Author: James Brooks

Last season saw three Premier League players sent off for hair pulling, and referees will now apply a different standard when judging the offence next season. Michael Keane of Everton, Manchester United’s Lisandro Martinez, and Sunderland’s Dan Ballard all received red cards following VAR interventions for the offence during the 2025-26 campaign. Stockport County defender Josh Dacres-Cogley was also dismissed for hair pulling during the League One play-off final, highlighting how widely the issue had spread. From 2026-27, officials will be instructed to consider both the level of force involved and the intention behind the action before reaching for a…

Scotland are on the verge of making history, with Steve Clarke set to name the first men’s XI to feature at a World Cup in 28 years. The head coach must decide whether to stick with the same 4-4-2 system that delivered back-to-back four-goal wins in warm-up fixtures against Curacao and Bolivia. Getting off to a positive start in Boston is widely seen as essential, making the formation decision one of the most significant Clarke has faced in his tenure. Lawrence Shankland and Che Adams impressed in tandem during Saturday’s display and are widely expected to lead the line once…

Watford-born Kenny Jackett, one of English football’s most respected managers and a loyal servant to his hometown club, has died at the age of 64. Jackett made over 300 appearances for Watford during a one-club playing career that also earned him 31 caps for Wales, qualifying through his father Frank, who also played for the Hornets. A left-sided defender or midfielder, he was part of the Watford side who won promotion to the top flight under Graham Taylor during one of the club’s most celebrated eras. Jackett also played for Watford in the 1984 FA Cup final, where they were…

Canada may be the quietest of the three 2026 World Cup co-hosts, but there is a fierce ambition building beneath the surface ahead of their tournament opener. Canadian football journalist Har Johal told BBC Sport: “Canada is often overlooked, we will be fine about that. We will smile, be polite, and allow the countries down south take the headlines.” Despite that self-deprecating tone, genuine belief is growing that this Canada squad is the strongest the country has ever produced at a men’s World Cup. This is only Canada’s third appearance at the men’s World Cup finals, following previous campaigns in…

While football’s biggest tournament prepares to get underway across the United States, a very different sporting obsession is consuming the nation right now. Wild celebrations erupted throughout New York City on Wednesday, with fans standing on their cars along the streets of Manhattan as the New York Knicks staged a stunning comeback against the San Antonio Spurs. That victory, the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history, served as a blunt reminder of what the World Cup is up against in its host nation. Football, or soccer as it is known locally, simply does not command the same passion in the…

After everything Raul Jimenez has endured, a header at the Azteca Stadium on Sunday became one of football’s most emotional moments in recent memory. The 35-year-old striker powered home Mexico’s second goal in a 2-0 victory over South Africa, marking his first ever start at a World Cup finals tournament. Jimenez connected with Roberto Alvarado’s right-wing cross before leaping, celebrating wildly, and then pointing to the sky in an apparent tribute to his late father, Raul Jimenez Vega, who passed away in March. As 80,000 fans roared inside the famous Azteca Stadium, Mexico’s players mobbed the Wolves striker before he…

Mexico got their 2026 World Cup campaign off to a winning start, beating South Africa 2-0 in a dramatic and fiery opening match at the Azteca Stadium. The co-hosts were made to work hard for their victory, with the game descending into chaos as three players were sent off during the contest. The Azteca Stadium was packed to capacity for the occasion, creating an electric atmosphere befitting a World Cup opening match on home soil. Mexico’s status as co-hosts placed enormous pressure on the team heading into the tournament, with fans expecting a strong performance from the very first game.…

The wait is over for Real Madrid fans as the club has officially confirmed the reappointment of Jose Mourinho as head coach. The 63-year-old Portuguese manager has signed a three-year deal and will begin work when the squad returns for pre-season training on 13 July. Real Madrid paid Benfica £13m in compensation to secure his services, bringing him back to the Bernabeu more than a decade after his first stint ended. Club president Florentino Perez had publicly vowed to reappoint Mourinho if he secured re-election to the presidency earlier this month. Perez, who is 79 and has held the role…

Somali referee Omar Artan has been given the opportunity to officiate at the highest level in Europe after being denied entry to the United States for the World Cup. Artan will take charge of the Uefa Super Cup fixture between Paris St-Germain and Aston Villa, scheduled to take place on 12 August in Salzburg. The match pits PSG, who won the Champions League last term, against Aston Villa, who claimed the Europa League title in the same season. Uefa confirmed the appointment in a formal statement, adding that the decision followed discussions with the Confederation of African Football. Uefa president…

Once Martin O’Neill indicated a desire to continue as Celtic manager, it would have taken a remarkably brave board to turn him away. Nobody with any genuine knowledge of O’Neill was ever fooled by his detached, self-deprecating routine throughout Celtic’s double-winning season. He carried on as though he was a total bystander, like an old man who had wandered aimlessly into Lennoxtown and been bamboozled by everything he encountered. O’Neill’s schtick is well worn, but nobody has fallen for it, and at 74 he remains an intelligent mood-setter with a big football brain and a fantastic capacity to connect with…