Chelsea W · UEFA Championship - Women - Qualification · Goalkeeper · #1 · England · 25 yrs
The Netherlands will compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup without Xavi Simons. The Netherlands face a challenging road at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, beginning on Sunday against Japan in the Group F opener at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. However, Xavi Simons will not be there after being ruled out of the tournament with a serious injury. Simons suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee on April 25 during a Tottenham Hotspur match against Wolverhampton in the Premier League. The injury required surgery and was followed by a lengthy recovery process expected to last between six and nine months. In addition to missing the World Cup with the Netherlands, the 23-year-old winger is expected to spend most of 2026 on the sidelines. He is unlikely to return to action during the second half of the calendar year, meaning a full comeback is expected in the latter stages of the 2026-27 season. For the Netherlands, losing Simons was a major blow considering his club performances and the role head coach Ronald Koeman had given him within the national team setup. Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman. Since making his international debut in December 2022 during the World Cup quarterfinal against the USMNT, Simons has recorded 34 appearances and six goals for the national team. Under Koeman, his role has been significant, featuring in 33 of the 38 matches the head coach has overseen since taking charge in 2023, most of them as a starter. Other Netherlands absences for the World Cup The loss of Xavi Simons was a significant setback for the Netherlands in their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but he was not the only player ruled out. Two other key members of the squad were also sidelined because of injuries suffered during the club season. The first was Matthijs de Ligt, who, after months of dealing with back problems, had no choice but to undergo surgery in mid-May. That brought an end to both his season with Manchester United and his World Cup hopes. The other case was much more recent. Jurrien Timber had been included in Ronald Koeman’s 26-man squad for the tournament and even traveled to North America with his teammates. However, during the first few days of training, it became clear he was not fit to play because of a groin injury suffered while with Arsenal. As a result, he was withdrawn from the roster and replaced by Lutsharel Geertruida.
England’s squad arrived at Swope Soccer Village, their World Cup base, to find locals (and the local police) out in forceBefore Thomas Tuchel and his England players departed for the United States, there was talk about their World Cup training ground in Kansas City being too open. It was motivated, in part, by the Southampton spygate scandal. Would England’s rivals be able to steal a glance at them? Tuchel even said the Football Association would seek to erect protective fences.The nine-pitch facility at Swope Soccer Village is certainly sprawling but here’s the thing. Nobody is getting on site without going past the armed police officers at the entrance. There was a throwaway line from a steward on Saturday as England trained on the complex’s best pitch after flying in from Florida after their pre-tournament camp. “You guys see spying,” he said. “We see personal security.” The latter rather overrides the former. It was safe to say they have it covered. Continue reading...
“History is about to be made,” the understandably giddy stadium announcer said in the seconds before kick-off and while this was not the perfect start, Canada will not forget Cyle Larin’s equaliser against Bosnia and Herzegovina in a hurry.Trailing to Jovo Lukic’s first international goal, Larin stepped off the bench and pulled the co-hosts level with his first touch, lashing in 121 seconds after his entrance. It felt like a shot that carried pent-up frustration at being left out of the starting lineup, and maybe at losing his chance to play in the Premier League next season after Southampton’s expulsion from the playoffs. Continue reading...
Stewart progressed up the ladder from the West of Scotland League with Ardeer Thistle and Kilwinning Rangers to Albion Rovers, St Mirren, Ross County and Sunderland before his switch to Southampton in 2023. Stewart earned his third Scotland cap as a substitute in their 4-0 victory over Bolivia at the weekend as Steve Clarke's side prepare to begin their World Cup campaign against Haiti on Saturday.
Jackett spent whole playing career with WatfordHe managed seven clubs including Millwall and WolvesThe former Watford and Wales player Kenny Jackett, who managed clubs including Wolves, Millwall and Swansea, has died aged 64.Jackett won 31 Wales caps during a playing career spent entirely with Watford, his local club, before starting his managerial career with the Hornets in 1996. He took charge of more than 900 games across spells with seven clubs, most recently Leyton Orient, but also including Portsmouth, Millwall and Swansea. Continue reading...
Being Mexico's star in the 2026 World Cup, Raul Jimenez keeps using his headband after his traumatic episode. The 2026 World Cup is officially underway, with Raul Jimenez taking center stage as one of the marquee stars featuring in Mexico’s highly anticipated opening match against South Africa. While his attacking prowess always commands attention, viewers will also notice his signature protective headband, an essential accessory stemming from a harrowing chapter in his veteran career that permanently altered how he plays the game. Jimenez wears the specialized headgear as a direct result of a catastrophic skull fracture he suffered in late 2020. During a Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal, the Mexico striker rose for an aerial duel and suffered a sickening clash of heads with defender David Luiz, an impact that immediately left the soccer world fearing the worst. The collision fractured his skull and left him unconscious, requiring medical staff to administer emergency oxygen on the pitch before rushing him to the hospital. Though the injury was initially considered life-threatening, Jimenez beat the odds and completed a grueling rehabilitation process to make a defiant return to professional soccer. He remarkably made his way back to the pitch for the 2021-22 season, scoring an emotional first post-injury goal in September 2021 against Southampton. While he initially wore a full protective head band, medical clearance eventually allowed him to transition to a more streamlined headband designed specifically to shield the exact area of the original fracture. Raúl Jiménez of Wolverhampton Wanderers. In an interview with The Guardian during his recovery in 2021, Jiménez opened up about the severity of the incident: “I feel like a player again. They told me it was like miracle to be there. (There was) the skull fracture, the bone broke and there was a little bit of bleeding inside the brain. It was pushing my brain to the inside and that is why the surgery had to be quick. It was a really good job by the doctors.“ Beyond just saving his life, doctors initially warned Jiménez that he might have to hang up his boots for good. “Since the first moment, the doctors told me the risks. Because they are doctors, they have to tell you the truth and you have to take it. The skull fracture did take a little longer than we all expected to heal, but it is a miracle to be here.“
