Glasgow Rangers have already confirmed that Barry Ferguson’s time as interim manager of the Ibrox club came to an end after the Scottish Premiership season concluded.

The Light Blues were held to a 2-2 draw at Easter Road on the final day of the league season, as Rangers cemented their second-placed finish behind their city rivals.

Ferguson’s interim spell ended with six wins, five draws, and four defeats in 15 matches in all competitions, which was far from impressive on paper for the inexperienced Scottish coach.

It has now been confirmed that he will not be in contention for the job on a full-time basis, as the Gers are now looking elsewhere for a permanent successor to Philippe Clement, who was relieved of his duties in February.

There have already been plenty of interesting names linked with the vacant managerial position at Ibrox, ranging from British coaches, foreign coaches with British experience, and left-field coaches with no experience in British football.

One of the names who has been mentioned alongside the Rangers job in recent weeks is Real Madrid assistant first-team coach Davide Ancelotti, the son of Carlo Ancelotti.

Why Rangers should avoid Davide Ancelotti

There have been some contradicting reports on the club’s interest in the Italian tactician of late, with talk of an offer from the Gers and then a report saying that was false and that he wants to join his father with the Brazil national team for a year.

Whether he is a serious candidate for the job or not, the 49ers and Kevin Thelwell should look elsewhere in their search for a new head coach because of the job facing the next manager ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Rangers have finished second in the Premiership in each of the last four seasons, watching their city rivals lift the trophy each year, and need a head coach who can bring success back to Ibrox.

Whilst Ancelotti is an exciting prospect, because he has yet to manage at first-team level and is full of untapped potential, the fact that he is an unknown quantity as a manager also counts against him for this particular job.

Real Madrid (Assistant manager)

Carlo Ancelotti

233

Everton (Assistant manager)

Carlo Ancelotti

67

Napoli (Assistant manager)

Carlo Ancelotti

73

Bayern Munich (Assistant manager)

Carlo Ancelotti

60

Real Madrid (Fitness coach)

Carlo Ancelotti

119

PSG (Fitness coach)

Carlo Ancelotti

77

The 35-year-old coach, as shown by his career path above, has not been a first-team manager to date, as he has only worked as part of his father’s coaching staff, as either a fitness coach or as an assistant manager.

Whilst there is a lot of brilliant experience in some of the best leagues in Europe at some of the biggest clubs in the world there, Ancelotti has not proven himself as the main man and that is why Rangers, in their current situation, should look elsewhere.

Rangers want to appoint new manager this week

As per a fresh report from the Daily Mail, Rangers are looking to appoint a more experienced manager as they are set to hold talks with English boss Steven Gerrard.

The report claims that the club are planning to hold talks with the Liverpool legend within the next 48 hours to discuss a potential return to Ibrox, having left the job to join Aston Villa back in 2021.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

It states that Gerrard, who is currently without a club, is currently the frontrunner to land the role, and that Rangers want to have a deal wrapped up by the end of this week if possible.

All going well, the English manager could be holding up a Gers scarf for the second time before next Monday, although there is no mention of how interested he is in making a return to Glasgow.

With this news in mind, the club must convince Gerrard to return to Ibrox before the end of the week during these talks that are due to take place within the next 48 hours because he would make supporters forget about wanting Ancelotti.

Why Gerrard would make Rangers forget Ancelotti

As aforementioned, the Real Madrid assistant manager would arrive at Ibrox as a huge gamble by the club, given his lack of senior managerial experience, but that would not be the case with Gerrard.

In fact, the English head coach may be the safest possible appointment for Rangers to make, given that he is the only Gers manager who has won the Premiership in the last decade.

The former England international lost more games than he won at Aston Villa (19 vs 13) and Al Ettifaq (20 vs 19) after moving on from Ibrox in 2021, but there is no mocking his record during his time in Scottish football.

After being given time to build a squad in the 2018/19 and 2019/20 campaigns, Gerrard won the Premiership title in the 2020/21 season with 32 wins and zero losses in the top-flight, an achievement that was described as “unbelievable” by journalist Leanne Prescott.

Matches

38

12

Wins

32

8

Draws

6

3

Defeats

0

1

Points

102

27

Points per game

2.68

2.25

League position

1st (Champions)

1st

As you can see in the table above, the 4-3-3 manager only lost one of his last 50 matches in charge of the club, and left the team at the top of the table before Giovanni van Bronckhorst failed to follow up with another title success.

Gerrard, once dubbed “amazing” by Glen Johnson, has proven that he can deliver a successful style of football at Ibrox, given his incredible record across his last 50 games and the title that he won in the 2020/21 campaign.

Rangers have failed to win the Premiership in the last four seasons, and they need a head coach who can bring the title back to Ibrox next term. So, who better than the only man to have done it in the last decade? That is why appointing Gerrard could make fans forget about the exciting potential of bringing Ancelotti in for his first managerial job.

Not just Butland: Rangers flop may have played his last game at Ibrox

Several Rangers players wont be at the club next season after the 2-2 draw with Hibs.

ByRoss Kilvington May 17, 2025

Unfortunately for the Tottenham Hotspur faithful, last night was a return to what has become their new normal this season.

Ange Postecoglou’s side played host to Champions League-chasing Nottingham Forest in the Premier League and found themselves two goals down within 20 minutes.

Now, Richarlison did manage to pull one back late on and, in all honesty, they created enough chances to turn the game around, but in the end, they fell to their 18th league defeat of the campaign and their eighth at home.

In all, it was just another disappointing night for the North Londoners, one in which most of the starters let themselves down, including one ace who should probably be dropped after yet another shocking showing.

Spurs' poor performers

So, before we get to the player in question, it seems only fair to go over some of the other Spurs players who let the manager and fans down last night, starting with Cristian Romero.

Player ratings via Sofascore

After his sensational showing against Eintracht Frankfurt last week, there was some hope that he’d carry that into the rest of his appearances this season, but it was very quickly evident that wasn’t going to be the case against Forest.

Not only did the World Cup winner look determined to get himself sent off, but he also lost track of Chris Wood for the striker’s headed goal, making the 4/10 match rating he received from Alasdair Gold more than fair, and his substitution at half-time the correct call.

However, the Argentine wasn’t the only dire defender, as it was also a first 45 to forget for the usually impressive Micky van de Ven.

Like his defensive partner, the Flying Dutchman came off second best for the Tricky Trees’ second goal as he lost the aerial duel with the free-scoring Kiwi and certainly warranted the 5/10 rating he received from Gold.

Van de Ven’s game in numbers
Minutes	45′
Expected Assists	0.01
Blocks	0
Tackles	0
Interceptions	1
Duels (Won)	4 (2)
Long Balls (Accurate)	2 (0)
All Stats via Sofascore

However, as poor as the two centre-backs were, another member of the back five was even worse and should, therefore, probably be dropped ahead of the game against Liverpool on Sunday.

The Spurs star who should be axed

So, even though there were a number of other starters who also endured a torrid time last night, such as Richarlison, Dejan Kulusevski and Pape Matar Sarr, when it came down to it, the worst performer for the hosts was Guglielmo Vicario.

It really was a night to forget for the Italian shot-stopper, as he probably could have done better for Elliot Anderson’s opening strike and then definitely should have done far better for Wood’s header.

In fact, had the former Empoli star not come rushing off his line to fly into thin air, there is a real chance that he would have been able to either parry the ball out of danger or perhaps even hold onto it. Instead, he gave the in-form forward practically an open net at which to aim.

Unsurprisingly, Gold was left unimpressed and awarded the 28-year-old a 3/10 match rating, which was more than justified by his stats, as in 95 minutes of action he made a single save, prevented -0.60 goals, made one error leading to a goal, made just 18 passes and failed in 100% of his long balls.

Now, if this display was a one-off, then suggesting he be dropped ahead of the game on Sunday would be unjust, but it’s not the only time he’s failed to perform in recent weeks, as he put on yet another horror show away to Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier this month.

Vicario’s game in numbers
Minutes	95′
Saves	1
Goals Conceded	2
Goals Prevented	-0.60
Errors Leading to a Goal	1
Passes	18
Duels won	0
Long Balls (Accurate)	1 (0)
All Stats via Sofascore

In fact, that match saw Gold justifiably award him a 2/10 match rating, as he also made an error that led directly to a shot and, on top of that, managed to prevent -1.05 goals.

Ultimately, Vicario might be a better keeper than Antonín Kinský, but at the moment, he is a liability, so Postecoglou should be bold and drop him from the starting lineup for the next game.

Otherwise, it could be a third shambolic league performance on the bounce for the “unbelievable” Italian ace, as the legendary Gianluigi Buffon once described him.

The best signing since Kulusevski: Spurs have hit gold on "ridiculous" star

He has been Tottenham Hotspur’s best signing since Dejan Kulusevski.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Apr 21, 2025

Eoin Morgan has categorically denied reports that he could replace Matthew Mott as England men’s white-ball coach after their semi-final exit at last month’s T20 World Cup.Morgan was linked with the job on Tuesday but passed it off as nothing more than “speculation” while commentating on the Hundred for Sky Sports. “This news is actually news to me,” he said. “It’s obviously not nice when a coach comes under fire and there is a lot of speculation about his future, but only time will tell what will happen.”Mott, who is halfway through a four-year contract, won a T20 World Cup only six months after his appointment, but is under scrutiny after England’s underperformance in the last two global tournaments. Both Mott and Jos Buttler came under pressure after England won three out of nine games at the 50-over World Cup last year, two of which came after their elimination.At the T20 World Cup, they reached the semi-finals but were thrashed by India in Guyana, and only won once in their four matches against Test-playing opposition. Rob Key, England’s managing director, said he would review that tournament “in the next few weeks” after their elimination and that process is now underway.Related

• The Hundred: Why 2024 season is ECB's 'shop window' for investment

• England's itinerary madness leaves no room for white-ball reboot

• Key, Mott in spotlight as England reach crossroads

The reported that Mott is likely to leave his role and that Key was sounding out potential candidates. Those include Morgan, who earlier this month backed both Mott and Buttler to continue, and he added on Tuesday that he has no interest in the role due to his young family and his broadcasting work.”I’ve been asked a lot [in the media] over the past couple of months about the role, and if I would take it on,” Morgan said. “My answer has simply been that the timing for everything in my life at the moment is not right. Yes, I want to coach down the line. But I have a young family, and I spend a lot more time at home and watching cricket doing this [commentary]. I’m absolutely loving what I’m doing.”Meanwhile, Buttler is expected to miss the Hundred this year after undergoing scans on Monday, having injured his calf while preparing for the tournament. He has not yet been ruled out definitively but ESPNcricinfo understands Manchester Originals have been lining up potential replacements.”He’s our captain, a huge player for us at the top of the order, England captain as well,” Simon Katich, their coach, told Sky. “If he does happen to be ruled out, it’s a big loss for our team. Fingers crossed, he’s alright… if he isn’t, we’ve got a history of giving young players an opportunity.”

MatériaMais Notícias

da mrbet： Apresentado pelo Corinthians nesta sexta-feira (14), o meia paraguaio Matías Rojas está apto para fazer a sua estreia pelo clube neste sábado (15), quando o Timão enfrenta o América-MG, pelo jogo de volta das quartas de final da Copa do Brasil. A tendência é que o atleta seja titular. 

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da casino： Rojas, que chegou a São Paulo nos primeiros dias de julho, esperou duas semanas para poder ser registrado pela sua nova equipe, por questões burocráticas. De toda forma, ele vinha jogando regularmente pelo seu antigo time, o Racing, e acena que está com a parte física em dia para defender a camisa alvinegra. 

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– Estou preparado, estou jogando, mentalmente estou bem. Depois, é uma decisão que escapa das minhas mãos. Não tenho poder nesse sentido. Preparado eu sou. Espero que me escolha, mas se não me escolher será em outra partida – disse Rojas em entrevista coletiva. 

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Matías Rojas também admitiu que está bem fisicamente, que histórico recente de lesões não pesa, principalmente porque ele costuma se cuidar, inclusive no extracampo. Recentemente, entre o fim de abril e o início de junho, o meia paraguaio passou pouco mais de um mês afastado por conta de um edema ósseo no tornozelo direito. No ano passado, o jogador ficou afastado por problemas musculares em dois períodos, em junho e setembro. 

– Todos os jogadores se lesionam. Se eu não me engano, foram quatro lesões. Trabalho para não ter. Isso se passa com os mais jovens e mais velhos. Certa porcentagem é cuidar da parte física, e eu tenho 100%, e outra porcentagem é do futebol, que não está nas nossas mãos. O que posso dizer é que nunca vai acontecer um problema no meu extracampo. Tenho uma vida pessoal reservada e profissional. Por isso estou em um clube imenso – destacou o armador. 

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ESCOLHA POR INTUIÇÃO

Rojas disse que a escolha pelo Corinthians foi por intuição. O jogador de 27 anos tem contrato com a equipe do Parque São Jorge por três temporadas.

– Como eu disse, nos primeiros dias que cheguei tratei de tomar uma decisão por intuição. Estive muito tempo esperando um clube que me mova emocionalmente. Internamente, tratei de intuir, não decidir com a mente. Desde que apareceu o Corinthians, falei com o meu agente, meu pai, a minha mãe, as pessoas que me cercam e tratei de explicar que sentia que esse era o lugar. Primeiro porque tinha muita vontade de jogar no Brasil e fiquei encantadíssimo por ser uma equipe tão grande – destacou o paraguaio. 

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Mesmo sabendo da grandeza do clube alvinegro, Rojas ficou impressionado com o que viu no seu primeiro contato com a torcida corintiana, que aconteceu no último dia 2 de julho, quando o Timão enfrentou o Red Bull Bragantino, pelo Campeonato Brasileiro, na Neo Química Arena. Mesmo com a derrota por 1 a 0 e protesto dos torcedores, o meio-campista ficou impactado com a Fiel.

– No primeiro dia, com o Bragantino. Eu assisti com o meu pai e o meu agente e nos demos conta e nos surpreendemos – pontuou Rojas, que acrescentou dando razão às cobranças por parte da torcida.

– Creio que são momentos de futebol. Quando eu cheguei, encontrei muito trabalho. O que é bom. Eu sou bastante tranquilo. Enquanto aos protestos, os torcedores sempre estão nos direito de opinar e a gente tem que fazer o máximo para dar uma satisfação a eles. 

Ao lado de Gabriel Moscardo, Renato Augusto e Ruan Oliveira, Matías Rojas deve formar o meio-campo corintiano no duelo diante do Coelho, neste fim de semana. Derrotado por 1 a 0 no jogo de ida, no último dia 5 de julho, em Belo Horizonte, o Corinthians precisa vencer por dois gols de diferença em Itaquera.

A provável escalação corintiana para o duelo diante do time mineiro é: Cássio; Fagner, Gil, Murillo e Fábio Santos; Gabriel Moscardo, Ruan Oliveira, Renato Augusto e Matías Rojas; Róger Guedes e Yuri Alberto.

da betsul： As Sunderland prepare for life back in the Premier League, they have suffered a blow this week with news emerging of Jobe Bellingham’s pending exit, but the Black Cats are acting quickly and have already found a Premier League talent to replace him, according to a recent report.

Bellingham set for Borussia Dortmund move

da dobrowin： Since arriving at the Stadium of Light in July 2023, Bellingham has been a breath of fresh air for the Black Cats. While the midfielder didn’t manage to score as many goals in the 2024/25 campaign as he did in the 2023/24 season, his overall performances were very consistent and helped Sunderland seal a return to football’s biggest league.

Related Sunderland now set to sell "excellent" 19 y/o for £9m less than they wanted

He is now reportedly in advanced talks over a move away.

Posts ByHenry Jackson Jun 3, 2025

Despite that accomplishment, Bellingham has been weighing up his future in the last couple of weeks. The 19-year-old is under contract until 2028, but there has been significant interest in a possible transfer this summer, particularly from Germany.

Eintracht Frankfurt and RB Leipzig were two teams who made a move to sign Bellingham, but the young Englishman has decided to follow in the footsteps of his brother and make a move to Borussia Dortmund. Bellingham wants to join Dortmund, and now, according to Keith Downie, Sunderland are in advanced negotiations and are set to sell the midfielder for £25 million.

Sunderland want to sign £3m Wolves ace as Bellingham replacement

So as the Black Cats work on selling Bellingham to Dortmund, the club’s hierarchy already have a player in mind when it comes to replacing him. According to TEAMtalk, Sunderland are interested in signing Tommy Doyle from Wolves this summer.

The report states that the Black Cats want to strengthen the spine of their team as they prepare for life back in the top flight, and Doyle has been earmarked as a potential arrival. Sunderland tried to sign the 23-year-old on loan back in the January transfer window, but ultimately failed.

Now they want to try again, but this time on a permanent basis, as Doyle has been told by Wolves that he is free to leave the club. The midfielder has fallen out of favour under Vitor Pereira, failing to make five of the last nine Premier League matchday squads.

Tommy Doyle’s 24/25 Premier League stats

Apps

24

Starts

3

Assists

1

Interceptions per game

0.2

Tackles per game

0.5

Balls recovered per game

1.8

Clearances per game

0.5

Wolves have put a £3 million price tag on Doyle’s head, but the Black Cats are not the only team chasing the former Man City man, as Sheffield United, whom Sunderland beat in the play-off final, are also interested in a deal, as well as Wrexham, who are playing in the second tier next season.

But Sunderland may hold an advantage – Doyle has the same agent as current Sunderland defender Luke O’Nien, who has been key for the club for a number of seasons now, perhaps smoothing negotiations along.

Indeed, it is claimed that Sunderland are in the box seat to sign Doyle, who was dubbed “unbelievable” by former Wolves boss Gary O’Neil. He’s played over 50 games in the Premier League, so his mixture of top flight experience and youthful exuberance could go a long way to replacing a departing superstar.

Shuffled into middle order, Luke Wells finishes day on 78 not out as Lancashire take control

ECB Reporters Network18-Sep-2024Lancashire’s batters made title-chasing Somerset work for every wicket on the second day of the Vitality County Championship match at Old Trafford and had built a formidable 292-run lead at close of play.Josh Bohannon’s 60 and Luke Wells’ unbeaten 78 enabled the home side to finish on 298 for 7 in their second innings of a match both sides desperately need to win, Lancashire to preserve their hopes of avoiding relegation, Surrey to stay in touch with Surrey at the top of the table.The difference between the first day’s play and the second was immediately apparent during a morning session in which Lancashire scored 90 runs in 27 overs for the loss of only two wickets.On a pitch that had dried out and lost much of the greenness, bowlers had to work harder for their successes and the only batsman dismissed in the first hour was the nightwatchman, Will Williams, who was leg-before wicket to Craig Overton for 7 in the third over of the morning.Harry Singh then added 85 for the third wicket with Bohannon, who batted beautifully to make 60 off 76 balls. However, it was indicative of the problems Bohannon has encountered this season that his half-century was only his fourth innings over fifty in 22 Championship innings.None of which diminished Somerset’s joy in the penultimate over before lunch when Bohannon tried to pull a ball from Kasey Aldridge but only succeeded in diverting it via the toe of the bat to Tom Abell in the gully.On the resumption, Singh and Rocky Flintoff defied Lewis Gregory’s bowlers for 50 minutes until Singh thin-edged a catch to James Rew off Brett Randell to give the New Zealander his first wicket for Somerset.Singh had faced 142 balls during his 260-minute innings of 30 but his patient resistance was not copied by Matty Hurst, who hit three breezy fours in 19 runs before attempting to drive Randell and nicking a catch to Overton at second slip.In the next over, Flintoff was bowled by Jack Leach’s arm-ball for 27 but Well and George Bell saw their side through to 214 for 6 at tea, when Lancashire’s lead was 208. And on the resumption, Wells and Bell extended their seventh-wicket stand to 83 before Bell was bowled for 23 when trying to pull a ball from Gregory that kept low.Wells shifted down into the middle order for this match, having struggled in his usual opening role in recent weeks. Batting as low as No. 7 on account of Williams’ deployment as a nightwatchman, he went on to emulate Bohannon’s feat in passing fifty for only the fourth time this season but his strokeplay was impressive, most noticeably when he hit three off-side boundaries in one over from Gregory.And the day ended with Lancashire in the ascendant. Wells was unbeaten on 78 and Somerset’s fielders appeared aggrieved that George Balderson had not been adjudged run out on 5 when apparently run out by Overton’s throw from slip. The visitors had earlier been penalised five runs for fake fielding.

Scott McTominay and his ‘Queen of Italy’ girlfriend Cam Reading have enjoyed a “special” summer of sunshine and spas.

Scotland international enjoyed dream season in ItalyPartner joined him for exciting new adventureTaken the opportunity to unwind over the summerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Scotland international midfielder has earned a relaxing break on the back of helping to guide Napoli to Serie A title glory in 2024-25. He enjoyed a dream debut campaign at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

McTominay has been taken into the hearts of a passionate fanbase in Naples, earning MVP recognition along the way, while his partner is considered to have become WAG royalty after joining her beau for an Italian job.

THE GOSSIP

Having lapped up wild trophy-winning celebrations, the volume has been turned down by McTominay and Reading during their post-season vacations. They have been chasing the sun and unwinding alongside close friends.

DID YOU KNOW?

Some “special” memories have been made along the way, with McTominay preparing to turn his attention back to the real business of competing for precious victories with club and country.

أكد أسامة حسني، نجم الأهلي السابق، إن القلعة الحمراء تقدّر كثيرًا الدور الذي قام به عماد النحاس خلال الفترة الماضية، مشيرًا إلى أنه كان أحد الأسباب الرئيسية في تحقيق الفريق للقب الدوري الموسم الماضي، وكاشفًا عن موعد التعاقد مع المدرب الأجنبي الجديد.

وقال حسني في تصريحات عبر برنامج “اللعيب”، على قناة “mbc masr”: “نشكر الكابتن عماد النحاس على مجهوده الكبير في الموسم الماضي، ففي واحدة من أصعب الفترات التي مر بها الأهلي، تولّى المسؤولية في آخر ست مباريات، وتمكّن من الفوز بها جميعًا، وكان سببًا مباشرًا في حصول الفريق على بطولة الدوري”.

وأضاف: “أما هذا الموسم، فقد خاض الفريق تحت قيادته خمس مباريات، تعادل في الأولى أمام إنبي، ثم فاز في أربع مباريات متتالية، وهو ما ساهم في تصدر الأهلي لجدول الدوري وعودته بقوة إلى المنافسة، وهذا جزء مهم جدًا في مشوار الفريق”.

طالع أيضًا | رانجنيك يكشف لـ”بطولات” الحقيقة الكاملة.. هل اقترب من تدريب الأهلي؟

وتابع أسامة حسني: “لكن السؤال الآن، هل الأهلي بحاجة إلى مدير فني أجنبي؟ بالفعل، الأهلي يحتاج إلى مدرب أجنبي صاحب شخصية قوية، ومعه جهاز بدني مميز أيضًا، لأن هذه الفترة تتطلب إعدادًا خاصًا للفريق”.

وأردف: “خلال الأيام الماضية سمعنا أن التعاقد مع المدير الفني الأجنبي قد يتأخر إلى فترة التوقف في شهر نوفمبر أو حتى كأس الأمم في ديسمبر، لكنني أؤكد أن المدير الفني الأجنبي سيكون متواجدًا خلال فترة التوقف الدولي الحالية، وخلال أسبوع على الأكثر سيتم الإعلان عنه رسميًا”.

واختتم أسامة حسني تصريحاته قائلًا: “الأهلي درس العديد من السير الذاتية، ويبحث عن مدير فني يتمتع بشخصية قوية ويمكنه الاستمرار مع الفريق لمدة موسمين أو ثلاثة على الأقل، لتحقيق الاستقرار الفني المطلوب في المرحلة القادمة”.

Aguirre’s team will return to action during the September FIFA window, facing Japan on Sept. 6 and South Korea on Sept. 9.

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• El Tri claimed their 10th Gold Cup title
• Aguirre delivers results – but doubts remain
• Malagón faces heavy criticism

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• AFP
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Javier Aguirre has revived the Mexican national team, both in spirit and results. Since taking over for a third time in July 2024 – after Mexico’s Nations League loss to the U.S. under Jaime Lozano – Aguirre has made it a priority to restore pride, identity, and unity within. His mission is working: Mexico won their first Nations League earlier this year and just captured its 10th Gold Cup title with a 2-1 win over the United States.

  “The players want to be here again. I see pride in representing the country,” Aguirre said post-match. “There used to be complaints about bonuses or travel. Not anymore. The connection with the fans is back.”

  While Mexico didn’t show their best football during the tournament, the results speak for themselves. Aguirre’s leadership is evident.

  “I’m tired… but tonight, not even God takes this beer from me,” he joked after the final.

  With no more official matches before the 2026 World Cup, Mexico will play friendlies against Japan and South Korea in September, then South American opponents in October.

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• AFP
  

  WHAT THE MEXICAN MEDIA SAID

  Mexico may have lifted the Gold Cup – and done so undefeated – but that hasn’t silenced its critics back home. In the wake of Sunday’s victory, much of the Mexican media remains unconvinced by El Tri’s performance and wary about what lies ahead.

  David Faitelson, a journalist for TUDN, offered a blunt reality check.

  "Let’s call it what it is: Mexico beat the U.S. ‘B’ team," he said.

  While acknowledging that Mexico played better and earned the title, Faitelson underscored a key point: the United States did not field their strongest squad.
  Others were even more pointed. Álvaro Morales, an analyst for on ESPN, controversially argued that the result wasn’t enough to secure Javier Aguirre’s place as head coach:

  "He beat a team made up of athletes cut from other sports. The U.S. first team didn’t play, and if not for Luis Ángel Malagón’s late save, the game could’ve ended in a draw," he said.

  Pepe del Bosque of TNT Sports backed that criticism by listing the U.S. stars who were unavailable for the tournament, placing Mexico’s achievement in a broader context:

  "[Cameron] Carter-Vickers of Celtic, [Joe] Scally from Gladbach, [Antonee] Robinson from Fulham, [Sergino Dest] from PSV, [Weston] McKennie from Juventus, [Yunus] Musah from AC Milan, [Christian] Pulisic from AC Milan, [Gio] Reyna from Dortmund, [Tim] Weah from Juventus, Monaco's Folarin Balogun along with Ricardo Pepi of PSV, and others were all missing. Yes, Mexico was better today, but the context matters."

  Amid the criticism, some voices called for perspective. ESPN analyst and former executive Francisco Gabriel de Anda offered a more measured take:

  "Mexico did its job, but winning the Gold Cup doesn’t guarantee success at a World Cup," he said.

  Veteran journalist José Ramón Fernández struck a similar tone, acknowledging the victory but warning that greater challenges lie ahead.

  "Aguirre can enjoy the Gold Cup, but now comes the real challenge. The pressure will only increase from here," he said.

• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Despite doubts about this generation, Aguirre has made the most of young talents like Alexis Vega, Gilberto Mora, and Marcel Ruiz, who were key players in the Gold Cup. With Edson Álvarez emerging as a strong captain, and a solid core including Johan Vásquez and a resurgent Raúl Jiménez, the team looks ready to face 2026 with renewed hope.

  The coaching staff finally looks solid, with Rafael Márquez serving as Aguirre’s assistant. The era of experiments, inexperienced coaches, and foreign managers coming just to cash in seems to be over. The Mexican Football Federation appears to be making the right moves, and the results this summer reflect that.

  A strong generation is emerging. While there may not be a Hugo Sánchez, Rafael Márquez, or Andrés Guardado, this is now the team of Johan Vásquez, Edson Álvarez, and Raúl Jiménez. The foundation is there, and for the first time in a while, El Tri feels unified, competitive, and proud to wear the jersey.

  Despite winning the Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament award, Luis Ángel Malagón, Club América’s shot-stopper, was one of the most heavily criticized players during the Gold Cup. Heading into the tournament, Malagón was widely considered Mexico’s top goalkeeper and the presumed starter for the 2026 World Cup. However, his shaky performances throughout the competition exposed some weaknesses, sparking debate over whether he should remain No. 1. While many still view him as the leading candidate, the coming months will be crucial in determining if he holds onto the role – or if a new contender steps up to claim the spot.

• AFP
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  With the Gold Cup final win, Javier Aguirre reached 50 victories in 79 matches as head coach of Mexico across his three tenures – a remarkable achievement that underscores his experience and impact. The victory also adds to Mexico’s historical record against the United States: has now won 39 of 80 all-time encounters between the two regional rivals.

Also: what’s the most common fielder/bowler dismissal in ODIs?

Steven Lynch13-Nov-2018New Zealand had four scores of 1 in an ODI last week. Was this a record? asked Malcolm Power from New Zealand

New Zealand’s total of 209 against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi last Friday included 1s from Kane Williamson, Tom Latham and Trent Boult, and 1 not out from Lockie Ferguson. This was actually the 19th occasion there have been four scores of 1 in the same ODI innings (in only six of the cases were all four batsmen dismissed), but the record is five, by Zimbabwe against Bangladesh in Dhaka in 2004-05.New Zealand’s innings the other day also contained three scores of 13 (by Colin Munro, Tim Southee and Ish Sodhi). I’m indebted to researcher Aslam Siddiqui, who pointed out on the Ask Steven Facebook page that the combination of four 1s and three 13s had actually happened once before – by West Indies against Pakistan in Brisbane in 1981-82.What’s the highest total in ODIs and T20 internationals with no extras at all? asked Asim Mehmood from Pakistan

The highest total in one-day internationals not to include a single extra is India’s 265 for 1 against Bangladesh in the Champions Trophy semi-final at Edgbaston in 2017. The only other extra-less total of more than 200 is Scotland’s 229 for 3 against UAE in Edinburgh in 2016.The highest in T20Is is Pakistan’s 129 for 7 against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup in Mirpur in March 2016. Four days later in the final, also in Mirpur, Bangladesh’s bowlers kept it tight again, conceding no extras in India’s winning total of 122 for 2. There are no other totals of more than 90 without any extras in T20Is.Just to complete the set, the highest Test total without any extras is Pakistan’s 328 against India in Lahore in 1954-55.What’s the longest gap between a player’s Test debut and his first one-day international? asked Martin Porter from England

The granddaddy of them all is Brian Close, who played his first Test for England in 1949, and made his only three one-day international appearances more than 23 years later in 1972, as stand-in captain for the injured Ray Illingworth. Next comes another Englishman in Norman Gifford, who made his Test debut during the 1964 Ashes and played his only two ODIs nearly 22 years later, in March 1986. Just short of his 45th birthday, Gifford remains the oldest Englishman – and the third-oldest overall – to appear in an ODI.Close and Gifford both started their Test careers before one-day internationals had been thought of. The longest gap I can find by someone who made his Test debut after 1971, when the first ODI was played, is around eight and a half years, by the New Zealand fast bowler Kerry Walmsley, who won his first Test cap in March 1995 and made his ODI debut in November 2003. John Traicos, who made his Test debut for South Africa in March 1970, shortly before one-day internationals came into being, played his first official ODI – for Zimbabwe – more than 13 years later in June 1983, during the World Cup in England.Aminul Islam and Akram Khan both made their debuts in Bangladesh’s inaugural Test, against India in Dhaka in November 2000. Both had made their official ODI debuts more than 12 years previously – Aminul on October 27, 1988, and Akram two days later. Offspinner Shaun Udal played his first one-day international for England in May 1994, and made his Test debut 11 and a half years later, in November 2005.Gilchrist and McGrath have taken 72 wickets together caught and bowled, second only to Mark Boucher and Makhaya Ntini, who have 75•Getty ImagesWhat’s the most common fielder/bowler dismissal in ODIs? My money’s on caught Adam Gilchrist bowled Glenn McGrath! asked Jim Kennedy from Australia

You’re very close: c Gilchrist b McGrath is actually second on this particular list, with 72 such dismissals (Gilchrist even added a stumping off McGrath – Craig McMillan of New Zealand in Wellington in 2004-05).But the most common fielder/bowler combination in ODIs, with 75 victims, is caught Mark Boucher bowled Makhaya Ntini. Boucher is also third on the list, with 61 catches (plus a stumping) off Shaun Pollock.The leading non-wicketkeeper is Muttiah Muralitharan, who took 35 catches off his own bowling in ODIs. The New Zealander Chris Harris took 29 return catches. Murali then features again: Mahela Jayawardene took 28 catches off his bowling in ODIs.Who scored the most Test runs as a teenager? asked Anikett Dass from India

It’s no great surprise to find Sachin Tendulkar leading the way here. He played 25 Tests while still in his teens, amassing 1522 runs. Mushtaq Mohammad comes next on the list with 868, then Mohammad Ashraful (798) and Parthiv Patel (669), just ahead of Javed Miandad with 655. Daniel Vettori took 54 Test wickets while still in his teens, and Mohammad Amir 51.Tendulkar’s five teenage Test tons is also easily the record: Mushtaq, Javed, Graeme Pollock, Neil Harvey (in only four matches) and Saleem Malik all made two. Javed, though, is the only teenager to score a double-century in a Test, with 206 against New Zealand in Karachi in 1976-77.Use our feedback form or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions