World Cup stadium set to be built on top of skyscraper as Saudi Arabia rolls out plans for 15 'cutting-edge' arenas

Saudi Arabia's efforts to make waves in the sporting world look set to continue when the wealthy Gulf nation hosts the 2034 World Cup. But a football stadium 350 metres off the ground seems ambitious even for them following the viral emergence of concept designs for a brand new venue dubbed the NEOM Stadium. A list of 15 host stadia complete with concept art was first revealed in the summer of 2024.

  • 'Most unique stadium in the world'

    It's certainly out there to want to construct a football stadium in the sky, but fans on social media can't get enough of the idea. The so-called NEOM Stadium could, one of 11 new venues planned for construction over the next eight years to complement four existing stadiums that will be renovated already has a big reputation to live up to.

    Saudi Arabia's bid book submitted to FIFA stated: "Neom Stadium will be the most unique stadium in the world. With a pitch situated more than 350m above ground, stunning vistas and a roof created from the city itself, the stadium will be an experience like no other.

    "Within The Line, mass transport and personal transport will be enabled by a network of tram-like Autonomous Rapid Transit vehicles and Personal Rapid Transit, operating on five primary horizontal transport corridors."

    'The Line', announced in 2021, is a proposed smart city in a single long building measuring 170km by 200 metres and up to 500 metres high, designed to have no cars, streets or carbon emissions, and be big enough to house nine millione people, a quarter of Saudi Arabia's existing population. Although already under construction, full completion of the city itself is not actually expected until 2045, 11 years after the World Cup.

    What isn't clear is if the new concept images doing the rounds are part of any official plans, as the stadium doesn't appear to be incorporated into what 'The Line' would look like.

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    350m in the air

    NEOM Stadium proposes to accomodate 46,000 fans from is vantage point 350 metres above the ground. The other proposed venues for the World Cup will be spread across four existing cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar and Abha. But all are set to incorporate unique architecture and themes, including one dazzling with colour, another made up of crystal-like shards and another built specifically from locally-sourced materials.

  • Saudi Arabia stood unopposed in bidding process

    Saudi Arabia was confirmed as host nation for the 2034 World Cup during an Extraordinary FIFA Congress on December 11, 2024. Despite FIFA lowering the existing stadium capacity requirements from seven with 40,000+ to just four, there were no other bidders. FIFA's rotation policy, which ensures that World Cup tournaments are spread evenly around the planet, meant that only bids from Asia or Oceania would be accepted anyway. Potential hosts were also given just 25 days to express an intent to host, which only Saudi Arabia did.

    It will be the third World Cup in Asia in the 21st century, following from South Korea and Japan's joint effort in 2002, and Gulf neighbour Qatar in 2022. Saudi Arabia will actually end up being the first single host nation since Qatar by the time 2034 rolls around, due to 2026 being jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, and 2030 being the shared responsibility of Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with games also being staged in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay as part of FIFA's World Cup centenary celebrations.

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    World Cup plans between now and 2034

    Saudi Arabia still has the best part of a decade to plan and build and/or renovate its venues for the World Cup. But the eyes of the world are unlikely to pay too much attention until much nearer the time. For now, the 2026 World Cup in North America is just over seven month away from its opening match on June 11. As many as 48 countries will compete for the first time following the tournament's expansion, including debutants Jordan, Uzbekistan and Cape Verde, but fans will need to wait another five weeks until December 5 for the group stage to take place and the fixture list be revealed.

    2026 could very likely be the last dance at the World Cup for both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

Saved by Ekitike: Slot must drop 5/10 Liverpool star who lost the ball 15x

Liverpool saw off Southampton at Anfield to advance to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup, and it was all rather pedestrian until Hugo Ekitike’s hot-and-cold second-half appearance, scoring the winner and seeing the referee’s red glare after his shirtless celebration.

Alexander Isak, signed from Newcastle United for a British record £125m fee on transfer deadline day, made his second start at Anfield and got off the mark after coolly converting before the break, but defensive disaster gave Saints a route back in during the second half.

And then Ekitike came alive, tapping the impressive Federico Chiesa’s cross-box pass into an empty net after a bright and lively showing, only to get himself sent off

He will miss the forthcoming Premier League trip to Crystal Palace.

Ekitike's performance vs Southampton

It’s been quite the start to life in Liverpool for Ekitike, arriving in July for an initial £69m fee and getting up to speed against the backdrop of the Reds’ high-profile bid for Isak, raging through August.

The Frenchman has only used the competition to spur him on, with his 85th-minute winner against Southampton the fifth goal of his Liverpool career, eight games in. He also has one assist.

However, the hype train has been paused after a moment of madness, getting sent off after converting the winner.

He won’t be present when Liverpool travel to Selhurst Park on Saturday, but as journalist Bence Bocsak put it, it’s “been an incredible start” for the 23-year-old, who is very much proving his worth in an internal tussle with Isak for the ascendancy.

However, Arne Slot will be frustrated by more than just his striker’s dismissal, with a number of Redmen leaving something to be desired.

And Jeremie Frimpong was at the epicentre, surely now facing a fresh battle for a regular starting berth at right-back after a poor effort in the Carabao Cup.

Slot must drop Jeremie Frimpong

Frimpong was among the wave of recruits this summer; in fact, he was the first to walk through the Anfield gates, signed from Bayer Leverkusen for just under £30m.

Liverpool's Jeremie Frimpong

Injury has disrupted his start to life as a senior in England, his only Premier League start coming in the season opener against Bournemouth. The Dutchman will be gunning for another, but it’s unlikely to come against Palace after an unconvincing display against Championship opposition.

The Liverpool Echo gave Frimpong a 5/10 match rating and criticised his ‘off-night’, lacking fluency on the ball and struggling to contain the bustling Ryan Manning. Conor Bradley was introduced after the break, and Frimpong advanced to an attacking role on the right flank.

The 24-year-old’s defensive contribution was lacking, and he struggled to take the handbrake off and unleash his athletic, high-speed style of play.

Minutes played

90′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

61

Accurate passes

33/39 (85%)

Key passes

0

Crosses

0/4

Possession lost

15x

Dribbles

0/0

Tackles

0

Interceptions

0

Duels won

1/5

Bradley will hope to return to the starting line-up, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Dominik Szoboszlai returning to his moonlit role out wide, having plyed his craft industriously and effectively so far this season.

In any case, all this competition is only a good thing for Slot’s side, who still haven’t hit their stride and yet are firing on all cylinders. Onto the next.

"Similar" to Xabi Alonso: Hughes may regret selling Liverpool's own Wharton

This former Liverpool prospect has the potential to become a player worthy of a place in Slot’s squad.

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 22, 2025

Muscat must revive £7m Rangers star who was "embarrassing" under Martin

Glasgow Rangers are still yet to officially confirm their next head coach ahead of their clash with Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday at Ibrox.

The Light Blues parted company with Russell Martin prior to the start of the international break, after a 1-1 draw with Falkirk, and Steven Smith will be in charge as an interim this weekend.

Martin left after five wins in 17 matches in charge in all competitions, as shown in the graphic above, and Rangers are closing in on a head coach with a far superior record.

The latest on Kevin Muscat to Rangers

According to RangersReview, Kevin Muscat is set to ‘finalise’ a deal to become the next Rangers manager in a move that could be confirmed over the weekend.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

Meanwhile, the Daily Record reports that the Light Blues board are willing to allow him to see out the remainder of the Chinese Super League season before he makes the switch to Ibrox.

SH Port have three matches left to go in their season, as they sit top of the table, and their last game is on the 22nd November, which means that it could be over a month before Muscat takes the reins in Glasgow to finally replace Martin.

Once the Australian head coach is in charge at Ibrox, one thing that he will be tasked with is getting the best out of central midfielder Mohamed Diomande, who flopped under the previous head coach.

Why Kevin Muscat needs to revive Mohamed Diomande for Rangers

Muscat needs to revive the Ivorian star because he allowed his form to dip way too low under Martin, after an impressive 2024/25 campaign with the Scottish giants.

Diomande’s discipline was a notable cause for concern. He was given three yellow cards and one red card in his last four appearances for the club, and Tam McManus went as far as to call his performance “embarrassing” against Hibernian because of how many fouls he was committing.

The left-footed star was sent off against Genk in the Europa League, a game that the Gers lost, and he was booked against Hibernian, Celtic, and Falkirk, with the Light Blues winning just one of those matches. Embarrassing was a strong word from McManus, but the midfielder did let himself down with too many challenges that caught the referee’s attention.

Appearances

36

6

Sofascore rating

7.19

6.37

Goals

4

0

Assists

7

0

Dribbled past per game

0.5x

0.5x

Ground duel success rate

57%

46%

Aerial duel success rate

48%

17%

As you can see in the table above, his form in his six matches for the former Rangers head coach this season in the league was nowhere near as good as what he produced under Philippe Clement and Barry Ferguson last term.

These statistics show that Diomande is capable of much better than he has shown in the 2025/26 campaign, which provides hope that Muscat can come in and get him back to his best in the middle of the park.

At his best, the 23-year-old whiz, who is valued at £7m by Transfermarkt, is a central midfielder who can provide a combative presence whilst also contributing with goals and assists for Rangers, as evidenced by his form from last season.

However, he has not been anywhere near his best this term, with no goals and one assist in 12 matches, per Sofascore, and that is why one of Muscat’s first jobs should be trying to revive the Ivorian ace.

52 y/o who worked with Postecoglou now set to join Kevin Muscat at Rangers

The Gers have almost solved their manager problem.

ByTom Cunningham Oct 17, 2025

If the incoming Rangers head coach can unlock the left-footed star’s top level, Muscat will have a terrific player on his hands in the middle of the park.

فيديو | أوريلي يسجل هدف مانشستر سيتي الثالث أمام بورنموث

عزز فريق مانشستر سيتي تقدمه بهدف ثالث في مباراته الجارية أمام بورنموث، ضمن مواجهات بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز “البريميرليج”.

ويستقبل مانشستر سيتي خصمه بورنموث على ملعب “الاتحاد” في إطار مباريات الجولة العاشرة للدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز موسم 2025-2026.

وسجل نيكو أوريلي الهدف الثالث لصالح مانشستر سيتي في شباك بورنموث، وذلك بالدقيقة 59 من عمر المباراة.

الهدف جاء بعدما أفلت فيل فودين من الرقابة، ومرر الكرة إلى نيكو أوريلي الذي دخل منطقة جزاء بورنموث.

وتمكن أوريلي من تسديد الكرة بقوة من بين ساقي ماركوس سينيسي إلى الزاوية البعيدة، رغم وجود 4 لاعبين في منطقة الجزاء.

وتشير النتيجة إلى تقدم مانشستر سيتي بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدف، وسجل له إيرلينج هالاند هدفين. هدف أوريلي في مباراة مانشستر سيتي وبورنموث

Women's ODI World Cup: India vs Pakistan on October 5 in Colombo

All Pakistan’s games, including the semi-final and final (if they get there), will be played at neutral Colombo

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jun-2025

Bengaluru will host India’s games against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh•ACC

The women’s ODI World Cup is set to kick off on September 30, with India taking on Sri Lanka at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. India’s high-profile fixture against Pakistan, at the neutral venue of R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, is set for October 5, while their match against Bangladesh is on October 26 in Bengaluru.Defending champions Australia are set to start their campaign on October 1 at Indore’s Holkar Stadium against New Zealand. The marquee clash against England – a rematch of the previous edition’s final – is set to be played on October 22 in Indore. India take on the holders on October 12 in Visakhapatnam.Pakistan, who will play all their games in Colombo in accordance with the hybrid agreement arrived at between the BCCI and the PCB, will also face Bangladesh (Oct 2), Australia (Oct 8), England (Oct 15), New Zealand (Oct 18), South Africa (Oct 21) and Sri Lanka (Oct 24).ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Other key fixtures for England in the league stage include South Africa in Bengaluru (Oct 3), India in Indore (Oct 19), and New Zealand (Oct 26) in Guwahati.Bangladesh, apart from playing Pakistan to start their campaign, are set to play three more matches at Visakhapatnam’s ACA-VDCA Stadium while also taking on Sri Lanka in Colombo (Oct 20). South Africa, meanwhile, have games against New Zealand (Oct 6) and Australia (Oct 25) in Indore.The need for Pakistan’s World Cup games to be played at a neutral venue arose due to strained relations between India and Pakistan, and India playing their 2025 Champions Trophy matches in Dubai instead of in the host country, Pakistan. The PCB, in turn, said Pakistan would not travel to India for tournaments in the foreseeable future.The tournament will feature 28 league games followed by three knockouts, with matches spread across Bengaluru, Indore, Guwahati, Visakhapatnam and Colombo. The last of these – a double-header Sunday featuring England vs New Zealand and India vs Bangladesh – is on October 26. The first semi-final is slated for either Guwahati or Colombo – depending on Pakistan’s progression – on October 29 while the second semi-final will be in Bengaluru on October 30. The final, on November 2, will be held in either Bengaluru or Colombo.India are hosting the women’s ODI World Cup for the first time since 2013. The format for the 2025 tournament will be the same as in 2022, with each of the eight teams playing the other in a round-robin format, with the top four making the semi-finals.Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka, apart from hosts India, qualified directly for the tournament. The last two spots were taken by Pakistan and Bangladesh at the qualifiers in Lahore earlier this year. The tournament will not feature West Indies, who missed out to Bangladesh on net run-rate at the qualifier.

Serrano aposta em filhos de Edmundo e Adriano e inicia sua disputa por vaga na final da Copa Rio

MatériaMais Notícias

O Serrano vai a campo nesta quinta-feira (28) para continuar a acalentar o sonho de conquistar seu título mais relevante em décadas (veja a história do clube ao fim da nota). Às 20h, no Estádio Luso-Brasileiro, a equipe mede forças com a Portuguesa, no primeiro jogo das semifinais da Copa Rio, competição que dá vaga na Copa do Brasil do ano seguinte. A missão de desbancar um adversário da elite do Estadual e levar o Leão da Serra a uma conquista que pavimenta caminhos para o cenário nacional também move dois jogadores que são bem familiares.

+ Confira os confrontos da semifinal da Libertadores

O elenco da equipe, que está na Série B1 do Carioca (a terceira divisão) traz os filhos dos ex-atacantes Adriano “Imperador” e Edmundo. O promissor atacante Adriano Carvalho e o meia Edmundo Júnior ficarão à disposição para o duelo na Ilha do Governador. E não falta confiança no potencial da dupla, que vê o Leão da Serra fazer uma boa campanha na competição (veja abaixo).

ESPAÇO PARA JOGAREM COM PERSONALIDADE

Diretor de futebol do Serrano, Octávio Vasconcellos destacou o suporte que o meia e o atacante recebem para enfrentar um tipo peculiar de desafio.

– São meninos que têm muita capacidade, muito potencial. Acredito que a gente, como profissional, precisa passar confiança para esses meninos, né? Porque eles carregam esse peso, esse nome e às vezes ficam na obrigação de mostrar resultado. Isso às vezes atrapalha um pouco – afirmou ao Lance!, reforçando:

– Trouxemos os dois para dentro do projeto e passamos confiança no potencial deles. Não só por serem excelentes atletas, mas também por serem excelentes pessoas, comprometidas com o trabalho. Para a gente é gratificante ter os dois com a gente – explicou.

O futebol do Leão da Serra atualmente é gerido pela INTERFUT, empresa que faz parte do grupo Klefer, de propriedade de Kleber Leite Filho, filho do jornalista e ex-presidente do Flamengo, Kleber Leite.

Treinador da equipe, o catalão Jordi Blanco exaltou a possibilidade de contar com os dois em um elenco mesclado que tem como destaque o veterano Tartá, campeão brasileiro pelo Fluminense.

– Adriano Carvalho e Edmundo Júnior têm situações boas para jogar e são fortes, mas cada um ao seu modo – afirmou o treinador.

+ Garanta a sua vaga no curso que Pet, Dante e outros craques da bola participaram também. Cupom: LANCE400

ADRIANO CARVALHO: APRENDIZADO E ANSIEDADE PARA SER DECISIVO

No clube desde o ano passado, Adriano Carvalho rapidamente encheu os olhos por seu poderio ofensivo. O atacante teve a surpreendente marca de 20 gols marcados em 27 partidas. Só na disputa do Carioca Sub-17, o atleta balançou as redes 11 vezes em 14 oportunidades.

O jogador de 16 anos, que fez sua estreia como profissional na vitória por 1 a 0 sobre o Boavista, contou como tem sido esta nova etapa de sua carreira.

– As chances que o Serrano tem me dado são muito importantes, porque eu estou aprendendo. É minha primeira temporada como profissional. Estou aprendendo com os mais experientes, estou aprendendo também com o Jordi, que é um ótimo treinador, e estou evoluindo cada dia mais graças a essas oportunidades – disse.

Adriano Carvalho estendeu os agradecimentos ao técnico do Leão da Serra.

– O trabalho com o Jordi sempre foi fácil para mim. Desde o ano passado, ele tem acreditado em mim, tem acreditado no meu potencial, me dado várias oportunidades… E trabalhar agora com ele novamente como treinador é maravilhoso, pois o Jordi tem me colocado para jogar, tem me ensinado bastante e isso faz com que eu evolua muito, muito mesmo – garantiu.

Prestes a acontecer o confronto com a Portuguesa, o jovem revelou que há um gostinho especial.

– Claro que bate a ansiedade, né? (risos) A ansiedade vem com certeza porque é minha primeira temporada. Caso a gente chegue na final, pode fazer história pelo Serrano e isso é muito importante. Estou muito feliz. Eu estou um pouquinho ansioso, mas isso vai passar, tenho certeza que vamos fazer um bom jogo – assegurou.

O técnico Jordi Blanco demonstra otimismo no potencial do atacante. Aos seus olhos, além do jovem ter qualidades, demonstra uma dedicação muito forte.

– O Adriano é um jogador com chute muito potente, qualidade para fazer a proteção de costas, dar um giro rápido e bom. E depois, quando pega espaço, é um jogador difícil de parar. Obviamente, é muito novo ainda, tem muito o que melhorar, mas tem uma capacidade muito boa, é muito educado, trabalhador. É inteligente e sabe o valor no qual está, trabalha muito para ter os seus minutos. Estou convencido de que, se ele continuar assim, tem tudo para ser um grande jogador de futebol – afirmou.

EDMUNDO JÚNIOR: EM NOVO MOMENTO E COM VISÃO MAIS AMPLA DO FUTEBOL

Aos 25 anos, Edmundo Júnior guarda outras lembranças dos gramados. O atleta defendeu anteriormente o Figueirense.

– Por mais que tenha sido para jogar no sub-23, tive oportunidade de volta e meia treinar com a equipe principal. Convivi com muita gente que passou por clubes pela Série A, Série B… Isso me deu noção de como os caras trabalham, da postura. Tudo isso me ajudou bastante a estar preparado para um clube profissional – afirmou.

Porém, sua chegada ao Serrano e o convívio com o técnico Jordi Blanco aconteceram de uma forma diferente.

– Antes de eu estar no grupo como jogado, tinha parado um tempo e estava na base do Serrano (como auxiliar). Com isso, eu trabalhava muito próximo do Jordi. E sempre admirei o estilo de jogo dele. Agora estou tendo esse prazer de trabalhar no dia a dia com ele, pegando os ensinamentos. Tem sido muito bacana, tem uma visão muito legal de futebol – disse.

Até o momento, são três jogos disputados na Copa Rio. Todos saindo do banco de reservas.

Blanco exaltou a gana de Edmundo Júnior, mas apontou que ainda há desafios pela frente.

– O Edmundo Júnior é diferente. Ele teve uma base boa e chegou em um momento na carreira dele no qual parou por alguns anos, e trabalhava consoco lá na base. Em determinado momento, pediu para fazer a pré-temporada, porque queria aprender. Acho que ele inicialmente pensou mais no ponto de vista de treinador. Mas desde o primeiro momento, mostrou qualidades boas para jogar futebol. Acho que foi se motivando mais, não era só vontade de aprender, e sim esse desejo de jogar. Entendemos que ele podia ajudar – pontuou.

TAL PAI, TAL FILHO

Adriano Carvalho e Edmundo Júnior recordaram-se das conversas com seus pais sobre o desejo de se enveredarem pelo caminho do futebol. O atacante de 16 anos contou a reação do “Imperador”.

– Quando eu parei e falei “pai, quero ser jogador, essa é a profissão que quero seguir”, ele deu um pulo da cadeira! Ficou todo feliz, porque sempre me apoiou. Isso é muito importante para mim. Ele tem me apoiado muito, me ajudado, acompanhado meus jogos, meus treinos… Tem sido um bom pai para mim, tem me ajudado muito, inclusive me dando algumas dicas – afirmou Adriano.

Edmundo Júnior detalhou que não chegou a ser tão surpreendente para seu pai.

– Desde que eu era pequeno, meu pai soube que eu queria jogar futebol. Sempre gostei de jogar. Mas, quando ele viu que era sério, não era só brincadeira de criança, para falar a verdade, ele não me apoiou tanto. Acho que por ele ter passado pelo futebol, saber como é… Às vezes, não queria que eu passasse por algumas coisas que ele teve que passar. Mas eu sempre segui. Ele dá dicas, ajuda, mas nunca apoiou 100%. Ele preferia que eu tivesse estudado (risos), ido por outro caminho – destacou.

O meia demonstra tranquilidade com eventuais comparações ligadas ao campeão brasileiro por Palmeiras e Vasco.

– Comparações são normais, ainda mais tendo o nome dele. É difícil de fugir disso. Quando eu era mais novo, era complicado, ainda mais porque o pessoal era mais maldoso. Mas eu aprendi a lidar numa boa com isso. Acho que é tranquilo. Estão querendo comparar com um cara com o meu pai, que é um grande jogador. Levo isso de uma forma boa para me ajudar a crescer – constatou Edmundo Júnior.

Companheiro de equipe, Fabinho Polhão exalta a tranquilidade dos seus companheiros.

– Eles são dois moleques sensacionais! Têm humildade e comprometimento, independentemente de quem são filhos. Não deixam isso interferir em nada. São duas pessoas do bem que, como nosso elenco aqui, trabalham duro, buscando o espaço deles, sempre respeitando o próximo. Têm um potencial enorme, tanto dentro quanto fora de campo. É óbvio que no futebol sempre rola uma brincadeira, mas sempre uma brincadeira saudável, com descontração – garantiu.

Polhão destacou o convívio com a dupla, e brincou.

– São dois “juvenis”, né? (risos). O Adriano é um companheiro de posição, a gente procura sempre o melhor. Não só eu tento passar coisas positivas, mas nós, que somos um pouco mais experientes, estamos sempre aprendendo coisas com eles também. Nessa troca que a gente tem quando está trabalhando, procura aprender um com o outro. Se for coisa boa, temos de guardar e levar para nossas vidas. A ajuda, os conselhos para o bem são sempre positivos – frisou.

O técnico Jordi Blanco é assertivo quanto a Adriano Carvalho e Edmundo Júnior.

– De alguma forma, os dois viveram embaixo das figuras dos pais. Eles têm d admirar os pais, aprender ao máximo, pedir conselhos se achem que têm de pedir… Mas cada jogador é diferente e tem condições boas para futebol – disse.

CHANCE DO LEÃO DA SERRA FAZER UMA GRANDE HISTÓRIA

Com a expectativa de levar o Serrano a esperados dias de glória, a equipe se mobiliza para a semifinal com a Portuguesa. O desafio passa por fazer a equipe se desdobrar mais uma vez.

– O grupo está se preparando para isso desde o começo da temporada. Sabíamos que ia ser difícil, mas a cada jogo a gente está se superando. E o grupo está muito fechado para ir em busca desse título. Fizemos história, estando em uma fase na qual o Serrano nunca chegou. É focar, continuar com a gente está fazendo para que tudo dê certo na semifinal – disse Edmundo Júnior.

Autor de gols no jogo decisivo com o Boavista nas oitavas e no jogo de ida nas quartas, contra o Petrópolis/Gonçalense, Fabinho Polhão detalhou como arca com a responsabilidade de fazer a diferença para o Leão da Serra na semi.

– Para mim é muito gratificante, é fruto de um trabalho. A gente se empenha bastante para nesse momento estar preparado. A responsabilidade é boa, levo para um lado bastante positivo. Estamos indo pelo caminho certo. Tenho certeza que coisas boas virão para esse grupo. É só a gente continuar trabalhando focado que responsabilidades maiores virão e vamos estar mais preparados para encarar, não só eu mas o grupo todo – afirmou.

Edmundo Júnior contou o que espera do confronto com a Lusinha.

– É esperar um jogo difícil. É um clube da Série A do Carioca, que jogou a Série D do Brasileiro deste ano. Acredito que vá ser um jogo bom, entre duas equipes que gostam de jogar – disse.

Aos olhos de Adriano Carvalho, a partida tende a ser bastante acirrada.

– É um time que vem atacar bastante, tentar ficar muito com a posse de bola, e acho que temos o mesmo estilo de jogo. Vai ser um bom jogo. Tenho certeza que não vai ser fácil, vai ser uma partida mais dura, mais firme, mas entendo que a gente se dedicando, consegue o melhor resultado – constatou.

Um dos jogadores experientes do Leão da Serra, Fabinho Polhão exaltou.

– Estamos com concentração máxima para um jogo-chave. Falta mais esse degrau para a gente conseguir o primeiro objetivo, que é a tão sonhada classificação para as finais da Copa Rio, colocando o Serrano no calendário nacional. É um trabalho muito intenso no dia a dia, para, no dia do jogo, a gente colher o fruto positivo, a vitória – disse.

O treinador Jordi Blanco ainda frisou.

– É uma oportunidade única para o clube, para nós…Nosso objetivo é ganhá-la esse ano, pois nos dá vaga em uma competição nacional e a gente é ambicioso, queremos o melhor para o Serrano. O clube merece, a diretoria merece, os jogadores merecem, todos que trabalhamos para merecer – afirmou.

Adriano Carvalho e Edmundo Júnior se empenham para, ao lado do grupo de Jordi Blanco, deixar o Serrano no mapa do futebol nacional.

Após o jogo desta quinta, na Ilha, as duas equipes decidem suas pretensões no dia 5, uma quinta-feira, às 14h45, no Atílio Marotti.

Lungi Ngidi burst puts selection questions to bed

Lungi Ngidi insisted that he knew why he was selected in South Africa’s World Test Championship final XI, after he took 3 for 35 on the second day to break Australia’s second innings open.Temba Bavuma had said that Ngidi was picked for his pace and ability to generate extra bounce – “a tactical decision”, which is exactly what Ngidi understood his role to be.”It’s been a very long time since I’ve played Test cricket, ten months, and that’s okay with me,” Ngidi told BBC after play on day two at Lord’s. “Obviously I know why I was selected. It doesn’t make a difference to me: opinions, or whatever it is. I was just struggling with a bit of rhythm from this side, swapped ends, and I felt a lot better.”Related

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Ngidi last played a Test against West Indies in August last year and looked rusty on comeback in this match. On the first day, he bowled eight overs, in spells of four each, from the Pavillion End and conceded 45 runs at 5.62. Notably, he lacked intensity and left the field for a period of time after bowling his second spell. He returned but did not bowl again.Considering Dane Paterson’s history of success in county cricket (though his 180 wickets came for Nottinghamshire and not Middlesex) and the overhead conditions that would have suited a bowler of his style, there were justifiable questions over whether South Africa had made a tactical blunder. There was also talk about whether they were forced to pick Ngidi to meet transformation requirements.But, at the end of day two, Ngidi had provided three stunning answers as to why he had been picked. In a nine-over spell – his second longest in Test cricket – Ngidi removed Steven Smith and Beau Webster, both lbw, and yorked Pat Cummins. Australia went from 48 for 3 to 73 for 7 (Wiaan Mulder took a wicket in that period too) and South Africa were back in the game. It looked as though Shukri Conrad, the head coach who is also the sole selector, had seen his gamble come off.Lungi Ngidi got the big wicket of Steven Smith•AFP/Getty Images

But Ngidi’s choice of words in his post-match interview – “I know why I was selected” – didn’t help dispel any lingering doubts about why he was picked. ESPNcricinfo has since confirmed he was referring to the plethora of opinions preferring Paterson’s skills to his.There was also no transformation imperative to pick Ngidi as South Africa’s targets at national level are calculated on average over the course of a season, which means they do not apply to individual games. The target numbers require that the team fields six players of colour of which two must be black African. In Temba Bavuma and Kagiso Rabada, the latter is met. They only have two other players of colour in this XI, Ngidi and Keshav Maharaj, and that would have remained the case even if Paterson was picked instead of Ngidi. While they have not fulfilled their target in this match, their overall average will only be confirmed at the end of the season.Before the final, Bavuma spoke to ESPNcricinfo about the dangers of being labelled a transformation selection, how he did not understand why it was put on him nine years ago when he made his first century, and the pressure and expectation it created. In the same way, Ngidi’s poor performance on day one immediately raised the transformation question: a hangover from the way South African cricket is perceived because of selection decisions in the past.The 2015 World Cup semi-final, where CSA influenced the inclusion of Vernon Philander ahead of Kyle Abbott, is a standout example, not least because it happened in a crucial game. But Ngidi, an international cricketer for the last eight years and comfortable within himself, was able to put that aside and concentrate on getting things right on day two.Radaba suggested a “steak, a milkshake and a movie” to Ngidi on the first evening but it turned out to be a change of ends that did the trick. Ngidi bowled from the Nursery End on day two, running up the slope, and was far more effective. His lines were tighter and his lengths more concentrated, mostly just back of good, with the occasional fuller ball for variety. He seemed in the zone, ran in with good energy and looked like he wanted more.”Once you get a moment like that, you don’t want to really let it go because it could change the game,” he said. “So I just kept going until my legs pretty much told me that’s enough now. I was planning on going a little bit more, but once you start making a few errors that could let the team or the opposition in, then it’s probably time to call it.”2:43

Can South Africa chase down 200-plus?

There was one overpitched ball in Ngidi’s seventh over and two edges that dropped short in his eighth and ninth, so he was still effective but clearly tiring. When he ran to field a ball in the over after he had finished his spell, he puffed his way to the ball and the decision to stop was probably the correct one. Nevertheless, his team-mates appreciated the effort especially after a tough first day.”Lungi’s a chilled guy, so I don’t think it would have affected him that much,” David Bedingham said at the post-match press conference. “As soon as he changed ends, he looked a lot more comfortable and for him to bowl nine overs on the bounce takes a massive amount of effort.”Of the rewards he had, Ngidi enjoyed Smith’s wicket the most “because he did get the better of me in the first innings but Beau Webster as well because they were definitely putting me under pressure”. “But once I got a bit of rhythm and the ball was moving around a bit, I felt very confident.”There may still be some work to do for Ngidi on the third morning, with South Africa still two wickets from knowing their target. Ngidi hopes they can keep the target to 225 and even if it grows beyond that thinks, “people are going to get their money’s worth”.”It’s in the balance right now,” he said. “But I think we’re in a decent position.”

Archer return deferred as England name unchanged team for second Test

Selectors keep faith with Woakes, Carse, Tongue as frontline seam attack for Edgbaston

Vithushan Ehantharajah30-Jun-2025England have named an unchanged XI for the second Test against India at Edgbaston, which gets underway on Wednesday, meaning that Jofra Archer’s much-vaunted return to Test cricket has been deferred at least until next week’s third Test at Lord’s.The team was confirmed two days out from the start of the contest, as has become the norm for England under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, and comes in the wake of their impressive five-wicket victory in the first Test at Headingley.England successfully chased down 371 to win that match, after India had made much of the running across the five days, including through five individual hundreds – two of which came from their wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.However, England’s bowlers struck back in both India innings, claiming 7 for 41 in the first innings and 6 for 31 in the second, to set up what proved to be an obtainable target.Josh Tongue was instrumental in this with seven lower-order wickets across the two innings, while Brydon Carse impressed with his pace and stamina in a rare outing with the new ball. England’s attack leader, Chris Woakes, claimed just one wicket in the Test but made important first-innings runs, and has been backed to rediscover his rhythm after missing much of the early season with an ankle injury.Archer had been in line for his first Test since February 2021 when he was last week named in England’s 15-man squad for the second Test. However, despite coming through unscathed from his first red-ball outing for Sussex since May 2021, he will now wait for a potential comeback at Lord’s. Given there are only three days between the culmination of this Test and the third, Archer could well make his 14th cap at Lord’s, where he debuted back in 2019.He bowled 18 overs and took 1 for 32 in a draw with Durham at Chester-le-Street. Following a long battle with stress fractures of the elbow and back, the 30-year-old’s call-up was a welcome sign of progress having last been involved with the Test side during the 2021 tour of India.Archer was not present for Monday’s training session at Edgbaston due to a family emergency, and will rejoin the squad on Tuesday. None of England’s non-playing squad members – Archer, Sam Cook, Jamie Overton and Jacob Bethell – are expected to be released to play for their counties in the latest round of Championship matches that got underway on Sunday.Chris Woakes, who is preparing to play his fourth Test at his home ground, anticipates a step-up in performance from England following the confidence boost of successfully chasing down 371 on the final day at Headingley.”It’s always good to get over the line and get a win,” Woakes said. “That does breed some confidence within the group to show that we’re doing some things right. We’re also a group that we know we need to improve. There’s areas that we did last week that we know we can do better. So yes, we’ll look at putting those things right.”But certainly as a team, we’re pretty happy with how we go about things and the style of cricket and the brand of cricket we want to play. We know that that’s been successful over the last few years and we’ll stick to that. But there’s definitely still tweaks that we know we can do a bit better as a team. So we’ll be looking to do that.”England: 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Jamie Smith (wk), 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Brydon Carse, 10 Josh Tongue, 11 Shoaib Bashir

Man City preparing £52m bid for "complete" midfielder, Pep personally keen

Manchester City are now preparing a £52m opening offer for a “complete” midfielder, with manager Pep Guardiola personally keen.

Man City keen to sign new midfielder amid Rodri woes

After missing the vast majority of the 2024-25 campaign due to an ACL injury, Rodri has continued to struggle to get back to full fitness this season, with the Spaniard missing the recent 2-0 victory over Villarreal in the Champions League.

Guardiola has also confirmed the central midfielder is expected to miss this weekend’s Premier League fixture, saying: “Aston Villa I don’t think so either. It’s not long but it’s muscular.

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“We have to be careful. We tried many times to prevent another injury but we have not been able to do that so we will see.”

Last month, it emerged the Blues are now starting to look at long-term replacements for the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner, with Bayern Munich’s Aleksandar Pavlovic on the shortlist, having established himself as an important player for Vincent Kompany’s side.

However, a midfielder with a little more experience is also in Manchester City’s sights, according to a report from Spain, which reveals they are now preparing an opening offer of €60m (£52m) for Sporting CP star Morten Hjulmand.

Pep is personally keen on signing Hjulmand, having identified him as an ideal fit in City’s system, while the manager also values his versatility, with the Denmark international capable of operating in both defensive and supporting midfield roles.

Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are also credited with an interest in the midfielder, however, having submitted enquiries of their own, so the Blues may be forced to battle it out for his signature.

"Unbelievable" Hjulmand could be perfect for Pep

It is a given that any midfielder playing in a Pep system must be assured in possession of the ball, and the Sporting maestro fits the bill, as displayed by his performance across some key metrics over the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90 (past year)

Passes attempted

62.70 (88th percentile)

Pass completion %

90% (95th percentile)

Progressive passes

6.51 (84th percentile)

Scout Ben Mattinson has insisted the Dane is a well-rounded midfielder, describing him as “complete”, while also praising the former Lecce man for his tenacity, anticipation and ball-striking abilities.

CBS’ Marco Messina also believes the Sporting midfielder is destined to play at the top level, having waxed lyrical about him earlier this season.

All being well, Rodri will be able to put his injuries in the rear-view mirror, but given that he continues to have fitness issues, it may be wise to bring in a new midfielder, and Hjulmand has earned a move to a top club.

Not Romero or Van de Ven: Spurs star looks like the CB version of Dembele

Last season Tottenham Hotspur may have won the Europa League but there is no hiding behind the fact that domestically, things were a complete write-off.

Former boss Ange Postecoglou proclaimed that things are always better in season three, but sadly for the craggy-faced Aussie, he didn’t see in his third campaign at the helm.

The writing had been on the wall for a while, really. Spurs were a mess at the back. It’s “who we are, mate” Ange also exclaimed when asked about his philosophy and high line. Yet, those who fail to adapt and change…ahem, Ruben Amorim, often fail.

The truth is that Postecoglou did not change his ways, leading to the concession of 65 Premier League goals, the fifth-worst record in the division last term.

With Thomas Frank now at the helm, he made an immediate attempt to improve the backline before anything else and that decision has been vindicated.

Spurs look like a different outfit now. They are more organised, more structured, and the numbers showcase that. They have kept five clean sheets already in 2025/26 across all competitions and have shipped just five goals. Only Arsenal (3) have let in fewer.

While Frank will take a lot of the plaudits, Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero’s partnership has looked like one of the best in the division.

Why Van de Ven and Romero complement each other so well at Spurs

Since arriving in north London, Romero has attracted his fair share of criticism.

He’s too hot-headed, too rash, too ill-disciplined to ever be a competent defender. Those were the cries from certain sections of the media and fanbase. Alas, there is a reason that he is captaining the side and there is a reason that Real Madrid have reportedly courted him.

The Argentine is a typical South American defender. He’s brutish, has a never-say-die attitude and when faced with a striker, it’s not often they get the better of him.

Indeed, he’s only been dribbled past 0.3 times per match under Frank so far, winning 65% of his ground duels and another 65% of his aerial duels.

To put those numbers into context, he’s winning more aerial battles than Arsenal’s imperious Brazilian, Gabriel (60%) and a similar number of ground duels to William Saliba (66%).

Romero is the more aggressive of he and Van de Ven, but the Dutchman’s recovery speed and ability to sweep in behind his defensive colleague is why they work so well.

Last term, no player was quicker in the English top-flight than Spurs’ number 37.

The fastest & slowest players in the Premier League (2024/25)

Yet despite all of that, the club have a defender in their ranks who stands an excellent chance of disrupting this fine partnership. Step forward Spurs’ new Mousa Dembele.

Spurs have found the defensive version of Dembele

What a player Dembele was in his prime. Part of a very special Spurs team including the likes of Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen, the Belgian was the glue that held everything together.

In the words of Kyle Walker, “Dembele was probably the best player I’ve ever seen play football” while Eric Dier, now of Monaco, stated that he was “a freak of nature”.

Shots

0.8

Key passes

1.0

Dribbles

2.9

Times fouled

1.1

Tackles

3.6

An all-action machine, it was nigh on impossible to get the ball off Dembele. He was a fine dribbler but he was also a duel monster.

From 2012 to 2019, no player in the Premier League had a better success rate for dribbles than Dembele’s tally of 77.9%. The next best during that time frame was Nemanja Matic on 73.1%.

As for winning duels, during the 2015/16 season, only three players, of which one was N’Golo Kante, won more tackles per match. Dembele won 3.6 while Kante topped the charts with 4.7.

Mousa Dembele

Why is this all relevant now? Well, it looks like Spurs have found another duel machine, someone capable of dominating play in a similar manner, albeit from defensive phases of play.

That player is Luka Vuskovic. Spurs first reached an agreement to sign the centre-back in 2023 for £12m from Hajduk Split when he was only 16.

They had to wait until 2025 for the young Croatian to finally arrive but it was worth the wait. Vuskovic scored in pre-season against Reading and more than looks the part.

Now 18, the teenager has already made a habit of scoring regular goals. At KVC Westerlo in the Belgian top-flight last season, he scored seven goals in 36 outings.

Now on loan at Hamburg in Germany, he’s already showcasing why he’s so highly rated. The youngster has featured on four occasions, scoring once and breaking a little bit of history along the way.

During Hamburg’s clash against Union Berlin last weekend, he won a mind-blowing 18 aerial duels. To sum up just how incredible that statistic is, no player has won more aerial duels in a Bundesliga game across the last ten seasons and he is the first player to win 18 aerial duels in a single match in Europe’s top five leagues over the last five seasons.

While Dembele may not have been as menacing in the air as that, it demonstrates Vuskovic’s imperious duel-winning ability and his capability to overpower his opponents.

When asked what he thought of his teammate, Hamburg full-back Miro Muheim simply described him as a “monster” after the game. Rather apt if you ask us.

But, as the Athletic’s German Football correspondent, Seb Stafford-Bloor, outlines, the Croat is also “good with the ball at his feet”, emulating Dembele with that area of the game too.

Vuskovic has completed 85% of his passes in the Bundesliga so far and has also been successful with 100% of his dribble attempts, according to Sofascore.

Not just a beast physically, he’s technically brilliant, just as Dembele was from further forward. An exciting player no doubt, and one who could well make this Spurs backline even better.

You bet Frank can’t wait to get him back in the fold next season.

17-year-old Spurs prodigy is their most exciting academy star since Kane

Tottenham Hotspur have been on the look out for the next Harry Kane ever since he left for Bayern Munich.

ByMatt Dawson Oct 1, 2025

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