Aodhan Doherty has joined Falkirk on a season-long loan as the Northern Ireland Under-21 winger signed a new four-year contract with Blackburn Rovers. The 20-year-old had played 14 times for Linfield in Northern Ireland's top flight before joining the Championship club last summer and made his first-team debut for Rovers against Hull city in the FA Cup in January, before featuring in three league games later the same month. Falkirk manager John McGlynn says Doherty is not just a straight replacement on the left for Calvin Miller, who was sold to Hearts this summer, as he can play as a number 10 as well as out wide.
Matt Doherty has penned a one-year contract with Sheffield United, following his departure from Championship rivals Wolves. The post Former Tottenham and Atletico Madrid defender Doherty joins Sheff Utd appeared first on SoccerNews.
Cristiano Ronaldo has confirmed that the 2026 World Cup will be his last edition playing for Portugal, though he remarked that "I'm not missing anything in life." Cristiano Ronaldo has rewritten the history books by competing in his sixth career tournament at 41 years old, embracing yet another high-stakes opportunity to capture soccer’s most elusive prize. With speculation regarding his retirement from the Portugal national team swirling, Ronaldo officially confirmed that the 2026 World Cup will be his final tournament run, while poignantly noting that he is “not missing anything in life.” Ronaldo took the podium at Sunday’s press conference ahead of a highly anticipated Round of 16 clash against Spain, and when pressed about his emotions building up to the match and what remains for him in his “last World Cup,” the superstar opened up: “The last World Cup. An interesting question, I like it. What remains are the people. The people who love us, the people to whom we can give different kinds of moments. And I see the people working all around us. These are spectacular memories. The 2026 edition also signals the end of an era for both Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, two icons who have dominated the sport’s grandest stages for over two decades. Prompted by an Argentine journalist, Ronaldo playfully reminisced about a recent flight where an flight attendant from Argentina seemed hesitant to approach him. “I told her, ‘I know you’re Argentine. You looked at me and quickly looked away, you guys don’t like me…‘ But my wife is Argentine. It’s all good.“ Cristiano Ronaldo #7 of Portugal during the Croatia game. Ronaldo concluded his response by reflecting on his mindset for the knockout rounds, reinforcing that this tournament represents his final bow on the sport’s biggest stage: “It’s about enjoying it to the fullest. It will be the last World Cup, yes. It’s about enjoying it.“ Following his performance against Croatia, Ronaldo has now logged 26 career appearances in the competition, placing him second on the all-time list behind only Messi, while boasting 11 goals and two assists. Monday’s Round of 16 showdown against Spain will serve as a massive turning point for his legacy, though he reassured reporters that he is fully prepared and simply savoring his final moments on the pitch in North America. Ronaldo ‘not missing anything in life’ during final championship chase Having cemented an unparalleled club legacy in Europe, guided Portugal to their first major international trophies, and established himself as the most prolific goalscorer in soccer history, Ronaldo continues to push boundaries by becoming the oldest player ever to score in a World Cup knockout match at 41 years of age. Yet, the prestigious tournament trophy has famously eluded the legendary striker despite his otherwise overflowing display case. When asked if he entered this tournament free from the suffocating pressure to win and purely focused on the experience, Ronaldo was direct: “I am not missing anything in life. God has been very generous with me and gave me everything I never expected to win. Especially with the national team and even on a personal level. It’s about enjoying every moment. I am not going to be more Cristiano for winning the World Cup, nor less for not winning it.“ The Portuguese forward closed his remarks by reiterating that while his personal legacy is secure, the collective dream remains to push all the way to the final.”Of course, we are here with hope, but we know that only one team is going to win. It’s about enjoying it, not thinking about tomorrow. That was something I learned. One of the things age gives you is maturity, experience, and putting things into perspective while softening a lot of edges,” he concluded.
Facing Bosnia and Herzegovina for a place in the Round of 16 in the 2026 World Cup, Christian Pulisic stated that he's completely fit to be part of the starting lineup for the USMNT. Christian Pulisic has reignited championship expectations for the USMNT at the 2026 World Cup, putting together a string of elite group-stage performances that were only temporarily derailed by a minor calf tweak. With a highly anticipated Round of 32 clash against Bosnia and Herzegovina on the horizon, Pulisic officially declared himself fully fit and ready to anchor the attack from the opening whistle. Speaking with media members on Tuesday ahead of the team’s final training session, the American captain provided an encouraging update on his physical status. “I felt great in the last game against Turkey. I’m feeling good this week, and I’m definitely ready to go for tomorrow,” Pulisic stated, while confidently adding that he is physically prepared to log a full 120 minutes if the knockout match requires extra time. The AC Milan forward has completely recovered from the lingering calf tightness that kept him sidelined as a precaution during the group-stage match against Australia. He made a seamless return to the pitch in the group finale against Turkey, where head coach Mauricio Pochettino heavily rotated his squad, subbing Pulisic on in the 58th minute to inject immediate pace, creativity, and elite dribbling down the right wing. Later, during an exclusive interview with Fox Sports, Pulisic offered a realistic assessment of what the Americans will face against their European opponents: “We’re expecting a really tough game. We saw a lot of good things from them in the group stage. We’ve seen in the knockouts so far that there hasn’t been an easy game for anyone, so we’re not expecting an easy game at all. I think it’s gonna be a good battle. We have to put on a really good performance if we want to win.“ Christian Pulisic #10 of the United States fields questions from the media during the training session. The single-elimination matchup against Bosnia represents a massive hurdle for the USMNT, serving as an opportunity to punch a ticket to the Round of 16 while simultaneously shattering a frustrating historical narrative. Entering Wednesday’s match, the Stars and Stripes are desperate to snap a glaring, multi-tournament winless slump when facing European opposition on the big stage. In total, the USMNT’s active drought against UEFA opponents has ballooned to 13 consecutive matches without a victory. The Americans last tasted success against a European nation over five years ago (a friendly win over Northern Ireland back in March 2021), a persistent monkey on their back that the squad is eager to shake off under the bright lights of a home World Cup. Pulisic stands on the precipice of USMNT history Now fully cleared by the medical staff, Pulisic is locked into Pochettino’s starting XI against Bosnia and Herzegovina as the U.S. chases a spot in the next round. Having already tallied a crucial assist in the tournament opener against Paraguay, the former Borussia Dortmund winger aims to replicate his clutch 2022 World Cup heroics, though this particular match holds immense individual significance for his international legacy. As it stands, Pulisic has racked up 33 career goals across 88 caps for the USMNT, leaving him just one strike away from tying soccer legend Eric Wynalda (34 goals) for fourth place on the United States’ all-time men’s scoring list.
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