Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!A broken leg, surgery, working for David Sullivan, being sacked by David Sullivan, to say things had looked bleak for Sweden’s main men during the Premier League season is an understatement. Alexander Isak and Graham Potter were at a low ebb; the former failed to live up to his record-breaking £125m move to Liverpool, unable to find fitness nor form, ending the campaign with a pitiful four goals in 22 games having never got going at Anfield. Potter was churned out by West Ham in September, deemed unfit to lead the team forward, a low moment for anyone at the London Stadium. In fairness, the team was doomed regardless and while he is leading a team to a 5-1 thrashing of Tunisia at the Geopolitics World Cup, the Hammers are planning for life in the Championship and Sullivan is no longer co-chair.Poor Haiti tried everything to change their destiny against Scotland over the weekend, even swapping Providence for Fortuné in the 86th minute” – Sholem Lenkiewicz.Margaritha coming on for a Curaçao led by D1ck Advocaat is definitely the most alcoholic GWC moment so far. Meanwhile, following on from the idea that Football Daily does not do weekends (yesterday’s Football Daily letters), yesterday’s edition ended in my junk folder” – Nigel Sanders [and balance is restored – Football Daily Ed].This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions. Continue reading...
Spain will navigate their 2026 World Cup campaign in North America without a crucial piece as Barcelona's Fermín López has been ruled out of the tournament. Spain enters the 2026 World Cup as one of the heavy favorites to lift the trophy and capture the second world title in their history, looking to replicate the magic of their historic 2010 run in South Africa. However, La Roja will have to mount their championship charge without the services of Barcelona’s standout midfielder, Fermín López, who was forced off the roster just weeks before the tournament. The 23-year-old offensive midfielder is missing the World Cup after suffering a fracture of the fifth metatarsal in his right foot during the final stretch of the La Liga season. While initial on-site evaluations raised hopes that the issue was a minor fissure requiring just two weeks of rest, an MRI scan later revealed a complete fracture of the little toe metatarsal. Ver esta publicación en Instagram Una publicación compartida de Fermín López Marín (@fermin) López underwent a successful corrective surgical procedure to repair the bone. However, with an estimated recovery window of at least two months, his dreams of making his World Cup debut in North America were instantly shattered. Fermin Lopez’s impressive season at Barcelona Fermin Lopez emerged as one of the driving forces behind the Blaugrana’s successful push for the La Liga title. Throughout the season, the 23-year-old featured in 48 matches across all competitions, racking up a stellar 13 goals and 17 assists. López was equally lethal on the European stage, serving as a pillar during Barcelona’s run to the Champions League quarterfinals. He matched Lamine Yamal as the team’s top scorer in the tournament with six goals. Additionally, the duo stood alone as the only Barcelona players to achieve double-digit goal contributions in both domestic and European play this year. His plane ticket to North America was locked in, but this untimely foot fracture means his grand introduction to soccer’s biggest stage will have to wait.
West Ham United are approaching a defining summer, one that could shape the trajectory of the club for years to come. Following their relegation from the Premier League, the London side faces not only the challenge of rebuilding on the pitch but also significant instability behind the scenes. A wave of departures at senior level […] The post West Ham at Crossroads: Relegated, Brady and Sullivan Gone appeared first on SoccerNews.
Argentina is heading into the 2026 World Cup having retained more outfield players from a World Cup-winning squad than any defending champion this century, prompting questions about whether Lionel Messi's side has enough renewal to push for back-to-back titles. Lionel Messi heads to his sixth World Cup with Argentina carrying a responsibility he has never faced before: defending the title. In a notable footnote, the squad announced by Lionel Scaloni features more returning outfield players from a World Cup-winning roster than any other defending champion this century, raising the question of whether holding that experienced core is an asset or a liability heading into the tournament in Mexico, Canada and the United States. According to a stat surfaced by Telemundo journalist Jaime Macias, Argentina has retained more outfield players from their 2022 championship squad than any other World Cup-winning nation since the turn of the century. Of the players who lifted the trophy in Qatar, 15 have been called up for the 2026 title defense, with the remaining 11 spots going to players who have yet to win a World Cup gold medal. It is worth noting that the expanded 26-man roster format, introduced for the 2022 edition, means the pool of potential returnees was already larger than in any previous cycle, naturally inflating the number of champions available to be recalled. Excluding goalkeepers Emiliano “Dibu” Martinez and Geronimo Rulli, the outfield players who lifted the World Cup in 2022 and have been named in Argentina’s 2026 squad are: Nicolas Tagliafico, Gonzalo Montiel, Lisandro Martinez, Cristian Romero, Nicolas Otamendi, Nahuel Molina, Leandro Paredes, Rodrigo De Paul, Exequiel Palacios, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, Julian Alvarez, Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez and Thiago Almada. En este siglo, 🇦🇷 Argentina es la selección que más jugadores de campo repite del plantel campeón del mundo en el Mundial siguiente. Curiosamente, la que menos repitió fue la que tuvo la mejor participación (🇫🇷 2022) pic.twitter.com/3bETagq0Hd— Jaime F. Macias (@Jaimefmacias) June 4, 2026 The less champions, the better? At first glance, bringing back the core of a World Cup-winning squad would seem like the most logical strategy for a defending champion. The historical record this century, however, tells a more cautionary tale: the more World Cup winners a defending nation has recycled into the following squad, the worse their results have tended to be. Spain brought 14 returning outfield players to the 2014 World Cup after winning their first title in 2010 and suffered a humiliating group-stage exit. France carried 13 outfield survivors from their 1998 triumph into the 2002 edition and similarly failed to survive the group stage with just one point. Italy and Germany followed the same cursed pattern. The Azzurri brought back eight players from their 2006 title-winning squad and crashed out in the first round in 2010, while Germany suffered the same early exit in 2018 with eight returnees from their 2014 champion group. Brazil, with eight survivors from their 2002 squad heading into 2006, managed to escape the group stage but still fell short of expectations, bowing out in the quarterfinals despite boasting a generation of stars that included Ronaldinho, Ronaldo Nazário and Adriano. The most successful transformation of a defending champion came from Didier Deschamps’ France. Going into the 2022 World Cup, he brought just seven survivors from the 2018 championship squad, namely Benjamin Pavard, Raphael Varane, Lucas Hernandez, Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud, Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele, and reached the final, where they were beaten by Argentina. France players react in the penalty shoot out of the FIFA World Cup 2022 Final against Argentina. If the century’s trend holds, Argentina’s unusually high rate of retention would be a warning sign. And yet the 2026 format itself provides a safety net the previous defending champions did not ha
Following his disappointing end to the season, Rafael Leão has announced that he intends to leave AC Milan in the summer of 2026. In light of this, they have reportedly found the ideal replacement, with Crysencio Summerville—valued at $47 million by West Ham. Rafael Leão emerged as one of the most important players for AC Milan, excelling both as a goalscorer and creator. However, he has decided to leave the club at the end of the season following the inconsistencies of the sporting project and the failure to qualify for the UEFA Champions League. As a result, the Rossoneri have reportedly identified the ideal replacement, targeting Crysencio Summerville, who is valued at $47 million by West Ham. According to Graeme Bailey, via teamTALK, Summerville is determined to leave West Ham after the club’s relegation to the EFL Championship. Amid a chaotic season, the 24-year-old star has emerged as one of the team’s standout performers. As a result, AC Milan are considering a move for Crysencio to replace Rafael Leão. However, the Hammers value his transfer at $47 million, which could complicate matters for the Rossoneri. Not only are the Rossoneri pursuing Crysencio Summerville, but so are Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa. With this in mind, the Italian side could face serious difficulties matching the offers of the English sides, who may be able to bid much more aggressively for his signature this summer. With the 2026 World Cup only a few weeks away, the 24-year-old star could shine and further increase his value. Therefore, AC Milan may need to move quickly. Crysencio Summerville may struggle to replace Rafael Leao at AC Milan While Rafael Leão may not have enjoyed his best season at AC Milan, he still managed to score 10 goals and provide 4 assists. In addition, he recorded at least 10 goals and 10 assists in each of the previous three seasons. This is a significant contrast to Crysencio Summerville, who scored just 7 goals and registered 5 assists, while also failing to establish in the Premier League. For this reason, the 24-year-old star could struggle to match Leão’s of performances. Crysencio Summerville of West Ham United chases after the ball. Summerville has shown to be an excellent dribbler and a dangerous player on the counterattack, but his attacking production has been far from outstanding. Tasked with replacing one of AC Milan’s best players of recent years, Crysencio would arrive under immense pressure to deliver immediate results, something he has yet to prove consistently at the highest level. Therefore, his performance at the 2026 World Cup could be absolutely decisive. Rafael Leão’s sale could delay AC Milan reinforcement plans Despite his public desire to leave AC Milan, Rafael Leão may not find a transfer easy to secure. With a contract running until 2028, the Italian side would reportedly prefer to sell him only after the 2026 World Cup, hoping that he shines during the tournament. If that happens, they could seek a blockbuster transfer to the Premier League. However, negotiations may not be straightforward, and this could delay their plans to strengthen the squad. In case Rafael Leão is sold toward the end of the 2026 summer transfer window, the Rossoneri could have very little time to secure a replacement capable of delivering immediate results. In addition, both the head coach and the new sporting director have yet to be determined, meaning that other options could emerge beyond Crysencio Summerville.
Iker Casillas sees Spain as a World Cup candidate, but he thinks there are three teams on their level. There are legends who shine at the club level but cannot repeat that success with their national teams. The opposite can also happen. In Iker Casillas’ case, he belonged to the group that excelled in both, as he was a key figure for Spain when they won the World Cup in 2010. With his country still among the strongest teams in international soccer, the former goalkeeper picked their main rivals. Casillas said: “I think the national team has a great squad right now, but if it is Spain vs Portugal, I think it is an even matchup, just like Spain vs Argentina or Spain vs France. I think anything can happen. The small details are going to decide the World Cup. It will not be as comfortable as people think, those details will make the difference. I see very balanced matches. We will also have to see how the bracket shapes up, because the best third-place teams advance.” This comment was made to the local press during the presentation of his collection called “Casillas: el legado de una leyenda” (“Casillas: The Legacy of a Legend”) at Museo Legends in Madrid. Casillas on Real Madrid elections While winning trophies remains the main objective for everyone involved, Real Madrid are getting ready for a very important day. The club is preparing for Sunday’s elections, the first time members will get to vote for their president in 20 years. Pérez called for presidential elections (Denis Doyle/Getty Images) While much of the attention is naturally on Florentino Pérez trying to remain in charge in a contest with Enrique Riquelme, Casillas also spoke about the club where he became a legend, with another icon like Raúl potentially becoming sporting director. Casillas said: “I have not been approached for any role. I am looking forward to it as a member and a Real Madrid supporter. As for Raúl becoming sporting director, we are talking about Raúl. There is not much more that needs to be said, he is 100% Madridista. They must have thought it through carefully. Anything that is good for Real Madrid is fantastic.” Casillas on his career There may be very little left for someone like Casillas to accomplish after winning every major trophy in the sport. His achievements include one World Cup, two UEFA European Championships, three Champions League titles, five La Liga titles, and two Copa del Rey trophies among the highlights of his career, yet he still wanted more. Casillas said: “I would have liked to win more trophies, but I cannot complain. I have achieved everything you dream about as a kid. I became a European champion with both my club and my national team. I used to watch those moments at home when I was young and thought they were impossible to reach.”
Brad Lyons and Lewis Mayo are "massive losses" for Kilmarnock but their departure will allow Neil manager McCann to put his mark on the squad, says former goalkeeper Cammy Bell. Defender Mayo and captain Lyons have both joined Aberdeen, while fellow midfielder David Watson is leaving to join English Championship newcomers Bolton. "They are going to be massive losses, especially Lyons," said Bell on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.
David Watson will join Bolton Wanderers from Kilmarnock, the Scottish Premiership club have confirmed as they thanked him "for his commitment to the club". The midfielder, 21, is in the final weeks of his contract at Killie and will join Bolton for their first season back in England's Championship. This season, Watson made 42 appearances, scoring three goals, as Kilmarnock finished 10th in the Premiership.
The number-one goalkeeper spot at Brighton will be "potentially a big headache" for Fabian Hurzeler next season, says former Seagulls defender Guy Butters. Current first choice Bart Verbruggen, who played every minute of the Premier League campaign, has been linked with a move away - including to Spurs in Wednesday's BBC Sport gossip column. Of their other goalkeeping options, Carl Rushworth has impressed on loan at Coventry City this season as Frank Lampard's side won the Championship, while Jason Steele will travel to the USA with Thomas Tuchel's England squad to help with training.
