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A huge European club's sporting director is now pushing to sign an "amazing" Southampton star for a £42m discount this summer, according to a fresh transfer update.

Southampton transfer news

Saints are preparing for their biggest match of the season, as they come up against Leeds United in the Championship playoff final next Sunday. Their 3-1 win over West Brom on Friday night saw them a book place at Wembley, with a return to the Premier League within touching distance.

Getting back into the top flight would be huge for so many reasons, not least because of the boost in finances and ability to attract top players to Southampton in the next few months.

Flynn Downes has enjoyed an excellent season for Saints on loan from West Ham, with the Englishman starting 33 league games and completing an incredible 93.4% of his passes. He has shone so much that the south coast club are reportedly keen on making his move a permanent one at the end of the season. Promotion could hold the key, however, highlighting the importance of getting over the finish line against Leeds.

Rangers attacker Kemar Roofe has also been linked with a summer move to Southampton, with the 31-year-old departing the Scottish Premiership club on a free transfer.

Sporting director wants to sign Southampton ace

According to a new report from Calciomercato [via Sport Witness], Juventus want to keep Southampton star Carlos Alcaraz on loan for another season, with sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli pushing to get a temporary deal over the line to bypass the release fee in his contract.

Max Allegri's sacking has increased the chances of it happening, with the manager not as fond on him as Giuntoli, and he is seen as a player who could thrive under incoming manager Thiago Motta. Not only that, but a loan move would save the Serie A side €49.5m (£42m) because they wouldn't be triggering his Southampton release clause.

In truth, Saints' only real hope of keeping Alcaraz involved at the club next season is if they are in the Premier League, but this update suggests that another year away could be expected. The 22-year-old is a player who Russell Martin clearly values greatly, saying of him back in October: "We wanted Charly in the team because he has trained so well His mentality has been great.

"I put him in a role that suits him more than the other ones he has played in recently. We wanted to free him up a little bit. We did that I think – he was amazing with it. We sat down a lot this week and went through it and watched a lot of clips. His understanding of it was really good. I’m really proud of him and really pleased for him. He was outstanding [Saturday]."

£50,000-p/w star Martin desperately wants to keep set to leave Southampton

A frustrating decision for Martin…

ByTom Cunningham May 17, 2024

The lure of staying at arguably one of Europe's biggest clubs could be great for Alcaraz, although at some point, Southampton are going to need to cash in on him, so a loan move which allows his contract to tick down and the club's negotiating posititon to weaken is risky.

Dan Scarr believes Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney will be seeking bragging rights over counterpart Tom Brady when Wrexham take on Birmingham.

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Wrexham face Birmingham on MondayRed Dragons sit top of League One McElhenney & Reynolds eyeing promotionWHAT HAPPENED?

NFL legend Brady joined Reynolds and McElhenney in the ownership sphere when he acquired a 3.3 per cent stake in the League One club last year. Brady would love for even a fraction of the success the Hollywood stars have achieved at Wrexham, achieving back-to-back promotions and earning worldwide recognition thanks to their Emmy-winning Welcome to Wrexham documentary.

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The two teams will go head-to-head on Monday evening when Wrexham travel to Birmingham. Phil Parkinson's side have made a faultless start to the season, topping the standings after winning four out of their first five matches, while Birmingham are fourth. Scarr believes Wrexham's co-owners will want bragging rights over Brady but has insisted the players won't approach the game any differently.

WHAT SCARR SAID

"The lads won't approach it any different," Scarr said, per the . "Obviously there's the atmosphere and there's the bragging rights with the owners being American, and stuff like that.

"We will go with a game-plan and try and execute it the best we can but it will just be a normal game like we have set out for every game this season. Just go there and try and get a result like we have done in the other games. Hopefully if we put in a performance like we have been doing, we will be fine. It's a sell-out and I've seen a few away days from our fans as well and they are crazy so I am looking forward to it."

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The game, which has already been dubbed 'the Hollywood derby', has major implications, with Birmingham also aiming for promotion after being relegated from the Championship last season.

Opener’s 319-ball innings leads Pakistan to 326 before Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Abbas strike

The Report by Valkerie Baynes06-Aug-2020A career-best innings from Shan Masood answered every question England had asked of Pakistan on the first two days of this opening Test.Masood batted for nearly eight hours and faced 319 deliveries for his 156, which highlighted an ability to adapt throughout the course of an innings and effectively told the story of his cricketing life so far.Not long into the evening session, it was Pakistan asking all the questions when Shaheen Shah Afridi trapped Rory Burns lbw with the fourth ball of England’s innings and Mohammad Abbas accounted for Dom Sibley and Ben Stokes to put the hosts under pressure at 12 for 3.By the close, Ollie Pope had played a steadying hand with an unbeaten 46, but it was going to take much more from him and Jos Buttler, who was not out 15, come the third day after Joe Root was dismissed by Yasir Shah for a battling 14.Masood resumed on 46 having played a supporting role to Babar Azam the previous day. As opener, Masood had navigated a tricky start in which Stuart Broad and James Anderson bowled tight opening spells.But England’s bowling attack had lost all potency post-lunch on the first day and Masood and Azam cashed in where possible without taking too many unnecessary risks, save for Masood’s ill-advised charge at Dom Bess which ended in a missed stumping by Buttler. Masood had earlier survived a dropped catch by the wicketkeeper off the same bowler.When Azam failed to add to his overnight score of 69 in the face of some improved England bowling on the second morning, Masood took the lead role, although he could have been upstaged had Shadab Khan not got too flashy and skied Bess straight to Root at mid-on after a knock of 45 from 76 balls that was, until that moment, very sharp.Most impressive from Masood has been his ability to show how far he has come after past disappointments against England – and particularly Anderson – learning from experience and changing for the better.Masood left balls on the fourth-stump line that he would prevoiusly have nicked off to and played with soft hands when he had to so as to avoid offering chances to the slips.So when Anderson struck with his sixth ball of the day, luring Azam into an attempted drive that ended up in the hands of Root at first slip, Masood didn’t panic.When Anderson and Broad bowled six maidens on the trot between them, Masood maintained the patient approach that had got him this far. Indeed, it was Asad Shafiq who scored Pakistan’s solitary run from eight overs bowled by Broad and Anderson in that period.Shafiq fell for to Broad for 7, caught by Stokes at second slip, followed by Mohammad Rizwan, caught behind off Chris Woakes, to leave Pakistan 176 for 5. That brought Shadab to the crease and, having negotiated their way to lunch, Masood adapted after the break. The pair fell into a lovely rhythm of shot-making and nabbing quick singles that frustrated England’s bowlers throughout a sixth-wicket partnership worth 105.England had only conceded 48 runs during the morning session but saw Pakistan regain the momentum immediately after lunch, as Bess and Root bowled ahead of the arrival of the second new ball. Masood then stroked his way through the 90s in half-a-dozen balls to bring up his hundred, loudly celebrated on the Pakistan balcony.The partnership should have been more but Shadab’s wild swing at Bess ended things, although it sparked another change in gears from Masood. What looked like being a rebuilding job, became something else when Jofra Archer dismissed Yasir and Abbas with consecutive balls, the former without adding to his score of 5 when he was dropped by Buttler off the bowling of Bess.Masood flicked the switch, seeking as many runs as he could get before he ran out of partners. He took 16 off one Bess over, including two sixes in three balls, was keen to run a second to bring up his 150 and did when Buttler’s relay shy at the stumps went wide and he wore a Broad short ball painfully on the elbow, all before tea.Masood didn’t last long after the break, falling lbw to a Broad delivery that nipped back and struck the back pad on line with leg stump. But by then he had more than done his job, racking up his third consecutive Test century after tons against Sri Lanka in December and Bangladesh in February, the fourth of his career overall.Pakistan’s bowlers kept up the good work with Abbas particularly damaging in picking up the wickets of Sibley and Stokes for nought in the space of eight balls. The delivery that bowled Stokes was an absolute diamond that found just enough late movement to beat the bat and kiss the top of off stump.Naseem Shah showed his pace with no reward and when Yasir chimed in with a faint edge off Root which went through to the keeper, England were left looking to Pope and Buttler to erase a deficit still north of 250.

After a deal to sign Jose Cordoba collapsed, Rangers have turned their attention towards another South American defender, who already reportedly has an offer on the table from Ibrox.

Rangers transfer news

The Gers looked destined to sign Cordoba, before a deal ultimately collapsed with Norwich City now the leading candidates to land the young defender's signature. He would have followed Jefte through the door to complete Rangers' second signing in a matter of weeks to start their summer transfer window with a bang, but Philippe Clement has now been forced to find another option.

That's not to say that Rangers have given up on the South American market following their Cordoba failure, however. In fact, it's quite the opposite. According to Chilean outlet Despliegue Fútbol, Rangers have presented an offer to Thomas Galdames, who has reportedly played his final game for Godoy Cruz in Argentina, winning 4-0 against El Porvenir this week.

Clement already personally eyeing new Rangers moves after Cordoba collapse

The Gers aren’t wasting any time…

ByTom Cunningham May 29, 2024

The 25-year-old left-back, who can also play as a centre-back, also reportedly has offers from Belgium and must now make his decision. With Rangers looking to fill the role that many believed Cordoba would, Galdames could emerge as the perfect option at Ibrox this summer.

Having already filled their left-back role with the arrival of Jefte, it will be interesting to see whether Clement would opt to turn Galdames into a central defender on a permanent basis if he completes a move to Scotland this summer. On paper, it's a risk, but it could be one worth taking if the Chilean finds his feet quickly and becomes the defender that the Gers are clearly after.

"Confident" Galdames can make up for Cordoba collapse

The Gers certainly aren't wasting any time feeling sorry for themselves after missing out on Cordoba, turning their attention straight to Galdames. And if Nathan Joyes' praise is anything to go by, dubbing the defender as "confident in the final third" among other positives, then those at Ibrox should be hoping to see Rangers get this one over the line.

If the aim isn't for Galdames to arrive and step into the centre-back role, then he will be left competing with Jefte and question marks will naturally begin to rise regarding the future of Ridvan Yilmaz, who has been linked with an Ibrox exit in the past.

It's certainly solid planning from Rangers, either way. On the one hand, they'll have a left-back ready to compete if Yilmaz leaves, and on the other, Clement could mould a top centre-back.

Dividing teams into two clusters also being mulled, with less than three weeks to go

Shashank Kishore30-Aug-2020IPL 2020 is less than three weeks away, but the tournament’s schedule – which some believe may be dynamic to account for unforeseen situations, like members of a team testing positive – hasn’t been announced yet. The news of several members of the Chennai Super Kings contingent testing positive for Covid-19, including two players, has potentially further complicated the scheduling challenge.”We’ll see if they [Chennai Super Kings] can start as per schedule,” BCCI president Sourav Ganguly told the . “I hope the IPL will be conducted well. We have a long schedule for the tournament, and I sincerely hope everything will go on just fine.”Brijesh Patel, the IPL governing council chairman, and Hemang Amin, the IPL chief operating officer, are believed to be discussing the matter with UAE government officials and health authorities. While they work it all out, we take you through a number of scheduling scenarios that have emerged as potential options over the last three weeks.First part of the tournament in Dubai?
Six out of the eight teams are currently based in Dubai and have been allowed to train at the ICC Academy. Most sides won’t be training at the stadiums till match day. One of the proposals doing the rounds is to have at least the first 20 games in Dubai. This would mean only two teams – Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians, who are based in Abu Dhabi – would have to change emirates for matches, negative test reports in tow. That’s a simpler option compared to the six Dubai-based teams having to head to Abu Dhabi – or even Sharjah – for their matches.There has been a spike in infection cases in the UAE, and mandatory checks have increased at the Abu Dhabi-Dubai border, making travel into Abu Dhabi more time consuming than before. Each crossing into Abu Dhabi involves testing 48 hours before the journey to account for the more stringent requirements of that emirate.Teams will likely have to undergo a PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test and/or a DPI (Dye Penetration Inspection) test before being permitted to enter at the border. Similarly, if the Abu Dhabi-based teams have matches in Dubai, they will likely need to be tested in the 48 hours leading up to their return from Dubai.It is to minimise these lengthy procedural delays that the idea of having the first leg in Dubai alone is being discussed. While IPL officials have obtained certain clearances after discussions with local officials and the Emirates Cricket Board, a full withdrawal of protocols for a cricket tournament is unlikely.Cluster scheduling?
One of the ideas is to have two unofficial groups with simultaneous schedules, possibly on a weekly or fortnightly basis. If a situation arises where a team in one of the groups isn’t able to take the field because of infections or isolation protocols, the other group can continue to play out their matches undisturbed.If a player tests positive during the tournament, he will have to go into quarantine for 14 days as per the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and will be allowed to re-enter the bio-bubble only after clearing two tests after the two-week period. The other members of the team and support staff will have to be quarantined for six days and go through three tests – on days 1, 3 and 5 – and can get on with their business only upon clearing these tests.Cluster scheduling will allow at least half of the tournament to move forward in such a scenario, with the team that is missing out having to catch up with their matches in their group after coming through testing and quarantine regulations.Should cluster scheduling be sanctioned, it is as yet not clear what the protocol will be for the other three teams in the infected team’s group – whether they will continue to play among themselves, or if the whole group’s matches will come to a halt while these other teams are also tested as a precaution.While such a possibility will throw a team(s) off gear, given they won’t be allowed to train outdoors during quarantine, it’s a reality everyone has to be prepared for.Question mark over double-headers?
Some teams are understood to have reservations about playing games in the extreme afternoon temperatures of the UAE summer – the early game in a double-header is scheduled to begin at 2pm local time, and ten double-headers had tentatively been penciled in by the IPL governing council when it announced the decision to shift the tournament to the UAE. Whether that is still a concern or not remains to be seen.

Nantes owner and president Waldemar Kita has shot down claims that Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold is planning to buy the Ligue 1 side.

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Report claims Trent wants to buy NantesNantes owner shoots down media reportSources close to Trent also turn down the reportsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

Earlier this week, L'Equipe reported that Liverpool defender Alexander-Arnold was considering purchasing Nantes through a fund he owned with his father, Michael. The proposal was reportedly worth €100 million (£84 million), with €80 million (£67 million) paid upfront and €20 million (£17 million) in seller credit with an additional €40 million (£34 million) in possible bonuses.

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Reports from L'Equipe also suggested that the Liverpool full-back's father met with Kita three times, including a video meeting before meeting in Geneva. However, the Nantes owner has fully shot down the claims made by the media of the potential sale of Nantes.

GettyWHAT KITA SAID

Speaking to Presse Ocean, Kita said: "This is all bullsh*t! Where does that come from? How do you expect a serious man who wants to purchase a club to use a journalist? Trent Alexander-Arnold? But I don’t even know him! He told me his father was involved in finance and that they have players as well as agents. I’ve never done any video conference with anyone, ever. It’s nonsense. How can you even in this business, with such sums?"

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WHAT NEXT FOR ALEXANDER-ARNOLD?

Sources close to the young Liverpool full-back have already shot down the claims made in the media this week about the potential takeover of the Ligue 1 side, and it is likely that the entire story could turn out to be a whole load of nothing in the end by the looks of it.

The 23-year-old has often been cast as a laughing stock at Chelsea but delivered two goals and an assist here to shut up his critics.

Chelsea ruthlessly ripped a lackluster West Ham to shreds on Saturday as Nicolas Jackson scored twice and claimed an assist in a commanding 3-0 win that moves the Blues, if only temporarily, into second in the table.

The Hammers, it must be said, were way off the pace and Chelsea smelt blood. Jackson duly took his tally to four for the season inside a dreadful opening 18 minutes for the hosts – first escaping clear on the left channel and slotting through Alphonse Areola's legs before he again raced through and slid the ball home with the outside of his right foot.

It didn't get much better for an exasperated Julen Lopetegui in the second half, with his side conceding within minutes of the restart – Cole Palmer this time doing the damage as he expertly fired into the far corner of the net.

The three-goal cushion allowed Enzo Maresca to make some early changes as he attempts to keep a somewhat bloated squad of players content with their playing time but there was no way back for West Ham here, with the Blues maintaining their perfect away record at the start of the season.

GOAL rates Chelsea's players from the London Stadium…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Robert Sanchez (7/10):

One or two nervy moments aside, Sanchez dealt comfortably with what West Ham had to sling at him and will be delighted with the seven saves made and a clean sheet.

Wesley Fofana (6/10):

Solid enough at right-back but perhaps fortunate that VAR let him off after a clear pull on Summerville's arm in the box in the first half. Hooked after 56 minutes.

Tosin Adarabioyo (7/10):

Could be the start of a really solid partnership alongside Colwill. Admittedly West Ham offered little as an attacking threat but he was assured at the back.

Levi Colwill (8/10):

Another commanding performance at the back by Colwill, who won everything in the air and didn't put a foot wrong over the entire 90. His place in that back four is secure.

Marc Cucurella (7/10):

A tough assignment up against the dangerous Kudus but dealt with him well, with the Ghanaian's afternoon summed up when the Euro 2024 winner smashed into him like a wrecking ball midway through the second half.

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Moises Caicedo (9/10):

Crunching tackles, piercing through balls… this is the all-action Caicedo that Chelsea fans have been patiently waiting to see. One of the best players on the pitch today.

Enzo Fernandez (7/10):

Popped the ball about nicely over the 90 minutes and did his defensive work too. Taken off late on with the game already wrapped up.

Getty Images SportAttack

Noni Madueke (6/10):

Got in behind on a couple of occasions but it didn't quite happen for him today and his starting place could well be under threat.

Cole Palmer (8/10):

After an uncharacteristically quiet first half, Chelsea's main main arrived at the party early on in the second 45, escaping on the counter-attack and finding the corner with a deadly finish. Looked a bit perplexed to then be taken off just after the hour mark.

Jadon Sancho (7/10):

Showed fleeting moments of how dangerous he can be in and around the box and will be happy to have claimed another assist. Hooked after 56 minutes but it's been a decent start to his Chelsea career.

Nicolas Jackson (9/10):

Outstanding. He's not had it easy at Chelsea but he truly flourished here, banging in a couple of goals inside 18 minutes with two lethal finishes before grabbing an assist for the third. Only Erling Haaland has more goals since May.

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Axel Disasi (6/10):

With Chelsea dominant, he settled in perfectly fine at the back after coming on in the second half.

Pedro Neto (6/10):

Didn't really impact the game too much when he came on for Sancho but did produce a game-high 14 passes in the final third.

Christopher Nkunku (6/10):

Looked desperate to make an impact after being brought on just after the hour mark and probably should've done better with a header from close range.

Joao Felix (5/10):

Will be annoyed not to have scored having had two presentable chances fall his way. He won't be getting in ahead of Jackson anytime soon.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (N/A):

Brought on for the final few minutes.

Enzo Maresca (8/10):

Emphatic. Picking a starting XI is by no means an easy job when you're Chelsea manager these days but the Italian got it bang on today. West Ham were clearly there for the taking, but his side brutally exposed their opponent's weaknesses and seemed to want it far more than the Hammers.

Mohammad Amir returns to the side as Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik keep their places

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Aug-2020Sarfaraz Ahmed returns to Pakistan’s T20 squad for the first time since losing the captaincy last year. The 17-man squad named by head coach Misbah-ul-Haq for the three-match T20I series in England also retains Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik, who were recalled to the T20 side for a three-match series against Bangladesh at home in January.Several players who were part of the bubble without playing a role in the Test series have been included, with Haider Ali, Haris Rauf and Wahab Riaz all drafted in. Fakhar Zaman has also been recalled, while Shan Masood, who finished as the third-highest Pakistani runscorer at the PSL behind Babar Azam and Shadab Khan – and captained Multan Sultans to a first-place group stage finish – has been left out.Pakistan name their squad for the T20I series against England•ESPNcricinfo LtdThis is the first time since Misbah-ul-Haq took over as chief selector that a T20 squad retains many of the core components of the preceding one. The squads he named for series against Sri Lanka, Australia, and then Bangladesh involved several rejigs, with players like Umar Akmal, Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Irfan and Usman Qadir brought in from the cold only to be dropped, but 11 of the 17 players chosen for the upcoming series were also part of the T20Is against Bangladesh. Mohammad Amir and Naseem Shah are notable recalls, while Ahsan Ali and Mohammad Musa do not make the cut.”This is mostly the same team which has been featuring in the shortest format for us,” Misbah said. “Besides retaining the core, we have inducted youngsters like Haider Ali, who has performed well in the HBL PSL, U-19 and first-class cricket, and Naseem Shah as we had an opportunity to keep a bigger pool due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which also increases our options. Our two experienced bowlers in Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz have also returned to the side, along with Fakhar Zaman and Sarfaraz Ahmed.”Usually, the T20I team comes together for a brief period but due to the current situation most of the players have been here with us for more than a month and it has provided us a good opportunity to work on the development of the team and the young players. So, even the players who might not get an opportunity to play will benefit from the experience they are getting here.”It is going to be a competitive series as England are a strong side. We are looking forward to play good cricket and win the series.”Babar Azam will captain the T20I side, a role he has assumed since Pakistan’s tour of Australia in November last year. Pakistan have not won a bilateral away series against a Full Member since January 2018, when they beat New Zealand 2-1. All three T20Is will be played at Old Trafford, with the first taking place on August 28.

England's preparations for Euro 2024 got off to a rather sluggish start at St James' Park but ultimately Gareth Southgate will be pleased with not just the result but the opportunity he got to witness some new stars on the international stage.

This was a patched-together Three Lions side missing some big faces. Jude Bellingham is still in Madrid celebrating his Champions League win while Bukayo Saka also missed out. There was no room yet for England's Manchester City crop either with Phil Foden not making the squad.

As a result, it saw the likes of Cole Palmer and Eberechi Eze make their first starts for their country. The back four also consisted of Ezri Konsa, Lewis Dunk, Marc Guehi and Kieran Trippier.

We did see some more familiar faces late in the 3-0 win over Bosnia, Harry Kane notably scoring at the end but these matches will be more about learning which of the newer players Southgate can trust.

Well, he certainly found a few new heads to rely on at St James' Park.

England's best players vs Bosnia

Cole Palmer opened the scoring from the penalty spot – his first international goal – before Trent Alexander-Arnold got on the scoresheet with a sweet low volley in the latter stages of the game.

The Liverpool star hasn't always had it easy with his national side. England's depth at right-back has seen the likes of Kyle Walker and Reece James preferred in recent years.

However, with James absent from the provisional Euros squad, this was a fine opportunity for Alexander-Arnold to prove himself.

He started the game in a midfield position, spraying some lovely passes around the park before finishing the game at right-back where he looked phenomenal, darting forward to prove a constant nuisance to the Bosnian defence.

It was high up on the right-hand side that Trent's goal came from, as he proved to the manager that he would be deserving of a starting berth in Germany.

Another to shine was Eze. The creative sensation was in fine form for Crystal Palace last season, scoring 11 goals and supplying six assists in all competitions. Thus, he was rightfully rewarded with a third England cap on Monday night.

Described as 'the standout player during his hour on the pitch' by GOAL's Richard Martin, it was an energetic showing that suggested he should certainly be on the plane.

He wasn't the only Palace star to do himself justice.

Adam Wharton's England debut in numbers

In January an unsuspecting Adam Wharton joined Crystal Palace from Blackburn Rovers in a deal worth £18m.

It was done with minimal fuss, with minimal hype. However, Wharton is now the subject of much discussion having impressed significantly under Oliver Glasner in the back half of the campaign.

Such form meant he was the 'surprise' pick in Southgate's provisional squad for the Euros. Alongside Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite, they were only uncapped players, with both making their debuts from the bench against Bosnia. Wharton more than showed he deserves to be in the final Euros squad.

The midfielder didn't score but his performance was full of composure and confidence, notably completing 100% of his passes.

Brought on in the 62nd minute, the 20-year-old went on to amass 37 touches and supply two key passes. He didn't win a defensive duel but that didn't matter with England assured of victory.

Minutes played

28

Touches

37

Passes

36/36

Key passes

1

Crosses

1/1

Fouls

2

Such a performance earned plenty of praise with former Newcastle midfielder Isaac Hayden hailing his "scary" talent, suggesting the youngster simply "has to be on the plane".

FIFA journalist James Pendleton, meanwhile, summarised Wharton's display with the following words. "His two-footedness and energy levels are such a breath of fresh air and so unique to this England squad."

So, how can you ignore him, Gareth? This was one of the finer England debuts we have witnessed in recent years. It'll be incredibly hard to leave him behind.

Southgate could drop England star for the Euros after 4/10 display

One England hopeful may have damaged his chances of going to the Euros.

ByMatt Dawson Jun 4, 2024

When it comes to prestigious football tournaments, other than the World Cup, there isn’t really anything that gets close to the prestige of the European Championship.

England have been semi-regular participants over the years, and whilst the team has never been crowned champions, they have experienced their fair share of ups and downs along the way.

Euro 2024 saw England reach a second successive final, with Spain inflicting similar heartbreak to Italy three years prior.

But how does their overall record at the tournament shape up? Football FanCast has looked back at all of England’s past campaigns for you to reminisce about.

Year

Stage reached

1960

Did not enter

1964

Failed to qualify

1968

Third place

1972

Failed to qualify

1976

Failed to qualify

1980

Group stage

1984

Failed to qualify

1988

Group stage

1992

Group stage

1996

Semi-finals

2000

Group stage

2004

Quarter-finals

2008

Failed to qualify

2012

Quarter-finals

2016

Round of 16

2020

Runners-up

2024

Runners-up

Euro 2024 tournament guide: Teams, matches, dates, TV channels, odds & more

Football FanCast has put together a guide for all things Euro 2024, with venues, fixtures, tables, stadiums and more all covered here.

ByStephan Georgiou Jun 11, 2024 Euro 1968 World champions finish third in first European Championship

Eight years on from refusing to partake in the inaugural Euros, we finally got our first look at England at the European Championship, with the Three Lions having failed to qualify for the 1964 edition.

The tournament finals were held in Italy and featured just four teams after two years of qualifying and quarter-finals. The teams that made it were Italy, the USSR, Yugoslavia and England.

The Three Lions were going into the finals as world champions, so there was an understandable expectation that they would make it to the final at a minimum – yet they did not.

Instead, the world champions had to settle for third place after they lost their semi-final 1-0 to Yugoslavia, though they did win their third-place play-off 2-0 against the USSR.

Round

Opponent

Result

Goalscorers

Semi-final

Yugoslavia

L 0-1

Dzajic

Third-place play-off

USSR

W 2-0

Bobby Charlton, Hurst

Euro 2024 Group C: Teams, players, fixtures and venues

Everything you need to know about Slovenia, Denmark, Serbia and England ahead of Euro 2024.

ByCharlie Smith Jun 9, 2024 Euro 1980 England finally qualify again but fall at first hurdle

It would be 12 long years of European failure for England between their appearances in 1968 and 1980, and when the Three Lions finally made their much-awaited return to the tournament, they did not last long.

The finals were once again held in Italy and were the first to feature eight teams, meaning there was to be a group stage before the knock-out games.

England were placed into a group alongside Spain, Belgium and hosts Italy. Only the winners advanced to the final (no messing around back in the day), so each team would have to perform from the off to stand a chance of winning the tournament.

The opening game against the Belgians started well enough, with Ray Wilkins giving the Three Lions the lead on 26 minutes with a superb finish. However, it took just three minutes for England to concede an equaliser.

England’s second game saw them lose 1-0 to the Italians, and even though they won their final match against the Spanish 2-1, a draw between Italy and Belgium sealed their fate and sent them home early.

Round

Opponent

Result

Goalscorers

Group stage

Belgium

D 1-1

Wilkins / Ceulemans

Group stage

Italy

L 0-1

Tardelli

Group stage

Spain

W 2-1

Brooking, Woodcock / Dani (p)

Euro 1988 Woeful England lose every game in West Germany

It was another eight-year wait to see England compete in another European Championship, and the same wait resulted in the same outcome: an early exit.

The 1988 edition of the tournament was held in West Germany and was actually the last European tournament to see West Germany and the USSR take part.

Once again, eight teams were taking part in the finals, and England were placed into a group with the Republic of Ireland, the Netherlands and the USSR.

Although there were at least a few positives to take from the 1980 finals, the same could not be said for the 1988 edition.

England kicked their campaign off with a shock 1-0 defeat to the Irish and followed that up with 3-1 losses to the Dutch and the Soviets. The Three Lions finished rock bottom of the group with no points and a goal difference of minus five.

Round

Opponent

Result

Goalscorers

Group stage

Republic of Ireland

L 0-1

Houghton

Group stage

Netherlands

L 1-3

Robson / Van Basten (3)

Group stage

USSR

L 1-3

Adams / Aleinikov, Mykhaylychenko, Pasulko

Next England manager: Who could replace Gareth Southgate?

It’s over for Gareth Southgate – here’s who England could turn to next following his resignation.

ByStephan Georgiou Jul 16, 2024 Euro 1992 Euro woes continue as Three Lions bow out early again

Well, at least there was no eight-year wait this time. England had managed to qualify for back-to-back European Championships for the first time with their appearance in 1992.

However, once the team got to the finals, the result – as was always the case – was an embarrassing group stage exit.

Sweden hosted in 1992, and as was becoming the norm by this point, the tournament finals featured eight teams split into two groups of four before the knockout rounds.

England’s group featured Sweden, France and Denmark. The inclusion of the Danish was a surprise as it was supposed to be Yugoslavia that qualified in their place, but the country’s breakup meant that they obviously couldn’t play, so the Danes were chosen to replace them.

Of course, Denmark then went on to win the whole thing, defeating Germany in the final to become the only team to have won the European Championship despite not technically qualifying.

England had to play the Danish side in their first game, and neither team looked great as they played out a 0-0 draw. Up next was the French, and what followed was yet another goalless bore draw.

England’s final group game was against the hosts, and the maths was simple: win and go through.

It all started so well as David Platt gave the Three Lions the lead in the fourth minute, but as the English so often do, they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory and conceded two goals in the second half to lose and crash out of the group stage.

Round

Opponent

Result

Goalscorers

Group stage

Denmark

D 0-0

None

Group stage

France

D 0-0

None

Group stage

Sweden

L 1-2

Platt / Jan Eriksson, Brolin

Every England penalty shootout at major tournaments

A chance to relive all of the Three Lions’ penalty shootouts at major tournaments.

1 ByStephan Georgiou Jul 6, 2024 Euro 1996 Southgate misses as home tournament ends in heartbreak

With England now qualifying for European Championships fairly regularly, did the team start delivering improved results? Surprisingly, yes, yes they did.

The 1996 edition of the tournament was held in England, and with it being thirty years on from England’s World Cup triumph on home soil, there was a genuine belief that despite their previous failings, this time would be different. And they were right, sort of.

The size of the competition had been doubled for the 1996 edition to include four groups of four for the first time. England were placed in a group with the Netherlands, Switzerland and the Auld Enemy, Scotland.

The hosts kicked off the tournament with a tepid 1-1 draw with the Swiss, but followed that up with a now iconic game against the Scots at the old Wembley. Alan Shearer opened the scoring in that encounter, but it was Paul Gascoigne’s goal and celebration that has been ingrained into English football folklore.

The final group game saw Terry Venables’ men put four past the Dutch and qualify from the group in a comfortable first place.

The quarter-finals saw England take on Spain, and with the score 0-0 after extra time, penalties were needed to decide a winner. The hosts scored all four of their spot kicks, while the Spanish scored just two of theirs, meaning England’s party would carry on going – for the moment.

The semi-finals saw the hosts take on Germany, and despite a lot of nervousness beforehand, Shearer gave England an early lead when he opened the scoring in the third minute. However, the Germans quickly fought back and levelled the score in the 16th minute, and with neither side able to score again, the game went to penalties.

After both sides had scored their opening five penalties, Gareth Southgate stepped up to take the sixth, but he saw his attempt saved. Andreas Moller then scored his, and the hosts were out.

Round

Opponent

Result

Goalscorers

Group stage

Switzerland

D 1-1

Shearer / Turkyilmaz (p)

Group stage

Scotland

W 2-0

Shearer, Gascoigne

Group stage

Netherlands

W 4-1

Shearer (2, 1p), Sheringham (2) / Kluivert

Quarter-final

Spain

D 0-0 (4-2 on pens)

None

Semi-final

Germany

D 1-1 (5-6 on pens)

Shearer / Kuntz

Euro 2000 Keegan's England fall flat on Euros stage once more

England made their way to Euro 2000, hosted in the Netherlands and Belgium, with one mission: go one step further than 1996. Unfortunately, this was an objective that was very much not met.

The Three Lions were drawn into a group with Portugal, Romania and Germany. England’s first game of the tournament was a thoroughly exciting 3-2 defeat to Portugal, which they put behind them pretty quickly as they ended up winning the following game against Germany 1-0.

The final group game was against Romania, and it was once again a simple equation: win and go through, or lose and go home.

That said, simplicity didn’t guarantee results, and the Romanians stunned the footballing world when they ran out 3-2 winners. Phil Neville conceded a late penalty when a draw would have seen England through.

Round

Opponent

Result

Goalscorers

Group stage

Portugal

L 2-3

Scholes, McManaman / Figo, Joao Pinto, Nuno Gomes

Group stage

Germany

W 1-0

Shearer

Group stage

Romania

L 2-3

Shearer (p), Owen / Chivu, Munteanu, Ganea (p)

Euro 2004 Golden generation fall short after penalty drama

Euro 2004 was held in Portugal and once again featured four groups of four. England were placed in Group B alongside France, Croatia and Switzerland.

The first game of the tournament ended in heartbreak for Sven-Goran Eriksson’s side, as despite leading for most of the game through a 38th-minute Frank Lampard goal, they ended up losing after the French scored in the 91st and 93rd minutes.

Game two saw them take out these frustrations on the Swiss as they stormed to a 3-0 victory, and they played out another victory in their third game against Croatia as they won 4-2.

The quarter-finals saw England face off against the hosts in one of the tournament’s best games. Michael Owen opened the scoring in the third minute to give the Three Lions the lead, but an 83rd-minute goal from Helder Postiga ensured the game would be heading to extra time.

Portugal took the lead themselves in the 110th minute thanks to a Rui Costa strike, but Lampard levelled the scores with a goal of his own in the 115th minute to take it to penalties.

It was the hosts who won out on spot kicks after David Beckham and Darius Vassell both saw their attempts saved. Oh, what could have been.

Round

Opponent

Result

Goalscorers

Group stage

France

L 1-2

Lampard / Zidane (2, 1p)

Group stage

Switzerland

W 3-0

Rooney (2), Gerrard

Group stage

Croatia

W 4-2

Scholes, Rooney (2), Lampard / Niko Kovac, Tudor

Quarter-final

Portugal

D 2-2 (5-6 on pens)

Owen, Lampard / Postiga, Rui Costa

Euro 2012 Penalties send England home yet again

England failed to qualify for the 2008 edition of the tournament, so they had to wait eight years to try and move past their heartbreak in Portugal, though given how this one went, we aren’t too sure they did.

England were placed in Group D alongside France, Sweden and co-hosts Ukraine. Things got off to a reasonable start as Roy Hodgson’s men played out a 1-1 draw with the French. They did even better in the second game, beating Sweden 3-2, despite surrendering a 1-0 lead midway through the second half. A 1-0 win over Ukraine in the final group game saw them advance to the quarter-finals, where they would face Italy.

The game was dreadfully dull and ended 0-0 after extra-time. It was once again a penalty shootout that stood between success and failure for England, and it once again ended in heartbreak as both Ashley Young and Ashley Cole missed their spot kicks to hand the Italians the win.

In fairness, Andrea Pirlo’s spot-kick was worthy of winning the game by itself.

Round

Opponent

Result

Goalscorers

Group stage

France

D 1-1

Lescott / Nasri

Group stage

Sweden

W 3-2

Carroll, Walcott, Welbeck / Johnson (og), Mellberg

Group stage

Ukraine

W 1-0

Rooney

Quarter-final

Italy

D 0-0 (2-4 on pens)

None

Euro 2016 England suffer humiliating exit to minnows Iceland

The Hodgson era was not the greatest time for the English national team, and no tournament encapsulates that better than the 2016 European Championship, which featured 24 teams for the first time.

England were placed in a group with Russia, Slovakia and Wales. In their opening game, England managed to throw away a 1-0 lead in the 92nd minute to draw with Russia, while the second game saw them score in the 92nd minute to beat Wales. The final match saw them play out a tedious 0-0 draw with Slovakia to qualify in second.

Despite this, they were given a ‘dream’ draw, as Iceland were set to play them in the round of 16. Even though Iceland had beaten Austria and drawn against Portugal and Hungary, there was an overwhelming expectation that England would come away comfortable winners from the clash.

Wayne Rooney gave the Three Lions the lead when he scored a penalty in the fourth minute, but a sixth-minute equaliser from Ragnar Sigurðsson and an 18th-minute goal from Kolbeinn Sigthórsson flipped the game on its head.

England looked toothless for the rest of the game and came away as deserved losers. It’s fair to say that this result represented a real low point for English football.

Round

Opponent

Result

Goalscorers

Group stage

Russia

D 1-1

Dier / Vasili Berezutski

Group stage

Wales

W 2-1

Vardy, Sturridge / Bale

Group stage

Slovakia

D 0-0

None

Round of 16

Iceland

L 1-2

Rooney (p) / Ragnar Sigurdsson, Sigthorsson

Ranking the ten biggest upsets at the European Championships

With Euro 2024 fast approaching, Football FanCast has created a list of the biggest upsets in the tournament’s history…

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 14, 2024 Euro 2020 Football nearly comes home

The most recent edition of the European Championship is by far and away England’s most successful tournament.

The competition kicked off a year later than planned due to the pandemic and was played across multiple European nations, including England.

Gareth Southgate had just led his side to a World Cup semi-final three years prior, and so while the Three Lions weren’t favourites, there was an element of expectation among fans.

The team were placed in Group D alongside Croatia, the Czech Republic and Scotland. Things got off to a decent start as Southgate’s men played out a 1-0 win over Croatia, but the following 0-0 draw against Scotland tempered people’s expectations somewhat.

The final group game played out much like the first; Raheem Sterling scored England’s only goal as the side beat the Czechs 1-0. Two wins and a draw from the group was enough to qualify as winners, which meant a last-16 tie against Germany.

Goals from Sterling and Harry Kane saw the Three Lions finally get the better of Die Mannschaft in a knockout game for the first time since the World Cup final in 1966.

The quarter-finals saw the team put four past Ukraine to set up a nervy semi-final with Denmark. The game took place at Wembley Stadium, so there was an eerie silence when the Danes took the lead through Mikkel Damsgaard in the 30th minute.

Luckily for the home crowd, Simon Kjær put the ball in the back of his own net just nine minutes later to level the scores. It would take extra-time to find a winner, but England finally took the lead when Kane scored in the 104th minute. It was just Italy that now stood between England and footballing greatness.

Luke Shaw opened the scoring just two minutes in, creating bedlam at Wembley. However, once they were ahead, England seemed to shrink into their shells, and after defending for most of the game, Italy finally levelled the score through Leonardo Bonucci. Extra time came and went, and it was once again – as it always seems to be – a penalty shootout that stood before the English national team. Unfortunately, we all know what happened from here.

Kane and Harry Maguire scored their penalties, but Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Bukayo Saka all had to endure the soul-crushing feeling of missing theirs. Jordan Pickford performed wonders between the sticks, but it just wasn’t to be, and Italy claimed the title on English soil.

Round

Opponent

Result

Goalscorers

Group stage

Croatia

W 1-0

Sterling

Group stage

Scotland

D 0-0

None

Group stage

Czech Republic

W 1-0

Sterling

Round of 16

Germany

W 2-0

Sterling, Kane

Quarter-final

Ukraine

W 4-0

Kane (2), Maguire, Jordan Henderson

Semi-final

Denmark

W 2-1 (aet)

Kjaer (og), Kane / Damsgaard

Final

Italy

D 1-1 (2-3 on pens)

Shaw / Bonucci