Chelsea F.C. goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer has launched an angry attack on FIFA, insisting the controversial decision to play the 2022 World Cup in Qatar in the summer was crazy.
The former Australia international, 42, has called for FIFA to ban summer football in the Gulf State, but cautioned that one, two, or three people may have to drop dead before the game s governing body acted.
Schwarzer, who was forced to play a World Cup qualifier in Doha in 2009, said: You have to stop playing games at that time of year.
It ll only happen once probably, not one person, but two or three people drop dead. It’s ridiculous. It really is ridiculous to play at that time of year.
I don t even know why there is a debate. They [Fifa] had a committee go o…
What the papers say
Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe is catching the eyes of Premier League rivals. According to the Daily Mirror, Newcastle are keen on the 23-year-old England international.
Manchester City could benefit if Liverpool make a move for their former winger Leroy Sane, 27. A sell-on clause means City will make more than £8 million if the German international makes the mover from Bayern Munich to Anfield.
Eric Dier could be handed a way out of his Tottenham exile in January, according to The Sun. The England defender, 29, has not played under new manager Ange Postecoglou but could head to Roma for a reunion with former boss Jose Mourinho.
Scott McTominay appears to be going nowhere in January. The Manchester United midfielder, 26, came close to a…
Kai Havertz compared himself to Harry Kane as the Germany forward admits I don t understand the discussion around his central role for the Euro 2024 hosts.
Havertz led the line in each of Germany s three Group A games at the tournament, scoring a penalty and providing an assist in their opening 5-1 rout of Scotland on matchday one.
Although, the Arsenal forward failed to add to that tally in the next two games, with Niclas Fullkrug netting twice from the bench including a late equaliser against Switzerland.
Havertz has often drawn criticism suggesting he does not score enough goals while operating as a number nine, but he insists there is more to the role than just finding the net noting England and Bayern Munich forward Kane as an example.
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Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe have all been named on FIFA s FIFPro Men s Team of the Year 26-player shortlist for 2022.
Ronaldo s inclusion was arguably the major surprise after a difficult back half to the year where he was dropped by both Manchester United and Portugal, ultimately parting ways with the Red Devils in November.
The Portuguese star has made the Team of the Year, along with Messi, every year since 2007, but will face stiff competition among the forwards alongside Erling Haaland, Mbappe, Neymar, Robert Lewandowski and reigning Ballon d Or winner Karim Benzema.
Last year, four forwards were named in the final XI; Ronaldo, Haaland, Lewandowski and Messi.
World Cup stars Jude Bellingham and Enzo Fernandez are named in the sh…
Lionel Messi is to stand trial for tax fraud after having an appeal rejected by a Barcelona court.
Barcelona superstar Messi and his father and agent, Jorge Horacio Messi, stand accused of having defrauded authorities of €4.1million between 2007 and 2009.
The Argentina captain s rights are alleged to have been sold by Jorge using companies in Belize and Uruguay to avoid Spanish tax obligations.
Last October it was determined that Messi would have to stand trial as he could have known about the alleged impropriety despite pleas that his father was responsible for the family s finances, a decision he immediately appealed.
Messi and his father have also made a payment of just over €5m to the authorities.
But, after seeing his appeal thrown o…
Joe Hart wants Manchester City to tackle Dynamo Kiev with the belief they are potential Champions League winners.
City travel to the Ukrainian capital for the round-of-16 first leg on Wednesday as favourites to progress, a marked departure from expectations of a swift exit after being pitted against Barcelona in each of the past two seasons.
But Manuel Pellegrini s side head into the clash on a damaging run of three consecutive defeats, with title rivals Leicester City and Tottenham inflicting back-to-back home Premier League losses on City for the first time since December 2008.
The Chilean coach passed up the chance to atone for those setbacks by playing a youthful team in the FA Cup fifth round at Chelsea.
Pellegrini pointed to a lengthy injury list an…
David Carney s fine strike condemned A-League champions Melbourne Victory to a 1-0 defeat against Newcastle Jets at Hunter Stadium.
Victory, who have failed to win away to the Jets since 2009, saw Besart Berisha hit the post in the first half as they struggled to find a cutting edge in the final third throughout.
The home side should have taken the lead early on, but striker Milos Trifunovic shot straight at Danny Vukovic after he cut out a simple pass from Leigh Broxham.
Carney came close with an audacious long-range free-kick after half an hour, but his effort went narrowly wide, with Vukovic stranded well off his line.
But the 31-year-old did find the net with just 15 minutes to play, firing the ball it the top corner from just outside the area after L…
Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka may require surgery to rectify the troublesome knee injury that has kept him out of action for over a month, according to Die Roten coach Julian Nagelsmann.
The Germany international, who has two goals and two assists in 12 Bundesliga appearances this term, has not taken to the pitch since Bayern’s 3-2 win over rivals Borussia Dortmund on 4th December, in which he managed just over an hour after struggling with a previous knock.
Speaking ahead of the champions home match against Borussia Monchengladbach, revealed that a decision on whether he requires surgery is due in the next couple of days.
It s complicated. Nagelsmann said of the situation. He [Goretzka] had two good days of training, then we had to decrease the str…
Erik ten Hag slammed Manchester United as by far not good enough after their shock friendly defeat to Rosenborg on Monday.
The Red Devils suffered a late 1-0 loss at Lerkendal Stadion after Noah Holm s 93rd-minute winner.
An underwhelming performance in their first pre-season game was in stark contrast to their last outing before that, a 2-1 victory over rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
Rosenborg were denied by the woodwork on four separate occasions while attempting 22 shots to United s meagre five.
Ten Hag started the likes of Casemiro, Jonny Evans, Marcus Rashford, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Mason Mount, leaving the United boss somewhat furious with their efforts in Trondheim.
The result is not secondary. We play pre-season but at Manche…
Real Madrid are interested in signing Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer transfer window as a replacement for Casemiro, according to . Brazil international midfielder Casemiro is leaving La Liga and UEFA Champions League winners Madrid for Premier League giants Manchester United, and Los Blancos are looking at bringing in Hojbjerg.
Hojbjerg has been on the books of Tottenham since 2020 when he moved from Southampton. The Denmark international midfielder has established himself as an important player for the North London club. The midfielder scored two goals and gave two assists in 36 Premier League appearances for Spurs last season.
Tottenham have sold their best players over the years, but club chairman Daniel Levy will want a lot of money for H…