The beautiful game, a tapestry woven with skill, passion, and unpredictable drama, has always been resistant to radical change. In today's time, the fast development of technology has brought about the biggest change in how football matches are officiated: the Video Assistant Referee (VAR). Since its full introduction, VAR has been a constant source of debate, lauded for correcting "clear and obvious errors" but simultaneously lambasted for disrupting the game's flow and generating its own brand of controversy. As the 2026 FIFA World Cup looms on the horizon, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), the custodians of the Laws of the Game, The upcoming changes are set to bring more major changes to VAR rules, trying to find a better balance between being accurate and keeping the real feel of football. These proposed changes are not mere tweaks; they are a direct response to years of scrutiny, fan frustration, and the desire to evolve the sport without irr...
Club football was put on hold for over two weeks when players traveled to represent their countries in the Nations League and 2026 World Cup qualifications.
While many will welcome the end of this brief hiatus, the international break provided plenty of drama and discussion points.
Here are four major takeaways from the final international break of the 2024/25 season.
Myles Lewis-Skelly has a dream England debut.
The teenager opened the scoring for the Three Lions, latching onto a brilliant pass from Jude Bellingham and slotting home to become England's youngest player to score on his professional debut.
Lewis-Skelly's historic 20th-minute strike also set the tone for England's 2-0 victory at Wembley Stadium, giving new manager Thomas Tuchel a successful debut.
At 18 years and 176 days old, the Arsenal prodigy smashed an almost decade-old record established by Marcus Rashford.
Lewis-Skelly became the youngest player to score on his senior England debut since the Manchester United star, who was on loan at Aston Villa in 2016, when he scored against Australia at the age of 18 and 209 days.
Raul Jimenez's brace helps Mexico win its first-ever CONCACAF Nations League title.
While West Ham United's Edson Alvarez donned the armband, the focus was squarely on his Fulham counterpart, who led Mexico to a close victory over Panama.
Jimenez opened the score eight minutes in, but Javier Aguirre's team was pegged back on the stroke of halftime when Adalberto Carrasquilla converted a penalty.
However, Jimenez delivered the ultimate blow with a penalty two minutes into stoppage time.
Jimenez has come a long way since a devastating head injury ended his career at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The 33-year-old is currently 13 goals away from breaking Javier Hernandez's Mexican record of 52 goals.
Japan was the first team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
The Asian powerhouse advanced to the final after going undefeated in eight of six games (D2).
Despite starting on the bench, Crystal Palace's Daichi Kamada took the spotlight.
Only three minutes into his cameo, the 28-year-old broke the deadlock with a wonderful dinked finish, unlocking a tenacious Bahrain defence that refused to give anything away.
Takefusa Kubo of Real Sociedad, who set up Kamada for the opener, then sealed the victory late in the game, making Japan's remaining games meaningless.
Japan's subsequent game against Saudi Arabia ended in a goalless tie. They will finish the qualifying campaign with matches against Australia and Indonesia.
Bad news for Nottingham Forest as Chris Wood sustains an injury on international service.
The 32-year-old is one of the Premier League's most dangerous strikers. He is now fourth in the Goals Rankings, having scored 18 times for the Tricky Trees.
Only Manchester City's Erling Braut Haaland, Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, and Newcastle United's Alexander Isak have more goals than Forest's No. 9.
Wood continued his momentum on international service with New Zealand, scoring a hat-trick in a 7-0 victory over Fiji.
However, he sustained a hip injury in New Zealand's subsequent 3-0 triumph over New Caledonia, leaving his club concerned about his long-term fitness.
Wood has already been ruled out of this weekend's FA Cup quarter-final against Brighton and Hove Albion.
With nine Premier League games left this season, Forest cannot afford to lose their talisman if they are to qualify for the Champions League.
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