List of All Articles with Tag 'sport'

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? Kyle Walker provides injury update after scare ahead of Champions League final A World Cup-winning striker and mean defence – Inter’s strengths and weaknesses Football rumours: Newcastle join Manchester United in bid to sign Kim Min-jae Jude Bellingham to become the eighth Brit to play for Real Madrid

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? Saudi Arabia’s grand plan and the 72 hours that changed everything Lionel Messi agrees ‘in principle’ on next move after PSG exit There is finally something new to say about Lionel Messi, World Cup winner Man City’s holy grail and Pep’s tactics – Champions League final talking points Lionel Messi confirms he will sign for US side in shock move First golf, now football? Saudi Arabia’s plan after 72 hours that changed everything

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

Governments in major European countries are putting pressure on FIFA and public broadcasters to resolve a dispute over

Barcelona again couldn’t do enough to entice Lionel Messi

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

A young West Ham fan was in tears after the Hammers won their first piece of silverware since the 1980 FA Cup with their Europa Conference League victory on Thursday, 8 June. The London side secured their first European trophy since 1965 after Jarred Bowen slotted past Pietro Terracciano to earn the Hammers a 2-1 win over Fiorentina in Prague. “I just can’t believe West Ham have won something, we’ve won more titles than Spurs,” the young Hammers fan said. His reaction won the praise of Twitter users, with one commenting: “What an amazing memory for him to have. Bless him.”

A young fan struggling to hold back his emotions is going viral for his lovely response to West Ham's Europa Conference League victory. The boy, thought to be around nine years old, struggled to get his words out as he explained how much it meant. "Come on you Irons. West Ham are the best club in the world!", he cried, calling it the 'best day of his life'. It's not his first brush with fame either - just months ago, the same boy blew up online for his hilarious review of West Ham's Conference League clash with AZ Alkmaar. Click here to sign up for our newsletters

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

The 2022 World Cup will possibly go down as the most controversial in history. Hosts Qatar have an appalling human rights record and more than 6,000 migrant workers have died during construction on the stadiums due to the country's extreme heat - which is why the tournament is being held in the winter as opposed to the summer. Given the gigantic elephant in the room and the very awkward political situation surrounding the tournament it's going to be very hard to try and enjoy the tournament but we'll try our best. Rather than dwell on what's to come we've instead decided to have a trip down memory lane and revel in some true football nostalgia because after all, that's kinda what the World Cup is all about. Sign up to our new free Indy100 weekly newsletter Every four years we are greeted with images of Pele, Maradona, Zidane, Moore, Beckenbauer and other greats who all achieved immortality thanks to their exploits at the Word Cup and a few of them scored some decent goals too. Brazilian screamers, mazy Argentine dribbles, well-worked German team goals and the odd sprinkling of Italian audacity is what we watch the World Cup for, so it now seems like no better time to rank, in our opinion, the 100 greatest World Cup goals ever. We'll be releasing the list slowly - 10 a day until the tournament starts on November 20th so naturally we're starting at the bottom with numbers 100-90. 100. Maicon, Brazil vs North Korea 2010 The classic 'did or didn't he mean it' goal. Maicon, perhaps best known beyond this goal for being given the run around by a young Gareth Bale, struck this seemingly impossible strike to break the deadlock against a very stubborn North Korean team in one of the better games of the 2010 group stages. Maicon Amazing goal vs North Korea - HD www.youtube.com 99. Kieran Trippier, England vs Croatia 2018 Before he was the talismanic Newcastle captain causing the Toon Army to have dreams beyond their wildest reckoning, Kieran Trippier briefly had the entirety of England dreaming of a first World Cup final since 1966 when he scored this sumptuous free kick against Croatia in the opening minutes of the 2018 semi-final against Croatia. Kieran Trippier Goal In The World Cup Semi Finals!!! www.youtube.com 98. Andreas Ogris, Austria vs USA 1990 Austria had a pretty miserable Italia 90 and had already been eliminated by the time they played the United States in their final group game. Thankfully for them they did have something to cheer about when striker Andreas Ogris found a burst of energy to score sublime solo counterattack goal as part of a 2-1 win. Ogris austria 1990.avi www.youtube.com 97. Philippe Albert, Belgium vs Germany 1994 Newcastle fans will remember Albert, the great Belgian defender capable of scoring some gorgeous goals, and wouldn't you know it? He could score them for Belgium too. This neat little give-and-go was just a consolation though in an otherwise excellent second-round game against Germany which ended 3-2. 02/07/1994 Belgium v Germany youtu.be 96. Zinedine Zidane, France vs Italy 2006 You won't see many penalties on this list mostly because few of them are panenkas that rattle off the bar in a World Cup final. This is Zidane we are talking about who had the arrogance and confidence to pull this off in his last ever match as a player which ended in disgrace following his infamous head butt on Marco Materazzi. Zinedine Zidane Penalty Kick France V Italy FIFA World Cup Final 2006 www.youtube.com 95. Jared Borgetti, Mexico v Italy 2002 Headers are usually straightforward affairs with little flamboyance. That wasn't the case when journeyman Mexican striker Jared Borgetti got his bonnet on the end of this cross and seemingly defied the laws of physics and the English language we're not quite sure how to describe this goal so you'll just have to watch it. Jared Borgetti Mexico vs Italy 1-0 First Round World Cup 2002 Dutch commentary www.youtube.com 94. Keisuke Honda, Japan vs Denmark 2010 Ahh, the Jabulani. One of the most unpredictable and derided World Cup balls ever created which seemingly had a mind of its own. A perfect example of this would be the free kick that Japan legend Keisuke Honda scored against Denmark in 2010 which dipped and swerved all over the place. Keisuke Honda 'Magical Goal' Vs Denmark www.youtube.com 93. Eric Wynalda, USA vs Switzerland 1994 USA's first goal of the first World Cup that they ever hosted (they'll return as co-hosts in 2026 along with Mexico and Canada) was one to remember as one of their most celebrated players Eric Wynalda scored a textbook curling free-kick in the opening game against Switzerland which ended 1-1. The kits weren't bad either. Eric Wynalda Goal - World Cup 1994 - Group A | USA - Switzerland 1:1 | 45' www.youtube.com 92. Hwangbo Kwan, South Korea v Spain 1990 This South Korean thunderbolt from Kwan was one of the few things the Koreans could celebrate as it was the only goal they scored. The strike was so ferocious that it reportedly registered at 114 km/h. It didn't bother Spain's Michel too much who scored a hat-trick in this game, with all three strikes deserving a shoutout too. 1990 (June 17) Spain 3-South Korea 1 (World Cup).mpg www.youtube.com 91. Ilie Dumitrescu, Romania vs Argentina 1994 Romania's 1994 squad were a wonderful team full of mercurial players capable of divine pieces of individual brilliance. One of them was former Tottenham star Ilie Dumistrescu who scored this brilliantly simple goal as Romania knocked Argentina out of the USA 94. DUMITRESCU - against argentina 1994 www.youtube.com 90. Robbie Keane, Ireland vs Germany 2002 Not the prettiest goal this and is as route one as they come but there was something special about this Ireland team who really punched above their weight in 2002, with this strike by the great Robbie Keane summing up the dogged determination from Mick McCarthy's team. Just a shame the other Keane wasn't there to see it. (HQ) Robbie Keane Last Minute Goal Republic of Ireland v Germany 2002 World Cup www.youtube.com Click for goals 89-80 Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.