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For a footballer who has been voted the best player in the Bundesliga in one season and the Premier League in two more, Kevin De Bruyne could be forgiven for feeling a bit undervalued and underappreciated. Not by his peers, however, but by his family. It transpires he is not even the most popular player in the De Bruyne household. His seven-year-old son, Mason, had a kickabout on the Etihad Stadium pitch with his favourite footballer as Manchester City celebrated their Premier League title win. It wasn’t his father. He prefers the man with 52 goals, Erling Haaland, to the one with 28 assists, his dad. "It is not a problem,” said De Bruyne. “All three children have long hair. Erling is a superstar. I see that with the kids at [their] school too. They all have hair like that. It's funny. My children have all become interested in football this year. They attend more games. They are also starting to play football themselves. My eldest in particular is starting to realise a little more what is going on. He wants to come to games more. He came to see Bayern. He begins to experience and enjoy it more. As long as they like it, it's okay." All of which was a characteristically unflustered response. De Bruyne’s first Champions League final ended abruptly when he was clattered by Antonio Rudiger, leaving him with a broken nose and fractured eye socket. Another might have talked of revenge or lucklessness. Not De Bruyne. “I don't look at what happened two years ago with bad feelings. You go on, you move on,” he said. It is why he has been City’s down-to-earth superstar. Asked what is different from 2021, he gave a grounded response. “I have a daughter now. So that’s a change,” he said. He marked their FA Cup win last weekend by going home, looking after his children for a couple of days and playing football and games with them. “My wife had to do some stuff somewhere else,” he shrugged. Winning the Champions League, he smiled, would be a relief because he would no longer have to face questions if his career was complete without it. He can be eminently reasonable about it. “I always want to give the best Kevin on the field,” he rationalised. “I know that sometimes things go less and sometimes better. But as I say: we want to win everything, but it is also not possible to win everything.” And yet, irritating and repetitive as some of the questions may be, there is a point. For an astonishingly successful player, arguably the finest in both City and Belgium’s greatest teams, De Bruyne has been denied the very biggest prizes. Belgium’s golden generation almost certainly won’t win anything now, their disastrous World Cup seeming to bring an era to an end. Meanwhile De Bruyne may now be the best footballer of his generation who has not won the Champions League. Of the top 10 finishers in last year’s Ballon d’Or voting, seven have done it. There is plenty of time for Kylian Mbappe and Haaland, still both in their early twenties. De Bruyne turns 32 this month. He is the exception. He often is: the 2021 top 10 consisted of seven Champions League winners, Mbappe, Gianluigi Donnarumma, named player of the tournament in Euro 2020, and De Bruyne. The Belgian can be animated when arguing with Pep Guardiola during games – “moments between competitive persons… I don’t see a problem with that” – but his overall outlook is rather calmer. “I’m happy with the way that I am,” he said. “Obviously I know it will help whatever people say about me and the team. It doesn’t put me in bad or good places. I’ve been here eight years and it’s been incredible. Could I come here and think about all the amount of games and trophies we would win in eight years? Probably not.” That sense of perspective might be an asset. De Bruyne has won the Premier League five times in six seasons. He is not about to say it is too many, but there is a routine feel to it. He recognises it is a strange kind of normal. “I think that we are getting a bit used to the success that we are experiencing now,” he said. “Maybe that's a bit of a pity. But I think, eventually when my career is over, there will be times when I look back on things that have been accomplished.” Which is a lengthy list. But the immediate focus is on what could be accomplished. De Bruyne is the sole survivor of City’s first Champions League semi-final, under Manuel Pellegrini in 2016. Seven years on, he is the constant, Haaland the exciting newcomer who has captured his children’s imagination. But perhaps a Haaland winner in the Champions League final would suit both Mason and Kevin de Bruyne. Read More How to cure ‘City-itis’? Pep Guardiola has new template to end Champions League woe First golf, now football? Saudi Arabia’s grand plan and the 72 hours that changed everything Kyle Walker recalls ‘tough’ memory and reveals three teams Man City want to emulate

Pep Guardiola was back in an old haunt and he wanted a picture to mark the occasion. He roped in an old friend. It was in the Allianz Arena in Munich and he had Manchester City’s CEO Ferran Soriano alongside him. City’s run of nine consecutive victories had actually ended but a 1-1 draw against Bayern Munich had clinched a 4-1 aggregate triumph. Even for a man who has achieved as much as Guardiola, it was worth getting a memento. Guardiola had three seasons with Bayern, reaching the Champions League semi-finals in each. He has spent much of his seven years at City arguing that the aristocracy of European football have an inherent advantage in the Champions League, some kind of institutional memory that clicks in. City’s possible route to glory now is paved with the past: Bayern in the last eight, the 14-time winners Real Madrid in the last four, Inter Milan in the final. Whether Helenio Herrera, Sandro Mazzola and Giacinto Facchetti will prove much of an advantage in Istanbul remains to be seen. Study the last 12 years, after all, and Inter, with a solitary previous quarter-final appearance, are the rank outsiders on Saturday. But perhaps City have always seen themselves as the outsiders who are desperate to be part of the club: the club of European Cup winners. When Guardiola has said he would rather win the Premier League than the Champions League, or that it is harder to – and he has made both claims over the years – it has scarcely rung true. There are many City supporters who would rather get the better of Manchester United than clubs from Milan, Munich or Madrid, but for manager and hierarchy alike, it has felt like the holy grail. It has been 15 years since Sheikh Mansour’s takeover, 12 since the modern City made their Champions League bow. There are two pertinent comparisons among suddenly moneyed clubs: Chelsea who – unlike the City of 2008 – were already in Europe’s elite competition when bought and who, after a similar assortment of agonising near-misses, won the Champions League nine years into a new regime; and Paris Saint-Germain, who reached the final the year before City but have otherwise been the wrong sort of role models. The serial French champions have five last-16 exits in the last seven seasons; since signing Lionel Messi, they have not reached the quarter-finals. Their emphasis on superstars, on buying success, has been thoroughly discredited. City have taken another approach. Indeed, an examination of its pillars – hiring and supporting a world-class manager, having a defined style of play with a clear commitment to teamwork, astute recruitment over several seasons and an environment where footballers improve – would seem the basis of a Champions League-winning campaign; it was for Liverpool in 2019, after all. And yet recent years have seen other methods prevail, whether mid-season managerial appointments like Roberto Di Matteo, Hansi Flick and Thomas Tuchel having an immediate impact or Real’s innate Realness, their preternatural sense of purpose that Guardiola feared, and amiable man-managers in Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane taking the trophy back to the Bernabeu. City, in contrast, accumulated years of hard-luck stories, near-misses and missteps under Guardiola, a strange combination of the away-goals rule, VAR, cruel late drama and “overthinking”, a narrative so established the Catalan references it, costing them. For City, 12 years of the Champions League divides into three phases and three reigns. There was the underachievement under Roberto Mancini, with two tough group-stage draws and a disappointing campaign followed by a disastrous one; in 2011-12, the Italian alleged Carlos Tevez refused to come off the bench in Munich, but the real nadir was a winless 2012-13; along with fraying relations with his players and employers, Mancini’s wretched record in Europe helped seal his fate. Manuel Pellegrini started the run of 10 successive appearances in the knockout stages. He twice beat Bayern in the group, twice lost to Barcelona in the last 16, when a flurry of City red cards hinted at defensive struggles amid over-attacking tactics and an inability to cope with the best, and once ended up apologising to the people of Sweden after an intemperate criticism of referee Jonas Eriksson. The first time City drew Barcelona it was in part because of an embarrassing miscalculation by Pellegrini: leading 3-2 at Bayern in the last group game, he took off Sergio Aguero without realising an extra goal would have seen City top the pool and avoid the favourites. Pellegrini later steered City to the previously uncharted waters of the semi-finals in 2016, only to go out with a whimper to Real; after being outclassed by Barcelona, it felt like a sign that an inferiority complex remained. But at least Pellegrini’s three Champions League exits were to La Liga’s duopoly. Guardiola’s first five were either to Ligue Un sides (Monaco in 2017 and Lyon three years later) or clubs who finished 25, 27 and 19 points below them in the Premier League in the respective seasons (Liverpool in 2018, Tottenham in 2019 and Chelsea in the 2021 final). Indeed, when comparatively unfancied sides overachieved in the Champions League, there was often a common denominator: they eliminated City en route. The “City-itis” former manager Joe Royle diagnosed in the 1990s – the sense that anything that could go wrong, would, and often in tragicomic circumstances – felt eradicated in the Premier League, but not the Champions League. There was the infamously disallowed Raheem Sterling “winner” against Tottenham – as Fernando Llorente’s hip-goal, with the suspicion the ball had brushed his hand, instead proved decisive; it also followed an Aguero penalty miss in the first leg. There were the two-goal leads City had and lost, to Monaco and then to Real last season. There was the Rodrygo double in the Bernabeu last term, with two goals in as many minutes. There was Liverpool’s destructive blitz of three goals in 19 minutes at Anfield and Guardiola’s self-destructive exit in the second leg, sent off for protesting about a Leroy Sane goal that was chalked off. There were more contentious calls: perhaps Moussa Dembele fouled Aymeric Laporte before he put Lyon 2-1 up. There was Kevin de Bruyne’s fractured nose and eye socket after Antonio Rudiger’s bloodcurdling challenge in Porto. There were the misses: Sterling against Lyon and against Chelsea, Jack Grealish against Real. There was the recurring theme of City getting caught on the counterattack: by Monaco, then Liverpool, then Spurs. There were the ever-present issues of Guardiola’s choices backfiring: Laporte at left-back and Ilkay Gundogan off the right wing at Anfield, De Bruyne on the bench away at Tottenham, no defensive midfielder versus Chelsea and, the worst of the lot, three centre-backs in an overly defensive team who faced Lyon. That was a one-off game and City have lost a lone two-legged tie in four seasons; even then, they were leading after 180 minutes – if not injury time – against Real. But Lyon can assume an almost disproportionate importance. City are unbeaten in 26 home Champions League games, scoring 85 goals; their last defeat was to Lyon. Otherwise, they have turned their groups into processions, topping the pool in their last six seasons. They have often been prolific: sometimes even in ties that brought their elimination. Arguably, over Guardiola’s seven seasons, they have had only had two remotely emphatic exits: to Lyon and Liverpool. Tales of what might have been have abounded. Yet, as rivals could point out, there is a still greater one. City were given a two-year Champions League ban by Uefa in February 2020, it was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport five months later because many of their alleged breaches of financial fair play were not established or time-barred; they had been previously sanctioned. The competition’s anthem has tended to be booed at the Etihad but an essential allegation – that funding from the club’s owners came disguised in inflated sponsorship deals – forms part of the case in the Premier League’s 115 charges against them. It is part of the backdrop. For some, theirs would be a tarnished triumph if they beat Inter. For others, it would be the culmination of an epic quest. There have been cases for arguing that City have been the best team in Europe at various points in recent years. They have never had that official status, however. Guardiola noted recently that, in the last three seasons, City have reached two finals and one semi-final; he could have added that they led for 178 minutes of that semi-final against Real. It is an admirable record, rendering them the most consistent side in continental competition in that time, but it will count for little without the ultimate prize. Now, for the second time, they are 90 minutes away. Now the survivor from their first Champions League game of the 21st century is not Aguero or David Silva but Edin Dzeko, a 37-year-old opponent on Saturday and a throwback to their past. Compared to their last final, they have gone from false nine – in De Bruyne – to genuine No 9, in Haaland, from the far west of Europe, in Porto, to the brink of Asia, in Istanbul. It is a curiously fitting venue. When City’s greatest team of the 20th century won the title in 1968, the charismatic, quotable assistant manager Malcolm Allison said they would “terrify the cowards of Europe”. City duly drew Fenerbahce in the first round of the European Cup, and went out. But perhaps, more than half a century later, Allison’s bravado will find a form of justification and, finally, City will be champions of Europe. Read More This FA Cup was more important than most – but Man City still need more Why has Saudi Arabia become big player in world sport and what does future hold? 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New Liverpool signing Alexis Mac Allister admits playing his part in Argentina’s World Cup victory gave him a taste for more trophies and he believes he will be able to fulfil that aim at Anfield. The 24-year-old’s arrival on a five-year contract signals the start of manager Jurgen Klopp’s much-vaunted midfield rebuild which will likely see further additions made this summer. A fee has not been disclosed but it is understood the Argentina international had a favourable release clause, which is reported to be as low as an initial £35million, inserted into the Brighton contract he only signed in October to avoid him leaving on a free at the end of the season. “Since I won the World Cup, I said that I want to win more trophies,” the midfielder told LFCTV. “I think this club will help me to do that. That’s the aim, and when you are at a big club like this one, you have to win trophies. That’s what I want. “It doesn’t matter which one. Of course, every player wants to win the Champions League and the Premier League, but I will do my best to help the team and try to win every trophy.” Mac Allister was on Liverpool’s radar prior to his move to the Seagulls in 2019 but the club felt his development was still in its early stages, although his versatility to play in several positions was a key factor in their interest. He became as a priority target ahead of the World Cup in Qatar, in which he played a significant part in Argentina’s victory, and Liverpool were keen to secure his services to avoid a bidding war having pulled out of the race to sign Borussia Dortmund’s Real Madrid-bound midfielder Jude Bellingham when he became too expensive. “We are adding a very talented, very smart, very technically skilled boy to our squad and this is super news. There is no pressure on him... our job is to help him take the next steps Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp Mac Allister said he was looking forward to working with one of the best managers in the world and Klopp was equally fulsome in his praise of the player. “We are adding a very talented, very smart, very technically skilled boy to our squad and this is super news, really it is,” Klopp said. “It is clear he is someone who can play in a number of positions in the midfield and is an all-rounder. He is calm and composed and someone with proper game intelligence. “I’m really happy his next steps will now be with us and we get to work with a player who is already excellent and experienced, but also has so much more to come given he is just 24 years old. “There is no pressure on him. He is still so young, so it is obvious he will only improve and our job is to help him take the next steps.” Mac Allister’s age and his career appearances (160) fit in with the demographics of some of the club’s most successful signings like Mohamed Salah, Virgil Van Dijk and Roberto Firmino and he represents the start of an overhaul of a midfield which lost James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain at the end of their contracts this season. The groundwork on the deal has been going on for some time as the club have a long-standing relationship with the player’s agent Juan Gemelli dating back to Philippe Coutinho’s transfer from Inter Milan in 2013. Departing sporting director Julian Ward pushed the deal to completion but has now handed over transfer business to his replacement Jorg Schmadtke. Liverpool have also been linked with Bayern Munich’s Ryan Gravenberch, Nice’s Khephren Thuram, Borussia Monchengladbach’s Manu Kone and Southampton’s Romeo Lavia and will be looking to get the majority of their business done early in time for the start of pre-season on July 8. Mac Allister’s departure may not be the last from Brighton with Moises Caicedo, a target for Arsenal in January, attracting more interest but the Seagulls’ Argentina international left with the club’s best wishes. “We are incredibly proud of Alexis and we are sad to see him go,” said chairman Tony Bloom. “He did something very special, becoming the first Brighton and Hove Albion player to win the World Cup, and was a key player in our best-ever season.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Jarrod Bowen: From Hereford and Hull to West Ham’s humble European hero Paul McGinley: PGA Tour players will feel like the losers out of golf merger Declan Rice set to leave West Ham after Europa Conference League success

Lionel Messi has confirmed the stunning news that he will join Inter Miami and move to the United States after leaving Paris Saint-Germain. The Argentine is now poised to become the latest superstar to feature in MLS. Rejecting reported offers from Saudi Arabia and a return to Barcelona, Messi is now ready to touch down in the Florida city for the final stages of what has been a glittering career. Messi may prove a transformative figure for the league just like Pele in the 1970s, with football now emerging as the second-most popular sport in the USA for participation at a pivotal moment in the build-up to the 2026 World Cup. Here’s everything we know about Messi’s impending move to Inter Miami: Why did Messi choose Inter Miami over Saudi Arabia and Barcelona? Lionel Messi said in an exclusive interview to Sport and Mundo Deportivo: “I’m going to join Inter Miami. The decision is 100% confirmed. “If it had been a matter of money, I’d have gone to Saudi Arabia or elsewhere. It seemed like a lot of money to me. The truth is that my final decision goes elsewhere and not because of money”. Messi reportedly rejected a deal from Saudi Arabia worth approximately $400m. While Barcelona, who faced FFP struggles in their attempt to bring Messi back to the Camp Nou, appeared upset at his decision to move to the United States, with a statement reading: “President Joan Laporta understood and respected Messi’s decision to want to compete in a league with fewer demands, further away from the spotlight and the pressure he has been subject to in recent years.” What is the deal Inter Miami are offering Messi? The exact terms of Messi’s new salary and the length of the contract are yet to be known. A report from Sport details Messi is due to sign a four-year contract, while another Spanish report claims his salary could be worth $54m per season. Regardless of the exact final figure, Messi is almost certain to become the highest-paid player in MLS, with Chicago Fire’s Xherdan Shaqiri currently the top earner on $8,153,000, according to Spotrac. Messi may also be handed a purchase option for part of an MLS team once he retires, in a similar manner to David Beckham’s contract with the LA Galaxy signed 16 years ago that allowed him to purchase Inter Miami. Who owns Inter Miami? Inter Miami is owned by David Beckham and Jorge Mas, an American businessman. Beckham had the option to purchase an MLS expansion team for $25m as part of his contract signed when playing for LA Galaxy. Beckham and the ownership team were awarded MLS’s 25th franchise in late January 2018. Why are Apple and Adidas involved? Apple and Adidas are involved in the deal, sources have told The Independent. Apple and MLS signed a 10-year, $2.5bn deal earlier this year and see Messi as a key player to expand interest in the league. Apple is especially invested in Messi, having made a four-part docuseries surrounding Messi’s five World Cup appearances, which will soon stream on Apple TV+. Adidas, meanwhile, a corporate sponsor of MLS, has looked into a profit-sharing agreement with Messi, sources tell The Independent, which will be aligned to any future increase in MLS-related sales linked to the player. The sportswear giant, which has sponsored Messi since 2006, has been tied to MLS since its inception in 1996 and will continue to supply kits to all 29 teams and provide the league’s official match ball until 2030 after penning a six-year, $830m extension. Who will be Messi’s new teammates? Messi's future teammates include Venezuelan forward Josef Martínez, the 2018 MLS golden boot winner. Former Newcastle defender DeAndre Yedlin and designated players Rodolfo Pizarro and Leonardo Campana will also line up alongside Messi. Reports suggested Messi would be joined by former Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba in Florida, but the Argentine has rejected those rumours. “It’s another of the things they said, that I was going with Busi and Jordi to Saudi Arabia, that we had everything arranged. I was obviously aware of them, what they were going to do, but we never agreed to go anywhere together,” Messi said. “I made my decision for myself and I don’t know what they’re going to do. I don’t have anything agreed with anyone.” When will Lionel Messi make his Inter Miami debut and how much will the tickets cost? Prices for rumoured Messi matches for Inter Miami have skyrocketed. Messi is due to join the club on 5 July, when the league’s secondary transfer window opens. Inter Miami will travel to D.C. United on 8 July but Messi is not guaranteed to play at Audi Field. That hasn’t stopped fans from taking a risk, with tickets for D.C.’s next league match at home to Real Salt Lake available on Ticketmaster (the club’s official ticketing partner) for as little as $29. But when Miami visit, the cheapest ticket is $186 without fees at the time of writing. More than 4,500 tickets have been sold since the announcement. A trip to St Louis on 15 July follows, with cup matches against Cruz Azul on 21 July and Atlanta on 25 July other potential options to watch the legendary player in action. A potential home MLS debut will likely have to wait until 20 August when Miami play Charlotte. Read More First golf, now football? 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Liverpool have completed the signing of World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton in the first step of Jurgen Klopp’s summer midfield overhaul. The Argentina international has signed a five-year contract at Anfield and is expected to be joined by further arrivals after the departures of James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Liverpool had to fight off interest from other clubs for Mac Allister and always intended to get some of their transfers done before pre-season, to give them more time to settle in. They believe the 24-year-old, who scored 10 Premier League goals as he helped Brighton to their highest-ever finish of sixth in the top flight, can occupy any of the three midfield positions in Klopp’s side. The midfielder told Liverpoolfc.com: “It feels amazing. It’s a dream come true, it’s amazing to be here and I can’t wait to get started. “I wanted to be in [from] the first day of pre-season, so it’s good that everything is done. I’m looking forward to meeting my teammates. “It was a fantastic year for me – World Cup, what we achieved with Brighton – but now it’s time to think about Liverpool and try to be a better player and a better human being every day. “Since I won the World Cup, I said that I want to win more trophies and I think that this club will help me to do that – that’s the aim and when you are in a big club like this one you have to win trophies. So, that’s what I want. “Since I arrived here, I can see how big this club is – the players we have, the staff, everyone. I’m really pleased and looking forward to playing for this club.” Liverpool had identified Mac Allister as a key target even before the World Cup, where he set up Angel Di Maria’s goal in the final against France, after first tracking him when he was still playing in South America. The deal was the last completed by outgoing director of football Julian Ward, with his successor Jorg Schamdtke now taking the lead in Liverpool’s transfer business, and was aided by the club’s long relationship with his agent Juan Gemelli, who was involved in Philippe Coutinho’s move to Anfield in 2013. Liverpool believe that Mac Allister, like Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Virgil van Dijk, had to fight his way to the top, rather than being fast-tracked, and have a history of successful signings of players aged between 23 and 25. Read More Supporter arrested at FA Cup final for wearing offensive Hillsborough T-shirt The year that sportswashing won: A season that changed football forever Liverpool appoint former Wolfsburg chief Jorg Schmadtke as sporting director Liverpool on the verge of signing Alexis Mac Allister to fill midfield void Broad brilliance and a statuesque striker – Thursday’s sporting social Liverpool appoint former Wolfsburg chief Jorg Schmadtke as sporting director

West Ham United players and staff will be recovering from the joy of winning their first major trophy for 43 years after beating Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final in what proved to be a dramatic night on and off the pitch in Prague. Jarrod Bowen’s 89th-minute goal gave the Hammers the most memorable of 2-1 wins, with celebrity supporters such as James Corden and Danny Dyer – whose daughter Dani is Bowen’s partner – celebrating the triumph. However, the match had earlier been marred when West Ham fans pelted Fiorentina captain Cristiano Biraghi with objects as he went to take a corner in the first half and left him bleeding from a gash in the back of his head. Hammers supporters then later clashed with riot police in Prague after setting off flares in celebration of victory, as a scuffle broke out after police officers tried to confiscate a lit flare in the Old Town area of the city. Riot police stormed a group after they lit a second flare, with fans responding by pelting the officers with bottles and missiles. Earlier in the day, Czech police said they had detained at least 16 Fiorentina fans after they attacked West Ham supporters outside a bar, with videos shared on social media showing chairs and fireworks being thrown. Follow all the latest news and reaction from West Ham’s European adventure below: Read More West Ham fans fight riot police in Prague after Europa Conference League win West Ham end trophy drought in most dramatic style as Jarrod Bowen plays the hero West Ham fans leave Fiorentina player bleeding after being hit by objects thrown from crowd

Chelsea’s owners insist they remain committed and optimistic about the future having appointed Mauricio Pochettino to turn things around following a terrible Premier League season. The consortium led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital has endured a torrid first 13 months in charge at Stamford Bridge after sacking Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter and failing to get any improvement from interim manager Frank Lampard in the final 11 matches of the campaign. Chelsea’s 12th-place finish was their worst since 1994 and, after spending more than £600million on transfers in their first two windows, the owners have come in for significant criticism But they are hopeful the appointment of former Tottenham and Paris St Germain boss Pochettino will get things back on track. “It’s been just over a year since we completed our purchase of Chelsea. It was and remains a privilege for us to be custodians of our wonderful club,” said the owners in an open letter. “We remain completely committed to the long term and sustainable success of our club and fulfilling that promise we made to you. “We know the huge potential we must grow to develop Chelsea FC and it is a role we take seriously. Everybody working here is relentlessly focused on driving us forward. “Clearly, for our men’s team, it has been a disappointing season and there is a lot we can and will do better. “For all the challenges of the past year, we are optimistic about the future. We are looking forward to welcoming Mauricio Pochettino as the head coach of our men’s team in July. “We are building a modern scouting, talent identification, and recruiting infrastructure within our sporting department, led by Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, which will help us to identify and transform the squad around elite talent, a squad capable of consistently competing to win the Premier League, raise domestic cups and compete and win at the highest level in European football. “We have also appointed Chris Jurasek as CEO to drive our business forward off the pitch, which in turn will make us more sustainable on the pitch.” While Chelsea men’s team have struggled this season, their women’s team continues to excel and the owners were full of praise for manager Emma Hayes. “Our women’s team has celebrated another astonishing season, winning the double with an unprecedented fourth successive WSL title and third successive FA Cup,” the letter continued. “There are not enough positive things to say about Emma Hayes, her backroom staff, and squad who have dealt with adversity, injury and Emma’s period of absence. “Their character and hunger to win is second to none.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live West Ham hero Jarrod Bowen says last-minute winner ‘best moment of my career’ Tony Cottee: West Ham face big decisions over Declan Rice and David Moyes future Football rumours: Newcastle join Manchester United in bid to sign Kim Min-jae

Former West Ham striker Tony Cottee admits the club face a summer of big decisions, with the futures of captain Declan Rice and manager David Moyes up in the air. The pair may have guided the Hammers to their first trophy for 43 years with Wednesday night’s Europa Conference League final victory, but Rice has been heavily linked with a move away while Moyes, who has faced criticism for his style of football, could be a contender for the vacant Celtic job. “It’s a big summer for the club. I think everyone will have to take a deep breath and we have to see what happens,” Cottee told talkSPORT. “I want Declan to stay and I think every single supporter wants him to stay but he will be sought after, he can go to any club in the world. “The club will have to make a decision. Give him whatever he wants, a six, seven-year contract. He is up there with Bobby Moore and Billy Bonds as the only player to lift a trophy.” Cottee said the person he was most pleased for in Prague was Moyes because of the scrutiny he has had. “He’s come in for a bit of stick from fans for his style of football,” he added. “Of course we want to play good football but do you want to play good football and lose 4-3 or do you want to win? “He’s earned the right to make the decision himself. Celtic will come calling I’m sure. He’s a great manager.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Jarrod Bowen admitted scoring the winning goal in a European final was beyond his wildest dreams. Bowen’s last-minute strike secured a dramatic 2-1 victory for West Ham over Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final and ended their 43-year wait for a trophy. The 26-year-old winger raced on to Lucas Paqueta’s through-ball and slotted home to spark wild celebrations on the pitch, the touchline and in the stands. “I can’t sum it up, it’s the best feeling I’ve had in my career,” said Bowen. “When I went through I had a lot of time and it was just about making sure you put it in. “The keeper came out and I think I fell over, I looked up and the ball was going in and I thought ‘no, this isn’t happening’. “I spoke to my family before and said ‘imagine scoring a goal in the last minute’. To bring a trophy to this club is the best moment of my career. “The fans as well, seeing them after the game I was a bit lost for words. It’s the best feeling of my life, never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d win a European trophy. “I’m so buzzing, all of us are just going to go mad I think. You have to celebrate. “When the final whistle went I just thought’ this party is going to be crazy. I’m just a little boy from Leominster who never thought I’d be talking like this. My family are crying and it just shows me how far I’ve come.” West Ham led through a Said Benrahma penalty on the hour but were immediately pegged back by Giacomo Bonaventura’s strike. But when Bowen raced through with a minute to go, boss David Moyes almost found himself going full Jose Mourinho. “The moment he went through I was edging down the touchline,” he said. “If it was going to be anyone, I thought ‘this is the moment’. “But I couldn’t do a full Mourinho knee slide as the grass was a bit dry and I’d have ended up on my belly.” The victorious team return home on Thursday for a parade through East London, starting at 7pm on Barking Road and ending in front of Stratford Town Hall. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Tony Cottee: West Ham face big decisions over Declan Rice and David Moyes future Football rumours: Newcastle join Manchester United in bid to sign Kim Min-jae On this day 2011: England’s Matt Prior reprimanded over smashed window at Lord’s

West Ham fans clashed with riot police in Prague after setting off flares as they celebrated winning the Europa Conference League on Wednesday night. Fans poured into the streets of the Czech capital following the Hammers’ victory over Fiorentina, with many already in the city centre after thousands of supporters travelled from the UK without tickets. But a scuffle broke out after police officers tried to confiscate a lit flare as fans gathered in the Old Town area of the city. Riot police stormed a group after they lit a second flare, with fans responding by pelting the officers with bottles and missiles. Earlier in the day Czech police said they had detained at least 16 Italian fans after they attacked West Ham supporters outside a bar, with videos shared on social media showing chairs and fireworks being thrown. Celebrations were initially good-natured after the match, with revellers hugging and kissing each other and dancing on tables in bars. Chants of “2-1 to the cockney boys” and “Irons” also broke out as the Londoners welcomed the club’s first trophy in more than 40 years. The final took place at the Fortuna Arena, which has a capacity of around 19,300, with West Ham receiving an official ticket allocation of 5,000, although many more travelled from the UK to be in the city during the game. Supporters watched in bars around the city, including a group who went wild at McCarthy’s Pub in the Old Town area from the moment Jarrod Bowen gave the team the lead in the final minute of the second half. West Ham fan Aaron, 18, said it felt “unreal” to win. “(I’ve) never felt like it in my life,” he said. He said his plan for the rest of the night was to “stumble back to the hotel”. “How we get there I don’t care,” he added. It came hours after West Ham fans were attacked by Italian supporters in the city centre, prompting police to detain 16 people. Czech police said three people were injured during the incident, with one police officer being attacked. One witness said fans of the Italian side were armed with “chains and belt buckles”. There was also controversy during the match as Cristiano Biraghi of Fiorentina was seen bleeding from the back of the head after he appeared to have been hit by an object thrown from the West Ham stand. Shortly before the end of the match, the English club put out a statement condemning the behaviour of a “small number of individuals”, adding: “These actions have no place in football, and do not in any way represent the values of our football club and the overwhelming majority of our supporters, who have behaved impeccably in Prague this week and throughout our last two seasons in European competition.” The club said it would work with police to review the incident and take action against offenders, including implementing lifetime bans. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Football rumours: Newcastle join Manchester United in bid to sign Kim Min-jae On this day 2011: England’s Matt Prior reprimanded over smashed window at Lord’s Denver stars rewrite the record books as Nuggets take series lead

There were two men running free in the Fiorentina half. First Jarrod Bowen, en route to winning West Ham United their first trophy in 43 years. And then David Moyes, sprinting on to the Prague pitch in celebration, arms stretched out wide. It was a run that was 25 years in the making, a journey that took him from the Auto Windscreens Shield to the Europa Conference League. Few clubs have waited longer for the emotional release of securing silverware. Few managers, either. It began in a derided knockout competition for Moyes, the Auto Windscreens where Preston North End, newly under a 34-year-old centre-back, faced Macclesfield in January 1998. A quarter of a century later and, in game No.1,097 of a marathon managerial career, Moyes had a major honour he could call his own. He had said credited Sir Alex Ferguson with the Community Shield his Manchester United claimed, perhaps thinking there would be further glory for him at Old Trafford. There wasn’t. But if Moyes has long been destined to be remembered as the man miscast as Ferguson’s successor, he has other places in footballing history. The best Everton manager since Howard Kendall is in select company. Like Ron Greenwood, like John Lyall but like no one else, Moyes has won something with, and for, West Ham. The ungainly, unglamorous figure bouncing up and down in front of their fans finally has the crowning glory he has long lacked. It may be ‘only’ the Conference League and West Ham’s resources perhaps dictate they ought to triumph, but Moyes had been the manager whose considerable achievements lacked that defining feat. He has ten top-eight finishes in the Premier League with either West Ham or Everton and if taking the Merseysiders to fourth in 2005 involved greater alchemy, the reality is that two clubs who used to have more hope of silverware now operate in an environment where the superpowers sweep up the prizes, even those they scarcely want. Successive European runs have shown what the medals mean to West Ham: for Moyes, sent off in the semi-final last year for rather ignominiously booting the ball at a ball-boy, there is a happier ending. The Scot had called this the biggest game of his career and, before the night finished, he was placing his medal around the neck of his 87-year-old father, David senior. He saw names being etched into West Ham folklore. Only Alan Sealey had scored the goal to win West Ham a European trophy until Bowen burst clear. Only Bobby Moore and Billy Bonds, their greatest player and record appearance maker, had captained them to silverware until Declan Rice, almost certainly in his valedictory act, joined an elite band. Rice will probably leave. For much of the season, there has been a debate if Moyes should, and for other reasons. West Ham underachieved in the Premier League, spending the best part of £200m, finishing 14th. The 60-year-old was taken aback last season when Jurgen Klopp informed him he was the oldest manager in the division and grateful when Roy Hodgson relieved him of that mantle; the more pertinent issue is whether he is deemed yesterday’s manager now. Certainly Fiorentina out-passed West Ham for swathes of the final. They looked the team with the more progressive ethos, the side with the manager, in Vincenzo Italiano, bound for better things. But Moyes’ management has always been based in part on grit and grind, on putting in hard work in hard times. It hasn’t always reaped a reward but West Ham stayed in the game. There weren’t VAR penalties or the Europa Conference League when Moyes started out in the Auto Windscreens Shield but Said Benrahma scored from the spot. Moyes had led in a final before – Louis Saha’s goal after 25 seconds in the 2009 FA Cup was a record until Saturday – and, when Giacomo Bonaventura cancelled out the opener, he could have been forgiven for having flashbacks to Chelsea’s comeback against Everton 14 years ago. But not this time. The Conference League was not actually created for Premier League or Serie A clubs but for Fiorentina and West Ham, starved of honours for two and four decades respectively, it had a purpose, a chance to create memories and Bowen did. And so on a night when a section of West Ham’s fans disgraced themselves, pelting Fiorentina captain Cristiano Biraghi with missiles, leaving him with blood running down his head and neck, their manager got the reward that had long eluded him. For much of Moyes’ quarter of a century, he has seen the major prizes go to the coaching Galacticos. He had been earned his peers’ approval, being voted the LMA’s manager of the year three times, but as he stood on the podium, tugging at the gold medal Aleksander Ceferin had placed around his neck, Moyes had something he had been searching for since over a thousand games ago. Read More West Ham fans leave Fiorentina player bleeding after being hit by objects thrown from crowd West Ham end trophy drought in most dramatic style as Jarrod Bowen plays the hero Violent clashes between West Ham and Fiorentina fans lead to arrests ahead of European final Carlton Cole on West Ham’s final, a coaching career and his surprise ‘love’ of the world’s most sustainable sport David Moyes hands over medal to his father after West Ham end wait for trophy West Ham end trophy drought in most dramatic style as Jarrod Bowen plays the hero West Ham vs Fiorentina LIVE: Europa Conference League final latest updates

Jarrod Bowen’s last-minute winner saw West Ham United end their 43-year wait for a trophy with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final. The Hammers won their first piece of silverware since 1980’s FA Cup, and a first European trophy since 1965, on a historic and emotional night in Prague. Yes, it may be only Europe’s third-tier competition, the one treated as an unwanted distraction by Tottenham, among others, in its inaugural form last season. But this is West Ham. The West Ham who routinely see relegation as an occupational hazard. The West Ham who made a song and dance of leaving their old stadium and an almighty hash of moving into the new one. The West Ham who had to go begging to their former manager to save them from the drop, 18 months after they got rid of him when he had done just that. Just nine weeks ago that same manager watched as the away fans unfurled a “Moyes Out” banner during a scratchy 1-0 win over Fulham, which likely saved his job. Now David Moyes has written his name in West Ham folklore, joining Ron Greenwood and John Lyall as trophy-winning Hammers managers. A place in next season’s Europa League means the club has qualified for Europe three campaigns in a row, for the first time. And what a way to sign off for Declan Rice, destined to leave this summer but with the legacy of becoming only the third captain, along with Bobby Moore and Billy Bonds, to lift silverware in the club’s 128-year history. The Hammers have given their fans, 5,000 of whom were – officially at least – in attendance and the 20,000 or so who just wanted to be in Prague for their first European final in 47 years, the ride of their lives. A campaign that began in August – three prime ministers ago – and has taken in trips to Denmark (twice), Belgium, Romania, Cyprus, Belgium again, and the Netherlands, finally culminated in a glory night in the Czech capital. West Ham’s supporters occupied at least two-thirds of the Eden Arena and could have sold out the 20,000-seater stadium three times over, so it was a shame to see hundreds of empty seats in the Fiorentina end. Their travelling support has been almost exclusively good-natured throughout the campaign, so it was also a shame to see West Ham fans throwing missiles onto the pitch at Fiorentina players. They were mainly plastic pint cups, but just before half-time at least one more sinister object left Fiorentina captain Cristiano Biraghi with a nasty cut on the back of his head, forcing referee Carlos Del Cerro Grande to briefly halt play while a message over the PA system implored the fans to stop throwing missiles. A Uefa inquest will surely follow. At the next Fiorentina corner, Christian Kouame’s header came back off a post and Luka Jovic prodded in the rebound, but to West Ham’s – and particularly goalkeeper Alphonse Areola’s – relief he was flagged offside. The Hammers occasionally threatened on the counterattack in a predictably cagey first half, but Michail Antonio’s low shot was saved by Pietro Terracciano and an effort from Rice from Vladimir Coufal’s half-cleared throw bounced wide. Del Cerro Grande had frustrated West Ham with some strange decisions, but not even the eccentric Spanish referee could turn down their appeals for a penalty on the hour after checking the pitchside monitor. The ball clearly hit Biraghi’s hand after Bowen controlled it with his chest, and Said Benrahma tucked the spot-kick high into the net in front of the Hammers’ faithful. But Fiorentina equalised just four minutes later when Nicolas Gonzalez won a header and the ball fell for Giacomo Bonaventura to control and fire between Rice and Nayef Aguerd into the far corner. They almost immediately took the lead but Rolando Mandragora steered his shot wide from in front of goal. But West Ham regained their composure and Tomas Soucek, back at the home ground of his former club Slavia Prague, was twice denied by Terracciano. Then came the big moment. Lucas Paqueta’s through-ball finally caught out Fiorentina’s high line and there was Bowen, scampering clear and slotting past Terracciano. Cue bedlam on the pitch, on the touchline and in the stands. The wait was over and West Ham could finally celebrate some silverware. Read More West Ham fans leave Fiorentina player bleeding after being hit by objects thrown from crowd Violent clashes between West Ham and Fiorentina fans lead to arrests ahead of European final West Ham fans take over Prague ahead of Europa Conference League final