The Pulse of Football

Jul

2025

Preview: Inter Miami visit New York Red Bulls

Inter Miami’s packed schedule of matches continues with their ninth game in little over a month, as they travel to New Jersey to face the New York Red Bulls.

By James Nalton

They’ll be looking to get back to winning ways after a heavy defeat in midweek, but could face a tough test at the Sports Illustrated Arena.

A bump in the road to recovery

Inter Miami come into this game on the back of a first league defeat in seven games. A game which also ended a five-game winning streak.

It was a battle between two of the best players in the league, Lionel Messi and Evander, which was won by the latter as Cincinnati emerged as 3-0 winners at home, with Evander scoring twice.

It was the first Inter Miami MLS game in seven to not feature goals for both teams, and only the third MLS game this season in which Inter Miami have failed to score.

It dented their quest to catch the teams at the top of the table, especially as league leaders Philadelphia Union scraped a win against Montréal.

Miami remain eight points off the top with three games in hand, so despite this hiccup, they could still overtake these teams if they win all of those games.

Will Messi play?

Messi is a doubt for the game against the Red Bulls, with head coach Javier Mascherano commenting that they will decide after training on Friday whether he will be fit to play on Saturday night.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if they left it until the day of the game itself to decide whether Messi can play, such is his importance to the team.

If he does miss out, it will be interesting to see how the team performs in his absence, given he’s scored 11 goals in their last seven games.

One player who will definitely be missing is goalkeeper Oscar Ustari. Mascherano has indicated that Rocco Ríos Novo will take his place.

Red Bulls recovery

Assessments of the Red Bulls this season will depend on how convincing they are in qualifying for the post-season from here on in, and the post-season itself.

So far, they’ve been hit and miss, epitomised by their previous game, against New England Revolution, in which they were behind 2-0 at half time after a poor showing, and then played some good stuff to turn the game around dramatically and win 5-3. It was their first win in six games.

There are still signs of pressing from the Red Bulls — a franchise from whom such a style still seems to be expected.

They are third in the league for possession won in the final third per match, and second in the league for successful tackles per match behind a Philadelphia Union team who have traces of Red Bull in their own tactics.

Summer signing Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting is already in double figures for the season with 13 goals, while Emil Forsberg still has the potential to be a game’s star player.

Prediction

If Messi plays, Inter Miami win. If he doesn’t, the Red Bulls have a chance, but a draw might be on the cards.

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

You can follow every match from MLS live this season with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Jul

2025

Spain’s Vicky Lopez has the world at her feet

Barcelona have only gone and done it again. In an era where which Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmatí came through at the club to become the best in the world, Vicky López may well be next.

By Alex Roberts

Lamine Yamal isn’t the only 18-year-old sensation they have on their books; Vicky López actually scored one more league goal than her men’s team counterpart, ending 2024/25 with 11 goals and two assists form her 37 games across all competitions.

López has been surrounded by hype throughout her short career. At just 15-years-old she was handed her debut in the Spanish topflight for former club Madrid CFF (not that Madrid), becoming Liga F’s youngest ever player, after racking up 60 goals in 17 games in the 2020/21 youth league.

Madrid CFF are well known for bringing through some of the best young talent the Spanish women’s game have. Unlike many, they aren’t attached to a men’s team, but their youth sides have competed with plenty of boys, still winning everything on offer.

In the Segunda Infantil, a competition for 12 and 13-year-olds, they won the championship one year, scoring a massive 269 goals, the most of any team in the Madrid Comunidad, including Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid or Getafe.

She was the undisputed star of Spain’s U17’s as they reached the final of the Euros and then went on to win the World Cup in 2022, despite being the youngest member of the squad, scoring two goals and providing one assist in her six appearances, picking up the Golden Ball along the way.

By the time her 16^th birthday came around, Barcelona came knocking and she made the move. López became one of the first girls to live and train at their famous La Masia academy after it opened its doors to women back in 2021, where she’s understood to have become close friends with Yamal.

They knew they had secured a real gem. Even at such a young age, it was easy to tell she had elite level qualities. López is rapid and the ball sticks to her right-foot, making her somewhat of a serial dribbler.

Playing primarily as a right-winger, her ability to read the game allows her to drop a little further back into central midfield, where she can fill in and learn from Putellas and Bonmatí. It’s the type of situation any young star would dream of being in.

Barcelona’s plan was to ease her in, keeping her in the B team, who play in the second division, but López had other ideas. She broke another record, becoming the youngest player to score for Barca in Liga F at the ripe old age of 16 years, five months and 27 days.

She’s everything Barcelona fans love from a winger, the joy on her face when she plays is obvious, again, she’s much like Yamal in that regard. López has dealt with the massive weight of expectation on her shoulders by doing what she does best, having fun.

Breaking into this Barcelona starting eleven is arguably one of the hardest things to do in football, and López still has some way to go. The woman in her way is Caroline Graham Hansen, one of the best players of her generation.

Graham Hansen is taller, more combative than López, she is Norwegian after all. López offers coach Pere Romeu an entirely different option with her tricks and close control, but when the time comes, considering the 12-year age gap between the two players, he has a ready-made replacement.

López’s fine form last season earned her a call-up to Montse Tomé’s squad for this summer’s Euros. Unsurprisingly she’s the youngest member of the group, and the only teenager, with fellow Barca ace Salma Paralluelo a little ahead of her at 21.

Coming into the tournament following a disappointing Euros campaign back in 2022, Spain is undoubtedly one of, if not the, favourite to win it outright. Current holders England and France are their close competition, although neither have started quite as well as the Spanish.

Their first game of Group B was against Portugal in Bern, the geographical and political centre of host nation Switzerland. López was handed her first start of the competition, coming in for Barcelona teammate Bonmatí, who was rested, as one of the two number tens.

She didn’t take long to make an impression. Veteran striker and NWSL top goal scorer Esther González opened the scoring after just two minutes before López doubled their lead in the seventh with a tap in.

The finish was easy, but it was her movement that made it. López took the ball down expertly after a dismal headed clearance from the Portugal defender, laying it off to Ona Batlle, who then passed it to Arsenal’s Mariona Caldentey.

López found herself exactly where she needed to be with a clever run, latching on to Caldentey’s low cross to make it 2-0 from close-range. Her game ended in the 81^st minute, replaced by first-choice Bonmatí having completed 100% of her dribbles (5/5), created three chances, and 46/52 (88%) of her passes.

Tomé trusted López enough to give her a second start against Belgium, and again, she grasped it with both hands. She drifted off into acres of space, completely catching the Belgium defender out before gently passing the ball to Putellas who thundered it home.

She now has two goal contributions from her three games. Bonmatí was back into the first team as Spain took on Italy in their final group game, and it’s likely to stay that way for the rest of the tournament as it enters its latter stages.

López will still have plenty of chances to play over the next couple of weeks. As an option off the bench, with her abilty to draw defenders out of position and slip a teammate in with a single touch, there aren’t many better, despite her young age.

Whatever happens this summer, López will remain arguably the best young talent women’s football has. First Europe, then the world.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the 2025 Women’s Euros with FotMob – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings.

And for exclusive coverage from on the ground at the tournament, please sign up for our free newsletter – here.

Jul

2025

England are proving themselves tournament masters after stunning quarter-final comeback

England’s Euro 2025 quarter-final against Sweden went the distance, but sees the Lionesses have continued an exceptional decade-long run at major tournaments.

By Jamie Spencer

If cats have nine lives, the Lionesses burned through several of them to overcome Sweden in Thursday night’s epic quarter-final.

Two hours and 48 minutes after Kosovare Asllani gave Sweden an early lead in Zurich, England emerged victorious on penalties to book a place in next week’s semis.

A run starting in 2015, England have now reached the semi-finals or better at six consecutive World Cups and European Championships. It’s been the final in each of the last two, in 2022 and 2023, and only Italy stand in the way of making that three in a row in 2025.

England have become the archetypal ‘tournament team’.

Between major competitions, results tail off but they seem to find a way when it matters most. As reigning European champions, they won only four of nine games in the eight months leading into the 2023 World Cup and continued to struggle once the tournament got going. The art of winning, sometimes grinding it out, then prevailed to go all the way to the final.

In the two years since, consistent results have again been a challenge. Losing to France to start these Euros marked a third defeat in a run of four competitive fixtures, but Wiegman’s England are proving again that they just know how to navigate the rounds of a tournament.

Against Sweden, arguably the most polished and impressive team to emerge from the group stage, they were up against it more than they ever have been.

Asllani’s opener was added to midway through the first half by Stina Blackstenius. Both goals were the result of slack defending and clinical finishing. When England had thrashed Sweden 4-0 in the semi-finals at Euro 2022, it involved weathering early pressure, before overpowering them as the game wore on. This was different and it could easily have been 4-0 by half-time.

It looked as though Sweden had taken a leaf out of France’s playbook, swarming and suffocating England in possession, and the Lionesses fell into the pressing trap.

Lauren James was surrounded by at least two yellow shirts every time the ball came her way. The Swedes also recognised the importance of Keira Walsh to any England attempt to control the game and cut off the path into the Chelsea midfielder. The pressure on Jess Carter, seemingly identified as a weak link in defence, proved fruitful for the Swedes. A sloppy pass and a lack of pace led to Sweden’s two goals respectively in that humbling opening 25 minutes.

No team had ever previously come back from two goals down to win a Women’s Euro knockout tie. Scoring at least twice in 45 minutes against a well drilled team that conceded only once across 270 group stage minutes was the tallest of mountains to climb.

“This England team wasn’t ready for this game,” warned Lionesses legend Fara William during BBC One’s half-time analysis. Alongside her, Ellen White praised Sweden for being “football smart” in the way they were playing to specifically target and capitalise on England’s vulnerabilities.

It was easily Wiegman’s most important half-time interval as England boss. She sent the team back out more than a minute prior to Sweden re-emerging and whatever was said seemed to work.

Playing on the front foot and not allowing Sweden the chance to press, England made a significantly better start to the second half and there were chances, notably as Ella Toone strayed offside as she was sent one-on-one with Jennifer Falk. Sweden were still dangerous, as Blackstenius outpaced Carter again to force a save, but the Lionesses were asking more questions. Just over an hour in, Toone mystified fans by attempting a square pass that wasn’t on instead of shooting.

Wiegman resisted making changes until 70 minutes in. But the introductions of Esme Morgan, who completed 92% of her passes through the remainder of the original 90 and extra-time to significantly improve on Carter’s 77%, Chloe Kelly and Michelle Agyemang proved particularly crucial.

Within in a minute of coming on, Kelly sent an in-swinging cross from the left towards the far post that Lucy Bronze headed in to halve Sweden’s lead. Only 103 seconds later, another similar cross wasn’t dealt with and the ball landed at Agyemang’s feet a few yards from goal to equalise. England even nearly won it in 90 minutes when Agyemang’s square ball to Alessia Russo on a late breakaway resulted in the goal-bound shot being heroically blocked by Smilla Holmberg.

Cruelly, it was Holmberg who missed the decisive penalty in the eventual shootout.

If 90 minutes plus extra-time alone was relentless action, with the additional 30 minutes descending into a battle of the physical, penalties was an exhausting marathon all on its own. “I can’t remember anything like this,” Wiegman reflected afterwards on the chaos of the evening as a whole.

A total of 14 spot-kicks were attempted, but only five were converted successfully. Sweden’s Falk remarkably saved four, but when she stepped up with the chance to win it with one of her own, the ball went high over the bar. Magdalena Eriksson and the aforementioned Holmberg were also guilty of missing the target, but Hannah Hampton saved from Sofia Jakobsson when she could have won it.

The England goalkeeper, who made several important saves during the match, suffered a bloody nose right before the shootout. She didn’t need to prove herself at these Euros, installed as No.1 several months before Mary Earps announced her shock international retirement, but kept her composure to ultimately come out as player of the match for a decisive role.

England have been to the brink of elimination and back at this tournament. They won’t fear anyone and that will be dangerous to Italy in the last four and whoever else they may face thereafter.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the 2025 Women’s Euros with FotMob – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings.

And for exclusive coverage from on the ground at the tournament, please sign up for our free newsletter – here.

Jul

2025

Besiktas, Fenerbahce, Galatasaray, and the Turkish arms race

Beşiktaş, Fenerbahçe, and Galatasaray are all making major moves this summer as the transfer market arms race at the top of Turkish football heats up.

By Graham Ruthven

There is a type of player that feels like a natural fit for Turkish football. It can be difficult to define what makes that player perfect for the Turkish game, but you know one when you see one. It feels right, for example, that Emmanuel Adebayor had a spell in the country and somehow wrong that David Luiz never did.

Jhon Durán is the latest big name to join a Turkish club, signing for Fenerbahće just six months after he joined Al-Nassr in a £71m deal from Aston Villa, yet his arrival feels different. There is a transfer market arms race unfolding at the top of Turkish football that could see many more surprising deals completed.

*Last season’s final league table – with Galatasaray claiming a third straight title*

Victor Osimhen could be the most surprising of the lot. The Nigerian spent last season on loan at Galatasaray amid a messy situation at Napoli, but most assumed this was a temporary solution for a striker widely considered one of the best anywhere in the world in his position. At some point, it was believed, one of Europe’s elite would make their move.

Instead, Osimhen is reportedly close to making his stay in Istanbul a permanent one with Galatasaray negotiating with Napoli over a €75m transfer. That would make the 26-year-old the most expensive player in Turkish SüperLig history and would signal the division is a viable destination for the sport’s brightest stars.

*Osimhen topped the Süperlig goalscoring charts last season*

İlkay Gündoğan is another elite level player who could pitch up at Galatasaray this summer. Reports claim The Lions have agreed personal terms with the German midfielder who could leave Manchester City for the right price. Gündoğan might be entering the twilight of his career, but he would still be a statement signing for the Turkish champions.

Then there’s Hakan Çalhanoğlu who missed the Club World Cup for Inter Milan amid interest from Galatasaray. A deal has still to be agreed for the Turkish international, but there is an underlying sense that Çalhanoğlu is destined to join Galatasaray this summer as one of the centrepieces of their ambitious rebuild.

Galatasaray also require a new starting goalkeeper following the departure of Fernando Muslera at the end of last season. José Sá and Yann Sommer have both been linked with a move to the Ali Sami Yen Stadium, suggesting the club intends on adding a shot-stopper who is experienced at the top level of the European game.

Fenerbahçe are pursuing a number of eye-catching deals of their own with Durán already over the line. It’s been reported that Marcus Rashford could be a target with Leandro Trossard also linked. Leon Bailey is another Premier League wide man believed to be on Fener’s radar although Marco Asensio has reportedly rejected a switch to Istanbul.

Archie Brown’s signing said something about the attraction Turkish football now holds in the transfer market. The young English defender was on his way to AC Milan from Gent until a call from Fenerbahçe changed his mind. The Turkish club’s announcement video even featured two planes (one yellow and blue, the other red and black), making a jab at AC Milan.

*Archie Brown’s player traits comparison*

The nature of the rivalry at the top of Turkish football means that wherever Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray do, Beşiktaş have to attempt to match. The Black Eagles broke the Turkish transfer record to land Orkun Kökçü from Benfica with Donyell Malen, Mehdi Taremi, Jadon Sancho and Kyle Walker-Peters just some of the other names reportedly on their radar.

Of course, it’s not just big-name players that Turkish clubs are targeting. José Mourinho is entering his second season as Fenerbahçe manager. The same is true of Ole Gunnar Solskjær at Beşiktaş. Mourinho’s arrival in particular was a seismic moment in the Turkish SüperLig with the Portuguese still as good at grabbing headlines as he ever was.

At a time when the Saudi Pro League is making a case for itself as the best destination for the best players in the world outside Europe’s ‘Big Five’ leagues, Türkiye’s biggest clubs are demonstrating more ambition than ever before. And with every elite level player signed it becomes easier to attract the next one.

Türkiye is a football nation. The sport is an obsession in the country of 85 million people and so Beşiktaş, Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray’s transfer dealings might not be a sign of overachievement, but an indication that the Turkish SüperLig is starting to truly fulfil its potential as one of the strongest leagues in Europe.

Alternatively, it could prove to be a flash in the transfer market pan just as it was in the past when the likes of Wesley Sneijder, Franck Ribery and Nicolas Anelka came and went. Osimhen, Durán, Gündoğan and a few others could add their names to a list that may or may not include David Luiz.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Süperlig with FotMob next season – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Jul

2025

Preview: England take on Sweden in Euros quarterfinal

England are into the quarter-finals at Euro 2025 but now must overcome arguably the most impressive team from the tournament’s group stage.

By Jamie Spencer

How they reached the last eight

Sweden emerged from a tricky Group C with a 100% record. A dominant opener against Denmark finished 1-0 but was characterised by wasteful finishing after underperforming their xG (2.39). Peter Gerhardsson’s side underperformed xG (3.89) a second time against Poland, winning 3-0, but scored twice against the run of play to come from behind and beat Germany 4-1 in a more clinical outing.

England had a bumpier ride, humbled by France in game one, before turning up with a 4-0 thrashing when it mattered against the Netherlands, Beating Wales next was required to keep their destiny in their own hands, and the Lionesses took no chances with a 6-1 score-line.

Head-to-Head

This is a repeat of a one-sided semi-final three summers ago. England cruised to a 4-0 win that day – including Alessia Russo’s iconic backheel, effectively laying down their credentials as champions.

Sweden prevailed, on penalties, when the pair met in the first ever European Championship final back in 1984 – it was played over two legs in those days. The Swedes won, in extra-time, in the 1987 semi-finals, before successive group stage wins over the Lionesses in 2001 (4-0) and 2005 (1-0).

In the Euros alone, it’s two England wins, four for Sweden, and one draw. They faced each other in qualifying for these finals too, with both matches finishing all square (1-1 and 0-0).

Sweden’s conductor

Even at 35 years of age, Kosovare Asllani has been pulling the strings. The former Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid star, who will grace the WSL next season after recently helping London City Lionesses to promotion, has four goals and assists at this tournament from the No. 10 role. Sweden have other threats, but stopping her is England’s obvious objective.

Toone’s key role

Ella Toone didn’t start for England against France, but her addition to the team for the games since has brought a better balance to the midfield, with and without the ball.

“People speak about her offensively, but the defensive work she does for me and Georgia [Stanway] is incredible,” Keira Walsh told reporters after the Lionesses beat Wales. “She covers a lot of spaces that we can’t. That’s probably been the main thing that’s stopped other teams from playing.”

Toone has been through huge personal strife after losing her father, Nick, last year but is rediscovering her best form. “I feel like I’m in a really good place, I’ve missed this Ella Toone,” she told BBC Sport. “I’ve not had it for a while. I feel like I’m really coming into it.”

Team news

Sarina Wiegman was delighted to make it through the group stage without injuries and is expected to pick the same team that beat the Netherlands and Wales. Attacking depth from the bench could be a key factor later in the tie, though.

Winger Fridolina Rolfö started for the first time this tournament in Sweden’s third group game (and scored) after recovering from an ankle injury. Nathalie Björn has had a different centre-back partner for each outing so far, while Julia Zigiotti Olme is vying with Hanna Bennison to start in midfield.

Prediction

Sweden’s tendency for profligacy witnessed in their first two games is not a new trait. It was evident in qualifying, against England, which could bode well for the Lionesses if they can remain defensively resilient. Scoring against the Swedes is the harder task, but Wiegman’s team is purring in that sense now. Sweden 1-2 England (after extra time).

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the 2025 Women’s Euros with FotMob – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings.

And for exclusive coverage from on the ground at the tournament, please sign up for our free newsletter – here.

Jul

2025

Arsenal’s shrewd move for Christian Norgaard

Christian Nørgaard’s arrival at Arsenal flew under the radar, but he could soon become an important figure for Mikel Arteta’s team.

By Graham Ruthven

Amid the speculation around the pursuit of a new number nine and the impatience over the signing of Martin Zubimendi, it was easy to miss Arsenal welcoming Christian Nørgaard to the club. That is understandable. The 31-year-old won’t be the most eye-catching addition the Gunners will make this summer, but he could be the smartest.

For an initial fee of £10m (plus £2m in add-ons), there is plenty to like about Arsenal’s signing of Nørgaard. The Dane was a central figure for a Brentford team that has consistently punched above their weight in the Premier League. Arsenal know what they’re getting from a player who has started 120 games in the last four seasons.

And that’s surely part of what made Nørgaard so attractive to the Gunners. Only two Arsenal players have started more Premier League matches than the Danish midfielder over the same period of time. For a team that has been hit hard by injuries in each of the last two seasons, availability is something they need more of.

Of course, Arsenal could have found countless players who have been simply available in recent seasons, but Nørgaard has plenty more to offer. He is comfortable on the ball, as proven by the fact he was Brentford’s most prolific passer in midfield last season, averaging 36.7 accurate passes per 90 minutes.

While it’s true Nørgaard’s primary role was at the base of Thomas Frank’s midfield, he was also effective at moving the ball forward – only Mikel Damsgaard (27) completed more progressive passes for Brentford last season than Nørgaard (15). As a possession piece, the 31-year-old will slot into Mikel Arteta’s central unit well.

Out of possession is where Nørgaard could truly give Arsenal something different, though. Remarkably, the Dane has made more interceptions (201) and ball recoveries (844) than any other player in the Premier League since the start of the 2021/22 season. Nørgaard reads the game clearly and will offer a strong defensive presence at the Emirates Stadium.

*Nørgaard’s defensive numbers, Premier League 2024/25 (ranking against other EPL players)*

“He has proven leadership skills and a strong character which will be invaluable to our squad,” said Arteta when the signing of Norgaard from Brentford was confirmed. “He is a strong midfielder with excellent tactical awareness and versatility. He also has physical presence and intelligence which will give us added depth and balance.”

Zubimendi will start the 2025/26 season as Arsenal’s first-choice at the base of the midfield. The Spain international has been signed to be the Gunners’ Rodri with the theory being that his security in possession will afford more freedom to the likes of Martin Ødegaard and Declan Rice further up the pitch. There’s a good reason Arsenal spent so long chasing Zubimendi.

To win the Premier League title for the first time since the days of Arsene Wenger, though, Arsenal will need options in every area of their squad and Nørgaard can expect to receive a lot of game time over the course of the campaign with the Gunners also competing on a continental front in the Champions League.

Set pieces is another area where Nørgaard can contribute. Arsenal are already one of the most effective teams from corner kicks and freekicks in the Premier League and their new Danish midfielder should make them even more potent with Nørgaard a serious threat in the air – only Ben White (66.7%), Nathan Collins (63%) and William Saliba (62%) won a higher percentage of aerial duels in the Premier League last term.

This summer is a pivotal one for Arsenal. Having finished second in each of the last three Premier League seasons, they need to find areas where they can make gains to close the gap on top spot. This led the Gunners to target a new number nine with Viktor Gyökeres the target they have reportedly settled on. The Swede could join in the coming days.

Noni Madueke is another played believed to be on his way to the Emirates Stadium this summer as Arteta attempts to ease the reliance on Bukayo Saka. A large percentage of Arsenal supporters are unhappy about the targeting of the Chelsea winger, but he could give their team the sort of depth boasted by title rivals like Liverpool and Manchester City.

In Nørgaard, though, Arsenal have signed a player who both reflects what they already are as a team and points them in the direction they want to head in. If the Gunners finish the 2025/26 season with silverware in-hand, it wouldn’t be surprising to lean that the Dane has made a sizeable contribution. His impact could be profound.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every Arsenal game with FotMob – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Jul

2025

Preview: Fifth meets second as Miami go to Cincinnati

With another mid-season tournament on the horizon, Inter Miami continued their impressive post-Club World Cup form with another win, as Lionel Messi continued to break records. They are now setting their sights on the top of the table as they go into a game in Ohio on Wednesday night against FC Cincinnati, who sit second in the Eastern Conference.

By James Nalton

Move on up and keep on winning

All of a sudden, Inter Miami are only five points off the top of the Supporters’ Shield standings, with three games in hand.

Javier Mascherano’s side have won all three of their games since returning from the Club World Cup, and their victory against Nashville at the weekend saw them take points from a team above them in the Eastern Conference and the overall MLS standings.

They now have the chance to do the same again when they face FC Cincinnati on Wednesday night.

Saturday’s win narrowed the gap between themselves and Nashville to three points, and they could go within one point of Cincinnati if they win this midweek game.

There are only three games to go until the Leagues Cup group stage begins — this game, plus a trip to New York Red Bulls and another meeting with FC Cincinnati.

By that time, Inter Miami could well be closing in on top-of-the-table Philadelphia Union.

Messi’s run continues

Lionel Messi’s MLS record of multiple goals in consecutive games was extended to five, as he scored both goals in the 2-1 win against Nashville.

“There aren’t very many words. It’s incredible what he continues to do,” Mascherano said after the game.

Messi’s FotMob ratings in those five matches have all been above nine. After a relatively quiet start to the season, where other players have been the leading lights in MLS, the Argentine has begun to make his presence felt in 2025.

There are bursts of support from several of his teammates, not least Luis Suárez, who is putting up some decent numbers of his own, but Messi’s performances in recent weeks have turned Inter Miami’s disappointing early season into one in which they are now looking like they could even retain their Supporters’ Shield title.

FC Cincinnati and Evander

FC Cincinnati made one of the signings of the year when they acquired Evander from Portland Timbers in February.

The league had just introduced intra-league cash-for-player trades ahead of the 2025 season, having previously relied on MLS’s internal currency, allocation money, for such transfers.

At $12m (€11.5m at the time), with up to $150,000 in add-ons, Evander’s transfer became the largest of such deals.

Having sold star playmaker Luciano Acosta to FC Dallas, the Brazilian needed to step up right away, and has so far lived up to expectations.

Evander is up there with Messi in several areas of output so far this season, and is on a scoring run of his own, having found the net in his last four matches.

He is third in the goalscoring charts with 13, behind joint leaders Messi and Sam Surridge, has the third-highest average FotMob rating in MLS this season behind Messi and Carles Gil, and is third for goals and assists combined behind Anders Dreyer and Messi.

Cincinnati were on a four-game winning run that came to a halt with a disappointing 4-2 win against local rivals Columbus Crew last weekend, but Evander was still one of the best players on the pitch.

They’ll now be looking to bounce back, and Evander will be looking to show he can at least match Messi.

Prediction

Cincinnati use home advantage and the form of Evander to halt Messi and Miami’s run.

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

You can follow every match from MLS live this season with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Jul

2025

Real Madrid’s Club World Cup Reviewed: Tactical experimentation and harsh lessons learnt

The newly expanded FIFA Club World Cup became the stage for Xabi Alonso’s first matches in charge of Real Madrid. They certainly didn’t fare badly with a run to the semi-final, but the manner of their four-goal defeat to Paris Saint-Germain still leaves a bitter taste in the mouth for fans, even a week on. More importantly, though, they will want to take away some key lessons from this tournament and come back stronger for the 2025/26 season.

By Neel Shelat

As far as first tournaments go, Xabi Alonso could not have asked for something much better than the FIFA Club World Cup to start off his coaching tenure at Real Madrid. As ever, it was a tournament Los Blancos were aiming to win, but the pressure was not overwhelming. They also got to face a variety of opposition in the shape of teams from three different continents, including some European giants. While the manner of their defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-final was quite disappointing, their final record of four wins, a draw and a loss looks perfectly fine on paper. Beyond the results, this was a great platform for Alonso to try out some different tactics and assess his squad.

Tactical experimentation

Before getting into the different tactical ideas Real Madrid tried out at the Club World Cup, it is worth caveating everything by noting that Xabi Alonso is yet to have a proper pre-season training camp to really shape the team in a way that he wants. He was appointed just a couple of weeks ahead of the tournament, so he had to point out that “Everything has been sped up a lot, because we have very little time to get to know each other”, on arriving in the United States. Of course, during the tournament, they only really had time to rest and prepare for the next opponent with games every four or five days. So, the team that takes the field against Osasuna in their 2025/26 season opener might look quite different, but Alonso and his staff can assess and come up with key takeaways from the things they tried out in the States.

It is also important to mention that not all players were available for selection going into the tournament. Dani Carvajal and Éder Militão were still recovering from their long-term injuries, Eduardo Camavinga, Endrick and Ferland Mendy had issues of their own and Kylian Mbappé was hospitalised with a stomach virus. Further changes of availability during the tournament played their part in forcing Alonso’s hand to switch things up tactically.

Real Madrid started the tournament off with a rather subpar performance in a 1-1 draw against Asian giants Al Hilal. They lined up in a 4-3-3 formation on paper but moved to more of a 3-2-2-3 in possession, with new signing Trent Alexander-Arnold given the freedom to drift around in more central areas just as he used to do at Liverpool. Although they improved in the second half after a bit of an attacking rejig, Los Blancos lacked sharpness in the final third overall besides looking shaky at the back.

Those defensive issues were laid bare just minutes into their subsequent match against Pachuca with a red card for the denial of a clear goal-scoring opportunity. Thankfully for them, they managed to control the game with the ball and made their individual superiority count in a 3-1 win. A failure to get all three points would have put Real Madrid under serious pressure going into their final group game, but they still needed to see out a draw at least to ensure progression to the knockouts. They managed to come away with a convincing 3-0 win against Salzburg, where the most interesting tactical aspect was Aurélien Tchouaméni’s hybrid role in defensive midfield that saw him drop between the centre-backs both in and out of possession to shore up things at the back.

This improved defensive solidity made the difference in their first knockout game against Juventus, in which Tchouaméni fully operated as a central defender in a back three. Real Madrid managed to grind out a one-goal win by scoring from the second phase of a set-piece and giving up very little at their end.

Los Blancos reverted to a back four for the quarter-final against Borussia Dortmund, in which they got off to a fast start with two goals in 20 minutes. They were well in control for the most part, posing a good threat in transition and looking unbothered at the back. However, they found themselves clinging on to a 3-2 win at the end of a chaotic stoppage-time period, in which Dean Huijsen was also sent off. That moment might well have been the beginning of the end of their campaign as the Spanish defender’s absence was certainly felt in the semi-final, but more on that later.

Emerging stars and underwhelming performers

The changes in the squad availability presented some players with a golden opportunity to make a positive first impression on their new head coach. Gonzalo García undoubtedly was the biggest winner as he started the tournament in Mbappé’s absence and never looked back. He was Real Madrid’s best attacker with four goals and an assist, but perhaps more importantly, the flexibility he showed as a striker who can both pose a threat in behind or drop to link up could make him quite a useful profile.

Elsewhere, Arda Güler enjoyed a great tournament, albeit not in the role most might have expected. Instead of starting in the attack, he starred in a free midfield role where he did an excellent job of helping his side get forward through secure receptions and slick passing. Thibaut Courtois made some big saves as usual, and Huijsen looked quite assured for the most part as well.

Raúl Asencio certainly had a tournament to forget as he was consistently exposed in a high line, got sent off in the second match and kicked off the collapse against PSG. Rodrygo did not start a game after the opener and could well be on his way out if rumours are to be believed. Fellow Brazilian winger Vinícius Júnior was underwhelming for the most part, though he did have a couple of standout moments.

Pressing matters

All things considered, it is quite safe to say that this tournament has reinforced the idea that Real Madrid have more than enough quality and Alonso has ample tactical ideas to put together a formidable attack. The real question, then, is how they will set up without the ball, especially high up the pitch.

Los Blancos started the tournament in a 4-1-3-2 high press in a setup similar to what their coach had sometimes used at Bayer Leverkusen. However, the base of their defence was exposed in duels and against balls in behind, causing them to consistently switch things up thereafter. While they were able to mitigate those issues, a new problem emerged up front in the semi-final with both Vinícius and Mbappé starting. The duo’s lack of intensity out of possession forced Alonso to ask his midfielders to step up and support the press, but PSG skilfully manipulated this approach and took advantage by drawing the midfielders out of position before quickly slicing through. Of course, it was freak individual errors that led to Real Madrid’s early concessions, but their inability to cause problems with their press gave them no real chance of coming back.

As we have previously written, out of possession issues were the biggest cause of the disappointing end to Carlo Ancelotti’s time at Real Madrid. So, this will naturally be the biggest challenge for Alonso as he heads into the new season. The 4-1-3-2 system might just end up working with better personnel, but he might also have to continue trying to find new solutions. The flexibility he showed at Leverkusen and has consistently spoken of since arriving in Madrid could prove crucial in this regard.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Jul

2025

Will Estevao’s Club World Cup audition see him fast tracked in to Enzo Maresca’s plans?

Fireworks sparkled in the night sky. The pungent aromas of hot dogs and popcorn permeated the summer air. Throngs of Chelsea and Palmeiras supporters poured into Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on Independence Day. After several days of building anticipation, it was finally time for the FIFA Club World Cup quarterfinal.

By Zach Lowy

Despite Chelsea’s star-studded line-up featuring the likes of Marc Cucurella, Enzo Fernández and Liam Delap, the player who piqued the most interest of the Chelsea fans wasn’t wearing a white shirt, but a green shirt. Exactly 12 days after signing a long-term contract with Chelsea for €34 million plus €23 million in performance-based incentives, it was finally time for Estêvão Willian Almeida de Oliveira Gonçalves to showcase his skills in front of his future fanbase.

Cole Palmer broke the deadlock within a quarter-hour for a Chelsea side that poured on the pressure and pinned Palmeiras deep into their own half. But rather than break, the Brazilian side merely bent, patiently weathering the storm and entering the interval with a one-goal deficit. And in the 53rd minute, Estêvão latched onto a low cross from Richard Ríos, holding off Levi Colwill and keeping the ball under his custody. Despite being kept at arm’s length and despite having a nearly impossible shooting angle, Estêvão launched a potent shot off the crossbar and into the back of the net, bamboozling Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sánchez in the process.

The 18-year-old Brazilian prodigy delivered a memorable audition on and off the ball, completing 13 out of 19 passes (four into the final third), winning two out of two tackles, and registering five recoveries. Ultimately, it wasn’t enough to prolong his Palmeiras career, with a late own goal seeing Chelsea progress to the semifinals, but it was enough to see him win his second Michelob Ultra Superior Player of the Match award of the tournament. And maybe, just maybe, it will be enough to see him avoid going out on loan to Strasbourg or another team and instead fast-track him into Chelsea’s first team for the 2025/26 season.

“Estêvão is a very quick, technically gifted player who’s very good in 1v1 situations and boasts superb finishing ability, and who’s always demanding the ball,” stated Brazilian journalist Pedro Cunha. “At Palmeiras, his main weapon was cutting inside from the right flank and firing at goal. His three main strengths are ball control, dribbling and velocity. He’s a kid with a lot of quality, and if everything goes right, he will become one of the greatest players in the history of Brazilian football.”

*Estêvão player traits – comparison against players in leagues at a similar level to the Brasileirão*

Born in Franca, Brazil, Estêvão spent four years at Cruzeiro’s academy before making the move to Palmeiras in 2021. It didn’t take long before Estêvão started to make a name for himself in the Verdão’s youth set-up, with his low centre of gravity and technical finesse enabling him to evade a tackle at a moment’s notice and make short, calculated touches whilst keeping the ball glued to his feet. Estêvão’s precocious talents quickly took the nation by storm, becoming the youngest player to sign a professional contract with Nike at 10 years old and earning a plethora of individual and team trophies at youth level.

It’s this combination of mature decision-making and God-given talent that saw him earn the ‘Messinho’ nickname during his time in Palmeiras’ youth set-up, before eventually ascending to the senior team. Two months after scoring a hat-trick against São Paulo in the Brasileiro Sub-17 Final, Estêvão became the fourth-youngest player to debut for Palmeiras, helping them to secure their second-straight league title with a 1-1 draw vs. Cruzeiro on December 7, 2023. He hasn’t looked back ever since, winning the Campeonato Paulista, being named to the Brasileirão’s Team of the Season, and claiming the Best Newcomer award for the 2024 Campeonato Brasileiro season. Estêvão instantaneously emerged as one of the first names on Abel Ferreira’s team sheet, becoming the third-youngest player to score for Palmeiras and registering 27 goals and 15 assists in 83 appearances in all competitions.

Whilst he has occasionally been utilised as a No. 10 and a left winger, his bread and butter is on the right side of attack, where he can slice through traffic and push the team forward with his mazy dribbles and unpredictable changes of direction. And although he is often the centre of attention, he also demonstrates a magnanimity that belies his tender age, stretching the opposing defence with his unwavering runs and playing adroit one-twos to unleash his teammate into attacking areas. Capable of dropping his shoulder and accelerating into overdrive, Estêvão thrives at creating separation from his defenders and leaving them hoodwinked with his audacity and trickery.

*Estêvão season summary since joining Palmeiras first team full time*

But although he has announced himself as one of the top talents in world football, there are certain things that he must improve on as he looks to compete with the likes of Cole Palmer and Pedro Neto for a starting spot in Enzo Maresca’s attack. “Estêvão was known as a player who only performs against small teams. He didn’t score in any Clássico [games against Santos, São Paulo or Corinthians], and his first goal in a big game came vs. Chelsea,” stated Cunha.

“He needs to improve a lot in his maturity and his coolness on the pitch, because the Palmeiras fanbase always complained that he disappeared in high-pressure matches…he struggled to repeat the success that he had vs. teams like Cuiabá and Bahia whenever he faced off against bigger sides like Flamengo. I also think that he needs to improve on his weaker foot…whereas he excels at pushing the ball towards his left foot, that same quality isn’t seen whenever he works it from his left to his right.”

At 18 years of age, Estêvão has already emerged as a vital player for not just Palmeiras but the Brazilian national team, making five appearances for the Seleção and starting in Carlo Ancelotti’s first match as Brazil manager. He’s already followed in the footsteps of Pelé, Neymar, Ronaldinho and Luis Suárez by winning the Bola de Ouro, given to the best player of the Campeonato Brasileiro season. But now, can he make the step up to European football and deliver on his lofty price tag?

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Jul

2025

Momentum built: England’s Euro 2025 starts here as quarter-finals beckon

England’s 6-1 win over Wales secured their place in the last eight, concluding what was eventually a successful group stage for the defending champions.

By Jamie Spencer

Since a humbling defeat to France at Euro 2025, England have upped the intensity, made sure to get the basics right and played with an admirable directness that has been difficult for subsequent opponents – Netherlands and Wales – to contend with.

“It wasn’t the way we wanted to start the tournament but it’s a bit of a rocket and we’ve shown in these last couple of games that this is how we play,” Ella Toone told BBC Sport following Sunday night’s one-sided score-line against the Welsh.

Beth Mead echoed those comments, also telling the BBC, “We said that you don’t win or lose a tournament in the first game. We are a very motivated team and we enjoy being under pressure, you can tell that in the last two games when we’ve needed to win.”

Now that they’ve hit their stride, the Lionesses will expect that standard to remain throughout. Overall, England scored 11 group stage goals, bettered only by Spain (14), and conceded just three, with only Sweden (1) putting up a meaner defence in the opening round.

Sarina Wiegman’s team selection against the Dutch on matchday two of the group stage had been motivated by a desire to play direct. Toone’s ability to break forward from midfield and Alessia Russo’s willingness to run behind defences were both decisive factors in that crucial win.

Once Wiegman finds a winning formula, she rarely strays from it – the same XI famously started all six games at Euro 2022, while there was a similar pattern at the World Cup in 2023 after switching to a 3-5-2 during the group stage. And although here were doubts about her choices at the beginning of this tournament, the loyalty shown to certain players has now been rewarded, the tweaks between facing France and the Netherlands worked, and the Lionesses are properly up and running.

*Only Spain are outscoring England at the tournament so far*

England should never have had a problem facing Wales. The result, with a win necessary to reach the quarter-finals and keep their destiny in their own hands, was the important bit and it was a walkover.

Wales had conceded seven goals across their opening two games and were the lowest ranked team in the competition. Even a bit of extra fight because of the geographic rivalry was never going to be enough, especially after conceding the early penalty.

The 13^th minute spot-kick, converted by Georgia Stanway – who had herself been tripped just inside the penalty area, was a gift. But it came from building play on the right and Lauren James firing a cross into the box. The second started with a raking ball from deep towards the left flank from Leah Williamson, nodded into the area and causing chaos that Wales failed to deal with – Toone was there for the tap-in. A cross from Toone created Lauren Hemp’s third, a header at the far post, simple but effective. The fourth for Russo, her first goal of the tournament after racking up three assists, was more intricate play, but simplicity returned when Mead made it five as England quickly transitioned. And, again, a long diagonal pass out from defence, this time by Alex Greenwood, started the move that led to Aggie Beever-Jones getting the sixth, a knockdown, a cross and a free header.

England played on the front foot, with 58% of passes made in Wales territory. Favouring directness, 53 long balls found their intended target from 68 attempts – by contrast, Wales completed only four long passes. They also peppered the Welsh box with crosses, 25 of them, with 44% finding a fellow Lioness, and dominated the aerial game by winning 13 such duels against Wales’ eight.

“The team just showed up today,” was how Wiegman, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, described the performance. England are already very talented team, but ‘showing up’ probably matters more looking forward when there will be increasingly less to separate teams on a technical level.

Consistency is the next test for the reigning champions. Victory over Wales made it two consecutive wins for only the second time in 15 outings since last July, while England haven’t put together a run of three successive competitive wins since the 2023 World Cup.

The back and forth nature of the France-Netherlands result in the group’s other final fixture kept changing the standings and therefore who England will face in the last eight. France were ahead, then behind, and eventually victorious to finish top. They will go on to play Germany in the quarter-finals because of that, with England handed a meeting with an impressive Sweden that won Group C, but on the kinder side of the knockout bracket, away from the Germans and Spain.

‘Showing up’ against the Swedes, with the momentum built so far, and either Norway or Italy to face in the semi-finals if they get through, presents England a huge chance to go very far in defence of their title.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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