The Pulse of Football

Jul

2025

Five England U21 Euro winners who could make the plane for the 2026 World Cup

England’s next generation is in good shape after Lee Carsley’s side went all the way at this summer’s U21 European Championships.

By Graham Ruthven

It took an extra time winner by Jonathan Rowe, but England got the better of Germany to win the U21 European Championships, highlighting the talent the Three Lions have coming through and a system that has already produced the likes of Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka.

Thomas Tuchel already possesses one of the strongest and deepest squads in international football, but he could still dip into England’s triumphant U21 team for a player or two ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Here are five such players who look to have a bright future for the senior national team.

Elliot Anderson

It wasn’t so long ago that Elliot Anderson was called up by Scotland, even training with Steve Clarke’s side north of the border. Now, the Nottingham Forest midfielder is one of England’s brightest prospects for the future, shining for Lee Carsley’s side in the centre of the pitch at the U21 Euros.

Anderson was a creative force for Forest last season, registering six Premier League assists. He ranked behind only Morgan Gibbs-White, Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi for chances created over the whole campaign, also ranking highly for dribbles per 90 minutes (1.2). Anderson offers dynamism and directness.

Harvey Elliott

Handed the Player of the Tournament award, Harvey Elliott shone brighter than anyone else at the U21 Euros. The Liverpool player operated on the right side of England’s midfield four, but was afforded the freedom to drift inside where he could influence matches with his natural creativity and ability on the ball.

Elliott lacks the speed to play as an out-and-out winger, but his intelligent use of the ball and awareness of space makes him perfect for the modern game. Carsley made good use of Elliott’s skill set by funnelling a lot of England’s attacking play through the Liverpool midfielder at the U21 Euros.

Despite his clear potential, Elliott has been strongly linked with a move away from Liverpool this summer. The Premier League champions are reportedly open to selling the 22-year-old, but only for a fee of over £40m with a buy-back clause. Elliott scored in each of England’s three knockout games at the U21 Euros and has a bright future ahead of him for club and country.

Tino Livramento

Tino Livramento was something of an exception in Carsley’s England squad for the U21 Euros. The Newcastle United full back is already considered part of Tuchel’s senior squad and could have featured in last month’s games against Andorra and Senegal. However, the decision was made to give him some tournament experience this summer.

Livramento can play on either side of the defence. This versatility would be useful at the 2026 World Cup with England going through something of a generational transition at left back and right back. The 22-year-old is secure in possession and likes to get forward. His final product could sometimes be better, but the potential is obvious.

James McAtee

Manchester City’s academy is one of the most productive in the Premier League and James McAtee is the next young star off the conveyer belt at the Etihad Campus. McAtee has all the hallmarks of a City youth player – good on the ball, intelligent with his movement and versatile across the midfield and into the final third.

Much like Elliott, McAtee will return to his club with his future up in the air. Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund are both reportedly interested in the 22-year-old who has received limited first team opportunities at Manchester City. Would the Etihad Stadium outfit be repeating their Cole Palmer mistake by letting McAtee leave before he has had a run in the lineup?

Ethan Nwaneri

18-year-old Ethan Nwaneri only came off the bench in the final triumph over Germany at the U21 Euros and was only a peripheral figure for Carsley’s side over the course of the tournament. Nonetheless, it would be remiss not to mention the Arsenal teenager as someone who could make their Three Lions breakthrough at some point in the future.

The 2026 World Cup might come too early for Nwaneri, but he has already demonstrated his ability for Arsenal, making 26 appearances (11 of them starts) in the Premier League last season. Nwaneri is an unusual player. He has the skill set to play as a winger, but can also operate in central midfield and even further forward in the attack.

On his current trajectory, it’s only a matter of time until Nwaneri is a regular member of the senior England team. He is versatile enough to play in a variety of positions. He is an exceptional dribbler and has shown his eye for goal, scoring nine times for the Gunners last term. Nwaneri is one of England’s brightest hopes for the future.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every England U21 game on FotMob – featuring deep stats coverage and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Jul

2025

Gonzalo Garcia has earned the trust placed in him by Xabi Alonso

21-year-old Gonzalo García has been a breakout star for Real Madrid as they target glory at the 2025 Club World Cup this summer.

By Graham Ruthven

In Real Madrid’s star-studded forward line, there has been an anomaly at the 2025 Club World Cup. In the same team as Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo and the rest, Gonzalo García has been Xabi Alonso’s starting centre forward this summer, scoring two goals in the three games he has played at the tournament.

García will almost certainly lose his place in the Real Madrid lineup when Kylian Mbappé is available again. The French striker was hospitalised with acute gastroenteritis and has yet to play at the Club World Cup, but is back in training and could even make his return to action against Juventus in Tuesday’s last 16 tie.

This, however, shouldn’t dull the impact García has made. His introduction to the Real Madrid first team has been part of Alonso’s mission statement as the club’s new manager. While the former Bayer Leverkusen boss has been hired to mould Los Blancos’ current collection of Galacticos, he clearly wants to also establish a pathway from the academy.

Playing under Raúl, García set a goalscoring record for Real Madrid Castilla last season, registering 25 goals in the Spanish third tier. The young forward was subsequently on the radar of many supporters, but few expected him to play such a prominent role so soon in Alonso’s managerial tenure.

Alonso himself has drawn the comparison between García and the legendary Raúl, the greatest homegrown forward in Real Madrid’s history. There are similarities in the way they find space inside the box with García demonstrating his natural finishing instincts with well-taken goals against Al-Hilal and Salzburg.

“I had no doubts about Gonzalo,” said Alonso when asked about bringing García into the team. “What he’s doing isn’t a surprise. He’s done it many times at Castilla. At least for him. He’s the typical number nine, who knows how to wait for his opportunity, who moves well. I’m very happy for him. He has Raúl qualities in his movements.”

To look at, García isn’t the most imposing of centre forwards. He stands at 5ft 11”. He isn’t particularly fast, nor is he obviously strong. And yet the 21-year-old is intelligent in his movement and clearly has an eye for goal. He is deceptively good in the air and can even play on the wing, as he did once Real Madrid went down to 10 men against Pachuca.

Real Madrid needed someone like García. They had lacked an orthodox number nine since letting Joselu leave the club at the end of the 2023/24 season. While Joselu certainly wasn’t the biggest name in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad, he came up with countless big goals and moments as someone who gave Los Blancos a different dimension up front.

*García’s shooting and passing numbers at the Club World Cup*

García might not be the conventional focal point that Joselu was, but the youngster could perform an important secondary role in a similar manner. Alonso has no choice but to build around Mbappé, Vinícius and Bellingham. In García, though, he has someone hungry to prove himself and grateful for any opportunity to do so.

Despite García’s positive impression at the Club World Cup, there is speculation Real Madrid could let him leave this summer. Leeds United have been mentioned as potential suitors of the young striker following their promotion to the Premier League with Sunderland also believed to be admirers. García would improve either side.

Real Madrid are at the start of a transition that started with the arrival of Alonso, but is a long, long way from being complete. Alonso has used a back four and a back three at the Club World Cup. He has set up his midfield unit in a diamond and also in a four spread across the pitch from left to right.

Trent Alexander-Arnold has been pushed inside to form part of a box midfield as a deep-lying pace-setter. He has also been used as a high and wide right wing back. Real Madrid have sat off opponents. They also attempted to press them high, although after years of playing under Ancelotti they aren’t as cohesive out of possession as Alonso would surely likely them to be.

The Real Madrid team that is currently playing at the Club World Cup could look very different to the one that starts the 2025/26 season. It will certainly shift and change over the course of the campaign itself as Alonso gets to grips with what he has inherited from Ancelotti and the previous regime.

In this shifting landscape, García must continue to work hard to earn a place in Alonso’s vision. Mbappé’s return will offer the 21-year-old a clearer idea of what Real Madrid want and need him to be. Minutes might now be harder to come by, but Alonso has already shown faith in the youngster. He embodies the change happening at the Santiago Bernabéu.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Club World Cup with FotMob this summer – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Jul

2025

Preview: Real Madrid and Juventus face off at the Club World Cup

The European giants meet to decide a much-coveted place in the quarter-finals

By Filip Mishov

Real Madrid’s revolution under Xabi Alonso is fully underway

Even though Xabi Alonso‘s tenure at Real Madrid began with an uninspiring draw against Al Hilal in the opening round of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025’s group phase, Vinícius Júnior & co. performances progressively improved, and ultimately, culminated in securing a convincing win against Salzburg to top group H. Unlike the 5-time world champions, Juventus faced a reality check upon meeting Manchester City, as Pep Guardiola‘s new-look squad ran riot against the Old Lady and left Igor Tudor wondering why he left form player Kenan Yıldız on the bench, resulting in the Turin-based club finishing in second place.

The European powerhouses have not met each other since the Champions League’s quarter-finals back in 2018 and the 2017 final before that with the 15-time European champions coming off victorious on both occasions. Only Daniel Carvajal, Lucas Vázquez, Luka Modrić and Daniele Rugani are still present at their respective clubs from the dramatic night at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu and the latter three are expected to play a part in the round of 16 match in Miami.

Key players

With the newly-appointed Spanish coach still fine tuning tactics and interchanging between 4-3-3 and 3-5-2, it is becoming evident that Vinícius Júnior will continue to play a key role regardless, whether as a left winger or as a free-roaming forward, as Los Blancos’ No. 7 builds an unlikely partnership with the talented striker, Gonzalo García in the absence of Kylian Mbappé.

For Juventus, the US-based tournament is possibly Dušan Vlahović‘s last hurrah in the White and Blacks’ shirt or even one might say the Serbian striker’s final audition on the international stage ahead of a pivotal summer for his career. With the 25-year-old’s contract up at the end of next season, Vlahović is battling to be offered a new deal or to attract suitors, and maybe his time in Turin has not gone as well as everyone expected, but his sublime finish in the defeat against the Cityzens displayed his natural goalscoring instinct once again.

Team news

Thibaut Courtois welcomed back Antonio Rüdiger in front of him, but Éder Militao, David Alaba, Ferland Mendy, Daniel Carvajal, Eduardo Camavinga and Endrick‘s comebacks are still some way off, while French captain, Kylian Mbappé is back in training and might finally return to play his first minutes under Xabi Alonso.

Nicolo Savona suffered an ankle injury in the defeat to Manchester City and the Swede is expected to miss the match on Tuesday at the least, while it remains to be seen whether Igor Tudor will recall Timothy Weah and Samuel Mbangula who were engaged in transfer negotiations with Nottingham Forest.

Prediction

It is hard to look past Xabi Alonso’s revolution at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 and with Kylian Mbappé’s imminent return to the pitch, I expect a win and a place in the quarter-finals for Madrid with more than a few goals involved, as has regularly been the case in their matches against Juventus.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Club World Cup with FotMob this summer – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, player ratings. Download the free app here.

Jun

2025

Preview: Man City aim to continue Club World Cup form against Al Hilal

Manchester City have looked like they mean business at the Club World Cup, while Al Hilal have experience but are missing a couple of their most important players. Who will win this virtual Middle Eastern derby?

By Ian King

The tournament so far

Manchester City strolled through a comfortable group stage with the only 100% recorded at the tournament. A 2-0 win against Wydad Casablanca and a 6-0 win against Al Ain were probably to be expected, but a 5-2 win in their final game against Juventus was somewhat more impressive.

Al Hilal kicked off with one of the surprises of the tournament so far, a 1-1 draw against a lacklustre Real Madrid, following that up with a goalless draw against RB Salzburg and a 2-0 win against the Mexican side Pachuca.

History

This is, you’ll be unsurprised to read, the first time these two clubs have met in a competitive fixture. The two sides did meet in a friendly match in July 2012, which Al Hilal won 1-0. It doesn’t feel as though we should read too much into that.

Key Players

Manchester City had five different goalscorers against Juventus. Indeed, they’ve had ten goalscorers in their three matches so far (including an own goal), all of which supports the feeling that their goals can come from anywhere on the pitch.

It is the return from injury of Oscar Bobb, who chipped in with a goal against Juventus, which may interest City fans more than anything. He was absent for a long time, last season.

Al Hilal are missing two of their key players through injury, but there are familiar names in the form of Rúben Neves, who spent six years at Wolves – he scored their goal against Real Madrid, but this was only his second goal in 41 games this season – former City defender João Cancelo and former Chelsea defender Kalibou Koulibaly.

Marcos Leonardo is their main goal threat with their other two top scorers both injured.

Team News

For City, Claudio Etcheverri was injured against Juventus and will likely miss the rest of the tournament, while Rico Lewis is still suspended and Mateo Kovačić didn’t travel following a recent Achilles operation.

There are two notable absentees in the Al Hilal team. Captain Salem Al-Dawsari injured his hamstring against Pachuca and misses the remainder of the tournament, while Aleksander Mitrović – who’s scored 28 goals in 36 appearances for them this season – hasn’t yet appeared in this tournament with a calf muscle injury. With Al-Dawsari having scored 27, that’s a lot of fire-power they’ll be missing for this match.

Prediction

Having ended the 2024-25 domestic season potless, Manchester City seem to have arrived in this tournament in a businesslike state of mind. They were the only team in the group stages to win three out of three, and so far the only blot on their copybook has been Rico Lewis’s red card.

Al Hilal have some experienced players, and the conditions could also play a role in this match. This is not an ideal time of year to be playing a match in Orlando, with temperatures in the high eighties, extremely high humidity, and possibly even a thunderstorm predicted. Still, City should be too strong for Al Hilal, so let’s go for a 3-1 City win and a relatively safe passage to the quarter-finals.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Club World Cup with FotMob this summer – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Jun

2025

Preview: USMNT prepare to meet Costa Rica in Gold Cup quarterfinal

The USA will host Costa Rica in the last eight of the Gold Cup this weekend as Mauricio Pochettino’s side look to continue their fine form in the competition.

By Matt Smith

The last time the two sides went head-to-head in a competitive game, it was Costa Rica who came out on top with a 2-0 victory back in 2022. The USA have won all of their last five home meetings with this weekend’s opponents, previously securing a 3-0 win in a friendly earlier this year.

Team news

Pochettino will be looking to build on the USA’s most recent performances after winning their three group stage games in the Gold Cup. Malik Tillman and Patrick Agyemang both struck against Haiti last time out, so we could see them retain their place in the starting XI.

Costa Rica struggled in the group stage, narrowly beating Suriname, who are ranked 137th in the world, 4-3. Veteran goalkeeper Keylor Navas is still going strong at the age of 38, and he should start between the sticks.

The USA resolute in the competition

Pochettino’s side have conceded just 0.3 goals per game in the competition so far, and the USA boss has them playing exciting football in the Gold Cup. No team has averaged more possession per game, with the USA keeping a whopping 67.6% of the ball.

The USA have also created more big chances, had more touches inside the opposition box, and more shots on target than any other team in the Gold Cup, so we’re expecting an attacking display from the home team in this fixture.

Keeping their discipline key for Costa Rica

No side have been awarded more yellow cards than Costa Rica in the competition so far. Their fiery style has paid dividends after they qualified for the knockout rounds, although conceding three against Suriname last time out was a cause for concern.

Costa Rica have looked reasonably strong defensively outside of their most recent performance, conceding just 1.3 goals per game. We’re expecting a dominant display from the USA, with Costa Rica averaging just 44.4% possession in the tournament.

Tillman the one to watch

PSV Eindhoven attacking midfielder has not only been a standout for the USA, but in the Gold Cup overall as well. The 23-year-old is the top goalscorer in the competition, finding the back of the net on three occasions.

His overall performances for his country have been impressive, and he’s starting to become a regular for the USA. After a strong season in Holland with PSG, scoring 16 league goals, Tillman is the one to watch in this game as he looks to continue his fine form for Pochettino’s side.

Prediction

Considering the USA’s recent form, it’s difficult to see past a home victory in this game. We’re going for a 3-1 win to Pochettino’s men, with Tillman to get his name on the scoresheet once again.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Gold Cup with FotMob this summer — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Jun

2025

Preview: Messi reunites with former employers as Inter Miami take on PSG

Inter Miami are through to the knockout stages of the Club World Cup, where they will play Lionel Messi’s former team and recently crowned European champions, Paris Saint-Germain.

By James Nalton

Inter Miami’s unbeaten performance in the group stage was considered a win, not just for Javier Mascherano’s team, but for Major League Soccer generally.

The 2-1 defeat of Porto thanks to a Lionel Messi free kick was a historic result for the league.

Their reward is a last-16 matchup with tournament favourites PSG in Atlanta on Sunday.

Setting the scene

Though Inter Miami’s progress to this stage is impressive, it could have been even more so.

With around ten minutes of group stage play remaining, they were top of Group A, but the match against Brazilian side Palmeiras ended in an eventful draw, which eventually saw them finish second.

Inter Miami held a 2-0 lead, secured through goals scored by Tadeo Allende and Luis Suárez, but the team from São Paulo scored twice in the last 10 minutes of the game to claim the draw that would see them top the group on goal difference.

Palmeiras’ reward for finishing top was a tie in the last 16 with fellow Brazilian Serie A side Botafogo.

More importantly for them, topping the group meant avoiding PSG, so in the end, thanks to those two late Palmerias goals, it will be Inter Miami who will face the unenviable task of taking on the reigning European champions and Club World Cup favourites.

Suárez getting into a groove?

One of the highlights of that Palmeiras game was the goal scored by Suárez, which was his first of the tournament.

Messi had already grabbed some headlines with his free-kick against Porto, but his teammate from Uruguay had been fairly quiet.

Despite his lack of mobility, Suárez is still able to provide a burst of quality and movement, and this was on show for his goal against Palmeiras.

Messi was also heavily involved in the buildup to that goal, before Suárez carried it through the Palmeiras defence, rolling back the years and finishing powerfully with his left foot.

These two star players will need to be at their best, and harking back to their peak in Europe, if Inter Miami are to have a chance against PSG.

PSG pace and precision

The passing of Vitinha and the dribbling of Désiré Doué is the double threat that make PSG so dangerous.

These are the kinds of players who have replaced Miami’s aging stars in Europe today, and Portuguese midfielder Vitinha has a genuine shout for being the best footballer in the world at this moment in time.

Everything PSG do goes through him, and when combined with the supporting cast of some more of the best players in Europe, it made PSG unstoppable in the UEFA Champions League this past season.

*Our best rated PSG players at the tournament*

They have not been unstoppable in the Club World Cup, though, with Brazilian side Botafogo recording a monumental upset to defeat them 1-0 in the group stage.

Inter Miami will take some hope from this, but it’s a tough ask against a team full of talented individuals and, unusually for the modern version of PSG, one where those individuals have combined to produce the most impressive team.

Prediction

The current best players in the world will defeat the former best players in the world in a high-scoring game.

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

You can follow every match from the Club World Cup with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Jun

2025

Preview: Benfica take on Chelsea in Club World Cup Round of 16

The group stage is done; 32 teams are now just 16 with some big names heading home. Most of them, however, remain in the tournament. Chelsea stumbled while Benfica shone, the two face off with a place in the quarters up for grabs.

By Alex Roberts

Enzo Maresca’s side may be looking at this one as a fairly ‘favourable’ tie, missing out on a potential game with Bayern Munich after finishing second in Group D but the Portuguese side certainly won’t be pushovers.

Liam Delap has arrived

Three games, two goal contributions for the Chelsea newbie. Delap bagged his first goal in the 3-0 win over Espérance, receiving the ball, holding off the defender, and cooly slotting past the ‘keeper.

It’s been a while since the Chelsea fans have seen a number nine do anything like that and with memories of Álvaro Morata, Gonzalo Higuaín, and Radamel Falcao still fresh in the mind, it’s caused quite the stir.

With Nicolas Jackson suspended for one more game, he has the chance to prove himself against an established European side as he and his teammates prepare for next season’s Champions League. Maybe the curse is broken…

An Ángel gets his wings

Once Benfica depart the Club World Cup, Ángel di Maria will leave Benfica. Undoubtedly one of the most underrated players of his generation, he will be heading back home to play for boyhood club Rosario Central.

He was their star man throughout the group stage, scoring once in the 2-2 draw with Boca Juniors and then bagging a brace in the 6-0 victory over Auckland City FC, making him the joint top scorer in the competition.

*Five players have scored three goals at the Club World Cup*

Even someone who’s been there and done it as much as Di Maria is in the dark as to how this tournament with go. Both sides have had looooong seasons but ending his time at Benfica with a good run, and maybe even a trophy, would be the perfect way to go.

Trying new things

Maresca has openly admitted that he’s using the tournament to try new things ahead of the 2025-26 season. Perhaps most notably, he put Cole Palmer out on the right in the 3-1 defeat to Flamengo, where he was largely ineffective.

One thing that has been a huge success, however, is playing Enzo Fernández slightly higher up the pitch. He’s not quite in the number ten role, but he’s not far off. The World Cup winner took his assist tally to 16 for the season vs Espérance.

No matter the tournament, Maresca will want to get his hands on that trophy when push comes to shove but one thing is for certain, he’ll still INSIST on sticking Reece James in the midfield.

A safe pair of hands

They’re a pretty hot commodity nowadays. Anatoliy Trubin has quietly established himself as one of the more reliable young ‘keepers on the continent, conceding just 28 goals and keeping 13 clean sheets in his 32 league games.

He’s kept that good form up in the Club World Cup, winning the Player of the Match award in the 1-0 win over Bayern Munich, making four saves, six recoveries, and two high claims over the 90 minutes.

Chelsea’s situation between the sticks isn’t quite as stable, although Robert Sánchez has certainly improved since the turn of the year. This game will be tight, and Trubin can handle the pressure.

Prediction

These two sides are probably more even than many may think, under Bruno Lage, Benfica are hard to break down and Chelsea often struggle against defensively solid sides. We think the Premier League side will go through 2-1 after extra time.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Club World Cup with FotMob this summer – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Jun

2025

Santi Cazorla is the real king of Oviedo

Just like that, after 24 years yo-yoing between the Spanish second and third divisions, Real Oviedo are back in the big time. It was a team effort, but one man was the heart and soul behind the promotion. This one is for the romantics.

By Alex Roberts

As a boy, Santi Cazorla spent his time roaming the Roman roads of Llanera, dreaming of playing for his local team, Real Oviedo. Now, he’s a 40-year-old man with kids of his own, doubtless playing on those same streets, and he’s the one behind their promotion.

It’s been a hell of a journey. From Spain to North London and back again, he then spent three years in Qatar with Al-Sadd before joining Oviedo in the summer of 2023. Despite playing there as a youngster, Cazorla never made a senior appearance for Oviedo before being snapped up by Villareal in 2003.

Cazorla didn’t want to leave the club he joined as an eight-year-old. Following their relegation from LaLiga in 2001, Oviedo were sent further down the pyramid in 2003, forced to play in the fourth tier due to the club’s dire financial situation. For the good of the club he loved, he left but kept looking over his shoulder, yearning.

When the prodigal son finally returned, he was hailed as a hero. Real Oviedo are by no means a small club but it’s not every day someone of Cazorla’s pedigree walks through the doors at the Estadio Carlos Tartiere.

He didn’t join for the money either, this wasn’t one big pay day for a player in the twilight of his career, in all honesty, he had that when he went to the Middle East. The club was transparent with how much he would be paid, €91,000 a season to be exact. “I would play for free, but you’re not allowed,” he said.

Money wasn’t an issue but fitness sure was. While at Arsenal, he picked up an injury that would see him miss 619 days and 122 games for club and country. Arsène Wenger described it as the worst he had ever seen, and he’s seen a fair few.

After 12 surgeries, his Achilles Tendon was virtually non-existent. Ten centimeters was removed, more than we knew was possible, with the doctor slicing the tattoo he has of his daughter’s name in half for a skin graft. It was a miracle he could wiggle his toes, never mind play professional football.

He finally made his Real Oviedo debut at the ripe old age of 38, ancient in footballing terms, coming on for just one minute in the 1-0 defeat to Real Valladolid. Oviedo had the chance to earn promotion in 2023-24 but fell at the last hurdle, losing 2-1 on aggregate to Espanyol in the play-off final.

When the final whistle blew and the dust settled, Cazorla had a decision to make. Call it a day, end a career that had seen him lift more trophies than he ever would have expected, or go again. Of course, he went again.

*Cazorla won two European Championships with Spain*

In 2024-25, Oviedo and Cazorla stepped up their game, earning a third placed finish, just two points off the automatic promotion places. It was a pretty perfect metaphor for his career, nothing comes easy.

They drew Almería in their play-off semifinal, traveling to their ground for the first leg and earning a vital 2-1 win, thanks to a brace from right-back Nacho Vidal. Cazorla played, of course, but it wasn’t until the next game he really came through.

Fans were waving scarves and singing like their lives depended on it, in many ways they did. Hearts fell into their collective stomachs after Jaime Seoane was deemed to have handled the ball in the box. It was rifled at him from about two feet away, but the ref didn’t care, he wasted no time in pointing to the spot.

Gonzalo Melero converted, sending Aaron Escandell the wrong way to make it 2-2 on aggregate. Half-time came and went, Seoane was replaced by the man himself, and the game completely changed.

Three minutes after being introduced, Cazorla found himself standing over a very dangerous freekick. His eyes narrowed, right eyebrow raised, and he placed it expertly in the bottom left corner. It’s almost like he’d been in that kind of situation before.

One the game was over, manager Veljko Paunović embraced Cazorla while his teammates fell to the turf, exhausted and relieved that they had made it to their second consecutive play-off final, determined to ensure this one wouldn’t end like the last.

Just three minutes into the first leg of the final it looked like it would. CD Mirandés winger Alberto Reina scored, leaping above his defender to nod the ball into the back of the net. Cazorla missed the game, watching on from the sidelines after picking up a slight knee injury.

Mirandes took the lead in the 16^th minute and the switch in Cazorla’s beautiful brain flipped. He took complete control of the game and when his side were awarded a penalty, he picked up the ball, kissed it, before converting.

Ilyas Chaira made it 2-1 just after the break to send it to extra-time. In the 72^nd minute, Cazorla was spent, he had given everything he had to the cause, it was time to pass the torch and trust his teammates to get the job done.

Francisco Portillo, who isn’t a young man either, scored the fated goal that secured promotion back to La Liga. Oviedo fans rushed the pitch and Cazorla was lifted onto the shoulders of former player now club doctor Diego Cervero.

An entire generation of Oviedo fans have been waiting to see the big boys come to their town. They lined the streets to thank he who had left a boy but returned as a man.

“It’s mad, ridiculous really that the best moment of my life is this at 40,” Cazorla said, looking over a crowd that filled Avenida Galicia as far as they eye could see. “I have been lucky to live great things; I have won titles, cups, but I have suckled on Oviedo since I was a kid, the feeling here is different. This is unique.” That just about sums it up.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jun

2025

Paul Pogba prepares for a return to football

Having served an 18-month doping ban, Paul Pogba is set to re-enter professional football with a point to prove and lost time to make up for.

By Graham Ruthven

Paul Pogba hasn’t played a match since September 2023. That was the last time the midfielder featured for Juventus before receiving a ban after testing positive for a banned substance – dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). That ban (cut to 18 months from an initial four years) ended in March and Pogba is getting ready for a comeback.

Widespread reports claim Pogba, who is a free agent after leaving Juve in November, is on the verge of signing for Monaco on a two-year deal. The 32-year-old had interest from Major League Soccer and Saudi Arabia, most notably holding talks with DC United, but has seemingly opted for a return to his homeland where he will play in Ligue 1 next season.

While Pogba came through the youth system at Le Havre, this will be the first time he has played league football in France. That the 32-year-old is joining a Ligue 1 club perhaps says something about how he wants to first restore his reputation at home, possibly even to make a push for France’s 2026 World Cup squad.

Talent has never been an issue for Pogba. At his best, he was one of the most naturally gifted midfielders in the world, persuading Manchester United to pay a world-record transfer fee to re-sign him from Juventus in 2016. At that time, United believed they’d landed a centre piece to build around for the next decade.

Pogba was misunderstood by several Manchester United managers who repeatedly saw him as a midfield anchor when his skill set made him more comfortable as a ball-carrying chaos merchant with the freedom to drive into the final third. It was in this role that Pogba first caught the eye for Juve, back when the Old Lady had Andrea Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio for structure and security.

It’s not guaranteed Pogba will be an automatic starter for Monaco. Adi Hütter favoured a double pivot of Lamine Camara and Denis Zakaria last season with Takumi Minamino afforded the license to roam as a mobile number 10 ahead of the midfield. It’s a system that worked well for the team from the principality.

Hütter set up Monaco to play in quick transition with wide attackers Maghnes Akliouche and Eliesse Ben Seghir the team’s primary creators. The January addition of Mika Biereth who scored 13 goals in just 16 Ligue 1 appearances gave Monaco a sharper cutting edge in front of goal, but there remains a sense that they could be more dynamic in their central play.

This possibly explains why Monaco have targeted Pogba. While it has been a number of years since the midfielder was consistently productive at the elite level of the game, his ball-carrying numbers have always been strong – at Manchester United, Pogba was ranked in the 95th percentile or higher for progressive carries and carries into the final third per 90 minutes.

As he moves further into his 30s, Pogba might have to change his game. He has surely lost some of the physicality that made him so imposing earlier in his career. This would have been the case had Pogba been playing consistently over the last three seasons. It will likely be even more the case considering he’s played just eight league games since 2022.

The Pogba that plays for Monaco next season might be very different to the Pogba that divided opinion during his time at Manchester United or the Pogba who set Serie A alight during his first spell at Juventus. That, however, could be a good thing. This is an opportunity for the Frenchman to start a new phase of his career.

Didier Deschamps knows what Pogba can do. The midfielder’s peak came when he shone at the 2018 World Cup, producing a Man of the Match performance in the final against Croatia. Deschamps didn’t just harness Pogba as a player, but as a leader. With Les Bleus in the midst of a generational transition, Pogba could have something to offer as a dressing rom figure.

*Pogba starred in the 2018 World Cup Final*

To be of any use to France at the 2026 World Cup, though, Pogba must prove himself for Monaco first. The 32-year-old will have a platform in the Champions League after Hütter’s team finished third in the Ligue 1 table last season, one place lower than the season before when Monaco finished second to Paris Saint-Germain. Pogba is joining a strong outfit.

No matter what happens, Pogba’s career will be defined by his unfulfilled potential. He was meant to be one of the best players in the world and while the midfielder is a World Cup winner, he never scaled such heights and he is unlikely to do now that he is into his twilight years as a professional. Nonetheless, a glimmer of the old Pogba would be irresistible.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Jun

2025

Preview: Real Madrid round off the Group Stage against Salzburg

The easy part for Real Madrid is done: new manager in, new marquee signings in. Now comes the hard part: making sure the revamp yields wins and, in time, titles. The Club World Cup might be a stretch in terms of judging Xabi Alonso, but clearly there’s work to do.

By Karl Matchett

Teething troubles

For a manager who has, until now, habitually played with a back three, moving to Real Madrid who haven’t done so with any regularity for at least a couple of decades represented a dilemma. So far, Alonso has opted for a 4-3-3 and continuity – whether that’s the case after a pre-season remains to be seen. But it hasn’t been plain sailing. New addition Trent Alexander-Arnold has shown defensive insecurities more than once already, Raúl Asencio was sent-off seven minutes into their last match and while keeping the back four the same to start both games can help starting to breed familiarity, the central pairing are 20 and 22 years old. Some errors are to be expected.

Defensive woes for both

At the other end of the pitch in this game it might be a similar matter. Salzburg are not, to be sure, the defensive clown show they were in the brief reign of Pepijn Lijnders last season, when both Sturm Graz and Bayer Leverkusen – then coached by Alonso of course – managed to score five past them. But despite a clear uptick in results, both games at the Club World Cup have still shown they are rather more open than they’d like: despite taking four points so far, both Pachuca and Al Hilal out-shot Salzburg and tallied a better xG, 1.4 for the Mexicans and 1.49 for the Saudis. Real might not be all guns blazing, but they still have elite attackers. Openness at the back will be an issue.

Recent form

Salzburg won three of the last four in the Austrian Bundesliga campaign, then have won and drawn in their two at the Club World Cup. Real Madrid actually suffered five defeats in the last 12 across all competitions before the season proper ended, but still won their last three in LaLiga and have similarly drawn and won in the US.

Team news

Karim Konaté is a long-term absentee for Salzburg and Nicolás Capaldo has a broken toe. Real Madrid will be without the suspended Asencio, as well as six injured players including Endrick and Eduardo Camavinga. Doubts remain over Kylian Mbappé, who has been ill, but the Frenchman has returned to training this week.

Key player

A win for either side guarantees passage to the next round while the loser would need to await the group’s other game. In the absence of defensive solidity, then, a big attacking performance from Vinícius Júnior would be welcomed, as he’s been sub-par so far, scoring and assisting precisely zero. He has had three shots and created four chances – a total xA of 0.99 combined – so really needs to step it up.

*Madrid’s best rated players at the tournament so far*

Prediction

Real Madrid should have enough about them to score a couple of times, given the number of chances Salzburg give up, but it won’t be one-way traffic. Salzburg 1-3 Real Madrid.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Club World Cup with FotMob this summer — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.