The Redmen TV's Dan Clubbe says Liverpool re-signing Darwin Nunez "might work" despite sounding "crazy". The Uruguay striker departed for Al-Hilal for £46m last summer but was left out of the Saudi Pro League side's squad for the second half of the season and is reportedly considering terminating his contract with the club. The 26-year-old has been linked with a return to Anfield, especially with Hugo Ekitike sidelined with a long-term Achilles injury.
Guillermo Ochoa and Santiago Gimenez are not part of Mexico’s starting lineup against South Africa in the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off this Thursday at Estadio Azteca with Mexico taking on South Africa. The hosts will be without two of their biggest stars in the starting XI, as head coach Javier Aguirre has opted to leave Guillermo Ochoa and Santiago Gimenez on the bench. Following the opening ceremony, the official lineups for both teams were announced ahead of the tournament opener. Among Mexico’s starting eleven, the absence of Ochoa stood out, as he will not begin the World Cup as the team’s first-choice goalkeeper. Instead, Raul Rangel will get the nod, a decision that comes as little surprise considering he started Mexico’s last eight friendlies during the team’s preparation for the FIFA tournament. As a result, Ochoa and Carlos Acevedo will serve as backup goalkeepers. Ochoa still reaches a World Cup record Even though he is not part of Mexico’s starting lineup, Guillermo Ochoa will still achieve a FIFA World Cup milestone on Thursday while sitting on the bench—one that no other player has reached before in the tournament’s history. Javier Aguirre, Head Coach of Mexico. Ochoa is the first player ever to be part of six different FIFA World Cup editions. His first experience came at Germany 2006, and he has been included in every Mexico squad at the tournament ever since. In the coming days, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will match that mark, though with one key difference: the stars of Argentina and Portugal have played matches in all six of their World Cup appearances and, barring any unforeseen issues, will do so again this summer. Ochoa, meanwhile, was an unused substitute in both 2006 and 2010 and appears likely to remain without minutes in 2026 as well. Santiago Gimenez awaits his opportunity off the bench Just like Guillermo Ochoa, Santiago Gimenez will begin the 2026 World Cup among the substitutes and will have to wait for his opportunity to make an impact in the FIFA tournament. The 25-year-old striker appears to have fallen behind Raul Jimenez in Aguirre’s pecking order, with the veteran forward earning the starting role on Thursday. The 2025-26 season was a difficult one for Gimenez. He managed just 18 appearances for AC Milan due to physical setbacks, recording one goal and three assists across Serie A, Coppa Italia, and the Supercoppa Italiana. That lack of playing time also affected his standing at the international level, allowing Raul Jimenez to move ahead of him in the battle for the starting spot.
South Africa open the 2026 World Cup against co-hosts Mexico, and coach Hugo Broos acknowledged the challenge facing his team. The post South Africa must be at their best against ‘dangerous’ Mexico, warns Broos appeared first on SoccerNews.
Despite AC Milan’s willingness to renew his contract, Luka Modrić appears to be considering retirement after the 2026 World Cup with Croatia. In this context, he supposedly has the door open to return to Real Madrid, taking on any role he wishes under Florentino Pérez. Luka Modrić become an undisputed starter at AC Milan. Despite arriving as a veteran, he took control of the midfield, becoming a guaranteed starter for Massimiliano Allegri. Following this, the Rossoneri are pushing to renew the Croatian veteran, but he appears close to retirement after the 2026 World Cup. With this in mind, he supposedly has the door open to return to Real Madrid under Florentino Pérez. According to Tomás Roncero, via Diario AS, Florentino Pérez keeps the door open for Luka Modrić’s return to Real Madrid. Considering his intention to retire, the Croatian veteran has the opportunity to return to the los Blancos in any executive role he wishes. With this, he could join other former players such as Roberto Carlos or Iker Casillas, who are in different positions within the club. Despite Los Blancos’ interest on him, Modrić could not rule out extending his contract for at least one more season with AC Milan. Given his veteran status, he could be key in facilitating a generational transition in midfield, allowing players such as Ardon Jashari or Samuele Ricci to step in gradually. Therefore, his return to Real Madrid in an executive role is not fully defined, leaving his future to be decided after the 2026 World Cup. Not only could Luka Modrić return to Real Madrid, but also Toni Kroos. José Félix Díaz, a journalist considered very close to the club, revealed in Diario AS that Florentino Pérez wants the German legend to become part of the club’s sporting structure. In the middle of the presidential elections against Enrique Riquelme, the current president could gain significant electoral momentum with both legends included in the structure of his project. Luka Modric of AC Milan looks on during the Serie A match. Modric’s next move may depend on AC Milan and 2026 World Cup As one of the most important players for the Rossoneri, Luka Modrić has the door open to extend his contract for one more season. After playing 2,864 minutes under Massimiliano Allegri, he proved to be fully capable of continuing to shine for a longer period. However, the veteran could make a decision regarding his professional future depending on the 2026 World Cup and his performances. As a true veteran, Luka could evaluate his future year by year. If he manages to shine with Croatia in the tournament, the Rossoneri could move closer to keeping him for one more season. However, this would depend on the sporting project, as a strong partnership between the coach and sporting director would be crucial. In addition, they may need key reinforcements in positions to convince the Croatian to continue in order to win trophies.
We are raiding the Guardian long read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors.This week, from 2023: a series of financial scandals have rocked Italy’s most glamorous club. But is the trouble at Juventus symptomatic of a deeper rot in world football?By Tobias Jones. Read by Daniel Alexander Continue reading...
