar Zaman, their other opener capable of quick starts.Rizwan lamented the loss of both, especially Ayub who provided a spin-bowling option as well. It left Pakistan reliant on Imam-ul-Haq in this game, an opener with a vastly different skillset.Similarly, the presence of only one specialist spinner in the squad – Abrar Ahmed – has been questioned through the tri-series and this tournament’s two games. Rizwan said, however, that they couldn’t have brought in another specialist, despite Abrar being their best bowler across the two games.”In ODIs you can’t have five genuine bowlers. Naseem [Shah], Shaheen [Afridi], Haris [Rauf], Abrar. The fifth, you see New Zealand have [Mitchell] Santner and [Michael] Bracewell, India have [Ravindra] Jadeja and [Axar] Patel. The best we had, the selectors picked them – Salman Agha and Khushdil Shah. If we go with two genuine spinners, that means we are going with five bowlers and six batters and we can’t make a combo of that. So yeah, there will be questions about having another spinner, but you can’t go in with five genuine bowlers in an ODI. Maybe in a T20.”
Tottenham Hotspur have added some shrewd signings to Thomas Frank’s fledgling project this summer, Mohammed Kudus adding flair to the widths and Joao Palhinha bringing some steely mettle to the engine room.
However, Heung-min Son has completed a £20m transfer to LAFC in the United States, and James Maddison has ruptured his ACL and will be sidelined for the lion’s share of the season.
FFC Spurs – James Maddison
Spurs have issues in midfield and attack, but Daniel Levy might be convinced to add another signing to his team’s backline, even though Cristian Romero looks set to stay amid interest from Atletico Madrid.
Spurs eyeing Serie A raid
Tottenham have had a lot of success in raiding the Italain top flight for talented up-and-comers in recent years, with the likes of Romero and Destiny Udogie springing to mind.
However, Dejan Kulusevski might be the cream of that crop, having hit his stride last season and made good on praise from football scout Jacek Kulig that he is a “world-class talent”.
Now, Tottenham are ready to repeat their trick by raiding one of the Serie A superpowers for another elite player, with sights set on AC Milan’s Malick Thiaw.
According to Caught Offside, Spurs and Arsenal have joined the race for the German centre-back, with Newcastle United already displaying a vested interest this month.
Thiaw, 24, has been the subject of a new €40m (£34m) offer from Newcastle, and while negotiations are understood to be advancing quickly, the Magpies have failed to sign a litany of targets this summer, and Tottenham could be primed to complete a hijack.
Why Spurs want Malick Thiaw
Having joined Milan from Schalke three years ago, Thiaw has made 85 appearances for his Italian side, bringing a dynamic defensive skill set to the squad.
AC Milan's Malick Thiaw celebrates.
Both crisp and enterprising with his passing, Thiaw ranks among the top 6% of centre-backs across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, and the top 14% for progressive passes played per 90, as per FBref.
He’s also been hailed as a “monster in the air” by journalist Martino Puccio, so would bring some substance to the team, ensuring some defensive solidity is found where such went lacking last year.
Given that Micky van de Ven and Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate are considered two of his most comparable players, it feels like Frank could hit the jackpot with this one, emulating the deal for Kulusevski and allowing him to grow into one of the Premier League’s superstars.
Tottenham signed Kulusevski from Juventus on an initial loan in January 2022, wrapping a move up 18 months later for a shrewd £25m fee (a similar ballpark to Thiaw now).
Dejan Kulusevski – Tottenham Career by Season (all comps)
Season
Apps
Goals
Assists
24/25
50
10
11
23/24
39
8
3
22/23
37
2
8
21/22
19
5
8
Data via Transfermarkt
Last season, the 25-year-old Kulusevski finally struck a balance between his output, with Ange Postecoglou shifting him into a central attacking midfield berth to an emphatic effect.
Not just a potent attacking threat, the Sweden international’s energy and tenacity fed the belief of his teammates, and he was often a shining light throughout a challenging, albeit ultimately rewarding, season.
He averaged 4.1 successful duels and 1.4 tackles per league match, as per Sofascore, and added much to the Ange system when it needed him most.
In Thiaw, Spurs could repeat the trick, signing a rising talent who has more than his position demands of him. It’s one that Tottenham need to get over the line as they head back onto the Champions League stage.
Frank's answer to Palmer: Spurs enter talks to sign "exceptional" £40m gem
Tottenham Hotspur appear to be about to make another huge move in the market to bolster Thomas Frank’s squad.
Ricardo Carvalho has lifted the lid on his Chelsea memories under Jose Mourinho, recalling how two teammates defined his time at Stamford Bridge: John Terry and Didier Drogba. He shared how Terry, already a home-grown icon when he arrived, became a leader and “warrior” beside him in defence, while Drogba – once considered an unknown quantity – proved to be a revelation in attack.
Carvalho reminisces about Chelsea days and label's Terry "a warrior"
Carvalho arrived at Chelsea in 2004, following Mourinho to Stamford Bridge after they won the Champions League at Porto together, a year after claiming the UEFA Cup trophy. In a six-year spell with the Blues, he won three Premier League titles, Four FA Cups and two League Cups before heading to Real Madrid in 2011.
In an interview with , Carvalho reflected on his days in London and was asked for the best centre-back he played alongside in his illustrious career, naming club legend and former captain Terry.
"When I arrived, he grew up in England. And he was someone I admired for his spirit," he said. "He was a leader, a bit like Jorge Costa or Fernando Couto. A warrior on the field, with great quality."
AdvertisementAFPCarvalho picks Didier Drogba as the team's unstoppable force
If Terry was the wall, Drogba was the battering ram who demolished opposition defences. Carvalho first encountered him as an opponent with Porto against Marseille and admitted he was stunned.
"What surprised me most was Drogba. I played against [Ruud] van Nistelrooy, who had a lot of talent and quality, but Drogba was unknown when I was at Porto and we played against Marseille. His strength, explosiveness, and power were incredible. It was difficult to stop him. Later, as teammates, we became great friends. We played for six years at Chelsea, and it was incredible to share a dressing room with him."
At Chelsea he scored 164 goals in 381 appearances, but his greatest legacy came in Europe. In the 2012 Champions League final, Drogba scored the dramatic late equaliser against Bayern Munich before stepping up to convert the decisive penalty in the shootout – delivering Chelsea their first ever European crown. Internationally, he tallied 65 goals in 105 caps for Ivory Coast, becoming their all-time top scorer.
Mourinho’s demands and Carvalho’s growth under the coach
While Terry and Drogba defined his teammates, Carvalho insists Mourinho shaped his career. When asked who had the biggest impact on him, the former Portuguese international swiftly replied, "Mourinho, for all the reasons and more.
"I'm the player who played the most games under him. He was a coach who paid close attention to detail, who demanded a lot. And I handled that demand well."
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AFPA legacy of warriors and a culture that endured
Carvalho’s reflections underline why Chelsea’s mid-2000s side remains so iconic. With Mourinho’s tactical brilliance, Terry’s resilience, and Drogba’s firepower, the team had balance, discipline, and star power in equal measure. Importantly, the attitude and culture Mourinho instilled during his time at Chelsea helped the club win accolades even after he departed, as the mentality of never accepting defeat until the final moment continued to resonate for as long as those legendary icons remained at the club.
Manchester Originals have handed Simon Katich a one-year contract extension after a season in which his men’s team won only once, but Stephen Parry has been let go after two years in charge of their women’s side.The decisions over the two coaches’ futures were made by the Originals board, which has been restructured to reflect their closer ties with Lancashire from 2025. The county will become majority shareholders in Originals next season, when they are handed a 51% stake by the ECB, with the other 49% set to be sold to a private investor.Mark Chilton, Lancashire’s director of cricket, has been given responsibility to lead the recruitment process for Parry’s successor as women’s head coach as a result. James Sheridan, who is on the Lancashire board, has also taken over from the broadcaster Mark Chapman as Originals’ chair, though Chapman will remain on the board.Related
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Lancashire want IPL link for Manchester Originals
ECB plans huge wage hikes, increase in overseas player limit in the Hundred
Katich, the former Australia batter, has coached Originals men since the Hundred’s inaugural season in 2021, and said he had “unfinished business” after agreeing to return in 2025. “I have absolutely loved my time leading the Manchester Originals over the last three years and I’m already looking forward to next year,” Katich said.Originals were runners-up in the 2022 and 2023 seasons of the men’s Hundred, losing tight finals against Trent Rockets and Oval Invincibles. But they failed to overcome the absence of the injured Jos Buttler this year, finishing seventh after winning only one of their eight matches with Phil Salt deputising as captain.”We were all disappointed with how this season went, particularly after coming as close as we did in 2022 and 2023,” Katich said. “I feel we have unfinished business given the events of the last three editions of the Hundred and all of us at the Originals will ensure that we get back on track next year… We are determined to win it for Manchester.”Parry, meanwhile, has been replaced after his side finished sixth in the women’s Hundred this season. Originals are the only women’s team who have not reached the knockout stages in any of the tournament’s first four editions, and are hoping to appoint “a world-leading women’s short-format head coach” for 2025 and beyond.”Stephen leaves us with our thanks and best wishes,” Sheridan said. “He joined us with our women’s team under-strength and still finding its feet at this level of cricket… We are in a much better place following two years with Stephen at the helm.”The recruitment process for Parry’s successor, which Chilton will oversee, will start immediately. “Our aim now is to recruit a world-leading women’s short-format head coach, and we are very excited where this group of players can take Manchester Originals next year and beyond,” Chilton said.The announcements come shortly before Friday’s deadline for first-round bids in the ECB’s sale process of the Hundred, with Lancashire actively seeking a “sporting partner” to become co-owners of Originals. Daniel Gidney, the county’s chief executive, told ESPNcricinfo in August: “We’d love to work with an IPL team.”The ongoing introduction of private investment is expected to make 2025 a season of transition in the Hundred, with the timeframe likely too tight for new owners to make sweeping changes to playing or coaching staff. The ECB has told prospective owners to expect significant wage hikes, though these could be delayed until 2026.
Despite plenty of speculation over their futures at Ibrox, Nicolas Raskina and Mohamed Diomande both lined up for Glasgow Rangers in their first game of the season on Tuesday.
The duo both started and both registered assists in a 2-0 win over Panathinaikos at Ibrox in the first leg of the club’s second round Champions League qualifier.
It remains to be seen if Diomande, who assisted Djeidi Gassama’s goal, will still be in Glasgow at the end of the summer transfer window, though, amid interest from Besiktas.
Mohammed Diomande
The Turkish giants have already had one offer turned down for the central midfielder, and are reportedly expected to go back in with a second bid for the Ivorian star.
Why Mohamed Diomande is important to Rangers
Russell Martin may not want to lose the left-footed star, though, because he is an important player who provides quality in and out of possession in the middle of the park.
In the 2024/25 campaign, Diomande scored four goals, created 11 ‘big chances’, and registered seven assists in the Scottish Premiership for the Light Blues, which shows that he offered a strong threat at the top end of the pitch.
The 23-year-old talent also showcased his defensive talent in the Europa League, making 3.0 tackles and interceptions per game and winning 54% of his duels overall.
Mohammed Diomande
These statistics show that Diomande is important to Rangers as a midfielder who can impact games at both ends of the pitch, but the Gers could forget all about him with a move for Salvatore Esposito.
Why Rangers should sign Salvatore Esposito
It was reported earlier this month that the Light Blues are one of the clubs in the race to sign the Spezia central midfielder, who is valued at around £5m by his club.
The 24-year-old midfield star is the kind of signing that could make supporters forget all about Diomande, if the Ivorian whiz moves on to Besiktas, or elsewhere, this summer.
That is not a disservice to Diomande, of course, who has been a fantastic player for Rangers, but it speaks to the kind of quality that the Italian ace could offer in the middle of the park.
Appearances
36
34
Goals
4
7
Big chances created
11
18
Assists
7
9
Duels won per game
4.4
7.3
Ground duel success rate
57%
68%
Aerial duel success rate
48%
51%
As you can see in the table above, Esposito significantly outperformed the Rangers star at league level last season, offering more to his team in possession and defensively.
Whilst he is unproven in the Scottish Premiership, the Spezia star appears to have the potential to provide more quality, as both a scorer and a creator of goals, in the final third, whilst also being stronger and more efficient in his duels off the ball.
Salvatore Esposito for Italy vs England.
The Italy international was described as a “tenacious” midfield “controller” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, and his statistics from the 2024/25 Serie B campaign back those comments up, as he excelled in duels and offered quality on the ball.
Esposito is the kind of box-to-box midfielder that Rangers will desperately need if they lose Diomande this summer, which is why this is a signing that could make a lot of sense for Martin in the coming weeks if it becomes clear that the Ivorian gem is going to be on his way out of Ibrox.
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Whilst the Gers would like to keep their current number ten, the Spezia star is a player who has the quality and pedigree, as an Italian international, to make the Light Blues forget all about Diomande.