List of All Articles with Tag 'ball'

Basketball star Russell Westbrook has revealed he is a part of the consortium led by 49ers Enterprises which is poised to take full ownership of Leeds. Los Angeles Clippers point guard Westbrook, who won the NBA’s most valuable player award in 2017, has followed American golfers Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas in becoming a minor stakeholder in Leeds. Westbrook, according to Forbes the 14th highest-paid athlete in the world, said he had invested in the Yorkshire club at a sports and entertainment summit held by Sportico. The 34-year-old said: “I was lucky enough to have conversations with some of the partners in this deal, who already have ownership, the 49ers. “So I was lucky enough to talk through that with friends, talking with my business partner as well about different things and having conversations, figuring out if this was the right deal and how we could make it different.” Westbrook, who signed with the Clippers from the Los Angeles Lakers in February, is a nine-time NBA All-Star. Three-time major winner Spieth has confirmed he and Thomas had become minority stakeholders in Leeds earlier this week, but fellow golfer Rickie Fowler pulled out of a deal when the club were relegated from the Premier League in May. Leeds’ joint-owners 49ers Enterprises, the financial arm of NFL franchise San Francisco 49ers, have bought former chairman Andrea Radrizzani’s majority 56 per cent shareholding. The English Football League is currently carrying out its owners and directors test before it sanctions the 49ers’ full takeover.

What the papers say Barcelona are reportedly considering making a move for Thiago Alcantara. The Daily Mail, citing Spanish outlet Sport, says the Spanish giants are eager to reunite with the Liverpool midfielder, with club bosses at Anfield believed to be willing to listen to offers for the 32-year-old. Alcantara came up through Barcelona’s youth system and made 68 appearances for the first team. The Mail also reports that Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad are preparing a bid for Reds midfielder Fabinho. Via The Athletic, the paper says the offer would be worth £40million, with any decision on a potential transfer likely to happen quickly. Meanwhile, Liverpool may be in the market for Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia. According to the Daily Mirror, manager Jurgen Klopp is leading the charge for the 19-year-old, who has also attracted interest from Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea. And the Daily Mail says Aston Villa are circling a bid for 22-year-old Nottingham Forest forward Brennan Johnson. Social media round-up Players to watch Riyad Mahrez: The Athletic reports Saudi Arabian club Al Ahli are preparing a £30m offer for the Manchester City winger. Moussa Diaby: Aston Villa have made a formal approach for the Bayer Leverkusen winger, says Sky Sports Germany. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Ella Toone says her superb goal helping England triumph in the Euro 2022 final is “still a pinch-me moment” – and the kind of feeling she wants more of as she heads into her first World Cup nearly a year on. Substitute Toone opened the scoring in the Wembley showdown against Germany with a wonderful lofted effort en route to the 2-1 victory that gave the Lionesses their first ever major trophy. The 23-year-old Manchester United midfielder told the PA news agency: “It’s still a pinch-me moment – I still sometimes don’t think it’s sunk in. “But the best feeling I’ve had in football, and one that I want to make sure I have over and over again. “I’ve had that feeling of what winning is like and I definitely want to make sure that throughout my career I make sure I win more trophies.” Toone is now preparing for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand that gets under way next Thursday, with Sarina Wiegman’s team opening their campaign two days later by facing Haiti in Brisbane. Having come off the bench in each match during the Euros – most often for Fran Kirby, who has been ruled out of the World Cup by a knee injury – Toone has started 10 of 12 England fixtures since, and been a key member of a United outfit that achieved club-best finishes as runners-up in the Women’s Super League and FA Cup. On her potential role at this tournament, Toone said: “I’m not putting too much pressure on myself and I’ll make sure whatever role Sarina asks of me I give 100 per cent, whether that’s starting or coming off the bench, I’ll make sure I’m ready for that. “I think since the Euros I’ve just wanted to keep improving as a player and keep working hard. “I know I have a lot of stuff that I need to keep working hard on, but I’m definitely ready to get out onto the world stage. It’s something I’ve dreamed of as a little girl, so I need to make sure I enjoy every minute of it.” Somebody Toone has had alongside her for the highs of the past year at international and club level, and many experiences prior to that, is Alessia Russo, the player she describes as her “best friend”. I'm definitely ready to get out onto the world stage. It's something I've dreamed of as a little girl. Ella Toone Striker Russo, another effective England substitute last summer that has been a regular starter since, is no longer Toone’s United team-mate, having left to join Arsenal earlier this month. Regarding Russo’s departure from United, Toone said: “I think for both of us our focus is on the World Cup and stepping out there together, hopefully playing there together. “It is what it is. It’s football and people move on. No matter what, I know we will be friends for life. Whatever Alessia does I want her to do the best in.” The pair have known each other for some time, with Toone saying: “We started our journeys off aged 14 at England camps, we went through all the age groups together, and then we stepped out at the Euros together and won that. “We lived together for a bit, it was more in Covid times. We couldn’t get rid of each other! “It makes it 100 per cent better – not many people can say they’ve achieved some of the best things in life with their best friends. “So it’s definitely been nice to share all those special memories together, and to see where we were and where we’re at now and what we’ve achieved is amazing.” After starting their bid for World Cup glory with the Haiti match, England – also without skipper Leah Williamson and Beth Mead at the tournament due to ACL injuries – will face Denmark and then China in Group D. “I think for us it’s going out there, inspiring the next generation and making the nation proud,” Toone said. “We know we have a big target on our backs after the summer but we thrive off that pressure and we’ll just make sure we go out there, enjoy ourselves and believe in ourselves and see what happens.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Novak Djokovic looks to hold off new generation on men’s semi-final day Ireland’s Kathryn Dane happy to ‘see all the light’ after recovering from stroke England seamer Ollie Robinson says he is ‘100 per cent fit’ for fourth Test

New Eagles defensive lineman Jalen Carter's past got dredged up again in a lawsuit filed by a woman who survived the January car crash.In the days leading up to the NFL Draft, then-Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman Jalen Carter was one of the most controversial rookies on the board due to ...

As a result of a lingering knee injury that could cost Lonzo Ball his career, the Bulls have applied for the Disabled Player Exception worth $10.2 million.It has been nearly a year and a half since Lonzo Ball played his last game for the Chicago Bulls. At only 25 years old, he has had to undergo...

Predicting the preseason AP Top 25 college football rankings for 2023 with Alabama nearly out of the Top 5, Florida State and USC surging, and more.The Georgia Bulldogs are entering a quest for a 3-peat, Caleb Williams is looking for Playoff glory with the USC Trojans as he aims to become the se...

Dele Alli has revealed he was sexually abused at the age of six and was dealing drugs two years later – while a recent fight against a sleeping pill addiction led to a six-week stay at a rehab clinic. The Everton midfielder has seen his football career stall in recent seasons but has now spoken about the reasons behind a mental health battle that saw him contemplate hanging up his boots at the age of 24. In an emotional interview, the Everton midfielder and former England international, now 27, fought back tears as he laid bare his difficult upbringing before he was adopted by the Hickford family. Alli also told Gary Neville in The Overlap podcast, in partnership with Sky Bet, that he only came out of rehab last month as he struggled with his mental health. The 37-cap England star, who spent last season on loan at Turkish side Besiktas, said: “When I came back from Turkey, I came in and I found out that I need an operation and I was in a bad place mentally. “I decided to go to like a modern-day rehab facility for mental health. They deal with like addiction, mental health, and trauma because it was something that I felt like it was time for. “I think with things like that, you can’t be told to go there. I think you have to know, and you have to make the decision yourself, otherwise it’s not going to work.” Alli – a key part of the England side that reached the 2018 World Cup semi-finals – also laid bare the sickening abuse he received as a child, saying he was “molested” at the age of six. “(Childhood) is something I haven’t really spoken about that much, to be honest,” he said. “I was sent to Africa (to stay with his father) to learn discipline, and then I was sent back. At seven, I started smoking, eight I started dealing drugs. “An older person told me that they wouldn’t stop a kid on a bike, so I rode around with my football, and then underneath I’d have the drugs, that was eight. Eleven, I was hung off a bridge by a guy from the next estate, a man. “Twelve, I was adopted – and from then, it was like – I was adopted by an amazing family like I said, I couldn’t have asked for better people to do what they’d done for me. If God created people, it was them. “There were a number of times my adopted family and my brother – you know, it makes me sad – they would take me to rooms crying, asking me to just speak to them, tell them what I’m thinking, how I’m feeling, and I just couldn’t do it because I wanted to deal with it by myself.” After signing for Tottenham from MK Dons, Alli enjoyed a fine run of form that culminated in playing a key role in England’s progress to the World Cup semi-finals in 2018. But he was still battling in silence off the pitch – leading to a “scary” addiction to sleeping pills and a reliance on alcohol. “I got addicted to sleeping tablets and it’s probably a problem that not only I have, I think it’s something that’s going around more than people realise in football,” he said. “I think, without me realising it – the things I was doing to numb the feelings I had...I didn’t realise I was doing it for that purpose, whether it be drinking or whatever. “I don’t want to talk about numbers but it was definitely way too much, and there were some scary moments I had. “To take a sleeping tablet and be ready for the next day is fine, but when you’re broken as I am, it can obviously have the reverse effect because it does work for the problems you want to deal with. “That is the problem – it works until it doesn’t. So yes, I definitely abused them too much. It is scary, now I’m out of it and I look back on it. “Probably the saddest moment for me, was when (Jose) Mourinho was (Tottenham) manager, I think I was 24. I remember there was one session, like one morning I woke up and I had to go to training – this is when he’d stopped playing me – and I was in a bad place. “I mean it sounds dramatic but I was literally staring in the mirror – and I was asking if I could retire now, at 24, doing the thing I love. For me, that was heartbreaking to even have had that thought at 24, to want to retire. That hurt me a lot, that was another thing that I had to carry.” Alli said that he had largely been able to mask his difficulties during his football career but to the detriment of his mental health. He added: “To be honest, I was caught in a bad cycle. I was relying on things that were doing me harm and, yeah, I think I was waking up every day and I was winning the fight, you know, going into training, smiling, showing that I was happy. “But inside, I was definitely losing the battle and it was time for me to change it because when I got injured and they told me I needed surgery, I could feel the feelings I had when the cycle begins and I didn’t want it to happen anymore. “So, I went there [rehab], I went there for six weeks and Everton were amazing about it, you know. They supported me 100 per cent and I’ll be grateful to them forever.” Dele Alli was speaking to Gary Neville on a special episode of The Overlap in partnership with Sky Bet. Read More Five powerful revelations from Dele Alli’s emotional interview Addicted players urged to contact PFA after Dele Alli’s ‘scary’ pill revelation Dele Alli labels Mauricio Pochettino the ‘best’ manager of his career ‘Powerful and brave’: Dele Alli praised for interview about abuse and addiction Lionesses bonus row could drag on until after World Cup Kai Havertz, Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber – this is Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal now

He did not hold back.

Former Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has revealed he wanted to sign Declan Rice, believing the Arsenal-bound midfielder could have been the Blues’ long-term captain. Former Chelsea academy player Rice, who has since gone on to establish himself as an England regular under Gareth Southgate, captained West Ham to Europa Conference League glory last month ahead of his expected move to north London. Lampard, who managed Chelsea between 2019 and 2021 before returning for a stint as caretaker boss earlier this year, told the Diary of a CEO podcast: “I wanted to bring in Declan Rice. “I was like ‘this kid is going to be the captain of Chelsea for the next 10 years’. It didn’t happen, anyway, it is hard to dissect people’s work.” Lampard returned to the club as interim manager in April after Chelsea sacked Graham Potter but only managed one win in his 10 games in charge as the Blues finished 12th. Chelsea’s record goalscorer referred to the troubles he experienced with the oversized squad he inherited after the £600million-plus investment from Todd Boehly’s Clearlake Capital consortium since 2022. Lampard added: “The biggest thing about the low standards was the size of the squad. The motivation was tough with players outside the Champions League squad. “When I came in, very quickly I noticed that some players were thinking about the season’s going to peter out and what the future’s going to look like and that was a difficult situation. “When you have international players in a big number then of course you’re telling internationals to stay at home and it’s not easy, and to have the conversation with them every Friday and to get them lined up coming in is also not easy for your own energy. “I think there’s an understanding at the club that (squad size) has to change now, I think it has to change and if you lack those basics then it’s really hard to get where you want to get to.” I think it has to change and if you lack those basics then it's really hard to get where you want to get to Frank Lampard talks about Chelsea's squad on the Diary of a CEO podcast Chelsea have since appointed Mauricio Pochettino as their new manager and have streamlined their bloated squad by selling eight first-team players ahead of their pre-season tour to the United States. Lampard talked up Mason Mount, who is among those to have left Stamford Bridge this summer, signing for Manchester United earlier this month. “I think it’s a great signing,” Lampard said. “So in terms of what he’ll bring to Manchester United, it won’t just be what Mason brings, he will bring loads of talent, but he’s just going to go and (raise) the levels.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Andy Murray ‘will be devastated with Wimbledon exit – but can still win titles’ Ashley Young excited to work with Sean Dyche at Everton Chloe Kelly knows every England player needs to be ready at World Cup

Dele Alli has revealed he was sexually abused at the age of six and was dealing drugs two years later – while a recent fight against a sleeping pill addiction led to a six-week stay at a rehab clinic. The Everton midfielder has seen his football career stall in recent seasons but has now spoken on the reasons behind a mental health battle that saw him contemplate hanging up his boots at the age of 24. In an emotional interview, the England international fought back tears as he laid bare his difficult upbringing before he was adopted by the Hickford family – saying he was “molested” at the age of six. Speaking to Gary Neville on The Overlap podcast in partnership with Sky Bet, Alli said: “(Childhood) is something I haven’t really spoken about that much, to be honest. “My mum was an alcoholic. I was sent to Africa (to stay with his father) to learn discipline, and then I was sent back. At seven, I started smoking, eight I started dealing drugs. “Eleven, I was hung off a bridge by a guy from the next estate. Twelve, I was adopted – and from then, I was adopted by an amazing family – I couldn’t have asked for better people to do what they’d done for me. If God created people, it was them. “There were a number of times my adopted family and my brother – you know, it makes me sad – they would take me to rooms crying, asking me to just speak to them, tell them what I’m thinking, how I’m feeling, and I just couldn’t do it because I wanted to deal with it by myself.” After signing for Tottenham from MK Dons, Alli enjoyed a fine run of form that culminated in playing a key role in England’s progress to the World Cup semi-finals in 2018. But Alli was still battling in silence off the pitch – leading to a “scary” addiction to sleeping pills and a reliance on alcohol. “I got addicted to sleeping tablets and it’s probably a problem that not only I have, I think it’s something that’s going around more than people realise in football,” he said. “I think, without me realising it – the things I was doing to numb the feelings I had…I didn’t realise I was doing it for that purpose, whether it be drinking or whatever. “I don’t want to talk about numbers but it was definitely way too much, and there were some scary moments I had. “To take a sleeping tablet and be ready for the next day is fine, but when you’re broken as I am, it can obviously have the reverse effect because it does work for the problems you want to deal with. “That is the problem – it works until it doesn’t. So yes, I definitely abused them too much. It is scary, now I’m out of it and I look back on it. “Probably the saddest moment for me, was when (Jose) Mourinho was (Tottenham) manager, I think I was 24. I remember there was one session, like one morning I woke up and I had to go to training – this is when he’d stopped playing me – and I was in a bad place. “I mean it sounds dramatic but I was literally staring in the mirror – and I was asking if I could retire now, at 24, doing the thing I love. For me, that was heart-breaking to even have had that thought at 24, to want to retire. That hurt me a lot, that was another thing that I had to carry.” I definitely abused them too much. It is scary, now I’m out of it and I look back on it Dele Alli on his sleeping pill addiction Having left Spurs for Everton in 2022, Alli spent last season on loan at Besiktas but upon returning to England with an injury that required surgery he knew he needed help, checking into a clinic in the United States. “When I came back from Turkey, I came in and I found out that I needed an operation and I was in a bad place mentally and I decided to go to like a modern-day rehab facility for mental health,” he said. “I was caught in a bad cycle. I was relying on things that were doing me harm and I think I was waking up every day and I was winning the fight, you know; going into training, smiling, showing that I was happy. “But inside, I was definitely losing the battle and it was time for me to change it because when I got injured and they told me I needed surgery, I could feel the feelings I had when the cycle begins and I didn’t want it to happen any more. “They deal with like addiction, mental health, and trauma because it was something that I felt like it was time for. “I think with things like that, you can’t be told to go there, I think you have to know, and you have to make the decision yourself, otherwise it’s not going to work. “I went there for six weeks and Everton were amazing about it. They supported me 100 per cent and I’ll be grateful to them forever…I was probably making the biggest decision of my life – something I was scared to do. “But I’m happy I’ve done it and to be honest, I couldn’t of expected it to go the way it did.” Alli has received support online from former team-mates including Jan Vertonghen and Harry Kane. England captain Kane tweeted: “Proud of @dele_official for speaking out and sharing his experience to try and help others.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live FIFA bans Cristiano Ronaldo’s club Al Nassr from registering new players Chloe Kelly knows every England player needs to be ready at World Cup Para-triathlete Mel Nicholls dreaming of success at Paris 2024

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr have been banned from registering new players due to “outstanding debts”, FIFA has said. Former Manchester United and Real Madrid star Ronaldo moved to the Middle East in January, with a host of star names having followed since as the kingdom seeks to build the Saudi Pro League into one of the world’s best. However, FIFA has now imposed a ban on the club’s transfer activity. A spokesperson for the global governing body said: “The club Al Nassr is currently prevented from registering new players due to outstanding debts. “The relevant bans will be lifted immediately upon the settlement of the debts being confirmed by the creditors concerned.” Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which has an estimated net worth of over 600 billion US dollars (almost £460bn) bought a majority stake in Al Nassr as well as three other Saudi clubs in June. The club have further strengthened their squad with the signing of Croatian midfielder Marcelo Brozovic from Inter Milan. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Stars of the upcoming Women’s World Cup have pledged to neutralise the climate impact of their flights to and from Australia and New Zealand by donating money to climate resilience and carbon offsetting initiatives. A collection of 44 leading players from four different countries, including Danish international Sofie Junge Pedersen, Canadian midfielder Jessie Fleming and Italian defender Elena Linari, have committed to take responsibility for their environmental impact at the tournament. The initiative was created by 31-year-old Pedersen, who has won 85 caps for Denmark, and is being facilitated by Common Goal, the social and environmental collective movement in global football, and Football For Future, the UK-based climate advocacy group. Although there are 44 players currently signed up, it is hoped that number will reach at least 50 by the time the World Cup gets underway later this month. Pedersen explained: “I want to ensure my World Cup experience has a positive environmental legacy. Climate change is the biggest issue humanity faces, and I want to be part of the solution. While there are no current sustainable solutions to aviation, as players we are setting an example, and taking a tangible step in the right direction.” Chelsea and Canada star Fleming added: “This is a topic I feel passionate about, and I hope this action my teammates and I are taking accelerates the climate conversation and sets a precedent for what athletes can do to push for more environmental policies in football.” The campaign recognises that these donations are only short-term tools to compensate for players’ flights to and from the World Cup but the stated aim is to inspire everyone in football to take responsibility for tackling climate change, with the hope that governing bodies will make carbon-offsetting a key criteria to hosting tournaments int he future. The campaign relies on a rigorous and scientific methodology to calculate the environmental impact of the players’ flights to and from the World Cup, directly referencing the flight’s carbon tonnage. The players will then donate the money to a combination of climate resilience, carbon offsetting and adaptation initiatives run by WWF (Australia, New Zealand) and DanChurchAid. These initiatives are based in Australia, New Zealand, and Uganda. Read More Lionesses bonus row could drag on until after World Cup Sam Kerr ready for her ‘Cathy Freeman moment’ at Women’s World Cup ACL injuries are keeping stars out of the Women's World Cup