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Socceroos’ African heritage offers timely reminder of Australia’s diversity | Jack Snape
Culture and community helped Mo Touré and Nestory Irankunda become the footballers they are today – and their spark may ignite this World CupOne hails from West Africa, born in Guinea after his family fled Liberia. The other comes from the east of the continent, taking his first breath in a Tanzanian refugee camp after his parents escaped Burundi.Longtime friends Mo Touré, 22, and Nestory Irankunda, 20, are shining beacons for Australia’s African community, and a reminder that the Socceroos – despite ongoing political rhetoric demonising migrants – are a symbol of modern Australia. The pair’s connection is the spark set to ignite the national team at next month’s World Cup in North America. Continue reading...
Endrick officially confirms Lyon departure before return to Real Madrid: ‘I will carry this city with me in my heart’
Endrick posted an emotional video in which he confirmed he's leaving Lyon before the return to Real Madrid. The week was perfect for Endrick, as Carlo Ancelotti confirmed the forward will be in the World Cup representing Brazil. However, it was also an emotional few days for him, as he posted a video with a farewell message to Lyon fans amid the rumored return to Real Madrid. Endrick said: “I have to say goodbye now and begin a journey back, one that will take much longer because I am returning with much more than I had when I arrived. For the rest of my life, I will carry this city with me in my heart and in my memories.” Without many minutes at Real Madrid and with some injuries, Endrick had to leave the club on loan in search of playing time to prove his talent. In the end, his level in France was so good that he left a mark on the fans, just as the city left one on him. The full message “In Brazil, when someone is going through a difficult moment, people usually say that person has to kill one lion every day. I spent months going through something no athlete wants to go through, but I decided I would not kill a single lion, I decided to become one. It was here at Lyon that I found what I needed to recover my strength, follow my instinct to attack like a lion, defend my own people and become stronger. Ver esta publicación en Instagram Una publicación compartida por Endrick 🐆 (@endrick) The months of anguish turned into months of joy, victories and learning experiences. I made new friends, became even closer to the ones I already had and discovered that our place is wherever we are with the people we love and the people who love us. This period with all of you could definitely become a movie. Unfortunately, even stronger, a lion cannot stay in one place forever. I have to say goodbye now and begin a journey back, one that will take much longer because I am returning with much more than I had when I arrived. For the rest of my life, I will carry this city with me in my heart and in my memories.” Endrick’s numbers in Lyon Endrick may not have been in the headlines every week, but that was mainly because Lyon were not facing huge challenges. His performances were good enough to convince the national team manager to call him up. His improvement at his new club was clear, as he scored five goals and provided seven assists in 16 Ligue 1 matches to help his team reach the Champions League.
Report: Lamine Yamal headlines Spain’s preliminary World Cup roster as icons Carvajal, Morata miss out
Spain’s preliminary roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup reportedly includes Lamine Yamal, but leaves out two veteran stars: Alvaro Morata and Daniel Carvajal. This week, all 48 national teams participating in the 2026 World Cup submitted their preliminary player lists to FIFA. In Spain, the biggest headlines involve the inclusion of Lamine Yamal and the omissions of Daniel Carvajal and Alvaro Morata. “To the World Cup, without Morata or Carvajal. That’s how it will be. Because neither the defender nor the striker are included in the list of 55 players the RFEF submitted to FIFA on May 11,” Marca reported this week. “Performance and consistency have been burdens too heavy for both.” Carvajal has been affected by a series of injuries — muscular problems, knee issues, and more recently a foot injury — that prevented him from playing regularly for Real Madrid this season. He has appeared in just 20 matches across La Liga, Copa del Rey, and the UEFA Champions League, while completing the full 90 minutes only three times during the current campaign. Morata has played more matches despite suffering a muscle injury in December. However, his main issue has been performance, as he has struggled badly to stand out at Como 1907. In 28 appearances across Serie A and the Coppa Italia, the striker has recorded just one goal and two assists. Spain coach Luis De La Fuente. A new era for Spain Without Daniel Carvajal and Alvaro Morata, and with Jesus Navas already retired, Spain are now without the three captains they had at Euro 2024 just two years ago. That reflects an ongoing generational transition within the squad, now increasingly built around a younger core led by Lamine Yamal. Despite the muscle injury he suffered several weeks ago that prematurely ended his season with Barcelona, the 18-year-old winger is obviously included in the 55-player squad selected by Luis De La Fuente. He is also expected to remain part of the final 26-man roster. The main doubts, however, concern Yamal’s availability. His physical recovery over the next few weeks will be crucial in determining whether he will be ready for the opening group-stage matches or instead focus on being fully fit for the knockout stages, something the coach De La Fuente views as the priority. De La Fuente discusses Spain’s roster decisions Speaking with Europa Press, Luis De La Fuente explained the criteria behind both the preliminary squad and the final 26-man roster that will represent Spain at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. “These decisions are not made overnight or casually with friends. They are the result of 10 months of analysis and very rigorous study,” explained the coach. “When this list is finalized, which is the most critical phase of the work, you have to prepare for every possible situation that can happen during a match.” In addition to sporting considerations, De La Fuente admitted he also values the human side of his players: “I’ve spent three years working with the best players in the world and also the best people. It seems like being a great player and a great person are mutually exclusive, and that’s not true… Between a good person and someone who is not as good, I choose the good person.”
Soaring World Cup ticket prices for players’ families and guests leave several FAs stunned
Average cost of one ticket claimed to be $3,000 (£2,200)Fifa insists terms and conditions of sale were made clearNumerous Football Associations have been hit by increased prices when buying World Cup tickets for their players’ family and friends, with teams competing at the tournament affected by Fifa’s dynamic pricing model. While Fifa offered all national associations that have qualified for the World Cup a six-week window to buy tickets at a fixed price after the draw in December, any requests for tickets from the end of January have been subject to what Fifa describes as “adaptive pricing”, with the cost rising for most matches.An executive at one national association said they had requested hundreds of additional tickets in recent weeks and have been surprised at the size of the bill. An executive at another association claimed the average cost of securing attendance at matches for their players’ family and their guests has risen to about $3,000 (£2,200) a ticket after extra purchases, a significant additional cost that will eat into their tournament funding. Fifa sources insisted the average cost of tickets bought by national associations is far lower than $3,000. Continue reading...
‘I crossed the line,’ admits Neymar following incident with Santos teammate Robinho Jr
Santos star Neymar spoke publicly about his incident with Robinho Jr. Neymar was at the center of attention following his altercation with Robinho Jr during a Santos training session, in which the 34-year-old star struck and insulted his teammate, prompting an internal club investigation. A few days later, the situation has cooled down, and now those involved have shared their explanations. “It was a misunderstanding, a reaction, and I crossed the line,” Neymar admitted during an interview with ESPN on Tuesday. “He’s a kid I care about a lot, very deeply. I apologized right away, we talked in the locker room and understood each other… This had to be resolved internally, not the way it happened.” These remarks came after Santos’ 1-1 draw against Recoleta FC in Paraguay on Matchday 4 of the Copa Sudamericana group stage. Neymar scored his team’s only goal, as they remain bottom of Group D, though still with a chance to advance with two matches remaining. “These things happen in football,” Neymar said about his clash with Robinho Jr. “Anyone who plays football knows it happens. Fights, arguments of all kinds. That’s football. I’ve argued with friends before. I’ve had fights in the locker room many times, and everything stays there.” La celebración de Neymar con CACHETADA Y EMPUJÓN a Robinho Júnior… 😅🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/w6DoDTV0zt https://t.co/KceK7LMdJr— Ataque Futbolero (@AtaqueFutbolero) May 6, 2026 Reconciliation between Neymar and Robinho Jr appears complete According to reports, the conflict between the Santos players occurred on May 3 during a training session, when Neymar felt that Robinho Jr was mocking him after dribbling past him. The former Barcelona star reacted with a punch, a kick, and several insults. However, after acknowledging his mistake and apologizing, the situation appears to have been resolved between the two, to the point that they celebrated together in Paraguay. When Neymar scored Santos’ opener in Tuesday’s match against Recoleta FC, he embraced Robinho Jr, showing that their relationship has been repaired. What did Robinho Jr say about his conflict with Neymar? After the Copa Sudamericana match, Neymar was not the only one to address the incident that took place days earlier during Santos training. “He was man enough to admit his mistake, and I was man enough to sit down and talk. The apology is accepted,” Robinho Jr said. However, the young forward also made clear how painful the episode was for him. “I was hurt because he’s been my idol since I was a kid. The first gift he gave me was a jersey when I was eight, and I cried a lot,” Robinho Jr said.
Endrick praises Jude Bellingham’s role in helping him adapt at Real Madrid: ‘He was very important to me’
Endrick praised Jude Bellingham's role in his Real Madrid adaptation. The decision to be loaned to Lyon from Real Madrid changed the course of the season for Endrick. From being in a team with many stars to a club where he could show his talent. Even if he couldn’t play much, the forward mentioned Jude Bellingham as a very important teammate. Endrick said: “Bellingham was important to me. He made me feel welcome. I didn’t speak English very well, but he spoke to me, tried to speak a bit of Spanish, was by my side and gave me advice. His friendship was important to me at the beginning of my time at Real Madrid. That really had an impact on me. I had a certain impression of him, but he was completely different.” Bellingham has been a huge player for Real Madrid since he was signed at 19 years old. His experience as the focus of attention, like it was at Borussia Dortmund, was a factor in giving him the calmness necessary to adapt to such a gigantic club. This duo couldn’t be a factor as a tandem, but it could be decisive in the near future. Luka Modric surprised Endrick the most The stint at Real Madrid was very short. Endrick was signed from Palmeiras before moving to Spain in 2024 when he was 18. He has totaled just 40 matches with that jersey, but it was enough to get to know his teammates. Endrick played one year with Modric at Real Madrid (Angel Martinez/Getty Images) There was one player who caught Endrick’s attention for many reasons: Luka Modric. Even if the Croatian was in his final season with the club, as he was not very young, his talent made an impression on him. Endrick said: “Modric was the player who most impressed me at Real Madrid. He’s a guy who taught me a lot in my first year. Not just in training, but also in matches. It was a football masterclass. He was 40 years old and very strong. He trained every day. When he wasn’t playing, he’d go to the club and train, doing his own extra training.” Endrick on his injury The forward wasn’t very important at Real Madrid not because of his ability. It was a hamstring injury that made him miss too many matches, participating in just three in the first six months of the season before his loan to Lyon. This was very detrimental to his confidence. Endrick said: “I was afraid. I cried several times. That’s something you do in private. I didn’t know how to deal with my injury, what to expect. You don’t know if you’ll have a relapse, if you’ll keep your strength, if you’ll come back weaker. That affects you a lot. You get scared of the future. But I knew I had to keep going.”
Neymar pushes for Brazil comeback with ambitious World Cup dream involving Lionel Messi
Neymar spoke about his desire to return to the Brazil national team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and mentioned Lionel Messi. With 44 days to go until the start of the FIFA World Cup, Neymar is still dreaming of being there. The forward sent a clear message about his desire to return to the Brazil national team to compete at North America 2026, also bringing Lionel Messi into the conversation. “Ney, are you thinking about the World Cup?” a reporter asked the forward during the post-match press conference following Santos’ 1-1 draw against San Lorenzo in Buenos Aires on Tuesday. “Of course. Every Brazilian player thinks about that. I hope I can be there,” Neymar replied. Moments later, another journalist asked whether a potential reunion with Lionel Messi was also part of his plans. “Yes, of course,” Ney answered, going a step further by linking that possibility to a potential meeting at the World Cup: “Also, a final between Brazil and Argentina would be spectacular.” For now, the Santos forward knows that to achieve his goal of returning to the Brazil national team, he must first deliver convincing performances at club level to catch coach Carlo Ancelotti’s attention. Neymar and Messi together during a World Cup qualifier between Brazil and Argentina in 2016. In that regard, the past few weeks have been positive. Neymar played the full 90 minutes against San Lorenzo in the Copa Sudamericana and has now done so in five consecutive matches across all competitions. He only missed last Saturday’s clash against Bahia in the Brazilian Serie A, but that was not due to physical issues—it was a decision by coach Cuca to prioritize this week’s match in Buenos Aires. An Argentina-Brazil World Cup final would be unprecedented Despite being two of the strongest national teams in the world, with eight titles between them, Argentina and Brazil have never met in a World Cup final. In fact, they have not faced each other at any stage of the tournament in 36 years. The last time the two South American giants met at a World Cup was in the Round of 16 at Italy 1990, when Argentina defeated Brazil 1-0 thanks to a second-half goal from Claudio Caniggia. That result helped them advance all the way to the final, where they lost 1-0 to West Germany. Overall, Argentina and Brazil have faced each other four times in the FIFA tournament. Two of those matches were Brazilian victories (2-1 in 1974 and 3-1 in 1982), along with a 0-0 draw in 1978 and Argentina’s win in 1990. Messi vs Neymar at international level The friendship between Lionel Messi and Neymar, forged during their years together at Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, has not prevented them from facing off multiple times at international level. Messi holds the edge, with three wins and two losses. The most significant meeting between the two came in the 2021 Copa America final, when Argentina defeated Brazil 1-0 thanks to a goal from Angel Di Maria, ending a 28-year trophy drought. Messi also recorded wins in 2010 and 2012, while Neymar came out on top in a 2014 friendly and a 2016 World Cup qualifier.
