Marco van Basten is to depart his position as Netherlands assistant coach to take up a role at FIFA.
Van Basten managed the national team between 2004 and 2008, before returning to assist Danny Blind last year, although the side failed to qualify for Euro 2016 following a dismal campaign.
Earlier this month, it was confirmed that Dick Advocaat would leave his role as assistant to take the manager s job at Fenerbahce, and on Tuesday Van Basten announced he will also be making an exit.
FIFA has approached me to go to work with them, Van Basten said in a statement on the KNVB website.
They are on the verge of renewal and reform in football and want to make use of my ideas and views on matters such as rules, regulations and programming.
I think it …
Ivan Toney says he was forced to bite his tongue in the wake of Gabriel Magalhaes cringey social media taunt following Brentford s 3-0 defeat to Arsenal.
Toney was limited to just two shots – totalling 0.14 expected goals (xG) – as Arsenal maintained their fine start to the Premier League season on Sunday, cruising to victory courtesy of goals from William Saliba, Gabriel Jesus and Fabio Vieira.
The win ensured revenge for the Gunners after they began the 2021-22 campaign with a demoralising defeat to the Bees, after which Toney tweeted: Nice kick about with the boys.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta used that same message to motivate his squad ahead of February s reverse fixture – a 2-1 win for the Gunners – and it was repeated by Gabriel on social medi…
Aston Villa will not sell Emiliano Martinez in the January transfer window amid interest from Premier League rivals Manchester United, according to . The report has claimed that former Premier League and UEFA Champions League winners United are looking at signing the Argentina international amid uncertainty over the future of David De Gea.
Martinez is the number one goalkeeper at Villa and has been superb for the Villans since his move from Arsenal in 2020. The Argentina international goalkeeper is one of the best in his position in the Premier League and is a key figure in manager Steven Gerrard’s team.
Villa will reportedly not sell Martinez in the January transfer window and will turn down all offers for the 30-year-old. The Villans are not having the best of times…
Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman remains hopeful Lionel Messi will opt to stay at Camp Nou, but is not confident about that outcome.
Messi is out of contract at the end of the season and has been heavily linked with Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.
The 33-year-old wanted to leave last season after the club finished without a trophy and he fell out with then-president Josep Maria Bartomeu.
Messi agreed to stay for the last year of his contract when Barca refused his request and has impressed under Koeman, scoring nine goals in his last 10 games.
But Koeman is not convinced a happier Messi this season will result in him remaining with the club for the long term.
I m not confident about that, Koeman said to The Athletic.
I m hopeful, ye…
Wolverhampton Wanderers are interested in signing Ben Brereton Diaz from Blackburn Rovers in the January transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that Wolves have been scouting the Chile international striker this season, and that the Premier League club could make a move for him when the transfer window opens in January.
Brereton Diaz is out of contract at Blackburn at the end of the season. The striker has reportedly told Rovers that he is not going to put pen to paper on a new deal, so the Championship club are now facing the prospect of losing the 23-year-old on a free next summer. Rovers could now be willing to sell Brereton Diaz for £10 million in the January transfer window.
The striker has scored nine goals and provided one assist in 20 Championsh…
Sergio Ramos late goal in Real Madrid s Champions League final victory over Atletico Madrid in 2014 may have altered the history of European football, according to Luka Modric.
Madrid trailed to Diego Godin s opener when Ramos forced extra time with a dramatic 93rd-minute header at Estadio da Luz.
Gareth Bale put Carlo Ancelotti s side in front and further goals followed from Marcelo and Cristiano Ronaldo to seal a 4-1 victory in Lisbon.
It was Madrid s 10th European Cup known as La Decima but their first in 12 years after a series of near misses.
Victoria, gol, y líderes.
— Luka Modrić (@lukamodric10)
The Spanish giants have since added three more Champions Leagues to their collection, but Modric is unsure whether it would have be…
Wolves were left stunned by Braga s second-half revival as both sides sealed progress to the last 32 of the Europa League following a 3-3 draw.
After storming back from a goal down to lead 3-1 at the interval, Wolves somehow let maximum points and top spot in Group K slip from their grasp in a thriller in the rain in Portugal.
The visitors, unchanged from the 2-1 Premier League win over Bournemouth, fell behind after six minutes when Andre Horta s deflected effort found the back of the net in sodden conditions.
But Raul Jimenez – involved in all three of his side s goals – swiftly levelled matters with his 15th of the season before a quick-fire double from Matt Doherty and Adama Traore put Nuno Espirito Santo s men in the ascendancy.
That was fa…
Georgy Schennikov s first-half strike and a Jardel own goal earned CSKA Moscow a 2-0 win over Benfica on Wednesday, keeping the Russian side s hopes of Champions League progression alive.
With nine points on the board, CSKA travel to Old Trafford next month to take on Group A leaders Manchester United knowing their fate is in their own hands, although they will be without key players Bibras Natcho and Pontus Wernbloom through suspension.
Benfica s rotten campaign continues with another defeat and the Portuguese side are guaranteed to finish bottom of the pool, having been beaten in all five of their games, scoring just one goal, after suffering the ignominy of having CSKA goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev record his first clean sheet in the Champions League proper since Novembe…
Tiemoue Bakayoko is hopeful he can help AC Milan qualify for the Champions League this season to help secure a permanent move from Chelsea.
The France international joined Milan on loan at the start of the campaign, with the Italian club also having an option to buy the player for a reported €35million fee.
Bakayoko has enjoyed his time in Serie A so far after struggling to make an impact at Stamford Bridge. The former Monaco midfielder admits he wants to remain at San Siro beyond this season.
It s my dream [to stay], the thought fixed in my mind, he told Corriere dello Sport. But I have a contract with Chelsea.
[Milan chief] Leonardo says the deal is tied to the Champions League. I m not in a position to talk about it. I just want to…
Germany s rising stars marked themselves out as the ones to beat in the future as a 1-0 win over Spain in Krakow secured the European Under-21 Championship title.
Spain entered the match as favourites with the likes of Marco Asensio, Saul Niguez and Gerard Deulofeu signed by Barcelona earlier in the day powering their attack, but Stefan Kuntz s defence held firm.
Germany, who have the likes of eligible players Timo Werner, Leon Goretzka and Julian Draxler representing the full national squad at the Confederations Cup, had the better of the chances in the first half and their goal an improvised header by Hertha Berlin s Mitchell Weiser was richly deserved.
Spain launched forward after the break but Julian Pollersbeck was excellent in the German goal to deny Spain …