Dribble Diaries

Marta had intended to end her international football career on a high note, but not like this. Following her participation in the Olympics, the Brazil captain is set to conclude a glittering career on the international scene. Marta's swansong may have been cut short when she was sent off shortly before halftime in Wednesday's Group C match against Spain. The 38-year-old was given a straight red card for a high-footed lunge that struck La Roja's World Cup-winning hero Olga Carmona in the head. Is this Marta's last appearance on the big stage?

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) Ad hoc division for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games has denied Canada Soccer's appeal against a six-point deduction imposed on its women's team. The points were deducted after Canada was caught spying on a New Zealand training session prior to their match on July 25. Coach Bev Priestman was also banned from the sport for a year and barred from attending games, while CSA officials Joseph Lombardi and Jasmine Mander were also suspended, and the Association was fined £175,720. However, a statement issued by the CAS on Wednesday revealed that the appeal was dismissed and the points reduction upheld. The 2021 Gold Medalists face Colombia in their third Group A encounter later on Wednesday, having previously defeated New Zealand and France, both 2-1. They still have a tiny chance of qualifying if New Zealand defeats France and goal differential goes in Canada's favour.

Jurgen Klopp has ruled out taking over as England manager and hinted at his retirement from managing. The German left Liverpool at the end of last season following nine successful seasons in command, during which he won a slew of major awards and ended the club's 30-year wait for a Premier League title. Klopp has been linked with the England manager position following Gareth Southgate's decision to stand down after Euro 2024. However, the 57-year-old stated that he has received no offers and expressed his wish to take a sabbatical from football. "Nothing at all." Nothing job-related. No club, no country. "Some people must have missed that part," he said at the International Coaches' Congress in Wurzburg. When asked directly about England, he remarked, "That would be the biggest loss of face in football history if I said, 'I'll make an exception for you.'" Klopp stated he plans to return to work after a sabbatical, although it might ...

AC Milan is really pursuing Tammy Abraham and may shortly begin discussions with Roma. The English striker is on his way out of the Italian city, no longer regarded as a major member of the team's long-term plans, and has been connected with a number of other clubs. According to Sky Sport's Gianluca Di Marzio, Abraham has shown a preference for AC Milan over all other teams interested in him. The Rossoneri apparently approached Roma a while back but received no quick response. Milan may now continue talks in order to propose an exchange involving Luka Jovic. Di Marzio adds, however, that Roma is not particularly interested in Jovic. The situation may soon change, as the Giallorossi intend to profit from Abraham's sale by the end of the summer.

On Tuesday, a big update on the status of transfer-linked Barcelona player Vitor Roque became public. This comes as reports suggest that the Brazilian international could soon move to Italy. It is common known that headliner Roque's future remains uncertain ahead of the upcoming campaign. After failing to persuade ex-manager Xavi of his abilities during his first six months at the club, it is unknown how the Brazilian is faring in his efforts to achieve similar results under Hansi Flick's supervision. Those of a Blaugrana persuasion who want Roque to stay put for the upcoming campaign will undoubtedly be concerned to hear the latest word on the matter from the Italian media. According to a source from Il Messaggero, as published by Diario Sport, Lazio is aggressively seeking to bring Roque to Rome for the 2024/25 season. As for the player himself, he was skeptical by a recent offer for his services from Saudi Arabia. After seeing their original proposal for a loan with option t...

Manchester City's Jack Grealish has spoken out about his 'heartbroken' summer following his omission from the England squad for the European Championships in Germany. The 28-year-old was unexpectedly left out of Gareth Southgate's 26-man team for the European Championship this summer, despite being included to an initial 33-man provisional training group. Grealish, who has previously made 36 appearances for England, missed out on a second consecutive European Championship final after the Three Lions lost 2-1 to Spain in Berlin earlier this month. The Birmingham-born talent was one of several surprising absences from England's tournament team, including Marcus Rashford, James Maddison, and Harry Maguire, who were all left out by previous boss Southgate. Grealish has struggled throughout the 2023/24 season leading up to the competition, failing to appear for Pep Guardiola's side since a 5-1 victory against Wolves at the Etihad Stadium in early May. Grealish made j...

According to Sky Sports, Arsenal striker Reiss Nelson will explore his alternatives following the pre-season tour of the United States, given his unclear future with the North London club. Last season, the 24-year-old appeared in 23 games in all competitions, but only started three times, and he is willing to leave for better opportunities. Some Premier League and European clubs are interested in acquiring Nelson's talents, with West Ham United watching his situation and Leicester City already in talks with Arsenal about signing him. The Hale End youth graduate wants to stay in the Premier League if he departs the Gunners this summer, giving the 2015-16 champions a significant advantage in their pursuit of the attacker following their return to the English top division. However, landing him will not be cheap, since Nelson has three years left on his present contract, with the option to extend it by 12 months. The former England youth international played 71 minutes against Manchest...

Real Sociedad President Jokin Aperribay said that star player Mikel Merino has already received offers to leave the club. The 27-year-old has one year left on his contract and is poised to quit the club amid interest from Barcelona, Arsenal, and Atletico Madrid. Merino's contract has not been renewed, and Aperribay confessed that this was a clear indication that he wanted to leave this summer. The Spain international's stock rose at Euro 2024, and Arsenal reconnected with his agency this week. "I believe Mikel has been quite truthful with Real. He has received a renewal offer for a year, and if he has not renewed it, it is because he does not want to convince the Real fans that he is staying and then leaving, which I believe speaks good of him," Aperribay told the press, including Sport. However, it appears that he is not yet interested in a move to Atletico Madrid, who attempted to sign him but Merino rejected their offer. However, if Real Sociedad is asked to negoti...

Manchester United are reportedly closing in on a deal to sign FC Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong. Since Erik ten Hag took over as manager of the club in 2022, no summer has passed without the Dutch midfielder being associated with The Theatre of Dreams. United sorely need to strengthen their midfield options again, as Scott McTominay's future is unknown, and Fulham are set to make an improved second bid for him. Casemiro and Christian Eriksen are two more players whose future at the club is far from certain after this summer. As a result, Ten Hag's staff has been in talks with Paris Saint-Germain about Manuel Ugarte, and they are also reportedly interested in Martin Zubimendi and Youssouf Fofana. Adrien Rabiot is another long-term objective, but according to a recent rumor from Spain cited by football365, "Man Utd have'resumed talks' to finally get a deal over the line for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong." It has been suggested that "Man Utd boss Eri...

A new favourite is emerging in La Liga leaders Barcelona's hunt of a marquee attacking acquisition this summer. That's according to Diario Sport, which reported on Monday on the latest news from Catalonia's capital. It is general known at this time that, as part of their continuous efforts to strengthen the frontline of new head coach Hansi Flick, Barcelona officials have long selected two key objectives. The individuals in question are Nico Williams and Dani Olmo. To this point, the former has long been regarded as the favourite to make his way to the Camp Nou, thanks to his preferred characteristics by the Blaugrana staff. However, in recent days, there has been rumors that Nico may decide to stay with Athletic Club for another season. As a result, the aforementioned Sport believe it is becoming increasingly likely that RB Leipzig standout Olmo will eventually join Hansi Flick's squad. 'The Leipzig player wants to wear the Barça shirt no matter what, and Barça is ...

According to Bild, Bayern Munich target and Rennes forward Désiré Doué would prefer to join the club this summer rather than move to PSG. Despite Doué's decision to join Bayern, the transfer is not imminent. The Rekordmeister just made a new bid of €50 million for the 19-year-old, but French media reports that the Parisian club has bid €60 million for Doué. As PSG continues to pursue a deal for Doué, it is uncertain whether the player will change his mind if the Qatari back club offers him more money, or if, despite Doué's intention to move to Bavaria, his current club Rennes sells him to their Ligue 1 counterparts. Doué is currently competing with the France under-23 squad in the Olympics, where he played eight minutes in a 3-0 victory over the United States. Bayern appears to have shifted their focus to Doué, since their other target, Xavi Simons, prefers to return to RB Leipzig for another season rather than move to the Allianz Arena.

FC Barcelona's connection with Frenkie de Jong has fluctuated significantly throughout the years. Finances have been a decisive factor in all of the escalating conflicts. In 2022, the Catalan giants were eager to offload the Dutchman in order to clear up salary margins and raise much-needed revenue. De Jong's decision to stay put eventually paid off, as he played an important role in the club's quest for La Liga success. However, this summer, Barça and De Jong are back on familiar ground. With his earnings anticipated to increase significantly this season, he will become the team's highest-paid player. Given the club's continued struggles to regain financial stability, the Barcelona administration is genuinely concerned. De Jong's contract expires in 2026, so this summer is Barcelona's last chance to obtain a large fee for him. If they wait until next year, they may only receive a lesser payment, or he may depart for free in 2026. Frenkie de Jong will not bu...

West Ham's intended signing of Bayern Munich defender Noussair Mazraoui has been called off. According to German football journalist Florian Plettenberg, despite a transfer cost agreed upon by teams and the player himself, no agreement has been reached with the 26-year-old's agency. 🚨⚒️ Exclusive: Noussair Mazraoui's agreement with West Ham is off! There has been no agreement achieved on the agent's side. Despite the agreement between the clubs (15,5 + 4) and the player's side, West Ham has now abandoned the negotiations. ✔️ ⚠️ Manchester United is attempting to sign Mazraoui. Advanced talks. The Irons have withdrawn from negotiations, allowing Manchester United to seize the lead in the race to sign the Moroccan international. The Old Trafford club was connected with a move for the winger, but only if they moved Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who had turned down West Ham earlier this week.

Pep Guardiola claims he has not ruled out signing a new contract with Manchester City. Guardiola's current contract is set to expire next summer, and he appeared to imply after leading City to a fourth consecutive Premier League triumph in May that next season could be his last at the club. However, the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager hinted on Friday that his stint at the Etihad could be extended for a tenth year. During the club's pre-season tour of New York, the Spaniard discussed his future ahead of City's friendly versus AC Milan at Yankee Stadium. "When I leave, I will say I'm leaving, but I didn't say that," Guardiola, who has led City to six Premier League crowns, two FA Cups, and a maiden Champions League title, told reporters. "We'll see what happens. However, I will not rule out extending my contract. I'd like to stay because I really want to. "Nine years at the same club is an eternity. So I want to make sure it...

The backlash from the Canada women's team's Drone Gate incident has now spread to the men's side, who allegedly engaged in similar behavior during the Copa América. On Monday, New Zealand's Olympic Games opponents, the Canada Women's National Team, discovered a drone spying on a training session in Saint-Étienne ahead of their match this week. In addition to an undisclosed member of staff being sent home for allegedly operating the drone, coach Bev Priestman was suspended for the duration of the tournament - and it has now been revealed that this may be a problem for all of Canadian senior soccer on the international level. "I have received anecdotal evidence in recent days that there was an attempted drone usage once during the Copa América," revealed Canada Soccer CEO Kevin Blue. "I have spoken with Jesse Marsch. He was aware of it after the fact, at the very least, and has opposed it as a habit to his employees. I believe the competitive integrity ...

Rasmus Hojlund of Manchester United has been given the number nine shirt for the 2024–25 season. The Dane will be spearheading Erik ten Hag's line this year. There have been some very talented forwards who have played for Manchester United, but the players who have worn the number nine shirt are a bit of a mixed bag. We've chosen to rank the top five Manchester United number nines from the Premier League era as Hojlund takes over the jersey. 5.Romelu Lukaku Romelu Lukaku has never been the most popular player at any of his clubs, but in a Manchester United shirt, he did what he always does: score goals. The big Belgian scored 42 goals in 96 appearances for the Red Devils after joining from Everton, including a record-breaking 10 in his first nine games to break Sir Bobby Charlton's mark. His form declined during his second season, and a breakdown in his relationship with the club resulted in a £73 million transfer to Inter Milan. Lukaku later claimed he had been a'scape...

A tletico Madrid may give Joao Felix an extended period of time to decide his future. After an extended hiatus due to Euro 2024 duties, the Portugal international was scheduled to resume preseason training tomorrow. But it still looks like his future is not with Real Madrid, since his former team, Benfica, is negotiating a big contract to bring him back for the 2024–2025 season. Benfica is unlikely to come close to meeting Atletico Madrid's €80 million asking price for the 24-year-old, since Los Rojiblancos will probably suffer a significant loss. In addition, Felix and Premier League team Aston Villa are discussing the possibility of Aston Villa moving to England in advance of their inaugural UEFA Champions League season. Villa is certain that they can offer Benfica a better deal, and Marca's rumours indicate he will be given more time to finish his departure. On July 27, Atletico Madrid plays Numancia in the first game of their preseason before departing for Hong Kong the fol...

Bev Priestman, head coach of the Canadian women's team, will not be able to continue leading the squad during the Olympics while the inquiry into their "use of drones" is ongoing. On Thursday, Canada defeated New Zealand 2-1 to begin Group A action at the Paris Games, although the match was anything but ordinary. Prior to the game, New Zealand accused the opposition of using drones to spy on their pre-match training sessions. This led to the dismissal of two employees: team analyst Joseph Lombardi and assistant coach Jasmine Mander. Priestman has since gone to the packing bag with those employees. The Canada Soccer team has reportedly been "relying on drones and spying" for years, according to a shocking turn of events that TSN reported. This tactic is said to have been employed by Canada in the 2021 Olympic gold medal winning women's squad as well as in at least one practice prior to a July 2022 women's national team match against Panama. A "indepe...

The most disappointing Copa America 2024 players did not contribute to their teams when it was most important, and others even (literally) failed to show up. While James Rodriguez, Lautaro Martinez, and Fede Valverde continue to excel at Copa America 2024, other elite players were unable to score for their respective countries this summer, resulting in surprise group stage elimination and quarter-final upsets. In truth, a couple of the world's top (and finest) players delivered subpar performances that marred their otherwise brilliant 2023/24 seasons. Here's a look at the five most unimpressive players representing their countries in Copa America 2024. Copa America 2024's most disappointing players, ranked. 5. Enner Valencia (Ecuador) Enner Valencia will reflect on his Copa America 2024 performance and consider what could have been. The striker was sent off in Ecuador's first group stage encounter against Venezuela, and he served a one-game suspension against Jamaica. ...

On Sunday, the Three Lions will take on La Roja in Berlin. Gareth Southgate feels Spain are the rightful favourites for Sunday's Euro 2024 final, warning his England squad that they must be "perfect" to end the country's 58-year drought. Southgate's team is on their way to Berlin for their first major event final away from home, having defeated the Netherlands on Wednesday night thanks to Ollie Watkins' dramatic late winner in the semi-final. While England has been reluctant to warm up to the tournament, saving their finest performance for the Dutch following a sluggish group stage, Spain has looked like the summer's strongest squad since the first round of matches. Luis de la Fuente's men defeated pre-Euros favourites France in the last four on Tuesday after defeating Croatia and holders Italy in the group stage, as well as hosts Germany in the quarter-finals. With La Roja also benefiting from an extra day's rest before the final, Southgate insis...

Alexis Sánchez (35) shone in his only season at Olympique de Marseille, scoring 18 goals in 44 games across all competitions. Despite conversations about staying with the club beyond the completion of his one-year contract, the Chilean international eventually returned to Italy to rejoin Inter Milan. Twelve months, 33 appearances, four goals, and five assists later, Sánchez is once again a free agent after his contract with the Serie A club expired. L'Équipe knows he is currently in talks to return to Marseille on a free transfer this summer. Roberto De Zerbi, OM's new manager, has already spoken with the former Barcelona, Arsenal, and Manchester United forward about a move, and his entourage is interested in the potential of returning to the Vélodrome. However, there are impediments to a deal, particularly financial ones. When he left last summer, it was considered that having both Sánchez and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang would be financially unattainable. Despite interest from ...

Jurgen Klopp has rejected the United States' initial overture to appoint him the new manager of the men's national team. The US has named Klopp as a top target in their search for a new manager to replace Gregg Berhalter, whose second tenure in command of the USA ended last week with a group stage exit from the Copa America on home soil. The Independent understands that first contact was made with Klopp about replacing the 50-year-old as the US prepares for the 2026 World Cup. The United States will co-host the event with Canada and Mexico, hoping to build on their Round of 16 exit in Qatar. However, Klopp has declined the option to engage in formal conversations with the United States Soccer Federation. Klopp left Liverpool at the end of the Premier League season, capping a revolutionary period at Anfield. During his nine years with the Merseyside club, the German helped the team win the Premier League for the first time in 30 years, as well as the Champions League. When h...

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Bayern Munich is unlikely to let Kim Min-jae go on loan this summer, but the former Napoli defender remains on Inter's radar. Despite a disappointing debut season in Germany, Bayern Munich do not intend to loan out former Napoli defender Kim this summer. Kim: Bayern Munich declined Inter request.  According to page six of Thursday's printed edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Bavarians have denied Inter's request to sign the player on a temporary basis, but the South Korean international remains a goal for the defending Serie A champions. Inter are anticipated to approach Bayern Munich again during the summer transfer window, but they must first sell Stefan de Vrij. The Netherlands international stated last week that he has no plans to leave the Nerazzurri this summer, but he has apparently sparked interest from Saudi Pro League clubs. Inter are also looking into other prospective additions, like as free agents Ricardo Rodriguez ...

Bayern Munich has completed the signing of midfielder João Palhinha from Fulham. The Portugal international was supposed to move to the Allianz Arena last summer, but a deadline-day transfer fell through when the Cottagers couldn't find a substitute. Palhinha led the Premier League in tackles throughout both of his seasons with Fulham and has long been a target for Bayern. Bayern have now succeeded a second time around, agreeing to a deal worth €51 million with €5 million in possible add-ons. Palhinha made 79 appearances for the Cottagers over two seasons, scoring eight times.

Alvaro Morata, a striker for Spain and Atletico Madrid, is close to joining Serie A heavyweights Milan, and negotiations are underway. The Rossoneri have decided to part ways with Joshua Zirkzee, who appears to be on his way to Manchester United. However, they have identified an option for the player, which appears to be Morata. Gianluca di Marzio has stated that the move for Morata is getting closer, with more progress expected following the EURO 2024 final between England and Spain over the weekend. Positive communication has taken place between the two parties, and it appears that his participation in the final is merely delaying the move. According to reports, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been vital to the deal, and he has been lobbying for the Spaniard's signing. The feeling is that an agreement with Morata on terms will be reached soon, and things appear to be going well.

Angelo Fabiani expresses his optimism in closing the sale. Tavares is out of favour at Arsenal and has spent the last two seasons on loan outside the Emirates Stadium. Earlier this month, the left-back indicated that he was prepared to battle for his place at Arsenal, but he now appears to be heading to Lazio. Angelo Fabiani, the Serie A club's sporting director, has indicated that an initial loan agreement is close to being made permanent next summer for roughly £7 million. "[Tavares] is a player who Lazio is very interested in," he said during a press conference on Wednesday. "Talks between the two teams resulted in an agreement yesterday. "Before completing the operation, however, numerous components must be agreed upon and an agreement reached with the agents. "I am more than confident, but for superstitious reasons I will not say that he is already a Lazio player."    Lazio has also been linked with a bid for Manchester United forward Mason G...

Minutes after the Copa América final was determined, tensions flared at Bank of America Stadium. Following Colombia's 1-0 semi-final triumph against Uruguay, cameras captured an argument between Uruguay players and Colombian fans in the stands. The event occurred while the Uruguayan families were sitting, and the players complained about the lack of security measures. Darwin Núñez, a Liverpool player, was observed throwing punches despite attempts by security and teammates to stop him. Barcelona's Ronald Araújo was also seen in the fights. A fight broke out in the stands between Colombian fans and Uruguayan players, including Darwin Nunez. "It's a complete disaster." According to The Athletic, Uruguay's José María Giménez stated that there were no police officers present. "They [security] arrived half an hour later. A calamity. And we were there, standing up for ourselves and our loved ones. "Hopefully, organizers will take a little more precautions...

Colombia defeated Uruguay 1-0 on Wednesday, securing a spot in the Copa América 2024. This is what we created from the action. Colombian dark horses are no more. The only statistic you need to appreciate how powerful this Colombia team is is that they have extended their unbeaten record to an incredible 28 games. Néstor Lorenzo's crew have refined their recipe and show no signs of slowing down. Colombia were brave throughout the match against a strong Uruguay team that carried the always-heavy favourites tag into the tournament, despite being a man down for the entire second half. Colombia has established a new record for the longest unbeaten streak in the national team's history: WWWWWWDDWWWWDDDWWWWWWWWWWDWW Los Cafeteros will defend their 28-game winning streak against Argentina in the 2024 Copa América final. This is their first final in 23 years.    Their success is partly down to James Rodriguez, who has turned the Copa América into his personal stage to showcase his ...

Kane won and converted a first-half penalty to help England win a tense semi-final battle. Ronald Koeman slammed the decision to award England a penalty as his Netherlands team suffered a bitter 2-1 defeat in the Euro 2024 semi-finals. Harry Kane was brought down in the area by Denzel Dumfries after firing a shot over the bar, and the referee initially ignored England's penalty demands. However, Felix Zwayer was asked to check the pitchside monitor following a VAR review, and he inevitably awarded the penalties, which Kane hammered into the bottom corner. That brought England level in Dortmund in the first half, after Xavi Simons' stunning opening had given the Dutch an early lead, leaving Koeman extremely upset.  "What do you do as a defender?" Koeman stated during his post-match press conference. "This is not a penalty." Dumfries intended to block the ball. Then the shoes collided. Such VAR verdicts devastate football." An increasingly cagey semi-f...