Author: Rowan Clarke

McTominay has spoken openly about mentality, the refusal to quit, and why he believes every player in the Scotland squad carries that same unbreakable quality within them. “Not willing to stop when it gets tough, it’s one of the most important things in football,” the Napoli midfielder told BBC Sport, drawing inspiration from NBA legend Michael Jordan. McTominay referenced Jordan’s famous philosophy about always performing for those who might be watching for the very first time, regardless of the occasion or circumstance. “So if you’re not giving your absolute best a young fan could be walking away going ‘he wasn’t…

Argentina striker Julian Alvarez heads into the World Cup as arguably the most coveted forward in European football, despite being just 26 years old. The Argentine is the subject of a sensational transfer tug-of-war between Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, and Barcelona, with all three clubs desperate to secure his signature. Real Madrid president Florentino Perez made good on his election promise by tabling a 150 million euro offer for Alvarez, only to be firmly and mockingly rejected by Atletico. Alvarez joined Atletico Madrid in August 2024 for £81.5m, departing Manchester City where he had grown frustrated at playing second fiddle…

Roy Keane has revealed he spoke directly with Bruno Fernandes after misquoting the Manchester United captain, leading to a public accusation of lying from the Portuguese midfielder. Fernandes broke the record for the most assists in a single Premier League season during the 2025-26 campaign, setting up his 21st goal on the final day against Brighton. Keane had appeared on The Overlap podcast after the penultimate round of fixtures in May, questioning Fernandes’ mindset and describing him as being at the centre of a “circus act.” The former Republic of Ireland midfielder claimed Fernandes had said “I probably should have…

Before Thomas Tuchel became England manager, he was collecting empty glasses and serving cocktails at a Stuttgart bar in the late 1990s. The 52-year-old German, now tasked with ending England’s World Cup drought, spent a formative period working in the famous Radio Barth building on Stuttgart’s Rotebuhlplatz. The venue had been transformed from a beloved music department store into an iconic nightlife and culture hub before its eventual demolition following insolvency in 1995. Tuchel’s workplace became a hotspot for Germany’s burgeoning hip-hop scene, attracting huge crowds and some of the country’s most recognisable musical talent. Bar manager Carlos Coelho recalled…

Real Madrid have seen a 150 million euro offer for Julian Alvarez firmly rejected by city rivals Atletico Madrid in emphatic and humorous fashion. Real president Florentino Perez had pledged last week to make a 150 million euro offer for a so-called “galactico” player if re-elected to his position. Having successfully retained control on Sunday, Perez followed through on his promise by submitting the bid for the 26-year-old Argentina forward. Atletico were having none of it, pointing to Alvarez’s release clause of 500 million euros, equivalent to approximately £430 million. In a formal statement, Real said: “Following the meeting of…

West Ham co-owner David Sullivan has been banned from contact with the club’s women’s and youth teams for the past three years due to safeguarding concerns. The Football Association launched a safeguarding investigation in 2023 after receiving allegations about the conduct of Sullivan, who was then co-chair of West Ham United. A safeguarding group comprising the club, the FA, and the local authority collectively agreed to bar Sullivan from accessing the youth and women’s sections of his own club. The ban, which has remained in place to the present day, also prevented Sullivan from attending matches involving those teams. Despite…

England head coach Thomas Tuchel has revealed that Bukayo Saka’s fitness is being closely monitored as preparations for the World Cup continue. The Arsenal forward suffered a muscle injury earlier in 2026 but returned to help his club win the Premier League title during their run-in. Tuchel confirmed that despite Saka’s return to action, the attacker still requires a careful approach as England build his fitness back up ahead of the tournament. “We still have to take a little bit of care for Bukayo [Saka] who had an injury in March and carried it through the club campaign,” Tuchel told…

Liverpool teenager Rio Ngumoha is set to leave the England training camp this week after leaving a significant impression on manager Thomas Tuchel and his teammates. The 17-year-old was named man-of-the-match on his debut as a second-half substitute in Saturday’s 1-0 World Cup warm-up victory over New Zealand, despite not being part of England’s official 26-man squad. England face their final pre-tournament friendly against Costa Rica on Wednesday, and attention has turned to whether Tuchel will hand Ngumoha another opportunity before they part ways. Tuchel now has a full squad available following the arrivals of Arsenal quartet Declan Rice, Bukayo…

Somali referee Omar Artan has spoken out after being denied entry to the United States ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026, insisting he carried the correct documentation. Artan was set to become the first Somali referee to officiate at a World Cup finals before being barred at Miami International Airport. He was subjected to an 11-hour immigration interview before ultimately being refused entry and placed in a holding cell for several additional hours. He was then put on a flight back to Istanbul, Turkey, ending his hopes of participating in the tournament. “I had the right papers and everything.…

Iran’s football federation has confirmed that its allocation of fan tickets for the World Cup group stage has been revoked just days before the tournament begins. The World Cup, co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, gets underway on Thursday, with Iran set to face New Zealand on 15 June and Belgium on 21 June, both in Los Angeles. Iran will then play their final group game against Egypt in Seattle on 26 June, rounding off what has been an extraordinarily turbulent build-up to the tournament. Under Fifa regulations, each participating federation is entitled to 8% of the available…