Lionel Messi has brought his international career to an end. The 39-year-old, whose Inter Miami contract runs until 2028, confirmed on Monday that his highly successful journey with Argentina was over after more than two decades. Messi had been reflecting on his future in the sport following the death of his father, Jorge, earlier this […]
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Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho has expressed unease over September’s extended three-week international window and the length of time his squad members will spend away from the club. “The international period is a concern for me,” Mourinho said. “Three weeks is a considerable amount of time.” Ahead of Sunday’s La Liga home fixture against […]
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Chelsea have completed the transfer of Argentina international Valentín Barco from affiliated club Strasbourg, handing him a seven-year contract. The 22-year-old featured seven times for Brighton, making six of those appearances in the Premier League during the 2023-24 campaign. He is the eighth player recruited since Xabi Alonso took charge. Barco primarily operates at left-back […]
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Chelsea have completed the signing of Italian midfielder Giulia Dragoni from Barcelona on a four-year deal. The 19-year-old played for Roma on loan during the previous two seasons, while Chelsea monitored her development for several years. Dragoni has earned 24 appearances for Italy since making her senior international debut at 16 and has also competed […]
Continue ReadingThe opening international window of the 2026-27 men’s football calendar will be extended by a week, as the usual October pause has been eliminated. Previously, the governing body scheduled five main international periods throughout the campaign. These were all two-week intervals placed in March, June, September, and November. Going forward, there will instead be a […]
Continue ReadingAston Villa have secured the signing of Japanese goalkeeper Akane Okuma, pending the necessary visa documentation. The 21-year-old moves to the Women’s Super League team from INAC Kobe Leonessa in Japan, where she had been playing since 2024. Okuma launched her professional journey at JEF United Chiba. Having played for Japan’s youth sides, she was […]
Continue ReadingManuel Neuer (Germany, 40) His World Cup journey began in 2010, culminating in a championship victory four years later. Germany’s fortunes have since dwindled, and a penalty shootout loss to Paraguay brought the goalkeeper’s international tenure to a close. He had stepped away after Euro 2024 but chose to return shortly before this competition. “Despite […]
Continue ReadingLondon City Lionesses have landed French striker Kadidiatou Diani on a three-year contract in a deal valued at over £500,000. The 31-year-old revealed her exit from continental powerhouse Lyon on Monday, despite still having twelve months left on her existing agreement. London City had been in deep negotiations for a number of weeks and, though […]
Continue Reading“Neymar’s consolation penalty against Norway at the World Cup means his first international goal, scored on his first cap, was in the same stadium (MetLife) as his last international goal on his final cap,” writes Griffin Cant. “Are there any other players who have bookended their international career in a similar way?” More than 77,000 […]
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