Asif Afridi banned for two years for anti-corruption offences

Asif Afridi has been banned for two years for two separate breaches of the PCB’s Anti-Corruption Code. The ban will come into effect on the date the left-arm spinner was provisionally suspended – September 12, 2022, meaning his period of ineligibility ends two years after that date. The offences are understood to have occurred in the 2022 Pakistan Cup, where Afridi, 36, played for eventual runners-up Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.The more serious breach of the code comes in the violation of Article 2.4.10, which involves “directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any Participant to breach any of the foregoing provisions of this Article 2.4.”While the precise nature of this offence has not been made public, it has seen him banned for two years. His other offence concerns the breach of Article 2.4.4, which concerns the non-reporting of corrupt approaches. For that, he has received a six-month suspension, to run concurrently alongside the two-year suspension.The offences can carry up to a lifetime ban, but the PCB said they had taken into account his admission of guilt, level of remorse and past track record.”It gives the PCB no joy to suspend an international cricketer for two years, but we have a zero-tolerance approach towards such offences,” PCB chairman Najam Sethi said. “As the game’s governing body, we need to make examples, handle such matters robustly and send out strong messages to all cricketers.”It is bitter fact that corruption poses a threat to our sport as selfish corrupters lure cricketers in different ways and methods. That’s precisely why the PCB has been investing heavily on player education so that they remain vigilant and can help the PCB eradicate this menace by reporting approaches. If, despite all our best efforts to create awareness, a player falls victim to his greed, then the PCB has no sympathy.”While Afridi hasn’t played international cricket for Pakistan, he was named in Pakistan’s T20I and ODI squads for Australia’s visit to Pakistan last year. He has also played for Multan Sultans in the PSL. He last played any form of cricket in the National T20 Cup in August 2022.

Farooqi and Najibullah earn Afghanistan hard-fought win to seal series

Nabi helped ice another chase under tough circumstances and conditions

Danyal Rasool26-Mar-2023A little over a decade after they burst onto the international scene, Afghanistan have defeated Pakistan for the second successive match, sealing a famous series win with a game to spare. Another solid bowling performance set them up for it, but they threatened to make a bit of a meal of the 131 they had to chase. But, just as they had on Friday, Najibullah Zadran and Mohammad Nabi hung around till the end to shepherd their side through tempestuous waters, thwarting Pakistan at the death once more.Pakistan fought valiantly in defence of 130, and for much of the chase, found themselves well on top. Even Afghanistan’s talismanic opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz could do little in the face of disciplined bowling by both pace and spin, and when his second-wicket stand with Ibrahim Zadran ended, the required rate had soared past ten. Afghanistan found themselves requiring 22 off the final two overs on a pitch where that sort of scoring is notoriously difficult, with Naseem Shah and Zaman Khan still to bowl.But, once more, Nabi was there for Afghanistan. A smeared six over midwicket off the first ball of Naseem’s final over handed the advantage to his side, before Najibullah bookended that over with another huge six over long-on. Zaman Khan did his best to keep Afghanistan honest in his attempt to defend five, but that was a bridge too far, even for him. A slash to deep third, a failed attempt at a catch, and a ball that burst through to the boundary, and victory was complete. Afghanistan have never had anything given to them easy, but what they’ve just gone out and earned will taste the sweetest of all.Farooqi’s first-over magic
Afghanistan shot out Pakistan’s top order on Friday thanks in large part to Fazalhaq Farooqi. The Afghan fast bowler repeated the dose in a sensational first over today, sending down a double-wicket maiden to begin proceedings. Moments after Pakistan had opted to bat first once more, it took two balls for Saim Ayub to slice one to the keeper, Gurbaz taking a stunning catch low to his left. Farooqi piled on the misery on Abdullah Shafique next ball, an inswinging fuller delivery condemning him to his fourth-successive T20I duck. Mohammad Haris was good for a few breezy boundaries, but really, it was all Afghanistan, with the opener nicking off to Gurbaz for a 9-ball 15.Imad, Shadab strike back
When Pakistan lost half their side for 63, getting to three figures looked a challenge. But Shadab Khan and Imad Wasim found a way to hold off a surging Afghanistan bowling attack, first by consolidating, and then by attacking. Rashid Khan’s spell was seen off; the first five overs of the stand saw no boundaries scored at all. But having taken the sting out of the attack, the duo began to slowly turn the tables. A six from Imad was the catalyst for a counter-attack; it brought up a 45-ball half-century before Shadab joined in. The final four overs saw 42 runs scored, and Pakistan had a total they could have a go at defending.Pakistan’s barren squeeze
Gurbaz struck a glorious six off Naseem in an expensive first over, but that over aside, Pakistan were smothering both him and his side in the chase. The runs came in singles rather than boundaries, and whatever infrequent four the hosts managed to snatch dried up entirely after the Powerplay ended. Gurbaz struggled to find any fluency on a slow surface, and a scratchy innings from Ibrahim at the other end didn’t ease their required-rate woes, either. It was a barren squeeze as Pakistan managed just the one wicket in 15 overs, but by now, the run rate had slipped below a run-a-ball. Just one boundary had been scored in the previous nine overs, and it showed in the way Gurbaz perished.Getting desperate in his quest for a boundary, he set up for a switch hit, but only dragged a mistimed hoick to short third. He set off for a single, only to be turned back, but Naseem’s direct hit gave him no chance. Gurbaz fumed as he walked off, and Afghanistan’s chances looked to go up in smoke. But crucially, Afghanistan had not thrown away wickets while Pakistan’s bowlers were on top, and that mattered in the end.

More transfer trouble for Newcastle? Bruno Guimaraes in demand in Saudi Arabia as speculation swirls around Alexander Isak

Newcastle stars Bruno Guimaraes and Alexander Isak are attracting plenty of interest ahead of the summer transfer window.

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Saudi clubs targeting GuimaraesIsak also wanted after stellar seasonNewcastle facing a battle to keep top starsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Guimaraes is being targeted by Saudi clubs after another impressive campaign with the Magpies, according to . Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal are both admirers of the Brazilian who is said to be willing to listen to lucrative proposals, although his priority is to stay in Europe currently. The Saudi clubs are keen to bring in a big-name signing in the summer and are "looking closely" at top Brazilian superstars.

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Guimaraes has regularly attracted admirers during his time at Newcastle but manager Eddie Howe has insisted he wants the midfielder to stay. Newcastle are also facing a potential battle to keep hold of striker Alexander Isak. The Swede hit 23 Premier League goals for the Magpies this season which has reportedly attracted interest from Arsenal and Liverpool. Howe has refused to rule out a big-money transfer for Isak but a lofty £150m price tag may ensure he stays at St James' Park.

DID YOU KNOW?

Guimaraes and Isak both won their first trophy with Newcastle earlier this season when Howe's side beat Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final. The Magpies are now hoping to seal a place in the Champions League for next season and head into the final round of Premier League fixtures in third place in the table.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR NEWCASTLE

Victory over Everton on the final day of the campaign will be enough to secure Newcastle a place in next season's Champions League which may well be key in keeping their top stars at the club over the summer transfer window.

Emi Martinez says goodbye?! Aston Villa goalkeeper in tears as he waves to fans after Tottenham win as Unai Emery offers future update

Emi Martinez seemed to wave a tearful goodbye to Aston Villa fans after beating Spurs as Unai Emery provided an update on the goalkeeper's future.

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  • Martinez emotional after Villa win
  • Had tears in his eyes
  • Emery provides update on the goalkeeper's future
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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    Martinez appeared to waved goodbye to the fans at Villa Park after Aston Villa beat Tottenham 2-0 in their final home game of the 2024-25 campaign. The World Cup-winning goalkeeper had tears in his eyes after the full-time whistle as he left the pitch.

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    Per journalist , the Argentine custodian is all set to leave the Villans at the end of the 2024-25 campaign. He has offers from two top European clubs, while a Saudi Pro League side also want the goalkeeper. The 32-year-old, however, is likely to reject the Saudi offer to stay at the highest level in Europe to prepare for the 2026 World Cup in North America.

  • WHAT UNAI EMERY SAID

    After the game, Villa boss Emery provided an update on the goalkeeper's future as he told reporters: "We will see. Of course, it is the last match here [this season], and I don't know. We will see about the team, the players, but of course, they are responding on the field."

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    WHAT NEXT FOR ASTON VILLA?

    Emery's side will play their final game of the season on May 25 against Manchester United at Old Trafford. It could well be Martinez's last game for the club.

Sam Fanning to miss start of next season after ban for pitch tampering

While the sanction involves Premier Cricket the 22-year-old won’t be available for WA as he serves it

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Mar-2023

Sam Fanning was part of WA’s Sheffield Shield side in the first part of the season•Getty Images

Sam Fanning, the Western Australia batter, will be ineligible for state selection early next season after being suspended from Premier Cricket for pitch tampering.Fanning, 22, was given a four-game ban after being found guilty following last weekend’s WA Premier Cricket final between Perth CC and Bayswater-Morley CC at Lilac Hill.Footage showed Fanning scraping his spikes on the protected area of the pitch after the first day’s play during which he had scored 123 from 197 balls and was later named Player of the Match.”WA Cricket expects high standards of behaviour from all contracted players, on and off the field. We were disappointed to learn of the incident involving Sam, which did not reflect our values,” WA Cricket’s general manager of high performance Kade Harvey said in a statement.”Alongside the penalty, we will work with Sam and provide an education and development plan in line with living our values and making better decisions moving forward.”Fanning, who previously represented Australia Under-19s, made his Sheffield Shield debut during the 2022-23 season in which Western Australia claimed back-to-back titles. He made 61 against New South Wales at the SCG, the only half-century of the match in what became a low-scoring affair on a turning wicket.He had also scored a half-century against India in a T20 World Cup warm-up match at the WACA.

Harmanpreet lights up WPL Day for Mumbai in 143-run win

Despite all the glitzy build-up, what the inaugural Women’s Premier League needed to truly blast-off was an I’m her performance. And it came from Harmanpreet Kaur.In many ways the Mumbai Indians captain’s 30-ball 65 could well be for the WPL what Brendon McCullum’s 158 was to the IPL.It was as if Harmanpreet wanted to vent the ire of that run-out that turned the Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 semi-final in Australia’s favour. Gujarat Giants had filled all four of their overseas quota with Australians. And that was reason enough.Related

  • Opening act: Blue is the warmest colour as Harmanpreet, Mumbai carry WPL torch

  • Harmanpreet hopes WPL will 'cut down' the gap in talent between India and Australia

  • WPL – a league long overdue, and already making dreams come true

  • Can the WPL make women's cricket in India mainstream?

  • Issy Wong grew up watching Mumbai Indians. Now she's one of them

Harmanpreet found herself in the middle in the ninth over, with Mumbai at 69 for 2. She saw a set batter in Nat Sciver-Brunt depart after a 54-run partnership with Hayley Matthews, who was also dismissed in the next over to leave Mumbai at 77 for 3. After her Player-of-the-Series performance in the T20 World Cup, Ashleigh Gardner had yet again left a mark.But Harmanpreet didn’t care. She just attacked the ball, like she has been doing for a long, long time for India. A fortunate outside edge in a attempted drive got her going before she timed a Sneh Rana ball through extra cover.But that was merely the prelude. The 12th over showcased Harmanpreet at her Harmanbest. And obviously it was filled with sweep shots – one through backward square leg and another through forward square leg. Georgia Wareham, the bowler, could do little to stop the runs. Even Gardner felt the full force – and range – of Harmanpreet’s sweep, one ball hit powerfully through midwicket, the next paddled deftly past short fine.By now, Harmanpreet was in overdrive. She hit seven fours off successive balls to bring up a 22-ball half-century, the first in the WPL. The famous bat-swing was on show. The confidence perhaps never left. Glimpses of her T20I hundred, ODI knock, or more recently the unbeaten 143 were all on show. Sweeps, check. Pulls, check. Slices and scythes, check. Courtesy her hitting and Amelia Kerr’s able support, Mumbai were able to score 46 between overs 14 and 16 that gave them a launchpad.And all this despite having little practice in the lead up.”Practice (I couldn’t get time to practice)!” she said about her training ahesd of the knock. “There was very little time and I had a lot of commitments as a player and a captain.”But the key for the “over-thinker” in Harmanpreet was to calm herself and bring clarity in her thoughts and get herself “in the zone”.”When I am calmer and be in the moment, it helps in giving clarity,” she said. “Being in that zone isn’t easy but when I am calm it gives me clarity. To be in that zone isn’t easy but I have to keep talking to myself and be in the present. When I am in that zone I am clearer in picking my areas and things become easy for me, and today was that day when I was relaxed”.All of Mumbai rose to applaud Harmanpreet when she finally fell, slicing one to short third off Rana in the 17th over, bringing the curtain down on an 89-run stand with Kerr off just 42 balls. Kerr then stepped up to lead the attack on the Giants as Mumbai added 41 off the next three overs to finish on 207 for 5. Their total of 207 for 5 was the joint-second highest across all major Women’s T20 leagues (WBBL, Kia Super League, The Hundred, Women’s CPL, T20 Challenge and now the WPL) behind Sydney Sixers’ 242 for 4 against Melbourne Stars in 2017-18.Much like that starry night in 2008, the opposition on the receiving end of a truly astonishing T20 innings just couldn’t cope. It didn’t help that their captain and top-scorer at the T20 World Cup final, Beth Mooney, retired hurt after seemingly injuring her knee before the first over of the chase was even done. Giants were 8 for 3 by the end of the fourth over. Then 23 for 7 by the eighth over. And finally bowled out in the 16th to lose by 143 runs.

Matthews’ fireworks complement Harmanpreet

If Harmanpreet’s knock was the fire, Matthews’ quick start at the top was the spark Mumbai needed to announce themselves in the WPL. Matthews’ hard-hitting truly set them on their way to begin with a win. She played a pick-up shot off seamer Mansi Joshi’s first ball over deep square leg, before slicing one past backward point for four. She then drove left-arm spinner Tanuja Kanwar through covers to finish the powerplay on 22 out of Mumbai’s 44.Matthews then showed why she is rated highly with a display of hitting three sixes in the space of seven balls. She first flicked a full ball over long leg off seamer Annabel Sutherland before just pressing forward and lofting her over cow corner a couple of deliveries later. In the next over, she once again cleared her front leg, used her reach to hit Wareham well over long-on.Matthews then used the depth of her crease to slap Gardner through cover-point before the latter got the better of her for a 31-ball 47.Giants were never in the hunt in their 206-run chase especially after captain Beth Mooney hobbled off the field in the first over due to possibly jarring her knee. Sciver-Brunt then had Harleen Deol skying one to deep third off her first ball via a leading edge before castling S Meghana. In the interim, fast bowler Issy Wong’s pace undid Gardner for a first-ball duck as Giants lost three wickets in 15 balls.Bengal’s left-arm spinner Saika Ishaque then ran through the middle order to crush any hopes Giants would have had of a resurgence. Only Dayalan Hemalatha, with 29 not out, and Monica Patel finished in double digits for them.

Turning point

Mumbai had just started to find the next gear with Harmanpreet and Kerr in the middle and were 124 for 3 after 13 overs. But Monica’s second over truly helped them gain full control. She bowled full and outside off from around the stumps, which Kerr drove through cover-point. A single later, Harmanpreet tore the left-arm seamer’s bowling apart.Harmanpreet first drove her through cover-point, and when Monica switched to over the wicket, she pummeled her through square leg. Monica then went full and outside off only to be driven through covers. The last of fours in that over was perhaps the best of it all – Harmanpreet opened the face of her bat ever so slightly to drive it square through covers. A total of 21 were scored in that over.

Colin Graves withdraws from running to become Yorkshire chair

Colin Graves has withdrawn his offer to refinance Yorkshire’s £14.9 million debt, and will not be returning to his former role of chair at the club after criticising the length of time it has taken to appoint a successor to Lord Patel, who stepped down in March.Graves’ family trust is owed approximately £15 million by Yorkshire following his bail-out in 2002, although the club has been looking at alternative sources of investment, with prospective names in the frame including Mike Ashley, the former owner of Newcastle United, and the Saudi national investment fund.Yorkshire are due to repay £500,000 to the Graves Trust in October, with the remainder of the balance due in October 2024, although Graves himself was understood to have reached an agreement with its independent trustees to extend the repayment terms by a further three years, in exchange for his return as Yorkshire chair.However, in a letter to the interim chair, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, and seen by the Telegraph, Graves has now withdrawn from that agreement in principle, with a broadside at the club for effectively using him as a backstop if they failed to secure the funding elsewhere.”After five months of constant discussions, interviews, exchange of emails, it would appear that your board only require my services as chairman as a last resort. Other excellent candidates have been rejected, in a process that has proven to be arduous and disappointing to all who participated,” he wrote.Yorkshire’s financial position remains parlous in the wake of Azeem Rafiq’s revelations about institutional racism at Headingley, and the subsequent withdrawal of a host of key sponsors at the height of the crisis. In a statement, the club responded that they were “disappointed” with Graves’ pronouncements, adding that his proposal had never been a definitive offer for formal board-level discussion.”We remain at a critical point in the future of Yorkshire County Cricket Club,” the statement read. “The board is squarely focused on securing the financial security of the club and we are continuing the positive conversations around investment from various sources.”We have been notified that Colin Graves has decided to withdraw his application for chair. We are disappointed that he has decided to do so publicly and are obliged to make it absolutely clear that at no point did Colin make a clearly defined, tangible offer that the board was able to consider formally, unlike other interested parties involved in the refinance process.”We have consistently outlined that the new chair would be appointed using a fair, thorough and robust process, which is ongoing. Colin indicated that the terms of his return as chair would require total control of the board and executive. This would run counter to that process, as well as the best practice governance requirements set out in the County Governance Code that were agreed by all counties in 2019.”Colin also makes a number of allegations about the board’s actions in regard to finances which are unfounded and indicate a distinct lack of understanding of the current position of YCCC. The short- and long-term financial wellbeing of the club remains the board’s priority, and we will not be distracted by speculation which is unhelpful to our primary objective of securing the future of Yorkshire County Cricket Club and making it a welcoming club for everyone.”

Tale of two captains as series sits on a knife edge

Pat Cummins five-for, superhuman Ben Stokes innings highlight skippers’ brilliance

Matt Roller07-Jul-20231:14

Ehantharajah: Moeen Ali’s vital wickets keep England alive

Australia retained their slender advantage in the third Test at Headingley on another day of Ashes cricket in fast-forward. They were not at their clinical best in Leeds against a flagging England side, yet could still clinch the urn this weekend.This was a day that highlighted the brilliance of the two captains. Pat Cummins, who took two wickets on the first evening, added four more to complete his first five-wicket haul on English soil, finishing with 6 for 91, while Ben Stokes produced his second superhuman innings in six days.Stokes had resumed after lunch unbeaten on 27 as England struggled to find a middle ground between attack and defence, losing four wickets in the morning – three of them to aggressive shots, despite their slowest-scoring session of the series.But Stokes and England shifted gears after the break, adding 95 runs in 62 balls for the loss of their final three wickets, in a frenzied hour in the Leeds sunshine. Stokes was the last man out, looking to hit Todd Murphy for his sixth six, but his 80 dragged England to a deficit of only 26.Related

Stuart Broad vs David Warner: 17 and counting

Pat Cummins vs Joe Root – a hallmark of greatness

Stuart Broad struck early for England, removing David Warner for the second time in the match, third time in the series and 17th in Test cricket, before Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne restored some calm, adding 55 for the second wicket.Then Labuschagne and Steven Smith fell in quick succession to Moeen Ali – Smith was his 200th Test wicket – and when Khawaja edged Chris Woakes behind, England sensed an opening. Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh took them through to the close, leading by 142 and with the game just about in their control.Cummins struck with the second ball of the day, dismissing Joe Root for the 10th time. He found some extra bounce from just short of a good length, with a tight enough line to draw Root into a shot, tentatively steering to Warner at slip.It was a good ball, yes, but a tame end – one which further vindicated the intent behind the reverse-scoop that he attempted at the start of the fourth morning of the first Test in Birmingham. Jonny Bairstow followed soon after, chasing a wide half-volley from Mitchell Starc and flashing to second slip.Stokes played within himself, clearly struggling with an apparent hip injury for which he received treatment, but dug deep in defence. Moeen kept him company during a partnership worth 44, but his dismissal – caught in the deep after a second successive top-edged hook – exposed a familiar failing against the short ball.Woakes fell to the same shot, top-edging a pull through to Alex Carey in the final over before lunch having earlier swiped Cummins over midwicket for six. England scored at 3.19 an over across the morning session, adding 74 runs for the loss of four wickets. Headingley was subdued.Mark Wood soon woke the crowd up. He swiped the first three balls after lunch for six, four and six off Starc, then swung Cummins for six more. His innings of 24 off 8 was nothing more than a cameo, yet somehow changed the course of the day as Australia persisted with a short-ball ploy.Pat Cummins celebrates a wicket•Getty Images

Stokes continued to battle through, hitting Starc for three consecutive boundaries as he sensed the moment to attack. When Broad heaved Cummins to long leg – where Smith took a brilliant catch, diving to his right – Stokes went even harder, thumping Murphy back over his head for back-to-back sixes.He repeated the trick an over later, with one straight hit and a slog-sweep over square leg, and eventually fell looking for a third pair of back-to-back sixes, slog-sweeping the first before dragging the second down Smith’s throat at long-on.Broad’s dismissal of Warner was trademark: around the wicket, wide on the crease, angling the ball in then nipping it away off the seam to find his outside edge. Zak Crawley held on at second slip, and Labuschagne looked skittish early in his innings at No. 3.His partnership with the unflustered Khawaja either side of tea presented Australia an opportunity to take control of the game, against an England attack still missing Ollie Robinson due to the back spasm he suffered on the first afternoon; when Labuschagne was dropped down the leg side by Bairstow off Wood, it felt like a significant moment.But inexplicably, he offered another chance to the very next ball he faced. Getting down to sweep Moeen, Labuschagne top-edged straight to Harry Brook on the square leg boundary; he resembled a child trying to convince a parent for a few more throw-downs as he sullenly dragged himself back to the dressing room.And Australia’s other middle-order banker fell soon after. Smith, playing his 100th Test, charged down the pitch to Moeen, looking to get his innings up and running by swiping him over midwicket but skewed a half-volley straight to Ben Duckett at short midwicket. “See ya, Smudge,” Bairstow said with a grin, earning a glare from Smith on his way off.Wood hit Khawaja with a bouncer shortly before drinks and he fell soon after, edging through to Bairstow as Woakes angled one across him. Head and Marsh reached stumps unscathed and with Australia back ahead of the game, but without any real semblance of dominance heading into the middle day of the series.

Gavi backs Lamine Yamal to win Ballon d'Or ahead of Ousmane Dembele after 'exceptional' season for Barcelona

Gavi is backing Barcelona team-mate Lamine Yamal to claim Ballon d’Or honours ahead of Champions League-winning PSG star Ousmane Dembele.

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  • Dembele savoured Champions League glory
  • Considered to be favourite for Golden Ball
  • Teenage wonderkid is also in the running
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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    The race to land a prestigious Golden Ball in 2025 is well and truly on after a thrilling end to another domestic and continental season. Several household names consider themselves to be in with a chance of being named the best player on the planet.

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    Mohamed Salah enjoyed another record-setting campaign at Premier League champions Liverpool, while World Cup winner Dembele registered 33 goals for treble-winning Paris Saint-Germain as they made history by savouring European Cup success for the first time.

  • DID YOU KNOW?

    Brazil international Raphinha enjoyed a stunning season with Barca, as they won three trophies of their own, while his club colleague Yamal has become a global superstar at just 17 years of age.

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    WHAT GAVI SAID

    Gavi believes that the teenage wonderkid deserves Ballon d’Or recognition, telling on Catalunya Radio: “Dembele has had an incredible season and should be in the top three for sure, but what Lamine has done this season is exceptional, a unique player.”

England boss Sarina Wiegman hits insane landmark no other manager in women's OR men's football has ever reached after Lionesses roar into Euro 2025 final

England boss Sarina Wiegman hit a landmark that no other manager in men's or women's football has achieved as she became the first head coach to reach five consecutive major finals. The Lionesses booked their berth in the Women's Euro 2025 final after they dramatically beat Italy with a last-gasp goal in the last-four stage.

Wiegman makes more historyEngland reached the Euro finalDramatically beat Italy 2-1Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Barbara Bonansea handed Italy the lead in the first half, but Michelle Agyemang's equaliser in the 96th minute helped England to take the game to extra-time. After a gruelling battle of 119 minutes, the Lionesses finally netted the winning goal courtesy of Chloe Kelly's penalty rebound strike as they kept their hopes alive of defending the European Championship title.

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With the victory in the last-four stage, England boss Wiegman became the first manager in the history of men's or women's football to reach five consecutive major finals. With the Netherlands, the 55-year-old reached the final of the 2017 Women's Euro and 2019 Women's World Cup. After joining the Lionesses, the Dutch tactician guided the team to the 2022 and 2025 European Championship finals and also helped them reach the final of the 2023 Women's World Cup.

Wiegman did, however, suffer disappointment at the delayed 2020 Olympic Games with the Netherlands as they exited the competition at the quarter-final stage after a penalty shootout defeat to the USWNT.

DID YOU KNOW?

Out of the five finals she has reached, Wiegman has tasted success in the 2017 and 2022 European Championships, while she lost back-to-back World Cup finals with Netherlands and England.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR ENGLAND?

England will aim to win back-to-back European championships as they will face the winner of Spain and Germany in the highly anticipated final this Sunday.

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